I should say that the word begloved was one I agonised over using in that paragraph in the first place, so it leaped out at me. I can see why that would not be the case to others.
Oops, that was me. I thought it was typo. Sorry.
Things like that will happen.
As much as I think that these games should be picked up and made movies out of them, I don;t think that will happen.
The idea is to have fun so pardon my typos. :)
Game on!
Italics it is then!
Turn 2
Action 1:
At the Paracount’s appearance Eririk like everyone else had focused his attention to the man in the window. His Lordship certainly appeared unconcerned. Amused, even. Listening to the speech and the latest proclamation, the monk took a mental step back to properly pick the meat from the bones of the bits and pieces of information available.
Faced by the hatred of the multitudes, Lord Thrune showed no sign of nervousness. That, at least, Eirik could understand – a leader who showed his people he was afraid of them would not remain in power for long. But what was the basis of his confidence?
’First option: the man is an idiot,’ Eirik thought. Perhaps he just couldn’t believe people would ever rise against their betters. But would an idiot rise to Lord Thrune’s present place of power? Possible. The man was related to the Queen after all, if rumors were to be believed, so the position might be purely political. Or a man guaranteed to make matters worse might be put in power just so he could mess things up, opening the road for his replacement to arrive to restore order and save the day.
The bizarre Proclamations could be seen as proof of the theory but Eirik couldn’t quite convince himself this was the case here.
’Second option: the man is indifferent.’ Perhaps he just didn’t care whether people took up arms or not, trusting fully in his guards’ ability to put down a rebellion. And he might be right – the people were rich in righteous indignation and held the morale high ground, but what they didn’t hold was arms and armor. Lord Thrune’s guards, however, had both in plenty, as well as actual training in their use. A torch-and-pitchfork-wielding rabble might be intimidating as hell, and if it caught armed forces already on the run could do serious damage, but faced with well-trained troops with a commander who didn’t mind to wade through blood, its spirit would be easily shattered by cold-blooded application of deadly force.
Such an approach would certainly work in the short terms, but casual, careless use of violence would just plant the seed of an underground rebellion.
’Third option, the man knows what he’s doing,’ Eirik thought, finding this option the most disturbing one. He knew he could put down a rebellion by force, but was wise enough to want to do it on his own terms, in the time and place of his own choosing. So he had allowed the potential dissidents to gather, and was making sure they would give him a legitimate excuse to use force. But to use it surgically, not randomly. Strike hard, and make the first strike count. Identify the people most likely to cause trouble and take then out in a way and manner that would discourage anyone else from picking up the torch of rebellion.
The monk sighed. ’Now, if you could actually put this idle speculation to use,’ he thought. This was him, all right: the master strategist after the fact. Always waiting for just one more second, one more morsel of information before acting.
Action 2:
Unsurprisingly, the Paracount’s words drove the crowd into frenzy. Frowning, Eirik turned his gaze back from the window and back into the people, redoubling his attention to find the people who had been guiding the crowds’ reactions. He hoped the task would be easier, now that Lord Thrune had captured everyone’s attention – it should be easier to pick out other people who were more interested in the protesters than the one being protested against.
Action 1
Kaldar was thrilled. A protest, a public protest had dragged Barzillai to the window? Was something happening? His heart soared, along with others, that they were making a difference. Then all hope was dashed as it became the clear the man was crazy.
Yes, only a madman would mis-judge the protest so completely, so finally. Kaldar couldn't help but think why the Thrune would assign a madman to a place as delicate as Kintargo. Was there no respect? He added these thoughts to the general yelling and shouts of anger at the distant figure. Crying out loudly, ”They have sent us a madman!” was his first original public protest cry. He would mark it in his memory. Fear slid away as he joined in the anger of the throng.
Action 2
The fear came flooding back as he looked at the willing, no, willing captain of the guards. Again, all his worries about a brutal crackdown resurfaced. Who knows why Barzillai was mad but perhaps someone not so crazy was about to unleash the guards on them? Kaldar began to circle in the crowd, still joining the protest, but also altering people of the evil looking guard leader. At least they could run before any real killing started? He cursed himself for his fear, but he couldn't help it. Sometimes running away was your only option.
Turn 002 - Action 1
Caleb's eyes flicked to the front doors as they opened.
Dottari in formation and on their shields the Hated symbol of THRUNE. Led by some twisted woman...
