If you build it

[Ram]

“Alright. Sera.” Still felt strange. “Cities been okay.” The Hedge was the Hedge but he didn’t mention that right now.

“Buckshot?” he responded to Circe contemplatively. ”Hadn’t thought of that.” Given his normal dexterity, it wasn’t a bad suggestion.

“Alright to so go all out at least once,” he said with a cheeky smile, deciding he should probably test the course at least once. “Don’t say I didn’t warn you.” He twisted his neck from side to side and cracked his stoney knuckles while taking assessment of a dummy. In his mind he gave it a face. Twisted and angry. He imagined how it taunting him. An agent of the Fey. A loyalist sitting atop their high horse looking down on him.

Ram’s smile twisted as his jaw clenched and the power of the Stone flowed through him. He knew this wasn’t the enemy. There was nothing to prove. Yet, in a way, that made this all the easier. Hit as hard as he could. Show what he could do.

Rend!

Ram took a slow stance, feeling the earth beneath his feet. Steadying himself. Bracing.

In a real battle he definitely wouldn’t take this much time to make a hit. There wouldn’t be enough time to do it. However, Circe had given him permission and the anger that he normally let lay in a placid pool occasionally needed to boil over.

The attack breaks the dummy and several chain links clean off the arm. The sandbag swung slowly around. Even with the force Ram had hit the other side, most of it had been directed into the target itself and down. Not a bit of hit wasted.

The sandbag bumped gently into the Orge as he reigned in his panting. Regained control of his breathing. Stopped imaging the red and pink of brains splattered on the floor.

After a few seconds he looked up to the Summer Queen with the same cheeky grin.

“How was that?”

Since this really isn’t a combat scene I went ahead took several turns worth of action. Hope that’s okay.

Ram also takes one point of bashing for breaking an object unarmed.

2 successes

Date	Action	Roll	Result
2021-01-17 03:23:40	Ram rolls 7 to Stone 3 Athletics+Wyrd+Mantle (10 Again)	9, 5, 3, 4, 9, 5, 1	2 successes

4 successes

Date	Action	Roll	Result
2021-01-17 03:25:08	Ram rolls 10 to Stone 1 Str+Wyrd+Stone3 (10 Again)	9, 3, 9, 4, 7, 3, 2, 9, 7, 10, 7	4 successes

5 successes

Date	Action	Roll	Result
2021-01-17 03:35:04	Ram rolls 23 to Str+Brawl+Specialty+Stone1&3+2Glamour (10 Again, WillPower)	7, 1, 7, 7, 1, 5, 10, 7, 6, 1, 3, 5, 9, 4, 10, 2, 2, 2, 2, 3, 2, 9, 3, 10, 2, 2	5 successes

Ignoring 3 points of hardness Ram breaks 5 points of structure. Enough to destroy a person sized object

[Seraphina]

Putting the coffee down, “That’s up to you, but it’s here for you.” She personally felt like water, not quite sure what they were going to be doing.

“And that’s why we always go to you for such items.” A wink and smile. "You make some badass weapons, high quality craftsmanship."

Laughing, “I certainly was! Though I’m not as good as Sonnie is, and I learned for self-defense. I lost a lot of what I learned when I escaped. Fawkes was teaching me how to properly kick and throw a punch.” At the mention of coffee, the Nix moves to pour Circe a cup.

“Okay is better then bad, so a win.” A nod, “But if you have the time, I’d enjoy sitting down for coffee or something and just chatting.” She always made an effort with the newer faces.

When Ram appeared to be getting himself ready, Sera takes out her tape and begins taping her translucent hands. Watching the Orge.

There was a low whistle from her as she watches him strikes, eyes wide.

“Damn. You’d be one hell of an opponent.” She compliments.

[Circe]

"Use a double barrel and all ya need is a compass heading," was her way to reassure Ram that buckshot would work.

"Ya ain't wrong," she accepts the compliment from Seraphina. She accepts the coffee from Seraphina, "My thanks." Then turns upon Ram, "She makes good snacks ta go with the coffee if ya don't like the wondrous mundy ambrosia."

