The Sealed City: Imperial Mission

[Mark3000]

The Sealed City: Imperial Mission



You are all jostled awake by the shaking of the wagon. The cobblestone roads of the city give way to the dirt trails of Cinder Oak Forest. The army had provided you with the supplies and transportation needed for this mission. Schwarzberg's brilliance was said to rival even the capital with it's Mountaintop Cathedral, University, Market Square & Military Garrison. The Schwarz family had looked after the land since it was a small village and has helped grow the city.

So the sudden closure of the city's famed gates due to a plague was a tragedy, if not somewhat suspicious. And with the city's reopening and the strange request their envoys have made for young woman have attracted the attention of the Hamelion government and army.

Thus, your squad has been assembled. Your group is tasked with assessing the situation in Schwarzberg and verifying the claims of a plague as well as the reason why the city has reopened. It was very much a recon mission though the possibility of conflict was still there. The road is long though and the forest is filled with the sounds of wildlife. With a bit of distance to Schwarzberg, the four of you have a chance to talk and form a plan for your newest assignment.

[exalted]

Rebecca woke with a start, eyes darting about as her pistol, instinctual in hand flashed about the inside of the wagon. Calming her rapid breathing, she hastily tucked the pistol away lest any of the others wake and see it drawn, the face of the painted man and his scimitar receding into the depths of her mind to strike when she next dreamt again.

Smoothing down her uniform, she corrected her officers cap and put on the airs of Lieutenant Smith, examining the others in the wagon again, and his concerns about them.

Robert Smith, 527, had no doubts about the competencies of the young Ms Shindt, the bubbly girl had more than demonstrated her mental acumen on the ride in the past days, but also her nativity. Rebecca did not want to admit, but it reminded herself far too much of herself before running away and going on campaign.

The Lady Gloomcrest was another matter all together, with something that didn't sit well in her gut. Perhaps it was jealousy, that fact this 'woman' was able to don arms and take the field, while she.... but that was the Aristocracy for you, Robert Smith, the lowly orphan boy reminded her.

Her most troubling was the third companion, though she would scarcely use the term to describe the figure though. The convict's purpose and inclusion of the mission troubled her, if this was a diplomatic mission then why bring a criminal - with such little escort and with orders to be set free of chains upon meeting the city - a thief and bandit at that? No, that did not sit right with Lieutenant Smith and made the key in his breast pocket take on a whole new weight of the unknown.

Checking the convicts shackles to make sure she had not slipped them loose during the night, before climbing from the wagon to check on the driver. The brisk morning air woke her nicely as she peered through the fog shrouded woods. They would be there soon, so now would be as good as any to break their fast, and she directed the driver to pull into a opening from the trees.

Climbing down, she stretched the night stiffness from her back and legs, before helping the driver unlash the morning provisions from the wagon. If there was or had been plague in the city then it would do no good to arrive hungry and risk exposure. Leaving the driver to tend the fire, she walked to the back of the wagon and dropped the tail gate to peer into the gloom.

"Alright you slovenly Sod," she growled, poking the thief with her swagger stick as she tried to sound gruff and grizzled, "On your feet."

[Firehead]

Alane flinched as soon as she felt the change from smoother cobbles to rough dirt. She quickly moved to the back of the wagon to look around. It had been years since she'd come back home, so it felt nostalgic to see the familiar sights of the place she'd grown up. A part of her wanted to just return home and enjoy the comfortability of the familiar place she'd been away from, but this was her way of checking out the old city, and she needed to take it if she wanted to find her mother who hadn't returned home even after the gates had reopened last she'd heard. She still felt a bad that she hadn't told her father what she was doing, but she couldn't let him talk her out of it.

Turning back to the others within the wagon, she couldn't help but stare a moment at the chained woman, Ertha she thinks. The woman was chained up and apparently a convict though Alane didn't know what she had necessarily done. Still, it seemed odd to put a convict in with soldiers.

Then there was the Keira. The woman almost seemed too gleeful about this mission. She couldn't much understand why someone would be so happy to go to a place that is supposed to have recently opened up from a plague like this. She nearly felt as dangerous as Ertha.

Last, there was Rob. He just about seemed to be the only one that didn't creep Alane out. He seemed ready to complete the mission without seeming to revel in what was going to go down. He started to take charge almost immediately, and Alane was all too happy to follow lest any of the others try to take charge.

