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Post by Admin on Dec 21, 2020 16:41:07 GMT
Like the severing of a taught rope, the spell is broken. Xu is left alone, standing in the rain.
He can see no sign of the others using his Chi sight, but they would have known where he was, and only a few roads lead from the castle down to the lower city.
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Post by XuLiang on Dec 28, 2020 1:38:43 GMT
“Oh, that went well.”
“Thanks.” Xu Liang answered dryly.
“What now oh soggy sage?”
“We head down to the lower city. I’m sure they can find us or we can find them without me having to be puppeteered all the way.”
So saying he starts walking down the street he is on towards low town. When there he starts looking for familiar signs (more upscale) or gang tags (more lawless areas) from home. He will also watch to see who is watching him.
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Post by Admin on Dec 29, 2020 6:57:43 GMT
A cold breeze blows through Xu's sodden clothing as he walks through the streets, causing a short shuddering fit. The evening crowds on the street melt away into buildings leaving him and his lion alone on the streets. A feeling of unease settles into his bones, the type of feeling he recognizes as the effect of a spell in the area scaring off the crowds and haunting him.
Three hooded assassins glide down from the rooftops and land a dozen meters behind him. Three small, almost child-like people step out from the shadows ahead. All three were brown robes with blue sigils stitched all over the cloth. They each hold out half an oyster shell, which glow with eldritch energy.
"You trespass too far, Han Xu Liang of Zhong Guo. The Blue Manticore can not allow this affront to go unpunished."
The assassins step forward with long knives drawn.
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Post by XuLiang on Dec 30, 2020 15:29:08 GMT
“First they call to me, then they want to punish me. Reminds me of mother.”
“Oh no.”
Xu Liang spins like a troubadour with his cloak coming off in his hands and then billowing out, “Chéngzhang hé jiūchán” (OOC - Grow and entangle) The cloak seems to expand and grow to the size of a sail and flies at the three small figures. (OOC - the cloak is physically aimed at the figures, so even if it doesn’t grow it should still block LOS and hopefully hit at least one of them.)
Continuing his spin he sprints at the hooded assassins while drawing his climbing claws. At the last second he shouts, “Fēiyuè!” (OOC - Leap) and jumps up at the wall to the side of the assassin on the left. He continues parkour running on the wall while extending the claws towards the hood extending the left to block the knife and the right to take a swipe at the neck.
Kai spins and follows Xu Liang. If Xu Liang is successful with his strike then he will attack the middle assassin. If Xu Liang is not successful he will follow up Xu Liang’s attack with his own. (OOC - They are attempting to put the assassins between them and the sorcerers and break out of the kill zone of the trap. Whether they stay and fight or flee with their current momentum depends on the results of the cloak and mele attacks.)
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Post by Admin on Dec 31, 2020 8:40:39 GMT
Xu hears swearing from the sorcerers after he throws his cloak but is unable to see what has happened to them as his attention is on the assassins.
The first one falls as Xu's claws slice through his neck. Kai's invisibility surprises the second and he falls under the lion's claws. The third slices into Kai's flank with his knives.
A blast of blue fire of unknown origin tears apart the wall under Xu's feet and he falls to the street amid rubble and smoke.
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Post by XuLiang on Jan 19, 2021 13:20:21 GMT
(OOC - Apologies for the delay. I’ve been struggling to get everything ready for the new terms.)
While it was unexpected that the wall would crumble under his feet, falling was second nature to someone with his experience in martial arts. Rolling across the rubble hurts but does not stop him as he tucks, hits on one shoulder, rolls on his back and then to his feet. If he lived, his back would be a patchwork of bruises in the morning. Momentum carries him a few steps farther before he can turn and see that Kai is hurt, but turning to engage the other man.
His hands begin weaving through a complex mora that is focusing his personal Chi into a web of probes. He then slams his palms to the ground by squatting on his haunches, merging his Chi with the more powerful local Chi running down the street from the castle and under the feet of their assailants. “Run!” Then he presses with his legs lifting and unleashing the spell. His Chi and the local Chi lift the mortar and bricks of the road under the man with the knives and flings them at the sorcerers, hopefully unbalancing the assassin and hitting the sorcerers.
Kai uses the distraction to break off and run past Xu Liang down the street, looking for a side street to turn into.
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Post by Admin on Jan 22, 2021 7:08:32 GMT
[OOC: No worries. I've been so busy that I haven't been able to post often either.]
As Xu comes to his feet he notices the myriad cuts on his hands from shards of exploding stone. The uncontrollable urge to blink tells him blood from scalp wounds are bleeding into his eyes.
As he casts the spell the world spins around him and he feels a wave of vertigo pass through his body. When he regains his senses he sees the two assassins getting to their feet and staggering towards him, both cut from the shards of stone, the one also mauled by Kai trailing behind the other. Fog and smoke obscure the sorcerers but a sapphire glow is seen from their position.
