Log:Broken Dolls: Something Rotten

Broken Dolls: Something Rotten
Participants Glitch, Cian, Erebos, Cassian, Alonso, Miranda, Dielle and Gisa as ST	5 August, 2017 Baroness Miranda hears that something is afoot in the Hedge, and takes a party to investigate. Part of Broken Dolls.
Location
Evening in the Hedge, not too far from where Stoneheart's hollow is, but not so close that the unvetted can find their way in: this is where the group gathers tonight. Miranda has heard that there are Things Occurring -- but nothing really solid other that there's Something Weird, oily stains found in the Hedge, blackened trees, places cut bare of all foliage, hobs going missing. The Hedge buzzes with the sound of evening Summer insects, rustles with the occasional sound of things in the undergrowth. Alonso arrives ahead of most. He loiters at the side of the trod, seated astride his strange black and red brindled horselike fae mount. The man himself is dressed in a leather buffcoat and britches, wears a ridiculously large floppy hat, and carries a pair of blades. One in a riding frog at his side, the other at his waist behind his back. A large black eagle is perched on the horn of his saddle, too, nipping on occasion at the harness on his leg. Just another day at the office, apparently, for the rider and his animal companions. When one produces a garment from their Hedgespun Wardrobe, one doesn’t always get what one was hoping for. This is the case for Miranda, she currently wears a tribal battle garb, made of leather from some unnamable hedgebeast, leather stockings, gloves, a few decorative pieces. The torso of the armor is concealed beneath her vest, also the hide of a hedgebeast, some manner of manta-ray. Her lower half however does little to provide her with modesty, a thong battle-bikini, with a bit of a loin cloth draping down the front, which does nothing to conceal her ass, the whole thing on display. She has adorned her hair with bright ribbons, vibrant yellows and blues, long enough to flutter freely in the breeze, should there be any. Miranda has gathered together a group of freeholders, as well as Cassian who’s service was bartered for at the Wild Roses. “Thank you for coming. I’ve been told by a friend Hob, that their folk are going missing.” She explains, “I wanted to assemble a party to go scouting and learn more of what is going on. Things to watch for… Oily stains, blackened trees, and areas where the hedge has been cleared of all foliage. Be cautious, do not engage in needless violence, we will learn more by talking then fighting.” Dielle has shown up, loaded for bear, as the saying goes. No armor, but boots over leggings, with a pair of denim shorts over the leggings, which holds her belt-and-holster complete with gun. Her torso is covered by a long-sleeved cotton shirt, and her hair's braided and wound round her head, which means no one can see it for the cowboy hat she's wearing. She's also got a compound long bow that she's got slung over a shoulder, and a quiver of arrows sticking out of her backpack. Other weapons are hidden here and there. She keeps quiet, listening to Miranda and awaiting the exploratory mission to start. Erebos has answered the call as one of the Hedge Wardens. The strange darkling arrives from the shadows, slithering out of one to loiter casually nearby while studying the others in the group with his glittering, golden gaze. One of his dark brows quirk upwards as he let's his gaze trail over those assembled, a slight smile touching the edges of his lips. A polite bow of his head is offered in way of greeting to any who notice him. Like his namesake, Erebos is a creature of darkness. His skin is a strange pale grey, his eyes like molten gold and his hair a writhing mess of shadowy darkness and smoke. About his body is a long trench coat made of darkness and shadows that shifts and changes as he move. He looks unarmed and unarmored but nods in readiness as he looks to Miranda as she finishes speaking. Cassian was 'near', but, it was hardly easy to spot him. He favored the lowest of treebranches on a nearby tree to wait. Bulky, black armor rested beneath a tattered hood and cloak. He seemed prepared enough, with a heavy blow slung over his shoulder and a set of arrows at his side. But, he was barefoot. Unabashedly so. Lily-purple eyes examined those that were gathered and, upon introduction, he drops from the tree to meet the others. Cian steps free of some patch of darkness nearby, an excersize in greyscale. Wearing charcoal grey Dickeys, light grey Chucks, topped by heathered grey teeshirt and an off-black hoodie. This is Hedge-wear? The wisp doesn't say much when he arives, simply staring with vanta-black eyes and that slightly transparent form. A nod is given to Miranda, he will refrain from murder. Not that it looks like he's much for fighting considering the dodgy look about him. Noticing Dielle, he promptly smiles, and pulls his crimping, cramping hands from the hoodie's pockets. Forcing his fingers to cooperate, he begins the silent bout of communication with her, 'It is good to see you again.' with the equivilant of a slight stutter in there as his hands refuse to cooperate. 