GURPS Banestorm PBBB narrative thread

@nimelennar @Daaksyde @Mitchell @William_George @daneel

GM POST

Aronn turns to face you.

“I told you previously that I collect these objects in order to prevent them from falling into the hands of those who would misuse them, yes?”

“Those are the agents of one such person, and he is far more dangerous than whatever it is that has us trapped in this room.”

He pauses for a coughing fit, covered by a hand that comes away bloody afterwards.

“The contents of the box are of no particular power by themselves. A simple ring, that grants some minor magic.”

“But that ring was created as a part of a great magical weapon, so terrible that it was designed to be controlled by a group rather than a single person. It was split into many parts, each given to a trusted elder.”

“The master of those above is attempting to collect all of the pieces of this weapon. If he seized this ring, there would be only one more left to find before he achieved his goal.”

Aronn pauses to catch his breath.

“We cannot allow this to happen. We must fight our way out of here, yet arrive at the surface sufficiently intact to defeat the hunters above. They are sure to be formidable warriors.”

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Ranar Bolijyr

Listening to Aronn’s answer, Ranar caught his mind wandering. Reminds me of the golem of the five goatriders, said to be powerful enough to conquer whole kingdoms by itself if the five of them could work together. I wonder if the owner of the ring likewise decided it would be less bother to settle down and open a cheese market instead.

“They ain’t plannin’ on sellin’ us goat cheese.” he agreed. “And we didn’t pack enough supplies for a siege, so we’d best not get trapped down here by them.”

Nicolas de Courcy

“It won’t be a siege. They have no idea what’s happening down here, they won’t know if we’re coming out or were killed. They may wait a time for an easy ambush, but they want the ring so they will come in.”

De Courcy moves over to the table, and gestures at the figures on the map.

“Numbers are about even, but they’re fresh and apparently all formidable fighters. They have the advantage on the surface, but down here? Down here, the centaurs will have trouble moving in places, and there’s choke points where we can shield Blue Hawk and Aronn while they…” he pauses to wriggle his fingers in a vaguely magical gesture.

“That’ll also allow us to put our freshest and least injured to the fore and better control the fight.”

“Now, even if we leave someone to keep an eye on our friends the things should be little trouble, I say the rest of us move through them for here.”

De Courcy points to the secret rooms revealed on the map.

“That’s where I’d put a command centre, for the things and whatever other defences this place has. We take that, maybe we can turn things to our advantage.”

“That done, we set up to welcome our new friends. Workable plan? Or have I missed something?”

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Thwip

Thwip nods as he listens to the plan.

“Unless tey pomp oot t’ water from t’ front hall tey’ll have t’ swim in. Yi kin ambush tem easy tat way mebee.”

Thwip frowns as he continues, “Ironikally if I hadt left the trap t’ work as intendit tey vould have been blockedt oot by t’ water pressah. But I wedgedt t’ dors open. Sorry.”

He then points out the possible exit in the ceiling of the great hall.

“On t’ otter hand, mebee tis is a way we kin jus’ stroll outta hear? It needs t’ be infestigated.”

Thwip pauses with a sudden realization. He stares ahead of him for a second and mouths, “…maybe we can turn things to our advantage… turn things…”

Then he laughs. “Hah! I gott tat! Good won!”

Ranar Bolijyr

Ranar nods at Nic with a bit of admiration. Winning the fight with his head before it’s been fought, that’s the way.

“Only don’ like leavin’ someone alone. At least, maybe somebody here,” pointing to the doorway where the hallway meets the central chamber, “to relay what they’re seein’ to us and what we’re seein’ to them. And to cover 'em if it comes to that. Might need everyone to clear those other rooms though. What do you think?”

Nicolas de Courcy

De Courcy takes one last look around the group for objections or additions, then sets the plan in motion.

“Aronn, some light, if you will for me and Ranar. Blue Hawk, can you heal Jibril, we’ll need him at his best.”

“Ranar, you and Eabd take point: Eabd, fight in formation with the dwarf, and keep pace with him.
Jibril, when you’re ready, your with me, sweeping behind the front line.”

“Aronn’ll keep an eye on our new friends - if they come in, Blue Hawk will relay that to us. Thwipp, we’ll need you to figure out how to work whatever controls we find, stay in the map room and follow us once the hall is clear.”

Once everyone is prepared, he unfastenes his clock and dramatically whips it down around his left arm.

“Right, let’s earn the pay rise we’re definitely getting after all this shit.”

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Thwip

Thwip prepares his rifle. He doesn’t have time to bleed.

“I’d like t’ haff Lord Aronn put t’ map table b’tween him an t’ dor shouldt sometin slip past yi. I’ll try t’ stand in t’ blind spot o’er tere in t’ no magick room an ambush tem shouldt tey come in.”

