DM Brainiac's Fists of the Ruby Phoenix: Victorious Secret!

Game Master Brainiac

That spell is just plain mean, Storm Adder...lol.

Will vs Spiritual Epidemic: 1d20 + 25 ⇒ (1) + 25 = 26

Urnak cries out as Storm Adder's curse hits him with full effect. The half-orc slumps as his muscles shrivel up and a glazed expression crosses his features. Chkirri then batters him with magic missiles and conjures a field of rubbery tentacles! Unfortunately, they fail to grab any of the opponents.

Black Tentacles Attack: 1d20 + 27 ⇒ (4) + 27 = 31

Lazarus leaps behind Troff Frostknuckles and punches the hobgoblin. Xin takes advantage of the positioning, lashing out at the monk as well. She scores a critical hit and two normal hits!

Xin Attacks: 1d20 + 30 ⇒ (15) + 30 = 451d20 + 26 ⇒ (12) + 26 = 381d20 + 22 ⇒ (17) + 22 = 39
Damage: 3d4 + 11 + 1d6 ⇒ (4, 3, 3) + 11 + (2) = 233d4 + 11 + 1d6 ⇒ (4, 1, 4) + 11 + (4) = 243d4 + 11 + 1d6 ⇒ (3, 1, 1) + 11 + (6) = 22
Deadly: 1d10 ⇒ 8

Despite his weakness, Urnak manages to land three hits on Xin!

Greataxe: 1d20 + 27 - 3 ⇒ (18) + 27 - 3 = 421d20 + 22 - 3 ⇒ (19) + 22 - 3 = 381d20 + 17 - 3 ⇒ (10) + 17 - 3 = 24
Damage: 3d12 + 13 - 3 + 1d6 ⇒ (9, 8, 2) + 13 - 3 + (6) = 353d12 + 13 - 3 + 1d6 ⇒ (2, 9, 11) + 13 - 3 + (6) = 383d12 + 13 - 3 + 1d6 ⇒ (4, 5, 11) + 13 - 3 + (4) = 34
Iron Maiden Stance: 1d6 ⇒ 21d6 ⇒ 51d6 ⇒ 3

Huldrin jabs at Xin with her fiery trident, narrowly missing!

Trident: 1d20 + 29 ⇒ (4) + 29 = 331d20 + 24 ⇒ (10) + 24 = 341d20 + 19 ⇒ (4) + 19 = 23

Juspix unleashes a blast of chain lightning, causing it to leap from Chkirri to Lazarus to Xin!

Chain Lightning: 8d12 ⇒ (3, 9, 9, 1, 8, 10, 6, 8) = 54

Troff grits his teeth and unleashes a flurry of punches at Xin.

Flurry: 1d20 + 28 ⇒ (1) + 28 = 291d20 + 24 ⇒ (20) + 24 = 441d20 + 20 ⇒ (17) + 20 = 371d20 + 20 ⇒ (6) + 20 = 26
Damage: 2d8 + 13 + 1d6 ⇒ (8, 6) + 13 + (1) = 282d8 + 13 + 1d6 ⇒ (2, 2) + 13 + (6) = 23
Iron Maiden Stance: 1d6 ⇒ 61d6 ⇒ 6

After inspire defense, Xin takes a total of 82 slashing, 73 piercing, and 24 cold damage. Altogether, she's taken 226 damage.

The chain lightning does 54 electricity damage to Chkirri, Lazarus, and Xin, unless a critical success breaks the chain (basic Reflex DC 35). Everybody may act!

Lazarus strains his blue eyes to properly see the small name tag on the hoblingoblin.
Troff Frostknuckles? I may need glasses after this fight.

The Warrior-monk then attempts to deliver another Grievous Blow on the correctly named hobgoblin!
◆◆Melee Stance gorilla slam unarmed attack (L), grievous blow, flank(?): 1d20 + 31 ⇒ (12) + 31 = 435d8 + 13 ⇒ (6, 6, 5, 6, 4) + 13 = 40 (Traits: backswing, forceful, grapple, nonlethal, and unarmed) Damage 3d8+13/16/19 (Brawling crit spec: The target must succeed at a Fortitude save against your class DC 35 or be slowed 1 until the end of your next turn.)

Ghost Touch and Grievous (Brawling The target takes a –4 circumstance penalty to its save.)

Flank Not included.

The Medic then does a Doctor's Visitation to Xin!
◆Medicine to Treat Wounds DC 30: 1d20 + 25 ⇒ (20) + 25 = 454d8 + 80 ⇒ (1, 3, 7, 1) + 80 = 92
CRIT!

Lazarus winks at Xin.

EDIT!
Lazarus then remembers that some lightning is zapping, zapping, zapping at his front door!
basic Reflex DC 35: 1d20 + 25 ⇒ (11) + 25 = 36 evasion

Remember there's a +2 bonus to saves from Chkirri! And I think at least one of us has a ring of electricity resistance...

Reflex (expert): 1d20 + 25 + 2 ⇒ (14) + 25 + 2 = 41

Chkirri grunts as the lightning hits him -- "Shocking!" he cries out -- and lets his wand batter Troff as the tentacles try to grab at Urnak and Huldrin. Keeping his attention on the seeming leader of the group, he barks an order: "Now drop it!"

