Shadows of the Setting Sun (Main)

[WlfSamurai]

Tyree and Makuro transform and leap to the skies. They're able twist and dodge the attempts of the massive corrupt abomination to grab them or block their escape. Below the two lunars, the surging masses of dead, ghosts, and cultists converge around the giant monster's legs howling and grasping vainly into the sky in frustration.

Tyree and Makuro have escaped.

End Combat
Sherwood jaydude

End Scene

###​

Elsewhere, up the ridge and a ways away, Afureru holds for the ghosts riding toward her to get closer. She's looking for her opening to do what she does best.

The grotesque horses thunder toward Afureru and close the gap (close range). The phantom riders sweep down with tainted weapons to cut the Solar down.

[Withering attack, 17 dice. Declare defense.]
D. Rex

Round 2 Initiative:
Ghostly Battle Group 5
Afureru 10 (tick 4)

Spoiler: Mechanics

Ghostly Battle Group
Size: 2; Drill: Elite; Might: 2

+2 Command rolls

Magnitude: 9/9

Essence: 1; Willpower: 4; Join Battle: 4 dice

Combat
Attack (Bite): 8 dice (Damage 19)
Attack (Claw): 12 dice (Damage 15)
Attack (Spear): 17 dice (Damage 19)
Combat Movement: 5 dice
Defense 7
Soak/Hardness: 10/1

 

[D. Rex]

Tyree and Makuro transform and leap to the skies. They're able twist and dodge the attempts of the massive corrupt abomination to grab them or block their escape. Below the two lunars, the surging masses of dead, ghosts, and cultists converge around the giant monster's legs howling and grasping vainly into the sky in frustration.

Tyree and Makuro have escaped.

End Combat
Sherwood jaydude

End Scene

###​

Elsewhere, up the ridge and a ways away, Afureru holds for the ghosts riding toward her to get closer. She's looking for her opening to do what she does best.

The grotesque horses thunder toward Afureru and close the gap (close range). The phantom riders sweep down with tainted weapons to cut the Solar down.

[Withering attack, 17 dice. Declare defense.]
D. Rex

Round 2 Initiative:
Ghostly Battle Group 5
Afureru 10 (tick 4)

Spoiler: Mechanics

Ghostly Battle Group
Size: 2; Drill: Elite; Might: 2

+2 Command rolls

Magnitude: 9/9

Essence: 1; Willpower: 4; Join Battle: 4 dice

Combat
Attack (Bite): 8 dice (Damage 19)
Attack (Claw): 12 dice (Damage 15)
Attack (Spear): 17 dice (Damage 19)
Combat Movement: 5 dice
Defense 7
Soak/Hardness: 10/1

Dodge DV: 6

Minus any penalty you want given that Afureru is still holding Embrace.

Given that they are now in close range, I would like to reflexively activate White Reaper Style Form for 8 motes.

 

[WlfSamurai]

The ghost riders pass around Afureru, striking her over and over. Nothing penetrates here armor and several of the weapons she is able to move out of the way of.

Afureru, you're up!
D. Rex

[Withering attack: 10 successes. Damage roll 23 dice - 6 soak = 17 dice. 6 initiative damage.]


Round 2 Initiative:
Ghostly Battle Group 5
Afureru 4 (tick 4) <=======

Round 3 Initiative:
Ghostly Battle Group 5

Spoiler: Mechanics

Ghostly Battle Group
Size: 2; Drill: Elite; Might: 2

+2 Command rolls

Magnitude: 9/9

Essence: 1; Willpower: 4; Join Battle: 4 dice

Combat
Attack (Bite): 8 dice (Damage 19)
Attack (Claw): 12 dice (Damage 15)
Attack (Spear): 17 dice (Damage 19)
Combat Movement: 5 dice
Defense 7
Soak/Hardness: 10/1

 

[D. Rex]

As she reared in a fearsome stance. He forehead blazed with the same intense anticipation that she felt now. Their weapons striking her like reeds across the hull of a river boat, her movements keeping them from finding any purchase.

Now they shall feel the bite of her own.

With a spin, she made a low backward swing of her halberd. Ducking under speartips meant for her head... waiting until she was in their midst to swing for maximum effect. Her target being the legs of the undead steed. Using her strength to their bones and send falling and the horse to collide in a cruel pileup.



