Invasion, Part 7 - Defiance

<DM>	*LAST TIME ON ZURPG!*
<DM>	*With a quest to find Lord Gustaf, the two of you set out into Hyrule Field. After sneaking by some Stalfos and Stalchildren (and blowing them up, for good measure), you wove through the grottos and encountered a pair of Poes, raiding Ghost Hunter's old Soul Shop. You stopped them from taking the souls, and also found out that the Poes actually working with the Mask Man, both as a business venture and for more power.
<DM>	*Before you could get more answers though, Lord Gustaf appeared, finishing the Poes. In chatting with him, you quickly realized he was under the influence of Fierce Deity, and that he was equipped with the Crystalline Armor. You managed to talk him out of attacking the Mask Man and rallying with the other forces, but it remains to be seen how deep that influence runs, and whether the Medallion of Light can truly stop it.
<DM>	-=SESSION START=-
<DM>	*With Lord Gustaf at your side, you retrack your previous path through the Grottos. As you head on back...
<DM>	[Gustaf]: So what's the plan? Kill as many as possible as we get back to Goron City?
<DM>	*It's like he's asking to get in on #zurpgteam chat, except he can't, due to powers beyond the fourth wall.
<Kirran>	I don't think it wise to draw the Mask Man's attention towards us right away.
<Hal>	Plus the Stalfos are a doozy.
<Hal>	They are easy to bring down once but they keep coming back
<Kirran>	We don't know what the state of the defenses are where we're heading either. Time for planning is always a precious commodity.
<DM>	[Gustaf]: Surely it can't be that bad. It's not like we're fighting Interlopers. Come on, what do you say? Let's throw the Mask Man a surprise, a jolt in his plans, at the very least.
<Kirran>	I think we did before we came in here, honestly.
*	Kirran tells him about their explosive entrance.
<DM>	*Periodically, you can hear inklings of those whispers. You can see Gustaf trying to force his way through them, though you're not sure if he's successful or just faking it.
<DM>	*He gives you a devious grin.
<DM>	[Gustaf]: Good on you, Sheikah boy!
<DM>	[Gustaf]: And you too, Mr. Hunter.
<Hal>	(How is the Light Medallion doing?)
<Hal>	(Last time it was repelling the whispers)
<DM>	*You look at the Light Medallion, and it seems to be holding strong, emitting a faint light around Gustaf, but there's an odd distortion to it. You're not exactly sure what's causing it.
<DM>	[Gustaf]: So, before the enemy finds us down here, why don't we pack them another explosive surprise?
<DM>	[Gustaf]: Mess with their frontline, before we tread back.
<Hal>	I think we can blow them up again when we exit and rush to Death Mountain
<Hal>	(where are we currently?)
<DM>	*He digs into his pack, and pulls out a map of the area. Aka, see the map I linked on Discord.
<DM>	*You've arrived back at the initial Grotto entrance by now. There is an ascending light that takes you up, though it's noticeably dimmer than it was before. Those dark clouds must still be expanding outwards.
<DM>	*Gustaf makes some militaristic points to the map, bringing out his old War General...
*	Kirran tosses a rock into the light to see if it works on inanimate objects.
<DM>	*You didn't hear it through the gruffness before, but you hear that same slight British accent that Zelda has too. Looks like it runs in the family.
<DM>	*Your rock rustles a bit, then slowly rises up to the top, before vanishing to the abyss above.
<DM>	[Gustaf]: Right, now, so we're here, right outside Kakariko. I'm sure they've got a whole army above us. We'll give a surprise attack here, then use the rubble from the village attack to sneak in, maybe drive a bit more chaos, then ascend up the Death Mountain path, wrecking it as much as possible to slow the advance.
<DM>	*He breaks out another map, this time showing Death Mountain (sorry, don't have a map for this), and strategically pointing at more stuff.
<DM>	[Gustaf]: We'll make our stand at Goron City, and then once we've regained the advantage, we'll take the caves back and reinforce Hyrule City from its east end.
<Kirran>	I have a better idea, and a sneakier one at that.
<DM>	*He raises an eyebrow.
<Kirran>	Send a gift up the light shaft, then head on to the grotto in Kakariko proper. Watch the fireworks from on top of the windmill, then head up the pass.
*	Kirran pulls out his super bomb bag and taps it lightly.
<DM>	[Gustaf]: Hmm, I must say, I'm better with something more... hands on...
<DM>	[Gustaf]: Do you know the pathway from this grotto to the one in Kakariko?
<Hal>	No we do not.
<Hal>	I'm not even sure if one exists
<DM>	*He thinks to himself for a bit.
<DM>	[Gustaf]: Hmm... if I recall... Ghost Hunter, back in the day, used these Grottos extensively. If anyone knew a route, it'd be him. Is there any way we can get ahold of him?
<Hal>	Not that I know of. The old soul shop dated to the Hyulean Civil War
<Hal>	The last place I remember him is in Hyrule City
<DM>	[Gustaf]: Well, he lives in Hyrule City, but my Hylian telepathy has been rather useless under these dark clouds. Until we get out, I have no way of reaching him.
<DM>	*If you recall, the two of you do have a method of... reaching folks, outside of telepathy. Anywhere in the world, even Termina, as Hal found out in one jump.
<Kirran>	Well, one of us could make the trip back that way while the other one acts as an anchor here.
<Kirran>	But it's...draining under these circumstances.
<Hal>	(But remember shadow-hopping will eventually get us caught by Dark Great Fairy)
<DM>	[Gustaf]: Anchor? I... don't understand. What do you mean? There's no way to get there on foot in time.
<DM>	(According to your theory, though you've yet to confirm it.)
<DM>	*You also know you passed a Grotto passage a bit ways back, one that seemed to lead to a dead end.
<DM>	*Perhaps it could give you clues and insights about how and where to go, while one of you Shadow Hops on over.
<Hal>	I and Kirran have... ways of jumping to any given location quickly
<DM>	[Gustaf]: Really now? Is that so...
<DM>	*He says that with... a bit of worrying curiosity.
<DM>	[Gustaf]: I'd be curious to see this in action, if you don't mind. The more we all know about each other's abilities, the more we can properly strategize and make proper use of them.
<DM>	*You see a slight fluctuation in the light surrounding his armor.
