Tal tosses the whip at Thesing's face hoping to remove the smug smile there. If Asmodeus wishes it so then my soul stands with his. pointing to Mera. If my hand has failed you, then I shall burn for it. I shall face the remaining five trials at Larazods side. Having freed Mear already Tal grabs her hand and holds it high as he proclaims his place next to her to suffer the next trials.
Thesing is so giddy it is hard to tell where he stops and Haanderthan begins! So be it, traitor. Your rending death, and his, shall be my vindication. Bring on the second trial!
As the curtain falls to thunderous applause he whispers Magnificent! He sees the cuts and bruises on Mera, Monday and Naberius and with false empathy says, Oh! How must we suffer for our craft!
Delour goes on stage to sing a song as you all get in place for the next act. Calsenica asks Robahl if someone can heal you all and Robahl shakes his head in the negative. The audience wouldn't like it if the were all of a sudden healed! he says dismissively.
Delour finishes her song and then the curtain rises.
Thesing not enthused with the pleasure aspect of this act seems less invested. It is said that a liar’s pain is easy to bear, but pleasure steals truth from even the most well-tended fortress. So let it be with ye, Larazod. Here before you now are the Flukes of Asmodeus. Their bite more pleasurable than the caresses of a thousand succubi (which you no doubt have enjoyed, you treacherous Abyssal-loving fool). Taste of their deep burrowing bliss. Their rapturous journey through your body shall explore the deepest, darkest pleasures any mortal has ever known. Their soul-shuddering wanderings end in your skull, where they plant their young who consume you in an orgiastic frenzy—leaving you an empty husk of a thing—a spent lover, drooling in blissful oblivion forever. Unless, of course, you can resist these god-bending pleasures. This time, the trial is not yours alone to bear. Let us see if your trusted companions’ faith remains as unshakeable as yours. Who shall be the first to die in spasms of ecstasy?
Calsenica, still a little pale after witnessing the torture, says unconvincingly, Oh, how I long to face this judgment!
From the audience is heard, You can face it with me, Darlin'
Mera makes it off stage and collapses on the ground. She moves away from the other actors not wanting to be seen. Hand shaking, she lifts her costume up to take a look at the numerous lashes across her skin. With a deep breath she calls up her cure spell to remove the damage done by Tal's whip.
Once healed she seeks out Naberius and Monday to see if they require healing before the next act.
As soon as the act was over Tal hurried to Mera, Monday and Naberius. I am sorry all of you for the pain you are in. Please forgive me and let me take the brunt of the pain when possible in these next few acts.
Tal as Drovalid tries to maintain a strong showing now that the first trial is over. The rest of the play was still a torture but it would not be him inflicting the pain on the others. Still he was looking to this trial the least of those remaining. It did not help either that Thesing was so smug about it. Yet Tal took some solace in that Thesing was not as excited about this torture compared to the last act.
Perform act 3
Taking a deep breath 'Drovalid' begins his portion of the third act as he turns to Mera/Larazod. Going to one knee as a slave to his master Tal intones with more inflection in his voice this time around. Master Larazod, most unholy saint of our dark Asmodeus, please allow me to prove my devotion to your cause. To think my biting lash flayed your chaste red skin, and cracked such a noble hide as yours. I shall be first to face this trial, if you so wish it.
Mera didn't expect this to be easy. They had practiced and memorized the lines and known this was coming. Still, it wasn't easy for any of them. She looks up at Tal and responds, "We have a long way to go yet. Pace yourselves."
Out on stage she leaps into character with ease, making sure her horns reflect properly in the lighting for all to see. "Your courage is beyond question. Show this lickspittle Magistrate the meaning of devotion, my friend."
Oh, how I despise this forsaken garbage.
Resigned to his fate Tal slowly takes the rot grub offered to him. Applying it to his skin the grub disappears immediately as it burrows leaving a blood trail behind. Gasping in pain but masking it as a gasp of pleasure Tal manages to let a low moan of ecstasy as if he was enjoining the sensation.
Fort save DC 17
Damage
Heal check with hero point
Asmodeus bear witness to my devotion. This half-breed
speaks only truth!
Flinging the knife down Tal turns to watch and pray for the others.
Calsenica, looking a little green, says, Oh, to be that fluke! To burrow into such sweet flesh!
Mera yearns to squeal in pain, barely able to maintain her composure.
"I sing only of the joy of supplication to our dark lord. This pleasure is only a gift of Asmodeus's truth. I would gladly die at this fluke's bite, but alas, my duty here is yet undone, and so I scorn this pleasure with a bleeding blade. I shall not relent until your lies are revealed, foul Magistrate."
Taking the knife she expertly extract the foul creature from her body.
