Humble nods. Accepted.
As expected, an enforcer arrives in short order. He collects your wagers--one silver feather from each of the teams--and then leads you to the closest arena, which happens to be the warehouse in the ruined and overgrown town. It appears whatever offering the enforcers had previously announced is over.
"Begin!" the Tian-Dan enforcer shouts.
The colorful gnome is quick on the draw and speaks an incantation before any of you have a chance to react. Dozens of oily black tentacles burst out of the ground at the base your set of stairs. He hurries on down his set of stairs toward a large puddle.
Desperate Opponents. Round 1. Bold may act.
Gnome
Rakka (149/149 hp)
Tiefling
Humble (138/138 hp)
Human
Half-elf
Kioko (188/188 hp)
Kyrie (203/203 hp)
Rakka rushes down the steps and up next to the tree. As he draws back his bowstring, the scroll he recently folded around his bow begins to crackle and singe, electricity arcing from it to the tip of his arrow. As he looses the bolt at the half-elf man in green robes, the scroll catches fire and falls away, nothing but a wisp of smoke remaining.
Rakka's arrow strikes the half-elf in his forehead. While the magic of the ruby necklace keeps it from penetrating, it still knocks him cross-eyed for a moment. Lightning explodes from the arrow, knocking his hat into the air, and then lances back and forth among the opponents. The others are slightly better at dodging the arcs of electrical current.
The tiefling frowns, thin wisps of smoke still rises from his singed horns, and begins an incantation. "Back at you!" He thrusts his hand forward and a large arc of lightning bounds across the field to strike Kyrie's location. The lightning then arcs into a tree outside the walls. Kyrie stands there unharmed, though her armor looks slightly more shiny.
Desperate Opponents. Round 1. Bold may act.
Gnome (-30 hp)
Rakka (149/149 hp)
Tiefling (-30 hp)
Humble (138/138 hp)
Human (-30 hp)
Half-elf (-98 hp)
Kioko (188/188 hp)
Kyrie (203/203 hp)
Humble casts Blesss. The spell is as adverse for them as it is for us.
Then he moves into the trees.
Humble summons Abadar's blessings.
The elderly half-elf chants and imbues the woman with some type of magic before he climbs down the steps. The woman begins her own magic and summons another large pool of oily tentacles choking off another large section of the arena. She then glides effortlessly across the air.
Desperate Opponents. Round 1. Bold may act.
Gnome (-30 hp)
Rakka (149/149 hp)
Tiefling (-30 hp)
Humble (138/138 hp) (bless 5 ft radius)
Human (-30 hp) (fly +10 ft)
Half-elf (-98 hp)
Kioko (188/188 hp)
Kyrie (203/203 hp)
Kioko eyes the gnome and the half-elf carefully. My prey. She carefully waves her blades around as they glow with a hefty magic.
She starts moving impossibly fast through the fallen branches.
Kyrie and advances and enters her battle stance.
The gnome moves forward and begins to chant, the colors on his hair shifting around as he does so. Kyrie begins to feel something tugging at her thoughts.
Desperate Opponents. Round 2. Bold may act.
Gnome (-30 hp) (hunted)
Rakka (149/149 hp)
Tiefling (-30 hp)
Humble (138/138 hp) (bless 5 ft radius)
Human (-30 hp) (fly +10 ft)
Half-elf (-98 hp) (hunted)
Kioko (188/188 hp)
Kyrie (203/203 hp) (everstand) (Will DC 34 vs. Confusion)
Rakka drags an arrow along the fallen tree in front of him as he nocks it, causing the tip to glow with an ethereal light. Taking careful aim, he looses the glowing arrow at the flying woman, a spectral claw erupting from the missile as it flies.
The woman in the air twirls out of the way just in time to avoid the enchanted arrow. "Yikes!" She looks a little pale after that near miss.
The tiefling chants and draws an archway in front of himself. He steps forward and disappears. He reappears on the platform where you started. The wizard then flings the sword in his hand at Rakka. The blade slices across his shoulder--worrisomely close to his neck--and then flies back to the tiefling's hand.
