Umber Terra: A Shattered Realm

[Darius Vibrtrar]

After taking his ticket, but before sitting he smiles to the bookey.

"Faith in the cloven hoofed."

He gives a wink on his way to sitting down.

[Wolfykins]

Ina sighed and circled back around to the quill bear, making sure the sun was in front of her as she approached it so it wouldn't see her shadow. She folded her wings and dove towards the distracted creature, snapping them open when she was above the creature. Electricity crackled across her feathers and arced towards her prey in an attempt to paralyze it!
Immobile bane attack (advantage from surprise?): (2d20)[18][4](22) (3d6)[6][5][1](12) (18+6+5+2)

Spoiler: explosion contingency & init

Show

Init (advantage 2): (3d20)[17][13][20](50) (3d10)[3][9][10](22) (20+6+10+5)

(5d20)[6][11][4][7][4](32)
(6d6)[2][1][6][5][2][4](20)
(5d10)[5][2][1][4][9](21)

[STDM Grizzly Ad]

The bookie's brow furrows and he cuts a sharp look at Burt and just shakes his head without saying a word. Before Burt can find a seat the bell rings signaling the start of the bout. (1d20)[13] initiative for Karthax. (1d20)[4](3d4)[2][4][2](8) (A2) initiative for Reginald.

Ina dives from the clouds catching the quill bear unaware. When she opens her wings and casts a sudden shadow the bear lurches to its hind legs in shock before becoming frozen solid by jolts of electricity arching from the giant predator. (2d20)[13][9](22) (D1) initiative for Quill bear.

Karthax leaps at the sound of the bell crossing the ring and closing on Reginald. He swings a mighty right hook to the side of Reggie's head hoping for a one hit victory.
[23] attack vs Toughness.

[EdgeGrinder]

Reginald did mot even inch as he took the hit. He quickly smacked himself into a Battle Trance.

Spoiler: Battle Trance

Show

You can enter a heightened mental state of combat readiness, in which your body is strengthened and your mind transcends fear and pain. Examples include a raging barbarian or an unstoppable samurai with laser focus in the heat of battle.
Prerequisites
Tier 1:
Fortitude or Will 3
Effect
As a free action on your turn, you may enter a battle trance. While entranced, you have advantage 1 on all attacks. Additionally, your Toughness and Resolve defenses are increased by 3. If your total armor bonus is less than 3, it becomes 3. If you take three consecutive turns without making an attack roll against an enemy creature, the battle trance ends. When the battle trance ends, you automatically suffer 1 level of the fatigue bane.

He squinted at Karthax before throwing a fist his way with a bellowing yell!

Might vs. Toughness - Advantage 1
(1d20)[5] + (2d6)[8] ((2d6)[6])

Spoiler: If Might is 10+ Toughness

Show

Karthax is stunne. Power Level 4

[STDM Grizzly Ad]

Reginald's blow glances off of the dragonoid's slick scales harmlessly. Karthax takes advantage of the situation and tried to plant his left fist deep into the Rhino's gut. (1d20)[3]+(1d10)[10] might vs Toughness

Spoiler: contingency

Show

(5d20)[5][17][14][10][7](53)(5d10)[4][6][7][9][7](33)

Spoiler: If hit by more than 10

Show

Reggie is stunned PL 4

His knuckles pop and crack as his fist jams uselessly into Reggie's hide.

[paladin_artea]

”Thank you for sssharing. I mussst admit to being sssurprisssed. Anyway, I look forward to trying your cuisine,” Ssithiss replied to the waitress.

[Wolfykins]

Ina's wings flapped, electricity building as her feathers moved. With a particularly strong swing, she let loose an arc of electricity aimed at her prey.

Spoiler: energy vs toughness

Show

(1d20)[19](19) (2d6)[4][6](10)+4

Spoiler: explosion contingency

Show

(5d20)[3][4][15][10][11](43)
(6d6)[4][2][1][2][6][1](16)

[EdgeGrinder]

"Whew!"

Reginald took jab, expecting it to connect this time!

Might vs. Toughness - Advantage 1
[Roll]1d20+[/roll] (Adv (1d20)[16]) + (2d6)[6][6](12) (Adv (1d6)[5])
(16+6+6+6+1+1=36)

The jab connected with the dracokin's face as Reginald putting his full weight into the follow through! Sweat launched off his rippling muscles.

Bane: Incapacitated.

[STDM Grizzly Ad]

Penny moved off to the kitchen with Ssithiss' order.

The Quill bear's muscles cramped and tightened with the electrical current. The skin of its abdomen tore open with the tightness of the strained flesh. Another moment later, its heart stopped and it collapsed in a heap.

