First Thread: https://suptg.thisisnotatrueending.com/qstarchive/2021/5017055/

Second Thread: https://suptg.thisisnotatrueending.com/qstarchive/2022/5075730/

Aw shit here we go again

And a quick overview of the rules

Rolls
Rolls correspond to one of your character’s stats or skills and are decided by 3 rolls of 1d100. In a high-difficulty roll, the highest roll is taken. In a low-difficulty roll, the lowest roll is taken. Vice versa for a medium roll.
If a roll is lower than your character’s stat, it is successful. If a roll is higher than your character’s stat, it fails. Items are important for situationally increasing the values of these stats. This is not a game for playing naked.

Currently our character’s stats are:

Strength - 15
Agility - 10
Dexterity - 10
Toughness - 25
Intelligence - 10
Perception - 15
Charisma - 20
Willpower - 25

Criticals
A critical is either a 1 or a 100, respectively a critical success and failure. Criticals take precedence over other rolls. They are treated as an auto success/failure.

Fate Points
Fate points are points that can be used to either re-roll or auto-succeed a roll. Spend a fate point to reroll and burn one to auto-succeed. Your character has a number of fate points that regenerate once every chapter. However, burning a fate point gets rid of it permanently.

Critical successes can be saved to regenerate one fate point. However, to earn new fate points, accomplish acts that adhere to your code even in times where that code is tested. But the more fate points you earn, the harder it will be to earn them.

Be warned that fate points cannot be used to accomplish the impossible.

File: Joseph of Saintswood.pdf (71 KB, PDF)

71 KB PDF

Character Stats

Rolled 46 (1d100)

Rolled 81 (1d100)

>>5135743

Rolled 12 (1d100)

>>5135743

>>5135743
Shouldn't it be #3?

>>5136055
The first thread was number 0 because it involved character creation

Rolled 4 (1d100)

Rolling for Goblin Chief

Combat
Joseph Saintswood: 36
Goblin Chief: Underroll
…

You move, but the Goblin Chief moves first! It’s agile, as agile as it’s underlings had been, and seemed used to moving in combat too!

It rushes to the side, trying to flank you. If it manages, with it’s spear, you’d be at a disadvantage!

-- Result --

The Goblin Chief has GAINED the initiative

>Strength Action (-10 debuff, you are not in range)

>Agility Action

>Dexterity Action (-10 debuff, you are not in range)

>Toughness Action

Combat

-- Rolls --
In combat, instead of successes being determined by rolling under your stats, it is determined by if your roll is closer to being under your stat than your opponent’s roll to theirs. If your roll is under your stat, you land a successful wound on your opponent. If both of you roll under, the one who rolls under by more’s action succeeds.

--Initiative--
Initiative is what controls whether you are attacking or defending. At the beginning of the combat, you and your opponent(s) roll dexterity and the victor gains initiative for the beginning of the fight. However, initiative can be lost.

If initiative is not gained or lost in the round, it will be reassigned with an agility check.

-- Turns and Wounds --
If the attacker succeeds in their roll, they damage part of their opponent’s toughness. Once toughness reaches below 10, the defender must succeed on an independent willpower check to continue fighting. If toughness falls below 0, the defender receives a critical wound where a potentially disfiguring or lethal injury is selected from a wound chart. Alternatively, a dice roll of 1 results in giving a critical wound while a 100 results in receiving one.

If an attack is landed while defenseless, you receive a wound that reduces your toughness by 10 until the wound is healed. Strength Actions reduce your toughness by 20. Landing a blow on a defenseless opponent cedes the initiative to the opponent next round.

1/2

-- Actions --
In combat, every turn you have four possible actions to take tied to your four physical stats. Every action plays itself out differently depending on whether or not you have the initiative.

Strength Action - A heavy blow that does twice the toughness damage. All strength actions are full actions.
- With initiative, it gives the initiative to the opponent the next turn
- Without initiative, it is a desperate attack that leaves you defenseless next turn
Agility Action
- With initiative, it is a half-action outmaneuvering of the opponent that either lets you control your range or opens their defenses for the rest of the turn.
- Without initiative, it is a full-action desperate dodge
Dexterity Action
- With initiative, it is a half-action skillful blow that opens up combos
- Without initiative, it is a half-action parry that negates an enemy attack
Toughness Action
- With initiative, it’s a regenerative full-action that recovers toughness
- Without initiative, it is a full-action that tanks an opponent’s blow in return for seizing initiative the next round.

Defenselessness is a state where you cannot take actions. This also serves as a window for the other person to complete an objective outside of the fight, such as grabbing or throwing an object or running away.

If you have a half-action left, you can move in and out of range of an opponent, use any abilities you have or roll intelligence, perception, charisma, or willpower.
Intelligence - Gain a small buff to actions until parried or rendered defenseless
Perception - If on the defensive, gain a large buff on the current and next turn
Charisma - If on the offensive or your opponent is below 10 Toughness, taunt your opponent, reducing their willpower. If willpower drops below 0, they can no longer fight.
Willpower - Regain a small amount of willpower.