'I will be near, but as not-here as I can be.' Right before the sneakthief starts looking for especially long shadows to disappear into. Glitch comes along with Dielle. He's quiet, following along behind the bow-wielding cowgirl. Dressed in a simple and concealing outfit of a black hooded sweatshirt and dark jeans with matching sneakers, beat up old clothing that a slog through the hedge won't threaten. His face obscured by the hanging hood, he has a simple sword drawn and held in his hand. His other hand slowly runs across its surface as he quietly mutters under his breath. Dielle answers Cian with a quickly signed, "All good. Good to see you, too." She tells Miranda, "We've got at least one person in the shadows, his name's Cian. And this is Glitch. Glitch, this is Miranda, Baroness of the Lesser Ones. You should introduce Nattie to her, I think they'll like each other." She looks around. "And this is Alonso, but I don't know you, yet." That last clause is addressed to Cassian. For the record, Dielle's accent is very Southern. "We're going to focus our search in the Looptrod for now." Miranda says, "To make sure that everything here is secure before we take our explorations further abroad. If we find any Hobs, I'll try to speak with them and see if they have better information for us along the way, so try not to scare them off if you can help it.. some of course can be rather skittish." She adds with a little shrug, adjusting her pistol belt before starting off to blaze the trail. -> >> Cian to Here << <-============================================== Rolled 13 Successes for an exceptional success. < 1 1 2 3 3 4 4 4 5 5 5 5 6 7 7 7 8 8 8 8 8 8 9 9 9 9 10 10 10 > =========================-> >> Dexterity + Stealth + 6 8-Again << <- "Should anything attack us, Lady, I will consider violence necessary. So that we are all on the same page, here. I would hate to have another misunderstanding with you." Alonso lifts his eagle up off the saddle and onto his left arm. The claws of the critter leave marks on his gauntlets, but given the beaten down and dusty image he cuts, Alonso won't mind. "There's a hob village to the west of Stoneheart, down the mountain and within the forest. We could start in that direction, if you wished. It would guarantee a meeting with the locals, at the very least, and the Hobs there have been passably friendly with me in the past." He gives a bit of a nudge with his boot heels to the flanks of his horse, encouraging it to start moving. "My name is Cassian," says the man, eyeing Dielle carefully. "My services were purchased. My function is to aid the Party in navigation," he says. It went without saying that the contract was not one of overly direct language. "In either case, there has been a lot activity amongst the Hobs. Seems there are more than usual at the 'glade," he offers. "I'll hang behind--It seems we have a destination already," he adds. -> >> Erebos to Here << <-============================================ Rolled 4 Successes < 1 2 2 2 2 2 2 3 3 3 5 5 5 6 6 7 10 10 10 10 > =========================-> >> Dexterity + Stealth + 4 8-Again << <- Listening to the plan and watching as the group talks among themselves, Erebos nods once more and then moves to follow along. He's quiet and almost as if without thought the darkling slinks back into the darkness to move within the shadows. Hidden from sight he keeps pace before ranging ahead to scout out what may come ahead. -> >> Erebos to Here << <-============================================ Rolled 2 Successes < 1 4 6 9 10 > ===========================-> >> Wits + Composure - 2 No Flags << <- -> >> Dielle to Here << <-============================================ Rolled 1 Success < 2 2 4 4 6 9 > =======================-> >> Wits + Composure + 2 - 2 No Flags << <- -> >> Alonso to Here << <-============================================ Rolled 8 Successes for an exceptional success. < 2 3 3 4 5 5 6 6 7 7 8 8 9 9 9 10 10 10 > ============================-> >> Wits + Composure + 2 8-Again << <- -> >> Glitch to Here << <-============================================ Rolled 1 Success < 1 4 4 5 9 > ===========================-> >> Wits + Composure - 2 No Flags << <- Glitch flicks eyes to Miranda briefly at Dielle's introduction, then spends a moment considering her outfit before turning away and continuing to mutter to his sword. He pauses for a moment, then squints, looking up and pushing his hood back to peer into the distance. "Anyone else smell that...?" -> >> Miranda to Here << <-=========================================== Rolled 2 Successes < 3 4 6 6 8 9 > ===========================-> >> Wits + Composure - 2 No Flags << <- -> >> Cassian to Here << <-=========================================== Rolled 1 Success < 4 5 5 5 5 5 6 6 6 8 > ================================-> >> Wits + Composure 8-Again << <- There is no way directly out of the Looptrod, but the mountain -- and the associated areas -- are one of the areas closest (if rumors are to be believed) to the Outside, the place outside of the sealed-off area. As the evening's shadows deepen and Cian disappears into them, the Hedge shifts. And as they move through the hedge, something begins to smell ... off. Shall you compare this smell to the rest of the Summer evening, rough winds do not shake the darling buds of... okay, this metaphor is really getting tortured. Anyway, something smells weird. -> >> Cian to Here << <-============================================== Rolled 3 Successes < 1 1 2 4 5 5 7 8 9 9 > ============================-> >> Wits + Composure - 2 8-Again << <- "Blood and oil," Alonso confirms with a slight nod aside to Glitch, "coming in on the updrafts off the western slope. Which is the direction of the hob village I had mentioned." The final sentence is spoken with a bit of grim acceptance to it. He becomes visibly restless in the saddle, seeming to want to ride off ahead, but keeping with the group despite it all. "We should hurry. If it /is/ their village, they have few defenses." Miranda nods towards Alonso, "I agree." She says, the subject of the previous time alluded to by the knight not commented upon. She glances towards the rest, gesturing, "Let us hurry a bit." The Leechfinger, Cassian, didn't seem overly concerned about what was out in the shadows. That's where he felt comfortable, and he didn't sense anything he could feed from nearby. But when the smell came, he paused a moment and eyed the others. Cassian takes a wide path, stepping into the grasses and ... well, who knew. It was hard to tell as the shadows and grasses took him in. Cian remains vigilant in watching the backs of the group as they plod through the trod. While noses start perking up, the Thief lifts his nose some to sniff. Not sensitive enough to catch what they're smelling, never-the-less he alters course to continue to shadow the pack of Lost towards the village. Dielle turns towards the odd