- Domus
- May 7, 2007
-
Kidney Buddies
|
Agree, but assume everyone will be dead when we get back
|
#
?
Feb 9, 2019 21:46
|
|
- Adbot
-
ADBOT LOVES YOU
|
|
|
#
?
Jun 5, 2024 20:20
|
|
- Tiggum
- Oct 24, 2007
-
Your life and your quest end here.
|
The Hunger of Sejanoz posted:Having agreed to lead the scouting party, you decide to take Yeng and one other man only. Under cover of darkness, you leave the encampment and approach the woodland. Using your Kai tracking skills, you are able to lead the two Chai guardsmen through the tall grasses without giving away your presence to any enemy that may be lurking nearby.
You are within several yards of the tree-line when you detect the sound of hushed whispers. Then you catch the glint of moonlight on the lens of a telescope, and your senses reveal that two bandits are crouched in a nearby hide, observing the caravan encampment.
You whisper to Yeng and the other man to wait where they are. ‘Be ready to support me,’ you say, barely breathing the words. ‘I’m going to circle around them and attack from behind.’
Yeng gives you a thumbs-up signal and wishes you good luck as you crawl away through the dense foliage.
Silently you approach the bandits and circle around behind their position without being detected. You are reaching for your weapon when a crow, sitting upon a branch directly above you, suddenly takes to the air. The sound of its cawing and the flapping of its wings startle the bandits, and they glimpse you as they turn around. Quickly you raise your warhammer and leap into their hide. You land the first blow, striking one bandit a glancing hit upon his leather-capped head. It grazes his scalp and sends him crashing unconscious to the soft earth. His comrade snatches up his axe and retaliates by taking a clumsy swipe at your head. You dodge this blow easily, and then you press home your attack.
Javaian Bandit: COMBAT SKILL 28 ENDURANCE 28
Combat Ratio: 11+
We roll: 10
Braveheart: COMBAT SKILL 58 ENDURANCE 45
Javaian Bandit: COMBAT SKILL 28 ENDURANCE 0
The Hunger of Sejanoz posted:As the bandit falls dead at your feet, Sergeant Yeng and his comrade come crashing through the foliage and leap into the hide. Yeng is amazed that you have put paid to the bandits so quickly, and when he turns them over with the toe of his boot, he quickly identifies them as members of the gang led by Captain Kronar—the renegade Chai army officer. Yeng raises his sword to finish off the unconscious bandit but you stay his hand.
‘We’ll take this one back with us,’ you say. ‘He may be of more use to us alive than dead.’
Your return to the encampment with a prisoner causes quite a stir. Captain Chan is anxious to question the man, and he orders Yeng to throw a pail of cold spring water over him, but this fails to revive the unconscious bandit. Then you approach the man and use your Kai healing skills in an attempt to restore him to consciousness. A small circle of curious courtiers gather to watch, and they gasp with amazement when he suddenly awakes with a start. With fear-filled eyes, the man returns the stares of his captors and begins to beg for mercy.
Sergeant Yeng slaps his face with the back of his calloused hand and demands that he identify himself. Immediately, the bandit clamps his jaw shut and refuses to utter another sound. You use your psychic skills to probe his mind and discover that he is unusually strong-willed and resilient. You sense that he would be unlikely to break under physical torture.
|
|
#
?
Feb 10, 2019 11:45
|
|
- Comstar
- Apr 20, 2007
-
Are you happy now?
|
Kai-alchemy. Mind Charm You will tell me where the Bandits are.
|
|
#
?
Feb 10, 2019 12:13
|
|
- achtungnight
- Oct 5, 2014
-
I get my fun here. Enjoy!
|
Kai-Alchemy Mind Charm was made for this situation.
|
|
#
?
Feb 10, 2019 14:57
|
|
- nelson
- Apr 12, 2009
-
-
College Slice
|
|
|
#
?
Feb 10, 2019 18:37
|
|
- Guy Fawkes
- Aug 1, 2014
-
Lvl 62, +5 meadow defense
|
This: if he is unlikely to break under physical pressure, mind pressure should do the trick.
|
|
#
?
