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 The Inner Sanctum A gloved phalanx swept across the armrest of the throne, to be then lifted mere inches from the glowing embers that served as Zanzibar's eyes, the skeleton inspecting the bright white piece of apparel for any blemish. And as he had suspected, a dull gray splotch of dust now marred it. The sanctum was filthy, as well as overgrown.  "Hrm." He closed his hand into a fist, and placed it behind his hip bone as he walked, taking in the sights, observing the servants dusting rubble, that sort of thing. A cleanup was in order first of all, the vines would have to go too, they were wholly unsuitable. Some textiles to coat the naked stone, tasteful drapes in dark hues to go with the mistress' chosen style. The roof would need to be lifted too, for a proper royal atmosphere. Yes, he had such plans...  But alas, for now they would have to settle for something more modest, for they had not the resources for such grand renovation yet.  Zanzibar sighed a deep, rumbling sort of sigh. At least the cleanup was going according to schedule. He gave his temples a slight rub, and decided that he should go consult Blackbone on the furniture supplies on the market next. However, before he could go, Zanzibar was interrupted by a feminine, if rather irate voice, that still managed to remain respectful. "Baron Zygomaticus." Zanzibar turned, first his head to the direction of the voice, before turning to face his addressee bodily. A pale woman, with red eyes, wearing polished steel plate and a sword at her waist. She carried a neatly folded french maid outfit in her hands, a clear expression of distaste on her face. She was one of the vampire thralls, the small number of elite mobs stationed to the inner sanctum. They were the only military personnel Zanzibar had control over, for he mostly was in charge of the domestic staff, but at least they were some of the best the dungeon could offer. "With all due respect", she continued, "What be the meaning of this? We are warriors. So why'd I wake with such servant garb next to mine coffin?" Zanzibar offered a genuinely apologetic seeming nod. "Apologies, Julianna. Certainly I realize such an outfit is not the most optimal for battle, taken it offers little protection, and has several unnecessary frills to get in the way of the sword", there was a small pause, "Nevertheless, the Mistress requested... battle maids. I tried to convince her of the impracticality of the concept but... she insisted." And at that moment, the two shared the sort of quiet look of mutual understanding that only those under the bootheel of the severely out of touch could share. "I see", replied Julianna with a touch of dejected resignation, but she still carried herself with enough pride to not seem whiny, "I shall gather the troop and start instructing them in maidly etiquette at once." Zanzibar stood in stoic silence for a moment after Julianna left, before turning on his heels and approaching the throne currently being cleaned up for the Mistress. It wasn't proper for a servant to keep their liege waiting, after all. ~~~~CHARACTER SHEET BELOW~~~~  Baron Zanzibar Zygomaticus quote:High Concept: The Lady's (long suffering) Champion Theantero fucked around with this message at 16:24 on May 12, 2017 |
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Jan 20, 2017 22:39
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Politely waiting for Mimi and Blackbone to finish, Zanzibar stepped forward and bowed deep. "Good evening, Mistress", he begun, "As your obedient and humble servant I am glad to inform your grace that the renovation effort is thus far advancing as per plan and in schedule. Indeed, it ought to take no more than two days from now for the sanctum to achieve a state that would not unduly tarnish a lady of your standing to inhabit. However, I am afraid that in order for us to achieve a level of resplendence truly representative of your greatness, we'll require funds temporarily beyond the limits of our meager treasury. Magical furniture, antique items and elite guardians in excess of what we already have ought to be within fairly easy reach, but major expansion would require a far more concerted effort." "Other than that, I am pleased to inform you that the training of the battle maids has begun without complication, and they ought to be ready for your service soon, Mistress." Zanzibar waved a skeletal butler over, carrying a small jewelry case, who proceeded to kneel in front of midnight to present two pieces of jewelry. "And this not all, my Mistress. Whilst surveying the Sanctum, I came across two pieces of jewelry I believe worthy of you."  "First, the Amulet of Daylight Saving. A boon indeed, for it greatly reduces the inherent daylight penalties of the vampiric. In finding this in the Dungeon, we save the effort of having to otherwise procure one."  "Second, the Ring of Black Vines, which lets one cast the spell Black Vines with a rather reasonable cooldown period. Such a useful spell would certainly warrant a ring slot, I believe." Zanzibar nodded politely to signal the end of his speech, and stepped back into the row to let the others make their cases.
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Jan 21, 2017 23:15
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Being well-read enough in the ways of combat to know of Guardians, Zanzibar knows to expect the burst in power, but even expecting it he almost lost his composure at the sudden burst of power, but still managed to keep from flinching. He wastes no time picking up the Mist Sword from the floor. "Very good, Mistress", he replies, "We did indeed find the remains of no less than four adventurer parties. Ill equipped to handle the Dungeon as we did." "As for this sword, my lady, is it your wish for it to be displayed on your armor stand, to begin a career as a ceremonial weapon? Or would you rather it be put to use by your servants? Such would certainly improve the speed and efficiency this quest you laid for us would be completed in." Baron Zygomaticus, of course, was not crass enough to ask for such a thing, but he was confident that the Mistress knew him to be the premier swordmaster in the premises. Having the mist sword could make parts of his combination attacks deal Backstab damage, after all, as well as removing the need to make himself vulnerable by circling the opposition. Theantero fucked around with this message at 00:19 on Jan 23, 2017 |
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Jan 23, 2017 00:16
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The Baron walked with regal, confident stride in front of the group, his undead eyes glinting menacingly in the dark of night, his right hand resting at the pommel of the Mist Sword that lay in its sheath. Only when they sighted the bears, did he signal for the group to stop with a raised hand, as he took a gander at the situation. "The bears are clustered in groups of three", he finally stated, "We should face no problems if we proceed with caution, and only aggravate and pull in one such group at a time, and wait to gather enough strength between each such bout to use our abilities again. Since we have the initiative, it ought to be trivial to lead each such group to traps laid by Mimi and Blackbone, which ought to be sufficient to remove one bear in each group. With the mist sword, I ought to be able to strike decisively enough to kill another one in each group before they have much chance to counterstrike. Newbee is strong enough to absorb the damage from the remaining bear without issue, and should be able to finish it off quickly enough with the help of Oghrul." "Jasper can sit on the sidelines and heal whatever damage we take after each fight, and try his best to not chew on the flanks." He pointed to his right with an extended arm. "However, whatever route we take, I must advice against our right flank, for I see a mushroom fairy elder in there, meaning the toadstool ring cannot be far away."  "And whilst it is true that they possess many magical reagents for the taking, we are not quite as well prepared to face them yet. Thus, it is an unnecessary risk, as of yet." Zanzibar faced his colleagues. "Is there any objection?", he asked dryly, "I'd rather we get any such thing out of the way before we strike to avoid hurting our cohesion." Theantero fucked around with this message at 15:01 on Jan 25, 2017 |
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Jan 25, 2017 14:59
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There is an almost inaudible sigh in the air, with just the tiniest bit of dejection apparent in it. "This a fool who mistakes tactics for cowardice, planning for weakness, and bravado for strength. And indeed, should you charge by yourself, you will be showcasing nothing but flagrant idiocy, despite what you seem to believe. And trust me: no-one here will be particularly impressed with such." Zanzibar leered at Newbee. "And even as much as I think it a good lesson in humility for you to have this unearned self-confidence beaten from you by a pack of ravenous beasts, Newbee, it would be an insult towards the Mistress to risk her assets in such a pointless manner on such a routine task. By charging in and aggravating all the bears at once, you will be needlessly wasting our advantages for no particularly good reason. Even your own, for the tank is the cornerstone on which the group is anchored. And should you prove yourself too unstable to be relied upon, you will be less than worthless. You will be an active liability." "So either do what you're good at, or stand to the side. But do not risk disappointing the Mistress just because you judge nursing your own fragile ego more important than serving her will to the best of your ability.."
