Post by TheUdjat on Aug 31, 2009 12:46:48 GMT -5
Elric-
Hearing Amalric’s mental instructions, Elric immediately heads towards the church, though it has been many years, and he only vaguely knows which direction to head in. The sudden change in direction gives him a slight lead on the guards chasing him, but they aren’t far behind him.
Indeed, the burly pursuers catch up before too long, and are soon grabbing for the stalwart captain once again. The first to reach him he easily shakes off, but the second manages to bring him to a stop, long enough for a third guard to slam a fist towards any unarmored portion of his body. His hand hits armor despite his efforts, and Elric avoids harm for that instant.
But his opponents don’t let up. Elric tries to wrestle out of the pin, and eventually manages to get a little bit of mobility and freedom, but the third guard continues to try and hit him—though this time his attack misses. Finally he throws off the two men trying to hold him down and dashes off into the street again, panting heavily from the lengthy chase.
They are on him soon enough, unfortunately, and this time the fourth guard has had a chance to catch up. Again he shakes off his first attacker, but the second wrenches him still, allowing the next two guards bludgeon him with blows from their fist. This time they hit him solidly, the blows rocking Elric across his face, making him momentarily disoriented.
Even the loss of one precious moment can be lethal, however. The guardsmen continue to swarm Elric, and though he struggles blindly, unsure what is happening, he never manages to pull away again. Two guards consistently hold onto him, trying to push him down while their fellows kick and hit Elric. They steadily wear him down with each successful blow, and the captain can feel his wind get knocked out of him, and vision swirling from dizzying blows rained down on him again and again. All around he can hear the beginnings of a crowd forming with gasps and shouts, but it is all a blur behind the grunting of his oppressors and the dull thuds of their blows. Often it is all Elric can do to merely resist them, struggling in vain against four men, and though he puts up an impressive resistance, the odds are stacked horribly against him.
Blow by blow, his strength wanes, and blood begins to trickle from his nose and mouth and his flesh becomes tender to the touch. Stars fill his vision as he sinks to the ground, until finally all four are certain he can no longer outrun them, and they move to detain him, before he can surrender—should he even want to.
The last thing he sees is the satisfied glare of one guardsman as he slams his elbow down into Elric’s temple, and then all is black. He has been caught.
(Chase/Combat Mechanics)
When Elric awakens, his body aching all over, his breathing a little unsteady, he is sitting astride a horse, his hands manacled behind his back, his weapons gone, and still encumbered by his armor. One guards holds him propped up while another focuses on tying rope around his waist and to the saddle, possibly to keep him from falling off, or as another caution against him running—perhaps both. They do not seem to take notice of Elric slowly coming back into consciousness.
The two other guards lurk somewhere nearby, containing the crowd, and a fifth seems to be moving around issuing orders. It seems they are preparing to move him, certainly to prison or a dungeon or some such. Whatever it is, it can’t be good.
[Recovery checks vs. DC 20 for Unconscious, first. Elric rolls at +2: 11, 10, 22. He wakes up after only three minutes, but is still Staggered and Bruised x9.]
Jakob-
Jakob hurries off to do as bid, and is along the way able to easily buy a suitable length woolen cloak to help hide Elric, which he can purchase along the way. Not much beyond that act, the woodsman comes face-to-face with Elric plight as he spots the captain fleeing from a quartet of guardsmen who, while not as fast as the young man, are much better about maneuvering through the city, taking shortcuts, and corralling him.
Since caution is being chosen, it would appear a horrible folly to step out of the background to help at this juncture, and Jakob can only watch as Elric finally snagged by one guard—and ultimately beaten into submission, with much of the citizenry looking on. The man will never make it to the church. When he is unconscious, the guards immediately disarm and manacle him, as another, presumably higher ranking guard moves into the area on horseback to take control of the scene.
It occurs to Jakob that even had Elric eluded the guards for a while longer, certainly the one on horseback would be upon him soon enough. It was perhaps a lost effort to begin with.
Issuing commands, the horseman soon dismounts, so that Elric can be instead propped up onto the animal. They begin to bind him to the saddle and get the onlookers under control.
Amalric-
[See the above sections, since Amalric knows the goings on of both.]
