JesseLowe/PirateMonkeySession55

think Okay. The Storyteller . o O ( Okay. ) TonyC [to Apollonian]: Yup. So, ummm, last week we end with the Perfect Rose of Thorns capitulating before Monkey's might and charm and telling him where Still Moon is located and she's about to tell him why Mask has her in the first place, right? jetman [to TonyC]: Just about, yes.

raspberries.

The Storyteller raspberries. Monkey . o O ( Note to self: Orbital Mind Control Laser is not set-up properly. Fire technician and handle it personally next time. ) @emit On the edge of Juggernaut's wallow, Monkey faces the Mask's servant: The Perfect of Thorns. Rising above and behind them are the sheared and shattered houses of one of Thorns's richest districts. Stretching out from the city edge is the vast and muddy pit that cradled Juggernaut in its year-long repose here. In the center of that pit, a hive of haywain-sized maggots slowly grows. On the edge of Juggernaut's wallow, Monkey faces the Mask's servant: The Perfect of Thorns. Rising above and behind them are the sheared and shattered houses of one of Thorns's richest districts. Stretching out from the city edge is the vast and muddy pit that cradled Juggernaut in its year-long repose here. In the center of that pit, a hive of haywain-sized maggots slowly grows. @emit Monkey and the Rose are in a cellar, now open to the sky. The tunnel they've run through is at Monkey's back, while the Rose stands atop the cellar wall, her slim black daiklave in her hands. Her dark beauty is a strange match for Monkey's vitality and charm. Above, the gray sky is a hollow dome shielding the damned city from the eyes of the Sun. Monkey and the Rose are in a cellar, now open to the sky. The tunnel they've run through is at Monkey's back, while the Rose stands atop the cellar wall, her slim black daiklave in her hands. Her dark beauty is a strange match for Monkey's vitality and charm. Above, the gray sky is a hollow dome shielding the damned city from the eyes of the Sun. Monkey says, "Heaven and Earth! You ought to fire your housekeepers, Lady. The way they let those grow into such size is just shameful." @emit The Rose says, "Prattling simian, you are fortunate to see them from a distance. They would, at the least, muss your hair. 'Tis nothing compared to what I will do to you." The Rose says, "Prattling simian, you are fortunate to see them from a distance. They would, at the least, muss your hair. 'Tis nothing compared to what I will do to you." think Any more posing, or are you ready to roll init? The Storyteller . o O ( Any more posing, or are you ready to roll init? ) Monkey . o O ( I'm ready for both. ) Monkey rolled 1d10+8 and got 11. roll 1d10+30 On 1d10+30, you rolled 33. Monkey says, "I don't think I'd be able to get the slime off my hair for days. What could you do that's worse than that?" think Damn, hang on a minute. BRB. The Storyteller . o O ( Damn, hang on a minute. BRB. ) think Back. Just realized I was getting chocolate syrup on Exalted: The Abyssals. I don't think the Rose would approve. The Storyteller . o O ( Back. Just realized I was getting chocolate syrup on Exalted: The Abyssals. I don't think the Rose would approve. ) Monkey . o O ( Tsk tsk tsk. ) Admiral Kaizoku . o O ( Cherry syrup might have been acceptable though. ) think Posing. The Storyteller . o O ( Posing. ) @emit The Rose says, "Imagine." She leaps high in the air, and brings her sword down in a flurry of lightning-fast blows at Monkey. The Rose says, "Imagine." She leaps high in the air, and brings her sword down in a flurry of lightning-fast blows at Monkey. think 4 attacks. No actions reserved. No charm use. The Storyteller . o O ( 4 attacks. No actions reserved. No charm use. ) xl 10 Attack 1 You rolled 10 dice on Attack 1 and got 4 successes. Monkey . o O ( Full dodge. ) xl 9 Attack 1 You rolled 9 dice on Attack 1 and got 3 successes. xl 8 Attack 3 You rolled 8 dice on Attack 3 and got 7 successes. xl 7 Attack 4 You rolled 7 dice on Attack 4 and got 4 successes. Monkey . o O ( Well, let's hope the dice cooperate. ) think roll 'em The Storyteller . o O ( roll 'em ) Monkey rolled 19 dice on Dodge1 and got 9 successes. Monkey rolled 18 dice on Dodge2 and got 11 successes. Monkey rolled 17 dice on Dodge3 and got 12 successes. Admiral Kaizoku . o O ( whew. ) Monkey rolled 16 dice on Dodge4 and got 6 successes. think pose it. The Storyteller . o O ( pose it. ) Monkey easily keeps his distance from Rose and her dark sword. "You know, I'm trying hard, but I really can't see how you can be worse than maggot-slime." Monkey . o O ( Rose goes first again. ) Admiral Kaizoku . o O ( She could use some reflexive charm this turn though. ) Monkey . o O ( And so could Monkey. We'll see. ) think Well, unless you do... end of round. Roll again, or just keep this setup? The Storyteller . o O ( Well, unless you do... end of round. Roll again, or just keep this setup? ) Monkey . o O ( One sec. ) think In case you were wondering, this is still the same scene as last week, so any persistents from then are still up. The Storyteller . o O ( In case you were wondering, this is still the same scene as last week, so any persistents from then are still up. ) Monkey . o O ( Monkey Leap. Max leap toward the maggots. Reflexive charm. 280 yards. ) think Hm. Okay, you're one-third of the way there. The Storyteller . o O ( Hm. Okay, you're one-third of the way there. ) think But can you do that along with a full dodge? The Storyteller . o O ( But can you do that along with a full dodge? ) think OTOH, fuck it. It's cool, so of course you can. The Storyteller . o O ( OTOH, fuck it. It's cool, so of course you can. ) Monkey . o O ( Don't worry. That pause was me checking. ) Monkey . o O ( Anyway, Rose goes first again. ) think Pause for me to check stuff... The Storyteller . o O ( Pause for me to check stuff... ) Monkey says, "C'mon now. It's time for YOU to chase me around. Don't worry, I won't go too far." Monkey says, "After all, I wouldn't want to make a pretty woman lonely." jetman [to TonyC]: How's Monkey's essence? TonyC [to jetman]: So far so good. Monkey . o O ( Oh, slight oops. Double times double = triple. So that's 210 yards. Call it 1/4th of the way then. ) Monkey . o O ( If you're wondering about the leap, that's because I have Str 7 and the Form doubles movement. ) @emit The Rose does not follow immediately, but raises her sword to the sky and shouts a phrase in the ancient tongue of a dead god. Her words echo from the walls and clouds, and her aura bursts into renewed fury. To look upon her is to risk death. (Heart-Stopping Mien.) The Rose does not follow immediately, but raises her sword to the sky and shouts a phrase in the ancient tongue of a dead god. Her words echo from the walls and clouds, and her aura bursts into renewed fury. To look upon her is to risk death. (Heart-Stopping Mien.) think Back to Monkey, since that takes a full action. The Storyteller . o O ( Back to Monkey, since that takes a full action. ) Monkey yawns and squats down amidst the rubble. Yet despite the lack of any obvious action, his anima banner flares high and those whose eyes manage to pierce the blinding light can see the white gorilla inside the flare. Monkey . o O ( Flow Like Blood. Back to you. ) Monkey . o O ( Feel free to play the peanut gallery, David. ) @emit The Rose follows, now, leaping from mound to boulder to mound with the grace of a spider. (Running, no charm.) The Rose follows, now, leaping from mound to boulder to mound with the grace of a spider. (Running, no charm.) Admiral Kaizoku . o O ( Monkey runs up to Rose to kick her at her invitation, but she pulls out of the way and goes flying onto the ground. Wait, that's the Peanuts gallery. ) think Funny! Monkey's go... The Storyteller . o O ( Funny! Monkey's go... ) Monkey stands up to observe Rose. "Did your master got Still Moon by mistake? Thinking she was me? Well, hurry up, the real deal is here." He turns around and moons Rose to emphasize it. Monkey then leisurely pull his pants back up and ties it. Monkey walks toward the maggot. think Maggots plural. There's about twenty visible. The Storyteller . o O ( Maggots plural. There's about twenty visible. ) Monkey . o O ( Regular walk. Oh, 5 yards/turn IIRC. Anyway, you can probably skip a few turns ahead until she catches up. ) Monkey . o O ( Pshaw. I can handle that easy if Rose doesn't interfere. ) think Rose? Heh. The Storyteller . o O ( Rose? Heh. ) Admiral Kaizoku . o O ( Which would give the Admiral's plan time to work. ) @emit The Rose shouts, as she pursues Monkey, "Hah! I've seen better on beggars." The Rose shouts, as she pursues Monkey, "Hah! I've seen better on beggars." think Let's switch