Turn 35: Dragons are made to be huggedInitiative-off!
Maka: 4+(6)
Apollo: 3+(4)
Maka's victory!
Maka
Run at dragon, wake dragon.
(1 - Backfire) Maka gets the head start and rockets off towards the dragon, paying no heed to her surroundings. She had a bug fuzzy wuzzy scaly beast to cuddle and wuddle! Her head jelly barely stays attached. She rockets over yon hills of gold, skips over forlorn artifacts, cartwheels once just because, starts running again and... stumbles over a stray scepter, burying her face in currency. That wasn't even the worst part. There was some fake coin somewhere in her face. She could feel it, tormenting her.
[LV6 Pain Check: 2+4-6=0, Flawed Success] No harm done. Coin-shaped indentations are a fashion statement, after all.
Apollo
If the pink harbinger of our doom is close enough to be grabbed and stopped, do so. If not, pray to The Lady, to Krom, to Mork, or to whatever divine eavesdropper/ security agent feels like listening.
(5 - Success) This is the moment the non-sugar-rushed-Apollo needed to catch up to the person he fears that is about to doom them all. He tackles her to the ground! He produces a quite awkward moment, sandwiching Maka between his really-not-manly-at-all body and the cold gold of the hoard, and much of Apollo's next few minutes are spent trying to alleviate this problem while also not letting the furious little mage go. He had her pinned, damnit! He had counted to 3 at least ten times!
Helskaya
Transform. Flee. Whimper.
(2 - Failure) Helskaya fails to transform into a bear. This disturbs him greatly. It was the only anchor in his life, apart from the magic. Now how could he ever become a big cuddly teddy bear again? Was his magic dampened? Was his bear gauge empty? Would he need to refill it by drinking beer?
Man, he needed a drink. Or a smoke. Actually, a drink and a smoke and a big fat hibernation.
Elenor
Stay near the door, prepare for combat, watch results, try to discern who is the person in a bathrobe from a distance.
(2 - Failure) Actually, now that he notices it, there is a lot of fog gathered at the ceiling of this room, making it quite humid and really difficult to discern any details from his vantage point. And abandoning it is hardly an option. Stay close the door. Stay ready to abandon in the face of catastrophe. He didn't really have any other plan...
Remy
(5 - Success) Should any combat happen, Remy is 110% prepared for it. He briefly considers starting a fight just to not let his preparedness go to waste, but wisely decides against it. After all, the best way to prepare for peace is to prepare for war! But isn't also the best way to prepare for war to prepare for war? Thus, what use was preparing for peace? Why weren't all societies just permanently stabbing and bashing each other's heads in? Was it, perhaps, about who owned the bigger stick, such as a gigantic freakin' drago--
Remy quickly ceases wildly waving his guns about, and stays alert while also looking like he just prepared for peace.
Komas
>Explain my... uh... 'cunning' plan, I guess.
>Gauge distance from here to that hole in the South wall. Could, say, a hypothetical coward-type-person hypothetically sprint the distance without stepping on any hypothetical angry dragons?
(5 - Success) Komas' plan meets general, silent approval. Motivated by that, he triangulates the optimal navigational path from door to hole, and comes to the conclusion that the dragon lies exactly opposite of the hole, and you also do not need to walk on any loot to get to it, so getting out of the hole without stirring the dragon should be an easy thing. The second step of the plan is more suspect - after all, if a hypothetical smart coward was to jump out, he'd still have quite a fall ahead of him before hitting water. And, Komas worriedly remarks to himself, some of the party members are armored, and swimming in armor was traditionally a bad idea. So they'd need some sort of ledge to climb up on and get back into the tower at ground level, and he can't exactly walk over and look out of the hole... ah, screw it, he can. Better to have a head start, after all.
It turns out that the hole in the tower's side wall is large enough that, if the hypothetical coward-type person has enough time left and is dextrous enough, he could get into the next lower floor through a bit of climbing down the side of the hole. The room this hole opens up to appears to be not all that large, and it furthermore has doors. So once the dragon would squeeze itself out of its roost, the party could already be beyond the door, and safe.
But falling into the water wouldn't be the end of it, either. There were several partially flooded windows at water level that could lead to safety.
Taren
Diplomacy the dragon if it wakes up. If it does wake up and regard us in a 'I kill u' manner, go ahead and explain the giddyness of Maka and our presence in this area.
Also expound on our origin and how we got here. And..and. Ask who that human is.
(6 - Overshot) Taren's problem: He wants to diplomacy the dragon, but the dragon's still asleep.
Taren's solution: Wake the dragon. A perfectly logical conclusion. He strides over with purpose, nobody suspecting him of trying what he is about to. And when he opens his mouth, putting the hands to it to amplify his voice, it's already too late.
"Helloooooooo! Mr. Dragon! We'd like to taaaaaalk to you!"There is a stunned silence. And, then, slowly... the dragon does not wake.
But instead, the humanoid does. Letting out a great, big yawn into the total absence of sound. Slowly stretching, standing up in spite of the overbearing air of tension. And, finally, noticing the party trying its best to look like inconspicious scenery items.
"Oh... hey. We have visitors today? Doesn't happen often."He - or she? That's quite long hair... and a dreamy voice... looks to the right, at the grand portal.
