Episode 6: The Hopeless Void

[Niven81]

 Scion Morgan

Spinning her bat to her side, Morgan looks towards the others. "Anyone have any idea about that gas?" She asks as a small ball of green, crackling energy appears in her hand. Heedless of whatever answer she'll get the small scion throws the ball of energy into the air and without missing a beat takes up a batting stance and hit the energy ball with the bat. "STRIKER!"Striker: Damage 10 (aura ball, DC 25; Increased Range 2: perception)

 

[Yuno_]

 :: Anna, Princess of Knights ::

 

『Dodge 7 』『Parry 7 』『Tough 15』『Fort 11』『Will 11』

 

Condition(s):
Equipped Armament: Energy Sabers
Notes: Scion Tranformation Active, Thicket of Blades AE active

 

 

"I don't know about your garden, but how about you get out from the school!?"

As one hand stabs out at the wrapping hand holding down onto her, the other hand moves to cover her mouth, for all the good that would do against the Rampant's attack. More helpful might be the magic of the blade slashing down onto the monster, after all...

Mechanics

Fort Save

Standard Action: Energy Sabers Close Range Damage 11 (DC 26), Multiattack, Penetrating 9, Accurate 1, Enhanced Advantage: Close Attack 1, Improved Critical 2 (18-20) (Magic, Heat, Light, Slashing, Energy)

 

[ArcaneStomper]

The frontline scions unleash a flurry of attacks on the wriggling hands that are making their lives harder. Delcroix unleashes a blast of bullets at the one closest to her tearing great gouges in its flesh. It attempts to get closer to her, but apparently can't quite make the distance. Meanwhile Anna's swords flash through the spongy tissue of the hand holding her with no regard for her own safety. She cuts deep into its flesh and in response the hand squeezes her far more tightly as both desperately attempt to destroy the other.

 

Morgan unfortunately has less luck. Just before her power ball hits the hand clenches into a fist and absorbs the power of the attack on its slimy exterior. It then uncurls and launches itself forward in a bid to grab her once again.

 

Leslie meanwhile finds herself engaged in a magical duel with the Rampant. Both she and her monstrous foe attempt to wrestle control of the space around them from each other and use it to end the fight once and for all. The struggle is brutal, but Leslie finds that she has more skill than the rampant's raw strength. She is able to fracture spice around it so that the mess of flesh and discordant energy is trapped on spikes of broken space.

 

She doesn't know how much that hurt it exactly, but it does appear to be struggling to extricate itself now rather than focusing on the scions.

 

 

 

OOC

Delcroix Hand Toughness vs DC 25

Morgan Hand Toughness vs DC 25

Anna Hand Toughness vs DC 26

 

Grab vs Delcroix

Grab vs Morgan

 

@Yuno_ Anna needs to make a toughness check at DC 20 for damage.

@Niven81 Morgan needs to make resistance checks against DC20 using either strength or dodge. If she fails she is at restrained at one degree of failure or bound at two degrees or more.

 

 

 

 

[Abalon]

---

The Black Fixer

"It's starting to collapse, but it's not doing anything?" Delcroix thinks, reloading another round of shells into her guns. Using the brief respite of her staying at range, she looks around to the other Scions. Bladeworks seems to be struggling a bit with her own hand, Bat Girl might bet grabbed and Queenie is staying the back. Raising an eyebrow, she looks over to the Rampant and notices the space distorting and the Rampant trying to escape it. She's not just fighting a battle against a Rampant on their turf, but also winning? Not easy to pull off that hat trick

"You know what, I can see where the bravado comes from, Queenie"

As pleased as she is to see that her temporary companions can somewhat hold their own, she can't help but worry. The other two haven't showed up yet. Well, all she can hope is that they do fine on their end

"Now as for you..." she says, looking intently at what's left of her adversary. The quicker it's dead, the faster she can start damaging the main Rampant or help the others, should they get in too much trouble

Charging forward, she runs to the thing and shoots the ground at the last moment, the gun dissipating as all its magic is spent in a blast to push her upward. Now airborne, she summons her lance in her empty hand and shoots with the other gun, sending herself crashing downward at the hand, intending to impale it and leaping off it back to safety