Kai limps past Xu favouring one of his front legs.
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Post by XuLiang on Jan 24, 2021 2:38:47 GMT
He follows Kai. They run (or more likely limp and stagger!) to the next street and turn preferring up the hill. (OOC - I’m assuming that the bad guys are down from us.) “This is like hell week in the Tong.” Xu Liang pants.
“Remind me never to apply for membership then.” Quips Kai.
As soon as he turns the corner he looks for another turn to break contact with the following assassins again, preferring to head up the hill under the assumption that there will be more guard patrols the closer to the castle he gets and his pursuers will be less enthusiastic in their pursuit.
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Post by Admin on Jan 26, 2021 4:54:40 GMT
Moments after setting off they hear the sound of the city guards whistles as they raise the alarm. Amid the fog and smoke they do not see the police and the police don't see them. The locals continue to avoid the streets.
Climbing back up the streets toward the castle Xu finds himself in an unrecognized part of the city. Could he have really wandered off the known route or is someone altering his perceptions? Is he still in Amber or has he been transported to another place?
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Post by XuLiang on Jan 29, 2021 2:28:40 GMT
(OOC - So was the effect of the spell what he expected or was it more violent than expected?)
When he finds himself in an unrecognized part of the city, Xu Liang slows down and finds a stoop or curb to sit down on. He then sits heavily and waves Kai over.
“Well that was a wonderful bit of entertainment. What do you plan to do for an encore? Or can we finally get back to our nice warm and dry room?”
Xu Liang will look at the nasty cut down Kai’s flank to assess the seriousness of it and treat it as best he can. He then will check on the injured front leg. After this he will take out a handkerchief from inside a pouch at his side and attempt to staunch the worst of the bleeding on his scalp.
While doing this he says, “I think we have done enough for the evening. But I’m not sure it will be safe to head back to the Gilded Topmast tonight.”
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Post by Admin on Jan 31, 2021 7:43:51 GMT
[OOC: Less effective than Xu had hoped; the blast must have reduced his chi, or being in Amber is affecting his magic.]
There may not be enough time for first aid. From both ahead and behind, there are the sounds of the city guard's whistles, running footsteps, and horses' hooves clattering on cobblestones and the squeaking of wagon axels.
From the direction they came from, they can now see shadowy figures walking in the mist. One carries a lantern, which cuts through the fog enough to prevent Xu and Kai from getting a good look at them.
Kai is injured enough that he (she? it?) should not be fighting again this night.
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Post by XuLiang on Feb 10, 2021 5:17:04 GMT
“Come. We have to keep moving.” Xu Liang gets up and starts walking as swiftly as he and Kai can up the street (and hill if possible). He will keep zig zagging at corners to attempt to break contact with the pursuers while working his way up the mountain towards the Church of the Unicorn.
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Post by Admin on Feb 16, 2021 4:47:10 GMT
The fog blanketing the city remains even as Xu and Kai gain elevation. Even in the limited sight of the buildings they pass all seems strange and unremembered from his trip up the mountain earlier in the day. Xu can not even be sure that he is heading towards the Church as the road doubles back and steep climbs often result in the road cresting the dipping down to lower elevations.
Exhausted and still bleeding, they come to a section of the street with no branches or alleys; behind the city guard continue to hunt through the fog, ahead are two sapphire glows from the wizards.
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Post by XuLiang on Feb 18, 2021 11:59:39 GMT
Xu Liang looks at his flagging companion and notes he is not in top condition either. “Time for a new plan.” He indicates a small space next to a rubbish bin. (OOC West side) “Crouch down here in a position to spring, but keep still. With those bright lights their night vision should be useless. With your darkened coloration they shouldn’t notice you here unless you move. I will strike from the other direction, I will attempt to take them both but if I fail you may have to surprise them.”
Xu Liang then crosses the street to the lowest of the opposite buildings and uses his climbing claws to ascend to the rooftop. He then silently crouches and gives his weary arms a rest and moves a bit farther down the road. (OOC - North East, he is staying low so he doesn’t silhouette himself against the skyline. Thus setting up to drop behind the sorcerers when they approach where Kai is crouching.) As he waits he slows his breathing and concentrates on focusing on the task ahead instead of the aches and pains in his back.
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Post by Admin on Feb 22, 2021 4:27:08 GMT
#s://i~ibb~co/y5xPz2R/bluemanticore~png The climb feels longer than it actually is, with Xu leaving a trail of blood smears up the wall. Hoisting himself over the cornice, he finds himself alone on the rooftop. The two sapphire glows seen in the fog below. He sees two small blue lights on the rooftop across the street as if eyes have filled with magical energies. They look across and down. A larger glow similar to the sorcerers below also moves across the opposite rooftop. |
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