With the portal now forced open, the others poured through quickly, following Taki's shadowed path. She stood aside, watching the path to ensure they weren't pursued by any of the enthralled Knights or Riders. She could hear the sound of rushing, bubbling water from the portal, as well as all manner of odd sounds. Whatever was going on inside, sticking around out here was not something Taki had the means of dealing with. There was also her wounded companions, stowed away in her pack, on her mind. If the rest of her kit wasn't stowed away with the pair, she'd send them home and dive in to the fray with the others. There really wasn't time for it though, and listening to the hectic din of battle from inside the portal didn't help the impatient and anxious worry.

Taki took one last deep breath and took the plunge through the portal following the others, not wanting to be left behind. Dropping into the strange environment, her senses stirred unnaturally for a moment. She certainly was not in Charon anymore... Pastel painted skies, rainbow leaved grasses, and all the smells of this place were... wrong, sideways somehow, some way to her senses. In the center of this riot of topsy turvy reality was an even greater oddity, a being that in part reminded her of Kamina and the other pixies she'd encountered... but this creature also had astounding similarity to the Fae taken down in Frost Gale. A relative perhaps? Then there were the odd horse like creatures, radiating with a predatory menace that seemed like something out of a twisted children's tale.

Barely given a moment to adjust, a boiling flood covered the vibrant wetlands. To add to this peculiar battleground, a massive wall of boiling, steaming water rushed outward towards them all. Taki felt a pang of solemn frustration, knowing that meer months ago she could have changed the tides of this battle with a spell or two. Now she could barely hope to keep herself safe, her only real means of defending others was to remove a threat directly these days. Oh well, no time like the present to get a healthy bit of exercise in.

Reaching into one of the side pockets of her pack, she pulled out a sweeping steel blade much like a machete. This blade did not have the typical handle, but a wide ring the user could grasp to use it as a melee weapon or tool. A flick of the wrist revealed it's other, more wicked function. A quartet of sharp blades surround the ring handle, allowing one to throw the weapon in peculiar and unexpected ways. Thanks to the many abilities of her fellow adventurers, she took aim before taking two quick bounding steps forward. Planting her forward heel, she rolled her weight through her hips, up her spine and out away from her body through her arms. The Folding Shuriken made a wicked buzzing sound as it sailed in a lazy spiral toward it's target. Sailing past, the whirling blade would attempt to slice the Queen before returning to Taki's grasp a moment later. Until it was safe to close the gap, she settled her body into a comfortable rhythm with the dangerous, whirling implement. A deadly dervish of flying steel ensued as Dancer and her blade fell into a practiced pace of catching and throwing.

---

Summary: Taki follows the party through the portal, taking a moment to orient herself to the bizarre surroundings as Javal's icy prowess spares them from the scalding battlefield[hopefully]. Using that moment, she pulls out her Folding Shuriken, launching several feints along with a pair of meaningful attacks.

Taki - 0/6 Wounds, 3/3 HP, 1/1 HP vs. Fire

Action 1: Ranged Attack with Folding Shuriken [Quick Draw, Far Sight, Blood Trail, Crippling Wounds]
Action 2: Ranged Attack with Folding Shuriken [Quick Draw, Far Sight, Blood Trail, Crippling Wounds]
Rina - 2/4 Wounds, Flitten

Action 1: Held - On Standby
Kamina - 2/4 Wounds, Lightning Pixie II

Action 1: Held - On Standby

SPOILER: Click to show

Prestige: Sharpshooter 4, Shadow Dancer 4, Brawler 3, BV: Dancer 4

Subclasses: Oniwanban Shadow, Oniwanban Footsoldier

Passives: Aura of Vulcadreus, Surface Scaling, Silent Step, Mystic Bells, One with the Shadows, Shooter's Sense, Far Sight, Quick Draw, Hands are Weapons, Iron Grip, Fighter's Sense, Throwing Arts

Items: 4/12

Augments: Baloth Muscles x7, Bull's Strength, Claws, Disjoint, Extra Arms, Fangs, Gills, Prehensile Tail, Tongue Lash, Troll King's Heart, Kijin Guisegraft

Wearing: Morph Suit, Spring Broach, Summer's Embrace Cloak, Kishin Earthswimmers, Fire Dancer's Bangles

Weapons: Kusarigama [Tourney Favor], Folding Shuriken, Hydra Blood Needles, Walking Sword, Gun Brace, Monk's Spade

Misc: Dragon/Storm/Blizzard Chocolate, Spirit Bottle, Tent, Tool Pouch, Medical Kit, House Key, Sleigh Bell [Rina]

 

Quick Summary:

Cypress shoots a fire bolt at the kelpie who attempted to attack her, before being swept away by Cstrid to avoid the massive, boiling wave. After being door dashed to Kamille's cloud, she is gifted a scroll, which she opens to launch a massive fireball at the fae queen.

---

Cypress sidesteps awkwardly, lifted out of the water by the Stone Wall, but the Circle of Life has lulled her into a somewhat false sense of security. She’s been able to ignore the kelpies thus far thanks to the presence of glimmering, glittering flowers called upon by Kvasir’s potion- but as she looks around the battlefield to regain her bearings- their spark begins to fade around her.

“Huh?” She perks her ears, a wave of anxiety falling over her as the flowers retract, slipping away into the water below, and fading from the battlefield altogether. “Uh oh-” Before she can even utter her acknowledgement of the scenario, the kelpies have noticed its departure. Balanced precariously on her wall, Cypress stiffens when a gurbling cry cuts through the chaos, and her eyes lock into the hostile eyes of one of the kelpies charging towards her.

Fight and flight begin to clash within her - fear and dread ultimately locking her knees together as she comes so close to being seriously hurt. A flash in front of her pulls her from her stupor, and her eyes widen as the spirit clashes against the kelpie. “No!” While she steps back, fire gathers in her palms, thrust towards the kelpie ₍₁₎ as she falls from her wall into the lukewarm water below; but the spirit has taken the hit for her, redirecting the kelpie away.

Cypress sits in the water, wide-eyed with her heart in her throat, and her mind racing.

That…

That was almost really, really bad.

She swallows thickly, her blurry vision zoning in on the spirit, who she appears apologetic to, “Sorry.” she whispers hoarsely, “Thank you.” She rises, ignoring her heavy skirts from the water; at least it wasn’t boiling! It could be worse, right? As Cypress scurries back towards the spirit and the raised wall, she realizes that she’s internally jinxed herself and everyone on the battlefield, oh no.

It got worse.

A wave of boiling water erupts from near the queen and begins to crash over the battlefield and the adventurers gathered there. Cypress blanches, “Seriously!?” she squeaks, grabbing the pouch containing one sleepy Skelly protectively while she steps back. She glances at Cstrid with wide eyes, nodding in agreement and reaching out for her; she wraps her arms around Cstrid’s shoulders, allowing her to swoop her away. “Astrid! Be careful!” she calls, watching Astrid zoom away in another direction.

While Cstrid carries her off, mister Kvasir’s voice rings in the back of her mind. “Yeah! I’m okay, Astrid has me.” she updates him, about to say something else when Cstrid completely distracts her. ⁽²⁾

“Your gran!?” she repeats, suddenly looking at her in a panic. “Wait - what do you mean your gran!?”

