We are led by Skitterfly and Mefecil, the lieutenants of the Blackcoats and Conglomerate and come across a smoldering battlefield.
Thelian scans the battlefield, trying to identify the conflict and any current threats. The battlefield was abandoned by the forces a few weeks ago, though there’s smoldering still going on. Many fallen are blackcoats, but others are in mail without Conglomerate or Blackcoat markings.
Skitterfly curses “dammit”. Smoke roils across the battlefield, resolving into a animate suckerfish of smoke.
Daelwyn asks what it is.
“It’s a canker-knight”, replies Skitterfly. ”Have you not heard the tales of the canker-knight?” The smoke form sinks into the bloody battlefield and fills fallen suits of armor with living smoke. Three smoky forms wrapped by armor from the battlefield rise from the ground, draw blades and charge!
Thelian calls for Lt. Skitterfly and Mefecil to cover his flanks as he charges toward to smoke filled armor. Skitterfly follows a few paces behind, but Mefecil retreats behind his companion Snailo.
Raumoko takes human form and calls on Daelwyn to boldly fight; Daelwyn draws his bow and fires a volley of several arrows, peppering one smoke creature seriously but not fatally.
While everyone is distracted, Jess’s bolo from the edge of the treeline takes down Ubagork (Lt. Skitterfly’s henchman), who topples.
Thelian’s charge brings him close to the large armored smoke leader; he dances just out of the foe’s range. Thelian stabs his spear into the smoke glimmering in the joints between the great creature’s armor plates. Thelian’s ancient spear head shines pink as the smoke snares on the head. He drags the smoke out of the armored form; unnaturally, the smoke clings to the spear tip. But the armor falls, and the smoke dissolves, wisping away from the glowing spearhead.
Jess rushes forward, striking the fallen Ubagork while it’s tangled; it’s grievously wounded and half sawn through, but mushrooms don’t bleed right.
The smoke of the last Canker-Knight creature begins flowing out, rattling nearby armor as it moves to animate a fallen giant’s armor. But Thelian strikes hard, stabbing the exposed smoke where it writhes outside the armor; pink glowing around the spear head; again drawing out the smoke. The battlefield armor ceases rattling and falls still, but combat continues between the band and the escorts.
Daelwyn pivots and fires his arrows at Snailo by surprise; Snailo’s shell turns aside just enough of the shot to barely keep its life.
Mefecil shouts about the contract, that the attack is unlawful. Jess volleys daggers at Snailo, who topples to the ground, shrinking and withering to the salted coating, dead.
Thelian calls for a truce, but is ignored; he’s citing an old form. (+1 XP) Mefecil sneers, “cast down arms like the fallen Queen?” and strikes at Daelwyn. Daelwyn turns and flees, rushing to Thelian for protection.
Skitterfly’s eyes trace Ruamoko’s form for weakness; Ruamoko presses his hands together, his tattoos flash bright and blue, smoky ash clings to him as he begins calling on the volcano spirits to strike Skitterfly.
But Skitterfly is deadly fast; his moth wings unfurl as he leaps at Ruamoko. Skitterfly stabs Ruamoko in the chest before he can complete his spirit call. Ruamoko’s eyes fade from lava red to obsidian as smoke boils from Ruamoko’s wounds, and ash expels from him in a broad cloud. Ruamoko coughs as the ash afflicts him strongly, ash stings the eyes of all the combatants and reduces visibility for everyone to less than an arm’s length.
End of Session:
+1 XP for inspiring Ruamoko to show his contempt for civilized contracts
+1 XP for “protecting those weaker”
+1 XP learning about Thundering Steel’s embargo
+1 XP Learned about rites changing in Thundering Steel
+1 XP Overcome Canker-Knight = +6 Thelian this session
Dungeon World 8/23
Darkness, borne of smoke and flutters of ash settle on the battlefield. Everyone staggers, the ash concealing their opponents of a few breaths ago.
Thelian wipes away the caked ash and stretches his senses, (fails +1 XP on Discern Realities check), spying 2 glowing red eyes that float through, stirring the ash. Thelian sweeps at them reflexively, but the spear slashes through without resistance.
Mefecil calls out in panic, slashing his spear, “where are you?” Jess lurks in the nearby ashen shadows, unseen, and strikes at the many-eyed. His knife severs several eye-stalks, but Mefecil doesn’t fall. They square off; as Jess darts in, taking a serious slash in the side from Mefecil’s spear, but his dagger sinks deep in the foe, who shudders and falls, its many eyes stare sightlessly.
Daelwyn seeks out Jess in the ash cloud, calling “Let me take a stab at that,” but is blindsided and shouldered to the ground by Ubagork (who remains bound). As the mushroom beast lines up to smash Daelwyn’s head in, Daelwyn calls out “Umami!”.
Ruamoko runs through the mist, seeking out Daelwyn and Ubagork. Ubagork looms overhead, while Daelwyn is smeared in ash underfoot. Ruamoko still streams ash from his wounds, looking almost like an elemental with glowing lava like eyes; Ruamoko slams his taiaha into its chest and it falls together into the ash beside Daelwyn. Daelwyn calls out “Thanks Ruamoko! He was not a fun guy!”
Thelian calls a challenge to the red eyes; stabbing his spear forward. The spear head sticks in the nearby mass, a blow scored. The spear begins to glow and smolder, burning Thelian’s hands. Thelian’s spear sears hot and glows like molten metal…
Daelwyn strums mightily and the sound thrums out, as almost visible concentric circles, guiding him and Ruamoko through the falling ash, the sound waves opening a clear space, exposing the melee of Thelian and the fire spirit.
Under the sounds of chaos, Jess positions himself carefully, sinking into the ashen shadows and prepared to strike should Skitterfly reappear or a new foe expose itself.
The burning spear cannot be held long, so Thelian commits. He leaps mightily, torquing the spear so he will fall atop the spirit with his weight to drive the spear deep, pinning it. As the spirit is pierced and pinned into the ground, its skin bursts, expelling flames and fire that scorch and cruelly burn Thelian. The lava eyes lose their molten glow, now cold and sharp 2 obsidian eyes stare up from the fallen spirit.
Skitterfly emerges from the ashen smoke; Jess leaps unseen from ambush, intercepting it in mid-flight. Skitterfly’s assassin training holds, casting its dagger forward despite the interception. The dagger flashes towards Thelian, almost catching him unaware. At the last moment Thelian tries to leap aside, but staggers with exhaustion into the dagger’s path… and the dagger strikes true, deep into his chest.
Skitterfly writhes under Jess, and confusedly asks “You betrayed them, so that means you’re on our side, right?” Jess calls it a fool, drives the knife deep, and it expires.
Thelian’s feet slide on the slippery ash, and he topples, spilling his blood into the ash. He bleeds at the verge of death..
(Last Breath, roll total = 8, so death will bargain to begin the next session.)
+1 XP, for Thelian, interposed himself between foes and friends.
Group XP: What we learned? +1 XP, Overcome Foes: +1 XP. Loot memorable treasure? No