smell, and then nods. She starts jogging towards that direction, not wasting time on the discussion thereof. She's good at running, it turns out. -> >> Cassian to Here << <-=========================================== Rolled 8 Successes for an exceptional success. < 1 1 1 1 2 2 3 3 3 5 5 5 5 6 6 6 6 7 7 7 8 8 8 8 8 9 9 10 > ========================-> >> Dexterity + Stealth + 10 8-Again << <- -> >> Glitch to Here << <-============================================ Rolled 1 Success < 4 5 6 8 > ================================-> >> Wits + Survival No Flags << <- -> >> Cian to Here << <-============================================== Rolled 4 Successes < 1 1 3 5 6 6 8 9 10 10 > ============================-> >> Wits + Survival + 1 No Flags << <- -> >> Alonso to Here << <-============================================ Rolled 4 Successes < 3 4 5 6 8 8 9 10 > ================================-> >> Wits + Survival No Flags << <- -> >> Dielle to Here << <-============================================ Rolled 2 Successes < 3 6 7 7 7 9 10 > ================================-> >> Wits + Survival No Flags << <- -> >> Cassian to Here << <-=========================================== Rolled 3 Successes < 2 3 3 3 4 5 5 5 8 10 10 > ================================-> >> Wits + Survival No Flags << <- Catching the scent in the air but unconcerned, Erebos looks to the larger group and figures they got it. Still hidden in the darkness he slips back the way they came from to return to whatever it was he was doing before the call for volunteers was given. -> >> Miranda to Here << <-=========================================== Rolled 2 Successes < 2 2 2 2 3 4 4 6 6 8 10 > ======================-> >> Wits + Survival.Hedge + 1 No Flags << <- As the group gets quickly closer, they know which way to head in short order: there's a path cut into the hedge, leading off the Looptrod, and a path cut in to the path on which they walk. It's possible to tell which way the path started and which way it is going because the path cut in to the Looptrod is closing over. It appears that whoever found it, found it completely on accident, because they turned off of it right after finding it. The trod itself is completely churned up, as if either an army or possibly a tank or many animals or something passed through, before turning toward the hob village. There are distant sounds coming from the hob village -- loud clanking, hisses. The occasional scream. As the group quickens their pace, Cassian begins to move to keep the same speed. If one looked back, they might spy a shadow slipping through the brush and tall grasses. He avoided the tall hedge, for reason, but he followed along. That is ... until he gets to the tear and seems confused. "This ..." He says, looking over the torn destruction. The Woodblood in him was emotionally distraught by the sight. Then, screams from the village, and he was running again. Only, this time, the bow slipped from the shoulders of the man. And an arrow came to hand. Glitch narrows his eyes. He starts pushing forward, shouldering past Dielle, then seeking to jockey past Miranda. He's no longer murmuring to the sword, he's sheathed it on his back and keeps one hand on the grip of it, ready to draw. The pixellated young man seems ready to stride ahead of the group unless someone tells him otherwise. Once it becomes clear that the Hob village is under attack, Alonso throws his eagle skyward and gives his horse the spurs. It kicks from a canter to a full gallop and begins surging down the trod towards the cut leading to the village. He draws his sabre, stands tall in his stirrups, and points the blade forward, blade edge turned towards the sky in preparation for a swipe. It's an uncharacterstically straight forward attack for a Darkling. Loud, straight down the troat, and blatantly-- perhaps brazenly visible, moreso with the bright light emenating from the blade itself. Miranda has pulled her revolver out by now, hurrying off towards the village at a quicker pace, though, not nearly as fast as someone atop a horse or anything. "It sounds like our problem lays up ahead.." Cian's already wide eyes widen as people begin charging in blindly. There's a whispered curse that flutters along the wind and evaporates before it reaches anyone's ears. His feet pick up in pace, and he's moving along in a flanking fashion. No where near as fast as a galloping horse, he can still hustle when he needs to, still bringing up the rear of the party in the shadows. It's better if no one sees him anyways. GAME: Glitch rolled 4, putting himself on the initiative roster at 14. GAME: Dielle rolled 9, putting herself on the initiative roster at 18. Cassian brings up the rear, arriving at the others a moment later. The arrow is already knocked, as Cassian scans the area for threats. Someone would pay for hurting the flowers! GAME: Alonso rolled 4 + 1, putting himself on the initiative roster at 16. GAME: Cassian rolled 5, putting himself on the initiative roster at 14. GAME: Cian rolled 10 + 1, putting himself on the initiative roster at 21. GAME: Miranda rolled 10, putting herself on the initiative roster at 17. GAME: Glitch directly set himself on the initiative roster at 11. What was once the smell of blood and oil becomes blood, oil, and fire. Not visible from the path but visible shortly thereafter is a column of smoke rising from the center of the hob village, and the sound of screams. The smell of blood and oil is wiped out by that smell of fire, the thick, choking burning of greenery that produces heavy, air-clogging smoke. It's not easy to see exactly what's going on until they get much closer, but then: Whatever peaceful hobs were here are fighting to the last man to save their village, with sticks and rocks and pitchforks, with Grandpappy's old sword and Gramma's old loom-shuttle as weapons. They are, however, no match for what has rolled through the Hedge to find them. War Rigs. Two massive war machines, each a good ten feet tall, with a combination of tires and tank treads, have torn their way into the