GargantuaBlarg Test Thread

[Tassadar]

Re: GargantuaBlarg Test Thread

Augustina held a stern scowl on her face as she raised her shield and sword. She allowed a smirk to pass over her expression at the commander's command to attack her for a split second, but returned to her serious face a moment later. She watched the skirmish begin as her allies formed a wall in order to protect Van and the farmers, and inwardly winced as Ulman took a rather nasty looking stab to his side, but she couldn't allow it to distract her. This turned out to be a good decision, as she watched the bandit's leader raise his pistol and take aim directly at her. Augustina half turned just when his body tensed as he squeezed the trigger, raising her shield and placing it at an angle so as to deflect the shot rather than take it squarely.

Holding a fierce expression, Augustina raised her shield and advanced into the melee, taking up a position beside Ulman so as to guard the wounded man's flank. "Guard yourself!" she barked sternly, and then went on the offensive. Though she wanted to deal with their leader first, Augustina knew that she needed to take some pressure off of the soldiers fighting on her side, as John and Mary would be defenseless if any of these scum got past the soldiers in order to attack them, and Ulman and Van were both already badly wounded. Stepping up beside the injured soldier, Augustina firstly sought to take the brunt of their enemies attention, as their commander had already told them to kill her. Hopefully that would give Ulman a chance to recover and defend himself properly.

Secondly, of course, she needed to thin their numbers. Though she would never admit to it, Augustina felt a rush of lustful excitement as she lined up her target, one of the bandits that had attacked Ulman but wasn't yet injured. She had been taught to value life, and to regret the loss of it since she was very young, but it had never been a lesson that Augustina had adopted, at least not completely, and her beautiful face briefly twisted into a jubilant smile as she prepared to unleash herself upon her opponent. Lowering her shield and laying the flat of her sword on the rim of it, Augustina snapped that arm forward suddenly, seeking to catch the bandit under his chin. Though the blow itself would be incredibly painful, particularly if he hadn't had his jaw clenched already, the real goal was to lay bare his throat, and as she lowered her shield again Augustina slid the blade of her sword sideways, seeking to cut across it with one quick slash.

Spoiler

Relevant junk from my sheet:
Plate Armor: AV = 20, EV = 10, TP = 60, DU = 5.
Sword (+50) 2d6 + 25
Kite Shield: DB = 12. EV = 2. (+50) 3d6 + 17
Dodge: 40 (52 with her shield) +15 = 67

She's paying 4 EP in upkeep every round.

She has Drain Through Pain and takes 2d6 EP from whoever she deals damage to per hit.

She's gonna hit the uninjured dude attacking Ulman with her sword and her shield, and also use Defensive Fighting for 20 points in order to increase Ulman's dodge by 20. Yes, that's allowed. So, +45 for attacks, 67 Dodge, and the damage is listed as above, aiming only at the one guy who isn't hurt who's attacking Ulman.

 

[GargantuaBlarg]

Re: GargantuaBlarg Test Thread

Spoiler

Augustina Carpenter!
Hit Points (HP): 63/65
Pleasure to Orgasm (PP): 45
Spirit Energy (EP): 42/50

Status = Performance-enhanced.
Blessing at X = 6. +18 bonus to Dodge/attack; +12 bonus to Perception/Resistance

Spoiler

You push 'em back a couple feet, though that's not that's not especially relevant.

Allies!
Hugo. Looks rather shitty.
Bertrand. Looks alright.
Ulman. Looks rather shitty.
Van. Shot up pretty bad.

Enemies! --(towards Hugo/opposite you) ------------ (closer to you!)
Five bandits - Bad, middling, middling, bad, almost dead
One bandit lieutenant, fine

Rolls:
Augustina
Shieldpunch: 11 + 50 - 20 = 41 - Hit!
Throatslash: 11 + 50 - 20 = 41 - Hit!
Shield Damage: 6, 2 + 17 = 25 - 8 = 17
Sword Damage: 1, 1, 5 + 25 = 32 - 8 = 24

Bandits:
One hits Hugo, no other hits. It looks pretty nasty.

Soldiers: Yep, all of 'em.
Hugo: 2 6 + 15 = 23
Bert: 3 3 + 15 = 21
Ulman: 2 5 + 19 = 26
Van Shotgun: 4 3 1 + 8 = 16

Augustina cracked her shield into the man's jaw, sending him reeling. He opened his mouth to curse at her - but all that came out was a gurgle, as he found his throat sliced open. A look of horror slowly crept into his face, and he stumbled backward, clutching at his throat, before falling over, trying desperately to breathe. He was still alive... but it didn't look like he would be for long.

"Shit - break their formation, focus on that geezer!" The leader shouted, pointing at Bertrand, obviously figuring him for the feeblest of the group in his age. Three near him drew back and thrust at him... but his age seemed to belie his skill, as he warded off all three with his shield and sword. A crack from the leader's gun sounded as he too fired on Bertrand, but he just ducked lower, the bullet passing over mere centimeters his head.

One man on either side tried to tie up those on either side of their target; the one on Augustina's side taking a stab at her, her skill making it easily avoided. On the other side, a bandit stabbed at Hugo, who knocked it aside with his shield. Immediately, he brought his sword arm up high to counterattack... and his opponent angled his rifle with the momentum, smacking the butt into Hugo's mouth. He withdrew, the stream of curses that he'd been spouting suddenly quiet as he nursed his jaw behind his shield.

With the ferocity and skill bestowed by her blessing, each of her allies had no problem forcing their way through the wall of waving spears to lay their swords into the enemy - Ulman's blow in particular cleaving deep into the man that had wounded him so grievously earlier. Van discharged his second shell, though the shot was off-center - likely due to not wanting to hit his fellows in the back, though even that considered, it was a bad shot...

"Hells... disengage!"

Their blitz having failed, they looked to be cutting their losses, backing off as they continued to keep the soldiers at a distance with their bayonets. Hugo already looked to be getting reckless trying to get at them before they could turn tail and flee, though he hadn't (yet) managed to leave himself open to yet another injury. They were likely to be trouble in the future if not slain now - but at the same time, they were six of them to run down, and they already had injuries to tend to...

