TUW: The Outpost

[MacConnell]

Posting for Tellerian Hawke

Maka peruses through the Amiradthan campsite, but he is more interested in the destination of the two Amiradthae who fled through only moments before. Passing through the area to look back over the grassy plain, he scans the horizon for several minutes.

If he determines there is no further danger, he will collect the two remaining rabbits from their spits before the crew moves on.
~No sense letting the fresh meat go to waste.~

Later, Seeing Taylar studying the talismans collected from the fallen, he sees if he can lend assistance in determining if they have any value.

GM: Maka finds a regularly used exit from the northern edge of the camp. Scanning the horizon for several minutes, he is finally able to catch a glimpse of the fleeing Amiradthae, still traveling away from the area and apparently heading east by southeast, which quite beneficially away from the crew's intended direction.

[sblock=Sense Way
Range: Essence + Adhesion
Effectiveness:

• Essence + Adhesion +
• Collegiate

This active Basic task is used to determine if an item can augment the natural abilities of the possessor or if another being can manipulate way. This sensitivity provides no specifics. The result is as simple as yes or no.
Maka: 12(Sense) + 99(d100) = 111: success[/sblock]

GM: Maka figures quite a bit of luck is still involved, but he does sense a given proclivity from each item.

[sblock=Identify Proclivity
Range: Touch
Effectiveness:

• Essence + Adhesion +
• Mind + Knowledge + Will +
• Collegiate

Time = 1 day * complexity / (Effectiveness + Luck)
This active Basic task is used to determine the specifics of an item that can augment the natural abilities of the possessor or bolster a particular manipulation.
Maka: 22(Id) + 99(d100) + 91(luck) = 212
Time: 1 day / 212 = 6.8 minutes
[/sblock]

OOC: Yellow Feather Talismans: 2 (augments Persona) Red feather Talisman: 1 (augments Health) Squirrel Tails: 2 (augments Health)

 

[Kwargrow]

After conferring with Maka over what the talismans can do, Taylar takes one of the yellow feather ones for himself. "I wonder what kind of bird this came from," he asks out loud.

Looking around, he has an idea and attempts to use Way to detect the birds while holding the feather.

 

[MacConnell]

Y 0: D 203: D 53: Continuing the Search

Weather:
Traveling on from the Amiradthan camp, the weather is very typical for the Doldrums season. It is very hot and completely calm. Even the small insects seem to be lazy, as they sit on the blades of ripened grass.

GM: Taylar periodically fiddles with his new talisman as he walks, especially when it is not his turn to lead the borrowed horse. The talisman is not very large and comprised of 5 feathers that appear to have come from the tail of some small bird. While he is doings so, the party passes some stunted scrub growing around a wayward boulder, and Taylar feels compelled to notice a brightly colored songbird putting on a great display atop one of the bushes. After a few seconds the bird flies away flicking its tail revealing the the center feathers to be bright yellow. Taylar is satisfied he has found an specimen of the same bird.

Travel:
By midday the crew can see the mountains on the horizon to indicate the northern edge of the plains. What catches everyone's attention at the same time is an awful smell. With no wind, it is difficult to pin-point and exact direction but the odor is too strong to avoid investigating. Still at a good 10 paces (~60') the source of the stench is located.

It is a dead horse. Even from this distance, it looks as if the animal has been butchered for food by people, not killed by wild animals. Several head-sized brown shapes are digging around the remains. Looks like some carrion beetles have found a buffet.

OOC: Send new % rolls to cover the possibility of any interaction with the scene.

 

[Waynan]

"Hmm." Raven Elk says to the others, "Big Dog eaters. Let's see if there are any hoof prints about." Thinking that these people may be riders and herders of the Big Dogs, or horses as they have learned to call them. Of course ---", and here Raven Elk sneers, Again with the beetles."

Raven Elk, spear and shield at the ready, waits for responses from Maka, Adi, Taylar and Vitt.

 

[Kwargrow]

At first Taylar considers the beetles and horse corpse beneath this notice, but then says, "I wonder if any of the horse bones would vibrate to us. Let's shoo those beetles off of there and see."

