[WFRP2e] The Power of One - Part 2 - "Transire Benefaciendo"

[MrAbdiel]

You take note of the location, the distinctive slouch of the building and the forgettable scratches that you can not forget (you have similar minor scars on your skin, after all). Perhaps a matter for the thieves to take care of, for later - you have other priorities. The three of you scour the interior of the building on which you stand, and Signore Cestié is delighted to discover a fold of heshen cloth in one corner and a bundle of rough pine wood sticks, scraped of bark to reveal the soft white wood within.

"Ah, here - signal smokers, you see? They are each soaked in certain different chemicals before drying to this indistinguishable state. But you see these notches, here? They mark the colors the smoke they produce will appear when seen through a Tollucini lens. Guillelma Tollucci, you see - Leonardo da Miragliano's sister, who had a little talent of her own. It's through Guillelma that the Cestié family is connected to that family. Here, here..."

He produces his spyglass, and then - for the first time - from inside the lens cap, tugs at a small tongue of leather to reveal a hidden pocket and simple clear circular glass lens, which he presses gently into to wide end of the spyglass with a rewarding click. He hands it to you, and then begins fiddling with the signal smokers, eventually selecting one he thinks his appropriate based on its notches. By that time, Bella has lit a small fire in the defunct brick stove, and Cestié adds a the stick to it.

When you get back to the rooftop, two (and a half) stories above the water level, there is a very mild plume of smoke from the chimney. To the naked eye, it is simple grey woodsmoke. Through the lens affixed to Cestié's spyglass, it is quite clearly intermingled with a ribbon of vibrant green smoke within.

"That should let a spotter know there is someone 'friendly' here to meet. We'll have to convince the spotter to take us to their safe house... or at least to have the local chapter leader come to meet us. For now, err..."

He pivots, looking for somewhere to suggest you and Bella hide... but the rooftop has just the small chimney for cover, which is not at all enough to hide even one person behind. Having all of your out and revealed certainly makes you more threatening - but given that you killed at least one of the Weevers, it might be a good idea for you not to be visible until Maso has a chance to parlay. But that would involve going down the rope to the floor below; which would put you a short climb away from the old tinker should something go wrong. With his crossbow in his hands, he is not harmless - but all the same...

Spoiler: OOC:

Show

Where do you want you (and Bella) to be as you wait for the Weevers? Out front and proud, or hiding below and sneaky?

[BananaPhone]

Taalia Giovanni


Taalia purses her lips at the situation before them, her mind considering both options. Open and bold would be more honest but ward them against approaching in the first place...while sneaky and hidden may draw them in, but could lead them into believing they were walking into an ambush.

It was better to ask for forgiveness than permission, Taalia reasoned.

Nodding once, Taalia put a hand on Bella's shoulder and gestured for her bestie to follow her and hide where Cestie designated.

[MrAbdiel]

You wait below with Bella; your friend holding her finely weighted quarterstaff and weighing it in her arms for familiarity before tying it back to light pack. It's a little awkward, but easier to climb with it that way in a pinch; and the knotted rope hanging down through the window (while not a challenging climb) will most befit an individual with two hands.

When the visitors come, they come from an angle blind to the windows in the building. But you hear them just find, as they hop from one rooftop to the one above you. Three... four... five sets of feet. One smaller than the others - a child, or a halfling.

You hear them speaking, clearly enough.

"What's this, old man? Old man? What you doing out here old man?", says the first - the weird, gangland dialect junky and unpleasant on the ear.
"You got money? You got money old man?", says another.

Immediately, this does not sound to you like thieves you fought the night before. They were not the most sophisticated people you have met, but there was nothing wrong with their Tilean - city born, clear spoken.

"No, I'm - ... with the Weevers. And if you're still here in thirty seconds you'll meet the rest of us."

Cestié's response clinches it. These are not the people he was expecting - some other gang, some your gut tells you is more vicious and crude and almost native to this swampy slum condition. He tries to bluff them, hoping they'll accept the half truth of his affiliation as an indicator they shouldn't trouble him for risk of a clash with another gang.

But the hairs are standing up on the back of your neck, now. You recognize the tone, the timbre, the ambience sense of the encounter going on above - the fabricated strength of the pack, and the unspent violence quivering in the air like an taut bowstring...

Spoiler: OOC:

Show

Cestié is trying to blather. Untrained, he will have a hard time. If he succeeds, they'll hold off for a turn. Otherwise, we're straight into initiative.

