Family Matters (AshPrince) GMed by Hafnium

[Hafnium]

Re: Family Matters (AshPrince) GMed by Hafnium

Spoiler

Elizabeth Silver: HP = 44/53, PP = 41, EP = 38, Status = Fine.

Rolls

Spoiler

(I'm assuming a full 20:20 attack:dodge exchange on the defensive strike here.

Attack: 9 + 52 - 20 = 41 vs 55. Elizabeth misses.
Erhard counterattacks! Attacks: 8 + 58 - 12 = 54, 20 + 58 - 12 = 66, 10 + 58 - 12 = 56, all vs 63. One hits.
Damage: 6 + 26 - 4 - 10 = 18 / 2 = 9 damage.

The swordsman turned aside Elizabeth's thrust easily, which was not surprising as, after all, it was simply to test him. But the man didn't overextend himself as his steel connected with the heiress's own in order to parry the blade. In the same fluid motion, his sword came back, flat of the weapon aimed directly for the rogue's primary sword-arm, which she managed to dodge out of the way of. The blade came at her again, from the end of its first arc, this time Elizabeth blocked the sword with her parrying dagger. Before she could exchange her own counterattack or reposition herself, the lightning quick swordsman's blade was moving downward at the outside of her thigh. She couldn't block that one or dodge before the flat of the blade connected with her leg, leaving a stinging sensation.

And her cousin seemed primed to continue, attempting to force her on the defensive. He was in a battle dance, of sorts, and his attacks were only coming quicker and quicker.

 

[AshPrince]

Re: Family Matters (AshPrince) GMed by Hafnium

Elizabeth narrowed her eyes; her cousin was no push over. She made note of that encase he were to outlive his usefulness or otherwise become a problem, fighting him head on was not something she saw preferable. Still fighting as they were she held a few tricks up her sleeves. Erhard was quick; but in close quarters she would have the advantage, she could lock his blade with her own and force him back with her spare. So she let him come at her, rooting herself on the ground and waiting for a new strike, before pushing back, stepping into his attack with her sword raise and her knife held up. Her sword was bigger and would have a better chance of locking with Erhard’s, so she chose the Sniffler’s Blade to bring forward.

It didn’t look like an attack, though it could have maybe been seen as part of one. She wasn’t swinging the sword so much as holding it up and extending her arm, intent on using the broadside of the blade to block Erhard’s before locking their guards together. There was a subtle change in the way she held her throwing knife-turned parrying dagger as well, while before she kept a hard grip on as much of the dagger as she could, now her hold was lighter, more fluid, ready to slip out like a serpent’s fang.

[No longer fighting defensively, still trying not to kill him.]

 

[Hafnium]

Re: Family Matters (AshPrince) GMed by Hafnium

Spoiler

Elizabeth Silver: HP = 19/53, PP = 41, EP = 38, Status = Fine.

Rolls

Spoiler

Attacks: 17 + 52 - 4 = 65 vs 57 and 3 + 52 - 4 = 51 vs 57. Hit & Miss.
Damage: 23 - 5 = 18 / 2 = 9 damage.

Attacks: Hit, Hit, and Miss.
Damage: 12, 13
Erhard takes 4 damage for Battle Dance.

The heiress's plan went well to begin with. Elizabeth saw her opponent's blade come in and sent her own sword to meet it, locking the two at their guards. From there, however, it began to fall apart. Her first attempt to return the pain of his earlier smack was dodged by the graceful swordsman. The second managed to nick through the dueling clothes he wore, but between his readiness for it and her efforts not to accidentally murder the man, the attack was greatly lessened in its ferocity.

And then Erhard countered. He threw a sloppy swing at Elizabeth with his free hand, one that proved incredibly easy to duck. But it turned out to be a feint, as he pressed on with his deadly dance. Before the heiress could ready her blades to parry, he managed to smack her twice in the side with the flat of his weapon. The man had only left superficial wounds on Elizabeth so far, but she was feeling them. Erhard obviously noticed, as he backed away from his assassin cousin and settled into a defensive stance, allowing the Silver noblewoman to choose how to continue.

