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You’ve traveled by river boat up the East Sellen river to Restov, the capital of Brevoy. As you disembark, Marcos Farabellus greets you on the docks. He is a man of sturdy build with a bald head and a full beard.
“Ah, agents! So very good to see you! Welcome to Restov. I hope your journey wasn’t too bothersome. This time of year the mosquitoes on the Sellen can be worse than falling face first and buck naked into a patch of poison ivy.” Marcos punctuates his own jest with a bellowing laugh. “Let’s get you all a bit freshened up before I get to the heart of the matter.”
Marcos leads you to a nearby street vendor who sells fried fish and vegetables. He buys each of you a portion and buys himself a skewer of crayfish. While everyone eats and walks, he elaborates on the mission.
“First off, thank you for coming. This is a bit of an unusual ‘mission’, so let me get right to it. I received a challenge recently from Orlaelia Aldori. She’s an up-and-coming swordmaster here in Restov. Claims her students are capable of besting any of mine. Now, I get challenges like that all the time, and normally I ignore them. But this time? Well, there’s a little bit more to it. A double-edged sword, so to speak.” He lets out a small chuckle. “Which is apt, because one of these extras is a sword. Orlaelia has bet Inheritor’s Fury, her old longsword, on this deal. She used to be a Mendevian crusader, you see, and the sword has seen the depths of the Worldwound. It’s a relic in its own right and an item the Society would love to study in depth, not to mention a valuable piece of modern history deserving proper cataloging and preservation.
“While the pursuit of a relic alone would not merit taking you away from your other duties, this challenge also gives us a chance to make new friends and acquaintances in Restov. It’s been a while since the society had an active presence here. Rising to this challenge could give us a friendly rival at worst and some new friends at best.
“Orlaelia, though a veteran of many battles, is still Taldan at heart, from what I know at least, and still loves the arts. So! While this challenge will culminate in a duel between you and her students, she will most likely have a few other tests in mind that go beyond raw combat. Who can say what they’ll be. From what I hear her style is quite practical, but old veterans like us see lessons in the strangest of places.” He smiles, perhaps thinking of similar examples from his own past, though doesn’t elaborate further.
“I’ve opened up Birchwood Hall, our lodge here. Haven’t managed to get all the damp and dust out yet, but that shouldn’t bother us overmuch. I’m sure you’ve all seen much worse during your travels.”
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In pain, a large, stumpy-fingered hand rubbing with firm pressure against his own short lower lumbar, an aged dwarf with thin wispy hair steps off the East Sellen, his stride evenpaced if slow and sturdy, a chain of well-forged links attached to a cinder strapped to his shoulder.
He nods to the next pathfinder to arrive.
The next to arrive is a halfling who disembarks leading a barded mountain goat to the shore. His simple tribal attire accessorizes his leader armor studded with metal rivets. He carries a staff sling in his other hand, a tribal banner hands from the staff.
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"This is typically home!" mutters a dwarf clad in half-plate. He looks over every nook and cranny of the lodge and notes some areas of repair. Once satisfied, he introduces himself to his allies.
"The name's Mannak. Nice to be working with all of you". He extends a hand to each of the pathfinders present, shield still strapped on his arm.
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Wearing a breastplate with a steel shield with a shield boss in cold iron in his back, the next dwarf disembarks from the ship. His brown beard conceals his wayfinder. As a merchant he has a look to the shops around. Then he goes with the others and introduces himself.
My name's Dran'Thal, from Dran'Thor's family and from the clan of Torgin. With so many dwarfs summoned the mission shouldn't be easy. At least it's not considered as an easy one.
Locke slaps the back of his neck as Farabellus mentions the mosquitos. "I'm having trouble deciding if they were worse in the Mwangi," he comments with a good-natured tone and a lop-sided smile.
Those of you with any sense of martial combat who traveled on the riverboat with him would have recognized the dueling sword hanging from his baldric. Nor was he shy about introducing himself by his sworn name so it is a strained pause when Farabellus mentions their challenger. He coughs and clears his throat. "I had best not lose, then."
As he looks around the dusty hall. "It's a good deal better than spending the night in the crawl space under Madame Zvenla's cathouse in New Stetven during the spring melt so the guards didn't find you," he says with a straight face. "That is not how you want to learn about the birds and the bees, I assure you."
