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Unprotected (Ranger9000)


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Este: HP = 119, PP = 43, EP = 46, Status = Fine

Some wore scales, some wore fur. Some wore feathers, and some were as smooth of skin as the strange, seemingly helpless creatures that Este had inexplicably been driven to protect. The jungle in which Este had grown up had held creatures of every color, shape and size that could be imagined, and more were dangerous than not.... But few could threaten her now. The predators she had once feared she could now crush or rip asunder, the poisons and venoms that had once ailed her she now knew to avoid, and many of the larger creatures possessing too much mass or strength for her to hunt were now among her prey when the wild half-dragon hungered. There were still things more dangerous than she, still things that were so large or powerful that Este had little choice but to avoid them, but now she knew how to with minimal effort on her part.

Safe as one could be from the dangers of their environment, the half-dragon had gained herself a hobby, under a random compulsion. There were other creatures that wandered the jungle, shaped much like her albeit without the tail, armored scales, or claws that had allowed her to thrive in such an environment. Their skin differed from hers as well; where her exposed flesh was darkened by exposure to the sun, theirs varied so oddly; some were the color of peaches, and others a reddish brown, and still others a variety of pink to purple. They were fragile, but some were crafty enough to make it on their own... But those that weren't, she had come to start protecting.

So she had changed her range, drifting into areas less populated by predator and prey alike to satiate her curiosity towards the strange creatures. She had followed some deep into their territory now, until she came upon one of their settlements the day before, though as yet she had not entered; the weak creatures seemed to congregate in strange piles of stone and fallen wood, though she could not immediately discern how they kept from falling apart.

The half-dragon had retreated for now to a nearby cavern, but she was not within it. A beast stalked nearby, a great hulking predatory thing. It walked on two legs and two massive hands, the ground thumping with every step. The black skinned creature wore a bit of cloth, like the settled peoples, but only around its waist; the thing bore both massive curling horns and short tusks. It was far too large for her to attack directly, at least with any hope of succeeding, but it was heading towards the human village. If Este wished to protect the strange softskins from this thing, she would have to divert it or kill it.

A large beehive was in a tree up ahead, along the path on which it traveled; a well thrown rock might knock such a thing down. If she could alter its course, there was a deep river with a strong current a ways away, down a steep cliff; if she could knock it off the side it might drown, though she would have to evade it for some time to manage it. A den of wolves lay nearby, in the opposite direction and a ways back the way that it had come, and given the time of day they would be at home, tending to their young. Leading it back there might injure it enough to make a direct battle more possible, and eliminate a rival for food all at once. She might just attempt to lead it back into the rocky area from which it had traveled and lose it there, however... Or simply let it continue on its path, and see if the softskins could deal with it.
 

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Re: Unprotected (Ranger9000)

Este had hunted for some time, wandering the jungles as she grew from small and weak, to middling, to strong and powerful. With each stage she had learned more, first how to hide and to dodge greater creatures, and how to trap and break things she could prey upon. Then she had learned how to fight on even terms, to battle wolves and wrestle them to the ground, to slash and bite, to kill quickly and efficiently. Finally she had learned what it was to be the near top dog, to tower strong above the others, and to be able to defeat those that had once threatened her ease. To kick away a wolf with a single kick, or crush the life out of a deer with her hands.

Finally though she had grown tired of just living, she wanted something more, and she had found it. The half-dragon found it in the small ones, the squishy ones, the ones that looked almost like her but without the natural abilities. They had numbers yes, and whiles, she watched them take down dangerous creatures by themselves, using traps and weapons that weren't part of themselves. She knew they could handle their own, but she still felt drawn to them, to help guard them against those they couldn't beat.

Unfortunately, the creature she looked at now was not one she could beat. Not straight up, it was rare she encountered such these days. The large beast was heading toward the home of the small ones, and she knew she needed to do something at least. She could see the options before her. The large beehive was the simplest option, but the most likely to fail. It relied entirely on the bees deciding on the right target. They could come after her too, or they could spread far and attack the softskins too. The river appealed to her, it let her deal with the threat herself, and she was relatively confident in her ability to dodge long enough. The risk though was she herself ending up tossed off that same ledge, or the dangers of having two large beings so close to the side of a cliff, the ground might break below them and take them both away. The wolves were another idea, she didn't quite trust in their ability to deal with the beast. If she couldn't take it on head on, then the wolves had a solid chance of barely scratching it. Finally though was the option of letting it run free and hope the squishies could take it.

