O Brave New World - IC

[Sherwood]

Renna lets out a sigh. Why couldn't it have been something simple instead of these Din? "Well, if they are as big as you say with the numbers in the field that I've heard, a straight on attack would be folly. Hit and run with the cavalry, try and draw a small number of these things away from the main body of troops, then hit them with massed infantry. If we can coordinate our efforts with the city defenders, we may be able to do some real damage to the enemy."

She then pauses, wondering about the strange temple-thing that Rogosh is telling her about. "Rogosh, I know nothing of temples and things of magic. Does this pyramid mean anything to you? Would it be a high priority target for us to go for? And while I'm thinking about it, go ahead and buy the supplies off of that caravan and get the goods to the men. Having a full belly will give us all the strength we need to get this job done."

 

[Random Word]

Both of your senior officers nod at your assessment of the situation.

"Captain, it don't mean a thing to me, but it gave me the willies something fierce. It's some kind of foul magic, and it was at the center of the enemy formation. It's huge, and it must take a lot of effort to move. If they think it's that important, and spent that much effort dragging it here, it's probably more than just their standard bearer," replies Rogosh, gravely.

 

[Sherwood]

Renna checks the map that they have of the area and does some quick mental calculations of how long it will take for the combined forces of the Red Arms to get to the area compared to just the smaller force of cavalry.

Random Word How long will it take for the troops to get to the area? Will we be able to arrive under the cover of darkness?

 

[Random Word]

Ordinarily cavalry moves no faster than foot infantry over long distances. If you try to have a horse run at high speed for a long time it lathers and becomes useless for combat, and if you keep driving it dies of exhaustion. Your mounts have remarkable endurance, though, so I'd say a forced march of infantry could cover the distance in three hours, and if you drive your mounts hard you could reach the battlefield with just your cavalry in two but they'll be a bit winded. A standard march could cover the distance in around four hours. Morrolan flying managed to cover the distance in one.

Given the troops have been marching most of the day and haven't had dinner yet, they're not going to be happy about the idea, but Renna is a very inspiring woman.

 

[Psychie]

After getting his (literal) birds-eye view of the area, Morrolan turns around and wings it back to the Red Arms encampment as fast as possible. Swooping in, he settles down in the dusty terrain and shifts himself back to his human form and goes to seek out Renna. Once he is at her side, he says, "It is bad out there. The city won't hold out long without some sort of support, and these Din are big and nasty. Even our Red Arms will have a bit of trouble with them unless they are careful. But there is something else."

He goes on to describe the pyramid being hauled along in as much detail as he can. "It is at the center of their formation, and well guarded. It might be where the leader of this attacking force, that spirit whatever his name is, will be located. If so, I might be able to draw it out and with Zelator here," he pats his spear affectionately, "I should be able to deal with it."

 

[Sherwood]

Renna lets out a sigh. "This city will just have to hold out a little bit longer. The men need food, and a bit of rest. If we move out too soon or march out too quickly, we will all be too tired to be of any good in a fight. Rogosh, Morrolan, let them know I want to be on the march in forty five minutes. That will give everyone a bit to rest and get something to eat, then we can set out. Make it happen."

 

[Psychie]

Morrolan knows that tone of voice from Renna and knows not to argue. Besides, she is usually right, especially when it comes to the men. "Yes, ma'am." He turns on his heel and sets out to give the order. At least the men will get a chance to get a bite and a bit of a rest before we march out.

 

[Random Word]

Renna & Morrolan:

Wisdom's Star sighs and looks wistfully up the road. "Very well, Captain. We'll leave the food where it is."

The senior officers and cavalry claim the lion's share of the fresh meat - if it can be called that, for even a single lion would scarcely be satisfied with what the scouts managed to hunt - though there's a great deal of grumbling amongst the cavalry at the missed opportunity to seize a better meal. Mixed with a spiced lentil paste it serves as uninspiring but filling fare, livened up with the occasional luxury broken out from personal stashes. The horses graze desultorily on hardy scrub brush and a ration of hay. The infantry make do with the leavings and grease mixed with their lentil paste, all efforts to pitch tents and set up camp immediately abandoned once word goes out that the march resumes in less than an hour.

Few of the infantry are excited to march again, but the rest and a chance to eat keeps the volume of the grumbling low. Some of the younger cavalry are elated, hungry for battle and glory after a month of travelling. Three hours of hard marching later and the company is on the outskirts of the city. You can feel the earth shuddering rhythmically beneath you from several miles away, and it only increases in intensity as you close. The infantry in their camouflage cloaks are almost completely invisible in the darkness, arrayed along a low ridge covered in hardy thorny willows, using their shields and stepping gingerly to avoid being torn up as they pass through. The cavalry line up behind the ridge, concealed from the enemy.

Many of the bonfires maintained on the walls have gone out, but by the light of those that remain you catch glimpses of the state of the battlefield. Two great rents have been carved into the earth, cleaving through the walls of the city. Into these two breaches Din press, their lines strung out, only a fraction of their host left behind to defend the great black stepped pyramid whose pulsing heartbeat shakes the ground beneath your feet. Not all goes well for the enemy, for though they have breached the wall in two locations, at the breach closest to you Din are being sent flying through the air by great arcing swings of a two handed bronze hammer wielded by a four metre tall giant wrapped in loose red cloth, glowing softly in the darkness. Those defenders who have managed to retain their footing atop the walls rain arrows, stones, and javelins down on the attackers, but the breach furthest from you appears to have fallen to the enemy, who are even now pouring in in great numbers.

