Numenera - The Octagon : In Search of The Purpose

Game Master BlackStork

"What do you fellows know of Regel? Or the Aeon priests that came through before us? We were hired to head there, but we've been told precious little of our actual goal once we get there..."

Ok, i see you are ready! - said Chaaseq when he saw Talanth coming out from the building.

"I reolly suggest us to go now, becouse we are risking to be caoght by twilight before we reach Regel, and that is reolly reolly bad thing.
anothing you need here? Want asq Burro about? Do it now. We need to go out, friends."

Suddenly he jumped like 7 feet away and appeared on the trail leading to the east gate of the village.

" oh, Yes I'm feeling much better. I'm ready to go. " I say, adjusting my leather jerkin and my sword. I follow Chaaseq to the gate.

"Well, Aeon Priests are not talquative lot... There were two convoys recently.. armed, with boxes and stuff. They did not talqed much. They hired us, and that was smort decision for both of convoys. Without us i do not thinq they could even reach Regel, especially one time, sitoation was very hairy. And.... They did not come back yet. The doing something in Regel. Perhaps they found something, sending alot of people with boxes is not thing they do jest bequause they are bored, He-qhe-he." - replied Chaaseq to Third's question.
"They perhaps are in Regel's clave. Unboxing their boxes. Qhe Qhe he!" - his hightly-pitched laugh sounded almost bizarre.

Chaaseq three-eyed gaze went to silent Zimm, then to Talanth, then to seemingly satisfied by his answer Third, nodded with his head and eyes wince, and started to jump forward, following the trail, leading into woody rocky area to the east.
"If we done, then we done.... Onwards!"
His big purple body stated to jump away, with amazing speed, inviting party to follow him.

Gaelic and party followed Chaaseq.
They moved through rocky, covered by dense wood patches area, which soon turned into dense forest. It was growing on uneven, rocky terrain, and party needed to climb and descend in order to continue their path very often, adding more difficulty to their trip. It was slowing them. Only jumping Chaazeq seemingly was agitated and happy - he was in good mood, and he talked alot.

At some point he remebered that he wanted to tell his story. He told it, it was short , but at least something.

According to his words, as he remember his past before living with Burro, he was encased into Holder and sent to The Center of All as piligrim from world where sentient creatures like him resided. He sent to honor Masters of All which were Creating Life. That how he remebers his past, before encasement, done in honor of Masters of All. As he suggested, Masters were the great people who owned and mastered Eighth World, but that was his guess. Anyways, Burro was the one who freed him from encasement. He activated the encaser correctly, freeing his sould and body into the Ninth World, where Masters were distinct, and Burro existed.
Chaaseq learned Thruth quickly, as he was very clever Caroq, and he found that his body and skills and brain could do alot of good to the Burros village. That how he became Murden-bane.
Gaelic confirmed that Chaaseq fights amazingly well, and said that we will see his soom in action. Because Murdens won't let them wait for long.

They traveled further to the east, where the forest became really dense.

They traveled some time in silence, when suddenly Chaaseq stopped and hissed:

"Hold on! Stop and stand still!"

"Murdens around" hissed Gaelic.
"He sense them on distance, he is like them - telepathic creature" - explained Gaelic whispering

After thirty seconds of silence mercurial ball of Chaaseq moved up, towards tops of the trees.
Chaaseq hissed: "They are not far. they sense us, but do not know where we are yet. and how many... We have the initiotive. They are at north-east, behind that mod wall and in diroction of this nearby broqen tree, 150 yards. They are seemingy just sqout porty. Main raid band could be anywhere nearby, but i do not sense it, yet. Prepore for the battle - we must ambush them now. If not they qould avoid straight fight and qall for main war-band..." - whispered Chaaseq and jumped on the broken tree which separated party and aproaching murdens, and hid himself in the hole in it.

party members now make their turns. You can make formation, do anything you need to prepare yourselves, prepare ambush, climb tree or do anything your character could find helpful in upcoming encounter

Tal draws his sword and crouches down, hiding in the undergrowth of the forest.

