>>32506095
Archive link: http://suptg.thisisnotatrueending.com/archive.html?searchall=Sky+Rider

Twitter: https://twitter.com/FrostyZipper

Rolled 14

>>32506095
Love you frosty

Rolled 8

>>32506095

Rolled 18

>>32506095

>>32506095
You don’t think you’ve ever reacted faster to anything in your life.

You spin so fast you swear you only barely escape giving yourself whiplash and sprint for the door.

Unfortunately, not all of your compatriots are as quick on their feet.

The guns thunder, an early shot punching one crewman off his feet instantly. Two more almost appear to come apart in a pink cloud as round shot tears through them. Kyd yelps as a ball grazes his flank and dives for the exit.

Of the thirteen of you who entered, five leave, and one is in very bad shape, with a gaping hole in his abdomen and his right arm hangs on by a strip of flesh. By some miracle, you’ve escaped any sort of harm. Ryder appears no more worse for wear than you save for a small trickle of blood that runs from a small graze on his forehead.

You can’t afford to stop, however, as the sound of shuffling footfalls echoes from within the Sitting Chamber, and Ryder sprints onward, the rest of you following suit, save for the heavily injured crewman, who pitches forward and lies still.

‘Leave him! We have to get out of here!’ Ryder roars.

Adrenaline and the fact that you’re running on instincts keeps your mind off the fallen crewman, and you follow the Captain back in the direction of the little Scout boat. Or at least that’s the plan.

Unfortunately an all too familiar shape bars your path, and he skewers another crewman before whirling around to face the rest of your group.

‘Greetings,’ the assassin hisses, his expression as cold and dead as you remember it.

>Try to distract
>Grab something and fight
>Find another way out

>>32506846
>Grab something and fight
Diplomacy will never be a strong suit, don't try it now
Am I the only one here?

Rolled 16

>>32506846
>>Grab something and fight
"This is for Dagg!"
Or something to that effect

>>32506889
Eh, usually starts off slow. Get at least three guys going in an hour or so though.

>>32506846
With the last other crewman bleeding what little remains of his life away on the smooth marble floor, it’s just you, the Captain, and Kyd left. None of you are under any illusion that you can conceivably take this man on.

And yet one of you has to try, or else you’ll all die and no one aboard the Lady Fortuna will be any wiser about the terrible situation.

The Captain is obviously barred from any suicidal action concerning crazy assassins; you’re ignorant at best of much of the world outside your little home with Dagg, but you know enough to know that the nation needs him very much alive. As for Kyd… well, from what Nyra implied, she and her brother probably lived a pretty shitty life just for being them.

Much as it sucks, this duty falls to you.

You swallow, almost too loudly, and glance around for something you might be able to use as a weapon. Going in at all doesn’t appeal whatsoever, but fighting this deadly man with only your bare knuckles sounds most decidedly unattractive.

There is a long candlestick to your left you might be able to use as a spear of sorts, Kyd has a small dagger tantalisingly close to you that he probably won’t need, or there’s the brace of repeater pistols on the body of the last fallen crewman in front of you… just a step in front of the deadliest killer in the nation.

>Pistols (d20 for acquisition)
>Candlestick
>Kyd’s dagger

Rolled 13

>>32507195
>Pistols
fuck this cock sucker and fuck his ugly face

Rolled 19

>>32507195
>BARE KNUCKLE
LADY LUCK WILL GUIDE OUR HANDS IN OUR MOMENT OF NEED
SOMETHING SOMETHING BOLD

Rolled 6

>>32507195
>>Pistols
God I hope I did not just fuck us.

>>32507306
god fucking damn it.

>>32507324
You could always side with the guy who rolled a 19 for our suicide

>>32507335
that just seems cheap since i rolled on that one and changing seems like cheating kinda.

>>32507335
Rolls usually aren't attached to votes, if the gun still wins the vote the 19 would typically be used since it was the second roll.

>>32507195
You glance at Kyd’s dagger; too short to do any defensive work with – which is what you’re sure you’ll be doing up until your messy demise. The candlestick on the other hand, is too long and probably too heavy for you to wield with any efficiency. Sure it’ll probably take a few blows from that cruel blade, but you need to be quick on your toes.

You settle on the pistols and almost release a whimper at how dangerously close to the killer they are. Still, you decide they’re ultimately, probably your safest bet. All you need to do is grab them and keep out of reach.

Maybe you’ll even kill the bastard.

And it’s that thought that seals it for you.

With a sudden start, you launch forwards, straight towards the body of the crewman and Dagg’s murderer, who raises a brow, surely not expecting you to rush him. He recovers immediately though, and brings his weapon down in a deep slice–

–that sinks into the meat of your thigh.

Pain explodes through your leg but your momentum keeps you going and you grab hold of both guns and roll, coming up awkwardly as your left leg almost gives way beneath you. You’ve got your weapons in hand and despite the fact that the killer is already moving both of you know he’s not going to be nearly fast enough.

‘This is for Dagg you son of a bitch,’ you hiss at him and squeeze the triggers.

You’re completely unprepared for the considerable recoil, which almost takes both guns out of your hands, but you’re also far too close to conceivably miss. Both balls punch the killer clean off his feet, and he lies on the ground twitching as blood gushes from the twin holes you’ve blown in his torso.

Ryder and Kyd both appear completely in awe.

