Fateweaver's Quest

by Kris Schnee

[Possibly, had you not been Grappled. But how many people would have died from the next breath attack?]

  As Iskandar, then, Miles was tough but not invincible. "Do I get fate points based on the number of foes, for being on the GMs' side?"

  [For simplicity, we will treat your supply as a flat 5.]

  "Then let's see what I have to work with." He tried to walk, and fell over onto all fours with a great clinking of coins. A long, scaly tail twitched at the base of his spine.

  Miles gingerly took a step like a quadruped, toward the tunnel entrance that was low enough to make him duck his head. The next room was a cave of glaciers. The floor was uneven, shattered, claw-marked ice that was marked as [Rough Terrain For Humans]. The ice itself glowed eerily from below, and the ceiling arched high overhead. Miles climbed onto a stone ledge, hopped forward like a cat, and spread his wings. He flew! The bottom fell out of his stomach but the rest of him kept moving, gliding forward with an occasional frantic flap. He landed on another ledge, wobbled his many limbs, and came to a rest with a grin on his terrifying muzzle.

  "Where are the others, anyway? They must still be on the way back to one of the settlements."

  [We will tell you that nine days have passed.]

  "What? But that didn't take nearly so long." But then, he'd also appeared in the game world after a delay that he hadn't noticed.

  [One of the things your people will learn is that time is more fluid for digitized minds.]

  One exit from the ice cave led to a well-lit space. It was terrain familiar to him from the first time he was captured: a narrow, deep canyon where he'd need to climb rather than fly. At his size it was no longer a terrifying chasm to be scaled by ropes and teamwork, but more like a ladder. Reluctantly he considered laying traps here to strike where intruders would be most vulnerable. It would be better, though, to catch them in the open like last time.

  He looked around the steep-sloping room and found another tunnel, this one too small to enter. He stuck his muzzle in there and saw dozens of frightened white-scaled kobolds who prostrated themselves. "Hss! Master!"

  "Carry on," he said, looking at the little underground village he'd poked into. There wasn't much detail to it. Presumably the kobolds weren't modeled as having much of a real economy or society.

  He climbed up the canyon, hearing pebbles skitter and crash from every movement of his great bulk. These rocks were probably the size of cannonballs. Outside, he stretched his wings to the chilly sunlight. The fissure opened onto what felt like a strange, narrow plateau that sloped down to the west, but really it was the same ground he'd crossed before. With Eva, who he'd have to try killing.

  The battle timer began.

  * * *

  "What?" he said, and looked around. There were little figures, and it took him a moment to understand what he was seeing. The entire surviving crew of Silver Hart, two times over, had reorganized and come to slay the dragon. They had trebuchets loaded with rocks, and they'd salvaged lots and lots of cloth. He'd been leaving it scattered all over the place, after all.

  He said, though no one but the GMs would hear more than growls, "Can I go up and blast them?"

  [As a Greedy Gold Guardian, you really ought to protect your hoard. Accept a fate point to remain below for this turn? Will grant it immediately this time.]

  "Fine." He was still perched at the lair's entrance. Miles roared, for show, and looked for Eva in the crowd.

  She was at the head of an archer brigade, holding her sword in one hand and the Dragon's Death artifact in the other. She had nothing to say, and there was no rage in her expression, because the dragon she was facing was a thing in her way. An engineering problem to disassemble, so she could find out whether Miles was dead. "Fire to distract!" she said.

  Nearby stood both copies of Captain Thorn, heading a mixed infantry/archer squad and a group armed with most of the siege engines. Both of them shouted at once, "Fire to wound!"

  [Your action?] asked the GMs.

  "Frost breath at... at Siege Thorn's group."

  A wave of pebbles flew at him, along with countless arrows in two volleys, one arcing high overhead. The GMs froze the panoply of destruction around him in midair and said, [Incoming actions: Create Advantage against you, power 4. Two attacks at power 3 and 4.]

  "Allow the advantage."

  [Attacks now have power 3 and 6. Rolling one defense for simplicity using Combat: 5.]

  "Spend a fate point on Worthy Foe... no. I'll eat 1 point of stress."

  Without his direct control, his head turned and his jaws opened wide, letting forth a frigid blast. He saw a cloud roll over the siege engineers, making them scream in panic. He couldn't stop as his attack seemed to stretch on and on.

