Mulligan gives a mental shrug. If Princess TightAss would rather believe an evil witch than him that's no skin off his nose. He figures if the others can't convince her then they could always drag her to her brother and call it a day.
Unless you want to chime in with her about the hag...
Break-A-Leg looks up at Mulligan and shakes his head while holding his hands up in surrender. "Leave me out of this," the skeleton insists. "I'm just along for the ride."
Mulligan nods in response. He had expected as much.
When Gleams asks how she could leave without offending the hag Mulligan thinks for a moment and then digs through his pack. He pulls out a cracked Goblin Mask and a pink parasol he had previously taken from the costume room and offers them to her with a bit of a smirk. He's about to telepathically suggest she disguise herself but also try to remain unnoticed when he himself notices the mouth-door closing. That could be a problem... He taps G'reG on the shoulder and points it out to him hoping his staff/wand/pipe thing can open it again from this side...
Gleam's face scrunches into a sour expression as she sees the offered goblin mask and parasal, and briefly complains that they don't match her outfit at all, but takes them anyway. Barria's question about Gleam's knowledge of the castle is met with a simple shrug. No, I've basically just stayed in here the whole time. It's been a few weeks I think. Barria however is fairly certain from previous discussions that Glister and Gleam both have been absent from the Carnival for years.
With the elf's willing participation apparently secured, Greg tests the staff on the inside of the door and finds it does the same job of opening the mouth to allow an exit. Gleam continues to talk, and at Barria's mention of the bugbear, the she-elf replies: Hurly? That grumpy-bum is here? Why? Meanwhile, another familiar voice is echoing through the corridors, its sound having been silenced by the closed door, but now clearly audible:
...OF TRAGEDIES. THE PERFORMANCE IS DUE TO COMMENCE IN FIVE MINUTES. PLEASE TAKE YOUR SEATS.
Mulligan is the first to step through the portal into the corridor beyond... and therefore the first to see the lone, diminutive, angry figure standing in the corridor by the stairwell, hands on hips, staring straight at him: Stagefright the Goblin.
I should've know you lot was up to no good! He waggles one green finger at the group. Now, you'll put Onk down on the ground and step back inside, or I'll have the whole castle down on ya like a pack of scree--
Stagefright's threat is choked off as a large green scaly arm extends from the stairwell and a large green scaly hand grips the goblin by the throat. The attached large green scaly figure of Hurly dressed as a green dragon follows, and the shadowless bugbear lifts Stagefright off the ground and walks him toward the prison door. Hurly hasn't been seen since the Augur-torium, but evidently he didn't wander too far away.
Hullo Gleam, says Hurly as he spies the she-elf through the doorway. Nice to see you again. Then to the rest of the group, he adds:
Show's about to start. Hallways are clearing now.
Continuing on through the door-mouth and into the prison, Hurly tosses Stagefright casually into one of the cells, and yanks on the adjoining lever to close the door. Then turning back he says:
Better get going, whatever it is you're gonna do...
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
How does a red dragon blow out the candles on its birthday cake?
Rowan almost laughs and then claps Hurly on the shoulder.
"I think you've some hope coming back to you," Rowan says. Then he looks at the others. "There was a lot of talk of stages and the light and all that. I think we need to get Gleam and Glister on to the stage while Creepy Lyn is watching the play."
He turns and looks at Gleam.
"What happens when you and your brother meet each other after not seeing each other for a bit? Bright lights?" Rowan asks. "If that's the case we need to keep them separate until the right moment."
With the feeling that events are hurtling to their conclusion, and the need for urgency, Rowan finds he's better able to focus. But he knows it will take a lot out of him and he's going to be tired later.
Barria lights up as she sees Hurly move in and take care of their situation. Clapping her hands together, she exclaims, "Hurly! You helped, you did so good! Thank you!"
Turning to the others, "Yes, Rowan is right.. was there anything else we needed to do? Destroy her getaway vehicle or something like that? Mulligan, were you able to do that?"
Mulligan nods appreciatively at Hurly and gives him a thumbs up gesture. He's a bit confused because he had seen a Burly back at the carnival and is unsure how they made it here? But sometimes, it seems, you just need to roll with things here...
