[WFRP] The Dying of the Light

[OzCymru]

Prologue
ERROR OF THE MOON
http://i622.photobucket.com/albums/tt310/huw_williams/AutumnForest.jpg

Late autumn, and the hoofs of your horses make a sound like distant waves as they trot through the thick drifts of leaves that lie across the road to Marienburg. The journey through the Drakwald is not the most exciting you have ever taken, but the prospect of spending the winter amidst the warmth and hospitality of Marienburg seems better than freezing your bones in some forest, or on a boat, or deep underground.

It was Harry who put you onto this one – or rather a friend of his father, Veit Pogner. The old man is trying to finish the book that is his life’s work. He desperately needs one particular, extremely rare text to complete his researches, A True and Honest Account of the Land of Lustria by Karl Sergent, and he believes that the book can be acquired be a contact of his, Kunz Vogelgesang, who is studying matters of astronomy in Marienburg.

But the old scholar is crippled with arthritis, and asked Harry and the rest of you to undertake this simple errand for him. In exchange he will give Harry a letter of introduction to an important Altdorf weapons master who may turn out to be a useful patron for all of you, and he will pay you each fifty gold crowns on delivery of the book. It is not a lot of money, but he is not a rich man, and the job ought to be simple. You know where Vogelgesang lives, you have a letter of introduction addressed to him from Pogner, and you can almost smell the sea and taste the fine Marienburg beers. Winter in the old city is something to look forward to: a bit of comfort, civilisation and decent living at last.

[Arq Kujos]

The cool Autumn air whipped around Dieter's head. His beloved horse, Vigilant, maintained a steady pace through the forest. Dieter was bored, but happy to be bored. Steady work was a blessing indeed, and he was glad to have some coin coming his way. Hopefully, with the money he had saved, it would be enough to stay somewhere warm during Winter. He slowly fingered the pistols at his side, holding each one in his hand, one at a time. He spun them once to keep his hands warm, and then he holstered them. He then pulled his coat tightly around himself to stave off the cold a little while longer. He turned back at his allies. They consisted of a Halfling and two Elves. It was as strange a group as he had ever traveled with, but he didn't mind it.

[Xsesiv]

Hiro judders up and down on the back of Harry's horse, gripping the Elf's back tightly, his furry, bare feet dangling several feet from the ground. The horse is much too big for him, but then, so is the huge longbow he carries slung over his back, and that hasn't yet let him down. He looks at the forest as he passes.

"Mushrooms, there," he announces, seeing a large patch. Maybe they care not much for food, he reflects on his companions. He releases the Elf's tunic to check his weapons again, adjusts them in the animal skin belt he wears with a leather tunic and fur trousers, with a cap, sitting on his red head with the fur on the inside, setting off the look. That of a vagabond with an enormous bow.

As big as he is for a Halfling, he's having trouble gripping the Elf. He doesn't remember the last time he saw people this big, let alone three of them. He is hungry, though. But they apparently don't care about food. Strange people.

[Tackyhillbillu]

Alagon ranged to the left and the right, Squirrel, his Horse giving the occasional displeased grumble, but following his command unerringly. Alagon had trained Squirrel, and Squirrel's Father, Rat. When one lived as long as he did, a little bit of continuity could be nice. Plus, the Horse understood light taps and for commands. His Bow hung at his back, and his Lasso and Net were hanging from the Saddle, easy to grab as always. Alagon had long ago thrown away notions of 'safe.' There wasn't such a word, just varying kinds of danger. Alagon heard the Hafling speak, and looked over. An odd group. Harry, the Strange Elf raised by humans. Alagon had no idea what to make of him. Alagon had some humanlike traits, but he knew he was an Elf at the end. Alagon wasn't sure that Harry did. And then the Human and the Halfling. The Human was a Human, like all others. Alagon had never travelled far with a halfling before, and found it a curious experience.

"We have no need to supplement our supplies."

With that, Alagon urged Squirrel forward, passing Deiter to look forward before drifting back. Squirrel was used to such treatment. Alagon was never content to stay where he was, always looking about. He trusted his companions, but still, it never hurt to have a look himself.

[littlebottom]

Harry rode his horse relatively slow, considering the halfling behind him, he didnt want to buck the little guy loose, so harry was at the back of the group.

harry was a relatively short haired elf, his silvery hair only shoulder length, and cut very precisely. he wore a thick cloak over his back and thin and light clothes, under a mail shirt and leather jack the only thing giving harry any real warmth though currently, was the cloak...

harry inspected the other travlers with his pale blue eyes. shortly after looking over them all, apart from the halfling whom was sat behind him, and decided that this group was... odd at best. then again, he could not talk much. he was an elf raised largely within human society, he still had memories of his parents, and the way life used to be, but he had grown out of alot of that, and became much more of a city boy. the woodland around him was alright, he supposed, but it lacked the buzz of a city. sighing, harry realises he has fell behind slightly and picks up his pace to catch back up.


"sorry, the halflings weighing us down a little... no offence." harry remarked in a more human accent than most home grown elves.

[OzCymru]

The day passes quietly and with little incident. A few other travellers pass by, mostly heading in the opposite direction to you, and although some of these raise a greeting or tip their hat in acknowledgement, none pause long enough to offer more conversation than a simple “good afternoon.” You notice that many of them seem a little tense, and eye you rather warily as you pass by, but this is probably down to the composition of your group more than anything else.

