"Doyen. You can't help him. At least let him die with honor." Attero says this without emotion. It is simply good advice.
Unable to see how dying himself could help anything, he makes his own way off the far side of the bridge. The Oak Knights can chase him and die trying. That would be amusing.
Katya's grin as she watches Eater disappaer into the water fades into a whispered curse as she sees the top of teh bridge light up.
"Borzhemoy."
She'd assumed that the Legion was there to hold the bridge, but she was wrong. They're here to destroy it. She wouldn't have believed it possible, but suddenly Sonia's evasive talk about "Stuff" makes more sense. If the bridge is about to light up like that, then they need to get out of there. Well, she can help with that. Raising her stance slightly, she starts firing arrows skywards, curving through the night sky to land on the enemy. Firing rate is more important than accuracy, here. And distracting the enemy is more impotant than injuring them. As arrows start to land in the enemy ranks, bouncing off helmets or hastily-raised shields, she grins.
Don't focus on the glow at the top of the bridge.
Don't focus on the retreating Legion.
Focus on the arrows raining down from the darkness.
Worry about how many archers are out there in the darkness.
Worry about where they are.
Worry about whether the next arrow has your name on it.
Dice rolls and intended effects:
Using a setup action to cover the rest of the squad while they get away. I think this is risky rather than desperate, so I don't get +1d from Daredevil. (Would not object if you said it was Controlled - firing at enemy who can't see me or retaliate).
One Eye is going to focus on seeing if he can help Hans, and will try to climb down (he has climbing gear) to get a better look. He intends for the rest of the team (via his message to Alisa) to distract the knights. In the fiction, One Eye wants Hans to come towards him, to the end of the bridge, and is trying to get a full evacuation.
You are climbing over the side of the bridge. Up above you, on the tower, the "process" is accelerating dramatically.
You can't get a good look at what's happening, but it looks like the top of the tower is simultaneously catching fire... and melting... and also foaming somehow, like salted beer. And it's all a brilliant, luminous *green*.
At the far end of the bridge, the Black Oak Knights have suddenly realized just what is happening. Red Helmet shouts orders. Several Hounds scuttle forward, horribly fast on all fours, and start scrambling up into the rigging.
ssssfffftssssSSSSSSSFTFT *spit* SSSSSSSSSS
The glowing green... process... suddenly spatters, like water thrown in oil. Globs of brilliant green Stuff fly through the night. Some hit the water, where they sizzle and go out. Some hit the stone surface of the bridge, where they form eerie pools of glowing green flame. But the ones that hit metal -- any sort of metal -- seem to stick, and glow brighter. And spread.
Katya's grin as she watches Eater disappaer into the water fades into a whispered curse as she sees the top of teh bridge light up.
"Borzhemoy."
She'd assumed that the Legion was there to hold the bridge, but she was wrong. They're here to destroy it. She wouldn't have believed it possible, but suddenly Sonia's evasive talk about "Stuff" makes more sense.
If the bridge is about to light up like that, then they need to get out of there.
And here's a flashback for everyone, spoilered for length:
What Sonia Said:
And now Sonia has decanted the Stuff into several leather-wrapped wooden casks. You can't help but notice that she does this a mile downwind of camp, while wearing a thick, clumsy leather suit with an elaborate breathing apparatus. When she comes back to camp and pulls of her helmet, her face is even paler than usual, and her wild red hair is soaked and matted with sweat.
"Place these with a timed powder charge. Not a lot, just enough to crack them open and release the Stuff. You want them all to go off more or less at the same time."
"So, they explode?"
Sonia's face scrunches up into an expression you instantly recognize: an alchemist trying to use simple words, and failing. "It doesn't... exactly explode. But it will start a... process."
You look skeptically at the casks. They're not that big. "And there's enough Stuff here to destroy the bridge, you think?"
