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 1 Harm | 1 armor | Cool+1 Hard+2 Hot=0 Sharp+1 Weird-1 | 1 keep | XP ○○○○○» (1 Adv.) I am certain now that we have somehow been bound to this place by this hag. The relentless cold, the unending darkness - is it a realm of her creation? And my crew - are they beyond hope? No, I must not give up on them. 'Twas my personal vendetta that lead us to this end. "What have you done to my crew?!" I scream at the approaching witch, my voice fighting against the frigid wind howling before her approach. Shrugging off the bedding so as to have full movement, I raise the iron poker above my shoulder. Swinging down to both strike the woman and deflect her path as she approaches, I command, "Release us!" ----- Do single combat against the Witch (Hard): 2d6+2 7 •You suffer little harm (-1 Harm)
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Mar 26, 2018 02:48
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 Drowned Tikorn You bring down the iron poker with a fierce stabbing motion, digging deep into the woman's flesh. The moment the poker strikes her, however, you feel a blast of icy cold rush up the poker and through your arm, forcing you to drop your makeshift weapon as your arm screams in frostbitten pain. Nevertheless the woman recoils in pain, faces you and shouts. "Very well! You wish to be released, then be released! But this curse I lay upon you: a day will come when your men rise against you. On that day, you will be faced with a choice, and if you choose wrong, you shall be forced to languish in this hell for all eternity. And you will know that I, the White Woman Thrumvejr, have had my revenge!" Her threat complete, you watch as the woman's skin transforms to ice, and then your ears are pierced by the sound of her whole form shattering into millions of tiny ice shards. The moment that the ice shatters, two things happen simultaneously: you hear the storm outside abate, and you hear the sound of bodies hitting the ground behind you. Turning around, you see your crew here, in physical form, on the floor of the barn. They are barely breathing and unresponsive, but they are alive. Whether Thrumvejr lives or not, you do not know, but for now, you are safe. You take 1-harm armor piercing from the frostbite that climbed up your arm after stabbing the woman. We'll pick this up next session.
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Mar 27, 2018 16:03
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 0:00 Harm 2-armor | Cool+1 Hard+2 Hot-2 Sharp+1 Weird+2 | 1-keep | XP ●●●○○» I ignore the state of the inn - I've certainly been in worse places before. I keep my eyes on the guard, sizing the man up. A fighter, to be sure, but hardly a great warrior. "Two who wish to be beyond the walls before first light," I reply.
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Mar 27, 2018 16:22
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Siroko The man smiles, if you can call that facial contortion a "smile". His breath reeks of bad tobacco and rotting teeth. You watch as his hand slowly makes its way down to rest on the hilt of a long knife he carries on his hip, but he makes no motion to draw the weapon. "Iunno how you's learned-a this place, but I ain't seen yer faces afore. You know the cost, yeah? Fleein' the lord with a whore on yer arm brings more trouble down on us, I don' care if'n you love 'er. You's gotta pay the price if'n we're to let ya pass. Blood or gold, yer choice, but make it quick." He draws the knife from his waist and shows it to you. It's a surprisingly nice blade for a man so rough, primarily iron but inlaid with veins of silver, runes of some sort carved along the hilt, and the edge sharpened to a razor's thinness. He places the knife in one hand and displays it to you, palm open and upright, seemingly offering for you to take it. He extends his other hand, again palm open and upright, but empty this time. What do you do?
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Mar 28, 2018 15:50
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0:00 Harm 2-armor | Cool+1 Hard+2 Hot-2 Sharp+1 Weird+2 | 1-keep | XP ●●●○○» Blood or gold - or steel, the payment he's forgotten. I consider it, but I wish to be quit of this place and cutting my way free here is not the quickest path. The blade is not worth consider - blood and magic in the mix promises unseen and unspoken obligations. So it's the empty palm I choose to fill this time, with the Lord of Entremar's gold.
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Mar 28, 2018 16:13
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Siroko You are surprised at how much gold the man asks before he lets you pass--every coin the Lord Entremar left you, which was not an insignificant amount. With the last coin placed firmly in his palm, he turns around and motions for you to follow. Down a quiet hallway he comes upon a small trapdoor in the floor, which he opens up for you. "The path is 'ere, girls. Stay safe afield, and tell no one of this place." You can feel a cool rush of outside air come up through the trapdoor, and dropping down, you see the low tunnel that leads out of the city. Ena leads the way, but you follow close behind, and soon you find yourselves standing outside of the walls, just as the sun begins to crest over the horizon. We'll pick this up next session.
