Chapter Eight - A Patronizing Smile

The Storyteller's predatory gaze shifts to Blazing Glory "as you yank out the two offending arrows, which healing potion do you use?"

Blazing Glory supplies "strength four" and shakes his cup enthusiastically before slamming home, glancing at the results he slouches and informs "one success."

"Like an old man you struggle to your feet as your wounds stop bleeding, you feel a little better at Hurt status." informs the Storyteller. Then he settles in with "which spell would you like to use for this miscasting?" and ends with a fiendish smile.

Blazing Glory shifts eagerly to respond "lightningbolt with added effected, same two targets!" and childishly slams his cup on to the table completely oblivious of the Storyteller's gaze by responding "three successes to hit."

The Storyteller then makes two sets of rolls before informing us "Crooked Mouth dodges for one and Mohawk Dude manages two, so both still got hit, how much damage did you do?"

Blazing Glory slams his cup and announces "three successes on Crooked Mouth," then removes a dice and slams his cup again with "two successes on Mohawk Dude."

The Storyteller's brow twitches affirmative while dropping two sets of dice, then if the gears in his mind are set loose after fully wound up with this "relief fills your being as you avoided another miscasting as you watch two bolts of lightning arch from your up raised hand and streak forth in it's blazing aftermath. Croaked Mouth gives a cry of shock as he takes one level of magical damage while Mohawk Dude just flinches on impact and then give you the 'just you wait' steely glare. Unfortunately, Crooked Mouth was holding on to Goldbranch's ankle and thus also takes three successes of magical damage as he also gets electrocuted. Please resolve your magical resist test," he glances at me with a smile.

"Oh high and mighty mage, we salute you for your most profound effort in raining doom upon our enemies without any regards to our humble leader" exclaims Johnbedamage.

"I would appreciate you keep your grubby hands off my prey hedge mage" adds the Storyteller.

"Balls man, even I wouldn't want to tangle with Shadow Strike, I bow to your steel plateness" and Shadow follows up with a mocking shallow bow.

I drop my head in disgust as I gather my dice again for the needed test. Ok magical resist is different from physical resist, let's see my Willpower is level three and my toughness is level four, for a total of seven dice at difficulty of seven. A prayer to lady luck gives me "two successes" and apparently got the brushed off by the elusive lady of luck.

"So another critical damage level which now brings you to Wounded status and you lose two actions next round" remarked the Storyteller. He then proceeds with evil grin "after being slammed into the ground has left you in a slight daze of pain assisted adrenaline. You then watch in disgust as electricity arc through Crooked Mouth body and down his arm into your ankle he is holding to assist in producing more pain redirecting adrenaline." He then proceeds with "as the rest of you prepare play another round of russian roulette with Blazing Glory's spell casting, do any of you have any questions before we begin the next exchange?"

A round of negative consent occurs and the Storytellers nods his understanding before issuing forth "Goldbranch, normally you would get to act first on the second exchange, but unfortunately due to you be at such a big disadvantage from last exchange Crooked Mouth gets the drop on you. Just as you wonder what he is going to do to you next, a lightningbolt slams into Crooked Mouth and you watch in horror and the electrical arcs sweeps down his left arm into your left ankle. As one both you and Crooked Mouth sing a duo of screaming curses.

As you come to your senses and spitting out dirt you realize Crooked Mouth is still clutching your ankle. He loosens his hold on you ankle for a sec to allow your ankle to rotate in his palm before becoming again the vice hard grip that you have no doubt turned your whole ankle black and blue. At that point Crooked Mouth has stood up and his right hand has reverse it's swing and raise it up high and now takes a downward hack towards your leg. As he is holding on to your ankle, he receives an automatic hit." He then drops two sets of dice and announces "one crit and three successes to damage as he seriously attempts to remove your left leg at the knee."

Grabbing my dice and roll them for a pleasant surprise "yes a crit an two successes."

