Alas, no better.
Charlie's words are ineffectual, as is Goliath's offensive.
ROUND 1:
Mistress Dusklight: Magic
Chark (31/71): Razzle
Mazael: ATK
Tiny (84/108): Go
-----Þóðᛞrekkr (71/71): Go
Dendillion (50/78): Fail
Haldan (38/76): Go
Charlie (62/99): Miss
-----Goliath (71/71): Miss
-----------------------------
Location: Celestial Menagerie
Dusklight: (Cloak of Colors)
Mazael: (Inspiring Anthem)
Tiny tries to Tumble through the guard.
getting to the Mistress.
Dropping into his stance, Tiny unleashes a flurry of swipes.
Meanwhile Þóðᛞrekkr does his best to catch up and gets to the door aside Goliath.
Tiny has no problem getting past the bodyguard. When he gets close to her, the spell she's cloaked herself in leaves him Dazzled , but he still gets a hit in! It causes a flash in his eyes though
ROUND 1:
Mistress Dusklight: Magic
Chark (31/71): Razzle
Mazael: ATK
Tiny (84/108): Hit
-----Þóðᛞrekkr (71/71): Close
Dendillion (50/78): Fail
Haldan (38/76): Go
Charlie (62/99): Miss
-----Goliath (71/71): Miss
-----------------------------
Location: Celestial Menagerie
Dusklight: (Cloak of Colors) 18
Mazael: (Inspiring Anthem)
Haldan casts Guidance on himself and then thrashes comically with his magical claws from across the room at the misguided lover.
"She's a vial creature who gets off on torturing others, both mentally and physically. I'd feel bad for you for being one of her victims, but you enable her with your blindly stupid loyalty."
Haldan rips into Mazael with his spell. He draws first blood, but gets nowhere with his words.
She responds with vitriol, "Shut up you whelp! How could you hurt my generous lover? you'll pay for your evil Haldan!"
She moves a bit before casting a spell at the gutsy halfling.
ROUND 2:
Mistress Dusklight: Magic
Chark (31/71): Go
Mazael: TBD
Tiny (84/108): TBD
-----Þóðᛞrekkr (71/71): TBD
Dendillion (50/78): TBD
Haldan (38/76): TBD Will
Charlie (62/99): TBD
-----Goliath (71/71): TBD
-----------------------------
Location: Celestial Menagerie
Dusklight: (Cloak of Colors) 18
Mazael: 52 (Inspiring Anthem)
Focus on the Mistress! Chark says insistently. It is she who has corrupted Mazael!
She moves behind Goliath and touches a tattoo, evoking a shimmering scimitar bathed in flame next to their nemesis.
Chark's spell misses, and it's hard to tell if the advice lands either.
Mazael looks at the crowd he's holding back in the hall, and then at his mistress. Though it pains him, he keeps the door blocked, slashing at Goliath, "Move the bear! He doesn't need to suffer for your violence!"
MISS
for
for
ROUND 2:
Mistress Dusklight: Magic
Chark (31/71): Miss
Mazael: ATK
Tiny (84/108): Go
-----Þóðᛞrekkr (71/71): Go
Dendillion (50/78): Go
Haldan (38/76): Go
Charlie (62/99): Go
-----Goliath (54/71): Go
-----------------------------
Location: Celestial Menagerie
Dusklight: (Cloak of Colors) 18
Mazael: 52 (Inspiring Anthem)
Focusing his fury onto Mistress Dusklight, Tiny ignores the melee behind him as his vision narrows.
Tiny whistles for Þóðᛞrekkr to come join him without looking back.
Tiny then steps into flank and unleashes his own attacks.
Charlie freezes momentarily as Dusklight appears in front of him once more. He had hoped to never have seen her again. "Why must you make everyone a..aa....around you suffer." His stuttering is worse when she is around. It had gotten better for a bit as he got comfortable around his new friends.
HP 62/99
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 0/1
Hero Points 1/3
Goliath
HP 54/71
AC 23
The party presses hard. Þóðᛞrekkr is the next to get passed Mazael. While he can't get through the Mistress's defense, Tiny does! No longer affected by her defensive spell he connects with a wicked blow that leaves her bleeding.
Charlie's arrows miss, even as his resolve stays firm. Goliath makes no headway unfortunately.
