“It just looks like a fucking axe to me,” said Ingar. “But okay Doofus.”
Vocation Warrior unlocked at Level 0. You need to secure 1 Feat to secure Level 1. Proficiency Halberd unlocked.
Select a 1st Warrior feat.
Doofus started to bring up an image of tree with people fighting.
Look, I just want to use the axe, not marry it. Give me something that just puts the other fucker down.
Wrath Strike adds +2 Effect.
That sounds like it will put the other fucker down. Yes.
Warrior, Wrath Strike unlocked at 1/6 Grasp.
You may have 4 Vocations. Cleric vocation Abandoned. Supernatural feat lost. Meditation retained as Skill.
You are Ingar, Human, Youth, Quick Witted, Nimble Fingered, Hedonistic, Sensitive.
Potestas 10/6. Will 3. Issue “Horror of Murder” 1/6.
Vitality 0/4. Toughness 2. 1 Wound. Hindrances “Stunned”, “Dazed”, “Debilitated”.
Vocations:
Burglar 4: Hide, Climb +1, Spider Climb, Move Silently, Stalk, Pick Pocket, Open Lock, Detect Trap, Stalk Close 3/6, Disarm Trap 2/6.
Warrior 1 (Halberds): Wrath Strike 1/6.
Entertainer 2: (Learned): Tout, Recite, Acrobatics, Sing.
Artist 0: Visualisation 4/6.
Various Skills including Meditation.
Current Form 3. Hindrances “Stunned”, “Dazed”, “Debilitated”.
Disadvantage “Knocked Sprawling”.
“Thanks Doofus.”
The situation had changed.
The girl was now trapped by a fork—the term thief catcher popped into Ingar’s mind—but Torstag was free of the net.
Ingar relaxed. His friend would manage fine without him.
Torstag split a pair of shields as if they were rotten wood, splashed blood on the rock. Two hunters fell, both women.
Wrestling with Horror of Murder 1/6, cost 2 Potestas. 6 of 6 Potestas Remaining.
Two ordinary bounty hunters remained, this time with big shields. They slammed into Torstag. One of the clubs cracked home.
Ingar’s friend stumbled away, ineffectually dragging his sword like a wounded limb. He bumped into the rock wall of the canyon.
“Fuck fuck fuck fucketty fuck.” Ingar used the axe—
Halberd.
Axe to lever himself to his feet. The effort seemed to make his brains try to escape via the bruise on his head.
Form 3. 5 of 6 Potestas remaining.
Performing Burglar at level 7.
Using Feat Stalk Close 3/6, cost 1 Potestas. 5 of 6 Potestas remaining.
Suddenly, he was aware of everybody’s field of view…more specifically the shifting spaces where they weren’t looking.
Don’t mind me, don’t mind me.
Result = 7 (Performance) + 2 (Feat) -3 (“Debilitated”, “Wounded”) = Stalking Close 6
Effect= 6 (Stalking Close) +1 (Luck) -5 (Enemy Challenge) -2 (Outnumbered) +2 (Enemy Distracted) = 2. Tactical Advantage.
That was the armoured man who had the girl by the neck. Let her take her chances; this was none of Ingar’s business.
Result = 6 (Stalking Close) +0 Luck -5 (Enemy Challenge) -2 (Outnumbered) + 3 (Enemy “Distracted”, “Looking the Wrong Direction”) = 3. Tactical Advantage.
That was the shield fighter about to club Torstag.
He rose up and put everything he had into a cut to the nearest hunter’s head. “Fuck you!”
You have Warrior level 0.
Current Form 3. Performing Warrior at Level 3.
Attacking Boldly.
Using Warrior, Wrath Strike 1/6 cost 2 Potestas. 3 of 6 Potestas remaining.
Result = 3 (Performance) +5 (“Tactical Advantage”, “Surprise”, “Enemy Distracted”, “Enemy’s Back Turned”) + 2 (Bold Attack) +1 (Luck) -3 (“Debilitated”, “Wounded”) -5 (Enemy Challenge) = 3
Armour 1 Negated.
Effect = 4 +2 (Feat) +3 (War Axe) -2 (Shield) = 7 damage.
