Fish puts a hand to where their earhole his as they reach out to Lady Kamille Verlithax through the inked marking again, "Teleportation works, distortions need to be obscured in darkness....Fish is inside, so is Astrid...and a goat person...and others Fish does not recognize.....and horses maade of water."

They try to stick as close to whatever shadows they can, but things seem quite strange in this other realm. They ignore the voice for the moment, it was pompous which meant killing it would be all the more enjoyable. Fish didn't have much of a moral high ground, but beating smug people was always satisfying.

For now, it was time to focus on thinning the herd of horses. It seemed like Gwen and whoever she came in with would be able to at least take much of the attention of the herd, Astrid would likely take a more up close approach as well. Good, because this meant Fish could stay back and fight from a distance.

Still, Fish was not going to be caught off guard. They make a few hand signs and take in a deep breath as the air around them starts to crackle and spark with lightning. A barrier of electricity rises around them to encase the little bird and hopefully add a layer of protection.

As the barrier forms, they reach into a hidden pouch inside their cloak to grab a scroll. Fish flicks the seal off the scroll and launches it towards the horses. They wait until the scroll gets just ahead of those in melee before making the sign to activate it.

Underneath the horses, the scroll explodes in a barrage of small, concussive impacts. Fish hoped disrupting the surface tension of the water would upset the horses enough to deal some significant damage.

---

SUMMARY ACTIONS: Fish stays back and attacks from afar, activating their Storm Bow art just in case. A concussive scroll is tossed to try and damage the herd of horses.

1. Buff Action: Activating Art of the Storm Bow
Lightning begins to course around your body, creating a small electric field up to ten feet from your person that moves with you. This last for three post and any enemy who enters this field will be delivered a terrible shock that will stun them for one post. If stunned they can not make any offensive actions, such as attacking or casting a spell (they can still move however). Once during the duration you can summon a bow of pure crackling lightning. From this bow you can fire a single bolt of lightning, which will penetrate up to two barriers (such as a wall) and will ignore hit preventions.

2. Offensive Action: Activating Concussion Scroll
This scroll or seal tag can be placed and used remotely or used directly by the Oniwanban Shadow. When used or activated it releases a forward facing explosion of massive kinetic force that deals heavy blunt and fire damage on contact.

Passives:
Magician's Secret
Pass without Trace (if there is a shadow Fish can hide in)
Arcane Glasses

Just as they suspected, the crystal ball passed through the magical distortion with no problems a la vine vehicle. It was hardly a proper solution, of course, for all Morrigan could see Jack from shit. The crystal ball would magically capture all that it saw on the other side of… well, Morrigan still did not quite understand what was going on here. The illusion which had so thoroughly encapsulated them felt as if it should logically cover the open field they’d taken refuge in. And yet. This distortion, it only seemed to be another layer hiding deceit upon deceit. There was no way of knowing until the crystal ball gathered enough information.

And in the meantime, back to babysitting.

“Gentlemen, is it really that hard to take simple orders?” Morrigan cradled their face in the palm of their hands and exhaled; a deep, long sigh that spoke volumes. For a moment one had to wonder if they’d experienced a glimmer of frustration that others were privy to when dealing with them on a regular basis. Self-actualization could wait forever. Indefinitely, in fact. “Oh, what does it even matter?”

Thus far, the only way they’d observed to enter what lay beyond was through the vines, and there sure has hell didn’t look like enough to take all these men through with them. Which was admittedly a bit of a bummer, considering it would be pretty bad form for Morrigan to brag so much about their skills only to end up leaving them behind. But maybe they should have been better kidnapees, did anyone ever think about it? Gods, it was like they wanted to remain in service of their fae queen.

They weren’t even scanning the area like Morrigan instructed them to! What knight school did they even attend?

With a huff, Morrigan yanked back the crystal ball and held it up to their face. Ice-cold eyes narrowed while they gleaned the images that played in the reflection…

Nothing.

Oh, right. Because Morrigan was currently the walking middle finger to all that was magical. It was all well and dandy when it inconvenienced others rather than themselves, but this was far too much! Morrigan shoved the ball into their bag and rolled up nonexistent sleeves. The illusion sat heavy in the air and their entire body felt as if they were standing on a razor-thin wire, a delicate balancing act where adrenaline set them aflame. They could not keep this up for much longer.

“I guess I’ll just have to do this myself.” They murmured, grabbing a handful of disgusting vine and weaving together a rudimentary sort of cape with a hood, which fit just fine over their own cloak. It was hardly anything fashionable, but it would do in a pinch. Shooting the knights a two-fingered salute, Morrigan grabbed a potion from their bag. “Alright boys, let’s play a game. I’m going to have to leave you here for a couple of seconds, but I promise I’m just popping off to figure out the way out of here. But I also don’t want you to fall under the fae queen’s spell again. So I’m just going to try a little something, okay?”

Technically, Morrigan wasn’t lying, per se. See, enchantments didn’t seem to quite work on these good folk, because a stronger type of magic had taken root in the back of their mind. You either had to get rid of it entirely, or rid their minds of anything to enchant. Ergo, by that logic, if they were turned into mindless zombies, much in the same way that Morrigan had once bewitched an entire amphitheater of people. They might get themselves a little roughed up, but at least they would be too busy fighting one another to obey the fae queen’s orders, no?

With a smirk, Morrigan turned around and tossed the potion midair, allowing it to break at their feet as they walked through the barrier cradled through the vines.^[1]

It was unclear what they would return to; whether all the knights would be alive on the other side. But a few was better than none, and you could hardly make an omelet without breaking a few eggs. By the time they would have crossed over to the other side of the barrier, the guards were but a faint blip in their memory.

Puddles shimmered and reflected, a kaleidoscope of colors. The voice boomed in the air. Morrigan spread their arms wide, welcoming a new audience. “Oh, you’re hungry? Then allow the Wizard of the Wastes to give you a feast.”^[2]

---

ROUND SUMMARY

Morrigan covers themselves in vines and walks through the DISTORTION, with their anti-magic barrier still active. They toss a vial of PLAGUE’S PANDEMIC at the remaining knights to stave off the effects of the enchantment by replacing it with mindless rage. At the same time that they arrive at the other side of the distortion, Morrigan announces their presence and activates their WARLORD BANNER, striking fear into the hearts of enemies around them. Their anti-magic field lingers in the air.

1. DEBUFF ACTION - Morrigan throws Plague’s Pandemic at the feet of the guards to turn them into mindless, enraged men and have them turn on each other.

SPOILER: Click to show

A small glass bottle filled with a neon green gas, it can be shattered or lit with a fuse to cause a detonation. When the bottle breaks, the gas will spill out across a 20 foot diameter, afflicting anyone who breathes it in or comes into contact with it through their eyes, nose or mouth. Once afflicted, sores will grow across the affected skin, they will come under an intense rage, losing their mind and lashing out at anyone near them. Friends and family will attempt to kill each other for the next two post. During the duration the afflicted will have double strength and speed, increasing their physical abilities while raged out. During the third post, the gas will wear off, and they will become fatigued, unable to cast spells for that post. Comes with a single usage.

2. BUFF ACTION - Morrigan activates their WARLORD BANNER to intimidate any of the beings within the distortion.

SPOILER: Click to show

The warlord often wears a symbol or sigil portraying their influence. This can come in the form of a banner worn on their person, a cloak, cape or other piece of fabric brandishing their mark or some other form of recognition of their power. The warlords own power emanates from this mark, instilling fear in those around them. A 10 foot diameter aura pulsates out from this banner, allowing the warlord to exert their influence and fear. Once activated any enemy within the range of the aura will become fearful of the warlord, unable to move towards them or take offensive actions against them for their next post. This ability can only be used once per topic.

Null Zone (Post 3/4)

Beist’s Transmutation Tonic ACTIVE
Wings
Breath Gland - Ice

Active Subclasses
Scarab
Transmuter

Passives

Gauntlets of Ginma (0/1 Hit Prevention)

SPOILER: Click to show

A pair of overgrown, magical gauntlets made of stone and covered in moss and small white flowers. These gauntlets provide one hit prevention, and allow the wearer to smash through stone as if it were glass, and lift natural boulders more than twice their weight. The abilities of these gauntlets will last as long as they have a hit prevention left.

Crystal Ball

SPOILER: Click to show

A small, weightless glass ball that is magical in nature but seems to have no unique qualities. It weighs nothing, can not be used as a weapon and appears to just float around your person. It can not be controlled or commanded, and passively hovers around you with a mind of its own. However this magical ball has a unique effect, it records everything that the owner sees, keeping a collection of their memories and experiences within the glass ball. While not in combat you can hold the glass orb and watch your memories play out through it. Whatever the glass orb was able to record can be retrieved and viewed later.

