Arcane Steel - Turn 17 - Searing Bolts
_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________
The remaining members of the group finally left the awakening town and headed towards the woods, where the enemy patrol ran into the thick forest, hoping to escape the nobles and warn the camp about their arrival. The runners would not find safety so easily, though, not if that depended on the knights and wizards at the very least.
Adrienne,
Ilyria and
Dellus start to ride towards the forest as fast as they can, exerting their horses to meet up with the rest of the group. Ilyria tries to teach fencing theory to Dellus, in order for him to turn into a decent swordfighter. She also turns to Adrienne and congratulates her on the match.
"It has been some time since I found someone with a good sword technique aside from the members of my family." She says while smiling.
Grass and ground flies in the wake of horseshoes as the horses hurry towards the objective and they finally see the ones who rode before them, but it seems a skirmish has already started. Dellus' wife draws her crossbow.
The main group is
faced with the challenging task of intercepting the running longbowmen. The trees provide a natural defense as the bandits start to scamper towards their hidehole, and the nobles' life certainly won't be made any easier if they give chase due to the impossiblity of maneuvering horses under the thick folliage and branches.
Diego takes the arrow the dragoon gives him and draws his longbow. The wizard notches the arrow, pulls the string, aims while closing one of his eyes for good measure, adjusts his sight over the leading runner and...[3-1]v[4] The arrow flies in a blur, traveling a good distance into the forest and sinking into one of the trees, failing to hit its mark.
Davie sets upon "catching" the enemies with firebolts. He concentrates slightly and feels the heat starting to course through his veins in a controlled flow, [5+1] which is slightly disturbed as the flow grows quicker, rushing through his blood vessels. The exposed skin of his arms starts to crackle and spark briefly and small traces of fire move across the path of his veins. Small bursts of raw magical energy appear and vanish around the fire on the surface of his hands as soon as they sprung to life as Davie positions his arms in front of him, focusing the heat in a barrage of bolts. [1-1]v[2]; [5-1]v[5]; [6-1]v[4] (1,2+1-1); [3-1]v[2]; [1-1]v[3]; [5-1]v[1] (3, 6+1-1) Six firebolts fly through the air, searing wood and flesh alike as they either explode in a blaze of flames upon hitting their target or the stalks nearby. Four hit the trees and folliage, starting a fire which should be contained under the threat of spreading further. One of the bolts hits the second of the longbowmen in the line and burns the side of his armor, destroying the leather padding and causing him to clench his teeth as the heated metal burns his skin. Another burns the air around it like an omen of death and impacts against the last runner's left arm. For a brief instant, the man looks at his arm, but is only able to see the blurred remains of a black piece of scorched meat and bone as the fire spreads further while pulverizing his arm. The man falls and [1] starts to flail wildly, screaming and crying for some time before fainting from the pain.
April moves towards the woods and dismounts her horse, giving chase to the bandits with her shortsword in hand.
Candy follows her bravely.
Thelfin dismounts his heavily-armored steed after approaching the trees, draws his crossbow and runs for a little while before methodically raising his ranged weapon and aiming through its sights with care, mentally calculating the bolt's trajectory (accuracy penalty denied).
Ktimbi nods to
Falion who in turn pokes
Airgead's side with his heels. The wolf gets the message and starts to "sneak" his way to the bandit's camp, running into the outer circle of the forest causing almost no noise and zig-zagging with blinding speed around the trees and fallen trunks.
Enemies encountered - Close and running[2xHealthy, 1xSlightly burnt, 1xLacking his left arm, unconscious and burning ]
Weapon: Longbow (d7) ;
Armor: Light Armor (+1 def);
Shield: Round Shield;
Dodge: d4+?;
Hit: d5+?;
Skill level: Trained+?.
Distance - Close/Running:Melee: Main group - One turn, roll to catch (except the wolf-rider). Adrienne's - Two turns.
Ranged: Main group - Same turn, impaired by trees (-1 acc). Adrienne's - One turn.
>@Tarran: Yeah, if you had rolled 6(+1)...Things would have been nastier. Davie's veins are still burning but it may go out of hand. Yes, that can be further improved with training and combat experience.
The Players:Dwarmin: Knight
Name: Adrienne Alanamont
Age: 24
Gender: Female
Knight: Chevalière
Appearance: Adrienne is a beautiful, intense woman, with long and dark red hair (though, her hair is usually shaved before battle), and dark green eyes. She looks fairly stern, and her build and stance betray no weakness of body or thought-if anything, it bespeaks of passion and arrogance. When not in battle kit, Adrienne tends to dress conservatively, but somewhat casual-favoring open throated shirts and flared trousers, often in earth tones. Her plated armor is light, unecumbering and well made, rounded off at the corners-masking her womanhood in the middle of battle-all except her eyes, being she prefers a slitted helm for full vision.
The Alanamont coat of arms is a circlet of filigreed gold, with a crown at the head, around a pool of red.
