Procedures
(adapted from Scott aka Driver's excellent Wilderlands (http://wilderlandsodnd.blogspot.com/) PbP)
This is pretty standard stuff but please give a quick read-through.
1. Dice rolling, for now, is honor system. I realize making your own rolls can really make you feel more connected to your character and the game overall and I'm down with that. If it feels like things are bogging down I might prefer to switch to JM rolling most skill and combat rolls. Let's see how it goes.
2. I can almost always update every day. Players are expected, generally, to post every weekday. Things will be slower for some players on weekends, and I understand. I also understand that things come up and people have to take breaks, and we'll deal with that on a case-by-case basis. It won't be an issue unless your posting rate is consistently out of sync and the game is being held up. In that case you may find your character frozen by confused bounty hunters and sold to the Hutts till such time as you can keep up. Worst case you may be asked to leave the game for quits.
3. If you're not happy with the character you rolled up, stick with it for a bit and see how it goes. If the character really does stink out loud and you're absolutely unsatisfied, he'll either die soon or we'll address it after an adventure or two. (I'd be very surprised if this were an issue with this group.)
4. I have no strong preferences about your style of posting. Detailed and descriptive or short and to the point, whatever is most enjoyable for you, makes the game most fun, should be great. I do tend to prefer third person narrative, and it's great if we can all match up our verb tenses -- flows better, I think.
5. Out-of-character comments in the in-character thread should be bracketed, and skill attempts capitalized, like so:
[I'd like to see if I can Seduce the robodroid housekeeper.]
Rules Notes
Stats: 3d6 in order, natch.
Races, Hybrids and Character Options: All available. Additional races: Cyclopeans, Hutts and Duckoids (Asteroid 1618, EC group > Files > Game Aids & Resources), Lilliputians and Brobdingnagians (EC group > Files > Rules Expansions & Variants), any of Mike David's new races (RPG Fun Pad, here (http://madavid13.blogspot.com/2008/10/seven-races-for-encounter-critical.html)), Bulterrians (M65Q, here (http://rondo-encountercritical.blogspot.com/2008/07/new-race-bullterrian.html)), and Zombies (M&B, here (http://mbenign.blogspot.com/2008/08/now-were-feeling-zombified.html)).
If you choose a non-standard race let me know before character creation as I may make some modifications.
Mutations: Core chart and both expansions posted to the EC message list are available. If you choose to use the expanded charts please roll randomly to determine the chart to be used for each mutation.
Character Classes: In addition to the six core classes the (Variant) Biker and Scientist/Mad Scientist classes and the Wrestler subclass are available (EC group > Files > Rules Expansions & Variants).
Multi-classing: Per EC rules, but note that when adding a new character class you must perform the task associated with your new class to gain your first level. Example: Gorgutts the Grappler, a 3rd level warrior, decides to try his hand at warlocking. When he achieves enough XP to attain 4th level, he must somehow create a new spell to gain his new class (and frankly, good luck to him).
Percentile Abilities: Surprise me. I have my own ideas about how things work, but I want to avoid codifying the skills too much. I'm willing to be persuaded by your cunning, clever or crazy rationales for using the skills.
Warlocks and Psi-Witches: Both classes will be subject to permanent 1% (or higher) deductions from an ability of the player's choice for gratuitous use of powers. Example deductions might include a Psi-Witch using Crowd Manipulate to control one or more beings for longer than his ESP score in hours, or a Warlock using Magic Attack instead of Great Feat to lift a huge boulder.
Warlocks can cast any spell memorized without rolling any dice. If desired they may roll Magical Attack to try for special effects, such as casting the spell silently, increasing its length or duration, or increasing its area of effect. The spell is lost if the Magical Attack roll is missed.
Critical Successes and Fumbles: At JM's option any roll of 95 or higher on any percentile check may result in a critical fumble: pratfalls, foul-ups, stubbed toes, broken bones, public humiliation, private shame, and similar mishaps. If the Ability chances are 95-99 a fumble might occur on any failed check -- you're so awesome that you only fail spectacularly. If the chances are 100 or better a fumble may still occur on a roll of 00.
Similarly any percentile roll of 05 or less may be a critical success determined by the JM, unless the success chances are only 05 or less, in which case the player should just be glad of his or her good luck to make the check at all.
(The references to the EC Group refer to the Encounter Critical Yahoo Group (http://games.groups.yahoo.com/group/encounter-critical/). You'll need to join if you aren't a member already. It's cool, you won't regret it)
House Rules
Easy Hurling rule for thrown weapons: Use Ranged ATT %. Maximum Range = 1/2 STR x 10'. -5% ATT per 10'
Grappling: see this post (http://www.therpgsite.com/showpost.php?p=240388&postcount=56).
Scare Rules: Per A1618, page 80-81
Reference
Character Sheets
Buck Pulsar (http://www.therpgsite.com/showpost.php?p=234156&postcount=38) / Rondo
The Creature (http://www.therpgsite.com/showpost.php?p=233422&postcount=6) / Wulfgar
Hobson Twofoot (http://www.therpgsite.com/showpost.php?p=248979&postcount=100) / Age of Fable
Quazarn the Arcane (http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_aOuQOD5vUs8/SKN_U9X3U7I/AAAAAAAAAVU/Ht16tX8CVHI/s1600-h/Quazarn_CS.jpg) / Dr Rotwang
Zarko (http://www.therpgsite.com/showpost.php?p=234046&postcount=32) / Coffee
(Incommunicado
Gorgo Ubar III (http://www.therpgsite.com/showpost.php?p=242139&postcount=91) / Edsan
The Robodroid with No Name (http://www.therpgsite.com/showpost.php?p=234136&postcount=36) / Stuart)
General Notes
To get things in gear, let's stick with the PCs already made.
At the start I'm winging this. I have a bunch of scenarios brewing in my head, but I may end up ad libbing as well. I'll PM each of you with a rumor or two you've heard in your travels, and let your interaction direct things -- if you all decide not to nibble at my adventure hooks and that you'd rather spend your last remaining gold credits in the fleshpots of God City, I'll roll with that.
The Creature goes looking for someplace to eat. He's in the mood for a big hamburger, and asks the nearest local for the best hamburger joint in God City.
Quazarn, Best Of All The Guys, eyes The Creature disdainfully.
"Hamburger? Hamburger, you say? Humph." He cocks an eyebrow. "Hamburger. Well...Rollo the Entropian makes hamburgers -- 'course he makes rats on a stick and some kind of green, slimy liquor, too, so you're on your own.
"Pardon me," Quazarn then says, filled with sudden regret. "I'm afraid I may have been kind of unpleasant just now. Here...let me take you to -- I'll take you to Greebloid's. You can get a great burger at Greebloid's. And I'll pay."
[Q's Psychometric Morbidity has kicked in, and he's fighting it. I didn't roll it, I just decided.]
[Talk amongst yourselves if you like -- you're free to assume your PCs are already acquainted if you like, or you can role play their meeting. I'll be back later this evening.
[Wulfgar has already inspired a scenario, so feel free to toss out ideas.]
[EDIT: Rotwang is way ahead of me. That's why he's a Doctor.]
Sure, Rollo the Entropian makes hamburgers, but he also makes beefburgers and that's what Zarko is eating. He's sitting at his usual place toward the end of the bar, not to far from the corner booth where the Honchos of the local crime syndicate make their social headquarters. (He has been useful to them in the past, in an errand-boy sort of way, and hopes to increase his usefulness someday, but they seem to be ignoring him.)
Creature pays the burger attendant a few credits and starts chomping away on his double bacon mushroom burger and curly fries. Being frozen in the arctic sure builds up an appetite.
"No, no, no," Quazarn insists. "I said I've got it." He stops The Creature from paying and hands over credits of his own.
"Why are we at Rollo's? I tried to warn you about --" and he points at a passing doxy, legs up to here, walking past with a fried rat on a stick. "Well, the food, not her."
Quazarn slumps over and sighs. "I wanted to go to Greebloid's." He takes a moment to regard The creature. "Don't talk much, huh? Yeah..." He leans back in his chair and drapes his elbows over the back of it. "I wouldn't talk to me, either." He sighs, and Vanth presses down harder upon him.
Bucks at the bar...cold beer in hand and his helmet on the table. Turning slowly around to eye the doxy and spots the party. He takes his frosty one over and with his hand in his pocket, saunters up. "Where's the fun, boys? Can I buy anyone a cold one?"
"Here bud..looks like you could use this", he hands his beer to Quazarn and starts looking for the doxy waitress to flag another one for himself.
Quazarn looks at the beer as though it were a foot-long centipede, humming to itself and flossing its teeth. "I -- um --"
He sniffs the beer to see if it has Buck Spit on it. "Er...thanks, pal. Say!" he says, suddenly perking up -- and recognizing Buck as a potential friend to attach to. "I'm Quazarn. this," he says, wiggling a thumb at The Creature, "is a very hungry Frankenstein who doesn't talk much. That's a nice helmet. Who're you?"
[Check your private message box, boyos (you're new to the boards Rondo, so scroll on up till you can see the options bar and I believe one of the tabs should say "New PM" or "New message." I missed it myself first time a got a PM).
[Catch you all on the flip-flop]
"Hey, Quazarn!.....Creature....nice to meet you both...Buck Pulsar...bored space cadet.....", Buck spins a chair around and sits down. "Ah, the helmet!...yea, you won't find another one like this 'un", "Buck drifts in thought for a second scratching his chin and thinking about the Academy and another time period....long ago...
"Say, I've been looking for some guys like you. Any chance you guys would want to follow-up on a little rumor I've heard going around? Seriously...I wanna make some scratch! This place is boring."
Quazarn grins at Rondo. "The ship?"
"Yea! I heard that 'un too!, Buck grins and winks at Quazarn. "You know, we might oughta work up to that...there's money to be made right here...in this greasy spoon. I got a little plan that involves making some dough. If we had the money after this gig, we might have enough to hire enough henchmen to take that ship", Buck starts spinning a Gold Credit on the tabletop...."You know, that thing might be pretty stock fulla monsters, and we'd stand a hell of a better chance with some high end ray guns and a gang to back us up."
Quazarn narrows his bright, intelligent eyes at Buck. "What are you proposing, mister Pulsar?", he says, conspiratorily. It is very, very obvious to anyone observing Quazarn that he is astonishingly intelligent, charismatic and, above all, cool.
The bargirl, a comprehensively tattooed Vulkin, sees Buck's raised hand and saunters over. "Don't know where you fellahs got the idea I was a doxy," she smirks knowingly, "But is there anything else I can help you with? Try and stick with what's on the menu."
Quote from: Dr Rotwang!;238841It is very, very obvious to anyone observing Quazarn that he is astonishingly intelligent, charismatic and, above all, cool.
Sizing him up with a glance so piercing it's like she can
read his mind, the Vulkin arches a single eyebrow in disbelief, tapping the menu impatiently.
(Hey guys...watch what yer thinkin!..ESP chick?)
Buck holds a G.C. between his gloved finger and thumb, "Problems at this burger joint lately eh? What kinda stuff has been going on around here? Any scoop? And can I have a round of beers for my buddies?". He's gonna grin at her, wink and waggle that Ronald Coleman moustache a bit.. and try throwin' down with the Seduce for some answers (I'm rollin....I gotta 58%...."03"...whoo hoo! Off to a greeeat start.....well, if it's worth anything).
Quote from: ttagxamm;238847"Don't know where you fellahs got the idea I was a doxy," she smirks knowingly, "But is there anything else I can help you with? Try and stick with what's on the menu."
Quazarn eyes the menu disinterestedly, then hands it to her with a shrug. "Something select, yet proletariat."
Quote from: Rondo;238964Buck holds a G.C. between his gloved finger and thumb, "Problems at this burger joint lately eh? What kinda stuff has been going on around here? Any scoop? And can I have a round of beers for my buddies?". [He's gonna grin at her, wink and waggle that Ronald Coleman moustache a bit..]
Looking Buck square in the face, the Vulkin bargirl purses her lips, cocks her hips saucily, and shoots him down: "Problems? You look like
you might be a problem, flyboy. Pity about the moustache (http://www.probertencyclopaedia.com/j/Ronald%20Coleman%20Moustache.jpg), though."
Turning to Quazarn she says, "He must hit his head a lot, huh? The helmet?"
Quote from: Quazarn"Something select, yet proletariat."
"I'm sure you'll love the goxburger." Staring pointedly at the Remulaki's prodigiously bald head, she adds, "It might even put hair on your...chest. I'll bring it right up."
At the bar, a stout dwarfess drops her grog with a crash, swooning at the power of Buck's moustache.
[The Vulkin Psi-Resisted, so your critical got diverted. Careful where you point that thing.]
Buck grins and then laughs a bit. He looks away from the waitress no problem, and says, "watch that goxburger...she's bringing it up, but you might "bring it up" later....okay, fair enough miss....", and he gives her a little wink. Then he looks over to the stout dwarfess and gives her a shiny smile. "Suppose I better stick to my airships", he grins to the waitress and then gives up on it. He looks over to the Creature, "Hey, buddy...don'tcha ever say anything?" ( I hadn't had a chance to look around till about now, but wondering: what's the scene behind the bar?)
The dwarfess giggles and turns away, blushing. Behind the the bar a wide-mouthed lizard man grins back at Buck with a mouthful of chisel-like fangs. The bar is well-stocked, lacking nothing that a conoisseur of bottom shelf booze could want. To one side a swinging door leads to the kitchen.
The place is mostly quiet. A trio of goblin bike messengers loiter at the bar waiting for their next run. Late lunchers are scattered here and there, and loud barks of laughter rise up from a table of rough men in the corner -- street soldiers in the Honcho crime family, you suspect. Near them at the end of the bar a lone planetary ape hunches over his burger.
For an instant, Buck has a premonition of a robodroid cowboy, but it passes.
Presently the Vulkin bargirl strolls out with Quazarn's goxburger. "The working man's better burger, rekilled fresh this morning. Anything else, boys?"
[NOTE FOR ALL PLAYERS: I've found the email notifications to be somewhat erratic. They are definitely not sent for every new post, so it's better to visit the thread to check in]
Quote from: ttagxamm;239140Presently the Vulkin bargirl strolls out with Quazarn's goxburger. "The working man's better burger, rekilled fresh this morning. Anything else, boys?"
"Yes, miss. Should I have any trouble with this goxburger, is there a way that I can contact you about it later? Say, after your shift?"
[Quazarn is trying to seduce her, too -- or at least, get her to like him. He really needs to be liked! I'm rolling -- HOLY CRAP I GOT A 09. Even with my...what is it for Remulaks, -25%? Anyway, tha's a base Seduce of 78%, so...you tell me.]
Buck leans over to Quaz, "hey bud...I'll be right back, I'm gonna check something out". He gets up and wanders casual over to the bar and the dwarfess...he sort of squats down and looks at her, "would the one as pretty as a dainty flower care to let me in on some information? I'm new to around these parts, and I sure would like to find out a few things." He, sort of, half bows..smiling gently.
Quote from: Dr Rotwang!;239178"Yes, miss. Should I have any trouble with this goxburger, is there a way that I can contact you about it later? Say, after your shift?"
Smiling indulgently she bends over the table close to Quazarn, stretching her long arms around him from behind. Before he can think how to react, she picks up his knife and fork and cuts his burger into bite size pieces.
"There now. You think you can manage that without any trouble, lucky strike?" she croons, wiping off her hands on her apron. A chain of monkeys tattooed on her left bicep seems to flip him the bird en masse, but she winks and offers her hand. "I'm T'Pixeleen. Pixie. And you're cute, but where's the logic?"
Quote from: Rondo;239221Buck leans over to Quaz, "hey bud...I'll be right back, I'm gonna check something out". He gets up and wanders casual over to the bar and the dwarfess...he sort of squats down and looks at her, "would the one as pretty as a dainty flower care to let me in on some information? I'm new to around these parts, and I sure would like to find out a few things." He, sort of, half bows..smiling gently.
The dwarfess merely giggles, turning as brilliant a shade of red as molten iron in the forges of her forefathers.
[Not sure how you dudes feel about about visual aids to our PbP. Don't want to force you to imagine things the same way I see 'em. So I'll just post links rather than images unless it's game-crucial that you experience My Vision. Click 'em if you want, or don't.
[Anyway, found a damn near perfect match for how I envision T'Pixeleen, here (http://tlc.discovery.com/tv/la-ink/bios/pixie.html). Pigtails and everything, and I swear when I named T'Pixeleen I had no idea she had a doppelganger out there with the same nickname!
[While searching for punk girls with full sleeve tattoos I also found this cutie (http://spookyblog.com/_post/0608/gothicsluts_jv_detention.jpg) (the picture is demure enough, but the url is not work-safe, FYI). Jack Skellington on one arm and a freaking skeksis on the other? Whoah.]
Wowee! works for me....as long as you have the kinda taste in chicks that you apparently have, you can envision up all you wanna, as far as I'm concerned!:)
(OOPs! Brackets slipped past me on the last post....I apologize)
Quote from: Rondo;239492Wowee! works for me....as long as you have the kinda taste in chicks that you apparently have, you can envision up all you wanna, as far as I'm concerned!:)
[Well, I consider myself a generalist as far as my appreciation of beauty goes. Why limit oneself to a "type?"
[GAME-RELATED: I'm fine with our pace so far -- your child-like attempts at Seducing Pixie have been most amusing. But since you and the Doc have been the most enthusiastic players so far don't be shy about moving things along -- the others can catch up when they catch on. Till then I'm ok if you choose to leave them here in the bar]
Quazarn smiles appreciatively at Pixie. "Thank you, miss," he says, "I think this will be splendid." He makes a mental note of her name, location and apparent skills, and having had a good look at her (which he hadn't had before), files her under "useful contact" instead of "hottie".
Waiting for the unpalatable female to walk away, he waits for Buck to return from his, um, intel-gathering excursion.
[This isn't really related to the game at all, but I'll mention it anyway: I think that one of the most tragic and horrifying things that an otherwise-attractive girl can do to herself is to shove ink under her skin. In other words, tattoos barf me out.]
Buck's getting too weird a vibe from this bunch. Besides, he really woulda liked to have hit it off with the inked-up honey, so he's feeling kinda dejected...his vanity is easily bruised..he mosies back to the table. "Hmm..I don't know boys...this place may not be worth messing with. Maybe we should just get a crew together and look for that so-called "Monster Magnet" ship."
(I'll refrain from ever posting a picture of me or my wife online...we got enough ink to keep you barfing for some time to come Doc! ;)
[Sorry, Doc, I'll tag any future links IMCT if the Image linked Might Contain Tattoos! ;)
[I'm unaligned myself on the topic, having no objections nor any pressing urge to have anything permanently inked on me. But I am vehemently pro pigtails and Dark Crystal. :D]
With a monstrous gulp, the Creature finishes his burger and then licks his chops with his stitched together tounge.
"Burp."
In a guttural monotone he groans in the direction of the waitress, but he's loud enough for anyone else nearby to hear:
"Bigby......Smalls.........where....is.....he?"
The entire bar seems to flinch at the grating rumble of the Creature's voice. The seemingly unflappable Pixie trips and drops a platter loaded with full beer glasses, but they stay upright and unspilled through some mysterious force.
The other patrons go back to their drinks and food. The noisy table in the corner is quiet for a moment, then their laughter resumes more loudly than ever.
[Glad to hear from you, Wulfgar!
[I'll update again tonight. Hopefully Coffee and Stuart will be able to post today as well. Once things get rolling I'd love for everyone to post daily. Even if you're to busy too post something substantive a quick check-in is really appreciated.
[Oh, and I'll need Consume Alien Food rolls from the Creature and Zarko. :eek: Quazarn too, unless you can give me a good reason why he isn't eating the burger he just ordered.]
Creature Rolls:
Consume Alien (rated 2%) Rolls 85%
Unpleasant Order (which would seem to apply since he ordered the food! HA) (rated 84%) Rolls 22%
Buck grabs the edge of the table, summoned out of his bored stupor, "BIGBY SMALLS!? He says something, and it's "BIGBY SMALLS!? Who is Mr. Smalls, Creature??"
Buck is grinning but shocked.:0
Quote from: ttagxamm;239660[Oh, and I'll need Consume Alien Food rolls from the Creature and Zarko. :eek: Quazarn too, unless you can give me a good reason why he isn't eating the burger he just ordered.]
[I rolled a 50 (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/1707231/).]
Creature pulls an object out his pocket and shows it to Buck and Quazarn. After a moment of puzzlement, they realize it is a small piece of a bathroom stall dividing wall, which the Creature apparently ripped loose. Written in sharpie on the fragment is:
Bigby Smalls Bigtime Brawl
No blades or guns. Just fists and money to be won. Think you got the stuff to be tops? Try your hand, we'll clean up yer blood with some mops
Slightly lower and in different handwriting it says:
Darryl's Mom is hawt
and still further down and yet another set of handwriting:
ICUP
"I-cup?" Quazarn says. "Oh, dear. How would she even walk?"
(HARR!! D2 was there! ha)
Buck says, "hmm, lemme see that..", he looks a bit closer..."Brother!", he says to Creature, "You indeed GOT THE GOODS! Lets go make some dough!", and with that he's calling over Pixie..."Gorgeous! You know where we can find Mr. Smalls? I'm the manager for "The Creature Feature" here....we have some biz with this guy, Mr. Smalls..."
Quote from: ttagxamm;239660[Oh, and I'll need Consume Alien Food rolls from the Creature and Zarko. :eek: Quazarn too, unless you can give me a good reason why he isn't eating the burger he just ordered.]
[And here I am at work, without my dice! Don't worry; I won't let it happen again. And I'll get you that roll tonight.]
Zarko was just listening to the general conversation until Smalls came up. That sounds like something he could get into. He'll start to edge closer to the group.
Okay, my Consume Alien Food is... 03. (Gulp).
And I roll ... 03! Holy cow! I made it!
[I can't believe that happened, but I'm keeping the roll. Of course, when I really need a good roll, I'll blow it spectacularly...]
Quote from: Rondo;239715Buck says....calling over Pixie..."Gorgeous! You know where we can find Mr. Smalls? I'm the manager for "The Creature Feature" here....we have some biz with this guy, Mr. Smalls..."
The Vulkin turns to answer, but never gets a chance. As she passes a nearby table, a cloaked hobling suddenly drops his half-eaten burger and spews his lunch at her feet. She slips in the sick and thuds to the floor, as bedlam erupts in the burger shack.
Lunches are lost and cookies tossed in every corner of the room. Quazarn gives forth with a keening wail (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PBYPLF0jDS0) as he de-gulps his goxburger onto the floor between his legs. His nauseau passes quickly, but is followed by a belch so acrid it makes his eyes water.
At his side the Creature bites his lip and puffs out his cheeks in a mighty show of self-control. He rummages through his pouch till he finds the policeman's cap he borrowed on his way into town, gently shakes loose the bit of scalp still sticking to the brim, then finally coughs up his hamburger into the hat. He immediately begins to hiccup loudly.
Buck stands dumbfounded amid the tumult. Most of those lucky enough to keep their food down race for the exit, skidding on slick floorboards. The unlucky choke and gasp all around him. The dwarfess at the bar hacks up a stream of butterflies. One of the Honchos huddles under the table weeping hysterically, and another slowly turns a florescent shade of green. Nearby the Honchos table Buck spots the one other fellow standing: the ape who'd been eating at the end of the bar.
Buck and the ape are still surveying the carnage when the swinging doors to the kitchen bang open and an ogress in a greasy apron bellows forth, brandishing a half-gnawed haunch of beef and an improbably large cleaver.
"More Meeeat," roars the ogress (http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3142/2798002549_056eff5e7c.jpg), lunging for one of the goblin bike messengers...
[Quazarn has
toxic halitosis, 5' radius, and will suffer a 10% penalty to all LEA abilities for the next 4 hours. The Creature will take a 5% penalty to all ability and attack % rolls due to
debilitative hiccups, also for 4 hours]
"Well.....there you have it....", sighs Buck doing his best Oliver Hardy. "Shall we retire to another portion of the room, gentlemen? Oh I dunno...something with a little less V O M I T perhaps?", he removes a glove, and runs a finger deftly under both sides of his moustache. "Why is it I can't get a straight answer from anyone these days?"
(They better not DREAM of sticking us with a check either!!)
(LOVE th' Ogress drawing! NICE work...classic stuff!)
Buck looks over at the ape at the bar who isn't heaving..."How about you buddy? Since you seemed to have enough dignity NOT to eat one of these monstrosities perhaps YOU would like to have a drink with me...maybe give me a NORMAL response concerning this rather bleak abode, maybe shoot a game of billiards?"
Buck keeps his hand near his holster in case he has to draw down on the Ogress or even the ape.....but he doesn't like to appear concerned, so he converses but is on the draw in his mind.
Quote from: Rondo;239943(LOVE th' Ogress drawing! NICE work...classic stuff!)
[The Ogress is by a guy known to me only as Ube the Pirate. It was submitted to me for my sorta stalled out EC mega-module. It
is classic though, you got that part right.]
"Creature..here..to..eat lunch......not to BE lunch! Creature not like mean ogress!! AAAAAAARGH!!!"
The creature intends to lift the ogress and send her sliding head first down the bar crashing into glasses, plates, customers, and vomit as she goes- wild west saloon fight style!
Let me know if that's a attack roll, lesser feat, or greater feat, or whatever else.
[The Creature needs to roll an attack and a Feat roll -- just tell me the % on the second roll.
[I'll wait for Doc and Coffee to chime in before resolving actions, hits, etc.]
Creature rolls....
Melee Attack (rated 107%) rolls 27% !
Feat (rated 100% Lesser/ 31% Greater) rolls 33%
edit- forgot to add in my hiccup adjustment. So the attack roll is a 32%, still easily within my rating, and the feat roll is a 38% and awaits the Journey Master's adjudication.
OOC- Coffee, for those occassion when you don't have your dice with you, there are lots of sites like this out there, this is the one I use:
http://yoav.org/dice/
(If nobody is taking a swing at Buck, he's just gonna fold his arms and check this out. If this thing starts turing into a saloon fight, I'm in...otherwise, just gonna step over the burger-bits and IF Pixie is still on her ass in the muck, maybe offer to help her up.)
Zarko, his meal finished and retained, gets out of the Ogress's landing zone. He sidles up to Buck, shoves a toothpick in his mouth, and says:
"Yeah, we could get a drink." He gestures back toward the action. "But let's see how this turns out first, okay?"
He grins.
"Let's watch our boy in action here", Buck says to Zarko with a grin, pointing at The Creature.
[These are the EZ EC grappling rules I came up with. If you guys don't want to see this sort of rules junk in the In Character Thread let me know and I'll cut and paste it over to an OOC thread. To my mind part of the fun of this is figuring out what this game can do, but if you find it's at all distracting I totally get that.]
QuoteRules for grappling and wrestling:
Attacker makes a melee ATT roll to initiate the grapple, which proceeds with a series of opposed Feat rolls. Each round one grappler is the aggressor and the other is the defender.
Feat roll results:
Aggressor makes Lesser Feat roll, defender fails: Aggressor scores normal unarmed damage if wished, with no Saving Throw by the defender. Defender is pinned or held and unable to act for the round. Advantage stays with aggressor if desired.
Defender makes Lesser Feat roll, aggressor fails: Advantage changes! Defender can either break the hold or pin the aggressor and score normal unarmed damage if desired. The agressor gets a Saving Throw against this damage. If grappling continues the defender becomes the aggressor in the next round.
Both combatants make Lesser Feat roll: Both score normal unarmed damage if wished, both can Save against this damage. The lower roll becomes the aggressor in the next round.
If either combatant rolls a Great Feat they may automatically hit with a melee attack or perform a more spectacular maneuver such as a body slam, suplex, throw, etc. This is based on the character's stated intention at the beginning of the round. If they haven't stated a special combat move they may only take the automatic melee attack. JM adjudicates the results, especially in cases where both fighters make a Great Feat roll.
Creative fighters may find other abilities such as Sneak Attack, Sneak, etc useful in grappling but that is up to the player to suggest and JM to adjudicate.
[Proper update tomorrow morning.]
Buck keeps a wary eye on the ogress as he checks on Pixie. He helps her roll out from beneath the hobling who'd fainted across her, and pulls her to her feet. She gives him a quick grin.
Across the bar the messenger goblins scatter as the slavering cook charges them. One of them is not quite fast enough, and the ogress snatches him up by the strap of his shoulder bag and neatly decapitates him with her cleaver.
"Meeaat," she groans, drooling.
She's about to sink her fangs into the limp goblin's shoulder when the Creature slams into her. Dropping the goblin she reels around to face her attacker, even as he grunts and hoists her onto the bar. The Creature tries to slide the ogress across he bartop with a monstrous heave, but she wraps her gnarled and hairy thighs around his waist, smooshing his face into her belly. Her stomach growls loudly.
The Creature says something, but "Gfpmph...Uggmpha" is all anyone can make out as his face is firmly planted in the Ogress's beer gut.
He tries to lift the Ogress up off the bar and then slam her back down.
Melee Attack Roll: 60% Success!
Feat Roll: 30% Success!...but then the Creature looses his grip for a second as he hiccups...35%..only good for a lesser feat!
Buck quits grinning. He makes sure Pixie is standing and alright then he leaps towards the action to help Creature. Buck thinks to himself, "too much confusion...might accidently hit a bystander or Creature", as he removes his hand from his holster...Might I roll against "Clue" or something, to see if there's any formidable chopping or slashing weapons in all this foray laying around?
Quote from: Rondo;240607Buck thinks to himself, "too much confusion...might accidently hit a bystander or Creature", as he removes his hand from his holster...Might I roll against "Clue" or something, to see if there's any formidable chopping or slashing weapons in all this foray laying around?
[Buck and Zarko are at the opposite end of the bar from the Creature and the ogress. You guess you have a pretty clear shot. If you want to roll Clue go for it.]
Hell with it, i'm gonna give a shot. Buck pulls his .38 out and, arm outstretched, fires a round towards the ogress's head.
Jeez, man....dice at the house.....somebody hip me to a darned virtual dice roller!
Found one....I have a 71% Missile Attack...2-7 Damage if I hit....I roll..........................Got a 43%....think i hit.
[Sorry, fellas - no internets at work yesterday, then came home to real life.]
Like a retching dog, Quazarn backs away from the "burger", hacking and clawing at his mouth -- as if he could remove the taste. "AAAAAH!" he blares, "GYEEEAAGH! Moons of Meepzor, what in the Stink-Pits of Groobloid was THAT?!"
He stumbles toward the nearest being, clutching at his or her shoulders, and wheezes, "Water! Please, WATER!"
This action, as it happens, is bound to have disastrous results.
(Haaa! HA!!..man, brilliant shit...."Moons of Meepzor...Stink-Pits of Groobloid"!! HA!)
Quazarn stumbles into an Amazon verminator two tables over, who gasps at his garbage-mouth and shoves him away. He collides heavily with her table, and watches with fascination as the iron cage resting there clangs to the floor. He thinks he smells the whiff of doom, but it turns out to be his breath*.
At the bar the Creature still wrestles with the crazed ogress. Using her alarmingly strong thighs she wrenches him over a sink behind the bar, grabs a flexible tap and sprays him full in the face with skunked ale. "Maaarinade," she growls.
Before the ogress can shove the beer tap down the Creature's throat Buck's bullet slams into her shoulder. Her grip slackens and the Creature clobbers her. She topples off and into the bar stools in a brawny heap.
Through it all Zarko watches, cool as a chimp in carbonite, rolling his toothpick from one side of his mouth to the other.
[Rolled See the Future on Quazarn's behalf, but his prediction of disaster did not come true. Alas? The ogress rolled a Great Feat to oppose Creature's Lesser Feat, hence his hosedown. Because of Buck's bullet I ruled Creature could still make his melee ATT.
[I rolled damage for Buck & the Creature to keep things moving. Please feel free to roll your own damage along with a successful attack.]
Based on "her" appearance and incredible strength, the Creature suspects there might be more to this Ogress than meets the eye and give a quick kick to the junk...well assuming there is junk to kick.
Melee Attack roll 99%+5%Hiccup penalty=104% Success!
Damage=11 (plus any junk related special effects)
The Creature learns that the ogre is indeed female. Also, quite thoroughly deceased.
"Guess it's time to look for a new gig," sighs Pixie. "You guys just greased Rollo."
Buck surveys the damage around "Rollos" (what's the scene? People wiggin' out, er what?). Buck goes over to the Creature, "Good boy....!", pats him on the shoulder..."You okay?".
Buck turns to Pixie, "How about gigging with us? We could use some brains and brawn. Pay may not be perfecto right this second, but I plan on making some dough in this town pretty quick. If you ain't interested in tagging along with us, I bet I could get you hired over at "Churchy's" in about five seconds, after this, but then again you seem like you might be a little too bright for any of this slopping hash biz."
"Churchy's?" Zarko asks, innocently. "What, they open that dive again?" He rolls his eyes, then throws Pixie a wink.
Creature shakes the ogress's head a little bit (like Kong shaking the dead T-Rex whose jaw he just snapped). Satisfied that she is dead, he intones: "Creature no like this place. Creature no eat here anymore. Where is Bigby Smalls"
Quote from: ttagxamm;241016"Guess it's time to look for a new gig," sighs Pixie. "You guys just greased Rollo."
[Absolutely freain' BRILLIANT, Mr Max! I was just told by somone nearby that I was "havin' too much fun" over here, I laughed so hard...]
"Sorry," bleats Quazarn to the Verminatrix. "I didn't -- " His face contorts into the kind of look you see in cheap slapstick holos. "Toss me a Sensor Ring", he mutters, "is that stink coming out of
me...?"
Bemused by the, umn, proceedings, Quazarn, The Cool Guy, straightens himself out, shakes out his collar, brushes a speck off of his sleeve and casually (though with an unmistakable look of surprise on his face) leans against a nearby pole.
He holds up his hand in the Universal "I'm Cool (http://www.virginiawind.com/tips/images/hand_signals_01.gif)" sign, and nods consentually at Buck and The Creature.
In the aftermath of the puke fest and punch-up the burger shack that used to be Rollo's is quiet. The Honchos are gathering up their leather trenchcoats to leave, one of them clearly still on the edge of hysterics despite his efforts to look tough. The dwarfess at the bar coughs up a final butterfly. Here and there a dry heave or a wretched gasp interrupts the low murmuring of voices.
"Blasted she-goat had it coming...."
"...thought she was a him?..."
"...the hell's an Entropian anyway?"
"...getting so's ya can't eat a burger in this town..."
"...hooked on polymorphine..."
"...the cops?"
"Ppfft. GCPD couldn't find dirt if that there frankenstein were standin' on thur heads"
"Maybe you're right," says Pixie to Buck and Zarko, rubbing the back of her neck. "Slinging suds and cuds is just a day job anyway. Sure as hell not going to Churchy's." She calls out to the Creature, "If you want Bigby you'll need to talk to Darryl's Mom."
Gold and purple butterflies swoop lazily around the room, flashing like neon in the late afternoon sunlight shining through a high window.
[Sorry boys, Critical Failure vs. Poetaster at the end there. I'll try not to let it happen again ;D]
"Darryl's mom....Darryl's Mom is hawt" remembering the writing on the bathroom stall. "Where is Darryl's Mom?" Creature asks Pixie as he makes his way toward the rear exit of the restaurant.
Buck turns to Zarko, "You know much about this Bigby Smalls? We need to get Creature to this character. Whaddya think?"
"We're glad to have you aboard Pixie. Do YOU know anything about either Smalls or Daryl's Mom? You know what gang, let's get out of here. I don't think it's a good idea for all of us to be hanging around."
[OOC] Do I know anything about Bigby Smalls?
(Yea, anyone that does know anything, let's figger this out...I'm not sure who knows what either...I also vote that we get the hell out of this bar pretty quick).
OOC: Creature has already shared what he knows. He's heard some other rumors as well, but they don't seem relevant to our current situation.
"Hey Pixie...you know this situation better than us....where can we find "Daryl's Mom", and for that matter, who the heck is she?"
[Zarko knows about what the others do: Bigby runs the premier underground battle royale this side of the Sea of Peril. This is the first he's heard it's in God City this year.]
Quote from: Rondo;241214"We're glad to have you aboard Pixie. Do YOU know anything about either Smalls or Daryl's Mom? You know what gang, let's get out of here. I don't think it's a good idea for all of us to be hanging around."
"Wait a minute there, ace," Pixie shakes her head, untying her apron and using the clean inner surface to wipe her face and arms. "Two off-worlders, a frankenstein and an ape bust down my crazy tweaker boss, fine. You did me a solid, thanks. But you think I'm gonna run off with you? Have a
team up?" She drops the crumpled apron to the floor. "Un Unh. I lost a job, not my mind."
Quote from: Rondo;241427"Hey Pixie...you know this situation better than us....where can we find "Daryl's Mom", and for that matter, who the heck is she?"
"I heard you twice the first time," the Vulkin says irritatedly, then shrugs. "Dunno who she is, but her name and number's written on half the bathroom walls in the city." Her voice softens. "Look, you fellas seem okay to me, but like I said this is just a day job. My band is really my thing. The Electric Bugbear? We're playing a show on Freeday, down at Heebee Jeebee's Warehouse. Maybe I'll see you guys there."
She raises her palm in her own gesture of Cool (http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2416/1568327270_e2ed1a6398.jpg?v=0). "Get rich, boys, but don't die tryin.' "
[You're all headed out the back, then?]
[*Days of the week, Vanth: Moonday, Dudesday, Wookday, Thrazday, Freeday, Sarffday, Soonday and Eighthday. Sarffday is shortened from 'S All Right For Fighting Day. Moonday is the start of the week and each new month. Debate rages in scholarly arenas over which moon is honored by Moonday, since at last count Vanth had 76 moons and planetoids in orbit, to say nothing of the drifting asteroids, half-built destruct-orbs, cloud cities and floating citadels that crowd the night sky. Thus the isolation of Vanth since the failure of the galactic nav-beam.]
Quazarn clears his throat, and motions to the door with the prodigious point of his head.
The four of you make your way through the swinging doors and into the kitchen. Flies have begun to gather on a platter of ground beef next to the griddle. The lizard man barkeep and a hobling dishwasher huddle in a corner near the walk-in. Squeezing through a narrow hallway cluttered with cleaning supplies you exit into the back alley.
[What's next is up to you, lads.]
"Bye Bye Pixie"Creature waves goodbye to the Vulcan. What other buildings are around that we can see? Creature is looking for someplace with a public restroom that he might find Darryl's Mom's phone number in.
"She has a band? Wow, I didn't know women played in bands!", Buck says embarrassing himself in true out-of-date and out-of-fashion style. "Well guys now what? I'm gonna quit asking questions around here...seems to always get me nowhere pretty fast, so it's your call gents: what's our plan?"
Quote from: wulfgar;241599Creature is looking for someplace with a public restroom that he might find Darryl's Mom's phone number in.
This being an alley, Creature sees any number of places the could semi-publicly relieve himself, and a variety of tags, oaths and crudely scrawled sigils on the walls, but no telephone numbers. To your left the alley opens on the street in front of Rollo's, to your right is a stone wall -- about 6' high.
Creature attempts to walk through the stone wall in true Frankenstein fashion, leaving a monstrous silhouete cut in the stone.......
Feat roll......81%..(good for lesser/not so good for great)....hopefully the wall was built by some shoddy masons.
[Roll Happenstance and we'll see]
Happenstance roll 86% (rated at 23%......uh oh...looks like Creature is going end up with a sore noggin.)
(Just a quick note off the record just in case I disappear on here for a short time as far as postings go: there's a hurricane heading towards this stupid sewer of a town..it's unlikely to hit us full force, but last time this happened we lost power for several weeks, and couldn't even get to work. I'm not forseeing any of this happening, as it usually dodges us, but just wanted to let you guys know...Max, run Buck for me if something happens and I can't get on!)
[Stay safe, Rondo. My thoughts are with you and your wife and your crew.]
Zarko will take the lead out of the alley, being highly experienced with alleys of all types.
(thanks Max!) "Hmm..maybe we should locate this "Heebie Jeebies" club...just in case we need to check it out."
Buck and the gang: right behind Zarko...
Zarko knuckle walks down the alley, eyes alert. The Creature follows close behind, lumbering into the wall with a heavy thump. The wall thumps him back, and he stumbles backward, slipping on a rusted iron spike and landing hindward in a crate of rotting arugula. From beyond the wall Zarko hears the sound of quickly receding footsteps.
[Dang internet at work again! I'm TOTALLY not shirking this, guys, I'm just inconvenienced. GRRR!]
Suddenly, Quazarn stops in his tracks! With a most imperious and outstanding flourish, he whips his fingertips up to his mighty temples! His eyes narrow, his gaze dissociates, and he peers where mortal men cannot see --
THE FUTURE!
[My See The Future roll is a 75. My skill, however, is 3%. Take it away, Max!]
Quazarn squints hard, hoping for a glimpse of the future. Inasmuch as time passes while he peers foolishly about the alley, he succeeds.
Creature wipes the arugala off his rear and continues onward with his newfound associates. He'll be checking public restrooms along the way for any information about Darryl's mom.
OOC:May be unable to post for 24 hours or so. Will check back when I can.
"Hmm, Heebie Jeebies club," Zarko muses, shifting the toothpick to the other side of his mouth. "Lessee now, I used to know where that was..."
Quote from: Coffee;242231"Hmm, Heebie Jeebies club," Zarko muses, shifting the toothpick to the other side of his mouth. "Lessee now, I used to know where that was..."
[Well, it closed down for a while but you should be able to find it once you get out of this alley and get your bearings. In the meantime, two points worth considering: First, it's Moonday, probably nothing scheduled tonight. Second...]
From the street in front of Rollo's you hear the wailing sound of goxhorn trumpets and the whir of approaching triphase-cycles...
"Alright boys...serious evasion!", says Buck. "We better 23 skidoo!". Buck starts ahead of the alley-line and turns backwards. He starts laughing, "Remember guys: we're just a troupe of boy scouts that got lost while camping!".
[Gone all day today. Just need to know which way you fellows are going. Out toward the front of Rollo's or over the wall.]
(I vote for over the wall myself...we could walk into a blind-spot, but in FRONT of the place we just did a "job" in, doesn't seem to smart to me, unless there's a huge crowd of folks we can get lost in....what do you fellas think?)
Creature will boost one of the others other the wall.
I'll go first.
Zarko, as an ape, is already on his way up and scouting the opposite side.
Climb does not appear on my character sheet, so I'll roll a Feat. I got 24.
My Lesser Feat is 74, so I made that (if that's it.)
My Greater Feat is only 16, so if that's the one, I'm struggling.
Anyway, assuming I make it to the top, what's on the other side?
As Quazarn squints queerly this way and that Zarko springs lightly to the top of the wall. The Creature forms a stirrup with his blunt hands to hoist up Buck and a second later the spaceman's helmeted head pops up beside the ape. Buck steadies himself with his forearms.
The alley beyond the wall is scattered with a few neatly stacked crates. Standing halfway to the street is a sturdy ape in a rather outlandish blue sarong and vest (http://www.therpgsite.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=51&d=1220125284), scratching his head as he studies a scrap of paper. He turns your way, his puzzled frown framed by two jug-like ears.