village, and are turning fire and sword onto it. A third unit, a troop convoy pulled by two eight-legged horses (the legs are not all the same color and were probably sewn onto existing four-legged horses), stands empty, because the troops have all spilled out onto the ground. An army of what look like poseable metal artist's manikins, armed with sharp swords and newly-made armor and bright blue shields (with some sort of crest on them, too far off to see yet), are making disgustingly short work of the hob villagers. On second look, they're not all metal. They're metal and flesh. Blood and oil. An ear stapled on. An arm riveted into place. A sixth finger sewn on. It's a massacre, and as Alonso rides in with the rest coming up behind him? At least he does get some of the attention he's shooting for... GAME: Gisa directly set "War Rig 1" on the initiative roster at 8. GAME: Gisa directly set "War Rig 2" on the initiative roster at 10. GAME: Gisa directly set "Soldier 1" on the initiative roster at 11. GAME: Gisa directly set "Soldier 2" on the initiative roster at 9. GAME: Gisa directly set "Soldier 3" on the initiative roster at 13. GAME: Gisa directly set "Soldier 4" on the initiative roster at 6. GAME: Gisa directly set "Soldier 5" on the initiative roster at 14. GAME: Gisa directly set "Sleipnir 1" on the initiative roster at 12. GAME: Gisa directly set "Sleipnir 2" on the initiative roster at 12. -> >> Cian to Here << <-============================================== Rolled 3 Successes < 1 4 4 5 7 8 10 10 > ============================-> >> Wits + Composure - 4 8-Again << <- Cian is still in the shadows, bringing up the pack. There are glimpses of the Wisp, darting here and there, closing the distance between himself and the fight. There is no true sign of the Darkling yet, even as he stalks prey that doesn't know he's there. -> >> Dielle to Here << <-============================================ Rolled 3 Successes < 2 3 4 6 7 8 8 9 > ==================-> >> Dexterity + Firearms.Handguns No Flags << <- Dielle assesses the situation all kinds of fast while drawing her gun. She sights down on a soldier, (Number 2, for any keeping score, and shoots at him, carefully, having stopped running specifically to shoot someone. BOOM. -> >> Miranda to Here << <-=========================================== Rolled 4 Successes < 3 3 3 6 6 8 8 9 10 > ===================-> >> Dexterity + Firearms.Pistols No Flags << <- GAME: Gisa removes "soldier 2" from the initiative roster. -> >> Alonso to Here << <-============================================ Rolled 0 Success < 1 4 5 > ==================================-> >> 5 + 1 + 3 - 6 No Flags << <- -> >> Alonso to Here << <-============================================ Rolled 1 Success < 1 3 4 5 6 8 > ===================-> >> Dexterity + Weaponry + 4 - 6 No Flags << <- The Judge, Miranda's Heavy Revolver, isn't an ordinary revolver by any means. It looks like some sort of Carapce with brass clockwork parts added in, and what it shoots are little grub Chrysallis, that explode when they penetrate. Her shot scores one of the broken dollies, shrapnel exploding from the grub, and taking the head off with it! -> >> Gisa to Here << <-============================================== Rolled 3 Successes < 4 7 8 8 10 > ==============================================-> >> 4 No Flags << <- -> >> Alonso to Here << <-============================================ Rolled 3 Successes < 1 2 2 3 3 5 5 6 8 10 10 > ===================-> >> Wits + Composure - 2togisa NF 8-Again << <- Alonso and his steed have to make a hard turn off the trod to veer into the fray. The turn sweeps in behind the left most war rig, and right into the formation of the advancing robotic soldiers. His horse thunders past the first soldier on the left, narrowly missing the chance to crush it under its hooves in the midst of the charge. The second soldier in the line drops under a hail of bullets before Alonso can manage a swing, and he has to correct his stance in time to take a swipe at the third in line as he and his horse go thundering past. The blade leaves a streak of orange and pink light in the air as it glances off the armor of the creature-- yet despite this fact, the soldier stops its advance and topples like a rag doll to the ground. "RALLY TO ME, VILLAGERS! NOT ONE STEP BACK!" -> >> Cassian to Here << <-=========================================== Rolled 3 Successes < 2 2 3 3 4 5 6 6 7 7 8 9 9 > ===============-> >> Dexterity + Firearms.Archery + 2 No Flags << <- GAME: Gisa removes "soldier 1" from the initiative roster. -> >> Gisa to Here << <-============================================== Rolled a chance die for a failure < 9 > =========================================-> >> 9 - 15 No Flags << <- It only takes a moment for Cassian to make himself known to the enemies they were stalking. From the shadows, the hooded figure's bow is seen. A sudden, resounding 'thwip' is heard nearby and a metal-tipped arrow slips by Alonso and into the construct nearest to him. The arrow has no difficulty burying itself into the flesh-and-metal-thing. Blood arcs violently from the body, and Alonso's horse gets a fresh smell into the workings of Evil Constructithings. Gross. -> >> Gisa to Here << <-============================================== Rolled 0 Success < 5 > =========================================-> >> 10 - 9 No Flags << <- -> >> Gisa to Here << <-============================================== Rolled 2 Successes < 5 7 8 8 > =========================================-> >> 10 - 6 No Flags << <- Game: Dielle takes 2 Lethal damage. As all hell figuratively breaks loose, one of the soldiers screams, "FOR OUR MOTHER!" and runs screaming at Alonso. The remaining soldier on the right flank follows him, albeit more slowly, and does not yet take his swing. The shining sword -- so shiny -- arcs through the air but misses the bellowing Darkling. At the same time, someone either unleashes the two eight-legged horses from the troop transport or they break free -- one charges at Glitch and its many