"Oh, vicious!" Mr. Big says, downing a gulp of his drink. "Whatdya do, eat your enemies?"
-
The men enter their fighting stance- their katanas pointed towards you in one hand and their free arms held up as if to brace themselves against your attacks. They have cut off your exits.
---
Stairwell, betw. 4th & 5th Floors
Rianna: 10(4)/0/1
Shepherd Leader: ?/0/1
Shepherd A: 0/2
Shepherd B: 0/2
Shepherd C: 0/2
Shepherd D: 0/2
---
"Your move, miss," the leader says.
"More company," Trax says, indicating ten gray-robed and masked men who come through the door. They look about the salloon before spotting you.
"Oh, them's the Shepherds!" Mr. Big shouts. "'Ey, Shepherds!"
Everyone cheers as they turn to see their heroes. They wave briefly, but do not take their eyes off of Xavier and Dak.
-
Rianna turns about and brings her lightsaber twirling towards Shepherd A. To your surprise, he seems to turn into the blow... and then you know why. He raises his free arm and when it seems like your lightsaber is going to tear it off, it crashes into the small, low-power energy shield that emits from an arm brace. The shield raises his active defense to 15, and you rolled a 3. Miss!
Then their leader attacks! As he is on a different frame than his partners, Defend does not function against him. He makes a simple jab at your flank, rolling a 12 and dealing 4 damage as you twirl away from him.
When you withdraw your blade and twirl about to strike at Shepherd A again, you roll a 1 and he uses the shield to actively smash your weapon aside when it reaches him.
The Shepherds attack (minus Shepherd A, who lost his opportunity defending himself)! Rather than intercepting their swords as you would in a lightsaber duel, you find yourself trying to dance around their attacks as they come. You are mostly successful but for Shepherd C managing to leave a tear in your clothing at the hip when you do not pull away quick enough, for 7 damage.
---
Stairwell, betw. 4th & 5th Floors
Rianna: 9(4)/11/4
Shepherd Leader: ?/0/4
Shepherd A: 0/4
Shepherd B: 0/5
Shepherd C: 0/5
Shepherd D: 0/5
---
Rianna to act.
"Xavier, I think we should leave," Trax says.
When you hail the Shepherds, Dak, they respond by pulling throwing knives from their robes.
-
The dice favor you a little more this time, Rianna. 13 and 20! Whirling about with your purple lightsaber, you manage to work your way past Shepherd A's defensive shield and stab him through the heart (since both attacks do 28 damage). He falls backwards down the stairs.
The leader swipes at you again as he moves down the stairs, putting him even with you on the steps and giving the other Shepherds more space to attack you. It does not seem to do them much good as you evade their attacks with Defend. But you take 3 damage from the leader's simple swipe.
---
Stairwell, betw. 4th & 5th Floors
Rianna: 6(4)/14/8
Shepherd Leader: ?/0/7
Shepherd B: 0/8
Shepherd C: 0/8
Shepherd D: 0/8
---
The leader is going to snap a Quick Attack at you.
They do not seem as if they wish to talk, Dak. They poise themselves to fling their knives at the bar...
-
The snapped Quick Attack takes a single frame as the leader performs another swipe for your torso. This one comes lightning quick and you narrowly prevent it from impaling you by moving into your attack against Shepherd B, taking 8 damage as it scrapes your shoulder.
Again you slip past the energy shield that the Shepherds defend themselves with, slashing Shepherd B deeply through the chest. It finishes him and he too tumbles down the stairs.
The leader launches another snapped Quick Attack, but this time he misses when you Defend. 4 damage from Shepherd D, though, as he leaves a light cut on your forearm.
---
Stairwell, betw. 4th & 5th Floors
Rianna: 3(4)/26/9
Shepherd Leader: ?/0/9
Shepherd C: 0/11
Shepherd D: 0/11
---
Initiative to Rianna.
I will hold off on making Dak's action just yet, so I can see what Xavier does. As there are no real rules for throwing knives, I will improvise and say that it is your Combat skill with a -2 to hit. Which still leaves Dak pretty well off (not to mention he could fix it up if he likes with Strike of the Master).
Rianna grinds her lightsaber against Shepherd C's shield, then slides it off the shield and burns his arm something fierce for 28 damage. She actively dodges the leader, which keeps her clear of his third snapped Quick Attack, then flips backwards down the steps out of reach of C and D.
---
Salloon, 1st Floor
Dak: 10/0/1
Xavier: 10/0/1
Trax: 0/3
Shepherds x10: 0/2
Stairwell, 4th Floor
Rianna: 10(4)/26/12
Shepherd Leader: ?/0/10
Shepherd C: 28/15
Shepherd D: 0/14
---
Just want to hear what Xavier wants to do before moving on the salloon fight, and Rianna is acting after the leader but before the other Shepherds.