Curing the Wood

Prophylaxis leads a team with the support of the Hunter's Guild and the Goblin Slayer Team to try and clear out the Goblins that have infested the region beneath the forest to the west of Fort Ouph.

> Completion of this scene will result in the closing of the 'Goblins in the Rotting Forest' Duty. So be sure to run it before then!

Liminality
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The Rotting forest. Its expansion has been kept well at bay thanks to the various Adventurers who've taken matters into their own hands. The Hunters Guild has continued to post requests to deal with the origin of the poison that has been tearing down the forest and kept this region as deadly as it has. Of all the origanizations, the Scale Emblem Alliance has taken steps to resolve the situation permanently in the region.

As the crew head down into the depths beneath the forest, following the many tunnels that had been discovered on the many expeditions down beneath, they are joined by Goblin Slayer and his crew. The man is as quiet as usual, holding up a torch, illuminating the tunnels. There's a strange wind that keeps tugging on the torch. A few Goblins that were encountered on the way are naught but pixels now, ended by the man's blade, and the weapons of those present.

Priestess tugs her wand to herself, looking nervously around at the shadows cast by the various gnarled roots that reach into the earth like grasping claws, and Dowafu mumbles; "The earth feels wrong here. The spirits are restless."

They continue deeper and deeper into the earth, until they suddenly leave behind earth, and step into a stone chamber. The chamber is notably sizable, and there's enormous mounds of dirt that look like they were left behind while digging up the many tunnels above.

As the Goblin Slayer lifts his torch, more of the strange ruined chamber comes to view. There's strange green lines that run through the walls, very dimly lighting up the place. What's more, there are strange... tubes connected to the ceiling.

Then, before they even manage to get deep enough to find the true source of the problem, there's the loud TWANG of a crossbow bolt being fired... straight at a plate above them which was holding up a very primitive net filled with stone! A goblin shows itself, before running back and down the hall - as the stones come tumbling down!

As the crossbow wielding goblin runs, multiple dagger wielders rush forward, their daggers coated with some kind of strange green liquid. A loud battlecry sounding as they rush the Adventurers' position!
Amalthea
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    Amalthea is here. Here to help kill goblins and end the corruption of the forest they blight. The old Odysseia Knight stands at the fore of the group, behind Goblin Slayer himself as she lets him take point due to the Silver hunter's long time of experience and skill when it comes to cleaning out goblin warrens such as this.
    "Aye, well whatever the goblins have been doing here we'll be sure it ends tonight." She replies gently to the young Priestess.
    And then....
    Rocks fall.
    In an instant Amalthea braces her shield upwards, grunting under the strain and weight that bears down but...
    No on dies.
    Then comes the green tide. The goblins come rushing, and the little blighters have those damned bastard poisoned weapons.
    Amalthea wastes no time and shows no mercy, flipping her sword in her hand to grip the weapon by the blade itself, which she starts taking to goblins like a baseball bat.
Kita
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It seems that someone had dragged Scale Emblem's resident Black Mage out of Tolbana yet again. Kita has a pair of slacks and traveler's boots beneath her usual dark dress, making it at least a bit more practical for delving into the rotting underground of the forest. She doesn't have much experience with the Goblin Slayer, at least not as much as some others.

In other circumstances, she might have lost herself in a book as they walked, but she has had enough experience with Goblins to know that they aren't to be taken lightly. So, she holds her spellbook against her chest with one arm, the other used to steady herself over the rocks.

Not quite as seasoned an Adventurer as some, she flinches at the sound of a crossbow firing. As stone comes falling down, accompanied by dagger-wielding Goblins, she is quick to throw up a shield that causes one of the goblins to simply bounce off of it. "Oh no, you don't."

She swipes her hand over her spellbook, dark tendrils following the path of her fingers as she cases a cursing spell towards them, causing a dark omen to appear over the heads of some of the goblins. "That should slow down their attacks a little."
Prophylaxis
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Look. When life gives you <s>ancient artifacts that let you talk to trees</s> lemons, you make lemonade. Or in this case, call upon the Scale Emblem Alliance's renowned band of murder-hobos/adventurers to go and slay a whole bunch of goblins. It was in some ways a matter of taking an opportunity that readily presented itself. In others, it's Prophylaxis feeling as though he has to take some responsibility for the mess their haste in climbing too many floors at a time caused. In still more ways, he sees this as an opportunity to build connections, acquire and secure lines of support and supply, and ultimately to slay goblins.

Certain events in Karluin have made him very, /very/ unkind toward the continued existence of the greasy little bastards, you see.

"Considering the monsters were doing their level best to taint the very forest, I'm not surprised things feel weird," Prophylaxis answers Dowafu with a shrug. He's keeping his guard up, an Electrical Fuzz spell affixed to the head of his staff to illuminate the dank, befouled caves.

It makes his surprised expression plain as day the moment they emerge into that distinctly un-cavelike chamber. "...Another underground ruin? Is it Gnomish, or..." His mind casts back towards other similar structures he'd encountered recently, but before he can analyze it further...

Stones tumble down from on high. Goblins charge in with blades glistening with a liquid that he recognizes /immediately/. "Don't let them get you with that poison!" Prophylaxis orders, lifting his staff to erect a shining, translucent barrier around him. A boulder crashes into the shield, shattering it into countless motes of light... before being sliced cleanly in two by a whirling sawblade of high-velocity water, the pieces bouncing harmlessly aside. "That stuff on their weapons... If I'm right, it'll suspend your damage resistance. Injuries will feel and /bleed/ for real! Mizuki-- I don't need to tell you twice what that means. The rest of you, keep your distance and watch for arrows and ambushes!"
Arianne
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This will be her first time fighting alongside her new companions, as a show of good faith and a proper test of arms. That doesn't have the craftgnome talking much, though, as she considers their hunting party and the danger they're walking into. She's wrapped in steel scalemail instead of her usual outfit, one hand holding the two-handed warhammer she's currently using over her shoulder - though there's a buckler and pair of shortswords strapped to her back, as well. Her grey eyes roam over everyone and everything as they advance into the lair... though she can't help but tsk and focus on the green lines and the tubes.

The trap isn't too big a surprise; dungeons like this are notorious for such things. And as the rocks come tumbling down, she flips her hammer around so that the spike points up, grips it in both hands, and levers it into a hard swing - shattering it like any other rocks she's mined since her arrival in these lands, and shrugging off the fragments that ping and bounce off of her mail.

She shakes her head. "... A shoddy trap. I can think of a dozen ways to box this area off better." She notes aloud, before wading into the oncoming green tide alongside Amalthea, spinning her hammer back around to start cracking ribs and shattering skulls, giving the older knight a nod.
Erufu
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The rotting forest still has goblins here so here comes the Pooks Archer once more. Erufu happily helped remove several goblins from the world on the way in and she'll look to Priestess for a moment. 5R
"Humm that isn't good. If the servants of the Earth Mother are not happy something still has to be going on here."

They keep going deeper and deeper but something isn't right and with her friend's warning? The Elf is very much on alert for what is about to come. She looks to Goblin Slayer for a moment.

"Any idea what those are Orcbalg?"

She then pauses something really isn't right and she moves, evading the falling rock with rabid speed and drawing her bow to open up on the inbound horde.

"They don't give up do they!"

She'll start raining down arrows on the incoming horde.

"Thank you , Kita! Rizadoman! Can you get your friends into play? We're going to need the added bodies!"

People have been learning about the damage and the danger of goblins liking to use posion.
Rizadoman
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r    Rizadoman had accompanied Orcbolg and company down into the cave his own claws talons digging into the dirt at the Dowafu's mention of the earth and as they transition from dirt tunnels to stone chmbaers he runs a claw along the stone. " This is not someething Goblins are capable of. Every stone is the exact same. What is this place?" He notes out loud as his archelogical interest begins to show. As he continues to look around he seems engrossed for a moment. The sound of the battle cry though brings him back to the moment.
     Turning he draws forth a scimitar of bone in a gesture as if he pulled it from thin air catching the goblin's dagger with a toothy grin. " Not today you accursed thing. " Pushing up and repeling the blow he then slices at the goblin with the scimitar before coming back with a law.
Shiruba
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So much for trying to sneak up on the goblins. Shiruba's ears snap up as soon as she hears the familiar weapon tang and a bolt thunking off something, and looks up just in time to see the net release. With a yelp she tries to put some of her recent training to use, throwing up both her hands. "ROCK CRADLE!" Stone rises up around her, sealing into a roughly dome shape just in time for the first rocks to bounce against it. Boulders thunk and slowly crack rock against rock, but by the time her earthly barrier crumbles the stones have stopped falling.

