Design Phase 1
Whilst our forces are well equipped with courage, determination and a will to see things done, they are painful under supplied with weapons, armour and other things that will actually see the Bookbinders dealt with. Thus, we will seek to give them a basic set of gear with which they can fight back against the patriarchy. Each individual will receive either a bow and arrows, or a spear and shield, plus their choice of simple sidearm (such as a shortsword, hatchet or mace). In addition, if they don't already have their own armour (as dwarves are known to keep suits of maille for generations) they will also be given some basic protection in the form of leather jacks, padded gambesons and the like. Whilst the unit's equipment will still be a bit eclectic, they should function better than the angry villagers that they are currently.
Difficulty: Normal
Roll: (5+2)+0=7, Average
The Malabar hills are not known for their plentiful natural resources, but we've made do. A mutual restraining order with the Ogres here, a trade deal with the town there, and access to a castle's experiment pen, we have enough cloth, leather, and even a safe iron mine to make equipment for our troops.
Skirmisher Gear (1 Material/20 Units):
Enough leather jacks, padded gambesons, and basic weaponry to outfit a decent number of tales. The weapon and sidearm a unit is equipped with is decided each move phase, and can be changed later.
Everyone has a sword over the mantelpiece, or a pair of spears hidden under the floorboards for when they are needed to fight the latest threat, but some of these weapons have a bit more story to them. Perhaps that sword was once used to protect the family from marauding ogres, this hunting bow was all that kept the family fed one bitingly cold winter, or the axe the last five generations used to cut wood was the one that cut an old woman out of a talking wolf. Either way, they may not seem like much, but they have all entered familial legend, and with that comes the beginnings of yokai weaponry.
Difficulty: Easy
Roll: (5+2)+1=8, Average
Jack the Third stared at the rusty axe in his hands as he walked through the woods, making his way to the rendezvous point. It had been his father's axe, and his father's axe, and once had even cut down the great beanstalk. It was rusted now, yes, but he was hesitant to polish it or regrind the edge - people might start asking questions. Resting the smooth-worn haft on his shoulder, he walked onwards to freedom, and away from the giants.
Hereditary Weapons (1 Material/5 Units): A collection of weapons passed down through the years, each with their own history. Each one may have a minor magical effect, based on it's past. This is decided on purchase. You can have duplicate effects, and each weapon doesn't need a backstory. (Though it's always nice.)
Foxes have always been thought of as spiritual, and so they are natural subjects of folklore and mythology, producing many Yokai in fox form. The most storied of these are the Kitsune.
Kitsune are mischievous but loyal spirits, and have the ability to shapeshift between human and fox form, bewitching those who seem them and casting powerful illusions to misdirect and confuse. They are well known to protect the people and places they care for, forming close bonds with the objects of their attention, even being known to marry those individuals if they prove to be honourable and caring.
Difficulty: Hard (Illusions bumped it up from Normal, sorry for the misread earlier)
Roll: (1+5)-1=5, Below Average
Jack the Third was sent out to recruit the Yokai of the fox, with simple instructions - find the trickster fox. The Green Knight needed the support, and they would help very much with infiltration of the Bookbinder-surveiled kingdoms. As Jaxon walked down the road, he passed through a small town, quiet and sleepy. Livestock moo'd at him, and he was quickly past the small wooden huts. Shorty after the town, he came upon three sisters sitting alongside the road in a cart, each as beautiful as the other, and all very beautiful.
"What is your business, traveller?" The first sister asked, her round face beaming upon him.
"Well, I was walking out to the woods. I need to find some foxes," he answered, feeling a level of inherent trust in these beautiful women.
"Foxes?" The second sister asked, "Haven't you heard, good sir? There aren't any foxes left out there."
Jack tried to hide his surprise, but failed. "I-I was told some would still be hiding by my friend… We've been rather lonely, see, and could use some animal companionship."
The third sister laughed, melodic and delighted. "Good sir, what is your name?"
"Jack the Third, madam."
"Why don't the three of us come back with you? We could help your 'friend' out. We lost our foxes ourselves, you see," she said, standing up and walking over to embrace Jack.
Jack blushed and drew back. He was a plain looking man, and never one to catch the womanly eye. "I-I suppose we could go talk to him. You wouldn't happen to be with the Bookbinders, right?"
The three sisters shuddered in unison at the name of Rafal's inquisition. "Perish the though, fellow sir. We want nothing to do with them."
Jack looked up and down the path, and then beckoned them to follow back to headquarters.
-----
"Who are these women, Jack?" The Green Knight asked, terse and annoyed.
"They said they would help us find the foxes like you asked me to do," Jack replied."
"I told you not to return without the trickster foxes," he replied, his voice slithering through his green helm.
"We can go looking tomorrow, sir! It'll pay off, I promise!" Jack begged, getting on one knee.
"Fine. Leave me, I have a border treaty to negotiate with an Ogre."
Jack slinked away, and back to the sisters. "Sorry about that, fair ladies."
They giggled in response, "It's okay, Jack, we'll help you find these "trickster foxes" tomorrow."
Jack woke up next morning in the village. As he was rubbing his eyes, he heard a familiar voice. "Good morning, Jack"
Three white foxes lay curled around his bed.
Kitsune (1 Beings/5 Units): Benevolent fox protector spirits, these foxes are a pure white, and can take human form at will. In addition, they also seem to have the ability to trick people with visions and illusions. Reluctant to commit evil acts, but trickery is fine.
