[Turn 6: Brainwashed Twice]
Follow the Assassin. Shoot Zealot 1 in the face in the process.
[4+1] vs. [3] [Sneak Critical Damage: (5+1)*3=18] You land a perfect shot at the Zealot, your arrow hitting with such force that the brain sploshes out his ears and showers the zealots next to him.
[Overkill Consequences Avoidance Roll: 2] The Brute and his remaining partner look at you for a few moments, then without a signal, without a nod, without
anything, start running towards you. That's
exactly as creepy as it was in the old days.
Zealot 1: Overkilled.
Brute: now attacking the Headhunter. Zealot 3 still defending the Brute.
Sneak, Leap and Strike at the Zealot with the Black Warhammer!
Try to slice the jugular, if the neck has no guard. If not, then strike at the legs to disable!
[Hiding: 3] You find a good position from which to ambush the brute. You assume that position moments before the brute charges at Amala.
[First Attack: 1+1 vs. Brute: 1, Zealot 3: 5] [Second Attack: 4+1 vs. 5, 6] When moving in for the hit, you stumble into the pile of glowing weaponry - and boy, does it
burn! The brute hurries so much to close the distance that he doesn't notice your yelp. His partner, however, does.
A blazing sword meets your daggers just before they reach the Brute's neck. [Zealot's Counterattack: 5 vs. 2] [Damage: 6+1] [Roll Against Pain: 2] Then the Zealot's blade plunges deep into your chest, piercing the heart. You collapse from the hit, screaming, absolutely helpless until the sword is taken out. The Zealot is then distracted by another vampire's attack, and stops paying attention to you.
Eldrin: -7 HP
Agony: -1 to fighting for the next turn.
Diego attack the the brute
Feed on one of the zealots
Note: Bolded and italicized actions are for minions additional underline is personal.
[6 vs. 5, 2] [Damage: 4] [4 vs. 2, 4] The Zealot takes his sword out of the Assassin's chest and raises it to parry one of Diego's attacks, but neither he not the Brute were fast enough to prevent Diego from landing a hit with another try.
Zealot Brute: -4 HP[2+1 vs. 3; Failure To Feed Allows Counterattack] Your advances on the closest zealot are quickly cut off with a strike of his blazing sword.
[Zealot's Counterattack: 1 vs. 6; Critical Miss Allows Counterattack] Which puts the zealot at a great disadvantage when the sword jams inside the ground.
[Doctor's Counterattack: 2+1 vs. 4] Which doesn't make it any easier for you to feed on him, because he keeps shoving you away time and again until he finally frees his sword.
Xil waits until the situation escalates and fighting begins and plans to drain the wounded zealot 5 in the commotion
Why fight the big guys' fights? You clearly see there's no need to get involved lest you get stuck between the elf and the hammer.
[Autosuccess] You sip on the burned Zealot and watch the spectacle commence. Your victim's pained screams falter quickly, and soon he stops flinching.
Kal sighed and shrugged. Rising from the wounded man, he turned to face the newcomer zealots.
"Is this really necessary, by the way? What do you possibly hope to gain from killing us all for your demonic masters?
Oh, did I let that slip out? Nevermind, I'm sure it's just a vampiric lie."
Attempt diplomacy. When that fails, attack the zealot on the left, attempting to use my training weapon to disarm or get close enough to grapple.
[Bluff: 1-1 vs. 2] The Zealots find your idea funny for some reason, but don't say a word aside from chuckling and shaking their heads in astonishment. They keep fighting like they did before, albeit slightly cheered up by your assumption.
[Disarm: 1+1 vs. 6] Your attempt to disarm the sword-wielding zealot fails spectacularly. [Counterattack: 5 vs. 4+2] However, the instinctive fear of touching another blazing blade keeps you safe: you dodge the zealot's swing with superhuman speed and jump away hastily before he can land another attack.
The zealot is surprised at such intense reaction... at first. Then his eyes narrow and he exclaims loudly, seemingly addressing no one in particular:
"
The performer freak avoids fire. Do not use Sun-Gold against him. I repeat, do not use Sun-Gold against him!"
Snapping out his hunger induced frenzy Bel looks around the room as the others go about their business. After taking a moment to assess the situation he turns towards Zealot 1 and smiles.
Use dominate will on Zealot 1.
The Zealot you've intended to take over had his brains smashed out by the bowelf even before she fully entered the room. Which is most unfortunate, but illustrates just how brutal can these 'peaceful' hypocrites be when they're out for blood. You wish the tree-hugger apologists back at the court would see that elf right now.