to the admiral briefly. The Storyteller . o O ( Let's switch to the admiral briefly. ) Admiral Kaizoku . o O ( And too bad he's not there... Commanding the Beasts would be fun on giant maggots. ) Admiral Kaizoku . o O ( Ouch! ) Monkey . o O ( I don't think Jesse will let "giant maggots are beasts!" fly. ) Admiral Kaizoku . o O ( As long as they're not DEAD giant maggots, right? ) think So, Admiral: When last we left you, you were Stormwind Riding around to the rendesvous point. The Storyteller . o O ( So, Admiral: When last we left you, you were Stormwind Riding around to the rendesvous point. ) Monkey . o O ( Now see, that's a funny thing. Normal maggots grow up to be flies. Have you seen giant flies around? So what does that say about the giant maggots? ) Admiral Kaizoku . o O ( Yes, forward and backtracking, laying down some false trails and kicking up dust to hide the bright anima glow too. ) think What level was it at? The Storyteller . o O ( What level was it at? ) Admiral Kaizoku . o O ( Second to highest. ) think Man, I want an espresso maker. Not for the espresso, but for the milk steamer. The Storyteller . o O ( Man, I want an espresso maker. Not for the espresso, but for the milk steamer. ) think Okay, pose your action until you drop the spell. The Storyteller . o O ( Okay, pose your action until you drop the spell. ) Monkey . o O ( See, you should mention that where Dawn can hear you. ) Admiral Kaizoku . o O ( Giant maggots must therefore grow up to be river dragons! ) think Problem is, we have _extremely_ limited counter space... v. sad. The Storyteller . o O ( Problem is, we have _extremely_ limited counter space... v. sad. ) Admiral Kaizoku tears down the road in his Stormwind, then cuts left and around a block, doubling back, zipping behind the pursuing Deathknight necromancer, feinting as if to threaten a rear attack... but off he goes again, weaving a complex pattern over the ruined streets, moving through lots and wreckage to cast as much debris into the sky as possible before starting to move back into and through ruined buildings. think Hm. Roll double Wits on this one. The Storyteller . o O ( Hm. Roll double Wits on this one. ) Monkey . o O ( Hmmm, maybe you should have the necromancer cast Stormwind Rider too. Then you can have a chase scene. Would've been better if you can work some Mini-Coopers in, but one can't be perfect. ) Admiral Kaizoku rolled 6 dice on WIts and got 4 successes. think Bah, everyone knows that a good chase scene involves a car full of cops and a plate glass window. The Storyteller . o O ( Bah, everyone knows that a good chase scene involves a car full of cops and a plate glass window. ) xl 6 spotting You rolled 6 dice on spotting and got 5 successes. think They know the general direction you're at, but are somewhat confused as to where exactly you are. The Storyteller . o O ( They know the general direction you're at, but are somewhat confused as to where exactly you are. ) Admiral Kaizoku continues at a more cautious pace then, avoiding loose materials and hops from hard spot to hard spot on the mystic winds to avoid leaving a trail. A block from the meeting point, he turns at a right angle to the street it runs down and then skids to a stop, letting the dissipating wind continue in that wrong direction. He dashes for the shadows, vanishing as his Ashigaru armor blends in, and begins moving more sedately. @emit The rendezvous point is just ahead when the Admiral sees something amiss. A shadow, where no shadow should be. It's off to his right, just across the street, in front of a tattered shop. The rendezvous point is just ahead when the Admiral sees something amiss. A shadow, where no shadow should be. It's off to his right, just across the street, in front of a tattered shop. Monkey . o O ( This probably doesn't matter, but I estimate that it will take Rose 7 turns to catch up without using charms. ) think Thanks, that's good to know. Feel free to throw up any charms you want in the meantime, and let me know if you decide to interrupt her walk. The Storyteller . o O ( Thanks, that's good to know. Feel free to throw up any charms you want in the meantime, and let me know if you decide to interrupt her walk. ) Admiral Kaizoku heads to the doorway as if he sees nothing amiss, looking around blankly before starting to turn and head inside... just before he rolls back and his caste mark glows, burning the Deathknight in that shadow with the power of the Sun. Admiral Kaizoku . o O ( Anima flare attack. ) Monkey . o O ( Hmmm, I don't think you house-ruled the Dawn anima ability... So just Graceful Crane Stance. Thanks. ) think Okay. Man, speaking of things I hope gets cleared up in 2nd edition... The Storyteller . o O ( Okay. Man, speaking of things I hope gets cleared up in 2nd edition... ) Admiral Kaizoku . o O ( They say it's supposed to be more useful... ) think "they" say a lot of things. The Storyteller . o O ( "they" say a lot of things. ) Admiral Kaizoku . o O ( Well, "they" being WW people at a GenCon panel, albiet secondhand. ) Monkey . o O ( I'd rather know exactly how fast a person can swim, since that's useful to everyone, from mortal extras to Mr. Kejak himself. ) @emit Under the Admiral's anima, a ghost fades into view briefly before being charred to a crisp, a scream shattering the silence of the empty street. Under the Admiral's anima, a ghost fades into view briefly before being charred to a crisp, a scream shattering the silence of the empty street. Admiral Kaizoku . o O ( Was there a Deathknight or something undead there, BTW? Should I roll damage? ) think No kidding! The Storyteller . o O ( No kidding! ) Monkey . o O ( You've been discovered! Move move move! ) Admiral Kaizoku dives into the house and leaps down the stairs to the basement, lighting up the whole place with his Anima. "Suda!" he hisses, sure that she and the rest are still there. Monkey . o O ( Alarm blares as guards run around with an ! on top of their heads. ) Admiral Kaizoku . o O ( I wish there was a snake I could eat to get some health levels back. ) think Buh? The Storyteller . o O ( Buh? ) Monkey . o O ( Metal Gear Solid jokes. ) think Well, we're not sure of Razor Leaf's orientation... so maybe that counts... The Storyteller . o O ( Well, we're not sure of Razor Leaf's orientation... so maybe that counts... ) Admiral Kaizoku . o O ( Aieee! ) Monkey . o O ( Why am I thinking Velvet Underground now? ) Monkey . o O ( Jesse posing Suda and co., I hope. ) @emit Razor Leaf's daiklave barely misses the Admiral's head. The rest of the raiding party is in the basement, and startled by Kaizoku's sudden entrance. Razor Leaf tosses off a quick apology and resumes watch as Suda rushes over to the Admiral. "Kaizoku! What happened?" Razor Leaf's daiklave barely misses the Admiral's head. The rest of the raiding party is in the basement, and startled by Kaizoku's sudden entrance. Razor Leaf tosses off a quick apology and resumes watch as Suda rushes over to the Admiral. "Kaizoku! What happened?" think hello? The Storyteller . o O ( hello? ) Admiral Kaizoku leans back on a wall, the palsy affecting his limbs clear now. "They made a tactical mistake..." he says. "After their leader fled, two of her companions launched an ambush at me when I made to follow Monkey... A necromancer dispelled my Stormwind before an archer took his best shot at me... good, but not good enough..." he understates. "Three on two would have been better for them..." He shakes his head. "Suda, you have the power to traverse Creation freely. Can you go to the Sun now, this instant, and return with the nymph I summoned?" Admiral Kaizoku . o O ( Just saying "Ouch" didn't seem IC. :) ) think _They_ made a tactical mistake? The Storyteller . o O ( _They_ made a tactical mistake? ) Monkey . o O ( Solar arrogance. :p ) think She says yes and casts the spell (Celestial circle). I'll be right back. Blue wizard needs coffee badly! The Storyteller . o O ( She says yes and casts the spell (Celestial circle). I'll be right back. Blue wizard needs coffee badly! ) Admiral Kaizoku . o O ( Well, that too, but the Rose's sword would have distracted the Admiral and Monkey enough in a 3-2 fight that the others could have gone wild. ) think Go ahead and pose the scene. The Storyteller . o O ( Go ahead and pose the scene. ) Admiral Kaizoku . o O ( Wow, I thought she'd need convincing... ) Monkey . o O ( Your pose, David. ) Monkey . o O ( Make sure you keep a really close eye on Suda as she casts. Might pick up that spell from that. :) ) Monkey . o O ( Btw, I'm going to assume Monkey is penalized -5 due to Heart Stopping Mien. ) think -4. The Storyteller . o O ( -4. )

wishes entries in this chat were timestamped.

