Chark sends a jolt of fire-red electricity leaping between the two toughs.
She then conjures up a disc of force for protection.
Dendillion's song helps, but his spell misses by a couple inches. Tiny scratches one brute!
PASS
PASS
Chark's spell does little, but it's better than nothing!
ROUND 2:
Haldan (76/76): Go
Chark: (71/71): Arc
Charlie (99/99): Go
---Goliath (48/71): Go
Tiny (108/108): Hit
---Þóðᛞrekkr (48/71): Miss
Bruisers: TBD
Dendillion (??/??): TBD
-----------------------------
Location: Celestial Menagerie
Red: 46
Black: 14
Charlie hears ribs crack as Goliath takes a mighty blow to his side. This angers Charlie as both he and Goliath renew their attacks into the thugs. "Lay down your weapons."
HP 99/99
AC 24 (26 w/ shield)
Wooden Shield 12/12; [AC Bonus +2: [Hardness 3] [HP/BT 12(6)]
Snarecraft Snares Used: Biting Snare x3
Focus 1/1
Hero Points 1/3
Goliath
HP 25/71
AC 23
Goliath exacts his revenge. Perhaps the bear remembers the abuse the Menagerie heaped on him. Charlie misses, but Goliath's attack seriously wounds the thug.
ROUND 2:
Haldan (76/76): Go
Chark: (71/71): Arc
Charlie (99/99): Miss
---Goliath (25/71): Hit
Tiny (108/108): Hit
---Þóðᛞrekkr (48/71): Miss
Bruisers: TBD
Dendillion (??/??): TBD
-----------------------------
Location: Celestial Menagerie
Red: 46
Black: 41
Haldan's face goes all dark with a low chuckle, waving his hands while reciting an incantation sending chills up their spines.
Haldan casts Fear on both of them, DC 25 Will save. He then sustains his summons.
The effects on the men could not be more different. The bruiser closer to Tiny seems to completely ignore the spell while the other one immediately panics and looks for a way out! Unfortunately it doesn't help the zombie.
The terrified bruiser tries to push his way back into the circus grounds:
and succeeds! He runs, screaming, into camp.
The other gets the hint, and tries to bring down the zombie in order to clear the way with his greatclub:
for
for
for
ROUND 2:
Haldan (76/76): Fear
Chark: (71/71): Arc
Charlie (99/99): Miss
---Goliath (25/71): Hit
Tiny (108/108): Hit
---Þóðᛞrekkr (48/71): Miss
Bruisers: ATK & Flee
Dendillion (??/??): Go
ROUND 3:
Haldan (76/76): Go
---Zombie Brute (11/70)
Chark: (71/71): Go
Charlie (99/99): Go
---Goliath (48/71): Go
Tiny (108/108): Go
---Þóðᛞrekkr (48/71): Go
Bruisers: TBD
Dendillion (??/??): TBD
-----------------------------
Location: Celestial Menagerie
Red: 46 (Frightened 3)
Black: 14
Tiny uncleashes a flurry.
Tiny also encourages Þóðᛞrekkr to take a nibble.
Team Tiny scores a trio of moderate hits!
ROUND 2:
Haldan (76/76): Fear
Chark: (71/71): Arc
Charlie (99/99): Miss
---Goliath (25/71): Hit
Tiny (108/108): Hit
---Þóðᛞrekkr (48/71): Miss
Bruisers: ATK & Flee
Dendillion (??/??): Go
ROUND 3:
Haldan (76/76): Go
---Zombie Brute (11/70)
Chark: (71/71): Go
Charlie (99/99): Go
---Goliath (48/71): Go
Tiny (108/108): Hit
---Þóðᛞrekkr (48/71): Hit
Bruisers: TBD
Dendillion (??/??): TBD
-----------------------------
Location: Celestial Menagerie
Red: 46 (Frightened 3)
Black: 55
Charlie and Goliath go all out on the remaining gate thug. "We gave you a ch..ch..chance. Don't be a fool."
HP 99/99
AC 24 (26 w/ shield)
Wooden Shield 12/12; [AC Bonus +2: [Hardness 3] [HP/BT 12(6)]
Snarecraft Snares Used: Biting Snare x3
Focus 1/1
Hero Points 1/3
Goliath
HP 25/71
AC 23
Chark shifts in the pathway and touches a tattoo on her skin, sending an orb of bluish flame to envelop the remaining bruiser.
"Ungrateful scabs! I'll bash your heads in like I should have months ago!"
Charlie and Goliath miss. One arrow came close, but ended up sticking into his club.
