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Messengers (IndrickBoreale, TheWeirdOne, Quartz)


the_taken

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Location: Far Field, southwest of the Primary Camp

A thin layer of dewy mist covers the field, which evaporates as the sun rises. A few chirping beetles can be heard across the ancient abandoned farmer's fields, which fall silent as a progression of travellers march past. There are a buxom lady knight a top her boar steed, her pale gaunt daughter, a goofy harpy girl, a pale bookworm in a torn red cloak, an elf woman atop her own steed, a handsome lord knight atop his own boar steed, ten armored footman in blue cloaks, and waggon pulled by a lone boar.

~--- Dawn of the First Day ---~

Aaren Drake, Sir Knight of the Azure, Ninth Order, has been travelling with supplies for the Mirafar Reclamation army, guarded by his personal retinue. The day before, at the last supply camp, he met up with Exalted heading for the main war camp and travelled together for additional safety. He and his men are almost always silent, with grim looks on their faces, but after a hard day of travel, a short nap, and several hours of hard travel, he can see his destination. He tells his troops of their arrival, then lets them pass to speak to the first Exalted that follows.

"We have nearly arrived," he says without emotion, but loudly enough for everyone to hear while looking directly into Sir Arvus's eyes. "Only a few more hours of travelling now. But this is where it becomes dangerous. Previous, less skilled warriors have fallen to the monsters that wander these fields." He turns back to his troops, watching without reaction as two break from marching formation and jog off at angles off the newly beaten path.
 

Quartz

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Re: Messengers (IndrickBoreale, TheWeirdOne, Quartz)

Elyna stretches in the warmth of the morning sun and looks at her odd assortment of fellow travelers. Despite her tendency to favor traveling alone, she was grateful for the company on this dangerous road. She shifts her gaze out towards the abandoned fields and gets lost for a moment in thoughts about what a large farming community must have existed here for there to be so many fields.

Her thought is interrupted as Sir Drake makes his announcement. As soon as he finishes speaking, she rides up to the nearest footman and asks him "Excuse me, do you know anything more about the monsters Sir Drake mentioned?"
 

TheWeirdOne

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Re: Messengers (IndrickBoreale, TheWeirdOne, Quartz)

Teeu hadn't said anything the whole trip, and the only communication he seemed to have was with Siehydra, but nobody ever heard them talk. Seeing Elyna talking to a footman Teeu listened in on her conversation. He was trying to learn of any information he could of the road's ahead, especially after what Aaren Drake had said. Siehydra was near him, seeming to be doing the exact opposite. Despite the long travels she did not seem fatigued, and appeared to be half dancing half walking while singing to herself.
 

IndrickBoreale

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Re: Messengers (IndrickBoreale, TheWeirdOne, Quartz)

Bellisera shifted uneasily in her saddle. The ride had been long and she hadn't had as much sleep as she would have liked. Sir Drake was obviously used to pushing his men and although she was beginning to feel saddle sore, she was determined not to let any weakness be shown in front of others. Sir Drake had been a welcome companion, moreso than the other Exalted who had joined them. He gave an air of professional competence, the others not so much. They had also come for Mirafar and it was a notion she disliked. She imagined that they could not even trace their lineage back to the old city, but were instead just looking for easy plunder.

The stern knight turned to her to inform her of the distance remaining.

"Very good Sir Drake, I must admit that I am anticipating our arrival with some degree of enthusiasm. House Arvus has been looking forward to the day we retake Mirafar for some time now."

Bellisera looked left and right as the footsoldiers seperated from the group and called for Igraine to come close.

"You have trained your men well Sir Drake, I commend you on their discipline. Take note Igraine, to be able to command without even a word is a most worthy skill in a commander. There are ways to travel through dangerous country and there are ways to not travel. That harpy girl is a good example of how to not travel. I have seen carelessness all too often equal death."
 

