[Exalted 3e] - Hunt for the Bone-Breaker IC

[Kobold-Bard]

Jashushi Izulu
Pers: 13/13, Peri: 5/22 (9c), Will: 7/7, Aura: Fire, Anima: Burning, WP: -0
Evade: 2, Parry: 6, Soak: 8, Hard: 4, Init: 7, Riding Horse (Speed +4)
Active charms: -

Izulu terrifies the horse into moving at full tilt into the hail of arrows and flame with a bestial roar and swash of her spear. The roar combined with her burning aura is all the leverage she needs against the archers.

"I don't take prisoners, every last one of you is just waiting to die."

---
Flurry Misc. action and Threaten Action vs the battlegroup.

Charisma+Presence (9) + stunt (2) + Burning Dragon Mien (double 9s, BG lose 1i if successful) - flurry penalty (3)
(8d10)[6][5][1][8][10][3][1][6](40) = 3 sux vs Resolve

[HalfTangible]

Senar's arrow does not just kill his target, it obliterates him. The man's skull showers upward in an explosion of gore, and the bandits freeze. As if on cue, Izulu's words ring out.

The bandits do not flee, but they are hesitating, looking between one another to see if they should run or if their comrades will run with them.

"W h a t ' s a l l t h e h u b b u b?" A new voice rasps. Though you can't see him yet, the speaker sounds like his throat was ripped out, filled with phlegm, and then put back upside down. The bandits look back down towards the speaker, and all of them freeze with fear. Some begin babbling in an incoherent muddled mess, others turn back to the wall and ready their bows again. Who or whatever is speaking apparently scares them more than the prospect of dying at Izulu's hands.

Spoiler

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Senar hits the Hyena bandits at 5 against defense 5! The Bandits' soak is 8! Senar gains 4i, putting him at 11i!

Izulu threatens the bandits! Their resolve is 3 (4 base, -1 Izulu (Fear)). They lose their next action.

Senar and Izulu gee up their horse, moving two range bands!

Bandits' turn!

The Bandits have lost their action!

Nur'Ghal attacks the citizens, then moves to close range with the wall.

Attack: (14d10)[4][5][3][1][2][4][8][5][3][1][3][9][2][6](56) vs Defense 4
Damage: (11d10)[1][7][10][9][6][7][10][6][1][7][1](65)

Lomar's turn!

[Eurus]

Lomar spurs his horse forward, and rises up to get a clear shot at the bandits. The chakram he hurls may not seem as deadly as an arrow, but he's no slouch with it; the heavy blade whirls through the air, entirely capable of cutting deep into bone. He doesn't slow his charge, determined to keep up with the group.

Spoiler: OOC

Show

Moving one range band closer, attacking the bandit group. Dex (2) + Thrown (5) + Aim (3) + Stunt (2) + Range (3)
(14d10)[9][3][5][10][9][2][5][2][1][7][5][1][6][7](72)

Weapon's damage is 7, Strength is 2.
(9d10)[7][8][1][4][9][5][4][1][1](40)

Personal: 13/13
Peripheral: 22/31
Willpower: 5/5

[HalfTangible]

Lomar's chakram slices clean through a man's head, and the body takes a moment or two to crumple. The bandits watch their comrade's head plummet to the ground on the other side of the wall.

Zinj looks livid. "HE OWED ME FOUR OBOLS YOU JERK!!"

Spoiler

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Lomar attacks the bandits at 6! The bandits are hit (defense 5). Their soak is 8 (reduced to 7 by threshold sux). Lomar does 2 damage, gaining 3i and putting him at 6i!

White Winds' turn!

[ShadowImmor]

White Winds, already drained from trying to avoid attacks and keep himself out of harms way, decides his best option is to keep moving into the village, he needs to get in close to be able to use his weapon and start turning the tide of the battle in his favour.

White Winds simply rides closer to the village, attempting to get inside the wall if possible.

[HalfTangible]

Spoiler: Initiative

Show

White Winds is now at short range from the wall!

Round 3
Zinj: 11i
Senar: 11i
Citizens: 8i
Jasushi: 7i
Lomar: 6i
Hyena Bandits: 6i
Nur'ghal: 5i
White Winds: -4i (CRASH 2)

Zinj and Senar's turn!