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Jan 25, 2017 21:24
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Zanzibar nodded towards Blackbone. "I happen to have read on bears and their slaying, and can say with a fair amount of certainty, that upon their demise, a Bear Flank can be obtained a full 80% of the time, for it is by far their most common drop. On occasion, of course, rarer gifts such as Pristine Bear Pelt can be obtained instead, unless non-physically damaging methods were used to slay the bear, in which case this small chance may be upgraded to certainty. And indeed, whilst you're correct that the method of slaying can affect the rates of drops or even result in unique drops, we are not yet rich enough in such a variety of damage types that this would be relevant for us to consider. Indeed, with our current arsenal, Bear Flanks are what we can expect most often, which serves us well for that is what the Mistress desires. As for cutting wood, may I suggest our left flank so as to not unduly disturb the mushroom fairies? We are unsuited to combat them at the present moment." His explanation over, Zanzibar cleared his non-existent throat. "Now. Can I trust in you all to follow my plan, or have you objections? I'd rather not waste time if such can be avoided."
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Jan 26, 2017 15:22
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"Certainly, I have no authority over you, Jasper," Zanzibar explained in a tired tone one might take when explaining simple concepts to a particularly obstinate child, "And I suppose the plan allows for you to function as a free moving asset. Just remember that you most important duty is keeping the rest of us in fighting shape. The fact that you feel some strange need to prove yourself in other ways, as if your given task was not most noble in itself, reflects poorly on you." Zanzibar looked down on the dog. "The Mistress created you for a purpose, after all. You should find contentment in performing it." "And no matter how much you bark or rage, you cannot change the fact that my plan is a very functional one that plays to the strengths of our group as a whole." quote:Theantero: Zanzibar is Carefully Creating Advantage via making a plan of engagement (Difficulty 0) I have created a situational asset of 'Zanzibar's Bear Battle Plan', that gets two free Invokes due to me succeeding in style that I or my allies can use. Of course, realize that you can only really Invoke it if you actually go along with it 
Theantero fucked around with this message at 19:13 on Jan 26, 2017 |
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Jan 26, 2017 19:11
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Zanzibar listened in dignified quiet as what he perceived to be the cooler heads of the group in addition to himself made their cases, respecting Oghrul's considerable amount of battle-wisdom in particular, and nodded respectfully when the orc asked for silence. As for Blackbone, Zanzibar turned to face the other skeleton as he felt bony carpals on his shoulder, not completely comfortable with the overtly handsy gesture, but not seeing it as such an affront as to bother mentioning it. "I agree", he spoke in a quiet voice that was almost a whisper, "For your plan shows some promise. Should we complete both our given objective and the one on the side before morn, I'd be willing to try it. But not before."
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Jan 27, 2017 15:56
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Fate Points: 3/3 Insolent whelp. Idiotic little runt of a newt. All of these were things that Zanzibar might have said if he were not the person he was. Instead, he resolved to merely stiffen his imaginary upper lip as he watched his plan slowly disintegrate into ruin, any loud objections or shouts of frustration safely locked within the confines of his skull, never to be aired for others to hear. Indeed, the only outwardly apparent sign of his disappointment was a weighty, weary sort of sigh. The sigh of the sort of person, who did not want to deal with this sort of thing, but nevertheless accepted it as their responsibility to do so. He glanced towards Newbee, standing on a rock. And he had to admit, that for all her bravado, this was her element, the area of combat where she most excelled. She would do fine on her own. Indeed, she might even do exceptionally well, and Zanzibar steeled his mind for the inevitable onslaught of smug boasting that would most certainly follow her victory. For now, however, his larger concern was Oghrul. He was not built as defensively as the dragon, and was the one more needing of assistance. And so, with a flourish of his cape, Zanzibar strode towards the veritable mass of bear that surrounded the orc. The Mimic had managed to make them lay off the worst of their assault with a judicious application of fire (a good choice of damage type, Zanzibar thought approvingly), but they were tightly packed still, and he could not really use most of his refined tactics against such a formation where he had no real room to maneuver around his enemy. But these were simple beasts, mere mobs. Simple moves, repeated quick lunges and back-steps to avoid counter attacks ought to be sufficient to thin and scatter their number. And so, Zanzibar lunged. quote:Theantero: Zanzibar lunges at the bears around Ogrhul, harrying their flanks (It's a Quick Attack!) quote:Yamifenrir: The Bears defend against being poked in the behind quote:Yamifenrir: Hmm, actually, THE WALL OF BEAR MUST HOLD STRONG So that's a total of 1 damage Bear group #2 will take, and somehow have to allocate.
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Jan 29, 2017 01:09
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Fate Points: 3/3 | Boosts: Battle Focus Fire. Death. Chaos. The crackling flame of battle cast sharp shadows on Zanzibar's angular features, as he stood in the midst of the enemy, sword drawn, eyes sharp, but calm in demeanor. Calmness was the most essential part of combat, after all, for in combat every second mattered. There was no time to waste for errant thoughts or missteps. For in combat, every movement counted, every swipe of the sword was a commitment that could cost you your (un)life if poorly executed. Thus, you were to remain calm, and focused. Something that the bears had evidently forgotten. Well, the fact that they were on fire might have played into that. Or the fact that they were wild animals with no capacity for higher reasoning. But Zanzibar did not allow those sorts of thoughts to distract him from his somber ruminations, not when he finally had a chance to do what he was good at. For the bears had made a fatal mistake. They had scattered. And they were all focused on Oghrul, ignoring him completely. Which meant he could engage the remaining eight one on one. He took the En Garde stance. It was time to dance. Lunging Advance on a flaming bear distracted by the clanging of the shield, caught flat-footed, pierced through the neck. It didn't even have the time to react. 3 seconds Pass Backward to free the blade and to gain distance on the second bear, that was readying to strike. Uncanny Sidestep, a stab through the ribs. The perforated heart of the second bear beat no more. 7 seconds The third was almost consumed by flame already. Crippling Strike to the left flank ensured it would not reach anyone before it perished. 9 seconds Dead Man's Fleché decapitated the fourth in a greenish flash of banefire, to be immediately followed by a set of twirls, parries, and quick stabs on the fifth, until it too bled. 14 seconds The sixth came to the scene, avoided by Cape Feint, gaining naught but a long, deep cut across its right flank as Zanzibar dodged to the side, flawlessly continuing the movement to parry the seventh, and cutting open its jugular with Counter-Strike. 17 seconds Withering Strike, Banefire Slash, Crippling Strike and the eighth, the only one of the pack untouched by flame, was on the ground, helpless. Yet still trying to impotently claw at Oghrul's shield. Zanzibar spared it nothing but a pitying glance. Coup De Grâce. ... 20 seconds Wipe the blood from your blade. Bow to the audience. quote:Theantero: Zanzibar, DUEL ALL THE BEARS TO DEATH with a Flashy Attack! Righto, the bears take 8 shifts of Damage, but I'll rather make them take 7 shifts of Damage and take a Boost: Battle Focus Both the free invokes from the Bears that are on fire, and do not like it and Bearing the Aggro have been used, but not like it matters since they all died in the process. Theantero fucked around with this message at 20:06 on Jan 29, 2017 |
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Jan 29, 2017 20:00
