Ereni stays quiet and invisible in the dark. Hoping her companions won't give her away. Or Joy. Or Lir for that matter.
King Haggard's words indicate that he has not seen her, with his talk of only five emissaries. She hopes that is not a ruse.
So she stands still and ready and if her luck holds, unseen in the deep gloom. And does not speak up about what is obviously the King's favorite talking skeleton (the one whose bones Joy was thrown out of the keep for chewing on) draped over the grandfather clock just there.
Nor about the other man's voice she hears somewhere in the distance, barely discerning it through the stone walls of the otherwise quiet keep.
There's a moment where Haggard's face turns red and his jaw sets. There's a moment where he's simply about to kick them all out of the castle. He even says something to Lir about escorting the rabble out of his presence, but then the hookshot is fired, and things take a bit of a turn.
"Whoever allowed you to have audience with a King is clearly a fool." Haggard says, rising after the threat made with the hookshot. As he rises, there is the distinct metallic sound of two swords being drawn. The first is King Haggard's as he draws a sword from beneath his flowing robes and clenches a hand around it that is somehow old and powerful at the same time.
The second sword being drawn is Prince Lir's. The Prince moves like a flash, stepping between his father and the assembled warriors with his greatsword outstretched toward Ward.
"I am afraid your audience is over." The King says as a skeleton, outfitted with a sword and shield and half-plate armor, walks out of the grandfather clock in the back of the room. There is much, much more noise behind the grandfather clock...
Lir's eyes plead with the warriors before him.
"Please." Is all he says.
Post Order
Prince Lir Lady Kaede Johnathan King Haggard Schmendrick the Blue Ereni Nodjeim Amitola Ward Armored Skeleton A
Uncowed and unafraid, Kaede simply marches up to Prince Lir and King Haggard, and announces in a firm and steady voice "HOW DARE YOU draw your blade on a member of the High Court of Kings Landing. And HOW DARE YOU to call your noble and exalted son a fool. If you do NOT withdraw your blade immediately, your obviously more talented son here will forthwith replace you on that milk maidens stool you call a throne, and you, Haggard, will immediately resemble one of those skeletons who you meekly are calling in here to defend your obviously weak position."
And then Kaede stands there, looking deadly serious, like she's willing to accept one and only one response from the King...capitulation.
"Ken o hiku. Saiketsu shimasu."
In celestial, Kaede just said-
"Draw sword. Draw blood."
I found this fascinating discussion on samurai's drawing swords, or having them drawn on them...by all rights, Kaede has legal permission to cut the King down:
One of many rules was koiguchi san sun. Literally, it meant “three sun (about 9 centimeters) from koiguchi“. Koiguchi (carp’s mouth) was the opening of the sheath, and it meant that the blade was drawn 9 centimeters out of the sheath. This was the threshold at which point the sword was officially “drawn”, even though most of the blade was still in the sheath. If you pulled your sword three sun out of the sheath at the wrong place at the wrong time, you could not only be ordered to commit suicide, but your entire family could become ronin for all future generations. Even if you pulled your sword at the right place for the right reasons, you and your family may face the same fate if you failed to kill your opponent. If a commoner insulted your honor, you had the noble right to kill him, but once the sword was drawn, you had to kill him or you had to commit suicide. On the other hand, if you did not draw your sword and forgave the commoner, you faced no punishment. If five commoners insulted you at once, you had to kill all five before the sword was sheathed again or face death. This all meant that if you were going to draw your sword, you had better have a very good reason for doing so.
There is an old fictional story in which a group of ruffians confronted a lone samurai. When the samurai put his hand on his sword, one of the ruffians shouted, “If you fail to kill any one of us you are doomed!” The samurai growled softly. “Five, is it?” The five ruffians backed down and left without confirming their number.
If two warriors were in confrontation, if the sword was three sun out of the sheath, it was grounds for retaliation. Some samurai could draw very quickly in what is called iaigiri and slice you in half in the same swift motion it took to draw the sword. You could not afford to wait until your attacker had completely drawn his sword. Thus, a sword was deemed officially drawn if it was only partly out of the sheath.