Cypress doesn’t have much say on where they’re going - and, honestly, away from the wave is great right now - so she just bunches up while the replicant takes her to a cloud with a couple of other adventurers on it. When they arrive, she stares with wide eyes at a raven haired woman.
Her gran!?

Girl, where!?

There’s not a single grandma in sight!!!

She blinks out of her surprise, glancing sidelong at the other adventurer with Kamille to greet them both with a squeaky, “H-hello -” Just before Lady Kamille Verlithax takes her hands; the satyr perks her ears, clearly nervous and apprehensive - but her voice is warm and kind- like a surprisingly warm summer’s night. Her cheeks darken in embarrassment, “Th-thank you!” she squeaks, her smile sheepish; she wiggles her ears, flowers creeping through her curls to bloom. “I-it’s nice to meet you, too! I’d love to have a cup of tea with you after this!”

Oh, her head is swimming.

When Kamille stands up and releases her hands, Cypress presses her palms into her cheeks, still embarrassed. She didn’t expect to meet more of Astrid’s family today! Is she making a good impression? Now’s not the time, Cypress! She shakes her head, eyes wide as Kamille promises to protect her and the other adventurer - who, now that Cypress has taken a better look at them, seems rather… skeleton-like?

She nods her head anyways. “Okay!” she agrees, feeling empowered if only a little by Kamille’s presence - and then very empowered- when Kamille hands her a scroll. “Huh?” She perks her ears, head tilting slightly, “What is it?” And, of course, without thinking… she opens it, causing a flash of molten light to halo her while a very massive fireball ₍₃₎ forms from the page over her head. “Wah!?” She stumbles back, falling onto the cloud with wide eyes as the fireball shoots overhead, heading towards the fae queen.

---

CYPRESS

Location: Portal

ACTIONS

(1) Fire Bolt: OFFENSE. Cypress shoots a firebolt at one of the kelpies who attacked her.

(3) Scrollwork: OFFENSE. Cypress takes a literal page from grandma Kamille's book and casts Massive Fireball at the Fae Queen. She is well on her way to becoming an arsonist like grandma.

Passive Communication (Hyl's Inked Marking):

(2) Inked Marking: Cypress lets Kvasir Sigurrós and Hylltywyll know that she is okay, and in fact, not dead.

---

SKELLY

Him sleeb. Very tire. The king has had a busy day!

    Sensing how few people are still here, some I know, some I don't, lets clean up this area to better for the next one. I turn my focus over to the Right area's fighting. Letting my wind shift around me, I levitate as I move closer to the right side. Swiping at the air, a shatter visual collects as I retrieve my Ray bow forming in my hand and Carl  right above my shoulder from my magic pocket. With a smirk, I aim at a knight that got a hit on someone who is attempting to sweep the other. With a release of my arrow, and the following of Carl's arrow to the same person, I grin as it flies. A tingle in my head lightly pulses right above my ear as questions slowly go unanswered lowering my grin once more. I need some clear answers soon.

    Clone 1 glances down at the okay smelling mushrooms, as much as they can smell while partially frozen. In taking a deep breath, she pulls the mushrooms to her mouth and starts to eat and munch on the freeze dried mushrooms.

    Clone 2 Grins as the guards remain at least somewhat relaxed. With a tilt of her head, she speaks up as her magic keeps pulsing. "May I ask what I would have to be proven innocent of? Or better yet, could you tell me what's happening?"

---

Keyke is located in the Right

Action 1- Buff Action: Bring back Carl

Action 2- Attack Action: Shoot Ray Bow

Clone 1: Interaction: Eat Mushroom dust

Clone 2: Support Action: Calm Emotion

Summery: Keyke and Rosemary watch the clear and the chaos. A flick of her hand brings back the Carl Crossbow and the ray bow, Aiming the ray bow at a knight that hit Natsunats as she floats to the right side. Clone 2 with the guards welcomes the role to calm them down. Let Questions Go! Clone 1 is curious and decides to finally test it, eating the mushroom dust.

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

Active/Activated Passives/HP:

Fluency spell

Cloud Gazing

Ice Skate movement

Carl- Auto shooting from floating crossbow (18/20 arrows left)
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:

SPOILER: Click to show

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

Vail’s light strikes the colossal figure, along with a random flock of birds and an explosion courtesy of Morrigan’s passenger, but does little to fell their massive adversary. If anything, their attacks seemingly do nothing but annoy the watery figure. Before Vail can prepare his next attack, he catches a movement from the corner of his eye, a massive palm, swinging toward him and the rest of the airborne adventurers.

“Well that’s inconvenient.” Vail mutters as he stares down the proverbial wall of water. The ashlander darts upward, rising faster than the aqueous palm can climb^[1]. As Vail clears the swing zone, he looks down to see Morrigan move in to attack, a surprisingly aggressive move for the charlatan.
Guess it’s time for plan B, making ourselves a problem.

From his vantage point, Vail sees more adventurers have joined the fray, drawing the liquid lady’s attention to the ground. As the fae queen slams her hands into the water below, Vail darts back down, taking aim at their adversary’s neck. Think you can just swat us away and pretend we don’t exist huh? Too bad for you, these morsels bite back.

Dashing around to the back of the woman’s head, Vail ducks under her kelp-like hair, stopping just at her nape. “Try ignoring this neck massage!” The ashlander exclaims as he launches a barrage of punches into the watery mass, his fists seemingly leaving craters with each blow^[2].

---

SUMMARY
Vail dodges the oncoming watery slap, flying upwards with help of his dashing enchantment. When the queen's attention is drawn to adventurer's on the ground, Vail flies downwards and under the queen's wig. Taking aim at her neck, the ashlander launches a barrage of cold iron enhance punches.

[1] Evasive action: Vail flies upwards to dodge the sloshly slap (Hopefully aided by his dashing enchantment)

[2] Offensive action: Punches the queen's neck (3-4) times (Double Strike + Two Piece)

SPOILER: Click to show

Hand Wraps:
Enchantment 1: Life Link - This Enhancement allows the wielder to heal from attacks landed against an enemy. After dealing damage to an enemy with this weapon you heal a minor wound which slowly heals up giving the weapon's wielder some rejuvenation. Can be applied to all weapon types.

Enchantment 2 (Monk): Cold Iron - When a weapon with this Enhancement is drawn in the presence of denizens of the Elder realm, they cause a fear effect upon them that lasts for one post per hit. (Denizens of the Elder realm include Fae, Spirits, Undead, and other Supernatural monstrosities). Causes a lingering effect of malaise, slowing the target’s speed by half and preventing them from accessing their magic. Can be applied to any weapon type.

Enchantment 3 (Tourney Favor): Double Strike - This enchantment allows the wielder to strike twice with a weapon while only making one attack. This lets you deliver two consecutive strikes in the same amount of time it would take to make one.

Two Piece:
Brawlers have learned to combo their attacks, able to deliver quick successful attacks one after another. If a brawler is able to successfully land an attack with just their fist, they can launch another attack with their other fist directly after it as apart of the same attack. This follow up attack follows the outcome of the first, meaning if the first strike lands, the second one will automatically land.

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
Two Piece

Hands are weapons

Divine Ascent (2/3) posts

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

Left

Lord Sarne Sequoia remains on the LEFT flank.