  [Attack power 10. Shouldn't you enhance that?]

  "Damn it, no, I don't want to kill them!"

  Time paused in the act of Miles freezing his crewmates to death. His jaw felt hinged open in mid-blast, yet he could speak. The GMs said, [We suspected you would play to lose. As incentive, then: should you win, your ship will be rebuilt as quickly as we can manage. Currently it is in rather poor condition, and recovery will take time.]

  The ship, their supply of hardware for building a warp gate, was what justified the whole journey. Miles had the Hexapods' interest, but maybe not their enthusiasm for helping. He said, "Fine. Spend a fate point and enhance my attack to 12." Five points left.

  [14, because the attack is doubled versus the group. Defense: 4, counting armor and other bonuses. Kills: 10 of 60 needed.] Time resumed, and a whole line of men and women froze solid in poses of terror. Miles shuddered, and the arrows and rocks hit. [Damage to you: 1 stress.]

  "I want to move, too. Down."

  [Not after the attack resolved. Round 2 begins.]

  There was a reason to win, now. He didn't have access to another breath attack and no unit was dumb enough to be within melee range, so he needed distance. He launched himself upward, exploding out of the canyon in a clatter of stones, saying, "Up and out of their range!"

  [Flight skill 3, dice +1; success at getting two zones into the air.]

  The crew down below fired arrows, but Miles didn't even see a damage report; he'd been too fast or they'd rolled poorly. But a sort of javelin shot up from a ballista and he saw: [Advantage: Netted Wing. (Roll of 4 vs. 1.)]

  The javelin whipped around in midair on a long tether, wrapping his left wing up with a painful jolt. Miles' wings beat, and then he paused in midair, looking down at the faintly tinted air that marked an empty zone between him and the ground zones.

  He spent round 3 gaining altitude, keeping out of reach. If he could keep this up, he could attack again at leisure. The humans saw this too, and whipped out several rolls of the cloth he'd created to brace themselves. Miles roared, "Minions, get ready in the canyon!" The command came out as a scrambled wordless noise, but he figured the kobolds would understand.

  In round 4 he struck. He swooped down to land, and blasted Archer Thorn's squad under its security blanket. Thorn called out, "Not using the net!"

  [Your attack: 10. Enhance?]

  "Frost Dragon, yes. Four fate points left. So 14?"

  [Versus defense 6. Kills: 18/60.] Eight small people beneath him shouted and were cut off suddenly by their new frozen coffins.

  "Combined counter and net; go!" shouted the Thorns and Eva at once.

  [Two distraction attacks made to create advantages. Resist?]

  "Save it for the big hit." Two volleys of arrows came at Miles from the soldiers below, clattering all over Miles' scales. They jabbed and needled him in a dozen places.

  [Noted. Incoming attack of 10 to your defense 3.]

  "10! How'd they manage that?"

  "Preparation. Your response?"

  "Invoke Worthy Foe and Frost Dragon. So I take 3 stress overall."

  One of the Thorns shouted, "The hit's barely getting through!"

  Eva yelled back, "Success with style! We get a boost. We've got to hit him again before he takes
off!"

  Round 5 began. Miles was intact but running low on resources:

  Fate points: 2

  Stress: Body [X][][X][], Mind [][]

  Consequences:

  2:

  4:

  Eva said, "Invoking Engaged to Miles to cut this bastard's wing off!" She brandished her sword and ran at him, breaking formation to engage him one on one.

  Archer Thorn said, "Cover her!"

  Again the troops created a double advantage against him so that Eva could use it for a mighty +4 to her basic Melee of 4. Now there was force behind her moves, as though the dice no longer mattered to her. Miles had to stay in character, though! He lunged for her, trying to grab Eva in his claws.

  [Incoming attack of 6. Your defense: 7.]

  He tried to comment quietly. "Bad roll for her, huh?"

  [She rolled even worse and spent one of her bonuses on a reroll.]

  He'd blocked this attack, but he was going to start taking real injuries soon. Eva's blade skittered along his neck and only tickled his scales. Then Miles' body moved again in the direction he'd been planning, and his left hand reached out to snag Eva.

  [Your attack hits with power 7 versus defense 5. Grappled. Round 6.]

  Eva shouted in fear. Miles tried to harden his heart, not to hurt her but to avoid speaking to her.

