Runequest solo - part IX, Ambush!

scene 28

chaos 6

Setup: ambush the assassin

Characters:
1. (the murderer or murderers)
2. Ay-Meddush, the merchant
3. Huollof, the caravan leader
4. chieftain Ulevaard and the barbarian delegation
5. prefect (PC's enemy)
6. Maruthus, the nosey neighbour
7. Izzeri-zatah, the high priestess of Ziburrun, the knowledge god
8. Alkinu, the suitor
9. Enzzal, Lachaidiga's eldest brother
10. the mason - a witness
11. Nillath, priestess of the Sun

Threads:
1. solve murder
2. stop wedding

[Prolegomena: Twenty-eight scenes have gone by, but at last it's time for a combat encounter. I don't count the spell reflection debacle of scene 18; despite being measured in rounds, none of the combat rules actually ended up getting used. As is my wont, I will first  write out just the narrative of the fight, and at the end of the post I will provide the entire roll-by-roll account for those who are interested in Runequest 6 combat (after the jump cut).

Also, the outcome of this scene suggested one of the pictures in my PC file, so I used it. To make it fit better, I had to make very minor additions to this scene (the lamp) and the scenes preceding it (the headdress). I changed nothing that had any bearing on the encounter (Lachaidiga could have used her Darksense spell), but I want the picture to match; torches are not the easiest thing to photoshop in, and I hate it when pictures don't reflect things as they happen in the book! Luckily I've always got many more scenes played than written up.]

Lachaidiga and Udzar-sippuk arrive at one of the many public colonnades. The merchants have all packed up their stalls long before, leaving only the occasional odds and ends behind. Lachaidga espies a discarded oil lamp amongst the detritus, and lights it with her companion's torch.

"This is the place," she announces to Udzar-sippuk. "My... my beau said he'd meet me here, in the back by the statue of that strange god. Thank you for understanding, and for not telling my brother."

"Well, I... yes, I understand your feelings for this young gentleman. But I urge you yet again to break it off before you damage the good name of your family, my lady. You've your impending nuptials to consider. As a priest, I certainly cannot condone adultery!"

"O! how weak I have been. You are of course right. I promise, this shall be the last night I spend in wickedness. But do go now, lest you frighten him off."

"May Anzakàr lead you back to righteousness!" And so saying, Udzar-sippuk strides hastily back out into the street. He looks about for the cloaked figure, and seeing him not, takes up a position behind one of large columns. [Udzar-sippuk's Stealth (26%) v. its Perception (46%): U 33, it 76; both fail. He isn't detected, but he would be automatically if it looked for him.]

Lachaidiga puts the lamp on a ledge and sits down by the colossal stone sphinx. She pretends to be bored and anxious, waiting for her tryst. After a minute of absolute silence passes by, she becomes actually bored and anxious, and begins singing to herself [Sing 31%: 42, failure], a bit out-of-tune, to pass the time.

[Her Perception vs. its Stealth: 08, success v. 83, failure.
Q: Does it attack now? Likely: 03, Exceptional Yes.]

She soon becomes aware of a form creeping slowly towards her in the darkness ahead. She stands up from her perch, and draws her short sword out from under her cloak. Not wishing to be tripped up by the heavy fabric, she lets the cloak slide from her shoulders to the ground. A similar sound answers her movement in the darkness ahead, and then the terrible form of her pursuer steps naked into the lamp light.

It is a man, or what once was a man, a livid and gruesome corpse-thing with hideous bony claws protruding from the dessicated flesh of its fingers, and a lipless rictus grin around its gore-stained mouth. Uneven bandages, soaked in some sort of sickly-sweet perfume, are wrapped round the thing to disguise the scent of decay. Its empty eye sockets glower at the young sorceress, who raises a trembling sword-arm. The ghoul pads ever closer, claws outstretched.

[round 1]
Lachaidiga thinks back to her training with the militia. Waiting until the horrid walking corpse is nearly upon her, she lunges out with her shortsword, shrieking out an incoherent battle-cry. It seems surprised by her action, and assumes an almost defencive posture, trying to swat the sword away with its talons. It succeeds only in pushing the blade downward, away from its middle but straight into its calf. It barely reacts, feeling no pain in its corpse-limbs, but as Lachaidiga withdraws the blade she twists it, and the motion is enough to unbalance the creature. It falls at her feet.

The ghoul grabs at Lachaidiga, trying to catch her dress and pull her down to the ground as well. She fends it off with her sword, looking for an opening, but her every small advance is met with a furious swipe of its terrible claws.

