Lair of the Frog King: Scene 7

Introduction to this thread: The Lair of the Frog King
Explanation of Mythic elements: What's All This Mythic Stuff?
Previous Scene: Scene 6

SCENE 7
Wherein Hinkley secretly emerges in the Throne room.


CHARACTERS
1. Sylvia Franco
2. Frog Men
3. Frog Romeo
4. From Princess
5. Frog King
6. Von Loaph
7. Eva Schneider
8. Mercenaries
9. Reinhold
10. Heidi Biehl

THREADS
1. (Save the Frog King/Princess)
2. Acquire the "Artifact"
3. Return to Silverlode
4. Rescue Sylvia

CHAOS FACTOR: 7

***

The scene is interrupted!

INTERRUPT EVENT: Action! - Dominate Bureaucracy. Clearly this event refers to Von Loaph and his henchmen exerting their will over the Frog King and his people (especially the Frog King's advisors and ranking lieutenants). Since this is an Action scene, they will be doing it by force. Last scene, however, we asked the FATE chart if there were ay other frogs in the room according to Hinkley's map. The answer was no. In order that there might be a battle, I'm going to say that a group of Frog King soldiers will storm the room as Hinkley appears. Unfortunately, they will be at a distinct disadvantage (thanks to the "dominate" keyword).

Q: Is Sylvia in the room [50/50]? Extreme yes (she's tied up already).

RISUS (recovery check): Has Sylvia recovered any cliches? At least 1 die to Archaeologist (she recovered consciousness). Rolling 4 on that single die, she doesn't recover any more in that cliche. With a roll of 5, she does recover a single die in Werewolf (meaning Eva probably just removed the silver knife from her shoulder) . She fails to recover anything in Benandanti with a roll of 1.

As the dumbwaiter nears its destination, Hinkley hears a burst of noise followed by the sound of gunfire. The Frog King's soldiers must have just arrived in an attempt to rescue their king! Resisting the urge to wait for the sound of battle to subside, Hinkley takes a peek out into the throne room.

Q: Is the Frog King tied up and facing immeninent execution [Likely]? No!

Q: Is the Frog King already dead [Unlikely]? Yes!

Q: Is the Frog Prince leading the charge [Very Likely]? Yes.

Hinkley can clearly see a healthy looking Frog Man wearing a jewel-encrusted leather harness leading a charge against the human mercenaries. While his spearmen throw their missiles to keep the humans pinned, he races forward to engage Eva in battle. Not yet participating in the fray, the villainous Von Loaph stands over the lifeless form of the Frog King, his sword dripping with black blood.

Hinkley's companion, Sylvia, struggles against her bonds as she hangs from the ceiling over a smoldering fire pit. Hopefully, Eva had not yet begun to torture her.

Despairing as to what he could possibly do, Hinkley quietly opens the door of the dumbwaiter and attempts to sneak into the room unseen.

RISUS/Q: Is a roll of 11 on Teenage Cassonva good enough to sneak over to Sylvia while everyone else is distracted by the fight [Likely - the cliche is good for sneaking out of the house or escaping from angry parents]? Extreme no!

Q: Is Hinkley confronted by a single Mercenary (2) [50/50]? Yes.

Emerging from the dumbwaiter, Hinkley takes a few step while keeping an eye on the battle. Unfortunately, he fails to notice a human mercenary directly in his path. He bumps into the smiling brute, grins weekly, ...

RISUS: Combat! Hinkley tries a mean right hook using Self-Improvement Success Story (currently 2 dice). he rolls 9 vs. the mercenary's 7. Success!

..and quickly punches him in the kisser, dislodging a tooth and nearly breaking his hand.

RISUS: The guard attempts to shrug off the blow and follow up with a hay-maker of his own. He rolls 4. Hinkley will use the same cliche as last time and duck under the blow punch the guy in the groin. He rolls 7, winning the combat.

