“Chance” Ravennablitz's page

I know I’ve been a big part of the problem, but I appreciate all of the effort you’ve put into the campaign - and that of my fellow players. Best wishes to all of you.

Crying uncontrollably, Chance stumbles away from the blue-garbed devil (and the area of its spell), before stammering out another chorus of his courageous anthem. Hoping to give Vitalis more room to maneuver, the gnome moves the phantom orchestra to the south (but still covering the green devil).

◆: Stride 15'
◆: Cast a Focus Spell, Courageous Anthem
◆: Sustain a Spell, Phantom Orchestra
Sonic damage vs. Green (DC32 basic Fort): 8d6 ⇒ (4, 2, 6, 2, 5, 4, 4, 3) = 30

"From the defeat of Barzy's goons
To our beating of Ex-Mayor Thrune..."

Chance darts forward and picks up his riff on the Song of Silver to inspire his friends while maintaining the discordant cacophony for the yellow and green devils.

◆: Stride 25'
◆: Cast a Focus Spell, Courageous Anthem
◆: Sustain a Spell, Phantom Orchestra
Sonic damage vs. Yellow & Green (DC32 basic Fort): 8d6 ⇒ (5, 2, 4, 1, 6, 1, 3, 5) = 27
↻: Fortuitous Shift (if triggered)

Chance tries to identify the four-armed devils, then summons a host of discordant notes long imprisoned in the eternal winds of the Plane of Air and sets them free on the far side of the pit (10' burst catching green and yellow).

◆: Recall Knowledge
◆◆: Cast a spell, Phantom Orchestra
Sonic damage (DC32 basic Fort): 8d6 ⇒ (6, 2, 6, 1, 3, 4, 2, 5) = 29
↻: Fortuitous Shift (if triggered)

Chance switches to a new song, one which echoes a familiar melody, before insulting the devils (or remaining devil) once more.

"Can you feel the people fight?
Fighting for ev'ry Kintargan.
It is the drumbeat of a people
Who won't bow to devils again!"

“How did you two even get this job? Worst doormen EVER!”

◆: Cast a focus spell, Silver's Refrain
◆: Biting Words (3rd rank), second attack
Ranged Spell Attack vs Blue, sonic dmg: 1d20 + 22 ⇒ (18) + 22 = 406d6 ⇒ (1, 2, 1, 5, 5, 4) = 18
◆: Stride
↻: Fortuitous Shift (if triggered)

"You might lose your minds,
'Cause the dead will come for vengeance..."

Chance continues his song, then aims the Dischordance at the blue devil.

“Your contracts are filled with typos and your executions lack finesse!”

◆: Cast a focus spell, Courageous Anthem
◆◆: Cast a Spell, Biting Words
Ranged Spell Attack, sonic dmg: 1d20 + 22 + 1 ⇒ (17) + 22 + 1 = 406d6 ⇒ (2, 5, 5, 3, 5, 6) = 26
↻: Fortuitous Shift (if triggered)

CORRECTION

"Working for Hell's lawyer,
What a way to spend eternity!..."

Chance starts singing one of his inspiring tunes then concentrates for a moment to start Reprisal's Sacred Glow. Retcon - GM reminded me that Jilia would have taken her frakking sword back: casts his favorite spell. A glowing skeletal apparition appears before the damned bureaucrats and, with unnaturally long, ectoplasmic fingers, reaches for their throats!

◆: Cast a focus spell, Courageous Anthem
◆◆: Cast a spell, Pernicious Poltergeist (5th rank) {Frighten: DC 32 Will vs. frightened 2}
↻: Fortuitous Shift (if triggered) {already rolled in prior post}DC11 flat check: 11 = 11

"Working for Hell's lawyer,
What a way to spend eternity!..."

Chance starts singing one of his inspiring tunes then concentrates for a moment to start Reprisal's Sacred Glow.

