Okay, here's the revised plan, including Skippy's suggestion of asking about a prior conversation and an actual combat plan, though it only goes off under specific circumstances. I still personally think either this isn't Gabriel, in which case the plan won't happen as revealing that is a round break, I think, or he'll be willing to talk...but if he's not Gabriel but our anti-illusion stuff is not sufficient or it's Gabriel and he's gone off the deep end somehow, there is a plan.
The non-combat part is unchanged except for the addition of Skippy's suggestion.
[X] Plan We Don't Buy This
-[X] Use The Mind's Eye Blinks to see if that's actually Gabriel, adding
3 Odr.
--[X] Assuming that doesn't reveal anything, offer to let Gabriel have the scholar.
--[X] Note that there is stuff we need here, we made a deal, but we can negotiate for the rest
--[X] Let him know about Steinarr's death even if he insists on fighting. Simply phrase it as 'You should know, my father was killed.' and see how he reacts.
--[X] Depending on all of the above, use Eyespeaking and ask what we told him about Norse cultivation after our spar.
--[X] If he refuses to talk we will, of course, fight.
-[X] Assign our 8 shapeshifting slots to Increased Lung Capacity x2, Improved Liver x1, Target-Tracking Eyes x3, Adrenaline Rush x2,
-[X] Invest 4 Orthstirr in Hugr, 1 in Composure, 4 in Tactics, 3 in Scouting, 6 in Silver-Tongue (-18 Orthstirr)
-[X] 101d6 Attack (101d6 tricks)
-[X] 40d6 Defense (40d6 tricks)
-[X] 0d6 Intercept
-[X] Put 4 Orthstirr into 8 layers of Reinforce Shield before the combat begins (-4 Orthstirr) and add an instance of Explosive Reactive Armor (-9 Orthstirr)
-[X] Activate Stoker State 4 (-12 Orthstirr), Slipstream (-8 Orthstirr), Heated Shroud (-5 Orthstirr), and Ember-Wing Cloak (No cost) as combat begins. All subsequent actions receive +2d6 from Sunshine and Skyfire.
-[X] If we do get hit through Reinforce Shield somehow, use Slowing Slog to reduce incoming damage (-81 Orthstirr)
-[X] Put up a 120d6+7 (w/Hugareida) Atgeir Bodyguard (-124 Orthstirr) adding
3 Odr, do not use this against Fleinns
-[X] Make a total of four 63d6+7 Orthstirr-enhanced x36 Kindle Spinner attacks w/Puncture (-45 Orthstirr and +4 Stoked Dice each) and five 64d6+7 Sharpenedx30 Lightning-Charged Shatter-Wrist Tricks combined with Firebomb Strike attacks w/Puncture (-42 Orthstirr and +4 Stoked Dice each) if he manages to close with us.
-[X] Against melee attacks default to using Contested Movement (-1 Orthstirr, 16d6+7 Hamr Roll +All Stoked Dice, lose all Stoked Dice, then get +4 Stoked Dice) and counterattack with Sharpenedx6 Lightning Charged Shatter-Wrist Tricks combined with Firebomb Strikes w/Puncture (-18 Orthstirr, +4 Stoked Dice), adding our Stoked Dice to the rolls.
-[X] By default use Sword Guard to defend against ranged attacks (except Fleinns, as noted above). In response to anything ranged that gets through use as many quick-drawn Shield Sacrifices (-3 Endurance on one Shield) as needed and/or four 122d6+16 Fortified and Reinforcedx107 Sway defenses (-110 Orthstirr each) as seems appropriate. If we have drawn a shield and defended against a Trick, always defend against the next Trick Attack with that Shield as well (-3 Endurance on the same Shield).
-[X] Tactics – The hope here is to either reveal that this is not Gabriel, in which case our tactics change, or to talk him down if it is him. If that fails, then we fight. Specifically, we will take to the air and stay at range using Kindle-Spinners to wear him down...staying at range so as to hopefully avoid poison if this is a Slavic cultivator disguising themselves, and because Gabriel is best in melee, but using bigger attacks in case Rebuke really is in play. If he manages to engage us in melee, we'll attempt to break his arms, as that seems a good way to end this nonlethally and also pretty good if he's a Slavic cultivator wearing a Mask (broken arms are bad for most people).
Why are they bad at nova'ing? Is it cause of their small pool compared to the rest of the cultivation styles?
Yes. A Knight on the 4th bead of the 6th Decade has a per-turn recovery of 108 Fervor...but a total pool of only 162. His Fervor is slightly better per point than Orthstirr, but he has only a bit over 1/10 our pool not even counting our Aspects. It just...doesn't work out well.