Desperate Opponents. Round 2. Bold may act.
Gnome (-30 hp) (hunted)
Rakka (136/149 hp)
Tiefling (-30 hp)
Humble (138/138 hp) (bless 5 ft radius)
Human (-30 hp) (fly +10 ft)
Half-elf (-98 hp) (hunted)
Kioko (188/188 hp)
Kyrie (203/203 hp) (everstand) (Will DC 34 vs. Confusion)
Humble expands the bless radius.
Kyrie starts to stagger a bit as her thoughts are tugged in random directions. Humble quickly calls upon Abadar to clear the champion's mind, and before she suffers long, Kyrie's thoughts under her control again.
The flying woman soars over the tendrils and hovers there. She speaks a short arcane phrase and summons a translucent shield. The half-elf advances and calls forth a ball of acid that he flings toward Kyrie. The sphere strikes on her gorget and seeps between the creases on her armor, burning her skin.
Desperate Opponents. Round 2. Bold may act.
Gnome (-30 hp) (hunted)
Rakka (136/149 hp)
Tiefling (-30 hp)
Humble (138/138 hp) (bless 10 ft radius)
Human (-30 hp) (fly +10 ft, shield)
Half-elf (-98 hp) (hunted)
Kioko (188/188 hp)
Kyrie (188/203 hp) (everstand) (end of turn: persistent acid 4)
Kioko darts though the chaos to the opponents' backline. She lashes out at the half-elf.
Slashing, Deadly d8, Two-Hand d10, versatile P
Slashing, Agile, Deadly d8, Finesse, Uncommon, Versatile P
"Ow!" the half-elf spits out an explicative as Kioko smacks him around with her swords. "Ow!"
Desperate Opponents. Round 2. Bold may act.
Gnome (-30 hp) (hunted)
Rakka (136/149 hp)
Tiefling (-30 hp)
Humble (138/138 hp) (bless 10 ft radius)
Human (-30 hp) (fly +10 ft, shield)
Half-elf (-137 hp; <50%) (hunted)
Kioko (188/188 hp)
Kyrie (188/203 hp) (everstand) (end of turn: persistent acid 4)
Kyrie steps between the fields of black tentacles and advances upon the poor gnome.
An ambitious oily tentacle waves out and strikes Kyrie's shield, diverting her strike. She recovers her stance and strikes again, but the gnome narrowly skips out of the way. The knight notices that they're starting to breath hard and sweat is beading on their forehead.
The acid under her armor continues to burn Kyrie's skin.
The gnome speak an arcane word for luck and then chants to summon a tiny ball of electricity in their palm, which they thrusts towards Kyrie. It strikes her breastplate with a loud pop. Kyrie's muscles spasm painfully. Biting arcs of electricity dance along her armor. The gnome is so worn out from the day's fighting that they don't even celebrate.
Desperate, Fatigued Opponents. Round 3. Bold may act.
Gnome (-30 hp) (fatigued, hunted)
Rakka (136/149 hp)
Tiefling (-30 hp) (fatigued)
Humble (138/138 hp) (bless 10 ft radius)
Human (-30 hp) (fly +10 ft, shield) (fatigued)
Half-elf (-137 hp; <50%) (fatigued, hunted)
Kioko (188/188 hp)
Kyrie (151/203 hp) (everstand) (end of turn: persistent acid 4, persistent electric 1d4)
Seeing the woman fly above the wriggling tentacles, a mischievous grin spreads across Rakka's face. Quickly drawing a scroll from his pocket, he reads the incantation while staring at the flying mage.
While the woman resist the spell's attempt to smash her into the ground, it does not stop her from drifting slowly toward the mass of waving tentacles. "No!" Fortunately for her, she manages to fend off the inky lashes for now.
