It was the third day of the tournament. The Pathfinders had persevered thus far and moved into the arena to face their next challenge. Seelah, Merisiel, Lem, Kyra and Ezren watched as their opponents took the field; four exotic looking fellows of an uncertain nationality. The Pathfinders had acquired a reputation for mercilessness, after causing two fatalities in their first encounter. With almost no time to prepare, the gong was rung to allow but a single spell to be cast.
With little warning, combatants vanished into the sanctuary of invisibility spells. Ezren alone was able to see the entirety of the field as the combat began. Lem wasted no time, falling back on a familiar strategy and targeting a specific area with a spell to befuddle the mind. The party advanced cautiously, led by Merisiel who was sheltered under a greater invisibility spell of her own. Ezren, utilizing his enhanced vision attempted to aid the party by sending simple magical darts into each of the four foes. This aided to some extend, as did the confused babbling at least two of the combatants were engaging in.
Then however, the Pathfinders were assaulted with the same insidious assault that had been used by them. Befuddling spells assaulted the party, twisting the minds of Merisiel and Ezren both. Bereft of her senses, Merisiel turned to the nearest creature that she was able to see. Seelah was caught completely unaware as the vicious rapier was plunged into her side, sending a spray of blood across the arena floor.
As the combatants shifted, caught up in their insane babbling or self-inflicted injuries, Lem moved in to protect her companion. A second invisibility stole over the paladin, sheltering Seelah from any subsequent assaults. Sadly, Merisiel's mind was still clouded in confusion and Lem was the next to feel the bite of her rapier. All the while, Kyra was trying to rescue Ezren from the grips of his affliction but Sarenrae was not impressed by the cantankerous wizard. The dispelling magics failed to purge the confusion, and his own brief moment of lucidity likewise failed to clear his mind.
Lem was not interested in remaining a target for her ally's confused assaults, and drew upon her last use of greater invisibility to hide herself from view. The crowd was left to gaze down upon a battlefield that consisted only of Ezren and Kyra; the former who was engaged with trying to either whack Kyra or himself with the fine cane he carried with him everywhere.
Finally however, one of the exotic opponents recovered enough of his senses to try to address these visible opponents. First he tried to expel Kyra from the ring, but her strength, youth and vigor were more than a match for his invisible shoving. Ezren however possessed none of these things, nor did he possess even the sense to defend himself from the powerful shove that sent him sprawling out of the battle ring. The doughty wizard was disqualified.
He did not realize it however, and in his befuddled state he took great offense to the assault from this creature. He rose in a rage and turned to assault the man with his cane, when the match officials rushed in to subdue him. Upon seeing her companion safely in custody, Kyra moved towards the middle of the ring to avoid a similar fate. Instead of succor she found an invisible person in her way. Determined to find some safety from disqualification, Kyra took a different route only to have her foe send her sprawling into the coals.
Ezren's enchantment protected her from their heat, and a faint din of confusing babble surrounded the lone visible combatant in the ring. The crowd was uncertain what to make of this most unorthodox match, and boos rained down to reflect their displeasure at being robbed of witnessing their sport. Kyra rose and resumed her trek towards the middle of the ring, seeking safety and room to work her own magic.
To that end, she drew upon some of the mightiest of spells prepared that day. A plea to Sarenrae purged magic from the battlefield, stripping combatants of some of the most powerful enchantments upon them. Her own blessing was the first dispelled, the magical feast consumed that morning. Their assailants lost their cloak of invisibility however, allowing the crowd to see three of the four opponents as they suffered under their afflictions. What nobody saw however was the still confused Merisiel, as she sunk her rapier into Kyra's side.
It was a grievous blow though not fatal, and more to the point the enemies were visible to the righteous wrath of Seelah and the desperate singing of Lem. The battle ended not long after, as even Merisiel recovered her wits shortly after being returned to visibility. The final opponent took a short while to locate, still cloaked under his invisibility but the conclusion was inevitable. At long last, after a quite confusing engagement, the Pathfinder Society's representatives emerged victorious and ready to continue in the Ruby Phoenix Tournament.