Feb 10, 2019 20:18
|
|
- Tiggum
- Oct 24, 2007
-
Your life and your quest end here.
|
The Hunger of Sejanoz posted:You call upon your mastery of the psychic skills to create a Mindblast which you direct into the core of the prisoner’s brain. The bandit shudders as your mental probe breaks open his defences, and slowly he begins to talk.
The bandit tells you that his name is Xango. He also reveals that he is the brother of the renegade bandit Captain Kronar. He has been observing the caravan encampment while his brother, and the rest of his gang, have been preparing an ambush on the forest road, five miles distant. Kronar plans to attack the caravan when it passes this place tomorrow morning.
‘Treacherous dog!’ spits Yeng. ‘Death would be too good for you!’
‘Hold, sergeant!’ commands Captain Chan. ‘We may have use for this outlaw yet. Let’s hope his brother values his worthless hide more than you do. Chain him up to a carriage wheel until morning.’
As the prisoner is led away, you ask Captain Chan what he intends to do with the man.
‘He’s our hostage now, our guarantee of a trouble-free journey past the forest tomorrow. I’d wager Captain Kronar will stay his hand when he sees that we have his little brother prisoner.’
You sleep well and rise shortly before dawn to help prepare the horses for the road ahead. A mount is assigned to the prisoner, and he rides with you and Captain Chan at the head of the caravan column. The highway skirts the perimeter of the Javai Forest, and within an hour of leaving the ford, you catch sight of something in the distance that makes your senses tingle. To your right you see a wooded rise that runs parallel to the highway. You question the prisoner and he confirms that this is where his brother Kronar has prepared the ambush.
Chan orders the caravan drivers to halt and await his further signal, and then together the three of you ride ahead. Xango’s hands are tied behind his back and a noose is slipped over his head. This is attached to a trailing rope which is fastened to the horn of the captain’s saddle. If Xango should attempt to escape, he will either strangle himself or break his neck when the rope is pulled taut.
Suddenly you see two riders appear on the crest of the rise. They dismount and then disappear among the folds of the woodland. Minutes later they reappear atop a hillock, now no more than 30 yards distant. Instantly Chan recognizes that one of them, a tall man dressed in a padded tunic of scarlet and black silk, is Captain Kronar. You watch with growing trepidation as Kronar unslings a bow from his shoulder, draws an arrow, and takes aim in your direction. Moments later his companion copies his leader’s actions.
‘Let my brother go free, Chan!’ commands Kronar. ‘Free him now, or you and your comrade are dead men.’ A cold shiver runs the length of your spine when your Kai Sixth Sense tells you that this is no idle threat. Kronar is an expert archer.
|
|
#
?
Feb 11, 2019 03:14
|
|
- TooMuchAbstraction
- Oct 14, 2012
-
I spent four years making
Waves of Steel
Hell yes I'm going to turn my avatar into an ad for it.
-
Fun Shoe
|
What, we're afraid of arrows now? Ignore it!
|
|
#
?
Feb 11, 2019 03:17
|
|
- achtungnight
- Oct 5, 2014
-
I get my fun here. Enjoy!
|
They can all die in a few seconds. Let the prisoner go.
|
|
#
?
Feb 11, 2019 07:07
|
|
- The_White_Crane
- May 10, 2008
-
|
What, we're afraid of arrows now? Ignore it!
Also lol:
Braveheart posted:Sergeant Yeng slaps his face with the back of his calloused hand and demands that he identify himself. Immediately, the bandit clamps his jaw shut and refuses to utter another sound. You use your psychic skills to probe his mind and discover that he is unusually strong-willed and resilient. You sense that he would be unlikely to break under physical torture. The fact that it would be ineffective is -- of course -- the only thing preventing you from pulling out his fingernails that very moment; your master Lone Wolf taught you that though torture of a Sommlending was barbarous, it was often the only way to deal with the swarthy folk found in primitive lands.
Seriously, I love that we apparently consider torture to be a totally plausible course of action except that we don't think it would work.
|
|
#
?
Feb 11, 2019 12:31
|
|
- Toplowtech
- Aug 31, 2004
-
|
Also lol:
Seriously, I love that we apparently consider torture to be a totally plausible course of action except that we don't think it would work.
|
|
#
?
Feb 11, 2019 13:49
|
|
- nelson
- Apr 12, 2009
-
-
College Slice
|
What's the point of having a hostage if we let him go at the first threat? Up yours Kronar!
|
|
#
?
