The apeman might have noticed the noise that Makawmano was making, but that only served to keep its attention off of Barnutan until the moment of impact.  The reptilian carcass on the ground forces him to stop a moment sooner than he had anticipated, throwing off his first attack, but the backswing strikes the apeman successfully.

Further upstream, Alessandra feels confident about how well she is trailing her quarry without being spotted.  The two of them make it maybe a quarter mile up the river bank.  Then the apeman stops, and 'Sandra quickly ducks behind a tree, peering out just enough to see what it is doing.  It sniffs the air, turning this way and that with a suspicious scowl.  It raises its spear in preparation and starts walking in your direction.  It continues sniffing as it does so - you don't think it's actually seen you yet, but it can definitely tell that you're nearby.

NPC apeman rolled 77 using 1d100.  Perception 52.
NPC apeman rolled 6 using 1d10+1.  initiative.

Barnutan - roll damage and hit location, and choose one Special Effect.
Barnutan and Makawmano - assuming that first hit wasn't enough to end the fight, both of you can roll initiative and then post your actions for next round.  I feel pretty confident that you will roll better than your enemy did.

GM, for the NPC other apeman, rolled 61 using 1d100.  Perception 62.
-'Sandra and bad guy both rolled regular success, so the winner is the one with the higher roll
GM, for the NPC other apeman, rolled 12 using 1d10+11.  initiative.

'Sandra - it's time for you to roll initiative as well, and go from there

There are many good locations for a club to land, but it's hard to beat the head (5 dmg to head). Since there are so many good places, Barnutan keeps at it.

12:07, Today: Barnutan rolled 60,21,65 using d100,d100,d100.  R#2 3 clubs.
12:06, Today: Barnutan rolled 21 using 1d10+13.  init.
12:05, Today: Barnutan rolled 4,1 using d6,d2.  smg.

OOC: Makawmano rolls 20 on 1d10 +13 for initiative, then rolls 20 on d100 to hit then rolls 2,3 on d6, d2 for damage
I hope I have that right. If not, please correct me.
This message was last edited by the player at 02:47, Mon 15 Aug 2022.

This is a good time to recall that, while I'm cool with you posting all actions for the round in a single post just to help with the pacing, it takes place in multiple cycles through the round - everybody goes once, in initiative order, then those who still have APs remaining go a second time, and so on.  Which means...

Barnutan strikes the apeman pretty hard, but not hard enough to take it out of the fight just yet.  His second swing misses by an inch as the creature keeps moving.  It is still on its knees though, and is about to do, well, something when Makawmano comes in from behind and interrupts it with his own attack.

Makawmano - mostly correct, you just forgot to roll hit location.  I took care of that for you:
GM, on behalf of Makawmano, rolled 10 using 1d20.  hit location.
-that hits the torso

Since you landed a regular hit and the apeman failed to defend, you also select one Special Effect.  That could potentially change the fight, so I'll hold off on posting the apeman's action until after that.  And if it's not over after that, then Barnutan's second action will occur (and then a second action for Makawmano as well)

OOC: Thanks for the discussion of actions. I think I will take the "Bash" special effect.

Salty 'Sandra rolled 18 using 1d10+8.  Initiative.

Concerned with not being seen or heard, Alesandra has forgotten to keep downwind from the ape... A mistake she will solve with her crossbow...

Salty 'Sandra rolled 50 using 1d100.  Combat: Marine 72.
Salty 'Sandra rolled 4 using 1d20.  Hit location.
Salty 'Sandra rolled 1 using 1d8.  damage3.

...not the best of her shots, she thinks, as she drops the crossbow to wield her falchion and dagger to finish the job.

Bash would normally send him stumbling a couple of meters, but since he was already crouching I'm going to rule that this knocks him flat on the ground instead.  Which is still pretty good for you, and not so good for him, so...

The first apeman, not relishing his disadvantageous position, quickly tries to push himself back up onto his feet.  His wounds have not yet reached the point of interfering with this kind of movement, but having two attackers hovering over him certainly does.  He is able to power through, pushing both of you back a little bit, coming to his feet with an angry screech.

And then Barnutan swings his club again.  It's a good shot, lined up straight for the crown of the apeman's skull.  But the apeman moves quickly now that he's got his bearings.  He tries to sidestep and slap Barnutan's arm to the side.  The maneuver does take some of the power out of Barnutan's attack, but not enough.  It's still another hit to the apeman's already bruised head, and it immediately puts him back on the ground, still breathing but completely insensate.

Standing up while engaged in melee requires an opposed roll of Brawn or Athletics, so:
GM rolled 38,10,62 using d100,d100,d100.  apeman 46% vs B 72%, M 48%
-apeman and Barnutan both got regular successes, but the apeman rolled higher so he wins

GM, for the NPC apeman, rolled 58 using 1d100.  parry.
-that's a success.  Human-sized hands count as Small weapons, whereas Barnutan's club is a Medium weapon; the difference in size category means that Barnutan's damage roll is halved (rounding up), and since both combatants rolled a regular success there are no special effects.
I've lost track of whether or not you already rolled hit location for this attack, but whatever, I'll let it slide this time around.  Let's call it a head shot and move on.  And that means he's down to 0 hp in the head, which is a Serious Wound, so...