  He needed to get away from the many archers and their longer-range siege engines. The battle was actually loaded against him, due to his friends' preparation. The statistics here would let determined foes wear him down quickly, if they accepted deaths by the dozen. So, Miles retreated. He dove down the canyon, roaring, and let himself slide down its long slope. Kobolds yipped and dived out of his way. "Wait behind cover!" he told them as he passed.

  Eva was still in his clutches. "Free attack," he said, "and my actual action is to strengthen Grappled." He felt his claws squeeze in around his tiny captive, and he could only trust in the GMs not to make it hurt too much.

  [Attack 6, defense 5. Invoke Grapple?]

  "Yes."

  [Inflicted minor wound "Breathless". Your action also succeeds at putting another free use on Grappled. Eva's attempt to break free failed.]

  Miles shuddered. In pure statistical terms the round was a good trade, leaving him with a wound on Eva with a free +2 waiting on it plus another from Grappled. He tried to focus on the numbers.

  [Your foes are being compelled to follow their leader], said the GMs. Outside the canyon Miles saw the archers clustering, but they didn't seem able to attack this round.

  It was now round 7 and he was ready for frost again, but the canyon's zone layout put the enemy out of range. "Destroy them when they come!" he growled at the kobolds, and retreated toward the open glacier cave. "Same actions for me."

  There was a pause as Eva took a moment to contemplate what to do. [Free attack fails, 3 to 5. She counterattacks, 5 to 4. You fail to strengthen Grapple.]

  "Keep Grapple and spend the free use of her wound to block the attack." She'd been smart to try attacking, though what he actually saw was only her failing to swing her sword arm. Now he just had one use of Grapple on her. But now, he was in the ice cave with its uneven ground and easy dragon perches, with enough space to fly. The room was a killing ground.

  Outside it, he heard shouts and fighting. The troops must be having a terrible time of it trying to climb down while the kobolds shot at them. What were they doing; rappelling? Miles peeked out while muttering that he wasn't officially changing zones. Then he gave a growling laugh. The soldiers of Silver Hart had made parachutes.

  "I disarm Eva," he said, reaching with his right claws to try grabbing the sword as though removing a splinter.

  [Disarm attempt succeeds, 5 to 4. Free attack hits, 4 to 2.] Her sword bent and fell from her grip. [She now has no offense bonus and has a "Disarmed" aspect with 1 free use.]

  She struggled but failed to break loose. Miles used his next turn to look out at the parachute operation again. The troops were in midair, being shot at by his kobold force, while a backup force leaned over the pit with arrows to shoot down into the fray. Miles aimed upward past his minions, and breathed ice. "Invoke Frost Dragon."

  [Attack 6 doubled to 12, versus defense 3. Kills: 27/60.] The frigid updraft caught the paratroopers from below, flinging some into the walls and freezing others solid. Men and women fell screaming as their parachutes ripped away. A wave of arrows crashed down to aim at Miles, but none did damage. The GMs congratulated him further: [Friendly fire and attacks by the kobolds have raised your kills to 36.]

  Winning starship repairs, thought Miles. He pulled back to the ice cave to wait for the intruders. Eva was still tightly in his grip, lightly wounded and taking another point of stress this round. Miles said, "I'll trap her on a high ledge as bait."

  The cave's interior shifted slightly, creating a dangerously narrow stone spire. Miles reached out and deposited her atop it, giving her a fanged grin for show. He was thinking, Now I don't have to keep hurting you.

  The troops sounded like they were breaking through his kobolds and would arrive soon. Then, they'd get to walk into the ice cave and right into more frost breath. He hung back for a few rounds, saying, "I want to create an advantage. Rubble in the entryway, maybe?"

  [Using Combat skill 4, you knock some stray boulders into place.] They flew up of their own accord, to make the footing just outside this cave more dangerous. [Your Grappled aspect on Eva has become "Stuck On a Ledge".]

  The soldiers were coming now, bunching up in the passage to hurry to where they could spread out and fight more easily. Perfect. Miles reared back his head and breathed.

  Thorn shouted from somewhere in the intruders' crowd. "Now!" A thick curtain swung into place just in time to meet his white cloud of death. Only some of the attack got through.

