Interovegas2. Skyway Robbery - Faces In The Dark
#51
Five soldiers in chain top coats and green hoods come climbing over the boarding dock. They immediately begin their sweep of the deck for contraband or shipments. When they confirm there is nothing of concern above they go to check the below decks and the hold. While four of them methodically check through peoples belongings the remaining man starts questioning crew members about their voyage, where they came from and their personal identities.

Eventually, the interrogator motions for Judy.

Interrogating Soldier-[Imperial]: "Thy calling and purpose sailor?"
#52
Judy does her best attempt at a Northhold accent.

Judy-[Imperial]: "The name's Judy ser, and I'm just here to make some money, fallen on hard time's ye see, and I figured being a sky sailor will get me a quick coin."
#53
[Interrogator roll for sense+empathy: 5,6,6,7,10 Result: Success]
[Judy roll for charm+lie: 1,10 Result: Fail]

[Interrogator roll for charm+lie: 2,8,8 Result: Success]
[Orkan roll for sense+empath: 7 Result: Fail]

The interrogator raises an eyebrow.

Interrogating Soldier-[Imperial]: "An thou hail from which great realm?"
#54
[Imperial]-“Dost mine clothes and visage not make themselves apparent? Perchance my voice shall make it clear! This charming accent which grace my tongue can have but one home. I hail from the homeland of industry, of meritocracy. We who threw off the yoke of the Empire, who replaced the decrepit aristocracy with a vibrant and roaring culture. I hail, from Uld!”
#55
Judy - [Imperial]: "My home is over yonder."

Judy briefly points in the direction that would could vaguely mean Northhold or the Western Marches, or at least the direction that she THINKS would be appropriate, her sense of direction not being the best.

Judy - [Imperial]: "My hometown has the best beer, if I would reckon, and you wouldn't BELIEVE how beautiful Northhold's forests are..."

Judy suddenly and enthusiastically diverts onto a tangent about the various merits of Northhold, going on and on as long as her imagination, memory of Northhold and quick thinking can take her, finishing with:

Judy - [Imperial]: "You should really come visit someday ser!"
#56
The interrogator looks tired of Judy's enthusiastic chatter and Orkan's exuberance.

Interrogating Soldier-[Imperial]: "Thy tale of verdant splendor be'est quaint. I bid thee good fortunes."

The soldier continues along with his questioning of the other crew in the hull. The rest of the check goes off without a hitch. The soldiers gather and begin their way back to their scouting vessel. The lieutenant yells out:

Unknown Lieutenant-[Imperial]: "Thou ought knoweth the general's command! For thy own protection steer thy vessel from the border. Gain audience with honored Marcutio prior to lending thy assistance. Thou shall need assignment in our confederate formation to assure thy safety whilst flying high."

With that the boarding bridge is disassembled and the scouts take off to resume their patrol route.
#57
[Ob-Lob] -"Damn bu they'ah a fahkin' nice bunch. Choc a bloc of honawr 'n honeschoo. Let's go meet their leadah. Can we hurry, captayyn, 'n find our next hopena? Fahkin' bloody oath cobber."
#58
[Imperial]-"Lets get this airship moving then!"
#59
Andrea bellows [Edmond]: "Nuff chicken choking wat hab ye! Git tha waggin' o' the scales taa alrounda unfurlin'! Reech back tot he fullness a'sails!"

"Hear, hear!" Vala shouts in accompaniment whilst carrying out these orders.
#60
The crew don't need a third reminding of what to do. They release the sails to full and begin the descent. A half hour later the Espiegel is tethered in low hover to a trio of old wide boab trees a mile away from the camp. Finch takes Andrea, Orkan, Matyas, Vala, Judy and Agrina to land. Each one wraps a coord of rope around their waists and holds as the crew sends them down 30 feet.