Feb 11, 2019 13:52
|
|
- Tiggum
- Oct 24, 2007
-
Your life and your quest end here.
|
What's the point of having a hostage if we let him go at the first threat? Up yours Kronar!
The Hunger of Sejanoz posted:Chan heeds your command and he issues a bold counter-threat to Kronar and his cohort.
‘Let our caravan pass … or your brother dies!’ Chan tugs on the trailing rope and Xango’s head jerks back. Trembling with fear, the prisoner pleads with his brother to do as Chan commands.
The renegade Kronar hesitates, and then he and his companion lower their bows. Chan signals to the caravan to come forward and you wait patiently until all of the carriages have passed by the wooded rise. Then Chan unwinds the end of his captive’s rope from his saddle and cracks it against the horse’s rump, making Xango’s mount lurch forward with a start. As the startled animal carries Xango away towards the wooded rise, you shout to Chan to follow the caravan. Together you dig in your heels and spur your horses to the gallop. As you race along the highway in pursuit of the caravan train, your stomach churns when you hear the unmistakable whistle of arrows in flight.
We roll: 8 + 2 (G. Huntmastery) = 10.
The tip of a barbed arrow rips open the padded upper sleeve of your tunic and scrapes a furrow of flesh from your shoulder. The sudden pain makes you cry out, but you quickly recover your composure and use your Kai healing skills to staunch the flow of blood: lose 1 ENDURANCE point.
Endurance: 44/47.
Once you are a safe distance from the wooded rise, you glance back over your shoulder to check that Kronar and his bandit gang are not in pursuit of the caravan. Your senses detect that the road behind is clear and you tell Chan of this. He is greatly relieved that the Imperial Caravan has been spared Kronar’s attack. The bandit leader has a notorious reputation for murdering anyone who witnesses his acts of highway robbery.
After the drama of the confrontation with Captain Kronar, you are thankful that the rest of the day passes uneventfully. It is early evening when the caravan arrives at Javai, a fortified Chai trading town positioned on the rim of a fertile plateau. Chan negotiates with the guards at the town’s west gate and the caravan is allowed to enter. You pass along a bustling street, bordered by two-storey wooden dwellings, which leads to the walled chateau of Javai’s mayoress, Madame Omaki. Here the caravan draws to a halt in the middle of a flagstoned courtyard, ringed by plum trees. A plump woman with gleaming coiffured hair emerges from the chateau and greets Captain Chan. You can tell by their jovial exchange that they are old friends. Chan swears her to secrecy about the presence of the Khea-khan, and she dutifully instructs her servants to secure all the entrances and exits to her estate.
Chan posts his troopers to guard these portals, and as soon as it is dark, Xo-lin and his entourage are ushered inside Omaki’s chateau. She attends efficiently to the allocation of rooms and the provision of refreshments for her royal guests. You are allocated a small room above the stables, and you retire there as soon as you are able. It comes as a pleasant surprise to discover that this room contains a comfortable bed and a bath. After bathing, a hot meal and a bottle of rice wine is delivered by one of the mayoress’s servants. You are about to enjoy this meal when there is a knock at the door. It is Captain Chan, and he has some worrying news to convey.
‘Bhanarian horse scouts have been sighted,’ he says, gravely. ‘A trader from Rakholi reported seeing a troop of enemy riders on the plain this afternoon, a few miles southeast of the Javai Forest. They were probably part of the Autarch’s vanguard, out foraging for food, but the fact that they’ve already come this far north bodes ill for us. We’ll leave here soon after daybreak tomorrow—and hopefully we’ll stay ahead of the enemy until we reach the River Tkukoma.’
You acknowledge the captain’s report and bid him goodnight but, as he is leaving, he suddenly remembers a second message he must convey.
‘Princess Mitzu wishes to consult with you. She has heard much about the astrological skills of the New Order Kai, and she wishes for you to conduct a reading for her. Will you indulge her highness, my lady?’
‘I would be honoured,’ you reply.
‘Very well,’ says Chan, ‘if you are ready, I shall escort you to her quarters at once.’
