[003] Into the War Camp

[Marullus]

Hit Points	Power	Turn Order
Ha 5 / 41 (-6, -2, -6, -1) Toshizo 2 / 24 (-9, -3, -3 -1, -6) Souta -2 / 19 (-6, -2*, -5, -4) Taka 0 / 9 (subdual, unconscious) Eiji 1 / 11 (-10) Jīva 10 / 10	Taka 0 / 38 Eiji 13 / 28 (Corrected)	Phase 16: Jīva (Basic Action) Phase 12: Bakemono-sho (Basic Action) Phase 10: Souta (Basic Action) Phase 9: Toshizo (Basic Action) Phase 6: Eiji (Basic Action); Souta (Secondary Action) Phase 5: Ha (Basic Action) Phase 4: Toshizo (Secondary Action) Phase 3: Souta (Secondary Action) Phase 2: Taka (Basic Action)

---

Turn 3, Phase 12

The thrill of the charge now past, the bakemono-sho clamber for position, the front row realizing their trapped against their foes with their allies pressing them forward as human shields. One on the north end is trampled by his companions as they squeeze around the outside, now knocked to the ground and dazed. The others spread out, filling in to the south so they're all close enough to poke a thrust with their narrow blades. The prepared Bushi parry away their pokes and jabs skillfully, until one stabs mightily at the stalwart Ha from the back rank and catches a gap in his lacquered wood plates - a blow that might have been fatal to a less hearty man. (-6)

From the back of the cavern at the edge of the light, you hear a harsh, dissonant chanting. Seeing the disarray among his less worthy forces, the Dai-Bakemono extends his arms towards you. He is briefly illuminated in full light as four lances of flame leap forth, flying across the cavern at you! It is the first time the rest of you see clearly the foe who waged the magical duel against Taka, unseen in the Kakuri-yo.

One dissipates harmlessly in the air, unable to approach the placidly-praying Eiji, his fingers formed into mudras. The other four descend on the front line bushi, threatening to break them into disarray and grant the advantage to the horde of warty small monstrous foes....

The lances of magical flame arc downwards upon the line of bushi with devastating effect. All three find their armor and clothing ignited and ablaze as their flesh crisps from the heat. The cavern is lit brightly by their burning, the bakemono-sho hooting and yammering in both fear of the flames and to cheer the victory of their master. (Toshizo -9, Ha -6, Souta -6)

(I'm going to apply your damage from burning armor on your own primary phases each turn.)

Turn 3, Phase 10
Souta presses her back against the cave wall, attempting to dampen the flames. Her kimono, however, is already burned away, her efforts resulting in quenching the last licks of the flame and preserving barely enough fabric to maintain her modesty. (-2hp (maximum) as it burns away all the AC of the outfit.)

Souta Deftness ST (BCS 7) [1d20]=5
Her efforts are fruitful and put out the flames, but they also burn-out simultaneously because they consumed all the AC of her garment. (3 damage to 2 AC.) I will allow that she saved enough garment for modesty but not AC.

She is free to use her two secondary actions. She says she wants to restring the bow, but that needs to wait for her next primary action. She also currently has her bow stowed and sword out - getting out the bow again is a secondary action. I'll assume she's getting out her bow again and parrying this turn and she can make her decision on what to do with her primary action next turn (restring, strike with the sword, move, etc.) Note that holding both the bow and the sword forces her to use the sword one-handed and with a penalty (which applies to strikes, not parrying). If she doesn't want to restring the bow right now, I'll let you rescind that.

Souta Parry [1d20]=10
BCS 11, that's a success. With the low effect number it is only +1 AC. She has 0 AC from clothing, 1 AC from level, and +1 AC for parry, for a total AC 2

Turn 3, Phase 9
Toshizo tries not to panic at being trapped in o-yoroi set afire by a dai-bakemono's infernal flames. He remembers a day's training in the dojo and drops to the ground and rolls, still holding his katana, with the flat of the blade held against his leg. He rolls at the feet of the bakemono, the flames roaring as they consume his heavy armor, unable to be quenched.

Damage is 3hp, reducing his armor from AC 5 to AC 2. His deftness save failed, so it also burns into next turn. All bakemono-sho hitting him while he's down get a =5 BCS, but I will still allow his secondary action to parry, since he specified he was keeping his sword for that purpose as he rolls.

Toshizo Parry [1d20]=19
Failure but not critical failure is still +1 AC. So current armor is AC 2, +1 for level, +1 for parry, for a total AC 4.

Turn 3, Phase 6
Maintaining his calm, Eiji renews his prayers, switching to a different Mudra as he attempts to counter the spiritual warfare of the Dai-Bakemono.

