Turn 32 - A Treacherous, Underhanded Sneak AttackPhiali opts to just keep on his path away from the temple. That is, until he realizes that he left some stuff back at his old campsite. He gets back to it, reclaims some of the berries he left and some particularly high-quality leaves worth keeping, then sets about covering his tracks.
[Track coverage roll: 2]
He realizes that he has neither the time nor patience to dust all the footprints away or, for that matter, readjust any disturbed bushes. So he just chooses to rely on the well-established fact that the guards of the temple are neither particularly smart nor very prone to leaving their sacred grounds and walks away after expending no time or effort on any highly professional ranger business that nobody is likely to appreciate anyway. Now to look for a new campsite.
[Search roll: 4]
Several miles away from the temple there seems to be an adequate clearing providing a nice shade from the sun. It isn't covered in brambles, nor do there seem to be any predatory or non-predatory animal droppings around that Phiali can see. He figures this location is about as good as it is likely to get.
* * * * *
Gronok attempts to demoralize the guards by telling them all the negative things he can currently think of!
[Gronok persuasion roll: 5+1]
He starts to narrate every inadequacy of the Kezilamite faith and priesthood that he can think of, then recites every case of battles he knows (as well as some he made up) where numerical superiority won out over superior armaments and tactics. He tops it off with a nice dose of targeted doomsaying, which is a thing usually expected from an old man in pretty much every conventional situation.
[Guard attention roll: 5]
The guards clearly hear it, too, despite being a bit preoccupied. They seem to be clearly demoralized by this verbal assault, being more used to negative reinforcement meant in a tough love kind of way rather than just plain negativity. In addition, they are nicely distracted by Gronok's routine, so there's that.
[Crowd vs. Guards: 2 vs. 4-
1-
1]
Despite the guards clearly not giving it their all, the crowd of prisoners does not look like it is very inclined to run into four people with metal weaponry. Sharp metal weaponry, no less, unlike some of the weaponry used on them at previous points in their lives not really worth discussing at this juncture. The guards turn away from the yammering old man and begin to pay attention again as the crowd prepares for yet another offensive!
* * * * *
For everything there is a season and time for every purpose under the sun. And right now, it is time for
Sejena to teach someone a lesson in respect in the very best traditions of her faith. She looks nearby for anything suitably sharp to aid in her idea of an object lesson.
[Object availability roll: 4]
There does look to be a copper candlestick right next to her. Good enough.
[Sejena vs. Naphezim: 3-
1+
1+
1 vs. 4+
1-
1]
As Sejena swings the candlestick with righteous fury, Naphezim takes a step back, looking a bit unimpressed.
[Naphezim reaction roll: 2]
"That was awfully unwise of you."[Naphezim vs. Sejena: 1+
1 vs. 5]
He lunges forward, a dagger suddenly, but not entirely unexpectedly having appeared in his hands in what Sejena is sure is a movement he's spent long hours practicing either in a mirror or on unsuspecting strangers. Luckily, she is prepared for just such an eventuality, weaving out of his path and exploiting the opening that immediately appears as Naphezim stops just in time to avoid falling out of the window.
[Counterattack: Sejena vs. Naphezim: 3+1 vs. 6+1]
The slippery worm is a bit too fast, however, handily dodging a second candlestick swing and assuming a less dangerous position in the room, namely a few steps away from Sejena.
"Honestly, you could have waited for a bit. Paid me once to build up some trust and all. Not that it is going to do you any good now."He seems to have assumed a somewhat more murderous character, contrasting with his earlier disagreeable and dense image most profoundly.
1 MP expended!* * * * *
Shashari, feeling sleep to be an unlikely prospect, tries to meditate herself into either greater insight or sleep. Either seems like a pleasing prospect.
[Meditation roll: 6-->6]
Freeing herself from the cares of the world around her, of the sight of the humble shack, of the sound of a distant screeching bat (perhaps a distant screeching witch, she isn't entirely sure), of the smell of warm ram, of the feeling of the dirt floor. And in plunging into nothingness, she attains a deeper level of awareness. Not of the world around her, but of things beyond, things in the realm of Ash'Mah.
There is one that lives. It lives and it cuts. It cuts and it creates. It creates and it relocates. It knows not why. It knows that it must. It derives joy and it finds purpose in pointlessness. It knows things. It knows the where and the how. It knows not the what. It looks at the leaves and it appreciates the tree man's confidence in its works. It offers the tree man vast treasures, but the tree man always refuses. It finds the tree man's unwillingness disturbing.
Find it through its friend. Pilfer its secrets. Find its ward.
Shashari opens up her senses once again. It seems to be morning. The Siren is up and about, the ram is chewing on some grass outside, the floor is still made of dirt and, what's strange, Shashari feels oddly refreshed. Who knew sleeping while sitting up would be so comfortable?
Phiali: 0 MP
Gronok: 0 MP
Sejena: 0 MP
Shashari: 5 MP
Elizas: 3 MP
So, does anybody find the -1 penalty to attacks due to lack of experience unreasonable? It's just that it's the first time any of the prophets (all of which are untrained in efficient combat, making them susceptible to ineffectual flailing) has conventionally attacked anyone, so I thought I'd ask about the little detail I sort of foreshadowed in Zebulon, the example character's sheet.
Author
Topic: Prophets of the New God: most unfortunately dropped. (Read 72194 times)