((Yes, Fiona is in her voluptuous La Petite Mascarade form.))
Fiona tries to ignore the feeling, wondering in the back of her mind if she had somehow botched the spell and made her robes shrink against her body. The roughs are too close for her to cast Charge of the Angry Winds, so she decides to drop Jupiter's Resounding Blow on top of them, using normal voice and gestures. ((CT 15 + die roll of 4 = 19 +/- Aura, vs. a Spell Level of 10.)) If possible, she will try to pivot in place enough to at least see Stultus out of the corner of her eye so she doesn't bump into or trip over him.
I was targeting the last post, which is all you could target, so if you got to it and deleted it first, it should have errored out on my deletion, or your deletion...
So, I'm parsimonious with spells being cast, especially spontaneous spells (I don't design them, and I want a base and everything spelled out). For spontaneous spells, it's totally legit to say, I want to cast Call to Slumber on many as I can, or otherwise have one parameter open ended, based on how well you roll. You can try it for this round, if you'd like, or you can try something else. I don't read intent, and I don't try and optimize your actions for the best possible result. Maybe if you were showing signs of being a new player, I'd give you some more hints... And I'm normally relaxed with retroactive continuity, but I have a tendency to stop it at aggressive negotiations. It makes combat real. And non combat magi would reasonably make mistakes in a situation where they are suddenly under attack in a place where they just aren't expecting attack.
For some reason, it let me target the post before my last one for deletion, but wouldn't let me target the last one. shrugs Who knows.
Okie, that's fine.
Stultus' action this turn will be to move slightly away from Fiona, so as not to mess her up, and then cast "Wizard's Sidestep". Re 10 + Im 12 + [1d10] = 10... crap. How many botch dice, please?
Roll 10 (I'm not telling that detail) For Unseen servant, I think you have to do [1d10] repeated 10 times for the macro, because [10d10] just gives you a total. I'll grab the first X where x=aura +1. So, you know it's less than 10, I suppose.
Yeah, no botch, so the spell goes off. The tough nearest Stultus has to reassess his target, suddenly, and ends up spinning his wheels.
One tough, one is temporarily incapacitated by the Jupiter's Resounding Blow, attempts to grapple Fiona, so I need a brawl roll to dodge the incoming grapple attempts.
And Round three. The Leader cries out, "You lazy bums are worthless." and runs off. The leader was not included in the total of toughs attacking.
One trying to grapple Fiona? Okay, she's going to try to dodge and cast Preternatural Growth and Shrinking on him (using the talisman to extend her Touch range), reducing his size by 2.
Dodge roll, is Dex 0 + Brawl 0 + die roll of 4 = 4. Boy, I hope he botches.
Concentration check to try to get spell off: Int 1 + Concentration 3 + die roll of 2 = 6, and the Ease Factor for dodging is 12. Or is that to continue concentration on a spell and not to cast it?
Fiona is grappled during round 2, after her spell goes off ((Jupiter's Resounding Blow)).
So, how hard is it to activate a device to deliver an effect. It's a good question to ask, I'm willing to go with reducing the EF by 6, which would mean it's successful. But, I need to know, what the penetration is on the effect. I don't see her Talisman on her character sheet.
((It's the first item under Equipment. I haven't advanced her past Summer of 1228 yet, but the Preternatural Growth and Shrinking isn't a Talisman effect, it's a Touch range spell that Fiona knows, but Talismans can be used as an extension of yourself when casting Touch spells, I think.))
Oh, I misunderstood, then Fiona can't cast a spell while grappled (EF of 12 necessary) I was thinking it was a talisman effect that would be easier to activate. Fiona can attempt to counter and break free from the grapple.
Since her CT with Preternatural Growth and Shrinking is +51, with a Spell Level of 15, even with a -15 for No Words and No Gestures, that still gives her a +36 CT, which is 21 better than the Spell Level. Can she simply cast the spell on the guy that's grappling her if she doesn't try to break free?
If so, her CT is 51 – No Words 10 – No Gestures 5 + die roll of 0 = 36. Crap. Well, let's roll a buttload of botch dice, then. 1, 6, 8, 1, 2,5, 9, 0, 7, and 4.