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Fate Points: 4/3 | Boosts: Battle Focus Zanzibar eyed the girl, his poise straight, seemingly unperturbed by being addressed as 'Skeleton Man', even though secretly his noble self couldn't help but take the slightest bit of offense. Without a word he drew the Mist Sword from its sheath, and pointed it at the offender, crossing his free hand behind his back. "I am afraid", he rumbled in that deep tone of his, "That I must disappoint you, good lady, for all these belong to my Mistress, and are not at my liberty to give. And indeed, as her champion, this my duty and sworn obligation to defend her honor and all that is hers with my blade. And I am afraid, good lady, that your presumptuous attitude here is an insult most dire on the honor of my Mistress." "And as such, I am by my duty forced to challenge you to a duel for the sake of my Mistress." Zanzibar was silent for a moment, his cape flapping slightly in the wind as he stood. "You are the challenged. Thus yours is the first step." Accepting compel. Theantero fucked around with this message at 23:00 on Feb 1, 2017 |
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Jan 31, 2017 22:33
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Fate Points: 4/3 | Boosts: Battle Focus, OUTPLAYED, Taken to School Not sooner than the Swordmaiden had taken her first step forward, Zanzibar took his. Far faster. With a refined, practiced sort of grace he lunged, sidestepped the maiden, and guided her lunging sword downward. And the laws of momentum took care of the rest as the maiden struggled to correct a disgraceful stumble as her blade ate the Earth. "Good lady", Zanzibar intoned, "You seem to have forgotten that one cannot do battle armed with nothing but false confidence alone." quote:Theantero: Right. Zanzibar advances without delay for a Quick Defend I succeed with style, thus I get Boost: OUTPLAYED "Yet I still cannot help but respect your conviction", he readied his blade once more, "So out of kindness I offer you this free tutoring session in the fine art of dueling." Zanzibar approached quickly, a sudden thrust forcing the already stumbling girl to fall as she overcorrected her movements to parry. "First, know when to lunge. Yours was made at far too long a distance, against a ready opponent on guard, with much room to evade. A foolish mistake." The skeleton watched impassively as his opponent, somewhat bruised from her fall, got to her feet. A brief bout of clashed blades followed, until Zanzibar sidestepped and ended up on the opposite side of the enemy, a quick push causing her to stumble again, but before she could correct her footing, Zanzibar lunged, and was quickly on her face. "Always lunge for a reason. To gain ground quickly against opponents who are not in a position to parry. To get inside the comfortable engaging range of long weapons", he nodded to the side, at the weapon his opponent was holding, "such as the katana. This has been your fist lesson." The girl tried to slash back, but her awkward position and Zanzibar's fast Pass Backward ensured she hit nothing but air. Zanzibar took a look at the Mist Sword, a faint red gleam adorning it, and at the girl, a stain of similar hue on her left side, seeping through her robes. "Lesson two", he added sardonically, "Know when to yield at the face of far superior opposition you have no true hope of beating." A moment of silence. "I claim first blood for my Mistress." quote:Theantero: Zanzibar Flashily Attacks the Swordmaiden, using his Stunt (The Noble Duelist) for a +2 quote:Yamifenrir: Just how badly did the swordmaiden get outplayed? Righto, a total of 5 shifts. Having the attack do 4 shifts of Damage and taking the Boost: Taken to School. Theantero fucked around with this message at 00:21 on Feb 2, 2017 |
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Feb 1, 2017 23:52
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Fate Points: 4/3 | Boosts: Battle Focus, OUTPLAYED, Taken to School Staggering Blow. The girl struggled to keep her balance as she fumbled with the bottle in her hand, the sudden lack of proper footing making removing the stopper next to impossible. A impeccably comboed Guard Breaker made her open to approach. And then there was the sudden slash of a Disarm as Zanzibar cut the potion bottle right at the neck before the girl had had a chance to take even a sip, causing the vial to drop and shatter against the ground, the mixtures within quickly seeping into the Earth. Zanzibar stared the girl deep into the eyes, and spared her naught but a curt statement. "No cheating in class." He withdrew a few steps away once more before the girl could counter-attack, and brandished his blade, waiting for an opening. quote:Theantero: eh, I might as well whip out a post Theantero fucked around with this message at 23:32 on Feb 2, 2017 |
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Feb 2, 2017 22:41
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Fate Points: 4/3 | Boosts: Battle Focus The sword slashes through the air, piercing Zanzibar's cape at lightning speed. And then it hits air again, as Zanzibar looks on with some amusement (which was rather hard to tell, for his skeletal face was not capable of forming expressions). "[Cape Feint]", he said dryly, "And [Uncanny Sidestep]." "Your move selection is fairly good, I must admit", he continued as the two fighters circled each other, "But you still have much to learn. For example, the fact that even good priority moves such as [Lightning Draw] are easily overcome by synergistic abilities combined with each other, even if they are individually weaker. So lesson three: Always spare your powerful moves for after you've ensured your opponent is in no position to negate them with weaker ones. You will never go far as a duelist if you refuse to learn these points." quote:Theantero: Zanzibar is Flashily Defending against the Swordmaiden! "Let me demonstrate." And so Zanzibar was on the move again, the little talk having allowed [Staggering Blow] to finish its cooldown, immediately to be followed by a shove by his shoulder to compound the staggering effect, the extra second or so affording Zanzibar the exact amount of time he needed to stand back and coat his blade with a greenish hue. "[Banefire Slash]", he intoned calmly as he brought the blade down upon the Maiden. Sure, it was not a perfectly clean hit, the Maiden just about managed to mount a defense, but had no time to invoke any special moves due to her stagger. And a normal defend was nowhere near good enough to protect against banefire completely. "You do it as thus", Zanzibar remarked across their crossed blades as licks of Dark-elemental flavored flame gently caressed the girls face. He stepped back as the banefire around his blade died. "Now. Give me your best shot." quote:Theantero: Zanzibar Flashily Attacks the Swordmaiden (getting +2 from Noble Duelist) That's 2 shifts of Damage. Theantero fucked around with this message at 21:45 on Feb 4, 2017 |
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Feb 4, 2017 21:36
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Fate Points: 4/3 | Boosts: - Zanzibar did not have to think. Not really. He was a seasoned enough fighter that the proper defense here came from the backbone, as he sliced his own blade lengthwise across the incoming windfront, distributing the force behind the attack evenly across the sword, the remainders dissipating into vortices with barely enough energy to flap his cloak. "Ah", he stated, apparently oblivious to the snide remarks of his opposition (Zanzibar was above participating in such banality), "Wind elemental attacks. A good choice for ranged reach. Perhaps you would have had more luck here if you had combined it with your [Lightning Draw], when I was busy dealing with it and not expecting attacks in Guard Stance?" Zanzibar sighed. "My advice is good, lady Deliah, and this my wish you would heed. But perhaps you're the type that learns only through example and the pain of failure." quote:Theantero: just going to continue as I have, and Defend Flashily His cape still flapping slightly from the left-over gusts of the [Wind Slash], Zanzibar stepped in for a counter-attack, begun with the actual move [Counter-Attack] as the Swordmaiden tried to intercept his advance, "Once again...", their blades connected, but Zanzibar's move caused the woman to falter ever slightly, and forcing her to bring her blade heavily down on Zanzibar as he used [Uncanny Sidestep] to move to her left, just so she could balance her stance again. Unfortunately, her step was now too wide to properly correct as Zanzibar used [Cape Feint] to immediately zig-zag back to her right side, and gave her thigh the smallest cut with the tip of his sword, before stepping back, "...you have to learn the power of combinations." He nodded towards the cut. "[Withering Strike]", he explained, "It's worse than it looks." He looked at the Star Mage during the brief lull. "Your sister has already forfeited. And whilst I respect your dedication to the art of the duel, you should heed her wisdom. You have no hope of victory here." "Surrender, and forfeit to us all your possessions as the price for attacking us, and you may leave with your lives. Costly, yes, but less so than having to pay for your resurrection as well." quote:Theantero: Zanzibar is going to Flashily Attack the Swordmaiden again with his SWEET MOVES and SWEET STUNR That's 2 shifts of Damage. Theantero fucked around with this message at 18:22 on Feb 6, 2017 |
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Feb 6, 2017 18:19
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Fate Points: 4/3 | Boosts: - "..." "......" Zanzibar sighed. "Well, I suppose that choice has been made for us, then." "En Garde."