"Oh, yes! If correctly placed, that is. Should be. Should be." Sonia looks at the casks and pats one, a little wistfully. "Sorry I won't be there to see it. It should be quite something." She brightens. "But you can take notes! Do take notes. Get close enough to... umm... well, I guess you can't take notes if you've been... well, anyway, just watch carefully from a distance. A safe distance? Which would be... oh, well, some distance. Away. Oh, and," she pats the cask again, this time protectively, "Don't drop it! "
You are climbing over the side of the bridge. Up above you, on the tower, the "process" is accelerating dramatically.
You can't get a good look at what's happening, but it looks like the top of the tower is simultaneously catching fire... and melting... and also foaming somehow, like salted beer. And it's all a brilliant, luminous *green*.
At the far end of the bridge, the Black Oak Knights have suddenly realized just what is happening. Red Helmet shouts orders. Several Hounds scuttle forward, horribly fast on all fours, and start scrambling up into the rigging.
ssssfffftssssSSSSSSSFTFT *spit* SSSSSSSSSS
The glowing green... process... suddenly spatters, like water thrown in oil. Globs of brilliant green Stuff fly through the night. Some hit the water, where they sizzle and go out. Some hit the stone surface of the bridge, where they form eerie pools of glowing green flame. But the ones that hit metal -- any sort of metal -- seem to stick, and glow brighter. And spread.
Well, she can help with that. Raising her stance slightly, she starts firing arrows skywards, curving through the night sky to land on the enemy. Firing rate is more important than accuracy, here. And distracting the enemy is more impotant than injuring them. As arrows start to land in the enemy ranks, bouncing off helmets or hastily-raised shields, she grins.
Okay, so: I will assume that once the Hounds start climbing up the rigging, you'll aim to shoot at them instead. Do you still have Black Shot arrows? If not, okay, shoot at the BOKs.
Now, you rolled success but with consequences. So...
You can see Hans! He's about fifty yards away, in the little circle of light cast by his lantern, right by where the barrel of Stuff is set. He's carefully, methodically re-loading one of his pistols.
In the darkness beyond, you can see Hounds crawling towards him. One, two... at least three of them.
Now, you rolled success but with consequences. So...
...let's go with the simplest option: counterfire from the Knights. They're shooting pretty wild, it's dark. But throw enough bullets around, and something's going to hit.
Take Level One Harm: Winged by Bullet. Could have been worse, and probably will be if you keep this up.
Brother Attero, I assume, is herding the Ravens to safety? (Tabita and Monicca both took 3 Stress from resisting the Corruption, btw.) And the good Medic as well, yes? So that just leaves Karina and Doyen still in harm's way.
Leon Zardani - Medic | Fine medic kit 3/3 | Tonics 2/2 | Stress 1/6
As the bridge sputters and sizzles, Leon helps usher the rookies and battered Attero a but down the road before checking them over, seeing if his tonics and medical kit are needed.
You can see Hans! He's about fifty yards away, in the little circle of light cast by his lantern, right by where the barrel of Stuff is set. He's carefully, methodically re-loading one of his pistols.
In the darkness beyond, you can see Hounds crawling towards him. One, two... at least three of them.
One Eye is going to fire at the Hounds. Going to use a Devil's Bargain, related to the one at the start about "Can't take it any more." I'm not sure how to interpret how that one works, will roll a die and ask DM to interpret.
Attero, noting that all his armor has made the ultimate sacrifice to protect him from the enemy's harm, discards his ruined panoply and takes out his extra shield. Once again armored, he shakes his head at the medic's ministrations. "My hearty nature has saved me from needing thy art. Spend thy time on others made of...less stern stuff.
I tried to get Doyen back, but the man obviously has some zeal for saving the civilian. Zeal can be its own excuse, so I suggest we establish a secure position here for him to come back to."