-- Thread 2 Changelog --

- Changed rules with shields so that AP is applied with successful actions without initiative
- Reemphasizing defenselessness after a successful agility action with initiative (since we haven’t be enforcing that)

2/2

>>5137494
>Agility Action

>>5137494
>Agility Action

>>5137494
>>Agility Action

>>5137494
Wait, stop a minute, is an uninitiative agility action so wise? Wouldn't Toughness again be the better play?

Changing my vote >>5137785 to
>Toughness Action

It's as 25% chance than the 10% agility action on Easy (I'm not gonna speculate on the odds of a medium roll, and a hard is basically impossible for us, so if we intentionally got ourselves into a hard fight, there isn't any hope of winning).

>>5137494
>Agility Action

You move to counter it, side-stepping to keep pace with it …

>Roll 3 1d100’s for agility, medium roll

Rolled 14 (1d100)

>>5139788

Rolled 85 (1d100)

>>5139788

Rolled 82 (1d100)

Rolling for Goblin Chief

Combat
Joseph Saintswood: 3
Goblin Chief: 72
…

The Goblin moves, but you move to meet it, until it thrusts out with it’s spear. But it’s tired. You are too, but even then your stamina far outstrips it. The spear fails to find it’s mark …

>Roll 1d100 for initiative, medium roll

Rolled 69 (1d100)

>>5141208

Rolled 40 (1d100)

>>5141208

Rolled 8 (1d100)

>>5141208

Rolled 88 (1d100)

Rolling for Goblin Chief

Combat
Joseph Saintswood: 30
Goblin Chief: 78
…

The Goblin Chief’s thrust left it out of balance for a split second, overextended. You were green, but not green enough to miss an opportunity that big. You move in for the kill …

-- Result ---

You have GAINED the initiative!

>Strength Action (-10 debuff, you are not in range)

>Agility Action

>Dexterity Action (-10 debuff, you are not in range)

>>5141839
>Strength Action (-10 debuff, you are not in range)

I still think that despite the debuff that this is still our best play.

>>5141839
>>Strength Action (-10 debuff, you are not in range)

>>5141839
>>Strength Action (-10 debuff, you are not in range)

>>5141839
>Agility Action

>>5141839
>Strength Action (-10 debuff, you are not in range)

If you can end a fight in one blow, you will! You swing your falchion in an arc above your head before bringing it down on the Goblin ...

>Roll 3 1d100's for strength, medium roll

Rolled 49 (1d100)

>>5143276

Rolled 57 (1d100)

>>5143276

Rolled 34 (1d100)

>>5143276

Rolled 33 (1d100)

Rolling for Goblin Chief

Rolled 26 (1d100)

Rolling for Goblin again

Combat
Joseph Saintswood: 34
Goblin Chief: 23
…

In a move more skillful than you would have expected, The Goblin knocks away the blade of your falchion. It stares at you, desperately looking for a way out. But it’s only prolonging the inevitable …

It thrusts it’s spear at you with all the power it can muster!

-- Result --

You have LOST the initiative!

>Strength Action (-10 debuff, you are not in range)

>Agility Action

>Dexterity Action (-10 debuff, you are not in range)

>Toughness Action

>>5144992
>Toughness Action

>>5144992
>Agility Action

>>5144992
>>Toughness Action

>>5144992
>Agility Action

>>5144992
>Toughness Action

You brace yourself and raise your shield to absorb the blow!

>Roll 3 1d100's for toughness, medium roll

Rolled 39 (1d100)

>>5146447

Rolled 89 (1d100)

>>5146447

Rolled 61 (1d100)

>>5146447

Rolled 57 (1d100)

Rolling for Goblin Chief

Combat
Joseph Saintswood: 37
Goblin Chief: 47
…

The Goblin’s spear hits your shield, deflecting off it’s slightly curved surface. If you were unarmored, it would have gravely wounded you but having braced yourself, it was as feeble as a blow from a willow switch ...

-- Result --

You have 14/25 Toughness left

You have GAINED the initiative!

>Strength Action (-10 debuff, you are not in range)

>Agility Action

>Dexterity Action (-10 debuff, you are not in range)

>Toughness Action

>>5147604
>Strength Action (-10 debuff, you are not in range)

Again, our best chance at hitting even with the debuff.

>>5147604

>Strength Action (-10 debuff, you are not in range)

>>5147604
>>Strength Action (-10 debuff, you are not in range

>>5147604
>Agility Action

>>5147604
>Strength Action (-10 debuff, you are not in range)

You were far stronger, but the goblin was an agile beast and having the initiative was an advantage you could ill afford to waste ...

>Roll 1d100's for strength, medium roll

Rolled 46 (1d100)

>>5149492

Rolled 5 (1d100)

>>5149492

>>5149679
>>5149840
Based rollers!

Rolled 88 (1d100)

Rolling for Goblin Chief

Rolled 9 (1d10)

Rolling damage for falchion

Combat
Joseph Saintswood: Underroll
Goblin Chief: 78

Damage: 9 x 2 (strength) + 5 (cleaving) = 23
…

You bring your falchion down on the Goblin, cleaving through the tattered remnants of it’s armor and cleaving through it’s collarbone. It’s squeal is cut into a wet gurgle as the falchion shears through it’s lungs. The goblin coughs out a cup’s worth of blood before collapsing.

-- CONCLUSION --

You have 14/25 Toughness
You have 3/5 Fate Points

Peer Enemy SLAIN. You are 1/2 Peer Enemies to the next level of swordplay.

