TUW: The Steel Trade [IC]

[MacConnell]

Y 0: Day 158: Doldrums 38: The Stranger: A Blur of Motion

OOC: Picture one of those scenes, like in the Matrix, where slow motion is used to indicate extreme speed.

GM: Vadin begins swinging his longsword and manipulating Way before anyone else can react. A mere 5 tics slower, which is 15 tics faster than the brain can register, Sannit begins sliding back and recoiling his spear and Bolo starts to propel herself backward. Almost at the same instant Saemund begins to manipulate Way. The Stranger and Indigo appear to begin moving at exactly the same time. 12 tics later or 1/5 of a second after Vadin began moving, Merin and Tor start toward the conflict. As Vadin sword moves a third of the way into its arc, the Stranger's blade flicks to cut. OOC: Stranger: 58(fury) + 84(lethality) + 89(attack) + 84(d100) = 315 Vadin: 25(konokoro) + 31(defense) + 52(defend) + 97(d100) + 82(luck) = 287 Damage: 315 - 287 = 28% * 10 = 3 - 14(deflect) = -11: ineffective The Stranger's blade clips Vadin's bovine spaulders which render the attack completely ineffective. An unnoticeable fraction of a second after the Stranger's blade makes contact, Indigo completes the attack with her own sword. OOC: Indigo: 35(fury) + 65(lethality) + 59(attack ) + 83(d100) = 242 Stranger: 53(konokoro) + 55 (defense) + 89(defend) + 84(d100) = 281 The quick and agile Stranger slips passed Indigo's sword. As the Stranger begins to move by him, Vadin completes the swing of his sword. OOC: Vadin: 26(fury) + 61(lethality) + 52(attack) + 97(d100) + 82(luck) = 318 Stranger: 53(konokoro) + 55(defense) + 84(d100) = 192 Damage: 318 - 192 = 126% * 30 = 38 - 4(soak) = 34 With the speed of all effective movement, the Stranger completes his leap, trailing all his life's blood behind him as he moves. He does not land gracefully. His body crumples forward with the momentum, completely dead.

GM: Vadin completes the enhancement of his Motility, but the augmentation will no longer be needed. The tip of Sannit's spear pierces into the dead body has it is still in flight. Bolo rolls backward in a tuck to regain her feet to see the Stranger's body fall forward. Saemund completes his manipulation of Way to the realization that there is no longer a mind to affect. Sheldon gains enough barring to realizes the man has been killed by Vadin's sword. As Merin and Tor close to melee, they too realizes the enemy is down.

 

[Kwargrow]

Sannit keeps his guard long enough to make sure the Stranger is not faking, then San-Bolo go to Sheldon's side to see to their friend first. Bolo takes a stone and uses Way to light it, holding it up so the others can see the area.

Turtle sniffs around and keeps watch.

 

[Tellerian Hawke]

Merin approaches Sheldon, and attempts to help him. He will attempt to augment Bolo's efforts, since she is the most skilled at this sort of thing.

Tor will also help augment Bolo's efforts, but only after slitting The Stranger's throat first, to ensure that he is dead. "We might have shown you mercy, had you not chosen to brutally murder our friend," Tor spits at the corpse with disgust.

 

[MacConnell]

Y 0: Day 158: Doldrums 38: Awarding Experience

GM: Awarded Experience: Innovative Ideas or Problem Solving: 4 Combat: 4 Individual Posts: Tor: 12 Merin: 14 Sannit: 17 Bolo: 17 Turtle: 8 Saemund: 12 Feroz: 2 Vadin: 10

 

[Kwargrow]

After Sheldon is healed, if no one has done it, Sannit will search the Stranger's corpse thoroughly while Bolo and Turtle keep watch. He will make note of any identifying marks on the body and cut away the skin of any organizations mark so that it may be copied in detail later.

