[Last time, on Rising Sun Pioneers! You met a man who calls himself the Legendary Kojiro. Well, really it's Just Kojiro, which shouldn't be confused with Just John. He came by lookin' for a mount, and Mr. Reinhart agreed to give him one if he helped out with the zombie infestation.] [I'm sorry, did I say zombies? I meant vampires. They're scarier, and they want to suck your blood, not eat brains.] (I thought the zombies just wanted cheese ;P) (I'm Just John, and don't you ferget it.) [For reasons known only to you (and the viewing audience!), y'all have decided to help out with this little mission. You spent the rest of the day preparing, grabbing stakes and garlic and crosses and whatever else you figured would be handy (seems Mr. Reinhart stockpiles the stuff). Kojiro spent the time carving himself a rough katana out of some wood provided.] [Mr. Reinhart pointed out the direction they come around mid- afternoon, and he said that while you might not move as fast as vampires, you can probably get to wherever it is before dark. Which would be nice, since it'd keep them from running rampant around the small town yet again.] [So, it's off you go. You're probably getting there... you think. The sun's just starting to set.] [Session Start.] (So who was Millie riding with again? ^^;) * Jinx rides along on Lightning, he's strung some garlic over his horses neck and wears another strand himself around his own neck. He'd put some stakes in his pack and has one at his side. No crosses though. (Unless we changed the arrangement, you're riding my horse and I'm behind John) (Gotcha) * Kojiro is walking! No horse yet. ( o/~ It's the Crying Game! o/~ ) * John has some garlic and a few wooden stakes. But unlike many of you, he looks good with it. (Oh yeah.) * Kojiro does, however, have a wooden katana slung over his shoulder, in addition to his walking stick. [Looks good, smells like garlic.] * Mikoto is sharing Hazel with John. Mmm, horse. He's wearing a cross around his neck for good luck, and actually appropriated some black priest's clothing. The effect is actually pretty interesting. (I am Father Salade!) * Tairan has some garlic around his neck, and is doing his best not to strain something wincing at the smell. He also has a few stakes tucked into his holster belt, as well as a cross. [Better then being Zelos.] (I didn't get to play dress-up with Cherry on Sunday, so I'm doing it with Mikoto now.) * Millie rides along on Mikoto's horse. The horse has a string of garlic around its neck. Millie has about five. And two crosses. The saddlebag is probably full of stakes too. But above all, she doesn't look too happy to be where she is. * Jinx also has a small bag on a string around his neck, nothing too notable about it but nothing he usually wears. (I know what it is! ^____^) * Mikoto fingers the cross idly. "Why..." He pauses, then considers his question and continues. "...are we doing this at night?" 'cause were not likely to find them in the daytime? (Pfft. Look for the castle floating upside-down.) * Jinx snickers. "That's more of an argument for doing it at daytime." * Mikoto nods. "Agreed. I'd rather get up early and waste a day searching than find an *awake* vampire at night." He's got a point. * Millie looks around skittishly, fingering her cross too. She doesn't seem to be paying much attention. She more looks like she got drug here. * Tairan shrugs. "Think of this as a test run. We wanna see what we need to do to kill a vampire before we go charging into a group of them in their hideout." And remember, they're prolly hiding out somewhere dark'n away from the sun. It being daytime won't hinder them. Yeah, but don't they sleep durring the day anyways? Doubt its that easy, otherwise they'd have all been killed off years ago. * Mikoto frowns. "True enough. I suspect we're going to get our money's worth no matter when we do it." If you sleep, you can wake up. And like I said. I'd rather face one or two out in the open than a whole bunch in a cave somewhere. * John nods. "True, true." First you figure out your target's capabilities. Their defenses. Their routines. THEN you attack. Works for bandits, and it should work for blood suckers. * Tairan pauses. "... I hope." Uh-huh. * Millie looks around from side to side "I..d-don't see the need ta face one anywhere. Is this really that important? Your optimism in the face of logic is refreshing. * Jinx looks to Millie. "Well, we've got Kojiro, and just be sure to remember why we're here." * Tairan shrugs. "I've done this kinda thing before. Just usually not with the living dead." * Millie swallows. "R-Raight...we're here to protect my home town. I can't..can't let 'em keep doin' this..." And the nice thing is breaking into someone's residence, killing them, and taking their stuff isn't frowned upon if it's a vampire. Hell might not even count as grave robbing. 