"Ooops! Seen a small poodle come this way?", Buck says to the simian flatfoot. Buck jumps on over with Zarko (Zarko: get ready...I think we're going to have to take this chump out).
Creature boosts over his conehead friend and then vaults himself over the wall.
Quazarn scrambles over the wall and lands with an unflattering stumble. He steadies himself -- and eyes Zarko carefully.
"Wait," he says, "who are y-" and IMMEDIATELY clamps his mouth shut.
The blue-attired planetary ape is slightly surprised at the arrival of the newcomers. He shifts his position and all can see the large revolver he carries
But he makes no gestures towards it. There is a moment of silence as Gorgo's eyes examine the others intensely and then he responds.
"I have seen no dogs, no." - and after clearing his throat - "As a matter of fact I must confess I am lost, as I'm new here. I am looking for a pair of persons but can't make heads or tails of this scrap that passes for a map. Maybe you can help?"
A hint of a smile adorns the ape's face when he sees Quazarn clamping his mouth shut "My name is Gorgo, Gorgo Ubar."
[Welcome, Edsan ! You were the first one to sign up for an EC PbP, so I'm glad you're able to join us at last.
[I'll update this evening, with the assumption that you're continuing to search for a public restroom and the number for Darryl's reportedly HAWT mom. Feel free to talk amongst yourselves in the meantime...]
The Creature follows the others over the wall, landing heavily on his square boots and setting off toward the mouth of the alley with a single-mindedness born of his inability to think more than one thought at a time. The rest of the group follows, new acquaintance Gorgo falling in step.
The alley opens onto a wide cobbled street lined with pink stone buildings. As is faddish in God City, the architecture is EthnoTerran -- in this case ersatz Italian. A congeries of gift shops and knick-knackeries wilt in the afternoon sun. Across the way and north a half block is the Omerta Cafe. To the south is a piazza overwhelmed by a hideously out of place cyberkinetic sculpture, like a rosy-cheeked peasant wench afflicted with a robot goiter.
Buck pats Gorgo on the back, "A scrap of map eh? Well, let's see what you got there, Gorgo my friend", (Buck is more than relieved to figure out that Gorgo isn't a cop! Whew! I just shot a guy after all! Well, not a guy...it was more like a....ugly ....eh......).
Buck continues to walk along with the others....what is this bit of map? Anything worth noting?
Quote from: Edsan;243155A hint of a smile adorns the ape's face when he sees Quazarn clamping his mouth shut "My name is Gorgo, Gorgo Ubar."
Quazarn waves. He's everybody's pal!
Creature checks out the men's water closet at the cafe.
[Taking Creature's lead I'm going to keep things moving along. Feel free to backfill any PC conversation if you'd like]
The burger bunch plus one ambles up the street toward the Omerta. It's a tacky little place, walls covered with black and white photos of Terrans with heavy features and aggressive eyebrows. A wiry elf in a gaudy silk shirt yells angrily into a voicephone. Despite his nasty threats and impressive profanity you get the feeling it's all for show.
While the Creature checks out the men's room Buck peers at the map. Hand drawn and smudged, Buck decides it could be a map of just about anywhere from Petoskey to Petaluma, let alone God City.
.................
Meanwhile, Creature gets lucky in the men's room. So to speak. On the wall above the urinal is written
Big or small
Stand tall
Bigby Small's Bigtime Brawls
Call Darryl's Mom the HAWT
903-5768
please dont eat the big pink mint
.................
Back at the entrance to the Omerta, a husky hobling in a dark suit and open collar approaches. "Youse guys wanna table, or you gonna stand aroun' with your thumbs up yer butts all day? Ha! I'm a funny guy. You think I'm funny? Do ya?"
"Yeah, you're so funny I forgot to laugh," Zarko says.
The hobling blusters, puffing out his chest, "I'm funny how, I mean funny like I'm a clown, I amuse you? I don't make you laugh, I'm not here to amuse you?" He looks from Zarko to the others, and his voice edges up into a whine. "What do you mean not funny? How am I not funny?"
"Aw let it go, Tommy," barks the elf. "Just pipe down and show the nice people to a table if they wanna."
"Hilarous....and don't be "short" with us, Winky Dink", Buck gives the midget a sneer. "Whatcha got to drink around this place?"
(I am totally not touching the reference to not eating the "pink meat")
Quote from: Rondo;244260(I am totally not touching the reference to not eating the "pink meat")
[Hey, you're the one who read "meat" when I wrote "mint," smart guy ;)
[My next update will be tonight, to give the others a chance to chime in.]
(Ha! Sorry, i SWEAR i thought it was meat because of the last barfing incident....I swear!! ha....ah, well it should have said "meat"...:))
I'm pretty sure it orginally said meat...at least that's what I read it as the first time. I think the JM is ret-conning this adventure!!! :)
Quote from: wulfgar;244327I'm pretty sure it orginally said meat...at least that's what I read it as the first time. I think the JM is ret-conning this adventure!!! :)
[Pfftt. Just 'cause you chuckleheads have meat on the brains don't make it so. Big pink mint = urinal cake, comprende?]
[I'm beat fellas, can barely type a sentence without nodding off. I'll update tomorrow morning or noontime.]
The hobling, now sniveling, shows you to a table. He waves his hand bleakly at a chalkboard behind the counter listing a wide variety of fancy coffee drinks, Romulard teas, wine spritzers, lemon adder punch and suchlike. Creature seems to be taking a long time in the john.
[Throwing back to you guys now. A few questions:
Creature: Despite your strength you can't pry loose the tile with D's HAWT Mom's digits. What now?
Buck and the rest: You gonna eat?
Quazarn: Where is your donkey??]
"What's holding up Creature?", Buck says having a seat.
(Eat?! Are you jokin'? After the circle-hurl of 20 minutes ago? Buck ain't feelin' up to lunch, I can tell you that. Bucks gonna look the menu over for a double martini. If there's some bar peanuts or some "beer beetles" or some other bar food he might munch a handful of that.)
Buck removes his helmet and gloves and sets 'em on the bar, "Say, Chuckles...", he speaks to the disgruntled hobling, "What do you guys do for fun around here?" Bucks surveys the joint, specifically looking for Clues to possibly get in on this scrapping for dollars gig, or maybe some pool, or some way to hook up with some of the guys around here for some information or to make a few dollars. Buck is turning over in his mind a plan for gathering some henchmen to get us on to the "Monster Magnet" gig....
Seated at the table, Quazarn quietly reaches into his pocket and extracts a REAL, LIVE 8-CENTIMETER-TALL DONKEY. Placed upon the table, it brays in a tiny voice and clops its hooves. Quazarn points to it most maginificently, and wiggle shis eyebrows with a self-satisfied smirk.
"I shra-" he says, then remembers his breath, and stops. Frowning eyes scan the table for a glass of hydrofluid or PotaBest!, the mint-flavored electrolyte-laden thirst solution in a can. Seeing none, he pockets the donkey and looks for the restroom.
His cohorts, of course, are amazed at him -- he carries a REAL, LIVE 8-CENTIMETER-TALL DONKEY in his pocket. WOW! What a guy! As soon as he takes care of his deathbreath, he's gonna be covered in chicks.
Buck sees Quazran and the miraculous donkey, "Wha...!?!", then he arches one eyebrow and stares ahead in a daze, like he just witnessed a fat guy eating his own leg while wearing a clown suit.
Zarko will order a straight coffee. (He doesn't hold with those fancy-schmancy "coffee drinks".)
The elf sidles behind the counter and begins rummaging through a rack of glassware till he finds a martini glass and a chipped coffee mug. Buck's martini is shaken, stirred, strained, decanted via an alembic, and served with an olive, a clove of garlic, a cinnamon stick and a tadpole. The coffee's just poured from a dented tin carafe.
Quote from: Rondo;244675Buck removes his helmet and gloves and sets 'em on the bar, "Say, Chuckles...", he speaks to the disgruntled hobling, "What do you guys do for fun around here?" Bucks surveys the joint, specifically looking for Clues to possibly get in on this scrapping for dollars gig...
"Eh, what kinda fun youse lookin' for? We're very importan' guys, we got Our Own Thing." The elf looks sheepish but lets the hobling go on, "Yeah, see, we're in the SCA, you heard of it? Society for Criminal Affectation? We reenact the great crimes of the galaxy, see. You wanna see my boffer pistol?"
Zarko sips his coffee, which is bitter but strong [and thanks to an Alchemy roll will allow him to add 10% to his chances on any single INT or ESP roll!]. His fellow ape Gorgo appears to have entered some sort of slack-jawed trance.
Quote[Quazarn] pockets the donkey and looks for the restroom.
Creature is standing at the urinal, staring hard at the graffiti'd wall in front of him.
Quazarn rinses his mouth out and, without looking at Creature, says, "You, uh...you see something interesting, there, Creature?"
"Boffer pistol? I'm sort of a firearms nut myself...let's take a look at that thing. What is it you guys do; "re-enact" galaxian crimes?! Is there a big audience for that?"...Buck is sipping on his martini.
Quote from: Rondo;245080"Boffer pistol? I'm sort of a firearms nut myself...let's take a look at that thing. What is it you guys do; "re-enact" galaxian crimes?! Is there a big audience for that?"...Buck is sipping on his martini.
"Yeah, all the great crimes, stagecoach robberies, the Valentime's Massacre, Kessel smuggling runs, the Wookie Shave 'n' Haircut, alla them," replies the hobling as he trots behind the counter.
A moment later he returns cradling a small pistol. He sets it gently on the counter next to Buck. The craftsmanship is impressive, but Buck quickly realizes the pistol is carved entirely from squishy foam. "Here's the ammo," says the hobling eagerly, holding up a bag of pink foam pellets (http://larpsupply.com/db2/00147/larpsupply.com/_uimages/Actionball.JPG). "We meet up in the piazza sometimes, but our chapter's kinda small. Exclusive, like."
Creature finishes emptying his monster size bladder and then remembers the other reason he came into the restroom. "Darryl's...Mom" He utters in a gravelly monotone to Quazarn as he points at the writing on the wall.
OOC: Sorry for the hold up guys, been travelling back from across the pond for work.
"Boy", says Buck, "This is the weirdest place I've ever been, and I say that with all due respect". Buck finishes off his drink, "Well, that's somethin' else...I'll have to take in your show sometime....sounds like a real humdinger". Buck throws a G.C. on the bar, picks up his helmet and gloves and turns to rejoin his friends at the table.
Quazarn gargles profusely while a look of cogitation adorns his handsome face. He spits out the fouled water and leans on the sink. "Huh. We keep seeing references to..." He trails off, and makes his way out of the public bog. "I'll catch you out there, Creature."
He ambles up to Buck. "Say, do we have any idea who Darryl's Mom is? I'm beginning to feel -- " He holds out his hands in slight claws, slowly, dramatically. " -- a presence."
[Quazarn rolls to Seduce (78%) the others into beli-uh, he impresses upon the others that he is a keen master of the mystic arts. Something tells me (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/1724306/) it ain't goin' over with the crowd...]
Creature returns to the rest of the group.
"9..0..3..5..7..6..8...Darry's Mom" He informs them.
While creature's monstrous visage does not reveal so, inwardly he's disturbed by what seems to be an attempt by Quazarn to seduce Buck.
Quote[Quazarn] ambles up to Buck. "Say, do we have any idea who Darryl's Mom is? I'm beginning to feel -- " He holds out his hands in slight claws, slowly, dramatically. " -- a presence."
Mumbling something about how he feels in Buck's presence, Quazarn makes what appears to be a
fondling gesture with his outstretched hands. As he nears the table he slips on a stray boffer pellet, does a graceless one-legged pirouette and lands in the spaceman's lap.
[Nice crit fumble there, conehead. Smooth move, ex-lax.
[Thanks for the lead-in, Wulfgar. I wasn't sure how this was gonna play out. Just for that I won't make you roll Scholarship to correctly remember that number ;)]
"SAY, WISEGUY!! WHAT IS THIS!?", Buck jumps up so Quazzie can hit the floor..."What gives...you loopy or somethin'?"
Buck glances around red-faced to everyone TOTALLY confused by what's going on.
Quazarn stands up with all the grace and poise of a master of the arcane who meant to do that.
"Sorry, Buck," he says in the manliest tone. "The Arcane works in....mysterious ways."
[Was I wrong in surmising that Seduce is for general convincing and stuff?]
Quote from: wulfgar;245751Creature returns to the rest of the group.
"9..0..3..5..7..6..8...Darry's Mom"
The elf gives a low whistle, "Darryl's Mom? Aitch Ay Double Yew Tee." Shaking his head, he adds, "There's a phone out front if you mooks think you got the goods."
Quote from: Dr Rotwang!;245887[Was I wrong in surmising that Seduce is for general convincing and stuff?]
[re The Skill That Dare Not Speak Its Name: Your only crime was rolling double zeros. (You could've used Argue if you'd wanted to try a more intellectual approach.)]
Buck glares at Quazzie, his eyebrows bent in dissatisfaction. Slowly a grin creeps to his face, and he starts chuckling, "Well I've gotta say, you and the donkey weigh a lot less than I realized, and nobody sits in my lap without buying me a drink first!", he helps the Quazzer dust himself off and he resumes his seat, "That hocus pocus stuff sorta gives me the creeps".
"Okay, gang. Buck needs some action...Creature seems bent on "Daryl's Mom". I know about this "Monster Magnet" ship, and I'm thinking we can make some dough if we investigate it...maybe even get in a tussle or two. What do we do gang?"
"We have a number, right? Maybe we should call this dame up and see what the big deal is? Solve this little mystery once and for all", Buck mutters as he scribbles the word "Daryl" on a cocktail napkin.
Quote from: Rondo;246036"We have a number, right? Maybe we should call this dame up and see what the big deal is? Solve this little mystery once and for all", Buck mutters as he scribbles the word "Daryl" on a cocktail napkin.
Zarko points at the napkin and nods his head vigorously. He can't talk, because he's still laughing at Quazarn and his antics. (And he's already plotting ways to duck the cleaning bill for anyone who got a coffee-blast when that happened.)
(HA!...Coffee, good 'un):)
Creature takes the phone off the hook and hands the reciever to Buck. "Call..Darryl's..Mom...now."
The phone rings four times before an impatient voice answers, "Thith ith Darryl."
Quote from: wulfgar;246078Creature takes the phone off the hook and hands the reciever to Buck. "Call..Darryl's..Mom...now."
"Ah," says Quazarn. "Before we do that, perhaps I sh-"
Quote from: The JMThe phone rings four times before an impatient voice answers, "Thith ith Darryl."
"- or not." He sits back down.
He turns to Creature, however, and gives him a very confident thumbs-up.
Just to be clear, Creature is not on the phone, he dialed and then handed it to Buck. He might not be the sharpest tool in the shed, but he knows he's not the most eloquent speaker.
[gotcha, Wulf.
[Sorry if I jumped the gun on you, Doc. Something you want to do before the party talks to Darryl?]
Yea? Let me know, I'm fixing to be talkin!
(holdin' off until Doc gets a chance to make his move)
Quote from: ttagxamm;246107[gotcha, Wulf.
[Sorry if I jumped the gun on you, Doc. Something you want to do before the party talks to Darryl?]
[Not at all, turkey! It gave me a chance for a bit of business, so we're good. Everyone please proceed.]
"Hel-loo-o? Who is thith?" whinges the voice on the vocaphone. "I'm kind of in the middle of thomething here?"
Buck starts grinning and running his forefinger over his moustache, "Hello son! Perhaps your mother is home? We have some good news for her...I have a distant relative here to speak with her." He winks at the party.
"Yeah, right! All her relativth are fothsils," Darryl replies in a supercilious drawl. "Unleths...D-Dad...?"
"Well, could be son, could be....all I know is that some friends of mine have someone here that needs to talk to her. Why don't you put her on, and then maybe you'll have some good news in a little bit! We have some gifts for you too."
Buck shrugs at this last bit of b.s. and grins at everyone (need me to roll for Seduce or Lie or Bullshit or anything?)
"She...she won't talk on the vocaphone. You have to see her in persthon," he quavers. No longer sneering, Darryl's voice is thin, high-pitched but not quite a child's. He lets out his breath with a soft hiss.
"Ith my Dad there? Can I. Can I talk to him?"
"Well, it's been a long time son, and we're not sure this would be your dad....what do you remember about your dad...? Maybe that will help us?"
"I never knew my dad. Mother never talks about him," his voice lowers conspiratorially, "exthept to warn me not to follow his footstepth. But I'm pretty sure he wath a great warrior. Hey! are you fighting in the Bigtime Brawl?!"
"Well, son we would like to! In fact, we have a fighter here that is a "mean machine", and there's a good chance he's your father. Part of the reason we want to talk to your mother is to find out some answers about getting into this brawl. If our fighter turns out to be your old man, then that would sure be great news wouldn't it? What does your mom look like? How would you describe her...does she have a little Frankenstein blood in her?"
[Just so you know, this is HILARIOUS.]
"Frankensthein!? Is thith thome kind of joke? Oh ha-ha. And I fell for it like thome kind of asssth-hole," Darryl hisses (http://www.landofthelost.com/slee.mp3) in exasperation. "My father was a Human Knight of Olden Haragorn. My Mother ith..."
After a short breath Darryl continues, "Queensth Tower. It'sth on the Green Line. If you want to talk to Mother you have to see her in persthon. Thanks sthooo much for calling, 'Dad.' "
With a chirp of static the vocaphone cuts off.
[The Green Line is one of several aerial tramways that crisscross God City, kept running with spare parts, chewing gum and prayers to various godlings by a clan of Sky Dwarfs. There's a stop in the piazza down the street.]
[I too heartily approve of the hilariousness going on :) And am I the only one who reads "piazza" and thinks "hmmm, pizza does sound good right now"]
Creature heads off with the rest of the motley band of misfits to take the Green Line towards Queensth Tower. If he sees a pizza place along the way he'll will pick up a couple slices.
On the way Buck recounts his conversation. "Well, which one of us is gonna be a damned Human Knight of Ooogy-boogy? Gee, tough choice...", he says looking around at his band of wooky-ape-frankie-droogs...."Nice. How the hell did I get in this mess? All I wanna do is make some money, now I'm playing the husband of who or WHAT I don't know, to a "woman" I've never seen, with a lisping, hair-lipped son.....real nice."
Creature sets off for the Green Line even as the whirring vocaphone powers down, and the rest of you follow. The sturdy 'Stein pauses only long enough to grab a king-sized slice of pizza from a robodroid pushcart (today's special: jerk chicken with tealeaf and vinegar spices) before hopping onto a Sky-Bulb headed northeast toward Queen's Tower.
The Bulb door slam-bangs shut behind the four of you, and with a grunt the dwarf tram-smith releases the brake. After a grinding lurch and a shower of electro-magic sparks your convoy of Sky Bulbs ascends along its guidewire to the tramway above.
This post brought to you by EGG and Appendix I
[I've got the day off, and after I go get a damn haircut I'll be back and able to post as substantially as needed. If anybody has anything they want to do before getting on the Green Line feel free to chime in now.
[A few other notes:
[Sadly Gorgo Ubar's trance was but the first symptom of Degenerative Aura Contamination, and he has succumbed to Astral Peristalsis, swallowed up by unknown extradimensional forces. None can say whether he'll be seen again....
[JM note: I'm relying on you players to keep an accounting of your wealth at least adequate for horseshoes & hand grenades. Unless I tell you differently for a given purchase, let's keep it stupid, simples, and say everything costs 1 GC.]
Quote from: Rondo;246854On the way Buck recounts his conversation. "Well, which one of us is gonna be a damned Human Knight of Ooogy-boogy? Gee, tough choice..."
"I'll tell her I had an accident."
"Yea! No, offense, but you better hope she's got some wild tastes there, my midget donkey friend!", Buck grins and rubs Quazzer on the noggin.
(First round of hurricanes was nothing....this one looks like it might be rough, so you guys will know what's going on if i can't post...should be over by the time the weekend ends..)
The Sky Bulb convoy slides easily along tramway, rising to each anchor post and sinking again as it passes, trailing arcanostatic all the while.
There's a short wait for the intersecting Blue Line to clear the interchange and you have a moment to take in the sprawling vista of God City, from the nosecone shacks and jet booster tenements of the Rocket Town slums to the mossy palaces out past the Elvesbeard Heights. The rooftops and streets below, lit with the red and gold light of late afternoon, look like the rough sketches of a city planner with amnesia. Half-built skyscrapers jut from the stone fortifications of Dwarven Delve. Nearby a terraced hive of evolved apes shadows a meadow of cave hobling burrows. A few streets beyond, Gypsy Haints have set up a ghost carnival in the rubble of a leveled city block. In the far distant hills glowers the Viraxis Pyramid (http://www.onegoodthing.net/files/page0_blog_entry840_summary_1.jpg), its upper floors still blackened from the fires of the Boxcar Rebellion.
The Sky Bulb sways as the Green Line continues on, and you soon arrive at your stop. Queens Tower is just a few blocks away, a six story spire in the high Galactic Medieval style. White pennants and flags bearing a purple crown on a field argent* hang from the battlements.
*In true scientific fashion I did no research on heraldry -- or castles for that matter. Do not seek to trouble me with facts.
[Hope you don't mind a bit of scene-setting. I'll move things along this evening. Perhaps you'll even meet Darryl...and his Mom :D]
Buck starts looking for a little store of some sort, "Aw nerts! I forgot to get the hair-lipped kid some kind of gift! Maybe I'll just give him my "Hobling Army Knife". Every kid wants one of those.....kid will probably turn out to be 42 years old and living in the basement."
QuoteHope you don't mind a bit of scene-setting
Mind? This is awesome.
Creature rides standing, holding onto one of the poles in the middle of the car. His other hand is nonchalantly at the hilt of his blackhole metal riot baton, as he keeps his eyes open for pickpockets or cannibalistic hobos.
Buck, being ever germ conscious, keeps his gloves on, and eyes peeled for the same. I might point out that he keeps his .38 "cross-draw" style on the holster under his left arm...he's keeping the snap down on that for sure, and watching distances for any knuckleheads in his breathing space.
Quote from: wulfgar;246972Creature rides standing, holding onto one of the poles in the middle of the car. His other hand is nonchalantly at the hilt of his blackhole metal riot baton, as he keeps his eyes open for pickpockets or cannibalistic hobos.
Quote from: Rondo;246988Buck, being ever germ conscious, keeps his gloves on, and eyes peeled for the same. I might point out that he keeps his .38 "cross-draw" style on the holster under his left arm...he's keeping the snap down on that for sure, and watching distances for any knuckleheads in his breathing space.
As it turns out you have the Bulb mostly to yourselves, save for a sleepy orgoyle* nodding over the day's broadsheet. Buck spots neither germs nor knuckleheads.
Quote from: Rondo;246965Buck starts looking for a little store of some sort, "Aw nerts! I forgot to get the hair-lipped kid some kind of gift! Maybe I'll just give him my "Hobling Army Knife". Every kid wants one of those.....kid will probably turn out to be 42 years old and living in the basement."
It's a fairly swank residential neighborhood, so there's a few classy restaurants and the kind of corner bar where the tables are so clean and glossy you can almost see your reflection in the wood grain. But no shops to be seen.
*Dear Dave Hargrave: I love you, man.
Quote from: Rondo;246872"Yea! No, offense, but you better hope she's got some wild tastes there, my midget donkey friend!", Buck grins and rubs Quazzer on the noggin.
"Sir," Quazarn snaps, "if we are to have a successful adventuring partnership, you will kindly keep your hands off my head."
Quote from: Dr Rotwang!;247019"Sir," Quazarn snaps, "if we are to have a successful adventuring partnership, you will kindly keep your hands off my head."
[Indeed. That's how slashfic happens, Rondo :eek:]
Quote from: Rondo;246965Buck starts looking for a little store of some sort, "Aw nerts! I forgot to get the hair-lipped kid some kind of gift! Maybe I'll just give him my "Hobling Army Knife". Every kid wants one of those.....kid will probably turn out to be 42 years old and living in the basement."
"No matter!" Quazarn beams. "Any random piece of crap will do. Lest we all forget," he says conspiratorily, "...
I am a warlock".
[JM: Check yo' PMs.]
Queen's Tower stands on a small, neatly kept lot. The base of the tower is ringed with tall windows, and ivy climbs the rough stone. As you reach the low stoop the front door opens slightly and a lanky figure in gym shorts and a t-shirt edges outside. Motioning for quiet, he wedges open the massive door, a fair foot thick, banded with iron and carved with runes.
"Hey guyth," says Darryl.
The doorstop secured, he straightens up. He's an unfortunate looking half-lizard teenager, all gangly knees and elbows, too large feet and bony foreclaws. A pointed skull-knob and a ruff of scales frame his mostly human face, giving him the look of a weak-chinned squire in a helm and cowl of green chainmail. But any knightly semblance is overwhelmed by his enormous moon eyes, shining behind bottle-thick goggles, and the dagger-like teeth revealed by his shy grin.
"I was sthtarting to think you got lotht," he continues. "Sthorry I got all crazthy on the phone. I'm not usually thuch a little wuthsy. You guyth got me good though." He glances around your group hopefully. "Are you really in the Brawl? What'th your fighting style? Where'th your dojo?"
[Darryl (http://hometown.aol.com/allartistries/images/sleestack%20site%201.jpg), more or less. Imagine across between a sleestack and Milhouse and you're in the ballpark][/I]
Quote"Sir," Quazarn snaps, "if we are to have a successful adventuring partnership, you will kindly keep your hands off my head."
OOC: So says, the conehead making groping gestures and jumping in people's laps!! :)
Creature answers the boy's question about his fighting style:
"Creature...hit......Creature...hit..HARD"
"Heavy handth, huh? A sthtriker?" replies Darryl eagerly. "What about thubmissions? How'th your ground game?"
"Ground...game?...Put...them..in..ground.......Game..over"
Quote"Sir," Quazarn snaps, "if we are to have a successful adventuring partnership, you will kindly keep your hands off my head."
Buck grins at Quazarn, "I'm just ribbing you bud, relax."
Quote"Ground...game?...Put...them..in..ground.......Gam e..over"
"This is the main event right here, son", he pats the Creature on the shoulder....I'm the manager", and then he gestures to the party, "..... and your looking at the best trainers for the "Big Brawl" since Grubby Lugnut took out "The Mortician" in a Venusian Cage Match with an upper cut in the 1st round."
Quote"Sir," Quazarn snaps, "if we are to have a successful adventuring partnership, you will kindly keep your hands off my head."
Buck grins at Quazarn, "I'm just ribbing you bud, relax."
Quote"Ground...game?...Put...them..in..ground.......Gam e..over"
"This is the main event right here, son", he pats the Creature on the shoulder....I'm the manager", and then he gestures to the party, "..... and your looking at the best trainers for the "Big Brawl" since Grubby Lugnut took out "The Mortician" in a Venusian Cage Match with an upper cut in the 1st round."
Quote"Sir," Quazarn snaps, "if we are to have a successful adventuring partnership, you will kindly keep your hands off my head."
Buck grins at Quazarn, "I'm just ribbing you bud, relax."
Quote"Ground...game?...Put...them..in..ground...... .Gam e..over"
"This is the main event right here, son", he pats the Creature on the shoulder....I'm the manager", and then he gestures to the party, "..... and your looking at the best trainers for the "Big Brawl" since Grubby Lugnut took out "The Mortician" in a Venusian Cage Match with an upper cut in the 1st round."
Buck's voice crackles with electromagic interference as another temporal ripple courses through him, causing him to repeat his words a third time.
"You musthta picked up a sthtatic charge on the tram," Darryl suggests.
(Ha! Brilliant!)
In a true Kodak moment, Quazarn deci- uh, is fully aware that, since he has no freaking idea how this stuff works, he'd best keep his damn yap shut and let Rondo drive.
However, he does stand beside Creature, looking cool, tough and self-assured (http://www.miami-vice.org/pictures/donjohnson/05.jpg).
[I just rolled a 47 (compared to my Crowd Manipulate score of 70%) to impress upon Darryl that we know what we're doing.
Which I'm not sure we really do.
It occurs to me that I could try Psychic Implant to give Darryl the idea, 'Theesh guyths are hardcore!', but at 18%? Maybe later. Plus, who knows how much pull Darryl has here?]
Noting the conehead's easy confidence and charismatic grooming Darryl nods to Quazarn, "That'th some good crowd-work there, get the cheap theats on your side. But there'th no crowd at the Brawl, and no corner-men either. Everyone fightsth. If you aren't there to fight you don't get in."
You get the impression that Darryl wouldn't mind talking about the Brawl for hours and hours, but instead he leans towards the four of you, his voice low. "You guyth better go talk to Mother now. Um. I wanted to warn you, she's pretty pisthed off. She doesthn't like talking about my Dad too much. But you guyth should be okay."
He isn't entirely convincing, but as he holds open the door his voice brightens. "Hey, I'll get my gi and bokken and maybe we can sthpar after!" Darryl's rooms are cluttered with books and holographs: self-defense manuals, medieval romances, a multiple volume history of Haragorn. Fight posters and heraldic banners cover the walls.
He leads the four of you to another iron-bound door. An enormous crown is carved into the dark wood.
[Up next: Darryl's H.A.W.T. Mom!]
[Hope everyone is enjoying the weekend. Next proper update tomorrow afternoon or evening. Speak up if you have any questions for Darryl, preparations to make, etc]
Beyond the crown-carved door a stone stairway curves into darkness. You descend with only a glimmer of light below to guide you. An arch at the foot of the stairwell leads into a high-ceilinged cavern lit by the glow of witch-fire from a reading lamp. The lamp illuminates a large open book, an inkpot and a quill. Dark shadows hide most of the cavern from view, and a heavy odor of cinnamon and musk hangs in the still air.
For a moment all is quiet save the sound of your own breathing. Then with a metallic gong a platemail cuirass bounces from the shadows to land at your feet. It's clear the armor was crafted with skill--skill matched only by the fury with which it was destroyed: holes are punched through the breatsplate and backpeice as if it were skewered by many spears, and the entire cuirass is blackened and corroded.
A deep voice speaks from the shadows, a rumbling growl shaped into words,
"Who claims to be the hatchling's father? Who claims the armor my lover wore when I slew him?"
Creatures takes a look at the book at quil (from where he's standing). If it looks to be a guest register he'll go over and sign.
"Three seconds 'til showtime, Buck."
[Planning something Quazarn? Something has successfully Seen the Future.]
Quote from: wulfgar;247873Creatures takes a look at the book at quil (from where he's standing). If it looks to be a guest register he'll go over and sign.
Well what
does it look like to a frankenstein of Creature's intellectual capabilities?
Roll Scholarship.
Creature stares at the book trying to figure out what it says. Then he remembers he's mostly illiterate. (Scholarship rating -7%, rolls a 39)
Quote from: ttagxamm;247936[Planning something Quazarn? Something has successfully Seen the Future.]
[Uhh...what? I was just saying that Buck's gonna hafta start doin' some acting, since he shot Quazarn down from it nd all. DANCE, SPACEMAN!]
Quote from: Dr Rotwang!;248127[Uhh...what? I was just saying that Buck's gonna hafta start doin' some acting, since he shot Quazarn down from it and all. DANCE, SPACEMAN!]
[Just checking.]
Quote from: wulfgar;247873Creatures takes a look at the book and quill (from where he's standing). If it looks to be a guest register he'll go over and sign...[He] stares at the book trying to figure out what it says. Then he remembers he's mostly illiterate. (Scholarship rating -7%, rolls a 39)
Quote from: Dr Rotwang!;247926"Three seconds 'til showtime, Buck."
Creature takes a few strides towards the table, squinting at the book. Buck takes a step forward, "Well...ma'am? That would be me wh-"
"Be Still!"roars the voice, and Buck is as silent and still as wax. Something ponderous moves in the darkness. A head nearly as big as a damnation van (http://www.collider.com/uploads/imageGallery/Jurassic_Park/jurassic_park_movie_image_t_rex__1_.jpg) swings slowly into the light, mouthful of wicked teeth bared in a come hither grin -- come hither and be devoured, that is. As her Cease spell takes effect the runes carved on her sweeping horns flare purple and slowly fade.
With unhurried movements Darryl's H.A.W.T. mother (http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3269/2846749055_e3c5d1ef7c_o.jpg) stalks forward from the darkness. She has the general shape of a Tyrant Lizard, but the long neck and barbed, coiling tail of a dragon. She cocks her massive head to the side and regards you coolly.
"Well? Who else will risk his silver tongue? Or will you tell me no more lies? I am Inez Consilio Regina. Why have you come?"
[Rondo is temporarily offline and gave me permission to run Buck, instead I'm opting to put him on indefinite magical hold. Buck said plenty to piss off Darryl's mom last week, so this is about how it would've gone anyway:p]
"Bigby...Smalls...Big...Time...Brawl?" Creature asks Darryl's Mom.
Inez Regina angles her head toward Creature, leaning in close enough for him to see the scars of age and battle on her snout. Her breath is hot and and smells of cedar.
"A true and undevious word at last," she says, turning to the others. "I despise the wiles of men, so speak plainly unless you long for oblivion."
She regards Creature again and nods. "Strong and stupid, yes. That is best. I will back you in the Brawl, but your companions do not impress me. What have they to say for themselves?"
Buck attempts to move his arm...his jaw...anything....
Quote from: Rondo;248249Buck attempts to move his arm...his jaw...anything....
[If you wish you can roll a Saving Throw, discounting any bonuses from armor.]
(I should be able to post during the day, from work off and on, but at home I have no power, no phone and no water, so bear with me....as far as Buck is concerned, it might be the general agreement that he shut the hell up anyhow..)
(With a 21% save, a "58" ain't gonna get it.)
(Sorry guys...just trying to get us someplace other than a cafe....Buck's intention was to let mama know that we made no promises about the boys father, but with a fighter in training and a ring crew we were hoping to help her find the culprit through mercenary action...maybe get enlisted in the Big Brawl...she's got a boy that would make an excellent corner man, with his knowledge of the set-up).
"We say you obviously got some wiles of your own, and I say that as a complement," says Zarko, bowing respectfully.
He's on familiar ground, now: This is clearly a Boss, and you don't try to baffle a Boss. Not if you wanna keep on with that whole respiratin' thing, anyways.
"We was just lookin' for an in at the Brawl. An in, and an edge. And from what we heard, you was the one to make both of 'em happen."
He awaits an answer, hoping that he hasn't gone too far, but knowing that if he has, there's precious little he can do about it. Just look at Buck!
[Note that everything Zarko is saying here is the truth, as far as he knows. He's not trying anything.]
Darn. Rolled a save for the heck of it again...missed with a "36".
Quazarn steps forward with confidence -- but deference. "Madam Regina, my Planetary Ape friend speaks naught but truth. We are a team of adventurers seeking glory -- each in our own way. Creature, here, is a being of great might, and we bring him here to test his mettle in your Brawl. We come for this," he concludes, "and no more."
I finally threw a "17", if I can say my bit..
The draco-saurian listens impassively, tilting her head to watch each speaker in turn. Her eyes are as dark as indigo swirled in ink.
Her horns glow purple again and she flicks her tail at Buck, knocking him loose from her enchantment and off of his feet. She looms over him, close enough that he is unable to rise from his sprawl.
"Now then, spacer, you may speak your piece from a position of proper deference."
Buck stays prone and speaks, "I accept full responsibility for leading my companions to your home, and I apologize. Our goal is a humble one...to participate in the Big Brawl. It was my intention that if we could offer aid to you in the situation concerning the boys father...then all the better. It appears you need no ones aid in this regard...madame handles herself in an effective manner. No offense was intended, and no deceit was planned. Please accept my apologies, and please hold no grudge towards my companions, as it was I who spoke with your son."
Creature grabs Buck by his collar and plucks him off the floor. "Darry's..Mom..no..hurt..Buck...Buck..nice....Buck..help..Creature..squish..mean..ogress"
Buck dangling from the Creatures grasp, turns and smiles lightly, speaking softly "Thanks pal..."
Quote from: wulfgar;248370Creature grabs Buck by his collar and plucks him off the floor. "Darry's..Mom..no..hurt..Buck...Buck..nice....Buck..help..Creature..squish..mean..ogress"
"That's true," Zarko adds. "I saw the whole thing."
Quote from: Coffee;248281"We was just lookin' for an in at the Brawl. An in, and an edge. And from what we heard, you was the one to make both of 'em happen."
Quote from: Dr Rotwang!;248333Quazarn steps forward with confidence -- but deference. "Madam Regina, my Planetary Ape friend speaks naught but truth. We are a team of adventurers seeking glory -- each in our own way. Creature, here, is a being of great might, and we bring him here to test his mettle in your Brawl. We come for this," he concludes, "and no more."
Quote from: Rondo;248369Buck stays prone and speaks, "I accept full responsibility for leading my companions to your home, and I apologize. Our goal is a humble one...to participate in the Big Brawl....No offense was intended, and no deceit was planned. Please accept my apologies, and please hold no grudge towards my companions, as it was I who spoke with your son."
Madam Regina rears up to her full height and stares at the group. There seems, just possibly, to be a glimmer of satisfaction in her eyes. After a long few seconds she turns away, sighing deeply.
"The Brawl, yes, all the young toughs and rowdies want to fight in the Brawl. And I do indeed have sway with Bigby, among others. I can get your Creature into the fray. He should do well. Perhaps even last to the second day. I will even pay the entry fee. But there is another cost."
She settles back on her haunches, coiling her tail loosely around her neck like a shawl, and sighs again, "Darryl also wishes to fight in the Brawl. He thinks of nothing but victory and glory; he is like his father." A gob of acid streaks across the room, landing with a plink and a sizzle in a distant spittoon. Madam Regina dabs at her mouth with her tail. "Like his father, my son is a fool....But he shall have his wish. Darryl too will fight in the Brawl, and
you four will fight at his side. You four will guarantee his safety.
Not his success, merely his safety. Should he return bowed and bloody, so much the better, but you will see that he returns unbroken."
"This task then is the cost of your entry to the Brawl. You need pay no coin, and I am generous to those who please me. You will find the cost of refusal much steeper."
"Madam", says Buck with a light bow, "Speaking for myself, It will be a pleasure to assist the boy. He already has the knowledge and makings of a great fighter. He, shall indeed fight, and whomever of us remains alive will most certainly return your son unbroken, if not a tad worse for wear. I will watch over the boy as if I were his own fa....", Buck's eyes dart to the pierced armor laying crumpled on the floor, "...the boy's uncle!". He smiles at Madam Regina.
Quote from: Rondo;248598"Madam", says Buck with a light bow, "Speaking for myself, It will be a pleasure to assist the boy. He already has the knowledge and makings of a great fighter...."
The dracosaur flares her nostrils, and the spines along her back bristle. "He will
never be a fighter so long as I live. He
will become a doctor as I planned. In the vernacular, I send him to the fight only to have some sense beaten into him. Do not forget this."
"When...brawl?"
"The next Brawl is in three day's time."
[Don't worry, we'll narrate right past the ensuing time unless there's anything you'd like to do in the interim. Post your totally kick-ass training montage for bonus XP!]
QuotePost your totally kick-ass training montage for bonus XP!
Cue music in 5..4..3..2..1
http://www.discoverynet.com/~ajsnead/allsongs_1/rocky.html
Creature wearing a grey hooded sweatsuit steps out of Regina's front door, takes the steps down to the street two at a time, and heads down the road at a brisk jog. Darryl, wearing a lime green hooded sweatsuit is jogging along a few paces behind.
starwipe
Creature in a warehouse doing barbell curls. He's got a miniature barbell, held in his cranial feelers which are curling as well. Buck and Zarko shout motivational cliches "No Pain-No Gain!" "PUSH IT! PUSH IT!" Camera pans to Quazran instructing Darryl in the secret art of clouding men's minds.
starwipe
Creature and Darryl jogging down the street. Darry's grinning ear to ear.
starwipe
extreme close up: Creature and Darryl's doing pushups in Darryl's basement, sweat pouring off their bodies. Buck pays the pizza guy, and he, Zarko, and Quazran eat while playing Darth Viraxis' Punchout XXVI on the Playstation Z.
starwipe
warehouse, Creature doing a military press..Zarko in one hand, Buck in the other. "You've got to WANT it!" "PUUUUUSH IT!!!!!!". Camera pans to Quazran and Darryl. Darryl closes his eyes, assumes his stance, and then promptly walks into the wall.
Starwipe
Creature and Darrly bounding up the steps to the God City Municipal Art Museum. Creature reaches the top and lets out a bestial roar of triumph, both fists high in the air. Darryl comes huffing and puffing behind, crawling over the last step. Creature grabs the boy and lifts him high over his head! Darryl's frown is turned upside down and he raises his own hand high in the air!!!!! The music crescendos! It's a true "Sloth love Chunk" tear jerker of a moment, only if Chunk were a lizard boy and Sloth was a Frankenstein.
(Okeedokee, GM...I'll post Bucks training regiment here shortly! Should we each work with the boy? Buck has some academy Jiu-Jitsu and judo training that might come in handy.)
(HA!!!! Never mind...excellent! HAAAR!):)
(Buck does his one arm pushup routine, while wearing his 1930 Space Academy training suit (white tank, knee length shorts and "PF Flyers"). He's takes to the swing-bag everyday for some punching...don't forget the classic Charles Atlas pull-springs for "tensile strength"! A lot of dodging, jumping and classic Depression era workout).
At the announcement that he must fight, Quazarn cringes! "I am a lover -- NOT a fighter!" he declares.
Then, his eyes widen in sudden, unanticipated realization.
"I am really," he mutters conspiratorially, "really doinking clever."
The next three days see Quazarn honing his true strength -- his mighty mind! He plunges into the depths of his spellbook -- a small bottle which contains the secrets of the universe in the form of an aromatic transdermal osmotic solution (http://www.stuffwelove.co.uk/images/hai%20karate.jpg); he meditates deeply upon the endless void and the powers mysteriously woven therein (http://www.telusplanet.net/public/gelfling/infinity%20circles.gif), strings for him to pluck and weave at will; he scribbles furiously on a parchment (http://cyborgdino.typepad.com/my_weblog/images/scribbles), stopping momentarily to put his stylus (http://www.promoproductscentral.com/images/cats/250x250KC2567_Daytona_Ball_Pen.jpg) thoughtfully to his chin as his eyes narrow in deepest contemplation, whereupon he nods.
Yes.
He is damn clever. And he will succeed in this charge by sheer force of intellect.
Just to be safe, however, he goes to his donkey (now expanded to normal size) and retrieves his weapon of choice (http://www.fvza.org/images/machete.jpg)...and sharpens its blade to match his wit.
"Polish up yer dukes boys! We're gonna knock their blocks off!". Buck is in the mode.
http://pcdon.com/Charles-Atlas-weaklings-into-he-men.jpg
Zarko calls for another cup of coffee with a dispirited sigh. His training routine isn't going well at all.
But that's probably because it consists of walking around town, checking in with his contacts, trying to find out anything about the Brawl. Security must be tight (or he and his buddies must be even lower on the totem pole than he thought), because he ain't getting much.