The tiefling hustles down the stairs and summons necromantic energy. He reaches out towards Humble and manages to lay his hand upon the Kalistocrat. Humble feels his life force being sapped away, but it is barely a trickle. The tiefling seems disappointed.
Desperate Opponents. Round 3. Bold may act.
Gnome (-30 hp) (fatigued, hunted)
Rakka (136/149 hp)
Tiefling (-23 hp) (fatigued)
Humble (123/138 hp) (bless 10 ft radius)
Human (-30 hp) (fly +0 ft, shield) (fatigued)
Half-elf (-137 hp; <50%) (fatigued, hunted)
Kioko (188/188 hp)
Kyrie (151/203 hp) (everstand) (end of turn: persistent acid 4, persistent electric 1d4)
Humble moves away through the difficult terrain, hoping the caster doesn't have an AOO. Then he casts Greater Command. My garments will not be soiled by the likes of you. This is my inviolable rule. Flee.
[oc]level 5 command to flee vs the woman in the tentacles and the tiefling[/ooc]
The woman reflexively flees out of the oily tentacles. When she comes to her senses, she turns around and cast an enchantment to assist her in gaining back the ground she lost.
The half-elf breaks away from Kioko and maneuvers into position before chanting. Shadow bats flutter around him as he invokes his magic. He thrusts out his hands, and Kioko and Kyrie feel their life force being sucked away.
Desperate Opponents. Round 3. Bold may act.
Gnome (-30 hp) (fatigued, hunted)
Rakka (136/149 hp)
Tiefling (-23 hp) (fatigued)
Humble (123/138 hp) (bless 10 ft radius)
Human (-30 hp) (fly +5 ft, fleet step) (fatigued)
Half-elf (-137 hp (+?); <50%) (fatigued, hunted)
Kioko (188/188 hp) (Start of turn: Basic Fortitude DC 33 vs. 40 negative)
Kyrie (151/203 hp) (everstand) (Start of turn: Basic Fortitude DC 33 vs. 40 negative) (end of turn: persistent acid 4, persistent electric 1d4)
She winces at the attack by the shadowy bats, then follows the half-elf.
Slashing, Deadly d8, Two-Hand d10, versatile P
Slashing, Agile, Deadly d8, Finesse, Uncommon, Versatile P
The attack throws off her aim. She takes up a defensive posture.
Slashing, Deadly d8, Two-Hand d10, versatile P
Kyrie holds onto her life force quite handily.
"Do you think your negative energy offers any real threat to a Knight of Lastwall?"
She continues bashing at the gnome with a three move combo, stumbling on the first blow but recovering instantly.
The elderly half-elf proves rather spry as he regains some of his vitality and dodges Kioko's blades left and right.
Kyrie demonstrates prodigious fortitude as she rebuffs the necromantic spell. While she struggles some with the gnome, she does manage to get in a solid hit and knocks the gnome in the head. If only someone were distracting the gnome from the other side, her following shield bash might not have missed.
The acid under Kyrie's armor finally neutralizes. The electricity continues to dance across her metal plates.
The tired gnome rubs their hands together fiercely and then reaches out to deliver another electrical charge. However, Kyrie's shield gets in the way, and the blat fires off into the sand. It was a larger blast than the last time. Their eyes lose hope, and they break away to run towards the ranged opponents. Maybe they will fare better against them with the tiefling's help.
Desperate Opponents. Round 4. Bold may act.
Gnome (-32 hp) (fatigued, hunted)
Rakka (136/149 hp)
Tiefling (-23 hp) (fatigued)
Humble (123/138 hp) (bless 10 ft radius)
Human (-30 hp) (fly +5 ft, fleet step) (fatigued)
Half-elf (-137 hp (+?); <50%) (fatigued, hunted)
Kioko (148/188 hp)
Kyrie (143/203 hp) (everstand) (end of turn: persistent electric 1d4)
Rakka mutters to himself as the flying woman escapes the tentacles seemingly without incident. Undeterred, he drags another arrow along the tree branch at his feat, wreathing it in spectral energy before sending it flying at the approaching gnome.
