"None of us are demons.  The great horrible beasties are demons.  It is a very clear distinction," Ciryl shouts as he picks himself up.  He wrenches the stopper off of his jar but then pauses to look at each of the bodies in view, including the smeared remains of Bryce, "A fist...an eye...it's supposed to ward against demons...why is everything dirt?" he mutters frantically to himself before reaching into the jar and withdrawing his hand with a dollop of the contents on his fingers which he first smears on his forehead, then reaches under his shirt to smear over his heart, "Superstitious nonsense.  Brennan!" he shouts to the sky, unable to see the archer, "Do you know any more about demon ward than I do?  Where should I put it?" with a huff he rounds closer to Merker, hoping to at least avoid being caught between the rock and a hard place.

((OOC: 3x2 is supposed to be "faster" but given how we've tweaked initiative, I'm not sure if there is an advantage to it.))
This message was last edited by the player at 19:15, Wed 03 June 2020.

In reply to GM (msg # 365):

Almost absentmindedly, Zeke replies to Merker

Is now really the time for a review of one's inherited and slightly racist principles with the outcome directly increasing likelihood of one's own death? The giant, whatever that was, seems uninterested in the arbitration of the matter, but we can always ask..

If I can't get him to charge me, the least I can do is feel for where he's headed and try to avoid another Bry..

Zeke positions himself so that his back is not to Merker, puts one hand to the ground, poised for a counter dodge, and listens for the beast.

[Sense: 2x6, 2x3]

I'm trying to get a read on which way the big one is headed. See what you can do about the air support and I'll do my best to tell you when to dodge.

[Dodge: 2x4, 2x8]

In reply to Zeke Banorev (msg # 369):

Brennan's arrow tears through the creature's wing.  It makes no noise as it flips over in the air and reels off to one side where it vanishes into the darkness at the treeline.

It's impossible to be sure, but Brennan would guess it wasn't killed, only thrown temporarily off course.

From the darkness in another direction, the enormous creature can be heard snuffling and pawing the ground angrily.

COMBAT ROUND

Disposition:
- The Eye of Baal is somewhere out of sight.  The Fist is just out of sight in the darkness.
- Brennan is atop the rock above camp
- Zeke, Merker, and Ciryl are near the fire at the base of the rock.
- Titus is some ways off nearly at the horses
- Deev is still nowhere to be seen

Initiative:
- Titus
- Eye of Baal
- Zeke
- Merker
- Fist of Baal
- Ciryl
- Brennan

In reply to GM (msg # 370):

"Then let's survive this devilry, and later we can sort our your witchcraft," Merker growls at Zeke, looking fitfully at the darkness.

"Did you kill the other one?" he calls up to Brennan.

In reply to GM (msg # 371):

"Probably not," Brennan replies, scanning the skyline as best he can in the darkness. "I'm hoping a second arrow will do the trick, though."

"If your jarred ward works anything like the Academy's powders, you just apply it to whatever or wherever you want the demons to avoid. Given another option, and no motivation to ignore the ward, it should suffice."
This message was last edited by the player at 20:29, Thu 04 June 2020.

In reply to Brennan Otthild (msg # 372):

Titus continues to the horse cuts it free and swings himself up into the saddle.

/ooc:  I would tend towards taking more damage with the higher number if the speed is not necessarily relevant and the eye doesn't appear to be.

In reply to Titus Blackwell (msg # 373):

Brennan keens his ears and squints at the darkness.

From the vague swishing of air he concludes the Eye is still aloft.  But what it spends its time doing this round is unclear.

In reply to GM (msg # 374):

Zeke places his back to the rock, with the fire between him and the beast in the woods.

Ah yes- the waiting game.

Zeke extends his senses down through the rock, and out toward the beast

[Sense: 2x9, 2x7]

I've got to figure out the pattern..

[Dodge: 2x7]

You all seem acquainted with this particular denizen of hell; care to share with the rest of us?

In reply to Zeke Banorev (msg # 375):

"Aye," Merker agrees through gritted teeth as he plants his feet and holds his sword toward the darkness, "any context would be appreciated... I can tell you damned sure this thing never bothered nobody here before..."

In reply to GM (msg # 376):

On cue, you hear scraping followed by pounding as the creature charges back toward you.

Zeke instinctively turns toward it before it bursts into the light of your fire.

Both Zeke and Merker are able to leap to the side.  For his part, Merker makes a valiant effort to do some good by thrusting the tip of his blade into the creature's path as he rolls, but the steel glances off the heavy plating of the creature's head.

Ciryl, grasping his jar, is at first directly in the daemon's path, but at the last second it veers away from him.

The great battering ram of a head glances against the side of the rock, sending pieces of it spraying outward and shaking Brennan once again.  The impact isnt enough to stop its charge, and it glances off to one side before picking up speed again and vanishing from sight.

OOC: the creature has charged off in a different direction this time, such that if it once again turns and charges, it could come toward any of Titus/Horses, Fire, or up the slope of the rock toward Brennan.

Ciryl clamps his eyes shut as the fist careens toward him but as the sound of its approach turns to the sound of it scraping the rock behind him he opens one eye in time to see the creature charge into the darkness.  For a moment he remains stock still, glancing around the firelight as if not quite believing he is still alive before he suddenly springs into motion, though his limp means the sudden burst is still a slow approach to Merker. "This is alchemy, not witchcraft.  Bought the ingredients in town before we left," he assures as he once again pulls a dollop of his demon ward out and smears it across Merker's forehead.  The motion is sudden and forceful enough to preempt and objections, not the first time he's administered medicine to the untrusting or unwilling.  Glancing down, he dips his fingers back into the jar and then grabs the top of the man's sword between his fingers and thumb, covering the point of it in the paste, "I'm not sure if this will help, but if you get the chance, stab it anywhere but the front."

