Humble uses his acumen to try and gauge the situation. 1. Would besting the Empress’s personal guards be a faux pas and 2. Is volunteering to fight them something that would earn their team any practical benefit beyond bragging rights such as treasure or a favor?
Since the opportunity to spar against the Butterfly Blades has been offered to the teams, it certainly would not be a cultural mistake to volunteer.
After a long moment where all the qualifiers consider the wisdom or folly of accepting a challenge of the empress' body guards, Kyrie stands and accepts the challenge.
"Excellent!" says Nai Yan Fei with a smile.
The three warriors bow to their empress and then turn to bow to you once you have taken your positions.
Hao Jin declares, "Let the match begin!"
Two of the Butterfly Blades break to your right. One of the stops near the center of the arena and carefully considers Kyrie.
Strike Like a Butterfly. Round 1. Bold may act.
Butterfly Blade (blue)
Butterfly Blade (red)
Rakka (160/160 hp)
Butterfly Blade (dashed)
Kioko (202/202 hp)
Humble (148/148 hp)
Kyrie (218/218 hp)*
Rakka returns their bow with a grin, drawing the string from his staff to transform it back into a bow as he returns upright. When the battle begins, he dashes back a few steps, drawing a bead on the nearest Butterfly Blade and letting fly and arrow wreathed in a spectral claw.
The Butterfly Blade nearly dodges the energy wreathed arrow, but it catches him in the arm. The sleeve of his yellow tunic is shred and stained with blood.
The third body guard looks to his fellow and nods before darting across the arena toward Rakka.
Strike Like a Butterfly. Round 1. Bold may act.
Butterfly Blade (blue)
Butterfly Blade (red) (-52 hp)
Rakka (160/160 hp)
Butterfly Blade (dashed)
Kioko (202/202 hp)
Humble (148/148 hp)
Kyrie (218/218 hp)*
Kioko carefully sizes up the two closest opponents.
She moves strategically next to the one threatening Rakka.
Slashing, Deadly d8, Two-Hand d10, versatile P
Slashing, Agile, Deadly d6, Finesse, Uncommon, Backstabber plus
plus 1d10 persistent fire
The blessings of Abadar upon this place. Humble brandishes his holy symbol, sanctifying the air around him.
The then raises his spellguard shield.
Kioko advances an cuts a deep wound into the Butterfly Blade's left arm . She follows with a solid slash of the Phoenix fighting fan. Meanwhile, Humble calls down a blessing upon the arena.
Strike Like a Butterfly. Round 1. Bold may act.
Butterfly Blade (blue)
Butterfly Blade (red) (h.p.) (-52 hp)
Rakka (160/160 hp)
Butterfly Blade (dashed) (h.p.) (-58 hp)
Kioko (202/202 hp)
Humble (148/148 hp)
Kyrie (218/218 hp)*
Kyrie steps forward to try to keep Humble covered, raising her shield and entering her battle stance.
The first Butterfly Blade dashes in toward Kyrie--just a little too far away for his plans--while the second makes his way toward the knight. As if knowing how Kyrie will move, the first strikes with one of his twin blades. Kyrie is forced to move her shield into the way to deflect as much of the force as she can . However, Kyrie can tell the man is turning his blade so that his strikes are more painful than harmful .
The second makes two tentative, telegraphed strikes in a row, but neither land past Kyrie's armor.
Strike Like a Butterfly. Round 2. Bold may act.
Butterfly Blade (blue)
Butterfly Blade (red) (h.p.) (-52 hp)
Rakka (160/160 hp)
Butterfly Blade (dashed) (h.p.) (-58 hp)
Kioko (202/202 hp)
Humble (148/148 hp)
Kyrie (211/218 hp)* (shield -7)
Rakka quickly draws another arrow, dragging the tip along the ground fast enough to draw sparks before letting it fly toward one of the Butterfly Blades attacking Kyrie. As the missile flies, a spectral claw wreaths it, slashing at the red-clad foe as the arrow approaches.
Rakka's arrow threads through the side of the Butterfly Blade's chest . Then the trailing magic slams into the bodyguard and shreds his robe and flesh, leaving a bleeding wound. The man looks quite surprised at Rakka's power.