But the other Zealot, the one still living and without a scratch on him despite
three of your progeny at once trying to kill him, is more than a good enough candidate for what you're going to do. [Mind Control: 6 vs. 1] You look him in the eye, give him your most brilliant smile, and crush his will utterly while he's staring at your pearl-white teeth.
The Zealot is under your total control now, but you notice his mind is irremovably connected to something of immeasurable power. If that thing tries to seize control of your minion, you're not sure you - or he, for that matter - would be able to stop it.
Acquired Minion: Brainwashed Zealot, wielding Sun-Gold Longsword, wearing Brain-Stained Zealot's Robes.
11/15 HP
+1 to Strength, -2 Strength penalty to hit, 1d8+2 damage, -1 to enemy's Roll Against Wounds
Fight in the Twin Suns' name!
You are ready to beat the undead abomination into un-existence when one of your defenders falls over, arrow stuck in his face and brains leaking out his ears. You trace back the arrow to where it was shot from, and see a cloaked elf coming through the doorway, surrounded by three more people. You hear the Twin Suns' shouts boom through your mind:
"
WE REMEMBER! THIS IS AMALA SUNGLEAM, THE HEADHUNTER! CLOSE THE DISTANCE AND CRUSH THE MURDERESS! NOW! BEFORE SHE KILLS AGAIN!"
You obey. You always obey the Twin Suns' direct orders: their voices are so loud it hurts, and they only get louder if you hesitate. You run to the elf and try to dodge your once-fellow-Brute Diego's strike, but don't do it well enough and get a sword in the side for your troubles. The pain was irrelevant, though; the elf posed the greatest threat on the battlefield and had to be killed
now.
[6-1 vs. 2] [Damage: 4+2] [Roll Against Wounds: 2-1] The very first hit of your hammer sends her flying out of your melee range, but one strike proves enough: the elf yells sharply when her lower spine breaks upon the stone steps. You approach her and start raising your hammer to deliver a finishing blow.
Amala: -6 HP, Broken Spine(-3 to defense)
Player: Flintus
Name: Samuel Bel
HP: 20/20
Status: Hungry(6 turns left)
Abilities:Eternal Leader: +1 to all leadership rolls.
Dominate Will: Can put mortals under his control.
Inventory:Punctured Noble's Dress
Advisor's Wig
Heavy Pouch of BlingMinion:Brainwashed Zealot: 12/12 HP, wielding
Sun-Gold Longsword, wearing Brain-Stained Robes.
Player: antlion12
Name: Augustine Volkar
HP: 20/20
Status: Hungry(6 turns left)
Abilities:Spin Doctor: +1 to persuasion and changing people's opinions. Can persuade other people even when under attack.
Inventory:Bank Account: 1200 gold.
PouchHandkerchief
Expensive Clothing
Map of Twin Suns' TempleDaggerRapierHenchman:Diego: 30/30 HP, wielding two Shortswords(two hits, Strength-based -2 to hit, 1d6 damage) and wearing a Plated Leather Armor(-2 to received damage). +2 to Strength. Cannot disobey you.
Player: IronyOwl
Name: Kal
HP: 20/20 HP
Status: Hungry(3 turns left)
Abilities:Regenerator: Restores 2 HP every turn. Restores full HP in Adrenaline Rush and when feeding.
Instinctive Deflection: +2 to defense against hot weapons.
Inventory:Torn and Bloodstained Performer's Suit
Well-Fitted Black Robe2 changes of Normal Clothing
Heavy ShortswordPouchStake-Arrow(coated with Survivalist's Blood)Sun-Gold Training RapierPlayer: agentorangesoda
Name: Xil Valcenti
HP: 20/20
Status: Full(4 turns left)
Abilities:Blinding Speed: Gets +2 to hit and to all actions relying on speed.
Inventory:QuarterstaffAdventurer's Leather ArmorPouchPlayer: empfan
Name: Antora Darklance
HP: 20/20
Status: Full(3 turns left)
Abilities:Necromancer: Can raise dead.
Inventory:A Bottle of Dwarven Wine
CrossbowSecrets of Life and Death: The Book(authored by Antora Darklance)
Undead Servant:Two-Face. +1 to Damage, +1 to Strength. Wields: Mace and Shield(+0 to hit, 1d6 damage, +1 to defense, negates 2 points of armor)
Player: Tiruin
Name: Eldrin Faenir
HP: 13/20
Status: Hungry(+1 to all physical actions, 5 turns left), Agony(-1 to fighting next turn)
Abilities:Sneaky: +1 to stealth, stealing and lockpicking
Assassin: Stealth attacks always hit.
Shadow Vision: Hiding is a free action.