"Well that was a rude welcome!" she quips, even as she's nocking a pair of arrows in Thundersnow Howl and drawing them back, taking advantage of it still being able to load and fire her Spell Fletcher arrows as well as produce it's elemental shots. "So I say, lights out to you!" She fires, the two arrows erupting into engulfing orbs of darkness to intercept the incoming knife-wielders and disorient their charge by blinding them.
Schneider
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Schneider is walking along with the main body of adventurers, the breeze blowing back his hair dramatically. He has been called out since his boss had put the call out for murder-hobos. Apparently there are goblins that have not yet been set on fire. He can fix this. He looks around in the forest for what good it does, but he's no scout. He just sees trees and grass and such. He's holding a small, fiery orb in one hand for the light it provides.

Then there's incoming crossbow bolts and dagger-weilding goblins and nets with stones! He raises a hand, shouts a command word, and a magic shield springs up, protecting him, just in time. A moment later, he'd have been wearing one of their poisoned blades uncomfortably. Schneider calls out, "GUNZENRO!" and flame leaps from his hand, consuming as many goblins as he can play the flames over. It squirts like liquid fire, and splashes over the goblins, burning away their HP like, well, fire.
Lin
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As usual, Lin's entering a high level encounter with a flippant attitude. Any spooky forest is as spooky as any other, right? There's an entire party of Adventurers here and he's fully prepared for danger. The warning of danger registers closer to 'we're close to the fight' than actual danger.

It doesn't take long for his attitude to take a direct hit. Goblins from every direction! Boulders. Crossbow bolts and angry daggers, all dripping with poison. Lin waves a hand expansively, spitting rapid fire words and bouncing obstructions away from him. He stares intensely beyond the front line, setting his sights on some goblins for an electrifying counterattack. Flashes of blue lightning fade into purple afterimages, accompanied by an orchestra of thunderclaps as he unleashes a rapid fire of lightning blasts.
Merek
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    Merek is walking with the group of that party, while he takes a moment to adjust that dark attire which he wears, then he notices when goblins begin ambushing them. "Well, looks like they were prepared for all of us," the man then begins chanting his magic spell, "Oh guidance of the ones we call Lost, bring me your energy and mend all of those that are wounded!" After he shields away a few of the enemies strikes, the man draws a field which will begin to appear above the party.
    It circles all of them and offers a healing warmth within, "Healing Force Field!"
Mizuki
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    They're eliminating the goblin problem. It's good work. Goblins need to be stopped. Not just for those 'saving the world' feelgoods but seriously, a poison that makes Adventurers fully feel pain is really bad!

    When Dowafu comments about the spirits, though, Mizuki has to sidle up to him and whisper, 'Okay, seriously, are you just roleplaying or do you actually have class abilities telling you that?'

    When the ambush comes, Mizuki is spinning through the air, dodging and deflecting arrows. She interrupts Prophy's speech to shout "You don't need to tell me twice!" which weirdly syncs up with his words. She throws kunai at a couple of goblins, landing in front of one and grabbing its weapon arm while it recovers, then using the kunai and her hindclaws to tear wounds of glowing red across its front!
Liminality
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A fierce step in, a sword swings up. Amalthea's shield catches a goblin to the head as it tries to stab her, followed by her blade swinging up and carving up a goblin in one swing, while the one that jumped her shield is cut down by Goblin Slayer. Another group gets together, attempting to flank Prophylaxis, only to get slowed down by the arcane tendrils that Kita casts. Shadows moving out from beneath the tightly interlaced stones. Grabbing them like grabbing hands, attaching to their cheeks, their eyes, their mouthes, chest and arms. Grappling them as they follow them like heat-seeking missiles!

Prophylaxis is right to give his warning. That substance looks exactly as it had looked that one time. Which means there is something dangerous deeper in. Defending him, comes Arianne. Her hammer swinging around and crushing a goblin's head with a sickly crunching sound, before the second swing sweeps up and sends another one of the arcanely rooted goblins up to the ceiling, where it explodes into that tell-tale light.

Earth blasts shatter against a Goblin that peeks over one of the sand piles, shattering it before it can fire its crossbow at Arianne, while Erufu sends arrows through the heads of others approaching with sickly precision. Enough that one of the Goblins remains standing for a while after the arrow goes right through its skull, looking confused for a while as if frozen by time itself, before it shatters.

Rizadoman cuts down another Goblin that got too close with their strange bone sword, followed by another and another, as Shiruba supports from the rear - firing arrows at the Goblins that attempt to flank the Were Fang. Orbs of darkless explode like cascading detonations along the various sides, punctuated by erupting points of liquid flame as fire leaps from Schneider's fingers.

"They're not Goblins." Goblin Slayer answers Erufu as she asks about the pipes, looking up at them. "But they probably transport something." He then adds, before moving forward. "Seven." Continueing to slaughter Goblins with ruthless efficiency. Joined by Lin as their electric and flame attacks keep the ones at his flanks at bay. Ripping them apart and shocking and erupting them as they come too close. Merek, shielding away some of the Goblins, sends a barrier buff through for the party. Though who knows if it will be effective against their special daggers.

Dowafu grunts at Mizuki, not answering them. Too busy fighting, or perhaps not willing to allow Mizuki to peek behind that particular curtain. Kunai soon land against some Goblins, yet, as they keep fighting, there's this... feeling that start overcoming Goblin Slayer. He keeps glancing left and right, trying to find something. Grunting as he bodychecks a Goblin to the ground, and stabs his blade down its through, before pointing into the distant darkness.

"I didn't think anyone would notice me like that." There's a shimmer in the air, before a figure begins to become visible. A quick inspect quickly reveals an Orange level difficulty target... Lander?

Orange hair in a braided twin tail pattern, a black outfit with the dress she is wearing cut open on one side. Notably, on the side of her neck, is a tattoo of a howling wolf. The dark skinned woman named Lupusregina Beta steps forward from this 'nothing' she just stepped out of with a pleasant smile on her face. "I guess Goblins are hardly at the level of Adventurers anymore, now are they?" She inquires sweetly, as she takes out a simple silver scepter from behind her back and taps it against her other hand, while more Goblins start flooding the area from behind her. Except... the scepter is enormous - about her own size. Absolutely stupidly enormous, to the point where she is only holding one side of the scepter with the sheer force of her fingers gripping the side of it, displaying her sheer grip strength.

"I'm going to need all of you to leave now." She then decides, smiling sweetly, before pointing her staff forward. "Ahem... ANTI-HEAL." Followed by a sudden dark SURGE that overcomes the group, as an arcane effect blasts through the region. A debuff appearing on everyone's HUDs: 'CURSED: Unable to Heal for <60 minutes>'.

Followed by her suddenly pushing off from her position, crushing the ground where she stood just moments ago, and trying to slam her scepter into the nearest target - Amalthea, followed by trying to launch her straight into Kita! All while a group of Goblins climb up onto the stone hills in the chamber and start releasing more crossbow bolts on the warriors - and more of the annoying critters with their daggers rush forward!
Mizuki
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    An... evil lander? And a curse. Well, if worst comes to worst, she can still respawn, right? But the lander can't. Mizuki turns from the goblins and starts zig-zagging through the battle, leaping around and over goblins and off walls. "I got two words for you lady!" As the attacks come in she moves with ninja speed, almost seeming to blink between places as she moves closer... but at one of those blinks a goblin sees it coming and slashes where she's going to be, cutting into her side! "AGH!" Still, at least for a moment she can grit her teeth and soldier through the pain, as she flash-steps behind Lupusregina ß and and brings down daggers towards her neck. "SNEAK ATTACK!"
Amalthea
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    Amalthea can never find a problem with someone wading into the fore to back her up. Though in the heat of battle the best she can afford Arianne is a nod, she does warn: "Watch out for their blades. The poison's a nasty one, it makes you feel full pain."
    She may as well re-iterate the good doctor's warning to a fellow up at the front lines with her.
    She's experienced that poisone full well enough herself to know she never wants to feel it again.
    And then.
    Someone who isn't a goblin.
    "... And you are?"
    She's classed Orange level.
    Won't be easy, especially if she turns hostile.
    It's just bad luck that she turns hostile.
    And to top if all off she CURSES the party.
    That's just playing dirty.
    Amalthea wheels about just in time to face the woman and brace her shield once again. She grunts from the impact, boots digging furrows into the ground as she's shoved back several feet, rather than wholly bodily launched.
    Before she flips her sword again, gripping it properly by the hilt as a sword should be grasped.
    Raising the blade high over her head she brings it down against the woman in a vicious but straightforward and very hard chop downwards at her.
Schneider
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Schneider holds up his hand, his magical shield pulses and grows stronger again, deflecting the goblins' crossbow bolts. They clatter and ricochet from his shield, which holds strong under the barrage. The goblins are pretty ferocious, but Schneider is an exploder wizard, and exploding is what things do. "GUNZENRO!" he calls out, though it's a slightly different version, it seems.