Johnathan gives a confused look to the party. The plan was to make friends with the king. We were supposed to meet the unicorn and walk away. WHY IS EVERYONE THREATENING THE KING. Johnathan turns to the party. Just stop. Stop threatening a king, this is no way to have a conversation. He sighs when he hears Kaede have a full meltdown. Kaede, calm down. Ward threatened the king first, he is only defending himself. He turns to the king. Your majesty, I apologise for my party rudeness. They have clearly lost their freaking minds. There is no need to fight one another. Johnathan kneels before the king. We only came here to deliver a message to your court wizard from Gandolf. I understand that my party have made it difficult to trust us. If you would allow it we would say this message and be on our way. Johnathan is trying to have more grace than the others have shown. He might not have a high opinion of royalty but running head first into an unnecessary battle wasn’t helping their mission.
King Haggard steps down from the throne as he reaches beneath his robes and draws another sword, a short sword.
"I am tired of talking." He says, both swords leveled now at the samurai, all his attention drawn from the Warforged. He ignores what Johnathan is saying. "Who are you to impose upon my hospitality, draw my ire, and then insult me? A KING? In my own throne room? You are a far cry from King's Landing, youngling. Let me show you how we handle things in the Court of Hagsgate. Schmendrick!"
Haggard calls for the court wizard in the same instance that the King lashes out with both swords for Lady Kaede. The first slash with the longsword goes wide, and then the short sword glances harmlessly off her armor, before the last slash of the longsword misses as well.
Schmendrick stumbles after the King, looking afraid and unsure. He trips as he passes the throne and falls down on his face next to King Haggard, his hand reaching out and landing on Lady Kaede's foot as he mutters an incantation. A very dumb, badly rhyming incantation...
"Clear as day, save my ass! Clear as night, clear as glass!"
And Lady Kaede disappears...
Post Order
Prince Lir Lady Kaede Johnathan King Haggard Schmendrick the Blue Ereni Nodjeim Amitola Ward Armored Skeleton A
All emotion and uncertainty departs Ereni's face as she sees King Haggard attack, though no one sees her, invisible as she is in the dark.
This, she knows. This, she was trained for. A warm, relaxing sensation suffuses her as she places Hunter's Mark on Haggard as a bonus action. She raises her longbow and her face goes still, seeing only the King's throat. His eyes.
Attack 1: To hit: 20 Damage: 28
Attack 2: To hit: 25 Damage: 25
Attack 3: (Gloom Stalker extra attack on first round of combat, doing an extra d8) To hit: 27 (Natural 20) Damage: 37
Total damage if all hit: 90 (all magical piercing)
With her movement, Ereni retreats as far as she can while staying in the darkness. Up to 45' (extra 10' on first round of combat for Gloom Stalkers). Still invisible to both darkvision and ordinary sight.
Lir has enough time to look at Ward, his face giving behind the gap of his helm.
"What?"
This is all he has time to say, his genuine confusion to the Warforged's words dissolving as three arrows strike his father, two in the left side of his chest and one in his throat. King Haggard has enough time to grab for the arrow in his throat before he dies....and Prince Lir screams in horror and grief...
The scream is drowned out a moment later by a world shuddering bellow from beneath the hill.
Updated Post Order
Prince Lir Lady Kaede Johnathan Schmendrick the Blue Ereni Nodjeim Amitola Ward Armored Skeleton A
Nodjeim draws a battle axe and closes his eyes for the briefest of moments before spinning into action. His steps are light and graceful, his body flexing and bending, the axe twirling and flashing and seemingly everywhere. The dance has begun.
Bonus Action: Invoke the Dance (or Rage, as the uncouth call it.)
Attacks are made recklessly...
Action: Battle Axe vs Haggard the Horrible, 2 handed Attack: 22 Damage: Unable to parse dice roll.