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Yet a fourth dwarf stumps off the ship, his boots echoing heavily on the gangplank.
His hairline is receding and what is left is somewhat unkempt but his beard is thick and full and carefully braided. His clothing is sturdy, simple and well worn as is his equipment.
When he gets to the shore, he looks around at the other Pathfinders. Each dwarf gets a nod while the halfling and human get a quirked, bushy red eyebrow.
Without a word, he spits into the river then heads off to Marcos. He happily takes some fish and eats methodically and efficiently while listening to the mission briefing.
He doesn't wander the halls of the lodge but looks around thoughtfully at it.
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Drawn by the silent dwarf’s, well, silence, Knab instinctively scoots one shift of weight closer to Ulfgar, as if to use him as a shield from being subject to the invisible spotlight of ordinary response to social interaction.
He lingers there awkwardly during the briefing, ear bent to listen, but lips unparted so as to make speech untenable physically as well as psychologically, shy but not unconfident, merely out of his depth in as easy a greeting as the present moment provides!
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As he leads you around, Marcos offers up some info. ”Since we’re here, let me tell you a littte about the old Lodge. Venture-Captain Alvar Hadrias used to be in charge, but he’s been missing since the Siege of Gallowspire. Due to the time that’s passed, we must assume he perished during that mission. The hall hasn’t had a venture-captain in residence since.”
Seeing Locke’s sword, he raises an eyebrow. “I don’t know how well appraised you are of the big players in the Swordlord world. But Orlaelia Aldori was a crusader under the banner of Queen Galfrey. After the closing of the Worldwound, she began training as a swordlord. She quickly defeated many of Restov’s duelists and established her own school after becoming a swordlord herself. The name Aldori is taken by most who learn the style, part of taking the swordpact,” he explains to the others as an aside ”But reaching the rank of master, that’s not easily done, especially since she focused on an entirely different fighting style before coming here.” The admiration in Marco’s voice is clear.
He shakes the reverie off and continues. “As to what she’ll ask of us, I’m not sure but you can count on her coming up with some good challenges that will surely test the body and mind in interesting ways.”
He opens the door of the pantry and sees how empty and bare it is. With a heavy sigh, he closes it and turns back to you and sizes you lot up. ”As to her students, I don’t know a darn thing. Out of politeness I didn’t check her student roster, but I know she’s bringing her four best students. They will all have sworn the swordpact and taken the last name Aldori. They’re neophyte swordlords and will be more then capable with the Aldori dueling sword. It’s a well-balanced blade, excellent for parrying, and the style focuses on unnerving opponents.”
He looks to Locke with a nod. ”Anythng to add, Mr. Aldori?”
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Ulfgar gives a nod of respect to Knab, pleased to find another dwarf who doesn't waste time and breath to on too many words.
He keeps his arms crossed over his broad chest and his small eyes all but disappear in his grizzled face as he squints at Marcos, but it is clear that he is listening closely and paying attention.
"Locke, please!" Locke says, feigning embarrassment. "I sat in your classes the same as everyone. I just took what I learned back to Restov and worked real hard. I'm just glad the students have already earned their names." He leans over and adds in a stage whisper. "It won't be so embarrassing if they beat me."
"I do remember that the gossip around town was that Venture-Captain stationed here had a reputation for being a bit of a hoarder and a clothes hound," Locke recalls. "I didn't know him, personally. Joined the Society after that Gallowspire... event."
Tepin had little to say at the moment. He chose his words carefully and preferred to let actions speak.
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No sooner than Locke finishes speaking, there is a hard knock on the lodge door. ”Come with me. And be on your best behavior -- but also try to look impressive,” Marcos says. He seems to be slightly nervous as he opens the door.
A party of five waits outside, led by a middle-aged woman with her dark hair pulled back into a simple knot. She wears woolen trousers beneath her sensible skirts and a thick leather jerkin with an emblem embroidered on the right side. Catching sight of Marcos in the doorway, she grins widely and greets him with a firm handshake; one that goes on a little too long. The four students behind her wear similar jerkins. All carry that distinctive Aldori dueling sword strapped to their hips. As the guests enter the lodge, the instructors share a bit of competitive banter, and you have a chance to meet the competition, who hide their nerves under a thick veneer of pride.