She jumped out of the wagon once it had been called to a stop. She wasn't quite able to help herself in checking if she recognized this particular clearing. Seeing that they were pulling out the provisions she realized that she was indeed hungry. Looking around, she began to gather sticks for kindling. Clearing a small space of brush, she set her kindling down and pulled her tome. "Well, this'll be much easier than rubbing sticks together was." She focused her magic into a fireball trying to keep it small. She was just trying to light a fire after all.

[mrblah]

Ertha was forced awake from her peaceful slumber, opening her bleary eyes and glaring at one of her supposed 'companions'. She remembered the man's name was Robert, one of the two soldiers of her squad. She briefly considered ignoring the irritating man's order, but she didn't really have much of a choice. She slowly pulled herself up, standing at her full height of 5'3... so, not much height at all. Not that height matters, anyway. She thought she was still intimidating.

Her eyes went from one soldier, to the other, and then to her last 'companion'. She hadn't been associating with them much on the trip, keeping to herself and ignoring them to the best of her ability. Though they were her allies, it was only a temporary alliance she was forced into, and the sooner she escapes them, the better, though it was a shame they weren't dumb enough to leave her unrestrained. The chains and lock holding her hands together behind her back complicated her escape plans, and the position of the lock made it difficult for her to reach, stopping her from simply picking it.

But her escape plans could wait. Ertha looked back to Robert with a curious, yet still hostile, glare. She had been playing the part of the mute for most of the trip, in a petulant attempt to scorn her teammates. Though she knew they didn't deserve it (especially that Alane girl, who was just a civilian), she was still angry at her circumstances, so the unfortunate group she was forced into would simply have to deal with her poor attitude.

[lilbooth]

Kiera hadn't slept much on the journey. Likely the combination of excitement and the lack of her goose feather pillows. She liked to think she was different from other nobles in regards to her needs, she could make it by on soldiers ratios and cheap ale, but her bedding was not something she ever stopped to consider. She hadn't spent a night sleeping in anything other than a bed or a chaise lounge. Maybe a hammock here and there but never sitting upright in a wagon. Her back and neck were aching and everything from her ass down was asleep. Though she seemed to be the last out of the wagon and for fear of being looked down upon she quickly hoisted herself and leaned on her spear. She massaged her thighs briefly and began to stretch and crack her tightened joints.

Her traveling companions, whom would also serve as her squadmates on this mission all seemed interesting. None of them were royal army like herself, but they seemed competent enough. She had only heard of Robert Smith, he was one of the more accomplished sellswords in the army's ranks. He was the most accomplished among the group and it would seem he would take charge of the mission. One of the others was a volunteer, so her cause for being here was sound. How effective she would be was yet to be determined. The last seemed to have been conscripted. Keira heard Robert calling her a thief so it was an appropriate reason. But she could likely fight and well, else she would have been in prison or dead, she must have real combat prowess to have been conscripted.

"Morning Lieutenant Smith, any reason we're stopping this far from the city Sir? Surely we could make it before sundown." She said as she made her way out into the fresh air.

[exalted]

Rebecca smiled smugly to herself as the thief stood proudly to attention, thinking maybe some of the discipline was starting to rub off on the miscreant. Seeing the encourageable Ms Shindt already at work, she guided and ushered the thief over to the burgeoning the fire and took a seat on crate herself.

Taking a stained skillet out and placing it the fire, she started to cut slices off a hunk of bacon, the salted meat sizzling in the pan as she looked up to see their 'Warrior Princess' hoping from the wagon and immediately started to complain.

"A good soldier eats when he has the oppotunity, something one learns on campaign." she smugly replied, adding some pickled eggs to the meat before standing back up, "It wouldn't do the Army any good to arrive early, being right on time will be perfectly all right. Now if you don't mind guarding the prisoner, I'll take my morning constitutional"

[Mark3000]

The driver nods at Robert as he stops the wagon in a small clearing. While he secures the horses, the four of you make camp. The smell of bacon and eggs give the area a soothing aura, though Ertha's shackles keep her from truly relaxing.

When Robert returns to the group, you all bask in the glow of the fire in this overcast morning.

Alane
Knowlegde (Local) (Feat of Insight, Level 1) Roll: 22 Pass

Looking over the clearing, Alana remembers stopping here with her mother on your trips to Schwarzberg. She would always stop here and gather herb. There was one in particular that she would always stop to look for called a Violet Nightingale. But a sound in the bushes distracts you from your thoughts.