Zinj scowled, lining her sites back up on her firewand towards Senar. The momentary distraction of one of her subordinates dying didn't break her concentration. With a loud CRACK, a tongue of flame leaped from the wand, flying straight for Senar!

Spoiler

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Spoiler: Declare defenses

Show

Base attack is 6 to hit, 5 damage. Zinj gets +3 dice from her aim action last round. +1 Firewand specialty. Short range, +4 to hit. Firewand gives +11 to damage, 1 overwhelming
Attack: (13d10)[9][3][7][10][8][9][1][1][7][5][8][7][4](79)
Damage: (16d10)[5][1][1][7][2][3][9][8][1][4][7][6][8][9][8][9](88) +4 dice due to flame but Senar's soak will probably take that

[Justanotherhero]

Riding like the wind Senar head towards these bandits and even before another one of them moves jumps of his horse and charges towards the closest Bandit . Senar was a peaceful man most of his life. But the time had come to unleash a power he had held back most of his life. It was bad the first time. People on that dance floor were very sick afterwards. But they were innocent, and Senar was young.
Today .. today will be different.
Senar jumps of his horse breaths in and standing in front of a confused soul no longer asks:

"You will stand down!"
Bursting into a green Aura the entire area is dosed in green light and the smell of deep forest and orchids. Stretching a hand to his enemy that will indeed hurt.

Spoiler: Rules

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Dex (5) + Martial Arts (5) + Become the Hammer 4 motes Peripheral (+2 Defense) + Guardian of Flame (+3 Defense) +Stunt (+1 Defense) + Using Bandit as Shield?

Defense: 5+2+3+1= 11

Soak:
Stamina 5 + Buff jacket 3+ Guardian 2 = Soak 10

Senar Anima effect:
If I am correct:
Damage: 2i
Penalty -1
Sta 5 + Ess 2= Duration 7
A supernatural Posion so the Sta+ Res check can not reduce the duration completely. Only half it.

Attack :
Dex 5 + MA 5 +Become the Hammer 1 + Stunt 2 + Accuracy unarmed 4

[rollv]17d10[/rollv]

[HalfTangible]

To call Senar's entrance devastating would be like calling the Kukla 'a bit large'.

The hyena men are scattered, all notion of a clear line gone. Some are on the ground, writhing in pain as Senar's aura flares. Others are unmoving. The few still standing are backing away, utterly terrified.

Spoiler: Resolving actions

Show

Zinj's attack misses. Senar's does not. He gains 9i, putting him at

The bandits pass their rout check; they are now at size 1

Citizens' turn!

The people of the village take a full defense action! They are at defense 5.

Jasushi Izulu's turn!

[Kobold-Bard]

Jashushi Izulu
Pers: 13/13, Peri: 7/22 (9c), Will: 7/7, Aura: Fire, Anima: Burning, WP: -0
Evade: 2, Parry: 6, Soak: 8, Hard: 4, Init: 7, Riding Horse (Speed +4)
Active charms: -

Significantly less composed than Senar as he abandons her on the back of an animal she can't control, Izulu makes as graceful a landing as she can by hurling herself off it's back into a seemingly purposeful roll into a standing position.

Passing through the gate she elects not to be poisoned again and places herself between the people and the flamewand wielding ******** above.

"Don't worry, we've got you covered." She smiles at the civilians, her burning anima giving her the impression of a cozy fire on a cold night.

---
Warm-Faced Seduction Style on the Civilians, to instil an intimacy of desire.
(10d10)[1][8][6][5][9][4][8][2][10][1](54) = 8 sux vs Resolve. +1 auto-sux if they are Appearance 1

[HalfTangible]

Izulu performs her leap over the wall, and lands with a confident flourish. Those who blinked as she landed might have been very confused to notice that she now stood with all the warmth and confidence of a wife in her own home.

Speaking of... she notices that the civilians have been taking cover in their homes, behind barrels, or anything else they could get to; they are scattered all throughout the village. Those who can see her, however, have their eyes drawn to her, and she sees more than one jaw drop. The closest civilian seems to forget there's even any danger, and the young man stares at her with a dumbstruck, lovesick look on his face. Izulu's not the most attractive woman on earth, but you couldn't have told the villagers that; she'd been in the town for less than 20 seconds and she's already the most popular, desirable woman there.

