All traps Halla found.
They might have secret magic pendants Halla doesn't know about.
As long the kids leave alive, with the inheritance from Hallas mom, it wouldn't be that bad.
NorseQuest (A Norse Xianxia)
- Thread starter I.F. Ister
- Start date
- Original Fantasy Action
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- Tags
- norse mythology (mythology) original xianxia cultivation western cultivation ask sirihand did your mother tell you anything? discussion pleases yggdrasil farming gloating gets people killed granary management hubris is a coward's word you will die norsemen do not die when they are killed the qm has a bad memory the qm is bad at math viking courtroom drama (legal drama) vikings
They might have secret magic pendants Halla doesn't know about.
Alectai
Speaks Words of Wisdom... On occasion
I suppose that's fair, but even with that in mind, our heavy hitters are well beyond that standard.
The real risk is a 30+ year old being present for the boss. Which would be a very tough fight.
- Pronouns
- He/Him
In fairness, going on a Raid doesn't actually inherently make you more badass in any way except Orthstirr and better gear if you choose to buy it (it certainly didn't for us). Like, it gives a few more Training Dice than a normal Turn, but not enough more to be a sea change in ability or anything. People just back from their first raid are thus probably still around those benchmarks aside from having more Orthstirr to play with (since those benchmarks don't even include gear).
Now, being even a few years older than that probably increases those stats a fair amount...combat pool in particular is probably a fair bit higher than that for most warriors with even a bit of experience under their belt (it's by far the cheapest thing for the 'Generic 20-year old Norseman' to increase that would matter in combat...going from 25 dice to over 30 is probably only 6 successes on Training and/or getting a good backup weapon, as it just amounts to getting a couple of combat skills to 2 or getting the ability to add them to your combat pool if you already had them), but someone just back from their first Raid would likely still have the benchmark stats or close to them except for maybe that.
Our combat pool is unexceptional for a veteran, I suspect, as having every combat skill at 2 and one at 4-5 gives basically exactly the same combat pool as us (or within a die or two anyway) if they actually have the weapons and orthstirr to utilize all those skills (which does involve a Throwing weapon, mind you, but that can't be too rare). We still have several other advantages over the enemy including likely a lot more orthstirr (given they're bandits), but we need to be prepared for combat pools a lot closer to our own than the benchmarks.
Which means that some of our less experienced allies may be at a combat pool disadvantage here, though I think they make up for it in other ways...we'll see.
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Summer 6/Attacking Bandit Camp East 1.1
I.F. Ister
Fortifying The Thread
- Pronouns
- He/They
[X] Plan: Shock and Awe (v 1.1)
-[X] Max out Combat Pool (-33 Orthstirr), Max out Hugr, Tactics, Composure, Scouting, Wildcraft, Barb-Tongue, and Silver-Tongue (-28 Ortshtirr)
-[X] (20d) Five 5d6 Attacks (Honed Power Chops -2 Orthstirr Each)
-[X] (0d) Defenses
-[X] (9d) Intercept (11d6 Honed and Reinforced Hefty-Halter Chop -5 Orthstirr)
-[X] Reinforce Shield on our Armor for 3 Orthstirr (6 Layers) (-3 Osrthstirr)
-[X] Ember-Winged Cloak to position, including using it with Leaping Cleave if necessary to avoid being damaged mid-leap (-12 Orthstirr, -18 Orthstirr if needed to adjust Leaping Cleave mid-leap)
-[X] (16d) (17d6 Honed Leaping Cleave) (-4 Orthstirr)
-[X] Contingencies: Use Sidestep on any physical attack it applies to (-2 Orthstirr) and Halting Vortex on attacks it doesn't or to stop any big nova attempts on us or Aki's Murderbirb, or to suppress any Bullshit that might happen on the way, (-4 Orthstirr each)
--[X] You and Aki's raven move in from above. Us using Ember-Winged Cloak, and Aki's murderbirb using its murderbirb powers.
--[X] Stigr and Joarr attack just prior to us using their bows, attempting to distract or otherwise pin the sentry.
--[X] Halla descends using Leaping Cleave in tandem with Aki's Raven.
--[X] Clean up the Sentry while Abjorn, Sten, and Gabriel move past and disrupt and damage the Bandits as much as possible before they can get their act together. Join them once we're done.
