Session 6-03.2

1629, Earth Season, Harmony Week, Clayday

Text-based session that takes place during/immediately after Rest In Pieces, Rushes (Session 6-03.1) and before Mourning After (Session 6-03.3).

Dramatis Personae

Events

Kolyey is out a couple of charging-lengths from Maalira, having chased away (and stabbed) an impala rider.  Varanis is on foot, not far from Maalira but a bit beyond Berra.  Berra is about 10m from Maalira, I suspect.  Maalira is on the ground, beside Lofty, and under someone who is possibly dying.¹This is right after Rushes to Battle’s head fell off? And there’s still a wall of darkness behind Varanis? GM: Yes.  You can see through it, but people can’t see YOU through it.  Maybe Berra and Maalira can.  Not Kolyey.

There is a moment of silence after Rushes to Battle dies and Berra shouts out in Praxian, and then the impala riders are fleeing.  The little Humakti looks around with the gaze that she has after a battle, checking on everything.

Kolyey is fine and still mounted, but missing her lance. She will ride to Maalira.

Maalira’s robe is red-soaked, but her hand glows and a white-green nimbus begins to grow around the man Berra struck.  Some of the blood even seems to flow back in. Varanis takes stock, and seeing that Maalira is in trouble, breaks into a run in that direction.²GM: Kolyey, can you make me a Ride roll please?  Varanis, spirit combat. V: Fail. K: I think she just failed it on 81.

Dezar suddenly becomes a ball of hatred and fury and strikes at Varanis.³5MP damage. “Dezar!” Varanis bellows in shock, coming to a faltering stop. “What are you… No!” Well, that’s a plan… but spirit combat is a harsh mistress…  He’s coming for her again. “Dezar!!!!”⁴Varanis’ player initially chose not to fight back, but rapidly learned that she couldn’t stop him any other way and she had to stop him if she wanted to help anyone else. GM: He’s also passed spirit combat: you’re going to be locked in combat with a hissy, spitty, angry angry cat. V: gets out mental spray bottle.

Maalira is swearing.

Kolyey’s borrowed zebra begins to buck wildly, and she is thrown.  There was no warning, just the sudden violence. “Hey! Calm down, girl!”⁵GM: Kolyey, make a Jump roll please, to see how you land. K: Pass. To top it all, Lofty takes off at a steaming, raging gallop, apparently aiming for Kolyey. The Humakti lands in a way that means she can roll to her feet, just as Lofty gets up to speed.⁶B: Kolyey, do me a Dodge.  It’s 35%. K: Pass. A huge and angry bison sweeps past her, and Kolyey throws herself to one side, without dignity or style.  A horn passes through where her head was a moment before, and Lofty’s shoulder barges her as the animal runs past, heading for a target up ahead.  The impala riders are fleeing, but only some of the Telmori are giving chase.

Berra is rocking on her feet and then falls down like a pro boxer punched her.

Varanis has come to a complete standstill, seeming locked into some kind of mental battle.⁷GM: Varanis, another pass, so you’re holding off the horrid little animal.  Hitting it with the bottle, as it scratches you. “Dezar! My beloved, ferocious cat-kin! Stop!”

Xenofos’ zebra seems to be fighting his attempts to help it, which is no doubt keeping him busy.

Kolyey can stand up now and see what is happening.  Most of the animals here seem to have gone berserk suddenly.  Maalira is either unconscious, or too weighed down to help, and Berra has fallen over.  Varanis is invisible behind the wall of Darkness, but apparently her allied spirit is attacking her.

Varanis focuses on trying to fend off Dezar.⁸GM: Varanis, POWx3 please? V: Fail. GM: And more Spirit Combat, then. V: 99 – fumble. GM: OK, and another D100, because there’s a table for that. Meanwhile, he missed, so this one is all on you. V: 33. GM: Confuses self with target, does spirit combat to self.  You whacked yourself with the water bottle. 1D6 + 3  she said helpfully. V: Ouch. 9. GM: You’re currently on 3… There is a blur of confusion.  She bites something, or smites it, and something bites HER just as hard.  Later, she will dream of her own teeth.  Right now?  Dezar has just not slowed down.⁹GM: Pass from him. V: And a fail from V. Varanis yelps. His jaws close on the back of her neck, and he shakes her like a mouse. The Vingan crumples with a crash of armour. She does not get up again.

Kolyey, of course, does not see a thing.  Varanis is still behind the dark wall. The sound of someone falling is familiar to Kolyey.  Either Varanis or someone else in metal just hit the ground over there.

Maalira is not moving.  Berra is not moving.  A couple of sleeping warriors are probably lucky to be alive.  Off in the distance, the telmori seem to be having problems with their wolves – some are giving chase to impalas, while others are fighting each other and their human-shaped friends.

Kolyey says a bad word. Who’s closest to Kolyey out of Maalira, Berra and the crashing noise?

The closest person is Maalira, currently half visible, in a bloodied robe. Xenofos has his own troubles, but he is too far away to take into account in that decision.

Kolyey will go over to Maalira and render aid.¹⁰GM: Do me a First Aid roll.  25. K: Failed on a 57.

Maalira is unconscious, and so is the tiny warrior who launched himself at her, and got caught.  His wounds have mostly closed, although Berra hits hard in battle, and he is still going to find it hard to walk for a while.  Neither look to be in danger, but neither are waking up for the moment.

Kolyey will unbury Maalira if needed, then try waking her up with a Heal 2.