Eiji casts Spell Shield -- Spend 1 power, 13 remaining. Everyone gets a +1 to their Will ST to defend against incoming magic again this turn. (Unfortunately, once the spell sets things on fire, those flames are mundane.)

Her flames extinguished, Souta glowers at her foes, drawing forth her unstrung bow.

Turn 3, Phase 5
As his armor also goes up in a blaze of laquered reeds (-2), Ha siezes the opportunity and throws himself bodily at the closes bakemono-sho to him, trying to take the warty little opponents with him to a flaming type of hell. The bake shrieks and dodges, evading Ha's grasp.

THIS is a tremendously cool move.

First, he takes -2hp damage and also -2AC. His armor is AC 3, so this reduces it to AC 1, and he's still on fire for next turn.

Second, we look at Grapple rules. I will say that if he succeeds in grappling, the bake will take the same fire damage he does and test to catch his clothes on fire, too.

Code: Select all

Grapple
A Grapple attack is an attempt to get a grip on the target in such a
way that he is rendered helpless. Beginning on the Action Phase in
which the successful BCS roll is made and continuing on each of his
Primary Action Phases thereafter, the attacker accumulates Effect
Numbers. If the total exceeds the target's Strength, he has been
totally subdued and is held helpless in the grip of the attacker. If the
total is ever less than 1, the grip has been broken and the target is free
to act normally.
Once held in a grip the target has limited options. He may:
—wait passively until the attacker's Effect Number falls below 1.
This him to make a Strength Saving Throw on an available Primary
Action Phase. The Effect Number of this Saving Throw will be
subtracted from the attacker's Effect Number total. Players will note
that a failed Saving Throw in this case will actually improve the
attacker's grip.
—strike with a weapon. This is done with a 50% penalty to the Base
BCS. The attack is at Short Range.
—counterattack with a higher form of unarmed combat at his normal
BCS. For these purposes Atemi-waza and Jujutsu rank equally. Both
are superior to Surnai and all three are superior to Brawling.
If an attacker's grip is broken, th*e attacker must make a Deftness
Saving Throw or fall prone. Users of unarmed Bugei (Jujutsu, Atemiwaza,
and Sumai) are allowed to roll on their Base BCS if the
Deftness Saving Throw fails. Of course, if the combatants are
already on the ground, this roll is unnecessary.

Ha is not proficient in Sumai (or other martial art) so uses his base Brawling (BCS 5).
Ha Brawling/Grapple (BCS 5) [1d20]=16
Alas, it is a miss.

Also note the following - if he succeeds in grappling, the bake can pull him to the ground automatically, making Ha prone with him.

Code: Select all

Once a Grapple hold is established, either foe may elect to fall
down by selecting an Alter Position Option. This will automatically
bring the opponent down as well. The player controlling each
character will roll 1D6 to determine which character lands on top.
The higher die roll result indicates that that player's character is on
top. In the case of a tie, reroll the dice.
This drop to the ground can stun the combatants. A Health Saving
Throw is required to avoid a Stun Critical Effect. The character on
top adds the basic Armor Class of his opponent to his Saving Throw.
The man on the bottom subtracts the Armor Class of his opponent
from the Saving Throw.

Turn 3, Phase 4/3
Knowing the bakemono-sho will be emboldened by this fiery turn of events, Toshizo and Souta bring their blades up just in time...

Turn 4, Phase 12
The bakemono-sho surge in, emboldened by their master's fiery aid. Both the one standing over Toshizo (-3) and the one jostling behind him (-1) pierce him with their wakizashi as he rolls on the ground, more concerned with the flames burning his flesh. Souta finds her normal swift movement doesn't avail her a she is pinned against the wall, first one (-5) and then a second (-4) blade striking home. She slides down the wall, collapsing to the floor as her wounds continue to bleed. (unconscious, will die without aid at end of combat.) Ha, flames still licking around him, finds his foes scattered as he lunges forward to grapple them unexpectedly. Facing four foes to his companion's two, only two of their swords crunch through the burning armor and find flesh. (-6, -1)

...and now, we do rolls to see how the bakemono-sho fare. They will press the same attacks as previously, not switching foes.

