Shadows of the Setting Sun (Main)

[Sherwood]

The bear-woman glances down at the cracked earth at her feet, wondering just how strong this thing is. Not strong enough to stop me. I will end this thing and rid Creation of its blight! She leaps high up into the air, swinging Zelator in a rapid arc, trying to drive the monstrosity back and set it up for a killing blow.

Spoiler

Another 5m into my Strength Excellency

10 successes to hit, 6i gained

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

Essence: 1
Personal: 16 / 0
Peripheral: 38 / 24 / 11
Committed: 14
Willpower: 7 / 5

Parry DV: 6
Dodge DV: 3
Resolve: 4
Guile: 1

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

Soak: 5
Armor: +11
Shapeshifted: +5 from Unusual Skin, +5 from DBT
Total Soak: 16 human / 26 DBT
Armor Hardness: 10

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

 

[jaydude]

As Tyree leapt up to attack the Abomination once again, Makuro closed his eyes for a moment, then threw both his arms out to his sides, the end of the Hundred Rings doing the same. The next second, when he opened his eyes, his arms began to flail around at a speed so fast, one would see nothing of them but a collection of seemingly slow-moving afterimages surrounded by a blur. As for the Hundred Rings, the Direchain swung, spun and circled around his body at a near-equal speed to his limbs, the heavy links of moonsilver providing a loud and constant whooshing sound as they hurtled through the air.

[Gonna go ahead and activate Centipede Style, committing 7m Personal Essence.]

Spoiler: Makuro Stats

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

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)

 

[D. Rex]

Afureru prepares herself. Across the battle field, her quarry charges.


Afureru, you’re up first.
D. Rex

Round 1 Initiative:
8 Afureru
5 Ghost Battle Group [long range]

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

So far away. So painfully far away. Oh how she wished she had her beast to take her there all the quicker. But that would make it too easy. That would make the experience go by too fast. There was something to say about the rising anticipation. Growing like a hunger that she knew would make her feast on her enemies all the more vigorously.

Afureru moved forward with a lurch, her stride as effortless as if she didn't have Embrace on her shoulders as dead weight. Her halberd dragging behind her, cutting troughs in the ground like golden plow.

She dared to meet the cavalry charge on foot! Advancing on them with full confidence.




Moving forward one range band.

 

[WlfSamurai]

Tyree presses her attack and drives the monstrous abomination back. It takes two steps backward before slamming down in a crouch on one knee. The ground erupts in a shower of earth and stone as it does.

At the same time, Makuro shifts stance, readying himself.

With a roar, the monstrosity rights itself and stands. It erupts in tendrils of inky Essence seem to stream in and out of its flesh, like wriggling maggots breaking free into the air.

In a streak, it drives a fist back down at the Tyree…

[Withering attack, +5 dice with motes spent. +2 Defense for the scene. 12 successes on the attack. Tyree, declare Defense. Sherwood ]


Round 7 Initiative
11 Tyree
11 Makuro
1 Monstrous Abomination <====

Round 8 Initiative
20 Tyree
11 Makuro
1 Monstrous Abomination

Spoiler: Mechanics

Flesh abomination:
Defense: 6
Soak/Hardness: 22/10

Attack: 18 dice (damage 18, minimum 5)

Health levels
[_][_][_][_][_][_][_][_][_][_][_][_][_][_][_][_][_]
-0 -1 -1 -1 -1 -2 -2 -2 -2 -4 -4 -4 -4 -4 -4 -4 Inc.

 

[WlfSamurai]

The spectral warriors drive their mounts ever forward in a charge. As they do, Afureru can see what these creatures are. Ruined ghastly faces glow under tattered hoods. Shredded armor and cloaks flap in the wind. The exposed bits of the riders and horses are covered in patches of skin, but mostly expose bleached bone underneath.

They are now within range that Afureru can feel their mounts hooves thundering the ground.

[They are now at short range as they also closed the range gap.]

Round 2

Afureru, you’re up. D. Rex


Round 2 Initiative:
Afureru 10 <====
Ghostly Battle Group 5 (short range)

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

 

[Sherwood]

Once again, Tyree is thankful for the many gifts of Luna as she stands like a rock before this monster. No mere mortal would stand a chance against such a foe, but she is one of Luna's Champions, one of the few capable of standing before this thing and bring it to its knees. Even now, she is nearly ready to try and end this monstrosity once and for all.