The lot of them march through the scattered boabs towards the din of the military camp. Thick rank pools of mud impede their progress, except for Orkan who elects to follow the party from above. They find themselves in a shallow pool of mud in a clearing between five particularly gnarled Boabs when they hear a snarl from beyond the range of their light. Finch aims the light towards the noise and poorly illuminates a beast with the rough fur of a large wolf but six insectoid eyes and six foot long legs and arms. Each of its front hands have a pair of long sharp claws between two smaller fingers and opposable thumbs. Before a word can be spoken a second one makes its presence behind the party known. None among the party believe these creatures to have peaceful intentions.
#61
Finch draws his sabre and keeps his torch in his off hand. He knows fully well where this is going
#62
Judy - [Imperial]: "Captain, I'm not so good at fighting, perhaps I could help by holding the light so your hands are free?"
#63
[Encounter Start]
[Characters can only speak one sentence per encounter round]

[Waiting for action declarations from Judy, Andrea+Vala+Matyas, Orkan]
#64
In a heartbeat Andrea has lance and shield in hand, Vala and Matyas having weapons drawn as well. [Imperial] "Finally some action, let us commence attack plan alpha!" she crows, rushing forward.
[Uldish] "Ohh, I am staying on sheep next time," Matyas groans.
Vala simply lets out a war cry as all three attack the wolf creature in front of them.

[Andrea's shield is protecting locations 4 and 5]
#65
Finch tosses the torch to Judy and draws his pistol in his offhand. Deftly sidestepping to avoid being stuck among the group, he swings with his saber at the nearest beast when it lunges at the party.

[attacking a monster, setting expert dice to 10 for potential head shot]
#66
[Agrina uses Dodge]
#67
[Orkan takes two actions, using The School of the Insouciant Monkey to avoid the penalty for adding a Dodge Action. He dodges and casts Lightning Stroke (just the basic one).]
#68
  1. [Orkan roll for Coordination+Dodge: 3,4,7,7,7,8,8 Result: Success+4 Killing Damage To Torso]
  2. [Andrea roll for Body+Fight: 1,3,3,6,6,6,8 Result: Success+3 Killing Damage+4 Shock Damage To Right Arm]
  3. [Finch roll for Coordination+Weapon Skill (Sword): 2,3,8,8,10+ED:10 Result: Success+3 Killing Damage To Head]
  4. [Strange Beast #1 roll for Body+Fight: 1,1,2,2,4,5,8 Result: Success]
  5. [Strange Beast #2 roll for Body+Fight: 1,2,2,3,7,9,10 Result: Success]
  6. [Agrina roll for Coordination+Dodge: 1,1,6 Result: Useless]
  7. [Vala+Matyas roll for Attack: 4,10 Result: Failure]
  8. [Judy ... passes?]

The winged mage prepares a snap cast from his aerial vantage point. Lightning erupts violently from deep in his throat and illuminates the battlefield for a split second before burrowing into the strange thing's back. It recoils with a hideous screeching that nearly deafens the party. Andrea charges ahead of the rest with her powerful gait. She aims her lance and gives valorous thrust, tearing the core of the charred beasts right arm clean off. Finch tosses the torch to Judy and follows in Andrea's steps, leaps up and leverages against Andreas equine hindquarters to gain even greater height. From three feet off the ground Finchroscuma extends his saber forward and bolsters his slash with the added force of his fall. The dindavaran blade slides through one of the strange beast's eyes. Matyas evades the rush from the creature behind him. Agrina makes evasive motions in the mud for no apparent reason.

[Round 2: Declare Actions]
#69
[This time he will cast updraft on the creature impaling Matyas.]
#70
Judy gets a nice lungful of that choking smog emanating from the tip of the torch and then locks the torch in between her knees. She blows her held breath through her hands for a Smoke Arrow towards the closest creature.
#71
As she wheels around, for a moment Andrea glimpses a terrifying scene in which her brave companions are brutally skewered by the beasts. She blinks, and her vision corrects itself to show that they are in fact unharmed. What remains is her fear, that some cruel and unjust twist of fate would take them from her in one fell, ignorant swoop. She cannot allow that to happen.
[Imperial] “Matyas to me, Vala my rear! Strike only in defense of thyself!”

Andrea lances out at the front creature again whilst keeping her shield out to block any counterstroke aimed at Matyas.