Action Surge...
Another Battle Axe vs Haggard the Horrible, 2 handed Attack: 8 Damage: 14
During these initial steps of the dance Nodjeim tries to position himself behind the horrible king so that other party members would be able to easily move into a flanking position. And at the end of these steps, Nodjeim draws his second battleaxe and smiles, ready for more.
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
We're doing one small murder-y thing for a bigger, better reason. The ends justify the means.
Johnathan raises his head as he hears the wizard chanting some sort of spell. In a moment his eyes turn red as a dark flame covers his hand. Ha, this is the great wizard? Let’s stop that spell shall we. The black flames shoot out of Johnathan’s hand and surrounds the wizard gesturing, trying to stop the spell from going off.
Amitola springs to action, moving across the room to intercept the armored skeleton as everyone else is busy with the living. Her crystal sword carves into the torso of the things armor, before sticking there long enough to foul her next attack. The skeleton looks close to collapse...but its still on its feet and able to fight...
Updated Post Order
Prince Lir Lady Kaede Johnathan Schmendrick the Blue Ereni Nodjeim Amitola Ward Armored Skeleton A
This post has potentially manipulated dice roll results.
Ward finishes reaching into his bag and pulls out a Bronze Horn, taking a big breath before blowing it. A single note ripples the air screaming out as 11Berserker Vikings appear around the room. "Hold back the skeletons, two of you with me." Ward commands, then turning to Lir. "I understand your anger, and if you wish to kill me then you can later. Right now we need to find the woman your father was to marry. She is the Last Unicorn. Schmendrick changed her into a human to hide her, we are here to get her to safety and kill the Bull currently charging toward us. After this is over you can have your justice, but now I plead with you to help me save her. Then I will get you, her, and Schmendrick to safety where you will not be harmed while we kill that bull or die trying. Can you do this for me?" Ward says, then grabbing onto Lir's shoulder. "I wasn't lying when I said all wrongs could be undone, this is where you can change your families legacy, and the legacy of this world. Please, for that sake help me save The Mare." Ward says, looking into Lir's eyes hopefully.
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
P: The Traveling Ward: Natural Napalm Enthusiast. (AURYN: The Hunt For The Last Unicorn.)
The armored skeleton tries to sink a shortsword into Amitola but is unable to pierce her armor. As it does so, another skeleton, this one outfitted with a morning star, wanders out of the grandfather clock and clubs Amitola...
Lir's hand comes up in a blinding flash, batting Ward's arm away in the moments before his massive sword clatters to the floor. The Prince weeps openly, silently, tears rolling down his face as he kneels. Ever the epitomous warrior, his knee comes down on the blade as he pins it in place with an armored knee, and his hands scramble to pull his father's body into his arms. King Haggard is still gurgling, drowning in his own blood as the younger man gathers him into his embrace and holds him there...and then his body fails. The fight leaves the King, the King who was hail and brash just seconds ago...who is now dead.
"No." Lir says, not to anyone, not in answer to Ward, but seemingly to the heavens. "No. Nonono..."
He plucks the bloody arrows from Haggard's throat, from his chest. He closes dead, staring eyes with blood soaked hands.
"All you had to do was leave." Prince Lir says, either not hearing anything Ward has said or choosing to ignore it. "All you had to do was leave. You walked in here, into our home, invited, acting like some high and mighty...what? Making threatening displays. High and mighty what? Into our home? You came into our home invited and you took all the family I had left from me?"
Lir never bothers to look up. He keeps his eyes down, resigned to whatever fate awaits him.
"Leave."
The castle crawls with noise as something beneath the keep roars and bellows, and the sound of clattering bones begins to fill the halls...
Updated Post Order
Skeleton Warrior A Prince Lir Lady Kaede Johnathan Schmendrick the Blue Ereni Berserkers Nodjeim Amitola Ward Armored Skeleton A
This post has potentially manipulated dice roll results.
