Gangs of Havenport (Tassadar) GMed by Takimaru

[Takimaru]

Re: Takimaru Test Thread

Spoiler

Isolda: HP = 91, PP = 41, EP = 42, Status = Fine

Ciran replied to the gorgeous swordswoman's somewhat testy glare with an apologetic look, his hands quickly flattening onto the bed's surface, almost to show that he didn't exactly intend to be quite that rough with her. However, the remorse he displayed was only partially sincere, for he looked upon her face, the slightly defiant look she exhibited, with her tongue sticking out and holding gobs of his cum, was strangely beautiful to him in a way. That, or the locksmith's perverted tendencies were just tickled by the sight of her showing off his seed in such a fashion. Either way, he was left quite pleased inside, and certainly teased when she joked about the similarity to the Succubus Queen. "Grem? Oh, I see... I wouldn't have expected that--no offense," the man replied drowsily, though he couldn't quite place where he would suspect her to be from, as Isolda herself was quite the unique specimen in both appearance and heritage.

The lustful woman was given ample time to get off undetected, just as with the previous night, with both Samia and Ciran oblivious to her intense masturbation session. When the redhead rose and got dressed, she would find her white-haired partner from the other night eyeing her with those lustful looks, though it didn't seem to bother the barmaid in the slightest, judging from her winks and smirks. Neither did Isolda's bold motions during their farewell kiss, which only seemed to reinforce the enthusiasm Samia displayed during her invitation for the traveler to return to the tavern, as well as leave her with a blush matching her fiery locks. The embrace itself was returned wholeheartedly on her end as well, leaving Isolda with the hint that she'd have more than just one willing lover to return to in Havenport, should the mood ever arise again while wandering about in that region. "Goodbye for now, hon."

When it was back to just the two of them, Ciran considered the swordswoman's words with a brief pause before making his reply. "I see... well, thank you for the wonderful time anyway. I admit, I'd love to see you back more often than not, so, if there is anything I can do to provide you reason for visiting Havenport, just ask. Ahehe... if it was just a meal and a night's rest, for what I feel is the highlight of my entire life, then I'd gladly present it again!"

As the subject matter shifted somewhat, so did his expression. The brown-haired man put on something of a puzzled look, trying to make sense of the situation--it was possible that she was, indeed, carrying his unborn child. He heard her words, though they didn't seem to register at first, and his silence went on for a little longer this time around. "..... A-Ah. Yeah, uh... I probably won't go with you there, to the apothecary that is, but I can most definitely compensate you for such hassles." Getting himself properly dressed and ready, he then dug through his pockets to see what he had left after the other day's expenses; roughly about 80 gold. He gave all of it to Isolda, saying, "Hopefully this is enough, but if you need more, I... just visit me at my shop. I'd be pleased to see you at any time. Speaking of which, let me show you where it's located!"

The two exited the tavern, being waved a quick farewell by Samia downstairs, who was already hard at work. Ciran proceeded to lead the white-haired beauty deeper into the city, and away from the red-light district, taking a left onto the main road, then a right a few blocks down from here.

Minutes later they arrived at his shop, a rather small establishment located amongst many other artisans, but he was still the only locksmith, at least in this part of town. A wooden sign stuck out two feet above the doorway that said 'Alard's Keys and Locks'. Opening the door with his own unique key, he showed her the building's interior, which was admittedly plain, with a counter and all the necessary tools and worktable against the west wall. A doorway through which a bedroom could be seen was located towards the back.

"And this is my shop. I've been handling it by myself since the old man passed, so I'm only a year or two out of my apprenticeship, but business has been, uh, steady enough," he explained. "Those are where I cut the keys, over there is my room, and... that's about it." He motioned to the proper locations as he talked. After the brief tour, Ciran sighed to himself and looked at her. "Well, uh... I guess this is where we say goodbye, isn't it...?"

Spoiler

Isolda received 80 gold.

 

[Tassadar]

Re: Takimaru Test Thread

Her goodbyes said to Samia, Isolda smirked at Ciran and began re-wrapping her chest in the discarded cloth wrappings. After that, she pulled on her panties and then her skirt before donning her armor and, last of all, her boots and greaves. "Don't be so down, I'm going to be in Havenport for a little while yet. I expect you'll be seeing a lot of me until I decide to head out, with and without my clothes on~ I'd be happy with the same trade every night too, so expect to see me again later.... With and eventually without my clothes of course!"

After the two of them dressed, Isolda simply accepted and stowed Ciran's money without comment or complaint, knowing that it was more than she needed but not bothering to try and dissuade the man. She'd simply treat it like a favor and repay the man for it later that night, which she'd intended to do anyway. She gave Samia a brief wave and a wink as they left the tavern, the wanderer remained beside the man and simply observed their surroundings warily as she always did. She kept her money divided in separate pouches as always, the nearly empty purse hanging from her hip the only obvious location as the rest of it was split in between her pack and hidden within a pouch in her armor. It had never hurt her to be too careful, particularly in large cities like this one.

When they reached Ciran's workplace and entered, she smiled at the relatively simple surroundings, particularly the bed in the back. "You live her huh? Well, that makes visiting you a easier!" Isolda remarked with a suggestive smirk, "How long are you open? I might be out late, but if I show up after you close I'll knock four times so that you know it's me." After that, the wanderer tilted her head and asked curiously; "Old man? Your former master I'm guessing?"

After that particularly mystery was revealed, Isolda nodded and said; "I suppose it is. For now. I'll be back tonight unless something keeps me though, so you'd better be looking forward to it~" With that, she gave the man a kiss identical to the one she'd given Samia earlier, save for the fact that she was now clothed, before pulling away and saying; "Goodbye Ciran."

With the pleasantries of the morning concluded, Isolda departed, making note of the address of Ciran's shop before heading off to an apothecary. She could have asked him for the location of one, but she hadn't thought of it and didn't mind wandering a bit while she considered her options for finding employment in Havenport. Ciran's donation had provided her a bit more leeway than she'd been expecting, but she didn't want to rely on the man for her finances in the long term. She had, of course, worked in less than legal matters before, but she had never particularly liked being on that side of the law. She much preferred being paid to kill bandits than being one herself, as that gave her an opportunity to sate her only other endless lust, the lust for blood, without risk of ending up in a particularly well built sort of prison.

 

[Takimaru]

Re: Takimaru Test Thread

Spoiler

Isolda: HP = 91, PP = 41, EP = 42, Status = Fine

"Well, I'm actually open until late, and even then, we're never truly closed, so to speak, as there are plenty of people who have locked themselves out or require a locksmith one way or another," explained the brown-haired artisan. "But that's Havenport for you. Officially, I close the shop to walk-ins around ten, though. As far as the old man... yes, that would be Alard, my former master, who I was an apprentice of since the age of fourteen. I'll uh, spare you the rest of the details for another time, I suppose."

