Badass Dragoons of the Highlands - Turn 8 - New York City (c.1986)

[messana]

Four Immortals remain as The Gathering hurtles toward its inexorable conclusion, each determined to capture The Prize. Each reflects on the countless events they’ve experienced that have brought them to this moment, the items and things carried down through centuries, and their peers that no longer walk the earth.

Though much is taken, much abides; and though
We are not now that strength which in old days
Moved earth and heaven, that which we are, we are,
One equal temper of heroic hearts,
Made weak by time and fate, but strong in will
To strive, to seek, to find, and not to yield.

Quick Links: Table of Contents

Turn 8 Deadlines:
Opponent selection should be completed by Wed Nov 15 by 2300 EDT.
Stance orders must be submitted by Sat Nov 18 by 2300 EDT.

Badass Dragoons of the Highlands - Turn 6 - New York City (c.1986)

Turn format has changed: You are now hunting for each other on the streets of New York. Instead of a set of Travel options for each round, please PM me directly with a list of remaining immortals in the order that you would prefer to face one of them in combat. The first on the list should be the Immortal you’d prefer most to face and the last on the list should be the one you wish to avoid fighting at all costs.

Opponents will be matched based on a combination of PER score (as usual), orderings across all lists, and a pinch of entropy. Once opponents have been determined, I will update this topic with the parings for this turn, and both of you will know who you will be facing. At that point, please submit your stances to me directly. Turn deadline remains the same due to available GM cycles.

As with Turn 7 - please submit a list of opponents by preference ASAP.

[messana]

@daneel

  +-Character--------------+-HP-+-STR-+-REF-+-PER-+-END-+
  | Zero Demos             |  6 |  2  |  8  |  3  |  7  |
  +------------------------+----+-----+-----+-----+-----+
  | Age: 3568
  | Origin: Minoan
  | Weapon: Damascus Longsword
  |
  | Nemesis (+5 all attacks):
  |    Mr. Collins [David_Falkayn]
  |
  | Abilities:
  |    Sturdy (+1 HP)
  |    Reflexes II (Improves combat results in first two rounds)
  |
  | Quickenings:  
  |   + Inspired Tactics (-5 from all opponents rolls)
  |   + Swift Reflexes (Improves combat results in first two rounds)
  |   + Unphased (Ignores first non-critical hit)
  |   + Unyielding (Converts first critical hit to a normal hit)
  |   + Unstoppable (Ignores first lethal result)
  |

@MalevolentPixy

  +-Character--------------+-HP-+-STR-+-REF-+-PER-+-END-+
  | Jane                   |  5 |  5  |  6  |  5  |  4  |
  +------------------------+----+-----+-----+-----+-----+
  | Age: Unknown
  | Origin: Unknown
  | Weapon: Machete
  |
  | Abilities:
  |    Reflexes I (Improved results in first rounds)
  |
  | Quickenings:  
  |   + Vicious (10% of any normal hit becoming a critical hit)
  |   + Swift Reflexes (Improves combat results in first two rounds)
  |   + Inspired Tactics (-5 to all opponent's rolls)
  |   + Unphased (Ignores first non-critical hit)
  |   + Unyielding (Converts first critical hit to a normal hit)
  |   + Unstoppable (Ignores first lethal result)
  |
  | The Kurgan have caught your scent and are on your trail.
  | 

@gwwar

  +-Character--------------+-HP-+-STR-+-REF-+-PER-+-END-+
  | Ennis                  |  5 |  5  |  6  |  5  |  4  |
  +------------------------+----+-----+-----+-----+-----+
  | Age: Unknown
  | Origin: Unknown
  | Weapon: Longsword
  | 
  | Abilities:
  |    Reflexes I (Improves combat results in first round)
  |
  | Fell in combat to Jane [MalevolentPixy]
  |

