Agents of L.U.S.T.: Age of Myths - The Equinox Rite

"Do we have to come up with a clever quip every time we attack?" I say while attempting to strike the man with my hoof again and ignoring the fact that by commenting on the quips, i have become what I have criticised.

(I couldn't think of anything better )

(Strength: Base 8 - 1 Hurt + Roll 3 =Total 10)

 

"No, but it helps!" Dame Pinkamina says while throwing a haymaker with her right: her opponent easily dodges that, but it wasn't meant to connect, it was a distraction so her left hand could deliver a punishing blow to his solar plexus knocking the wind out of him, and allowing her to seize his shoulders as he doubles over and take him DOWN by slamming her knee into places where no married man should have to worry about that sort of thing...

(Strength 8 + Roll 6 = 14 total.)

 

With the two remaining men circling me making half swings I grimace with the thought that I'll have to turn my back to one of them. With a quick thought, I rush one of them and attempt to grab a hold of him in a firm grapple before launching into the air.

(Strength: Base 16 + Roll 4 = Total 20)

 

Rhenh kicks out again, this time connecting firmly, knocking the man onto the ground. He stands back up... and promptly runs off.

Meanwhile, Dame Pinkamina throws her haymaker, which her opponent predictably dodges... only to take a solid punch to the gut, followed by a quick knee to the groin, which knocks him out.

While all that is going on, Vanek grabs one of his opponents and jumps. The other steps forward, expect Vanek to be vulnerable as he comes back to earth, but his hooves never touch the grass. Instead, he flaps his wings, starting to fly while still holding on to the man. The other fighter, seeing his ally caried off and the demon's fellows defeating their assailants, simply drops his stick and runs.

Seeing his men defeated, Stoneleaf summons a circle of thorns around himself with a druidic chant.

Summary, Round 3:

All enemies are defeated. Vanek is flying high, he has an enemy grappled. Rhenh and Palmer are on the field.
Stoneleaf has summoned a circle of thorns around himself, you could talk to him through it, fly over it (it's too tall to jump) or burn through it (Ruslehyachyne can breathe fire...)
What do you do?

 

Dame Pinkamina turns to such of the crowd as have gathered and gestured to the men on the ground. "Look you, you men and women who would head the words of Stoneleaf! This man preaching a path of war has done this, for we came to talk and he called for violence! But see you what that violence wrought! Eight men, he sent forth to kill us! More than twice our own number: and yet it is we, the defendant's in this field of judgment who stand the victors, for I say unto you: the gods shall defend the righteous! Even now he is cowering behind his wall of magic brambles but should we wish it we could even now attack him from above and all his sorcerous power would avail him naught! We men and women of mankind cannot hope to stand against the tide of history with sword and fist, only in the path of the peacekeeping heart will we find salvation! Stoneleaf preaches to you that we must be mono-dominant, all other races dead and buried for us to survive: but I say unto you: he is wrong and his cowardly retreat in the face of this disaster of his own making proves it! The path of war is a long and bloody path indeed, to walk it you must eat, sleep, breath and dream nothing else but that muse of steel and bloodshed, and not just you but all your fellow men, all your women, and children too!"

"Where does that path end? Three endings it has and three only! It can, if you are utterly vicious, stronger than a lion, tougher than a bear, agiler than a cat and braver than a badger end in victory: but that victory will be hollow, for you and yours will have forgotten everything of peace, serenity, art, beauty, hope, faith, love, and kindness. Your winnings will be ashes and sand, the world laid waste and the ground poisoned with endless rivers of blood. You will have forgotten what it is to BE humans and become the very monsters you feared!"

"Another ending: for the path of war is a path along an endless cliff: is the fall into the abyss! If you head Stoneleaf and follow this Path of War he preaches, what then? Three against eight and we stand triumphant, how then should your enemies see the threat you pose and unite against you? Your lands sized, your village burned, and your children's children's children still fleeing into the night: for your foes will offer them no respite once they decide war is the only answer!"

"And then there is the third ending, in a way the worst of all: SUBJUGATION! You, and all your decedents unto the ends of time enslaved to alien masters! Never to know freedom, or true happiness for no true human can be happy as a slave!"

"These are the futures Stoneleaf's way will open to you, but we have come on a mission of peace, a mission of mercy for there is a fourth option: turn back from the path of war and embrace your fellow sapients as brothers and sisters! Join us, you who are my chosen people, and together we can make a better tomorrow and all the days after!"

(Charisma 8 + 5 roll = 13 total. [When we're done with this adventure, everyone remind me to bone up on Cha...])

 

The crowd of people mostly nod along with your words, though you notice a few angry looks amongst the crowd.
When you finish speaking, Stoneleaf starts to reply, but before he can even finish his first sentence, a strident voice cuts him off.
"Stoneleaf! I have warned you about inciting the populance to violence, warned you that it undermines the king's rulership and the reputation of the druids, and yet you persist?" A tall woman, with fire-red hair and well-made clothes, comes striding towards you and Stoneleaf. "Take down this thornwall, now, and return to the druidic temple."
Stoneleaf acquitises, somewhat reluctantly, the thorns slowly withering away as he heads off down the hill. The lady turns to you, giving a slight nod towards Pinkamina.
"I am Helda Iron-Glove, princess of the royal family. Ignore Stoneleaf's conduct - I will see to it that he is not allowed to harm you... though I am sure you can take care of youselves." She starts to walk away, towards the king's house. "Follow me, and tell me what brings you to our village."

 

I take the opportunity to ogle Helda as she walks away towards the king's home before following along. "Well, we're hoping to spread love and acceptance of all to this village and everywhere else we can. We haven't proven very successful so far, but my friends and I remain hopeful."

(OOC: What is this?! An update? I never thought possible. Truly these are The End Times.)

 

Dame Pinkamina flourishes her cape and gladly follows the princess.

@merkros : (This is not so surprising, he DID say he would like to pick up again when he was able to return...)

 

(Would have preferred @Omegah2o to have replied, but...)
"Love and acceptance? Hmm." The princess is quiet for a while. "We do lack those, but I'm not sure if that's a problem..."
You continue walking along, people stepping out of the princess's way, until you reach the king's house. Here, the princess turns off and walks down a path next to the kings house, until she reaches an ornate door, which she unlocks.
Inside is a corridor, decorated with tapestries, and with several doors into other rooms. She leads you through one, into a room occupied mostly be several large chairs. She takes a seat in the grandest one.
"My quarters." She explains, before asking. "How exactly do you intend to spread 'love and acceptance'?"

 

I blurt out the first thing that comes to mind

"Well, we're going to gather as many people form each race as possible up at a particular location during the summer equinox and then hopefully some magic will happen!"

My eyes shine with a hopeful innocence that only the naive have.

(I don't know if I need a charisma check, but i'll roll one anyway. Charisma: 17 Base + 4 Roll =21)

 

"Well, I fail to see how simply meeting up with the other tribes will make us work together, and I have not heard anything about a magic event, but I will be there, as will my aides. If you want the rest of us to come along, though, you will need to persuade the king... or get him out of the way and let me lead the tribe to your meeting." The princess says

 

"There is, slightly more to it than simply being there. There is a small ritual that must take place, very simplistic and non-harmful, but, lascivious, in nature..." Dame Pinkamina Explains.

 

"Well, now I understand what you meant by 'love'. Rest assured, this does not change my view of your event, if anything it makes it more appealing, but most others would not agree with me - you will have a long road to travel to sway the village to your side if this becomes public knowledge." She says.