Solo Gray Caps

[Robinson Gilli]

Fall 38th, 514 A.V. 4th bell 24th chime

It was ungodly early when Robinson awoke this early morning, making his way to the mostly empty streets of the city. He was driven, seeking someone or something out…. He made a promise to someone, a promise that had already been paid half in advance. He needed to honor it…. There was no personal ambition driving him to this as he wandered about from alley to alley, street to street… there was nothing but an honor-bound agreement leading him on this path as he held his longbow in his left. His duty was cut and clear….. eliminate a newly-formed gang, no details were given just that his handler didn’t think they had the stones to survive…. I suppose this was one way to prove if they could.

Robinson didn’t mind it, half was already in his pocket… the other was soon to follow once he finished this business. And so he continued searching, searching for a gang that had the habit of wearing gray caps as their symbol of identification. Another thing he knew about the, was that there was only five of them, which was typical for newly formed gangs…. Though it didn’t indicate how they fared individually, taking his handler’s disdain of them with a grain of salt ‘underestimating the enemy is one of the quickest paths to the grave’ He thought to himself as his eyes darted around, ignoring the few people out on the street yet also being wary of any who might press their luck against the armed merc, thankfully none of them seemed drunk enough or stupid enough to get into trouble with the sun barely shining.

‘ Where are those petchers?’ He asked himself, the intel given to him had told him that they were easy to find…something smelled positively off and his suspicions were quite confirmed once he turned down an alleyway, and heard the rather loud sound of stumbling footsteps behind him.

“Greeeeaaat” He murmured as he turned around quickly, placing the bow over his shoulder, reached for his battleaxe and held it with both hands. He could see two men, one armed with a long thick board pried from a crate somewhere and the other was more properly armed with a Scimitar made with Iron. The first man was a tall individual, standing at 3 inches taller than the merc himself and had the looks only a mother could love, with one of his eyes somehow larger than the other and his left check ruined by a hideous burn. His attire was simple enough, dirty white shirt and brown trousers and leather shoes.

The other individual didn’t look much better really, standing at about Robin’s height and with wild blond hair that doesn’t seem to have met water in quite some time. The man seemed to fancy himself a dandy though with a crude coat and blue pants that was a mockery to dress attire everywhere, the only thing decent thing about his entire were the boots really. Though none of that really were what was interesting to the Mercenary, oh no, it was what they wore for hats…..Gray caps.

[Robinson Gilli]

“ Will lookie ‘ere Georgie, the dunder ‘ead that we wuz supposed to sneak up on noticed us” Said the smaller of the two in a tone so deep that he quite expected it from the giant. Robin still had his axe raised menacingly, ready to strike back in case they tried anything…. Which they haven’t yet. ‘ I let myself into a deep shyke ditch…’ Came the silent statement as Robin noted the due seemed to be quite confident. A knot in his stomach told him that something went wrong down the line, he was sold out somehow and the only reasonable suspect was his handler…. Robin didn’t know much about the little shyke but he was supposed to be the middleman, the bastard only knew who Robin’s actual employer was.

“ That he did, Thumper. That he did” The giant’s tone was eloquent in its speech yet also quick and choppy. Were they following him for a while? Why was the hunter being the hunted? The questions didn’t really matter as they were things common in his line of work…. They only mattered when he needed to find the source and nip it in the blood. The two bastards were grining maliciously at him, a two on one with them being the bloody two.

The Alley they were in was spacious enough that if he focused on one of them than he’d probably get a nasty spankin’ from the other. He couldn’t shoot earlier either because he wouldn’t have had enough time to set the second arrow and he would have been rushed….. ‘ A deep shyke ditch indeed’

“ You know Thumper….I’m willing to wager that this shyke has no idea there’s a hit out on him” Devulged Georgie, as if the situation was some sort of done deal and thus could safely divulge it in front of their mark.

“ Course he don’t Georgie, do ‘e look like the kind of vagik to know? Reggie will be happy to know this is going to go without a hitch” Bloody overconfident they were, thinking Robin a weak mark like that. Still, it was something he could use to his advantage Robin realized as he loosened the grip on his axe and took a step back trying to feign nervousness. “ Hah! Looky there, ‘es so afraid! Oo’s turn is it to do the killin’ Georgie, mine or yours?”