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Mar 28, 2018 19:12
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The Lady of Greycrag posted:Perhaps the greatest mystery of all is who inhabited this land before we arrived. Has this land always been a purgatory of sorts, or did it become one somehow? Who built all these ruins we now inhabit, and why? Do these questions even have answers that we can comprehend, or are we doomed to languish in this world never understanding, never knowing, only continuing to eke out what miserable existence this is in fear of a worse place after it? Session Two  Remember to pay your keep. If you have a move that triggers at the start of a session, it triggers now. Drowned Tikorn Several weeks have passed since the incident at the witch's hut. At the insistence of your crew, you have abandoned your quest for the city in the east for now, instead returning to the coastline to the west, to the settlement of Greycrag. When your band arrives, weary from the travels and on the verge of breaking, you find the worst possible news: the city is on lockdown, with guard patrols tripled at all hours and the gates not opening even for the most trusted of envoys. Outside the city, a number of travelers have erected a small temporary tent settlement to wait out the turmoil, although nobody knows how long that will be--or even why the city is locked down in the first place. There are rumors of course: an attempt on the Lady's life, rumblings of war to the south, or the mysterious disappearance of the lord of Broken Tooth, to name a few, but nothing solid. As the realization sets in that it may be some time before your band is allowed to enter Greycrag, you begin hearing rumblings from your crew. While some are willing to wait here among the tents, others wish to make for the town of Broken Tooth to the south, still others want to try to either force or sneak their way in, and a few are too sickly from the trials you have faced to want anything more than a healer's bed. In addition, your wounds from the ill-fated journey to Rockreach still burn, and you fear that without treatment you may never properly heal from them. As the leader of the group, and as their savior from the witch-woman, the decision falls on you. What do you do? Mistral For the past ten days, no one has entered or exited the town of Greycrag. Although the Lady trusts you very deeply, she has not made known why she closed the borders to you or to anyone else. In the meantime, there is work to be done. Without contact with the outside world, the town has fallen into turmoil. Every night there are riots against the leadership of the lady, swiftly quelled by the still-loyal guards who serve her, and every morning there are new wounded from all sides of the unrest at your doorstep. If your goal was merely profit this would be the best possible scenario for you; your sacred healing space is overflowing with patients. Even the still-room, which you usually reserve for those most sanctified of healing rituals, now serves as a space for two more beds. You've even been forced to bring on some temporary help in the meantime, as several townsfolk have offered their assistance to your operation in this trying time. It is while you are overseeing one these new helpers (what was their name?) that you hear a sharp rap at the door. You assume at first that it is another patient, but instead a perfectly healthy man walks in. His face is dirty and tired, his beard scraggly, his body lithe and hungry. He bows formally to you after getting your attention. "My lady Mistral," he says, his voice baritone and weary. "My name is Edward of the Amber Fields. I represent, well... I represent the interests of the people of this town." "I know and have known for some time that you and the Lady of Greycrag trust each other deeply, but look around you. Every day the suffering grows worse, and every night the violence increases threefold again. Our city cannot stand this lockdown much longer." "I know that you and I would likely not see eye-to-eye on many issues, but I ask that you set aside the evening and come talk with my companions and me. At sundown, meet us at The Weeping Horse--you know the place, I'm sure, near the merchant's quarter. For the good of Greycrag and all the people who dwell within, we need your help, Mistral." The man smiles, but does not wait for a response. Before you can say anything, he has turned and left the building, leaving you with your patients again, and several hours to think about what he said. What do you do? Pentaviso For a time, existence itself seemed to cease as you slipped into the darkness of The Sky Illuminated With Stars's magic. You saw only flashes of images, scenes poorly-remembered from your past life and imagery that you cannot wrap your mind around. The kiss of a lover on a warm morning. Your magic, flowing around your arm. The swing of an executioner's axe. A single eye, bloodshot and watching. A corpse infested with maggots. Fine wine and finer company. Bile and poo poo. Your own head, separated from your shoulders. A tower crumbling. A raven crowing. Fire and smoke. When you came to, The Sky Illuminated With Stars took some time to examine your body and your wounds, and was pleased to see that their work had been successful. You are mended now, as if your wounds had never even existed in the first place. In the time since, you have found a place to stay here in Broken Tooth (where?) while you get your head right and decide on what to do next. Broken Tooth itself has fallen into chaos in that time, spurred on by the disappearance of Lord Albrecht and the massacre in the great hall. The situation has not yet boiled over into outright violence, but different organizations and individuals have sought to fill the power vacuum left behind, and most people assume it is only a matter of time before the city fractures entirely. One evening, as you seek a drink to ease your mind, you happen to run into Katarin of Bolevar, the merchant who brought you here in the first place. She seems pleased to see you, and more pleased that you have recovered so well. Nevertheless, she seems on edge, and over glasses of ale, she explains why. The merchants of this land are scared. Turmoil and chaos have come to both Broken Tooth and Greycrag here in the west, and war has broken out to the east. The houses of Entremar and Telbatin meet in open conflict, and the death toll rises daily. Trade has effectively stopped, and among the merchants there is chatter of forming a guild of some sort, or perhaps a militia. Something to ensure their well-being, at the very least. "The woman who seems most likely to lead this group calls herself Alana Golden," Katarin slurs over yet another drink. "She's bad news, Pentaviso. She doesn't want security for the merchants, she wants blood and power. Blood, mainly. I need your help. I need to stop her, whatever that means. I have a plan to... eliminate her. Will you help me?" She's too drunk to explain more details, and based on her body language she seems more interested in taking you home with her than explaining what her plans are. What do you do? You owe 2-keep to The Sky Illuminated With Stars, either pay it now or owe them a debt to be paid later. Siroko The journey west takes several weeks, especially as Ena is not particularly adapted for long overland journies by foot. "I woke up within the walls of Fort Entremar some years ago, and I never left that city," she explains one night as you settle down to rest. Still, you do eventually make it safely to the town of Broken Tooth, which you are dismayed to find teeters on a knife's edge. It's hard to piece together a coherent narrative from the townfolk about what happened: the lord Albrecht Donnerfeldt disappeared without a trace at the same moment as a bloody massacre involving townsfolk, guards, and envoys from House Entremar in the great hall. Some people speak of a warrior sorceress there as well, or an ethereal man in red armor, and the stories about their roles in the conflict and what followed it are conflicting and inconclusive. Regardless of the truth of the matter, this city now stands poised to collapse in on itself if no strong leader emerges. Ena seems paritcularly on edge here, no doubt in part because she has by her own admission not left her last home for the years since she died. She confides in you