"It depicted my mother as I saw her in my visions when I meditated. It was on this leaf." Telavir produces a large leaf with ink on it from a pouch, depicting an elven woman. It's faded slightly. "I always carry it with me. However..." he turns to face the other four."While I have fought ankhegs, I have never done so with a tribe, for I have never had one. I was born in a monastery and stayed there until I decided to venture off on my own. The fact that you don't know one of the things that defined my entire life..."
“What the hells, guys?” Zeke asks in his “non stage” voice. “I’m Zeke the Freak here, Heel among Heels. People love to root for the bad guy, the rebel, the rule breaker, it appeals to their own sense of repression and the desire to reject conformity and break free. They think aligning themselves with the miscreant freak makes them special and unique, and lo and behold, so does everyone else. That’s what Freak Nation is all about. Now you’re putting me in a scenario where you’ve got some magic going so Zeke the Freak can’t break the rules? Can I speak to the script team please? I’d like some rewrites. This is off-brand for me.”
In his shrill shrieking “stage voice,” Zeke shouts to Telavir, “So that ones the fake? He didn’t know about your monastery? You’ve never had a tribe? Well maybe if you’re a freak like my you’ll join Freak Nation, Telavir!” He takes aim and attempts to shoot at the Telavir doppelgänger - or at least the one that the last Telavir to speak outed as a fake with his bold declaration.
OOC: Let me know if he needs to make a Wisdom save to attack the other doppelgänger as well.
The voice booms throughout all four sections, “Time’s up! Point out who you believe is the doppleganger in the other two pairs! Remember, you don’t get to vote against your own double...”
Now here, you can say [character name] (Player) or [character name] (DM) to show who you’re voting for.
You watch as Dewdrop, Other Telavir, and Other Zeke are teleported on the other side of the barrier, with the bomb. You hear a tick, tick, tick.
You watch intently as the 3 trapped inside try to hit the barrier, but nothing happens. You notice Other Dewdrop, on your side of the barrier, vanish into black mist. Immediately after, the bomb explodes. You hear the loud sound, but the force of the blast is kept in by the barrier. In the explosion, Other Telavir and Other Zeke vanish into black mist. Dewdrop, however, paints the inner barrier a dark red.
”That is our second dead so far! Congratulations to you two for surviving!”
Zeke gulps, but quickly resumes character, “Hell yeah, Freak Nation is all about the survivors! What doesn’t kill us makes us stranger, can a hear a shout out, freaks?”
He then glances around, his expression disturbed. “They exploded,” he says more quietly. “There’s no on site priest who could likely repair or resurrect that. What the hell kind of gladiators union allowed this?”
"This isn't gladiatorial. These are death matches." Telavir replies. "Hope you're ready."
“Well sure, but even death matches have clerics standing by for healing and resurrection if needed, gladiator’s union rules, man,” Zeke says, horror showing on his face. “This... this is some unlicensed underground stuff? Like for real? There’s no fans here, is there? No mercy tent, no Freak nation, nobody waiting for my signature. Oh gods.”
“The first challenge has ended. Two of our dear gladiators have left their mangled remains behind, and their souls are forever tethered to the arena. Congratulations to all who survived! Before we continue, you 10 each get a prize. Here is an orb of desire.”
A small bright crystal-like ball descends from the sky and hovers in front of you.
The “orb of desire” is just flavor. You can pick between gaining one level or getting one Uncommon item with no restrictions.
Other Telavir replies, “I helped my tribe beat back some invasive ankhegs. My turn now, what did the first painting I ever made depict?”
"It depicted my mother as I saw her in my visions when I meditated. It was on this leaf." Telavir produces a large leaf with ink on it from a pouch, depicting an elven woman. It's faded slightly. "I always carry it with me. However..." he turns to face the other four. "While I have fought ankhegs, I have never done so with a tribe, for I have never had one. I was born in a monastery and stayed there until I decided to venture off on my own. The fact that you don't know one of the things that defined my entire life..."
"...makes it clear that you're the fake!"
OOC: Zeke might not be able to respond to any of this intrigue as I am not sure what the failed Wisdom save from earlier entails for him.
