Penny

There's Always a Price: Sci Fi Bounty Hunters

Jocasta obediently pushed the grav pallet that carried the body of the dead outlaw into the center of the room. In its travel mode the polymer case was opaque, a bland gray, but with the press of a stud the walls turned translucent revealing the preserved corpse for all to see. Nitrogen gas, cheap and inert had been pumped in at pressure to retard the natural process of decomposition. Combined with a biocide spray and a near 100 percent humidity scrub that would keep the body in good condition for a long while. Eventually the anaerobes in the mans gut would devour him, oxygen or no, but that was a much slower prospect than natural aerobic decay.

Volkavax turned his vast eye upon her in surmise and grinned a toothy grin, six inch long fangs interlocked in a net of bone. A dark purplish tongue slithered out from between his jaws and then sucked back with an audible hiss.

"And who is this?" the xenos all but leered. Jocasta glanced around the harem girls that surrounded them, noticing the irritation on the skin of the girl who had been disturbed by her entrance. Perhaps the tongue was very rough, or perhaps the creatures saliva was slightly acidic.

"I am no one to be trifled with," Jocasta replied projecting her voice so that it filled the room. The xenos reared back slightly and then chuckled.

"Spirited too I see," the thing hissed.

"If we can return to business?" Jocasta suggested, tapping the transparent case that contained the body.

Blades of the Blood Coast

We have a kind of druid who can probably talk to trees so why stop at human characters?

The Black of Night - Urban Shadows

"The item was... being held for me, you might say," the dragon/woman replied, the sibilance in her voice growing more pronounced and something hot and elemental kindling in her eyes.

"And no, it is not dangerous as it is. It is a fragile thing however and I am concerned it might be damaged or destroyed, by accident as much as on purpose," she continued the heat of a moment before dipping to a smolder.

"Yuki will know it when she sees it, I have no... pictures of it? Is that the mortal term?" she asked before making a dismissive gesture with a quick puff of smoke.

Blades of the Blood Coast

Magic kisses for all NPCS, got it! @DrRtron

Tricksters and Theives: A Warhammer RP

Emmaline's mind burned with gold lust as she shoveled handfuls of coins into her belt pouch. Her dress had no pockets so she began shoving coins into her bodice until the integrity of the fabric itself was threatened. Still far from being satisfied she grabbed one of the canvas rain covers and improvised a sack, pilling coins in the center so she could gather up the corners like a drifters bindle.

"What 'ave we 'ere then?" a gruff voice demanded. Emmaline spun about so quickly that her blonde hair flicked out with the speed of the motion. An unshaven guardsman carrying a heavy looking baton in one hand was standing in the doorway. His face was contorted into a leer as he slapped the wooden weapon into his palm. A heavy leather belt encircled his waist and there was the wooden and brass butt of a pistol tucked away there. The rapid rotation shook a coin form her bodice and it bounced and clinked over the hull before coming to a stop at the mans feet.

"My, you are the prettiest thief we have caught in a while, be almost a shame when we finally have to cut your throat and drop you in the river," the guard leered taking a step towards her. Emmaline took a step back, bodice jingling with coins as her eyes darted about for a means of escape. There was no obvious means of doing so, the only port hole being far too small to accommodate her.

"Look I'm sure we can come to some arrangement," she temporized attempting to back away. There was no where to go in the confined cabin.

"Oh, I'm sure we can," the grinning thug agreed, stepping forward and slapping his baton into his hand for emphassis.

"Reckon I'm going to enjoy this."

Tricksters and Theives: A Warhammer RP

Emmaline had her doubts, a daylight robbery seemed risky, but as they rowed down the slugish river, she saw that Neil had the right of it. The river was packed with vessels of all kinds, ranging from simple working boats to elaborate barges draped with silk bunting for the parties which would rage as part of Black Powder week. Even as they approached the merchant vessels they drew no more attention than any other river boat.

"It's going to be a little hard just to climb aboard," Emmaline complained.

"Nothing to it," Neil assured her. He held up a hand to forestall any argument. As if on que there was a distant clang of the great clock in the College of Engineers. It continued to clang every few seconds, ringing out over the city. Neil counted out the beat and then hurled the grappling hook so that it bit at the same time as the chime struck. A few moments later there was a great booming off to the east.

"They are testing the guns at the college," Neil explained, "everyone will be at the starboard rail watching the display."

"Daylight robbery, what could go wrong?" Emmaline asked, but she was already shimmying up the rope towards the bulwark of the ship.