The Storyteller wishes entries in this chat were timestamped. Admiral Kaizoku remains leaning against the wall as he details what he saw of the two Deathknights to the others. "A fell sorcerer, a necromancer... he has summoned an undead mount and bone weapons and armor... and an archer with a twisted bow... his first attack was mighty, but it was his only one... the rest were batted aside even in my condition." When Suda returns, he begins to straighen up and stop shaking as the nymph's kiss of life drives out the dark energies coursing through him. "Now... they took their very best shots at me and failed..." he says to the rest of the crew. "They failed, and I have recovered..." There is a brief flame as he holds up the gemstone at the base of his Daiklave and pulls essence from it. "Now, they are overextended and without their leader... it is time to cut them down to size!" Admiral Kaizoku . o O ( Ashes to Bonfire time! ) TonyC [to Apollonian]: Try using an irc program to connect to Pyramoo. It will time-stamp each line. think I might. The trial on this expires in a week, so... The Storyteller . o O ( I might. The trial on this expires in a week, so... ) think Any suggestions? The Storyteller . o O ( Any suggestions? ) Admiral Kaizoku rolled 8 dice on Wits+Occ and got 6 successes. Admiral Kaizoku . o O ( Woo. And I've never used an IRC program... ) Monkey . o O ( Hackard told me the commands to get mIRC to talk to Pyramoo, so try that. ) Admiral Kaizoku . o O ( So that means I get 18 Personal back. ) Monkey . o O ( Wheee. ) think Nice! The Storyteller . o O ( Nice! ) Admiral Kaizoku Admiral Kaizoku' Admiral Kaizoku . o O ( Arg ) think? I don't understand that. If you are trying to speak, prefix your words with a double quote (") or the word SAY, i.e. SAY Fnord. For more help on communicating, type HELP COMMUNICATION. Monkey . o O ( Try :: ) think ? The Storyteller . o O ( ? ) Monkey . o O ( :: ) Monkey . o O ( ::'s hearthstone is an Earth aspect hearthstone. ) Monkey's hearthstone is an Earth aspect hearthstone. Monkey . o O ( I'm guessing that David just tried to put an apostrophe after a colon. The Moo doesn't like that. ) Admiral Kaizoku's hearthstone grows dull and then black as he pulls a great deal of power into his caste mark. "Nor are they expecting the rest of you... I will draw their attention and engage them... you will wait and give them a taste of their own medicine... ambushing them when they cannot defend themselves. Admiral Kaizoku . o O ( No, I was using the double colon, but when I put in the apostrophe, I hit return by mistake, twice. )

points and laughs!

The Storyteller points and laughs! Admiral Kaizoku . o O ( Thank you Nelson. :) ) Monkey . o O ( So, I think you forget to include a possible campaign ender. Kaizoku's death. ) @emit Razor Leaf says, "As you command, Admiral." Suda says, "Be wary, Admiral. I have but little Essence remaining." Razor Leaf says, "As you command, Admiral." Suda says, "Be wary, Admiral. I have but little Essence remaining." think Yes, there is that. The Storyteller . o O ( Yes, there is that. ) Monkey . o O ( Which might happen very soon. :) ) Admiral Kaizoku . o O ( That's not an up note to end it on. ) think Well, if he dies well... The Storyteller . o O ( Well, if he dies well... ) Monkey . o O ( He gets offered a chance to become a dark knight. ) TonyC [to jetman]: Might want to mention to them about the warstrider. Admiral Kaizoku nods once. "Leden, you will strike the first blow, Leaf second, then Suda and Onyx if needed. One at a time, attack and withdraw. I will prevent pursuit. think Yeah. That's an important point. The Storyteller . o O ( Yeah. That's an important point. ) Admiral Kaizoku . o O ( I must have failed a perception roll... is that what the Necromancer summoned? ) Monkey . o O ( Why, yes. ) Monkey . o O ( The good news is that the Necromancer is wearing said warstrider. Which means he can't cast any other spell and it ties up a lot of his essence. ) Monkey . o O ( The bad news... he's in a warstrider. You aren't. ) think Yeah, it's a spell that's, basically, kickass cool. The Storyteller . o O ( Yeah, it's a spell that's, basically, kickass cool. ) think So I _had_ to use it. The Storyteller . o O ( So I _had_ to use it. ) Monkey . o O ( Tactical advice: warstrider will try to engage while archer will try artillerry support. Don't play that game. Get the archer first. ) think But first, back to Monkey and Rose. The Storyteller . o O ( But first, back to Monkey and Rose. ) Admiral Kaizoku . o O ( OK, let's say that the Admiral mentioned how big the armor and mount was... ) Monkey . o O ( Your uber damage combo will breach the warstrider armor, but if you try that against the warstrider first, you'll be pincushioned. ) Admiral Kaizoku . o O ( Oh, yes... take down the softer target first, always. Besides, the stunts from that will let the Admiral do a bigger combo later. ) Monkey whistles a sea-chanty as he strolls toward the giant maggots over there. think Make a Per+Awa roll. The Storyteller . o O ( Make a Per+Awa roll. ) Monkey . o O ( Has Spider-sense, so if it's something like that, I succeed. ) Monkey rolled 5 dice on Per+awa+tiara and got 3 successes. think Nah, not an attack. The Storyteller . o O ( Nah, not an attack. ) @emit The ground is getting awfully squishy. And smelly, and you don't think it's the maggots. Looking a little closer, Monkey realizes that for the last few paces, he's been walking on, essentially, rotting meat. The ground is getting awfully squishy. And smelly, and you don't think it's the maggots. Looking a little closer, Monkey realizes that for the last few paces, he's been walking on, essentially, rotting meat. Monkey stops and makes a face. "Ewww." Monkey . o O ( Is it clear space from now on or can I use the rooftops/walls? ) Monkey . o O ( Aww, crap. ) Monkey . o O ( This could be Mask's attempt to grow a second Juggernaut. ) @emit Nope, not really. And now that you're aware of it, you can see that the floor of the crater from here to the maggot-mound is rotting flesh, with the occasional skull, femur, or ribcage sticking out for variety. Nope, not really. And now that you're aware of it, you can see that the floor of the crater from here to the maggot-mound is rotting flesh, with the occasional skull, femur, or ribcage sticking out for variety. Admiral Kaizoku . o O ( Yeah, the giant maggot have plenty of uses of their own. ) think At the risk of tipping my hand, that is a really cool idea. The Storyteller . o O ( At the risk of tipping my hand, that is a really cool idea. ) @emit By now, the Rose has made it to the edge of the meat. She stops, and shouts, "So, Monkey! Are you hungry today?" By now, the Rose has made it to the edge of the meat. She stops, and shouts, "So, Monkey! Are you hungry today?" Monkey answers, "Not anymore." He takes a few step back and goes to where the ground is good solid earth. Okay, maybe not so good, but solid definitely. He turns toward the deathknight and asks, "That is so gross. Why do you do that for?" think Are you moving to solid ground away from her, or closer? The Storyteller . o O ( Are you moving to solid ground away from her, or closer? ) Monkey . o O ( Rose always goes first. If she's holding action until Monkey's turn... hmmm, call it -16 dice. ) Monkey . o O ( Closer, of course. ) think Eh. She's