The first to introduce herself is Dura Aldori, a half orc woman with long black hair in an intricate braid. She wears her school jerkin partially open to reveal a spotless white blouse underneath. Her pants are a light brown linen and don’t show a crease out of place. She wears black leather shoes with silver buckles. As she introduces herself, she scans the group of all-male Pathfinders and seems slightly annoyed about something.
”Halran Aldori,” announces the human man as he gives a fancy bow to the opposition team. He has short brown hair and looks to be in his late twenties. He completes his school jerkin with riding pants and boots and wears a single pearl earring in his right ear.
The ysoki with white and gray fur standing slightly behind Halran is a bit more standoffish, though not unfriendly. They introduce themselves as Rhenei Aldori. It is hard to guess their age due to the natural gray fur. Their school jerkin has a few extra pockets sewn on and they wear colorful layered skirts along with wraps around their back paws, leaving the toes open. They curtsy to you while introducing themselves.
”Hi, I’m Thisnabel Aldori,” the gnome says excitedly, practically thrumming with energy. Her golden hair is in a bowl cut that looks as if she performed it herself. Her school jerkin looks as if it had several minor accidents with various substances and bears odd stains. She wears practical leather pants laced up down the sides and leather boots which have seen better days.
Orlaelia waits for the six of you to follow suit and make basic introductions, then clears her throat and begins laying out the intent of this challenge. ”Pathfinders, I am most interested in testing my students’ martial prowess against that of experienced Pathfinder agents. However, my experiences in the crusades fighting demons have taught me that to not only survive, but to win decisively, one needs more than a strong sword arm and quick reflexes.” She pauses to let that sink in, though it’s clear from their faces that her students have heard all this before. ”Thus, I propose to have a total of three challenges, with the third and final challenge being a duel between our two teams. Marcos and I have each devised one of the other challenges.” She gestures to the Master of Swords with a palm up wave for him to continue.
”Ahem, yes, thank you Orlaelia. My challenge is pretty simple, though in retrospect I hope it won’t be seen as favoring the strength of my team’s makeup. In truth, I didn’t know who the Society would send until I met them on the dock. But that’s beside the point. I propose a tug of war.”
The Aldori students blanche slightly as they look at the opposition team’s 4 dwarves among 6 strong men.
”Don’t worry,” Orlaelia assures them. ”What’s fair is fair. I propose something we used in Mendev to train new crusaders for combat in the Worldwound. We call it Sight Unseen.” At this, her students brighten a bit as it’s clearly something they’re familiar with. ”I’ll explain the details when we get to it, but it will take Marcos and I some time to set up. In the meantime, if your challenge is ready, we can start there,” she says with a smile to the senior Pathfinder.
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Marcos leads the two teams outside to the back courtyard of the old lodge. There, two lines are already drawn in the grass, 30 feet apart. A long rope with a ribbon tied at its center is set so the ribbon lies at the midpoint between the lines. The Aldori students make their way to one end and take up the rope with Halran taking the lead spot, while Marcos gestures for you to take the other end.
”I think it’s pretty obvious, but the goal is to pull the ribbon completely over your team’s line,” he says as he and Orlaelia take up positions on opposite sides of the middle ground. ”Everyone ready? On three. One… two… THREE!” he shouts and the Aldori’s begin straining against you.
Bold May Act
Dran’Thal
Knab
Locke
Mannak
Tepin
Ulfgar
Tepin tries to provide an anchor point.
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Ulfgar looks over his team, then the other team, then his team again. He shakes his head but then shrugs. He spits once into the palm of each hand, rubs them together and picks up the rope.
Hooking it over his shoulder, he turns his back to the Aeldori team, leans into it and starts marching forward.
But perhaps, a more traditional approach would have been better.
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Locke does his best to keep his footing as the dwarves on his team outstrip him in strength. "I'm just here to look pretty," he quips.
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Ulfgar gets a little turned around (literally) but the strength and finesse of the rest of the team (along with Locke’s pretty face) move the ribbon most of the way towards the Pathfinder’s line. It seems maybe the Aldori’s were caught a little off guard, but they dig their heels in at the last second and keep the ribbon in the zone.