Midway through the afternoon, the road emerges from the forest at the foot of the broken, rough hills known as the Tumble Downs, an expanse of low rolling hillocks and boggy dells that herald your departure from the Empire and your point of entry into the Wasteland. Here, short tough grasses give way to stagnant ponds choked with cattails, and while occasional stands of oak or pine break this vista, they have a stunted, sickly character. A thick fog enshrouds the hilltops and there is a noticeable chill in the wind blowing in from the east.

Dusk is noticeably early, reminding you that autumn will soon give way to winter, and as the light begins to disappear from the sky you reckon that Marienburg may be just beyond your reach tonight. The horses, too, are showing signs of fatigue, and the encroaching mist and uninviting topography are making them skittish. You can either look for somewhere to camp, or push on in the hope of finding a farmstead or hamlet that is friendly to travellers.

[Arq Kujos]

Reaching down to pet Vigilant, Dieter turned to his commrades. "Darkness approaches us. We should push forward and try to find a little farmhouse for the night. I don't fancy sleeping outside in this weather." He nervously fingered his pistol on his right side. "Besides, I'd rather not be happened upon in the middle of the night by bandits or worse."

[littlebottom]

"i fear that with a group such as us turning up after dark asking for a place to stay might not be welcomed. it may be best to find a good spot, sheltered from the wind to stop and rest." harry says to the group in general. his eyes constantly wandering to the sunlight fading away.

[Xsesiv]

The exhausted and hungry Halfling chooses this time to speak up. "I...we should make hut. Trees hut. Nobody lives between Wasteland and...Wasteland." He sits back and a swift grab at the Elf in front of him saves him from tumbling from the horse.

[Arq Kujos]

Seeing how tired the Halfling was, Dieter couldn't help but take a little pity on the small one. He wouldn't show it, but he liked this group. "Your words make sense. Lets find a place and set up camp. Besides, I'm starting to grow a little hungry. Not all of us can live of a hand full of berries and dew." He cast a sarcastic eye towards his elven comrades and laughed out loud.

[Xsesiv]

The Halfling doesn't laugh in turn, but draws into himself, wondering about the culinary proterties and nutritional value of dew. Satisfied that it would not be much, he yawns widely and passes a watery eye over his surroundings, looking for tonight's dinner. There doesn't seem to be much on the menu.

His fingers slip off the polished rings of the Elf's mail shirt yet again and he catches himself, yet again. Exasperated, he reaches up and knots his fingers into the Elf's hair. "Sorry..."

[roll0] Outdoor Survival Skill at full Int of 36

[littlebottom]

harrys head jerks back as the halfling puts tension on his hair, and the horse starts to veer off to one side as harry cant see where he's going. "would you mind letting go, we should be getting off the horses now anyway." harry still wincing from the pain on his scalp.

[roll0] target = 13 (half int)

[Tackyhillbillu]

Alagon nods at their words, not responding to the barbs. He supposed they would have to find something to eat. If it came to it, he would prefer it come down by his bow. He hated picking lead out of his food.

"If you desire, we can stop."

[roll0] Target 41.

[Xsesiv]

The Halfling, glad of the change, tumbles from the horse and takes his longbow in hand to look around for the night's food. He'd not be strong enough to help with the shelter.

[OzCymru]

With the light fading quickly, the two elves and Dieter look around for materials with which to put together a makeshift shelter. However, there is very little to work with, the trees being sparse and ridden with fungus wherever they manage to find a place to grow amongst the rocks and the suffocating marsh grass. Eventually they manage to gather enough sticks and branches to fashion a loose and rather unstable cover that should at least keep them dry if it doesn’t collapse, but the slightest puff of wind causes it to wobble alarmingly.

While these three take charge of the accommodation, Hiro goes of in search of something to eat, knowing that finding and catching something edible in this place will stretch his hunting skills to their limit. At this time of year, the tastiest creatures are bedding down before the onset of winter, but he hopes to find a hare that is a little late this year, or even a pheasant that has yet to find its roost. It is a frustrating and ultimately futile venture, and he returns to the campsite empty handed and hollow stomached.

The night passes slowly and no one is able to get much sleep. The wind whistles through the hills, bringing with it a chill that permeates your bones to the marrow and settles there, in spite of your best efforts to wrap yourself in anything that you can lay your hands on. Halfway through the night the "roof" of the shelter is whipped off by a sudden gust and perishes before anyone can reclaim it, dissolving into fragments of stick and leaf that are carried off into the night.

You ache for morning to arrive so that you can complete your journey, each hour seeming like a lifetime as the stars make their way across the dark blanket with agonising slowness. It would almost be a blessing if something were to happen to disrupt the wretched and endless boredom - a bear stumbling into camp or the arrival of a greenskin scouting party, anything to make the night pass more quickly - but not a single creature or being is seen or heard. Most likely they have all stayed indoors. Only the desperate or the foolish would camp outdoors in the Wasteland at this time of year.

Finally, almost unbelievably, the sky begins to lighten, imperceptibly at first but then making a gradual but clear transition from black, to dark blue, to a dull grey that casts a murky and surreal light on the countryside. Famished, frozen and irritable from the lack of sleep, you pick up your things and saddle up the horses, unable to wait to get out of this insufferable place and to the warmth and hospitality of Marienburg.

You are just about to ride out when you hear noises on the road up ahead: the unmistakeable sounds of horses raised to a trot and voices raised in argument.

[Arq Kujos]

"By Sigmar that was a horrible night." Dieter was sore from a damn rock in the ground constantly pushing into his spine. He was hungry and thirsty. He would be very happy to arrive in a town, any town, soon. That was when he heard the sounds of horses. In his mind, horses meant that there were people, and people usually had food. Though, the more he thought about it, the less likely it seemed that his comrades would take kindly to his more.....illegal habits. "What is going on up there?" Instinctively, he reached for his pistols.