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Feb 6, 2017 19:24
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Fate Points: 2/3 | Boosts: - The others failed to heed the ultimatum. There was no turning back now. There was a strange sense of trepidation in the air, as if warning of things to come. The girl charged, but was far too gimped by being Withered to mount an effective offense, Zanzibar merely taking backsteps as he continually swat her blade aside, his back straight and his left hand balled in a fist behind his back. He seemed almost bored. quote:Yamifenrir: Here comes her counterattack! "Once again you fail to heed my lessons, lady Deliah", he remarked, almost casual in tone, "You are fast, yes, and your moves powerful, but that is not enough. You must pay attention to your conditions also, and seek to inflict them on your foe." Of course, Zanzibar was far too professional to totally discount a foe even this unworthy, and had been diligently counting the seconds of the Withered status, aligning it with the cooldowns of his other moves just so... [Uncanny Sidestep] Zanzibar suddenly changed direction, the still Withered swordmaiden unable to keep up as he pirouetted past her right side, giving her thigh a nasty gash as he went. Once again they stood, positions reversed. Zanzibar flicked his sword downward in a swift motion to remove the excess droplets of blood before lifting it in front of himself once more. "You must learn. Or you will never succeed." quote:Theantero: well, here's my Flashy Stunt Attack! And perhaps it was, that at that moment something snapped in the mind of the maiden. Perhaps she was tired of being humiliated like this? Perhaps she had actually managed to learn something. It was hard to say for certain. But what one can say for certain is that Zanzibar did not expect what came next. [Lightning Draw] Zanzibar was expecting this, naturally, a [Cape Feint] was enough to misdirect the lonely blow for he had seen it coming, the [Swordmaiden's Lunge] that followed was a bit more surprising, but it had been her opening move, so not that much of a surprise, even if Zanzibar had almost given up hope of the girl actually knowing how to combine attacks. A [Pass Backward] took care of that, Zanzibar moving an equal distance as the girl during her lunge. It was the final [Wind Slash] that was surprising, for continuing the move from a failed lunge took considerable skill. No matter. He'd just- [Uncanny Sidestep] was on cooldown still. Zanzibar's plate groaned as the slash opened a wide gash in it, reaching diagonally across the breastplate. But the girl was relentless, pressing on for a further strike. And perhaps she would have succeeded too, if Zanzibar was not suddenly there anymore. The skeleton had transformed into a cloud of gray mist, that slithered to the back of the girl, before reconstituting itself. A moment of shocked silence. Then Zanzibar laughed. A deep, almost good-natured sort of laugh. "Ah! You're learning!" quote:Yamifenrir: alright, Round two FOR REAL EXCEPT NOT REALLY "But there is more to dueling than offense. You've demonstrated an ability to strike when given priority, but can you defend against the same?" Zanzibar lunged, the girl sidestepped. Zanzibar followed through with a quick flurry of strikes, the girl parrying and keeping her distance. She was not letting Zanzibar close in like last time. After a while, Zanzibar stepped back, and nodded in what might almost be surmised to be approval. "Good." "I suppose I shall have to start taking you seriously now." quote:Theantero: Heh. Nice try kid, but you'll need more than that to beat me *Flashily and Stuntily Unsheathes Katana* The fighters eyed each other for a moment that seemed far longer than it actually was. "Shut up", the girl finally growled. Zanzibar would have raised an eyebrow if he had them. "Excuse m-" "JUST! SHUT! UP!" the girl was practically screaming now as she pressed her assault with renewed vigor. Gone was the former grace, in was a furious assault. And Zanzibar, to his dismay, found himself unable to properly penetrate her flailing defense, momentarily taken off guard by the sudden change in her fighting style. And he was rapidly running out of defensive moves, and he'd rather not rely on base defense actions against a two-handed heavy hitter like her katana. But no matter. He knew this sort of fighting style was not sustainable. Sooner, rather than later, she couldn't help but sport an openi- ah, there it was. She had overwrough her strike, and was now nearly doubled over, with her blade embedded in the dirt. A [Guard Breaker] would open her up nicely, and he could get this whole thing over with. But then something happened. Again. Whether due to dumb luck, a momentary visit to 'The Zone', or just some lucky button pummeling on the player's part, the swordmaiden's defend was timed perfectly, to the frame, synced to the [Guard Breaker], an effect known as a Perfect Parry. Usually nothing much more than a nice negated attack and a brief half-second stagger on the attacker. But in this situation, combined with all the other events that had transpired, it transformed into something terrible. For in that moment, Zanzibar was defenseless, with the sword of his foe below him. The girl's [Underarm Whirlwind] removed the blade from the dirt, sending pebbles flying as she swung it in a wide vertical arc, swinging it high above her shoulder and bringing its entire bulk to her other side as she turned to follow its trajectory. This was why it was a risky move, too, for while it was fairly strong, it made you turn around, which was usually bad in a fight like this. She half expected to be pierced through the spine. But the attack never came. Instead there was a thump, followed by a clatter, as Zanzibar's right arm, cut clean through the shoulder and swung into the air by the [Underarm Whirlwind] hit the ground, followed by the Mist Sword. Zanzibar looked on in brief bewilderment. "..." "Impressive." Zanzibar gains Deliah gains Boost:"Coming back from the brink" quote:Theantero: so go ahead, make your own attack quote:Theantero: attacking with my Flashy Stunt quote:Yamifenrir: !r 4df+3 The girl did not deign to answer, merely moving in on an attempt to finish off her crippled foe. "Impressive", Zanzibar repeated, "But you have much to learn still", she continued her advance "Sudden changes in the tide of battle, just like this, are the reason you never reveal all your tricks at once." "For example", with a deft kick, Zanzibar threw the Mist Sword high into the air, and caught it with his remaining hand. He continued this to an extremely fast strike at the girl. Far faster, defter than before. The girl barely had the time to block. "I'm left handed", he whispered through locked blades. And so, their battle continued with renewed vigor, both sides struggling for advantage Zanzibar gains Boost: Fortunately for me I'm not Right Handed Deliah gains Boost: "Relentless Assault" Zanzibar gains Boost: "One hander" quote:Theantero: Zanzibar, use your Flashy Murderstunt quote:Krysmbot: Yamifenrir, /--/+3 = 1 quote:Theantero: Flashy stunt attack etc quote:Yamifenrir: !r 4df+3 But such it was, that in elongated fights such as this, true mettle of fighters was measured. For the laws of probability dictated that reliability and higher skill counted more in protracted combat than strokes of luck. And so it was here too, for even without his other arm, Zanzibar was the superior duelist, and it was only a matter of time before the girl misstepped. Wasn't quite fast enough with the blade. And that was the moment when Zanzibar's [Lunge] pierced her defense. And her lung. Certainly it was an attack that left him open, and the girl did indeed take advantage by cutting off a rib or two, but Zanzibar was still the clear victor of this one particular bout. He picked them up and put them in a little pouch beside his belt as they circled one another. Had he lips, he would have smiled. This was starting to seem like real combat. Against a real foe. Someone of worth to fight against for her Mistress. This was what he lived for. Deliah gains Major Consequence: Sucking Chest Wound Zanzibar gains Boost: "In his Element" quote:Theantero: Well, eat my SPECIAL ATTACK! SPIRIT +5 STUNT FLASH ATTACK BOMB quote:Yamifenrir: but is she gonna go out in a blaze of glory? quote:Theantero: the final strike: very flashy quote:Yamifenrir: The final final counterattack! quote:Theantero: Is this the FINAL final Flashy Stunt Attack???? The World Wonders The combat was fierce. It was elegant. And Zanzibar was getting into it with gusto. Every move planned perfectly. Every move as if a step in an elaborate dance. Indeed, as they dogged, thrust and weaved across each other, Zanzibar could almost visualize them both in a ballroom, dancing a waltz to the tune of an orchestra. And the way this girl was starting to prove herself, he was beginning to not be so opposed at all to taking her hand for a little dance. The lights in his eyes flickered as the katana sliced across his face, his precise movements meaning he lost but a few slivers from his cheekbone rather than his head. He laughed. Zanzibar gains Minor Conesquence: "My beautiful facebones!" Zanzibar gains boost: The Dance of Battle quote:Yamifenrir: The final final final final coutnerattack! quote:Theantero: I activate my special Flashy Stunt Attack move: [Just Die Already] quote:Krysmbot: Yamifenrir, -+-/+3 = 2 But alas, all good things must come to an end. "Now I must say", Zanzibar remarked to the panting girl, exhausted by the prolonged bit of combat, bits of banefire clinging to her sleeves and skin, "That I've not been so challenged in quite some time! You have far more promise it seems than I initially thought you did. I apologize sincerely for taking you so lightly." "Alas, I must now leave you now. My Mistress awaits, and this a poor servant that lets their liege wait." Always leave your best moves for when your opponent cannot readily defend against them. And just looking at her (and her human Stamine levels), it was clear she was not in the position to mount a major defense anymore. Or an offense. Zanzibar was upon her in a flash, running past her in a [Dead Man's Flèche]. There was no response. No counter-attack. The girl's head merely rolled smoothly off her shoulders. quote:Theantero: !r 4df+3 Zanzibar looked upon the cooling corpse of the girl, in thought. He stood still, rigid and silent, as if honoring the fallen. Eventually he kneeled, and ran his fingers across her eyelids to close them. He also picked her sword, and rose back up. "Thank you", he finally stated, "That was the most alive I've felt in a long time." "Until we meet again." He bowed to the corpse, threw his cape over this right shoulder to hide his severed arm, turned around, and started the walk back home. TL;DR: I kill the girl and have ticked all Stress boxes and the following Consequences at the end of combat: Minor: "My Beautiful Facebones" and Moderate: "Unarmed!" Taking the sword, leaving the rest of the looting to the team since I didn't feel it dramatically appropriate for Zanzibar to go full Vulture on her after all that. Theantero fucked around with this message at 10:31 on Feb 8, 2017 |
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Feb 8, 2017 00:49
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Fate Points: 2/3 | Boosts: - Zanzibar continued walking, merely stopping to pick up his severed arm as he walked past it. "I suggest the rest of you learn by example", he said calmly, "And not don magical items before identification. Less so because of what might happen to you, but because it means the Mistress will lose the chance to assign the items as she deems fit. For make no mistake, all things here belong to her, and not to us."