-[X] Max out Combat Pool (-33 Orthstirr), Max out Hugr, Tactics, Composure, Scouting, Wildcraft, Barb-Tongue, and Silver-Tongue (-28 Ortshtirr)
-[X] (20d) Five 5d6 Attacks (Honed Power Chops -2 Orthstirr Each)
-[X] (0d) Defenses
-[X] (9d) Intercept (11d6 Honed and Reinforced Hefty-Halter Chop -5 Orthstirr)
-[X] Reinforce Shield on our Armor for 3 Orthstirr (6 Layers) (-3 Osrthstirr)
-[X] Ember-Winged Cloak to position, including using it with Leaping Cleave if necessary to avoid being damaged mid-leap (-12 Orthstirr, -18 Orthstirr if needed to adjust Leaping Cleave mid-leap)
-[X] (16d) (17d6 Honed Leaping Cleave) (-4 Orthstirr)
-[X] Contingencies: Use Sidestep on any physical attack it applies to (-2 Orthstirr) and Halting Vortex on attacks it doesn't or to stop any big nova attempts on us or Aki's Murderbirb, or to suppress any Bullshit that might happen on the way, (-4 Orthstirr each)
--[X] You and Aki's raven move in from above. Us using Ember-Winged Cloak, and Aki's murderbirb using its murderbirb powers.
--[X] Stigr and Joarr attack just prior to us using their bows, attempting to distract or otherwise pin the sentry.
--[X] Halla descends using Leaping Cleave in tandem with Aki's Raven.
--[X] Clean up the Sentry while Abjorn, Sten, and Gabriel move past and disrupt and damage the Bandits as much as possible before they can get their act together. Join them once we're done.
"Everybody ready?" Your words are met with resounding nods and steely-eyed gazes. You grin as you Sagaseeker from its sheath. "Stigr, Joarr, if you would like to start us off, be my guest."
The two archers nod as the put arrows to string. Stigr's iron arrowhead glows with a razor-sharp, Honed shine. Drawing string to ear, the archers empty their lungs as they line up their target.
A heartbeat passes as you stoke your orthstirr into a battle-frenzy.
Bowstrings thwang! as arrows loose like lightning and you hurtle into the air on wings of fire — Aki's Sword Raven a mere heartbeat behind.
The Sentry's head jerks around as the sound of twanging bowstrings reach his ears — the arrows themselves not far behind. His eyes snap wide, darting first to you, then to the raven, and then to death in the shape of arrows.
(Honed Ranged Attack: 9 vs Trick Defense: 8-2(Surprise)=6, Stigr Wins! 2 Damage Dealt to Shield!)
To his credit, the Sentry isn't slow to act. Shining orthstirr coats his shield as he swings it in defense, not a moment to spare between action and arrow.
Unfortunately for him, Stigr's Honed arrow rips right through the comparatively flimsy trick and buries itself deep into the wood. The Sentry stumbles back a step as the force of the blow nearly knocks him from his knees.
(Attack: 3 vs Defense: 5, Defender Wins!)
Joarr's arrow doesn't fare quite as well, as the Sentry hops a half-step back. The arrow hits the dirt, quivering in the air as the bandit tears his gaze from it to you.
A shadow falls across his face as your fiery wings block out the sun. Torso twisting, you bring Sagaseeker back for a powerful Leaping-Cleave.
(Split-Second Decision: 4)
In the mere handful of heartbeats you give him to act, he makes his decision.
(Sidestepped)
Digging his heel into the ground, he throws himself to the side mere moments before you hit the earth with thunderous force. A plume of dust blasts into the air as Sagaseeker carves deep into grass, dirt, and stone — but not blood, flesh, nor bone.
Growling, you whip around as the dust cloud reveals the unmarred form of the Sentry locked in combat with the Sword Raven.
(Fylgja Attack: 9 vs Trick Defense: 9, Defender Wins)
The Sentry sways as the Sword Raven slips a sword-like talon around his shield. The blades miss him by a hair's breadth as he strikes out with his shield, batting the bird away in a cloud of feathers.
Stomping against the ground, you throw yourself into motion as he brings his orthstirr-coated spear to bear on you. Full body twisting, he lunges out with gritted teeth as you charge.
(Sidestepped)
The Honed Power Thrust hits nothing but air as you sidestep beyond his reach.
Your gaze locks as you find your balance and take a breath while he does the same. This... something's different about this bandit.
You blink as something occurs to you. It's not that there's something different, it's that you're facing an enemy at your level of power with the tools to actually fight against your utter bullshit.
Frankly, you're starting to have fun! Heart pounding in your ears, a bloodthirsty smile spreads across your face as you breathe deep of the battle-heavy air.
Almost every other fight you've been in, it's been one-sided to a wild degree. Now, though? With an enemy your equal in strength? In a fight where you don't just crush them instantly?
...Going back is going to suck.
Raising Sagaseeker above your head, you cry your happiness to the world as you leap into a charge. The Sentry narrows his eyes as he rushes to meet you, orange orthstirr coating his spear as crimson power coats your atgeir.
Sagaseeker has him beat for length, so your strike reaches first.
(Trick Attack: 20 vs Trick Defense: 22, Defender Wins!)