The Butterfly Blade engaged with Kyrie breaks off and moves to threaten Rakka. He makes a telegraphed strike and manages to feint the tengu, learning something about how the magus fights. He tries to take advantage of what he learned, but it is not enough, and Rakka dodges the second strike.
Strike Like a Butterfly. Round 2. Bold may act.
Butterfly Blade (blue)
Butterfly Blade (red) (h.p.) (-163 hp) (bleed 7d4)
Rakka (143/160 hp)
Butterfly Blade (dashed) (h.p.) (-58 hp)
Kioko (202/202 hp)
Humble (148/148 hp)
Kyrie (211/218 hp)* (shield -7)
Kioko carefully moves into a flank with Rakka, avoiding any attacks from the enemy.
Slashing, Deadly d8, Two-Hand d10, versatile P
Slashing, Agile, Deadly d6, Finesse, Uncommon, Backstabber plus
plus 1d10 persistent fire
She finishes with a defensive flourish.
Slashing, Deadly d8, Two-Hand d10, versatile P
The injured body guard narrowly avoids Kioko's katana. The bladed fan slashes across his arm and blisters his skin as he is forced to divide his attention between the two tengu.
Strike Like a Butterfly. Round 2. Bold may act.
Butterfly Blade (blue)
Butterfly Blade (red) (h.p.) (-163 hp) (bleed 7d4)
Rakka (143/160 hp)
Butterfly Blade (dashed) (h.p.) (-78 hp)
Kioko (202/202 hp) (parry)
Humble (148/148 hp)
Kyrie (211/218 hp)* (shield -7)
Kyrie can’t restrain a slight smirk as she succeeds in keeping the two foes on her and Humble on the other side of them. She swings three times at the wounded one.
Humble Steps back.he expands his Bless and prays for Abadan’s guidance for Rakka.
The Butterfly Blade proves agile and difficult to strike, but Kyrie does manage to slam her shield into him and raise it into a defensive position once. Humble shares Abadar's blessings.
The bleeding from Kioko's slash leaves the wounded bodyguard woozy, but the wounds seem to have clotted off.
The first of the Butterfly Blades strikes at Kyrie. While he seems to be predicting her every defensive move, the knight is still fast enough to interrupt most of the blows. One gets through and stings her arm .
The wounded one moves around the Lastwall knight and manages to sneak a stinging strike through her defense .
Strike Like a Butterfly (against a Turtle). Round 3. Bold may act.
Butterfly Blade (blue)
Butterfly Blade (red) (h.p.) (-208 hp)
Rakka (143/160 hp) (guidance)
Butterfly Blade (dashed) (h.p.) (-78 hp)
Kioko (202/202 hp) (parry)
Humble (148/148 hp)
Kyrie (196/218 hp)* (shield -13) (shield block x2 used)
Rakka focuses for a moment, assessing the situation, then suddenly lashes out at the foe pinned between himself and Kioko with his beak, a spectral claw seeming to attack at the same time.
The lone Butterfly Blade narrowly parries Rakka's beat despite splitting his attention. He breaks away from the pair of tengu to aid his companions in harrying the Knight of Lastwall.
The third opponent proves too much for Kyrie's attention. The Butterfly Blade's testing strike not only manages to reveal Kyrie's technique to him but lands a stinging strike. Using the information he gained, he gives the knight a second poignant strike. Of course, this is nothing compared to the giant beasts of Bonmu!
Strike Like a Butterfly (against a Turtle). Round 3. Bold may act.
Butterfly Blade (blue)
Butterfly Blade (red) (h.p.) (-208 hp)
Rakka (143/160 hp) (guidance)
Butterfly Blade (dashed) (h.p.) (-78 hp)
Kioko (202/202 hp) (parry)
Humble (148/148 hp)
Kyrie (153/218 hp)* (shield -13) (shield block x2 used)
Blessed be those who remove stones from the path of their spiritual guides. Thus, hard work brings forth holy profit.
Humble pauses a moment to see whether anyone will remove this stone standing next to him.
Humble expands the radius of his Bless, then Lays on Hands Kyrie.
Humble steps away and Lays on Hands Kyrie.
Kioko pursues her prey, moving into a flank with Kyrie.
Slashing, Deadly d8, Two-Hand d10, versatile P
Slashing, Agile, Deadly d6, Finesse, Uncommon, Backstabber plus
plus 1d10 persistent fire
She finishes by parrying.
