Prelude: Ebb and Flow [Whispers of Heresy]

[The Wind Listens]

Taaron, just outside the Hall of Hospitality


Taaron watches the rampaging soldiers taking prisoners and burning down the village for a short moment. Then he unwraps his golden sword from the cloth it was in, puts it over his shoulder, and turns towards the two other guests that exited the Hall with him.


"Barricade people into wooden houses to protect them from a mob of pyromaniacs?" he asks. "I don't think that's such a good idea. You two look like you know how to fight. I would welcome some help, but I'm putting a stop to this madness alone if I have to."

 

[Jolin]

Name: Joleen


Location: Air ward outside the Hall of Hospitality


Seeing the almost panicky rush to defend from Realm soldiers, she dusts off her robe and joins the others. "I just wanted to relax for one damn day", she grumbles. Glancing at Rankin, she says "So we found ourselves a Terrestrial, have we? Damned nuisance. So what're we going to do about it?"


Joleen has moved up and next to Rankin.

 

[Sanguine1]

Name: Takamichi


Location: Airward road outside the hall of hospitality.


Bursting out of the building in a highly dramatic fashion Takamichi pulls his reaper daiklave out from it's sheath holding it well above his head he shouts, "Gather my brothers let us brook this savagery no more!" effortlessly switching over to a heavily accented version of High Realm he turns to the Dragonblood and yells, "Let's dance."

 

[Aurellian]

Name: Rankin


Location: Airward road outside the Hall of Hospitality.


Two more allies. Enough.


The horse lady seemed more irritated than worried. Rankin almost wished for her confidence. "Now? Now two of us take down the soliders while two of us strike at the guy commanding them all!" Rankin draws out his short daiklaives, the darkness of them sucking in the heat of the fire around them. Blackness overwhelming even this inferno.


Looking to Takamichi he takes a step towards him, "Shall we work together? You deal with the Terrestrial with your friend, " he nods to Taaron, " and myself and this lady will take out the firestarters." Rankin waits for an answer but his eyes follow the nearest soldiers, getting ready to go if he can be sure this person will work as a team mate. He speaks languages Rankin doesn't understand but the bellows sounded angry and ready to fight.

 

[The Bushranger]

Name: Sabrina Ailena


Location: Hall of Hospitality/Airward Road


Nodding to Rankin, Sabrina turns and hurries back inside. "Everybody. Clear out the pots and pans, fill them with water and start soaking the walls, they're setting fire to buildings. Then grab axes and knifes if you have them, if you have to break out the back way in case they block the front!"


Rushing to her room, she retreives her daiklave, and turns to rush back out the front...the screams of her parents and her sister ringing in her ears from the past, determined not to let that happen again, not to anyone, not if she can help it.


"Where do you need me," she snaps to Rankin, who is clearly in charge, as she exits the Hall once again.

 

[Sanguine1]

Name: Takamichi


Location: Airward Road


Turning toward Rankin Takamichi's smile spread into a full on grin, "I don't need the help but sounds good."

 

[Aurellian]

Name: Rankin Insoran


Location: Airward road outside the Hall of Hospitality.


Rankin grins slightly. This could work...if any of them are better than a terrestrial.


No. Not the time for excitement. Calm. We're not going to win rushing in there.


Speaking to Sabrina, "If the people inside are barricading themselves in and wetting the walls, I'd say join her, " he nods to Joleen, " and take the firestarters on the left. There were a few more people inside who talked of action that I'll wait for before I start on the right. Kill them all. No mercy for those who come here to destroy."


Rankin glances over the side he's taken for himself. Flames spreading over the town. There would need to be chains of people from wells or rivers passing water up to stop the fires...if one building stands the people who live can rebuild with some shelter. The Hall must be saved.


Memories...of being an architect flood him, a warrior, a crafter, a solider, a sorcerer....images overwhelm him for a moment, before the fires remind him of an end Rankin Insoran never witnessed, sadness in a past life, anger...This will end. Hate fills him, his swords feel cool in this inferno. They were made for him, or maybe they remade him for them. Calm. Till the killing time came.

 

[The Wind Listens]

Taaron seems to be pleased with the resolve the group shows for opposing the rampaging soldiers. What right do those bastards have to burn down homes, to take people prisoner seemingly at random? But to see such eagerness to protect the helpless in a group of strangers, he hadn't felt such an invigorating feeling in a long time.


"I'm glad to see I'm not the only one willing to do what's right." He moves in line with the others who obviously seem prepared to fight, sword held ready.

 

[Quchu]

Mosu - Airward Road


Mosu hesitated. Surely wrong is being done here, but none of the heroes here (comment their courage) wholly understood the situation. This injustice should be stopped, but how much violence should he expect? Surely none of the soldiers wanted this brutality to happen. Oftentimes, it is the ones in charge--the armored Terrestrial in this case, most likely--who force their malice upon their subject. Who, in their natural state, would wish to march across countries, just to inflict petty villainy on hapless villagers? To force one another to violate another... This is a murder of the spirit and the holy virtues!


