Cattle Rustling

(Scene run by Ayesha, xp to Lark, please)

 

Some one hundred and fifty miles north and east the city of Black Ravine stands Redstone ford, which is as far as the city state claims territory. Not that anyone really lives here, as the area is tainted by Wyld energies not yet quiescent, and rumors are hideous carnivore boars, often large as horses, roam the land in small packs.

On the way here Hunting Mist has seen a few destroyed ranch and farms, and small groups of people that could be scavengers, warriors or survivors. None was able to chase after Yoshi, though. He arrives to the ford well before noon, flocks of ravens flying off as he gets to the battle place. There are still corpses strewn on the ground, the bandits wasted little time to give them a proper burial after taking all valuables, which no doubt has caused more than one hungry ghost to arise. At this time of the day, however, there are no ghosts... or carnivorous boars, for that matter.

 

Pulling up to the scene of the carnage, Mist leaves his dust-mask up, and circles the area noting clues of movement, and noting the tracks of the respective armies, and letting them tell the tale of what happened here. He notes runners, supplies, masses of armed folk, spots for provisions, the presence of demons, and keeps looking until he finds what he's looking *for*...a single woman who may have biouvacced here as her forces, such as they are, were gathered.

 

-= OOC =- Ragara Ayesha says, "to know what happened: Per + War"

(Judge) Hunting Mist rolls Perception + War: [ -1- 5 7 ]

        Resulting in 1 successes.

(Judge) Hunting Mist rolls 9: [ 3 3 3 3 4 4 5 9 <10> ]

        Resulting in 3 successes.

-= OOC =- Hunting Mist says, "Mmm. Poor roll, Yoshi."

-= OOC =- Hunting Mist says, "The demons might be an indicator as well."

-= OOC =- Hunting Mist says, "Yoshi might as well put up AESS as well. I refresh his essence with Essence-lending if he's down from last scene."

-= OOC =- Ragara Ayesha says, "roll Per + Survival too, please"

-= OOC =- Hunting Mist says, "That I can do something about"

(Judge) Hunting Mist rolls Perception + Survival + Survival + 2: [ -1- -1- 2 2 2 3 3 5 6 7 7 7 7 8 8 ]

        Resulting in 6 successes.

-= OOC =- Hunting Mist says, "Spending 5m"

 

What happened here was the bandits were attacked while they were crossing the ford. The Black Ravine rangers, expert horsemen armed with composite bows, launched volley after volley of arrows to the bandits, slaying many of them. But it seems they were overconfident. When the bandits sent their own cavalry, the rangers engaged them on a low hill, letting them charge uphill. And then, the hilltop is full of jagged shards of obsidian and dead soldiers. Many were struck down by sorcery, and before they could retreat, they got caught. A strange miscalculation that might mean a spirit or exalt used charms on them. Afterwards, there are many signs that smaller groups of rangers rallied and kept harassing the bandits, ambushing them and in general dancing around them until nightfall. Hunting Mist can find some swallow graves where at least some of the bandits buried his own fallen.

A few miles south a large group of bandits camped for the night, but it is almost impossible to say if there was a single Dragon-Blooded woman that took special sleeping arrangements that night. It is clear that not all the bandits rested there, though. Some went back, several groups went deeper into Black Ravine. The next morning the main body moved southwestwards.

 

-= OOC =- Hunting Mist says, "Alright. The point from where Obsidian Butterflies is the strongest indicator of the target's real last definite known location. She was on a Cirrus Skiff when she cast it? A simple Lore check would have me or Yoshi to the math to detemrine this."

-= OOC =- Ragara Ayesha says, "yeah, they came from above"

-= OOC =- Hunting Mist says, "I can start tracking from here, then. Activate Unshakeable Bloodhound Technique. Mount up, and follow the spell-caster's path."

-= OOC =- Ragara Ayesha says, "She moves around a bit, and then the trail heads north for many miles. You are pretty sure she went back to Crimson Hollow after the battle."

-= OOC =- Ragara Ayesha says, "In a cirrus Skiff she probably got there before dawn."

-= OOC =- Hunting Mist says, "Crap. Distance between here and Crimson Hollow?"

