We fly over oceans, hold the sum of all recorded knowledge in our hands, and speak with relatives halfway across the world without leaving our chairs. Magic isn't just flying on broomsticks or calling down fire from the Heavens. Magic is limited only by your Imagination, and your Will to make it manifest. There's a battle going on over the nature of Reality and Mankind itself. Pretend it isn't there, or get involved and forge the Future you envision.
Pixel frowns at the results of constructing the force field--she had been hoping for something to contain the spirit, but she realizes her knowledge of such being is too limited for her to do so effectively. She taps commands into the cell phone, adding new qualities to the field, qualities that would stimulate the nerve centers of her allies, so that they would have greater awareness and be able to react more quickly.
Data/ Mind to enhance the others sense and give them combat bonuses.
Pixel types furiously into her cellphone, hacking reality around her. She creates a spontaneous interlink between her spatial scans and brain wave enhancer programs. Her martial companions suddenly feel like they can see the space around them. By a glance they can tell the angle and approach of the enemy's kama, can measure the precise motion of a step, and without even looking tell the exact shape of every ice crystal on the ground.
Dexter again feels like the Luck is with him, as June continues her manipulation of Fate.
(Hermit is up, then the Snow Woman...)
Pixel: Correspondence 2 / Mind 2 Effect: 3,8,9 = 2 Successes. Spending 1 Success to affect 2 Targets, 1 on Efficacy. So Jon & Dexter have a -1 TN this next Round.
June: Same Entropy 2 Effect : 3,2,5 = 1 Success. Dexter has an additional -1 TN (so -2 TN total) to Attacks.
- I'm going to start increasing the TN for these Entropy Rolls if June keeps spamming the same Spell. Becomes less and less likely to be Coincidental as well. If someone "suggests" things for June to do differently, she'll take that into concideration until Hayabusa gets back.
Rule Number 12: "A soft answer turneth away wrath. Once wrath is looking the other way, shoot it in the head."
Dexter mentally curses as his counter strike is thrown back by the flashing violet barrier. At first believing this to be some trick of the Yuki-Onna's, the surprised sound emitted from the creature suggests a separate source to the half-Romani. Too focused on the immediate melee at hand to deliver an admonishment to whoever it was that erected the ward, Dexter begins to contemplate his next move when suddenly two things happen almost simultaneously.
Dexter's world seems to expand as mental faculties sharpen to an inhuman degree. The young magi's perception of his immediate surroundings, already fairly impressive to begin with, expand even further, able to observe both his back up and the Yuki-Onna without even needing to crane his head sideways to track the other man's precise position. A mind formerly clouded by impulse and adrenaline is now able to view his opponent's movements with almost clinical detachment, anticipating the potential trajectories of the kusari-gama and even trivial details such as the number of icy crystals glinting dully along the ground.
Just as Dexter is processing this newfound mental acuity, a more familiar sensation surges through him. The fickle whims of Fate begin to bend and waver, and actions that may have once been determined with utter certainty now open up to numerous interpretations. Emboldened by these newfound sensations, Dexter once more plunges into the fray, this time coordinating and complimenting his strikes more closely with the man next to him.
I looked through the rule book and couldn't find anything that mentioned about a "Riposte" maneuver. That said, I think I'd like to divide my dice up so the majority is devoted to attack and the remainder to defense so as to reflect a more offensive stance. If possible, I might even consider going for a Flank/Rear attack if possible. If not just stick with the original approach.
''At the center of your being you have the answer; you know who you are and you know what you want.'' - Lao-Tzu
The Romani braves the unknown, boldly pressing his advantage as the Yuki-Onna is put on the defensive. The ward seems to have temporarily slowed her down, and the enhancements given by his allies guide his blade. Dexter steps forward and bats aside her kama with his sheath, immediately following up with a strong lunge to the gut. Unlike her previous mitigations, she seems completely taken by surprise, offering no resistance to his attack. The point cuts deep, and as he steps back behind the barrier, he sees her lose some of her speed and vitality. Cold blood drips onto the ground, icy white and hot red, clashing..
The performer's son, shoulder broken but still lively, manages to use his one good arm to start dragging his parents away, out of danger. His eyes look glazed, likely a sign of shock, as his mind goes on auto-pilot rather than fully comprehending what is going on. For now, the attention of the hostile spirit is fully on the Magi.
