Griever: The Ravenlords, part 11, fin

Log Info

• Title: Griever: The Ravenlords, part 11
• Emitter: Whirlpool
• Characters: Cryosanthia, Tenoc, Braelnoir, Merek, Halani, Thyrson
• Place: Ravenlord's Fortress: Dining Hall
• Time: Monday, December 27, 2021, 9:57 PM
• Summary: Halani's battle with the Egalrin warrior-monk continues. She is using excellent tactics, but can't seem to catch any lucky breaks, except for the one where she evaded a grapple. The Egalrin is happily challenged, and all dinner guests enjoying the spectacle. Cryo and Braelnoir discretely try to assist Halani using merc-talk code. They and the others realize, everyone at the table is a capable warrior. This is unsettling. Finally, Halani moves in with a great flurry of blows... and is defeated. She goes down in a bloody mess. This, more than anything else impresses the birds. She's a true warrior, they will heed her counsel and continue to dismiss everyone else's. Still, it is a victory, they will delay their attacks, coordinate with others, the details to be worked out after.

Previously

The diploatic envoys are having dinner with the Ravenlords.

A casual comment on the dinner entertainment, two Egalrins fighting, prompts the most elder to ask if Halani wishes to fight. There is some discussion, does she? Cryo attempts a diplomatic escape, which fails and all but requires Halani to fight. There is some discussion of rules, what rules, and the Islander goes to prepare herself. She changes and returns. Battle Ensues! She is handicapped without her weapons, and it seems, slightly outclassed. The Egalrin warrior is quite surprised at the beating he is taking, and Halani is very mobile, constantly evading then drawing him in.

This time, he's ready for it. One can only rely on the same tactic for so long. A swift spring in again, a kick to her throat. Distracting enough to keep her from doing what comes naturally to her, giving him time to go for his next plan of action.

... and the grapple that follows just has Halani slipping through his talons.

... he is somehow surprised by this given the way his beak drops open.

Halani's speed is abruptly halted for several, precious seconds.. dumb luck has her somehow stumbling through the raven warrior's grasp. His hesitation gives her a chance to blitz free...

Now

He's definitely wearing her down faster than she is him, however.

Halani pages: Do you have a record of what halani's HP was?
You paged Halani with 'Yes, I think it was 49, let me double check'
GAME: Halani spends FOUR uses of STUNNING FIST.
GAME: Halani spends FOUR points of KI POOL.
<OOC> Halani says, "Alright. More dimensional dervish. 
<OOC> Halani says, "First attack stunning fist,"
<OOC> Halani says, "second attack is leg sweep,"
<OOC> Halani says, "third attack is defensive spin because I forgot I can do two style strikes per turn."
<OOC> Halani says, "Ending the abundant step as far from him as I can be, ideally more than a 5' step away."
<OOC> Halani is fighting defensively, at -1 attack, +7 AC vs. melee.
GAME: Halani rolls 1d20+15+4-1: (5)+15+4+-1: 23
GAME: Halani rolls 1d20+15+4-1: (5)+15+4+-1: 23
GAME: Halani rolls 1d20+15+4-1: (2)+15+4+-1: 20
GAME: Halani rolls 1d20+15+4-1-5: (1)+15+4+-1+-5: 14 (EPIC FAIL)
GAME: Halani rolls 1d20+15+4-1-10: (18)+15+4+-1+-10: 26
<OOC> Halani says, "Hm. I seem to remember this from last time, I will RPP the first roll."
GAME: Halani rolls 1d20+15+4-1: (10)+15+4+-1: 28
GAME: Halani rolls 2d6+2: (4)+2: 6
GAME: Whirlpool rolls 1d20+12: (10)+12: 22 (vs DC21)

Halani is definitely taking this seriously now.. she keeps zipping around, moving between blinks, trying to find an opening while keeping on the defensive. She ends up on the edge of the ring once more, feet continuing to step sideways with her arms held out defensively towards the avian fighter, eyes intent. No quick wisecracks for now.