 

[Tassadar]

Re: GargantuaBlarg Test Thread

The battle, or the skirmish as it might have been called more appropriately, was going decidedly in their favor. One of their opponents was dying, his throat cut, and many of the others were badly wounded. The only one on their side to have gained any wounds was Hugo, and he didn't seem too distressed by it just yet. Of course, she'd only seen it out of the corner of her eye, so that estimation could be completely wrong, but even if he'd bitten off his tongue it would take him a minute or two to bleed out at the very least. Plenty of time to clean up.

The call for the bandits to retreat came as no surprise to Augustina, but she simply couldn't allow that. As they backed off, using their bayonets to ward off the soldiers bearing down on them, Augustina followed somewhat more slowly than the others. There was a reason for this, as she searched for an opening in their ranks that might allow her access to their leader, and the very moment that one opened up she went for it with her shield held defensively in front of her, risking injury on the points of the bandit's bayonets in order to rush their leader. As soon as she reached him, she would spring her body forward with all of her might, slamming her shield against his chest and seeking to knock him over. Of course, if no opportunity presented itself, she would have to capture one of them and interrogate him, and as such angled her bash against one of the bandits instead.

Spoiler

Try to Shield Slam the leader, shield bash with +4 damage and a
Resistance check or he gets knocked prone. If she can't get to him, go for one of the others arbitrarily, trying not to outright kill him. She does have Drain Through Pain and her blessing still active. Too lazy to examine numbers right now.

 

[GargantuaBlarg]

Re: GargantuaBlarg Test Thread

Spoiler

Augustina Carpenter!
Hit Points (HP): 63/65
Pleasure to Orgasm (PP): 45
Spirit Energy (EP): 34/50

Status = Performance-enhanced.
Blessing at X = 6 (Upkeep = 4 EP/turn). +18 bonus to Dodge/attack; +12 bonus to Perception/Resistance

Spoiler

Augustina:
Charge-past-dudes-and-not-get-stopped-check: 70 (dodge) vs. enemy's attack (doesn't hit)
Attack: 12 + 50, hits
Damage: 5 1 6 + 17 + 10 = 37 -12 = 25
Resistance: Augustina wins the check!

Biding her time for an opening, Augustina sees her chance when the bandit nearest her and Ulman stabs just a little too enthusiastically at the big soldier, straining one of his wounds as he jabs forward with his rifle and leaving himself vulnerable. The armored half-demon seizes the chance and surges forward - her enemy trying to catch her with an easily deflected backswing.

The brigand's leader leveled his gun at her, but Augustina slammed into him before he could fire, practically leaping out to catch him, the weight of her armor and her explosive charge making her charge all the more devastating. Her shield rang out like a gong signalling the bandit's defeat, and the leader flew back, gun discharging into the air. Augustina's powerful blow sent him tail over teakettle, the back of his head smacking into the ground, before momentum flipped him over to lay with his face planted in the dirt.

"Gods, that bitch ain't human!" "Run fer it!"

Understandably perturbed by how quickly the tides had turned against them - not to mention the ferocity by which Augustina had laid out their leader - the bandits still on their feet broke and fled as fast as they could run back into the forest. Another blast from Van's shotgun chased them sometime after, though they were long gone by the time he'd managed to reload his gun. Hugo sent something after them, as well - jaw recovering enough to spit curses at their backs, hopping around in anger as he shouted.


"Ulman! Hurry and look after Van and the farmgirl!" Bertrand barked as soon as the attackers had left, to which the he sprung to immediately - pulling a small kit of bandages, ointments, and other supplies from somewhere on his person, as he ran over to the other fallen soldier. "Hugo, stop that and tie this feller up!"

When they had got to their tasks, he turned to Augustina and nodded. "Many thanks, stranger - weren't fer you, that woulda gone far worse than it did."

Capturing the leader and washing her blessing over the little group, giving them the capability of turning the battle in their favor - surely, she'd done her part and then some in this battle... yet, as Ulman yanked a bullet and wood shrapnel from Van's wounds, and John held on to his sister, telling her she would be okay, it was obvious there was more she could do.

Spoiler

Delicious XP. Gain 4 of them! I'm not sure if that's too much or too little, but yet.

 

[Tassadar]

Re: GargantuaBlarg Test Thread

Augustina glared at the backs of the retreating men, allowing her spiritual enhancement to fall away with a frustrated sigh. She couldn't hope to catch all of them, and maybe if she let them go they would turn from their violent lives to ones of peace, or at least use their skills for less ignoble purposes. A long shot perhaps, but maybe.... After the last had left the paladin's sight, she turned towards Bertrand long enough to smile and say; "I could have done no less. Thank me when the world has become such a place that my aid would never have been needed in the first place!" With that, Augustina moved to the wounded soldier, Van, and knelt beside him as she adopted a serene smile.

"Allow me," she said quietly, and pushed her magic into her hands in order to heal his wounds, the flesh pushing any pieces of bullet or shrapnel that were still inside of him as it knitted itself back together. She would have to feed soon, likely tonight at the rate that she was burning through her energy stores, but there was not a thought in her head that the acts had not been worthwhile. After Van had been healed, Augustina rose and hurried over to Mary, pouring much more of her energy into healing her than she had used to restore Van. After that, exhausted and growing increasingly agitated by her unnatural hunger, Augustina settled back with a soft sigh. "Is anyone else injured? I can do a little bit more before I run dry."

Spoiler

Lay on Hands X = 4 until Van and Mary are all healed up, or at least aren't looking like they're going to die. Do it to anyone else that needs it, but she won't let herself drop below 2 EP.

 

[GargantuaBlarg]

Re: GargantuaBlarg Test Thread

Spoiler

Augustina Carpenter!
Hit Points (HP): 63/65
Pleasure to Orgasm (PP): 45
Spirit Energy (EP): 18/50

Status = I'm assuming you dropped the blessing? >.>

"It'd be ungentlemanly for me ta take ya up on that, Miss, considerin' I'd never thank ya again," replied the veteran to noble Augustina.

Ulman, a red splotch where he had been stabbed, nodded when the half-demon knelt next to him and Van, He offered her his surgeon's kit, but withdrew it when she simply placed her hands on his wounds. He winced
as the metal and splinters wiggled their way out of his flesh, but soon he was good as new - excepting for a few holes in his raiment and that he and his clothes were drenched in his own blood. His flesh was mended, though, and that was what mattered. "T-tank you..." he said once she was done - still congested.