 

[D. Rex]

John largely ignored the chaos in the background of Barker's Alley until his name was called. His eyes lifted to meet hers. He couldn't see the compass pointing at him. He could hardly even breathe. A missing part of his foundational being locked back into place knocking the wind from his lungs and all thought from his mind. Air escaped him for a moment, heartbeat after heartbeat he stood still in shock. He both knew her and didn't know her at once just as it was both a blissful and painful experience. How long had he gone without this person? She looked like she had walked through hell to get here.

Her embrace woke him from the stupor of the paradoxical moment. His arms latched onto her with no less intensity. Tears pried themselves from his eyes just as she wept into his chest. With a gentle kiss on her forehead, he accepted her apology, not like he understood what she might've done. Breath returned to him, and he spoke words that spilled from his spirit as if they'd never parted. "Welcome home, my kitten." His embrace drew tighter around her as he laughed from uncontrollable joy at the reunion.

Still, nothing about this moment made any sense to him, even as they briefly parted. Yet he had a name now. Witch Hazel. He cleared his throat and stood tall introduce himself rightly. "and I... I am Jean Latrans." he said with a thick yet formal accent before returning to the more casual speaking pattern. "Though John Barker or John works just as well. Language is a funny thing." He then gestured to the restaurant at large. "and this... well let's call this my castle." He declared with a gleaming smile. "Ah, right... let me clear the deck here. You must be starving after such a long trip."

John led the way for Hazel to take a seat by the entry-way to the back rooms. He finished loading out the orders he'd already started to clear space for what came next. "Kasra, you're flyin' solo from here. At this rate, you might have to get used to it for a good while." He bellowed, drawing out a perch from an alchemically chilled chest. He cleaved several healthy fillets from its flanks and set them to bathe in an egg-based mixture briefly. Various vegetables he diced and mixed into a bowl and chunked several potatoes into large wedges. Next to that he ground bananas into a paste with coconut milk and a dash of vanilla.

Within moments, he breaded the fish and minced vegetables and fried them alongside the potatoes. Meanwhile, the other mixture sat in a multi-layered box surrounded by a liquid letting off fumes of frigid smoke. Once the fried fish, vegetable bread puffs, and potatoes were pulled from the fryer, John moved onto pulverize a stack of cocoa wafers and chocolate bars to become their own syrupy paste. This one he kept warmed even as it was loaded into a split pitcher beside its pale, chilled counterpart. He poured both mixtures into 2 glasses as they turned, making a two-toned spiral of contrasting sweets. One was light, cold, and refreshing, the other rich, warm and satisfying.

Now that his meal was complete, he set two plates and glasses in a backside breakroom. He collapsed into a chair and pulled the towel from his forehead. "Dig in. This should hit the spot after heading out to a faraway place like this." After he bowed his head in a brief, silent prayer, the young chef unceremoniously chomped down on a piece of fish and started eating. Questions could wait, at least long enough for him to figure out where to even start.

John & Hazel:

As you embrace a shocked silence sweeps out over the restaurant, broken swiftly as a collective cheer goes up from the assembled staff and patrons. No one has the faintest idea what's going on - though speculation runs rampant - but everyone knows a joyous reunion when they see one, and a happy day for John is a happy day for most anyone who knows him, which is at least half the neighbourhood.

"Blessed boughs, and just in time for festival."
"Well that's just it, isn't it? Renewal and new blossoms. Old friends and lost loves made new and found."
"Great Javurwa provides."
"A toast! To new blossoms!"
"Hear hear!"
"Felicitations, Jean!"

Kasra whistles appreciatively and laughs as she fills another pair of bowls. As you guide Hazel into the back rooms and tell Kasra to hold down the fort she rolls her eyes, "Mmhmm, right, don't bother introducing me to your long lost beloved. I'll just be here, chopping vegetables. I'm good, don't worry about it. Not curious at all."

As you step through the door to the storage area you can hear Kasra taking bets, "Alright, who should I put down for, 'Eloped until her family kidnapped her back'? Yennet, take these down. 'Lost step-sister'? He doesn't have a stepsister, you say? Well that's why she's lost you twit. 'Sister lost to the Wyld'? Fanciful, but I'll take it. 'Cursed Faqari Princess'? Alright, now you're just getting silly. Despite what the stories say not every man who visits the desert gets a cursed princess. They'd run out. Fine, I'll put it down. 'Betrothed as children, kidnapped by bandits'? Who's down for 'Betrothed as children...'"

Quiet now. What more could she say? How would she begin to say things? Well, she let him guide her to the back, and to the side she set her straw hat. As well as a long staff shaped packaged that was wrapped in burlap.

That questions could wait, well she would argue but the smell of all the cooking made her stomach grumble. She would be drooling if she wasn't careful. And by the time she received the specially prepared meal, she had to force herself not to dig into it like some kind of animal. Too long had she had gone without a good meal that the only flavor she could taste was "good". It wasnt worms or grubs or desert toads, no it was actual human food and cooked! She didn't know how much she missed it until she realized she was trying to hold back tears.

Hmm. No that wasn't from the food. Here, now, she felt so relieved. With him here, with Jean here, she felt right. Like she had found what she had been looking for and she could do this forever.

She reminded herself that wasn't the case. But until this meal was done, who cared?



When she finished, and licked her plate clean, she sat staring at John.

"You know me, yet you do not. And for me it is the same." She started. "The woman making the betting pools, she will not likely get the answer. What we are is something much deeper than that. Something that has stood the test of ages and will last for ages more."

Hazel looked around to make sure they were alone. "You have been gifted exaltation by the Unconquered Sun. I too have exalted, by the hand of Luna. We have a bond, you and I. A special bond that is sacred between solars and lunars. One that was forged by us in the First Age."

"What we went through... I do not know. I can't remember. Summoning knowledge of one's past lives is no mean feat. With luck, it may come in time. But the emotions that we feel right now are very real. Ones we shared back then, and will again."