got to do some witty banter first anyway. The Storyteller . o O ( Eh. She's got to do some witty banter first anyway. ) think So how far away from her? The Storyteller . o O ( So how far away from her? ) TonyC [to jetman]: I'm going to try going for Evil Villain Explains Everything To Obviously Doomed Hero. think Oooh, can't resist that card. The Storyteller . o O ( Oooh, can't resist that card. ) Monkey . o O ( Oh, call it 20 yards. ) think Speaking of cards, heard anything about the much-rumored Exalted CCG? The Storyteller . o O ( Speaking of cards, heard anything about the much-rumored Exalted CCG? ) Admiral Kaizoku . o O ( I heard 2007 on it... ) TonyC [to jetman]: Not to be confused with Evil Villain Tries To Explain Simple Thing To Obviously Dumb Hero. think Geez. That's a bit of a wait. The Storyteller . o O ( Geez. That's a bit of a wait. ) jetman [to TonyC]: Evil villains don't have as much patience as schoolteachers... she may try to just frag Monkey first. Admiral Kaizoku . o O ( ) think Bah, narrative convention trumps all. But since she's only a henchman - er, henchperson - she only gets to make cryptic comments. The Mask is the one who gets the whole monologue. The Storyteller . o O ( Bah, narrative convention trumps all. But since she's only a henchman - er, henchperson - she only gets to make cryptic comments. The Mask is the one who gets the whole monologue. ) Admiral Kaizoku . o O ( Welcome to the homepage for the Exalted Trading Card Game. The game has recently completed two rounds of playtesting and is currently in final development for release in 2007 on the heels of the 2nd edition of the Exalted rpg. ) think Wait, what? I thought 2nd ed was coming out next year! The Storyteller . o O ( Wait, what? I thought 2nd ed was coming out next year! ) Admiral Kaizoku . o O ( Well, far on the heels of it... ) Admiral Kaizoku . o O ( The 2nd ed RPG is still slated for Feb. 06. ) think I guess they're too busy counting money to put out the CCG quickly... The Storyteller . o O ( I guess they're too busy counting money to put out the CCG quickly... ) think Then again, what with the "success" of their other CCGs, maybe that's for the best. The Storyteller . o O ( Then again, what with the "success" of their other CCGs, maybe that's for the best. ) think Anyway! The Storyteller . o O ( Anyway! ) Monkey says, "Well? I mean, here I am, unarmed, unarmored, obviously no match to your voluptous self. Aren't you going to at least give me some cryptic foreshadowing on what's going on? By the way, if you want to make it more interesting and fairer fight, you should take off your armor. It's okay. I'll wait." think She's not wearing armor... The Storyteller . o O ( She's not wearing armor... ) Monkey . o O ( She's not? ) Admiral Kaizoku . o O ( The one card they show has Harmonious Jade wearing pants... another bad sign. Oh, the first issue of the comic comes out this week. ) Monkey says, "Okay, how about the clothing then?" @emit The Rose says, "Pitiful Monkey. Here you are, stepping in the grave of a city, and you haven't even the wit to see it." She's rotating her sword in long, slow circles as she talks. "Have you thought of an answer to my question yet? What is the greatest pain? The Rose says, "Pitiful Monkey. Here you are, stepping in the grave of a city, and you haven't even the wit to see it." She's rotating her sword in long, slow circles as she talks. "Have you thought of an answer to my question yet? What is the greatest pain? think brb The Storyteller . o O ( brb ) Monkey pauses to think.... think Back. The Storyteller . o O ( Back. ) Monkey says, "I suppose that no matter the source, when the pain is too great, you die. But I knew a ghost and she isn't in that much pain, so I guess when you die the pain goes away. So I guess the greatest pain would be the pain in that moment between dying and death. The source of the pain probably doesn't matter. If you could take that moment and stretch it longer, it'd be horrible. But hah, that's silly. You can't take a moment and make it last longer." Admiral Kaizoku . o O ( Ooooh, good one! ) @emit Rose says, "Ah! Surprising, and perceptive. But wrong! The greatest pain is helplessness. For example... you are at this moment helpless to aid your comrades, even as they are facing certain death without you." Rose says, "Ah! Surprising, and perceptive. But wrong! The greatest pain is helplessness. For example... you are at this moment helpless to aid your comrades, even as they are facing certain death without you." think Which is as good a time as any to switch back to the Admiral. The Storyteller . o O ( Which is as good a time as any to switch back to the Admiral. ) Monkey . o O ( What? No turning the Giant Monitor of Doom so The Hero Can Watch His Comrades Suffering? ) think Nope. The Storyteller . o O ( Nope. ) think posing. The Storyteller . o O ( posing. ) Monkey . o O ( Che. Mask needs to hire better quality Henchwoman. ) @emit The Admiral and his crew walk through the streets of Thorns. To the west, they hear the heavy tread of the necromancer, but it is the silent flight of an arrow that worries the Admiral. The Admiral and his crew walk through the streets of Thorns. To the west, they hear the heavy tread of the necromancer, but it is the silent flight of an arrow that worries the Admiral. think So how are you doing this, Admiral? The Storyteller . o O ( So how are you doing this, Admiral? ) Admiral Kaizoku . o O ( The other Deathlords hate him, so he didn't get the memo and arrived late when the shards were handed out. ) Admiral Kaizoku . o O ( Jump up to a rooftop, be a target, look for the Warstrider and move away from it. ) Admiral Kaizoku . o O ( And look twitchy and wounded still. ) think Okay. Pose it and I'll pose the Abyssal response. The Storyteller . o O ( Okay. Pose it and I'll pose the Abyssal response. ) Admiral Kaizoku holds one arm across his chest as he climbs atop one of the ruined houses, heading in the direction of the gate that the ambush was staged near. He turns in a circle to see where the necromancer and his unholy armor walk, his anima burning brightly as his sword rests at his side. Knowing this is a target any archer could not resist, he pauses a moment too long on his perch before jumping down to the street. "They will have split up, each seeking the glory of the kill..." he thinks. think Okay. Posing response. The Storyteller . o O ( Okay. Posing response. ) @emit As the Admiral drops down, he sees the necromancer turn toward him from several blocks away, terrible armored visage an impassive mask of bone. The measured tread of his footsteps grows louder. As the Admiral drops down, he sees the necromancer turn toward him from several blocks away, terrible armored visage an impassive mask of bone. The measured tread of his footsteps grows louder. think How do you have the rest of the party deployed? Oh, and for reference: you're about a mile from Monkey's position. The Storyteller . o O ( How do you have the rest of the party deployed? Oh, and for reference: you're about a mile from Monkey's position. ) Admiral Kaizoku . o O ( They're all using stealth, Suda and Leaf on one side of the street, Leden and Onyx Blossom on the other. And surely Monkey must see this anima banner... ) Monkey . o O ( Enclosed Dome. ) think Only if he's looking in the right direction. The