 

[AshPrince]

Re: Family Matters (AshPrince) GMed by Hafnium

That had hurt; she didn’t really want to admit how much. This couldn’t go on for much longer, and she knew it, she also knew that if she was going to murder Erhard she’d not want to do it in a stand up fight. Maybe if she could get him alone and without his weapon… Regardless, this fight needed to end. She was no good in a stand up fight and that damn dancing of his was starting to annoy her.

So with what was intended to be taken as a ‘final charge’ Elizabeth lowered her sword, pointing the blade toward her cousin and well, charged him. Though as with nearly everything she did, appearances were meant to deceive. Once Elizabeth got back up to Erhard, she did thrust her sword toward him, but toward his head, in what she thought of as an easily dodged feint. Then a second later she dropped low, hopefully low enough to avoid any reprisal attacks, as she extended her leg and swept it up beneath Erhard with the intention of tripping him.

[Feint & Trip]

 

[Hafnium]

Re: Family Matters (AshPrince) GMed by Hafnium

Spoiler

Elizabeth Silver: HP = 19/53, PP = 41, EP = 38, Status = Fine.

Rolls

Spoiler

Attacks: Both hit.
Damage: 23 - 5 = 18 / 2 = 9. And 27 - 5 = 22 / 2 = 11 + 10 = 21 damage.

Note: Small damage bonus and penalty to Erhard's attack for tactics, I'd give him the prone status except there's a skill that offers as much and Elizabeth doesn't quite have it.

Erhard
Attack: Miss.

Elizabeth's plan finally went as intended. Her sword went straight for his head, and his steel swung a lightning arc through the air to intercept it. The swordsman was a little too slow for the assassin, however, and his cheek was nicked by the attack. He lost track of her movements behind the clash of blades, which allowed the slippery rogue to dip and sweep his feet. The lightly armored man hit the ground with a resounding crash.

But, before the heiress could press her blade to his throat and call for her cousin to yield, he swiped at her, forcing her back to avoid the attack. He was already scrambling to his feet before she could take advantage of his attack. But she was still in the duel, at least.

 

[AshPrince]

Re: Family Matters (AshPrince) GMed by Hafnium

Spoiler

Wow totally spaced on replying my bad.

Elizabeth wasn’t about to lose her advantage. She’d broken his rhythm; it was time to establish one of her own. The rogue surged forward, intent on getting to her cousin before he had a chance to get up, or at very least before he had a change to get a footing, literally and figuratively. While closing she took a swipe at him with the Sniffler’s sword, its longer blade having a better chance of posing a threat to him before she took the last couple of steps to close completely.

She intended to slam her bodyweight into him with the full force of her charge, and bring him back to the ground with herself on top of her him, and her knife at his throat.

 

[Hafnium]

Re: Family Matters (AshPrince) GMed by Hafnium

Spoiler

Elizabeth Silver: HP = 19/53, PP = 41, EP = 38, Status = Grappled.

Rolls

Spoiler

(No worries, because I am apparently just as bad. >.>)

Think I'm going to handle this as a grapple, because that seems to make the most sense for what you're doing.

Round 1

Attack: Success. Erhard is grappled.

Round 2

Grapple: Elizabeth wins. With the knife at his throat, Erhard forfeits.

Elizabeth and Erhard ended in a pile from the former's maneuver. The man lost his grip on his sword as he plummeted to the ground and, despite his desperate attempts to retrieve it, found the rogue's knife at his throat before he could do anything else. "I yield," he proclaimed through gritted teeth. "You win, dear cousin. I will follow your strategy."

"I still don't necessarily like it," he noted from his spot beneath the heiress, her steel still dangerously close to his neck. "But if you're passionate enough to fight for it, then I put my trust in you that it's the right decision." There wouldn't be much to be gained from it then, but Elizabeth could end him there, if she so desired. Barring that, she was free to do as she liked, it seemed.