Naberius grabs a 'fluke' and sticks it on his arm, doing his best not to hesitate. He instantly drops to his knees in pain, watching in horror as the rot grub starts burrowing hungrily into his flesh. With great effort, he manages to twist his face into an expression of delectation instead of horror and disgust.
"Oh! It has been so long!" he gasps. "Sweet, aching ecstasy!"
He goes on to improvise a rendition of Tallis and his Three Wives, simultaneously fumbling with the knife to cut away the grub. Luckily, his earlier efforts in rehearsal are rewarded, and he manages to get through both the bawdy song and the improvised self-surgery whilst remaining focused on the performance.
The things I do for... what exactly? Survival?
Finally, the grub is extracted. The conjurer glances at Mera, muttering to himself with a sour look on his face. "Between you, my hideous half-breed young master, and a dream of three succubi's frolics on my flesh—a hard choice, Larazod, but somehow your sweet countenance won out..."
A small part of the spiritualist dies as she sees the horrendous pain her friends go through, all in the name of "entertainment". This did however, have the effect of giving her a keen focus when it came time to suffer like those before, there was not a chance in the Nine Hells she was going to back out now, not after what they gone through.
"My turn, I suppose." she says nonchalantly while staring daggers at the grub. Applying it she remembers to giggle, so she thought back to all the times she would tease Naberius. It helped curve the pain.
"Ooooh! Aaaaah! I know not this feeling!" she lets out. Robahl. Thesing. I'm going to enjoy watching you die. Oh. So. Much.
For all his worrying beforehand, seeing Monday in pain proves to be far more challenging than getting through Tallis and his Three Wives. Naberius clenches his fists. He knew she could take care of herself...
Through gritted teeth, he manages to feign a chuckle. "Ha! Watch the virginal knight squirm!"
Looking over at Naberius Monday smiles and locks eyes with the infernalist before speaking rather sultrily. "It is as if a thousand feathers assault my flesh— especially my most... tender... parts. What strange pleasure is this!" Finally she winks at the wizard, it was all to easy to see what she had been thinking on to draw her focus forth for this part.
Mera watches as the rest of her companions tear these infestations from their bodies. Knowing that the end of the act is near she speaks words of reassurance to her companions. "Ah, Arodens servants, so like sweet children they be. Hold true, my dear friend!"
She watches as Tybain suddenly tears loose his fluke.
"I am well, though I may never be the same." she says triumphantly before flippantly tossing the grub at Thesing.
Thesing, disappointed that Mera and her friends are still alive says with genuine anger, Curse your persistence. All lies eventually reveal their ugly fangs. I shall draw them as venom from a wound.
With that the curtain falls with the audience erupting in thunderous applause and whistles.
Delour goes out to sing her songs while Thesing says as he moves into position. I hope the beast does not get indigestion from a bellyache! He laughs thinking himself quite clever.
Naberius does not need to fake the shudder that goes through his body at the memory of the last act.
"Such horrors," he sighs. "What next?"
Before heading back out on stage, Mera recognizes the state of her health is such that she is reaching a threshold where she could potentially lose consciousness. Assessing Naberius she notes he is even in worse condition, having taken a fair amount of damage. Standing next to her companions she whispers, "I cannot go back out there in this condition. For if I fall it will only endanger you all even more. I am going to heal the wounds of my cousin and I, does anyone else need assistance?"
Nodding to the binder and knowing what truly lies ahead, she shoes genuine horror in her face and replies. "Hold true, old man."
Naberius runs his fingers through the hair at his temples, coloured gray for the performance.
"Easy for you to say!" he huffs. "Youth laughs at death as a stranger. As you grow older you come to know it well—and fear it."
Tal sees the state of Mera and Naberius and nods approvingly. Screw the audience and their notion of reality. Heal yourselves up so that we may survive this. With some luck this will be the last of the hard trials.
Entering the stage Tal sighs once against the whole ordeal. Yet he volunteered just like the rest and had to make the most of it.
perform check
Responding to Naberius Tal is able to evoke much conviction as he explains the sites he has seen before. I have seen young and old break before this court. They all share one thing: a weak and watery eye speaking to a frailty of spirit. Turning Naberius around to stare at his eye Tal continues on. Your eyes are like grit and sand, obstinate even in the face of the storm-fraught sea. You cannot break, old wizard.
Naberius stares back at Tal, and nods gravely.
"Perhaps not," he says. "But tell me, Tormentor. What fresh horrors await?"
Here follows the Trial in the Belly of the Beast. Tal points off stage to where the 'beast' sits. A great terror, gifted to this court by a Duke of Hell, the Beast is a hideous thing, whose stomach is a nest of acid-spewing serpents. It shall swallow us whole, and wash us clean in its acid well. Tal gives a shudder at the snakes part that is real. Tal hates snakes and thus it is not acting to present the revulsion at the thought of multitudes slithering around on him.
Naberius blinks exaggeratedly at the mechanical monstrosity.