Orthstirr screams as his shield bounces Sagaseeker away. Shoes scraping against dirt as he skids into a lunge, the orange-honed spearhead shooting straight towards your face.
(Sidestepped)
Jerking back, you kick up a cloud of dust as you spring away from the clash. He skids to a halt as a shadow falls across him — the shadow of the Sword Raven.
An ear-piercing screech rips through its beak as its iron-feathers gleam in the sun. Diving at breakneck speed, it spreads out its wings moments before impact with the ground.
(Fylgja Attack: 12 vs Trick Defense: 11, Fylgja Wins! 2 Damage Done to Shield! Shield Broken!)
Iron gleams as wood splinters and the shield is reduced to kindling.
The Sentry grunts as he stumbles back, the newly-freed hand darting to the spear. Finding his footing, his gaze darts from you to the bird as if weighing his options.
(Premature Round End: Shield Break)
(Unspent Orthstirr Refunded)
0~0~0
(Hugr (Tactics): 6x5, 5x2, 3x2, 2x1)15+1(Rounds)=16 Successes.
The battle is going well. Though you can't see into the camp, you've heard the death cries of two unfamiliar men. Jets of flame and spears of iron tell you that Sten's hit a steady stride. Good for him.
Your pseudo-duel with the Sentry... could be going better. Could also be going much worse. He's going strong with his orthstirr supply, not yet tapped into any of his Aspects. You reckon that, if push came to shove, you could out-orthstirr him, but that would leave you more or less useless for the rest of the fight.
He's about as strong as you are. His armor is only Decent and his shield is gone. His max orthstirr supply is a bit more than half your orthstirr supply. He's undamaged, as is his armor.
He's planning on using the opportunity granted from your next Sidestep to do something annoyingly defensive. After that, he's going on the attack.
Endurance: (7/7) | Armor Health: (8/8) | Shield Health: (NA) | Layer Health: (6/6)
Orthstirr: (193/279) | Odr: (25)
( ) Frami: 93 | ( ) Virthing: 93 | ( ) Saemd: 93
Sagaseeker has 8 orthstirr in its reservoir.
Your combat pool is 45d6.
What do you do?
[ ] (Plan Name)
-[ ] (Dice) Attack
-[ ] (Dice) Defense
-[ ] (Dice) Intercept
-[ ] (Dice) (Trick) (Orthstirr)
-[ ] Tactics Write in
0~0~0
AN: If the after-round details are missing anything, let me know. I feel like I'm a bit out of practice.
Anyways, I'm excited for how you're going to deal with an enemy that has a few of the same tricks as you.
25-minute moratorium.
- Pronouns
- He/Him
Yeah, that tracks, as noted, he's got plenty of dice to play with which helps, and seems to have Sidestep as well, which is annoying as it's a pretty efficient defensive measure.
@Imperial Fister we have sidestep...it probably wouldn't work against Firebomb-Strike would it?
@Imperial Fister we have sidestep...it probably wouldn't work against Firebomb-Strike would it?
Alectai
Speaks Words of Wisdom... On occasion
Kindle-Spinner is literally a wide angle flamethrower when used in close combat too, that's a good soft-counter to Sidestep Cheese, and his shield's now gone.
And if KS gets him out of his sidestep rhythm he can have a nice knee in the nuts.
- Pronouns
- He/Him
True. I'd like to know whether we have both available to counter that tactic or only Kindle Spinner, though.
Alectai
Speaks Words of Wisdom... On occasion
Question. "What Opportunity" is created from Sidestep? I don't think I caught that @Imperial Fister
I.F. Ister
Fortifying The Thread
- Pronouns
- He/They
Sidestep is you stepping away from the clash. Which gives a moment of time to take a breath, as seen in this update, or do a trick that requires a moment of concentration.
It would not work. You are correct.
Also, cause I've seen the assumption floating around, he only actually used Sidestep once — to get out of the way of Leaping-Cleave. The other times were different tricks.
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Alectai
Speaks Words of Wisdom... On occasion
Nice.
Yeah, he's expecting us to Sidestep to set up something hefty, which means our reaction now should be "Go full out balls to the wall and wreck his face with Ignition Tricks while standing our ground against incoming attacks"
After all, Halting Vortex doesn't require us to disengage, does it?
Yeah, he's expecting us to Sidestep to set up something hefty, which means our reaction now should be "Go full out balls to the wall and wreck his face with Ignition Tricks while standing our ground against incoming attacks"
After all, Halting Vortex doesn't require us to disengage, does it?
I.F. Ister
Fortifying The Thread
- Pronouns
- He/They
It does not, this is correct.
Alectai
Speaks Words of Wisdom... On occasion
Great!
