RTD: Souls and Swords

[roninvoid]

(Cloak stats. Weren't previously stated. FFUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUU-)

 

Realizing that Tyr would most likely benefit more from having the shield, I hand the shield over to Tyr. "Your gear's pretty beaten up, after all."

 

Realizing that the cloak seems to only be serving as a hindrance, particularly in a currently burning building, I remove and wrap the cloak up, making a conscious decision to return it to Achim's body and give him a proper burial when we get the chance.

 

Pausing for a moment in the ruins of the mansion, I focus my power in an effort to sense any survivors - or anyone at all - amidst the destruction and wreckage.

[Nonsense667]

I prop my old shield against a nearby wall, arming myself with the new. I also thank Ryn for his healing assistance. Though I realized that I was in need of healing, I was to focused to take pause and seek proper care. I begin making my way toward Sorel's chambers, as Cassandra told was the location Sophitia was to head to.

 

(ooc:okay, I was reading the "R" as "roll" and was not sure what the "C" was (Constitution?). Did they stand for Ryn and Cassandra?)

(Also, I totally read "A third man's legs" as "A man's third leg.")

[Kuroshu]

"Then those men shall perish, No human would be foolish enough to challenge the Dragon Kind." As a precaution I keep my swords near me in case of any danger that comes around and kept my ears open for any suspicious movement. I took out the amulet given to me and expect it more closely. "She also spoke of my destiny..." I spoke to my self, "Two destinies for one person, or are they both one and the same?"

[Sand_Dragon]

Tyr

 

Roll = 3, 2

 

Ryn

 

Roll = 5

 

---

 

Ryn clicks his tongue. Tyr looks around, and the Paladin tosses him the dead warrior's shield. He catches it neatly and spends a few seconds inspecting the work. The shield is made entirely of metal, like a buckler, but it is far too big. Yet it moves just as easily and as freely as Tyr's old shield. Some kind of ultra-light metal, perhaps.

 

He straps the shield onto his newly healed arm, giving Ryn a nod of thanks. As Cassandra roots through the wreckage, Tyr moves towards Lord Sorel's chambers on the upper floor. Given the fact that the stairs have been obliterated, this is easier said than done.

 

[3] Tyr makes his way to a pillar that has collapsed into the upper floor. It proves an adequate ramp. He is careful to keep alert. [2] He doesn't hear or see anything. It's too bad, this mansion was probably worth literal tons of thaler.

 

The upper floor is silent and devoid of life. Lord Sorel's chambers lie somewhere ahead. Tyr becomes aware that Cassandra has followed him to the second floor.

 

Ryn, perhaps somewhat sheepishly, removes and wraps the cloak up, making a mental note to return it to poor Achim later. Tyr and Cassandra have gone on ahead; he can see them a few dozen feet away on the second floor. Preferring to trust his senses rather than blind searching, Ryn closes his eyes and reaches out with the power that has proven so useful in his life.

 

[5] There are three presences, electric yellow, along with the peculiar gray fog you Ryn now realizes surrounds Tyr. The first presence is Cassandra, though it's hard to tell whether it comes from her or from her amulet. The second, much weaker, emits from the Sigma Sword Ryn took from Achim.

 

The third is on the second floor. It is a pale shadow of the power Ryn sensed from Sophitia earlier in the night, but it is the same nonetheless.

 

She may be alive.

_______

 

Kurojin

 

---

 

Roll = 4

 

Kurojin scoffs at the shard-mind's words. "No human would be foolish enough to challenge the dragon kind," he mutters.

 

Again, the voice seems to laugh. A HUMAN DARED CHALLENGE YOUR DEBASED RACE. AND MORE. A HUMAN DESTROYED YOUR EMPIRE. A HUMAN DROVE YOUR PEOPLE INTO EXILE AND SLAUGHTERED YOU BY THE THOUSANDS. ODA NOBUNAGA WAS FOOLISH ENOUGH TO CHALLENGE THE DRAGONS AND HE WON. WITHOUT MY POWER YOU WILL FACE THE SAME FATE AS YOUR FORBEARS.