 

[AshPrince]

Re: Family Matters (AshPrince) GMed by Hafnium

Temptation held Elizabeth's knife at her cousin's throat for but a moment; she still needed him to lead the refugees after all, so she sheathed her blades, both of them, and then offered her cousin a hand up, trying not to betray how exhausted she actually was after their little contest. She was going to need to take a breather before moving forward. “Your concern is charming cousin however unnecessary. We shall save more men in retreat than could feigning victory.”

Elizabeth stood back from her cousin and gave a sigh that was actually a little heavier than she had intended it to be. Erhard was more talented than she had expected; though then again, she wasn’t a fighter, she was an assassin. Still. She had done her job and gotten him to do her bidding, in a manner of speaking at least that was a step in the right direction. She took another deep breath, this time not trying to conceal how fatigued she was in the slightest, and closed her eyes; setting one thumb beneath her chin.

She needed to think; there was a lot to do. The refugees needed to be tended to, though they might’ve been doing some work themselves after her speech. The captain of the guard had agreed to give some of them basic weapons training; she could probably use to check on the progress of that. She had Karina checking on the level of their supplies, though the Silrocio daughter was probably still upset with her for coming clean about the whole ‘plan to murder her cousin’ thing, some people could be so temperamental. Similarly Ruby was to have been checking on their weapon stockpiles. Then there was the status of the enemy; they needed some manner of reconnaissance work done…

Elizabeth sighed softly. “I need to lay down.” Fortunately, there was nothing wrong with playing ‘the weak and feeble woman’ around Badarian men. “I’ll speak with you soon cousin, just… give me a moment to collect myself.” and confer with her allies in her room.

 

[Hafnium]

Re: Family Matters (AshPrince) GMed by Hafnium

Spoiler

Elizabeth Silver: HP = 53, PP = 41, EP = 38, Status = Fine.

Erhard only replied with a nod and a small frown as Elizabeth left the room. Beyond that, the heiress found her trip back to her room to be without any undue excitement. Alice fell in beside her in what almost passed for silence and stayed with her. As she passed into her room, she noticed that a few soldiers and refugees were carrying pikes out into the courtyard. A few other refugees scurried to and fro, but their purposes were never obvious.

When she entered the hallway and arrived at the door of her room, Elizabeth found only Ruby. "Oh, how I've missed you! Even the stars themselves couldn't keep us apart for a whole day!" The succubus announced from her seat on the bed with an arrogant smirk. She ended up sliding right into business. "These people are armed for bear. I've seen more pikes, guns, ammunition, swords, and sets of armor, mostly leather, than I've seen refugees or guardsmen. They might be able to begin flinging them all at the enemy and still retain a surplus."

"Of course, we are still missing one," she said, referring to Karina. "All the swords in the world won't help if all the men are going to starve to death." She awaited Elizabeth's response.

 

[AshPrince]

Re: Family Matters (AshPrince) GMed by Hafnium

Elizabeth nodded to Ruby’s report, wondering if they actually had anyone who was a practiced spear-thrower, before giving a soft sigh. She had hoped to get some rest, or maybe a chance to plan out how exactly they were going to get, what seemed like at least a hundred, people out of a slime and squid monster infested Necropolis without incident, but it looked like she’d have to deal with Karina first. She hoped the young noble was just pouting off in the kitchen somewhere, or maybe helping the wait staff cook something, Karina seemed like the ‘woman of the people’ type, it was one of the reasons Elizabeth liked having her around.

“We’d best check on her.” The Silver woman said dully. “Maybe they’ll have enough we can get something other than apples to eat, you do eat don’t you Ruby?” It was more of a jab than a question, and she hardly waited for a response, turning from her room and starting toward, wherever they kept the store room in this castle, it was normally somewhere near the basement, cooler temperatures and all that, though she’d stop and ask a servant if she saw one along the way.

(Perception Check to find the Storeroom/Karina?)

 

[Hafnium]

Re: Family Matters (AshPrince) GMed by Hafnium

Spoiler

Elizabeth Silver: HP = 53, PP = 41, EP = 38, Status = Fine.