The discussion in the current headquarters of the Tales continued. Their Yokai allies provided possibilities, but where any of those options what they needed right now? Ideas where tossed back and forth until...
"Well well well, what do we have here?" A voice interrupts the discussion. Seemingly comng from everywhere, yet nowhere. The gathered Tales gaze around in a panic, have they been discovered already?
The Green Knight however, does not even flinch. Even as a feline face fades into view upon the shoulders of a troll.
"Why are you here, Cat?" He asks.
"Always serious, hmm Green Knight?' The voice continues as its owner, the Cheshire Cat, fully materializes. The troll panics as he suddenly becomes aware of the Cat upon his shoulders, and falls to the ground. The Cat, however, does not fall with him, or rather does, but... slowly.
"Get to the point, you're interrupting our meeting."
"Oh fine, fine. These... Bookbinders. They think the world around them is mad, they wish to make is sane." The cat fades in and out once again, now stood upon the ceiling. "Perhaps that would be for the best. Yet they fail to consider that if the whole world is mad, they may just be mad too"
"I did not believe you where bothered by maddened rulers."
"I am not. I am bothered, because I don't believe their madness will stop here. The Queen of Hearts may be content to rule her own kingdom, but Rafal... The cat fades again, now manifesting in the center of the table. Larger than before. It stares into the eyes of the Green Knight through his helmet.
"...He will not."
"Indeed, and if it goes far enough? I feel unsure as to who will suffer most"
With a grim warning, the Cheshire Cat has chosen to provide us its aid. The Cat is a mysterious being, able to simply fade in and out of sight at will, in nearly an instant, or even only fade in or out partially. When it chooses to, it may simply float in mid air, or gently drift to the ground instead of falling. It is not uncommon for the Cheshire Cat to simply... not be there, when an attack hits what was its position at the moment the swing or shot began, and it often times seems as if even walls do not impede it, as, though it has never been witnessed walking through them, it isn't rare to see it simply appear in a sealed room that it was previously outside of.
All these traits put together make the Cheshire Cat a master of infiltration and information gathering. Add in its long and deadly claws and even sharper teeth, and the Cat might seem unbeatable. This is not the case, for you see, the Cats weaknesses lie not in its body or its claws, but in its mind. The Cheshire Cats attentions are mercurial, and at all times it carries a playful attitude. The Cat may go where you tell it too, it may begin gathering information as you asked, but it may come back and tell you not about the enemies secret tactical meeting, but rather how well the Baker across the street did that day. The Cat will benefit your cause, at least, provided it is not stopped, but it will do so in ways that may not be helpful or intended. The Baker across the street may be a front, gathering money or information for the enemy. The captain it was sent to assassinate may instead wake up safe and sound the next morning to find that he is the only one alive in the barrack. It may choose not to steal the magic scroll, but instead take the map of the inside of the enemy fortress.
Even if sent with others to keep it on track, there is no saying that the Cat will not simply wander off and direct its attentions to a different task while those it left behind work on the one they were sent to perform. And in combat, it often fights like... well, a cat. More accurately, a cat hunting a mouse. It does not fight, so much as it plays with its opponents violently. Expertly dodging strikes, but then leaving painful scratches instead of slit throats. Knocking a foe to the ground, only to then pounce onto the still standing foe on the other side instead of the downed enemy. We expect it to be infuriating, for everyone involved, but nowhere near as effective as it could be, and we expect it will take more than training to make the thing take its job seriously.
Still, whether it listens or not, it gets... a job done, and when it does do its job... it is terrifying.
Difficulty: Hard
Roll: (1+6)-1=6, Average
Nobody knows why the Cat left Wonderland. Nobody knows if this is the same Cat. But the appearance in the headquarters tells us all we need to know; we need the Cheshire Cat on our side.
The Green Knight cordially handed it a shining jewel. "Come and go as you please, we have whatever you need." The Cheshire Cat purred softly, and grinned a long toothy grin. Scratching a smile into the table, it faded away. The Green Knight was left standing long, holding another gem similar to the one he had handed the cat. Contact had been made.
Character: Cheshire Cat
You may make one request of the cat each movement phase, that will take place during the Raid phase. You can ask the Cheshire Cat to deploy on a raid. Requests must rhyme.
Disgruntled Tales (B1/M0/50 Units) - A motley assortment of dwarves, gnomes, elves, goblins, and more. Armed with an assortment of shoddy ranged and melee weaponry. BYOS. (Bring your own sword)
Kitsune (B1/5 Units): Benevolent fox protector spirits, these foxes are a pure white, and can take human form at will. In addition, they also seem to have the ability to trick people with visions and illusions. Reluctant to commit evil acts, but trickery is fine.
Skirmisher Gear (M1/20 Units) - Enough leather jacks, padded gambesons, and basic weaponry to outfit a decent number of tales. The weapon and sidearm a unit is equipped with is decided each move phase, and can be changed later.
Hereditary Weapons (M1/5 Units): A collection of weapons passed down through the years, each with their own history. Each one may have a minor magical effect, based on it's past. This is decided on purchase. You can have duplicate effects, and each weapon doesn't need a backstory. (Though it's always nice.)
Author
Topic: Fight for the Woods - Tales United (Read 6988 times)