Chan takes you into the chateau and leads you through its myriad corridors to a room on the first floor. A trooper whom you recognize opens the door and steps aside to allow you both entry. The chamber beyond is lavishly furnished, and the sweet smell of a rare burning incense hangs in the air. In a far corner you see the young Prince Kamada. He is asleep on a silken divan and is being watched over by his tutor Shavane, who is reading a book. His mother, the Princess, is seated at a table near a balcony window that overlooks the torchlit courtyard. You exchange polite greetings and then Chan excuses himself.
‘I shall be outside your door if you should need me, your majesty,’ he says, and promptly departs. As soon as he has gone, Princess Mitzu invites you to sit with her. She is anxious to know what fate has in store for her young son, and she asks if you will use your astrological skills to help her.
‘Of course, your majesty,’ you reply, sympathetically. Then you ask if she would kindly show you the palm of her right hand. She complies with your request and places her hand palm up on the marbled tabletop.
Using your skills of palmistry, you inspect the configuration of the creases of her delicate palm. Paying careful attention to those parts of her hand which refer to her offspring, you swallow hard when you see that the lines reveal a disturbing prediction for her young son.
You determine that Prince Kamada is in danger. Your interpretation of the signs indicates that he will be betrayed by someone close to the Imperial Family. You are unable to determine who this traitor will be, but you inform the Princess and advise her that she should be on her guard at all times.
Your reading disturbs Mitzu and she is unable to hold back her tears. She apologizes for her display of emotion, something that is frowned upon in imperial Chai society, and politely she asks you to leave.
You comply with the Princess’s wishes and bid her goodnight. When you rejoin Chan in the corridor outside her room, you tell him about the prediction and he is gravely concerned.
‘I pray this will not come to pass,’ he says. ‘We must do all we can to keep Prince Kamada safe. Upon his young shoulders rests the future of Chai.’
Chan says little as he escorts you back to the stables, and you sense that he is lost in his thoughts. But upon arriving at your room he says: ‘I trust you’ll sleep well, my lady. Remember that we shall depart from here no later than one hour after daybreak. We’ll ride at the head of the column tomorrow, so rest well. We must be extra vigilant.’
You are awoken shortly before dawn by a shrill cock’s crow. You rise swiftly, gather up your equipment, and then hurry to the courtyard where you meet with Captain Chan outside the stable door. Some of his troopers are busy replenishing the caravan’s stores of food and fresh water, and others are preparing the horse teams for the long road ahead. Madame Omaki’s servants are also in attendance, bearing wooden platters stacked with food. You and Chan help yourselves to this delicious breakfast fare as you discuss the journey that lies ahead. The sky is clear and Chan is confident that you shall make good progress, just so long as you do not run foul of Bhanarian scouts. (There is a surplus of food, enough for 2 Meals. Remember to adjust your Action Chart accordingly if you decide to take any.)
As planned, within an hour of daybreak, the caravan is on the road once more. You depart from Javai by way of its east gate, and begin the four-day journey to your next destination—the tented city of Rakholi.
Automatically took one Meal.
We roll: 6.
To the east of Javai, the trade road passes through many small settlements where Chai farmers toil contentedly in the heat of the midsummer sun. By noon, these tiny hamlets have all but given way to a vast sea of grassland which extends all the way to the banks of the River Tkukoma, over a hundred miles distant.
It is late in the afternoon when you catch sight of a flock of plains ravens circling above a small copse of trees, south of the highway. Captain Chan becomes suspicious of these ugly black scavengers, and he orders the column to slow to a halt. He has decided to investigate the copse, and he invites you to join him.
|
|
#
?
Feb 11, 2019 14:08
|
|
- achtungnight
- Oct 5, 2014
-
I get my fun here. Enjoy!
|
Let’s investigate!
|
|
#
?
Feb 11, 2019 14:16
|
|
- nelson
- Apr 12, 2009
-
-
College Slice
|
|
|
#
?
Feb 11, 2019 15:52
|
|
- Decoy Badger
- May 16, 2009
-
|
Investigate, there might be loot!
|
|
#
?
Feb 11, 2019 15:57
|
|
- Guy Fawkes
- Aug 1, 2014
-
Lvl 62, +5 meadow defense
|
Investigate, there might be loot!
Absolutely!
|
|
#
?
Feb 11, 2019 20:55
|
|
- Domus
- May 7, 2007
-
Kidney Buddies
|
Let’s put on our investigating feet!
|
|
#
?