When the wanderer got around to saying her goodbyes, Ciran blushed noticeably and nodded. "I'll be here, so just feel free to drop by whenever. Four knocks," he confirmed, before feeling her soft lips pressed against his. The Voidic beauty's embrace experienced a slightly delayed return, as if he didn't expect the gesture for one reason or another, but he definitely appreciated it, complementing her fevered motions with his own. This apparently helped in lifting his mood as well, and by the time Isolda had turned her back to him, the locksmith finally wore a smile, no doubt looking forward to the next evening spent with her.

~~~~~​

Just across the main road, on the other side, was an apothecary, or at least something whose sign resembled it closely enough. Inside, there was only several steps' allowance before one would reach the counter. Attending the shop was a raven-haired young woman, though a considerably older lady could be seen mixing ingredients in the background, deeper into the building. The 'apprentice', or at least what the traveler might have guessed to be one, was busy stocking a nearby shelf, soon turning to give Isolda an innocuous look. Apparently in no hurry, she took her time in reaching the counter before asking, "Yeeees?"

 

[Tassadar]

Re: Takimaru Test Thread

Isolda didn't complain or fidget at the wait, though she wore a scowl as the apprentice, if that was what she was, took her time in coming to the counter. "Something for the morning after to ensure that I'm not with child and something to keep me from bleeding to death if someone tries to rob me today," Isolda grunted evenly and without any trace of embarrassment. "And anything you need doing that might earn me a bit of money while you're at it," she added evenly, having been asked to collect items for alchemists before. The wanderer wasn't immediately familiar with any of the dangerous creatures that might be around Havenport, but it couldn't hurt to ask.

Spoiler

A Morning After Potion and a Healing Potion, 20 and 10 gold by standard store prices, to a total of 30.

 

[Takimaru]

Re: Takimaru Test Thread

Spoiler

Isolda: HP = 91, PP = 41, EP = 42, Status = Fine

The young woman heaved a deep sigh, as if severely inconvenienced by the customer's presence, but she was strangely quick to pull up the required potions, which were already pre-made in small bottles. Seems like both of those types were in demand in Havenport, judging from the stock upon the shelf from which she acquired them, which was ample enough to supply fifty customers matching the wanderer's needs. She also gave no surprised looks from the fact that Isolda needed either, naturally, so even if she were to be embarrassed by such a thing, the apprentice's indifferent attitude, for better or for worse, might have helped. After a casual exchange of gold and potions, she exhaled sharply and said, "Alright, wait here. I'll check to see if we need anything."

Treading over to where the old lady in the background was doing her work, the girl held a short conversation, perhaps not half a minute long, one in which her teacher glanced over to Isolda's position and flashed a slight smile. Once it concluded, the apprentice headed back to the swordswoman and produced a small piece of paper, scrawling down several notes upon it:

3x Remnants of Slime Core
5x Ogre's Left Canine
4x Void Scorpion's Venom Sac

"Whatever you can get. While we'd like all of them if possible, we'll pay you for any of those ingredients," explained the young woman. "Not sure if you're from around here, since this is Havenport, after all, but ogres tend to be located up north near the mountains towards Grem. Void Scorpions are a tad more scarce, but they've been emerging from portals in the northern forests, while slimes just seem to be... well, everywhere nowadays. The activity of Voidic creatures has been at an all-time high, for some reason, so. I won't tell you to be careful, since you seem to know what you're doing. But good luck now."

Spoiler

30 gold spent.
60 gold remaining.

 

[Tassadar]

Re: Takimaru Test Thread

"Right," Isolda said evenly, having listened carefully to everything that the woman had said about the locations of her quarry. This was exactly the sort of work that she'd expected to get, and it suited her just fine in the long run, but she wouldn't be getting to it right away. She had set up a date with Ciran, after all, and she would prefer to leave the city only on a fully sated appetite and with a bit more coin in her pocket than she currently had. This sort of work also payed incredibly well, and best of all, it wasn't particularly hard so long as she didn't have to fight too many at once. "I'll see about getting these together as soon as I can, though I obviously can't promise anything speedy given the rarity of the creatures that have the parts. Until next time I'm around then," she said, before nodding and turning away to walk out of the shop. She put the folded list in a pocket of her pack and glanced at the name of the shop, memorizing it carefully before strolling away, wracking her brain and keeping her eyes peeled for more immediate options for enhancing her personal finances.

 

[Takimaru]

Re: Takimaru Test Thread

Spoiler

Isolda: HP = 91, PP = 41, EP = 42, Status = Fine

"That's fine," replied the girl flatly. "We'll pay you anyway, since I have a feeling we'll be needing a lot of these... *sigh* Bye now." She was quick to return to attending to her re-stocking duties, looking as disinterested as ever.

When Isolda stepped outside and glanced upwards, she would see that the shop's name was "Greene's Potions." If not for the apprentice's poor attitude, it was a nice place all in all, and the old lady who appeared to run it seemed kind enough from what little Isolda saw of her. With the list in hand, the swordswoman made her way back into the streets of Havenport. Right would take Isolda back to the main roads, where plenty of other establishments waited--she was sure a mercenary tavern or two was located there, as she might have seen in passing. Otherwise, to the left and down the narrower streets, she could see... well, a fight of some sort. Two men, of slightly tanned complexion, both wearing red bandanas, were locked in a wild brawl against three others, all of whom had a decidedly dark skin tone and wore white head-wraps, though one of them had just fallen to the ground, knocked out in an instant. The traveler could run down the street to see what was going on, or ignore the scuffle and return to the main road. It was located just outside of a bar, after all, and drunken fights weren't exactly uncommon, especially in cities like these.

 

[Tassadar]

Re: Takimaru Test Thread

Isolda, upon seeing the skirmish, immediately diverted right toward it. She didn't attempt be sneaky, didn't attempt to disguise her interest, and didn't attempt to assume a non-threatening posture. She strolled swiftly right up to the fighters, staying out of arms reach if they didn't react to her and waiting patiently for them to fight it out rather than intervene before she knew what was going on. She didn't know who any of these men were, but she was curious and bored, and most certainly didn't feel threatened given their fairly sloppy techniques. They definitely weren't guards, that much she was sure of, and their different bandanas suggested that they were just members of opposing gangs.

 

[Takimaru]

Re: Takimaru Test Thread

Spoiler

Isolda: HP = 91, PP = 41, EP = 42, Status = Fine

When Isolda arrived at the scene, the four of them--that is, if one were to exclude the downed fellow--continued their wild melee, as if she didn't even exist. They only took notice of her presence, bold as she was, once a temporary lull occurred in the altercation, with each side panting and staring daggers at the members of the other group, looking somewhat exhausted, save for one of the men wearing red bandanas. Taking a closer look at him, the traveler would see that he was rather short, but rather burly with a face that looked like it had taken its fair share of beatings. Of them all, he was visibly the least fatigued, though his breaths were still barely audible.