◆: Cast a spell, Courageous Anthem
◆◆: Activate an Item, Sacred Glow
↻: Fortuitous Shift (if triggered)

I'll take it!

It’s yours!

Chance’s purchases:

Charm of fire resistance, greater -$975
Quenching rune (sold) +$125
Quenching rune, greater -$1000
Dischordance upgrade to level 13 -$2300 (holding cash until we have the opportunity)
Pendant of the occult, greater -$650
Pendant of the occult, sold +$30
Wand of object reading (4th rank) -$700

I'll finish Chance's equipment purchases today. I think I'm going to buy a greater charm of fire resistance - before I sell/trade it in, does anyone want Chance's current regular charm (provides 5 points of fire resistance)?

Thought I posted this last night, I apologize: Chance would like the wand of status (4th rank) and a +2 weapon potency rune and greater striking rune for his shortbow; he'll sell the +1 potency rune currently on the bow and move the striking rune to the Dischordance.

For the wand of status, Chance will cast the spell each day on the other three PCs, but also on as many of the main allied NPCs as he is interacting with around the start of a given day: Octavio, Rexus, Jilia, Lady Dolicur, Shensen, Jackdaw. Anyone I'm forgetting?

Chance casts Loremaster's Etude before each Recall Knowledge check.

Bardic Lore vs. Kintargo Contract (DC 30): 1d20 + 19 ⇒ (5) + 19 = 241d20 + 19 ⇒ (10) + 19 = 29

Bardic Lore vs. Hellmouths (DC 25): 1d20 + 19 ⇒ (15) + 19 = 341d20 + 19 ⇒ (11) + 19 = 30

Bardic Lore vs. Fallen Fastness of Dis and Odexidie (DC 23): 1d20 + 19 ⇒ (2) + 19 = 211d20 + 19 ⇒ (19) + 19 = 38
Nothing to add.

"There must be something in the contract that's specifically about ruling Kintargo, otherwise there's no reason for Barzy to go through all this and then risk us handing him his butt." Chance shakes his head. "We're sure that was really him, right? We didn't just see another body double lose his head?"

"He was just a man," she mutters to herself, echoing something she said a long time ago. "And a man can be killed."

“He was just a man, before. I’m not sure you can say that about what we just fought. A man should bleed when his arm gets cut off, shouldn’t he?” Chance shudders and wiped burned hair off his face. “Something kept him alive until it didn’t. If it was Mephistopheles, why? We stopped the ritual required under his contract! Did the bastard sign another one?”

He kicks at an overturned tankard, abandoned at the start of the massacre. “OK, nobody needs my ranting. Let’s pick up the pieces and help the survivors, and then figure out who to make sure Barzy stays dead this time.”

Chance allows his melody to fade for the moment, but keeps Reprisal’s Sacred Glow alive.

Hoping to take advantage of the former Lord-Mayor’s immobilization, he summons a host of discordant notes long imprisoned in the eternal winds of the Plane of Air and sets them free at the center of the bridge, in the space surrounding Barzillai (or at least, the creature that was once Barzillai Thrune).

◆: Sustain activation, Sacred Glow
◆◆: Cast a spell, Phantom Orchestra (yellow outline)
Sonic damage (DC32 basic Fort): 8d6 ⇒ (2, 6, 1, 2, 1, 3, 3, 6) = 24
◇: Automatic Knowledge vs. Barzillai: Occultism, Assured Knowledge: 10 + 13 + 6 = 29
↻: Fortuitous Shift (if triggered)

@GM: You probably caught this, but Chance’s armor has a quenching rune, which lowers the flat check to end persistent fire and acid damage from 15 to 12 (presumably this won’t apply until Chance is out of Rivozair’s hellfire AoE).

“Hasn’t Kintargo humiliated you enough? Why would you ever come back? Go be Lord Mayor of East Nowheresville, that would more your speed! You think you can rule Kintargans? You aren’t fit to clean our boots!”