'sides, maybe goin' back to the kinda stuff I used'ta do'll get me outta this... slump I've been in. [The sun sets even more, twilight waning, and the area becomes strangely misty. Moisture. In Teck. Even this close to the canyon, it's strange.] * Millie just eyes Jinx. * Mikoto looks ahead distractedly. "Fear is not the enemy people think it is, you know? Fear's the mind's way of letting us know our own limits. The trick is to not let it get so bad that you aren't capable of testing and breaking those limits." Keep an eye open, folks. They're likely to come out huntin' once the sun sets, and we'll prolly look kinda tasty. * Millie looks around and stops her horse. "This. Ain't natural." Should we get a fire going? Not like we're trying to hide. Might not be a bad idea. *turns to Millie* This mist ain't common around here? [Ahead, you can see markings. Rough mounds, some made out of stone, some clay, some dirt.] * John looks around. "Mist ain't common anywhere in Teck. Not that I know, anyways." Right, well let's get on that then. And those? *points at the mounds* ( "Those, unlike Almond Joy, lack nuts." "..." ) * Millie shakes her head. "I don't..don't raightly know. No one ever comes this way. There's been lotsa rumors and stuff about this place. People avoid it." * Jinx looks up to the mounds. "Injun burial ground." (Amazingly, a hotel hasn't been built on the site yet.) * Mikoto tilts his head at Jinx. "Why do I have such a bad feeling about this?" That's creepy enough ta invite vamps. Ah. s'be careful, then. Dunno much 'bout Injuns, but I can't imagine them liking people disturbing their graveyards much more'n we do back east. Because we're out in the middle of nowhere trying to find some vamps. * Mikoto smirks faintly at John. "Practical as always." [You get closer. Closer! It's darker. Darker! And the horses get more and more skittish as you go on.] Think I'll give it a look over, stay back a little. * Kojiro says nothing! He's yet to say much of anything, really. * John smiles. "I try." *ting!* * Millie gives Kojiro a look. Look. ( I'm a vampire! XD ) * Kojiro does halt when Jinx says that, though, and nods. * Jinx dismounts and lights a torch. He also keeps a stake out in his other hand as he walks up to inspect the markings. [Lightning doesn't have a problem with that. Not at all. Jinx nears the first grave and needs a perception check, if he would.] * Tairan dismounts from Lightning, standing alongside the horse holding the reins and muttering what he hopes are soothing words while stroking its mane. 2d6 * Dicesuke throws the bones for Jinx (2d6) and gets 3. (Reroll it.) 2d6 * Dicesuke throws the bones for Jinx (2d6) and gets 7. ( *blinks* ) [Jinx walks over. There's crumbling dirt beneath his feet, and the next thing he knows, he's falling! Body roll, Jinx.] 2d6 * Dicesuke throws the bones for Jinx (2d6) and gets 11. (dr) 2d6 * Dicesuke throws the bones for Jinx (2d6) and gets 8. [He lands ungracefully in the grave, managing not to burn himself with the torch. It was obviously made for one, and there's dirt crumbling above him. Also, a itching sensation on his neck. And his arms. And, uh... his legs, and...] Shit. Need a hand, Jinx? * Millie calls down the hole. "Jinx! You okay?" * Mikoto tilts his head. "That wasn't supposed to happen, I'm thinking." (How close to him are you guys?) * Jinx glances around quickly after falling. "Look, just trying to read the markers, not here to take anything... Hell even I don't believe me. Yeah, I'm fine just, itchy." (Millie's still on the horse, probably furthest back. Place is haunted and all after all.) ( I'm back where he left us ) [Jinx: It's a hole in the ground. There are bugs everywhere. Including on you. Below you is what was probably somebody's remains, but they're so far gone, it probably doesn't matter.] Dammit, Jinx, the point of that armor was to keep you *out* of your grave. * Jinx holds up the torch with one hand. "Shit... that's disgusting, damn bugs, second worse part of being in a grave." He puts the stake back at his side and tries to actively brush himself off while looking for a way to climb up. [They're tenacious little buggers. If Jinx wants to try climbing, give me a body roll for it. Er... acrobatics (climbing) can modify.] 