Loot Received
Armor: Iron Helmet
Armor Points: 35
Weight: Heavy (-10 willpower checks)
Quality: Common
Attributes:
Iron: Is brittle and can be penetrated by heavy weapons
Helmet: AP only counts towards blows to the head
Open-Faced: Does not protect against minor wounds

Weapon: Iron Spear
Damage: 1d5 sharp
Weight: Medium
Quality: Shoddy
Range: Medium

================================================================================

As you drag the goblin off your blade, Hadhan slaps you on the back.

“A good kill.” He says, “To be honest, I didn’t expect you to kill it so easily. Usually blooding involves well … blooding!”

“I’m blooded now right?” You ask, just to make sure.

“Kneel.” Hadhan commands. You comply. Hadhan pricks his thumb with his dagger, drawing a trickle of blood. He touches the blood to your forehead, drawing three lines.

“Now you are marked, a brother of the Black Hounds in both name and blood. We can talk about what that entitles you to later.” Hadhan says.

“I see.” You get up.

“There’s a ceremony when we get back to the main force, but we can leave the formalities for later.” Hadhan says.

You nod, staring at the corpse of the Goblin Chief …

>”The Goblin, it spoke and asked for mercy …” (Follow your code)

>”Foul creature” Kick it’s corpse

>That was it? It was easier than you expected.

>Ask Hadhan how he was blooded

>>5150962
>”The Goblin, it spoke and asked for mercy …” (Follow your code)
>Ask Hadhan how he was blooded

About time we were blooded.

>>5150962
>>Ask Hadhan how he was blooded

>>5150962
>>”The Goblin, it spoke and asked for mercy …” (Follow your code)

>>5150962
> ”The Goblin, it spoke and asked for mercy …” (Follow your code)

>>5150962
>”The Goblin, it spoke and asked for mercy …” (Follow your code)

Then, if possible,

>Ask Hadhan how he was blooded

Credit to Noir, this quest is still pretty good since I had pause a month ago.

>>5151737
Aww, thanks!

“How were you blooded?” You ask Hadhan.

“First over the city wall in the siege of Mere.” Hadhan proudly said, “That was a real war, a war between kingdoms. Not this spat over the lawns of highborns.”

You weren’t sure where Mere was. The name sounded Lysais. You knew Lysais was a big kingdom, so if it had been the kingdom at war, it must have been a big war indeed.

You stare around the battlefield, a trickle of blood running down your face. It was the scene of a slaughter. Most of the goblins hadn’t had a chance to put up a fight against Hadhan and Schni. It was only where you had fought that there were signs of a struggle.

You stare at the Goblin Chief, sprawled out on the ground. “It asked for mercy …”

“And you gave it no quarter.” Hadhan laughed. It’s just a goblin.

>It was just a goblin … and yet something about killing it didn’t sit right with you (+1 Fate Point, -5 Willpower)

>It was just a goblin. Staring at it’s corpse, you realize you feel nothing (Burn one fate point, gain +5 increase to a stat of your choice.

>You can’t decide how to feel about this. (Potential Code change)

>The Goblins were attacking an innocent merchant. They had it coming.

>>5152028
Quick question before I decide Noir. That -5 Willpower, is that a permanent stat change?

>>5152039
It won't go away at the end of the round, but there'll be other events like this where you can earn it back and then some.

>>5152050
Yea, I don't know how I feel about changing up out stats. An extra fate point would undeniably be useful, and we haven't had much use of Willpower yet, but Willpower is also what I'd consider as an essential characteristic for Joseph, and with the Iron Helmet debuff it would render one of our only non-shit stats into our other subpar 10 stats, which honestly makes me debate whether we should even wear the damn thing, even if I rationally figure that the 35 armor points would be worth it.

It's a tough call. I'll think on this some more, maybe sleep on it.

File: 1634684358631.png (594 KB, 693x710)

594 KB PNG

>It was just a goblin. Staring at it’s corpse, you realize you feel nothing (Burn one fate point, gain +5 increase to a stat of your choice.

Strength. It was just a goblin and the only way thing to feel about killing them is a bit of resistance when the sword goes in

>>5152028
After much consideration, and with no clear preferable choice… I think Joseph isn’t someone to lose too much sleep about killing a goblin. After all, we’ve already killed a normal man and several goblins; their captain on top seems.

Small.

We didn’t feel anything about the rest of them; it’d be weird to start now.

>It was just a goblin. Staring at it’s corpse, you realize you feel nothing (Burn one fate point, gain +5 increase to a stat of your choice

(I think Str or Willpower makes the most sense here. Today has been a murderous day.)

>>5152028
>It was just a goblin. Staring at it’s corpse, you realize you feel nothing (Burn one fate point, gain +5 increase to a stat of your choice.

Should have never crawled from it's stinking hole

>>5152028
>>You can’t decide how to feel about this. (Potential Code change)

>>5152028
>>You can’t decide how to feel about this. (Potential Code change)

>You have burned 1 Fate Point. You have 3/4 Fate Points remaining.
>You have gained 5 strength

Staring at the Goblin’s corpse, you realize you feel nothing. You had killed before, not many, but you had. But it had been in the heat of battle, and they hadn’t asked for mercy beforehand. Still after killing normal men, the death of a Goblin, even a speaking Goblin, felt … small.