The farmgirl wasn't used to taking injuries like this, and she looked like she was in shock when Augustina got to her. It looked like one of the brigand's bullets had hit her in the shoulder. She was mumbling quietly when Augustina got to her - her brother in a panic, but as Augustina brought her healing powers to bear she too soon looked none the worse for wear save for damage to her clothing.

The two most worrisome injuries dealt with, Augustina tended to the rest of the squad (Hugo protesting some even though he was hurting, no doubt trying to look tough), and soon everyone but Ulman was as fit as they had been before the attack - though Mary was still quite shaken.

The bandit leader's boss had been hogtied and his weapons crammed into a crate in the cart, and it seemed that even the bandit whose throat had been slashed open was still drawing breath - though they were incredibly shallow, ragged breaths, and he wouldn't last much longer. Augustina's cut had only just managed to be mortal - with the barest touch of healing, the man could be taken back from the brink - though, he was an enemy, was he not? There would be little point to.

"Y'know, I never did understand why the Lich King outlawed magic like that," Bertrand said somewhere behind her. "Would make a helluva difference in a fight... especially since damn near everyone we've campaigned against tows mages around. There's only so much guns can do, y'know?"

Ignoring his agonized wheezes, scavenged the dying bandit's ammunition and took his gun. "Miss, I hate t'ask ya for more'n y'already've done, but, well... without that wheel, we're sittin' ducks out 'ere," the old man said. "Could ya do us one more favor, and get ta Kegrove for us, tell 'um what happened and get us a replacement - maybe a squad, too?"

"I'm afraid we ain't got a saddle... can ya ride bareback?" he asked, at which point Hugo ran over to the two draft horses pulling the cart, ready to unhitch one for her to take should she know how to use one.

Spoiler

One heal each on Van, Hugo and Ulman (the only one who still looks slightly but insignificantly bruised), plus one for Mary.

 

[Tassadar]

Re: GargantuaBlarg Test Thread

"You're welcome!" Augustina replied brightly to Van, not even attempting to hide her bemusement at the fact that he was still congested. "I hope that doesn't mean we're in for more trouble!" she said sardonically before moving to the next most seriously wounded, Mary. The poor thing was in shock, but her magic managed to heal the physical wounds with relative ease. Without a second thought, the paladin softly grabbed one of the wounded woman's hands and cradled her head with the other, offering her soothing whispers until the shakes had ended, "Mary... It's going to be alright... You're going to be alright.... " When she had settled, Augustina turned her over to the able care of her brother and moved on, tending to the other wounded.

By the end of it, she had expended almost all of the carefully collected energy that she had intended to dole out as sparingly as possible, but Augustina couldn't say that she regretted any of it. Though a part of her most certainly did take enjoyment in the more violent aspects of her life, another part of her that she had chosen to embrace in full took joy in the healing of others. The use of her stolen energies to heal rather than to destroy almost felt like a slap in the face against her curse, even if it did cause her some distress in the endless battle to resist her supernatural hunger. Turning to her foes, Augustina frowned darkly at the bandit leader. His wounds were not lethal, and thus there would be no healing for him.

The other man, who's throat she had cut, posed something of a quandary to Augustina. She could not allow him to die like that, bleeding to death in agony. The question facing the paladin then was; should she heal him, or simply give him a clean death? Her energies ran low, and the thought of healing one of the men who had only moments ago sought to kill her did not sit well with the knight's more pragmatic side. A clean, quick death by way of her sword would save them all a lot of trouble, and would rid the world of a man who was likely a poor excuse for a human being to begin with. Augustina's hand clenched the handle of her blade, but she sighed and closed her eyes, knowing that what she had just done would not be rewarded in the physical sense, but that she could do nothing else under these circumstances.

The paladin knelt next to the dying man and pressed a hand to his throat, tendrils of her waning essence coming forth and causing his wound to knit together in full. She knelt over him for a moment, a blood red glow appearing for a moment in her eyes as she neared the point at which she would need to feed or risk losing her sanity. "I want you to remember what I have done today," she said softly, "Remember that I took your life, and that I gave it back freely. I know not where you go. I may have saved you from the reaper only to send you to the gallows, but if you live beyond today, I want you to remember me. Remember that your life, even though you were my enemy, was more precious than the very essence of my soul. Do not throw my gift away."

With that, she rose and faced the awkward point brought up by Bertrand. It was true that magic, even healing magic, had been banned outright in the Badarian empire when it had been ruled by the Lich King. His inquisitors had sought out signs of magic users of all sorts and taken wielders of power for a purpose that Augustina did not know, and many had lived in fear of both powers thanks to the undead emperor's propaganda. Thankfully, the fall of the empire eased the restrictions considerably, as most of the inquisition had been in the Necropolis when the city was sacked by the aliens. "Yes, well... I wouldn't presume to understand the inner workings of a man who would turning himself into a lich. Many lives could have been saved were it not for his ways, but what's past is past. Thinking more progressively in the future and avoiding needless bloodshed is the best that we can hope to do now," Augustina replied as lightly as she could, and then sighed lightly at his request.

"I don't like leaving you alone with those bandits running around still, but I suppose without their leader they might be a while in regrouping. I'll go to Kergrove and make sure that you get a replacement wheel and some reinforcements. And yes," she smiled wryly, "I can ride bareback!" Augustina hoisted herself onto the back of the horse as gingerly as she could before any of them had very long to digest that comment, making sure to leave the powerful beast unharmed by her heavy armor and the assorted sharp bits of metal strapped to her body. "I'll be back as soon as I can, keep a sharp eye out!" Augustina said, and then started riding off down the road at as comfortable a gallop as she thought the horse could sustain without a saddle to distribute her weight more evenly. It wasn't particularly comfortable for her either, but she had learned to put up with discomfort well enough over the years that the short ride shouldn't bother her too much, and she kept her own advice by keeping a sharp look out for more ambushes or the group carrying the replacement wheel for the wagon that had allegedly been sent.