Sannit says, "Let us strip the corpse and burn the clothes before we bury the body. I propose we say nothing about this until the caravan leaves. Let this man's masters wonder what happened to him. At the appropriate time we will speak with the town's leaders about this in detail."

Bolo adds, "We should bury him underneath Myth. The lynx will keep anyone from finding his body."

Turtle sniffs at the decapitated head of his lynx buddy and lets out a loud sigh. He wishes he could have laid a paw on that murdering person.

 

[Tellerian Hawke]

Merin says, "That's a good idea. To be as fast and agile as he was, he must have been using Way. So he probably has enhancements and augments hidden on his person. Which reminds me, I wanted to put the following idea forward: for items that don't need to touch the skin in order to provide benefit, we should think about having Raven make us belts with integrated pouches that can be buttoned shut, that we could wear UNDERNEATH our clothing. That would prevent not only someone from noticing that we're wearing such things, but even if they suspected that we had augments, they'd be almost impossible to remove, even by force. Just a thought."

 

[Sylvar B.]

Saemund nods at Bolo and adds, We should also cut off his feet so that his spirit cannot walk the world of the living and haunt us, and so that he will have to crawl in the after life. When we bury him put him face down with his head in pointed east so his spirit will never experience another sunrise. He deserves no honor in the next life.

 

[MacConnell]

Y 0: Day 158: Doldrums 38: Tending the Fallen

Sannit keeps his guard long enough to make sure the Stranger is not faking, then San-Bolo go to Sheldon's side to see to their friend first. Bolo takes a stone and uses Way to light it, holding it up so the others can see the area.

Turtle sniffs around and keeps watch.

GM: Would there have been enough light for all to see there would be no doubt as to the Stranger's demise. Poking around on the ground for a minute Bolo finds a suitable stone and light it in a similar manner to the one Sheldon used to throw up on the porch. Unless a passerby were to approach within a couple of paces, it would be assumed that she was holding an oil lamp. The light is enough to illuminate what is necessary. Sheldon is in a seriously poor condition. He is able to blink his eyes, which are currently open, but he cannot even speak, much less move. Despite all of this, the wound so close to the carotid artery on Sheldon's neck has stopped bleeding, apparently he has augmented his body's own ability to heal despite not being able to move.

Merin approaches Sheldon and attempts to augment Bolo's efforts, since she is the most skilled at this sort of thing.

Tor will also help augment Bolo's efforts, but only after slitting The Stranger's throat first, to ensure that he is dead. "We might have shown you mercy, had you not chosen to brutally murder our friend," Tor spits at the corpse with disgust.

GM: Walking over to the fallen Stranger, even the little light provided by Bolo over where Sheldon is lying is enough for Tor to see the full effect of Vadin's cut had. Touching the body, it is already cooling. Tor sheaths his sword. Despite the avarice of the assassin's deed, to mutilate his corpse would be a butchery beneath his dignity. Spitting at the corpse as insult to his memory instead.

GM: Indigo sheaths her swords and rushes to Sheldon's side, taking the recently acquired measure of Mend Root and applying it to the wound as she lends her own ability to the joint effort to heal him. OOC: Invigorate: Range: Touch Effectiveness: Essence + Adhesion + Invocation + Mind + Knowledge + Will + Wisdom + Discipline + Collegiate + Academic Time: 10 days*loss / (target Confluence + target Will + Effectiveness + luck) This active task increases the natural rate of recovery for the loss of Health and Body in the intended target. Sheldon: 81, Tor: 56, Merin: 77, Indigo: 66, Bolo: 71 Time: 10 * 16 / ((11 + 14 + 81 + 56 + 77 + 66 + 71 + 94(d100) + 44(luck)) *4(root)) = 2 hours The wound on Sheldon's neck seems to suture even while the Seekers watch. In just under 1 hour's time, Sheldon will be able to stand.

After Sheldon is healed, Sannit will search the Stranger's corpse, thoroughly, while Bolo and Turtle keep watch. He will make note of any identifying marks on the body and cut away the skin of any organizations mark so that it may be copied in detail later.