The two Masters move in tandem with the ribbon, keeping an eye on it and the line so as to fairly call out the victor. Orlaelia drives her students on, but Marcos remains silent as it seems his team doesn’t really need much encouragement.
Bold May Act
Dran’Thal
Knab
Locke
Mannak
Tepin
Ulfgar
"I've not even broken a sweat," Locke quips as he moves back with each of the dwarves' might tugs. "These fine dwarves are doing all the work!"
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Dran’Thal and Mannak pull the Aldori team almost to the brink of the line when Locke snaps the rope like a whip. It slips free of the locals’ grips and the ribbon comes flying across the line. As they lose their grip and footing, they all fall into a pile on the ground, thoroughly defeated.
Orlaelia congratulates you all, and then offers to help her students to their feet. Dura seems to have managed to land on top of Halran in just such a way as to avoid getting even a smudge on her perfectly appointed uniform. Only Rhenei accepts the hand up, and then carefully brushes the dirt off of their skirt. The Master then looks back over at the Pathfinders and jokes good-naturedly about how their team didn’t really stand a chance to begin with.
Marcos is nearly overcome by excitement at how well the Pathfinders did and how easy you made it look. Especially Locke’s little flick at the end that freed the rope from the Aldori team’s grasp. But he seems cautious and clearly doesn’t want to gloat or make the home-team feel bad.
”I have a feeling the next challenge won’t be so easy for you. Why don’t you all take a break while Orlaelia and I get it set up.”
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After about 20 minutes, the two Masters gather everyone together. Orlaelia takes the floor.
”Conditions on the battlefield and during a duel often vary,” she begins as if teaching a class. Her students do seem to have heard this all before by the way they’re listening. ”One might have to battle with the low sun blindingly shining in their eyes or be awoken in the depths of night by a rampaging creature. A sharp sense of perception can be the difference between life and death. To test this, we’ve set up an obstacle course in the kitchen. Both teams must complete it one at a time while blindfolded.”
Once blindfolded, each of you are let into the kitchen one by one, and then spun around repeatedly to disorient you. The obstacle course gets reset after each participant. There are various obstacles to avoid, like a precariously stacked heap of pans, a tripwire tied to a bag of flour, and onions scattered across the floor. Each obstacle is intended to amusingly inconvenience those who fail rather than cause injury.
Bold May Act
Dran’Thal
Knab
Locke
Mannak
Tepin
Ulfgar
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Bumbling like a fool, our shy hero, in an attempt to move against his own comfort zone, dashes forward, stumbling into nearly every obstacles in his way, knocking it over with the grace of a drunken sloth, while his team watches in horror as he absolutely botches the course.
He, however, fails to bulldoze the final cone, and reaching the other side, a trail of destruction in his wake, smiles meekly…
While they wait, Locke attempts to make sincerely interested small talk with each of the four visiting students. He is particularly interested in their homelands and interests outside of mastering dueling. If asked about his own history, he relays a tale of a childhood so outlandishly awful in such a matter of fact tone that it cannot possibly all be true.
After he is blindfolded, spun, and shoved into the room, he quips with a laugh as he takes a few staggering steps forward, "Not any worse than one-too-many anishani tonics before dinner arrives!"
He then proceeds to leap, twist, backbend, and generally dance his way through the kitchen and the booby traps. "How was that?" he asks, arching an eyebrow over his blindfolded face.
Tepin finds balancing easily enough having followed his mount over much precarious terrain.
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Ulfgar gives a nod of approval as they succeed in overcoming the other team in the tug of war, though he looks down at his own hands with a scowl of disappointed disbelief.
This doesn't prevent him from offering a hand to shake to each of his competitors.
That's about the only interaction they'll get from him. Otherwise, he just finds an out of the way place to stand and leans against a wall with his arms crossed over his chest.
He has a similar, but subtly different scowl when the obstacle course is set up. He rolls his eyes as they're blindfolded and, at first, resists being spun then allows it with a sigh of resignation.
Rather than barreling his way through, he moves slowly, reaching out gingerly with both hands and feet to find the obstacles and avoid them.
It doesn't really help as he trips a wire that knocks a bowl of water over that hits him right in the crotch, leaving an embarrassing wet spot behind.
Focusing more, he manages to bypass the next obstacle.