To answer your question: yes, I shoot the hounds going up the rigging. In case it wasn't clear from my post, Katya has no plans to stick around. She was givin covering fire for the ones retreating and then joining them. Also, I resist the Harm with Prowess, 3d6 ⇒ (4, 4, 1) = 9 so take 2 stress and ignore the level 1 harm
Katya has survived a number of dangerous, if not utterly suicidal, engagements without a scratch. This time is no exception, the bullet that would have clipped her instead missing her by millimetres. She watches in the dark as the others withdraw, before slipping away to join them. She appears in their midst from out of the darkness, Scout Karina Zayatevya (she does have a rank, but she's been demoted/promoted so many times now she's lost track. She thinks she might be a lance-corporal at the moment, but she'd have to check her dossier) looking just as she always does. She looks back at where teh Stuff is fizzing its way through the majestic architecture of Hozelbrucke Bridge. "Interesting, nyet? I have never seen bridge burn like that before. Shame. Was nice bridge. Anyway, who fired flare? I have bone to pick. I was promised interesting undead, and instead I find - *ffftt* - one arrow, and just like that is over. Maybe next time I see flare, I just ride by knowing is empty promises, da?"
The threat is empty, and everyone listening knows it. Katya finds it almost impossible to simply pass by the action without getting involved, which is one of the reasons she has been promoted/demoted so many times. (She has made it up the ladder as far as sergeant-major, but she lost her stripes during the Novodnepoptrinsk campaign).
One Eye is going to fire at the Hounds. Going to use a Devil's Bargain, related to the one at the start about "Can't take it any more." I'm not sure how to interpret how that one works, will roll a die and ask DM to interpret.
Okay: the die roll gives you two ticks, which I believe fills the clock.
BLAM
BLAM
BLAM
Three hits! The Hounds fall down. A couple of them are still squirming -- it's hard to put a Hound down for good -- but they are, for the moment, incapacitated.
Hans turns and squints in your direction, then nods. He turns to pick up his lantern...
Also, I resist the Harm with Prowess, 3d6 so take 2 stress and ignore the level 1 harm
Mechanically you'd /probably/ rather take 1 Harm than 2 Stress, but okay.
Quote:
She looks back at where teh Stuff is fizzing its way through the majestic architecture of Hozelbrucke Bridge. "Interesting, nyet? I have never seen bridge burn like that before. Shame. Was nice bridge."
At just that moment -- FWOOMP -- the second charge goes off, at the top of the northeast tower.
The northwest tower is burning and melting, flaring and spitting like some insane, gigantic candle. The green light is almost too bright to look at now. It's reflecting off the bottom of the low-hanging clouds.
Quote:
(She has made it up the ladder as far as sergeant-major, but she lost her stripes during the Novodnepoptrinsk campaign).
Poor Old Hans! Forty-two years guarding this bridge, man and boy. And now... it's over.
"I.. I see," he quavers. He passes a trembling hand across his forehead. "I.. I knew this day might come. My son, he marched away. A squire to one of Vlaisim's knights, he was. Service of the Chosen. He, he never came back. I..."
The Knight removes his helmet. Like many of the Black Oak Knights, he has scarred himself in honor of Render. His head is shaven, and his teeth are filed to points.
Up above, the big primary cables around the northwest tower are burning. The green flames run down them to the smaller, vertical cables that hold up the deck. One of the vertical cables suddenly parts with a TWANG. The sound is like a god breaking a guitar string. The bridge trembles.
A second cable parts -- TWANG. A Hound had just started climbing up that particular cable. It is hurled away with incredible force, streaking across the sky like a ballista bolt.
The Stuff is spattering like water thrown on grease now, fft fft fffft. Flaming green fragments are starting to streak off like meteors in all directions.
If a glob of Stuff hits you, it's probably Level Three Harm -- unless you're wearing metal armor. In that case, it's at least Level Four.
The Knight removes his helmet. Like many of the Black Oak Knights, he has scarred himself in honor of Render. His head is shaven, and his teeth are filed to points.
But: "Papa?"
Hans' gun wavers. "Jo.. Jochim?"