"The bond, however, goes further than feelings. With it comes a duty. For me. I am yours, Jean. I am here to protect and guide you, and help you achieve the greatness that you were meant to grasp. Luna expects nothing less." Hazel said with a proud smile.



Hazel looks down at her hands and grimaced, "And perhaps I should address the elephant in the room... i am not raksha or beast man. I am a human. I just... I just spent too much time in the Wyld."

 

[jaydude]

Atusa's eyes widened a little when she first caught sight of the pursuing Poison Fang force, specifically the size of it. Then she turned to look at Sirocco.

"When we got the report of a large Poison Fang raiding party, it didn't specify that we were outnumbered at least twenty times over." she said, unable to keep a cold edge out of her voice. She wasn't blaming the djinn per se - she'd only relayed what the two scouts had said, after all - but someone along the chain had clearly not provided all the facts they could have. Which was the exact opposite of what Atusa wanted in times like this.

"Radiance, what are your orders?" asked one of the officers, a woman in her thirties with red hair neatly styled into neck-length braids.

Atusa exhaled, venting her frustration at the lack of clear communication, before turning to Jabari. "We keep on with the attack. Take us towards the Bintanath vessels once we enter the ring, and begin bombarding the leading pursuit ships with the catapults as soon as we're in range. Hopefully we can slow them down or stop them, hindering the rest of the pursuit force with their wreckage. Then move to sail alongside the Bintanath, and keep an eye out for any cataphracts. If we can take them out, the rest of the Poison Fang will lose heart."

[OOC: The initial bombardment will be a stratagem aimed at slowing down the Poison Fang fleet, but given the numbers we're facing, I don't think it would be realistic to expect to stop it completely. So I'll have the Mandjet, Neferirkare and Niuserre sail alongside the Bintanath vessels and offer what support they can, and launch boarding actions with the Mandjet where appropriate (i.e. when we have an opportunity to take out a Cataphract).

With that in mind, rolling for Bombardment stratagem. Sail and Intelligence, with 4m Peripheral Essence spent on Atusa's Sail Excellency, giving me 10 dice. 5 successes.]

 

[Sherwood]

Renna lets out a few choice curse words at the situation on the battlefield. "No time like the present is there? Everyone, prepare to advance! Cavalry, we need to move in quickly and take some pressure off of the city defenders and draw some of the Din away. Infantry, get ready to ambush the Din we pull away. We'll try to get their attention by attacking the strange pyramid that they have, and see how much they value that thing. Morrolan, you have my permission to go full beastman on these things. I think that your spear will be a real game changer against these Din. Just don't get yourself in too deep."

She looks down at Asha with a smile and strokes her neck. With a powerful voice, she calls out, "Red Arms! The people in the city need us, and as always, we will prevail! You are the best fighting force in the South, and we shall show that fact to those that dare to raise their arms against us, and I am proud of the dedication that you have shown in the past. Remember, you have the power of the Sun and Moon with you, leading you into the fight! By the end of the day, we will be standing over the broken bodies of the Din and will drink deep of our victory! Cavalry, with me! Advance!"

As they crest the hill and begin their charge, Renna pulls out the large horn that is hanging from her saddle and lets out a loud blast, hoping that the sound will distract the Din long enough for the city defenders to be able to rally themselves and push the invaders back. With the blast from the horn, Renna spends a moment to boost her strength with her Essence, along with preparing Adorei for the fight to come. Wisps of glowing energy begin to burst forth from her, lighting up the sky with he signs of her power.

Spoiler

Spending 3m on Increasing Strength Exercise for one more dot of Str, and 10m on my Form Charm from Peripheral, making me glow at the Iconic bonfire level. Both Charms are Scene long.

Health Levels
-0 [ ]
-1 [ ][ ][ ]
-2 [ ][ ][ ]
-4 [ ]
I [ ]

Essence: 1
Personal: 13 / 13
Peripheral: 33 / 10
Committed: 10
Willpower: 5

Parry DV: 6 +1 from Adorei
Dodge DV: 4
Resolve: 2
Guile: 2

Join Battle: 7 +3i

Soak: 2
Armor: 8
Total: 10
Hardness: 7

Weapons
Beloved Adorei
Type: Medium (+4 ACC, +12 DMG, +1 DEF, OVW 4)
Adorei grants one automatic success to all withering damage rolls.

 

[Random Word]

Renna:

The thunder of hooves fills the air, essence sings in your veins, surging with such joyous power it overflows your soul, coiling and twisting in bright banners streaming out behind you to join the dozens of colourful standards held aloft by your soldiers as they race to keep up with Asha's headlong charge into battle. Your joy at the thrill of battle is mirrored back to you in the sympathetic link you share with Asha and Adorei both, just as your incitement to glory is taken up and echoed back by all of the soldiers around you, too loud to be swallowed by hoofbeats or clawed away by the wind as it tears passed you, "For the Red Arms! For Renna! For glory!"

The infantry advance out of the thorny shrub and form up on the planes, marching double time to catch up with the cavalry as it races ahead.

Your calculated attempt to capture the attention of the enemy has succeeded. Scarcely has the horn left your lips when there comes a deep rumbling roar and a cry in a language you can't understand from the Din arrayed around the pyramid, and they begin forming a battle line between you and it. There are several hundred held in reserve here, perhaps a third of their total force. Their dark mottled skin of stone is cut through with veins of metal that shine brightly in the reflected light of your soul. Their eyes are set with precious gems, their broad horns of carved stone. They carry spears and shields of bronze in hands the size of a man's skull. Their frame is wide with broad shoulders, broad chested, and heads wider than they are tall, with broad flat jaws filled with jagged stone teeth.

