IC-Ep 3-Vae Victis(Story/Lucius/Brook)

[Mr. Handy]

Scaevola's Villa- southwest of Rome, Italia
Before Dawn- March 15, 44 BC

The guard Story attacked tried to dodge aside, but all that meant was that he got hit in the head instead of the shoulder. His eyes rolled up and he collapsed, out like a light. The second one took another swipe at him, missing by mere inches. The guard chasing Elizabeth scrambled up the wall after her, but when he started to pull himself over the lip of the wall, he lost his grip and fell backwards, landing with a sickening crunch that caused him to scream in pain. "My ankle!" he cried. "I've twisted it!"

Meanwhile, the guard who had grabbed Brook dragged her out of the passage and back to the garden. She flailed at him, but it was useless. With one mighty arm, he pinned her arms to her sides, and he wrapped the other one around her throat. "I have the girl!" he called to Story. "She is not hurt - yet. Surrender now!"

Spoiler:

First guard's Dodge roll (40% skill) to avoid Story's punch:

Mr. Handy rolled 1d100:
97

Resistance Table roll (5 damage vs. guard's HP of 14: 5% chance) to see if guard is knocked out:

Mr. Handy rolled 1d100:
2

Second guard's Fist/Punch roll (50% base skill) attacking Story, knockout attempt:

Mr. Handy rolled 1d100:
53

All Fist/Punch attacks have the option to be knockout attempts, and there's no real reason not to do so. I counted Story's punch as a knockout attempt, especially since the guard critically failed his Dodge roll, and it actually did the trick!

Story and Brook, you may act now. Brook, you are pinned and unable to break free as long as the guard holding you is conscious, unless he were to choose to release you for some reason. You also cannot use Fist/Punch attacks.

[Thorn]

Brook looks wide eyed at Story, trying to keep her fear at bay. "No...I'm sorry, Story, I'm sorry! Just...just go! Do what you have to do!"

[jaysun81]

On instinct Story swings on the second guard as the other's fist flies past him.

Hearing the voice of Brook's captor he turns his attention to him he clenches his fist and prepares for another attack as fire burns in his eyes. He says to her captor, "If you hurt her you will suffer a fate far worse than death!" Taking a moment to scan the area and calculate the odds he says to Brook, "I can't do that. Not to you, not to Lucius."

In that moment as he looks at Brook and her words sink in the fire burns out and he assumes a neutral stance and says, "I surrender."

Spoiler:

Fist/Punch - 60%
Martial Arts(Venusian Karate) - 40%

jaysun81 rolled 1d100:
27

Damage (Assuming a failed dodge,otherwise ignore)
Fist 1d3 (x2 Martial Arts) + DB = 2d3 + 1d4

jaysun81 rolled 2d3:
3, 3

+

jaysun81 rolled 1d4:
2

= 8 POINTS OF DAMAGE

[Mr. Handy]

The other guard ducked, and Story's fist sailed overhead.

Scaevola raised a hand. "No harm is to come to them now," he said. "We must take them below. They will keep there until I have time to deal with them. But first, they must be searched."

Two more armed guards arrived from the corridor leading back to the atrium, followed by Akana. "They started a fire in your study, Dominus," she said. "I directed the other servants to put it out."

Scaevola frowned. "That is disappointing, but at least my most important writings are not kept there. Akana, search the girl."

"Yes, Dominus." She went over to Brook to pat her down while the guard facing Story did the same to him, and another one searched Lucius and took away his dagger.

This had gone very badly, but there were at least the consolations that Elizabeth had escaped and Lucius had survived - his chest rising and falling was proof of that.

Spoiler:

Second guard's Dodge roll (40% skill) to avoid Story's attack:

Mr. Handy rolled 1d100:
26

Story and Brook, you may both roll Conceal to see how well you hid your knives and, in Story's case, the sonic screwdriver.

[Thorn]

Brook Conceal

Thorn rolled 1d100:
95

[jaysun81]

Spoiler:

Conceal - 15%

jaysun81 rolled 1d100:
93

[Mr. Handy]

Akana easily found the knife concealed under Brook's toga and took it away, admiring the blade. "Excellent quality," she said. "Is this Damascus steel, perhaps?"

Likewise, the guard searching Story confiscated his knife. He also noticed the sonic screwdriver and took it, looking at it with a puzzled expression. "What is this?"

"Some sort of magical device, perhaps," said Scaevola, approaching and taking it. "I shall have to study it later." He stowed it away on his person. "Come, let us get below. It will be dawn soon." He led the way through the doorway at the rear right of the garden, through which the first pair of guards had originally emerged. The guard who had searched Story brought him through, while the one holding Brook followed. The two armed guards with Akana picked up Lucius and carried him in after them, with Akana bringing up the rear.

