Scene 4
So Verden
knows that a malevolent arcane force is controlling the minds of refugees, and
that he has become a target. He is also being hunted by minions of the Vampire.
Going home is probably not a good idea. He could stay with his friend in the
watch, but he probably doesn’t want them thinking the refugees are causing
trouble. How about staying at a House Jorasco Inn? Where better to find rest
and succour from the darkness.
I’m not sure
how that will affect the next scene though. He needs to find a way to track the
source of the malevolence. That means either finding a wizard who can help,
convincing the priestess of the silver flame to help, or buying a magical item
that will help him to track the source of the curse..
Actually,
scrap that. It seems more fitting for him to return to the refugee camp and
gather allies to resist the corruption. Bearing that in mind, he will return to
camp and seek out allies who have not been corrupted, calling them together for
an emergency council meeting.
Can Verden gather allies amongst the
refugees?
That sounds
like an Empathy check to find people who are not acting strangely, for which he
rolls a 2+2=4, succeeding in identifying and gathering a core group of
potential allies.
Verden sneaks
back into the refugee camp at dawn, keeping to the shadows with a cloak wrapped
about him and watching for signs of corruption. He quickly identifies potential
allies who don’t seem to be exhibiting signs of corruption, and approaches them
to call them to an emergency meeting.
Convincing
them to attend the meeting and using the meeting to convince them to help will
both be handled with a single Rapport roll (of -3+2=-1). Unfortunately the
vampire has been working through its minions, spreading rumours and lies
against Verden and hardening people to his words. He appeals to his history of
defending the community (spending a fate point to tag champion of the dispossessed for a re-roll and getting 0+2=2,
success at a minor cost). They come round reluctantly, but it it is clear that
the roots of the vampires corruption are spreading deep through the community.
Finally, he
will roll stealth to try and keep his actions and the meeting secret from the
vampires minions (getting 0+0=0). Not likely – he is about as subtle as a bull,
and his small gathering of allies is quickly set upon by a legion of enthralled
minions as his allies prepare to face their friends and neighbours in a battle
for their very souls…
Actually,
lets raise the stakes and have the vampire himself lead the assault this time,
so first we need to discover a bit more about this vampire.
D10 to pick a
vampire style from the world of darkness (as they are nice and iconic in their
own ways) and I get a 6 – Malkavian!! So this is a vampire (randomly determined
as male) whose bloodline has imbued it with madness – a madness that it can
pass on to others. This ought to be fun.
So;
BOSS Skitz
Fledgling
Vampire
Thirsty for
more blood and power
A font of
Madness, Laughter in the face of Death, Unreasonable Strength
Great:
Physique, Stealth
Good:
Athletics, Fight, Provoke
Fair: Magic,
Notice, Will, Contacts
Undead
immunity; only harmed by holy or magic weapons
Bite; w3 when
attacking helpless or grappled targets
Power of
Madness; Use Provoke instead of magic to create advantages based on temporary
madness (or illusion)
Physical [1]
[2] [3] [4]
Mental [1]
[2] [3]
Filler
3 x
Enthralled Minions; Average fight,
[x][1][1][1][1][1][1][1]/ [1][1][1][1][1][1][1][1]/ [1][1][1][1][1][1][1][1]
W:1
1 x Allied
Refugees; Average Grapple [1][1][1][1][1][1][1][1]
Zones;
Meeting Hall
[defensive barricades]
Streets [open ground]
Nearby
Buildings [plentiful cover]
Round 1
Skitz climbs
his way to the top of a building near the meeting hall and lets out an
anguished cry – signalling the attack. (using athletics for a create advantage
roll of 0+3=3, creating a commanding
vantage point with 1 free invoke.)