not long after arriving that she is scared that you will leave her here, and continue on whatever path life's winds takes you on, leaving her to rebuild her life here as a fugitive in a strange city. You are on edge as well, but for an entirely different reason. After so many years in your past life fighting alongside the other Thunders, you have come to recognize the ways they impact the threads of fate, and you can feel in your essence the handiwork of one of them, somehow influencing the situation here in Broken Tooth. You cannot be certain who or how, but you are certain nonetheless that if you dig deep enough, you will find another of your marks. In the meantime though, there are other things to deal with. You need to find a safe place for yourself and for Ena, and you need to be sure that House Entremar does not find her when they no doubt arrive seeking answers about the massacre. For now, however, your path is your own to choose, and your priorities your own to set. What do you do? Xie Although you had initially planned on helping get Broken Tooth back on its feet after the disappearance of its lord, the past few weeks have seen you abandon that plan. The first inkling that you would need to change plans came just the morning after the incident in the great hall, when you heard a repeated rumor throughout the city that a particularly high-ranking member of the Entremar envoy, known as Teme Soon-To-Be, had escaped the massacre and fled back home towards the lands of her house pledging revenge against the presumed assailants who lived here. Not long after, word began to spread that house Entremar was seeking a temporary armistice with their enemies at house Telbatin and the bulk of the army would be redirected here in retribution for what transpired. With no one else willing to investigate the truth of the matter, you volunteered to go and left that very night. You had a selfish goal too, of course: perhaps someone involved with this whole mess would know what to make of the symbols of eyes that keep following you, or the mysterious map that Katarin gave you. After all, no one in Broken Tooth seemed to know, but the answers have to be out there somewhere. It is late one night as you make your way across the scrublands towards the east that you first encounter a sign of trouble. Your first indication is a smell of smoke and the faintest sound of human voices and screams on the other side of a hill. Climbing to the top, you find yourself staring down at a small village nestled along the muddy banks of a small river. As you watch, you can see assailants from some unknown force laying waste to the place, setting fire to the thatch-roofed huts and capturing or executing any villagers they find. It's hard to tell where precisely you are--you are no navigator, and while you can read the stars you can never quite exactly pinpoint your location--but you suspect that these lands are a neutral land, unclaimed by any great lord or lady. The people burning the village bear no standards, and you do not recognize the war cries echoing up towards you. You recognize that you are faced with a choice: either enter the village and attempt to save whatever villagers may be left, very much endangering yourself against a force far larger than you alone, or skirt the village, letting the violence carry out as it may, and continue your quest towards Entremar. What do you do? quiggy fucked around with this message at 15:52 on Apr 16, 2018 |
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Apr 10, 2018 20:55
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 0:00 Harm 2-armor | Cool+3 Hard+0 Hot+1 Sharp+1 Weird-1 | 3-keep | XP ●●●●●» I leap high, above the houses, above the trees, and come down amidst the raiders like a thunderbolt. They scatter from the shockwave, sent flying; my wyrd comes down with the great force of my displeasure, pinning some of them to the earth like bugs, and fire gathers behind me like a cloak. I turn to the rest, weapon in hand: an unfair fight, however many of them there are. That is how it would have gone, in the Shining Kingdom, when I was Xíe, Who Is Undefeated. My blood sings for it still. I can not afford to indulge it. I move into the village, darting from shadow to shadow, my ur-silks dark and rippling, an outline against the night: in the chaos and fire and darkness, I'll be able to pick bandits or soldiers or whatever they may be off one or two at a time. I keep my eyes out for leaders, men directing the carnage rather than merely partaking of it. --- Paying 1 keep at the start of the session; spending what I got from Katarin, leaving me at 3. Rolling +Sharp since I'm reading a charged situation: 2d6+1=6. Boo. Asking - What (besides the obvious) should I be on the lookout for? and expecting the worst. In case I need to act under fire to get into the village or in response to something that happens: 2d6+3=13 LogicNinja fucked around with this message at 01:34 on Apr 13, 2018 |
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Apr 10, 2018 21:53
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0:00 Harm 2-armor | Cool+1 Hard+2 Hot-2 Sharp+1 Weird+2 | 1-keep | XP ●●●○○» Broken Tooth is a city at war with itself, and House Entremar will soon fall upon them. If it were not for my certainty that the other Thunders were still here, I would push on, as soon as Ena could continue. But with them so close... Keeping my promise to Ena and finding my prey lead me to the same place. I am a warrior, and all that I have ever I had I won at the tip of a spear. It will be no different here. There are still those with power in this city, and they will have need of fighters. Or, should I dislike their offers, I will have a name to rally others against. Either way, the name Alana Golden is on many tongues. She will be a power here soon, one way or another. So to her hall I have come, so that I can see what sort of power she would be. Spending 1-keep. Comrade Gorbash fucked around with this message at 05:05 on Apr 12, 2018 |
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Apr 12, 2018 04:06
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 0:00 Harm 0-armor | Cool+1 Hard=0 Hot+1 Sharp+2 Weird-1 | 1-keep | XP ○○○○○» The violence takes its toll. The sweet curls of incense wafting through the temple — warding against grief, fear, and despair in equal measure — do little to hide the charnal scent that accompanies so many injuries in one place. The Lady holds her own counsel, as is her way, but even I have begun to wonder what threat could require such measures. Still, it is heartening to see the people of Greycrag rally to the common good. Of those that have offered to be my hands while the situation continues, I have taken to training two. It is best to take the young. The grown carry too much superstition within them to heal as I do, or even to follow directions without question. One is the blacksmith's boy, Small Tom, as his master lies on one of the beds — a club took Large Tom from behind a few nights past, cracking his skull — and the forges are not lit. The other is an urchin. She does not seem to have a name, nor a tongue. A fine touch with needle and thread, though, and I find her disposition pleasing. I've taken to calling her Needle. Perhaps I will train her more fully, should she remain after the lockdown lifts. Perhaps I will investigate her, too, when the Still-Room empties of patients. The visitor, this Edward... I do not trust him. Let alone that he will not reveal who holds his loyalty, this seems a clear invitation to lend legitimacy to a plot against the Lady. As I perform my afternoon ministries, directing Small Tom and Needle about the temple while I clean wounds and change wrappings, I have plenty of time to consider the possibilities. If this is a plot against her, she deserves to know. If they know some hint as to why the Lady has taken these steps, I need to know. I would not break our pact without great reason. I doubt they can provide that, but... It seems I will need to have Small Tom and Needle watch the temple this night. The doors are sturdy and the violence has not touched this ground, but I will caution them to let none in but me until the morning light shines. The patients will likely not trouble them overmuch, the incense keeping the pain from driving them to mad action. Spending 1-keep at the start of session, Mistral lives among her flock.