... And then she sees the bodies.

Everywhere throughout the town, people lay dead. Their wounds are already diseased, their bodies rotting in the daylight as if they'd been there for days. They lay everywhere in this cursed place, and she sees that several buildings had already burned down.

The lovesick young man's face suddenly twists into horror and he points behind Izulu insistently, eyes wide.

"N i c e j u m p, l i t t l e l a s s." A heaving, sickly voice greets her. "Y o u m u s t b e q u i t e h e a l t h y. M o r e t h a n t h e s e f o o l s."

The heaven-born dragon turns to find easily the most repulsive thing she's seen since leaving home (and that's saying a lot, even heaven's slums were high class compared to the rest of Creation). The hyena man before her is bloated and sickly, the ravages of disease covering his entire body. Pustules pop and ooze all across sick-green skin, and black spots adorn his arms. In one hand he carries a rusted, jagged blade that drips with an acrid-smelling liquid. The mutant fur he bears is grayed, and fallen off in patches.

How such a man could be alive - let alone smiling - is beyond Izulu.

"C a n ' t w a i t t o w a t c h y o u d i e s l o w l y."

Spoiler

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Technically this shouldn't be able to affect multiple targets, but eh, this is funny, they're a battle group right now and you got like 8sux, I'll allow it. Izulu has instilled the town with intimacies relating to desire. She is now the most popular, desirable woman in the entire town, and she will be swarmed by admirers as soon as the situation allows. Congrats?

Tepet Lomar's turn!

[Eurus]

Lomar mercilessly pulls another chakram off his back and hurls it into the shabby line of bandits. They're braver than expected, or perhaps more terrified of their superiors than of the Dragonblooded. If they were a little more cowardly, they might have survived. He grunts with the exertion of the throw, then nods to himself.

"Just have to clean up these stragglers... then we can try to capture the leaders."

Spoiler: OOC

Show

Attacking the battle group again from short range, with a 5 mote excellency. Anima rises to Bonfire. Dex (2) + Thrown (5) + Excellency (5) + Stunt (2) + Range (3)
(17d10)[1][1][5][10][8][7][6][5][9][1][4][5][4][10][7][4][9](96)

Weapon's damage is 7, Strength is 2.
(9d10)[6][8][7][2][9][4][8][10][4](58)

Anima: Bonfire
Personal: 13/13
Peripheral: 22/31
Willpower: 5/5

[HalfTangible]

Zinj swears in a language that Izulu recognizes as Old Realm, albeit a very different dialect from her own. She pulls back a bit from her position on the wall, looking over the bodies of her slain subordinates. She swears again (Izulu was pretty sure that it was physically impossible to do that with a cactus even if you wanted to) and calls out "Nur'ghal! Back to the tunnels!"

"N o t y e t." The man... hyena... thing wheezes as it shambles towards the dragon blooded, eyes widening in a mad grin. "O n e m o r e... f o r t h e r o a d..."

"Dammit you idiot we don't have time, Ratana-"

With a sickening, mucus-coated laugh it swings its rusty blade down at Izulu!

Spoiler: OOC

Show

Lomar's last attack finishes off the battle group's last health level. They are no longer a significant enough force in the battle to keep track of.)

Bandits' turn!

Nur'ghal's turn. He/it makes a withering attack against Jasushi Izulu with Maggot Tender. On a successful hit, the blade infects the target with a disease. Stamina + Resistance to resist, TN 3.

Spoiler: Rolls; declare defenses first

Show

Attack Roll
(14d10)[5][7][3][8][3][5][10][9][3][10][10][10][8][2](93)

Damage Roll
(11d10)[4][10][6][3][10][3][8][3][3][6][5](61)

White Winds' turn (CRASH 2).

