Gizmo

“Scholars have asked that very question for millennia, oh sass-spitter,” Set told Esperanza from a snout somewhere between canine and vulpine, head having seamlessly transformed into her eponymous animal form. “Fortunately I be the very model of discretion.” She changed back to her fully human appearance and in the process her little black dress became a curve hugging gogo dress that cycled through the colours of the rainbow as well as brown and black in vivid vertical strips. Her matching newsboy cap contained most of her dreadlocks and sported a black enamel triangle with a purple battleaxe in the center along with a half dozen other pride pins. She fluttered her eyelashes at Anna in case her old friend had missed her new eyeshadow, deep blue, purple and magenta over one eye and pink, yellow and sky blue over the other. “Thank glorious Ra’s mercy thee be here to be the subtle one,” Sekhmet snorted around a mouthful of turkey. She gave Chromium an appraising look as he protested the conversation going over his head, the look of an adult trying to gauge how much to simplify an explanation for a child. “Be the tongue of modern Albion not thy native speech? Tis full of idiom and can be challenging,” she assured him not unkindly, raising a hand to pat the reflective teen on the head before deciding that might be interpreted as patronizing.

"Truly I do prefer beer," Sekhmet confirmed mildly before looking Esperanza directly in the eyes, her unblinking gaze literally smouldering with a faint golden luminance. "Also blood, one who would be Lady of Flame. Less delicately, methinks, than thy queen's cordial high priestess." Her small smirk as she gave Nicola a gracious nod exposed unusually pronounced canines but was slightly more playful than menacing. Set's eyes narrowed as she reflexively accepted the cranberry sauce. "Tis the face you make when you think you're being subtle, Sekhmet." The godling had gotten fairly good at spotting vampires of various stripes - Bedlam seemed to have something of a community, which was fitting - but that didn't seem likely to have sparked her taller companion's amusement. "Why would you think--" Storm grey eyes widened along with Sekhmet's grin. Set began swatting the closest shoulder to her in an excited staccato, which happened to belong to Esperanza. Lips forming a silent oh of dark brown she turned to the head of the table, animated flailing building until she was bouncing in her seat, still lightly smacking away at Espy's crimson top.

Dark Elves Toughness Save vs Damage: 5#1d20+5 16 17 19 21 14 The forth in line saves so that's three down! @RocketLord @Fox You're up! 32 - White Lioness - Bruised x2, 0HP 25 - Zenith - Bruised x1, Entangled, 3HP > 23 - Forever Boy - Bruised x1, Entangled, 1HP > 23 - Masque - Uninjured, 4HP 14 - Thunderbird - Bruised x1, Dazed, Entangled, 3HP 14 - GIANT KRAMPUS - Bruised x2, Dazed, -1 Defence, -3 Fortitude 14 - Dark Elves Uninjured x2 [Giant Krampus' back] Uninjured x6 [Ground] 14 - Arcana, Bruised x1, 4HP 11 - Ms. Thursday - Uninjured, Entangled, 2HP 11 - Salvo - Uninjured, Defense 6, Extra Effort, 4HP 10 - Dio - Unconscious 07 - Sun Dragon - Bruised x1, Entangled, Extra Effort, 1HP 07 - Facsimile - Bruised x1, Entangled, Extra Effort, 3HP

GIANT KRAMPUS @Ari @Exaccus Fortitude Save vs Drain Fortitude: 1d20+16 23 DC 26 between the two of you, so -3 Fortitude! Fortitude Save vs Drain Defence: 1d20+13 24 DC 26 again and Defence is 2PP per rank so -1 Defence! @TheAbsurdist Let me know if you'd like to spend an HP on that Daze or pass the turn. @RocketLord You're on deck! 32 - White Lioness - Bruised x2, 0HP > 25 - Zenith - Bruised x1, Dazed, Entangled, 3HP > 23 - Forever Boy - Bruised x1, Entangled, 1HP 23 - Masque - Uninjured, 5HP 14 - Thunderbird - Bruised x1, Dazed, Entangled, 3HP 14 - GIANT KRAMPUS - Bruised x2, Dazed, -1 Defence, -3 Fortitude 14 - Dark Elves Uninjured x5 [Giant Krampus' back] Uninjured x6 [Ground] 14 - Arcana, Bruised x1, 4HP 11 - Ms. Thursday - Uninjured, Entangled, 2HP 11 - Salvo - Uninjured, Defense 6, Extra Effort, 4HP 10 - Dio - Unconscious 07 - Sun Dragon - Bruised x1, Entangled, Extra Effort, 1HP 07 - Facsimile - Bruised x1, Entangled, Extra Effort, 3HP