-= OOC =- Ragara Ayesha says, "about 300-400 miles? (not sure)"

-= OOC =- Hunting Mist says, "No demons kicking around here? No one set to watch this place?"

-= OOC =- Ragara Ayesha says, "Demons, jeez, it was several days ago, but with an outstanding Per + Survival... maybe you can find demon tracks?"

(Judge) Hunting Mist rolls Perception + Perception + Survival + Survival + 2: [ -1- -1- 2 2 2 3 4 4 4 5 5 6 6 7 7 7 <10> <10> ]

        Resulting in 7 successes.

-= OOC =- Hunting Mist rolls his eyes

-= OOC =- Hunting Mist says, "Below average rolls tonight."

-= OOC =- Ragara Ayesha says, "not your day. You are not sure, but you find a couple suspicious wounds in men that seem to have been done by huge claws."

-= OOC =- Ragara Ayesha says, "also, you should have stunted for more dice!"

-= OOC =- Hunting Mist says, "Well, it was both the Sorceress *and* the demons that they sub-commander wanted dealt with."

-= OOC =- Ragara Ayesha says, "anyway, if there are demons you are pretty sure they either did very little or there are very few"

 

Now it is noon, the zenith’s hour. Yoshi comes to happily comment that the rumors about carnivorous horse-sized boars were true and that they taste like chicken. And then both see a single rider cresting a hill a quarter of a mile away.

 

Mist is informed of the presence of a rider by Yoshi, and brings him around to mount up and meet the lone traveler. Dangerous times for a lone traveler unless he's more like Mist than not. Yoshi alters the flows of his awareness to allow for the detection of essence flows, anticipating the need. The two speed towards the figure.

 

The rider turns back at seeing Hunting Mist. Half a minutes passes. Then he returns with a dozen friends. Followed by thousands cattle heads. But mostly a dozen friends, that race towards Mist brandishing a variety of weapons.

Apparently the bandits are moving their four-legged loot, and Mist is on the way.

 

         On seeing the herd, Mist just peers at the bandits, and thinks to himself for a moment. Well, they're thinking a bit and if they have the skill to manage a herd, they could be useful, but they had to be rather daring to manage this cattle-rustling in the first place, and they're willing to spill blood. Mist isn't sure if he could save them, or hold them until the reconstruction effort is ready for them. Difficult choices.

 

         Mist stands tall in the saddle, tips his hat back and booms out a warning for the would-be ranchers that leave no doubt as to his nature, "Y'all can drive herd fine, but that cattle belongs to folk, an' you had th'misfortune of runnin' into me. Drop your weapons, turn th'herd around, an' return it from where you got it from."

 

-= OOC =- Ragara Ayesha says, "Okay, so trying to intimidate them? Do you have charms or going raw Cha + Performance?"

-= OOC =- Hunting Mist says, "Demon-Wracking/Phantom Conjuring to reach them all."

-= OOC =- Hunting Mist says, "Which means I have to spend motes on the Exc"

-= OOC =- Hunting Mist says, "Spending 5"

(OOC) Hunting Mist just spent 5 motes of Essence from his Personal Essence pool

(Judge) Hunting Mist rolls Performance + Performance + Charisma: [ 2 5 6 6 6 6 7 7 7 8 8 9 <10> <10> ]

        Resulting in 10 successes.

 

The riders halt at hearing the warning, hesitating for a minute. But Hunting Mist is alone, and they are many. And the herd and the loot they have stolen is what they have risked their lives for. They are people without land and without home, they have nothing but what they can carry back to Crimson Hollow, and they are not going back with nothing.

 

Mist pulls the Chain of Kratos out, seeing their aggressive stance in the face of what may appear to be light resistance. Again, the voice booms out, and this time a line of golden light descends onto either side of Mist, and from a hundred yards away, they can hear him clearly as he calls out one final time.

         "Last warning. This line is as close as any of you are gonna come to Crimson Hollows with that herd. You either submit peacefully, an' live, or go down hard, an' join yer buddies on th'field back there.", Mist declares as he moves Yoshi forward in a walking pace, leaving the wall of light behind him.