[littlebottom]

"ive no idea, but best to be prepared, but dont look hostile." casually, harry places his gauntlet on and places his pistol and swords in an easy to reach place.

[Xsesiv]

Hiro is used to nights like this, but he never enjoys them. Staggering out late, as usual, shaking from cold and fatigue, he sees everyone preparing for battle and moves to the back, drawing his longbow and readying an arrow.

"What? Who comes?"

[littlebottom]

"we are not sure, my barefooted friend. we do not know if they pose a threat either. i shall go slightly ahead, if i give this signal" harry makes a thumbs down behind his back "then they are hostile, if i make this sign" he makes an "ok" signal with his hand behind his back "then they pose no threat as far as i can tell."

harry advances cautiously towards the sound until they are in view.

[OzCymru]

The Middenheim-Marienburg road is a well-travelled and consequently well-maintained route that bores its way through a diverse selection of landscapes. From the jagged rock upon which stands the City of the White Wolf, beneath the enchanting yet perilous boughs of the Drakwald, across the barren and unfriendly Tumble Downs and through the fog-laden marshland that surrounds the great port city itself, the road is one of Marienburg’s lifelines and a key link to the Empire. Fraught with danger it may be, but for every traveller that succumbs to its hazards, a score more pass through unscathed, bringing with them the bounties upon which Marienburg thrives. It is one of the busiest overland routes in the Old World, and from dawn through to dusk, a constant flow of travellers shifts the stones of its surface from Middenheim to Marienburg and back again.

You watch cautiously, your hands either on or near your weapons, as the first of the day’s travellers appear. At first they are indistinct, two figures on horseback that shift in and out of the swirling mist until they draw near enough for you to realise that they are probably not much of a threat. One of the figures is a lean, rather foppish gentleman of around forty dressed in a colourful blue tunic and wearing a matching hat. He is clearly ill at ease in the saddle, and is complaining bitterly to an attractive woman of around the same age who is clad in fine red silks trimmed with expensive furs.

"I swear, Isolde,” he squawks reedily, “if this turns out to be nothing then we are ruined and I will curse the day I met you! We simply cannot afford to miss the boat on the ‘Change – if van Rimken profits while we are away, then I, well, I will be very, very angry!”

“Oh, shut up,” the lady bites back. “Your precious ‘Change will be no good to you when it’s flattened by the sky now, will it? You should have sold, Johannes. I hate to say I told you so, but I won’t be able to stop myself when it all comes crashing down and those tickets are as useless as that thing between your legs.”

[littlebottom]

harry gives the ok sign behind his back, and then steps forward towards the travelers, "what seems to be the problem?"

[OzCymru]

The woman is the first to notice Harry as he steps into the road, and reins in her horse, her hand straying to a dagger that is tucked beneath the saddle. She doesn’t look like much of a fighter, but at least she seems prepared to defend herself, which is more than can be said of the man, who squeals at the sight of the elf and retreats behind the safety of his companion.

“Haendryk save us!” he yelps, cowering visibly. “I knew it! I knew this would happen! This place is infested with brigands, I told you as much!”

“I don’t have any money,” he stammers. “Not a guilder. She’s got it all – give him the money, Isolde, give it all to him! Oh, mercy, I should have stayed in Marienburg!”

The lady – Isolde – curls her lip in disgust and aims a steely glare at Harry. “Stand aside, you filth,” she says resolutely, though a small tremor is discernible in her voice. “We won’t give in to thugs like you. Let us pass or you’ll be sorry.”

[littlebottom]

"well your quick to accuse." says harry trying to stay non-chalant "i hear argueing so i come to lend a helping hand, and yet im repayed by being called filth and a thug. i had never intended to NOT let you pass. infact, i had intended to HELP you pass, but you couldnt think that another living thing is capable of being compasionate? or more to the point, more compasionate than you seem to be. go quickly, and remember, if you treat everyone like this, you will soon be alone completely. with the hatred of everyone against you. you will be the enemys of everyone else, not everyone else being the enimies of you." harry steps to the side of the road to let them pass. his arms folded. (he makes note to stand on the side of the man, not the woman.)

[Arq Kujos]

Before either of the couple can pass, Dieter rode up to see what the shouting was about. After seeing his companion so insulted, he could allow that slight to pass. "Before you leave, though, I do believe that you own my comrade here an apology." He allows them to see the pistols hanging at his side in an attempt to cow them into a more submissive and polite demeanor. "Well, what do you nice folk have to say?"

OOC: Italics equals sarcasm.

[Xsesiv]

"Be nice, or shut up and go." is the corresponding cry from Hiro, who is running up to the riders with an arrow nocked.

[OzCymru]

Isolde’s eyes flick between you, her mouth twisted in uncertainty as Johannes flaps pathetically in the background. Her face seems to soften a little, but then hardens once more as Hiro scampers onto the scene brandishing his longbow and she brings up the arm bearing the dagger.

“Stay back,” she says, waving the knife with the skill of someone who has only ever used such an implement to slice fruit. “If you mean us no harm then put away your weapons and stand aside to let us pass. We have no valuables and are only trying to get to a place of safety.”

Behind her, Johannes swallows nervously, his stick-thin neck flushing red.

[Xsesiv]

"If you do mean not harm, put down the knife. Or we see how fast you move with one horse."

Hiro raises the longbow meaningfully.