Lemmy the Gorp said he knew, but didn't. So Zarko popped him one and left him spitting out teeth. (Of course, Gorps grow teeth like anything, so it didn't do any permanent harm.)
Bingo Tharp didn't even try to lie: He knew squat. But he said he could loan Zarko a fiver, in case he could get odds.
Zarko had even gone to visit Squidgy; he tried and tried to get the smell out of his nostrils but he knew it'd be there for another week or more. And he didn't get any info.
This time, Zarko thought as his coffee arrived, he'd have to play it by ear.
Just in case it's allowed, and not knowing what he's facing, Buck goes in search of some good leather, fingerless punching gloves in his footlocker.
[All I really have to say tonight is this: You guys are awesome.
Wulfgar, you broke my brain a little with the cranial feelers bit, and reminded me that I still haven't seen frickin' Goonies.
Rondo and Doc, fun to the max, and great characterization to boot. I humbly suggest a medicine ball workout for Buck, and a scene where Quazarn synchronizes two or three Swatches.
Coffee, Zarko's efforts may prove more fruitful than he fears, stay tuned. And next time you find yourself doodling I hope you'll draw me a Gorp, 'cause that's going straight into my EC bestiary!
Thanks, fellas, for the Ivan Drago sized chuckles today! Bonus XP for all -- I'll be awarding it after the Brawl. Speaking of which, tomorrow I'll set the stage!]
Go see Goonies. Go see Goonies now.
Although my experience has been that people exposed to Goonies as 21st century adults have a much lower appreciation for it then those who first saw it as 20th century kids, if you like Encounter Critical, I'm hopeful you can appreciate it in the right light.
[#1 on my Netflix queue! We didn't go to a lot of movies at the theater I guess, and never had cable, is how I missed it.]
(Indeed some excellent RPG'n on all involved (including our incredible GM). I have to say this is a hell of a group! I don't think I've ever played with a more colorful, creative and intelligent lot...and I've been doing this since 1980).
Buck would like to establish a few things before we roll with this (I laid in the dark...still no power at the house...:(...and thought of a few things):
Zarko: "Hey my ape bud...Let me know on any good odds on the betting line. I want to lay down every cent I have on the Creature. He may not come in first, I don't know what we're in for, but I bet I can clean-up on the high end with him...he lifted me off the floor like a rag doll, and he's got the heart to win this thing....besides, if it pays off I want to give the winnings to the Madam for her son's physician training someday...sort of a trust fund."
Quazran: Buck pats the Quazzer on the back, "Say listen...you're intelligence is beyond anything I've ever encountered. The abilities of your mind are truly boggling. Is there any way we can train the kid to use some of his inherent abilities? Surely he possesses some mind-powers.....his mother froze me to the spot with a single glance....whaddya think? He might be able to use some of that out there in the ring."
Creature: "I've got all the confidence in the world in you, kid. I know you can do it, you are powerhouse of a man, with the heart of a giant. Ol' Buck's gonna get in there and tangle too; I would rather settle things with my fists anyday...I wanted to ask you a favor though...help me protect this kid. I think he's got the courage and the gusto, and maybe he won't win, I dunno, but you and I have to be prepared to do something if it looks like the kid is gonna get put on ice. We can't let him die....you understand?", Buck looks into the Creatures eyes with sincerity. "We've gotta get this kid back to his mama in one piece."
Daryl: "Okay kid, to have a good offense you have to have a bang-up defense. Let me show you some stuff I picked up at the Juno Space Academy. With this, Buck starts going through basic hand-to-hand training on basic "Marquis of Queensbury" boxing techniques...then moves on to Jiu-Jitsu locks and judo throws.
Buck spends the rest of the day practicing acrobatics, judo flips, fencing and the medicine ball!
(I've never seen "Goonies"...heard of it, of course, but I think I mighta been too old to catch that one when it came out....I was busy chasing current ex-wives and getting into trouble in bands and crap).
Quote"I've got all the confidence in the world in you, kid. I know you can do it, you are powerhouse of a man, with the heart of a giant. Ol' Buck's gonna get in there and tangle too; I would rather settle things with my fists anyday...I wanted to ask you a favor though...help me protect this kid. I think he's got the courage and the gusto, and maybe he won't win, I dunno, but you and I have to be prepared to do something if it looks like the kid is gonna get put on ice. We can't let him die....you understand?", Buck looks into the Creatures eyes with sincerity. "We've gotta get this kid back to his mama in one piece."
Creature stares at Buck. A small grin spreads across his face.
"Mmmm....ice."
OOC: While it may have been a bit before his time, perhaps Buck is familiar with the art of Bartitsu (or Baritsu). Check it out: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Baritsu
I just love that poster.
From the Bartitsu wikipedia entry
QuoteUnder Bartitsu is included boxing, or the use of the fist as a hitting medium, the use of the feet both in an offensive and defensive sense, the use of the walking stick as a means of self-defence. Judo and jujitsu, which were secret styles of Japanese wrestling, he would call close play as applied to self-defence.
In order to ensure as far as it was possible immunity against injury in cowardly attacks or quarrels, they must understand boxing in order to thoroughly appreciate the danger and rapidity of a well-directed blow, and the particular parts of the body which were scientifically attacked. The same, of course, applied to the use of the foot or the stick.
Judo and jujitsu were not designed as primary means of attack and defence against a boxer or a man who kicks you, but were only to be used after coming to close quarters, and in order to get to close quarters it was absolutely necessary to understand boxing and the use of the foot.
It's a martial art based on Scientific Realism!! Definitely fits in with Encounter Critical. :)
Buck stares at the Creature for a second, and then he starts grinning which in turn, turns into a laugh. "Ice...that's right....ice...". Buck shakes his head, but he knows the Creature understands in heart what's going on.
(I've read about Bartitsu! Forgot about that. Amazing stuff.
Quote from: Rondo;248723Just in case it's allowed, and not knowing what he's facing, Buck goes in search of some good leather, fingerless punching gloves in his footlocker.
[This is fine, by the way. No game advantage conferred, but stylish.]
Quote from: Rondo;248940Buck pats the Quazzer on the back, "Say listen...you're intelligence is beyond anything I've ever encountered. The abilities of your mind are truly boggling. Is there any way we can train the kid to use some of his inherent abilities? Surely he possesses some mind-powers.....his mother froze me to the spot with a single glance....whaddya think? He might be able to use some of that out there in the ring."
........
"Okay kid, to have a good offense you have to have a bang-up defense. Let me show you some stuff I picked up at the Juno Space Academy. With this, Buck starts going through basic hand-to-hand training on basic "Marquis of Queensbury" boxing techniques...then moves on to Jiu-Jitsu locks and judo throws.
Darryl gives his all to Buck and Creature's training regimen but his enthusiasm far outpaces his skill. Plainly stated, he'd have difficulty fighting his way out of a paper bag. Armed with scissors, even.
But he's a smart kid, and likable enough. Quazarn thinks maybe he has magical abilities, but there's no time to develop them, and Darryl doesn't seem interested in anything other than wrestling trivia and kung fu magazines anyway.
The eve of the Brawl finds the crew at a neighborhood cafe after a long day -- Buck and Creature trained for long hours at the Reginas' country club, while Quazarn contemplated the Astro-Empyrean and Zarko pounded the pavements from here to Rocket Town and back. Darryl bought dinner and wanted to hang out and watch some classic Vulkin Eyebrow Judo on holovid, but the kid's habit of flipping throwing stars into the drop ceiling of the rec room was wearing you down to your last collective nerve.
At a sidewalk table you kick back in tired silence. But you aren't able to relax completely, because you can't help noticing the hobling. Not the bleary-eyed one at the next table fidgeting with a gold ring, the other one, with the flashy feathered hat, strolling up the street. He appears to be giving you the fish eye.
'What are you fackin lookin at?'
(http://www.apolitical.info/webgame/hobbit.jpg)
"Creature...hungry...Teddy..Bear...look...tasty."
Buck turns his head to Creature. "Hmm. I dunno Creech...might stick in your teeth. Let's wait and see what this character has in mind...seems to be interested in something."
Quote from: wulfgar;249291"Creature...hungry...Teddy..Bear...look...tasty."
"how dare you Sir?"
"Easy my friend..he means no harm...he's just excited about a big fight coming up.", Buck gives a casual wave of his hand to the hobling.
"Oh..oh. Are you gunna enter...." I look around the street, and whisper
"Bigby Small's Bigtime Brawl?"
Quazarn regards the hobling with an expression that somehow mixes interest with antipathy. (It's something he can do. It's related to the Recurring Psychometric Morbidity. He's jacked up, OK?)
He sets down his drink, the light-blue fizzy one with the light-up ice cubes and the blinking LEDs in the rim. He leans over, looking straight at the hobling -- straight in the eyes, intently, agonizingly almost...
.....and reads the Hobling's mind! (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/1737425/)
Well, no, not really. [1d100=47; Read Minds 23%.] But he sure LOOKS like he does! [Crowd Manipulate 70%; rolled 53.] (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/1737427/)
"Thought we might", says Buck, "How 'bout yourself?"...Buck takes a sip off of his scotch and soda.
"Well...you know how some adventurers carry everything they own with them all the time? I thought there might be some easy pickings."
OOC: Does Zarko know this guy? Seeing how we're both criminals and all...
[You've heard about a hobling thief matching the description, but on the shady side of God City you can't hardly spit without hitting a hobling thief, so...eh, shrug?]
[Since things are typically quiet on the weekends I'll probably wait till tomorrow night to post. Also kind of hanging back waiting for the current interaction to play out.]
As you talk to the hobling, the waiter, a gleaming but creaky clockwork automaton, approaches stiffly. "Pardon sirs, but we are closing soon. Please place your final orders now."
[I'll post something more extensive tonight -- hopefully jumping ahead to the Brawl!]
"Creature...drink...10..raw..eggs" Creature tells the waiter and awaits his smoothy of champions.
"Excellent, sir, but please choose: hen, serpent, spider, or roof lizard," intones the antique 'droid.
"Roof lizard"
Zarko holds off on ordering anything, but watches with sick fascination as Creature drinks his glass of roof lizard eggs. (Yuck!)
"I'm fine, and thank you waiter", Buck throws a G.P. on the counter.
"I'm in a hurry - I'll just have the mushroom platter with a side-order of chips, and a mug of real ale. And a blueberry pie."
"Fine choices all. If it would speed the gentleman's meal it can be pureed together?"
"An excellent suggestion. In fact, let's really save some time. Just throw it into the toilet for me."
"That is contrary to my programming, but if the gentleman insists," Somewhere in the works of the droid a ratchet spins, and a small puff of steam vents from its forehead. "Ah, this is humor, of a specifically sarcastic nature? If it pleases I will serve the meal a la carte. If there is no other order?"
Quazarn waves is hand in pensive, Kenobian manner. "No, no, I...I am...complete. Thank you."
Quote from: ttagxamm;250040"Excellent, sir, but please choose: hen, serpent, spider, or roof lizard," intones the antique 'droid.
Quote from: wulfgar;250044"Roof lizard"
Quote from: Age of Fable;250255"I'm in a hurry - I'll just have the mushroom platter with a side-order of chips, and a mug of real ale. And a blueberry pie."
Quote from: Coffee;250086Zarko holds off on ordering anything, but watches with sick fascination as Creature drinks his glass of roof lizard eggs. (Yuck!)
As he brings out the hobling's meal the 'droid notes Zarko's incredulous eyebrows and curled lip. "It is true," comments the 'droid, "or so I am told, that roof lizard eggs are an acquired taste. But I assure you, sir, that our kitchen adheres strictly to all provisions of the Galactic Foodstuffs Act, despite this fallen age in which we labor. I am reminded of a Terran ode...If I may?"
With only the slightest pause to calibrate his voice modulator he continues,
"I met a traveller from an antique land
Who said: Two roads diverged in a yellow wood,
in midst of other woe than ours,
and the slithy toves, (to whom thou say'st
'Look on my works, ye Mighty, and despair!')
did gyre and gimble in the wabe
and all ye need to know is not fade away
and that has made all the difference."
Quote from: Dr Rotwang!;250320Quazarn waves is hand in pensive, Kenobian manner. "No, no, I...I am...complete. Thank you."
Whirring contentedly the robodroid inclines his brass and bronzewood head in a gesture somehow both deferential and smug. "I am pleased you found my recitation satisfactory, sir. It is most gratifying to meet a fellow student of the
ars xenopoetica."
There is little conversation as Hobson and Creature enjoy their late meals. The roof lizard eggs make a fine, if somewhat gritty smoothie, and though the kitchen has served him a mushroom pie with fried blueberries and chips on the side Hobson finds it quite tasty.
The sky darkens to indigo, and the multiplex moons of Vanth crowd overhead. The hobling at the next table mutters to himself under his breath. At some point he disappears without any of your noticing he's left.
The robodroid waiter has begun to hoist the chairs onto the tables inside the cafe when a sleek black limbo van sulks up to the curb. The side door opens and a pair of orcs in black nightgowns and chauffeur's caps shoulder out of the van. "Madame sent us. Pick-up four for Bigby's. Four, three, two, one, one" counts off an orc. "Big 'un gonna take two spaces, urm?"
"Bahum, here's one takes up half a space. Makes up for it," the other replies, poking a thumb at Hobson. "Load up, geezers. Chaim Uruk's Sleepin' Car Service atcher service."
[how much does the meal cost?]
Quote from: Age of Fable;250370[how much does the meal cost?]
[For now everything except gear costs 1 GC unless I specify otherwise. If you guys start earning treasure I'll probably just tithe you a percentage between adventures to represent food, lodging, carousing, making bail, etc.]
[Don't mean to stall, but I had to figure out a way to get you dudes to the Brawl and a jump cut didn't feel right, especially with your new companion in tow.
[I'm realizing, however, that I left things at a point with limited choices for the players, so feel free to fill in conversation that may have taken place during your meal, any visions or portents dreamed during your overnight stay in the sleeper car, or pre-fight warm-up activities. Tonight the Brawl begins...]
"Did you guys arrange this?" I say, indicating the orcs.
So the nightgown clad orcs are here to pick us up? Oh ok. At first read I thought they had come to the restaurant to pickup a latenight take out order for Bigby- he must have the munchies.
:)
Quote from: wulfgar;250399So the nightgown clad orcs are here to pick us up? Oh ok. At first read I thought they had come to the restaurant to pickup a latenight take out order for Bigby- he must have the munchies.
:)
Har. Originally I had them dressed in livery, but nightgowns seemed more in keeping with their line of work. Uh, I guess?
Creature gets in.
Buck takes his vitamin and asks for two eggs in a glass with milk. Then he climbs in the van with Creech. "Well, here we go gang..."....Buck looks in his belt pouch for his mustache wax.
Quote from: wulfgar;250416Creature gets in.
Zarko moves to get in the car, but notices Creature doing the same.
Not wanting to accidentally get crushed or anything, Zarko patiently waits his turn, then gets in.
I also get in.
Quazarn sprays himself with a touch more of the osmotic mojo-cologne and -somewhat nervously- enters the vehicle.
The orcs help you into the sleeping tubes racked in the back. Lulled by the motion of the limbo van, and the green glow of the radio console playing soft rock turned way down low (http://blog.wfmu.org/freeform/2005/10/this_post_conce.html), you soon drift off to sleep.
Tumbling out of the sleeping tubes and stepping stiffly out of the van the next morning you find yourselves on a spreading green lawn. Vehicles of all models and states of repair are parked in hilter kilter rows -- damn' vans, jump bikes, cave primitive jalopies and chopped motorcycles next to sleek mag-runners and golden-threaded flying carpets.
Just as motley are the folks gathering for the Brawl. A few cars away a red-faced strongman in a striped leotard does a vein-popping isometric workout while an obese elven swami looks on, standing on one leg and sneering. Wooky roars and dwarven work songs rise above the low commotion.
The lawn slopes gently to a low, wide-fronted mansion in the austere yet pompous Vulkin style. The building is in poor repair, but clusters of jerry-rigged antennae and satellite platters jut from the roof. Tents and food stalls flank the house. But it's the wall that draws your attention above all else. A high wooden palisade stands in the back lawn of the estate, three or four stories tall. As far as you can tell there are neither windows nor bleachers, and only a single entrance through a tunnel off to one side of the manse. Guard towers spaced every few hundred feet make it look more a prison than an arena, and you can hardly guess at why a crane towers over the walls.
"Hey guyth!" jitters Darryl, popping out from behind the limbo van. He sips coffee from a styrofoam cup. "How did you sthleep? I've been up an hour, sthcoping the competithion. Who'th this? I've never et a hobling before. Ha! I mean met a hobling. Justh joking! I'm Darryl. Doeth anyone want thome coffee?"
[I'll post at lunch tomorrow if time permits. In the meantime let me know if you have any reconnoitering you'd like to do]
Creature eyes scan the area for the following:
-any sign of the POlice
-any sign of grub
-any sign of Regina
Quote from: wulfgar;250789Creature eyes scan the area for the following:
-any sign of the POlice
-any sign of grub
-any sign of Regina
Creature doesn't see any fuzz, but the watch towers on the palisade are manned. The only sign of Madam Regina is her offspring, previously noted.
At the base of the palisade wall vendors hawk greasy carny food and Brawl memorabilia.
Buck stretches his arms and yawns, "Hey there, Daryl."...Buck is eyeballing the layout of this place. Scoping out anything that looks like losers could be liquidated with: 3 headed giant cages, bloody holes in the ground, 35' plasma destructor ray cannons, etc.
Quazarn, Master of Magyks, is nervous.
Very nervous.
Quazarn is a warlock. His is a higher art than that of these common...well, his is a higher art than fisticuffs. Were this a wizards' duel, he'd be more in his element; if it were a popularity contest, he'd be a sure champion. Yet this competition is one of brute force, and it is not therein that his strengths lie.
In other words, he's a wimp and he's scared.
All the same, he does his best to appear unperturbed. He masks his insecurity under a veneer of concentration ("No, I'm sitting over here quietly and with closed eyes because I'm meditating", he is heard to say), but deep inside he is wondering to himself -- What have I got myself into? Why did I agree to this? Why am I even ON VANTH?!
His suffering is silent, his introspection in vain. Soon the Brawl will commence --
-- and he, perhaps, will meet his end.
He asks the orcs to turn up "Baby Come Back" a little louder -- "Yes," he insists to them, "AGAIN."
I press the jewel on my cloak, turning my Hologram Clothes into an appropriate camoflague pattern, and no doubt earning a substantial bonus to Sneak and Hide.
That done, I ask Quazarn "so...what did you think of my idea?"
Buck notes Quazzie doing some serious meditation....he approaches, "Hold on to that magic stuff of yours....we may need it to get out of this mess! Don't worry, bud, I'm not gonna be stupid enough to let you get killed...just be there to throw the heebie-jeebie in yer so good at to keep us from getting killed!"
Quote from: Rondo;250814Buck stretches his arms and yawns, "Hey there, Daryl."...Buck is eyeballing the layout of this place. Scoping out anything that looks like losers could be liquidated with: 3 headed giant cages, bloody holes in the ground, 35' plasma destructor ray cannons, etc.
Most of the guards on the towers appear to be armed with modern crossbows. A few carry wide-nozzled hoses strapped to canisters on their backs. No other obvious threats, but you can see nothing of the arena itself.
Quote from: Dr Rotwang!;250844He asks the orcs to turn up "Baby Come Back" a little louder -- "Yes," he insists to them, "AGAIN."
"Gnuggh, bung away now! We're off shift," snuffles the driver, punching in the soundcube for some kind of squealing orcish blues rock (http://es.youtube.com/watch?v=zwnipCkNgDw).
Quazarn has no chance to voice his disapproval, as the pork-rock, the din of the crowd and the yells of peanut vendors (http://es.youtube.com/watch?v=OOsT1dcSb-I) are drowned out by a blast of static and a bland voice announcing over a whining PA speaker, "ALL FIGHTERS, REPORT TO THE TUNNEL. PLEASE HAVE YOUR INVITATIONS READY."
"Don't worry, guyth," chirps Darryl tensely, "I got 'em right here. Excthept for the hobling. Isth he in the Brawl too?"
[Is he, indeed? Does he plan to take his chances in the ring? He can probably whinge an invitation from a scalper if he wishes.
[You others, this is your chance for any last minute preps...]
Creature falls into line with the other brawlers headed towards the tunnel. He stays close by Darryl, and slightly behind. Eyes alert for any threat in the crowd.
OOC: If we're going to be Darryl's security detail, someone else should be sure stay in front, and to the flanks. Maybe darryl's mom can hook us up with some secret service style earphones.
I look for anyone who might have an invitation I could steal (eg if it's in their back pocket).
[Roll Happenstance & we'll see]
Zarko scans the area for any possibility of getting a bet down.
He's going to bet on Daryl to survive, if such a thing is possible. He'll put all of his money on that (plus the fiver he borrowed).
It won't matter if he loses, because he'll be dead himself...
Shuddering inside but stone-cold bad-ass without, Quazarn lifts his chin and strides confidently at Darryl's side.
Quote from: Age of Fable;250865That done, I ask Quazarn "so...what did you think of my idea?"
"...eh? I'm -- I'm sorry, which...?"
Quote from: ttagxamm;250967[Roll Happenstance & we'll see]
http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showpost.php?p=4979172&postcount=124
Quote from: ttagxamm;250967[Roll Happenstance & we'll see]
http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showpost.php?p=4982756&postcount=124
1 !!!!
Quote from: Dr Rotwang!;250995"...eh? I'm -- I'm sorry, which...?"
*wavy lines*
Quote from: Age of Fable;249474"Well...you know how some adventurers carry everything they own with them all the time? I thought there might be some easy pickings."
"Oh! Ah. That one. Well...very well."
"Um...OK. You sure you're completely OK with that? It seems like a pretty major change of plan for you guys. Is the Creature gonna understand?"
Quote from: Age of Fable;250959I look for anyone who might have an invitation I could steal (eg if it's in their back pocket).
Quote from: Age of Fable;251001Happenstance roll: http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showpost.php?p=4982756&postcount=124
1 !!!!
Hobson is so focused on checking out asses that he trips over a snap-brim cap lying in the grass. Picking it up he realizes it's his exact size and, according to the sewn-in label, is the "Property of Tyson Hobfoot." No less preposterously, an invitation is tucked into the lining of the cap.
Quote from: Coffee;250968Zarko scans the area for any possibility of getting a bet down.
He's going to bet on Darryl to survive, if such a thing is possible. He'll put all of his money on that (plus the fiver he borrowed).
"No life or death stakes, buddy. Don't usually more'n, oh two three fighters die in a Brawl. Now that young rep-tile
looks like'n a pipsqueak. But he ain't what you'd call a known quan-ti-ty. I can give you sundown once at two to one, noon twice at five to one. Sundown twice...call it ten to one."
[Most bets are based on how long a fighter remains unbeaten in the two day Brawl. Sundown once=end of first day, noon twice=noon of second day, etc]
Quote from: Age of Fable;251018"Um...OK. You sure you're completely OK with that? It seems like a pretty major change of plan for you guys. Is the Creature gonna understand?"
"Let's go with 'no', then."
Your crew of six joins the press of fighters moving toward the arena. A Roget's dozen of amazons, battlers, belligerents, boxers, bruisers, contenders, grapplers, gladiators, he-men, pugilists, rowdies, scrappers, and thugs crowds into the tunnel.
The throng splits into several lines in the tunnel, each passing through a turnstile where invitations are checked. The mild voice on the loudspeaker continues: "ALL FIGHTERS, REPORT TO THE TUNNEL. PLEASE HAVE YOUR INVITATIONS READY. AFTER CHECK IN PROCEED TO THE LOCKER ROOMS TO STOW YOUR WEAPONS AND EFFECTS. PLEASE USE THE LOCKERS PROVIDED; ENTERPRISING HAND, INCORPORATED IS NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR LOST VALUABLES OR GEAR."
Each of you is stamped with a locker code and given a numbered bib as you pass through the turnstile. In the locker rooms the mood is polite but tense. Darryl rocks from foot to foot, shadowboxing in front of his locker; from what you can tell he loses the bout in a split decision.
"BIGBY SMALL'S BIGTIME BRAWL IS A TEST OF INDIVIDUAL STRENGTH AND MARTIAL PROWESS. NO WEAPONS, MAGIC OR PSI POWERS ARE PERMITTED."
Your gear stowed* you continue through the tunnel. It slopes up again near the middle of the arena. The crowd bottlenecks at a narrow gate. A cage to one side holds a bald and scabby ornithorhynchoid with a fanged beak. At the other side is a long-legged ungulate with electric blue fur and a wriggling trunk. After passing between these odd beasts each fighter is scanned by a curvaceous cyaborg with an x-ray camera mounted on her neck.
"AS YOU ENTER THE ARENA PLEASE NOTE THE LOCATION OF THE RETREAT CHUTES--" "Chicken holes!" jeers a thick-necked amazon. "IF YOU WISH TO RETIRE FROM THE FIELD OF BATTLE AT ANY TIME PLEASE MAKE YOUR TO THE NEAREST RETREAT CHUTE. THERE IS NO REENTRY."
*[let me know if you'll be chancing any gear.]
Quote from: ttagxamm;251028"BIGBY SMALL'S BIGTIME BRAWL IS A TEST OF INDIVIDUAL STRENGTH AND MARTIAL PROWESS. NO WEAPONS, MAGIC OR PSI POWERS ARE PERMITTED."
"Mister Pulsar," sneers Quazarn, "I am coming back to haunt you."
When we get to the lockers, I'll see if there's anywhere I could hide.
Creature stows all his gear in the locker room.
Quote from: Age of Fable;251114When we get to the lockers, I'll see if there's anywhere I could hide.
It's a fairly standard changing room: benches, lockers, showers. You might be able to squeeze into your locker, but it would be tight as sardines. There is a supply closet you could try getting into [Dex check on d20].
The arena is at least a hundred yards square, bound on all four sides by the wooden palisade. There are no spectators in the arena, but dozens of holovids and crystal balls stud the walls, and spy cameras slide back and forth over head on nearly invisible cables.
Brawlers spread out across the arena, pacing and stamping, some blustery and glaring, others slyly sizing up the other fighters. Many cluster around the tunnel mouth, circle for position, but you note a few jogging toward the corners.
"GENTLEMEN AND AMAZONS, THE BRAWL WILL COMMENCE IN 12...11...10...9...8...7...6...5...4...3...2...1!" A gong crashes, and the arena seethes into ACTION! Fists, elbows, and knees smash chins, bellies and shins.
[Since I'm moving ahead briskly feel free to take any last preparatory actions. Here's my suggestion for handling combat: post your Melee Attack (or roll for any other ability you wish to use), damage if you hit, and Saving Throw all at once. If your attack takes your foe down I'll throw back to you to narrate the cool knock-out. Aside from quick questions I'll probably wait till most or all of you have taken your actions and then update all at once.]
Did we have to take our armor off? It's not a weapon, magic, or psi power :)
Quote from: ttagxamm;251124It's a fairly standard changing room: benches, lockers, showers. You might be able to squeeze into your locker, but it would be tight as sardines. There is a supply closet you could try getting into [Dex check on d20].
I try and fail (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showpost.php?p=4985890&postcount=125).
Creature's rolls:
Melee Attack: 98% (Make)
Unarmed Damage: 9
Saving Throw: 45% (Fail- either without or without my armor/shield :( )
I try to change my hologram clothes to look like anyone working here that I've seen.
Buck hovers close to Quazzer and Daryl if possible. I'm particularly keeping an eye on Daryl, since all of our lives depend on that...!
Roll: 41....made it.
Damage: 2 (1-3 bare hand)
Quote from: wulfgar;251135Did we have to take our armor off? It's not a weapon, magic, or psi power :)
[Shoot, you got me. You can guarantee there'll be controversy over this Brawl, and heads will roll in the front office, but as it wasn't expressly forbidden in the final draft of the fight regulations armor is ok. I'll warn you though: everyone will think you're a pansy for wearing it.]
Quote from: wulfgar;251139[Creature and Buck's ATT rolls]
I take it you fellas are just swinging at the nearest targets then?
Quote from: Age of Fable;251140I try to change my hologram clothes to look like anyone working here that I've seen.
You look like a tool in the uniform, but the disguise takes effect. There is an orderly about, you've noticed.
(Sorry, things hectic on this end right now: how often you want us to chime in with attacks or defense?)
[Special combat note: for the purposes of the Brawl all damage is subdual. As Rondo noted, it's 1-3 for everyone but Warriors, who do 1-6. Add STR bonus to damage if any.
[At 0 hps you are staggered. Your bell's been rung but you can continue fighting if you wish. However you must make a Survival Roll each round to stay conscious. If you drop below your STR score in negative numbers you will die. ]
I'd rather be a pansy and live then macho and dead. (Creature's saving throw is a NEGATIVE 1% without armor, 42% with)
Yeah, he's swinging at the nearest entinty that isn't part of the group or Darryl.
By the way, this is really neat. For some reason I was thinking there was going to be a March Madness/Karate Kid style tournament with brackets and 1 vs 1 bouts. Everybody going at it at once is a nice twist.
Quote from: Rondo;251155(Sorry, things hectic on this end right now: how often you want us to chime in with attacks or defense?)
[No worries. I'll be placing an update once per round covering everyone, so you're done for now.]
(cool. What Rondo wants, and how Buck acts may be two different things...I too would like to stay alive and not macho, but Buck lives for this sort of thing, so he'll probably stay in it for the long haul.)
(Oh! I get my +2 Damage bonus, so it's "5"...thanks, Max for mentioning the melee bonus!)
..er "4"...sorry
Quote from: ttagxamm;251153You look like a tool in the uniform, but the disguise takes effect. There is an orderly about, you've noticed.
When the orderly's not there, I'll try to pick the lock of one of the lockers (a big one if they're different sizes).
(Just wanted to point out, Max: I gave the rest of my scratch to Zarko if you recall for bettin' on a haul for the kid....put it down on Creature)
Gulping his fear, Quazarn allows the fray to begin! As thugs, brutes and murderers crowd around him, he drops himself swiftly into his preferred battle-ready position:
Covering his face with his forearms.
He takes time to kick wildly at the lower parts of whatever combatant is fool enough to approach him, rocking their shins like the proverbial hurricane.
[MELEE ATTACK: 90 (Skill: 68%)
DAMAGE: Ha!
SAVING THROW: 21 (Throw: 17%)]
(How's the boy doing?)
Fists, elbows and knees smash chins, bellies and shins. Yells and hoots and grunts resound in the arena as bodies collide. The Brawl has begun!
Creature strikes out at the nearest fighter, a burly human wearling only a thong and a miasma of cheap cologne. Despite his bulging muscles the human goes down with Creature's first blow! [and Wulf gets to describe his knockout]
Buck squares off with an ape of the gibbon tribe, ducking in under the ape's swinging arms to sock him in the gut. The gibbon grimaces, but fights on, feinting kicks and trying to loop its long arms around Buck's neck.
Speaking of kicks, Quazarn's unusual fighting style draws the eye of a whip-tailed lizard man. It hisses "Shepreeeem" and sweeps at Quazarn's thrashing legs with its tail. Lizard and conehead are equally ineffective. [Quazarn's saving throw should include his vest, unless he stowed his armor.]
Lunging at a shrimpy looking cave wooky, Darryl trips over Quazarn and goes reeling towards the furry half-pint. Somehow Darryl manages to connect with a flailing haymaker. The wook winces, blinks, then clubs the lizard youngster with a double-fisted uppercut. Darryl staggers back woozily, still on his feet but dazed. The wooky roars and bares its teeth...
[For round two same procedure as before, but roll initiative as well, classic D&D style, adding or subtracting Ranged Damage modifier if any.]
Quotebut roll initiative as well, classic D&D style
Is that group initiative or individual? You might be suprised how many "classic D&D styles" there are. :)
Quote from: wulfgar;251541Is that group initiative or individual? You might be suprised how many "classic D&D styles" there are. :)
[You're right, Wulf, of course. Should have been more specific but I was rushing out the door. For this combat: individual initiative on d6, combat sequence stays the same round to round unless you face a new opponent.
[In a more organized battle I'll lean toward group initiative.]
Quote from: Age of Fable;251239When the orderly's not there, I'll try to pick the lock of one of the lockers (a big one if they're different sizes).
[Give me three percentile rolls and let's see how it goes.]
88 , 73 , 83 :(
http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showpost.php?p=4992478&postcount=127
Buck throws a "1" on the d6 initiative roll.
Quote from: Rondo;251619Buck throws a "1" on the d6 initiative roll.
I wasn't very clear above. You get to add your Ranged Damage Bonus, so that's 1+3=4. Go ahead and state what you'll be doing this round and make any melee ATT or ability rolls, damage, and a saving throw.
Oh! Sorry, boss! Wasn't paying attention.....okeedoke: Buck is going for a straight uppercut to the chin if possible.
% Roll: 21% (pass)
Damage: 1 +2=3
Save: (I THINK my save is a poor 21%, from what I'm seeing on the sheet) oooow: "71%"
(Sorry I missed the first round yesterday -- work was insane.)
Zarko gets a "1" on the die for initiative -- adding in the "ranged" bonus on +4 gives 5.
Zarko didn't take off his armor (hey, they didn't say I had to, right?).
He goes after the Wooky that's on Darryl.
Melee attack: 55%. Roll of 49 hits!
Damage: 2 (but my bonus is +0, so I got that goin' for me...)
Saving Throw: 37%, and I rolled 29.
(My dice love me this round! But that'll change soon...)
Last round: Creature grabs the nearest opponent by the back of his neck and slams him face first into Creatures shield. The dude drops to the mat. "Next" groans the Frankenstein.
This round:
Initiative: -3 (1+ranged damage modifier (-4))
Attack: 48% Good
Unarmed damage: 8
Saving Throw: 53% Fail
Quote from: wulfgar;251648Last round: Creature grabs the nearest opponent by the back of his neck and slams him face first into Creatures shield. The dude drops to the mat. "Next" groans the Frankenstein.
[target selected at random, again?]
[INITIATIVE: 4-1 = 3
MELEE: 40 (Skill 68%; hit!)
DAMAGE: 2+3 = 5 (Strength of 14; who'd'a thunk?)
SAVE: 46 (Save+Armor = 32%)]
Snarling in a moment of adrenalin-fueled abandon, Quazarn growls at the lizard and lashes out with a fearsome backhand! Following the strike, however, he scuttles back towards Darryl, covering his open flank.
Quote from: ttagxamm;251654[target selected at random, again?]
Sure, as long as it's not one of our guys.
OOC: Hmmmm...that gives me an idea. Maybe the best way to accomplish our mission visavie Regina is for one of us to "accidentaly" give Darryl a right cross that sends him to the mat and out of the contest- dazed but alive. What do you guys think?
Hmm...not bad, Wulfgar....let's resort to that if Daryl starts taking a beating, but let's let the kid hang in there for a tad....that IS indeed a good idea....just want him to really feel like he's had a chance at the fight at least....he's likely to remember when he wakes up who k.o.'d him, so we should give him a chance at it, BUT stick close by!
Quote from: CoffeeZarko scans the area for any possibility of getting a bet down.
He's going to bet on Darryl to survive, if such a thing is possible. He'll put all of his money on that (plus the fiver he borrowed).
Quote from: ttagxamm;251024"No life or death stakes, buddy. Don't usually more'n, oh two three fighters die in a Brawl. Now that young rep-tile looks like'n a pipsqueak. But he ain't what you'd call a known quan-ti-ty. I can give you sundown once at two to one, noon twice at five to one. Sundown twice...call it ten to one."
[Most bets are based on how long a fighter remains unbeaten in the two day Brawl. Sundown once=end of first day, noon twice=noon of second day, etc]
[Hey fellas, need to resolve this before combat continues....The line on Creature, also an unknown fighter, is sundown once at two to one, noon twice at three to one, sundown twice at five to one.
[I hear 5 on Creature from Buck -- how long you bet he'll last? But Zarko wants to bet it all on the kid. Again, for how long?
[One relevant fact: the kid is looking quite a bit better, still took a big shot be he's no longer dazed (miscalculated his damage initially).
[Oh, and sorry if the betting is kind of vanilla. I don't know doodly squat about gambling.]
Do we know anything about how the format of the fight goes? Are going to be battling away continously for over 24 hours? Or do they take breaks- to remove the losers, have the towel boy mop up the sweat, and let the fighters suck on orange wedges- stuff like that?
Buck may be optimistic, and a bit nuts, but he's thinking Creature will hang it for the long haul! I got faith in the ol' guy....wondering the same specifics as above mentioned, however: do we know when they're calling rounds, or is this to the uncouncious blow and then they cart you off, er what?
Quote from: Age of Fable;25159588 , 73 , 83 :(
Hobson struggles with the first locker he tries. The lock is shoddy and pathetic, really, ought to be easy peasy. But he just can't get it to tumble. The second locker opens with a bit of fiddling, but contains only a straw hat, threadbare overalls and a pitch fork. He's a hair away from nicking a third locker open when he hears the orderly nearby.
Quote from: wulfgar;251692Do we know anything about how the format of the fight goes? Are going to be battling away continously for over 24 hours? Or do they take breaks- to remove the losers, have the towel boy mop up the sweat, and let the fighters suck on orange wedges- stuff like that?
[These are all excellent questions, aren't they?]
(Hey, Hobson! Smoke the dude!);)
Quote from: ttagxamm;251696Hobson struggles with the first locker he tries. The lock is shoddy and pathetic, really, ought to be easy peasy. But he just can't get it to tumble. The second locker opens with a bit of fiddling, but contains only a straw hat, threadbare overalls and a pitch fork. He's a hair away from nicking a third locker open when he hears the orderly nearby.
If I can't see the orderly, I'll try to turn my clothes into a police uniform.
Okay, if the betting doesn't include mere survival, my best chance for gain is to bet on Creature. So that's what I'll do: Creature, for two sundowns, all I've got.
I have 5 from my friend (whose name escapes me at the moment, but I'll go back and find it) and like 2 of my own. So I want to have put 7 down on Creature.
Meanwhile, back to the brawl!
Quote from: Age of Fable;252179If I can't see the orderly, I'll try to turn my clothes into a police uniform.
The orderly looks startled when he rounds the corner and finds Johnny Law in the locker room. He's a grungy looking orc with a patchy beard and tired eyes. If you had to guess you'd say he'd scavenged his uniform from the locker of a co-worker two sizes smaller. His shirt tails hang out sullenly.
"Oh hey, it's God City's Swinest, ungg,
finest," he says, eyes rolling. "What is it, a bust? A
crackdown? Don't let me get in your way, man. But, heengg, I ain't done shit."
Quote from: Coffee;252266Okay, if the betting doesn't include mere survival, my best chance for gain is to bet on Creature. So that's what I'll do: Creature, for two sundowns, all I've got.
I have 5 from my friend (whose name escapes me at the moment, but I'll go back and find it) and like 2 of my own. So I want to have put 7 down on Creature.
Thanks Coffee! Got you down for 8 total, sundown twice for Creature! A wiser decision than betting on Darryl, as you're about to discover.
QuoteMeanwhile, back to the brawl!
Indeed!
Buck circles the Gibbon, keeping out of the ape's reach. When the ape misses with a looping overhand right, Buck steps in and connects with a quick jab. The Gibbon rolls with the punch and the two fighters continue circling.
"Next" groans Creature, stepping over his first victim. A blindfolded elf in violet robes steps forward calmly, chanting mystically, "The heart is the strongest muscle. The spirit is the apple of the mind's eye. If you strike me down, I shall become more powerful than you could possibly imagine." Before Creature can raise his shield the elf leaps high and lands a flying head kick...
...which doesn't even muss the frankenstein's hair. Creature simply walks through the elf, barreling him over, stomping on the elf's stomach, sternum and neck and right on by. Wheezing, the elf rolls to his knees and pushes up his blindfold. It doesn't take a mind reader to see the panicky look in the elf's eyes when Creature turns around. Gathering up his robe he scampers away.
The lizard man makes a sound like a leaky bicycle tire, flicking its tail. "SSsshepreeem..." As Quazarn scrambles to his feet the whip-tail lashes out, just missing his pointy head. Springing up the suddenly bold warlock lands a desperate backhand. The lizard deflates, sinking first to its knees, then slumping forward unconscious.
Quazarn rushes to Darryl's side. It isn't going well for the youth: the midget wook is on the lizard boy's back, shaggy arms locked around his neck. Zarko lands a punch on the wooky's temple, but it's not enough. The chokehold is relentless, and it's lights out for Darryl. The wooky's triumph is short-lived as the boy teeters, totters, and falls backwards on top of his vanquisher. Their skulls bonk together when they hit the ground, and the wooky is knocked out.
Darryl isn't moving.
[Creature: take 1 hp damage]
[RE: combat descriptions:
[If you prefer to simply post your attack and defense rolls that's fine -- I'll just add in description as needed and (hopefully) appropriate for your character. But please feel free to describe any combat maneuvers as descriptively as you like and I'll work it in.]
"Detective-Inspector Hobson. I need these lockers opened."
Quote from: Age of Fable;252457"Detective-Inspector Hobson. I need these lockers opened."
"Psssh.
I need a smoke-bottle fulla magic incense, dude man, but I don't see one. Do you?" The orc looks slowly left and right, pretends to look beneath a bench, then leans against a locker and folds his arms. "Nope. Don't see one. Life is a string of disappointments, man."
"Right you smart bastard. Get these lockers open NOW, or I will arrest you for impeding a murder investigation."
Quote from: Age of Fable;252529"Right you smart bastard. Get these lockers open NOW, or I will arrest you for impeding a murder investigation."
"Guunng, it's name calling now? I guess you start breaking heads next. Whatever you say, Detective-Defective. I'm just a damn orc, and the damn orc always done it." The orderly sighs heavily, closing his eyes. "I ain't got keys, little big man, but I'm
eager to cooperate with this investigation. Gimme a
just one minute, I'll go get Chief Ball-tard. He'll be
thrilled to help out. He
lives to serve and protect."
"Yes, let's see this 'chief'. What's he chief of?"
Buck sees Daryl's dilhemma....runs over to where he is...i'm attacking anyone I need to in order to get to him, and I'm going to attempt to check on him.
Quazarn seizes Darryl's arm, and lets it flop to the ground. Seeing Buck approach, he says, "Is our work here done, Mister Pulsar?"
Checking Daryl for vital signs...
"Our work probably isn't, but looks like the kid's is..."
Creature moves to clobber whoever might bother Buck or Quazran as they check on Darryl.
Attack Roll: 4% HIT
Damage: 9
Saving Throw: 28% MAKE
After the Brawl's first chaotic eruption the arena is quiet. A few skirmishes here, a shoving match there, but most of the fighter's still standing have scattered into loose and wary bunches. Some of the toughest looking fighters appear to have avoided the opening free-for-all entirely, and stand near the walls with their entourages.
The Gibbon drops his guard and bows respectfully as Creature clomps toward him, taking a single step back.
Darryl is unconscious but breathing, his pulse faint but steady. Buck and Quazarn's ministrations are interrupted by a loud *beep*beep*beep* as the crane overhead lowers it's shovel bucket.
A goblin work crew hops out and wrestles Darryl and the nearby fallen into the bucket, adding them to the pile of broken, bleeding and groaning Brawlers. "Step back now," orders the gob, tapping the apothecary's badge on his work helmet.
