The Tavern

Niels continues,

"Well, then... I'll tell you! There was one time, back in '37, when I...
*insert a couple of hours of aimless mutterings*
"... and that was how I fought the Hydra of the Deep with me bare hands, beating it so badly that it has never shown its face since."

Niels reached down and petted Estevo on the head.

"Well, now, don't let me be rude! What brings you to such a lonely outpost at this shade'o'night?"

Feeling completely better, except for the imprint of horrible nightmares in his memory, Olaf wakes up in time to catch the last part of the old man's story.

Obviously fibbing, Olaf replies, "I've just come on my way down from fighting the Blight Fowl up in the Pass. No, but seriously, I'm not up to much here, unless I catch wind of something memorable or momentous going on! Say, you seem like you'd know of a good adventure! Right, old man?"

"Adventure? The only good Adventure I've had today is when my boat got stolen by them rough ruffians! Of course, there is the Legend of the Airkat's Treasure..."

Niels winks at Edge, coughs twice, and takes a swig of Ale.

The bartender looks at Olaf and Niels with frustration. "Come now me lads. It's being late out and I'm wanting to close up me doors and heads to bed meself."

He turns to Olaf. "Weren't you headin' to bed an hour ago?"

Then he turns to Niels. "And you. Pay for the room or git out! I'll be havin' paying customers tomorr'er, and I'ds like to have some sleep 'fore then!"

And then, the bartender does an odd thing. He leans close to Olaf, and with wide eyes whispers, "And never forget: the Almighty Narrator always knows what you're saying, so if you don't want to be caught in an unexpected building collapse, you'll stay in character. I can see the future, and spice shall be mixed in shortly"

With that, the bartender returns to normal, leans back with his arms crossed, and waits for Olaf's and Niels's decisions.

<OOC-- -->

"Uhh...that was weird," Olaf thought to himself. "It's almost as if he was speaking inside my head!"

Suddenly, a bed sounded real nice to Olaf. He felt as if he had been running hard and broken right through four walls. That fourth wall was a solid one.

"Well, yes, I was heading to bed. Please pardon me for keeping you up, good sir! And you. May I call you Niels? I will see you in the morning?" With that, Olaf went to bed, not even waiting for what the old man said.

Sleep came easily that night.

The bartender starts to drum his fingers against his arm. "Niels? I knows that you're needin' a place to spends the night, but you can't expects me to give you lodging fer free!"

Niels squints an eye at the bartender (just one eye mind you!) and replies, "Dagnabbit! I'd expect nothing more from a money grubbing capitalist! Back when I was yer age, people let needy people stay fer free at inns all the time! And I may prefer a warm bed to a pile o' straw, but I ain't an old geezer just yet! Iffen you changer yer mind, I'll be outside inna the barn!"

With that, Niels grabs Estevo and stomps out of the tavern, leaving the bartender shaking his head sadly. He locks up his tavern, gives the main room a slow, sad look, and heads off to bed. The bar room lies silent and dark now, save for the two customers in the corner who continue to speak in hushed whispers, waiting.

Suddenly, the door bursts open. Niels rushes in with Estevo by his side, a flaming torch in one hand and his Gutting Knife in the other. Niels promptly throws the torch into some bottles of flammable liquor, and laughs loudly.

"Arh, har, hardy-har! What do you think of making me pay for me bunk now, Bartender!?!"

Niels stands guard, ready for opposition, readying his Double-Barrelled Sea Pistol in his off-hand.

The torch crashes into the bottles behind the bar, spilling liquor everywhere. Thankfully, sunflower ale isn't known for its readiness to light, but the torch is still burning somewhere behind the bar, ready to ignite the ale and casting eerie shadows around the room.

The two men in the corner jump to their feet, overturning their table in the process. One of them shouts, "What the blazes?!" Both draw swords from under their cloaks and start to rush towards Niels, murderous intent in their faces. It's obvious that they have no intention of taking Niels alive.

The noise is loud enough that Magthol and Olaf hear it in their rooms. Years of experience have taught Magthol the correct response to such situations, and he quickly dives out the window, disappearing into the night.

Niels has just enough time for one action before the two men reach him and melee begins.

If Olaf acts quickly, he could reach Niels in two turns.

<OOC - Niels is mad, so he will do this next action regardless of whether or not Edge acted first or second>

Niels aims his Sea Pistol at the first man and unleashes the barrel number one in a torrent of flame!

Reflex Base 6, +2 for Attribute when shooting a Gun, +1 Reflex for Close Quarters Shooting = 9 Reflex.

Garfunkel carried out 1 launched of one d20 :

11

<OOC - I'm going ahead and rolling for Body also. In this is a problem, go ahead and ignore this next part.>

Body = 20

Garfunkel carried out 1 launched of one d20 :

4

This is the roll for the guy Niels shot at.