Spoiler

Derp, yes drop the Blessing. Also, don't forget that Augustina doesn't naturally regen her EP. I didn't think you were going to, but it doesn't hurt to remind you. Also, give yon dying bandit a full heal up to Augustina's ceiling, like in my last post.

 

[GargantuaBlarg]

Re: GargantuaBlarg Test Thread

Spoiler

Augustina Carpenter!
Hit Points (HP): 63/65
Pleasure to Orgasm (PP): 45
Spirit Energy (EP): 14/50

Status = Runnin' low on EP.

Spoiler

Perception: Success! (it was a nat 20, incidentally, even though that doesn't really matter >.>)

The terrified farmgirl tried to pull away from Augustina's touched when she first took her hand and her head - however, she was simply too weak to do so, and after sensing she wasn't being hurt, let the half-demon comfort her, even pushing in to huddle in her arms once she'd started to recover. Once Augustina was satisfied with how Mary looked, she turned her over to her brother, who was weeping with gratitude. "Ohh, thank you, thank you, stranger, thank you..." he exclaimed when he saw his sister's injuries were gone, before beginning to coo to her. "You're safe now, Mary..."

Once the others were tended to, there was still the matter of the dying bandit as well. After turning it over in her mind, Augustina finally settled on sparing his life. As soon as she mercifully poured her magic into him as well, the bandit started to gulp in huge, greedy lungfuls of air, as if he were trying to hoard as much of it as he could. He could hardly be blamed - when one was that close to drawing their last breath, after all, the boon of more to come was precious beyond compare.

But still... Augustina couldn't help but see he looked resentful - he even tried to protest something, but no matter how hard he tried, all that came out were hoarse wheezes. "Mighty talk for a pawn!" came the bandit leader's voice instead. Turning to look, Augustina found him hogtied - quite securely, in fact - Hugo resting with one foot on the attack's leader. "Jumpin' at the beck n' whim of yer corrupt noble master's bid-ghyagk!"

Hugo quickly silenced him with a hard kick. "Shaddap, dirt!"


Bertrand scratched his beard in response to the half-demon's reply, looking a bit lost in thought. "Yeah..." was his response - a noncommittal grunt, more than anything. "Ah, well... yeah."

"Don't worry yer pretty lil' head about us," he said, shaking himself out of his strange reverie when she voiced her worry about letting them out of her sight. "We'll be lookin' fer 'em if they come back again. Damn cheeky dogs, attackin' this close ter Kegrove..."

Turning to the others Bertrand shouted a few new orders. "Hoy! Get summa them crates down 'ere, we'll try ta make us a defensible position until the lady comes back!"

Immediately they set into their tasks of trying to secure their area - even if she'd given them time to work out that particular bit of innuendo, they were likely far too busy to notice. Before she could ride off, though, another voice stopped her.

"W-w-wait!"

Mary, resting in her brother's arms on the ground, called out to her. The girl still didn't seem to be back up to full speed, but she at least wasn't hurt anymore...

"Wh-what's your... what's y-your name?"


Nothing stopped her after that, so Augustina rode off for aid.


----


Riding up the road, Augustina ran into a pair of bodies, wearing the same uniforms as Hugo and the others had been. It wasn't much of a jump in logic to assume what had happened here... the bandits had jumped them on their way to deliver the wheel. At a casual glance, they'd look long since past her ability to help... and if she jumped down to confirm it, their pulseless bodies would confirm it.


It was still further to go to the fortified village of Kegrove, but thankfully, it passed without further incident. It became quite apparent she had arrived when the forest opened into... well, clear-cut forest, many stumps littering the now-bare clearing around the little village, which was now encircled with a wooden palisade wall.

Some twenty paces from the gate, a guard from up on top the wall called out.

"Halt! Identify yourself!"

 

[Tassadar]

Re: GargantuaBlarg Test Thread

Augustina pulled her horse to a stop as she heard the call to wait, and turned in her saddle in order to look back and see that it was Mary who was calling out to her. Smiling as she realized that she had never so much as spoken her name to the ones she had fought to defend, Augustina shouted back; "Augustina!" Not bothering to give her surname, the half-demon turned back forward and set her horse off into a full run.

When she spotted the corpses on the side of the road, Augustina called it to a halt and jumped down to investigate, and quickly realized that it was the group who had been sent to deliver the wheel for the damaged wagon. She didn't bother to search them, knowing that anything useful would have been taken already, but she did look about for the wagon wheel. Finding it not present, Augustina scowled and silently cursed the bandits before getting back onto her borrowed horse and riding towards Kergrove as quickly as she could.

The armored woman came to a gradual halt when commanded, making sure that she didn't appear overly dangerous, and called back; "A traveler who came across a group of your own attacked by bandits! They are in need of aid, immediately! They have civilians and a captive that may help you to eliminate this problem permanently!"

 

[GargantuaBlarg]

Re: GargantuaBlarg Test Thread

Spoiler

Augustina Carpenter!
Hit Points (HP): 63/65
Pleasure to Orgasm (PP): 45
Spirit Energy (EP): 14/50

Status = Runnin' low on EP.

The man up on the wall took a few moments to think over her explanation, before shouting over his shoulder to the others manning Kegrove's gate. "Open 'er up, but keep 'er at the door!"

A wooden portcullis was raised, and a heavy wooden double-door swung open just enough to admit the lone lady and her impromptu steed. Once inside, Augustina saw a goodly number of cottages, all sprawled out peasantry busying themselves, another wall on the opposite side separating what looked to be another section of the fortified village. There were many tents pitched - actual tents, not the sort Hugo would have been sporting if she'd had longer to toy with him - and many newer, but hastily-built looking buildings surrounding cottages, as well - likely housing for the army's men, or workshops for those artisans Hugo had spoken about. Many were simply frames built of trees with the bark left unstripped, with thatch making up the walls and roofs. A tower overlooked the little hamlet, built in the midst of the army's huts - it too looked rushed like the ramshackle housing surrounding it, though perhaps less so, with more care (and trees) devoted to it's construction.

Augustina didn't have much time to take in Kegrove, though - a small mob of soldiers gathered at the gate, barring Augustina's path, and the half-demon, try as she might, couldn't help but notice how... ruggedly handsome a few of them looked. That one had the prettiest blue eyes - oh, they almost sparkled! Off to the side, though, that one had such strong looking legs... It was hardly the time to think about 'replenishing her reserves', what with Hugo and the others facing an possible impending bandit reprisal and all, but she'd just burned up so much energy... and they were really nice legs.