Stealth (Trained) : 1d20 ⇒ 18

Third hefts his mace and his shield, planting his feet firmly.
Just standing out in the open, facing the direction Chaaseq indicated.

Zoose will hide himself at the side of the road. As he does so, a spark will travel along his spear.

stealth trained): 1d20 ⇒ 7
Using shock to charge my spear

Zimm sighs as Chasseq decides the groups tactics without consultation, obviously forgoing Zimm's favourite: avoidance.

She darts into some underbrush, near Talanth, and begins to muster her will, externalizing her esoteries, but holding them back until they murden appear.

Stealth: 1d20 ⇒ 17

Gaelic also hit his huge body in shadow of the broken tree, where Chaaseq hid himself already.
All party members except Third hid themselves.

Soon the sound of cranking branches reached their ears, and few murden figures emerged from behind the mud and branch pile which was next to the broken tree where Chaaseq hid himself. They were sneaking, three of them held slings, and two held big curved blades.

Suddenly, right and straight from his hideout in the tree, Chaaseq jumped on one of murdens, right on its chest, knocking him down. Right at moment when Chaaseq body landed on murdens chest, Chaaseq bottom released big sting which, with loud and “juicy” sound, pierced murdens body below his chest.

Fraction of second after Gaelic hurled his huge body towards another murden, and dived his both short swords into murden’s stomack.

Chaaseq performed special attack he could use once per hour, killing one murden outright, Gaelic performed two-wield attack with Thrust move and applied effort to his damage. Because of His connection with Chaaseq, expertise fighting murdens and ambush his attack decreased to trivial task. His attack deals 3 + 2 + 3 damage, bringing second murden to near death state. Party may do their turns now. Murdens lose initiative and will do their turns after party done theirs.

Tal leaps forward out of his hiding spot. Swiping at the Murdens with his Broardsword.

Speed Atk with effort : 1d20 ⇒ 18
Broardsword damage is 4 slashing

EDIT: Awesome 18! That means an extra 2 damage right?

yes, 6 damage. Also you were able to spend effort on damage. But for that you must state at start in your roll desc that effort is going for damage and not attack.
With damage effort you were able to kill poor murden outright. Anyways, nice start. Poor murdens ;D :)

Zoose leaps out, thrusting his spear vigorously into the murden with a hearty [/I]"Yeargh!"[/I] There's a sharp crackle as electricity discharges with the blow.

attack: 1d20 ⇒ 9
5 damage (4 pointy, 1 zappy)

Third strikes at the closest murden, giving it little choice but to focus on him.

Using goad to reduce the to-hit on one of them for my companions.
Might- goad: 1d20 ⇒ 9
4 damage if hit.

waiting for Zimm to advance

Ah,sorry thought I'd posted the other day...

Zimm marshals her mental energy and extends her hand, palm open towards one of the murden.

The air around her hand seems to ripple and flex, translucent squares of energy orbiting her wrist.

Suddenly a bolt of....something races from her palm towards the murden....

Onslaught, physical, 4 damage if hit: 1d20 ⇒ 4

-Posted with Wayfinder

Talanth ambushed another murden, slashing his torso with his broadsword.
Zoose strikes another Murden precisely, and electric sparts covering murden's body. The Third strikes same murden afterwards, smashing his head. Murden's neck spine goes laudible "Snap", and the murden falls dead.
Zimm send creates energy wave, but it misses the murden, which in same moment moved to attack Gaelic.

Murden 1 - Dead
Murden 2 - Near Death
Murden 3 - Wounded
Murden 4 - Dead
Murden 5 - Unwounded.