GM: Using the light from the stone provided by Bolo, Sannit, thoroughly, searches the Stranger's, now cold, corpse. He is wearing common cotton clothing as would be expected of a laborer from Asylim. Underneath his loose cotton tunic is a well made goatskin belt, complete with sheaths for his two fighting knives and 4 feathered spikes designed for throwing. It also has integrated small pockets that contain 10 gold coins stamped with the Assassin's mark and 2 black pearls. His left forearm is braced in pigskin, but it is not an armoring quality. His feet are shod in well-made goatskin boots hidden under a poor quality pigskin wrap. Laced into the left boot are a pair of jackal's canine teeth. The ends of the cord that is used to tie back his hair each contain a thumb talon from a desert lizard. His inside right forearm is branded with the teamsters mark as would be expected of a caravaner. Underneath the right bracer, he is branded with the mark of an Ansylin regular soldier. There are no other distinguishing marks or features. Only the gold coins bear significance of his, now obvious, trade.

Sannit says,

"Let us strip the corpse and burn the clothes before we bury the body. I propose we say nothing about this until the caravan leaves. Let this man's masters wonder what happened to him. At the appropriate time we will speak with the town's leaders about this in detail."

Bolo adds,

"We should bury him underneath Myth. The lynx will keep anyone from finding his body."

Indigo interrupts.
"No, we will not bury Myth. He deserves the honor of a warrior's sending. We will make a pyre. We can use my hammock since he was killed and is now wrapped in Sheldon's. I will take care of this now, even though it is late and dark, while you dispose of his killer. Since Myth had a habit of staying atop the Guildhouse to await our return, I suspect that he interfered when the stranger tried to enter but was no match for the highly trained blade. He will be missed. I will honor his sacrifice."

GM: Indigo takes Myth's body and places it in her hammock along with his head. She then sets about gathering twigs and limbs to pile on him. Once she is satisfied, she ignites him by manipulating Way. The Seekers' Guildhouse is far enough from the main part of town that no one is likely to notice, much less stop by at this late hour.

Merin says,

"That's a good idea. To be as fast and agile as he was, he must have been using Way, so he probably has enhancements and augments hidden on his person. Which reminds me, I wanted to put the following idea forward: for items that don't need to touch the skin in order to provide benefit, we should think about having Raven and Fallen Leaf make us belts with integrated pouches that can be buttoned shut, that we could wear underneath our clothing. That would prevent not only someone from noticing that we're wearing such things, but even if they suspected that we had augments, they'd be almost impossible to remove, even by force."

GM: The items on the stranger that might qualify for Merin's suspicion are the 2 black pearls, 2 lizard talons and 2 jackal teeth. The weapons are iron but are not alloys and not decorated. The feathers on the spikes are dyed black and are only to help them fly when thrown.

Saemund nods at Bolo and adds,

"We should also cut off his feet so that his spirit cannot walk the world of the living and haunt us, and so that he will have to crawl in the after life. When we bury him put him face down with his head in pointed east so his spirit will never experience another sunrise. He deserves no honor in the next life."

GM: Being at least part Norikadian, Tor looks at his friend as he conveys the suggestion. Though neither he nor any of the other Seekers are familiar with this aberrant custom, Tor helps remove the feet and move the body closer to the stream where the ground is softer. Turtle proves most helpful in digging a hole for the corpse and the fire from Myth's funeral pyre provides ample light to see, though the fire dies to its coals with Indigo still standing watch before the would be assassin's body is dumped, unceremoniously, into the hole. His feet are buried separately.

When Sheldon is able to stand, he moves up to sit on the porch, his strength not yet being enough to lend assistance to the activity. As he looks into the house, he whistles to get the others' attention, since he cannot yet raise his voice.
"There is a slaver's collar laying on the floor there in the house."

 

[Tellerian Hawke]

Merin will try to sense the presence of Way on the collar.