The knight Hektor rouses opens their eyes with a bleary look on their face. “Giant…siren…”

Right

Natsunats-Shun dodges one hit but takes another before unleashing a wave of fear that makes the frenzied knights quake in their boots. Taking this moment to put some distance between themself and the knights, Natsunats-Shun dives through the vines and into the portal. They would arrive on the flooded plain and witness just absolute chaos as the rest of their allies rally against a towering fae entity.

Lady Astrid Stormstone ’s replicants continue to be pests to the remaining knights and stun them.

Rear

Kalaf roars to scare off the remaining knights.

Lady Keyke Runi moves from the REAR to the RIGHT flank and fires an arrow of light into one of the remaining knights. The knight goes down and the other is quick to get back up and prop up their shield in defense. Clone 1 can now see through the illusory buildings. Clone 2 continues to try and break through the mental control. This time it works, the control of the Queen’s magic faltering and releasing the knight.

They sway on their feet suddenly feeling faint and hold their head in confusion. “What?”

Portal

Beak accepts Lady Kamille Verlithax ’s aid and is whisked into the air. Spending some time to address the manacles on their wrists, they do manage to bend and break the metal after some effort. Their hands are now free.

Javal Zarrias counters the boiling water around him by freezing it which helps protect the allies he came through the portal with. Noting the incoming wall of water, he summons a frigid wall which takes the brunt of the damage.

Marion Aurea and Mikael Mooreson are still taking in the situation, but are protected by Javal Zarrias ’s spells.

Kvasir Sigurrós ’s barriers of light spare many the worst the wave has to offer, then the healer does what he does best before downing his own concoction in preparation for whatever comes next.

Fish the Tinkerer throws up a barrier to intercept the swat. It shatters on contact but does manage to prevent them and Morrigan Moonweaver from being slapped right out of the air. Seeing the birb aiming some sort of strange metal tube at her, the queen raises her hand to shield her face. The gun fire pierces deep through her hand, actually making it through the other side but losing most of its momentum. The queen hisses, her hand weeping a thick black ichor as Morrigan Moonweaver flits about and lands a few deep slashes across her arm.

Hylltywyll summons a giant stone leviathan to the battlefield. The queen reacts by catching the top and lower jaws of the creature to prevent its bite attempt. This at least keeps her arms preoccupied for the time being. An opportunity the blight takes advantage of as it rakes its claws across her skin. It leaves a scratch but doesn’t do as much as might be expected.

The kelpies snort as they pass into the purple aura and become disoriented, kicking and lashing out at anything that comes near wildly.

Gwendolyn Mystwud 's armor lets her slam through the wave and break through to the other side relatively unscathed. The maul contacts the vegetal hand and smashes it into smithereens while the minions fire off various spells at the remaining kelpies and reducing their numbers.

Vail dodges up into the air then nyooms over to the queen’s neck before giving it a solid chop. Tendrils of kelp that is her hair spring to life like snakes and retaliate against the Ashlander.

Cypress Springleap targets one of the disoriented kelpies and blasts it with fire. The surface of its skin boils and it bursts like a bubble. Then they’re whisked into the sky and given the gift of arson from a friendly witch. The fireball soars across the aurora-laden sky and slams into the Queen.

Lady Astrid Stormstone ’s construct zaps one of the disoriented kelpies before freezing it and causing it to shatter into pieces. It manages to avoid damage by climbing higher onto the light barriers. Lady Astrid Stormstone flies up and launches a devastating electric attack to the top of the Queen’s head after hopefully preventing her from casting counterspell once again. Shaa Rhunn has the same idea and the pair manage to land their extremely heavy attacks simultaneously.

@shitakibo flings two giant shuriken at the torso of the queen. The first one leaves a mark but doesn’t sink in while the second manages to slice into the fae’s side.

The Queen crumples from the consecutive attacks. Her grip on the jaws of the stone leviathan slips and the creature manages to bite down on one of her giant arms. Her other arm slams back down against the flooded plane as she’s pushed down into the softened ground.

Her long kelp-like hair writhes and rises up, forming lance-like weapons which strike out at everyone within melee of her body. Those who are further away at range would notice that the now cooled water starts to shudder as the mossy ground splits and a massive serpentine-like tail with razor-sharp fins sweeps across the field. 

---

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 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.

Damage dealt to PCs and NPCs:

Confirmed - damage and effects have been awarded

Inbound - damage and effects have been threatened

Natsunats-Shun  - 1 minor confirmed (already accounted for from previous round)
ANYONE IN MELEE WITH THE QUEEN- 2 major wounds (piercing damage) inbound
ANYONE AT RANGE WITH THE QEEN - 2 major wounds (bludgeoning damage) inbound
(if you have a wall spell currently up and it has at least 1 post remaining in its duration, it will be destroyed on impact but will prevent 1 major wounds worth of damage to your character and any characters behind it)

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.

PORTAL
The water is cooled/safe to stand in once more

Active minions:

FRONT:
5 Knights - disengaged

LEFT:
3 Knights - KOed and on the ground

RIGHT:
1 Knight - downed
1 Knight - spooked and on the defense against Lady Keyke Runi
2 Knights - hostile and stunned

REAR:
1 Knight - calmed while arresting Lady Keyke Runi replicant
2 Knights - spooked by Kalaf

PORTAL
1 Knight - asleep in Morrigan Moonweaver 's hat

Boss abilities discovered:

Projected telepathy
Illusory magic
Charm effects
Terrain manipulation
Spacial rifts
Summon kelpies
Manipulate plantlife
Make good soup
Soup wave says hello
Kelp snake/lance hair
BEEG TAIL SLAP

PC applied effects: 

Limited to 10 spells

Summon plant-hand stolen
No more counterspelling
Poisoned

Action System is Active

The deadline to get your reply in for this round is Sunday September 22 at 11:59 pm ET

Admittedly Fish was still very much a novice when it came to fighting up close with others, but for some reason in this moment there was no worry. The spikes hurtling towards them seemed to be coming in slow motion. It was like Fish was already anticipating the attack and they could feel their body moving already. Was this the "zone" Del had talked about? That fighter's instinct to know when something is coming before your opponent evne knows the attack they are making?



Unfortunately for Fish they do not have time to interrogate this feeling and trust their training. Unlike marksmanship and alchemy, they did not have the natural talent for brawling. They only had their training to lean on in this moment rather than raw instinct. Del was patient in teaching Fish, time to see if the patience paid off.



They step from Morrigan's shoulders and make themselves small. Reducing their target size, Fish can slip in past the kelpy hair and get in closer. The musket is dropped in favor of something a bit more personal, a set of cold-iron forged brass knuckles. It is not a perfect move as Fish attempts to move past unharmed. The sheer width and scope of the fae queen's attack was had to get away from entirely. They are able to avoid the worst of it, but they do not proceed unharmed.


There is barely a sound as Fish hits the water on the ground and closes in hopefully past the Fae Queen's guard. There are other fighters nearby, Fish won't land a killing blow but they can knock her off-balance. The bird aims for the left knee, focusing ki into their fist. Do fae have ki? Can their ki be blocked if they do?



Time to find out.