"Where is the 'trial' in this!?" he asks incredulously, again having to do little to bring real feeling to his lines.
Tal states as if it is obvious, If we are innocent, and speak no lies, then the Beast's Belly will leave us unscathed.
"Madness!" Monday lets out while tilting her head slightly at the strange contraption.
Mera places a reassuring hand on Monday's shoulder and says "Hold fast, my dear friend. Have faith in Asmodeus."
"But I do not!" Monday says while unable to help herself but to give Mera an odd look.
Mera smirks at Monday, "Well then you better learn to swim."
Thesing is almost giddy at this point. The next trial demands a great sacrifice. Ye, who speaks for the half-breed, the lone traitor on the council who speaks against my august personage. You must brave this trial, and all that follow, alongside the accused.
Calsenica bravely laughs. Gladly! I stand at this tiefling’s side, or at his back, or him at mine, or perhaps I should bolster him up from
below or allow him to do the same to me. You shall see how devotedly I attend his pleasure, for he speaks the truth.
Thesing smiles cruelly. Then burn with him.
Calsenica looks deeply into Mera's eyes. Know the gifts of Asmodeus, dear child. You have earned great boons by your devoted service, and I shall pay them all with interest. But soft, what terror approaches? Our pleasures must wait.
As the beast is rolled on stage Mera turns to face it squarely, taunting it with sharply cut words. "Come, horror, I shall tear my way from your gizzard with the white-hot blade of my truth."
Tal moves to the other side of Mera letting Calseinica remain next to Larazod. Grabbing Mera's hand in resolute fashion Tal announces, Die though I might, melted to a puddle of liquid flesh in the bowels of the Beast, I cannot think of any greater man to join in death. I am honoured to die at the side of a man so filled with truth.
Having moved back to read his scroll while the audience was focused on the others, Naberius steps back into the limelight.
"Come and have a bite, Old Beastie!" he yells with a shake of his fist. "These old bones shall stick in your craw and choke the life from you!"
"My holy flesh shall burn all the way down. Aroden’s blessings upon my soul ensure a most unpleasant meal for this Beast." Monday growls out with disdain while looking upon the "beast".
Naberius is the last to enter, making sure to flick his cape defiantly before stepping in to be 'devoured' by the contraption. Once inside, he uses the cloak to shield himself from spatters of acid and the acrid fumes by masking his face under the thick fabric.
Mera is devoured by the beast as she climbs inside, careful to avoid touching the acid. She is consumed by the stench of it however, growing sick due to the acrid stench of it. She mutters to her companions, "Get me out of here."
Tal leaves his shield outside the mouth of the beast as he climbs in first to brave the dangers within .
Tal enters Reflex save 1
Fort save 1
M enters Reflex save 2
M enters Reflex save 3
Naberius Reflex save 4
Calseinica Reflex save 5
Set the beast Reflex save 6
Warily Monday enters the beast along with the others, the acidic fumes in the enclosed space already making her head spin and her breakfast want to leave her.
The audience sits mostly silent watching intently. They can sense the danger of the situation and cannot look away. A few mutter encouragements to Larazod and his companions. Thesing sands on stage with a gleeful smile hoping the 'beast' will claim more than one victim.
Naberius continues to scramble, avoiding most of the acid as it splashes around in the glass chamber. Still holding the cape over his mouth to shield himself from the fumes, he turns his gaze back towards the mouth. As quickly as he tumbled in, he clambers up the throat, navigating the slippery spikes deftly as an ape. He manages to get out with only a few holes in his costume, where the acid had corroded through.
Calseinica clambors into the serpent after Mera wanting to get this trial over quickly. She slides down into the belly and smells the acid.
She chokes down vomit, but in doing so acid splashes her leg.
Calseinica moves a little to allow Naberius room to enter and gets acid splashed on her again.
Not wanting to get splashed again, Calseinica holds on to the sides and the acid does not splash her.
She moves out of the way to allow Naberius to begin his escape and dips her foot into the acid.
The fumes were getting to Mera and she was simply unable to focus on anything other than the horrific smell. She watches Calsenica slip and reaches out to catch her before she hits the acid, but in doing so she slips into the acid herself. Her foot touches the acid and the smell of burning flesh is simply too much for her to endure. She turns away from Calsenica and vomits into the acid, her body shaking.
Realizing the gravity the situation she slowly begins to sing a song of a downtrodden woman who fought her way to freedom.
Her leg badly burned by the acid, Calseinica grabs hold of the sharp hand and foot holds.
She starts to fall when Mera abruptly stops singing using Saving Finale.
Unfortunately it is not enough and she falls back into the belly, the sharp foot and hand holds cutting her as she goes.
As she reaches the bottom again she lets out a soft moan and closes her eyes.
Frantic, Monday will scoop up the fallen starlet to keep the acid from getting to her.