Shadows of the Setting Sun (Main)

[Teh Frixz]

Aeliana, The Evervictor

“A fine day for a walk around newly conquered lands isn’t it!” The muffled stillness breaking under Aeliana’s vocal assault. The silence was grating to her and likely more so the men she’d pressganged into patrolling with her from Afureru’s forces. So, doing what she did best with any situation, assault it with force and flair. Aeliana began to sing as they walked along. It was a flirtatious jaunty tune, something almost like a fight song. Her voice rolling and keeping time but fun enough to hopefully bring some life into these silent lands.

The collective powers in the area were probably reeling from the presence of her Circle. Having the movers and shakers of Creation, dead or alive, so heavily concentrated in a single area was probably causing a massive amount of disruption to the carefully curated and balanced system around here. Good!

Aeliana felt some appreciation for these lands begin to grow on her. It was no sun dappled city but the opportunity was strong. There could be shops and arenas and brewers and anything. So much empty space waiting for the Circle to make its mark. Setting her sights to the nearest Boulder, Aeliana marched off towards it with the men in tow, hoping she could get a better view of her kingdoms to be.

 

[Esbilon]

Had it been just the two of them, Zoya would not have hestitated to strike the Deathknight down with the cursed blade that was still wrapped in white linnen on her back, but they were not alone, and now her circlemates were fighting each other over this woman. With the Dawn fighting the Night, it falls to her to bring order to Creation once more and without fear, she strides towards the struggling warrior-women and calls for peace, her voice cutting through them as surely as any blade as the noonday sun rises on her brow.

"Stop your fighting! We are not enemies! You are not enemies!"

OOC: I'm making a Persuade action to make everyone currently involved in the fighting stop. I'd write something more elaborate, but we are in combat-time. I'm rolling Charisma + Presence with a rank 1 stunt, activating Harmonious Presence Meditation, Presence excellency for 7 dice, and a wp for an auto-sux. 5+5+2+3+7 = 22 dice + 1 sux = 15 sux in all.

 

[WlfSamurai]

Zoya, your words carry the weight of the Gods. And truth as well. But you are unsure they have had any effect. Some may already see the your point and choose to ignore it. Others might have a different interpretation of how to respond to the situation.

[Going off-book as a special case for Zoya's powerful roll: If you do what Zoya says, gain 2 regular XP.]

Toun, you’re up.
Rykon


Battlefield Zones
===Open field===
Sigrdrifa, Tyree, Afureru, Zoya, Embrace, Toun

Usable/breakable scenery: Boulders/rocks, tree stumps, saplings

Round 1 Initiative:
9 Sigrdrifa, Tyree, Embrace
8 Afureru
7 Zoya
6 Toun <=======

Round 2 Initiative
21 Sigrdrifa
9 Embrace
8 Tyree
7 Zoya
3 Afureru

Spoiler: Embrace’s stats

Embrace of the Blackened Soul
Join Battle: 9

Health Levels:
[_] -0
[_][_][_] -1
[_][_] [_] [_] -2
[_][_] -4
[_] Inc.

Combat:
Evasion 5, Parry 6 (full defense Evasion 7, Parry 8)
Soak/Hardness: 5/0

 

[D. Rex]

Afureru gritted her teeth against Zoya's words. Why she was having so much trouble listening to it, she didn't really know. But still... still she was right. Well, she was MOSTLY right. Sigrdrifa was being as smart as a clump of mud be she wasn't an enemy. Even if Afureru didn't want to fight Sigfrida, it was still with Sigrdrifa that she was now engaged.

Thinking about Zoya's words made her stomach twist into knots even more convoluted than they already were. She wanted to stop the undead woman, not her friends. Even placed in this situation. She didn't want to hurt Sig. Even going as far as to spare her the bite of the halberds blade. The reluctance was there, and Zoya drew it out fully.

Not that it made Afureru any happier.