From atop the pyramid a hulking figure who stands head and shoulders above the already hulking forms of its brethren rises to answer the cry with orders in a thunderous voice that echoes out over the battlefield. It leaps from the top of the pyramid to land atop a cresting wave of earth that surges up to meet it, hurling forward to meet you in battle. Its body is as much ruby as stone, and its eyes shine with a bright red light. It reaches down with one Jade-gauntleted hand and a large boulder obligingly rises to the surface. It lifts the huge hunk of stone one handed and prepares to hurl it at you.

Spoiler: Mechanics

Having spent 10 peripheral motes you're at Bonfire, one level below Iconic.

Forgot to say you should roll 3 dice for Limit, since your trigger is being presented with an opportunity to advance your cause by harming another (Nabbing food to restock your company's larder).

Roll Strategic Manoeuvre at -4 penalty. -2 for fatigue, -1 for knowing nothing about the enemy commander, -1 for knowing nothing about the enemy forces. The enemy will have 8-1=7 dice to roll against you. Feel free to flashback to any scenes where you prepared your stratagem.

You can also roll Join Battle for yourself and the Red Arms (10 dice, no double 10s). The enemy will be rolling 8 dice for JB.

Spoiler: Red Arms

Spoiler: The Ruby Bey

Join Battle 8; Essence 3; Personal 80
Movement 10(+3 Sux/8m)
Soak 10/H3, Parry 5, Evasion 3
Command 8; Senses 6; Tremorsense 8; Command the Earth 10(+3 Sux/8m)
Appearance 2, Resolve 5, Guile 1

Boulder Meets Sky - Attack: 13 - Damage 16/2
Smashfists - A: 16 - D: 15/3

Spoiler: Din Reserves

Might 1 for being Elementals, +1 Might from the ritual atop the pyramid, which can only be performed at night.

 

[Random Word]

Atusa:

Captain Jabari's voice fills the deck, "You heard the Nomarch! Load catapults! Fire at will!"

Sirocco looks pensive, "The kites seem as shocked as you, Radiance. They don't know where these larger vessels came from." She pauses, listening, "Ah, the central vessels are summoning skiffs somehow. I have heard legends of Raksha seeming to materialize out of nowhere amongst the sands, but I had never expected them to be so literal."

Jabari looks deeply troubled. "I've never known Raksha to invent anything new. If they could do this before, why haven't they? If they've been holding back, why are they suddenly tipping their hand?"

The numbers are certainly against you, but thankfully many of the enemy vessels are barely larger than skiffs carrying a dozen, significantly smaller than even your escort ships.

The catapults hurl sacks of firedust mixed with oil affixed with parachutes. As the enemy vessels swerve to avoid their slow descent Beacon stares intently, creating a swift gust of wind to carry the payload directly over one of the enemy vessels attempting to board the struggling Bintanath escort and snapping his fingers to ignite it, creating a billowing cloud of adhesive incendiary that he sweeps up into a fiery tornado before setting it down to ravage the deck of the enemy vessel, tearing it free. He ignites the second payload in concert with payloads launched from the Neferirkare and Niuserre into a wall of fire, forcing the next wave or pursuing skiffs to slow down or swerve to the sides. Those who can't ignite into careening fireballs that swiftly crash to earth. The chaos, and a final well placed flame cannon shot from its sister vessels to destroy the last leech, gives the Bintanath escort a chance to make it back into formation. The boarders are dispatched swiftly and brutally, but not without casualties.

As your vessels come up alongside the Bintanath a kite is raised from the lead vessel indicating a friendly boarding party. The rear flame cannons of the Mandjet roar to dissuade another wave of skiffs as the ship swerves aggressively to avoid large globs of acid, one of which pierces the winds brought up by the Djinn to deflect it and manages to punch a hole in one of the sails and the lines binding it, injuring several crew members with a sickening crack as it swings wildly. Despite the shifting deck, a djinn descends and materializes a polite distance away from you, her body of shifting blue flame and eyes of brilliant white that stream out to the sides.

She takes a knee and speaks quickly, for even now the enemy closes on the Mandjet, "Nomarch Atusa, Khaemwaset is in your debt. We know of a place the Raksha cannot follow, and can take you there."

• The Bintanath know a secret place of safety, but if you go there without shaking pursuit you may be trapped. They will be forced to reveal more about their secret treasure. [Threshold 10, but after 5 rolls you're safe. If you haven't lost the enemy by then, things get complicated.]
• This is the borderlands between the duneways of the Hematti and the Bintanath. Your people have prepared traps in narrow canyons that can be collapsed on demand. You'll give away some of your defensive secrets, but have a powerful advantage in battle or escape. [Threshold 6 for you, 10 for them]
• You are not alone. There are other patrols in the borderlands, and you could send up a signal to call to them. Some are Hematti, some are Fayum, and there are likely even Bintanath and Yafeu patrols out here somewhere, but if you could all link up you could form a formidable armada and possibly defeat the Poison Fang outright. The Raksha threat is clear enough that common cause would be a foregone conclusion, but some awkward questions may arise after the day is won. [Threshold 10, but if you make it to the threshold or last 10 rolls the cavalry starts to arrive and you have a big Join Battle.
• Something else entirely. What?

[This will be an extended Sail + Wits + Manoeuvrability (+2 for the Mandjet) roll against a dice pool of 8 + 3 Manoeuvrability + 3 for numbers. If you reach a certain number of net successes you escape, if the enemy reaches the same number of net successes you're pinned in pitched battle. Any round in which you roll lower, your ships and the enemy will exchange attacks (Sail/War + Intelligence/Appearance/Charisma to command, enemy has a pool of 11). Damage will slow you down.

Let me know what Charms you want to use and what your dice pool is, stunt, and I'll handle the roll-off in one go to avoid dragging things out.]

