In reply to Titus Blackwell (msg # 544):

Brennan tries to squirm away from the woman's grip, but she might as well be a vice.

[Boosted Coord: no pairs, 10 high]


"Unhand me! My horse is about to buck 'em, and then I'll be able to pin the demon's heart to the doorpost."

In reply to Brennan Otthild (msg # 545):

"Fine, DO IT!"  Melg yells, releasing Brennan's cloak.  She raises her cleaver, "but you'd better not miss!"  She prepares to lop Brennan's head off if he misses again.

"Bryce, you traitor!" the old man yells, pointing his weapon at the demonspeaker.  "Get your carcass out of my keep!"

The old man steps toward Bryce, sword raised.

Bryce, who was advancing with one hand behind his back, stops in his tracks.  "It's your home, fair enough," he yells back, "I'll not step closer."

Enrei easily disarms the brother beneath him and leaps to his feet.  His opponent is less interested in fighting back than he is in the cup, however, because halfway up he grabs hold of the other side of it.

"YOU'LL NOT HAVE IT, MONSTER!" he grunts.

At that point, the wounded brother lands a solid punch right in Enrei's jaw (2 Shock, head).

Titus is unable to coax the horse into stomping on or jumping over the people blocking the exit.

Combat Round

Bryce is holding by the Keep door, with the old man advancing on him.

Melg stands ready to kill Brennan should he shoot another one of her brothers. but is not holding him.

Enrei is half-standing, straddling one of the brothers and wrestling for control over the chalice.  Enrei is, however, now armed with a club.

The prone brother has 2 shock legs/arms/head 4 shock torso

The second brother is bleeding and has lost use of his arm, but is no less inclined to fight.

In reply to GM (msg # 546):

GET OUT THE DAMN WAY!

[Riding 2x6] (SEE I CAN DO THINGS WITHOUT PERFORM!)

Titus kicks the horse out of the stable and towards Melg.  He makes sure to avoid Enrei but if he stomps on one of the brothers on the way out he won't lose any sleep over it.  He rides the horse out and directly next to Melg.in Melg's face so she is unable to ignore it.

Make yourself useful and stop grabbing my boss and keep the horse safe. 

She fixes him with an ugly(er) look

NOW!

He barks.
This message was last edited by the player at 19:41, Thu 17 Dec 2015.

Enrei is fortunate, because just before being struck in the jaw he had clenched it, frustrated at the prone brother's grasp of the contentious cup.  Raising his new club he brings it down on the forearm stubbornly holding the chalice.  Job done, he looks at the man who just punched him, "I have a stick," he warns.

((5,1,4,7,9,9,3,9 3x9 on prone man.  martial aim to hit whichever arm is actually holding the cup.))

In reply to Enrei Omal'i (msg # 548):

Seeing that Enrei appears to have the upper hand, Melg is about to be engaged with Titus and the horse, and that "Bryce vs Old Man" is currently a standoff, Brennan makes a show of aiming toward the stables extremely carefully.

"Don't worry. I won't miss again," he says through clenched teeth, playing up how hard he's aiming. "I'll make sure of it."

AIM action toward stable door

OOC: How does Titus's action affect my eminent decapitation?
This message was last edited by the player at 19:31, Thu 17 Dec 2015.

In reply to Titus Blackwell (msg # 547):

Enrei swings the club casually and knocks away the arm attached to the hand holding the other side of the chalice.

The arm does not fare well in this situation, snapping not unlike a wet breadstick.

The owner of the arm screams in pain and falls back to the ground.

"That's my fucking BROTHER YOU BLACK DEMON!" the other brother screams.  Giving up on the idea of punching, he makes use of Enrei's hunched-over stance to land a solid kick to the Chal'i's head (5 Shock, head).

Though he has the cup, Enrei collapses unconscious.

Somehow, impossibly, Titus manages to express an honest-to-God normal skill and carefully guides the horse out of the stables.  He trots casually over toward Brennan.  With a sudden spurring, the horse leaps forward a few paces, cutting between Brennan and Melg.

