CMP

"Well, as long as I'm moving quicker..," shrugs the halfling.

"I don't think you understand the philosophy behind free drinks, B." The halfling's ears perk up. The call of mushrooms was impossible to ignore. "Like, seriously? I need more gold..."

"If you drink enough, it'll help you take more damage, so....yup, sure, why not?"

"You seriously need a drink, B."

Calico stops mid-toss and returns the gold to her belt. "Things move quick 'round here..."

Calico casually tosses her pouch of 10 coins to Retak Ysp. "Well, there we go."

"I like it. It may prevent us from investigating any particularly suspicious folk, but it's, like, totally perfect to prevent Nefflemem from messing around with things."

"Because, Fangs, it's gotta go to somebody, and she's been really cautious about how we got about using the thing. You got any better ideas?" "Jeez, you got back here quick. Nord duty fail to satisfy you?" the halfling grinned mischievously.

"I've got some gold to front too, don't ask how I got it. I think I'll give it to B, since she seems decent 'nuff. For a Paladin. Who's with me?"

"Pretty sure it'd be the person looking through the glass, Gramps..."

"I'm pretty sure that'd be using an item, B."

"There's another idea. We all take a vote on who the person examines each day. It's, like, genius, right?"

"Of course we could. Since actions are public, anyone screwing with the results could be easily caught."

"Maybe the person who's cleared by it gets the glass the next day, and we decide like that? Even if the Nifflime managed to get their hands on it, it'd have to pass by them and onto the next person. They wouldn't be able to continuously give it to their own members."

"I'd like to have some information before we got lopping any heads off. And I liked O'blix's idea of passing it along each day."

"I still think it should've been mine," squeaked the rogue. "You may have pointed it out, but who's the gal that slipped the thing out of the display when nobody was looking? My point is, it'll help us find the rats that killed that Veteran."

"I had an idea, Wings. The peddler downstairs...think he's got some useful tools we can use to root out these Snifphlegm. If a couple people pooled together some gold, we might be able to buy a Magnifying Glass."

"Hope the vampire's got some Remedies on her," snickered Calico, taking another gulp of juice.

The halfling's face fell, and she sank back into her chair with a grumble. "Juice. Orc lady at the bar won't serve me any ale..." "Nope. Can see the resemblance, though." Calico was remarkably unfazed by the goblin's appearance.

In one corner of the saloon, despite the gravity of the upcoming fight to the death, one of the hall's smallest heroes was enthusiastically recounting oneof her Quests to the turbaned cyclops across the table. "-and so the answer was pret-ty obvious, if I do say so myself. Time, of course, the answer was time, and the rotten little thing got pissier than, like, a paladin in Baltarok, started hissing and spitting farther than I can crack a whip, it was just gross. So anyway, he says to me, 'assssk usss, assk uss!' and he said it, like, just like that, all hissy and stuff-" the halfling downed another goblet of apple juice between words. "-and I was all like 'what?' but he was just like 'asssk uss!' so I started freakin' out, I still had the broken nail from when I fell, I can't tell you how much THAT threw me off, and he's still all like 'asssk us, assk uss!' And after, like, an hour I finally asked it - 'what have I got in my pocket?'" "And of course THAT took the wind outta his sails like a merperson outta water, and then, and then he looked at me, like, all angry-like, and he started accusing me of being unfair! It was like, TOTALLY uncalled for. But I managed to calm him down - I'm a nice person like that - and he started guessing, right? His first guess was so stupid. 'Handses!' he said, and he said it just like that, it was so dumb. And his next guess was 'knife!' which was, like, yeah, right, as if I've got a knife on me, woulda' shanked him a long time ago - and then, this is the dumb part - he said 'string, or nothing!' which was, like, the dumbest thing ever, because everyone knows that Rockling-made clothes never have loose threads. So then he started thrashing around and whining, and it was just really, really awkward, and when he finally stopped, which was, like, hours later, he turns to me and he asks - like as if I hadn't just handed his megablocks to him - he looks at me, and-" Calico stifled a giggle. "-he says - 'what has it got in its pocketses?' and- and I says - 'I'm wearing a skirt, moron!'" The young rogue laughed rather squeakily at the top of her lungs, a trait no doubt well-used by her many halfling ancestors over the ages, completely irregardless of the severity of the current situation in the hall. "True freakin' story! And I still made off with all his coin!"

What, never seen a halfling with style before?

Use lots of KOWABUNGA! and other 90s slang and you'll blend right in to the rest of your kind.