---

OOC

Move action to go to the hand

All-out +5 Power Attack +3 on the wounded Hand with the Lance, DC 30, Penetrating, Incurable and DC 25 vs Fortitude, Dazed/Prone, Incurable

Move-by attack to dash back to where I was

-5 to active defences this round

[Snicker]

Drama Queen | Sheet | Page | DefensesActive Defenses
Toughness +8
Dodge +14
Parry +14

Passive Defenses
Fortitude +11
Will +11

Miscellaneous
Danger Sense (Mental: Emotional) | SensesInsight +21
Perception +12
Mental sense: Emotion (Accurate, Acute, Danger sense, Radius, Ranged)
Mental sense: Magic (Awareness, Radius, Ranged)

---

Leslie feels her surroundings shift, and gasps out a laugh of surprise and relief. She stares wide-eyed up at the rampant, even now struggling to believe it had actually worked. It hurts her brain just to try and understand her magical surroundings, but somehow she can twist its impossible spaces against its creator.

She's not done yet, though. It's time to mix old and new; combine this new skill with a proven one. Her gloved hands move, pulling her puppet strings in directions outside of length, width, and depth, and she steps forward into the rampant's reach.

"Fitting that you...chose a school...for your schemes," she grunts, trying to focus her energy and attention on everything at once. "Today you learn the folly of challenging me!"

Mechanics

 

Leslie uses the Trick function of the Deception skill to provoke the rampant into attacking her, but in doing so, twists her surroundings so that the rampant forces itself into a cramped position that limits its movements. I figure this will make it vulnerable to the other scions' attacks and/or limit its ability to attack, but I'll leave it up to the GM to decide what's most appropriate.

Note that, as per the rules for tricking, failing this Deception check by more than one degree will render Leslie vulnerable to the rampant's attacks.

[Yuno_]

  

:: Anna, Princess of Knights ::

 

『Dodge 7 』『Parry 7 』『Tough 15』『Fort 11』『Will 11』

 

Condition(s):
Equipped Armament: Energy Sabers
Notes: Scion Tranformation Active, Thicket of Blades AE active

 

 

 

Still locked in combat, Anna bites back her own yell as the hand wraps tighter about her, remaining focused on her war of attrition with the Rampant's limb even as the space shifts about them. "Keep at it! I think it's... getting distracted!"

 

 

Mechanics

Toughness Save

Standard Action: Energy Sabers Close Range Damage 11 (DC 26), Multiattack, Penetrating 9, Accurate 1, Enhanced Advantage: Close Attack 1, Improved Critical 2 (18-20) (Magic, Heat, Light, Slashing, Energy)

 

[ArcaneStomper]

Delcroix's attack is swift and brutal. Her lance tears through the hand and the rampant shrieks in agony. It spasms wildly and the long impossibly jointed arm to which it is attached snaps backward pulling it into the shifting mass of limbs that is the rampant's main body.

Anna's hand meanwhile is engaged in a fierce game of thumb war with the scion that would be comical if it weren't such a serious situation. The hand's dexterous thumb has stiffened into a sharp edge and is exchanging strikes and parries with her blades. It seems as if it is about to try and crush her again when Delcroix's attach sends a spasm through the entire rampant. Instead the hand releases Anna and both it and the one chasing Morgan whip towards Delcroix with lightning speed.

 

 

 

 

 

 

OOC

Delcroix Hand Toughness vs DC 30

Delcroix Hand Fortitude vs DC 25

Rampant Insight

 

Grab vs Delcroix

Grab vs Delcroix

@Abalon Need to make a dodge check at DC20 or be grabbed.