Characteristics: Arrogant, Passionate, Uncompromising
Horse: She prefers a Light Warhorse-her favorite, being "Lernea"
Weapons (and shields): Main weapons: Longsword/round shield, otherwise prefers a Bec-De-Corbin when mounted, which she wields with unnatural grace. Others: Dueling Pistol (unfired), Crossbow
Leaving a child behind: No. Adrienne has left that 'business' to her lesser sisters and brothers, having not found anyone worthy of her as of yet.
-Some- abilities to be noted:If you think I'm the weakest link... you will be sorry... weakling!Status:Fine.Rally Call of RolandTiruin: Knight
Name: Falion Arvîndell
Age: 23
Gender: Male
Knight: Dragoon
Appearance: Falion is a man of five foot four, with light brown skin and short black hair. His body is built just like a worker of the era, though stern and with poise evident in his gait. Out of combat, he dons a brown tunic under his surcoat, favoring the common wear over what the Nobility prefer. His chainmail is left uncolored, remaining the usual silver tone. His plate armor is tinted light grey with a white trim along the edges of the major plates. A gilded wolf crest lies on the top of his helmet and the insignia of the howling wolf in white is marked on his breastplate. His eyes are colored brown.
Characteristics: Unflinchingly Loyal ; Stubborn ; Determined
Horse: A Light Warhorse going by the name of "Ileid".
[Weaponry]
Main weapon/s: Glaive ; Javelin(s)
Others: Flintlock Rifle and a heater shield
Leaving a child behind:
No.-Some- abilities to be noted:He is loyal and determined. He is sharp. He is also nuts.Status:Fine.Cuchulainn's Last StandName:
AirgeadAge: ??
Gender: Male
Knight: Wolf
Description: Silver-furred wolf, "owns" a masterwork armor which is better than even the squad armor. He is very loyal and his feral mind can block most mind-based attacks.
Status:Fine.Thunderbolt Steel ArmorSuperior WolfPowder Miner: Knight
Name: April Eplock
Age: 18
Gender: Female
Knight: Gunslinger (or if you prefer (that time's) modernized warrior or something of the sort.)
Appearance: April Eploc is a slim woman of average height, although very, very young for a knight. She is relatively attractive, ((mumble mumble I added that part to stay true to my earliest description of her)) with dark green eyes and braided fiery orange hair which ends in a ponytail. She wears non-restrictive pastel yellow clothing (like skirts, and simple shirts, she prefers comfort over fashion) under her armor, which is (kinda) light chainmail which covers pretty much all of her (all but the head and hands (she prefers these unobstructed, and even the head has a hood.), with a thin leather backing underneath. Her coat of arms is a young, growing leaf.
Characteristics: Very cheerful, Optimistic, Reckless, Silly, Thrill-Seeking.
Horse: Light Horse, her name is Ellene.
Weapons (and shields): Main weapons: Hand firearm (
not sure what it would be in this ageIn this age those would happen to be flintlock pistols), Shortsword.
Leaving a child behind: "No. I'm only 18 god get away from me you creep" (...I assume that is not directed towards the GM.)
-Some- abilities to be noted:Blackpowder fever! Isn't hell colorful? Adventure!Status:Fine.Emergency Rations(Candy)1 Pouch with 5 gold pieces.
Praefectum Screptum: Knight
Name:Thelfin Almondar
Age: 19
Gender: Male
Knight: Byzantine Klibanophoros
Appearance: His hair is black, contrasting with his turquoise eyes. Thelfin is tall and athletically built. He always covers his head with a helmet and dons a dark blue heavy armor (Power Armor) compensating part of the weight from his equipment. His armor covers his whole chest in the likeness of a huge shield and his shoulder plates protude slightly along the sides of his head, the rest of his armor being covered by large plate parts with almost no room between them. Underneath it he is wearing a chain mail and light clothing.
The family's coat of arms is a sapphire-colored shield wrapped in silver chains with two heavy steel axes crossed behind it.
Characteristics: Stubborn, loyal, fast thinker, short-tempered, hard to fall.
Horse: Heavy warhorse, clad in heavy armor from head to toe.
Weapons:Main weapons: Two-handed mace.(A chain links its handle to one of his forearms.) and Heavy Crossbow. Carries a very large shield on his back.
Leaving a child: No.
-Some- abilities to be noted:Moves live a truck... ...Hits like a truck... ...Must be a Klibanophor.Status:Fine.Mal'ak ha-mash?it (The Cleaver of Terra; Bane of All Sin)RosarySmithing KitNUKE9.13: Wizard - Temporarily out
Name: Wilhelmina van Oranje
Age: 21
Gender: Female
Mage, speciality: Weather; Wind/Water.
Appearance: Tall- very tall. Long brown hair (loose); blue eyes; pale skin. Dresses in simple, elegant gowns. For this journey; a plain white dress, and a leather cloak, pale orange in hue. Her family crest is an orange lion upon a white field, ridged by banners of red and blue. The family motto- Oranje zal herrijzen- is emblazoned below the lion.
Characteristics: Very friendly (too friendly?); polite; has little patience for problems- has a short temper; exceptional perseverance- not strong, but will keep fighting no matter what.
Horse: Light warhorse.
Weapons: Main weapons: Staff (gilded hardwood), Magic. Others: Brace of pistols.