You were still far from heartless, you reassured yourself. You weren’t like Hadhan yet, a casual killer who jested and laughed after a battle.

It was just a Goblin.

“Finished playing with your prey?” Schni calls out as she entered the light of the Goblin’s bonfire, a slightly disapproving look on her face. Behind her was Blotto, who had emerged from hiding.

“Wiping off the wet behind Joseph’s ears.” Hadhan replies nonchalantly, “Are all the goblins that fled taken care of?”

“They are all dead, yes.” Schni replies.

“Good.” Hadhan smiles, “And now for our payment …”

You look over the cargo of the Halfling’s cart, spilled across the ground. That had been the price for your help, your pick of the cart’s cargo …

>A bag of Cinnamon

>A bottle of Fragrant Incense

>A keg of beer that hadn’t been for sale

>A pair of leather boots

>A fine fire-starting kit

>Refuse payment. Consider it a favor owed. (Follow your Code)

>>5154063
>Refuse payment. Consider it a favor owed. (Follow your Code)

But if that vote fails, I’d take the keg.

>>5154063
>>Refuse payment. Consider it a favor owed. (Follow your Code)

>>5154063
>>A keg of beer that hadn’t been for sale

>>5154063
>Refuse payment. Consider it a favor owed. (Follow your Code)

Don’t monetise our favours. The boots look nice, but not that nice.

>>5154063
>Refuse payment. Consider it a favor owed. (Follow your Code)

I fully accept Hadhan will laugh at us for this.

================================================================================

>You followed your code and didn’t ask Blotto the Halfling for pay. In doing so, you progressed 2/2 towards a fate point. Be warned that a man cannot feed himself on good deeds alone.

+1 Fate Point

================================================================================

“So? What will it be?” Blotto asks, wringing his hands.

Staring over the spilled cargo, you see all manner of trade goods. Mostly baubles you couldn’t name, as well as a few luxurious items, but also some supplies that might come to be useful in the future. But there was nothing worth having risked your life for.

You sigh. “Consider it a favor owed.”

“R-really?” Blotto stutters, “You’d do all this for no pay?”

“Ain’t no pay. You owe me a favor.” You protest.

“Thank you.” Blotto says, “I’ll remember this.”

“A strange choice of pay, but every man must live what he believes in.” Hadhan says, “As for me, I’ll be taking this handsome purse …” Hadhan picks up a coin purse, drawing a silver piece out of it.

“I’m not taking anything either.” Schni announces.

“Thank you, kind friends, for helping me recover my cart.” Blotto says, “There’s just one more thing …
…

With the combined strength of you, Hadhan, and Schni, you managed to tip the cart back up. The cart was surprisingly light, owing to it’s masterful woodwork, more a wooden frame with the gaps filled in by thin panels than a proper cart. You had heard that Halflings were well known for their woodwork.

“Will you be fine from here?” You ask Blotto.

“I’ll manage,” Blotto sighs, “I’ll just need to wait for the next caravan to pass by.”

“What if more goblins come?” Schni asks.

Blotto sighs. “I’ll just have to see if I can drive them off with my crossbow. With the goods that were spoiled here, I’ll starve if I pay you to escort this cart somewhere safe …”

>Why don’t you accompany us to the next town? Not as a client, but as a traveling companion.

>I see. Best of luck to you then.

>>5156454
>Why don’t you accompany us to the next town? Not as a client, but as a traveling companion.

He doesn't have the best of luck traveling alone.

>>5156454
Also, make sure we get those goblin ears.

>>5156454
>Why don’t you accompany us to the next town? Not as a client, but as a traveling companion.

>>5156478
Ditto to this too.

>>5156454
>Why don’t you accompany us to the next town? Not as a client, but as a traveling companion.

“Why don’t you accompany us to the next town?” You ask Blotto, “You don’t have the best of luck traveling by yourself.”

“B-but my cart …” Blotto protests.

“Hide your chart with bushes. You can buy a new horse the next village over and then come back when it’s bright.”

Blotto sighs, then relents. “Alright. I suppose that’s the sensible way to go about things.”

While Blotto sets about hiding his cart with bushes and smearing mud over the gaudy paint, you begin cutting off the ears of goblins.

“You’re a copper counter, just like Farthorn.” Hadhan comments. You notice that Schni is looking away, refusing to watch your grisly work.

Finally, Blotto is finished with his attempt to hide his cart. He had pushed it into a ditch and built a veritable barrow on top of it. You had heard that Halflings were good at hiding, but you hadn’t heard anything about them being skilled in concealing other things. Although you had heard that they lived in hills. Watching Blotto’s handiwork, you wonder if they found hills to live in or if they built their own …

“Let’s set off then.” Hadhan says, “If we keep a good pace, we might be able to catch a few hours of sleep.”

With none dissenting, the group sets off back towards your distant campsite. But only a bit after the light of the Goblin bonfire had faded in the distance, you hear hoofbeats on the road coming from behind you. Far down the road is the light of a torch …

“Riders.” Hadhan hisses, “Hide!”