Deadman, here's our tactics, we want to get out of this fight ASAP, and he's apparently specialized in turtling, so let's go cook him.
1) Feint like we're going to do a sidestep, counter with Halting Vortex instead, in that opening where he'd be starting up and wants a breather to start up, interrupt him with Knee-Groin Trick.
2) Hit him like the fist of an angry god with a 2 Odr Infused Close-Range Kindle-Spinner while he's staggered. Can we use our second Berry in combat time without creating an opening BTW? We should get some absolutely stupid damage output with this.
3) If he's still up after that and all the follow-up attacks, Power Chop Time. Then move in to relieve the rest of the team.
Deadman, here's our tactics, we want to get out of this fight ASAP, and he's apparently specialized in turtling, so let's go cook him.
1) Feint like we're going to do a sidestep, counter with Halting Vortex instead, in that opening where he'd be starting up and wants a breather to start up, interrupt him with Knee-Groin Trick.
2) Hit him like the fist of an angry god with a 2 Odr Infused Close-Range Kindle-Spinner while he's staggered. Can we use our second Berry in combat time without creating an opening BTW? We should get some absolutely stupid damage output with this.
3) If he's still up after that and all the follow-up attacks, Power Chop Time. Then move in to relieve the rest of the team.
I.F. Ister
Fortifying The Thread
- Pronouns
- He/They
And voting is now open
- Pronouns
- He/Him
I'm very against using Odr here. We can take this guy without it and it's only +1 damage. We don't need that.
Knee-Groin Trick, unlike Kindle Spinner or Firebomb-Strike can be Sidestepped, which is his own go-to defense so I'm reluctant there as well though less completely against the idea. I don't think Power-Chops are worth it as opposed to using Firebomb Strike or more Kindle Spinner since we know those get through his primary defense and we can afford the extra orthstirr easily (heck, due to Mastery Kindle Spinner is actually cheaper for the same dice).
I'm currently thinking we use Halting Vortex and just go pure fire and aggression with a mix of Kindle Spinner and Firebomb-Strike attacks that he can't sidestep and varying it up so he can't get used to only one of the two. I could be convinced to maybe use Knee-Groin Trick first, but I'd need an explanation of why he won't just Sidestep it.
@Imperial Fister if we use The Fight Of Our Life... So Far on this battle with the sentry would we be able to use it in the camp, too? That said, it seems like the Sentry might be the toughest one here given how well the camp battle is going.
If we need a damage boost, we have a berry - though it's on our soul-bush so I'm not sure how practical it is to use in the middle of combat? That lasts for a whole round and can power multiple tricks, too.
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- Pronouns
- He/Him
Nah, Sten is just scary as shit. I think this guy is tough-ish, but not the toughest guy here by any means. Like, I'm betting there's a boss who's tougher and a couple of people on his level, as well as some weaker ones.
Yeah, but I'm pretty sure he'll abort it to Sidestep and avoid a Knee-Groin Trick if he can, which is a big gamble to take on him not being able to.
With only Decent armor, no shield, and the same Hamr as us, this guy only has 10 Endurance, we can handle that without damage boosts as long as we can hit him.
So, my plan is as follows:
[X] Plan Fiery Aggression
-[X] 45d6 Attack (all tricks)
-[X] 0d6 Defense
-[X] 0d6 Intercept
-[X] Make a total of three 9d6 (11d6 w/Hugareida) Kindle Spinner attacks (-2 Orthstirr each) alternated with two 9d6 (11d6 w/Hugareida) Firebomb-Strikes (Kindle Spinner, then Firebomb-Strike, then Kindle Spinner, and so on)
-[X] In response to any Trick Attack against us or our allies near us use Halting Vortex to avoid giving him his planned for opening (-4 Orthstirr). If that somehow doesn't work and we no longer have Reinforce Shield layers, use Sidestep anyway (-2 Orthstirr).
-[X] Tactics – Just get in his face and refuse to leave using our ignition Tricks to really go to town on this guy in a way he is very much not prepared for. Our first Kindle-Spinner will be aimed at his face to hopefully blind and confuse him as much as possible.
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That's fair, though worth remembering the berries regrow each year so we ought to get used to using them when appropriate.
That's fair, I forgot how good Sten was.
Just going to give myself a tiny back-pat for thinking to invite him.
- Pronouns
- He/Him
I suspect these are instead likely just more people affiliated with the Skirsvikingar, but this isn't impossible by any means.
I think we can save them up? I guess we don't know that for sure, though.
Inviting Sten was definitely a good call, yeah.
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I.F. Ister
Fortifying The Thread
- Pronouns
- He/They
You would need a lull to retrieve it, but you can use it mid-fight.
Also, I'm planning on calling this here in, like, an hour and a half, if that's alright?