Chance continues his courageous anthem and sustains Reprisal’s Sacred Glow, then walks a few steps closer to Kintargo’s erstwhile Lord Mayor (to catch Barzillai in the radius of the Sacred Glow).

◆: Cast a spell, courageous anthem
◆: Sustain an activation, Sacred Glow
◆: Stride
↻: Fortuitous Shift (if triggered)

Chance's courageous anthem cuts off with a long, eerie wail. Even after he closes his mouth, the discordant howl echoes off the water until it sounds as though someone - or something - is responding in kind.

A cyclone created from an amalgam of screaming, vengeful spirits swirls in the center of the bridge, brutally strong gusts smashing into Rivozair and Barzillai.

◆◆◆: Cast a spell, Tempest of Shades (DC 31* Fort Save)
* Includes adjustment for Frightened value.

The incarnate creature* is the light blue square, but the effect of the spell is a 60' emanation around it, which is larger than the current map. Also, for my fellow players: the incarnate creature* doesn't block movement.
(* Not actually a creature, or at least not fully.)

↻: Fortuitous Shift (if triggered)

For an instant, Chance freezes at the sight of the returning dragon. At Jilia's shout, he snaps to attention, drops his coffee and snatches Reprisal out of the air. He casts a spell to bolster his comrades' hearts (and his own) against the fear the dragon inspires before running across the bridge and backs up against the wall of one of the structures built along the side of the span.

Round 0

"Oh, $%*&!"
◆◆: Cast a spell, Zealous Conviction (hoping to catch as many of the PCs in the radius as possible before we spread out)
◆: Stride

If he takes damage from the ring of fire, so be it (has resistance 5 from his ring).

Round 1

A deep rage burns across his countenance as he shouts "I will be humiliated NO LONGER!!!"

"HEY, BARZY! IF YOU DIDN'T WANT TO BE HUMILIATED, YOU SHOULDN'T HAVE COME BACK!"

◇: Recall Knowledge vs. Rivozair (Occultism +25, Bardic Lore +20, includes +1 from Discern Secrets)

◆: Cast a focus spell, Courageous Anthem
Cast a spell, Inexhaustible Cynicism vs. Barzillai and Rivozair (DC 32 Will {adjust for Chance's frightened condition})
↻: Fortuitous Shift (if triggered)

Chance perches on the raised base for his statue nursing a mug of coffee for most of the celebration and lets people who want to talk to him find him there; he’s too tired to fight his way through the crowd of longshanks today.

“So apparently, we got the attention of the god of Hell, and Vitalis thinks he may cause us problems down the road,” he says to Laria Longroad. “But really, what’s the worst thing that could happen, just from being on an angry evil god’s bad side? Right, right, don’t answer that.”

He looks in the direction of the opera house. “I guess the Academy will reopen at some point soon, Now that I’m famous and all, do you think they’d let me back in?”

Chance yelps at the flash of light and the creature barely glimpsed through the glare in the next room.

“Ha! No thank you! Not going to fight you today! Go home! Shoo!”

◇: Cast Loremaster’s Etude
◆: Recall Knowledge (Occultism +24/Bardic Lore +19)
◆◆: Cast Banishment (heightened to 7th rank)
↻: Fortuitous Shift (if triggered)

I know that I have been a big part of the problem for the past 6-12 months (at least?), and I apologize. Work has been unusually draining - I just left the office and realized that before I started to pack up, I hadn’t gotten up from my desk at all in 5-6 hours. But I think I’m getting closer to finding a better balance.

Xavier, I would like to keep going, but I’d also understand if you make another decision.

Chance opens his mouth to sing, but rather than a jaunty inspirational tune, he emits a discordant wail. If there are words in his song, they are unrecognizable as any form of language, but the eerie melody gives the clear impression that the gnome is calling something.

Gale-force winds made up of howling faces swirl around the southeastern quarter of the belfry; they buffet Asmoden but Vitalis, Jisara, and Edrakk feel only the faintest of breezes.

