Canterlot Dorks of the Round Table [Private = JavaSun, Shining Armor, Gaffer, PocketChange, Princess Cadenza]

[Hippo]

Around the planks of the ship's tavern, the creaks and cracks of the hull added constant ambiance to whatever conversation anypony would have. And to Lord Seagon's pleasure, the characters he asked responded with their own answers. A viking who knew how to trust or not trust someone, a dog who had previously told him of his travesties in the resent past, and of course, the darling Aria Heart, who sat close to him presumably for pretection. He responded to all with a nod, but spoke to Aria. "Ah yes. Our duties of the past realms cannot be forgotten in travels to a new abroad. We stayeth steadfast in those values of our king, that they may toucheth every creature that roams the seventeen lands and bring blessing of prosperity and honor to all that may wish to wield it."

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Shining was alarmed when Java threw a table through the window in telling his story. If he wasn't awake now, he was probably dead. In a flinch, he grabbed hold of Cadance and covered her slightly in case and shards of glass shattered her way. "Whoa, that was, violent." And since Java was continuing to move on, Shining felt rude to interrupt and let him finish.

By the end of the setup of the first conflict, Shining was feeling a little regretful on his characters' abilities. He of course knew his character well, but couldn't remember how he played him when he was a lower level. "Oh, uh, actually. Yes, please refresh us. I mean, I know all about it, but just to make sure Cadance understands, let's review it really quick." As he said this, he rolled for initiative. A seven is rolled from a twenty-sided die.

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[SteelEagle]

That was...theatrical to the extreme. Gosh, were they going to have that sort of DM? Gaffer didn't necessarily mind those sorts of DM's but for the love of Celestia was he going to do it the whole time? He'd be exhausted before they got through a single scene. Gaffer appreciated the energy and excitement but geez, seven seconds in and already something crazy was happening! Hopefully this would remain canon for his characters. He'd have to try and explain to future game partners why it took eighty-seven sessions to order a drink at this stage! Nonetheless, the display was entertaining, eliciting a chuckle. Time to roll for initiative! Gaffer rolled his dice and it clattered and clanked to a respectable number, fifteen.

“That's a fifteen, with a bonus of one for the Rosora of Injavkib. And I gotta say I didn't expect such theatrics from you so quickly! Hehehe, entertaining, but don't get rid of all your energy now. Don't want to ruin our plans tonight, right?” Gaffer added with an impish little grin as he took a sip of his drink. It wasn't as if he was expecting his coltfriend to be totally smashed by his activity so far but seriously, save some of it for Gaffer. He couldn't do much roleplaying at the moment due to the scenario they were in, waiting on the results of the roles. Charging mad brute with a few friends likely to jump in should ot get violent, with the encounter designed as a battle. He wasn't in a position to strike at the brute just yet. If he got initiative he was going to cast All Part of the Plan. That would allow him to cast a spell he had yet to prepare and then Invoke he would Invoke the Rites of Blasphemic Punishment upon the brute. If everything worked out, he would be able to blind the fool so his companions could take care of it and save the poor mare.

[Bellosh]

Unaccustomed to the wild ways of hyperactive DMs, Princess Cadence flinched backwards in alarm when Java threw the fold-up table out the window. Up until that moment, the alicorn had no reason to expect anything weird to happen during a game session; a sentiment formed from old memories of her sitting in on a few games of then-colt Shining Armor and his academy friends. Java’s outlandish action however was enough to even compel Cadence’s husband to shield her from glass fragments, which thankfully didn’t come their way. In response to this turn of events, the mare said no word, not wishing to keep their host further humiliated.

Cadence’s frightened stare dissipated away when it came time to decide how her playable character would act in the laid-out scenario. Being Shining Armor’s wife, Cadence used her intimate knowledge of Shining’s behavior to easily ascertain that the stallion probably needed a refresher himself. It was kinda cute actually whenever the princess’s dashing knight, the closest thing real-life Equestria had to a classic hero figure, failed to disguise his nervousness.

The amused princess suppressed a giggle; instead she kindly told the DM; “I suppose it can’t hurt.” Cadence herself would appreciate some clarification on what a bard (an unarmed one at that) would do when faced with a brute threatening a bystander. In the meantime, the alicorn rolled a 10 from the 20-sided die.