Meanwhile, the man from on top of the wall hurried down the ramp leading up to the wall's walk. "You don't see a woman riding around in armor like that very often," he called down to Augustina, at the same time gesturing with his arm at some soldier down on the ground - twirling it over his head in a circle, and then raising four fingers - who mounted a horse and sped off for the opposite. "Are you sure you're not one of old Ironguts' traitorous followers, here to lure us into some kind of trap? I wouldn't put that kind of plan past him," he questioned the half-demon, reaching her as he finished the last sentence. He didn't sound particularly hostile, at least - though, it might have been that she was just too stunned by the man's actual use of diction.

"Start explaining, 'traveller'. I can't just believe a stranger I've never seen before just like that, you understand."

Spoiler

Is there a set percentage you usually change the Status to "Low on EP" or something? >.>

 

[Tassadar]

Re: GargantuaBlarg Test Thread

Augustina frowned but remained on the back of the horse as the portcullis was raised and a door opened. She didn't hesitate to urge her horse forward gently, and brought the beast to a stop once she was inside enough that they could shut the doors behind her if they wished. Inside was what looked to have once been a town, but was now more accurately described as a war camp, and in it she was unsurprised to find a good number of soldiers. It was as she swept her gaze over the men at arms that Augustina realized just how hungry she really was. Features sprung out at her, drawing her almost hypnotized gaze this way and that as she noticed each one, and it wasn't until she had subconsciously licked her lips while gazing at the man with the nice legs that the knight managed to shake herself out of her stupor and gather her momentarily shattered wits.

She was grateful for the presence of someone to concentrate on with less impure thoughts clouding her mind, and as such she centered her gaze on man atop the wall and tried to block out her peripheral vision while remaining as still and non-threatening as she could when fully armored and sitting atop a heavy horse. She waited for him to finish before she offered any response, though she did momentarily break her concentration in order to track the man heading off on horseback before returning her gaze to the speaker and offering an explanation, "There aren't many women trained to wear armor like mine, at least not around here, so I will permit your incredulity.

"If Ironguts is the leader of the bandits that attacked us, then I can only offer you my word, on my honor, that I have nothing to do with him and his men beyond fighting against them in order to secure peace for these lands.... And the names of the troopers that were left to guard a wagon filled with your supplies, one that was attacked, and one that was defended. Hugo, Bertrand, Van, and Ulman. Bertrand was the ranking officer I believe, or at the very least he spoke as one with authority, and it was he who sent me to you with one of the horses from the wagon after I helped them fend off a group of bandits in order to acquire a wagon wheel and possibly some reinforcements so that your supplies can arrive safely. There were two civilians with them as well, John and Mary, and when I left more or less all of them had suffered wounds that could likely use better treatment than I was able to give at the time. They also have two captives, one apparently an enemy officer, that I imagine you would like to interrogate.

"Now, if you still don't trust me, I can give you descriptions of the men I claim to have met. If such is not sufficient, then I can give you the money for the wheel and return on my own, but regardless I would prefer to be off as soon as I can. I do not like leaving people while they are still in danger, as we weren't able to capture or kill all of the bandits. They might be on the way with reinforcements as we speak."

 

[GargantuaBlarg]

Re: GargantuaBlarg Test Thread

Spoiler

Augustina Carpenter!
Hit Points (HP): 63/65
Pleasure to Orgasm (PP): 45
Spirit Energy (EP): 14/50

Status = Runnin' low on EP.

The man she was speaking with looked at her severely a moment, saying nothing. He stared at her for a bit longer than was comfortable... and then suddenly gave her a half-cocked grin. "'Permit your incredulity', eh? Ha! That's a good one, I'm going to have to remember that. Don't worry, I believe you, traveler - just had to check, you know - can't be sending off our lads about willy-nilly, can we?"

At the mention of his fellows, a Augustina noticed the sounds of hoofbeats - quite a lot of them, in fact. Looking up, she saw some eight or so horsemen emerging from the inner gate the messenger had sped off to earlier. "I told them not to send just one man - every damn campaigner knows that, never use just one, no matter how safe the errand is!"

One of the gate guards rolled out a spare wheel - evidently prepared beforehand by the man she'd been speaking to - which was given to one of the men riding up, secured into place with a leather thong. Another of the men was given what looked to be a bandoleer of tools. "Saddles, you know. Much easier to secure a spare to one of those than to, eh... well, nothing, in your case, madam," the man explained.

"Right! I told you it would happen and it did! This lady here happened on them, so you lot follow her to Bertie, get their cart patched up and us the rest of our victuals, eh?!" The group raised a shout, and the gate opened, allowing Augustina and her new company to depart.


Leading such a well-equipped group out back into the woodlands and to the stranded supply cart, it wouldn't have been entirely out of place for the paladin to feel ready for another round with the men plaguing these lands. The opportunity, however, never arose - Augustina arrived with the cavalry, the wheel was replaced, and the whole group made it back to Kegrove without incident. The crates were loaded back onto the wagon, and the two prisoners slung up onto the hindquarters of two of the cavalry's hindquarters. Except for Bertrand, who took rode shotgun on the wagon, Augustina's wounded new acquaintances rode in the cart, eyes peeled on the treeline, John still holding tightly to his sister. One of the new soldiers took up driving the cart, and she exchanged her draft horse for his saddled riding horse.

This time, when the gate closed behind her once again, she didn't have to worry - Hugo, Bertrand, Van, Ulman, John and Mary were all finally safe, and the cart was out of reach for the ne'er-do-wells outside.

While Hugo, Van and Ulman piled out to go see the camp's medical tent, neither of the two farmers left their precious harvest. "Ain't no way I'm leavin' my food unattended. How'm I gonna know none a' you ain't gonna try no funny business?" John stated plainly. Mary too refused to leave her village's sole income unattended - and despite that she was still visibly shaking from the attack, she ignored any attempts to join the group to have her injuries checked over more thoroughly with Hugo and the rest.