◆◆◆: Cast a spell, Tempest of Shades (DC 32 Fort Save)
↻: Fortuitous Shift (if triggered)

It’s a weird interaction for sure. The void trait says “Effects with this trait heal undead creatures with void energy, deal void damage to living creatures, or manipulate void energy.” This would obviously apply the “manipulate void energy” thing. It’s a weird flavoring, but it technically still functions against undead. Sorta like absorbing their void energy, which fuels their unlife, to add into the tempest.

It’s a very WEIRD situation, but I’d give it to you.

Thanks!

Does a spell effect with the Void trait that doesn’t cause HP or ability damage affect undead differently from the living, when the spell description refers to “enemy creatures” as the targets?

In particular, Tempest of Shades seems fun and flavorful and has the advantage of long range, but it’s tagged with the “Negative” trait.

Related question, if the spell would work at all: are undead generally immune to the Drained condition? I haven’t seen anything specific saying they are, but it seems weird that they wouldn’t be.

The crowd erupts into a riot and spills out of the gallery into the well of the courtroom. Chance turns to see the reaction of the "judge" and realizes that the bench and the man behind it have shrunk to gnome-like proportions. He has only a momentary glimpse of the expression of horror on Barzilai's face before the spectators swarm over the miniaturized bench and tear him to pieces.

Chance opens his eyes and is back in the belfry, the bell next to him still and silent.

Chance tries to cough out the last of his nausea and, voice ragged, picks up his inspirational tune.

◆: Retch
Fortitude, sickened 1 (DC 33): 1d20 + 21 - 1 ⇒ (13) + 21 - 1 = 33

◆: Cast a spell, courageous anthem

The gnome takes a deep breath, closes his eyes, and reaches out to touch Bell #3.

◆: Interact

Chance opens his eyes and looks around. He finds himself in a cavernous courtroom. The walls are paneled in dark wood and with the shutters closed over the windows, the only light comes from dozens of sputtering, smoky torches in sconces along the walls, and the ceiling is so high that the dim light from the torches cannot reach it. Through the shuttered windows, he can hear the angry rumbling of a crowd outside the courthouse.

Chance realizes with a start that he is standing in the dock. There is nobody sitting at the table for the defense attorneys, but there is no one at the prosecutor's table either. The jury box across from him is empty. He reaches up to the rail surrounding the dock - are they always this high? - and prepares to vault over it when a voice booms out from the other side of the courtroom.

"Order in the court! All rise for the honorable Judge Barzillai Thrune!"

Chance freezes, then turns slowly to stare up at the judge who has suddenly appeared behind the bench, which is so comically tall that the gnome has to tilt back so far to see the judge that he nearly topples backwards. The Honorable Barzillai Thrune glares down at him, then slams his gavel - which looks suspiciously like a mace - onto the bench in front of him. Rather than bringing the court to order, however, the echoing crack of the gavel triggers a wave of jeers and insults from the gallery. Chance glances at the audience and is horrified to find that he is being excoriated by a crowd of his closest friends and comrades in arms. Edrakk screeches at him, sharpening his knives. Jisara gives Chance a cruel smile, then whispers something to Thatch, who hisses at him. Vitalis - Vitalis! - is red-faced with rage, his commanding voice rises over the rest of the crowd to condemn him. Shensen. Jilia. Jackdaw. Octavio. Lady Docur. Laria Longroad. All of the Silver Ravens, and everyone who has helped them along the way.

"You stand accused of associating with the traitorous and treasonous Silver Ravens, and of engaging in terrorism against the crown of Cheliax. The penalty is death. You have one chance to make your case before you are sentenced. How do you plead?" Thrune is practically shouting, the saliva flying from his mouth visible even from his great height.

What's the worst that could happen? Roll the dice. Chance takes a slow breath to calm his racing heart, and another, then he begins to speak to the gallery, ignoring Barzilai.