[Andrea will Attack/Parry, Vala and Matyas Dodge, shield protecting 4 and 6]
#72
The injured beast at the front tries to give Finch a violent embrace.
The flanking beast persists in its assault on Matyas.
#73
Finch will focus on avoiding the oncoming attack

[Dodge skill]
#74
[Judy roll for Knowledge+Sorcery: 2,2,2,4,5,5,5,7,10+MD:5 Result: Success+4 Killing Damage to right arm]
[Strange Beast #2 (Flanking) Attack roll: 2,2,4,4,4,7,8 Result: Success]
[Orkan roll for Knowledge+Sorcery: 1,2,3,5,7,10+MD:10 Result: Success]
[Strange Beast #1 (Front) Attack roll: 2,3,5,6,7,9,9 Result: Failure]
[Finch roll for Coordination+Dodge: 5,6,7,7,9+ED:10 Result: Success]
[Andrea roll for Body+Fight-1d: 1,3,6,7,9,10 Result: Failure]
[Matyas and Vala roll for Dodge: 1,7 Result: Failure]

Judy performs a dark mimicry of Orkan's display moments ago with equal lethality. The beast positioned at the front loses complete use of its right arm after the bolt of smoke takes out a shotgun pellet sized hole from near its wrist. The pain sends the beast reeling back and spares Finch the trouble of having to evade.

[Strange Beast #1 cannot use its right arm.]

However, the enraged predator at the back manages to peel away Andrea's shield with one hand and sink its claw through Mathias like a hot knife through butter. Mathias stumbles back one step and tries to say something to Vala passes out from the sudden wound before can get out a single word.

[Matyas is defeated.]

Orkan bends the lines of magic around the strange beast at the front to his will and with a flick of his finger sends the thing shooting upwards and subsequently crashing down on its kin. The impact slams the creature.

[GM roll for impact causing slam: 2,2,5,7,8,9 Result: Success]
[GM roll for 30ft fall shock damage: 1,2,3,6,10,10]
[GM roll for impact shock damage: 5,9,9]

The spell's victim falls to the ground and goes limp while its partner completely loses its footing.

[The flanking beast is downed.]

[Encounter Round 3: Declare Actions]
#75
Orkan swoops in low for one more strafing pass. He clears his throat before whispering the magic words, each syllable growing louder and louder until the final one bursts forth from his mouth in a crackle of lightning. [Lightning Stroke! on the remaining dog]
#76
Judy - [Imperial]: "Aye, grimy! It's raining cats and doggos over here!"

Judy raises her torch high, and moves such that her allies are between her and the monster stack.
#77
[Imperial] "Matyas! Thou wilt pay for this, foul beast!"
Despite Andrea's best efforts, what she feared came to pass. Dread it, run from it, destiny arrives all the same.
Andrea charges at the beast as it struggles to regain its footing, while Vala moves to pick up Matyas.

[Andrea does Attack/Attack, shield on 4 and 5]
#78
Finch takes his sabre and tries for a coup de grâce on the beast he struck in the head earlier. Nobody can see it in the dark and shadows but he is immensely enjoying the rush of adrenaline from combat right now.

[Attack at the beast Finch hit earlier]
#79
[Orkan roll for Knowledge+Sorcery: 1,1,3,4,7,9,9+MD:9 Result: Success+4 Killing Damage to Torso]
[Andrea roll for Body+Fight-1d: 4,4,7,7,8,9 Result: Success+2 Killing Damage and 5 Shock Damage to Torso+2 Killing Damage and 5 Shock Damage to Left Arm]
[Finch roll for Coordination+Weapon Skill(Sword): 1,5,5,7,8+ED:10 Result: Success+3 Killing Damage to Right Arm]
[Strange Beast #2 roll for Body+Fight-1d: 2,2,3,4,4,10 Result: Success+3 Killing Damage to Left Arm]
[Judy roll for Body+Athletics: 2,3,3,5,7 Result: X]
[Vala roll for Initiative: 1 Result: X]

Orkan looses another barrage of lightning, intensifying the accumulating smell of burning flesh. Andrea turns about on her two hind legs and quickly drops her lance in through the rising beasts ribs. Finch makes certain the limp beast is dead with a clean thrust through its flesh. His target writhes weakly from the unceasing torrent of punishment. Finch spots faint fumes rising the multitude of bleeding wounds on the animal. The rising beast flails in rejection of the intruding steel loses a chunk of its flesh when it twists free of the weapon. It catches Judy on the left arm with a blind swipe that leaves behind a bloody gash. Judy retreats away from her attacker to behind the formation of Finch and Andrea while Vala begins slowly dragging her fallen comrade away from the battle.

