Jean-Louis makes a more formal bow to Sister. "A, votre pardon, Ma Soeur. I did not realize zat you were une religieuse. Bien sur, I intend to donate any winnings from my wahzjer to the Abbé. S'il vous plait, won't you take a seat - I 'ave some blackberry cordiale - very refreshing. Et vous, madamoiselles - will you not take a seat while ze gentlemen discuss les affaires d'importance?"
"I'm not sure. I think he wants you to sit and have a glass of wine"
"Then wrestle?"
"I guess."
"She really is quite keen to accept your challenge. She isn't really a girl if that's the problem. She's rather more than that actually."
Celeste has been watching with little interest. "They seem to be trapped in their own little worlds." She says to Mordan. "I doubt he has any idea what an Eidolon is."
"Sister will accept the challenge. Um, what are the rules?"
Borden looks around in confusion. What the f$!%?
Celeste has been watching with little interest. "They seem to be trapped in their own little worlds." She says to Mordan. "I doubt he has any idea what an Eidolon is."
"I'm still figuring it out myself, tell the truth. I always thought she was my imaginary friend until one day she actually appeared. For the record nobody minds a kid talking to their imaginary friend. They get really freaked out when she shows up for dinner."
Celeste has been watching with little interest. "They seem to be trapped in their own little worlds." She says to Mordan. "I doubt he has any idea what an Eidolon is.""I'm still figuring it out myself, tell the truth. I always thought she was my imaginary friend until one day she actually appeared. For the record nobody minds a kid talking to their imaginary friend. They get really freaked out when she shows up for dinner."
Celeste looks curious. "Why would that be? Compared to the other summons I've seen yours looks very acceptable. Not some floating lizard with too many limbs and acid spit."
She seems more interested in discussing this than what is happening in the room.
"I guess because nobody else from my town can summon things. That and the priest said I must be in league with the devil. Hence the scorched pants."
Lucia accepts the offer of a drink and settles in to watch the challenge. Raising her blackberry cordial in a toast, she says, "Here's to you, Sister. Show them what you're made of!"
Even as the words slip from between her lips, Lucia fears that Sister may interpret them strangely...perhaps literally.
Corlan leans against a nearby wall, near the door, and watches with interest. Noting the wrestler's oiled torso, he says, "I saw a bunch of people trying to grab a greased pig in Dyvers once. Can't say it looked like much fun to participate -- more of a spectator sport."
Can I place bets? What odds can I get?
Jean-Louis seems reluctant to let a female wrestle, but eventually concedes, not wishing to offend his guests. He is willing to cover bets up to 5000 gold, offering even money.
When everything is ready, he springs into the middle of the ring.
"Mesdames et Messieurs, tonight's main event. A clash of strength and skill, with no external magic allowed, pas de tout. Two falls, two submissions, or zee knockout to decide the winner. No low blows, et no bleeding wounds. Preparez-vous TO RRRRRRRRUUUUUMMMMBBBBBBLLLLLLLEEEEEEE!"
He leaps from the ring, and the lights in the room dim, leaving the ring well illuminated. Instantly, numerous semi-translucent spirits appear in the various chairs and sofas around the room, and begin cheering. Some wave signs bearing cryptic messages, while others appear to be wearing large prosthetic hands with pointing fingers.
Near where the group is sitting, two spectres materialize, sitting at a desk. One wears a battered leather hat, while the other sports a shiny jacket made out of some gold-like material.
Leatherhat: "Unusual time for a new challenger, JD - and one that Magen won't want to interrupt his preparation for AmberSlam MMDCCIX in just a few weeks."
GoldJacket: "You cannot be serious, Sarge! This is just the preparation Magen needs for the upcoming bouts, that you can see only here on PayPerScry!"
Celeste gets into the spirit of things. "You gottem Sister! Look at him, he's sweating like a stuck pig already!"
She blinks, wondering where that came from?
Mordan will wager 50 GP on Sister
2" claws extend from Sister's fingertips as she drops to a fighting crouch and begins to circle.
"This isn't fight like you're used to do you get the rules?"
"Rules? It's a battle, not a card game."
"It sounds like it's a bit of both. It's like the matches at the fair. You can't cut him and the fight is more about how the audience is entertained than actually beating the guy."
"Entertain? I never saw the matches at the fair. How am I to entertain?"
"Listen to the crowd. Get them to cheer for you."