"Thank you, your honor, and may it please the court, I will, absolutely, enter my plea. It would be a waste of the court's time and resources, however, to enter a plea to the charges leveled against me without providing the court with the context and at least the highlights of the relevant facts supporting these accusations.

"I am Fortunato Pineapple-Umbria Phantasmagorius Ravennablitz, and those who know me call me Chance. I am a proud native of Kintargo, and my parents lived and worked and loved here long before Abrogail the First murdered her way onto the throne of Cheliax. I remember life in Kintargo before the Thrunes deigned to notice our city, let alone claimed the right to rule over us."

He looks up at Barzilai briefly, then turns back to the audience. "Claimed the right to rule over us. I don't know what's more pathetic: Barzy's claim to any authority over anything beyond the end of his nose, or his idea of what it means to rule. He calls me a terrorist, accuses me of treason, and for what? What have I done to support these so serious, capital charges?

The gnome holds up a finger. "First, I attended the protest at Aria Park, what seems like decades ago. No, that's not right. I am a SURVIVOR of the protest at Aria Park, where Barzilai Thrune, who claims the right to rule over us, unleashed his goons on the people of Kintargo for the crime of questioning his sanity-challenged proclamations! I know none of the spectators here today were present for that treasonous event, BUT I REMEMBER THE TASTE OF MINT!"

Chance holds up another finger. "Second, I joined with other survivors to free prisoners being tortured by Barzy's goons! Some of those prisoners were members of the notorious Order of the Torrent! I am certain that many of those in audience today remember the many crimes of these supposed Hellknights, who would go around looking for kidnap victims and pursuing justice, the nefarious bastards!

"Third, I and other survivors of Aria Park continued to work together to protect our fellow Kintargans from the depredations of Barzy and the rest of the Thrunes, even going so far as to take for ourselves the famous name of an earlier group of traitors, the Silver Ravens, so there could be no doubt in the minds of the citizenry about who we are!

He continues in that vein, his voice growing hoarse, counting off the achievements of the Silver Ravens. Saving most - sadly, not all - of the attendees at Barzy's masquerade ball the Lord Mayor's attempted mass sacrifice. Forcing open the Bleakbridge over the Yolubilis River. Slaying a dragon.

"I admit to all of these acts - and many more. So for my plea, I say if my actions are treason, then I AM GUILTY! And if you are not -" he points to the audience "- then I ask you, WHY NOT? WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR?"

Diplomacy: 1d20 + 25 ⇒ (11) + 25 = 36

The slowly flapping wings on Chance’s sandals suddenly speed up until they’re nothing but blurs on the sides of his feet. The gnome rises a few inches off the floor of the belfry and he zips over to the next bell #2. Before putting himself through whatever this bell has to offer, he tries to slow at least a little of his bleeding.

◆◆: Fly x2
◆: Battle Medicine
Medicine vs DC 15, sickened 1: 1d20 + 16 - 1 ⇒ (10) + 16 - 1 = 25
Battle Medicine, critical success: 4d8 ⇒ (1, 8, 6, 5) = 20
↻: Fortuitous Shift (if triggered)

It didn't work?!? Ugh, of course it didn't work.

Still doubled over, Chance sticks a finger into his throat, trying to force himself into expelling whatever's making him feel so awful.

Besides the bleeding, and the nearly-deafening bells, and that horrifying hallucination of torture, that is.

◆: Retch
Fortitude, sickened 2 (DC 33): 1d20 + 21 - 2 ⇒ (11) + 21 - 2 = 30

Feh. Trying again.
◆: Retch
Fortitude, sickened 2 (DC 33): 1d20 + 21 - 2 ⇒ (17) + 21 - 2 = 36

Chance straightens, feeling at least a little better.

OK, once more into Hell. At least I know what I'm aiming for, this time. The gnome reaches out a hand and touches the Devil's Bell #1.

Scene change!