No actions needed for wand or tentacles, Inspire Courage, cast suggestion on Urnak (DC 37 Will save)

Spell attack (black tentacles): 1d20 + 27 ⇒ (7) + 27 = 34
Magic missiles: 7d4 + 7 ⇒ (2, 2, 3, 1, 3, 1, 3) + 7 = 22

Storm Adder chuckles a bit as his spell takes hold. But the damage Xin is taking isn't funny at all. He moves a bit closer and casts some restorative magic.

heal (7th): 7d8 + 56 ⇒ (5, 3, 6, 5, 6, 3, 7) + 56 = 91

Urnak Will: 1d20 + 25 - 3 ⇒ (19) + 25 - 3 = 41

Chkirri twists away from some of the lightning, while Lazarus evades it completely, preventing it from arcing to Xin!

While Storm Adder heals Xin, Chkirri tries to get Urnak to drop his weapon, but he somehow manages to resist the suggestion! Magic missiles slam into Troff, but the black tentacles fail to grab anybody again.

Lazarus delivers a knockout blow to Troff! As the hobgoblin falls, he moves to tend to Xin's wounds. Xin falls back, inspiring Lazarus on his next hit as she prepares to parry further attacks that come her way.

One For All: 1d20 + 35 ⇒ (15) + 35 = 50

Lazarus, get +4 on your next attack roll.

Urnak and Huldrin step up to attack Lazarus. Huldrin lands a hit with her flaming trident.

Greataxe: 1d20 + 27 - 3 ⇒ (11) + 27 - 3 = 351d20 + 22 - 3 ⇒ (8) + 22 - 3 = 27
Trident: 1d20 + 29 ⇒ (19) + 29 = 481d20 + 24 ⇒ (3) + 24 = 27
Damage: 2d8 + 13 + 1d6 ⇒ (6, 1) + 13 + (5) = 25

Juspix moves closer and targets Lazarus with a baleful polymorph spell!

16 piercing and 5 fire damage to Lazarus after resistance. Lazarus must attmempt a DC 35 Fortitude save against baleful polymorph. Everybody may act!

Fort(M) DC 35: 1d20 + 27 ⇒ (1) + 27 = 28 Juggernaut

Baaaa!

Ha!

Oh my gods! You thought Lazarus was a beast before, but now he's really an animal! That's got their goat but good!" Chkirri cries out. "Victorious Secret may be in trouble if they don't get their act together!"

Realizing he's out of range of most of them and he's too busy encouraging his companions to defend himself to get closer, Chkirri concentrates on the closest enemy, sending the wand's missiles his way, then following up with a chunk of stone. He squawks as the stone starts to veer away, jumping up and down and flapping his arms with no luck! If only he'd been like that old ball player who wore the red socks that he'd won a lot of money off one time.

Wand's missiles (free), no targets for the black tentacles (free), inspire defense, cast TK projectile on red (sorry, I'm not sure which one he is).

Missiles: 7d4 + 7 ⇒ (1, 3, 1, 4, 1, 4, 4) + 7 = 25
Telekinetic projectile: 1d20 + 27 ⇒ (1) + 27 = 28 Going to Hero Point that!
Telekinetic projectile: 1d20 + 27 ⇒ (2) + 27 = 29 For all the good that did...
damage: 7d6 + 5 ⇒ (6, 5, 3, 5, 2, 3, 6) + 5 = 35

Storm Adder plans on giving Laz a hard time later about turning into a sheep, but right now he's concerned about the team's damage output.

Quicken Casting
◆Repulsion (40-feet)

"Back off!"
◆◆Finger of Death (8th) on Urnak.
80 negative, basic Fortitude DC 36

Fortitude: 1d20 + 27 ⇒ (9) + 27 = 36

Urnak resists Storm Adder's spell, though he is still is wounded by the negative energy, along with Chkirri's magic missiles. Realizing that the team needs a reprieve, Xin sweeps her phoenix fan in front of her, banishing the shieldmaiden Huldrin to an extradimensional maze!

Will vs Repulsion: 1d20 + 25 - 3 ⇒ (2) + 25 - 3 = 24

Urnak tries to push forward, but is unable to get closer thanks to Storm Adder's repulsion spell. Scowling, he instead hurls his greataxe at Xin! It hits her and ricochets back into his hands, then he hurls it a second tim. This time, it bounces off of the arena floor, and Urnak catches it once more!

Felling Throw: 1d20 + 25 - 3 ⇒ (15) + 25 - 3 = 371d20 + 20 - 3 ⇒ (16) + 20 - 3 = 33
Damage: 3d12 + 13 - 3 + 1d6 ⇒ (2, 9, 10) + 13 - 3 + (2) = 33

Perception: 1d20 + 25 ⇒ (11) + 25 = 36

Huldrin makes headway against the maze.

Will: 1d20 + 27 ⇒ (15) + 27 = 42

Juspix pushes through Storm Adder's repulsion to get a bit closer, then unleashes a cone of cold!