---

Summary: Fish slips past the kelp hair attack to go rock'em sock'em bird time with the Fae Queen hoping to wreck her balance and set others up for more deadly attacks. Fish will take 1 major wound unless otherwise prevented by someone else.

1. Defensive Action: The Azucena Counter
Upon a melee attack being launched at the user, the dodge hit prevention is activated. A sleek, minimalist dodge towards the opponent getting under and inside their reach, the Azucena Counter is the perfect setup to launch a counter offensive. This ability has a two post cool down before it can be used again.

2. Offensive Action: Eightfold Path Fist (used with cold-iron knuckles)
A technique used to completely incapacitate a target, the Eightfold Path Fist targets specific nerve clusters to remove mobility and stun. Over the course of four posts, if the user hits the target they will stun the affected limb for a post, each successful hit adds an additional post to the initial duration of the technique; ex. A successful hit occurs on the second post, the duration goes from two more posts to three more. Can be used once per topic.

Success! His strike with an unexpected assist from his buddy Astrid sent the swampy witch queen creature whatever down to the ground. It was about time. Vulcana flitted about his head and chirped happily. Yeah yeah, you helped too ya little fire bug. It was a celebration that was short lived. The plant queen was down but definitely not out for the count. The beings from this dimension all seemed to be insanely durable. It was getting pretty annoying.

As Shaa prepared his follow up attack, suddenly the “hair” around them started to move and shape itself. It was fine. He had seen this move with that stupid drake who had turned its skin into spikes. It wasn’t anything that he couldn’t handle. He had one and a dozen forms he could change into that could help him avoid the damage. He was already touching the colossus so it was only a question of wreaking havoc on her swampy body. She was done for, over. But Shaa had miscalculated. He could change…but what about Vulcana?

He turns his massive heads towards his little pixy friend and time slows to a crawl.  Behind her, some of the hair had turned into razor sharp spears and started blazing strikes all around them. His Fighters sense had kept him ahead and unharmed so far but the strikes were picking up speed and intensity. Even if he could see them coming, they would eventually be too many to avoid outright. He reaches out his hand in attempt to grab his little Fire brand and shield her from the onslaught. He can see her looking at him, reaching out with delicate pixie fingers to the open air, desperate to reach him. Closer. Closer. Almost….. And then, in a blink, she vanishes. Two spears cris cross each other in front of him, slicing the poor fey and a blurry flash of blood and ash. 

Shaa’s eyes are hypersensitive now scanning the titans head for any sign of his friend. There off to the side. Shaa rushes forward and tucks into a roll grabbing his little pixy in passing. It’s bad. She’s unconscious but he can tell by her ashen complexion and shallow breathing that she is just barely hanging on. No no no nooooo. This isn’t happening. She was right there next to him. She was reaching out, he had her. Shaa tucks her unconscious body away in a tangled clump of hair on his head that Vulcana had claimed as her own. A flood of emotions grab the Minotaur’s chest like a wicked vice, squeezing and crushing until he can barely breathe. There was no time for this. That bitch!

Shaa screams like a madman into the air, loud enough probably for people in the other dimension to hear him. NOOOOOOOO! Blood rushes into every part of his body as the Berzerker inside him is unleashed. He grows to over 12 feet tall, his muscles straining, his senses desperately screaming for blood, for revenge. The hair spears continue to whip around, now focusing their strikes at the Minotaur directly, but it’s too late. In his new form, Shaa hardens his massive body making him temporarily invulnerable to physical damage. The hair strikes at him but bounces harmlessly off against his hardened hide. There was no mystery anymore. He no longer cared where this creature came from or what its motivations were. He was done caring about the portals, the mushrooms, the mind blasted knights or anything else. There was only one thing that mattered. This inter dimensional diva had to die!

---

portal,

Shaa- Molten Core (6 stacks), Wind Talker, Invulnerable to physical attacks for next 4 posts

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

Action 1. Berserker Rage (with Stalwart) Activated (Round 1 of 4), Enhanced by Stalwart Subclass

Action 2.Hardened Force
Thriving in battle for so long the berserker no only ignores pain, but now can straight up ignore damage from physical damage. While raging you can choose to harden your body, becoming completely immune to physical damage from physical weapons for the remainder of that rage. You can still take damage and suffer effects from spells, but weapons strikes no longer phase you. This can only be used per topic and only affects one use of rage.

Vulcana- 3 damage- exit



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: Shaa Mom 4/4, Shaa Dad 4/4


Pets/Companions

Cloud (Transportation)

Hylltywyll cackled to himself with a smug grin as the queen toppled onto one arm, her other arm being chomped on by his stone titan. HaHA! Take that, you overgrown waterspout! You would rue the day you thought you could turn Hylltywyll into a roux! He would be triumphant here! This giant Fae thought she was better than him just because she was a little bigger? He showed her, he wasn't to be trifled with!

The victory celebrations were rudely interrupted as a giant tail started sweeping toward him. He let out a hint of surprise and started t try and raise his wall of light some more to get up out of the way, but the wall of light beneath him started to fade, the purple glow flickering as the magic began to run out. Oh shit.

The wall of light winked out completely and Hyll started to fall down toward the water. Stopping his fall with some magic to make him levitate crossed his mind, but then he would just be smacked by the giant tail still headed his way. Down below, at least the water all over the place wasn't boiling anymore. Oh, that was an idea.

Hyltywyll tucked his legs to his chest and held onto his hat with one hand while he wrapped the other around his legs. As he fell, countless tiny dots of light appeared around him, directly in the path of the incoming tail, gently floating around like a swarm of fireflies.

When it looked like he was about to smack into the surface of the water, he fell right through it without any sign of resistance. On the other side of the tail, where it had already swept through, Hylltywyll popped out of the water upside down and flew up into the air, as if he was still just falling, though with his change in orientation, gravity slowly made him lose momentum until he stopped rising, hanging there for just a moment before falling back down into the water, flipping around to land on his feet with a splash.

Hylltywyll jumped up, soaking wet and half submerged in the water and shook with an "AGH!"

He hated being wet, but it was better than being a red stain on the tail of some fishy bitch. Well, on the bright side, he was able to leave her a nice present. Those little lights were a fun little spell. One could heal someone if caught gently, but one would give you a good shock if killed, and the queen's tail was about to smack into the entire swarm of them. He grinned at the thought of just how big a shock a whole swarm could deal someone if they were all killed at the same time.

Well, he was about to see for himself.

Meanwhile, Hylltywyll hardly noticed as, like the wall of light, the magic keeping his ink blight together ran out and the inky silhouette suddenly wobbled and then splatted into a dark stain against the fae queen.

Hylltywyll clicked his tongue in annoyance as he felt the connection sever and knew the ink blight had fallen apart. Well, he already knew they just didn't last that long. He could just make another one anyways. He waded through the water toward the action, his domain of trickery still spread out in a bubble around him. Wouldn't want to waste it. Like the wall of light and the ink blight, the domain wouldn't last forever either.

He was glad the water wasn't boiling anymore, but damnit was it annoying. Stupid fae queen being so stupidly big. Stupid other people around only having the water up to their shins instead of past their waist. Ugh. Fucking water.

---

Location- Moving near kelpies, now on the ground, in the water.

