"Yes, you love the crowds, don't you Olympian? You love the adoration, golden boy," the Prince taunts. "They love you, these humans? They hunted me. I came with gifts for them, but they saw what I was and hated me for it."
The Prince is striding and circling.
Kai directs Legion to "accidentally" fly into the casting merchant.
The magic flowing from the "humble merchant's" fingers ceases as he needs to focus on trying not to fall over the ledge.
He fails. The fake merchant is now in the water. Whatever his plot was, it is temporarily foiled.
The children with the slingshot have found Legion and Nissa however and proclaim that Legion is an even better target than Nissa.
Kai finally has a second to look at the pics of the guy Charles was following. The close-ups of his face revealing neck bulges --- two big bulges on the side of his neck.
The does not see what the Prince is trying to do, Charles does though.
Charles sees that the Prince is trying to get Theo close to the man Charles is following. This true-blood spectator is now leaning into the ring and looks like he's going to spit at Theo. Also, his neck is bulging.
Neither of the Olympian's attacks are successful. The Prince, however, realizes that Theo is not blinded by the dark. "Cheater," he hisses. He would dismiss the darkness now, but he's hoping it will cover up some of his cheating.
Round 9
The Viking-Samurai-Pirate is trying to get the crowd to start cheering again and stop booing.
It's hard to win people over to cheering for the darkness, but some do.
Nissa flutters in front of Legions camera.
“Operation Fairy Bomb is a success. Thanks, Kai! Can you let Zellgato know to be on the lookout for magic fingers? I’ll try to talk the guy outta trying that again.”
Nissa then flutters toward the man in the drink.
“Your actions have been recorded, and the Queen of Swords will know about this, among other cheating attempts. Whatever Eleu paid ya, he’s gonna be the emperor with no clothes in a minute or two, so I wouldn’t worry about failing him.”
Nissa’s emphasis on the words ‘not worry’ and ‘fail,’ combined with her cutesy flitting, unmistakably suggests, since the spell failed, all we recorded was a harmless illusion, so no worries about the queen punishing you.
Round 9
Theo uses another Retribution (Su) attack.
The godling goes back to his original plan of keeping mobile, as he backflips over The Prince to attack The Prince again on his flank.
Kai quickly messages Charles about the person with the neck bulges, and directs Legion to fly in that direction as well, interposing itself between his face and where Kai guesses Theo would be.
"Don't let that one spit!"
Charles was already moving to intercept. Breaking into a fast jog he gets right in front of the suspiciously neck-bulging being, between them and the ring.
He crosses both pairs of arms and stares down his snout at them. "If you've got to spit," he growls, "Do it in the sea, not the ring."
The ichthyus sapien turns his attention towards Charles. The bulges on his neck are pumping. He's clearly ready to spray something in Charles' face.
Apparently spit-take is caught off guard by at talking Charles.
Recognizing the spitter's surprise as an opportunity, he attempts to grab their head and point it... well, somewhere there's no one who'll get hurt, preferably.
Round 10
The 'merchant,' bobbing in the bay, says, "Leave me alone you strange fey creature; I was hired to create an illusion in honour of our Atlantean guests. Such harmless revelry is the norm in Tarokh. Begone or I'll sick my mageflies after you or summon a red warbler to eat you for its brunch."
Legion arrives just in time to see Charles grabbing at Mr. Spitter.
The Prince has just been struck twice more by Theo's trident and is hurting, but not as much as he should be and not as long as he should be. His wounds are healing as he fights, but not as fast as Theo is making them.
The Prince attacks again.
Mr. Spitter evades Charles attempts at a grapple. He doesn't know what Charles is, but he doesn't want to tangle with him. He opens his mouth and releases a cloud of gas at one or more of Charles' heads. Meant for Theo, he hopes the effects will allow him a chance to escape. Several bystanders are caught in the cloud and drop to the ground.
“The only reason the prince is alive is because I didn’t fly inside his brain and make his head explode when he surrendered to Theo.
“Careful who you threaten.”
She holds her hover, as if daring him to try her.
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Round 10
All of the attack have really worn Theo down. He feels he doesn't have much time left. So the godling thinks of a stalling tactics.
The Olympian backflips away from The Prince and out of the darkness sphere.
"COME OUT, PRINCE OF ATLANTIS!! Come out into the light and finish me! Your sycophants are here to see you win! How can you prove your 'Atlantean Superiority' if no one can see it?! Or has your people's total betrayal of Poseidon means that the sunlight burns even your perfect visage. FACE ME AS A MAN! FACE ME AS AN ATLANTEAN! FACE ME AS IF YOUR DIVINE HERITAGE IS WORTH A DAMN!!"
Theo then readies an action to attack as The Prince attacks.
The 'merchant' does what one does with stinging insects. He sinks below the surface of the water and attempts to swim away.
Nissa giggles at the fleeing merchant—but she hears Theo’s shout.