Cone of Cold: 12d6 ⇒ (1, 2, 2, 1, 1, 2, 1, 5, 3, 2, 1, 5) = 26

27 slashing and 2 cold damage to Xin after resistance. Xin, Storm Adder, and Chkirri each take 26 cold damage (basic Reflex DC 35). Everybody may act!

Reflex: 1d20 + 21 ⇒ (10) + 21 = 31Ring reduces damage to 16

"Juspix, your little magics can't hurt us! We'll still prevail."
◆Demoralize (Yellow): 1d20 + 29 ⇒ (17) + 29 = 46
I do have Terrified Retreat, if that happens to be a crit.

Storm Adder decides to live up to his name, conjuring a burst of lightning and thunder that stops just short of singeing sheep-Laz's fleece.

◆◆Thunderburst.
bludgeoning: 6d6 ⇒ (6, 3, 5, 3, 1, 3) = 21 and sonic: 6d6 ⇒ (1, 5, 2, 2, 4, 4) = 18
DC 36 Basic Fortitude. (Plus deafness on fail or crit fail.)

Reflex (expert): 1d20 + 25 + 1 ⇒ (15) + 25 + 1 = 41 Don't forget +1 bonus from inspire defense

"Oh, that'll cool things off!" Chkirri announces,
"but things are still pretty heated in the arena!"

He continues to concentrate on Urnak -- one foe is gone (for now), making the fight even again after they got Lazarus' goat -- and if they can use that reprieve to put the numbers advantage back on their side, that could be critical.

Inspire defense, wand (free), telekinetic projectile
Missiles (round 4/10): 7d4 + 7 ⇒ (2, 1, 1, 4, 4, 1, 2) + 7 = 22
Telekinetic projectile: 1d20 + 27 ⇒ (8) + 27 = 35
damage: 7d6 + 5 ⇒ (4, 1, 4, 5, 1, 2, 6) + 5 = 28

Xin Reflex: 1d20 + 30 ⇒ (20) + 30 = 50
Fortitude vs Thunder: 1d20 + 27 ⇒ (1) + 27 = 28
Xin Finisher: 1d20 + 29 ⇒ (13) + 29 = 421d20 + 24 ⇒ (8) + 24 = 322d4 + 6 + 5d6 ⇒ (3, 4) + 6 + (1, 1, 6, 1, 2) = 24

Xin nimbly evades the cone of cold! Storm Adder terrifies Juspex so much that the halfling turns to flee, then the gnoll blasts Urnak with thunder, wounding and deafening the half-orc! Xin draws her starknife and hurls it at Urnak, slicing him and leaving a bleeding wound!

Urnak throws his axe at Xin again, missing three times!

Felling Throw: 1d20 + 27 - 3 ⇒ (2) + 27 - 3 = 261d20 + 22 - 3 ⇒ (11) + 22 - 3 = 301d20 + 17 - 3 ⇒ (3) + 17 - 3 = 17

Huldrin remains stuck in the maze as she loses her way again.

Perception: 1d20 + 25 ⇒ (1) + 25 = 26

Juspix turns and flees!

Bleed: 5d6 ⇒ (2, 4, 3, 4, 5) = 181d20 ⇒ 20

Everybody may act!

"The tide is turning, like Hei Feng on a bender!" Chkirri exults as he moves closer and launches another projectile whizzing past Urnak.

Wand missiles (free), inspire defense, cast tk projectile vs. Urnak
Missiles (round 5/10: 7d4 + 7 ⇒ (1, 4, 1, 1, 3, 2, 3) + 7 = 22
Telekinetic projectile: 1d20 + 27 ⇒ (2) + 27 = 29
damage: 7d6 + 5 ⇒ (2, 4, 1, 4, 2, 4, 5) + 5 = 27

Note that I'm NOT inspiring this round, since I needed to get closer -- though of course Juspix fled so is STILL out of range of most of my spells...

Lazarus the Sheep is seen preening....

"All alone now, Urnak!"

Storm Adder draws the dread of his curse down around Urnak, trying to twist his mind.

◆◆Debilitating Dichotomy: 21d6 ⇒ (2, 5, 4, 5, 4, 2, 1, 2, 4, 1, 2, 3, 3, 3, 2, 1, 6, 6, 6, 1, 4) = 67 DC 36 Basic Will
Will (Resolve): 1d20 + 24 ⇒ (1) + 24 = 25

The backlash from the spell hurts Storm Adder!

Cast shield.

Will: 1d20 + 25 - 3 ⇒ (3) + 25 - 3 = 25

While Storm Adder's spell hurts himself, it completely overwhelms Urnak! The half-orc collapses to the ground as he falls unconscious!

Chkirri directs his magic missiles to Juspix while Xin takes advantage of her vivacious speed to rush at the halfling and slice him with her fighting fan! She scores a critical hit, setting the halfling ablaze!

Xin Strike: 1d20 + 30 ⇒ (19) + 30 = 493d4 + 11 + 1d6 ⇒ (4, 1, 3) + 11 + (3) = 221d6 ⇒ 31d10 ⇒ 3

Huldrin remains stuck in the maze!

