The Return of the Scarlet Empress IC

[Tavar]

Child
Seeing the woman launched through the wall, and the ever louder sounds of battle, Child plants his feet firmly, drawing his bow and firing an arrow up to Isa. But not a mortal arrow, of wood and steel, but one he seems to pull from his breathe, moving his mouth as he does so, but no audible words come out.

The arrow flies relatively true, bursting on the roof near Isa, allowing her and Penumbra to hear a message in Old Realm.
"Solar, Lunar, and one of the Cleansing Vs the Rest. We need to talk, now.
"

Spoiler

Show

Flurry to draw bow, the shoot a GAT arrow message.
2 motes for one Success(No botch), (9d10)[6][8][1][5][2][6][5][10][8](51)+1

[Aevylmar]

Skandi turns to Besi, interrupting his charge and turning to her. He grins to her, fangs visible.

"Let's see just how good you are."

Armored feet pounding dents into the floor, moving faster than a galloping horse, Skandi rushes at Besi apparently intent on chopping her into fishbait, then leaps well above her head, landing behind the sorceress and slicing her into four equal parts with two well-placed slashes.

Spoiler

Show

Moving up to the two of them - the leap is just a stunt - and making a flurry of two attacks to the caster. Both attacks are supplemented with Burrowing Devil Strike just in case, making them Piercing, and First Dex for 5 motes. Assume use of Third Strength Excellency with below 40% damage as previously.

First Attack
Base Roll: http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/3593266/
Specialties: http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/3593270/
Stunt Dice: http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/3593274/

Second Attack:
Base Roll: http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/3593269/
Specialties: http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/3593271/
Stunt Dice: http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/3593275/

Base damage is 14LP.

By the way, what stunt did I get on my last attack?

Edit -
Personal: 22/22
Peripherial: 31/48
Committed: 13

[Guancyto]

He was fast.

He could have been the Wind herself.

He was strong.

He could have been the King himself.

He was clever.

He could have been the Dragon itself.

It would not have mattered in the least. His defeat was sealed the moment he attacked instead of running away. When he jumped, Besi jumped too, the two of them hurtling in concentric arcs. When Skandi landed, she landed too. When Skandi slashed, their blades rung as they collided, screeched as the moonsilver caught on the hooks of white and black jade. The floorboards tore as she flung him backward, away from his target.

She hadn't even broken a sweat yet. "Good enough."

Spoiler

Show

On step 2 of each attack, activating Crossed Wings Denial to perfectly defend my sorcerer, and Empowering Justice Redirection. Beak Spears Frog provides two counterattacks; Empowering Justice Redirection provides seven and fourteen bonus successes to each counter, respectively, at the cost of all damage dealt by both counterattacks becoming bashing in Step 10 and not being able to wrap around into lethal. Also, he's knocked prone if he takes damage from either of these per EJR.

Full pool minus attacker's multi-action penalties, so:
(13d10)[5][8][9][6][7][9][5][8][10][2][1][10][6](86) 9 sux plus 7 bonus sux = 16 sux plus any stunt
(12d10)[6][8][9][2][6][1][3][6][4][4][3][9](61) 3 sux plus 14 bonus sux = 17 sux plus any stunt

Raw damage is +8L, converts to bashing in Step 10 (so is defended against with Lethal soak), can't spill over into lethal.

I'm rather hoping Skandi will toss some defensive Charms at this. ^^;

can't let you do that Fox, just one Crossed Wings Denial on the second attack then.

Personal Essence: 8/18 (4 commit)
Peripheral Essence: 27/40 (13 commit)

[Aevylmar]

Skandi raises his sword in salute to Besi as she drives him back. "So I see."

[industrious]

Pell

The Cleansing member smiles, and the swirls of arcane energy coalesce as he forms a Sign and a Gesture. The glowing web of light sprints towards Skandi the Wolf, forming into a vicious, whirling chain.

And Fort Waypoint is home to the second decapitation in nearly 40 minutes.

Spoiler

Show

Attack Roll: (11d10)[5][8][5][8][5][7][4][5][5][3][5](60) + 3 sux

Stunt or Charm away, Skandi.

[Aevylmar]

Skandi's sword continues in the logical path towards where his head was a second ago as he ducks. The bladed chain wraps around the invulnerable moonsilver sword, does its best to decapitate an object made of one of the Five Magical Materials, and then vanishes, its task complete.