Overwhelmed by horror and dread, One Eye knew it was over, yet he couldn't look away. The image of his own uncle out there on the bridge superimposed over Hans in a bleary hallucination. "Get out!" he said, knowing in his heart that Hans was beyond comprehension at this point. Then, seeing the bridge flare up, the Doyen fled in panic and sorrow.
One Eye is going to GTFO, likely with maneuver, and likely using as a Devil's Bargain removing his armor as he is preparing for the possibility of going for a swim, though he'll prefer just clambering onto the eastern side of the bridge. What is position and effect?
Overwhelmed by horror and dread, One Eye knew it was over, yet he couldn't look away. The image of his own uncle out there on the bridge superimposed over Hans in a bleary hallucination.
Jochim holds out his armored hand. "Your watch is done, Papa. Now come away with me. The True Chosen will give you new life, and he will set you high in his artillery."
There's silence for a moment, and then a great many things happen at once.
The first of the great primary cables burns through and snaps.
It isn't a twang, or any sort of sound at all. It's a seismic shock, a hard slap on the soles of the feet, a hammer to the breath. Six hundred years of tension are released at once. A wave of flaming green Stuff is launched across the sky as Hozelbrucke Bridge shakes itself like a wet dog. The superstructure of the bridge leaps several feet into the air, and a huge crack appears in the deck.
Above, on the southeast tower, there's another FWOOMPH as the third charge ignites. On the northeast tower, the second charge begins to hiss and sputter as the green conflagration spreads to the cables.
The northwest tower is now unbalanced: it has only one primary cable pulling on it. Slowly, slowly, it begins to tilt.
One Eye is going to GTFO, likely with maneuver, and likely using as a Devil's Bargain removing his armor as he is preparing for the possibility of going for a swim, though he'll prefer just clambering onto the eastern side of the bridge. What is position and effect?
I'm afraid you've cut it rather close: position is Desperate. Possible outcomes including being melted, being drowned, or being crushed under several thousand tons of rubble.
Basically your options are, climb back up on the deck and sprint for the eastern shore, or jump in the river. The risks in both cases are extreme. If you run, it's literally raining death from the skies, cracks are opening in the deck that could simply swallow you, and if another cable snaps, you may be flung off the bridge. If you jump, you need to spend several long moments taking off your armor first. Oh, and the river is deep, fast-flowing, and icy cold.
One Eye is going to GTFO, likely with maneuver, and likely using as a Devil's Bargain removing his armor as he is preparing for the possibility of going for a swim, though he'll prefer just clambering onto the eastern side of the bridge. What is position and effect?
I'm afraid you've cut it rather close: position is Desperate. Possible outcomes including being melted, being drowned, or being crushed under several thousand tons of rubble.
Basically your options are, climb back up on the deck and sprint for the eastern shore, or jump in the river. The risks in both cases are extreme. If you run, it's literally raining death from the skies, cracks are opening in the deck that could simply swallow you, and if another cable snaps, you may be flung off the bridge. If you jump, you need to spend several long moments taking off your armor first. Oh, and the river is deep, fast-flowing, and icy cold.
It's desperate either way.
Looks like it is XP then :) As a flashback, the Doyen had already been loosening his armor in preparation for climbing down. He sheds the rest of it, and will make a break for it, being opportunistic about whether he runs off the bridge or dives for the river.
Looks like it is XP then :) As a flashback, the Doyen had already been loosening his armor in preparation for climbing down. He sheds the rest of it, and will make a break for it, being opportunistic about whether he runs off the bridge or dives for the river.
As you scramble over the side of the catwalk, the bridge shakes again. You can't see what's happening, but it's something big and bad. Your elegant dive into the river becomes a clumsy sprawl. You hit the water hard, and you feel your left leg snap.
Level Three Harm: Broken Leg. You can resist with Prowess.
You're off the bridge and in the water, but your situation still isn't great. The water is cold, the current is fast, you've still got gear that weighs you down, and your leg isn't working.