The nobleman seems impressed, wary, and satisfied with Amalric’s actions, standing a respectful distance away as he address the magus. “That is… precisely how it has been relayed to us, yes.” He blinks. “My thanks for your efforts, magus. Such cooperation will certainly improve the Covenant’s reputation among the people of Freiburg.”
Activity at the inn continues as the guards move to obey Amalric, casting glances at each other but revealing nothing verbally. The city guards allow them to go about securing wagon and horses, but otherwise continue to investigate the area.
But soon enough, through Isabeau, Amalric learns the fate of Elric’s attempts to escape. He is soon beaten into unconsciousness and caught, his foolish gambit ended. Within minutes, unless Amalric says something, the nobleman is informed as well when a lanky boy with the livery of Freiburg’s guards arrives to pass on the news.
“This is most excellent,” the noble says, moving to his horse. “Let us see him imprisoned at once!” He looks to Amalric. “Did you still wish to confront this Elric Riefner personally? It can surely be arranged.” The noble says the captain’s name easily, as before, and with a touch of acid. He appears to be familiar with it.
Rupert-
The strange man in the apron smiles, waving a knowing finger at Rupert. “Oh you rascal, you, looking for a bit better treasure. Well, I suppose I can’t blame you, and as you say, there are villains about, and they do so like messes. I shouldn’t think there will be any, but your point is well taken, and so—yes, my boy, if you’re in agreement, I will make you invisible this very moment to all but me, and fast and agile as well, so that you can move on swift feet to find this box for me.”
He extends his hand, eyes eager. “Do we have an accord, then? Your new abilities, granted immediately, for the ivory box post-haste? Let us shake on it, as men.”
Arnaud, Tawno, Joseph-
[Bad* - No worries. I was so delighted with the reply I can forgive a little off-character dialogue
]
The oak-face appears to smile and rumble approvingly at Arnaud’s words. It nods subtly. “You’d best to it, then. And watch that tongue, fellow. The Sidhe love a good tongue, they do, cut it right out of your head if you’re not careful.” With these final words, the oak sinks back into the tree trunk and is soon indiscernible from the rest of the bark, as if he’d never been there at all.
Leaving the creature behind, Arnaud tries to defend it to his cohorts, with limited success. He asks Joseph about this Grigori. Any information is more than the troubadour has now.
Joseph wracks his brain, but he knows well that magi often operate independently, and even the communicative ones don’t necessarily talk for years at a time. All magi of a region are supposed to meet once every 7 years for discussion and to settle disputes, but attendance isn’t strictly adhered to, especially by a hermit like this Grigori. Still, given the manner in which his masters seemed to know Grigori, it would suggest that he is in passably good standing with the others, and there has been no call to hunt him down, so he is not in violation of the Conclave’s laws.
Perhaps the scroll that they were sent to bring the magus might have more information, but alas that article is with Amalric back in Freiburg—it may not be wise to break the seal on a magus’s official missive, at any rate, but then how much worse could the trip get?
At the oak’s direction, the next task appears to be hunting down Riddle, and with the oak’s vague directions it isn’t long before the trio find something of note. Keeping a weather eye to the trees, they eventually come to a spot that must be ancient for all the thick-trunked trees in the area. It is in this place, high in the air, that they can just barely make out something that looks like structures in the treetops, little homes with windows and even, in some cases, chimneys. They are made of wood, and even have bark, making them almost indistinguishable from the trees themselves, except that they oddly bulge from the trunks here and there.
…Staring at the tree-houses, it occurs to Tawno that they truly aren’t mere structures, but actual abode built out of the trees, as if the trunks and limbs themselves were hollowed out and shaped into small homes. Live branches and leaves jut out from them in places, and the openings show no sign of saw or hatchet work, clean and smooth like any burrow gaping into an aged tree. Surely some magic is at play here.
Tawno also notices quick movement in the trees, near some of the tree-abodes, but it is so quick that she can’t spot the source of the movement. Something is surely up there, however.
(Condition Track)
Hearing Amalric’s mental instructions, Elric immediately heads towards the church, though it has been many years, and he only vaguely knows which direction to head in. The sudden change in direction gives him a slight lead on the guards chasing him, but they aren’t far behind him.
