World Moved On (IC): Chapter 4, New York

[RedBstrd]

GM Post:

Medraut growls. "I will have all of your heads! I will sack Camelot and mount your heads on the gates with that of the King. I will --" His temper tantrum is cut off by a bullet which hits his breastplate and nearly knocks the wind out of the would be conqueror.

The oily energy from Myron's throat hits the Chaos Priest and warps him.

Toughness: 1d20+9-2-4=19. He takes another -1 to Toughness.

Fort check: 1d20+5=6. As a minion, he suffers the Transformation effect for failure. Could we get a description of what happens to him, please?

Toughness checks here. Three of the five fail.

As the Chaos Priest falls victim to Myron's magic, Owen fires three bullets and each shot kills one of the men. Morale is clearly breaking in Medraut's camp. One of the approaching warriors drops to the ground and curls up in a ball, rocking and crying. His fellow soldiers try to get to him to move - without success - and then rush forward to help in the battle.

[Shock]

Jhondak
HP: 4
Condition: Good, Fatigued next turn.

Jhondak felt the point of Medraut's blade start to bite into his chest as he turned away from it. His parry came up just in time to deflect it from dealing a fatal blow. A second later, a spear glanced off his armor but again he escaped harm. Clearly he was in the favor of the gods today. He saw Medraut stumble and moved in for the kill, a spear thrust followed by an overhand axe chop.

Toughness vs DC24 (1d20 + 5=9) Definitely reroll that
Toughness vs DC24 (1d20 + 5=25) No damage.
Toughness vs DC18 (1d20 + 5=6) Another reroll
Toughness vs DC18 (1d20 + 5=10) with the +10 for a reroll that's a 20.

Allout and Power attack for 2 on Paired Weapons. If he doesn't go down, I'll surge for another attack.
Paired weapons attack (1d20 + 9=29) Another crit for another DC27 hit.
Paired weapons attack (1d20 + 9=24) If necessary, this would be DC22.

The elemental will continue to engage the swordsmen.

[RedBstrd]

GM Post:

Moving in for the kill, Jhondak stabs the warlord with his spear. It's perfectly clear that Medraut won't be doing much beyond dying at this point. As he coughs on blood, the young warlord sees Susan moving in for the coup de grace. She places her pistol beneath his chin and whispers in his ear, "This is for the Granite Marches. This is for Roland."

After she pulls the trigger and the body of Medraut slumps to the ground, Florent looks threateningly towards the remaining soldiers of Chaos. He cocks his head to the side in the direction of their fallen lord and then back at them as if to ask: is this really what you want to have happen to you? The flailing body of their rapidly suffocating Chaos Priest further demoralizes them, save for the one who is crushed to death by a tentacle. He doesn't have time to do much but scream.

For those who don't instantly fall back, a barrage of missiles and bullets from Pablo, Owen, Russ, and Susan is enough to break the discipline of the troops. Their scatter is temporarily halted as a sorcery-enlarged slow mutant shaman appears at the vanguard of Medraut's honor guard. A second later, though, his head rains down on the men, courtesy of a sniper shot from Oswald. Even the honor guard moves for cover, sending the common troops scrambling.

Toughness checks: 11, 14. The first one fails by 16, dropping him into a Dying condition.

Jhondak doesn't need to surge to finish him off.

[RedBstrd]

GM Post:

On the battlefield, things fare almost as bad for the forces of Medraut. They began moving into "no man's land" when the raid began. Sounds of battle at their rear caused many soldiers to falter and confusion spread through the ranks. The slow mutants, short on brains but long on courage, charged toward the walls where a bitter battle began. Hundreds died on the approach and King John yelled for all reserves to mount the battlements. By the time the slow mutants began trying to erect ladders, they were already being showered with countless bullets and orizas. Bron once again led a counter offensive against Medraut's cavalry and the failure of the forces of Chaos to move forward en masse enabled the Granbretaner's troops to park behind the first rank of enemy lines and fire into Medraut's otherwise shielded archers.

With knowledge of the attack on Medraut spreading throughout the forces, another march to save the slow mutants at the front never materializes. Instead, the warped creatures die in record numbers and get thrown back from the walls before being able to secure a foothold. Their losses begin to mount until only a handful of wounded remain.

Back at Medraut's camp, Susan begins dragging the corpse of the warlord. The determined look on her face says a thousand words but she utters only two: "Charyou tree." Florent sheaths his swords and draws a pair of pistols, shooting anyone who dares get close to his dinh. With most of the enemy in outright retreat, Susan is able to drag the body outside of the camp and towards a copse of trees.

