EVENT: Battle at the Gates (D3, Late Afternoon)

Mindshred · **Joined:** Sat Dec 07, 2019 7:24 am **Posts:** 1559

Scenario: The Steel Chrysanthemum’s army has come to the gates of Toshi no Omoidoso! This is no organized army of marching columns and rank and file soldiers, but rather a chaotic, screaming horde of enraged madmen. There is no doubt in your mind that their conquest of the city would be a bloody one.

The city’s archers are raining down arrows upon the army from the wall, and its small garrison of Lion soldiers stand ready to lay down their lives to keep the raging samurai arrayed against them from breaching the gates of the city.

Dare you take up your sword and stand beside them?

Participants: Four characters.

Imperialist Victory: Defeat 8 Enraged Samurai to halt their assault and force the enemy to retreat. Victorious characters at Crippled wound rank or above when the enemy retreats gain +1.0 Glory.

Imperialist Bonus: If the enemy has fled by the end of the fourth round of combat, every character at Crippled wound rank or above gains +0.5 Glory. In addition, they become infused with the raw essence of those they brutally cut down and gain the Touch of the Spirit Realms (Toshigoku) advantage.

Traditionalist Victory: All characters have fled or are at Down, Out, or dead wound ranks. Hantei XVI seizes control of Toshi no Omoidoso, providing him with a stronghold from which to strike at the surrounding area. The Empire gains +50 Traditionalist Points.

Traditionalist Bonus: If all characters have fled or are at Down, Out, or dead wound ranks by the end of the fourth round, then those who escape the slaughter are forever changed by the experience. All such characters gain the Cursed by the Realm (Toshigoku) disadvantage.

Rules: This is a combat thread. Characters should include their Initiative, Stance, and Armor TN in their first post; a character may not change their Stance on the first round of combat. If 30 minutes have passed since the last post and you do not show up as being online on the forum (and you have not contact the GM to let them know you are posting), your character’s actions will be ghosted by the GM to keep the event moving at a steady pace. Please do not join the thread if you cannot commit the time to finish it.

Every character has two rounds of prep time that they can use in their first post to cast spells that do not affect the enemy, activate kata, or so on.

All characters begin the battle 20 feet from the enemy. For the purposes of this event, every participating character is assumed to be in melee.

Characters may flee from the battle as a Complex Action, provided that they are physically capable of movement. Doing so removes them from the combat (and the thread) at the end of the current combat round. Fleeing characters lose Honor as appropriate. Characters with the Overconfident Disadvantage must pass a Perception Trait Roll (TN 20) before taking this action; if they fail, they must choose a different action and cannot further attempt to flee combat for any reason.

Gate Defense:

A character that ends their turn more than 20 feet away from the enemy is pushed back from the battle lines and is removed from combat (and the thread). This counts as fleeing combat, and the character will lose Honor as appropriate.

Matsu Kōgyoku · **Joined:** Fri Apr 03, 2020 5:36 pm **Posts:** 368

Kōgyoku would be the first among the Lion guardsmen to lead into battle; the last time she had been in one was when she had been younger, but in a way she relished the clarity of it, especially against the heart-wrenching dilemmas of the past hours. Fight to the death, yours or theirs. Look into the eyes of Emma-O with her forehead high. The truth in the blade was unmistakable, it infused her with the esteem of all the great ancestors who had wielded it in battle before her. Even if any of them were on the other side, she'd prove to them that the honour of her family hadn't thinned with the passage of centuries, and the reverse was true.

LA3. Initiative.: 5d10o10k3 17

Full Attack [Katana] from Centre Stance, +10 to Init
Armour TN: 30 (Heavy Armour), 20 in FA
Reduction: 5
Kata: Striking as Fire, +3 to Attack in FA

Suzume Chihaya · **Joined:** Wed Apr 01, 2020 3:29 pm **Posts:** 850

As the battle began, Chihaya stood at the center rank of her hastily assembled levy.