With Zelator firmly clutched in both hands, Tyree braces for the expected blow with a wide, toothy grin. Times like this make her feel like she's truly alive!

Spoiler

Health Levels
Another 5m spent on my Str Excellency, boosting my DV to 11. Adding in the stunt bonus, that should bring my Parry to 12.

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

Essence: 1
Personal: 16 / 0
Peripheral: 38 / 24 / 11
Committed: 14
Willpower: 7 / 5

Parry DV: 6
Dodge DV: 3
Resolve: 4
Guile: 1

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

Soak: 5
Armor: +11
Shapeshifted: +5 from Unusual Skin, +5 from DBT
Total Soak: 16 human / 26 DBT
Armor Hardness: 10

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

 

[D. Rex]

Tyree presses her attack and drives the monstrous abomination back. It takes two steps backward before slamming down in a crouch on one knee. The ground erupts in a shower of earth and stone as it does.

At the same time, Makuro shifts stance, readying himself.

With a roar, the monstrosity rights itself and stands. It erupts in tendrils of inky Essence seem to stream in and out of its flesh, like wriggling maggots breaking free into the air.

In a streak, it drives a fist back down at the Tyree…

[Withering attack, +5 dice with motes spent. +2 Defense for the scene. 12 successes on the attack. Tyree, declare Defense. Sherwood ]


Round 7 Initiative
11 Tyree
11 Makuro
1 Monstrous Abomination <====

Round 8 Initiative
20 Tyree
11 Makuro
1 Monstrous Abomination

Spoiler: Mechanics

Flesh abomination:
Defense: 6
Soak/Hardness: 22/10

Attack: 18 dice (damage 18, minimum 5)

Health levels
[_][_][_][_][_][_][_][_][_][_][_][_][_][_][_][_][_]
-0 -1 -1 -1 -1 -2 -2 -2 -2 -4 -4 -4 -4 -4 -4 -4 Inc.

So eager to meet their demise. Even as her mind was filled with anticipation at the confrontation, her mind worked well enough to naturally judge the distances between them. Timing would serve her well here. Closer, just a little bit closer!


WlfSamurai
I would like to delay my turn to go on the same tick as the battlegroup. To make a movement into them as they get closer and force a Clash attack. If I may.

 

[WlfSamurai]

The massive fist of the monstrous abomination whistles toward Tyree. With the Luna's power coursing through her body, she catches the fist with her spear, holding fast with all her might. Tyree is pressed backward, her feet gouging deep grooves through the earth beneath her as she struggles to hold her ground. She shifts her weight and wrenches her spear, redirecting the massive fist away from her.

[Damage: 18 damage dice - 26 soak = 0 dice. Overwhelm roll of 5 dice = 3 initiative damage]

Round 8

The camp has been roused with the battle that rages just behind the black spire. The ghosts, abominations, zombies, and cultists surge forward toward Tyree, Makuo, and the monster they're engaged with.

[Everyone regain 5 motes. Tyree, you're up. The battlegroups are at long range. What do you do?]
Sherwood


Round 8 Initiative
17 Tyree <======
11 Makuro
5 Ghost battlegroup
5 Cultist battlegroup
4 Monstrous Abomination
4 Zombie battlegroup

Round 9 Initiative

Spoiler: Mechanics

Flesh abomination
Defense: 6
Soak/Hardness: 22/10
Attack: 18 dice (damage 18, minimum 5)
Health levels
[_][_][_][_][_][_][_][_][_][_][_][_][_][_][_][_][_]
-0 -1 -1 -1 -1 -2 -2 -2 -2 -4 -4 -4 -4 -4 -4 -4 Inc.

