Duel Arcana: Round 1 Match 4

[Lord Twig]

For our final duel of the day we have Murwocket Loopnock Nampen, also called Loopy, against Tsao Tshu. The last competitor, Darek Emberstaff, has received a by. So we will have to wait till tomorrow to see what he can do.

This duel will pit Loopy’s illusions against an opponent that will, in all likelihood, be a lot more physical than our other competitors. Tsao Tshu is a monk that has turned his discipline to the arcane arts, but I am sure that his training in the monastery will continue to serve him well.

Well the crowd didn’t come to see a fist fight, but I doubt it will be that strait forward.

http://www.cyberkeep.org/maps/m4_intro.jpg

Please send me a private message with your prepared spells, spells cast prior to the duel, what you will have in hand, what spell(s) you will cast on the first round, and what action you will take on the 2nd round (either prepare to counterspell or total defense).

[Boomlaor]

Tsao Tshu walks deliberately to his end of the dueling arena, focusing on each of his senses in turn. Look with your eyes, see the banners flapping in the wind. Feel with your body, the grass bends underfoot. Listen with your ears, hear your opponent's thoughts before he does. His preparatory ritual and mantra brings calm and focus to his mind. He bows to the small gnome accross the arena, never taking his eyes off him. Without breaking eye contact, he performs a very martial series of motions which end with him vanishing from sight.

[pm sent with actions]

[Black Plauge]

Having witnessed the other matches of earlier in the day, Loopy realizes that there is no point in becoming invisible early since he can't move right away anyway. What was the point of being invisible if your opponent knew where you were?

As a result, when his opponent casts his own invisibility spell he can't help but burst out laughing as the oversized halfling stays clearly in his line of sight.

[Note: See PM for all actions, except for the laughter.]

[Lord Twig]

Loopy:
HP: 64
Contingent Energy Resistance, rest of duel
See Invisibility, rest of duel
Stoneskin, rest of duel
Bear's Endurance, rest of duel
Nothing in hand

Tsao Tshu:
HP: 52
Greater Invisibility, expires round 7
Nothing in hand
Total Defense: +4 AC

Wo xing xing:
HP: 26
Greater Invisibility, expires round 7

Initiative: Loopy 17+1=18, Tsao Tshu 5+9=14. Loopy goes first.

Round 1:
Loopy casts bear's endurance
Tsao Tshu casts greater invisibility
Round 2:
Loopy prepares to counterspell Tsao Tshu
Tsao Tshu takes total defense

http://www.cyberkeep.org/maps/m4r3t1.jpg

There’s the start and Loopy is off and casting!

Looks like a bear’s endurance spell. I guess he wants to toughen himself for a possible beating.

And there goes Tsao Tshu!

Invisibility certainly seems popular for this contest. But in this case it is a greater invisibility. Tsao Tshu is certainly showing that he is no slouch when it comes to spell casting.

Loopy doesn’t seem impressed. It looks like he still knows exactly where Tsao Tshu is!

Black Plauge, you have 24 hours to post Loopy’s next action.

[Black Plauge]

After struggling to get his giggling under control, Loopy straighten's up and decides to try and end the match without any further ado. Protections aside, he didn't want this human getting any closer with those pointy things of his.

[OOC: Cast Heightened Phantasmal Killer using 2 points of spin. Save DC 28. Use Fickle Finger of fate to force Tsao Tshu to re-roll a sucessful save.]

[Lord Twig]

Round 3:
Loopy casts heightened phantasmal killer. Tsao Tshu attempts to save. Will save 20+13=33 vs. DC 28, saves. Loopy uses fickle finger of fate to force a re-roll. Will save 3+13=16 vs. DC 28, fails. Fort save 10+12=22 vs. DC 28, fails. Tsao Tshu dies of fright.

What’s happening? Loopy just cast something, but I don’t see anything!

By Boccob’s beard, it doesn’t look good. Sister Bessin is shaking her head. Loopy cast a phantasmal killer and Tsao Tshu has succumbed. It’s all over.

And the crowd doesn’t look happy about it. There was no show at all!

Well Sister Bessin will see to Tsao Tshu and he can come back tomorrow… If he feels up to it after that ordeal. Phantasmal killer is a rather nasty way to go.

Loopy wins.

[Black Plauge]

Giddy with mirth again, Loopy can't help start laughing again. This first match went exactly as he'd hoped it would. There was still some room for tactical improvement, especially given the outcome of the other matches where individuals had been willing to counterspell, but there was nothing like absolute domination in the first match to really set the tone for a competition.

Of course, it also meant that he'd spent quite a bit of money on protections that would go unused, but it was better safe than sorry.

Still laughing, Loopy makes his way off the feild of play. Leaving the tournament staff to tend to his fallen opponent.

If only there was some way for the crowd to get a small inkling of Tsao Tshu's worst fear... I'll have to research that.