At least, until you fall to one knee, the pain in your left thigh too much to take.
(cont)

>>32507754
(cont)
‘Cown, you just…’ Ryder starts as he helps Kyd haul you up. Kyd, for his part, simply seems content to laugh hysterically at the near brush with death.

Between the two of them, they haul you up and you rush back to the Scout boat like all eight layers of the Abyss are on your trail.

The ride back to the Lady Fortuna is a bumpy, fast and frantic one, but despite your collective worrying the ship appears in as good a condition as it was when you left and the crew are still rushing around loading things on board.

A small crowd forms as you arrive in the loading bay where the other Scout boats reside.

‘Hey Captain, where’s everyone else? And what’s…’ the crewman trails off as he takes in your sorry state.

‘No time, prepare to cast off, we’re leaving now!’ Ryder commands before pointing towards you as Kyd helps you off the Scout. ‘Get him a stretcher too.’

The crewman is too flustered to respond, and then he snaps to attention and shouts for a stretcher. Kyd stays with you.

‘That was… pretty crazy,’ he says. You only half hear him, you feel the familiar buzzing in the back of your head and wooziness indicating that shock is setting in. Kyd's trying to keep you awake, though you can't imagine what for. Come to think of it, your shoulder's felt pretty itchy for a while now.

>Yeah it was
>You ever been stabbed, beaten and shot all in the same day before?
>So what's the story with you and Miss Julianne?
>Pass out

>>32507803
>Tell mister treeman it wasn't my fault
>Pass out

>>32507803
>>You ever been stabbed, beaten and shot all in the same day before?
"Sir is this whats it's going to be like for now on?"

>>32507803
>You ever been stabbed, beaten and shot all in the same day before?
"Lady Fortuna my ass."

>>32507803
You lean forwards, your eyelids impossible to keep open. Kyd shakes you but you barely pay any attention.

‘Hey, Cown, come on little bro stay with me here,’ he says, a note of warning in his tone. His hair looks funny. All long and maroon, not like Nyra’s.

‘You ever been stabbed, beaten and shot all on the same day?’ you mumble, ‘”Lady Fortuna” my ass.’

‘Huh?’ Kyd says, but he catches on quickly and, racking his brain, tries to come up with an answer to keep you talking.

‘Well… no, not all in the same day, but I’ve got a few scars of my own. Hey, you know what girls dig? Scars. You know about that?’

>Really?
>So what’s the story with you and Miss Julianne?
>I got Dagg’s killer
>Pass out

>>32508145
>>I got Dagg’s killer
" I got him Kyd, I got him the son of a bitch, But there were others Kyd, there were others."

>>32508145
>Really?
Cown loves the ladies

>>32508145
>Pass out

>>32508145
(D3 deployed)

‘Really?’ you ask the elf. You never knew that. In fact you know precious little about girls except that some are ugly and some are pretty. Kyd grins even as he glances up at the entrance to the loading bay looking for the stretcher.

‘Yeah little bro. Scars mean you’ve got a story to tell; scars mean adventure, and most girls can’t get enough of that.’ Kyd says, clamping a hand on your shoulder and shaking you softly to keep you up. ‘And man are YOU going to have a story to tell them: shooting the biggest, baddest assassin in the country. You throw that little number down at a pub and you’ll be swimming in it.’

‘Sounds like fun,’ you slur, head dropping a fraction. Was it always this dark inside the ship?

Kyd laughs but there’s a note of tension. In the meantime you’re finding it even more difficult to stay awake.

>d20 to stay conscious

>So what’s the story with you and Miss Julianne?
>I got Dagg’s killer
>Just pass out already

Rolled 10

>>32508789
>I got Dagg’s killer
What the namefag said before

>>32508789
What I said before.

>>32508884
wait

>>32508910

>>32508931
what the hell was the rolling formula for the dice.

>>32508951
you need a 1 in front of your d

>>32508962

Rolled 9

>>32509014
dice+1d20
you fucktard

>>32509014

Rolled 3

>>32508789
>I got Dagg’s killer

Rolled 13

>>32509034

>>32508789
The floor looks awfully inviting, but your eyes begin to shut, until Kyd’s exclamation launches you into a hitching, wracking fit of laughter.

‘What’s up?’ Kyd asks, pleased to see you’re making his job easier.

‘I got Dagg’s killer Kyd,’ you say, your words becoming increasingly more slurred. ‘I got the son of a bitch… but there were others there too… two of them. Didn’t see their faces but they’re out there and I’m gonna find them.’

‘Oh yeah you are little bro, yes you certainly are. We’ll help find them, don’t you worry. Once this… whatever it is, is all done and dusted we’ll scour the entire country for them,’ Kyd says, clamping a hand on your shoulder. You believe him completely, unable to do otherwise in your haze. You think you can see figures rushing towards you with something, but you can't make it out.

>d20 to stay conscious

>Thanks
>So what’s the story with you and Miss Julianne?
>Just pass out already

Rolled 19

>>32509112
>>So what’s the story with you and Miss Julianne?

Rolled 17

>>32509112
>>So what’s the story with you and Miss Julianne?

>>32509112
The shock has well and truly set in, you can barely feel your injuries, or anything for that matter, but you feel so tired. It also makes you inattentive, unable to stick to one topic for long.

‘So what’s the story with you and Miss Julianne?’ you ask.

Kyd blinks.

