IDIOTS IN IVALICE: A "ROLL TO DODGE" RP

Moving quickly to recover the beaten-down Anno's vitality and seal his scraped head, a brief illumination and soothing warmth across the Moogle's noggin recovers his HP back to max.

As Vivian addresses the bewitched Janna, no words come from the lioness' mouth. She continues to stand over the shorter Arcanist in a stoic manner, her eyes occasionally shining with that strange violet glimmer. With the Nu Mou opening his mouth to respond to the Geomancer, Anno's exaggerated actions come forth, leaving the warlock with his jaw hanging for a few.

As Anno puts on his act, Janna finally responds, shifting forward and curling her hands into fists. A gentle pat on the thigh, and the manipulated monk's approach suddenly stops. Finally the Nu Mou responds, groaning behind his bone-white half-mask.

"I", he starts slowly but angrily, "Cannot comprehend what you're trying to accomplish with this, Moogle. I suppose my mind doesn't wrap well around stupidity. But your friend has snooped too deeply into my affairs, and I'm afraid she's rather obedient lion when properly tamed". Stepping closer and dispensing a red-stained mace from his sash he continues, "Point in case? Sic 'em, cat".

At this point, Janna takes up her typical cat stance, weight shifting to back leg as her front leg extends loosely and arms go up in readied action. While she seems to be missing her usual fighting claw, it's very clear from past experiences that the bladed weapon isn't needed for her to deal serious damage. With the Arcanist backing off to the side to let his thrall do the dirty work, he seems to be motioning with his mace in a very wand-like fashion.

Arte approaches quietly behind, dismounting from Geralt and readying his short spear in both hands. Continuing fresh from the last battle's stats, the team seems to be caught in conflict with this newly-arrived adversary; the fight will officially begin after everyone's actions are presented.

Music: Boss Battle Theme of FF12

As the mysterious Arcanist whirls his mace about in arcane gestures, an unsettling howl flows through the stagnant air. Given the lack of so much as a summer breeze, there's no way this was the wind. Flowing out through two coffins sealed into the wall, a pair of rounded, ghost-like figures come into being, wearing yellowed rags over their phantasmal forms. In addition to dealing with an enthralled Janna, the team now has to contend with a pair of Ghouls.

Giving a firm "Hmph!" Arte steps forth, ready to try and intercept Janna even as the phantoms flow into pseudo-being. "Absssolutely".

The Arcanist scoffs at Anno's words at last. "Imbecile. I don't care *what* you deem yourself. You lot will soon be my thralls as well... living or otherwise".

FIGHT!
Ally Rolls -- Anno: 5, Vivian: 5 (was 4), Niviea: 5 (was 4), Arte: 3
Enemy Rolls -- Arcanist: 3, Janna: 6, Ghoul A: 5, Ghoul B: 5

With the Arcanist too busy performing his necromancy to react in a counter-spell, a surge of power flows through both ladies among the B-list heroes thanks to Anno's bolstering blessings. Clarity overflows Niviea as the world seems to slow around her, and the string of her longbow is nigh inconsequential. Meanwhile, Vivian's connections to the spirits of nature itself is vivid, clear as crystal as ideas and suggestions form in vague impulses through her mind and soul. Both Vivian and Niviea will indeed enjoy a +1 bonus to their rolls, without the roll spilling over into 6, this round.

All senses clean, Niviea seems to move with overwhelming speed, swerving and diving to the side as if by second nature. Shot lined up with supernatural alacrity, the split-second one of the ghouls flows to the side to ready an attack, the bowstring is released and the arrow hurdles into Janna's manipulator! Had it not been for the thick linen gambeson beneath his dark robes, the shaft would have been embedded deep into his chest, likely piercing his heart. Despite the fight not ending before it started, a deflated lung isn't a half-bad injury to settle upon. (2 dmg: Arcanist)

With the proper prodding from the spirits, Vivian's mystic wish is fulfilled. The loose stones among the adobe bricks rattle in place, the dry wooden floor creaking beneath them. For a few long seconds, it feels like the whole mausoleum would crumble upon them all, burying each fighter in the burial grounds. Whether the abrupt change of plans was due to Mother Nature's fickleness or protection of her faithful, it's uncertain. What *is* known is that the wind suddenly returns from its absence, whirling about the Arcanist and both of the ghouls. At first there seems to be no reaction, despite the crescent-shaped waves of barely-visible air flowing all about the pair in every which way. Before long, tatters and ribbons of the Arcanist's outfit begin to fall free from the cloth... and blood trickles freely. Looking down at the ground, Vivian realizes the power the spirits have granted her -- nearly-intangible blades of pressurized air so keen, their effects aren't felt until it's seconds too late to avoid them. The so-called 'Wind Slash', or as some might call it after the foreign mythical being with similar slashing skill, 'Kamaitachi'. (1 dmg: Arcanist, Ghouls A & B)

Throwing himself with bravado into the fray, Janna's momentary hesitance at the state of her unwilling master proves to be the hypnotist's downfall. Bringing up his javelin as if to pierce her through the guts, the Brigali prepares to block low. But in a move inspired by Hisaki's sword training from earlier that day, Arte whirls the butt of his short spear up against her head like a quarterstaff, smacking her about and causing her to stagger. Though not seriously harmed, Janna is indeed fazed enough by the smack to her dome that she must skip her next turn!

Wounded by the wrath of nature itself, the first ghoul to recover from the assault on its ectoplasm immediately denotes Vivian as a threat. Vanishing from sight, onto to reappear right next to her a split-second later, the apparition catches the girl off-guard as the spirits depart from borrowing her mortal coil to manifest their might. Reaching deep into Vivian's chest, the Viera groans out as she begins to feel her body turning numb. The low noise echoes out from her body as it becomes deathly cold from the inside out; any onlookers at the horror would notice the brown of her fur and skin has faded to a beige, then turned even more pale. Soon, Vivian would find her movements a smidge sluggish... thoughts dulled in her mind... and body partly zombified, which would only cause her harm from White Magic and Potions alike unless properly cured. (1 dmg and Zombie: Vivian)

Amidst the terror of Vivian's horrific transformation, the second ghoul decides to victimize the White Mage next. Whether in fear of her divine power or in spite against its master's grievous wounds, its hollow wispy eyes do not reflect; instead its answer manifests as a glob of barely-coherent ectoplasm bubbles into being, and is hurled swiftly toward Niviea. With no time to recover from her skilled dive-and-loose and stuck between the wall and a hard place, Niviea is slammed into by the phantasmal slime, a cold sensation seeping into her very soul. Had it not been for the magical properties of her chemise, the strike against her life force would have been much worse; nevertheless, the coldness across her inner being, as short-lived as it was, might as well have been a gust from Cocytus. (1 dmg: Niviea; damage is not a critical hit due to armor)

The Arcanist, quivering at his dribbling wind-wounds and clutching the arrow pierced into his chest, gasps for air violently from the abuse. "You... you!" Unable to force out much more, he isn't able to call forth the Mist to unleash his best strike yet. Instead he desperately swings his mace toward Anno, the cudgel clanging off the Green Mage's cuirass to little effect. Finally, an adversary since coming into the Jagd that failed to hit Anno in a vulnerable point! (0 dmg; armor turned a 3 into a 2)

Round 1 Results
Anno: 4 HP
Vivian: 2 HP, Zombified
Niviea: 3 HP
Arte (Guest): 2 HP

Arcanist: 2 HP, Ability Ready
Ghoul A: 2 HP
Ghoul B: 2 HP, Ability Ready
Janna: 4 HP, Ability Ready, Stunned: 1 rd