andres ♔ keep me company as i hunt down and kill my enemies

[everyredcent]

♬ every red cent - rocky votolato

WHO || Christos La Krail, Francesca, Aedan Cousland, Bo Dennis, Han Solo
WHAT || A team of Knights is tasked to gain control of the city guardhouse.
WHERE || Andres Isle
WHEN || September 19th, 2014
HOW || Actionspam

[ Christos is a wee bit protective over one of the stealth jets, possibly because he might actually own it himself.  We just don't know.  Either way, his team gets to ride in one of them, and fuck if he's gonna bring any other teams along on the way.  They fly silently over the sleeping city, and he lands with a 22 pilot check right on the roof of the guardhouse itself.  :) ]

Comments

[socialgraces]

[ with a super high will save, she merely turns to look out in front of them again, silently processing the information ] Can't say I remember ever fighting a drider. [ there's the strong implication there that sometime, in a past life, she's willing to bet she encountered one or two... and she certainly knows enough to be rightfully unnerved. ]

[everyredcent]

Not a memory I look forward to accruing. [ the dry comment is delivered gravely, and he nods towards the fence visible through the forest ahead. ]

[socialgraces]

[ yeah, she's really not looking forward to this, either, but she doesn't regret coming with him for even a moment. it's certainly better than him facing these horrors alone.

moving toward the fence, francesca carefully takes in their surroundings as they approach (spot 28), and attempts to keep her footsteps as light as possible in all this foliage (move silently 24). when they approach the barricade, she pauses briefly to examine it, just to ensure it isn't going to electrocute them or set off some sort of alarm. she's also interested in what lies beyond the fence, obviously, or at least what they can make out from here.

she doesn't waste any time hesitating, however, if this is where they need to go, and as soon as she's certain there won't be immediate death, she scales the fence with expert dexterity and speed (climb nat 20). ]

[everyredcent]

[ while there are no guards in sight back here, it doesn't look as if the fence is charged, either, suggesting all the real dangers likely lie within. with a climb of 21, christos has no problems scaling the fence either, and it's while they're at the top, that francesca notices movement further towards the back of the palace, where the gardens begin, unnatural spindly legs vanishing into the hedges ]

[socialgraces]

Did you see that, back toward the gardens? I think we've found what we're looking for. [ she's keeping her voice low, now that they're so close to the castle, and looks around for some shadows to creep in, because they both need that sneak attack damage. ]

[everyredcent]

[ there's plenty of trees and hedges back there, and christos blends well into the shade as they move that way (hide 25).

two massive driders are picking their way through the garden path. none of them sport weapons at least, but that doesn't mean they aren't prepared with spells. christos nods to one, indicating she should take that one, but also to wait so that he can study it for eighteen seconds. for uh, reasons. ]

[socialgraces]

[ she follows christos closely, taking full advantage of the cover (hide 26), as well. she doesn't question the delay of action, using the time for reflection to call forward any insight she may have on driders (know: arcana 24). one thing she knows for certain: driders unequivocally despise drow. all the more reason to end this quickly.

she waits for his signal before agilely sliding in to melee with the massive horror, and the sudden glint of her blade catches it completely unaware, as she sinks her rapier into its side (atk 25; dmg 27). ]

[everyredcent]

[ the drider arches its back and releases an angry shrill cry, as christos jumps out to sneak attack the other with a death attack - and it perishes instantly as he buries his rapier right in its heart. ossum. ]

[socialgraces]

[ dear god. i... she... yep. there's no making that will save, no matter how high i roll.

she ruthlessly tears her rapier from the creature's side, and christos's sudden movement draws her attention to the other drider, just in time to watch him slaughter it with one decisive strike. as it buckles, so do her knees, but instead of throwing her off-balance, the rising heat beneath her skin generates a more visceral response.

she darts five feet to the side, attempting to put the living drider between her and christos, her speed hopefully catching it off-guard (feint 50 to render it flat-footed until the start of her next turn). and then she attacks, sinking her rapier brutally into the thing's flesh (atk 25; dmg 10 + 15 precision), before ripping her blade free and thrusting forward again (atk 29 crit; dmg 26 with penetration + 14 precision). ]

[everyredcent]

[ holy snit, she speared it into pieces before it could do a thing p much. christos' own eyebrows lift slightly in approval, and he meets her eyes for an extended moment, giving her a silent nod. there's more is the clear message, and he slips down a side path, keeping to the shadows.

the central hedged off area of the garden sports four of the aberrations, and christos again takes a moment to study them... before leaping out (atk 20) with another death sneak attack that the drider fails miserably, dying within seconds of the sword sliding into her heart. ]

[socialgraces]

[ francesca can't help but smirk as they wait, crouched behind the hedges. she wouldn't necessarily call this fun, but those death attacks don't get any less hot, no matter how many times he does it. she snakes out after him, watching another drider fall helplessly to his blade, and converges on the next one closest to her, striking fiercely (atk 28; dmg 46).

and then she hesitates, knowing full-well she should use her ghost step ability now, denying these spellcasters line of sight, but... well, if she were with anyone else, but it's christos, and that causes her to waffle just long enough that she intentionally forfeits her chance. ]

[everyredcent]

[ 46 damage murders that one as well, and the remaining two driders whip their heads around, scowling as they notice the knights.

one lifts her hand and casts a web at them (reflex save 15 to negate, which christos makes easily), while the other directs a lightning bolt at christos. he makes his reflex save for that as well, and with evasion, takes none of the blast, rolling forward with a tumble 26 to get behind the web shooter and stab her for a nat 20 (28 dmg), blood gushing from the wound. ]

[socialgraces]

[ francesca smoothly avoids the web, as well (reflex 41), somersaulting out to attack the other drider (tumble 40). with some minor misdirection, she attempts to catch the monster off-guard (feint 49), before sinking her rapier into its torso (atk 32 crit; dmg 22 + 15 precision). ]

[everyredcent]

[ the drider fails its massive damage, and dies instantly under francesca's blade. christos' whirls on him, swinging at him with two daggers (almost a crit but actually two misses) and bites at him (also a miss). he slashes at it again (24 and 23; which is enough to finish it off as well).

bodies, bodies everywhere. ]

[socialgraces]

[ she pulls her sword free, the drider collapsing at her feet, and proceeds to fling her blade to the side, the excess blood and gore spattering across the ground, before sheathing it safely in its scabbard. taking a moment to assess the carnage around them, and then turns to approach christos, looking quite pleased with this outcome.

she arches an eyebrow to wordlessly ask 'what next?'. ]

[everyredcent]

We should sweep the grounds. Make certain there aren't more of them lurking about, trying to find a way in.

[socialgraces]

[ christos may be all business, but francesca's still swooning over here. if only he realized how ridiculously sexy he is right now, he might recognize her appreciative smirk for what it really is.

she nods, clearing her throat, her voice still rough from... exertion. that's it. ] Along with anything else that may have made its way through.

[everyredcent]

As you say. [ he nods once, and moves past her with a swirl of cape, sheathing his rapier as he picks his way over the bodies and down the path. ]

[socialgraces]

[ she follows, keeping an eye and ear open for any sign of trouble (spot 23; listen 30) ]