Slashing, Deadly d8, Two-Hand d10, versatile P
Kyrie is sweating, but trusts in Humble’s healing to keep her strong. She pounds away at the most wounded of her assailants, knowing she just needs to take one down and this will get easier.
Kioko swings wide with her katana, but the flaming silver fan bites deep into the underside of the Butterfly Blade's arm.
Kyrie slams her shield into the face of the flagging bodyguard. He falls to the ground with a broken nose. She turns her attention to the one that Kioko just cut and slams him in the shoulder with her shield. She tries to strike him again, but he is more aware of her and dodges.
Humble expands Abadar's blessing and then heals Kyrie.
The as yet unharmed Butterfly Blade strikes at Kyrie, steps around her, and strikes again. He forces Kyrie to move her shield to block the first strike, but the second one fails to get around her shield at all.
Swatting Butterflies. Round 4. Bold may act.
Butterfly Blade (blue)
Rakka (143/160 hp)
Butterfly Blade (dashed) (h.p.) (-132 hp) (1d10 fire)
Kioko (202/202 hp)
Kyrie (186/218 hp)* (shield -22)
Humble (148/148 hp)
Rakka fires another claw-shrouded arrow, targeting the foe pinned between Kyrie and Kioko.
Rakka's bespelled arrow punches through the Butterfly Blade's shoulder. The force lifts him into the air and drops him to the ground in an unconscious heap. The remaining Butterfly Blade raises his hand, "I yield."
The empress claps while attendants rush onto the field to tend to the wounds on the fallen warriors.
"We will have a brief intermission before the next event," Hao Jin declares. She transforms the arena back into a dining area. Waiters file onto the floor with tea services.
Humble calmly goes about his work. He offers to patch up the guards too should they choose.
The attendants are happy to have assistance in bandaging the Butterfly Blades, and the warriors express their thanks. Humble learns while he tends to one of them that they are new recruits to the Butterfly Blades, having just finished their initiation but having no practical experience guarding the empress.
"Now that tea is concluded," Hao Jin declares, "it is time for another challenge! Let us see how you fight when even the ground is battling against you." She gestures in the air and the courtyard begins to reform itself. The teams are slide to either side and find themselves sitting on tiered benches while the center arena begins to glow. The northwest and southeast quadrants of the arena transform into lava. Heat is palpable as it rolls over you where you sit in the bleachers. The Phoenix Sage snaps her fingers and suddenly the blistering heat vanishes. "I have a powerful, terrifying creature from Golarion's ancient past in my collection. Do I have a volunteer to face it?"
Summary Judgement stands and volunteers for the exhibition match against whatever Hao Jin has planned. "Excellent! Summary Judgement is certainly making a name for themselves tonight!"
The Phoenix Sage snaps her fingers, and a gargantuan gray-skinned giant with crimson hair and eyes appears in the center of the arena. The giant wears an ancient style of bronze armor and holds a massive lance at the ready in one hand. Strapped to his back is a great sword of incredible proportion. Dozens of Thassilonian runes are tattooed across his arms and legs.
With another snap, the four of you find yourself inside the arena on solid ground and facing the giant. Even though you are over a dozen feet from the lava, the heat hits you like a fireball, parching your throat and drying your eyes.
"Good luck!" Hao Jin's magically projected voice rings inside the arena, and life returns to the giant in front of you.
The giant takes hold of the mighty spear in his hands and then speaks a string of arcane words followed by a command while staring Kyrie in the eyes. "Slam your shield into the tengu's face!"
Kyrie feels the press of magical compulsion, but the will of a champion of Iomedae is not so easily broken!
Battle Oven! Round 1. Bold may act.
Giant (reach 25 ft)
Rakka (160/160 hp) (Basic Fortitude DC 30 vs. 21 Fire)
Humble (148/148 hp) (Basic Fortitude DC 30 vs. 21 Fire)
Kioko (202/202 hp) (Basic Fortitude DC 30 vs. 21 Fire)
Kyrie (218/218 hp) (Basic Fortitude DC 30 vs. 21 Fire)
The Rune Giants were magically created by the Rune Lords to serve as obedient commanders of their natural giant armies. The runes tattooed along their bodies can be invoked to grant their weapons great power .
Critical Success:
They are master warriors .
Blessed be. Blessed me.
