Seriously people!? A second tie!? I thought we would be more decisive than this. Let us leave it to the dice to break it this time, 1d3 should suffice, as none chose the apology route. 1 for fight, 2 for leave, and 3 for insults. Now, let us see where it falls…
Dice Roll: 3
Tresh grinned, and why shouldn’t he? There was a crowd here after all, his very being demanded that he entertain them! Best thing to start with would be some old fashioned insults, “Pillow biting? Come on now, leave that to the experts such as yourself.” Tresh smirked, pointing at Becmun.
The tavern somehow managed to become more silent, more still. Becmun’s hand went to the handle of his sword, “Come again?”
“You heard me ya scrawny, bald, dirty, stinkin’ pansy.” Tresh said, stepping closer until only the length of Ket’s counter separated them, “YOU, cannot handle the beast, that is Tresh ‘The Mangler’!” He shouted, flexing his wide arms over his head, “You’re just some small town chump with thin wrists and an attitude problem. Well I’ll tell ya what brother, I’m about to snap those puny wrists and remind you where you belong- beneath my feet!” He finished with nearly rapturous emphasis.
Lana, with wide eyes, stepped aside, the other tavern guests leaving their seats to stand by the far wall along with her… he noticed however, that none chose to actually leave the building. Perhaps they wanted to see a fight, or maybe they just wanted to see these guards get knocked down a peg, it was hard to say.
“You got one chance to get down on your knees and apologize to me.” Becmun said, half-drawing his blade, “Or me and my boys will cut you down where you stand.”
“Same for you, pansy boy.” Tresh mocked, “I’ll let ya off the hook if you say sorry to these good people and leave…” He continued, eyes narrowing and smile disappearing, “Or else.”
Intimidation Check: Fail
“You forget the part where there’s three of us, and one of you?” Becmun asked with a sly smile, fully unsheathing his blade, “You’ll die here, and these ‘good people’ will let the captain know that a savage greenskin had attacked us unprovoked.”
Tresh cracked his neck and smiled, “You aren’t that guy pal.”
Initiative Order: Becmun: 21 Guard: 8 Guard: 9 Tresh: Nat 1
Tresh HP: 18 Stamina: 9 AC:15
Becmun HP: 15 Stamina:4 AC: 15
Guard 1 and 2: HP:10 Stamina: 2 AC: 12
Becmund rushed forward with an angered shout, readying his blade to stab Tresh through the gut.
Becmund’s Attack: 12
Tresh easily dodged the initial thrust, still smirking at the enraged guard as Becmund swung again, looking to gash open Tresh’s throat.
Becmund’s Attack: 2 Critical Failure!
However, his wild swing missed completely, overshooting and embedding his blade in the counter, much to Ket’s dismay.
“You’ll be paying for that you bastards!” Ket screamed.
The first crony then made his move, rushing forward with his blade drawn. Tresh prepared himself as the guard reached striking distance, seeing the blade flash toward him.
Guard 1’s attack roll: 14
He was barely able to duck the slash, the blade barely missing Tresh’s head. No quarter was given though, as the guard swung again-
Guard 1’s attack roll: 3 Critical Failure!
Spectacularly missing Tresh and instead slaying an innocent stool, lodging itself firmly in the wood.
“What are you guys, hourly?” Tresh mocked, “You’re boring me to death!”
Stolen novel; please report.
That was when he noticed the second guard, who had circled around him with a growl, flanking Tresh.
Guard 2’s attack roll: Nat 1 Critical Failure!
Beyond all reason however, the man had somehow managed to stab his colleague in the arm!
Guard 1 takes 1d6 +2: 4 points of damage!
“Ow!” The man screamed, “Watch what you’re doing fool!”
The man didn’t reply, bringing his blade back before attempting another strike.
Guard 2’s attack roll: 9 Failure!
Tresh then laughed, a vein popping on his forehead at the sheer absurdity of it all. Still, something bubbled just beneath the humor… a sort of anger began to take hold of him, the fact that these buffoons thought they could be a threat to anyone was a joke. Much less Tresh the Mangler!
Tresh Rages: +4 hp +1 unarmed damage
“Get ready for a world of hurt dirtbag!” Tresh screamed, fist lashing out at the jaw of the first guardsman.
Tresh’s Attack roll: 21 Hit! 1d4: 4 +4 +1 +2 precision: 10 Damage!
Knuckles met chin and the man’s head, for the slightest instant, became a blur after Tresh’s fist connected; and the man dropped to the floorboards like a sack of bricks. He wasn’t done there, whirling to face the second guard, a grin on his face despite the bubbling wrath he felt.