At least that's was what the options immediately presented to her, her brain came up with another one though. If she was to be honest, she trusted the squishies more then the wolves to be useful, and she had been looking for a reason to actually show herself to them. Maybe she could wait till it got close enough for them to notice and then battle it? Hold it in place for the softskins to help finish it off. The last one did appeal to her, it would help cement her in the softskins place most likely, but there was the risk she couldn't take it and then they'd have lots of problems there.

As it was, she went for the river in the end. With how much size the hunter had on her, she wasn't quite confident enough in herself that she could hold it in place. Instead she'd rather deal with it far away, and even if she couldn't throw it over the side, odds are she might have managed to distract it from its current course well enough. So heading down from her cavern she'd roar out a challenge to the larger beast, get its attention, and then get ready to run.
 
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Re: Unprotected (Ranger9000)

Este: HP = 119, PP = 43, EP = 46, Status = Fine

The monstrous creature turned and roared back up at Este in turn, its booming tones thick, deeper than her own and lower. It turned sluggishly - the thing wasn't very fast - but it began to gain speed as it surged up towards her, large rocks brushed aside by the things sheer mass. It was propelled on short, thick legs ending in talon-like nails, and on long arms on fists. It was covered in short, black hair, too thin to be called fur, that looked course and bristly even from afar. Overall it looked like a giant, deformed version of the softskins, and towered head and shoulders over the dragoness even as it walked hunched towards her.

As it grew closer, Este had the option to move immediately, leading it away promptly at the risk that it might lose interest if she got too far away, or risk putting it in range of her if it put on a burst of speed. So far it seemed to need straightaways to move quickly, and the dragoness could outpace it if it didn't end up going much faster than it was now... But that was assuming that she managed to keep it from getting a good straight line towards her. She could, alternatively, shove a lose boulder down towards it and hope that that slowed it down, or even injured it, though such might take a moment and it might be upon her if she didn't manage to shift it quickly enough.
 

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Re: Unprotected (Ranger9000)

If there was one thing Este trusted in, it was her ability to well, move boulders at least. She might not be as strong as this beast, but she was strong enough to do that. Throwing one of the boulders toward the creature as she moved, Este wasn't expecting it to do much more then slow it down, though if she was lucky it might just injure the thing and keep it from doing those charges. She didn't want to get caught by it but she was willing to risk the thing getting closer as necessary after she let the boulder go. She needed to keep its interest after all, and then she could throw it over the edge. She had to wonder at the creature itself though, was it a mutated softskin? Was it a different species entirely? It was much too big, and well, it seemed to lack their intelligence from what she had seen so far, but she admittedly hadn't seen much.
 
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Re: Unprotected (Ranger9000)

Este: HP = 119, PP = 43, EP = 46, Status = Fine

Rolls
Este needs to make a DC 60 grapple roll to push this boulder down. She rolls a 55 total, which is not quite enough. After some consultation, Este opts to bolt away.

She is now 30 feet away from the creature. She may move and taunt, going 50 feet with a double move and ensuring that the creature follows her assuming you offer some decent fluff for this, or she may sprint 100. As far as she can tell, the creature moves 20, so has a 40 double move and an 80 sprint. That means it has an 40 foot charge potential as far as she knows, if it gets a perfectly straight line to her.

The cliff is 1300 feet away.

Este threw herself bodily against a massive stone, and felt it shift under the assault of her weight and strength. The creature put on a burst of speed, however, grabbing two stable rocks nearly as big as the one she was attempting to push down upon it and vaulting forward on the might of its upper body. The boulder she pushed was only just shifting; a few more moments and it would fall upon the reaching beast... But the danger was too great. It reached out a massive hand toward her, and with the threat so close the dragoness turned and bolted, rushing down the hill and leaving it to roar in fury.

She came to the bottom, and it was following in a tumble of stones, leading her to choose how she wished to proceed in luring it away; She could simply rush as fast as she could move towards the cliffs, which were quite a distance away to run, but if it fell too far behind the beast might lose interest. Pausing to taunt the creature might let it get within reach again, but if even if it did the thing had moved clumsily so far, she might simply be able to avoid it.
 

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Re: Unprotected (Ranger9000)

Well, Este felt a small tinge to her pride as she failed to shift the boulder. She didn't have much time yes, but it still hurt that she had failed at something. Luckily she wasn't more prideful, and took the better part of valour and ducked out. Leaving the boulder behind as she started to move. Continuing her run she was hoping to keep out of the things charge range, focusing her efforts on running for the most part. There was some exceptions though, namely, she looked over her shoulder occasionally and well, made rather childish taunts toward the large thing. She had seen the softskins occasionally do it to eachother, and it usually made them attack eachother, sometimes faked, sometimes properly. Either way though she stuck her tongue out at the beast as she kept running before giving another roar. The dragon woman challenging the beast to catch her. Though whenever the creature actually caught up to her she'd put the peddle to the metal, trying to keep out of the creature's chargeing distance so it couldn't run her down.