Arcane Glasses

SPOILER: Click to show

When wearing these special glasses, one can easily see magic in effect. By focusing their gaze and concentration on an object they can discern permanent enchantments from temporary enchantments, and even one wholly unskilled in magic can discern magic effects. While looking at a spell or enchanted weapon, you learn everything about that spell or enchantment. You can also identify what kind of magical effect or enchantment is placed on a weapon or item.

Disjoint Tattoo

SPOILER: Click to show

This tattoo allows you to manipulate your joints in a very abnormal way. This means you can do things like spinning your head completely around, rotate your arms and legs in awkward directions and even get creative with the way you move your limbs. This only effects the joints and does not apply to body parts that could not normally move.

Witcher Pitcher Leaf

SPOILER: Click to show

A tattoo of a leaf from the Witcher Pitcher plant found in the Marsh Flats. While dormant, this tattoo can detect magic, and will vibrate the closer it gets to rare and mysterious magic. It will ignore you and any of those you are frequently around, however if a new source of magic is detected, it will vibrate.

Once per topic you can activate the tattoo to cause two large plant vines to sprout from the tattoo, directed at someone within arms reach of you. The vines will wrap around one of the targets limbs and will prevent that person from using that limb or moving away from you for one post.

Tracker Extraordinaire

SPOILER: Click to show

On top of the Hunter’s Investigation Kit, they have a collection of heightened physical and innate senses. Physical senses such as smell, touch, hear, sight, and taste. Innate senses like, a perfect sense of direction, the feeling that something seems off or misplaced, and other such subconscious communications. This allows the hunter to pick up on clues or tracks that would other wise be hidden.

It was hard to describe the feeling. When one flies on a stream of lightning, your general sense of awareness feels more like a direction vs any kind of a material state. He was traveling one way, then suddenly, he was traveling in a completely different direction. He didn’t feel panic or confusion, it more just felt like resistance. And then, he was butt first hitting the dirt. 

The good thing about the lightning ride spell was that you have pretty much slowed down before your physical self materializes back into the world. It had to be that way otherwise the caster would splat against wherever the lightning hit. The flip side is you have no control over where the lightning goes once it was unleashed. You go where the lightning goes or, in this case, where it was redirected. 

When he lands in a lump on the ground, he rolls a bit and finally comes to a stop. He notes someone grumbling at him coming from the group but he’s still a bit too shaken to understand what was said. Vulcana flits over to check on him. Ughh well it was worth a shot. And it only cost a snoot full of dirt…and I think I hit something? Ugh. The fire pixy chuckles a bit and then tell him something else she observed.  He might just have to risk the people being here not being who they say they are. He sighs and walks over to where the others are standing by the disturbance. He watches as the strange cat like creature creates a side hole that may bypass the barrier in the distortion. He considers the option. Well lightning didn’t work, maybe this would. He attempts to enter the hole with the others.

Before, entering the hole, not knowing what’s in front of him, he activates his molten core. Heat staring to well within him, he takes a deep breath and pulls a second item from his pouch.

UzvH_0Yg

---

Meanwhile, Dusty the Sandworm is still underground and confused. Nothing in this strange place made any sense at all, and it was still hungry. It felt a strange energy pulsating from a hole and it decides to investigate it.

---

Still in Right Flank, attempting to enter the door

Shaa- Full Elemental Manifestation ( Earth) turn 3 of 3

9/11 HP. (Wind, Blunt) 0/6 wounds

Action 1. Activates ability Molten Core

Action 2. Pulls 3 - 4: Candy Apples
Two candied apples. These apples are coated with a glistening candy shell; and when eaten, these candied apples act like a minor healing potion.


Vulcana- Free and will attempt to follow Shaa
Dusty- Digging towards the cave


All items stored in Bag of the infinite

New Items
Ferburus Dew Claw
Candy Apples

Sub Classes
Stalwart
- Iron Skin (1 HP)

Disciple of Vulcadreus

Active Spells/Abilities
Geomagnetic Sense- Constant Passive
Fighters Sense- Passive
Spirit Guardian


Pets/Companions
Vulcana the Fire Pixy (Tier 2)
Dusty the Giant Sandworm

Sometimes, Beak has a far-fetched idea and she tries it and it works.

This is not one of those times.

All right, so she's not able to overcome the power of a mind-control spell simply by giving an inspirational speech. That would have been amazing. Alas.

Still... hmph. Failure is one thing. Failure she can handle. But what's this reply her attempt earns her in response?

“Miss, the only thing that doesn’t make much sense is why an undead would show itself so openly in a populated area. We have to serve the Queen and protect the civilians from threats like yourself across all of Charon.”

How dare they.

"And where else would I show myself?" Her psychic retort¹ is more than a little indignant; this is about the closest one could get to describing a voice inside one's head from a skeleton who doesn't breathe as "huffy." "I'll remind you that the first thing I did after waking up here was to drop my weapons and surrender to you, yet you still call me a threat to the civilians across all of Charon. Tell me--and this time I do want you to tell me your answer and not just think about it--What could I possibly have done to handle myself differently? What would you have done in my place to be less threatening? What aggressive action have I taken against you, or anyone? What instructions of yours have I failed to heed?"

She knows she can't out-reason a charm spell and she's wasting her metaphorical breath, but fifty years of pent-up frustrations dating all the way back to her time in Marsh Flats are hard to re-cork once uncorked. "All I ever wanted was to shop and socialize and pay taxes and live a peaceful life, to be a part of your world just like anyone else who's welcome and protected here. Instead, you would send me... where, exactly? And why? Because my presence makes others uncomfortable? Is existing a crime, now?"

She shakes her head and raises her manacled hands, as if presenting them to be manacled again or... whatever it is they're trying to do, here. "But fine. Fine! Take me away. To your Queen, or to jail, or... wherever we're going. And note how I'm still not resisting, thank you. So, lead on, brave heroes! Truly justice is being served today."

---

SUMMARY:
Beak takes offense to the rude words of the knight to which she's surrendering, and in a fit of pique, she surrenders harder.

Ending round still in FRONT FLANK, GROUND LEVEL
¹ Action 1 (Support...?): Message (venting uselessly at the knight arresting her)

SPOILER: Click to show

Health and Status
- 1/3 Major Wounds taken
- 0 Minor Wounds taken
- Currently in manacles around the wrists

Weapon
- (No offensive actions used this round)

Active Items
- Luminous Medallion (reflavored Sun Heart Ring)

• Lighting up the area immediately around Beak

Active Passives
- Fluency

• Can understand all intelligent languages (i.e., excluding animal speech)

- Inked Marking (from a player who's no longer here)

• 0/2 Hit Preventions used (Hit Preventions are specifically vs. spells of any domain)
• The telepathic communication is moot since the player we got this buff from is no longer here, but hopefully the hit preventions are still good..?

- Staunch Perseverance (from Marion Aurea ) (2/2 posts--Will expire next round)

• Immune to spell effects (can still take damage from spells, but can't be burned, paralyzed, etc.)

Recharge Tracking
- All abilities recharged and ready to use

Nyaaaaaaaaaaaaaaommmmmmmm ROOOOOOOOOOAAAAAARRRRRRRRRRR Ratatatata BOOOM! Roger! Fish, I love you! Imma handle these bitches and then I'll figure a way to get in!



(Sorry, I'll write a proper thing once brain is braining)

---

Actions summary:

Rear Flank: Kamille and Kalaf turn to face the two WEF members after them, still enveloped in the fiery Howling Gale. Using Gust Thrust, Kamille tries to push one WEF member to collide with the other, and then uses her Massive Fireball. Kalaf will use his flame breath to attack one (both, if they're too close), and the Inked Blight will attack the other with fangs and claws. Kalaf will fly close enough to have both the WEF members into the area of the fire Howling Gale to take damage from it too. Mayhem just runs in the opposite direction from the center of the disturbance, trying to get away from the knights.

Left Flank: A very confused Disaster tries to gently nudge the knights swords away. Hektor still remains on top of the tree golem, trying to talk up the confused knight. Poe is still in hiding.

Kamille
Action one: Gust Thrust to try and make the WEF members in the air collide
Action two: Massive Fireball them

Kalaf:
Action one: Fire breath on the WEF members

Inked blight
Action one: Claws/fangs attack on the other WEF member

Mayhem
Action one: Running from the knights

Hektor
Action one: You alright sir knight?!?! What's wrong?

