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Gnimish and Jack begin a stage combat the likes of which none in the audience have ever seen before. They’re aided in their brawl by Melania pointing out stage hazards and Pawero redirecting the lighting. Schek adds to the scenery amid all the chaos. The dance ends, and no one in the audience suspects that anything is amiss….
Save for the earlier two pranks, the rest of the show has gone smoothly—perhaps too smoothly. During the final act, the Raven, played by Morgan, rushes through the town square alongside their white-masked companion, who has just been liberated from an unwanted wedding. The background scenery is pushed out systematically, to give the feeling of great distance covered, but the would-be groom and his allies still chase the pair with their swords drawn.
The scenery changes faster and magical lights start flashing. When the movement stops, the Raven and the Bride face those chasing them as they are joined by reinforcements. As the choreographed fight starts, a second trap door in the stage unexpectedly springs open, and a draconic sprite, a demented fairy, and another fey emerge onto the stage. The audience isn’t sure what to make of this bizarre development, but the show must go on!
From the wings, J asks Schek, Pawero and Melania to go out onto the stage as “reinforcements” for the Raven and to deal with the interloping fey. “Draw their ire, if you can; fight them, so long as you keep the students safe.”
Morgan chimes in with a stage-whispered request. “We want to end this on our terms. For some of us, it’s our last performance before graduation. Please do what you can to make it look like it’s all part of the show.”
Stage Combat Final Exam
Map note: The audience is to the left of the slide where the fey's enlarged images are.
Conditions: none.
BOLD May Act
Gnimish
Umberweed (Purple)
Pawero
Plaguetooth (Yellow)
Melania
Schek
Green
Blackfeather Jack
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The crowd - being mostly Pathfinder parents/agents themselves - reacts positively to Gnimish’s improv, but also somewhat confused that there should be Pathfinders written into this show. The gnome’s shot with the marbles doesn’t land the way his improv did, though, just barely missing Plaguetooth.
”Pathfinders! Those pests? Again? They keep showing up to ruin all the best pranks! Don’t they have a sense of humor?” the Purple skinned one laments. ”Well, since you’re here, let’s play,” he calls out and flies straight toward Gnimish, the gnome having been the one to announce the presence of those meddling kids Pathfinders. He swings a sythe that looks too big for him to hold
Having sliced open the humorless gnome (in his eyes), he then tries to take a bite
Stage Combat Final Exam
Map note: The audience is to the left of the slide where the fey's enlarged images are.
Conditions: none.
BOLD May Act
Gnimish
Umberweed (Purple)
Pawero
Plaguetooth (Yellow)
Melania
Schek
Green
Blackfeather Jack
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Pawero seems at a loss about the fairy and is similarly unable to get a good read on the little beastie’s moves to strike it. So he switches up and flings a shuriken at Plaguetooth. At least that hits and evinces a shriek of pain.
Hey, you, stop that. Really, I mean, stop it. Why don’t you just take a little nap,” Plaguetooth tells Pawero as he casts a spell.
He then moves closer to Pawero in anticipation that his spell will work.
Stage Combat Final Exam
Map note: The audience is to the left of the slide where the fey's enlarged images are.
Conditions: none.
BOLD May Act
Gnimish
Umberweed (Purple)
Pawero
Plaguetooth (Yellow)
Melania
Schek
Green
Blackfeather Jack
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Entering the stage, Schek improvises some lines that go with the running show to distract the audience.
"Yes, ye distractors be out of the scene! Ye shall not win against love! Or dancing! Or anything ye want to do!" he yells out.
He then looks at Yellow and focuses on it as his prey, giving it a menacing look to scare it. "You! Shall! Not! Succeed!"
vs Yellow's Will DC.
◆ Special Action
◆ Hunt Prey (Yellow, +1 to AC vs Prey’s attack)
◆ Demoralize with Intimidating Glare
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”Hey, now, we’re… we’re … just trying to have some fun,” Plaguetooth (Yellow) whines as Schek puts the fear of Pathfinders into him.
Pawero manages to shake off most of the sleepiness, but it’s been a really long day. His eyes droop a bit, and he has a little trouble focusing, but he’s still hanging in there.
Suddenly the stage lights up with the crack of twin electricity bolts flying at the fey.
In spite of their tiny size and natural nimbleness, Melania clearly caught them unawares, and they each take the full brunt of her attack. Plaguetooth is looking pretty bad and is frightened to boot.
Having zapped him, Melania seems the most logical target. Yellow flies straight up into her face and tries to stab her twice with his little sword.
Stage Combat Final Exam
Map note: The audience is to the left of the slide where the fey's enlarged images are.
Conditions: none.
