Homebrew tabletop game system thread the II

[Simon_Jester]

OOC:

[In other words, I think Rohal's moving on to deliver the message, which means the "deliver the message" scene is worth watching]

I'm wondering how Rohal plans to go about it. He's in wolf form, is he just going to trot into the camp and hope no one shoots him? Is he going to change back to a human being, or try to? If he does, how will he cope with the fact that he hasn't got any pants?

[Eleventh Century Remnant]

Yes; as Rohal finds and follows the trail of men and horse scent, they are to be found in an armed standoff with what looks like a minehead and camp, with a rough earth and stone wall (earthwork with reinforcing), where at least one group of bandits is hiding out. They're on one hilltop, the bandits on another.

White Haven, what more do you need, are you ready to join in?

[Feralgnoll]

OOC: Simon Jester, I plan to do it in wolf form, planning to play the smart dog routine. If I'm in human form, Ill play it off that I am some type of forest man, who got paid with metal to deliver the message. If I get trapped in Hybrid form, I'll probably rip up the message and try to eat the recipient... or Ill try to will power my way to the Bandits and eat them. I like that plan better.

IC: I approach the camp to deliver the message in wolf form. When Greeted Ill sorta just plop down and paw at the satchel I'm carrying, and look at Detrick.

[Simon_Jester]

IC:

Larric seals the deal with Maker Wright and heads back to the castle hill to get his gear. This puts him back there right around the time interesting things begin happening during the mid-day... say, around the time that Bertie in Shining Armor shows up. However, he doesn't react immediately to the note's discovery. Not his place.

OOC:

Panzer? Sorchus? White Haven, even? You there? This might be a good time for something wacky.

[Eleventh Century Remnant]

Approaching the camp, then, and carefully, circling round so you're moving into the wind...ah. That's interesting. They're not there.

At least, most of them aren't- it sounds and smells as if Detrick expected the bandits to make some kind of sally against him, and has left, hard to tell, there are a couple of fires burning that have had handfuls of aromatic herbs chucked in them by the whiff of it as a scent screen- would fool most noses but not Rohal's- but not many people to hold it as a block, and moved the rest out into the night to set up an ambush.

Unfortunately, it smells as if the bandits are doing the same. There are a lot of keyed up people ready to fight over there, and as I remember it Rohal's stealth is none of the highest- sure about wandering in?


As far as the message wrapped around the rock goes, consider the phrase "don't kill the messenger"- in this case that was probably what the poor herald was expecting to happen, so sneak up, mumble indistinctly, leave parchment, gallop for dear life? it fits. Sir Bertie is about to read it.

[Feralgnoll]

I will back off and try to gain a better vantage point. Any place I can overlook the impending battle?

[Eleventh Century Remnant]

Not and get a good view; places to be safe in, yes, but vantage points, unless going very far out of the way the best are the two rival camps. Not safe. Taking any part?

[Panzersharkcat]

(OOC: Is Alfred near the guy in armor carrying a rock? I'm posting under the assumption he isn't.)

"That... is a very sticky situation you have gotten yourself into. Do you have anything for me to go on or should I just question the assassin?"

[Eleventh Century Remnant]

'You could do that and not be prevented; the constable's men are guarding him and if I went to see him, again, suspicion- even if he felt minded to tell me the truth, who'd take my word on what he said? And rightly, in principle, too- although I've decided I do dislike life from the accused's point of view.

A man who fought and defeated an elvish warlord probably has quite a lot of credibility,' he sounds a bit envious when he says that, 'just don't advertise you're related to me- we don't look that much alike at that, you should get away with it.'

At that point, if you need an excuse, Alfred's stomach rumbles. A knight is supposed to endure small ills like that, but it's probably also feeding time down in the dungeons, so no point going to see him right now. he cn be there if he chooses to be. Idiot with rock fumbles at the knot of string holding the parchment wrapped, doing anything or letting him struggle at it?

[Feralgnoll]

Ill move in on the side of Detrick, acting like a dopey dog at first. If I feel they need help Ill move into melee.

OOC: Any chance Rohal would know of these bandits? If they were "bad guys" then my course of action would be to hide the note in Detrick's camp so it doesnt get lost, then attack the bandits.