 

-= OOC =- Ragara Ayesha says, "JB!"

 (Judge) Ragara Ayesha rolls 4: [ 3 6 6 9 ]

        Resulting in 1 successes.

-= OOC =- Hunting Mist says, "Yoshi activates Striking Cobra"

(Judge) Hunting Mist rolls Perception + Awareness: [ -1- 2 4 5 6 ]

        Resulting in a Botch!

 (Judge) Hunting Mist rolls 9: [ 2 3 3 3 4 4 4 5 5 ]

        Resulting in a failure.

-= OOC =- Hunting Mist says, "He still gets five suxx, but wow."

-= OOC =- Hunting Mist says, "Yoshi will move for two ticks to close the distance. Then, on 2, he'll flurry pulling people from their saddles. Three attacks."

-= OOC =- Ragara Ayesha says, "They declare using their parry DV, which is 4 thanks to shields."

 

         Yoshi lunges forward at full speed, eating up the ground in a rush as the raiders prepare themselves to fight, jostling Mist so badly he almost fell out of the saddle! Sweeping by the first bandit, Yoshi grabs him and lifts him from his saddle, then smashing his claw into a second bandit, pushing him out of his saddle, and finally nipping a third bandit and throwing him several yards away from the safety of his mount.

 

-= OOC =- Hunting Mist says, "Stunt?"

-= OOC =- Hunting Mist says, "Basically, I'm invoking Knockdown rules."

(Judge) Hunting Mist rolls 10: [ 3 4 4 7 7 7 8 8 8 <10> ]

        Resulting in 8 successes.

(Judge) Hunting Mist rolls 9: [ 2 3 3 4 4 4 9 9 <10> ]

        Resulting in 4 successes.

(Judge) Hunting Mist rolls 7: [ 2 3 5 5 7 7 9 ]

        Resulting in 3 successes.

 

-= OOC =- Hunting Mist says, "So, first guy has to make the check."

-= OOC =- Hunting Mist says, "And yeah, he's not trying to kill them. So, bashing."

 (Judge) Ragara Ayesha rolls 5: [ 3 4 7 8 9 ]

        Resulting in 3 successes.

 

-= OOC =- Ragara Ayesha says, "7B soak"

-= OOC =- Hunting Mist says, "ALright, his bashing soak?"

(Judge) Hunting Mist rolls: 9 [ 1 3 5 6 6 6 6 9 10 ]

         Successes: 2

 

-= OOC =- Ragara Ayesha says, "he is a bit hurt, but stands"

-= OOC =- Hunting Mist says, "And as his reflexive move action this tick, he moves out away from them, about 20 yards."

-= OOC =- Ragara Ayesha says, "okay, they need 3 ticks to reach him, so they act at the same time as Mist"

-= OOC =- Ragara Ayesha says, "well, a few throw javelins, only 5 can attack you."

-= OOC =- Ragara Ayesha says, "what is your DV, and Yoshi's?"

-= OOC =- Ragara Ayesha says, "they can't hit you, they might get lucky with Yoshi, though" (They roll and don’t get lucky).

-= OOC =- Hunting Mist says, "I'll flurry a two hit attack with the chain-end of my weapon."

-= OOC =- Hunting Mist says, "Boost it a bit with MA Flow."

(Judge) Hunting Mist rolls Martial arts + Dexterity + 3 + 2: [ 2 2 4 4 4 4 4 5 6 8 <10> <10> <10> <10> ]

        Resulting in 9 successes.

(Judge) Hunting Mist rolls Martial arts + Dexterity + 3 + 2: [ 3 3 3 4 5 5 6 7 8 8 8 9 <10> <10> ]

        Resulting in 9 successes.

-= OOC =- Hunting Mist says, "Two of them are hit for 5 overage, base damage is...13B, so 18B, minus their 7 soak"

-= OOC =- Ragara Ayesha says, "They are out."

 

The bandits are afraid, but also desperate. A single man cannot possibly take them all! They charge, Yoshi first run-by-attack is not very successful, and that gives them hope. They throw javelins to no avail, then close to fight. Mist knocks down two of them right out with his fighting chain, but the others surround him and try to hack at him with heavy blades.