Este alternates between double move and sprint. Double moving whenever she has a small lead on the enemy, and sprinting whenever it's sprinted to catch up to her. (So 30+50 to 80, it catches up, then she sprints for 100, then double runs again, etc)
 
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Re: Unprotected (Ranger9000)

Este: HP = 119, PP = 43, EP = 46, Status = Fine

Rolls
She is now 30 feet away from the creature. She may move and taunt, going 50 feet with a double move and ensuring that the creature follows her assuming you offer some decent fluff for this, or she may sprint 100. As far as she can tell, the creature moves 20, so has a 40 double move and an 80 sprint. That means it has an 40 foot charge potential as far as she knows, if it gets a perfectly straight line to her.

The cliff is 1300 feet away.

So, first a double move of 50 feet. It sprints 80, putting them right next to each other, but it can't attack. She is 1250 from the cliff.

Then she sprints 100, it sprints after her, 20 away and 1150 from the cliff.

Then she double moves 50, it sprints after her putting them in close range again. She has to move past it now, choose Tumble/Bull Rush/Overrun, see the rules for that. She is 1100 from the cliff.

The monstrous thing roared in blind fury, bloodshot eyes going wide as Este taunted it, always darting just out of reach. She slowed regularly, darting between the trees to keep it from getting a clear line, and each time that it nearly caught her she put on a burst of speed that took her far from its grasp. Her own heavy frame smashed aside branches and trampled scrub, but the thing chasing her uprooted trees and rent the ground asunder as it thundered after her, rushing on all fours.

The second time that it nearly caught her, however, she found it skidding past her, turning to reach for her and leaving her with the choice of how to get by; to try to shift around at the edge of the monster's reach, to try to continue and push under its arm, trusting in momentum and better applied might to carry her through, or to simply attempt to bowl it over with power and weight alone.
 

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Re: Unprotected (Ranger9000)

Este knew she wasn't the most nimble, so she likely wouldn't be able to get around it, but given it was larger then her, she didn't really think she had much chance trying to force it out of the way with a grapple, and it had so much weight on her she probably wasn't going to be able to run it over. So she didn't quite have the options she would have liked...Instead well, she went with the dodge attempt. Hoping to slip past it as she kept up her run. Going for sprinting this time and trying to get a good lead on it. Two sprinting to one taunting would hopefully work better.

Este tries to tumble around the creature, and if she succeeds she switches to 2 sprinting phases for every 1 double run phase.
 
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Re: Unprotected (Ranger9000)

Este: HP = 119, PP = 43, EP = 46, Status = Fine, Prone

Rolls
She is 1100 from the cliff.

Reflexes: 34 vs 38, failure. Este is knocked Prone.

The creature tries to grab her.
Attack: 41 vs 43, miss.

Este's efforts to slip by at the edge of its reach very nearly got her around the monstrous horned creature, but a sudden sweeping motion of its other clawed hand caught her by surprise just as she was about to clear the circle. The blow struck with some force, though it was too clumsy to properly injure; instead it smashed her to the ground, leaving her skidding a few feet before her back struck a tree. The monster stomped after her, reaching down to try and grab her with a triumphant roar, but she was able to roll under its grasp, leaving it clutching only dirt and roots while giving her a few scant seconds with which to recover from her downed state and come up with a new plan of action.
 

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Re: Unprotected (Ranger9000)

Well, this went extremely south extremely quickly. Really, nothing seemed to be going Este's way today. She either ended up failing to push a rock, or she got caught out just as she seemed like she was about to get past the beast. Instead she found herself on the ground and at least managed to roll out of the way of the thing's grab as she tried to get to her feet and get past it again. She just needed to avoid it's grab and she'd be home free, given if she tried to run back it'd just charge after her anyways and catch her in the time it took her to get up and moving. The girl's anger levels though were quickly rising and if it kept going like this she might just end up trying to beat the shit out of it, probably not a good thing really.
 
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Re: Unprotected (Ranger9000)

Este: HP = 119, PP = 43, EP = 46, Status = Fine, Grappled

Rolls
She is 1100 from the cliff.

Reflexes: 46 vs 27, success.

Grab attempt: 97 vs 46, grappled. Her dice were bad, its were good... I can roll escape until she's knocked out or gets out, at this point. If she does, she can resume running. Up to you though.

