Scenario 6, Scene 7; A fighting retreat

Scene 7

Having traipsed in circles on the way to the encampment, it will require another overcome action from Dart to get them back safely to the Skysled (at a difficulty of 3 because it is getting dark. he rolls 2+2=4).

True to form, he manages to guide them back without any problems, however they arrive to find that a warforged patrol have already found the Skysled (tipped off by the survivors of the ambush on Dart). Have they managed to get it off the ground? No. They are grouped around, trying to get it working.

So, a conflict it is…

Warforged scout

Fight +2 (+3)

[1][1]  [2][2][3][3] [4][4][5] /

Warforged Sergeant (threat)

One with the Forest

Great: Fight

Good: Nature, Physique

Physical [1][2][3][4]  / [1][2][3][4]

Mental [1][2]

Forest Stalker: Use nature as stealth when in forest terrain

Lets use the same stats as earlier, but there are a dozen men split into 2 mobs led by 2 sergeants.

Because the warforged are preoccupied I will give the initiative to the PC’s.

Round 1

Dart stalks the treeline and readies his bow (creating advantage using stealth for 0+3=3 and ‘hidden hunter’ with 1 free invoke).

Kayla steps up and murmurs a word of power that cracks the earth (spending a fate point to use magic as contacts to create an advantage for 0+3=3, +2 for powerful bindings=5 creating ‘Earth elemental’  with 2 free invokes). A roughly hewn facsimile of a warforged pulls itself from the ground in front of Kayla and moves to intercept the Soldiers.

The Warforged take up their weapons and advance on Kayla, but the Elemental blocks their path. (first sergeant rolls to overcome it with 0+4=4, getting a boost. Second sergeant rolls to overcome with 1+4=5, forcing the elemental to use a free invocation. First squad rolls 0+4=4, getting a boost. Second squad rolls -1+4=3, nothing)

The Earth elemental moves with surprising speed to intercept the warforged and they fan out to surround it, raining down blows on its craggy hide and doing little more than shower themselves in chips of stone.

Round 2

Dart takes his time lining up his sights on the swirling melee and carefully picks his targets (rolling notice for -1+3=2 and gaining a ‘carefully selected targets’ boost)

Kayla backs away from the melee around her elemental and unleashes another carefully prepared spell (spending her final fate point to use magic as contacts to create an advantage for 3+3=6, +2 for powerful bindings, creating ‘Air Elemental’ with 2 free invokes), that sends shockwaves through the air. Wind tears at the combatants, shredding leaves from nearby trees as a vaguely humanoid tornado visibly takes shape above her, outlined by ripples of forked lightning.

The warforged press relentlessly press their attack (the first sergeant rolls 1+4=5, +2 for boost =7). Seizing his moment, one of the sergeants lunges forwards, driving his blade into a crack in the elementals rocky hide and wrenching it sideways, splitting the elemental open and shattering it allowing his men to flow past unhindered.

Before they can reach Kayla, her second Elemental rushes down to intercede (the second sergeant rolls 0+4=4, gaining a boost. First squad rolls -2+4=2, +2 for boost =4, gaining another boost. Second squad rolls -2+4=2, nothing). As one the warforged slam into the living storm that Kayla has conjured, bracing against the savage force of its winds and slashing mechanically at the air, drawing sparks of static along the lengths of their blades.

Round 3

Unseen and unnoticed, Dart picks his timing and begins to rain death (rolling notice as shoot for 0+3=3, +2 for weapons of the hunter and bow specialist =5, +4 for tagging ‘hidden hunter’ and ‘carefully selected targets’=9, +4 for spending 2 fate points on ‘forged in the fires of war’ and ‘rapid shooting’=13. Against 0+0=0, +2 for GM spending a fate to tag ‘air elemental’=2. Gaining 11 shifts -1 for ‘rapid shot’=10+w3-a1=12 stress!! Taking out 5 Scouts and using the boost from the remaining mob. Then he uses ‘rapid shot for his second attack at -1+3=2, +2 for weapons of the hunter and bow specialist=4, against defence 2, getting 4-2=2 shifts and scoring 2+w3-a1=4 stress. Taking out a further 2 warforged). One by one he picks off warforged fighters as clear shots present themselves The swirling melee makes it difficult, and one or two arrows are sent spinning off course by the strong winds of the elemental, but nevertheless warforged fall like dominoes under his withering barrage of arrows, leaving barely a handful facing the rage of the elemental.

Kayla’s prepared spells are all but spent, but she is far from helpless as her summoned Elemental lashes out at the warforged struggling against it (she spends one free tag to use magic as shoot by directing the actions of the elemental for -2+3=1, +2 for spending the other free tag =3, against  1+0=1, gaining 3-1=2 shifts and 2+w0-a1=1 stress) buffeting and staggering them.

With  men dropping around him, the lead sergeant glances towards the treeline (rolling 2+4=6, and overcoming the elemental), and motioning his men to deal with the new threat before renewing his attack on the storm. Lightning wreathes his blade as he pushes into the storms heart before plunging the blade into the soil at his feet, acting as a conductor and grounding its energies. For a moment he is lit up, a living lightning conductor, and then it is over and the winds dwindle to nothing.

The second sergeant and his men rush Dart (sergeant rolling -3+4=1 against 3+2=5, for defence with style and a boost. Warforged roll -2+3=1 against 3+2=5, for defence with style and a boost), but are unable to close past his killing zone through the dense undergrowth.

Round 4

Dart picks off the Warforged as they struggle to reach him (rolling notice as shoot for 1+3=4, +4 for 2 boosts, +2 for weapons of the hunter and bow specialist=8, against 0 gaining 8 shifts -1for rapid shots=7shifts and 7+w3=a1=9 stress. Taking out the remaining scouts. Then 2^nd shot for 0+3=3 +2 for stunts=5, against 0 gaining 5 shifts and 5+w3-a1=7 stress, taking out the sergeant!!), calmly taking them out one at a time with well placed shots.

Kayla backs away from the oncoming warforged sergeant, with few magical options remaining. She casts a minor incantation (using magic to create an advantage for 3+3=6, gaining the advantage ‘shimmering form’ with 2 free tags) that causes her form to shift and shimmer faintly.

(offering a GM concession here, to save the final sergeant. He will turn and run back into the forest, letting the PC’s leave without further problems, but ensuring word reaches the camp about their escape. Do the PC’s accept? Yes, and happily – let him go and spread word of the massacre. This gains each PC and the GM a fate point each, but since this ends the adventure it probably wont matter).

The final sergeant looks at Kyla’s shimmering form and then to the trees where a deadly archer lurks, then turns tail and runs. Dart tracks him with his bow for a moment, but Kayla motions him to stand down.

“Let him go and help me get this ship airborne. We need to follow his example and get moving ourselves before more patrols catch up with us – it can’t have taken them long to deal with my flames.”

Reluctantly Dart assents, and they begin the task of getting their skysled operational. Luckily the patrol they interrupted had made a start for them as no sooner has Kayla coaxed the bound elemental to life than a warforged patrol emerges from the treeline. Dart returns opens fire on them, hoping to buy more time as Kayla guides them into the air but none the less they take off amongst a steady hail of arrows which quickly drops behind them as they rise out of range.

And so ends Scenario 6.

Dart gains a point of Nature, raising it to Fair through his practice of woodsmanship and tracking.

Kayla gains a point of Ride, raising it to average through her experiences piloting the skyship.