 

Mist spins in the saddle, going reverse cowboy and letting Yoshi guard his rear while he changes position to meet the challenge of being surrounded. Before he does, an attack gets through to land on him while Mist was distracted; Mist merely glares at the attacker as soon as he's able to face him, and says in a low rumbling voice, "You just volunteered t'be next. Ah hope you unnerstand that."

 

(Judge) Hunting Mist rolls Stamina + Resistance + 8: [ -1- -1- 2 3 4 4 5 6 7 7 8 8 8 9 9 9 <10> ]

        Resulting in 10 successes.

-= OOC =- Hunting Mist says, "Alright, then he has to leap out, and make sure they can't do anything about it until he's ready for them. He activates Monkey-Leap for 1m, and jumps 82 yards away from them."

-= OOC =- Hunting Mist says, "So, it's a misc action, 5-ticks."

-= OOC =- Ragara Ayesha says, "hmm, how much can a horse dash? (of course then they can't hit you, but...). I think we can narrate the rest of the fight. They -might- be able to hurt Yoshi a bit if they do something like coordinate, not a chance they can hurt you."

-= OOC =- Ragara Ayesha says, "So just explain how you flatten most of them and make the rest run away or surrender."

 

Once the encirclement happened, Mist gives the command, and Yoshi leaps an entire play-field away from them in one bound. Encouraged by their quarry's 'retreat', the small band attempt to close, thinking perhaps that Mist and his lizard can be driven off and they can then enjoy their hard-won loot.

         It is simply not meant to be.

         Once that safety zone is established, Mist extends the legendary Chain of Kratos to its full length, and Yoshi simply dances away from their attacks, able to keep *just* the right distance away from them, as the golden chain lashes them collectively into submission.

 

After most of the bandits are knocked out, the others try to retreat. By then there is a score more watching the fight. Only they are hardly as well armed as the bandits engaging Hunting Mist. They carry cheap spears and no shields. On has a bow and tries to help, but the arrows bounce off from Mist armor and Yoshi scales.

 

-= OOC =- Hunting Mist says, "Yeah. They get to drive the herd back, while I tie up the yahoo's to their horses."

 

Some bandits try to escape, others surrender. But they don’t want to herd the cattle back to Black Ravine. They would be executed there, and in Crimson Hollow... well, they probably will be punished, but not killed. And they might have another chance.

         Mist looks down on the bandits imperiously. "Don' you be concerned as to what Th'Ravine folk'll do to you. What happens to you ain't their concern. If'n yer aimin' t'ranch cattle, ah can work that. All you have to do is move this herd back to where you got it from, an' then yer comin' with me. Got it?"

 

-= OOC =- Hunting Mist says, "How far is it from where they got the cattle from?"

-= OOC =- Ragara Ayesha says, "It has probably been stolen all over the northeast of Black Ravine, there are thousands of animals"

-= OOC =- Hunting Mist says, "Heh. Check the brands, to make sure they aren't from a single steading, then drive them back for a few hours and let the herd go. In the meantime, get the bandits to talk about their Sorcerous leader."

-= OOC =- Ragara Ayesha says, "checking a few dozen animals you see at least six different brands"

-= OOC =- Ragara Ayesha says, "As for the bandits, well, those not trying to sneak away are kinda sullen right now. Or unconscious."

-= OOC =- Hunting Mist says, "Alright, as I said, bring them back a distance and let them continue wandering on their own. I only have a few hours to devote to this effort, I have fairly pressing business. How far is it to Ravine?"

-= OOC =- Hunting Mist says, "Anyone who tries to sneak away goes unconscious as well."

-= OOC =- Ragara Ayesha says, "to get them talking, I think Manipulation and some social skill (stunt the one you like the most) would be useful"

-= OOC =- Ragara Ayesha says, "Ravine ranches and farmsteads start a day or so march from the ford."

 

After a while, when the former bandits have settled down some and started behaving, Mist pulls out his guitar from its protective case, and starts playing songs and tunes to pass the time. After a while, he starts fiddling with some notes, and announces in a clear voice so that everyone can hear, "Ah'm aimin' t'make a song about all this, an' ah got th'tune owrked out, but ah'm missin' some key pieces, like what's goin' into th'song. Help me out some, and tell me about th'battle at Redstone Ford..."