Merin muses to himself: ~I wonder if the collar is enchanted? Or if it's just for show? And if it IS enchanted, how did he get it off? Each new discovery seems to bring more questions.~

 

[Kwargrow]

"No, we will not bury Myth. He deserves the honor of a warrior's sending. We will make a pyre."

Bolo bows to Indigo as it is her right since they were bonded. After the stranger is buried Bolo will attempt to use Way to cover the grave with earth and plants in order to hide it.

After returning to the guild house San-Bolo rush over to where Sheldon has pointed out the collar but do not approach it yet. "What a strange gift," Sannit says, rubbing his beard. "Was he planning on coming back for it or was part of his purpose here to deliver it to us?"

Bolo says, "Sitting on the floor like that it looks like bait for a trap."

Turtle sniffs all around the guild house to try and pick up any other strange scents. Maybe that murdering person did not come here alone.

 

[Tellerian Hawke]

Tor says, "It does seem strange that he wasn't wearing a collar, and yet, he bears the mark of not only a soldier, but also a caravaner, which means he WAS considered an asset, subservient to a master. For all practical purposes, he was a slave. I wonder if this wasn't his collar, but if it was, why did he remove it? I hate to say it, but perhaps we killed him too quickly."

 

[MacConnell]

Y 0: Day 158: Doldrums 38: Checking the Grounds

Merin will try to sense the presence of Way on the collar.

OOC: Sense Way: Range: Adhesion + Will Effectiveness: Essence + Adhesion + Collegiate Resistance: Inversion 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.

OOC: Merin: 30(sense way) + 72(d100) = 102

GM: Merin does not sense any manipulation of Way coming from the collar.

 

[MacConnell]

Y 0: Day 158: Doldrums 38: Checking the Grounds, part 2

After returning to the guild house San-Bolo rush over to where Sheldon has pointed out the collar but do not approach it yet. "What a strange gift," Sannit says, rubbing his beard. "Was he planning on coming back for it or was part of his purpose here to deliver it to us?"

Bolo says, "Sitting on the floor like that it looks like bait for a trap."

Tor says, "It does seem strange that he wasn't wearing a collar, and yet, he bears the mark of not only a soldier, but also a caravaner, which means he WAS considered an asset, subservient to a master. For all practical purposes, he was a slave. I wonder if this wasn't his collar, but if it was, why did he remove it? I hate to say it, but perhaps we killed him too quickly."

GM: The collar is perfectly centered with the entrance, about 2 paces into the room. It was placed, not idly dropped.

Sheldon says,
"I think it was intended to be a taunt. I know Merin checked to see if it was emanating any sign of Way manipulation. I did the same thing. There is nothing there. It is not like the collars on the other caravaners. I would be willing to bet those 4 stones in it are worthless as well.

I have an idea of how the real collar works, but I have no idea how to duplicate the effect. I do think that with you Sannit, and with Saemund, we might be able to override the outcome, but we would need to find a caravaner willing to risk his life to try it."

Turtle sniffs all around the guild house to try and pick up any other strange scents. Maybe that murdering person did not come here alone.

GM: Turtle readily picks up the scent of the Stranger's passage through the house, but he does not detect the scent of any other unwanted.

 

[Kwargrow]

After checking to make sure the collar is not physically connected to anything, like a trigger for a trap, Sannit will pick it up and turn it over in his hands. He will look for any identifying marks.

Bolo goes through the guild house to see if anything else was disturbed or changed. If nothing else happens San-Bolo will propose getting some sleep and picking up the matter of their mystery assailant tomorrow. She instructs Turtle to keep watch tonight, but to come warn her if anyone comes to the house instead of engaging.

Turtle stays close to the house and keeps watch. He hopes somebody will come start some more trouble. He won't miss with his paws again.

 

[Sylvar B.]

Saemund addresses everyone,
"There is nothing we can do about this until morning, I suggest we all get some rest and then investigate further tomorrow."