"You have hurt me, human. I can't remember the last time a mortal hurt me like this." She presses a hand to her abdomen, her body showing the emotion that her masked face cannot. She pulls her hand away, and stares at the blood. After a long moment, she lets out a long cry and her hand turns blue. All of her scattered blood - by her feet, on Dexter's blade, and arced around the courtyard changes azure as well, then turns to a freezing mist.
Cold! Cold like you've never felt before clutches at you, digging through your skin for the warmth deep inside. Lesser beings might have been crippled in agony, but your souls are strong. You resist the supernatural cold, although not without intense pain and cracked skin. You look around, and the lethal effects seem limited to the Awakened. The rest of the square, and the looming Pagoda, are coated in a thin layer of snow. Festive, almost, given the circumstances.
Dexter - OK, since you have 5 Dice for Melee (from Hurt), I'll put 4 to Attack and 1 to Defense.
- Wild Ward Roll: ... Nope! It doesn't affect you this Round.
- Attack Roll (TN 4 from Spells): 1,6,7,9 = 2 Successes. Damage Roll: 2,5,5,5,6,10 = 2 Successes.
- Spirit Soak Roll (secret) = 0 Successes. ... yeah, that was a seriously terrible roll. Shit. Let's just say that it involved three 1's.
---- Spirit has now taken 4 Health Levels of Damage.
Spirit: Uses Ability "Freeze". (secret roll) Does AoE Cold Damage (Lethal) in the immediate vicinity. The Mages take the following damage (after successful Soak rolls!):
- Dexter: 1 Damage (now at a total of 3 Damage, but still only -1 to non-Magic Rolls)
- Jon: 0 Damage (Edited for Iron Shirt Technique)
- Pixel: 1 Damage
- June: 2 Damage
Back to the PCs...
Rule Number 12: "A soft answer turneth away wrath. Once wrath is looking the other way, shoot it in the head."
Pixel grits her teeth and backs away from the spirit as her skin freezes and cracks. She thinks to herself that they need to discover if the spirit has any weaknesses. Maybe she's anchored to this world by a mental bond with some human? She sets the brain wave scanners on her AR goggles going, as she types code into her cell phone, searching for any patterns that might indicate a tie between the snow woman and any mortal in the area. If there is, maybe they can find a way to sever the connection.
Pixel changes the scanning parameters of her equipment. While she may not know the protocols for denying access for spiritual entities to the prime dimension, but she can try to scan for mental connections between the Snow Woman and the humans within range. Perhaps there is something controlling, or otherwise holding the creature in this realm. As the search algorithms crunch through the numbers upholding reality, she finds only a faint link between the elderly performers and the Yuki-Onna. The seniors are barely conscious as is, and clearly are in no position to be actively controlling such a thing. Perhaps is it simply as the spirit said, the Song calling her here through the power of her Name. Or perhaps there is more to the story.
June steps forward, pulling out a small wood wand from her jacket. She points it at the spirit, and shadows dance around the woman's face. The Snow Woman grimaces and tries to dart around, losing the effect. At least for a few moments her senses are compromised, unable to see what's going on.
Dexter and Jon ...
Pixel: Data 2/Mind 2 Scan (Coincidental, TN 5): 2,2,7 = 1 Success. Marginal Success.
- Damn clever, by the way. Excellent idea to look around for a controlling mortal or other summoning element.
June: Entropy 3 (Vulgar, TN 7): 3,5,9 = 1 Success. Shadowing her eyes, blocking sensory input.
- Attacks will have a -1 TN to hit her this round.
Rule Number 12: "A soft answer turneth away wrath. Once wrath is looking the other way, shoot it in the head."
Troubled by the shield that seems to be stopping him, Jon nevertheless knows that he has to do what he can to stop this thing before it manages to actually kill someone.
"We cannot let you exact your revenge," he tells the spirit. Depart now and we will not pursue you. Stay, and we will defend our charges."
Then, to punctuate his threat, the Akashic mage executes a spinning kick to try and knock the snow maiden down.
Sorry for the delay.
Jon will do another spinning kick (6 dice, difficulty 6, damage 8 dice).
Dexter adds nothing to the exchange, the martial artist beside him having voiced his own intentions more than eloquently enough. That and I can't stop my teeth from chattering. Shivering from the unearthly chill clinging to his flesh, Dexter does his best to will his freezing limbs into some semblance of his earlier stance, a thin layer of frost falling from his slashed yukata in response to his movements.