The mercenary shakes off the blow and growls as he aims a powerful blow at Hinkley's head. Using technique #4 of "7 Secrets of Successful Street-fighters", Hinkley ducks under the blow and strikes out for his foe's unmentionables. Obviously caught off guard, the thug collapses to ground, whimpering in pain.

Q: Does Hinkley make it to Sylvia [Somewhat Likely]? No!

Q: Is he confronted by Von Loaph [50/50]? No.

Q: Reinhardt [50/50]? Yes.

NOTE: I once had stats for Reinhardt and Reinhold. I can sort of remember them as each having Immortal Knife-wielding Gutterpunk (4), Brutish Henchman (3), and Western Bandit (3).

Feeling rather satisfied with himself, Hinkley admires his handiwork a few seconds longer than seems prudent. Resuming his race to Sylvia with the battle raging around him, he almost completely closes the remaining space to the fire pit. Catching a strange expression in Sylvia's eye, he dodges just in time as a surly looking bandit dives past him and slides along the floor. It's one of the two mercenaries from the kitchen and he must have climbed down the dumbwaiter shaft after Hinkley.

RISUS (Combat): Hinkley tries to kick Reinhardt back into Sylvia, where she might be able to offer some assistance though hanging from chains would certainly hinder her). Hinkley will blow his last Lucky Shot and use Success Story. Sylvia will use Werewolf to attempt another change as Reinhardt (hopefully) flies in her direction. Hinkley rolls 14. At a half-dice penalty, Sylvia rolls 9!. Reinhardt, attempting to resist the blow and fight back with his knife, rolls 13 vs. Immortal Gutterpunk. As a result, he loses a die and goes flying into Sylvia's powerful legs.

Reacting quickly, Hinkley charges the mercenary and plants a flying kick into his chest before he can ready his knife. The man goes flying backwards into the the waiting legs of Sylvia Franco, who is once again changing into her werewolf form. She fastens her legs about the man and begins to crush him as the smoldering coals roast them both.

RISUS: Reinhardt must now struggle with a werewolf. Sylvia is (currently) restrained but her legs are still gripping him like a vice. He'll attempt to use gutterpunk to cut her with his knife. Lacking a proper silver knife, he'll be at half-dice. Sylvia is at half-dice for being restrained, though Hinkley will try to assist with Compulsive Consumer (trying out a skeleton key he purchased from a catalogue). Thanks to box-cars, Reinhardt roll a 16! Sylvia only rolls a 5 and Hinkley cannot break her free. Since we are using double margins for criticals, Sykvia is taken out... the knife has rendered her immobile and inert with pain.

Struggling in her iron grip, the human bandit frees his bowie knife and plunges deep into Sylvia's leg. She immediately releases him to fall onto the hot coals. Hinkley had raced around to try to free Sylvia but now finds himself face-to-face with a scorched and angry knife-wielding maniac.

Q: Is the battle starting to wind down [50/50]? Extreme yes. It's over! RANDOM EVENT (see below).

Q: I assume the mercenaries won [Very likely]? Yes.

RANDOM EVENT: Remote Event - Create Fame? (The Frog Princess has stirred the entire Frog Men population to act).

Looking about the room and seeing Eva, Von Loaph, and the other mercenaries kill or capture the remaining frog men, Hinkley accepts the futility of his situation and shouts "I surrender!". He raises his arms in the air as the knife-wielding mercenary steps closer. Suddenly, Hinkley imagines that he hears a multitude of croaking voices coming from beyond the doors to the room. Von Loaph and his companions look very nervous and begin to make for the exits.

From across the room, Eva calls to Hinkley and Sylvia, "These frogs are revolting! Another time, my dear Sylvia. And you too, Mr. Hinkley. Our next meeting will not be a pleasant one for either of you. Reinhardt, Reinhold, come!"

Q: Does Reinhardt take a parting shot at Hinkley [Somewhat Likely]? Yes.

RISUS: Quick contest of Knife-Wielding Gutterpunk vs. Success Story... 6 to 4, Reinhardt inflicts another die of damage on Hinkley.