Action 1- Offensive Action- Dance of the Fireflies
Action 2- Defensive Action- Puddle Portal

SPOILER: Click to show

Ongoing Abilities:
Astral Soul- Mind Parasite (Astrid, Kamille)
Quillomancer- Inked Marking (Hylltywyll, Kvasir, Cypress), Bestowed Defense
Blessing of Trickery

Passives:
Acolyte- Controlled Immunity
Shadow Dancer- One With the Shadows, Shadow Sight, Pass Without a Trace
Astral Soul- Expanded Mind
Archmage- Infinite Soul
Vampire- Vampiric Heritage- Chaos Touched
Quillomancer- Eldritch Might, Looming Darkness, Ink Pot
Hylltywyll's Shady Shelter
Sun Sparked Goggles
Mask of Memories
Flower Crown
Lucky Clover

Kamille was about to warn Cypress Springleap about what the scroll held, but as a good arsonist in training, the young girl beat her to it, already releasing the massive fireball directly towards the fae queen. The surprise was short lived, and Kamille quickly went to give Cypress a pat in the back.

“That was great, dear! You’re doing great!”

They couldn’t give themselves the luxury of taking their eyes away from the fae queen with everything going on, and it became clear why: the giant fae queen was being tormented by the numerous adventurers around her, and she would fight back in no time. A massive tail divide the water, and Kamille has to think fast to protect herself and everyone on the cloud with her. Waving her hands, magic answered and what looked like a strong, storm wind caught their cloud [1], lending it speed as it pushed through the rainbow skies to get out of the swiping attack of the queen’s tail.

The cloud sped away from the attack, hopefully in time to avoid it altogether, and making the Witch fall back with the jolt. Kamille checks on Cypress and the stranger both to make sure they are alright, only to be surprised to see the stranger has already managed to escape their manacles. She hasn’t been able to hear the stranger utter a sound since jumping on the cloud, but she couldn’t be sure if that was just the strangeness of the situation, or if they really weren’t able to talk. Regardless, she motioned to the mark made of ink Kamille had placed on Beak earlier, using it to communicate with them.

Are you alright? You can use it to speak, if you want to. If you’re hurt and need some healing, I can help.

Although healing would probably have to wait considering their situation. Kamille stood back up once more, setting her eyes on the fae queen once more.

Sure of her impending success, the Witch of Moonglade weaved a massive amount of arcane power with the ease of the Exalted. Scorching chains of pure arcane might sprouted from around the queen, aiming at immobilizing the enemy and preventing her from taking any more actions or casting any more spells [2].

A spell proper for a God - or for a queen.

---

Hektor looked somewhat surprised that he had actually managed to wake up the knight.

“Giant siren? I mean, with the luring song and all, I think we’re past that point… What else? What else can the giant siren do? What is she?”

Hektor touched the black feather he carried, immediately relaying the information to Kamille [3].

Sister, the knight is calling whatever a “giant siren”… Where are you?!

The question was uttered in shock as, just now, as his eyes wandered upwards and he caught sight of Kalaf… She wasn’t there! She wasn’t with Kalaf! Even the great drake seemed concerned, flying around in circles, vigilant over the spot Kamille had blinked into, as if waiting for her return.

---

[1]Windtalker
[2]Scern’s God Killer
[3]Nevermore

---

ACTION SUMMARY

Kamille
Action one: Windtalker to make their cloud go faster and avoid the swiping tail attack.
Action two: Casting Scern’s God Killer

(Temp Post due to me working)

Attack Action 1: Double Maul Smack vs queen
/Fire/Light/HEAVY/Soul Bonded, Tourney Favour, Double Strike
2 stacks of soul waning

Attack Action 2: Momentous Cleave W Hallowed Redolence vs queen arm
/Fire/Light/HEAVY/Soul Bonded, Tourney Favour, Double Strike
1 stack of soul waning to proc
Every hit that lands with this weapon creates a stack of Soul Waning on the target. At three stacks on a single target, their very soul in an explosion of flame that engulfs the target for a single post, causing immense pain as well as blunt and fire damage. Acts as if it has the heavy enchantment but comes with no additional enchantment slots.

Defense against the melee range attack: Mantle of Mists 1/2 HP
Additionally, in the instance the wearer is hit, the aura of permafrost freezes the spell or physical attack. When blocking the spell, the armor freezes the magic attack as solid ice in the air which the wearer can use as a weapon to make one attack before it shatters. If the attack is made with a physical weapon, the weapon freezes to the armor and is stuck there for the next post, forcing the opponent to let go of their weapon if they want to disengage.

Millicent Attack Action: Lightning bolt vs queen
Mori Defense against the ranged attack Action: Mold earth shield around maids
Jessica debuff Action: swirling vortex vs Queen

Well, what do you know? Evidently that firearm could pack a punch. Not that Morrigan expected anything different from Fish at this point. The bird was a force of nature - the kind of criminal you left the big guns to.

Morrigan preferred a more sly approach.

Ink-dark teardrops flowed from her wound where Fish had pierced her and Morrigan had to stop and marvel at all the different colors a god could bleed. Oh, but now wasn’t the time to marvel at the sights. Time was ticking, and idle hands were the devil’s playground. Fish had been kind enough to provide an opening - a weakness - and Morrigan would be a fool not to exploit.

Like a butterfly they flitted through the air, tumbling with a precision only capable of someone who’d grown up dancing across the trapeze - and learning exactly how to fall. The point being; they were quite adept at navigating through the air, wielding the pointed blades of their fan the way a painter wielded brush in hand. If one were paying attention to Morrigan in that moment (and let’s be honest, there probably were eyes on Morrigan - though, not for the reasons the charlatan might believe), they might notice that the delicate lines carved out of skin almost resembled the mesmerizing tattoos that had been inked so intricately into their own skin.

Yes, they were that insufferable.

They might have even gotten away with being a buzzing mosquito, too. But when your arm itched, you were wont to smack it, weren’t you?

Long, swirling strands of kelp twirled together, and Morrigan couldn’t dodge in time. Tendrils pierced through fragile skin, through flesh and blood and even organ. For all they pretended otherwise, Morrigan was ever-so woefully mortal. Fragile as porcelain. Bitter metal sang in their mouth as they coughed up blood, their vision growing blurred at the edges.

… Yeah, fuck that. I’m the fine china you bring out when you have guests to impress.

It didn’t matter how easily they cracked so long as they looked glamorous while doing so. They could crumble - shatter, but so long as jagged shards of them still existed, then all the better to cut whoever picked up the pieces in the end. And as the lance-like kelp thrashed, Morrigan was flung through the air, tumbling, unable to gain their bearings.

But not dead.

Morrigan caught themselves, an incredulous laugh bubbling from crimson-printed lips. Really? Was that the best she could do? An all-out self defense attack, and she hadn’t even be able to sever the strings of their mortal coil?

She couldn’t even off one minor nuisance?

Slightly unstable where they wobbled in the air, Morrigan wiped at the blood on their mouth, moreso ineffectively smearing it across their cheek than wiping it away fully. A crescent moon of their own viscera. Something in their eyes sparkled with delight. Or perhaps delirium. Such a fine line between the two.

The promise of a challenge. A foe they could actually defeat, or die trying.

Morrigan liked the odds.

“You’re going to have to try harder than that to kill me! I’m Morrigan fucking Moonweaver!”