Alright, that was a rough one so I'll give everyone 1HP for the setback! GIANT KRAMPUS Toughness Save vs Damage: 1d20+19 24 That said I'm also Fiating that for a reroll. Toughness Save vs Damage, reroll: 1d20+19 35 DC 44, so another Bruise and Dazed! @Zeitgeist Blue Double-check this but if I'm reading Salvo's sheet correctly the Distracting Flaw on her attack would but her Defense at +1 then her All-Out Attack would bring it down to -4, for 6 total. Her fatigue doesn't technically go into effect until the start of her next turn - when she'll have an opportunity to spend an HP to disregard it. As for the Collateral Damage complication... I'm going to need a DC 29 Toughness Save from White Lioness, @Tiffany Korta. Have an HP, Zeit! Dark Elves @Cubismo Toughness Save vs Damage: 1d20+5 18 These are minions so unconscious! @Nick Reflex Save vs General Area Effect: 6#1d20+5 25 18 25 19 20 17 Toughness Save vs Damage: 6#1d20+5 15 6 10 21 14 11 Demolished! 32 - White Lioness - Bruised x1, Dazed, 1HP 25 - Zenith - Bruised x1, Dazed, Entangled, 3HP 23 - Forever Boy - Bruised x1, Entangled, 1HP 23 - Masque - Uninjured, 5HP 14 - Thunderbird - Bruised x1, Dazed, Entangled, 3HP 14 - GIANT KRAMPUS - Bruised x2, Dazed 14 - Dark Elves Uninjured x5 [Giant Krampus' back] Uninjured x6 [Ground] 14 - Arcana, Bruised x1, 4HP 11 - Ms. Thursday - Uninjured, Entangled, 2HP 11 - Salvo - Uninjured, Defense 6, Extra Effort, 4HP > 10 - Dio - Dazed, Entangled, Staggered > 07 - Sun Dragon - Bruised x1, Entangled, 2HP 07 - Facsimile - Bruised x1, Entangled, Dazed, 4HP @Ari You're up with Sun Dragon as well as Dio if you feel like spending an HP on the Daze. On the same note, ideally let me know ahead of time if you're planning to clear a Daze this round, folks.

Giant Krampus grunted in discomfort as Thunderbird's blistering winds pressed against it and sent freshly fallen snow swirling away in a fine mist. The horned behemoth turned its attention upward to focus on the source of the sudden sirocco and snarled, low rumbling barks sounding from deep in its throat. As it reached back toward the wicker basket on its back, clawed digits nearly crashing into the precariously balanced White Lioness, Micah realized with a sense of impending doom that the sound was the closest their attacker could make to a laugh. He had just enough time to steel himself and redouble his efforts before the lid came off of the basket and an impossibly powerful blast of howling cold was released! The mist turned to instantly frozen ice as the great grandmother of all blizzards exploded from the Basket of Ancient Winters like a detonation. Each student within nearly fifty yards was struck as if they'd crashed headfirst into a solid wall and those who weren't quick enough to find some measure of cover found themselves weighed down by jagged rime and numb muscle. As the initial burst subsided they watched as horrible figures began crawling out from inside the basket, long black limbs covered in uneven carapace and matted fur. More than a dozen of the creatures poured forth in the span of seconds, one group setting their glowing red eyes on the closest target: White Lioness. Others leapt from Giant Krampus' back to the dormitory wall and began scaling toward the roof, digging the jagged nails at the end of arms and legs alike into the spaces between bricks. The remainder dropped to the campus ground around their master's feet, hunched and moving marionette-like with jerky steps and weirdly tilted heads.