The dawn barked an angry scream, "FINE!" She shouted, perhaps a bit more petulantly than she was intending. "FINE! I'LL STOP!"

Of course she was exactly stopping shoving the pommel of the halberd hard into Sigfrida's face, now trying to use it to push her off rather than knock her senseful.

"I won't kill her! Now get off of me!"



Now it may seem silly. But this was actually quite a hard thing for Afureru to say. Especially when she had made up her mind but moments ago. Especially when she probably would have continued until her or the undead woman was put into the ground. Perhaps it was best that Zoya's voice held so much power. Afureru wasn't the smartest of woman. Having a circle, having friends, was still new to her. She couldn't just launch herself off half cocked like that if it meant going against her friends like, regardless of what came over her. She wasn't a mindless killer any more, instinct be dammed, she shouldn't be letting herself fall into that mindset.



[Afureru is ceasing her attempts to attack Embrace. And apart from trying to get Sigfrida off, has also ceased her struggling.]

 

[Rykon]

Toun keeps his weapon raised, holding firm in a defensive posture in a slow sidestep between Tyree and Aleifr. His eyes snap and ears twitch momentarily to Afureru's concession before his attention returns to the immediate moment. "None of you had the right to pick this fight to begin with. This is a matter of our past to resolve. Again, stand down now."

[Mechanically speaking he's taking a Defend Other action. I'll abstain from player to player social rolls, the players can decide for themselves.]

 

[WlfSamurai]

Toun, you keep your weapon ready and move to a position that lets you react or be proactive should you need to.

Sigrdrifa, your turn.
Random Word


Battlefield Zones
===Open field===
Sigrdrifa, Tyree, Afureru, Zoya, Embrace, Toun

Usable/breakable scenery: Boulders/rocks, tree stumps, saplings


Round 2 Initiative:
21 Sigrdrifa <=======
9 Embrace
8 Tyree
7 Zoya
3 Afureru

Round 3 Initiative:

Spoiler: Embrace’s stats

Embrace of the Blackened Soul
Join Battle: 9

Health Levels:
[_] -0
[_][_][_] -1
[_][_] [_] [_] -2
[_][_] -4
[_] Inc.

Combat:
Evasion 5, Parry 6 (full defense Evasion 7, Parry 8)
Soak/Hardness: 5/0

 

[Random Word]

Sigrdrífa is surprised by Zoya's interjection, but gives her a hesitant nod of appreciation. She looks down at Afureru in triumph and slowly cooling fury, breathing heavily from the sudden burst of exertion and the adrenaline, "It is good that your madness has made you weak. You don't usually give in this easily, and I expected to have to put your thick skull through a few trees before you saw sense." She twists Afureru's arm just enough to hurt, then rises and lifts Afureru to her feet, held close enough their noses almost touch, her eyes shining in the reflected light of Afureru's anima, "Remember this the next time you get it in your head to kill one of my friends."

She releases Afureru and turns to Tyree, "Is sense contagious, or do I have to put you on the ground, too?"

 

[D. Rex]

First Tuon, and now Sigfrida. Even after going through the gut wrenching effort of trying to show some degree of humility and back down from something she normally would have powered through. Something she wouldn't have even bothered doing if not for Zoya. Even going as far as to not call Sigfrida a fox-sucking tramp. Though her spear sister did not apparently hold the same reservations.

It wasn't from the pain that Afureru began to flush.. The angry reddening of her face, and the gritting of her teeth was definitely indicating that poking at her pride right now as she was trying to come back from the edge was probably not a very good idea if they wanted to keep her from flying off the handle again so soon.

"Dont make the mistake of pushing your luck. Either of you. Not now when I'm only holding myself back by a thread." She growled through her teeth, her anima flaring back up in frustration.

"Your past, your friendship. They are blinding you like salt in the eyes. And neither overrules my duty to Creation! OUR duty to Creation! I said I wouldn't kill her. But even if i did, it wouldn't matter because she is a slave to death."