<DM>	*From behind Gustaf, in the distance, you can see purplish souls floating your way. Three of them where Ghost Hunter's old shop used to be, and more from beyond that.
<DM>	*They're still a distance off, but you're running out of time.
<Hal>	We need to get moving. We don't have enough time to continue planning.
<Hal>	I say we take Kirran's idea.
<Hal>	So Kirran, what do we say about offering them a gift?
<DM>	[Gustaf]: Alright. Which one of you would like to be my protege and remain here with me?
<Hal>	We won't have enough time to contact the Ghost Hunter before the poes get here.
<DM>	[Gustaf]: I... see. Well then, our only option is an explosive entrance topside.
<DM>	[Gustaf]: Make like a Sheikah, and appear with a bang! A flash so great, they'll never guess you're inside of it!
<DM>	[Gustaf]: That's what an old Sheikah friend of mine used to say, back in the day.
<DM>	*Would you like to start packing some bombs together?
*	Kirran leaves some bombs in Hal's care, and waits for a moment when Gustaf isn't looking.
<Hal>	Might as well...
<DM>	*Kirran, roll Wisdom to sneak past Gustaf's looking.
<Kirran>	$27d10
<Navi>	Kirran: You rolled 27 Dice with 10 Sides. Results: 2, 1, 10, 7, 7, 5, 7, 9, 5, 8, 3, 4, 3, 7, 5, 4, 8, 10, 10, 8, 7, 7, 8, 1, 1, 6 and 9. Total: 162. Successes: 22.
<DM>	lessee, Knight of Light, should have a decent Wisdom stat...
<DM>	$30d10
<Navi>	DM: You rolled 30 Dice with 10 Sides. Results: 5, 4, 8, 5, 5, 9, 4, 2, 5, 9, 8, 4, 3, 6, 7, 7, 9, 3, 2, 3, 1, 1, 3, 8, 7, 9, 5, 7, 9 and 10. Total: 168. Successes: 20.
<DM>	*Despite his enhanced cognition via the Fierce Deity, he loses track of your Sheikah visage as he attends to the bombs, adding a few infusions of his own.
*	Hal begins packing Super bombs together, ready to unleash a massive explosion on whatever.
<DM>	*Who are you jumping to, Kirran?
<Kirran>	(Who do I know in Hyrule City?)
<DM>	(Shady, Princess Zelda, the shopkeep Monroe... I'm actually not positive you've met Gurloz, so yeah, mainly those three.)
*	Kirran smiles and focuses on Monroe.
<DM>	*Alright, he's familiar enough and a friendly buckeroo, no roll needed!
<DM>	*Hop on over to #zurpg2!
<DM>	*Meanwhile, Hal, you've noticed your Sheikah pal has found a way to ditch you (or was that all according to plan?), and now you're all along with Gustaf. The Poes are still advancing. You reckon it won't be long before they get here.
<Hal>	(How many bombs are there bundled together?)
<DM>	*You've got yourself a nice hefty... about 10 Super Bombs. Enough to cause a heck of an entrance.
<DM>	[Gustaf]: So... Mr. Hunter...
<DM>	*He looks up with an unsettling gleam in his eyes.
<Hal>	Yes?
<DM>	[Gustaf]: I understand you're holding an interesting power inside of you. One related to our very enemy. Should I... have to worry about you?
<Hal>	No. You should not have to worry about me. I have it under control.
<DM>	[Gustaf]: Good. That instills confidence within my own... powers.
<DM>	*He returns a mild grin.
<DM>	[Gustaf]: Well then, that about does it, for this bomb package. Let's add more one gift in there...
<DM>	*He packs in what appears to be a shiny gem, though with your Spirit Vision, you can tell it's packin' some serious firepower. Almost as if it's infused with a soul itself...
<DM>	*He looks around a bit.
<DM>	[Gustaf]: Hmm... I wonder... where'd our Sheikah friend disappear off to?
<Hal>	I have no idea. But we don't have time to meander about.
<Hal>	So lets set off the present and make an exit from this place.
<DM>	[Gustaf]: Oh? You don't want to wait for his return?
<Hal>	No, we are running out of time. Any longer and the Poes will get us
<DM>	*He looks back slightly, and you notice almost a look of disappointment on his face. He then swings back with a warthirsty grin, standing back up in battle mode.
<DM>	[Gustaf]: Alright then. Let's go show these fellows what we're made of!
<Hal>	So we deploy the present first and then we rush up after the blast has happened.
<DM>	[Gustaf]: I'll give you the honors.
*	Hal uses his candle to light the bombs and then sends it off to the light to get sent out with a wind torrent.
<DM>	*You pack some extra oomph in there, sending some fireworks up the light.
<DM>	[Gustaf]: I say we give it about 10 seconds... and then make the jump ourselves.
<Hal>	I figured a little torrent of wind would give it some extra firepower.
<DM>	[Gustaf]: Good thinking. Ready?
<Hal>	Ready
<DM>	*He jumps into the light, though at that moment... the light fades.
<DM>	*You are not automatically ascended upwards.
<DM>	[Gustaf]: What the-
<DM>	[Gustaf]: To heck with it the light.
<DM>	*Gustaf gets out a hookshot and fires upwards, but it doesn't quite land into the dirt.
<DM>	[Gustaf]: Graahh, I knew I should've gotten a Longshot instead!
<DM>	[Gustaf]: You don't happen to possess the power of flight, do you?
<Hal>	That I do
<Hal>	Though... I think I prefer the Hookshot route. Its like 50 feet?
*	Hal chains his two Hookshots together and tosses them to Gustaf
<Hal>	This will be enough to get you out of here.
<DM>	[Gustaf]: ... this just seems like all kinds of bad ideas.
<DM>	[Gustaf]: I swear Monroe told me a reason never to do this, but I never found out why...
<Hal>	(Will this work Windstrike?)
<DM>	*Gustaf aims upwards, and fires! The first hookshot reaches upwards, and then chains the second one!
<DM>	[Gustaf]: Huh, seems to work- WOAH!
<DM>	*Gustaf suddenly just zips straight upwards, out of the hole.
<DM>	*You... don't see how far or fast he went.
*	Hal then takes out his Ocarina and plays the song of Soaring, doubting that his clawshots could do the job
*	Hal then flies out of the hole.