If you can hit a Scale Sheer Surface roll of +20% for the knotted rope, you can climb up to the roof with a half action on your turn and immediately engage with the other half. Fail, and it'll take a full round of action just to climb up.

vs19BlatherUntrained - (1d100)[33]

BellaInitiative - (1d10+4)[9]
CestiéInitiative - (1d10+4)[10]
GoonLeader - (1d10+4)[9]
GoonOffsider - (1d10+4)[13]
GoonBrute - (1d10+4)[13]
GoonGirl - (1d10+4)[12]
GoonShort - (1d10+4)[6]

[BananaPhone]

Taalia Giovanni

Taalia's danger senses were tingling quite early into the interaction. The tone of voice, Cestie's initial apprehension, their refusal to heed his warning...

She hadn't survived the slave pits without a finely honed danger antennae and hers was screaming into her ears that something was very, very wrong. Gripping the knotted rope with her gloved hand, Taalia left the blunderbuss affixed to her backpack so that Bella could withdraw it when she followed her up and kept behind her, firing over her shoulder.

Upon reaching the top of that window, Taalia cast her gaze out as she stepped forward silently, sword withdrew with a threatening Schink! and her shield coming about before her and wasted no time - she stabbed at the nearest goon. They were threatening Cestie, they deserved it.

[MrAbdiel]

Spoiler: OOC: Initiative and rolls!

Show

Taalia [14]
GoonOffsider - (1d10+4)[13] (8 Damage)
GoonBrute - (1d10+4)[13]
GoonGirl - (1d10+4)[12]
Cestié - (1d10+4)[10]
Bella - (1d10+4)[9]
GoonLeader - (1d10+4)[9]
GoonShort - (1d10+4)[6]

GoonOffsider, after a surprise stabbing, goes full defense.
Goon Brute moves to attack Taalia. vs50 - (1d100)[16] for (1d10+5)[11] (Handweapon, club).
Goon Girl lunges at Cestié. vs40 - (1d100)[86] for (1d10+3)[8] (Handweapon, shortsword).
Cestié backs up a step, daring an opportunity attack from Goon girl, then shoots at her with the crossbow.
OP attack: vs40 - (1d100)[4] for (1d10+3)[5] (Handweapon, shortsword)
vs38 - (1d100)[69] for (1d10+4)[10](Master-Tuned Crossbow)
Bella half-action climbs up, then half-action parry stances.
Goon Leader watches with disapproval for a turn.
Goon Short attacks Bella!
vs40 - (1d100)[30] for (1d10+2)[4] (dagger!)
BellaParryVs56 - (1d100)[49]

Narrative pending rolls, then Taalia's turn!

There are five of them. A pale skinned leader, tall with dark bags under his eye and an almost lipless mouth, has a small axe in hand but it seems little intention to use it. Even as you clamber over the edge of the roof to engage, he turns his attention to you but does not yet sully himself to be involved. He has people for this.

The nearest to Cestié is a leering, lank haired man with eyebrows that seem permanently too high on his forehead - higher still when you jam the point of your sword into his side and he staggers back, looking horrified and offended, longknife up to defend himself and menace you back. He releases a string of parochial judgements about you which, you are quite sure, suggest he is taking you seriously. As does another, the most muscled and largest of the gang who steps in and with the cudgel in his right hand strikes while the dagger in the left fakes. This time, it's for you - these are men of violence who are ready to take all comers.

Spoiler: OOC:

Show

That will require a defence, or else take 11 damage to the body.

Nearby, just a few steps away, an almost androgynously malnourished young woman lunges for Maso with a shortsword. The forehand misses as he backsteps; the backhand barely nicks him along the stomach, cutting through leather and drawing blood, as he establishes enough space to send a crossbow bolt whizzing past her ear.

Bella is up on the roof a moment after you, slinging free her quarterstaff. She cannot keep the look of worry off her face; but as the fifth member of the gang lunges at her with dagger in hand, she has the presence of mind to ward the blow away with a whooshing strike of the staff.

Three versus five; or four, as long as their leader seems content to watch. You have fought better armed opponents, and deadlier and stronger opponents; but here in a rooftop in the sunken quarter of Miragliano, a wrong-step might cost a life as easily as a bad parry.

[BananaPhone]

Taalia Giovanni


Taalia battered away the incoming cudgel with her graceful weapon, while her return stab grazed off the mans right arm with a nasty nick, but nothing too serious.

"Bella, Leonardo!" Taalia yelled through gritted teeth as she held the goons at bay.

[MrAbdiel]

Spoiler: OOC: Initiative and Rolls!

Show

Round 2!

Goon offsider moves in to gang up on Taalia, along with Brute.

vs50 - (1d100)[99] for (1d10+3)[11] (handweapon, longknife)
Brute will try to parry that blow, but he will all out attack this turn.
vs70 - (1d100)[70] for (1d10+5)[8] (handweapon, club)

Goon girl follows up on Cestie.

vs40 - (1d100)[24] for (1d10+3)[12] (handweapon, shortsword)

Bella snatches Leonardo from Taalia's backpack rig. She can't leave combat and fire it this turn, so she will swing her quarterstaff one handed as an improvised weapon for the sake of using that half action.

vs41 - (1d100)[62] for (1d10)[5] (improvised)

Cestie is stuck in combat. He'll drop the crossbow, and draw shortsword and knife to prepare to parry next turn.