Something familiar about that woman he thought Something from my childhood...
All thoughts fled as Barzillai THRUNE came to the window. His words were all but lost on Caleb. His heart raced, and his face twisted into a rictus of Hate. Plan after plan thundered through his head.
Focus him? Too far. Sneak in? I'd only get one shot - too much chance of being caught first. Bar the doors and burn down the opera house? Too many ways out.
Hate flooded him, but uselessly. One of the High THRUNE is just there and there is not a Callistria-damned thing I can do!
The revelation was painful. In all his years of preparation he hadn't realised a simple fact: he could not do this alone. I took too much faith in the proverb that it is almost impossible to stop a dedicated man prepared to die.
I want him to die. Painfully - and stay dead. Dead and damned. I can't do that by myself. I need help. Thaeldriel you promised to help me!
As Barzillai finished his speech with 'squassation' Thaeldriel's last message returned to mind.
The one gloved man. Stay focused, Cage. You need the one gloved man.
Turn 002 - Action 2
Some sixth sense from the thing in the Cage warned him. **TRAP**.
Brought back to himself he looked around. THRUNE had set this up. Why? He took over the opera house. Paraded himself like some villain out of a historical play. All that was left now was some terrible, dignified outrage against the only people brave enough to stand up against him. He had turned these people into the extras in HIS story. An anecdote for HIS biography.
To the Abyss with that. The man might be safe, but I can still ruin his history.
He started. A chant to the tune of one of the old, bawdy favourites. Pushed with all the force his trained voice could crank out.
Simple. Direct. Three word chorus. Three syllables. No elegance. Suggesting that the THRUNE purchase of the feral dogs was not as guards, but concubines. A chant so obscene it would never make it into a history book. A chant that turned this from THRUNE'S elegant take down of his political opponents into a blushing noble overreacting to commoner humour. A chant that could be turned into songs, rumours, graffiti. A chant that could be made to haunt the man till he died, and still have commoners sniggering later. Till, one day, only the chant remained to remember him by.
I should say that the word begloved was one I agonised over using in that paragraph in the first place, so it leaped out at me. I can see why that would not be the case to others.Oops, that was me. I thought it was typo. Sorry.
Things like that will happen.
As much as I think that these games should be picked up and made movies out of them, I don;t think that will happen.
The idea is to have fun so pardon my typos. :)
Game on!
Sure :)
It's fair too. Begloved isn't really a word. I liked the Shakespearean sound of it, but really the word gloved covers it. And certainly my first thought was that they typo was mine, as it would not be the first time.
As a Safety Engineer, my preference is for "gloved" or "begloved" as the term "degloved" is a rather bad one, and one I've seen all too often over the years.
if this is out of place in the module, I can change it. It just seems so common and spiteful that it seems very Caleb.
No, this is excellent, but you left us wanting more. What is the chant? :)
Turn 3
Tillia and Alinza were still walking through the crowd, they tried to calm them and were just making head way, when Thrune came out to speak. His appearance seemed to calm the crowd at first but his ridiculous and outrageous proclamation seemed to drive them mad. Alinza cried out in horror, "No! That's wrong!" She stepped out towards the front of the crowd and continued her impassioned words, "You can't make such declarations unless you are trying to incite the people against you. Are you trying to start a bloodbath!?" Tillia looked on in horror at her friend's actions, she moved forward to try and pull Alinza back but found herself blocked by the crowd. Tillia yelled out, "Alinza! Stop this, we came to calm the crowds, not cause things to get worse!"
The crowds volume prevented Tillia's words from reaching Alinza and she found herself being hemmed in by the crowd as they seemed to grow more angered. Tillia turned to those nearest her and said, "Please, calm down, it does no good to start a fight here and now, it will only get people killed and provoke him into even greater travesties." Alinza continued to try and persuade Barzillai Thrune that he needed to think about what he was doing though whether he heard her or not Tillia couldn't tell.