Inventory:Dual DaggersDwarven Crossbow2 Poison VialsFirestarting Kit3 Pouches(235 gold total)
Ring of AnrathaPlayer: Caellath
Name: Amala Sungleam the Bringer of Silence
HP: 9/15
Status: Full(4 turns left), Broken Spine(-3 to defense until regenerated, rolling to regenerate every turn and when drinking blood)
Abilities:Two-Legged Predator: -2 to enemy's Roll Against Instant Death. Critical hits cause triple damage.
Inventory:Elven BowSpiked KnuckledustersTorn Guardswoman's UniformCloakZealot Brute: 11/15 HP, +1 to Strength, wearing Brain-Stained Zealot's Robes and carrying a
Black Warhammer. Currently getting ready to finish Amala.
Meet Teamwork: a novel game mechanic designed to bring that extra bit of reliability into the game's combat system and discourage lone-wolfing.
If you see some high-risk, high-reward opportunity, don't ditch it like you would in all other RTDs; use Teamwork to enhance your chances until they start looking good. Of course, that'll require a bit of talking to each other, but given my speed of updating... you'll have more than enough time for that.
The ever-militant Gods of Fire and Order employ strict hierarchy and direct micromanagement to coordinate their followers' actions. Close teamwork in the zealot teams is what made them so deadly in the days of the Crusades: even without any supernatural support from their patrons, the zealots could employ complex maneuvers with high efficiency. What these teams lacked in numbers, they compensated for in training and each member being hard to so much as wound, let alone kill.
But that knowledge isn't exclusive to the Twin Suns' followers: any sufficiently tight-knit group of people can harness the power of teamwork if they're willing to work together.
Defensive Teamwork:
- People with a Tier 1 teamwork status or higher can arrange for one person to defend the other. That way, if the defended person is attacked, the attacker has to fight against not one defender, but both of them. Thus, the highest roll from the teamwork group is used to determine the combat roll's results.
- For people with a Tier 5 teamwork status or higher, defending becomes a free action for those who attack the same person.
- People with a Tier 8 teamwork status can establish a system of mutual protection within a formation, which works like a free defending action for everyone from everyone. This is the primary reason fully-trained zealot teams are so hard to kill.
Offensive Teamwork:
- People with a Tier 3 teamwork status or higher that decide to attack the same person get teamwork bonuses, as well. Both attackers roll for attack, the highest roll of the two will be pitted against the defender's roll in a to-hit comparison. The results of this comparison will work for both(or all, if there are more than two of them) attackers.
- Any Tier above 3 allows one more person to participate in each given group attack, up to a total of 6 on Tier 8.
Example: Alice with a dagger and sword-wielding Bob attack Charlie who has a shield. [Alice: 6+1, Bob: 5 vs. Charlie: 1+1] Bob vs. Charlie would have scored a normal hit; however, Alice vs. Charlie scores a critical hit and therefore, both Alice and Bob get a cricical damage multiplier.
Non-Combat Teamwork:
You can also use Teamwork to enhance your chances when doing anything with a common goal in mind.
- People with a Tier 2 teamwork status establish a system of actions as long as they do everything in close range from each other. All actions in the system succeed if a certain percentage of actions in the system succeed. The exact percentage required depends on the teamwork status of the participants.
Example: Tier 2 teamwork status has a 75% requirement for system success. Arnold pulls the lever, Bob winds up the ballista, Charlie establishes a rope bridge to the other side and Diego breaks the supports, all done in the space of a meduim-sized room.
[6, 6, 1, 5] The teamwork system succeeds. Arnold figures out the lever's locking mechanisms and turns on the magma showers, Bob has the ballista all wound up and oiled, Diego succesfully caves in the minecart tunnel and, all three free to help Charlie now, they establish a rope bridge with no problems.
Amala-Eldrin-Augustine-Diego: Tier 2, Common Goal(Can Defend People With Common Goal, Can Apply Non-Combat Teamwork)
Diego to Augustine: Tier 3, Willing Slave(Cannot Disobey Orders, Defends Augustine if Endangered, Can Attack Together With Augustine)
Two-Face to Antora: Tier 3, Displeased Servant(Cannot Disobey Orders, Defends Antora if Endangered, Can Attack Together With Antora, Seeks to Annoy Master)
Brainwashed Zealot to Samuel: Tier 3, Blindly Obedient(Cannot Disobey Orders, Will Defend Anyone, Can Attack Together With Samuel)
Everyone Else: Tier 0, Complete Strangers(Incapable of Teamwork)
Author
Topic: Roll to Stop the Suns: A Vampire RTD (Read 19064 times)