Indeed, the burly pursuers catch up before too long, and are soon grabbing for the stalwart captain once again. The first to reach him he easily shakes off, but the second manages to bring him to a stop, long enough for a third guard to slam a fist towards any unarmored portion of his body. His hand hits armor despite his efforts, and Elric avoids harm for that instant.
But his opponents don’t let up. Elric tries to wrestle out of the pin, and eventually manages to get a little bit of mobility and freedom, but the third guard continues to try and hit him—though this time his attack misses. Finally he throws off the two men trying to hold him down and dashes off into the street again, panting heavily from the lengthy chase.
They are on him soon enough, unfortunately, and this time the fourth guard has had a chance to catch up. Again he shakes off his first attacker, but the second wrenches him still, allowing the next two guards bludgeon him with blows from their fist. This time they hit him solidly, the blows rocking Elric across his face, making him momentarily disoriented.
Even the loss of one precious moment can be lethal, however. The guardsmen continue to swarm Elric, and though he struggles blindly, unsure what is happening, he never manages to pull away again. Two guards consistently hold onto him, trying to push him down while their fellows kick and hit Elric. They steadily wear him down with each successful blow, and the captain can feel his wind get knocked out of him, and vision swirling from dizzying blows rained down on him again and again. All around he can hear the beginnings of a crowd forming with gasps and shouts, but it is all a blur behind the grunting of his oppressors and the dull thuds of their blows. Often it is all Elric can do to merely resist them, struggling in vain against four men, and though he puts up an impressive resistance, the odds are stacked horribly against him.
Blow by blow, his strength wanes, and blood begins to trickle from his nose and mouth and his flesh becomes tender to the touch. Stars fill his vision as he sinks to the ground, until finally all four are certain he can no longer outrun them, and they move to detain him, before he can surrender—should he even want to.
The last thing he sees is the satisfied glare of one guardsman as he slams his elbow down into Elric’s temple, and then all is black. He has been caught.
(Chase/Combat Mechanics)
- The Chase continues. Elric @ +3: 8, Guards: 6. He gains a length on them (2 away).
- Elric @ +3: 18, Guards: 21. They close a length (1 away).
- Elric: 8, Guards: 10. They catch up to him. 1d4 can act: 3.
First guard attempts to grapple and pin Elric. Melee attack vs. AC 13: 13, succeeds on the nose. Oppose grapple checks. Guard: 8 vs. Elric (@ +4): 20, no pin.
Second guard also attempts to grapple and pin. Melee attack: Nat. 20 (crit not applicable). Oppose grapple checks. Guard: 21 vs. Elric: 8. Pin succeeds. Elric’s AC reduced to 7 (-4 Pin, no dodge).
Third guard merely stomps on Elric. Melee attack vs. AC 7: 19, hits. Elric’s Toughness Save @ +6 vs. DC 17 (nonlethal): 22, no damage. - Elric presumably tries to break out of the pin. Opposed grapple checks. Elric (@ +4): 19 vs. Guard: 23. He remains pinned.
- One guards tries to hold pin. Oppose checks. Guard: 10 vs. Elric: 22, he is now merely grappled.
Next guard (also grappling him) tries to reassert the pin. Oppose checks. Guard: 18 vs. Elric: 21. Still only grappled.
Last guard attacks, now vs. AC 11 (no dodge): 5, miss. - Elric tries to overcome the grapple, and must beat two guards to do so. Elric @ +4: 22. Guard 1: 10; Guard 2: 11. He breaks free, and the chase resumes at 1 length.
- Elric @ +3: 18. Guards: 22. They catch him. 1d4 can act: all 4.
First tries Grapple-Pin. Melee vs. AC 13: 11, miss.
Second also Grapple-Pins. Melee: 21, hit. Opposed checks. Guard: 22 vs. Elric: 8. He is pinned.
Third attacks unarmed. Melee vs. AC 7: 21, hits. DC 17 Toughness Save for Elric @ +6: 11, fails by 5+, making him Dazed and Bruised. He loses one full-round action, and makes future nonlethal saves with a -1 penalty.
Fourth also attacks unarmed. Melee vs. AC 7: 11, hit. DC 17 Toughness @ +5: 8, fails again by 5+. Bruised x2. Dazed result does not stack. - Elric cannot act (Dazed).
- Guard 1 tries to assist with the pin. Grapple: 16, he will add +2.