The giant man grinned as he swung the heavy plank with ease as he took a step forward Isn’t it obvious Thumper? It’s my turn” He answered as he approached Robinson with his plank in hand and swung it once more at the Mercenary. It was a wild one though, one that had no accuracy behind it as for some reason Georgie just assumed he’d stand still out of terror. Boy was he surprised when Robin stepped forward with his swinging in an upward-western movement and chopped through the plank, then his eyes glossed over as the axe was brought back down and it’s blade struck in his collar bone. He slumped to his knees lifelessly then was pushed back as Robin dislodged his axed and looked at Thumper.

Thumper shouted Georgie’s name in grief as he saw his close friend get struck down, not expecting his giant of a friend to be taken down so easily…. But that was their mistake he knew, the man had a freaking battleaxe and he’d allowed Georgie to get close to him with a plank! Thumper quickly turned to look at Robinson, anger flashing in his eyes as his grip tightened on his scimitar as he pointed at the merc.

“ Ye filthy vagik, you killed Georgie! I shan’t forgive ye for that! Never!!”

In response to that Robin waved his axe in a rotating motion, a warning to Thumper that he wasn’t some prat playing at being a mercenary. Thumper himself had taken a more proper battle stance, realizing heavily what underestimating this bastard had him a precious friend and the gang a family member. A gust of wind blew strongly during the ticks that seemed to take forever to pass, each combatant waiting for the other to wait the first move. The sound of a child crying in the distance seemed to be the final signal for the battle to begin as it was Thumper who made the first move with a forward thrust.

Robin knocked it away with the flat of his axe and then knocked away another, then stepped back as Thumper attempted to cut across Robin’s face as he moved forward. Robin was set on the defensive as soon as the battle begin and for him that was a disadvantage, as much as he could parry the curved blade away his own axe was not a defensive weapon, not the mention it was shorter in reach. Thumper himself impressed him, despite the clear grief over his comrades demise his movements were quick, precise and in control.

‘ This could prove quite enlightening…’

[Robinson Gilli]

Date

Thumper was a quick little rabbit Robin realized, having been on the defensive for a good bit as he parried Thumper’s strikes…. Something that was taxing his arms a bit as his axe was no light thing and he struggled not to get pulled with it. As previously stated, his axe was no defensive weapon and thankfully due to his own axe’s size he could at least use it for parrying, but eventually he would have to go on the offensive ‘ I just need to spot the opportunity’ Easier said than done of course, Thumper was in control of his movements…. Despite his thuggish and dandy like appearance, the vagik knew how to handle that scimitar of his with relative skill that was a bit above Robin’s own with the axe. Still, they used different weapons that required different styles from them…. Even if one was slightly above the other in skills the method played a big factor in victory, especially if the other fighter can’t adapt to his foes style.

Robin made his decision now, especially as he’d parried perhaps Thumper’s 9th or 10th blow, that he’d immediately go on the offensive as he ferociously swung his axe at the vagik who immediately went on the defensive as he stepped to the side and parried blows. Robin seemed like he went on a road of reckless abandon as he swung his axe, the speed in which he swung his axe was quick but not unavoidable. Still in Thumper’s mind that created something, a bit of fear….an axe was a scary thing after all, you don’t get a light cut from an axe after all and a person who knew how to use it was a scary thing. By now he could have taken Robin if he weren’t so afraid of that damnable axe he was swinging.

Like Robin not ticks ago he was searching for an opening, he could see plenty of them but he could also see the risk of getting chopped up by that axe. He wanted a clear opportunity to cut this bloke who had cut down his friend, they made a stupid petching mistake with this petcher and it wasn’t something Thumper was about to repeat. Still….no one got around winning big by playing it safe, In the end a fight was a gamble after all and bets need to be taken. With the next opening he saw he moved forward with a quick cut at Robin’s face.

Robin grunted at the cut, stepping back quickly as the blade cut through his flesh leaving an ugly cut down the right of his face, extending from his cheek to his ear ‘ By the fucking gods that hurt’ Noted the mercenary, the cut upon his cheek would probably stay…. Probably be more like it if he didn’t win this. He grunted as he swung his axe forward, seemingly undeterred by the blow… unknowingly to him it might be the key to his victory.

