Everyone, welcome to the introduction of the Panic Roll! When screaming things launch themselves out of trees and the whole forest seems alive with demonic creatures, you panic.
Generally.
For a panic roll, on a 4+ you’re all good, but 3- you panic.
3: Suffer -1 to all rolls for the turn
2: You, uh, panic. And run.
1: You cower like a little girl.
- Turn 15: Enter the Beast -
Some… thing has just launched itself at you, revealing the presence of around two dozen more things. They appear to be demons, but look human. What is going on here?"Demons in the skies, friends! Time to sing the songs of prayer and courage!"
Righteous Litany! Sing these sad, sad people into shape to fight the demon!
(6+1) "Demons in the skies, friends! Time to sing the songs of prayer and courage!" you roar, raising your voice into a dramatic baritone completely at odds with your short, cheerful stature.
“Der Herr ist mein Hirte, mir wird nichts mangeln. Er weidet mich auf einer grünen Aue und führet mich zum frischen Wasser. Er erquicket meine Seele. Er führet mich auf rechter Straße um seines Namens willen. Und ob ich schon wanderte im finstern Tal, fürchte ich kein Unglück; denn du bist bei mir, dein Stecken und Stab trösten mich!”(5) The Litany inspires your comrades! It’s so inspiring it stiffens their spines and uplifts their souls! They gain +1 to panic rolls and attack rolls vs. demons! (The litany pretty much always succeeds, failing only on a 1. On a 5+, panic rolls gain a bonus too.)
Attempt to shoot an arrow into the creature. After the arrow is shot, scramble!
(2+1) Your legs shake, but the Litany stiffens your legs and you face the creature down as it hurtles towards you. Even though your limbs shake, you rapidly nock an arrow and let fly!
(4+1, 5) Your arrow soars out and stabs through the creature’s right hand, somehow slicing the limb clean off! (6) You throw yourself violently from the roof, just missing being flattened by a falling demon-thing. You land awkwardly but roll to your feet, a second arrow already nocked.
The creature stands and glares at you before screaming loudly. You feel the shriek pierce deep into your skull! (5) Your thoughts are scattered momentarily, but you’re otherwise fine.
You all finally get a good look at the creature. It is… it was... Elven. But it’s eyes are yellow and boiling over with madness, its skin a sickening shade of khaki. Lightning crackles around its hands… Lightning blacker than midnight, more vastly black than the deepest crevasse of the world. Its stump comes alive, black lightning wriggling out of the wound, sealing it shut. As you all watch, a replacement limb forms out of energy. Long claws, crafted from the black, demonic lightning form on both hands.
Beneath it, the carriage is dented and crumpled as though it has the weight of a boulder. Probably want to avoid getting hit by it.
Just what the hell is this thing?
"..." Ekoka swears horribly in the Southern tongue.
Use Alaracity on myself and those nearby. Run. Run like the wind!
(3+1) You swear vehemently and eloquently before pouring your willpower into the winds around you.
“Roho za upepo, kuja misaada wangu!”
(3) The winds spiral around you, but your magic doesn’t reach far enough to help anyone else. You feel the power gripping your legs and arms. You feel as agile as a leopard!
You turn and run. You’re not sure where, but you run! Trees blur, people blur, everything blurs. In an instant you’re past all of your comrades, diving into the forest. You’re fifty metres away from them in the space of a couple of seconds, somehow narrowly missing trees.
(6) You collide abruptly with a second of the damn monsters! Where the hell are they coming from? The winds binding you help you keep your momentum, but the demon comes off second best and is bowled head over heels!
As the monster straightens, it leaps for you, shrieking in its blood-curdling voice!
(4+2) You dive to the side with contemptuous ease, but crash sideways into a tree. Seems you need a bit of practice!
(1) The creature’s shrieking is doing a serious number on your mental state.
Thuun leaps into action, channeling life magic through his blade to produce a wisp spell for himself and his comrades. Considering the circumstances, hulkification wouldn't be considered a bad thing in his mind.