Mosu knew that this situation could resolve with little bloodshed if the soldiers could be convinced of their boss's failings. Only if he could gain their attention, and talk to them. Seeing the other guests of the Hall baring their weapons (one of them a golden sword...) worried him deeply, making his face heavy.


Before out and open hostility begins, I want to try talking the soldiers out of the situation--which I imagine will not fare well since they are, well, soldiers (led by a superhuman psychopath on top of that, it seems >_>). To Mnemonix: Would invoking Mosu's previously established fame in the East while persuading/intimidating the soldiers allow me to add his Influence dots on the roll?

 

[Madmal]

Gonzu


Hall of Hopitality


Gonzu put down his plate, let out a sigh and shook his head.


Don't you think getting out with those... fancy-looking weapons of yours will only get those soldiers riled up more? Why are they even here anyways? Sure, could be mindless destruction; afterall, i think i did heard "Terrestrial" coming from one mouth. So, Is he a Dragon on the side of the realm? i don't think this could help their attempts to "befriend" this people, do i?


Gonzu is relunctant to fight, and would rather prefer to learn a bit more on the enemy (if he is aligned with a certain house or so) besides, while there may be some suspicions between us, we are basically "travelers" at the time. If i recall correctly, artifact weapons are heavier than it's normal counterparts, and anyone capable of wielding them could be easily pin-pinted as a target.


Also, in case case, i think there's the chance to join later, right? Also, i may need some help with the rolling as well.

 

[Aurellian]

Name: Rankin Insoran


Location: Airward road outside the Hall of Hospitality.


After Gonzu's finished talking, "Who he is? Why are they here? I waited as long as I could to find out. They're burning down the place that gave us shelter now. It's only fair to return the favour of shelter. As for more riled up, they're torching the town, they're riled up already. Defend the Hall and yourselves if you'd rather not counter attack." turning back to the soldiers before him he starts to walk towards them, no more delays.


Madmal, artifact weapons don't weigh much more than normal, but they are slightly heavier untill you attune them. Then they weigh the same to anyone else as they did before but to you they're lighter. Allowing us to use rediculously heavy weapons with ease. Also, yeah, Join Battle can be done after others have Joined the battle already so you can stay out of the fight and join later.

 

[Persell]

Name: Renshu


Location: Air-ward Road


"The monsters..." Was all Renshu could bring himself to say, seeing the blaze erupting on the scene. If these were men from the realm, there would only be greater reason for him to distrust it, as they were quite willing to sacrifice innocent mortal lives like this.


He loaded his sling, and glanced to the others, ready to do what he could... Now grateful for the rain soaking the buildings, at least that would prevent the fire from spreading or growing much worse.

 

[Persell]

Santobal - the Air-ward Road


Though Mosu may have wished to reason with the soldiers, the actions of his new companions seem to have prejudiced the invaders from the Realm against them. Being none too pleased by Takamichi's outburst (though slightly surprised by the savage's command of their tongue), a number of them stop their task of destruction and draw their blades against the newcomers. "Filthy beast!" one of them cries. "If you wish to fight, you will be put down!"


Roll to Join Battle (Wits+Awareness for the forgetful)! Madmal and Bushranger have said they wish me to handle their rolls, so their rolls will be included here. For reference, I will be using Nox. Feel free to search my rolls, the names used below are the ones entered into the roller, if you wish to look them up. In the interest of speeding this along, if anyone goes longer than a day between posts during battle, I will roll for them as well.


Unknown Terrestrial rolled: 10, 5, 5, 7, 3, 10. Five successes


Elite Soldier 1 rolled: 6, 10, 8, 8, 5, 3. Four Successes


Elite Soldier 2 rolled: 3, 8, 1, 6, 4, 1. One Success


Elite Soldier 3 rolled: 7, 3, 4, 10, 9, 8. Five Successes


Elite Soldier 4 rolled: 10, 4, 5, 5, 5, 1. Two Successes


Elite Soldier 5 rolled: 1, 10, 2, 2, 3, 9. Three Successes


Sabrina rolled: 2, 9, 8, 10, 4, 1. Four Successes


Crazy Gonzu rolled: 5, 10, 8, 7, 5, 8. Five Successes

 

[The Wind Listens]

Taaron Xourte rolled the following in his 7 dice:


10, 3, 10, 6, 3, 8, 4


Using 7 as the target number, the roll resulted in 5 successes.

 

[Aurellian]

Rankin barely waits for the words to leave the soldier's mouth before weaving his blades about him rapidly, almost matching the flow of the flames about him agressively.