Perception: 1d20 + 25 ⇒ (3) + 25 = 28

Juspix uses a hex to give himself a life boost, then he casts a powerful polymorph spell and transforms into a white dragon!

Persistent Fire: 1d20 ⇒ 14

"Oh my gods! He turned into a dragon! It's a dragon, everyone!" Chkirri screams. "We get a goat and they get a dragon! How unfair can you get?!"

Nonetheless, moving quickly, he rushes toward the Juspix dragon.

Inspire defense, Stride x2
Wand missiles (6/10): 7d4 + 7 ⇒ (2, 2, 3, 3, 4, 1, 3) + 7 = 25

Lazarus the Sheep just stares daggers at the Bard.
BBaaaaaaa!

LOL!

Storm Adder puts a soothing hand on his own forehead.

Battle Medicine (Assurance): 2d8 + 30 ⇒ (1, 2) + 30 = 33

Feeling somewhat better, he fires a howling blast of negative energy at the "dragon."

Cast finger of death (7th). 70 negative, DC 36 basic Fortitude.

Fortitude: 1d20 + 22 ⇒ (19) + 22 = 41
Xin Strikes: 1d20 + 30 ⇒ (18) + 30 = 481d20 + 26 ⇒ (19) + 26 = 451d20 + 22 ⇒ (12) + 22 = 34
Damage: 3d4 + 11 + 1d6 ⇒ (2, 2, 2) + 11 + (5) = 223d4 + 11 + 1d6 ⇒ (3, 1, 1) + 11 + (2) = 183d4 + 11 + 1d6 ⇒ (4, 4, 3) + 11 + (1) = 231d6 ⇒ 21d6 ⇒ 21d10 ⇒ 5

While Juspix manages to resist some of Storm Adder's spell, Chkirri batters the halfling-turned-dragon with magic missiles. Xin is able to land two critical hits, then follows up with a final strike that takes Juspix out before he can attack!

When Huldrin finally makes her way out of the maze, she finds the rest of her team already defeated. Outnumbered, she sighs and throws down her weapon in surrender.

"Victorious Secret wins!" shouts Tagada Emmi, flying over the battlefield. The crowd goes wild!

Mages and healers take the field to patch the fighters up on both sides and to dispel the polymorph effect on Lazarus. Winter's Roar is gracious in defeat, offering handshakes and hearty congratulations.

Both teams win 1,000 gp for participating in the match. The match’s winner also receives a frost brand.

Lazarus sheepishly shakes hands with the members Winter's Roar.
Baaaa...est of luck in the next round.

Storm Adder slaps Laz on the shoulder. "Ewe did great! Fleece, show off those moves again for us!"

The gnoll cracks himself up.

Chkirri just shakes his head at the lackluster announcing from Tagada Emmi.

"Your next grand champions of the Ruby Phoenix Tournament!" he adds, before Dismissing his spell and going to welcome back Lazarus and offer Winter's Roar congratulations on a good fight.

"That was only the first or second time I've been worried we wouldn't win," he tells them.

That frost brand's nice, though I don't know if any of us can use it.

Unfortunately, the victory celebration is short-lived. Xin seems to have contracted a mysterious ailment, which resists even magical attempts to heal. The bed-ridden swashbuckler will have to sit out the tournament until she is able to recover.

In the meantime, however, Hao Jin presents an unconventional replacement member for your team. When you return to your quarters that night, you find a skeletal being waiting for you...

Lazarus walks directly up to their new skeleton member of Victorious Secret. The warrior-monk looks him over from skull to toe bone.
We may need to feed you a bit. I am Lazarus, called the Undying. Welcome!

The Vudrani grins.

The party enters to find Khorash having struck a heroic pose, and judging from how deathly still he was standing, he was waiting like that for a pretty long time for the party to meet him.

Most obviously, he’s a skeleton, bleached white bones and perpetual grin on full display. No attempt was made to hide that fact with his flashy, ostentatious clothes. Rather, it accentuates that fact, highlighting his ribcage. Several of his bones are plated with metal, and gold and silver studs are drilled into other parts of his skeletal self. For anyone familiar with the lands of Casmaron, his outfit looks quite a bit like the garb of a gladiator from the Windswept Wastes.

With far more fluidity than one might expect he greets the party with an elaborate, flourishing bow and speaks. His voice is strange, as if echoing from some far-away place and out of the jaws of a skeleton. ”Good day, Lazarus the Undying! Would that I had that same luck. Perhaps I might not have ended up quite so…like this. And a similar tiding of a good day to the rest of you, mighty warriors of the Victorious Secret. I am Khorash Kassim, champion of the fighting pits of Ular Kel, and once upon a time, aspiring victor of the Ruby Phoenix tournament. Circumstances such as my death got in the way, but now I have been given a second lease on life for reasons I don’t quite know. I intend to use that to win, once and for all.”

"Ah, good to see a fellow gladiator! Chkirri, you'll have someone else to brag about now, and we veterans of the arena always know how to put on a good show."