(1+1) You momentarily consider casting something, but the shrieking is too goddamn unnerving. You bolt, following the cloud of dust that is Ekoka’s trail.
(1) (Oh man) Blindly running through the forest, you collide with three of the goddamn monsters. Today is really not your day. As one, they all scream. (1) Your thoughts scatter wildly and you suddenly feel alone in a dark, uncaring world.
Pull out (broken) greatsword and try to intercept the demon before it attacks anybody squishy important!
(2+1) You’re shaky, but you’re not gonna show those damn things that they’re scared of you. You step in front of Felice, guarding the archer as the creature leaps off of the carriage. You meet it squarely!
(1) The creature’s massive bulk and surprising speed knock you flying. The two of you tumble head over heels, the monster clawing at you several times. You end up with gashes on both of your arms!
You struggle to your feet and swing wildly at the creature. (5+1, 2) Your sword scores a direct, massive hit on the creature’s chest, biting deeply. The creature’s chest caves in; the force of your blow actually splits the goddamn thing in twain. The two halves fly apart like a macabre watermelon.
Lightning pours out of the body and lances almost immediately up your blade, (3) but you manage to hold onto your weapon… Just.
The palm of your left hand is burned terribly and you can’t hold the sword with it until it’s healed in eight turns! Active Ability disabled!
Cyrus gestures at a monster as it leaps out of a tree; fire blooms around the creature, but it carries on. The mage dives out of the way, screaming like a little girl, as the flaming monster advances on him!
You’re not sure how many are left, but you think it’s about twenty. The village is a quarter of a mile to the east. The monsters seem to be fairly evenly scattered around you.
Lyu Brak (Harry Baldman)Profession: Priest
Status: Preaching like a badass
Inventory:Staff (Bronze-Capped)
Religious Necklace
Warm Priestly Robes and Pants
Warm Priestly Shoes
180 gold
Wounds/Status: You're perfectly healthy!
Abilities: [Boundlessly Cheerful] [The Good Priest] [Not that faithful] [Righteous Litany (3/3)]Baldur Bergfalk (USEC_OFFICER)Profession: Mercenary
Status: Murderising the demon creature
Inventory:Broken greatsword
Worn leather jerkin (and normal clothes)
Worn leather boots
Bear fur cloak300 gold
Wounds/Status: Burned Left Hand (Palm) (9/8)Abilities: [Skilled Bargainer] [Guileless] [I'm Not Right Handed] [Righteous Litany (3/3)]Lao Thuun (BFEL)Profession: Warrior Mage
Status: Finding Bad Guys
Inventory: Blunted bronze sword
Leather armour and boots
Acolyte's Suncloak210 gold
Wounds/Status: You're perfectly healthy!
Abilities:[Enduring] [Atoner] [Spellsword] [Righteous Litany (3/3)]Spells:[Life Spell: Wisp] Magical Experience:[Ea: 0] [Wi: 0] [Fi: 0] [Wa: 0] [Li: 2] [Fo: -1] [Lt: 0] [Sh: 0] Felice Nasib (Pancaek)Profession: Seaman
Status: Archering?
Inventory: Repaired Shortbow
Seventeen Arrows
Razor-sharp DirkNautical Longcoat and Boots
313 gold
Wounds/Status: You're perfectly healthy!
Abilities: [Fearless] [Not a Landlubber] [Trick Shot] [Righteous Litany (3/3)]Ekoka (GreatWyrmGold)Profession: Wanderer
Status: Fleeing
Inventory: Cracked shillelagh
Wanderer's Cloak
Sturdy Clothes and Boots
Length of Rope
Flint and Tinder
380 gold
Wounds/Status: No open wounds!
Abilities: [Survivalist] [Dual Focus] [Maladjusted to heat] [Guiding Spirit] [Righteous Litany (3/3)]Spells:
[Wind Spell: Alacrity]Magical Experience:[Ea: 0] [Wi: 1] [Fi: 0] [Wa: 0] [Li: 0] [Fo: 0] [Lt: 0] [Sh: 0]