The gnome's eyes widen right before the spectral encased arrow whacks them in their shoulder. They begin to reconsider their strategy.
The tiefling crashes through the brush to advance upon Rakka. He reaches out and reaches through the branches and leaves to touch him on the shoulder.
Desperate Opponents. Round 4. Bold may act.
Gnome (-97 hp) (fatigued, hunted)
Rakka (136/149 hp) (Will DC 33 vs. stupefied 2 (S=no effect, CF=stupefied 4))
Tiefling (-23 hp) (fatigued)
Humble (123/138 hp) (bless 10 ft radius)
Human (-30 hp) (fly +5 ft, fleet step) (fatigued)
Half-elf (-117 hp) (fatigued, hunted)
Kioko (148/188 hp)
Kyrie (143/203 hp) (everstand) (end of turn: persistent electric 1d4)
Humble moves forward then Kalistocrat Lays on Hands Kyrie:
The woman zips over the inky tendrils and begins invoking her own conjuration. She summons a dart of caustic liquid that shoots over Rakka's shoulder. "Blast it!"
Running away from Kioko, the flagging half-elf stops near his gnome ally and performs his own incantation that summons a sphere of caustic liquid. This streaks towards Humble and strikes him in the neck. It burns!
Desperate Opponents. Round 4. Bold may act.
Gnome (-97 hp) (fatigued, hunted)
Rakka (136/149 hp)
Tiefling (-23 hp) (fatigued)
Humble (102/138 hp) (bless 10 ft radius) (end of turn: persistent acid 4)
Human (-30 hp) (fly +5 ft, fleet step) (fatigued)
Half-elf (-117 hp) (fatigued, hunted)
Kioko (148/188 hp)
Kyrie (185/203 hp) (everstand) (end of turn: persistent electric 1d4)
Kioko pursues her prey across the battlefield.
She continues to attack the half-elf.
Slashing, Deadly d8, Two-Hand d10, versatile P
Slashing, Agile, Deadly d8, Finesse, Uncommon, Versatile P
She ends defensively.
Slashing, Deadly d8, Two-Hand d10, versatile P
"Ah!" the half-elf cries out as Kioko whacks him across the back . However, this puts him on guard enough to skip out of the way of her short blade.
Desperate Opponents. Round 4. Bold may act.
Gnome (-97 hp) (fatigued, hunted)
Rakka (136/149 hp)
Tiefling (-23 hp) (fatigued)
Humble (102/138 hp) (bless 10 ft radius) (end of turn: persistent acid 4)
Human (-30 hp) (fly +5 ft, fleet step) (fatigued)
Half-elf (-176 hp) (fatigued, hunted)
Kioko (148/188 hp)
Kyrie (185/203 hp) (everstand) (end of turn: persistent electric 1d4)
Kyrie joins Kioko in pounding at the human adjacent to her.
And the electrical damage dissipates!
Kyrie bruises the side of the half-elf's face with her shield. Panting heavily, he manages to regain his composures and hop out of the way of the subsequent slams.
The gnome chants as ribbons of rainbow light swirl around their hands. With a clap, they multiply into four identical clones that continuously change position with their cluster. "I'm tapped! What about you guys?" the gnome calls to his teammates.
Desperate Opponents. Round 5. Bold may act.
Gnome (-97 hp) (fatigued, hunted) (mirror images:
Rakka (136/149 hp)
Tiefling (-23 hp) (fatigued)
Humble (102/138 hp) (bless 10 ft radius) (end of turn: persistent acid 4)
Human (-30 hp) (fly +5 ft, fleet step) (fatigued)
Half-elf (-201 hp) (fatigued, hunted)
Kioko (148/188 hp)
Kyrie (181/203 hp) (everstand)
Rakka draws an arrow along a tree branch, charging it with ethereal energy, then sends it flying at the teetering half-elf, hoping to take him down before he can act again.