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Apr 12, 2018 04:39
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 0-Wound | 0-Armor | 0-Keep | x x x o o > Cool-1, Hard=0, Hot+2, Sharp+2, Weird-1 I have been staying at various inns and taverns, often trading a place to stay for a few nights for a show or two for the establishment's patrons. Easy trade, but boring. Rather unexpectedly boring. I have grown accustomed, it seems to swapping stories and intrigue with the power brokers in the cities, and not the working class. Grown accustomed. That was the life I knew before, though, and it was lucky(?) that I was able to fall into again, after I died. With the city in chaos, there's no hub of power, no one in control, no court to hold that I may entertain. Anarchy. And yet anarchy at the highest levels seems to matter little to the city's blood. The tension is building, and soon people will have to choose sides. Hopefully, we will be able to leave before then. It begins with the ladies and lords, and trickles down. The highly educated, and then the merchants, and then, only in the end, the trades and artisans. And then the merchants, which brings me here. The merchants are moving. Katarin tells me so, and while she may be a bit distracted tonight, she knows her livelihood well. I consider all she's told me, and start rolling a plan over in my head. If the merchants want to form a power bloc, then they'll need a leader capable of leading it from all directions. Soldiers they are not, and a bloodthirsty guild leader won't help. But I'll need more information from Katarin, more detailed information, and it doesn't seem like I'm going to find it tonight. What I have found, though, is a much more pleasant bed, and much more pleasant company, than I've found the past few weeks. I finish my drink and let Katarin tow me to the door. 1-keep on lifestyle, and paying off The Sky Illuminated With Stars.
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Apr 13, 2018 01:23
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 2 Harm | 1 armor | Cool+1 Hard+2 Hot=0 Sharp+2 Weird-1 | 1 keep | XP ○○○○○» We cannot wait, there are those among us who need medical attention. Looking over my crew, currently setting a crude camp in the mud, it's clear to me that we can not afford to head south - especially if the rumors of war are correct. So we will need to gain access to the city and look for aid there. Perhaps there is someone amongst this belayed crowd that could help us. Pulling Cerlen aside, I inform her that I am going to take a walk through the tent city to see if I can find anyone that may be of service to our needs. "Once the men have settled," I tell her, "I would like for you to scout the city perimeter. If I cannot find help out here, we will have no choice but to try and make our way inside." Leaving the crew in her command, I turn from Cerlen and begin making my way through the crowded tents - looking, listening, and hoping to find something or someone worthwhile. Alehkhs fucked around with this message at 06:49 on Apr 30, 2018 |
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Apr 16, 2018 07:40
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Tikorn You work your way high and low through the makeshift town, gathering information, and trying to find something, anything that might help you enter the city. You learn a few scraps and pieces about what's going on: you hear stories of unrest in the city at night, you hear that the lockdown has only been for a week or so, you hear an agitation in the voices of the people here that you suspect could boil over into violence at any moment. Eventually you come across a man speaking to a small crowd gathered around him. He is loud enough to be heard by the crowd and to gather more around him, but quiet enough that without joining the crowd itself, you can't make out what he's saying. Asking someone nearby, you hear his name: Hlaford Axton. He has the cadence and affectation of a priest, but he is not giving a sermon. Axton claims that he has found a way into the city that a small group could take under cover of darkness to open the gates to the rest and end the blockade. He is looking for a few good men--or women, he quickly adds--to follow him tonight. Preferably people who have fought alongside each other for a long time, not merely random members of the tent city fed up with their treatment. In making this request, however, he accidentally reveals the knowledge of the entrance, and you realize that if you wanted, you need not follow him at all. Still others argue that it is not right to force their way in, and yet more believe that soon the violence in the city will no longer be contained. What do you do? Mistral You make your way to The Weeping Horse as Edward directed. On arriving, a man standing guard recognizes you, nods, and opens the door wordlessly. Already a good thirty or so people have gathered, and are listening to Edward speak. He sees the door open, and nods at you as you enter, but continues talking to the crowd. "I tell you the truth! Not two fortnights ago Lord Albrecht of Broken Tooth was vanished by some ill magics. They say a man in red armor slew a room full of his men and men of House Entremar, and they say only a woman clothed in living silks drove him off. And then, just ten days ago, the man in red armor was seen here! The Lady fears this man, as well she should, but she takes these drastic measures without the consent of her people or the wellbeing of anyone but herself!" Edward steps down and motions towards you, Mistral. "Lady Mistral, you are a trusted member of this community, both by the common people and by the Lady of Greycrag herself. I beseech you, meet with the Lady and give her our list of demands--to open the gates, or to give us a good explanation for the lockdown and commit men to helping us survive it--and report back. I know you and she are close, but we must save Greycrag. Her people come before her ruler." What do you do? Siroko After a few days afield, you find your way to the place where Alana Golden's merchants have gathered. It is hardly the place you might have suspected, but a small village commandeered by the merchants either by gold or by iron. Golden's hall, such as it is, is no more than a repurposed tavern, thatch roof and all. A few merchants eye you suspiciously as you walk through the town, an unknown entity with a spear at your back, but none say anything. Eventually you come to the entrance to the tavern, guarded by a single woman with a fine steel sword. "I do not know your face. Speak quickly, outsider. Golden listens where gold speaks." What do you do? I've added Alana Golden to the map in the first post. Pentaviso Morning comes all too soon, and your head pounds with yet another hangover. You swear that not only are hangovers worse here than they were in your last life, but they get worse with each subsequent hangover you have. Beside you, Katarin has already woken up and fetched a pitcher of water. She pours you a glass and hands it to you. "Drink up, Pentaviso. I'd imagine you're thirsty." She brushes your hair aside and plants a single kiss on your forehead, then climbs out of bed and walks towards a table set up next to the door. There's a few papers and what appears from the bed to be a map set up there that she begins rifling through. "When you have a moment, I'd love to talk to you about what we discussed last night. Alana Golden-" Her words are sharply cut off by the sound of an explosion outside. Quickly you pull yourself out of bed and look down to see a horde of men wielding anything from well-crafted swords and axes to cheap iron pitchforks meeting the guards of Broken Tooth in fighting in the street. Across the way, the tavern where you and Katarin shared a drink last night is now a smoldering crater, likely the site of the explosion you just heard. Downstairs, you hear commotion as some of the men force their way in and begin to ransack the common room of the inn. Katarin screams and begins fumbling for her sword, but she can't find it amidst her panic. What do you do? Don't forget that your special move triggered with Katarin, so choose one of your options. Xie Keeping to the shadows, you manage to work your way through the town, searching for any sign of who might be in charge here. Eventually, you find someone who could only be the leader: a woman in fine leather armor, flanked on either side by similarly well-dressed men, not partaking directly in the carnage. With them, you see something far worse than any man with a sword: two war dogs, ravenous and angry, barely restrained from their own desire for bloodlust. You are Xie, Who Walks Again, no sword or spear frightens you, but a dog with razor-sharp teeth, a killer instinct, and reflexes far beyond those of any human? That's something to truly watch out for. Of course, it is at the same moment that you see a dog that it sees you, and it begins barking and growling in your direction. Its handler draws a sword and looks in your direction, and you're not quite fast enough to duck back into cover before she sees you as well. With a quick moment she unleashes the hound, who rushes towards you, teeth bared, violence its only instinct. What do you do? I'm intentionally ignoring your Act Under Fire because I want to know how you react. That being said, if you do something that falls under the trigger for that move, feel free to use that 13.