CHARM

Spoiler: Falling Scythe Flash

Falling Scythe Flash
Cost: 5m; Mins: Martial Arts 3, Essence 1;
Type: Supplemental
Keywords: Dual
Duration: Instant
Prerequisite Charms: None

After taking a moment to icily judge the optimal point to apply force to an opponent, the White Reaper strikes without restraint. When used with a withering attack, Falling Scythe Slash doubles the martial artist’s Strength rating for calculating its raw damage.

Alternatively, on a decisive attack against an enemy with lower Initiative, it adds the martial artist’s (Strength/2, round up) to raw damage.

With the MA form active, the armies drill counts as 1 lower when they are to calculate their defense.


Withering Attack
5mt Excellency

5dx+5ma+1sp+1acc+5exc+Stunt

23 attack die

11 sux

WlfSamurai

 

[Random Word]

Sigrdrífa re-examines this metal bird from before time, "Before the tribes? If it comes from the time before the Spirits made us, then does that make this the first sparrow Sparrow made? It's pretty, but I like the final ones better. This one doesn't soar. Still, I will carry it with me, for good fortune." She tucks it into her bag before the brilliant silver and gold light spanning the heavens draws her attention skyward with a grin and a dangerous glint in her eye, "I think that's my cue. Intercede with the Spirits and ask them to bless my efforts - While they're distracted I'm going to go teach this Thrice-Dead Achiba why cowering in settled fortifications is stupid when I dash its precious tower against the rocks with it inside. Let's see if I can't make it Frice-Dead."

 

[Esbilon]

Zoya follows Sigrdrifa's gaze with her own, the tower looming forebodingly before them. Letting the light still emanating from her illuminate her sight as well, she examines the tower critically, seeing beyond what is in the ken of mere mortals.

OOC: Activating Truth-Rending Gaze (Ex3 p 332) and throwing my last 6 motes into a Lore Excellency as well as assuming a rank 1 stunt. 4 sux and I'm officially out of motes.

 

[WlfSamurai]

Afureru strikes at just the right moment.

She cuts down mount and rider alike, like wheat to the scythe. Ghosts fall and pile around the Solar.

[You get an initiative break bonus. They lose almost two magnitude track's worth. They drop 1 size and have to make a route check. They succeed.]

[You're up again, D. Rex .]


Round 3 Initiative:
Afureru 31 <=======
Ghostly Battle Group 5

Spoiler: Mechanics

Ghostly Battle Group
Size: 1/2; Drill: Elite; Might: 2

+2 Command rolls

Magnitude: 1/9

Essence: 1; Willpower: 4; Join Battle: 4 dice

Combat
Attack (Bite): 8 dice (Damage 19)
Attack (Claw): 12 dice (Damage 15)
Attack (Spear): 17 dice (Damage 19)
Combat Movement: 5 dice
Defense 7
Soak/Hardness: 10/1

 

[WlfSamurai]

With her Essence-fillled gaze, Zoya deduces in an instant that this tower is a Manse, laced with soulsteel. It serves three purposes. First, the creation of a dread-hearthstone. Second, in a wide area around it, the tower amplifies the potency and effectiveness of necromancy. And lastly, over time, it presses the shodowland out further. Like a plague on Creation, it inches outward, spreading over weeks and months.

 

[Esbilon]

Zoya reaches out and puts her hand on Sigrdrifa's shoulder, asking the other to pause for a moment. "That is no mere tower," she says with concern in her voice, "it is a Manse - the product of necrotic geomancy. It will be stronger than it has any right to be and might have magical traps for the unwary. However, that also means that it is a greater threat than merely the dwelling of a monster. It amplifies the power of necromancy around it - perhaps it would even be impossible to raise an army like this without it - and it spreads the wound in Creation that is this Shadowland ever outwards. Its center of power will be the Hearthroom through which all the nearby Essence flows."

OOC: Can I tell where the Hearthroom will be? Maybe int+occ?

 

[D. Rex]

Afureru strikes at just the right moment.

She cuts down mount and rider alike, like wheat to the scythe. Ghosts fall and pile around the Solar.