Yes. I think. I hope.
I don't hope I think. I mean I hope I disabled the flying machine. I think I did. I wanted to keep it subtle though and what with not knowing how it actually works I cannot be actually positive.
G'Reg gives Hurley an awkward thumbs up and mutters, "very likable actions there, keep it up!" Before stowing away onk the staff and making his way toward the stage.
In a hushed tone he reiterates the plan to the group. "So once gleam and glister are behind the stage ready we make our way to the balcony to face off against her. Right?" With the assumption that all agree with him, he waits for no answer and begins.
With a plan in place, Rowan starts to find the way back down to where they had hidden Glister, hoping he was still there.
”I don’t know if Gleam really knows what’s going on. We should talk to Glister before he sees Gleam. I think we need to know what happens when they’re together before they are together.” Rowan says. He pauses and adds. “Do you ever wonder why some contractions are okay but others don’t make any sense? Do not is okay as don’t but you ever can’t be y’ver?”
He thinks about it for a moment but then looks at G’reg and decides to continue on to the lower level.
The group follow Hurly down the staircase to the lower floor, and through the short hallway into the library. The curtain-covered exit into the costume area is across to the right, but directly ahead, the last of the darklings are filing out into the main seating area. The magically amplified voice of Charmay can be heard from the stage (in the absence of Stagefright, the usual MC), announcing the start of the performance:
Welcome, honoured witnesses to tonight's calamity. Your suffering begins shortly. (Muted laughter from the audience at the apparent humor). Our performance this evening is titled: "The Final Curtain" or "The Last Act of the Lady of Tragedy". Please take your seats, and watch as fate unfolds her dark certainty...
The group are just crossing the main library floor, when the last of the darklings happens to turn and see the group moving silently behind. Bright eyes under a dark cowl glow a little brighter at the sight of the six figures, including Hurly still dressed as a dragon, as well as the tall, slender figure in a goblin mask, half-shrouded by a pink parasol. The darkling taps his neighbour on the shoulder, who also turns to see. Whispering briefly to each other, both darklings then turn, move away from the stage entrance, and toward the group.
Quietly Hurly turns and whispers (as quietly as a bugbear can): I'll take care o' this. You go! He rolls his shoulders as he breaks off and moves toward the two darklings. Like it or not, it seems the action is about to start both on and off the stage...
((Any actions before crossing into the backstage areas?))
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
How does a red dragon blow out the candles on its birthday cake?
We are guests of Endelyn and have free rein to this place. She asked only that we not disturb those studying in the library, or approach too close to the orrery. If you have a problem go take it up with her.
Mulligan puts this in the mind of whichever of the two darlings are closer or seems to be larger. He does so while trying to not spare them a second glance - trying to adopt an air of unquestioned privilege and right. He hopes perhaps this will save Hurly from having to get physical with them. Otherwise, Mulligan sticks with the team.
The glowing eyes of the two darklings flicker briefly in comprehension at Mulligan's telepathic assertion. Whether they accept it or not is unclear as they continue to move to intercept the group's passage through the library. However Hurly is large and quick, and moves fast to block them. The last that anyone sees as the group moves through the curtain into the costume area, is a bugbear-sized green dragon with outstretched arms grappling the two dark-robed fey, and his deep gravelly voice shouting: You wanna see a show? I'll give you a show!
Hurly's intervention may prove to cut both ways, for while his intervention of the suspicious darklings is helpful, his loud voice may not be. There are no actors visible in this area, so without wasting any time, the group make their way back down to the basement workshop via the nearby elevator. Most of the goblins are evidently manning the stage equipment, but about half a dozen are still pottering around in the workshop. They look curiously at the five figures who descend the elevator, and more particularly at the slender figure in the goblin mask and parasol... surprisingly, with no small measure of fear and distaste! Is it the she-elf they find abhorrent, for her face is still obscured by the mask. Or is it the mask itself they dislike?