>Roll a 1d100 for stealth (agi), medium roll

Rolled 70 (1d100)

>>5158715

Rolled 46 (1d100)

>>5158715

Rolled 99 (1d100)

>>5158715

>46, target 10: Failure

You dive into a ditch on the side of the road. It was an irrigation ditch, and muddy. But despite your best efforts, the riders must have caught a glimpse of you as they stop close to where you hid.

You get aglimpse of the riders. Two men-at-arms it seemed, wearing thick aketons with iron helmets. They didn’t wear any sigil you recognized. Their torchlight barely missed where you were hidden. If you remained where you were, there was a high chance you would be seen …

>Try to remain hidden (Agility check, hard roll)

>Open fire with your crossbow (Dexterity check, medium roll)

>>5159909
I guess you really want us to fight these men, huh Noir?
>Open fire with your crossbow (Dexterity check, medium roll)
I'm not happy about fighting these men, but I doubt we'll be better off losing the advantage of surprise and getting run down or arrested as either a mercenary or a poacher.

>>5159909
>Open fire with your crossbow (Dexterity check, medium roll)

>>5159909
>>Open fire with your crossbow (Dexterity check, medium roll)

You didn’t want to fight these men, but you didn’t want to be caught and tried as a poacher or bandit either. And knowing the kind of justice that was commonplace on the land of most Lords, you doubt you’d be tried at all.

If you were caught, it’d be a grisly fate for you. So you raise your crossbow …

>Roll 3 1d100’s for dexterity, easy roll (roll difficulty reduced due to distance between target)

Rolled 51 (1d100)

>>5161053

Rolled 51 (1d100)

>>5161053

Rolled 58 (1d100)

>>5161053

>>5161254
>>5161262
>duo 51

The fucking odds. Seems the Dice Gods didn't want to differentiate between medium and easy, huh Noir?

Despite being right next to your target, your crossbow’s bolt misses the mark. You curse.

“Who … reveal yourself, knave!” One of the men-at arms cries out. They both draw swords and shine their torchlight on your hiding spot, revealing you …

>Call to Hadhan and Schni for help

>No, you’ll settle this yourself

>>5162282
>Call to Hadhan and Schni for help

Was that settling this ourselves a joke option? With our shitty skills, ruined armor, and a short-ranged falchion, fighting two men-at-arms on horses, with working chainmail, carrying better ranged swords? Yes, I clearly choose the option that won't get us immediately beheaded.

>>5162282
>>Call to Hadhan and Schni for help

>>5162282
>Call to Hadhan and Schni for help

>>5162282
>Call to Hadhan and Schni for help

“Hadhan Schni, to me!” you call out, bursting from hiding and drawing your falchion. You had miscalculated, but it would always have been safer to strike first against these sons of whores than to pray that they passed you over. Hopefully, your two comrades would help you clean up your mess …

Combat: Mounted Men-At-Arms x 2
Goal: Survive until help arrives (One Round)

Mounted on horse, the two of them were more agile than you. But you could tell they weren’t horsemen, just foot soldiers given mounts, and they were clumsy in the handling of their beasts. Before they brought their horses under control, you would have the initiative …

>Roll 3 1d100’s for initiative, easy roll

Rolled 57 (1d100)

>>5165107

Rolled 29 (1d100)

>>5165107

Rolled 97 (1d100)

>>5165107

Rolled 82 (1d100)

Rolling initiative for Men-At-Arms

Initiative
Joseph Saintswood: 19
Men-At-Arms: 72

You have the initiative
…

You throw yourself at the horsemen, falchion drawn. Your only goal was to survive until Hadhan and Schni saved your buttocks from being tanned into jerky, but a good offense might be the best defense for you …

>Strength Action (-10 debuff, you are not in range)

>Agility Action

>Dexterity Action (-10 debuff, you are not in range)

>Toughness Action

Reminder that your toughness is still not full

>>5165669
>Agility Action

>>5165669
>>Agility Action

>>5165669
>Agility Action

>>5165669
>Strength Action (-10 debuff, you are not in range)

You lads smoking the halfling's pipeweed or something? Strength is always our best chance at getting out of this alive, never Agility. Hell, regenerating some of our toughness to full with a Toughness action would've been a better play.

Your best bet was getting closer to the Men-At-Arms. Mounted, they had a height and reach advantage that you needed to reduce as much as possible ...

>Roll 3 1d100's for agility, medium roll

Rolled 99 (1d100)

>>5167362

Rolled 29 (1d100)

>>5167362

Rolled 87 (1d100)

>>5167362

Rolled 58 (1d100)

Rolling for Men-At-Arms

Combat
Joseph Saintswood: 77
Men-At-Arms: 38
…

Your sudden appearance scares the horses. Skittish animals, they must have been repurposed farmhorses instead of proper warhorses. The closest Man-At-Arms pulls on his reins, barely managing to wheel his horse around and out of the arc of your swing. A narrow miss …

>Roll 3 1d100s for initiative, easy roll

Rolled 38 (1d100)

>>5167986

Rolled 55 (1d100)

>>5167986

Rolled 7 (1d100)

>>5167986

Rolled 29 (1d100)

Rolling for Men-At-Arms

Initiative
Joseph Saintswood: Underroll
Men-At-Arms: 9

You have GAINED the initiative
You have GAINED a free half-action
…

Horses were fast beasts, but also clumsy and if you moved first, there was the briefest instant that was completely yours before the riders could bring their animals to bear. And in that brief instant … you acted!