ROUND 2:
Mistress Dusklight: Magic
Chark (31/71): Miss
Mazael: ATK
Tiny (84/108): Crit
-----Þóðᛞrekkr (71/71): Miss
Dendillion (50/78): Go
Haldan (38/76): Go
Charlie (62/99): Miss
-----Goliath (54/71): Miss
-----------------------------
Location: Celestial Menagerie
Dusklight: 56 (Bleed d4) (Cloak of Colors)
Mazael: 52 (Inspiring Anthem)
Haldan brushing off the magical effects. "I'll start worrying paying this back soon, I assume?"
Haldan casts Sudden Bolt as a 4th level spell at the Madame.
Haldan shakes off a spell that would DEFINITELY have ruined his career. , just as she dodges his spell completely!
ROUND 2:
Mistress Dusklight: Magic
Chark (31/71): Miss
Mazael: ATK
Tiny (84/108): Crit
-----Þóðᛞrekkr (71/71): Miss
Dendillion (50/78): Go
Haldan (38/76): Miss
Charlie (62/99): Miss
-----Goliath (54/71): Miss
-----------------------------
Location: Celestial Menagerie
Dusklight: 56 (Bleed d4) (Cloak of Colors)
Mazael: 52 (Inspiring Anthem)
Dendillion tries, but he doesn't get through to Mazael, "Liar! You speak words born of jealousy!"
"Jealousy? No, you are wrong. I speak out of desperation. Desperation that you will see the truth. See the evidence before you. People have died by Dusklight's hands, and it needs to stop!"
Dendillion knows that the group looks ragged. Bloodied. Hurt. But also earnest. The troupe is filled with purpose to right the many wrongs by Mistress Dusklight's hands.
Mazael looks at Dendillion, looks at Mistress Dusklight, and then looks at his blade.
He lowers it. He doesn't look like he's completely changed his mind, but violence against you seems distasteful to him now. Dendillion is confident that he's inside Mazael's head enough to convince him to lay it down.
Mistress Dusklight shouts, "Don't listen to that sniveling fool Dendillion! He's trying to get you to abandon the one who loves you!"
she tries the same spell again, this time on Dendillion.
and and it stops!
ROUND 3:
Mistress Dusklight: Magic
Chark (31/71): Go
Mazael: TBD
Tiny (84/108): TBD
-----Þóðᛞrekkr (71/71): TBD
Dendillion (50/78): TBD
Haldan (38/76): TBD
Charlie (62/99): TBD
-----Goliath (54/71): TBD
-----------------------------
Location: Celestial Menagerie
Dusklight: 57(Cloak of Colors)
Mazael: 52 (Inspiring Anthem)
If she loved you, she wouldn't demand that you to put yourself in harm's way, Chark says, moving past the conflicted and soon-to-be-jilted lover and sustaining her spell...
...then conjuring up a disk of force for protection.
She dodge's Chark's spell. The real terror though, is what happens to Dendillion. The erudite and charismatic bard's face droops as the light vanishes from his eyes.
Mazael moves over to protect his lover, though he stops bringing violence to you.
ROUND 3:
Mistress Dusklight: Magic
Chark (31/71): Miss
Mazael: Move
Tiny (84/108): Go
-----Þóðᛞrekkr (71/71): Go
Dendillion (50/78): Go
Haldan (38/76): Go
Charlie (62/99): Go
-----Goliath (54/71): Go
-----------------------------
-----------------------------
Location: Celestial Menagerie
Dusklight: 56 (Bleed d4) (Cloak of Colors)
Mazael: 52 (Inspiring Anthem)
"She... you know it in your heart, Mazael. Search it and see."
It's a simple message. The best he can give in his muddled state.
There are no words, only a groan of mental defeat. Mazael drops his blade and looks ready to flee. He takes one final look at the Mistress before never turning back.
ROUND 2:
Mistress Dusklight: Magic
Chark (31/71): Miss
Mazael: ATK
Tiny (84/108): Crit
-----Þóðᛞrekkr (71/71): Miss
Dendillion (50/78): Success!
Haldan (38/76): Go
Charlie (62/99): Miss
-----Goliath (54/71): Miss
-----------------------------
Location: Celestial Menagerie
Dusklight: 56 (Bleed d4) (Cloak of Colors)
Mazael: 52 (Inspiring Anthem)
Tiny moves around to the flank and unleashes another flurry, not even hearing the words behind him.
Þóðᛞrekkr yips and bites twice as well..
Without her erstwhile bodyguard, for the first time ever, you get to see what fear looks like on Mistress Dusklight's face.
the team of dwarf and dog close in to draw more blood on the cruel mistress.