Ghost Battle Group
Size: 3; Drill: Poor; Might: 1
-2 penalty to order and rally
+1 difficulty all rout and rally rolls
Essence: 1; Willpower: 3; Join Battle: 4 dice
Magnitude: 9/9
Combat:
Attack (Bite): 10 dice (Damage 21)
Attack (Claw): 14 dice (Damage 17)
Combat Movement: 5 dice
Evasion 5, Parry 4
Soak/Hardness: 6/0

Zombie Battle Group
Size: 2; Drill: Poor; Might: 1
-2 penalty to order and rally
+1 difficulty all rout and rally rolls
Essence: 1; Willpower: 1; Join Battle: 2 dice
Magnitude: 12/12
Combat:
Attack (Bite): 8 dice (Damage 19)
Attack (Grapple): 7 dice (9 dice to control)
Combat Movement: 2 dice
Evasion 3, Parry 1
Soak/Hardness: 5/0

Cultist Battle Group
Size: 2; Drill: Poor; Might: 0
-2 penalty to order and rally
+1 difficulty all rout and rally rolls
Essence: 1; Willpower: 3; Join Battle: 5 dice
Magnitude: 9/9
Combat:
Attack (Self bow): 10 dice at short range (Damage 11)
Attack (Short sword): 8 dice (Damage 13, minimum 2)
Attack (Grapple): 7 dice (5 dice to control)
Combat Movement: 4 dice
Evasion 2, Parry 2
Soak/Hardness: 8/0 (Buff jacket)

 

[Esbilon]

Sigrdrífa looks over the scene with obvious discomfort. Death is one thing, the ancestors another, but this is unnatural. Wrong. She will be glad to see it reduced to ashes. She ascends back to the surface, tears a nearby tree from the earth, wraps it in sinew, and dashes it against the ground, shattering it into perfectly cut cords bound in neat bundles tied together in a long train. She grabs one end and drags it casually down into the depths to deposit it in the chamber full of tortured spirits. She casts an uncertain glance at Zoya, then looks away quickly. "We burn it all," she declares, her paper thin veneer of confidence and certainty belying the question without overtly deferring to Zoya's superior wisdom and the accompanying loss of face.

Zoya sees by the runes covering the room that more is going on here than mere burial. This is experimentation. These runes are necromantic in nature, but on a deeper level than Zoya could ever be familiar with. A deeper knowledge or craft is required. Something not of Creation.

In addition, these runes look recent. They don’t match the rest of the room, especially the bones piled in the corner. Some are still active. Judging by their locations and placement, they are control points in the room to keep necromantic experiments in check. They would allow the necromancer to section off the room and keep subjects from interacting with each other or escaping. This room has been used far more recently than when these bones were piled here.

Esbilon Random Word Rykon

"No," Zoya answers Sigrdrifa and walks towards the nearest of the dead. "These people deserve better than an improvised pyre in the room that brought them suffering in life and death," and with that she reaches out at touches first one, then another, and another. At her touch, each corpse is consumed by flames of gold and as each leaves behind only dust, the warm light of her anima builds and soon the entire room is filled with white and gold. She comes to rest in the middle of the room, blessings for the dead in a hundred languages spilling softly from her lips and at once the chamber is illuminated by the golden orchid of her iconic banner and the golden disk on her forehead, each shining with the strength of the sun itself.
Moments later, she opens her eyes and only the living remain.

OOC: Spending 15 peripheral motes to flash my anima banner and burn away some corpses.

 

[Sherwood]

Tyree can hear the whole of the army coming for them, and while she is a tough opponent, she is not quite ready to take on a whole army. Time to end this. She braces herself for a moment, letting her Essence fuel her strength to is highest levels, then with a terrible roar she leaps into the air to bring her mighty spear down into the very core of the thing, hoping to render it lifeless again.

Spoiler

Health Levels
Going for a Decisive Attack. Spending 2m on Unstoppable Beast Force Blow to drop the Hardness of the monster and double 10's, and 5m on my Strength Excellency.
Her enemy’s Hardness is reduced by her attack roll extra successes on a decisive attack, and she doubles 10s on the damage roll.

10 successes to hit its DV of 6, so it drops the Hardness of the monster's Defense by 4.
9 levels of Aggravated damage to it

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

Essence: 1
Personal: 16 / 0
Peripheral: 38 / 24 / 9
Committed: 14
Willpower: 7 / 5

Parry DV: 6
Dodge DV: 3
Resolve: 4
Guile: 1

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

Soak: 5
Armor: +11
Shapeshifted: +5 from Unusual Skin, +5 from DBT
Total Soak: 16 human / 26 DBT
Armor Hardness: 10

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

 

[WlfSamurai]

Tyree flashes downward, spear first. She explodes through the center of the massive abomination. A hail of flesh, sinew, and bone rains behind her. The monster rears backward, roaring in pain, clutching at the massive hole its Lunar opponent just drilled through it. Faces undulating through the monster’s shape wrench in pain and scream. The hole smolders and smokes with aggravation of Essence.