The northwest tower tips, tips further, and then with a thunderous roar collapses, still flaming, into the river. By itself this might not quite have destroyed the bridge; the Old Empire built to last. But the other charges have detonated, and Old Grumbles' horrible Stuff is dissolving the metal of the bridge into liquid slag and green light. The primary cable between the two northern towers, weakened at both ends, snaps. The southwest tower begins to burn. Where Old Hans set off the final charge, a cancerous green hole appears in the center of the deck, burning, growing.
Like the northwest tower, the northeast tower is now only attached to a single primary cable. That cable is going to pull it over, crashing it onto the eastern shore... where your squad is watching in horror and awe.
You guys can GTFO. That could be a group maneuver roll, risky / standard in which case you'll get the Ravens' bonus die. Someone will have to lead and eat the Stress, though. Of course, this leaves Doyen floating downstream alone. If anyone wants to try to help him, you can, but moving anywhere but away from the Bridge puts you in Desperate territory.
Nyet. Only fool would get involved in politics of Charkasso-Uglegorsk Question! Is riddle wrapped in mystery inside enigma.
"Only three people have ever really understood the Charkasso-Uglegorsk business — the Prince Consort, who is dead — a professor, who has gone mad — and I, who have forgotten all about it."
As you scramble over the side of the catwalk, the bridge shakes again. You can't see what's happening, but it's something big and bad. Your elegant dive into the river becomes a clumsy sprawl. You hit the water hard, and you feel your left leg snap.
Level Three Harm: Broken Leg. You can resist with Prowess.
You're off the bridge and in the water, but your situation still isn't great. The water is cold, the current is fast, you've still got gear that weighs you down, and your leg isn't working.
Okay, reduced to Level Two Harm -- Twisted Leg. (How're you doing on Stress?)
You're floating downstream. Fast -- the current is strong -- but maybe not fast enough. The bridge is coming down, and it's going to make a bit of a fuss.
Nyet. Only fool would get involved in politics of Charkasso-Uglegorsk Question! Is riddle wrapped in mystery inside enigma.
"Only three people have ever really understood the Charkasso-Uglegorsk business — the Prince Consort, who is dead —
Was not involved. Did not break into palace through squeaky skylihgt window and draw map leading to Prince Consort bedchambers on 3rd floor, East Wing (green door, brass handles with ivory inlay). Was nowhere near when he was stabbed, shot 12 times and thrown out of window (or so I heard). I have alibi for night in question. Anyway, was suicide.
Okay, reduced to Level Two Harm -- Twisted Leg. (How're you doing on Stress?)
You're floating downstream. Fast -- the current is strong -- but maybe not fast enough. The bridge is coming down, and it's going to make a bit of a fuss.
One Eye is at 3 stress currently, including the harm. I've marked it on the profile section of the character. One Eye could use help, is it possible for one of the other characters to provide an assist die through a flashback in which they had set up some netting downstream of the bridge for One Eye to try to catch onto and clamber out of the river? Failing that, I'll wait to see if there is opportunity for some sort of group action related to folks getting out of the river before rolling
Doyen, only the most foolhardy and recklless of individuals would try to come to your aid when the bridge is literally falling in on them. So - you're in luck :)
Ultimately it's the owlsithg oil that saves One Eye. The bridge is flaring too brightly to look at, but Katya can see the dark figure falling from the catwalk into the water, being swept rapidly downstream towards them. "We do not leave our own behind." Thankfully she's not wearing armour, but this is still not going to be easy. She grabs a rope from her pack and ties it round her waist, handing the other end off to the Ravens. She looks at each of the rookies, sternly. She's about to put her lifeline in their hands. "You hold, you understand? You. Hold."
Wihtout waiting for their reply, she dives into the river below, swimming out towards One Eye, grabbing him as firmly as she can before looking back to the Ravens. Her voice at full volume barely carries over the sound of the bridge and the noise of the rushing river, but it carries - just. "PULL!"