ROUND 2:
Haldan (76/76): Fear
Chark: (71/71): Arc
Charlie (99/99): Miss
---Goliath (25/71): Hit
Tiny (108/108): Hit
---Þóðᛞrekkr (48/71): Miss
Bruisers: ATK & Flee
Dendillion (??/??): Go
ROUND 3:
Haldan (76/76): Go
---Zombie Brute (11/70) Go
Chark: (71/71): Frostbite
Charlie (99/99): Miss
---Goliath (48/71): Miss
Tiny (108/108): Hit
---Þóðᛞrekkr (48/71): Hit
Bruisers: TBD
Dendillion (??/??): TBD
-----------------------------
Location: Celestial Menagerie
Red: 46 (Frightened 3)
Black: 62
Dendillion keeps the inspirational tunes going, channelling his musical might into yet another telekinetically hurled stone.
Dendillion cracks the thug in the head with a stone!
ROUND 3:
Haldan (76/76): Go
---Zombie Brute (11/70) Go
Chark: (71/71): Frostbite
Charlie (99/99): Miss
---Goliath (48/71): Miss
Tiny (108/108): Hit
---Þóðᛞrekkr (48/71): Hit
Bruisers: TBD
Dendillion (??/??): TBD
-----------------------------
Location: Celestial Menagerie
Red: 69
Black: 62 (Frightened 3)
Haldan reaches out and casts Shocking Grasp on the metal armored thug (red).
Haldan digs deep to shock the bruiser. Lightning arcs over his chain shirt!
Jittering, he swings again to drop the zombie:
for , destroying it. He then whips around to Tiny, taking a swing before backing up a bit
for
still shocking
ROUND 3:
Haldan (76/76): SG
Chark: (71/71): Frostbite
Charlie (99/99): Miss
---Goliath (48/71): Miss
Tiny (108/108): Hit
---Þóðᛞrekkr (48/71): Hit
Bruisers: ATK
Dendillion (??/??): Go
ROUND 4:
Haldan (76/76): Go
Chark: (71/71): Go
Charlie (99/99): Go
---Goliath (48/71): Go
Tiny (92/108): Go
---Þóðᛞrekkr (48/71): Go
Bruisers: TBD
Dendillion (??/??): TBD
-----------------------------
Location: Celestial Menagerie
Red: 90 (1d4 Elec)
Black: 62 (Frightened 3)
Chark repeats herself.
She then conjures up a disc of force for protection.
Second verse, same as the first.
ROUND 3:
Haldan (76/76): Go
---Zombie Brute (11/70) Go
Chark: (71/71): Frostbite
Charlie (99/99): Miss
---Goliath (48/71): Miss
Tiny (108/108): Hit
---Þóðᛞrekkr (48/71): Hit
Bruisers: ATK
Dendillion (??/??): Go
ROUND 4:
Haldan (76/76): Go
Chark: (71/71): Frost
Charlie (99/99): Go
---Goliath (48/71): Go
Tiny (92/108): Go
---Þóðᛞrekkr (48/71): Go
Bruisers: TBD
Dendillion (??/??): TBD
-----------------------------
Location: Celestial Menagerie
Red: 104 (1d4 Elec)
Black: 62 (Frightened 3)
Dendillion likes how things are going, so he keeps the inspirational tunes going and channels his musical might into yet another telekinetically hurled stone.
This time the stone caroms off the gate instead of the thug's head. Same sound though.
ROUND 4:
Haldan (76/76): Go
Chark: (71/71): Frost
Charlie (99/99): Go
---Goliath (48/71): Go
Tiny (92/108): Go
---Þóðᛞrekkr (48/71): Go
Bruisers: TBD
Dendillion (??/??): TBD
-----------------------------
Location: Celestial Menagerie
Red: 104 (1d4 Elec)
Black: 62 (Frightened 3)
Charlie and Goliath put the remaining bit of energy into their attacks. "We need to get past quickly."
HP 99/99
AC 24 (26 w/ shield)
Wooden Shield 12/12; [AC Bonus +2: [Hardness 3] [HP/BT 12(6)]
Snarecraft Snares Used: Biting Snare x3
Focus 1/1
Hero Points 1/3
Goliath
HP 25/71
AC 23
Tiny whistles for Þóðᛞrekkr to step up and take another bite out of crime.
Tiny then follows up with his own two handed strike.
Goliath, Þóðᛞrekk, and tiny all miss, but Charlie strikes twice with both shots, the second hitting dead on!
ROUND 4:
Haldan (76/76): Go
Chark: (71/71): Frost
Charlie (99/99): Crit
---Goliath (48/71): Miss
Tiny (92/108): Miss
---Þóðᛞrekkr (48/71): Miss
Bruisers: TBD
Dendillion (??/??): TBD
-----------------------------
[b]Location: Celestial Menagerie
Red: 132 (1d4 Elec)
Black: 62 (Frightened 3)
ROUND 4:
Haldan (76/76): Go
Chark: (71/71): Frost
Charlie (99/99): Crit
---Goliath (48/71): Miss
Tiny (92/108): Miss
---Þóðᛞrekkr (48/71): Miss
Bruisers: TBD
Dendillion (??/??): TBD
-----------------------------
Location: Celestial Menagerie
Red: 104 (1d4 Elec)
Black: 62 (Frightened 3)
"Hey, they still have you feeding the animals? I was curious because maybe you've learned how to bite my ass since the last time we saw you."