[Round 4: Delcare Actions]
#80
Judy - [Imperial]: "Ack! I didn't sign up to be mauled in the first week! I hope its claws are not plagued..."

Judy repeats her previous maneuver to launch another arrow of Smoke from behind her allies, suppressing the pain in her left arm.
#81
Again Orkan cajoles the spirits of wind to lift this beast and hurl it onto the ground. [Updraft]
#82
Andrea continues to harry  the last lupine.
[Repeat last action]
#83
Finch will attempt to end things with a strike at the last beast

[Attack at beast with sabre]
#84
[b][Judy roll for Knowledge+Sorcery: 3,3,3,7,7,7,7,10,10+MD:10 Result: Godlike Success+5 Killing Damage to Torso][/b]
[Orkan roll for Knowledge+Sorcery: 1,3,3,4,7,8,10+MD:10 Result: Success]
[b][Finch roll for Coordination+Weapon Skill (Sword): 2,6,9,9,10+ED:10 Result: Success][/b]
[Andrea roll for Body+Fight-1d: 1,2,2,4,5,10 Result: Success]
[Strange Beast #2 roll for Body+Fight: 1,2,3,3,3,6,7 Result: Fail]
[GM roll for 30ft falling damage to Strange Beast #2: 2,2,4,6,7,8 Result: X]

The beast makes a final flurry of strikes at Andrea. Both its maiming claws come straight for her chest. A split second before mortal contact the creature is flung skywards by Orkan. At the very apex of its ascent Judy breathes in every ounce of smoke she can muster from her torch and bellows out a blast of smoke. Her spell crosses space in an instant and obliterates her target's core. The beast plummets to the ground and the party can see a barrel sized hole where the thing's vital organs once were.

[Encounter Over]

Vala-[Imperial]: "H-He... He must have aid!"
#85
Finch, unable to do anything for the man, turns his attention to Agrinna as he flicks the blood off his sword with a flourish and returns it to its sheathe at his side. Eyes narrowed on the girl, he speaks to her with a stern tone.

[Imperial]-"What in the Abyss were ye doing during that?! A man is wounded and here you are a coward with naught a blade glimmering with blood or pistol fired!"
#86
Orkan flutters down, landing on a low-slung baobob branch to avoid the mud. He clears his throat of any magical leavings, then asks, [Imperial]-“My ladies, I fear our conversations to this point have been but trote and superficial. Now I must ask, have either of thee a training in medicine?”
#87
Judy - [Imperial]: "Ahhhhhh, it still hurts like a hot iron! Take yer torch back will ye, Captain? I know some healing arts, so I need my hands free to treat the fallen man, and then myself."

Judy hands over her torch and goes over to Matyas to attempt makeshift triage.
#88
Andrea stares slackjawed as the beast is yanked up and speared through midair. After a few seconds she rushes over to check on Matyas' condition.

Vala[Imperial]: "I...think he still draws breath?"
Andrea grits her teeth. [Imperial]: "Though no match for a true physician, Matyas was most experienced of us in the ways o doctorin'. Load him 'pon my back! His best hope lies at yonder camp."

Andrea accepts Judy's offer to help for now though warns her that if he gets worse there will be consequences.
#89
Agrina stutters. She is visually terrified, so much so that Finch's anger and disappointment does not even register.

Agrina-[Imperial]: "What ... nature of ... bea- nay ... nightmare be that?"

She points back to the pair of bloodied corpses in the mud. All can observe the faint fumes have grown into a obvious stacks of smoke rising from the creatures accompanied by a quiet sizzling sound.