GIANT KRAMPUS Opposed Power Check: 1d20+15 30 Giant Krampus unleashes the Basket of Ancient Winters! Damage 15 (Extras: Area [General, Burst], Linked [Snare, +0]) + Snare 15 (Extras: Area [General, Burst], Linked [Damage, +0]; Flaws: Range [Touch], Limited [Entangle]) (ice blastwave) That's a DC 30 Toughness Save and DC 25 Reflex Save for everyone within 150', reduced by a DC 25 Reflex Save against the area effect. There are now three group of six dark elf minions each. One group is on Giant Krampus' back heading toward White Lioness, one group is scaling the wall of the dormitory to the rooftop and the last group is around Giant Krampus' hooves. They'll act after Giant Krampus starting next round. 32 - White Lioness - Uninjured, 1HP 25 - Zenith - Uninjured, 2HP 23 - Forever Boy - Bruised x1, 1HP 23 - Masque - Uninjured, 5HP 14 - Thunderbird - Uninjured, 2HP 14 - GIANT KRAMPUS - Bruised x1 14 - Dark Elves Uninjured x6 [Giant Krampus' back] Uninjured x6 [Dormitory Roof] Uninjured x6 [Ground] > 14 - Arcana, Uninjured, 3HP > 11 - Ms. Thursday - Uninjured, 2HP 11 - Salvo - Uninjured, 2HP 10 - Dio - Uninjured 07 - Sun Dragon - Uninjured, 2HP 07 - Facsimile - Uninjured, 3HP Alright! Make your saving throws, then @Nick is up with Arcana and I believe @Cubismo and @Zeitgeist Blue had plans on Ms. Thursday's initiative.

I'll be spending those two HP, to be explicit! Set is configuring Shapeshift as Regeneration 5 (Disabled [1 minute]) [5PP]. Recovery Check: 1d20+2 14 Sekhmet's Healing has Stabilize and Regrowth but it doesn't have Affects Objects so she's just trying to see what happens, basically.

Sekhmet took a moment to spit on the tangled mess of tentacles before calling toward the water, "Liesmith! Be thee slain?" Set raised a thumbs up from the mostly submerged heap he'd fallen into, a storm grey eye blinking on the back of his hand. His elbow did not appear to be bending quite the right direction but with a faintly audible grinding of bone-on-bone the limb was twisting itself back into shape. The godling's two normal eyes were shut and his breathing ragged, lips pressed into a thin line. Sekhmet stalked over with a huff and crouched at the edge of the water, hands aglow with a softer yellow light but Set shook his head with a grunt. "Merely... haah... give me... a moment." He swallowed with some difficulty then added quietly enough the he hoped the others wouldn't hear, "I have been attempting to... change my shape. I cannot... cannot rid myself of the growths that way." The warrior goddess screwed her face up in a scowl. "The taint must be scoured, then." He nodded tersely, one shoulder popping back into place with a loud crunch. "See what you can do for our compatriots, if you would." Looking over her shoulder Sekhmet looked between Grimalkin's haggard condition and Strix's corpse and huffed again. She cast one more glance at Set, failing to keep the entirety of her worry from her face but stood up and joined Temperance next to the latter. "Vampires be as varied as carrion birds; the rules of one may be naught to another." She clenched and unclenched her hands a few times, the glow surrounding them intensifying. Reaching down she grabbed Strix by the shoulder and hauled him into the air, pouring divine succour into his undead form.

Set Will Save vs Confuse: 1d20+9 25

@Tiffany Korta I'm going to count Zenith's move as a Combined Attack, making it a DC 23 Save altogether. Toughness Save vs Damage: 1d20+19 26 But, y'know. Giant Krampus is a big fella. On the right track, though! I'll say White Lioness is now on top of Giant Krampus, at your discretion. Go ahead with the IC posts! @Fox, @Exaccus, you're up! 32 - White Lioness - Uninjured, 1HP 25 - Zenith - Uninjured, 2HP 23 - Forever Boy - Bruised x1, 1HP > 23 - Masque - Uninjured, 5HP > 21 - Facsimile - Uninjured, 3HP 15 - Salvo - Uninjured, 2HP 14 - Thunderbird - Uninjured, 3HP 14 - GIANT KRAMPUS - Bruised x1, -1 Penalty (Vision), Entangled 14 - Arcana, Uninjured, 3HP 11 - Ms. Thursday - Uninjured, 2HP 10 - Dio - Uninjured 07 - Sun Dragon - Uninjured, 2HP