His partner, a skinnier fellow around the same height as him, barked to the others, "Get lost already. Your kind is no longer welcome to our attraction." He spoke with a defined accent, even though his Elynsorian was at least competent enough, grammatically. Judging from his looks, he was probably Talean, people of an island nation. The same went for his battle-hardened cohort.

"We won't leave until you return our hard-earned coin, you scam artists!" shot back one of the headwrap-wearing trio, as his friend stooped down to tend to their unconscious ally. "All of Havenport will know that the two of you are cheats!"

"What?! It was your friend's fault for trying to attack Sorio past the time limit!" said the thin bandana-wearing man in response, pointing to a sign next to the alley by which the tavern was located. It read:

TEST THE CHIN OF IRON-CHIN SORIO
25 GOLD TO PARTICIPATE
250 GOLD REWARD
1 TRY ONLY PER CUSTOMER
Reward given to those who can knock Sorio out within half a minute
Sorio is allowed to evade and block, but not attack
You are allowed to attack using just your fists, and only using the special gloves

"Maybe if you read the rules clearly, you'd find that everything here is fair! Don't get angry because you are a sore loser! Sorio is a champion pugilist in our country, we only do what we can to make a living!" he exclaimed, patting the stocky man on the shoulder. Sorio himself said nothing--he was something of the stoic type, as he hadn't said a word since Isolda arrived.

"Hmph! What garbage! You Taleans are nothing but cheats! If my friend Aazim was not made to wear those stupid gloves, he'd have finished your so-called champion!" The turban-wearing man and his partner helped remove the mitts off of their unconscious friend--presumably, Aazim--and threw them on the ground in front of the red bandana-wearing pair.

 

[Tassadar]

Re: Takimaru Test Thread

Isolda watched the exchange between the two groups during the lull in their encounter, and quickly surmised that no intervention was needed on her part to keep anyone from dying. Always a good thing, right? The wanderer remained passive and silent until the men in white headwraps collected their wounded and started dragging him away. Curious, she stooped over and picked up the discarded gloves before turning towards the two Taleans in red headwraps and addressed the slimmer of them who had done all of the talking up until that point; "How long do you think it'll be until your friend is ready for another customer?"

She smiled in a friendly manner, showing appropriate respect one warrior to another, as she turned her gaze to the up until then silent man, who apparently went by Iron-Chin Sorio, "I have never been to the Talean Isles, and have no experience with your martial traditions. I confess myself curious... Are there many boxers where you come from?"

 

[Takimaru]

Re: Takimaru Test Thread

Status:

Spoiler

Isolda: HP = 91, PP = 41, EP = 42, Status = Fine

The group of white-clad men backed up a few steps, though they didn't look any less aggravated from the situation. Turning their attention to Isolda, they snarled, one of them folding his arms. The wanderer would recognize him as the one who did most of the talking for the group, as well. "Hmph... Like a mere woman will be able to succeed where Aazim barely failed?! Is this some kind of joke? I'll have to see this."

The skinny Talean made a face at him. "Sore losers, that's all you are! Besides, when you started to break the rules, he still wasn't hurt! And look what happened to your dear Aazim, just one shot was all it took. Now move aside and let other customers take their turn!"

He turned to Isolda with a polite smile, a noticeably drastic change from the manner in which he treated the trio of Deunic men. "Aah, hello hello! Always good to have another visitor--yes, just give me uh, one minute, and he should be good to go once again." The man directed Sorio to a nearby stool, by which a wooden bucket with a waterskin was located. He tended to some minor cuts and scrapes upon the aloof boxer's face before patting him on the shoulder, then addressed the white-haired beauty once more. "Ohh, you should sometime! It is a beautiful place, like none other. Fighting is in the blood of our people--every Talean man is a warrior at heart!" Indeed, a rather exotic dagger could be seen hanging from his side, even if he wasn't quite as well-built as Sorio was.

"Well then, are you ready? It is only 25 gold to try, but the payoff is tremendous. That's because as of yet, no one in town has managed to knock Sorio out! He is the fighting pride of our northern islands!"

If Isolda was willing to pay, he would then direct her to don the gloves and set aside her weapons temporarily, if she wished. The thin man would stand in the middle, serving as the official referee, while Sorio met her in the center, wearing a pair of gloves identical in appearance. "So, the the rules are, you have half a minute to try and knock Sorio out with only your fists as weapons! He will not attack you back, so long as you pay attention and follow the rules, and stop when I tell you to. I will say that if you can somehow accomplish it, you will clearly deserve all 250 gold! Now, are you ready?"

Sorio simply nodded and slipped into orthodox stance, raising his right fist next to his chin and, interestingly enough, keeping his left arm low and across his body, the shoulder of that side raised somewhat.

 

[Tassadar]

Re: Takimaru Test Thread

Isolda paid the white-clad men no heed as she smiled confidently at the spokesman for the Talean duo, replying with a simple; "Take your time," to the man as he directed his companion over to a stool. She didn't bother to watch the man clean the cuts and scrapes on Sorio's face, instead turning towards the three Deunic men. "How much would you be willing to bet on that, good sir? I'd put twenty gold forward that I can knock him out within the time limit!" the wanderer said confidently, and flashed a smile to the man who had insulted her only a few moments ago. While she might have had something of a temper from time to time, Isolda wasn't an easy one to bait, at least not with words alone, particularly for men who had marked themselves as so incredibly petty as this lot. Making a bit of extra coin on top of what she'd make off of beating Sorio was merely icing on the cake compared to how humiliated she intended to make them feel.

Whether he accepted her offer or not, Isolda turned back towards the Taleans when he addressed her once again, and she smirked at his remark about Taleans being warriors at heart. "Sounds like my kind of place," she remarked quietly, not missing the addition of the word men but letting it pass by without comment. When asked if she was ready, Isolda quickly replied; "One moment, just let me set my things aside."

Moving slightly away from the three Deunic men, she pulled her pack from her shoulders and placed it down. Next came her sword-sheath, which she laid gently against her pack so that the pommel and handle would not touch the ground. Finally, and perhaps most surprisingly, Isolda unbuckled the straps of her breastplate and pulled it off, placing the heaviest piece of her armor next to her sword and pack. Letting out a sigh, Isolda straightened and then stretched, her back and shoulders glad to be rid of the weight no matter how used to it she might be. The wanderer still wore nothing but bandages beneath her armor, the tightly wrapped cloth providing enough support along with her armor to keep her breasts from sagging, but without the plate blocking them in gravity began to take effect. There was little left to the imagination by the thin covering, which wrapped naturally around the curve of her breasts and left them fairly well defined. Patches of her pale skin showed through in places due to the haphazard job she'd done that morning, and she couldn't help but give her freed bosom a single quick rub while she stretched, causing the tips to show through the fabric as they hardened, ever eager for attention as they were.

Turning back towards the spokesman with a smirk playing across her face, Isolda pulled a coin pouch out from between her breasts and tossed it to him. "There's your twenty five coins, I'm ready."