Storm Adder looks over the new teammate close. "Hmm. How to patch you up, though. I have some spells that will probably work. Don't want to blast you into oblivion with my healing!"

"Oh, yes, definitely," the tengu's eyes light up. "I'd bet no one here has ever seen a skeleton in the contest before! They won't know what hit them!"

After a few nudges, he remembers to introduce himself -- though he's sure Khorash must know him already.

"Oh, yes, I'm Chkirri, announcer extraordinaire. I make sure everyone knows of our exploits, so they come in shaking already and then we just have to knock them down!"

Of course, that didn't quite work with Winter's Roar, but I'm sure we'll be back to easy wins from now on...

You welcome the new member into the team. The night passes uneventfully, and the next day, you return to the jam-packed stadium for your first exhibition match. Your opponents for this match are the Arms of Balance. This traditional exhibition has been modified with the assistance of Hao Jin. Each team must choose a member to be polymorphed into a powerful boar or a tiger with some special benefits. The rest of that team is connected to their polymorphed teammate by one of two 15‑foot-long chains, with their polymorphed teammate in the center. Each team member is chained to one or two others; the polymorphed person's belt is a harness in the center, and that person must be chained to two others. The teams then fight one another in a standard combat bout with all the usual rules for tournament fights, with only one key difference: the first team to knock out the other team’s polymorphed team member wins. A team loses when their polymorphed teammate loses consciousness or changes form, or when any member of their team intentionally breaks or releases a chain.

The arena has been specially reconfigured for this exhibition match: Hao Jin has shaped the arena into a circle and placed a magical moat around it. The moat is filled with 5 feet of water. Beyond simply making the battlefield more dynamic and perilous, there’s no special match penalty or loss condition for falling into the water.

Before the match begins, the two competing teams are asked to play a simple game of mace-shield-arrow to determine which team gets to pick their animal form. The other team must pick the other animal form.

Mace-Shield-Arrow Winner (1=You, 2=Opponents): 1d2 ⇒ 1

You win the game, so you may choose your animal form!

Please choose who among you will be polymorphed, as well as if you want to be polymorphed into a boar or a tiger. The polymorphed character transforms into a Large animal. Each polymorphed character gains the following statistics and abilities:

This is a great bout setup. I would make a terrible animal, alas. Maybe Laz or a skeleton tiger?

Yes, very cool. I definitely think Storm and Chkirri should keep our forms, as we can cast spells (though I also have to look up the beast form spells!). Laz or Khorash probably make the most sense. Maybe Laz so Khorash can truly try his character his first time out -- too bad Laz can't be a gorilla, though.

"Yes, Victorious Secret wins again!" Chkirri announces -- quietly for him -- as they succeed at the game of mace-shield-arrow. He shakes his head at the idea he could be polymorphed, however.

Lazarus shakes his head. The Warrior-monk then sighs and he begins to practice charging with tusks.
Boar is fine. But yes gorilla would have been perfect.

Hao Jin casts a powerful polymorph spell, and Lazarus finds himself swelling in size and weight. His gear melds into his new form as he swiftly becomes a hulking boar! Though he retains his mind, his body is all pig, and he can only communicate in shorts and squeals!

Hao Jin polymorphs Usvani, the vanara member of Arms of Balance, into a roaring tiger, then chains are placed on you as both teams take their positions in the arena. Tagada Emmi flies overhead, whipping the crowd into the frenzy. "Boar or tiger? Which beast will reign supreme! Let's find out! Ready? FIGHT!"

Battle Cry: 1d20 + 29 ⇒ (14) + 29 = 43

Storm Adder unleashes a mighty battle cry, frightening Usvani a bit. Despite that, the enemy team seizes the initiative. Usvani the tiger pounces on Lazarus, sinking his teeth into the big pig and grabbing a hold!

Jaws vs Lazarus: 1d20 + 25 - 1 ⇒ (19) + 25 - 1 = 43
Damage: 3d6 + 16 ⇒ (1, 5, 4) + 16 = 26

Pravan Majinapti calls on his ki to breathe forth a cone of icy winds over all of you!

Breath of the Glacier: 10d6 ⇒ (6, 5, 3, 6, 4, 4, 4, 1, 2, 5) = 401d4 ⇒ 3

Ranya Sibhatesh and the vishkanya Jivati Rovat enter the wild winds stance, then send waves of energy slamming into Lazarus! Ranya scores a critical hit!

Wind Crash: 1d20 + 27 ⇒ (20) + 27 = 471d20 + 27 ⇒ (9) + 27 = 36
Damage: 3d6 + 13 + 1d6 ⇒ (1, 2, 2) + 13 + (3) = 21

26 piercing, 36 bludgeoning, and 6 electricity damage to Lazarus (68 total). Everybody must attempt a DC 33 Reflex save against Breath of the Glacier. Everybody may act!

"And introducing from parts unknown, the newest member of Victorious Secret!" Chkirri adds, competing once again with Tagada Emmi. "The minister of death, the samurai of skeletons, the battling bones himself! This! is! KHORASH KASSIM!"