hooves miss. Dielle, ironically, is not quite so lucky, taking two sharp hooves right to the tit. Ow? GAME: Glitch spends 2 Glamour -> >> Glitch to Here << <-============================================ Rolled 1 Success < 1 3 3 3 4 6 6 8 > ================================-> >> Wyrd + Presence No Flags << <- -> >> Glitch to Here << <-============================================ Rolled 1 Success < 1 1 2 2 2 5 10 > ============================-> >> Wyrd + Presence - 2 No Flags << <- -> >> Gisa to Here << <-============================================== Rolled 1 Success < 5 10 > ========================================-> >> 16 - 15 No Flags << <- -> >> Gisa to Here << <-============================================== Rolled 0 Success < 5 > ==========================================-> >> 9 - 8 No Flags << <- Glitch watches the horses break free and rush towards him as he's rushing towards the fray. He darts forward, twisting in midair to let the horse fly by without touching him, and hits the ground running again. One hand flings out towards the massive war rig on the right, as its turret swings around towards the group of Lost. Glitch's entire body scrambles badly, digital corruption pulsing through him, and a loud KACHUNK is heart from the depths of the ugly machine. He closes the rest of the distance with a grim look on his face. CLICK CLICK CLICK CLICK FWOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOSH That, ladies and gents and otherwise gendered friends, is the sound of the War Rig's top half swiveling and pointing a nasty-looking nozzle at Alonso. And fire pouring out of it. And Alonso is now on fire. (One of the soldiers on the right flank runs at Cassian, and misses hilariously, having changed his course when Alonso was lit on fire.) GAME: Gisa removes "soldier 5" from the initiative roster. -> >> Dielle to Here << <-============================================ Rolled 1 Success < 1 2 3 5 6 7 7 9 > ==================-> >> Dexterity + Firearms.Handguns No Flags << <- Combat rages on and the not-so-little Darkling is no where to be found. Shadows criss cross as the constructs of blood and iron march on, the soldiers turning on the new interlopers. Gunfire rings out to drop a soldier. Cries of battle ring out all around and still Cian is no where to be found. Oop! Did you catch him? Slow motion that replay! The fifth soldier, a lieutenant of some sort has just stepped in and swung at Alonso when a set of shadowy arms simply appear around him. A knife, maybe just a sharp piece of steel, flashes before puncturing the left side of its torso. The disctinctive =*=SHICK=*= comes as the shiv finds flesh, meat, then organs. A vicious twist pulls the dagger back out in a spray of foul-smelling ichor and pus as that second hand covers the soldier's mouth and drags him back into the shadows muffled. And then it's done, just as fast as it started, the struggles are no more and the Darkling stands over the corpse, wide-eyed staring at Alonso for the blink of an eye before he's turning and finding shadow cover again. Dielle screams in pain, having been kicked in the boob. She staggers back, raising her gun and shooting at the Damned Horse. She shoots it, but it's still up. And she's still screaming at it in total fury. It sounds like a horse's scream. -> >> Miranda to Here << <-=========================================== Rolled 0 Success < 1 2 2 3 7 > ===========================-> >> Wits + Composure - 3 No Flags << <- -> >> Miranda to Here << <-=========================================== Rolled 1 Success < 3 5 6 7 10 > ==========================-> >> Dexterity + ranged NF No Flags << <- -> >> Miranda to Here << <-=========================================== Rolled 0 Success < 1 5 6 6 > ===============================-> >> Firearms.Pistols No Flags << <- GAME: Alonso spends 3 Glamour GAME: Alonso spends 1 Willpower -> >> Alonso to Here << <-============================================ Rolled 2 Successes < 1 5 5 5 5 6 6 8 10 > ========================-> >> Wyrd + Manipulation + 1 No Flags << <- -> >> Alonso to Here << <-============================================ Rolled 2 Successes < 4 8 8 > ==================================-> >> 5 + 1 + 3 - 6 No Flags << <- -> >> Alonso to Here << <-============================================ Rolled 3 Successes < 3 4 5 5 7 8 9 10 > ============================-> >> Wits + Composure - 3 8-Again << <- Miranda does a quick glance around, looking for something that eludes her, it would seem, before settling her sights on one of the remaining foot soldiers, squeezing off a shot from her hand cannon into it's chest, wounding the mechanical creation! -> >> Alonso to Here << <-============================================ Rolled a chance die for a failure < 9 > -> >> Dexterity + Weaponry.Two-weapon - Weaponry + 1 - 7 8-Again << <-== -> >> Alonso to Here << <-============================================ Rolled 0 Success < 2 2 7 > =========-> >> Dexterity + Weaponry.Two-weapon + 1 - 7 8-Again << <- -> >> Alonso to Here << <-============================================ Rolled 1 Success < 1 1 5 8 > =========-> >> Dexterity + Weaponry.Two-weapon + 1 - 7 8-Again << <- GAME: Gisa directly set "Here Comes the General" on the initiative roster at 14. GAME: Gisa directly set "Gunner" on the initiative roster at 10. Alonso is somewhat surprised to see one of the soldier's so expertly slaughtered right there alongside him. He barely has time to grin his approval before a gout of fire pours over him and his horse. It turns into a pillar of fire of sorts when it encounters his shield of wind, but once the initial blast is over with, the Darkling is very much alight. At least in places. Loose fabric, the plumes in his hat, they're very much burning away with a quickness. The caballero charges on, however, aiming his horse in the direction of the final soldier, rising up in the saddle with profound determination despite it all. And then, in a swirl of wind and wonder, the Darkling evaporates. A gust of air swirls towards one of the open portholes on the side