 

Kurojin unlaces the amulet the strange woman gave him back on the ship. There are forces at work here again; she spoke of destiny, so does the shard. She said he would play a part. The shard says he will rule the world. The choice hangs in the balance.

 

The line shines out into the night. [4] By its bright flux Kurojin sees two silhouettes approaching from the mountain path - what could be a wolf or dog, and what could be a man.

_________

 

[roninvoid]

"Upstairs," I say aloud, suddenly sensing a presence above us. "She could still be here - And alive!" I make a dash for the stairs, quickly ascending to the second floor, using the sense from before to guide me to the source of the waning power.

 

(Also, just reread my character profile. I TECHNICALLY didn't kill Auguste, he presumably died in the ensuing fire post-combat, if I remember correctly. I just horribly crippled him by stabbing through a lung, rendering him unconscious.

 

Also, Tyr seems to have a thing for beheading sea captains.)

[Sand_Dragon]

[[it's a dwarf fortress style kill record tbh. the wielder of the last weapon to strike the creature before it died is technically its killer

 

like how in tangled that little lizard totally killed Rapunzel's mom, even though she was technically going to fall out the window anyway]]

[Nonsense667]

Glad that Ryn has appeared to be able to use his abilities to aid us once more, I prepare to allow him to lead us to her, however, should Cassandra dash ahead of us, I am prepared to make haste to keep up with her instead.

 

(ooc: really hating loosing my kite shields ability to take the parry. It looks like the new shield doesn't do that? )

[Sand_Dragon]

[[it does; all shields do . I just took that line out to save space. Oops, hehe.

 

Basically all shields function the same (intercept ranged attacks to the parts of your body they cover, add defense bonus and take the parry) except for the buckler and the main gauche/parrying dagger, which for obvious reasons can't intercept ranged attacks]]

[Kuroshu]

"That human was cunning," I whispered as I take my things and hid my self from the two silhouettes.

 

 

[Sand_Dragon]

Tyr

 

Roll = none

 

Ryn

 

Roll = none

 

---

 

"Upstairs!" Ryn says, "And she might be alive!" he dashes for the stairs, realizing a little late that the stairs have collapsed. He runs for the pillar Tyr and Cassandra used to get upstairs instead. Cassandra and Tyr move aside as Ryn dashes by, and then quickly follow him.

 

Ryn slams his shoulder into the wreck of an ornate door and shoves it aside. It practically crumbles. "Here!" he calls back. Tyr and Cassandra file in after him. The mercenary has a look on his face that suggests he does not like this lack of caution, but before he can voice his concerns, Cassandra's shout cuts him off.

 

"SOPHITIA!"

 

The leader of the holy warriors is slumped against the wall. Her shield is battered, but unsplit, and her sword (as well as her armor and toga) is covered both in blood and some black substance. If that is Lord Sorel's blood, then perhaps he didn't get away as cleanly as he seemed to have, back at the inn.

 

She is breathing, if barely. Cassandar runs to her and tries to prop her up. [3, 3, 1] Ryn and Tyr both notice a creaking noise. Tyr recognizes it as a sound he's heard on many campaigns. It is the sound of a structure about to give way.

 

The mansion is in the process of collapsing.

_______

 

Kurojin

 

Roll = 2

 

---

 

Kurojin hisses. "That human was cunning," he snarls, and bundles up his belongings rapidly, making no small amount of noise. He fails to find an adequate hiding place - there appears to be none suitable in the ruin - and instead rolls behind a piece of masonry and lies there, the warmth of the shard ominously pressing at his chest.

 

He can hear the dog growling. It does not like the smell of his kind; most mammals don't. The man, silhouetted by the fire, his face obscured, looks over the brightly lit setting.