That said, she did a little bit more than done the gloves as the two moved to face one another. Isolda knew that, while she might be much stronger than the average man, she wasn't nearly as adept at bare-handed combat as some were. She was a brawler, and a fairly clumsy one at that when compared to the grace with which she moved when holding her sword. She had also never been one to let pride get the better of her, and thus was ready and willing to admit that a boxer like Sorio was a better hand to hand combatant than she was. That was why she had taken her armor off.

She had been told by her mother of her father's voidic heritage, which she had subsequently passed down to her, and Isolda had apparently earned a few of his supernatural abilities as well. Though only a quarter demon, she could call upon superhuman levels of strength, speed, and agility when she truly needed it, but only for brief periods of time. It was a skill that she only rarely used, more often than not simply because she didn't need it, but it was one that she had no shame in making use of now. It was, after all, not out of the rules.

Isolda's smile became icy cold, and her eyes shifted from their usual blue grey to a much darker hue, like crystal ice melting down into pools of deep dark water that whispered of hidden horrors lying in wait beneath. The gloves protecting her hands, making them slower and softening her blows, suddenly became much less of a hindrance as the power started coursing through her, though a very faint headache accompanied the activation of her own personal brand of magic. "I am prepared, tell me when you are ready," Isolda said softly, and when Sorio adopted a stance that she didn't recognize for lack of experience in this particular sort of martial art, the wanderer took it as a signal to begin.

She suddenly darted forward with the speed of a coiled snake and the power of an enraged bare, the entirety of her weight and strength both put into her first punch, which was little more than a straight punch meant to blow past Sorio's guard by sheer strength. If the first strike didn't suffice, the wanderer would twist and send a curving punch aimed at his jaw with her left hand, being no more merciful with her second attack than she had been with her first. If her second empowered blow wasn't enough to knock the Talean boxer out, Isolda would firstly begin to develop a healthy respect for the man's endurance (and possibly his defenses if he somehow managed to dodge one of them) and secondly keep at it, aiming an uppercut with her right hand at his chin and then a curving blow with her left hand, lowering her power to a more sustainable level afterwards and hoping that she could finish him without her full strength if indeed he hadn't been brought low by her first four attacks.

Spoiler

Activate Aspect of Spirit for X = 10, exceeding Isolda's spirit ceiling by 3 points on the first turn for a total cost of 3 HP and 13 EP. Increase melee attack by 4X, melee damage by 3X, and Perception by 3X. Will cost 7 EP upkeep each round, but will give her a +40 bonus to melee attack rolls, and a +30 bonus to Perception and melee damage rolls while active.

Unarmed (+53 + 40 = +93) 2d4 + 16 + 30 = 2d4 + 46

If it would knock her out, she drops her buff down to X = 3 (for 0 upkeep) but keeps punching until Sorio gets knocked out or the other guy calls time.

 

[Takimaru]

Re: Takimaru Test Thread

Status:

Spoiler

Isolda: HP = 89, PP = 41, EP = 1, Status = Fine

Rolls:

Spoiler

Sorio maintains Full Defense for each round.

Round 1:
HP: 88
EP: 29
Attack Rolls:
(Isolda rolled a 3) + 93 (Modifier) - 5 (Gloves) = 91
Sorio's Dodge: 69 + 30 (Full Defense) - 5 (slightly distracted) = 94. Miss

Round 2:
HP: 88
EP: 22
(Isolda rolled a 1) + 93 (Modifier) - 5 (Gloves) = 89
Sorio's Dodge: 69 + 30 (Full Defense) - 5 (slightly distracted) = 94. Miss

Round 3:
HP: 88
EP: 15
(Isolda rolled a 20) + 93 (Modifier) - 5 (Gloves) = 108
Sorio's Dodge: 69 + 30 (Full Defense) - 5 (slightly distracted) = 94. HIT
Damage Rolls:
(Rolled 1, 3) + 46 (Damage Modifier) - 5 (Gloves) = 45
115 - 45 = 70 HP remaining.

Round 4:
HP: 88
EP: 8
(Isolda rolled a 12) + 93 (Modifier) - 5 (Gloves) = 100
Sorio's Dodge: 69 + 30 (Full Defense) - 5 (slightly distracted) - 5 (damage accumulation) = 89. HIT
Damage Rolls:
(Rolled a 2, 4) + 46 (Damage Modifier) - 5 (Gloves) = 47
70 - 47 = 23 HP remaining.

Round 5:
HP: 88
EP: 1
Isolda drops her buff to X = 3. Bonuses are reduced to the following: +12 to attack rolls, +9 to damage, +9 Perception.
(Isolda rolled a 20) + 65 (Modifier) - 5 (Gloves) = 80
Sorio's Dodge: 69 + 30 (Full Defense) - 5 (slightly distracted) - 10 (damage accumulation) = 84. Miss

Round 6:
HP: 88
EP: 1
(Isolda rolled a 14) + 65 (Modifier) - 5 (Gloves) = 74
Sorio's Dodge: 69 + 30 (Full Defense) - 5 (slightly distracted) - 10 (damage accumulation) = 84. Miss

The Deunic man met Isolda's lively offer with a most skeptical look if there ever was one, raising his brow with a crooked mouth. "The nerve of a woman like you to be so confident in her skills against a man, hmph! Provided, those two are cheats, so I would not be surprised if they found a way to make you lose regardless. But if you somehow manage to so much as harm him more than Aazim did, I'll give you 100 gold," he replies in a most condescending tone. He appeared to be quite sure of this bet, judging from the amount put forth.

The turban-wearing fellow was quickly met with looks most foul from the smaller of the two Taleans, who turned back to Isolda in time to watch her put aside her things and remove her breastplate. As she did so, he couldn't help but gawk and blush noticeably from the hypnotizing bounce of the white-haired woman's distracting assets, and he would be caught doing so for several seconds before he finally managed to look to the side, failing his attempt at manners. "Ahum..." Sorio, rising from his stool, also gave her an odd look, but moreso in a sense that he didn't quite know what to make of this gesture, rather than being outright mesmerized in the way that his partner was.

Likewise, Isolda could feel the eyes of the two conscious Deunic men upon her, whether she intended them to or not. Aazim, previously a heap until now, had finally come to, a confused look upon his face, though he was quickly tended to by the white-clad man closest to him. Intently watching was the first of the trio, who looked on with his arms folded in anticipation of what this stranger had to show him.

Sorio's partner had to break out of a momentary stupor from watching the mysterious beauty retrieve her bet from between her cleavage, and it nearly hit him in the chest before he managed to catch it, just in time. "Oh, right... very well," he declared, clearing his throat afterwards, then directing her into a small, square area at the road's edge, marked by four crude posts. He stepped in between the new challenger and the veteran boxer before making the announcement. "Are you ready?" he confirmed with both sides, before yelling out, "Start!"

When the bout began, Isolda found that Sorio's speed betrayed his looks; while he was roughly two or three inches short of a six-footer, the pugilist was still fairly stocky and had to be at least 200 pounds. He shifted his upper body constantly, providing a target that was far from stationary, and appeared to be wise in the use of his footwork; constant angles meant that the swordswoman would have trouble keeping him in any one of the 'corners' for long. Isolda's leading straight was slipped skillfully by the rugged man, who made her miss by just inches, if that--it was the instinct of a seasoned counterattacker.

However, that return strike would never come, as he stuck to the rules with great discipline, eyes sharp to watch for his opponent's incoming hook, which he ducked under as well. The woman was relentless in pushing the pace, however, and her third blow, a swift uppercut, managed to clip Sorio was he was down low. She could feel the impact through her empowered blow, the cringe of sinew and bone behind her fist, and such a punch would have brought any normal man into the next level of consciousness--or probably have sent them airborne. But this Talean was apparently far from normal, living up to his nickname as he jerked back from the force of the blow, but remaining composed under pressure despite having been rocked so badly. He did cover up just in time to take her follow-up attack, but was wrenched to the side violently from the superhuman amount of strength Isolda had exhibited, his heavy frame more than just budged from the warrior's impressive display of might.