Blue Hawk

Hawk nods, then rises from where he still sits cross-legged, and turns to Jibrīl. “Please try not getting hurt again. The spirits do not care much for fools, and those who get hurt many times in one day are ones they consider foolish. It will be harder to call on them to heal you a third time.”

Hawk begins drumming in a now-familiar pattern, and calls forth the spirits to mend Jibrīl’s injuries. The spirits apparently do not yet see the Wazifi man as foolish, and the skin closes itself beneath the healer’s touch.

“It is done. De Courcy, should I be healing the others, or reserving the spirits’ assistance for to let us breathe for the swim out?”

@nimelennar @Daaksyde @Mitchell @William_George @daneel

GM POST

As Jibril works to release the door lock, Aronn steps forwards and brushes his hands over the heads of Ranar and de Courcy, leaving a moderate glow behind. As he does so, he quietly mutters something in Elvish.

As the lock clicks, Jibril steps back and Aronn retreats to the threshold of the anti-magic room, halting just outside. Behind him, Thwip aims his rifle at the door.

Lining up behind Ranar, the preoccupied mercenary ignores Hawk’s last question as he reaches over Ranar to slap Eabd on the shoulder. In response, the metal warrior releases his hold on the door, stepping back as the pounding of the Things sends it flying inwards.

Bringing his longsword down in a mighty two-handed blow, Eabd cleaves the first Thing in half, releasing the first of what are sure to be many starbursts. Fortunately, Eabd’s body shields the rest of you from the worst of the flash.

As Eabd steps forwards to follow his stroke, Ranar presses up to his right. He brings his axe down towards the second Thing, but his blow is defeated by the Thing’s speed, as it ducks under the axe and leaps towards him. Beside him, Nic moves to intercept, whipping the tip of his long rapier into the Thing’s side, leaving a deep gash as Jibril steps forwards to buttress Ranar.

Meanwhile, the Things press forwards. One attempts to grab Eabd’s sword, earning nothing but a near-dismembered arm in return. Another leaps at the metal warrior’s torso, both arms outstretched, but Eabd merely shifts his weight and watches it slide past.

Ranar’s opponent clutches at his axe arm, but the shock of de Courcy’s cut slows it such that the dwarf easily evades the grasp. The second Thing leaps in a more determined tackle, wrapping both arms around Ranar’s burly chest.

Shifting his aim to the successful grappler, de Courcy slices at Ranar’s foe. Carefully placing his blow to avoid striking his companion again, he carves a huge chunk from the Thing’s back. Taking advantage of the distraction, Ranar wrenches himself free.

Eabd brings his sword across in another scything stroke, aimed at the furthest of the visible Things. Uncharacteristically, the blow is wildly off target, passing over the Thing’s head and clanging loudly against the door frame.

Snaking his sword around the back, Jibril slices at the more battered of Ranar’s two opponents. His strategy succeeds, as the accumulated damage releases a flash and cloud of dust, forcing the dwarf to hurriedly shield his eyes.

The Thing that Eabd nearly disarmed again snatches at his weapon, but again Eabd whips the blade across in defence. Once more, the accumulated butchery releases a flash, as the third of the Things are downed.

Ranar’s remaining opponent snatches at his axe, but misses. Meanwhile, two Things leap at Eabd, who whips his sword across in the parry once more. The first Thing ducks beneath the blade, grasping hold of Eabd’s left arm. Nevertheless, the iron warrior continues his stroke without pause, releasing his grappled left to meet the second Thing with a one-handed parry that cuts it from hip to shoulder.

Seeing the threat, de Courcy leans in and cuts at the Thing hanging off Eabd’s left arm, delivering a moderate slice at the madly writhing target. Beside him, Ranar swings his axe down in a scraping motion before his chest, neatly bisecting the now ex-Thing that was standing there.

Eschewing the blade, Eabd slams the hilt of his longsword down upon the head of the Thing grappling his left arm. The pointed metal counterweight crunches cleanly through the Thing’s skull, penetrating well into its brain before it disappears in a puff of dust. Meanwhile, the final Thing is neatly dispatched by another of de Courcy’s surgical strokes.

As soon the last Thing falls, the fighters charge en masse down the hallway, pausing briefly to allow Ranar to regather his shield. Scrambling down the stairs into the ankle-deep water of the main hall, you just manage to clear the hallway entrance before another wave of Things appear from the darkness.

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Thwip

Thwip says, “Ooo!”

Thwip says, “Ahh!”

Thwip even utters the occasional, “Wow!”