Storyteller . o O ( Only if he's looking in the right direction. ) think ? Enclosed Dome? The Storyteller . o O ( ? Enclosed Dome? ) Admiral Kaizoku . o O ( That was metaphorical, about the cloudy sky. ) think That covers both of you, so it shouldn't make a differenc.e The Storyteller . o O ( That covers both of you, so it shouldn't make a differenc.e ) Monkey . o O ( Now that I reread the passage, you're right. ) Admiral Kaizoku "staggers" down a block away from the warstrider, sparing one thought for the near-ruined one on the Isle of Shadows before shaking his head and leaping up to a lightpole and then up to the next roof. think Quick poll while we're going: which of my Exalted books should I keep, and which sell? I've (legal) PDFs of all of 'em. The Storyteller . o O ( Quick poll while we're going: which of my Exalted books should I keep, and which sell? I've (legal) PDFs of all of 'em. ) xl 14 You rolled 14 dice on something and got 6 successes. Admiral Kaizoku . o O ( Hmmm. Keep the dead tree ones you reference the most? ) Monkey . o O ( That requires me to know what you have first. But sell the corebook, because that'll be the first thing you replace with the 2nd ed. ) @emit A sudden scream from Leden's side of the street catches the Admiral's attention. He turns and sees the Abyssal archer leaping back over a blocky shopbuilding, Leden in hot pursuit. On the street below, Onyx Blossom is bleeding out on the street, twin arrows in her chest. A sudden scream from Leden's side of the street catches the Admiral's attention. He turns and sees the Abyssal archer leaping back over a blocky shopbuilding, Leden in hot pursuit. On the street below, Onyx Blossom is bleeding out on the street, twin arrows in her chest. Monkey . o O ( Exalted Storyteller's Companion probably should go too. ) Monkey . o O ( Dear Onyx Blossom. It's been nice not knowing you. ) think Ouch. But true. The Storyteller . o O ( Ouch. But true. ) Admiral Kaizoku directs the trailing nymph over to Onyx Blossom. Admiral Kaizoku . o O ( How far is he? ) think From you? About three blocks and moving fast. The Storyteller . o O ( From you? About three blocks and moving fast. ) think He's heading toward the crater. The Storyteller . o O ( He's heading toward the crater. ) Admiral Kaizoku . o O ( Too far to use the anima attack on? ) think What's the range on that? Essence x 10? If so, yes. The Storyteller . o O ( What's the range on that? Essence x 10? If so, yes. ) Admiral Kaizoku . o O ( Not even that... A flat 10 yards. ) think Ooh, definitely out of range then. The Storyteller . o O ( Ooh, definitely out of range then. ) Admiral Kaizoku gestures to Leaf to pick up Onyx Blossom and keep moving as he runs full-tilt after Leden and the archer. Admiral Kaizoku . o O ( Another plan bites the dust... ) Monkey . o O ( Compare movement rates, I suppose. If Leden wins, then Leden might be able to keep him busy for the others to catch up. ) Admiral Kaizoku . o O ( I've never looked at Leden's stats... ) think The archer and Leden are evenly matched for mobility. So on the one hand, Leden can't catch up. On the other hand, the archer can't slow down without being caught. The Storyteller . o O ( The archer and Leden are evenly matched for mobility. So on the one hand, Leden can't catch up. On the other hand, the archer can't slow down without being caught. ) Admiral Kaizoku . o O ( Good enough... ) Monkey . o O ( Also important is how soon the warstrider gets there. ) think Given that everybody's mobile... whenever's appropriate. Figure a couple rounds before it reaches their current position. The Storyteller . o O ( Given that everybody's mobile... whenever's appropriate. Figure a couple rounds before it reaches their current position. ) think Posing. The Storyteller . o O ( Posing. ) @emit Leaf runs over to Onyx and tries to stanch her bleeding. Suda, grim-faced, pulls a sword out of somewhere, and stands guard, looking in the direction of the warstrider. Leaf runs over to Onyx and tries to stanch her bleeding. Suda, grim-faced, pulls a sword out of somewhere, and stands guard, looking in the direction of the warstrider. think Admiral, what are you doing? The Storyteller . o O ( Admiral, what are you doing? ) Monkey . o O ( Long pose, looks like. ) think Hope so. The Storyteller . o O ( Hope so. ) Admiral Kaizoku concludes that Leden can tie down if not kill the archer Deathknight, and that the long strides of the Warstrider will make it a problem. Gritting his teeth, he grabs a lightpost, swings and leaps up to the rooftops and heads back to Suda, Leaf and Onyx... and then ahead of them, ducking down and activating the steath of his armor, ready to leap on the fell bone thing as it approaches the obvious target. think And switch back to Monkey. The Storyteller . o O ( And switch back to Monkey. ) think Posing. The Storyteller . o O ( Posing. ) Monkey . o O ( Okay, when Jesse asks for your Stealth roll, use WP. Channel Valor if you can justify it. ) Admiral Kaizoku . o O ( I am bravely hiding, a braver thing than I've ever done before. ) Admiral Kaizoku . o O ( Of course, stealth is pointless, given how the Adimral is burning. ) Monkey . o O ( Ah, point. ) @emit The Rose swings her sword up in front of her and contemplates the blade. "Think, Monkey! What use is life? A pitiful, mewling existence brief and pathetic, fit only for suffering. It is only in death that mortals find release, and yet you hold that precious salvation from them. But what do you care of philosophy?" The Rose swings her sword up in front of her and contemplates the blade. "Think, Monkey! What use is life? A pitiful, mewling existence brief and pathetic, fit only for suffering. It is only in death that mortals find release, and yet you hold that precious salvation from them. But what do you care of philosophy?" Monkey . o O ( Creation needs Buddhism. ) think Yup. The Storyteller . o O ( Yup. ) Admiral Kaizoku . o O ( Maybe Monkey could make a Journey to the West to find it and bring it back? ) think The Noble Eightfold Path would be handy, especially for the Celestines... killing desire might take care of that Games of Divinity crack. The Storyteller . o O ( The Noble Eightfold Path would be handy, especially for the Celestines... killing desire might take care of that Games of Divinity crack. ) Monkey shrugs. "I don't know what use is life, but I got one and I ain't throwing it away. The way I see it, most people like theirs too." Monkey says, "If someone wants to die, that's one thing. But if they don't, it's not right to kill them just because." The Rose says, "Fools, yet what is life but folly? Soon enough, all will come to the Void... but not all. There are older things than the Void, and this blade is one such. Will you hear of it in the last moments of your life under the Sun?" I don't understand that. If you are trying to speak, prefix your words with a double quote (") or the word SAY, i.e. SAY Fnord. For more help on communicating, type HELP COMMUNICATION. @emit The Rose says, "Fools, yet what is life but folly? Soon enough, all will come to the Void... but not all. There are older things than the Void, and this blade is one such. Will you hear of it in the last moments of your life under the Sun?" The Rose says, "Fools, yet what is life but folly? Soon enough, all will come to the Void... but not