Bertrand, too, stayed with the cart. "I wasn't hurt, and these two should probably have someone to look out after 'em," he explained. Once they get this whole thing sorted with the quartermaster, you're really going to have to let me get ya a drink, Lady Augustina. Perhaps ye could go and see about a reward? I'll bet Lord Burke'd give it to ye in person, even. He'd probably wanna get a look at'cha to size y'up for a recruitin', anyway. I don't think we'll be waitin' long on this cart - I'm sure they're eager ter get th'larders fattened up." The

"A'course... if'n ye wanted to take a look around, I don't think I could blame ya. Got a tavern over there if yer thirsty now, n' traders over yonder - the artisans're just nearby."

"Inner keep on the other side o' the wall's got the mage's quarters - they do all manner a' spellcraft there. Also has the storehouses, the blacksmith what makes and keeps the cannons workin', and the village's hall - where Burke usually is, discussin' strategy with 'is advisors n' such. More barracks, too, but I don't suppose yer interested in those."

 

[Tassadar]

Re: GargantuaBlarg Test Thread

Augustina nodded, not allowing her relief to show as the man claimed to believe her. "Of course. You couldn't allow your men to be led into an ambush; forgive my shortness if I seemed as such, but I'm sure that you can understand." The sound of hoof-beats drew the armored woman's attention, and Augustina allowed herself a slight smile at the sight of the squad of horsemen. She had no objection to the tools and spare wheel being carried by others, and she nodded in response to the commander's comment, "Of course... I don't mind bareback, but it has its disadvantages."

Following her parting comment, she offered the man who had organized the aid of the cart that she had stumbled upon a salute before turning her horse around, "It's along the side of the road, you hardly need a guide. But I'd prefer to see them safely here with my own eyes." One uneventful trip later, she and her company arrived at the wagon to find it unmolested and swiftly set about getting it back into working order. She checked over each of them anyway, and by the time she was finished looking over the entire group the repairs had been completed. She thanked the man who offered her his saddled horse, glad to make the exchange so as to spare the other beast her undistributed weight if nothing else, and after that rode back in relative silence. As always, Augustina was glad for the peace when it came, even if her inherited hunger had begun to gnaw at her.

When they reached the camp once again, Augustina let out a sigh and dismounted. She held up a hand to halt the men that moved to take the two captives away and said; "I know that I have no authority over you two, but I did endanger myself in order to ensure that this wagon got here, and I also expended some of my own strength in order to ensure that this man," she pointed to the one that she'd healed, "Survived to reach this camp. If possible, I would ask that their lives be spared, at least temporarily, and if you two could tell me who I had to talk to about that, I would be greatly appreciative." She offered the men a charming but tired smile and then, regardless of their answer, allowed them to be off about their business.

After that, she turned to John and Mary and said; "See to her injuries, I will watch over your harvest. None will tamper with it, move it, or take it from you so long as I am here to guard it. You have my word." Hopefully that would be enough to see the two peasants off, but if it wasn't Augustina wouldn't argue further, accepting whatever response they had with a nod and possibly a shrug.

After that, Augustina turned to Bertrand and listened passively, at this point forced to ignore the irritating gnaw of her hunger with a distracting quantity of her willpower. As such, her face remained a slight frown even as he offered to get her a drink, and she only processed his words after he had finished. She smiled slightly, but the expression was stretched thin, "A drink would be nice right about now.... But I cannot consume alcohol, so I'm afraid that it'll be tea for me. I think I'd prefer to stay here for the moment, but thank you for the information! I intended to speak to someone about the situation here anyway, as I'll need to understand some things if I'm to be of much use."

Augustina paused and frowned, "Actually, maybe you could help me with that. What is going on around here? Who were those men, and why did they attack you? Why is Lord Burke mobilizing so many soldiers? I hadn't heard of any invaders around here, or any conflicts between nobles either. Has it become so dangerous here that a standing army is truly necessary?"

 

[GargantuaBlarg]

Re: GargantuaBlarg Test Thread

Spoiler

Augustina Carpenter!
Hit Points (HP): 63/65
Pleasure to Orgasm (PP): 45
Spirit Energy (EP): 14/50

Status = Runnin' low on EP.

"Did ya?" remarked one of the soldiers handling Augustina's two captives. "Well, I'll make sure ter tell the warden yer request, lady. We'll be takin' 'em ter the jail - sturdy log buildin', sunk a bit inter the ground. Got one 'er them things out in front, er... whatcha call..." "What, the pillory?" "Yeah, that thing."


When offered the opportunity to accompany Hugo and the others to the village's doctor, Mary almost immediately refused, shaking her head violently - as if she had to tell herself she wasn't going to take up the offer, as well as Augustina. "I... I'm f-f-fine..." she stammered.

"There, there," her brother said soothingly, patting her on the shoulder. "Beggin' y'pardon, Lady Augustina, but we been watchin' these crops through three different counties, and we ain't gunna call it quits 'till we's back in Tabridge or it ain't ours no more. Our village's countin' on us." The sister nodded. "I-I'm r-really fine... r-r-really... I'm ju-just shook up, s'all... Gods, I th-thought I was going t-to d-die..."

Bertrand looked surprised when Augustina told him she wasn't a drinker. "Don't drink, ye say? Ahh... s'pose I've been a campaigner so long I'd forgot some people don't drink. One a' the only comforts we can get, y'know." The old man chuckled. "Ahhh, well... s'pose there goes my excuse to spend on a bottle a' the good stuff from the inn 'ere."

"Those men? Well, I s'pose ye'd call 'em bandits... and, well, I s'pose ye'd be right," Bert started. "Thing is, though, they're all soldiers - or, mostly soldiers, at any rate. The very short of it is, Captain Wilhye 'Ironguts' Rarde, saw our esteemed nobility, fightin' 'mongst themselves, got fed up, n' jes' up n' deserted. Lotta men decided ta follow 'im, n' now they think they c'n pull Badaria back together, like ol' Burke n' so many other nobles think. Old soldier, like me. Bold one, too - likes ta chance the odds - n' somehow, wins more n' naught. As fer why, well... I s'pose they gotta eat, too, eh?"