2d8 * Dicesuke throws the bones for Jinx (2d8) and gets 5. (Make by three!) * Kojiro does not pointlaugh at Jinx. (He's clearly some sort of imposter! John, shoot him.) * Jinx sighs and tries to just climb out, can wipe himself off later. Hold on, why was Jinx the one running over to do that when he *always* gets in trouble? Fate? [Jinx successfully climbs out and *still* manages not to burn himself with the torch! He looks okay, just really dirty and covered with beetles. Lots and lots of bettles. Some of them are scurrying out of the grave, too.] Cripes, man. Come get some water and clean yourself off. *pulls the waterskin out of Lightning's pack* Because he's the best person to test and see if the area is safe or not. If HE makes it okay, then the odds of the rest of us makin' it are pretty good. * Mikoto goes white. As. A. Sheet. * Millie makes a face at the beetles. "Eww. * Jinx walks over to Tairan. "Yuck, thanks." (... Phobia of bugs?) Hey, Mikoto, think you could make sure he's not, ya know, poisoned or something from those bugs? * Mikoto semi-surreptitiously pulls his legs up just a liiiiiittle higher on Hazel's back. "Beetles aren't poisonous," he says shortly. "There's no need." Your sure? YES. * Tairan hands Jinx the waterskin, and a stick. "Wash yourself off, and use this stick to shoo the beetles off." [They're crawling over Jinx. Crawling! A few of them are inspecting the area, too.] * Tairan also stomps any bugs that get near Lightning, lest they spook the horse. * John glances back at Mikoto and shrugs. * Jinx hands Tairan the torch and then cleans himself off, stomping any that come back for a second crawling. [Tairan and Jinx play stomp-the-bug. They inspect Kojiro, though. And Millie, and Hazel + John + Mikoto.] * Tairan holds the torch! Away from the horse. He's not dumb. * Millie inspects the beetles too. She doesn't look like she wants to deal with bugs. * Mikoto twitches. Faintly. Though it probably rocks the proverbial boat, so John can likely tell. "Shoo." [They don't listen.] ... awfully brave for bugs. * Mikoto grits his teeth and puts out his arm. "Mira." * John keeps Hazel steady. "They're just bugs and not poisonous. Still..." John smashes one that was on his arm, and another that was climing up Hazel's side. "They are annoying." [Mirabel appears on his outstretched arm with a cry.] * Kojiro gives a beetle The Glare. [They ignore Kojiro, too. Stupid bugs.] * Mikoto waves his hand beetleward. "Sic 'em." * Tairan continues his efforts to keep the bugs from spookin' Lightning, via stomp. [Mira gives Mikoto a brief you-have-to-be-kidding look before she flaps, raising herself from his arm. And then she swoops down and tears beetles apart.] * Jinx then takes the torch back, grabs the Naginata, and walks forward again, uses the end of the pole to touch the ground ahead of him. * Millie picks off any bugs and tosses them aside. "Geh. Get back in that hole." [Eventually, they get the idea and scurry back into the hole, just as Millie ordered.] * Kojiro applauds Millie. "Well done." * Mikoto actually seems a little more at ease at that, and calls the falcon back. "I owe you one," he mutters, then dismisses her after a little nip at the beak. * Millie hmmphs and looks up a little haughtily. "Bugs oughta know their place." [And away she goes!] Okay. We've established that graves are unsanitary. *pauses* Could be useful, under some completely ridiculous set of circumstances. ( We can make the vampires dirty! XD ) [Jinx continues his exploration! Not much, not much... Sometimes the ground crumbles a bit before the might of the naginata, but he manages to avoid falling into graves again. Perception check, Jinx.] ( If we find obsessive-compulsive neat-freak vamps, we can lure them here, then stake them while they wash their capes! ) 2d6 * Dicesuke throws the bones for Jinx (2d6) and gets 11. (Defense check. Close quarters, unarmed.) (Rest of you, perception.) 