all. There are older things than the Void, and this blade is one such. Will you hear of it in the last moments of your life under the Sun?" Monkey says, "Not if I can help it." Monkey says, "And at any rate, what do you mean my comrades are facing certain death? Well, I guess they will, eventually, and I guess I am helpless that way." think Heh. Sadly, Morbid Fascination Style doesn't work on Exalted, or she'd be using it... The Storyteller . o O ( Heh. Sadly, Morbid Fascination Style doesn't work on Exalted, or she'd be using it... ) Monkey ponders.... "I do feel a little bit sad, but I think that time when that river dragon bit me was a lot more painful. Or that time when White Soul Willow got a lucky hit... hey, anyone could get a lucky hit, okay?" Monkey . o O ( White Soul Weeping ) @emit The Rose says, "Eventually is sooner than you think. Watch." She swings her sword up, steps forward, and drives it like a nail into the rotting flesh in front of her. The earth heaves like a beast in pain. The Rose says, "Eventually is sooner than you think. Watch." She swings her sword up, steps forward, and drives it like a nail into the rotting flesh in front of her. The earth heaves like a beast in pain. Monkey folds his arms and watches. Monkey . o O ( Oh dear, did she just activate Omega Weapon? ) Admiral Kaizoku . o O ( Who's got Knights of the Round? ) @emit A glint of sunlight catches Monkey's eye, and to his left, he sees Leden leaping from rooftop to rooftop, pursuing a deathknight toward the crater. The Rose says, "Ah. The rest of the guests appear." A glint of sunlight catches Monkey's eye, and to his left, he sees Leden leaping from rooftop to rooftop, pursuing a deathknight toward the crater. The Rose says, "Ah. The rest of the guests appear." Monkey . o O ( Not me! That side-quest is way too long. ) Admiral Kaizoku . o O ( not as long as seeing the attack being used... and I fear for Leden now. ) Monkey . o O ( Bah, unlike you, Leden can and will run away. ) @emit Out in the center of the crater, the maggot-mound is rising swiftly. From a mound, it stretches into a tower of bone and tendons. As it rises, a maggot near the top loses its grip and falls, bursting when it crashes into the ground. Out in the center of the crater, the maggot-mound is rising swiftly. From a mound, it stretches into a tower of bone and tendons. As it rises, a maggot near the top loses its grip and falls, bursting when it crashes into the ground. Admiral Kaizoku . o O ( Ach! Zombies! ) @emit The Rose pulls her sword out of the ground. "If there's one thing I can't stand, it's an unappreciative audience." She rushes toward Monkey. The Rose pulls her sword out of the ground. "If there's one thing I can't stand, it's an unappreciative audience." She rushes toward Monkey. think That's her action for this init, so it's up to monkey what he does next. (Whee, back to combat!) The Storyteller . o O ( That's her action for this init, so it's up to monkey what he does next. (Whee, back to combat!) ) Monkey ignores the deathknight, his attention occupied by the gory spectacle. He absent-mindedly waves a finger at her, admonishing, "Shush! This looks interesting. Could you wait for just a minute?!" think Okay, so Monkey's ignoring the Rose. Quick switch back to Kaizoku & co. The Storyteller . o O ( Okay, so Monkey's ignoring the Rose. Quick switch back to Kaizoku & co. ) @emit The warstrider crashes through the building opposite Razor Leaf, Suda, and the Admiral, and stands a moment, towering over them. The warstrider crashes through the building opposite Razor Leaf, Suda, and the Admiral, and stands a moment, towering over them. think Roll init. The Storyteller . o O ( Roll init. ) Admiral Kaizoku . o O ( With weapons? ) think Yeah. The Storyteller . o O ( Yeah. ) Admiral Kaizoku rolled 1d10+14 and got 17. roll 1d10+27 On 1d10+27, you rolled 35. think Sorry, had to look up what he's wielding. Warstrider-sized dire lance. The Storyteller . o O ( Sorry, had to look up what he's wielding. Warstrider-sized dire lance. ) think Can you roll Suda and Razor leaf's, or do you just want them to go on yours? The Storyteller . o O ( Can you roll Suda and Razor leaf's, or do you just want them to go on yours? ) Admiral Kaizoku . o O ( They can go with me. ) think Okay. Posing. The Storyteller . o O ( Okay. Posing. ) @emit The necromancer draws back his dire lance and swings -- not at you, but at the building behind you. It shatters like poorly-fired clay. A rain of stone and mortar threatens to bury you. The necromancer draws back his dire lance and swings -- not at you, but at the building behind you. It shatters like poorly-fired clay. A rain of stone and mortar threatens to bury you. think Dodge, difficulty 5. The Storyteller . o O ( Dodge, difficulty 5. ) Admiral Kaizoku . o O ( Can I parry that with 5BS? ) Admiral Kaizoku . o O ( or is it that bad? ) think Not the attack, but the rain of stone, yes. The Storyteller . o O ( Not the attack, but the rain of stone, yes. ) Admiral Kaizoku's arcs of defensive essence flare as they trace the paths to each and every large block of incoming stone, daiklave lashing out to cleave each one in twain. Admiral Kaizoku rolled 15 dice on parry! and got 6 successes. think Good enough. Of course, Razor Leaf and Suda still need to dodge. The Storyteller . o O ( Good enough. Of course, Razor Leaf and Suda still need to dodge. ) xl 16 suda dodge You rolled 16 dice on suda dodge and got 5 successes. Admiral Kaizoku rolled 11 dice on Leaf Dodge and got 3 successes. Admiral Kaizoku . o O ( Ouch. ) think ouch. The Storyteller . o O ( ouch. ) think jinx! The Storyteller . o O ( jinx! ) xld 4 Rain of Stone! You rolled 4 dice on Rain of Stone! and got 2 hits. @emit Though Suda ducks out of the way with ease, Razor Leaf is caught at the edge of the avalanche and knocked off his feet. The rubble covers his legs. Though Suda ducks out of the way with ease, Razor Leaf is caught at the edge of the avalanche and knocked off his feet. The rubble covers his legs. think 2 bashing and he'll need to spend next turn digging free. The Storyteller . o O ( 2 bashing and he'll need to spend next turn digging free. ) Admiral Kaizoku . o O ( I'm up? ) think Yup. The Storyteller . o O ( Yup. ) Admiral Kaizoku . o O ( No time to be subtle... ) Admiral Kaizoku thinks back the times he has brought out his ultimate attack, the Transcendant Sword Technique... he sees a Dragon-Blooded Captain divert it. Seeing Peleps Leden avoid it with ease. The mightiest sword stroke in creation, capable of cleaving a warship in twain... but as easy to see and avoid as a falling hammer. Inspiration came to him as he stood on the bow of the airborne Sun on its trip back home, the wind in his face, currents running all over his skin, active air alive with the flow of essence. He brought up his blade after a time and swung it with that flow, catching a few glittering motes on the sun-forged steel. Another swing, and more Essence swirled around it. Over and over he did this, charging his sword with the swiftness and power of a hurricane. think What he really needs, of course, is the Dragon Slave. The Storyteller . o O ( What he really needs, of course, is the Dragon Slave. ) Monkey . o O ( Heh. Sword of Light would suffice, I think. ) Monkey . o O ( You read the novels? )

needs to go back and watch Slayers.