"As fer why here... well, I s'pose this place is a good 'un to make a stand - lotta trees 'roundabout to build with, got that mining town 'bout a week out, for metals and whatnot... Hugo explained it well enough earlier, I think - we got reports - or at least, we're told the neighborin' fief way up the way's been startin' ta see the grey invaders. Ironguts is in the region, n' with the Empire crumbled n' no longer able to watch the roads, danger's startin' ta stalk the woods n' routes again. Far be it from a humble footsoldier like m'self t'suggest it's a mighty fine excuse fer ol' Burke t'make a bid fer more power." Bertrand sounded... resigned. He lacked the fervor Hugo had displayed when he'd outlined the regional situation earlier in the day, neither disgusted with Irongut's descent into base banditry, and flirted with disloyalty with his suggestion that Burke might just be abusing the situation to take another noble's lands for himself, rather than simply looking to secure a buttress against the enemy's advance.

 

[Tassadar]

Re: GargantuaBlarg Test Thread

Giving the two men handling the prisoners a nod and the two farmers a frown, Augustina accepted both of their responses to her without further comment. Bertrand's comment about her abstinence from alcohol caused the knight to crack a small grin, "Far be it for me to keep you from a good drink," Augustina offered with a wry smile, "I'll simply have to pass on having any myself. More for you, right?" A slight tremor ran through her courtesy of the rising strength of her unnatural hunger, and before she could stop herself, Augustina added; "Besides, I could certainly do with some company tonight~"

Working to act as if she hadn't uttered the innuendo at all, Augustina then nodded to Bertand's explanation of the situation. "He sounds like a dangerous opponent then... And one to be dealt with swiftly. It almost sounds as if you admire him!" She smiled again, "Even though the nobility might not have the interests of the common man at heart... It's better than the alternative. Mary had done nothing to harm anyone, and those men nearly killed her just for being here. If Burke gains something from this campaign, but it still makes the lands safer, than as far as I see it it was a noble effort. Particularly if the greys have been sighted... I can think of few who would prefer that their souls be torn out to paying taxes."

 

[GargantuaBlarg]

Re: GargantuaBlarg Test Thread

Spoiler

Augustina Carpenter!
Hit Points (HP): 63/65
Pleasure to Orgasm (PP): 45
Spirit Energy (EP): 14/50

Status = Runnin' low on EP.

"Heh. S'pose it is more fer me. I'll just have ta toast you twice, I reckon." The veteran raised an eyebrow at Augustina's rather suggestive utterance, but wasn't given much time to respond, with Augustina quickly moving on. "Mm, weell... I did know 'im, you know - he was in Burke's army, after all, and I knew 'em as good man. Good soldier, a good captain, too. Wouldn't surprise me he was takin' his own supplies offa supply caravans, but... well, can't imagine 'im givin' orders t'kill some poor innocent like ol' Mary, over there, n' I'm just tryin' ta figure out why... bahh, but I'm trailin' off. All's I know is that it was strange."

As he finished, another soldier came by and began leading their horses off. "'Ey, where we goin', eh?" Came John's predictable question. "Gonna take y'all over to the storehouses, yeah? Y'all can t'the quartermaster there 'bout your price!"

It would take a few minutes for them to work their way through to the storehouse - evidently, it was beyond the other wall, as they started making their way towards the gate. If Augustina wanted to let the farmers and Bertrand to themselves, she could hop out at any time - perhaps see to Burke, or perhaps check in on the rest of the injured in the doctor's tent. Or perhaps check the inn, for rumors or 'company'...

"As fer what ya said earlier, Miss," Bertrand started again, "I s'pose the roads are pretty lonely if yer travelin' by yerself, aren't they? But ye'll no doubt have no problem findin' company 'ere. I'm sure ol' Hugo won't have no qualms spending th' evenin' chattin', just as I'm sure ya won't have any trouble fendin' off any untoward advances." he said with a wheezy chuckle.

 

[Tassadar]

Re: GargantuaBlarg Test Thread

Augustina nodded along to Bertrand's further explanation about the leader of the bandits plaguing the region, getting a few more pieces to the puzzle. It was tragic and pointless, these squabbles, but she understood the root of them well enough to know that not even the threat of the greys was enough to bring a stop to them. Frowning, Augustina said; "I doubt she was shot intentionally..... But people like her are always caught in the crossfire in conflicts like this. I wish there was a way to end it without further bloodshed.... But one must live in the real world, I suppose."

Then the wagon began to move, the armored woman remaining silent throughout the exchange between the farmer and the guards and for a while afterwards. Bertrand's next set of comments brought a smirk to her face even as the pangs of her supernatural hunger momentarily intensified, but Augustina kept a level head and even expression as she responded to each in turn; "It does get a bit lonely sometimes, but one learns to manage after a while. Heh, I'm sure Hugo wouldn't mind spending all night with me... Though I imagine he might look to do some things other than talking!" She paused and grinned at Bertrand, but the expression became a grimace when the man offered his last comment. "Yes.... All too well, unfortunately. I hope that such won't become necessary while I'm here."

With that Augustina would fall silent, for now remaining with the cart so as to ensure that John and Mary got a decent price for their harvest. If they arrived and negotiated to a point at which the two had enough that they would survive without her intervention, so much the better. Were that the case, the paladin would head off to find Lord Burke in order to properly offer her services. If not.... Well, then she would have to figure out how to ensure that they did. Somehow.

 

[GargantuaBlarg]

Re: GargantuaBlarg Test Thread

Spoiler

Augustina Carpenter!
Hit Points (HP): 63/65
Pleasure to Orgasm (PP): 45
Spirit Energy (EP): 14/50

Status = Runnin' low on EP.

Bertrand nodded with her when Augustina spoke of how the uninvolved were always inevitably swept up into the conflicts of others. "Mmm..." he hummed, a grunt of agreement. "The real world, where, with those monsters breathin' down our necks, men still find time t'quarrel n' fight 'mongst themselves." He let out a sigh. The veteran returned her smile - doing the same with her grimace. "Ah... I didn't mean nothin' by it. M'sure ye'll be fine," he said, waving off his comment.

