Sorry for the silence guys - my laptop self-immolated over the weekend, and I'm borrowing a friend's computer to post today. I hope to have it back up and running today or tomorrow though - don't worry, I haven't forgotten you guys or the game!
Unfettered steps slowly up to the archway, pausing there for a moment to let his eyes adjust to the shadowed interior, while his companions hang back to let him take the lead.
Speaking of which, folks, don't forget to post actions for the NPCs you're controlling too.
The archways lead into a long entry hall, perhaps 50 yards long and 12 yards across, marching away toward the north, where Unfettered can make out the steps leading up toward the central worship hall, under the dome he noticed from outside. Carvings and frescoes line the walls, and a double row of columns supports the ceiling. There appear to be short hallways leading off to the east and west just in front of the stairs up to the sanctuary, and three doors - plain wood, and warped some in their frames - stand out against the richly carved sandstone walls around them on the east side of the entry hall.
All around, debris - animal droppings, bits of broken furniture or tools, branches of sagebrush and other plants - litters the ground, and the walls are marked with with the chips and gouges of weapons, as well as dark smears and blackened stains.
Rolling the stiffness out of his neck, Unfailing Stone readies his sword and shield. Adopting a wary posture, he readies himself beside Auric to shield his comrade should the need arise.
The carvings on the walls of the entry hall are of various Dargon-Blooded, judging by their elemental anima displays, but what is peculiar about them is how life-like they are - because the Immaculate Philosophy is actively aniconic, considering representational art to be blasphemous. Here, however, the figures are clearly depicted, and even somewhat recognizable as individuals.
Unfettered makes his way down the hall toward the steps that lead up to the sanctuary proper. The domed sanctuary is laid out in the traditional Immaculate fashion, or at least it used to be; the inward-facing square of benches has long since been toppled or disturbed, and the 5 altars to the Dragons lie on their sides or are missing completely. Tilted candelabras adorn the walls, and several braziers dangle from broken chains. Disturbingly, in the center of the room, a large woven rope net holds a boulder-sized collection of skulls, apparently from some kind of canine.
As he steps into the room, Unfettered feels a strange sense of tension, a familiar and unwelcome sensation. At the same time, he sees movement along the rope that holds the skull collection to the ceiling, and spots a small, dog-headed figure climbing rapidly down to stand atop the net.
Crux:Per+Lore 7d10 ⇒ (8, 5, 3, 2, 8, 6, 9) = 41 in case the specialty of 'first age' applies 2d10 ⇒ (2, 8) = 10 Dashki: Per+Lore 4d10 ⇒ (9, 3, 7, 2) = 21
Crux: That is unusual. I wonder how old this place really is.
Does it seem like it's seen me, or does it just happen to be climbing on the skull net?
The pugwampi grins nastily at Unfettered, makes what might be described as a "rude gesture" at him, then drops the ragged scrap of fur it uses as a loincloth and waggles its genitalia at him for good measure.
Just for the record, in case it wasn't obvious, the sanctuary is within the bounds of the pugwampi's Unluck Aura. This only affects Unfettered's Join Battle roll, however, since everyone else is too far away. When you reach the sanctuary, though, you will all need to take it into account. (Reminder: only 8+ counts as a success, and 10s don't count double. Stunting and Essence use overcome its effects, however.)
Unfettered, I need a Perception + Awareness roll, please.
Pugwampi's Join Battle: 6d10 ⇒ (6, 10, 9, 10, 10, 9) = 54. Woof! Last time was a botch, and this time... that's 8 successes. So the reaction count looks like this:
Tick 0: Pugwampi and Ata
Tick 4: Dashki
Tick 5: Sandflakes
Tick 6: Auric, Adz, Axe, Crux, Dirk, Stone, Unfettered
Pretty much everyone but Unfettered is about 30 yards from the sanctuary; you can Move up to your Dexterity in yards each tick as a reflexive action - you don't have to wait for your next regular action to do so. As a standard action, which can be flurried if you want, you can Dash, which means you run your Dexterity + 6 yards per tick for each of three ticks. Both your Move and your Dash speeds are reduced by the mobility penalty of any armor you have, by the way.