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Apr 16, 2018 16:16
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0:00 Harm 2-armor | Cool+1 Hard+2 Hot-2 Sharp+1 Weird+2 | 1-keep | XP ●●●○○» "And where gold speaks, steel shouts," I tell the guard. "I have heard that with the lord of Broken Tooth missing, Alana Golden gathers power to herself. However much coin she has, not every foe can be bought." I let the my spear slide from where I've carried it in the crook of my arm, and plant the butt of it in the earth. "She'll need other means to pay off the rest. And in that, you'll find none wealthier than I."
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Apr 17, 2018 04:41
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0:00 Harm 2-armor | Cool+3 Hard+0 Hot+1 Sharp+1 Weird-1 | 3-keep | XP ●○○○○» | 1 advance We did not have war dogs in the Shining Kingdom. Some kept guard dogs, to be sure, which would bark to alert; we hunted with hounds at our sides, our loyal companions, swift and strong, able to bring down prey with flashing fans and howl in triumph. But we did not turn them to war. I did not see such a thing until I awoke here. When I did, I was repulsed. War dogs are a heresy, a blasphemy. They are made with cruelty and violence; twisted until they know nothing but the fight. You do not have to teach a cat to kill out of spite or pleasure, but dogs are different. War is not in a dog's nature. Hound and men--and hounds and my people, as well--have a bond that predates written memory and even oral histories. A cat may imprint on its owner and treat them as a parent, but dogs know we are not dogs, and they love us still. My wyrd is gathered around me, prepared to strike, to smite the hound and its handler both. I do not unleash it. With my wyrd wrapped around me like a cloak, smoke and dust pulled in and frozen in the air around me, I can see the Shell of the hound, its swirling aura, just as I saw my own in Broken Tooth. What I do--simpler, smaller--is the opposite of the spell I fought there. I reach for the red skein of violence threaded through the hound's aura, and I undo it. Men can make dogs transgress. They can bury their nature underneath beatings and starvation and violence. But they can not get rid of that nature, which is devotion. I release my wyrd--a halo of smoke rushes outwards from me--and with it, I draw the scarlet flow of hurt and rage out of the hound's Shell and scatter it. "Come," I tell the hound, holding my ground. "Sit." Underneath it all, under any hurt or pain, any betrayal by men, all dogs are good dogs. --- Seduce or Manipulate - Hot +1, +2 from reading a charged situation (with Perfect Instincts) 2d6+1+2=10 LogicNinja fucked around with this message at 20:48 on Apr 20, 2018 |
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Apr 20, 2018 09:30
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0-Wound | 0-Armor | 0-Keep | x x x x o > Cool-1, Hard=0, Hot+2, Sharp+2, Weird-1 I slam down the glass, mouth still full of water, then swallow. An explosion? Bombs? "Easy easy easy, Katarin;" I say as I move to calm her. "We're safe in the immediate," which is true. Not our building that exploded. I don't know how long we'll be safe, but for the moment, we're ok. The possibilities billow like the smoke pouring up into the sky across the street. "Your sword is in the chair." Might have had to pay for that, but not after this morning. Then I realize that they're scrabbling in the inn as well. Are they looking for us? For Katarin? I strain to listen, but it is a bit hard to hear... Read a Sitch: 2d6+2 7 What's our best escape route? Special: I take +1 forward
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Apr 20, 2018 13:16
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0:00 Harm 6-devotion | Cool+1 Hard=0 Hot+1 Sharp+2 Weird-1 | 1-keep | XP ○○○○○» I recognize no little sense in Edward's words. If this information is true, it does explain much... and, yet, little. The Lady has faced the threat of assassins before. It seems part and parcel with the role of leadership. While this one is alleged to be particularly skilled, even unnaturally so, it hardly seems enough on its face. Either there is more to the story, I've misjudged the Lady, or some combination of the two. I pay careful attention to the way his body speaks, particularly if it matches how his mouth moves. I'd not be some patsy in an attempt to unseat the Lady. Her rule has been harmonious with my own purposes. I suspect that, no matter how this ends, new leadership would not be interested in maintaining the current accord. I say, "I can make no promises, you understand. The Lady sees none. Perhaps she will see fit to confide in me, but perhaps her guards will turn me away at the door." I shake my head. "My own resources are stretched, my temple full to bursting. I would see an end to this madness as eagerly as you, but I fear some of this talk would only lead to more blood filling the streets." My eyes take in those filling the Weeping Horse, searching those who would meet my gaze, and I finally sigh and say, "I will do what I can. I will attempt to speak with her. And, in turn..." I look seriously at Edward. "It would help us all were the streets to be calm tonight. Can you and yours agree to that?" Read A Person: 2d6+2 8 Spending my hold to ask Edward, "What does your character intend to do?"