[Kobold-Bard]

Jashushi Izulu
Pers: 7/13, Peri: 3/22 (9c), Will: 5/7, Aura: Fire, Anima: Burning, WP: -0
Evade: 2, Parry: 6, Soak: 8, Hard: 4, Init: 5,
Active charms: -

"უკმაყოფილო ვარ თქვენი"" Izulu's language is almost as foul as the blade cutting into her leg. She spins her spear like a baton to intercept the monster, but despite the whirlwind of scorching air this whips up, it's not enough to deter him(it?) and the Dragonblood is wounded.

---
Base Parry is 6. +1 Stunt, +3 Stoking Bonfire Style (6m Personal), +1 Flame-Borne Interception (4 Peripheral), +1 Willpower = Parry 12.
Attack hits with 0 threshold sux, dealing 2 Initiative damage to Izulu.

Stamina + Resistance = 4, +1 Stunt, +1 Willpower.
(6d10)[9][1][3][5][3][2](23) = 1 sux - FAIL. Izulu is infected with unknown disease.

[ShadowImmor]

White Winds sighs, taking a deep breath, as he moves inside the walls to get behind the defences.

"That wasn't exactly me covering myself in glory... my apologies."

[HalfTangible]

As White Winds walks through the open gates, Izulu suddenly coughs, a sudden pain lurching her downward onto one knee. It's a sensation that she has rarely known; the Exalted never fall to disease, save for those of the mystical variety. Whatever this is, it burns; it does not stop her from fighting for the moment, but she can tell that will not last. Nur'ghal chuckles, his diseased head turning to look at the new arrival at an unnatural angle.

Zinj has stopped trying to convince Nur'ghal to run. She's turning to leap off of the wall.

Spoiler: Initiative

Show

As part of the game's combat rules, all combatants should be gaining 5m at the start of each round (up to their maximum personal and peripheral pools, obviously). As we're at the start of Round 4, that should be 20m total. I apologize, I should've made this clear from the start

Round 4
Senar: 20i
Zinj: 11i
Nur'ghal: 8i
Citizens: 8i
Jasushi: 5i (Mystery Disease)
Lomar: 6i
White Winds: -4i (CRASH 3)

Senar's turn!

[Justanotherhero]

The sad truth is Senar always listened to those stories, he liked them but a part of him always thought it may have been artistic freedom, hyperbole maybe?
No sane human being would willingly follow a crazy demonic monster ? That makes no sense?

Those doubts disappeared today.
Monsters are real and they must be defeated.

Seeing Izulu fall on one knee Senar uses the opportunity to give justice to this world.
Her hair falling down just a little bit slower then the rest her body Senar jumps to the left , draws his arrow and fires. Izulus hair covering the arrow until it is far to late to evade Senars attack made with deadly intent.

Striking Nur'ghal Senar continues moving to the left towards the village and protecting the remaining civilians.

[HalfTangible]

Zinj is demonstrating the better part of valor, jumping from the wall and running deeper into the village, away from Izulu and Nur'ghal's battle.

Senar's arrows strike the diseased hyena man in his side, though he doesn't seem to notice. His tongue lols partway out of his mouth, blackened and marked with disease. He grins wickedly at Izulu as she doubles over involuntarily. "Y e s, g o o d... n e e d s t o w o r k f a s t e r, t h o u g h... He raises his rusted blade for another strike-

-but before the blow can land, a rock slams into his face. The hyena doesn't move, but he does pause. The boy Izulu had landed in front of is scrambling in the dirt for something else to throw, panic in his eyes.

Finding no extra rocks, the boy charges instead, slamming into the creature. The hyena snarls and knocks him aside, only for a new rock to slam into his face. Other objects - small kitchen implements, rocks, even a bucket - slam into (or near enough) both him and Zinj to stagger both a moment... but only for a moment.

It seems Izulu has helped these citizens find their courage.

Spoiler

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Nur'ghal's defense is 4, with a soak of 10. Senar's attack gets 2 threshold sux, bringing Nur'ghal down to 8 soak. Senar does 1 damage, gaining 2i.

Zinj's turn! She spends her turn running from the battle, towards the back end of the village. She is at short range from all combatants, moving through the village.