Since the goblins are presenting no direct obstacle, the group enter the storeroom, and check the hole in the rear wall. There is no-one there, only the empty tunnel disappearing into darkness. However, after a few moments of calling and checking, the figures of Amidor the dandelion, accompanied by Polinella the bee, along with Glister the elf carrying Golmo the brigannock on his shoulder, appear from the gloom. Ah, thank Zyblina! says Amidor. We feared ye had been imprisoned by the hag, along with the sister. And this must be she! Greeting to you, my lady Gleam. How fare ye? Glister meanwhile smiles broadly, his red-orange hair glowing faintly as he walks briskly up and embraces his sister. Oh, Gleam! How I've missed you! Are you well? Did she harm you? Gleam smiles back at him, but makes no response, only looking at his face with a somewhat dark countenance of mixed curiosity and bewilderment. No cosmic flares, shining starbursts, or other dazzling light displays occur at their meeting however, much to Rowan and Greg's dismay.
The muffled sounds of the performance on the stage above filter down into the workshop below, along with what sounds like loud gasps from the audience. The performance is proceeding, and seems to be making an impact...
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
How does a red dragon blow out the candles on its birthday cake?
Mulligan smiles at the others, a general sense of relief now that "everyone" is back together again. He watches with curiosity the interaction between Gleam and Glister and is worried that she does not seem as pleased at their reunion as he himself would have expected.
We need these two on stage then? Some kind of dance or something to symbolize an eclipse? Do we want to be in position to strike out at Endelyn immediately or what is the plan?
"we make our way up to the balcony" G'Reg states. "You two, get to the backstage area and wait for Charmay's signal, she's the witchy looking woman battering the play going on. Is there a floor performance you two can do? I'm not sure that there are trapeze swings in the boughs of this stage but of you fond something useful then go with the flow eh? The main point is you two are to be on stage for the climax of the play... Do not run. I know the thought has crossed your mind glister, you have your sister now and you could just go. But if you do this hag will chase you to the ends of the realms... Please, do as we say and you'll be safe."
Rowan definitely slumps a little when there is no explosion of fireworks and light when the siblings meet.
”This is your brother,” Rowan says to Gleam. “See the glowing hair and all.”
Rowan looks over at Amidor and Pollinella.
“Maybe you two could keep an eye on these two to make sure they don’t miss the cue? Or I guess you could keep all your eyes on them. How many is that in total? Seven? Can you really see in front of you and behind you at the same time?“ Rowan asks Polinella. “Anyway, that should help in watching them.”
Rowan’s ready to go past the backstage area to drop off the twins and then continue on to the balcony.
Barria hesitates as she watches the twins reunite. As the others, she finds it curious that Gleam isn't as happy about the reunion and it doesn't sit well with her.
Turning to her new friends, "Why don't you all head up to the balcony, take care of the hag. Let me stay down here, make sure these two get on stage and it all goes as smoothly as possible, ok? I would hate for something to awry after all this."
"one less person in the way helps me craft my magic better" G'Reg says with a hint of frustration, tapping the spell tome at his side "but we also need all the hands we can get... Hurly us dealing with two darklings but there'll be more. Come with us."
Leave this to me, squeaks Golmo the brigganock. If it's a trapeze these foreigners need... that's child's play to an architect of my calibre. And I can work fast when need arises! The group have seen first-hand the speed with which brigganocks can operate, and if the drawings on the side table where they first found the cage are any indication, this brigganock has a mind for all things mechanical. Leaving their secret weapon, Glister and Gleam, in the capable hands of a flower, a bee, and the miniature inventor, the four adventurers head out to face the hag.
They are just making their way through the backstage area, when a sudden, actinic flash of light erupts from beyond the curtain: too bright, too sharp to be part of the play. It punches through the flesh and fabric alike, leaving burning afterimages on the eyes. Passing beyond the curtain, the group re-enter the library: two darklings lie motionless on the floor, their bodies already collapsing into pools of ink-black shadow. Four more darklings swarm over Hurly!
The bugbear is grappling with all four at once as they try to smother him, clawed hands dragging at his scaly dragon costume. His strikes are wild and unfocused, and he blinks and snarls, clearly blinded, as he lashes out on instinct alone. Several books have spilled from shelves, their loose pages fluttering across the ground, as the altercation crashes into the furniture.