 

"What is it, you cur?" he says. He appears to be talking to his dog.

 

"Oy! Whoever's here, come on out! This is a robbery!"

_______

[roninvoid]

"That creaking," I murmur under my breath at the sudden realization, "We don't have much time left, it seems." I rush to Sophitia's side, attempting to seal her wounds just enough to allow her to escape the building on her own feet, hoping either Tyr or Cassandra can figure out an escape route.

[Nonsense667]

While Ryn attempts to heal Sophitia, I try to find the quickest route out of here as possible. If the outer wall has been weakened like the door was, perhaps we can simply smash through it.

[Kuroshu]

I keep myself hidden till i have a chance to strike at the man aiming at his throat.

 

[Sand_Dragon]

Tyr

 

Roll: 4 + 1 = 5

 

Ryn

 

Roll: 2

 

---

 

Ryn leans over Sophitia, hoping he will be able to heal her. He begins to summon the divine power. He does not know what malady has afflicted her or what injury she has been dealt; but the Order of Malta has skilled surgeons and doctors, who knew how much to bleed someone and how to set a bone, and what sort of poultice is best for the malaise of the soul. Failing that, he always has the holy magic.

 

"We don't have much time," Ryn says, having notice the building's structural unsoundness. He lays his hand on the woman's forehead... [2] and the divine magic spurts and fizzles. This is not something that regularly happens, and its failure in this occasion might speak of darker forces at work in the house, sinister magic and unholy artifacts, the like of which Ryn and Tyr have been told are the particular interest of the Lord Sorel.

 

The magic does have a positive effect, though. Sophitia's eyes snap open. "Lord Sorel! He's getting away!" she cries, and attempts to stand up. She staggers to her feet, but Cassandra manages to catch her.

 

Tyr pays the reunited pair no mind. He is far too busily engaged in looking for a way out of this rapidly decaying building. His experiences as a condottiere have given him the requisite knowledge of siegecraft to know a building's structural weaknesses after a few minutes' study [+1]. [5] Armed with this knowledge, he quickly locates a wall at the rear of Lord Sorel's chambers. It appears to be a smoking or dinner-room for one, and the walls are lined with all sorts of weapons - some of which have seen much use. There are also shields of every kind, each bearing a puncture mark such as that made by a strong sword-thrust. Curiously, there is also an ornate longsword hilt that has no blade, but seems complete nonetheless. Close inspection might reveal more about each of these items, but there may not be time for that.

 

There is a window in this room that has a view of the grounds. From here Tyr can see

 

ITEMS:

2X Tonfa-Style Blades, 2X Heater Shield, Round Shield, 1x Buckler, 3x Dagger, 1x Chinese Sword, 1x Battle-axe, 4x Pistols, 1x harquebus, Sword of ???, 1x Lance, 1x short-spear

___________

 

 

Kurojin

 

Roll: 4

 

---

 

Kurojin lays flat on his belly, keeping his tail and wings down as low as he possibly can. [4] The man - a bandit, perhaps, does not see him. Kurojin puts a hand on the hilt of his longsword as the man nears... but suddenly his lantern starts moving away. The dragon man can hear the growling of the bandit's dog, and it appears to be directed at him.

 

"Stop that, you filthy mutt," Kurojin hears the man grumble. The dog yelps; he appears to have yanked it by the collar. The lamp starts retreating into the night.

 

"YOU WERE LUCKY", says the shard. "YOU WILL NOT BE LUCKY FOREVER."

 

___________

[Nonsense667]

Curiosity getting the better of me, I take the strange sword. Thinking back to when Ryn descended to meet Sophitia, I check out the window to see if we can make a similar escape.

I also make a mental note, that should I engage in combat with Sorel, to watch out for his thrust.

(I'm assuming that the "Sword of ???" is the hilt missing a blade in the text.)

[roninvoid]

"I guess that'll do for now. At least she can stand."