[Shock]

Jhondak
HP: 4

Jhondak extracted his spear from the warlord's corpse and shoved it into the ground. "King Grome, I give you Medraut's blood in offering of thanks for your assistance." As the forces of Chaos fled, he took Grome's fingernail in his hand and approached the elemental. "Return to your home in the earth."

He turned to see the gunslingers dragging Medraut's body away. While he was unfamiliar with a Charyou tree, he got the general idea. Jhondak followed along, menacing any stragglers who came near.

[Project Icarus]

Owen
HP: 4

Owen followed after Florent and Susan, gesturing to the rest of his ka-tet to follow as well. Like Florent, Owen held his pistols at the ready, keeping an eye on the nearby soldiers. The failed gunslinger caught up to Florent.

"What is she doing?" he asked quietly. "Medraut is already dead, how can he be sacrificed?"

[RedBstrd]

GM Post:

By the time Owen approaches Florent, the procession including the ka-tet and the two gunslingers has been given an unimpeded path through the fields towards the copse of trees. Most of the horde that served Medraut is in full retreat. His bannermen have clearly called off the attack and seek to pull back as many of their troops as possible for the inner power struggle which will determine the future fate of the remnants of the army. What men dare approach the ka-tet find quick deaths but for the most part the officers have been pushing their men away from any signs of battle. The few soldiers who are close enough to see their warlord dragged through the dirt watch the whole affair with a degree of awe.

Florent's expression hardens at Owen's question. "Sai Owen... King John told you of the Granite Reaches. They were where Medraut first showed himself. His men had infiltrated the barony from top to bottom. My dinh and I were there on unrelated business but quickly learned of the dire situation. In the end, we led hundreds of Medraut's men into a thinny, killed hundreds of them, and torched a dogan he wanted to use to fuel machines of war. I guess they must still be out there somewhere." He looks into the horizon towards the grasslands to the west of Camelot. "Medraut's sorceress..." Florent spits at the mention of the woman. "... She learned of Susan's love for a local man - his name was Roland - and the sorceress led Medraut's men to capture him. While we smashed the bastard's hopes of getting those machines against us, the men... they tied Roland to a charyou tree and set him ablaze." He holds his hand over his face from the despair that the memory brings. "She never loved another like that. Never. The joy and warmth in her was dead." Balling his hands into fists, he continues, "And the next day after we found the tree, she stood there - covered in his wind-blown ashes - and swore vengeance. We fell upon any of those sworn to Chaos that we could find, ranging out into the plains, but the vengeance was as empty as it was swift. Medraut had retreated far beyond our reach with his sorceress." Nodding his head in the direction of the lady gunslinger and the body she drags, he concludes: "Dead though he may be, Sai Owen, she means to tie him to a charyou tree and watch the son of a bitch burn."

[Lord Fell]

Myron Frost

As the ka-tet began their relatively unimpeded retreat, Myron plucked the lacy cravat from his throat and pressed it against the inside of his right sleeve, where the white fabric quickly turns pink. Negligently, he tosses a handful of cackling blue fire at a straggling squad of chaos soldiers who are lingering a bit too near. Heading his dinh's call, Myron joins the group trailing Florent and Susan. The Brass Engine lopes along at his side, still in its fearsome configuration.

After listening to, and considering Florent's story, his brows furrow. "Given the circumstances of his death, and how recently it were done, his spirit likely flutters about us in futile rage. It may be possible for me to pin that spiteful shade to his corpse... at least long enough for him to enjoy the bonfire."

[Shock]

Jhondak
HP: 5

Jhondak scowled. "Such sorcery reminds me of the Melnibonean demons from my world. I'll not witness such depravity."

[McGuffin]

Russ
HP: 1 Cnd: Fine

Russ followed along with the others, the intensity practically radiating off of Susan keeping him quiet. Sometimes even a fool realized when to shut up.

Instead he kept watch, eyes facing outward from the gathering even as his ears picked up the conversation. Myron's words made the gambler uneasy and even though he didn't give voice to his feelings, his expression made it plain he agreed with Jhondak.

[Lord Fell]

Myron

Although Myron is quite fare, he seems to get a shade paler. He bows low to Jhondak. "My apologies, I was caught up in the moment."

He turns to Florent and Susan, "I must rescind the offer. I am sure, as I stated, that Medraut's shade will be in attendance when you carry out the Doom."