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Re: Messengers (IndrickBoreale, TheWeirdOne, Quartz)

Hearing what Bellisera had said Siehydra seemed to stop her strange dance, and turn towards Bellisera tilting her head to the side as if she was confused. She looked up towards Teeu's face, and it seemed Teeu responded to her in some way and looked down towards her. After a moment they broke off each other's stares. Speaking for the first time during the whole trip Teeu said to Bellisera while not looking at her, "You do not need to worry about Sie, she would notice anything before any of us." He kept his explanation brief, and seemed to have no emotion in his voice. From his expeirence of traveling with the harpy he knew this was true. After this was said Siehydra resumed her strange way of walking and sang to herself, and continued onwards.
 
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the_taken

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Re: Messengers (IndrickBoreale, TheWeirdOne, Quartz)

I roll a d20 behind my DM screen. I hum questionably, then roll a d10.

The foot man, barely takes notice of Elyna's approach, focused entirely on maintaining formation with his comrades. He scowls at being directly addressed, but politely returns to a neutral expression. "These fields are infested with the walking dead. They sleep, hidden in the ground most of the time, but occasionally rise up to feed off the living. They are little threat except in huge numbers."

A hint of a smile appears on Sir Drake's lips as Bellisera appraises him. "The monsters that wander these fields are of little threat to actual war-" he begins. The left scout returns into view, waving his shield in the air. Drake raises his shield arm in response, and the scout runs off again. "The Azure Knights, Eighth patrols this field, and has little trouble combating the restless dead. They are little threat on their own, but are a hazard when they gather in larger groups."

The other scout comes into view immediately after drake finishes, waving his sword in the air. Sir Drake waves his shield arm in the air, then points to his head. The scout thrusts his sword in the air twice.

"If you are looking test your skills against the monsters, Swordhand Maxim has spotted a pair of shambles. I only use discretion when the monsters outnumber us."
 

Quartz

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Re: Messengers (IndrickBoreale, TheWeirdOne, Quartz)

Listening to both the footman and the other Exalted, Elyna nods her head as the footman answers her question. "Thanks for the information. I'll let you go back to focusing on your duties now." She turns her attention towards the scouts as they reappear and signal their reports. She quietly listens to the conversation between the two knights, hoping to glean any insight she can about her companions.

As Drake finishes speaking, Elyna rides up to match pace with Bellisera and Drake. Out of politeness, she holds off on her own response until the other two Exalted have answered.
 

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Re: Messengers (IndrickBoreale, TheWeirdOne, Quartz)

At his new announcement Siehydra looked towards Teeu. Without speaking she said to him in his mind with obvious enthusiasm Can we go fight too?. Teeu turned towards her, they had both grown so accustomed to communicating like this that they instinctively turned towards each other like they were talking whenever they did it, and communicated in the same way to her It didn't seem like it's anything too important... but if you really want to... Siehydra quickly cut him off squealing in his head I do, Teeway!

Anybody near him right then could hear him sigh as if from nothing. Go ahead then. With his permission, Siehydra burst up and said with obvious excitement, "I'll go!" She started walking off on her own, then realized she didn't know the way and wondered back to the scout. Teeu walked up to Siehydra after she had come back to the scout and said for her, realizing she had been unclear in her intentions, "What Sie means is that she wants to fight the shambles the scouts have found, and I plan to observe if that is fine." Teeu and Siehydra waited by the scout to be lead the way.
 
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IndrickBoreale

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Re: Messengers (IndrickBoreale, TheWeirdOne, Quartz)

"I believe I may take you up on that Sir Drake. I does no good to linger in times of war. Afer all, the blade which is never drawn becomes dull."

She motioned towards her daughter.

"Igraine, my lance and my shield, if you would. There is no need to accompany me on this occasion, I believe the fight will only be brief."

She glanced at the three Exalted companions, Siehydra, Teeu and Elyna. She knew little of them and had no idea what to expect.

"So you will be coming too Miss Siehydra? I must admit I am curious as to your skills in battle. And if you are journeying to Mirafar for the same reasons I am... well, let's just say I anticipate our becoming rivals in the not too distant future."

She took the lance and shield from Igraine, hefting the heavy objects her daughter struggled to even hold with practiced ease.