[You get an initiative break bonus. They lose almost two magnitude track's worth. They drop 1 size and have to make a route check. They succeed.]

[You're up again, D. Rex .]


Round 3 Initiative:
Afureru 31 <=======
Ghostly Battle Group 5

Spoiler: Mechanics

Ghostly Battle Group
Size: 1/2; Drill: Elite; Might: 2

+2 Command rolls

Magnitude: 1/9

Essence: 1; Willpower: 4; Join Battle: 4 dice

Combat
Attack (Bite): 8 dice (Damage 19)
Attack (Claw): 12 dice (Damage 15)
Attack (Spear): 17 dice (Damage 19)
Combat Movement: 5 dice
Defense 7
Soak/Hardness: 10/1

With one swing she had decimated their numbers, and with her backswing she would finish them! A silvery white halo appeared at her back. Floating like an ominous sign of things to come.

She planted her feet and put both muscle and her weight into it. Holding the haft of the halberd at the pommel to reach out wide, cleavage halberd through whatever was unfortunate enough to still be within its reach, namely those who were still charging forward having not the time to react to their brethren having just fallen. They shall all fall like wheat to the scythe.


Decisive Attack
5dx+5ma+1sp+2stunt
5mt Excellency

Charm
Falling Scythe Flash 5mts (+2 to raw damage)



Form charm: Battlegroup is -1 Defense




Successes: 4

 

[D. Rex]

Decisive damage

31 Initiative
Double 10s on decisive (White reaper form)
+2 from falling scuthe flash

33 die.


18 success

 

[Esbilon]

The light of Zoya's anima that still surrounds her shapes itself before her and she lets her hand slide down Sigrdrifa's arm. "The Heartroom will be somewhere underground, the higher levels are for servants, for keeping watch, and for geomatic purposes. To find your foe, and to hurt him, you must go below ground. I understand that what you have in mind is a quick hit-and-run where anyone else would merely slow you down, but if you decide a slower approach is better, you need not go alone."

 

[jaydude]

Sherwood
As Afureru battled the ghostly army, and Zoya and Sigrdrífa discussed the ominous tower, Makuro and Tyree would regroup on a hill close to the undead army's encampment, keeping it within view in case they needed to react to anything happening there. Makuro shifted back into his human form, took one last habitual glance at the area they'd flown from, then sat himself down on a rock and looked towards his fellow Lunar.

"I don't know whether I should be grateful that you managed to kill that necromancer, or furious that you decided to start a fight while you were right in the middle of the enemy camp." he said in a neutral tone. Despite his words, he wasn't trying to start a fight here. He just wanted to get to know Tyree a bit more.

Spoiler: Makuro Stats

Essence: 1
Personal Essence: 7/16
Peripheral Essence: 33/38
Anima: Glowing

Committed Essence: 5 + 4 (Hundred Rings)

Willpower: 6
Join Battle: 7
Health Levels:
-0: [_]
-1: [_], [_]
-2: [_], [_], [_], [_], [_], [_]
-4: [_], [_], [_]
Resolve 4, Guile 4

Attacks
Hundred Rings (13 Withering, 10 Decisive, 14 Damage, Overwhelming 4)
Unarmed (14 Withering, 10 Decisive, 9 Damage, Overwhelming 1)

Actions
Rush: 7 dice
Disengage: 10 dice

Evasion 5, Parry 6
Soak/Hardness: 6/0 (Buff Jacket, +3 Soak)

 

[Random Word]

Sigrdrífa grins and gently squeezes the hand on her arm, "You say it is stronger than it has any right to be? This is a good thing for me to know. It is a good thing for you to know that so am I. Your bravery is good, but do not be so quick to join your ancestors. You are a bonfire in the night, and I was born in ice and shadow. The Spirits have something more important in mind for you than drowning in a sea of angry ghosts, I am certain. Now, is it you who does not believe I can break this thing that should not be, or do the Spirits tell you this?" [You get the feeling if it's merely you who does not believe she can topple the tower, she will think you merely underestimate her and go anyway. If the Spirits don't think she can do it, she'll grumble but abandon the idea or listen to your alternatives.]

