Midway Mining Expedition (PbP)

[Tellerian Hawke]

Taka nods, "We should go to Shaft 9 and look around. And we should be heavily armed when we do so. Lead the way, Coldtree. I am with you."

 

[MacConnell]

Coldtree thanks Gebbrik, and says... "We should prepare well for this mission."

Taka nods, "We should... be heavily armed..."

Tehn gives Taka a sidelong glance, "Heavily armed with what? This is what we have; besides, your arms are heavy enough!"

Like some poor sot who is terrible at making jokes, he then laughs too hard at his own humor. The three provision themselves with water and dried food.

The trip to shaft 9 takes several hours to walk. The trail northward from behind the tavern is easy enough to see and well marked, but it proceeds higher into the mountains. If Tamus and the other miner happen to be headed back, they will be impossible to miss, for the two groups should meet head-on.

Game trails do periodically cross the main path. Though they could be followed, it would not be by mistake, for the main path contains signage with a printed number designated the mine. By midmorning at one of these junctures, some large beetles appear to be eating on a carcass.

Moving closer, the beetles, which are about the size of a person's head, seem to be oblivious to their surroundings, but the remains of what looks like a goat and the carrion scarabs are blocking the path. It is highly unlikely that the beetles killed the goat. By the smell, it has probably been dead a while.

Tehn prods Coldtree. "What was that word you called us?... Exterminators. Right, Looks like this is becoming a habit. Here, each of you take one of the ant stingers incase you want to use it. I doubt we can just walk by."

OOC: It is not necessary to add disposable items to the characters records. Each character receives 1 DP.

 

[Kwargrow]

And we should be heavily armed when we do so

Heavily armed with what?

Coldtree grins and holds up his hands, calloused from his years of training. "These are my weapons. I actually meant we should bring plenty of food and water in case we have to go deep into the mine."
Later, at the beetle encounter, he says in Hebrian, "Back in East Port we had squads of people whose job it was to wipe out pest infestations in the city. We called them 'exterminators' because their job wasn't done until the entire infestation was wiped out." He holds up his hand and manipulates Way to let fire play over his fingers. "I wonder how these bugs will taste roasted in their shells?"
Coldtree will move up the left flank, away from the goat to approach the beetles from behind. Whenever a beetle draws near, he will punch it and Heat with Way.

Spoiler: Rolls

93(+77), 76

 

[Tellerian Hawke]

Taka will follow suit, attacking one of the beetles with a slightly different tactic; using the axe handle, he will attempt to smash one of the beetles by hitting it on the back, at the crease where the wings fold together. Taka will augment the attack with Way, to make the blow land with more force than normal.

Spoiler: Base Rolls

Initiative: 24
Way Manipulation (Thump): 75
Attack Base Roll: 81

 

[MacConnell]

Spoiler: Reaction

Effectiveness: readiness + speed + clarity + d100
Readiness: Body + Combat + Motility
Speed: Mind + Commercial + Knowledge
Clarity: Essence + Collegiate + Cohesion
Coldtree: 15 + 15 + 20 + 93 + 77 = 220
Maka: 17 + 12 + 17 + 24 = 70
Tehn: 14 + 21 + 15 + 59 = 109
Beetles: 21 + 12 + 0 + 64 = 97

Spoiler: Speed of Action

Coldtree: 12(armor) - 12(strength) + 100(manipulation) - 220 ~ 0
Taka: 16(armor) - 14(strength) + 100(manipulation) - 70 = 32
Tehn: 16(armor) - 15(strength) + 100(manipulation) - 109 ~ 0
Beetles: 100(excretion) - 97 = 3

Spoiler: Aggressive Assault

Effectiveness: aggression + accuracy + fury + d100
Aggression: Body + Combat + Strength
Accuracy: Mind + Commercial + Knowledge
Fury: Essence + Collegiate + Confluence
Coldtree: 15 + 15 + 20 + 76 = 131
Taka: 18 + 12 + 16 + 81 = 127
Tehn: 15 + 21 + 14 + 79 = 129
Beetles: 21 + 12 + 0 + 84 = 117

Spoiler: Physical Defense

Effectiveness: defend + avoidance + analysis + d100
Defend: Body + Combat + Motility
Avoidance: Mind + Commercial + Knowledge
Analysis: Essence + Collegiate + Adhesion
Coldtree: 15 + 15 + 19 + 76 = 125
Taka: 17 + 12 + 16 + 81 = 126
Beetle3: 21 + 12 + 0 + 84 = 117
damage: 127 - 117 = 10% * 5 = 1 - 2(soak), ineffective
Beetle5: damage: 129 - 117 = 12% * 3 = 1 - 2(soak), ineffective