It's not hugely different, flames reaching out for the target, pounding into her, though against an orange boss, the damage is nothing like blasting a goblin. Still, every bit counts, and his damage, along with the others', accumulates on the orange-haired wolf-lady. His flame spell is pretty typical of its kind, but if he were to burn his biggest spell, he might not have enough to continue. Better to hold /that/ spell in reserve.
Erufu
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Erufu seems amused at Goblin Slayer's reply to her question. He may have just made a joke, which is an improvement. It's far from over though as the Goblins are not all dead and who knows what else is down there? She'll pause as they see a new figure show up. Is that a Lander? She'll inspect her and her eyes narrow for a moment at her.

"Goblins are still a menace to the people of the land and need to be handled just like any other monster."

The elf notes she sizes the woman up for a moment. Then comes an attack? No not a direct attack but a debuff an anti-healing field of some sort.

Things just got very damn serious here whoever this lady is she's just been able to pull off some powerful magic of some sort that could affect them like that? That can't be normal, can it? She'll also try to make note of the icons she'd seen when she inspected her.

The attacks come and she's bounding dodging and firing back at the strange redhead however she's not having the best of luck as, unlike her elder sister? She has issues firing while moving.
Kita
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Whenever you are in the midst of battle and a new voice speaks up, it always seems to mean trouble. In this case, Kita whirls in the direction of the arrival, her stormy eyes shaded by her witch's hat as she swishes her fingers in a characteristic INSPECT gesture.

"A Lander?" She sounds puzzled at this revelation, but she isn't about to lower her guard.

All of a sudden, she has to brace herself, with this new enemy trying to shove Amalthea back towards her. Luckily, neither of them look much worse for wear. "Trouble." She reports, then turns away from the woman, leaving the stronger fighters to deal with them.

"I'll focus the goblins." The effect of the curse is something she can feel hanging over her, but for now, Kita doesn't let it bother her. She weaves her hand in a circle over her book, drawing more whisps of dark magic which swirl with the wind until they crystalize into a sphere that hovers above her hand.

"Let's see if they can avoid this..." She tosses the sphere towards where the goblins are amassing, the spell shattering as soon as it hits the ground, littering the area around the goblins with sharp little points of shrapnel which will tear apart their feet if they decide to pass through the effect.
Merek
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    Merek looks away and uses his shield to take in another of the strikes while he begins to wheel about and lift up the greatsword with him. "Well," it looks like that relic did become a bit useful, though then it looks like all of them are being sealed from healing. The man nods a bit, while he takes a moment to throw a potion into the werewolf woman, then exploding. "You, pretty lady! You know what. I am tired of people coming to assist the bad guys. I am going to BITE YOUR EARS!"
Shiruba
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Shiruba notes both the toxic knife goblins trying to close in on people, as well as crossbow-goblins trying to get to an advantage point to rain down suppressing fire on them. While that nasty stuff on the knives is no joke, it will be less effective if the shooters don't get to a point they can pin them down to be dogpiled... ugh, did she really think with that term?.. Actually, why is she upset that she thought it? She's not a dog, she's a WOLF.

Enough internal processing. While Shiruba may be learning to more effectively use shield techs she's clever enough to not rely entirely on one style of tactic. When a couple of goblins do get through her counterfire to try and swarm her she quickly leaps from her spot and bounds to the side, then quickly bolts in the opposite direction before they can turn around from trying to follow her. Because she's got her attention on those crossbow goblins, and the stone mounds they're trying get a vantage point on. "Tch. You know what the problem is with taking the high ground?"

Shiruba draws an arrow back in her bow, aims not at the goblins, but at the stone mound, and fires. The arrow whistles through the air to impact the mound with it's own concentrated elemental energy and smash part of it off, removing the vantage point and hopefully sending several of the bastards crashing back down to their doom with the debris!

"You can be knocked down from it, that's what!"
Arianne
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The small knight takes a moment to look around, comparing the build of the place to what else she's seen in that small gap between crushing the initial wave of goblins and the Lander's appearance. "... Yes, this stonework is in the gnomeish style. It's a bit distinctive." She notes aloud, since Proph did ask. "You can see it in the cut and lay of the brickwork, even with the tubes and veins of... energy?" She shakes it off after a moment, though, and turns to face forward as a new threat reveals itself - alongside a fresh swarm of minions. There's a light scoff.

... even in the wake of the debuff, the gnome stands strong. Arianne isn't going to quake at the first sign of trouble, even as she continues pushing forward - trying to keep the horde off the squishies in the back, letting her scales shrug off some blows, her haft stop others... and then one finds a chink, as she misses its stab amidst the melee, and she gives a hiss at the sharp pain blooming in her side. 'Full pain' is right, but she pushes through it for now and slams the butt of her hammer into the goblin's skull, crushing it, before continuing to push forward despite the sharp wound in her side.

She's missing a chunk of HP, now, but... she just needs to keep pacing herself, and pull back when it seems necessary.
Rizadoman
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    Rizadoman looks over at the Goblin Slayer as he finishes one of the goblins, " By my ancestors I will never understood how you do it. It feels like for every goblin I kill you seem to have killed twice as many." The Lizardman becomes quiet though at the new person and tilts his head before looking at the other adventurers, " Friend of yours perhaps? " Then the curse and he can feel it creep along as his body as he checks his HUD, it was the first time he had ever seen anything like this. However it doesn't slow him down as he charges straight in to the goblins with the poison dagger, letting out a furocious battle roar as his scimitar lights on fire slashing away at the goblins.
Lin
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@emit Cursed? That's not so bad. On the back line if you need healing something's gone far wrong already. Lin stands his ground. He's in position with the back line - artillery at the ready. He assaults with lightning from the back lines, characteristic blue flashes punctuated by thunderclap that outline individual goblins.
Prophylaxis
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"I mean yeah those are tubes in the ceiling," Prophylaxis deadpans at the Goblin Slayer. "Unless they're pneumatic goblin transport tubes, I'm pretty sure you're right on the money there..." But at least Arianne manages to fill in the blanks. Gnomish, then, but with the obvious differences of... Well. Giant throbbing energy veins and weird tubes piped through the architecture. Could they be the source of all the corruption afflicting the forest? It's that same green glow that coats the goblins' weapons, so... Maybe. He certainly can't write off the possibility.

But again his attempt to analyze the architecture is rudely interrupted. This time by... a Lander? A Lander working with monsters? Prophylaxis brow furrows, "Lupusregina... Beta?" This whole situation feels far too familiar. There was another high-level foe he encountered not long ago, also with a Greek letter in their names and leading a band of monsters. "I don't suppose you know an... Entoma Zeta, would you?"

But then, Entoma didn't have a staff that prevented him from healing anyone, or a band of goblins with poisoned daggers taking advantage of Prophylaxis' momentary lapse in concentration to swarm over his defenses and cut him across the arm. An unfortunately too-familiar shock of pain races through him. Blood drips from the wound-- a wound he won't be healing any time soon, thanks to a certain curse. "Blast-- make /doubly/ sure not to let those damn goblins get you! Until we can break that curse, I'm not going to be able to close any wounds you might suffer!"

They have an hour. Will they survive? Prophylaxis leaps back, his staff slamming into the flagstones. A tide of stone spikes lance up out of the ground and hew into Lupusregina the moment her feet touch the ground again, seeking to crush her and her staff up against the ceiling. An impromptu stone pillar trap...?
Liminality
Overworld - 45 - -3 - 0

As Mizuki comes in she might spot how Lupus' eyes follow her... scarily easily. She is stepping in to attack someone else, and no doubt Mizuki thinks to dive in during the wind up of that strike. That massive weapon...

That massive weapon suddenly changes direction with a frightening amount of ease, and Lupusregina spins on the spot, slamming the weapon right into Mizuki's side. There's a loud CRRRAAAAACCCCKKKK sound to the side of Mizuki as she can feel one of her ribs breaking slightly, seeming to almost halt in the air in the midst of the strike, before she's launched right into a nearby wall with a sickening blow.