 

[Random Word]

"All of you and luck!" declares Sigrdrífa, exasperated. She whirls on Afureru, fury rekindled, "You hold yourself back because I was about to put you out cold. My duty is to my Spirits and my people. Your duty is stupid. Are you declaring war on death? Did I perhaps miss in all your stories of murder that your people do not die? Do you care nothing for your ancestors? They aren't slaves to death. They're just dead. And there's nothing we (I) can do about it." Tears well up in her eyes as she snarls, "I don't need you mutilating her body because you can't accept that!"

 

[Sherwood]

Tyree fires off a glare at Embrace, then another at Sigrdrifa. "Look at what you are doing! We are about to fight amongst ourselves. Don't you think that this is just the kind of thing that this . . . thing wants us to do? Bah! If you wish to keep your head stuffed into a hole and live in a complete fantasy world about just how dangerous this woman is, fine! You go and do that!" She turns to face Embrace and says, "But you. You stay away from me! One wrong step, and I will end your filthy existence! Am I absolutely clear?"

She then takes a few steps back before turning and walking away from the bunch, trying to calm herself down.

 

[Rykon]

"Shove the blind fantasy drivel up your ass, both of you. We can't even speak to an old friend before you two jump in for the kill on naught but bloodlust and feeling or some convenient excuse like duty. Protectors don't fight to defend the stale shit in the fields, they guard people. Dead or not she is still a person, even with her stupid name, ridiculous ideas, and long-running losing streak. She hasn't even made the first hostile move or bared the first weapon and yet you two in your profound wisdom started this fight. How about you clean the crap from your own faces before you wipe the dirt from ours?" Toun snarled, slamming his daiklave in its sheathe.

 

[D. Rex]

Choking sounds came from Afureru's throat as if she we trying to say several things at once that even to her own mind was as incomprehensible as the noises she was making.

She had to clamp her mouth shut to reset herself so that she could even speak again. "You should know me well enough by now that you thing I would give up to something as petty as pain!"


"And MY duty is to ensure that YOUR 'Spirits and people' have a place to thrive and prosper! That they have nothing to fear from darkness or the monster from it! That should be your duty as well CHOSEN of the SUN!"

She thrust a finger from her free hand to point at Embrace. "And she is darkness! That isn't death! Not as you know it. Death is peace, freedom from life. Your ancestors are not being drug by the throat as if they were chattel to serve.... THINGS!!!"

Her hand then contorted painfully as she was trying to force her brain into translating her thoughts and feelings into word. Which was really hard. "You don't understand!"

And that was about as far as she got there because she didn't understand either. Infuriatingly close and obvious yet so many leagues away from revealing itself to her.

"All you need to know is that I fought that death and I won! I tore myself free from every chain that bound me and I now get to choose whom I serve. And I know death Sigfrida! I made blood flow like rivers and littered the hills with their bones! I could fill this shadowland twice over with every person I've slain and the amount of death I caused would make your sweetheart here weep in rapturous pleasure just as it did me! I know monsters when I see them because I was one. I can look at her and I feel the echo of joyous genocide that I could never get enough of. Its a demons kinship, woman! Once you know it as intimately as I do, you will never forget it!"




Her voice became strangled again as she fought the titan that was her temper before it could rear back up in its unfairly aggressive glory. At the very least managing to calm her voice down and not grip her halberd as hard.

"I dont want to see you get hurt. You or Tuon. And she will hurt you, mark my words. She isn't who she used to be. That person died when Embrace of The Blackened Soul came into being. "



Finally she took a step back away from Sigfrida.. "I am not a guardian, Tuon. Not a protector. I am a hunter and a destroyer. I am a weapon of the Unconquered Sun. I do the actions that the shield cannot. To strike at the enemies of creation and slay them so that the shield will never be overwhelmed. And if I have to dirty myself by rolling in the mud and waste, then that is a small sacrifice if it means keeping the people from getting their own hands stained red."