Spoiler: Mystical Assault

Effectiveness: bending + task + d100
Bending: Mind + Commercial + Knowledge + Will
Coldtree: 18 + 20(heat) + 93 + 77 = 208
Taka: 16 + 16 + 75(thump) = 107
Tehn: 21 + 15(ionize) + 84 = 120
Beetles: 33(toxicity) + 89 = 122

Spoiler: Mystical Resistance

Coldtree: 16(conditioning) + 20(clarity) + 76(d100) = 112
damage: 122 - 112 = 10% * 10 = 1 x 2 = 2
Mind: 10 - 2 = 8, dazed
Beetle1: 21(conditioning) + 89(d100) = 110
damage: 208 - 110 = 98% * 10 = 10
Body: 1 - 10 = -9, dead
Taka: 17(conditioning) + 17(clarity) + 75(d100) = 109
damage: 122 - 109 = 13% * 10 = 1 x 2 = 2
Mind: 10 - 2 = 8, dazed
Tehn: 15(conditioning) + 15(clarity) + 75(d100) = 105
damage: 122 - 105 = 17% * 10 = 2
Mind: 10 - 2 = 8, dazed
Beetle5: 110, damage: 120 - 110 = 10% * 10 = 1
Body: 1 - 1 = 0, incapacitated

Coldtree... at the beetle encounter... says in Hebrian, "Back in East Port we had squads of people whose job it was to wipe out pest infestations in the city. We called them 'exterminators' because their job wasn't done until the entire infestation was wiped out." He holds up his hand and manipulates (thermal waylines) to let fire play over his fingers. "I wonder how these bugs will taste roasted in their shells?"
Coldtree will move up the left flank, away from the goat to approach the beetles from behind. Whenever a beetle draws near, he will punch it and Heat (it).

As Coldtree moves within 1 pace of the feeding beetles, they immediately stop eating and face him. They are apparently much more aware of their environment than first perceived. Instead of charging toward him, the two nearest beetles hunch their bodies forward and sprays a noxious substance at him, which slightly fogs Coldtree's cognition. Despite being dazed, he leans in, slapping the beetle, causing it to boil to death from the inside.

The second beetle hops forward, after spraying, trying to hook Coldtree with its horn but misses.

Taka will follow suit, attacking one of the beetles with a slightly different tactic; using the axe handle, he will attempt to smash one of the beetles by hitting it on the back, at the crease where the wings fold together. Taka will augment the attack (by manipulating mechanical waylines to add a pulse of air to the attack, giving the physical blow more force).

Taka lifts his club and moves directly at the feeding beetles. When almost close enough to swing, two of the centrally located insects turn and spray him before he can act. The spray burns his eyes and muddles his thoughts. Bringing his club to bear on one of the beetles only manages to knock it away. What is of greater disappointment is that as he manipulates the mechanical waylines, they unravel when he tries to cause them travel through the wooden handle. Fortunately, the second beetle is ineffective at physically attacking while the first rights itself.

Since Coldtree moved around to the left, Tehn takes the right flank. Reacting more quickly than the beetles, he manages to ineffectively kick one, though mystically causing its insides to become damagingly acidic, incapacitating it. The second beetle then sprays him with the noxious substance.

Spoiler: Collectibles

Coins:

• Shillings: 377

Animal Parts:

• Ant Pinchers: 2, (Cohesion +1)
• Ant Stingers: 10, {Toxin x2}

Stone:

• Flint: 1, {Shock x2}
• Slate: 1, {Sound x2}

OOC: Each character receives 2 DP. For those not fluent in Hebrian, proficiency improves by 1%.

 

[Tellerian Hawke]

Taka drops the handle, and draws his sword. He intends to try again, this time, without using a wooden implement, and pummeling with the flat of the blade, rather than trying to cut with the edge of it.

Spoiler: Base Rolls

Sword Attack: 75
Manip. Way (Thump): 83

 

[Kwargrow]

Since heat worked so well, Coldtree will attack another beetle in the same way.

Spoiler: Rolls

19, 64

 

[MacConnell]

Spoiler: Reaction

Effectiveness: readiness + speed + clarity + d100
Readiness: Body + Combat + Motility
Speed: Mind + Commercial + Knowledge
Clarity: Essence + Collegiate + Cohesion
Coldtree: 15 + 15 + 20
Maka: 17 + 12 + 17
Tehn: 14 + 21 + 15

Spoiler: Speed of Action

Coldtree: 0 + 20(dazed) + 100(heat) = 120
Taka: 32 + 20(dazed) + 2(clothing) + 40(sword) = 94 + 60(thump) = 154
Tehn: 0 + 20(dazed) + 100(ionize) = 120
Beetles: 3 + 20(attack) = 23, 43, 63, 83, 103, 123, 143