Ruby stuck her tongue out rather than vocally answering, although the heiress only barely saw it before she had turned away and was on her way out. Ruby and Alice followed the rogue in her search for Karina. The heiress couldn't find a servant, but one of the guards was happy enough to give her directions. Those directions took her to the dining room, which was through one of the ubiquitous hallways that made up the estate. From there, she entered the servant's kitchen, which was empty. There was a trap door that led down steep stairs and the stairs themselves led to a narrow hallway with two doors.

Listening carefully, she could hear a familiar set of voices. "Look what we found, boys, one of those noble twats, snooping around the dining room."
"I wasn't snooping! I was asked to make sure that there was enough food for everyone," Karina's voice replied. She was obviously attempting to put some authority into it but came off as sounding weak and terrified. It was something that the men picked up on, given the sound of a smack that followed.
"Shut your mouth, bitch, you're just like the rest of the nobility. Too good for us common folk. And what's worse, you're a woman, too, you should have a fat belly and be cooking the food, not checking on it. Hell, even the other nobles only keep your type around for breeding more little lordlings and inheriting your daddy's lands. I can't teach you how to cook, but I can solve your other problem. No one is gonna miss you down here, cow," the man's words dripped with contempt.

The other two with the heiress had heard the conversation as well and were ready to spring into action. A quick check of the door by Elizabeth allowed her to count no less than eight refugees in the room, harassing the noblewoman, who was being held against the opposite wall by two of them and accosted by their apparent leader.

 

[AshPrince]

Re: Family Matters (AshPrince) GMed by Hafnium

Elizabeth lingered behind the doorway, listening to the exchange with a slight smirk. She almost wanted to wait, give Karina a refresher course on how cruel the world could be; but the Silrocio was already in a fragile state from finding out how cruel Elizabeth could be, better not to push it. Still, eight against; what, two and two halves? She hadn’t really had a chance to appraise Alice’s new abilities, even if she’d only been given one training session with Erhard, the man was good with a sword, she expected his training was similar. Still Karina certainly wasn’t a fighter, though Elizabeth found herself almost, thankful. There was a predatory gleam in her eye that she couldn’t contain. She unsheathed one of her throwing knives, and put her free hand on the Sniffler’s sword’s hilt.

Elizabeth looked back to her companions, a bit of the predation in her teeth as she smirked, and then stepped around the corner, lingering in it just a bit as she twirled her throwing knife around in one hand. “Now now.” She could hardly contain the bloodlust in her voice to a less-than-obvious level, and there was a bit of a sway to her hips and shoulders as she leaned against the doorway. “Didn’t you boys get the notice? We’re a united Badaria now.” This was going to be fun.

 

[Hafnium]

Re: Family Matters (AshPrince) GMed by Hafnium

Spoiler

Elizabeth Silver: HP = 53, PP = 41, EP = 38, Status = Fine.

It quickly became obvious that the leader of the group of thugs was the most vocal dissenter from when she had rallied the refugees earlier. He had slipped his knife underneath the busty noblewoman's clothing and already began to cut away the fabric, even as she thrashed against the two men holding her. When Elizabeth announced her presence, though, the man turned and gave her a look that would have made an ordinary woman lock up in fear for their own safety.

Wisely, the man grabbed the spirit wielder, yanking her away from the wall such that the other two thugs let go, and put her between himself and the assassin, with a knife at Karina's throat. "What a pleasant surprise. Don't do anything stupid or this bitch is going to get a nasty shave." He regarded all of the rogue's group with cruel and callous eyes. It had never been easy to be a woman in Badaria, even one with strength and skill about her, but the dangerous refugee appeared to regard women about as lowly as a person could, and nobles only slightly above them. "If we're so united, why don't you show me by dropping those fancy weapons o' yours. It's not like you should be wielding anything bigger than a kitchen knife, anyway. Afterward, you and your girls can show us some real unity by letting me and my boys have some fun. When we're done you can fuck off and we won't hurt you, if you're good enough."