The Storyteller needs to go back and watch Slayers. think No, I didn't even know they existed! The Storyteller . o O ( No, I didn't even know they existed! ) think Oh, and two-die stunt for the pose. The Storyteller . o O ( Oh, and two-die stunt for the pose. ) Now, the time has come to unleash that power. The admiral lifts his blade above his head, pointing it to his left. He begins to spin it in his hand, the weapon making a slow whooping noise. It does not remain slow... he twirls his fingers faster and faster, the weapon turning into a golden disk above him. Streamers of air trail along the blades edge, whirling out a yard from it... then two... He then he raises the sword straight above his head, a whirlwind of essence spinning around the blade and continuing some twelve feet above the point. Above the howl of power he calls out "Supreme Whirlwind Blade!" The words of power even come over the howling of the wind as he leaps down, bringing the blade and the whirlwind down all the way along the giant bone construct. think Correction, 3-die stunt. The Storyteller . o O ( Correction, 3-die stunt. ) Admiral Kaizoku . o O ( OK, combo time... 1 sec. ) Admiral Kaizoku . o O ( three attacks with Peony blossom. 2 18s and 1 30, channelling valor on the last. ) Admiral Kaizoku rolled 18 dice on Attack 1 and got 11 successes. Admiral Kaizoku rolled 18 dice on Attack 2 and got 11 successes. Admiral Kaizoku rolled 30 dice on Final Attack! and got 12 successes. Admiral Kaizoku . o O ( Oh, jeez... ) think Bah. That's decent. The Storyteller . o O ( Bah. That's decent. ) Admiral Kaizoku . o O ( Still, 12 more dice and only 1 more success... ) Admiral Kaizoku . o O ( Could have done 4 attacks at the base level. Ah, well. Defense? ) think No defense, soak is 20L. The Storyteller . o O ( No defense, soak is 20L. ) Admiral Kaizoku rolled 13 dice on something and got 5 hits. Admiral Kaizoku rolled 13 dice on something and got 6 hits. Admiral Kaizoku rolled 14 dice on something and got 7 hits. Admiral Kaizoku . o O ( My my... ) Monkey . o O ( English translation. $7.99. Five volumes so far. Very very light reading. ) think I should imagine. The Storyteller . o O ( I should imagine. ) think Posing. The Storyteller . o O ( Posing. ) Admiral Kaizoku . o O ( Very very light. ) Admiral Kaizoku . o O ( And close to the first season... there are more divergences in the later books from the later seasons. ) Admiral Kaizoku . o O ( Wonder if I got him... ) Monkey . o O ( Technically, since novels came first, the anime is the one that diverges. But yeah, first season, close. Second, well, all the elements are there, but they are all mixed up. ) Monkey . o O ( With 18 HL... should be dead. ) @emit The Admiral's blade strikes three times in swift succession -- torso, head, torso. Each strike is accompanied by a gout of solar energy and the dark backlash of the void. With the final blow, the necromantic warstrider collapses into a pile of bones, revealing the mortally wounded necromancer in the center. The Admiral's blade strikes three times in swift succession -- torso, head, torso. Each strike is accompanied by a gout of solar energy and the dark backlash of the void. With the final blow, the necromantic warstrider collapses into a pile of bones, revealing the mortally wounded necromancer in the center. think Roll init again. The Storyteller . o O ( Roll init again. ) roll 1d10+7 On 1d10+7, you rolled 14. Admiral Kaizoku rolled 1d10+14 and got 23. think Okay, what do you do? He's expiring on top of the remains of his warstrider. The Storyteller . o O ( Okay, what do you do? He's expiring on top of the remains of his warstrider. ) Admiral Kaizoku . o O ( Is the mountain of maggots visible from here? ) think Yup. The Storyteller . o O ( Yup. ) Monkey . o O ( It's about a mile away though. ) Admiral Kaizoku lands on the street as the whirlwind attack dissipates, the sea and storm of his anima banner raging higher from the power he unleashed. "The tide has turned for us!" he declares. "Find cover and stay there!" he instructs Leaf and Suda, hoping that the elmental can save Onyx Blossom. He runs up the shattered bone of the warstrider, looks the Necromancer in the eye and then plunges his sword down through his head. think Foo, was hoping to use Spiteful Passing. The Storyteller . o O ( Foo, was hoping to use Spiteful Passing. ) Admiral Kaizoku . o O ( and if that works, take off after Leden. What's that? Necromantic Unconquerable Self? ) Monkey . o O ( Then use it. ) Monkey . o O ( IIRC those spells are all Reflexive. ) think Nope, takes a round of concentration. The Storyteller . o O ( Nope, takes a round of concentration. ) Monkey . o O ( Haha, sucks to be him. ) Admiral Kaizoku . o O ( He made his choice... ) @emit The necromancer expires with a crunchy squirch. The necromancer expires with a crunchy squirch. Monkey . o O ( Hey, it's almost certain he'll rise as a powerful ghost and can plot revenge. ) Admiral Kaizoku is off and running after the Deathknight and Peleps Leden without a second thought for the truly dead soul. Admiral Kaizoku . o O ( If there was time, I could have burned him up, but ah, well. ) think Just what I need, another antagonist to track. The Storyteller . o O ( Just what I need, another antagonist to track. ) Admiral Kaizoku . o O ( If we kill everyone else, he'll still be there later! ) Monkey . o O ( Small fry. You can fold him under Mask. ) think Back to Monkey & the Rose. Roll Init. The Storyteller . o O ( Back to Monkey & the Rose. Roll Init. ) Monkey rolled 1d10+8 and got 15. roll 1d10+30 On 1d10+30, you rolled 34. Monkey . o O ( What, that archer interfering? ) think Shortly. The Storyteller . o O ( Shortly. ) think Though I'm going to need to knock off soon... say in about 15 minutes. The Storyteller . o O ( Though I'm going to need to knock off soon... say in about 15 minutes. ) Monkey . o O ( Okay, that would be one of those moments where the DB's dodge will be oh so neat. ) Monkey . o O ( Okie. ) Monkey . o O ( Go pose that rumbling. ) Monkey . o O ( Mmmm, Rumble Roses. )

sighs.