A rattle set through Karthax's scales when Reggie's jab connected. The expression left his face and he stumbled back two paces. He swayed in place for a half moment before suddenly and violently vomiting on the floor of the ring. A silence of disbelief fell over the crowd for what felt like eternity. Another half moment and the champion was dethroned as his constitution gives way, his eyes roll back into his head and he falls with a thud into the puddle of his own bile. The bell rings and the crowd erupted with chaos. A mix of boos and shouts of elation fill the pub.

[Darius Vibrtrar]

Burt gives a squeal of excitement!

"Wee wee weeeeeee!"

He pumps his fist in the air in support of the taurean who had dethroned the scaled champion. Looking over his shoulder he spotted the doc.

"-snort- hey doc! We got a patient for you in the ring!"

With a smile on his face he makes his way to the bookey and presents his paperwork to receive his winnings

[Wolfykins]

Ina landed carefully on the corpse, avoiding the points of the quills. She leaned over and tore off bits of offal and threw her head back to gulp them down, keeping an eye on the surrounding woods for any signs of danger to herself. She ate her fill from her prey, leaving the shoulders and haunches untouched. Then, she took off, banked, turned, and swooped down towards the remains. She gripped the corpse by its chest where there were no quills and carried it off.
Ina stashed the meat near the city gate, out of sight and up in a tree where little would reach it. Then she flew back to the tavern where she'd left her companions and landed on the roof. She began preening her feathers to remove traces of her meal.
Hopefully the shoulders and haunches of that quill bear will provide a decent amount of meat for the rebels, she thought.

[Andrew Markham]

Tekaji stood for several minutes, numbly observing the events taking place in the room. As the match ends, an old instinct rises up from Tekaji's subconscious. He processes the emotion, then nods to himself. He stalks across the room, moving to immediately behind Burt, then raises himself to his full height to loom over the younger Mintauran. Once he gains the younger man's attention, Tekaji grumbles, "Youngling. I would speak with you."

[EdgeGrinder]

Reginald thumped his chest with a fist, pointed to the crowd, and winked. He went back to his corner and slumped down as a wave of fatigue cane over him. He splashed water over his face before wiping himself down. He slipped on a pair of long, curved spectacles.

[STDM Grizzly Ad]

The bookie looks up at Burt, taking his stamped ticket. "Well now, you really lucked up tonight. Misplaced faith or no. Here you are, 1100 units." He handed over the money and moved on to the next winner.

A light rain of dust fell from the rafters when Ina lighted on the rooftop.

Two large men accompanied the announcer into the ring and helped Karthax get to his feet. Then they left the ring, one under each of his arms. They passed through a set of doors behind the ring. The announcer put a hand in the air and the booing and cheering seemed to lessen to a dull roar. He walked over to Reginald and grabbed his wrist, thrusting his arm upward. "Ladies and gentlemen, the winner, by way of knockout, rrrrRRReggie the Rockbreaker rrrrRRRinghorn!" The cheers kick up anew. A dish can be heard shattering from the kitchen. "What an upset we've seen here tonight folks. A champion unseated. The odds overturned. This is Brown Bear history in the making."
Another man steps into the ring. Smaller and graying, a mop in his hand a pail of water in the other. The announcer exits, leaving only Reginald and the custodian in the ring.

[Darius Vibrtrar]

Burt smiles and puts the money away before turning to and addressing Tekaji.

"-Snort- Yes? Lets have a seat, if we are going to talk"

Burt moves over to an open table so that tekaji can speak his mind.

[Andrew Markham]

Tekaji moves to the table. He looks down at the chair and grunts, then kicks it out of the way and kneels on the floor. His eyes, unusually active, are sizing up Burt. "Tell me of you. You are human, yes?"

[Darius Vibrtrar]

Burt looked confused by the question.

"-snort- no more human than you"

He pondered for a while.

"My earliest memories.... are of people like you. Broken hearted warriors, home from a war they lost. I was raised on their knees and laps, hearing tales of the umber, battles won.... and glorious selfless battles loss. "

He frowns looking down at the table.

"I dont remember alot of the words. But I remember their faces... the feelings they invoked. When I was old enough, I went to work in the mines... it was the work that most of us went to go for. We got to work with the earth... it reminded the veterans of good times past, and some of them even smiled down there. "

Burt paused again looking for words.

"I dont know what the future holds.... but I'd like there to be a world for our people, where we can smile, be happy... things like that."