"And you Miss Elyna. I see you hovering back there, do you intend to come with us?"
 

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Re: Messengers (IndrickBoreale, TheWeirdOne, Quartz)

"I do. Even if it's just a very small threat right now, leaving these behind to waylay somebody as part of a greater horde wouldn't do. Besides, I'd seem lazy if I let you run off and take care of it on your own."

Elyna shifts her gaze towards the harpy, wondering if she was really fit to be on a battlefield. She interrupts her own worrisome thought and looks back towards Sir Drake. "Well then, since we appear to be all decided and our generous escorts are making such haste to deliver these supplies, we should be quick about it." Elyna moves to the spot where the scout had emerged, and looks to the scout to show the way. Unless there were any objections, she would follow the scout to the shamblers.
 
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the_taken

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Re: Messengers (IndrickBoreale, TheWeirdOne, Quartz)

Igraine quickly supplies her knight mother with her gear, then slows her pace to allow the supply waggon to catch up to her. She watches with a bit of delight and envy as her mother trash talks the other Exalted.

As the Exalted move away from the convoy, Sir Drake calls out to them with an amused tone, "Even a common soldier beyond the threat a shambler."

A short job or gallop away, the scout waits with an eyebrow raised. "I take it you want to test your skills against these monsters," he points across to another hill where two humanoid shapes walk forward in a jerky gait. "They're not very strong, since they still have all their human features," he says to Bellisera, "but once you get close, you'll notice that their hair glows like an angel's. They're both male, though it doesn't make a difference. Take caution, as sometimes hoards of these have stragglers or straggle behind a smaller group."
 

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Re: Messengers (IndrickBoreale, TheWeirdOne, Quartz)

Elyna looks at the other Exalted briefly before beginning to advance towards the shamblers. Overhearing the scout's warning, she calls back "I'm sure that an experienced scout like you will let us know if any more turn up and try to surprise us." As she approaches the pair of walking corpses, she unsheathes her artifact sword and readies herself for the fight. As she reaches the distance closest to them that she can get without provoking a response, she yanks her boar's reins to bring him to a halt and calmly waits for the other two Exalted.
 

IndrickBoreale

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Re: Messengers (IndrickBoreale, TheWeirdOne, Quartz)

"I expected something a little more... dangerous." Bellisera looked down at the shamblers with disdain. Underneath her Avitus snorted, it seemed as if he was just as eager to fight as she was.

"These things will do as target practice. I doubt they have the brains to try and dodge my lance."

As she noticed Elyna cautiously moving up to the closest shambler, she turned Avitus to face the one furthest away and lowered the tip of her lance. Then, with no warning to the others, she dug her spurs in and charged. Avitus bounded towards the enemy, who barely even registered the huge mass of metal and boar and knight as it hurtled towards him.

The lance was aimed at his chest. It would be a clean kill.

(Roll combat dice)
 

Quartz

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Re: Messengers (IndrickBoreale, TheWeirdOne, Quartz)

"I guess patience isn't her strong suit. I suppose I should have seen that coming though." Elyna sighed, as she watched Bellisera's charge. Elyna spurs her own steed to full speed and likewise charges. Lining herself up with the other shambler and raising her sword, she aimed to use her momentum to cleanly take his head as she rode past.

(combat roll for me too?)
 

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Re: Messengers (IndrickBoreale, TheWeirdOne, Quartz)

As Siehydra saw the shamblers she grinned much a like a child would that was just given its favorite toy. Taking her scythe in both hands, she raised it above her head, and charged at the shambles as fast as she could, screaming unintelligible as she charged. To the others, she may have seemed to move far too fast for being such a small harpy. Teeu stood by and watched the other exalted preparing to charge the Shambles. He did not want to participate in a fight unless he was absolutely needed to for anyone's survival.

(Siehydra is charging, using Nimble feet, and Teeu is merely observing.)
 