[Eleventh Century Remnant]

Sir Detrick has more men and those he has are better trained, disciplined and equipped; the bandits eventually get tired of waiting, can't or won't outlast his troops, and give up on the idea of a counter- ambush and start to form into a blob to argue about it, then probably make some kind of attempt to break out.

The bandit leader must be one of those renegade or dispossessed knights, but he doesn't have a good second, or a loyal core; he can command them, but has to be right there to do it- has to yell at them in person. They won't obey him without effort, and Detrick either can, or has someone with him who can, sense this and take advantage of it. The forest troops move in, and fast. No attempt to leave an escape, a straightforward engulfing attack designed to press them into groups with infantry, break up their groups and kill them with longbow shot, ride down the survivors with light cavalry.

The bandits do the only thing they sensibly can- scatter. It's a night fight where one side knows what they're doing and the other side doesn't; most of the time they would be able to run for it and almost all get away, not this time. The bowmen take shots at individual targets seen in the moonlight, until they- must be someone counting heartbeats- reckon the infantry are too close, then change to mauls and whatever else they have and follow in, and the cavalry sweep wide and go hunting.

It is a loose, open, running fight- through rocky scrubland- in the last stages, the pursuit, and that would probably be the ideal time to find Detrick- if he isn't going to be a bit hack- happy, which he probably is.


Meanwhile, next morning, the idiot is unwrapping the rock, unfolding the parchment. Looks at it and says 'I say!' peers at it as if he can't believe what's written there.

[Panzersharkcat]

Alfred turns to the idiot with the rock and says, "What are you doing with that?" He walks over and motions for him to hand it over.

[Feralgnoll]

Rohal will move towards Detrick while he is in pursuit, barking to gain attention, then acting very very dog like to avoid attack.

[Eleventh Century Remnant]

Oh, good, finally-

It's a proclamation. Rather a scruffy one, drawn up in haste, and sealed by someone who was probably holding their nose at the time- the seal has suffered as a result of the treatment it got and is no longer enough, but the signature is that of the King.

Few short paragraphs, in recognition of services rendered blah, his most puissant blah, conferred- wait a minute that can't be right. he can't do that. King or not he cannot do something like that.

it's an abomination. Annulling the present line, and "Do confer the rank and station, powers and privileges, title place and dignity of Countess of Auvaine upon"- no wonder the messenger ran for his life, reading this out might not be survivable.

Simon's probably worked it out. The new lord of the county and head of the local nobility is officially confirmed as the person who just finished burning large parts of it, Colonel Johanna Calvern, Officer Commanding Authrani Imperial Army Twentieth (Cataphract) Regiment of Cavalry, Striking Phoenix. Your Countess, now.

Reading it out?


On the other end, Detrick's in full pursuit, doesn't have time to stop, until he thinks hold on a moment, wolves don't bark. What? Stops, I'm assuming that Rohal hands the pouch with the folded parchments in it over, he doesn't have time to read them straight away, he has bandits to chase.

He's quite good with a horse and a sword, but the bandit chief escapes him- too many of his men get in the way.

Eventually finds time to read it. 'Crap.' Starts issuing orders- the south just boiled over, no time for pursuit, usual watch, get some rest all the rest of you, tidy up the field in the morning, we'll have to move out two hours after dawn, no later.

Well, one out of two...

[Panzersharkcat]

He tries to find Larric, ignoring the rumble of his stomach and his need to go interrogate the prisoner.

[Eleventh Century Remnant]

He'll be coming back from talking to Maker Eli, to collect his mule and gear; your paths cross in the outer courtyard of the castle.


and there, I'm afraid, is where things get uncertain- I'll be away from my own computer for a few days, might be able to get online in the meantime but if not, should be back Sunday at the latest.

[Simon_Jester]

Larric is coming up into the castle just as Alfred is coming out.

"Hello, milord, good to see you uh- did you just get some bad news?"

Questions: did Sir Alfred read that note aloud? If so, how did he get out of the chaos that would ensue when everyone in the hall found out that the king had taken Colonel Calvern, who could probably make Attila the Hun soil himself in womanly fear, and given her the county her troops just got done kicking to pieces? If not, what's he going to tell Alfred?

[Feralgnoll]

Ill stick around Detrick just long enough to hear what his orders and plans are, then return home as quick as possible. On the return home I'll stop by the Dark Elf battle ground. If there is anything there, I'll just keep moving. If it is empty I'll snoop around a bit, then return to the party. I'll try to shift into human form before reaching the town, but with enough wilderness to keep my Hybrid form from hurting any innocent people.