Haldan follows up the comment with a card.
Haldan's rock cracks the man in the face so hard that you can here his neck snap!
After the other bruiser went screaming into the circus grounds, you'd expect the noise to increase, but instead, it's quiet as a mouse beyond the gates...
"We sh.sh..should hurry before Dusklight gets tipped off and fl..fl..fl....and runs." Charlie urges the others in action.
"Agreed. This isn't how I'd hoped it'd go. But here we are. Let's move."
Into the gates the party goes. It's a wide open area, which means there's plenty of places to store a jack-in-the-box surprise. Straight ahead is a large plywood booth, painted white and decorated with images of animal‑headed angels holding streamers and musical instruments. Behind that is the Big Top, still more impressive than your own unfortunately.
To the left is the midway, and to the right is a literal menagerie.
"You all know this circus better than I. Where would you think we could find the Mistress in charge?"
Hiding from trouble, Chark says, her voice full of scorn. But her office is always behind the big top.
Still, I'd hate to leave these poor beasts here to get more abuse. She pointedly turns to the left toward the menagerie. Come along, Haldan, we'll need your skills.
Dendillion chuckles. "A bit of mischief? I like your thinking Chark."
The party heads east towards the eponymous exhibit. “Behold, the Glen of Uncommon Wonders!” a sonorous voice bellows. A blond satyr rises from a wooden stool at the base of a willow tree. He pushes the willows’ fronds back in a dramatic gesture, giving the impression of an actor stepping from behind a curtain and onto a stage. “Feast your eyes on our celestial sights! Converse with the winged keeper of wisdom, the talking pegasus! Admire the sylvan beauty, our delightful dryad! Cower in fear from caged ferocity, the savage manticore!” The satyr grins and waves his set of panpipes with a flourish. “Or perhaps you’re patrons of more refined taste? In that case, allow this mischievous piper to serenade you.” If he's aware of what went down at the gate, he's not letting on...
You always got the impression that the satyr was bored, sticking around only for loyalty, and for not having a better plan. He was never MEAN, but had no problem subjugating acts like those in these cages.
"I am both a patron as well as a purveyor of the arts," Dendillion says to the satyr. He hoists his prized lute, showing them his musical weapon of choice. "Alas, we are a bit pressed for time. In most any other circumstance I would say we could make music together. Perhaps we can later? Do you also sing?"
Dendillion is going to try and make friendly here, surprised as he is by seeing a satyr and how it's not at all violent.
Tiny listens and ponders, a wave of different emotions rushing through his body.
Charlie listens hoping Dendillion is able to sway the Satyr to their side of rationale.
Chark remembers this satyr and lets Den talk a bit, interjecting only a nod and a quick inquiry about the inhabitants of the Glen: How fare these creatures today, friend? Love your shirt, by the way.
While taking pride in his shirt, his demeanor doesn't really change. "I don't much enjoy singing, not any more. If you're here to topple here, don't end up in the oubliette. You know it, behind the big top where Mistress Dusklight punishes disloyal performers. Be careful too, Mistress Dusklight has the law on her side; a senior constable visits her. A LOT. Look, I'm not going to stop you. Just be careful in here, though truth be told, Mistdancer might actually join you. The others.... not so much."
"It saddens me that you've lost the joy of your voice. I would help you if I could. But... thank you for your honest words and advice. We will steer clear of the oubliette."
Something the satyr says bothers him. "We also have law on our side, or at least we're supposed to. Can you describe what this constable looks like? Is their name Chief Constable Andera?"
He'll describe Andera to make sure.
"Never met anyone who looks like that." He then describes a dark skinned make with light hair named Darricus Stallit.
After blinking at the party for some time, Adrivallo makes a face as if to say, what now?
Tiny shrugs "We ready to move forward?"
"Let's give Dusklight a visit." Charlie hopes they can just talk her down, but knows it is probably too late for anymore of that.
Chark goes to follow, then hesitates. She turns back to Adrivallo and addresses them directly. You have never been outright cruel to your animal charges, she says, and I want you to know I recognize this in you. Your heart seems in the right place, most of the time. If you wish, you are welcome with the Circus of Wayward Wonders when you grow tired of the lash and scorn that Mistress Dusklight offers.
"Whatever."
Chark takes the Gen Z satyr's response in stride and joins her companions.