Samwise and his two pawns are fighting a cave troll. Samwise summons his childhood memories of wrestling with his much larger brothers (and later, larger humans) to cling to the cave troll and hopefully stab one of its beady eyes. Samwise has the Armed Grappler perk for his favorite shortsword, Orctorch.
Samwise: the cave troll's about to charge. Now's my chance to climb for its head. Pawni, distract it! Guide, I climb some rubble to get a good jumping point.
Pawni: yes, Arisen!
Guide of Modos (GM): Sam, roll movement. (Samwise rolls a physical contest with movement skill, 14.) Okay Sam, your last action gets you +4 on your grapple attempt. New round, and the cave troll charges toward you! (Rolls). Pawni, you have just enough time to get out of the way or draw the cave troll's attention to you. What will it be?
Pawni: I exist to help the Arisen! I'm taunting it. Is that Metaphysical?
GM: Yes, metaphysical, and Engage skill if you have it. (Pawni's contest is 9.) That's enough to draw the troll - it doesn't have a vendetta against Sam. Yet. It does 6 damage, swinging its huge club as it reaches Pawni.
Pawni: ugh! Wishing Sam had better outfitted me now!
Pawnette: Sam, it's a troll. It hates fire! While they're messing around, I'll get an arrow notched.
Sam: And I jumped as it reached Pawni. Do I need to roll, since it's attacking?
GM: Just to be safe. You're not doing the easiest thing here, but that's why you prepped with the bonus. (Sam's physical contest is 11 with the +4 from his tactical position.) That's a Pro, and you cling to a fold on the troll's back, but it looks oddly like you're dangling from armpit hair. The troll raises its club high to finish smashing Pawni.
Sam: oh, no! Can I grab its arm?
GM: You can interrupt, but that will end your grapple. (Rolls the troll's attack and damage.)
Sam: I'm sorry Pawni! I'm going for the head! I react by stabbing at its eyes.
Pawnette: And I react by shooting it in the eye. (Rolls attack and damage.)
Sam: C'mon Pawnette, don't miss! You'll hit me!
Pawnette: only if I roll too low. (Slowly reveals attack contest.) I got 8 with the grappling penalty, and 3 damage. I doubt that'll be enough, so I draw another arrow.
GM: The troll goes to smash Pawni, with (rolls) a 15, and 7 damage. As it does, Pawnette shoots, and Sam twists to get an eyeball stab in. Sam, physical?
Sam: I got 6. But 6 damage, thanks to my Armed Grappler perk, and Orctorch.
GM: Well, you attacked while it was busy, and you're much closer to your target than Pawnette is. You don't quite get an eyeball, but you've fought your way to the top. While doing so, you felt the troll shudder from Pawnette's arrow, and then you almost fell off when its arms came down to smash Pawni. . .
Pawni: 21 Parry. I rolled behind a nearby column.
GM: . . . and everyone's ears suffer from the crash of the club on the ground where Pawni was. Pawnette's turn.
Pawnette: I'm reloading my way into the next round.
GM: Right. Sam?
Sam: Strongly hoping the troll can't reach me with the huge club, so I'll use my last action to attack the eyeball again. (Rolls attack and damage.)
GM: The troll has figured out that you're hanging around. It reacts to awkwardly brush you off with its open hand. (Rolls physical plus unarmed.) 11. It Ties your grapple contest!
Sam: Uh oh. Yes, but I just stabbed its weak spot, and it was probably distracted by Pawnette's arrow as well.
GM: Fair. The troll's hand doesn't have the momentum to knock you off - but it does close on your head and reek of body odor.
Sam: Yech. I'm done.
GM: Pawni's turn.
Pawni: I have one action. Can the troll react?
GM: Let's just say it's looking for something to do. Like squash Sam's head.
Pawni: I'll just end my turn, strolling back into view from behind the column.
Sam: yes, don't aggravate it!
GM: New round. The cave troll leans toward Pawnette, but then heaves back toward a column, with Sam in the middle! (Rolls physical.)
Sam: I'm holding on!
GM: It's 18, breaking your first grapple contest of 11. What happened?
Sam: I saw the writing on the, uh, column, and let go before becoming a pancake. Can I react to grab back on, even while falling?
GM: sure, you have actions available. Roll to set your new contest.
Sam: (Rolls) 15. Better. No armpit hair for me. This time I have, I don't know, two fistfuls of loincloth to hold onto.
GM: The troll feels the tug and swings into the column again.
Pawnette: I'm shooting it again. (Rolls attack and damage.)
Pawni: And I don't want Sam to get smashed. Can I run up and brace the troll away from the column?
GM: Sure Pawni. Roll physical. (Rolls the troll's defense against grappling.) Pawni: Pro, Pawnette: Pro. Pawni slowed the swing just enough, pushing against the troll's leg, for Sam to hang on, and Pawnette shoots the troll in its non-existent neck. It's done for now. Pawnette?
Pawnette: I'll reload, and see what happens.
Sam: My turn. I'll maintain the grapple first, and I have one action left. I think I might be a better distraction than eyeball-stabber. Can I just combine my last action with the maintain action, to go for a really good grapple?
GM: Sure. If you want to really crawl into the loincloth folds for dear life. Roll your maintain contest first.
Pawni: Hang on, Arisen! You distract, we'll destroy!
Sam: I hope so! So, the maintain is (rolls) 9. Yes, I'll take half on my last action, which puts my grapple contest at 13. Now, pawns! Attack while I'm twisting the loincloth very uncomfortably!
GM: As you tighten the loincloth, the cave troll seems to home in on your location, sending a nasty, huge claw to loose your grip. Pawns, the troll's claw attacks at full damage in a grapple, so if you're going to use Sam's distraction, you'd better do it now!