Citizen's turn! The citizens attack! Nur'ghal and Zinj are both hit by this attack, since they're spread across the entire village

Nur'ghal's defense is 3 (4 base, -1 onslaught)

Citizens
Attack: (4d10)[2][2][9][10](23)
Damage: (3d10)[10][8][2](20)

They do not harm Zinj, but Nur'ghal takes 1 initiative damage. (No double 10s for battle groups and they only got 1 die of damage cuz they couldn't overcome his soak, sadface)

Lomar and Nur'ghal's turns!

[Eurus]

Lomar's eyes follow Zinj as she flees, and he frowns. He wants to chase her, to finish off everyone responsible for this slaughter. But running blindly into the caves is... not wise. He's seen too many ambushes in his life to risk one so easily. Scowling, he ignores her for now and focuses on the disgusting figure fighting Izulu.

Then he sees the rock strike Nur'ghal. And for just an instant, Lomar's mouth quirks in a smile. Because strategy and tactics are important, yes. Half of the battle is fought before the field is ever taken. But the other half is fought in the heart.

The whirlwind of essence around him peaks, and a storm of lotus flowers shaped from perfect blue ice, light as feathers and sharp as razors, rises into the air above him. When he shouts from within that pillar of dragon's might, it's in a voice so powerful that you'd have a hard time believing it came from the same man. A voice of steel and thunder, of the mighty Tepet Legions, battered but not forgotten.

"Push him back! Defend your home!"

Spoiler: OOC

Show

I don't believe anyone is in Anima Flux range at the start of Lomar's turn. He'll remain at short range from Nur'ghal.

Using Roaring Dragon Officer (3m) to flurry an order action with an aim action. Using Blazing Courageous Swordsman Inspiration (2m) to gain one additional non-charm die for each 10 on the order action. Excellency allows me to reroll 6s and add 6 dice (6m).

Charisma (4) + War (5) + Specialty: Fighting Supernatural Opposition (1) + Stunt (2) + Excellency (6) + Flurry (-3). Reroll 6s.
(15d10)[6][7][1][6][10][5][2][2][5][7][3][4][3][6][7](74)
Extra dice for rerolling 6s and adding one die for each 10: (5d10)[2][7][2][7][7](25)

Anima: Bonfire
Personal: 13/13
Peripheral: 16/31
Willpower: 5/5

[HalfTangible]

At the words of the Prince of the Earth, there's initially no reaction. The citizens are not all out in the open; most are hiding in their homes or behind makeshift cover, cowering in the face of an unstoppable onslaught.

And then, there is movement.

The head of a housewife peeks out of her home's window, wide with a realization of who is there for them as her son cries in her arms. Her husband stands beside her, a rock in his hand ready to throw. A blacksmith steps from his own home, a small hammer in his hand. Someone steps from the tavern with a freshly drained tankard of beer in his hand. A farmer, in town just to buy supplies, steps out with a pitchfork. Someone else comes with a torch.

The diseased maniac, the firewand wielding-bandit and the dragon-blooded are being slowly surrounded by a mob of angry villagers, tired of giving in.

Nur'ghal laughs.

He skewers the boy foolish enough to defy him through the gut with his sword, lifting him into the air and tossing him towards the crowd. The boy's screams are silent, and as he collapses, those few who came out hesitate and back away.

"THEY CAN'T." Nur'Ghal rasps.

A woman screams. "MEADOW!"

The boy throws his arm out, shooing the rest of the crowd away. Even as he does so, however, his skin begins to pustule and pop. Whatever damnable sickness he'd given Izulu, it was having a far worse effect on the mortal. He is convulsing and twitching within moments.

Spoiler

Show

The citizens will have a +5 on any actions they take next round, and have been ordered to attack the enemy.

Nur'ghal attacks the citizens.
Attack
(14d10)[9][8][6][2][3][3][2][5][7][9][2][1][4][8](69)
Damage
(11d10)[6][3][9][2][2][3][2][2][8][3][10](50)

Their defense is 2. Their soak is 4 (2 natural, 2 size).

Threshold sux: 3
Soak is 4-3, so 1.

Nur'ghal does 2 damage, forcing a rout check. The citizens fail and begin to dissolve; they will be entirely dissolved at the start of their next turn. Any character present may attempt to rally them through an Attribute+War action, at TN 2.

Jasushi Izulu's turn!