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Apr 20, 2018 18:13
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Siroko The guard woman snarls and bares her teeth, gripping her sword just a little tighter in her hands. "Golden listens where gold speaks. If your steel wishes to speak instead, then let it speak." She takes a single step towards you and raises the sword in a defensive posture. What do you do? Mistral Edward nods. "Aye, I can promise you peace for this one night. I will not deny my followers the right of self-defense, but if the Lady's loyalists make no moves against us, we will make no moves against them. But you must understand, this can be for only a single night, Gray Sister Mistral. When night falls tomorrow, this deal is over. Speak with the Lady and resolve this, if you can. For tonight, however, you have peace, by the Amber Fields." The room slowly shifts into a more standard tavern scene. Edward's followers resign themselves to drinking and playing games of chance, and Edward himself slinks back into a corner with an ale in his hand, lost in thought. The cool night air beckons you outside, and, if you wish, towards the Lady's keep. What do you do? Edward intends to keep his word for tonight. If tomorrow night comes with no resolution, however, he intends to depose the Lady--by any means necessary. Pentaviso Katarin is still visibly shaken and afraid, but she manages to follow your directions and pull her sword from the chair. While she does that you continue to listen, and you hear the chaos increasing, both inside and outside. You hear footsteps in the hallway just outside as well, the assailants now on the same floor as your room. Looking back, you see the only way you can imagine getting out of here bloodlessly: through the window. The footsteps are right outside your door now. What do you do? Xie Your wyrd reaches out and calms the hound, which skitters to a stop in front of you. Although it is hardly a power of mind-control, it nonetheless can be useful in a pinch to help calm beasts before they have a chance for violence. The humans, of course, are not so easily swayed. The hound's handler is armed only with a short sword, but he draws it nonetheless, and the second handler looses their own dog towards you, evidently not fearful of the powers of your wyrd. The central figure, the woman in the fine leather armor, produces a cruel-looking long sword from a scabbard on her back, screams a war cry, and charges you with the hound by their side. In the distance, you hear the sounds of more attackers, running to defend these three from you. What do you do?
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Apr 24, 2018 15:20
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0:00 Harm 6-devotion | Cool+1 Hard=0 Hot+1 Sharp+2 Weird-1 | 1-keep | XP ○○○○○» I tip my head in acknowledgement, "Then I shall see what I can accomplish." I waste little time after. The Lady's keep seems the next goal of note. Though my throat dry and the prospect of refreshment tempting, there will be time to cool it with water upon my return to the temple. I take to the streets and begin cutting my way through the night. It's strangely quiet, without either the hum of passersby or the chaos that had been filling the streets, though I do not drop my guard. I would not see another done harm by my hand, but one of my oaths is the preservation of self. One cannot heal the wounded if dead. A simple truth, but one that some healers have not grasped. If I am attacked, I will fight with purpose to escape the situation.
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Apr 25, 2018 18:49
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0:00 Harm 2-armor | Cool+1 Hard+2 Hot-2 Sharp+1 Weird+2 | 1-keep | XP ●●●○○» As the woman steps forward, I drop into a fighting stance, my spear whirling into my hands. I don't give her time to consider before I launch myself at her, jabbing high with the point, then sliding hands to attack low with the butt of the spear, using it like a staff. We'll see how quickly she comes to regret her decision. Pretty sure this is single combat, so: Single Combat (+Hard): 2d6+2 7 Choosing: • You suffer little harm (-1 harm)
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Apr 26, 2018 02:43
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0:00 Harm 2-armor | Cool+3 Hard+0 Hot+1 Sharp+1 Weird-1 | 3-keep | XP ●○○○○» | 1 advance Two choices: to flee, or to do battle, here and now, outnumbered (though by one less than before--time enough to tell the hound now sitting, confused, in front of me that they're a good dog, before I spring into action) even as I draw my staff-sword and rush to meet the leather-armored woman, the apparent leader. What she's going to do is obvious. The hound will leap first: who would want to be the first into danger, or to risk lunging first and having their war-hound accidentally bite them, or collide with them? No, she will let the hound leap, then strike. And the hound, of course, moves in a straight line: charge, then spring--either at my legs or at my face, depending on training. It all goes right for them until it doesn't. I'm rushing to meet them until I'm not: I direct my momentum sideways, springing just as the dog leaps, to let it rush past me--and then get my blade at the throat of the leather-armored woman before she can correct her course of action. "Stop. Call them off. Who is your band? Why do this?" --- Fly at someone, presumably; maybe go into danger 2d6+3=8, +2 for 10 for acting on the dog-related answer. Assuming I need a second roll (e.g. if this is 'go into danger' before I can 'fly at someone', here's a Go Into Danger of a whopping 2d6+3=14. Hot drat!