Dice rolls and Intended effects:
I want to lead a group maneouvre as I think it has more chance of success. I'm leaving the Ravens on dry land with the other end of the rope that's tied round Katya's waist.
I have 1d in Maneuver and I get 1d for leading a group action plus 1d because it's desperate. The Ravens get +1d for maneuvers so we might pull this off!
Maneuver, Katya, groupaction:3d6 ⇒ (3, 6, 6) = 15
Maneuver, Ravens, group action:3d6 ⇒ (5, 1, 5) = 11
Doyen, only the most foolhardy and recklless of individuals would try to come to your aid when the bridge is literally falling in on them. So - you're in luck :)
Ultimately it's the owlsithg oil that saves One Eye. The bridge is flaring too brightly to look at, but Katya can see the dark figure falling from the catwalk into the water, being swept rapidly downstream towards them. "We do not leave our own behind." Thankfully she's not wearing armour, but this is still not going to be easy. She grabs a rope from her pack and ties it round her waist, handing the other end off to the Ravens. She looks at each of the rookies, sternly. She's about to put her lifeline in their hands. "You hold, you understand? You. Hold."
Wihtout waiting for their reply, she dives into the river below, swimming out towards One Eye, grabbing him as firmly as she can before looking back to the Ravens. Her voice at full volume barely carries over the sound of the bridge and the noise of the rushing river, but it carries - just. "PULL!"
Okay, I think that means you dive cleanly into the river, swim out to where Doyen is feebly treading water, neatly snake a loop around him and are hauled back...
...JUST as Hozelbrucke Bridge enters its final death throes.
For a few long moments, the squad stands on the shore. Doyen, leg twisted, hangs between two of the Rookies. Brother Attero holds a fragment of his broken shield. All your faces are illuminated by the green, green light.
Hozelbrucke Bridge wails like a living thing, something old and strong and beautiful that is now dying in great pain. One by one, the cables snap and the towers come down. The deck twists, breaks, and crashes into the river.
At the last possible moment, you all turn to run. The surge from the crash rushes up behind you, hits you at the back of the knees, knocks you down... and then falls backwards. Behind you, the pieces of the dying bridge are breaking apart, spitting showers of green destruction at both shores.
For some reason it's the horse that sticks in your mind.
Because, see, it's an ordinary horse. I mean it's a good horse, it's your best horse actually. But the Legion has very few horses left, so your best horse is nothing special. She's a mare -- you had stallions for heavy cavalry, but they're all gone. Her name is Ladybug. She's well trained, very quick and nimble, but basically a perfectly ordinary horse.
But when Shreya is on her, plain old Ladybug *glows*. Like, sometimes it's hard to look at Shreya? So you look at the horse instead? But it's almost as bad, because now Ladybug is like the horse you ride in dreams. As you gallop across green fields to a beautiful destiny, in your dreams. It's like Shreya is the sun, and it's hard to look straight at the sun, so you look at the moon instead. Because it shines by reflected light. The squad that went with Shreya? They're like little distant planets, bobbing along in her wake.
It's a nice metaphor. It breaks down a little because suns don't hold up decapitated heads. Huge, hideously mutated decapitated heads.
Damn, that thing is ugly. It's about twice the size of a normal human head; immensely fat; and somehow... lop-sided. The eyes are tiny and piglike. The teeth are filed to points. It's mostly pink and hairless as if it had been boiled, except for a fringe of curly beard around the severed neck.
"This was the creature called Ache." Ohh, that voice. Shreya's voice. You could just sit and listen to that voice all day. "It walked at the right hand of the Broken One called Render. Now, it is no more. I have unmade it."
Shreya drops the head unceremoniously on the ground, and turns and rides away. The squad follows after her, unthinkingly, until an officer comes to herd them away. You wish you could follow her too.
You can take this as a set-piece cut-scene, or interact or comment if you like -- it's up to you. (Marshal, which squad do you think went out with Shreya?