He hefts his club and prepares to dispose of the beetles and then use Way to determine if any of the horse remains respond.

 

[Sylvar B.]

Adi pushes into the middle of his friends and says in a low voice "Who ever doesn't kill a beetle has to wear a beetle carcass on their head like a hat the rest of the day Adi laughs as he starts jogging to one side, attempting to approach the carcass stealthily so the beetles don't notice him. He will strike the first beetle in the crack between head and thorax.

 

[MacConnell]

Y 0: D 203: D 53: A Dead Horse

Vittero frowns at the beetles and at the stench.

~Too bad shooting those bugs has proven ineffective, otherwise I would not even walk over there.~

As he prepares to go kick a beetle, Vittero conveys to the others,
"Hey. This may, very well, be one of the horses from that wagon. If so, we are definitely on the right track."

@Waynan
Raven Elk reacts first.

OOC: Do not forget, the crew is currently 10 paces, 20 regular steps from the corpse and the beetles.

 

[Tellerian Hawke]

Maka will join Adi in his assault; he does not intend to be "out-done" by his friend. Maka will use his bow as a club, and strike the nearest beetle with his best golf swing!

 

[Waynan]

Remembering that blunt attacks seem to work best against these creatures, Raven Elk flips his spear butt-end first. This time, however, as he approaches the beetles, he tries to influence them to move away a hundred beetle scuttles to allow him to investigate the carcass.

 

[MacConnell]

Day 203: Doldrums 53: Carrion Beetles

This time, however, as he approaches the beetles, he tries to influence them to move away a hundred beetle scuttles to allow him to investigate the carcass.

OOC: GM NOTE: This is a good thought, but Raven Elk's, as with all the crew, range is yet limited to touch. The task is called, Muddle, and is still possible, but only one beetle at a time can be affected and it must be bodily touch making the effort momentarily moot.

Remembering that blunt attacks seem to work best against these creatures, Raven Elk flips his spear butt-end first.

[sblock=Reaction Time]
Raven Elk: 13(Impetus) + 24(Sequence) + 81(d100) = 118
118 - 32(armor) - 100(weapon) = -14
Beetle: 0(Impetus) + 20(Sequence) + 42(d100) = 62 - 20(spray) = 42[/sblock]

GM: As Raven Elk approaches, he notices a few things better than he ever could have at distance. These beetles are not fully brown like those perviously encountered. What looked like blood from the horse sprinkled upon their carapaces is not. These beetles are flecked with small splotches of dark red. From a distance they would simply appear to be brown. The second thing he notices i that while the insects seem oblivious to their environment, they are in fact not so. They may not see or hear well, but the fine hairs upon the underside of the abdomen and upon their appendages allow them a great sensitivity to sound that they feel rather than hear. The downside for the beetle is that this is only effective at short distances, but that is sometimes enough. When Raven Elk is within 2 paces, the two nearest beetles suddenly leap and turn as if reacting to some unseen force. There are 10 beetles in total. Those two beetles spray a stream of toxic liquid before Raven Elk can reach them to strike.

[sblock=Muddle Spittle]
Beetle: 20(effect) + 42(d100) = 62
Raven Elk: 12(Skeptic) + 13(Tranquility) + 81(d100) = 106[/sblock]

GM: Ignoring the spittle as mere nuisance, Raven Elk takes swing at the nearest foe.

[sblock=Attacking]
Raven Elk: 15(Fury) + 24(Lethal) + 24(Spear) + 81(d100) = 144
Beetle: 7(defensiveness) + 20(Defend) + 42(d100) = 69
Damage: 144 - 69 = 75% * 10 = 8 - 2(soak) = 6
Mind: 3 - 6 = -3: unconscious
Body: 4 - 3 = 1: injured[/sblock]

GM: Raven Elk smacks the beetles using the blunt end of his spear with significant enough force to almost kill it.

OOC: GM NOTE: For future reference, do not use the butt end of the spear. Use the spear head, but state that the strike will be with the flat of the blade. This will do more damage. Maka is up next.