Slowly, small charred bits of flesh around the hole snake out, trying in vain to knit something back together.

[Makuro, you’re up. What do you do?]
jaydude

Round 8 Initiative
17 Tyree
11 Makuro <======
5 Ghost battlegroup
5 Cultist battlegroup
4 Monstrous Abomination
4 Zombie battlegroup

Round 9 Initiative
3 Tyree

Spoiler: Mechanics

Flesh abomination
Defense: 6
Soak/Hardness: 22/10
Attack: 18 dice (damage 18, minimum 5)
Health levels
[X][X][X][X][X][X][X][X][X][_][_][_][_][_][_][_][_]
-0 -1 -1 -1 -1 -2 -2 -2 -2 -4 -4 -4 -4 -4 -4 -4 Inc.

Ghost Battle Group
Size: 3; Drill: Poor; Might: 1
-2 penalty to order and rally
+1 difficulty all rout and rally rolls
Essence: 1; Willpower: 3; Join Battle: 4 dice
Magnitude: 9/9
Combat:
Attack (Bite): 10 dice (Damage 21)
Attack (Claw): 14 dice (Damage 17)
Combat Movement: 5 dice
Evasion 5, Parry 4
Soak/Hardness: 6/0

Zombie Battle Group
Size: 2; Drill: Poor; Might: 1
-2 penalty to order and rally
+1 difficulty all rout and rally rolls
Essence: 1; Willpower: 1; Join Battle: 2 dice
Magnitude: 12/12
Combat:
Attack (Bite): 8 dice (Damage 19)
Attack (Grapple): 7 dice (9 dice to control)
Combat Movement: 2 dice
Evasion 3, Parry 1
Soak/Hardness: 5/0

Cultist Battle Group
Size: 2; Drill: Poor; Might: 0
-2 penalty to order and rally
+1 difficulty all rout and rally rolls
Essence: 1; Willpower: 3; Join Battle: 5 dice
Magnitude: 9/9
Combat:
Attack (Self bow): 10 dice at short range (Damage 11)
Attack (Short sword): 8 dice (Damage 13, minimum 2)
Attack (Grapple): 7 dice (5 dice to control)
Combat Movement: 4 dice
Evasion 2, Parry 2
Soak/Hardness: 8/0 (Buff jacket)

 

[jaydude]

Makuro also took note of the approaching horde. His first instinct was to warn Tyree, but then he saw that she had leapt up and somehow run through the abomination with her direlance and body, leaving a massive hole in the monster's torso. And the abomination was staggering - rearing - from the force of the blow. Some instinct told the Changing Moon that he might as well try and finish the weakened foe while he was down here.

Following Tyree's lead, he jumped upwards, his form a blur as he ascended the creature's body in a rapid series of impossibly fast leaps. In but an instant, he was in front of the abomination's face, the Hundred Rings circling out behind him.

"It ends now." he said quietly. He was never one for loud declarations of intent.

As his body became surrounded by an aura of silver light, and his tattoos and black eyes somehow became more pronounced, it took him but milliseconds to swing his arm forward. From there, it took only milliseconds more for the end of the Hundred Rings to come flying at the abomination's skull, heading straight for the place between what passed for its eyes.

Spoiler: Mechanics

Decisive attack. Spending 5m Peripheral Essence (bringing Anima up to Glowing; it's not often that Makuro gets to be more obvious about being a Lunar) on my Dexterity Excellency and claiming a one-point stunt to give myself seven extra dice, giving my Attack Roll 17 dice in total. Centipede Form allows me to double 10's on damage rolls.

9 successes on attack roll. 3 on the damage roll.

Spoiler: Makuro Stats

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

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]

The crypt is empty. Silent. Those spirits have been trapped here have bene put to rest.

Standing in the now empty charnel house, Zoya, Sigrdrifa, and Toun see—in the corner where the stacks of bones has just been—a small clockwork bird on the ground. It’s still intact. Tarnished, it’s clear that it’s old. It’s also clear parts of it are made of orichalcum.

Esbilon Random Word Rykon

 

[WlfSamurai]

The abomination’s skull shatters and its eye explodes where Makuro’s chain strikes it. The monster rocks to the side and slams to the ground. It screeches in pain and writhes as the flesh and bone attempt to reform itself.