The double handed axe clanged into the helmet above the ear, split the iron, passed through the skull, tore off the opposite jaw bone on the way out, then and clipped a disk of flesh out of the shoulder, before drawing sparks from the rock.
The body crumpled like a rat-eaten mattress cast out from the dorms. The ruined upper portion of the head gathered dust as it rolled on the stone. It came to a stop against Ingar’s sandalled toe.
Target is dead.
No shit!
Wrath Strike advances to 2/6 Grip.
Ingar stared at the wreck of what had been a person.
Wrestling with Horror of Murder 1/6, cost 3 Potestas. 0 of 5 Potestas Remaining.
Will 2 overcome. You have Hindrance “Horrified”. Form 0. No Feats available.
A wreck he’d created.
Wrestling with Horror of Murder 1/6, cost 3 Potestas. -3 of 5 Potestas Remaining.
Will 3 overcome.
You have Hindrance “Fugue State”
Potestas below 0. You have Hindrance “Stunned”.
You now have Hindrances “Stunned”, “Debilitated”, “Wounded”, “Horrified”, and “Fugue State”.
The surviving man rounded on him, club raised.
Ingar wanted to turn and run, but for some reason his legs wouldn’t obey.
Chapter 27: Marked!
The shields hemmed Torstag against the rock. He raised his sword but the effort made his chest muscles spasm. Agony to exploded in his cracked ribs.
Ingar appeared as if out of thin air, brandishing a double-handed axe. Screaming, he brought it around and down, partially decapitating one of the two shieldmen.
Blood splashed the face of the second man. He turned, raised his club—
And Ingar just stood there, staring stupidly.
Test of Will 2. “Stunned” Hindrance shrugged off.
Vitality 1 of 5. Hindrance “Wounded” remains.
New Form 3.
Performing Warrior at Level 6.
3 of 5 Potestas remaining.
Torstag drove his sword into second man’s back. The effort seemed to make something snap in his chest. He gasped as the blade sank in.
Result = 6 (Performance) +2 (Boldness) -2 (“Wounded”) -1 (Luck) +4 (Double Tactical Advantage) -4 (Enemy Challenge) = 5.
Shield Outflanked. Armour 1 Negated.
Effect = 5 (Result) + 2 (Greatsword) = 7.
Enemy Slain.
Thief Catcher’s visor-muffled voice again: “Dekan, no!”
Torstag whirled around to face the new sound.
The cataphract still had the girl by the throat. However, the unlucky man with the stupid red codpiece had again drawn his sidesword and was advancing on Torstag.
Light armour. Sidesword. “Wounded”. “Distraught”.
Sidesword outclasses Greatsword in Clash.
Red Codpiece was in a bad state: one side of his head bloody, lips bruised, teeth missing; the girl’s handiwork. He was also muttering to himself. That did not, however, make the long-bladed cut-and-thrust sword look any less deadly. It would be a really bad idea to spend time with the blades crossed.
As he closed on Torstag, he said, “Her name was Alice and she was my wife you treated her like a lump of meat. I’m going to hamstring you and cut off your balls and make you eat your own…”
A terrible calm gripped Torstag. It didn’t make his vision less fuzzy or his broken ribs less painful, but somehow seeing straight didn’t matter.
He intercepted the grieving man with a diagonal Wrath Strike and for an instant everything was perfect; the sword sliced forward, his body came on behind it, muscles fluid, every joint lined up to impart power to the strike.
Red Codpiece saw death coming, raised his hand to thrust into the cut. The point flew toward Torstag’s eye.
Bold attack.
Enemy making Bold counter attack.
A tie will result in a Double Hit.
Using Wrath Strike +2, cost 1 Potestas, 2 of 5 remaining.
Result = 6 (Performance) -2 (“W
ounded”) -2 (“Weapon Outclassed”) +1 (Luck) +3 (Enemy “Wounded”, “Distraught”) -6 (Enemy Challenge) = Tie.
The greatsword clanged into the strong part of the sidesword, just short of the guard, while he stepped offline to avoid the point.
Neither weapon struck home.
So much for delivering a Wrath Strike.