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[tacobob]

Pocket Change nearly choked on one of the snacks he had been munching on as the game master went through some theatrics. Once the poor fold-out table had given its life for the demonstration, the stallion swallowed what he had been eating, “There are some things in the game you don’t really need to demonstrate.”, he added with a grin, hoping that nobody was hurt by the falling piece of expendable furniture. “Maps, certain unique monsters and treasures, yes. Excess saliva from an foe, not so much."

He patiently listed to the other's actions and ideas. Once it was his turn, he rolled for his initiative. "Hopefully Brother Fast Paw will win the dice roll, at least against the foe.", he watched as the dice gave up his number, "Thankfully, along with his agility, my monk is pretty darn fast. I could see him wanting to teach the bully a quick lesson with a few.", the stallion mimicked a karate style chop with his right hoof, "Flurry of blows, what that is not the way of his teaching. Suraisu, the Path of Precision, would tell the young Diamond Dog that he would need to get to the root of the problem, which is the poor clumsy mare. Once he snatched up the girl and granted her safety from the brute's attack, then he could focus his lesson on the foe himself, unless the others stop him first."

"Or depending on where he's at, there might be another plan. Just need to see how the initiative pans out."

[moonshineTheleocat]

Java watched as the table now some how managed to come flying back inside from an open window. He pointed a hoof at it for a moment wondering if that actually happened, and quickly waved it off after a nervous flick of the ear. "Erm..... that... actually was a little more odd then...." He then clears his throat and continues with his wonderful job as a Dungeon Master to these fine group of ponies! His attention quickly turned to the Princess.

"Right! So the bard isn't really the best combatant, but it can actually fight. Really, you will take a more passive-aggressive style, than the other characters usually. When it comes to your turn, just check your skills, and spells before you decide what you want to do,” The stallion hummed while sauntered back to the table.

Though... he gave it a very nervous poke of the hoof to make sure it actually wasn't alive, before flipping it back over onto it's legs. He then quickly caried it back up stairs towards the group and placed it down beside the coffee table with all the snacks. His gaze quickly flicked back to the window, where he spotted a tail just sifting it's way out of sight.

“Oh! Ok, nothing to worry about then. Just Sine-Wave returning the table,” Java chimmed happily.

He then mutters something about how that cat is going to be grumpy later for disturbing her usual nap time.

With a sheet of paper, he began to draw out the layout of the ship's bar. And placed a couple of miniature figurines in squares to represent the locations of everyone that matters. From the poor civilian who caused the raging behemoth to flip his rot. To the not so well known travelers that his players control.

“Sorry that the map looks awful. It's hastily made.” Java sighed as he looks down to his Incredibly sloppy work. Ink brush still between his teeth. "Didn't have one made for this encounter ahead of time."

“Turn order,” Java announced after tallying up the results of the initiatives. “ Diamond Dog Monk! Alicorn Bard! Berzerking Enemy Stallion! Paladin! Viking! Others! Remember. This game does a pretty good job at keeping things... somewhat normal. And under my campaign... all enemies tend to have a bit of logic in their noggins. So act carefully!”

[tacobob]

“Hmmmm.”, Pocket glanced at the map and then at his character sheet, "Don't worry. None of my other game masters were artists, and your map shows all that we need to see anyways." The unicorn smiled as his first dice rolls were true, and he gained the first initiative. "Monks do not crave glory or praise, but my guy is going to want to protect the poor mare and show that he is not going to stand bullies. Just need to throw a few dice for mmmm.", the assortment of dice needed for his moves slowly floated into the air surrounded in a greenish glow. They all shook in the air as he spoke, "First one is for move number one. Gonna stop him from charging into the mare and harming her, and the second should be a 'ker-pow' to the head. Don't want to waste any of his fancy attacks, not just yet."

The dice hit the table in order, "Good roll! Eh, rubbish roll. Nuts!" The unicorn cleared his throat.

While putting an end to Akuma No Inu' was his main goal in life, Fast Paw was no fan of bullies. As per his set, he was very fast, and it did not even cost him half a move to get over to the brute. And while he wanted to give the villain a good a good thrashing, his strong paw did not make his mark across the foe's head, but he was able to still snatch his tail, hopefully either stopping or delaying the stallion just enough to allow the mare to safety."