"That was the worst sneak attack I've ever seen." She remarks, right before slamming the scepter to the ground and catches Amalthea's blow. It slams against the scepter. And behind it, Lupusregina is pushed to the ground a bit. The ground cracking below the scepter and her from the sheer power of Amalthea's blow. "You're tough. You survived one of my blows. Let's see how long you can keep up." As she lifts that scepter and begins to slam it against her shield. Time after time after time again, showing a wicked grin.

"Keep her busy." The team hers from Goblin Slayer, as he grabs his bag and starts to wade through the Goblins, followed by Priestess. Dowafu remains, firing various stone blasts at the goblins. As they move, Schneider ensures they are given the ability to move freely. Jets of flame carving across the ground, leaving black ash marks behind as they lick out like tongues over the goblins, swallowing them up, before one of the blasts darts for the 'evil lander', who slams her scepter to the ground, a massive burst of air blasting the flames outwards.

A goblin is about to nick Schneider in the leg, but Erufu manages to send some arrows into them, after her arrows are knocked away by that very same blast of air. A sudden detonation of arcane energy however blasts a hole into one of the sand piles. Black shards, like obsidian, shatters out from the unlucky head of a Goblin and rips out from its location - cutting down goblins like a shotgun blast of arcane energy. Little green body after little green body shattering apart in mid-sprint and mid-aim. Shiruba's shots focus on a second mound, eradicating the crossbow golems. Each shot with enough force that sand sails on back, cutting thick grooves in the sand and through the goblin numbers!

"What do you mean, assisting the bad guys? These Goblins are the ones /assisting me/." She answers Merek, right as that blast of flame erupts against her position, ripping a piece off of her health bar... only for her to touch herself while staring at him. "Heal." And her health bar seems to rapidly jump up. Only for a sudden fierce ripple of lightning to blast over her and cut away that chunk of health, forcing her to retreat a bit from the sheer force of it, behind the mounds and towards the origin of the green glow.

Arianne will quickly find out that while those scales of hers are helping with those hits coming in, the pain is starting to get rather severe. For years now, even a punch to the shoulder, a kick to the shins, it's felt like a dull ache. This however... this is pain. This is a dagger in the arm pain, searing, biting, viscious pain of nerve-endings at full alart, triggering adrenaline. She shakes off a few goblins, tearing them apart, assisted by Rizadoman: his scimitar sweeping through the air and slicing a goblin by the throat, ripping out a curtain of glowing crimson as it splatters to the ground, and the goblin turns to light.

Then suddenly, a whistling, as that scepter goes through the air and attempts to intercept the stone spikes that come up from the ground, shattering much of the debris towards Prophylaxis while some of it manages to get through. A bit closer to the back now, the team can see a green glowing cauldron at the back... with a strange device floating over it. Something that looks almost like an opened eye, literally /bleeding/ drops of green into it. The cauldron is connected to tubes that run into the wall, looking more like an overgrowth than something that was physically connected. The kind of mess that would make an IT professional looking at the back of a server cry.

"Like I am telling you." The woman answers Prophylaxis, sweeping her hand as some of the debris hits her body, before she reaches him and that thrown scepter... grabbing it and winding up for a swing... and then suddenly releases it, jump forward; expecting him to have tried to dodge, and slams her hands down towards his ears, trying to rupture his eardrums. She then finally grabs that scepter and sends it sailing towards Mizuki - if they're still stuck to the wall. It's like watching a sick dance of sorts.

Then, from behind them, a group of Goblins suddenly appear. "BARRIER!" The priestess calls out, holding back the new incoming Goblins for the time being. But that doesn't stop the goblins coming from the direction of the cauldron. One of them grabbing /two/ crossbows, jumping onto a mound, and... immediately gets shot down by Erufu! But another pair of goblins pick up those crossbows and try to make up for their lost comerade, while making violent screetching sounds. Turning the place into a hail of arrows that gets harder and harder to avoid!
Merek
Overworld - 45 - -3 - 0

    Merek looks around a bit and all he knows is that an arrow is about to strike him. And it does, while he feels that. The man pulls that arrow away with a scream, then he begins to step forward while he winces, taking a look to everyone. People are wounded, with that in mind he begins to lift up a hand. "Alright, enough is enough with these games." The man begins to take a stance while he shifts both of his feet to the side and looks forward upon everyone, including the party. He hasn't done anything like this before. He needs to be focused, he needs to keep one thing in mind. To protect people. He could use it so many other ways. Although, this is the way that will keep people safe.
    The man holds forward with the Enigma Piece upon the bracelet, "I am Merek! I have taken an oath to uphold. To protect these Lands, as well as all of the People within. World, please listen to the prayer I offer. Restore that Law, imbue them against this dark magic!" He then whispers a word before him, "Enne." The Magic Knight then wills all of that into the Enigma Piece.
Schneider
Overworld - 45 - -3 - 0

Schneider is saved from having his leg slashed by Erufu's arrows, but another group of goblins fires arrows, and he'd thought he was okay and is too slow to react to the new threat. Arrows thunk into his shoulder and gut, and he cries out, the pain much more intense than he's used to. And his self-heals are grayed out. He goes down on one knee, clutching at his wound, eyes shut tightly for a moment before he forces them open again. Well, that was the problem when all your best defenses were grayed out because you'd been working on stuff. Still, it's important stuff, and he won't complain. But the pain is blinding!

He takes a breath, and doubles over at the effort, but raises his head and shouts, "GUNZENRO!" He's a bit shakier this time, but he thrusts his hand out through the pain, and waves of fire lash out for a moment, but only a moment before the pain becomes too much to bear. Then Merek does his thing, restoring the Law, and the pain inhibitor resumes its effect, leaving Schneider panting with effort.
Rizadoman
Overworld - 45 - -3 - 0


    Rizadoman's clothes begin to build up ice and shapes into rather heavy looking armor as Goblin knives glance off here and there , chipping the ice of the armor away. " Are you behind the Goblins then? You are there leader?" Rizadoman shouts at Beta before looking at the green problem he has on hand. " By the dragon of old I call upon your power." With a rear of his head the Lizardman breathes fire out into a pillar of flame around him trying to create some space for him to act in a moment.
Amalthea
Overworld - 45 - -3 - 0

    Amalthea need not be told twice by the Slayer to keep Lupusregina busy.
    She kind of has zero choice in the matter as the woman turns her attention on her and starts wailing away on her shield.
    Even with pain reduction, every blow that slams her defenses makes the old Paladin's arm go numb by degrees as she grunts from the strain of impact. But she does not shy away from the assault.
    "Aye, and I intend to survive a lot more than that." She ripostes verbally before shifting her footing, raising her blade again as it begins to glow with a white, jabbing it viciously at the woman before she hops back to catch her breath, quickly surveying her surroundings.
    Her blade is tossed to her shield arm to hold briefly as she reaches into the nearvy fray of dagger flailing goblins and RIPS Arianne from their midst, ignoring the curses and spite and daggers flung her way by the little green blighters.
    "Mind your HP and try not to get killed." She says as gently as she can considering the heat of the moment, her own HP suffering for her efforts.
    Thankfully getting stabbed now isn't a new world of agony.
    "Merek I have no idea what you did, but I think it worked."
Kita
Overworld - 45 - -3 - 0

If anyone had warned Kita about what she was going to face here, she wouldn't have come. The Black Mage would have been all too clear how much of a liability she would be with the prospect of magic that can remove the pain inhibitors. Unfortunately, it is too little, too late for that.

As an arrow impacts her in the side, she drops. Some people might be able to push past it and fight on, but Kita... her eyes seem to blank completely as the pain surges through her system. She grabs at the arrow, unable to resist that instinct to pull it free, leaving behind the gaping hole with the green tinge around the edges. "What..." She seems to try to form the question.

Then, her body starts to tremble. Pain, fear, flashes of things long past caught in her eyes. And somehow Merek's voice breaks through it. She looks towards him the effect washing over her and causing her to gasp a breath. Her mouth opens, then closes again, not quite able to frame words around that moment where she actually feels quite grateful to him for whatever it is he did.