Rakka provides the fatigued half-elf wizard with a rest. Painfully. The arrow and mystical force riding along the arrow strike the man solidly in the chest, and he fall to the ground in an unconscious heap.
"Dung!" the tiefling exclaims. He begins a complex incantation and several intricate twists of his fingers. His nerves must get the better of his because, despite firing the magical energy at point blank range, he misses Rakka. The tengu feels the energy before he sees it, a powerful thrumming that reverberates in his chest. A thin lance of green light follows the deep sound and passes just to the right of Rakka's hip. Where it strikes a tree, the tree vanishes, leaving only a light precipitation of dust falling out of the air.
Having failed that, the tiefling thrusts his sword at Rakka. The blade glances off of his armor. The tiefling shrugs.
Desperate Opponents. Round 5. Bold may act.
Gnome (-97 hp) (fatigued, hunted) (mirror images: 4)
Rakka (136/149 hp)
Tiefling (-23 hp) (fatigued)
Humble (102/138 hp) (bless 10 ft radius) (end of turn: persistent acid 4)
Human (-30 hp) (fly +5 ft, fleet step) (fatigued)
Kioko (148/188 hp)
Kyrie (181/203 hp) (everstand)
Humble expands the Bless.
He shoots a divine lance at the gnome hoping to destroy an image, or maybe see what happens.
The lance of divine energy slams into one of the gnomes. They blink several times as a multiversal vortex opens on the gnome's forehead and four intricately illustrated black and white tomes pop out onto the ground. "Oggle orc?"
With the wizards physically spent and the most powerful of their magics used throughout the day and in this final battle, the match becomes a very one-sided route as the remaining three wizards fire globs of acid at Summary Judgement while being hounded by two proficient melee warriors and an archer with arcane powers.
The last two of the wizards yield, and the enforcer declares you the winners. You receive the last of their silver feathers and your waged feather back along with the customary pouch of five hundred gold coins.
The losing team, left with no more feathers, is ushered away by the enforcer.
Ingdani congratulates you with a smile, revealing her growing bias. "Now all you need to do is hold onto them tomorrow."
Humble and Kyrie tend to everyone's wounds before you set off back toward your camp. Without Abadar's guidance, the slog through the forest is tiring, but you make it to camp three hours before midnight. Though you may have gotten used to the sensation or taken it for granted, you are not hungry at all.
Just as you're starting to settle in for the night, you hear a commotion in the sparring grounds. Rushing to the open arena, you find four terracotta statues with ancient Taumatan markings hopping down off of the walls and into the arena. They are equipped with very real swords, bows, and steel shields.
The first terracotta soldier launches a pair of arrows at Kyrie. The first one punches through her breastplate like a lance. She manages to deflect the second one despite the pain. The construct then draws its sword.
Attack on the Temple! Round 1. Bold may act.
Yellow Terracotta Soldier (sword)
Rakka (149/149 hp)
Red Terracotta Soldier (bow)
Blue Terracotta Soldier (bow)
Humble (138/138 hp)
Black Terracotta Soldier (bow)
Kioko (188/188 hp)
Kyrie (203/203 hp)
Terracotta Soldiers are constructs that have the reflexes and skills of a true warrior.
Terracotta Soldiers are brittle and weak to blunt forces.
Rakka sighs, the weariness clearly apparent as he moves along the edge of the arena. As he draws an arrow, he seems to dig deep, summoning some of his final remaining energy as the tip of the missile swirls with green energy. Loosing the arrow, the energy grows rapidly in intensity as the arrow flies toward the nearest soldier!
Rakka's arrows slams satisfyingly into the statue's left eye socket. The green energy slithers in through the hole and blooms within the statue, burning away several chunks of terracotta. Despite this, it still looks fully capable of being a threat.
The ruddier statue advances and fires an arrow at the heroes, but a gust of wind blows it into the wall above you. Who knows who it was aiming at? It then draws its sword.
The statue with a patina of blue fires off two arrows. One tears a deep gash across Kioko's thigh. The second punches through her right arm. The statue then draws its sword.