"Hey!" she calls, jumping back a step.

Brennan carefully aims at the two brothers....

The old man spins around to face Titus.

"YOU!" He calls, "Get out of here!"

From behind him, Bryce quickly closes the gap, hand still hidden behind his back.

Combat Round

Things should get fun now...

Enrei is unconscious on the ground with the chalice.  Near him, one brother is prone with 2 shock legs/arms/head 4 shock torso and also a broken (useless) arm.

The other brother has lost use of one arm but is standing.

Brennan aims at both.  Titus on horseback blocks Melg from Brennan for the moment.

The old man (sword) is facing Brennan/Titus and from behind him Bryce approaches.

In reply to GM (msg # 550):

"Enrei!"

Brennan unleashes his arrow at the brother who is standing, and aims to correct that problem.

[Godmode Archery: 2, 2x2, 2x5, 2x4]


OOC: Keeping all sets as backups since adjusting up to (3) would target his useless arm and thus miss, right? Even if not, knocking out his leg seems like the right thing to do.

"Look, he's an idiot, but he's our idiot," Brennan announces, his voice hard and his expression resigned as he draws another arrow. "Drop your weapons, or be rendered unable to wield them. I have things to do and places to be, and this diversion was not on the agenda.

He spits into the foliage.

"I cannot believe we are shedding blood over a thrice-damned cup, heirloom or otherwise."
This message was last edited by the player at 19:22, Fri 18 Dec 2015.

In reply to Brennan Otthild (msg # 551):

In response to the old man Titus holds up his hands...

Fine!

He dismounts on the far side of the horse from Melg and the father.

Seems the demon is subdued... I never much liked him anyway.  Get your cup and call off your boys.

He slides off the horse on Brennan's side who can see a glint of metal as he pulls his knife

[Coord + Stealth 2x3]
This message was last edited by the player at 14:29, Mon 21 Dec 2015.

In reply to Titus Blackwell (msg # 552):

Brennan shakes his head at Titus slightly, poised to draw another arrow at a moment's notice. Though his expression is grim, he says nothing.

No... at this point the cup is ours. A deal's a deal.

In reply to Brennan Otthild (msg # 553):

Titus cocks an eyebrow at Brennan's head shake... then shakes his own resigning himself to his fate.

I'm going to get killed hanging out with these crazy people...

In reply to Titus Blackwell (msg # 554):

Melg, though not happy about the horsewall, is undeterred.  She races around the barrier, weapon still raised.  As Brennan's attack doesn't go off for a while, she doesn't lop off anyone's head... yet.

The old man raises his sword.  "I'll see you gutted for..."  he falls forward into Titus' arms, revealing Bryce behind him, holding a dagger with a slightly bloodied pommel.

"Damn you lot..." he mutters.

The two brothers scramble to their feet atop the sleeping giant, fumbling to get the chalice from his hands.

At that point Brennan's arrow sails into the leg of the brother who already lost use of his arm.  He collapses to the ground, clawing at the arrow.

"That's IT!" Melg yells.


Combat Round

The old man is unconscious.

Melg is very angry and is standing with Brennan and Titus.

Bryce, armed with a dagger, is a few feet away.

Enrei is unconscious on the ground near the stables.  Near him, one brother has the chalice with 2 shock legs/arms/head 4 shock torso and also a broken (useless) arm.

The other brother has caught a terrible case of arrow to limb and has lost use of one arm and one leg.  He is on the ground.

In reply to GM (msg # 555):

He looks at Bryce with mouth open.

Damn who?  Us or them?

...Either is probably valid.

He turns his attention back to Melg.

Now, now Melg... we'll have none of that.  Archery is a tricky business and you best leave him to it.

[Perform + Coord: 2x7, 2x6 location: 67]

He flicks his hidden knife into her chest, and then dramatically pulls the sword from its scabbard smiling like mongoose facing a cobra.

