[Endgame: rise or DROWN]

[warpweft]

[How long have you been exploring Nessa's palace now? You've met her family, viewed her memories, learned how to fight as a witch and tried to find the source of her power and the Treasure of her palace: the Voidheart. And along the way, you've tired your best, with mixed success, to avoid the incarnation of her eldest cousin and the representation of her trauma and fear, the Nightmare of Esmau.]

[Wherever you are in the Palace right now, you feel the ground briefly shake under your feet. Little shakes here and there haven't been out of the ordinary - Esmau is trying to blow the place down to the studs, after all. But that felt different. That felt....worse.]

[Your phone beeps as you receive a message.]

Comments

PLAYER ACTION

[voidhearts]

NELL

[voidhearts]

[Nell is at 50 HP.
Nell is currently visible.
Nell's Invoke will be charged in 160 damage.

You can command Nell to Gather Intel, Heal, Go Invisible or Attack. If you do not command her, she will make her own decision.]

Re: NELL

[survivaltricks]

MINATO. HEAL. IF YOU DON'T MIND.

[i said he was gonna do it]

[messianic]

[ CLOSES HIS EYES OVER HERE

IT'S NOT THAT BAD.... ]

Re: NELL

[voidhearts]

I-I don't!

[Nell casts Harmony Bolt on Minato!

Roll 1d5+3 to heal: 2+3=5 HP restored.

Minato: 74/100 HP]

[survivaltricks]

[HELL YEEEEAH TIME FOR ANOTHER GRAVITY STRIKE TO QUICK STRIKE COMBO. right on that crack!!]

[and if that successfully hits, he'll go for another Gravity Strike. . . and then go invisible with Stylish Phantom]

[he's so speedy this is the perfect spellbook for him]

[voidhearts]

[The blows come quickly, one after another into Esmau's side for 5 damage, 5 damage and 5 damage!]

[messianic]

[ Sprezzatura makes it through okay, which means Minato's gonna attack at that crack at her hip as well!

Double Balmung time, yeah!!

Then he's backing up to follow it up with Umbral Favor--1d2 Volatile Spark to Sprezzatura! ]

[voidhearts]

[Balmung strikes the crack in the shield twice - for 6 damage and 3 damage!

Additionally, a Volatile Spark charges Sprezztura's spellbook!]

Re: PLAYER ACTION

[velluminous]

[ CRKKK-BOOOOOOOOM.

she's getting a little dizzy, little breathless, but there's a crack.

attuning Magic Missile to Harmony again--and two basic casts will be sunk into it, raining down on that crack and prompting both Nodes: Repurposing to heal Minato, and Balance as a byproduct of the heal. then she uses her third cast on Void Bolt, putting a charge towards one of Akira's powerful spells. ]

Sycophant! Pawn!

Re: PLAYER ACTION

[voidhearts]

[Both Magic Missiles strike Esmau's shield - for 3 damage and 4 damage respectively, which opens the Node of Repurposing, releasing a small burst of healing under Minato to restore (1d5+1: 2+1=3) 3 HP.

Minato: 77/100 HP

Node of Repurposing then opens Node of Balance, which inflicts 1 Psyshock on Esmau.

Then the Void Bolt strikes next, inflicting 3 damage and charging one of Akira's spells. Additionally, as the Void Bolt had been charged by Minato's Umbral Favor, Esmau is now Volatile, rings of purple energy crackling over her body as her shield is continuously punished.]

[tsumugi's action]

[voidhearts]

[As Junko Enoshima, Tsumugi attacks with Cosplay Weapon three times, inflict 6 damage, 6 damage, and 3 damage to Esmau's shield and inflicting 3 Psyshock on Esmau.]

ROUND 9

[voidhearts]

[The cracks widen and widen like a spider web under your constant assault until finally....

It shatters.

Esmau's shield breaks away into hundreds of pieces that fade away into dust. It feels like the world itself just held and then released a huge breath. Esmau's eyes widen as if she can't comprehend what just happened. Through everything, through the barrier, through the towers, through all of her attacks, you and Nessa and her family made it through all of her defenses, somehow and now...

She's vulnerable.

At last, you are equals.

At last, the real fight begins.]