Saemund goes to lie down but cannot rest easy. Death seems like a preferable outcome to ending up in a collar. Saemund wakes later in the night, dresses and straps his axe to his waist. He carries his carving axes in his hands and walks the perimeter of the Guild house. While doing so he concentrates on detecting humans approaching in the night, he readies his mind to trap the mind of anyone approaching and cause them to stop in their tracks and wait for him to approach them. He also goes to check on Feroz in his roost.

 

[MacConnell]

Y 0: Day 158: Doldrums 38: Checking the Grounds, part 3

After checking to make sure the collar is not physically connected to anything, like a trigger for a trap, Sannit will pick it up and turn it over in his hands. He will look for any identifying marks.

GM: The collar is simply lying on the floor and appears exactly as the others, forced upon the caravaners, looked. It is a leather collar with a simple buckle. There are four stones slightly visible poking through the two layers. They are strategically placed equally about the collar. As Sheldon suspected, theses particular stones appear to be worthless rocks.

Bolo goes through the guild house to see if anything else was disturbed or changed. If nothing else happens San-Bolo will propose getting some sleep and picking up the matter of their mystery assailant tomorrow. She instructs Turtle to keep watch tonight, but to come warn her if anyone comes to the house instead of engaging.

GM: Nothing else appears amiss. By Turtles nose, it is known that the stranger do go through the structure thoroughly but apparently did not move anything.

Turtle stays close to the house and keeps watch. He hopes somebody will come start some more trouble. He won't miss with his paws again.

GM: There is plenty of room underneath the structure, and Turtle moves under the center of the floor, giving himself equal distance to cover any direction should the need arise.

 

[MacConnell]

Y 0: Day 158: Doldrums 38: Restlessness

Saemund addresses everyone,
"There is nothing we can do about this until morning, I suggest we all get some rest and then investigate further tomorrow."

Saemund goes to lie down but cannot rest easy. Death seems like a preferable outcome to ending up in a collar. Saemund wakes later in the night, dresses and straps his axe to his waist. He carries his carving axes in his hands and walks the perimeter of the Guild house. While doing so he concentrates on detecting humans approaching in the night, he readies his mind to trap the mind of anyone approaching and cause them to stop in their tracks and wait for him to approach them. He also goes to check on Feroz in his roost.

GM: As Saemund walks from the entrance, Indigo, who is lying on the porch with Sheldon, looks up at him. Sheldon, perhaps feeling the aftermath of his serious injury, remains asleep. Seeing that Saemund is in his own thought, Indigo says nothing. As Saemund steps from the porch, Turtle stirs beneath the structure, but smelling who it is, he settles back on his belly feeling confident in his duty to guard the other people who are still resting. Feroz cannot really see Saemund, but he makes a small, quiet, noise at his approach. Saemund merely whispers a word to comfort the bird. He continues to patrol the property in sleeplessness, but no one approaches until the dawn, when a hunting party moves out for game.

 

[redraider629]

Vadin thinking about all that happened, agrees with Saemund. The rest will probably do him good. He cleans his sword, then goes inside to lay down and get some sleep.

 

[Tellerian Hawke]

Although Tor is able to sleep, Merin cannot. He spends the night watching, waiting, and listening. During the night, he makes a discovery; he finds that he is so focused on keeping a watch for trouble, that his eyes seem to adjust to the darkness, allowing him to see almost as well as he can during the daytime! Quietly, so as not to disturb Sheldon, Merin approaches Indigo, and shares his findings with her. As Saemund makes his patrolling rounds, Merin shares the information with him, also.

 

[MacConnell]

Y 0: Day 158: Doldrums 38: Restful

Vadin thinking about all that happened, agrees with Saemund. The rest will probably do him good. He cleans his sword, then goes inside to lay down and get some sleep.

GM: Vadin puts his sword away and sleep overtakes him almost immediately as he lays down. His personality lends itself well to setting aside the problems of the day until a rested body and mind can better tend to them.