Short goon will keep at Bella.

vs40 - (1d100)[26] for [ROLL]1d10+2/ROLL] (dagger). (6 damage net, from the OOC.)

Taalia [14]
GoonOffsider [13] (8 Damage)
GoonBrute [13] (4 Damage)
GoonGirl - [12]
Cestié - [10] (9 Damage)
Bella - [9] (6 Damage)
GoonLeader - [9]
GoonShort - [6]

Narrative Pending!

You score a laceration on the big lad, but on he comes, seemly untroubled by the pain. Even as the creep you stabbed before rushes in, you weave away from one slash of a knife while the club hammers down at you, testing your defence

Spoiler: OOC:

Show

Defend against an 8 damage hit to the head!

It's just as well the leader seems untroubled; the gang is proving more than trouble on their own. The girl who dodged the crossbow bolt follows up on Cestie, and you are gutsick to hear him cry out in pain and see blood on her shortsword. The crossbow clatters to the ground, and he draws his own melee weapons, shortsword and knife, though blood now runs down the front of the old man's jerkin.

Bella takes your meaning and grabs Leonardo from its scabbard on your back, but struggles to pick a moment to disengage to fire. She tries to fend away the short attacker, but unable to bring her staff around usefully one handed, the scumbag is able to dart in and slash a line that cuts through her light leather and elicits and pained gasp.

Spoiler: OOC!

Show

The stress!

Bella is set, next turn, to back out of combat and fire Leonardo, collecting... I'll say, 1d4 of these guys in the chaos, careful not to hit you or Cestie. Cestie is wounded, but now atleast he has a parry! Taalia has the big guy and the one she first wounded in combat with her - and that second one does not have a second weapon to parry with. Your go!

[BananaPhone]

Taalia Giovanni

Taalia's eyes widened as she watched the grotesque, ugly little mans attack on Bella penetrate her defenses and spike her with his disgusting little sword.

Gritting her teeth, the shepardess brought her elven-made blade about towards him in a glittering arc...

[MrAbdiel]

Spoiler: OOC: Rolls!

Show

vs50 - (1d100)[59] for (1d10+3)[6] from the Offsider at Taalia.

vs70 - (1d100)[24] for (1d10+5)[10] from the brute, all out.

vs40 - (1d100)[98] for (1d10+3)[9] from the girl at Cestie;
(1d100)[53] for the old man to parry.

(1d100)[54] for (1d10+3)[10] for him to strike back!

Bella fires Leonardo. She hits (1d4)[4] targets - starting and following through: Brute (1d10+3)[4], Offsider (1d10+3)[6], Girl (1d10+3)[6], Leader (1d10+3)[12]. They roll Agility to defend:(1d100)[86], (1d100)[40], (1d100)[36], (1d100)[36].

Goon Leader gets stuck in at Taalia - 3 on 1, now!

vs60 - (1d100)[2] for (1d10+5)[13].

And Special Friend: vs75 - (1d100)[31] for (1d10+5)[14](+1)

for (1d10+6)[7] or (1d10+6)[7].


Taalia [14]
GoonOffsider [13] (11 Damage)
GoonBrute [13] (4 Damage)
GoonGirl - [12] (3 Damage)
Cestié - [10] (9 Damage)
Bella - [9] (6 Damage)
GoonLeader - [9] (10 Damage)
GoonShort - [6] Dead
SpecialFriend - [1]

It doesn't quite behead the short man. Not completely. It is on track to do so, but then he starts to duck, and the blade's edge catches him at the heel of the skull, carves through part of the upper most cervical vertebra and through the back of the lower mandible. The top of his head comes off and flomps onto the tile in a single, comically simple movement that leaves his startled eyes open and staring at your ankles. The rest of him, from the soles of his feet to the flopping lower jaw, takes a teetering stumble and pitches off the side of the roof.

The other creeps aren't so flush with grief they slow down. Bella is free from attackers now, but the offsider and the brute still come after you; the knife avoided at the cost of putting your ribs at risk of the bludgeon. Cestié finds a second wind and fends off his attacker for a moment, even driving her back a step; and this puts her in line with the blast from Leonardo as Bella releases the weapon's fury once more. It's a good line - it puts all four of them in hazard, though with enough clearance to avoid you and Maso. The brute seems to bull through his scattered fragments, and the leader has leaned smoothly out of the way of the blast when it comes; but the offsider with the knife and the harassing girl are both peppered and yelp with pain. He is suffering badly, and she is stung for the first time. But the leader is active now, and he comes for you.

He darts forth, obviously skilled in measure to his station, and chops viciously out at you with his small axe.