Another four darklings scamper across the library floor toward the upward staircase, while several more spill in from the theater, drawn by the sounds of violence. The library is mere moments away from being overrun with Endelyn's minions, and every darkling that falls threatens to explode in another blinding flash. The stairway is already in danger of being cut off...
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
How does a red dragon blow out the candles on its birthday cake?
"This may not be a bright idea," Break-A-Leg merrily chirps in with as Mulligan looks about the room and the avalanche of darklings. Mulligan instinctively shoves Break-A-Leg a bit deeper into his backpack and then tips his hat a bit lower over his eyes in case of more flashes of light. He wants to help Hurly and his fingers are already itching to summon up a pair of psychic blades but he worries they could be delayed here forever... Or at least too long to stop the hag.
Push on! Evelyn is our main priority lest she escape!
His telepathic words over Group Chat don't adequately convey the urgency he feels but it is the best he can do. Even as he "says" the words he follows their intention and tries to push on towards the stairway.
Rowan's not sure he likes the idea of leaving Hurly to these lightning bug creatures but at the same time they can't stuck here waiting for the hag to eventually show up.
He rushes to the stairs, moving to hold off the four Darklings that are running towards them, hoping his quick strides will get him there before them (45' movement).
If he gets to them before they get up the stairs, he turns his head to the side to avoid any flash from them if he connects with his sword. As he does, his emotions and energy bubble to the surface (Rage - Wild Magic - roll 4 - Rowan's longsword changes to a force weapon, light property, and can be thrown). Knowing he can't see them well, Rowan recklessly attacks, slashing out twice at the lead darkling.
(Longsword Attack 1 - (dadv from turning away but adv from Reckless Attack) - 20 to hit for 7 (5 force and 2 from rage).
Longsword Attack 2 - same dadv/adv - Critical Fail)
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
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Mulligan gives a mental shrug. If Princess TightAss would rather believe an evil witch than him that's no skin off his nose. He figures if the others can't convince her then they could always drag her to her brother and call it a day.
Unless you want to chime in with her about the hag...
Break-A-Leg looks up at Mulligan and shakes his head while holding his hands up in surrender. "Leave me out of this," the skeleton insists. "I'm just along for the ride."
Mulligan nods in response. He had expected as much.
When Gleams asks how she could leave without offending the hag Mulligan thinks for a moment and then digs through his pack. He pulls out a cracked Goblin Mask and a pink parasol he had previously taken from the costume room and offers them to her with a bit of a smirk. He's about to telepathically suggest she disguise herself but also try to remain unnoticed when he himself notices the mouth-door closing. That could be a problem... He taps G'reG on the shoulder and points it out to him hoping his staff/wand/pipe thing can open it again from this side...
Gleam's face scrunches into a sour expression as she sees the offered goblin mask and parasal, and briefly complains that they don't match her outfit at all, but takes them anyway. Barria's question about Gleam's knowledge of the castle is met with a simple shrug. No, I've basically just stayed in here the whole time. It's been a few weeks I think. Barria however is fairly certain from previous discussions that Glister and Gleam both have been absent from the Carnival for years.
With the elf's willing participation apparently secured, Greg tests the staff on the inside of the door and finds it does the same job of opening the mouth to allow an exit. Gleam continues to talk, and at Barria's mention of the bugbear, the she-elf replies: Hurly? That grumpy-bum is here? Why? Meanwhile, another familiar voice is echoing through the corridors, its sound having been silenced by the closed door, but now clearly audible:
...OF TRAGEDIES. THE PERFORMANCE IS DUE TO COMMENCE IN FIVE MINUTES. PLEASE TAKE YOUR SEATS.
Mulligan is the first to step through the portal into the corridor beyond... and therefore the first to see the lone, diminutive, angry figure standing in the corridor by the stairwell, hands on hips, staring straight at him: Stagefright the Goblin.