Reflex (expert): 1d20 + 25 ⇒ (17) + 25 = 42

As the cold sweeps over the group, he casts quicker than a beholder's blink, his spell taking away some of the sting.

Reaction: Cast scintillating safeguard; everyone gets resistance 10 against cold for the triggering effect. The resistance applies only against the initial damage, not against any persistent damage or other lingering effects of the effect.

"Oh, that's a cold welcome, but this fight is a far way from over!" Chkirri calls, trying to spur his companions to defend themselves. He then casts again, and the four companions begin to move more quickly!

Inspire Heroics: defense, Cast 7th-level haste, effective everyone in the party!
Performance to inspire heroics vs. DC 40 (very hard level 16): 1d20 + 31 + 2 ⇒ (2) + 31 + 2 = 35 Failure: Your inspire courage or inspire defense provides only its normal bonus of +1, but you don't spend the Focus Point for casting this spell.

So, a boar and a tiger walk into a bar...

Lazarus the Boar roars out a challenge to the Tiger. The former Vundrani seems a bit preoccupied though from him being a boar. He is a bit slower to react to the barrage of piercing, bludgeoning, and a drop of electricity damage being delivered by the Arms of Balance!
DC 33 Reflex save against Breath of the Glacier, evasion: 1d20 + 25 ⇒ (2) + 25 = 27

The newly made boar seems to finally get his bearings when he gets blasted by the Breath of the Glacier!
Temp 30 and Ring of Cold resistance 15 minus the 68 plus 40 cold damage and takes a –15‑foot status penalty to its Speeds is 63 net damage!

Slow, stiff, cold and a bit perturbed the Boar shakes it off to continue to compete! He takes a bite out of the Tiger!
◆ Melee tusk: 1d20 + 25 ⇒ (8) + 25 = 333d10 + 16 ⇒ (2, 10, 4) + 16 = 32 piercing

And again!
◆ Melee tusk: 1d20 + 25 - 5 ⇒ (3) + 25 - 5 = 233d10 + 16 ⇒ (7, 9, 10) + 16 = 42 piercing

And angrily again!
◆ Melee tusk: 1d20 + 25 - 10 ⇒ (20) + 25 - 10 = 353d10 + 16 ⇒ (8, 7, 7) + 16 = 38 piercing

Lazarus really hope the Bard will grant him some inspiration for that last gore!

EDIT!

Feeling a bit Hasted, the boar feels the need for another go at the Tiger!
◆ Hasted Melee tusk: 1d20 + 25 - 10 ⇒ (11) + 25 - 10 = 263d10 + 16 ⇒ (7, 4, 5) + 16 = 32

Reflex: 1d20 + 23 ⇒ (9) + 23 = 32
Fails. 40-10 (ring)-10 (spell)=20 cold damage and -15 feet

Storm Adder shakes the rime from his fur and patches up some of the damage on Laz. The energy from the spell lingers on his sword and he quickly rushes up to slice at the tiger.

◆◆Casts heal (6th)
◇Bespell Weapon
◆Stride
◆Strike

heal: 6d8 + 56 ⇒ (8, 2, 6, 8, 7, 6) + 56 = 93

Wish Blade: 1d20 + 26 ⇒ (20) + 26 = 46 for Slashing: 3d10 + 6 ⇒ (4, 9, 5) + 6 = 24 and Negative: 1d6 ⇒ 4

Reflex: 1d20 + 30 ⇒ (15) + 30 = 45

If Khorash still had lips, he would’ve smiled. The cheering crowds, the gimmicks of arena combat, the sheer theater of it all. He was home.

Thanks to my gladiator dedication, I get 16 temp HP for a minute. Also, just going forward, it allows me to roll Performance for initiative too.

As the blast of cold sweeps over the party he swirls his cape and is seemingly unharmed. In truth, it was a feint to conceal a perfectly timed dodge, but they didn’t need to know that.

”You’ll need to try harder than just that!”

With that, he cracks his whip and it shortens into a shortsword.

Activating my shifting rune and striding to be adjacent to Usvani.

He then advances towards the tiger, slashing at it twice with his whip-turned-blade, blasts of thunder ringing through the arena with every strike.

Attack 1: 1d20 + 30 ⇒ (5) + 30 = 35
Damage: 3d6 + 1d6 ⇒ (4, 4, 3) + (2) = 13
Sneak Attack: 3d6 ⇒ (6, 1, 1) = 8

Haste Attack: 1d20 + 30 - 4 ⇒ (8) + 30 - 4 = 34
Damage: 3d6 + 1d6 ⇒ (1, 4, 1) + (5) = 11
Sneak Attack: 3d6 ⇒ (5, 3, 2) = 10

Finally striking twice with my additional action from haste. If it's frightened, it'll be flat-footed towards me.

Chkirri hastens the party and inspires defense! Lazarus tries to gore Usvani the tiger, but only manages to score one lucky hit. Khorash moves in and stabs Usvani twice, managing to find a few gaps in his defense. Storm Adder heals Lazarus, then channels that magic through his blade as he lands a critical hit on Usvani!

Usvani wrestles Lazarus to the ground, knocking the boar prone. He claws at the fallen pig but misses with those attacks.

