Hotcha sees Xin fall. Orange is alone. Yellow is unscathed…
Hotcha makes herself appear unscathed.
▶️
▶️ She runs a wide berth, in position to flank a healed-up Xin.
She gives time for Yog to heal Xin, but will attack after Yog acts regardless.
Yog'Moi regurgitates the healing draft he downed only moments before and sprays the now toxic brew all over their mage foe. "Here, have a drink, it's on the house!", the hobgoblin says with not a hint of humor.
Hei Feng's anger overwhelms the mage and attempts to knock them down.
Hotcha lands two heavy blows on the mage that knocked out Xin, but he resists the stun. Yog’Moi knocks down the mage that tried to shock him before slicing her with his sword. Esh lands a powerful blow on that mage, and when she tries to stand up, a critical attack of opportunity puts her back down for the count!
Hotcha’s target takes a step back, then he casts a spell, drawing blood and life force out of your bodies and into his outstretched arms!
The far mage raises a shield again and fires a ray of enfeeblement at Esh, narrowly missing the elf!
Hotcha is unharmed.
“Esh! Take the far one! My foe’s within an inch of defeat!”
Hotcha steps more than an inch, ▶️striding in an arc to flank if Xin wakes up. She attacks!
Not wanting to let Esh go without some positive reinforcement, the hobgoblin calls upon Hei Feng to bolster the man's spirits.
I duck a magical ray fired from one of the mages, nod at Yog in thanks for his blessing, and dash off towards the mage. It's always a delight to have a good priest on your side.
Yog'Moi heals Esh as the elf runs to confront the distant mage. He lands one blow, but the mage blocks most of it with his shield spell. Hotcha meanwhile delivers a one inch punch to the burning mage, further exacerbating his injuries.
Hotcha's foe raises a shield before swinging a fist infused with negative energy. The sprite easily ducks the punch.
The other mage delivers an electric punch to Esh's chest, Yog'Moi's protective magic preventing a critical hit!
The mage strikes a solid blow that shoots electricity through me, but leaves him unguarded. A Hidari Joho Giri strike hits him hard. I absently muse how eerie magic can be, a blow that by all rights should be debilitating, and that clearly causes immense harm, is rendered practically harmless due to the non-lethal spell. So strange, when reality contradicts what one can see with their own eyes.
With one foe taken care of and Esh looking okay, or as okay as he ever will, Yog'Moi charges Hotch's combatant. A fierce battle cry announces his arrival, and the hobgoblin dips down low and attempts a leg sweep to knock the mage off their feet.
Critical Success The target becomes frightened 2.
Success The target becomes frightened 1.
Hotcha says to her foe, “I kinda hate for ya to top a pile of bodies that includes my boss, but UNINTELLIGIBLE!”
It’s not her wittiest punch line, but that’s okay since Hotcha’s attack is a flying scissors kick!
▶️ If her opponent falls, Hotcha dashes to the remaining foe and strikes!
Else, she stays put and keeps swinging!
Hotcha pummels the wounded mage into unconsciousness! Esh lands two powerful blows on the final foe, who shrinks back as Yog’Moi comes running up, roaring defiance! The mage avoids the hobgoblin’s attempt to trip him, but it’s clear he stands little chance of winning on his own. With a heavy sigh, the last Glowing Ember kneels in surrender!
”Three Men and a Fairy wins!” Ingdani declares. The enforcers applaud and transfer the Glowing Embers’ last silver feather to you. Once the mages regain consciousness, they offer you half-hearted congratulations, then the enforcers lead them away toward the closest docks to depart Danger Island. They have lost their chance to qualify for the Ruby Phoenix Tournament.
Hotcha says, “Hey… you’re the only team who got a knockout against one of the men today. No one can take that away from you. Thank you for the challenging fight!”
She curtsies as she did in her dancing days, which she hopes will make the impression that she’s a cheerful fairy who doesn’t like to hurt people’s feelings…
…after all, only one team will win the whole shebang, and if Ingdani is going to say ‘Three Men and a Fairy win!’ a lot, let it be known that three men and a Fairy are not sore winners.
Wu Xin sits up, rubbing his scalp. He observes the magi leaving and rolls painfully up onto his knees, slowly standing. "We came close to losing that one," he observes. "And we are not going to lose. So before we move on, we are going to discuss how to prevent that from happening again. How could we have done better?"
Hotcha slowly raises her hand.
“Commmmuni… ca - tion?”
The priest needs a drink after being put through the wringer by the mages and takes a blessed moment of respite before weighing in on what could and should've been done better. "There's little you can do when a group of mages get the drop on you and attempt to catch you in a net of magic. Since I'm the only full-fledged wielder of magic here, there's too much to counteract when there's bloody four of them! And here, we couldn't break the line of sight, which is usually what works against mages. Unless it's a fireball, they need to see you to cast a spell at you. Fog clouds, conjured walls, and what have you nots, it all thwarts their spells."
“Whaaat? Magic fireballs can go around corners? Mine can’t! Although… this shiny new rune burns through defenses.”
She points to her Fire Resistance earring.
