[WFRP] The Hour After Midnight

[Another_Poet]

Lothar & Raffy

Spoiler

Show

Raffy levels his sword as Puderbrand falls back. He steps forward and places the tip at Puderbrand's groin. "Give it up," he says.

If Puderbrand or any of his mutant friends try to continue the assault, he'll deliver a circumcision-castration combo free of charge.

weapon skill vs. 31 (1d100)[65]
((If I have another action I'll use it to parry the next incoming blow))

[LCP]

Raffy & Lothar

Spoiler

Show

The mutant's reactions were sharper than Raffy thought - twisting out of the way of the warning blade, he turned on the young bounty hunter, Raffy just managing to avoid a wild swing of the foul claw.

Pressing the attack, Lothar feinted at his opponent, throwing the scarred man off-balance - a sudden reversal, and the flat of the soldier's sword connected with Puderbrand's temple with a solid thud. Amazingly, he seemed to shrug it off - the man must have had a head of solid bone...

[Exeson]

Seth and the Elves

Spoiler

Show

Ithelus glances at the dog. 'I'd say you check that fella out Seth' he said nodding to the stuffed creature. His attention then returns to the box and slipping a set of picks from his belts he sets about working the lock.

Spoiler

Show

OOC: lock picking roll, target 54 : (1d100)[18]

[LCP]

Ithelus

Spoiler

Show

With a skilful twist of the pick, the lock clicked open - carefully opening the lid, the elf saw it was full to the brim with gold coins. Either this was Pilserier's life savings, or the apothecary was making rather more than one would expect from this kind of business...

OOC: The box contains 50 gold pieces.

OOC Note: Seth & Illiiya can see Ithelus is opening a box, but they can't easily see what's inside.

[Exeson]

Seth and the Elves

Spoiler

Show

Ithelus pauses for a moment, and and then frowns slightly. He closes the box again, 'Just the man's cashbox, I was hoping he would have some letters or documents in it.' He places it to one side next to his picks and turns to Seth, 'Any luck?', nodding at the dog.

[amgodtic]

Seth and the Elves

Spoiler

Show

Squinting one eye and raising the other eyebrow, Seth commences carefully inspecting the stuffed pooch, without actually touching it, searching it and where it meets the wall for something resembling a door crack, or a switch/lever/mechanism that might open one. Failing that, he shrugs his eyebrows and yanks the dog away from the wall.

Seth isn't paying much attention to Ithelus' actions; when Ithelus says he was checking the cashbox, however, Seth rolls his eyes conspicuously, breathing out a sigh of impatient contempt.

OOC:

Spoiler

Show

Intelligence: 34 (1d100)[92]
Strength: 38 (1d100)[96]

[LCP]

Seth

Spoiler

Show

Inspecting the dog, Seth noticed something odd - looking closer, he saw there was a dark divide beneath the balding fur around the stuffed animal's neck, the head seemingly articulated on some hidden lever inside the body.

[amgodtic]

Seth...

Spoiler

Show

...pulls on the head.

[LCP]

Seth and the Elves

Spoiler

Show

With a wooden-sounding clunk, the dog's head depressed - with a slow creak, a section of the panelling in the wagon's wall hinged open, the dog going with it like some bizzare door-handle.

The hatchway it revealed was about as wide as Seth and two-thirds as tall - the gloomy space beyond it made up for the wagon's 'missing' length, a narrow, undecorated space in stark contrast to the theatrical clutter of the wagon outside it. It was clearly designed for the transport of some sort of valuable cargo - at a guess, it could hold at best four large barrels, if they were properly stacked.

At present, however, it seemed mostly empty - the only object in it was a large, iron-bound chest that occupied roughly half the floorspace. It did not appear to be locked.

[amgodtic]

Seth and the elves

Spoiler

Show

Eyeing the iron chest like a bad joke, Seth casts about for something long and relatively sturdy-stick, crowbar, ruler, etc-and uses it to lever up the lid, standing back and to one side as he does so (and motioning the elves off to the side a tad too)

[Exeson]

Seth and the Elves

Spoiler

Show

Ithelus smiled deeply as the section opened. Well made indeed.