<OOC> Cryosanthia says, "I... would like to help in a non participatory way. Can I use perform/percussion as an aid another?"
GAME: Cryosanthia rolls diplomacy: (13)+26: 39
<OOC> Whirlpool says, "You survey the crowd of ravens, gauging whether or not you might be able to ge away with this."
<OOC> Whirlpool says, "To do so, you need to understand *their* participation, and what they might notice you doing."
GAME: Cryosanthia rolls bluff: (16)+12: 28
GAME: Cryosanthia rolls perform/percussion: (9)+26: 35

Cryo watches intently, Halani is landing blows but she's getting pounded. The white-scale is uncertain about her success. She wants to help. Cheering is allowed, right? There are no rules, yes?

She glances at the dour, stoic birds. Cheering would ruffle some feathers. They're sitting there, silently judging. Maybe their attitude needs to be shaken up. It wouldn't be very diplomatic...

She still wants to be diplomatic. Something subtle then. In her agitation she taps her fingernails on the table. It's a quick, quiet, rat-a-tat. She lets her excitement and agitation flow, and taps some more.

A careful glance to her scale-sister. She'll remember. It is possible to send merc-talk messages through staccato code. Cryo doesn't know it, but...

'Hang in there Halani'.

It's a known quantity for sure.

Brae seems momentarily distracted from her enjoyment of the festivities by Cryosanthia's choice in mood music.

Wait.

No, not music.

Code?

Amber eyes flick her scale-sister's way and she sighs, "Quiet down, huh?" she murmurs.

Her fingertips then lift and she wonders, "That old beat? Wa'nt it more like this?"

Her fingertips fall in rythm, short pauses interlaced with longer.

"Get inside. Draw him down." <Merc-talk>

GAME: Whirlpool rolls 1d20+21: (18)+21: 39
GAME: Whirlpool rolls 1d10+11: (2)+11: 13

The black-winged fighter lunges towards halani again, but this time more guardedly, tagging her with a fist before backing up a little to give her space. He's not wanting to stay inside for too long anymore, especially given her mobility. It makes it pointless to try to get a hand on her. he seems to be enjoying himself, though the battering he's taken has worn him down as well.

"Good," he crows.

GAME: Halani spends ONE use of STUNNING FIST.
GAME: Halani spends TWO points of KI POOL.
GAME: Halani rolls 1d20+15+4-1: (3)+15+4+-1: 21
GAME: Halani rolls 1d20+15+4-1: (6)+15+4+-1: 24
GAME: Halani rolls 1d20+15+4-1: (1)+15+4+-1: 19 (EPIC FAIL)
GAME: Halani rolls 1d20+15+4-1-5: (18)+15+4+-1+-5: 31
GAME: Halani rolls 1d20+15+4-1-10: (10)+15+4+-1+-10: 18
<OOC> Halani says, "RPP that first one."
GAME: Halani rolls 1d20+15+4-1: (2)+15+4+-1: 20
GAME: Halani rolls 2d6+2: (7)+2: 9

"Get inside, draw him down.." Halani utters sub-audibly to herself, favouring the spot on her left, just under her ribs where the taloned strike landed. She continues to bounce lightly on her feet.. and even as the Crow steps back she's blinking in again. The abundant step doesn't really leave after images of her, but it might almost seem that way as the coordinated teleports put her in what she hopes seem random places around the bird fighter before putting her back out of reach again. Frustration is definitely creeping into the tight expression on her face.

GAME: Cryosanthia rolls perception: (20)+9: 29

Cryo remains perched on her seat, her tapping quelled as Brae takes over with a much more informative beat. Her tailtip twitches madly, her eyes locked on Halani as she changes tactics. She can't look away.

The thought strikes her... is there anyone who isn't watching? That might be important. If this is a display for the Ravenlords, someone might be in communication with one of them, or their might be observers she missed.

She looks away, and scans the crowd.

The Egalrin all appear to be paying respectful attention. Some are more into it than others, but all of them are warriors. That much is clear. It says something about the culture of the place that not a *single* person at the table isn't capable of killing.

A worrying revelation.

Braelnoir for her part, continues her rythm as she can't hear Halani sub-vocalizing it to herself. She glances about, eyeing stances before turning her attention back to the festivities, then, "Might be in trouble." she intones under her breath.