Spoiler: Two defenses!

Show

You're twice attacked this turn with hits - first for 10 damage to the body by the brute, then for 13 damage to the right arm by the leader.

"ReeeeeeEEEEEEEEAAAAGHGH!"

This hysterical, throaty warcry comes immediately before another sound - the sound of fracturing skull, and a spray of blood from the axe-wielding thug leader's mouth.

As he staggers forth, grasping at the hideous wound at the back of his head, you see the inflictor - a snarling, almost frothing black furred skaven in rusty armor made of interconnected metal squares you recognize from the veteran warriors of the rats you saw from time to time in your captivity. This one seems a veteran, but also crazy - even by the rat standards. A steel helm fits tight over his head with an upright metal crest regally rising above it. A now bloodied morning star whirls in one hand; a triangular wooden shield features a battered, three-lined symbol you would have been happy never to see again. Needless to say, this verminous arrival seems hostile to all involved in this affair.

Cestié takes in this new entrant with a glance and gritted teeth. Bella just screams.

[BananaPhone]

Taalia Giovanni

And just like that, Taalia had killed another person, Daybreak cleaving through the neck of the shorter goon that had stabbed her beloved best friend.

Where once Taalia would have uttered the bellowing roar of intimidation, now she fought with a more quiet, steely-eyed discipline. She wasn't 1 vs 6 where she hoped to frighten people away. No no, she was looking out now for Bella and Cestie. That meant she had to keep a cool head so tha -

"ReeeeeeEEEEEEEEAAAAGHGH!"

Taalia's eyes immediately widened. The inflection. The accent. The sound. She knew it all too well.

Skaven.

And not just any Skaven, this was what Taalia knew to be a Stormvermin: the martial elite of the rat-man world. They were instantly recognisable by their black-fur, the blessed complexion marking them for advanced training among their society and a tell-tale sign of greater innate aggression and physical skill.

Thankfully her sudden lapse was not enough to sacrifice her body to the probing weapons of her opponents, her shield coming up to glance away knives and her body dodging out of the way of clubs. In reponse, Taalia snarled and stabbed and slashed where she could, her blade aimed for flesh as Bella's screams echoed in her ear.

"Bella, behind me!!" she yelled.

Cestie! The shepardess thought in fright to herself. Though long-dead instincts warned her away from seizing the Skavens attention, she knew it was in the older mans best interests that she do so.

<"Heechigar!"> Taalia yelled out in Queekish.

[MrAbdiel]

You weave instinctively away from blows that might have incapacitated or killed you; the near decapitation of Bella's stunted attacker a commensurately small relief from angles of danger. But then comes the stormvermin; unhinged and monstrous and extraordinarily deadly. But fortunate for you, the rat-man's first blow comes from the blind side of one of your aggressors; and his disorientation almost costs him his life as your own attack scores across the front of his armor. He is forced to throw himself on his back on the roof, skidding back over the shingles...

Spoiler: OOC:

Show

That's ultimately a 1 point crit, but a very good roll making it a 5 Body Crit - Knocked down and winded for a turn. -30% to all his stuff.

A two sided brawl becomes three sided, very suddenly...

Spoiler: OOC:

Show

Rolls, narrative pending.

Offsider freaks out and full defenses.

Brute singlemindedly focuses on Taalia.

vs60 - (1d100)[87] for another all out. (1d10+5)[13] to land it.

Girl moves away from Cestie and attacks the Stormvermin.

Cestie's Back-Attack: vs40 - (1d100)[92] for (1d10+3)[6]

The girl's strike: vs40 - (1d100)[98] for (1d10+3)[9]
Skaven Parry (Only valid if this attack hits.)
vs55 - (1d100)[48]

Cestie moves and attacks the Brute.
vs40 - (1d100)[66] for (1d10+3)[6]

Bella changes from Blunderbuss back to staff, and backs up a step so she can charge next turn.

The Stormvermin... attacks the girl attacking him. Rollover attacks onto the fallen leader.

vs55 - (1d100)[87] for (1d10+5)[9]
vs55 - (1d100)[98] for (1d10+5)[9]
EDIT: Never has there been so much WHIFF. Curse you, Myrmidia!

...And in the ensuring chaos, there are shouts and manoeuvres, and a stalemate of efforts. Bella puts down Leonardo and takes up her staff; for the moment taking your injunction to keep safe and backing up, her eyes wide with revulsion at the rat-man. The ganger-girl sees her leader in charge and breaks to attack the skaven, but her blow scrapes off his shield with a puff of splinters. Cestié is so surprised at her withdrawal he misses both his opportune strike at her back and his follow up effort to lash at the big brute as steps into the fray beside you. But the girl's strike does its work - rabid and furious, the rat pivots his malice toward her and makes two bone-breakingly swift swings of the morning star which, to her credit, she both avoids and keeps away from her suffering, recovering leader who scrapes himself up off the shingles and raises his weapon defensively.