“You guys can discuss strategy while I meditate in a goblet. I mostly healed up during the fight… but my ki strikes are turning out to be pretty helpful. So I better focus before a new challenger comes along.”
The hobgoblin gets the drinks and bandages out so that he can administer the injuries of his companions. While tending to the various bruises and scorch-marks, he continues to talk and discuss the topic Xin brought up. "Well, the boom can go around corners if you aim it correctly, no? And perhaps one thing we could do is to invest our newfound riches into protective enchantments. I know, I know, they're damned expensive, but our lives are worth a thing or two as well, ha!"
"Truthfully, I don't think we necessarily did anything particularly wrong. This is the first time we've fought someone we didn't have numeric superiority over, and they managed to get their spells off before we could close the distance," I say as I stretch out my twitching muscles and finally put voice to my earlier musings.
"I think Yog is exactly right. Other than being faster or purchasing better defenses, I don't really know what we could do to counter that."
"Alright," says Xin, who's been saving his pennies, "What do we need to purchase? We are light on spellcasters. What can we get that will give us an edge, or at least less of a disadvantage?"
"Other than improving the fundamental runes on our armor, one thing that has come to mind is a ring of counterspells. While it might not necessarily be useful during this elimination round, during the next round where we'll have time to observe and research our opponents it could prove highly beneficial."
Hotcha listens passively as she bathes…
But after her little scratch is healed and her ki has flown back to her center, she hops outta the goblet so excitedly she almost tips it over.
“Shopping YAY! Is there time? In just three hours, our proverbial coach’ll turn to a metaphorical pumpkin.”
There will be enough time to shop if you head back towards the temple of Irori now. You head back inland to the nearest transport tower. The towers themselves resemble towering, narrow pagodas and contain a main chamber on the ground floor with four hallways, each terminating in a magical gate that connects to another tower. The rest of each tower rises a hundred or so feet into the air, making it a simple matter to spot the nearest tower from anywhere on the island.
A group of officiants is posted at each tower to enforce their locations as neutral territory. They nod to you as you enter the tower and step through the gate, transporting yourselves to the tower close to your home base. It is nearly midnight when you reach the Stone Markets, but you have enough time to shop for what you want before heading back to the temple of Irori to rest for the night.
You awaken in the morning feeling stronger for your recent experiences.
Hotcha is out by the rainbow tree doing jumping jacks, kattas, yoga flames, (burpees after guzzling a shot of Fire Nectar), and she even sings about trees while jazzercising.
Tell the moon you've seen the serpent,
Found the sword and walked among the
TREEEEEES
Trip the forest through the branches
On the limb you fell the nest of
BEEEEEES
If she sees Ingdani (and doesn’t annoy her away with that song), she tries to strike up a conversation.
“So… we gained four feathers yesterday. Nearly lost six, but… what happens if we get three today? Would we spend the third day just trying to keep ’em?”
Suspecting this isn’t Ingdani’s first rodeo, she adds, “I’m sure you see fighters get into winning streaks, and they’re already parting their hair to make way for the laurels.
“I ain’t doing thaaaat. Just making sure my little fairy brain understands how it all works.”
Ingdani nods to Hotcha. ”You have to wait until the third day to ascend Mount Haminabu to confirm your entry into the tournament by presenting your necklace and 10 feathers. So you will have to avoid losing any until then. Once eight teams have qualified for the tournament, the qualifying round is over, and all remaining teams are immediately disqualified.”
Hotcha says, “Guess we better be careful. I kinda figured our team name and… well, me… would give us an edge. But I get a feeling the more you say ‘Three Men and a Fairy wins,’ the less we get underestimated.”
She bows to Ingdani, consults the map and says “Pretty!!”
She traces the south and east coasts and asks the men, “Shall we walk this way, or teleport somewhere?”
Following Hotcha's proposed path, you head east, reconnoitering the edge of the jungle and the foothills of a mountainous peak. During your exploration, you come upon the den of some enormous insects among the jungle treetops. Fortunately, the creatures don't seem to be home at this time.
You continue southeast, discovering another official fighting arena among the trees here. Shortly after this discovery, another team crosses your path. Unlike the teams you have faced previously, who were small in number, this team numbers just shy of 40 Minkaian men and women! They cry out in unison and adopt martial poses.
"We are Hana's Hundreds!" the group's leader shouts. "We challenge you to a match, with a wager of two silver feathers!"
“Haha…” That’s a nervous laugh, but mixed with relief. “How can you be ‘hundreds’ when there’s only a few dozen of ya?
“We had a nice streak yesterday, which includes the defeat of an enforcer team about one-thirteenth your number. They gave us a pretty phoenix statue. I’ll sure miss it, but not as much as I’ll miss the two feathers you guys’d definitely take if we fought.”
She looks to Xin, trusting it wasn’t out of line to back out of this fight. Honestly, Hotcha was hoping they would fight enforcer teams too… but that was when she thought teams were four people. Forty! Ha! Wow…
Most teams opt for as few fighters as possible, since the winners must split their prize evenly, but Hana’s Hundreds favored quantity over quality when it came to their own team, reasoning that only a few of them will likely make it to the final bouts uninjured. Regardless of their actual numbers, Hana’s Hundreds have found a technique that works pretty well for them: they swarm and overwhelm opponents using their large numbers.