Kaede kneels down in front of Lir, grabs Haggard's crown, and gently places it on top of Lir's head. Then, looking directly into Lir's eyes with a tender look, she quietly says "Your Majesty...your people need you. You are now King of Hagsgate. We will leave, as you request, but let us help you. Where is the woman your father was to marry? She must be protected at all costs."
Lir snatches the crown as quickly as it lands on his brow and swings it with all his strength toward the far end of the room, away from himself, away from all of them. It warps askew as it hits the wall, but does not break.
"Leave me!" He bellows in reply...
Updated Post Order
Skeleton Warrior A Prince Lir Lady Kaede Johnathan Schmendrick the Blue Ereni Berserkers Nodjeim Amitola Ward Armored Skeleton A
Johnathan gives a confused look as three arrows appear from no where and knock down the king. Why did this happen? We just came to speak to the wizard. He looks at the destroyed prince as he holds his father’s body in their hands. I thought I was working with professionals. Instead you all came in, threaten a king and jeopardised our whole mission.This was not the plan. WHY DID THIS HAPPEN! He stops himself before he says more. He clearly wasn’t happy about this situation. Johnathan walks up to the king’s body and channels his black flames into the king, desperately trying to stop them from passing from this world. He looks to the wizard. The game is over, get the unicorn and leave with us before the bull comes for us all.
Johnathan's energy pours into King Haggard's lifeless body...but the King, too far gone to be saved, is not resuscitated. His body is simply too damaged, his soul too far departed to be recoverable.
Schmendrick looks up with a shock when Johnathan addresses him about the unicorn.
"Unicorn? I wish there were a unicorn here! But there are no unicorns left in Hagsgate! Maybe in all the world!"
Schmendrick's attempt at Deception- 8
Updated Post Order
Skeleton Warrior A Prince Lir Lady Kaede Johnathan Schmendrick the Blue Ereni Berserkers Nodjeim Amitola Ward Armored Skeleton A
Nodjeim's eyes quickly flash to Jonathan while he rants about his partners. "There was a plan?" he asks quizzically and quickly returns his eyes to his potential enemies.
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
We're doing one small murder-y thing for a bigger, better reason. The ends justify the means.
-- Eleanor Shellstrop
To post a comment, please login or register a new account.
Ereni stays quiet and invisible in the dark. Hoping her companions won't give her away. Or Joy. Or Lir for that matter.
King Haggard's words indicate that he has not seen her, with his talk of only five emissaries. She hopes that is not a ruse.
So she stands still and ready and if her luck holds, unseen in the deep gloom. And does not speak up about what is obviously the King's favorite talking skeleton (the one whose bones Joy was thrown out of the keep for chewing on) draped over the grandfather clock just there.
Nor about the other man's voice she hears somewhere in the distance, barely discerning it through the stone walls of the otherwise quiet keep.
Mud(Paladin2):Frandal's Scourge/Inge(Barbarian1):Krayveneer's After the Fall/Seri(Cleric1/Sorcerer1):Uhtred's Windward Isles/Shin(Wizard2):Dimir_MTG's Surviving
Dyson/Eleo(Cleric3):Vos' Beyond the Veil/Soren(Druid4):Bartjeebus' Ravenloft/Nivi(Rogue3):Raiketsu's CoS/Lyra(Warlock2/Bard2):BlameItOnWinter's Will of the Ancients
Joren(Fighter5):NotDrizzt's Simple Request/Quyen(Adept1):Constance's Nentir Vale/Rel(Warlock2):Uhtred's Phandelver/Xarian(Fighter1/Wizard1):ShieldHero's Drakkenheim
There's a moment where Haggard's face turns red and his jaw sets. There's a moment where he's simply about to kick them all out of the castle. He even says something to Lir about escorting the rabble out of his presence, but then the hookshot is fired, and things take a bit of a turn.