He moves off to one side, putting himself in between Illiiya and the chest, just in case. Gettign into things was his specialty but he had met and worked with a few people who specialised in stopping people frpm getting into things.... alive anyway.

[LCP]

Seth & the Elves

Spoiler

Show

The lid fell open easily, exposing the chest's contents for all to see.

Piled up inside were strange, lumpy tubers - one or two had bifurcated in ways that made them dimly resemble knobbly, swollen human figures. If the chest had ever been full, its stock had clearly been depleted - the roots only occupied about a third of the box's full capacity.

[Exeson]

Seth and the Elves

Spoiler

Show

Ithelus regarded the contents with healthy suspicion. 'So, these could be medical... but why hide them? Shame about the lack of powder though.'

[amgodtic]

Seth and the Elves

Spoiler

Show

Seth crosses his arms worriedly. "I don't like this. And I don't trust it."

He paces for a few moments. "*sigh* I don't suppose there's much we can do. Ithelus, you and Illiya stay here, guard the wagon, and...it seems unlikely, but comb as much of the surface as you can. Inside and outside surfaces. For all we know, this could be an intentionally placed decoy."

He squares his shoulders. "I'm going to go break the news to Marius. Hopefully, the fact that the wagon had room enough for smuggling, combined with the fact that Pilserier was meeting with Puderbrand, will be enough to keep him from flying off the handle until Raffy and Lothar get back. That being the other reason I want someone here; in case they come here first, instead of the guardhouse."

Starting to walk out, he stops himself momentarily, turns around and, eyeing Ithelus annoyedly, picks up the cashbox, looks inside (and raises his eyebrows), hefts it (feeling for the weight), then places it back on the shelf. He then heads to speak with Marius.

[Another_Poet]

Raffy

Spoiler

Show

Raffy continues to lash with his sword, but back sup a step and maintains his guard more than his offense.

((Basically as many hits as I can do per round, vs WS 31. If there is an equivalent of fighting defensively, i.e. bolstering my defense or sacrificing attack power for defense, I will use it. Even if it means less attacks per round.))

[Exeson]

Seth and Elves

Spoiler

Show

Ithelus chuckles slightly at Seth's mistrust. Obviously word of his previous job had got out. He turns to Illiiya, 'anything magical?'

If Illiiya is distracted he will fish two gold coins from the box and pick the clock closed and put it back where he found it.

[LCP]

Raffy & Lothar

Spoiler

Show

Flicking out in a flash of steel, Raffy’s broadsword cut a red line across the buckled flesh of the mutant’s forearm, the youth stepping back onto the defensive as Puderbrand gave an angry hiss – a low jab of the man’s dagger drew the Sparrowhawk’s parry too early, the snapping claw lunging past his defences to tear a deep gash in Raffy’s thigh.

With a shout, Lothar lunged forwards, preventing the mutant from pressing his advantage – another deft feint put Puderbrand on the back foot, but the man was as fast as any Altdorf street-knife, ducking out of the way of the soldier’s sword. Mastering the pain of his wound, Raffy swung back into the fight – Puderbrand roared as the broadsword’s blade tore a shallow cut across his own leg, limping back with the hard shell of his inhuman claw raised in defence.

The man could see when he was outmatched – shouting to his companions behind him to clear the way, he staggered back out into the corridor, barely avoiding another flashing blow of Raffy’s sword. Free of the deadly trap of the narrow doorway, he stopped with his back to the staircase, his two companions hefting heavy, dirty shovels in their hands to either side of him.

On the left was the brute with too many fingers who had received a share of the blunderbuss’ blast – on the right was the third man, the one they had not yet seen. A scrawnier, unshaven specimen, he seemed not to have any conspicuous mutation – only the rather peculiar affectation of a ragged scarf wound around his neck, which seemed an odd thing to wear indoors...

[hr]

Seth

Spoiler

Show

Making his way back to the Guard House as fast as he could, Seth found Marius as he had left him.

“Something to report?” asked the captain, an eager glimmer in his eye. "What have you found?"