Rankin rolled the following in his 5 dice:
3, 10, 5, 10, 3

Rankin rolled the following in his 5 dice:
8, 10, 7, 4, 9

Activating Flash Fire Technique, 9 successes total on Join Battle.

Spent 1 personal essence.

 

[Jolin]

Seeing that the time for battle had come, Joleen drops the heavy robe wrapped around her and puts on her claws. I suppose they'll see some blood today.

Joleen Ires rolled the following in his 6 dice:
2, 2, 1, 10, 9, 7
Using 7 as the target number, the roll resulted in 4 successes.

 

[Persell]

"Those who choose to propose harm to the Mahnakee nations will have to pit themselves against me." Reshu said, ready to begin sending rockblows against the soldiers with his sling, his staff kept close and ready on the ground where he can grab it.

Reshu rolled the following in his 4 dice:
5, 4, 3, 5


Using 7 as the target number, the roll resulted in 0 successes.

 

[Sanguine1]

Moving with the effortless grace of a Cobra Takamichi enters the battle stance and prepares to take down the Realm scum.

Spending 3 motes of Personal Essence to Activate Striking Cobra Technique giving me three automatic successes(I chose to do this before I rolled I swear)


Takamichi rolled the following in his 5 dice:


2, 6, 4, 1, 3


Using 7 as the target number, the roll resulted in a botch. Heh...heeh.

 

[Quchu]

Mosu cautiously places his hand on the sword, feeling that, perhaps, he was mistaken on the nature of the soldiers. If there's no room for diplomacy, then at least he will do his best to contain this violence.

Mosu rolled the following in his 5 dice:
5, 3, 1, 7, 1


Using 7 as the target number, the roll resulted in 1 successes.

 

[Persell]

I think I've done this right, but please correct me if I'm wrong. Reaction Count: 9.


Tick 0: Rankin


Tick 1: none


Tick 2: none


Tick 3: none


Tick 4: Taaron, Gonzu, Unknown Terrestrial, Elite Soldier 3


Tick 5: Joleen, Sabrina, Elite Soldier 1


Tick 6: Takamichi, Reshu, Mosu, Elite Soldiers 2, 4, and 5


Here is a rough map of the terrain. Initials are used to signify characters (party was placed roughly at random, you can edit your position in your posts if you'd prefer to do so) R = Rankin, Re = Reshu, T = Takamichi, Ta = Taaron, the rest should be self-explanatory. Black dots represent fleeing villagers, red dots represent captive villagers. Red/yellow circles on the brown square-ish things represent buildings on fire! Soldiers are between 3-6 yards away, the Terrestrial is about 15 yards from the group.

 

[Aurellian]

Name: Rankin Insoran


Action: Move 3 yards, Attack x4, Total DV -4, speed 3


Rankin glances ahead, he had told the ladies to take the left, where there were two soldiers. He had the right with three. Well, if he were normal he'd have been running rather than this. "Let's play, you and I." he mummers to himself glaring at the foremost soldier before him. Some 3 yards away, easy.


He rushes forward past Renshu and blades extended before him he rapidly approaches the soldier, and just before he gets there he spins about, specifically using the blades to reflect the fire's light back into the soldiers eyes before beginning his attack. He swings at the soldier with little cuts, focused on continuing his momentum and letting the fire's flickering light add to the illusion of his movement being faster than it is, becoming a tempest of flittering shadows and light.

Move 3 yards to the closest soldier (ES3)
I'll flurry against him, attempting to stunt the attack.

Rankin rolled the following in his 19 dice:
10, 10, 3, 1, 4, 10, 3, 2, 7, 5, 5, 5, 3, 7, 8, 9, 8, 9, 4
Using 7 as the target number, the roll resulted in 12 successes.

Rankin rolled the following in his 18 dice:
8, 7, 10, 8, 2, 8, 4, 7, 1, 7, 1, 3, 8, 4, 4, 10, 2, 6
Using 7 as the target number, the roll resulted in 11 successes. [Opponent DV-1]

Rankin rolled the following in his 17 dice:
4, 3, 7, 9, 10, 10, 4, 4, 8, 8, 5, 2, 2, 3, 8, 2, 10
Using 7 as the target number, the roll resulted in 11 successes. [Opponent DV-2]

Rankin rolled the following in his 16 dice:
5, 8, 8, 5, 6, 3, 1, 2, 3, 2, 4, 3, 4, 5, 1, 2
Using 7 as the target number, the roll resulted in 2 successes. [Opponent DV-3]

 

[The Wind Listens]

Taaron


I move to ES4 and take a single swing at him.


Sorry, I'm having some hardware issues so I'm just posting this as quick as I can from my friends laptop. I'm also not quite sure how combat works yet so could you please roll this one for me, Mnemonix?


I'll try to have my PC operational as soon as I can.