Turns out that knowing what to expect doesn't always make things easier. Once again, Chance finds himself held to a table while fiends and fiend-followers subject him to the most painful tortures. Having had the experience before does allow him to be ready for Grivenner's appearance and instead of hesitating, this time Chances thrusts Reprisal forward immediately.

◆: Strike, sickened 1 (vs AC 35): 1d20 + 23 - 1 ⇒ (17) + 23 - 1 = 39

Chance continues his inspiring song before hot-footing it off the burning section of the belfry floor towards Bell #1.

◆: Cast a spell, courageous anthem
◆: Stride

All I have to do is touch it, right?

“Jisara!” Chance shouts across the flaming belfry. “Is there a trick to it? Or is this really all there is to it?”

◆: Interact
Without waiting for an answer, Chance reaches out, lays a hand on the bell… and screams as he finds himself in a sulfurous dungeon, strapped to a rack, being tortured by capering fiends an mad Asmodean priests. A familiar face swims into view amidst the frenzied devils and devil-worshippers, fighting for room to slice him, stab him, stretch his limbs and every fresh wound burns burns gods it burns but that’s the old priest who led the ritual in the temple - Constantin Grivenner? Isn’t he dead? - and he’s leading the torturers, telling them where to strike next.

Chance raises an arm to ward off the next blow and finds he is still clutching Reprisal. He thrusts the blade at Grivenner’s face, hoping only to buy a moment without any new agony.

Strike + courageous anthem vs AC 35: 1d20 + 23 + 1 ⇒ (6) + 23 + 1 = 30

Chance’s tormentors yank his arm down and one devil holds it down, while other fiends redouble their attacks on every part of his body. The pain washes over him a tsunami, he closes his eyes and shrieks…
… and opens them again to see that he is standing in the belfry, one hand resting on bell #1, while the battle rages on around him. He doubles over, nauseated from the echoes of his real? imagined? suffering.

◇: Recall Knowledge vs Devil's Bells (Bardic Lore, discern secrets): 1d20 + 19 + 1 ⇒ (4) + 19 + 1 = 24
World's a Stage reroll
◇: Recall Knowledge vs Devil's Bells (Bardic Lore, discern secrets): 1d20 + 19 + 1 ⇒ (6) + 19 + 1 = 26
Whew!

"We need to deal with Asmoden and his backup band, but shutting down the bells will be a whole project after that!"

Chance turns towards the nearest bell ringer (Red) and gives it a nasty grin before starting to sing.

"We don't take no prisoners, won't spare their lives
They're barely puttin' up a fight
We'll kill these fiends, they'll never get back to Hell
We'll stop these bells, these Devil's Bells

Oh, Dev'l's bells
Yeah, Dev'l's bells
We'll stop them ringin' Devil's bells
Finish Barzillai, no more Devil's bells!"

◆: Cast a spell, Courageous Anthem
◆: Strike vs. Red
Reprisal vs unholy, courageous anthem: 1d20 + 23 ⇒ (4) + 23 = 272d6 + 1 + 2d4 ⇒ (3, 3) + 1 + (1, 4) = 12

◆: Hover (Fly)
↻: Fortuitous Shift (if triggered)

The bell directly behind Asmoden Bell #1 rings, and the sound of tormented souls shrieking out fill the belfry, repeating random clauses from countless broken contracts both real and imagined. Ring Out: Bell of Torment

This is technically an auditory effect, so Chance can use counter performance. Vitalis takes a -2 circumstance penalty to his save because he’s a holy creature.

↻: Counter Performance Performance: 1d20 + 24 ⇒ (1) + 24 = 25

“Gross!” Chance tries to figure out what in all the Hells Asmoden is before activating Cayden’s holy light on Reprisal.