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Feb 8, 2017 17:51
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Fate Points: 2/3 | Boosts: - Zanzibar nodded as Blackbone spoke. "A wise idea, sir Blackbone. My breastplate requires repairs as is, and my clothes tailoring. A visit to the market would thus be rather sensible." Other than that, he made no remarks in particular as he continued on.
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Feb 8, 2017 22:56
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Fate Points: 2/2 | Boosts: - | Consequences: Unarmed (Moderate) Zanzibar bowed deep for his Mistress. "Indeed, this as Sir Blackbone says. We have completed the task asked of us, and punished a pair of self-described heroines that dared bring insult to your honor. They have been thoroughly chastised for their hubris, their possessions taken, now all rightly yours, my lady." He straightened his back again. "As for suggestion, I believe the Warhammer might hold utility, for Sir Skullbasher is a premier frontline combatant of our troupe, and an upgrade in weaponry for him would be a welcome addition to our combined potency. The rings, too, are a good choice for appraisal, for jewellery is known to often hold powerful enchantment." As for the Minor Milestone, I'm reducing my Refresh by one to take another stunt: "Master Fencer: +2 to Flashily Defend when being attacked by a lone aggressor", as Zanzibar hones his ability with the sword further.
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Feb 11, 2017 14:30
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Fate Points: 2/2 | Boosts: - | Consequences: Unarmed (Moderate) Zanzibar nodded solemnly. "The Massacre-ade Ball is indeed a venerable sort of locale, most certainly worthy of your presence." Too bad he was missing an arm, Zanzibar thought grimly. Well, it ought to be strong enough for a dance even freshly reattached, even if it would take some time for the necromantic energies animating it to reassemble themselves enough for it to be combat capable.
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Feb 13, 2017 19:17
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Fate Points: 2/2 | Boosts: - | Consequences: Arm unfit for battle (Moderate) As a skeleton of noble heritage, Zanzibar was very much in his element at the ball, making polite, light conversation amidst sips of wine, whilst still being careful to never leave the side of his mistress unless specifically excused to do so (he was her champion, after all, it would have been extremely poor form to leave by himself). "Mistress", Zanzibar leaned in to say, "In case you were not aware, the entertainment routine of the ball is most of the time related to the guardian that guards the treasures. The presence of The Eternal Orchestra would imply that The Conductor is present also."  "He is a Bard, specializing in group buffs and area effects in particular. I..." Zanzibar's mood darkened just the tiniest bit, as hope left his skeletal being. He let none of it to show, of course. "...advice you to caution, Mistress."
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Feb 18, 2017 14:51
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Fate Points: 2/2 | Boosts: - | Consequences: Arm unfit for battle (Moderate) Zanzibar would have commented on Mimi and her impressive display, if he were not focused on his own task. That is to say, performing as the Mistress' champion. A task made harder than it had any real right to be by the fact that she had no qualms whatsoever with just trying to walk through mobs like she owned the place. Thus, it fell on him, as the champion, to make sure she could do that in peace, without being unduly harassed by the whelps. With quick, deliberate steps, he flanked his Mistress as she walked, keeping the already disorganized dragons at bay with precise, yet muted slashes of his sword (it would have been rude in the extreme to make a show of things, a champion should not attract attentions to themselves when on escort duty after all). quote:Theantero: Zanzibar Quickly Creates Advantage (adding invokes to the Advantage Newbee made) by protecting the Mistress from grubby dragon whelp paws Right, so that's an extra Invoke.
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Feb 24, 2017 15:17
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Fate Points: 2/2 | Boosts: Protect the Mistress | Consequences: Arm unfit for battle (Moderate) | Stress: Box2 It was important that the Mistress enjoy her bout to the ball. It was important that she not be unduly pestered. At least, this is what Zanzibar kept telling himself as he danced around Midnight, who had chosen to stop in the middle of the mob to pet that accursed canine (truly the thing was far more trouble than it was worth). Really, he might have been overwhelmed already if not for Newbee's scattering charge, and for Oghrul keeping the majority of them back. Even then, many managed to seep through. Many enough that one of them might find an openin- oh no. Zanzibar spotted one of them making a swipe at the lady, and his sword was in no position to interject. He'd have to find alternative means. [Pass Backward] With a lightning speed dash, The Baron had interjected himself between the Mistress and the claw. Too bad he could block only with his shoulder, even if he managed to minimize the majority of the momentum by going with the blow and following it with a [Counter Roundhouse] that sent the whelp reeling. And with some space between the aggressor and the Mistress, he finally had the chance to go on the offensive. And he did so aggressively. More so than usual, and with more care, for any strike against the Mistress was a strike against his legitimacy as champion, and something he could not allow. quote:Theantero: Zanzibar! Defend Quickly against whelp attacks! Marking StressBox2 quote:Theantero: Zanzibar! Make Quick Attacks to thin the herd! Causing them 2 damage, as well as taking the Boost: Protect the Mistress Theantero fucked around with this message at 23:23 on Feb 28, 2017 |
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Feb 26, 2017 21:24
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Fate Points: 2/2 | Boosts: - | Consequences: Arm unfit for battle (Moderate) | Stress: Box2 Zanzibar often disagreed with the overtly self-promoting attitude of Newbee, and often viewed her as unbecomingly childish. However, there could be no doubt as to her abilities when it came to destroying mobs. And it was in those moments of aptitude where he could help but feel genuine respect towards the young dragon. Sparing her an appreciative nod, for no more could be spared in the heat of battle, Zanzibar moved to assist Blackbone, currently separated from him by a wall of whelps. Whelps that were still too close for comfort to the Mistress No matter. He'd just have to cut them down. And cut them down he did, with quick, brutal efficiency. They were, however, tanky for mobs, and the cooldown based single target abilities of Zanzibar could only dispose of them so quicky, even if their broken formation gave him room to maneuver... quote:Theantero: Zanzibar Quickly attacks the Whelps next to Blackbone! Using my Boost: Protecting the Mistress, as well as burning one Invoke on Whelps in Disarray The whelps take 2 shifts of Damage
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Mar 1, 2017 00:38
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Fate Points: 2/2 | Boosts: - | Consequences: Arm unfit for battle (Moderate) | Stress: Box2 Craning his neck first to the right, and then to the left, Zanzibar nodded in quiet approval after having verified that all the opposition in the room had in fact been dealt with. He took the Mist Sword, then, and used the downtime to focus his powers into it, so that his innate abilities over banefire could be invoked far easier in the near future. Whilst at it, he took a look first at Mimi, then at Newbee. "Well fought", he stated matter-of-factly, before taking the side of his Mistress once again. quote:Theantero: Zanzibar Cleverly Creates Advantage to give his sword a longer lasting banefire sheath than usual (Difficulty 2) Creaing the Advantage 'Banefirebrand', with 1 free Invoke.