Turn 002 – Action 1
Vandomir listened intently to the Thrune’s message, ”squassation? What is squassation,” he wondered. It took only a moment for him to hear some in the crowd crying out. They apparently knew what it was. Perhaps the little people were ‘squassated’ on occasion, whatever that was, but it certainly didn’t sound pleasant. And whatever it was, to do it to the Captains of the ships in the harbor seemed like it was inviting economic disaster on the city. Why, without the Captains coming ashore, delivering their goods, and making deals, there might be economic ruin. This was getting out of hand. Mint, and tea, and pictures of women were one thing, but striking at the economy of the city actually affected him, and house Jarvis. Surely the Thrune didn’t mean what he had said. Many of those Captains were in the direct employ of the great houses, House Jarvis included. ”Not the Captains! That’s insane,” he shouted, only to clamp a hand over his own mouth. ”Did I say that out loud,” he worried, ”someone might have heard me." For a member of one of the great houses to question the Thrune in public? Best not to even consider the ramifications. Mortified at the thought of what open dissent by a member of his house might mean, Vandomir quietly slipped away from his vantage point and into the crowd. He hoped that if someone had heard him and looked in the direction of the outburst, that by mixing with the crowd, he might not become associated with the words he had spoken.
Turn 002 – Action 2
Having slunk into the crowd to hide, Vandomir grew to regret that decision almost immediately. The violence that he could read in the eyes of the protestors did not appear to be enough to match that which the enforcers began to show in their own actions. ”Be quiet you fools, you will only get yourselves killed,” he screamed, trying to calm the protestors. ”Your cause may be just, but justice rarely prevails on the field of battle. See reason, and return to your homes.” Never had Vandomir seen a mob such as this. Unreasoning beasts, who seemed to either not notice what risk they were putting themselves in, or possibly they just didn’t care. ”Idealistic fools,” he spat, as he tried to move across the park, away from the enforcers, anticipating that it would only be a matter of time before things when from worse to worst.
if this is out of place in the module, I can change it. It just seems so common and spiteful that it seems very Caleb.No, this is excellent, but you left us wanting more. What is the chant? :)
Sadly the words I'm thinking aren't really board appropriate. I was attempting to work around it.
Thrune knows dogs. With know being used in the biblical sense.
In my defence Shakespeare was a pretty dirty writer. Though not this bad...
Action 1:
Rowan listened to Thrune’s words but she only had eyes for the woman who had exited the Opera House. Thrune sounded menacing but the warpriest didn’t see him as the immediate threat because he was still above them. The woman, Nox, could step out into the crowd and lead the dottari to attack the people. Rowan’s eyes never left the woman as she waited to see if this was just a show of force or if they planned something more sinister for the citizens of Kintargo. As she watched, she tried to figure out what seemed odd about Nox’s features.
Action 2:
And so it began. Rowan didn’t know why Thrune’s words had caused the crowd to react so passionately but it didn’t really matter. It had only been a matter of time until Thrune had escalated the punishment to something more severe which she assumed was what this squassation was. She feared that the people were going to provoke a response from the woman and the dottari and so Rowan moved closer to the steps of the Opera House. As she moved through the angry crowd, she heard someone singing a song that implied questionable relations between Thrune and his beloved dogs. Her eyes widened in shock at the audacious words of the unseen singer but silently applauded him for using his abilities to protest in any way he could. She positioned herself off to the side of the steps and prepared to intervene if necessary. If she could protect someone from the brunt of an attack by Thrune’s lackeys then she would.
Same here; will be able to post during Friday (local time), after that might be able to manage something quick and easy via mobile phone until Monday, but writing long posts with that thing is pretty much a no-go.
Same here; will be able to post during Friday (local time), after that might be able to manage something quick and easy via mobile phone until Monday, but writing long posts with that thing is pretty much a no-go.
That's fine. Thanks for letting us know. We'll work around your PCs as needed to move the game forward but it looks like not a lot of posting is anticipated over the weekends anyway.
I'll wrap things up and post a new turn recap tonight (instead of Wednesday night).
As some of you may have foreseen, there will be a 'little scuffle' coming up here.
I usually do combat turns two rounds at a time, meaning that you have to post well described actions and intended results for two rounds per post. This forces you to make some assumptions and provide me with some contingencies (i.e., if thug 1 is killed then I'll move to thug 2).
If we do two rounds at a time then we can keep the same schedule.
However, we can do this one round at time if desired. The only caveat is that if we do one round per post then I need you all to post every 24 hours (instead of every 48 hours) so we can keep the combat moving.
I can go either way but let me hear your opinions.
Thoughts?
Game on!
Do you handle the combat rolls if you want us to write intended actions for pass and fail both?
2 rounds a go is fine (as has been proved over the years), but will require more speculation (if A then X, if B then Y) for actions. So, if the situation is particularly chaotic, might be best to take it a round a time.