In the years that Sekhmet had been cosigned to the mortal plane she had made some measure of peace with a role that ranged from champion to nursemaid depending on the day. She had adapted to the laws of the land and shown mercy to the fragile things she found cause to battle and tempered her bloodlust with dignity and poise as befit a goddess walking among those in her charge. But here before her was a true enemy of Heliopolis, of all creation and that restraint turned to mist like water splashed against a fired forge. This mockery of ht thought to cow her with its twisted appearance? She was the Mistress of Dread and it mattered not what form was taken by her prey. It thought to addle her mind with screeching out of tune with the song of reality? She was the Lady of Slaughter and singleminded in her purpose. It had the audacity to lay its putrid flesh upon her charge, to do genuine harm to one who, though she would never admit it aloud, was her friend and companion? She was She Before Whom Evil Trembles and She Who Mauls and she was no longer holding back. Sekhmet was already charging forward as Temperance's wall of ice formed in front of her but the warrior goddess did not slow. Her makeshift club had become a column of pure golden flame and she crashed through the barrier at superhuman speed with a great leap. Shards of ice exploded outward, frost before the full fury of the sun, reflecting and refracting the light that poured off of her straining muscle and bared fangs. For a split second she seemed suspended in the air over the writhing mass of eyes and flaps and teeth. Then her weapon struck at the centre of its mass, the very definition of divine judgement as a leonine roar shook the walls of the basements and sent ripples through the standing water.

Sekhmet Extra Effort: Add Extended Reach to her 'corona fists' by way of her staircase banister club. Standard Full Action: Smash through the ice wall with Strength 24 (+7) and Super-Strength 2. Move Action: Demoralize: 1d20+18 33 Extraordinary Effort: Surge Standard Action: Charge Dark Spawn: 1d20+9 28 That's a critical hit with her Improved Critical, so DC 27 Toughness Save with Affects Insubstantial 2 and Incurable, if relevant. Defense is at -2 from the Charge.

"I know, we should have called ahead, we're awful!" Set bemoaned dramatically though a remorseless grin, mirroring Anna's air kisses. "Thee be awful," Sekhmet corrected flatly. "You're the one who broke the poor shiny boy." She Before Whom Evil Trembles looked over Chromium with the one eyebrow visible behind her asymmetrical bangs raised, finally taking a moment to parse the cause of the teen's awkwardness rather than simply disregarding it. The goddess rolled her eyes and in a single fluid movement of rippling muscle dropped to all fours in the form of a lioness and began to pad her way toward the alluded to fowl. "We were in town on business and I'd have let you know sooner, oh sapphire of split seconds but there were a blasphemous number of eyes, actual eyeballs you understand, wretched stuff, no subject for the dinner table certainly and long story short I wasn't at all presentable. But! I brought an excellent bottle of wine!" The godling looked to her empty hand with a small frown. "Sekhmet, where did the wine go?" Next to the table the lioness made an irritated rumbling noise in response before rising back up to her original humanoid form. She sniffed the air over the turkey in anticipation but paused, turning toward Nicola and sniffing again, more deeply this time. Sekhmet then slowly turned her attention back in the direction of their hostess, straightening to her full height and tucking her chin slightly.