Attack on the Temple! Round 1. Bold may act.
Yellow Terracotta Soldier (sword) (-110 hp)
Rakka (149/149 hp)
Red Terracotta Soldier (sword)
Blue Terracotta Soldier (sword)
Humble (138/138 hp)
Black Terracotta Soldier (bow)
Kioko (139/188 hp)
Kyrie (176/203 hp)
Terracotta Soldiers are constructs that have the reflexes and skills of a true warrior.
Terracotta Soldiers are brittle and weak to blunt forces.
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Humble casts Spirit link on Kioko and raises his shield.
Humble begins a transfer between his and Kioko's vital accounts.
The fourth terracotta soldier finally moves into position and fires an arrow at Kyrie. The arrow glances off of her helmet. It then draws its sword.
Attack on the Temple! Round 1. Bold may act.
Yellow Terracotta Soldier (sword) (-110 hp)
Rakka (149/149 hp)
Red Terracotta Soldier (sword)
Blue Terracotta Soldier (sword)
Humble (130/138 hp) (shield up)
Black Terracotta Soldier (sword)
Kioko (147/188 hp) (spirit linked +8)
Kyrie (176/203 hp)
Terracotta Soldiers are constructs that have the reflexes and skills of a true warrior.
Terracotta Soldiers are brittle and weak to blunt forces.
Kioko nods her thanks to Humble, then eyes her targets, settling on Black and Red. She moves her swords around in a circle, and the seemingly grow heavier as they glow with magic. She leaves them crossed in front of her.
Slashing, Deadly d8, Two-Hand d10, versatile P
Kyrie enters her battle stance and moves forward to present herself as a target.
She remembers one of the Punchmaster books had a fight against Terracotta soldiers at one point, and it was a plot point that bashing attacks worked better.
”They are weak to bludgeons!”
Kioko and Kyrie prepare. The knight shouts out what she recalls from her pulp instructional journals. She also recalls that terracotta soldiers are as cunning as real warriors and can make attacks in moments of opportunity made by their opponents distraction.
The first terracotta soldier drops his bow and pulls his shield over its shoulder and onto his arm. The statue then disappears in a flash of golden light only to appear in front of Rakka. There the warrior swings its sword at the tengu, cutting him savagely across the arm.
Attack on the Temple! Round 2. Bold may act.
Yellow Terracotta Soldier (sword) (-110 hp) (recharge 4)
Rakka (116/149 hp)
Red Terracotta Soldier (sword)
Blue Terracotta Soldier (sword)
Humble (130/138 hp)
Black Terracotta Soldier (sword)
Kioko (147/188 hp) (spirit linked +8, gravity weapon)
Kyrie (176/203 hp) (everstand)
"Ack! Teleporting statues!" Rakka carefully backs away a few steps, then quickly acts out drawing back an arrow. A spectral arrow of force appears where the bolt would go, thudding into the nearby statue.
Rakka's spectral arrow knocks a chunk of clay off of the warrior statue.
The rust stained terracotta warrior draws its shield over its shoulder and onto his arm. Then it disappears in a flash of golden light and reappears next to Kioko and Humble. The statue ignores the wounded tengu warrior for now and swings its blade at Humble! It cuts deep into his shoulder.
Meanwhile, the blue-tinted terracotta soldier advances upon Kyrie in a more mundane fashion, stomping across the sand, and swings its blade. The statue cannot penetrate the knight's defenses, however.
Attack on the Temple! Round 2. Bold may act.
Yellow Terracotta Soldier (sword & board) (-124 hp) (recharge 4)
Rakka (116/149 hp)
Red Terracotta Soldier (sword & board) (recharge 4)
Blue Terracotta Soldier (sword)
Humble (90/138 hp)
Black Terracotta Soldier (sword)
Kioko (155/188 hp) (spirit linked +8, gravity weapon)
Kyrie (176/203 hp) (everstand)