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the_taken

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Re: Messengers (IndrickBoreale, TheWeirdOne, Quartz)

Initiative
Siehydra reflexively activates Celerity, spending 3 pp.
Siehydra: Intuition 4 + Agility 4 + Celerity 4. 12 dice rolled, 5 Hits.
Elyna: Intuition 3 + Agility 4. 7 dice rolled, 3 hits.
Bellisera: Intuition 2 + Agility 3. 5 dice rolled, 2 hits.
Siehydra goes again.
Shamblers: 2 dice rolled, no hits, plus more botches than hits, so they go dead last.

Siehydra activates Celerity as a reflexive action.
Due to the distance, Siehydra's Nimble Feet power gives her enough speed to reach the shamblers. Elyna and Belisera don't make it this round.
Seihydra has the Quickeness power and gets and extra initiative pass.

Siehydra attacks Shambler 1: Agility 4 + Combat 6 + Specialization 2. 12 dice rolled, 4 hits, 2 net hits.
Cleave attack did not go off. Magic power has not effect as the shambler is already dead and a zombie.
Damage: Scythe base 3 + Strength 4 + net hits 2 - soak (hidden).
Siehydra attacks SHambler 1 again: Agility 4 + Combat 6 + Specialization 2. 12 dice rolled, 6 hits, 4 net hits.
Cleave attack did not go off.
Damage: Scythe base 3 + Strength 4 + net hits 4 - soak (hidden).
Shambler 1 is slain.

Shambler 2 attacks Siehydra. Doesn't have enough dice. Impossible task.

Elyna's initially casual approach ignored, the three Exalted women charge towards the two shamblers.

"Woah!" the scout exclaims as Siehydra's zips away in a flash, effortlessly striding down the hill, passing between the two mounted boars, and up the other hill. With a single fluid motion, she passes the blade of her scythe through the nearest shambler's upper back, then quickly kicks it off her weapon, slicing almost completely in two in the process.

The other shambler mindless jerks its limbs in an attempt to strike Siehydra, but she doesn't step aside as it flails harmlessly.
 

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Re: Messengers (IndrickBoreale, TheWeirdOne, Quartz)

Elyna is surprised as Siehydra tears past her and Bellisera. Seeing the first shambler fall, she adjusts and aims for the remaining one. She wasn't close enough to beat the harpy girl to it, but she would be ready to coup de grace it if she needed to.
 

TheWeirdOne

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Re: Messengers (IndrickBoreale, TheWeirdOne, Quartz)

Siehydra grins with delight as she destroys the first shambler so easily. Turning on the next one, she prepares to attack it as well, completely forgetting about the other two that were there that probably wanted to have a go at the shamblers as well. Teeu sat down and watched the fight continuing on. Even though he thought something like this would happen, he couldn't help but think that Siehydra had gone overboard.
 
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the_taken

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Re: Messengers (IndrickBoreale, TheWeirdOne, Quartz)

Siehydra attacks Shambler 2: Agility 4 + Combat 6 + Specialization 2. 12 dice rolled, 5 hits, 3 net hits.
Cleave attack goes go off! Magic power has not effect as the shambler is already dead and a zombie.

Fight over. Seihydra gains two Celestial Corruption Points (cc).

In one perfect motion, Siehydra decapitates the Zombie, its body crumpling like wet cardboard. The body begins to melt and fade away, as if it wasn't supposed to exist in the first place. Belissera and Elyna's charge slows to a gallop as they approach, the zombie's disappearing head finally hitting the ground with a thump.

The scout turns to Teeu, his jaw unhinged in awe. "I've never seen anyone move that fast. Exalted really are on another level," he comments.
 

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Re: Messengers (IndrickBoreale, TheWeirdOne, Quartz)

Seeing the other shambler fall, Elyna sheathes her sword and slows her boar to a leisurely gait. As she approaches Siehydra, she smiles and says "Using magic on these things? I think you might have overdone it a little."

Not waiting for a response, Elyna looks down at the mangled body of the shambler with a mixture of disdain and pity. It was unfortunate that this person's body could not be buried properly now that they had been put to rest, but at least the earth and plants would put it to use. Elyna gets lost in her own thoughts for a moment again as she gazes out at the overgrown fields.
 
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