Fortunately, the man is easy to shift.  Maalira is easily uncovered.¹¹GM: Roll POWx5. 60. K: 93. At least it’s not a fumble. Her magic will not come immediately, but at least Maalira is still sleeping, looking peaceful.¹²GM: Roll again, then. K: 41! … And when in doubt, the place to apply healing magic is to the head.  Kolyey channels the power of the spirits she has, and… no change.  Maalira does not wake.

Kolyey says another bad word. Maalira continues to look peaceful. The Humakti looks around for something to tie up the Impala Rider.¹³GM: Roll INTx5, please?  75. K: 21 Even as she looks around, she recalls that Maalira put him to sleep.  Her commander has previously had words about tying people up when the White Ladies have them under protection.  Then again, her commander apparently did try to kill this one.

Kolyey decides to tie him up, because if she doesn’t, she can’t go get Berra. Normally, Lofty’s reins would work… Oh, but Maalira has a couple of blood-serpents, woven cords for stopping blood flow from limbs.  It is the work of a few moments to tie the man’s hands behind him. Kolyey does that and feels better. She will go check on Berra.

Berra was still holding her swords when she fell.  She looks blankly asleep.  Peacefulness would never suit her.  One eye is slightly open, like she is trying to watch the world but failing. Kolyey will try to shake Berra awake. If that fails, Kolyey will try a Heal 2 to the head. No response from the Humakti commander.¹⁴GM: Do the healing POWx5. K: 10! Yay!

The spell comes easily, perhaps because it is a Humakti healing a Humakti. Berra does not wake.  She does not have any blood on her, save a bit from falling over, which is now softly scarred over thanks to Kolyey. Still unconscious.

Kolyey swears for a minute straight.¹⁵K: Can Kolyey recognize the end result of failing spirit combat? GM: INTx5 please.  75. K: 61.

… Now that she thinks of it, Berra just went straight out as if magic had drained from her.  Maalira is down in much the same way.  And swearing is therapeutic. Kolyey swears some more, then thanks Humakt for the insight. She tries to think of a way to get some magic into Berra.¹⁶GM: Another INTx5? K: 89, no brilliant idea today.

Time.  Time is the way.  She will have to protect people until they wake.

Kolyey sighs and decides to get people into piles. Her friends will go into one, the unconscious Telmori into another pile and the unconscious Impala Riders into a third. Then she can guard everyone.

Berra will be the easiest to move, although one of her swords is iron, and might require more than the usual amount of respect.

Kolyey tells the iron sword, “I am sorry, but I am going to wipe you off and sheath you. That way you can stay with your wielder.”

No answer.  Of course. But then again, how could it speak?

Kolyey attempts to wipe off the sword, then get it into the scabbard.

As she touches it, she feels the rage and fury of the spirit within…¹⁷GM: Spirit Combat please.  35. K: 32. GM: Alas.  A critical.  Lights out for Kolyey.

At least it is quick.  Something that is probably Lord Raven hits her in the spirit, tearing out huge chunks, and the world vanishes.¹⁸GM: Now we’ll wait on Xenofos, and hopefully we’ll all wake up an hour or so from now.

• 1
  This is right after Rushes to Battle’s head fell off? And there’s still a wall of darkness behind Varanis? GM: Yes.  You can see through it, but people can’t see YOU through it.  Maybe Berra and Maalira can.  Not Kolyey.
• 2
  GM: Kolyey, can you make me a Ride roll please?  Varanis, spirit combat. V: Fail. K: I think she just failed it on 81.
• 3
  5MP damage.
• 4
  Varanis’ player initially chose not to fight back, but rapidly learned that she couldn’t stop him any other way and she had to stop him if she wanted to help anyone else. GM: He’s also passed spirit combat: you’re going to be locked in combat with a hissy, spitty, angry angry cat. V: gets out mental spray bottle.
• 5
  GM: Kolyey, make a Jump roll please, to see how you land. K: Pass.
• 6
  B: Kolyey, do me a Dodge.  It’s 35%. K: Pass.
• 7
  GM: Varanis, another pass, so you’re holding off the horrid little animal.  Hitting it with the bottle, as it scratches you.
• 8
  GM: Varanis, POWx3 please? V: Fail. GM: And more Spirit Combat, then. V: 99 – fumble. GM: OK, and another D100, because there’s a table for that. Meanwhile, he missed, so this one is all on you. V: 33. GM: Confuses self with target, does spirit combat to self.  You whacked yourself with the water bottle. 1D6 + 3  she said helpfully. V: Ouch. 9. GM: You’re currently on 3…
• 9
  GM: Pass from him. V: And a fail from V.
• 10
  GM: Do me a First Aid roll.  25. K: Failed on a 57.
• 11
  GM: Roll POWx5. 60. K: 93. At least it’s not a fumble.
• 12
  GM: Roll again, then. K: 41!
• 13
  GM: Roll INTx5, please?  75. K: 21
• 14
  GM: Do the healing POWx5. K: 10! Yay!
• 15
  K: Can Kolyey recognize the end result of failing spirit combat? GM: INTx5 please.  75. K: 61.
• 16
  GM: Another INTx5? K: 89, no brilliant idea today.
• 17
  GM: Spirit Combat please.  35. K: 32. GM: Alas.  A critical.  Lights out for Kolyey.
• 18
  GM: Now we’ll wait on Xenofos, and hopefully we’ll all wake up an hour or so from now.