I've gotten permission to share more of the log for better context (though I've had to remove the combat rolls). It seems clear to me from the log, however, that Dylan didn't intercept anything at all, nor was he staggered or in roundtime:
[18:54:17] ?Hreidun? heads west.
[18:54:17] You follow ?Hreidun?.
[18:54:17]
[18:54:17] [Southwest Valeria] (OutUr) Late Afternoon, Mild, Clear, Calm
[18:54:17] Standing tall and unscathed amidst the destruction of the ruins is a large gray stone cathedral, its stained glass windows for the most part intact. While it is clear there was much conflict around the magnificent edifice, no impact or blast seems to have gotten too close to the cathedral itself. To the north, the remains of a stone bridge can be seen extending only a few feet over the city canal.
[18:54:17] The area is mostly quiet.
[18:54:17] You also notice the corpse of a Liberi mythweaver, the corpse of a Liberi brigand (x2), a fine ash-hafted iron polehammer, a crude copper dagger (damaged), the corpse of a Liberi siren, an iron sling bullet (x5), a crude pine-hafted copper glaive (damaged), the corpse of a Liberi bastion, the corpse of a Liberi infiltrator, the corpse of Charlae, a crude copper cutlass (well-worn), the corpse of a Liberi bulwark, the corpse of a Liberi hellion, the corpse of Neyah, the corpse of a Liberi colossus, the corpse of Valestrah, the corpse of Lunessa, and the corpse of Adelina.
[18:54:17] Also here: a Liberi bastion (moderately wounded, heavily-armored, carrying a falchion and a shield), a Liberi skirmisher (lightly-armored, carrying a falchion) (x3), a Liberi skirmisher (lightly wounded, lightly-armored, carrying a cutlass), a Liberi skirmisher (badly wounded, tired, lightly-armored, carrying a cutlass, bloody), a Liberi skirmisher (lightly-armored, carrying a cutlass), a Liberi skirmisher (lightly-armored), a Liberi hellion (moderately-armored, carrying a glaive), a Liberi hellion (moderately wounded, moderately-armored, carrying a poleaxe), a Liberi hellion (moderately-armored, carrying a poleaxe), ?Hreidun? (GROUP LEADER, lightly-armored, disguised, smells of lavender, blurry, guarded by Black), Black (group, heavily-armored, carrying a polehammer, riding a large black charger with a cropped mane), Jamie (group, heavily-armored, carrying a longsword), Mikael (group, lightly-armored, carrying a polehammer), Keleran (group, heavily-armored, bloody), Maya (group, lightly-armored, carrying a rapier, bloody), Saciri (group Second, lightly-armored, carrying a rapier and a dagger, riding a dark-brown warhorse with a white blaze), Neyah (group, naked, guarded by Maya), Valestrah (group, naked, guarded by you), and Lunessa (group, guarded by Saciri).
[18:54:17] Obvious paths: west, north, east, a large gray stone cathedral.
[18:54:17]
[18:54:17] #
[18:54:17] |
[18:54:17] #-@-#
[18:54:17]
[18:54:17]
[18:54:17]
[18:54:18] sweep
[18:54:19] A Liberi skirmisher hurls a pine-hafted copper javelin at Black!
[18:54:19] missed!
[18:54:19]
[18:54:19] Black fends off an attack from a Liberi skirmisher with his polehammer!
[18:54:19]
[18:54:19] (energy -1)
[18:54:19] Anticipating an attack from a Liberi skirmisher, you quickly tumble out of harm's way and spring to your feet!
[18:54:19]
[18:54:19] A Liberi skirmisher hurls a pine-hafted copper javelin at Black!
[18:54:19] missed!
[18:54:19]
[18:54:19] A Liberi skirmisher begins circling Black, looking for an opportunity to strike.
[18:54:19] a Liberi skirmisher manages to improve her balance and position.
[18:54:19]
[18:54:19] A Liberi skirmisher helps a Liberi skirmisher maneuver in to make an attack!
[18:54:19] A Liberi skirmisher kicks at Black with her unarmed strike!
[18:54:19] parried!
[18:54:19]
[18:54:19] *** Black counterattacks!
[18:54:19] You help Black maneuver in to make an attack!
[18:54:19] Black punches at a Liberi skirmisher with his ridgeleather gauntlets!
[18:54:19] 8 bludgeon damage (95%) (right arm)
[18:54:19]
[18:54:19] You follow up with an attack of your own!
[18:54:19] You slash at a Liberi skirmisher with your steel rapier! Melee(d550([1]x)):490 vs Dodge(d531(-2x)):192 = 298 (54%)
[18:54:19] 29 slash damage (55%) (abdomen, cuirass)
[18:54:19] (energy -5)
[18:54:19] A Liberi skirmisher follows up with an attack of his own!
[18:54:19] A Liberi skirmisher hacks at Black with his iron falchion!
[18:54:19] parried!
[18:54:19]
[18:54:19] A large black charger with a cropped mane kicks at a Liberi skirmisher with its hooves!
[18:54:19] dodged!
[18:54:19]
[18:54:19] A Liberi hellion swings a glaive at Black, feinting right!
[18:54:19] Black falls for the ruse, moving to avoid a blow that never came!
[18:54:19]
[18:54:19] ** You intercept an attack on Valestrah! **
[18:54:19] A Liberi hellion kicks a clump of dust at Valestrah!
[18:54:19] A direct hit to the face!
[18:54:19] Valestrah draws back, squinting and blinking in an attempt to clear her eyes.
[18:54:19]
[18:54:19] Valestrah is staggered!
[18:54:19] A Liberi skirmisher helps a Liberi hellion maneuver in to make an attack!
[18:54:19] A Liberi hellion swings at Valestrah with his copper poleaxe!
[18:54:19] 59 hack damage (back)
[18:54:19]
[18:54:19] A Liberi skirmisher follows up with an attack of her own!
[18:54:19] A Liberi skirmisher slashes at Valestrah with her copper cutlass!
[18:54:19] 43 slash damage (back)
[18:54:19] Nasty slash severs the spine. *mortal*
[18:54:19]
[18:54:19] [GROUP: Valestrah is no longer in the group.]
[18:54:19] Valestrah has been defeated.
[18:54:19]
[18:54:19]
[18:54:19] A Liberi hellion begins circling Black, looking for an opportunity to strike.
[18:54:19] a Liberi hellion manages to improve her balance and position.
[18:54:19]
[18:54:19] Maya lowers her shoulder and charges at a Liberi bastion!
[18:54:19] a Liberi bastion avoids the charge!
[18:54:19]
[18:54:19] [Balance -5]
[18:54:19] You crouch and sweep a leg at a Liberi skirmisher! Off(d630([1]x)):276 vs Def(d610(-2x)):459 = -183 (-29%)
[18:54:19] a Liberi skirmisher avoids the sweep!
[18:54:19] Roundtime: 4 seconds.
I'm not discussing whether the mechanic is realistic or not. I want to know (a) if guarding is working as intended and (b) if there is something I did wrong so that I can prevent this from happening again.