Thrid, Talanth and Zoose suddenly have their minds blurred, they start to hear screams, voices and different sounds that distract them
Now all party members except Zimm affected by Murden Psychic Noise (+1 difficulty for all rolls)
In order to defend vs this effect, Each party member affected by it should roll and sucess in Int defence roll , pls roll it

Murden 2, with nasty long curved blade, tries to counterattack vs Gaelic. Murden 5 joins the fray.

Murden 3 - counterattacks vs Talanth.

Gaelic defends twice, first defence is -1 diff, second is +1 diff.
Talanth need to roll defence roll with +1 difficulty (4 difficulty target)

Gaelic meets clumsy counter attack, done by Murden 2, parry it , and counterattacks himself, diving one of his swords into Murden's guts, and the Murden 2 falls dead.
However second attacked on Gaelic uses the momentum and strike Gaelic with his Curved blade at Gaelic's torso, making scratch.

Another Murden dead, Gaelic recieves 2 points of might damage

1st defence roll, -1 diff -1 diff from trained vs Murdens : 1d20 ⇒ 20
1st defence roll, +1 diff -1 diff from trained vs Murdens : 1d20 ⇒ 8

With blood dripping from his bottom, Chaaseq launches another jump towards Murden 5, landing with his bloody bottom right on his face, and knocking him down.

Chaaseq rises the head and says loudly:
"Main warband! The are qoming. We do not have time. finish them and prepeare. They are sensing us and those already reported us! Same direction!"

Murden 5 knocked down but have full health, attack rolls on him modificed by -1 difficulty.

Summary after new round Gaelic and Chaaseq actions :
-Talanth, Third and Zoose should make Int defence roll to defend vs Murden Psychic Noise .
If defence fails all their rolls will have +1 difficulty modifier for time they are in immidiate distance from living murden.
-Talanth should roll speed defence roll vs murden (difficulty 3) attack, modified by psychic noise effect, if it will last after int defence roll.
If attack connects then Talanth recives 4-1 (armour) = 3 might pool damage
-Chaaseq calls that there are reinforcements in form of big Murden war party.
-There is two murdens alive - one fighting Talanth, other knocked down by Chaaseq, but almost unharmed yet.

The noise in his head seems to be getting to Zoose. "Good Pony, Three, Four?, Third!" He stabs down at the one of the ground, and manages to score a grievous wound on the dirt. "Yah! Yah? Aww..."

Int Defense: 1d20 ⇒ 2
Spear Attack: 1d20 ⇒ 2
This fortune cookie is delicious! -More-
It has a scrap of paper inside. -More-
It reads: -More-
"Never trust a random number generator -More-
in a psychic noise field"

So I need to make an Int defense and a speed defense for the counter attack?

Int defense : 1d20 ⇒ 18
Speed defense (trained) : 1d20 ⇒ 3

Tal is focused, blocking out the noise but he's not quick enough to dodge the Murden's blade.

He attacks back swinging his Broardsword.

Broardsword, speed w/effort : 1d20 ⇒ 20 Damage 4 if hit.

EDIT: wow Nat 20 the other side of the coin Zoose.

Heh nice rolls. You can pick what you want for nat20 - axtra action with increased difficulty (+1), personal effect, or helping teamate (to Zoose to overcome the noise or to Third, in advance.
Of course any of those options could be done in this turn, and you can play them
Game became bit less active lately but i hope we will keep rolling at least on this pace :)
I ready prepared a lot of stuff for this setting :)
Third and Zimm turns required to advance the round

Seemingly unpurturbed by her initial failure, each failure being a lesson from which to learn, Zimm once agains concentrated on projecting her esoterie towards one of the savage murden...

Onslaught, physical, 4 damage if hit: 1d20 ⇒ 6

As Tal attacks one of the Murdens it seems to disrupt their Phychic Noise and Zoose is able to shake off the effects.

I choose for Zoose to overcome the noise.

Sorry for the hold up, busy week at work.