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Apr 26, 2018 03:44
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2 Harm | 1 armor | Cool+1 Hard+2 Hot=0 Sharp+2 Weird-1 | 1 keep | XP ●○○○○» I catch Axton's arm as he finishes speaking with the crowd. "I have men who need medical attention from within those walls. Do you truly aim to enter the city and open the gates for all who wait out here?" I'm careful to not commit myself and the healthy members of my crew, but I listen to the man's response and try to weigh his words for intent. Regardless of whether I would choose to help him or simply lead my own party, I want to know: Does this man speak the truth regarding the secret entrance into the city, or is this all another trap from another wicked tongue? ----- Read a Person (Sharp): 2d6+2 8 Alehkhs fucked around with this message at 06:52 on Apr 30, 2018 |
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Apr 30, 2018 06:46
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Mistral You leave The Weeping Horse and make your way towards the Lady's keep. The night is dark and cold, and the streets are completely empty save for a few guards sitting around fires for warmth. Nobody, it seems, wants to risk breaking this peace. At the front entrance to the Lady's keep you find two guards, a man and a woman, crossing polearms and blocking your way. You recognize them, of course, having spent more than enough time here before now. The man is Ser Marle, a highly-trusted member of the guard corps despite his young age, and the woman is Dame Hekla, the Lady's oldest and most beloved guard. Neither moves to clear the way, but both smile and nod at you as you approach. "Sister Mistral!" calls Dame Hekla, "It is good to see you this cold night! Although, your presence is neither expected nor requested. I regret to inform you that the Lady has made known that she does not wish to receive visitors on this night, and so I kindly ask that you return home and see her in morning's light!" What do you do? Tikorn Back with your men, you discuss Hlaford Axton's words and his knowledge of a supposed secret entrance. Whether or not he tells the truth you cannot be wholly sure, but, at the very least, he believes it to be the truth. This is no trap but a legitimate plan for a man desperate to break the blockade. Night falls over the camp, and unlike every other night, you hear nothing from within the walls. Some of your crew grow restless, and eventually Cerlen comes to you. "The men say that, with the silence on the other side, if we are to trust Axton's words, we should move tonight. I can't imagine a large group is a good idea, so maybe pick just one or two to come with you. That is, assuming you think this is a good idea at all." What do you do? Xie Despite the cold steel of your blade against the woman's throat, she laughs. "Who are you, and why did you get involved? You meddle in a war, yet you don't even know the belligerents? What a fool you are, girl!" You feel the woman slowly slide a blade of her own out from a hidden place on her hip, and you see the hound you so deftly dodged turn and charge back towards you. Your blade is still at the woman's throat, and she is vulnerable to you in this instant. What do you do? Siroko The woman swings her sword, and despite dodging out of the way, you feel it clink off your armor. Although you are unharmed for now, the woman is clearly well-trained in the art of swordplay and is not some simple sell-sword. Whipping the spear around, you make contact with her legs and knock her to the ground. She does not appear severely hurt, but nevertheless cannot gather herself enough to stand back up by the time you recover from your own attack. Behind you, you hear the sound of a second sword being unsheathed, and at the same moment, the door to the tavern opens and a woman clad in expensive silks lined with gold trim steps out. "I order you to halt!" she shouts at the top of her lungs. "And explain what the meaning of this is!" What do you do? You are in deadly range of the guard's sword, but the weapon only glanced because of your Single Combat roll and the armor negated the rest of the damage. You take no harm.
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May 1, 2018 16:26
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0:00 Harm 6-devotion | Cool+1 Hard=0 Hot+1 Sharp+2 Weird-1 | 1-keep | XP ○○○○○» I stop and offer the two an inclined head in greeting. They stand in my way, yes, but only insofar as they wish to heed the Lady's will. I cannot fault them for that, no matter how inconvenient it is in the moment. So too, they've offered more than a pleasant greeting given the circumstances. With talk of an assassin, not to mention the riots that have plagued the town night after night, they would have hardly been out of their rights to greet me with violence. I say, "I understand, Dame Heckla, and wish that I could comply with the Lady's wishes in this matter. Unfortunately, I fear that time is not our ally and must request, in turn, that you allow me to be an exception on this eve." I step forward, not enough to spook either, but enough to show that their weapons do not deter me. "I bring tidings of a threat to her and, in the name of peace, wish to see this resolved without blood running through the streets. Surely she would want to hear what I say. A moment to speak with her, to share what I've learned and seek an understanding of how I might best serve in this time of troubles, then I shall return to treating the wounded of Greycrag. That is all I ask." Manipulate Guards: 2d6+1 10
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May 1, 2018 19:56
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0-Wound | 0-Armor | 0-Keep | x x x x o > Cool-1, Hard=0, Hot+2, Sharp+2, Weird-1 "Well, poo poo," I conclude. "We're not fighting here," escapes from my mouth. Guess I decided that. "I'm no soldier but we're at a serious disadvantage here," I explain to Katarin as I rip the sheet off the bed. "Get the window open." Spinning the sheet into something vaguely resembling a rope, I knot it around the crossbar of the window. "You go first; I'll hold it, then I'll climb down and hope the knot holds. Go, go, go. We'll get our revenge later." I have no real idea if this bedsheet will suffice. I've used this trick once before, though that was when I was alive the first time. It was a higher quality material too, but...we make do with what we've got, don't we?
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May 2, 2018 18:05
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0:00 Harm 2-armor | Cool+3 Hard+0 Hot+1 Sharp+1 Weird-1 | 3-keep | XP ●○○○○» | 1 advance She's stubborn, hotheaded. I reach down and grab her wrist, twisting it behind her back until it creaks, keeping the blade at my throat. I've choked up on my staff-sword with the other hand, keeping her at her throat. "I am Xíe, Who Walks Again," I tell her. "And this is no war. This is something baser." I put her between myself and the leaping dog. "Last chance. Call it off and surrender, or die." She is skillful enough I would hate to snuff her light out, but there are other skillful women-at-arms in the world. If she does anything besides what I said, I will end her. --- Go into danger, maybe, to show her that This Is It, and if she doesn't do what I say, cut her throat: [url=http://orokos.com/roll/619437]2d6+3=12. Great rolls lately... LogicNinja fucked around with this message at 10:24 on May 6, 2018 |
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May 3, 2018 12:10
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0:00 Harm 2-armor | Cool+1 Hard+2 Hot-2 Sharp+1 Weird+2 | 1-keep | XP ●●●○○» I plant the tip of my spear in earth, standing with one hand on the shaft. "I am Siroko, the Sixth Thunder. I came to speak with Alana Golden, who from what I hear has need of spears. She," I nod to the swordswoman on the ground, "asked for a demonstration of my skills, lest Alana Golden's time be wasted on a charlatan. So I gave her one."