The mobs of ghosts, undead, and cultists surge forward, anxious to join the fight.

Rolling onto its side, the massive undead beast stands and raises a foot to stomp on Tyree…

[Rolling withering attack, -3 for the flurry, -4 for health levels, 11 dice. Sherwood , declare defense. ]

Round 8 Initiative
17 Tyree
11 Makuro
5 Ghost battlegroup (medium range)
5 Cultist battlegroup(medium range)
4 Monstrous Abomination
4 Zombie battlegroup (medium range)

Round 9 Initiative
5 Ghost battlegroup
5 Cultist battlegroup
4 Zombie battlegroup
3 Tyree
3 Makuro

Spoiler: Mechanics

Flesh abomination
Defense: 6
Soak/Hardness: 22/10
Attack: 18 dice (damage 18, minimum 5)
Health levels
[A][A][A][A][A][A][A][A][A][X][X][X][_][_][_][_][_]
-0 -1 -1 -1 -1 -2 -2 -2 -2 -4 -4 -4 -4 -4 -4 -4 Inc.

Ghost Battle Group
Size: 3; Drill: Poor; Might: 1
-2 penalty to order and rally
+1 difficulty all rout and rally rolls
Essence: 1; Willpower: 3; Join Battle: 4 dice
Magnitude: 9/9
Combat:
Attack (Bite): 10 dice (Damage 21)
Attack (Claw): 14 dice (Damage 17)
Combat Movement: 5 dice
Evasion 5, Parry 4
Soak/Hardness: 6/0

Zombie Battle Group
Size: 2; Drill: Poor; Might: 1
-2 penalty to order and rally
+1 difficulty all rout and rally rolls
Essence: 1; Willpower: 1; Join Battle: 2 dice
Magnitude: 12/12
Combat:
Attack (Bite): 8 dice (Damage 19)
Attack (Grapple): 7 dice (9 dice to control)
Combat Movement: 2 dice
Evasion 3, Parry 1
Soak/Hardness: 5/0

Cultist Battle Group
Size: 2; Drill: Poor; Might: 0
-2 penalty to order and rally
+1 difficulty all rout and rally rolls
Essence: 1; Willpower: 3; Join Battle: 5 dice
Magnitude: 9/9
Combat:
Attack (Self bow): 10 dice at short range (Damage 11)
Attack (Short sword): 8 dice (Damage 13, minimum 2)
Attack (Grapple): 7 dice (5 dice to control)
Combat Movement: 4 dice
Evasion 2, Parry 2
Soak/Hardness: 8/0 (Buff jacket)

 

[Sherwood]

Since I'm running low on Essence, I'll just put another 3m in to my Str, raising my DV to 9 and hopefully that will be enough to block the hit.

Spoiler

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

Essence: 1
Personal: 16 / 0
Peripheral: 38 / 24 / 6
Committed: 14
Willpower: 7 / 5

Parry DV: 6
Dodge DV: 3
Resolve: 4
Guile: 1

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

Soak: 5
Armor: +11
Shapeshifted: +5 from Unusual Skin, +5 from DBT
Total Soak: 16 human / 26 DBT
Armor Hardness: 10

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

 

[WlfSamurai]

Tyree does her best to deflect the incoming stomp from the abomination. Miraculously, she does.

Catching the massive appendage with her spear, she manages to use all her might to turn the foot aside. It smashes deep into the ground, sending shockwaves throughout. Tyree and Makuro hold their footing.

The creature roars a deafening roar again and wrenches its foot free, stepping back a step from its assailants.

[Rolling withering attack. 3 successes. Miss.]


Round 9
[Everyone gains back 5 motes of Essence.]

The mob of ghosts and cultists rush forward, screaming, bellowing, crying for blood. They are here, within a sprint, and ready to consume the two Lunars or be destroyed trying.

This close, Tyree and Makuro can see the varied gnashing faces that charge toward them. Of the still-living, they look sickly, drained, and gaunt. They're skin is grey or ashen, and their teeth are fanged or missing. Their eyes are wild with bloodlust.

The ghosts stampede forward, some unnervingly missing necessary parts of their bodies, making it clear they are dead. Others seem whole, but unnatural in appearance: white skin, blank eyes, twisted appendages or neck.