 

 

Rampant
Toughness -1

Anna Hand
Toughness -1 Staggered

 

[Abalon]

---

The Black Fixer

Delcroix smirked as the Rampant shrieked in pain. With one less hand, that meant that about a third of the immediate threat was nullified. Unless they had some secret power. Which they always have. Better to kill it now then

Before she can do that however, she yelps in surprise as the two hands close in on her. She was so confident she'd be out of range, but it seems that less hands to focuse on strengthens the remaining ones? That or she really pissed it off. Either way, she's still recovering her footing from her ridiculous attack, making the dodge incredibly complicated

Dodge vs Grab

"Damnit!"

The hands coiled around her swiftly, threatening to crush her unless she weaseled out of here quickly. Raising an arm, she summons her greatsword and plunges it into the hands, wanting to exploit a sudden shock and loosening on her hold to dash out of there

Well if there was one, she didn't see it. Or feel it

"Bloody-!"

But this could prove useful. After all, they were practically offering themselves on a silver platter. And if it cost her her ribs... eh, she could surely find something to grow them back

"Kill the Rampant! If it dies, so do these things! I've got this!"

And with this declaration, she plunges her sword several times again into the spongey flesh, stabbing both assailants relentlessly as she tried to ignore the incoming pain

---

OOC

Acrobatics check to escape the grab. Failed, oh no

Great Blade attack on both hands (Crit!), DC 31 vs Toughness, Affects Insubstantial 2, Incurable, Multi-attack, Reach

On Morgan's Hand, DC 26 vs Toughness, Affects Insubstantial 2, Incurable, Multi-attack, Reach

Edited November 26, 2023 by Abalon (see edit history)

[Snicker]

On 11/26/2023 at 1:19 PM, The Black Fixer said:

---

"Kill the Rampant! If it dies, so do these things!"

Drama Queen | Sheet | Page | DefensesActive Defenses
Toughness +8
Dodge +14
Parry +14

Passive Defenses
Fortitude +11
Will +11

Miscellaneous
Danger Sense (Mental: Emotional) | SensesInsight +21
Perception +12
Mental sense: Emotion (Accurate, Acute, Danger sense, Radius, Ranged)
Mental sense: Magic (Awareness, Radius, Ranged)

---

"I'm trying!"

Leslie releases a pensive sigh as she tries to concentrate. Twisting this world against the rampant is complicated and exhausting and she still doesn't really know what she's doing. She throws out her arms, fingers pulling on invisible strings, and tries to crush the rampant within its own mutable geography.

"We've positioned you perfectly," she tells the rampant. She doesn't know if it can hear her or even cares, but it makes her feel better to say it, and she needs that right now. "You thought you'd won, hadn't you? But now it's the endgame and it's all turned against you."

Mechanics

 

Leslie tries to use her Expertise: Magic skill to tighten the matter she has trapping the rampant, damaging it further.

[Yuno_]

:: Anna, Princess of Knights ::

 

『Dodge 7-5 (2) 』『Parry 7-5 (2) 』『Tough 15』『Fort 11』『Will 11』

 

Condition(s): :: Equipped Armament: Energy Sabers :: Notes: Scion Tranformation Active, Thicket of Blades AE active

 

"Woah," Anna reacts as the Rampant's hand that had gripped her lets go, thankful for the sudden shift in the monster's focus to the Scion it's clearly labelled as a more direct threat. She could work with that.

 

"On it!", she confirms in answer to Delcroix's instruction, tucking her arms in close as she flies for the main body, that cluster of limbs that makes up a bodymass for the Rampant. Without stopping, she charges headlong at the monster, punching forwards with both hands, blades fully extended as she flies like a lance towards it.

 

"Incoming!"
 

Mechanics

Standard Action: All-out +5 Power Attack +4 Energy Sabers Close Range Damage 15 (DC 30), Multiattack, Penetrating 9, Accurate 1, Enhanced Advantage: Close Attack 1, Improved Critical 2 (18-20) (Magic, Heat, Light, Slashing, Energy)

-5 to active defences this round

 

[ArcaneStomper]

Delcroix prepares herself for a last ditch effort to kill the hands before they strangle the life out of her. Swinging her great sword she cuts through spongy flesh and twisting tumors. And it seems she manage to hit something vital because both hands immediately start spasming before going limp and withering away.