 

[jaydude]

It was at this moment that Makuro, previously the silent watcher on the edge of this tangled web, decided to step in. Mainly because the current conflict was starting to bore him.

"Okay." he said in a calm but emphatic voice once Afureru had finished speaking, addressing her, Toun, Sigrdrífa and Tyree. "I think it's quite clear by now that we have a few cases of high emotions mixed with good intentions here. And you know what they say about the paving stones of the road to Malfeas. How about we all just calm down and stop fighting, to the death or otherwise?"

He didn't know enough to be able to judge how good or otherwise Tyree and Afureru's instincts were when it came to detecting evil. He didn't know whether Embrace had been enough of a good friend to justify Toun and Sigrdrífa's willingness to defend her here. And he certainly didn't know how much Embrace's Exaltation had changed her from the person she had been beforehand. He did however know that he wasn't much interested in seeing anyone here fighting with each other.

Spoiler: Makuro Stats

Essence: 1
Personal Essence: 13/16
Peripheral Essence: 31/38

Committed Essence: 5 (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)

 

[WlfSamurai]

Aeliana, you march toward the boulder ahead, aiming to get a better view of the thawing tundra beyond. The grating, unnatural silence continues. Now, you can’t hear the men walking with you.

When you reach the boulder, you feel it. At the moment you take your last step, a cold explodes within you. A cold that burns. You feel as though you are being filled with emptiness. The Corruption, you realize. It’s growing. A small pain follows. Then, the pain grows until it feels like there is an avalanche of lava flowing through your veins.

You know what it wants. It intends to consume you: your soul, your Spark, your body. The silence isn’t external. It is internal. It is the empty sound of the Void.
Teh Frixz

Spoiler: Void corruption mechanics

The corruption of the Void has begun. We now track your corruption through this corruption track:

[_][_][_][_][_] [_][_][_][_][_]

There are 10 boxes to be filled. When they are all filled, you will lose the fight on corruption and you will become something…else. Whenever you fail a resistance roll, we tick one of the boxes. At various times, the corruption will rear its head and you will need to resist to hold onto yourself.

After the first five boxes, the checks will become more frequent.

Resistance requires a roll. The possible options for Resistance are below. You use Charms within these abilities to help your rolls.

Rolls:

• Wits + Resolve (difficulty 5) to mentally press it back in on itself
• Charisma + Resolve (difficulty 5) to use force of personality/self to press it back in on itself

Auto-succeed:

• Spend 2 Willpower

Investigation of the corruption through internal force of will:

• Wits + Investigation (difficulty 4) to try to focus/center yourself and examine it within you. This is risking yourself, but possibly gaining knowledge about it. If you fail, we tick 2 corruption boxes, but you will still learn something about it.

 

[Teh Frixz]

Aeliana, The Evervictor

Pain was nothing new, it was life after all. There was a point to feeling it. Pain in the side, maybe you weren’t fast enough to dodge that dagger. Pain in the foot, probably stepped on something dangerous. Pain was part of the deal, something that she’d deal with as she became the being that her followers needed her to be. She could handle that, that wasn’t a burden.

This wasn’t pain though, it was beyond anything Aeliana knew as natural. Her sunny vocals cut short and turned into a sudden scream by the veritable explosion of chill inside her. Throwing herself forward she grabs the boulder, bracing herself against it. Her forehead rubbing against the stone that felt warm by comparison.

The pain continued to swell, eating away at her insides, trying to undermine her. She needed to focus, get ahold of herself. It was just like the visions. They came and went, came and stayed sometimes but she could force them out. She could force this out.

Fingertips digging into the rock, Aeliana reared her head back, cracking it forward into the boulder. A flash of real, honest to Sol, actual pain flashed through her eyes. Enough to bring a point of focus into being. Enough focus to force…the cold…back…DOWN!