Humble withdraws the potion of moderate fire resistance and drinks it.
He then moves forward.
Rakka feels his feathers sizzle as he retreats for a better shot, draws back an arrow, and let's it fly. The arrowhead seems to transform into a pair of fangs which explode in a cone that envelops the giant, biting into them!
Rakka's arrow sinks deep under one of the giant's ribs. The magical fangs explode around the giant's chest, but his tattooed skin proves difficult for all of them to bite through . Regardless, the magical conduit formed bolsters Rakka with temporary vitality.
Battle Oven! Round 1. Bold may act.
Giant (-80 hp; reach 25 ft)
Rakka (10+150/160 hp)
Humble (148/148 hp; resist fire 10) (delayed Stride vs. Raise a Shield)
Kioko (202/202 hp) (Basic Fortitude DC 30 vs. 21 Fire)
Kyrie (218/218 hp) (Basic Fortitude DC 30 vs. 21 Fire)
Kioko winces at the fire. She eyes the giant cautiously. She slices once with her katana, which grows to impossible length.
Slashing, Deadly d8, Two-Hand d10, versatile P
Kioko's magical katana lengthens to strike the towering giant. The blow, unfortunately, catches on the giant's armor . Even though he is unharmed, the giant seems offended by Kioko's audacity and glares at her with pupilless, red eyes.
Battle Oven! Round 1. Bold may act.
Giant (-80 hp; reach 25 ft)
Rakka (10+150/160 hp)
Humble (148/148 hp; resist fire 10)
Kioko (181/202 hp)
Kyrie (218/218 hp) (Basic Fortitude DC 30 vs. 21 Fire)
Kyrie enters her battle stance and—after a bit of a run-up—leaps over the lava.
Despite being encased in steel, Kyrie weathers the boiling heat without a single blister. She applies the defensive training of Lastwall and advances upon the giant. The giant proves adept of taking advantage of openings. Her movement gives him a chance to strike with his prodigious reach. The spear skitters off of her shield. However, the giant's size belies the swift warrior reflexes that he possesses. He sees another opening to strike as she continues to near. This one forces her to raise her shield to block the incoming damage . The large spear heat punches partway through the shield.
A series of tattoos on the giant's arm glow brightly and then explode in a shower of sparks. The sparks wash over Kyrie and tumble to a stop just shy of Humble's feet. When your vision clears, one of the runes has vanished from the giant's arm and now glows on the spear blade. Plotting something, the giant sidesteps toward the north side of the center ring before bringing the spear back down toward Kyrie again.
The titanic spear slams into Kyrie with such force that it punches a hole in her breastplate and forces back across the arena . She skids to a stop with one heel hovering over the lava pit.
Battle Oven! Round 2. Bold may act.
Giant (-80 hp; reach 25 ft, rune of smiting, ***)
Rakka (10+150/160 hp) (Basic Reflex DC 30 vs. 25 fire)
Humble (148/148 hp; resist fire 10) (Basic Reflex DC 30 vs. 25 fire)
Kioko (181/202 hp) (Basic Reflex DC 30 vs. 25 fire)
Kyrie (157/218 hp; shield -14; stance) (Basic Reflex DC 37 vs. 35 electricity) (Basic Reflex DC 30 vs. 25 fire)
The Rune Giants were magically created by the Rune Lords to serve as obedient commanders of their natural giant armies. The runes tattooed along their bodies can be invoked to grant their weapons great power .
Critical Success:
They are master warriors .
Kioko shakes her weapon, giving it some extra oomph. She tries again.
Slashing, Deadly d8, Two-Hand d10, versatile P
Rakka mimes taking a shot without drawing an arrow, sending a snap of force sailing into the giant. As the bolt is in flight, he's already drawing his bowstring again, this time sending a real arrow wreathed in a spectral claw after it.
Having seen the trick before, the giant bats aside Kioko's extended strike. He cannot stop the magical force arrow nor the ensorcelled arrow that follows .
Battle Oven! Round 2. Bold may act.
Giant (-135 hp; reach 25 ft, rune of smiting, ***)
Rakka (148/160 hp)
Kioko (156/202 hp)
Kyrie (157/218 hp; shield -14; stance) (Basic Reflex DC 37 vs. 35 electricity) (Basic Reflex DC 30 vs. 25 fire)
Humble (148/148 hp; resist fire 10) (Basic Reflex DC 30 vs. 25 fire)
Humble remains unfazed by the fire.