Spoiler: Aggressive Assault

Effectiveness: aggression + accuracy + fury + d100
Aggression: Body + Combat + Strength
Accuracy: Mind + Commercial + Knowledge
Fury: Essence + Collegiate + Confluence
Coldtree: 15 + 15 + 20 + 19 = 69
Taka: 18 + 12 + 16 + 75 = 121
Tehn: 15 + 21 + 14 + 49 = 99
Beetles: 21 + 12 + 0 + 44 = 77

Spoiler: Physical Defense

Effectiveness: defend + avoidance + analysis + d100
Defend: Body + Combat + Motility
Avoidance: Mind + Commercial + Knowledge
Analysis: Essence + Collegiate + Adhesion
Coldtree: 15 + 15 + 19 + 64 = 113, dodged
Taka: 17 + 12 + 16 + 75 = 120 - 100(2nd opponent) + 12(kilter) = 32
damage: 77 - 32 = 45% * 2 = 1 - 4(deflect), ineffective x 7
boots: 20 - 7 = 13
Tehn: 14 + 21 + 14 + 70 = 119
Beetles: 21 + 12 + 0 + 65 = 98
3 & 4: damage: 121 - 98 = 23% * 10 = 2 - 2(soak), ineffective
Beetle3: escapes

Spoiler: Mystical Assault

Effectiveness: bending + task + d100
Bending: Mind + Commercial + Knowledge + Will
Coldtree: 18 + 20(heat) + 64(d100) = 102
Taka: 16 + 16(thump) + 83(d100) = 115
Tehn: 21 + 15(ionize) + 69(d100) = 105

Spoiler: Mystical Resistance

Beetle1: dead.
Beetle2: 21(conditioning) + 65(d100) = 86
damage: 102 - 86 = 16% * 10 = 2
Body: 1 - 2 = -1, incapacitated.
Beetle4: 86
damage: 115 - 86 = 29% * 10 = 3
Mind: 2 - 3 = -1, unconscious
Beetle5: incapacitated.
Beetle6: damage: 105 - 86 = 19% * 10 = 2
Body: 1 - 2 = -1, incapacitated.

Spoiler: Character Status

Coldtree: dazed, Mind: 10 - 2 = 8
Taka: dazed, Mind: 10 - 2 = 8
Tehn: dazed, Mind: 10 - 2 = 8

Taka drops the handle, and draws his sword... pummeling with the flat of the blade, rather than trying to cut with the edge of it.

Subconsciously exchanging the pickax handle for his sword, takes a mere fraction of the second necessary to generate another thump of air. If the two beetles aggressively trying to stab Taka could effectively pierce his boots with their horns, he might be in trouble; but though the boots sustain some damage, his flesh does not.

Taka finally slaps the first beetle away but does it no harm. Deterred enough from its current meal, the beetle takes flight as it rights itself, again. When Taka swing back at the second beetle, a concussion of air generates a piercing frequency that only the insect can hear. As the sword smack rolls it over, the sound does enough damage to its mind to rob it of consciousness.

Taka can feel the vibration of the agitated waylines resound through his metal weapon for another second or two after the battle is done. It gives him the strong impression that such repeated action may damage his blade. With determination, he set his mind to a solution, knowing that there must be a method for manipulating waylines at a distance, if he could only figure out how to do so.

Since heat worked so well, Coldtree will attack another beetle in the same way.

Having only one remaining beetle with which to contend, Coldtree fares better at avoiding its horn, all together. He shuufles back and forth, dodging its assault until he can finally lay a hand on it. Slapping the beetle causes no physical harm; and although his manipulation of thermal waylines is not as effective as his first attempt, he still manages to incapacitate his second beetle.

Having no way to realize it, Tehn and Coldtree are of a like mind. Determined to follow through with the success of his first assault, Tehn continues to kick at his second beetle, hoping to ionize its insides by manipulating chemical waylines.

He looks a bit like a dancing jester as he avoids the horn of the insect; but not wanting to be stabbed with a spike as long as his hand, he does not care how he appears. Once he is able to land a foot on the beetle, it is incapacitated in the same manner as the first.

The three men pause to catch their breath after the few seconds of intense battle, allowing the adrenaline to fade from their systems and hoping that their heads will soon clear from the effects of the noxious spray.

Spoiler: Collectibles

Coins:

• Shillings: 377

Animal Parts:

• Ant Pinchers: 2, (Cohesion +1)
• Ant Stingers: 10, {Toxin x2}

Stone:

• Flint: 1, {Shock x2}
• Slate: 1, {Sound x2}

OOC: All characters receive 5 DP.

 

[Tellerian Hawke]

Taka uses his sword to quickly dispatch the beetles that are unconscious. He will look for creases where carapace sections meet, and drive the point of his sword between them.

 

[Kwargrow]

Coldtree will help dispatch the rest of the beetles still clinging to life. Taking one of the less damaged corpses, he will manipulate Way to test their parts for proclivity.

Spoiler: Roll

10