She flies over to his corner, and stands on the turnbuckle (or dock post?), bellowing—
“IS THIS HOW YOU WILL RULE THE ATLANTEANS?!
“HIDING IN THE DARK WHILE SUMMONED DEMONS AND HIRED THUS CHEAT FOR YOU?! YOU’RE NOT WORTHY TO RULE—BY NOW THEY MUST KNOW TO REJECT YOU!! MY WORLD DID!!
“YOU TOLD THEO ‘MY SHAME IS YOUR SHAME,’ BUT IT’S A LIE! THEO HAD HONOR SPARING YOU, AND NO MATTER IF HE KILLS YOU OR NOT, IT WILL BE HONORABLE!
“FACE HIM, OR LET YOUR OWN PEOPLE WITNESS UNRIVALED COWARDICE!!!”
Clicking his tongue as Charles' attempt to stop the creature goes sideways as the creature elects to involve innocent bystanders. "Hope you got that on camera...hope they're fine." laments Zellgato as he sweeps his scope and decides He's now a public nuseience and a potential witness of use. Zellgato takes a shoot at Spit-take hoping to ensure he gives up for authorities for assaulting bystanders. Something he feels given their regulations, is likely a crime.
To Hit.
If it hits; 50%speed (all types) reduced 8 rounds.
Toxic Shot: DC 18 vs Sickened Condition
Sickened: You take a –2 penalty to attack rolls, weapon damage rolls, saving throws, skill checks, and ability checks.
DC 10+/1/2lv+Int+1 Fusion.
4/6 biohacks left
Charles holds his breath and follows the spitter out of the cloud.
He roars out as soon as he's clear of the cloud. He wants everyone to know just how much the Warlock is cheating.
He runs after the spitter and takes another four-armed grab at them.
Legion has been recording the spitter, and zooms after them as Charles pursues. Kai begins moving towards the Queen of Swords to report all these interference attempts.
Kai is probably the closest to the Queen. The Queen is certainly seeing this and about to react. Kai could engage in some diplomacy to shape the Queen's reaction.
Avoiding to get too close lest the Queen and her guard perceive a threat, Kai calls out to her.
"Your Majesty, you see how the Atlantean has no honour! My comrade can deal with whatever tricks he pulls of within the ring, but we have spotted already two attempts at interference from without the ring! If these are the rules of this trial, then please let me know, so that myself and all of the Olympian's friends can join the fray! We very much wish to abide by the laws and customs of the 'verse, but our sense of justice is deeply injured with these displays of treachery and cowardice from the warlock."
"....but our sense of justice is deeply injured with these displays of treachery and cowardice from the warlock."
"As is mine," snarls the fighter in plate mail as she strides toward the ring. The viking-samurai-pirate has already tooted his horn calling for a halt to the fight. The Queen of Swords slices through the ribbons surrounding the 60-foot square of dirt.
"Atlanteans," the Queen of Swords shouts to Eleu, Keleini, Morlock, and Jesk who have found each other and are standing together, as far away from Pah as they can. "Have you no honour? Have your people come here for a tavern brawl? I have not failed to see these dirty tricks both inside and outside of the ring. I will have no more of it!"
"First, when this fight continues, no summoning; we have 1,000 gates in this city and evil threatens to creep through each one. You need not invite it," says the grey-haired queen. People nod at this.
"Second, the warlock can fly if he wants, but each side will now be armed with crossbows as well," she shouts. All laugh and cheer except for the true-bloods.
"Third, I came here to SEE a fight! If you block my view with magical darkness again, I'll come back and cut the darkness to ribbons with my Sword of Bloody Truth," she concludes.
The Viking-Samurai-Pirate says something to her and, getting the nod, says "We will have a 20-minute rest so the vendors can make their coin. Go! Eat!"
The Queen of Swords points at her eyes and then at the Prince in an "I'll be watching you" gesture.
She turns to Theo, smiles hungrily, and repeats the "I'll be watching you" gesture but it seemed less like a warning this time.
The Queen of Swords points at her eyes and then at the Prince in an "I'll be watching you" gesture.
She turns to Theo, smiles hungrily, and repeats the "I'll be watching you" gesture but it seemed less like a warning this time.
Tired, Theo flashes the Queen of Sword a cute wink. Gods, I hope her vagina isn't lined with swords! The godling ponders.
The Olympian walks back to a neutral corner to talk with his teammates. "Somebody heal my tight perfect a$$ now! And I'd like something to drink! Like a lemonade or something."
Nissa asks Theo, “Wanna shoulder massage or something?”
"Yes! A thousand times YES!" Theo smiled.
While Nissa kneads Theo's demi-godly shoulders, Pah makes his way over to Theo. He is surrounded by his retinue. He acts like he's just passing by but pauses near Theo, catches his eye briefly, and says quietly, "Killing him would be the best thing for all of us. Mercy for him would not be mercy for my people."