GAME: Whirlpool rolls 1d20+21: (18)+21: 39
GAME: Whirlpool rolls 1d10+11: (8)+11: 19

A swift smack of the talon draws more of Halani's blood

<OOC> Halani says, "all I can do is the same thing and hope I roll higher than a 6."
<OOC> Halani says, "No. Full defense this time. Can I do stunning fist on an AoO?"
GAME: Whirlpool rolls 1d20+21: (12)+21: 33
GAME: Halani rolls 1d20+15+4: (3)+15+4: 22
<OOC> Halani says, "Haha, RPP that."
GAME: Halani rolls 1d20+15+4: (7)+15+4: 26
GAME: Halani spends ONE use of STUNNING FIST.
GAME: Halani rolls 2d6+2: (7)+2: 9

Thyrson watches the fight, not really catching the nuances. He refolds his arms, mouth twisting in thought.

Cryo nods almost imperceptibly to Braelnoir. She's noticed, all the birds are warriors, all interested, all possibly swift to violence. It's not the first time she wishes Pelka was along to advise her. She enjoyed his company.

Perhaps he was an outlier. These Ravens seem like that Egalrin she met, the one who killed bound prisoners and acted like she owned the sky.

The whitescale adjusts her ill fitting robe, feeling ungainly. She'll fight if she has to. She'd rather not.

A second nod is given to Brealnoir, be ready.

<OOC> Halani says, "Flurry. Dervish. Stunning first, sweep, spin."
GAME: Halani spends TWO points of KI POOL.
GAME: Halani spends ONE use of STUNNING FIST.
<OOC> Halani says, "Also ki point to AC as a swift."
GAME: Halani rolls 1d20+15+4-1: (8)+15+4+-1: 26
GAME: Halani rolls 1d20+15+4-1: (19)+15+4+-1: 37
GAME: Halani rolls 1d20+15+4-1: (11)+15+4+-1: 29
GAME: Halani rolls 1d20+15+4-1-5: (18)+15+4+-1+-5: 31
GAME: Halani rolls 1d20+15+4-1-10: (3)+15+4+-1+-10: 11
<OOC> Halani says, "RPP the first one."
GAME: Halani rolls 1d20+15+4-1: (15)+15+4+-1: 33
GAME: Halani rolls 1d20+19+2-1: (3)+19+2+-1: 23 (Trip Attempt - Fail)
<OOC> Halani says, "defensive spin adds +4 AC, so AC is 37 this round."
GAME: Halani rolls 2d6+2: (10)+2: 12
GAME: Halani rolls 2d6+2: (8)+2: 10
GAME: Halani rolls 2d6+2: (8)+2: 10
GAME: Halani rolls 2d6+2: (5)+2: 7
GAME: Halani spends ONE point of KI POOL.
<OOC> Halani says, "and 10' away."
GAME: Whirlpool rolls 1d20+12: (20)+12: 32 (vs DC21)
<OOC> Braelnoir says, "on the bright side, that's a crit he isn't landing."
<OOC> Cryosanthia says, "he could be rolling some of those 3s that Halani keeps kicking out though. These dice."

Halani gives her head a quick shake.. she's taking hard hits, and is mollified only be the realization that there'd be even more if she was fool enough to trade blow for blow. And the eyes upon her are starting to distract. Victory here has become even more important to her the further it seems to be... unlike the beatings she takes in the coliseum, a loss here might actually /hurt/. So she lets him come to her.. and when he does, she spins. Knocking his lashing talon aside, she once again blurs into motion.. and this time, THIS TIME she seems to be one step ahead as blow after blow bursts pass his defenses. And then she's away again, breathing hard, but eyes afire now. Waiting.

The Raven Lords are leaning into this now, yes, eyes focused on the fight. They're not really speaking, just observing every twitch. This is a turning point, where Halani finally and resoundingly pushes back from the edge of her own defeat,, staggering the wounded egalrin and leaving him falling back a few steps.

There's a murmuring rustle of 'impressed' from them. They seem to like the drive, the lack of 'give'. Seems she's earned some respect at last!

The warrior takes a moment to grab hold of himself, right himself, and then dives back in. This time, he's going for a grab. He needs to end it now.

Merek will take the time to watch the fight, although he won't really do anything, it's not his place to. All the same, he will nod a little bit to Cryosanthia, "I think she's winning," he will note, though he doesn't really cheer or anything that might make people think he is being weird probably.