‘I saw the looks you guys were giving each other,’ you say, with what you think is a smarmy smirk on your face, ‘is there anything–’

Kyd gags. ‘Oh Nine above no! Nothing like that! Eugh. Don’t get me wrong I love her but…’ he shakes his head and works his lips for a moment before settling into a more serious expression.

‘We elves were slaves up until about five years ago,’ Kyd explains. ‘Me and Nyra were bought by Miss Julianne’s family. They weren’t nobility or anything but they were more than just a little well off. Miss Julianne had lost her husband and her two sons to bloodpox and, well, shortly after we arrived she doted on us almost like we were her children.’ You nod along, listening with as much attention as you can manage with an increasingly fuzzy head.

‘Some of the other servants didn’t think much of that, let me tell you. When they couldn’t make Nyra’s life a living hell they singled me out instead, and whenever we went to Miss Julianne about it they only made it worse. Eventually the Emancipation Act rolled out, and all of a sudden we were free… only the rest of the Wynne family decided we had to go.’ Kyd’s face sours and his voice grows rougher as he delves deep into unpleasant memories.
(cont)

>>32509542
‘Hypocrites,’ he spits, lacing the word with enough poison to kill a dragon, ‘talked about how dreadful this “elf-hugging” movement was but when it came through they acted like it had always been first and foremost on their minds… and that meant removing me and my sister. Couldn’t have high society knowing the Wynne family practised slavery, oh no, of course not!’

‘Anyway, Miss Julianne got wind of her family’s little scheme and, one night, she came to our hovel, got us dressed, and fled with us… she gave up everything she owned, all that wealth, all that prestige, just for us… I don’t think me and Nyra will ever find a way to repay her…’

>Wow…
>Just pass out already

Rolled 6

>>32509571
>>Wow…
then
>>Just pass out already

Rolled 4

>>32509571
>>Wow…

>>32509571
You don’t know what to say. Hell even if you had a clear head you’d probably not have a clue as to what you might be able to say to that. So instead, you go with something intelligent, like: ‘Wow…’

Kyd says nothing, reviewing all the years gone by in his head no doubt. For a moment both of you sit in silence until Kyd remembers he’s meant to be trying to keep you awake.

‘Anyway, yeah, that’s my story… I’d ask for yours but I think I know it already.’ You don’t respond. ‘Hey, Cown?’ He gives you a rough shake, but it’s too late.

You’ve already passed out.

You come to in the infirmary. The tree-man sits at a small desk across from your cot. He seems to be looking through a number of glass jars that appear to contain all sorts of plants. He doesn’t seem to have noticed your awakening yet, which is probably good if your last encounter with him is any indication. Unlike before however, he does not appear grouchy or angry. Instead he seems weary, sad if you didn’t know better (and admittedly, you don’t).

Part of you wants to say, to do something, but the rest just feels like wasting the rest of your life away sleeping in this bed.

>Risk the tree-man’s wrath by getting his attention
>Fall back into a peaceful slumber

>>32510074
>It wasn't my fault this time

Rolled 1

>>32510074
>>Risk the tree-man’s wrath by getting his attention
" I never did get you're name."

>>32510074
>Risk the tree-man’s wrath by getting his attention

>>32510074
Then everything comes back to you. Dagg; Ryder, the slaughter in the Palace, and you no longer want to sleep. Too much is probably going on and you want to help however you can.

That first means potentially risking this tree-person’s…

Wait a second.

‘I don’t think I ever actually got your name,’ you say, and you spend a shocked moment gawking at how hoarse your voice sounds. The tree-man stiffens and puts down a jar of some strange, blue-leafed plant before turning to you, his expression set in stone.

‘Oh, uh,’ you start, ‘I’m sorry about the stitches. But it wasn’t completely–’

‘I know,’ he replies, sounding… tired. Is that sadness you can see in his eyes? He spends a moment just looking at you before shaking his head, ‘Ryder told me what happened. It was a… brave thing you did. Fecklessly stupid… but brave. As for my name? I’ve long since learned that your fleshy kind can’t pronounce even remotely correctly, so for brevity’s sake, my name is Doc, or Doctor if you’re feeling formal.’

>Okay Doc
>So, how am I?
>How long was I out this time?

>>32510517
>>Okay Doc
>>So, how am I?
>>How long was I out this time?

Rolled 10

>>32510517
>>Okay Doc
>>So, how am I?
>>How long was I out this time?
These are all very relevant questions

>>32510517
"What're in the jars, Doc?"

>>32510517
‘Okay Doc,’ you say, feeling groggy, but your strength gradually begins to return as you prop yourself up against the head of the cot. You give your head a shake to clear it of any lingering fuzziness and then turn your head to Doc.

‘So how am I?’

Doc grunts, some of his ill-humour returning. ‘Better than you were, that’s for certain. Patched up your leg and redid your stitches – again. Eventually, when you wouldn’t stop shufflin’ about I just decided to keep you asleep for a while just so you’d heal right.’

‘What?’

‘It was just a few herbs, relax. Besides thanks to that nice long bit of rest, you’re almost good as new. You’ll probably feel stiff for a while and there’ll be scar tissue of course, but Kyd tells me your women find that sort of thing attractive.

Come to think of it, you do remember Kyd telling you something like that at some point.

‘So then… how long have I been out?’ you ask with some trepidation.

‘Month and a few days.’

>That’s…
>What?!
>You’re joking, surely

Rolled 5

>>32510880
>>You’re joking, surely

>>32510880
>That’s…
Requesting all the crew ether call us Stitches or Drowsy from now on.

