- Location
- Who knows?
[X] Plan Skin a Cat
Green Flame Rising (Exalted vs Dresden Files)
- Thread starter DragonParadox
- Start date
- Crossover Fantasy
Why bother playing games with them? We're dealing with what looks like an experienced predator who thought he had good odds of dying today. It's reasonable to guess that he's not going to press for more than the thing he was worried about losing here unless the profit is really good.
Intimidating him could build resentment, but just pointing out that agreeing to be problems for everyone else before each other is an unexpected windfall both ways requires about the same commitment from us as telling him to take a hike for fewer ruffled feathers.
- Pronouns
- She/Her
If we want a challenge that plays to our strengths, we could do something like an offer of "one free hit." Every member of the pride gets one attack, we only defend, not attack, and if they manage to draw our blood with their claws, they win.
Between Melee Excellency, our shield, and VLE, we should be able to parry or soak all of their hits on a full defense action without taking damage, and it should be a plenty intimidating display. And that's assuming they use proper group tactics and attack together.
What do you guys think?
Between Melee Excellency, our shield, and VLE, we should be able to parry or soak all of their hits on a full defense action without taking damage, and it should be a plenty intimidating display. And that's assuming they use proper group tactics and attack together.
What do you guys think?
I wouldn't risk it, because it's possible they might succeed if the dice are against us. More importantly, this kind of demonstration only works it it comes off as so effortless that learning more about us is worthless.
If we sweat it at all then the effect is ruined even if we still end up winning.
If we go that far we might as well just challenge the leader to a duel, or tell him to screw off and come back tomorrow for a hunt.
Having them line up to stab us would also be a touch awkward as a scene.
Edit: we're also at 5 essence right now; if anything goes wrong in the demo then we'd be running the risk of hitting empty.
Even if we get out without an issue, which we probably could with Lydia as backup, no one knows about that mechanic yet.
The cat will get out of the bag eventually, but the longer we keep that hidden the better off we are since no one will know to try to mote tap us in combat.
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It's not tribute. It's "if you work for me, I'll pay you".
I am sad to say, that particular piece is just art. There are, however, examples, of cats wearing armor.
What right does this fur rag that lives in the sewers, or close enough, and probably subsists on mutant rats, has to give us a challenge? This is not its territory. We are here by invitation. We already offered him a boon, even if he doesn't recognize it as such - any information on our exaltation, especially "it was meant for mortal men" is a treasure beyond measure in this day and age.
This is a killer from a species of killers that reaches beyond its station. Beings such as this are to be used, if needed, and otherwise put into their place if they are unreasonable.
I get the impression that this dude is low man on the pole in his pack, and drew the short straw to talk.
He doesnt seem to be the sharpest tool in the box
The audience isnt them. Its the rest of Winter, and the rest of the population of Faerie, both Winter, Summer and Wyldfae alike, which will eventually get to hear of the events that happen here, just like they all heard of when Dresden spent a Favor of the Summer Court on a doughnut, hereby foiling Titania's plans elegantly and buying him street cred.
Its not just about winning. Its how we win.
That might work.
I was more thinking along the lines of Capture The Flag actually.
Mechanically, Soak rolls are DC6.
TLF + BSM would drop us to soaking on DC3, with overflow.
Its well within our capabilities, I think.
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If we are doing any challenge, it shouldn't be framed as "we are submitting to a challenge from you". It should be framed as an equal challenge. They should bet something, like a year and a day of service (perhaps further compensated by us). And we should bet something. But definitely nothing to do with our subordinates. You don't bargain your subordinates lives in bets like this. It's not war, there's no deep need here.
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- She/Her
We have Scar-Writ Saga Shield, so we roll soak at difficulty 5 before any other modifiers. Even if TLF doesn't count, BSM still brings that to 8 Soak dice at DC4. And that's if something gets past our Parry.
There's a reason I suggested this. We are tanky in a way that's basically impossible for mooks like this to pierce.
Still don't like it. I don't think they'll go for it, or that we could trust them if they did since they've got prior loyalties they deny abandon.
The thing with the true name stuff is also giving up an important data point on our abilities for the sake of a tacky gimmick, one that's as likely to backfire as to do anything helpful at that.
I'd rather kill all of these guys than give details of the crown out to anyone.
Ok, fair enough.
[X] Make another offer, a sane one. The Jade Dogs could use friendly neighbors
-[X] Use intimidation excellency
-[X] STUNT: The eyes of your crown focus on the malk's shape, green flames casting eerie shadows on the corridor's walls. Frost that isn't kin to Winter permeates the air as you speak: "Bold you are, Chapalu, to demand tribute of me, and to call me a thief, when your Queen would not do so. I have offered these people protection, and you insult me by proposing I play games with it. I am, however, not so easily roused to anger. I will propose another bargain - swear that you shall bring no harm to this place or its dwellers, and serve here for a year and a day, as your mortal kin served mortal dwellings since times immemorial, hunting vermin. In exchange, I shall provide you with food fitting king's table, and gift upon you armor fitting your form. What say you, Chapalu?"
The logic is the same as before. Intimidate, yes, but also provide generous terms for service. By overpaying them at no real cost to us, we'd smooth things over while preserving face for everyone.
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- Location
- Russia
- Pronouns
- He/Him
"take a while"?
Double "being".
