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A museum at night would serve a monkey right, but now look at you you are in a fight...you cannot win it is no sin step down and you can save your grin
all the while Mido the Mobster makes use of Manius positioning to catch his foe from behind.
Bluff for Koan
Attack Flank NL Damage Sneak
Attack Flank NL Damage Sneak
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Jillia looks on from atop her 'mountain' as Mido dispatches of the enemy she has been jawing with. She plants the butt of her polearm between the cushions as if it was a flag, and adds an extra verse.
"Make your fart jokes if you dare;
Your troops all lie worse for wear-
While mine encircle armed for bear;
So you can kiss this aforementioned derriere."
It's easy to get the last word when you're conscious...
"Make your fart jokes if you dare."
Five Knives Kalim comes out of character to point an accusing finger at Jillia.
“You started it … Did to! … Did to! Did t…”
His childish tantrum provides the perfect distraction for Master Ninja Mido to sneak up and drop him with a pair of rabbit punches to the kidneys.
(delay)
Rataji: unconscious
Seoni the Monkey Queen: Tommy + ARod 2 go
Merisiel: -1 stable
Five Knives (Brown): unconscious
Zaril the Clown: unconscious
Broken: If the item is a suit of armor, the bonus it grants to AC is halved, rounding down. Broken armor doubles its armor check penalty on skills.
Valjoen regains his feet after Mariel heals him.
Seoni dodges both Rika and Jillia, as she thinks back to the halfling's suggestion in the sewers about defecting to the Pathfinders.
“Does the Society have a retirement plan? What are the bosses like? I’ve heard a … Declan Dreng(?) might be a vampire?”
Rataji: unconscious
Seoni the Monkey Queen: Tommy + ARod 2 go
Merisiel: -1 stable
Five Knives (Brown): unconscious
Zaril the Clown: unconscious
Broken: If the item is a suit of armor, the bonus it grants to AC is halved, rounding down. Broken armor doubles its armor check penalty on skills.
“And yours NOT ENOUGH!” The sorceress snaps, after taking a mighty wallop to the left ear from Rika.
“Your grammar is atrocious and because of that, you don’t speak Taldane good.”
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Mariel looks around at all of the unconscious Aspis strewn all around the stage. She feels like a fop, in a silly suit without her trusty armor and sword. What's worse, she hasn't actually contributed all that much to the fight. Hoping that Dalagriel's spell will allow her to somewhat redeem herself, she casts the Admonishing ray again. It's a long shot with so many people in a cluster, but she wills the attack to strike true.
--
Mariel’s ray cuts like a red laser between Jillia and Rika, passing through Seoni’s open mouth to strike the back of her throat.
The Monkey Queen drops like a sack of spuds, tossed from the back of a country cart.
Manius can only stare as his mark is felled before he can bring his weapon to bare.
***Overseer post***
“You ended this battle decisively – but you did outnumber the opposition.”
Kiang Zhen seems unmoved by your performance. “This time the winds of chance favored your organization … Which one are you again?”
The Ruby, Jade and Topaz Tengu rush on stage to attend to the fallen Aspis. However, before they can do so, Kiang Zhen halts them by raising her hand.
“I will mark the losers’ souls with a portent of shame before you conduct your mission of mercy.”
“The victors may leave my sight to prepare backstage for their next trial.”
♛ ☠ ♛ ☠
Assuming the party heads backstage, they are greeted by the sight of a velociraptor in a pink dress, covered in tufts of black fur pinning one of the Lung Wa ushers to the floor with a clawed talon.
“It’s … it’s time for your costume change.” the man sobs, gesturing with his scratched head at a stack of black funerary robes.
“Once you get suited up, throw these over your clothes. You’ll need them to enter the next event. Then head to the Mauseleum in the shadows of Azlant Keep in the Petal District.”
“Ruby or I can guide you … if you shoo your AC off me, General.”
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Uncaring as to what the man is trying to imply, Rika just walks back to the changing room. I'm about to shove all 5 feet of this stick up that little oni-bastard's ass. The sight in the changing room does make her pause. So... That happened. With a grunt meant to suppress her smirk, Rika calls for Pratts to back down. "并脱掉那件衣服普拉特"
She removes her costume and dons her normal armor and weapons before slowly putting on the black robe with an air of disgust. "This is anger give" she comments dryly.
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"Well, that didn't go so bad," Mariel remarks. She compliments Jillia with the excellent performance, although she apologizes that she didn't quite catch all of it. She bows to Kiang Zhen and then quickly leave stage to turn back to her regular clothes. At least, she hopes. Unfortunately, it seems like the costumed part of the event isn't over yet. She sighs and, like Rika, she changes back to her normal gear before putting the robe on. She whispers to the others as she changes. "So much for our ruse. Kiang Zhen seems to know how we are, at least."
A crowd of black-robed mourners gathers in a small, grassy square near the edge of the cemetery. The assembly forms a procession, which winds through the cemetery to one of the oldest and most opulent plots. There, the entrances to an entire row of aging marble mausoleums stand open. Before each rests a coffin.