<DM>	*You casually soar out of there, and eventually find your way to the top...

-=MEANWHILE=-

<DM>	*Just like last time, when you Shadow Hopped, you feel someone or something pinching at you, costing an extra Magic. It feels... familiar, yet you're unable to place what's causing it.
<Kirran>	Raine, you picking up anything when we do that?
<DM>	*She pops up out of her bottle. Somehow, despite you Shadow Hopping and becoming a 2D Shadow, she's uhh... still in 3D. And keeping with you.
<DM>	[Raine]: Hmm... I dunno. It's like a cross between a hamburger and the shadow of one. Kinda like us, but with hotdogs instead. Man I hate raspberries...
*	Kirran takes stock of where he is after that helpful bit of information.
<DM>	*Alright, at last, you arrive, appearing... not in the shops of Hyrule City.
<DM>	*But instead, on the walls, overlooking Hyrule Field. You look up at Monroe, and he's fully decked out in bloody everything he sells. The big man could almost pass for being a second Link with the amount of inventory on him, if it weren't for his more Goronesque stature...
<DM>	*He doesn't notice you, instead looking outwards at the enemy forces, with a grim expression on that mustached face of his.
*	Kirran manifests quietly behind him.
*	Kirran clears his throat softly.
<Kirran>	You look fit to take out King Dodongo with one hand Monroe.
<DM>	[Monroe]: Heh, wish I was facin' that big lug about now. That fella's shrimpcake compared to that big ol' monster in front of Lon Lon.
<DM>	*Monroe stares straight ahead for a moment... then has a moment of realization and... looks down at his shadow, where he sees you, in shadow form, and a floating Raine, who's waving back.
<DM>	[Monroe]: W-w-woah! What in the blazes?!
*	Kirran pops back into 3D.
<DM>	*He about jumps back, nearly throwing you out of his shadow.
<DM>	*You reform in front of him.
<Kirran>	Been a long time old friend.
<DM>	[Monroe]: WOAH! Kirran! It's... woah, where'd you.. but how...
<DM>	*You can see his mind go ska-doosh as he stares at you in awe.
<Kirran>	Normally I'd explain, but I'm in a bit of a hurry. Have you see the Ghost Hunter around?
<DM>	*Looking around at the rest of the battlements, you seem to be closer to the end, bordering one of the mountains. Across the remaining battlements, you can see scores of knights lined up, setting up Siege Weapons, preparing spells, and readying themselves for the coming back as the dark storm continues to creep outwards.
<DM>	[Monroe]: Ghost Hunter? Whaddya want with that ol' foggy?
<Kirran>	A way through the grottos to Kakariko.
<DM>	[Monroe]: Grottos? Hah, I know all the Grottos, inside and outside!
<DM>	[Monroe]: From which grotto are you-
<DM>	*At that moment, you there's a big boom and a flash of fireworks.
<DM>	*Looking past the army that's just sitting outside of Hyrule City's range, you see, around where you popped into that one Grotto, a big bang of big boom, enhanced by a spark of light.
<Kirran>	Well, I would have said that one, but...
<Kirran>	I also need to find him because some of his product got...ransacked.
<Kirran>	Hyrule City needs you on the defense, or I would definitely bring you along.
<DM>	*Also where that explosion is, you see someone flying up through the explosion. From this distance, you can't tell which of your crazy partners it is. The fellow eventually falls back into the explosion, and you lose sight through the ensuing smoke and chaos.
<DM>	*Monroe looks off in that direction, admiring the explosive firepower you guys now carry.
<DM>	[Monroe]: I see you all still have a penchant for explosions...
<Kirran>	Should have seen the one at Kakariko. Anyways, Monroe, really need your help here.
<DM>	[Monroe]: Alright, I'll help you.
<DM>	[Monroe]: Let's get going!
<DM>	*He leads you down the stairs of the battlements, heading into the town within.
*	Kirran follows.
<DM>	*As you head through Hyrule City, the usual hum and buzz of the streets have been replaced by the clanking of iron boots, as Hylian soldiers run to reinforce their front lines and try to evacuate the city.
<DM>	*You notice, looking towards to the north, with your Spirit Vision, there's a massive amount of souls crowded on the other end of the city, where the port is. Seems they're trying to ship everyone out, though you still notice plenty of scattered souls staying behind.
<Kirran>	Where will they try to go?
<DM>	[Monroe]: To Saria Town. Anywhere in Northern Hyrule, really.
<DM>	[Monroe]: Unfortunately, the big boat we used to have got destroyed sometime back. There were some real crazies aboard that ship. Our new one isn't quite done yet, so we're only able to ferry a few dozen at a time.
<DM>	*Eventually, you reach the marketplace, and Monroe opens a hatch.
<DM>	[Monroe]: Down here, in the Catacombs. Ol' Ghosty's been taking a liking down there.
<Kirran>	Why am I not surprised?
<DM>	[Monroe]: Just head in the direction of the Temple of Time down there, and you'll find him.
<DM>	*He gives you a handshake.
<Kirran>	Thanks a million Monroe.
<DM>	[Monroe]: Best of luck to you, Kirran. Wish we could fight alongside each other sometime, but looks like that'll have to wait-
<DM>	*Before you descend, there's a massive roar that echoes across the whole sky, and a flash of chaotic light from the direction of Lon Lon Ranch. The same light as you saw when you popped out of the Grotto earlier.
*	Kirran shakes Monroe's hand and hurries down the hatch.
<DM>	*You decide not to linger on whatever the heck that was, and rush down to find Ghost Hunter.

-=MEANWHILE=-

<DM>	*You reach the top, which was... surprisingly further up than you thought it would be. You arrive in a large explosion of smoke, which is obscuring your vision, but you can still see through Spirit Vision.
<DM>	*As you step back down, there's an immediate crunch of bones. Seems you found a nice stack of Stalfos here. You feel the bones underneath your feet start to rumble, and return to their owners...
*	Hal quickly looks around for Gustaf in Spirit Vision
*	Hal gets ready to dash away
<DM>	*You find him nearby, and you hear him panting a bit.
<DM>	[Gustaf]: Never... again... am I ever using that.
<Hal>	So I guess this is why you don't do that
<DM>	*You feel him look back towards your direction, and you hear him call out to you.