"Lift away!" he calls once Darryl, the wooky and Shepreem are loaded.
"I don't think so!", Buck takes off running for the guy running the shovel...he's jumping up in the cabin and clobbering the bastard so he can gain control of the mechanics.
Lesser Feat: 77%
Rolled: 64%
Quote from: Rondo;252718"I don't think so!", Buck takes off running for the guy running the shovel...he's jumping up in the cabin and clobbering the bastard so he can gain control of the mechanics.
Lesser Feat: 77%
Rolled: 64%
[The shovel bucket's attached to a crane. The cabin is
outside of the arena. With your Lesser Feat roll you can make a successful grab onto the bucket as it raises away.]
Can I pull Daryl out?
If not, I'm climbing in there with him....I'm gonna have to take the risk that I can get him out on the other side of where this thing is going, and both of us survive.
Quote from: Rondo;252732If not, I'm climbing in there with him....I'm gonna have to take the risk that I can get him out on the other side of where this thing is going, and both of us survive.
[Have you read Mike Mulligan (http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1198/813384967_eacc7eb488_o.jpg)? If you jump you'll be hanging off the tongue at the bottom. There's a couple, three goblins riding along, hanging onto the teeth atop the dipper.
[NB. Mike Mulligan's steam shovel Mary, no matter how big-hearted, is a cave primitive next to the crane dipping people out of the arena.]
I live in the redneck capital for shovels...I understand how they work, trust me...I'm trying to make some sort of attempt at either getting him OUT of this thing, or getting me INTO it, cause if I don't try something we're gonna be dealing with a pissed off mother that will hunt us to the end of the earth (and other earths).
If I can't do anything else, it looks like I'm riding....I'm at least going with him...I'm not trying to be noble (although "heroic" to the stupid-max fits in with the character), but common sense says if we separate physical distance from him too far, we may not get him back.
Quote from: Rondo;252750I live in the redneck capital for shovels...I understand how they work, trust me...I'm trying to make some sort of attempt at either getting him OUT of this thing, or getting me INTO it, cause if I don't try something we're gonna be dealing with a pissed off mother that will hunt us to the end of the earth (and other earths).
[Cool, just trying to make the situation as clear as possible. Mike Mulligan is one of my all-time favorites, so it's not a dis for me to bring it up :)]
Quote from: Rondo;252762If I can't do anything else, it looks like I'm riding....I'm at least going with him...I'm not trying to be noble (although "heroic" to the stupid-max fits in with the character), but common sense says if we separate physical distance from him too far, we may not get him back.
[OK, ride along you shall.
[Probably won't be able to update till much later this evening, fellas -- gotta try and hash out an 18th level Pathfinder/3.5 character for tonight's game :eek: Yeesh. So many fiddly bits!]
Oh no, no dis taken! Totally cool....so, I'm riding along....geesh, man this is getting hairy! :)
Quazarn assumes an imperious, majestic spell-casting position! He raises his hands toward the shovel as though he were groping an invisible Tura Satana (http://www.klangundkleid.de/img/memorabilia/russmeyer/turasatana.jpg) and intones in his deep, seductive voice:
Hargath! Memnos-dookchokk!
I call upon such might
As only titans have ever known,
The strings of reality unravelled
And re-woven by my hand!
Schlemiel! Schlamazel!
Hassepfeffer Discombobulated!
Mystic energies swirl around his hands --and direct themselves toward the shovel!
[Quazarn is casting Troublesome Toy on the shovel -- or at least the bucket. Whatever skill I need to use, I roll a 06!]
Creature gives Buck a boost as he leaps for the shovel. He stands by to catch Darryl if Buck drops him out of the bucket.
Quote from: Age of Fable;252560"Yes, let's see this 'chief'. What's he chief of?"
The orderly straightens up suddenly, assuming a slouchy parade rest. He barks in a pompous voice, "CHIEF Buford Tallbard, HEAD of Installation SEEcurity for Enterprising Hand INcorporated, former DEtective-GenerAL, Gorgon Sector ALpha, FORmer Precint CAPtain, God City POLice, LEAD tenor in the God City POLiceman's Choir, amateur CHAMPEEN of the EXtreme Karaoke Fighting LEAGUE."
The orc sighs again, blowing his lank forelock out of his eyes, "And a ten-ton pain in my ass. Chief Ball-tard. Bigwig in the the pig gig, man. Surprised you ain't heard of him."
Quote from: wulfgar;252953Creature gives Buck a boost as he leaps for the shovel. He stands by to catch Darryl if Buck drops him out of the bucket.
Quote from: Rondo;252762If I can't do anything else, it looks like I'm riding....I'm at least going with him...
Elsewhere
[A scrying pool glows in a darkened cavern.]
PLAY-BY-PLAY ANNOUNCER: The Brawl is off to a riotous start! The opening ruckus has settled down and the remaining fighters are licking their wounds and taking stock. Traditionally almost 50% of the fighters take themselves out in the first few skirmishes.
COLOR COMMENTATOR: About half, Bob....I allus useta make for the walls and recruit myself a crew a hardheads. Bust down a coupla big dogs to make a rep.
PLAY-BY-PLAY ANNOUNCER: And as we've seen, most of this year's contenders have -- what's this? Well folks, this happens every so often. It looks like one of the fighters has decided he's leaving right now! [chuckling] He's got a hold of the medevac crane and he's hanging on for dear life.
COLOR COMMENTATOR: Now see, the pressure gets to some of these guys. Blew his cool. Figgered, "I'm gonna end up in the meat wagon sooner or later anyways!" [more laughter]
PLAY-BY-PLAY ANNOUNCER: The apothecary men won't like that one bit though. That's what the retreat chutes are for, after all.
COLOR COMMENTATOR: Looks like a first-timer, name a Buck...Pusslar.
PLAY-BY-PLAY ANNOUNCER: That's Buck Pulsar, Clubber.
COLOR COMMENTATOR: Pulsar, yeah.
PLAY-BY-PLAY ANNOUNCER: Now what's this. Oh my, there's a galactic human of some sort...casting a spell! This Brawl is off to as strange a start as we've seen, folks.
COLOR COMMENTATOR: 'Gainst the rules, Bob. Automatic DQ.
PLAY-BY-PLAY ANNOUNCER: That's right, Clubber, the fighter...Quazarn...will definitely be disqualified. Already they've unleashed the disenchanter, and it's galloping across the arena toward the warlock.[Shoot, dudes, got all
creative writing 101 with my update and ran out of time this morning. Big update tonight, for sure!]
Quote from: ttagxamm;252954The orc sighs again, blowing his lank forelock out of his eyes, "And a ten-ton pain in my ass. Chief Ball-tard. Bigwig in the the pig gig, man. Surprised you ain't heard of him."
"Of course I haven't heard of him you fool. I'm on secondment from B Division. Now go and get him at once."
HA!!:).....Love it!
OOC: I think we would have been fine just letting Darryl go, I mean from what we've been told- they don't kill everyone who gets knocked out.
Still fortune favors the bold, in for a penny in for a pound, and so on. It will certainly be interesting to see how this all turns out :)
You may be correct, Wulfgar, but I have two fears:
#1-We don't know his condition...I'd rather say we gave it a shot (which probably isn't going to help diddly-squat with his mom's disposition should he expire), and be right there doing all we can, if possible.
#2-I don't trust this whole deal...we don't know enough to really know for sure what they do with the "losers". Given we're in a society that didn't really lift an eyebrow when we blew someone (something) away in a public bar, I wonder what the odds are of them actually "healing up" any losers. :)
...and then there's the whole fun of "running the wild risk"!...as you say, noting ventured, nothing gained!
Quote from: Dr Rotwang!;252823Quazarn assumes an imperious, majestic spell-casting position! He raises his hands toward the shovel as though he were groping an invisible Tura Satana (http://www.klangundkleid.de/img/memorabilia/russmeyer/turasatana.jpg) and intones in his deep, seductive voice:
Hargath! Memnos-dookchokk!
I call upon such might
As only titans have ever known,
The strings of reality unravelled
And re-woven by my hand!
Schlemiel! Schlamazel!
Hassepfeffer Discombobulated!Mystic energies swirl around his hands --and direct themselves toward the shovel!
[Quazarn is casting Troublesome Toy on the shovel -- or at least the bucket. Whatever skill I need to use, I roll a 06!]
With a blast of colored string and confetti
Troublesome Toy takes effect! The hoist chain and dipper begin to stretch and shrink downward toward the ground, turned into silly putty by the spell. A few feet from the ground the bottom of the dipper droops open and bodies begin to spill out of the basket.
A lanky cameloid beast with electric blue fur and a serpentine trunk trumpets across the pitch, sonic glamers (http://thesurrealist.co.uk/sound) rebounding from the walls with its every step.
"PENALTY! ARCANE DISQUALIFICATION! ALL FIGHTERS STEP AWAY FROM FIGHTER #3586" Quazarn doesn't need to look down to recognize the number on his bib.
Okay, buncha choices here...see if I can get this right....Buck is gonna do a little "tuck and roll" as we get near the ground (if i can), and start getting to Daryl right off the bat. At the same time, I'm gonna try to yell over to Quazarn with a smile, "Look out Those fellas don't look happy!", and motion for him to come over to the area where Daryl and I are (not this this is much of anything, Quazie might have more up his sleeve, or better ideas, but Buck has to acknowledge what his friend has just done for him (us))!
If possible, Creature was trying to catch Darryl instead of letting him fall onto the ground from the magified steam shovel. Once he catches him (or walks over to him if he didn't catch him), he'll stand by Darryl's side, not really doing much, but ready to pound anyone that comes over with ill intent.
(Whew! Glad to hear it...!!!)
At this point, Zarko is kind of keeping his head down and staying in Creature's shadow.
If anybody comes around and he can get a sneak attack in, he will. Otherwise, he's watching and waiting.
Quote from: Age of Fable;252971"Of course I haven't heard of him you fool. I'm on secondment from B Division. Now go and get him at once."
"Oooh, B Division. How impressive," the orc deadpans. He stares dully at Hobson for a few seconds, clears his throat with a nasal wheeze, and reaches for the walkie talkie on his belt.
"Hnnnggh. Yeah, gimme the chief..." A longish wait.
"Chief, it's Chet. Chet White. There's a detective needs, ungk, to see you" The orc winces and holds the walkie talkie away from his ear a good six inches.
"Chester....situation here....damn pointy-headed....blasted....my office."
The walkie-talkie tweets off. Stuffing his hands in his pockets Chet turns and walks toward the locker room door. "Off we go, piglet. I'm sure I'll end up fired over this, or emptying out the hair traps in the shower.* After my ass is cooked and chewed by the Chief of course. Another bee-yoo-ti-ful day for Chester White."
* Wookies and dwarves, man. You don't even wanna know.
(Dig it! Someone was FINALLY hip enough to reference wookie pubeage! Now that's the stuff this game is made of!):O
Quazarn, cooler than a cryocuke, holds up his hands with an exasperated sigh. "Relax, fella," he intones to the...whatever-it-is. "I know, I know.
"I'm just going to take my young friend home, " he says, nuding Darryl with his toe. "He's had enough and, frankly, so've I."
[Quazarn's Crowd Manipulate is 70%; I rolled a 05, straight up. I have some mini d10s in a little Chessex dice box -- easy, I just pick 'em up, shake and read.]
Confident that he has been understood, the impressive Remulakian bends slowly, casually almost, to retrieve the lizard youth. "You know," he says over his shoulder to the cameloid, "you could help."
Quote from: Rondo;253119Buck is gonna do a little "tuck and roll" as we get near the ground (if i can), and start getting to Daryl right off the bat. At the same time, I'm gonna try to yell over to Quazarn with a smile, "Look out Those fellas don't look happy!", and motion for him to come over to the area where Daryl and I are...
Quote from: wulfgar;253123If possible, Creature was trying to catch Darryl instead of letting him fall onto the ground from the magified steam shovel. Once he catches him (or walks over to him if he didn't catch him), he'll stand by Darryl's side, not really doing much, but ready to pound anyone that comes over with ill intent.
Quote from: Coffee;253178At this point, Zarko is kind of keeping his head down and staying in Creature's shadow.
If anybody comes around and he can get a sneak attack in, he will. Otherwise, he's watching and waiting.
The dipper sags so low that the bodies tumble only a few inches to the ground. Creature begins pawing through the injured fighters, looking for Darryl, while Zarko lurks at his side.
Buck jumps to safety just in time [literally: JM rolled a Lesser Feat for him: rolled 76% -- needed 77%!]. Even as he touches the ground the silly putty chain is pulled to its limit and snaps upward like a giant rubber band. Two of the goblins leap off the basket, one gracefully, the other with an ankle-twisting thud. No such luck for the third, who is shot squealing over the arena wall and into the distance.
The rapidly charging disenchanter (http://www.flickr.com/photos/26422623@N05/2903073027/sizes/o/) veers away from Quazarn towards the locus of strongest arcane energy, the deformed crane. The dweomerdary begins to leech magical energy from the spell, its blue fur standing on end and crackling with sparks. The chain and basket, now limp and deformed, revert to steel.
One of the apothecary goblins is already on his walkie-talkie, calling for stretchers to haul out the wounded. The other hobbles up to Creature, cursing in goblish. "Zhlernitz! You there, move back! Let the medics work! This place is full of zhoddink clods for you to tussle with. You can go pound your head on the wall for all I care! Just back off and let me do my job!"
Quote from: Dr Rotwang!;253354Quazarn, cooler than a cryocuke, holds up his hands with an exasperated sigh. "Relax, fella," he intones to the...whatever-it-is. "I know, I know.
"I'm just going to take my young friend home, " he says, nudging Darryl with his toe. "He's had enough and, frankly, so've I."
[Quazarn's Crowd Manipulate is 70%; I rolled a 05, straight up. I have some mini d10s in a little Chessex dice box -- easy, I just pick 'em up, shake and read.]
Confident that he has been understood, the impressive Remulakian bends slowly, casually almost, to retrieve the lizard youth. "You know," he says over his shoulder to the cameloid, "you could help."
The goblin medic shakes his head, "All I want to do is help your friend, you damned crazy wugmump! If you take a look around you might notice how much harder you're making it for me! And frankly, now
you're the one gonna need help.
Someone's gonna pay for that crane, brother."
And that's when the shooting starts.
Quazarn is the first to notice. With a loud sizzle a great gob of green foam wishes over his head, landing on the ground in front of him. The second gob hits in the crowd gathered nearby, covering one of the gawkers completely with fast-hardening foam.
The third gob hits Quazarn in the small of the back. He feels the foam spreading quickly over his limbs. It's not at all unpleasant, really, just a tingly warmth. It's almost enough to distract him from the foam shell forming around his arms and legs...
[[OOC: Can I hear the commotion in the arena?]]
Quote from: Age of Fable;253393[[OOC: Can I hear the commotion in the arena?]]
[From the locker room, not in any king of identifiable way. If you leave the locker room you could probably check out a replay in one of the lounges off the tunnel. Are you following Chet?]
Quote from: Dr Rotwang!;252823[Quazarn is casting Troublesome Toy on the shovel -- or at least the bucket. Whatever skill I need to use, I roll a 06!]
[Ordinarily, Doc, you can cast any spell you have memorized without rolling any dice. But how 'bout this: you can roll Magical Attack to try for special effects, such as casting the spell silently, increasing its length or duration, or transforming something huge like the crane. The catch: the spell is lost if you blow the roll.]
Quote from: ttagxamm;253421[From the locker room, not in any king of identifiable way. If you leave the locker room you could probably check out a replay in one of the lounges off the tunnel. Are you following Chet?]
Yep.
[I thought I might hear it, and be able to say 'oh my God a riot!' as an excuse to escape]
Quote from: ttagxamm;253377The goblin medic shakes his head, "All I want to do is help your friend, you damned crazy wugmump! If you take a look around you might notice how much harder you're making it for me! And frankly, now you're the one gonna need help. Someone's gonna pay for that crane, brother."
"Right," intones Quazarn. "Because NO ONE STOPPED TO THINK THAT A WARLOCK CAN UNDO HIS OWN SPELLS. What are you, made out of stupidium?"
QuoteAnd that's when the shooting starts.
Quazarn is the first to notice. With a loud sizzle a great gob of green foam wishes over his head, landing on the ground in front of him. The second gob hits in the crowd gathered nearby, covering one of the gawkers completely with fast-hardening foam.
"What the gorp?"
QuoteThe third gob hits Quazarn in the small of the back. He feels the foam spreading quickly over his limbs. It's not at all unpleasant, really, just a tingly warmth. It's almost enough to distract him from the foam shell forming around his arms and legs...
"Fool! You foolish goblin, you didn't --"
[Okay. Lesser Feat to scrape the stuff off my legs and arms? Oh, and RE: spellcasting: Yeah, I looked it up, but I REALLY dig your house-rule,a nd will implement it in my OWN game, if...ever...I get to run one.]
Quote from: Dr Rotwang!;253460"Fool! You foolish goblin, you didn't --"
[The shooting is coming from the guard towers, just to clarify.]
Quote[Okay. Lesser Feat to scrape the stuff off my legs and arms?]
[Go for it. Feel free to roll away when you propose using an ability -- I'll work with it unless your suggestion strikes me as totally whack.]
Buck makes sure Daryl is getting some med attention, and indeed it does seem genuine. I'm rolling against Invisibility to work more or less unnoticed to help Quazarn get the hardening foam scraped off. "Looks like they intend on arresting us and holding us....you wanna haul it out of here if we can?", he exasperates to Quazarn.
Invisibility: 73%
Rolled: 15%
Buck is going to use Logic to deduct the best exit from this place in case we decide as a group to make a run for it (not that this is the best solution...perhaps "Negotiate" might be smarter! Want to see what the rest of the party is thinking).
Logic: 84%
Rolled: 11%
Quote from: Rondo;253473Buck makes sure Daryl is getting some med attention, and indeed it does seem genuine. I'm rolling against Invisibility to work more or less unnoticed to help Quazarn get the hardening foam scraped off. "Looks like they intend on arresting us and holding us....you wanna haul it out of here if we can?", he exasperates to Quazarn.
Invisibility: 73%
Rolled: 15%
Buck is going to use Logic to deduct the best exit from this place in case we decide as a group to make a run for it (not that this is the best solution...perhaps "Negotiate" might be smarter! Want to see what the rest of the party is thinking).
Logic: 84%
Rolled: 11%
As the goblin medics wait for stretchers Buck eyes the retreat chutes here and there throughout the arena. He notes they are closer than the main ramp onto the pitch. It also dawns on him that there's no way for him to help Quazarn inconspicuously*. The warlock is the
center of attention, not least of all from the disenchanter, which has turned his way again, curling its trunk inquisitively.
"ALL FIGHTERS STEP AWAY FROM FIGHTER #3586. HE HAS BEEN EJECTED FROM THE BRAWL AND WILL SOON BE ESCORTED FROM THE ARENA. INTERFERENCE MAY RESULT IN FURTHER DISQUALIFICATIONS."
[*A warlock
could use magic to turn Invisible, I'll note. Cost if successful 1 percentile point from any MAG ability score.]
(Restraint foam! That's what I figured: we actually trained with this stuff back when I was a prison guard (though we never used it).
Reaching into his seldom-used physical prowess, Quazarn swears loudly, "Strapting Panderwives!", and scrapes away the offending foam (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/1751683/)!
"I'll meet you at the van," he mutters to Pulsar, and covers his face with his hands -- wipes them downward --
-- and dashes away, totally oblivious to the fact that he has not, in fact, turned invisible (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/1751699/).
Buck chuckles..."Okeedokee!"....Buck returns to the Creature and Daryl. He barks at one of the medics, "Help my buddy here", and points to Daryl, "..and if your idea of medical help is hauling off injured with a crane, then you and I have problems, bub...". Buck is watching to make sure this thing is legit. "He dies, and there's going to be a hell of a lot of problems for everyone."
Creature waves goodbye to Quazran.
"Bye...bye...pointy..head"
Buck bursts out laughing, "Don't worry Creech," he says, patting creature on the arm "He goes away...but we'll see him again", he's making a "let-your-fingers-do-the-walking" marching gesture to Creature.
Quote from: Dr Rotwang!;253493"I'll meet you at the van," he mutters to Pulsar, and covers his face with his hands -- wipes them downward --
-- and dashes away, totally oblivious to the fact that he has not, in fact, turned invisible (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/1751699/).
[Whither goest thou, O Conehead?]
[Lockers. You know, where the hobling was.]
Quote from: Dr Rotwang!;253493Reaching into his seldom-used physical prowess, Quazarn swears loudly, "Strapting Panderwives!", and scrapes away the offending foam (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/1751683/)!
"I'll meet you at the van," he mutters to Pulsar...
Quote from: Rondo;253501Buck chuckles..."Okeedokee!"....Buck returns to the Creature and Daryl. He barks at one of the medics, "Help my buddy here", and points to Daryl, "..and if your idea of medical help is hauling off injured with a crane, then you and I have problems, bub...". Buck is watching to make sure this thing is legit. "He dies, and there's going to be a hell of a lot of problems for everyone."
The goblin stares at Buck like he was looking at puppy that just peed on the rug. "Maglubiyet!" curses the medic. "We ain't runnin' a research hospital here, pal. But we know a thing or two about patching up fighters. I cornered Lou Diamondhead Phillips! The South Mountain Screwdriver? That damn 'droid went berzerk
twice in one week and I kept his gears turning. I think I can --"
A commotion from the center of the arena interrupts the apothecary. "Of all the...this is fan-yarking-tastic." Up from the tunnel hunches a hulking twelve foot tall brute, followed by five or six just like him. A prodigiously mustachioed dwarf herds them along with a whip.
"If you want to help your friend, help me guard the rest. Chief Ball-tard sent in the Goon Squad."
Chet leads the way glumly, hands still in the pockets of his shiny work slacks. Leaving the locker room he turns right toward the turnstiles, Hobson following. A sour, oafish reek stops you both cold. The stink is so powerful you could spread it on crackers and call it limburger.
Chet nearly trips over Hobson as he backs away in the direction of the locker room. Lumbering down the tunnel comes a squad of one-eyed neanderthals, greasy-haired and grunting, followed by a whip-cracking dwarf in padded armor.
"Goons (http://bp1.blogger.com/_ssJ5LlxVVGg/SHTvlpVdJ6I/AAAAAAAAASg/1nGjDAeSa_U/s1600-h/Goon+.jpg)," whispers Chet. "Must be bad trouble out there, man. Gnuurgk. Chief's through the turnstiles and turn left twice. Screw this, I'm goin' on break."
Quote from: Dr Rotwang!;253493[Quazarn] covers his face with his hands -- wipes them downward -- and dashes away, totally oblivious to the fact that he has not, in fact, turned invisible (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/1751699/).
Quote from: wulfgar;253504Creature waves goodbye to Quazarn.
"Bye...bye...pointy..head"
Quazarn hotfoots it for the tunnel, pursued by whatever the hell a disenchanter is. The circle of gawking fighters parts for him -- puzzling given his invisibility -- and he's almost to the tunnel when the first goon clomps up the ramp.
Then the second and third.
And the fourth.
And fifth.
Sixth, and surely last?
Only if you don't count the seventh.The goons sniff the air as they enter the arena, catching the sweat of battle. Despite the shouted commands of the dwarven wrangler, they begin stamping and shoving. Three goons charge off into the arena, swinging their fists wildly as they go. Two others nearly trample Quazarn on their way to the heap of unconscious fighters.
But two still remain, standing between the warlock and the tunnel. Implausibly enough, one of them seems to be staring
right at him.
Quote from: ttagxamm;253593"Goons (http://bp1.blogger.com/_ssJ5LlxVVGg/SHTvlpVdJ6I/AAAAAAAAASg/1nGjDAeSa_U/s1600-h/Goon+.jpg)," whispers Chet. "Must be bad trouble out there, man. Gnuurgk. Chief's through the turnstiles and turn left twice. Screw this, I'm goin' on break."
"Bad trouble? Good god man, give me your walkie-talkie at once."
Buck shouts to the orderly, "These idiots are starting to bug me..I'm losing patience with this entire situation...I'll take you at your word; you help my young friend..keep him alive...and I'm getting ready to take this bunch to the cleaners, if I can.", he stands up, fists at his side and gritting his teeth.
"Creature!", he points at the approaching goonsquad. "These men...bad! They want to hurt Buck and Daryl!"
(I'm gonna look over the medics, the ground, anything....since we were sent in here practically naked, I'm looking for SOMETHING that will even the odds a bit...a club of some sort would be ideal, but I'll use anything)
Clue: 27%
Rolled: 89% (sh*t!)
Explore: 50%
Rolled: 16%
(throwin' my chances here...not sure what counts, if anything)
Quote from: Age of Fable;253628"Bad trouble? Good god man, give me your walkie-talkie at once."
Chester looks at Hobson dubiously.
"Yeah, sure, trade you for your badge..."
[Roll Command if you want to keep trying to convince him.]
[I must consider my next move very carefully and, as such, it may take me a couple-three hours. I'm at work.]
Quote from: ttagxamm;253672Chester looks at Hobson dubiously.
"Yeah, sure, trade you for your badge..."
[Roll Command if you want to keep trying to convince him.]
"Shazbot! Fine, ring the Chief, tell him I'm going in to deal with the trouble."
As soon as Chester can't see me I'll change my clothes.
I'll also look for the others.
Quote from: Age of Fable;253688"Shazbot! Fine, ring the Chief, tell him I'm going in to deal with the trouble."
"Yeah whatever, Officer. First thing after a ciggy." Chester drifts off, slouching at first but gathering enough speed that he hurdles the turnstile on his way toward the front.
QuoteAs soon as Chester can't see me I'll change my clothes.
I'll also look for the others.
[Back to your street clothes? (Speaking of which, I get kind of a pimpish vibe from Hobson's illustration, especially the hat -- am I reading too much into it?)]
Hobson scopes out the tunnel. To his left is the ramp leading into the arena. Just before the ramp two corridors lead off to the left and the right. Each spreads into a dingy lounge: video gambling, food vendors, Brawl souvenirs...and holovids showing the calamity in the arena.
I'll change into something that'll give me a bit of camouflage, if the clothes can do that.
Having done that, I'll try and get into the arena as unobtrusively as possible, and look for the others.
[and no, he's not meant to be a pimp]
Quote from: Age of Fable;253709I'll change into something that'll give me a bit of camouflage, if the clothes can do that.
Having done that, I'll try and get into the arena as unobtrusively as possible, and look for the others.
Hobson's holo clothes don't offer much by way of camo. He tries a cinder block pattern on but ends up looking like a game show host.
Pausing near the screening area he notices a squad of goblin medics gathered at the top of the ramp.
Quote from: The JMThe goons sniff the air as they enter the arena, catching the sweat of battle....But two still remain, standing between the warlock and the tunnel. Implausibly enough, one of them seems to be staring right at him.
Quazarn, who is brilliant
and handsome, doesn't miss a beat. "The enchanter!" he cries to the goons, gesturing imperiously back at dude who is currently overjoyed with himself (http://www.nndb.com/people/186/000025111/deezen-sm.jpg). "Get him, GET HIM!"
[Quazarn's Command skill is 83%; I rolled a 65.]
Quote from: Rondo;253647Buck shouts to the orderly, "These idiots are starting to bug me..I'm losing patience with this entire situation...I'll take you at your word; you help my young friend..keep him alive...and I'm getting ready to take this bunch to the cleaners, if I can.", he stands up, fists at his side and gritting his teeth.
"Creature!", he points at the approaching goonsquad. "These men...bad! They want to hurt Buck and Daryl!"
Quote from: Rondo;253649(I'm gonna look over the medics, the ground, anything....since we were sent in here practically naked, I'm looking for SOMETHING that will even the odds a bit...a club of some sort would be ideal, but I'll use anything)
Clue: 27%
Rolled: 89% (sh*t!)
Explore: 50%
Rolled: 16%
(throwin' my chances here...not sure what counts, if anything)
The goons charge forward, shoulders stooped and long arms swinging. Buck instinctively notes the locations of the two nearest retreat chutes, but hasn't a guess what he might use as a weapon.
The goblin medic is luckier, happening on a mop handle that must have dropped out of the wrecked medevac crane. He breaks it over his knee and hands half to Buck. Creature stands grimly at Buck's side, and Zarko lurks nearby, as tight-lipped as ever. The Gibbon and a few other fighters step up to help defend the fallen...
[Now armed with a simple club, D 1-4]
Quote from: Dr Rotwang!;253846Quazarn, who is brilliant and handsome, doesn't miss a beat. "The enchanter!" he cries to the goons, gesturing imperiously back at dude who is currently overjoyed with himself (http://www.nndb.com/people/186/000025111/deezen-sm.jpg). "Get him, GET HIM!"
The goons blink at Quazarn's stentorian voice and commanding mien, staring back and forth between the warlock and other the fighter. The goons huddle up, knock their heads together, and begin shoving. Their wrangler, red-faced and screaming, hops on one leg, pointing at Quazarn, but they ignore him. For the moment anyway.
The Dirty Deezen on the other hand, Quazarn's unwilling decoy, is now
extremely focused on the warlock. His happy-go-lucky grin drops away, and a fell light shines in his eyes. He tugs a cauliflowered ear, points at Quazarn and makes a violent gesture the meaning of which is impossible to mistake.
Quote[Quazarn's Command skill is 83%; I rolled a 65.]
[NB. To truly command them you'd need to roll Monster Friend as well. Dunno how lucky you're feeling.]
I change back to police clothes, go back to the lockers, get my crossbow, bolts and cutlass, and enter the arena, where I try to 'arrest' the rest of the party.
Buck takes a whack at the first stupid bastard that comes across his path.
Melee Att: 64%
Rolled: 64% (wheew!)
Damage Rolled: 4...+2 (6 total)
Creature looks slightly confused and wonders what we're doing.
(I don't know what to do either, but I'm not getting manhandled by a buncha goons coming out of chutes!):)
I thought the goons were after Qurazan? Are they coming for us too? If Darryl's being taken care, and pointy head is leaving (or being escorted off) the premises, aren't the rest of us good to get back to brawling?
Creature will defend himself against anyone who attacks him, and will do so with extreme prejudice, but he won't start anything with the goons if they look to be under control and just trying to take Quarzan out of here.
My understanding was that there was a heap o' enforcers coming towards us. If this is not accurate, then I do not commit to actions, but that's what I understood.
Quote from: The JMA commotion from the center of the arena interrupts the apothecary. "Of all the...this is fan-yarking-tastic." Up from the tunnel hunches a hulking twelve foot tall brute, followed by five or six just like him. A prodigiously mustachioed dwarf herds them along with a whip.
"If you want to help your friend, help me guard the rest. Chief Ball-tard sent in the Goon Squad."
.....
The goons sniff the air as they enter the arena, catching the sweat of battle. Despite the shouted commands of the dwarven wrangler, they begin stamping and shoving. Three goons charge off into the arena, swinging their fists wildly as they go. Two others nearly trample Quazarn on their way to the heap of unconscious fighters. [emphasis added]
[Basically, Chief Tallbard chose cut rate security and a incompetent goon trainer. Perhaps a strongly worded letter of complaint is in order?]
Ok. Creature stands nearby Darryl as the medics tend to him. If the goons try to lay a finger on Darryl, Creature will break that finger off. If they want to beat on the other losers, they can have at it as far as Creature is concerned.
Quote from: wulfgar;253963Ok. Creature stands nearby Darryl as the medics tend to him. If the goons try to lay a finger on Darryl, Creature will break that finger off. If they want to beat on the other losers, they can have at it as far as Creature is concerned.
[They's coming, best roll your Attack, Damage & Save. Need a Saving Throw from Buck.
[What's Zarko up to?]
Quote from: Age of Fable;253916I change back to police clothes, go back to the lockers, get my crossbow, bolts and cutlass, and enter the arena, where I try to 'arrest' the rest of the party.
Now fully armed, Hobson approaches the screening gate. A weird duck-billed creature squats in a cage to one side. It shows no interest in the hobling. However a female cyaborg in a silver skinsuit stands between him and the arena. Human from the waist down -- superbly so, in fact -- she has an x-ray camera for a head.
I hold up 'my' invitation.
The x-ray camera scans Hobson from head to toe. "Brawl.admission.is.closed." she buzzes. "No.law.enforcement.authorization.on.file. How.may.i.help.you.officer."
Saving Throw:21%
Rolled: 27% (missed just barely)
For Creature:
Attack: 66% Hit
Damage: 11
Saving Throw: 90% Fail
If the goons attack, Creature will smash the head of the closest one between his two monster hands- like a monkey banging a pair of cymbols.
Quazarn rolls his eyes at the goons and attempts to sneak past.
[Sneak 29% is better than 4%, so I'll try that...wow, good thing, too! (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/1754753/)]Once past the goons, Quazarn applies his astonishing mental energies towards formulating a plan. He just needs an idea to build on -- a spark for the fire, as it were...
[Max, can I roll Clue and get some sort of assist in building an escape plan for us all?]
(I was wondering the same thing. I'm at least "Clued in" as to some decent escape areas, but we gotta get outta this thing....there's an endless stream of backup support and only a few of us).
Quote from: Rondo;253939Buck takes a whack at the first stupid bastard that comes across his path.
Melee Att: 64%
Rolled: 64% (wheew!)
Damage Rolled: 4...+2 (6 total)
Quote from: wulfgar;253997For Creature:
Attack: 66% Hit
Damage: 11
Saving Throw: 90% Fail
If the goons attack, Creature will smash the head of the closest one between his two monster hands- like a monkey banging a pair of cymbols.
The goons stomp forward. Buck thwacks one in the shin, slowing it just enough for the goblin medic to smash its big toe. The goon grabs its foot and stands one leg wailing in pain. It stinks like livestock rolled in...potpourri?
The other goon bends low as it charges, and Creature wallops it up both sides of its head, smashing its ears. It staggers back, stunned.
[
Both goons rolled Critical Failures on saving throws -- which I've decided means you lose your next attack! Truly the PCs are blessed by fate.]
Quote from: Dr Rotwang!;254005[Max, can I roll Clue and get some sort of assist in building an escape plan for us all?]
[You can always roll whatever you want. I'll let you know if what you're trying to do is bogus.]
Creature tries to grab one of the stunned goons and hurl him into the rest of the approaching horde.
Attack: 68% HIT
Damage: 11
Feat: 92% Succesful for a Lesser feat (rated 100%), fails for greater feat (rated 31%)
Saving Throw: 23% GOOD
"BAD MEN NO HURT DARRYL!!!!" He roars
Quote from: wulfgar;254039Creature tries to grab one of the stunned goons and hurl him into the rest of the approaching horde.
Attack: 68% HIT
Damage: 11
Feat: 92% Succesful for a Lesser feat (rated 100%), fails for greater feat (rated 31%)
Saving Throw: 23% GOOD
"BAD MEN NO HURT DARRYL!!!!" He roars
Creature grabs the reeling goon by the ankle, trying to topple it backward, but it shakes its head and kicks out its leg. His shield takes the brunt of the impact, but the kick sends Creature sailing back into the heap of bodies.
[1 HP damage]
[And with that I really gotta go find a grindstone and put my nose to it. Workity-work. Update late tonight, but I'll be around over the weekend.]
Buck is trying to get a glimpse at what's going on with Daryl. Has he come around? or is the situation bad enough that he's still out cold?
I'll be on the road to an out of state wedding this weekend, so most likely won't be checking in. Creature will try to take care of himself and his friends.
Quote from: ttagxamm;253992The x-ray camera scans Hobson from head to toe. "brawl.admission.is.closed." she buzzes. "no.law.enforcement.authorization.on.file.how.may.i.help.you.officer."
"Oh...goodness...I, uh. Hm.
Excuse me, I'm sorry.
I was just surprised to see someone like yourself, well...working for a human."
Quote from: Age of Fable;254086"Oh...goodness...I, uh. Hm.
Excuse me, I'm sorry.
I was just surprised to see someone like yourself, well...working for a human."
"Your.mental.state.is.irrelevant. I.am.50.%.human. Please.state.your.business."
Quote from: ttagxamm;253968[What's Zarko up to?]
Hanging out with Creature. If anyone gets behind him, they'll have to face me.
Darryl's out cold, so he's done his bit. Me, I'm protecting my investment.
[Clue 28%; I rolled at 47.]
Quazarn grasps his prodigiously-pointed crown in exasperation and focus. "think, think think think -- !"
...but no idea comes.
He peeks back out into the fray.
Quote from: ttagxamm;254130"your.mental.state.is.irrelevant.i.am.50.%.human.please.state.your.business."
"No, sure..me too. OK, you know how there's a riot in the arena?"
Quote from: Coffee;254138Hanging out with Creature. If anyone gets behind him, they'll have to face me.
Darryl's out cold, so he's done his bit. Me, I'm protecting my investment.
Zarko and the Gibbon watch Creature tumble overhead, booted by the goon. The frankenstein lands in the pile of bodies with a grunt. The goon rears up, waving its arms over its head in triumph. Now
Creature is behind
Zarko.The other goon winces when it puts weight on its swollen toe. It looks dumbly back and forth between Buck and the goblin and slowly seems to realize the cause of its ouchie. Clenching its teeth it growls and flexes at the two of you.
[I'll need initiative rolls from Creature, Buck and Zarko. Let's try d10, +/- DEX modifier to ranged damage.]
Quote from: Age of Fable;254203"No, sure..me too. OK, you know how there's a riot in the arena?"
"Affirmative. A.security.squad.has.been.dispatched. I.have.not.received.authorization.for.outside.reinforcements. If.you.are.here.on.police.business.please.display.your.credentials."
Quote from: Dr Rotwang!;254005Once past the goons, Quazarn applies his astonishing mental energies towards formulating a plan. He just needs an idea to build on -- a spark for the fire, as it were...
[Max, can I roll Clue and get some sort of assist in building an escape plan for us all?]
Quote from: The JMThe Dirty Deezen on the other hand, Quazarn's unwilling decoy, is now extremely focused on the warlock. His happy-go-lucky grin drops away, and a fell light shines in his eyes. He tugs a cauliflowered ear, points at Quazarn and makes a violent gesture the meaning of which is impossible to mistake.
Quote from: Dr Rotwang!;254152Quazarn grasps his prodigiously-pointed crown in exasperation and focus. "think, think think think -- !"
...but no idea comes.
He peeks back out into the fray.
Ignoring several lewd suggestions and low slanders from the Dirty Deezen Quazarn sneaks past the goons and wins free to the ramp. A dozen apothecary goblins huddle there with stretchers and spray cans of smelling salts, waiting for a break in the fighting.
His companions defend Darryl and the other wounded fighters valiantly. Elsewhere in the arena bands of brawlers face off against goons running wild -- even as Quazarn watches a goon is tripped up and wrestled to the ground. Another is gummed up with restraint foam from the towers. The dwarf still struggles to bring the goon squad back under control, abandoning his whip in favor of a shrill whistle.
Amidst all the bedlam Quazarn seems to have avoided all of his pursuers save one: as he peers out into the arena the warlock feels a tingling sensation as something prods his shoulder. Looking back, he faces the disenchanter. The beast probes him with its wriggling trunk, poking the tip into each of his ears in turn. Disappointed by Quazarn's puny magical energy it bleats sadly and trots back to its pen.
While Hobson tries to reason with the cyaborg she-camera he glances past her just in time to see Quazarn duck out of the arena. The warlock crouches down just inside the ramp, back to Hobson.
Quote from: ttagxamm;254274"affirmative.a.security.squad.has.been.dispatched.i.have.not.received.authorization.for.outside.reinforcements.if.you.are.here.on.police.business.please.display.your.credentials."
"Why didn't you ask that guy behind you for credentials?"
I look at the cyaborg to see if there's any non-lethal way to 'jam its gears' or similar.
Quote from: Age of Fable;254300I look at the cyaborg to see if there's any non-lethal way to 'jam its gears' or similar.
The cyaborg female does not appear to be armed. Her skin-tight silver bodysuit leaves little to the imagination, and from what Hobson can tell she is fully human save for the x-ray camera mounted on her neck.
"My.lenses.are.up.here.Officer" buzzes the cyagorg indignantly.
"I'm sorry Madam, I was merely confirming my initial identification. You're under arrest."
Quote from: Age of Fable;254323"I'm sorry Madam, I was merely confirming my initial identification. You're under arrest."
"On.what.charge. My.memory.banks.record.no.violation.of.local.municipal.or.galactic.law."
proclaims the 'borg, the pitch of her voice rising. She sounds a bit flustered, inasmuch as her vocoding hardware permits it.
"I.have.never.commited.a.crime. To.do.so.would.violate.my.core.programming. Please.what.have.i.done.officer."
"I'm sure it's a mistake, but a lady matching your description is wanted for illegal hosting of a reality show. I'm afraid I'm going to have to detain you, most likely handcuffing you somewhere where you can't see the entrance to the arena. And confiscate any film or recording you might be making."
"No.officer.please. You.must.be.thinking.of.my.sister.Katy.Kodachrome. I.have.not.spoken.to.her.in.months. Please.officer."
Holding up her hands imploringly the 'borg projects a series of sympathetic holographic images: sad-eyed kittens; robed priests of the Truth or Dare cult; a school transcript showing her perfect attendance record and highest marks in Civics; a flashing sign reading 'Not Guilty.'
"Hmm...that flashing sign was certainly very convincing. Yet I must do my duty. I tell you what. If you erase any recording you've made in the last 24 hours, and undertake not to record anything else for the next 24 hours, and let me continue my investigation in the arena, I'll see if I can get permission to just give you a verbal warning rather than arrest you."
Quote from: ttagxamm;254273Zarko and the Gibbon watch Creature tumble overhead, booted by the goon. The frankenstein lands in the pile of bodies with a grunt. The goon rears up, waving its arms over its head in triumph. Now Creature is behind Zarko.
The other goon winces when it puts weight on its swollen toe. It looks dumbly back and forth between Buck and the goblin and slowly seems to realize the cause of its ouchie. Clenching its teeth it growls and flexes at the two of you.
[I'll need initiative rolls from Creature, Buck and Zarko. Let's try d10, +/- DEX modifier to ranged damage.]
Zarko sighs and turns to Buck.
"Rock and roll," he mutters. Then moves in to attack the goon.
Initiative: 4 + 4 = 8
Attack roll: 47 (my melee is 55, so that hits.)
Damage is a whopping 1.
Quote from: Age of Fable;254342"Hmm...that flashing sign was certainly very convincing. Yet I must do my duty. I tell you what. If you erase any recording you've made in the last 24 hours, and undertake not to record anything else for the next 24 hours, and let me continue my investigation in the arena, I'll see if I can get permission to just give you a verbal warning rather than arrest you."
The cyaborg nods, leaking a bit of emulsion fluid.
"I.am.certain.this.is.all.a.mistake.officer. Thank.you"
[Need a percentile roll from Hobson]
Initiative: 10 + 2=12 rolled
Attack: 11
Damage: (makeshift club) 2 + 2=4
Initiative: 10 + 2=12 rolled
Attack: 11
Damage: (makeshift club) 2 + 2=4
http://www.wizards.com/dnd/dice/dice.htm
(sorry 'bout the double posting: i was trying to post my virtual roll sheet, but it didn't seem to record, so eh...)