 

I stand up, glancing first at Cassandra and Sophitia, then to where Tyr ran off to. I follow Tyr into the room filled with weapons. "Nice find! Not the best time, but perhaps now we can gear up!"

 

I grab a heater shield shield, then quickly assess the remaining gear. Having only sensed power from our current entourage during my previous scan of the building, I highly doubt any of the weapons could be cursed. However, their actual combat value has yet to be assessed.

 

(Curious about what categories the tonfa-style swords, the lance and the Chinese style sword fall under.)

 

(Also, would we be able to throw the gear out the window safely? Thinking it might be an efficient way to loot without the risk of the building crushing us.)

[Kuroshu]

"If it happens then it shall happen, lucky or not." I look at the disappearing light and decided to follow it from a distance. I take my cloak and wrapped it around me to hind myself again.

[Sand_Dragon]

[[The tonfa-style blades are basically unarmed attacks due to the way one fights with a Tonfa. The lance is a glorified polearm with the special quality of dealing 2x damage on a horseback charge. The chinese-style sword is basically a longsword with an attack bonus AND defense bonus if used shieldless and one-handed, but no damage bonus.]]

---

 

Tyr

 

No roll

 

Ryn

 

Roll: 5

 

---

 

Ryn rises, saying "I guess that'll do for now. At least she can stand."

 

Sophitia leans heavily on her sister. "Thank you. Lord Sorel... proved to be too strong for me alone." She looks at Cassandra sadly. "It's a good thing you didn't come along."

 

Ryn follows Tyr into Lord Sorel's private room, and his eyes veritably widen at the assortment of arms. He compliments Tyr on his choice of room, then grabs the least damaged of the shields off the wall and slings it on his back. The weight is a comfort; while fighting two-handed with a longsword is the way knights do it, they have the advantage of heavy plate armor - something Ryn does not quite have access to at this moment. A shield could make all the difference in a difficult fight.

 

He contemplates chucking all of the weapons and arms out of the window. That Oriental sword would probably survive, as would the strange tonfas and the shields, but the axe's haft would likely be damaged, while the lance would probably snap unless its wood is particularly good.

 

While Ryn thinks of a plan of action, Tyr takes the ornate sword-hilt from the wall. Although it seems to be missing a blade, its weight is that of a whole sword. Instinctively, he gives the weapon a swing. It is barely a flicker, but as he swings the sword, a gleaming edge, as of air, is visible. It passes through the wall and does no damage, but who knows what it might do to flesh.

 

As he assesses the weapons on the wall, Ryn decides to use his power to check them for any malevolent taint - though the only presences he sensed previously were those of Tyr, Cassandra, and Sophitia, the weapons on the wall might themselves have an aura he did not sense earlier.

 

[5] The tendrils of light creep out and touch the weapons hanging on the wall. This place is clearly not an armory; it is a trophy room, filled with the weapons of fighters who have failed against Lord Sorel. Had the mansion not burned, forcing Lord Sorel to flee, Sophitia's sword and shield might have adorned the wall, and had they stayed, Tyr and Ryn's own weapons might have joined the relics of those fallen souls.

 

Only one weapon has any real presence: the strange Tonfa-style blades. Ryn touches it with his mind. The weapons once belonged to a young girl from a faraway place, an island over the seas, a young girl who was perhaps holy in her own right. Though the presence is weak, it is still perhaps one of the holiest things Ryn has sensed. The operative word is was. Whatever this girl's cause, for whatever reason she might have fought, all that is left of her is these weapons hanging on a crumbling wall. Lord Sorel appears to have carved a swathe through the ranks of the world's warriors in his pursuit of his insane ambition.

 

Sophitia hobbles into the room, with the support of Cassandra's shoulder. "There might be a way down through here," Tyr says. He points outside. There is an iron lattice leading from the grounds to the window, covered in flowers. Lord Sorel - or possibly his daughter - appears to have been very fond of roses.

