Sarka, Sir Cyr’s guest quarters, Klos 19th, 350AC, 15:40  (underground, 65 degrees, half moon)

[audio:https://gwevolution.netfarious.net/wp-content/uploads/2012/05/anthem01b.mp3|autostart=yes]

The horde of badder soldiers march you through Ukrul.  At different points, groups of them part ways from you, until there are about two dozen of them left.  You eventually arrive at the door to your guest quarters in Sir Cyr’s den.

About a dozen more infantry are standing around the doorway, tightly grasping weapons and looking angry.  The old sergeant jabbers something at the robed one, and the two engage in a heated, non-translated discussion.  Then the robed one turns to you and says: “Enter and stay in that room.  We will get you when the king decides.”

As you enter, you see your soldiers either standing or crouched and pointing their weapons at you (bow, crossbows, Yorva the sleeth’s combat rifle).  The inner door (which presumably connects the guest quarters to the rest of Sir Cyr’s chambers) is crudely barricaded with stacked furniture.  They look relieved to see you and lower their weapons.  Bren exhales loudly and rubs a sweaty hand across his homely face’s stubble.  “Anyone gotta clean pair o’ pants?  I thought it was last stand time.  Not that you look like you’ve had a good day…”

Sarka, southwest farm, the fallows, Klos 19th, 350AC, 15:00  (underground, 65 degrees, half moon)

The robed badder sneers again with his sharp yellow fangs.  “It is good that you are not here to cause trouble.  But trouble is finding you.  For your safety, and the safety of the realm, you will come with us back to your lodgings until the king summons you.”  He jabbers in the badder language at those surrounding him, and Zeebo realizes he has a long way to go in learning the tongue (since they are not talking about eating, crapping, entering, leaving, etc).  The robed one slaps a hand on the shoulder of one of the light infantry and says to you, “You will keep pace with Tarrl here.”  Infantry and archers form up all around you.  The hoplites and the robed one are behind you in a ‘V formation’.  Your whole group (unless you resist) start to move forward to the north, heading out of the fallows and into the farm.

Tarrl, who seems a bit short even for a badder, wields a crude double handed ax (although Arvak would use it one handed).  He starts snarling in the badder language and apparently the robed one’s tongues mutation is still in effect around you, because you understand: “What did Silfrar look like this time?”

Arvak, see private post.

Sarka, southwest farm, the fallows, Klos 19th, 350AC, 14:55  (underground, 65 degrees, half moon)

After listening to your tales, the robed badder speaks quietly to some of the soldiers around him.  They look over the scene, particularly at the four dead badders.  Archers keep a close eye on you during this time.  Then the robed one and about a dozen of the light infantry march up to your group.

“Give me something valuable, and I’ll tell the king your statements are true.  Otherwise we take your weapons and you will not be so comfortable.”  He sneers, showing a lot of yellowed teeth.

Sarka, southwest farm, the fallows, Klos 19th, 350AC, 14:45  (underground, 65 degrees, half moon)

[audio:https://gwevolution.netfarious.net/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/wanted.mp3|autostart=yes]

The four of you wait as the badders approach.  Those of you with special senses (like Ragnor’s heightened hearing) realize a handful of humanoids approach first.  They either stay at a distance or move away until the main group arrives.  Finally dozens of badder soldiers come into view.

About half of them are archers, most of the rest are light infantry similar to the soldiers that you encountered above ground a few days ago.  Ten are the duralloy-armored professional hoplites, who march forward in smooth precision in a loose phalanx formation.  Next to the lead hoplite is the tongues-speaking robed badder who first escorted you underground.  His eyes flash yellow, as he points his metal tipped cane at your group.  He starts snarling in the badder language, “Uuta shlarr et…”  Again, you start to understand the words as if he was speaking trade tongue.  “Drop your weapons now.  Any aggression and we will drop you.”  He starts looking around at the scene, his eyes pausing for awhile at the massive dead beetle.  “Why did you come here to the fallows?”

Sarka, southwest farm, the fallows, Klos 19th, 350AC, 14:30  (underground, 65 degrees, half moon)

Thick amber goo starts to drip out of the dead beetle’s mouth in amounts large enough to fill buckets.  Plop.  Sllluck.  Splop.

Your group stands, in pain, weary, sweating with the exertion of the battle.  The area is still dimly lit by the lanterns, which outline the four dead badders around you.

Ragnor, see your private post.

The map below is to remind you of the layout of the farm.  Your characters are roughly at the white X on the map.  At this point, you cannot actually see outside of the fallows.