I should've know you lot was up to no good! He waggles one green finger at the group. Now, you'll put Onk down on the ground and step back inside, or I'll have the whole castle down on ya like a pack of scree--
Stagefright's threat is choked off as a large green scaly arm extends from the stairwell and a large green scaly hand grips the goblin by the throat. The attached large green scaly figure of Hurly dressed as a green dragon follows, and the shadowless bugbear lifts Stagefright off the ground and walks him toward the prison door. Hurly hasn't been seen since the Augur-torium, but evidently he didn't wander too far away.
Hullo Gleam, says Hurly as he spies the she-elf through the doorway. Nice to see you again. Then to the rest of the group, he adds:
Show's about to start. Hallways are clearing now.
Continuing on through the door-mouth and into the prison, Hurly tosses Stagefright casually into one of the cells, and yanks on the adjoining lever to close the door. Then turning back he says:
Better get going, whatever it is you're gonna do...
How does a red dragon blow out the candles on its birthday cake?
Rowan almost laughs and then claps Hurly on the shoulder.
"I think you've some hope coming back to you," Rowan says. Then he looks at the others. "There was a lot of talk of stages and the light and all that. I think we need to get Gleam and Glister on to the stage while Creepy Lyn is watching the play."
He turns and looks at Gleam.
"What happens when you and your brother meet each other after not seeing each other for a bit? Bright lights?" Rowan asks. "If that's the case we need to keep them separate until the right moment."
With the feeling that events are hurtling to their conclusion, and the need for urgency, Rowan finds he's better able to focus. But he knows it will take a lot out of him and he's going to be tired later.
Barria lights up as she sees Hurly move in and take care of their situation. Clapping her hands together, she exclaims, "Hurly! You helped, you did so good! Thank you!"
Turning to the others, "Yes, Rowan is right.. was there anything else we needed to do? Destroy her getaway vehicle or something like that? Mulligan, were you able to do that?"
Mulligan nods appreciatively at Hurly and gives him a thumbs up gesture. He's a bit confused because he had seen a Burly back at the carnival and is unsure how they made it here? But sometimes, it seems, you just need to roll with things here...
Yes. I think. I hope.
I don't hope I think. I mean I hope I disabled the flying machine. I think I did. I wanted to keep it subtle though and what with not knowing how it actually works I cannot be actually positive.
G'Reg gives Hurley an awkward thumbs up and mutters, "very likable actions there, keep it up!" Before stowing away onk the staff and making his way toward the stage.
In a hushed tone he reiterates the plan to the group. "So once gleam and glister are behind the stage ready we make our way to the balcony to face off against her. Right?" With the assumption that all agree with him, he waits for no answer and begins.
With a plan in place, Rowan starts to find the way back down to where they had hidden Glister, hoping he was still there.
”I don’t know if Gleam really knows what’s going on. We should talk to Glister before he sees Gleam. I think we need to know what happens when they’re together before they are together.” Rowan says. He pauses and adds. “Do you ever wonder why some contractions are okay but others don’t make any sense? Do not is okay as don’t but you ever can’t be y’ver?”
He thinks about it for a moment but then looks at G’reg and decides to continue on to the lower level.
I think it was symbolic. Him representing the sun and her the moon and the eclipse merely symbolic but somehow allowing for her defeat?
Mulligan says this to the Group Chat telepathically as he gives a bit of a shrug.
Magic is weird like that.
The group follow Hurly down the staircase to the lower floor, and through the short hallway into the library. The curtain-covered exit into the costume area is across to the right, but directly ahead, the last of the darklings are filing out into the main seating area. The magically amplified voice of Charmay can be heard from the stage (in the absence of Stagefright, the usual MC), announcing the start of the performance:
Welcome, honoured witnesses to tonight's calamity. Your suffering begins shortly. (Muted laughter from the audience at the apparent humor). Our performance this evening is titled: "The Final Curtain" or "The Last Act of the Lady of Tragedy". Please take your seats, and watch as fate unfolds her dark certainty...
The group are just crossing the main library floor, when the last of the darklings happens to turn and see the group moving silently behind. Bright eyes under a dark cowl glow a little brighter at the sight of the six figures, including Hurly still dressed as a dragon, as well as the tall, slender figure in a goblin mask, half-shrouded by a pink parasol. The darkling taps his neighbour on the shoulder, who also turns to see. Whispering briefly to each other, both darklings then turn, move away from the stage entrance, and toward the group.
