|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Lori allows herself to be led away but she knocks Sean's hand off her shoulder when they join the others in the circle and shoots him a scalding look to remind him that her friendliness only went so far for the time being.
Konstantin's display impressed her and she accepted him as leader even if it would have pleased her to see a female at the head of the pack.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
When Lori shoots him the look Sean looks genuinely hurt. They seriously needed to clear the air later, he considers.
Aesop looks on with awe, he had felt his skin pulling apart after attempting to become an ant, but this was something that impressed him. After the display he knew that it was possible, and it wasn't part of a far fetched dream he had. He was on the verge of this himself and he needed to know the specifics of becoming... He approached Konstantin and went down to one knee, "Please... teach me to be many things", Aesop said respectfully. Whether he was a capable leader or not remained to be seen, he was a skilled Gangrel and that alone was enough for some measure of respect.
Peter didn't even look at the Inquisitor when he walked over or spoke, but when the fight broke out he watched the mouthy broad get her comeuppance. As everyone wandered off, he was left standing next to a neanderthal carrying an axe. He had never stopped swishing the fluid, but finally he looked over at Fenix and cocked an eyebrow questioningly, as if to ask, "are you finished?"
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Headstrong had stood motionless and unblinking the entire time, waiting for Roxie's childish talking to evolve into fighting.
Meanwhile others where acting up behind her, trying to ensnare her little Dragon in their aggressions. As long as that didn't escalate into an actual fight, lasting hurt being dished out, she wouldn't lift a finger to help him. She'd need him later but couldn't shelter him too much his entire unlife. He had some good points but missed the point completely. How could you have an effective leader if the rest didn't acknowledge him? If these Gangrel, like most, only acknowledged ass kickers, the most effective leader would be an ass kicker.
As Konstantin asked for new challengers, Headstrong finally moves; she steps forward.
"You and Aesop know some nice stuff but I would see you fight." Headstrong speaks as she fetches the longsword from her back and brandishes it, eyeing Konstantin's spear. He'd have more reach...
"Powers of the Blood limited to strength, speed, toughness and healing; a clash of strength and skill. Do you accept?"
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Konstantin says to Aesop, "Yes, I will teach. You have things to teach me as well. We all have things we can teach, or learn."
Konstantin locks eyes with Headstrong. He says nothing for several moments, then finally nods and says "I believe you to be a warrior who has a sense of honor and who wishes to show her full strength. We will fight, with those limited tricks of the blood allowed, and none other."
He calls out to the others, "We have another challenge! Headstrong has asked that blood abilities involving strength, speed, healing and toughness be allowed, and I have consented, as these do not changes this from being a challenge of warriors. Make a circle. Watch, perhaps learn."
Konstantin's hands flex and his nostrils flare. Blood pumps through his dead veins, tightening and strengthening his muscles, making the tendons in his hands and neck stand out like steel cables. At the same time, his skin takes on a thicker, leathery appearance. He takes a step back, holding his spear with both hands, sweeping his spear in front of him, keeping the point moving, yet always trained on Headstrong, always between the two of them.
Konstantin activates Vigor 2 and Resilience 3.
Current Vitae: 8/12
Willpower 4/5
Strength 6 w/ Vigor, Speed 14 w/ Vigor
Defense 3 +1 for Spear = 4, plus Armor 1/- (heavy clothing)
Health 8/8
Initiative: Konstantin rolled a 1. Total Initiative = 7. However, if Headstrong wins Initiative, Konstantin can utilize FS: Spear/Bayonet 1 to strike first against an opponent with a shorter melee weapon.
Aesop nods to Konstantin when he says they'll teach each other. He had no problem with showing someone that seemed to respect the old ways and understood the need for hunting the things in this world that worked outside of the natural order.
When Headstrong made the challenge, he stepped back and sat down on his tattered clothes. To him this was beginning to be more of a display of overall skill over real desperation to lead. At this point Konstantin seemed to be in touch with his Gangrel nature yet had the cunning of a man that one needed in this new world to survive. The others seemed like they wanted to fight and had no higher purpose, fine for a warrior, not for a leader.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
By expending some of the Blood within her Headstrong forces the Curse of Stagnation to the fore. Her body, bolstered by her Damnation, becomes even more resistant to change, even more resistant to harm. Biting steel and even fire would find it harder to harm her physical form, for a little while at least. Outwardly nothing changed, for Headstrong this was nothing but a taxing matter of mystical realignment.
Expending a bit more of her essence, Headstrong called upon the third aspect of the threefold Curse, harnessing the powerful Curse of Unreason she redirects the fury of the Beast, using it to add it's strength to not just her murderous instincts but also her physical frame.
Brandishing the longsword one final time she decides to greet her opponent, she was getting giddy.
"Fight well."
Before launching herself at Konstantin. He stood against an Impaled Dragon and while she respected the spear (he had taken from the Order), she did not fear it in any way. She'd hung from such a spear for forty days and forty nights, what could he do to match that? Somewhere she hoped to find an answer. Accenting her unchanging aspect, willing it to be even more so, she leaps at Konstantin. She'd show them toughness.
Headstrong activates Vigor 2 and Resilience 3.
Current Vitae: 10/12
Willpower 7/8
Strength 5 w/ Vigor, Speed 12 w/ Vigor
Defense 2, plus Armor 1/- (bikerwear)
Health 11/11 w/ Resilience
Initiative: Headstrong rolled an 8. Total Initiative = 14.