Huddling with his team, Xin says "We could take them if we had to. I'm sure none of them are warriors of real renown. But it would be counter to our purpose. The tournament has not yet begun and we must all survive with ten feathers to make it into the tournament. Here there are too many chances for a stray blow to seriously injure one of us. I vote no."
He looks to his companions for their votes.
With both Hotcha and Esh in agreement with Xin, you present the phoenix statue to Hana's Hundred's escort, thus allowing you to deny their challenge. "Bah! Very well. Come on, warriors! Let us look for another team to challenge!" The dozens quickly depart.
***
You continue exploring the area. After many more minutes, you hear the beating of leathery wings overhead. A large creature that resembles a cross between a dragon and a pterosaur swoops down towards you! It lets out a terrifying screech, pulling out of the dive and flapping back up into the air! It seems like the beast is trying to scare you off!
This looks like a particularly powerful specimen!
I hear the screech, look up, and see a f+&~ing dragon flying through the air. I shakily grab my sword, but what am I going to do against something that can fly? I might could hit it with some fire, but I doubt I could pull enough fire to take down something like that...
"I believe that this might be a bit beyond us..." I say weakly.
"Irori's iron..." Xin's curse trails off as he finds himself huddling in the bushes next to Esh, trembling with fear.
"Esh, old buddy, I believe your instincts are serving you well. This creature is no tournament participant. Let's move out." Xin does just that.
Wisely leaving the beast alone, you continue south along the coast. Here, a dock just out from the rocky coast, several small rowboats tied to it. The boat allows you to travel to a rocky island upon which is a shrine to Gozreh that serves as the home base for another team. Nobody's home at the moment.
You continue east along the southern coast of Danger Island. It isn’t long before you come across another ancient seaside shrine.
"I don't know this one, either," says Xin, bowing politely to the shrine.
"Ah! I know this one!"
I happily take out my copies of the Fifteen Wisdoms and Tears of Jade. After the scare from the draconic beast earlier I'm more than pleased to be able to sit back and read the comforting text.
"This is a shrine to Babbunabi, the Taumatan god of scripture, storytellers, and travelers. She would certainly approve of an impromptu sermon."
I read parables two and eighteen from Tears of Jade practically from memory, the ancient tales hopefully as comforting to my companions as they are to me.
As Esh finishes his tale, there is a brief shimmer in the air as Babbunabi bestows her blessing upon you.
Hotcha isn’t scared at all! She puts up her tiny little fists.
Bring it!
Buuuut she finds her much larger friends are scared of this creature. There’s no silver feather for beating monsters, so it’s for the best a retreat is in progress.
As they walk on in search of human-sized foes, she says to the frightened men, “Don’t feel bad. It’s very, very scary fighting a foe way bigger than you, but when you’re me, they’re all bigger. Ya get used to it.”
Continuing on, you explore the furthest southeast reaches of Bonmu's coast. You discover a few more team bases: an ancient priest's estate and a salt quarry. You also come across another watchtower similar to the one where you fought the poltergeist, complete with an unlit brazier at its peak. It's likely to be haunted as well, but the spirit may reward you with more treasure if you can put it to rest...
Hotcha says to the men, “I know we’ve been avoiding non-feather-related conflict, but… shall we?”
Hotcha says to the men, “I know we’ve been avoiding non-feather-related conflict, but… shall we?”
"I'm agreeable," I nod. Putting spirits to rest is important to me both personally and religiously, and I will not pass up an opportunity to do so.
You enter the watchtower, expecting an ambush from another spectral undead. And sure enough, it isn't long before a shadow peels away from the wall and begins to move toward you!
The shadow is unfazed by your battle cries.
Hotcha shoots from the hip!
It’s a well-centered attack, but the fiery fairy fist is a tad lukewarm.
Aww, don’t tell me my shiny new Frost Rune’s taking the ‘hot’ outta Hotcha!
"Spirit! It is time to pay the ferryman!"
Xin shouts encouragement, races forward and slashes at the ghost's calves as he slips past.
He takes up a position that will give Esh or Hotcha a flank when they move.
If one of his allies hits the target, Xin will use Opportune Backstab to hit the creature again.
Undead! Why can't the dead just stay dead?! Acting on his outrage, Yog'Moi channels Hei Feng's gift and smites the shadow with it.
The others dart ahead, and I let them get into position before I strike.
Xin inspires the party as he moves in to attack, but the shadow dodges his initial strike. Hotcha delivers a blast of fire and ice that connects, then Yog'Moi infuses it with positive energy that knocks the shadow prone, even though it resists some of the damage. Esh delivers a critical strike, driving his blade through the shadow's insubstantial body, and Xin takes advantage by stabbing it as well.
The shadow lurches to its feet before reaching out for Esh! The elf narrowly avoids its grasp the first time, but the second attack is a critical hit!
“I wonder if I’m shooting the wrong target…”
Hotcha activities her wings, flies up to the candelabra and lights it up!