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Mar 7, 2017 01:15
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Fate Points: 1/2 | Boosts: - | Consequences: Arm unfit for battle (Moderate) | Stress: Box2 Zanzibar grimaced. Well he was always grimacing, taken that his face was a skull, but this time his emotional mindstate fit that particular expression exceptionally well. And not even because the Mistress, for her inscrutable reasons, had decided to pat her like she did the mutt. No, such casual indignity he had grudgingly accepted as a part of his existence a long time ago. No, the reason for his somber mood was the fact that sneaking was required of him. He had never been a sneak. Indeed, he usually refused to sneak as a matter of principle, but as long as he didn't strike an unaware foe himself, there was no huge problem. Even if he still found the whole procedure distasteful. But it still had to be done. And since it had to be done, it might as well be done as quickly as possible. Zanzibar eyed the area, the eggs and the guardians, and plotted a path through, that he should be able to quickly power through with the help of his variety of dash moves. After all, it was a known thing that most Alert Zones could be avoided with impeccably timed movement skills. And so he went, [Lunges] and [Pass Backwards] comboing with [Uncanny Sidesteps], making good time to his objective. Until he took a misstep, failing to cover the area of a single Alert Zone with a single move. Had he eyes still, they would have widened, less so for fear of danger and more so for having failed the Mistress' wishes (as... eccentric as they could often be). Thankfully, Zanzibar was used to the hectic world of dueling, which had honed his mind to a rather sharp edge, especially when it came to split-second appraisal and use of his advantages. And it was at that moment that Zanzibar recalled the Mist Sword he was wielding, using its power to change into ethereal mist to complete the last bit of his journey without issue. Once safely on the target area, he stared intently at the slightly wobbling egg he had disturbed, and sighed in quiet relief when it settled down. quote:Theantero: Zanzibar! Quickly Overcome the sneaking challenge! I tie the sneak Overcome action. Theantero fucked around with this message at 21:34 on Mar 7, 2017 |
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Mar 7, 2017 21:23
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Fate Points: 1/2 | Boosts: Feet Upkeep | Consequences: Arm unfit for battle (Moderate) | Stress: Box2 Zanzibar did not curse or moan under his breath as his ankle gave way. Both because he was far too refined for such, but also because sudden bone dislocation was something all skeletons were intimately familiar with. "I am not an assassin", he stated with a dreary sigh as he removed his boot, "The rest of you can take on that sort of work." Seems like the talus had slipped frontward. Hrm. An easy enough fix. He snapped it back in its proper place with a practiced yank, and spent a little bit of his innate magical force (the same that held all the bones of the animated dead together) to reinforce the links. And since he was already at it, he went through his other foot as well, reinforcing the binding magics in both as an upkeep procedure to prevent this sort of thing from happening again in the near future, as well as giving him a brief boost in mobility. quote:Theantero: Zanzibar! Forcefully Overcome your damaged ankle! I Succeed with Style, and thus get a Boost: Feet Upkeep
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Mar 7, 2017 21:45
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Fate Points: 1/2 | Boosts: - | Consequences: Arm unfit for battle (Moderate) | Stress: Box2 Zanzibar stared at the diminutive goblinoid creature. Hardly a target really worthy of his time. But the Mistress demanded it. Such was his life. Or lack of. "I shall handle it then, Mistress", he said tersely, gave a small bow, and made his way towards the goblin. A goblin that was busy filling its Sack O' Loot [Uncommon] with a variety of gems and bits of dragonscale. Well, was, until its sneaking was interrupted by a [Cape Feint], and it was confronted by the leering form of Zanzibar, his cape fluttering due to the quick movements. "Cur", he stated, "For the honor of I mistress I challenge thee for your treasure. On this we may not argue. Prepare yourself. As the challenged, yours is the first step." And the moment the goblin made a move, Zanzibar was upon it, his [Fleche] targeted directly at the thing's heart. A quick thing to deal with, this one, especially since his newly enchanted feet gave him a boost in mobility. Well, it would have been, if the good baron didn't get an eye-socket full of sand instead by the perfidious thing (curse be [Dirty Trick]), causing his blade to stray and give the thing a mere nasty gash instead of the mortal blow he was going for. "Honorless dreg", he muttered under his breath (well, figurative breath) as the goblin made a speedy escape from between his legs. Zanzibar merely shook his heada bit to remove te sand, and gave chase. This was going to be one of those days. Wasn't it? quote:Theantero: Zanzibar Flashily attacks the lone Loot Goblin (+2 from Stunt) I cause the goblin one shift of damage.
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Mar 18, 2017 17:39
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Fate Points: 1/2 | Boosts: - | Consequences: Arm unfit for battle (Moderate) | Stress: [ ] [x] [ ] The thing had its footwork on point, Zanzibar had to admit. Well, perhaps that was being a tad bit too generous, but it was very fast. Really, the only reason it hasn't already scampered away was the vines cast by the Mistress (a shocking display of tactical acumen by the Mistress. A very basic one, granted, but baby steps). So he traded blows with the creatures, or more accurately, swiped at it as it dodged and weaved and laughed its irritating goblin laugh, looking for an opening and for his abilities to get off cooldown. Ah. Perfect. He opened with [Fleche], once again. And once again the goblin tried to intercept with [Dirty Trick]. However, this time Zanzibar was far more focused. A [Cape Feint] blocked the sand and bits of rock, an [Uncanny Sidestep] blocked the goblin itself on its chosen (and rather predictable) escape route, allowing Zanzibar to give the startled thing a nasty gash across the eye. "It doesn't matter how fast you are", the Baron stated, "If I know where you'll be ahead of time." "Work on your reading of the opposition", he added helpfully. quote:Theantero: Zanzibar Flashily Attacks the OP Goblin with even more OP STUNT POWWAAAAAAAAAAAR That's 2 shifts of damage to the gobbo Theantero fucked around with this message at 16:40 on Mar 22, 2017 |
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Mar 22, 2017 16:38
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Fate Points: 1/2 | Boosts: Victor's poise | Consequences: Arm unfit for battle (Moderate) | Stress: [ ] [x] [ ] As the goblin smashed to the ground due to shield induced trauma, a simple [Dash] was enough for Zanzibar to intercept the thing, struggling to free itself from the clutches of the tail-wagging beast stuck to its leg (curiously managing the feat even though just struck by rebound). He regarded it for a moment, almost leisurely using [Disarm] to flick the tiny knife the thing drew to defend itself into the chasms littering the cave. "Well played, Sir Goblin", he said, voice deep, "I must admit you proved much more of a challenge than I initially thought. You would have made a fine adversary indeed to spar against in the future." "Alas." [Coup de grâce] The Baron offered a graceful bow to the now beheaded goblin corpse, lifted the bag of loot, and made his way towards the Mistress, his task complete. quote:Theantero: Zanzibar Flashily Attacks the gobbo, for one final time (with STUNTPOWER) I Succeed with Style, choosing to deal 2 shifts of damage and taking the Boost: Victor's poise
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Mar 26, 2017 22:02
