Roleplay 1--Day at the Bar

[formerdeathcorps]

OOC: This hasn't died.  I was just busy.
Let's keep the suspense and confusion going.

IC:
"What's going on...I...we don't know."  Holding his hands behind himself, Syd quickly slipped the iron lock around the pantry's door.
"Never mind Syd here; he's always clueless."  Before Syd could voice a protest, Callie glanced sharply into his eyes.  Syd looked away, as Callie resumed her hushed conversation.  "The barman who used to own this place was a thug.  He made some powerful enemies during the War and now he's dead.  The bounty hunters are here to hunt down his associates, but they're a bunch of idiots from out of town.  Except for that Dark Knight, the rest of them aren't even involved.  That's why we're staying back here; we don't want to draw any trouble our way."


Rolling away from Gareth's blade, the archer's back struck the leg of the table he was hiding under.
"Ahh...oww, damnit!  Nera, that Dark Knight's yours!  I've got company!"  Fumbling his hands, he loaded another bolt into his crossbow.
Fleeing from the shrieking ghost, the summoner ran directly into the outstretched spear.  Falling onto her face, she observed a scrawny young man sneak up behind the wizard with his knife.
"HEY, SERIN!  There's someone behind you!"
The wizard turned to block the attacker's knife with her staff.
"What a foolish boy.  Want to be burned to a crisp?"  As she spoke, the crystal on the end of her wizard staff gleamed red.
Nera stretched her crushed muscles as she observed her target ready her Fellsword for another energetic strike.  As her breaths slowly deepened, she dug into her left pocket and withdrew two shurikens while her right hand clenched her spell edge.  Now grinning, she burst forth, launching the first dirk at the Dark Knight's torso.

[MysticKnightFF5]

OOC: Can we get off the fighting soon?
IC: The Dark Knight sighed and blocked the dirk with her left arm, charging her sword for another powerful attack.

[st4rw4k3r]

"I too would like to say from the ways these people. Do you have any ideas on escape or hiding? I would be glad to help."
Says Amor the monk to Callie.

[MysticKnightFF5]

Oh, by the way, she just let it stick in her hand, and she just kinda shook her hand so it came out.

[formerdeathcorps]

OOC: Where is everyone?  IN particular, Tigerspike and Skip have characters actively involved in combat.  They need to post.

IC: The shuriken fell off the Dark Knight's arm, ripping a hole in her sleeve while rending a small piece of her flesh.
Navigating her last obstacle, Nera leapt onto the table separating her target and her and flung her second shuriken at the Dark Knight's head.  Instinctively, her left hand fell against her other scabbard as her head curled forward.  Leaping off the table like a diver, Nera rolled off her bruised shoulders into the Dark Knight's shins.

[MysticKnightFF5]

OOC: FDC, you went too far. Back up to before you powerplayed.

[st4rw4k3r]

Amor (my monk's name) pulls out a piece of paper, a pencil and starts to draw a very detailed picture of the Dark Knight.
When The picture is finished she titles the picture;
"WANTED"
Then on the bottom of the paper;
"This Dark Knight is worth 10,000 War Funds"
"Dead or Alive"
"Twice the reward if dead"
"~Signed Arien Calit"

Then runs from her hiding spot avoiding fighting, then puts the paper on the front of bar door in view to the entire street.
Then runs back to her hiding spot.

"That should take care of her!"
She says aloud.

[MysticKnightFF5]

As the shurikan sliced the dark knight, the ninja felt an equal amount of pain, realizing then their souls were bonded, and the Dark Knight turned her head to avoid the shurikan, then stabbed the ninja as she neared the dark knight.

[Tigerspike]

Switching tactics, Gareth lunged forward, closing the gap between himself and the archer.  Using
the opportunity afforded by the archer rolling into the table leg, he unleashed an attack that was taught to him by his cousin.  "HELLCRY PUNCH!"

Standing over the summoner, Winter pressed the point of his spear into the neck of the prone woman.  "Don't even speak."

Kyle, smiled at the mage, grabbed the staff and swung behind the mage.

[formerdeathcorps]

OOC: This is not dead.  I was just busy between midterms, work, and ASM.

MKFF5, as for "power playing", let's not forget that:
1) A Dark Knight in FFT has 0% C-EV, while fellswords have 0% W-EV.  From our PMs, you made it clear you weren't wearing armor (so no shields either) or mantles (just clothes).
2) Since I personally think 0% C-EV is too unrealistically strict, I probably would have allowed you to block a few hits (especially since you weren't wearing armor).  But three factors weigh against you.
a) You insisted on strictly using FFT mechanics when it was in your favor (when using Crushing Blow at 100% hit, no evade).
b) You evaded virtually every attack sent your way, including attacks even a ninja would realistically have trouble dodging (like a crossbow shot at point blank range right after charging an attack).
c) Virtually every other player has told me in chat and/or in PMs that your character is OP (pulling off strong attacks and evades without any cost).

A free-form RP doesn't demand any unified battle system (with the corresponding numbers and dice rolls).  However, that does not mean you can exploit the lack of rules to your favor; consistency, realism, and good sense still take priority.

IC: The momentum of Nera's roll knocked both women to the floor, yet the fellsword still sliced across her shoulder blade and pierced her left lung.  Fresh blood surged out from her wounds, eating away the internal scabs formed from drinking that X-Potion.  The mocking echo from the Dark Knight's mental laughter filled her head as she spat blood onto the Dark Knight's pants.  Even as her vision blurred, her right hand still managed to withdraw her spell edge.  Burying herself into her assailant, she plunged the blade into the Dark Knight's abdomen.
"...I...still...have..."

His crossbow now shattered, with pieces of shrapnel scattered all around him, the archer moaned as he pushed himself up.  Blood dripped from his right sleeve as he clenched his fists.
"I gotta get that sword off him.  That, or knock the breath outta him."
Feinting with his bleeding right hand, Kasan clutched his crystal shield with his left, readying himself for an uppercut.

Seemingly obvious to the fate of her comrades, the mage retained her cocky demeanor.   Walking backwards towards the lancer, she beckoned the thief to follow.


As the monk darted across the bar to attach her poster, the foursome began to whisper.
"You think that's real?"
"It can't hurt to check.  All we have to do now is clean up."
"Can't we just squeeze it out of that monk?  There's one of her and 4 of us..."
"Quit your daydreamin'; Syd, she doesn't have 10,000 gil."
"Callie...you're just jealous..."
"Quiet!  She's coming back this way!"

As the monk returned, Merle waved and beckoned her over.
"You really want to be careful with posters like that.  The barkeep used to be involved in all kinds of shady stuff and you don't want to give his underlings any reason to do something dumb.  They'll come after you."

[MysticKnightFF5]

OOC: I have a better idea. I'm quitting until further notice. this combat is retarded and I need to reconstruct my character anyways, should it ever get to the point where it matters (it won't)