"Mortals and immortals"?
Double "yet".
Fixed, thanks.
What exactly are you buying anyway? Your reference mortal cats (which is give even odds offends them) but I've never seen a cat take orders. At best they hang around and use you as bait for rats.
A cat isn't a person, a fae is.I mean, it's also a fae too. Not JUST a cat.
I wouldn't be so derisive of an animal.
fictionfan
Please sir, may I have some Meows?
- Location
- Tempe, AZ
[x]Yog
Hmm.
Gimme an hour. Need to run some errands.
I am buying deratization. "hunting vermin". There are bound to be rats, mice, perhaps snakes infesting the Last Station's corridors. It's relatively easy to deal with insects via chemicals. Rats are harder. And cats worked as deratization service for a long time.
Running a LOT late.
VOTE
[X] Plan Herding Cats
-[X]Challenge the pack. Combat to yield. OR they hide an item for Molly to retrieve, with them attempting to impede her.
-[X]Dark Sun Shield + VLE + Melee Excellency if necessary.
-[X]No sword. No Transcendent Anathema.Pour bottle of water over head to activate BSM
-[X]STUNT: "Molly, what are you doing?" Lydia hisses urgently at you as your fingers tie your hair back from your face. "Making a point" you murmur in reply, twisting a foot to check the fit of your shoes. "Also, getting a closer look at them for the Dogs." Satisfied, you finally empty a water bottle over your head, and pick up your shield before turning to face Chapala.
RATIONALE
They are malks.
Canonically Dresden estimated Gard could take six normal malks at a time unassisted with steel.
Molly can presumably do a lot better than that, and we're wearing Ebon Scales underneath our clothes.
Base 3 + Ebon Scales 1 + VLE 4 = Soak 8
Scar Writ Saga 1 + Transcendent Lord of Flies 3 + Boiling Sea Mastery 1 = - 6 DC to difficulty of soak rolls
TLF 3 + BSM 1 = -4 DC to difficulty of other rolls, including parry and navigation
Anima banner = surprise negator
VOTE
[X] Plan Herding Cats
-[X]Challenge the pack. Combat to yield. OR they hide an item for Molly to retrieve, with them attempting to impede her.
-[X]Dark Sun Shield + VLE + Melee Excellency if necessary.
-[X]No sword. No Transcendent Anathema.Pour bottle of water over head to activate BSM
-[X]STUNT: "Molly, what are you doing?" Lydia hisses urgently at you as your fingers tie your hair back from your face. "Making a point" you murmur in reply, twisting a foot to check the fit of your shoes. "Also, getting a closer look at them for the Dogs." Satisfied, you finally empty a water bottle over your head, and pick up your shield before turning to face Chapala.
RATIONALE
They are malks.
Average size of a malk is same as a bobcat. The strongest Malk, Eldest Malk Cat Sith is the size of a young mountain lionComparison image said:
Canonically Dresden estimated Gard could take six normal malks at a time unassisted with steel.
Molly can presumably do a lot better than that, and we're wearing Ebon Scales underneath our clothes.
Base 3 + Ebon Scales 1 + VLE 4 = Soak 8
Scar Writ Saga 1 + Transcendent Lord of Flies 3 + Boiling Sea Mastery 1 = - 6 DC to difficulty of soak rolls
TLF 3 + BSM 1 = -4 DC to difficulty of other rolls, including parry and navigation
Anima banner = surprise negator
Yzarc
The Spark of Madness
Not sure kn this. We do not have the stats for it.
I'm still not sure what the point of this is. We're not competing in a game show, they care about their interests and showing off only matters in so far as is presents the case that they can't win against us.
Something they already believe or they'd be trying to kill us right now.
There's also the risk that we flub something through the cruelty of the dice gods, and that they jump us after we all but mote tap ourselves. Especially since you're taking our primary combat skill off the table.
You're not even actually resolving anything with this; we win the challenge as everyone here expects and then we're back to this but with an elaborate intimidation check behind us.
We don't benefit from overcomplicating this situation; the only reason they're even here is that we have the advantage. Press them to screw off in exchange for not being screwed with and I think they'll stop being a problem.
Malks are not house cats.
Dont mistake the fact that they look like cats for them actually being cats.
Thats like mistaking a nacken for a horse.
If you want ratters, get ratters.
Stray cats are not rare in major urban centers like Chicago; Chicago has an estimated feral cat population of 200,000-500,000.
And dry catfood is $10-$15 a month in 2022.
Comparing kitty’s calorie costs
The type of your cat food - wet, dry, fresh, or raw - not to mention the brand, can make a dramatic differences in what you will pay to feed your cat. We compare daily and yearly costs for different food types for a theor
vetnutrition.tufts.edu
Perception 2 + Stunt 2 = Dice pool 4.
Spend 1 WP for autosuccess.
TLF + BSM bonus for -4 DC.
Crown as backup.
Not ideal, but workable. And likely to actually earn XP.
I left the options up to the QM as for which would be more cinematic/make for a better story.
Briefly?
This is about reputation and deterrence.
And bonus XP.
I'll try to expand when I get back.
They're already deterred, it's why the cabal of twenty magical sadists is talking instead of fighting. We start a demo and all we do is create an opportunity for failure, and get no extra points for being perfect.
It's our challenge, we wouldn't be making it if we couldn't do it after all.