[Judy roll for Knowledge+Healing-1d: 1,6,7,9,10 Result: Failure]

Judy spends ten minutes tearing away at Matyas' layers and cloth sash to fashion some shreds of cloth that will serve as bandages. Her makeshift bandages are no good, too jagged and frayed to properly stem the bleeding. Andrea can tell Judy has only succeeded in wasting precious minutes until Matyas' bleeds out.
#90
Judy, seeing her own failure, shrugs in exasperation.

Judy - [Imperial]: "Ah, never mind, I guess it's better if we found some proper medical care"

Seeing Andrea is already hustling away,Judy gives up and treats the wound on her own arm first.
#91
Finch grabs Agrinna by the arm and pushes her in the direction of the confederate camp. He mutters something under his breath before he speaks to everyone else.

[Imperial]-"Delay that, Andrea. If you go they likely see you as enemy. We make for the camp at the same pace. If Matyas' wounds can't be treated now the make sure he won't bleed to death."
#92
[Andrea roll for Body+Sorcery: 3,3,7,8,10+MD:3 Result: Success and 3 minute duration]
[Andrea roll for Body+Run: 4,4,5,6,6,10+ED:10 Result: Success]
#93
Andrea's eyes grow wide. [Imperial] "Me? An enemy? Ha! I am more a Confederate than any of thou, 'specially thee, miss false medic. That's right, I heard'st thou spewing that all trollop 'bout Northhold as if thou had ever been there. Why, I swear I could just-"

[Imperial] "Milady, please!" Vala begs as she drapes Matyas onto Andrea's back.

Andrea bites her lip for a moment then sighs. [Imperial] "Never mind that last bit. No, I quite fancy my chances. My shield and standard will name me a trueborn daughter of House Halsey."
#94
While Judy made her attempt to stabilize Matyas Andrea was already preparing her contingency. She kept her mind off the state of her companion for those minutes and instead weaved the lines of magic around her body to reinforce her strength. When she hears the worst from Judy she gets Vala to secure Matyas to her back. Andrea sprints ahead with her dying companion while ignoring just how cold his body is upon her back.

[2.1 Living on a Prayer Begins]
#95
Judy raises her eyebrows in indignation at Andrea's retreating figure.

Judy - [Imperial]: "Hey, I never said I was from Northhold, I just thought it was a nice place, and if I was really trying to do dastardly deeds, I'd still be back on the ship, instead here, being one of the only two bleeding. Just know it that my blood was shed for ye."
#96
The remainder of the party, Agrina, Vala, Orkan, Finch and Judy, plod forwards impeded by muck. Ten minutes later Agrina lets out a short shriek.

Agrina-[Imperial]: "Those fearsome sounds repeat themselves Captain! Some creature of nightmare lurks past yonder tree ... or mayhaps burrowed in that muddy abyss."

Agrina points at the unusually large tree and the wider clearing of mud to the group's left.
#97
[Imperial] "Ah, let it not trouble thee," the still-present Vala says to Judy as they plod forth, trying to put forth a reassuring tone but mostly coming off as weary. "In truth she bears you no ill will. She cares for Matyas deeply, as do I. He was in service to her family since before our time..." she trails off into silence.

---

Agrina's shriek puts Vala on edge again. [Imperial] "Truly? Then thy hearing exceeds mine, though thy cries of terror do me no favors. Let us press on if we may, I have lost the taste for battle."
#98
Finch rolls his eyes at the cowardly woman and responds

[Imperial]-"We press forward. We be not here for beasts but give the area a wide berth"
#99
The group chooses to proceed peacefully while keeping away from two features of terrain Agrina nervously pointed out. Finch at the lead feels something squirm under his boot when he is halfway through the next pool of swamp mud. A creature with two bulbous fly eyes twice the size of baseballs, a pair of powerful mandibles and froglike body jumps out of the mud and onto Finch's leg.

Another 10 pairs of eyes reflect the torch light as they surface from the mud all around the party.

[Yup, Fight]
11 Mudlurkers will attack Finch.
Finch will do his damnedest to not be mauled to death


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