Disaster
Action one: Trying to gently nudge the swords away

Poe
Action one: Still in hiding

Mikael glanced around worriedly but was thankful and relaxed a bit thanks to the healing done by C'Leena. "Thank you very much" he said with a polite bow of his head before looking to their comrade being arrested "Please there is no need for this. They are trying to help just like the rest of us. We can all see that something is wrong here right? We somehow appeared here after being attacked by strange creatures" he explained as he looked around at the strange shapes in the darkness that clearly werent the buildings like before. "I don't think any of us are where we are supposed to be right now... in the darkness...it doesn't look like buildings around us anymore surely that is strange isn't it? Please let us help." he said hoping to get through to them before tearing off a small piece of mushroom from one of the strange structures, bringing it to the guards. "See? It looked like a building but it is vines and mushrooms around us. He looked over the mushroom examining it before taking the smallest bite after seeing it didn't appear to be poisonous to consume. His gaze then drifted to the portals. "If we can't figure out these portals I am worried something worse may appear"
___________________________________________
Front Flank
Summary:Try to stop birb arrest by talking, examine shrooms, tiny shroom bite, more convincing
Actions: Pick shroom piece, small nom of shroom piece
Active Items/Abilities:
none

NPCs:
Baby drake (Darius): vibing on shoulder

Displacer beast (Chesh): vibing by mikael

-owlbear (Luna): vibing behind mikael (bull strength tattoo)

wounds:
mikael:
-Major:1
-Minor:1

darius:
-Major:1
-Minor:0

Luna:
-Major:1
-Minor:0

chesh:
-Major:1
-Minor:0

You know, it really was a longshot, wasn’t it?

Astrid tries to commit, just a bit more, to the ruse. “Well, I ain’t speakin’ fer everyone here,” she says somewhat indignantly. Admittedly, the eyes are pretty off-putting. Pretty, but weird. The half-dwarf crosses her arms, feeling that her lies won’t get her much of anywhere with this creature. “I don’t like that yer callin’ us morsels. We’ve taken down two gods, one a’ which probably wanted ta eat us too, so don’t think yer any different!” With hand, Astrid confidently points at the eyes as if to challenge them.

That is, until Cypress suddenly appears and stumbles in a puddle. Astrid loses her act and immediately focuses on the satyr. “Eh? Wha– Cypress?!” She rushes over and starts checking the other girl over for injuries but finds none. “What the heck are ya doin’ here? BY YERSELF?? Yer s’posed ta be with the others!” The spirit guardian that had been assigned to protect the satyr manifests nearby, looking somewhat frustrated by how hard it had to look for her.

Mud cakes the bottoms of her skirts; it sticks to her hands and her hooves; and while she brushes her palms on the sides of her skirt - she’s going to have to wash it anyways! - she quickly realizes that the area is covered in dozens of puddles, and… oh! Her blue eyes light up the moment she sees one familiar valkyrie amongst all the water, “Oh! Astrid!” she calls, tail wiggling happily while she springs out of the mud and rushes over to join her; she meets Astrid halfway, but begins to look somewhat puzzled when she’s met with a barrage of questions.

“Huh?” she inquires; she doesn’t stop Astrid from checking her over, but it makes it really hard for her to do the same when she keeps moving. At least visually, she looks like she's okay...

“What do you mean? They were right behind me!” She turns to look over her shoulder, but… there’s no Hyl, and there’s no Kvasir, and there’s no Shaa… there’s not even Cstrid or Buttfellow! Her expression shifts slightly, “Oh.” She glances back at Astrid, then to the Spirit Guardian as it manifests nearby, sheepish. “Sorry.” She whispers to it, before lowering her ears while she looks at Astrid. “They were right behind me - I even saw mister Shaa going into the portal first! There wasn’t really any other way to go.”

“Ohhh gods, okay. Well, this probably ain’t the right place fer ya ta be…” Astrid says, looking fairly distressed. Needing more information, she reaches out over her mental link and calls out for the tiny trickster. Oi, Hyl, Cypress just teleported in beside me! What’s happenin’?? Do ya have any Replicants or Buttfellow with ya? Erm, Buttfellow’s the big metal guy.

He responds, Heh. The golem’s name is Buttfellow?

Astrid huffs. There’s no time for this! I can tell ya more about it later. There’s a pair a’ crazy talkin’ eyes that wants ta eat us. Is there a Replicant with him or not?

Oh yeah, I can see that, it doesn't look good. By replicant, do you mean this magical copy of you out here?

Astrid’s nose scrunches up, completely dissatisfied. At least that gives her the information she knows. ...Ya don't know what a- nevermind, yes! If ya need his help breaking through, he can cast some elemental stuff once he's active. If ya don't need his help, then tell the replicant to pocket him fer me!

Hyl responds with, Fine. And I know what a Replicant is, I was just messing with you!

The half-dwarf sighs a little. I shoulda known. Good luck gettin' in! Then reality peels open, revealing Gwen and Vail, one of which Astrid recognizes, the other she does not. Shortly after, Fish appears. Somewhat surprised but not stunned, Astrid finds herself grateful for the appearance of the others. “Hey!” she says, looking at the three of them. “Glad yer–”

The water at their feet doesn’t allow for many greetings as a dozen or so horses made of water manifest. Great. Astrid whips back around to look at Cypress, digging into her bag and producing a potion. She presses it into Cypress’s hands. The satyr may recognize it as the potion Kvasir invented. “Drink this. Cast the protection circle spell. Just think real hard about keepin’ folks safe. I know ya can do it.” She presses her lips to Cypress's nose and turns to face the danger.

She trails off, blinking when she looks back at Astrid, and… well… she looks upset. Worried, might be the better word - and Cypress doesn’t want her to be - this whole thing was to prove that she can handle herself, but… Her expression softens somewhat, “By your side is always the right place for me,” she whispers, “I’ll be okay. I promised.” She doesn’t have much longer to speak to Astrid, though; when the ripples begin at their feet, she glances down with wide eyes and steps closer to Astrid. “What…?” She follows the direction of the water, ears turning back in shock when she hears a voice amongst the manifestation of a herd of kelp-like horses.

She takes a sharp breath in, but doesn’t have time to freeze up; she takes the potion from Astrid - or, is given it - and snaps out of her stupor. She looks from her to the potion in her hands and turns it over; the liquid sloshes and turns, glimmering in rainbow hues.

Is this…?

She takes a big breath before she purses her lips; she nods, her expression turning sharp with determination when Astrid gives her directions. “Got it,” she agrees, closing her eyes with a tiny smile as Astrid presses the quickest kiss to her nose. Before Astrid fully turns away, Cypress reaches for her shoulder; and should she be able to stop her, she leans up on the tips of her hooves to press a quick kiss to her cheek. “Kick their butts.” She encourages, an edge of mischief in her voice and smile, before she steps away and uncorks the potion bottle.

“Will do!” Astrid says, giving Cypress a confident nod. Before she’s finished her breath, Astrid’s already mentally reaching out to Hyl again. Two folks ripped a hole through reality or somethin' an' another friend just Blinked in! Oh, an’ there’s killer water horses, so watch yerselves!!

The maids immediately go ham creating chaos on the battlefield. With her arm charged up and prepared to cast a spell without draining herself, Astrid decides how to join the fray. A lot just happened all at once, and she’s about to make a big mess of things.

It’ll be worth it.

Slamming her prosthetic hand against her chest, and a golden light bursts out from the palm, seeping across her body and covering her in a brilliant gold.^[1] Then, Astrid does the stupid thing. She jingles the ethereal bells she created before, drawing attention to herself.^[2] “HIT ME WITH ALL YA GOT!!” she cries with a confident grin plastered across her freckled face. Then she runs in the middle of all the danger, seemingly and purposefully taking as many hits as dwarvenly possible between all of the spells and hooves flying. She runs in between the water horses, runs into the tornado whipping around, just anything she can do to get hit by anything and everything. Nothing makes her stumble.[3] Nothing hurts either. Everything dealt to her will be dealt back soon.

---

Back with the others who didn’t make it through, Buttfellow stands looking about as blank in the face as ever, and Cstrid is panicking about Cypress having gone missing. The golem’s cuirass, haphazardly made in a hurry, can’t hold itself up anymore and falls apart back into its base materials. Cstrid looks like she’s going to lose it, like another thing went wrong. But things shift for her assuming Hyl passes the information Astrid exchanged to her. She prepares to be of assistance to the group because with Arcus and Spicy in Pet Pockets, she can't EXACTLY do what Astrid asked. Obviously, Mainstrid is having a tough time keeping up with everything. 

Cstrid prepares to cast Suspend Item on the distortion in an attempt to keep any hole that Hyl opens uh... Open.

---

At the surface, the Lightning Cage around the two Knights falters and fades away, freeing them. The Replicants who frozen their cuirasses in place watch with interest to see what happens, if anything. If the Knights free themselves, the Replicants dogpile them. If not, they all point and laugh. 

---

SUMMARY:

Astrid frets over Cypress, then sees the others show up too. She exchanges some information with Hyl over their mental link then hands Cypress Kvasir's Pride of Solaria potion, instructing her to cast Circle of Life with it. Astrid then uses her Arcanatek Prosthetic to cast Divinity's Blessing on herself. She then runs in, using Alluring Trance to make sure all the kelpies attack her and attempts to take as much damage as possible from the kelpies, tornado, and any other environmental hazards so that she can deal back that damage next round.