 

[Esbilon]

"I do know that," Zoya answers with more affection in her voice that she would have expected before setting out on this strange voyage. "I know that your strength is matched only be your confidence in it. No spirits are warning me that you would be unable to do this, and truth be told I am myself merely in doubt. You should know that it being a manse also means that it has various seemingly superfluous structures or ornaments which are crucial to guiding the Essence flows. Strike those, and you may bring the tower down without striking the walls themselves." She steps forward and turns to look Sigrdrifa in the eyes, "however, be sure not to overextend yourself. Should this task you have set be too great, do not get bogged down, come back to us so that we may defeat this evil together."

[I know, but Zoya is too truthful to claim to speak for the spirits. WlfSamurai can I Introduce a Fact that there are some particular vulnerabilities that Sigrdrifa can exploit? Perhaps som cackling gargoyles on the battlements that if destroyed will disrupt internal defences?]

 

[Sherwood]

Sherwood
As Afureru battled the ghostly army, and Zoya and Sigrdrífa discussed the ominous tower, Makuro and Tyree would regroup on a hill close to the undead army's encampment, keeping it within view in case they needed to react to anything happening there. Makuro shifted back into his human form, took one last habitual glance at the area they'd flown from, then sat himself down on a rock and looked towards his fellow Lunar.

"I don't know whether I should be grateful that you managed to kill that necromancer, or furious that you decided to start a fight while you were right in the middle of the enemy camp." he said in a neutral tone. Despite his words, he wasn't trying to start a fight here. He just wanted to get to know Tyree a bit more.

Spoiler: Makuro Stats

Essence: 1
Personal Essence: 7/16
Peripheral Essence: 33/38
Anima: Glowing

Committed Essence: 5 + 4 (Hundred Rings)

Willpower: 6
Join Battle: 7
Health Levels:
-0: [_]
-1: [_], [_]
-2: [_], [_], [_], [_], [_], [_]
-4: [_], [_], [_]
Resolve 4, Guile 4

Attacks
Hundred Rings (13 Withering, 10 Decisive, 14 Damage, Overwhelming 4)
Unarmed (14 Withering, 10 Decisive, 9 Damage, Overwhelming 1)

Actions
Rush: 7 dice
Disengage: 10 dice

Evasion 5, Parry 6
Soak/Hardness: 6/0 (Buff Jacket, +3 Soak)

Tyree settles down next to Makuro and shifts back to her human form, tossing her hair back out of her face in the process. She looks over at him and says, "I had no plans to rile up the dead back there. The necromancer was just a target of opportunity that I just couldn't pass up. The good news is, she is dead and will not be raising up any more of those monsters that we faced. More good news is that the thing will take a long time to heal from the damage done to it by Zelator. The bad news is the fact that this thing is still 'alive'. If it weren't for the onrushing army charging in, we would have destroyed that thing, and rid Creation of its filth."

 

[jaydude]

Tyree settles down next to Makuro and shifts back to her human form, tossing her hair back out of her face in the process. She looks over at him and says, "I had no plans to rile up the dead back there. The necromancer was just a target of opportunity that I just couldn't pass up. The good news is, she is dead and will not be raising up any more of those monsters that we faced. More good news is that the thing will take a long time to heal from the damage done to it by Zelator. The bad news is the fact that this thing is still 'alive'. If it weren't for the onrushing army charging in, we would have destroyed that thing, and rid Creation of its filth."

"You may be right." the Changing Moon admitted. "I guess I'm just a bit annoyed that a fellow Lunar decided to risk her life without letting me in on her thought process beforehand. We were both chosen to serve the same god, and the Silver Pact has been in existence for over several centuries. We and Toun should be working together, for the good of all."

 

[WlfSamurai]

As the riders circle Afureru, she reaps them with her scythe in large, devastating swings, cleaving groups of them at a time. In the end the entire patrolling party of ghosts have been carved into heaps. Even their ghostly horses have been maimed.

End Combat

Amid the pile, a single grotesque man claws the dirt, dragging his upper body along the ground. His bottom half is missing thanks to Afureru’s deft work. His face is ruined from his cursed life. One eye is bulging and the bone around it clearly mis-healed into an unnatural shape—a sign of the frequent beatings in his former life. His cloak is in tatters and his leathers and protective jacket have been ravaged by battle.

He grunts and groans as he drags what’s left of his body.

D. Rex