As the heroes four thunder splash into the main hall he calls out to Blue Hawk and Lord Aronn and moves to the map. “Let’s not fail are roles. Tey’re d’pendingk on us oot tere.”

He once again calls up a live view of the landscape above the vault with the map underlaid and monitors the movements of the enemy on the surface.

Blue Hawk

The shaman’s throat lets out an irritated, almost-bestial growl as de Courcy ignores his question. How quickly people forget someone’s ability to effortlessly control a horde of crawling creatures and show them disrespect…

But this is neither the time nor place to hold grudges. He has a duty, and that duty is to relay messages in case of danger coming from the surface. He waits to make sure that the away team successfully clears the hallway, and then turns to Thwip.

“As the spirits do not seem to be needed to heal, I will rest and be ready to help us swim out. If you need me to relay a message, or any other reason, say my name or touch me, and I will awaken.”

Hawk sinks back to his haunches and prepares to enter the restorative trance.

Thwip

“As the spirits do not seem to be needed to heal, I will rest and be ready to help us swim out. If you need me to relay a message, or any other reason, say my name or touch me, and I will awaken.”

Thwip opens his mouth to speak and then stops.

– Nah. They’re going to need the healing out there more than I do. I’ll just keep going on fear and adrenaline.–

He turns back to the map.

Nicolas de Courcy

The plan amended and set, de Courcy readies himself for the charge out the door.

He damps down the warm pit of fear that settles in his stomach before every fight with the cold equations of combat, like his first Captain taught him.

The skirmish with the things already a foregone conclusion in his head, he plots out the next fight.

He ranks the party from least to most critical to victory, with Aronn and the ring at the top. His sense of self-preservation momentarily rebels at not being in the top half of the list, but he mentally slaps it down.

Then without consciously realising it he’s moving through the hall, carving into dead flesh.

As the formation momentarily pauses at the end of the corridor, de Courcy’s brow wrinkles as something barely registered niggles at him.

“…Did Blue Hawk say something to me back there?”

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@nimelennar @Daaksyde @Mitchell @William_George @daneel

GM POST

Seeing the Things charge, you all brace for the assault, weapons at the ready. As the first charges at Eabd, he whips his sword down in a familiar cleaving stroke. Although the blow carves a huge chunk from the Thing, it charges onwards, flying towards Eabd just as he brings his sword back in a second cut that ends the Thing with a flash.

As the second Thing charges at Eabd, Ranar steps forwards and brings his axe down to intercept. The trajectory of the axe barely slows at all as it destroys the Thing.

The charge of the third Thing towards Ranar is intercepted by de Courcy’s sword, carving a deep gash in its side. Although its charge continues into Ranar’s shield, the charge lands with no force.

The fourth thing Thing leaps at Ranar from the left, only be deflected by his shield as the dwarven warrior steps back into the doorway. Meanwhile, de Courcy’s sword snakes forwards again, cutting at the same Thing as before. Although the creature tries to duck beneath the blade, it once again bites home.

Narrowly avoiding crushing Jibril’s toes as he steps back to free his arm, Ranar brings his axe down once more. However, the blow is astray, carving through the air between the Thing and Eabd.

Eabd, however, has other concerns. Ripping his sword towards the other Thing, he cleaves it from shoulder to sternum. Nevertheless, it does not fall. To the left, Jibril turns his toe-saving scamper into a lunge over the top. However, the combined ballet proves slightly beyond his abilities, as his blow scythes over the head of his target.

The Thing turns towards de Courcy, claws raised to tear. In response, the Aralaise swordsman merely smothers its hands with is cloak, before bringing his rapier whipping around. Twisting desperately, the Thing avoids the blow.

However, in its twisting and turning, the Thing had turned its back to Ranar. A predatory grin on his face, the dwarf steps forwards and brings his axe down in a carefully placed blow, square in the middle of the Thing’s back. Once more, light fills the corridor.

Stepping forwards, Jibril again swings his Tulwar above Ranar’s head. As the tip of his blade crunches through the top of its spine, the last of the visible Things disintegrates into dust.

[PLAYER CUE: you have a possibly-momentary lack of Things. Wotcha doing? Staying in place or charging out into the main chamber? If charging, down towards the unexplored section?]

Nicolas de Courcy

With the fading flash of the last thing, de Courcy shakes the dust from his cloak.

“Hall, clear!”

He gestures towards the wall the things emerged from, towards where the secret door was marked on the table map.

“Let us see where these dead things come from, then”

Ranar Bolijyr

As the sound of the fight fades out, Ranar relaxes and stretches his shoulders. Well that went much better, he thought, taking a look around at the others. “Let’s move, but stick together!”