Third focuses his mind, holding the great harmony of the Eye in his mind to block out interruption.
Intellect defense (trained): 1d20 ⇒ 7

Seeking to end the battle as swiftly as possible, he swings his mace at one of the remaining murden.

Might: 1d20 ⇒ 7
[ooc]4 damage if that hits.[/dice]

Talanth got scratched by Murden attacking him, and counterattacked, dealing lethal blow to the murden, spilling his guts on the leaves below him.
He turned his eyes towards Zoose, who were stabbing earth and air with screams about ponies, and called him by his name. Seemingly, friendly voice and his tone helped to Zoose to exit maze of disturbing voices in his head.

In same time wave of energy flown from Zimm palms, reaching lying in the leaves murden, and his body shaken abit.

Undisturbed by noise incoming from the murden, Third with stawlart mind state, launched attack on the shaking murden. The hit entered his chest, making laudible sound.

All murdens are dead, Talanth recieved 3-1 = 2 might damage, please update the sheets and profile

"Hey, Hey, Hey, good job, now prepare.... they are qlose ,I feel them, I hear them, they have ranged attaqers and about to attaq us! Perpare yourselves. Same direction.!"

And he jumped into same hole he were hiding in first time.

Gaelic moved himself to the front line, and stood just before the branch and mud pile, right after the broken tree where Chaaseq was hiding.

Party turn time. Seemingly there will be more serious combat starting from next round

Each turn Each party member may roll Int perception roll (with all awareness/spotting skills added), in order to spot hidden Murden slingers, which hide in trees and ready to shoot from their hideouts and safe distance.
All attacks done by un-spotted slingers have +1 difficulty level to defend.
If slinger is spotted, it loses bonus (it have normal modifier to defend vs his attack)
If slinger spotted, character may do attention switch- sacrifice 1 difficulty level from his attack in favor of his defence vs spotted murden, and only in case if player knows that murden attacks him/was attacked before by same slinger.
Spotting could be started now.
You can not spot now and do something else, that means you must dedicate action to spotting, and could spot slinger in same turn only if you defend versus him, you can attack in same turn at +1 attack difficulty and still roll the spotting roll. In this case spotting murden which attacks you will negate attack difficulty increase(on any other murden you may attack).
Shouting and informing party members about spotted hidden slinger does not require extra action, and could be done in same turn, but must be played in-character. then slinger is spotted for everyone in the party.
There is unknown amount of un-spotted slinger murdens

Zoose will nod his thanks to Talanth and hide in the trees.

Stealth, trained: 1d20 ⇒ 18

Tal nods back. He sheaths his sword and takes out his bow. He takes cover behind a tree and peaks out. " Where are you... " he mutters under his breath.

Int Perception : 1d20 ⇒ 2

Third scans the area for murden, crouching behind his shield.
Intellect- perception: 1d20 ⇒ 1
Defending, since I don't have a ranged weapon. Is there better cover anywhere in this area? Any spots to bottle-neck the murden?

Third scans the area for murden, crouching behind his shield.

Intellect- perception: 1d20
Defending, since I don't have a ranged weapon. Is there better cover anywhere in this area? Any spots to bottle-neck the murden?

i'll list effects of nat1 later, at turn summary. you are in the forest which located on quite rocky area, and there boulders covered with moss here and there, you are in less elevated area, than area from where murdens are coming. You have slight elevation disadvantage. The trees are many however, perhaps some cover won't hurt. Zimm turn left in order to advance.

From her hiding spot, Zimm attempts yo determine the location of the murder..

perception: 1d20 ⇒ 8

After doing so, she concentrates and manifests a protective esoterie.

Resonance Field

-Posted with Wayfinder

Zoose finds sucesfully, finding good cover behind that broken tree.
Talanth tried to scan the woods but didnt noticed anything.
Zimm looked to her sides, and finding nothing she created protective shield around her.
Third positioned himself in middle of small opening, and looked to sides. Something moved at sides, but he were not able to grasp the track of the movement, and turned to other side, waiting for murdens.