The sound of the attack drew closer, a single, rolling roar of pure, unadulterated hatred. It was eerie, in a manner entirely different from the Naga and their freakish silence.

She wasn't sure which was worse.

Those around her, without the benefit of experience, were beginning to falter, and so she stepped forward a full pace ahead of them, standing with feet braced and hands on hips, watching those on the wall fighting desperately, firing arrow after arrow.

It was hard, not seeing what was happening.

Finally, the wave struck, and it came, louder than the pouring rain, the hammering of bodies against the gate, against the walls. The screaming, incoherent fury seeming to pressure the very stones themselves.

Those around her muttered in worry, and she raised one hand, fist clenched in silent command.

Hold.

The thunder rolled on as the battlements descended into chaos, the Lion reserves rushing to throw back the attackers. But she had her duty.

Then the word came, and the gates opened.

The hand came down, motioning them forward.

"Hold the Gate until we return! Let none pass!"

Then she strode out ahead of her little band of irregulars, onto the field, surveying the carnage and bodies stacked high - seeing more of the enemy, in small bands, still attacking, trying to reform and take the walls.

Time to put an end to this first assault, it would seem... Taking a deep breath, she centered herself, hands on hips, as the enemy rushed forward to meet those that had sallied forth.
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Initiative: 25
Armor TN: 25(30 vs lower honor)
Reduction: 3
Stance: Attack (floating center bonus)

Kayou · **Joined:** Wed Apr 01, 2020 2:51 pm **Posts:** 419

It was odd to be in armor again, prepared for war, defending a Lion city of all things.

Her heart beat strongly, she was calm and prepared. The Tao would guide her in this as it did in all things.

OOC: Initiative 31
ATN: 28
Reduction: 1
Stance: Attack

Prebattle
Two Kiho activated: Touch the Void Dragon, Increase Air Ring
Ride the Water Dragon

8-Directions Awareness active from earlier in the day.

Akodo Touki · **Joined:** Fri Apr 03, 2020 8:17 pm **Posts:** 628

Touki stands ready to defend the gates, his nodachi drawn and ready, his expression grim.

He cast Kayou a quick startled glance, but turned his attention quickly to the foes.

----------------------------------------------

Stance: Attac (center last round)

D3LA Initiative: 5d10o10k3 22
Reduction: 3
TN to be hit: 25 --> 20 (Ref) + 5 (Armor)

Mindshred · **Joined:** Sat Dec 07, 2019 7:24 am **Posts:** 1559

The screaming hordes of the enemy rush forward, moving with surprising speed. The icy rain splatters off their armor, each of which which bears the mon of the Matsu family upon its front.

Initiative
(32) – Akodo Touki (Attack, TN 25) – 20’ from enemy
31 – Kayou (Attack, TN 28) – 20’ from enemy
(30) – Suzume Chihaya (Attack, TN 25/30) – 20’ from enemy
(27) – Matsu Kōgyoku (Full Attack, TN 30/20) – 20’ from enemy
19 – Enraged Samurai (Full Attack, TN 15)

Akodo Touki · **Joined:** Fri Apr 03, 2020 8:17 pm **Posts:** 628

The traditional Lion battle cry was to your ancestors. What did you do when your ancestors were trying to kill you?

Touki was the first to strike, his long sword giving him extra reach. It was a wordless yell that escaped his lips, peaking as his sword came up, and then arced down, diagonally across the chest of his opponent. With a strange grace, he let the weight of the blow carry through, up... and then suddenly back in, straight across.

Blood sprayed, and the first enemy was down. With grit teeth and wild eyes, Touki turned to the next.