2d6 * Dicesuke throws the bones for Jinx (2d6) and gets 12, a CRITICAL FAILURE!!! "If I go crazy, will you still call me Superman?" (dr2!) 2d6 * Dicesuke throws the bones for Jinx (2d6) and gets 3. 2d6 * Dicesuke throws the bones for John (2d6) and gets 6. 2d6-2 * Dicesuke throws the bones for Tairan (2d6-2) and gets 4. 2d6 * Dicesuke throws the bones for Millie (2d6) and gets 8. 2d6-2 * Dicesuke throws the bones for Mikoto (2d6-2) and gets 4. [Jinx narrowly evades as a vampire rises up and attacks! You can tell he's a vampire 'cause he has pointy teeth.] ( Everyone roll init ) d6+6 * Dicesuke throws the bones for Mikoto (d6+6) and gets 9. (Oh yes, and those of you who made it... you notice that. You're a bit aways. ;P) d6+7 * Dicesuke throws the bones for Millie (d6+7) and gets 8. d6+7 * Dicesuke throws the bones for John (d6+7) and gets 12. d6+7 * Dicesuke throws the bones for Jinx (d6+7) and gets 13. d6+7 * Dicesuke throws the bones for Tairan (d6+7) and gets 10. And there's our test subject... [Order is: Jinx, John, Kojiro, Tairan, Mikoto, Millie, annnnd the Vampire!] ( Closing in one round takes a successful body check -2 per level of speed, for the melee. ) * Jinx jumps back swinging his torch at the Vampire, moving to make sure he's not blocking line of sight from his teammates. "Got a vamp here!" [Anyhow, Jinx's turn!] 2d6 * Dicesuke throws the bones for Jinx (2d6) and gets 9. ( Ranged attacks are at a +1 due to low light (Jinx being right next to the vampire with a torch taken into consideration).) [Jinx doesn't strike the vampire with the torch, but he does cause it to move out of the way a bit.] [John's turn!] * John rides over and pulls out his whip, trying to trip the vampire with it. (Bah, I don't have any skill after the revamp, and never bothered to get it again. Oh well!) 2d6+2 * Dicesuke throws the bones for John (2d6+2) and gets 12. (Aaaaand, that's a miss.) (Whip it. Whip it good.) (But I look GOOD missing!) ( John, gimme a soul roll - riding ) [And meanwhile he misses either way, soooo... Kojiro's turn!] 2d6-4 * Dicesuke throws the bones for John (2d6-4) and gets 2. [Hazel shies away from the vamp, but John keeps her from making him go somewhere he'd probably regret.] (Oh, btw, this vamp look like it was an Injun in life?) * Mikoto reaches down absently and runs a hand over Hazel's side. Go, animal calming powers! For great horsing. * Kojiro charges quickly! He dashes seemingly pointlessly past the vampire and halts. A second later, the vampire turns to dust. (Nope.) (Not anymore, if it did. c.c) * Mikoto raises an eyebrow. "...that... is some impressive iaijutsu." * Mikoto looks genuinely impressed, for perhaps the first time EVER. * Millie lets out a deep breath and looks rather relieved. ... your reputation don't do you justice. DAMN. * Kojiro turns around slowly, swinging his sword once, sending ash into the ground. "If there was any doubt before, we can say for certain now that wood through the heart will destroy them." * Jinx lets out his breath. "Looks like my plan worked out well. Nice work Kojiro." * John whistles. "Impressively done." * Jinx nods and then goes back to poking at the ground and trying to read those markers. You had a plan? (Everyone who was within melee range of the vamp, perception checks.) * Jinx gestures towards Kojiro with his torch hand. "They're legends, he's a legeend. Simple enough really." 2d6 * Dicesuke throws the bones for Jinx (2d6) and gets 7. (Uh... John whipped it, right? So.) 2d6-2 * Dicesuke throws the bones for Mikoto (2d6-2) and gets 8. * Millie dismounts and just stares straight at Jinx from the distance. "...that's the stupidest thing I've ever heard." * Jinx shrugs. "It worked, didn't it." * Tairan is still with Lightning, not having had a chance to advance. 2d6 * Dicesuke throws the bones for John (2d6) and gets 3. Well... We do have somethin' else to explore. * Jinx keeps trying to read the markers, not waiting for a response from Millie. * Millie isn't responding. She also isn't going anywhere near that hole. She's looking around the surface just fine, thank you. Shine your tourch further in the grave, Jinx. * Jinx figures out about how close he can get to the grave safely via use of the Naginata, he then holds the torch out to cast light down into it. [Right there, in the grave, are clay and stone stairs going down. They look reasonably steady.] * Mikoto peers over John's shoulder. Adorable! "A crypt." (*takes notes for slash*) (<.