"Whoever allowed you to have audience with a King is clearly a fool." Haggard says, rising after the threat made with the hookshot. As he rises, there is the distinct metallic sound of two swords being drawn. The first is King Haggard's as he draws a sword from beneath his flowing robes and clenches a hand around it that is somehow old and powerful at the same time.
The second sword being drawn is Prince Lir's. The Prince moves like a flash, stepping between his father and the assembled warriors with his greatsword outstretched toward Ward.
"I am afraid your audience is over." The King says as a skeleton, outfitted with a sword and shield and half-plate armor, walks out of the grandfather clock in the back of the room. There is much, much more noise behind the grandfather clock...
Lir's eyes plead with the warriors before him.
"Please." Is all he says.
Post Order
Prince Lir
Lady Kaede
Johnathan
King Haggard
Schmendrick the Blue
Ereni
Nodjeim
Amitola
Ward
Armored Skeleton A
It is Lady Kaede's turn!
DM of AURYN: The Measure of Devotion - Escape from New York
DM of Legacy of NIMH
Uncowed and unafraid, Kaede simply marches up to Prince Lir and King Haggard, and announces in a firm and steady voice "HOW DARE YOU draw your blade on a member of the High Court of Kings Landing. And HOW DARE YOU to call your noble and exalted son a fool. If you do NOT withdraw your blade immediately, your obviously more talented son here will forthwith replace you on that milk maidens stool you call a throne, and you, Haggard, will immediately resemble one of those skeletons who you meekly are calling in here to defend your obviously weak position."
And then Kaede stands there, looking deadly serious, like she's willing to accept one and only one response from the King...capitulation.
"Ken o hiku. Saiketsu shimasu."
In celestial, Kaede just said-
"Draw sword. Draw blood."
I found this fascinating discussion on samurai's drawing swords, or having them drawn on them...by all rights, Kaede has legal permission to cut the King down:
One of many rules was koiguchi san sun. Literally, it meant “three sun (about 9 centimeters) from koiguchi“. Koiguchi (carp’s mouth) was the opening of the sheath, and it meant that the blade was drawn 9 centimeters out of the sheath. This was the threshold at which point the sword was officially “drawn”, even though most of the blade was still in the sheath. If you pulled your sword three sun out of the sheath at the wrong place at the wrong time, you could not only be ordered to commit suicide, but your entire family could become ronin for all future generations. Even if you pulled your sword at the right place for the right reasons, you and your family may face the same fate if you failed to kill your opponent. If a commoner insulted your honor, you had the noble right to kill him, but once the sword was drawn, you had to kill him or you had to commit suicide. On the other hand, if you did not draw your sword and forgave the commoner, you faced no punishment. If five commoners insulted you at once, you had to kill all five before the sword was sheathed again or face death. This all meant that if you were going to draw your sword, you had better have a very good reason for doing so.
There is an old fictional story in which a group of ruffians confronted a lone samurai. When the samurai put his hand on his sword, one of the ruffians shouted,
“If you fail to kill any one of us you are doomed!”
The samurai growled softly.
“Five, is it?”
The five ruffians backed down and left without confirming their number.
If two warriors were in confrontation, if the sword was three sun out of the sheath, it was grounds for retaliation. Some samurai could draw very quickly in what is called iaigiri and slice you in half in the same swift motion it took to draw the sword. You could not afford to wait until your attacker had completely drawn his sword. Thus, a sword was deemed officially drawn if it was only partly out of the sheath.
Last to know and first to be blamed...
As a free action, can I regret my life choices?
Johnathan gives a confused look to the party. The plan was to make friends with the king. We were supposed to meet the unicorn and walk away. WHY IS EVERYONE THREATENING THE KING. Johnathan turns to the party. Just stop. Stop threatening a king, this is no way to have a conversation. He sighs when he hears Kaede have a full meltdown. Kaede, calm down. Ward threatened the king first, he is only defending himself. He turns to the king. Your majesty, I apologise for my party rudeness. They have clearly lost their freaking minds. There is no need to fight one another. Johnathan kneels before the king. We only came here to deliver a message to your court wizard from Gandolf. I understand that my party have made it difficult to trust us. If you would allow it we would say this message and be on our way. Johnathan is trying to have more grace than the others have shown. He might not have a high opinion of royalty but running head first into an unnecessary battle wasn’t helping their mission.