of the war rig that set him alight, and disappears inside as though sucked inwards by some tremendous vacuum. And although those outside cannot see it, Alonso materializes in the main command compartment of the tank. He's just as surprised as the general steering the monstrosity and the gunner manning the weapons systems. There's perhaps two beats where the three stare at one another, and then Alonso lunges at both simultaneously. The general's helmet deflects the tip of Alonso's saber, but his dagger finds purchase in the back shoulder of the gunner. His horse, in the meantime, charges right through and over the last of the soldiers. And once the horse has passed over it, it lies trampled and lifeless in the oil and blood slicked mud of the battlefield. -> >> Gisa to Here << <-============================================== Rolled 1 Success < 4 4 5 6 7 10 > ==============================================-> >> 5 No Flags << <- GAME: Gisa removes "soldier 4" from the initiative roster. -> >> Gisa to Here << <-============================================== Rolled a chance die for a failure < 5 > ========================================-> >> 14 - 15 No Flags << <- -> >> Cassian to Here << <-=========================================== Rolled 9 Successes for an exceptional success. < 1 3 3 4 4 5 6 6 8 8 9 9 9 10 10 10 10 > ===============-> >> Dexterity + Firearms.Archery + 2 No Flags << <- -> >> Gisa to Here << <-============================================== Rolled a chance die for a failure < 6 > =========================================-> >> 9 - 15 No Flags << <- GAME: Gisa removes "sleipnir 1" from the initiative roster. -> >> Gisa to Here << <-============================================== Rolled 2 Successes < 5 6 8 10 > ==========================================-> >> 9 - 6 No Flags << <- Game: Dielle takes 2 Lethal damage. Cassian could feel them, mostly. A few dozen lifeforms swirling about them, amassing and coming together. Catching sight of Glitch running, Cassian instinctly draws back on the heavy bowstring and releases with a 'thwip'. The target this time was the Sleipnir chasing poor Glitch. for all it's fight, it, too, is cut from the world with a display of gore. Arrows weren't clean weapons! Inside the tank, the evident leader screams, as did the soldier before him, "FOR OUR MOTHER!" and lunges toward Alonso with ... a wrench? Yeah. Apparently that's the closest thing at hand. It swings at Alonso and misses, but only just. The enraged second Sleipnir renews its attack on Dielle as the other one is destroyed. Its scream is something completely unholy, a strangled mutation of angry horse and distressed engine, and the rainbowcorn takes another hoof, this time to the midsection; it tears her clothing and cuts deep into the meat of her side. -> >> Glitch to Here << <-============================================ Rolled 10 Successes for an exceptional success. < 1 2 3 3 4 5 5 5 6 7 7 8 9 9 9 9 9 10 10 10 10 > =============-> >> Dexterity + Weaponry + Wyrd + 4 - 7 9-Again << <- GAME: Gisa removes "sleipnir 2" from the initiative roster. -> >> Gisa to Here << <-============================================== Rolled a chance die for a failure < 6 > ========================================-> >> 10 - 15 No Flags << <- -> >> Gisa to Here << <-============================================== Rolled 2 Successes < 3 6 7 8 10 > =========================================-> >> 12 - 8 No Flags << <- Glitch stares up at the massive War Rig as it rumbles back to life and its turret starts to swing around. Then there's cacophony behind him, as Dielle is attacked up close by the flailing sleipnir. Glitch turns, coat swirling behind him, throws himself forward, and carves a swath through the air. His sword glints, and draws a huge crescent of blood through the air to where he stands next to Dielle. As Glitch stands with his sword out, the horse flies apart, cleaved into a pile of loose legs that scatter in every direction as gore rains down on the ground around him. Whatever's going on inside the left War Rig with Alonso is enough to keep that rig still. The rig that just rumbled back to life, though? As Glitch turns away from it and runs to save Dielle from the kicks of an enraged eight-legged horse, it turns its turret on... Cassian. CLICK CLICK CLICK FWOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOSH Aaaand now Cassian's on fire. GAME: Cian spends 2 Glamour GAME: Cian spends 1 Willpower -> >> Cian to Here << <-============================================== Rolled 4 Successes < 4 6 6 6 7 8 9 9 10 > ============================-> >> Intelligence + Wyrd No Flags << <- One second, the blank eyed Cian is there, the next and he's simply molded back into shadows like a ghost. The freaky in and out seems to harken to a Winter, or maybe an Autumn, but the gleeful Spring is actually loosing a wheeze-whispered cackle that rides along the wind. Where did he go? It's likely the next dropped body will tell. -> >> Dielle to Here << <-============================================ Rolled 4 Successes < 1 2 2 5 6 6 7 8 10 10 10 > ==================-> >> Dexterity + Firearms.Handguns No Flags << <- Dielle goes down with that last kick from the damned 8 legged horse. She sits back up, making an ow noise and looks around. Look. Soldier lying on the ground. Well, she can't take her ire out on the horse. She'll take it out on the soldier. She shoots him, and watches him go boom, messily. Bits everywhere. Yeah. That was...satisfying. -> >> Miranda to Here << <-=========================================== Rolled 7 Successes for an exceptional success. < 5 7 7 7 8 9 9 9 10 10 10 > ===================-> >> Dexterity + Firearms.Pistols No Flags << <- Miranda is aiming at the big tank, the one over there, and she squeezes the trigger, shooting off one of those little explosive grub things into the side of the warrig, leaving a big dent in it! GAME: Alonso spends 2 Glamour -> >> Alonso to Here << <-============================================ Rolled 2 Successes < 1 3 4 6 6 6 7 8 9 > ====================================-> >> Wits + Wyrd No Flags << <- GAME: Alonso spends 1 Willpower -> >> Alonso to Here << <-============================================ Rolled 2 Successes < 5 6 6 8 8 > ========-> >> Dexterity + Weaponry.Two-weapon + 4 - 8 No Flags << <- -> >> Alonso to Here << <-============================================ Rolled 0 Success < 2 2 4 5 6 > ========-> >> Dexterity + Weaponry.Two-weapon + 4 - 8 No Flags << <- -> >> Gisa to Here << <-============================================== Rolled 7 Successes for an exceptional success. < 1 3 4 6 9 9 9 10 10 10 10 > ==============================================-> >> 7 No Flags << <- GAME: Gisa removes "gunner" from the initiative roster. In close quarters, there's really nothing the machine hobs can do to better Alonso. The wrench attack is batted away with his dagger, and countered with a sound jab of the saber. It slips past the general's guard, the point burying itself in the creature's ribcage. It slowly slumps to the ground, drawn there by some unnatural urge to sleep, after which Alonso tugs the blade free, wheeling to face the gunner. There's a brief back and forth, after which Alonso jabs the creature in the throat with his parrying dagger. It's not much, but it proves sufficient to silence the guns, as it were. Alonso promptly sheathes both weapons, throws the gunner out of its seat, and mans the station. Now. How do these controls work... -> >> Alonso to Here << <-============================================ Rolled 2 Successes < 2 4 6 7 9 10 > ================================-> >> Wits + Computer No Flags << <- GAME: Gisa removes "soldier 3" from the initiative roster. -> >> Cassian to Here << <-=========================================== Rolled 4 Successes < 1 2 3 5 6 6 7 8 8 9 9 > ================================-> >> Wyrd + Survival No Flags << <- Cassian hisses at the smell of smoke, before realizing it was him on fire. Quickly, he drops to the ground and ... seems to fall through it. Only to fall 'out' near the War Rig. Bastards. GAME: Glitch spends 1 Glamour -> >> Glitch to Here << <-============================================ Rolled 3 Successes < 2 3 4 4 5 6 6 9 9 10 > ===============================-> >> Wyrd + Athletics No Flags << <- GAME: Glitch spends 2 Glamour -> >> Glitch to Here << <-============================================ Rolled 4 Successes < 2 2 5 5 5 7 7 7 8 8 10 10 > ====================================-> >> Wits + Wyrd No Flags << <- -> >> Glitch to Here << <-============================================ Rolled 8 Successes for an exceptional success. < 1 1 1 1 2 3 4 5 5 6 8 8 9 9 9 9 10 10 > =============-> >> Dexterity + Weaponry + Wyrd + 4 - 7 9-Again << <- -> >> Glitch to Here << <-============================================ Rolled 5 Successes for an exceptional success. < 2 2 3 3 3 4 7 8 8 8 8 8 > =============-> >> Dexterity + Weaponry + Wyrd + 4 - 7 9-Again << <- -> >> Alonso to Here << <-============================================ Rolled 5 Successes for an exceptional success. < 4 5 6 6 7 7 8 8 10 10 10 > ============================-> >> Resolve + Composure No Flags << <- -> >> Glitch to Here << <-============================================ Rolled 3 Successes < 6 6 6 7 8 8 10 > ============================-> >> Resolve + Composure No Flags << <- Glitch turns his head back to the war rig with an especially grim stare. He bolts towards the thing again with a violent lunge as it belches flame, plants one foot into the ground, and takes a flying leap upwards. By the time his legs tuck under him, he's high in the air directly over the rig, plummeting straight into the thing. Inside of it, he turns with a swipe of his sword, raking it straight through the gunner, cutting him clean in half. The screaming soldier sprays his innards across the entire tank, foul smelling oil and pus-streaked gore splattering him and the driver horrifically. Glitch's sole reaction to this is to look over his shoulder at the driver and grip his sword tighter. -> >> Gisa to Here << <-============================================== Rolled 3 Successes < 3 3 8 9 9 > ==============================================-> >> 5 No Flags << <- -> >> Cian to Here << <-============================================== Rolled 5 Successes for an exceptional success. < 3 4 4 5 7 8 8 8 8 10 > ============================-> >> Manipulation + Wyrd No Flags << <- Dielle is looking around from her seated position, trying to see if there's anything worth shooting. As a rule, she tends to try not to shoot armored things, as they have an unpleasant habit of deflecting her bullets back at her. She looks down and sighs. "So much for this shirt," she mutters. Then she continues to survey the wreckage. Exploded soldiers. Dead soldiers. Bits of scary horses. Tanks. Maybe she should hide behind one of the horses, being set on fire after the kicking would truly suck. No on suspects the adorable Darkling until it's too late. Somewhere in the melee, Cian had slinked right into the tank with Alonso. The foul smell hit him like a wall in the face, but he's crawled around in sewers for fun before. There's that shiv, and the man looks positively ready to drive that shank into the General's soft squishy bits repeatedly until he bled out on the floor. Instead, he crawls over the sleeping form like a spider, his head hanging over the generals unblinking. A vile shadow gathered in Cian's mouth and he expunges it like an ungent over the General's face, forcing the forced sleep to deepen, drawing him into utter darkness. With that done, he looks up at Alonso and slithers up to him, leaning close to whisper, "He'll be asleep until someone punches him...turn him over to Winter?" -> >> Miranda to Here << <-=========================================== Rolled 0 Success < 1 3 4 5 > ==========================-> >> Dexterity + ranged NF No Flags << <- -> >> Miranda to Here << <-=========================================== Rolled 1 Success < 2 5 5 9 > ===============================-> >> Firearms.Pistols No Flags << <- Another bullet-chrysallis