- Guard 2 maintains pin. Opposed checks. Guard w/ Aid: 14. Elric @ +4: 20. He is no longer pinned, but still grappled (no dodge outside of grapple).
- Guard 3 continues to attack unarmed. Vs. AC 11: Nat. 1, fail.
- Guard 4 attacks unarmed: 13, hit. DC 17 Toughness Save @ +4: 9. Fails by 5+ and Dazed again. Bruised x3.
- Elric gets no action (Dazed)
- Guard 1 tries to pin. Opposed checks. Guard: 17 vs. Elric: 20, no pin.
- Guard 2 tries to pin. Guard: 16 vs. Elric: 19, he remains merely grappled.
- Guard 3 attacks unarmed. Vs. AC 11: 5. He remains inept and misses.
- Guard 4 also attacks unarmed: Nat. 20 (confirms on 21). Elric must make a DC 20 Toughness Save @ +3: 12, he fails again by 5+. Dazed and Bruised x4.
- Elric gets no action (Dazed)
- Guard 1 attempts to pin: 4 vs. 21, fail.
- Guard 2 pins: 16 vs. 17, fail.
- Guard 3 attacks unarmed: Nat. 1, fail.
- Tenacious Guard 4 attacks unarmed: 20, hit. Elric’s Toughness Save vs. DC 17 @ +2: 21, he finally makes it!
- Elric can act. And is grappled. He tries to break out, and must beat two guards: 8 vs 16, 7. Only beats one. Still grappled.
- Pin attempts: fail.
- Unarmed attacks vs. AC 11: 17, 22; both hit. Two DC 17 Toughness Saves @ +2: 7, 9; both fail, one of them by 10. Elric is Bruised x6, Dazed, and Staggered (may only take a standard or move action each round, and any further damage shifts him to unconscious).
- Elric gets no action (Dazed).
- Guards mercilessly aim to finish it, all now aiming for unarmed attacks. Vs. AC 13: 16, 22, 16, Nat. 1. All hit but one. Three DC 17 Toughness Saves @ +0: 2, 4, and 8. All horrible failures. He’s unconscious on the first hit. Chase officially over.
When Elric awakens, his body aching all over, his breathing a little unsteady, he is sitting astride a horse, his hands manacled behind his back, his weapons gone, and still encumbered by his armor. One guards holds him propped up while another focuses on tying rope around his waist and to the saddle, possibly to keep him from falling off, or as another caution against him running—perhaps both. They do not seem to take notice of Elric slowly coming back into consciousness.
The two other guards lurk somewhere nearby, containing the crowd, and a fifth seems to be moving around issuing orders. It seems they are preparing to move him, certainly to prison or a dungeon or some such. Whatever it is, it can’t be good.
[Recovery checks vs. DC 20 for Unconscious, first. Elric rolls at +2: 11, 10, 22. He wakes up after only three minutes, but is still Staggered and Bruised x9.]
Jakob-
Jakob hurries off to do as bid, and is along the way able to easily buy a suitable length woolen cloak to help hide Elric, which he can purchase along the way. Not much beyond that act, the woodsman comes face-to-face with Elric plight as he spots the captain fleeing from a quartet of guardsmen who, while not as fast as the young man, are much better about maneuvering through the city, taking shortcuts, and corralling him.
Since caution is being chosen, it would appear a horrible folly to step out of the background to help at this juncture, and Jakob can only watch as Elric finally snagged by one guard—and ultimately beaten into submission, with much of the citizenry looking on. The man will never make it to the church. When he is unconscious, the guards immediately disarm and manacle him, as another, presumably higher ranking guard moves into the area on horseback to take control of the scene.
It occurs to Jakob that even had Elric eluded the guards for a while longer, certainly the one on horseback would be upon him soon enough. It was perhaps a lost effort to begin with.
Issuing commands, the horseman soon dismounts, so that Elric can be instead propped up onto the animal. They begin to bind him to the saddle and get the onlookers under control.
Amalric-
[See the above sections, since Amalric knows the goings on of both.]
The nobleman seems impressed, wary, and satisfied with Amalric’s actions, standing a respectful distance away as he address the magus. “That is… precisely how it has been relayed to us, yes.” He blinks. “My thanks for your efforts, magus. Such cooperation will certainly improve the Covenant’s reputation among the people of Freiburg.”