@nimelennar @Daaksyde @Mitchell @William_George @daneel

GM POST

Holding tight formation, the combat group moves towards the source of the Things. As you approach the wall, another Thing appears, apparently stepping straight through the stone. Eabd’s longsword instantly whips down, destroying the Thing and dazzling Ranar. Turning to face the wall where the creature appeared, Eabd steps through and disappears from view.

After pausing to blink for a moment, Ranar braces his shield and hefts his axe. Stepping through after Eabd, he disappears in a similar fashion. The wall appears as solid as it ever was.

With a glance and a quip, de Courcy and Jibril step through as well.

On the other side is a wide corridor, branching into a Y junction about half a dozen yards ahead. The walls are heavily spattered in a thick, tarry substance, with more of this spattering apparent on the left-hand fork.

From that fork charges another group of Things.

Thwip

Without the constant brushes with death, Thwip has time to think. He’s not by nature a suspicious man. He sees patterns, shapes, and designs in God’s plan and has dedicated his life to trying to figure out as much as the blueprint as he can. Sometimes those patterns look suspicious. It’s not his fault.

– If the bad guys are working with the centaurs, wouldn’t they know where this location and the ring is already?–

He tries to brush it off as looking at the patterns the wrong way around. Elves have a tendency to do things like destroy the world with magic. But he’s certain many of them are fine people. Lord Aronn might be one of the good ones. But how does he know that the story about the ring and the set of items is true? Why was he cursed?

I required a document from a library in al-Haz. The librarian was tediously uncooperative, so I chose a more direct approach.

This continues to prey on Thwip’s mind in regards to the elf. The patterns still don’t look right.

– The centaurs attacked us on sight. Then they went to get the people who we’re trying to keep from finding this place? I need more information! –

As the sounds of combat die down in the hall, he looks at the activity on the surface, and then addresses the elf.

“Lord Aronn, magick is ootside off me ken. Houdt you say tis map is seeing t’ ootside? How d’ we know it’s what’s hapnin right now? Ifin it’s some sorta scryin’ ten why can’t we git a closer look?”

@nimelennar @Daaksyde @Mitchell @William_George @daneel

GM POST

Once more, the formation braces for the charge. The first thing ducks below Eabd’s longsword and attempts a tackle, but the golem merely shifts his weight and the Thing crashes into the wall beside him. From behind Eabd, Jibril cheerfully hacks at the enraged Thing, inflicting major damage.

The other front-row Thing evades Ranar’s axe, only to slam ineffectually into his shield, bouncing back just in time to avoid being beheaded by de Courcy’s slash over the top. It is less effective at avoiding de Courcy’s return cut, which slices deep into its chest.

Ignoring the Thing in his face, Ranar instead cuts at the second wave. This time, his axe finds its target, mutilating the Thing but not immediately destroying it.

Following Ranar’s example, Eabd also focuses his attack upon the more distant target. As the Thing attempts to duck under his blade, Eabd whips the hilt down, delivering a savage push cut.

Continuing his strategy of targeting the weakest opponent, Jibril swings at Eabd’s first attacker. A wicked swipe of his tulwar is barely avoided by the desperately twisting Thing.

As two of the Things crowd Eabd, clutching at his arms, the steel golem whips his blade across in defence, destroying one. Beside him, Ranar swings his axe to the ready as the Things unsuccessfully try to reach around his shield.

Sneaking around the side, the fourth Thing leaps for Nicolas, reaching for his sword arm. The mercenary contemptuously rips his blade across, then reverses the stroke into the flank of Ranar’s opponent. Two rapid lightbursts strobe the hallway.

In response Ranar twists right and brings his axe crashing down into Eabd’s last attacker. Dust and light fill the air.

Pushing quickly down the left-hand corridor, you come to an open archway. The spattering of tarry gunk increases as you go, and as you pass the archway you discover its source.

The room is almost filled by the gigantic monstrosity within it. In appearance, it resembles nothing so much as a wagon-sized heap of boiling tar, if that tar were to be filled with a dozen screaming, struggling bodies.

As you appear, a tentacle forms from the tarry blob and wrenches one of the bodies from within itself. As it flings this Thing directly at you, another half a dozen tentacles emerge from the bubbling mass and probe in your direction.

[PLAYER CUE: Ranar, there’s a Thing flying towards you at high velocity. Give me a Dodge or Block roll, your preference. Everyone else: wotcha doing? The tentacles are easily long enough to reach you where you’re standing]

Nicolas de Courcy

De Courcy’s guts do a backflip of existential horror at the sight, and even worse the sound, of the tar-blob.

His sense of self-preservation pipes up again. Fortunately, this time it makes tactical sense.

“Back, 10 paces.” he barks.

He readies himself to deal with the flying thing if Ranar dodges, and holds to move back with the formation.