Wrestle: 1d20 + 25 ⇒ (19) + 25 = 442d8 + 16 ⇒ (6, 5) + 16 = 27
Claws: 1d20 + 21 ⇒ (11) + 21 = 321d20 + 17 ⇒ (13) + 17 = 30

Pravan and Jivati rush in to attack Lazarus with their fists! Pravan lands a critical hit, while Jivati gets a normal punch in.

Fists: 1d20 + 27 ⇒ (19) + 27 = 461d20 + 23 ⇒ (2) + 23 = 251d20 + 27 ⇒ (18) + 27 = 451d20 + 23 ⇒ (11) + 23 = 34
Damage: 3d6 + 13 + 1d6 ⇒ (5, 6, 2) + 13 + (5) = 313d6 + 13 + 1d6 ⇒ (3, 6, 5) + 13 + (6) = 33

Ranya, meanwhile, launches a wind strike that goes wild, then follows up with a powerful breath of air that transforms into a crackling bolt of lightning!

Wind Crash: 1d20 + 27 ⇒ (1) + 27 = 28
Draw of the Aurora: 4d12 ⇒ (10, 7, 8, 1) = 26

23 piercing, 71 bludgeoning, 10 cold, and 6 fire damage to Lazarus after physical resistance (110 total damage). Lazarus also falls prone. Lazarus, Storm Adder, and Khorash each take 26 electricity damage (basic Reflex DC 33). Everybody may act!

"As Hei Feng is my witness, they're going to murder him!" Chkirri screams as they pound Lazarus, undoing in an instant all the healing Lazarus gave him.

"If they don't let these chains go right now, this could be a massacre!"

He fires an arrow at the tiger to emphasize his point.

Inspire Heroics (defense), cast suggestion (DC 37), then Strike (quickened) vs. Usvani.
Performance to inspire heroics vs. DC 40 (very hard level 16): 1d20 + 31 + 2 ⇒ (1) + 31 + 2 = 34 Failure: Your inspire courage or inspire defense provides only its normal bonus of +1, but you don't spend the Focus Point for casting this spell.

+2 greater striking greater flaming thundering shortbow (range 60 feet): 1d20 + 26 ⇒ (10) + 26 = 36
Piercing: 3d6 + 2 ⇒ (3, 3, 4) + 2 = 12
Sonic: 1d6 ⇒ 6
Fire damage (ignores resistance): 1d6 ⇒ 2

For suggestion, I'd like to target whichever one looks like they might have a weaker Will. If I can't tell, you can decide randomly!

Reflex: 1d20 + 21 ⇒ (16) + 21 = 37
16-10(ring)=6 electricity damage

"Chkirri, you worry too much."

Storm Adder unleashes a surge of healing power into his porcine teammate, then calls upon the tempest to blast and slash at the tiger.

◆◆heal (8th): 8d8 + 64 ⇒ (2, 6, 5, 3, 2, 7, 4, 3) + 64 = 96

◆Tempest Touch (DC 36 Fortitude)
Bludgeoning: 8d4 ⇒ (1, 3, 4, 1, 4, 4, 2, 1) = 20 and cold: 8d4 ⇒ (4, 3, 2, 2, 4, 3, 4, 2) = 24

◇Conduct Energy

◆Wish Blade: 1d20 + 26 ⇒ (7) + 26 = 33 for Slashing: 3d10 + 6 ⇒ (6, 1, 1) + 6 = 14 and Cold: 1d8 + 3 ⇒ (3) + 3 = 6

Curse --> Minor

Reflex: 1d20 + 30 ⇒ (19) + 30 = 49

With another flourish of his cape, Khorash effortlessly avoids the blast of electricity. He circles around the tiger to get opposite to Storm Adder and strikes the tiger three times, stabbing and slashing with the intent of wounding, exhausting, and distracting the foe.

”This is barely a challenge! I’ve got more brawn than you lot and I haven’t had meat on my bones since before you could fight!”

Attack: 1d20 + 30 ⇒ (13) + 30 = 43
Damage: 3d6 + 1d6 + 3d6 + 9 ⇒ (4, 3, 6) + (1) + (5, 3, 5) + 9 = 36

Attack 2: 1d20 + 30 - 4 ⇒ (15) + 30 - 4 = 41
Damage: 3d6 + 1d6 + 3d6 + 9 ⇒ (5, 3, 6) + (3) + (2, 4, 4) + 9 = 36

Attack 2: 1d20 + 30 - 8 ⇒ (8) + 30 - 8 = 30 Damage: 3d6 + 1d6 + 3d6 + 9 ⇒ (6, 2, 1) + (3) + (6, 2, 4) + 9 = 33

If any attack hits, it triggers double debilitation, so I’ll make the tiger both enfeebled 1 and unable to flank or contribute to allies flanking.

Net 14 damage after Heal! Thanks Stormy!