The procession stops, and a woman in the robes of a Pharasmin cleric steps forward. She approaches the various groups of mourners and, speaking in a solemn tone, requests each of them to hoist a casket and carry it into one of the mausoleums. Then she adds the following instructions: “This next competition is the final one of the qualifier. The Emissary lies somewhere in the catacombs below. All you must do now is seek him out and touch his robes. Good luck.” Then the woman nods and leaves, without further explanation.
The Mauseleum stairs empty into a long hall of cool grey slate.
On both sides of the smooth, polished walls open deep, narrow arches that recede into straight, dark hallways
A gold-skinned humanoid sits in a trancelike state in the middle of the room like a great silent statue. Across his lap is a massive spiked club.
Behind the creature, on the far side of the hall, a small brass gong hangs still upon a lacquered wooden frame. Beside the gong rests a large mallet, its beater wrapped in cloth.
The creature opens his eyes and speaks as you approach the hallway entrance.
“Greetings, esteemed competitors. Allow me to introduce myself. I am named Heng — the Sifu’s Judge.”
“Within this room you see eight arches. However, only one leads to the final competition. While I can show you the correct path, you must first prove yourselves worthy before I reveal the answer.”
The oni nods and without warning, all eight entrances erupt into impassable whirlwinds of lashing sword shards and colored smoke.
Calmly, he continues. “Beyond me hangs a small gong. In order to pass freely, you must properly sound the gong using the nearby mallet. While this task sounds easy, I assure you it is not, for it must be struck perfectly in order to get it to sound. Hit it too softly and it will fail to echo, too hard and it will crack.”
“Furthermore, I shall do my best to prevent anyone from sounding it.” The judge bows, his heavy gaze relentless.
Then slowly his body coils into a combat stance as he signals the start of the fight with a simple nod.
Battle Map! It’s also at the top of the page.
Judge Heng: 23
Mido identifies Judge Heng as a human soldier from another world and time, likely armed with advanced firearms and pellet grenades.
He posits that a wormhole leading to other dimensions lies at the heart of Sifu Xho Nuo’s sanctuary.
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"Well I doubt it will be easy to sound the gong just right in the middle of combat..so it looks like the best plan will be to take out Heng first..then try the gong.Let's surround him and gang-up on him and take him down quickly..but try to keep him alive."
Hoping to catch Heng unware Manius moves forward quickly hoping to catch the man flat-footed as he walks past him.
"I challenge you to face me."
Manius then takes a swing at the back of Heng's legs
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Mariel offers to heal Valjoen as they get dressed, but she excuses herself for not healing him fully. "You never know what we still have to do today. I'd better not squander my spells."
--
Mariel furrows her brow as the gold-skinned man explains the next challenge. She's quick to agree with Manius, on one part at least. "es, he's just a guardian. There's absolutely no need to kill him. However," she says with a short look at Jillia, "couldn't you get past him and just go for that gong while we keep him busy?"
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Jillia will offer a wand of cure light wounds that she has no ability to use.
"Master Shaine would be uspet if I didn't bring this along, heh. I guess I haven't forgotten all of his lectures," she says, smiling warmly. "Get him right," she says, offering it to Mariel and pointing at Valijoen.
------------
Jillia nods confidently to Mariel. "Jill's got the skills to pay the bills."
Jillia and Mariel mistake Judge Heng for an avatar of Brigh, goddess of technology and innovation.
They believe while striking the gong is necessary, doing so risks turning oneself into an intelligent, humanoid construct.
From a flat-footed position, Judge Heng strikes like a cobra at Manius with his club.
Manius retaliates, scoring points with the Judge from a blow to the body.
Valjoen follows this up with a rather gross snowball, that hits Heng square round in the face! He seems shaken by the Norseman's swagger and confidence.
Battle Map! It’s also at the top of the page.
Judge Heng: {– Sheriff – Aaron NO} * 2 + Brett – Warren (no R applied yet R1) + SHAKEN
Having struck Manius opportunistically, Heng aims a backhanded greatclub at Pratts.
“No pets in my court room!”
The Sifu’s Counsel judges Manius calmly but with obvious distaste. “I find you guilty of being a ⚞SPIT⚟ Hellknight.”
“The sentence is Death.”
He then 5’ steps away as his wounds from earlier begin to heal.
Battle Map! It’s also at the top of the page.
Judge Heng: {Man it's only a, crookie} (APPLIED) + SHAKEN
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Also if anyone has ranks in perform he or she should prolly go through and try to pull this stunt of now. Mido can prolly keep Judge heng bolted to the spot for 5 rounds.
Mido walks up to Judge Heng leisurely with his arm outstretched as he inquires on the legality of measures taken.
A judge can only dispense justice if he has the law firmly in his hands. So in order to hand out any form of punishment as you have here you should first of all lay out the rules and basis for such treatment in detail. And no merely stating this is a game and in this game I beat you to mush because I can is not a valid ground for fatal punishment. so please explain yourself!