Verden looks
across the street to see Minions gathering, and hastily orders the doors and
windows to be blocked and tables to be arranged as barricades (creating an
advantage using rolling rapport for -1+2=1, and instead creating the advantage Trapped behind barricades with 1 hostile
invoke)
The minions
charge across the open streets in a wave of bodies that crashes against the
walls of the meeting hall (rolling athletics to move the extra zone for a
-1+0=-1, 0+0=0, and 0+0=0 against a passive resistance of two and milling in
the street).
The refugees
hunker down defensively (total defense for a +2 nonus until next round)
Round 2
Skitz murmurs
words of power, and a palpable aura of hopeless despair washes out from him
(create advantage using provoke against the refugees for -1+3=2. Verden defends
using Faith for 3+3=6, creating a boost of emboldened
instead). As his men start to waver, Verden exhorts them to stand firm,
reminding them of all they faced in the Mournland.
As the
enthralled minions press against the barricades, Verden starts throwing out orders
(overcome against Trapped behind the
barricades for -3+2=-1. He tags Sick
of war and bloodshed for a fate point and a reroll, getting 1+2=3. Against
a passive 2+2. The aspect remains but the free tag is used up). For a moment
the refugees mill in confusion, wondering why they should fall back and leave
openings in the defenses against their natural instincts, but Verden has seen
his share of Seiges. They need room to manouver as well as somewhere to fall
back to.
The minions
attempt to gain entry to the hall once more (rolling 0, 3, and 0), and slowly
but surely they push their way in through windows and doors (one group gains
entry).
The refugees
spring into action, falling on the minions who manage to climb into the
building with fists and feet (attack 0+1=1 tagging emboldened for +2=3, against
defence 1 and a passive floor of 2 from the barricades), pummelling them as
best they can past the barricades they have erected and managing to bring one
of the attackers down.
Round 3
Waves of
despair continue to pour from Skitz (rolling provoke for 0+3=3 against verdens
faith of 0+3=3, creating a boost wavering
faith) and the refugees begin to waver, held in place only by the presence
of the embodiment of divine will in their midst.
If they
remain bottled in the hall, they will slowly be ground away and Verden knows
it. He needs to do something to break the stalemate. Leaving a trusted militia
member to oversee the defence, Verden climbs the barricade and uses his halberd
to vault straight at one of the minions like a human cannon ball (attacking
with athletics for -1+0=-1 +2 smite=1 and tagging infused with the living flame for a fate point and +2=3 against
passive resistance 2 from the barricades and the minions defense -1, causing 1
stress) erupting into silver flame as he drives the man back through the
window, exorcising the vampires influence and sending them both sprawling into
the street outside.
As soon as he
hits the street, swarms of minions pile on him (attacking for -2+4=2 and
-1+4=3, against his fight of -2+3=1 and 1+3=4. Gaining them a hard pressed boost.) Verden fluidly
rolls to his feet, sweeping the blunt end of his halberd in a wide circle to
keep the swarms at bay while he regains his feet.
Inside the
hall, the minions surge past the defences (overcome of 0+3=3), tearing down the
barricades and opening the way for their allies to join them.
The refugees
surge into combat (rolling 2+4=6 against defence 2+4=6), doing their best to
hold back the flow of minions.
Round 4
Skitz cackles
with glee as he watches Verden become bogged down in a sea of his minions, and
with a howl of laughter he launches himself from the roof to land in the center
of the swirling melee (rolling 1+3=4 +1 scale=5 +2 for commanding vantage point =7, +2 for unreasonable strength =9 at a cost of 1 fate point against verdens defence 2+3=5. Causing
4+w2-a3=3 stress). The vampire descends like a commet, swinging its blade in a
wide arc that channels all of its falling momentum into a single blow that
Verden barely deflects enough dodge aside from, sending him reeling aside as
skitz blade carves a deep rend into the ground at his feet.
Faced with
the Vampire himself, Verden sees a direct means to end the conflict (attacking
for -1+3=2 +2 smite=4, against a defence of -2+3=1, +1 scale=2. Causing
2+w3-a2=3 stress.) a blazing trail of silver flame follows his halberds path as
he whirls and thrusts against the vampires defence, pressing it back and
regaining some space.