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"We're going to have to roll against Fast and the foe's strengths to see how well he held him.", Pocket added.

Maybe Fast Paw's inner spirits that helped him control his powers of Suraisu, the Path of Precision, were trying to tell him something. Maybe he was not to stop the foe with the strength of his fists, but maybe the strength of his voice!

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"Which we're going to find out in the next round.", he added with a grin, "You're next princess.".

[Bellosh]

The princess’s turn came next. “Hmmm,” Cadence pondered; “Since my character’s a bard, perhaps I can try melting the berserker's icy heart with a warm island song... or is Aria Heart supposed to chill his fiery heart with a cool island song?” The alicorn shrugged; for all she managed to learn of the musical arts, she never managed to figure out which type of soothing island song to use in the correct situation. Nopony else she knew seemed to have found a satisfactory answer to that question either. Oh well.

Sensing a bar brawl imminent, Aria Heart knew that something needed to be done to defuse the situation before any more woeful violence occurred. And Aria knew just what she could do; she could use her musical abilities to calm the heart of the enraged brute. Many moons ago, when the alicorn was but a mere foal, it took the plucking of her mother’s lyre and the sweet melody of that mare’s voice to lull a rambunctious Aria to sleep. It’s been said back in Aria’s homeland that she inherited her mother’s gift in song, if not surpassing them; those bold claims would be put to the test.

Right as a diamond dog held the brute in place, the notes of Lady Heart’s lyre filled the room, shortly thereafter accompanied by the blissful humming of the young cloak-wearing mare herself. Like a siren of old Aria sang, directing her heavenly call right in the rampaging stallion’s direction. With any luck, the lady’s voice would at least be enough to give that stallion something that’d make him forget why he was angry in the first place.

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Princess Cadence may not have brought a lyre with her, but she was more than glad to give the roleplaying group a taste of her own vocal abilities. For a few seconds, she hummed a harmonious siren call of her own, like the one she imagined her character would be doing in-universe. And beyond all doubt, the princess’s singing voice was in no way tarnished by years of royal responsibility.

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[moonshineTheleocat]

Java smiled from where he sat at the table. His hoof rested against the table as he watched the outstanding teamwork with the group. Oh yes, this indeed was the perfect group for his campaign. Perhaps he didn't even need to run this tutorial level for Cadence?

It surely did seem so as she was expertly manipulating her character to put the mighty berserker at peace. But sadly, for a game as cruel as DnD, it was always the dice's decision to make. The stallion lowered his hoof next to a twenty sided die, and gave it a hard flick to send it into the middle of the table. It bounced and skittered around before it finally landed with a twenty pointing to the crowd.


“Oh... I guess the Dice had something else to say....” The stallion commented with a frown, his gaze flicked to Cadence for a moment and then back down to the table to eye the sitation.

 

The hulking berserk er came to an unexpected halt when a Diamond dog monk had appeared before him. The outraged behemoth of a Pony rose up high on his rear hooves. His hooves balled up together into a mighty fist. But before he could act, the most beautiful song filled the air.

The song reached the stallion's ears and caused him to waver with a blissful tone. His mind began to dance around as it slowly forogt about what he was doing. But soon his eyes fell flat on the dog. They were calm... docile... and then suddenly flaring with enough aggression and rage that they could quite possibly blast the dog into oblivion with just malice alone.

 

His fist quickly descended from the air....

 

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The sound of dice clattering on the table broke the action. The eccentric game master leaned over his screen to peer down to the dice. And blinked when he saw a one smiling happily to him.

The stallion inhaled sharply through his teeth, “Critical failure... Well guess you got lucky, Pocket Change...”

… and crashed into the floor instead of the dog. The impact was hard enough to utterly obliterate the flooring underneath the appendage, and cause the stallion to be stuck fast in place by the splintered wood. The Berserker tried to pull himself free, but began to scream out in rage when he discovered his situation. He continued to jerk, splintering the wood that was holding him down, and swearing upon the nine about how he was going to stuff one of the adventurers up the end of another.

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The stallion then leaned back, “Alright This is getting good!”