[round 2]
Lachaidiga doesn't want the ghoul to catch her feet, but as she hangs back her sword strokes come far short of their target. The ghoul takes the opportunity to scurry backwards and rise again to its feet.

It wastes no time, but lunges for her immediately. The sight of its gory claws fills her vision, and time seems to slow as they come straight at her eyes. Then some long-buried warrior instinct takes over and she twists out of the way as it lurches past, pawing wildly at the empty air.

Her attempt at a riposte is sadly lacking in finesse. The ghoul nearly swats the sword from her hand as she swings clumsily.

[round 3]
Udzar-sippuk arrives at a dead run. He tries to smash the ghoul with his torch, but to no avail.

Lachaidiga and the ghoul begin circling one another, each hoping the other will leave themselves open. Udzar-sippuk moves to follow, but the ghoul seems hardly to notice him, concentrating all its unholy anger on its quarry. Lachaidiga whispers a short prayer to her household gods to keep her from harm.

The ghoul hesitates for a moment, perhaps expecting the sorceress to have produced a more fearsome spell. Udzar-sippuk seizes the chance. He rushes forward and strikes the fiend right across its face with the flaming torch. It recoils, hissing with rage.

[round 4]
Udzar-sippuk follows through from his mighty swing, but the torch just barely grazes the thing's knee.

Lachaidiga swings fiercely at the creature. It raises an arm to ward off the blow. A long strip of flesh is sliced cleanly off to hang limply from the bone, but the thing registers no pain.

Her sword out of the way, the ghoul steps in and grabs at her with its other hand. The claws sink deep into her flesh and grip her tightly by the collarbone. She cries out in pain and surprise, but keeps her wits about her. Gritting her teeth, she pulls back and away from the beast, wincing as the claws are ripped free. Blood gushes out over her lovely gown, and she cannot help but think that whatever magician is controlling this hideous assassin will pay dearly for the affront to her wardrobe.

[round 5]
Udzar-sippuk uses the flaming torch to force the creature back from his friend. It snarls as the flames singe its scraggly hair. It seems to only notice the attacks that hit its head, as if some vestige of human awareness yet resides within.

The three circle warily, again looking for an opening.

[round 6]
Udzar-sippuk is out of breath, and beginning to tire. His attacks show ever decreasing force, but Lachaidiga feels a rush of pain and excitement. She lashes out once more, her blade biting deep into the fiend's bony neck. As she wrenches the blade free, the ghoul grabs at her again, this time catching her side and digging its claws in deep into her flesh as is takes hold of the fabric of her gown. The ghoul tries to pull her closer, and its fangs snap just a hair's breadth from her cheek. She struggles to loosen its grip but it has her fast.

[round 7]
The ghoul keeps snapping at the sorceress who is beginning to flag despite her terror and excitement. The ghoul continues to tug at her clothing, pulling her ever closer to its filthy, snapping maw. With a final effort born of desperation, she lets it pull her towards itself, and as the horrible head descends to bite at her white arm, she thrusts her sword with the other. The blade smashes through its jaw and nearly sunders head from spine. The creature goes limp at once, and falls forward into the sorceress. She withdraws her sword, then pushes it away from her. It falls back and crashes to the ground, a lifeless mass of withered and stinking carrion.

Udzar-sippuk lets the sputtering torch fall from his weak fingers. He steadies himself against a column whilst Lachaidiga nearly collapses against the great statue.

"And to believe..." she gasps, "that I used to... complain about... having to go out for the militia...training."

Her companion's only response is a weak smile. The pair sit for some time in the darkness, slowly recovering their breath. At length, Udzar-sippuk rises, and takes the oil lamp closer to examine the terrible form on the ground.

"What is this thing?" asks the priest. "Who could control such a fell creature?"

"Let's find out!" says the sorceress.

once more, with die rolls...