Assuming she doesn't botch, I think the spell would be able to go off, right?
If the above is not an option, she'd be using the Grapple rules, right? So she needs to make a Brawl check and hopefully overcome his Attack Advantage? Worth a shot.
No, the concentration roll to get the spell off wasn't high enough. Fiona doesn't have the presence of mind to cast a spell this round, unless I'm missing something.
Stultus' action in Round 3 is to cast "Wizard's Leap" (CT +21, [1d10] = 2: spell cast although I might lose a fatigue level) and teleport just in front of the leader, dropping on all fours in the leader's path so as to send him flying in the best tradition of slapstick theatre. Hopefully into a wall or something: he does not want the guy getting away.
Finesse roll to land exactly how and where he wants to: Int +3, Finesse +4, [1d10] = 1 then [1d10] = 4=15.
He's not doing it out of bloodlust or combat spirit. He'd be happy to let the guy get away, except for one thing. The man knew Stultus was a wizard. He was warned Stultus and Fiona would be coming, and Stultus very much wants to know how and why and who.
Stultus sticks the landing, and knocks the leader into a door, whereupon he lets out a loud grunt. Meanwhile, Fiona struggles to get free, but her opponent grips her harder, the one deafened by the Jupiter's Resounding Blow can't hear his confederate telling him to help tie Fiona up.
The leader pulls his knife and the his it makes coming out of the scabbard sounds more like the hiss of a snake than of steel on steel, in impeccable Church Latin, "Your out of your depth, wizard. We were thinking the woman was someone else, and not that you were a witch and a wizard." There is something about him that seems dangerous like a cornered animal. And you can feel his blade through your Parma, and you get the sense it would feast on your soul with the tiniest of nicks.
Round 4 actions.
Okay. It's crunch time. Round 4 she's going to make her Concentration roll to get off her Preternatural Growth and Shrinking on the guy holding her. Int 1 + Concentration 3 + die roll of 6 = 10. Since she's not struggling or dodging or anything, is she still at Average (EF 9, eg Jostled) or is it still Hard (EF 12, eg Dodging)? If the latter, she's going to use a Confidence Point to get the spell off.
No words, no gestures, for a total penalty of -15. CT 51 – 15 + die roll of 9 = 45, vs a Spell Level of 15. Penetration (if it matters) is 30 + Penetration (Transformation) 4 = 34.
Hopefully, since he's now at size -2, or roughly half the size he was before, but his clothes and armour aren't, that should (1) confuse the living daylights out of him and (2) entangle him in his clothes, and (3) get him to release her before she gets sliced.
Stultus stares right at the man as he casts "Trust of Childlike Faith". CT +21, roll of 6=27. Penetration 21 before Aura adjustment.
"You idiot!" he hisses. "Stop this at once, we're on your side! There's been a breach in the chain -- you've been betrayed, and myself along with you!"
Stultus is unable to make eye contact with the man. ((You can pick another action))
Fiona gets her spell off, and shrinks the man. He still has a grip, but it could be easier to break free next round. The other guy, still struck deaf is figuring out what his partner wants, and digs the rope out of the bag.
Round 5 actions (and Stultus's alternative action for round 4).
Alternate action for round 4, a.k.a. "F*** it, I am tired of this":
Rego Mentem spontaneous spell: as Call to Slumber, except with T: Group. Desired spell level is 15.
Rego 10, Mentem 12, Sta 0. Booming voice (+1), Wild gesticulations (+1), spending 2 Confidence points (+6), roll of [1d10] = 1 then [1d10] = 1 then [1d10] = 10.... that's a total of 70, /2 is 35.... penetration is 23 before Aura modifiers.
The leader falls to sleep, but the knife false from his hand, stabbing through his boot and into the foot. It awakens him, causing him to screen in agony, a scream unlike Stultus has ever heard, "No! Not me!" His form withers before Stultus's eyes. The men around Fiona flee. The knife disappears into the shadows.
The men can be chased...