@Ari Sense Motive vs Startle: 1d20+18 27 @Tiffany Korta, @TheAbsurdist, you're up again! > 32 - White Lioness - Uninjured, 1HP > 25 - Zenith - Uninjured, 2HP 23 - Forever Boy - Bruised x1, Dazed, 1HP 23 - Masque - Uninjured, 5HP 21 - Facsimile - Uninjured, 3HP 15 - Salvo - Uninjured, 2HP 14 - Thunderbird - Uninjured, 3HP 14 - GIANT KRAMPUS - Bruised x1, -1 Penalty (Vision), Entangled 14 - Arcana, Uninjured, 3HP 11 - Ms. Thursday - Uninjured, 2HP 10 - Dio - Uninjured 07 - Sun Dragon - Uninjured, 2HP

Without warning a jauntily rhythmic knock came from the warehouse's door. Opening it revealed a pair of young women framed in the doorway. The shorter of the pair wore an oversized white coat with a voluminous, fluffy collar over a little black off-the-shoulder dress and dangerous looking stilettos. Most of the upper half of her face was covered by the white frames and huge lenses of what Anna could only think of a 'hangover sunglasses', while a headful of brick red dreadlocks were tied up in a messy bun held together with a hair stick. Her taller companion was wearing a sleeveless top with a deep cut neckline and a series of overlapping strips that formed a pentacle over the generous resulting cleavage. The glossy black material of her pants looked practically painted on but her tan leather jacket hung with comfortable looseness. If she'd had shoes earlier in the evening she's apparently abandoned them, nonchalantly standing barefoot in the late autumn chill. The former raised one hand above her head with a flourish as if posing for a photoshoot while the latter continued to stand impassively with her arms crossed. "Surprise~!"

@Nick That'll work! Toughness Save vs Damage: 1d20+14 33 Oof. I'm going to refund that HP because that's a bad feel. @Cubismo Almost missed Ms. Thursday's attack, sorry! Similarly a 15 doesn't hit close enough to anything vital to be effective; would you like to spend an HP before we move onto the next round?

@Nick 17 is not quite enough to hit, would you like to spend an HP to reroll? @Ari Reflex Save vs Snare: 1d20+7 16 Entangled; Obscure Senses only applies if the target is Bound. Feinting via Startle would deny Giant Krampus its dodge bonus to defence but you can't use it to Trick; that's strictly the purview of Bluff. Would you still like to go with that?

Giant Krampus jerked its head back as Masque's brilliant light exploded in front of its rectangular pupils, pawing at its eyes with its free hand. Thunderbird's column of lightning struck the titanic creature while it was distracted, verdant energy briefly illuminating the night like festive fairy lights. The smell of burnt hair wafted into the air along with the sound of heavy, irritated breaths and for a moment it looked as if Giant Krampus had been given pause. Then let forth a bellow in the direction of the rooftop where Masque and White Lioness were standing, a terrible booming noise somewhere between a goat's too-human screaming and a jungle cat's roar, pitched low as it reverberated through the beast's great torso. Spittle smacked across the teenagers, the sheer force of the sound pushing them stumbling back away from the edge of the roof. Simultaneously it swung its great bundle of birch trees in a great arc toward Forever Boy's shouts, clumps of soil still stuck to the roots sticking out from the other side of its clawed fist. Despite its disorientation the bizarre weapon crashed into the airborne youth, branches jabbing and entangling him even as the force of the blow swept him aside.

@KnightDisciple Toughness Save vs Damage: 1d20+20 26 Nice! GIANT KRAMPUS First off, going to Fiat away the daze, so Thunderbird gets an HP. Move Action: ROAR in the direction of the blinding light! Emotion Control 15 (Extras: Action [Move], Area [General, Cone], Knockback; Flaws: Limited [Fear], Range [Touch, -2], Sense-Dependant [Auditory]) That's a DC 25 Reflex Save for Masque and White Lioness on the roof to avoid the effect, since they both have Evasion 1, followed by a DC 25 Will Save against Emotion Control [Fear] if they fail the Reflex Save. Failing by 5 or more also subjects them to Knockback! Standard Action: Swing the bundle of birch trees in Forever Boy's direction! Swing Birch Trees: 1d20+15 30, Blindness Miss Chance: 1d2 2 Damage 12 (Extras: Area [Targeted, Cone], Linked [Snare, +0]) + Snare 12 (Extras: Area [Targeted, Cone], Engulf [+0]) That's a DC 27 Toughness Save for Pan followed by a DC 22 Reflex Save to avoid being caught in the branches! Fortitude Save vs Blindness: 1d20+16 35 Need saves from @Fox, @Tiffany Korta and @RocketLord. @Nick and @Cubismo are up with Arcana and Ms. Thursday! 32 - White Lioness - Uninjured, 1HP (Pending Saves) 25 - Zenith - Uninjured, 2HP 23 - Forever Boy - Uninjured, 1HP (Pending Saves) 23 - Masque - Uninjured, 5HP (Pending Saves) 21 - Facsimile - Uninjured, 3HP 15 - Salvo - Uninjured, 2HP 14 - Thunderbird - Uninjured, 3HP 14 - GIANT KRAMPUS - Bruised x1, -1 Penalty (Vision) > 14 - Arcana, 3HP > 11 - Ms. Thursday - Uninjured, 2HP 10 - Dio - Uninjured 07 - Sun Dragon - Uninjured, 2HP