Spoiler

Show

Parrying with my sword. Paying 1 mote for the Dexterity excellency, just in case.

Base DV is 7, +1 if specialties are applicable, +1 or 2 if this die comes out positive, +1 to 3 from stunting.
http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/3593366/

[Incendius]

Penumbra

"Did... that man just shoot words at us? What is he, an air aspect? He doesn't seem to care much for the others if he is, running away all like that. Is this really the quality of person you are sending after that necromancer?" Penumbra's mind races with the possibilities. "Well, anyway, sounds like your friends are in a bit of trouble there. It is a shame. I think I'm going to go watch the show. You might want to join me; it is likely to be the last you'll ever see of them. Penumbra's tone is deadpan, but she her thoughts are filled with delightful laughter. "On second thought... how about I help end this peacefully? You'd like that, wouldn't you?" Penumbra leaves this query hanging in the air as she starts to race through the air, not waiting for a reply.

She gracefully speeds off of the roof, her path slanted in the direction of the broken wall. It takes her no time to line herself so that she is directly facing the hole, but another problem presents itself: her altitude is so high that the only thing she can see is the a few inches of the floor. Shrouded with her invisibility, Penumbra smiles as she takes a small step forward. If someone was able to see her, this step would look the same as any other one she used to walk on air, but they would be surprised to see her drop, hurtling down through several yards of air, only to land on another windy patch, one across from the hole's middle, granting Penumbra full view of the combatants.

Spoiler

Show

Moving into position, let me know when Penumbra is up.

[industrious]

Matsui

The older Dragonblood takes this distraction to smack Besi's wrists sharply with the flat of her blade; the younger Dynast wincing at the display. Her face is stern and betrays no emotion.

She then continues onward, the chisel-edged tip of her black daiklave cutting into Besi's flesh.

Spoiler

Show

Using Floating Nymph Evasion(4m). Stumbling Inconvenience Attack(3m) for the first action, then supplementing the second with a 5 mote first excellency(5m), and a natural third attack.

Attack 1: (16d10)[2][8][6][4][10][6][5][10][7][9][3][1][8][1][1][9](90)
Attack 2: (16d10)[5][9][9][5][9][8][4][10][1][1][4][9][4][2][3][3](86)
Attack 3: (16d10)[10][10][4][8][10][2][7][9][8][4][7][6][2][10][8][8](113)

[Guancyto]

For the briefest moment, Besi's silver eyes flared with anger as the blade bit into her skin. "You," she said. Her voice had never raised above a whisper, and yet it cut through the clamor as she caught the elder Dragon-Blood's blade in her own's guard and spun away from the strike. "You brought us to her, you miserable, wretched fool."

In a flash, she whirled, a screen of blades in a perfect aegis against what could have been the greatest swordswoman in Creation or a falling mountain range, "it will not be by my hand, and yet."

Her counterattack was terrifyingly swift, it might well have been a falling mountain range for all the Lost Egg could tell, a dizzying onslaught of blades and kicks alike, the fire finally letting itself out of her body and starting to catch the inn ablaze, kettles shattered from sheer heat and silverware starting to melt. "Everything you love will come to ruin."

Spoiler

Show

DDV is 7 right now, hmm...

Gonna 2m excellency against the first attack, 2m Excellency and channelling Valor against the second and CWD'ing the third. Now we get some Empowering Justice Redirection counters; using that against all three of her attacks.

Dodge DV 7+(4d10)[6][2][2][3](13) (plus stunt rating) vs 9
Dodge DV 6+(8d10)[1][6][7][8][2][1][6][9](40) (plus stunt rating) vs 11

Meanwhile, I'm assuming that she isn't negating any multi-action penalties, so counterattacks are as follows:

(12d10)[8][7][9][2][3][2][3][2][6][9][5][1](57) + 9 sux
(11d10)[4][2][6][10][2][1][2][6][7][9][10](59) + 11 sux
(10d10)[4][4][7][8][9][8][9][1][4][8](62) + 16 sux

Raw damage still +8L and converts to bashing w/o rollover in Step 10.

Anima at 11-15 level, hope the mortals have cleared out.

Personal Essence: 0/18 (4 committed)
Peripheral Essence: 15/40 (13 committed)
Temp WP: 8/10

[industrious]

Matsui

"No..."

She's extremely skilled for a Dragon-blooded. Nearly a century old, with most of her life spent perfecting the art of the Even Blade.