"But you didn't come in through the front door? That's weird. Doesn't every prospective dragon slayer come in through the front door?"There is a collective wave of fear-borne petrification as the figure turns to face the group again. Maka's hopes of romancing a cute dragon chick are dashed by one look at 'her' legs. No woman could possibly have legs this hairy.
"So... this means you are not dragon slayers?" Tiruin nods quickly.
"Huh. Then... be my guest, and my master's, too. I am the Pontifex Draconis around here... As long as you don't swipe anything from his hoard, he's really nice!" His face contorts into a goofy, beaming smile.
"Stay for a little longer, the other priests will come up soon with the tribute..."--
Helskaya Arkut (lawastooshort)
Status: Some Pain.
Injuries: Scar on left leg. Slight indigestion.
Equipment: Northern white bear skin, weaponized magic bong,
Northern white bear jawbone on necklace.
Inventory: Lesser healing potion x1, slice of magic x4, pestle and mortar, One Bear Ass
Attributes: 2 STR/3 TGH/4 DEX/3 SWF/4 INT/4 MND
Perks:
Wild HippieSkills: Skilled Herbal Medicine [2/15], Skilled Shamanic Magic, Skilled Northern Loremaster, Competent Wilderness Survival
Spells:
Shining Shamanic Healing Finger!, Transform: Raging North Bear, Summon Water Elemental
Elenor Warsen (Caellath)
Status: Some Pain.
Injuries: Several scarred cuts on left shoulder.
Equipment:
Masterwork Chainmail, Longsword, Crossbow, 8 bolts
Inventory: None.
Attributes: 3 STR/3 TGH/3 DEX/4 SWF/3 INT/4 MND
Perks:
Detached Mind,
Pragmatic FighterSkills:
Proficient Swordsmanship, Competent Melee Defense, Competent Marksmanship (Crossbow), Adequate First Aid, Adequate Taunting, Novice Investigator.
Spells: None. He's notoriously unmagical.
Apollo Anderson (Spinal_Taper)
Status: Moderate Pain.
Injuries: Rock firmly embedded in face. Bruised all over. A distinctive lack of eyebrows.
Equipment:
Reinforced lab coat,
Rudimentary RifleInventory: Bullets[10], Enchanted Bullets[3], Gunpowder, Ammo Mod, Firebomb x4
Attributes: 3 STR/3 TGH/4 DEX/3 SWF/4 INT/3 MND
Perks:
Scholar ,
InventorSkills: Skilled Alchemy [3/15], Competent Potion Brewing, Skilled Alchemic Magic (Rudimentary Enchantments), Adequate Marksmanship (Rifle), Adequate Metal Working.
Spells: Enchantment: Better wearability!, Piercing [?] Bullet Enchantments
Taren Creyn (Tiruin)
Status: Hilt Charge: 90% (Ice), 55% (Fire), 100% (Lightning). Weakened, somewhat hungry.
Injuries: Somewhat sick.
Equipment:
Broadsword, white cloak, grey tunic, belt,
solid holey leather bootsInventory: Cloth, Element Hilt.
Attributes: 4 STR/3 TGH/4 DEX/3 SWF/3 INT/3 MND
Perks:
Kind Soul,
UprightSkills: Skilled White Magic (Healing and Cleansing), Competent Anatomy, Skilled Swordsmanship, Competent Marksmanship
Spells:
Menscur, Fogili, Nonsens, Mendia,
Leonic Cleanse,
Vi Vanita,
Vento Aureo.
Remy Maelle (Remaelle)
Status: Normal.
Injuries: Minus five toes and right middle finger.
Equipment: Knife, traveling clothes, a backpack, Vintage pair of Chain Revolvers.
Inventory: Bedroll, rope, tinderbox, Gunchucks Guide Book w/ Leaflet, Remote Control Tape, Ornate Key x1, Plain Key x1, Trap Components x1, Bikini Armor x1.
Attributes: 3 STR/3 TGH/3 DEX/5 SWF/4 INT/2 MND
Perks:
Master of Overkill Presence of MindSkills: Proficient:
Shamanistic Magic (Elementalism), Competent: Hand-to-Hand Combat, Skilled: Marksmanship (Gunchucks).
Spells:
MEGA BRAND,
Perfect Freeze,
Flare Arrow Maka R'lyeh-Voile (IronyOwl)
Status: Normal.
Injuries: None (that she notices).
Equipment:
Magical golden scepter, Very Frilly Dress, Backpack
Inventory: Very Frilly Towel, 105 cp, Electro-Jelly-inna-cage (illoyal, remote-controlled servant, currently seated on Maka's head), Belt w/ pouches.
Attributes: 3 STR/2 TGH/3 DEX/4 SWF/5 INT/2 MND
Perks:
Voile Heritage Insanely Energetic Delightfully UnhingedSkills: Skilled Servant Creation, Competent Alchemic Magic (Augmentation), Competent Getting The Hell Outta Here, Skilled Black Magic (Curses).
Spells:
Psycho Shackles. Komas Hopatke (Yoink)
Status: Gruff. That is, normal.
Injuries: Normal.
Equipment:
One large, battered wooden oar named Heinkel, Worn and poorly-made sealskins, An eyepatch
Inventory: Fishing pole, bait, compass.
Attributes: 4 STR/5 TGH/3 DEX/2 SWF/2 INT/4 MND
Perks:
Simple Man,
Simmering AngerSkills: Proficient Rowing, Skilled Fishing, Competent Cooking, Competent Navigation, Adequate Carpentry.
Spells: Nnnope.