shoots out of Miranda's revolver at the second of the war rigs, impacting with a BOOM and creating a slightly bigger dent where she had previously shot it, but doing little else! -> >> Alonso to Here << <-============================================ Rolled 4 Successes < 1 1 3 6 6 6 8 8 8 10 > ====================-> >> Intelligence + Firearms + 3 No Flags << <- -> >> Dielle to Here << <-============================================ Rolled 3 Successes < 1 1 4 5 6 6 8 9 10 > ========================-> >> Resolve + Composure + 2 No Flags << <- -> >> Cassian to Here << <-=========================================== Rolled 1 Success < 1 1 3 3 5 7 7 9 > ============================-> >> Resolve + Composure No Flags << <- "That is the idea, yes," Alonso answers Cian with a distracted nod. "You can't interrogate the dead. So I try to take prisoners." While he's speaking with Cian, he's using the pedals at his feet to wheel the turret around to face the troop transport. Which, although empty of soldiers, might still be crewed by its driver and gunner. As he tugs the lever that lowers the barrel of the flame thrower downwards to bring the transport squarely into the crosshairs of the targetic reticle, he begins to hum the famous tune of the Internationale. Once all the whirring and clunking has ended, Alonso places his thumb on the trigger switch and clicks it down with a profoundly satisfied grin. CLICK. CLICK CLICK. FWOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOSH!!! A stream of flame erupts from the turret, engulfing the troop transport and anything left inside of it in firey propellant. Alonso just keeps holding his thumb down, too. Fire. Fire. And more fire. Just don't go in front of War Rig 1 for a while, okay? -> >> Miranda to Here << <-=========================================== Rolled 1 Success < 1 1 2 2 7 8 > ============================-> >> Resolve + Composure No Flags << <- -> >> Cassian to Here << <-=========================================== Rolled 5 Successes for an exceptional success. < 1 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 7 8 9 9 10 10 > ===============================-> >> Dexterity + Wyrd No Flags << <- GAME: Gisa removes "here comes the general" from the initiative roster. GAME: Gisa removes "war rig 1" from the initiative roster. Cassian, pleased he was no longer on fire, takes a momwnt to think. There were still two inside the Rig he stood by. He can sense it. Of course, the flames and impact from the other rig did frighten him a bit ... but there was still work to do. Reaching up, Cassian's arm fits into the war rig through one of the driver's ports. As though his body was suddenly rubber, Cassian's arm extends into the rig, grasping for the pilot, though not yet finding. -> >> Glitch to Here << <-============================================ Rolled 8 Successes for an exceptional success. < 1 1 2 2 2 2 3 4 5 7 7 7 8 9 9 10 10 10 10 10 > =============-> >> Dexterity + Weaponry + Wyrd + 4 - 6 9-Again << <- GAME: Gisa may be clearing initiatives at this location. GAME: Gisa clears the initiative roster in this location. Glitch watches as Cassian's arm bursts into the tank through the viewport. The driver inside barely dodges away, and then makes a lunge for Glitch. The pixellated warrior's arm clenches his sword, and the weapon becomes a blur through the air, knocking the poor hob left and right against the walls before he falls apart into a cheap pile of foul smelling meat, carved into bits mercilessly. Glitch's eyes close, and he takes another leap up out of the top hole, landing atop the turret of the tank and perching there with his bloody sword held out behind him. "STAGE CLEAR," he yells out. Dielle watches as one tank turns on another. It's a good show. She struggles to her feet because better that than getting trampled on by an hysterical hob. Ow. She also doesn't throw up, although she does remark, "What an incredible aroma we've discovered." She looks like she wants to throw up, though, she's a little on the green side. It's probably the bleeding and ow. She'll be glad to get back to the freehold. Miranda's revolver goes into it's holster, and she moves forward to try and help with the hobs, trying to put out fires and the like as best she can and anything else she might do to help calm things. -> >> Glitch to Here << <-============================================ Rolled 1 Success < 2 2 3 3 5 8 > ============================-> >> Resolve + Composure No Flags << <- Whatever life Cassian had sensed to oppose Glitch within the rig quickly flickered and burned out. Inside, splattered blood arcs across the rubbery arm, only to seemingly burn away like grease popping on a skillet. Only wisps of smoke rise. The arm slips away and Cassian backs from the Rig and begins to walk, Slenderman and all. A few Hob faces were recognizable, but, he wouldn't put a burden on them by offering them free help. But, he does linger... by trying to help repair the Hedge. Wreckage, oil and blood. Cian has slogged through worse. Still, when the hatch of the tank opens up and the smell from inside wafts out, Cian flops out of it like a fish gasping for air. Just cuz he can tolerate it doesn't me he enjoys it! He's got...something with him. Limp, ragdolled even. The body of the General leading these particular troops. It's odd because the General is still clearly breathing, despite looking like a flopped fish and ...snoring? The Wisp puuuushes the general out of the insides so he flops against the topside and then wriggles himself out after. He's covered, blood, pus, filfth, and the Darkling doesn't seem to mind in the slightest. With a muted grunt he hefts the sleeping General over the side to land with a thud in the dirt, still passed out. If he can catch someone's attention with frantic waving, they're pointed to the bastard even as Cian is ziptying his hands together. Leetle snug, there we go. He looks proud of himself. And why not? He reeled in the big fish, mostly cuz Alonso's not here to tell anyone otherwise. It's always the quiet ones...