Circe made a mistake. She moved closer to see how much damage Ram could do. The result? Circe had to cover her cup and close her eyes as the punching bag wasn't quite up to Ram's all out. While it wasn't beyond repair, it certainly would need a refill at the minimum. Circe keeps her eyes closed until she brushes the sand off her face. When Ram sees her blood red eyes once more, they are sparkling. So are her teeth in that happy smile on her face, "That. Was. Cazzo impressionante! Oh ho ho ho, great punch Ram!" Circe turns upon Seraphina, "Think we could work that inta a show fer the kiddies."

Circe herself decided to show off with a BB gun on the target range. She twirls it whilst sipping coffee, "I'll fix that later. Maybe. Anybody want ta try shooting?"

1 success

Date	Action	Roll	Result
2021-01-17 23:22:11	Circe rolls 6 to BB Gun range (10 Again)	2, 7, 4, 6, 6, 10, 6	1 success

She hits the target at mid range for the BB pistol.

[Ram]

Was it bad that Ram was a little bit glad that Sonnie wasn’t here? She also tended to ignore pain. Physical. Emotional.

Ram did his best to hide the pin he felt when thinking of memories that the monkey brought to mind.

“Fawkes?” He didn’t recognize the name but given how often the Freehold changed… that wasn’t really unexpected.

“I’m.. I’m sorry,” Ram said when he saw the blood stained eyes and teeth of his Queen. At least, he assume. He’d spent a lot of glamour after all. The sounds of war still echoed in his ears after all. And sometimes other Matless responded. Heard the drum beat of war and showed within other resonate mantles. "Everything okay?"

Without Sera it would be fine but with the Antlered crown present, Ram hoped that he hadn't made a mistake in demonstrating the power of Summer.

[Seraphina]

“We probably could, they would love it! Though his opponents would not.” This was why Summer did what they did, they could.

“Well, I’ve not shot anything, but I’m willing to give it a try.” It wasn’t like, a real gun that would cause any real damage if she missed. So she walks over and picks one up, after watching Circe, she tries, she really does. But she was not the gunbunny Smurfette, and doesn’t hit anything.

Shrugging with a laugh, “Think I’ll leave this to the professionals, might accidentally hit someone.” Laughing, not worried that she just failed.

Looking to Ram, “He was a Summer that was here, when was it?” looking to Circe, “Last year? But he’s moved on.”

With him seeming concerned about Circe, Sera moves closer to look at the blue elf. “Well, she protected her coffee, and that tells me she’s ok.” But she still studies her.

failure

Date	Action	Roll	Result
2021-01-18 11:55:51	Seraphina rolls 2 to Shot the BB gun?(Dex+Firearms)(-1 Untrained) (10 Again)	1, 1	failure

[Circe]

"I mean it is right outta all comics," Circe giggles, "Ka-pow! And who care about his," she laughs, "Opponents. I mean that punching bag didn't whine when it went pop." She points to it for emphasis.

"Nothing ta worry about bro," Circe reassures Ram as she walks over to him, BB gun twirling, "A lil' sand in the eye?" she laughs, "Of coarse I can handle it just fine," hopefully that was the most punishment Ram could expect. "But in my coffee? Tsk tsk tsk," Circe shakes her head as she refuses to spare either of more punishment, "That is NOT how I want ta grit my teeth."

As for the gunfire, Circe has a suggestion. "Well the rifle with the 3 on it," she points it out, "Has a lil' extra trick ta it. Fiber sights," she points to the colored iron sights on it. Well not iron they were probably plastic, "Helps folks ta aim faster. A bit of a cheat but fun."

"The glass psycho," she says in surprise as that old name comes up. Then the elf nods to Seraphina's question, "Yes he was wrathful. And moved on? That is a charitable way ta put it."

Fawkes had been part of the change in leadership against Circe before he'd tried to kill a Cole and then skipped town.

[Ram]

Ram beamed at the praise as it helped to drive away the nervousness.

“Fighting flesh and blood is a bit different,” Ram admitted. “Squishier and armor plays a bigger role when you’re not aiming to tear it apart. And then there’s grappling. Though you’re wanting to teach that, we should have some mats,” he mentioned to Circe.