He was obviously lying through his teeth about how unharmed the group would go. After all, how long would they survive in the estate if it was discovered that they had done such a thing? But Karina's position as a hostage made it hard to aim at the leader. And, if she missed, she not only risked harming the spirit wielder by causing the man holding her to cut her, she risked directly harming Karina with the flung knife. In addition, there were seven other thugs in the room ready to attack Elizabeth and her retainers. The rogue would need a good plan to make it through the fight with the captive noblewoman unscathed.

Spoiler

Enemies:
1x Refugee Dissenter
7x Refugee Thugs

 

[AshPrince]

Re: Family Matters (AshPrince) GMed by Hafnium

Elizabeth’s head spun with ideas. Granted; a man having a knife to Karina’s throat wasn’t the best of possible situations, but it could have been worse. It could’ve been a woman holding that knife. There were plenty of ways to deal with men; her initial instinct was to just knife him in the face, or maybe the back of his hand and hope she didn’t hit Karina, the young mage could use a distinguishing facial scar to keep her out of situations like this anyway. But with him cowering behind Karina’s skirt, she risked missing entirely, or hitting Karina in the face, neither of which were within the ‘favorable outcome’ category; plus she didn’t really want to kill any of these men. Just as they’d have a hard time explaining their actions to Erhard and his guard. Elizabeth would have a hard time explaining eight dead dissenter to the rest of the refugees.

Her second impulse was to disarm and rely on her ‘feminine charm’ allies and hidden knives to see her through the rest. If she could close the distance between herself and the thug’s leader she might be able to put a knife in him without giving his cohorts a chance to draw their blades. One dead body would be easier to explain than eight, particularly one who happened to hold a knife to a noble woman’s throat. That actually sounded like the better option at the moment, and since some action was better than none—

Elizabeth stood upright, raised from a more fluid, more combative form. She dropped her throwing knife; the one she had been spinning, and made sure that the blade made a nice thunk as it stabbed into the floor. That wasn’t really necessary, she just like the noise knives made when they hit wood. Then, with her left hand and the blade pointed down; she drew the Sniffler’s Sword, and knelt down to one knee, setting it on the floor, before laying her foot atop the blade and using the ball of her toes to send it sliding backward across the floor; if her aim was right, near where Alice would’ve been standing. Ruby didn’t need a weapon to be lethal; Alice might need the Sniffler’s enchantments.

The silver woman rose from her knee, and held her hands out to the side. “There, see. There’s no need for violence, no need for anyone to be hiding behind a woman’s skirt. It’s unbecoming of any Badarian.” She narrowed her eyes at the lead dissenter and nodded her head back toward her allies; using the dually to incite them to disarm, and to distract from the fact that she took a quick step two steps forward.

 

[Hafnium]

Re: Family Matters (AshPrince) GMed by Hafnium

Spoiler

Elizabeth Silver: HP = 53, PP = 41, EP = 38, Status = Fine.

Alice did as apparently instructed, laying her weapon down. Ruby lacked a weapon to lay down, given her preference for using magic, innate power, and fist, which might yet be an advantage. The foul man only seemed emboldened by Elizabeth's apparent concern for Karina, his knife fell a few inches away from the spirit wielder's vitals, far enough for her to breathe but still close enough to be dangerous. "Fah, you're one to talk about being a proper Badarian," he spat. "You're still not on your knees, worshiping me. We'll change that. Grab their weapons, boys." It turned out that he wasn't a complete fool, even if he had let the rogue's two steps closer to him go without comment or threat.

Even as his cronies moved forward to accomplish this task, he continued. "Now, how about the fancy noblewoman and her friends give us hardworking men a bit of a show? Get those clothes off so we can see how highborn you really are." That course of action, of course, would be bad for her, as it would reveal her hidden daggers. The cunning Silver woman might yet find a way to bring her target into range so that she could cut him down, though. Or, she might turn the place into a bloodbath by retrieving her discarded weapon before they could be taken, at the risk of losing the spirit wielder to the nasty knife. She could enact some other plan, too. It was a choice she would need to make quickly, as, assuming they weren't stopped, three of the refugees would grab the unusual sword, throwing knife, and the gift that Elizabeth had given to Alice and take them away.