Creature:
Initiative: 1
Attack: 03% HIT
Damage: 11
Saving Throw: 80% FAIL
[Need Saving Throws for Buck and Zarko. Will try to update at lunch if time permits.]
Save Rolled: 65% (failed)
[48 (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showpost.php?p=5056270&postcount=128)].
Recovering from the sudden shock of being felt up by the disenchanter, Quazarn sneers after it, "Go tell your friends, you third-rate louse."
He quickly gets to the business of staying the hell out of harm's way and looking for a way to assist his teammates.
Showing a dim spark of brains the goons both lunge for Creature. Man, goblin and apes duck under their reaching arms and attack. The goblin and the Gibbon both miss, wary of the goons stomping feet, but Buck gets in another glancing blow with his club.
The goons converge on Creature, snarling and swinging their slab-like fists. Their charge is reckless, their attack overwhelming, their timing...disastrous. A sweeping backhand goes wild, and one goon pokes the other in the eye. The blinded goon clutches its face, mewling, and Zarko sees his opening. With a light kick to the back of its knees, the wary ape buckles the goon's legs.
And then Creature does something really, really violent*. The medics, accustomed though they are to bloodsport, cover their eyes. When they look again both of the goons lie sprawled and bleeding.
"Warg's piss," scowls one, throwing down his club. "We're going to need a bigger stretcher."
[On account of your Critical Hit I ruled that any damage left over after dropping one goon would carry on to the other, and as it turned out this was enough to bring them both down. Please feel free to fill in exactly what Creature did to accomplish this feat -- I'm dying to find out!
[What a crazy round this was: Critical Miss by one goon caused him to smack the other one. The blinded goon critically botched *two* saving throw rolls -- 00 on the die both times! -- which meant his 8 point attack on Creature was lost!]
Quote from: Age of Fable"Hmm...that flashing sign was certainly very convincing. Yet I must do my duty. I tell you what. If you erase any recording you've made in the last 24 hours, and undertake not to record anything else for the next 24 hours, and let me continue my investigation in the arena, I'll see if I can get permission to just give you a verbal warning rather than arrest you."
Quote from: ttagxamm;254385The cyaborg nods, leaking a bit of emulsion fluid.
"I.am.certain.this.is.all.a.mistake.officer. Thank.you"
The cyaborg pops open a panel on...let's call it her forehead. She punches a quick sequence on a touchpad and shudders once. She tears off a small printout from the back of her head and hands it to Hobson.
Reel 3494.0833-0833A: ERASED. Disc Backup: DELETEDShe steps back from the gate, allowing the hobling through to the ramp.
I greet Quazarn, then enter the arena, menacing anyone who comes close with my crossbow, looking for the others.
Hobson nods to Quazarn and strides into the arena with his crossbow leveled. The rest of his companions stand over two fallen goons. Elsewhere in the arena, goons lie unconscious or stand immobilized by blobs of spray-foam. Here and there across the pitch the Brawl has resumed in earnest, as fighters take advantage of the chaos to cull the weak.
Only one of the seven goons is still upright and unrestrained. As Hobson watches it sniffs the air and whuffles. Drool runs from the corner of its mouth. Ignoring the whistle blasts of the dwarf wrangler it trots toward the heap of wounded and semi-conscious fighters.
Buck and the others stand ready, but the goblin apothecaries stop them from attacking. The goon ignores them, instead seizing one of its fallen kin by the ankle and roughly dragging it away. It sits back on it haunches and begins to gnaw on the other goon's calf, tearing off a chunk of flesh. Before the cannibal can continue its meal it is sprayed down with foam.
The goblin medic squad jogs past Hobson, stretches in tow and smelling salts pump sprayers at the ready. The loudspeaker crackles: "THE DISQUALIFIED FIGHTER HAS LEFT THE FIELD AND WILL BE...wait, he left the field? Where the f%#@ is he?...AND WILL BE DETAINED FOR QUESTIONING. PLEASE CONTINUE BRAWLING."
QuoteAnd then Creature does something really, really violent*. The medics, accustomed though they are to bloodsport, cover their eyes. When they look again both of the goons lie sprawled and bleeding.
Creature grabs both wrists of the first goon and pulls his arms out...and then off, as the thugs shoulders give way like a turkey's wishbone. Now armed with two..arms..Creature glowers at the remaining henchman. Dropping one arm to the ground, he grips the other like a lousiville slugger and cranks out a swing worthy of Babe Xorblat, Hall of Fame Hobling-Wookie Outfielder of the God City Thunderbolts. The bloody bludgeon connects with 2nd goons head and send it spinning almost 360 degrees. His neck snaps with a sickening crack. His head dangles by a shred of skin and a fountain of arterial red showers the arena.
[Shoo-eee-howdy-shucks, wulfgar. That's horrible. Also awesome. Ironically both goons had made their Survival rolls, only to be slain by narrative!]
Quote from: ttagxamm;254611The loudspeaker crackles: "THE DISQUALIFIED FIGHTER HAS LEFT THE FIELD AND WILL BE...wait, he left the field? Where the f%#@ is he?...AND WILL BE DETAINED FOR QUESTIONING. PLEASE CONTINUE BRAWLING."
Quazarn laughs! "Not
today, Zurg!" He dashes valiantly back to the vehicle which bore him to this ill place.
[Where's Darryl, again?]
Quote from: ttagxamm;254416[Need Saving Throws for Buck and Zarko. Will try to update at lunch if time permits.]
D'oh! My saving throw is 47.
Sadly, I needed a 37, so I'm afraid something narrative this way comes...
Quote from: Dr Rotwang!;254638[Where's Darryl, again?]
[In the heap of battered fighters the gob medics are about to start evacuating from the arena. You could wait around for him if you wanted to chance it.]
Quote from: Coffee;254642D'oh! My saving throw is 47.
Sadly, I needed a 37, so I'm afraid something narrative this way comes...
[Fortune was with you, and the (randomly targeted) goon attacks were aimed at Creature. You're in the clear, for now.]
[More generally, just to make your options clear, at the moment Buck, Zarko & Creature do not seem to be drawing any attention from the Brawl security. Whether you three fight on in the Brawl or not appears to be your choice...]
Buck removes his hand from his eyes and grimaces, "Geesh pal! Wha...well, I bet they don't have the guts to mess with us again...", and he pats Creature on the back. He surveys the chaos around him for a moment, only to recall the kid. He goes over quickly to the medic to see what's going on, "Well, what's the story?", hoping that the attendants to Daryl got a good eye full of the grisly damage my monster pal threw down on the goons.
I'll change my clothes to something nondescript, and ask the others what's going on.
Quote from: Age of Fable;254660I'll change my clothes to something nondescript, and ask the others what's going on.
[Note that an obviously armed man on the pitch is likely to draw attention -- in or out of a police uniform.]
Quazarn skids to a halt. "The kid," he mutters.
He heads back to the ramp...cautiously.
Creature growls and looks menacing, which shouldn't be too hard, seeing how he's covered in blood and holding a freshly severed arm in one hand. He maintains his watch over Darryl until he's evaced. If any of the brawlers engage him, he'll counter, but he's hoping for a few moments respite.
Buck has no problem continuing in this "brawl", as long as it appears that Daryl will be cared for with no b.s. involved. Money is riding on Creature, so it'd be nice to make some scratch to give to the kids mom. Maybe she won't kill us! ha:)
...back to police then.
Quote from: Age of Fable;254672...back to police then.
OK, cool, need another percentile roll...
35 (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showpost.php?p=5062382&postcount=130) .
Buck asks Zarko: "You wanna stay in this thing, or should we split?"
Quote from: Rondo;254700Buck asks Zarko: "You wanna stay in this thing, or should we split?"
"Well..." Zarko thinks for a long moment.
"Common sense says we should split. But I dunno...it feels like I'm a part of something, for the first time in a long time.
"I think I'll hang out here with Creature until I get taken out."
He looks up, meeting Buck's eye.
"You can go, if you want to," he says, clearly not meaning a word of it. "I won't think any less of you."
Buck grins from ear to ear, "...and I won't think any less of you for staying here with me!"...he gets back to back with Zarko as they await the next challengers.
Quote from: Rondo;254656Buck....surveys the chaos around him for a moment, only to recall the kid. He goes over quickly to the medic to see what's going on, "Well, what's the story?", hoping that the attendants to Daryl got a good eye full of the grisly damage my monster pal threw down on the goons.
Quote from: wulfgar;254670Creature growls and looks menacing, which shouldn't be too hard, seeing how he's covered in blood and holding a freshly severed arm in one hand. He maintains his watch over Darryl until he's evaced.
The apothecary squad sets about their business, spraying groggy fighters with smelling salts and scooting them toward the ramp. The unconscious and lame are rolled onto stretchers.
Annoyed at the stink eye from Buck and Creature the chief apothecary blusters, "You two: scatter! You did me a solid fighting off those goons. You got heart, and the big lummox is a real thunder-crapper. But I'll personally oversee your autopsies if you don't bugbear off."
He glares a moment, daring a cross word from anyone. After a moment he sighs, "Look, fellas, your lizard buddy will be fine in a day or two. We're carting him off now. Nothin' fancy, but three hots and a cot'll do him wonders. Now get your heads back in the Brawl and let us do our job. You're trouble, all of ya. Bad luck. Run off, before you bring the damn sky crashing in. Eh?"
He turns away to direct the medics. Zarko nudges Buck, nodding toward a clump of fighters shuffling nearby, deep in conversation with the Gibbon. The hang back for the moment, wary not just of the gore-spattered Creature but of the crossbow toting hobling cop strolling up. After a tiny jolt of nerves you recognize Hobson*.
[*That percentage I had Fable roll was Mistaken ID, but luckily enough for you guys he failed. Otherwise you'd've been all "Oh crap, it's the fuzz!" ;D]
Quote from: Dr Rotwang!;254668Quazarn skids to a halt. "The kid," he mutters. He heads back to the ramp...cautiously.
Quazarn watches the goblin medics troop back and forth, and sighs with relief when he sees Darryl's stretcher go by. Do the lad's eyes flutter open for a second? Does he crack a weary smile, somehow wise and noble in defeat? Does he weakly raise his hand and give Quazarn a brave thumbs up?
Well, no, none of that. He's still out like three strikes. But his breath is slow and deep -- he's surely alive if not kicking.
In that case I'm going to go back to my original plan of robbing the lockers. If I can't pick the locks I'll try to shoot them off with the crossbow.
Then I'll try and find Quazarn.
[At the moment, Quazarn is still nearby -- just inside the ramp]
Creature finds a place near the cage surrounding the arena where he can keep his back away from any adversaries. That accomplished, he'll resume a fighting stance and clobber any smuck who tries to mess with him.
Initiative: 3
Attack: 53% HIT
Damage: 8
Save: 88% Fail
Quote from: ttagxamm;254835[At the moment, Quazarn is still nearby -- just inside the ramp]
[I thought he was running for the car? If not...]
"Oh, hi Quazarn. You wanna help me rob the lockers?"
Buck is throwing down on any goon in the area that wants to scrap:
Melee Attack: 76% (crap, missed that time)
Save: 63% (missed that too...damn, it's hard to "save" in EC!)
Zarko takes up a position by the wall near enough to Creature to provide flank support.
I'll coordinate with Buck so that we can maximize our efficacy.
Plus, since these mooks seem to have a hate on about us, if I get any of them on the ground, I'm really not afraid to put the boot in. Just sayin', is all.
Initiative: 7
Attack: 40 (hit; barring any modifiers)
Damage: 1 (at least I'm consistent...)
Save: 94 (fail)
Quote from: wulfgar;254839Creature finds a place near the cage surrounding the arena where he can keep his back away from any adversaries. That accomplished, he'll resume a fighting stance and clobber any smuck who tries to mess with him....
Quote from: Rondo;254865...Buck is throwing down on any goon in the area that wants to scrap...
Quote from: Coffee;254866Zarko takes up a position by the wall near enough to Creature to provide flank support.
Quote from: ttagxamm;254790Zarko nudges Buck, nodding toward a clump of fighters shuffling nearby, deep in conversation with the Gibbon. The hang back for the moment, wary not just of the gore-spattered Creature but of the crossbow toting hobling cop strolling up.
When Hobson turns back toward the ramp the huddle of fighters breaks up and follows Creature and his boys to the wall. The Gibbon steps out ahead of the others and walks toward you, hands at his sides.
Mindful of your readiness to rumble, he stands a dozen feet away and bows. He addresses Creature in the accent of the Ape Sultanate, "Let us talk, O fearsome one."
"Talk"
Creature says in reply. With his Frankenstein vocal cords- reconstructed from multiple "donors" it's hard to tell if he means the words as a question or a command. Either way, he stays alert, but seems willing to hear the rest of what the Ape has to say.
Careful to keep his teeth covered, the Gibbon smiles and nods. He is tall and wiry, short of leg but long of arm, dressed in wide legged pantaloons and a purple turban.
"You do me honor by hearing my words and I thank you. I am Abdul gib'n Hylobat Nomascus, a prince of the east." He pauses, with just a hint of pomp. "You and your companions fight with valor and with wit, and your defeat of the goons is the talk of every tongue. I have but a humble proposal: when put to the test men of all species want either to lead or to be led."
He half turns, gesturing at the motley crew of warriors and wastrels nearby, "We would have you and your captains lead us."
Buck slaps his own face in a moment of Curly Howard surprise.
"Ape...no..fight...Creature....Creature...no..fight..Ape...Ape..Creature..both..fight..others"
The mental fatigue of all this political wheeling and dealing shows in Creature's deeply forrowed brow. He seems pleased with the ape's offer though- happy that he won't have to beat everybody in the arena, especially after seeing other groups "team-up" earlier.
How many are there in the Ape Sultan's retinue?
"Mercy sakes alive, looks like we got us a convoy!" Zarko shakes his head at the awe and wonder of it all.
About a dozen fighters join you.
[How about this, Wulf, Coffee, Rondo, you guys gimme names for these yobs, and I'll figure out who they are. Maybe do a roll call later tonight. It's The Way of the Lazy JM]
Shifty McJumper
"One-Eye" Malone
Abdul Philimon III
Wiggy Plop
Rokemsockem (boxing droid)
"Sugar Ray" Rocketblaster
Schleppy the Tote-Golem
Harmon Brewster III
"Bob"
It's mid-morning, cloudy and breezy. Every so often a free-for-all breaks out toward the center of the ring -- unaligned fighters roaming the pitch, kicking up trouble -- but things have been quiet otherwise. It gives you a chance to get to know your new allies:
Abdul gib'n Hylobat Nomascus, The Gibbon, jungle princeling and wealthy adventurer.
Abdul Philimon III, the Gibbon's valet and instructor-at-arms, an orang utan of formidable mien.
"Bob," a fighter.
Harmon Brewster, Esquire, snobbish hobling, really top drawer. Dressed in khakis and deck shoes.
Keyyalaypkleeplo, the man-frog. Leeplo for short.
Mad Muruzabal, a silent Amazon with matted hair and red eyes.
"One-Eye" Malone, cigar chomping cyclopean stevedore.
Rokem Sokem, prototype boxing droid gone rogue. A bundle of nerves.
"Sugar Ray" Rocketblaster, preening pretty-boy, real stinging butterfly type. Talks it, but can he Walk it?
Shifty McJumper, blue-skinned elf from the Mushroom Isles. Acrobatic.
Schleppy the Tote-Golem, bag-headed homunculus with a pocket for everything.
Triple Muscles Ragnar, dwarfish strongman. Top heavy.
Wiggy Plop, clown on the lam from the Gnilgnir Munrab Circus.
Quote from: Age of Fable;254856"Oh, hi Quazarn. You wanna help me rob the lockers?"
The conehead stares quizzically back at you. Not even a faint glimmer of recognition lights his eyes.
[Sorry, Doc, rolled "01" for Mistaken ID, and Quazarn has no danged idea who this hobling copper is...]
"OK - imagine me with a cavalier's hat."
Perhaps half of the fighters who entered the Brawl are out of it by mid-day. The goblin medics work steadily at hauling off the wounded, pausing only to scowl up at the twisted boom of the medevac crane.
Aside from a few misfits and wilders still going it alone, the remaining fighters have split into a few camps. Runners jog from group to group, bringing challenges and insults from one boss fighter to another. Late in the morning a group made up of klengon deserters launches a sudden raid on one of the other gangs, scattering the lesser fighters and routing their dwarfish chief. The klengon leader wears a coward's brand but looks plenty fierce as he holds up the fallen dwarf's braids.
Neither runners nor raiders approach your group. For now...
Creature motions one of the runners to come over.
"Tell...him...Momma...Fat..Ugly" Creature grunts to the runner as he points at the Klengon chieftain.
(A momentary flash of what is hopefully intelligence has struck Creature's brain, as he figures it makes sense to fight the klengons while they're still tired from beating up on the dwarf's group. That and Creatures is getting a bit bored standing around)
"Yeah!" Zarko adds. "I coulda stood around at home. I came here to fight!"
(Fortunately, I made my Unpleasant Order roll -- needed 70, got 67. Klengons are kinda scary...)
Buck wants to keep in there too. Might as well; beats standing around. "Hey, gang...wanna walk over and knock some dust off their hats?"...points at a group of motley knuckleheads that stand gawking at our group, disorganized as we are about what to do.
Quote from: wulfgar;255124Creature motions one of the runners to come over.
"Tell...him...Momma...Fat..Ugly" Creature grunts to the runner as he points at the Klengon chieftain.
Bob the Fighter, as modest and cheerful a fellow as you'd ever want to know, is quick to volunteer. "Sure thing, boss, I'll tell him."
"Tell eem ees mom's so steepid she bleen-ked and geet lost," suggests Shifty. "Yebs, so flabby she hoppled ib the pool and mabe a tibal wave," burbles the man-frog Leeplo.
Bob doesn't look like the sort to pull off yo mama jokes, but he jogs off dutifully to issue Creature's challenge.
Quote from: Rondo;255174Buck wants to keep in there too. Might as well; beats standing around. "Hey, gang...wanna walk over and knock some dust off their hats?"...points at a group of motley knuckleheads that stand gawking at our group, disorganized as we are about what to do.
[As noted most fighters have joined one of the various ad hoc groups. Does Buck want to go looking for trouble with one of the unattached fighters wandering the arena (bunch of whackjobs and nutcases from what you can tell)? Or will he stick around and back Creech against the klengons?]
(Creech and the Klengons....hey, that's a good band name!)
OOC: I'll be unavailable most of the day tomorrow; I have a funeral to go to. But I should be able to check in sometime tomorrow night. Carry on with the brawl without me.
[WHOA! Sorry, guys -- 10/7 was my birthday, so that night was spent eating wings and watching Iron Man. The breakroom computer was borked at work, and on 10/8 I was out late doing stand-up comedy. Yes, I wore the tie.]
Quazarn eyes the hobling quizzically. "Rob? Lockers? Hold on, now," he blurts out, "WHAT?! Who are you?" He casts a galnce back out into the arena and sees the battle groups forming. "Oh, wait, now -- who are they?!"
He shakes his pointy head and his gills flutter with exasperation. "I ought to be taking notes..."
[Doc: Happy Birthday! How'd the stand-up go?]
[Coffee: No trouble. Check in tomorrow night or over the weekend]
Bob the Fighter catches the klengons' attention with a jovial wave. They fan around him a tense half circle as he approaches the leader, hand outstretched. The klengon spits in his face, but unflappable Bob merely pulls a handkerchief from a vest pocket and wipes off the spittle.
Bob speaks a few words, turning to point out Creature. The klengon shoves him roughly aside, and one of the other klengons pins Bob's arms behind his back. The klengon leader stalks back and forth amid his men, shouting unintelligibly. While he paces he flexes his neck side to side and shakes his thin, puny arms. He shakes his arms so hard, in fact, that they detach from his shoulders.
Without hesitation one of his men kneels before him, arms outstretched. A klengon grabs hold of each arm, pulling mightily till they too are detached, then traded to the leader. Rearmed the leader flexes his brawny borrowed biceps, grabs a wicker shield and strides toward Creature's crew. His squad flanks him, nine AWOL klengons in all, and Bob the fighter frog-marched ahead of them.
"I am Tumek the Heartless," barks the leader, slapping a jagged scar on his chest, the mark of a failed hegh'bat (http://memory-alpha.org/en/wiki/Hegh%27bat). "You dare slander the mothers of the House Rannuf? I will slay you where you stand!"
Yo..Momma...so...dumb..make..me..look..smart"
Intiative:1
Attack:91% HIT
Damage:13
Save:21% SAVE
[you're rolling d10 -missile damage for initiative, wulf?]
Yesiree. I've got a big -4 for my modifier.
The klengon squad and your gang form two lines and Creature and Tumek circle each other warily. The two fighters lunge for each other in the same instant, each catching the other's blow on his shield. Tumek rocks back, bobbing and weaving, waiting for a chance to duck in under Creature's reach.
[take 2 hp damage]
[EDIT: take NO damage. Per EC p22: Saving Throws of less than half the needed value = no damage!]
"Yo.momma..so..fat..go..on..all..lard.diet.....lose..5..pounds"
Creature continues his momma jokes in an effort to distract the Klengon from the deadly task at hand. Getting in close with his shield he attempts to stomp on the foe's foot.
Attack: 36% HIT
Damage: 9
Save: 97% FAIL
Do you want me to reroll initiative each round or just play on?
"Hey! Somethin' stinks around here...smells like a Klengon "Porta Potty"!", with that Buck jumps any additional Klengon from the gang using his makeshift club.
Initiative: 8 (not sure if we apply bonus...if so, please do so)
Attack: 9 (way successful..finally)
Damage: 1 + 2 = 3
Save: 43% (missed)
Quote from: wulfgar;255345Do you want me to reroll initiative each round or just play on?
[First round was a tie so we'll reroll this round. Once we've got an order we'll stick with it]
Quote from: Rondo;255347"Hey! Somethin' stinks around here...smells like a Klengon "Porta Potty"!", with that Buck jumps any additional Klengon from the gang using his makeshift club.
[Right now the klengons and your crew are separated into two lines, with Creech and Tumek slugging it out in the middle. Buck would have to charge the Klengon line to attack one of them. That your plan?]
Initiative for Creature: -2
Feinting a leg kick the klengon springs forward with a superman punch, but mistimes it. Creature bobs to the side and stomps down hard with his square boot....
...leaving only a size 13 footprint in the dust. Tumek evades the stomp with ease and backs away again, circling Creature. The klengon bares his teeth in a wicked grin.
[Initiative is now set, advantage Tumek]
"Yo..Momma..so..ugly...no..need..mask..for..halloween"
Creature feints another stomp, and then slams forward with a head but.
Attack: 56% HIT
Damage: 13
Save: 57% FAIL
As Creature lunges forward Tumek springs up and catches him with a flying knee! Creature is rocked but wraps his free arm around the klengon and flings him to the ground. Tumek rolls to his feet and raises his guard.
[take 9 HP damage, ouch. Leaves you at 5, I believe. This is non-lethal damage, but you'll need to roll Survival + your STR score to fight on below 0 HP. -16 is fatal.
[That's it for me till lunchtime, maybe till this evening.]
(nah...I'll just stand like a bump on a log)
(I thought I was just down to 6 HP: 9 damage just now and 1 from earlier, but I will yield the JM's accounting of course)
"Yo..Momma..so..smelly..even..you.notice"
Attack: 4% HIT
Damage: 8
Save: 13% SAVE
Creature feints high to get the Klengon's shield up and then snaps off a kick to the knee.
(Get him Creech! Shove his elbow up his butt!):)
[It's all getting very Tom of Finland here at the arena...]
[Manly men and their rowdy ways, eh? Well if you're just going to stand there snarking...;)]
Hobson stands tapping his foot, waiting for the confused conehead to recognize him. Quazarn glances back and forth between hobling and arena in a state of morbid psychometric confusion -- no doubt exacerbated by a sudden daydream of open mic night in an off-license comedy club.
"There you are officer. And you've nailed the cheating warlock!" A strapping, mustachioed human in a tight black uniform strides toward you. His baritone voice rings musically from the tunnel walls. "I could just sing!"
[Still a fair ways away -- just passing through the turnstiles. Between you and him are the passageways leading off to the lounges, the narrow screening gate at the foot of the ramp leading into the arena, and a silently weeping camera-droid.
[Note also that these events take place several hours earlier in the day than the fighting going on in the arena, so we'll have to get real, um, creative if that's where you're running off to...]
"The cheating warlock certainly...although, depending on your intended use of the term, I may not be nailing him. Indeed, I must remove him at once, to...oh dear...interrogate him in the locker room."
"I like the sound of that! Let's slow down a bit though." The Chief continues strutting toward you. "I don't think I recognize you, officer. What precinct you from?"
Back in the arena, Buck notices that Rokem Sokem is acting a little odd. The boxing droid rolls in tight circles on its single tire, and its optical sensors blink rapidly. The LED readouts on Rokem's chest plate begin to glow red...
"I CAN NOT TAKE IT ANYMORE LET ME AT THEM I WILL KNOCK THEIR BLOCKS OFF I WILL MURDERIZE THEM"
Quote from: ttagxamm;255495"I like the sound of that! Let's slow down a bit though." The Chief continues strutting toward you. "I don't think I recognize you, officer. What precinct you from?"
"Well, keep it under your hat, but I'm actually on secondment from the Hobling Imperial Guards. Special arrangement, bit hush-hush. This fellow is accused of a series of major pie thefts."
I'll try and stand back a bit to minimise the danger of him noticing my uniform is fake.
Quote from: Age of Fable;255514I'll try and stand back a bit to minimise the danger of him noticing my uniform is fake.
[Just to reiterate, he's still a fair bit off, though hustling toward you. You are nearer the lounges than he, for the moment (Not trying to be leading, just making sure my descriptions have given you a fair picture of the situation).]
Quote from: ttagxamm;255495"I like the sound of that! Let's slow down a bit though." The Chief continues strutting toward you. "I don't think I recognize you, officer. What precinct you from?"
Quazarn's wit is quick -- the speed of his thoughts is envied by even the Speed-Demons of Lambore Guinea! Thus --
-- he clutches his gut! "HAAAAAGHHHH!" he cries out, doubling over in a perfect mimicry of a man tortured! "AAAGH! THE SYMBIOTE! IT'S--"
He flops down upon Hobson. "Officer, you have to -- quickly, before it --"
Silently, Quazarn prays to Thooptia The Maladroit, Patron Goddess of the Quick-Witted, that Hobson is as clever as he.
"Again with the symbiote?" I roll my eyes at the Chief, in a 'Symbiotes huh? Am I right?' kind of way, and make as if to leave.
Quote from: wulfgar;255439Creature feints high to get the Klengon's shield up and then snaps off a kick to the knee.
The klengon throws a few short jabs but Creature backs out of his range. Creature feints an overhand right, but Tumek isn't fooled. The klengon blocks the kick with his shield and throws his weight forward, trying to upend the 'stein. Creature hops on his back leg once, twice, finds his footing, and thrusts his kicking leg forward, knocking Tumek to the ground. Once again the klengon rolls to his feet, but more slowly this time.
Quote from: Dr Rotwang!;255580Quazarn's wit is quick -- the speed of his thoughts is envied by even the Speed-Demons of Lambore Guinea! Thus --
-- he clutches his gut! "HAAAAAGHHHH!" he cries out, doubling over in a perfect mimicry of a man tortured! "AAAGH! THE SYMBIOTE! IT'S--"
He flops down upon Hobson. "Officer, you have to -- quickly, before it --"
Silently, Quazarn prays to Thooptia The Maladroit, Patron Goddess of the Quick-Witted, that Hobson is as clever as he.
Quote from: Age of Fable;255592"Again with the symbiote?" I roll my eyes at the Chief, in a 'Symbiotes huh? Am I right?' kind of way, and make as if to leave.
"Symbiote, is it? Terrible for my voice if it's catching..." He chews his mustache, then nods manfully, "Still and all, no way to get around it. The warlock has to be questioned. Got to get right to the bottom of the situation, eh officer? If worst comes to worst I'm sure I've got Symbiote Repellent in my office. Try to be prepared for whatever happens, you know."
"Yes...indeed." I salute and take my leave.
"Yo..momma..so..hairy..when..you.was.kid...lost..in..her..armpit....FOUR..days"
Creature plows into the Klengon with his shield and tries to knock him off his feet.
Attack: 96% HIT
Damage: 10
Save: 40 SAVE
Stepping back out of reach the klengon crouches low. When Creature charges in with his shield Tumek leaps to the side, flinging sand in Creature's face. As the frankenstein lumbers past Tumek elbows him in the neck.
"Yield, man-thing! Kneel before me and I may spare you."
[2 HP damage.]
Quote from: ttagxamm;255505Back in the arena, Buck notices that Rokem Sokem is acting a little odd. The boxing droid rolls in tight circles on its single tire, and its optical sensors blink rapidly. The LED readouts on Rokem's chest plate begin to glow red...
"I CAN NOT TAKE IT ANYMORE LET ME AT THEM I WILL KNOCK THEIR BLOCKS OFF I WILL MURDERIZE THEM"
Zarko notices this, also, and moves in to intervene.
I have a Machine Friend of 40, so I'm gonna try that first: 72. Okay, maybe not.
In that case, I'm gonna try to "aim" Rockemsockem at the most dangerous looking Klengon over there, so if he goes off, we might get lucky and take out a real dangerous one.
Quazarn barks at the (legitimate) cop. "REPELLENT?! WELL GO GET IT, YOU FOOL!" He clutches his chest, his stomach, his throat. "GET ALL OF IT!"
[Command Roll: 92 FAIL]
"Yes, that's right...just come on, we'll go get your repellent" I say to Quazarn in a 'humouring him' voice.
"He'll be right in a few minutes" I say to the Chief.
Quote from: Coffee;255789Zarko notices this, also, and moves in to intervene.
I have a Machine Friend of 40, so I'm gonna try that first: 72. Okay, maybe not.
In that case, I'm gonna try to "aim" Rockemsockem at the most dangerous looking Klengon over there, so if he goes off, we might get lucky and take out a real dangerous one.
Zarko fails to find a calming toggle or vari-mood dial on the 'droid, but is able to aim it for the meanest looking klengon. Rokem Sokem begins to spin side to side on it's vertical axle. A tin whistle pops out of a hatch on its shoulder, wailing like a far-off locomotive.
[NOTE on USAGE OF PERCENTILE ABILITIES: While it's perfectly acceptable to just throw dice on a skill you feel is appropriate, feel free to include any description of what specific action you're taking as well. It's possible you may hit on something that will help your roll -- maybe even make it unnecessary.
[In addition, outside of combat you aren't obligated to automatically roll dice just because there's a relevant skill. If you just want to tell me what you say or do that's cool -- If I decide a dice roll is required I'll let you know.
[Keep in mind, anytime you go to the dice you've got a 1 in 20 chance of a critical mishap for all but your most exceptional skills -- and even skill ratings above 100 risk a critical goof on a roll of 00]
Quote from: Dr Rotwang!;255827Quazarn barks at the (legitimate) cop. "REPELLENT?! WELL GO GET IT, YOU FOOL!" He clutches his chest, his stomach, his throat. "GET ALL OF IT!"
[Command Roll: 92 FAIL]
"Hrm, now listen up and listen good, conehead. You're in no position to order
anyone around, least of all me! I'm #1 around here,
top of the food chain, and
you are just another cheating little bottom-feeder."
Quote from: Age of Fable;255838"Yes, that's right...just come on, we'll go get your repellent" I say to Quazarn in a 'humouring him' voice.
"He'll be right in a few minutes" I say to the Chief.
Mollified by Hobson's words the Chief nods, "Take charge, Officer. Get his back up against the wall and make 'im sing soprano! I'll go get that repellent and I'll be back before you can say 'inappropriate use of force!' "
OOC:
Quote from: Dr Rotwang!;255580Silently, Quazarn prays to Thooptia The Maladroit, Patron Goddess of the Quick-Witted, that Hobson is as clever as he.
[Guy down at Qwik-N-EZ Oil Change & Pantheon Tune-Ups: "So yer tellin' me yer patron a' Quick-Wits is Thoopcha th'
Mal-adroit? See now,
there's yer problem!"]
Annoyed at the sand, Creature thinks he may have hit on a Momma joke that will strike a nerve with the Klengon..
"Yo.momma..so..honorable......brokendown..doxy..teach..her.be..ladylike!"
Not that creature is going to snitch on the guy for cheating, but he wonders if the the cameras/refs saw that fling sand in the eyes move. Isn't sand an illegal weapon?
Sucking it up and taking it like a man, or morelike the composite of several dead men, Creature feigns a bit greater exhaustion then he is really feeling and stumbles to one knee. When the hopefully enraged and reckless Klengon comes in to finish him off, Creature will punch him in the junk. :)
Attack: 27% HIT
Damage: 8
Saving Throw: 88% FAIL
Buck folds his arms laughing at this entire spectacle gone awry. If Buck notices anyone starting to engage any of the party in combat, he'll act...otherwise, I suppose I'll sit tight and observe for a bit.
Quote from: wulfgar;256008Not that creature is going to snitch on the guy for cheating, but he wonders if the the cameras/refs saw that fling sand in the eyes move. Isn't sand an illegal weapon?
[Apparently not. And besides, since when do the refs
ever see any dirty tricks the heel pulls?]
QuoteAnnoyed at the sand, Creature thinks he may have hit on a Momma joke that will strike a nerve with the Klengon."Yo.momma..so..honorable......brokendown..doxy..teach..her.be..ladylike!*"
Sucking it up and taking it like a man, or morelike the composite of several dead men, Creature feigns a bit greater exhaustion then he is really feeling and stumbles to one knee. When the hopefully enraged and reckless Klengon comes in to finish him off, Creature will punch him in the junk. :)
"My mother was a stone-faced killer, you vile cadaver! Haaaiii!" rages Tumek, charging Creature. The klengon lands another knee full in the face as the Creature lowers his head. Blood pours from the frankenstein's nose even as he wallops the klengon in the crotch, crushing all hopes for the future of the House Rannuf like eggshells filled with jelly**.
Tumek gasps and passes out...but Creature wobbles too...
[take 9 HP, Creature, putting you at -6. To stay conscious you'll need to roll Survival + your STR score; this is optional.]
*[My, such big words. I'm tempted to charge you a hit point for the mental strain...;)]
**[Yeah, I sort of grossed myself out with this too.]
Creature struggles to his feet, snarls at his fallen foe, flashes Buck a big thumbs up, and then falls right over backwards....out cold.
Surival+Strenght= 57 Roll=69% FAIL
Zarko looks over at Buck.
"Well," he says, "I'm broke. No sense getting killed, too. You coming?"
And with that, Zarko starts to sidle off toward the exit. He's keeping an eye on the Klengons, though.
[quicka clarification for Buck & Zarko: Creature is unconscious but not dead. Brawl damage is subdual unless you run up against a fighter with an illegal weapon]
"Wow!"....Buck runs over to Creature slapping him lightly on the face, "C'mon kid...snap out of it", Buck turns to Zarko, "Hey, we need some water here...see any anyplace?"
Buck watches Zarko heading away..."Hmm...too far away"...Buck starts looking for some water around him...a bucket, a bottle, a soft drink...anything....he continues to slap Creech...."That was amazing kid! Wake up...! C'mon!"
No one offers you any water. What's a Pioneer to do?
[Give me a Restore Courage roll though, and an Unpleasant Order from Wulfgar.]
Restore Courage: 37% FAIL
Unpleasant Order: 58% SUCCESS
Ha! Touche....I'm an idiot....
Restore Courage: 3% (passed with flying colors)
(Water) Explore: 73% (failed)
Quote from: Rondo;256122Ha! Touche....I'm an idiot....
Restore Courage: 3% (passed with flying colors)
(Water) Explore: 73% (failed)
[I was looking for Provide, Rondo, but that roll doesn't cut it either way. Is there hope yet to bring Creature back around? Is Rokem Sokem about to blow his stack? All will be revealed....
....but not till late tonight or even tomorrow morning, sorry fellas. It's my biweekly Pathfinder game, and I get to find out if my character (Magragel, Blue Goblin Psion 8/Fighter 10. I know, wtf, right?) gets killed. Again.]
Cool.
Quote from: Age of Fable;255678"Yes...indeed." I salute and take my leave.
Quote from: ttagxamm;255886[T]he Chief nods, "Take charge, Officer. Get his back up against the wall and make 'im sing soprano! I'll go get that repellent and I'll be back before you can say 'inappropriate use of force!' "
Chief Tallbard turns smartly on his heel, and walks away, his black uniform hugging every inch of his--
Oh, sorry. Don't know what came over me. He walks away, anyway. Yeah. Now what?
Okay, so, knocked out isn't out? What about Darryl? Will he be coming back?
Because I'm like totally confused now.
Under this new understanding of the basic laws of reality, Zarko does his best to jack a canteen of water from one of the Klengons I was sidling past. What the hell; rock and roll.
"uuuuungh........marsh....mellows................." mutters the unconcious Creature at a barely audible level.
Quote from: Rondo;256122Restore Courage: 3% (passed with flying colors)
(Water) Explore: 73% (failed)
Quote from: wulfgar;256121Unpleasant Order:58% SUCCESS
Creature's head lolls to the side, his arms limp. Buck scan the arena for signs of water, considering a dowsing attempt, then rushes to the fallen frankenstein's side. After a few slaps Creature begins to mumble incoherently, "Biggest....stacked....meaty." Buck smacks him again, a little harder, and with a mighty effort Creature rouses himself from dreams of large women (http://www.headinjurytheater.com/images/oct7%20bride%20of%20frankenstein%20jared%20hindman.jpg) and even larger sandwiches (http://bp0.blogger.com/_vahHPPK05xU/R61CE282TuI/AAAAAAAAALw/5sUlj-u1miA/s1600-h/frankenstein.jpg). His eyes flutter open, and he turns his head and retches.
[Creature is at 1 HP. If he rests he can recover some hit points and continue. If he gets hit right now though he'll be knocked unconscious and out of the Brawl for sure.]
Quote from: ttagxamm;255868Rokem Sokem begins to spin side to side on it's vertical axle. A tin whistle pops out of a hatch on its shoulder, wailing like a far-off locomotive.
Before Creature can sit up there's a tinny bwoing-oing-oinging like the twanging of a giant metal rubber band. With a shriek as loud as the Iron Hills Express Rokem Sokem streaks past in a red and silver blur.
"LET ME AT THEM I CAME HERE TO KICK ASS AND CHEW BUBBLEGUM AND AM FULLY PROGRAMMED TO DO BOTH SIMULTANEOUSLY."
Rokem zooms past Buck and Creature, bounces over Tumek and crashes into the line of AWOL klengons, furiously spinning his begloved fists. One of the deserters staggers back, both eyes blackened by the robot's piston punches. The klengon keeps his feet but his counter-punch clangs off Rokem's metal noggin.
The rest of the klengon line is in disarray, bamboozled by the bot's biomechanical blitz.* The clown Wiggy Plop blows a warlike blast on a bicycle horn. Sugar Ray Rocketblaster shouts insults and struts for a non-existent crowd. Shifty McJumper and 3M "Triple Muscles" Ragnar charge forward, and the man-frog Leeplo leaps overhead.
Quote from: Coffee;256204...Zarko does his best to jack a canteen of water from one of the Klengons I was sidling past. What the hell; rock and roll.
Halfway to a retreat chute Zarko turns at the sound of Rokem's battle whistle and sees the 'droid rush the klengon line. Scanning the scene quickly, the ape is surprised at Creature's rally, and intrigued by the confusion among the klengons. He considers Stealing a canteen from one of the deserters.
[roll 'em if you want to, Coffee]
Quote from: Coffee;256204Okay, so, knocked out isn't out? What about Darryl? Will he be coming back? Because I'm like totally confused now.....new understanding of the basic laws of reality....
[Quoting Adam Savage of Mythbusters, "I reject your reality and substitute my own!" ;) The thing is, Creech is a trained Warrior and was knocked out but only just. Darryl is a klutzy wimp with daddy issues who's watched Rocky LXII** one too many times, and was darn near choked to death to boot.
[I guess what I'm going for, simulation-wise (*snerk, ha!*) is the way a fighter gets his bell rung, or even gets knocked out for a bit, and can stagger back to his feet.]
*Man, alliteration. :rolleyes: Sometimes it's hard to resist.
** Rocky LXII is notable for bringing back the cybernetic ghost of Sylvester Stallion for his final reprisal of the part.
Creature tries to sit up and get over to the edge of the arena with the help of Buck, thinking "Man, that sandwich looks good!" along the way.
OOC: Man, that sandwich looks good.
:)
Zarko lunges at a likely looking deserter, the point being to make him believe I'm attacking but just enough to get him to recoil. Then I can make a grab for the canteen.
(Actually, looking over my character sheet, I HAVE a canteen of my own. But it's more fun to swipe one from an enemy!)
Steal is 35%. I get...38, and just miss it. Bummer.
Then I'll make my way back to Creature, hopefully avoiding any more Klengons on the way.
Quote from: Coffee;256359Zarko lunges at a likely looking deserter, the point being to make him believe I'm attacking but just enough to get him to recoil. Then I can make a grab for the canteen.
Steal is 35%. I get...38, and just miss it. Bummer.
Then I'll make my way back to Creature, hopefully avoiding any more Klengons on the way.
[In fact, I'm factoring in a bonus to Steal due to the klengons' surprised state, so...]
Distracted by an oddball onslaught of dwarves, frog-men and blue elves -- oh my -- Zarko's target doesn't notice him creep up. The klengon flinches and throws up his arms when the ape jukes him, and Zarko knuckle-jogs off with an extra canteen!
"Whatta punch!! Whatta heart! Your something else, Creech!", Buck is grinning using all of his might just to support Creature who's arm is tight around his neck, like a drunken Lurch Addams (http://tommcmahon.typepad.com/photos/uncategorized/2007/10/03/lurch2.jpg). He leads him over to take a breather, spotting Zarko heading this way. Buck's thoughts turn towards Daryl for a minute. "Geesh, I hope the kid is okay."; he busies himself knocking the dust and blood from the battle off of Creatures clothes.
Flush with victory (of a sort), Zarko triumphantly hands the canteen to Buck.
"Water for our fearless leader!" he cries. "Courtesy of the opponents."
Zarko pauses, grabs the canteen back, opens it, and verifies that it is, in fact, water. If it is, he hands it back to Buck.
"There's such a thing as being too suspicious, of course; but not when you're dealing with Klengons."
It's water.
[On the other hand, if ya'll are feeling lucky: 5% chance it's a healing potion, 5% chance it's klengon "surrender ale." Given how klengons feel about surrender, the ale is a deadly poison.
JM's roll.]
Is that question directed at Zarko or Creature?
If it's my call, creature will take the roll...what the hey!
[I intended for it to be a group decision, though naturally you'd have veto power. Let's see what the other two think.]
Well, I kinda just wanted to splash it on his face anyway, personally, not really have him drink it....never good for a fighter....that comes later. Anyhow, that's my vote.
