GURPS Banestorm PBBB narrative thread

games
162

@nimelennar @Daaksyde @Mitchell @William_George @daneel

GM SCENE

De Courcy’s arrow flies true, planting itself into the centaur’s flanks. Blood marks the centaur’s pale hide, but it does not slow down.

Thwip’s first shot slams squarely into another centaur’s chest, staggering it. However, its charge continues unabated.

De Courcy’s well-practised fingers automatically move to whip another arrow onto the string; the bow is already reloaded as Thwip’s shot rings out. The tip of the arrow moves slightly as he tracks his target and lets fly again, beginning to shift his weight in anticipation of incoming javelins.

Thwip reloads, aims briefly, lets off one more shot and then leaps up and dives under the carriage.

de Courcy: First shot was at 75 yards, target moving 12yds/sec. No time to draw the arrow thanks to Fast-Draw skill, one second to load (63 yards), three seconds to aim (27 yards), fire again.

Base skill of 14, +3 Acc, +2 for sustained Aim, +1 for a SM+1 target.

-8 for range/speed (27 yards/12 yards per sec). Roll vs effective skill of 12 to hit.

Thwip: First shot was at 60 yards, target moving 12 yards/sec. One second to load (48 yards), one second to aim (36 yards).

Base skill of 15, +1 Acc, +1 for All-out Attack, +1 for Braced, +1 for SM+1 target.

-8 for range/speed (36 yards/12 yards per sec). Roll vs effective skill of 11 to hit.

163

Nicholas de Courcy

With two shots flying wide, de Courcy decides it’s time for this lapsed Catholic to pray.

“Our Father, who art in Heaven, let these centaurs be as bad a shot as I. Or if not then let St Peter forget to lock the Pearly Gates. You won’t even notice I slipped in, I promise.”

He glances over to Jibril.

“Don’t worry, I’m sure you could slip in too.”

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164

Blue Hawk

Hawk looks back in annoyance as the others try to kill the horse-men.

He calls back again, “These…” Drat, what’s the Anglish word? “…centaurs are too strong. We will not best them in a fair fight. We must talk. They will not talk while we are with horses.”

The shaman then calls out the same thing in Arabic that he called out in the Northern language. Perhaps, in this area, they will understand that better.

That done, the tribesman stays on one knee and raises his shield in order to present a smaller target for the horse-man, intending to block the first shaft that may come his way, and dodge the second.

165

Nicholas de Courcy

“Talk?” he yells back to the Shaman, as his rapier slips free. “They’re charging with weapons readied, I don’t think they want to talk!”

He steps well clear of his horse to avoid its inevitable bolting, whipping his heavy cloak from his shoulders into a defensive position in a smooth, practised motion.

De Courcy eyes the centaur barring down on him - dodge the javelin, parry the spear, hack the leg, pick the bâtard off.

He begins grumbling to himself, half-under his breath.

“They don’t like horses, why didn’t they just say so. The shaman says they can talk. Why jump straight to charging and pointy sticks. Don’t centaur mothers ever tell their children, just use your words son…”

166

@nimelennar @Daaksyde @Mitchell @William_George @daneel

GM SCENE

Thwip’s second shot only clips his target, but the cumulative fire is taking effect; the centaur slows and veers away.

Thwip follows his success by scrambling to his feet and darting for the shelter of the carriage.

De Courcy’s second shot went astray, but he now stands prepared for melee.

167

Player retcon:

Thwip

– You better have some pretty damned good conversational skills, Blue Hawk.–

Thwip tries his best to keep crawling with the carriage, hold on to his rifle, and watch as Hawk gets speared. Or spared. He’d chuckle at his pun if he wasn’t so numbingly terrified. Two shots only slowed it down.

He watches to assess their next move. Should the opportunity present itself he intends to enter the carriage.

168

Jibrīl Al-Las’as

Jibrīl looks over at de Courcy.

“We shall survive this day, Inshallah.”

He steps back from his horse, draws his tulwar and falls back into a defensive posture.

169

Ranar Bolijyr

As the shots and shouts ring out, Ranar feels a pang of guilt for not taking part. But he can’t stop the carriage, that’s exactly what the bandits would want. And trying to get out his crossbow, load, and fire it while driving just wouldn’t work; he’d drop something.

He briefly stands and takes a look around. “Centaurs!” he growls, as if it were a curse. Seeing Blue Hawk exposed, and being charged, he drops back to the bench. Leaning well forward, he snaps the reigns, pulls hard left and gives a shout of “aiya!”, urging the horses to a full gallop and steering them directly toward the centaur that’s charging Blue Hawk. As they come around, he gives a deep roar and draws his hammer.

170

Thwip

The goblin freezes in surprise as his cover suddenly rolls away.

“Oh. Shudda saw tat comin’.”

171

@nimelennar @Daaksyde @Mitchell @William_George @daneel

GM SCENE

The current situation:

[Album] Imgur

The horses and centaurs are two-hex creatures; they fill the hex behind as well as the one where the marker is.

172

@nimelennar @Daaksyde @Mitchell @William_George @daneel

GM SCENE

Three of the centaurs close in, skidding to a halt at close range, javelins poised.

Thwip’s target instead flings its javelin at the nearest of the carriage horses.

Base skill of 14, no aiming, target SM+1, range/speed -5. Effective skill of 10.

@discbot roll 3d6 vs 10 to hit

173

@Wanderfound the 3d6 dice reads: 6 vs 10 to hit (3,2,1)

174

@nimelennar @Daaksyde @Mitchell @William_George @daneel

GM SCENE

The carriage horse can’t Dodge; it’s restrained by the harness.

Damage is 2d+1 impaling.

@discbot roll 2d +1 for damage.

175

Whoops, correct that:

@discbot roll 2d6 +1 for damage

176

@Wanderfound the 2d6 dice reads: 9 +1 for damage (3,6)

177

GM POST

Ouch; that’s 10 basic damage, raised to 20HP by the impaling modifier.

@discbot roll 3d6 vs HT11 for Knockdown and Stun.

Ranar, give me a roll vs Teamster -4 to stop the horse from going nuts.

178

@Wanderfound the 3d6 dice reads: 11 vs HT11 for Knockdown and Stun. (2,3,6)

179

GM POST

The horse staggers, but does not fall. The javelin remains stuck in its ribcage, buried to halfway along its shaft.

180

Jibrīl Al-Las’as

Jibrīl smacks his horse on the rump, and as it runs forward, he runs alongside it, charging the lightly injured centaur.

1 Like
181

GM POST

As Ranar struggles to control the horses, a strange shimmering enters the edge of his vision.

From Hawk’s point of view, he sees that Ranar’s appearance has suddenly and drastically blurred, as if he were standing behind an intense mirage. It’s hard just to look at him.