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May 6, 2018 03:12
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2 Harm | 1 armor | Cool+1 Hard+2 Hot=0 Sharp+2 Weird-1 | 1 keep | XP ●○○○○» We will go where Axton indicated. The crew is in as good shape as they can be currently, given the situation, so I ask Cerlen to accompany me - No one could give me better counsel. I also tap a young crewman by the name of Yzain Kisel to come with us. Enticed by the thrill of a life on the sea, Yzain joined my crew looking to venture beyond his life as a street urchin. One of the youngest crew members, he works as hard as any of his ship mates but is a quicker climber and more agile in the rigging than most. I've also seen him keeping his old picklocking skills honed in his freetime. Who knows what obstacles we might encounter. The three of us gear up lightly, taking only our armor and weapons, and set out. Alehkhs fucked around with this message at 18:42 on May 6, 2018 |
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May 6, 2018 18:40
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Mistral Dame Hekla stands in thought for a moment, then nods to Ser Marle. "Very well. Ser Marle shall escort you to the Lady. I trust that you will not betray the faith I place in you tonight." Ser Marle begins walking into the great hall, and motions for you to follow. It has been some time since you have been in the more private areas of the Lady of Greycrag's keep, but the walls still feel familiar to you as he leads you down the cramped and crumbling passageways. Eventually he brings you to an open door, which you recognize as the Lady's bedchambers. He steps in, and then a moment later motions for you to follow. Inside, the Lady sits legs-crossed on a leather-padded chair in the corner, her evening gown tied around her legs above the dusty floor, and her ever-present blindfold still wrapped firmly across her eyes. She takes the opportunity to speak before you have a chance to say anything. "Sister Mistral, yes? It has been some time since you have graced me with your presence. Tell me, friend, why do you seek me at this late hour, when I have been quite clear that I do not wish to have visitors?" Ser Marle slinks back a step, clearly embarrassed to have broken the Lady's orders, but he says nothing. What do you do? Tikorn Under cover of dark, the three of you make your way to the spot Hlaford Axton indicated. It's a small crumbling piece of wall around on the western side of the city, made up of large sandstone blocks that have collapse in on themselves in an imposing pile of rubble. Climbing over the pile looks just about impossible, but you can see what Axton was referring to: a small tunnel, barely wide enough for even a single person to crawl through, leading to an unclaimed part of the old ruins that have become Greycrag. Yzain goes through the tunnel first to verify the passageway is navigable, and then from the other side, calls to you and Cerlen that, while difficult, you should be able to squeeze through to the other side. Once inside, the three of you sneak your way towards the town proper. Getting there, you find what perhaps you least expected: nothing. Only two or three guards patrol the streets, but no one else seems interested in being out this night. Although it is late, you would expect some sort of activity, especially in light of the unrest you have heard every other night. Perhaps the violence has ended (although why then does the blockade remain?) or perhaps they've simply reached some sort of ceasefire for the moment. Across the road, you see a tavern lit from within and full of patrons, and down a ways, you can see the great hall of the Lady of Greycrag, although you cannot tell from here how well-guarded it is. In the other direction, you can see the gatehouse that enforces the blockade. Cerlen looks to you expectantly. The choice of where to go first now that you're inside the city falls to you. What do you do? Siroko The woman you fought stands up from the ground, and brushes dust off herself. "My lady, I-" She is cut off by the woman in fine silks. "I don't wish to hear it! And I am not your lady, no matter how many times you say it!" She takes a deep breath and a moment to regain her composure, then turns to you. "Siroko Six-Thunders, you say? I am the one whom you seek, Alana Golden." She takes two steps towards you, hands open, evidently not afraid of your spear. Behind you, you hear the second guard step towards you as well. "Now then, Siroko Six-Thunders, what is the real reason you come here? I suspect you are not merely a sell-sword looking to make some coin, or am I wrong in my assessment? Why have you come here, and why did you try to poke holes in my fool of a guard Elin here?" What do you do? Pentaviso Katarin still looks terrified, but nonetheless she does what you say. After quickly testing the stability of the makeshift rope, she grabs hold and slides down it to the ground below. Still in the room, you hear a light cracking sound from the window's crossbar, the bar evidently not quite strong enough to support her weight. You stick your head out the window, as she calls for you to hurry. At almost the exact some moment, the door behind you splinters, and a large bearded man with a cruel iron axe charges into the room, laughing wildly. What do you do? Xie You've met warriors like this before. Too full of themselves to know when they've been beaten, too hotheaded to surrender. As the dog charges towards you, you feel the woman reach towards her leg for a knife. Bad move. With a quick motion of your arm you slit her throat, her warm blood spilling onto your hands and the ground. The dog does not stop, but instead leaps at the last moment towards you, teeth bared. You hold the woman's lifeless body out as a shield, protecting you from the worst of the bite, but it is not a small dog, and you are knocked backwards and to the ground by its attack. As you fall you think you see more soldiers arriving, weapons drawn, but you cannot be sure in the heat of the moment. You are on the ground now, pinned beneath the bloody body of the woman you killed, the ravenous hound now circling back around for the kill. What do you do?
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May 8, 2018 21:56
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0:00 Harm 2-armor | Cool+1 Hard+2 Hot-2 Sharp+1 Weird+2 | 1-keep | XP ●●●○○» I take note of the guard's movement, but I keep my gaze on Alana Golden. "Because I seek vengeance. The Thunders were once my companions and friends, but they betrayed me in the last world. And now I find them in this one. The chaos in Broken Tooth has the taste of their work, and I intend to root out the one behind it, and pay them in the same coin they paid me." I pause, and shrug. "And I do need coin of the more conventional sort as well. Vengeance is sweet, but bread keeps you alive. Or whatever it is we are in this place."
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May 18, 2018 20:45
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0:00 Harm 2-armor | Cool+3 Hard+0 Hot+1 Sharp+1 Weird-1 | 3-keep | XP ●●●○○» | 1 advance I hit the ground and fling myself to the side, rolling away from the body of the foolish woman who'd tried to face me head-on, and turn the roll into a kip-up that gets me back on my feet, weapon in hand. My wyrd finds this hound, too, and reaches out towards it; touches its scarlet-streaked Shell. Good dog. Those who used you as a weapon are gone. Come. Heel. Sit. This is getting out of control, and even as my blood sings in my veins, my gaze flashes around the burning village: who has come? What are they about to do? A good warrior can view a force as a singe opponent, an entity at scale, and understand its design and what it will do next. --- Go into danger (+Cool): 2d6+3=11 Seduce or Manipulate (+Hot): 2d6+1+2=12 If it applies and isn't too much for one post, Read a Charged Situation (+Sharp): 2d6+1=8 --the question: What is my enemy's true position?
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Jun 1, 2018 03:51
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