The brute seems to be single-minded on bearing down on you; he has no regard for the rat at all, nor for Cestie working at putting a blade in his side. For the moment, the rat, and the other gang thugs, seem to be each other's problems.

Spoiler: OOC: Initiative and Wounds

Show

Taalia [14]
GoonOffsider [13] (11 Damage)
GoonBrute [13] (4 Damage)
GoonGirl - [12] (3 Damage)
Cestié - [10] (9 Damage)
Bella - [9] (6 Damage)
GoonLeader - [9] (13 Damage, 0 Wounds Remaining.)
GoonShort - [6] Dead
SpecialFriend - [1]

[BananaPhone]

Taalia Giovanni

"Bella BEHIND ME!!" Taalia shouted at her bestie, not wanting to see her chage into this hideously dangerous melee with only a stick as her protection and weapon. The Shepoardesses shield remained in front of her, deflecting blows while her own weapon slashed and stabbed out, desperately trying to get rid of this pig-headed ******** that wanted to attack her instead of the insane Skaven that had emerged onto the scene.

[MrAbdiel]

Spoiler: OOC: Rolls!

Show

Rolls, narrative pending!

Offsider disengages to his leader's side. Goon leader disengages.

Girl does her best to attack the skaven!

vs40 - (1d100)[35] for (1d10+3)[7].
Skaven parry as necessary (Valid for this attack only): vs55 - (1d100)[65]

Cestie All-Out's the Brute! vs70 - (1d100)[95] for (1d10+3)[13]
Bella charge the Brute! vs51 - (1d100)[81] for (1d10+3)[8]

The Stormvermin continues his assault on the the girl goon!

vs45 - (1d100)[96] for (1d10+5)[13]
vs45 - (1d100)[71] for (1d10+5)[11]
her parry: vs40 - (1d100)[91]

Let's see how we go for this turn...

[MrAbdiel]

Spoiler: OOC: Oops, forgot

Show

So much whiff. The girl hits but it dinks off the rat's armor. But I forgot the brute!

vs60 - (1d100)[87] for (1d10+5)[9] at Taalia!

The clash of deflected steel and the grunts of human and inhuman effort dominate the combat, with a conspicuous lack of screams. The cringing offsider takes the opportunity to extract himself from the combat with his badly injured leader; the pair of them look to be ready to run for it, even if that means leaving their companions behind. Each of those companions distracts a different opponent in the combat - the girl lands a blow on the skaven which sparks off his armor, but again manages to avoid his deadly counterstrikes; the brute continues his monomaniacal attack on you, but with no more grace to land a hit than before. But now your companions are there - Cestie trying, failing, to get a ruthless stab into the brute's side; Bella, again against your wishes, charging in despite your shouts and cracking down with her staff at the brute - who knocks the blow aside as he barrels on against you.

Your mind goes back to Silo Road; to the battle of Alfredo's Field, against the pirates, too. In both cases, battle joined and strained at this point of stalemate tension, waiting for something to break one way or another and collapse the battle in the favor of one side. This battle has three sides, but it feels the same. Your blows land on the brute, but insensible he barrels on, mute and focused on your death. If only he was so impassioned about fighting the monster just behind him!

Spoiler: OOC:

Show

Taalia [14]
GoonOffsider [13] (11 Damage) (Fleeing!)
GoonBrute [13] (9 Damage)
GoonGirl - [12] (3 Damage)
Cestié - [10] (9 Damage)
Bella - [9] (6 Damage)
GoonLeader - [9] (13 Damage, 0 Wounds Remaining.) (Fleeing!)
GoonShort - [6] Dead
Stormvermin - [1]


You're up! And you outnumber 3:1 now, for a +20%.

[BananaPhone]

Taalia Giovanni

Taalia gritted her teeth and swore under her breath as she waved Bella charge forward, internally screaming at the girl to get back behind her where it was safer. Is this what husbands felt seeing their wives in danger? Or mothers for their infants? Whatever it was, that protective anger brewing within the shepardess urged her own to try and rid themselves of these two threats - the gang and the insane skaven, as the girl swung and stabbed out with her beautiful blade, searching desperately for a soft spot in the defences.

[MrAbdiel]

Spoiler: OOC: Attacks!

Show

Around we go again! Narrative pending!

Leader and Offsider bug out.

Poor, abandoned Goon Brute, now heavily injured:
vs60 - (1d100)[78] for (1d10+5)[8] on Taalia.