Feb 12, 2019 00:40
|
|
- Tiggum
- Oct 24, 2007
-
Your life and your quest end here.
|
Investigate, there might be loot!
The Hunger of Sejanoz posted:Chan details two other men to accompany you, and then he places Sergeant Yeng in charge of the caravan’s escort while you are away scouting the copse. The captain gives the order to move out, and all three of you follow as he turns his stallion about and canters through the tall grasses towards the distant pines. As you approach them, he informs you that it is very unusual for plains ravens to gather in such numbers. Your Kai Sixth Sense tingles, confirming that his suspicions are well founded.
As you draw closer, he signals to his men to split up and circle around the copse in opposing directions. They carry out his command as you and the captain bring your horses to a halt and dismount. From here you cover the final 100 yards to the copse on foot, your stealthy approach concealed by the tall grasses. You have penetrated 20 yards into the parched woods when suddenly you happen upon a shocking scene.
In a clearing in the middle of the copse you discover twenty mutilated carcasses. So badly are they damaged that it takes you several seconds to determine that they were once fanji—a breed of swift-footed ruminants that are native to the plains of Southern Magnamund. These creatures have their predators, but none that would make a mound of their remains the like of which confronts you now.
You are still trying to fathom what has destroyed these fanji when you suddenly hear a noise that makes your blood run cold.
It is the sound of a sharp hiss through clenched teeth, and it makes your Kai senses scream a warning that you are in deadly danger. Hurriedly you spin around on your heel and find yourself confronted by two hulking creatures that have emerged from the trees. Although hunched over, you can tell that they are both several yards tall. They have muscular truncated legs that end in fearsomely twisted claws, and their bony orange heads have slitted eyes that pulse unnervingly. From between their alien eyes protrudes a beak-like nose, jagged-edged and wickedly sharp.
With a hideous shriek the creatures are upon you, slashing and stabbing with their terrible claws and beaks. Desperately, you and Chan struggle to ready your weapons as you are forced back in the face of their fearsome onslaught.
We roll: 1.
Suddenly you glimpse Chan’s troopers rushing towards the creatures from behind. Bravely they strike out at them with their heavy cavalry sabres, and the surprise of their attack buys you and the captain a few precious seconds in which to free your weapons and defend yourselves.
Krakalla: COMBAT SKILL 50 ENDURANCE 48
You may add 1 to your COMBAT SKILL for the duration of this combat, for you are being supported by one of Chan’s troopers who is attacking this creature from behind.
Krakalla: COMBAT SKILL 50 ENDURANCE 48
Combat Ratio: 9
We roll: 4
Braveheart: COMBAT SKILL 59 ENDURANCE 42
Krakalla: COMBAT SKILL 50 ENDURANCE 36
We roll: 6
Braveheart: COMBAT SKILL 59 ENDURANCE 41
Krakalla: COMBAT SKILL 50 ENDURANCE 21
We roll: 2
Braveheart: COMBAT SKILL 59 ENDURANCE 38
Krakalla: COMBAT SKILL 50 ENDURANCE 11
We roll: 7
Braveheart: COMBAT SKILL 59 ENDURANCE 38
Krakalla: COMBAT SKILL 50 ENDURANCE 0
The Hunger of Sejanoz posted:The Krakalla gives vent to an ear-shattering cry as your blade pierces its evil heart. It staggers back and falls across the body of its brother who has been slain by Captain Chan and his men. Your face and tunic are spattered with its sickly orange blood, and you quickly wipe your blade clean with a handful of grass before sheathing it in your scabbard.
Chan and his troopers have each sustained several wounds, but none of them are life-threatening. You draw upon your Kai healing skills to repair their battered bodies (lose 2 ENDURANCE points) before all four of you abandon the copse and go in search of your horses. Chan has never encountered the likes of these creatures before, and when you ask him about them, he is unable to say where they may have come from.
‘O … one thing I … I am sure of, though,’ he says, still shivering from the aftershock of the combat. ‘They … they are not from this part of Chai.’
Endurance: 36/47.