[Andrew Markham]

Tekaji stares for a long moment. His jaw begins making a chewing motion. Finally the older Mintauran grumbles, "You are human. Others we met, also human. Ignorant of our ways. This is not your shame. Our shame. You were born when we were at our lowest. We failed in our duty and lost our temples. The other younglings see hope in you, your power. But you are blind leading blind. So I have decided." Tekaji crosses his arms across his chest and snorts. "You are my student now. You will learn."

[Darius Vibrtrar]

Burt watched the old tauren for a while. Studying him for something. This was the most hed seen him speak when it wasnt in a rage. He could see the old men from his youth in his face and years gone by.

"What do you plan to teach me?"

Burt wanted to hear more from him... to draw out the passion that was being rekindled

[STDM Grizzly Ad]

Ssithiss' meal is delivered to his table. As he looks up, he notices that it was the bartender who delivered it.

[Andrew Markham]

Tekaji responds solemnly, "To shape the world, one must know the clay." He pauses for a moment to see if Burt recognizes the phrase. "Some things I will teach you later, when we are away from this place. It was said earlier we should not speak of that among others. But you have said you wish better for all peoples. I, too, am inspired by those we met. But I am old, and broken inside. It must be you, or another, who leads them to greatness. But you can not restore what you do not understand. I will teach you our ways. This is one ingredient. You will take what you learn and mix it with what you know. From this you will shape something new. It will never be as it was before, but it can be better than this."

Tekaji breathes heavily twice, his cheeks expanding, seeming tired. Then he grunts in amusement. "Watching your human behavior- gambling, taking pleasure in the combat of others- has rekindled something in me. I must craft you into something more worthy of our people, or I will shame myself further!" He makes a chortling sound.

[Darius Vibrtrar]

Burt contemplated the elders words and sighed in self reflection.

"I dont know alot about the past... I only know... feelings. But I understand your feelings. I accept your offer."

He thinks further.

"An object broken... can be reforged. Please dont count yourself out too early."

[Andrew Markham]

Tekaji harumps bitterly. "My power was beautiful once. Now it only takes. We, too, learned from the dragons, and were tainted. In our own ways. When I use it, I never want to stop. Hurting someone else makes my own pain less." He looks away, refusing to meet the young Mintauran in the eye. "So I forget."

[Darius Vibrtrar]

Burt smiles and stands up walking over to Tekaji, placing a hand on his shoulder.

"Then believe in me teacher. "

burt looks over to the ring and smiles at the new champion.

"Im going to go do a very human thing... that i think... will help us all be tauran."

He makes his way to the ring, entering it and walks over to the sitting new champion.

"-snort- You won me alot of money today... can I offer you a chance to make something of yourself.... more than a pit fighter?"

[EdgeGrinder]

The rhino glanced to the warthog with his right eye as he headed for the bar. "Money you say? Hm... how much fighting is involved? Pit fighting doesn't display a staggering amount of intellect after all." Reginald said as he sat a sturdy looking stool. He signaled the bartender who served him a minty drink. "But I am listening." He added.

[Darius Vibrtrar]

Burt followed and sat with him at the bar.

"Well that all depends on alot of things. If you fight because you enjoy it, then I'll have alot of it for you. As for money, it comes and goes, like the sun. You can always count on more money coming."

He glances to the fighting ring and then back to the new champion.

"But what I can promise... if you come with me... youll learn alot about yourself...."

[EdgeGrinder]

Reginald sipped the beverage. "Learn you say?" He sat their silently for a moment. "I was just passing through. I am on the road alone. I've had people pick fights with ne because of what I am. I can fight, but... well anyway... Where are you going? Are you with a party?"

[paladin_artea]

Ssithiss looks up at the bartender, "Thankssss for the meal. I'm guessssing that Missss Penny isss indisssposssed at the moment. If the champion requiresss medical asssissstanccce I offer my own ssservicccessss if needed," the Yuan-ti offered.

[Darius Vibrtrar]

Burt nodded.

"-Snort- We too are on the road for now... We are seeing where we go, as we go. Thats how we got here... the wind carried us here."

He chuckled for a moment.

"I cant say much more at this moment, but I can promise you excitement."

[STDM Grizzly Ad]

As Burt and Reginald sit and talk a burly man with thick black rings of dust in the wrinkles of his neck comes and pours the warming remnants of a cheap beer down the Rhino's back. "You cost me a day's pay grinder". He turns around and walks back to his seat.

The bartender simply answers "Yeh, some'n came up."

Ina watches the first sun set over the mountains and realizes that it will soon be dark.

Tekaji's stomach growls and he realizes that a day of hard labor and missed meals is taking its toll.