Upon arrival at the quartermaster's, John and Mary dismounted - the village girl still looking a little rattled, but just as determined as her brother. Though in no way endearing themselves with the provisions master, they maintained a fair price through sheer stubbornesss - though, they were no doubt aided by both Bertrand and Augustina's presence - the old vet mostly continuing to lounge in his seat on the wagon, though he occasionally spoke to calm the haggler's nerves when things got too heated. Meanwhile, Augustina's striking looks had their own effect on the quartermaster - distracting him from the task at hand, somewhat. She could easily abuse that to benefit for the pair of farmers...

Eventually, the group came to a grudging accord - the farmers demanding and counting every single coin before they allowed a single sheaf of wheat or head of cabbage off their wagon. They would probably be fine...


With that handled, Augustina took the opportunity to find Burke. It was fairly easy to find the repurposed town center where he was most likely to be found, being both heavily fortified and outright one of the largest structures in the war-town. A quartet of armored spearmen stood guard at the building's entrance, but let her through, once she explained her business.

A two-man escort of soldiers armed the same at the front led her inside, eventually a war room. Inside, four people stood around a large table with what was evidently a map of the area, a few more guards sitting around the room rising as they entered.

One was what looked to be an old man, whose age was clearly visible, bent as he was. He had a long beard, and wore a long black robe - a hood hiding his face. On the opposite end of the age spectrum, a young man and woman stood here, as well - black hair, blue eyes, tanned and comely, both. Neither could have been more than twenty-four, surely. The woman wore her hair long and loose, and wore a white robe, embroidered with fine patternwork on it's sleeves. The man wore his short and slicked back, a trimmed goatee adorning his face. He wore a jacket, much like the ones she had seen on the infantrymen outside, but blue, and adorned with silver.

The last man struck a compromise between the other's ages - a hawk-like beak of a nose jutting out from his his lined and weathered face. His hair was black, as well, but streaked through with silver, and also worn short - a widow's peak shaping his hairline. An iron circlet wreathed is head, and he was clothed in burgundy raiment of fine make.

The escort announced Augustina's name, and the middle-aged man responded. "Ah. So you're the one who aided my men? I received a report from one of the men at the gate, but nothing from the soldiers actually involved, yet." He sounded a little vexed at that.

"Thank you. Take this, as payment for your service to Badaria."

He walked up to Augustina, handing her a small pouch, and giving her an appraising look. He seemed unsure what to think of her, looking her over with a shrewd, thoughtful look... Leaving a gap which Augustina could fill, should she have any questions for the apparent Lord Burke.

Spoiler

It's 15 denarii.

 

[Tassadar]

Re: GargantuaBlarg Test Thread

Though tired and slightly antsy due to the insistent gnawing of her supernatural hunger, Augustina smiled and fawned over the quartermaster to the best of her admittedly limited abilities. While she might often have to resort to it, she was something of a terrible flirt, her propensity for frankness inhibiting her ability to fluff egos. All the same, she gave it her best, and hoped that her efforts had gotten the villagers a little bit more coin for their crops. Once a deal was made, Augustina bid the civilians good day and headed off to see to her own business.

Finding Lord Burke proved to be quite easy, thankfully, and after respectfully explaining her purpose to the man's quartet of armed guards, Augistina was allowed in and presented herself to the man and what she assumed were his advisers. The old man in the black robe she instantly regarded with suspicion, both for his dark garb and for the hood that he chose to wear over his head even while indoors, but she erred to respect the Lord's choice in companionship by not staring. The couple's age might have surprised her, but their visual similarities did as well, and she eyed the woman for a moment just to check if she had any symbols on her garments that might indicate her position. She guessed that the man was a captain of some sort, possibly a knight or a relative of Burke's, but the woman's presence was an enigma given that she was in the war council of a Badarian lord. Perhaps Burke was more progressive than she thought?

The last, who turned out to be Burke himself, Augustina bowed to with a softly spoken; "My lord." He wasn't old, but he certainly wasn't straight out of adolescence either, and his sharp features and weathered look marked him as more than the simpering sod that she had marked most of the nobles that she'd met as well, and she offered him the respect that he rightly deserved not by his position, but by being a man who had done great things. Taking the pouch of coins from him with a nod, Augustina tucked it into her belt and said; "I am my lord.... Thank you. Twas my duty to aid those in need, as it is still. Your men have told me about the problems that you face, and I would humbly request your permission to offer what aid I may to these lands. The farmers that I escorted here confessed themselves in need of aid against a monster and told me of the appearance of the greys in the region, and I have seen first hand that you have something of a bandit problem."

 

[GargantuaBlarg]

Re: GargantuaBlarg Test Thread

Spoiler

Augustina Carpenter!
Hit Points (HP): 63/65
Pleasure to Orgasm (PP): 45
Spirit Energy (EP): 14/50

Status = Runnin' low on EP.

"Your duty, eh?" the fief's holder repeated aloud. "How noble. Such a task is to be admired, especially in these dark times," he said, though his face remained stony and cold, hardly matching his spoken sentiment.

"I would be glad to accept, as well - I could always use another warrior - especially one as skillful as you, if the reports are to believed. They say you did not hesitate in spite of the ambush, and quickly rallied the men, and displayed exceptional macemanship. Man or woman, that is quite exceptional."

At the mention of his problems, however, the hawk-nosed lord crossed his hands behind his back. "I assure you, these problems are well under control, and are in the process of being dealt with. ...Of course, with your aid, I'm sure they can be resolved that much swifter."

"The bandits are, for the most part, deserters and rabble from villages who do not understand that the taxes I collect are required, if we are to succeed in or fight against the grey scum from the sky. You've no doubt heard of their leader, former Captain Wilhye Rarde. He was, in truth, one of my finest men, and I've no doubt their successes so far are entirely his doing. The trouble with them, however, is that my scouts have not been able to locate their camp. They are most surely in the forests that surround this place, but I cannot say where exactly, and sending out my soldiers to root him out would be highly unlikely to work, to say the least."

"I have also heard of this monster, and regrettably, such a creature is normally too deadly to be slain with just a platoon - I can only expect many deaths and wounds without magicians, and I cannot spare a one of the few I retain - their magic is simply too vital to the building of walls or as defense against attack."

"And of course, the army is always in want of more victuals to sustain it. Kegrove has it's fields and orchards, of course, but they are all outside the walls, and though they have always had surplus to trade with, it's not nearly enough to support an army occupation."