The Storyteller sighs. think I wonder if I should pick that up. Either of you got it? The Storyteller . o O ( I wonder if I should pick that up. Either of you got it? ) Admiral Kaizoku . o O ( Nope, but I asked a co-worker and he likes it a lot. ) Monkey . o O ( Nope. Couldn't find one around here. ) Monkey . o O ( You're married. Are you sure it's wise? ) Monkey . o O ( Picking up Rumble Roses, that is. ) think My wife is amazingly tolerant. The Storyteller . o O ( My wife is amazingly tolerant. ) Admiral Kaizoku . o O ( Sure! "You're prettier than all these other women honey!" ) Monkey . o O ( Yeah, and unlike those women, I can actually pull those moves on you, dear. ) think Anyway, posing. The Storyteller . o O ( Anyway, posing. ) @emit The Rose of Thorns slashes at Monkey's head, three quick strokes. "You know, Monkey, I've been studying your style for quite some time. It's very impressive, but very limited..." The Rose of Thorns slashes at Monkey's head, three quick strokes. "You know, Monkey, I've been studying your style for quite some time. It's very impressive, but very limited..." think three attacks. The Storyteller . o O ( three attacks. ) Monkey . o O ( Combo flare? ) think No. The Storyteller . o O ( No. ) Monkey . o O ( 3 dodges. ) xl 14 Unfurling Iron Lotus 1 You rolled 14 dice on Unfurling Iron Lotus 1 and got 8 successes. xl 14 Unfurling Iron Lotus 2 You rolled 14 dice on Unfurling Iron Lotus 2 and got 9 successes. xl 14 Unfurling Iron Lotus 3 You rolled 14 dice on Unfurling Iron Lotus 3 and got 5 successes. Monkey . o O ( Hmmm, not too bad. Okay, the dodges all come from FLB. ) Monkey rolled 19 dice on Dodge1 and got 10 successes. Monkey rolled 19 dice on Dodge2 and got 4 successes. Monkey rolled 19 dice on Dodge3 and got 9 successes. Monkey . o O ( Abort to parry. ) think v. wise. The Storyteller . o O ( v. wise. ) think Hello? The Storyteller . o O ( Hello? ) Monkey ducks under the first blow and comes up inside the reach of the blade. He grabs Rose's hand and guides it away from him. "Limited in what way?" he asks as he flows back out of reach before Rose could react. Monkey . o O ( stunt if any? Channeling Valor for parry. ) think 2-die stunt. The Storyteller . o O ( 2-die stunt. ) Monkey rolled 19 dice on Parry please work and got 11 successes. think Oh-ho! You touch her? The Storyteller . o O ( Oh-ho! You touch her? ) Monkey . o O ( Has to. Unarmed parry, see. ) think One moment. The Storyteller . o O ( One moment. ) Admiral Kaizoku . o O ( Damage sheild? ) Monkey . o O ( Nah. Probably poison. ) think Reaper of Men. "Any living being who touches her or strikes her with a hand-to-hand attack suffers lethal damage equal to the Abyssal's Essence score," in this case, 4L. The Storyteller . o O ( Reaper of Men. "Any living being who touches her or strikes her with a hand-to-hand attack suffers lethal damage equal to the Abyssal's Essence score," in this case, 4L. ) Monkey rolled 5 dice on Valor and got 5 successes. xld 4 You rolled 4 dice on something and got 2 hits. Monkey . o O ( That was for getting past Heart Stopping Mien. ) Monkey . o O ( Soakable with Stamina? ) think Well, it boils down to ping anyway... The Storyteller . o O ( Well, it boils down to ping anyway... ) Admiral Kaizoku . o O ( That would bring it down to ping... ) Monkey . o O ( Okie. ) think Which is, well, Essence. The Storyteller . o O ( Which is, well, Essence. ) Monkey . o O ( Well, the damage is your pose. ) Monkey . o O ( And then her turn. ) Admiral Kaizoku . o O ( Does hand to hand include with melee weapons? ) @emit As he touches her, Monkey feels the cold of the void seep into his hand. His arm grows stiff and sluggish, and memories of loneliness in the desert of the sea spring unbidden to his mind. As he touches her, Monkey feels the cold of the void seep into his hand. His arm grows stiff and sluggish, and memories of loneliness in the desert of the sea spring unbidden to his mind. think Yes. The Storyteller . o O ( Yes. ) Monkey . o O ( Nice desc. ) Monkey . o O ( It's 12 Pyramoo. You want to stop now or keep going? ) think At the moment, she has a ridiculous amount of persistents up: Eye of the Tempest, Reaper of Men, Crimon Banquet Method, Heart-Stopping Mien, and Incomparable Phantom Form. The Storyteller . o O ( At the moment, she has a ridiculous amount of persistents up: Eye of the Tempest, Reaper of Men, Crimon Banquet Method, Heart-Stopping Mien, and Incomparable Phantom Form. ) think One more round, then call it a night. The Storyteller . o O ( One more round, then call it a night. ) think Everybody roll init. The Storyteller . o O ( Everybody roll init. ) Admiral Kaizoku rolled 1d1-14 and got -13. Admiral Kaizoku . o O ( whoops! ) Monkey rolled 1d10+7 and got 8. Admiral Kaizoku rolled 1d10+14 and got 24. Admiral Kaizoku . o O ( Better. ) think Hey, that's cool! The Storyteller . o O ( Hey, that's cool! ) roll 1d10+30 On 1d10+30, you rolled 38. roll 1d10+10 On 1d10+10, you rolled 19. think Anybody remember Leden's init? The Storyteller . o O ( Anybody remember Leden's init? ) Monkey . o O ( Nope. ) think got it. The Storyteller . o O ( got it. ) Admiral Kaizoku . o O ( I'm not sure we "saw" it. ) roll 1d10+12 On 1d10+12, you rolled 22. think Order is: Rose, Kaizoku, Leden, archer, Monkey. The Storyteller . o O ( Order is: Rose, Kaizoku, Leden, archer, Monkey. ) @emit The Rose smiles at Monkey's pain and steps back. "You're all but untouchable -- but you can barely attack better than a mere Dragon-Blooded. So passive." She leaps off to one side, suddenly, high and far, onto the tower of bone and tendons. "Follow me if you dare!" The Rose smiles at Monkey's pain and steps back. "You're all but untouchable -- but you can barely attack better than a mere Dragon-Blooded. So passive." She leaps off to one side, suddenly, high and far, onto the tower of bone and tendons. "Follow me if you dare!" think No attack, just jumping. The Storyteller . o O ( No attack, just jumping. ) Admiral Kaizoku . o O ( Monkey and the Admiral need to use the Fuzion technique... perfect attacks and defense together. Maybe there's a Celestial spell for merging just two people. ) @emit The tower is high and growing -- it now reaches as high as the lighthouse of Lookshy. Maggots crawl its terraces, some falling while others hold tight. A stench and a coldness flow from it. The tower is high and growing -- it now reaches as high as the lighthouse of Lookshy. Maggots crawl its terraces, some falling while others hold tight. A stench and a coldness flow from it. think Kaizoku's turn. The Storyteller . o O ( Kaizoku's turn. ) Admiral Kaizoku . o O ( Has the archer or Leden come into view yet? ) Monkey . o O ( How high up roughly? ) Admiral Kaizoku . o O ( Have, rather. ) think Yes and, uh, about 30 stories. So 300 feet. The Storyteller . o O ( Yes and, uh, about 30 stories. So 300 feet. ) Admiral Kaizoku . o O ( Can the Admiral reach him with a free move? (16 yards?) ) think Who? The Storyteller . o O ( Who? ) Admiral Kaizoku . o O ( The archer. ) Admiral Kaizoku . o O ( He's not going to cut up Leden... ) think No. They're well ahead of you. Figure about a quarter mile. The Storyteller . o O ( No. They're well ahead of you. Figure about a quarter mile. ) Admiral Kaizoku leans forward and runs after the surviving Deathknight, seeing the tower rise up and wondering exactly what Monkey has done to cause such a thing. Admiral Kaizoku . o O ( Full move. ) Monkey . o O ( And while we wait for David to describe his move... how high up is Rose? 300 feet too (if Rose is using a charm with personal essence, she could reach it without any obvious sign). Or much lower? ) think She's about a third of the way up.