Do you handle the combat rolls if you want us to write intended actions for pass and fail both?
You can handle the combat rolls with the site's dice rollers. I'll provide opponent's AC.
You will still need to read the turn recap to see what 'actually happened'. If, for example, you would hit a wizard in round 2 but that wizard casts mage armor at the end of round 1, his AC changed and you may have missed.
However, these should be the exception.
I'll also stop at the end of round 1 if something significant happened (someone is brought down below 0 hit points, a new foe steps in, etc.).
I'm a big fan of the two round posts. It led to one of the fastest games I've been in. I'd vote to try it.
Fabian, you've been pretty good about stopping early when something threw too big a curveball. I trust you on this.
I vote double rounds. I have total faith in you, GM.
As a proud member of House Jarvis, I am used to just being told what to do, and not getting a vote.
As a proud member of House Jarvis, I am used to just being told what to do, and not getting a vote.
*Chuckle* I just realized when I selected a noble family at random to use in my Turn 00 post, I picked up the House Jarvis.
No wonder it felt... familiar... somehow ;^)
Hope I didn't misrepresent your version of the House too badly in those few words, and if so, I can pick another family if I ever need to take that particular bit of character development nonsense thread somewhere ;^)
I never actually did a combat in the Mummy's Mask game so I don't know how well it works, but I'm willing to try double rounds for now.
As a proud member of House Jarvis, I am used to just being told what to do, and not getting a vote.*Chuckle* I just realized when I selected a noble family at random to use in my Turn 00 post, I picked up the House Jarvis.
No wonder it felt... familiar... somehow ;^)
Hope I didn't misrepresent your version of the House too badly in those few words, and if so, I can pick another family if I ever need to take that particular bit of character development nonsense thread somewhere ;^)
Ohhh, no need to worry. I noticed your picking on my peeps! I've been awaiting our eventual meeting and seeing how that stuff plays out.
A House like ours is into many things, it is entirely possible that the particular matter that is under your legal purview is something that I am not involved with at all. However, that doesn't mean I won't be offended at any implications that the family isn't entire in the right in the matter. Should be fun.
I can't wait till we start interacting with each other!
A House like ours is into many things, it is entirely possible that the particular matter that is under your legal purview is something that I am not involved with at all. However, that doesn't mean I won't be offended at any implications that the family isn't entire in the right in the matter. Should be fun.
Plenty of room for bad apples in a big basket, and who's to say Eirik's clients aren't pulling his leg, milking the "poor little plucky entrepreneur trampled under the heel of in-bred, old-money aristocrats who feel they own the city just because their ancestors were better at being murderous bastards than mine" card for all it's worth :^)
I'm pretty sure that's what is going on actually!
I'm good with 2 round posts for combat. It will be nice to start interacting with each other!
Turn 003 is up.
Read the OOC.
Questions, comments, and/or suggestions?
Game on!
Turn 003
Tillia saw how quickly things got out of control, her best efforts to calm them failed, and her best friend, her only friend, was struck down from behind by some cowardly thug who would dare to strike a priestess of Shelyn. Tillia screamed out in fear, "Alinza NO!" Then she screamed in rage, "BASTARD!" She wanted to deal with that thug herself but had more pressing concerns to deal with. After the thug took a swing at her she did her best to avoid him as she chanted and made a few gestures but she was jostled too much by the crowd and and she fumbles the movements causing the spell to fizzle from her mind.
Thillia realized just how bad this could end up being and moved away from her foe then chanted, her gestures made a warding symbol as the air shimmered around her a moment before it returned to normal.
OOC: Yes, you're right about your initiative. I corrected it on my end so I will hopefully not make that same mistake again.
Like Tillia did, don't be shy about correcting my math/modifiers. If a mistake has been made, we'll fix it and move on.
BTW, this was a fine example of a combat post; it gives me described results and contingencies. If things aren't clear, rest assured that I will always err on the side of the players.
Thoughts?
Game on!
Hidden thugs in the crowd caught everyone, even canny Kaldar off guard. Happy that the actual guards were drawing off, he focused on the grinning thug in front of him. He hated this man, int hat second, but also pitied him. Here was someone that could easily have been him. Locked in his own hatred, blind to others....Kaldar ripped his mind away from such thoughts (and his own fear) and focused on the matter at hand.