Instead, she pushes herself to her feet. "Thanks." Is all she manages, with the pain dampened, able to push through the fear that lingers in the periphery. "I. Hate. Goblins." She grits her teeth, and using that anger, Kita pulls fire magic from the pages of her book, the flames flickering brighter, lashing out around them as she weaves magic together. Holding it steady, she launches the ball of fire right at the goblins, trying to blast them backwards and possibly incinerate them at the same time.
Lin
Overworld - 45 - -3 - 0

Standing on the back lines, Lin keeps himself active. There's more than enough action to go around in an assault this size. He stays in the back lines, looking left and right for a rear assault. Bad memories of previous encounters keep him wary for a surprise attack. So far he keeps himself safe. A loudly shouted word of power deflects goblin projectiles, and another sends a crackle of bright lightning crackling through the air towards his assaulter.
Prophylaxis
Overworld - 45 - -3 - 0

"So that's definitely a yes, then," Prophylaxis deadpans at this twintailed... kung fu maid? He hasn't had the opportunity to get a /great/ look at her, but he's pretty sure that she is straight up some kind of kungfu maid. Or at least, she's dressing like one. "Loopy Reggie... You've got a thing or two to learn about subtlety...!" But definitely not much to learn about combat. Prophylaxis flinches as expected from the massive hammer-blow that never comes. If all he had up his voluminous sleeves was quick-footed reflex, that might have spelled his doom...

Maybe if he had still been hurting-- but he doesn't. /Something/ changes in the world, and his movement is uninterrupted, his thoughts unmangled by pain.

When Lupusregina's hands go to clap thunder into his ears, they not only find themselves smashing into a field of intangible force, they /also/ encounter a veritable inferno as a wall of flame suddenly washes out of the magus to intercept her strike. "Distract her, you said...?" He mutters, ears twitching in the direction of the Goblin Slayer. From this vantage point, he has a clear shot. His staff whirls as he darts back, its headpiece glowing with a pale, ice-blue light, "I think I can oblige."

A wave of gelid energy blasts out from his staff, aiming not only to freeze the Lander where she stands, but to compound the earlier burst of heat with an even more massive crush of cold. Temperature shock, in other words, to amplify the effects of his second spell.

...Still. Something bothers him. The Magus' gaze is drawn for a meaningful instant towards Merek of all people for some reason. Whatever he did... Well, he can think on it later.

"We need to destroy that eye," he says, then. "Or switch it off. That cauldron... Whatever that poison is, I'm almost certain it's at least partially responsible for what's happening to the forest. Capture that device!"
Shiruba
Overworld - 45 - -3 - 0

Priestess is helping cover their back, so Shiruba keeps her eyes on the front. "Winter Warden!" she commands, and frosty mist congeals around her, stiffening into a coating of ice. The frigit layer does it's job, as several of the arrows from the bombardment before they can pierce her skin. "Keep the pressure on them," she calls out. Though her tactical sense shifts as she notices the other group having some difficulting with Whateverhername Beta, even though Merek is doing something about the Debuff she put on the raid party. Her ears flick forward, and small fangs show as she snarls softly. "I am sick and tired of you otherworlders thinking you know everything and have the right to do whatever you want to screw with our world..." She grabs the string of her bow, and pulls it back even with no arrow. The elemental gems at the bases of the arms flicker and flash, releasing some of their energy to form it's own projectile, an arrow made of frigid electrified wind. "From the depths of the fiercest maelstrom, I will strike you down --" She lets loose, firing the shot of concentrated elemental weather hurtling towards Beta! "Storm Blast!"
Erufu
Overworld - 45 - -3 - 0

"I'm on it Orcbalg!"

Keeping this mysterious redhead was something the Elf could do. Now how well it would be or for how long? That would be up for debate. Her arrows go off the mark in the best way possible, rescuing Schneider from taking a nasty hit. She'll forever say that was her actual intent. Yet things are far from over and then she says the goblins are helping her?

"Oh so you are the one they are working for?"

She narrows her eyes for a second.

She has to keep moving if she does not stop moving, she has to keep moving and intends to keep moving given the state of things.

She'll have to stop for a moment this time to notch another arrow as she prepares to attack. She draws the arrow triggering a skill as she does so.

"BURST SHOT!"

Her arrow glows bright green for a moment then she lets the missile fly. If she's lucky she might do some damage to Beta in the process or at least distract her. She'll get back on the move again calling back to Prophylaxis.

"Good thinking!"
Arianne
Overworld - 45 - -3 - 0

The damage and pain are adding up, and Arianne hisses out at the sensations of it all. She knows she's hurt like this before; long hours swinging a hammer and working metal will do that. But that was so long ago; beating steel doesn't have the same effect on her body, here, and the injuries up until now have been... nothing, compared to this. So she's grateful, even if it is undignified, when Amalthea's hand grabs her and hauls her back out of the middle of the fray. It gives her a moment to steady herself, and consider the battlefield once more. "Thanks. Talk to me if you need forgework, later."

Obviously, the warhammer isn't working out if they're getting so many blows past her guard. So she swings it back into its sling, and draws her shield and one of her shortswords. Her strikes do firm up a bit, though, as Merek's work washes the pain away; it lets her dance around a bit, blade lashing out as she tries to use her shield to better guard against the goblins' blows, now; a dedicated defensive tool to ward away their coated blades, and for her to strike from behind.
Mizuki
Overworld - 45 - -3 - 0


    Being told that was a terrible sneak attack doesn't hurt all that much, honestly, because it WAS a terrible sneak attack. What DOES hurt is having her rib broken. She makes a noise like a cat being beaten to death as she's slammed into the wall and lands on the floor in a heap.

    Sam has never had a rib broken before. Lying against the wall, just BREATHING suddenly hurts more than anything he's experienced in his life. (It's slightly less unbearable when not breathing, at least, which has its own problems.)

    This pain is incredible. What's broken? Breathing makes it worse. Lung? Wait, no, it won't matter as long as you can get out of here and heal. CAN you get out of here? ...No. You can't move like this. How can you make a last stand when you can't move?

    Holding her breath, glaring at Lupusregina, Mizuki triggers stoneskin from the menu. It's slow, but it's enough to get the skill up before that scepter hits her (even though it only does chip damage to HP, the impact still hurts, through the stone, and she cries out in pain) and goblin arrows deflect off the stone. It helps that being off to the side most of the arrows aren't shooting her way yet. She tries to breathe. No, that was a mistake. Keep holding breath, from the menu, activate Frost Bolt. One of the most basic water magic skills, but effective single-target damage nonetheless. Plus its animation takes really long to play for what it does.

    As icicles appear over her head and start chucking themselves at Lupusregina in sequence, Mizuki opens her mouth, energy gathering between her jaws and then blasting out in a thin line two times, that superheats and enflames whatever it touches, the cat ninja aiming it for where she thinks her target will dodge the ice!

    Then she has to bite the bullet and breathe again and cries out in pain.

    Merek making the pain go away may be the most relieved she's been in her life. She catches her breath without hurting and stands (still too shocked to remember to do a quick kip-up), ready to continue fighting!
Liminality
Overworld - 45 - -3 - 0

Ice grows over the Lander's body... and she pushes right through. Those shards digging into her clothing, into her body, leaving those telltale red marks, and she just keeps coming at him like some Frankenstein Berserker. Even as the followup flames erupt from Prophylaxis' attack, she doesn't stop moving.

Merek's shard shatters, a parting of black circles rushing up to the skies in reaction to his use of the crystal. And in that same moment, there's a pulse that seems to reach through the area like a pulse, releasing the sensation of pain. The inhibitor returning to normal. And even as Kita gets hit... protecting it from even being removed.

"What the?" Comes the sound from Lupusregina Beta, noticing the shattering of that object, and the sudden change in expressions from the pained Adventurers. She scoffs, glaring at Merek in that moment. "How did you just...?" She glares. "That power. That's what our Great Lord warned us off." She immediately takes a step, pushing forward and rushing for his position, that scepter at the ready in an attempt to smash in his face. Pushing right through Schneider's flames as if they were not even there. A hand to her chest, healing herself from the flaming effects...

Only for Amalthea to interpose herself between Lupus and Merek, and taking the blow upon her shield! The shield almost seems to crack for a moment, a significant hit on its integrity! She manages to get a fierce slice for Beta's cheek in that moment - the Lander only barely moving her neck out of the way from what could have been a killing strike! But she can also see that Lupusregina is changing in that moment.

Her body shining, as she tilts her head up... and HOWLS! Throwing its hands outwards and howling with such sonic force that Erufu's first arrows are thrown to the ground, and Kita's flames are blasted away along with the Goblins, before the second volley is fired - ripping more of those goblins to shatter apart. Fierce pockets of detonations rippling through the chamber! Rizadoman and Kita working the Goblins side-by-side. Flaming bolt of magic after pillar of light searing through their small bodies!