[Invokes:
Minato: Judgment is 161 damage away from being charged
Sprezzatura: Void Fissure is 80 damage away from being charged
Akira: Rebellion is charged!
Tsumugi: Re-Writes is 145 damage away from being charged

Esmau is:
Volatile (inflict damage to detonate Volatile, inflicting damage)
Psyshocked x3 (allows certain Harmony spells to inflict critical damage)]

BOSS ACTION

[voidhearts]

[Esmau lets out a roar. She's briefly shocked that you got this far. She is not intimidated.

She snaps one leg out to throw a Reaction Attack: a Savage Strike flies at both Tsumugi and Akira, attempting to punish them for getting within melee range of her.

Then, she looks around and points her glaive at Minato. She flies at him with a Final Rush, thrusting the glaive towards him.

Then finally, she raises her arms up, opening up several holes in the air around them and releasing a Void Eruption, firing pitch-black blasts of energy at Tsumugi, Sprezzatura and Minato.

Somehow, now that she's been stripped of all of her defenses, Lilith's disciple has become even more fierce.]

REACTION

[voidhearts]

[Savage Strike (@ Tsumugi and Akira):
'A reaction attack Esmau releases on any opponents who get within melee range of her. The attack is lightning quick, its speed makes it extremely difficult to dodge or parry.'
Tsumugi and Akira can:
Guard: Take guaranteed, but reduced damage.
Dodge: Attempt to dodge by reducing Esmau's roll to hit.
Parry: Immediately roll against Esmau's roll to hit. If you win, take no damage and attack Esmau back for free. If you fail, take full damage.

Final Rush (@ Minato):
'Esmau selects one opponent and rushes at them with her glaive at full speed for devastating damage.'
Minato can:
Guard: Take guaranteed, but reduced damage.
Dodge: Attempt to dodge by reducing Esmau's roll to hit.
Parry: Immediately roll against Esmau's roll to hit. If you win, take no damage and attack Esmau back for free. If you fail, take full damage.

Void Eruption (@ Tsumugi, Sprezzatura and Minato)
'Esmau opens up three gates into the Void and fires Void blasts at three random opponents.'
Tsumugi, Sprezzatura and Minato can:
Guard: Take guaranteed, but reduced damage.
Dodge: Attempt to dodge by reducing Esmau's roll to hit.]

[messianic]

[ this seems fine

ANYWAY

First, that final rush -- he'll parry and hope for the best. Minato's immediately flinging up his blade to try to parry away her rush--

--and then he can only really guard against Void Eruption, staggered as he is from the first assault. ]

[survivaltricks]

[oh. well. now this is a fucking fight]

[Akira can't prevent the wild look in his eyes, the way his mouth curves up sharply, clearly enthralled. this is what he was waiting for. no hiding behind a stupid fucking shield]

[Esmau strikes at him with her assault, and he immediately raises his dagger to parry, because fuck guarding or dodging when he can maybe counter!!]

Re: REACTION

[velluminous]

[ YOU KNOW WHAT I'M DOING ]

DISCUSSION

[voidhearts]

[cosplayed_out]

...Re-writes are nice, but not essential.

You should know that the focus should be on inflicting as much despair as possible!

PLAYER ACTION

[voidhearts]

NELL

[voidhearts]

[Nell is at 50 HP.
Nell is currently visible.
Nell's Invoke will be charged in 150 damage.

You can command Nell to Gather Intel, Heal, Go Invisible or Attack. If you do not command her, she will make her own decision.]

Re: PLAYER ACTION

[velluminous]

[ Minato goes flying, and with him, what's left of her already-normally tenuous composure ]

You! Look at me!

[ it's a flurry this time! Void Bolt, attuned to Harmony, once! twice! proc the healing (on Minato), proc the Psyshock! both charges go to Tsumugi, though. and then she is getting in VERY close and personal to use Bestow Curse on Esmau, grabbing her in this terrible shaking grip.

and can she use her charged Phantasmal Killer on her this round? I CAN TAKE IT IF NOT. ]

[survivaltricks]

[the first thing Akira is doing is casting Well of Life for Minato, because, yeah]

[but once that's taken care of. . . he's leaping back into the fray, activating Rebellion as he moves, darting at Esmau with his dagger drawn, aiming to hit her with Paradise Lost]

EAT SHIT!!!

[and if he manages a critical hit. . . then after that, he'll cry out--]

Come on! Everyone put your all into it!

[-- AND TRY TO RALLY EVERYONE FOR A SHOW'S OVER ALL OUT ATTACK]

[cosplayed_out]

...I'm getting bored of despair. Let's bring out something with some firepower.

Keebo! I choose you!