((Spending 2 WP to auto pass this first one))

Focus on the center of the pain, absorb it, become it, claim victory over it. Aeliana struck her head against the stone a second time. The world wobbled around her. Pulling her hands free from the notches she’d dug into the stone, she turned to look back at the men she’d marched out here with, wondering if they too were feeling what she had just experienced. She gives a weak smile and a little wave to them as the world began melting to melt around the edges.

 

[WlfSamurai]

Back at the main group, Embrace of the Blackened Soul relaxes her defensive stance and watches as you all debate. She seems to take keen interest in Afureru’s anima, having seen it just moments ago with it’s totemic form. For a long moment, she studies Afureru. Then, she shakes head and focuses.

“I didn’t come here for this,” she says, disgust dripping from her voice. “I’m here to warn you. That down there—“ she points to the fell,”—is more than you can handle. Even now, the ghosts from that Shadowland are preparing for war. They’re forming their ranks, getting ready to move. And in the middle of it all, powerful things from the Underworld are making their own moves. I would stay away. At least until it shakes out. Or you have a…” Embrace gazes at the ranks of men Afureru brought with. “…much larger army.”

“I know what I am. Clearly, you do too. But, I’m not here as an enemy. I’m here to warn you. As a favor to old friends. Next time, it won’t be like this. Next time, we will be enemies.” She gives one last long look to you Sigrdrífa and Toun. Then, she turns to start walking back toward the Fell.

 

[jaydude]

Back at the main group, Embrace of the Blackened Soul relaxes her defensive stance and watches as you all debate. She seems to take keen interest in Afureru’s anima, having seen it just moments ago with it’s totemic form. For a long moment, she studies Afureru. Then, she shakes head and focuses.

“I didn’t come here for this,” she says, disgust dripping from her voice. “I’m here to warn you. That down there—“ she points to the fell,”—is more than you can handle. Even now, the ghosts from that Shadowland are preparing for war. They’re forming their ranks, getting ready to move. And in the middle of it all, powerful things from the Underworld are making their own moves. I would stay away. At least until it shakes out. Or you have a…” Embrace gazes at the ranks of men Afureru brought with. “…much larger army.”

“I know what I am. Clearly, you do too. But, I’m not here as an enemy. I’m here to warn you. As a favor to old friends. Next time, it won’t be like this. Next time, we will be enemies.” She gives one last long look to you Sigrdrífa and Toun. Then, she turns to start walking back toward the Fell.

"If you're going to make a bold claim like that, I have to wonder if Tyree and Afureru here had the right of it regarding what to do about you earlier." Makuro called out to Embrace, referring to her claim that she'd be their enemy the next time they met. "Is your old friendship with Toun and Sigrdrífa meaningless enough for you to turn on them? Or is it a result of your Exaltation?"

The idea of the Underworld's forces using Marama's Fell as a staging ground for war was not an implausible one. But right now, Makuro didn't know nearly enough about this alleged threat, and Embrace looked to be the best source of information on it right now. He just needed a way to lever said information out of her, and was willing to use his tongue to get one.

[OOC: Read Intentions action on Embrace, looking to learn of her feelings towards Toun and/or Sigrdrífa. I still have a -2 penalty from earlier, but my base Perception + Socialize pool is 5, and I can add two dice to it through a one point stunt. Since Makuro is hoping to get some kind of reaction out of Embrace with his words, I'm also going to spend 4m of Peripheral Essence to get 4 additional dice, using both Makuro's Perception Attribute and Manipulation one to bring his max Excellency dice pool to 7. So in total, I have 9 dice to work with here.

5 successes.]

Spoiler: Makuro Stats

Essence: 1
Personal Essence: 13/16
Peripheral Essence: 27/38

Committed Essence: 5 (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]

"Of course she's dangerous," mutters Sigrdrífa as Tyree stalks away, "So am I. I like dangerous."