Reinhardt waves his bowie knife at Hinkley and then slashes across his chest, opening a shallow wound. He laughs as he joins up with his twin brother and exits with Eva.

Clutching his wound, Hinkley works to free Sylvia from her bondage. Looking about the room for survivors, he observe some small movement amongst the amphibian bodies. Obviously, he'll need to tend to the survivors. But first, he lays the wounded Sylvia on the ground and covers her with a discarded cloak.

Q: Does Sylvia think they have a shot at recovering the artifact [Unlikely]? Yes.

Hinkley: "Well, this all could have gone better."

Sylvia (rasping): "You came back for me! I knew there was a reason I brought you."

Hinkley: "Hush. Since when do I leave a beautiful woman in the hands of rapacious brutes. I'm s gentleman, Miss Franco. Don't you forget that."

Hinkley's smile, betrays his ironic tone and Sylvia smiles in return, coughing out a "Whatever you say, J.R."

Hinkley: "It's 'J.R.' now?"

Sylvia: "Listen, there is still a chance to get the artifact. Eva and Von Loaph were still looking for it. Why else would they be so thoroughly encamped here in the great hall?"

Hinkley: "Look at us, Sylvia. We're a mess. You can barely stand..."

Sylvia: "I'll be fine."

Hinkley: "Really? You don't look fine from where I'm standing."

Sylvia: "I heal very quickly and it's not like we have to chase after them this very minute. Look around you..."

Hinkley looks up from Sylvia and sees countless Forg Men. Females, children, elderly... but there are also a few healthy spear men scattered about. And walking right up to them is a healthy looking female (odd how he can now tell the difference) with fancy jewelry and a purple velvet cloak.

Q: Was the frog prince found alive [50/50]? No.

Frog Princess: "Miss Franco, I see that you have not suffered the fate of my father or my beloved."

Sylvia: "I still live. If you'll let me, I'll avenge the deaths of your loved ones. I just need some time..."

Frog Princess: "Why should I help you? You and your people have brought us nothing but pain and suffering! I should just finnish the work those vile mercenaries started and put you down like the dog that you are."

Sylvia is visibly wounded.

Hinkley intervens and says, "Really, miss...sorry... Your Highness, I understand your pain. But we are on the same side."

Frog Princess: "Are we? Why did you come here? Was it specifically to fight off our human invaders? No? I didn't think so."

Sylvia: "No, milady, we came here for selfish purposes. No doubt, the same selfish purposes that motivated your human conquerors. Your stronghold was build upon an earlier structure. I have reason to believe that the an artifact of incredible power can be found buried in those ruins.

Frog Princess: "That explains why they put us to work mining out the forgotten tunnels. But why would I help you two? You are clearly just thieves of a milder sort."

Sylvia: "Yes we are thieves. But we have a noble purpose. This artifact must never fall into evil hands. We would never have come here had we not heard that others sought it out for their own base purpose."

The Frog Princess stares in silence, he face going through a range of expressions.

Hinkley: "Please, Your Highness, you have every reason to be angry. But surely you want revenge upon those that killed you father and your true love. Do you have enough soldiers to pursue those mercenaries? Do you have the weaponry? Your numbers are severely depleted. And you are in charge now. You have a responsibility to protect your subjects and defend your realm. Let Miss Franco and myself be your instruments of revenge. All we ask is for is a little help getting back up to fighting trim."

Q/RISUS: Is a roll of 7 on Nice Young Man enough to persuade the Frog Princess to agree to help Hinkley and Sylvia recover and perhaps offer them aid in their quest [Unlikely]? No.

Frog Princess: "You are right about my responsibilities and I take them very seriously. My first order of business as Queen of the Frogs is to cast out you humans. Damn you and your artifacts. They do not concern us. We shall deal with the mercenaries if they return to our passages."

And with that, Hinkley and Sylvia are escorted out of the Lair of the Frog King. Their mission is a failure, but they will live to opposes the evil schemes of Heinrich Von Loaph and his henchmen on another day.