Cstrid attempts to use Suspend Item on the distortion to help the rift be ripped open.

The other Replicants cause problems for the two no longer captive but possibly suspended in place by their cuirasses Knights.

Astrid is at the PORTAL. Cstrid and Buttfellow are on the RIGHT flank in the tunnels. All the rest of the Alphabetstrids are on the RIGHT flank on the surface.

1. DEFENSIVE ACTION: Divinity's Blessing [spell 1/3 w/ Arcanatek Prosthetic]
2. DEBUFF ACTION: Alluring Trance [1/2 Bardic Virtuoso Jack of All Muses Dance]
3. Immovable Bastion
4. DEBUFF? ACTION: Cstrid casts Suspend Item
5. DEBUFF ACTION: Dstrid taunts or dogpiles the two Knights
6. DEBUFF ACTION: Estrid taunts or dogpiles the two Knights
7. DEBUFF ACTION: Fstrid taunts or dogpiles the two Knights
8. DEBUFF ACTION: Gstrid taunts or dogpiles the two Knights

Wound/HP tracking:
-Astrid [0/6 wounds, see below for HPs]
-Buttfellow [2/4 wounds]
-Dancing Chain [1/1 HP provided, regenerates every 3 posts]
-Blu P Rint (AKA Blupee) [2/4 wounds, cannot take actions]
-Spicy Pawsage (flavored as a hellhound) [2/4 wounds, has fire breath, juggernaut charge, gore attack] - Pet Pocket
-Arcus (flavored as a pegasus) [0/4 Wounds, Armored Banner 1/2 HP, Sleigh Bell] - Pet pocket
-Cstrid - Replicant [0/1 wounds]
-Dstrid - Replicant [0/1 wounds]
-Estrid - Replicant [0/1 wounds]
-Fstrid - Replicant [0/1 wounds]
-Gstrid - Replicant [0/1 wounds]
-Spirit Guardian [3/4 HP] - w/ Astrid
-Spirit Guardian [4/4 HP] - w/ Cypress
-Snow Fort [2/3 HP]

Active Passive Items/Abilities:

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-Cantio’s Eternity Ring
-Night Vision
-Bull’s Strength
-Baloth Muscles (right arm) - bonk structures good
-Troll King’s Heart - passive regeneration
-Aura of Vulcadreaus/Touch of Divinity - ??
-Book Golem (when present, currently in Pet Pocket) - Spells cannot be countered when in line of sight of Astrid.
-Sun-Sparked Goggles - Cannot be blinded
-Stormraider’s Cloak - not affected by storms, repels rainfall
-Spidersilk boots - can walk on walls and ceilings
-Raider’s Loincloth - Movement speed cannot be reduced in any way
-Red Rogue’s Hood - Can communicate telepathically with another RRH holder
-Phantasmal Diplopic Plate - creates after images, especially while in motion, making it harder to directly target the wearer; gives 3 HP against abilities/spells/effects that would bypass armor, renders enchantments on a weapon that attacks through the armor useless for the attack.
-Knight: Stalwart Armor - ignores attempts to bypass armor
-Knight: Immovable Bastion - can’t be forcibly moved or knocked down
-Knight: Light as a feather - Armor doesn’t count towards item limit
-Knight: Tis But a scratch - half damage from physical sources
-Spellblade: Arcane Soul - Weapon has lightning, ignores resistance/immunity to lightning
-Spellblade: Arcane Focus - Can cast spells through weapon
-Spellblade: One with the Blade - Weapon doesn’t count against carrying capacity
-Spellblade: Always There - Cannot be disarmed of bonded weapon. Can summon weapon.
-Squire: High Quality Armor - Each piece of armor gains +1 HP against physical damage (listed below)
-Spirit Guardian: Shroud abilities - (while within the 25ft diameter shroud) Allies: x2 elemental spell abilities. Enemies: spells downgraded one level, reduced spell duration by one post, halved spell damage dealt, no benefits to speed buffs/cannot teleport, lose armor hit preventions, enchantments on weapons are deactivated
-Spirit Guardian: Spirit abilities - 4 HP per spirit, can grapple and restrain enemies for one post once per topic per spirit

Weapons/Armor:

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-War Hammer - bludgeoning, Spellblade weapon (lightning), pale ice, Bashing, double strike (Tourney Favor), ranged specialty
-The Doting Dad's Defender - battle hammer w/ ranged, bludgeoning, offhand enchantment (Tourney Favor), effects of ice rune + silvered enchantment + Gerhart’s Guardian Blade (is a fused weapon) [0/1 HP]
-Weapon Tether - attached to Doting Dad’s Defender and Cuirass
-Helmet (2/2 head HP)
-Icicle Pauldrons + Spitfire Gauntlets (3/3 arms HP)
-Padding, Phantasmal Diplopic Plate (5/5 chest HP) - Briar Shroud attachment
-Greaves (2/2 legs HP, 1/1 lightning HP)
-Rime Mantle (can be activated twice per topic, each activation lasts 2 posts and has 2 HP)
-Boomer Buckler (2/2 shield HP)
-Arcanatek Prosthetic (2/2 arm HP if in Defense Mode, not currently active)
-Flower Crown (1/1 Mind Altering Effects HP)
-Guardian Stuffy (1/1 Mind Altering or Fear Effect HP)
-Bardic Virtuoso: Inspiring Sigil (2/2 Fear/Charm Effects HP)

Recharge Tracking:
Arcanatek Prosthetic, Arcane Mode [post 1/3]
Jack of all Muses [1/2 other muses used, 1/2 dance muse abilities used]

Subclasses:
-Squire
-Arcanatek Researcher

Quick Summary:

Cypress reunites with Astrid in the portal; she casts Circle of Life after drinking Kvasir's Pride of Solaria Elixir given to her by Astrid, and casts Frost Flash against the mares outside of the circle.

---

For the briefest heartbeat, Cypress feels like she’s been suspended somewhere between space and time; the world falls away in white noise and disappears into a darkness that sends her heart directly into her throat; but then it all comes back at once. When her hooves hit the ground, it’s slippery; she skids forwards, flailing for her balance; but she never finds it. Water splashes all around her as she collapses into a puddle with a small yelp. “Eugh!” she complains, quickly scrambling to her knees. “Ewww, why’s it all muddy?”

Mud cakes the bottoms of her skirts; it sticks to her hands and her hooves; and while she brushes her palms on the sides of her skirt - she’s going to have to wash it anyways! - she quickly realizes that the area is covered in dozens of puddles, and… oh! Her blue eyes light up the moment she sees one familiar valkyrie amongst all the water, “Oh! Astrid!” she calls, tail wiggling happily while she springs out of the mud and rushes over to join her; she meets Astrid halfway, looking somewhat puzzled when she’s met with a barrage of questions.

“Eh? Wha– Cypress?!” She rushes over and starts checking the other girl over for injuries but finds none. “What the heck are ya doin’ here? BY YERSELF?? Yer s’posed ta be with the others!” The spirit guardian that had been assigned to protect the satyr manifests nearby, looking somewhat frustrated by how hard it had to look for her.

“Huh?” she inquires; she doesn’t stop Astrid from checking her over, “What do you mean? They were right behind me!” She turns to look over her shoulder, but… there’s no Hyl, and there’s no Kvasir, and there’s no Shaa… there’s not even Cstrid or Buttfellow! Her expression shifts slightly, “Oh.” She glances back at Astrid, then to the Spirit Guardian as it manifests nearby, sheepish. “Sorry.” She whispers to it, before lowering her ears while she looks at Astrid. “They were right behind me - I even saw mister Shaa going into the portal first! There wasn’t really any other way to go.”

“Um… Mister Hylltywyll ; Mister Kvasir Sigurrós ? Are you and everyone okay? The portal took me somewhere with a lot of water…”

She trails off, blinking when she looks back at Astrid, and… well… she looks upset. Worried, might be the better word - and Cypress doesn’t want her to be - this whole thing was to prove that she can handle herself, but… 

“Ohhh gods, okay. Well, this probably ain’t the right place fer ya ta be…” Astrid says, looking fairly distressed.

The water at their feet doesn’t allow for many greetings as a dozen or so horses made of water manifest. Great. Astrid whips back around to look at Cypress, digging into her bag and producing a potion. She presses it into Cypress’s hands. The satyr may recognize it as the potion Kvasir invented. “Drink this. Cast the protection circle spell. Just think real hard about keepin’ folks safe. I know ya can do it.” She presses her lips to Cypress's nose and turns to face the danger.

