In the deep, dark woods...James decides that he's had enough of the hare on his face! Time to remove all of it with his halberd!
[James vs. Hare: 2 vs. 3+1]
The hare remains steadfast and refuses to let go! It really likes James' face and would love to stay there for as long as possible! James swats at it impotently while just keeps on savaging! Soon he might not even have a face anymore!
[Intelligence roll: ?+1-1]
Wait a minute, why would the gods accept take-backsies? That's something a child would think of! James is embarrassed at his own foolishness! Also, he is beginning to consider the hare as more of a nuisance that has forcefully attached itself to what remains of his face. He almost thinks of it as not an enemy at all, more like an overly clingy acquaintance!
[Hare savaging roll: 3]
The hare half-heartedly holds on to James' face, biting out a small hole in his cheek!
Meanwhile at the bloody battlefield in front of the lair of the notorious Bernie...Bruce is not defeated yet! He may have lost his arm, but the war is not over yet! Despite his two comrades having handily beaten a squad of soldiers!
[Bruce will roll: 6]
Bruce jumps to his feet and launches himself at Jordan, screaming like a banshee!
[Bruce vs. Jordan: 4 (no arm) vs. 4-2]
He sends Jordan flying to the ground and punches him repeatedly with his single arm! It doesn't work very well! Jordan looks more bemused than anything!
[Jordan vs. Bruce: 5+2 vs. 6]
However, the brief bemusement doesn't last, as Jordan whacks Bruce with his axe's handle, making the bleeding vampire roll off him! He gets up and resumes gazing at his handiwork in pride! That is, until he remembers that he really has more important places to be!
Like at Bernie's! He proceeds inside! However, he notices the glow on his axe dissipate!
Meanwhile,
Samuel is picking up the adventuring slack by looting all the slaughtered people!
[Looting roll: 5]
Fortunately, as the soldiers were going on a nightly outing, they packed lots of money! Samuel finds 257 copper coins, 35
gold coins, plus the officer was wearing a jeweled amulet worth who knows how much! Also, he grabs the
bloody levy leather armor off the downed halberdier's corpse, it being the one of the only sets of armor without any missing bits! It does have a bit of viscera clinging to it, however! The skeleton puts the bloody armor on, wearing it almost like a badge of pride!
Vincent, despite getting what he believes to be a bit of a dirty look from Samuel for not fighting (though that might just be his own bit of guilt), joins in on the looting! He takes the
officer's dark blue cloak and fetches a
halberd!
Both skeletons then go inside the mausoleum and find the necromancer. They find Jordan there, holding up the head of Skip Rogers!
"I say, this was the chap you were looking for, right?""Yes! Ahahaha! Hot damn, you did it, guys! Who's laughing now, you son of a bitch? Nobody humiliates Bernard von Glautzenheiser and lives, you hear me! Nobody! So, how'd you get him?""Well, the chap was in the inn, like you said. I went in, asked the fellow politely if he knew anything about Skip Rogers. He said yes indeed, he is Skip Rogers! I said jolly good, could you tell me more about yourself? He said yes, then started going on about how this lady was quite spiffy and grand, then dropped to his knee and popped the question! I said good show, chaps! Then I chopped his bloody head off with my fine axe here!""Wait, he popped the question?""Yes, ring and all! And then I chopped his bloody head off. Pay attention, dear chap.""What did she say?""Something to the tune of 'Yes, Skip, as long as a zombie gentleman doesn't chop your bloody head off, I will marry you!' And then I chopped his bloody head off. Guess the engagement's off then, eh?""Indeed! Now that Tammy is in an impressionable, Skip Rogers-less state, I can certainly press my agenda toward her better! Among, heh heh, other things. You have served me well, minion! You may ask a boon of me and I will do my best to grant it! Don't ask for freedom, though. I hate it when minions do that.""Let me think for a second, m'lord, and I will get back to you on that."The necromancer turns away smiling, whereupon he is accosted by Samuel! The smile on his face disappears.
[Bernie benevolence roll: 3-
1+
1+
1]
Samuel shows him the note! It's the same one from earlier, but with a period crossed out and a word with a question mark added!
"Teach me magic now?"He looks at the note.
"Didn't we talk about this already?"Samuel hands him the treasures of the massacred soldiers!
"Ah, now you're speaking my language! Some common courtesy, that's what I wanted to get from you all along! You know, for that I'll give you a piece of advice: magic is an innate attribute, the ability to use one's life-force to alter reality itself. A human being can learn minor magic, but to truly master it, you need a focus. Foci allow people to perform most magic you see today. Without a focus, you're not a real magic-user. If you can get a focus and attune it to yourself, you might be able to gain some magical abilities. Now scram."Samuel goes off into the corner of the room and stands there with Vincent while Jordan quietly deliberates.
"So, is that all of you, then? What happened to the rest?""Well, I chopped the lousy sword-stealing vampire chap's arm off, he's presumably still outside. Oh, and I electrocuted the ghost chap to death. He seemed to be peeved at me for some reason.""There was another vampire. Where is he?"All three undead shrug.