Poor, abandoned Goon Girl.
vs40 - (1d100)[32] for (1d10+3)[6] on Ratto Arigato
Rat Parry, if only he had a Best Sword he would be so much more comfortable: vs55 - (1d100)[43]

Cowabunga Cestie Strike on Brute
FullAttackvs80 - (1d100)[77] for (1d10+3)[9]

Bella Special Staff Attack: Bellacopter
FullAttackvs81 - (1d100)[30] for (1d10+3)[10]

StorminNorman Reprisals on the poor girl
vs45 - (1d100)[41] for (1d10+5)[9]
vs45 - (1d100)[72] for (1d10+5)[12]
Her parry, as required: vs40 - (1d100)[90]

"Laddo! Laddo, where- hey! AhhhhHH!"

The girl with the shortblade notices now, too late, that her comrades are abandoning her. The offsider, Clintus, she couldn't give a wet fart about; but Laddo, her leader... That hurt. That broke her heart, because like many foolish young women she had fallen under the spell of the charms of a dangerous man only to be left behind. But it wasn't the abandonment that caused her to shriek - it was the head of the morningstar cracking her across the side of her skull, rending up a flap of skin that stayed up on the tension of the ponytail behind it like a gory, perked dog's ear. A moment later, after her reprisal blow dinks off the skaven's armor, she is given another reason for dismay. Her only ally, the thick-headed brute attacking you, finally suffers a reversal. First, the tip of your blade punches through his bicep and causes a spasm that forces his weapon to drop from his hand and clatter off the roof to splash below. He is raising up the club in his left hand to strike you back, but then finally Cestié finds his mark and plunges his short sword four inches into his ribs. The brute wheezes and gurgles, and his attention for the first time shifts from you to the old man. For a moment, you fear he will make a deathblow at your chosen grandfather - but then the metal-capped end of Bella's staff cracks down on top of his skull. However thick headed he was, it's not enough; the crown of his head folds inward with the blow, and with a weird cough he spits up a mouthful of dislodged teeth and blood over Cestiés shoulder before faceplanting on the shingles so hard he caves in a section of the roof and remains there, ass up, his legs splayed in the air like a bizarre grave marker.

The others have fled, now; it's you and your companions, and two yards away, the stormvermin frothing and laying into the ganger girl who desperately seeks an avenue to flee before she, too, is killed.

Spoiler: OOC:

Show

Taalia [14]
GoonOffsider [13] (11 Damage) (Fled!)
GoonBrute [13] Dead
GoonGirl - [12] (3 Damage)
Cestié - [10] (9 Damage)
Bella - [9] (6 Damage)
GoonLeader - [9] (13 Damage, 0 Wounds Remaining.) (Fled!)
GoonShort - [6] Dead
Stormvermin - [1]

Your Super-Pals-Combo finally brought him down. Now it's just you, the rat, and the goon-girl. What now, hero?

[BananaPhone]

Taalia Giovanni

It really hurt Taalai deep within her chest that Bella had had to...do that. Why hadn't that silly girl waited at Cestie's home? Why hadn't she listened to her and got behind her when the fighting started! Instead she flailed her staff about, effectively yes - but that was the problem! The brute was done for, that much could be said, but the final blow had come from that sweet rural girl who would be back in the safety of her homely cottage were it not for Taalia's beckoning song of adventure and exploration.

But now...Bella had taken a life. It was in the heat of the moment, self-defence and completely justified, of course. But still. Taalia knew it changed a person, and she had not wanted Bella to have to face such a thing.

Her mind drawn back to the present, Taalia swallowed before asserting herself.

"DAMNIT! Get the hell behind me! That's a Stormvermin, you fools!" Taalia bellowed, this time deliberatingly moving to place herself between the insane, warrior elite of the Skaven and her two compatriots, including the badly injured Cestie.

"Bella, see to Cestie!" the Shepardess said, enclosing herself upon the remaining duel.

[MrAbdiel]

Spoiler: OOC:

Show

Rat parry! (1d100)[78]. Otherwise... it's gonna dink off his armor. Stormin' Norman ain't no joke!

Goongirl withdraws!
Cestie and Bella withdraw!

Rattacks!

vs45 - (1d100)[34] for (1d10+5)[8]
vs45 - (1d100)[33] for (1d10+5)[13]

Narrative Pending!

EDIT - that's an 8 damage hit to the left arm, and a 13 damage hit to the right! Time to defend!

It is indeed the first life Bella has taken - despite it being one belonging to a man trying to kill her best friend. She will have to consider such things later - for now, her adrenaline is up - and only your call to attend Cestié alerts her to how badly the man is wounded. Accordingly, your best friend, and your oldest friend draw back a step from the combat - Bella wards Cestié with her staff, fearful an attack will come his way; the old man sets down his weapons and takes up the crossbow again, panting as he reaches for a reload from the small hip quiver he wears.

But now you have the Stormvermin's attention - and as you take it, the momentary sisterhood of humanity dissolves and the girl who had come to kill and rob you backs off and prepares to flee with her companions. Now it's just you and the rat, trading blows. And he's strong - terribly so. Much stronger than the gutter runners whose blows you were catching on a borrowed shield in the tower in Verezzo. As strong and skilled and deadly as any foe you've fought that wasn't the troll, and more armored and crazy than any you recall.