Her expression softens somewhat, “By your side is always the right place for me,” she whispers, “I’ll be okay. I promised.” She doesn’t have much longer to speak to Astrid, though; when the ripples begin at their feet, she glances down with wide eyes and steps closer to Astrid. “What…?” She follows the direction of the water, ears turning back in shock when she hears a voice amongst the manifestation of a herd of kelp-like horses.

She takes a sharp breath in, but doesn’t have time to freeze up; she takes the potion from Astrid - or, is given it - and snaps out of her stupor. She looks from her to the potion in her hands and turns it over; the liquid sloshes and turns, glimmering in rainbow hues.

Is this…?

She takes a big breath before she purses her lips; she nods, her expression turning sharp with determination when Astrid gives her directions. “Got it,” she agrees, closing her eyes with a tiny smile as Astrid presses the quickest kiss to her nose. Before Astrid fully turns away, Cypress reaches for her shoulder; and should she be able to stop her, she leans up on the tips of her hooves to press a quick kiss to her cheek. “Kick their butts.” She encourages, an edge of mischief in her voice and smile, before she steps away and uncorks the potion bottle.

… It would be much more dramatic if she could uncork the bottle in one fell swoop, but it actually takes some finagling. When she does, though, she takes a big swig of the multicoloured liquid, and focuses all of her energy and hopes into protecting the people around her - Astrid, Hyl, Kvasir, Shaa - the people she doesn’t know who are already in or stumbling through the portal as the water mares charge forwards.

Flowers erupt from under her hooves - not quite the same as the ones that typically follow her - but blooms of light that erupt into a circle around herself, Astrid, and the others near them in the portal. ⁽¹⁾ Outside of the portal, the wind begins to pick up - the temperature drops as frost begins to form on the surfaces of the puddles - and a bitter gale rushes through the water mares. ⁽²⁾

“The circle will protect you if you need it!” Cypress calls to the others.

---

LOCATION: Portal, reunites with Lady Astrid Stormstone ; offers protection to Vail , Fish the Tinkerer , and Gwendolyn Mystwud with Circle of Life should they need it during the stampede.

(1) SUPPORT: Kvasir's Pride of Solaria Elixir (Given by Astrid) - Casting Circle of Life
(2) SUPPORT: Frost Flash targeted at the water mares.

NPC: Skelly is still vibing. He's a little guy.

Javal sees that poking the distortion in front of him does nothing, only just passing through it with his hand. He points his blade through it thinking perhaps he can make the distortion bigger by cutting it. He tightens his grip on Theseus and slashes through the distortion hoping it’d do something but to no avail. His blade slices clean through but the distortion still stays. The fellblood is sure that whatever this is it’s beyond his skillset so he turns back and decides to run around looking for people in need of help. He spots a nearby skeleton lady being unjustly harassed by the Knights of Duros, Javal quickly rushes over and steps in.

“Hey there good sirs what is the meaning of this? My friend here seems to be doing no harm to anyone and is part of the effort to defeat whatever foe we’re facing. It’s not very nice to judge someone based on what they look like, you know. I know it’s easy to get mixed up but come on friends we should all be working together for the greater good. After all, don't you guys want the help and power of strong adventurers like us?”, the fellblood would say with a wide smile on his face.

SUMMARY:

Java tries to slice through a ripple of distortion he poked trying to cut through it to no avail. He looks around trying to see where he can help. He spots the guards trying to arrest beak and rushes over to tell the knights off.

Javal is at the FRONT FLANK

---

Javal Zarrias
1. Offensive Action: Tries to slice through the distortion in front of him with his katana
2. Action: Run Over to the guards trying to arrest beak and scold them
Passives: Bull's Strength, 6/8 HP of Armor
Nadia Sadrine
1. Stand there just following along in utter confusion

Sarne stepped back putting his hand up showing he meant no harm. "I think it is the light of truth. If you have any doubt I will be sworn in as a knight of the Order Knights of Duros," explained Sarne showing the Sigil emblem glowing as proof he has accomplished their goal.

"You are being tricked by an illusion and mind control You need to fight it. The light is the truth if you believe in it. That is why the knight is coming out of it, I hope. If we were going to do something against the crown do you think I would talk to you?" Sarne was talking with passion and authority. Do you not think it is strange that all of you are not being killed? The legend adventures, Lords, and Ladys have not killed any of you?" asked Sarne questing them.

"If you were in your right mind. You would know I do not surrender. My family has supported and fought for the crown. Been part of the Order Knights of Duros since the beginning. So ask yourself what is true Fight it and get your mind and will back," pleaded Sarne with sincerity. He knew this was all a long shot if it would work at all.

Sarne did have a backup plane to get out of the area if he had to. He was just hoping that the others were having better luck.

NOTE: Sarne did complete the Order Knights of Duros quest but did not get it on his sheet before the copy was made. so the Sigil emblem glowing would be there. but he would not be a part of Order Knights of Duros yet.
=========================================
Approach: Sill in the Left Flank

[1] Action 1: pleading with the knights to fight the charm or effect that have on them. he is using every ounce of influence and honesty he has.

[2] Action 2: If they attack he will use Solar Flare to get away from them. He will just fade back into the shadows
Solar Flare Light Domain Spell
You give off an instant flash of light from your body, illuminating the area around you. This light is extremely bright and will attempt to blind anyone who is looking in your direction. If anyone sees this flash they will be unable to see for the next two posts, their vision being filled with white light.
Passive One with the Shadows:

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You are always aware of any form of shadow or body of darkness in the immediate area, able to passively sense where these shadows are and what is creating the shadow. In addition, you can manipulate your own shadow, changing its size, and shape and even removing it altogether. While within a shadow you have the effects of the spell Shadow hiding active at all times, but can now move and interact with objects without breaking the effect.

[3] Action: Nordic, Naesala, and Vamir Stealth (Master): Invisibility, Silent Step. They stay hidden in the alleyway's shadows. Watching Sarne's back They will follow if they can

Action: Violet stays with Unicorn (Euros) they remain hidden in an alleyway or building.
=====================================

NPC weapons will have
Enchanting Sigil Fire Rune

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A Fire rune etched into the item causing the blade to appear a deep red. While this gives off no light the weapon does radiate heat in a small range. This rune causes the weapons attacks to burn like fire, burning flesh, and clothing. Can not be placed on a weapon with another elemental rune

Sigils Blessing Holy

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A Holy weapon radiates with calming and relaxing energy, filling allies with hope. This weapon is effective against undead creatures and deals extra damage to evil-aligned people. After striking an enemy, allies of this weapon owner come to trust and respect the user while those who were struck now cower in the weapon's presence.

Passives:
Holy Avenger

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The pact has been completed, you have fused with the celestial inside you, allowing it control over your body. You may now gain any physical appearance changes, looking like the celestial for as long as you wish. The presence of light will often take over at random times, choosing to remain in control to combat evil. In addition to all of your physical damage dealing Light damage, all of your spells are now affected, allowing any of your damaging spells to deal Light damage in addition to its other damage types. Your Light damage from either spells or attacks also ignores resistance and immunity, preventing anyone from negating your Light damage.

Celestial Strength Tattoo: (Bulls Strength)
Always Watching:

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Not only does nothing get passed you, but you are also now able to react to someone attempting to strike or harm you from a hidden location. You gain a hit prevention against that attack.

Spell Blade: Arcane Soul, Arcane Focus, One with the Blade, Always There, and Sharing Essence.
Stalwart Armor

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You are comfortable with your armor, basically living in it at this point. Your armor has become an extension of your own body. Because of this you no longer feel the effects of armor, moving normally and as nimble as someone without armor. Your armor also now ignores effects that would attempt to bypass armor. If a spell or ability would cause an enemy to ignore your armor for any reason, that effect is now negated.

Sub Classes: Fighter's Guild Stalwart
Magicians Secret:

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Nothing can get passed the Hunter's ability to sense their surroundings now. You are able to sense any hidden object, person, or living creature, regardless of how they are hidden. You will get a mental ping of the exact location of where something is trying to be hidden from you, and can even sense things that are magically hidden, such as by spells or abilities. You can sense invisible enemies or detect things covered up by magic.

Welcome to the Jungle:

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Now a master of your craft, all of your creations no longer take an action, letting you create up to three different combinations in a single post while also doing other things. Additionally, you have learned the inner workings of trap creation, able to locate and even disarm other traps. Your movements no longer trigger systems that are hidden like traps and can be disarmed by you without being triggered.

Overwhelming Might:

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Stalwarts are physically impressive beings of massive might and prowess, and it shows in the weapons they wield. As long as this subclass is active you can wield any two-handed weapon or a shield in one hand, weapons and shields have all of the benefits of being heavy without being slower to use. This allows you to wield a double-handed weapon with one single hand, or even duel wield double-handed weapons.