Quietly Hurly turns and whispers (as quietly as a bugbear can): I'll take care o' this. You go! He rolls his shoulders as he breaks off and moves toward the two darklings. Like it or not, it seems the action is about to start both on and off the stage...
((Any actions before crossing into the backstage areas?))
How does a red dragon blow out the candles on its birthday cake?
We are guests of Endelyn and have free rein to this place. She asked only that we not disturb those studying in the library, or approach too close to the orrery. If you have a problem go take it up with her.
Mulligan puts this in the mind of whichever of the two darlings are closer or seems to be larger. He does so while trying to not spare them a second glance - trying to adopt an air of unquestioned privilege and right. He hopes perhaps this will save Hurly from having to get physical with them. Otherwise, Mulligan sticks with the team.
Rowan watches Hurly go to deal with the Darklings.
"Sounds like we don't have much time," Rowan says. "Let's go find Glister."
Rowan keeps heading for the way down to where they left the other twin.
The glowing eyes of the two darklings flicker briefly in comprehension at Mulligan's telepathic assertion. Whether they accept it or not is unclear as they continue to move to intercept the group's passage through the library. However Hurly is large and quick, and moves fast to block them. The last that anyone sees as the group moves through the curtain into the costume area, is a bugbear-sized green dragon with outstretched arms grappling the two dark-robed fey, and his deep gravelly voice shouting: You wanna see a show? I'll give you a show!
Hurly's intervention may prove to cut both ways, for while his intervention of the suspicious darklings is helpful, his loud voice may not be. There are no actors visible in this area, so without wasting any time, the group make their way back down to the basement workshop via the nearby elevator. Most of the goblins are evidently manning the stage equipment, but about half a dozen are still pottering around in the workshop. They look curiously at the five figures who descend the elevator, and more particularly at the slender figure in the goblin mask and parasol... surprisingly, with no small measure of fear and distaste! Is it the she-elf they find abhorrent, for her face is still obscured by the mask. Or is it the mask itself they dislike?
Since the goblins are presenting no direct obstacle, the group enter the storeroom, and check the hole in the rear wall. There is no-one there, only the empty tunnel disappearing into darkness. However, after a few moments of calling and checking, the figures of Amidor the dandelion, accompanied by Polinella the bee, along with Glister the elf carrying Golmo the brigannock on his shoulder, appear from the gloom. Ah, thank Zyblina! says Amidor. We feared ye had been imprisoned by the hag, along with the sister. And this must be she! Greeting to you, my lady Gleam. How fare ye? Glister meanwhile smiles broadly, his red-orange hair glowing faintly as he walks briskly up and embraces his sister. Oh, Gleam! How I've missed you! Are you well? Did she harm you? Gleam smiles back at him, but makes no response, only looking at his face with a somewhat dark countenance of mixed curiosity and bewilderment. No cosmic flares, shining starbursts, or other dazzling light displays occur at their meeting however, much to Rowan and Greg's dismay.
The muffled sounds of the performance on the stage above filter down into the workshop below, along with what sounds like loud gasps from the audience. The performance is proceeding, and seems to be making an impact...
How does a red dragon blow out the candles on its birthday cake?
Mulligan smiles at the others, a general sense of relief now that "everyone" is back together again. He watches with curiosity the interaction between Gleam and Glister and is worried that she does not seem as pleased at their reunion as he himself would have expected.
We need these two on stage then? Some kind of dance or something to symbolize an eclipse? Do we want to be in position to strike out at Endelyn immediately or what is the plan?
"we make our way up to the balcony" G'Reg states. "You two, get to the backstage area and wait for Charmay's signal, she's the witchy looking woman battering the play going on. Is there a floor performance you two can do? I'm not sure that there are trapeze swings in the boughs of this stage but of you fond something useful then go with the flow eh? The main point is you two are to be on stage for the climax of the play... Do not run. I know the thought has crossed your mind glister, you have your sister now and you could just go. But if you do this hag will chase you to the ends of the realms... Please, do as we say and you'll be safe."