They found themselves in a smaller indoor garden, which had some of the same plants as in the outdoor garden through which they had just passed, though only the smaller ones. It was lit by torches in sconces on the walls. There was a large wooden planter in the center with a large idol of Thoth looming behind it.

"What of the woman, Dominus?" asked Akana.

"She escaped," said Scaevola. "It is of no importance. What can one woman do on her own? In a few hours, none of it will matter anyway."

Spoiler:

Guard's Spot Hidden roll (45% skill) to notice the sonic screwdriver:

Mr. Handy rolled 1d100:
38

Story and Brook, please roll Spot Hidden.

[jaysun81]

Story remains quiet as they walk.

Spoiler:

Spot Hidden - 28%

jaysun81 rolled 1d100:
53

[Thorn]

Brook looks worriedly at Lucius, but doesn't say anything.

Spot hidden:

Thorn rolled 1d100:
26

[Mr. Handy]

The two guards carrying Lucius set him down and took hold of opposite ends of the planter. They slid it to the side, revealing a dark opening beneath it that had been covered by the planter. Rough-hewn stone stairs descended into blackness. Scaevola took a lit torch from a sconce at the rear of the garden, behind the large idol. Then the guards took up Lucius again and the procession continued down the stairs, soon arriving in a cavern that was anything but natural. It was rectangular, with smooth walls carved out of the earth. At the far end of the long room was an archway flanked by two torches, which were not lit. Before the archway stood a large idol of Anubis, some twelve feet tall and nearly scraping the ceiling. He held a pair of scales in one hand. Another archway led to the right, also with unlit torches on either side.

Spoiler:

Brook spotted a clay bangle lying half-hidden in the grass next to the planter. This must have been the sign that Caelia had left to indicate where the secret entrance was.

Spoiler:

Story and Brook, please roll Listen.

[jaysun81]

Spoiler:

Listen - 34%

jaysun81 rolled 1d100:
72

[Thorn]

Listen

Thorn rolled 1d100:
10

[Mr. Handy]

Spoiler:

Brook could hear snoring coming from the archway to the right.

[Thorn]

Brook looks towards the right archway, curious and worried. She glances to Story, hoping to catch his eye, and nods slightly towards where she can hear something. Although it's hard to move in the tight grip the guard has on her.

[alazred]

Lucius Verres

Lucius cough, his blood was dripping on the ground, marking his path as the guard bring him probably to his last day...

[Mr. Handy]

Scaevola led the group through the archway to the right and into a large chamber with a similar archway at the far end. To the left were six alcoves with beds, and upon each one lay a sleeping humanoid creature that looked to be part man, part animal. One had the head of a jackal, one an ibis, another a crocodile. The others had the heads of a lion, a horse, and a bull. The sight of things that were so close to human, yet clearly were not, was all the more horrifying.

Spoiler:

Story and Brook, please roll Sanity. Sanity loss is 0/1d8. If you lose 5 or more Sanity, please roll Idea. Succeeding at the Idea roll means you go temporarily insane. Lucius, being unconscious, does not roll.

[Thorn]

Brook Sanity

Thorn rolled 1d100:
29

, sanity loss (if fail)

Thorn rolled 1d8:
6

[jaysun81]

Spoiler:

Sanity - 79%

jaysun81 rolled 1d100:
87

Sanity Loss -

jaysun81 rolled 1d8:
8

Idea - 65%

jaysun81 rolled 1d100:
88

[Mr. Handy]

Brook had seen a lot of strange creatures in her travels, and she took these in stride. So had Story, but he was deeply disturbed. There was just something wrong with them.

"Ah," said Scaevola. "You've noticed the children of the Sphinx. They are...useful servants. This way." He led the group towards the archway. In the rear left corner of the room, past the last alcove with a sleeping creature, was a small, foul-smelling hole that was undoubtedly a latrine.

They passed through the archway and into another large room. This one was a dead end, with no other exits. It had another latrine in one corner, though the hole was too small for anyone to fit. Six lengthy chains were secured to the rear wall, each one ending in a manacle. The guards affixed one to each of Story's, Lucius's and Brook's ankles, then set their prisoners down.

"If you need anything while you are my...guests," said Scaevola, "I'm sure the children will be happy to help. I wish I could stay and talk, but I have a date with destiny."

Spoiler:

Story failed his Idea roll, so he does not go temporarily insane.

[jaysun81]

Once Scaevola leaves, Story looks at Brook and says, "I am sorry..."