<Hal>	Anyways, quick!
<DM>	[Gustaf]: Indeed!
<DM>	*You head back towards Kakariko. You get to the edge of the smoke cloud, where vision is still subpar, but you can see better. There's an Aquamentus trying to inhale the smoke to clear up vision of the area.
*	Hal dashes into hiding in the shadows of rocks by the cliff face where he hid before diving down
<DM>	*Around it are a group of Stalfos, bamboozling around.
<DM>	*You manage to sneak past all of that, though you notice Gustaf spearing one of the Stalfos with his lance.
<DM>	[Gustaf]: Hah, take that, you dumb bonehead!
<Hal>	(How much Wisdom do the Stalfos have?)
<DM>	(Uhhh... pretty low. 10. A bit of defense, but nothing you can't overwhelm.)
<Hal>	(And will Gustaf notice me if I use Masked Man's powers to redirect his attention to Kakariko Village?)
<Hal>	(Err madness?)
<DM>	(Hmm... interesting idea. You could try it out. You recall in your knowledge that Majora's and Fierce Deity's powers oppose each other, and they're fairly weak to one another.)
<Hal>	(What's the enemy closest to Kakariko Village?)
<DM>	*There is... hang on...
<DM>	*Trying to get up the broken entrance to Kakariko is a pair of Dodongos, though they don't seem to have much success.
<Hal>	(So probably a bad idea then...)
<Hal>	(But Gustaf would have a field day with it)
<DM>	*They're flaming the rocks, trying to burn through it, but failing miserably.
<DM>	*Crossing the river are a group of Stalfos, protected by a dozen Stalchildren. Each of the Stalfos seem to be lugging... Beamos? You notice mounts on the back of the Dodongos.
<Hal>	(I'd also need a couple of rounds in Feral form before I can hit one with madness)
<Hal>	(Dodongos have high Power)
<DM>	(Righto)
<DM>	*The smoke is starting to clear, and you notice a Stalfos look towards Gustaf, who's still out in the open and... rather intent on fighting it out rather than sneak through.
<Hal>	(What can I do to forcibly pull him towards the village?)
<Hal>	(I'm thinking Wind Torrent but that armor will probably mess it up)
<DM>	(Got any clawshots to help with the Wind Torrent?)
<Hal>	(Yes)
<Hal>	(But I want to avoid making direct contact with him)
<Hal>	(Orr...)
<DM>	(wuh-oh)
<DM>	(I am afeared of the ideas.)
<DM>	*Okay, Stalfos vs. Gustaf, let's go...
<DM>	Stalfos = 2
<DM>	$1d3
<Navi>	DM: You rolled 1 Die with 3 Sides. Result: 2.
<DM>	whelp
<DM>	*Gustaf, in trying to go nuts with his newfound power and using his lance to pierce through unsuspecting Stalfos, gets caught off guard as another Stalfos strikes him from behind!
*	Hal rerolls that
<DM>	(NPC rolls can't be rerolled)
<Hal>	(Or can't that be rerolled?)
<DM>	(yeah)
<DM>	*It doesn't really pierce the armor, but you know there's a poisoning effect that comes with the blade...
<DM>	*Gustaf turns around to retaliate, though you notice his movements are already getting a bit sluggish...
*	Hal makes his way behind Gustaf and launches a Wind Torrent aimed at sending Gustaf over to Kakariko Village with the aid of clawshots
<Hal>	(The plan I had in mind would take too many actions)
<DM>	*Alright, roll your Clawshotting!
*	Hal augments his robe first.
<Hal>	(Is this considered to be in combat?)
<DM>	(yeah, sure)
<DM>	*Round 1, start!
<Hal>	$25d10 Clawshot
<Navi>	Hal: You rolled 25 Dice with 10 Sides. Results: 3, 3, 3, 8, 8, 2, 2, 9, 7, 10, 6, 10, 3, 2, 7, 10, 1, 9, 1, 3, 9, 2, 5, 6 and 9. Total: 138. Successes: 17.
<DM>	(Gustaf, decent power stat.... annnd augmented by Fierce Deity...)
<DM>	$45d10 Gustaf
<Navi>	DM: You rolled 45 Dice with 10 Sides. Results: 3, 1, 6, 2, 10, 1, 5, 3, 4, 2, 10, 5, 4, 8, 2, 4, 4, 2, 6, 5, 8, 6, 5, 7, 6, 7, 5, 8, 2, 1, 6, 4, 1, 1, 6, 10, 1, 10, 3, 5, 2, 2, 9, 5 and 10. Total: 217. Successes: 29.
<DM>	*Your Clawshot unfortunately bounces off his armor. He turns towards you, with an almost murderous glare.
<DM>	[Gustaf]: You! Come over here and help me out, instead of sneaking around like a cowardly Sheikah!
<DM>	*He seems to be a bit more emotionally flared than his usual self.
*	Hal pulls out his Expelling Wand to get rid of whatever affliction Gustaf has and then clawshots to the top of the rubble in front of Kakariko Village
<DM>	*You expel the poison from his legs, and he's immediately about to get back to breaking bones. Literally.
<DM>	*You Clawshot on up there, and you notice there's some Bokoblins making their way past the Dodongos.
<DM>	*They have not noticed you... yet.
<Hal>	$endturn
<Navi>	Hal: A battle is not in progress.
<DM>	*Round 2, go!
<DM>	*As the smoke finally clears, you notice a reeeeeaaaally big enemy marching its way towards Gustaf.
*	Hal then plays the Elegy of Emptiness to create a shell of himself; hiding behind it as he then disguises it as the Happy Mask Salesman.
<DM>	*So Aquamentus about house-sized dragons. However, this fellow dwarfs an Aquamentus by about 3 times the size, and about 10 times the number of heads...
<DM>	*Alright, you now appear as the skinny, scrawny Happy Mask Salesman!
<Hal>	6 Hearts spent...
<DM>	*Remind me, what exactly does the Elegy of Emptiness do?
<Hal>	Elegy of Emptiness
<Hal>	    SELL VALUE: 150 Rupees
<Hal>	    RESTRICTION: Unless you use Overpower Song, you can not play a Song if there is already another Song being played by someone else.