<) * Kojiro comes over. "A what?" A place where they put dead people. * Jinx looks somewhat surprised. "Subtle. Well, let me see if these markers tell us anything then I guess we'll get headed down." * Tairan looks around. Is there a tree or somethin' to tie the horses to? * Jinx does a quick review for any particular warnings of haunted ground or ancient curses or the like. Or just anything of note in the markings. * Mikoto slips off Hazel. "I've never had a chance or reason to actually explore one. They're fascinating concepts." (Tairan: Nope!) What do we do with the horses? No trees to tie 'em too. * John hops off Hazel. "Up to you guys. We could come back in the mornin'." * Mikoto frowns. "We might not get a chance in the morning, but the horses are in danger up here." If this is where the vampires originate from, then it follows that the horses would be safe as long as we allow now vampires to escape. * Millie looks around. She doesn't suggest that she can look after them, because that'd be cowardly. * Jinx hmms as he looks over the burial ground. "This place has been around a long time, guess the vampires moved in recently or some dumbass grave robber woke something that wasn't met to be disturbed. For the record, I've never been here before in my life." But...we don't know if this is the *only* place that vampires originate from.." * Mikoto nods. "Exactly, Millie." Do vampires even eat horses? But..it's one of the places at least. They've only got one place ta come out, raight? * Millie speaks a little hesitantly. * Mikoto hmms and looks at the crypt. "Well, I'd rather not lose my horse to the undead, but I think it's now or never. We might as well take the chance." I do not believe they would eat the horses. However, to say they would ignore them is another matter. * Jinx puts his naginata on his back and gets out a stake, keeping a torch in his other hand. "I say leave 'em, we sure as hell shouldn't split up." He then jumps down into the grave. Um...well, what I was thinking was... Dammit. Nevermind. [Jinx goes in! And hopefully he walks down the stairs, because jumping could be painful.] * Kojiro shrugs. He doesn't have a horse so it all works for him. * John nods and gets off. * Tairan rubs Lightning's mane. "We're gotta go take care of this. Stay here, 'kay? You'll get extra oats for this..." [Lightning snorts. Too bad you can't speak horse.] * Jinx shines his torch down as he descends. "Thanks Tairan." He then keeps walking down the stairs. "Somebody be sure to watch our back." * Tairan scritches the horse between the ears, then heads carefully for the stairs. "I'll either take point or rear. Whichever." * John talks to his horse. "See ya later Hazel." He looks to the rest. "Let's get going." * Mikoto gives all the horses a reassuring smile, and Nami a pat on the nose, before following. Mikoto, friend of children! [Jinx sees a tunnel that stretches forward. The walls are rock and clay, and the ground stone.] * Kojiro heads in after the rest of you. * Millie looks like she isn't going to go for a moment, then notices she's rapidly going to be the only one outside, so she follows in the rear. * John heads down with the rest. [It's a pretty narrow hallway. Two or three of you could walk side by side, but as far as swinging a sword, there's only enough reasonable room for one. Perception check me.] * Tairan takes point with Jinx, then, since Kojiro has the rear. "Stay close to Kojiro, Millie." I'd recommend anyone with a hand free lights up a torch. The one I faced seemed cautious of it. Not terrified or anything, but they might be vulnerable. That and good to have some extra light. 2d6 * Dicesuke throws the bones for Jinx (2d6) and gets 4. 2d6-2 * Dicesuke throws the bones for Tairan (2d6-2) and gets 1. 2d6-2 * Dicesuke throws the bones for Mikoto (2d6-2) and gets 0, a CRITICAL SUCCESS!!! "Fight! For everlasting love and peace!" 