Scrambling to her feet, Este found herself in close proximity to the beast, and made to scramble under its arm as it tried to retract and grab her again. This time she managed, darting out of the way of massive grasping hands, but when she made her way behind it to continue on her way it lurched toward her and grabbed her around the waist. Its fingers were long enough to make it more than halfway around her body, and it gave grunts of effort and frustration as it began to try and lift her heavy frame and drag her closer. Still, it only had one hand on her, and if she could only escape from the beast's grasp she could resume her retreat and continue with her plan.
 

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Re: Unprotected (Ranger9000)

It looked like she was nearly in the clear, nearly escaping from the beast to make her escape, only to end up getting grabbed at the last second. Feeling that hand wrapping around that shoulder sent a pang of fear through the dragon girl, she had to get away now. The longer she was close by like this, the more likely she'd just get defeated. She needed to get her distance. Putting everything she had into escaping the grapple she'd hope for a breakaway so she could start sprinting, running fast to get a lead on the beast again before it could try to grab her again.

(Escape attempt until successful, then follow the 2 sprint 1 double move pattern)
 
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Re: Unprotected (Ranger9000)

Este: HP = 91/119, PP = 43, EP = 46, Status = Lightly Injured

Rolls
She is 1100 from the cliff.

Grapple: 71 vs 97 again, Este is attacked.
Damage: 44 - 16 = 28 damage.

Grapple: 67 vs 54, she escapes.

Running again!
Sprints 100, monster sprints 80 and is 20 away, 1000 from the cliff.
Sprints 100, monster sprints 80 and is 40 away, 900 from the cliff.
Runs 50 and taunts, monster sprints 80 and is 10 away, 850 from the cliff.
Sprints 100, monster sprints 80 and is 30 away, 750 from the cliff.
Sprints 100, monster sprints 80 and is 50 away, 650 from the cliff.
Runs 50 and taunts, monsters sprints 80 and is 20 away, 600 from the cliff.
Sprints 100, monster sprints 80 and is 40 away, 500 from the cliff.
Sprints 100, monster sprints 80 and is 60 away, 400 from the cliff.
Runs 50 and taunts, monsters sprints 80 and is 30 away, 350 from the cliff.
Sprints 100, monsters sprints 80 and is 50 away, 250 from the cliff.
Sprints 100, monster sprints 80 and is 70 away, 150 from the cliff.
Runs 50 and taunts, monster sprints 80 and is 40 away, 100 from the cliff.

Este reaches the cliff without further incident.

The massive creature lifted Este and slammed her to the ground, like a child who had caught a lizard, all while roaring in fury. It lifted her up again, but while the blow had been painful she was far from crippled, and so caught the thing by surprise when she wrenched herself out of its grasp and took off again. It let out a bellow of maddened rage and gave chase, but now she had the speed of it and measured herself. It surged after her, but she kept herself just ahead of it, slowing down to issue her taunts whenever she got too much of a lead. The creature ripped up stones and trees, left rents in the ground, pushed through every obstacle like it was nothing... But it never caught her, even when it drew perilously close.

All too soon she saw the break in the trees up ahead, heard the rush of water beneath the din of the horned monster's chase. She was close, but now she had to figure out how she wished to bait it off the cliff and into the water below. She knew that the walls were sheer, though not impossible to climb, and that a slight lip jutted out over the edge of the river. There was little vegetation of note, and the drop was perhaps a hundred feet into the river below, with the gap from one side to the other being about thirty feet across.
 
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Re: Unprotected (Ranger9000)

Este let out a grunt of pain at the impact as the creature threw her to the ground, but it made the mistake of pulling her up after. She wasn't going to let a little bit of pain stop her. Wrenching herself out of its grip she'd start to bolt, keeping just ahead of the beast and slowly starting to get a lead until finally she reached the cliffside. Now came the potentially simpler task of trying to bait the thing over the edge. As she slowed and approached the cliff edge she' turn around to face the beast she braced herself. Given the distance it was behind her, and the slifjtly reduced gap she made. She was hoping the dumb thing would charge. Once it did she'doesn't try to jump away, hoping the thing would run itself right off the cliff.

(Este let's the gap close to 30m just as she approaches the edge of the cliff and prepares herself to dodge an incoming charge and send the thing over the cliff edge (Either dodge, contested grapple or tumble around him whichever you'd like to do assuming I can do something like this.))
 
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Re: Unprotected (Ranger9000)

Este: HP = 91/119, PP = 43, EP = 46, Status = Lightly Injured

Rolls
Trying to bait it off of the cliff and dodge out of the way is definitely a tumble check.
Reflexes: 45 vs 40, success but not by enough to get it off of the cliff hard.