Perception Check(Feat of Skill Vs. ??? Feat of Skill)
???: 31
Robert/Rebecca: 19 + 20 + 5 (Skills) = 44
Alane: 6 + 10 = 16
Ertha: 12 + 18 + 3 (Skills) =33
Kiera: 2 + 14 + 4 (SKills) = 20

Robert and Ertha are the first to notice the source of the sound. But it's hard to believe it even exists. Walking through the forest you see a wolf twice as big as either of your horses prowling around the dense forest. It's mane was a deep ebony that seemed to glisten in the light of the morning sun. It's claws were long, dyed a deep crimson red.

Your companions perceptive intuition had given you early warning of this beast's arrival. But how will you respond to it's presence.

[Firehead]

Alane couldn't help but smile a little when she recognized the clearing finding the familiar setting to be somewhat comforting. It also reminded her of her time with mother. She clenched her fist remembering why she was doing this. No matter what happened, she would find a way to see her mother again.

While she waited for the food to cook, she took a brief glance around at some of the surrounding plants. Her mother always picked up Violet Nightingale on her way through here, so she felt it was a good idea to try and get some while they were here. She also tried to remember if she had ever been told what the plant was for, but the sound of something moving through the nearby foliage caught her attention.

Finding it a much more pressing concern, she looked about her surroundings trying to find the source of the disturbance. Not seeing anything, she found herself growing worried and turned to the others. "Did anyone else hear that, or did I imagine it?"

[mrblah]

Ertha sat on the ground in front of the fire, moving her hands out to warm them... though they were far too close to the flame. She felt her hands burning a bit, as well as the chains heating up, but she continued to do so. The far too warm sensation of her hands close to a fire reminded her of her younger days, when she was with Erhardt... on colder days, her hands would be so numb that she'd basically shove them into the fire. Erhardt would pull her hands back before she hurt herself. Now she has to do that herself.

Hearing Robert's explanation for why they stopped, she found herself begrudgingly agreeing with him. While she was never in a war or been on whatever campaigns he has, the logic behind keeping yourself fed on long journeys wasn't hard to see. Besides, she was hungry too.

But before that thought could be given anymore attention, Ertha's sharp hearing picked up on a sound that anyone else could. Her eyes tracked it to the source immediately, her time spent hiding from the law teaching her to be paranoid and perceptive... but her eyes only widened a bit in surprise at the creature she was seeing. She's dealt with wolves before, but nothing quite of that size or color. Was that even a wolf? Regardless, her eyes moved to her teammates, finding that she wasn't the only one who saw the creature, thankfully. They were all in danger and she needed out of the chains, immediately. "Hey." She sharply whispered to Robert, who held the key to her freedom. "Let me out of these chains." She didn't bother explaining why. The goddamn wolf beast should be incentive enough.

[exalted]

Rebecca sighed as she glanced around once more before pulling up her britches, satisfied she was alone and no one had seen her secret. Straightening up and habitually smoothing down her uniform she headed back to the group, the smell of cooked bacon as good as any map.

The silence in the forest started to trouble her as she strolled back, the hair on the back of her neck rising as she sensed danger. She relaxed briefly as she saw the others well back at the camp, until the sound in the bushes attracted her gaze to the unimaginable sight.

Dashing to the fire, she kicked over the skillet, sending any left over breakfast into the dirt and trampled it, hoping to deaden it's scent as she grabbed Ms Shindt by the arm and pulled her behind herself. Ushering the others behind the fire, she looked for any more fuel to it they could add, drawing and cocking one of her pistols but not aiming it at the beast yet.

Considering the size of the abomination she didn't know how effective her shot would be and hoped instead the fire would keep it away as it did the monster's normal sized kin.

She tried to shush the Thief as she started to prattle, hoping the beast hadn't noticed them yet.

[lilbooth]

Kiera simply listened as Luetenit Smith went about explaining how arriving early would be of no use to them. She didn't exactly agree but she nodded as Robert walked off away from the group. She stood at attention while watching the prisoner, as much as she could muster. She was sore from her travels and her stretching had done little to alleviate the pain. Still half leaning on her spear she watched over the camp and enjoyed the smell of breakfast cooking. It wasn't shortly after she had grown accustomed to standing, the feeling returning to her sore legs, that a hulking beast had begun stalking towards the camp.

The Luetenit had drawn and loaded his pistol and quickly moved behind the fire. Keira stood just to the side of Robbert with shield and spear ready. If the beast was to charge them, plowing through the fire, Keira would do her best to interpose herself between the Luetenit and the beast.

