[ Molly grins at that, already feeling that exhilaration in his blood starting to thrum through his veins. Percy is definitely outmatching him, though, and Molly is going to have bruises from all those side-smacks.
(It's kind of hot, he's not gonna lie.)
He has to take a moment to find his feet again, backing off a bit even if that means Percy has an attack of opportunity. Molly needs to rethink his strategy for this. ]
[They're sparring, though, and in that, Percy is willing to be a gentleman. He lets Mollymauk take a moment to collect himself, and he uses the opportunity to consider his own approach.
And, while he has a few seconds to catch his breath, he takes his glasses off and puts them into a pocket on the coat draped over the fence rail.
Once they've had a breather, though, Percival is back in form. He waits, making sure Molly is actually ready and paying attention before he attacks (20) in rapid succession (13, 16). In the face of Molly's expressive grins and flashy movement, Percy is precise and impassive. The rapier demands the former as a matter of course; the latter is just a habit of concentration.]
[ A brief breather is fine, and Molly's body is turning purpler than before, bruises blooming under the clothes. Percy is strong and his skill is something Molly cannot match - but he's stubborn, the reason he's unconscious half of the fights the Nein were in.
He's hit twice but then retaliates, feigning using the Summer's Dance for a swift smack and instead raising the stake with his action - trying to trip the fancy man with his tail (with a natural 20!). ]
[Percy, quick as he is, is also farsighted: he completely misses the sweep of Molly's tail. It catches him as he's trying to get out of the way of the feint.
He trips badly, nearly loses his weapon in his attempt to keep from going down completely. His grip is good, but he is absolutely distracted and off balance for a few moments, leaving himself open to an attack of opportunity.
It's clever, really, and it's absolutely something Percival would take advantage of if he had a tail.]
[ Molly grins when his feint works, and drives his scimitar down for that attack of opportunity. He miscalculates, however (12), and strikes air. Swearing, he takes a moment to instead be nice and hold out his hand to help Percy back on his feet. ]
[ Molly steps back and then pulls his sleeves up, showing off the detailed tattoowork there - and the bruises that are starting to accumulate despite his sparring meetings having been bloodless so far. ]
That's fair. You should use a square to get a whole set of backup ones, then nasty little tieflings will not be able to flip you over.
[ Said tiefling spins his blades a bit again, enjoying the feeling of the balanced weapons in his hands. ]
From what I gather, being flipped by tieflings might be a way to earn a square, [he quips as he gets his guard back up.]
Ready as I'll ever be, Mr. Tealeaf.
[And with that, Percy goes on the offensive. Whereas before he'd been happy to defend, now it seems like he's trying to throw Molly off with bold aggression. The first strike is quick (19) and he follows it with another, devastating blow (26 - natural 20). But he overestimates his movement with the follow up (8).]
[ That draws forth an amused bark of laughter, and Molly 'salutes' with his sword. He's liking this guy better an better, despite his earlier hesitance.
Now the human is on the attack, and it's quickly shown that Percy was only defending before. The first strike knocks Molly back a bit, making him rethink his parry - and then the second one bypasses his whole form and smacks him hard enough to hiss and stumble. That one might have bruised a rib. ]
[Percy flashes a small smile and gives Molly a moment to recover.]
No, just falling back into form, [he admits.] It's been some time, truly. I tend to keep myself at range if I can help it. I find myself more effective there.
[But... he also learned as a younger man and has had plenty of occasion to hone that skill, even if he prefers other fighting styles. He considers Molly.]
Your feint was good. Once you get past my guard, my distance, you're quite dangerous.
[ Molly rubs his side a bit and then looks at Percy. He's a good people reader, and he's fairly sure - despite the noble stuff - that the man is trying to encourage him rather than being condescending like he expected.
So he takes in what the human says, trying to strategize how to get past that guard in the first place. Something Percy said, though... ]
At range? Are you more of an archer, then?
[ He didn't look the archer type, though, and said he wasn't a spellslinger. ]
No, not an archer. [Percy considers, then flashes a smile that looks almost coy.]
How's this: once you've hit me twice more, I'll show you what I do.