BOLD May Act
Gnimish
Umberweed (Purple)
Pawero
Plaguetooth (Yellow)
Melania
Schek
Green
Blackfeather Jack
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”The joke is on you, ruffian! For you see, I am *not* Lord Snobbington, but rather…”
Jack casts aside his fancy-pants costume with a flourish, revealing his farmer’s garb underneath.
”…his long-lost twin brother, the scarecrow from Act One, who is really…”
He casts aside his rural clothes, to reveal the leathers he usually wears. A fire ignites inside his head, lighting up his eyes and mouth. He opens his arms wide, and a dozen blackened wicker crows with flaming eyes fly out of his sleeves. They circle around him, cawing and wheeling.
”…Blackfeather Jack of the Pathfinder Society! That’s right, I’m the dude, dressed as a dude, disguised as another dude! And your days of hooliganism are over!”
One of the crows flies on a collision course with Umberweed.
B
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Gnimish takes a step back to put the fey in his face out of range. "That stung!" he growls. Then his face brightens. "But that lets me use this spell I learned when I first started out! So I guess I get to thank you for the opportunity! Eat garlic fumes, creep!"
Gnimish takes a deep breath and exhales a cone of flame in Purple's face.
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Jack does two on-stage quick-changes and the crowd oohs and ahhs in appreciation of the twists and turns in the storyline. But Umberweed seems unimpressed and just rolls his eyes at Jack. That is until the crow slams into his chest.
”More Pathfinders! You people breed like jinkins,” Umberweed cries out to the dismay of the Green jinkin who pouts at the common First World stereotype of his kind.
”Hurtful,” the little-r one mumbles, though only Melania can really hear him.
Gnimish steps back and breathes fire at the meany, who dodges some of it.
”So you wanna compare bad breath?” he asks Gnimish? ”Now we’re talking fun!” He takes a tiny deep breath and blows magical dust all over Gnimish in return, before snapping his fingers and doing a little dance.
Stage Combat Final Exam
Map note: The audience is to the left of the slide where the fey's enlarged images are.
Conditions: none.
BOLD May Act
Gnimish
Umberweed (Purple)
Pawero
Plaguetooth (Yellow)
Melania
Schek
Green
Blackfeather Jack
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The dust settles over Gnimish’s form, and he shakes his head as if wondering what’s going on…
Pawero finally gets a read on the nearest fey. Hey, it’s a tooth fairy! You’d know important stuff about how to defeat this enemy, but your spell knocks it unconscious, and it falls to the ground asleep.
It seems the fey are also dealing non-lethal damage. Looking closely at your now snoring opponent, you can see that they're wearing pins just like yours, likely stolen from students.
Stage Combat Final Exam
Map note: The audience is to the left of the slide where the fey's enlarged images are.
Conditions: none.
BOLD May Act
Gnimish
Umberweed (Purple)
Pawero
Plaguetooth (Yellow)
Melania
Schek
Green
Blackfeather Jack
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Melania burns the little one in her face and prepares for it to retaliate. It’s looking ready to keel over at any moment.
Umberweed is so caught by surprise at Schek’s sudden threat that he begins literally shaking in his boots. His wings flutter in agitation as he looks away from the scary kobold and back to Gnimish. ”Please don’t let the dragon eat me. That’s a horrible way to die,” he pleads.
Melania’s dance partner joins in the fun of making this about the show, and stabs at her as if he was on the Groom’s side. ”Hehe, haha, we’re gonna get the Lady back!”
Two misses and one tiny scratch later, he sighs. ”Well, maybe she should just marry the Raven anyway.”
Stage Combat Final Exam
Map note: The audience is to the left of the slide where the fey's enlarged images are.
Conditions: none.
BOLD May Act
Gnimish
Umberweed (Purple)
Pawero
Plaguetooth (Yellow)
Melania
Schek
Green
Blackfeather Jack
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The crowd oohs and aahs at Jack’s fireworks special effects. One “sparkler” hits Umberweed, but the other narrowly misses the mook fey. Gnimish seems strangely confused at what’s going on, but knows he’s injured and heals himself.
Umberweed looks at the three Pesky Pathfinders tormenting him. Jack’s bird just burned him, Schek tried to scare him, and Gnimish… Heh, he’s already “afflicted” and no more fun. ”One for each of you!” he declares as he steps a little closer to Jack then tosses sparkling jabs at Jack and Schek.
Stage Combat Final Exam
Map note: The audience is to the left of the slide where the fey's enlarged images are.
Conditions: none.
BOLD May Act
Gnimish
Umberweed (Purple)
Pawero
Melania
Schek
Green
Blackfeather Jack
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"Face me and feel the wrath of my..." Schek throws his line as part of the show, though he is not sure if it is the right line to say. "This is how you do it!" he then performs a skillful use of his weapon in front of the audience to distract them.
in front of the audience
"But wait, there's more!" he then turns his gaze to Purple, his prey.