The spitter avoided Charles next attempt to grab him as well. He flees into the crowd. Charles can continue to pursue him if he wants.
Once in a while, Theo looks to the sky above, hoping to see a sign of his father's presence: an errant storm cloud, a peel of thunder, a stray lighting bolt flash across the sky, an eagle, etc.
"Kai, can Legion keep track of that one?" Charles calls out. He stops at the edge of the crowd, not wanting to hurt anyone in his pursuit, and settles for just using his height to try to watch him from afar.
Legion had already been pursuing the fleeing spitter, and continues to do so, recording all the while.
The fleeing spitter heads towards the water. He's going to make a swim for it.
Nissa punches Theo rapidly to massage him. Her fists are a small fraction of an inch and they feel like sunlight. (Why she knows this feels good to a normal-sized person is between her an L.C.)
When Pah comes over, Nissa says, “You know from the MindShare that I would’ve finished the prince. But there’s a difference between wanting him dead and demanding this of Theo.
“Dishonor’s gonna to be the ruin of his supporters. And victory means he answers for his crime of murder.”
Nissa says to Theo, “You’re making us look good, so keep it up. Just one tip—a suggestion:
“Don’t stop hitting him until the horn blows. If he surrenders, it’s a bluff. Trust me—I know his game ’cause I play it. Be relentless. If he’s knocked out instead of dead, or the horn blows because he gives up, so be it.”
She assures Pah, “He won’t rule the Atlanteans if Theo wins.”
At Charles and Kai's commentary on the runner. Zellgato shrugs in his nest, and fires a few shots at the runner to futher emphesize that he should simply give up."Seriously they always run.
To Hit. -Whatever penalty for nonlethal is (-4?) without mercy fusion.
Nonlethal
If hit, decrease movemetn speped by 50% (all types) for 5 rounds.
-1 penalty to all attacks for 5rds.
4/6biohacks. 4/5 medical mastery.
Charles is content to allow the spitter to flee for now. He simply resolves to keep an eye out for him returning.
As Pah and his entourage leave, Theo remarks, "Hey, guys. Just wanted to say thanks for having my back outside the ring. And Nissa, I couldn't ask for a better hype-girl!"
Nissa replies, “I didn’t know we’d draw such a crowd. And I thought high-profile trials were a circus on our world.
“Anyway, you’re earning the hype. Just win this quick while the momentum’s on your side. I have faith that staying in fairy form will take care of FishDick’s last cheat—but I suggest you start with a warning. Announce you will not surrender, nor will you accept his surrender.
“Then he can’t charm-magic you into yielding without the Queen knowing it.”
As much as Nissa wants the Prince dead, asking Theo to kill is not her intent. “If he falls and you ask a healer to stabilize him…” She hesitates, then runs with, “I want you to have a clear conscience. You’re doing the heavy lifting right now, so don’t add more burdens than you can bear.”
"Guys, it all depends on what the Queen of Swords allows. She may decide to stay my hand..or The Prince's hand," Theo replies. "I'll concentrate on beating him, and then hope The Fates go my way."
The spitter limps to the water and dives in.
The time between bouts goes quickly.
Theo has many admiring fans trying to approach.
The Queen of Swords, lingering, says to Nissa and Theo and anyone else ringside, "So, who was it that made a festival of this. Who hired the jugglers and had the pamphlets printed?"
Across the ring Eleu offers Fishdicks a massage but gets waved off. Fishdicks is fully healed, his scars already faded, and is pointing at Theo as if his extended break is his fault.
Theo hides his extended middle finger away from The Queen of Swords so only Fishdicks can see it.
Nissa replies, “I have a suspicion multiple Atlanteans are to blame, and from different factions. One or two want to see the prince glorified, and another hopes to see him dead.
“Your highness, I’d like to respectfully ask you have a sword of truth conversation after the fight, but…”
“…as far as what’s between Theo and the Prince, I’d rather let them get through this. If you’d like to announce a penalty for intervention that’ll act as an effective deterrent, that should keep this half of the fight intervention-free.
“No one from our world’s planning to cheat, and I’m glad they did it just ’cause it helps our credibility.” She gives Theo a pat on the shoulder. “Theo doesn’t need help to win this.”
"I believe my presence will be an effective deterrent," says the Queen, ordering someone to bring her crate ringside, much closer than it was.
She jumps up on the crate, nimbly considering the platemail.
"All right! I came here to see a fight, not guess at one through a ball of magical darkness. If I see any more mucking about, I'm getting in there with you and only one of us will be stepping out!"
There's some cheers and some laughter.
She waits for a while.
"Will someone tell that clown to blow his horn," the Queen yells.
The Viking-Samurai-Pirate, offended at being called a clown, eventually blows the horn.
The Prince pulls his crossbow up and takes aim, knowing that it would take Theo long enough to cross the thing that he'll get a shot off first.
Nissa snorts, “Nice shootin’, Tex.”