[Shock]

Jhondak
HP: 5

Jhondak nodded at Myron's apology. "There is no harm done. I understand the desire to see that one punished to the utmost." He clapped Myron on the shoulder. "Rest assured, Arioch will see to it that he suffers even after death."

[RedBstrd]

GM Post:

After Susan reaches the copse of trees, she fastens Medraut to the charyou tree by driving the warlord's sword through him. Without a word, Florent begins picking up dried wood and piling it at the foot of the tree. Within minutes, the two gunslingers have the pyre at a roaring inferno. Before the fire spreads to the nearby trees, Susan nods to Jhondak to suffocate the fire with earth.

As the ka-tet and their tet-fa - friends of the ka-tet - walk back towards Camelot, Susan emerges from her thoughts a bit more. "Thankee sai for the assistance in the camp. Your help was much appreciated. I've longed to kill that bastard for so long that I can't imagine what could possibly follow." Her concerns broaden, "It also seems that your contribution aided the defense greatly. You remember the faces of your fathers and honor them well." Looking at each of the members of the group, she adds: "I see you well and I say thankee."

Florent nods, "As she says. Drinks are on me, 'course don't reckon a person inside those walls will take a coin from the lot of you tonight." Finally deciding to comment on the billy bumbler tailing Pablo, he notes: "Nice throcken, if it pleases you for me to say. What's his name?"

Pablo ponders the question and glances at the golden eyed creature plodding around the trail after him and sighs. "I hadn't quite thought of that. It seems he will be keeping me around. His name is Hemingway, I guess...". The throcken agrees. "Way," it says.

By the time the ka-tet reaches the walls, the battlefield is empty save for the dead and dying. Bondsmen of the city's gunslingers wander through the fields with hammers, axes, and spears, finishing off the enemy dead. Some looters strip the bodies of the valuables and in a few cases, citizens collect trophies. In one instance, two boys likely no older than 16 debate over which arrow from the walls killed a particularly brutish looking slow mutant. "See? That's my arrow in his eye. I fletched that." "Yeah, but it was my arrow - right here in his neck - that did him in." The two then discuss who should get the banner attached to the back of it's armor and who should get the shield it bears.

Susan carries trophies of her own: the battered helmet and charred sword of Medraut.

[Shock]

Jhondak
HP: 5

Jhondak walked back to the walls marveling at the fact that no one had been seriously injured. Arioch's army had crumbled faster than he expected. There would still be a lot of cleanup to do in the days ahead. Even leaderless, the forces of chaos would wreak havoc on the surrounding area for quite a while. But King John's forces should be up to the task of cleaning them out. Jhondak planned on drinking heavily for a few days and possibly finding a wench or two to keep him company. While they walked, he talked lightly with the others, praising precise shooting and lucky dodges.

[RedBstrd]

GM Post:

With the army of Chaos in retreat, the gunslingers throw open the gates for the ka-tet to enter. Inside of the walls, the city is ecstatic. Despite having casualties numbering in the low hundreds, the city held against a force many times their size. Curious onlookers openly question what had happened in the field but Susan carries the helm of Medraut in one hand and holds high the warlord's sword in another. Her expression, however, does not reveal any joy, remaining completely businesslike. Her voice booms over the sounds of the whisperers: "The would-be conqueror is fallen, his body claimed by the fires and his sword brought back to be shattered. Live your lives until the end of your days but forget not this day. You remembered the faces of our fathers and Camelot stood strong."

The procession continues past the hospitals tending to the wounded to the tower where the ka-tet last left Oswald. He is at the base of the structure, handing off the packed up rifle to a boy who helped run him ammunition during the siege. "Well, I don't rightly know how many shots actually killed..." He discusses various shots with the boy, who mentions others. The whole business sounds like two baseball fans reciting off batting statistics. Oswald accepts the figures offered by the boy - sixty eight confirmed dead, eight wounded - fairly easily, as his attention is clearly drawn to a pair of tavern maids (turned temporary field nurses) who evidently feel that his exploits deserve attention from more than adoring youths. One of them whispers something in his ear and he looks at the two of them and then blushes, starting to stammer out some sort of response. Before he gets much out, the quartet notices the ka-tet and the two gunslingers, returning triumphant from the front.

"Hey, pals," Lee Harvey greets. "The old Negro... Speedy, he was by here. Said you was coming across the battlefield. He's gone on to meet with King John. I'll tag along." He then nods enthusiastically to the two women and points out where his room in the tavern is.

Pablo looks down at the throcken and explains the situation with the women. "That's not... typical... for humans."