Activity at the inn continues as the guards move to obey Amalric, casting glances at each other but revealing nothing verbally. The city guards allow them to go about securing wagon and horses, but otherwise continue to investigate the area.
But soon enough, through Isabeau, Amalric learns the fate of Elric’s attempts to escape. He is soon beaten into unconsciousness and caught, his foolish gambit ended. Within minutes, unless Amalric says something, the nobleman is informed as well when a lanky boy with the livery of Freiburg’s guards arrives to pass on the news.
“This is most excellent,” the noble says, moving to his horse. “Let us see him imprisoned at once!” He looks to Amalric. “Did you still wish to confront this Elric Riefner personally? It can surely be arranged.” The noble says the captain’s name easily, as before, and with a touch of acid. He appears to be familiar with it.
Rupert-
The strange man in the apron smiles, waving a knowing finger at Rupert. “Oh you rascal, you, looking for a bit better treasure. Well, I suppose I can’t blame you, and as you say, there are villains about, and they do so like messes. I shouldn’t think there will be any, but your point is well taken, and so—yes, my boy, if you’re in agreement, I will make you invisible this very moment to all but me, and fast and agile as well, so that you can move on swift feet to find this box for me.”
He extends his hand, eyes eager. “Do we have an accord, then? Your new abilities, granted immediately, for the ivory box post-haste? Let us shake on it, as men.”
Arnaud, Tawno, Joseph-
[Bad* - No worries. I was so delighted with the reply I can forgive a little off-character dialogue
]The oak-face appears to smile and rumble approvingly at Arnaud’s words. It nods subtly. “You’d best to it, then. And watch that tongue, fellow. The Sidhe love a good tongue, they do, cut it right out of your head if you’re not careful.” With these final words, the oak sinks back into the tree trunk and is soon indiscernible from the rest of the bark, as if he’d never been there at all.
Leaving the creature behind, Arnaud tries to defend it to his cohorts, with limited success. He asks Joseph about this Grigori. Any information is more than the troubadour has now.
Joseph wracks his brain, but he knows well that magi often operate independently, and even the communicative ones don’t necessarily talk for years at a time. All magi of a region are supposed to meet once every 7 years for discussion and to settle disputes, but attendance isn’t strictly adhered to, especially by a hermit like this Grigori. Still, given the manner in which his masters seemed to know Grigori, it would suggest that he is in passably good standing with the others, and there has been no call to hunt him down, so he is not in violation of the Conclave’s laws.
Perhaps the scroll that they were sent to bring the magus might have more information, but alas that article is with Amalric back in Freiburg—it may not be wise to break the seal on a magus’s official missive, at any rate, but then how much worse could the trip get?
At the oak’s direction, the next task appears to be hunting down Riddle, and with the oak’s vague directions it isn’t long before the trio find something of note. Keeping a weather eye to the trees, they eventually come to a spot that must be ancient for all the thick-trunked trees in the area. It is in this place, high in the air, that they can just barely make out something that looks like structures in the treetops, little homes with windows and even, in some cases, chimneys. They are made of wood, and even have bark, making them almost indistinguishable from the trees themselves, except that they oddly bulge from the trunks here and there.
…Staring at the tree-houses, it occurs to Tawno that they truly aren’t mere structures, but actual abode built out of the trees, as if the trunks and limbs themselves were hollowed out and shaped into small homes. Live branches and leaves jut out from them in places, and the openings show no sign of saw or hatchet work, clean and smooth like any burrow gaping into an aged tree. Surely some magic is at play here.
Tawno also notices quick movement in the trees, near some of the tree-abodes, but it is so quick that she can’t spot the source of the movement. Something is surely up there, however.
(Condition Track)
| Amalric | Arnaud | Elric | Jakob | Joseph | Rupert | Tawno | |
| Fatigue | |||||||
| Bruised | x9 | ||||||
| Hurt | |||||||
| Dazed | |||||||
| Wounded | |||||||
| Staggered | X | ||||||
| Disabled | |||||||
| Dying | |||||||
| Dead | |||||||
| Misc. |
This game has always taken third place in importance next to my others, however, and I'm way to busy to keep updating it.