The hulking creature did indeed charge her as Este turned to face it on the edge of the cliff, tearing chunks from the ground and sending them flying as it hauled itself towards her. The half-dragon waited until just the right moment before suddenly diving out of the way, and the hulking beast ran to the side of the cliff while reaching out to try and catch her tail. It seemed to go over, tumbling down and roaring, but when she stood a massive hand stilled clutched the edge, and the other reached up to grasp it as the creature started pulling itself up.
 

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Re: Unprotected (Ranger9000)

Este gave a happy cheer as the creature did just what she wanted, running right off the edge of the cliff. At least till she noticed it didn't go anywhere near as far as she wanted. A hand holding onto the edge. She needed to deal with that! Rushing over to the edge herself, she'd try to punch that hand, hoping to force the creature to lose its grip and fall to the ground.

(Este attacks, or at least tries to pry the thing's hand off the cliff and send it plummeting)
 
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Re: Unprotected (Ranger9000)

Este: HP = 91/119, PP = 43, EP = 46, Status = Lightly Injured, Grappled

Rolls
Not having your weapon attack or damage stats listed on your sheet is extremely annoying. I am not sure if these are accurate simply because I can't be asked to look through everything to make sure.
Attack: 82 (and only one away from being an at-best-glancing-hit) vs 39, hit.
Damage: 25 - 20 = 5 damage.
Reflexes check to avoid letting go and falling down the cliff: Success.
Grapple: 47 vs 43, grabbed

Este's fists landed on fingers as thick as branches and as hard as rocks, and her blow rebounded and caused it to roar in pain, but it didn't let go. Instead it reached up with its free hand and grabbed her by the thigh, dragging the half-dragon closer to the edge of the cliff as it tried to pull itself back up from the side of the cliff. She could hear it grunting in effort, hear its feet scraping against the cliff face in a desperate effort to find purchase, but a glance down revealed that the stone was crumbling beneath the grip holding it up. A few more moments and it would likely crumble, but if she was still in the beast's grasp when it did....
 

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Re: Unprotected (Ranger9000)

Este growled as the creature grabbed onto her leg. Even with her strike she had still practically bounced off those massive fingers. But she wouldn't be stopped! At the very least the rocks were starting to give way. Between her weight and it's the rocks wouldn't last more then a few moments and it would send this thing down into the river. Unfortunately, it was grabbing onto her thigh still at the moment. That needed to be fixed now. Throwing her all into trying to get out of the beasts grip. Este tried to escape, and hopefully be able to watch the thing tumble to its death or at least 'exile' form a safe distance.
 
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Re: Unprotected (Ranger9000)

Este: HP = 91/119, PP = 43, EP = 46, Status = Lightly Injured

Rolls
Grapple: 85 vs 32, success.
Gain 6 xp.

The cliffside crumbled more by the second as Este and the strange beast struggled, it to drag itself up or perhaps simply drag her down as well, while she in turn attempted to get away before she joined it in falling off of the cliff. The dragoness lashed her tail across the creature's fingers and dug in her heel, and just as the ground crumbled it released her with a roar. She half fell, but caught herself before her waist had passed the edge of the crumbling drop and managed to scramble forth away from the collapsing precipice. The beast she'd lured to the cliff roared, the sound growing distant and ultimately swallowed by the noise of the river below just as it was. The creature poked it's head up a few times as the raging current carried it away, but ultimately it vanished from sight. Whether dead or not, the thing would no longer be a threat to the immediate area, and she had suffered only some minor bruising in the process of getting it away.
 

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Re: Unprotected (Ranger9000)

Este dug in, trying to keep herself from sliding off the edge of the cliff even as the creature was trying its best to pull her over. The half-dragon's tail slashing at those fingers in a desperate attempt to get him to let go. A desperate attempt that quite nearly failed, but in the end it didn't. The creature releasing her as the cliff tumbled, and immediately Este twisted herself, trying to dig her hands into the ground to keep herself from sliding with the falling cliff too. Driving her claws into the stone to halt her fall, a moment before she used those same cut grooves as leverage to throw herself away from the falling cliff.

Landing with a small omph from the dragon woman, ending up a safe distance away from the crumbling cliff, Este would push herself to her feet. She headed to the side of the cliff after the crumbling stopped and saw the creature plummeting toward the river below. The fall didn't kill it, but well, it was certainly being swept away in the river. The dragon woman unable to resist letting out a triumphant roar at her victory. Turning back toward the forest as she headed for her cave. Though on the way she'd end up redirecting herself a bit, heading toward the village of the squishy ones. Wondering if any of them had seen what happened.
 
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