[BananaPhone]

Taalia Giovanni

Finally they saw reason! Finally they did as they were damn well told!

Taalia gritted her teeth as Cestie and Bella sought shelter behind their towering protector. No sooner had they done so than that morning star impacted against the girls right shoudler, the concussive force doubtless to leave a nasty bruise as she sucked in wind through her teeth. A second, more terrible blow, that would have impacted her squarely on her upper right bicep/brachial region, was turned aside by the glimmering weapon Taalia held in that same hand.

Using the momentum of her pulled-back arm, Taalia slammed her shield forward, trying to knock the rat off balance, while bringing her sword up and over at a downwards stab against her shorter, but no less dangerous, opponent.

<"Die Stormvermin!"> she hissed in Queekish.

[MrAbdiel]

Your sword squeals across the segmented plates of the ratman's armor; the finely forged tip raking off a pair of the scales and slashing the black fur beneath. Yellowed, bloodshot eyes stare hatefully back at you. He must understand the Queekish - he must. He seems too insane to respond. But if he is mad, he has only fallen into a well of the normal malice these creatures possess; limitless spite for what is good in the world, hate for humanity, love of suffering. He breaks from his momentum of combat to offer a spittle flecked bark past your shoulder to Cestié and Bella; a warning for them to stay of the combat. You have no doubt that if they joined, he would attack them, because they are obviously weaker than you.

Bella stands guard; Cestié reloads his crossbow; and the Stormvermin comes for you again.

Spoiler: OOC:

Show

Stormin' Norman:

vs45 - (1d100)[84] for (1d10+5)[9]
and vs45 - (1d100)[78] for (1d10+5)[14].

He has taken 4 wounds.

Edit: The rain falls on the righteous and the wicked alike. Double whiff.

[BananaPhone]

Taalia Giovanni


There was a time when the sight of one of the Black-furred Skaven warrior elite would have terrified the girl. She knew their reputation, all slaves who had survived for long enough did. They were the biggest, nastiest, meanest and most skilled of the ratmen. Sure, Clan Enshin had their shadow-cloaked assassins, but in an armored, toe-to-toe fight, the Stormvermin were known for their brutality and hatred that was mixed with their innate skill - few slaves displeased one of these spiteful creatures and lived to tell about it.

But, times change. Now into those yellowed, grotesque eyes, Taalia's own heterochromia orbs glared back to match every iota of hatred the ratman threw her way, and then some.

Taalia pressed herself forward, using her superior height and elevation to her advantage. The ratmans weapon was brutal and intimidating, but the shepardess could remember back to her lessons from the knight and her experience in the arena: it was a beating weapon, one that had to be swung about to cause damage. Hers? Despite the longswords length, she could draw it back and stab - and that's exactly what she did.

[MrAbdiel]

A decapitating strike skims off the shield, but you manage to find the same penetration in his armor you did the first time - and this time, the ratman squawks in dismay. You are winning, inch by inch, moment by moment. If you can keep away from that terrible, bone-breaking morning star, or atleast prevent it from hitting you full force like it did the goons preceding you, you might live comfortably to have rid the world of a rat man.

This, of course, does not deter him from trying his most furious best to kill you.

Spoiler: OOC:

Show

Little narrative pending.

vs45 - (1d100)[46] for vs45 - (1d10+5)[15]
vs45 - (1d100)[74] for vs45 - (1d10+5)[13]

Cestié aims, and takes a shot. +10, -20.

vs23 - (1d100)[35] for (1d10+4)[7]

He's just not as good of a shot as he used to be. Much better in close.

*Gestures angrilly at those damage rolls* Aw! Aw, what a waste! This is why rats usually swarm. You're lucky this guy is a crazy loser outcast!

Cestié's bolt whizzes by, cautiously wide to avoid you but missing the rat, too. Bella seems to think this is the best idea, and produces her bow as well.

[BananaPhone]

Taalia Giovanni


Taalia kept it up, able to see that her plan was slowly working, inch by inch, as she kept advancing step by step to back the Stormvermin into a corner where she could pin him behind his own shield, neutralise his swinging arm, and then stab him in his disgusting face.

Angling her shield this way and that, arching her shoulders to help glance blows off harmlessly or remove her body by just millimeters from danger, Taalia kept stabbing with her weapon, each squeal of pain from the vile ratman encouraging her with her strategy. Though rage was a wild fire in her eyes it had not yet moved to her brain to abdicate any reason or discipline. She wasn't dealing with some cowardly clanrat this time, this was a dangerous threat and she had to control herself, however hot her passions may run.