First rank: Toshizo [1d20]=6[1d6]=3 Souta [1d20]=7[1d6]=5 Ha [1d20]=16[1d6]=2 Ha [1d20]=6[1d6]=6
First rank against Toshizo: BCS 10 -4 AC +5 prone = BCS 11, a 6 is a hit. 3 damage.
First rank against Souta: BCS 10 -2 AC = BCS 8, 7 hits. 5 damage.
First rank against Ha: BCS 10 -2 AC = BCS 8, 16 misses.
First rank against Ha: BCS 10 -4 AC = BCS 8, 6 is a hit. 6 damage.
Second rank: Toshizo [1d20]=10[1d6]=1 Souta [1d20]=6[1d6]=4 Ha [1d20]=19[1d6]=5 Ha [1d20]=4[1d6]=1
Second rank against Toshizo: BCS 10 -4 AC +5 prone -1 long range = BCS 10, a 10 is a hit. 1 damage.
Second rank against Souta: BCS 10 -2 AC -1 long range = BCS 7, 6 is a hit. 4 damage.
Second rank against Ha: BCS 10 -2 AC -1 long range = BCS 7, 19 misses.
Second rank against Ha: BCS 10 -4 AC -1 long range = BCS 7, 4 is a hit. 1 damage.

The dai-bakemono chortles to himself as his foes flail about on fire. He snarls, though, that Eiji the Buddhist is lessening his power... something that cannot stand. He chants once more, launching four more lances across the cavern, two this time aimed at Eiji...

Eiji raises a hand and dispels one of the bolts once more, it fizzling ineffectively in the air along with the one aimed at Ha, but the second bolt strikes true, greviously wounding the Buddhist priest (-10) while the final shot hits the prone Toshizo who is already aflame (-6). Calm despite the roaring flames, Eiji brings his hands together and the flames on his body extinguish, winking out around him. (critical success, not on fire)

Fire Arrows (BCS 15): Toshizo [1d20]=15[1d6+4]=2+4=6 Ha [1d20]=16[1d6+4]=2+4=6 Eiji [1d20]=10[1d6+4]=3+4=7[1d20]=9[1d6+4]=6+4=10
Miss on Ha. 1 hit on Toshizo, 2 hits on Eiji.
Will STs: Toshizo (BCS 4) [1d20+1]=10+1=11 Eiji (BCS 9) [1d20+1]=3+1=4[1d20+1]=14+1=15
Eiji dispells one hit.
Toshizo -6hp.
Eiji -10hp.

Does Eiji catch fire? Will ST (BCS 9) [1d20]=1 Armor check [1d10+1]=6+1=7
Nope!

Only Souta incapacitated... Actions?

[jemmus]

Toshizo feels the bite of wakizashi blades all over his torso and he rolls on the cavern's floor-- as well as yet another dart of infernal fire. He tries to stand under the rain of blows to face his enemies.

Alter Position, primary action. Engaged, so needs a Speed ST. [1d20]=13 He's still down.

[ffilz]

Eiji will continue to defend magically.

Hard to imagine this won’t be a TPK…

[Marullus]

...Ha?

[jmacatty]

Sorry

Ha whacks at the nearest monster:
[1d20]=3 No idea, but assuming it is a hit:
[1d6+6]=5+6=11 I think this should be one more damage even, since Ha is now level 2

[Marullus]

Hit Points	Power	Turn Order
Ha 0 / 41 (-5) Toshizo -3 / 24 (-5) Souta -2 / 19 Taka 0 / 9 (subdual, unconscious) Eiji -3 / 11 (-4) Jīva -5 / 10 (-5, -1, -9)	Taka 0 / 38 Eiji 12 / 28 (-1)	Phase 16: Jīva (Basic Action) Phase 12: Bakemono-sho (Basic Action) Phase 10: Souta (Basic Action) Phase 9: Toshizo (Basic Action) Phase 6: Eiji (Basic Action); Souta (Secondary Action) Phase 5: Ha (Basic Action) Phase 4: Toshizo (Secondary Action) Phase 3: Souta (Secondary Action) Phase 2: Taka (Basic Action)

---

Turn 4, Phase 12

The bakemono-sho surge in, emboldened by their master's fiery aid. Both the one standing over Toshizo (-3) and the one jostling behind him (-1) pierce him with their wakizashi as he rolls on the ground, more concerned with the flames burning his flesh. Souta finds her normal swift movement doesn't avail her a she is pinned against the wall, first one (-5) and then a second (-4) blade striking home. She slides down the wall, collapsing to the floor as her wounds continue to bleed. (unconscious, will die without aid at end of combat.) Ha, flames still licking around him, finds his foes scattered as he lunges forward to grapple them unexpectedly. Facing four foes to his companion's two, only two of their swords crunch through the burning armor and find flesh. (-6, -1)

The dai-bakemono chortles to himself as his foes flail about on fire. He snarls, though, that Eiji the Buddhist is lessening his power... something that cannot stand. He chants once more, launching four more lances across the cavern, two this time aimed at Eiji...