>>32510880
You shake your head.

‘That’s…’ you start, but then you shake your head. ‘You must be joking, surely.’

Doc frowns. ‘Do I look like the type that jokes boy?’

No, he really doesn’t, and you say as much.

‘Want me to check your head out while you’re still here?’ Doc asks you, narrowing his eyes at you. You decline.

‘So, what happened while I was out?’ you ask. Doc sighs and runs a clawed hand through his leaves.

‘I think you’d much rather prefer hearin’ it from someone else boy. Besides, you’re good to go; don’t need to worry about stitches anymore but that doesn’t mean you can do anythin’ too feckin’ stupid now.’

‘Uh, alright,’ you say before swinging your legs off the cot. ‘Thanks by the way,’ you say as you leave the infirmary. Doc doesn’t reply, simply turning back to his desk and waving an arm in parting.

Once outside the infirmary, you decide you’d quite like to know what’s been going on during the time you’ve been out.

>Find someone to tell you what’s been going on (who?)

>>32511475
Kyd
Hes a bro

Rolled 5

>>32511475
Kyd or his sis.
Either one will give it us straight.

>>32511475
Hey lets show up for work...we are aorta late for our duties as Jr engineer

Rolled 18

>>32511748
to find Kyd well have to go that way anyway so yeah that makes sense.

>>32511475
You decide quickly against searching out the Captain. Though he’d no doubt be able to give you the whole picture he’s probably busy. Eventually you decide to play it safe and seek out Kyd, or Nyra. Come to think of it, you’ve effectively been assigned to engineering and yet you’ve not actually started work at all. Things have just kept cropping up one after the other.

Oh well, if you find Kyd then he’ll probably know where Nyra is. If not, then you’re fairly certain you can find your way to engineering. A brief exploration finally leads you to the canteen, and, as luck would have it, both your favourite elves are sat next to the other chowing down on some bread and other foodstuffs. Stomach growling, you realise you’re quite hungry yourself, so you help yourself to some bread, cheese and a few slices of various meats before manoeuvring through to join them.

‘Hey,’ you say as you plop yourself down opposite them. Both appear more than a little surprise to see you.

‘Cown?’ Kyd says, surprised at your sudden, casual appearance.

‘Should you be up?’ Nyra asks; concern etched onto her angular features.

‘Hm? Yeah it’s fine, Doc cleared me and all,’ you say as you create a sizeable sandwich before wolfing it down in moments. ‘But enough about that, I heard I’ve been out for a whole month. What’s been going on since… well, you know?’ you say with a grim look at Kyd.

Kyd grimaces and rubs his hands, a nervous habit probably.

‘Well…’ he starts.
(cont)

>>32512328
(cont)
Theodoric has apparently headed a new provisional government, playing the part of a concerned investigator as to the Palace’s sudden, unexplained silence, he claims to have entered and found a site of carnage, with the notorious Aail Ryder at the scene of the crime. Ryder’s carefully crafted reputation has worked against him, and the outrage that followed precipitated a nationwide manhunt: all vessels matching the profile of the Lady Fortuna are being stopped and searched and supposedly there are Visan warships constantly searching the skies for them. For the previous month they’ve been laying low, keeping away from trouble and out of sight while Ryder worked tirelessly to pick out a viable path for him and his crew.

‘It’s not all grim though,’ Kyd says. ‘Captain said he was onto something big a week ago, and with any luck it’s something that’ll help us get out of this mess.’

You don’t respond for a moment, this is too much to take in. You don’t even notice when Kyd is given a rap on the shoulder by one of the other crew and takes off with a quick apology, leaving you and Nyra at the table.

>Chat with Nyra (about what?)
>Mind leading me to engineering? I should probably start my job sometime soon

>>32512378
>Mind leading me to engineering? I should probably start my job sometime soon

>>32512378
>Mind leading me to engineering? I should probably start my job sometime soon

Rolled 6

>>32512378
>>Mind leading me to engineering? I should probably start my job sometime soon

>>32512378
Despite the fact that she seems glad to see you up and active, Nyra doesn’t open any conversation, focused instead on polishing off the rest of her lunch, or breakfast, supper? You’re not entirely sure what sort of time it is come to think.

None of that matters much, however, as you remember the other half of your reason for trying to find the two siblings.

‘So, when you’re done, would you mind leading me down to engineering? I should probably start work sometime soon, you know?’

‘Oh! I completely forgot!’ Nyra says, eyes wide, still chewing her food. You find her expression comically cute. She swallows her mouthful of food. ‘Sorry, it’s just with all the things going on lately–’

‘It’s fine,’ you tell her. ‘I know how it is… kind of.’

She devours the rest of her meal with a speed that’s almost impressive, and then stands up before motioning for you to follow with a finger. You leave your plate but bring what’s left of your own food along on the way, trying to finish it as quickly as you can manage.
(cont)

>>32512953
(cont)
She leads you out of the canteen and down to the engineering block, where you find Balfour shovelling coal into the great generator that powers the ship.

‘Ah, so the elusive rookie appears at last does he?’ Balfour says with a wide grin, or at least you think he’s grinning. You’d forgotten in your slumber quite how thick his beard is, how does he even eat with that much facial hair?

‘It’s been a pretty crazy time,’ you say, scratching the back of your neck bashfully.

‘Aye, don’t I know,’ the dwarf engineer replies before glancing up at Nyra. ‘Well lassie, show him the basic stuff first.’