Now we do have the unfinished business about you rather paying for me to wipe your ass than sing. 
This message was last edited by the player at 16:10, Mon 21 Dec 2015.

In reply to Titus Blackwell (msg # 556):

Brennan uses this opening to rush over the stables, drawing another arrow even as he does so.

"Get away from the demon!" Brennan says when he's close enough to see that one of the brothers is holding the cup. "The battle's done. Drop the cup and back away. Cooperate and I'll even do something about those wounds."

He smiles slightly.

"Which is a good deal, because otherwise the both of you will be cripples for life. And I'm willing to bet there's no place here for folks who can't work, family or not."

[Negotiate: 4x8, 2x6]

"What'll it be? A nice, soft bandage and some pain killers in exchange for that cup and your cooperation? You can even keep the two suns we already paid for it. We can still be civilized here, and that's a much better deal now than it was a few minutes ago."

He extends a hand toward the brother with the cup, though he remains a few paces out.

"Toss the cup here if you agree," Brennan says, nodding to his other hand which holds a bow and arrow. "You don't want me to have two hands free..."
This message was last edited by the player at 17:59, Mon 21 Dec 2015.

In reply to Brennan Otthild (msg # 557):

Melg hefts her heavy cleaver, but is caught by a knife to the ribs mid-swing (3 Killing, Torso).

Bryce holds his knife, but looks to have reservations about attacking Melg, wounded as she is.

Before Brennan, one of the two brothers scrambles to sit up, which is a feat of great pain endurance given his injuries.

The other brother leers at Brennan with a horrible glint in his already beady eyes.

"YOU..." he growls between strained breaths, "CAN'T... HAVE... IT!"

To further demonstrate the level of his commitment to servingware, he swings it at Brennan's head.  His aim is way off and he whiffs completely.

COMBAT ROUND

Melg (Cleaver, 3 killing torso) fighting Titus beside a worried horse and an unconscious old man.  Bryce stands nearby.

One brother (down a leg and an arm) is effectively out of the fight unless Brennan chooses to stand quietly in grabbing range.

The other brother (2 shock legs/arms/head 4 shock torso, disabled arm) is still trying to kill Brennan while holding on to the chalice.

In reply to GM (msg # 558):

Brennan sighs, draws his bow, and attempts to render the fighting brother unable to carry on his resistance.

He does not bother to aim.

[Archery: 4, 2x5, 2x3 (save the backup pair in case I'm foiled)]


If the brother is rendered harmless, he will retrieve the cup, check to see if Enrei is ok, and gauge the status of the ongoing combat outside the stables, in that order.

If not, he will prepare to finish the job.

In reply to Brennan Otthild (msg # 559):

Titus smiles evilly as he hefts the paladin's broadsword and brings it down in a hard arc on Melg's collarbone.

[Body+Melee: 2x9 Location: 9]


We could have been such great friends...

He muses whimsically.
This message was last edited by the player at 21:03, Mon 21 Dec 2015.

In reply to Titus Blackwell (msg # 560):

The heavily wounded man swings the cup again and manages to connect.  It turns out that whatever the chalice is made of, it is less yielding than Brennan (3 shock, L. Arm).

Soon thereafter, he takes the shaft of an arrow to the chest (3 shock, 2 killing torso).

His breath is shallow now, blood seeping from multiple wounds.  The evil light in his eyes is... somehow unsettlingly ferral in nature, inhuman in some way...

He does not relent.

Melg screams and swings at Titus again, once again dealing heavy damage to the air near his head.

Titus chops into the woman, spraying blood all over Enrei's favorite horse (5 shock 4 killing torso).

The blow staggers her.  Though she does not drop her cleaver, it's clearly taking a lot of effort to keep going.


COMBAT ROUND

Melg (Cleaver, 5 Shock 7 killing torso) fighting Titus beside a worried horse.