Suddenly, after loud sound of cracking branches, three murdens jumped on him, with wiked curved blade drawn. Thier weapons were coated in something. They swinged their curved blades, and attampted to do vertical strikes on Third's torso.

After it, to the north, on the elevated position, appeared Murden who looked like nano. He had swirling threads of energy between his hands.
He looked into dirrection of Third, and directed his esoterie towards him. Energy ball hurling right into Third, being overwhelmed by three melee murden fighters.

Then came whistling sounds of slings. Sharp metal nuggets came from different dirrections, hitting ones who did not found his cover.

Some things are effects of Nat1 No-XP GM intrusion on Third.
Murden Elite Fighter 1 - attacks Third, Third have +2 Diff (1 surprise,1 cooperative) to defend this attack making it 4 diff for him (shield asset). If he hits, he deals 1 physic damage 1 caustic damage (armour penetration 1, Caustic 1) , after substraction of Thirds armour.Totaling in 2 damage if hits
Murden Elite Fighter 2 - attacks Third, Third have +2 Diff (1 surprise,1 cooperative) to defend this attack making it 4 diff for him (shield asset). If he hits, he deals 1 physic damage 1 caustic damage (armour penetration 1, Caustic 1) , after substraction of Thirds armour. Totaling in 2 damage if hits
Murden Elite Fighter 3 - attacks Third, Third have +2 Diff (1 surprise,1 cooperative) to defend this attack making it 4 diff for him(shield asset). If he hits, he deals 1 physic damage 1 caustic damage (armour penetration 1, Caustic 1) , after substraction of Thirds armour. Totaling in 2 damage if hits
Murden-Nano - is at range of 30 meters and have clear shot on Third. He attacks with his esoterie, which could be dodged in current situation as lvl 5 difficulty speed task. Instead of it, Third can absorb it and resist with his mind, in that case it will be Only 3 lvl task, after taking his Int defence into account. If he resists he recieve only 1 Int damage, If he does not or tries to dodge and fails, he recieves 3 Int damage.
Murden Slinger 1 - Not Spotted - attacks Gaelic, Gaelic requires speed defence roll 3 diff, after taking Not Spotted state and Gaelic Training into consideration. If hit, it does 3 damage, before armour reduction calculation.
Murden Slinger 2- Not Spotted - attacks Gaelic, Gaelic requires speed defence roll 4 diff, after taking Not Spotted state, multiple attack and Gaelic Training into consideration. If hit, it does 3 damage, before armour reduction calculation.
Murden Slinger 3 - Not Spotted - attacks Gaelic, Gaelic requires speed defence roll 4 diff, after taking Not Spotted state, multiple attack and Gaelic Training into consideration. If hit, it does 3 damage, before armour reduction calculation.
Murden Slinger 4 - Not Spotted - attacks Zimm, Zimm requires speed defence roll 4 diff, after taking Not Spotted state a into consideration. If hit, it does 3 damage, before armour reduction calculation. RS esotery does not affect ranged attacks.
Murden Slinger 5 - Not Spotted - attacks Talanth, Zimm requires speed defence roll 3 diff, after taking Not Spotted state and Speed Defence trainign of Talanth a into consideration. If hit, it does 3 damage, before armour reduction calculation.
Third need to do 3 x 4 diff speed def rolls, and choose between 1 x 5 diff Speed roll or 1 x 3 diff speed roll (but sure 1 Int damage point). All diff taking Third training into consideration.
Talanth needs to do 1 x 3 diff speed roll
Zimm needs to do 1 x 4 diff speed roll
Zimm and Talanth could try and spot murdens attacking them in same turn without losing action, that means with not-penalized attack/cast
Zoese will need to spend action for spotting or attack at +1 diff penalty, neglecting his ambush +1 bonus if he wants to spot some slinger murden at same turn.
Third is consumed by his defence, and can not spend any attention for spotting.
Melee Murdens are in immidiate distance from Zimm, Talanth , Zoese (3-5m)