[MrAbdiel]

You catch the skaven's eyes darting sidelong to Bella and Cestié - his diseased mind is deciding whether he has a moment to rush over and imperil your weak friends, but your blows continue to rain on him and prohibit the thought. He is small for a black skaven, but not so small you can afford to not treat him as a remarkable threat; and with another of your blows finding its target, it seems the battle may be over sooner than later.

Spoiler: OOC:

Show

Cestié reloads; Bella shoots!
vs30 - (1d100)[27] for (1d10+3)[10]

vs45 - (1d100)[88] for (1d10+5)[15]
and (1d100)[98] for (1d10+5)[7].

Narrative pending.

Edit: ... You know, she hit, but then I remembered the shield confers an additional -10... so she misses. hah!

But that's ANOTHER POTENTIAL FURY THAT MISSES YOUR GO I GUESS IT'S OKAY WHEN I GET MAD BUT NOT U

One of Bella's arrows clunks into the rat-man's shield; the impact forces a flinch in him that is costly to his attack posture; all you need to evade his blows and muster up a counter strike...

[BananaPhone]

Taalia Giovanni


Taalia remained focused, her rage a well of power but not her master as she pressed forward, step by step. It was when those arrows Thunk! against the shield of the ratman and his eyes diverted for half a second that Taalia's nervous system exploited the 0.5 second opening.

She brought the pommel of her blade up in a punch against the Skavens helmet, the ratman deflecting away the worst of it - but exposing the soft underarm of the Stormvermin, an exposure that Taalia's blade whipped about and drove itself towards...

[MrAbdiel]

He moves fast, somehow - despite the weight of the metal armor, the rat jukes aside from your blow that might have ruined his arm. But it doesn't save him completely - the laceration shears deep and splashes dark red blood; and the withdraw of the blade snags and rips free a skeet of rusty mail links from within, leaving the arm more vulnerable still. But now you're closing in on the end - another good blow, to the arm or elsewhere, and you might just have crippled him...

Spoiler: OOC:

Show

The crit was Armor damage. Lol! Ah well.

Cestie's shot: vs13 - (1d100)[64] for (1d10+4)[12]
Bella's shot: vs20 - (1d100)[100] for (1d10+3)[7]

Rattacks, the final stand:

vs45 - (1d100)[71] for (1d10+5)[14]
vs45 - (1d100)[45] for (1d10+5)[7]

Narrative pending!

EDIT: A bunch of whiffs, and a bink.

Another quarrel and arrow zip past; the flagging skaven making hissing, desperate strikes with the weapon in his weakened arm... to no avail.

[BananaPhone]

Taalia Giovanni


Taalia grinned coldly at the rat as she bore down upon him; her greater height pressing down with her shield, slowly backing him into that corner; her weapon just stabbing in and out, refusing to yield as she kept at it, the Skavens black-dark-red blood splattering across the floor as the girl hissed through her teeth and drove her weapon in deeper to her hated foe...

[MrAbdiel]

Spoiler: OOC:

Show

Cestie Reloads; Bella shoots.
vs20 - (1d100)[32] for (1d10+3)[5]

Final Rat-down.
vs45 - (1d100)[37] for (1d10+5)[8]
vs45 - (1d100)[51] for (1d10+5)[7]

Narrative pending!

The worn-down Stormvermin's weak flailing is easier to dodge, now; the star cracks off your shield without even biting the wood deeply, and it heaves with blood-frothed-breath. Another arrow zips by from Bella's bow; she knows she has few openings to actually shoot for injury, but contents herself with adding distraction to your opponent.

"Kill it, Taalia! Kill it!"

An unnecessary encouragement from the girl; but at least she's staying back, now!

[BananaPhone]

Taalia Giovanni

The Shepardess' compression of their position seemed to have worked; backing the rat away and against the wall where her greater height could pin him and remove his mobility. Sword pressed against the rat, its swings inhibited and clumsy, Taalia brought her sword up as if holding a spear over-head and repeatedly stabbed down into the creature, down against its neck and face and collar, her lips snarling and her eyes glaring black death into the symbol of everything taken from her.

< "When you see the Great Horned Rat - tell it an ex-slave sent you!!" >

[MrAbdiel]

The Blackfur steps, jukes, and tries to weave - but it's against the edge of the roof now. The best it can do against the head-splitting, downward blow is tuck its head in - and the edge of your sword smashes the crest of the helm, which them falls in two rusty parts off his scalp.

He lets out a new sound, now; a pitiful warbling sound - what fear might make, if it was being eaten from the ankles up by hate... and tries his luck once more.

Spoiler: OOC:

Show

vs13 - (1d100)[26] for (1d10+4)[7] Maso
vs20 - (1d100)[1] for (1d10+3)[11] Bella

Norman!
vs45 - (1d100)[41] for (1d10+5)[6]
vs45 - (1d100)[54] for (1d10+5)[12]