<Hal>	    REQUIREMENTS: A musical instrument, at least 2 Hearts and 10 Wisdom
<Hal>	    COST: 25% of your current Hearts, rounded up.
<Hal>	    DESCRIPTION: A depressing, hollow tune filled with sorrow. This affects you (specifically).
<Hal>	        EFFECT: When played, a veil of Magic surrounds you and produces a creepy empty (but weighted) shell of yourself that automatically covers you from attacks. This does not require channeling.
<Hal>	            Roll your current Hearts. The result of that roll will be the shell's Hearts * 2.
<Hal>	            The shell can not defend itself and will continue covering you until it hits 0 Hearts, whereupon it breaks.
<Hal>	            This song can be played again to absorb the shell, causing you to recover Hearts equal to the shell's remaining Hearts.
<Hal>	                Elegy of Emptiness’ standard Heart cost does not apply for this. here.
<Hal>	(The illusion is targeted at the shell)
<Hal>	$21d10
<Navi>	Hal: You rolled 21 Dice with 10 Sides. Results: 1, 8, 3, 2, 3, 8, 10, 9, 3, 6, 5, 9, 1, 2, 1, 1, 7, 5, 1, 7 and 10. Total: 102. Successes: 13.
<Hal>	*26 Heart shell*
<DM>	*Thanks to your innate inner madness, and your memories of the Mask Man, you produce quite a convincing skinny little man, with suave red hair, a stylish purple suit, a bag of masks on your back, and of course... that smile of him. Always smiling, always so prim and happy, filled with devious intent...
<Hal>	15h 21m | Elegy of Emptiness active (26h, disguised as Happy Mask Salesman)
<DM>	*Alright, with the noticeable madness in the air, Gustaf finishes kicking a Stalfos off his lance, then looks towards you, from across the river.
<Hal>	(That should be both actions used?)
<DM>	*Round 3, start!
<DM>	*Those whispers intensify around you briefly. You still can't make out what they say.
<DM>	*Gustaf yells back towards you.
<DM>	[Gustaf]: So you finally show yourself, eh? No longer hiding behind your army?
<Hal>	(Reminder, the masked man thing is meant to be the shell)
<DM>	(Yep)
<DM>	*The shell remains there, just smiling back.
*	Hal then casts an Illusion of Sound on the shell, imitating his voice, before falling back behind the rubble pile and away from Gustaf so Gustaf wouldn't see him right behind the shell once he punctures it.
<DM>	[Mask Man Imitation]: You know me, I'm just taking a little stroll. Why don't we take a walk through the ruins, old friend?
<DM>	*Alright, are you simply hiding, or you retreating further into Kakariko?
<Hal>	Retreating further into Kakariko
<DM>	*Okay, you head on in, while Gustaf makes his way past the Dodongos...

-=MEANWHILE=-

<DM>	*You can still hearing the stomping of frantic footsteps from above as you head through these dark, damp corridors, passing old graves and rusted old equipment.
*	Kirran tries reaching out to Princess Zelda while I'm here.
<DM>	*Thanks to a lack of dark clouds, your telepathy reaches out...
<DM>	*There's a telephone ringing from beyond the Fourth Wall...
<DM>	[Princess Zelda]: I hear someone. Who speaks to me?
<Kirran>	It's Kirran, your highness.
<DM>	[Princess Zelda]: I see. I sense... you're close by. Where are you?
<Kirran>	The catacombs, trying to locate the Ghost Hunter.
*	Kirran gives a brief report of what's happened so far.
<DM>	*You hear a sigh of relief, hearing that you've convinced Gustaf to turn away from his suicide mission.
<DM>	[Princess Zelda]: Thank you, Kirran, for what you've done. But continue to keep a close watch on him. I've heard, from Rauru and some of his friends, that he carries many scars from the Hyrulean Civil War.
<Kirran>	I'll say. And with Fierce Deity whispering in his ear, I worry about him holding on to his sanity.
<DM>	[Princess Zelda]: He seeks to abuse the knowledge and power he's been given, though I do not know how long he can hold out.
<DM>	[Princess Zelda]: If only he still harbored the Spirit of Light, Eldin, within him, back when he entered the Twilight Realm...
<DM>	[Princess Zelda]: Eldin sacrificed its life to protect Gustaf from the destruction of the Twilight Realm.
<DM>	*You recall speaking to the Spirits of Light about this way back when, and you recall a slightly different story from that...
<DM>	*It's less sacrifice, more just... running the heck away.
<DM>	*And oddly, Gustaf has failed to mention this Eldin...
<Kirran>	I fear he'll try to order me to kill him still, and I...I wouldn't know what to do if it came to that.
<DM>	*There's a bit of a pause, a hesitation in her response, her... order, to you.
<DM>	[Princess Zelda]: Keep... keep him safe, but, if you must... Return him here, by...
<DM>	[Princess Zelda]: By any means necessary.
<DM>	[Princess Zelda]: You should aid Goron City. I think... he'll be more cooperative if he can be in command of a force.
<Kirran>	That's the plan. If I could only find the Ghost Hunter.
<DM>	*You've finally reached the depths of the Catacombs, aka the old Hyrule Town, which has been ruined by war, fires, and several battles in the last year... you wonder for a bit, how in the world they managed to bury the old town under the new city.
<DM>	*There, in the old town square, the dusty old Poe seems to be uhh... setting up shop? And not just that, but several shops down here.
<Kirran>	o_O
<DM>	[Princess Zelda]: Hold on, something seems to be happening from Lon Lon Ranch. That great beast in moving, and... wait, it can't be, that's-!
<DM>	*The telepathic transmission cuts off entirely.
<Kirran>	Damn!
<DM>	*Once more, you hear that same roar, though muffled. There's an ethereal hollow to it...
*	Kirran hurries into town.
<DM>	(err, towards Ghost Hunter, or back up top?)
<Kirran>	(Towards Ghost Hunter)
<DM>	*You get closer to him, when he holds up a finger in your direction. Without even looking to confirm who you are, he responds.
<DM>	[Ghost Hunter]: Hold up, there. I'm focusing, if you don't mind. There's an old soul trapped down here, and I'm trying to get it out...
<DM>	*Looking down at the ground below him, there does appear to be a faint soul, trapped in the ground.