Mindful of the fact that he has sustained further injury to his person, the half-Romani engages the Yuki-Onna with a more defensive approach in mind.
Same as before, though with an extra die devoted to Defense
''At the center of your being you have the answer; you know who you are and you know what you want.'' - Lao-Tzu
Jon and Dexter nod to each other, working together as a team to press the Yuki-Onna. They've barely had any conversation yet, but each of them is clearly competent in battle, and courageous in standing their ground. Comrades in arms, if only for this moment. Dexter is stiff from his injuries, his whole body freezing from the latest assault, but perhaps at least the cold will slow his blood loss. He keeps his cane in front of him, flicking ranging shots towards the Spirit with his blade. Her attention is focused on him, her chain swinging swiftly on the high line to deflect each of the shots that get through the Ward.
This offers a perfect opening to the Monk. Jon waits until the kama starts another upswing to parry Dexter's sword, his stance deep and stable, patient, and strong as the earth. The moment the time is right, he pivots on his left leg, pivoting around and slamming his foot squarely into her center of mass. He feels a solid connection, bones or whatever she's made of loudly snapping. Despite her slight frame, there is a heaviness and solidity to her, more than would be in a mortal. She doubles over from the blow, her face slamming into the Ward, and the bottom half of her Mask cracks off and falls to the ground.
The Snow Woman staggers back, stunned by the kick. The bottom of her face is now visible. Her lips are pulled tight in a rictus of hate, while her eyes maintain the perfect blank serenity of her Mask. Her gaze slowly turns from Dexter to Jon, her attention now fully on the Akashic. She raises her right hand to the sky, and blue light blooms around her hand. The light steadily solidifies into a linear shape, swiftly growing in size. Blue lightning crackles through the fog, the Reality groaning at the energy being collected and concentrated. Soon there is a giant spear held aloft in her hand. The Yuki-Onna tilts her head in an almost curious gesture, and points it at the good Doctor. Suddenly the spear tip blasts forward, ripping through his torso, at the exact spot of his own attack. Both the strength of his Magic and his discipline in Do are naked before the might of the Snow Woman.
Instead of dying down, the blue lightning intensifies further, the cracks of energy building around the courtyard. The patterns are chaotic, fractal shapes forming and breaking at random. As the lightning crescendos, a man-sized figure appears, dark against the light. He steps forward seeming out of nowhere, behind the Snow Woman.
.... the mystery man ...
Dexter Attack Roll (3 to Attack, 2 to Defense), TN 5 (from June's Entropy Effect) = 5,9,10 = 3 Successes.
Wild Ward Roll: (Secret) Blocks the Attack.
Jon Attack Roll (6 Dice to Attack, TN 5 from Entropy) = 1,3,5,6,7,10 = 3 Successes.
Wild Ward Roll: (Secret) Nope! You got through!!!
Damage (10 Dice!!! Damn!) = 1,2,4,6,6,7,7,8,9,10 = 6 Damage.
Spirit Soak (Secret) = 2 Soaked. Spirit took 4 Damage.
--- Spirit has now taken 8 Health Levels of Damage (more than Humans can take without dying). She is clearly damaged, so don't take this to mean I'm saying she's Invulnerable.
Snow Woman - new Visual. Really, really doing my best not to have the Villain yell, "This isn't even my Final Form!"
- Ice Blast, powered to 10 Dice of Damage. = 4 Lethal Damage
---- Just so everyone knows, Spirits have an Essence Pool that is used whenever they use their special abilities. So swinging her Weapon she can do all day, Ice Blast she can't. If she ever hits 0 Essence, she'd be auto-banished back to the Spirit Realms.
- Jon Soak (5d10 - 3 from Arete, 2 from Iron Shirt) = 1,1,3,5,10. 0 Successes (can't Botch a Soak Roll)
---- Jon takes 4 Lethal Damage (now at -2 for all non-Magic/Soak Rolls)
I'd like to welcome @Karstil to the Campaign! Everyone is rather surprised by his appearance behind the Spirit, so let him have the first declared Action. Feel free to add talking/flavor/introductory Posts at any time, of course.
Rule Number 12: "A soft answer turneth away wrath. Once wrath is looking the other way, shoot it in the head."