GAME: Whirlpool rolls 1d20+24: (7)+24: 31
<OOC> Halani says, "Last DD blitz"
GAME: Halani spends TWO points of KI POOL.
GAME: Halani spends ONE use of STUNNING FIST.
GAME: Halani rolls 1d20+15+4-1: (9)+15+4+-1: 27
GAME: Halani rolls 1d20+15+4-1: (16)+15+4+-1: 34
GAME: Halani rolls 1d20+15+4-1: (10)+15+4+-1: 28
GAME: Halani rolls 1d20+15+4-1-5: (9)+15+4+-1+-5: 22
GAME: Halani rolls 1d20+15+4-1-10: (15)+15+4+-1+-10: 23
GAME: Halani rolls 2d6+2: (6)+2: 8
GAME: Halani rolls 2d6+2: (3)+2: 5
GAME: Halani rolls 2d6+2: (7)+2: 9
GAME: Halani rolls 1d20+19+2-1: (3)+19+2+-1: 23
<OOC> Halani says, "I would like to RPP the first one then please."
GAME: Halani rolls 1d20+15+4-1: (5)+15+4+-1: 23

Halani is just.. not there when the corvid contender reaches for her. A snap kick glances off of his leg, just shy of his knee, and then she's spinning, backhanded knuckles cracking across the small of his back as she once again blink steps beyond reach. But if anyone's keeping count.. she can't keep that up any longer.

GAME: Whirlpool rolls 1d20+23: (17)+23: 40
GAME: Whirlpool rolls 1d20+23: (17)+23: 40=
GAME: Whirlpool rolls 1d10+11: (3)+11: 14
GAME: Whirlpool rolls 1d20+11: (6)+11: 17
<OOC> Halani ded

Both warriors are woozy at this point, but the raven leaps forward, feinting a punch at halani's midsection before twisting and delivering a powerful kick to her leg that unbalances her, followed by a strike directly to her nose that sends her faltering back to the ground.

He stands over her for a moment, then bends down to haul her to her feet, holding her dazed form up to the others for inspection of his victory.

It is probably much bloodier in act ual combat.

The Lords are up on their feet, now, and roaring their approval -- but not at their victor, no, but rather at the defeated form of Halani. She went to the edge in her fight, came back from it, and nearly snatched a victory. And while she might have lost, the lords themselves haven't won against Charn for centuries.

Seems they approve.

Cryosanthia rises to her feet. She doesn't cheer, she can't bring herself to, not with the state Halani is in. She claps, loudly and firmly, thumping her tail, a sound that is both approval and one that Braelnoir would recognize as a warning. The whitescale is uncertain how things will go.

The Ravenlords may be appreciative of Halani's great effort, or take her loss as a sign that the envoys have nothing to offer except submission and blood.

Thyrson nods in appreciation, at the skill on display.

Halani is fairly much a limp doll at this point. The cumulative hurts, punctuated by the telling blow to her face.. re-breaking her nose, no doubt.. has temporarily vacated her general sense of awareness for the moment.

Braelnoir rises, too, but she can cheer, after a fashion. Her fist claps twice against her robed bosom in what would have been a resounding clank in her armour. While the Korite will likely regret that later, she doesn't complain.

Kor got a show, same as they did.

She looks to the locals at Cryo's response and gets ready to work if it comes to it.

The birds definitely know their shit in this regard.

That they do.

The Eldest rises to his feet and moves towards Halani and the injured fighter. He lays a hand on her and chants something in their own, ancient and hard to parse language. Still, whatever he did seems to leave Halani healed, marking the eldest as some kind of cleric, perhaps. "Let it be known that this visitor is marked as warrior and has earned a place at our table."

"Excellent Halani, excellent." Cryo cheers, still clapping. Progress! Perhaps... if they all have to fight to earn a place it could be a long night. She tugs at her kimono, looking up and down the line at the other envoys, seeing what sort of expressions they have.

Thyrson looks ...patient, more than anything, though approving of Halani's actions.

Braelnoir's fingertips splay upon the tabletop as the eldest bird tends to the combatants and she bows her head, "By Kor." she starts respectfully, "It's known."

She does make to step around the table to help Halani back to her seat, just in case the need has arisen.