[Kobold-Bard]

Jashushi Izulu
Pers: 7/13, Peri: 2/22 (9c), Will: 5/7, Aura: Fire, Anima: BONFIRE, WP: -0
Evade: 1(2), Parry: 5(6), Soak: 8, Hard: 4, Init: 14
Active charms: -

"IDIOT!" she barks at Lomar as her anima exploded into many firey wings surrounding her, making a desperate attempt to push the monster away from the villagers. Turning on her good leg, she slams her spear into it's gut and unleashes a pulse of molten essence with what force she has left.

---
Standard: Smashing withering attack vs Nur'ghal (costs 2i to try, -1 defence). Smashing tag granted by Dragon-Graced Weapon (Earth)
Withering attack pool (12) + stunt (2) + Stoking Bonfire Style (6, 6m periph) = 20 dice
Attack: (20d10)[4][5][3][9][1][10][10][9][2][10][4][1][5][6][6][10][6][6][8][7](122) = 12 sux. If hit he is knocked prone.
Damage: (14d10)[81], 5+threshold sux minimum 4.

[HalfTangible]

Even sickened with an illness that felled dozens of mortals, a dragon's fury is formidable. The diseased beastman slammed into the village wall, and it cracked at the impact before it fell face-first onto the ground.

Spoiler

Show

Izulu spends 2i to perform a smashing attack, putting her at 3i. Izulu hits defense 4 at 12. Nur'ghal has 12 soak, reduced to 4 by threshold sux. He takes 10 withering damage, putting him at 4i. Nur'ghal is knocked prone. Izulu gains 11i, putting her at 14i.

White Winds' turn! (Final turn in Crash)

[ShadowImmor]

White Winds will move up to the nearest enemy he can see, drawing his Daiklaive weapon, he swings it at the nearest enemy, he says nothing, but moves with a fluid grace.

(11d10)[43] ((Attack))
(17d10)[81] ((Damage))

[ShadowImmor]

((Whoops! Forgot to do the breakdown of rolls!!))

(11d10)[3][3][3][4][3][7][10][5][10][1][6](55)
(17d10)[5][4][7][4][8][5][5][5][9][1][3][5][3][4][6][9][9](92)

[HalfTangible]

((Shadow, next time if you screw up a roll or forget to make one, you can do so in the OOC thread))

White Winds walks in and almost casually stabs at Nur'ghal from his prone position on the ground. The creature yelps and rolls to dodge the attack, but the movement is erratic and off-balance.

Spoiler

Show

White Winds hits at 5 against defense 4. 1 threshold sux against 12 soak puts him at 11 soak. You gain 3i and do 2 damage to Nur'ghal, putting White Winds at -1i. White Winds has survived 3 turns in Crash, he resets to base initiative (3).

New round, everyone gains 5m!

Round 5
Senar: 22i
Jasushi: 14i (Mystery Disease)
Zinj: 11i
Citizens: 8i
Lomar: 6i
White Winds: 3i
Nur'ghal: 2i

Senar's turn!

[Justanotherhero]

Senar looked with worry towards the fight between Izulu and the creature. Worry turned into horror while he watched the poor boy pay a terrible price for nothing more then defending his home and family.
This thing could not be allowed to live.

Drawing his bow one more time. And calling loud enough to be heard over all the noise:
"For the crime of murder the chosen of heaven, descendants of the empress sentence you to die!"

Senar fires his bow into the beasts exposed neck that is not protected by armour.

Spoiler: Attack Stats

Show

Withering Attack:
Dex 5+Archery 5+Charm added Dice 5 +2 Stunt+4 close range

[HalfTangible]

Senar's arrow strikes straight through Nur'ghal's neck and pins it to the ground, and the creature struggles to get up. However, the wound isn't bleeding, and it reaches up to pull out the arrow.

"Y o u i n v o k e a n u s u r p e r o f a n u s u r p e r." The creature snarls. "A t r a i t o r t o t r a i t o r s. H e r n a m e i s f o r g o t t e n, h e r p o w e r m e a n i n g l e s s. S h e w i l l n e v e r r e t u r n, a n d g o o d r i d d a n c e t o h e r."

Spoiler

Show

Nur'Ghal's defense is 3 (4 -1 Onslaught) and he has 12 soak. Senar attacks at 9, negating 6 soak. Senar does 3 withering damage, gaining 4i.