They spun their fan in the air before lunging once more, lunging for whatever vulnerable part of skin they could reach.

Two more hits. They just needed two more hits for the scorpion’s venom to take root; and from the way their body creaked and groaned, blood still staining their fine clothes, Morrigan didn’t think they could take another hit like that. Mutually assured destruction.^[1,2]

Time to see which one of them was faster.

---

ROUND SUMMARY

In the PORTAL, Morrigan remains in melee range with the queen. They take TWO MAJOR WOUNDS.

In a fit of what can only be described as pure gay nonsense they perform TWO attack actions with the Dancer’s fan (Blade | Slashing | Small) coated in Scorpion’s Venom

ALL OR NOTHING ATTACK BABEYYYYY

1. ATTACK ACTION - Morrigan attacks the Queen with their dancer’s fan, coated in Scorpion’s Venom

SPOILER: Click to show

Dancer’s Fan (Blade | Slashing | Small) A very fine fan made of various fabrics or feathers and is often used by dancers in their performances. While it is nice looking, the fan can also be used to cool yourself or someone else down, much like a normal fan. While it seems like an average dancing fan, this can also be used as a weapon, with blades hidden in the folds and feathers of the item. This can be used to defend oneself and deliver slicing damage while going undetected.

Scorpion’s Venom - The Scarab always carries around a tiny glass vial of modified scorpion's venom which can be applied to weapons or wounds. This poison does nothing at first other then irritation or slight numbness to the area, but with each subsequent blow of an envenomed weapon it grows until it knocks the affected target unconscious. If any enemy is wounded by a weapon with this venom three times, they will fall unconscious, unable to withstand the venom any longer. They will fall unconscious for the entirety of their next post, unable to take any actions. This venom can be removed by Greater Healing or similar strength healing magic. This venom can only coat one item, but that item will remain coated for the rest of the topic.

2. ATTACK ACTION - Morrigan attacks the Queen with their dancer’s fan, coated in Scorpion’s Venom

SPOILER: Click to show

Dancer’s Fan (Blade | Slashing | Small) A very fine fan made of various fabrics or feathers and is often used by dancers in their performances. While it is nice looking, the fan can also be used to cool yourself or someone else down, much like a normal fan. While it seems like an average dancing fan, this can also be used as a weapon, with blades hidden in the folds and feathers of the item. This can be used to defend oneself and deliver slicing damage while going undetected.

Scorpion’s Venom - The Scarab always carries around a tiny glass vial of modified scorpion's venom which can be applied to weapons or wounds. This poison does nothing at first other then irritation or slight numbness to the area, but with each subsequent blow of an envenomed weapon it grows until it knocks the affected target unconscious. If any enemy is wounded by a weapon with this venom three times, they will fall unconscious, unable to withstand the venom any longer. They will fall unconscious for the entirety of their next post, unable to take any actions. This venom can be removed by Greater Healing or similar strength healing magic. This venom can only coat one item, but that item will remain coated for the rest of the topic.

SWORN ENEMY - For the next five posts that person will remain your Sworn Enemy and can now be targeted by other features of this class. You cannot choose a new Sworn Enemy until the end of the previous one's duration and cannot have more than one at any time. Physical attacks and martial abilities used by the Slayer against a Sworn Enemy will now remove two hit preventions instead of one and wounds cannot be healed by spells. This ability can be used twice per topic.

HOPEFULLY this is hit 3/3 and the fae queen should be subject to the Scorpion’s Venom

Major Wounds - 2
Minor Wounds - 0

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.

Cstrid is just so proud of Cypress for holding her own and keeping it together during this battle. She is also incredibly amused by Kamille’s instant fawning over the satyr girl. Astrid would have liked to have seen this, but she’s too busy kicking a fae queen’s butt. “Do yer best!” she encourages, and oh boy, does Cypress ever. The fireball soars through the air and strikes the fae queen too. “YEAH!!”

A barrage of strikes, including a wombo combo of strength unleashed by Shaa and Astrid in tandem, helps bring the fae queen to her knees. Astrid manages to stay put upon her head with her boots holding her fast in place^[1] while the queen tumbles down. But she doesn’t take this lightly.

Her hair rises up around Astrid, and like spears, they strike out at her. Astrid’s protective spirit absorbs one of the strikes,^[2], but another manages to slip through its defenses and stabs into her cuirass.^[3] Luckily, her additional training with the Knights of Duros helped sure up her armor, so she’s completely uninjured. Additionally, the shroud that protects Astrid lashes out when her armor gets hit, striking the queen in retaliation.^[13] Blupee in Astrid’s bag doesn’t come out unscatched though.^[7] Still, the spirit guardian wishes it could have saved her from both strikes, but Astrid doesn’t seem to mind because the spirit’s presence keeps her invigorated.^[4]

Astrid is alright in the hair, but the tendrils lash out at everyone else, aiming right for Cypress and Kamille. The spirit with Cypress has to protect her, and it throws itself in front of her to take two strikes.^[5] It looks considerably weaker, only able to take one more strike before its form fizzles, but it is doing its job as a protector. However, more strikes threaten others on the cloud, and Cstrid sees it coming.

“GRAN!” she cries before throwing herself in front of the lashing. She bursts into a shower of purple sparks on impact.^[6] It doesn’t save Kamille from everything coming their way, but hopefully, the Replicant’s sacrifice will help. The spirit whips its head to see the Replicant disappear and seems surprisingly distressed by this. Things are getting intense.

On the ground, Buttfellow makes an attempt to find a place of safety from the bludgeoning, but decides to go down fighting instead. Runes on his body light up, and he releases a bolt of fire^[8] aimed at the felled queen before two strikes aim true. While the lightning protecting him bites back at the tendrils,^[9] force of them crumples the metal of his body and interrupts the runes holding him together, and the golem, for the first time since his inception, falls to the ground lifelessly.^[10] The lightning on his form fizzles out.

Astrid catches a glimpse of her beloved golem fall to the ground, and she feels a spark of anger welling inside of her. That guy may have been a prototype that she expected to fail months ago, but she’s still grown fond of him. “YA BIG JERK!” she shouts, stomping her foot against the queen’s head in annoyance. “Who would ever wanna follow YOU? Yer goin' DOWN!!”

In a fit of revenge, Astrid grips both of her hammers and brings them down on the fae queen’s head where she stands, putting all her strength into it.^[11] Then, Astrid releases her smaller hammer, takes her war hammer in both hands, and unleashes her most powerful weapon attack, bringing down a powerful smash that’s capable of shattering the ground directly on the fae queen’s head.^[12]

---

Astrid's replicants do not see Sarne because they're in a building across the battlefield from him, so they have no reason to acknowledge his smile. The knights are more or less dispatched for the present moment, so they high-five each other, completely unaware of the chaos happening not so far away. They’re still here, though, so Astrid must be fine.

---

SUMMARY:
The Spirit Guardian with Cypress Springleap protects her from both strikes. Cstrid sacrifices herself to protect Lady Kamille Verlithax from one strike.

Astrid's Spirit Guardian protects her from one strike, and she takes the other hit with her cuirass. Spiked tendrils lash out in retaliation, dealing a minor wound to the queen. Blupee takes one strike within Astrid's bag, assuming the Spirit Guardian that blocked a strike against Astrid could also protect him from that strike.