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Fate Points: 1/2 | Boosts: Victor's poise | Consequences: Arm unfit for battle (Moderate) | Stress: [ ] [x] [ ] Blackbone was very careful as he sneaked his hand into the lootbag. So engrossed in the task that he didn't even notice Zanzibar staring right at him, right there in front of everyone (the Mistress included), until he had managed to fish some sort of trinket from the bag. No expression in his lifeless eye sockets, yet the small embers gleaming within seemed to radiate a sort of slightly miffed disappointment. Sort of like how a parent might look at a child caught with their hand in the cookie jar, except if the child was a grown adult who really should know better. There is a slight moment of silence, kept just long enough that Zanzibar was certain everybody (including the Mistress) had ample time to see what was going on, until he spoke. "Sir Blackbone", he spoke, his tone deep, and impeccably polite as always, "If you wish to present the treasure to the Mistress, you could have just asked me. I have no issue with letting you take on the task." And with that, he showed the bag into the hands of the other skeleton, forceful enough to be determined, but not so brutish as to unduly stagger him. Then, with a deep bow to the Mistress, he stepped aside to clear the way for him, saying nothing more. Blackbones was a mostly good skeleton, he thought, but somewhat lacking in manners. Perhaps this semi-public embarrassment would work to make him think twice in the future. Probably not, but one could always hope. quote:Theantero: Does Zanzibar Cleverly notice Blackbone's thievery? I create advantage The (man)children are chastised with two Free Invokes
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Mar 28, 2017 22:04
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Fate Points: 1/2 | Boosts: - | Consequences: Arm unfit for battle (Moderate) | Stress: [ ] [x] [ ] Listening and nodding to Oghrul (and to the rest of his team providing intel), Zanzibar waited for Newbee to finish her roaring before approaching. Zanzibar drew his sword, and bowed politely as he approached the Dragon. "Greeting, Lady Lavona. I am Baron Zanzibar Zygomaticus, duelist and Champion in service of mine Mistress, Lady Midnight. Let me state that I am sympathetic to your plight, and am remorseful that we must come to blows. Yet it is necessary. And thus I, in the name of my Mistress, challenge you to combat. Prepare yourself." Zanzibar took a stance, and approached the Dragon, the perfect example of poise. He had to be. After all, he had just chastised his allies for their impropriety, and it would be crude in the extreme to not live as he preached. Every step had thus have to be perfect. His eyes flickered as he waited for his chance. There. [Fleche] The dragon, perhaps due to its drunkenness, perhaps due to its ears still ringing due to Newbee, reacted rather predictably. A [Gargantuan Slam] was used to interdict. Something Zanzibar had naturally known to expect, as this was a typical opening for colossal creatures. A [Cape Feint] mid-charge, and the dragon was charging past Zanzibar, exposing its flank for but a moment. But a long enough moment for Zanzibar's Banefire enhanced blade to pierce deep into its side, at a right angle, between the scales. But there was to be no respite for him, for no sooner than he had committed his opening move, the Dragon was already invoking [Hellfire Cloak]. A nasty buff indeed. No, this definitely could not be allowed. With a quick [Lunge], Zanzibar closed the distance, within reach of the dragon's head, evading claw and fang with a well timed [Uncanny Sidestep], and finally struck the Dragon into the snout with the pommel of his sword, the [Mana Wither] causing the great majority of the attempted boon to harmlessly dissipate. A [Pass Backward] later, Zanzibar was once again out of the dragon's direct reach. And once again, he pointed his sword at her. "Your move, ma'am." quote:Theantero: Zanzibar Flashily Attacks with STUNT POWER I Invoke the following: My Boost: Victor's Poise, As well as Free Invokes from the aspects: A Dragon-Sized Migraine, Banefire Brand, The (Man)children are chastised, and deal the Dragon 6 Shifts of damage (accounting for it's Stunt that lets it ignore 2 shifts) quote:Yamifenrir: Alright, then in this case... Lavona flashily creates an advantage! Hellfire Cloak! The boss Ties, thus getting a boost.
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Apr 3, 2017 21:23
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Fate Points: 1/2 | Boosts: I swear this swear's an accident | Consequences: Arm unfit for battle (Moderate) | Stress: [ ] [x] [ ] Zanzibar observed the tide of battle. They were doing... adequately. Even if Mimi had been taken by surprise by the dragon, who against all good manners chose not to attack the champion. Hmph. Oh well. But yes, even taking that into account, the dragon was being hurt worse than they were for the time being. However, its life draining qualities could very quickly undo all that. Because even though his wound was deep, the amount of damage in absolute terms was fairly small, which meant that even a single successful drain could undo all that hard work. Perhaps some ablative armor of a sort was in order then? Yes, that sounded quite splendid. "Ma'am", Zanzibar stated dryly as he approached the dragon from behind, "I apologize most sincerely for having to interrupt, but I believe we were in the middle of something?" not even a note changed in his voice, even as he he first rolled over the low sweeping tail swipe, and as he kept his distance from the high returning tail with a [Pass Backward], dashing with millisecond precision. The Dragon's flank was exposed now, the opposite one he had initially pierced. But this time he would not cut deep. No, he would do something different. He would dash across the entirety of the dragon's flank, and cause a long, superficial gash. Not dangerous really, but something that would occupy its regenerative properties for the time being and keep them from healing the truly harmful wounds. But to do that, he needed something that could melt through the Dragon's scales to cause a gash to begin with, and his own banefire had depleted for the time being. Hm. Zanzibar's bony orbits turned towards the red, pulsating orb that Mimi had summoned. Yes, the orb of transferable fury would do well indeed. Zanzibar, in a quick, smooth motion, extended his sword towards the orb, causing it to drain of its color as the angry red hue transferred to his blade. It was time. [Fleche] And so, Zanzibar sped across the dragon's flank, the transcendent power of indignant anger melting dragonscale to molten slag as he went and dragged his sword skin deep in his opponent's hide. Only dimly was he aware that the magic seemed to be guiding his weapon as well. Not something to be all that worried about, magic often had such minor effects. Only when Zanzibar was done, and retreated away, did he become aware of the glowing, caustic... invective that now adorned the dragon's side. Turns out, Zanzibar reflected, that using anger as an energy source was bound to have a downside. Elsewhere, the dragon's flank displayed on the screen turned pixelated due to suddenly being considered inappropriate for the game's PG rating. "Ah", exclaimed Zanzibar, "I apologize most profusely for having defaced you so, Lady Lavona. Battle is a place of dignity, after all, and I am sorry to see it wounded so as unplanned for collateral. Alas, in battle, some must fall, I suppose." The Baron lifted his sword in battle stance again. Even this indignity he would abide in service of his mistress. quote:Krysmbot: Theantero, +/-++5 = 6 Right. I burn the free Invoke on Rincwind's orb of transferable fury. I Succeed in Style, and choose to take a Boost: I swear this swear's an accident and deal Lavona 1 shift of damage (after her damage reduction)
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Apr 14, 2017 00:10
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Fate Points: 0/2 | Boosts: - | Consequences: Arm unfit for battle (Moderate) | Stress: [ ] [x] [ ] "I sympathize, Lady Lavona", said Zanzibar, "I truly do", he continued as he [Uncanny Sidestep]ped from underneath the cone of flame, suffering only from mere embers clinging to his cloak that were more stylish than in any way harmful. Lavona was clearly distraught from the words on her hide, and Zanzibar was not at all happy about having taken advantage of such rudeness, even if it was largely accidental. Alas, so it was, and he resolved to count his blessings. However, Lavona did not give him much time to ponder upon indignities inflicted, for she kept up her unrelenting assault as her head suddenly rose high up from the obscuring cloud of fire and flame, and lunged downwards at Zanzibar at lightning speed, maw open and bristling with teeth. Indeed, most any combatant would have been dragon chow at this point. But Zanzibar was not 'most any combatant'. He was his Lady's champion. And he had standards to keep. And even though he had but a split second, he made the best of it. Zanzibar snapped the fingers of his wounded arm to release the energies that Percival had summoned, blinding the Dragon momentarily. Not long, but for long enough that she did not notice Zanzibar's [Pass Backward], and thus did not know to change her course, her maw eating nothing but dirt. She gained her senses just to see Zanzibar gaining air, jumping high with [Reaper's Leap], on course towards her face. As for Zanzibar, he merely gazed into the Dragon woman's watery, bloodshot eyes, almost feeling the throb of her gigantic headache himself. And he reflected that he would have a lot to apologize to Lady Lavona for, later on. Alas. His heels dug deep into the Dragon's already pounding brow as he fell upon it, the pain increased even further as he pounced off of it, somersaulted backwards, fell on his feet, and pointed his sword at the Dragon once more, in battle stance as always. quote:Theantero: Zanzibar defends Flashily against the Flashy Hellfire with his Flashy defense stunt! Burning my Boost "I swear this swear's an accident" to Succeed quote:Theantero: Zanzibar Flashily Defends against getting drool on his cool cape with STUNT POWERRR Burning both Invokes of "Aura of Blinding Protection", the one Invoke of "A Dragon-Sized Migraine' and using Fate to Invoke "The Lady's (long suffering) Champion" as Zanz shows off his phat Single Combat chops and thus Succeed Theantero fucked around with this message at 15:10 on Apr 16, 2017 |