"GARUUUUUUUUUUUU!" The Lander woman's clothing lie in tatters, as there now stands a sizable ginger Werewolf looking being, holding that scepter which now seems... a /little/ bit more their size. But still not by much. Were Fangs don't grow /that/ much in their transformation. But she's definitely hulked out. Gripping it, snarling at her enemies. Erufu's next shot stabs into her shoulder, throwing her shoulder back just a bit, before she grabs hold of the shaft and just rips it out, a splattering of glowing crimson falling to the ground. Mizuki's ice shatters against her ripping across her furred form. Each accented and muscled part of her body being assaulted like that!

She then touches her chest and chants; "FULL HEAL!" Followed by her health suddenly topping up from bottom to top in a sickening speed! Her crimson eyes settling on Merek. "No more playing around." Prophylaxis is right. That eye... that Cauldron is their chance to see the end of this battle.

Storm blast! Shiruba's amazing shot blasts out from her position. A fierce blast of air left at her wake, tumbling away Goblins. The shot rushing straight for the position of that woman... who catches it within her fist... trying to crush it. Growling, snarling, roaring out.... before the arrow pierces right through her hand and into her shoulder, and then through! Leaving a wake of red light across her body!

Arianne manages to spot a Goblin suddenly coming from the shadows. Some kind of higher level Goblin that tries to stab right in under Amalthea's armor, right before a sickening crack ends its like as the builder shows that she knows how to demolish just as well!

Then there's a sudden ripple in the air. The ground literally carving apart, like a blade got stabbed into the ground, and dragged along. Carving not in a straight line, but in a circle. A sudden kick coming for Amalthea and Arianne's side as the Were Fang Lander assaults the two of them just enough to get them out of the way, before her main assault begins... straight for Merek. Clawing and ripping motions coming straight for his body. One for the head, trying to lift him up before those jaws come and attempt to rip one of his arms clean off, and then attempting to slam his head to the ground... and Lupus tries to /drag/ his body across the ground by that head of his, then throws him.

The Were Fang then rushes towards Kita, suddenly looming over her, trying to slam her claws down across her body, before that Scepter comes for her waist, and keeps spinning to go for Rizadoman's head in an upwards swing! The Scepter is then thrown towards Mizuki, impacting either the wall, or /her/ and the wall. Before it's lifted up from that position, and she keeps moving.

Erufu is next, the Scepter coming down on her position, a loud BONNNNNNNNNNGGGGG sound resonating with a sonic blast that throws some nearby Goblins to the wall, before she's on Schneider with another slam of that Scepter, creating a crackling shockwave straight for their position! Then, another throw of that damned Scepter, right for Lin's body - in a perfect line with Shiruba to send them body into the pile of hard sand!
Merek
Overworld - 45 - -3 - 0

    Merek looks to the Were Fang when she begins towards that position of his, then she's transforming and sweeping along the party. The man takes a look and begins to focus, while he tries to draw a shield of the flame. She breaks right through that shield, taking his arm into the maw. The party even can see when that knight's whole arm goes flying off of his shoulder in that red glowing shimmer. The man begins to focus all of his magical energy.
    "Use the distraction while she begins to rage!" The man then will take his free hand to her shoulder while he watches, then it looks like he's taking full swing into the ground. Then he's picked up only to be dragged along the ground, feeling himself thrown into upward. With that, the man begins to land. A light shimmer begins to lift up from him, while he begins to stand. He won't flee, at least not until everyone is safe. The man begins to march along up to the woman, the spell which he was focusing upon, then being released. With that, the man takes the were fang's tail and lifts up that same hand right to the side of her face, if he can. "FIREBALL!" Blast, an explosion, and it sends the man flying into the ground again.
Schneider
Overworld - 45 - -3 - 0

Schneider rises slowly to his feet as Merek eases the pain he'd been feeling, and he looks up as he regains his wits. Or what passes for them. But too slowly, before he realizes it, he's slammed by the scepter, and flying back, tumbling ass over teakettle to land with an ungainly flop. He groans, picks himself up, and grumbles, "To hell with this."

"Kaizard, aruzard, kisk! Hansay Glossik! Unleash total destruction! Sage of Hades use the seven keys to open the gates of Hell!" The unholy, dark fires gather, and he shouts, "HALLOWEEN!" That awful accumulation of energy drops on Lupusregina Beta like the apocalypse.

Having spent his big boom, the one he keeps back for emergencies, Schneider then backs down from the fight, wanting to stay out of the area of effect. He'll see if he can somehow kickstart his regeneration.
Arianne
Overworld - 45 - -3 - 0

With the lupine werefang's wild swings and charges clearing space, the craftgnome turns her gaze towards dismantling the leader of this operation. Her shield rings like a gong as the heavy strikes barely shift her aside, the metal and her Arte canceling out and withstanding the force of her blow. There's a low grunt for the effort, though, and she slides her sword back into its sheath, repositioning herself a moment as she pours mana into the hilt, weaving it through the steel of her sword. She just has to position herself carefully, wait for just the right moment...

... and as odd as it seems, she sweeps forward with a fierce roar, for her size, as she puts her all into the blow and the kiai. The mana imbued in it ignites, the searing tip aimed for the most vital location the gnome can manage, grey eyes narroed into a fierce glare.
Mizuki
Overworld - 45 - -3 - 0


    Mizuki is bombarded by goblins and sound and earthquake. Her HP dropping at an alarming rate... but she can barely feel it! She can still fight! And... it's really not all THAT surprising that an NPC named 'wolf queen' is a were fang. "You may be a wolf, but I'm a TIGER!" She holds out her hand and starts casting, spellcasting rings locking into place as she speaks the words: "Ice in my veins, coat my body in frost! Ozocubu's Armor!"

    As the ice starts to form around her, though, she immediately kicks off the wall and charges Lupusregina, jabbing with her claws... and 'waterbending' the ice as it forms to focus it on her hands, growing and expanding around her claws to widen any wounds they're inside... that probably would be pretty effective if it hit...
Kita
Overworld - 45 - -3 - 0

The brief glimpse of real pain fades to the background, giving Kita more time to recover and allowing her to continue to fight. But she is not expecting that the strange woman would be one of those individuals who can transform.

She takes a step back as the creature looms over her. Rather than a direct defense as one might expect, she holds her book up, which seems to instinctively cast a barrier spell around herself, causing the claws to glance off of it.

Peeking over the edge of the pages, she lets out a sound of relief, then scrambles backwards in order to get some distance. "I'll leave tall dark and ugly to you all." She prefers to continue to thin the Goblin hoards. This time, she conjures up a sphere of darkness, trying to trap a number of the Goblins inside of it, the slow status debuff allowing others to do more damage to them over time.
Amalthea
Overworld - 45 - -3 - 0

    She's healing. Again.
    That's just cheating.
    That is seriously cheating as Lupusregina heals herself to full and Amalthea is left grunting.
    Her shield probably won't last a few more hits like that, but she has to try.
    She does not get to try very hard when it turns out...
    She's a werewolf.
    "Oh."
    ....
    "... Oh..."
    Amalthea has but one response as the woman bull rushes the group.

    "ANCHOR HOWL!"

    Flaring a bright and vibrant green, the old Paladin does her best to not be battered aside by that kick, interposing herself between Lupusregina and the party as best as she can while Arianne covers her from being stabbed in the back by a goblin. Though she raises her blade, it's batted aside in the force of the assault before she can get a proper swing in.
Lin
Overworld - 45 - -3 - 0

Lin looks at the other members of the back line. Everything's going well, isn't it? Things seem to be holding. With broad sweeps of his arms and staccato syllables, he blasts away incoming projectiles with blasts of air and lightning. Electricity crawls around his feet, gathering to be violently returned. Following the command of a shouted final syllable, lightning leaps from Lin's outstretched finger, arcing overhead towards the goblins.
Shiruba
Overworld - 45 - -3 - 0

Shiruba has noticed the woman throwing that scepter around like some kind of homing weapon, before and even after she reveals herself as lupine werefang. She also noticed how effecting Thundersnow Howl's special charged attack was, even against one of the otherworld invaders! Miho would be pleased to hear how well the design has worked out. But that's for later. When the Scepter comes hurtling at her Shiruba doesn't try to dodge it. Instead she quick draws and arrow and fires it at the projectile to knock it off course from hitting her! Defensive trick shooting at its finest!