Buttfellow is not so lucky and lets off a Fire Bolt before being struck by the tendrils. Each tendril takes a minor lightning wound in retaliation due to his Lightning Armor. Buttfellow is KO'd.

Astrid unleashes a Hail Mary of strikes, attacking three times with her hammers (enhancements below) and then unleashing one of her most powerful blows, Anvil Smash.

The Replicants can't acknowledge someone they can't see and celebrate their temporary dispatching of the knights.

Astrid and Buttfellow (KO'd) are at the PORTAL.

Dstrid and Estrid are on the RIGHT FLANK.

1. Spidersilk boots
2. Spirit Guardian (Astrid) -1 HP from hair spears
3. Cuirass -1 HP from hair spears
4. Spirit Guardian - Spirit Shroud (level 4)
5. Spirit Guardian (Cypress) -2 HP from hair bludgeoning
6. DEFENSIVE ACTION - Cstrid protects Kamille from 1 major bludgeoning wound and poofs
7. Blupee -1 major wound (presuming spirit guardian protected both him and Astrid since he's in her bag)
8. OFFENSIVE ACTION - Buttfellow Fire Bolts the queen [Mana Bulwark spell 3/3]
9. Buttfellow's Lightning Armor bites back at the queen with each strike (x2)
10. Buttfellow -2 Major Wounds
11. OFFENSIVE ACTION - Double strike war hammer (lightning, ice, smashing, double strike, bull's strength) + off-hand strike Dad's Doting Defender (silvered, ice, heavy, off-hand, bull's strength)
12. OFFENSIVE ACTION - Anvil Smash for major damage/KO

SPOILER: Click to show

Using the utmost control and expenditure of explosive force, you perform an overhead strike that, if it makes contact with your target, it will bypass all hit preventions and cause massive damage. This also stuns the target for a post, making it difficult to cast any spells or use any skills above Novice level. If you use this technique to strike the ground, you create a twenty-foot diameter hazard around you that makes it difficult to use any movement-based spells or techniques for anyone within it. This also knocks anyone else touching the ground at that moment off their feet. Can only be used once per topic.

13. Briar shroud

Wound/HP tracking:
-Astrid [0/6 wounds, see below for HPs]
-Buttfellow [4/4 wounds] - KO'd
-Dancing Chain [0/1 HP provided, regenerates every 3 posts]
-Blu P Rint (AKA Blupee) [3/4 wounds, has no 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
-Dstrid - Replicant [0/1 wounds]
-Estrid - Replicant [0/1 wounds]
-Spirit Guardian [1/4 HP] - w/ Astrid
-Spirit Guardian [1/4 HP] - w/ Cypress

Active Passive Items/Abilities:

SPOILER: Click to show

-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:

SPOILER: Click to show

-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 (4/5 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:
Jack of all Muses [1/2 other muses used, 1/2 dance muse abilities used]
Arcane Activation [post 3/4]
Mana Bulwark [spell 3/3]
Lightning Armor [post 3/3]
Astrid's Valkyrie Strike cooldown [1/2 posts]
Dancing Chain cooldown [1/3 posts]

Subclasses:
-Squire
-Arcanatek Researcher

Quick Summary:

Cypress activates her Rime Mantle, and casts Snow Fort around Beak to protect them from the physical damage. Also mourns the loss of Cstrid.

---

"Great!?" Cypress squeaks; she looks at Kamille with wide eyes. "I just shot a bunch of fire at - oh! Wooahh, it hit her! Wuh, did you see that, gran!? Astrid, did you see!?" She peers over the side of the cloud towards the fae queen, tail wiggling in delight - after all, she's the bad guy here, right? The villain in the story?

So hitting her is a good thing! 

Yeah!!!

Any sense of pride from her impromptu arson is quickly swept away with the force of the terror that originates from the fae queen's raging tail and hissing tendrils. Her smile vanishes quickly and is replaced by an expression of panic; she fumbles with the edges of the hood of her cloak and flips it over her head. Although the cloud is already swooshing away from the strike of her tail, Cypress clutches her bag with Skelly in it to her chest, and hooks her fingertips into the fabric to close any openings.

She prays that the mantle will work properly should anything happen.

The cloak, decorated with soft snowflakes, glints with a strange prismatic sheen as the rime activates. ⁽¹⁾

The other individual on Kamille's cloud, though... are they going to be alright!? "Be careful!" she calls, glancing towards them in a fret; her mana becomes frigid in the atmosphere of the fae queen's domain; frosting over around Beak to protect them should they need it, a Snow Fort erupts to cover them from the physical attacks of the tendrils. ⁽²⁾

As it all comes together, and the tendrils reach the adventurers, Cypress winces; they lash out in all directions through the battlefield; and all she can hope is that everyone - that Astrid - is okay down below...

Where she expected force, however, there is none; she opens one eye and then the other. Cypress gratefully but apologetically glances at the spirit - realizing that they appear worse off - before she finds herself staring at a scattering of purple sparkles that dissipate into the cloud.

A terrible heartbeat passes before she chokes, "Astrid!?" and gets to her hooves and rushing to where the replicant had vanished. She catches one of the last glittering embers, but it quickly begins to fade, even in her palm.

For just a moment, Cypress stares down at the dying glint cradled in her hands, eyes threatening to well with tears.

She knows that the Astrid with her was a replicant, but... that doesn't make it any less scary.

She sniffs, rubbing at the corners of one eye while she breathes a deep sigh. "Thanks for watching out for me." she whispers while the glint fades, and then she clears her throat and rubs at her eyes. "Astrid's fine... she was a replicant." she remarks with a sniffle to Kamille; she glances out towards the Fae queen, searching for lightning amongst all of the chaos to ensure she's really okay.

---

CYPRESS

Location: Portal

ACTIONS

(1) Rime Mantle: DEFENSE. Cypress activates her Rime Mantle to protect her from any Physical Damage.

(2) Snow Fort: SUPPORT. Cypress casts Snow Fort in an attempt to protect Beak from Physical Damage.

---

SKELLY

Getting smooshed while being protectively held. Still in a bag, tho.

Kvasir should’ve known from the moment he downed that potion that there was no way Morrigan was going to let him use it on them.

He hardly gets much of a chance to watch his gods-be-damned partner in potioncraft and Fish return to the front lines, of course, because only a few moments after he downs his own hand-crafted elixir and returns the vial to his bag, the tenuously solid ground beneath his feet is suddenly very, very absent, and he lets out another undignified yelp as he finds himself falling from his safe perch in the air and down into the water, which is mercifully far cooler than it had been just before. Even more luckily, as far as Kvasir can tell at the moment, the impact from the fall is nowhere near enough to break anything– bruises, certainly, but those hardly warrant any concern at the moment.

What does warrant concern is the unrest in the water, the shaking of the earth as it splits, as a massive tail rises up and starts dragging its way across the field– and despite the guilt that spikes through his heart at the thought, Kvasir knows that the only option he has right now is to use the armor he’d set aside for himself.

Ugh. Ordinarily, he wouldn’t mind so much– magic is meant to be used where it can, after all– but it feels a little worse to have such a limited resource at his disposal, one meant for someone on the front lines, and then ultimately wind up using it for himself.