Behind them all, shambling hordes of undead corpses lumber forward. Rotten, decayed, festering. They wail of flesh and their hunger, seething forward in hopes of a bite. Among them, stitched together atrocities, undead built for war of flesh, sinew, and bone.

The massive abomination, spurred by the arrival of its brethren, rears up raising it's massive fist once again, and drives it back down towar Tyree.

[Withering attack, 11 dice. Declare defense, Sherwood .]


Round 9 Initiative
5 Ghost battlegroup (short range)
5 Cultist battlegroup (short range)
4 Zombie battlegroup (short range)
4 Monstrous Abomination <====
3 Tyree
3 Makuro

Round 10 Initiative

Spoiler: Mechanics

Flesh abomination
Defense: 6
Soak/Hardness: 22/10
Attack: 18 dice (damage 18, minimum 5)
Health levels
[A][A][A][A][A][A][A][A][A][X][X][X][_][_][_][_][_]
-0 -1 -1 -1 -1 -2 -2 -2 -2 -4 -4 -4 -4 -4 -4 -4 Inc.

Ghost Battle Group
Size: 3; Drill: Poor; Might: 1
-2 penalty to order and rally
+1 difficulty all rout and rally rolls
Essence: 1; Willpower: 3; Join Battle: 4 dice
Magnitude: 9/9
Combat:
Attack (Bite): 10 dice (Damage 21)
Attack (Claw): 14 dice (Damage 17)
Combat Movement: 5 dice
Evasion 5, Parry 4
Soak/Hardness: 6/0

Zombie Battle Group
Size: 2; Drill: Poor; Might: 1
-2 penalty to order and rally
+1 difficulty all rout and rally rolls
Essence: 1; Willpower: 1; Join Battle: 2 dice
Magnitude: 12/12
Combat:
Attack (Bite): 8 dice (Damage 19)
Attack (Grapple): 7 dice (9 dice to control)
Combat Movement: 2 dice
Evasion 3, Parry 1
Soak/Hardness: 5/0

Cultist Battle Group
Size: 2; Drill: Poor; Might: 0
-2 penalty to order and rally
+1 difficulty all rout and rally rolls
Essence: 1; Willpower: 3; Join Battle: 5 dice
Magnitude: 9/9
Combat:
Attack (Self bow): 10 dice at short range (Damage 11)
Attack (Short sword): 8 dice (Damage 13, minimum 2)
Attack (Grapple): 7 dice (5 dice to control)
Combat Movement: 4 dice
Evasion 2, Parry 2
Soak/Hardness: 8/0 (Buff jacket)

 

[Sherwood]

There are too many to fight for just the two of us! We'll be overwhelmed in moments if we can't get away. Damnit! I wanted to destroy this thing, but it looks like it will have to wait for another day. Pumping more Essence into her strength, Tyree struggles to keep her footing long enough to try and break away before getting pulled down by the sheer volume of troops on the way over.

Spoiler

Spending 5m on Strength Excellency to raise my DV to 11.

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

Essence: 1
Personal: 16 / 0
Peripheral: 38 / 24 / 6
Committed: 14
Willpower: 7 / 5

Parry DV: 6
Dodge DV: 3
Resolve: 4
Guile: 1

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

Soak: 5
Armor: +11
Shapeshifted: +5 from Unusual Skin, +5 from DBT
Total Soak: 16 human / 26 DBT
Armor Hardness: 10

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

 

[Random Word]

By the time Sigrdrífa has returned with wood, Zoya is already half-finished her purification of the catacombs. Sigrdrífa merely stands awestruck as the purifying white flame consumes the tortured remains, the wood clattering to the ground unnoticed from forgotten hands. This is self evidently, undeniably, holy. She doesn't understand it, let alone have a better word for it, but she can feel in her soul that this is fundamentally right and good. Zoya is clearly not just a sorcerer, but also a shaman, and a powerful one at that.

Sigrdrífa feels a surge of conflicting emotion warring within her. The last few days have turned the world on its head. A sorcerer is good and Aleifr is bad. All this frustration only serves as fuel for her already raging desire to hit something. "Why didn't you just say you were a shaman?" she declares, at once exasperated and relieved. "Or start by doing that. If you can do good magic, why do you ever do evil magic?"