 

[Psychie]

With the charge signal given, Morrolan begins to stretch his stride out, transforming into his fearsome war form as he does so. His lightweight steps soon turn into heavy stomps as the large beastman races forward. With a loud roar, he heads towards the hulking figure, hoping to draw its wrath and keep Renna from getting pummeled by that thing before he can get there.

Spoiler

Activating DBT for 1m and 1wp, 3m on Sinuous Striking Grace to give me the bonus to Join Battle. Plus, I'm putting 3m into my armor to activate Ardent Handshake Mein to up my Soak.

Current initiative is 16.

Health Levels
-0 [ ] (+[ ] Only in DBT Form)
-1 [ ][ ]
-2 [ ][ ][ ][ ][ ] - [ ]
-4 [ ][ ][ ][ ][ ]
I [ ]

Essence: 1
Personal: 16 / 9
Peripheral: 38 / 28
Committed: 10
Willpower: 7 / 6

Parry DV: 6
Dodge DV: 2
Resolve: 4
Guile: 1

Join Battle: 8 + 3i - +5i from Sinuous Striking Grace (3m)

Soak: 5
Armor: +8, +2 from Argent Handshake Mien
Shapeshifted: +8 from Unusual Skin, +5 from DBT
Total Soak: 13 human / 26 DBT, +2 from Ardent Handshake Mein
Natural Hardness: 4
Armor Hardness: 7, +1 from Argent Handshake Mien

Weapons
Zelator
Type: Heavy (+1 ACC, +14 DMG, +0 DEF, OVW 5)
Tags: Lethal, Melee, Piercing, Reaching;
Two-Handed when on foot
The spear makes baneful attacks against sorcerers, sorcerous constructs, sorcerously transformed opponents, and summoned spirits. Its decisive attacks against such foes add one bonus die to the damage roll and deal aggravated damage. If the target is a sorcerer who has gathered sorcerous motes, three of the gathered motes are dispersed and lost.

 

[jaydude]

At the news that there was a place where they could all hide from the Raksha, Atusa smiled approvingly. If a gambit aided by a hidden trump card was the best way out of this, it was better to learn one of the Bintanath's secrets than reveal one of the Hematti's.

"I had business with your people prior to coming across this scene. And a place that the Raksha cannot follow would be greatly appreciated right now." she said to the blue djinn, before glancing back towards the massive fleet that was pursuing them. "We need to get as far away from them as possible, or we might lead them to this place of yours. Tell your people to get as much speed out of their sandships as possible, if they aren't already doing so."

With that command given, Atusa ran up onto the top deck of the ship in order to better see everything happening all around her, a solid disc of golden light appearing on her forehead as she put all her mental efforts into escaping the Raksha horde.

[Taking the first option. Rolling Wits + Sail + Sandships Speciality + Manoeuvrability dice. I don't think I can claim a stunt here. I am going to spend 6m Peripheral Essence on Atusa's Sail Excellency however, bringing her Anima up to Glowing, and giving me 15 dice with which to roll. 9 Successes.]

 

[Rykon]

Quiet now. What more could she say? How would she begin to say things? Well, she let him guide her to the back, and to the side she set her straw hat. As well as a long staff shaped packaged that was wrapped in burlap.

That questions could wait, well she would argue but the smell of all the cooking made her stomach grumble. She would be drooling if she wasn't careful. And by the time she received the specially prepared meal, she had to force herself not to dig into it like some kind of animal. Too long had she had gone without a good meal that the only flavor she could taste was "good". It wasnt worms or grubs or desert toads, no it was actual human food and cooked! She didn't know how much she missed it until she realized she was trying to hold back tears.

Hmm. No that wasn't from the food. Here, now, she felt so relieved. With him here, with Jean here, she felt right. Like she had found what she had been looking for and she could do this forever.

She reminded herself that wasn't the case. But until this meal was done, who cared?



When she finished, and licked her plate clean, she sat staring at John.

"You know me, yet you do not. And for me it is the same." She started. "The woman making the betting pools, she will not likely get the answer. What we are is something much deeper than that. Something that has stood the test of ages and will last for ages more."

Hazel looked around to make sure they were alone. "You have been gifted exaltation by the Unconquered Sun. I too have exalted, by the hand of Luna. We have a bond, you and I. A special bond that is sacred between solars and lunars. One that was forged by us in the First Age."

"What we went through... I do not know. I can't remember. Summoning knowledge of one's past lives is no mean feat. With luck, it may come in time. But the emotions that we feel right now are very real. Ones we shared back then, and will again."

"The bond, however, goes further than feelings. With it comes a duty. For me. I am yours, Jean. I am here to protect and guide you, and help you achieve the greatness that you were meant to grasp. Luna expects nothing less." Hazel said with a proud smile.



Hazel looks down at her hands and grimaced, "And perhaps I should address the elephant in the room... i am not raksha or beast man. I am a human. I just... I just spent too much time in the Wyld."

"I've been struggling to find out what I am without starting some kind of panic for a while now. It hadn't occurred to me that what had happened was Exaltation." Jean seemed somewhat relieved to have that burden off his shoulders, but plenty more questions presented themselves. "I don't know if anyone else would really believe me though or what kind of chaos that rumor mill might cause."

"As for our bond... I certainly have... well, plenty of feelings I guess." He felt his face flush red as he spoke. "Yet I still don't quite know what I am to you. You know your duty, but I have no real instinct or understanding of mine." He paused, trying to find the words to say to this woman he barely knew. He reached for her hand, finding her company oddly pleasant and familiar even if she had only just revealed herself.