Thyrson nods off again.

Halani may be healed.. but she certainly doesn't look ready for a fight any time soon. At least she's standing on her own two feet now, though, once Braelnoir helps her up. She then takes half a step towards the edge of the fighting area, perhaps to disappear behind their other companions... but at the last moment has at least the presence of mind to offer a slight bow, hand over fist, to the elder, her opponent.. and then the watchers before she does so. "Oof. Hungry," she commands under her breath.

"More food it is, then! Give this warrior our finest."

The Elder says in the broken, staggered trade that they use. Then he repeats it in their own tongue, something tyhat will be useful for figuring it out better later.

In any event, they're returning to their seats, doing the same, getting more to eat. The mood is livened considerably now. Finally, the eldest looks back to Cryosanthia.

"We know now you fight well. We will take your words of this Grauthis seriously."

Cryosanthia bobs her head in acknowledgement, "This is good. We know he advances first on your territory, with mercenaries and a Charnese force that has less cracks of division in it than they usually do."

"The details we provided earlier still stand." The whitescale has shared just about everything she can think of, besides surprise! Dragons!

Brae nods, then and glances to her sister, then, "It'll definitely help if we can get some note o'which merc companies're stompin' around out here."

The whitescale nods, "Thul is the dominant religious power in Charn at the moment. Maugrim's faith has likely re-surged to the second place spot. Taara was rising, but has since been displaced by the Greiver's actions. Grauthis' own religious convictions are unknown at the moment. I don't know how these relate to your own faiths."

"You wish to know of the ones they bought? Their slaves and those who fight only for coin? Worthless. One that fights only for coin fights for nothing."

The Elder smacks his staff on the table once.

"But we will relate to you know we know of those who have taken to the field for Charn."

Halani is definitely partaking of the more food, no matter how foreign it may be now. The fight, fleeting consciousness, and subsequent healing having left her famished. Between mouthfuls, though, she does say, "For some, that coin is pretty motivating.. might not wanna dismiss them completely, yeah?"

The Egalrin's statement raises some ire in the whitescale. She's been a slave, some of her clutch-mates were slaves and shock troops. Then, there's her scale-sister. She shakes her head. "You're wrong. The slaves fight for survival and freedom, if they have their mind about them, and are like crazed, raving beasts when their mind isn't."

She glances at Halani, back at the Egalrin, "Precise moves will win the day but you may be overwhelmed by a throng with no sense of survival. And the mercenaries, they fight for their band-brothers and sisters. The company fights for coin, but they fight for the family beside them."

"They can be bought, and they might break, and they will stop if they aren't paid, but they would not show fear or cowardice to their fellows no more than you would act dishonourably."

Braelnoir shakes her head a bit, "They don't need high falutin' reasons ta screw up yer formations. An' mixed bags o'mercs bring a whole slew o'differen't tactics, weaponry, hell, even liens o'communication that'll trip ya up if ya ain't familiar."

She kinda misses her scars, at least back when she was still brunette, she could just let the robe fall and let them read her resume' as it were. Dozens of assorted scars from her battlefield experiences, though since the Change, things haven't made record of themselves like they used to.

"I'ma put it this way. If'n yer carryin' a spear, got a sword on yer hip, an yer pokin' at folk before they get too close, yer gonna keep at that. I get it. But what if the lines press, an' the enemy gets in too tight ta bring that spear ta bear? Ya gotta edge back... ya gotta drop it an' pull yer sword. Ya gotta run.... whatever it is, there's times the same tactic ain't gonna work an ya gotta change things up or yer jerky fer the hyenas, savvy?"

'Food for the crows' would not have been diplomatic. She's learning!

Halani says, "I am poopped. You should listen to them."

The egalrin's eyes narrow at Cryosanthia, but diplomacy demands it turned that aside for the moment.

"Yes, I see. We will learn what we can and then we will pass it to you on the wings of our agents."

Merek does look to Cryosanthia and places a palm upon her hand when she's upset about the slave thing, though he doesn't really comment while he thinks about it, listening to all the people talk.

"Okay, this is agreeable." Cryosanthia says, nodding to Merek, glancing at the others. Halani has more to eat, she'll take some as well.

There will be just a few more things to sort out...