___________

 

Kurojin

 

Roll = 6, 3

 

---

 

As the man - the possible bandit - wanders off into the dark, Kurojin gets to his feet and wraps his cloak around himself, [6] masking his features and helping him blend into the darkness. He retrives his belongings, stowing his pistols, sheathing his sword and slinging his musket across his back. With care, he picks up his makeshift packet which contains the ruby shard. [3] The knots hold.

 

Kurojin sets off after the man and his dog, hanging back enough to keep the man's lamp in sight. Thankfully the wind is not blowing his scent towards the hound; if it did things might go to hell in a heartbeat. He tracks the man down the slope, keeping his footing on the path. Thankfully the ground in this place is stable.

 

The light Kurojin is following ducks into a slope. As he crests the hill, the light intesifies. At the bottom of the hill, Kurojin sees that a small camp, with six or seven tents around a bonfire, and another dog. The man enters one of the tents and his light extinguishes.

___________

[roninvoid]

(Could I get a list of the Chinese sword's stats? Tempted to take it if it's better.)

 

"I wonder if we could escape with some of these. If we don't use them, we could at least sell them."

I pick up the Chinese sword, hefting its weight in my hand. I toss the more durable of the remaining gear out the window, then look for something that could ease our descent from here.

[Sand_Dragon]

[[chinese sword is +1 attack, +1 defense when used one-handed, but you'll need to be taught how probably, because come to think of it neither of your characters would know how to use that kind of sword that way. You know those flexible broadswords like in Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon? That kind of thing. Also, the way out is in the previous post: the iron lattice Also, the weapons on the wall are hints at the SC cast members you're not going to meet. Hahaha]]

[Nonsense667]

(Okay, took forever, but I think I found it: http://soulcalibur.wikia.com/wiki/Phantom )

 

"A sword like this is incredibly dangerous, no doubt it has as many disadvantages in a fight as in does advantages. Nonetheless, you are correct Ryn, they may very well be worth something."

 

I stow away the sword, and assist Ryn in descending down the lattice.

[roninvoid]

(Sorry, assumed that we only saw a window and would have to use a makeshift rope or something. Missed the lattice part. Also, I guess this means Talim's dead? Xianghua? ...Not sure about the lance... Axe - Rock? Astaroth? ...Phantom - Hwang? Yun-Seong? So many potential characters!)

[Kuroshu]

"It is too early to judge if they are hostile or not." I whisper as I watch the campsite. I decided to keep watch. I keep track of the wind to make sure that it is not blowing towards the camp from were I hid.

[Sand_Dragon]

Tyr

 

Roll: Descend = 5, Roll: Assist = 3

 

Ryn

 

Roll: Descend = 2 + 1 [Tyr] = 3

 

---

 

"I wonder if we could escape with some of these," Ryn says as he regards the wall of trophies. "If we don't use them, we could at least sell them." Not to mention the fact that some might have sentimental value to the families of their former bearers; Ryn's knightly training allows him to recognize many of the devices and crests on the shields adorning the trophy room. The shield he now wears, for example, bears the crest of the Royal Family of Wolfkrone, a kingdom in the Holy Roman Empire, while another is that of a powerful English family.

 

Tyr regards the weapon in his hands with sobriety. It is a weapon the like of which he has never seen, and its possibilities fill his mind. "A sword like this is incredibly dangerous, no doubt it has as many disadvantages in a fight as in does advantages," he says, brandishing the sword. "Nonetheless, you are correct Ryn, they may very well be worth something." Tyr attempts to hang the sword from his belt. As he attempts to figure out how, he places it at his left hip, above his longsword's sheath. The bladeless hilt hangs there as though suspended by some kind of force. A curious weapon indeed.