He Steps back and dispels that rune.
Kyrie is in a bad way after the fire and lightning, having difficulty finding a solid footing to dodge after getting thrown about.
She pats herself with a heal before jumping back over towards Humble, having learned better than to jump right back towards the rune giant.
Kyrie seeks Iomedae's succor before tactically repositioning herself between the giant and the rest of her comrades. She continues to remain unfazed by the boiling heat.
Humble's potion also seems to be working exceptionally well to protect him from the heat. He steps out of the giant's reach and focuses carefully upon the words of his prayer. The rune on the spear blade fades away .
The giant narrows his eyes as he considers his foes. He drops the spear and draws the massive two-handed sword from over his shoulder. Striding forward, he sweeps the great sword toward in a wide swing aimed at Kyrie and Humble.
The blade glances off of Kyrie's helmet as she ducks under the blow. Humble, unfortunately, is not fast enough to avoid the steel. His nephilim blood is splattered across the arena floor.
Battle Oven! Round 3. Bold may act.
Giant (-135 hp; reach 20 ft, rune: **)
Rakka (148/160 hp) (Basic Fortitude DC 30 vs. 27 Fire)
Kioko (156/202 hp) (Basic Fortitude DC 30 vs. 27 Fire)
Kyrie (168/218 hp; shield -14; stance) (Basic Fortitude DC 30 vs. 27 Fire)
Humble (111/148 hp; resist fire 10) (Basic Fortitude DC 30 vs. 27 Fire)
Kioko winces as her feathers get further singed. She lashes out at the giant again, then brings her blades up in a crossed pattern.
Slashing, Deadly d8, Two-Hand d10, versatile P
Slashing, Deadly d8, Two-Hand d10, versatile P
Rakka grits his teeth against the searing heat, then continues his assault, repeating his combination from last round.
Kioko continues to whither in the heat. It must be taking a toll as the giant easily deflects her magically elongated strike.
Rakka conjures another arrow of force and then follows that with an enspelled arrow that sinks into the giant's thigh. The magical claws that follow tear at the gray flesh.
Battle Oven! Round 3. Bold may act.
Giant (-192 hp (<50%); reach 20 ft, rune: **)
Rakka (135/160 hp)
Kioko (129/202 hp)
Kyrie (168/218 hp; shield -14; stance) (Basic Fortitude DC 30 vs. 27 Fire)
Humble (111/148 hp; resist fire 10) (Basic Fortitude DC 30 vs. 27 Fire)
Humble, unused to being hurt, gasps ins surprise and is caught without his divine protection.
Humble Steps back. Wealthy father, protect Kyrie… that she may fulfill her lawfully-given vow… …and in so doing, protect me. he mutters.
Kyrie leaps over to the giant again, pounding at him with her shield as she descends.
Humble blisters in the volcanic heat as he deposits Abadar's blessings into Iomedae's champion, hopeful for a bountiful return on his investment.
Kyrie weathers the heat well and makes a leaping charge toward the giant. She twists in mid-flight to bring her shield into a protective position as the giant brings its sword down upon her. The shield absorbs much of the power, and she slams into the giant's knee with a resounding clang. She tries to strike the leg again, but she is off-balance from the heroic maneuver.
The giant releases one hand from his sword and pushes his palm, which is larger than the shield, against Kyrie's shield and begins shoving the knight toward the roiling lava behind her. The indominable champion resists with every fiber of strength as the giant pushes her to the edge.
Battle Oven! Round 4. Bold may act.
Giant (-219 hp (<50%); reach 20 ft, rune: *)
Rakka (135/160 hp)
Kioko (129/202 hp)
Kyrie (195/218 hp; shield -29; stance)
Humble (94/148 hp; resist fire 10)
Having already taken damage from the heat, Kioko decides to stay at range.
Slashing, Deadly d8, Two-Hand d10, versatile P
She defends with her weapons.
Slashing, Deadly d8, Two-Hand d10, versatile P
Rakka is finally feeling used to the intense heat, blocking it from his mind as he gathers power into his bow and fires another ethereally-shrouded arrow at the giant.
Humble skitters back, worried now, and lays on hands himself.