[Percival gets his guard up again, eyes bright and that smile lingering at the corners of his mouth. He can't decide if he is surprised or gratified that Fjord hasn't rambled about his arrival - and the arrival of his weapons - to anyone within earshot.]
[ Oh-ho! This side of the man, Molly immediately enjoys. Cheeky and challenging? He can appreciate that. A lot. ]
Deal!
[ The tiefling grins, raising his swords again and getting ready to strike. Moving forward, he fumbles his first strike a bit in his whirling attack (12) but this time manages to follow up with the weaker offhand (unnatural 20!). That makes him laugh, tail swishing as he presses forward. ]
[Well, that was certainly a motivator. Percy manages to dodge the first attack but not the second. He hisses as the offhand strike smacks him straight across the back. That would've been nasty were it an actual cut and Percy finds himself very grateful that they are endeavoring to not kill each other.]
One, [he announces, because surely Molly deserves the encouragement. But Percy has no intention to just taking it. He attacks in pure reaction (13) and misses Molly, but follows up with a more precise strike (21). The follow up also misses (13) and Percy curses under his breath as he tries to disengage to put some distance in. That was too reckless and it cost him.]
[ Molly might be a little too eager now, and when Percy strikes back it's a near miss to parry the first strike, and the second one slaps him so hard over the thigh that has him swearing in infernal - before parrying the third on his swords as well. The human is stupidly quick and even sparring taps are jarring in Molly's body.
The attack back is full of misses (10, 12), and he knows his form is off. If this was a real fight, he would have curses and mockery on the list as well, but only swordplay was showing what he lacked. ]
[Percy manages to keep enough distance to either dodge or parry Molly's next two attacks. He stays on the defensive, though, feinting in an attempt to get Molly's attention diverted - or better, to get him to back up.
There's skill in the way Molly wields his weapons, but room for improvement as well. Percy wants to give him a chance for that, to learn from where he's gone wrong. He isn't much of an instructor, but he can be a partner.]
Fighting against a rapier will forever be about getting within the guard - the reach is longer and, potentially, can keep you back. Watch for openings, no swordsman is perfect and every one will have a weak point.
[To make his point, he lunges forward with one quick jab (24) where Molly has left his guard down.]
[ That jab hurts and Molly doubles over a bit with a hiss. He's going to be covered in bruises after this, but that doesn't matter. He wants to learn, improve and be stronger. To protect his family.
The tiefling backs off a bit, taking another second to look at Percy's form and the length of the rapier. When he moves forward again, he swishes his tail as a mild distraction, feinting again with the Summer's Dance (10) and then instead of immediately following up, he keeps moving - passing Percy, slapping the flat of his offhand on the human's ass (Nat 20!). ]
[Once Molly is in close, Percy has a hard time catching the details of his body movement, the tension and shifts that would reveal the tiefling's direction. The feint makes him dodge, but before he knows it, Molly has passed him and--
Percival actually jumps forward, then laughs as Molly crows his victory.]
Well earned, [he says dryly.] You're getting better with that off hand. And a promise is a promise.
He heads back to the fence where he left his things. First, Percy sheaths the rapier and lets it sit against the fence. Then, he moves his coat, revealing the belt he'd been carrying underneath it. There in the holster is a firearm. Percy knows it's possible that Molly has seen or encountered some in Wildemount, much to Percy's lingering regret. But he sincerely doubts any are quite like his.
[ Molly laughs, and then sheathes his scimitars. He's... maybe a little relieved for the break. Walking up to Percy as the man is getting ready, he curiously watches as the human takes his nice (if boring) coat off. The weapons that are revealed look familiar, but he can't quite place them yet. ]
A target, huh?
[ The tiefling looks around, trying to think of one that has a nice range. Finally he spots a barrel further down the road up to the paddock and points at it. ]
[Percival glances up to note the barrel. Hopefully there's nothing explosive in it, but this is a paddock, so he doubts there would be.
He checks Animus since he has the time to do so. The last thing he wants right now is a misfire, and he has all the time in the world to make this shot. Satisfied with the weapon's condition, Percy lifts it, taking less than a second to sight down the barrel and fire.
The report is loud, but Percy is used to the sound and the kick as it fires.
Down the impromptu range, the barrel starts spilling water.]