Bluff
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Mariel considers trying to call forth a burst of brilliance to blind the strange clockwork-creature, but she hasn't had the best of luck with that so far. Instead, she draws her sword and moves along with Jillia, running interference and blocking the man's sight to Jillia. She wants to shout an encouragement, but doesn't manage more than a few high shrills.
--
Please explain yourself!
“Simple, Counsellor.”
The judge ROARS
Mariel runs interference, while Jillia heads towards the gong.
The Violent Femme can hardly believe Heng has the dexterity to make an opportunistic attack on her as well. But he does!
However, the Judge cannot reach his fleet-footed foe.
Judge Heng: {Man it's only a, crookie} (APPLIED) + SHAKEN + (no R applied in R2)
Rika sets up a flanking maneuver for Pratts, which sees him nip the Judge three times – on thigh, hip and upper arm.
Heng is not used to such behaviour in his court. “Your beast will not survive to see the inside of Death Row, My Learned Friend.”
Judge Heng: {Big Ben} * {Troy} + Cam (no R applied yet R2) + SHAKEN
Manius advances bravely to attack the Oni who had been on the verge of bringing him undone.
The Hellknight chops strategically at Heng’s wrists and hands. While he fails to sever an extremity or vital artery, Manius forces the Judge to drop his greatclub.
Disgusted with himself, the Outsider hisses sullenly. “I ask you to accept my unconditional surrender.”
As Valjoen closes in on him with his bastard sword raised, Judge Heng bows from the waist, swiftly moderating his tone. "You have defeated a celestial magistrate, mortals. This is no easy task."
Assuming his surrender is accepted, Judge Heng presents the well-wrapped mallet to Jillia on one knee. "If you wish the honor of striking the gong yourself, you have earned it. Much though it makes me grit my tusks to say so."
he Rules for Ringing the Gong Strikes Back!
While his posture is deferential, Heng’s speech is hardly respectful. “Otherwise I can open the way to the Sifu’s inner sanctum without you needing to embarrass yourself with the mallet or exerting yourself with actual labor.”
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"It's okay to be a sore loser. Wounds heal," Jillia offers cheerfully, accepting the mallet.
"Cover your ears, I'm typically more of a lyrical percussionist than a literal percussionist," she jokes to the party as she rubs and then smacks the gong with the mallet.
Using the 'Diverse Training' boon:
"Cover your ears."
“A wise precaution, tiny one.” Judge Heng does just that.
As Jillia rubs the mallet over the gong to warm it up, the instrument makes distinctly ‘unhappy’ noises.
“May I suggest you first unwrap the beater, Wise and Peerless Mistress.” Heng sneers.
However, the petulant smile disappears from his face as Jillia’s perfectly timed blow causes the gong to ring out a resounding:
Once the echoes finish bouncing around the chamber, receding from even Pratts’ highly-tuned senses, the illusionary smoke and whirling blades fade and a stone door slides open at the back of the third alcove to the hallway’s north.
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Mariel is more graceful in accepting the Judge's surrender, despite his attitude. "Well fought, Judge Heng. You were badly outnumbered." She cheers at Jillia succeeds in ringing the gong, and then looks cautiously into the corridor that's unveiled. "I think the fighting isn't over yet." She invokes Iomedae's blessing to lend weight to her strikes, and then looks Manius over. "We'd best fix you up." She retrieves her wand and gives him a couple of pokes.
--
"Let's press forward. I'm not sure there's anything that can stop us- -we can act, we can fight, we can hit gongs. Let's go show Sho Nuo how we do,"
After pausing to heal, Mariel demonstrates her beauty is more than skin deep by consoling Judge Heng.
Once everybody is ready, Jillia presses the party forward!
You progress in a single file down a straight tunnel lined with the same gray slate that paves the undercroft below the Petal Mauseleum. Approximately 150 feet in, the tunnel suddenly slopes down quite dramatically for about 40 feet.
Mariel and Mido spot a greasy patch at the top of the slippery-slide like gradient. Any warning they shout is too late for Jillia, who falls hard on her derriere and begins riding the slippery slope downwards into the unknown …
You slide quite slowly at first, but accelerate rapidly once your momentum builds.
As you near the bottom, you are travelling at tremendous speed when you see a rock wall looming right in front of you.
The rest of the party at the top of the slide clearly hear Jillia’s progress down into the depths. The greasy slope appears to be scalable, though it will be a moderately difficult climb without basic equipment.
The issue is more the time it will take to get organized and get everyone down to the bottom.
In the meantime, what is happening to your separated party member in the Sifu's inner sanctum …
Just before your journey comes to a sudden halt, a of light goes off in your face!
You manage to blink away the spots before your eyes, just in time to make out the solid wall that your body into.
As your regain your senses, prone on the hard floor, you hear the sounds and shouts of combat from other competitors who have already entered the final battle.
The remainder of the party hears a solid far below in the dark.