[amgodtic]

Seth

Spoiler

Show

"Not blackpowder," Seth starts, scratching his head. "The wagon's got a false back wall, with plenty of room for the stuff, but all we found was a locked chest full of tubers. Suspicious, aye, but not blackpowder. I left Ithelus and Illiya to keep searching, in case that compartment was a decoy-I can't figure out why else he'd hide and lock up plant roots, especially in light of all the money he left in a box in plain sight-but where the blackpowder is, I can't say. I hope Adolphus is feeling a touch more loose-lipped now, but without any direct evidence it's going to be hard to make him talk. I pray Raffy and Lothar are having better luck-the fact that they aren't back yet is a good sign, at least."

[LCP]

Seth

Spoiler

Show

“I suppose it would be a bit too much to ask for him to have a wagon full of gunpowder,” said Marius, with a suppressed sigh. “We know that this Puderbrand fellow has been buying more from Karlsen recently, though – if Pilserier moved the original stock that was used in the original Temple blast, there’s no reason he’d still have it in his wagon. If you’re saying he’s got a contraband hatch in his wagon, that’s evidence in itself.”

“You say the chest was full of tubers. If he was hiding them, it must have been for a reason. If you can find out what they are, and maybe we’ll have something to hold over his head to make him talk – Doctor Rasen might be able to help you identify them.”

He shrugged.

“I’ll send some men later today to harness up the wagon and bring it back to the yard here. We’ll take it apart if we have to,” he said, grimly. “In the meantime, I suggest you try and find your friends. If they have found this mysterious Puderbrand, it could save us a lot of work.”

[amgodtic]

Seth

Spoiler

Show

Stopping at a barrel for a tankard of water at his first opportunity, Seth cursed his accustomed-to-horseback legs as he realized Raffy and Lothar should have reported in by now-unless something had happened. Spurned on by worry, he ignored the burning in his legs and hoofed it back to the wagon.

[Another_Poet]

Raffy

Spoiler

Show

Raffy barely dodges a leg wound. He throws away his defensive style and leaps on puderbrand striking with blade, pommel, knee, and fist in any combination that may get through.

((All out attack on Puderbrand; anything I can do to increase my to-hit or damage (in that priority order) I will, even if it makes me easier to get hit, etc. I'll use my remaining Fate point to shake off the next serious hit that I take, as well.))

[LCP]

Raffy & Lothar

Spoiler

Show

Lunging through the doorway, Raffy's blade whickered through the air over Puderbrand's head as the scarred man ducked, his hideous claw tearing at the youth's cloak - as the Sparrowhawk danced out of its path, an inexpert blow from the scrawny man to his right cracked down on his elbow, the flat of the shovel's head sending a wave of tingling numbness up his free arm.

The third mutant closed in, hefting his own dirty spade above his head - somewhere beneath his adrenalin-fuelled confidence, a small part of Raffy's subconscious screamed and screamed in terror at the sudden prospect of being utterly surrounded...

[goblinpaladin]

Raffy Bloody-Thigh and Lothar the Uninjured

Spoiler

Show

As the mutants closed in around Raffy, Lothar hefted his sword and stepped in behind him. Grim-faced now and silent, he swung the regimental steel of the Nordland 11th at the face of the many-fingered Wolfgang...

[LCP]

Raffy & Lothar

Spoiler

Show

The sword's tip gouged across Wolfgang's forehead, the mutant staggering back with a howl of pain - blood running freely into his eyes, he lurched forwards, swinging wildly at Lothar. The sweeping shovel missed by a mile, clattering against the doorframe instead.

[Another_Poet]

Raffy

Spoiler

Show

The lad keeps slashing at Puderbrand...

vs 31 (give/take any modifiers for going all out) (1d100)[25]

[LCP]

Raffy & Lothar

Spoiler

Show

Raffy's sword lashed out, the youth pressing the attack with all his strength - Puderbrand's claw caught it in mid-air, the mutant snarling as its edge chipped into the solid shell of the inhuman talon. To his left, the second man swung in again - dragging his weapon free of Puderbrand's grasp, Raffy twisted nimbly out of the way of the blow. Lothar couldn't help but be impressed at the skill with which the lad was holding two opponents at bay.

Behind the Sparrowhawk, the many-fingered brute loomed up to strike, swinging the soiled shovel in his hands up over his head - there was a bright, darting flash of steel, and the man crumpled sideways, blood pumping from a severed artery somewhere in the ruins of his leg. Looking down at the man's twitching remains, Lothar shook his head - then turned in a flash, ramming his shield into the second man's gawping face. Head ringing, the man stumbled backwards down the dark corridor, his spade raised in a pathetic attempt at defence...