The lupine cait sith then makes a break for the goblin cauldron as suggested. She pulls one of her crystal tipped arrows, figuring it won't dissolve in the toxic concotion, then turns and fires at Beta! Maybe a little too soon, considering how the wolf-woman is rampaging about, and she didn't get a real chance to aim it.
Rizadoman
Overworld - 45 - -3 - 0


    The roar is what draws Rizadoman's eyes as the woman shifts to a wereform and Rizadoman grins at the sight of a challenge. As the newly revealed werefang charges him he forms a shield of light, a simple buckler on his arm as he raises it over his head. He catches the scepter's impact as it pushes him down into the stone floor a little but he remains standing. "O' Honor of the dragon, imbue upon me your power passed down from the ancient dinosaurs to the brave Naga warriors of old." His eyes glow as his muscles swell and his form stands maybe even an inch taller. Charging to the Dire werewolf flames forming in his claws as he pushes the fire forward into one mass ball towards Beta, shouting "Burn in Dragon Fire. "
Prophylaxis
Overworld - 45 - -3 - 0

She-- she just barreled through his frost spell like it was nothing! Prophylaxis hisses a curse and darts back, dodging just out of the way of the raging woman's wild rampage. Another inch and he could have lost an arm, if not worse.

Still. Why is a Lander doing... all of this? Why is she in cahoots with monsters? 'Great Lord,' she says. She's working for someone... "Great Lord... Demiurge?" Prophylaxis wonders aloud, jumping a few steps back to try and maintain some thinking distance between himself and the carnival of violence unfolding mere feet away... And just in time, as it turns out The woman... transforms. A were-fang...! He should have known from the tattoo! But what worries him more is--

SHE JUST FULL HEALED.

THE DIRTY CHEATER!!

Prophylaxis' eye twitches, his mind failing utterly to realize the absolute irony in getting upset at an opponent using healing magic. Maybe after the fight, after some reflection, he'll see his hypocrisy for what it is, but in the moment... No.

In the moment, he just wants to wreck these bastards with everything he's got. The wolf-woman is on him in a flash, winding up to deliver a crippling blow...

Instead, Lupusregina's fist makes contact with a slab of earth. Prophylaxis grits his teeth as he braces against the crumbling earth, taking advantage of the resulting increase in momentum to send him hurtling towards the cauldron and that weeping eye dripping absolute vileness into its depths.

"You're guarding this thing, aren't you?" Prophylaxis says with an ominous smirk. He twists in spite the ache in his bruised ribs, even as what's left of his stone barrier turns to a cloud of dust all around him. The dust seems to gather and spark, static leaping from particle to particle with dull pops of sizzling sound. He leaps from the haze of filth, his staff clutched tight in his hands. The two gems inlaid into its length blaze with jade and citrine light as, behind him, the cloud of dust continues to accumulate static charge. Arcs of electricity have begun to light up within the haze, building more and more charge-- something that should /not/ be possible in a place like this...

...If they were still on Earth and slaves to the old world's physical laws. Alba runs on its own rules. "O' wrathful earth, scourged by this foul poison, scream your defiance to the heavens and call upon its fury! I who grasp the conduit of land and sky shall become the vessel of righteous vengeance!"

Prophylaxis lands... for just a moment. His momentum is too great. He leaps into it, carrying forward, thrusting his staff head-first at that awful, weeping eye...! "I call upon you now...!"

And in that instant, the dust cloud sparks and flashes! Electricity arcs from it to the crystal at the base of the Magus' staff, up its length, to the gem inlaid into its headpiece! Like a spear, Prophylaxis plunges it into the eye and roars his command, "LIGHTNING!"

There's a /roar/ of subterrannean thunder. Lightning blasts out of the head of his staff, delivering a devastating blast of energy into the eye at point blank range...!

If this doesn't do the job... nothing will...!
Erufu
Overworld - 45 - -3 - 0

Elf takes note of the mention of a master. If a woman who can take them all has a master? How terrifyingly powerful would this person be? One day she may find out but today is not that day. She will have to focus on not getting floored by this woman. Her powers are quite formidable as it is she watches the howling and donations as she keeps from getting caught as she turns into a werefang of some sort. Wait that's too much of a size change to be a werefang. She doesn't know she'll worry about it later however she's scored a good hit it's not enough to finish her but it's good enough to deal with her. Wait did she just fully heal?

That was very bad news, hopefully, they can deal with the goblins and the fore at the very least.

Erufu is setting up a new attack when the assault comes she has to move she has to give it up and will end up leaping away and rolling with all the power she can muster. She'll draw another arrow and fire, but she lets another attack fly!
Liminality
Overworld - 45 - -3 - 0

The fireball shatters in fulminating light against the face of the 'Werewolf' as she deals with Merek. The detonation blasting over her head. At that short range, Merek is no doubt feeling the heat as well. A tearing scar rippling across her body in the form of that red light as she continues to move around with his other arm still in her jaws!

In the midst of her assault, Schneider launches his HELLOWEEN attack, the culmination of magical energies converging on her position and erupting in her location, ripping a sizable chunk out of the ground and launching the Werewolf as she lunges to her next target, Merek's arm partially disintegrating into light while she bites it fully apart, her health going up as a result! Another violent burst of flame follows, slamming to her side from the claws of Rizadoman! Erupting against her and leaving smoke and debris in its wake!

Arianne's searing hammer blow follows next, another flaming hit hitting across the head of the Were Fang, causing her to stumble back! Only for another hit to come in, Mizuki slamming her claws against that same flaming spot. Steam bursting from that spot, before Lupus grabs Mizuki by the chest and slams her to the ground, and then kicks away Arianne!

The battle already seemed like everything was slowing down around them. Extreme focus coming into play as they have to deal with the Were Fang Lander. But making the illusion even more complete is Kita, as she casts a wide net of Slow debuffs on the various goblins, making their movements sluggish! What might be somewhat hilarious amongst it all however, is Amalthea being dragged after the Were Wolf, having cast Anchor Howl. The mystical thread keeping her close to the Were Fang, literally launching her from spot to spot, and soon that slicing blow comes, cutting at her neck! It's not a vital blow however! But blow after blow comes, for each hit the Were Fang had managed on her allies!

The slowed Goblins have no chance before the electric arcs that continue to fire through the hall. Erupting one after another like blueberries being squashed under a vaccuum pressure. Erupting in red glow, before their bodies fully shatter.

Then, an arrow. Shiruba's arrow firing right for the Were Fang...

Who suddenly catches it, with their back turned to Shiruba. Growling, snarling, slowly turning her head to stare at Shiruba. Those red glowing eyes growing wider with anger. She snaps the arrow in twain, and lets the disintegrating arrow fall apart upon the ground. Another arrow stabs into her shoulder, but she'd identified it as the less dangerous arrow - Erufu's arrow just sticking out from her abdomen.

The Were Wolf then grabs a Goblin by its head, and bites its body off in twain, chewing on it, then swallowing it before it can disintegrate. Her health going up. That's when she spots Prophylaxis. Her eyes widen... and she rushes after him, trying to grab him by the leg before he can get the spell off...

Time seems to pause - as if Kita had cast Slow on everything in the room. Lupus jumping after Prophylaxis. Her first clawing motion missing...

The second motion grabbing him by the ankle...

But the lightning is already coming down! It rips into the eye.

<< IMMORTAL OBJECT >>

RIPPLE

<< IMMORTAL OBJECT >>

RIPPLE...

<< IMMORTAL OBJECT >>

SNAP.

<< IMMORTAL OBJECT >>

CRACKLE...

.. IMMORTAL OBJECT ..

POP.

The icon shatters in a burst of black orbs that blast straight up into the air, right as the Were Folf manages to grab Prophylaxis and slams him towards the ground, looming over him, only to suddenly have her hand sliced off by Goblin Slayer suddenly making his presence known again. The armored man immediately slammed into by that scepter, his body crushing into a nearby wall, his armor dented under the sheer force of the blow. A small cylinder with a red button rolling out of his hand...

As those two terrifying words resound through the hall...

"FULL HEAL!"
Merek
Overworld - 45 - -3 - 0

    Merek looks up even as the immortal object begins to blast into pieces. The man looks then to what Goblin Slayer looks to be doing, while he takes a look about the place, "Hey, you all get away! This place is about to explode! BOMB!" The man lets Amalthea deal with the fact people need to push the button. He is going to try and get a few people away, with only one hand it's difficult for him to do a lot, in fact someone might need to assist him.
Amalthea
Overworld - 45 - -3 - 0


    "AUGH JESUS."
    That is the sound of Amalthea getting yanked along by the Dire Wolf Werefang. Amalthea's flails her sword wildly after Lupusregina to try and pull the woman's attention-- or at least lower her HP- but then...
    Full Heal.
    Tossed aside and rolling in a tumble, she lands on her knees just in time to see the Slayer take that nasty hit.
    And drop something very important.
    Detonator.
    "Detonator!" She shouts. "--someone's gotta hit the detonator!" Called as she sheathes her blade and slings her shield onto her back..
    It's time to bail.
    It is very much time to bail.
    That's when she spots Merek. He's not looking so hot, sans arm and all and without thinking too hard about it she yanks him by the good arm.
    "It's time to go, we're leaving!"
Kita
Overworld - 45 - -3 - 0

That strange feeling of slowness seems to catch Kita even as her eyes look around frantically. She hasn't had as much experience with strange happenings in the world as some of the others, so she is left staring for a moment, pushing her glasses up on her nose.

