Rum and Mascarpone

Hunting Beauty - Nimble 2

Sidrak infiltrates the homestead of a powerful noble, in search for something important.

S1 — Approaching the homestead

[Chaos 3]
[Who: Stealthy/Influential]
[What: Combine/Interior]
[Where: Important/Beautiful]
[Why: Activate/Illness]
? Adventure Tone ?
-> Dangerous/Calm

“Dahlingrad Homestead.”

A stone wall perimeter encloses the spartan mansion within. Sidrak prowls through the woods outside.

? Are there guards ?
-> (Nearly Certain) Yes
-> (Character Appearance) Professional/Feminine

With his blade drawn, he uses the reflection to take a look at the guards. He spots three. Tall, slender armored folk. Hilted blades. Tough-looking.

Sidrak takes some time to investigate if there’s another way in, besides this well-protected entrance.

? Is there another way in ?
-> (Very Unlikely) No
@ (Sidrak) Investigate for more entrances @
d: (Examination) d20-1>=13=7 -> F

He prowls a little too long around the edges, skirting through the bushes. A twig snaps.

? Does someone hear him snap a twig ?
-> (Likely) Yes
@ (Sidrak) Try not to get seen @
d: (Stealth) d20+2>=13=8 -> F

One of the women’s heads turns. She starts toward Sidrak’s location, and he does his best to hide, but she spots him.

? Does she recognize him ?
-> (Nearly Impossible) No

She lays a hand on her hilt. “You there,” she says, marching directly toward him. The other two watch on, but stay at their posts. “State your business, and why you’re prowling around. You trespass the Dahlingrad Homestead.”

Sidrak gazes at them, and tries to gauge if he can take them on in a fight.

? Are they more powerful than him ?
-> (50/50) No
@ (Sidrak) Gain insight @
d: (Insight) d20>=13=8 -> F

He decides not to risk a fight, aiming to back up and try again another hour. He can’t fool them in a performance of lies…or can he?

He stares at them closer, and tries to recall if he knows the colors they wear.

? Are they commonly known warriors ?
-> (Certain) Yes
@ (Sidrak) Remember their colors @
d: (Lore) d20-1>=13=9 -> F

Sidrak stammers, but he pushes through it. He steps out from behind the bush he was hiding, and makes himself plain before the approaching guard woman. “Good evening, sergeant! I think I might’ve lost something around here, do you think you could help me find it?”

@ (Sidrak) Make a fib @
d: (Influence) d20+2>=13=8 -> F
? Does she try to detain him ?
-> (50/50) Exceptional Yes
-> (Character Actions, General) Stop/Careless

The woman removes her helm. Streaking scars stretch across her hardened face. Red sores bloom beneath her eyebags. Her hair floats down. She lasers eyes at him. “We’ve lost something, indeed, citizen. I’ve found it. Approach and obey my commands, and you will not be harmed,” she says. “Slowly, gently, drop your weapons, and drop to your knees. You are detained by order of the Dahlingrad residence.”

? Do the others also come ?
-> (Likely) Exceptional No
-> (Character Actions, General) Expose/Open

The other two lady guards chuckle from afar. “Careful on the pretty boy,” one of them says, “you know the boss doesn’t appreciate when we’re…preemptive.”

Sidrak eyes them carefully. He considers his options.

S2 — Dealing with the guards

[Chaos 4]
-> (Scene Test) Interrupt Scene
-> (Plot Point) Enemies, Sidrak, The Guards
-> (Plot Point) Public Location
-> (Plot Point) Enemies, Sidrak, The Guards
-> (Plot Point) Public Location
-> (Plot Point) Humiliation
[Sidrak|Deal with the guards 0/4]
[Guards|Detain and interrogate the orc 0/4]

(Note: I really did roll those twice.)

He draws his blades. “Oh yeah? Preemptive? What honor do filthy kradak have toward orcs?”

? Do they respond negatively to that ?
d: (Likely) Exceptional Yes
d: (Character Actions, General) Mysterious/Nice
@ (Sidrak) Intimidate the guardswomen from attacking him @
d: (Influence) d20+2>=13=11 -> F

“And why do you think we dislike your kind,” the third guardswoman says, rising from her seat, “orc?”

The word escapes her elven lips with significant meaning.

Sidrak doesn’t like that very much. He smiles. He chuckles—rising into a roaring laugh, cry, and shout.

S3 — Battle outside the Dahlingrad Homestead

[Chaos 5]
@ (Sidrak) Initiative @
d: d20+2=5 -> Monsters first
@ (Sidrak) Rage @
d: 1d4=1

The guardswoman draws a long, curved bow. She smoothly draws an arrow from afar, standing at the gate, and aims at Sidrak.

@ (Guard 1) Attack Sidrak @
d: 1d6=1 -> Miss
=> [Sidrak|Deal with the guards 1/4]

The serrated arrow flies loose. Sidrak bows beneath the arrow, it misses, and he charges forth.

Another guard flies loose an arrow.

@ (Guard 2) Attack Sidrak @
d: 1d6=4 -> Damage
@ (Sidrak) Rage defend @
=> [Sidrak|HP 20]

This one, Sidrak swipes at with a bladed axe; he rages, and shouts. “Bring it on, elfkin! Make this harder than it has to be!” He continues toward the nearest guardwoman, who tried to restrain him.

She now draws a curved scimitar blade, and stands at the ready. Onward she charges, swiping at Sidrak.

@ (Guard 3) Attack Sidrak @
d: 2 -> Damage
=> [Sidrak|HP 18]
[Guards|Detain and interrogate the orc 1/4]

He parries the blow with one axe, and returns with another blow toward her side.

@ (Sidrak) Attack the guard @
d: 1d6+2=5
=> [Guard 3|Down]
=> [Sidrak|Deal with the guards 2/4]

She grunts loud, toppling onto the floor. Sidrak casts his gaze on the other two, rushing to close the gap between them.

@ (Sidrak) Initiative @
d: d20+2=10 -> Sidrak first
? Do the other two draw their blades ?
d: (50/50) Exceptional Yes
-> (Character Actions, Combat) Lead/Careless

Wind blows past Sidrak; he hisses out a laughing warcry, sprinting toward the other two with a mad fury.

@ (Sidrak) Rage @
d: 1d4=1

The two guards holster their longbows, opting for their shortswords. They stance up, pointing their tip of their scimitars at him. Sidrak’s eyes spot a good place to land a blow, and follows through.

@ (Sidrak) Attack Guard 2 @
d: 1d6+3=7 -> Damage
=> [Guard 2|Down]

The guard poses for a parry. Sidrak feints, and follows up with another axe to the shoulder. The guard falls to their knees. The other, final standing guard, grits their teeth and retaliates.

@ (Guard 1) Attack Sidrak @
d: 1d6=4 -> Damage
@ (Sidrak) Rage defend @
=> 4->0 
=> [Sidrak|HP 16]

Sidrak raises both axes, and captures the blade with his axes’ jaws. He pushes the momentum of the guardwoman’s swing past him, and tries to topple her onto her back.

@ (Sidrak) Topple the woman @
d: (Guardswoman STR save) d20>=12=18 -> S
? Does the guardswoman keep fighting ?
-> (Very Unlikely) No

The woman’s blade clatters onto the stones. She, too, falls on her back. Sidrak stands above her. He very quickly bounds to the blade and kicks it away from her. He takes a deep, exhausted breath, sheathing his axes on his back.

He steps onto the woman’s chest. A bootprint on her finely shined chestplate. “Is the Lady Dahlingrad home?”

END OF SESSION 2