Session 109: Blood on the Dance Floor

General Summary

19th-20th Brussendar 836PD   19th Brussendar   With the rules of the Ball explained by the magic Queen Bee, the Unbroken set off to the summer court which Vots and Enessa estimate is no more than a day away travel. Although it is hard to tell the passage of time in the lands of the Summer fey, for the sun never sets all while they travel.   The party find a space in the forests where they can make camp in Arthur’s tiny hut. Whilst on his watch, Raphael spots the face of a curious Satyr pressed against the dome. The Satyr introduces themselves as Tiberus, and offers to trade any information he knows for any drink they have. Raphael offers some elvish wine that Raven had picked up from Syngorn, and asks Tiberus what he knows about the Bear King. Tiberus shares what he knows about the Bear King’s abilities, being able to shift in form, his fearsome nature and the magic wielded by his forces.   Raven and Enessa take their watch, Raven indulges Tiberus with a passable performance of an elvish song he knows. Whilst Enessa offers the Satyr an experience of a short hunt with them. In return the Satyr reveals he can sense the touch of the fey on some of the group, and warns the magic of that power they draw on could lead them to being susceptible to the Fey Lords’ influences.   20th Brussendar   The party arrive at the Summer Court early in the afternoon, they take the spare time to prepare, as well as stake out the arriving Ball attendees. Entering the glass palace, the Unbroken are announced, with Raphael and Enessa as respective members of the Winter and Wild fey, causing a mild ripple of gossip and intrigue across the guests. The Winter Knight at the Summer Ball, how scandalous!   The Bear King spots Enessa, digging his heavy clawed hand deep into her shoulder. He knows about them releasing the Queen, both parties try to quietly intimidate and rile each other up to the point where the Bear King causes a scene, demanding satisfaction of a fight between his party and the Unbroken. With the challenge openly declared, Queen Titania teleports from her dais and permits them to fight, with Arthur taking care to confirm that blood could be spilled. But this isn’t a fight to the death, just to the first who yields.   Simeon stays back and watches as a 5-a-side forms in the centre dance floor of the Court, Enessa, Raphael, Orlando, Arthur and Raven vs the Bear King, 2 Bear Folk and 2 Autumn Eladrin. Queen Titania tilts her head, and the challenge begins!   Arthur is quick off the bat, entrapping the Bear King and one of his burly Bear Folk in a Wall of Force. Orlando speaks a Blessing of Moradin upon the party, Raven and Enessa hurl volleys of arrows at the Eladrin and other Bear Folk, whilst Raphael wreathes himself in the protective shadows of his patron Mab.   The Eladrin prove themselves masterful archers as well, critically striking Raven deep in his chest, before teleporting into safety behind the Wall of Force. The scent of Raven’s wounds and being pinned with his radiant bolts sends the outside Bear Folk into a grizzly frenzy, and it charges, furiously clawing at Raven. Arthur horrified at the mindless mauling of Raven, strikes the Bear Folk dead with a frozen ray straight to its heart. A collective gasp and then boos erupt from the audience, as a shocked Arthur also catches the deeply disapproving face of Queen Titania.   The Bear King looks through the wall and shakes his head in shame at the dishonour just displayed, along with his unsporting imprisonment. Arthur drops the wall to avoid any further blemishing of reputation.   The Bear King shifts into his half bear form, and hurls a jar of the magic honey he procured from the Queen Bee, the sweetly sticky substance restrains Orlando. Giving a still target for the Eladrin’s arrows, and the claws of the surviving Bear Folk, but the Gnome maintains his focus on the divine bless to his party.   The Bear King focused on his first prey of Enessa, barges into her, knocking her down to ground to bite so deeply into her legs, a spray of blood splashes some close by Ball guests! She uses her touch of fey magic to misty step away from the Bear King’s jaws, and closes with a less threatening Eladrin. With a flick of her wrist, the Death’s Whisper bowstring grows taunt inwards and the wooden recurve sharpens, forming a double-bladed weapon to slash across the Eladrin.   Arthur quickly learns his lesson from the first bear folk and instead uses his chronurgy to slow the other one attacking Orlando, reducing the threat in a less lethal manner and allowing the Gnome to escape the honey trap.   Raphael engages the Bear King, Winter versus the Wild, and the Winter Knight’s blade Frostweaver lands a deep blow into the chest of the Bear King. With another swing across, Raphael smites the Bear King down to the floor unleashing the full charge of cold power from his sword, “Happy Midsummer Mother Fucker!” bellows the Winter Knight in a court of Summer.   The prone Bear King barely has the strength to lift himself up, and screams a bloodcurdling roar, the bestial bear sound strikes fear into Enessa, as she still bleeds out from the jaws that unleashed that roar. The grizzly Fey Lord seeks retribution for the Wild Court, clawing and mauling at Raphael until Winter’s champion is bleeding out unconscious on the dance floor.   The frightened Lady Enessa of the Unbroken, and the Wild Hunt, digs deep into the last inner spider silk steel she has to hold her nerve. She reforms Death’s Whisper into its original bow, draws two arrows from her quiver and makes folly of her prey, the Bear King, by kneecapping him down to the floor as she cries for him to “Yield!”…