>Strength Action (-10 debuff, you are not in range)

>Agility Action

>Dexterity Action (-10 debuff, you are not in range)

>Toughness Action

>>5168771
>Agility Action, then Strength Action

Agility Action should be the free half action, but no matter what, we need to commit to a Strength Action this turn.

>>5168771
Support: >>5168812

>>5168812
+1

You needed to close the distance to leverage your falchion and for that you needed to rush in close. With inexperienced riders, the horses would be slow to back up …

>Roll 3 1d100’s for agility half-action, easy roll

Rolled 15 (1d100)

>>5169844

Rolled 97 (1d100)

>>5169844

Rolled 79 (1d100)

>>5169844

Rolled 21 (1d100)

Rolling for Men-At-Arms

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Combat
Joseph Saintswood: 5
Men-At-Arms: 1
…

The Men-At-Arms seem to be able to tell that they couldn’t avoid your attack. One of them swings a roundshield at your falchion, knocking it aside in a half-decent parry. The other draws a shortsword and rides around to flank you. A shortsword wasn’t the best weapon on horseback, but there were still two of them and one of you. Where were Hadhan and Schni?

-- Result --

You have 1 action left

>Use a half-action to counter the Men-At-Arms remaining half-action

>Attack and let them respond

>Wait for their next move to respond optimally (Men-At-Arms gain the initiative)

>Attack simultaneously. You’re sure you’ll come out the better …

>>5171283
>Attack and let them respond

Fun.

>>5171283
>>Attack and let them respond

>>5171283
>>Attack and let them respond

>>5171283
Attack and let them respond

You were still in as disadvantageous a position as you had been before. But the Men-At-Arms had chosen to stand their guard so at least you were closer. Close enough to attack full force!

>Roll 3 1d100's for strength, medium roll

Rolled 43 (1d100)

>>5174146

Rolled 62 (1d100)

>>5174146

>>5174146

Rolled 53 (1d100)

>>5174146

Rolled 9 (1d100)

Rolling for Men-At-Arms

Combat
Joseph Saintswood: 27
Men-At-Arms: 0

You swing your falchion, but the closest rider manages to just barely ride out of the way. By now, you had learned that horsemen were dangerous. If you ever faced them again, you would use your spear.

Now you had lost the initial wind you had, the element of surprise. It would be an equal struggle. Equal, except there was one of you and two of them.

At that exact moment, Hadhan chooses to emerge from hiding and hamstring a rider from behind. At the same time, Schni rushes forwards into a catlike leap, landing on the other rider’s back and pulling him off his horse. You had exchanged blows with the two riders, but Hadhan and Schni had used one blow each to kill them. There was a gap in deadliness between you and the rest of the band. You hoped that it was just Hadhan’s elite band that was so. If the entirety of the Black Hounds was like this, then you would have joined something way out of your league …

-- CONCLUSION --

You have 14/25 Toughness
You have 3/5 Fate Points

2/2 Men-At-Arms SLAIN BY ALLIES

================================================================================

“Why didn’t you help earlier?” You ask Hadhan.

“We were getting into position.” Hadhan says, “Waiting for you to attract their attention away from me and Schni so we could kill them in one blow. Otherwise it could have been messy.”

Judging from Hadhan’s voice, he was telling the truth as far as you could tell. Perhaps that was true. Something that you thought of as effortless could really be the result of much preparation in the shadows.

You look over the corpses of the Men-At-Arms. They hadn’t even had the chance to scream.

>They had quite nice gear. You could do with a new shortsword.

>If you’re found bearing their equipment, it’ll be the noose for you.

>It seems Blotto’s horses had just supplied themselves.

>These men were just doing their job. They deserved a burial at least. (Follow your code, lose rest tonight.)

>>5176542
>>If you’re found bearing their equipment, it’ll be the noose for you.

>>5176542
>These men were just doing their job. They deserved a burial at least. (Follow your code, lose rest tonight.)


I fear ill moralfag Joseph into then grave.

>>5176542
>They had quite nice gear. You could do with a new shortsword.
>These men were just doing their job. They deserved a burial at least. (Follow your code, lose rest tonight.)

>>5176542
Take the sword, hide the rest of the stuff. Bury the bodies for our code but also hides the evidence. Give blotto the horse unless it can be ftraced back to the riders.

>>5176548
I'll kindly remind you that our armor was ruined to shit by the fucking goblins.

Those Men-At-Arms hadn’t even had a chance to scream. You did not envy their lot. But on the other hand, they were dead now. They had had good gear too, castle-forged steel. They wouldn’t need that where they were going.

You strip a shortsword off one of the corpses. Emblazoned their aketon was a metal gauntlet.

“Which Lord’s sigil is this?” You ask.

“House Stulph I believe.” Hadhan replies. “Lords of a land to the south of here, and known for their uncompromising stance towards brigands.”

“Seems to be a common theme around these parts.” You say.

Hadhan laughs. “It is so, but even if we claimed to be honest sellswords, what would we say when they asked us which company we served? Such claims could be easily ascertained.”

“Are they involved in this war too?”

“Yes, as bannermen to our enemy, Count Visihrod”

“When did we cross out of our host’s land?” You ask.