[Increasing Sigrdrífa's Minor tie of Respect for Zoya to Major.]

The orichalcum bird shines beautifully in the reflected light of Zoya's anima once Sigrdrífa turns away and vents some small measure of her frustration kicking the ashes aside. It's intricate in its construction, obviously of settled design, but also clearly an effigy of Sparrow. Do some settled people have totems? She examines it, turning it this way and that as she dusts the ashes off. It's not a weapon, and she can see no obvious use for it, but perhaps it belongs to a captured tribe. At worst she can mount it somewhere; Sparrow is not a mighty spirit, but it is fecund and full of life, and they might ward off some of the evil permeating this place.

She tucks it under her arm and sets off into what passes for the sunlight in this place to inform the dead Zoya has granted their request. This chamber is less creepy now, but still unsettling, and she doesn't want to linger here.

 

[Esbilon]

Zoya follows Sigrdrifa outside, her anima still bringing light to the dullness of the shadowland even if the golden flower no longer blooms above her. "When first we met I told you I was a priest as well as a sorcerer," she says softly once they are out in the open. "I do not know what role a shaman fulfills for the tribes, and I do not want to presume to be more than I am, therefore I did not choose that word for myself. I am still new to my powers and was too shocked in the first instance at seeing the horror of that room to think of cleansing it as I did. Should we see such as it again, I will act faster."

Not for the first time, she reflects on how differently Sigrdrifa's world view is from her own and how carefully she has to present herself and her words to make the other understand the meaning she wishes to convey. She has never thought of herself as a shaman and still does not think it quite accurate, but if it helps Sigrdrifa to think of her like one, she will happily don that mantle and she is happy that the other has found a mental place for her that is one of honor rather than villainy.

She holds out her hand for the mechanical bird and asks "may I see it?"

 

[WlfSamurai]

The abomination’s massive fist whistles through the air at impossible speed…

Again, Tyree, standing her ground like an otherworldly pillar of defense, parries the immense fist thrown at her. A spray of blood and flesh rains around her as she does.

[Tyree, you're up.]
Sherwood


Round 9 Initiative
5 Ghost battlegroup (short range)
5 Cultist battlegroup (short range)
4 Zombie battlegroup (short range)
4 Monstrous Abomination
3 Tyree <====
3 Makuro

Round 10 Initiative
5 Ghost battlegroup (short range)
5 Cultist battlegroup (short range)
4 Zombie battlegroup (short range)
4 Monstrous Abomination

Spoiler: Mechanics

Flesh abomination
Defense: 6
Soak/Hardness: 22/10
Attack: 18 dice (damage 18, minimum 5)
Health levels
[A][A][A][A][A][A][A][A][A][X][X][X][_][_][_][_][_]
-0 -1 -1 -1 -1 -2 -2 -2 -2 -4 -4 -4 -4 -4 -4 -4 Inc.

Ghost Battle Group
Size: 3; Drill: Poor; Might: 1
-2 penalty to order and rally
+1 difficulty all rout and rally rolls
Essence: 1; Willpower: 3; Join Battle: 4 dice
Magnitude: 9/9
Combat:
Attack (Bite): 10 dice (Damage 21)
Attack (Claw): 14 dice (Damage 17)
Combat Movement: 5 dice
Evasion 5, Parry 4
Soak/Hardness: 6/0

Zombie Battle Group
Size: 2; Drill: Poor; Might: 1
-2 penalty to order and rally
+1 difficulty all rout and rally rolls
Essence: 1; Willpower: 1; Join Battle: 2 dice
Magnitude: 12/12
Combat:
Attack (Bite): 8 dice (Damage 19)
Attack (Grapple): 7 dice (9 dice to control)
Combat Movement: 2 dice
Evasion 3, Parry 1
Soak/Hardness: 5/0

Cultist Battle Group
Size: 2; Drill: Poor; Might: 0
-2 penalty to order and rally
+1 difficulty all rout and rally rolls
Essence: 1; Willpower: 3; Join Battle: 5 dice
Magnitude: 9/9
Combat:
Attack (Self bow): 10 dice at short range (Damage 11)
Attack (Short sword): 8 dice (Damage 13, minimum 2)
Attack (Grapple): 7 dice (5 dice to control)
Combat Movement: 4 dice
Evasion 2, Parry 2
Soak/Hardness: 8/0 (Buff jacket)

 

[Random Word]

Sigrdrífa proffers it gingerly, nodding, "It looks like Sparrow, but I didn't think your people had totems."