[Panzersharkcat]

(OOC: He read it to himself.)

He shoves the letter into Larric's hands. "We. Are. Screwed."

[Simon_Jester]

IC:

Larric reads the letter.

He reads the letter twice.

He pinches himself, reads the letter again. Then, half dazed, he slumps, lowers himself to the ground of the courtyard, and just sits there with his head in his hands.

"Oh, gods."

OOC:

I'll work out a reaction later.

[Panzersharkcat]

He takes the letter back and tucks it inside. He tries to get Larric to stand back up, hiding the near-panic in his face.

(OOC: Five will get you ten the new countess had something to do with the assassination. He'll make a note of it next IC post.)

[Simon_Jester]

Getting Larric to stand up doesn't actually take very much effort. He's not catatonic, he just really really needed to sit down right then. The blood of dozens of generations of oppressed peasant ancestors, from the ones turned inside out by horrible magic to the ones simply beaten with clubs after seeing the violence inherent in the system, whispers in his ear.

"Look at it this way." His lips twist bitterly. "She's already got a heap of magic and a huge army of vicious monsters from Hell, and she already spent the last two months doing whatever she wanted in Auvaine anyway. How much worse could this make her? Maybe she'll get bored and not bother burning out the same people twice."

"Or maybe we can run for it. At least we've got a warning. Who knows? She might bother talking to someone this time before she kills any more cities."

[Panzersharkcat]

"I am not running. I am certain she is behind the assassination for which my cousin is now accused of being complicit in. I will not let that stand. We are going to bring her down. I am not certain how but gods help me, I will find a way."

(OOC: The current idea I have for how he survived against the Striking Phoenix was sheer brutality right back at them. That and the fact that he had his soldiers wear camouflage outfits in ambushes of Striking Phoenix troops. They'd basically be ghillie suits over matte black or green armor.)

[Panzersharkcat]

Ghetto edit.
(OOC: Alfred will start talking to the others about using camouflage outfits, especially if we need to fight the Striking Phoenix. I also have a rough plan of battle if we have to face them in open battle. It involves gunpowder, though. Lots of gunpowder.)

[Simon_Jester]

OOC:

Did you catch the part about gunpowder being "horribly vulnerable to sorcerous counterbattery fire?" In a world where there are people who can make things catch fire by staring at them (Colonel Calvern can do that- hell, her horse can do that, and seems to enjoy it), gunpowder becomes a very dangerous thing to use in large amounts.

Also, they're really very good- not brainless barbarians. Beating a small detachment of the Striking Phoenix, say, a squad or two, might actually be credible, but trying protracted guerilla war against them means you're going to piss off people who have waaaay higher stats than Alfred did at the beginning of the game. It certainly doesn't belong in Alfred's backstory, the odds against him surviving it are too slim.

The fundamental fact is that the Twentieth Cataphracts won- ran right over the opposition and moved off to other places.

Remember that orc? The one who, by himself, was powerful enough to be a credible threat to Dleamthayaran? When Dleamthayaran was roughly a match for our whole party, all by himself? That orc was in the Striking Phoenix. And he is not the most powerful or dangerous person in the regiment, not by a long shot.

He also spotted a concealed elf ranger at six hundred yards, or seems to have done so. Camouflage is known in this setting, so are supernaturally alert and aware beings.



IC:

Larric looks at Alfred as if he's trying to conceal the fact that he thinks Alfred has gone mad. Because he does think Alfred has gone mad, and now regards Alfred as being sort of like a very, very dangerous chemistry experiment that might explode and get them all killed. He does not want to be involved with someone who wants to get into a personal vendetta with Johanna Calvern; he has at least a remote idea of how powerful she really is, he has roughly the same sensory capability as Rohal, and presumably is just as capable of sensing her moving around.*

He speaks in a very gentle, soothing tone of voice.

"...Uh, milord, why don't you come walk with me, we'll go sit somewhere quiet, and we can talk about this, before you run off and pick a fight with an avalanche?"
___________

*"a webwork, knotwork of black and purple and red and gold not far to the south- spend too long looking at that and it (she?) may look back." I'm pretty sure that's her... or something of the same order.