[OzCymru]

Isolde gasps, and her steely façade melts away, her resolve crumbling under the Halfling’s threat. “Please, don’t hurt us,”she chokes, dropping the dagger to the ground where it sticks point-first into the earth.

“Yes, don’t hurt me,” screeches Johannes, who has been slowly backing up his horse and is now at least ten yards behind Isolde. “She has all the money. It's in her saddlebag. Take it and spare me, I beg you!”

[Xsesiv]

Hiro puts his arrow away and slings the bow back across his back. "Much better." Why I'd want your money? Stupid sorehead...

Quite proud of himself by now, he slowly gets out of the road and allows them to pass.

[littlebottom]

"some people dont take kindly to people without manners, im sure this whole situation could of been avoided, if you had simply talked to us politely rather than threaten us with a knife. anyway, go, be on your way." harry still at the side of the road waiting for them to pass.

[OzCymru]

As you all back away from the travellers, a tense and uneasy silence settles over the area but is soon broken by the sound of horses and deep voices approaching from the north. Moments later four shapes emerge from the mist and reveal themselves as a company of Roadwardens riding two abreast.

As a haven for bandits and outlaws, the Middenheim-Marienburg road is heavily patrolled by Roadwardens, who know that many important and influential people travel this route and fight a continual battle against the unsavoury types who prey upon such travellers. Unfortunately for many, the Roadwardens have so much on their plate that justice can sometimes be somewhat slanted depending on how things look when the law arrives on the scene, and summary punishments – including executions - are not uncommon. It is often much easier to handle things on the spot than to escort the felon to the nearest magistrate and sit through a protracted trial.

The leader of this patrol is obvious – a huge, barrel-chested man with a well-kept beard and a look of steel in his eyes. The Roadwardens stop and look at each of you. “Is everything alright?” the leader booms, his question clearly directed at Johannes and Isolde.

“Oh, thank Haendryk, Roadwardens!” cries Johannes, throwing his hands to his head and clutching at his hat. “Save us! These rascals were about to rob us. And worse! Oh, the things they said they would do to my wife!”

[littlebottom]

harry rolls his eyes, "excuse me warden, but this lady saw me and instantly discriminated against me for being an elf, then threatened me with a knife, then, when my friends came to see what the commotion was all about, this woman was waving a knife at me, so they drew their weapons to help me, the issue has now been resolved, and if i were truely a theif or whatever scum they are accusing us of being, i wouldnt try and reason my way out of it with such a level of elegance, now would i? these people are likely scared and confused, as it seems that neither of them have ever left their town ever before, and dont understand that not everyone who isnt a roadwarden is out to get them."

is a fel roll required?

[OzCymru]

Yes, can you make a Fel roll please.

[littlebottom]

this isnt going to go well, Fel: 35 [roll0]

epic fail... but surely the modicum of elegance and self control is worth something? :smallfrown: i dont want to fight the road wardens:smallsigh:

[Arq Kujos]

OOC: Busy with family and holidays. Will be back by Sunday. Just wanted to let you know.

[OzCymru]

“I think it’s pretty clear what’s been going on here,” growls the lead Roadwarden, furrowing his brow. “Thank Sigmar we weren’t any later. You four – you’re coming with us to Marienburg, and keep that silver tongue of your’s to yourself, elf, or you’ll find it missing by the time we get there. Sir, madam,” he looks at Johannes and Isolde. “You should come too. If you can present your case to the magistrate then it will ensure that these scoundrels receive a fitting punishment.”

“Oh, no, no, quite impossible,” protests Isolde, shaking her head. “We can’t go back there, not now. It’s not safe – they say the sun is going to fall from the sky and destroy the city. We’re heading somewhere safe – that is where we were going when these ruffians waylaid us. I utterly refuse to risk returning to Marienburg!”

The Roadwarden sighs, shaking his head. “Suit yourselves,” he shrugs. “Alright, you lot, line up here. No funny stuff or it’ll be the worse for you. Karl – rope them together and tie them to your horse.”

[Xsesiv]

Hiro has been thinking, and moves well back. "Really? You believe a woman who thinks the sun falls? That madness, over us, who make sense?" He places a hand on his bow and squints at Karl. "Come near me with that rope, one of your mates gets an arrow in the face. Simple as that."

[littlebottom]

"now, now, hiro, theres no need for that, im sure that when we get there, they will have seen sense and we will be proved innocent, there is no need to retaliate, as that is what the guilty do. take use road-wardens, and you shall soon see our innocence."

[Arq Kujos]

"Well officers, it seems to me that these people are the ones with something to hide, not us." Dieter did not like the idea of traveling to Marienburg in irons, and if it cane down to that, then his horse was fast and his aim was true.


Here's another Fellowship roll with the hopes of not royally screwing things up.
Aiming for below 37.
[roll0]

[OzCymru]

"I think you pint-sized friend here has already shown his true colours," snaps the lead Roadwarden. "Now, drop your weapons please and we'll get moving, shall we?"

The Roadwarden referred to as Karl, a rather savage looking, scar-faced fellow, steps down from his horse and approaches Hiro, while the others similarly dismount and move towards the rest of you.

"Um, excuse me captain - do you require us here any longer?" warbles Johannes. "We really must be off you know."

"Yeah, yeah, go," waves the Roadwarden, upon which the pair trot past you and disappear into the swirling mist.

[littlebottom]

"how about we prove our innocence to you? im sure there are several ways, first of all, we are traveling to meet a man whom can vouch for our reason for traveling this way, and that we have no reason to fight anyone unless they set upon us first."

