Fugees and Iron scenes 3 and 4

Scenes 3 and 4

In retrospect Scene 4 should really be scene 3.5, so I will post them together. Scene 4 sees the first combat of the campaign...

Scene 3

Can Verden prove the Refugees are innocent?

After a day spent searching through the ramshackle lodgings that pass for homes in the refugee camp and questioning their occupants, the investigation has drawn up nothing. The shopkeeper has not resurfaced, and nobody in the camp seems to know anything. It is a frustrating day, both for Hemlock, who was hoping to find the culprits, and for Verden, who has to watch his people interrogated over something he does not believe them guilty while the true culprit roams free.

“Why the shop?” Verden asks as the sun begins to set and the shadows lengthen.

“Opportunity?” Hemlock responds half heartedly. They have had this discussion several times already, and now it is looking depressingly likely to be the only lead he has left.

“What if it wasn’t? What if the target was either the shopkeeper himself, possibly because of links he has, or the shop, maybe a robbery or something?”

“Doesnt look like anything was taken. There was no sign of the place being ransacked. No struggle either for that matter.”

“So he might have done it himself and left to fake hiis own death? How much do you know about this ‘victim’?”

“Bit farfetched.” Hemlock responds dryly “More likely kidnapped, but we’ll look into it tomorrow I suppose.”

“How about tonight? We could have a last look at his things in the shop, and if it turns up nothing we can start afresh tomorrow.”

The shop is much as they left it, and they quickly set about looking through the shopkeepers belongings.

Was he killed for something he found out? Yes. His inventory states he had tracked down part of a schema used in the creation of warforged. He hadn’t taken possession of it yet, but he was due to do so.

“If we can track down that schema, my bet is we will find whoever did this.” Verden opines.

Scene 4

A contacts check is needed to find the seller for the schemata that same night. Verden rolls 1+1=2 for success at a minor cost. He tracks the seller down, but he is almost too late and he arrives just in time to see the seller murdered and the killer fleeing the scene.

CHASE. Will the killer escape?

Compel on heavy armour (resisted due to armour training). Overcome using Athletics for a roll of 2 and success at a minor cost.

Verden follows the insructions given to him, and arrives in time to see two shadowy men standing over a corpse. Before he can react, one of the men falls, and the third shadow runs down a nearby alley. Verden takes off in persuit, ignoring the strain of carrying his heavy armour and hauling himself over walls and keeping pace as he rushes after the shadowy killer.  Finally cornering him in an alley. Unfortunately, he has been led into a trap, and more thugs enter from side streets to surround him.

Zones:

darkness

Central Alley: Killer, Verden, street lamps

Side Alley: Thug Mob, crates

Side Alley: Thug Mob, Overhnging gantry

Side Alley: Thug Mob, narrow space

Warforged Killer: Nameless

Great: Physique

Fair: Fight, Athletics

Killer: May attack using Physique instead of fight

medium armour, bastard sword (a2, w2)

1 2 3 4

Thug Mobs:

Each 2 thugs

Average Fight (2)

x0/x1/11

(w1, a1)

The Killer turns to face him as more enter from side streets. Verden gives one last chance to surrender, and spins his halberd in a warding pattern, attempting to drive his foes back and stop them from using their numbers to their advantage. (using Fight for a roll of -1+3=2 and gaining the boost ‘Whirling death’)

The thugs close in, rushing to attack with no sense of strategy, coming at him in pairs.

The first pair close in but hold off (attack 2 vs defence 3), while the second pair rush close only to be driven back by his swinging blade (attack 2 vs defense 1, tagging ‘whirling death’ for defence 3). This breaks his rhythm, allowing the third pair of thugs to push in on him (attack 0 vs defense 0, gaining the boost ‘weight of numbers’)

The warforged killer wades in amongst his thugs, swinging an overhead blow (attack 4, vs defense 2. Tagging ‘weight of numbers’ for attack 6. 4 shifts + w2 – a3 = 3 stress) that Verden is unable to dodge because of the assailants pressing around him and he barely deflects it with a sweep of his halberd.

Verden sweeps aside from the killers attack, and launches one of his own (attack 3, defense 2 for 1shift +w3 – a1 = 3 stress.) smashing the blade of his halberd into the chest of one thug, caving it in and sending his corpse crashing into his comrade.

The thug recovers quickly, leaping his fallen comrade and thrusting his blade directly into verdens face (attack 2, defence 1. 1 shift + w1 -a3 = 0 stress. Creating the boost ‘distraction’)

The second pair of thugs take advantage of the distraction (attack 1, defence 2;  tagging ‘distraction’ and creating boost ‘swarming foes’)

The third pair rush from the other side, ducking in and attempting to strike at Verden as he deals with their comrades (tagging the boost to create a different one - ‘attacked from all sides’)

The killer stands amongst them (attack 6 vs defence 3. Tag ‘attacked from all sides’ for attack 8. 5 shifts +w2 -a3 = 4 stress.) and sweeps his blade in another solid blow which a harried Verden barely responds to in time.

(attack 1 vs defence 1. 0 shifts +w3 – a1 = 2 stress). Verden drops low and sweeps his blade in a low arc, cutting the legs of another thug from beneath him.

The first pair of thugs retaliate (attack 0 vs defense -1. 1 shift +w1 -a3 =0 stress. Creating boost ‘distraction), drawing forcing him to continue to circle and react as their comrades move behind (attack 3 vs defense 2.  1 shift +w1 -a3 =0 stress. Creating boost ‘multiple distractions’) and continue to assault his guard.

The Killer swings his sword in another arc, (attack 5 vs defence 2. tagging both boosts for attack 9. 7 shifts. 2 stress and moderate consequence – broken ribs).

The killers blade crunches into Verden’s rib cage and he feels something break. Another blow from one of the thugs takes his balance, and he drops painfully to the floor. For a moment he thinks that is the end as the Warforged killer raises his blade in a reversed grip, but then it seems to freeze and motions its allies to withdraw. Through the gloom he hears the sound of a watchmans whistle, and sergeant hemlock appears standing above him.

“Well well, looks like you shoulda waited till morning after all...”

Definately not a successful scene. Verden has gained a moderate consequence ‘broken ribs’, and the killer has escaped. Not only that, but in accepting the concession, the killer has gained a bonus fate point. To be fair, this was a pretty hard fight to win (although I could have used the alleyways to try and create advantages that would limit the numbers that could be brought to bear). Just the warforged on its own would probably have been a match for Verden.

I will end the session here as well, allowing Verden to regain his refresh before continuing.