------------------------------------------------------------------------
Free: Move up 15'
Complex: Attac
R1 Attack, +6 Akodo 2, +1k1+3 Center, 1FR3CR, Bishamon, Extra attack, TN 35: 10d10o10k5+9 70
R1 damage first attack: 7d10o10k3 29

Will switch targets if that drops him, obviously

R1 second attack, +1k0 round 1, 1FR Bishamon feint, TN15: 10d10o10k4 41
R1 second damage, +10 from feint: 7d10o10k3+10 39

Stance: Attac
D3LA Initiative: 5d10o10k3 22
Reduction: 3
TN to be hit: 25 --> 20 (Ref) + 5 (Armor)

Mindshred · **Joined:** Sat Dec 07, 2019 7:24 am **Posts:** 1559

Touki slices the samurai, then feints and cuts him down with a second swing.

7/8 Enraged Samurai remain.

Kayou · **Joined:** Wed Apr 01, 2020 2:51 pm **Posts:** 419

Kayou nods to her companions, pleased to be fighting beside at some people she had met in the past.

She stepped forward to meet the onrushing hoard, her naginata glinting as the rain caught it.

The naginata hits solidly and cuts deeply.

OOC: 36 Damage.

Mindshred · **Joined:** Sat Dec 07, 2019 7:24 am **Posts:** 1559

The Naginata cuts into the side of the Matsu warrior, but he merely grins at the pain and tries to push himself closer to Kayou...

Matsu Kōgyoku · **Joined:** Fri Apr 03, 2020 5:36 pm **Posts:** 368

The Lioness had recognised her enemies before she charged. So it came to this. Her soul was burning with indignation, facing how her family members got perverted by an insidious usurper. She promised herself to sooner die than share their fate. So what she had to fight with today was not rage, but honour.

[Move 20']

LA3. Full Attack. Striking as Fire. Heavy Armour Penalty. 1R for Damage. TN25.: 8d10ro1o10k4+3 30

And so her blade struck one of the yet-disengaged quasi-samurai, and it did so deeply, cutting through the fastenings of his armour.

LA3. Katana Damage. Centre Bonus. Damage Raise. Matsu!!!: 9d10o10k3+8 39

Mindshred · **Joined:** Sat Dec 07, 2019 7:24 am **Posts:** 1559

The samurai shifts at the last moment, turning what was likely a lethal blow into merely a significant injury. "Stand down, Kōgyoku!" the man shouts in her face. "I am your grandfather! Obey me!"

Mindshred · **Joined:** Sat Dec 07, 2019 7:24 am **Posts:** 1559

The samurai impaled upon Kayou's naginata swings his sword at her chest, intending to cut open her belly, but blood loss and her armor rob the strike of any force it might have had.

Kōgyoku's grandfather, meanwhile, takes advantage of his descendant's surprise to land a strike against her arm, cutting a deep wound, but not enough to sever the limb. (Kogyuko takes 18 damage, must pass a TN 18 Willpower Roll, ignoring wound penalties, or be unable to move from her current position on her next turn.)

Two of the Matsu charge forward, attempting to overrun Touki. He deftly deflects the attack of one, but as he turns to intercept the second, he is surprise to find that she bears a striking resemblance to his late wife. The moment of hesitation costs him dearly, and she hacks into his side with her blade. (Touki takes 16 damage, must pass a TN 16 Willpower Roll, ignoring wound penalties, or be unable to move from his current position on his next turn. Lost Love has been triggered.)

Chihaya finds herself set upon by two Matsu working in tandem. The first comes at her, drawing her defenses to the left, as the second slips in on the right and buries her blade in the Sparrow's side. "I can smell the Crane on you, bird-woman," the samurai hisses before ripping the blade free of the wound. (Chihaya takes 24 damage, must pass a TN 24 Willpower Roll, ignoring wound penalties, or be unable to move from her current position on her next turn.)

The final Matsu charges forward, bringing her blade down on Kayou's arm in a brutally savage blow. (Kayou takes 42 damage, must pass a TN 42 Willpower Roll, ignoring wound penalties, or be unable to move from her current position on her next turn.)

Matsu Kōgyoku · **Joined:** Fri Apr 03, 2020 5:36 pm **Posts:** 368

Kōgyoku glared. "It's... not how Honour works, Ojiisan!" She uttered finally, pushing back against him, having deflected most of his strike. The pain in her was not from the wound, but from the sorrow of fighting kin.