[Xsesiv]

"I wasn't joking," Hiro says, bending his bow. "I warn you. One more step."

[Arq Kujos]

"Put your damn bow away, Hiro. It isn't helping." Dieter was in the same mindset as Hiro, but he wasn't about to pick a fight with 4 well armed and trained Road Wardens.

[littlebottom]

"i dont think theres any way out of this, despite my best efforts, guys... what we gonna do? let them take us, and face a life in the slammer for something we didnt do? or we gonna become outlaws? hunted down for something we DID do?"

[OzCymru]

At Hiro's threat, Karl hesitates, glancing uncertainly at his superior. The captain, who has remained in the saddle while his men round up the wrongdoers, immediately takes up a crossbow and brings it to bear on the Halfling. “Alright, that’s enough,” he says icily. “All of you put your weapons down and shut up or the little one gets it.” Emboldened, Karl continues towards Hiro and makes a grab for his bow.

[littlebottom]

Harry darts inbetween hiro and the raised crossbow. "weather a roadwarden or not, you shall not harm anyone unless you wish it to be returned in kind."

[Arq Kujos]

OOC: Guys, I just want to say now that I think fighting the road wardens is a bad idea! That being said, if you guys start a fight, I'll not abandon you.

Seeing the situation quickly deteriorating, Dieter will ride between his tigger happy party and the Road Wardens. "Gentlemen, for the love of Sigmar, calm down." Dieter will raise both of his hands to show a non-aggressive stance. "Please, my comrades, this is not a good idea." Then, Dieter will turn to the Road Wardens and try to reason with them. "Officers, this has quickly gotten out of hand. We will happily accompany you to Marienburg on our on steads with no need for irons and chains. Let's not do something we will all regret."


d100
Again, aiming for below 37. Oh please let me get it.

[Arq Kujos]

[roll0]
Let's try again!

[OzCymru]

Harry's sudden movement is enough to convince the Roadwarden captain that, despite their gilt-edged tales of innocence, this bunch are not going to give up without a fight, and before the elf can place himself in front of Hiro, he unleashes a bolt that strikes the uncooperative Halfling directly in the throat, tearing through the soft flesh and poking through the other side before lodging itself against his collarbone. Despite throwing up a brief spurt of blood, the missile seems to have miraculously missed all major arteries and airways, though removing it may turn out to be a rather difficult and painful task [9W].

[Arq Kujos]

OOC: F'n great.

Seeing his friend shot, Dieter will draw his pistols and place two rounds into the Road Warden that shot Hiro.


Attack 1, aiming below 56
[roll0]

Attack 2, aiming below 56
[roll1]


So, 13Ws on the guy.

[littlebottom]

Harry's sudden movement is enough to convince the Roadwarden captain that, despite their gilt-edged tales of innocence, this bunch are not going to give up without a fight.
im sorry, but surely they are not that thick? we have said 3 times now, that we will go without a fight, and yet they want to fight us instead of simply taking us to the town? ah whatever, just venting my anger at failing every miserable roll to try and reason with them

seeing the arrow fly, harry yells "dont kill any of them if you can help it!" before attacking

Swift attack: STRIKE TO STUN with guantlet,
[roll0] WS 56
[roll1] opposed strength (if hit): 41+10 for pummeling =51
[roll2] rounds stunned if opponent fails opposed strength vs toughness

second attack STRIKE TO STUN withOUT gauntlet (i only had 1 on)
[roll3] WS 56+10 street fighting, unarmed = 66
[roll4] opposed strength (if hit): 41
[roll5] rounds stunned if opponent fails opposeed strength vs toughness

the first attack will go for the closest, the second (if any others in range) will go for the next, if not, both on the same roadwarden.

[Arq Kujos]

OOC: I hope you aren't targeting the captain, because he is almost dead. Worry about the others.

[Xsesiv]

Hiro stares up and along the bolt in his neck at the Roadwarden who shot him, grinning through the pain as he puts his prepared arrow into Karl, then reloads with lightning speed and launches another at the next nearest.


Intimidate [roll0]
BS 1 [roll1]
BS 2 [roll2]
W 1 [roll3]+3 <damn it, should have been d10...take it to be 4
W 2 [roll4]+3

[OzCymru]

Birds rise from the nearby trees as, with a thunderous roar, Dieter fires off both of his pistols in quick succession, sending up a cloud of black. The first shot is a direct hit on the captain, tearing across his scalp and causing him to bellow in pain, blood pouring down the side of his head and instantly coating his face, neck and shoulder. If the second shot had not gone wide, it would surely have meant the end of him, but he manages to stay in the saddle and pull himself together enough to drop his spent crossbow to the ground and draw his sword, readying a charge at Dieter, who is left holding two empty pistols.

Turning on the nearest foe, Harry lands a hefty blow with his gauntleted fist, crunching into the man's shoulder. The Roadwarden holds it together for a moment, but a follow-up from Harry, landing in almost exactly the same spot as the first, sends him reeling away, disorientated [stunned].

Hiro manages to get a shot away at the advancing Karl just before the distance becomes too short. His arrow strikes the man cleanly in the stomach, but most of the impact is absorbed by Karl's mail shirt, though the blow does knock the wind out of him and halts his advance. As he is gathering his wits, Hiro quickly reloads and fires another arrow, this time taking a chunk of flesh out of Karl's thigh. Enraged, Karl hacks at Hiro with his sword, but his swing is wild, his concentration broken by pain and rage, and the blow misses by over a foot.

The remaining Roadwarden charges at Harry with a scream and lands a thumping blow to the top of the elf's head, causing him to see stars for a moment and opening up a nasty gash that proceeds to ooze blood [8W].