With him having taken two hard blows in succession, Sorio looked to be considerably worse than he was when they first started the match. Luckily for him, however, the challenger could feel her Voidic strength leaving her, and the next two attacks were avoided, albeit barely, with the first being deflected by a shoulder roll and the other slipped before the thin man serving as the 'referee' stepped in between them. "Time!"

"V-Very good," said the smaller of the two Taleans, who guided the battered Sorio to a nearby stool. He looked somewhat frightened after checking his cohort's features, stealing a glance at Isolda in sheer disbelief that such a person could cause this much damage. "I've never seen anyone put this kind of hurt on Sorio," he said in amazement as he cleaned the stoic boxer's face with a towel that was slung over his shoulder. "Not one man in all of his fights could do this, and not with two punches..."

"Hmph!" scoffed the Deunic man who had been watching. He tossed a pouch of gold at Isolda's feet before leaving with his fists clenched, the other two trailing not far behind him.

When she looked back towards Sorio, she could see that he wasn't quite the same as before; there was strain in his features, and while it was remarkable that he had even taken her powered shots to begin with, the toll had piled up, and his breaths were burdened, shoulders slumped. From his partner's expression, it was not the kind of look he had ever seen upon the seasoned pugilist before. "Well, u-uh, thank you for playing," he stammered. "I must ask, miss... where are you from? I haven't seen such strength before, not by any human... For you to have done this to Sorio, I can't just say that it is an everyday thing--even foreign boxers have trouble surpassing his chin and defenses!"

His verbal excitement would finally fade after a short while, and he fought the whole time to keep his eyes off of Isolda's bust, but he finally offered, "While Sorio is still conscious, at least right now... I have to say that you are not like anyone we have come across before. If you ever consider a career in prizefighting, there would be good money to be made! And if not... well, I would at least buy you a drink sometime." He seemed torn between paying the white-haired beauty all the attention in the world and making sure Sorio was well, but ultimately, he did settle for the latter, turning back to Isolda if she had any other questions or concerns.

Spoiler

Isolda paid 25 Gold, but also gained 100 for an overall gain of 75 Gold.
She now has 135 Gold total.

 

[Tassadar]

Re: Takimaru Test Thread

"Deal!" Isolda said with a smirk at the altered bet. She didn't have a hundred gold on hand of course, but she would have been intensely surprised if she didn't so much as manage to land a punch on the boxer. Of course, if she lost, she could always figure out a way to weasel out of paying the man somehow, though she was afraid that such might involve certain other forms of payment that didn't much interest her with such rude men. Of course, she could always simply beat them up instead, but she would prefer to avoid angering any local authorities by brawling in the streets.

Of course, the stares from the surrounding men as she pulled off her breastplate were nothing that the wanderer hadn't been expecting, and she showed no inclination that she even recognized that every man present save Sorio was staring directly at her chest in an almost hypnotized manner. It was all part of the show, meant to distract and to cause her upcoming opponent to think less of her in order to weaken his estimation of her. Sorio wasn't an easy man to read, however, and she set about sending her series of punches to find that her stratagem had definitely not worked. That he avoided not only her first attack but her second caused Isolda a great deal of surprise given her metaphysical enhancements. The third and fourth punches both landed, but amazingly the man didn't topple. After her energies ran dry, however, Isolda found that she didn't even have a chance at hitting the man, and when his comrade called time the wanderer backed off and allowed her voidic gift to drop completely.

She scowled, but she knew better than to argue with the results no matter how much they might nibble irritatingly at her pride. For a moment she said nothing, instead turning around and moving over to her gear. She ignored the slim fellow's statement and picked up the sack of coins that was tossed at her feet without comment. She began the rather tiring task of distributing the coins among her various hiding places, pouring another ten into the pouch at her feet, another thirty into the small sack that she kept in her traveling pack, and then ten each into small holsters hidden within her greaves. She then pulled the string tightly and shoved the leftovers in between her breasts before picking up her breastplate and putting it back on.

As such, she missed a lot of the other Talean's distress and the glance that he shot at her as he observed the harm she had inflicted on Sorio, though she could at least hear it in his voice. "I would take him to see someone were I you," she said evenly as she buckled her sword back over her shoulder and lifted her pack. Turning around, she continued; "I imagine boxing must be a fairly damaging career, but most people don't his as hard as I do!" She forced some of her good humor to return, as she'd at least come away from this venture with more money than she'd started, and she couldn't help but admire the Talean's agility and endurance even if it had robbed her of a much bigger prize.

"Nowhere," Isolda said simply while wearing a wry smile as she was once again questioned about her origins. "I was born in Grem, but only one of my parents was from there, and they were only half. I prefer moving about to staying in any one place for very long, so I'm not really from anywhere in particular."

His words regarding a career in prizefighting caused her to smirk slightly, and the end including an offer to buy her a drink only caused that smirk to widen knowingly. If only her display had been as effective on Sorio, she might have come away victorious. Maybe she ought to thin the wraps around her breasts a little for next time she tried that tactic? Shaking away such thoughts, she replied; "Thank you for the compliment, but I don't think prizefighting would be to my liking! I find that I take little enjoyment from a fight unless my opponent lies dead at my feet." She had said the words as casually as if she were discussing the weather or her favorite food, but Isolda had long reflected on that particular aspect of her appetite for violence and come to that conclusion many times.

To be frank, it was completely true. She had sparred a great deal of course, in her course of instructions, but whether she won or lost, Isolda had never taken much joy in the practice fighting, save perhaps for the lessons that her mother had given her as a child. No.... Unless she felt blood splashing across her face, and saw the light die in her opponents eyes, she found no satisfaction for her deep seated bloodlust. Ignoring for the moment her perverse enjoyment of other people's warm bodily fluids on her face, Isolda once more pondered the question she had yet to answer for herself; Why did she feel as she did about killing? She had come up with many possibilities before, but no conclusions. It could simply be another aspect of her demonic heritage, though Isolda herself wasn't knowledgeable enough on demon lore to be able to say. Another option that it was a trait inherited from her father the man rather than her father the half demon, as her mother had told her about his violent nature from time to time. A very small part of her, one that she kept locked away and constantly ignored to the very best of her abilities, thought that it might be the manner in which she'd seen her mother killed that led her to be so violent herself, but as usual Isolda refused that voice any examination.