 

[Jolin]

Name: Joleen Ires


Action: Move 4 yards, Attack x1, Total DV -1, speed 3


She glares at Rankin's back and mutters, "Hrmph. He thinks he's some sort of hero, does he? "


Using his charge as cover, she ducks behind a burning building and dashes towards the three soldiers. Once she was close enough to ES5, she springs out with her claws drawn. RAWR!

Joleen Ires rolled the following in his 18 dice:
6, 1, 5, 8, 1, 4, 6, 8, 4, 3, 3, 4, 5, 1, 5, 5, 10, 2
Using 7 as the target number, the roll resulted in 4 successes.

I forgot to include the totals: 5 MA + 5 dexterity + 3 claws + 5 accuracy = 18

 

[Persell]

Battlefield Santobal


Rankin earns a 2 die stunt: 10, 1. Two additional successes. I will resolve ES3's defense/damage now, to see if he will even get to act on his first tick


The soldier lifts his chopping sword to try and fend off the furious blows of the Twilight's assault, but to little avail. Rankin lands three blows, but the mortal manages to successfully parry the fourth attack.


Attack 1: 12 suxx + 2 - 6 DV = 8. Hit. Damage: (3+4+8) - 6L = 9L dice: 8, 5, 6, 4, 1, 10, 2, 2, 2. Two suxx


Attack 2: 11 - 5 DV = 6. Hit. Damage: (3+4+6) - 6L = 7L dice: 2, 8, 10, 2, 5, 8, 9. Four suxx


Attack 3: 11 - 4 DV = 7. Hit. Damage: (3+4+7) - 6L = 8L dice: 10, 2, 8, 9, 10, 8, 4, 5. Five suxx


Attack 4: 2 - 3 DV = -1. Parried


Elite Soldier 3 takes 11 levels of Lethal damage; dies.


The soldier stares with steely intent at Rankin, their blades locked. The attacks have taken their toll, however. The soldier collapses dead; his moment of defense has come too late to save him.


* * *


The Terrestrial brandishes his jade dire lance menacingly. "Impressive!" he calls out upon seeing the coming assault. "But you too shall perish with your blaspheming cohorts!" He raises the lance in both hands, and drives it into one of the villagers captive before him, killing the pitiful man instantly.


Speed 4. Attack x1 (-1 DV)


Terrestrial attacks Captive Villager. Captive Villager dies.


Partially updated Attack Order.


Tick 3: Rankin


Tick 4: Taaron, Gonzu, Unknown Terrestrial


Tick 5: Joleen, Sabrina, Elite Soldier 1


Tick 6: Takamichi, Reshu, Mosu, Elite Soldiers 2, 4, and 5


Tick 7: None


Tick 8: Joleen, Unknown Terrestrial


Tick 9: Taaron

 

[Aurellian]

Name: Rankin Insoran


Action: Move 1 yard, Attack x4, Total DV -4, speed 3


After a few lucky swings catch the first soldier on exposed skin and his blades rend at flesh and bone alike, the soldier begins to drop. Almost before he hits the ground rankin spins around the soldier's body and toward the next one, the one that was just behind his first victim.


His blades continue to spin and flicker towards the soldier, the fires behind Rankin now, outlining him as a black shadow, indimidating and difficult to look at against the flames light, his blades move as close to inline with the soldier's sight as he can so only the edge would be visible but with the flames and the rain, just watching the edges of the blades becomes near impossible. Where as the light is behind Rankin, the soldier lit up perfectly, giving him every advantage he could hope for as his weaving blades pass through the soldier's clumsy defence and seek blood once more.

I'll regain 1 mote from my stunt.

I Move 1 yard to the closest soldier (ES1), I'll be between where ES3 was and the building on fire so the fire is behind me compared to ES1.

I'll flurry against him, attempting to stunt the attack.

Rankin rolled the following in his 19 dice:
10, 9, 4, 1, 9, 10, 4, 2, 1, 9, 6, 2, 1, 10, 7, 9, 8, 3, 8
Using 7 as the target number, the roll resulted in 13 successes.

Rankin rolled the following in his 18 dice:
7, 6, 8, 10, 4, 6, 7, 8, 10, 1, 9, 6, 9, 5, 9, 5, 5, 6
Using 7 as the target number, the roll resulted in 11 successes. [Opponent DV-1]

Rankin rolled the following in his 17 dice:
1, 10, 10, 1, 4, 1, 6, 2, 10, 1, 4, 9, 9, 4, 10, 2, 7
Using 7 as the target number, the roll resulted in 11 successes. [Opponent DV-2]

Rankin rolled the following in his 16 dice:
6, 5, 8, 1, 3, 8, 2, 8, 9, 3, 1, 8, 7, 1, 8, 6
Using 7 as the target number, the roll resulted in 7 successes. [Opponent DV-3]