The pugwampi screeches something in its strange, high-pitched voice, and down the hallway, Dashki suddenly gasps, "Look out!" The warning comes too late, however, as a hail of arrows suddenly rain down on Unfettered. From the shadows beneath the sanctuary dome, along what look to be a series of catwalks near the ceiling, five more pugwampis appear, each brandishing a single, tiny bow.
Though his buff jacket deflects most of the tiny arrows, two of them manage to punch through, and his blood flows from fresh wounds on his left leg and right shoulder. Unfettered takes a total of two Health Levels of damage.
The pugwampis have a DDV of 3 and 1L/2B soak. They go next on Tick 6.
Dashki looks assesses the room.
"Keep me covered."
He zigzags to the rope trying to make himself as difficult a target as he can before he makes it to the rope and begins to climb.
Dashki will move each tick until he makes it to the rope.
"Keep me covered."
He zigzags to the rope trying to make himself as difficult a target as he can before he makes it to the rope and begins to climb.
Dashki will move each tick until he makes it to the rope.
If he just Moves, he won't get to the sanctuary until Tick 10. If he Moves until his action and then Dashes, he'll get there on Tick 7.
Uh, oops - one of those attacks on Unfettered is actually a botch, not a success - and it happens to be one of the two that did damage. On the other hand, the last attack had 4 successes, not 2, and should have rolled a second die for damage. I guess we'll just call that even. Except that...
One of the pugwampis, laughing uproariously as it and its companions attack Unfettered, suddenly shrieks in anger as its grip on its bow slips, the weapon falling the 7 yards to the sanctuary floor. The pugwampi shouts in fury, shaking its fist at Unfettered, apparently blaming the event on him.
"Keep me covered."
He zigzags to the rope trying to make himself as difficult a target as he can before he makes it to the rope and begins to climb.
Dashki will move each tick until he makes it to the rope.
If he just Moves, he won't get to the sanctuary until Tick 10. If he Moves until his action and then Dashes, he'll get there on Tick 7.
Just need to know whether I can see them, or not. My bow is well equipped to hit from this range. If Auric can't see them, he'll move each tick until he has a clear shot, and then will plant himself there. Unfailing Stone will move with him.
Moving to a clear shot, Auric changes his broadhead arrows for his frogcrotch arrows, to better slay these unarmored imps. Taking aim slowly, he mutters to himself the words taught to him in his training: "I do not shoot with my hand, I shoot with my mind. He who shoots with his hand has forgotten the face of his father." As he finishes the words, Auric lets loose upon the enemy that struck Unfettered, arrow springing from the shaft like a bird diving toward its prey.
Tick 0:
Ata begins running down the hall, trying to catch up to where Unfettered now stands in a sudden killing ground. Dash action, Speed 3, DV -2 - next action is Tick 3. Ata Dashes for 8 yards/tick.
Auric, Unfailing Stone and Dashki begin moving up the hall as well, though none reacts as quickly as Ata does. The lighter-armored and agile Auric quickly outpaces the other two, however. The massive bear shape of Sandflakes in Shadow begins to move closer as well, its strides unsettling to watch as it slips nearer to the battle. Auric Moves at 4 yds/tick, and thus rapidly outpaces Stone's 1 yd/tick, as well as Dashki's 3 yds/tick and Sandflakes' 3 yds/tick.
Tick 1:
Ata continues to Dash; Auric, Dashki, Sandflakes and the extras all Move closer.
Tick 2:
Same as Tick 1. Ata is now about 6 yards from the sanctuary; Auric is about 18 yards, and needs to take one more Move in order to get a clear shot; Dashki and Sandflakes are both about 21 yards from the sanctuary, and the extras have only managed to move 3 yards closer (gotta love armor...).
Tick 3:
Ata is up again.
Next actions:
Tick 4: Dashki
Tick 5: Sandflakes
Tick 6: Auric, Adz, Axe, Crux, Dirk, Stone, Unfettered, the pugwampis
Seeing himself being quickly outpaced, Unfailing Stone mutters a curse, and begins to sprint as best he is able. Auric continues his movement, taking in the sanctuary as he does so.
Should it be applicable, Perception+Awareness:7d10 ⇒ (9, 6, 4, 2, 7, 8, 2) = 38
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