Deception:20
King Haggard steps down from the throne as he reaches beneath his robes and draws another sword, a short sword.
"I am tired of talking." He says, both swords leveled now at the samurai, all his attention drawn from the Warforged. He ignores what Johnathan is saying. "Who are you to impose upon my hospitality, draw my ire, and then insult me? A KING? In my own throne room? You are a far cry from King's Landing, youngling. Let me show you how we handle things in the Court of Hagsgate. Schmendrick!"
Haggard calls for the court wizard in the same instance that the King lashes out with both swords for Lady Kaede. The first slash with the longsword goes wide, and then the short sword glances harmlessly off her armor, before the last slash of the longsword misses as well.
Schmendrick stumbles after the King, looking afraid and unsure. He trips as he passes the throne and falls down on his face next to King Haggard, his hand reaching out and landing on Lady Kaede's foot as he mutters an incantation. A very dumb, badly rhyming incantation...
"Clear as day, save my ass! Clear as night, clear as glass!"
And Lady Kaede disappears...
Post Order
Prince Lir
Lady Kaede
Johnathan
King Haggard
Schmendrick the Blue
Ereni
Nodjeim
Amitola
Ward
Armored Skeleton A
It is Ereni's turn!
DM of AURYN: The Measure of Devotion - Escape from New York
DM of Legacy of NIMH
Ward looks at Schmendrick as he casts the spell. “We know of the mare, we’ve come to save her. “ Ward says as he begins to reach towards his belt.
P: The Traveling Ward: Natural Napalm Enthusiast. (AURYN: The Hunt For The Last Unicorn.)
DM:
All emotion and uncertainty departs Ereni's face as she sees King Haggard attack, though no one sees her, invisible as she is in the dark.
This, she knows. This, she was trained for. A warm, relaxing sensation suffuses her as she places Hunter's Mark on Haggard as a bonus action. She raises her longbow and her face goes still, seeing only the King's throat. His eyes.
Attack 1:
To hit: 20
Damage: 28
Attack 2:
To hit: 25
Damage: 25
Attack 3: (Gloom Stalker extra attack on first round of combat, doing an extra d8)
To hit: 27 (Natural 20)
Damage: 37
Total damage if all hit: 90 (all magical piercing)
With her movement, Ereni retreats as far as she can while staying in the darkness. Up to 45' (extra 10' on first round of combat for Gloom Stalkers). Still invisible to both darkvision and ordinary sight.
Mud(Paladin2):Frandal's Scourge/Inge(Barbarian1):Krayveneer's After the Fall/Seri(Cleric1/Sorcerer1):Uhtred's Windward Isles/Shin(Wizard2):Dimir_MTG's Surviving
Dyson/Eleo(Cleric3):Vos' Beyond the Veil/Soren(Druid4):Bartjeebus' Ravenloft/Nivi(Rogue3):Raiketsu's CoS/Lyra(Warlock2/Bard2):BlameItOnWinter's Will of the Ancients
Joren(Fighter5):NotDrizzt's Simple Request/Quyen(Adept1):Constance's Nentir Vale/Rel(Warlock2):Uhtred's Phandelver/Xarian(Fighter1/Wizard1):ShieldHero's Drakkenheim
Lir has enough time to look at Ward, his face giving behind the gap of his helm.
"What?"
This is all he has time to say, his genuine confusion to the Warforged's words dissolving as three arrows strike his father, two in the left side of his chest and one in his throat. King Haggard has enough time to grab for the arrow in his throat before he dies....and Prince Lir screams in horror and grief...
The scream is drowned out a moment later by a world shuddering bellow from beneath the hill.