Ram listened idly to the gun talk and went over the BB bin and gingerly picked up one. Plastic sights maybe cheaper but to Ram the entire thing was already as fragile.

“Banished?” he asked a bit hesitantly, hoping it wasn’t a tender subject.

[Seraphina]

She had to laugh, “I believe that would be a good way to see her tear someone limb from limb. Get something in her coffee, or spill it.” Circe loved her coffee more than Sera did. And Sera respected it.

Looking at the BB gun, “So taking more time to aim? Maybe I’ll hit something?” she asks, looking to the Summer. “Or maybe I just leave the guns to the professionals and stick with hand-to-hand combat.” A wink.

She sighs to herself, she didn’t see him as a psycho. “I suppose you saw a side of him I didn’t.” Cole claimed Fawkes tried to kill him, but they never really got to look into it. Was it true? She didn’t know. But she didn’t see the same Fawkes the others did; she saw a more caring and gentle side. Shrugging, she was prepared to drop it.

Looking to Ram, “I’d be up for some grappling training. I’ve never been very good at it, so I would love to learn more. Especially from Summers.” You want to learn to fight, you ask them.

“Eh, I don’t know if he was Banished, that would fall to either the Summer Monarch or the Director. But I believe Rhodes wouldn’t step into Summer business. He just kinda left.” Another shrug.

“So, what’s next? I know I’m eager for some practice with a human with hand-to-hand combat.” And she did look quite excited. "Or even learning a bit more with my dagger."

[Circe]

"Or mess with my guns," Circe quips to Seraphina, "Or dynamite that it kinda a self solving problem oh ho ho." Circe sips her coffee carefully. "Eeeeh spoil by teaching fun, I'll just hafta settle fer being a student."

"Oh," she nods in understanding at the explanation. "I am guessing ya mean more high school wrestling and not professional or luchadore. At least I think that is how grappling works. Luchadore sounds like more fun but less practical," she leans forward to give a stage whisper, "Plus I don't want ta hafta bedazzle ski masks."

"Yeah what she said," she answered Ram's question. Circe and Cole had been firmly aligned against the soldier regime that ousted Circe. So Circe took Cole's word over that of the Summers who ran, "I wasn't in charge at the time. Dude that was?" Circe scoffs, "Supposedly chased after Fawkes but never came back. And," she looks to Seraphina, "Yeah I saw him crack plenty. I'll take Cole's word fer what happened."

"Well," she points to a large plastic trash barrel full of foam handles, "I have a shit ton of foam swords and knives. Shouldn't hurt if ya don't get hit in the eye. But," Circe crosses her arms, "I'm ignorant of pig stickers and not a pugilist," the elf extends her arms out so they are crossed at the elbows as she points to her comrades, "You two are the experts there. I personally need ta know ta stab people properly. So," she unfolds her arms, "Who wants ta play effective human whack-a-mole with foam knives?"

[Ram]

Ram gave Seraphina a half smile, ever so slightly warming to her. Not to mention the wink.

Though when the conversation turned to the different impression each of the stunning women had of a man he’d never met Ram instinctively clamed back up. For a second he ws afraid he’d have to chose between attack a Queen. One he knew, easy on a joke but with fire underneath; and one he hardly knew.

It was… tense for a few seconds. Or at least that’s how Ram perceived time. Ram knew, unfortunately, how easily such perceptions could be meddled with.
“I mean,” he said hesitantly “For safety. Basic forms and such I could show but all grappling eventually goes to the ground,” he stated “Especially if the opponent knows what their doing.” Disclaimer. “I could show basic… very basic counters…. But unless you’re very good a grapple is going to end up in the dirt and shit.” Ram raised an apologetic eyebrow to Circe “You’re going to want give to the ground for more than the basics.”

Ram hefted his gun and tried to take careful aim at the targets while listening for a response. And he missed.

failure

Date	Action	Roll	Result
2021-01-22 23:11:51	Ram rolls 2 to Dex+Firearms-untrained+aim (10 Again)	1, 2	failure