"Well," Raven quips as he catches his breath between acts, "who knew that being an actor would be such hard, not to mention life-threatening, work?"
"At least we are reaching the grand finale, so to speak. We did pretty well so far. No need to change things now, yes?"
Perform (act): 1d20+9
You play well through the dialogue. Haanderthane condemns you to the trial by combat. You hear the heavy wood door of the crate slide open while Millech fashions an illusory gate to hell.
Out of the illusions steps a huge skeleton with a scorpion-like tail. It would be at least eight feet tall if it wasn't stooped over. A second one follows and through the illusionary gate you can see the movement of more.
Drovalid
Calseinica
Foes
init
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As her message cantrip will remain active for another half hour or so, Zarabeta whispers to Calsienca, "Call upon the hounds of justice, milady!"
She then begins casting summon monster II to call 1d3 celestial hounds.
Marius, Initiative
Round 1.
Zarabeta 23
Skeletal Devils 19
Marius 11
Raven 9
Waifrin 9
Drovalid 9
Fiosa 7
Calseinica 4
Zarabeta begins casting. Calseinica knows the value of a timely prompt and invokes the hounds of justice.
The skeletons lurch surprisingly quickly toward Drovalid. The first one slashes at him with a long-armed swing and snaps at him with blunted fangs.
Bite ... damage
Claw ... damage
Claw ... damage
It seizes Drovalid in rending claws and rips a chunk from his throat. The man screams briefly. Then the skeleton tosses the body aside and fastens its gaze on Raven.
Fiosa prays silently to Iomedae and tries to smite the skeletons with sacred energy.
channel energy: , Will save 16 for 1/2
Marius' morning star cracks into the lead skeleton, sending ribs flying, but the bone behemoth keeps moving inexorably toward Raven. Waifrin's ray of fire engulfs the second skeleton and leaves it crumbled and charred.
Osyluth, Osyluth, where are you now?
Seeing Drovalid's fate and the skeletal creature moving towards him, Raven takes a deep breath to steady himself and concentrates his efforts entirely on defending himself. 'My weapon is ineffective against bones, but I can still parry with it,' he briefly ponders as he assumes a more defensive stance.
Calseinica takes Marius' advice as well as Zarabeta's. Still shouting about hounds of justice she steps back out of the way of the skeletons.
Zarabeta 23
Skeletal Devils 19
Marius 11
Raven 9
Waifrin 9
Fiosa 7
Calseinica 4
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A single golden furred celestial hound appears, and Zarabeta winces at how un-fiendish the creature appears, improvising furiously as it attacks one of the skeletons facing the players.
Desperate to rationalize the creature's less-than-fiendish appearance, she whispers to Calseinca, through message, "Thank Mammon for their aid, since it looks golden..." before returning to her conjuring.
Fiosa starts up some thrilling battle music again.
The big lead skeleton ignores Marius and the hound as it bears down on Raven. It's claws flash scythelike at his chest and legs and it bites at his head.
Bite ... damage
Claw ... damage
Claw ... damage
The third skeleton moves into the fray, choosing Marius as its target. This one is slightly smaller and round-headed without the great fangs of the first.
Claw ... damage
Claw ... damage
Zarabeta's dog can't get a grip. Marius' morningstar grazes a an ulna without damage.
Fiosa does a healing channel.
The big skeleton rears up when the flames hit it. It's bones turn black and charred. It's tendon are mere frayed threads, but it stays on its feet.
Following Zarabeta's cue, Calsienica adlibs golden aid from Mammon, but to the knowing ear she sounds like one of the half-crazed, homeless prophets that occasional harangue the crowds in the squares of Westcrown.
Evading and parrying the skeleton's claws and fangs, Raven continues to stay on the defensive, although he does attempt a strike against his large opponent.
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Three more celestial hounds appear, this time having heads like hawks and looking a bit less 'heavenly,' to Zarabeta's relief. As they appear, they emit cries like eagles, before attacking silently.
The original hound continues to attempt to harry the one it was attacking, while the others appear flanking a second skeleton attacking Raven or Marius, as space permits.
Growling, barking, snapping, the dogs close in on the two skeletons. One dog manages a hold on the first skeleton's ankle which snaps ligaments and topples the bony undead to the stage where the impact bursts its weakened ligaments. It shatters into pieces which slide across the stage.
Another dog latches onto the last skeleton's fore arm. Despite the dog's weight, the skeleton lurches forward to batter Raven.
... damage
... damage
Fiosa keeps up her inspiring music, and readies an action to channel healing if anyone gets hurt.
Marius' blow glances off the skeleton's skull,
but smashes through collarbone, ribcage, and spine. The skeleton collapses. The crowd goes wild. The curtain drops on this act.
While Delour sings, there's a round of quiet back-slapping amongst the crew. The deadly portions of the play are over. The final act is pure drama.
Drovalid is still alive, but unconscious. Even with Fiosa'a channel he's well negative.
Robahl, whether intentionally or by happenstance, doesn't meet Marius' gaze.
Millech looms over Waifrin while she bends over Drovalid. "Too bad he's dead, lass. But it may be the best thing for him."
Fiosa will sacrifice her Hold Person spell for a Cure Moderate Wounds. She prays quietly to Iomedae for Drovalid's continued health.
Glad that this last act is over with, especially having survived it unscathed, Raven nevertheless turns his attention to Millech, looking questioningly at the other man and echoing Waifrin's question. "I should think dying is generally a bad thing, my friend. Certainly only rarely is it a kindness. What makes you say that it is a good thing this time?"
Millech rumbles, "Why do you think the skeletons started with Drovalid? That ain't the script. That boy's in for a tough time, I think. Angered the wrong person." He lifts one eyebrow and jerks his head toward the backstage catwalk.
Drovalid's eyelids flutter.
On his way to his mark for the last scene, Robahl says, "Keep Drovalid off the stage. Even at bows. This crowd will be better pleased if they think he's seriously hurt or dead."
The curtain opens on the last scene. Thesing's performance as the Magistrate rings with genuine pique, even anger that Larazod and company have survived. Robahl is sober and convincing as Hell's Archduke. The curtain closes to huge applause and shouting. You can see the curtain move, pushed by flying objects and you hear the thump of objects hitting the stage. A number of coins roll under the curtain. Definitely a success.
The crew gets to work striking the set. Millech has a barrel of stout on a small table in the corner. After the heavy flying pieces are down, the crew has a celebratory round, then it's back to work.
The actors retire to the green room where iced wine, sherbet and fruit await. In cushioned comfort you lounge while Robahl, regales you with imaginary reviews in rhyming superlatives. Thesing glowers at Raven while Calseinica hangs on his arm. Delour hangs on Marius' arm and glares down her nose at the beaming starlet.
Eventually two porters enter with a brass bound chest, the company's share of the night's take.