ROUND 2:
Mistress Dusklight: Magic
Chark (31/71): Miss
Mazael: Move
Tiny (84/108): Hit
-----Þóðᛞrekkr (71/71): Miss
Dendillion (50/78): Go
Haldan (38/76): Go
Charlie (62/99): Go
-----Goliath (54/71): Go
-----------------------------
Location: Celestial Menagerie
Dusklight: 68 (Cloak of Colors)
Mazael: 52 (Inspiring Anthem)
Haldan walks into the room, points his finger and shoots a line of negative energy at the mistress.
"Give up Mistress. Come in for questioning. You are under a..a..a..arrest." Charlie aims his arrows sending in Goliath to press her further.
HP 62/99
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 0/1
Hero Points 1/3
Goliath
HP 54/71
AC 23
She spits, "You'll never have my circus! NEVER!"
Haldan's spell wounds and drains her, but she's only moderately injured. When she dodges Charlie and Goliath, it's clear that she's not helpless.
ROUND 4:
Mistress Dusklight: Magic
Chark (31/71): Go
Mazael: TBD
Tiny (84/108): TBD
-----Þóðᛞrekkr (71/71): TBD
Dendillion (50/78): TBD
Haldan (38/76): TBD
Charlie (62/99): TBD
-----Goliath (54/71): TBD
-----------------------------
Location: Celestial Menagerie
Dusklight: 86 (Cloak of Colors, 4d8 Persistent Negative)
Mazael: 52 (Inspiring Anthem)
We don't want your circus, Chark replies. Only to stop you from continuing to exploit and abuse your people.
Despite her bravado, it is clear Chark sees what has become of Den in the battle, and she is running out of spells. Using her last remaining focus point, she sends a blazing band of orange-white fire arcing through the air.
The ground beneath Dusklight catches fire !
She then sustains her flaming scimitar.
Chark, pushed by thoughts of ending Dusklight's reign, levels a potent spell!
While his spiritual weapon doesn't connect, the damage is done as the floor catches fire!
Mazael, with a cry of emotional agony, rushes for the door
ROUND 4:
Mistress Dusklight: Magic
Chark (31/71): Hit!
Mazael: Fleeing
Tiny (84/108): Go
-----Þóðᛞrekkr (71/71): Go
Dendillion (50/78): Go
Haldan (38/76): Go
Charlie (62/99): Go
-----Goliath (54/71): Go
-----------------------------
Location: Celestial Menagerie
Dusklight: 121 (Cloak of Colors, 4d8 Persistent Negative)
Mazael: 52 (Inspiring Anthem)
With the loverboy fleeing the scene, Dendillion hurries forward. His mind is muddled by whatever magic the mistress wielded, but his friends are in danger and that's enough. Enough for him to be very, very cross.
He rushes into the room, gets close to Mistress Dusklight, and tries to brain her... with his lute!
Tiny continues his all out assault encouraging Þóðᛞrekkr to join in.
Dendillion, a simple man now, rushes in and makes a good swing, but not against someone as agile as Mistress Dusklight. she laughs in his stupid face.
Tiny and Þóðᛞrekkr cut her laughter short as both wound her. She's clearly bloodied, but not on Death's Door.
ROUND 4:
Mistress Dusklight: Magic
Chark (31/71): Hit!
Mazael: Fleeing
Tiny (84/108): Hit
-----Þóðᛞrekkr (71/71): Hit
Dendillion (50/78): Miss
Haldan (38/76): Go
Charlie (62/99): Go
-----Goliath (54/71): Go
-----------------------------
Location: Celestial Menagerie
Dusklight: 146 (Cloak of Colors, 4d8 Persistent Negative)
Mazael: 52 (Inspiring Anthem)
Haldan casts Fear (DC 25) and Shield.
"Awww the little halfling tired a spell. Cute."
ROUND 4:
Mistress Dusklight: Magic
Chark (31/71): Hit!
Mazael: Fleeing
Tiny (84/108): Hit
-----Þóðᛞrekkr (71/71): Hit
Dendillion (50/78): Miss
Haldan (38/76): Fear
Charlie (62/99): Go
-----Goliath (54/71): Go
-----------------------------
Location: Celestial Menagerie
Dusklight: 146 (Cloak of Colors, 4d8 Persistent Negative)
Mazael: 52 (Inspiring Anthem)
"You f..f..followed us and did all of this b..b..b..because you thought we wanted your circus!?" Charlie almost pitied Dusklight.
HP 62/99
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 0/1
Hero Points 1/3
Goliath
HP 54/71
AC 23
Charlie hits Mistress Dusklight with a perfectly placed arrow. It's the only hit that lands, but it's cear there's very little left in her.