[ Percy might be used to the sound but Molly sure isn't, and the tiefling jumps at the boom, skidding in the dirt and almost falling over. His red eyes are wide, and a huge grin grows on his face. ]
What the fuck was that? I love it!
[ Molly curiously looks at the weapon (from a bit of a friendly distance, who knows if it will blow up if he touches it) and then back at the barrel once more. That's when he remembers seeing something like it at the Gentleman's, and bigger ones in Hupperdook. ]
[Percy opens Animus to take out one of the bullets so that Molly can see it.]
It's my design, though I can't take credit for making this one. [It had been Anna Ripley's, and now and then Percy still has some intense feelings about that.] If you have to compare it to anything, I suppose the idea is more like a canon. Just far more refined and smaller. Black powder, spark, fire a projectile.
[ Molly leans over to look at the bullet. It just seemed like a small metal thing, not unlike a pendant. If this was Percy's invention, he was a smart bastard. ]
I think I've seen longer versions in a few places, but not in action. Just carried by thugs and soldiers. I honestly thought it was a new kind of club.
You're an impressive inventor. I can understand the issue, though.
[ It was, among a lot of other things, unfair. War is stupid enough as it is (always the people suffering and the nobles telling them where to die) but if one side has terrible new weapons, it was even easier to kill people. People who just wanted to live their lives in peace. ]
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devilstongue) wrote in ![[community profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/community.png)
lusi2020-11-13 08:36 pm
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(It's kind of hot, he's not gonna lie.)
He has to take a moment to find his feet again, backing off a bit even if that means Percy has an attack of opportunity. Molly needs to rethink his strategy for this. ]
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And, while he has a few seconds to catch his breath, he takes his glasses off and puts them into a pocket on the coat draped over the fence rail.
Once they've had a breather, though, Percival is back in form. He waits, making sure Molly is actually ready and paying attention before he attacks (20) in rapid succession (13, 16). In the face of Molly's expressive grins and flashy movement, Percy is precise and impassive. The rapier demands the former as a matter of course; the latter is just a habit of concentration.]
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He's hit twice but then retaliates, feigning using the Summer's Dance for a swift smack and instead raising the stake with his action - trying to trip the fancy man with his tail (with a natural 20!). ]
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He trips badly, nearly loses his weapon in his attempt to keep from going down completely. His grip is good, but he is absolutely distracted and off balance for a few moments, leaving himself open to an attack of opportunity.
It's clever, really, and it's absolutely something Percival would take advantage of if he had a tail.]
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Shouldn´t have taken your glasses off, my friend.
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A calculated risk, [he admits.] And I only have the one pair, so it would be a shame to break them so early in my tenure here. How are you feeling?
[Might as well take a moment to reset themselves.]
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That's fair. You should use a square to get a whole set of backup ones, then nasty little tieflings will not be able to flip you over.
[ Said tiefling spins his blades a bit again, enjoying the feeling of the balanced weapons in his hands. ]
When you're ready, Mr Derol-oh.
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Ready as I'll ever be, Mr. Tealeaf.
[And with that, Percy goes on the offensive. Whereas before he'd been happy to defend, now it seems like he's trying to throw Molly off with bold aggression. The first strike is quick (19) and he follows it with another, devastating blow (26 - natural 20). But he overestimates his movement with the follow up (8).]
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Now the human is on the attack, and it's quickly shown that Percy was only defending before. The first strike knocks Molly back a bit, making him rethink his parry - and then the second one bypasses his whole form and smacks him hard enough to hiss and stumble. That one might have bruised a rib. ]
Ah, you're just playing with me, aren't you?
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No, just falling back into form, [he admits.] It's been some time, truly. I tend to keep myself at range if I can help it. I find myself more effective there.
[But... he also learned as a younger man and has had plenty of occasion to hone that skill, even if he prefers other fighting styles. He considers Molly.]
Your feint was good. Once you get past my guard, my distance, you're quite dangerous.
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So he takes in what the human says, trying to strategize how to get past that guard in the first place. Something Percy said, though... ]
At range? Are you more of an archer, then?
[ He didn't look the archer type, though, and said he wasn't a spellslinger. ]
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How's this: once you've hit me twice more, I'll show you what I do.