Yet Besi's art is the stronger, and though her blades fail to cut through her skin, it is Matsui's arms who are shaking by the end of it, whose hands now only barely grasp her sword.

[Incendius]

An arrow drawn from a quiver. A bowstring notched with wood and feathers. An arm pulled back in tension. A trajectory traced by a discerning eye. A puff of wind and a trail of shadow following a missile's passage. An icy tunnel burrowed through flame. A obsidian arc passing between a shield of earth and water. A frigid impact hurtling towards a bonfire's chest. With hope, a bolt of shadow and frost toppling a defender

Penumbra had said she would end this peacefully, and so she shall, for a certain definition of peace. She had drawn a blunt head arrow, not a pointed one, but that made her attack no less powerful. The shot's purpose is to remove Besi as a factor, quieting her inferno but not her life, and depriving the remaining Dragonblooded of his staunch defender. Besi had drawn a target on herself with her incredible sword work, and Penumbra fully intends to strike the bulls eye.

Spoiler

Show

A single unexpected attack, using a Fowling Arrow to do bashing damage. It is enhanced with Splinter of the Void, which adds 2 raw damage and 2 post soak damage, and it is also enhanced with a 2m first archery excellency.

Attack: (19d10)[9][7][5][3][10][1][6][10][6][6][3][4][6][6][7][8][6][2][2](107)
Stunt: (3d10)[5][8][8](21)
10 Successes with a 3 die!

The attack does 13 Bashing Damage before successes, and adds 2 dice to its post soak damage roll.

Willpower: 8/10

Essence:
Permanent: ●●
Personal: 12/16
Peripheral: 14/37 (23 Committed)

[Guancyto]

The icy arrow catches the Dragon-Blood by surprise, biting into her and trying to extinguish her blazing inferno by overwhelming her. She grits her teeth, and although it burns with absolute chill and sears her nearly numb, she grits her teeth and blazes all the brighter, shattering it with a blazing fist as the fire pierces through the roof of the inn, phantasmal winds sweeping it about and crimson ribbons of fire trailing from the towering anima.

Through the blaze, Besi makes two motions. With two fingers, she points to her eyes. Then with the same, she points at the Abyssal. It's... not exactly spot-on, it's clear that she can't see exactly where Penumbra is, but she knows where that came from and that she's present.

"Skandi," she says without turning to him or acknowledging the newcomer, "where will he be?"

Spoiler

Show

Lots of damage! Reflexively spending 3m to activate my anima power, kicking my anima level up to 16+; those who don't have hardness within (Essence) yards of me should probably back off, a lethal level every tick is not pretty. =P

I'm pretty sure that Penumbra has to reestablish surprise again to be stealthed or untargetable now that she's attacked. If this is incorrect let me know and I'll edit it!

-0 [X]
-1 [X] [\] [\] [\]
-2 [\] [\] [\] [\]
-4 [ ]
-X [ ]

Peripheral Ess: 10/40

[Tavar]

Having delivered his message, Child waits, allowing the other member to take the lead.

[Aevylmar]

The light of Luna shining from his brow, driven back but unbruised, Skandi began to resume the charge - then heard the warrior's words and stopped stock-still for a single second, torn in indecision.

"If I tell the Hunt, he's more likely to learn I'm coming for him and escape. Besi will flee, the fight will end, my plan will entirely fall through and we'll be facing the full wrath of the Cleansing when we arrive.

But if I don't tell her, he's much more likely to kill Rosacarnis and Emerald Stormwrack, and Besi is less likely to leave without killing Rose."

It was really quite simple. "Nexus," he whispered just loud enough for her to hear. "He's headed to Nexus. And I'll see you there."

Skandi bursts into movement for another brief second, to stand by Rose and Matsui, shield held high, ready to move again at a moment's notice as the light of Luna surrounds him.

Spoiler

Show

Guarding.

[industrious]

Pell

"You'll see nothing, Anathema," the other Dynast hisses.

Making a grasping motion with his hand, the dirt floor of the inn erupts upwards, pelting Skandi with stone and earth.

Spoiler

Show

Elemental Bolting Skandi. Channeling Conviction on this attack.
(17d10)[8][4][2][1][7][7][2][10][4][5][6][4][2][6][3][2][10](83), 6L base damage.

Matsui

Battered and bruised, Matsui strides over to Rose, and picking her up, heads out of the inn.

Besi would pay. But Rose was more important.