[VP and Reduction cut it to 3 Wounds]

LE3. I must not fear ojisan! TN18: 3d10o10k3+6 19

Suzume Chihaya · **Joined:** Wed Apr 01, 2020 3:29 pm **Posts:** 850

(Chihaya Delayed until they entered range)

As the howling Matsu, not so different from the contemporary sort, so far as Chihaya could tell, came charging into melee, she slowly fastened her smooth mempo, and then drew her blade in a sharp draw cut that parried the first blow, sending it swinging wide. She hissed in pain as the second strike bit into her side.

Twisting with the strike, she felt it slide free before it could cut deep into her, the blade skittering off her armor in an eerie way. (Void damage to 11)

Moving with the momentum, she struck, blade lashing out at the Matsu woman. It whipped past her face, almost striking, but some strange quirk of fate kept the blade from landing, as if someone, somewhere, had forgotten to do something important.

Still, the Matsu seemed to take the miss as encouragement and lunged forward again, heedless of defense, and this time Chihaya struck more accurately. Her blade lanced through the armpit, impaling the Lion, sadly, it was not a fatal blow.

She would have to do better.

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Initiative: 20
Armor TN: 25(30 vs lower honor)
Reduction: 3
Stance: Attack
Wounds: 11

Attacks:
Sparrow Tech used:
Attack 1: https://orokos.com/roll/798554 Miss
Attack 2: https://orokos.com/roll/798558 Hit
Damage: https://orokos.com/roll/798560 35

Mindshred · **Joined:** Sat Dec 07, 2019 7:24 am **Posts:** 1559

Initiative - Round 2

19 – Enraged Samurai (Full Attack, TN 15)

Kayou · **Joined:** Wed Apr 01, 2020 2:51 pm **Posts:** 419

[Reduction 1, Spend Void to reduce damage by 10, Heal 3 during reaction phase, total wounds 28, no wound penalties due to Strength of Earth. No movement for me.]

"My kitten at home strikes harder," says Kayou through gritted teeth. She pivots, pulling her naginata free from the wounded foe to cut back at the Matsu who struck her, only just connecting. Unfortunately, the cut is not deep.

OOC: 17 damage.

Mindshred · **Joined:** Sat Dec 07, 2019 7:24 am **Posts:** 1559

The strike barely seems to wound the Matsu, who deflects most of its force with his blade. "Look at you. You can barely even lift that naginata of yours."

Kayou · **Joined:** Wed Apr 01, 2020 2:51 pm **Posts:** 419

Kayou bites back a retort, seeking calm.

Akodo Touki · **Joined:** Fri Apr 03, 2020 8:17 pm **Posts:** 628

The pain that flashed across Touki's face had nothing to do with the sword that cut him. He stared at her, a frozen moment in the heat of battle.

There was no way. She's died in childbirth, not in battle. It couldn't be her...

"Damn you. Damn you!" Touki cried, sudden tears blurring his vision. But not slowing his strike. He raised his weapon, cutting back and forth, again and again, as though by killing her image, he might kill the part of him that still hurt.

It did not. It just killed her.

---------------------------------------------------------------

No need to move; the enemy is here!
Complex - attacc mai waifu
R2 Attack, +6 Akodo 2, 1FR3CR, Bishamon, Extra attack, TN 35: 9d10o10k4+6 46
R2 Attack 1 damage: 7d10o10k3 28

attacc 2
R2 second attack, 1FR Bishamon feint, TN15: 9d10o10k4 51
R2 second damage, +10 from feint: 7d10o10k3+10 47

Void to reduce damage, reduction 3, Void to counter MWID
Void 1/3
Wounds: 3

Stance: Attac
D3LA Initiative: 5d10o10k3 22
Reduction: 3
TN to be hit: 25 --> 20 (Ref) + 5 (Armor)

EVENT: Battle at the Gates (D3, Late Afternoon)

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