‘ I Will Live’

[Robinson Gilli]

Date

As he immediately moved once more on the offensive, it caused Thumper to be unnerved by the lack of hesitation on Robin’s part. As soon as Robin came at him he was put on the defensive once more, his attacks containing the same sheer ferocity as it did prior. Thumper’s heart rate rose in a small bit of fear, did the pain Robin feel not deter him? Why did he not feel the same fear that Thumper was currently feeling? He wished to ask them but this was not the time nor place, nor did he think he would get the chance as he parried another blow to the side.

Robin for his part kept focusing his barrage of attacks, his mind focused on killing the man before. His Mark that he would not allow to escape, the one that thought it itself the hunter catching another when it in truth Robin would be the one to win the game. Once he survived this, once he finished with these Gray Caps, he would lop the heads of the ones who set him up ‘ yer getting too far ahead of yeself, Robin. Best ye finish this thumper here and then see about the rest.’ Came the self-given advice and so he took it. First this thumper than the rest of his kindred, he didn’t leave a job half-assed if there was still a chance of pay.

The axe was still being swung, testing the strength of Robin’s arms. Robin’s arms complained to their master that he needed to finish this quick else the energy to hold the momentum would fall and cause the weapon to fly from their grip. Robin acknowledged that fact as he stepped forward for a downward chop, wanting to split Thumper’s skull into two. Thumper was still a good deal focused however as he stepped back then lung forward and drew cut his blade against Robin’s left arm… he would think that cause the Axe man to falter but it did not. There was only a brief yelp but that would have been the last of Robin’s voice Thumper would ever hear as the back of the axe head slammed into Thumper’s family jewels, causing him to go wide eyed and release a high-pitched whimper. He was about to fall over as he bent forward, dropping his scimitar, only to be held in place by a firm left hand….then everything went dark for him as the blade of Robin’s axe cut deep into the back of his neck… another chop severed his head from its place.


Robin let go of the body as he saw the head of Thumper drop and roll away from him, placing his into the loop of his harness as he now looked upon his wounds. His right hand reached for the gash in his left arm just near his shoulder and winced as he felt the wound, a surge of pain running through it. The adrenaline had worn off and now his wounds hurt like petching shyke straight from Rhysol’s pucker. ‘ Job ain’t done yet, Robin. If the intel was half but honest, three more left…if not, more heads for splitting’ He told himself as he looked upon the bodies of Georgie and Thumper, then turned to look at the scimitar the belonged to Thumper and bent to pick it up before approaching Thumper’s body, searching for a sheath or something he could use and grinned weakly as he saw a leather sheath he could use. He unhooked it from the belt and sheathed the blade inside it, then hooked it to his weapon harness ‘ Would make a good gift to give them..’

Suddenly he winced in pain again as he grasped his arm “ But First, a gods damn doctor…” He decided as he made himself scarce from the scene and onward to someone who could make sure he didn't damn well bleed out...

' This is gonna harm the pockets, I bet'

[Avarice]

Robinson

Skill	Points
Navigation	+1
Observation	+3
Tactics	+1
Weapon: Battleaxe	+3
Acrobatics	+2
Endurance	+1

Lore

An Honor Bound Oath

Underestimating the Enemy is a Quick Road to Death

There is a Price on My Head?!

Battleaxe Combat requires great Stamina

A Battleaxe is not a defensive weapon

Two Caps Down, Three to Go

Stuff?
Consequences, Injuries, Expenses, and More!

• Injury: Cheek Scar - This laceration upon the cheek will heal completely within two weeks and will leave a permanent scar.
  .
• Injury: Arm Gash - This laceration upon the left arm will heal completely within three weeks; leaving a scar in its wake. If medical attention is not applied, it will become infected and take an additional two weeks to heal.
  .
• Loot: Thumper's Scimitar & Scabbard - An unremarkable weapon earned through combat. Gray Caps who see this weapon will immediately be stricken with surprise, anger, and a touch of fear.

Comments

I always enjoy reading your combat scenes! Excellent job! If you have any questions regarding this grade, please do not hesitate to shoot me a PM. Furthermore, please edit your post in the request thread to reflect your having received a grade. Thank you!