She nods in agreement with Toun, and listens with mounting unease at Afureru's increasingly unhinged denunciation. The raw unfiltered pain behind it makes it difficult to deny, but even if what she says is true, it is a problem for Toun and herself to deal with. "I don't need you to protect me," she declares coldly, "And if your duty is to see to it my people have nothing to fear from darkness and monsters, you're doing a shit job of it."

She does not take her eyes off Afureru as Makuro speaks. "As you say, Moon-Chosen," she replies as she turns and walks towards Embrace with a smug self-satisfied smile at her triumph. She rolls her eyes at Embrace's warning. The information is valuable - this sounds more like assaulting a settled camp than a hunt, and they are to be approached differently - but the advice laughable. As if, with this many Chosen assembled in one place, the number of mortals accompanying them matters at all.

Embrace's parting words drive an icy knife through Sigrdrífa's heart. She freezes, unable to process what she's hearing. Her heart seems to thunder in her ears. Surely Áleifr didn't mean she and Toun? She's staring right at you. Both of you. Sigrdrífa meets her gaze, unseeing, uncomprehending. Beat. Surely she misunderstood. She was very clear. Nothing in her eyes suggests this is a tasteless joke. Beat. Embrace is turning to walk away. Beat. Makuro is speaking again, but she can't hear him. Beat. The poets say there's such a fine line between love and hate. That one can become the other in the space between heartbeats. Maybe they're right. Sigrdrífa is fairly certain this ice cold feeling spilling out of what's left of her heart and burning her insides is hate. Beat. Her mother taught her a lot of things. If someone shows you they're your enemy, believe them the first time. Enemies deserve nothing but death, without mercy or remorse. To do otherwise is to find yourself bleeding out on the ice. Beat. Áleifr might have replied. Sigrdrífa honestly couldn't say. Sigrdrífa stood up to Afureru for her. And now she wants them both as enemies? Fine. Her dying wish. Let it be so. Spirits, it was hard to breathe. Beat. The decision was easy, in the end. More reflex than reason. She covered the distance to Áleifr's - no, Embrace's retreating form in the space between heartbeats, almost before she'd realized she was moving, a neigh imperceptible blur of shadow, silent as a Calibration night alone on the tundra. As Embrace's arm swings back, Sigrdrífa's arm slips under it and rises up her back to clamp down with vise like strength on the back of her head. Her incredible momentum carries them both forward, forcing Embrace to bend or have her arm torn clean from its socket, Sigrdrífa's grip lifting her bodily off her feet and carrying her along.

Spoiler: Mechanics

Grapple attempt against Embrace. I don't mean to cut off Makuro's RI, so there should be space for the reply, but regardless of the results Sigrdrífa's going to re-kill Embrace. You don't tell someone from a tribe like Sigrdrífa's you're their enemy and expect to live. If Áleifr has forgotten what her people do to their enemies, then there's nothing of Áleifr left in there to mourn.

9/13 Personal
13/33 Peripheral

Spending 7m Brawl Excellency + 1m Vicious Lunge for a total of 8m Personal. Spending 1 WP to add a success.
Strength 6 + Brawl 5 + Specialty 1 + Excellency 7 + Stunt 2 = 21 dice, +2 successes from VL and WP; 13 hits

 

[D. Rex]

If Afureru was a lesser woman, this is probably be where she would be all smug. Embrace revealing all too quickly the colors of her heart to those who loved her. But there was no need. Even Sigfridas words seemed to be ringing hollow now. The look of pain in her eyes was enough to wish she hadn't stopped her attempt to kill the undead woman. It didn't matter if Sigfrida needed protection or not. It didn't matter if she wanted it. She would get it regardless.


Afureru made no move to wield her weapon, she made no move to join Sigrdrífa as she advanced. "I did not come here to conquer. I came here to scout. And you told me everything I needed. But..."