[Aevylmar]

Skandi lowers his shield and the spray of rocks clatters harmlessly off it.

"Thank you for confirming my overall attitudes about the Immaculate Faith."

Skandi lunges at Pell to strike her down but reverses his grip at the last moment. The dull edge of the sword hits the ranting dynast once, twice, before Skandi returns to his position, leaving one opponent unconscious and one in a dedicated defensive stance.

Spoiler

Show

After Pell's done attacking but on the same tick, I'm going to drop my Guard action and hit her twice with my sword, 'pulling my punches' to inflict Bashing damage both times, since Pell's still on my list of 'potential resources' instead of 'potential threats'. Using Burrowing Devil Strike and First Dex for 5, assume use of Third Strength to reroll damage as necessary.

First Attack: http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/3595502/
Specialty: http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/3595505/
Stunt: http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/3595507/

Second Attack: http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/3595503/
Specialty: http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/3595506/
Stunt: http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/3595508/

Personal: 6/22
Peripherial: 31/48
Committed: 13

Anima Banner: 10 motes

[Guancyto]

"Pell, there's even more of them. Get out," Besi hisses as well, her annoyance with him clear. There's being fanatical about his cause and there's just being an idiot...

...without seeing the result of Skandi's and Pell's exchange, she races toward where the arrow came from, bursting out of the inn in a shower of sparks and cinders. She can't see the archer, but she doesn't need to. Even an invisible enemy can fall to the towering flames of her anima.

Spoiler

Show

Dashing toward Pen!

[Incendius]

Penumbra watches with amusement as Besi turns and rushes towards her position. She meets this assault with a contemptous walk diagonal walk up into the air, cresting to a height far above her previous position, and directly over Besi's path.

Spoiler

Show

Yeah, sure. An invisible enemy can still die to Anima flare. But can an invisible FLYING enemy fall to that?

Penumbra moves at 7 yards/tick, so she can get out of the radius very fast.

[Incendius]

Penumbra laughs inwardly as she dances under the shadow of a watchtower. Besi's blazing anima contrasts with the darkness, making it seem deeper and more sinister than it was before. Penumbra's movements are silent and unknowable; the air chills with her passage and refuses to carry any hint of her location. Even though others may know she is there, they cannot find her, for she is supreme in her own element.

Penumbra touches onto a flagpole, standing upside down on its bottom, just behind the Lookshian flag. She swings her bow to aim towards Besi and licks her lips in anticipation as she draws back the bowstring, savoring the tension for a few delicious moments. Almost regretfully, she lets her arrow forth, once more shrouded in its veil of ice and shadow. The arrow tears through the flag in its passage, defacing the symbol of dragonblooded power.

Spoiler

Show

Penumbra is taking a flurry. First she is going to try to reastablish surprise. Since she is in shadow, bonus dice from her stunt is doubled. She will then do another attack at Besi, enhancing it with 2 motes from her archery excellency and 2 motes for Splinter of the Void, increasing raw and post soak damage by 2 each.

Re-establishing Surprise: (11d10)[8][10][3][1][6][4][8][9][3][9][3](64)
Stealth Stunt: (6d10)[7][3][5][2][7][4](28)

Add 3 successes on the roll of for her invisibility and hearthstone. So you have to beat 10 successes on the roll off, though you do get a 2 die bonus to it since you know that I am somewhere.

Attack: (16d10)[10][8][2][8][6][2][3][6][5][5][4][7][6][1][8][3](84)
Attack Stunt: (3d10)[10][8][2](20)

9 successes on the attack roll.

The attack does 13 Bashing Damage before successes, and adds 2 dice to its post soak damage roll.

Willpower: 8/10

Essence:
Permanent: ●●
Personal: 8/16
Peripheral: 14/37 (23 Committed)

[industrious]

Child

The Shadow nods, and begins to move down off the roof.

Still no idea why she was on it in the first place.

Sierra

Runs out of the building as it catches on fire. In the shadows case by the flames, she can see an eerily familiar figure, shaking his head in disappointment.

Pell

Ears ringing from Skandi's blow, Pell steels himself for what's to come, arms raised and protecting his head.

"Why do you want me alive, Anathema?"

[Tavar]

Child

Keeping his bow out, Child waits by the building. This isn't his fight. Better to stay out of it, if they'll let him.

[Aevylmar]

Skandi

Skandi sighs before bringing his sword around for a final swing. "Because it's wrong to kill the helpless."