Kaldar takes a step back, and summons magical powers, asking his patron god for help. The god answers and soon Kald feels the tearing,g rowing feeling that is Enlarge Person ripple through his body.
Tall and strong, Kaldar's voice is a deep boom as he looks at the, now much smaller, thug. ”Get out of here before I get angry!” the cleric roars, his voice a harsh growl of terror.
Caleb cheered with the others when THRUNE fled. Seeing the arrogant bastard humbled was like warm soup on a cold wet day. It was almost enough to dampen the anger at losing his chance for revenge.
He turned to face Nox.
Might be my last fight he thought, and the hate and vengeance burned within him. But I should be able to take her out. Just a few more steps... when someone threw a dagger and she retreated he screamed in frustration.
When some THRUNE loyalist crept up on him and told him to run he realised he'd been locked in his own hatred, blind to the others around him.
A lifetime of staying hidden, of running, reasserted itself. He fled for the safety of the nearby tree.
Should have let me go thought Caleb. Carefully he reached inside himself, past the ocean of revenge and hate in his soul, sustained by the Blessings. Down into something Darker than that. An emotion beyond human comprehension. Ever so carefully he let the tiniest bit trickle out at his opponent.
"You're a bit too keen, friend." Caleb withdrew. It burned at his soul, but there was little he could do against someone this well trained. I'll double round and attack from the roof he consoled himself.
Caleb waited for someone to swing at a thug. Waited for his chance. When it came he lashed out just ahead of the blow.
Action 1:
Round 1:
Rowan glared defiantly at the person standing before her. “It would be best if you follow Nox’s example and retreat. Leave the people alone and you go home to your family unscathed. You may have a 'stick' but I have the power of a goddess on my side!” The warpriest placed her hand on her weapon and contemplated drawing it if the thug failed to heed her words. However, drawing a weapon in response to someone wielding a truncheon seemed like overkill...to begin with.
if attacked before she speaks then Rowan will do total defense until next round.
Round 2:
If thug attacks Rowan: “I warned you,” Rowan growled. She lashed out with her fist intending to break the thug’s nose.
The man she faced smirked as he dodged her jab. She inwardly cursed her lack of unarmed training and knew that she would be discussing this with Elsbeth later.
If thug retreats from Rowan: Rowan continued to watch the Chelaxian goon run away to make sure they didn’t decide to pick on another citizen. When she was sure that they had gone, she refocused her attention on the remaining lackeys to see if she could help.
Turn 003
Round 1
’So, he did not plan for this after all,’Eirik mused, considering the Paracount’s almost-hysteric reaction to defiance, even as he realized he had come face-to-face with an armed member of pro-Thrune militia. ”And what are *you* grinning at?” he grunted, relaxing himself into a fighting stance, cursing at the crowd flinching seemingly mindlessly from one danger or another. *Not* a good place to fight, this – a master of the art would himself hard pressed at predicting when the next sweaty body would stumble into him from any direction. But since the man before him seemed undeterred by the suboptimal conditions, Eirik resigned himself into defending himself.
Realizing this was not the time for fancy footwork, Eirik kept to the basics. He took a step forward with his left foot, put his considerable weight behind a punch aimed at the thug’s throat, followed by a stomp on his foot.
The pressure of the crowd foiled his kick, but his fist connected and the man stumbled back, eyes bulging, gasping in shock, hands rising to his throat in a futile attempt to pry away whatever it was that was preventing him from drawing breath.
Round 2
The monk took a step back as he watched his opponent to see if he had indeed had his fill or was still eager for more. As he did so, he scanned the crowd around him, spotting several other spontaneous duels around him… and veritable giant of a man, standing head and shoulders above the mob, growling at another thug.
’Now, where in the Great Beyond did *he* come from?’ Eirik wondered. There was no way he shouldn’t have spotted someone that large the moment he entered the park.
’Time to worry about that later, though,’ he thought as he turned his attention back to his opponent. Jostled by the crowd every other step, Eirik nevertheless launched a quick kick at the thug’s knee while feinting a punch aimed at his face, but he was knocked off-balance the moment he lifted his foot and barely managed to recover before the next citizen bumped into him.
My Init modifier should be +3, which just makes me go first a little earlier.
Turn 003 – Action 1
At first Vandomir was startled at the emergence of the thugs from the crowd, but once he thought about it, it made sense that the Thrune had a plan from the start, and that these thugs were a part of it. Attempting to both get out of the park safely, and do so without being recognized as a member of House Jarvis was his plan, but as with anything, first contact with the enemy ruined the plan.