Torso filled with shock gives -4d to most physical actions.

Bryce stands nearby.

The old man is unconscious on the ground.

One brother (down a leg and an arm) is effectively out of the fight.

The other brother (2 shock legs/arms/head 7 shock 2 killing torso, disabled arm) is still trying to kill Brennan while holding on to the chalice.

Deev is nowhere to be seen.

In reply to GM (msg # 561):

Come on Melg?  You mean to tell me that this is all you can take from a mincing fancy pants performer?!



Titus has his own feral glint in his eye

He presses his advantage thrusting the sword toward Melg's chest, she is still (barely) able to move enough to get out of the way.  He gives her the look of a cat toying with a mouse.

You still have some fight in you...

[Body+Melee: Fail]
This message was last edited by the player at 22:05, Mon 21 Dec 2015.

In reply to Titus Blackwell (msg # 562):

Brennan grunts as the chalice slams into him, and takes a step backward to nock another arrow, which he immediately fires into his foe.

"Fine... die, then."

[Archery: 1, 2x4, 2x1, saving the backup]

In reply to Brennan Otthild (msg # 563):

The hairy brother throws a horribly telegraphed haymaker, which Brennan easily dodges.  He uses the time of the backswing to put an arrow into the man's leg, which immediately gives out under him.

Titus, possibly in his overconfidence, misses Melg.  She uses what little strength she has, adding in some tucked-away ferral reserve, and bull rushes Titus.

She manages to crash bodily into him, knocking him back and nearly tripping him over the unconscious form of the old man (2 shock, torso).

That, however, was all she had in her.  She collapses onto the packed earth.

END COMBAT

OOC:

Everyone can remove half shock from each limb (unless you're one of the lucky few who removes it all).

Melg is unconscious and likely dying but alive.

The old man has taken a blow to the head and is unconscious.

Enrei is unconscious (and will remain so for a bit despite the shock damage going away).

Both brothers are alive and conscious but considered helpless if you want to do anything to them.

The only exception is physically removing the chalice from his grasp while he's still alive and conscious.  He WILL get to resist that.
This message was last edited by the GM at 13:21, Tue 22 Dec 2015.

In reply to GM (msg # 564):

Bryce remains motionless, holding his dagger up as if to strike an unseen foe.

"So... was that your plan all along?  Looting and arrows?"

In reply to GM (msg # 565):

Titus cocks an eyebrow at Bryce.

Did that look like my plan?!  If I wanted the cup that badly I would have taken some time and by the end of the week he would have handed it to me gladly.

No we just have someone playing the part of Munn...

Titus rubs his head thoughtfully as he enters the tent

Coming out he raises his voice

DEEV!  All clear!  Come on out!

He then walks over to Brennan...

What was he thinking?!   I have never seen Enrei respond like this to anything.  I say we smash the cup I don't trust it and never have.  Did you drink from it?
This message was last edited by the player at 13:58, Tue 22 Dec 2015.

In reply to Titus Blackwell (msg # 566):

"Aye," Bryce agrees, putting away his knife and glancing at Enrei.  "I'm reminded of the time Munn tried to saddle and ride the Juggernaut..."

Titus finds no resistance in the main tent, just a handful of children who hide when he enters and a few dogs.

In reply to GM (msg # 567):

From behind one of the smaller huts, Deev's face appears.

"What..." he begins.  He looks at the carnage and the survivors.

"Shouldn't we leave?"

In reply to Deev (msg # 568):

Yes. 

God the only person who speaks sense here.

He cleans off his sword on Melg's clothes.  He squats down near her head.

You may want to be careful what hurtful things you say to traveling performers in future... you never know what they may be capable of.

Standing back up he points at Deev

Get our stuff bring it here. 

He stands over the brother with the cup broadswoard hefted ready for a double handed swing.

Give me a good reason not to.

He says as a challenge to the world in general.
This message was last edited by the player at 14:24, Tue 22 Dec 2015.