The Ghoul

STR: 14
CON: 15
SIZ: 12
DEX: 12
INS: 15*
POW: 6
CHA: 0
Action Points 3
Damage Modifier +1d2
Strike Rank 13
1D20  Location  AP/HP
01-03 Right leg  1/6
04-06 Left leg   1/6
07-09 Abdomen    1/7
10-12 Chest      1/8
13-15 Right Arm  1/5
16-18 Left Arm   1/5
19-20 Head       1/6

Skills: Athletics 51%, Brawn 51%, Endurance 55%, Evade 49%, Perception 46%, Unarmed 51%, Willpower 37%
Combat Styles: 51% - claw 1d4+DB, bite 1d3+DB
Abilities: Undead, Death Sense, Regeneration (1pt/week).
Immune to the effects of serious wounds.
Major wounds do not incapacitate (except major wound to Head, which destroys it)
If a ghoul’s bite penetrates armour the victim must make an unopposed Endurance roll to resist infection.
* Ghouls aren't fully sentient, and so possess Instinct instead of Intelligence


The combat

Initiative is rolled as Strike Rank +1d10; it is static for the whole fight unless something happens to change it.

Both Lachaidiga and the ghoul have SR13. She rolls a 2, it rolls a 1; Lachaidiga wins the initiative. For the sake of argument, the first round starts when the ghoul has closed and Lachaidiga gets to make her first attack.

[round 1]
Lachaidiga thinks back to her training with the militia. Waiting until the horrid walking corpse is nearly upon her, she lunges out with her shortsword, shrieking out an incoherent battle-cry. It seems surprised by her action, and assumes an almost defencive posture, trying to swat the sword away with its talons. It succeeds only in pushing the blade downward, away from its middle but straight into its calf. It barely reacts, feeling no pain in its corpse-limbs, but as Lachaidiga withdraws the blade she twists it, and the motion is enough to unbalance the creature. It falls at her feet.

[Lachaidiga attacks as the ghoul parries with a claw (in order to avoid giving her an automatic special effect with a success). Each spend 1 action point. Lachaidiga rolls her combat skill (29%) and gets 19: success. The ghoul rolls a 67, failing. normal success vs. normal failure mean Lachaidiga gets the special effect anyways. She chooses Trip, which requires the ghoul to roll its Brawn (51%) vs. Lachaidiga's attck roll (19). It rolls 59, failing, which means it falls prone. The shortsword deals (1d6=) 5 points of damage, reduced by 1 for the ghoul's armour (hard, dessicated skin) means it takes 4 points to the (1d20=5) left leg, leaving it with 2hp in that location. This is only a minor wound, so there are no other effects.]

The ghoul grabs at Lachaidiga, trying to catch her dress and pull her down to the ground as well. She fends it off with her sword...

[Now the ghoul gets an action. It opts to attack, and Lachaidiga attempts to parry; each spend a second Action Point. Attacking from prone increases the difficulty to Formidable (1/2 skill), so the Ghoul only has an effective skill of 26%. It rolls 89 vs. Lachaidiga's 44: both failures, resulting in a clean miss.]

...looking for an opening, but her every small advance is met with a furious swipe of its terrible claws.

[Lachiadiga's turn again, so she attacks. I decided to roll a die to see what the ghoul would do (1-2 defend, 3-6 attack), and it decided to parry again. Both spend their third (last) AP for the round. The rolls are 82 v. 90, so two failures again result in a clean miss.]

[round 2]
[Since he's a little way off and out of sight, Udzar-sippuk needs to make a easy (skill x 1.5, so 69%) Perception roll to hear the fight: 42, success. He will arrive at the top of the next round for simplicity's sake.

As it's a new round, everyone gets their full complement of (3) Action Points back, and the first action goes back to Lachaidiga.]

Lachaidiga doesn't want the ghoul to catch her feet, but as she hangs back her sword strokes come far short of their target. The ghoul takes the opportunity to scurry backwards and rise again to its feet.

[She swings her sword at the ghoul again, who elects to defend. Each spends an AP. Lachaidiga rolls a 59 (failure) vs. the ghoul's 13 (success); the ghoul earns a special effect for this, and unsurprisingly chooses Arise.]

It wastes no time, but lunges for her immediately. The sight of its gory claws fills her vision, and time seems to slow as they come straight at her eyes. Then some long-buried warrior instinct takes over and she twists out of the way as it lurches past, pawing wildly at the empty air.

[The ghoul attacks, Lachaidiga parries; 1 AP each. It rolls a 00: a fumble! She rolls a 38, normal failure. This would just be a normal miss, but I decided to spend a luck point to re-roll her attack. An 05 turns her parry into a success, so she gets 2 special effects. I chose Overextend Opponent twice (it's one of the few that can be stacked), so the ghoul cannot attack on its next two turns.]

Her attempt at a riposte is sadly lacking in finesse. The ghoul nearly swats the sword from her hand as she swings clumsily.