Updated Post Order
Prince Lir
Lady Kaede
Johnathan
Schmendrick the Blue
Ereni
Nodjeim
Amitola
Ward
Armored Skeleton A
It is Nodjeim's turn!
DM of AURYN: The Measure of Devotion - Escape from New York
DM of Legacy of NIMH
Nodjeim draws a battle axe and closes his eyes for the briefest of moments before spinning into action. His steps are light and graceful, his body flexing and bending, the axe twirling and flashing and seemingly everywhere. The dance has begun.
Bonus Action: Invoke the Dance (or Rage, as the uncouth call it.)
Attacks are made recklessly...
Action: Battle Axe vs Haggard the Horrible, 2 handed Attack: 22 Damage: Unable to parse dice roll.
Action Surge...
Another Battle Axe vs Haggard the Horrible, 2 handed Attack: 8 Damage: 14
During these initial steps of the dance Nodjeim tries to position himself behind the horrible king so that other party members would be able to easily move into a flanking position. And at the end of these steps, Nodjeim draws his second battleaxe and smiles, ready for more.
We're doing one small murder-y thing for a bigger, better reason. The ends justify the means.
-- Eleanor Shellstrop
Johnathan raises his head as he hears the wizard chanting some sort of spell. In a moment his eyes turn red as a dark flame covers his hand. Ha, this is the great wizard? Let’s stop that spell shall we. The black flames shoot out of Johnathan’s hand and surrounds the wizard gesturing, trying to stop the spell from going off.
Reaction: counterspell(level 3)
Johnathan's counterspell makes Lady Kaede reappear...
DM of AURYN: The Measure of Devotion - Escape from New York
DM of Legacy of NIMH
Kaede suddenly reappears and yelps out “What in the world just happened to me? What trickery is this King and his men capable of?!”
Last to know and first to be blamed...
As a free action, can I regret my life choices?
Amitola springs to action, moving across the room to intercept the armored skeleton as everyone else is busy with the living. Her crystal sword carves into the torso of the things armor, before sticking there long enough to foul her next attack. The skeleton looks close to collapse...but its still on its feet and able to fight...
Updated Post Order
Prince Lir
Lady Kaede
Johnathan
Schmendrick the Blue
Ereni
Nodjeim
Amitola
Ward
Armored Skeleton A
It is Ward's turn!
DM of AURYN: The Measure of Devotion - Escape from New York
DM of Legacy of NIMH
Ward finishes reaching into his bag and pulls out a Bronze Horn, taking a big breath before blowing it. A single note ripples the air screaming out as 11 Berserker Vikings appear around the room. "Hold back the skeletons, two of you with me." Ward commands, then turning to Lir. "I understand your anger, and if you wish to kill me then you can later. Right now we need to find the woman your father was to marry. She is the Last Unicorn. Schmendrick changed her into a human to hide her, we are here to get her to safety and kill the Bull currently charging toward us. After this is over you can have your justice, but now I plead with you to help me save her. Then I will get you, her, and Schmendrick to safety where you will not be harmed while we kill that bull or die trying. Can you do this for me?" Ward says, then grabbing onto Lir's shoulder. "I wasn't lying when I said all wrongs could be undone, this is where you can change your families legacy, and the legacy of this world. Please, for that sake help me save The Mare." Ward says, looking into Lir's eyes hopefully.
P: The Traveling Ward: Natural Napalm Enthusiast. (AURYN: The Hunt For The Last Unicorn.)
DM:
The armored skeleton tries to sink a shortsword into Amitola but is unable to pierce her armor. As it does so, another skeleton, this one outfitted with a morning star, wanders out of the grandfather clock and clubs Amitola...
Lir's hand comes up in a blinding flash, batting Ward's arm away in the moments before his massive sword clatters to the floor. The Prince weeps openly, silently, tears rolling down his face as he kneels. Ever the epitomous warrior, his knee comes down on the blade as he pins it in place with an armored knee, and his hands scramble to pull his father's body into his arms. King Haggard is still gurgling, drowning in his own blood as the younger man gathers him into his embrace and holds him there...and then his body fails. The fight leaves the King, the King who was hail and brash just seconds ago...who is now dead.