"This is all a lot to process, but I can feel in my spirit that what you say is true and sincere. I knew that I was yours when I saw you, and that you were mine. As for your circumstances, I can see it hurts you deeply." He drew closer as he spoke to draw Hazel into another warm embrace. "I do admit, I'd like to see you as you truly are but it doesn't have to be so bad. Until we can figure out a remedy, is there anything I can do to help?"

 

[Sherwood]

Renna sees the giant figure and directs Asha towards it. It will probably require both me and Morrolan to take this guys on. Luckily for the Red Arms that they are so well prepared for things like this. With her anima blazing, she is ready for a fight.

Spoiler

Initiative of 5 for Renna
Limit for Renna: 2 Disregard the first roll; put too many dice into it
Initiative for the Red Arms: 9
Strategic Maneuver Roll:


Increasing Strength Exercise Active
Form Charm Active

Health Levels
-0 [ ]
-1 [ ][ ][ ]
-2 [ ][ ][ ]
-4 [ ]
I [ ]

Essence: 1
Personal: 13 / 13
Peripheral: 33 / 10
Committed: 10
Willpower: 5

Parry DV: 6 +1 from Adorei
Dodge DV: 4
Resolve: 2
Guile: 2

Join Battle: 7 +3i

Soak: 2
Armor: 8
Total: 10
Hardness: 7

Weapons
Beloved Adorei
Type: Medium (+4 ACC, +12 DMG, +1 DEF, OVW 4)
Adorei grants one automatic success to all withering damage rolls.

 

[Random Word]

Renna and Morrolan:

Spoiler: Mechanics

Strategic Manoeuvre 7: 5 hits, plus botch on Renna. Two Stratagems, Ambush + a modified Fortifications. This is real bad. Try not to die.
Ruby Bey JB 8: 6 hits, 9i
Din Reserves JB: 8: 6 hits, 9i

Initiative order:
Morrolan: 11i (Acting at 16i due to Charm)
Red Arms, Ruby Bey, and Din Reserves: 9i
Renna: 5i

Morrolan is up.

You are Chosen of the greatest war god to ever stride the battlefields of Creation, and yet in this one terrible instant this blessing grants you only a flawless understanding of exactly how dire the tactical situation has become. You do not know which war god you have offended, whether through action or inaction, for you do not even know the names of the war gods of this strange and foreign land. Surely you have not offended the mighty Lord of Cattle himself, but neither has Ahlat seen fit to intercede on your behalf against his lessers. All of this and more crosses your mind in the space between heartbeats as you stare into those pitiless ruby eyes, shining with an ancient cunning and the ages-accumulated wisdom of the mountain, while they in turn remain transfixed on the great and terrible mark that burns fiercely upon your brow. Slowly, grindingly, like the aeons-slow shifting of the earth, it casts its mind back through the millennia to recall when it last saw such a sign, but it needs no wisdom of ages lost to interpret the palpable aura of terror that radiates from you, proclaiming you a sword inimical to all you call foe, capable of laying low even the titans who built the world. The threat you pose is undeniable and existential, and so it will pull no punches.

You had thought everything well in hand. You formed the cavalry of the Red Arms into a wedge, a sturdy and powerful formation that, with warriors as devastating as you and Morrolan to serve as the point, was capable of breaching even the intimidating phalanx of sturdy earth elementals arrayed before you. A shining golden double of every soldier in the company forms beside them, unfailingly valiant and willing to give its life to protect its mirror, forming the outer and frontmost layers of the wedge, the better to shield the flesh and blood soldiers from harm. You had thought to pierce their line and carry on through, then wheel around and charge again from behind while the infantry pinned them from the front, a tactic that had easily dispatched a hundred lesser foes. You had not counted on the very bones of the earth turning against you, obsidian knives slowly erupting from the earth around them to form a funnel narrowing towards the centre of the enemy line as the drummers atop to pyramid changed to an intense rhythm that mimics the racing of your heart. The blades rose so slowly, their purpose transparent, and yet when you called for the cavalry to break right to leap over the wall of blades before it became too high the enemy general anticipated you and hurled the great boulder it held aloft, forcing the cavalry to manoeuvre desperately to avoid it, buying time for the obstacle to become both too wide and tall to attempt to vault. The momentum of your charge worked against you here, for the blades rose faster the closer they were to the pyramid, and even as you tried to halt the charge and with perfectly drilled precision your soldiers obeyed without colliding and trampling one another, still every second brought you deeper into the killing funnel.

It is the nightmare of every cavalry officer to find themselves in a position where their unit has no room to manoeuvre. Speed, the great and terrible momentum of the charge, and freedom of motion are your strengths, and packed shoulder to shoulder like this with no room to so much as draw a blade, let alone evade, and sapped of all your momentum, you are at your most vulnerable. And then, as if to drive home exactly how deeply the gods have taken offense, everything gets worse. The Din outside the killing funnel begin to sink into the earth, slowly enough that your barely notice at first, then suddenly they're gone. They're going to attack from beneath you. You had ruled it out as a possibility - surely if they could travel through the earth, even if only briefly, they would simply have bypassed the walls around Kabir entirely, rather than bothering to breach them? The walls then must be warded against such intrusion, for the people of Kabir have fought this enemy countless times before. The Pyramid is not this far from the walls for fear of counterattack, but to be outside the wards that bar the Din from walking through the earth.

You risk a glance behind you to see the infantry struggling to cross the shifting, hostile earth to reach you as fast as they can. They will be too slow. You can already hear the Din in front take up the rallying cry of the enemy commander in their strange language and charge towards you, and moments later you see grasping fists and driving spears erupt from the earth beneath and the blades of stone beside you. To their credit the Red Arms do not break or panic despite the terrifying situation, and the screaming only begins when bronze bites flesh.

Morrolan, with the peerless reflexes of a veteran warrior augmented with the blessing of Luna, is already moving before the enemy can even rise from the earth. So it falls to you once again to save Renna and the Red Arms from imminent disaster.