         As the captives loosen up somewhat, and start talking, Mist drives the questions back to the leader, and what she was like, who she was, what she did. Yoshi kept an ear out for the truth, while Mist asked more probing and insightful questions.

         The song builds and builds, Mist seeming to have an impeccable memory for the details and a natural affinity for composing a song on the spot, and he gives the bandits their own piece. While not the most complementary, they can go down in history as another victory for Master of the Hunting Mist.

         "Or, y'all can change yer own tune, an' change th'couse of yer destinies. Th'stars don' have to shine on you th'way they do, y'know. A man *can* change his stars."

 

-= OOC =- Ragara Ayesha says, "roll Man + Performance, to see how well did you get them talking."

-= OOC =- Hunting Mist says, "Stunt?"

-= OOC =- Ragara Ayesha says, "+2"

(Judge) Hunting Mist rolls Manipulation + Performance + Manipulation + Perception + 2: [ -1- 2 2 5 6 6 9 9 9 <10> <10> <10> <10> <10> ]

        Resulting in 13 successes.

 

It takes a while to get them to open, but since Hunting Mist has not killed any of them yet, they are generally thinking things could be worse. And maybe talking to him will make him let them go. Most of them are not bandits because they like to live in wilderness, mug people and run away from the law, y’know. They used to be farmers, artisans, fishermen. The guys Hunting Mist fought used to be ‘honest’ mercenaries. They just had bad luck, the Guild caravans vanished, trade disappeared, they were hungry and desperate and they drifted into a life as outlaws, which is not half as fun as the songs say. But Amber Scorpion has given them a place to live, so they do what he say, because he is a man with a plan and the gods have exalted him! (They also exalted Hunting Mist, ah well). The sorceress name is Sliver of Winter, and she is a blue-haired lady that is really good looking. She and her dad, a badass martial artist called ‘Lord’ Darkmist, have joined Amber Scorpion in ruling Crimson Hollow. The commander of the bandits here is another Dragon-Blood called Sand Runner. And they rather like him because he acts like one of them, instead of lording over them like the other Dragon-Bloods.

 

-= OOC =- Hunting Mist says, "Alright, Activate Friendship with Animals Approach, tell the beasts to head back to where they came from, again using Demon-Wracking upgraded announcement methods."

-= OOC =- Hunting Mist says, "Actually, I can drive this entire herd by myself if I have to."

-= OOC =- Ragara Ayesha says, "good trick!"

-= OOC =- Hunting Mist says, "So, we break camp for the night, Yoshi eats a cow, everyone beds down, and I slip back to Black Ravine with my report on the movement of the DB's and what the bandits are up to."

-= OOC =- Hunting Mist says, "Alright, that goes into the report as well. Basically, it takes a couple of hours for the sorceress to make the trip from Hollow to Black Ravine, but Sand is already there. I canbe on hand for the strike to specifically counter the DB while they take on the mortal forces."

 

The gates of Black Ravine are closed at night, but the walls are no real deterrent for Yoshi, and Hunting Mist is actually welcomed back and taken to commander Wallis right away for the debriefing. The city guard marches out at dawn, along with around three hundred militiamen from the city. So they are hungry for fresh intel.

 

-= OOC =- Hunting Mist says, "I'll be aiming to capture either or both of them."

-= OOC =- Hunting Mist says, "Hrm. Do they want me on hand for the battle, then?"

-= OOC =- Ragara Ayesha says, "Wallis wants to know if you feel able to challenge that Sand guy to a duel. It is a tradition in the 100K to let a duel to decide the war."

-= OOC =- Hunting Mist says, "Yep, I can manage that. Give me a time and place."

-= OOC =- Hunting Mist says, "Well, in this case, the battle will be decided."

-= OOC =- Ragara Ayesha says, "Which won't please the most bloodthirsty citizens of Black Ravine that dream with implementing horrendous revenge, but Wallis thinks the sooner the bandits leave the country the better for his countrymen."