Test of Potestas 2. Twitch or Disarm available.
Torstag flinched from putting his hand anywhere near that flickering blade so flowed into a Twitch instead.
Using Twitch, cost 1 Potestas, 1 of 5 remaining.
Red Codpiece tried to continue the thrust, but Torstag whirled his blade clear and with a step out left, delivered a cut to head.
Peacebringer clanged into the helmet, leaving a dent.
Result = 0 (Tie) +1 Luck = 1.
Effect = 1 (Result) +2 (Greatsword) -1 (Armour) = 2 Vitality Loss.
Enemy “Stunned”.
Red Codpiece slurred, “Alice!” He flicked his lighter sword around for a slashing cut.
Now in Clash. Sidesword outclasses Greatsword.
Both still fighting Boldly.
Torstag thrust his heavier weapon into the cut, angling his crossguard to protect his fingers while trying to skip back out of range so he could use another Wrath Strike.
Attempting Disengagement. Armour matches. Result will be Unpredictable.
Result = 6 (Performance) -2 (“Wounded”) -2 (“Weapon Outclassed”) +2 (Disengaging) -2 (Unpredictability) +4 (Enemy “Wounded”, “Distraught”, “Stunned”) -6 (Enemy Challenge) = 1.
Effect = 1. Disengagement successful.
Somehow the pain in his chest took the spring out of his step. Even so he was now clear of the sidesword.
“Bastard,” growled Red Codpiece, lunging after Torstag.
Torstag threw a Wrath Strike into the lunge, stepping left so that the blades crossed even as his sought the other man’s throat.
Enemy making bold attack.
You are making bold Counter Attack.
Using Wrath Strike +2, cost 1 Potestas, 1 of 5 remaining.
Result = 6 (Performance) -2 (“Wounded”) +0 (Luck) +3 (Enemy “Wounded”, “Distraught”) -6 (Enemy Challenge) = 1
The greatsword swept aside the sidesword, caught Red Codpiece on the shoulder.
Effect = 1 (Result) +2 (Greatsword) -1 (Armour) = 2 Vitality Loss.
Enemy “Debilitated.”
Peacebringer sliced padding and skidded across Red Codpiece’s collar bone, slicing open the armour in a spray of blood.
Red Codpiece brandished his sidesword like a whip, brought it down at Torstag’s face.
Attempting Disengagement. Armour matches. Result will be Unpredictable.
Result = 6 (Performance) -2 (“Wounded”) -2 (“Weapon Outclassed”) +2 (Disengaging) +3 (Unpredictability) +5 (Enemy “Wounded”, “Distraught”, “Stunned”, “Debilitated”) -6 (Enemy Challenge) = 4.
Effect = 4. Disengagement successful. Back to Manoeuvring.
Blood now soaked Red Codpiece’s shoulder and chest. “Come back and fight, you coward.” He raised his sidesword into a thrusting guard.
There were too many boulders to make it possible to manoeuvre for advantage. “As you wish, sir,” said Torstag, stepping closer.
The girl made a choking noise.
Once again, Red Codpiece lunged.
Enemy making bold attack.
You are making bold Counter Attack.
Using Wrath Strike +2, cost 1 Potestas, 0 of 5 remaining.
Torstag responded by cutting into the thrust with a Wrath Strike, this time slamming his fists down to this hip while keeping the point up.
The heavier greatsword intercepted the sidesword, bounced it away, stopped with the tip aligned with Red Codpiece’s face.
Torstag followed up with a thrust to the chest.
Red Codpiece tried to bring his sidesword back in a parry, tried to flinch away.
Peacebringer caught him in the cheek, passed up into his braincase.
Result = 6 (Performance) -2 (“Wounded”) +0 (Luck) +5 (Enemy “Wounded”, “Distraught”, “Stunned”, “Debilitated”) -6 (Enemy Challenge) = 3
Effect = 3 (Result) +2 (Greatsword) +3 (Feat) -1 (Armour) = 8 Vitality Loss.
“Alice!” The man tottered a pace toward’s Axe Girl’s corpse, then collapsed.
Target Killed.