End of Round 1:
Hiro 4W remaining
Harry 5W remaining
Dieter 15W remaining
Roadwarden #1 is stunned.

[Arq Kujos]

Seeing the Roadwarden still standing, Dieter will holster his pistols and draw his blunderbuss. (Hell yeah!) He will adjust his sight slowly, and then open fire on the Roadwardens in a way that will hit as many of them as possible. His main aim will be on the captain unless he can get all three of the other guys in one shot.

Edit: Now, if I am reading correctly, because my Blunderbuss has shrapnel, I don't make the attack roll and all enemies need to make an agility test to avoid the damage, which should be harder for them considering they are wearing armor.



[roll0]

[Xsesiv]

Hiro cackles evilly as the arrows thud into Karl and his blow misses. He moves back away from Karl, before firing yet again, meaning this time to kill.


[roll0]
[roll1] (With Armour Piercing)

[littlebottom]

recoiling slightly from the blow, harry sets his sights on his attacker, letting another set of punches fly.

all out attack [roll0] WS 54+10+20 =84
if hit, strike to stun, unarmed. [roll1] Str 42 (i think)
[roll2] rounds stunned if stunned

[OzCymru]

Putting away his empty pistols, Dieter whips out his monstrous blunderbuss, a wildly unpredictable weapon that can wreak havoc to both friend and foe alike if used irresponsibly. Pointing it in the general direction of the captain, he unleashes a thunderous shot that almost knocks him to the ground, scattering shrapnel over an indiscriminate area and almost catching Harry in its deadly arc. The captain bears the brunt of the attack as the shrapnel tears off his face, leaving a horrendous mass of bone and blood, gurgling helplessly as he topples from his horse and falls to the ground. His companion, still reeling from the pounding he took from Harry, staggers benignly into the path of the flying debris and cops a few pieces in his stomach and ribs, causing him to lose his footing and fall onto his knees.

Taking advantage of Karl's loss of composure, Hiro fires another arrow at the Roadwarden, but is too hasty with his shot and the missile flies past Karl's head and disappears into the mist. Karl retaliates by charging at the Halfling, holding his sword in a double-handed grip, but again he is too wild with his attack and his blow is wide. It is just as well for Hiro, as the force of the swing would have been enough to have split him in two if it had connected.

His head throbbing, Harry turns to his assailant and unleashes a devastating punch to the man's right shoulder, landing a heavy blow to the collarbone and causing the Roadwarden to stagger back, stunned. [stunned]


End of Round 2
Hiro 4W remaining
Harry 5W remaining
Dieter 15W remaining
Roadwarden Captain killed by Dieter
Roadwarden #1 is stunned and lightly wounded
Roadwarden #2 is stunned
Karl is lightly wounded

[Arq Kujos]

Dieter smiled arrogantly as he raised his blunderbuss and blew the smoke off it. He slowly looped it over his shoulder and then drew his rapier at his side. It was not a weapon for show, and it had many nicks on the pummel to prove it. With a quick kick, Dieter spurred his horse further towards his foe, ready to attack.

Half Action: Holster Blunderbuss and draw Rapier
Half Action: Ride horse towards Karl

[Xsesiv]

Hiro will not be robbed...he reloads and fires in quick succession twice at Karl.


[roll0]
[roll1] Armour Piercing
[roll2]
[roll3] Armour Piercing

[littlebottom]

harry keeps his actions back, as he warily watches over the stunned pair and noticing that he wasnt going to be needed to help with the other. (delaying actions)

[OzCymru]

Rather pleased with himself for dispatching the captain, Dieter decides against the arduous task of reloading his blunderbuss and instead draws his rapier, turning his mount and heading towards the spot where Karl is desperately trying to close in on Hiro, who keeps backing away to allow himself room to fire off his arrows.

With swift, fluid movements the Halfling despatches another two arrows in rapid succession, both to good effect. The first buries itself deep in the meat of Karl’s right thigh, causing him to stumble and drop his sword. His gasp of pain turns to a roar of agony as the second arrow lodges itself in his elbow, snapping one of the bones in his arm and jamming the joint at a horrific angle. Overcome by the blinding pain, Karl almost loses consciousness, and is hardly able to keep himself upright. [stunned]


Harry can now take his remaining half action if he wishes. All three remaining Roadwardens are stunned. Karl looks in particularly bad shape.

[littlebottom]

harry simply turns and walks away, as he suspects the fates of the other two roadwardens to be more lethal than he would of liked. he goes to see the members of the group who did not join in the fight.

[Arq Kujos]

Dieter, no happier about the situation than Harry, grits his teeth and prepares himself to do what needed to be done. "Hiro, hold the other one down while I finish this one off. We can't afford to wait for them to come to their senses." With that being said, Dieter hoped off his horse with rapier drawn and ready. This was not his first kill, but no matter what anyone said, killing your own kind never truly gets any easier. Still, Dieter was not ready to spend the rest of his life in chains, or at the foot of an executioner. Finally, he runs the Road Warden through.


To Hit: [roll0] Trying to beat a 66.
Damage: [roll1]

[Xsesiv]

Seeing Karl struggling to keep his balance, Hiro mechanically loads his bow, nocks an arrow, and releases it into Karl's face. Watching for the outcome, he then takes up yet another arrow, and fires it at Karl if the man does not fall, at the nearest other Roadwarden if he does.