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Apr 16, 2017 15:06
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Fate Points: 0/2 | Boosts: - | Consequences: Arm unfit for battle (Moderate) | Stress: [ ] [x] [ ] Zanzibar stood back for but a moment, considering the situation. He'd been pressing the attack, yes, as was only sensible for him to do as the Mistress' champion. But Lavona was powerful, and allowing her to get into the flow would have been tactically unsound. Thus, it would be prudent to mix things up a bit. To take advantage of the fact she was focusing on him. Briefly, Zanzibar reflected on the nature of such tricks, and if they constituted uncouth sneakery. Hm, not really, he concluded, all the players had been present since the fight had started. Thus, this was but perfectly valid distraction. Thus bolstered by his reasoning, as well as the confidence caused by Blackbone and Oghrul's... interventions (the two lacked grace, yes, but their methods were undoubtedly effective), Zanzibar struck. Well, pretended to, at the very least. His variety of showy flurries and flourishes, quick harrying thrusts and quick repeats, were worth nothing but ire and attention from the dragon, taken that they had no true hope of piercing her scales whatsoever. Of course, her attention was the only thing Zanzibar wanted here in the first place... quote:Theantero: Look at my COOL MOVES and COOL CAPE as I Flashily Create Advantage by distracting you, Lavona! I Succeed, thus creating Advantage: Hello my name is Distraction with one free Invoke
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Apr 25, 2017 21:29
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Fate Points: 0/2 | Boosts: - | Consequences: Arm unfit for battle (Moderate) | Stress: [ ] [x] [ ] Zanzibar cleaned his sword and sheathed it in a single deft movement, before bowing respectfully as Lavona left the scene. She fought well, and knew well enough not to pointlessly delay the inevitable, which was an admirable quality to possess. She would be a formidable asset for the dungeon, even better if her... unfortunate penchant for alcoholic beverages could be somewhat curbed. As for the new arrival, Zanzibar offered a polite nod when they shook hands, as well as an introduction. "You flatter me, young lady Coral. Rest assured that I am likewise pleased to make your acquaintance, as well as quite taken by your enthusiasm. You will serve the Mistress well, I am certain." Zanzibar gazed after the naga as she slithered on forward on her little meet and greet. She had enthusiasm, yes, and childlike glee (which was understandable, given her age), as well as filling yet another niche in their repertoire with her abilities. Yes, she could be an asset, a good one too. But children had a way of getting too curious for their own good, and even though Zanzibar was not one to judge unduly, he could not entirely shake the feeling deep in his sternum that his future might involve cleaning after an ever increasing amount of hijinks... None of this he let show on his face however, one of the perks of being a skeleton. He would abide.
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May 3, 2017 18:29
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Fate Points: 2/2 | Boosts: - | Consequences: - | Stress: [ ] [ ] [ ] A million screaming voices rang inside Zanzibar's hollow skull, his very core shaken by the assault wrought against his senses by a million spears of garish yellow and tasteless pink. Indeed, this was far worse than any attack against him only could be, for this was attempted genocide against ALL that was decent in the world. It was a walking war crime against good taste itself. But even then. Zanzibar abides. "...Very good, Mistress", said the skeleton, his words even, his maxilla stiff and unwavering as he took the travesty and gazed upon it, moderately surprised his hands didn't disintegrate with contact "I do, after all, represent you in single combat, so advantages are good to have", Zanzibar hoped beyond hope that this subtle reminder might make the Mistress reconsider. Not too much hope however, for in his sternum he knew it was too subtle for the Mistress to catch or care about. ... "I thank you most deeply, Mistress, for this... boon you have chosen to grant me." Zanzibar bowed, and after a fateful moment, donned the cape presented to him. He would carry this burden, for the sake of his Mistress. No matter how unreasonably heavy and ill-conceived it was. Zanzibar straightened his back, slowly turned towards Oghrul and intoned, "Your opinion is duly noted, Sir Skullbasher", before turning away once more. He sounded tired. Right, clearing all the stress and consequences, for my Major Advance to give my Flashy +1, as well as changing my stunt "Master of the Debuff Stack" from giving +2 towards Quickly Overcoming buffs to giving +2 when Quickly Defending against Buffs (advantages) being made (change made as a freebie as per GM's ruling). Theantero fucked around with this message at 19:38 on May 4, 2017 |
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May 4, 2017 19:31
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Fate Points: 2/2 | Boosts: - | Consequences: - | Stress: [ ] [ ] [ ] Zanzibar idly slid a finger across a wine rack as he walked towards Newbee, gathering the dust on a glove-wrapped phalanx and marveling at it until finally rubbing it off with his thumb. This place could use a cleanup. "An astute find, Miss Newbee", he said, "I wonder then, do these passages somehow connect? Mapping them as well as the footsteps might be in order", Zanzibar kicked a bit of loose rock into the hidden doorway, the echo of falling objects immediately filling the air. "Trap doors", he stated flatly. "We should proceed with caution." quote:Yami Fenrir: okay, let's say you started off with kicking rocks into it or something - because you noticed there's a trapdoor right behind the wall quote:Theantero: Zanzibar Cleverly Creates Advantage by mapping out these strange hidden passages/footsteps (difficulty 2) Creating Aspect: Passage Scouting with 1 free Invoke.
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May 6, 2017 12:43
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| # ¿ Apr 18, 2024 08:16 |
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Fate Points: 3/2 | Boosts: Banefireslash | Consequences: - | Stress: [ ] [ ] [ ] Zanzibar had a choice. Either leave the other guardians to fight alone, or hope against hope that the Mistress managed to keep herself out of trouble without his assistance. ... Zanzibar stood at his Mistress' side, face as bony and unreadable as always, garish cloak on his shoulders and a hand on the pommel of his sword, standing at readiness. Perhaps he wouldn't have to use it, young lady Coral was quickly proving that her excitement over puzzles was no mere childish enthusiasm. Commendable. That only left Newbee. As long as she could rein in her temp- ... Zanzibar did not curse. He did not whine, or passive aggressively sigh, not when so close to his Mistress. He merely whipped out his sword, cast a quick cantrip (a powered down version of [Banefireblade], taken that he did not quite have the time to prepare that he wanted to), and took a protective stance next to his Mistress. Just one more day in the life of the Champion. quote:Theantero: Zanzibar Quickly Creates Advantage by invoking Banefirebrand in response to Newbee's... enthusiasm (Difficulty 3) I Tie, thus getting the Boost: Banefireslash I also Accept my compel, thus gaining 1 Fate point.
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May 21, 2017 12:07
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