  [Attack 10 versus boosted defense of 8. They've spent a point to use your rubble for cover as well as the curtain. Kills: 38/60.]

  "Good move," said Miles. "But... I have a bonus from the rubble too, and it's free for me. It makes the curtain not airtight."

  [Attack boosted to 14. Kills: 42/60.] The killing cloud intensified and spread through the formation.

  The next round, the enemy dropped their curtain and flooded in by the score, looking as intimidated by the rough terrain as by the dragon. Miles reared up on his hindlegs and tail and roared loud enough to scare even himself.

  "Fire!" shouted Thorn the moment anyone could hear him. The archers shot a volley of arrows that hung in midair.

  Eva called out, "Aim for that weak spot on his back! Retroactively!"

  "I have a weak spot?" said Miles.

  The GMs said, [She is using Battlefield Scout to grant her allies an advantage.]

  Miles pounced like a cat into a roomful of mice. He, too, paused while dice rolled and the humans gaped up at him, begging that one of the Thorns or somebody would spend enough points to make things okay.

  [Enemy attack: 6 to your 3. Your attack: 5 to their 2. Modify?]

  Absurdly, he checked his damage status again in mid-attack. "Eat 2 stress and use the 2-point injury slot."

  [Arrow Wounds inflicted.] The shots found weak points between his scales, jabbing him all over. He roared in actual pain this time. A moment later he landed, smashing two puny humans beneath his feet and hurling a third aside with a shake of his head. He saw no blood. [Kills: 45/60.]

  Fate points: 1

  Stress: Body [X][X][X][], Mind [][]

  Consequences:

  2: Arrow Wounds*

  4:

  "Hey, ugly!" said Eva behind him, and a stone bounced harmlessly off his hide. Miles turned to glance at her. She had a jagged rock in each hand now and was shouting, "The moment you turn your back on me again, I'm making a flying tackle. It'll be great sticking these in your eyes!"

  [Creating an advantage of "Distracted" on you.]

  Oh, nice. Miles supposed most attempts to hurt his feelings with an outright mental attack wouldn't work, but advantages were j
ust fine. He growled and snapped at her, going with the role.

  Next round. The humans were at his feet and the GMs claimed their Shoot-based attacks were at a disadvantage, so some of them were moving away to gain distance. Fine by him. He stomped and lashed the cave floor with his tail. Swords and spears clattered against him, and one unit managed to break free and fire arrows.

  [The enemy use your Arrow Wounds and Eva's Distraction. Incoming attacks of 6 and 2 to your defense 3. Your attack: 3 versus 2.]

  Since he'd filled his low-value stress boxes, even a 1-point ding was as bad as a 4-pointer. "Take 4 stress."

  A lucky sword pierced his scaly right arm, feeling like a needle for a blood draw. There went the last stress box. Eva said, "Two more hits of any value will get him!"

  One Thorn said, "Split attacks, on purpose this time!" He winced as a soldier went flying across the cave, flung lethally by Miles' claws. [Kills: 46/60.]

  It was breath time again. Miles aimed at the archers. They stood their ground, shooting back to kill him instead of cowering. Frost met arrows.

  [Your hit: 8 versus 2. Theirs: 4 and 6 versus 5. Kills: 52/60. Moderate wound to you: Bleeding.]

  Miles looked down to see steaming, milky white blood pouring from his many arrow wounds. He felt his own heartbeat hammering and the cuts and arrow-shafts stung with each beat. "A final attack, then. Let's go, and spend that last fate point."

  He roared in challenge and lashed out at the troops, stomping and biting. They fired wildly. Then he felt Eva crash-land on his back, crawl up his neck, and stab him with a pair of big stone spikes.

  He smiled.

  [Incoming attacks of 6 and 4 to your 4; your attack gets 8 to their 3. Kills: 57/60. You are unable to withstand their attacks, and are defeated!]

  The GMs didn't kill him, yet; they were giving him a moment. So Miles thundered and thrashed, flapped twice to get airborne, and let himself crash back down as dramatically as he could. His crew, his friends, deserved no less. The world faded out for him.

  13. Next Campaign

  He reappeared laying on his stomach, on a cot whose rumpled blankets mirrored the arrangement of the frosty cave. Beside him stood a holo-display showing the battleground. Near that, the "killed" members of Silver Hart's crew, now increased by 57, were cheering and applauding.