"A drink, on the other hand, I could go for!" she said with a bright smile despite any reactions that the two of them might have had to her last statement. "Where do you two prefer to take your refreshment? There are a few other contests I might be interested in trying out on you two, and I was actually wondering if Sorio there could teach me to fight like he does! He's quite graceful, and I saw a few points where he could have thrown a punch if he had wanted to and wasn't bound by the rules to only try and block." The slightly suggestive tone in which she spoke of contests was meant to reignite the boxer's friend at least, as she had seen the look in his eyes when he had watched her pull the sack of coins from between her breasts, the look of a man wondering just what else might be put between the wanderer's soft globes.

Of course, she didn't have any intention of actually letting that go anywhere, not when she planned to go to Ciran's later. Thoughts of the locksmith and sex brought up the reminder that she hadn't yet taken the potion to ensure that she wasn't with child, and for a brief wild moment she considered simply not taking it at all. The thought of settling down here briefly entered into Isolda's mind, surprising her and causing her more than a bit of distress at such mad notions. Some of her distress briefly appeared in her expression, but Isolda shook her head to remove the expression from her face and the thoughts from her head and returned to the moment and the conversation with the two Taleans as quickly as she could, hoping that they hadn't seen.

Spoiler

Drop the buff completely to hopefully regain her EP. Also, you didn't do any of the math wrong as far as I can tell.
Inquiring as to whether or not yon boxer gives lessons is part of my eventual strategy for Isolda's mechanical development, as I eventually intend to pick up Unarmed Fighter and Two Weapon Fighting for Isolda in the interests of being able to do everything. This will require a great deal of experience first of course, but gotta shoot for the stars!

 

[Takimaru]

Re: Takimaru Test Thread

Status:

Spoiler

Isolda: HP = 91, PP = 41, EP = 42, Status = Fine

"You are certainly right about that," replied the thin man in response to Isolda's comment about the force of her strikes as he patted down the swelling portions of Sorio's face and tended to the other minor injuries with care. "Boxing can be very damaging, at times. But for the time spent in matches, you can burn so brightly--such is the life of a prizefighter, though," he commented before putting the final touches on his pugilist companion, who, despite his bad shape, remained relatively stoic all the while.

"So you are a warrior, as well? I can't be surprised--the sword you carry looks quite heavy. I have seen a man from Grem once wearing a similar blade, though not in a challenge. Your kind must be known for their strength." He was quick to lump her in with the rest of the Gremic folk despite Isolda's finer explanations, though none of the words spoken by the cornerman were said in a tone that carried any degree of obvious disdain. When the issue of teaching her was brought up, he gave a few nods without looking at her. "Yes, Sorio's style is most effective, isn't it? It comes from our South Talean school, where he is one of the best students. As you can tell, he is a man of few words--but he can show you by example, no problem. Right, Sorio?" The silent boxer looked to his partner, then to Isolda, before giving her a solid nod.

Looking up at her, the smaller one offered a smile despite the flash of distress exhibited by the Voidic beauty, and said nothing of it, perhaps summing the momentary crack in her expression up to other reasons. "My name is Renan. You must want some refreshment, yes? Come, let us head inside and have a drink--perhaps it will take some of Sorio's pain away, as well," he suggested with a chuckle, allowing the heavier man to stand up before picking up the stool and bucket, then heading inside the tavern, the entrance of which was topped by a sign that read "The Resting Savage Alehouse" in several different languages.

Inside was a decidedly more seedy-looking establishment than the one Isolda had visited with Ciran. As opposed to the somewhat vacant, warm, and home-like atmosphere of The Wandering Lady, this place was filled with many armed individuals of different appearances, even a few types that seemed similar to herself in terms of having a killer's aura. The air in the building was heavy with the almost overpowering smell of smoke and hard liquor. This bar was clearly a joint meant for mercenaries or other adventurers, and the swordswoman, beautiful yet dangerous to anyone who could sense the dark miasma faintly radiating from her Voidic aspects, seemed to fit right in. It didn't stop a few patrons from visibly looking over at her, but none of the silent observers made too big a deal of her entry, at least for now.

When the three moved to take their seats at the bar, the tender was quick to greet them. "Rrmph. Hello, Renan, Sorio. And uh... who's this? Can't say I've seen her about before," he commented. A barrel-chested, scruffy man with a messy mane of hair and a proud beard he cared not to shave, from the looks of it, he looked to be the most friendly of those currently in the tavern, though in this case, that was part of his job. "So, what'll it be? We've got the usual... Elynsorian draft, or Brevnian beer, if you're a beer snob," he offered, giving her a half grin. "Lookin' for something heavier, we've got shots of Elvish-style Vermilion, Honrainese rice wine, Deunic spirits, Gremic whiskey, you name it."

"Vermilion for Sorio," requested Renan abruptly, almost interrupting the hefty barkeep. "Rice wine for me." He then looked to Isolda with an expectant smile, leaving her to order what she wanted.

Spoiler

Offer accepted, it appears!

 

[Tassadar]

Re: Takimaru Test Thread

Isolda smiled when Sorio nodded in agreement, "Excellent~ I'm sure I won't take up too much of your time, I've always been a quick learner where battle is concern." After that, Isolda allowed herself to be led to Renan's drinking establishment of choice, which turned out to be what Isolda could only describe as a mercenary bar. The sign written in multiple languages and the title of the place suggested as much to her long before she had to step inside, and when she did the rather foul stench of the place and the men present inside mostly confirmed it for her. Isolda was no stranger to foul smells, nor was she unfamiliar with the etiquette of such places. Her aura, split as it always was between her two greatest hungers, instinctively shifted to the more violence, until a subtle menace exuded from her.

She made sure not to overdo it, as appearing too dangerous would inspire the more foolish men present to attack her anyway, and the whole point of her display was to avoid starting a fight. The side benefit of her shift towards violence was that the lust that she inspired by proximity was reduced, as the very last thing that she wanted was to make a large number of naturally aggressive men horny around her. Spilling that much blood would be extremely difficult to justify as self defense to any city guard, whether it was true or not. A few glanced at her, but none looked too hard or for too long, and Isolda was content enough with that. Keeping her hand on her hip where her money pouch was, she followed Sorio and Renan to the bar.

Flashing the burly bartender a slight smile, Isolda decided to play the part that Renan had apparently mentally given her and, when asked what she'd like to drink, replied; "Gremic whiskey." It was probably too much to hope that a place like this would have ice, so she simply left it at that and awaited her portion of liquor. While she waited, Isolda glanced around the bar idly, never allowing her eyes to settle for too long on any one individual but looking over everyone as carefully as she could with only a few second's worth of concentration to work with. "You two come here often?" she asked curiously to the two men sitting beside her, and when she had her shot she added; "Bottoms up!" and downed the whole thing in one quick gulp.

 