[audio:https://gwevolution.netfarious.net/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/eyeoftiger.mp3|autostart=yes]

Arvak spends 200 XP and gains the Martial Arts Skill at level 0.  The skill level can be increased by 1 for every 200XP spent.  Arvak is now down to 70XP.

Martial Arts rolls will be made on column 18.  Arvak may strike for a base damage of 1/4 his PS + 1/2 per Rank + 1 per skill level, so currently that is a base damage of 12.  Multiple strike attempts have the same rules and penalties as any other type of attack.

Attacks by martial artists have the special effect of slam.  A red result indicates a nerve pinch.  The victim must make a CN save and the results are as follows:

Red	No effect
Orange to Blue	Partial paralysis
White	Knockout
Black	Death

He can defend (using this skill) without suffering an action penalty each turn (free defend, regardless of what else he does.)  Non-powered missiles (arrows, etc) can also be defended against.  Because Arvak has the defending talent, he will not take any damage from the non-powered missiles (otherwise he would).

He can attempt to defend against melee attacks with his body, but at -1 RF.  If the attempt is a color result, but still fails, he will suffer extra damage equal to the base damage of the weapon.

He can add a number of column shifts equal to his Skill level when dodging.  (So no effect currently)

The skill level is subtracted from falling intensities, and added to rank when making jumps, vaults, and springs.  (No effect at this point either)

[audio:https://gwevolution.netfarious.net/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/yourthebest.mp3|autostart=yes]

Normally I would just do this in private post while the turns where going on.  But since there’s nothing going on, I’ll just post it here.  It makes a good refresher for everyone (myself included) on how this all works

Phallon spends 600 XP to go from Rank 6 to Rank 7.  His XP is now down to 24.

He gets an extra d6 + CN modifier of hit points.  5 + 2 = 7.  His max hit point score goes from 141 to 148.  His current hit points go from 39 to 46.

He gets to make a roll on the action table on column 7 (his new rank) to see if he gets any new talents.  A color result = 0, white result = 1, black result = 2.  (7): 30 0 = white.  Phallon gets to choose 1 new talent.

All of his actions are now attempted at 1 column higher on the action table.  Skill and talent related actions are now are at 2 columns higher (since you roll rank x 2 + modifiers).  Looking through Phallon’s statistics this means he now improves to:

• surprise improves from 10 to 11
• awareness from 14 to 16
• bargain/barter from 16 to 18
• ranged weapon attacks from 8 to 9
• melee weapon attacks from 7 to 8
• dodge/defend rolls from 8 to 9
• there are many others, but these just highlight my quick stats listed

Zeebo should be the next PC who goes up Rank, and then you will all be at Rank 7.  That is usually the point where I had my PC’s start putting their XP into any skills I thought they should have.  I figured at Rank 7, most PC’s are fairly accomplished at most general actions, and any skill roll is at least on the 14 table.  It would take 700 XP to go up in rank again, and you could learn 3 and a half skills for the same cost.

Arvak and Ragnor could learn a skill (or improve one by 1 level) at this point if they choose.  They cost 200XP.  Some of them can be learned instantly (if they choose a weapon that they have been using, etc), others need special training (blacksmith, etc).

I have to pause the game for awhile.  I have very little reliable free time (at home or at work), and what little I do is being used to possibly buy the veterinary practice where I work (so dealing with brokers, lawyers, accountants, etc).

I’m not ending the game.  After running it for years, I would like to finish this particular adventure.  I’m sure every now and then I’ll get a block of time and some creativity to post a new turn.  When I do, I’ll e-mail you (like Todd does with Star Wars) to give you a heads up.  I’ll be able to check the site a lot (I can always grab a minute here and there), just not make any substantial posts.

Once my life is a little more settled, I plan to work on and run a Star Wars adventure featuring Josh Darkside and his nameless Companions (hopefully all of you if you are interested (Kretar, Krig, Sgt Jacob Steelhawk?), also perhaps a few of the people from Todd’s game who I feel would be good additions to the group.  But that will be awhile!