"I will...try"
"I can't cast spell to help you but I can lend you strength though our link if you need it"
Sister will hesitate as if momentarily confused then raise her hands displaying her claws to the crowd.
The grey-skinned, hairless figure whom others are referring to as Magen springs into action once the bell sounds. Flexing his muscles in a bodybuilder pose, he makes his abs dance and his triceps do the mamba. He grins at sister, and then does a backflip, landing on his feet and sinking into a crouch, one arm extended.
The crowd cheer, but look expectantly towards Sister, to see how she will respond. She extends and bares her claws to the crows, and their are ooh and ahhs, as well as wolf-whistles and cruder calls.
GoldJacket: "The challenger's got a lot of work to do to win over the crowd, Sarge. Think she's up to it?"
Leatherhat: "She'll have to be, JD - remember what happened to Killi 'The Killer Kender' in last week's Tables, Chairs and 10' Poles match?"
Corlan looks around the room, hoping to find an object that resembles a tube with a handle. ( Shrugging, he grabs the thing, points it in the air, and pulls a switch on the handle.
***BANG!!!***
He's hoping a large banner with the legend on it will unfurl out of the end of the tube, but he's not totally sure.
As luck would have it, there is just such a device - a metal tube with a handle and a switch, mounted on the wall nearby. Corlan points it into the air, pulls the switch and
*BANG*
And a large amount of plaster falls from the ceiling, covering him in fragments, as every pair of eyes in the room turn to look at him.
"When in a madhouse, do as the madmen do," Lucia mutters under her breath as she dodges plaster debris from Corlan's loud stunt.
"S-I-S! T-E-R! Sister, Sister, Rah-Rah-Rah!"
Corlan is quick to regain his composure. Figuring the explosion already marked him as a rube, he goes for broke with his best rebel yell: "Yeeeeeeeeee-haw!"
"Sista's gonna make marmalade outta Magen!" he adds, and doffs his hat and waves it about as if to underline his prediction.
Sister frowns
She will try an acrobatic roll over to her opponent... Ungracefully!
Then backhand him...
(non-lethal, power attack)
Oh crap!, says Borden as he sees his 10gp bet take a major stumble.
Magen doesn't even stagger when Sister backhands him, although the crowd go wild - it seems like Corlan and Lucia's cheerleading is having an effect.
The grey wrestler begins a series of dodge and feint moves, bouncing off the ropes to gain momentum, and attempting to catch Sister in the middle in order to knocker her over.
However he misses his timing completely, and the crowd boo as he retreats to one corner.
Leatherhat: "This is incredible, JD! We've seen Magen fight men twice his size. He's made of better stuff than this!"
Goldjacket: "If the challenger uses her claws, Sarge, we could see what Magen is made off, spread all across the canvas of the ring!"
Lucia's not quite sure what's gotten into her: rarely is she so frivolous...so shamelessly silly.
"Magen bounced off the rope and tried to bash Sister
But he looked like a dope and totally missed her!"
Sister will bow to the crowd...
But miss times it and nobody notices ::-(
And ready an action to trip Magen when he comes at her
Go for it!!! I've money riding on this! Murder the bum! Go for it!!
Sister looks puzzled, "Do I get more points for attacking his bum?"
Celeste looks at Sister, then Magens trunks, she tries to catch Sister's eye, making a clawing motion at the trunks. "Expose his weakness to the world Sister!"
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Magen comes steaming in, his face still expressionless but determination obvious in his stride. He reaches for Sister with both large grey hands, attempting to bodily pick up the slight figure.
Sister sweeps a wide, low kick and, spurred on by the cheering of the group, manages to connect a toe behind Magen's knee. The grey warrior crashes to the canvas, and there is whooping and cheering from the assembled spectral spectators.
Sister then yanks down Magen's trunks and lands an almighty thwack across Magen's smooth, single buttock.
Leatherhat: "Owwwwwww! I don't know how hard that girl hits, JD, but I can tell you Magen's dignity is taking a battering out there!"
Goldjacket: "Speaking of hits, Sarge, viewers might like to know that highlights of last year's AmberSlam are now available on Mirage Arcana replay from quality illusionists near you!"
Sister will attempt a leg lock (grapple)
(prone)
Sister attempts to grab hold of the grey man's leg, but the oil makes him slippery, and he slithers free. In a flash, he attempts to grab her and flip her on her back for a pin...