But then ends up knocking aside a spoon that causes a rolling pin to roll into his ankle and as he hops around from the pain, he triggers the final obstacle and a bag of beans suspended overhead is split open causing them to spill out over his head.
He tears off the blindfold and stomps them a couple of times before storming out of the kitchen.
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Knab stumbles through the course, mayhem in his wake but with at least one obstacle avoided. The Aldori students smile in satisfaction at the Pathfinder’s first attempt.
Dura goes next and only knocks over 1 jar, earning cautious praise from Orlaelia.
Locke handles it with consummate aplomb bringing Marcos to his feet in joy.
Thinsabel goes next and also aces it, though perhaps without quite so much panache as Locke.
Dran’Thal does about the same as Knab, unsurprisingly perhaps.
Rhenei goes next and, like Dura, only bumps into one obstacle, though they seem quite distraught over their failure at the end.
Like Locke, Tepin makes it look easy, but Ulfgar makes such a mess of the kitchen that the Masters have to take extra time to reset it.
Then Halran plows through the course like a dwarf. When he removes his blindfold, he smiles at the dwarves in commiseration while Orlaelia shakes her head in shame at her final student’s performance.
Before resetting the room, the two Masters confer. Orlaelia announces that the Pathfinders have won the challenge, even without Mannak attempting it. Marcos invites both teams to follow him to the old main dining hall. There you discover that Orlaelia Aldori has arranged for a catered lunch so that both teams can be rested and refreshed before the combat test.
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About an hour after the beginning of the feast, Orlaelia stands and claps her hands once to get everyone’s attention. Smiling at the success of the exercises so far, she says, ”Now that the food has had a chance to settle, and everyone has had a chance to rest and relax a bit, we should move to your final challenge.” She looks to Marcos.
The Master of Blades nods, and he takes over what is obviously a rehearsed speech. “Aldori students, Pathfinders, both of you have demonstrated skill and creativity, but there’s no test like a real fight. And so, that’s what the last challenge will be.”
Orlaelia then again takes the lead. “Of course, a combat where you had to hold back would hardly be a fair assessment, so we’ve had a special ritual cast over the combat arena. Fight to your hearts content, for none of the damage or injuries suffered therein can be lasting or lethal. Your test will be a fight, one group against the other. Defeat only comes when all on your team are unable or unwilling to continue. Show us what we’ve taught you!” Her students are surprised, and their nerves show through briefly before they quickly compose themselves. Noticing this, Orlaelia adds “I know you were expecting single combat, but if you only ever fight the same fight, you’ll never grow.”
Both instructors smile and lead everyone to the sparring hall, clearly enjoying the pageantry. Marcos and Orlaelia remain in front of the door once everyone has entered and show each group to their starting positions. After everyone takes up their starting positions Orlaelia gives the signal for the duel to start.
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The two Masters leave you in the room lined up along the opposite walls. Everyone is allowed to have weapons in hand(s) and shields in place. Orlaelia smiles to Marcos who announces from the elevated viewing seats, ”On three. One … two … … … "
Halran rushes out into a defensive position clearly ready to stab anyone getting close.
Bold May Act
Map: The Final Challenge
Conditions: All Non-lethal (no adjustments required)
Halran (Blue)
Ulfgar
Dura (Green)
Mannak
Locke
Rhenei (Brown)
Thisnabel (Red)
Dran’Thal
Tepin
Knab
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Halran’s sword flashes out at Ulfgar as the dwarf draws near.
Just as his sword misses, so too does Ulfgar’s axe.
Dura sees an opening and moves forward to engage Ulfgar also. As she does, she reminds the Pathfinders of just who they’re up against. ”You had the advantage of strength and numbers in the other challenges, boys,” she says with a dismissive turn of the last word. ”But sword play and fighting is what Aldori’s train for. We will beat you this time,” she finishes and to emphasis her point, her blade makes easy contact with Ulfgar’s ribs. Had it not been for the effect of his parryng blades, her strike would have been much more deadly.
Bold May Act
Map: The Final Challenge
Conditions: All Non-lethal (no adjustments required)
Halran (Blue)
Ulfgar (Frightened 1, -7)
Dura (Green)
Mannak
Locke
Rhenei (Brown)
Thisnabel (Red)
Dran’Thal
Tepin
Knab
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Mannak moves forward, bangs his battle axe on his shield, and points at Dura. "A'right, ma'am. Let's see what ye got!" He then swings his battle axe at Dura.