Quote from: ttagxamm;256155Chief Tallbard turns smartly on his heel, and walks away, his black uniform hugging every inch of his--
Oh, sorry. Don't know what came over me. He walks away, anyway. Yeah. Now what?
I'll continue with my plan, unless Quazarn objects:
pick the locks, or shoot them off.
have the door closed.
lock the door if it locks, or if not have Quazarn stand against it, so that we know when the Chief's coming back.
[Shooting the locks with your crossbow just ain't gonna work, you quickly deduce. Maybe if you had some Oliver Queen Model Torsion Bolts.
Just to keep things rolling, go ahead and make 3 percentile rolls for me.]
54, 13, 84 (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showpost.php?p=5106386&postcount=132)
I say we take the chance: A healing potion would be particularly groovy right about now.
And we could always use the "surrender ale" to trick some other unwary fighter...
Illustrious JM...do you allow the old "I take a sip, see what it tastes like, and then spit it out if it tastes bad (with tasting bad=poison of course)" method of potion effect determination??
I didn't think so, but thought it was worth a shot. We used to pull that one in our old D&D campaigns many moons ago. :)
Quote from: wulfgar;256510Illustrious JM...do you allow the old "I take a sip, see what it tastes like, and then spit it out if it tastes bad (with tasting bad=poison of course)" method of potion effect determination??
I didn't think so, but thought it was worth a shot. We used to pull that one in our old D&D campaigns many moons ago. :)
Oh sure, I'd
allow it.
But I wouldn't
advise it. After all, medicine often tastes awful, and antifreeze is sweet.
EDIT: Your advisers are split, Wulf. What's it going to be then, eh?
That's why I specified good stuff tastes good you silly JM! :)
Anyways, assuming my fellow players are cool with it, Creature will chug the canteen- better to burn out than to fade away.
Quote from: Age of Fable;256479I'll continue with my plan, unless Quazarn objects:
pick the locks, or shoot them off.
have the door closed.
lock the door if it locks, or if not have Quazarn stand against it, so that we know when the Chief's coming back.
[No objections, but how are we gettin' outta here?]
I convinced the camera-bot to stop recording. Hopefully there aren't any other cameras around [have I noticed any?].
Quote from: ttagxamm;256387...if ya'll are feeling lucky: 5% chance it's a healing potion, 5% chance it's klengon "surrender ale." Given how klengons feel about surrender, the ale is a deadly poison
Quote from: wulfgar;256531Creature will chug the canteen- better to burn out than to fade away.
Low roll: Potion. High Roll: Posion...
The suspense is killing me... (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/1769428/)
Quote from: Age of Fable;256479I'll continue with my plan...:
pick the locks, or shoot them off.
have the door closed.
lock the door if it locks, or if not have Quazarn stand against it, so that we know when the Chief's coming back.
Quote from: Age of Fable;25649954, 13, 84 (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showpost.php?p=5106386&postcount=132)
Quote from: Age of Fable;256603Hopefully there aren't any other cameras around [have I noticed any?].
Once the Chief is out of sight Quazarn & Hobson duck into the locker room. There's no sign of Chet the orc, nor anyone else, and Hobson doesn't spot any cameras on the way.
A black mood seems to have come over Quazarn, who stands watch near the swinging door of the locker room, brooding silently. Striving for an air of mystery and danger, the effect is spoiled by the conehead's quivering lower lip.*
Hobson sets to the lockers with a bobby pin and a laminated library card, and thanks to shoddy craftsmanship opens the first two lickety split. His findings, alas, are meager: in the first is only a Beggar's Guild sun-visor, a tin cup and 2 GC; in the second a monks cowl, a string of plain wooden prayer beads, and an iron-shod staff. The third lock just won't tumble.
*[My thought here, Doc, is that Quazarn is under a morbid psychometric cloud. Feel free to chime in if/when you can but if you don't get a chance he'll just follow Hobson around. Cool?]
Creature grabs the canteen from Buck and guzzles the cool water, stopping only to gargle and spit, rinsing the blood from his mouth.
Smiling sweetly despite a split lip, Bob the Fighter trots up. "Sure hate to bother you fellas, but things are just about to go FUBAR. We got a few guys gone buck wild on those klengons, and that Sugar Ray fella puttin' on some kinda wild fandango, and then that Amazon gal is puttin' together some jim-jerry contraption. And well the rest of us ain't any to sure if up is up and down isn't."
He shrugs apologetically, "I guess we could use a little advice before this turns into a situation."
I'll try all the lockers unless something interrupts me.
[Great. Go ahead and give me three new percentile rolls -- you're rolling steal, by the way, with some bonuses behing the JM screen. Every three lockers takes you about 5 minutes -- I'll post your findings and any other events of interest after each set of rolls.
[Do let me know what if anything you're are *removing* from the lockers.]
[Double post. This space reserved for devious JM ret-conning]
I've done a few 'sets' of rolls here (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showpost.php?p=5109531&postcount=133).
Is the refreshing water helping Creature recover at all?
OOC: My thought is that we offer leniency to any Klengons who will join up with us, and beat the others mercilessly. Can Buck or Zarko head that up, while Creature gets his wind back?
Quote from: wulfgar;256697Is the refreshing water helping Creature recover at all?
[It has marvelous powers...of thirst quenching!]
QuoteOOC: My thought is that we offer leniency to any Klengons who will join up with us, and beat the others mercilessly. Can Buck or Zarko head that up, while Creature gets his wind back?
[Your raggle-taggle band will answer to any of the PCs in the arena, yeah, with varying levels of tractability.]
[EDIT: Aside from minor updates I probably won't have much to say till this evening. I was a lazy chump this morning and skipped the gym, so I think I may go for a walk at lunch instead of slouch in front of the computer.]
(I'm up for that, Wulfgar. We can sure go that way...what do the rest of you think? I doubt if Klengons will "join up", it'll probably just end up being a brawl, but I have no problem with staying in the fight. At some point we gotta get to Daryl too.)
Bob the Fighter awaits his orders.
[when y'all figure it out, feel free to direct your forces as you like. Note that four dudes (Rokem Sokem, Leeplo, Shifty & 3M Ragnar) are engaged with the klengons -- I'll catch up with them tonight. The others are more or less at your disposal.
[You haven't really asked about your crew, but I'll cut you slack and fill in a few details: Bob, One-Eye, & Philimon are Warriors. Sugar Ray Rocketblaster is a Wrestler. Muruzabal & Prince Abdul are Pioneers. Shifty is a Criminal. Wiggy is a Doxy (I use the class for bards, rock stars, jesters, clowns, etc. as well as purveyors of "personal services"). The others are unleveled.
[I've not decided how a full on brawl would go. Not real keen on rolling 20 attacks and saves, right? So I'd probably fudge things by assigning random damage to allies and foes not in direct collaboration or confrontation with PCs. Any suggestions?]
That's how I've always done it for any rpg I've run. The PC's and NPCs they are fighting get rolls. The rest of battle royal plays out according to some combination of random rolling (mass battle rules may or may not be useful here) and DM/GM/JM/etc fiat.
Quote from: ttagxamm;256625*[My thought here, Doc, is that Quazarn is under a morbid psychometric cloud. Feel free to chime in if/when you can but if you don't get a chance he'll just follow Hobson around. Cool?]
Aces. Thanks!
Hobson makes his way methodically down the row of lockers. The first lock he tries comes apart in his hands, but the door itself is stuck tight. In frustration he bangs the door with his fist...and the next locker down swings open!* After that Hobson has much better luck, and has four more lockers open in a wink and two shakes.
Sadly he doesn't find much of interest: street clothes, smelly shorts, a few protein bars and a single dented Gold Credit. There's a spiked morning star in one locker, and a hobling-sized suit of quilted armor in another.** The only other item of note is a mottled purple melon -- a boomango [i.e. primitive grenade].
There's a sound of singing (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tGEgmcUslbM) from the corridor. "Forsooth," sighs a world-weary Quazarn. "Chief Tallbard!"
*[This Fonzie moment brought to you by a critical success -- Australians know who the Fonz is, yeah?]
**[would add 33% to your Save, but reduce your movement to 3" and lower your melee ATT by 18%]
As Buck and Creature stumble to the wall, Leeplo launches himself at the klengons, followed by Shifty and Ragnar afoot. The man-frog's hop takes him clean over the klengon line, and he lands hard on his skinny green tailbone.
The dwarf and the elf acquit themselves better. Shifty tumbles toward a startled klengon, grabbing his beard and swinging onto his shoulders. With a wicked smirk the gremlin-sized elf jabs his thumbs into the klengon's eyes. The klengon throws him off but the scrappy elf rebounds like a spring.
The barrel-chested and bony-kneed dwarf Triple Muscles Ragnar crashes fist first into another klengon, who crumples like a candy wrapper. Unfortunately two others gang up on the dwarf, one landing a solid leg kick and the other slugging him in the gut. Ragnar falls back but he keeps his feet.
Bob, still waiting for his orders, looks worried.
"GET..EM..BOB!" Creature yells at the bewildered Bob.
"Well, we in this or not boys? I'm not calling the shots around here anymore...all I do is get us into a jam!"
????????
Quote from: ttagxamm;257103Hobson makes his way methodically down the row of lockers. The first lock he tries comes apart in his hands, but the door itself is stuck tight. In frustration he bangs the door with his fist...and the next locker down swings open!* After that Hobson has much better luck, and has four more lockers open in a wink and two shakes.
Sadly he doesn't find much of interest: street clothes, smelly shorts, a few protein bars and a single dented Gold Credit. There's a spiked morning star in one locker, and a hobling-sized suit of quilted armor in another.** The only other item of note is a mottled purple melon -- a boomango [i.e. primitive grenade].
There's a sound of singing (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tGEgmcUslbM) from the corridor. "Forsooth," sighs a world-weary Quazarn. "Chief Tallbard!"
*[This Fonzie moment brought to you by a critical success -- Australians know who the Fonz is, yeah?]
**[would add 33% to your Save, but reduce your movement to 3" and lower your melee ATT by 18%]
I answer the door, taking the symbiote repellent if that's what he's come for.
Quote from: wulfgar;257156"GET..EM..BOB!" Creature yells at the bewildered Bob.
Quote from: Rondo;257238"Well, we in this or not boys? I'm not calling the shots around here anymore...all I do is get us into a jam!"
With a small frown of concern Bob turns smartly and jogs back to the other fighters, shouting for them to charge the klengons.
He and One-Eye Malone lead the way, with Philimon and the Ape Sultan close behind. Mad Muruzabal finishes assembling an odd contraption, a circular cage of bamboo strung with lodestones which attaches to her belt and covers her upper body. Tugging a whipcord she sets the cage to spinning and stalks into battle, shouting Amazon curses as she goes.
If Creature looks like he's going to be okay, Zarko will join the others in their assault on the Klengons. The more the merrier, he guesses. (If Creature needs defending, of course, he'll stay...)
Initiative: 14 (woo-hoo!)
Attack: 90 (whoops...) out of 55 -- miss
Saving Throw: 13 (probably need it...) out of 37 -- made under half!
Quote from: ttagxamm;257103There's a sound of singing (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tGEgmcUslbM) from the corridor. "Forsooth," sighs a world-weary Quazarn. "Chief Tallbard!"
Quote from: Age of Fable;257256I answer the door, taking the symbiote repellent if that's what he's come for.
"Here now, let's take care of that symbiote problem. We'll have it licked in no time!" pipes the Chief, brandishing what looks like a caulking gun.
He looks askance at Quazarn, sulking near the door. "Haven't you got manacles for the prisoner? Pin his arms, man, before his unleashes his hoodoo!"
"Oh, he won't be any trouble. He knows I'm the fastest crossbow in Hoblingdom."
"Hrmm. It's a little out of tune," mulls the Chief, "Not the way I'd handle him. But he doesn't look very dangerous." Tallbard waves a hand in front of Quazarn's glazed over eyes, and snaps his fingers near the warlock's ear. "He's gone flat as a bent sackbutt. You won't fool us, cheater! Now, officer...what was your name again? Let's get to it, see what he knows."
The Chief undoes the top two buttons of his uniform and begins rolling up his sleeves.
Buck looks at Creature trying to determine his state of health. He's not going to leave his side until he's in condition to defend himself. He looks up to his comrade Zarko heading the direction of the melee. "How you feeling, buddy?", he asks Creech.
(assuming that Zarko has started that direction of course, otherwise Zarko and I are looking Creature over and see how he's doing...see if we can get responses from him, etc.)
Quote from: ttagxamm;257259[Bob] and One-Eye Malone lead the way, with Philimon and the Ape Sultan close behind. Mad Muruzabal finishes assembling an odd contraption, a circular cage of bamboo strung with lodestones which attaches to her belt and covers her upper body. Tugging a whipcord she sets the cage to spinning and stalks into battle, shouting Amazon curses as she goes.
Quote from: Coffee;257290If Creature looks like he's going to be okay, Zarko will join the others in their assault on the Klengons. The more the merrier, he guesses. (If Creature needs defending, of course, he'll stay...)
The battle with the klengons is brief. Rokem and Shifty each down their foes, and Ragnar punches out his second klengon before being dropped by an uppercut. Rokem has his sensor array twisted off and powers down to indefinite stand-by, but Leeplo knocks the 'droid's opponent over with a high-hopping frog kick.
By the time Zarko and the rest arrive the four remaining klengons have had enough. Showing the same un-klengish lust for compromise that made them go AWOL in the first place, three of them throw up their hands in surrender. The fourth stands his ground for a moment, toe to toe with One-Eye Malone. But he can't out-glare the unblinking cyclopean, and when Malone twitches the klengon kicks up his heels. Malone flicks his cigar butt after the deserter.
The rumble with the klengons appears to have been the main action in the arena. As before, runners still move about the arena offering individual challenges but for the most part things seem to have returned a tense detente.
Goblins arrive shortly to cart off the wounded, and a
properly hobbled and harnessed pair of goons trundles out a long trough full of water. Fighters from various camps slowly approach to drink and wash off the dust and blood of the Brawl.
Creature keeps his back against the arena wall and takes a few deep breaths. "Creature...ok..but.friends..no..go..too far". He's hoping to stay out of the way and get some strength back, but here's his rolls in case someone comes looking for trouble, hopefully he doesn't have to use these:
Initiative: -3
Attack: 5% HIT
Damage: 8
Saving Throw: 30% SAVE!
Quote from: Rondo;257515(assuming that Zarko has started that direction of course, otherwise Zarko and I are looking Creature over and see how he's doing...see if we can get responses from him, etc.)
[Creature is coherent but shaken. He can stand, and could fight with his full melee ATT and Damage ratings -- but at 1 hp he won't likely fight for long. Let's say he'll regain 2-8 hp every 4 hours of rest (much faster than the usual rate of 1-4 hp per level/day, but again this is subdual damage).
[EDIT: and of course we can gloss over resting time as needed. Let me know how you'd generally occupy yourselves and your fighters and I'll narrate away. Watch out for Wandering Brawlers, though. Gotta roll those every so often!]
Buck dusts Creature off, "You kiddin' you big lug? We ain't going nowhere...", (here's a throw or two for Buck in case any wandering wise-guys come along):
Attack: 59% (made it)
Damage: 6 (4 rolled +2)
Save: 51% (missed)
"That's right!" Zarko says with a grin. "We came in here as a team and we stay a team!"
While Buck stands by and tends to Creature, Zarko moves among the recruits and organizes a watch -- at least two men on at all times, keeping an eye out for trouble. As a leadership exercise, Zarko himself will take the first watch (along with one of the recruits). Everybody else gets to rest.
Just curious, how big is this arena? I've been picturing something the size of a basketball court in my head, or are we talking football field or larger?
Quote from: wulfgar;257768Just curious, how big is this arena? I've been picturing something the size of a basketball court in my head, or are we talking football field or larger?
[The latter is, uh, in the ballpark :D. It's very big: roughly 360x360 (about 3 acres) surrounded by a wooden palisade 3-4 stories high. No bleachers; any on-site spectators watch camera/scrying feed in tents out front. There were
hundreds of fighters at the start of the Brawl.]
QuoteThere were hundreds of fighters at the start of the Brawl.
Yeah, I know. Things were very crowded in my basketball sized imagination :)
Quote from: wulfgar;257801Yeah, I know. Things were very crowded in my basketball sized imagination :)
[Heh. Bigby Small's Drivetime Brawl: Watch as hundreds of commuters crammed into tiny subway cars erupt in brutal mayhem! See the Green Line Gouger in action! Hear the wails of those left at the station!]
[wait - I thought this guy was an EX policeman?]
Quote from: Age of Fable;258003[wait - I thought this guy was an EX policeman?]
[That's right. And?
[You're on his turf. And he's Chief pain in the neck around here.]
"Uh...no can do Chief. He got off on a technicality last time, can't let that happen again."
Well, fol-dee-rol, officer," hums Tallbard innocently. "I'll just stay on as an observer then. Representing Mr. Smalls' interests. This spell-flinger here caused a whole heap of damage to Mr. Smalls' property today. And Mr. Smalls is a Big Man in God City. Primo Uomo, understand?"
"You of all people should know that you can't be an observer."
"You're not from around here, are you, Officer?" smiles Tallbard, an edge creeping into his voice, "So let me rehearse this for you. If you want to keep right in this town, you gotta keep right with Mr. Smalls. Is that catchy enough for you?"
Quote from: Coffee;257695Zarko moves among the recruits and organizes a watch -- at least two men on at all times, keeping an eye out for trouble. As a leadership exercise, Zarko himself will take the first watch (along with one of the recruits). Everybody else gets to rest.
The afternoon is quiet. Despite the violence of the morning there's an oddly collegial mood, with fighters strolling the arena in small groups, and gathering around the drinking trough to compare scar tissue and fighting techniques and trade tall tales, shaggy dog stories and outright lies.
Zarko sees to the watches, which turn out to be fairly informal since the recruits are just hanging out anyway. The silent amazon Muruzabal tinkers with her spinning body cage. One Eye Malone smokes cigars pensively and swears like a dockworker -- which is, after all, his trade. The klengons glower and grumble at Wiggy Plop's clowning. Schleppy the Tote-Golem organizes a few of his numberless pockets, withdrawing objects a few at a time -- a plaster model of the Dog Moon; a ten gallon hat; a pink t-shirt; a checkered flag; a packet of Instant Sea Monster mix ("Turns out they're just brine shrimp," he shrugs.) -- and then stowing them again according to some private system.
As they come back from trips to the water trough the recruits pass along the fight news. The largest camps seem to be those of the mutant Pegasus Lad and Richard the Bold, both well-known heels on the Vanthian wrestling circuit. A psi-witch known as Starshine Moonchilde, practitioner of something called Recumbent Kung Fu, has so far defeated all challengers and refused all alliances; many suspect him of secretly using his psychic powers. And Creature too has earned a bit of a reputation -- his brutal beatdown of the goons has not gone unnoticed in the arena.
There are also a lot of rumors about the crane incident. It's speculated that the warlock responsible was either a cannibal sorcerer from Citadel Carcosa or a saboteur bankrolled by one of God City's crime families. The biggest buzz, however, is that Bigby himself is fighting in the brawl incognito, in hopes of finding a successor to run his company. Most greet this notion with derision but it's nonetheless the talk of the day.
Creature's feeling quite a bit better when the sun sinks below the western wall. A crowd begins to gather at the far end of the arena, where a trapdoor opens and a stage ringed with barbed wire rises from the floor. A trio of pantheroids tune up their instruments, and the Tenmen begin to play.
[Creature heals 9 hp, back up to 10 overall.
[Sorry for the day off yesterday. Hope you all had a good weekend!]
[image copyright Chris Onstad]
Buck's thoughts turn to Daryl's condition...."well, gentlemen....we need to find out about Daryl....", Buck starts looking around the arena for a paramedic in order to ask some questions.
Any new guys join up with our posse?
Quote from: wulfgar;258683Any new guys join up with our posse?
Not so far.
Quote from: ttagxamm;258094"You're not from around here, are you, Officer?" smiles Tallbard, an edge creeping into his voice, "So let me rehearse this for you. If you want to keep right in this town, you gotta keep right with Mr. Smalls. Is that catchy enough for you?"
"Well,
officer? Can you follow the tune?" drawls Tallbard. " 'Cause I'd sure like to interrogate this freak here and get on with my business."
Quote from: Rondo;258679Buck's thoughts turn to Daryl's condition...."well, gentlemen....we need to find out about Daryl....", Buck starts looking around the arena for a paramedic in order to ask some questions.
During the afternoon Buck flags down one of the goblin apothecaries.
"Darryl who now? Lizard, hunh?" the goblin shrugs. "Look, there's more'n hunnert fighters down below, in ever' state of re-pair. You wanna send'm flowers an' a bou-quet you gonna have to do it your own self, chum. Retreat chutes there, there, an' there," he points.
Quote from: ttagxamm;258504A crowd begins to gather at the far end of the arena, where a trapdoor opens and a stage ringed with barbed wire rises from the floor. A trio of pantheroids tune up their instruments, and the Tenmen begin to play.
As the Tenmen fire up a snarling surf-raga medley several of your crew ask to check it out. The afternoon's informal truce seems to hold among the crowd watching the band. As if in response, a pair of harnessed goons rolls out a half-dozen barrels of dwarven grog and cheap wine.
Buck returns to the party, "Guys, I'm heading to the "retreat chutes" to check on Daryl...Zarko, Creature...one of you wanna go with me?"
"Will we be able to get back in?" Zarko asks. "'Cause I don't wanna leave our boy here if it means we can't come back."
Does Buck have a phone or communicator or some such device? If he does, can't he just call Darryl's mom? Or if he doesn't maybe one of our guys "on the outside" (the hobling pimp or Quarzan) could get to a phone.
"Hmm...good point, Zarko" (problem with the phone thing: what are we gonna tell her? I want to go physically talk to the kid)...."I'll go alone and risk not getting back in....ain't much left to do here anyhow....", he waits to see Zarko's and Creature's response...
[Zarko is right, Buck, if you leave the arena there's no getting back in. And sadly I don't think you have a phone on your equipment list.]
(Alright....screw it....enough about Daryl...it's obvious there's a seperatin' technique at work here ;)...i won't push it any farther)....."Well, okeedokee...I give up...you guys are right I suppose, we'll have to take our chances that Daryl ends up on the okay side of things".
Hmmm, well if we win the brawl and Darryl ends up dead, I don't think we'll be able to enjoy our winnings much. So perhaps bailing out and tracking down Darryl does make the most sense. Creature is willing to follow Buck's lead.
Well, you guys might be right too...i mean, it depends on if you trust what's going on with the scene behind the scene. I tend to ere on the side of distrust and caution, but you guys are probably right...he's probably being taken care of...the problem as i see it is what happens if mom finds out we let him die or any other fill in the blank situation....is the idea here to be the last fighter standing? If so, let's get it on, and then get out of here...that's my vote anyhow
[Truly your mewlings are piteous ;). Here's a pair of flashbacks to make of what you will:]
Quote from: ttagxamm;253591The [chief apothecary] goblin stares at Buck like he was looking at puppy that just peed on the rug. "Maglubiyet!...We ain't runnin' a research hospital here, pal. But we know a thing or two about patching up fighters...."
A commotion from the center of the arena interrupts the apothecary. "Of all the...this is fan-yarking-tastic....If you want to help your friend, help me guard the rest. Chief Ball-tard sent in the Goon Squad."
Quote from: ttagxamm;254790The apothecary squad sets about their business, spraying groggy fighters with smelling salts and scooting them toward the ramp. The unconscious and lame are rolled onto stretchers.
Annoyed at the stink eye from Buck and Creature the chief apothecary....glares a moment, daring a cross word from anyone. After a moment he sighs, "Look, fellas, your lizard buddy will be fine in a day or two. We're carting him off now. Nothin' fancy, but three hots and a cot'll do him wonders. Now get your heads back in the Brawl and let us do our job. You're trouble, all of ya. Bad luck. Run off, before you bring the damn sky crashing in. Eh?"
:) (smart ass medic types don't impress me)
my "mewlings" are based on the fact that it was rather evident that lizard mom can pretty much wax our entire party in a single breath....call me paranoid, but if we screw things up in any way with this kid, then we can all kiss our butts goodbye!..
(see you guys tomorrow....I'll chime in then)
[OOC: Vacation's over. Back to my normal schedule!]
Regaining his wits from the haze of psychometric morbidity, Quazarn turns his mighty brain to the present! He shakes his head gently, touching his temples and blinking.
"Officer!" he remarks to Tallbard. "You're repellent." He tries to make it sound like your repellent?, but he doesn't try very hard. "You're here, still, without it?"
As he does this, he sizes up the Chief, his distance from arm's length -- and his fighting ability. Though he often ignores it, Quazarn is stronger in his physique than he is thaumaturgically; he can probably take this guy and get himself and the Hobling out of here...
Quote from: ttagxamm;257434"Here now, let's take care of that symbiote problem. We'll have it licked in no time!" pipes the Chief, brandishing what looks like a caulking gun.
"Found your voice again, son?" he grins, with suave menace. "I've got the repellent right here, now that you mention. Stand right there and open your mouth. Officer, you'd better grab his arms and hold him steady."
Chief Tallbard hefts the applicator, waiting for Hobson to move in. He's just over 6' tall, about your build, intimidatingly handsome. His voice is soft and deep, smooth as blended whiskey, and his eyes have the crinkle and gleam of a matinee idol's.
[Welcome back, Doc. Hope you had a fun time off!]
[Say, just noticed something on your character sheet: looks like you've forgotten to tally your Psi-Resist. I believe it should be 44%.]
"The Tenmen are Go!" shouts Wiggy, slapping Leeplo on the back. "Rock ab Roollpbl!" croaks the man-frog. They start jogging toward the stage, but Wiggy stops abruptly and does an exaggerated about face. "Whaddya say, bosses three?"
"Sheeet meezic. Let's go meek some meether f#%^kers bleed," wheedles Shifty, tugging at his collar and scratching his neck irritably.
[One thing I'll clarify: while things are generally quiet in the arena, and the crowd watching the Tenmen is keeping it mellow, this is still a Brawl. Starting a riot at the bandshell might be gauche, but nobody's gonna squint if you battle elsewhere.
[That said, what next? Your posse and your JM await your actions.]
[I can't think of any way out of this short of attacking the Chief, so unless Qazarn can do something I'm going to have to let him join in the 'interrogation']
[Here's a data point I forgot to mention. I know it looks a bit orc ex machina but this was a straight up dice roll, word to ya mother.]
Just as Tallbard takes a cautious step toward Quazarn, the door to the locker room lurches open. The orcish attendant Chet cranes in his head and scans the locker room, his bloodshot eyes widening when he spots the Chief.
I move behind Quazarn to 'pin his arms' as requested.
"Now then son, let's not have any trouble."
If it's safe to do so, I'll try to whisper to Quazarn - 'I have no idea what to do at this point.'
Let's go find this psychic wizard dude who is a loner and possibly cheating and see what his deal is. If we can get him to join up it's a bonus for us. If we beat him down, lots of other people will join up (or quit in the face of our awesomeness).
I have no ideas of my own as to what our next move shall be, Wulfgar....I'm up for that. Count Buck in.
With our army in tow, (a few scounts out a little bit along the perimeter) we go looking for Starshine Moodchilde.
I second that.
Quote from: Age of Fable;258919I move behind Quazarn to 'pin his arms' as requested.
"Now then son, let's not have any trouble."
If it's safe to do so, I'll try to whisper to Quazarn - 'I have no idea what to do at this point.'
Quazarn watches Tallbard approach --
The Orc bursts in through the door --
The Chief hoists up his repellent --
"Too late, ossifer," Quazarn offers casually, and jerks his head toward the orc. "Symbiote's that way."
Quote from: wulfgar;258957With our army in tow, (a few scounts out a little bit along the perimeter) we go looking for Starshine Moodchilde.
Quote from: Rondo;258970I second that.
[I'll give Coffee a chance to chime in, and post tonight.]
Quote from: Dr Rotwang!;259015Quazarn watches Tallbard approach --
The Orc bursts in through the door --
The Chief hoists up his repellent --
"Too late, ossifer," Quazarn offers casually, and jerks his head toward the orc. "Symbiote's that way."
Keeping the repellent trained on Quazarn, Tallbard turns sideways, trying to keep both the door and the warlock in view. He takes a quick glance and spies the attendant.
"Chester? What's going on here?" demands the Chief distractedly. "Officer, secure the warlock!"
Quote from: ttagxamm;259017[I'll give Coffee a chance to chime in, and post tonight.]
I'll go with the rest.
Quote from: wulfgar;258957With our army in tow, (a few scounts out a little bit along the perimeter) we go looking for Starshine Moodchilde.
[Go ahead and assign NPCs as your scouts as you like. Here's the roster (http://www.therpgsite.com/showpost.php?p=259071&postcount=102).]
on point- Shifty McJumper
starboard flank- Mad Maruzabal
port flank- 'Leeplo
In the rear with the gear (well in the rear, without the gear I guess)- Abdul Nomascus.
Rest of us in the middle, scouts let us know if trouble is coming and pull back to the rest of the group.
Quote from: ttagxamm;259022"Chester? What's going on here?" demands the Chief distractedly. "Officer, secure the warlock!"
[Well, so much for my well-thought-out plan to nut the cop and run.]
"How should I know Chief Balltard?" mumbles Chester sourly. "I been on my break"
Tallbard's mustache bristles, and he turns for an instant to glare at the orc. "What did I just hear you call me, boy?"
[The 'officer' in question is just Hobson, and Chester is just the orc locker room attendant and general dogsbody. That's clear, right?]
Quote from: wulfgar;259073on point- Shifty McJumper
starboard flank- Mad Maruzabal
port flank- 'Leeplo
In the rear with the gear (well in the rear, without the gear I guess)- Abdul Nomascus.
Rest of us in the middle, scouts let us know if trouble is coming and pull back to the rest of the group.
Your posse draws raised eyebrows and nods as you cross the arena. The Tenmen kick into a blistering raver, loud enough to stir up dust devils (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=drcXsxmFruE) in front of their Marshall stack. No one hassles you.
Off in a far corner of the arena you find Starshine Moonchilde, an emaciated hobling-vulkin with bulging temples and faintly luminescent skin. His head is shaved save for a long braid knotted with loops of yarn, and he wears tie-dyed sackcloth and ashes. His eyes are covered with gargoyle sunglasses, dead black.
The vobling chants quietly as you approach, "...shamma lamma ding dong tingsha na nama shiva om golly padme humdinger kip winger banana fana fo finger choco chakra sunsinger..."
Creature nudges Buck and Zarko forward to do the talking, aware of limits of his own articulateness...or lack there of. He's half a step right behind them though.
Zarko bows respectfully (another boss, doncha know...) and waits for the vobling to notice him and come out of his chant.
(If he doesn't do so soon, Zarko will look questioningly at Buck and leave the matter up to him.)
Quote from: ttagxamm;259219"How should I know Chief Balltard?" mumbles Chester sourly. "I been on my break"
Tallbard's mustache bristles, and he turns for an instant to glare at the orc. "What did I just hear you call me, boy?"
[The 'officer' in question is just Hobson, and Chester is just the orc locker room attendant and general dogsbody. That's clear, right?]
[Not really. I was calling Ballt- uh,
Tallbard 'ossifer', and I have no idea who this Chet guy is. Is it safe to cock-knock the Cheef?]
[Is it safe? You'll have to decide that for yourself.
[But Chet doesn't seem likely to run to his defense. If you had to guess he's been sparking magic incense on his break, and he's not exactly gazing upon the Chief with a look of reverent affection.]
Quazarn sighs. "Chief Balltard," he says, "The truth must out. There is no symbiote. But!", he declares with a flourish, "There is another thing you must know!"
And Quazarn, The Warlock Who Sucked At being A Warlock, grits his teeth and kicks Tallbard in the groin.
[ATTACK ROLL: 25!]
"Oh no! He has magically escaped his bonds, which I definitely had him in!"
[You can go ahead and roll for damage when you attack, along with a Saving Throw for defense. But in this case Chief T's Save was so good you needn't bother with the damage...]
Chief Tallbard is surprised by the conehead's sudden attack, but evades the kick with a the hip swivel of a champion hula-hooper. He raises his hands, palms out.
"Easy tiger. No need to make things any harder for yourself, son. Just take a deep breath and relax. We just need to ask you a few questions." The Chief's voice is deep and calm, laid back like a late night DJ spinning lazy soul records. Smooth.
Quazarn feels all the tension in his body ebb away, and begins to wonder what there was to get worked up about.
[...to be continued. Hobson, you have a round to act...]
Quote from: Coffee;259462Zarko bows respectfully (another boss, doncha know...) and waits for the vobling to notice him and come out of his chant.
(If he doesn't do so soon, Zarko will look questioningly at Buck and leave the matter up to him.)
"...voulez-vous coucher avec mwa ha ha hamdullilah cucaracha cha cha ch-changes..." The vobling continues in this manner for a solid minute, ignoring all of you. It's sort of embarrassing.
Zarko shifts from foot to foot, glancing at the uncharacteristically silent Buck. The chanting rises in volume and pitch.
"Merry Christmas Merry Christmas Christmas Christmas Merry Merry Dies Irae Cooking Sherry Tom And Jerry Harum Scarum Hotsy Totsy Koyanisquaatsi Jaya Lakshmi Shave And A Haircut YAHTZEE"
The vobling springs straight up in the air, does three jumping jacks, tumbles face first to the ground, and ends up lying on his side with one knee up and his head cradled in one hand. "Shalom, Brother Zarko. What's the haps?"
"Oh no! He's taken control of my arms!" I say, and shoot the Chief in the leg.
[11 (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showpost.php?p=5157342&postcount=136)!]
Quote from: Dr Rotwang!;259531Quazarn sighs. "Chief Balltard," he says, "The truth must out. There is no symbiote. But!", he declares with a flourish, "There is another thing you must know!"
And Quazarn, The Warlock Who Sucked At being A Warlock, grits his teeth and kicks Tallbard in the groin.
[ATTACK ROLL: 25!]
You made my morning Doc.
Quote from: Age of Fable;259592"Oh no! He's taken control of my arms!" I say, and shoot the Chief in the leg.
[That's probably going to hurt. Roll your damage.]
Quote from: ttagxamm;259545The vobling springs straight up in the air, does three jumping jacks, tumbles face first to the ground, and ends up lying on his side with one knee up and his head cradled in one hand. "Shalom, Brother Zarko. What's the haps?"
"Well, y'see, it's like this. We have a real contender here," Zarko says, pointing at Creature.
"And the word we get is that you're a contender, too."
Any reaction to this, so far? If not, I'll plunge right on...
"I am the stars shining and the child of the moon. I contend chiefly for a cosmic prize, Ape-evolved-from-man. I seek contentment amidst this brutal contest of flesh and blood. What is it you seek?"
[Wish the board had 'rainbow' as a text color option. You'll just have to picture his speaking voice in a froot loopy array of colors.
[By all means run with it, Coffee. Rondo's been incommunicado since Tuesday.]
"Plain and simple?" Zarko says, staring right into the vobling's disturbing, half-engaged eyes. "We seek to survive. That's really the deal. We survive, we win our bets, everybody's happy."
He pauses, as if debating with himself.
"We had another goal, coming in here, but things have...changed."
"Mere survival, Zarko? Keep your feet on the ground, and keep them there." The vobling pushes his sunglases back up on his nose, the enormous lenses covering half his face. Zarko can't even make out his reflection. "It has been said that if we are to survive we must become a little....crazy. But who is crazy enough to thrive?"
Starshine lets out a low whistle. "But I think you have not come here to ponder the sages?"
"Sages can do their thing," Zarko says with a snort. "I'll do mine.
"But the bottom line is this: Are you gonna be a threat to our survival? 'Cause if you are, we're gonna have to do something about it."
Quote from: ttagxamm;259632[That's probably going to hurt. Roll your damage.]
7 (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showpost.php?p=5162490&postcount=139)
"Damn you, Bazorm the Enchanter!" I cry.
"I shall remember your name! Which is Bazorm the Enchanter!"
"Get ahold of yourself, officer. Fight it!" cries out the Chief as Hobson raises his weapon. His golden voice would rally a company of fleeing soldiers. Unfortunately for the Chief, Hobson's fighting for the other side, and his aim is good. The crossbow bolt thunks into the meat of Tallbard's thigh.
"Sluts of the Netherworld!" gasps the Chief, backing toward the door. "Radio for help, Chester! Chester?" But the orc is splitsville. Tallbard begins fumbling with his own radio, still backing away.
[Reloading a crossbow takes a round.]
[Is Quazarn jacked up for reals? And is it mere coincidence that you noticed my Psi Resist wasn't correctly totalled up?]
[Quazarn is free to act; Hobson's attack interrupted the Chief. One man's coincidence is another man's foreshadowing. Stance happens, dude.]
Quote from: Coffee;259895"Sages can do their thing," Zarko says with a snort. "I'll do mine.
"But the bottom line is this: Are you gonna be a threat to our survival? 'Cause if you are, we're gonna have to do something about it."
"Who can say? I get low, I get high, there is no try, only do. I have the wings of heaven on my shoes -- I am a mystic man, I cannot lose.*"
[*Gibb, Gibb, & Gibb, freely adapted]
Quote from: ttagxamm;260000"Who can say? I get low, I get high, there is no try, only do. I have the wings of heaven on my shoes -- I am a mystic man, I cannot lose.*"
[*Gibb, Gibb, & Gibb, freely adapted]
[The way he uses his walk appears to be misleading, in that he clearly has a great deal of time to talk.]
Quote from: ttagxamm;260000"Who can say? I get low, I get high, there is no try, only do. I have the wings of heaven on my shoes -- I am a mystic man, I cannot lose.*"
[*Gibb, Gibb, & Gibb, freely adapted]
"Sure, right," Zarko says. He holds up a finger, then pulls Buck back for a whispered conference with Creature.
"Izzat all this skeezik does? Confuse people? Izzat how he wins?" Zarko shakes his head. "I don't
think he's a real threat. But I sure wish we had some other dudes to send his way -- I'd like to see how he fights for real."
(Edited to fix typo.)
Quote from: ttagxamm;259978Tallbard begins fumbling with his own radio, still backing away.
Women want him! Men whant to be him! Wookys shave and wear hats to honor him! He is QUAZARN!
He nails his penetrating gaze to Tallbard's and builds arouynd him a scaffolding of fear! "Oh, cool," he says icily, "a radio." The Remulaki snatches the device away from Tallbard, and puts it to his ear. He pretends to listen, and then throws it over his shoulder. "I hate that station.
"Let's talk a little about your future, Chief..."
[Ahem.]
Building his confidence with an incredibly convincing visualization exercise Quazarn prepares to grab the radio.
[Hey, I'm a rootin'-for-the-PCs kinda JM, but c'mon man. ;) Give me an initiative roll on d10-1 (missile damage determines bonus/penalty to initiative), and a Lesser Feat]
Quote from: Coffee;260123"Sure, right," Zarko says. He holds up a finger, then pulls Buck back for a whispered conference with Creature.
"Izzat all this skeezik does? Confuse people? Izzat how he wins?" Zarko shakes his head. "I don't think he's a real threat. But I sure wish we had some other dudes to send his way -- I'd like to see how he fights for real."
[Since Rondo hasn't posted since Tuesday or contacted me otherwise I'm bumping him to NPC status for the moment. Rondo is free to chime in at any time, of course, but otherwise Buck will go along with your decision. So take it away, Zarko & Creech...]
Creature is torn between two ideas that have crept into his mind:
A. Sit down Indian style and listen to the melodious musings of recumbant kung-fu master like a child at storytime.
B. Bash him over the head while he's talking to Zarko.
As of right now he's conflicted and so stands there like a dummy.
Creature is torn between two ideas that have crept into his mind:
A. Sit down Indian style and listen to the melodious musings of recumbant kung-fu master like a child at storytime.
B. Bash him over the head while he's talking to Zarko.
As of right now he's conflicted and so stands there like a dummy.
[Hey, Fable, we're into a new round. What's up with Hobson? Reloading his crossbow? Can I get an initiative roll, and other attack or ability based roll you want to take?]
[I'll need an extra percentile roll for Hobson and Quaz both. Just tell me the number.]
Quote from: wulfgar;260217Creature is torn between two ideas that have crept into his mind:
A. Sit down Indian style and listen to the melodious musings of recumbant kung-fu master like a child at storytime.
B. Bash him over the head while he's talking to Zarko.
As of right now he's conflicted and so stands there like a dummy.
Either one of those sounds good to me.
I was hoping Buck would pipe up. I could really use his advice right about now. (It's Friday and my brain has already checked out for the day...)
(HEy! Sorry guys....I'm back...I'm trying to get caught up here....major idjitnet disaster where I work AND at home, I swear...two different servers, two diff. problems)
Buck eyes this show-off and raises an eyebrow..."I think we better consult, guys whaddya think?"
(I can only post from the house, which means checking in on things after 5 until they get this computer thing worked out in my shop at work).
Quote from: ttagxamm;260188[Ahem.]
Building his confidence with an incredibly convincing visualization exercise Quazarn prepares to grab the radio.
[Hey, I'm a rootin'-for-the-PCs kinda JM, but c'mon man. ;) Give me an initiative roll on d10-1 (missile damage determines bonus/penalty to initiative), and a Lesser Feat]
[Heh! I was just bein' pro-active. My rolls: INIT = 4, LESSER FEAT = 43]
Initiative 7
Percentage 12 here (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showpost.php?p=5169286&postcount=141).
Hobson will replace his crossbow, draw his cutlass and, if he has time this round, try and shoulder-barge his way out of the door, shouting "damn you, sorcerer!"
"I'm all for Creech bashing this chucklehead on the beezer, frankly, but....what do we have in mind to do with this joker?", Buck is leaning over to Zarko whispering with his hand on the side of his mouth.
Quote from: Age of Fable;260401Hobson will replace his crossbow, draw his cutlass and, if he has time this round, try and shoulder-barge his way out of the door, shouting "Damn you, sorcerer!"
Brandishing his cutlass Hobson boldly charges from the locker room! Hurling his small body into the door with a yell, he nearly falls prone when he meets no resistance whatsoever. The freshly oiled and completely unblocked swinging door bangs against the tunnel wall and flaps noisily shut behind him.
The Chief is distracted by the fleeing hobling, and Quazarn seizes the the day, the moment, the hour and the radio. "Oh, cool," he says icily as he puts it to his ear. He pretends to listen, and then throws it over his shoulder. "I hate that station."
"Let's talk a little about your future, Chief..."
Tallbard's face is pale, but his voice is firm and steady, the rough edge of command polished smooth like a rock in a stream. "Talk? That'd be great, son. Why don't we have a seat and talk things out, chew the fat and settle the hash, man to man."
His words are forceful, yet calm, and once again Quazarn can't help but to relax. The Chief ain't such a bad guy, is he?
[Need a percentile roll from you, Doc...]
Quote from: Rondo;260504"I'm all for Creech bashing this chucklehead on the beezer, frankly, but....what do we have in mind to do with this joker?", Buck is leaning over to Zarko whispering with his hand on the side of his mouth.
"What I'd really like," Zarko whispers back behind his own hand, "is to find some other guys to throw at this one. Then we'd see what he's made of. Either they'd take him out, problem solved, or he'd take them out and reduce the competition.