You needed to pass the wisdom save to be able to attack your double.
OOC: Did it have Sanctuary on it? None of those attacks took place then, correct?
The other Zeke did not have Sanctuary on it, it’s a magical effect that covers the entire arena to keep you from attacking your double.
“What the hells, guys?” Zeke asks in his “non stage” voice. “I’m Zeke the Freak here, Heel among Heels. People love to root for the bad guy, the rebel, the rule breaker, it appeals to their own sense of repression and the desire to reject conformity and break free. They think aligning themselves with the miscreant freak makes them special and unique, and lo and behold, so does everyone else. That’s what Freak Nation is all about. Now you’re putting me in a scenario where you’ve got some magic going so Zeke the Freak can’t break the rules? Can I speak to the script team please? I’d like some rewrites. This is off-brand for me.”
In his shrill shrieking “stage voice,” Zeke shouts to Telavir, “So that ones the fake? He didn’t know about your monastery? You’ve never had a tribe? Well maybe if you’re a freak like my you’ll join Freak Nation, Telavir!” He takes aim and attempts to shoot at the Telavir doppelgänger - or at least the one that the last Telavir to speak outed as a fake with his bold declaration.
OOC: Let me know if he needs to make a Wisdom save to attack the other doppelgänger as well.
The voice booms throughout all four sections, “Time’s up! Point out who you believe is the doppleganger in the other two pairs! Remember, you don’t get to vote against your own double...”
Now here, you can say [character name] (Player) or [character name] (DM) to show who you’re voting for.
Dewdrop (player) and Zeke (DM)
Zeke points to his own copy cat, adding, "Wannbe off-brand Zeke the Freak copy over there," and points to "other Telavir," who had said:
Other Telavir replies, “I helped my tribe beat back some invasive ankhegs. My turn now, what did the first painting I ever made depict?”
On the third pair (who I do not believe spoke up in any way?) Zeke shrugs, and picks one at random. "Eenie meenie..." 2
He picks the leftmost one.
You watch as Dewdrop, Other Telavir, and Other Zeke are teleported on the other side of the barrier, with the bomb. You hear a tick, tick, tick.
You watch intently as the 3 trapped inside try to hit the barrier, but nothing happens. You notice Other Dewdrop, on your side of the barrier, vanish into black mist. Immediately after, the bomb explodes. You hear the loud sound, but the force of the blast is kept in by the barrier. In the explosion, Other Telavir and Other Zeke vanish into black mist. Dewdrop, however, paints the inner barrier a dark red.
”That is our second dead so far! Congratulations to you two for surviving!”
Zeke gulps, but quickly resumes character, “Hell yeah, Freak Nation is all about the survivors! What doesn’t kill us makes us stranger, can a hear a shout out, freaks?”
He then glances around, his expression disturbed. “They exploded,” he says more quietly. “There’s no on site priest who could likely repair or resurrect that. What the hell kind of gladiators union allowed this?”
Telavir closes his eyes as the bomb goes off. He looks at the remains of Dewdrop and sighs.
You hear the voice of Iorith Magnus boom throughout the arena.
”Amazing! Our third group of players have managed to eliminate every single doppleganger! They all live to see the next challenge!”
“Uh, hey, Telavir, you said your name was? Any idea what’s going on here? This is seeming less and less like a normal gladiatorial gig,” Zeke says.
"This isn't gladiatorial. These are death matches." Telavir replies. "Hope you're ready."
“Well sure, but even death matches have clerics standing by for healing and resurrection if needed, gladiator’s union rules, man,” Zeke says, horror showing on his face. “This... this is some unlicensed underground stuff? Like for real? There’s no fans here, is there? No mercy tent, no Freak nation, nobody waiting for my signature. Oh gods.”
“The first challenge has ended. Two of our dear gladiators have left their mangled remains behind, and their souls are forever tethered to the arena. Congratulations to all who survived! Before we continue, you 10 each get a prize. Here is an orb of desire.”
A small bright crystal-like ball descends from the sky and hovers in front of you.
The “orb of desire” is just flavor. You can pick between gaining one level or getting one Uncommon item with no restrictions.