Unwavering Virtue:

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The celestial has instilled its sense of honor within in, building your resolve and strengthening your will. You can no longer be effected by spells or skills that would attempt to force you to do anything against your will. You cannot be turned against allies, forced to flee or even injure someone you wish not to injure. You have become a bastion of goodness that no one or nothing can influence you otherwise.

One with the Shadows:

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You are always aware of any form of shadow or body of darkness in the immediate area, able to passively sense where these shadows are and what is creating the shadow. In addition you can manipulate your own shadow, changing its size, shape and even removing it altogether. While within a shadow you have the effects of the spell Shadow hiding active at all times, but can now move and interact with objects without breaking the effect.

Shadow Sight

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While inside of a shadow created by you or another object, you can see perfectly, your vision not hindered by the darkness. You can also see others who would attempt to conceal themselves in the shadows or darkness. You can see the outline of others who are within the shadow or darkness as if you could see them in the daylight however this does not apply to magical means from spells or abilities.

NPCs

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Nordic, Dwarf, Male, Stealth (Master): Invisibility, Silent Step, Blade (Novice): Battle Ax X2 Captain's Badge.
Naesala, Half-Elf Female, Stealth (Master): Invisibility, Silent Step, Blade (Novice): Dagger, long sword.
Vamir, Elf, Male, Stealth (Master): Invisibility, Silent Step Marksmen (Novice): Long Bow.
Unicorn (Euros) Armored Banner armor has two hit preventions
Lightning Pixie (Violet) Cast (Lightning Bolt)

Wearing/weapons: 

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Helmet 3/0,Torso Phantom Plate 3/1, Armor Arms 3/0, Armor legs 3/0, Kite Shield 2/0
Iron Skin 2/0
Ray Bow, Paladin's Blade (Bonded) (Element Domain Light)Tourney Favor is Attached to Paladin's Blade
Falcon Kukri Blade, Normal Dagger, Normal Dagger Naesala has it Normal Long Sword Naesala has it.

Other Equipment:

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Flask of Feijoada, Crimson Pestilence,
Cirice's Divinity Charm, Dragon Chocolate
Storm Chocolate, Blizzard Chocolate
Eternity Ring (Sylvari's) (Wearing)
Etched Petals, Rings of Forged Connection

    I just huff at what was said by these 'civilians' and glance my actual eyes at the chaos of the field. Seeing the 4 knights going for Mayham was somewhat okay, if I can get to them and break whatever came across them since I have gotten to see a lot of their actions change as certain spells were cast.

    I click my heals and turn away from the people, if they ever were that at this point. Everything here was distorted enough to easily be an illusion of some kind, seeing so many people missing from the area completely only adds on to my theory there is somewhere else, something more, and the missing people have found it. 

    I briskly skate to the area and grasp at another burning needle from my pocket, throwing it at Kamille's Gale to hit one of those WEF 'people' aiming at her. We have a promised tea party, I can't just let one of the few people I can nerd out to about magic get harmed too much, especially considering how nasty those fake ones before were.

    Clone 1 in the buildings is enjoying the sounds of the other in the tunnels, meaning it can be explored. With a grin, she bends down at the mushrooms and blows on it, a spiral of ice escaping her throat. She may not hold much in memories of ice spells currently, but this could just as easily do something to these odd mushrooms that may or may not help her.

    Clone 2 just sighs and raises her arms slowly to them. "Very well, I'll comply, but you will realize that you have the wrong target, and whom ever you are targeting is somewhere else." Not realizing just how truthful the later part of the comment is. She does take the initiative of the first part and as the knight cuffs her, she touches him and lets her magic pulse to create a calm state of mind for him.

---

Keyke is located in the Rear

Action 1- Buff action: activate ice skates

Action 2- Attack Action: Throw a Burning Needle at a WEF Rider targeting Kamille (The one not hit by the fire breath, if applicable)

Clone 1: Debuff? Attack? action: Blows Ice breath on mushrooms

Clone 2: Support Action: Calm Emotion

Summery: Keyke and Rosemary are trying to make it to the area and try to aid Kamille, Keyke by using the Hawling Gale to help her burning Needle. Clone 2 with the guards tries to calm things down as she offers her hands for the cuffs. Clone 1 is in the buildings trying out some magics.

Rosemary- Curling from the pain in Keyke’s hair/on backpack.

Active/Activated Passives/HP:

Fluency spell

Cloud Gazing

One with the Shadows

Pass without a Trace

Ice Skate movement

Carl- Auto shooting from floating crossbow (19/20 arrows left)(In space pocket, but leaving here for arrow count)
Inspiring Sigil- hits for fear/charm affects left(1/2)
Phantom Curse(Touched by Death)- get up after 3rd major hit
Dancing Chain- Physical hit prevention (1/1) (Not recharging/3)
Cat's Grace- moving allows no knocking over/knocking off something
Electrical Surge- (0/4 Charges)

NPCs and Pets:
Rosemary- Water Pixie lv 2(Does not count against cap)
Chain of Past- Dancing Chain(Does not count against cap)


True Passives:

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Space Pocket- infinite storage/quick pull out
Animal speech Necklace- speak to all animals
Mask of Memories- can not be made to forget anything, or have your mind cleared, wiped or erased. Your memories can not be read, altered or affected in anyway.
Veiled Sunhat- sight is unaffected by particles such as snow, sand, or silt.
All Eye- immunity to blinding effects from things like flashes and magic, able to see through vision impairing effects, such as mist, smoke or dirt.
Night Vision- See through all non-magic darkness
Shadow Sight- seeing fellow Shadow Dancers
Blooming Anklet- 5ft radius of flora will bloom
Blood Scent- blood tracking
Life Spark Ear Rings-Attack penetration post after healing
Expanded Mind- know the spell is being cast, and you know everything about it, the domain its from, its element, its effect and any additional bonuses
Cat's Grace-no fall damage below 200ft drop
Sea Legs- Can not be knocked down or reduce speed when on a ship

In hindsight, he probably should’ve expected this.

As soon as Kvasir takes a step forward, expecting to pass through the prismatic veil, as though it’ll be as fragile as the bubbly wall from earlier, he’s hit with a feeling not so different from walking right into an ordinary wall– like when he’s not paying attention as he walks around the second floor of the Desert Rose, too consumed by notes and plans for the day to notice the planes of the room around him.

The primary difference is that he’s far from the comforts of his apothecary, from the tenuous comforts of the Zeinav Desert, and that the wall before him is a far cry from being harmless– well, perhaps he’s being a little dramatic, given he’s stepped back from it with nary a bruise to speak of–, but it’s a similar feeling that stirs up a similar frustration. Ugh, it’s only natural that it wouldn’t be a simple feat to just… pass through the distortion, but who can blame him for wishing it was?

“...I don’t know what I was expecting,” he sighs, face coloring a little as he drags his free hand down it, fingers curling, pressing into his temple. “Well. I suppose it’s onto the neeeeAUGH–”

A borderline-embarrassing shriek tears itself from Kvasir’s throat as a lightning bolt cleaves through the tunnel, striking the ink-dark facsimile of Hyll right in its back, the flash of light stark against the shadows of the cavern and the dim glow of his magic. The fur on his tail bristles, puffing up behind him like a startled cat, and he shoots a one-eyed, completely unintimidating glare towards the minotaur who’d apparently sent it hurtling toward Hyll’s summon.

…thankfully, the inky creature is… intact, and unharmed, as though the lightning never touched it.

The same cannot be said for Kvasir’s dignity.

“...Please, don’t cast spells like that in an enclosed space,” he breathes out, trying to settle the tension knotting up his spine, down his tail. “At least no one’s hurt.”

And because of that, Kvasir can focus on more significant things– namely Hyll’s claims that Astrid has also made her way inside the distortion, and that she’s making conversation with the very queen that the guards had been speaking of. And that it’s not going very well, which… is unsurprising. An entity this mired in chaos and entropy likely has no concept of reason– what use would she have for any negotiations?

…at the very least, Astrid is Astrid, and Kvasir has no doubts that she’ll be fine against a being like that. She isn’t just horrifyingly strong for a preteen, she’s horrifyingly strong for a person in general– if anything, this queen probably has something to fear dealing with her.

…unless something goes terribly wrong, but he’s going to choose not to think about that. Not yet.