Once you have rounded up your horses, you return to the caravan and report what has happened to the Khea-khan’s advisor, Kau-Doshin. The wise old counsellor tells Chan that the column must continue east along the highway without further delay. Going by the descriptions of the creatures that you encountered in the copse, he determines that they were Krakalla, a powerful breed of Agarashi he thought resided only in the Dammerdon Mountains, north of Bhanar. ‘I fear they may be part of the Autarch’s army,’ he says. ‘If my suspicions prove correct, then we are in far graver danger than I dared imagine.’
Galvanized by his encounter with the fearsome Krakalla, Chan wastes no time in getting the caravan rolling once more. Later, an overnight camp is pitched on the highway itself, near a sleepy hamlet called Sansei, and the following day you make swift progress on the sun-baked highway.
Shortly before noon of the third day of your journey to Rakholi, the caravan column crests the rim of a wide valley that lies 50 miles from the banks of the Tkukoma. Spread out before you now is the Vale of Nahba, a spectacularly strange region of the Chai Plain that is punctuated with hundreds of bore holes and geysers. Great columns of steam and scalding water are hurled skywards, driven by the pressure of gases escaping from deep below the surface. Some of the fissures descend for miles, passing close to the planet’s molten core.
The highway traverses this alien landscape and, as darkness approaches, you find yourself at a place near the eastern rim of the vale. A night camp is established here among the bubbling pools and hollows, and an evening meal of poached eggs and steamed fish is prepared. After supper, you settle down and try to get some sleep, despite the constant distraction of the eerie noises that echo across this strange valley.
We roll: 7.
You are awoken in the middle of the night by the noise of a powerful hissing explosion. You reach for your weapon and leap to your feet, but as your vision adjusts to the darkness, you feel scalding hot water pouring down upon you from the heavens. Suddenly you realize that you are caught in the falling deluge from an exploding geyser, and you are in very real danger of being boiled alive where you stand.
We roll: 2 + 3 (G. Nexus) = 5.
You sprint away from the exploding geyser and reach an area of dry ground. The scalding water that showered you has blistered your skin, but you are able to numb the stinging pain by the use of your innate Kai healing skills: lose 3 ENDURANCE points.
You are recovering from your stinging injuries when you are suddenly distracted by the sound of a fearful scream.
Endurance: 33/47.
Beyond the spray from the erupting geyser, you see movement at the edge of the encampment. One of the troopers standing picket duty there is struggling with a large worm-like creature that has emerged from one of the bore holes. His desperate cries begin to alert the other guards, and you catch sight of their shadowy forms slowly crossing the treacherous ground. Despite the stinging pain of your scalded skin, you also respond to his cries. You are skirting around the rim of one large fissure when another worm-like monstrosity suddenly appears. It rears up from this hole and spits at you. Your stomach churns when your senses detect that its saliva is a highly corrosive alkaline.
|
|
#
?
Feb 12, 2019 02:21
|
|
- TooMuchAbstraction
- Oct 14, 2012
-
I spent four years making
Waves of Steel
Hell yes I'm going to turn my avatar into an ad for it.
-
Fun Shoe
|
I like how our allies, who are capable of taking down a giant evil emu on their own, add one to our Combat Skill.
We have a bow and wish to use it. Kai-Alchemy can get a turn when it's not obviously going to be Lightning Hand again.
|
|
#
?
Feb 12, 2019 02:46
|
|
- moosecow333
- Mar 15, 2007
-
Super-Duper Supermen!
|
I’ve never understood if rolling high or low is good in this. We rolled a 1 before the last fight and had no repercussions but other times we’ve rolled really high and taken 3+ damage.
|
|
#
?
Feb 12, 2019 05:34
|
|
- TooMuchAbstraction
- Oct 14, 2012
-
I spent four years making
Waves of Steel
Hell yes I'm going to turn my avatar into an ad for it.
-
Fun Shoe
|
It depends on how Dever is feeling. Sometimes rolls are just randomly sending you down one of a variety of more-or-less equivalent paths, so it doesn't really matter what you roll. Usually when you get to add something to a roll because of a skill or item, then higher is better. Sometimes though you get to add a bonus to a roll and then it turns out that rolling high is worse for you! Because Dever.
|
|
#
?
Feb 12, 2019 06:05
|
|
- Adbot
-
ADBOT LOVES YOU
|
|
|
#
?
Jun 5, 2024 20:20
|
|
#
?
Feb 9, 2019 21:46