First three lethal damage fail to so much as pierce skin and are converted to bashing damage instead.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Konstantin wants to get the challenge over as quickly as possible, so the meeting can move on to other things, but at the same time a part of him hopes it isn't over too quickly, as he wants to see how well Headstrong fights. Nonetheless, his warrior instincts win, and push him to go all out.
Konstantin's thrust
The spear point is aimed perfectly, using Headstrong's own inertia against her. Expecting it to not even break her skin, Headstrong forges on and the spear point pokes her hard... and then breaks through her unchanging skin and plunges in the cold dead flesh beneath. Headstrong doesn't have the time to realize it but she was shocked. Shocked and impressed, if he'd aimed that at the heart the fight might have gone much differently.
For his part, Konstantin is rather amazed at how little damage what he knew to be a solid strike appears to have done to Headstrong. At that point, he realizes any worry about this being over too quickly might be misplaced.
counterattack
Headstrong's shock is displaced by displeasure as the long spear pierced her and effectively stopped her from getting to her opponent. A fierce sword strike only barely manages to reach Konstantin. Forcing blood into her unexpected wound, she realizes this might be a tougher fight than she'd even imagined.
Konstantin is somewhat more heartened that Headstrong's follow-up blow was not as remarkable as was her durability, as he was able to partially deflect the blow with the haft of his spear. Now having some sense of her ability, he gives up some of the advantage of his weapon's length, instead turning it in his hands so as to better defend.
ST Note: He switches from FS:Spear 1 to FS: Spear 3, receiving +2 to Defense this turn, at cost of -2 to attack.
a worthy strike!
Noticing Konstantin's shift to defense while she had given him nothing to worry about somehow hurt her. She disliked being toyed with, and committing herself fully to an attack, she leaves herself wide open, relying on Konstantin's sudden defensive tactics and her own toughness to see her through his inevitable counterattack. Her sword flashes and is only partly deflected by Konstantin's expertly maneuvered spear, scoring a deep gash across his chest. Headstrong allows herself a second long feral grin, attempting to convey amusement. Come out and play, Konstantin.
Konstantin is ... well, not exactly pleased to have his opponent score so solid a blow, but this did confirm his judgment regarding Headstrong's qualities as a warrior. He nods to acknowledge her skil, but returns the grin. He was feeling confident now. By putting her all into offense, she left herself open to his counterstrike, and while his defensive stance weakens the strike somewhat, the result is still telling.
defensive strike
Then, taking a step back, Konstantin shifts his stance and grip on the spear, and once again relies on the greater length of his weapon to attack before Headstrong can close. Still, knowing that if Headstrong is still standing, he will need to have something to meet her counterattack, he expends some blood to heal a bit of his damage, even while lunging forward to attack.
follow-up
ST Note: this turn Konstantin spends 1 WP to bolster his Def by 2
Headstrong had to recognize the superiority of the spear once more. Konstantin had reach on her. Still, there was little she could do about that at this point. Headstrong marched, not the reckless charge she would have preferred, but a controlled surge forward. As Konstantin's attack came she was ready for it and through the greatest luck - or ill fortune depending on one's take on things - she hit the tip of Konstantin's weapon with her own, knocking it off course the spear hit her arm but glanced off, her supernatural toughness preventing it from tearing so much as skin, let alone the muscle it would have otherwise torn off.
Fortune, however, once again proves herself a fickle mistress. As Konstantin's attack was turned aside, he loses no time in repositioning himself, almost completely stepping out of the path Headstrong had committed her blade to by deflecting his spear, and Headstrong fails to do anything more telling than clip a few hairs off of his beard.
miss
Konstantin dodges Headstrong's swing, then strikes again, taking advantage of his spear's length, and this time he gets in another solid strike.
game over
Konstantin pulls back his spear and drives it up into Headstrong's chest. Her resilient skin resists the bite of steel for only a few fractions of a second before Konstantin's forces the spearhead through Headstrong's toughness and pierces her torso dangerously close to the heart. As he stands there, Headstrong tries to rip the spear out but as she looks into his eyes she sees what she'd known deep down. He'd won.
"I yield" she says loud and clear for all to hear, smiling broadly despite the pain she must feel at being stabbed through.
To Headstrong, this felt very much like the Rite of Impaling and it was the closest she'd come to it in a long while. Konstantin had given her something tonight. Something she had needed, something she'd had coming.
Konstantin carefully pulls out his spear and nods to Headstrong, acknowledging her skill. "You fought well," he says, returning her smile.
Konstantin then turns to look at each of the other Gangrel, and to address them all. "Two challenges is enough for one night. The meeting is over, but I wish to talk to you each, talk about what you have to teach the rest of us, and what you will want to learn."
Benton just stands back to enjoy the challenges. Leading the Sanctified is quite enough for him let alone trying to get the Savages in line as well. He isn't surprised at all that Roxie makes the first challenge and he's definitely pleased when she gives up without throwing a punch or taking a shot. Deep down, though, he was hoping Konstantin would beat her to a pulp or maybe that she would win so he could challenge her himself. But seeing her intimidated is almost as good.
The challenge between Headstrong and the Priscus is much more satisfying and in the end he's got a healthy respect for the elder.
"Well, this is about the most fun I've had since I came to town."
Draft this Post