26 electricity damage (basic Reflex DC 33), evasion: 1d20 + 25 ⇒ (17) + 25 = 42

Lazarus roars at the eye of the tiger! He kips up freely. He looks at the tiger eye to eye, before rampaging all over its arse!
◆ Melee tusk: 1d20 + 25 ⇒ (12) + 25 = 373d10 + 16 ⇒ (4, 10, 6) + 16 = 36 piercing

And again!
◆ Melee tusk: 1d20 + 25 - 5 ⇒ (20) + 25 - 5 = 403d10 + 16 ⇒ (5, 4, 4) + 16 = 29 piercing

And angrily again!
◆ Melee tusk: 1d20 + 25 - 10 ⇒ (18) + 25 - 10 = 333d10 + 16 ⇒ (9, 4, 9) + 16 = 38 piercing

Feeling a bit Hasted, the boar feels the need for another go at the Tiger!
◆ Hasted Melee tusk: 1d20 + 25 - 10 ⇒ (3) + 25 - 10 = 183d10 + 16 ⇒ (3, 2, 4) + 16 = 25

Fortitude vs Tempest Touch: 1d20 + 27 ⇒ (7) + 27 = 34

Chkirri's arrow finds its mark, lodging in Usvani's flank. Lazarus gores the tiger twice, scoring a critical hit the second time! Khorash sneak attacks Usvani twice, then Storm Adder batters the tiger with a tempest touch! It's enough to push Usvani past the limits of his endurance, and the tiger falls, unconscious!

Emmi calls the match! ”Ouch! There’s your answer, ladies and gentlemen—boar beats tiger! Victorious Secret wins!”

The crowd applauds and cheers as the healers rouse Usvani. Hao Jin dismisses the polymorph spells, then offers both teams a reward of 2,000 gp for participating in the exhibition match. You also receive four tusk and fang chains for your victory.

The monks of Arms of Balance bow to you. "Good fight!" Usvani says with a smile.

Storm Adder claps Usvani on the shoulder, "Well fought indeed! This tournament certainly offers some interesting challenges."

The gnoll tucks the spoils of the fight away in his gear, content for know with his iron medallion.

Aw, I thought my suggestion was a fun way to try to win. Sad we just beat the tiger down.

"Oooh, nice," Chkirri says at the talismans. "Those are sure to be helpful!"

When he gets a moment, he'll replace the snapleaf on his armor with one of the new talismans ... just in case.

"Any more matches today?" he asks no one in particular, wondering if he'll maybe be able to lay a wager down.

Lazarus bows to Arms of Balance.
Well fought. Irori is honored.

After the exhibition match, you are able to spectate the day's two main matches, which feature the remaining four teams that did not compete on day one. The Arms of Balance are going up against the Steps of the Sun, while Tino's Toughest will face off against the Lightkeepers.

Asking around, Chkirri is able to find a high-stakes bookie, a wayang by the name of Kyubia Bone-Pillar, who uses the looser regulation of Goka’s Undermarket to run her gambling hall how she likes. Kyubia runs a small stall not far from the arena. Your team may place a bet up to 2,000 gp on either of the day's matches.

Betting odds and thus payouts are determined by teams’ seeds in the tournament, which were decided during the prequalifier on Bonmu. The payout for betting on a team depends on the difference between that team’s seed and the seed of their opponents. Betting on a team seeded higher (such as 1st or 2nd) than their opponents (like 7th or 8th) results in a lower payout than the inverse, betting on a lower-seeded team.

Arms of Balance (3rd seed) vs Steps of the Sun (6th seed)
A bet on Arms of Balance pays out 1 gp for every 5 gp. A bet on Steps of the Sun pays out 5 gp for every 1 gp.

Tino's Toughest (7th seed) vs Lightkeepers (2nd seed)
A bet on Tino's Toughest pays out 10 gp for every 1 gp. A bet on Lightkeepers pays out 1 gp for every 10 gp.

Chkirri's beak drops open in a wide grin.

"I'll bet 100 gp on Tino's Toughest!" he says happily; he's pretty sure that money will be lost, but it would feel a bit disloyal to bet against such good friends. Maybe the Lightkeepers would trip on some debris. Or come down with a horrible case of food poisoning. Or have a mishap with an oni on the way to the match. If all three happened, maybe Tino and his companions could put out a victory.

He puts another 100 gp down on Arms of Balance.

The Arms of Balance go up against the Steps of the Sun, but the latter team wins handily, sending the Arms of Balance to the losers' bracket. Watching the fight, you see that the battle dancers Amihan and Maalya work together to keep their opponents off-guard, drumming their shields with their scimitars and making threatening dances before striking with burning blades. The catfolk Halspin the Stung bolsters the pair with bardic magic, while the samsaran Joon-Seo attacks at range with blasts of sound and occult magic.

In the second match, Tino's Toughest goes up against the Lightkeepers. Unfortunately, it is clear from the start that Tino's team is outmatched. The Lightkeepers mercilessly trounce the tournament's underdogs, securing their place in the winner's bracket.

The second day comes to a close, and you return to the Ruby Village to rest. Tomorrow you will be facing the Magaambyan team, the Speakers to the Winds, and the Steps of the Sun will take on the Lightkeepers. Later in the day, every team will be participating in a unique exhibition match--a race around Goka's harbor using drake-drawn flying chariots.