Rowan definitely slumps a little when there is no explosion of fireworks and light when the siblings meet.
”This is your brother,” Rowan says to Gleam. “See the glowing hair and all.”
Rowan looks over at Amidor and Pollinella.
“Maybe you two could keep an eye on these two to make sure they don’t miss the cue? Or I guess you could keep all your eyes on them. How many is that in total? Seven? Can you really see in front of you and behind you at the same time?“ Rowan asks Polinella. “Anyway, that should help in watching them.”
Rowan’s ready to go past the backstage area to drop off the twins and then continue on to the balcony.
Barria hesitates as she watches the twins reunite. As the others, she finds it curious that Gleam isn't as happy about the reunion and it doesn't sit well with her.
Turning to her new friends, "Why don't you all head up to the balcony, take care of the hag. Let me stay down here, make sure these two get on stage and it all goes as smoothly as possible, ok? I would hate for something to awry after all this."
"one less person in the way helps me craft my magic better" G'Reg says with a hint of frustration, tapping the spell tome at his side "but we also need all the hands we can get... Hurly us dealing with two darklings but there'll be more. Come with us."
Leave this to me, squeaks Golmo the brigganock. If it's a trapeze these foreigners need... that's child's play to an architect of my calibre. And I can work fast when need arises! The group have seen first-hand the speed with which brigganocks can operate, and if the drawings on the side table where they first found the cage are any indication, this brigganock has a mind for all things mechanical. Leaving their secret weapon, Glister and Gleam, in the capable hands of a flower, a bee, and the miniature inventor, the four adventurers head out to face the hag.
They are just making their way through the backstage area, when a sudden, actinic flash of light erupts from beyond the curtain: too bright, too sharp to be part of the play. It punches through the flesh and fabric alike, leaving burning afterimages on the eyes. Passing beyond the curtain, the group re-enter the library: two darklings lie motionless on the floor, their bodies already collapsing into pools of ink-black shadow. Four more darklings swarm over Hurly!
The bugbear is grappling with all four at once as they try to smother him, clawed hands dragging at his scaly dragon costume. His strikes are wild and unfocused, and he blinks and snarls, clearly blinded, as he lashes out on instinct alone. Several books have spilled from shelves, their loose pages fluttering across the ground, as the altercation crashes into the furniture.
Another four darklings scamper across the library floor toward the upward staircase, while several more spill in from the theater, drawn by the sounds of violence. The library is mere moments away from being overrun with Endelyn's minions, and every darkling that falls threatens to explode in another blinding flash. The stairway is already in danger of being cut off...
How does a red dragon blow out the candles on its birthday cake?
"This may not be a bright idea," Break-A-Leg merrily chirps in with as Mulligan looks about the room and the avalanche of darklings. Mulligan instinctively shoves Break-A-Leg a bit deeper into his backpack and then tips his hat a bit lower over his eyes in case of more flashes of light. He wants to help Hurly and his fingers are already itching to summon up a pair of psychic blades but he worries they could be delayed here forever... Or at least too long to stop the hag.
Push on! Evelyn is our main priority lest she escape!
His telepathic words over Group Chat don't adequately convey the urgency he feels but it is the best he can do. Even as he "says" the words he follows their intention and tries to push on towards the stairway.
Rowan's not sure he likes the idea of leaving Hurly to these lightning bug creatures but at the same time they can't stuck here waiting for the hag to eventually show up.
He rushes to the stairs, moving to hold off the four Darklings that are running towards them, hoping his quick strides will get him there before them (45' movement).
If he gets to them before they get up the stairs, he turns his head to the side to avoid any flash from them if he connects with his sword. As he does, his emotions and energy bubble to the surface (Rage - Wild Magic - roll 4 - Rowan's longsword changes to a force weapon, light property, and can be thrown). Knowing he can't see them well, Rowan recklessly attacks, slashing out twice at the lead darkling.
(Longsword Attack 1 - (dadv from turning away but adv from Reckless Attack) - 20 to hit for 7 (5 force and 2 from rage).
Longsword Attack 2 - same dadv/adv - Critical Fail)