Arc 1, Special Thread 2: The Leech War
((Kumiho Init:
8, 7, 7, 6, 5, 3 & 1
*3 Chi, 1 Lunar Chi: Sword-Mindset
*0 Chi: Flexible+Sword
*0 Chi: Speed +5, CG
*Init 18 + Speed 15 + AB 10 + IKF 5 = 48
Alexandria Init:
9, 9, 8, 7, 7, 4, 4 & 3
*Blue Flame Dragon
*Float 9-9
*Cover Ground with 27
*Improvise Weapon with 24- Ranged
*Init 18 + Speed 20 + AB 10 = 48
Kumiho 48
Alexandria 48
Lyla 43
Arkady 41
Kendal 39
Daniel 28
Alexandria Attack:
10, 9, 9, 6, 6, 6, 3 & 1
*Break Something Special with 49 + Wu Wei 15 + AB 10 + EKF 5 = 79 vs 78, an unseen force boosts by +5! FAILS.
*Attack Minions 36 + Strike 10 + AB 10 = 56
Minion Defense vs Alexandria:
10, 9, 9, 9, 8, 8, 4, 2 & 1
*Block 39 + Block 20 + AB 10 = 69 vs 56, Replies for a ripple!
Kumiho Attack:
8, 7, 6, 5, 5, 1 & 1
*Strike 25 + Strike 20 + AB 10 = 55
*Float 1-1
Minion Defense vs Kumiho:
10, 9, 8, 8, 8, 6, 6, 5 & 4
*Defense vs Strike 48 + Block 20 + AB 10 = 78 vs 55, Replies for a ripple!
Minion Defense vs Lyla:
10, 8, 7, 6, 6, 4, 3, 2 & 2
*Defense 26 + Block 20 + AB 10 = 56 vs 84, 2 Ripples
*Defense vs Burn 22 + Block 20 + AB 10 - Better Dodged 5 = 47 vs 53, 1 Ripple (1/9)
Minion Defense vs Arkady:
10, 9, 9, 9, 9, 7, 5, 3 & 1
*Block Attack 1 with 49 + Block 20 + AB 10 = 79 vs 58, Replies for a ripple!
*Block Attack 2 with 17 + Block 20 + AB 10 = 47 vs 54, 1 Ripple (2/9)
Minion Defense vs Kendal:
10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 2 & 1
*Block Attack with 19 + Block 20 + AB 10 = 49 vs 45, blocks
*Block Freeze with 18 + Block 20 - Better Dodged 5 + AB 10 = 43 vs 37, blocks
Minion Defense vs Lucifer:
9, 9, 8, 7, 7, 5, 4, 3 & 2
*Defense vs Strike 29 + Dodge 20 + AB 10 - Penalty 10 = 49 vs 81, 3 Ripples (5/9)
*Defense vs Proper Forms of Conflict 27 + Confidence 20 + AB 10 = 57 vs 62, 1 Ripple (6/9, nice)
*Wu Wei disrupted.
Minions: ATTACK
10, 9, 7, 5, 5, 3, 2, 1 & 1
*EVERYONE defends against this as an AoE attack.
*Attack 25 + Strike 20 + AB 10 = 55
*Lucifer, feel free to add your penalty as a stacking bonus here for simplicity's sake
Kumiho Defense:
9, 7, 7, 6, 3, 2 & 1
*4 Chi, Block +15
*Defend 27 + Block 5 + AB 10 + IKF 15 = 57 vs 55, blocks
Alexandria Defense:
10, 8, 6, 6, 5, 4, 1 & 1
*4 Chi: Dodge +15
*Defend 26 + Dodge 5 + AB 10 + IKF 15 = 56 vs 55, dodges
Kumiho Ripples: 1
Arkady Ripples: 1
Alexandria Ripples: 1
Minion Ripples: 6 / 9
You have first init this round.))
And it all goes to hell, because those cars have more men, and those men have some heartier equipment...
The Exalts (and one ghost) stream out of the security station immediately, heedless of the bullets. Kumiho and Alexandria are out in tandem, the latter picking up a wrench and flinging it into the crowd even as she begins chanting some kind of exorcism. Kumiho tries to charge at them with the knife but their sheer volume of fire drives her back, ripping holes in some of her clothes.
"Almost have it, I've got you-" And then just as Alexandria squeezes her hand she yelps in pain as something small and shining bursts within her palm! "Something's actively controlling- whatever this is!" She takes a bullet in the next second!
The minions keep up a steady volume of fire, but their covering fire- which would've kept the others pinned down or inside- is quickly broken by the next out, Lyla. And so is the- spell? charm?- that's trying to take shape in the room; smothered by her essence. Her own attacks scatter some of the rabble, knocking them out or sending them to the floor a smoking screaming invalid.
Arkady has mixed results. While he manages to charge in and knock several down with his attack, they also manage to ping him with crossfire. Remarkably accurate crossfire, at that. Maybe rabble isn't quite the right word...
Kendal has mixed luck. While he's the last to leave none of them pay too much attention to him, and so his attacks are merely avoided by shifting fire or one of the less well-armed men stepping in the way of the attack.
And then the Morningstar brings his puissance to bear. None of them could hope to stand up to him but they prove harder to scatter and break than he'd expect.
After the Exalted assault two thirds are down, on the ground moaning or clutching their faces and sobbing, but there are still some die-hards including the kid with a paint bucket in one hand and an uzi in the other. The remainder in the tramcars fire away with their weapons.
Throughout all of this, every single one of the essence-users feels it. Their essence is effective but it lingers in the air around them. It doesn't dissipate like it should, not all at once, though it does fade with each heartbeat.