Chapter 2: Black Season.
Part Four: Mobs Out For Blood.
Players:
Magic Level: Adept (10% to Initiate)
Known Spheres: Death
Known Elements: Bone
Wounds/Effects:
Missing Eye (Less perceptive overall)
Exhaustion (-2 all rolls, 2 turns)
Skills/Bonuses:
Bonespeaker: +1 to Bone Magic rolls.
Scavenger : +1 to Graverobbing/looting catacombs.
Possessions:
Old Black Steel Blade.
Magic Level: Apprentice (10% to Adept)
Known Spheres: Death
Known Elements: Blood
Wounds/Effects:
Exhaustion (-2 all rolls, 1 turns)
Skills/Bonuses:
Capable Fighter: (+1 to all rolls in combat if it gets physical)
Dungeoneer (You should head into that dungeon, you do better in dungeons.)
Possessions:
Hefty Axe
Magic Level: Adept (5% to Initiate)
Known Spheres: Death
Known Elements: Bone
Wounds/Effects:
Exhaustion (-2 all rolls, 2 turns)
Skills/Bonuses:
Jack of All Trades (You can slip into most mundane roles with no trouble.)
Studious: +1 Study rolls.
Possessions:
Mail Shirt.
Magic Level: Apprentice (50% to Adept)
Known Spheres: Death
Known Elements: Earth
Wounds/Effects:
Exhaustion (-2 all rolls, 2 turns)
Skills/Bonuses:
Bookworm (+1 Research rolls)
Earthshaper (+1 Earth Magic Rolls)
Possessions:
1 Loot Token
Enchanted Staff(+1 on spell rolls)
Shaper's Gloves (+1 Earth Magic spells)
Magic Level: Apprentice
Known Spheres: Death
Known Elements: Void
Skills/Bonuses:
Violent Magic (Your magic always bends towards more violent means, Critical rolls are more
dangerous.)
Possessions:
Plain Short Sword
Magic Level: Adept (10% to Initiate)
Known Spheres: Death
Known Elements: Blood
Skills/Bonuses:
Bloodcaller (+1 to Blood Magic rolls.)
Cryptologist (+1 to All Deciphering rolls)
Wounds/Effects:
Missing Eye (Less perceptive overall)
Exhaustion (-2 all rolls, 2 turns)
Possessions:
Enchanted Staff(+1 on spell rolls)(Damaged)
Samuel Steelworks (Scapheap)I am afraid you have been eliminated.
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Known Locations:
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Suomi is nearly depopulated by the ravages of fighting with the Cabal. More than half the towns population has been lost. The mood is grim. They are suspicious.
Norvak A town roughly the same size as Suomi. It seems to be primarily focused on cattle. But it is growing apidly due to an influx of refugees. It is defended by a small fort garrisoned by veterans of the King's Army. It is affiliated with Welnshire.
The Tower, is ramshackle and old. It possesses few amenities currently. It is no longer secure.
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Note, all resources/items are placed in the Tower Stocks unless declared otherwise.
Rooms: Catacombs, Living Quarters, Storage Vaults
Library(Level 1)(Stocked with Death Magic tomes)(Warded against books being removed)
Detani's 'Office'.
Crude Stone Map
Crude Altar.
5 Skeletal Minions (Armed)
1 Gravehaunt
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Events:
Samuel [4-1] You head outside the tower and use your magic to call forth a golem from the earth itself. The earth responds, and a rough, humanoid figure just kind of stands up from the hard, packed earth.
[Event! Mobs Attack!]
See Below.
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Jerik, Sholan[2,5] This time, Sholan manages to secure the library and get down to studying. Jerik is thusly left with investigating the altar.
[5] Sholan's study is both swift and efficient, and before long he believes he has reached the next level of magical talent. Congratulations Adept.
Jerik spends some time in the crude altar room. A strage luminescence fills the room and you can see fresh blood stains across the altar and walls. You can hear murmuring but nothing audible that you can make out. You try to commune with whatever presence is here, but get nowhere.
As far as improving it, you'd probably need some supplies. And definitely some knowledge about what you want the altar dedicated to, or what being has already taken up residence.
[Event! Mobs Attack!]
See Below.
---
Patrizio, Helfd, Roland[3+2] With staff in hand, you dispel the rune and tunnel deeper into the ruined complex. Guarded by your skeletal minions the threeof you descend, weapons out and prepared for the worst. Goblins are foul, loathsome creatures after all.