With prowess Gaelic tries to dodge all slinger attacks, attempting to find the shooters following dirrections of flying sharp metal nuggets.
The first shot lands directly into his eye. Turning towards shapr-eyes attacker, and spotting him, he shouted "One Murden Here!" to the party.
He dodges the second nugget, and third hits his big wide chest.
Then, after noticing the attack done by murdens against Third, he tries to peel one murden off the compannion glaive.
He swiftly turned towards the murden, and hit him with two precise and quick hits with his double short swords.

Defence 1, 3 diff: 1d20 ⇒ 1
Defence 1, 4 diff: 1d20 ⇒ 16
Defence 1, 4 diff: 1d20 ⇒ 10
Spotting, 3 diff , Int: 1d20 ⇒ 9
Offence 1, 3-2 training/connection +1 same turn as spotting action = 2 diff task: 1d20 ⇒ 10

Gaelic been hit for 4+1 might damage and have +1 diff modifier on actions for next five rounds due nugged hitting close to his eye. He spotted Slinger 1 for everyone, and hit Melee Elite 3 for 4 damage

Chaaseq jumps right onto the spotted murden vith very long and precise jump, knocking him down.

are the slingers close to one another?

Doh, might help if I spotted them
Perception: 1d20 ⇒ 14

Third weathers the assault as best he can, grunting with effort.
Using effort on the first roll- you can only expend effort once per round right?

Speed defense w/shield and Effort: 1d20 ⇒ 10
Speed defense, shield no effort: 1d20 ⇒ 8
Speed defense, shield no effort: 1d20 ⇒ 17
So that should be 1 hit, since I lowered the first with effort. Taking the 1 Int damage for a lower difficulty.

Speed defense: 1d20 ⇒ 4

1 might damage and 3 Int damage total?

Third weathers the assault as best he can, grunting with effort.

Using effort on the first roll- you can only expend effort once per round right?

Speed defense w/shield and Effort: 1d20
Speed defense, shield no effort: 1d20
Speed defense, shield no effort: 1d20
So that should be 1 hit, since I lowered the first with effort. Taking the 1 Int damage for a lower difficulty.

Speed defense: 1d20

1 might damage and 3 Int damage total?

2 might damage, since 1 hit of Elite - he deals 2 damage = 1 penetration, 1 caustic from coating of his weapon. So the total is 2 Might 3 int. here - i updating your sheet CC, i updated eveything ... could you please manage this one while updating only stats on personal profile? My sheet is much more interactive:

Zoose will move towards the slinger, making sure to keep out of his line of sight.
stealth, trained: 1d20 ⇒ 19

Zoose will move towards the slinger, making sure to keep out of his line of sight.

[dice=stealth, trained]1d20

sorry , it is not applicable foir this turn because you have no more actions left, you just starting the movmement, but we can take your roll for next turn, when you will need to cross major part of the distance . That mean you get minor effect on your arrival (ambush) vs that murden. Zimm and Talanth turns remained in order to advance

Third wrote:

Third weathers the assault as best he can, grunting with effort.

Using effort on the first roll- you can only expend effort once per round right?

Speed defense w/shield and Effort: 1d20
Speed defense, shield no effort: 1d20
Speed defense, shield no effort: 1d20
So that should be 1 hit, since I lowered the first with effort. Taking the 1 Int damage for a lower difficulty.

Speed defense: 1d20

1 might damage and 3 Int damage total?

2 might damage, since 1 hit of Elite - he deals 2 damage = 1 penetration, 1 caustic from coating of his weapon. So the total is 2 Might 3 int. here - i updating your sheet CC, i updated eveything ... could you please manage this one while updating only stats on personal profile? My sheet is much more interactive:

Third's Sheet

Got it. Thanks, I'll use the google docs sheet more.