[Morrolan is up first. The enemy battlegroup is at Short Range and advancing. The Ruby Bey is at Medium Range behind them. You are effectively surrounded, being attacked from five sides, and cut off from half your forces, who are at Long Range and must pass over Difficult Terrain to relieve you. You have Defense 0 for the first round (You're going to feel that one in the morning), and -2 to Defense for the following 3 rounds. Everything is Difficult Terrain, so a difficulty 4 Dex+Athletics roll is required for any move action unless you're leaping through the air with a Charm or something.]

 

[Random Word]

Atusa:

It's remarkable how difficult it becomes to piece together the events preceding the moment those bewitching eyes seized your own, drinking deeply of your attention like it's an oasis before a woman wandering the desert a thousand years. Everything before that moment seems somehow to pale into irrelevance. Only the burning pain of the cold iron charm strapped tightly to the back of your hand cuts through the delightful but deadly reverie and allows you to put your thoughts in order. You recall your masterful command of the fleet, pulling well ahead of the enemy through coordinated fire, efficacious propitiation of spirits of wind, and deft manoeuvre, foiled only by a second small fleet the Raksha sent the long way across the dunes to intercept anyone travelling down this particular exit from the junction. Clearly they anticipated where the Bintanath intended to retreat, or at least its general direction. At great cost and with suicidal bravery the small flotilla of skiffs managed to slow down several escorts, resorting to ramming where necessary, forcing the entire fleet to slow down just long enough for the pursuing ships to latch on. The scale of the battle rapidly escalated from there.

The Mandjet acquitted herself admirably, archers loosing a hail of slings and arrows against this outrageous fortune through the slits in the ironwood plates, while return fire was harmlessly deflected. Boarders attempted to slip between the gaps in the plates, only to be crushed when you commanded the Djinn shift the ship to bring the plates together. The great stone serpents of the larger vessels formed boarding bridges over the plating, while harpoons and grappling hooks allowed the enemy to climb up into the rigging. You led the crew to repulse them again and again, cutting through scores of lesser naga and mortal cultists, and personally slaying a ten metre long naga champion.

Perhaps it was this last that drew her attention, or perhaps it was mere coincidence that the enemy flagship finally joined the fray moments later, two of its immense stone snakes working together to tear free one of the ironwood plates on the side of the Mandjet, the ironwood protesting as it bent like metal until it finally gave way with a terrible tearing sound and a shower of deadly splinters. Globs of acid were spit at the adjacent slits to suppress your archers as the two snake heads bit down onto the hull to form bridges over which dozens of naga poured. A third serpent head arced up and bit on to the second deck to create a bridge only for her.

Spoiler: Acekara, the Scales of Justice

Join Battle 8; Essence 2; Personal 20
Movement 8
Soak 10/H0, Parry 3, Evasion 6
Command Battlegroup 8; Senses 11; Disguise: 12 dice; Inspire: 14 dice; Instill or Persuade: 13 dice; Read Intentions: 12 dice; Seduction: 16 dice; Senses: 12 dice; Resist Poison/Illness: 12 dice; Stealth: 11 dice; Craft (Gossamer) 8 dice
Appearance 7, Resolve 5, Guile 7

Glittering Knives - 14 dice, 13/2 damage

Solid emerald scales that sparkle beautifully in the dawn light run up the side her legs, over her hips, along the curve of her waist, and the side of her neck all the way up to her cheeks. Poets speak of eyes one could lose oneself in, but the most beautiful mortal exemplars may as well be so many gaping toothed sockets before these soul-drinking, thought eclipsing marvels, their iridescent irises continuously and subtly shifting in endlessly fascinating patterns that only increase in complexity and beauty the longer one watches. Heavy black kohl eyeliner and eyeshadow of crushed emerald served to accentuate and draw the eye of the observer towards her own. A small set of brass scales hangs from her right ear. Golden vipers coil around her forearms, lower legs, and the base of her high ponytail. Her violet hair cascades almost to the floor, periodically bound by more golden serpents holding the scabbards of jewelled daggers. The green loincloth that ties off and hangs over her skirt depicts a set of brass scales weighing a heart and feather, with the jaws of a viper poised to swallow the heart, and around her waist hang a dozen more ornate blades.

She extended her arms out wide and spoke with a mellifluous lilt that cut through the din of battle, "I am Acccekara, Ssscales of Justiccce; Witnessss your judgement and rejoiccce, for my mercccy isss infinite. You have impressssed me wittth your valour. Ttthough you have been sssentenccced to deattth, I will ssspare thossse amongssst you who worssship me mossst fervently, and grant you the honour of ssserving me. Now, who amongssst you slew Ossssottth, Bone-" At this point you cleaved your way through a group of naga, and her questing eyes finally met yours, bringing us back to the present moment. She freezes in astonishment as she takes in your caste mark and your glowing nimbus, her lips parted slightly in awe. Her long forked tongue flicks out, tasting the air, and slowly she smiles, savouring the moment. She switches from Flametongue to Old Realm, "Oh my. Hasss my beautiful little golden bird flown her gilded cage to return to me? It hasss been sssso long ssssinccce I tasssted you. Do you sssstill remember how to danccce?" She draws a knife in each hand and twirls them dramatically, eyes glittering with anticipation.

Spoiler: Mechanics

Did you use Ship-Claiming Stance on the Mandjet? If so I'll subtract 1 from all enemy pools for those aboard.

Acekara spends 5m to use her Instill pool of 13 to Join Battle. Everyone whose Resolve is beaten by her JB result will be instilled with a Tie of Adoration for her. Standard 1 WP to ignore creation of a Minor Tie. Anyone who fails to resist the Tie will not be able to bring themselves to harm her unless harmed by her, and will attempt to prevent others from harming her (though not resorting to violence unless their Tie is raised to Defining).