Eiji raises a hand and dispels one of the bolts once more, it fizzling ineffectively in the air along with the one aimed at Ha, but the second bolt strikes true, greviously wounding the Buddhist priest (-10) while the final shot hits the prone Toshizo who is already aflame (-6). Calm despite the roaring flames, Eiji brings his hands together and the flames on his body extinguish, winking out around him. (critical success, not on fire)

Turn 4, Phase 10
Souta groans on the floor, her hands pressing the haggard rags of her burnt kimono against the gushing sword lacerations in her flesh. Her eyes close, her face pale and still as porcelain.

Turn 4, Phase 9
Toshizo feels the bite of wakizashi blades all over his torso and he rolls on the cavern's floor-- as well as yet another dart of infernal fire. He tries to stand under the rain of blows to face his enemies, but is unable to gain his footing under the press of so many small, smelly foes. The bakemono-sho continue to overwhelm him as they overbear the warrior.

Toshizo on fire: armor [1d3]=3 hit points [1d6]=5
Enflamed by the Dai-Bakemono's hellish blaze, his armor continues to burn, the glowing hot metal searing the flesh beneath. The last of the bindings burns away, the armor completely destroyed... but Toshizo has ceased struggling, passing out from the pain of burning alive inside the heavy metal o-yoroi. His body lies motionless as the bakemono-sho continue to kick it a few more times for pleasure.

Turn 4, Phase 6
Eiji retains his serene calm in the face of death. making a mudra with his fingers and pushing it forward, he protects his companions from supernatural harm, but alas has no balm to stop the rush of sweaty bakemano-sho bodies and their bloody wakizashi.
(Spell Shield still gives +1 to saves; spend one more Power Point.)

Turn 4, Phase 5
Ha on fire: armor [1d3]=3 hit points [1d6]=5

His armor still on fire, the laquered reeds of his o-yoroi searing into his flesh (-5), Ha roars and swings his katana in a mighty arc, burying it into the body of the bakemono-sho before him (-11). His foe stumbles back, squealing in pain, as Ha's fingers go slack, losing their grip on the blade. Overcome by the flames as they burn through the last of his armor, Ha falls to his knees, then, at last, to the floor. The bakemono-sho takes Ha's own katana from its side and with a vicious, hateful rictus, drives it into the samurai's unconscious form on the cavern floor.

Turn 4, Phase 16
Snarling a fierce warning to the squat, cave-dwellers, Jīva rushes forward, interposing himself between them and the serene Eiji.
(Held action: attack when they approach.)

Turn 5, Phase 12
All three samurai collapsed, their bodies smouldering from having burned while still alive, the press of bakemono surges over them, descending upon Eiji behind them.

Jīva lunges at the oncoming rush of monsters, his teeth snapping on air as the they dodge aside. Sneering at the dog, the merciless bakemono-sho set upon it with fierce hatred. First one (-5) then another (-1) wakizashi blade slice into the dog's short-haired sides. They loyal stray yelps in pain, eyes wide as it ducks a third blade. The bake injured by Ha, however, brings down a mighty overhead blow, cleaving the dog's head from it's body. (Critical hit, -9) The dog's body waivers a moment, then collapses at Eiji's feet, fulfilling its dharma.

Eiji looks upon the bake with a deep sadness as his dog dies. His wounds are already severe, but he shows no fear or hesitance, holding his mudra against their hellish master. From the rear rank, one of the bakemono-sho lunges, its blade piercing the buddhist monk's chest, time seeming slow as he looks down at the last of his life draining from the wound. Eiji collapses.

Jīva Bite (BCS 12) [1d20]=13 [1d6]=2
Jiva misses.

First Rank against Jiva then Eiji [1d20]=7[1d6]=5[1d20]=5[1d6]=1[1d20]=13[1d6]=4[1d20]=1[1d6]=3
Critical hit [1d10]=5[1d20]=20
Against Jiva first... BCS 10 -2 AC = BCS 8. He has 10 hit points. -5, -1, miss, critical hit (triple damage) 3x3 = -9.
Jiva is slain, takes all four attacks.

Second Rank against Eiji [1d20]=10[1d6]=4[1d20]=3[1d6]=4[1d20]=8[1d6]=3[1d20]=13[1d6]=6
BCS 10 -3 AC -1 long range = BCS 6. But Eiji only has 1 hit point left. Miss, -4. (Slain) Miss, Miss.

His last thoughts are of the helpless Taka, lying on the gurney behind him. He hears the Dai-bakemono, sees his tattooed form hovering above. "Good, good... they brought her body. She is much more useful this way. Take it to the witch."

And all fades to blackness.

[jemmus]

That was a nice, dramatic, and sad scene. Poor Taka.