“Zuflucht?” Hadhan asked, “We didn’t. It’s strange, but not unheard of to see the vassals of a liege lord trespassing on the land of another. Crows they are, continually searching for weakness.”

“Unless they were given a mandate to keep order across land wider than their fief.” Blotto pipes in.

Hadhan stares at the Halfling. “A Lord’s land is sacrosanct. Why would Zuflucht tolerate another man’s lackeys in his domain.”

Blotto shrugs. “Just hearsay I heard in a tavern. I’ve been hanging around these parts since before this war. I’d have moved on if not for the heavy trade here …”

“Zuflucht made no mention of this.” Hadhan rubs his chin, “How worrying …”
…

Loot Received
Weapon: Iron Shortsword
Damage: 1d10 sharp
Weight: Light
Quality: Common
Range: Knife/Short
Bonuses: +5 to all stats
Attributes:
Iron Blade - Cannot be sharpened further

Gear Slots: 5/4 (Falchion, Heater Shield, Crossbow Spear, Shortsword)
Encumbrance: 30/15, -15 to all stats
This is a new system I implemented to prevent hammerspace syndrome, so I won’t actually be applying the penalty until you have a chance to sell extra gear at a fair price.

================================================================================

“Poor devils.” You mutter. Even after looting their corpses, something struck you about the corpses laying in front of you. These men were just doing their job. They deserved a burial at least.

“Pity for the fallen, eh?” Hadhan muses as he watches you dig a grave.

“They deserve it, at the very least.” You say.

Hadhan shrugs. “If you ask me, the day you decide to live by the sword is the day you gift your carcass to the wolves and crows.”

To his credit, he doesn’t stop you and even waits for you. It was exhausting work, especially without a chance to rest after the night’s battles.

As you throw the last clod of dirt on top of the bodies, you mutter a quick prayer.

“Oh Lady of Mercy, safeguard the weak who seek succor from you.”

You notice that Schni bows her head in a silent prayer of her own.

================================================================================

>You followed your code and buried the bodies of men you did not know, even more, men you had slain yourself. When you die by the sword, will your foe afford you the same courtesy?

You are now 1/5 towards your next fate point.
+2 Piety

================================================================================

“So what do we do with the horses?” You ask Hadhan.

Hadhan thinks. “It’s too risky to keep them. If they find their way back to the stable without their riders, we might as well ride them to the noose. Lead them into a field and kill them. Try to pass it off as goblin work.”

Your stomach turned at the thought of killing more today. But slaughtering animals was your trade, or at least it would have been in another life. This much, you could steel yourself for.

You do as Hadhan tells, leading the beasts into the closest field, far enough that the road is no longer visible. You stroke the necks of the two animals, giving them a last comfort before the blade descends. A chop to the back of the neck would be the right way, you decide. Certain death, and painless besides, if you severed the nerve …

You had never killed a horse before. They were too valuable of animals, even in the hungriest of times. There was always game to be had in the woods before anyone would have resorted to eating a horse. Besides, you wouldn’t even be making use of the carcass. You’d leave it for the carrion crows, and the Gods knew that they had their fill to eat in these times …

By the Saintess, why were you getting so sentimental over mere animals?

>Spare and free them (Follow your code)

>Kill them and be done with it …

>... Butcher what you can. Tonight’s meal will be in their honor.

>>5179195
>Spare and free them (Follow your code)

Had I known that it was between Blotto or death, I would have chosen Blotto.

>>5179195
>... Butcher what you can. Tonight’s meal will be in their honor.

Could have just easily died in the fight. At least get some use out of them. It's a form of respect.

>>5179195
>.. Butcher what you can. Tonight’s meal will be in their honor.

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Sorry for the sparse updates. It's been a busy week.

Drawing your falchion, you deliver a sharp blow to the back of one horse’s head. It immediately collapses, convulsing. But you knew it couldn’t feel anything as the spine was neatly severed. A stroke later and the other horse was the same way.

A thousand pounds of flesh wasted. But it didn’t have to be this way. After a moment’s thought, you draw your cleaver from your belt. Tonight’s meal would be in their honor …
…

“What took you so long?” Hadhan asks. You return to where they had been waiting two heavy packs of meat more. By the time you had returned, the sun was a dull orange.

“It seemed a waste.” You apologize.

“Is that dinner? Isn’t horse meat tough?” Hadhan complains.

“I’ll do what I can with it.” You promise.

With that, you begin heading back to where Ingmyr and Farthorn had camped …

>Talk to Hadhan. You feel that he knows more than he lets on about this war …

>Talk to Schni. She had displayed strange behaviour after the battle. It was almost as if she was averse to killing …

>Talk to Blotto. He knows the lay of this land better than any of you.

>Hold your peace. The walk back will be quicker for it …

>>5181370
>Talk to Blotto. He knows the lay of this land better than any of you.

>>5181370
>Talk to Schni. She had displayed strange behaviour after the battle. It was almost as if she was averse to killing …

I think I said last thread, I want to know whats up with her.

>>5181370
>Talk to Schni. She had displayed strange behaviour after the battle. It was almost as if she was averse to killing …

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Over the course of the journey back to the camp, you find yourself walking alongside Schni. You didn’t know any members of this band well, but Schni especially was an enigma to you. Even as lethal as she was, compared to the others, she seemed out of place. There was a casual-ness about their violence that she seemed to lack …

“Joseph, you’re staring at me. Is something wrong?” Schni asks.