@teknocholer

  +-Character--------------+-HP-+-STR-+-REF-+-PER-+-END-+
  | Other Pendragon        |  5 |  5  |  5  |  6  |  4  |
  +------------------------+----+-----+-----+-----+-----+
  | Age: 1519
  | Origin: Welsh
  | Weapon: Saxon Langseax
  | 
  | Abilities:
  |    Reflexes I (Improves combat results in first round)
  |
  | Quickenings:
  |   + Cruel (5% of any normal hit becoming a critical hit)
  |   + Prescient Tactics (-15 to all opponent's rolls)
  |   + Unphased (Ignores first non-critical hit)
  |
  | The Kurgan have caught your scent and are on your trail.
  | 

@David_Falkayn

  +-Character---------------+-HP-+-STR-+-REF-+-PER-+-END-+
  | Mr. Collins             |  6 |  5  |  2  |  7  |  6  |
  +-------------------------+----+-----+-----+-----+-----+
  | Age: 2286
  | Origin: Egyptian
  | Weapon: Papyrus Scroll
  |
  | Nemesis (+5 all attacks):
  |    Zero Demos [daneel]
  |
  | Abilities:
  |    Sturdy (+1 HP)
  |
  | Quickenings:
  |  + Cruel (5% of any normal hit becoming a critical hit)
  |  + Unphased (Ignores first non-critical hit)
  |  + Unyielding (Converts first critical hit to a normal hit)
  |  + Unstoppable (Ignores first lethal result)
  |
  | The Kurgan have caught your scent and are on your trail.
  |

@myf467

 +-Character---------------+-HP-+-STR-+-REF-+-PER-+-END-+
  | Myfanwy                |  5 |  2  |  4  |  1  |  2  |
  +------------------------+----+-----+-----+-----+-----+
  | Age: 1519
  | Origin: Welsh
  | Weapon: Oiled Chainsaw
  |
  | Fell in combat to Other Pendragon [teknocholer]
  |

[daneel]

You seem a bit quiet, Other. What’s the matter? A bit Myffed at how things turned out?

You know what they say, easy Cymru, easy go.

Tread Caerphilly, now.

[David_Falkayn]

While we prepare to continue our discussion, Zero @daneel , I do want to thank you for your appreciation of my musical efforts.

I always figured your tastes ran to early Genesis , or perhaps Peter Gabriel’s opening three solo efforts

Your deep understanding of me surprises me still - I don’t believe anyone else understood the real meaning of my later output. Of course, few have had your perspective.

And so our three millennia discussion moves forward for another round.

 Well I remember, I remember, don't worry, how could I ever forget
 It's the first time, the last time we ever met
 But I know the reason why you keep your silence up, oh no you don't fool me
 Well the hurt doesn't show, but the pain still grows
 It's no stranger to you and me

All these years, and we’re still talking about Thera. and your brother.

Yours in Truth,

Mr. Collins

[teknocholer]

Documents found in a locked safe.

Item 3 - Will of Myfanwy Owens - Executor’s copy

I, Myfanwy ferch Owain ab Owain ab Owain ab Owain (enough—it’s Owains all the way down) of Llwddwll, North Wales, being of sound mind, do hereby give and bequeath my property as follows.

The sum of €2,000,000 to the charity Immortels Sans Frontières.

The sum of €2,000,000 to endow the Merlin the Wise Chair in Immortal Philosophy, Department of Humanities, St. Trillo’s College, Unseen University at Anglesey.

The sum of €5,000,000 to the Department of Immortal Biochemistry, St Trillo’s College, Unseen University at Anglesey.

The residue of my estate to Ms. Caitrin Morgan, c/o Department of Immortal Biochemistry, Unseen University at Vancouver, for her personal use.

Item 4 - Wallet-sized photograph

Biographer’s note: Inscription on the reverse:

“Kinky, n’est-ce pas? Like it? M ”

[messana]

And so it came to pass:

Mr. Collins (@David_Falkayn) would face Other Pendragon (@teknocholer).
Jane (@MalevolentPixy) would stand against Zero Demos (@daneel)

Please submit 12 stances by 2300 EST this Sat Nov 18th.