Her anima grew and boiled, growing again, brighter and hotter. "... I said I would not kill you. I didn't say I would let you walk free."

Afureru had now turned to look fully at Embrace. Her eyes were barely contained murder, and her anima rolled around her like gentle river hiding a strong current. The shimmers and flares of essence only hinting at the monstrous skull of a the golden crocodile waiting to burst forth into reality and claim anything it could sink its teeth into.

Rather than raise her Halberd, she raised her hand, making a signal to her army. There was a sound of a shifting of armor and climbing of hooves as she gave the archers and cavalry the sign to ready themselves.


"You can either can either come with me, of which I will claim you painfully regardless of who gets in my way. Or you can go with your dear 'friends', of which might be only slightly less painful."


Afureru's mouth split into a cruel sneer. "You don't want to get in over your head now, do you, little girl? But I'dargue its far too late for that." And there was a principle difference between them. There nothing that made the solar feel more alive than getting in over her head. To say that to Afureru was just threatening her with a good time. Afureru didn't know why those words stuck in her heads. But they felt so appropriate to say right now.

 

[Rykon]

Aleifr was a braggart to think that whatever pack of ghosts or stumbling corpses could handle the assembled Exalts much less them and the army accompanying them. The nerve of this bitch. Toun thought with a sigh, already prepared to pounce as Sigrdrifa lunged for the hold. He stepped quickly now with the need for a strategic surge no longer necessary. Toun looked upon the face of his old friend with the grave expression only a seasoned butcher could wear. "I don't know where you thought you were going little miss silly title, but I asked you a question. You aren't leaving and aren't dying until I get an answer. Who is the 'Blackened One' and who was behind the plot against the Fox tribe?"

He had anticipated the next verbal jab to spew from her lips, spotting a fallen branch that would have once made a fine walking stick were it not for where it had broken. He hefted it up, giving it a gentle upward toss and brief turn about until he was satisfied with the balance and lazily conked her on the noggin with it, just as he always had when she kept getting smug about pursuing his lover. "Yes, Sigi is quite good at what she does isn't she?" The sound of wood echoes against her skull with a hollow thud once more before he speaks again. "Eyes up here foolish one. I asked you a question, and I expect an answer." Shifting eyes and mumbling tones would hint at some sort of evasion, only to be met with a third strike and another chastisement. "You might not see her face right now, but regardless of your answer you just hurt someone dear to me." The fox god narrowed his eyes leaning close with a growl. "This would not be the first time I had to bathe in the blood of an 'old friend' who thought clinging to a cool new crowd was more important than their own kin. I suggest you pick your next words carefully."

[I can move into combat-based rolls if needed, but I believe in Sigrdifa's ability to glue just about anyone to the ground for a good minute or two minimum.]

 

[WlfSamurai]

Sigrdrífa, you cross the distance like a wolf on the hunt. You’re a flash of speed and your muscles are fine display of mighty thews.

Embrace, however, is a step ahead. Her reaction time is so quick, it almost feels pre-emptive. Like a reflex fueled by visions of the future. She starts to turn to bend in graceful ways out of you grasp and leap out of range, but then Afureru’s words strike her like a Soulsteel Goremaul.

Embrace freezes, enamored. She can see Afureru’s aura plainly, now. Combined with the words, “You don't want to get in over your head now, do you, little girl?” Embrace is in shock. She stands rooted. Mouthing the words just spoken.

In the final moment before she is tackled by the mammoth woman, Sigrdrífa, Embrace says out loud, “Hopes … End?”

At that, Sigrdrífa loops under Embrace’s arm and forces her to go with her momentum.

Spoiler: Mechanics

Subtract her 7 Evasion and roll your damage.

 

[WlfSamurai]

The moment is all Sigrdrífa needs. Her movements are a combination of grace and brutality as she picks her way over Embrace and slams her into the ground in a hold that would tear a tyrant lizard in half. Embrace winces in agony.