 

[AshPrince]

Re: Family Matters (AshPrince) GMed by Hafnium

Elizabeth smirked slightly, sliding her hand down the exposed bit of her neck until the tip of her finger hooked in the collar of her shirt. She pulled on it a little, enough to expose; a little, nothing hidden, but a sufficient amount to; distract. “Oh come now, a proper lady never strips—” She took a few steps forward and tried to lock eyes with the leader of the rabble. “—in public.” She put on her best ‘seductive’ smirk, and sought to close the distance between herself and the lead dissenter a little more, making certain that there was a certain, swagger, to her hips as she walked. The Silver rogue tilted her head to the other side, curling a lock of her hair around one finger as she refused to look away from the leader first; her gait was slow, seductive, almost enticing as with her free hand she hooked her thumb in the hem of her pants, pulling the waist free enough to flash the straps of her lacy underwear. “Isn’t there someplace we can go, a little more—” She curled her tongue against her teeth and practically whispered the final word. “Private?”

 

[Hafnium]

Re: Family Matters (AshPrince) GMed by Hafnium

Spoiler

Elizabeth Silver: HP = 53, PP = 41, EP = 38, Status = Fine.

The noblewoman's plan seemed to work, though not necessarily in the way that she had wanted it to. The refugees took the weapons away which had apparently emboldened the man, who obviously wasn't expecting Elizabeth to hide weapons on herself. "Like I care what a proper lady does! Are you an idiot, woman? I'll just have to educate you myself!" He cast Karina away and strode forward toward the noblewoman, brandishing his knife. "First lesson, your proper place in life! On your knees!" He shouted in command as he advanced upon Elizabeth, point of his weapon first. It wasn't the wisest choice he had made to that point, as it put him within melee range of the assassin.

The rest of the refugees looked on in stupid anticipation, under the misguided belief that they had the four women exactly where they wanted them. Alice tensed, watching her sister-slash-role model for guidance on what to do next. Ruby was as calm as she always was. Karina looked terrified and demoralized. When the assassin struck, she would need to strike quickly and viciously against the leader if she was to demoralize the rest of the rabble into not fighting. Otherwise, she was going to have the other seven trying to take them down by numbers, which would be an uphill fight with one of her number disarmed and another on the verge of a breakdown.

 

[AshPrince]

Re: Family Matters (AshPrince) GMed by Hafnium

Elizabeth smirked, though only for a second; she didn’t want to be giving anything away after all. “As you wish.” She said, trying to hide the sarcasm in her voice as she gave a light curtsy, and then lowered herself to one knee, just enough to get her head beneath the point of her enemy’s blade.

Then she acted, swiftly as she could. Her hands went to her hips to retrieve two of her throwing knives from their hiding place, the heel beneath her shifted slightly and then she stood up, shot up might’ve been more accurate. She took one step forward, bringing her leg up between the lead dissenter’s, not with the intention of kneeling him in the crotch, though she very well could have, this was more intent on keeping him off balance.

The blade now in her left hand went to disarm his, or at very least guard against it. It was a small knife and she was still wearing her armor so she wasn’t too worried, but at this distance even a fool could get lucky and slit something important. The blade in her left however went to her enemy’s throat, not with the intention of cutting it, she didn’t want to kill anyone if she didn’t have to; and there was a certain something to be appreciated in taking hostage the man who had held Karina hostage.

Spoiler

Stealth Check to startle him?
Disarm Check to, well disarm him.
And I guess it’s a grapple check to take him hostage, though she’s really just pressing a blade to his throat.

 

[Hafnium]

Re: Family Matters (AshPrince) GMed by Hafnium

Spoiler

Elizabeth Silver: HP = 41/53, PP = 41, EP = 38, Status = Slightly bludgeoned.