<DM>	*He pulls out a Soul Lantern, the same kind you have. He lights up the flame, setting the lantern on the ground, and then very slowly, carefully and gradually, pulls the lantern back.
<DM>	*The soul seems reluctant at first, but then eases through the ground. It's a greyish soul, with little life in its memories.
<Kirran>	Considering the amount of care you're putting in, I'm surprised you left your collection so poorly guarded elsewhere.
<DM>	*The soul eventually makes its way into the Soul Lantern.
<DM>	[Ghost Hunter]: There there, that's the-
<DM>	*Ghost Hunter stops in his tracks, then turns towards you with a murderous glare, almost like an Interloper's.
<DM>	[Ghost Hunter]: MY WHAT?!
<DM>	*The greyish soul he's trying to pull rattles. It almost escapes, but Ghost Hunter straight up grabs it and slams it into the Soul Lantern.
*	Kirran shows him the lantern full of souls.
<DM>	[Ghost Hunter]: Gah, that's gonna leak a mark on that soul. Look what you made me do!
<Kirran>	Two Poes almost had themselves a banquet in the grottoes.
<Kirran>	Speaking of which, I need you help, as you probably guessed.
<DM>	*His eyes stop glowing red, and he hovers around your Soul Lantern.
<DM>	[Ghost Hunter]: Oh, so you recovered them for me. Ah, goody goody gumdrops! Now be a darling and hand them over to me, before you harm them further.
<Kirran>	In exchange for your help traversing the grottoes to Goron City.
<DM>	[Ghost Hunter]: Grottos to Goron City?
<DM>	[Ghost Hunter]: Hoooooold on. Who told you about my Grotto knowledge?
<Kirran>	Gustaf told me.
<DM>	[Ghost Hunter]: Only a handful of war heroes know about that, and one of them-
<Kirran>	Lord Gustaf.
<DM>	*He stares at you for a moment, getting noticeably sullen at the mention of that name.
<DM>	[Ghost Hunter]: Ah, the walking gravestone, eh? Yes yes, he would know, wouldn't he...
<Kirran>	You know what he's done then?
<DM>	[Ghost Hunter]: Know what he's done? Oh yes. Far more than anyone else would know. One look at that soul he's hiding in there, and well... He's been avoiding me for the past oooh about... 20 years.
<DM>	[Ghost Hunter]: Since my reputation isn't the best, no one believes me that Gustaf isn't to be trusted. But afterall, I'm just a friendly war profiteering Poe, what do I know about trust?
<Kirran>	I believe you. But I'm also on a mission from the princess herself and I regardless of my personal feelings, I must see him safely through this war.
<DM>	[Ghost Hunter]: Sounds good and all, but what do I get out of this? Those souls in that lantern of yours aren't exactly high profit...
<DM>	*He brims with an idea.
<DM>	[Ghost Hunter]: Ah, I do have an idea, actually!
<DM>	[Ghost Hunter]: I will help you, but in exchange...
<DM>	[Ghost Hunter]: You must get him to give me that Spirit of Light he's pretending that doesn't exist.
<Kirran>	I'm not sure how much power I would have over a spirit of light, but assuming he's still harboring it, you're free to speak to it yourself.
<DM>	[Ghost Hunter]: Speak to it? No no no no... I don't want to speak to it...
<DM>	[Ghost Hunter]: I want it.
<Kirran>	I only ask that, whatever else you plan for it, you let it reunite with the others first.
<Kirran>	There is, after all, a war going on up above.
<DM>	[Ghost Hunter]: Hmm...
<DM>	*He bobs up and down a bit first.
<DM>	[Ghost Hunter]: Fine. But, I'll need more than your word on this.
<DM>	*Ghost Hunter reaches towards you. You can feel your soul pulling towards him, somehow?
<DM>	*Raine flies into the way.
<DM>	[Raine]: Back off, sasquatch, the shadow pie is mine!
<DM>	[Ghost Hunter]: Ooh, an interest specimen, can I have this one's soul instead?
<Kirran>	Absolutely not.
*	Kirran pulls out the last bottled fairy probably in all of Hyrule.
<Kirran>	Does this interest you at all?
<DM>	[Ghost Hunter]: Aww shucks.
<DM>	*He looks at the fairy, then laughs at you.
<DM>	[Ghost Hunter]: Pffhah! What measly compensation is this?
<DM>	[Ghost Hunter]: Bud, it's either a soul deal, or no deal. Take it or leave it.
<DM>	[Raine]: Don't do it, Kirran. If you abide, and you try to refuse later, he gets command over your soul!
<DM>	[Raine]: Even I can't do anything about it.
<Kirran>	There is the other half of the souls we found at your shop.
<DM>	[Ghost Hunter]: Other half, you say?
<DM>	*He feigns ignorance.
<DM>	[Ghost Hunter]: What other half do you mean?
<Kirran>	A friend has them at the moment. A friend that I need to get back to somewhat quickly.
<Kirran>	But if you'd prefer that the Mask Man feeds them to his Poe minions and then has himself a couple of snacks, that's fine too.
<DM>	[Ghost Hunter]: ...
<DM>	[Ghost Hunter]: Fine. Eldin can reunite with the other Spirits of Light.
<DM>	[Ghost Hunter]: I won't ask for a soul deal, BUT... if it looks like you don't at least try to make an effort on giving me some of Eldin's soul...
<DM>	[Ghost Hunter]: Well, when it comes to that... teehee!
<DM>	*He makes a familiar ^_^ expression.
<Kirran>	Well, however you plan to get us through the grottoes, let's get to it then.
<DM>	[Ghost Hunter]: Oh, it's quite simple, really!
<DM>	[Ghost Hunter]: I sense you've got a piece of that ol' Shadow Medallion within you, yes?
*	Kirran nods.
<DM>	[Ghost Hunter]: Well, if you can mess with the Shadow Realm, then manipulating the Soul Realm should be a piece of cake! Or... pie, in your fairy friend's case.
<Kirran>	But using it has been troublesome of late. Something or someone is sapping magic.
<DM>	[Raine]: I'll take pie and cake, for the record.
<DM>	*He smiles back at you.
<DM>	[Ghost Hunter]: Oh... so you're being messed with by that still, eh?
<Kirran>	By what?