OOC Combat info:

Spoiler

Show

Map:


Wound Totals: Puderbrand - 11
Raffy - 8
Wolfgang - extremely dead.

[goblinpaladin]

Lothar Mutant-Slayer and Raffy the Nimble

Spoiler

Show

With a shout to Sigmar! Lothar pressed his advantage, forcing the mutant's shovel back with his shield as he struck again and again with the sword, the blood-streaked steel weaving swift patterns in the air before the final blow...

[LCP]

Raffy & Lothar

Spoiler

Show

Free of distractions to his sides, Raffy pressed the attack with seemingly boundless energy, backing Puderbrand against the stair – the great claw twitched and snapped as it tried to ward off the slashing broadsword, Raffy’s blade scoring a red gash across the scarred mutant’s forearm. By now Puderbrand seemed to be bleeding from a dozen places, the shallow cuts of Raffy’s sword and the myriad wounds of the blunderbuss’ shot soaking his clothes – astonishing, the man was still on his feet, a grim determination burning in his eyes. Raffy lunged to strike again, but the claw batted his weapon inside, a backhanded return blow whistling inches from the Sparrowhawk’s face.

Lothar’s opponent did not seem as sure of himself – visibly wavering as the bloody-bladed soldier advanced, he made a cautious strike with the edge of his spade, Lothar easily warding it off with his shield. Nordland steel flicked out in reply – the man jumped back like a startled cat, clearly very much more eager to avoid being hit than to score a hit himself. Holding up the spade in front of him as if it were some sort of magical ward, he circled back to the left, eyes fixed on Lothar’s sword...

OOC Combat Info

Spoiler

Show

Map unchanged.
Wound total: Puderbrand – 13
Raffy – 8
Others – unwounded.

[hr]

Ithelus & Illiiya

Spoiler

Show

Illiiya looked up at the wagon’s ceiling with wide eyes, then round at the cluttered shelves. She flinched a little as she met the dead gaze of a viper coiled in a jar of alcohol, the thing’s fangs still protruding from its desiccated gums behind the glass.

“No,” she said, quietly. “I... I don’t think so.”

OOC:

Spoiler

Show

To see whether she gives Ithelus enough of an opportunity for him to take the coins, we’ll make a Perception roll: (1d100)[70] vs. 41

Yep, she's sufficiently distracted.

[goblinpaladin]

Lothar and Raffy

Spoiler

Show

Grinning, Lothar jumped quickly toward his opponent, then back, flicking his sword at the mutant to force the other man away. "You lackin' the will to fight? Surrender, we'll take it easy on you." The soldier stepped in suddenly, blade flashing to his foe's side.

"Promise."

[LCP]

Lothar & Raffy

Spoiler

Show

“You drop that shovel and I’ll gut you, Dagen!” snarled Puderbrand, hearing Lothar’s words – seemingly more afraid of the claw-handed man than Fischer, the scrawny fellow held his ground, his improvised cudgel battering against Lothar’s raised shield.

The scar-faced man gave a howl of pain as Raffy’s sword pierced him again, slicing a deep cut across his leg. Stumbling forwards like a hobbled beast, he swung wildly at the Sparrowhawk, the young man dancing lithely out of the way - lunging triumphantly back in, Raffy felt his confidence suddenly shatter as the mutated claw flashed out like lightning, lifting him bodily off his feet and slamming him back against the wall. Dust drizzled down from the ceiling at the impact, his head swimming as his sword fell from his fingers – through the red mist obscuring his senses, he felt a monstrous pressure tightening around his neck, the barbed edges of the great pincer digging into his throat.

“Drop the sword!” roared Puderbrand, turning to Lothar as he held Raffy pinned to the wall. “Or I’ll shear his head off. Drop it!”

OOC Combat Information

Spoiler

Show

Raffy is on 8 wounds still, having been assumed to have spent a Fate Point to survive.
Puderbrand has 0 wounds remaining - all damaging hits against him are Critical Hits.
Lothar & Rudolf are uninjured.