"Plus we'd get to see what we're up against."
"Hmm...not a bad idea there, Zarko", says Buck as he glances back to the Creature to see how he's handling all this. "HEY!", Buck raises his voice to the king of the flashdance..., "We were wondering...", he gestures over to some of the remaining rabble that still look like they'd kick up some dust, "how 'bout a little wager....think you could knock the socks off those idiots over there?", he's rubbing his fingers together in a gesture of money. "Not sure what I can pay you with, but we'd sure like to see you in action....what you've shown us so far has been pretty darned impressive! Why dont'cha go over there and finish some of these losers off?". Buck is grinning from ear to ear.
Command Roll:
Argue: 31% (made it)
Crowd Manipulate: 20% (made it)
Lesser Feat: 27% (made it)
Restore Courage: 82% (failed...jeez, I was on a roll!)
(hell, i'm trying 'em all...don't know what you want me to roll, and this EC stuff is a open-ended pain in the ass sometimes)
"I did not catch your name, oh pilot without a ship?" smiles Starshine, turning to regard Buck through his black sunglasses. "It doesn't matter. It's a foolish gambler who bets money he does not have on a horse with no name. Why would I wish to ramble when it's you who wants to see me rumble?"
QuoteCommand Roll:
Argue: 31% (made it)
Crowd Manipulate: 20% (made it)
Lesser Feat: 27% (made it)
Restore Courage: 82% (failed...jeez, I was on a roll!)
(hell, i'm trying 'em all...don't know what you want me to roll, and this EC stuff is a open-ended pain in the ass sometimes)
[Social skills based on Intelligence and Leadership should be mainly role-played -- go to the dice if you want to get a little extra oomph but success or failure isn't necessarily going to be determined purely by the roll. Probably best to commit to using one or two ability rolls per round or action though: "Using Robot Friend and See the Future I attempt to re-calibrate Rollo the Craps-bot to always roll boxcars."
On the other hand if you want to do something truly outlandish -- "I Command my Monster Friend Godzilla to roll over and play dead" -- I think throwing the dice is a fun option. Something like this would only work on a ridonkulously good roll, but if you succeed, hey, you just made Godzilla your puppy. How cool is that?
WRT the skills you rolled above, my thoughts: I'd say Argue is for logical, reason-based persuasion, as opposed to Command or Seduce for more emotional appeals. Crowd Manipulate is to influence a group or perform for an audience. Restore Courage could be used to rally henchmen with broken morale or save vs a fear spell. The Feats are generally for tests of physical strength only -- but if you wanted to intimidate someone you could try using Lesser Feat to do a Hulkamania type pose down.]
Hobson notices that Quazarn isn't running behind him.
"Damn you sorcerer!"
"Ha! Fair enough....good call....truly I am a horseless rider", Buck misconstrues what Mr. Flippant throws at him..., "I do have a buddy here though, that can tear the arms off of a Klengon and beat him with it!", he pats Creech on his box-like frame. "How'd you come to get mixed up in this whole rinky-dink fight? You seem like you can do greater things than scrap with a buncha goons for prize dough."
Starshine's mouth twists into a faraway smile, "On the first part of my journey I beheld life all around me: plants and birds and rocks, sand and hills and rings. I met a buzzing fly under a cloudless sky. The heat was hot and the ground was dry. But the air was full of sound. I meditated for--" he counts on his fingers, "nine days, and woke up here. It felt good to get out of the rain."
The vobling tilts his sunglasses up on his head but his eyes remain closed. He rolls onto his back, arms behind his head.
"I'm just a tiger's eye rocking in a hurricane, Buck Pulsar. Flippant is as flippant does. Do you wish to talk, or fight, or stare at the stars?"
Quote from: ttagxamm;260565Tallbard's face is pale, but his voice is firm and steady, the rough edge of command polished smooth like a rock in a stream. "Talk? That'd be great, son. Why don't we have a seat and talk things out, chew the fat and settle the hash, man to man."
His words are forceful, yet calm, and once again Quazarn can't help but to relax. The Chief ain't such a bad guy, is he?
Quazarn isn't interested in
having a beer with him. Quazarn wants to
be left the hell alone by him.
Quote[Need a percentile roll from you, Doc...]
[51. Bad?]
Quazarn feels all his anger toward the Chief ebb away. He's just a guy just trying to do his job after all. A beer might be a little too friendly, but maybe it would be good to talk things out.
[You are Stunned -- you are still in control of your own actions, but can't act to harm the Chief.
We're moving into a new round, keeping the same initiative sequence. Hobson & Quazarn have a chance to act before the Chief.]
I try and sneak back so that I can see what's happening, without myself being seen.
If I need a roll for that: 30 (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showpost.php?p=5180321&postcount=142)
"Your future, Chief," Quazarn declares, "involves you leaving me the hell alone. If that bulldozer's such a big deal, wait another hour, you'll have it back. I'm stepping awy now; I suggest you do same." Quazarn backs away from the chief, at a comfortable clip.
Time to get the hell outta here.
Just as Hobson approaches the door to peer through it bangs open, once again crashing into the tunnel wall. Hobson jumps back out of the way, and Quazarn backs through the door into the hall.
Before the door swings shut Hobson sees the Chief limping toward the door. "C'mon now buddy, don't go off in a rush, it's better for everyone if we just talk this out..."
[You two stooges want a ladder for a prop? :D I was pretty tempted to make Hobson save vs getting smacked by the door.
[Which way now? To your right are the turnstiles and the tunnel leading to the front, to your left is the gate and ramp to the arena, with lounges branching off to either side before the ramp]
(I'm in the process of moving this week, so may not be able to post as often, please feel free to brawl on without me)
Quote from: ttagxamm;260706"I'm just a tiger's eye rocking in a hurricane, Buck Pulsar. Flippant is as flippant does. Do you wish to talk, or fight, or stare at the stars?"
"I, personally," Zarko says, raising his hand "would lean toward the whole staring at the stars kinda thing.
"But we've got this whole brawl thing to get through, first."
(edited for grammar)
"Yea, same here....about this Brawl....you wanna help us out here? How 'bout teaming up with us or somethin'....we could sure use a fella like you.", Buck extends a salute.
Quote from: ttagxamm;260821[Which way now? To your right are the turnstiles and the tunnel leading to the front, to your left is the gate and ramp to the arena, with lounges branching off to either side before the ramp]
[OUT. Right. Tunnel. Out. Away. Gone. Tunnel. OUT.]
Me too.
[JM cues Benny Hill theme, plans for chase scene involving bikini-clad doxies and orcs in bobbies' helmets...]
"Gosh", thinks Hobson,
"As per the movement rules on p22, no one can catch me."
Quote from: Coffee;260843"I, personally," Zarko says, raising his hand "would lean toward the whole staring at the stars kinda thing.
"But we've got this whole brawl thing to get through, first."
"The stars will wait, Zarko," chuckles the vobling.
Quote from: Rondo;260860"Yea, same here....about this Brawl....you wanna help us out here? How 'bout teaming up with us or somethin'....we could sure use a fella like you." Buck extends a salute.
"There are many things about me you do not know anything about, Buck. Things you would not understand. Things you could not understand. Things you should not understand. I am a man who refuses to take things standing up."
Starshine rolls gracefully up into a mystical posture known as the Drooping Lotus, dropping his sunglasses down over his eyes. "This is this end, my friends, of our talk. I cannot ride your bus; you must either challenge me or leave. Ride the storm or walk on by?"
Quote from: Dr Rotwang!;260868[OUT. Right. Tunnel. Out. Away. Gone. Tunnel. OUT.]
Quote from: Age of Fable;260871Me too.
Like a bowling ball chasing a runaway pin hobling scampers after conehead down the tunnel. The Chief calls after for a moment then retreats into the locker room.
At the end of the tunnel you find yourselves back on the front lawn. Food and drink stalls and gambling counters crowd right up against the walls of the Vulkin manse, and tents crowded with spectators overrun the front gardens. Beyond the tents the lawn is a parking lot.
Pausing near the tunnel you both feel a bit conspicuous -- you are, after all, a hobling in a police uniform and The Warlock Who Almost Tore Biggie's Playhouse Down.
Quote from: Age of Fable;260877"Gosh", thinks Hobson, "As per the movement rules on p22, no one can catch me."
Even as he smiles at this thought Hobson hears a voice in his head reply, "Ah, but life is not merely something you read in a book, little hobling. The stronger a fellow the longer he can run...and on a scale of one to twenty you rate only about a six."
Quote from: ttagxamm;260927Even as he smiles at this thought Hobson hears a voice in his head reply, "Ah, but life is not merely something you read in a book, little hobling. The stronger a fellow the longer he can run...and on a scale of one to twenty you rate only about a six."
"And yet, fie on this pessimism" I think.
"With a nature as robotic as mine (and corresponding ability to give myself unpleasant orders) surely I can keep going through the pain like it ain't no thang."
"Hrmmph," grumbles the voice in Hobson's head, "I suppose there's no arguing with that, if you want to run yourself to exhaustion."
[That's good thinking, Fable! If it's necessary to figure out a house rule for forced marches/extended running I'll definitely work that in!]
"Hmm...I dunno 'bout this "challenging you affair"", Buck looks over to Zarko and his eyebrows go up in confusion as he shrugs his shoulders with a , "now what?" expression.
Buck leans over and whispers to Zarko, "I say we hoof it...I don't see any point in messing with this guy..."
Quote from: Rondo;260978Buck leans over and whispers to Zarko, "I say we hoof it...I don't see any point in messing with this guy..."
"Yeah," Zarko replies. "I'm with you."
He straightens out and bows with respect toward Starshine.
"It was a pleasure to have met you, and I wish you well in the Brawl."
"Take it easy, brothers," nods Starshine, "and remember: When in doubt, get horizontal."
The Tenmen play on.
[more tonight.]
(Good call, Zarko...well played);)
Quote from: Rondo;261045(Good call, Zarko...well played);)
Thank you!
Taking leave of Starshine the vobling, Buck & Zarko can't help but to notice a few sidelong glances and shaking heads among the crew. But there's no time to ponder. Leeplo croaks out an alarm! At the same time there's a cackle from Shifty and a yelp of wookish rage. After a brief scuffle in the dark Shifty's laughter stops.
Four shaggy wookies stride fiercely through your ranks, parting your fighters with a Commanding roar. Sugar Ray blanches and ducks behind Creature, and only Mad Muruzabal and One Eye Malone stand their ground unflinchingly.
One of the wookies drags Shifty's limp body with one hand and clutches a wound in his belly with the other. The wooky's fur is dark with blood. He drops the elf roughly to the ground and tosses a bloody shiv onto his body, growling with rage.
Another of the wookies steps forward. His hair is dull grey, patchy save for a wild and tangled mane atop his head, and his flesh is withered. He points a decayed finger at Creature, then at himself, then throws his arms out. Mouth gaping, he rears back and squeaks, "GGGnnnnrrrgaaaagh!"
"GGGnnnnrrrgaaaagh!" one of the other wooks repeats.
[One of you guys got a convincing reason why you understand wooky let me hear it.]
Quote from: ttagxamm;260927Pausing near the tunnel you both feel a bit conspicuous -- you are, after all, a hobling in a police uniform and The Warlock Who Almost Tore Biggie's Playhouse Down.
As you linger near the tunnel there's no doubt you're beginning to draw a few stares from the crowd. No sign of any Brawl security. At the moment, anyway.
Quote from: ttagxamm;260957"Hrmmph," grumbles the voice in Hobson's head, "I suppose there's no arguing with that, if you want to run yourself to exhaustion."
[That's good thinking, Fable! If it's necessary to figure out a house rule for forced marches/extended running I'll definitely work that in!]
[Thanks...I'd treat Robot Nature as including willpower/self-discipline.]
Quote from: ttagxamm;261215As you linger near the tunnel there's no doubt you're beginning to draw a few stares from the crowd. No sign of any Brawl security. At the moment, anyway.
Who's lingering? I'm heading away from all this, and encouraging Quazarn to do likewise.
Quote from: Age of FableWho's lingering? I'm heading away from all this, and encouraging Quazarn to do likewise.
Just a pause to keep you aware of your choices.
So,
away away? As in hoofing it through the parking lot and trucking on down the road?
"Uh oh...", says Buck in a low disparaging voice. "Trouble, boys...now what...?", Buck turns to Zarko, "Get Creature and let's start moving the hell away from this place!"
(Looks like we've hung around too long!):(
Quote from: ttagxamm;260927[Y]ou are, after all, a hobling in a police uniform and The Warlock Who Almost Tore Biggie's Playhouse Down.
[Dude, we're gettin' a
rep!]
"Well, my hobling cohort," says Quazarn to Hobson, "we'd best make ourselves hard-to-find -- say, get lost among the crowd? And what of the others? How will we find them?" He twists his lips in searing, incandescent thought. "Splitting up," he reflects, "may well have been a bad idea." Then, "To the stalls! Let us lose ourselves among the throng, visually if not in terms of merit."
(Ha, ha! This thing has gotten nuts!! har!! Fun though...Buck bears the burden of some of the chaos...but it takes all of us to "tango", as it were, and besides: gotta see how bad we can jack-up the JM's planning! Isn't that always the classic RPG situation? ha!):)
[Keep in mind the party is split up in time as well as space. Hobson & Quaz's antics are happening within minutes of the crane fiasco! The rest of you are hours ahead. :eek:
[Much fun as it'd be to fly Fable in from Australia and converge in some central location (or better yet fly ourselves down there!) here's one instance that I'm glad we're playing PbP and not tabletop.]
(Ow, wow, i hadn't thought of that, in all this chaos.!...yikes...that changes things to some degree)
[You just worry about kicking asses in the Brawl. Or running away from ass-kickers, as the case may be. I'll figure out the rest.]
"Well, Creature," Zarko says. "Do you wanna stand and fight, or should we clear out and live to fight later?
"Whichever you decide, we're with you."
Zarko eyes the bloody shiv and remembers that he "forgot" to leave his pistol in the locker room. But then, guns make noise...
Quote from: Coffee;261337"Well, Creature," Zarko says. "Do you wanna stand and fight, or should we clear out and live to fight later?
"Whichever you decide, we're with you."
Zarko eyes the bloody shiv and remembers that he "forgot" to leave his pistol in the locker room. But then, guns make noise...
In the manner of their race the wookies are clad only in their own pelts, and unless their weapons are concealed in compromising places they appear unarmed. Glancing at the shiv Zarko notes that it's crafted in the shape of an elfin ear -- in a shade of blue perfectly matching Shifty Mcjumper's blue skin. Glancing between the blade and the indignant and bleeding wooky he realizes just who shanked who.
[WRT your forgotten gun: you also forgot to tell your JM (http://www.therpgsite.com/showpost.php?p=251028&postcount=295) that you forgot to stow your weapon. It
might be wise to remember that you left it in your locker after all. Just sayin.']
Quote from: Dr Rotwang!;261269[Dude, we're gettin' a rep!]
"Well, my hobling cohort," says Quazarn to Hobson, "we'd best make ourselves hard-to-find -- say, get lost among the crowd? And what of the others? How will we find them?" He twists his lips in searing, incandescent thought. "Splitting up," he reflects, "may well have been a bad idea." Then, "To the stalls! Let us lose ourselves among the throng, visually if not in terms of merit."
I change my clothes to something which will fit in with the crowd.
"An excellent plan. And yet, it's possible that they may search the crowd - believing as they do that you're a major criminal, and responsible for the head of security (and former senior police officer) getting a crossbow bolt in the leg."
"Also, you have a great big pointy head, presenting some difficulties vis a vis passing unnoticed."
Quote from: ttagxamm;261346[WRT your forgotten gun: you also forgot to tell your JM (http://www.therpgsite.com/showpost.php?p=251028&postcount=295) that you forgot to stow your weapon. It might be wise to remember that you left it in your locker after all. Just sayin.']
Okay, ya got me.
I thought about it earlier, but didn't say one way or the other. Mostly, I've been assuming that I did leave it behind in the locker. So I'll go with that assumption and not try anything funny.
(And it's not because Zarko's afraid of breaking Bigby Smalls's rules; it's that Zarko is afraid of Darryl's Mom breaking Zarko. You don't cross the boss!)
I'd still like to hear a response from Creature before I decide what to do. Although this puts a decidedly different spin on it.
[Wulfgar mentioned upthread he's mid-move, so how 'bout we give him this evening to respond? If he doesn't get a chance to chime in we'll move things along tomorrow.]
Fine by me.
(I hope to be mid-move sometime in December, myself.)
Quote from: Dr Rotwang!;261269"Well, my hobling cohort," says Quazarn to Hobson, "we'd best make ourselves hard-to-find -- say, get lost among the crowd? And what of the others? How will we find them?" He twists his lips in searing, incandescent thought. "Splitting up," he reflects, "may well have been a bad idea." Then, "To the stalls! Let us lose ourselves among the throng, visually if not in terms of merit."
Quote from: Age of Fable;261361I change my clothes to something which will fit in with the crowd.
"An excellent plan. And yet, it's possible that they may search the crowd - believing as they do that you're a major criminal, and responsible for the head of security (and former senior police officer) getting a crossbow bolt in the leg."
"Also, you have a great big pointy head, presenting some difficulties vis a vis passing unnoticed."
Quazarn is momentarily confused when he notices the hobling in a Hawaiian shirt and deck shoes talking to him, but his keen intellect swiftly pierces Hobson's disguise. The pair do their best to disappear into the crowd.
The food stalls are the usual mix of fast cheap and out of control: rat-on-a-stick, roof lizard eggs fried in savory dough, burgers and brats, toasted chickenoid blood (a favorite despite the raging ontological debate over the question of the chickenoids' sentience). There are also souvenir vendors, betting counters, and tents set up for spectators to watch the fight via holoscreen, scrying pool and quadrophenic sens-surround. Touts race back and forth between the viewing parlors and a beer garden in the shade of a huge baobabbler tree.
Hobson seems to pass unnoticed as long as he keeps out from underfoot, but Quazarn's still drawing a few sidelong looks.
(major points for the JG "Rat-On-A-Stick" reference!);)
Quazarn looks around the stalls. "Surely," he mutters, "a crowd such as this is a good market for Ontobian somberoids. Surely..."
Quote from: Dr Rotwang!;261577Quazarn looks around the stalls. "Surely," he mutters, "a crowd such as this is a good market for Ontobian somberoids. Surely..."
A sharp-eared ratling twitches her head in your direction. She is clean for her species, though her pelt is shaved in strange teknomagical patterns. She points a clawed finger at the beer garden and ducks out of view.
"I think you're in there mate."
"Well, she was clean for her species. That...that wasn't true of my last girlfriend."
The zombie wookie is lean but hard-muscled despite his withered flesh. He has a wild red mane like the corona of a dying star. His eyes are black marbles, his cheekbones hollow, his nose cracked and dry. He fixes Creature with a wild-eyed stare, then rears back his head and roars threateningly. "RRRrrnnnggrrr!"
Well, his roar would be threatening anyway, if not for the tiny balloon squeak of his voice. His number two wooky steps up and repeats, "RRRrrnnnggrrr!" The half-zombie nods, and begins to walk a wide circle, dragging one foot behind him to mark it off in the dust. He stares at creature the whole time, grinning.
Two other wookies begin making similar circles, snarling and hooting contemptuously at you and your fighters.
"You flea bags need to find something else to do...hate to see you buncha walking carpets trying to walk with an arm shoved up your ass...", Buck has had enough. He not so sure how he'll do against these giant bigfoots, but his patience is to the point where he doesn't really care.
Quote"You flea bags need to find something else to do...hate to see you buncha walking carpets trying to walk with an arm shoved up your ass...", Buck has had enough. He not so sure how he'll do against these giant bigfoots, but his patience is to the point where he doesn't really care.
"Kashykk?" snorts one of the wookies. He takes a long sneering look at you. Chuffing with mirth, he finishes drawing his circle and steps to the center. He motions you over then, turns away dismissively.
"Fine, goddamn it..", Buck grits his teeth and grips the pipe he was carrying from earlier. "I'm gonna go see exactly what the stinking problem is here...", Buck takes off walking towards the motioning Wook.....I'm watching for ANY sign that will indicate I can strike or if he intends to....I can't speak Wookie so how do I know he wants to fight? I'm not taking ANY chances.
Buck wonders briefly if the wookies might be enacting some sort of wookish diplomatic ritual, but their body language says fight, no question about it. They ain't drawin' circles in the dirt for a game of duck duck goose.
The other wooky struts about his circle, arms out and palms up, daring anyone to step in. The half-zombie stares at Creature, still angrily squeaking in wookish. It seems safe to assume Creature's parentage, grooming habits and manhood are called into question.
[Rondo: Pipe? What pipe? Citation?]
Zarko watches the wooks carefully. Are there just two of them making their half-assed crop circles?
He's also gonna keep an eye on our guys. If the shiv-meister looks like he's gonna get us all in trouble, then he's somebody who needs to be ended right quick. (Or if I missed it and the wooks already ended him then that's fine by me.)
The lowdown as Zarko sees it: Two wookies and a wook-zombie stand in their circles, taunting your crew. Three at full fighting strength, check. The fourth wookie squats besides Shifty and begins tearing the elf's jerkin, making rags to staunch his stabwound. Done for? Not sure. Shifty is smurfed though: out like a little blue lightbulb.
All of your fighters have crowded round to watch, including your sentries. Malone, Bob and Philimon watch the wookies impassively but the rest of your fighters seem a little spooked. Even the boastful Rocketblaster is silent, watching Creature expectantly.
Cursing under his breath, Buck squares his shoulders and steps toward one of the wookies...
(remember? I've been carrying around that piece that I found earlier? I used it in the last fight didn't I? Honestly: i might be imagining it, but I could of swore I had a piece of club or a pipe or somethin!!! ha)
I'm clubbing the flea bag in the forkin' head right NOW....(and if i don't have that I'm gonna have to just slug him)
Attack: 17 (made it in the clear)
Damage: 6 total (rolled a good ol' four, and +2)
Save: 60 (missed)
[Oh yeaaahh, now I remember. Your mop handle club! Ok-doke.]
[I'll need an initiative roll, too. d10 + your missile damage bonus]
With the bonus, I got a 4, and i'm so glad you remembered my mop handle! I'm probably gonna end up wagging that thing like a tail, anyway.:O
Quote from: ttagxamm;261880The lowdown as Zarko sees it: Two wookies and a wook-zombie stand in their circles, taunting your crew. Three at full fighting strength, check. The fourth wookie squats besides Shifty and begins tearing the elf's jerkin, making rags to staunch his stabwound. Done for? Not sure. Shifty is smurfed though: out like a little blue lightbulb.
All of your fighters have crowded round to watch, including your sentries.
"Hey, youse guys!" Zarko barks at the wayward sentries. "Back on watch! And thanks for letting us know a bunch of wookiees were sneaking up on us!"
He stalks off, fuming, to see what happens to Buck.
[In defense of your sentries, one of them did his best. The other decided to get all stabby. When you have an evil magical birthmark stuff like that happens:]
Quote from: ttagxamm;261214Leeplo croaks out an alarm! At the same time there's a cackle from Shifty and a yelp of wookish rage. After a brief scuffle in the dark Shifty's laughter stops.
Leeplo and one of the klengons trot off to guard your flanks.
Zarko watches Buck and the wookie circle each other, taking each others measure in the ring. He's so focused he doesn't have a chance to duck when something dark and squishy bounces off his cheek. Zarko looks down to find a large hairball at his feet, fresh and spitty. The wooky two rings over slaps his knee and wheezes. If wookies had eyebrows, his'd be raised as if to say, "Gonna do something about it?"
[Arrangement of fighting rings: L: hairball tosser, C: zombie-wook, R: Buck & wookie toe-to-toe]
Noticing that Quazarn seems to have had another attack, Hobson will try to follow the ratling, observing her while being unobserved if possible.
rolled a 55 (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showpost.php?p=5208913&postcount=147)
Surreptitiously, Quazarn follows the ratling.
Quote from: Rondo;261919I'm clubbing the flea bag in the forkin' head right NOW....
Attack: 17 (made it in the clear)
Damage: 6 total (rolled a good ol' four, and +2)
Save: 60 (missed)
Buck and the wooky circle each other. Buck swings high with his club but the wook is faster and catches him with a sharp jab. Buck rolls with the punch and swings again, cracking the wooky across the cheek. The two reel back from each other, both rocked.
[Buck takes 8 HP damage. If you're going to keep fighting re-roll initiative along with ATT, DAM and save]
Quote from: Age of Fable;262174Noticing that Quazarn seems to have had another attack, Hobson will try to follow the ratling, observing her while being unobserved if possible.
Quote from: Dr Rotwang!;262209Surreptitiously, Quazarn follows the ratling.
The ratling is nowhere to be seen. However, it seems Logical to Hobson that she probably intended to meet them in the beer garden, so the two of you make your way there as inconspicuously as you can.
As you sidle into the deep shade of the baobabbler tree it takes a moment for your eyes to adjust to the gloom, and for your ears to tune out the constant chattering of the tree.*
"Hisst," says a low voice, just two tables over. It's the ratling. "You are like sore thumbs, sticking out. Sit!"
*This, naturally, is a
domestic baobabbler, and thus merely annoying. The voice of the wild baobabbler is rumored to cause agonizing headaches, tympanal edema and contagious glossolalia.
Quazarn sits.
The ratling regards Quazarn through rosy pink eyes. Her thick Slavic accent tells you her forebears must have migrated to Vanth via a Roosky colony ship.
"That thing you mentioned. Buying or selling?"
Buck shakes his head and spits out some blood. "Wow..ugh...", his vision is a bit blurred and his breathing is bugging him. "Damn...what was the number of that truck?!", he shouts to his comrades. He takes off charging forward attempting to butt his head as solid into the wookie's gut as is possible to wind him.
Initiative: 10 (that's with bonus...d10 right?)
Attack: 62% (made it)
Damage: 6 total
Save: 11% (FINALLY SCORED ONE! ha)
Buck is first to clear his head, and he lunges at the wooky like a blitzing linebacker. The wook takes a wild swing but it passes over Buck's head. The spaceman's helmet and shoulder plow into his opponent's shaggy belly and the speared wooky goes down gasping.
[Feel free to elaborate on your knock out if you want, Rondo! The wooky's not dead or anything, but he's out of the Brawl for sure]
[Hopefully Wulfgar's about done with his move. I'll probably post again tomorrow noonish. Want to give Coffee a chance to respond to the wet hairball barrage.]
"Whew! What a big galoot...guys, I ain't feelin' so hot...", Buck staggers over to Zarko and goes down on one knee..."Wow, that guy had a southpaw"....he leans next to Creature and slides down the wall a bit gazing around for some water.
(I'm back...sort of...pretty busy..but I'll try catching up and chiming in sometime today)
[Good to hear from you, Wulf! Hope your move is going well. Here's a quick recap of events in the arena:
- Zarko and Buck spent a few minutes talking to the cryptic vobling Starchine Moonchilde, ultimately deciding not to fight him
- Some wookies led by a zombie-wook hybrid came to challenge your crew. One of your sentries sounded an alarm, but Shifty the elf decided to shank a wooky instead, and got clobbered for it.
- Three of the wookies drew circles in the dirt and have been taunting your crew. Buck took up a challenge and took one out. The half-zombie wants to fight Creature.
Quote from: ttagxamm;262908Three of the wookies drew circles in the dirt and have been taunting your crew. Buck took up a challenge and took one out. The half-zombie wants to fight Creature.
Yeah, and the other one wants to fight me! I don't want to fight something that big. I'm just a scrawny little guy.
But hey, I will go ahead and taunt him. I'm totally cool with that; it's what us little guys do. (I can run faster scared than he can mad...)
"Oooga Booga!" Zarko bellows at the Wookie. He walks up next to the circle and starts to go around it, but doesn't step inside. All the while, he makes any rude gestures he can think of (flipping him off, etc.), trying to get the wook's goat and make him lose his cool.
What I learned from Starshine is this: There is fighting, and then there is fighting. You have to play to your strengths.
(I was hoping there was some kind of skill or power I could use in this, but don't see anything that seems applicable. Oh, well. If the ref wants me to roll something, he has but to say so.)
[Roleplaying this out is fine. If you're hoping for some mechanical effect (a la kender taunting foes into attacking at a penalty) I'd say you could try rolling Psychic Implant -- but you might want to sling some nastier insults than "Ooga Booga."]
Sure- Creature will throw down with the wookie zombie
Quote from: ttagxamm;262924[Roleplaying this out is fine. If you're hoping for some mechanical effect (a la kender taunting foes into attacking at a penalty) I'd say you could try rolling Psychic Implant -- but you might want to sling some nastier insults than "Ooga Booga."]
Sorry, too subtle? I was implying that he didn't speak, just made noises. I.e., he's not a "real person" and therefore not worth fighting.
Yeah, that probably was too subtle, for a wookie.
Zarko runs his fingers through his lush pompadour. "Get a comb, ya shaggy loser."
"No wonder ya got hairballs."
[Sir, wookies everywhere take grave offense at your assumptions. Why this very wooky is a renowned slam poet, and won an honorable mention from the New Anthology of Kashyyk Poetry for his chapbook RRRRRRRRRrrggghhhrrra'k. ;)]
Quote from: wulfgar;262929Sure- Creature will throw down with the wookie zombie
[Rock on, blood. Roll dem bones, show 'em what you got.]
"Buying."
[Max -- you're kind of running two games now and it's all my fault. How do we get the band back together?]
[It's really not a thing, Doc! PbP works very well for divided parties -- I can attend to each group based on the speed of your posts without forcing anyone to sit around. Remember, Fable/Hobson never really wanted to fight in the Brawl anyway, so don't feel bad.
[That said, if either side feels things are sputtering or stalled, let me know. I'm having a blast with this -- and I want all of you to be having a blast (having blasts?) too!]
Quote from: Coffee;262922Yeah, and the other one wants to fight me! I don't want to fight something that big. I'm just a scrawny little guy.
But hey, I will go ahead and taunt him. I'm totally cool with that; it's what us little guys do. (I can run faster scared than he can mad...)
"Oooga Booga!" Zarko bellows at the Wookie. He walks up next to the circle and starts to go around it, but doesn't step inside. All the while, he makes any rude gestures he can think of (flipping him off, etc.), trying to get the wook's goat and make him lose his cool....Zarko runs his fingers through his lush pompadour. "Get a comb, ya shaggy loser."
"No wonder ya got hairballs."
Zarko is joined by the young wrestler "Sugar" Ray Rocketblaster, who has a few choice words of his own for the wooky. "Come on outta ya circle tall dark an' hairy! I'll make a wig outta ya! Ya sideways poodle..."
The wook bares his teeth and growls derisively. He mimics each of your gestures in as mincing a way as possible for a 6'6" wooky. Suddenly his eyes go blank. As if possessed by a Warlock Mime he pantomimes a breathtakingly filthy scene involving Zarko, Rocketblaster, their parents and a pack of stray dogs. The crowd of fighters watching gasps.
Rocketblaster clenches his fists, his neck muscles, his teeth, heck even his
eyes clench. Just barely, he manages to control himself. Zarko feels his hackles rise, and struggles against a rush of pure gorilla rage.
[You got
served, dogg. Wooky got reeeal lucky with his Psychic Implant roll.]
[You need to roll Psi-Resist. If you fail you'll take a 10% penalty to *all* percentile rolls for the duration of the Brawl,
unless you take a swing at the wooky who just humiliated you in front of your crew.]
Quote from: ttagxamm;262522The ratling regards Quazarn through rosy pink eyes. Her thick Slavic accent tells you her forebears must have migrated to Vanth via a Roosky colony ship.
"That thing you mentioned. Buying or selling?"
Quote from: Dr Rotwang!;262953"Buying."
"I maybe have what you are looking for. Expensive goods, no?"
Glancing at Hobson she chitters impatiently, "
Sit down, malenky. Pony (http://soomka.com/nadsat.html)?"
Quote from: ttagxamm;263053[You got served, dogg. Wooky got reeeal lucky with his Psychic Implant roll.]
[You need to roll Psi-Resist. If you fail you'll take a 10% penalty to *all* percentile rolls for the duration of the Brawl, unless you take a swing at the wooky who just humiliated you in front of your crew.]
Okay, that's no problem. My Psi-Resist is a healthy 58 and I rolled...99.
Okay, so I'm on him like -- well, like stink on a wookee.
Initiative: 5
Melee Attack: Need 55, rolled 19 -- hit!
Damage: 1
Saving Throw: Need 37, rolled -- Another bloody 99! My dice hate me today!
But hey, why should today be any different.
Ball's in your court, hairbag.
Quote from: ttagxamm;263063"I maybe have what you are looking for. Expensive goods, no?"
"Well," replies Quazarn flatly, but not impolitely, "I'm simply interested in a regular Ontobian sombreroid -- no fancy haberdashery, merely the traiditional transfelt and blam-wicker...show us what you have, for I am in the market." He flashes a big, friendly smile. Everybody likes Quazarn!
(I got no problems with the split game...it's a blast anyway you slice it, thanks to some great players and an visionary JM. I would like us to float back together at some point too, but I'm sure we'll work it out).
Buck is feeling a little bit better (I only have 4 HPS left, so i'm not how sure how "in the fight" Buck still is). He motions to the zombie critter, "Take it easy on the poor slob Creech...just tear off ONE of his arms."....Buck is keeping a close eye on Zarko too, in case anyone else tries to jump in there and outnumber him and our NPC. If that happens Buck is in there like lightening. Well, as close to lightening as a beat-up space pilot can muster!
[phew, sure am glad to know what the heck an Ontobian sombreroid
is!]
[I may not have time to post any full updates till this evening -- it's likely to be quite a busy day for this particular widget salesman. Few things:
- Wulf: need Creature's initiative, melee & save when possible.
- Coffee: in the cold light of morning I feel the choice I gave you last night was too harsh -- if you want to forgo clobbering the wooky your skill penalty will only be 5%. Feel free to edit your post above if you wish.
- Fable: cool random monster generator, dude. You wanna quit monkeying with it and tell me what's up with Hobson?
- Rondo & Doc: carry on, lads.]
Quote from: ttagxamm;263212- Fable: cool random monster generator, dude. You wanna quit monkeying with it and tell me what's up with Hobson?
I'm keeping a regular eye on things, but I have no strong opinions on the sombrero industry.
Quote from: ttagxamm;263212- Coffee: in the cold light of morning I feel the choice I gave you last night was too harsh -- if you want to forgo clobbering the wooky your skill penalty will only be 5%. Feel free to edit your post above if you wish.
Nah, my post stands. I needed motivation, and pride is always a big motivator.
My post stands, although I'm hoping I can get some help going on, because I'm better at sneak attack then I am at melee attack. If someone could distract the oversized drain-clog, I'd be happier.
Assuming, that is, that I survive what's about to happen!
I ain't taking no penalty, because I AM clobbering the mook! (well, as best I can...)
(Buck can do some distractin'!....give me a wink, goriller-man when your ready, and I'll do some serious distracting!)
[Buck is well enough to act -- and a distraction is a possibility. Just roll initiative per normal and tell me what you're planning.]
Rolled: 5 +2=7 total
"Hey! You!!", Buck yells towards the opposing Wook, "Could you do us a favor?", he pinches off his nose and points, "MOVE DOWN WIND! YOU SMELL LIKE A DINO ISLAND PORTA-POTTY!!". With this Buck literally throws his stick towards the Wookies head as hard as he can chunk it..
Att: 5! (Sweeeet)
Dam: 1 rolled, +2=3
Save: 90% (back to the shitty save rolls! Oh well, maybe I don't need it...i'm just trying to get this chumps attention anyway)
Quote from: Coffee;263108My dice hate me today!
[That's ok,
mine seem to like you...]
Quote from: Coffee;263108Okay, so I'm on him like -- well, like stink on a wookee.
Quote from: Rondo;263323"Hey! You!!", Buck yells towards the opposing Wook, "Could you do us a favor?", he pinches off his nose and points, "MOVE DOWN WIND! YOU SMELL LIKE A DINO ISLAND PORTA-POTTY!!". With this Buck literally throws his stick towards the Wookies head as hard as he can chunk it...
Zarko charges! The arena walls have twisted into a tunnel of rage with Zarko on one end and the wooky crouching in a blood-red spotlight at the other. He hardly hears Buck hollering over the sound of his judding heartbeat.
The wooky is ready for Zarko's charge and leaps high, smashing downward with doubled fists...and misses the ape completely. At that instant Buck hurls his club. His aim is deadly, but the luck is with the wooky. The club rockets straight at his temple, but the wooky stumbles when its attack misses Zarko, and the club merely grazes his shaggy dome.
Even in a primal rage, Zarko still has his cunning. In the split second that his foe is distracted the ape jabs a finger in his eye. It doesn't do much damage, but it must hurt like hell, 'cause the wooky yowls and clutches its eye.
[Wacky round! Buck's Critical Hit got canceled by a Critical Save, but then the wooky Fumbled his Save against Zarko's attack.
[Zarko's head is clear again, so he can fight on or not as he sees fit. If you keep fighting don't worry about re-rolling initiative.]
Okay, press the attack -- maybe I'm on a roll!
Attack: Need 55, got 60, (so no damage)
Saving Throw: Need 37, got 16, so less than half!
Quote from: Dr Rotwang!;263204"Well," replies Quazarn flatly, but not impolitely, "I'm simply interested in a regular Ontobian sombreroid -- no fancy haberdashery, merely the traditional transfelt and blam-wicker...show us what you have, for I am in the market." He flashes a big, friendly smile. Everybody likes Quazarn!
"Vat can I say, droog? Ever since Ontobian Sanz Chapeau Rebellion prices go up and up. And there is price on
your gulliver too. Adds up, da?" Her eyes twinkle with sinister mirth.
Quote from: ttagxamm;263573"Vat can I say, droog? Ever since Ontobian Sanz Chapeau Rebellion prices go up and up. And there is price on your gulliver too. Adds up, da?" Her eyes twinkle with sinister mirth.
"Oh I get it...this is a shakedown. Well it won't work, see? Because...well, because we don't have any money. But, we do happen to know the location of an enormous pile of cheese."
Quote from: Coffee;263471Okay, press the attack -- maybe I'm on a roll!
Attack: Need 55, got 60, (so no damage)
Saving Throw: Need 37, got 16, so less than half!
Zarko throws a quick jab but the wooky steps out of reach. Still holding his eye he throws a wild right cross, but Zarko ducks and it whooshes over his head.
[If Wulf doesn't chime in in the morning can someone run Creature tomorrow? He said he wants to tangle with the wook-zombie, but I need melee, damage and save rolls from him.]
Quote from: Age of Fable;263583"Oh I get it...this is a shakedown. Well it won't work, see? Because...well, because we don't have any money. But, we do happen to know the location of an enormous pile of cheese."
Twitching her whiskers the ratling smirks. With deliberate movements she reaches into her leather jacket, unsheathes a wicked stiletto, and sets it gently on the table.
"I am vegetarian, malenky."
"An enormous pile...of soy cheese."
"Also, you probably mean vegan."
"Sha, child! Shut your chumble, em and pee are talking," she says dismissively, turning to Quazarn. Her hand rests lightly now on the handle of the knife. The sharp nails on her fingers are painted the pink to match her eyes.
Zarko still has his rage, but is in the fight now, so he's going to try to maneuver into a better position. (Not easy in a circle, I know...)
Where is the mop handle (or whatever) that Buck threw? It could be around here somewhere. If I can see it, and grab it and use it as a weapon, groovy. If not, fine.
Attack roll (55): 96
Damage (d3+0): --
Saving Throw (37): 10
Zarko keeps moving, jabbing and stepping to the side. He takes a chance with a looping overhand, aiming for the wooky's injured eye, but as he throws the punch he slips on Buck's club. He twists an ankle and stumbles to one knee but is nimble enough to roll out of the way of a head kick from the wooky. The club is almost close enough to grab...
[You can grab the club and either attack or make a saving throw in the next round, but not both. Note that a club does only 1d4 damage.
[The twisted ankle is from the Critical Fumble on your attack roll. Take 1 hp damage, reduce your move by 1]
Buck is wide eyed taking in his comrades situation...if Zarko takes a solid punch Buck is ready to go in....(I can run Creature today too, if need be....I'm qualified: I have a Frankenstein image tattooed on my forearm!):)
Buck makes an attempt to distract the wookie, "Hey you fat sack of crap!"...it dawns on him: "I can't speak wookie!...geeesh", so then he attempts to make the weirdest, loudest, bellowing growl he can, "GRrroooowrreeeeeeeeeee!!!!", just to see if the furball will turn his head and think, "wha!?"
(should I roll to see if by some weird chance maybe Buck uttered some butchered Engrish (Wookrish)? )
Quote from: Rondo;263887(should I roll to see if by some weird chance maybe Buck uttered some butchered Engrish (Wookrish)? )
[Heh, Wookrish. Let's call that a Happenstance roll.]
WEEEEE! (I SWEAR...i can't believe it...I have a lousy "18"...i rolled a "15"!..)
Quote from: Rondo;263887Buck makes an attempt to distract the wookie, "Hey you fat sack of crap!"...it dawns on him: "I can't speak wookie!...geeesh", so then he attempts to make the weirdest, loudest, bellowing growl he can, "GRrroooowrreeeeeeeeeee!!!!", just to see if the furball will turn his head and think, "wha!?"
Sure enough, Buck's growl* catches the wooky off Guard. He does a double take, furrows his brow, and growls back angrily, "NNNgrrN?!"
*"Sister bubblegum mating dance two-for-one"
[Coffee: 10% bonus to your actions this round. If you choose to grab the club you'll still need to choose between attack and defense (i.e. saving throw)]
Not really sure what's going on (sorry guys, work has picked up quite a bit, and I've foolishly been spending my time on the site arguing over in the off topic forum)
Initiative:2
Attack: 59% hit
Damage: 10
Sneak attack on him when he's distracted!
Need (62 + 10) = 72, rolled 15!
Damage is 3!
I'm on a roll -- now, my question is this: Since I succeeded on a sneak attack, can I try a Murder roll to kill him? (I know it's not a fight to the death, but c'mon -- I'm a criminal! I'm just over-enthusiastic, that's all!)
If so, I roll my 15% (or would that get the +10% also?) and I get .. 32. Yeah, never mind.
Quote from: wulfgar;263930Not really sure what's going on (sorry guys, work has picked up quite a bit, and I've foolishly been spending my time on the site arguing over in the off topic forum)
Initiative:2
Attack: 59% hit
Damage: 10
[Politics is the last thing I want to talk about with my fellow gamers, man ;)]
[Just need a saving throw roll for Creature. I'll be back in 20-30 minutes to update. Day off (mostly), woo hoo!]
Saving throw 55% fail
How's my hit points, JM? Am I still sitting at 4? I'm assuming so, since Bucks fight went down a mere few minutes ago eh?
Quote from: Coffee;263932Sneak attack on him when he's distracted!
Need (62 + 10) = 72, rolled 15!
Damage is 3!*
When the wooky turns away Zarko judo chops him in the throat. The furball sinks to his knees, gasping, and it's lights out for another wook.
Quote from: wulfgar;262929Creature will throw down with the wookie zombie.