[daneel]

Jane, eh? I don’t believe we’ve had the pleasure.

I can’t imagine why you’d seek me out, but I’m charmed. Let’s do lunch.

[MalevolentPixy]

I can’t imagine why you’d seek me out

Because someone needs to hunt the jaguar when it gets too dangerous. I am that someone.

[daneel]

Suggesting that you yourself are not dangerous? I’m sure several of the regulars at the Necktie Lounge would question that claim.

Come, come, embrace what you are. You can’t deny it.

[teknocholer]

[excerpt from The Diaries of Other Pendragon © 2017 by TrilloCom LLC]

I chose. I chose to fight her.

You chose rightly, love. It was your wyrd. And mine.

Now I must face Mr. Collins. I would rather it had been the esteemed Jane, fierce fighter though she is. It would at least be an honest match, blade against blade, my arm against hers. Now I am afraid my sword may avail me nothing. He fought the childkiller to a standstill with only words. How can a simple soldier defeat the greatest rhetorician of this or any age? I have read his reviews:

“…could talk a Vestal Virgin out of her stola in two minutes flat.”
– Catullus

“…makes Demosthenes look like a dead Trappist.”
– Popular Rhetoric Monthly

Crivens, ya great numpty. Dinna think sae much, ye’ve no the heid fer it. Step up to the po-faced git and chop him.

It’s not that simple, Hep, old buddy. How can I fight words? He has so many of them, and all the best ones.

My goodness, someone got up on the negative side of the bed today. What do we say about being negative, dearie? When Negative Norman…

“When Negative Norman knocks, we are not at home.”

That’s right. And what does it take to make a quilt?

Lots of little pieces?

Good for you. Now you go and think about that. Remember, Mr. Collins is nothing but a big bully.

Thanks, Mom. You always know the right thing to say.

[Biographer’s note: This entry is the earliest known example of the internal dialogue, in a variety of different hands, that characterizes Other Pendragon’s later style. It may indicate the early stages of the Dissociative Identity Disorder that frequently occurs in older Immortals. See Appendix A.]

[daneel]

may indicate the early stages of the Dissociative Identity Disorder

Happens to us all eventually. Here’s something that’ll help explain it to you.

[teknocholer]

I would rather it had been the esteemed Jane…

“Other?”

“Yes, Myf?”

“Do you think she’s pretty?”

“Eh? Who?”

“You know who. Your malevolent pixy dream girl.”

“Jane? She’s not my…I don’t know, I hadn’t really thought about it. I suppose…”

“So you do think she’s pretty.”

“Ignoring you now.”

“Hahaha, you can’t. That’s the best part.”
.
.
.
“Jane and Other, sitting in a tree, k_i_s_…”

“Lalalalalalalalalalalalalalalalalalalalalalalalalalalalalalalalalalalalala”

“Oh, that’s really mature.”

[teknocholer]

[excerpt from The Diaries of Other Pendragon © 2017 by TrilloCom LLC]

If Collins is to be my end, I will face him like a warrior.

This is not the time, cariad. Face him like a poet.

And what good will that… Hold. What was it Hep said?

Dinna think sae much, ye’ve no the heid fer it.

That’s it! My fancy is bred in the heart, not in the head. I cannot defeat Mr. Collins with reason. When he attacks with dialectic, I will parry with poetry. When he ripostes with sense, I will counter with sensibility.

That’s my smart boy. Don’t forget what I told you about quilts.

I know, Mom. “Lots of little pieces”. I will bring threads and patches. I will wear him down with ballads, songs and snatches.

He’ll use pedantry. Let him tire himself out. Don’t get rattled.

I won’t, Myf.

Stay on yer toes, mate. I’ve seen yon bawbag shift from a polemic to a philippic quicker’n a cat.

And take a sweater. The radio says it’s going to be cold. Whatever happened to that nice one I knit for you?

Aww, Mom.

[Old]

And a hat dearie! You know, we lose 90% of our blood through our head. Or is it heat? Well, nonetheless do it for me, please.