◇: Cast a Focus Spell, Loremaster’s Etude
Flat check: 1d20 ⇒ 13
◆: Recall Knowledge vs. Asmoden (Bardic Lore +19, Occultism +24, best of 2)
◆◆: Activate an Item, Sacred Glow

Chance's prebuffs:

- Chance activates his Winged Sandals (30' fly speed for 10 minutes) so Jisara can prepare something else in that spell slot.
- As always, he starts the day by casting false vitality (rank 2) for +10 temporary hit points (8 hours).
- Immediately before the Silver Ravens fly up to the belfry, he casts zealous conviction on everyone for 12 temp HP and +2 status bonus to Will saves vs. mental effects (I assume Chance can't include himself among the targets, but will happily take the benefit if @GM disagrees) and death ward on himself for a +4 status bonus to saves against death and negative effects, negative resistance 10, and suppression of the effects of the doomed condition. Each spell has a duration of 10 minutes.

I'll post Chance's turn this afternoon.

I can prep fly if we're resting, though if I give that to all of us then that takes up all my 4th-rank slots.

Chance has winged sandals, which gives him fly for 10 minutes once a day, so that should save one spell slot.

As for Corinstian's body, maybe Edrakk could make a Medicine check if there's anything peculiar about it?

Chance to level 13:

New spells (Rank 7): Inexhaustible Cynicism, Tempest of Shades
Skill increase: Diplomacy from Expert to Master
Ancestry Feat: Life Leap (it’s a 9th level feat, but there is only 1 feat at level 13 that Chance is eligible for, and it doesn’t really fit his theme and overlaps too much with Unexpected/Fortuitous Shift).
Other class features at level 13: Light Armor Expertise, Weapon Specialization (+2 to damage with weapons in which Chance has Expert proficiency, which are martial weapons, simple weapons, and unarmed attacks - thanks, Remaster!)

I’ll update Chance’s statblock and taglines in the morning.

Chance sits against one of the big steps in a pool of blood - mostly his - and glares at everyone. He casts soothe on himself once or twice to heal the worst of his wounds, then spent the rest of the hour fiddling with a vial of healing potion that he can't bring himself to drink.

Chance groans when the pain storms across his mind again. ”Have at it! I can’t take much more of this.“

Eyes streaming, he flies away from the munagola and lands on the floor on the other side of Vitalis. He searches the area for hidden threats, and spares a thought to keep Reprisal’s light alive.

◆: Fly
◆: Seek
◆: Sustain an Activation (Sacred Glow)
↻: Fortuitous Shift (if triggered)

Chance drops down 10 feet and flies to a more central spot. He calls on Reprisal's light to put the fear of the Lucky Drunk into the devils before gritting his teeth and bracing himself for another splitting headache.

◆: Fly
◆◆: Activate Item, Sacred Glow
↻: Fortuitous Shift (if triggered)

"Keep back!"

Chance glares suspiciously at Vitalis, Jisara, and Edrakk, then flies closer to the chanting priests and lets a pernicious poltergeist fly through them (light blue border on the map), throwing the dropped weapons and other gear of the recently deceased into the crowd in a maelstrom of debris.

◆: Fly
◆◆: Cast a spell, Pernicious Poltergeist (rank 4)
Telekinetic Storm (force damage, DC 31 basic Reflex save): 4d8 ⇒ (5, 6, 6, 5) = 22
↻: Fortuitous Shift (if triggered)

Next time Chance levels up, he's going to learn to cast Schadenfreude and will include it as one of his regular reactions.

Hero point reroll, not that I expect it to work because the dice roll generator hates Chance:

Will save vs. inexhaustible cynicism: 1d20 + 20 ⇒ (3) + 20 = 23

Knew it.

Chance clicks his heels together three times and chants, “There’s no race ancestry like gnome! There’s no race ancestry like gnome! There’s no race ancestry like gnome!“

Wings sprout from his sandals. The gnome rises a few inches off of the step and flies towards Vitalis and Edrakk (maintaining his height at 20’).

◆◆: Activate winged sandals
◆: Fly
↻: Fortuitous Shift (if triggered)

"Definitely, let's stop the ritual next!" Chance thinks for a moment, then adds, "I don't suppose we could do that just by throwing fireballs or bombs down from here on the balcony?"