[roll0]
[roll1] Armour Piercing
[roll2]
[roll3] Armour Piercing

[OzCymru]

Unwilling to associate himself with the Roadwardens' bloody fate any longer, Harry turns from the road and makes his way back to the spot where they had camped.

Moments later, it is all over, Dieter and Hiro administering a merciless coup de grace to the stunned and defenceless Roadwardens. The most gruesome blow is dealt to Karl, who ends up with an arrow through his eye that smashes right through his skull and protrudes from the back of his head. The arrow unleashed at the other Roadwarden is merely the final straw as it thuds into the fellow's chest, quickening his demise as he is left sprawled face down on the road. Dieter finishes off the other foe, a young fresh-faced fellow who looks no older than eighteen or nineteen, with a sharp stab to the throat. The man looks both puzzled and regretful as he gurgles his last breath and slumps to the ground.

@Harry
Back at the campsite, there is no sign of Alagon. His belongings have also disappeared, as has his horse.

[littlebottom]

harry looks around in shock, and asks Viet Pogner where he has gone... "wait? where has he gone? also... i dont think its safe to stay here any longer, the roadwardens set upon us thinking us bandits, leaving us no choice but to defend ourselves, we should leave with haste."

harry looks around and wonders why he talked to the man who isnt with us... but quickly picks up his belongings and grabs his horse, packing his stuff away with haste.

[Xsesiv]

"We can go, now?" Hiro asks, pulling his arrows from the corpses of the Roadwardens. And then, under the influence of the true Halfling that dwells in him, rifling their pockets.

[Arq Kujos]

"No, we need to at the very least throw the bodies in some ditch away from the road so they are not immediately discovered." Dieter will also help rifle through the Road Wardens' belongings and free their horses. Also, he will scout out the side of the road and try to find a hole good enough to dump the bodies in.

[OzCymru]

The Roadwardens are carrying very little apart from the trappings of their trade and a handful of shillings. Taking a closer look at the men, it is clear that, apart from the now faceless captain, none of them were far into adulthood, the eldest of the three probably no more than twenty two or twenty three. One of them carries a locket containing the likeness of an attractive young woman, probably his sweetheart waiting in some far off town for the return of her beloved.

With the looting over, Dieter makes short work of disposing of the corpses, dumping them in a dry river bed some thirty yards from the road, not far from the campsite. The horses will not let him anywhere near, however. They have been bred to perform in the heat of battle and are aggressive as Dieter approaches, snorting at him and trying to bite and jostle him.


The Roadwardens are carrying the following:

4 mail shirts
4 swords
4 daggers
1 crossbow
13 crossbow bolts
4 pistols
24 shots worth of powder and shot
11 shillings
8 pennies
1 locket containing the portrait of a young woman

Let me know if you're taking anything and I'll update the character sheets.

[Arq Kujos]

The Roadwardens are carrying the following:

4 mail shirts
4 swords
4 daggers
1 crossbow
13 crossbow bolts
4 pistols
24 shots worth of powder and shot
11 shillings
8 pennies
1 locket containing the portrait of a young woman

Let me know if you're taking anything and I'll update the character sheets.


Dieter gives one horse a swift kick in the rear before giving up on them entirely. He reached down and took their pistols, holstering them and collecting their ammunition and powder. He takes one look at the locket and then smiles. "There is now one more pretty and single lady in the world Hiro. You've done a good thing for single men everywhere." He tosses the necklace to the halfling when he is done with it. "We'll take as much as we can reasonably carry and then move on. We can sell the rest of this stuff in Marienburg Port. No questions asked. Just make sure we scratch off any signs that they belonged to the Road Wardens before we sell them." Dieter carefully removed the rest of the equipment from the dead men as quickly as possible before moving them to the dry river bed. Helping Hiro carry the equipment back to the camp, they find Harry with no sign of Alagon. "Harry, where did the other one go? No matter, we need to load up this equipment as soon as possible and hit the road. The longer we wait, the more time we spend out here in the cold."

[OzCymru]

There is no sign of Alagon, the elf seemingly haven ridden off into the mist while everyone else was occupied with the Roadwardens. With the smell of gunpowder and blood fresh in the air, it is not wise to dally here for too long and you quickly load up the horses and continue along the road, eager to put some distance between yourselves and the scene of the early morning bloodshed.

With your stomachs empty and bodies aching you ride for some time in silence, the incident with the Roadwardens having been a thoroughly unpleasant way to start the day. As the sun climbs in the sky, the mists disperse and the landscape becomes clearer. Just a short distance along the road from where you camped you spot a farmstead with a well-maintained barn, and you curse your decision to spend the night in the open. A simple-looking farmer looks up from mending a fence as you pass by but lowers his eyes as you meet his gaze, either wary of such a strange mix of characters or unconcerned with the world beyond his own borders.

As the morning wears on, the hilly, rocky country flattens and the marshland on either side of the road becomes more dense. You begin to see other travellers on the road, all moving away from Marienburg and heading in the direction from which you have come. At first these are a slow trickle, travelling in small groups of two or three that pass you by every half an hour or so, some with a courteous wave or nod, others with their eyes to the ground. As you near the city, however, the flow becomes heavier until it becomes pretty obvious that you are wading upstream: while the road is busy, you seem to be the only ones travelling towards Marienburg.

All manner of souls pass you by, the wealthier or more fortunate in carriages or wagons that are stacked high with cases and belongings. One cart passes you pulled, in the absence of a horse, by a man and his wife, while their twelve children sit in the back, laughing, crying and shouting. Scores more travel on foot, laden down with as much of their possessions as they can carry, or dragging heavy-looking sacks behind them. One thing you all notice is that every traveller – rich or poor, young or old – carries on their face an unmistakeable look of fear and desperation.