[Mark3000]

With the fire put out, the monstrous wolf stops for a moment. Raising his snout to sky, he sniffs the air. For a moment it appears the beast has located your squad. But it runs right pass you. Instead, it attacks the horses pulling your cart.

The wolf pounces with incredible speed and lands on the two horses. You all hear a sickening snap as the beast lands. Your driver looks up at the Ebony Maned Wolf, it's claws further reddened by the horses blood. With a scream, the driver runs like a headless chicken into the forest.

Bowing it's head, the wolf begins to feast on the dead horses. It was distracted and didn't seem interested in anyone else. To the north, you could see the top of Schwarzberg's Black Gate. It wasn't far off and an escape would be easy, but that would mean abandoning most of your extra supplies. You would just have your weapons and armor on you.

Alane
Salvaging Roll (Insight, Level 3 [25+ to succeed]): 14 +22 + 1 (Skill) = 37

Despite the on going danger, Alane manage to find a few Violet Nightingale. Slowly, you manage to pick a few from the ground before your group makes it's next move.

Gain (Violet Nightingale x 5)

[lilbooth]

"So lieutenant, whats the standard procedure for a giant fucking wolf?" Asked Kiera tightly gripping her royal spear and keeping her shield pointed at the beast. The dripping maw and rending claws of the beast sent chills down her spine, but Keira fight or flight had been toned to the former for quite some time. It's just a big dog, a big angry, horse sized dog... She thought to herself as she dug her heels into the earth. Keira has spent some time of her youth learning to hunt, and part of that hunting was using hounds. The hounds were muscle-bound and fiercer, but were well trained and listened to commands. Kiera knew that the canines respected the alpha, and would back down if challenged. Any hint of fear or submission was quite dangerous, something she had discovered first hand on a few royal hunts.

[Firehead]

Looking around, she couldn't see what had made the noise until Rob grabbed her taking her by surprise and pulling her behind him. Looking at the lieutenant, she followed his gaze finally spotting the wolf. She gasped having never seen a wolf that large. She looked about as the others tried to figure out what to do. What Kiera said made her think of something. "I-it might be large, b-but it is still a wolf, isn't it? Once it's full it won't have any reason to attack us unless it thinks we're threatening it. Even as large as it is two full horses should be plenty. M-maybe if we just move away a bit, we can come back once it's satisfied with its meal." Noticing the flowers she'd been looking for, she quickly grabbed a handful. At the very least they would be a good reminder of why she was here with all the danger that appears to be about.

[mrblah]

She didn't need much to convince her to get further from the creature, though the lieutenant ignoring her request did irritate her a bit. Still, she begrudgingly resumed her silence, once more seeing the undeniable logic behind such. With her eyes keenly watching the big wolf, Ertha got a full view of its charge, and her eyes widened as she jerked to the side to dodge the attack - but it none of such came. She watched with a sharp gaze as the wolf instead charged past them to the horses, and her face scrunched up a bit in disgust as she watched the following massacre. She wasn't used to such a gory sight. They didn't even have a chance to so much as make a noise before they died... she felt sorry for them, but it was better them than her.

That in mind, she divided her attention between the wolf and her group, listening in on Alane's plan. It sounded fairly logical, but... "This thing doesn't look like any normal wolf now, does it? Assuming it'd act like a normal wolf and not attack us is optimistic. For all we know, it's bloodthirsty and will turn to attack at any second." That said, she addressed Robert. "Hence why you should let me out of these chains so that I can fight back when I'll have to."

[exalted]

(Sorry, work got crazy)

Rebecca tried to blot out the images of sand and heat, twisted bodies with faces frozen in death as the screams of the horses echoed in her ears, and smoke from the fire twisted as imagined cordite in her nose. Shaking her head, she rid her mind of the troubling ideas, yesterday's fight was over, it was time to worry about todays.

Kicking over the crate she had been sitting on orginaly, she let the contents of crate spill out behind them, revealing the Thief's equipment. If they had to run then it the Thief would need to set free sooner than expected.

Seeing the little princess take up a guard position, she tried to sought through the jumble and shouts around her, reminding her again she was not with her regiment. Dicipline, this is what they lacked, too many voices swirling the fog of war around them.

Drawing her pistol, she aimed one at the beast, still unsure of it's effectiveness, and raised the other to the heavens. If the beast was indeed wild, and of a nature and build of it's regular sized kin than a sharp report of the firearm would cause it pain and commotion, scaring the beast off.