In the tight quarters she cracks her whip at Dendillion, for
ROUND 5:
Mistress Dusklight: 2 Actions Remaining
Chark (31/71): TBD
Tiny (84/108): TBD
-----Þóðᛞrekkr (71/71): TBD
Dendillion (16/78, Stupifoed 4): Will Save
Haldan (38/76): TBD
Charlie (62/99): TBD
-----Goliath (54/71): TBD
-----------------------------
Location: Celestial Menagerie [ooc]
Dusklight: 173 (Cloak of Colors, 4d8 Persistent Negative)
Dendillion tries, and fails, to fortify his will.
"cough... couch.. I'm turning myself in. Make sure they don't hurt me on my way out..."
Confident that's she's got the bard under her spell, she speaks to him gently while cracking her whip at Tiny:
She then coughs blood. Haldan's spell is doing its job .
She drops to a knee.
She's surrounded. She WILL die in a matter of seconds...
ROUND 5:
Mistress Dusklight: Make Dendillion her you know what[b]
Chark (31/71): Go
Tiny (84/108): Go
-----Þóðᛞrekkr (71/71): Go
Dendillion (16/78, Stupifed 4): Go
Haldan (38/76): Go
Charlie (62/99): Go
-----Goliath (54/71): Go
-----------------------------
[b]Location: Celestial Menagerie
”We could have taken you in. You could have admitted you’re horrible and come quietly. There are so many ways this could have gone… but this almost feels inevitable. You tortured us and countless others for years. You’re a monster, and I’m trying to feel sympathy for you, but it’s just… not coming.”
Haldan runs his fingers across his face, revealing the oil paint he’d applied earlier on his hand.
”I was happy to join the circus. I’m sure we all were at one point. We wanted to make others happy and join what could have been a family. But you warped me… traumatized me… us… and I feel no remorse for this end.”
Dendillion, who is struggling against all of what Dusklight has wrought on him, manages to get a few words out. "It's over. Turn her in. That's justice. And better than what she'd do."
Hearing Dendillion's words, Tiny pauses, hearing words for the first time since this melee erupted. He pauses, his fingernails cracked and soaked in blood.
Not able to put things together and form a sentence, Tiny merely sits down and cuddles with Þóðᛞrekkr.
No, Chark says with conviction.
She summons some divine prescience and sustains her spell.
She then conjures up a disk of force for protection.
If not, the die has been cast.
Mechanically, her round ends with her at Dying 1. If you do this, it's 100% going to kill her. I'm also totally okay with that. IT's just that your prose paints a different image of the current scene.
As the party speaks their parting words, she slumps to the ground, motionless. Haldan's spell moving quickly to finish her off...
Chark holds her hand up, the flaming scimitar ready to strike the motionless form. The weapon shimmers in the air awaiting her command.
For a moment, she hesitates.
Damnation.
Her hand drops and the blade winks out of existence. Her face twisted in a pained scowl, she uses the same hand to touch a tattoo near her heart and a tendril of wispy red flame drifts from her hand to the body of Dusklight, settling on the bleeding wound and closing it.
Wordlessly, she steps to Dusklight's body, kicking the whip far away as she does, to assist in the recovery from the persistent damage.
Chark sees to Dusklight, keeping her alive.
For a time, the party simply.... stares. Each with an opportunity to process what has come to pass.
Eventually, the time for decisions comes. What now?
Chark, still silent, hands a rope from her pack to Charlie and vaguely gestures at Dusklight, then turns to Dendillion.
Chark is confident that it'll take her most potent version of that spell to have a hope.
Charlie grabs ahold of the rope. His hands shake greatly as he has to rework the knot several times. "That s..s..should hold her." He wies sweat from his face as he lifts Dusklight to her feet. "Let's get her into the authrities."
The "perp walk" is surreal for some of the team, and long overdue for all.
Chief Constable Andera Paldreen waits anxiously for your return with Mistress Dusklight. She seems a bit surprised to see you walking her back instead of carting her remains. She promises that ..."Dusklight will receive a fair and speedy trial."
When you inform Andera of Darricus’s treachery the chief constable’s face betrays a moment of shock before she regains her composure. Andera confides, "I have suspected ongoing corruption within my ranks... but never distrusted Darricus. I had considered him a friend, and though I don’t want to see him publicly dishonored, I won't see justice denied."
She retreives two bags from a safe, "Here. It's one hundred gold for your trouble. This one contains another hundred. That one is for taking her in alive.."