[Arq Kujos]

"What in the name of Sigmar is going on here?" Dieter felt some sense of unmistakable confusion, and more likely self preservation. It was not his nature to run head first into a burning building, and for some reason, that is exactly what this fells like.

After riding along side the road, Dieter is going to head into the city with his comrades and find the house of the man they are supposed to meet. When he finds the house, he is going to knock on the door.

[littlebottom]

Harry meets all the travelers gazes with a friendly smile, and a nod. but dread begins to fill him, expecting to see something horrible in the town as everyone was leaving. he has visions of buildings boarded up or burnt down or half the town flooded or something. these and a few other disasters were the only things harry could think would warrent this many people leaving what seemed to be permanently. he stays close to his allies, and awaits arrival at the town.

[OzCymru]

By midday you can smell the sea, and soon after the city of Marienburg looms into view, rising from the water like a behemoth, frowning upon the surrounding fens from behind its massive wall, unconcerned with anything around it. Even from a distance you can make out the buildings crowded together, jostling for space among the narrow streets and even along the bridges that link the islands upon which the city is built.

You reach the north-east gate at mid-afternoon and immediately sense the tension and apprehension in the air. It is not just the steady flow of people leaving the city; many shops are closed, and some have been boarded up, while the number of watchmen and city guards seems excessive, as if the city is expecting trouble. On street corners, religious zealots and doom-sayers prophesy the end of the world, ranting endlessly and incoherently about the vengeance of Ulric, death by fire, and other vague catastrophes.

The address that Veit Pogner gave you leads to Luydenhoek, the largest island in the network of docks, wharves, quays and warehouses known as the Suiddock. It is not exactly the most well-to-do part of Marienburg, and is littered with incoherent graffiti, broken shutters on windows, boarded up shops and even one or two newly burnt-out buildings. Vogelgesang's residence is on Halsdorph Street, an old area of town where the houses are built very close together and overhang the streets, which are darkened by heavy shadows. The house stands three stories high, but has seen better days: the window-shutters are closed, and symbols of Manann and Sigmar have been painted on them. The street is deserted, but as you approach the door and knock, you gain the distinct impression that more than one set of eyes is on you, watching your every move.

The door is thick and contains no knocker. You rap on the wood with your knuckles, but there is no response.

[Arq Kujos]

"Well, this is bloody wonderful. We come all the way out here, to the ass end of town, and he isn't even here." Dieter spit on the ground in frustrated disgust.

[littlebottom]

"i feel we should look for signs of his continued residence, he may just be out after all."

[Xsesiv]

Hiro says nothing at all, which is probably wise since he recently had a crossbow bolt removed from his neck, but he moves over and looks into the house through a crack in the window shutters.

[littlebottom]

"i feel we might need to get you some more medical attention... i mean, you do have a hole in your neck. how you holding up?"

[OzCymru]

Hiro has to stand on the ends of his toes to be able to put his eye to a gap in the window shutters, but sees nothing but blackness. Either curtains have been drawn or something has been placed over the window as not even the most basic shadowy form can be seen through the darkness.

As you stand in the street considering your next course of action, a noise from above grabs your attention and an upstairs window in the house next door slides open. A head appears and a shrill female voice shouts down at you: "He's not there! Hasn't been there for a year! Shove off or I'll call the watch!"

[Arq Kujos]

Dieter looked up at the voice. "But Ma'am, we were hired to come here. We have a letter of introduction to prove it. Could you come down and tell us what happened?" Dieter held out the letter he had to prove his claim.

[OzCymru]

The head withdraws, and a minute later the front door to the house opens and a rotund woman who looks to be in her forties appears in the street. She waddles across to Dieter and peers closely at the letter through screwed up eyes. She seems to be making a show of scrutinising the contents, but from the way her eyes are wandering all over the page it doesn't appear that she can understand a word.

"Alright, fair enough," she says, apparently satisfied. "Sorry, but you're not the first lot to come round 'ere in the last couple o' days - been bangin' on that door all hours, they 'ave, trying to break in, some of 'em. They reckon 'e's to do with all this fuss goin' on. Bit surprised by that meself, if truth be told, I mean, 'e was always a bit funny, up on that roof all the time looking at the sky with that funny thing of 'is, but 'e was quiet enough. Still, it's the quiet ones you 'ave to watch out for I s'pose.

"Anyway, 'e ain't been 'ere for ages - moved out all of a sudden 'bout a year ago, so you're out o' luck."

[Arq Kujos]

"Well, that is just to bad. You wouldn't happen to know where he went, would you?" Dieter patted his coin purse in the hopes that it might help her memory.

[littlebottom]

"this is most strange, surely he (the guy who sent us on this mission) would of known of his leaving if it was a year ago... " harry mumbles to himself, seeing as his collegue has it under controll.

[OzCymru]

The woman shakes her head, her hand resting on her hip. "Like I said, didn't really know 'im - 'e worked in the Records Office and spent the rest of 'is time cooped up with that looking device as far as I know. I did know 'is 'ousekeeper though - Jemima, one of your sort," she points at Hiro. "Lovely girl, she was awful upset when 'e left, poor thing. Livin' with 'er cousin now she is, over the other end of the Suiddock. She'd be 'appy to 'elp you no doubt if it's 'er old master you're after. A bit of news like that'd cheer 'er up no end. Yes, I could prob'ly remember the address if you're interested in doing that." Her eyes flick down to Dieter's purse and she looks at him expectantly.