In reply to Ciryl Fontaine (msg # 378):

"Smells like... nevermind," Merker mutters.

"Where is it now?  Doubtless it will charge again.  If our weapons are no use, we may need to flee."

In reply to GM (msg # 379):

"We're not running anywhere in the dead of night while it can still see us," Brennan calls down, pulling back the bowstring but not releasing an arrow. "After that, we can decide what makes the most sense."

OOC: Hold action, shoot the Eye if it shows itself.
This message was last edited by the player at 15:12, Thu 11 June 2020.

In reply to Brennan Otthild (msg # 380):

Titus gets on the horse and kicks it towards someplace where there is a significant obstacle between him and the fist. (So maybe place the rock between us or another large obstacle) He will hunker down close enough to that object that the fist cannot make the turn easily.



[Illusions: 2x5]
This message was last edited by the player at 15:44, Thu 11 June 2020.

In reply to Titus Blackwell (msg # 381):

Zeke makes his way toward Titus, momentarily struck by the mysterious image of a knight wielding a flaming sword upon a horse which had not previously been there.

Have to file that away for later..

We've got to get somewhere out of sight until Brennan can deal with the proverbial "Eye in the Sky"

OOC: Ready Sense/Dodge as needed

In reply to Zeke Banorev (msg # 382):

Initiative:
- Titus
- Eye of Baal
- Zeke
- Merker
- Fist of Baal
- Ciryl
- Brennan

OOC, looks like Titus already took his action for the round?

Merker, Ciryl, Zeke remain by the fire at the base of the rock.  Brennan scans the skies, bow drawn.  Titus is riding north, perpendicular to the path of the Fist (last you saw it) to get to the far side of the rock.  The spectral rider remains in view on the Fist's last path.

There is a flap of batlike wings and the Eye of Baal appears.  It is much higher now, and flying in an odd zig-zag pattern.

OOC: It's action is actively dodging, which will make Brennan's shots harder.  Additionally, it is higher up (-1 die penalty)

In reply to GM (msg # 383):

"These aren't really all part of the same demon. They're just named that way because-aha!"

Brennan looses the arrow he's been holding (from last round) at the Eye as it emerges, trying to compensate for its erratic flight pattern.

[Aimed Shot: 1, 2x9 ,3x3, 2x2]

OOC: I think I can sac the trio of threes to boost the pair of nines into tens, right? Or do I misremember how that works? Can I sac the pair of twos, too? Held action means little point in holding the extra matches in reserve since I can't be hit to lose the shot, right?


The shaft strikes true, and Brennan reaches for another.

"I'll be happy to educate everyone in the particulars after we've survived. Suffice it to say that Bryce, rest his soul, was a damned fool -- literally, now --, that the Eye must be blinded and that the Fist must be rendered unwilling or unable to continue its assault."
This message was last edited by the player at 14:38, Mon 15 June 2020.

In reply to Brennan Otthild (msg # 384):

This time, Brennan's arrow sinks directly into the creature's center.  Lacking a mouth, it makes no cry, only spinning off out of control.  You are able to trace it's path only to the treeline, where you hear it crash into the foliage.

Whether or not it's dead, you cannot say without investigation.


In the darkness, the Fist of Baal snuffles and growls loudly.

In reply to GM (msg # 385):

Zeke is dumbfounded as Brennan picks the eye-bat creature from the sky.

What a shot!

Zeke takes a moment to compose himself, and then, regains his better senses.

We should head for it while it's wounded- I think I can track it. The big one is likely to come, and may be easier to corner with it's mate immobilized.

In reply to Zeke Banorev (msg # 386):

That was my action for turn, forgot that Brennan had a hold on.

As Brennan shoots down the eye, I'll start to bank around to the best of my ability investigate where the eye crash landed.  The knight with the flaming sword will position himself so that if the fist attacks it will take him by but not through the camp and away from me.
This message was last edited by the player at 13:08, Tue 16 June 2020.

In reply to Zeke Banorev (msg # 386):

Hearing no objection, Zeke makes off pacing behind Titus.

I've got a mind to get my eyes on that eye..

In reply to Zeke Banorev (msg # 388):

"Right..." Merker mutters, watching the glowing horseman.

He takes up position with the fire pit between him and the large rock, sword at the ready to defend.

In reply to GM (msg # 389):

In the dark, you hear the great beast snuffling.

The sound moves, and there is the crunch of broken sticks.

Brennan spins around and catches sight of its great pointed head, now at the bottom of the far sloping side of the rock.  It paws the ground and prepares to charge up toward Brennan.

"Bloody stupid hell," Ciryl mutters as the party spreads out, "What do we do, get the thumb of Baal caught up in the middle of it?  For someone who claims to know a great deal he does not know a great deal that is useful." Ciryl hobbles after Zeke and Titus, making for where the horses are tied up, jar clutched ever close.

In reply to Ciryl Fontaine (msg # 391):

Brennan tenses and prepares to fling himself laterally aside, such that the beast will comically pull a Wile E. Coyote off the top of the ledge if it were to proceed with its charge...

OOC: I assume there are dice for this? I will need to know more.