NPCs
Alice: Fine, Full Defense.
Karina: Very much not fine.
Ruby: Moderate wounds.

Rolls

Spoiler

Since Elizabeth doesn't have Quick Draw, I'm ruling that she has to make a stealth check in order to draw her hidden weapons and act this turn. Counting her disarm and startle efforts as a single sudden strike (massive attack roll penalty on the disarm if she fails the sudden strike since it's not a skill she has). Grapple attempt will have to happen next round.

Stealth (Draw, -10 Penalty): Rolled an 18. Success, she manages to draw her knives.

Stealth (Sudden Strike): Rolled a 2, Failure.
Attack (Disarm, -20 Penalty): Manages to hit anyway.
No damage, he's disarmed.

At this point, he calls for the refugees to attack and they're still feeling brave enough to do so.

Ruby fends off an attacker by attempting to break his nose with a shattering blow..
Attack: 19 + 36 = 55. Hit.
Damage: 14 + 18 - 10 - 1 = 21 * 2 = 42. He goes down.

Alice uses Full Defense as she has no weapon.

Karina is too shaken up to attack, on the plus side this means that nobody bothers to go after her yet.

The refugee leader attacks Elizabeth.
Attack: Hit..
Damage: 15 - 10 = 5. His fists aren't very effective against her armor.

One aids his leader
Attack: Hit.
Damage: 17 - 10 = 7. His club isn't very effective, either.

Three go after Alice.
Attacks: All miss, surprisingly.

Two go after Ruby.
Attacks: Both hit.
Damage: 5 + 10 - 1 = 14 and 7 + 10 - 1 = 16 damage. Ouchies.

The rogue moved quickly and subtly enough that the lead dissenter didn't know what hit him. She easily caught his knife with her throwing knife and, with a twist and a flick, caused him to lose his grip on it. By the time the metal had clattered on the ground, however, he had recovered and reacted. As Elizabeth's other swift hand moved to secure him as a hostage with the tip of her throwing knives, he used his forearm to knock hers away and delivered a kick to her stomach. The chainmail blunted most of the blow, but it bought him enough time without a knife at his throat to shout a command to his cronies. "Beat these haughty nobles into submission! We'll have our fun afterward!"

The otherwise timid refugees were apparently emboldened by Ruby and Alice's lack of weapons and that they outnumbered the group, an advantage more in their favor since one of which, Karina, was too shocked to fight. The unarmed ones picked up clubs and sticks and anything else they could get their hands on in order to bludgeon the women into submission. Three rushed at Alice. The mousy maid had apparently learned well between Erhard and Elizabeth's instructions, as she managed to gracefully dodge out of the way of every swing.

Ruby one-upped Elizabeth's new sister. The succubus, with an open palm, thrust her hand upward into the nose of one of the three who charged her, breaking it and, judging by how quickly he fell to the floor, potentially killing him. The other two were undaunted by his fall, however, and both managed solid blows on the lightly armored demoness. In the meantime, one particularly brave man attacked Elizabeth while she was engaged with the lead dissenter. He managed to catch her in the back with a stick but she barely even felt it through her armor.

Overall, things were going in Elizabeth's favor, but while the refugees held a numbers advantage of seven to a functional three, one of whom was disarmed, she would need to turn the tides quickly before they were simply overwhelmed by numbers.

Spoiler

Enemies:
1 Head Dissenter (engaging Elizabeth)
6 Dissenters (1 engaging Elizabeth, 3 engaging Alice, 2 engaging Ruby).
1 Dead or Unconscious Dissenter.

 

[AshPrince]

Re: Family Matters (AshPrince) GMed by Hafnium

Elizabeth grit her teeth at the blow from the leader; on the bright side it brought him back within striking distance. Then some thug struck her in the back with something, and though it was encouraging to see that her team was holding their own even with the odds stacked against them; it hardly mattered, her next move was clear. She meant to take the leader prisoner.

{Attempt Grapple}