GM, for the NPC apeman, rolled 90 using 1d100.  Endurance 62 vs head injury.
-and that's the end of that.


'Sandra's shot seems to have little effect; the bolt doesn't even stick into the bastard, it just hangs there for a moment and then falls out, like it barely penetrated the skin.  The only thing it actually achieves is confirming your presence.  The apeman responds by ducking around the nearest tree.

Your turn.  You will need to spend your full action moving to get to the tree where the apeman is hiding, if that's what you want to do.  You can choose whether you end your move on the same side of the tree as the apeman, with both of you facing each other, or if you want to end on a different side, with the tree partially or completely blocking you.  If you want to stop with the tree providing cover, it will provide the same amount of cover for both you and the apeman.

OOC: revised on account of the GM's opinion.
This message was last edited by the player at 02:07, Sun 21 Aug 2022.

Shaking his head, Barnutan counters, "You're seeing ape men everywhere. I see only the one ready to be killed before us."

And he does just that. It's not part of some genocidal plan or anything. Kill it now or pay for it later; that's his motto for the ape men.

Makawmano sighs a little --he should have asked Barnutan to spare this apeman --they can always use captives, for slaves if nothing else. But he then goes cautiously to see how Sandy is getting along.

Alessandra simply waits where is is, falchion and dagger unsheathed.

"Aye, come if you have what it takes, filthy monkey!"

The apeman shouts back at you, not that you have any idea what it's saying.  You then hear some grunting noises that are distinct from what it calls speech, but you can't see what it's doing.  In any case it doesn't seem to be moving its position.

GM, for the NPC other apeman, rolled 72 using 1d100.  Athletics-10.

Alessandra - I don't know if you were delaying your action, but in any case it's lost now.  Apeman's turn is over, so it's down to your final action for this round, followed by your first action for the next round.

Barnutan and Makawmano - it'll take you a little time to catch up with 'Sandy.  I know your two scenes are technically out of sync anyway, but it's unlikely that you will arrive before her fight is over, unless it gets dragged out for a really long time.
This message was last edited by the GM at 22:46, Sun 21 Aug 2022.

Swearing, Alessandra runs towards the ape, before it can run away.

You make it to the tree, where you now have a clear view of the apeman.  It looks like it was trying to climb up, but it's not fully ape and it is still holding a spear, so that probably interfered with the task.

That said, you are standing a few feet away from this hostile creature, and it is holding a spear.  Your reflexes are quicker, and you are able to act before it does - what do you do?

Round 1, third action was moving; apeman only gets 2AP so no third action for him.  Now we are into round 2, first action.

In reply to GM (msg # 289):

OOC: Plodding onward in pursuit of Sandy.

Alessandra slashes with her falchion...

Salty 'Sandra rolled 53 using 1d100.  Combat: Marine 72.

You swing, but the apeman sidesteps and slaps near the hilt of your sword with his spear.  The move throws you off balance, and it will take you a moment to recover.  While you're doing that he stabs at you, but your continued stumbling takes you out of the path of his attack.

GM, for the NPC other apeman, rolled 5 using 1d100.  parry.
-crit success, vs 'Sandra's regular success, means the apeman scores a special effect.  Going with Overextend Opponent - 'Sandra cannot attack on her next turn.

Now on apeman's turn:
GM, for the NPC other apeman, rolled 82 using 1d100.  attack.
-that's a miss.  Alessandra can spend an AP to parry anyway, and if she succeeds she will get a special effect against the apeman, or she can let it go and still have 2 APs for whatever other actions she wants

Alessandra plays it safe, taking her time to regain her balance instead of risking a ñn untimely parry against an enemy whose full skill she is still unsure of. She readies her falchion for a new attack and goes into the monkey's guard.

Salty 'Sandra rolled 22 using 1d100.  Combat: Marine 72.

Salty 'Sandra rolled 10,6 using 1d20,1d8.  Location, Damage

Barnutan lopes after Makawanon. There would be no sense in all of them being separated.

Alessandra - that's a good slash to the chest, and he is unable to defend effectively.  Choose one special effect, and then it's your turn again before he can do anything about it.

I think it was Bleeding? The one from the falchion.

In reply to Salty 'Sandra (msg # 299):

Yes, Bleed is an option.  Victim gets an Endurance roll opposed by the original attack roll, and if he fails then he takes one level of fatigue at the start of every round due to blood loss.  Even one level of fatigue will put a penalty on all skill rolls (starting at -10 and gradually increasing as more fatigue accumulates), and if he survives long enough there will also be other penalties like losing APs, and eventually just passing out.

Let me know if you want to stick with Bleed or pick a different effect, and also feel free to take your next action.  Monkeyman isn't dead yet in any case.

Bleed is fine

Other apeman, rolled 56 using 1d100.  resist bleed (Endurance 62).  Against 'Sandra's attack roll of 22, the apeman wins, and continues to not die just yet.

Your attack is a good one, close to some major organs but not quite getting to them through the tough skin and muscles.  Still though, a strong cut though skin and muscle is enough to keep the creature at a disadvantage, and you are able to strike again before it can do anything.

This attack was your second action for the round.  You still have 1AP left for the current round, and then it will be your turn again for the first action of the next round.