"No." Lir says, not to anyone, not in answer to Ward, but seemingly to the heavens. "No. No no no..."
He plucks the bloody arrows from Haggard's throat, from his chest. He closes dead, staring eyes with blood soaked hands.
"All you had to do was leave." Prince Lir says, either not hearing anything Ward has said or choosing to ignore it. "All you had to do was leave. You walked in here, into our home, invited, acting like some high and mighty...what? Making threatening displays. High and mighty what? Into our home? You came into our home invited and you took all the family I had left from me?"
Lir never bothers to look up. He keeps his eyes down, resigned to whatever fate awaits him.
"Leave."
The castle crawls with noise as something beneath the keep roars and bellows, and the sound of clattering bones begins to fill the halls...
Updated Post Order
Skeleton Warrior A
Prince Lir
Lady Kaede
Johnathan
Schmendrick the Blue
Ereni
Berserkers
Nodjeim
Amitola
Ward
Armored Skeleton A
It is Lady Kaede's turn!
DM of AURYN: The Measure of Devotion - Escape from New York
DM of Legacy of NIMH
Kaede kneels down in front of Lir, grabs Haggard's crown, and gently places it on top of Lir's head. Then, looking directly into Lir's eyes with a tender look, she quietly says "Your Majesty...your people need you. You are now King of Hagsgate. We will leave, as you request, but let us help you. Where is the woman your father was to marry? She must be protected at all costs."
Persuasion: 17
Last to know and first to be blamed...
As a free action, can I regret my life choices?
Lir snatches the crown as quickly as it lands on his brow and swings it with all his strength toward the far end of the room, away from himself, away from all of them. It warps askew as it hits the wall, but does not break.
"Leave me!" He bellows in reply...
Updated Post Order
Skeleton Warrior A
Prince Lir
Lady Kaede
Johnathan
Schmendrick the Blue
Ereni
Berserkers
Nodjeim
Amitola
Ward
Armored Skeleton A
It is Johnathan's turn!
DM of AURYN: The Measure of Devotion - Escape from New York
DM of Legacy of NIMH
Johnathan gives a confused look as three arrows appear from no where and knock down the king. Why did this happen? We just came to speak to the wizard. He looks at the destroyed prince as he holds his father’s body in their hands. I thought I was working with professionals. Instead you all came in, threaten a king and jeopardised our whole mission. This was not the plan. WHY DID THIS HAPPEN! He stops himself before he says more. He clearly wasn’t happy about this situation. Johnathan walks up to the king’s body and channels his black flames into the king, desperately trying to stop them from passing from this world. He looks to the wizard. The game is over, get the unicorn and leave with us before the bull comes for us all.
Action: Spare the dying
Johnathan's energy pours into King Haggard's lifeless body...but the King, too far gone to be saved, is not resuscitated. His body is simply too damaged, his soul too far departed to be recoverable.
Schmendrick looks up with a shock when Johnathan addresses him about the unicorn.
"Unicorn? I wish there were a unicorn here! But there are no unicorns left in Hagsgate! Maybe in all the world!"
Schmendrick's attempt at Deception- 8
Updated Post Order
Skeleton Warrior A
Prince Lir
Lady Kaede
Johnathan
Schmendrick the Blue
Ereni
Berserkers
Nodjeim
Amitola
Ward
Armored Skeleton A
It is Ereni's turn!
DM of AURYN: The Measure of Devotion - Escape from New York
DM of Legacy of NIMH
Nodjeim's eyes quickly flash to Jonathan while he rants about his partners. "There was a plan?" he asks quizzically and quickly returns his eyes to his potential enemies.
We're doing one small murder-y thing for a bigger, better reason. The ends justify the means.
-- Eleanor Shellstrop