Anyway, here’s the experience from turns 100 to 138:

Arvak 68 XP.  Total now 270.  [8 for roleplaying, 7 for MS saves/awareness rolls at mindrenders, 2 for telekinesis vs rocks, 4 for awareness rolls (including bonus for a “00” roll), 2 for jumping/leaping on beetle, 45 for combat (took out 2 badders completely, and the lions share of 2 more, plus 81% of the damage on the rhinoceros beetle]

Phallon 32 XP.  Total now 624.  [3 for roleplaying/2 skipped turns, 5 for MS saves at mindrenders, 2 for econ genius rolls, 2 for awareness rolls, 5 for fear generation, 5 for loyalty touch, 10 for combat (3 arskarryl, 13% of rhinoceros beetle via mental blast)]

Ragnor 38 XP.  Total now 277.  [5 for roleplaying/1 skipped turn, 5 for MS saves/awareness rolls at mindrenders, 5 for turning back angry mob, 3 for awareness rolls, 5 for questions to silfrarr, 2 for wolfing out, 2 for regeneration, 11 for combat (2 arskarryl, nearly killing a badder who fled, life leeching an assassin,, bonus point for “00” roll.)]

Zeebo 40 XP.  Total now 571.  [11 for roleplaying, 7 for MS saves at mindrenders, 2 for dodge rolls, 1 for awareness, 1 for molecular sense, 2 for displacement, 4 for telekinesis rolls, 5 for giving accelera dose to Phallon, 7 for combat (1 arskarryl, life leeching a little from 4 other targets including 5% of rhinoceros beetle)]

Arvak got the glory of this past combat, but Phallon can now go up a Rank if he wants.  Zeebo is still 29 XP short.  Let me know if you’d like to spend XP and I will update your PC’s.

Sarka, southwest farm, the fallows, Klos 19th, 350AC, 14:20  (underground, 65 degrees, half moon)

[audio:https://gwevolution.netfarious.net/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/triumph.mp3|autostart=yes]

Ragnor starts to run.  Since he didn’t specify a direction, and Zeebo is right next to him, yelling for everyone to head northwest, he moves that way, at half speed while he tries to regenerate (16meters).  Regeneration (11): 80 6 = yellow.  He heals 18 points, so up to 30hp.

Zeebo runs towards the northwest (17meters).  He and Ragnor are pretty much neck and neck.

Arvak brings his hammer around to pummel the beetle yet again.  (18): 4 4 = blue.  BD14 – 7ac = 7 points of damage.  The giant rhinoceros beetle suddenly twitches, trembles, and collapses into the soft earth, skidding a few paces forward.  Its long legs splay out, some of them held rigid, others slowly twitching.  Arvak rides the beast to the ground, without falling.

While the beast is starting its fall, Phallon fires his crossbow at it.  (8): 50 0 = white.  The bolt deflects harmlessly off its armored shell.

You find yourselves without any obvious enemies.  The purple light coming off the lanterns fades back into the usual dim yellow glow.  Combat is over.  Experience will be awarded next turn.

Sarka, southwest farm, the fallows, Klos 19th, 350AC, 14:20  (underground, 65 degrees, half moon)

[audio:https://gwevolution.netfarious.net/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/grailbridge.mp3|autostart=yes]

Ragnor tries to climb/jump onto the beetle’s back.  The beetle is a moving target, Ragnor needs a blue roll for success.  (10): 00 6 = white (barely!).

The rhinoceros beetle pivots in place and then rumbles to the northeast, trampling Ragnor.  (X): 4 7 = green +1RF for weight, – 1RF for skeletal enhancement so still green.  BD12 – 6ac = 6 x 2RF = 12 points of damage.  Ragnor is down to 12 hit points!  Ragnor makes a skeletal enhancement roll (11): 80 0 = green, so negates slam.  The beetle runs him over (battering him with its legs and underbody).

Phallon moves to the closest working crossbow, the one previously held by his badder minion, and picks it up.  It is already loaded, but since he moved over half his movement rate to get it, he cannot fire it this turn.  His other brain thinks about the worth of a giant beetle (11): 30 1 = white.  Although there are obvious uses (alive = transport, pack animal, or war animal; dead = possibly edible, use of chitin shell and horn), you are not aware of an existing market that wants to fork out huge domars for this.  You also don’t know if this creature has any valuable organs or secretions, but if so, those would fetch some money at the various shops and guildhalls here and in other communities.

Zeebo runs around towards Ragnor and reaches the spot where the beetle trampled through only 1-2 seconds before.  (Good thing Zeebo did not win initiative!)  Ragnor looks pretty beat up, and it is surprising he is still standing after that last hit.

Arvak, standing on the beetle’s back, tries to pound it with his hammer.  (18): 2 7 = white.  Although he keeps his balance, the pivoting and rocking motion throws off his swing, so it thumps an ineffective glancing blow off the thick carapace.

Initiative

• Ragnor  0 = automatic win
• Zeebo    9 + 2 = 11
• Arvak    8 + 1 = 9
• Beetle    6 + 2 = 8
• Phallon 5 + 2 = 7