 

Meanwhile, Ryn has gotten around to taking the various captured arms down from the wall. He takes the Oriental longsword and hefts it in his hand. It has a tassel on its end, and its blade is inscribed with strange, foreign characters, perhaps the language of the Chinese - a proud and insular people with a great and wealthy Empire. Tyr recognizes the sword; the Chinese trade often with the Dutch, the Spanish, and the Portugese, and their higher-ranking warriors fight with weapons like these. Some even had the special favor of their illustrious and warlike Emperor, Wanlay. The blade is long and somewhat flexible, and the hilt too short for a proper two-handed grip. To learn to use it properly might take some time, but the fighting style is particularly effective - and flashy.

 

Ryn busies himself by chucking what gear he can out the window. Cassandra hunkers down and starts rooting through the pile, helping toss out what might survive the fall. The cacophony is remarkable. "A few more weapons can't hurt," she says, agreeing with Ryn. "But we don't have the soldiers to swing them."

 

"And common sellswords can't possibly replace Hephaestus' holy chosen," says Sophitia grimly. She clearly regrets leading her men to their deaths, but has yet to give voice to her error.

 

[5] Tyr lowers himself out of the window, and quickly drops to the ground. The climb is all of sixteen feet, and a fall from the top might be catastrophic. The pile of weapons on the ground would not make a good fall-breaker.

 

Sophitia follows him down. She appears to be in better shape than she was earlier, and her progress is slow, but steady. She drops to the ground and awaits the others. Cassandra follows suit.

 

Ryn leans out the window and begins to clamber down. There is a creaking noise - the lattice is pulling away from the already damaged wall! [3] Tyr rushes to steady the heavy metal, and the sisters follow suit. Ryn finds himself lowered down gently to the ground as they support the lattice. It lands on the pile of weapons as he leaps clear, snapping the lance in half and burying a buckler into the dirt. The rest of the gear they threw out is in fair condition.

 

As the mansion begins its slow descent into the oblivion of masonry, the group hears a cry. "Sophitia!"

 

It is the second time someone has called her name this night. The owner of the voice staggers into view. It is the olive skinned man from an hour previous. His cloak is torn, and his sword gleams with blood in the moonlight. "Lysander?" says Sophitia. "What happened? Where is Dastan?"

 

"Dead," he says. "All dead, except for you and I. Dastan was slain by the monster Sorel. I gave chase, and managed to wound him, but he was too quick for me. He escaped my blade, not five minutes ago!"

 

[T: 4, R: 3, C: 5] Tyr and Ryn both start at this, and Cassandra looks at them with a frown. Five minutes ago? But Lord Sorel attacked them at the tavern, and it took much longer than five minutes to make their way back to the mansion. Something is wrong.

 

ITEMS: 2X Tonfa-Style Blades, 2X Heater Shield, Round Shield, 1x Buckler, 3x Dagger, 1x Battle-axe, 1x short-spear

___________

 

Kurojin

 

---

"It is too early to judge if they are hostile or not," Kurojin whispers to himself as he watches the campsite. The wind flaps at his cloak, but it is otherwise negligible.

 

"PAH," says the shard, speaking again into his mind. "THEY ARE YOUR ENEMIES. ALL MEN ARE YOUR ENEMIES. IT IS MAN THAT DESTROYED YOUR PEOPLE. IT IS MAN YOU MUST DESTROY. THEY ARE WORMS TO YOU, IF YOU TAKE ME. ANTS IN THE FACE OF MY GLORY. KILL THEM ALL. I WILL MAKE OF YOU A GOD AMONG MEN AND DRAGONS."

 

The campfire flickers. One of the men leaves his tent and kicks at it for a bit, then leaves the circle. The wind does not carry his words to you, but it appears that he is going to go and gather more firewood.

___________

[Kuroshu]

"Man has many faces, I do want to have the same faces of those who have destroyed my people," I whisper.

I carefully watch the man as he left the camp. Seeing as I cannot take on the whole camp by myself, I followed the man in secret waiting for him to be out of the camp's view. I make sure that no one can see us then quickly knocked him unconscious