The Cat Man of Brant

[Woe]

OOC: Sigh. Why can't people be civilized and talk through their issues? And for that matter, when did shooting the bad guy first become a bad thing?

I'm guessing you mean that the woman is going to attack Freya? If so, Freya will attack first via wrestling. No weapons unless the other woman escalates.

Bruce will rush back and help with the wrestling as well (if I'm allowed to state that).

[Longman]

Freya's attempt at wrestling is a fail.

Bruce leaps up and rushes back, but is not there in time to attack this round.

The woman "escalates" by transforming into a humanoid cat. She is clearly going to attack you (Freya). That's her action.

In the new round, Bruce gets to act first. He is coming from behind.

(I googled for an image of a "humanoid cat shapechanger" and got Michael Jackson as the first hit. WTF?)

[Woe]

OMG I'm fighting Michael Jackson! What has happened to this campaign?!

Followed closely by, OMG I'm fighting the panther shapeshifter! Where's my backup? Where's Kilian?! I'm too young to go at this solo!!

Freya will fight defensively for sure. If she can draw her sword, she'll do that but the +4 AC improvement is more important. She'll also call out to the woman at the altar, "Run! Get the watch! It's the panther!"

I /think/ Bruce should attempt another wrestling attempt, but the download is taking forever to complete. If you think of something better for Bruce to attempt, that's fine with me.

No point having collateral victims.

[Longman]

Bruce crash tackles the shapechanger from behind. He gets a natural 20 and decks the lithe and slender cat-woman, who was poised to rip at Freya with her claws.

The cat-woman's save vs. death is a dismal failure and she is thoroughly pinned for the remainder of the round.

The woman who was at the front pews runs towards the back door, which opens. A male priest steps out and looks at the scene in horror.

What does Freya do? Then what do both Bruce and Freya try to do in the new round?

[Woe]

Is the priest burly or scholarly? If burly...
"We've captured the panther. Help!"

If scholarly...
"We've captured the panther. Bar the doors and get the watch!"

Meanwhile...
Freya will attempt to pin the woman too. I think I'm reading the rules right but please confirm. The pinned catwoman has -4 AC, and can only attempt to break the hold, not attack. Freya has all sorts of options, but I'm going with the "multiple wrestlers" approach and hope the watch can sort this out opposed to getting out her sword.

Before I get to the next round, is there anything that the woman is holding? A cursed necklace with a gem that looks familiar, perhaps?

[Longman]

Priest - scholarly.

Freya narrowly misses the cat-woman who is struggling with Bruce's grapple.

New round. The woman lies quite still and no longer attempts to break Bruce's hold. She has some jewelry but none of the gems you remember.

She has spent the round transforming back into a woman again. She smiles nastily up at Bruce, who holds his grip on her.

Help, Father Morton! I'm being attacked! Help!

The priest steps forward out the door, while the other woman who was at the pews runs in past him out the back of the chapel.

Is is the cat creature there? What is going on in here? This is a house of God! Who are you?

Freya may act, then it's another new round.

Last post for 2 weeks - I'm out on break..

PS - nice anime. Unfortunately for you, the cat woman's transformation was considerably more subtle...

[Woe]

"Father Morton, it's me! Bruce of Reknown! You've known me since I was a wee dwarfling!" struggle struggle "This woman is the panther, but she's now shifting back." struggle struggle "Get the watch captain, please!"

Freya will go for another hold. If she gets it, Bruce will switch to a chokehold*.

* I'm not sure what a chokehold is in game terms, but he's trying to black her out opposed to punching her.


Interestingly... Bruce doesn't have a Scottish accent but has some of the vocabulary.

[Longman]

Heh. Nice try, but unfortunately, Father Morton doesn't actually recognise Bruce, and appears not to like dwarves and elves very much either.

"GET OFF THAT WOMAN!" he yells! "Celia, call the watch!"

There is movement from in the back room where the other woman just ran. She might be attempting to get out the back door. You are not sure whether she saw the cat-woman's transformation, but it is possible that she did.

In the meantime the aged father stands with his arms out as if warding you away.

"Leave her be! Leave this place or I will see you arrested! What villainy is this, to attack a woman in a house of God!"

Freya can make a hold if she wishes. Bruce maintains his own hold round the opponent's neck if desired. She is not struggling. We are out of rounds.

What do you do?

[Woe]

They'll release the girl. "We know you who are now, panther. This isn't yet over."

Turning to the priest, Freya will say, "It's a shame that the House of the One God now harbors murderers such as her. Your lapse may have caused the deaths of more Branters tonight."

Bruce just glares at Father Morton -- "I thought you knew me better, Father."

They'll take the back door.




Ugh! This party is terrible in towns. I'm going to stop visiting!

[Longman]

The woman escapes, running straight to wards the front door of the chapel and out on to the street.

You barge past a scared father Morton and into the back room, where you can see the other older lady, Celia, who was there when you arrived. She looks terrified.

"That was the cat-creature that has been terrifying our city! I saw it was with own eyes!"

There's a door behind her, maybe to a courtyard, maybe to a rear lane. It hardly matters at this point. You could give chase again to the panther lady, or give up and leave. It's pretty clear that with Celia's testimony, Morton will believe you.