I've adjusted the camera angle to make things a little more clear. Also, herrJJ, be more specific when you lay out what Nessa's doing, and try to limit how much she does in one turn. Round Eight of Black and Blue Sylph Nessa Pretzel vs. Blue Assassin (Flying Cross) - Deflected Damage (Damage deflected) Dreyrugr Erik Pretzel braces himself as one of the assassin's many throwing knives glances off his shield. Dreyrugr lowers the crane as Erik tries to get a better angle on it, but there's still no way he can reach it with his spear. Sylph gulps down a mouthful of mead as Nessa searches through the dark barrel behind the planks. Inside she finds only a ton of wheat, and no rope. Cat and Mouse - The Blue Assassin is attempting to escape. The heroes have five ten rounds to reach and engage him in physical combat. The timer will reset after the next engagement ends. - Rounds are run normally, but heroes have more freedom over their actions, such as examining or moving objects in the environment. - The heroes may attack the Blue Assassin with ranged weapons only at all times, but it will not count as an engagement. - If the Blue Assassin is not targeted, he will still deal free hits. He can be targeted with melee weapons, but nothing will happen. Enemies Blue Assassin Prodigy *Six rounds until escape* Level 40 Dark Humanoid Health: 765/994 Special I: Bolas to the Feet – Blue Assassin Prodigy tosses throwing bolas, entangling the hero, dealing the Bound and Slowed effects for the duration of the battle until remedied. The hero cannot move until both effects are removed. Can only be used once per engagement. Special II: Bladestorm – Blue Assassin Prodigy rains the party with throwing knives, doing 20 damage, ignoring row to each of them. Can only be used once per engagement. Special III: Shroud – Blue Assassin Prodigy becomes invisible, making them unable to be targeted for the duration of the round. At the beginning of the next round, they will pull the hero that rolled Special Damage into the darkness, causing them to be Blinded for the next 3 rounds and Stunned. Blue Assassin Prodigy will attempt to flee immediately after doing so. Cannot be used while not engaged. Passive Special I: Deflect – Successful hits and spells on the Blue Assassin Prodigy have a 1/6 chance of being deflected to a random ally. Passive Special II: Clean Getaway – Blue Assassin Prodigy will break combat after three rounds to attempt to flee. Drops: Nothing Immune to all effects and sudden death. Specials used in order, but I and II can only be used once per engagement. Party Monk Pretzel and His 99 Pieces, (Played by Palathdaric) 463-year-old male "hermit" Paladin *Party Leader* *Immune to Fragile* *Encouraged* Level: 18 Power Bonus: 0 Defense: 11 Health: 38/38 Ether: 4/23 Gold: 95 Equipment: Cross of Light (WP:10; Light; Staff), Fashionable Shield (SP:7), Lighter Armor (SP: 4, immune to fragile, bodywear), Shackles of War (Prevents anyone from fleeing, accessory) Inventory: Heavy Flail (WP: 5; deals "Fragile" effect; Mace), Flying Cross (WP:6; Darkness, Fire, Wind; Broomstick), Steak (WP:1, instantly kills vampires on successful hits, suitable for all), Potion (2), Grand Potion (4), Ether Core (2), Remedy, Soma, Phoenix Essence, Venom (2), Deadly Venom (5), Paralyzing Venom (2), Holy Bomb, Commerz Cannonball, Scroll of Sealing, Bedroll, Magnifying Glass, Pickaxe, Shovel, Magic Shovel (will always find something when used, limited to three uses per quest), Bone (3), Rito Feather (consumable, grants the hastened- and blessed-effects upon use for one battle), Soothing Slippers (Footwear, Meditate restores 5 ether), Grating Stone, Smoke Bomb, Magnificent Magniscope (Magnifying Glass/Telescope), Scroll of Disenchantment (Removes all positive effects from all opponents at the cost of 5 ether, 50/50 chance of casting), Impervious Shield (SP: 5) (Grants immunity to Fire), 70 gold, Scrap Metal, Garnet, Emerald, Neutralizer, Wand of Poking (WP: 10, double WP for physical attacks, wand), Strategist's Shako (Suitable for anyone, +5 power while in the front row, +5 