Occultism*: 1d20 + 23 ⇒ (19) + 23 = 42
*Chance's Bardic Lore modifier is +18 compared to +23 for Occultism, so the difference in the DC matches the difference between the skill modifiers

"I heard him shout Tiraq. Perhaps that's the name of someone he was speaking with? He could have made a deal with a devil. That's on point for a Thrune. And it's not like we aren't in a temple to Asmodeus right now. But with Barzillai out of the way. At least temporarily at least. I think it is time to put an end to this ritual. I don't know if the priests can still pull it off without Barzillai's presence but I'm not about to wait to find out."

"I'm pretty sure 'TIRAQ' was the command word to dismiss a ritual - not the ritual we're worried about. It's usually called 'gathering call,' and by dismissing it Barzy was whisked back to whatever safe house or sanctuary he set up in advance. He had heightened it a bit (8th rank), so it could handle more people, and more powerful people, too. I guess we had him worried."

I apologize for being out so long - I was tied up longer than expected with a trial and then got sick immediately afterwards (which happens when the adrenaline goes away).

Chance sustains the Sacred Glow and steps away from Green before swinging Reprisal at Blue.

◆: Sustain an activation
◆: Step
◆: Strike Strike: 1d20 + 22 ⇒ (15) + 22 = 372d6 - 1 + 2d4 ⇒ (5, 4) - 1 + (2, 2) = 12
↻: (whichever reaction is triggered first, if either):
↻: Shadow Projectile (Trigger an ally within 20 feet of you makes a ranged attack roll)
↻: Fortuitous Shift (if triggered) 

Chance continues his courageous anthem, then calls on the light of the Lucky Drunk’s sword to shine on the Grand Asmodean Inquisitor and his minions.

◆: Cast a spell, Courageous Anthem
◆◆: Activate Item, Sacred Glow
↻: (whichever reaction is triggered first, if either):
↻: Shadow Projectile (Trigger an ally within 20 feet of you makes a ranged attack roll)
↻: Fortuitous Shift (if triggered) 

Hope everyone had a good Thanksgiving! I’ll catch up & post in the morning - difficult couple of weeks at work.

”’Parody’?!” The antlered man says, suddenly gaining a burst of energy. ”Who…are you calling a ‘parody,’ you little…” Aaaand…proceeds to go off on a rage-fueled tirade using slurs that I will not repeat here because their use makes ME uncomfortable. Just imagine the stereotypical BLEEP censor every other word.

Chance starts to make a suggestion, something about getting the skelm out without killing it, but is interrupted by the fiend's misogynistic tirade.

"Never mind." The bard nods as Vitalis steps forward to put the skelm out of its misery.

Reroll from The World’s a Stage (only one left after this):
Occultism: 1d20 + 23 ⇒ (16) + 23 = 39
Finally!

Chance holds his breath and waits for the Hell Engine to shut down. After a few seconds, he cocks his head and looks around, finally turning his gaze down to the rune he tried to obliterate. After a moment, the gnome lets out a long sigh, smacks himself on the forehead, and starts walking back around the circle, checking the runes more slowly. When he stops, it’s almost exactly 180 degrees from where he stopped the first time. He nods to himself, drops to the floor, and once again uses his dagger to scratch out one of the runes.

Occultism: 1d20 + 23 ⇒ (2) + 23 = 25

Reroll from The World’s a Stage:
Occultism: 1d20 + 23 ⇒ (11) + 23 = 34

Son of a…
GM, can Chance try again after a failure?

Chance jogs around the circle, carefully examining the runes and muttering to himself, either in excitement or annoyance at what he sees. Finally, he stops in front of a particularly bright row of runes and draws his dagger. Hand shaking, he reaches down to the floor and scratches the blade across the floor, defacing a single character in the row.

Occultism: 1d20 + 23 ⇒ (5) + 23 = 28
Reroll to follow.