The thug came forward to accost Vandomir, but Vandomir was having none of it, ”out of my way simpleton, you have no idea with whom you are dealing.” However the thug continued to block Vandomir’s route of retreat, and despite his usual gentile look and nature, Vandomir had learned a bit of how to handle himself with ruffians during his time on the streets. Pleased that he was not facing the dottari, Vandomir drew his greatsword, and slashed at the thug.
Crit confirm:
If that drops the thug: Vandomir looked at the fallen man, ”that should teach you to lay your hand on your betters.” A short distance away, he saw a woman (Tillia) being accosted by yet another thug. The woman was short, young, and quite attractive. ”Leave that woman alone and back off, or you shall receive the same treatment as this man.”
If that didn’t drop the thug: Vandomir looked at the bloody mess that the thugs clothing had become, and commented wryly, ”if you apologize and leave, we'll call this a draw, and you will still be able to tell lies to your friends about this encounter.”
Turn 003 – Action 2
If the thug I hit last round is still up and didn't run, then: Vandomir was impressed by the stolid nature of his opponent, but he was also determined to not get thumped himself, or worse yet captured and brought before the magistrates. "Sorry to have to do this."
If "my" thug went down, and Tillia's is still up and threatening her: "come and deal with me fool, and leave the girl alone." Vandomir moved towards the thug in an attempt to interpose himself between the thug and the girl. "Get behind me girl, this is no place for you."
I can't promise to keep up the breakneck pace of a turn a day, but so far we're zipping along?
Now how many of the thugs have I killed?
I can't promise to keep up the breakneck pace of a turn a day, but so far we're zipping along?
Now how many of the thugs have I killed?
Wow, everyone posted within 24 hours!
I 'may' have time to roll some virtual dice and prepare the turn recap tonight but no promises.
Game on!
Woot!
Excellent posting everyone; keep it up. This only gets better.
Turn 004 is up.
Read the OOC.
Questions, comments, and/or suggestions?
Game on!
ROUND 1
, miss
, miss
, miss
, miss
, miss
ROUND 2
, fail
, miss
, miss
OK, so my dice rolling was not so good this last couple of rounds but it gets better...
Fabian, can you enlarge my token? Makes it easier to calculate attacks? I am now a Large creature. Thanks!
Tillia wasn't enjoying this, her friend Alinza was down and beyond her reach, the first thug that attacked her was down, but someone even nastier came after her. She was getting desperate and knew that before much longer she would have to flee and leave Alinza. [i]This can still be turned around, if I can turn this one guard I might have a chance of reaching Alinza and getting her out of here.[/ooc] With that thought in mind Tillia stepped away from the guard that had attacked her and cast her spell one more time, her hands moved in a friendly gesture and the words stirred power that was directed at her current foe. The magic lashed out and tried to affect the guard's mind, a slight smile of friendship began to appear across the guard's face.
Her spell completed, Tillia smiles at her new friend, "My friend is injured, would you please grab her and help me get her safely out of here?" She pointed at Alinza as the one to carry out for her and hoped the spell was working strongly enough to convince this guard to do as she asked.
Action 1:
Round 3:
Things escalated quickly with dottari entering the fray and Rowan knew that the time for trading punches were over. The thought that she saw something out of the corner of her eye at the door to the opera house ( ) but saw nothing when she looked.
Rowan scowled at the older man before her and said tersely, “I am done playing around...boy.” Her morningstar slipped out from under her cloak and she swung upwards at his torso with all the strength she could muster.
using power attack
The warpriest's attack caused the man's rib cage to crack. He staggered backwards with a grunt and Rowan waited to see if he'd attack again or run away.
Round 4:
Now that the crowd had thinned, Rowan easily swung her morningstar again at the man who refused to learn.
Rowan heard a satisfying crunch as her weapon crushed bone and the man crumpled to the ground, unmoving.
Now that the crowd had thinned, Rowan easily moved towards the girl being threatened by one of the dottari and came up behind the soldier to flank them. She took advantage of their unprotected back and brought her morningstar down on the shoulder of their weapon arm.
The dottari's armor took the brunt of the damage from Rowan's attack but the warpriest knew that every swing the soldier took would now be quite painful.
Understood.