Nyra sighs but acquiesces with a nod and a tired wave of her hand.

‘Well, follow me I guess,’ she says before leading you away from the generator into what seems to be a workshop. Pieces of machinery and all sorts of tools litter the floor, and your shoes rustle against something with each step you take. You eye the scattered field of debris warily.

>Is this yours?
>Nice place
>So, what, am I working under you or something?

Rolled 17

>>32512969
>Nice place
" So what do I have to do exactly?"

>>32512969
>So, what, am I working under you or something?
No shut the fuck up Cown, just shut up until you understand how people work

>>32512969
>Nice place

>>32512969
‘Nice place,’ you say, narrowly avoiding stepping on something that looks like a drill. That certainly would have been painful. ‘You ever lose anything here with all this stuff… all over the place?’

Nyra looks at you as if you’ve asked her if she can sprout wings and fly. ‘No? I mean, why would I? Everything’s exactly where I left it.’ You feel your respect for her rise a fraction; if she can work her way around in this mess then who are you really to say anything?

‘So, while I’m in training – that is what I’m doing, right?’ Nyra nods. ‘Right, so am I working under you while this is going on?’

Nyra purses her lip as you reach a workbench. A twisted amalgam of machinery sits atop it and you can’t make heads or tails of it. Nyra picks it up and gently sets it to one side.

‘Sort of, yes. What’s going to happen is I’m going to show you the stuff we tend to use every day and then you’ll follow me and watch what I do. If something comes up that isn’t too serious I’ll get you on it and talk you through it. Sound okay?’ She finishes, smiling brightly at you.

‘Yeah, perfectly,’ you reply.

‘It’s tough at first but once you nail all the terminology and get some experience in it’ll come easy. It did for me.’

‘Sure,’ you say with a polite smile. You open your mouth to ask a different question when suddenly there’s a loud rumble and suddenly the ship starts shaking.

>d20 not to land in a pile of sharp metal bits

Rolled 19

>>32513379
I hope we crit fail

Rolled 19

>>32513379

>>32513411
>>32513513
No more stitches for us.

>>32513411
Rolling a 19's a rather roundabout way of trying for the crit fail but I guess you know what you're doing.

>>32513379
The shaking grows increasingly more violent and for one horrible moment you fear you might just be pitched face first into the sea of metal that covers the floor. Fortunately, with all your activity before all this crazy shit happened you’ve always been pretty light on your feet and you keep your balance, offering a stabilising arm to Nyra, who squeaks as she stubs her toe on something.

Eventually the shaking stops.

‘Maybe I do need to tidy up a little,’ Nyra mutters as she rubs her toe. No sooner does she finish speaking, however, when a loud and distinctly irritating alarm goes off. Nyra goes as white as a sheet.

‘What? What does that mean?’ you ask, an unpleasant feeling building up in your gut. ‘I don’t like that face you’re making.’

Nyra snaps out of whatever spell had its hold over her and snaps her panic-stricken face up to you.

‘We’re under attack,’ she says, her voice almost a whisper.

Silence, save for that infernal bleating. It sounds like a sheep had a foghorn stuffed up its anus.

Then another wave of shakes follows and this time you’re almost pitched into an uncomfortably sharp looking pile of machinery. You glance at Nyra, completely unsure of what to do. For her part, she appears equally confused and more than a little fearful.

‘Have you ever been attacked before?’ you ask, trying not to sound as nervous as you feel.

‘Well, yes a few times, but never like this, usually we get a warning of some sort before things start getting shaky…’ her voice trails off and suddenly her eyes widen as worry and naked fear overtake her. ‘Julianne!’ she cries.

>Offer to check on Julianne for Nyra
>Go to the Lookout together
>Let Nyra go herself

>>32513918
>Let Nyra go herself
"Just go, I'm pretty sure I won't fuck up anything important."

>>32513918
>Offer to check on Julianne for Nyra
Probably a good idea for the engineers who know what they're doing to be where they're suppose to be.

Rolled 2

>>32513918
>>Offer to check on Julianne for Nyra
ask where this guy is, and let the (calmed down) Nyra do her thing

>>32513918
Nyra rushes for the exit to the workshop but before she can get more than a few steps you grab hold of her, stopping the frantic elf in her tracks.

‘Okay, calm down maybe?’ you shout over the screaming alarm. ‘I’ll go look in on her for you, I’ll get back to you with the news.’

‘But she– you–’

‘Are still in training, right? If there’s something bad going on then come on, be honest, how much help am I going to be down here? I barely know anything about this part of the ship or what you do. I’m also fast: I can rush off, check on Julianne for you, and rush back. That sound good?’ Nyra works her mouth like a fish out of water for a few seconds before clamping her eyes shut. When she opens them again the fear is still there, but it’s muted and she nods. She knows where she’ll be put to better use. Good.

‘I’ll be back soon,’ you say and, with a wave meant to cheer her up, you start off.

‘Be careful!’ she shouts after you.

You don’t see Balfour in the generator room; he must be elsewhere doing something important. You put it at the back of your mind and sprint out of engineering, following the signs to the Lookout. Eventually you reach the entrance and frantically turn the wheel to unlock the thick door. Once you finish this you pull the door open–

–and a wave of steam blasts you.
(cont)

>>32514611
(cont)
Sputtering and waving your arms at the sudden assault of heat and moisture, you open your eyes a fraction and try to peer through the thick, roiling clouds of steam that seem to have filled the Lookout. Your heart starts hammering in your chest. Was this an act of sabotage? What might have happened to Julianne? Is she still in there? Is there anyone else on board?