You explore many rooms, many corridors finding nothing but trash and the evidence of goblin living. Eventually, some doors and walls erupt, and goblins pour forth, clutching sharpened bone swords, and clad in intricate bone armor.
[Event: Fierce Battle with Goblins!]See Below.
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Detani The road to the capital of these lands is long. And longer still thanks to the cold harsh winter. It will take you much time to reach the hold of the King of Welnshir. (3 more turns travel.)
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Events in Near Proximity:
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Suomi Mobs Attack! Attackers: Many Suomi Peasants.
Defenders: Jerik, Samuel, Sholan, Some Zombies, An Earth Golem.
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Samuel is outside when the peasants come crashing through the woods. They are wielding improvised weapons and have plenty of bows.
Drawing on his tactical experience, Samuel retreats immediately into the Tower, rather than get pelted by arrows. He still takes a few grazing wounds from arrows fired, but manages to make it into the tower, leaving the golem to distract the peasants.
The Tower doors are in poor shape, they will not hold off the mob for long. Samuel uses this time to warn the others about the attack. Sholan brings his zombies, and Jerik brings his magical talent and they prepare for the Mob within the tower.
[?,?,?] Zombies tend to disregard arrows. And the first few volleys from outside simply strike unyielding undead flesh. The mob demands your surrender and you respond by sending forth volleys of Blood and Bone magic. [5+1, 5+1] The two of you weave powerful spells, for your level of talent and cause much in the way of damage, in the ranks of the mob.
The mob charges forward into the tower, into melee range with the zombies. [Rolls vs Other Rolls]
Their fury and rages carries them into the tower proper and forces back your zombies and yourselves.
Bringing more magic to bear against the mob, [3-1,3+1,5+1], Sholan and Jerik do yet more damage, magically. Their spellcraft causes yet more casualties but now the peasants are in melee range and it is time for strength of arms to prevail.
[1,2,2 vs 3,6,4] Scythe clashes against staff, woodcutting axe against sword. The peasants are a wild screaming mob of hatred for the denizens of the tower and things look grim, with each of the mages collecting serious wounds while the zombies grimly and slowly tear apart whoever they can reach!
Driven back blow by blow, Sholan calls out to his zombie salamander, which surges from one of the corridors in the tower, to his aid. [4,4 vs 3] Together they are able to secure Sholan the necessary breathing room to withdraw further and prevent himself from being overrun.
Jerik has no such surprises to call on but presses on with his blade, trying to buy himself time.
[3 vs 2] He is able to dispatch the closest peasant and flee deeper into the tower.
[4 vs 4, 6 vs 4, 1 vs 3] Samuel fights desperately, picking up a dropped axe and fighting tooth and nail. His wounds barely seem to slow him down as he lands killing blow after killing blow, back pressed against the wall, and bodies piling at his feet. But eventually exhaustion can take root in even a seasoned soldier. A moments inattention is enough to catch more than a few slashes and arrows. You keep fighting, barely managing to press your way clear of the mob and escape deeper into the Tower.
The zombies are no more, each of you have collected serious wounds and the mob, though diminished by well over half, is fresh and hunting you through the tower. Jerik is caught first by the pursuing mob and a pitched melee erupts near the Altar room!
[5-1 vs 3,1,4] You lunge at your pursuers, claiming a few lives before you're driven back by a short heavily muscled fellow wielding an exceptionally crafted sword.
Miniboss! Jerik vs The Blacksmith [6-1 vs 4, 6-1 vs 5, 1 vs 3, 3-1 vs 5, 6-2 vs 1]
In the guttering torchlight splashed across the walls of the corridor you fight against this muscular swordsman. He is talented, you cannot deny him that but your own bladework is excellent even though you are feeling the beginnings of fatigue. You land a few light slashes to test his form and capabilities before a well timed feint lets you score a deep slash across one arm.
He rallies excellently but he is a talented amateur compared to someone such as yourself. You manage to sidestep his reckless attack and slam your knee into his gut. Not damaging ,but it should give you an edge in the combat to come.
Though he is gasping for breath you slip on a dead peasant and land badly, and your opponent takes this opportunity to stab you through the thigh. You scramble backwards, and he presses his advantage ruthlessly, blackness seeming to course through his veins giving him an interesting look in the torchlight. You take another few deep gashes.