“Right. Well. It’s probably best that we get in there with her,” he says, looking to Hyll as the scrunkle steps forward, pressing his hand against the ground. “The more of us, the better–”

Ah. Almost immediately, Kvasir understands what he’s attempting to do– earlier, when they’d escaped the guards, Hyll had done the exact same thing, cleaving through the buildings to create a temporary opening– the very one that’s led them down here to begin with. So as Hyll moves into action, creating another pale, glowing wall, Kvasir is quick to mimic the action, forming a second, glowing golden one to create shelter from another angle. [1]

As he steps into the forming opening, his hand strays to his satchel once again, feeling around until his fingers close around a small, triangular box– he quickly removes it, pulling at the ribbon keeping it together until he can pull the lid off of it, revealing three chocolates sitting within it– one adorned with a thread of scarlet gloss spun through it, another a bright white, wrapped around a pale blue center, and the third a dark brown with a gray spiral at its center. Kvasir gives all three a cursory glance before plucking the white one out of the box and popping it into his mouth. [2]

Ugh– admittedly, he’s no fan of the overly sweet taste that immediately floods his senses, chocolatey and fruity all at once, but he’s sure any additional help he can get in the magic department will come in handy. Even if it means suffering through the cold, cloying, hyper-sweet aftertaste that’ll surely linger on his tongue throughout the rest of this weird and terrible encounter.

…Gods above, he's treating himself to some tahchin after this.

---

SUMMARY: Kvasir laments FACEPLANTING against the DISTORTION, and promptly STARTLES over SHAA'S LIGHTNING BOLT. He CONVERSES WITH HYLL over ASTRID'S ENCOUNTER WITH THE FAE QUEEN before following up on his ATTEMPT TO GO INTO THE DISTORTION. He casts WALL OF LIGHT and EATS a BLIZZARD CHOCOLATE just in case things need to get FREEZY.

LYCORIS, once again, does NOTHING.

1. Cast Wall of Light to help reinforce defenses in case they make it past the distortion - DEFENSIVE ACTION

2. Eats Blizzard Chocolate - BUFFING ACTION

TEMP PASSIVES:

- Circle of Life 2/2 (resolving)

- Wall of Light 1/3

- Blizzard Chocolate (unused)

PETS:

1. Lycoris, "Moth Dragon" (reflavored Snow Owl) - counts as a pet

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A strange moth Kvasir encountered in the Lantern Light Wood on a mission for the Consortium with Morrigan Moonweaver and Cantio von Lumen. This creature has the ability to manifest as a cat-sized moth around the house, bearing resemblance to a Death's Head Hawkmoth in terms of appearance, but when the time comes, it can transform into a vast, imposing moth-like dragon, capable of casting magic.

Can cast Snow Flurry and Heavy Blizzard once per topic.

2. Sparkle-lings (reflavored Snowlings) - do not count against NPC cap

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A round bottle of what appears to be never-melting snow... but tip the bottle, and snowlings will pour out. Snowlings, little round snowballs (about the size of a golf ball) with legs, are eager to help perform tasks, chores, carry an item, or cause a distraction— but they have no combat abilities, and cannot speak. The entire group of Snowlings may be assigned one type of task at a time.

PASSIVES:

- Night Vision

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Any and all eyes you have are altered to be able to see in the dark. These eyes are given the ability to see regardless of how dark it is. This does not effect your normal eye sight and will not hinder you if it is bright out. These only work in normally darkness and will not see in darkness created by magic.

- Controlled Immunity

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Gaining mastery over the human body has increased your control over your own body. You have now become resistant to poison and toxins, your body able to fend them off with ease. Any poison or toxic effect last for one turn less on you and will not effect you as much as normal.

- Angelic Light

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The light within the celestial now flows through you, invigorating you and filling you with holiness. All of your physical attacks now deal light damage in addition to their normal damage types, so your sword slices, arrows strikes and hammer smashes all deal light damage, making you effective against those of evil and death. Your attacks that deal light damage now deal double damage against those who are of the Evil Alignment.

- Morrigan Moonweaver's Eternity Ring

SPOILER: Click to show

A single ornate ring that is said to magically bind itself to your soul upon receiving the ring. This ring is not for you to wear, instead it is meant to be given to another like someone you love, trust, care about or value immensely. While someone is wearing your ring, they are able to read your emotions or mood, and tell if you are happy, sad, scared, etc. The wearer of your ring is also able to cast one spell, or use one martial/stealth ability that you own (is in your inventory) once per topic. They cast the ability at the same level you posses (Novice, Master or Exalted) and can be used without needing to be in the topic together. A ring can only be bound to one person at a time and you cannot wear multiple peoples' rings.

- Life Spark Earring

SPOILER: Click to show

A small, yellow sun shaped ear ring that can be attached to the ear in any manner. Worn by paladins, clerics and battle medics to dish out damage while still protecting their comrades. While this is worn, if you healed someone last post, all of your damage this post will ignore resistances, immunities and hit preventions.

- Inked Marking (from Hyll)

SPOILER: Click to show

The Quillomancer's tool of the trade is a small, glass vial of black writing ink, which all Quillomancers keep on them. By infusing your magic into this ink, you can place your hand on a target, transferring the ink onto their skin in the form of a tattoo of your own design. You can make three tattoos per topic, which are permanent and stay until the end of the topic, morphing back into ink when the topic ends. Anyone who has an Inked Marking will be able to telepathically communicate with others who also have an Inked Marking, even if they are unable to see one another. Those with an Inked Marking will also know the exact whereabouts of others with the markings, able to speak with and track others affected by the tattoos. An individual can only have one Inked Marking applied.

The barrier blocking Vail and Gwen gives way, allowing the group to pass through a portal and into yet another realm. What awaits them on the other side is far from anything they could have possibly imagined. Two black ripples hover in the sky, staring down at a familiar girl as speaks in a strange voice. The girl in particular strikes a chord in Vail, causing the ashlander to jump to the only conclusion possible given what he had previously witnessed.
“Is this the afterlife?” He mutters to himself in dismay.

His distress is soon shattered by a collection of strange shouts from Gwen followed by an equal strange comment directed at him. The noble woman’s strange behavior, pulls the ashlander slightly back to reality, reminding him of the mushrooms the two of them had recently consumed. That must be the answer, how else would he be seeing this child again? “Yeah this is pretty crazy, I am seeing dead people, Gwen.” the ashlander replies with wide eyes.

As the pair discuss their shared affliction, the sound of water echoes out around them, bringing Vail’s attention to the herd of horse-like creatures staring them down from the other side of their proverbial arena. The incoming threat causes the ashlander to survey the area, taking note of the young Satyr and Birdfolk who have joined the child.

As the herd begins to charge, Vail steps forward, reigniting the flames on his hand wraps with the flick of a wrist. “Hold your ground. The source of this is still out there.”
When the concerned voice of the young Satyr reaches his ears, Vail quickly withdraws something from his coat and looks back at her with a smirk.
“Don’t worry kid, I’ll stop them in their tracks.” He replies as he reveals a blue candy held between his teeth. He faces forward once more as his teeth pierce the chocolate, causing a sudden snowfall in the direction of the kelpis.

SUMMARY

Vail is in the portal, thinks he is having a bad trip, and is seeing dead people. He reactivates Blessing of the Hallowed to buff everyone and uses the Blizzard Chocolate to cast Sheer Cold and slow the Kelpi charge.

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[1] Buff action: Vail reactivates Blessing of the Hallowed, buffing everyone in the portal
[2] Offensive action: Uses Blizzard Chocolate to cast Sheer Cold

SPOILER: Click to show

Sheer Cold - A chill fills the air as you make it begin to snow. The area drops several degrees in temperature as it begins to get incredibly cold. Anyone in the area will begin to be effected by the cold, finding it hard to move, hold on to their weapons or even just function. Their movement become incredibly slow and their skin fragile. During this time any damage they take from blades or blunt weapons will be increased in addition to it being hard to hold onto their own weapons.

Active passives:
Controlled Immunity - poison/toxic reduction
Bulls Strength Tattoo - Double Strength
Shadow Sight
Pass without a trace
Hands are weapons
Iron Grip
Dashing Enchantment: Master Unarmed built-in enchantment

Vestige of Light: [5/6] posts

Blessing of the Hallowed: [1/3] posts

Two Piece
Hands are weapons

Equipped items:
Phantom Plate (Cuirass) (3/3)HP
Smoldering Cape (Clothing)
Hand Wraps (Unarmed Weapon): Life Link, Cold Iron, Double Strike

Front

@shitakibo , Marion Aurea , and C'Leena Thomas are befuddled trying to figure out how to get through the distortion, they spend their turn bamboozled.

Javal Zarrias and Mikael Mooreson try to appeal to the knights Beak is busy chastizing for doing what they believe is simply their duty as knights since undead are typically not so chill. One knight turns their attention to Javal Zarrias and Mikael Mooreson .

“We saw you attacking members of the WEF. Surrender yourselves. You will be tried for your transgressions.”

Mikael Mooreson , upon eating the mushroom, can clearly see through the illusory buildings and to the portal on the FRONT flank, but he can also see the portals on the other flanks as well. It looks like the portal on the REAR and RIGHT flanks have changed color after some other adventurers have made it through them.

Left

The knights Lord Sarne Sequoia tries to make an appeal to doesn’t seem to change their manipulated minds.