The Storyteller looks disappointed but nod his head and responds "with painful effort you manage to twist your left leg around so that Crooked Mouth sword slams on the edge of your greaves and the side of your heavy knee guard to avoid taking damage. What response do you have for this rather vicious attack?"

"I need him to let go of my leg, so I'll swing to take off his left hand holding my ankle" I replied, then I roll me attack dice and stare dumbly at the two botches and one success which I am force to relay to this blood thirsty Storyteller.

He gives me an awful grin of someone who has been given a day off with a hot date on the line. Snagging his dice to see what cruel design he can inflict on me next and rolls with "three successes, with his might he hauls your left leg to block your own sword for a total of four successes to hit as your sword slams home on your battered greaves." He gives me a thumbs up and drives the point home with "thanks for making my job easier!"

"Sure no problem boss" I respond reluctantly while praying for no more botches as I dump my rather large pool of damage dice on the table. I see and report dully "botch and four successes."

The Storyteller fails to hide his evil chuckle and continues with "alright, make your botchy soak test please."

I give him a "if looks could kill' stare and gather my dice for my final test and sigh in contentment as I see no further botches and inform "two successes" and then add "no botches" to disappoint my would be killer.

Not to be distracted by my last remark he leans back in his chair and state "unexpected critical damage and one normal damage get though." He still has is evil grin on as he contemplate my demise once more before uttering "in a slightly daze state from being used as a hammer earlier, you swing a bit too wildly as Crooked Mouth uses your own leg to block your sword. In dismay you see your sword sink into your greave to crack your shin in half as you bury half the width of Shadow Strike into your shin. Crooked Mouth roars in laughter as he watch you grimace in pain. You are now at Mutilated status and lose three actions next round."

The Storyteller's killer gaze switches to Johnbedamage who pretends to study his inventory on the back of his character sheet in a vain attempt to let the Storyteller cool down a bit. He looks up and give the poor excuse "sorry just checking what healing potions I have left."

The Storyteller taps is own notes and verifies with "a strength five, and two threes" without looking down as he keep his steely glare on Johnbedamage.

"Glad we are on the same page, that's my count too" his blatant innocent looking attempt not working at all.

But the Storyteller gives a patronizing smile before starting on his demise "when your done rummaging though your inventory, we would all like to know what action are you doing?" But does not let him speak as he continues with "as you stare dumbly at seeing your boss once again being manhandle so thoroughly a second time, Mohawk Dude take the opportunity to bash you in the head with his sword. I think I'll give him an automatic hit to boot as you didn't even notice his nine foot frame tippy toe behind you and tries to his best to split your head wide open." He promptly drops his dice and gather them up and adds two more and with a grinning shake, drops them on the table and most happily state "crit and four successes to hit."

"I guess it's faith point time" I mutter to Johnbedamage, getting brained in one of the Storyteller's worlds is never healthy.

He promptly agrees with "I use a Faith point to ignore that hit." The Storyteller just grins, we know he likes wasting our Faith points.

His happy response is evident as he voice "at the last instant you bring up your sword to block that attack. You turn your head and grin at Mohawk Dudes surprise face and boldly flaunt 'did you really think I wouldn't see your big ugly ass tippy toeing?' Now you know your current situation, what are you going to do?"

"I push his sword high and suddenly slash low for" and Johnbedamage drops his dice and state "three successes to hit."

The Storyteller nods his understanding and makes his resist test and goes with "caught like a child with his hand in the cookie jar delays his action because he really thought he had you and you successfully slash open his belly for one critical damage for botching once. You watch him desperately clutch his belly to keep his essentials intact as he backs away from you.

Crooked Mouth mutters to Goldbranch 'you'd think the big guy would have some staying power. I should have bought the other guy instead." You take a quick glance to see what Crooked Mouth is talking about. Relief wash over you as you see your big friend is whooping it up for getting the first solid hit in."