<DM>	[Ghost Hunter]: Worry not, you're free to continue using such magics.
<DM>	[Ghost Hunter]: It's by-
<DM>	*You see him try to speak it, but there's silence coming out of his mouth. And because Poes are a bundle of darkness clothed by hoods, you can't read his lips either.. do they even have lips?
<DM>	[Ghost Hunter]: Huh. Looks like I'm bound by contract. Sorry bud, can't tell you.
*	Kirran sighs.
<Kirran>	Not the first time this has happened.
<DM>	[Raine]: Hold on, aren't you Poes related to Interlopers?
<DM>	*He continues smiling back at you.
<DM>	[Ghost Hunter]: Sorry, my contract prevents me from stating more. Any more, and I lose freedom over my soul.
<DM>	[Ghost Hunter]: Well then, first off... Take me to where you were.
<Kirran>	Can you follow if I shadow jump?
<Kirran>	Or alternatively, do you have a quicker way back to your old shop?
<DM>	[Ghost Hunter]: Shadow Hop, eh? Huh, thought only Interlopers could use that...
<DM>	[Ghost Hunter]: Sure. Just lemme hide in your soul, will ya?
<Kirran>	Raine?
<DM>	*Raine returns a nasty glare.
<DM>	[Ghost Hunter]: Relaaaaaax, I can't force a contract. You'd have to accept with a written signature.
<DM>	[Raine]: .......
<DM>	[Raine]: If it's the only way.....
<Kirran>	Keep at eye on him for me?
<DM>	[Raine]: I'm watchin' you. One hint, and I'mma eat you.
<Kirran>	an*
<DM>	[Ghost Hunter]: Teehee! ^_^
*	Kirran readies another shadow jump
<DM>	*With Raine on the lookout, providing a barrier of dark light around your soul, Ghost Hunter closes in.
<DM>	[Ghost Hunter]: Well then, don't mind me, I won't stick around for long.
*	Kirran unexpectedly thinks of Shady before jumping.
<DM>	*The Poe turns into a purplish soul, then seems to just... merge with yours. You feel something... bumbling around inside of you, a bit uncomfortably. You get the sense that your memories are being probed...
<DM>	*Alrighty, you take a jump, annnnnnd....
<DM>	*You appear elsewhere. You are now... in a dark forest?
<DM>	*Looking up, you find you accidentally jumped to Shady. He's firing off shadow spells at a Wolfos. A spell locks down the Wolfos, followed by a Moblin descending from above, stabbing into the Wolfos.
<DM>	*Shady looks down immediately to see all three of you in his shadow.
<DM>	[Shady]: Hello, little children- WAIT WHAT ARE YOU DOING HERE?!
<Kirran>	Oops.
*	Kirran waves sheepishly.
<DM>	[Ghost Hunter]: What the- hey, Sheikah dumbo, why are we in Moblin Forest?!
<Kirran>	Sorry Shady, wrong jump. I have a favor to ask later though.
*	Kirran focuses on Hal.
<DM>	[Shady]: Huh? What are you-
<DM>	*You make the jump!
<DM>	*And between the previous jump and this jump, you once against feel that pinching feeling, as someone... yes, definitely a someone, is taking a tiny bit of your magic, each time you jump.
<DM>	*Doesn't seem to be related to the dark clouds either, as you've made a few jumps outside of it...
<Kirran>	Nothing to be done but wait for whoever it is to pop out of the bushes and proclaim loudly that it was they who were the master manipulators all along.
<DM>	^_^

-=MEANWHILE=-

<DM>	*Round 4, start!
<DM>	*Alright, with the sounds of battle behind you (and an Angry Gustaf trying to head in your direction), you set your sights on Kakariko.
<DM>	*There, you see Bokoblins have already taken over the ruined place, setting up tents in the open areas, decorating the ruined houses with skulls and other spoils of war...
<DM>	*Thanks to the tents, you can probably weave your way around. You reckon there's at least 30 Bokoblins here in Kakariko already.
<DM>	*They seem to be more focused on scouring the town. None in particular are patroling for invaders.
*	Hal hides and keeps an eye out on the shell, waiting for Gustaf to strike it. Meanwhile he eyes a potentially unsuspecting Bobokin...
<DM>	*The Bokoblin seems to be... hold on.
<DM>	yeah, I just doubled checked
<DM>	it's totally Bokoblin, not Bobokin
<Hal>	(quick brb)
<Hal>	(back)
<DM>	*There's a Bokoblin yawning as it's emerging from one of the tents. He's scrubbing at his eyes, so despite you being directly in front of him, it hasn't noticed you yet.
<DM>	*Meanwhile, with Gustaf, you hear some bloodcurling screams from behind you. The Bokoblin's ears peak upwards, and he tries to look towards you...
<DM>	[Bokoblin]: Grah? Krlll..
*	Hal sneaks behind him
<Hal>	(What are their stats and equipment like?)
<DM>	(Uhhh, I don't have a statblock, but nutshell, they have alrightish Power and Courage, jack for Wisdom, just a spiked club and shield, nothing special.)
<DM>	*It's just a red Bokoblin, not a tankier black Bokoblin.
<Hal>	(So out of range of Feral Rage.)
<Hal>	(Surely if Gustaf is fixated on Masked Salesman I'd want to give him a target in Kakariko village and then one on Death Mountain...)
<DM>	*Lessee...
<Hal>	(What spells could I cast that are silent?)
<DM>	*You hear some yells, followed by some blunt force actions.
<DM>	*As you sneak behind the unsuspecting Bokoblin, you see your madness-infused shell of the Mask Man getting flung overhead. It lands onto one of the tents further into Kakariko Village.
<DM>	*You see Gustaf emerge at the Kakariko Entrance, with a crystallization of some kind wrapped around one of his fists. He's... quite enraged himself...
<DM>	[Gustaf]: That's one punch down... another to go, you sick masked man...
<DM>	*With you hiding behind the Bokoblin, he does not see you.
<DM>	*However, you hear a bell alarm from around Kakariko, along with the mobilization of more Bokoblins. Seems Gustaf can't make a quiet entrance. Thanks to that though, you continue to remain unnoticed.
<Hal>	(So what spell can I cast to silently. I wanna knock a Bokoblin out or at the very least silence it)
<DM>	(Phase Out is silent. In general, most Shadow spells, unless they cause pain, should be fairly silent.)