Now only the cataphract who had the girl in a thief catcher remained.
Her face was drawn. She was breathing hard and looked utterly spent.
As Torstag approached, the Thief Catcher swung the forked device around, forcing the lighter girl to tiptoe between them as a shield.
“Leave be, boy, and we’ll split the reward. What is she to you?”
Cataphract. Heavy Armour. Armour Advantage.
Hindrance “Wounded” remains.
“Yeah…” said Torstag. “Shut up.”
Torstag had no remaining Potestas and felt their absence. The pain in his chest was like a flag snapping in the wind. Everything was just a little blurry around the edges. There was no way he was going to rise to this challenge.
He glanced at Ingar.
His friend was sitting on his haunches, throwing up.
“Here, have her, then,” said the cataphract. He shoved at the fork. Something clicked. The girl toppled free and into Torstag.
Torstag caught her with his left hand.
The forked weapon clanged on the stone. The cataphract drew his own greatsword, raised it.
Swords are matched. Enemy has “Heavier Armour”.
The girl was light, but not so light given that Torstag was wounded. He could drag her away, but not far, not fast enough.
Nor did Torstag have the Potestas to put up a fight.
Instead, he stooped, laid her down, then chastely kissed her on the lips.
“That’s right, say bye bye,” said the Cataphract. “You_Oh shit.”
You are Marked.
Spurred on!
Potestas restored to 5.
Hindrance “Wounded” temporarily in abeyance.
Form 6. Feats are free.
Performing Warrior at level 9
The Cataphract started to raise his sword.
As the pain dropped away, Torstag realised that his lack of armour would be an advantage if he went for speed. He dipped Peacebringer and propelled himself into an Onset Thrust, aiming for the square eyeholes in the Cataphract’s visor.
Using Onset Thrust 3/6, cost 0 Potestas. 5 Potestas remaining.
Onset Thrust is Unpredictable
You have “Much Lighter Armour.”
Result = 9 (Performance) +2 “Much Lighter Armour” -2 (Unpredictable) -6 (Enemy Challenge) -2 (Squinting Strike) = 1.
Torstag half-expected the cataphract to ignore the attack and rely on his armour. He didn’t. Instead he cut low into the thrust, using an odd rotated grip.
The blades clashed, but Torstag’s point caught the other man under the chin where only ringmail protected him.
Damage = 1 (Result) + 2 (Greatsword) -4 (Cataphract Armour) = 0
The point connected, but the armour held.
Onset Thrust advances to 4/6 Grasp.
Torstag drew his blade back to ward while he disengaged, then realised he was so much better than his enemy that he didn’t need to risk the unpredictability. Instead, he cut for what looked like a weak spot where only mail covered the gap between shoulder defences and upper arm.
You have disadvantage “Much Lighter Armour”
Now the difference was working against him. It didn’t matter. The swords met in a shower of sparks.
Result = 9 -1 (Luck) -2 (Much Lighter Armour) -6 (Enemy Challenge) = 0.
Tie.
Test of Potestas 5. Success. Disarm available.
Using feat Disarm. Cost 0 Potestas. 5 Potestas remaining.
Torstag took his left hand off his sword, let the blade sink under the cataphract’s pressure.
He pivoted in, grabbed the other
man’s blade close to the hilt and twisted the weapon free.
Enemy fails Potestas test.
They stood facing each other, breathing hard.
Torstag flung the other man’s sword behind him, returned his hand to his own sword. “Go home,” he panted. “Pass the word. The girl belongs only to herself.”
The cataphract grated, “Damned warlocks. You’re just a boy. You killed my best friend. You killed Axe Girl. Who are you to take my blade?” He lunged for one of the dropped swords that now scattered the ground.
Torstag started to follow.
The girl screamed out of the sky, feet first.
Torstag had time to think, Magic?
Then she struck the back of the cataphract’s helmet. His head cracked forward. As he fell, the girl spun in mid air and landed like a cat.
The cataphract crashed into the stone.
Enemy Dead.
Current Form 6. Performing Warlord at Level 6.
The Jungle Tomb of the Ice Queen (The Flying Tooth Garden Book 1) Page 18