She stares into Zoya's eyes in silence for several seconds, contemplating her words, before nodding in acceptance. "It can be... difficult, learning the Spirits have chosen you to be a shaman. It's a great honour, but also a great responsibility. I heard you say that word, 'priest'. Someone who runs the house where your people make offerings to their Spirits. Teaches them how to make offerings. I don't understand it. Anyone can make an offering to the Spirits - it's not hard, and you don't need a special house." She pauses, smiling slightly, "Don't tell Toun I said that. I think he likes his special house. Interpreting the signs and portents is important, but it's not their true responsibility. Maybe your priests do that, too, but I hear your Spirits sit in their house all day and tell you what to do in plain Skytongue, so I'm not sure that counts. Anyone can interpret that. The true responsibility of a shaman is to send the soul on to the proper afterlife of their totem when the tribe no longer needs their wisdom, and welcome the souls chosen by the totem into the newly born. Fail, and you fail for eternity, or burden the tribe for a lifetime."

"You sent those souls where they were supposed to go with only a touch, though I know not how you knew after so long. You did the same thing to the crucified, didn't you?" She looks away, ashamed, "I saw it and I ignored it. I thought it was just more Sorcery. I didn't feel it... my poisoned heart was blind." She looks back up with a strange mixture of contrition and excitement, reaching out to briefly squeeze Zoya's shoulder reassuringly, "The Spirits clearly have great things in mind for you. So long as it doesn't prevent me from carrying out my own task, I will do whatever I can to see to it you succeed."

 

[Esbilon]

"It is by the power of the Unconquered Sun that I may purify their bodies and send their souls on their way," she answers as she holds up the mechanical bird to examine it. "Had we encountered this place before I was chosen, I would have helped you build pyres and say what prayers might help, but I could never have done what I did. "

In the light of her anima, the orichalcum of the clockwork bird shines beautifully, highlighting its mechanisms and any lingering imperfections.

EDIT: Rolling Int + Lore with 2 dice from a stunt and 4 from Excellency. 3 sux.

 

[Sherwood]

Tyree feels torn; the monster is close to being destroyed, but the mass of soldiers are nearly upon them. I can't take on the whole army, no matter how good I think I am. Time to go! She calls out to Makuro, saying, "I think we have done all we can here! Time to get the hell out of dodge!" With that, she shifts her Essence into her body, shifting her form into that of a raven and exploding upwards in a desperate attempt to get away, feeling intensely angry that she was only able to kill the spellcaster and not the monster she had summoned.

Spoiler

Going for a Disengage attempt, hoping that the -4 to the monster's dice pools will make it possible to get away. Adding a point of Willpower in to get the extra success.

Edited.
Total of 5 successes to get away, unless I can get some stunt dice from my post?

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

Essence: 1
Personal: 16 / 0
Peripheral: 38 / 24 / 6
Committed: 14
Willpower: 7 / 4

Parry DV: 6
Dodge DV: 3
Resolve: 4
Guile: 1

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

Soak: 5
Armor: +11
Shapeshifted: +5 from Unusual Skin, +5 from DBT
Total Soak: 16 human / 26 DBT
Armor Hardness: 10

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

 

[Esbilon]

"This was forged in the First Age," Cub says, handing the clockwork bird back to Sigrdrifa, "long before the tribes as they are today were formed. I do not believe that its creator thought of it as a spiritual totem, nor were they one of my people. While many in Whitewall like to think of themselves as the inheritors of the first age city that was, the truth is that so much has changed that were are in many ways much more like the tribes that live outside our walls than the people who lived inside them millennia ago."

 

[jaydude]

"You know, I couldn't agree more!" Makuro replied to Tyree, shifting into his owl form and taking to the skies, attempting to make his own escape in the opposite direction to Tyree.

[Shapeshifting into owl form for 4 motes and attempting my own Disengage action, claiming one-point stunt. Six successes.]

Spoiler: Makuro Stats

Essence: 1
Personal Essence: 7/16
Peripheral Essence: 29/38
Anima: Glowing

Committed Essence: 5 + 4 (Hundred Rings + Shapeshifting)

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)