He sighs, sets a hand against his chest, and lets a dim veil of light envelop him. [1]

A veil that is almost instantly shattered when that serpentine tail slams right into him, so fast and brutal it’s almost nauseating– but oh, Kvasir knows well that it would have been far worse if not for the armor. He can feel Lycoris scuttling around again, clearly uneasy, her restless wiggling conveying her discontent. Ugh. Even with the impact dulled, his whole body aches, the world off-center as he tries to regain his balance, stumbling just so before he finally manages to steady himself.

Gods above, out of all of the things Kvasir had been expecting when they passed through this portal– which hadn’t been very much, considering this is the realm of the weird and wondrous!– it certainly hadn’t been a giant fish-snake-seaweed woman.

Especially not a giant fish-snake-seaweed woman with more sharp objects on her body than an orphan in Darkveil.

Even though he’s still reeling from the sheer force of the bludgeoning he’d gotten, all Kvasir can really do is get his bearings and get back to doing what he does best– considering the sheer volume of attacks the queen had thrown their way, he’s quite confident that someone (or many someones, more likely) has sustained even more damage than he has. The best thing he can do right now is roam through the waterlogged battlefield and offer aid to anyone who needs it– or anyone who flags him down. Intentionally or not.

And, considering the loud, heavily-accented yell coming from closer to the center of the battlefield– likely around or on the queen herself–, promising swift vengeance upon her, Kvasir’s quite sure he’s found his next patient.

The voice is unmistakably Astrid’s: she’s one of those people with a very… distinct way of speaking, which isn’t helped by her thick accent. Now there’s just the question of whose wounds prompted such a reaction from her: it’s not Cypress, surely, since she’s perched up in the air somewhere, and he doubts Astrid would be so attached to one of her copies. He gives another cursory glance around the area, trying to place just who or what could’ve sustained such damage–

Ah. Her construct.

The poor thing looks positively lifeless where he’s fallen down into the water, all of the sparks knitting him together extinguished, presumably by the force of the queen’s tail. Hell, it’s no wonder Astrid’s so upset– Kvasir would be, too, in her position.

Still, perhaps he’s not… unsalvageable– it isn’t as though Kvasir has much knowledge of Arcanatek, besides what little he’s gleaned from C’Leena and a few other acquaintances in the Mage’s Guild, but regardless of any uncertainties he may have about the effectiveness of healing on an inorganic being, magic meshes with magic. He can certainly try to fix Astrid’s golem: it may not work, but it’s better than not trying at all.

He treads through the shimmering water, making his way over to the lifeless golem and kneeling beside it, furrowing his brow as he looks the poor thing over; but after a moment, he simply sets his hand against the construct’s metal form, a slow pulse of light flowing through his palm, radiating through the golem’s body in an attempt to stir it back to life. [2] [3]

In the midst of it all, in the brief moment of peace, another loud, familiar voice cuts clean through the air once again, this one even more unmistakable: the voice of chaos, hubris, and heart attacks incarnate.

Kvasir feels his ears twitch and his pulse rise.

He glances over his shoulder at the center of the battlefield once more, and lo and behold, there floats Morrigan, catapulting themself at maximum speed toward the queen, blood splattered all over their clothing, bruises forming, the portrait of someone on their last legs– and yet, there they are, not caring one bit for how wounded they are, all too happy to keep chipping away at this monstrosity until they pay the price for it.

Well. They’re also going to pay the price for scaring him to near-death later, but that can wait.

“MORRIGAN MOONWEAVER!” he once again screeches, voice cracking. “WHAT DID I LITERALLY JUST TELL YOU?!”

Ooh, if they make it out of this, there will be no escaping the lecture they’ll receive the whole way home. Hell, even if they don’t make it out of this, they’re not escaping it, either.

Assuming Kvasir doesn’t pass from stress, first.

---

SUMMARY: Kvasir's WALL OF LIGHT expires, and he promptly falls back down into the WATER. In order to soften the BLUDGEONING, he casts ARMOR OF FAITH on HIMSELF, and takes ONE MAJOR WOUND. He, as a HEALER, as a DOCTOR, decides to go find PATIENTS, and settles on HEALING BUTTFELLOW back to CONSCIOUSNESS. Afterwards, he promptly YELLS AT MORRIGAN.

LYCORIS is STRESSED.

1. Casts Armor of Light on himself, protecting him from one major wound -- DEFENSIVE ACTION

2. Casts Major Healing on Buttfellow, un-KO'ing him -- SUPPORT ACTION

3. Continuing Life Spark Earring charge

TEMP PASSIVES:

Blizzard Chocolate (unused)

Life Sparking Earring (charged)

WOUNDS:

- One MAJOR WOUND

PETS:

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

SPOILER: Click to show

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

SPOILER: Click to show

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

SPOILER: Click to show

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

SPOILER: Click to show

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

SPOILER: Click to show

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.

Javal lifts his head back up as his glacial wall clashes with the incoming water managing to still hold strong if a little worn down. He looks down to the floor thankfully his ice bridge managed to succeed in cooling the water down. Not having anyone’s feet be burned was a win in his book. He knew the great pain that was getting your fingers be burnt during his battle against the Vulcadreus’s cultists so he didn’t want anyone to suffer the same fate. Quickly as he got a quick look at the area he saw something was coming for them. Something big and about to smack them in the face his glacial wall wasn’t going to be enough to tank the entire hit so he had to make sure he had something else to shield them.

Looking back to his friends behind him, Javal decides it’s best to focus entirely on defense and protect his friends. Concentrating on himself, Javal gathers snow around himself as it forms and shapes into a four foot high wall (1) behind the glacial wall.

The fellblood yells towards those near him, “Guys take cover, my fort can keep us safe”, before crouching down and leaning against the wall as the large tail smashes against. Hoping that was enough to protect himself and others the fellblood stands up peaking over the snow fort and towards the true enemy of this whole thing. A wild and furious kelp creature who looks equal parts fiendish and villainous.

As soon as the coast is clear Nadia pops her head out of the ice wall pulling back on her ray bow and sending out an arrow of light straight towards the fae queen.

Javal holds his hands out placing his sights on the monster, water begins to gather around it surging and weaving together before a giant bubble places it in its grasp (2). It seems that someone else is helping nearby as he feels something being added to his water prison. Whoever this was the fellblood was happy to have their help as he looked forward hoping that his trap would cease its furious movements.

Javal exclaims as loud as he can at the Fae Queen, “You have tried to use the power of the ocean against those valiant heroes stopping you. Well then let me show you the real strength and virtue that the sea has to offer. I will drown your villainy with the passion for what's right”.

SUMMARY:

Javal sees the incoming tail slam and ducks behind the glacial wall from last turn and casts snow fort using himself as the point of origin. After the coast is clear Nadia Sadrine fires off the ray bow towards the queen's head. Javal then concentrates and tries to trap the fae queen within a water prison that is being boosted by Jessica's swirling vortex. Reprimands the fae queen for using the sea domain for bad. 

Javal is at the INSIDE THE PORTAL

---

Javal Zarrias
1. Defensive Action: Snow Fort
2. Offensive Action: Water Prison
Nadia Sadrine
1. Offensive Action: Fires off Ray Bow