“I call this one the sink!” Tresh shouted, rearing back his fist, “Cause your ship is goin’ down brother!”
Tresh’s attack roll: 14 Hit! 1d4: 3 +4 +1 +2 precision: 9 Damage!
He put everything into a viscous uppercut, colliding with the man’s torso with such force that it momentarily lifted him from the ground. He let out a spittle filled cough, clutching his guts with both hands and doubling over, but not falling.
Becmun growled and attempted to pry his sword free from the counter.
Becmun’s Strength check: 16 Critical Success!
It came out with ease, flashing toward Tresh’s head in the same motion.
Becmun’s attack roll: 17 Hit! 1d6: 4 +2: 6 Damage!
Tresh ducked his head back, but Becmun’s blade still sliced across his left cheek, drawing only a scant amount of blood. The guard grinned and thrusted, looking to impale Tresh through the chest.
Becmun’s attack roll: Nat 1 Critical Failure!
Tresh dodged the attack easily, sending Becmun stumbling into his comrade, nearly impaling the fellow on his way past Tresh. While Becmun himself remained standing, his comrade was not so lucky, still reeling from the brutal punch he’d received from Tresh, he fell over with a groan, still clutching his stomach.
Tresh grabbed Becmund by the shoulders, attempting to throw the guard to the ground.
Trip Attempt: 26 Critical Success! D6 of damage!
Tresh has gained Panache from Gymnast!
It was easy, like wrestling a pillow, Becmund collided hard with the ground, the back of his head rebounding off the floorboards. Despite that, he retained his grip on his blade.
1d6 from crit: 6
Tresh then raised his foot high over Becmund’s head with a wild grin…
Tresh’s attack roll, burning Panache point for an extra 2d6 of damage on hit: 9 Failure!
The man moved his head at the last second, Tresh’s sandaled foot missing Becmund and snapping a floorboard in his place. Tresh cursed and leaned down, grabbing the guards shoulders once again.
Grapple check: 8 Failure!
Slippery bastard managed to wiggle his way out from under Tresh’s grip, standing quickly from the floor before swinging at him once again.
Becmun’s Attack: 26 Critical hit!
Tresh Reaction: Flashy Dodge: Adds 2 AC as a reaction, cancelling the critical but not the hit.
Becmun’s damage: 1d6: 5 +2: 7 Damage!
Tresh’s eyes widened as he stepped backward, mitigating the damage he received but not escaping unharmed. The blade drew a diagonal line of blood up his torso, but he ignored the pain, already readying himself for the next attack as Becmun pushed forward with another thrust.
Becmun’s Attack: Nat 20, Critical hit!
Becmun’s damage: 1d6: 5 +2: 7 Doubled: 14
Tresh however, wasn’t fast enough. The blade struck true, impaling Tresh through the ribs. Blood exploded from his mouth as Becmun cackled madly, “I told you so you dirty freak!”
“I ain’t done yet!” He wheezed, fist tightening.
Tresh’s Attack: Nat 1 Failure
Tresh Burns a Hero Point to reroll! No Hero points remaining!
Tresh’s Attack: 9 Failure
Becmund dodged the jab with ease, ducking his head to the side before withdrawing his blade. Tresh growled, moving to jab once again.
“Stop this nonsense this instant!” Lana shouted from somewhere in the crowd, “Someone will die!”
Tresh’s Attack: 17 Hit!
Tresh’s Damage: 1d4: 2 +4 +2 precision: 8 Damage
Becmun’s nose flattened beneath the blow, sending him reeling back with twin trails of blood seeping down his face, “You’ll pay for that one!”
“Finish him!” Tresh heard a man from the crowd shout.
Whether it was for Tresh to finish Becmun or vice versa, he couldn’t tell… but one thing was for sure, this would be over very soon. Tresh grit his teeth and swung again, putting everything into this last attack!
Tresh’s Attack: 17 Hit!
Tresh’s Damage: 1d4: 2 +4 +2 precision: 8 Damage
Fist crashed into chin, the uppercut sending Becmun flying backward, his blade falling from his limp hand. Tresh clutched his bleeding wound, turning around to see the last guard, still reeling from the gut-punch.
“You still want a piece of this?” Tresh asked in a threatening tone.
Intimidation check: 21 Success!
The guard put his hands up, “No sir!” He pleaded, “I’m done, honest!”
“Knock his lights out!” Another villager shouted, a chorus of cheers following.
Looking to the crowd, they seemed filled with rage, not at Tresh, but at the guards. They must have been a bigger nuisance to the community than Tresh had originally thought… and the crowd wanted blood. Should he finish this guy off even though he surrendered?