The Rampant itself shudders as the pain of losing its appendages reaches it. As Leslie pulls the fabric of the void in on it and Anna plunges her lance deep into its mass it roars with pain and anger. Suddenly it expands with limbs and mouths going everywhere. Anna is flung away by the shifting mass. as the rampant's eyes shine with ethereal light as they orbit its body and push the void back into position.

 

"INSECTS! YOU HAVE BECOME BOTHERSOME! I WILL CRUSH YOU AND DEVOUR YOUR SOULS!"

OOC

Anna Hand vs 31

Morgan Hand vs 31

Morgan Hand vs 26

Rampant Toughness

Rampant Toughness vs 30

Rampant Magic

Rampant
Toughness -1

 

[Abalon]

---

The Black Fixer

The wrathful roar came as a very unfortunate surprise for Delcroix, who covered her ears. She wasn't surprised that it was angry, as much as the fact it was vocalizing it in a comprehensible manner. In her experience, Rampants tended to be more beastial and alien in their approach. I mean, not like it stopped a particular one

"Already on your last rope huh? You're far from the first, and you sure as hell won't be the last to tell me that"

For all the dangers it presaged, this meant that it was getting desperate. And this somewhat invigorated her

"Can't be careless though" she thought "Otherwise we'll really get crushed"

Putting the sword on her back, as if sheathing it into an invisible scabbard, she once again summons the gauntlets and leap forward to the Rampant, striking at several points of its form before leaping backwards

---

OOC

All-out Attack, DC 22 vs Fortitude, Affects Insubstantial 2, Affects Objects, Incurable

Move a little back afterwards

-3 to defenses this turn

[Snicker]

Drama Queen | Sheet | Page | DefensesActive Defenses
Toughness +8
Dodge +14
Parry +14

Passive Defenses
Fortitude +11
Will +11

Miscellaneous
Danger Sense (Mental: Emotional) | SensesInsight +21
Perception +12
Mental sense: Emotion (Accurate, Acute, Danger sense, Radius, Ranged)
Mental sense: Magic (Awareness, Radius, Ranged)

---

"Oh, have we bothered you?" Leslie cackles. She jumps back, wary of the newly freed rampant, and focuses on line of hatred linking it to her.

"Go ahead and crush us, then!" She raises a hand and beckons the rampant with one crooked finger. "I'm ready to see it! Because so far, I'm not impressed!"

Mechanics

 

Rancor, Toughness DC 26

Emotion-based; usable on any target within perception without an attack roll; affects insubstantial targets and penetrates Impervious 8; damage must be healed normally; only usable on magical beings with intent to harm Leslie

[Niven81]

 Scion Morgan

Seriously need to keep my distance! Morgan thinks as the hands brush against her and once again move away. Throwing another green sparking ball into the air, she swings again "STRIKER!"Striker: Damage 10 (aura ball, DC 25; Increased Range 2: perception)

 

[Yuno_]

  

:: Anna, Princess of Knights ::

 

『Dodge 7-5 (2) 』『Parry 7-5 (2) 』『Tough 15』『Fort 11』『Will 11』

 

Condition(s): :: Equipped Armament: Energy Sabers :: Notes: Scion Tranformation Active, Thicket of Blades AE active

 

Well, it was good to know that they were having an effect then. Less good was the how, as the shifting bulge of its screaming expansion launches her back, hands at her ears. The fact it was able to threaten them like this though, using words and not just its sheer size and powers, both belied how much they must have been able to harm it, and how much of a risk it would be to let it get any further.

"Try it, give us everything you've got!"

Her wings spread, she rights herself in the air and spins about to launch herself back down at the Rampant, again on the assault as she dive-bombs the entity to drive her bladed fists into its mass again and again.
 

Mechanics

Standard Action: All-out +5 Power Attack +4 Energy Sabers Close Range Damage 15 (DC 30), Multiattack, Penetrating 9, Accurate 1, Enhanced Advantage: Close Attack 1, Improved Critical 2 (18-20) (Magic, Heat, Light, Slashing, Energy)

-5 to active defences this round