No. It wont end like this. Not today. You feign weakness, although in truth its not really feigned. You are in bad shape and you may not have a chance if this fight lasts much longer. You 'slip' and go down and when he cries in triumph and raises his blade, you hammer forth with your magic and cause his ribs to crack, then you swing your blade upwards and cut his body apart. He crumples, betrayal evident in his eyes and his sword clatters to the ground.
[?,?] You cant hear anyone coming, you are so tired..You slump to the ground, exhausted. Your part in this combat is over.
Samuel manages to find Sholan and his damaged zombie salamander, retreating cautiously through the tower. Together they decide to head for the catacombs.
[4] Sholan has time to work a little magic, patching up some small wounds on both Samuel and himself.
The peasants have caught up with both Sholan and Samuel!
[5,4,5 vs 4,2,5] The salamander is easily matched by a nimble peasant, but the others fall easily to Samuel's blade, and Sholan's staff. Unfortunately more peasants are arriving constantly.
[4,1,2 vs 1,2,5,] The salamander is destroyed by that nimble peasant, and Sholan is driven back yet further by the peasants improvised weapons after scoring another kill.
Samuel stands alone once more. [4 vs 6,3,1] And it seems that this time, it may be the end. He takes a few more cuts exploiting the mistake of one of the peasants, and [5,5] also gets smashed upside the head by a thick staff. Bleary eyed, he staggers, and takes several more brutal cuts before slumping to the ground.
There is no mistaking the intent as they wrest your sword from your numb fingers. One of the peasants steps up and runs you straight through with your own sword.
You cough up some blood, and are mercilessly kicked off the sword to slump to the ground. A cheer of victory, and the footsteps fading into the distance, hunting Sholan, is the last thing you hear.
Sholan has made it to the Catacombs and uses his knowledge of them to evade the peasants when he can, and spring ambushes on them.
[6+1 vs 6,2,5,5] This doesnt work exceptionally well, but it still manages to whittle down the peasants numbers when they are foolhardy enough to traverse the catacombs. However Sholan is soon exhausted, and cannot keep this up. He finds a room and slumps to the ground, praying that he is not located.
[The Hunt]
[Rolls!]Knowing that there were several necromancers, the peasants search through the bodies trying to find them. Sholan's hiding place remains secure, no peasants disturb his slumber.
Jerik however is located, but mistaken for one of the peasants. He is carried back to town and put up in the inn which became a temporary hospital. There were few wounded. The air in Suomi is grim.
+10% to Initiate for Jerik and Sholan.
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Fierce Battle with Goblins! Goblins press in on all sides, their surprise attack cleaving through the gathered skeletons around you. The three of you lash out with magic or arms and [6,6,5] do some serious damage to the goblins. Your armed skeletons respond to the attack in kind, undead strength sundering arms and armor with good iron weapons.
The melee is fierce, and several rounds of intense fighting pass before Patrizio tries to influence the battle magically. The ground rumbles as Patrizio tries to seal the tunnels that are spewing forth goblins.[5+2-2] Riskily casting a spell, Patrizio seals several of the tunnels, stemming the surging tide of goblins somewhat. But he takes a serious wound as a bone sword pierces his chest, [?] narrowly missing something vital.
Rushing to Patrizio's aid, Helfd and the Gravehaunt close ranks and send the goblins scattering.
Roland is busily smashing through goblins with his trusty axe.
[5,3+1 vs (Rolls)] Combat rages, with the goblins being hammered over and over by the remaining combatants on the Cabal's side. Helfd's magic is turning the very armor of the goblins against them, causing it to shatter inwards and making the goblins drop in droves. Roland trusts in his axe more than magic and is cleaving limbs and goblin bodies asunder with manic cheer.
[?,?]The goblins have been thoroughly demoralized by their loss of numerical advantage. They break ranks and begin to flee into the dark. The ground rumbles and several more tunnels close.
Patrizio is in bad shape, and needs immediate medical or magical aid. Roland has also taken some minor wounds and is bleeding.
Nearly all of your skeletons have been destroyed, but there are now roughly 24 goblin corpses lying around the site of this battle. You would need to spend time to determine how many are still whole and can be raised. Also, most of your weapons are still intact, though the skeletons wielding them were not.
Roland rushes to the aid of Patrizio, [5] his magic surging through his fingertips and mending the serious wounds inflicted by that lucky goblin. Patrizio will live through this day,barring any other unforseen consequences.
(+25% to Adept to Patrizio,+10% to Roland, +5% to Initiate for Helfd)
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Topic: Dark Magi: TTC, Chapter 4, Update 9 (Read 46207 times)