Your questions are answered, somewhat, when a short figure wearing some sort of face mask pushes through the steam, pulling a tall, slender, graceful middle-aged woman you recognise as Julianne from the room. It can only be Balfour. Guess now you know where he went. He motions for you to keep the door open before dragging the two of you away from the Lookout. Once you’re behind a corner he rips off the face mask. His face is beet red and glistening with sweat, his beard matted and slick. Julianne on the other hand looks decidedly worse for wear, pale, sweating and barely on her feet.

‘Thanks for getting the door lad,’ the dwarf says. ‘With all that steam I could barely make out up or down.’

>No problem
>What happened in there?
>Is Julianne okay?

>>32514633
>>No problem
>>What happened in there?
>>Is Julianne okay?

Rolled 18

>>32514633
>>What happened in there?
>>Is Julianne okay?
"Nyra sent me, what happened here, where's Julianne?"

>>32514633
‘What happened in there?’ you ask, having to strain your voice once more over the alarm.

‘Instrument burst. Flooded the entire Lookout with steam, damned valves, I knew I should have replaced them,’ Balfour seems pissed, mostly at himself.

‘Is it dangerous?’ you ask.

‘No, not now we’ve given all this steam an outlet. I’ll need to sort the piping probably but I’ll get it done.’

Your fears somewhat assuaged, you flick your gaze over to Julianne, who has propped herself against the wall and whose breathing appears to be heavy.

‘Is she okay?’ you ask worriedly, fully aware of how much she means to Kyd and Nyra. Balfour turns to her and gives the tall lady a look over before shaking his head in frustration.

‘I’m no physician but she doesn’t look great. I need to get back to Engineering, you take her to the infirmary and see about making yourself useful wherever Ryder needs an extra pair of hands most.’ You open your mouth to protest but Balfour silences you with a finger.

‘You’re a good, honest lad Cown, but you know nothing about the inner workings of this ship, not yet at least. I’m sorry but you’d only be in the way. Try the gunnery, if it’s bad enough that we’re actually taking hits they’ll probably take all the hands they can get. You understand?’

You swallow and nod once, before doing so again more firmly. Balfour claps you across the shoulder.

‘Good lad; I know you’ll see her safe. Take care out there Cown, in all my time aboard the Fortuna we’ve never been hit like this. Be careful.’ With that he turns and sprints back down towards engineering, leaving you with a most distressed looking Julianne Wynne.
(cont)

>>32515273
(cont)
Stooping over and taking care you aren’t too rough with her, you hoist her up and loop one of her arms over your shoulder, supporting her with the other. The going is slow, mostly because keeping her up is a job of itself and because some great impact rattles the ship every few moments. What in the Nine is going on out there, you wonder.

Eventually you reach the infirmary, finding that most of the beds are already occupied, one crewman appears to have been run through a blender. Doc stands over the writhing, screaming man while four others hold him down as the tree-man pulls finger-sized splinters from the wounded man’s face and throat. Blood coats the floor and you almost throw up. Fortunately you hold your meal in, finding a cot to lie Julianne on.

‘Thank you,’ she breathes, appearing even paler than before. You nod in acknowledgement, not quite sure what to say in so chaotic a situation before leaving to try and find the gunnery. Your thoughts go out to Julianne as you leave. She seems like a nice lady, and you hope Doc finds some time to tend to her.

You get no further than the end of the hall before another impact – this one larger and so rough you’re actually thrown off your feet – rocks the ship. You slam your head against a wall and black out. When you come to you see figures moving just down the corridor from you. They don’t seem like crewmen…

Your vision clears and your gut turns to ice.

The figures advancing towards you are unmistakably Visan military in their deep red and tan buttoned tunics and maroon trousers. They advance on you, one wearing a peaked cap and carrying a repeater pistol and a short sabre, the other carries a short weapon with a fat barrel that appears to open up at the end like a blooming flower, while the last wears a golden face mask set in a snarling visage who clutches a staff with a glowing orange gem, the sight of which causes your left arm to itch.

>Run
>Fight (d20 for unarmed combat)

>>32515326
>Point behind them and yell "NOW!"
>Then run

Rolled 13

>>32515326
>Fight
Get a hold of that blunderbuss!

Rolled 8

>>32515326
>>Fight (d20 for unarmed combat)
fighting retreat!

Rolled 9

>>32515326
>Fight (d20 for unarmed combat)
this is a terrible idea

>>32515518
Show off for Nyra or die trying.

Rolled 3

>>32515716
considering these rolls (disregard this roll) that may happen.

Rolled 14

>>32515326
dammit tree man told us not to do stupid shit

>>32515730
Naa this is like 2 weeks in the infirmary tops.

Rolled 14

>>32515749
so are you running or fighting, I'm assuming running right?

>>32515772
Doesn't matter anymore man, fight has the majority and frosty is probably already writing

>>32515326
Running sounds more than great to you… until you remember that the infirmary is right behind you. Doc, Julianne and the other crewmen…

‘Well it looks like I’m going to earn my eats tonight,’ assuming you live that long, a snarky little voice whispers in the back of your mind.