[Percival gets his guard up again, eyes bright and that smile lingering at the corners of his mouth. He can't decide if he is surprised or gratified that Fjord hasn't rambled about his arrival - and the arrival of his weapons - to anyone within earshot.]
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Deal!
[ The tiefling grins, raising his swords again and getting ready to strike. Moving forward, he fumbles his first strike a bit in his whirling attack (12) but this time manages to follow up with the weaker offhand (unnatural 20!). That makes him laugh, tail swishing as he presses forward. ]
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One, [he announces, because surely Molly deserves the encouragement. But Percy has no intention to just taking it. He attacks in pure reaction (13) and misses Molly, but follows up with a more precise strike (21). The follow up also misses (13) and Percy curses under his breath as he tries to disengage to put some distance in. That was too reckless and it cost him.]
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The attack back is full of misses (10, 12), and he knows his form is off. If this was a real fight, he would have curses and mockery on the list as well, but only swordplay was showing what he lacked. ]
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There's skill in the way Molly wields his weapons, but room for improvement as well. Percy wants to give him a chance for that, to learn from where he's gone wrong. He isn't much of an instructor, but he can be a partner.]
Fighting against a rapier will forever be about getting within the guard - the reach is longer and, potentially, can keep you back. Watch for openings, no swordsman is perfect and every one will have a weak point.
[To make his point, he lunges forward with one quick jab (24) where Molly has left his guard down.]
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The tiefling backs off a bit, taking another second to look at Percy's form and the length of the rapier. When he moves forward again, he swishes his tail as a mild distraction, feinting again with the Summer's Dance (10) and then instead of immediately following up, he keeps moving - passing Percy, slapping the flat of his offhand on the human's ass (Nat 20!). ]
Two!
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Percival actually jumps forward, then laughs as Molly crows his victory.]
Well earned, [he says dryly.] You're getting better with that off hand. And a promise is a promise.
He heads back to the fence where he left his things. First, Percy sheaths the rapier and lets it sit against the fence. Then, he moves his coat, revealing the belt he'd been carrying underneath it. There in the holster is a firearm. Percy knows it's possible that Molly has seen or encountered some in Wildemount, much to Percy's lingering regret. But he sincerely doubts any are quite like his.
The gunslinger slides his glasses back on.]
Pick a target.
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A target, huh?
[ The tiefling looks around, trying to think of one that has a nice range. Finally he spots a barrel further down the road up to the paddock and points at it. ]
That one?
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He checks Animus since he has the time to do so. The last thing he wants right now is a misfire, and he has all the time in the world to make this shot. Satisfied with the weapon's condition, Percy lifts it, taking less than a second to sight down the barrel and fire.
The report is loud, but Percy is used to the sound and the kick as it fires.
Down the impromptu range, the barrel starts spilling water.]
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What the fuck was that? I love it!
[ Molly curiously looks at the weapon (from a bit of a friendly distance, who knows if it will blow up if he touches it) and then back at the barrel once more. That's when he remembers seeing something like it at the Gentleman's, and bigger ones in Hupperdook. ]
Some kind of hand crossbow that fires explosives?
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[Percy opens Animus to take out one of the bullets so that Molly can see it.]
It's my design, though I can't take credit for making this one. [It had been Anna Ripley's, and now and then Percy still has some intense feelings about that.] If you have to compare it to anything, I suppose the idea is more like a canon. Just far more refined and smaller. Black powder, spark, fire a projectile.
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[ Molly leans over to look at the bullet. It just seemed like a small metal thing, not unlike a pendant. If this was Percy's invention, he was a smart bastard. ]
I think I've seen longer versions in a few places, but not in action. Just carried by thugs and soldiers. I honestly thought it was a new kind of club.
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[It dismays him to hear it's gone so far as these weapons being used by armies. He reloads Animus and closes it again.]
The designs were never meant to get out into the world.
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[ It was, among a lot of other things, unfair. War is stupid enough as it is (always the people suffering and the nobles telling them where to die) but if one side has terrible new weapons, it was even easier to kill people. People who just wanted to live their lives in peace. ]
Bad News is a good name.
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