Initiative:2
Attack: 59% hit
Damage: 10
Saving throw 55% fail
Not one to be shown up by his mates, Creature finally snaps out of his reverie and charges the wook-zombie! The half-dead thing is ready, and smacks him upside the head with a flailing claw. The furious frankenstein keeps charging though, battering through the wombie's guard and smashing his nose with a vicious head butt. Grave dirt and black blood smear Creature's forehead...
...but the wombie is still fighting. He grabs at Creature's neck, trying to drag him into a clinch, but a spark of necrolectricity from the frankenstein's neck bolts zaps him and he backs away.
[Take 5 HP damage, Creech. Lucky you though: the wombie tried to catch you in a grapple and Fumbled his feat roll. Free attack for you!
[The sparking neck bolt is just color commentary. Don't get any fresh ideas ;)]
Quote from: Coffee;263932I'm on a roll -- now, my question is this: Since I succeeded on a sneak attack, can I try a Murder roll to kill him? (I know it's not a fight to the death, but c'mon -- I'm a criminal! I'm just over-enthusiastic, that's all!)
[*Sneak Attack damage is +5, actually, for a total of 8! I'd say Murder works just as you suggest: an optional separate roll any time you succeed at a Sneak Attack. Truly lethal attacks require a weapon, but in the context of the Brawl a Murder success equals a knockout.
[A foe you've already engaged in melee gets to roll Guard vs a Sneak Attack -- in this case Rondo took care of that with his distraction.]
Quote from: Rondo;263952How's my hit points, JM? Am I still sitting at 4? I'm assuming so, since Bucks fight went down a mere few minutes ago eh?
[Seconds ago, actually. It's just time dilation makes it seem longer.
[PbP, the natural high. Did you ever look at yr dice man? I mean really
looook at them?]
Yea, what i figured...I'm pretty sore still...nice job workin' over the offending Wook, there Zarko...!...CHOP TO THE THROAT!
"Well, he shouldn't have said that. Gestured that. Oh, you know what I mean!"
Zarko stands up, collecting Buck's club and handing it to him.
"Thanks for the distraction. Here's your stick."
"Thanks bud...nice moves!", Buck flips the stick over in his hand. Now how's things looking around us?
Buck and Zarko watch Creature struggle with the wombie (whose name, Frochanbo, is spelled out in beads on his bandolier). The rest of your crew, and a few spectators, crowd around to watch. Goblin medics shove through with stretchers to cart away the two cold-cocked wookies. The third wooky shrugs off a medic trying to coax him into a wheelchair, waiting to see how Fro' fairs against the Creech.
Is anybody else looking on, say from other mobs? Zarko keeps an eye out for looky-lous from other gangs. In particular, I want to know if they're impressed we took out the wooks, or how scared they might seem of us. That sort of thing.
Buck stands with Zarko, arms crossed checking out the Creature. Same protocol: Should Creech get in trouble, Zarko and I are gonna jump in there and stomp the wookies ass in the dirt if we can, otherwise we're just checking it out.
(This is like a Texas saturday night "front yard" fight! Stinky, growling wookies and all!):)
Quote from: ttagxamm;263833"Sha, child! Shut your chumble, em and pee are talking," she says dismissively, turning to Quazarn.
"No you're not, you're just sitting there."
Hobson speaks after an awkward pause.
Quote from: Age of Fable;264356"No you're not, you're just sitting there."
The rat-girl sighs and rolls her eyes. Leaning across the table she snaps her fingers in front of Quazarn's face. "Bog-damn bezoomy shoot," she mutters to herself.
She pockets her knife and turns to the hobling. "This pointy head eggiweg is terrible warlock? Who would fear this sneetnik, always day dreaming? How can I bargain with a stone?"
Quote from: ttagxamm;264365Hobson speaks after an awkward pause.
The rat-girl sighs and rolls her eyes. Leaning across the table she snaps her fingers in front of Quazarn's face. "Bog-damn bezoomy shoot," she mutters to herself.
She pockets her knife and turns to the hobling. "This pointy head eggiweg is terrible warlock? Who would fear this sneetnik, always day dreaming? How can I bargain with a stone?"
"Don't ask me - last time I tried to talk to you I didn't even get a roll."
"Roll? Now you vant bread. Always you are talking about food, malenky."
[If you want to roll against a skill, go for it -- let me know what you want to do and throw the dice. Can't promise you it'll get you anywhere, but don't let that stop you trying.]
[Sorry, I got distracted.]
"Ratling friend, do you have the sombreroid to sell? And what price is there upon our heads, pray tell?"
"Ah, horrowshow! Govoreet golly, now ve talk business," smiles the ratling, showing two or three gold teeth and a pierced tongue. Eying Quazarn's silken cravvy and fine clothes, she continues, "Traders and lovers both: I like them rich and desperate....
"So. I can get sombreroid. And price on your head is not yet set -- but for you is cheaper to pay not to see Bibgy, I think. Da? You pony?"
Quote from: ttagxamm;264889"So. I can get sombreroid. And price on your head is not yet set -- but for you is cheaper to pay not to see Bibgy, I think. Da? You pony?"
Quazarn grins. He reaches into his bag and extracts this magically-shrunken beast of burden.
"It's a burro, actually," he says. "Hardier than a pony for sure."
(The mini-burro kicks ass! pardon the pun):)
[Mule have to excuse me for not braying with laughter.]
Quote from: Dr Rotwang!;264910Quazarn grins. He reaches into his bag and extracts this magically-shrunken beast of burden.
"It's a burro, actually," he says. "Hardier than a pony for sure."
Her nose twitching, the ratling squeals with unabashed delight. "It's a real live little ossyel!"
Checking her glee she says more sternly, "What else for the hat and your safety?"
Quote from: Coffee;264078Is anybody else looking on, say from other mobs? Zarko keeps an eye out for looky-lous from other gangs. In particular, I want to know if they're impressed we took out the wooks, or how scared they might seem of us. That sort of thing.
From a distance, in the poorly lit arena, it's hard too tell. The clumps of people gathered seem to cheer for Creature and Fronchanbo alike, though Creature's headbutt was definitely a crowd pleaser.
[Wulf, here's the situation: you're still fighting that wook-zombie, and it's your move. Need your hit and damage roll if you want to take a shot.
[If Wulfgar can't chime in before, say, 5 PM EST could Coffee or Rondo roll for Creech? Only home for an hour or so after work and I'd like to update then.]
I'm here, and can fill in if everyone wants me to. :)
Quote from: Rondo;264985I'm here, and can fill in if everyone wants me to. :)
Go ahead, if Wulf can't make it. I know
I'd trust my character with your rolls.
Cool.
Initiative: 5 (not sure if he has some bonuses)
Attack: 65 (ditto as above)
Damage:? Let me know what you need me to roll for our Frankenstein
(btw: not sure if you can check the dice record on the roller I'm using, but be sure and let me know if you want me to try to link you to that...I HAVE been rolling lucky, but honest, I swear! ha):)
[Just roll d6, I'll add the STR bonus.]
[Seeing as I don't post my rolls for NPCs at all, I'm not too worried about it. I am satisfied with the honor system. If anybody ever wants to make things more "official," let me know. ]
"1"....what was the braggin i was doing about rolling earlier...groan...
Quote from: Rondo;265047"1"....what was the braggin i was doing about rolling earlier...groan...
It was tempting fate, that's what it was! A gamer of your experience should really know better...
[Ahh, gamers, and their strange ideas about probability ;)]
Quote from: ttagxamm;263964...but the wombie is still fighting. He grabs at Creature's neck, trying to drag him into a clinch, but a spark of necrolectricity from the frankenstein's neck bolts zaps him and he backs away.
Sparks still arcing from his neck bolts Creature backhands the wombie. With a groan Frochanbo sinks to his knees and slumps to the ground.
The last of the wookies growls angrily and climbs into the waiting wheelchair. Your crew and the other fighters crowd in, cheering and yelling. Someone rolls a keg into the middle of one of the circles.
(yea, ha...no kiddin', rookie mistake! Dice always getcha in the end...)....
Buck wonders to himself, amongst the revelry, "Is this thing over with, finally?", and he starts to grin at Zarko, wiping some dried blood off his nose and lip.
[If Buck thinks about for a minute he'll realize there's a whole day left -- you can leave any time you like though]
Quote from: Rondo;265231(yea, ha...no kiddin', rookie mistake! Dice always getcha in the end...)....
Buck wonders to himself, amongst the revelry, "Is this thing over with, finally?", and he starts to grin at Zarko, wiping some dried blood off his nose and lip.
"For today, maybe," Zarko says with a smirk. "Meanwhile, do you know any kind of first aid that would help our Fearless Leader over here?" He points a thumb toward Creature, who quite frankly has looked better. I mean like
this morning he looked better.
"I'll set up watches for the night."
"Hmm...see what I can do...", Buck approaches Creech..."Easy buddy...let me see here", trying to administer what he can with water and cloth.
"I'll get the next watch", he nods to Zarko.
Quote from: ttagxamm;265091Your crew and the other fighters crowd in, cheering and yelling. Someone rolls a keg into the middle of one of the circles.
Quote from: Rondo;265231Buck wonders to himself, amongst the revelry, "Is this thing over with, finally?", and he starts to grin at Zarko, wiping some dried blood off his nose and lip.
Quote from: Coffee;265271"For today, maybe," Zarko says with a smirk. "Meanwhile, do you know any kind of first aid that would help our Fearless Leader over here?" He points a thumb toward Creature, who quite frankly has looked better. I mean like this morning he looked better.
"I'll set up watches for the night."
Quote from: Rondo;265357"Hmm...see what I can do...", Buck approaches Creech..."Easy buddy...let me see here", trying to administer what he can with water and cloth.
"I'll get the next watch", he nods to Zarko.
You and your fighters relax again after the wookies are defeated. The Tenmen play till midnight, ending with a 20 minute version of something called "Surfin Bird (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a98umoWh7VU)." Pinching his mouth disapprovingly, Philimon laments the damaging influence of Terran religious music on Vanthian popular culture. He seems poised to launch into a lengthy diatribe when Abdul Nomascus silences him with a raised eyebrow.
As the show wears on the crowd begin to get frisky. Moods darken and fights break out in the crush of bodies near the stage. No doubt the kegs of dwarf grog and ale contribute to the delinquency of the brawlers. Thanks to your watches no one bugs you.
However, a few of your crew find trouble of their own. Wiggy Plop and a few others sneak off to watch the Tenmen up close, and not all of them make it back. One of the klengon deserters loses a headbutting contest with a rock gnome. The motor-mouthed Sugar Ray Rocketblaster yaps to the wrong chap and ends up eating his words, with a fistful of knuckles for an appetizer.
The keg someone rolled in after your battle goes unnoticed by Zarko and Buck, but not by Muruzabal and the hobling Harmon Brewster. Hiding it under a makeshift tarp they stage an impromptu drinking contest. The mad amazon passes out during an ill-advised keg stand and is rolled off in the tarp by fast-moving goblin medics.
Happily, you draw new fighters to your ranks, and by morning your crew is 16 strong, not counting Creature, Buck and Zarko.
[Anyone who took damage heals 1-4 HP]
[Sorry to blow off last night guys. Hella busy day at work yesterday; needed to chill last night. Prolly won't post muchly till evening -- feel free to chat amongst yourselves, talk to your crew, etc.]
Quote from: ttagxamm;264976Her nose twitching, the ratling squeals with unabashed delight over Quazarn's miniaturized beast of burden. "It's a real live little ossyel!"
Checking her glee she says more sternly, "What else for the hat and your safety?"
After another awkward silence sterness turns to peevish boredom. The rat girl drums her fingers on the table, nails clicking on the wood. Eventually she stands up.
"If you vecks get tired of sodding around ask for Ika Norvegova. Maybe we still do business," she sneers, "Maybe you gloops snuff it first."
Buck and Zarko are keeping their eyes peeled for any action that might be heading their way, "Wonder if I should just start something", Buck says looking for another fight to get him towards the end of this thing. "How's Creature holding up?", he asks Zarko...he also surveys some of our new crowd, taking stock of what sort of gang is on hand in case things heat up soon.
"Creature...ok...been..better..though"
(I haven't read every post, did we ever hear anything about Darryl? I should be back on track for checking in at least once a day on weekdays.)
(we've discovered literally NIL on the Daryl situation...I'm pretty concerned about that as well).
"Maybe we should, as I believe the young people say, split the scene?" I ask Quazarn.
Quote from: Rondo;265674(we've discovered literally NIL on the Daryl situation...I'm pretty concerned about that as well).
On the other hand, we really don't have any reason to believe Daryl is in any trouble.
He wanted to fight, he fought. Then he got knocked out. Then they hauled him away, like they do with everyone.
My guess is, he's sitting up there with Mama, watching us and cringing every time we do something he disagrees with.
You may be right, Coffee, at least by all logical "game appearances".
Around dawn the goons are back. Under the whips of a team of drovers, they haul out a cart filled with tarnished robo-perc units, and roll empty kegs down the ramp. Bleary, bruised and grumpy fighter line up for coffee. No rolls are served.
[Dudes, sorry. Totally fell asleep on the couch after watching Wild Zero (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wild_Zero) on the dvd last night.]
Quote from: Age of Fable;265688"Maybe we should, as I believe the young people say, split the scene?" I ask Quazarn.
The Remulaki grunts through a morbid psychometric fog, "Where oh where will my little donkey go?" With a shudder he carefully stows the mini-mule and stands, ready to follow Hobson.
Quote from: ttagxamm;265924The Remulaki grunts through a morbid psychometric fog, "Where oh where will my little donkey go?" With a shudder he carefully stows the mini-mule and stands, ready to follow Hobson.
We leave.
I'll change back into police officer clothes, and hold Quazarn's arm in an 'arresting you' style, in case the robot is still out the front.
Quote from: Age of Fable;266088We leave.
I'll change back into police officer clothes, and hold Quazarn's arm in an 'arresting you' style, in case the robot is still out the front.
[The camera-droid, you mean? She's back at the ramp leading into the arena]
Hobson marches Quazarn out of the beer garden. The natterg of the baobabbler fades into the noise of the crowd. The hobling doesn't spot any Brawl uniforms yet, and no sign of Chief Tallbard either.
[Where to? The scene (http://www.therpgsite.com/showpost.php?p=261466&postcount=741) is something like a carnival midway, with concessions and souvenir as well as betting and viewing tents. The vendors' tents abut a low, sprawling manse; behind the house rise up the walls of the arena. The front lawn of the manse is an impromptu parking lot.]
Away! I look for an exit where we can leave without attracting attention.
About how many contestants are left in the brawl?
Quote from: Age of Fable;266116Away! I look for an exit where we can leave without attracting attention.
Pausing at a statue of a Vulkin scholar of old, Hobson hops onto the pedestal and susses his options. There's a fair amount of foot traffic to and from the parking lot. Beyond the beer garden stretches an overgrown hedge marking the boundary of the manse, continuing on beyond the manse and forming a sort of alley with the palisade like wall of the arena. Other than a few stoners swinging a censer amongst themselves there are hardly any people that way.
The guards in the towers on the arena are mostly faced inwards, watching the Brawl.
Are there any taxis or public transport?
Quote from: wulfgar;266122About how many contestants are left in the brawl?
[Maybe a hundred? Most of them look to be tough hombres. Yours is probably the largest crew -- but judging by appearances not necessarily the baddest.]
Quote from: Age of Fable;266126Are there any taxis or public transport?
[Nope, but how Green of you to ask ;).
[You were asleep during the trip here, so you're not certain
exactly where you are, but if you had to guess you'd say it was the Elvesbeard Heights, a formerly well-heeled neighborhood mostly abandoned and run-down since the galactic nav-beam failed and Vanth got cut off from the spaceways. Northern suburb of God City.]
Quote from: ttagxamm;265919Around dawn the goons are back. Under the whips of a team of drovers, they haul out a cart filled with tarnished robo-perc units, and roll empty kegs down the ramp. Bleary, bruised and grumpy fighters line up for coffee. No rolls are served.
Quote from: Rondo;265600Buck and Zarko are keeping their eyes peeled for any action that might be heading their way, "Wonder if I should just start something", Buck says looking for another fight to get him towards the end of this thing. "How's Creature holding up?", he asks Zarko...he also surveys some of our new crowd, taking stock of what sort of gang is on hand in case things heat up soon.
Buck checks out the new recruits, and finds them mostly a sorry lot. There's a pair of human twin brothers barely old enough to shave, a planetary ape with the mange and a red-faced, overweight vulkin, and Buck can't figure how
any of 'em made it through Day 1.
A bit more promising is a sneering ratling with a nasty grin and a strapping lizard man, both of whom are a bit banged up but eager for action. Rounding out the new meat are a lanky wooky in a coonskin cap and dusky-skinned human with a sly grin.
[You can give these guys names if you want to. More later, as time allows.]
Quote from: ttagxamm;265590[Anyone who took damage heals 1-4 HP]
[No need to make a separate post for it, but let me know how many HP you've healed next time you post.]
I think I only took one point, so I'll say that I rolled a 1. (If my ability to scan back through messages is impaired, and I actually took more than one point, please let me know...)
Quote from: age of fable;265688"maybe we should, as i believe the young people say, split the scene?" i ask quazarn.
"totally."
Unbidden, Bob the Fighter and One Eye Malone make a coffee run for the crew. The 'run' part turns out to be literal, as the two of them jog back to camp as quickly as they can laden down with 10 coffees each.
"Trouble coming!" calls out Bob, motioning over his head with a jerk of his head. "Three-mother!^$#@ing-headed pissed off $h#t-damned giant," adds Malone.
Well, technically a giant. At first you don't see him at all. Then you realize that this particular giant is only seven feet tall. It's three-headed for sure, though, and it definitely looks P-Oed. It stomps deliberately across the arena, sweeping aside anyone foolish enough not to clear aside.
At the same time there's an alarm from the rear! A trio of elves in graduation gowns and mortar boards struts up to your perimeter. "Doctor Dropkick! Professor Pain! The Head-Masher!" Each in turn strips down to a speedo and wrestling boots. "Ass-kicking class is now in session!"
"Quazarn, can you cast some kind of don't-look-at-us spell?"
Buck, at first, starts grinning at the 3 headed micro-giant heading towards him, that should grow in perspective, but instead shrinks as he moves towards the party. Then he hears the eleves in mortar boards, spins and takes in their proclamation of "ass kicking being in session", and bursts out laughing. Buck is gonna attempt to grab and lift one of the PhD. elves over his head in order to chuck him at the giant when the giant is ontop of us.
(I rolled a "4" on my hit point restore a second ago)
Attack: 46%
Damage: not sure what to roll, if any
Save: 22% (missed by a point, I think)
Quote from: Rondo;267198Buck is gonna attempt to grab and lift one of the PhD. elves over his head in order to chuck him at the giant when the giant is ontop of us.
[Awe-some, dude. This is a grapple, so we'll count that 46% as a Feat roll. The elf gets to oppose with his own Feat roll.
[In order to pick him and throw him you'll need to succeed with a Great Feat. In order to pick him and throw him *at the giant* you'll need to succeed at, hmmm,
two Great Feats. The giant and the elves are a ways away from each other, so you'll have to carry the elf for awhile to get within elf-chucking range.
[For more on grappling, see this post (http://www.therpgsite.com/showpost.php?p=240388&postcount=56).]
Quote from: Age of Fable;266557"Quazarn, can you cast some kind of don't-look-at-us spell?"
[Since the good Doc has been doing an impressive invisibility act of his own :), I'll field this. As a warlock Quaz can make himself invisible using his Invisibility percentile chances. Since he's not currently the center of attention he can do this at ability cost. He would need to use a spell to make others invisible.
[Hobson can use Invisible to blend in with the crowd and be generally inconspicuous. Sneak might also be useful, depending on what you hope to do.]
OK - I ask him to render himself invisible.
If it works, I'll just walk out of here, being as inconspicuous as possible.
Zarko takes a coffee and pops the lid off of the to-go cup. He sips it idly as he walks over and studies the elves.
He smirks, as if these guys won't be too tough to beat at all.
Then he throws the coffee in the face of one of them (I'm leaning toward the Head Masher here, but I don't know which one Buck grabbed), upon whom he then launches a Sneak Attack.
Initiative (+4): 14
Sneak Attack (62): 08 (!)
Damage (+0): 1
Saving Throw (37): 95 (I'm so screwed...)
Creature chugs a couple coffees and waits to see if the elves and the giant come to hurt us or help us.
Oh, they seem hostile.
Attack: 34% HIt
damage: 10
Save: 21% make
Creature throat punches the giant.
Buck picks the Elf up like a ragdoll, I think...i rolled an 8% for the first Great Feat! As I walk to chuck him, I roll a 71 % for the second Great Feat, which I'm hoping means he gets chucked elbows over ass, but I think I missed the "giant".
Quote from: Age of Fable;266557"Quazarn, can you cast some kind of don't-look-at-us spell?"
Quote from: Age of Fable;267274OK - I ask him to render himself invisible.
If it works, I'll just walk out of here, being as inconspicuous as possible.
The warlock disappears! Erm, completely. Not only is he invisible, but completely silent, odorless and possibly incorporeal as well: Hobson touches nothing when he reaches a hand into the space where Quazarn stood an instant ago.
With a shrug, the hobling sets off, trusting the moody warlock to keep up with him.
[I made the Invisibility roll myself rather than make you wait, Fable. You out there Doc?
[Now, where exactly are you headed?]
Quote from: Coffee;267277Zarko takes a coffee and pops the lid off of the to-go cup. He sips it idly as he walks over and studies the elves.
He smirks, as if these guys won't be too tough to beat at all.
Then he throws the coffee in the face of [the Head Masher] upon whom he then launches a Sneak Attack.
Initiative (+4): 14
Sneak Attack (62): 08 (!)
Damage (+0): 1
Saving Throw (37): 95
Zarko's got a cunning plan, but Head Masher knows a thing or two about dirty tricks. He blocks the coffee cup with one hand, shrieking as the scalding coffee burns his arm, and brushes aside the ape's sucker punch. The elf clinches with Zarko, and grinds his knuckles brutally against the ape's temple. He's able to squirm loose of the elf wrestler, but he can barely see straight.
[10 HP damage. When you get a noogie from The Head Masher, you
feel it.
[As before, when you Sneak Attack a wary opponent they get a chance to Guard, and H.M. made his roll. But I gave you a Happenstance chances that the coffee was hot enough to be a missile weapon, so you still ended up hurting him.]
Quote from: Rondo;267198Buck is gonna attempt to grab and lift one of the PhD. elves over his head in order to chuck him at the giant when the giant is on top of us.
Attack: 46%
Quote from: Rondo;267358Buck picks the Elf up like a ragdoll, I think...i rolled an 8% for the first Great Feat! As I walk to chuck him, I roll a 71 % for the second Great Feat, which I'm hoping means he gets chucked elbows over ass, but I think I missed the "giant".
Buck isn't quite as quick as Zarko. Before he can grab his man the elves set up for some fancy maneuvers of their own. Doctor Dropkick drops to all fours, and Professor Pain vaults onto his back. Leaping off in a move known to students of Elf Championship Wrasslin' as the Deconstructor, he plunges toward Buck in a pre-emergent paradox of postmodern punching power. Lucky for Buck, the professor's calculations are off and he sails right overhead, belly-flopping in the dust.
Buck grabs the fallen elf and tries to hoist him over his back in a fireman's carry. At first the elf rolls free, but Buck gets hold of him again and heaves him onto his shoulders. The elf thrashes wildly as Buck staggers toward the giant, peppering Buck with rabbit punches. Buck struggles and hurls the elf -- he's well short of the giant, but he slams down the elf with a satisfying thud.
[Take 5 HP from punches -- you can make a Saving Throw as normal. Roll your attack damage for tossing the elf on his head d3 and, what the heck, add +2 for missile damage (NOTE: your character sheet is incorrect. Buck's missile damage is +2 -- +1 from DEX, +1 Pioneer bonus. Could you edit your posted sheet (http://www.therpgsite.com/showpost.php?p=234156&postcount=38)?)].
Quote from: wulfgar;267322Oh, they seem hostile.
Attack: 34% HIt
damage: 10
Save: 21% make
Creature throat punches the giant.
Each of the giant's heads roars as it approaches, "Fee Fi..." "...Fo Fine..." "...I smell...I smell..." "It's 'the blood of a frankenstein,' you numbskell." "BLOOD!! I smell BLOOD!!"
'Stein and Giant charge each other and the two heavyweights trade mighty blows. Flexing his Adam's apple in a fearsome display of manliness, Creature punches the giant in the stomach
with his own throat. The giant grunts, his pot belly rippling with the blow, and counters with fists and feet. Creature catches a fist on his shield, and spins away from a kick. The giant swings down a second fist...
[Need an extra Saving Throw from you here, and then you can fill in what happens to Creature based on whether he takes full, half or no damage (saving against 2 hp damage, so it's not a crushing blow).
[Mini-Magog attacks 3/round, so go ahead and give me 3 Saves when you fight him.
[Did you ever roll for HP healed overnight, Wulf? You get back d4. And take 2 HP from the Giant's fist gonging off your shield, plus whatever his second punch deals.
[Will this make sense at all? One wonders.]
(Geez, sorry 'bout the sheet JM...I gotta go back and check that, but as you were: +2 it is...)
Save: 11% (made it.)
Damage on the elf: 3
Am I within range of the giant since he's ontop of Creech? Just curious.
Quote from: Rondo;267609Am I within range of the giant since he's ontop of Creech? Just curious.
[Sure, but the elf wrestler you tossed is between you and Mini-Magog.]
[I rolled initiative for Buck & Creech for that last round. Could you each roll when you take your actions for this next round? (Zarko's roll of 14 stays as it is)]
Sorry: what's our initiative die again? I apologize, JM, my brain has been hurting BAD from work...hadn't had a lot of time to focus on the fun stuff lately....
...d8?
[d10 + missile damage bonus]
Healed 3 Hit points.
Missed my saving throw with a 63%.
Creature takes a blow to the head that sprains one of his cranial feelers and makes him bite his own tounge.
"OW"
3 total on initiative on this end....
[I'll be able to update at lunch, so if you dudes get a chance let me know your next move, attack rolls, damage, etc.
[General Note: I've been letting you guys take center stage, with your posse mostly standing around, but in case it's not clear you can think of them as henchmen. Feel free to interact with 'em and give orders, etc.]
"Don't just stand there!" Zarko roars, backing away from the elf and pointing at him. "This is the audience participation part of the show, guys! Get him!"
(Zarko is badly hurt, but not out yet. I'm hoping my boys will take care of the creep. I'm going on full defensive this round, though.)
Save (37%): 48
Or, y'know, not.
I'll try to grab the nearest elf by the collar and nail him in the face as hard as I can.
Attack: 5% (ouch for him!)
Damage: 3 rolled
Save: 18% (made it again! I can't believe it)
I'll have a feel around to see if I can find Quazarn.
To allay suspicion from onlookers, I'll make it look like I'm doing interpretative dance.
Quote from: ttagxamm;267514The warlock disappears! Erm, completely. Not only is he invisible, but completely silent, odorless and possibly incorporeal as well: Hobson touches nothing when he reaches a hand into the space where Quazarn stood an instant ago.
With a shrug, the hobling sets off, trusting the moody warlock to keep up with him.
[I made the Invisibility roll myself rather than make you wait, Fable. You out there Doc?
[Now, where exactly are you headed?]
Quote from: Age of Fable;267867I'll have a feel around to see if I can find Quazarn.
To allay suspicion from onlookers, I'll make it look like I'm doing interpretative dance.
You draw a few curious stares. It isn't every day one sees a cop suddenly start dancing (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CS9OO0S5w2k). Still no sign of the warlock though.
I guess I'll just change into civilian clothes (once no one's looking at me), and walk out.
[Out could mean many things from here. The main choices obvious to Hobson are out toward the road, through the hedge to the property next door. You could also try sneaking around back. More detailed description of these options here (http://www.therpgsite.com/showpost.php?p=266124&postcount=854).]
Out towards the road.
Creature spews hot coffee in the face of the giant.
Attack: 32% HIT
Damage: ???? What does hot coffee in the face do? Hopefully scald his eyeballs!
Saving throws: 82,3,83 Made 1, missed the other 2.
[By spew d'you mean spitting coffee in his face? Cos if it's hot enough to scald his eyes it's hot enough to burn yo tongue...]
Yes, I mean summon the coffee within me that I just drank, up my esophogus and out my mouth. My thinking is that while it may be scalding to a giant's eyeballs, it might just be a nice warm drink to the digestive system of a Frankenstein.
Unpleasant Order: 34% Made
Feat: 79% Made lesser, missed Greater
Do those help?
ha!!!
Quote from: wulfgar;267939Creature spews hot coffee in the face of the giant.
Attack: 32% HIT
Damage: ???? What does hot coffee in the face do? Hopefully scald his eyeballs!
Saving throws: 82,3,83 Made 1, missed the other 2.
Quote from: wulfgar;267946I...summon the coffee within me that I just drank, up my esophogus and out my mouth. My thinking is that while it may be scalding to a giant's eyeballs, it might just be a nice warm drink to the digestive system of a Frankenstein.
Unpleasant Order: 34% Made
Feat: 79% Made lesser, missed Greater
Do those help?
[How can I argue?]
"I've killed five--" "No, it's
seven, you jackass." "How many times do we have to tell you? It's
seven men with a single blow." Mini-Magog seems surprised that Creature hasn't fallen before his giantly might. He throws three more distracted punches, and looks very peevish when not a one of them connects.
Peevish doesn't even begin to
describe the look on his face when Creature
barfs on him. He dodges away from the worst of it, but when the acidic brew spew begins sizzling away at the gold medallions on his chest all three heads scream in rage!
[Lessee, can't really give you a strength bonus here, so here ya go: roll d6 twice and take the higher for damage. Don't think you can make Bulimic Brawling a habit though, lest you suffer Deluxe Acid Reflux Deliquescence]
[Lunchbreak's over, so I'll get to Buck, Zarko & the gang this evening]
6 damage for the Java Vomit attack. (rolled a 2 and a 6)
(Take that you 3-stooges-headed-mofo!!)
Quote from: Rondo;267665I'll try to grab the nearest elf by the collar and nail him in the face as hard as I can.
When Buck reaches down to drag the elf to his feet, the crafty wrestler grabs his arms and boots Buck in the stomach. The elf tries to launch him with an airplane kick but Buck manages to pull his arms free. When Professor Pain scrambles to his feet Buck taps him with a jab.
[Buck takes 3 HP damage]
Quote from: Coffee;267664"Don't just stand there!" Zarko roars, backing away from the elf and pointing at him. "This is the audience participation part of the show, guys! Get him!"
Despite the burning pain of his head-mashing Zarko keeps his battle advantage. Stalwart Bob the Fighter moves to stand between Zarko and the Masher, and the ape retreats to safety.
The Head-Masher throws himself at Bob, eager to punish his insolence. They crash into each other, but neither fighter lands a telling blow. Meanwhile, Malone roars up to Doctor Dropkick like a freight train fueled by cuss words...and gets his foul mouth shut by a boot to the face. Malone is out like a f*&#ing light.
The grizzled orangutan Philimon steps over the cyclopean, moving in warily. He bobs and weaves from side to side, darts in with a low kick, but misses.
Quote from: Age of Fable;267924Out towards the road.
Hobson strolls through the parking lot with hasty nonchalance. He avoids a pack of trelves, nasty customers with lightning rod javelins and silvery dead eyes, astride bat-winged jet-bikes.
The street is a tree-lined boulevard grown unkempt. The statues and fountains in the median are broken, looted or overgrown with vines. There are other mansions along the boulevard, set well back from the street. Their lawns are unmowed, grass shoulder high and gone to seed.
I'm going to try and find an abandoned mansion where I can hide in the grass until Quazarn finds me, or until the Rumble ends and I can find the others.
I'm gonna try stompin' his face in...
Attack: 20% (made it)
Damage: 4
Save: 64% (missed)
(by the way, Coffee asked me to let you guys know, via email: He's having firewall blocking problems....and for that matter it looks like I am too, now, as it took me all day to logon...so, his posts, and probably mine, will have to switch to after 5 o'clock from the house)
[Thanks, Rondo. I've been having occasional issues too. I didn't update last night because I couldn't load the site last night for about an hour.]
Quote from: Rondo;268169(by the way, Coffee asked me to let you guys know, via email: He's having firewall blocking problems....and for that matter it looks like I am too, now, as it took me all day to logon...so, his posts, and probably mine, will have to switch to after 5 o'clock from the house)
Ummm...no, I didn't. I don't know who it was, but it wasn't me.
I haven't had any firewall problems at all. (Sometimes it takes a while to get the site to speak to me, but I do eventually get in.)
-- Coffee
Quote from: Coffee;268216Ummm...no, I didn't. I don't know who it was, but it wasn't me.
I haven't had any firewall problems at all. (Sometimes it takes a while to get the site to speak to me, but I do eventually get in.)
-- Coffee
[It might be that was Dr Rotwang; I heard from him via PM and he's having a firewall issue. The site in general has been having slow-outs on and off for the last little while; there's been a few threads on the topic in the Site Help forum.]
I'm sorry, I meant Rotwang...my mistake....
Quote from: ttagxamm;268113The street is a tree-lined boulevard grown unkempt. The statues and fountains in the median are broken, looted or overgrown with vines. There are other mansions along the boulevard, set well back from the street. Their lawns are unmowed, grass shoulder high and gone to seed.
Quote from: Age of Fable;268120I'm going to try and find an abandoned mansion where I can hide in the grass until Quazarn finds me, or until the Rumble ends and I can find the others.
Hobson crosses the street and ducks into the dry ditch on the other side. Still no sign of Quazarn -- no crunch on the gravel shoulder of the road, no bent stalks of grass.
Confident he's unseen the hobling does a little recon. The neighborhood was pretty ritzy, not so long ago. The nearest mansion is a rather hideous pile of pseudo-timber and brick-o-foam, sprayed and quick-set to resemble a hybrid of geodesic dome and mushroom village. Its doors and windows are boarded up. Beyond that the street curves, and a driveway leads off the street in the outer bend. The drive disappears over a low hill, but close to the road there's a squat brick carriage house just beyond a rusty gate.
Quote from: Rondo;268320I'm sorry, I meant Rotwang...my mistake....
Oh, I'm glad to hear you say that. I was beginning to wonder about my memory.
Anyway, back to the game: Zarko is pretty much knocked around, so he'll be avoiding any specific fighting unless he absolutely has to get involved. So he'll hang around the fringes of the fights and make suggestions to those who are still hale and hearty.
Quote from: Rondo;268169I'm gonna try stompin' his face in...
Buck and the Professor slug it out toe-to-toe. The elf lands a stinging palm strike to Buck's chest, but the spacer steps back and delivers a solid head kick. The Professor's mortarboard goes flying off, but the elf shakes his head and raises his fists.
Meanwhile Bob and Philimon continue battling the other two-thirds of the School of Pain. Bob catches a backhand, but Doctor Dropkick misses a fancy double kick and ends up sprawling. Taking full advantage of a brachiator's reach, Philimon wallops him in the gut, knocking the wind out of him.
Zarko doesn't have much time for kibbitzing. Leeplo the Man-Frog bounces up to him, croaking in panic. "Hell's br-r-r-reaking loobse, Zar-r-r-ko!"
Sure enough, fighters are moving in on all sides. One of the knucklehead teens who joined your crew overnight is already down....
Buck goes for an elbow to the back of the neck...
Attack: 5% (smokin' made it)
Damage: 2 (not sure if i get a bonus for anything...probably not)
Save: 90% (failed)
Quote from: Rondo;268388Buck goes for an elbow to the back of the neck...
Professor Pain tries to clothesline Buck, but he ducks. As the elf passes Buck swings back his elbow sharply and thwacks him in the back of the head! The elf grunts and tumbles forward, down...but not out. The elf surges back to his feet, teeth clenched. His breath is ragged and his eyes are wild as he lunges for Buck's throat...
[Let's have a new initiative roll here. He went down but Survived, so you might get a chance to better your init count]
Elsewhere, big dudes clash. Creature and Mini-Magog are locked in a clinch, each straining every muscle for an advantage. With a twist M-M throws Creature to one side, lashing out with punches and a brutal knee. One punch mashes the frankenstein's ear, but Creature's swings his iron shield around to block the knee strike. With a sound like the Lost Bell of Anahat Nada* the giant's knee bwongs off the shield, bending it nearly in half.
[3 HP damage from the punch. To keep things moving I used your saving throws from this post (http://www.therpgsite.com/showpost.php?p=267939&postcount=890); all of the giants attacks that round missed you anyway. The good news is the shield prevented you from taking damage from a critical hit. The bad news is it now only gives a 14% Save bonus]
*Anahat Nada, a Sulduku Hierophant known chiefly for a 27 year vow of silence broken one groggy morning when he kicked his morning alarm bell so hard as to break three toes. In despair he cast the bell into the Sea of Great Peril, from whence it has never yet been recovered.
Zarko moves as close to Creature as he can; the big guy is still my meal ticket. Any fighting I do will be in self defense or to aid Creature (or Buck, but he seems to be doing okay).
I'll call on the rest of the gang to form a tight perimeter, so we can contain the attacks against us and only present out best faces to the attackers.
Suddenly and without preamble, this guy (http://bp2.blogger.com/_c8BuXYOYXKU/R0EIWvvpDeI/AAAAAAAACIQ/up9JlT79utw/s1600-h/tin_tan.jpg) appears next to Creature and Zarko, and clobbers the nearest attacker!
"You fellow," he says in a familiar voice, "will not believe the day I've had."
As his friends stare at him dumbstrck, he says --
(http://www.cinecinecine.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/03/tin_tan23.jpeg)
"It's me! QUAZARN!"
"NEVER," he adds, "trust a doxy in a pants suit."
[Mini-Magog, The Littlest Giant, is closest. Roll to hit and damage...]
[Melee Attack roll = 22; I forget what my unarmed damage is.]
[1d3 +3, bruiser]
[fashion disaster! We wore the same hat!]
(http://www.apolitical.info/webgame/hobbit.jpg)
Initiative for Buck against the elf: 7
[State of the Brawl:
Buck v Professor Pain: need your action for this roound, including attack, damage & save rolls if appropriate.
Creature v Mini-Magog: ditto
Zarko: the giant is Creature's main foe. If you want to attack him, roll a new initiative and attack, damage & save rolls.
Quazarn: still need your damage roll...d3+3.
Hobson: did you see me PM? Let me know where you're at with that]
Quote from: ttagxamm;269144Zarko: the giant is Creature's main foe. If you want to attack him, roll a new initiative and attack, damage & save rolls.
I really
don't want to attack him. I want to be standing by, so that nobody
else attacks Creature while he's fighting.
Gonna rap the elf across the nose with the mop handle:
Attack: 48% (made it)
Damage: 2 +2 = 4
Save: 61% (missed as usual...officially HATE EC saves! ha)
Gonna rap the elf across the nose with the mop handle:
Attack: 48% (made it)
Damage: 2 +2 = 4
Save: 61% (missed as usual...officially HATE EC saves! ha)
[I'll wait till this evening to post in the hopes of hearing from Wulf and Dr Rotwang. See yesterday's post for the current state of things. PM me if you have any big Thanksgiving plans. Depending on who is available to post I may suspend things for the long weekend.]
Quote from: Dr Rotwang!;268560Suddenly and without preamble, this guy (http://bp2.blogger.com/_c8BuXYOYXKU/R0EIWvvpDeI/AAAAAAAACIQ/up9JlT79utw/s1600-h/tin_tan.jpg) appears next to Creature and Zarko, and clobbers the nearest attacker!
"You fellows," he says in a familiar voice, "will not believe the day I've had."
*iPachuco!*
A slick dude with a zoot suit, a suspiciously tall hat and Quazarn's voice pops out of thin air and bops the giant in its middle nose. The giant grunts softly, then smiles. Grabbing a hand full of collar and pant leg the giant picks up his new attacker, spins twice and tosses him over Creature's head. Zoot suit lands on his snoot.
The giant attempts to use his spin to delivery a whirling dervish punch but he loses his footing and trips himself instead...
[...your move Wulf.
[Ouch, Q! That's 8 HP of damage. Save for 1/2; roll less than half of the target number for no damage. If you are at 0 you can stay on your feet by rolling Survival; you'll have to roll it again each time you take damage. If you go below -8 it's curtains.]
Quote from: Rondo;269193Gonna rap the elf across the nose with the mop handle.
Buck swings as the elf struggles to his feet. The elf gets a hand up in time to block the attack, but he's so wobbly that Buck taps him gently on the brow and he crumples like a bad report card.
[Feeling crummy today, so that's all for tonight. Maybe a bit more in the morning. Check in tomorrow if you can, fellas!]
Buck is spinning around to see if any other stupid elf dipshit is in target range.
Howdy. I don't know if Rondo told the rest of you or not, but the rpgsite.com has been blocked by the firewall at my work. Which means I'm not able to get on here very often at all anymore. Which really stinks since this game is awesome. Oh well. Please NPC Creature, or kill him off, or have him fade into the background or whatever else the JM deems appropriate. Hope you guys had a great Thanksgiving.
[Would you all be amenable to a change to another host? I could set up a blog for the game, or we could move to another forum. Thoughts? Suggestions?]
[other sites might also be blocked, so maybe a blog?]
I could go for a blog, I guess. I've never done it, but I'm having too good a time to just quit, so I'm pretty much up for anything.
[I've decided to move this to a blog. I'll try and set something up tomorrow night. Thanks for you patience, fellas.]
[I'll be setting up a blog tonight, and will post the address here when it's ready.]
Cool. I'm up for trying that too, I really don't want to lose Wulfgar, unless he just needs to move along for any reason. Hell, I know how it is, I'm so busy here lately that I'm having a hard time getting on here AND I'm having similar firewall issues now from where I'm working.
COMING SOON: http://godcitysandbox.blogspot.com/ (http://godcitysandbox.blogspot.com/)
Hope to make a re-establishing post tonight!
Very cool, I'm looking forward to it!
Very cool, I'm looking forward to it!
Quote from: ttagxamm;271201COMING SOON: http://godcitysandbox.blogspot.com/ (http://godcitysandbox.blogspot.com/)
Hope to make a re-establishing post tonight!
New post at our new digs. See you there, lads.
How do we post there?
It's an ordinary Blogger site, so you can leave comments as you would on other blogs. Clicking on "COMMENTS" at the bottom of a post will should any previous comments, and bring up a box to add your own.
In the hopes that y'all are still following this thread: Things are up and running over at the blog (http://godcitysandbox.blogspot.com/2008/12/brawl-against-giant.html (http://godcitysandbox.blogspot.com/2008/12/brawl-against-giant.html)).
I'd love to hear from Rondo and Fable today at least. Doc Rotwang was having some computer trouble, but I hope he'll chime in when he can. To keep up with current events pop over to the blog post I linked, scroll to the bottom of page, and click "subscribe by email."
Hope to hear from you all soon!
Sorry, tried to post yesterday but couldn't work out how to post pictures. I've posted now.
Sorry I flaked out on the PbP game guys. Hope you're all having fun with it! :)