2d6 * Dicesuke throws the bones for John (2d6) and gets 12, a CRITICAL FAILURE!!! "I can recommend some good Dice Cleanser, if you like." (I SEE DEAD PEOPLE!) 2d6 * Dicesuke throws the bones for Millie (2d6) and gets 4. * Tairan draws his sword and his pistol. "Time to see what works against these things..." (I DON'T SEE DEAD PEOPLE!) (Good lord.) ( Mikoto sees the light! John sees the darkness! ) (All of us are observant save John, who trips over his own shadow. But looks good doing it) (Oh yeah.) [While going down the stairs, John manages to miss one and trip, falling onto Mikoto, who - despite being absorbed in looking ahead, notices and reacts as he'd like.] * Mikoto blinks at the passage ahead, and turns his head to stare forward shortly before turning and seeing John. Sadly, it's too late to do more than twist a little bit out of the way, so he basically ends up catching him bearhug- style, with a muttered 'oof'. "...hello there. Everyone stop walking." * Tairan stops. * Kojiro halts. * Jinx stops walking. * Millie stops and takes a deep breath, fiddling with her rifle. * John falls, but regains his footing. He looks good doing it, too. Which is impressive in and of itself. [You see the tunnel stretch ahead! It branches right, left, and keeps going forward.] Uh, hi Mikoto. * John brushes himself after distancing himself from Mikoto. Damn slash writing itself. * Mikoto ahems and brushes off the front of his cossack, then says quietly, "There's something moving to the right in that corridor down there, but I can't tell what it is." * Tairan whispers back. "Well, I doubt it's Crazy Feathers, so..." * Jinx holds out his torch a bit and gets out of Kojiro's way. Plan worked once, try it again. * Tairan sideglances at Jinx. * Millie cracks open her rifle and takes out the bullet, replacing it with the pale green one. Her hands are shaking, poor girl. * Kojiro doesn't move. He's halted! * John places the white bullet in his medium pistol, but rotates the drum so it would be the last to fire. * Jinx is content to stay in point, ready to swing his torch at anything that rushes him. He whispers, "So, whenever everybody's ready." * Tairan shakes his head with a slight grin, and starts forward slowly towards that right passage, motioning for the others to follow. * Kojiro follows! * Jinx goes ahead too, making sure that Kojiro will have charging room. He does keep in front with Tairan though. * John nods. * John follows! Do you like his teeth? They're made of... badass. (They so aren't) (Then what ARE they made of?) (Enamel.) * Mikoto brings up the rear because he's good at it. (We're eaten by Alucard, the end.) * Tairan stops at the corner, motioning for everyone else to stop, and peeks around. * Millie follows near the rear. Good place for a rifle woman, right? * Jinx stops and keeps his torch out, figuring as luck would have it he'll probably be the first target. * Mikoto gooses Millie, then does a Daffy Duck laugh and pingpongs his way out of the crypt. * Mikoto actually just waits for more news from the front. 2d6-5 * Dicesuke throws the bones for Tairan (2d6-5) and gets 5. [Tairan peeks around the corner, only to move his head back quickly as a bullet takes a good chunk out of the corner with a *PTANG!* sound.] ( Roll init! ) *whispers* ... vamps with guns? The hell? d6+7 * Dicesuke throws the bones for Millie (d6+7) and gets 11. d6+7 * Dicesuke throws the bones for John (d6+7) and gets 9. d6+7 * Dicesuke throws the bones for Tairan (d6+7) and gets 13. d6+7 * Dicesuke throws the bones for Jinx (d6+7) and gets 8. d6+6 * Dicesuke throws the bones for Mikoto (d6+6) and gets 8. [Order: Tairan, Millie, Kojiro, Vamp1, John, Vamp2, Jinx, Mikoto, Vamp3] [And yes, a bunch of vampires come charging around the corner. There's three; one has a bolt-action rifle.] [Tairan's turn!] * Tairan scowls, and slashes at one of the vamps without guns, then hops back, firing his pistol to cover himself as he gives himself space to defend. ( Still the +1 to ranged? ) ( +2 until Jinx closes. ) 2d6-2 * Dicesuke throws the bones for Tairan (2d6-2) and gets 3. 