“You have already resisted arrest. We have no reason to believe your words.” (Note that you can’t use anything that wasn’t in your inventory at the start of the event).

With the appeal falling on deaf ears, Lord Sarne Sequoia instead evades arrest yet again by blinding the knights. They shout in alarm and immediately try to blindly slash at him. The knight who was seemingly snapped out of the mind control gets bodied by one of the other knights colliding with them and goes down hard, dropping the staff and Lord Sarne Sequoia ’s sword.

Right

Hylltywyll uses Create Door to try and get into the space distortion. It looks like the ability is about to fail when Lady Astrid Stormstone ’s replicant casts a space domain spell to bolster its effects. This works long enough for a tear in the portal to appear which lets the group quickly pass through it.

Dusty continues to dig a tunnel digga digga tunnel.

The knights Morrigan Moonweaver throws a potion at don’t know what hits them. Aaaand then they get very mad and start attacking each other. Unfortunately, Natsunats-Shun is also subject to the rage-inducing potion and now wants to also fight the knights to the death.

The remaining replicants quickly realize that they’ll need to dogpile the knights as the electric cage holding them fades.

Rear

Lady Kamille Verlithax and Kalaf engage the two WEF members after them. The wind buffets them into each other long enough for the fireball to connect. One is fried and the ink blight is able to tear it to bits that rain down onto the battlefield while the other manages to hold itself together just long enough to get a face full of fire and a sharp needle threading through it.

The four knights that were chasing Mayhem successfully chase it from the REAR flank, but as they also escape the city’s illusion, the delirium clouding their minds fades and they look around very confused as to what just happened.

One of Lady Keyke Runi ’s remaining replicant freezes a mushroom which crumbles in her hand into a fine shimmery powder, the other is still getting arrested but the knight making the arrest is a lot more chill about it.

“Sorry, Miss. If you’re found innocent you will be released.”

Portal

Shaa Rhunn , Hylltywyll , Kvasir Sigurrós , and Lady Astrid Stormstone ’s replicant and golem stumble onto the sodden battlefield right into the middle of the chaos. There’s an annoyed huff from seemingly nowhere and everywhere.

“Another familiar scent. I did not get to feast on you before, but now I will have my chance to feast on your flesh..”

Morphing out of the ground under Shaa Rhunn is a massive hand made out of water and plant life. It slams into the minotaur and tries to grapple him.

Morrigan Moonweaver also appears on the field and is quick to make a grand entrance. The kelpies veer off, avoiding the fellblood, weary of him but not deterred from circling around to attack the others.

Gwendolyn Mystwud attempts to charm the fey queen, but it doesn’t seem to be effective. Then Millicent summons a tornado, Mori conjures a ball of fire, and Jessica launches an icicle at the stampeding herd. Vail is also quick to buff allies and debuff the enemies, dropping the temperature in the area significantly which is bolstered by Jessica and Cypress Springleap ’s spells. The puddles turn to slush and the kelpies are significantly slowed which lets the others get a few solid hits in on them. Two basically explode from the barrage, then another one is shattered into a spray of water droplets, finished off by Fish the Tinkerer ’s exploding scroll.

Ignoring all the chaos, or rather embracing it, Lady Astrid Stormstone runs around taking all the hits from everyone else’s spells but also a few bites and kicks from the herd. The magic around her protects her from harm and starts stockpiling that energy.

A few of the kelpies try to attack Cypress Springleap , Kvasir Sigurrós , and Hylltywyll , but are deterred by the aura of light protecting them and the barriers put up by Kvasir Sigurrós and Hylltywyll .

Fish the Tinkerer would also notice that the magic in this area is strange. The formulae arcanum doesn’t seem to work the same here as back home. It pulls and twists, gathering back towards where the eyes had manifested before.

Rising from the flooded plain is a gigantic humanoid-ish form with a curtain of long kelp-like hair obscuring its face. Long pointed ears with scalloped edges poke out from either side of its head. Its shoulders breach the water as a pair of scaled and finned arms push down on the earth making it bend like it’s just a thin solid surface floating on top of a marshy sea. The figure’s skin glistens and is purplish-grey in hue with multicolored stripes acting almost as mirrors that reflect the auroras dancing across the sky overhead. This being looms over the entire battlefield, rivaling the height of some of Charon’s tallest castle spires.

The figure delicately parts their kelpweed hair revealing the same eyes seen before and a wicked smile filled with sharp teeth. They raise their other hand and the the puddles begin to bubble and boil with incredible heat.

“You all will make such a delectable soup.”

---

NOTE: Please indicate where you are at the END OF YOUR TURN on the battlefield (FRONT, REAR, LEFT FLANK, RIGHT FLANK). 

Knights of Duros are real, some have been freed while others are still enchanted. Other charm effects and means of countering the charm are somewhat effective, but results vary.

Shadows, or being in shadows, can distort the illusions so you can see through them. 

Inside the buildings are tunnels full of mushrooms. The mushrooms create poisonous spore clouds when destroyed. The mushrooms allow you to see through the illusions when eaten. 

The WEF riders are illusions covering more vine monsters and are hostile. The WEF riders can pass through the portals. 

The distorted areas are rifts in space, creating portals to a different reality. Space magic can be used on the portals to let PCs pass through it. All other physical attacks and spells are repelled.

New enemies have spawned inside the portal. 

The Boss has appeared inside the portal.

Damage dealt to PCs and NPCs:

Confirmed - damage and effects have been awarded

Inbound - damage and effects have been threatened

Lord Sarne Sequoia 2 minor wounds (slashing damage) inbound
Shaa Rhunn 1 major wound (water + earth damage) and grapple inbound
Everyone in the PORTAL - 1 major wound (water + fire damage) inbound if you stay on the ground at the END of this round. The currently active wall spells will not deflect this damage.

Active environmental threats:

All areas are under some sort of strange magical effect that cannot be fully understood.
The battlefield has been transformed into a stone city.
Inside the buildings are mushroom tunnels that lead to the distortions.
There are weird distortion points on EACH FLANK that redirect RANGED PROJECTILES and RESIST being entered. These are confirmed to be portals on the FRONT, RIGHT and REAR flanks. The WEF riders are able to pass through it, and SPACE magic can also be used to move through it.

FRONT
IT DARK OVER HERE - magical darkness effects make it difficult for those without night vision, dark vision, ebon eyes, etc to see.
Beak is giving off LIGHT in their immediate vicinity

PORTAL
The floor is lava! Not really, it’s just boiling water, but that’s still not great to stand in.

Active minions:

FRONT:
3 Knights - charmed by Marion Aurea
2 Knights - calmed but still arresting Beak and attempting to arrest Javal Zarrias and @mikaelmorrison1

LEFT:
1 Knight - KOed and on the ground
2 Knights - hostile and attacking Lord Sarne Sequoia

RIGHT:
1 Knight - asleep in Morrigan Moonweaver 's hat
2 Knights - enraged
2 Knights - hostile and dog-piled
2 WEF drake rider - hostile, heading towards the REAR flank

REAR:
1 Knight - calmed while arresting Lady Keyke Runi replicant
1 Knights - hostile and searching for Lady Keyke Runi
1 Knight - hostile and searching for Vail and Gwendolyn Mystwud
4 Knights - chased Mayhem from the field but also removed themselves from the area

PORTAL
9 hungry hungry puddle ponies
1 giant plant hand

Boss abilities discovered:

Projected telepathy
Illusory magic
Charm effects
Terrain manipulation
Spacial rifts
Summon kelpies
Manipulate plantlife
Make good soup

Action System is Active

The deadline to get your reply in for this round is Monday September 8 at 11:59 pm ET

I yelped and jumped back in pain when the impact ran back up my arm instead or tearing the space open like I'd expected it to. I was even more surprised when a whole minotaur whizzed past me too. ACK, nope-nope-nope. I'm supposed to skewer people, not the other way around. I looked to see how the others were doing. Ookay, the answer is the vines, gotcha. I muttered in my mind as I saw Morrigan’s orb blip back through the distortion. I hop over to the pile of vines, of which Morrigan has already hogged a solid mat. But I mean, finders keepers, there's still probably enough for me. Then they reach into their pocket and --WHAT WAS THAT?!

I whirl around when something wet splashes on my wings.

.
.
.

Seriously? I JUST got dry! This WHOLE time, I haven’t been able to fly, or land a single decent hit, none of my magic does anything, Lady Astrid is still kidnapped and just when I’m able to fly again SOMEBODY has to go and land-bind me again! WHO IS IT?! WHO?!

I whip around and lunge, wings snapping together for the extra power as I make a jab for the sternum of whoever is behind me.

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RIGHT FLANK
Abyssal Infusion 2/2
Action 1: Attack with claw

Summary: What happens when an already pent-up and emo Nats gets hit with rage pot.