I notice Caleb has ended up at the fountain, but missed why. He is still in stealth, right?
Hmm - is anyone wearing yellow?
Edit: Longstrider and Guidance have been used for the day
Turn 004
’Oh, this is not good at all,’ Eirik lamented as the thinning crowd left him and a few other exposed, easily signed out. At least the Paracount and the dottari commander were out of sight, and Eirik had had the presence of mind to cover his face with his hood earlier. He was here to observe, damn it, not to be identified as a major insurrectionist!
Growling in irritation, he decided to take out his frustration on the thug who still persisted in facing him. At least Eirik now had room to maneuver. The monk fell into a lower, wider stance and flowed towards his opponent, his fluid movements belying his bulk.
Thrush in the Thicket, into Rolling Boulder. The initial attack was turned aside by a lucky swing of a club but the second strike, a heavy palm thrust to midriff landed. For the second time in short succession, the thug gasped desperately for breath, staggering under the blow.
The thugs and guards were going down fast, but not fast enough for Eirik’s peace of mind – perhaps they had been caught unawares after all, but there would be more coming along all too shortly, once someone in authority sorted out their initial confusion. The monk considered taking the opportunity to make his own exit… but he couldn’t turn his back to the few others resisting the guards just a few short paces from him.
Sighing, Eirik rushed the closest remaining guard from behind. Pebbles Underfoot, followed by Snapping Branch. A kick to the back of the guard’s left knee to unbalance him, followed by a well-aimed chop at the back of his neck.
”Persistent bugger, aren’t you?” Eirik grunted, launching another attack. Rising Moon, into what would have been Feather in the Wind but ended up as a parry instead as the man managed a quick counterattack. At least the initial high kick connected, rocking the man back.
When Caleb snuck a look from around the fountain he saw the feisty girl, unarmed, trying to sweet-talk the dottari round. You are crazy, miss he thought, but respected the guts it took to face up to something like this and not run. Words aren't going to make the difference here. No matter how pretty you are.
Once more Caleb made a link with the thing inside him. Let the tiniest thread of it connect to the mace-wielding monster.
The dottari winced, stumbled, and looked around wildly. His mind flooded with a million thoughts. More memories than any human mind could hope to hold.
Caleb felt as the thing inside started to latch on to the Dottari, like a man in the sea clutching onto a thrown rope. Caleb panicked, and severed the link. Just my luck to find someone who could actually host it.[/i]
The dottari's mind flooded with a million thoughts. More memories than any human mind could hope to hold. In self defence his mind simply shut down. His eyes rolled up and he collapsed bonelessly.
The thing inside Caleb reached out. The dottari mind flooded with a million thoughts. More memories than any human mind could hope to hold. His eyes rolled up and he collapsed bonelessly. The thing deep inside Caleb sighed contentedly, and there was the strangest sensation of chewing.
The moment the guard collapsed Caleb flashed out, grabbing at Tillia's hand. "We have to go!" he shouted over the noise.
He looks dubiously at the fallen woman "Sure. Let's go!"
Caleb looked on, stunned, as the dottari helped the girl. Maybe I'm wrong about them. Maybe there is still some human decency left in those who work for THRUNE. Maybe this one's been forced to work for them. The Blessings inside him wriggled furiously at the thought.
Caleb snuck back into the cover of the trees.
Caleb looked around. Have to be more careful. He waited patiently for the right moment, and when the next thug took a swing at a protester he found it. He let just the tiniest trickle of compulsion loose. Just enough for a second of distraction.
Caleb grabbed hold of the downed woman's arms and started to drag her away. His clothes gave him the illusion of normality, but his physique was all but skeletal from malnourishment and the Blessings. Thaeldriel had tried to 'fatten him up' - and when an elf claims you are too thin you listen - but he had had the eerie feeling the thing inside him was taking all the nourishment not needed to simply keep him alive. Like some infernal tapeworm, he reflected.
Oh, forgot to ask in my post, but where exactly is Alinza at?
Ok a few comments:
I will change the enlarged icon and correct the used abilities but these need to happen on the next turn recap. The reason is because I can't go back and edit the file because it's already being used in the Gameplay thread (I would have to repost the new file).
@Caleb: he moved to the fountain to be within range of his attack; he's still under stealth.
@Tillia: Alinza (along with a few other protesters) is being 'detained' by a few thugs and dottari.
Other questions?
Game on!