DaMavster carried out 2 launched of one d20 :

18 , 12

Olaf jumps out of bed, grabs his Naginata, and heads back into the common room, looking for adventure and not realizing Magthol jumped out of the window. Upon opening the door, his eyes take in the scene in one sweep. The men charging with swords, the crazy old man wielding a pistol and a gutting knife, and the spilled liquor about to ignite.

Quick decision, Olaf, who to help? What to do? Hmm...Niels has a gun, better not go against him.

Niels's aim is off, perhaps due to too much sunflower ale (20 versus 28 ) and the shot blows a hole in the wall behind the oncoming attackers. The man in the lead dives to the floor in a reflex action and rolls under a table, seeking cover.

The second man skids to a stop and looks behind him at the hole. "The heck? Is that how you want to play this?" He draws his own pistol and brings it to bear on Niels. "Look old man, just set your pistol on the floor there in front of you, or I'll put a hole like that in your head!"

The situation is dangerous. Niels could shoot at the man, but unless he shoots the pistol out of his hand, the man could easily got off his own shot at Niels, at a slight penalty to accuracy. Olaf just arrives in the doorway at this point.

He has a gun, too?! Olaf, what have you gotten yourself into?

Deeming Niels to be somewhat friendly and harmless (Olaf doesn't know it was Niels who began setting the place on fire), and desperately in need of defense, Olaf purposes to defuse the situation and get the old man and himself out of the building before things collapse, literally. Olaf slips a dart into his hand (+6 Body, -0 Reflex) and hurls it directly at the younger man's gun-hand.

Use Cunning to attack: Base Cunning = 12, Base Body = 9, +1 to Body when ambushing.

Cunning roll: 11
Body roll: 3

<OOC-These were the originals rolls before I edited it.>

Rolls for the guy getting darts thrown at him

DaMavster carried out 2 launched of one d20 :

4 , 15

The man pointing a pistol at Niels doesn't see Olaf hurl a dart at him (14 vs 25 ). The dart strikes the man on the hand, but only grazes the skin before impaling itself into a table (25 vs 19 ).

The man whirls towards Olaf with his pistol and lets off a wild shot that splinters the wood above the doorway, missing Olaf.

<--OOC everyone roll initiative (reflex + d20) -->

The man with the pistol rolls first, and the man with the sword (whom Olaf hasn't seen) rolls second.

DaMavster carried out 2 launched of one d20 :

20 , 16

<-OOC-What's their base stats?>

Edge carried out 1 launched of one D20 :

14

<OOC-- You don't need to know their base stats. =P But.... Since you asked. They're both 10-10-10, for simplicity's sake. -->

Niels rolls for Initiative:

Base Reflex 6, +2 for The Anticipation of Experience Attribute (+2 to R when rolling for Initiative) = 8

Garfunkel carried out 1 launched of one d20 :

5

Combat Order:
Unknown man #1 - pistol (10b, 10r, 10c, 8stamina)
Unknown man #2 - sword (10b, 10r, 10c, 8stamina)
Olaf
Niels

Due to the events up until now, Niels gets a turn (he's got a gun trained on Unknown man #1 for crying out loud!), and then combat proceeds as in the combat order. Everyone should check the forum twice a day while in combat. If we have to wait too long for anyone, I'll post for them.

Niels? You're up.

Niels unloads the second barrel of his gun into Unknown man #1's chest!

Reflex: 6 + 2 + 1 = 9

Garfunkel carried out 1 launched of one d20 :

13

Body: 20

Garfunkel carried out 1 launched of one d20 :

18

Unknown Man #1's rolls

DaMavster carried out 2 launched of one d20 :

9 , 16

Niels' second shot slams into the man's shoulder (22 vs 19). The ball penetrates deep into the man's flesh (38 vs 26), but fails to go out the other side. The man is bleeding from his shoulder now, but hasn't been gravely injured (-1 stamina. 7 remaining).

Unknown man #1, deciding that discretion is the better part of valor, throws his pistol at Niels and bolts to the door (there is time for parting shots from either of you. Niels could also go to melee range on his turn).

Unknown man #1 rolls for thrown pistol (+4 to body, -0 to reflex, 1 damage)

DaMavster carried out 2 launched of one d20 :

5 , 8

<OOC-- Niels, roll reflex and body for defense from ranged item -->

Niels' Reflex and Body for Defense of Ranged Shot by Weaopn Type Gun Kill Boom.

Reflex: 6

Garfunkel carried out 1 launched of one d20 :

11

Body: 9 (+1 to Body if the Attacker has no hair - See Attributes )

Garfunkel carried out 1 launched of one d20 :

6

Niels deftly steps aside as the pistol flies past him (15 vs 17), which smashes into some bottles of wine behind the bar.

The bottles shatter, spilling their contents onto the floor, and onto the torch. Unlike the sunflower ale, the mango wine is highly flammable. Immediately, the area behind the bar explodes into flame!

Olaf has one turn to get out of the doorway, or the flames will block his way into the common room.

Unknown man #2 continues to hide under a table.

<OOC-- Olaf, your turn -->