Your personal guard (Size 1), Sirocco, and Beacon will be rolling 8 dice for JB. The naga (goblins) + cultists (Size 3) and the crew of the Mandjet (Size 3) will be rolling 6 dice, and Nethesua, the naga champion leading them in the assault, will be rolling 8 dice. That's a lot of stuff! Might have to streamline a bit by saying some of them keep each other busy for their turns, but we'll see. I'll put up their stat lines as it becomes necessary.

You can have your 6m back, since your excellent Sail roll was otherwise narratively wasted.

 

[Psychie]

Morrolan is shocked to see the very earth beneath them begin to sprout these spikes, but moves quickly to do something about them. I must give Renna time to rally the troops, and draw the ire of these Din away from her. I can take the blows and heal where she cannot. In any case, this is going to hurt.

He decides to make himself as big of a target to the Din as he can in a very real sense. With a loud roar, he continues to charge towards the pyramid, his lance held out in front of him to spear any unfortunate Din that might make the mistake of getting in his way.

Random Word OOC I want to go ahead and make a Decisive Attack against one of the Din in front of me. Do I get any bonus dice from having Legendary size, or any bonus Stunt dice?

Spoiler

Spending 15m 1wp on Towering Beast Form to grow to Legendary Size from my Peripheral Essence, also putting me at the Totemic bonfire level of Anima, and 5m from my Strength Excellency to help break through the line of spikes.

DBT Active
Ardent Handshake Mein Active to up my Soak to 28.

Health Levels
-0 [ ] (+[ ] Only in DBT Form)
-1 [ ][ ]
-2 [ ][ ][ ][ ][ ] - [ ]
-4 [ ][ ][ ][ ][ ]
I [ ]

Essence: 1
Personal: 16 / 12
Peripheral: 38 / 23
Committed: 10
Willpower: 7 / 6

Parry DV: 6
Dodge DV: 2
Resolve: 4
Guile: 1

Join Battle: 8 + 3i - +5i from Sinuous Striking Grace (3m)

Soak: 5
Armor: +8, +2 from Argent Handshake Mien
Shapeshifted: +8 from Unusual Skin, +5 from DBT
Total Soak: 13 human / 26 DBT, +2 from Ardent Handshake Mein
Natural Hardness: 4
Armor Hardness: 7, +1 from Argent Handshake Mien

Weapons
Zelator
Type: Heavy (+1 ACC, +14 DMG, +0 DEF, OVW 5)
Tags: Lethal, Melee, Piercing, Reaching;
Two-Handed when on foot
The spear makes baneful attacks against sorcerers, sorcerous constructs, sorcerously transformed opponents, and summoned spirits. Its decisive attacks against such foes add one bonus die to the damage roll and deal aggravated damage. If the target is a sorcerer who has gathered sorcerous motes, three of the gathered motes are dispersed and lost.

 

[Random Word]

[Minor stunt. Legendary Size gives lots of bonuses, but they're all defensive in nature. You can substitute Dex + Athletics with Str + Athletics if you're smashing through Difficult Terrain. Renna, of course, rolls Dex + Ride for combat movement.]

 

[Psychie]

That gives me a total of 19 dice to hit. Rolling.

The dice want Renna and I to die in this fight I can feel it.

 

[Random Word]

[Oh, wait a moment - which Legendary Size animal form did you shift into? Towering Beast Form can't be used to make your Deadly Beastman form Legendary Size. That requires Mountainous Spirit Expression.]

 

[Psychie]

I was hoping to stick to my Deadly Beastman form. I guess I get 15m back for that Charm. Sorry about that.

 

[Random Word]

Morrolan:

Stone blades shatter harmlessly on your moonsilver-reinforced hide as you smash your way through to the advancing enemy line, but the treacherous earth claws at your feet, slowing your charge, and just as you're about to drive Zelator into the enemy the Ruby Bey raises one gauntleted hand and a wall of stone erupts before you. It shatters before your charge, but your momentum is spent, and the enemy steps back out of the collapsing rubble of the hastily erected wall without breaking ranks.

The Red Arms and the Din clash, slashing swords hastily drawn against short spear and fist in a vicious close quarters struggle. The Din countercharge Morrolan, and spears strike at Renna and Asha from the sides while stony claws grasp at Asha's hooves and try vainly to pull Renna from her mount.

Spoiler: Mechanics

Morrolan's unfortunate 4 hits on 19 dice does not beat the Din's Parry of 7. Morrolan loses 2i for a failed decisive attack, dropping down to 9i.

Din are attacking the Red Arms, Morrolan, and Renna with their short spears for 15 dice, damage 20.
Red Arms are attacking the Din with 14+2 (for being mounted against an unmounted battlegroup) dice, damage 15. They would be more effective if they could use their longspears, but they aren't charging and the enemy is too close to wield them effectively.

The Red Arms hit the Din with 0 net successes.
The Din hit Renna, Morrolan, and the Red Arms with 8 net successes, because DV 0 from ambush.

Spoiler: Red Arms

Spoiler: The Ruby Bey

Join Battle 8; Essence 3; Personal 80
Movement 10(+3 Sux/8m)
Soak 10/H3, Parry 5, Evasion 3
Command 8; Senses 6; Tremorsense 8; Command the Earth 10(+3 Sux/8m)
Appearance 2, Resolve 5, Guile 1

Boulder Meets Sky - Attack: 13 - Damage 16/2
Smashfists - A: 16 - D: 15/3

Spoiler: Din Reserves

Might 1 for being Elementals, +1 Might from the ritual atop the pyramid, which can only be performed at night.