You charge, screaming all the way, hoping it might unnerve the oncoming attackers in some way. Predictably it has no discernable effect. The lead man lowers his pistol and squeezes the trigger but you’re already ducking, and the shot whips over your shoulders. You yelp at the closeness of the shot even as the lead man steps aside to let the one with the fat weapon take aim. You’re only two steps away but he’s already lowering the firearm and when he pulls that trigger he’s going to take you square in the gut.

So you drop into a tackle-slide that takes you into the shins of the lead man just as the one with the firearm fires. There is a loud, thundering boom, like nothing you’ve ever heard, and a lot of SOMETHING mulches the deck where your head used to be scant moments ago.

Your tackle sets the one with the sabre momentarily off-balance, but he recovers quickly and brings his sabre down in a neat chop. You roll and just barely avoid the kiss of the blade, impacting against the legs of the solder with the loud gun, who stumbles and drops on top of you. You freak out, erupting into a frenzy of punching, biting and scratching. The soldier is completely taken aback by your sudden ferocity and hastily pulls himself away from you, bearing a split lip.

He has also left his weapon. Giving your surroundings a quick glance, you find that the one with the sabre is preparing another death stroke, while the one with the staff and the mask (Nine above what is WITH this itching?) stands a few steps away, muttering words you can’t quite make out. Grasping the opportunity you…

>Grab the gun and let fly (pick a target)
>Leave the gun and get out of there

Rolled 18

>>32515827
>Grab the gun and let fly (pick a target)
The guy with the sabre

Rolled 18

>>32515827
>Grab the gun and let fly (pick a target)

Geek the mage first.

>>32515827
>Grab the gun and let fly (pick a target)
Shoot the wizard!

Rolled 17

>>32515827
>>Grab the gun and let fly (pick a target)
Fuck that mage and then the saber asshole.

>>32515827
You have no earthly idea what the muttering, the staff or the mask is all about but it can’t be anything good for you. You bring the weapon to bear on the freak and pull.

He explodes.

Literally just – pop! One second he’s standing there, larger than life and probably eight times deadlier if you left him be, the next his chest is a ruin of blood, bone and pulped organs and his limbs and disembodied head are thrown across the hallway to decorate the deck in a grim shade of red. It’s completely horrifying and the recoil almost snaps your unprepared arms like twigs.

You don’t have to luxury of being able to gawp at the carnage though, that sabre’s cutting down towards your neck and it isn’t getting any less sharp so you pull yourself into a quick roll, feeling the blade nick a few silvery hairs off your head. You come up just in front of the man you just killed and spin, turning the gun on the two soldiers, who instantly go bug-eyed and drop their weapons.

Your heart is hammering so fast in your ribcage it feels like it might actually burst from your chest at any moment now. More to the point is the fact that you’ve just killed a man. He was probably trying to kill you, but strangely enough that thought doesn’t make you feel any better about yourself. All you feel is sick, but you keep that weapon trained on the two in front of you all the same.

>Find someone in the infirmary well enough to tie these two jokers up
>Incapacitate them THEN tie them up
>Let them run, they’re unarmed

>>32516195
>Yell at them to dance

>>32516195
>>Incapacitate them THEN tie them up
Break the legs

>>32516195
>Find someone in the infirmary well enough to tie these two jokers up
"Did anybody see that!"

Rolled 2

>>32516195
>>Incapacitate them THEN tie them up
shoot them in the legs.

Rolled 9

>>32516242
do this

Blasting off their legs, so they either bleed to death, or the doc has to waste his time and supplies on them, is a stupid idea.

Rolled 1

>>32516398
is true, ok just threaten them with death if they don't surrender, via blown off legs.

>>32516398
I said break them, not blow them off

>>32516195
You keep the weapon trained on them as you decide what you’re going to do with these two clowns. You certainly can’t take them with you, and letting them go to potentially wreak havoc on the ship certainly doesn’t seem very smart either. You think about going for the infirmary to get someone to tie them up, but you’re not sure if there’ll be anyone in there able to do the job. No, it’s time for you to step up to the big leagues now.

You just need to tie them up, but even the idea of making one stand a few paces away while you do one doesn’t appeal much. You’ve not tied many knots in your life, mostly having left that to Dagg, who was much better at it, so it’d take you a while to get down, leaving the other guy with plenty of time to either scarper or snatch up his gun and do to you what you did to their masked friend lying in pieces behind you.

A thought starts to form, and you grin at the simplicity of it. You think briefly about simply shooting them in the legs, but after having seen what this weapon did to the guy with the staff, you don’t think they’d survive the ordeal. So instead, you bark at one of the two to step towards you with their arms to the side. They share a confused, worried look before the guy who carried the sabre steps up, trying to keep his face as neutral as possible.

Boy are you about to ruin his day.

You don’t want their blood on your hands particularly much, but the fact that they tried to murder you and probably would have quite happily murdered everyone else aboard this vessel doesn’t sit right with you in the least. You draw back the barrel of the weapon as far as you can go–

–and ram it as hard as you can into his crotch.

The scream that follows could have cracked glass.
(cont)

>>32516543
(cont)
Sabre-man drops, clutching his mashed testicles as his comrade winces and cups his own crotch as if he empathises with the pain. Well, he certainly will in a few moments, and you motion for him to step forward with a sadistic grin on your face. He whimpers and shakes visibly as you draw back.