“No, I was just thinking!” You quickly answer. “Would you mind if I asked you something?”

“Depends.” Schni says, her voice assuming a more guarded and prickly tone. “What are you asking?”

“It almost seems … if you don’t like killing.” You say.

“Ah, is that so?” Schni relaxes slightly. “I don’t.”

“Strange for a sellsword.” You point out.

“True, but a knife doesn’t choose to be sharpened.” Schni replies.

“I don’t understand what you mean by that.” You say.

“Perhaps someday you will.” Schni tersely replies.

You think on Schni’s words for a few seconds. “Are you saying you didn’t choose to be a sellsword?”

“No, that I chose.”

“... So you didn’t choose to learn how to use your knife?” You take Schni’s silence as a yes.

Why didn’t you just learn how to live another way? You almost ask. But you stop yourself. It was a stupid question to ask. Other than the life of a sellsword, you only knew your one trade, butchery. And you wouldn’t call yourself an especially skilled sellsword. The truth was, this world wasn’t a kind enough one where a young girl would have her pic of mentors to teach her a peaceful trade.

>Where did you learn to use a knife then? (Charisma check)

>You seem to dislike killing, but I don’t see you frowning in battle.

>What do you think of the rest of the Band then? They chose to be killers.

>You won’t say any more. You think you’ve learned enough for today.

>Write-in

>>5182966
>>Where did you learn to use a knife then? (Charisma check)

Eh fuck it, we fail every other check, maybe well win one.

>>5182966
>>Where did you learn to use a knife then? (Charisma check)

>>5182966
>Where did you learn to use a knife then? (Charisma check)

“It’s rare to see women on the battlefield, much less ones as skilled as you.” You say, “They don’t teach knifeplay like that just anywhere. Where did you learn to use a knife like that?”

>Roll 3 1d100’s for charisma, medium roll

Rolled 54 (1d100)

>>5185131
Rolling

>>5185131
rollan

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Rolled 86 (1d100)

>>5185182
i forgot the roll part

Rolled 92 (1d100)

>>5185131

Rolled 19 (1d100)

>>5185131

>>5185784
Unfortunately I can't accept that roll.

“What makes you think I needed to be taught.” Schni coldly retorts. “You’d be surprised by the caliber of the women you’ll meet in this profession. Our songs are often neglected, but that is the fault of the minstrels and no fault of ours.”

You decide not to press the issue. Clearly, her past was a sensitive topic. But despite what Schni said, you doubt that she had taught herself her knifeplay. Her movements were too practiced, the moves of a dancer instead of a brawler. And she was hardly old enough to develop her skills to such a degree. You’d bet money on Schni being a few years younger than you. That had to mean she was either taught, or that she had been fighting ever since she was a small child. You didn’t want to believe the second option.

You were slightly disgruntled that Schni was so guarded about her past, especially when you had been so free with talking about yours. It was a mystery to you that you could not help but want to learn more about. Was it so horrible that she could not talk about it?

“And you? Did anyone teach you how to swing that falchion of yours?” Schni asks.

“I didn’t know I gave off the feeling of being taught.” You say.

“You’d be surprised.” Schni tells you, “Sometimes there’s not much of a difference between a castle-trained squire fresh to real war and a farmhand who’s just picked up a sword and stumbled their way onto a battlefield. If the squire hasn’t tempered their haughtiness, I’d put the odds on the farmhand four times out of ten.”

“Is that so?” Coming from Schni, you’ll take that as a compliment.

Schni sighs. “Do you ever get tired of this? The constant hardship of the march only to find battle at the end?”

>An indescribable weariness comes over you … (-5 Willpower, follow your Code)

>You thought that there would be more glory in this, that picking up a sword make you like the heroes of song.

>Compared to living on the Eastern Frontier, the hardship is more than bearable. With conditions in the Central Duchies, you’re surprised more don’t pick up the sword.

>It’s a living, that’s all you can ask the Gods for in this world. That and a sword. (Burn one Fate Point, +5 willpower, +5 to a stat of your choice)

>>5186212
>>Compared to living on the Eastern Frontier, the hardship is more than bearable. With conditions in the Central Duchies, you’re surprised more don’t pick up the sword.

>>5186212
>Compared to living on the Eastern Frontier, the hardship is more than bearable. With conditions in the Central Duchies, you’re surprised more don’t pick up the sword.

>>5186212
>It’s a living, that’s all you can ask the Gods for in this world. That and a sword. (Burn one Fate Point, +5 willpower, +5 to a stat of your choice)

>>5186212
>It’s a living, that’s all you can ask the Gods for in this world. That and a sword. (Burn one Fate Point, +5 willpower, +5 to a stat of your choice)

This seems a good trade.

Damn this is our first tie in a while.

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Alright since we're at the bottom of the catalog I'll end the thread here. If the tie is broken for it, we'll do the leveling next time.

The past few threads have been very combat-heavy so I'll try to make the next thread more plot heavy. New thread saturday-ish probably.

Thanks for playing anons!

>>5188952
Always a pleasure, and looking forward to some plot advancement

>>5188952
It's always nice questing with ya Noir!