2d6-1 * Dicesuke throws the bones for Tairan (2d6-1) and gets 11, a CRITICAL FAILURE!!! "You always hurt the ones you love. I love you very much." * Jinx looks fairly surprised by the shot. "Damn, I hate undead smart enough to reload." [Tairan slashes a vampire good, but his bullet is wasted on the wall.] * Tairan curses. [Millie's turn!] * Millie 's eyes widen at the sight of the vampires. She takes a few slow steps back and tries to raise her rifle up to the vampires, but can't keep the barrel steady enough for the shot. She grits her teeth as she's probably backing herself up against a wall. [Kojiro's turn!] * Kojiro approaches the other unarmed vampire. His hand is a blur as he strikes. It doesn't looks like he actually did anything to the vampire, but then there's a rush of wind, and the vampire is slit in half; it evaporates even as it falls. ... that works too. [Meanwhile, the first vampire tries to grab Tairan, but Tairan gets out of the way easily.] [John's turn!] (Oh, I see how it goes.) (Must write slash for DP.) * John strafes to the right, drawing both pistols in a blur and trying to blast the last vamp with a pair of normal bullets. 2 2d6-4 * Dicesuke throws the bones for John (2 2d6-4) and gets 4 3. ( It's a corridor, keep in mind. There's not *too* much strafing room. ) (Both hit. I know. I'm strafing around the corner. I'm aiming for vamp 3. ^^;) [John hits with both bullets! But the vampire barely seems to notice it.] [The vampire takes the opportunity to reload its rifle.] [Jinx's turn!] * Jinx rushes at the vampire with the gun swinging his torchs, he makes a point to not get in Kojiro's way, even if it makes it harder to attack. 2d6 * Dicesuke throws the bones for Jinx (2d6) and gets 7. [The vampire staggers, clutching at its face as Jinx sets it alight!] [Mikoto's turn!] * Jinx smirks while calling out. "Don't forget to watch our backs!" * Mikoto does so, by full defending and glancing behind him now and then! "I wish I knew some fire spells." [Nothing comes from behind. Tairan's turn!] * Tairan scowls, stows his gun, grips his katana with two hands, and swings for the vampire's neck. (Called shot) 2d6-3 * Dicesuke throws the bones for Tairan (2d6-3) and gets 2. [The vampire loses its head, and turns to ash a second later.] [Millie's turn!] * Millie keeps backing up until she reaches the wall. Once she does, she lets out a little yelp before raising her rifle quickly up to her eye. It's still shaking too much to take the shot. She doesn't look comfortable down here at all. [Kojiro's turn!] * Kojiro walks up to the burning vampire and jabs his sword in its chest. It turns to dust. * John victory poses and looks badass. Well, only the second really. Oh yeah. * Mikoto breathes out. Safe! * Millie watches the vampire get dispatched and lets out the breath she's been holding, slumping to her knees as she slides down the wall, her rifle set (unintentionally) on the ground in front of her. She huffs. * Jinx kicks a few off the ashes, checking for surviving guns or anything else of value. ... and that's a third way to kill 'em. Suddenly, I'm not so scared. I don't think so. I tried that last night. My sword would not go through their necks. * Tairan holds out his sword in the palms of his hands so Kojiro can see it. "The Hoshimoto family sword is no ordinary sword, Kojiro." * Kojiro raises an eyebrow. "Perhaps that is why." ( Description of said sword, for any who don't remember... "Beautifully crafted. Hilt coated with orange-brown amber, inlaid with onyx. Blade is long and sharp, with Shomuran writing on both sides. One side says "The Wrath of the Earth is Swift."; the other says "All Shall Return to the Earth." " ) That being said... you're damn good. * Kojiro inspects it. "I see... a remarkable weapon you have." * Mikoto glances down the corridor. "Swords aside, it's best not to tarry." * Jinx nods and presuming he doesn't find anything heads forward once again. * Kojiro nods to Mikoto. "He's right. The tunnel branches here; do we split up here, or would you rather stay in one group?" * Millie looks down at the ground first. "Ra-" she raises her head slowly, forehead drenched in sweat. "Raight.." Thank you. It bears a name that, hopefully, no longer shames such a fine blade. I think we should stick together. Together. * Mikoto nods. "We don't have the best track record with splitting up." And you're right. *eyes John* Both of you. * Tairan gets moving, then. [All of a sudden, John splits into two! Tairan's BLINDED BY THE TING! ... Just kidding.] * Kojiro nods and follows Tairan. [Session End!]