That is, until people start calling a retreat over the chimlink. "Don't have to tell me twice." She isn't the sort to stick around and sacrifice herself, even if death isn't permanent. She has someone to go home to that wouldn't be happy about it!

So, Kita turns tail and runs, hoofing it as fast as someone with relatively little physical prowess can manage. "Why do I keep letting people convince me to leave the Tower?" She asks herself as she pants for breath.
Arianne
Overworld - 45 - -3 - 0

"... I've just about had it with that trick. Note to self; figure out how that curse worked, and imbue it into a sword." No, the craftgnome sees nothing wrong with making a sword that creates unhealing wounds. It seems like something that could be incredibly useful, in the right hands... As it is, with whatever in the cauldron destroyed and the fight clearly not going their way... she agrees with the call of retreat on the chimlink. It's a sober note to try and be better prepared, next time, when something like this happens. She sheathes her blade, but keeps her shield in place.

She needs a free hand to sling Orcbolg, or so she's heard him called, over her shoulders after all. It's a bit awkward, but she manages as she beats feet, shield up to block and deflect any follow-up strikes from their enraged foe. "Good luck. And safe returns." She murmurs towards Rizadoman, as she does so.
Shiruba
Overworld - 45 - -3 - 0

They could of possibly won this, if it wasn't for that healing trick she keeps pulling. How does she keep doing that, dammit it all. They need to make a strategic withdrawl... and it sounds like there's already a contingency plan in the works.

Shiruba reachs over to grab Erufu, expecting her to be reluctant to leave when it's revealed what one of her party intend to do. "Come on," she says in a soft but firm tone. It's the best she's managed for a 'Person In Charge' voice to go with her leadership role. "What he's about to do will mean nothing if we don't get everyone else out of here."

And with that she's on the move, taking full advantage of her bow being able to make it's own elemental projectiles to potshot at any enemies that try to get in the way of the raid party's departure. Cover fire and all that.
Prophylaxis
Overworld - 45 - -3 - 0

"Heh..." Prophylaxis' grin dwindles into merely a smug smirk, "...Not so immortal now, are you, damn Enigma...!"

He feels a yanking at his ankle. A split second later, he feels the ground slam into him at incredible speeds. Lupusregina, angrier than he'd ever seen her (and he has /only/ ever seen her angry), looms over him with murder in her eyes. He grins up at her with a loopy (reggie) look in his eyes. His thoughts are... sluggish. A massive dump of MP combined with a head-first impact into solid stone... Concussion? Or just dizziness? Whatever, if this is how it goes, then that's how it'll have to be. His first actual death! And it's to a(n admittedly attractive, in human form) wolf woman with a thing for goblins. At least he managed to piss her off by blowing up her toy.

...But then, the Goblin Slayer takes off one of her hands. He's sent crumpling to the ground a moment later, and drops... something that looks suspiciously like a detonator. Bombs, Merek says. Someone needs to detonate the lot, Amalthea says...! He reaches for the device. If he can just trip the switch, then...!
Rizadoman
Overworld - 45 - -3 - 0


    As the call for someone to take up the detonator Rizadoman retrieves it , apparently racing the doctor and argues as he does."Orcbolg was going to do this, so I will do it in his stead. Everyone else get out of here now." The lizardman doesn't give the doctor time to argue as it is revealed that at least once a day he is VERY strong. Much stronger then his 7 ft muscular body lets on. Rizadoman throws Prophylaxis forward into the group to catch before he grabs the detonator. Turning to put himself between his allies and his enemies.
    As a prayer is given, " My ancestors come forth in the hour of need and shield this path for as long as we hold. My life gives you life." Two drake tooth warriors rise up as they stand with their descendent and take damage together. Rizadoman's holding on to the detonator through all the pain watching his health drop quickly.
    Every second though was a second longer his friends could get away. " I go to visit my ancestors today, and tell them of my honorable death." Finally he presses the button with a grin, "Maybe I will be reborn a dragon." They are his last words as the explosions go off and a anime styled white light explosion fills the chamber.
Lin
Overworld - 45 - -3 - 0

Bright blue lightning is follows by an ear shattering thunderclap. IMMORTAL OBJECT. Lin can't believe it. There's nothing in this world that can't be overcome with enough force. But as powerful magic streaks over the head of the front line, Lin beigns to reconsider. This encounter's not so simple. The lesser adds aren't so bad, but the werewolf is more than anyone expected. The call over the chimlink comes as relief. "Falling back!" There's no point in risking expendable potions and equipment in this battle.

The Pooka withdraws. His outstretched finger glows blue, an aura of residual electrical energy from repeated blasts. Senses draw thin, as if percieved through a straw. Tunnel vision? Panic? He stares toward the fight. Before everything turns to blinding explorions, Lin catches hold of Prophylaxis starts dragging him away.
Mizuki
Overworld - 45 - -3 - 0


    How did... how did Prophy do that?!

    Questions will have to be answered later. There's a call for retreat and someone is throwing Prophy and holding a detonator... oh f***. "Go go go go go!" She urges the others, easily keeping up with the group with ninja speed!
Erufu
Overworld - 45 - -3 - 0

Things are going pear-shaped whatever Beta is she's proving to be night impossible to back off. Goblin Slayer is badly hurt she can only watch in horror as Riz sacrifices himself. She knows he isn't gone forever but in a place like this. Time seems to pause now it's strange something is happening, the eye gets hit it loses its protection and finally shatters. That's good news, they are in no shape to keep fighting she hears the call to fall back but she calls out.

"RIZ YOU IDIOT...."

It's too late now with that she'll turn to flee as Goblin slayer is already handled.

"Priestess when the last one of is out use a barrier to bar the way!" It should buy them some time to run.
Liminality
Overworld - 45 - -3 - 0

Detonator? Bomb? It doesn't seem like the wolf knows what they are talking about, but she knows what it means for them to try and run away! "Oh no you don't, I will..."

"BARRIER!" A sudden barrier stands in her way as she tries to move forward, with the Priestess holding up her staff, sweat dripping down her brow. Her mouth constantly moving, constantly praying and trying to enhance the barrier, stopping the Were Fang from getting through. The Were Fang slams her fists to the barrier! But...

<< IMMORTAL OBJECT >>

SLAM

<< IMMORTAL OBJECT >>

SLAM.

This one will not breaks so easily. Priestess backing up slowly, while looking at Rizadoman. Dowafu grabbing her by the shoulder, while pointing at Rizadoman. "You better get back soon, you damned fool!" He demands from the lizard. "Because if you don't, I'm going to eat all of the cheese we have left at the inn." Another pull on Priestess, as they begin to retreat. The barrier fading behind Rizadoman!

The Were Fang tries to punch the Lizardman with her massive weapon. But in that moment, Rizadoman is still under that fierce buff! A single hand is all he needs, even if but for a moment, to halt her assault! "Then you will die first for getting in the way of Ainz Ooal Gown's plan!" She declares with a fierce snarl on her muzzle - only loud enough that just Rizadoman can hear her! She then tries to bite into his shoulder and attempts to rip the Were Fang apart...

Goblin Slayer grunts as Arianne puts her shoulder under him, and he walks off, looking back at Rizadoman from under his helmet. He doesn't say anything. But it is undoubted that he hates this. Especially since he has to waste /all those magical explosions/ on someone...

That is not a goblin.

The crew retreats, the barrier is placed as people start to run...

It is all up to Rizadoman now.
Rizadoman
Overworld - 45 - -3 - 0


    Rizadoman stares as the werefang as he catches her weapon in his claws and stares at her. If only for a moment to loom over her and stare her down for a second looking into her eyes. " You will die today, with no honor. " His claw hand is starting to feel the weight of her own strength as the buff begins to fade. Rizadoman doesn't even try to stop the bite from the Werefang as he pushes her shoulder into her jaw for a moment, detonator in his other hand. " Those without honor always such things." With that said Rizadoman presses the buttons and the explosions can be heard going off by those who managed to escape.