Nur'ghal is in crash! He is treated as having Hardness 0, cannot use perilous charms, and cannot launch decisive attacks.

Izulu's turn

[Kobold-Bard]

Jashushi Izulu
Pers: 7/13, Peri: 3/22 (9c), Will: 5/7, Aura: Fire, Anima: BONFIRE, WP: -0
Evade: 2, Parry: 6, Soak: 8, Hard: 4, Init: 14
Active charms: -

Her anima calms, becoming still candle flame rather than a raging inferno. A ring of five wings re-emerges briefly as Izulu launches herself towards Heaven. But she does not go home, instead she primes her direlance and falls elegantly but mercilessly onto the monster, spearpoint smashing through it's head.

---
Free: 1m to use my anima, burst of flame to give me elevation.
Standard: Decisive attack on Nurghal, who is -1 parry and -2 evasion for being prone.
Attack: Base (10) + stunt (2) + Stoking Bonfire Style (3, 2m for use on subsequent turns) = 15 dice
Attack: (15d10)[8][6][5][2][4][8][6][9][1][6][9][3][6][5][9](87) = 5 sux
Damage: (14d10)[10][8][1][7][9][10][10][2][6][6][6][4][9][6](94) = 7 lethal damage

[HalfTangible]

In a brief moment, the crowd of citizenry looks ready to break and run. Though the Dragons had arrived as saviors and defeated the vast horde of bandits, their fear of the diseased monstrosity that had slaughtered their brethren left them paralyzed. The murder of yet another of their own, now rotten and diseased, had them taking their first hesitant steps back from his body.

But Izulu is no mortal woman, afraid to die at the hands of a butcher. She is a dragon.

Nur'ghal is pulling himself to its feet just as Izulu crashes into it. Her grand jade spear pushes the diseased beast right back into the dirt where it belongs, and suddenly its body falls limp. Its head and eyes, however, are still moving, and its eye turns to look deep into the heavenly dragon's.

"T h e h e l l s... t a k e y o u... a l l... TRAITORS..."

As the blade falls from Nur'ghal's hand and he breathes his last, the roiling in Izulu's gut begins to subside. And as she stands, her body reasserting its natural healthy state, she sees the rot and diseased begin to leave Nur'ghal as well. Meadows' trembling begins to subside, and while his garish wound remains bleeding, the infection is gone... or rather, *mostly* gone; the wound is still red and raw, but it no longer carries blackened spots. The corpses around you are not so lucky.

The air stills, and in the sunlight, a slow applause begins. It grows, and morphs into racuous cheers for the conquering champions. The Dragon-Blooded protect the people of Creation, and they have proven themselves once more.

The woman Zinj is nowhere to be seen.

Spoiler

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So yeah. This first combat is effectively over. What will the circle do?

[Eurus]

Lomar exhales slowly as Nur'ghal falls. He assesses the situation quickly; there are no enemies in sight, but the other leader Zinj has fled. Also, Lomar's anima is still swirling with razor sharp petals of ice, so he's not really in any condition to help the civilians. He sighs and walks to Izulu, knowing that his essence won't burn a fellow dragon.

"Are you alright? Did that... creature infect you?"

[Kobold-Bard]

Jashushi Izulu
Pers: 7/13, Peri: 3/22 (9c), Will: 5/7, Aura: Fire, Anima: BONFIRE, WP: -0
Evade: 2, Parry: 6, Soak: 8, Hard: 4, Init: 14
Active charms: -

"Apparently not" she says watching the rot seep out of her wound. She turns to the crowd and raises an arm in recognition of their celebration. "Bind his wounds, if I approach he'll be burned. Then have priests prepare the dead for burial.

She gestures for Lomar to come with her out of earshot of the mortals. "You're the soldier, in your expert opinion is it worth our time going after that დამპალი ხე woman, or should we call this an job well done and leave them be?" She's not callous, her tone is flat and businesslike, as if either option would suit her just fine.

---
If Lomar read intentions, she is sincere in both her viewing him as the expert and her total indifference to whether they hunt down Zin'j or go back to the Anathema safari.