Sister is flipped on her back and lands with an 'oof'. Can she break free before she is pinned?
Sister will try to reverse the hold (become the controlling grappler)
Quick as a flash, Sister rolls out from underneath Magen, flipping him over, and attempting to pin back his arms. He thrashes, trying to get control of the hold...
and flips Sister over his head, spinning round to get her in a headlock!
Leatherhat: "Holy cow! It's like two eels wrestling in a bathtub!"
Goldjacket: "You got eels in your bathtub, Sarge?"
Leatherhat: "Only when they aint in my hovercraft, JD"
C'mon SISTER!!! You can do it! I know you got it in ya! Eye of the tiger!
Perform Oratory
Sister yells, "Get off me you greasy lump!"
And attempts to reverse the grapple again...
'If he has no butt, does he have balls?' Celeste wonders. She again tries to catch Sister's eye and gestures for a low blow to the personal region of Magen. "Crush his dreams Sister!"
Magen rolls about, trying to fend off the persistant girl-like figure who is much stronger than she looks.
but cannot break Sister's hold!
"That's it Sister, put him in his place!" Celeste cries out, happily channeling a heel manager.
Sister will attempt to pin...
"What do I say?"
"OK. Repeat after me..."
"Who's your daddy now, b~+&&!"
Magen begins to tremble. Then he begins to shudder in a really quite unnatural manner. Then, with a sound reminiscent of soap suds being sucked down a drain, his form collapses inwards, dissolving into a large spreading puddle of grey goo, with a forlorn pair of yellow shorts floating in it.
Goldjacket: "Amazing stuff - one of the major contenders for AmberSlam defeated by an unknown! You gotta feel for the guy, Sarge?"
Leatherhat: "Not as much as I feel for the servants who are gonna have to clean that up, JD!"
Goldjacket: "And we'll be back after these few words..."
All the spirits fade away, leaving only the group of visitors with Jean-Louis.
Sister stands slowly, scraping the gray goo off herself, "He slimed me."
"You won!"
"Of course."
"I never doubted you would. Congratulations!"
"Yes. How do I get this stuff off me?"
"Normally I'd just dismiss you then call you back but from what you said I'm not sure that would work. You could take a bath I guess."
"What is a bath?"
"It's like swimming."
"I will take a bath then."
Mordan yells, "YES!
He'll wait for the noise to die down then ask,"Is there somewhere she can clean up? She really wants to get all the... Magen off her."
Borden freaks out when the magen dissolves into slime but gleefully pumps his fist into the air when he realises that his 10gp bet nets him an additional 10gp!
He moves to the noble holding his empty hand out with a grin.
Lucia follows Borden over to Jean-Louis after giving Sister a nod of approval.
"A very entertaining spectacle," she tells the noble, "but now--on to business. Do you know why we have been summoned to this place?"
Jean-Louis pulls on a velvet ropepull, summoning a servant.
"Ze young madamoiselle would like to 'ave a bath" he explains. The hobgoblin nods, and beckons for sister to follow.
"But before she goes" Jean-Louis interrupts "first she must be 'aving 'er prize." He reaches underneath the canvas sidings of the ring, and pulls out a large footlocker. Opening it, he extracts a bag of coins, ruefully paying out on all bets, pausing only to sneer at Borden's coarse manners.
Finally, he reaches into the chest, and produces a large key, wrought of the finest silver filigree, so delicate as to seem almost fragile. "Pour la victeuse" he says with a bow, "ze key to a great treasure."
Lucia follows Borden over to Jean-Louis after giving Sister a nod of approval.
"A very entertaining spectacle," she tells the noble, "but now--on to business. Do you know why we have been summoned to this place?"
Jean-Louis looks confused. "Soomoned?" he echoes. "Zat sounds like a thing zat Stephan would do - but 'e is dead en ce moment. Per'aps you could ask 'im when 'e returns?"
Sister doubtfully accepts the key, "Where is the lock?"
Look this whole 'Stephens dead but leave your message and he'll get right back to you' thing is starting to weird me out. He's dead right? Gone to meet his God?, carked it?, kicked the bucket?, bought the farm?, bit the dust? Fallen off the perch? Gave up the ghost? popped his clogs? Joined the choir invisible?
Borden pauses for breath.
Its not as though he's gonna jump out from behind the sodding draperies now is it?