[Takimaru]

Re: Takimaru Test Thread

Status:

Spoiler

Isolda: HP = 91, PP = 41, EP = 42, Status = Fine

"Gremic whiskey, eh? A fine choice," replied the bartender to Isolda before pouring her a shot of amber liquid, then casually setting it down and sliding it in front of her. He followed suit with Renan and Sorio's respective orders, giving them a smirk and a nod before turning his attention to several other customers that had taken seats at the other end of the bar. Several people were going in and out of the main entrance, at this point--it was fairly busy for this time of day, though from the looks of it, drinks weren't the only reason people came to this place. Various deals and exchanges were in the process of being made at the numerous tables scattered about towards the other end of the tavern; be it for hits, smuggling, or other types of requests, this was the place to go for it, either to give tasks or take them.

The smaller Talean looked around him, somewhat warily, then shook his head. "Well, to be honest, we don't really come here--there are many bars like this in Havenport, but ah... hmm. We try to find different places, since uh, more customers around on certain days, you know." He seemed a bit hesitant and uncomfortable on the matter, and that actually prompted the man to gulp down his shot of rice wine, which he did rather quickly. Silently, Sorio followed suit, looking considerably relieved only moments later. Renan paused to pull a small potion from the side of his belt, one that Isolda might recognize as a healing brew, then poured a bit of it into his burly cohort's now emptied glass, and simply gave him a nod. Without putting up much of a complaint, Sorio drank it down, much to the thinner islander's amusement. "Aaah, that's good! Great, great! Now, how about another round, eh?" suggested Renan cheerfully.

"Oh? So now ya got enough gold to afford a second round o' drinks, and not enough ta pay me back?" came a voice from behind the three. "Didja think switchin' from bar to bar would cause us ta just conveniently forget aboutcha? Hah! Fuckin' idiots, the lot o' ya!"

Renan could be heard sighing under his breath and closing his eyes, apparently knowing well enough who this mystery person was before slowly turning around on his stool. "Axodd, listen friend, I'll have your money soon, yes? We just made a good round, it will be... uh, two more days! Just some time, Sorio needs to recover..."

The newcomer, a wiry man of medium height, rogues' garb and tanned skin, with red hair and various black tattoos adorning his face and arms, looked less than thrilled at the Talean's response. "Yeaaahhh... heh. Ya said that two days ago... an' another two days before that. Ya think I'm gonna fall for that again, ya cheatin' islander? Do ya even remember who brought ya here in the first place? We practically own yoo an' Sorio, it's a goddamn miracle that we let you two walk around this damn city without a brand on each o' yer faces." Another man stood just beside him, who appeared similar in dress style and in the pattern of tattoos upon his frame, but contrasted well enough due to his build, which was considerably more muscular than that of his cohort. Though his arms were folded, a large blade akin to a butcher's cleaver hung at the bulkier man's belt. Sorio, still a bit battered and bruised from the event with Isolda, looked on stoically, but still remained silent as usual.

The main talker of the two marked thugs, or 'Axodd', as he was called by Renan, continued. "Looks like yer friend's taken quite a beatin', eh... not gonna make much money like that. An' yet here yoo are... relaxin', drinkin', an... spendin' time with wenches, I see." His eyes turned to Isolda, though they had focused on her chest rather than any of her other important details, such as the sword and armor. "Heeey, why don't ya spend some time wit' us instead? We got way more money than these two fuckin' penniless knob'eads..." Once he looked up and into her eyes though, Axodd grimaced and stepped back slightly. There was something unusual... or rather, almost unnatural about this woman, and he could tell. His eyes finally took note of her other equipment. "Who in the Void is this, anyway? Don't tell me she's like... ahaha, some kinda bodyguard?! Yoo guys are somethin' else, lemme say that much." He looked somewhat disgusted by her presence, although he did gravitate away somewhat, saying, "Alright, well, ya know our fee... we brought ya here to Havenport, that alone is what, 2,000 gold? Add interest an' that's... oh, I dunno, 4,000?" Considering Isolda paid little more than a couple hundred gold, it was clear that these prices were ludicrous, or at least fabricated to some extent.

Renan gave him an incredulous look. "Wait, what? T-That's..."

"Or, we can take ya both and brand ya. Maybe that's not enough, innit? Heh..." His eyes found those of the white-haired swordswoman's once again. "I'll tell ya wot. Both these assholes owe us a looootta money. If ya spare me and Gursh the trouble, an' help bring 'em both in... I'll give ya 100 gold, an' a good word in with the boss." He flashed her a devilish, yet somewhat hesitant grin.

 

[Tassadar]

Re: Takimaru Test Thread

"You like to hop around eh?" Isolda replied inquisitively, knowing that people that did that sort of thing did so because they didn't like to be noticed. Shrugging as Renan suggested that they have another round, Isolda shrugged and said; "Sure, I could go for another~" Then came the voice from behind them, only a slight surprise to the wanderer, and Isolda sighed slightly and dropped her head, anticipating violence in her near future. Hoping that the rest of the bar wouldn't join in if they had to start a fight, Isolda slowly turned about as Renan replied to the man, apparently named Axodd.

He looked like a wiry little twit to Isolda, and his words only reinforced that idea. She sized up his big friend with the cleaver hanging from his belt and her opinion of these two dropped even further, marking them mentally as nothing more than petty criminals. Still, it wasn't her place to interfere, and she made to turned back to the bartender and pay him no heed.

And then he referred to her as a "wench," and Isolda froze for a few heartbeats. Moving very slowly and very carefully, she turned back to Axodd and his companion, her expression completely neutral. At her reference to Sorio and Renan as "penniless knobheads" and his suggestion that she ought to join them, Isolda even adopted a smile as if she were both flattered and amused by his statement. When he looked up at her eyes, however, he would find that they had become pitiless black orbs wreathed in red. "I... Am not a bodyguard," said Isolda quite coldly, but then smiled sweetly. The man's absurd price for carrying the two men she'd entered the tavern with for bringing them here did not do anything to assuage Isolda's displeasure with him, but none of it was evident on her face.

She slowly arched her back and adopted a smile that she had practiced many times before, one that was both disarming and alluring at once. It didn't work quite as well when her dark aura was as pronounced as it was, but she went for presentation all the same. When he gave his offer, next to nothing compared to what the two Taleans allegedly owed, Isolda tilted her head slightly and gently placed a hand over the cleavage visible over the lip of her breastplate, drawing attention to them more than anything else. She glanced at Sorio and Renan out of the corner of her eye before diverting her full attention back to Axodd, and then said; "Oh? I could certainly use the money, and I do so like making powerful friends. Who is your boss? I might have heard of him, and if I have I might know where to take them for you so that they can be... Punished."