@Fox Reflex Save vs Dazzle: 1d20+7 8 @KnightDisciple You're up with Thunderbird, then Giant Krampus! @Nick, you're on deck with Arcana so start thinking about what you want to do. 32 - White Lioness - Uninjured, 1HP 25 - Zenith - Uninjured, 2HP 23 - Forever Boy - Uninjured, 1HP 23 - Masque - Uninjured, 5HP 21 - Facsimile - Uninjured, 3HP 15 - Salvo - Uninjured, 2HP > 14 - Thunderbird - Uninjured, 2HP 14 - GIANT KRAMPUS - Uninjured, Blinded 14 - Arcana, 3HP 11 - Ms. Thursday - Uninjured, 2HP 10 - Dio - Uninjured 07 - Sun Dragon - Uninjured, 2HP

@KnightDisciple It's just beginning to snow, which incidentally was not in the forecast if anyone would have checked earlier in the day. @TheAbsurdist That does hit! Reflex Save vs Snare: 1d20+7 26 @RocketLord Sense Motive vs Distract: 1d20+18 28 Giant Krampus knows who's been naughty! (It's everyone.) Good attempts! @Fox, @Exaccus: you're up with Masque and Facsimile! @Zeitgeist Blue you're on deck with Salvo. 32 - White Lioness - Uninjured, 1HP 25 - Zenith - Uninjured, 2HP 23 - Forever Boy - Uninjured, 1HP > 23 - Masque - Uninjured, 5HP > 21 - Facsimile - Uninjured, 3HP 15 - Salvo - Uninjured, 2HP 14 - Thunderbird - Uninjured, 2HP 14 - GIANT KRAMPUS - Uninjured 14 - Arcana, 3HP 11 - Ms. Thursday - Uninjured, 2HP 10 - Dio - Uninjured 07 - Sun Dragon - Uninjured, 2HP

Sekhmet Initiative: 1d20+5 13 Will Save vs Emotion Control [Fear]: Fearless Will Save vs Confuse: 1d20+5 25

Set Initiative: 1d20+3 16 Will Save vs Emotion Control [Fear]: Fearless Will Save vs Confuse: 1d20+8 9 Fortitude Save vs Nauseate: 1d20+6 24 Toughness Save vs Damage: 1d20+2 12 Toughness Save vs Damage, HP Reroll: 1d20+2 19 So Bound, Confused, Staggered, Disabled and Stunned. So 3 Defense vs Melee and 7 vs Ranged, +2 to Toughness Saves, can take a single action before slipping into dying and that action will be determined by rolling on the Confused table. Wooooo?

There's an IC post for Giant Krampus itself! @Tiffany Korta and @TheAbsurdist, you're up! @RocketLord, you're on deck. > 32 - White Lioness - Uninjured, 1HP > 25 - Zenith - Uninjured, 2HP 23 - Forever Boy - Uninjured, 1HP 23 - Masque - Uninjured, 5HP 21 - Facsimile - Uninjured, 3HP 15 - Salvo - Uninjured, 2HP 14 - Thunderbird - Uninjured, 2HP 14 - GIANT KRAMPUS - Uninjured 14 - Arcana, 3HP 11 - Ms. Thursday - Uninjured, 2HP 10 - Dio - Uninjured 07 - Sun Dragon - Uninjured, 2HP