SP while in the back, headwear) Erik Tyrvarr (Myrddyn) 19 years old male human barbarian. *Immune to Fragile* Level: 15 Power Bonus: 0 Defense: 8 Health: 22/22 Gold: 1 Equipment: Titanic Axe (WP:11, Earth-elemental, has 1/6 chances of inflicting petrified-effect; axe), Hunter's Plate (SP: 4, wearer gains 10 gold for each Humanoid killed, suitable for rogues, rangers, barbarians, beast warriors, infiltrators, regulators, and winged warriors), Emerald Hood (SP: 4, headwear, protects from Fragile) Inventory: Spear (WP: 9, spear), Mead, Peacekeepers totem (Grants the "Diplomacy"-job trait; suitable to Erik only; accessory), Twin Axe (WP: 5, dual strike-axe), Phoenix Essence, Smoke Bomb, Diamond, 2 Bones, Barbarian's Boots (Natural Respite>Restoration; footwear), Mulled Wine, Voltedge (WP: 13, Lightning-elemental; greatsword/longsword), Sharkskin Armour (SP +1, immune to water; bodywear), Dreyrugr (Vash the Stampede) 1000 year old Male Vampire Black Knight *Immune to Stunned, Water, Wind, and Fire* Level: 18.5 Power Bonus: 0 Defense: 12 Health: 37/37 Gold: 237 Equipment: The Muckraker (WP: 13, earth and water elemental, deals the weakened effect, greatsword), Gloves of the Undead Assassin (For every enemy the wearer kills, it gains 5 HP, Immunity to Water, Usable by anyone, Handgear), Dragonbrand Shield (SP: 8, immune to wind and fire, shield), Black Knight's Armour (SP:4, protects from stunned-effect) Inventory: Venom x3, Bedroll, Remedy, Smelling Salts, Mead x2, Net (if used in combat, 1/3 chance to slow enemy, 1/3 chance to be useless, 1/3 chance slow self, lasts 3 rounds, retrievable), Nostrum x2, Throwing Dagger (WP:3), Fauxthril Scythe (WP:5), 4 Bones, Bow (WP: 4), Grand Potion x2, Phoenix Essence x2, Soma, Mulled Wine, Crow-Claw Dagger (WP: 6, 50/50 chance to stun enemy on successful attack, Darkness), Shuriken (WP:5, Wind), Spinning Bolas (WP: 8, deals the Slowed effect, but the effect is removed when retrieved, throwing weapon) Nessa Anárion 59 years old female elven Ranger Level: 15.5 Power Bonus: 7 under negative effect Defense: 3 Health: 21/21 Gold: 13 Equipment: Darkness Silver Crossbow with Raven-Slayer Bolts and Newty Mag (WP: 8, darkness elemental (WP: +3 vs. werefolk (removable)) (WP: +4 vs. Aquatic vermin (removable) (usable by ex-Amphibians only)), Tricorne (Headwear; SP:3), Hide of The Suffering (Bodywear, Power +7 when under a negative status effect. Doesn't stack.) Inventory: Bedroll, Magic Compass, Venom (2), Nostrum (2), Mead, Phoenix Essence, 7 Potions, Merry Bow (WP:7, ranged, steals 1 gold with each successful hit except Shield-skills), Opal, Pseudos Hood (can damage undead with normal attacks), Ranger's Quiver (WP: +1), 2 Bones, Ranger's Cowl (Suitable to rangers, SP: 2, headwear), Mulled Wine Sylph Solanum (Dannylonglegs) unknown age, unknown race Druid *Immune to Sealed* *Second Party Leader* *Encouraged* Level: 24.33 Power Bonus: 0 Defense: 5 Health: 40/40 Ether: 8/36 Gold: 115 Equipment: Shrapnel Bow (WP: 10, Bow. Every successful hit drops the target's SP by 1) , Ethereal Cloak (Backwear; SP:2; Max Ether +4), 20-20 glasses (headwear, +1 turn of effect for scrolls), Robe of the Archmagi (Bodywear; SP: 3; Max Ether +5, immune to "Sealed") Inventory: Scroll of Frailty, Scroll of Sleep, Scroll of Blindness, Scroll of Sealing, Scroll of Confusion, Scroll of Ice Armour, 2 Potions, 1 Grand Potion, 3 Tonics, 1 Venom, 2 Fire Bombs, 1 Ice Bomb, 3 Water Bombs, 2 Lightning Bombs, 1 Floral Bomb, 7 Bones, Trial Brew x3, Helmet (Max. health +1)), Emerald, Bedroll, Shovel, Pickaxe, Magnifying Glass, Signet Ring, Saber Teeth, Journal of The Bleeding,Tale of the Invincible King, Psych Documents, Journal of The Wound, Suffering's Journal, Robe of the Magi (Bodywear, SP: 1), Smoke Bomb, Ranger's Quiver (WP +1 to bows and crossbows), Orcish Morning Star (WP: 9, mace), Mulled Wine Everyone, please choose an action. Party leader, create a battle order.

"I'll be takin' the hits Tesni, ya' should be fine to go and hit him."

Paladins, prisoners, sailors, engineers, travelling salesmen, members of a resistance...