CONCENTRATE, GUARDIAN
With an attention-getting gesture, a cutting remark, or a threatening shout, you get an enemy to focus their ire on you. Even mindless creatures are drawn to your taunts. Choose a creature within 30 feet, who must attempt a Will save against your class DC. Regardless of the result, it is immune to your Taunt until the beginning of your next turn. If you gesture, this action gains the visual trait. If you speak or otherwise make noise, this action gains the auditory trait. Your Taunt must have one of those two traits.
Critical Success The creature is unaffected.
Success Until the beginning of your next turn, the creature gains a +2 circumstance bonus to attack rolls it makes against you and to its DCs of effects that target you (for area effects, the DC increases only for you), but takes a –1 circumstance penalty to attack rolls and DCs when taking a hostile action that doesn’t include you as a target.
Failure As success, but the penalty is –2.
Critical Failure As success, but the penalty is –3.
Locke springs in between the two dwarves and attempts to slip around Harlan. "May I have this dance?" he jokes. Successful or not in his maneuver, he makes a slash at the opposing duelist.
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Mannak tries to goad Dura into targeting him,
”Oh, you’ll see alright,” she replies as she easily dodges his clumsy axe swing.
Just then Locke tumbles into the fray, but he bumps into Halran who doesn’t even have the courtesy to get out of the way. In fact, he blocks the rogue’s movement, and his sword comes slashing straight at Locke’s pretty face.
Halran misses, and though he didn’t get past the big duelist, Locke does manage to hit Halran in the knee.
Rhenei hustles across the room and stands just in front of Thisnabel as they cast a spell. Bolts of fire spring from their hand, targeting both Mannak and Tepin.
Mannak’s shield deflects some of the fire, but both Pathfinders are singed.
Then Thisnabel slips around her friend and into position behind Mannak.
But she’s so excited by the mass melee that she misses entirely, so she settles for holding her blade in a parry position.
Bold May Act
Map: The Final Challenge
Conditions: All Non-lethal (no adjustments required)
Halran (Blue)
Ulfgar (Frightened 1, -7)
Dura (Green)
Mannak
Locke
Thisnabel (Red)
Rhenei (Brown)
Dran’Thal
Tepin
Knab
Tepin loads a bullet into his sling staff and arcs it at Thinsabel.
"Reposition!"
◆ Reload
◆ Strike
◆ Pincer Attack - My Squadmates (the other PCs) can step as a free action. Any enemy that has a squadmate adjacent to it after this step is off-guard to melee attacks by me and my squadmates until the start of my next turn.
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Knab moves into the fray, making a funny face at Halran, an annoying stare. Then, he farts. And brings his cinderblock down upon the man, smiling meekly!
◆) Stride
◆) Taunt vs Halran
◇) Release
◆) Strike
↺) Intercept Strike vs First Ally w/ Mitigate Harm
He just can’t seem to get it up…
[concentrate]
With an attention-getting gesture, a cutting remark, or a threatening shout, you get an enemy to focus their fire on you. Even mindless creatures are drawn to your taunts. Choose a creature within 30 feet, who must attempts a Will save against your class DC. Regardless of the result, it is immune to your Taunt until the beginning of your next turn. If you gesture, this action gains the visual trait. If you speak or otherwise make noise, this action gains the auditory trait. Your Taunt must have one of those two traits.
Critical Success The creature is una ected.
Success Until the beginning of your next turn, the creature
gains a +2 circumstance bonus to attack rolls it makes against you and to its DCs of e ects that target you (for area e ects, the DC increases only for you), but takes a –1 circumstance penalty to attack rolls and DCs when taking a hostile action that doesn’t include you as a target.
Failure As success, but the penalty is –2
Mitigate Harm
You gain resistance to damage from critical hits made by a creature affected by your Taunt. This resistance is equal to 2 + half your level; this resistance increases by 2 at 5th level, 11th level, and 15th
"I feel so rejected!" Locke says in mock indigination as he is burned. At Teppin's command, he takes a step back a pace to surprise Thisnabel.