Pulling the flint back to full cock she fire up at the heavens, keeping the other pistol steady on the beast lest it charge.

[Mark3000]

Intimidation Roll (Feat of Strength)
Robert Smith + Keira Gloomcrest: 25 (1(d20) + 14 + 10 + 3(Skills))
Ebony Maned Wolf: 29

Robert's shot rings out into the forest causing the mighty beast to raise it's head. In it's maw, a large chuck of what use to be your horses. Turning to face the source of the sound, the Ebony Maned Wolf finds itself confronted by both Robert's pistol and Keira's lance. Despite presented a united front, it didn't back down. Instead the large beast dropped the chunk of flesh and faces your group, ready to attack.

Turn Order: (Feel free to post in any order.)

Spoiler (click to show/hide):

Ebony Maned Wolf
Ertha
Robert
Alane
Keira

Formation:

Spoiler (click to show/hide):

Allies
Vanguard: Keira, Robert
Mainguard: Ertha
Rearguard: Alane

Enemy:
Vanguard: Ebony Maned Wolf

Ebony Maned Wolf doesn't immediately pounce. Instead, lifting it's snout to the sky it lets out a blood curdling howl.

Ebony Maned Wolf uses Blood Moon Howl!
+3 to Strength and Speed
5% (1-5 on a d100) chance to cause Enfeeble.
Ertha: 33
Robert: 2
Alane: 23
Keira: 86

The sound of the wolf's battle cry seems to signal it's intent to fight. It claws the ground staring at it's opponents. But the sound also triggers something in Robert. He can't help but think about what the mighty beast might do to him once it attacks. By all accounts, nothing about this beast seemed normal. As the fear gets to the seasoned warrior, Robert feels his body begin to shaken, the grip on his pistol becomes loose.
(Robert is Enfeebled, Reduce all stats by half for two turns)

[mrblah]

Ertha quickly gathered the spilled contents of the crate, arming herself with her weapons and other equipment pieces to prepare in the case of an attack. The loud 'bang' behind her gave her a brief jump, but she relaxed slightly when she noticed it was one of her comrades. Now prepared for the worst case scenario, she backed up behind Keira and Robert, pulling an arrow back on her bowstring and -

She froze momentarily, the loud and terrifying howl of the beast almost paralyzing her. But it wasn't the first time she was faced with terrible danger. Ertha snapped out of her brief stupor, focusing on the battle at hand, since there was no doubt that howl was a battle cry. "It's gonna attack." She whispered to her teammates, her voice still low and quiet due to the tenseness of the situation.

The wolf had officially noticed them, and as she thought, combat was inevitable, but she was confident they'd come out on top. She silently moved behind the two soldiers, getting into a position that had a less obscured view of the monster. Hatching a quick idea, she opted to, instead of using her bow, use her old Oak Crossbow, and pulled out a special painted bolt. It was a nasty trick she picked up from one of Erhardt's men, and could be pretty effective at times. Putting the bolt in the crossbow and firing it, she hoped this was one of those times.

[Firehead]

Having gathered her flowers, Alane jumped in surprise as Robert fired his weapon into the air. The action clearly meant to startle the animal and scare it off but being bigger must have made it less fearful as well as it instead howled a challenge at them. Her hands moved quickly to cover her ears as the fierce sound sent a shiver down her spine, but she managed to keep her wits about her. "I don't think threatening it was the best i-idea. It just sounds angry now," she said as she stepped to the back of the group leaving her companions to keep the beast at bay.

It was too late to avoid conflict with this beast, so she had to act. Drawing out her talismon, she focused her magic into the device drawing out its power to fill the beast's body with poison putting a little extra focus into it(+1 Stamina spent). "G-get out of here, go away!" She hoped the wolf would be dissuaded with a show of force but found herself worried. Didn't wolves normally travel in packs? She supposed though that a pack of wolves this size would deplete all the food in the area pretty fast, so perhaps she was just worrying over nothing but still found herself eyeing her surrounding just in case.

[lilbooth]

Kiera held her ground firmly as the commotion of battle was about them. A Gunshot, the twang of the bolt arm, and now magical incantations, all deafened by the echoing sound of the wolfs howl. With the beasts intention clear, Keira tightened her grip on her spear and took a half step forward. Lunging deeply, she thrust her spear into the beast, aiming for its throat though happy to land anywhere in its midsection.