Leaving a child behind: No.
-Some- abilities to be noted:She is nice and stubborn the good way but man, she's got issues!Status:Fine.Light padded armor pieces agentorangesoda: Wizard
Name: Ktimbi
Age: 19
Gender: Male
Mage: African Shaman
Appearance: A jet black man of average build with long orange hair that cooperates with his woolly beard to form a mock lion's mane. His irises are a fiery red, a rare genetic mutation specific to his caste of shamans. He wears the traditional shaman garb: pelts of slain animals and various herbal trinkets adorn his person. He wears a crown of human wisdom teeth, one pulled from each eligible member of his tribe, which he claims contains the combined spiritual energy of his people's souls. The crest of his shamanistic family is, curiously, a mongoose encircled by cobras. One is crushed underfoot whilst the other hangs limp in the mongoose's jaw.
Characteristics: Quiet, Unwilling Participant, Incoherent
Horse: Light warhorse, drawing a cart of reagents.
Weapons: Carries a caduceus which has been passed down for generations. His tribe claims an ancient ancestor won the staff from Hermes himself. Upon each shaman's death, his successor fills a container with his own blood and places the severed head inside. The new shaman will now be protected for the rest of his natural life by his spirit so long as the container is kept close. The case that the previous shaman had kept is then dashed upon the ground, allowing his protector to be finally free from his burden.
Leaving a child behind: As is tradition, upon ascension, a shaman will impregnate a host of women until one gives birth to a child containing the rare genetic disease. The shaman is always male, (it is a y-linked gene). Ktimbi knows he has many children waiting for him at home and has met none of them, but he knows one bears the gift. In the event of a shaman dying without any heirs, all of his immediate kin will attempt to replicate the gene in their own future offspring through ritual until another shaman is born.
-Some- abilities to be noted:Don't mind me. ...Are you dead already? What did you just call me, colored gentleman?Status: Fine.Armor of OriginOne-shot reagents Tarran: Wizard
Name: Davie Maximilian
Age: 19
Gender: Male
Mage: Fire
Appearance: A tall brown haired man of mostly Bavarian-English-Frisian origin. He has light blue eyes and is averagely muscled. He wears a blue-purple robe and leather boots. His family coat of arms appears to be an impalement of the Bavarian and Frisian flag.
Characteristics: Cheerful, Does what is right, friendly, honest, insensitive, trusting.
Horse: Light, Marwin
Weapons: Bastard sword (what, just because he's a mage doesn't mean he doesn't like big swords), flintlock pistol.
Leaving a child behind: Nope. No wife.
-Some- abilities to be noted:Barbecue in the making. What are staves for, anyway? Sure...Why not?Status:Fine.CatalystSeriousConcentrate: Wizard
Name: Diego Alvarez
Age: 19
Gender: Male
Mage: Force and Illusion
Appearance: Diego has tanned skin, shiny black hair cut in a shaggy style that obscures his forehead and looks quite boyish indeed, confident blue eyes, and thick eyebrows. He's average height and lightly built at five feet nine inches and one hundred forty seven pounds. He wears brown boots, dark blue pants tucked into them, and a dark blue tunic. Over that is a long white hooded coat (hood is usually down) with red embroidery that ties up the left side to close, and usually is tied from the waist up. As part of the coat's design, a strap runs over the right shoulder down the to the right side of the waist, with pouches attached to the strap for carrying light items. On the back of the strap is a quiver for holding his arrows. On the back of the coat is the family crest: a shield divided into four sections, with the upper right/lower left being silver and the other two sides being bronze. On top of the shield is a gold crown with rubies inset along the band.
Characteristics: Hotblooded, Showoff, Reckless, Quick to React, Fleetfooted, Friendly
Horse: Light Warhorse "Aquila"
Weapons (and shields): Main weapons: Longbow; usually uses broadheads, but will switch to narrower heads to pierce armor if necessary; short sword. Others: A bandoleer of throwing daggers hidden inside his coat.
Leaving a child behind: Not that he's aware of.
-Some- abilities to be noted:Quickie It's show time! I challenge you, Good Sir.Status:Fine.Manto de Alvarez (Protector de Bendito Alvarez)Ganado BravoName:
Ricardo HernándezAge: ??
Gender: Male
Artist
Description: Brown-skinned, mustachioed gentleman in red clothing who follows Diego around. His major talents are playing the guitar and staying alive.
Status:Fine.Guitarra de EspañaY me voy cantandoGrunhill: Wizard
Name: Dellus Hierdach
Age: 18
Gender: Male
Mage: Light Mage
Appearance: A tall brown haired man of south-european origin. He has dark brown eyes and an average body. He wears a black and white robe and leather boots. His family coat of arms is a dark green serpent biting a blood red apple.
Characteristics: Mysterious, do what he has to do, unsociable, insensitive, trusting.
Horse: Black Light Warhorse, pulling a cart.
Weapons: White gold ring and an ancient grimoire.
Leaving a child behind:Yes
-Some- abilities to be noted:No, I am not a monk Why, no! This. is. NOT A D&D rulebook! SORCERER!BURN HIM!Status:Fine.Ouroboros