[Lachaidiga attack and the ghoul defends, each spending their third AP. She rolls 61, failure vs. its 44, success. The ghoul chooses Disarm for its special effect. It needs to roll its combat style vs. the original attack roll in order to disarm her (which would mean that any successful skill check will win the contest since she failed). It rolls a 91, so she is not disarmed.]

[round 3]
Udzar-sippuk arrives at a dead run. He tries to smash the ghoul with his torch, but to no avail.

[Udzar-sippuk has SR13. He rolls an 8 on 1d10, so 13+8=21 takes the initiative. He has no combat style which includes clubs or improvised weapons, so he attacks at the base percentage (STR 9 + DEX 11 = 20%). He rolls a 67, missing. The attack uses the first of his 3 Action points.]

Lachaidiga and the ghoul begin circling one another, each hoping the other will leave themselves open. Udzar-sippuk moves to follow, but the ghoul seems hardly to notice him, concentrating all its unholy anger on its quarry.

[Lachaidiga attacks and the ghoul defends; 1 AP each. Rolls of 40 and 60 both fail.

The ghoul can't attack yet (from the Overextended effect), so moves to regain its footing and force the others to move to stay in range. It uses 1 AP.

Udzar-sippuk moves to follow: 1 AP.]

Lachaidiga whispers a short prayer to her household gods to keep her from harm.

[Lachaidiga attempts to cast Protection (folk magic), but fails: 1 AP (and 1 MP).]

The ghoul hesitates for a moment, perhaps expecting the sorceress to have produced a more fearsome spell. Udzar-sippuk seizes the chance. He rushes forward and strikes the fiend right across its face with the flaming torch. It recoils, hissing with rage.

[The ghoul hesitates, using its last AP and finishing off the Overextended effect.

Udzar-sippuk uses his last AP to attack. He rolls an 01, Critical success!. He gets 2 special effects (the ghoul can't defend, so it is treated as a normal failure), opting for Choose Location (head) and Bypass Armour. A torch only does 1d4 damage, and Udzar-sippuk has no damage bonus, but the damage roll is luckily a 4. The ghoul is reduced to 2HP in its head, but there are no additional effects.

Lachaidiga spends her last AP to move back into combat range.]

[round 4]
[Things like combat and sprinting count as Strenuous physical effort and will eventually tire those living beings performing such actions. A combat round is 5 seconds long. A character may last a number of seconds equal to their CON before needing to check for fatigue; in combat this is rounded up to the next whole round. Udzar-sippuk has a CON of 10, so can go two rounds; Lachaidiga's CON of 14 allows her to go for 3. Since she's a round ahead of him, they both check this round.

Both need to make an Endurance check. She's got a 28% and he a 20% Endurance skill. Rolls of 26 and 09 fortunately both succeed.]

Udzar-sippuk follows through from his mighty swing, but the torch just barely grazes the thing's knee.

[His uncontested attack roll (1 AP) is a 19, hitting in the (1d20=6) left leg for (1d4=) 1 damage, reduced to 0 by its armour rating. Udzar-sippuk gets a special effect and chooses to try Tripping the ghoul. It rolls its Brawn (51%) vs. the attack roll to resist. A 26 is a normal success, and since it beats the attack roll of 19 the ghoul does not fall.]

Lachaidiga swings fiercely at the creature. It raises an arm to ward off the blow. A long strip of flesh is sliced cleanly off to hang limply from the bone, but the thing registers no pain.
[Lachaidga attacks, the ghoul parries: 1AP each. She rolls 21 vs. its 15; both succeed. As it parries her attack with its limb, the limb will take the full brunt of the damage (and had she a larger weapon, it would have taken additional damage to another location). The damage roll is (1d6=) 6; -1 for armour drops its Left arm to 0HP, a serious wound. A living creature would likely lose use of the limb, but undead are not so affected.]

Her sword out of the way, the ghoul steps in and grabs at her with its other hand. The claws sink deep into her flesh and grip her tightly by the collarbone. She cries out in pain and surprise, ...

[The ghoul attacks, Lachaidiga parries: 1 AP each. It rolls a 37 (success) vs. her 42 (failure). It hits and gets a special effect. The claw hits Lachaidiga in the (1d20=10) chest for (1d4+1d2=) 6 damage; her chest is now down to 2HP. It chooses Grip for its special effect, so she is held, and it will attempt to bite if she does not pull free.]

...but keeps her wits about her. Gritting her teeth, she pulls back and away from the beast, wincing as the claws are ripped free. Blood gushes out over her lovely gown, and she cannot help but think that whatever magician is controlling this hideous assassin will pay dearly for the affront to her wardrobe.