Inside the
meeting hall (minions attack for 0+6=6 vs 2+3=5, then refugees attack for 0+3=3
vs -1+3=4, taking one stress) another minion is brought down as the combat
intensifies.
Skitz
motions, and the minions in the street round on Verden (create advantage for
0+3=3 vs 1+3=4, and 0+3=3 vs 1+3=4) and they wheel away from the meeting hall
to converge on the duel taking place in their midst. Without relenting in his
attack on the vampire Verden widens the arc of his swings, forcing the mob to
hold back and giving him space to manouver.
Round 5
Skitz backs off,
watching the timing of Verdens swings as his halberd streaks back and forth.
The wider arcs necessary to keep the horde at bay increase the time each swing
takes and Skitz watches for the perfect moment, swaying away from the flaming
blade and then (attacking for 3+3=6, against -1+3=2. Resulting in 4+w2-a3= 3
stress) rushing in with a fast barrage of solid blows that break Verdens rhythm
and send him staggering.
Verden fights
back (for 1+3=4 +2 smite =6, vs 0+3=3. Causing 3+w3-a2=4 stress), spinning aside
from the vampires line of attack and swinging his halberd in a blazing arc that
Skitz is forced to roll underneath.
The minions
surrounding him take their chance to rush him again (for 0+3=3 vs 1+3=4 and
-1+3=2 vs -2+3=1, creating an advantage ‘mobbed’ with 1 free tag)
Round 6
As enthralled
refugees mob Verden, tangling his limbs and restricting his weapon, Skitz steps
in and raises his blade (attacking for -2+3=1, +2 mobbed = 3, vs 2+3=5) ready for an executioners blow as his minions
step aside to clear space for his swing.
Verden
attempts to throw off the men pinning him (rolling -2+3=1 vs 4+3=7, giving the
minions another free tag) but every minion he throws off or purifies with the
flame is replaced by two more.
The minions
holding Verden begin to pummel him withtheir makeshift weapons (for -3+3=0, vs
2+3=5. Rerolling for mobbed and getting 0+3=3).
Round 7
Skitz watches
for an opening in the press of bodies, and brings his blade down (attacking for
0+3=3, vs -2+3=1. Causing 2+w2-a3=1 stress) in an arc that barely glances off
Verdens armour as he twists aside, sending himself and the minions gripping him
sprawling.
Verden
attampts to climb to his feet, hoping he can do so faster than the men who have
lost their grip on him, but as he rises yet more jump on top of him. (rolling
1+3=4 against the minions 3+3=6).
The mob press
their advantage (rolling 0+3=3 against 2+3=5) holding onto him as best they
can.
Round 8
Skitz stabs
blindly into the mass of sprawling limbs (for -1+3=2 against -3+3=0. Causing
2+w2-a3=1 stress. This will mark Verdens last stress box, but instead I will
take it as a minor consequence, gaining a shallow
wound and concede rather than draw this out. Concession means killing
Verden is off the table, so Skitz will capture him instead. This gives the GM
and verden 1 fate point each) and drawing a satisfying grunt of pain from the
paladin.
With his
strength flowing from a bloody wound, the vampires minions are abale to get
Verden under control, taking his weapon and binding his limbs. Seeing their
champion taken captive, the men in the meeting hall lay down their weapons and
surrender.
Scene 9
Can Verden
escape?
Things are
pretty dire. Verden is injured and has been captured along with all of the free
refugees he could muster up. His weapons have been removed, and he has been
locked in a dungeon cell.
I cant think
of a decent escape plan right now, so we will end the scenario here.
Verden will
change his background aspect to Enslaved by
a Vampire along with my people. And gain a point of stealth from his sneaking around.
Rescuing him will have to be left to another
character…
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