Shields of the Empire

"Lets give it a day for Tychon's men to rest, I doubt anyone else will object," Phaedra said after a moment. She took another mouthful of wine and swirled it around in her mouth for a moment before swallowing.

"We can march along the south bank, avoid any troops on the north side and if we have to we can cross over at one of the fords," she concluded.

"And Phaedra is fine, we don't stand much on ceremony..."

"Riders!" came a shout from outside that brought everyone to their feet. Tychon's head thumped on a beam provoking a curse.

"What now?" Phaedra grumbled as they grabbed for armor and weapons.

The riders turned out to be Atvari. They made an impressive sight. Fifty men in blackened armor with gold highlights trotted arrogantly towards Arbela. Each man held a lance erect with white pennons of truce fluttering from their shining points. They trotted forward towards the village, giving every impression of being on a royal inspection rather than approaching an enemy held city. At the center of the line was a puddgy man in white linen with gold cloth wrapped around his head. He sat upon a shaded palanquin which was held aloft by four slaves, remarkable men with shockingly black skin that shone in the sun. Two more slaves stood to either side waving fans to keep the applicant cool.

Phadedra and Brasidas, each with a pair of guards, trotted forward on their own horses to meet the new comers. Phaedra was wearing only half armor, though both of her companions were in their full panoply. The scouts had reported the approach of these riders, but were certain that they were not part of some cunning ambush. That was good enough for Phaedra not to wear her whole sweltering battle dress.

"Imperial Invaders!" the puddgy man called out. His voice was surprisingly deep for such a small man. His short beard bristled as he spoke, giving his voice a strange animation.

"I bring greetings from the Most Righteous Hand of the Great King of Atvari, The Shield of His People, The Lord of the High Reaches, The Sun and Moon, The Emperor of all Paredea, The King of Kings..."

"Yes yes I think we have quite established the Emperors Eminence," Phaedra interrupted. Both of her cataphracts snickered and the envoy fell silent for a moment.

"Imperial Invaders currently defiling the Land of Holy Atvar, rejoice for your King has abased himself before the King of Kings, the so called Emperor Alpharius, possesed of the wisdom which only the King of Kings can inspire, has renounced his false claim upon these lands. You and all your ilk are now trespassing, simple bandits abroad in the land. Fortunately the King of Kings is merciful. Pledge your loyalty to him and accept service in his great army as slaves. Surrender yourselves and find purpose in your service."

Shields of the Empire

"The way I see it, we have two choices," Phaedra explained. All of the senior commanders, Brasidas, Sayf, Tychon, Eudoxia and Iona were sitting in the cool interior or a pleasant wine shop. Only Zoe was missing, as she was out attending to the scouts. As always in Atvari territory the frenetic work of the army had slowed to a crawl. It was simply too hot to undertake any significant labor and soldiers lounged for their mid day meals, finding what shade they could. Some of the Miravet were even swimming in the river, having enticed a number of the Imperial troops to come down and watch, even if they were unable to swim themselves. Quite a number of the Miravet would find lovers amidst Brasidas' force if they stayed together long enough, that wouldn't be a problem on her end, but it was possible that jealousies might flare from other quarters. It was one of the reasons why Miravet were rarely used as garrison troops, one of several reasons.

"Either we head back along the north bank, take the easier route, or we cross and strike south for Agrah, resupply there and then head back across towards the Silver Lake."

"Why go back at all First?" Iona asked, not disagreeing but simply puzzled.

"I mean we won didn't we, cant we just sit here and wait for reenforcement?" the Tetrarch asked.

"There is no point Arbela isn't defensible and if we are going to fight another pitched battle we are better off further west. A major clash anywhere between here and they sea will determine who controls the land all the way to Sidris. If the Great King is making offers its a good bet the Satrap at least is in the field with his army, maybe thirty thousand, we know from the ambush the other night that there are Atvari at our rear, probably a decent force up at Zoltai. If they haven't marched south to block our retreat yet they will soon." Phaedra took a sip from her wine cup and looked somewhat peevishly west. There should have been more Imperial troops on the horizon by now, another two or three thousand infantry plus Georgicus, but the scouts had not reported anything, not even any camp fires at night.

"We can wait here and find out, there would be time to pull out if the Satraps army shows up, we would spot them two days out," she argued. Phaedra looked a Brasidas and made a shrug.

"If we wait we have to cross the ford and risk the desert, it will give them too much time to block a retreat along the north bank."

Penny's Pencils

The Black of Night - Urban Shadows

I shall get to it shortly!