GURPS Banestorm PBBB narrative thread

games
302

@nimelennar @Daaksyde @Mitchell @William_George @daneel

GM POST

The halberdiers remain silent and motionless.

303

Thwip

The goblin thinks further. He then speaks to de Courcy and Jabril in Anglish.

“Etter tey haffa list a names tey want, or tey’re jus built t’ ask t’ question and scare us in t’ attacktin’ tem. Ifin it’s t’ second ten inny one who seems t’ have enough brass on ‘em is good. You two try t’ take a step t’wars tem now.”

He then adds, “Plis run back ifin I’m wrong 'n tey attak. Ten we know tey want a exact name.”

304

Blue Hawk

Hawk listens to the various names given, and then to Thwip’s suggestion. This gives him an idea.

“If they are looking for specific names
 Is anyone knowing the history of this area? The name of Sultan who would have ruled when this was made?”

305

@nimelennar @Daaksyde @Mitchell @William_George @daneel

GM POST

Aronn, leaning on his staff by the door, raises an eyebrow.

“But should you use the Caliph when it was built, the Caliph when it was last in action, or the Caliph when it was finally closed down? That last one is a little ambiguous; it could be any of three or four. Actually, the first one is a little vague as well.”

306

Blue Hawk

Hawk shrugs.

“We do not seem to be attacked for answering wrong. Try oldest of those when it may been shut down. Then try newer. If those do not work, try when it was used. Then try other times.”

The tribesman points for a moment

“These things do not seem to be alive; they may not have memory of who has asked. Might be smart to close door, leave and come back between guesses, so they maybe forget.”

307

@nimelennar @Daaksyde @Mitchell @William_George @daneel

GM POST

“Closing the door could just as easily erase a successful answer.” replies Aronn. “How will we test if we’ve succeeded?”

308

Thwip

“Ifin tey’d bin givin some smarts tey’d haf attakted win we gave t’ wrong anser just now, so I’m tinking tat ifin tey git t’ right name tey’ll stan down. Like a magik dor tat neetsa passwurd t’ open.”

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309

@nimelennar @Daaksyde @Mitchell @William_George @daneel

GM SCENE

“Well, as I said, the history of this place is a bit vague. Secret military bases aren’t well-documented in the scrolls.” replies Aronn in his croaking rasp.

“However
it was probably built during the reign of either AbĆ« Abdullāh al-JaÊżfar ibn Ma’mĆ«n al-Thamad or Abu Muhammad ibn Abdullah al-Sa’Azraq.” he continues, before pausing to cough into his sleeve.

“The last conflict on this border was during the reign of Harun at-Maharib; the base was closed down some time between then and the reign of Abu Hafsa ibn Moktada al-Wazifi, so it’s either one of those or Abu Moktada ibn Harun, who came in between.”

As another coughing fit overcomes him, he waves you towards the door.

310

Thwip

To whoever steps forward, “Try t’ announce y’self like a noble. Y’know: Like tey’re b’neith y’ contempt. Like y’d crush ‘im ifin y’ kood r’member tere face.”

311

Blue Hawk

Since no one else seems inclined to step forward, Hawk sighs and puts on his best commanding posture.

Pitching his voice low and commanding, he contorts his face into a sneer and says in Arabic, “I am Harun at-Maharib, Caliph of al-Wazif. Step aside so I may pass.”

The shaman then attempts to walk past the automatons, keeping his shield loose and ready at his side.

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312

@nimelennar @Daaksyde @Mitchell @William_George @daneel

GM SCENE

While the rest of you peer through the doorway, the northern shaman steps forwards, calling out in his accented but mellifluous Arabic.

The halberdiers do not react to his words.

Stepping forwards, Hawk approaches the armoured figures. They remain motionless until he approaches to within about five yards; then, they lift their halberds into striking position, spearpoints aimed at Hawk. Their movements are somewhat ponderous and slow; they give an impression of strength rather than grace.

(PLAYER CUE: @nimelennar, continue to boldly stride forwards, freeze, or jump back? Everybody else: wotcha all doing while this is happening?)

313

Blue Hawk

Hawk tries not to flinch as the weapons are pointed at him, and continues to walk forward, with the poise that he would expect of a Caliph, dropping his useless spear but keeping his shield ready at his side. This may still be a test — a true Caliph would not let these things stop him. And a true Caliph would not be armed.

He debates dropping the shield, too, but decides that he isn’t ready to join the spirits quite yet.

If he makes it between the guards, the shaman keeps his peripheral vision on them and listens hard for the whistling of a weapon.

314

@nimelennar @Daaksyde @Mitchell @William_George @daneel

GM SCENE

Hawk continues walking boldly towards the guards; as he comes within the long reach of their oversized halberds, the weapons thrust out towards the shaman’s chest.

(Player cue: see other thread)

315

Jibrīl Al-Las’as

Jibrīl leaps forward to strike at the halberd of guard #1 as it thrusts at Blue Hawk.

316

@nimelennar @Daaksyde @Mitchell @William_George @daneel

GM SCENE

Although noble in intent, the air swing produced by Jibrīl is less than noble in execution.

The guard’s thrust continues unimpeded.

317

Blue Hawk

Hawk calls on the spirits to help him block the incoming attacks, and backpedals furiously.

318

Ranar Bolijyr

Ranar glances around at Aronn and Thwip; they seem far enough back as long as the guards don’t charge. He hunches down, shield and hammer ready, moving up to get beside Blue Hawk, on the opposite side of the passage from Jibril, but staying back out of the halberds’ reach.

He considers whether to jump in, but holds steady for the moment, waiting to see if the guards move forward or if Blue Hawk and Jibril move forward.

319

Blue Hawk

The shaman’s magic wraps around the golems’ spears, slowing them just a fraction, and giving Hawk plenty of time to turn the left automaton’s thrust aside with his shield, while easily dancing out of the way of the right automaton’s attempt to turn him into a skewer.

He starts to retreat to outside the five yard radius where they had first pointed their spears at him, expecting the others to do the same.

“Now,” the northman says drily, “we know what happens when you say the wrong words.”

320

@nimelennar @Daaksyde @Mitchell @William_George @daneel

GM POST

The halberdiers do not pursue, and return to their crossed-halberd stance once you retreat beyond five yards.

321

Thwip

– That’s some garbage metalwork on those things. They might be more for show, but I still wouldn’t want to get in poking range. –

“Tey don’t seem too heffily armourt. Ifin y’ kin past t’ halberts it mightn’t be too hardt a fight. Y’ might haf tem get confussed ifin someone gits past tem. I don’t no how well magickt tey are but tey seem simple sortz.”

– This is assuming they’re magic amour. What if they’re zombies? Both will be slogs. Maybe we can dogpile on them?–

“Blue Hawk. Did y’ bugs find inny meat unner tere?”