Toun begins to work for what he needs from his former friend.


Tyree, while this is happening and you're walking away from it, Haze approaches you.

"I need you to tell me I shouldn't put my knife through this woman's eye while Sigrdrífa has her like that," she says in a quiet tone that only you can hear. "I need you to convince me. Everything in my body and soul is screaming at me to end her, here and now. Like a poisonous snake in a baby's nursery. Gods, I'm doing it. Right now." She draws her dagger and starts to walk away from you.


Makuro, Aaki comes up behind you an speaks in a hushed tone over your shoulder. "I'm no longer sure who we can trust. Sigrdrífa and Toun would choose this...abomination over the rest of their comrades? And Afureru is acting on instinct alone. I don't like any of this."

 

[WlfSamurai]

Aeliana, seeing you episode and your state afterward, the men you came out here with are wary at first. Unlike the rest, Sergeant Hyrrel takes action.

"Oi!" he barks. "Look alive, men! Help her out!" Like a whip snap, the Sergeant's voice send the men into motion. They rush to you. Two support you, one each side. A third props up your back as they all lower you down to sit up against the boulder.

"Miss Evervictor, Ma'am," the Sergeant says kneeling down to your level, "Are you okay? Do we need to get the others?"

 

[Random Word]

It takes significant force of will to resist dashing Embrace's skull against the rocks, but Toun wants her capable of speech, and so she drives Embrace into the frozen mud instead. "Did you forget what we do to our enemies, Áleifr?" she demands savagely.

"I can hear you, settled boy," calls Sigrdrífa tauntingly without taking her eyes off Embrace, "If you ever trusted me, more fool you. I am here to hunt with Afureru. Tagging along doesn't make them my 'comrades'. I met them the same day I met you, and I will shed no tears should you scamper back behind your walls."

"As for you," her free arm points at Haze, still keeping her attention focused on Embrace as she snarls viciously, "Try it and I'll show you how it really feels to have everything in your body and soul screaming." It could scarcely be plainer she is in no mood to tolerate outside intervention.

 

[Teh Frixz]

Aeliana, The Evervictor

“The others? Oh! Of course! Yes! Fetch them all. Just you though, no sense in sending all of you competitors off to fetch the crowd. Hyrrel Is it? Go forth and bring word of the show that is to occur here”

Aeliana shrugs off the men supporting her, striking a pose and flaring her anima, the brazier of flame, wreathed in golden laurels. Not an uncommon sight as Aeliana would gladly take any opportunity to show it off but this time, it was quite off. The flames falling out of the melting brazier, the laurels themselves alight.

Grabbing the soldiers nearest her, one in each hand she lightly tosses them a few meters away. In the blink of an eye procuring a spear from one of the men. Singing the same marching song she’d drew an outline around the recovering men.

“A line is drawn in sun drenched sand
A man brought forth from far off land
To take up sword and parry steel
To inflict such wounds that cannot heal
We call out now for such a glory
We call for you to carve your story”

Aeliana basked in the warm sun above, the heat burning away any fears or concerns about what she’d just encountered. It was a bad dream that was a world away.

“Behold Hyrrel! The grandest of the Southern Arenas. Built a scant three generations back, the Amphitheatrum Victoriam Perpetuum! Built to honor the coming of myself. Blood has been spilled to honor the search of Truth in Victory and shall be the center of my Ascension.”

She leaps atop the boulder gesturing wildly with the spear.

“These men shall have the honor of adding to that legacy. Hopefully the crowds will see all the fights. Begin at your leisure men! Both of you have entered and one of you will leave.”

Laughing and throwing her head back to stare straight up to Sol above, Aeliana takes a seat on the throne at the head od the Arena. “Try and run and you’ll bring great dishonor on me and the Arena. You’ll find yourself part of the foundation.”

She waves the sergeant off and focus on the likely bewildered men tossed to the dirt and the ice. “Fight! See the truth take hold”