[Udzar-sippuk misses an attack (1AP), which I didn't bother to put in the narrative. Lachaidiga spends her AP to try to break away from the ghoul's Grip. They roll Brawn (21%) vs. Brawn (51%) getting 16 (success) and 94 (failure); she pulls free! I had been expecting to spend another Luck Point for a re-roll but the dice were kind.

After this the ghoul and Udzar-sippuk spend their final APs to attack, but both miss.]

[round 5]
Udzar-sippuk uses the flaming torch to force the creature back from his friend. It snarls as the flames singe its scraggly hair. It seems to only notice the attacks that hit its head, as if some vestige of human awareness yet resides within.

[Udzar-sippuk attacks (1 AP) and rolls 04; a normal hit. He gets a special effect as it did not defend, picking Choose Location (head) again. Damage is a paltry (1d4=2, -1 for armour) 1 point.]

The three circle warily, again looking for an opening.

[Lachaidga attacks, the ghoul defends: 1 AP each.
73 vs. 78, both failures, so a clean miss.

The ghoul counter attacks, Lachaidiga parries: 1 more AP each.
54 vs. 35, another bout of missing

Udzar-sippuk and Lachaidiga both attack again and miss: 1 more AP each.

The ghoul attacks and Lachaidiga parries, using their last APs for the round.
97 vs. 63 still more missing.

Udzar-sippuk, having the only AP left, attacks again. A 22 hits it in the (1d20=1) Right Leg for (1d4=2, -1 for armour) 1 more point of damage it barely notices. Udzar-sippuk goes for the Trip special effect but it resists.]

[round 6]
Udzar-sippuk is out of breath, and beginning to tire. His attacks show ever decreasing force, but Lachaidiga feels a rush of pain and excitement. She lashes out once more, her blade biting deep into the fiend's bony neck.

[Udar-sippuk failed his Endurance check, so is now Winded: all actions are one step more difficult. He attacks and misses (1AP).

Lachaidiga attacks (1AP), and hits with a 17. She gets a special effect, and picks Choose Location (head (which includes the neck, as per above)). She rolls (1d6=) 5 damage, dealing 4 points after armour reduction. The ghoul is now Seriously wounded in its head, being reduced to -3HP there. As an Undead monster, the Serious Wound is meaningless, but 3 more points will make it a Major Wound, which will destroy it.]

As she wrenches the blade free, the ghoul grabs at her again, this time catching her side and digging its claws in deep into her flesh as is takes hold of the fabric of her gown. The ghoul tries to pull her closer, and its fangs snap just a hair's breadth from her cheek. She struggles to loosen its grip but it has her fast.

[It attacks (1 AP) rolling a 33, hitting. She fails her parry (1 AP) with an 85. It chooses to grip again. It hits her in the (1d20=9) Abdomen for (1d4+1d2=) 3 damage. A minor wound but she's held.

Udzar-sippuk attacks weakly (his skill is effectively 13% due to Fatigue), missing with a 95 (1AP).

Lachaidiga tries to break free of the Grip with her last AP. She must roll her Brawn (21%) vs. the ghoul's (51%). She rolls a 26 which fails, so I didn't roll for the ghoul.

As she's still held, the ghoul tries to bite (1AP). It rolls a 52, just missing.]

The ghoul keeps snapping at the sorceress...

[Udzar-sippuk and the Ghoul both have 1 AP left to spend. They both attack and miss.]

[round 7]
...who is beginning to flag despite her terror and excitement. The ghoul continues to tug at her clothing, pulling her ever closer to its filthy, snapping maw. With a final effort born of desperation, she lets it pull her towards itself, and as the horrible head descends to bite at her white arm, she thrusts her sword with the other. The blade smashes through its jaw and nearly sunders head from spine. The creature goes limp at once, and falls forward into the sorceress. She withdraws her sword, then pushes it away from her. It falls back and crashes to the ground, a lifeless mass of withered and stinking carrion.

[Lachaidiga fails her Endurance check and becomes Winded herself.

Udzar-sippukk makes another useless attack.

Lachaidiga then attacks with her skill reduced to 19% for Fatigue. Our lucky sorceress rolls a 19, and once again opts for Choose Location (head). More luck: her damage roll is (1d6=) 6! -1 for armour = 5 damage, dropping the location to -8HP. This is a Major Wound, which destroys the ghoul.]