A minute later you get some tape from Doc and bind the arms and legs of the two groaning soldiers before stuffing them in a corner in the infirmary, telling Doc you’ll let Ryder or someone important know about your prisoners. The tree-man seems mildly surprised to see you drag the two in, and those crewman still conscious give you a measured cheer.

You take off from the infirmary for the third time today, fairly confident that they’ll be safe for the time being, looking for signs that will point you to the gunnery. One long, winding trip through the ship later finds you on the right path and the din outside is getting even louder. You wish you’d taken a path that would have taken you past a porthole, you still have no clue what’s going on topside, and your arm is itching again…

Which is suddenly a non-issue as a burning roar reverberates through the corridor to reach your ears, along with a sudden wave of scalding heat. You turn your head and if it wasn’t suddenly so hot, your blood would be ice in your veins.

A ball of fire screams down the corridor towards you. The walls are scorched black and deck plates melt as the white hot deathspell hurtles towards you. You can just make out another leering mask behind the heat haze it throws up. Panic takes hold of you as you realise there is nowhere to run; no hole to duck into. You could dive, but that fireball would probably melt your skin from your bones it’s that hot.

>d20 for self-preservation

Rolled 20

>>32516660
"OHH SHIT!"

Rolled 7

>>32516660
Nice nat 20

>>32516733
No one roll

Nice 20

>>32516660
You squeeze your eyes shut and raise your arms in front of your face. It’s nothing more than a primitive reaction, and even as you move you know it won’t save you.

Except it does.

You hear a sound waves crashing against a sheer cliff face and hot air wraps around you. The hairs on your arms singe and you feel a tight, burning pain on your right arm that tells you the skin is blistering. Leftie, on the other hand, feels like he’s caught fire, and even as the sleeve of your shirt burns away you see swirling deep blue lines race along the contours of your arm, stretching to reach the tips of your fingers. By the end of it, you’re a little burned, scared shitless, and severely weirded out…

But you are alive.

The man in the mask stands at the end of the corridor, and you don’t doubt that beneath that mask he’s gaping. You probably would be too.

‘Surprised?’ you breathe, hoping he doesn’t notice your voice crack. ‘Me too.’

Then you lower your gun and shoot him.

As you suspected, the weapon you managed to pick from that one soldier appears less effective – and less deadly – at longer ranges. He staggers, clutching the bright red flowers that blossom on his shoulder and in his flank. You don’t take much pleasure in the act, but at least you know he’s not dead, though you doubt Doc will appreciate having to use medical supplies on a boarder.

>Take him down
>Leave him
>Freak out

>>32516936
>Take him down
fuck the boarders, lady luck didn't give us a nat 20 for nothing

Rolled 11

>>32516936
>>Take him down

>>32516936
Did we just magic?
We just magic.

>>32516936
>Take him down
Didn't we already obliterate this guy?

Rolled 19

>>32517030
different guy

>>32517102
That makes sense.

>>32517030
Different guy, sorry if that wasn't made clearer.

>>32516936
As much as the freaky tats reek of all kinds of strange, now is most certainly not the time for you to cry about it like a newborn. You dart forwards and introduce the muzzle of your new weapon to the balls of another victim. Unlike the last two, however, there is no scream. He just freezes for a second before collapsing, groaning softly and twitching as he sobs through what you don’t doubt is pain of the most exquisite kind.

Unfortunately you don’t have any tape to hand, and running back to the infirmary for more would probably take more time than it’d be ultimately worth. Instead you decide to grant a measure of mercy to the bleeding guy and deliver a swift, brutal kick to his head. He goes out like a light, and, satisfied that he’s not going anywhere, start off back in the direction of the gunnery.

As you run, you mull on what just happened. That ball of fire had to be magic. Had to be. Like airships, it was another of those things you knew existed, but never really expected to see in your lifetime, at least before the black envelope showed up in your life. As far as your knowledge extends though, it’s very powerful, and very rare, which is why those that have aptitude for it get snatched up by the government, or so Dagg claimed when you were younger.
(cont)

>>32517279
(cont)
The big, thousand–piece question though, is what you have to do with all of that. You’re certain you never showed any sort of talent for magic when you were younger, not even an inkling, and yet what saved you almost certainly had to be magic – only magic can combat magic after all, right? Then there’s this blue tattoo that’s appeared… only now it’s starting to fade, and the itching that preceded its appearance is starting to wane too, which is good, you guess.

You should probably tell someone about this, but first, you’ve got yourself a task: get to the gunnery, and see how you can help out.

But from the fact that Visan soldiers have managed to penetrate certain areas of the ship already, you fear that you might just be too late to make a difference.

And with that I think I'll call it a night. It's 3AM over here and I've got life stuff to do. Jesus dick that went on longer than I thought it would.

As always, feedback is welcome and appreciated. I hope you fine gents have enjoyed the ride, and I'll hopefully see you on the next run.

Good night (or good day even)

Rolled 13

>>32517349
Loved it, can't wait for the next installment
get some sleep man.

>>32517349
Can't wait for the next one
cant wait to fuck the elf with our magic dick

>>32517349
Great thread and just out of curiosity how badly were we supposed to get burned there?
Improvements wise i'd say run it an hour or two earlier unless that causes problems for other time zones.

>>32517349
I came at the end of the thread goddamit
>{Incoherent Screaming}

>>32517349
TECHNOMAGE ROUTE AGO GO

>>32517349
What would have happened if we rolled a Nat 1 instead of 20?

>>32517522
>I raise my han-AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH THE PAIN