Spoiler

Show

Still pulling my punches to inflict Bashing damage. Not using the Dex excellency, still making the damage Piercing.

Base Dice: http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/3598185/
Specialties: http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/3598186/
Stunt: http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/3598187/
Base damage is 14BP
Edit - 10 successes base, or 12 if this is heroic.

Essence: 2
Personal: 5/22
Peripherial: 31/48
Committed: 13

[industrious]

The flat of Skandi's blade strikes Pell's temple, and the Dragon-blood goes limp upon the floor.

Unfortunately, though, part of the fort, namely the inn that the battle has been taking place in, is still on fire.

Again.

[Guancyto]

The dragon's fire rages unabated, seeking after the enemy that continues to pelt it with ice and rime. Flying, unseen, straight above.

It is too much. The dragon falls, her flame guttering out against the relentless onslaught. The chill of oblivion snuffs the flame, and she falls to the ground far beneath Penumbra, unconscious.

She really hopes that Pell decided to pay attention to her for once and get out of there...

Spoiler

Show

Yeah that last hit would take me out with anything more than 1 success, and she's rolling a bundle of bashing dice. KO'd.

[Aevylmar]

Skandi

Skandi sheathes his sword and leans down, scooping up the unconscious Terrestrial in his arms as he walks out the hole in the wall of the burning inn. He takes a deep breath, and screams "Fight's over, inn's on fire. I know you've all got buckets somewhere!"

As the people of Waypoint reform the bucket brigade, he turns to the scattered collection of Exalts and possible Exalts, including the three unconscious bodies. "Anyone here know medicine? I'd like to make sure nobody *else* dies today."

[Illyceria]

Aya sighs softly and flicks back strands of hair that have gotten in her face. "Right, right, patching up both the sensible and non-sensible together. Really," she complains going first to Rose and checking her out. "First a Necromancer, now the Cleansing, then all the Anathema everywhere. This day has been one hell of a day, and it appears I'll be sleeping outside!" Despite her vocal complaining she works carefully and with some practice tending to the wounds of the living. There is an audible sigh at the minor glances to the dead.

[The_Snark]

"On second thought... how about I help end this peacefully? You'd like that, wouldn't you?"

"That would be nice," Isa mutters, staring down at Meru's headless corpse. Everything is going terribly wrong. One of them is siding with the Anathema? How in Jupiter's name had her master missed that little detail? The Cleansing is too large to screen everyone, and maybe the Terrestrial directors don't even try, but for a mission like this...

She doesn't even know who the traitor is. Meru? Matsui? Likely the outcaste, she decides, but she doesn't know. Not for certain. Firelight flares within the inn. All happening too fast.

"Pen?" There is no answer. She looks down at her fellow Sidereal, nods, and drops through the trapdoor into the building.

A minute later Maren peeks out of the door, beckoning Child inside with a hissed, "What's going on down there?"

[Incendius]

Penumbra stares down at the fallen Dragonblooded with a smirk. The poor fool had had no chance against her. Penumbra hefts her bow around her shoulder and looks back towards the building where she had been talking to Isa. She sees Isa start to climb down. Ignoring the raging fire of the inn at her back, and Penumba strides over to where Isa meets with the strange man who could shoot words from his bow.

She silently slips through an open window, not caring to be spotted or heard by Isa again. Penumbra has no ill intent, but she doesn't feel like revealing herself to Child, and wants to hear their conversation when they don't know that she is there.

Spoiler

Show

Stealth roll.
(13d10)[72] +3 Successes

Stunt dice.
(6d10)[36]

[Tavar]

Child

Speaking softly, Child tries to bring her up to speed.

"Five kinds of Pandemonium. One member of the Cleansing was covering for a Solar, your apparent 5th member. She revealed herself, and the one posing as a Godblood and trying to out me revealed himself as a Lunar. The result is pretty clear. "

Pausing, he looks around, not wanting to get into bureau business with listeners.
"Are we alone?"

[The_Snark]

"Don't know." Maren closes the door after one last look around. "Wouldn't count on it. Lot of ears here."

A grimace briefly mars her face as she turns to face her fellow Vizier. "Maybe fire will keep them busy. So. Skandi suspects you. Bluffing about most of it, but still suspicious. He tell you where to find the necromancer?"

Spoiler

Show

Reading Child's mind, because why not?

Perception + Awareness: [rollv]10d10[/rollv