"You shall receive punishment for your crimes! Out ye be here, evil!" he exclaims after empowering his weapon with the might of gravity and launches it to his prey
vs Prey
P damage (+2 w Gravity Weapon)
◆ Perform
◆ Gravity Weapon
◆ Strike
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Schek stumbles over his lines, but the audience of Pathfinder parents, mentors and staff accept it and go along with it. His grapnel takes a little nick out of Umberweed’s shoulder. Melania, on the other hand, extends her claw-hands but can’t hit the wily fey pestering her.
That’s okay, cause Pawero’s got her back. He sinks a shuriken into Green’s butt, and it falls to the floor. The investigator strikes a heroic pose as a Defender of the Raven and True Love, and the crowd applauds appreciatively.
Stage Combat Final Exam
Map note: The audience is to the left of the slide where the fey's enlarged images are.
Conditions: none.
BOLD May Act
Gnimish
Umberweed (Purple)
Pawero
Melania
Schek
Green
Blackfeather Jack
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Jack looks over at Gnimish, trying to figure out what happened to him.
”Some spirit hath possessed my worthy friend?
I cannot tell, nor hope your soul to mend!
Though I should beg your help on Hallows Eve,
I know the ghost would beg you to deceive!”
He then turns angrily toward Umberweed.
”Away with your phantasmagoric curse,
Before I make your pain and suff’ring worse!”
Another crow dive bombs the hapless fae.
B
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The audience claps in open admiration of Jack’s poetry, then they all sigh in unison with him when his crow flies right past Umberweed. Another audible sigh resounds when Umberweed dodges Gnimish’s ball of lightning.
”Oh, come to attend the wedding?” Umberweed asks Pawero as they both move towards each other and the center of the stage. ”Well, you’re too late, cause we’re calling this wedding off!” he cries as he throws sparks at Jack and Pawero.
Stage Combat Final Exam
Map note: The audience is to the left of the slide where the fey's enlarged images are.
Conditions: none.
BOLD May Act
Gnimish
Umberweed (Purple)
Pawero
Melania
Schek
Blackfeather Jack
|
|
"Take in your last breath and join your comrades!" Schek tells Purple Umberweed as he launches his weapon toward his prey.
vs Prey
P damage
vs Prey
P damage
He then backflips to show the audience he is more than attacking enemies, trying to land with both feet on the ground.
◆ Strike
◆ Strike
◆ Special Action
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Jack dramatically falls to the floor at Umberweed’s attack, coughing.
”Everything is going dark”, he says feebly. ”Is that…is that my fair Iphigenia, gone these many years? At last we’ll be together again, my love! I shall shuffle off this mortal coil, and…”
Then he’s healed by Melenia. He shakes his head quickly.
”Whew, that was close!”, he exclaims. ”And now, take this, you dastardly cur!”
A crow hurtles toward the hapless fae.
B
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Scheks tosses his grapnel twice and backflips across the stage. Gnimish flips a prop across the stage, and the crowd gasps at the cool special effects. Melania brings some relief to Jack’s wounds as she closes on Umberweed. Pawero needs to hit the books and study up on fey, but he does manage to hit Umberweed. Jack’s final crow does the trick, and the insolent fey falls to the ground.
Just then the crowd roars with a thunderous standing ovation! You realize the play has just ended with the elopement of the Raven and his Bride. The real actors begin taking their bows, and the students pull each of you up to the front to share in the glory and the moment.
When the curtain falls for the final time, Dacilane and Pappy Draighean come backstage. ”Thank you, on behalf of the students, the parents, and the Academy for your help today,” J begins. ”Aye, thank ‘ee for roundin’ these up. They won’t be causin’ you lot no more problems. I promise ‘ee that,” he finishes with a serious nod to J.
Inkbloom steps up nervously to speak to J. ”Sir, I know my associates caused a lot of problems here, but it would be a real honor to attend your Academy. I’ve talked to Pappy about this, and he agrees that I could also act as a representative of the fey, just in case…” Pappy Draighean nods again in agreement.
J considers the request and looks to you. After telling him what happened and what you learned from Inkbloom in the balcony, J assents to the young draxie’s request. Elated, Inkbloom thanks J and you all before darting away to collect his belongings before the caravan departs.
Pappy Draighean shakes J’s hand and then takes Umberweed, Plaguetooth, and the other mischievous fey away, dragging the former two by their ears.
”I fear that you bore the brunt of the fey attention and hostility during the show. As thanks and rewards, I would like to gift each of you with one of these. I hope that you will remember us here at the Academy,” J says as he presents each of you with a fine dagger, its pommel stamped with the symbol of the Dacilane Academy.