She mentally crossed her fingers, hoping that Axodd bought it enough that he would give her the information she'd asked for and that Sorio and Renan wouldn't buy it enough that either of them would take a swing at her. Of course, if he gave her the answers to those questions and she didn't have to deal with taking any punches or dodge any blades, then Isolda would slowly rise to her feet. Her blackened eyes glimmered, the only visible sign that she had enacted her Voidic powers, albeit at a much lower level than she had used in her bout with Sorio. Without the restricting gloves and the inability to use her preferred weapon, she needed far less power in order to ensure that she was effective against the two men who's words had caused her to rise to violence.

When her hand short forward and closed around Axodd's throat, there wasn't even a hint of warning before she moved. Off of the floor his feet came, her muscles tensing as she tilted herself back in order to bring him a full foot off of the ground. "Are you still thinking about what you'd like to do with my tits?" she asked harshly, a tinge of madness in her voice as she began to shiver with electric joy at the oncoming violence. Her fingers closed around his throat in a crushing grasp as she seemed to show no strain at lifting him off of the ground, "I think you really ought to choose your words more wisely friend," she said brightly, "You never know who you might insult by referring to them as "wenches," and what they might do to assuage their hurt pride." Using her thumb, she slowly tilted her hand aside and pushed his head slowly away, so that he wasn't looking at her, while she kept a watchful eye on the larger man with the blade at his belt.

Spoiler

Isolda activates Aspect of Spirit for X = 4, costing 5 EP now and 1 EP upkeep. Buffs Grapple and Dodge by 16, and Armor goes up by 8.

Then next round she grabs Axodd and lifts him off of the floor by his throat.

 

[Takimaru]

Re: Takimaru Test Thread

Status:

Spoiler

Isolda: HP = 91, PP = 41, EP = 36, Status = Aspect of Spirit activated

Rolls:

Spoiler

Grapple check, Isolda vs Axodd:
Isolda rolled a 19 + 66 (Body modifier plus AoS)... yeah, she can pretty much do whatever the hell she wants with him. Auto success.

Isolda Perception: Success

Attack roll, Gursh vs Isolda:
Gursh rolled an 11 + 40 (Body modifier) + 3 (Berserker) + 6 (Death from the Draw) = 60.
Isolda's dodge is 46 + 10 (bonus from being aware of him) + 16 (Aspect of Spirit) = 72. Auto miss.

Attack roll, Sorio vs Gursh:
Sorio rolled an 18 + 56 + 2 = 76. Hit.
Damage:
Sorio rolled a 7 + 32 + 2 = 41.

Axodd was on a good stretch of talking in that same condescending tone until Isolda turned around and glared at him with the unnatural, Voidic look characteristic of her part demonic heritage when its powers were tapped into. He backed off just a step, although his aggressive snarl quickly wilted into a nervous smile. "Whu--uhhh..." Having never before exhibited such a reaction, it was as if he knew something was very wrong, but couldn't quite put his finger on what it was. Nonetheless, the thug's demeanor adapted itself to work around, rather than against, someone who was clearly stronger than him. Perhaps Renan and Sorio were not threatening to the man on their own, likely by way of his connections and cleaver-wielding bodyguard, but he had no idea what to make of this beautiful, white-haired stranger.

Renan showed something of a disappointed look when she made the offer, his brow furrowing and a frown showing up on his face, but didn't dare move otherwise, perhaps having missed her subtle hint. Sorio, as expected, remained still. Axodd, on the other hand, looked all too happy to hear of the wanderer's offer, and replied in a lighter tone. "O... Ouh! Me boss, ya say? Y...Yuh, h-his name's Nottis the One-Hander. Leader o' the Black Hepta. Ya might'a heard of us," replied Axodd with feigned confidence. "I got ya money right 'ere, and if ya wanna take 'em o'er right now, me an' Gursh can showya the place ta bring 'em. We're always lookin' fer good sword wielders to--urrrrkkkhhh..." His somewhat excited face turned to one of fear as she gripped his throat and lifted him completely off of the ground, and it was all he could do to grab at her wrist in response, though his meager attempts to fend off the swordswoman's intimidating gesture were in vain.

"Hurkkkk..." Axodd's face turned a shade of red, then purple, his ability to speak or think coherently being drained from him faster than he was prepared for. Whether or not Isolda wished to let go after this was up to her, but it only took a moment of witnessing this act of aggression to set his burly cohort off.

The tattooed monster grabbed for his cleaver, and in one deft motion swung the large blade at the wanderer in a telegraphed, overhead swipe--it seemed he was undeterred by her dark aura, thanks to the reactive anger having overcome him. Despite his surprising speed, however, Isolda was more than ready for him, having anticipated the attack, and moved out of the way in time to see his hefty weapon practically slice the bar in two. He was certainly a hard hitter, if nothing else, though at that moment, the swordswoman could discern multiple openings on the man's frame in an instant, as characteristic of the Mulweissen Form practiced by her mother. If she didn't dodge, however, she could just as easily catch his wrist. He was a strong man, but he still didn't match up to the empowered Isolda even in brute force alone. Either way, Gursh didn't even have time to draw his knife arm back for a second swing when Sorio intervened, however, delivering a powerful body blow that sent the brute--who was even larger than him--stumbling back and gasping for air. Though it clearly left him with less wind in his sails, the large thug wasn't to be deterred, and tried his best to wind up for a second attack on the Voidic swordswoman.

 

[Tassadar]

Re: Takimaru Test Thread

Isolda, though a good portion of her attention was focused on the man she was currently holding off the ground by one hand, did not miss the signs of oncoming violence when Axodd's bodyguard drew his blade and advanced on her. His attack was telegraphed and obvious, and Isolda raised her other hand and blocked the overhead swing with one of her wrists, catching his arm before the blade ever even came near her. "Clumsy... Slow... And awkward. Why am I not surprised?" she said derisively, and she made to slightly loosen her hold on Axodd so that he wouldn't pass out. She likely didn't need to worry about the guards coming into a place like this, but the other patrons of this particular establishment could prove to be just as dangerous. Thankfully, Sorio's quick intervention drew the cleaver-wielding man's attention away from her, giving her a moment in which she could judge the reactions of those around her.

"You really aren't very smart, are you?" she said aloud as she saw the name whom Axodd had labelled "Gursh" winding up for another swing at her even after Sorio body checked him away. Though her right hand was busy holding poor Axodd off the floor by his throat, Isolda was quite comfortable with using her blade in her left hand. Drawing her sword was a risk, but given that her opponent had drawn steel first Isolda felt confident that she could convince the guards that she was acting in self defense if she really had to.

The steel glowed bright red as it came free of the sheath hanging over her back, and Isolda didn't even hesitate in taking a swing at the man with the cleaver. She didn't try to make it non-lethal either; as far as she was concerned, the man had asked to be killed from the moment that she'd drawn a blade on her, and splitting open his head was probably the most mercy she would have shown to him anyway. Besides, he likely didn't know as much as the more talkative Axodd, and in the end she really only needed one of them.

Spoiler

Technically, Isolda would have been in a grapple when he swung at her, thus giving her a -10 to Dodge against Gursh, but since he still would have missed it doesn't matter.

Isolda attacks Gursh with one hand on her sword, gaining a +10 to Dodge and using these numbers:
Hellfang (+52) 1d12 + 1d8 + 45

She normally has a +62 to attack, but being in a grapple gives her a -10 to attack rolls for people that aren't in the grapple. Technically, she has to make a grapple check against Axodd in order to attack, but that's probably going to be successful anyway.

Also, random and completely innocent question: is the Morning After Potion she bought in a glass bottle?