*	Hal augments his robe and goes for a Stealth Strike on the Bokoblin!
<Hal>	$38d10
<Navi>	Hal: You rolled 38 Dice with 10 Sides. Results: 1, 8, 9, 4, 2, 10, 5, 1, 4, 5, 1, 1, 7, 3, 4, 5, 2, 3, 7, 8, 7, 6, 8, 8, 6, 8, 4, 10, 9, 1, 9, 10, 8, 8, 3, 10, 8 and 8. Total: 221. Successes: 28.
<DM>	*The Bokoblin, completely unaware of you (and distracted by Gustaf), doesn't turn at all!
<DM>	*Go nuts!
<Hal>	(So +28 Dice on attack?)
*	Hal then follows up with a PSI Shadow; hopefully to silently knock the Bokoblin out.
<DM>	(Yyyep!)
<Hal>	PSI Strike
<Hal>	    SELL VALUE: 50 Rupees
<Hal>	    REQUIREMENTS: Shadow
<Hal>	    COSTS: 1 Magic
<Hal>	    DESCRIPTION: A basic Shadow spell that quickly strikes a target with sapling shadows.
<Hal>	        Roll your Wisdom +6 dice vs. targets' Wisdom dice
<Hal>	            Damage: +0
<Hal>	            EFFECT: This can be rerolled once for free.
<Hal>	$72d10
<Navi>	Hal: You rolled 72 Dice with 10 Sides. Total: 400. Successes: 53.
<DM>	*Yeah I'm not even rolling that. The Bokoblin stares into blank space for a moment, and then just drops straight over.
<DM>	*You're now looking down a rather angry Gustaf. He looks straight at you.
<DM>	[Gustaf]: HEY, HUNTER! THE MASK MAN, I PUNCHED HIM HERE, WHERE IS HE?!
<Hal>	(So, does the shell still remain?)
<DM>	*You can sense that the shell has exploded, but Gustaf is none the wiser.
<Hal>	(Or is it obliterated?)
<DM>	*Looking at him, the Crystalline Armor seems to be... growing around him, wrapping tighter around his body.
<DM>	*That light that's supposed to be restricting him is hardly visible anymore.
<Hal>	(What can I do to empower the Medallion of Light?)
<DM>	(Do you have Purify?)
<Hal>	(Yes)
<DM>	*You recall Gurloz used Purify on Dark Link some time back, pushing away at the seeds of darkness. Perhaps that could help here...
<Hal>	(How many actions do I have?)
<DM>	((oh right, sorry)
<DM>	*Round... what are we on, 4?
<DM>	nope
<DM>	*Round 5, start!
*	Hal keeps his robe Augmented and casts Enlighten on himself for extra Magic. He then follows up with Purify on Gustaf!
<Hal>	*Extra Wisdom
<DM>	*Roll in the hole!
<Hal>	$50d10
<Navi>	Hal: You rolled 50 Dice with 10 Sides. Results: 4, 7, 4, 6, 2, 9, 9, 6, 1, 7, 1, 1, 9, 5, 7, 4, 5, 1, 1, 8, 2, 10, 6, 2, 2, 9, 9, 10, 4, 5, 10, 7, 2, 4, 3, 3, 2, 2, 9, 3, 8, 10, 3, 6, 4, 9, 9, 8, 10 and 10. Total: 278. Successes: 34.
<DM>	$30d10
<Navi>	DM: You rolled 30 Dice with 10 Sides. Results: 5, 2, 9, 10, 4, 10, 9, 2, 10, 2, 7, 9, 9, 8, 2, 1, 1, 3, 2, 9, 6, 9, 8, 8, 5, 1, 7, 4, 9 and 7. Total: 178. Successes: 22.
<Hal>	15h 6m | +5 Wisdom
<DM>	*Your Purify manages to overwhelm the increasing grip on Gustaf. The Crystalline Armor loosens its grip, returning to just being a fancy armor. He falls to the ground briefly, then stands back up to face you.
<DM>	[Gustaf]: Ugh... sorry. I got real mad all of a sudden, at the sight of the Masked Man...
<DM>	[Gustaf]: Where is he? I recall punching him, but he was abnormally light, even for someone that skinny...
<Hal>	He's probably fled to Death Mountain. From what I've read about the Hyrulean Civil War, there is likely to be something he wants from there.
<DM>	*Gustaf looks up and around with his Spirit Vision.
<DM>	[Gustaf]: Darn, he must be too far away. Let's hurry to catch him!
<Hal>	Alright. With gusto!
<DM>	(don't you mean, with gustof?)
*	DM ruuuuuuuns.
*	Hal slings the knocked out Bokoblin around his shoulder and slinks around the village ruins over to the Death Mountain gate.
<DM>	*You get about halfway up there when a pair of Black Bokoblins blocks your way. They seem a bit more decked out than their red counterparts. Still lightly armored, but each one carries a larger cleaver, and you see Crossbow Pistols on their belts.
<DM>	*One of them looks at the Bokoblin you're hauling, and screeches at you.
<DM>	[Black Bokoblin]: KREEEEGH!
<DM>	*He goes it to strike you!
*	Hal waves the knocked out Bokoblin to the Black one.
<Hal>	"Lay a finger on me and he dies!"
<DM>	*He's about to strike, but he jumps back, unwilling to kill one of his own.
<Hal>	"I will let him go on the condition you let us through to Death Mountain"
<DM>	*Gustaf adds a pointed lance tip to the poor Bokoblin, letting it just slightly pierce into the unconscious Bokoblin.
<DM>	*The Black Bokoblins slowly back up, towards the entrance to Death Mountain. As you slowly advance, you can't help but hear the scrambling of Bokoblins from behind. You're not sure how many, given you're more focused on these two.
<DM>	*One of them starts reaching for a Crossbow Pistol. Seems like your hostage situation ain't gonna last much longer...
<DM>	[Gustaf]: Well, I don't think they're letting us through so much as readying to ambush us...
<DM>	*You notice, to the side, you're getting close to Mima's Music Shop, which seems largely unraided thus far.
<DM>	(Doin' something?)
*	Hal looks over to the music shop for a brief moment and grabs a clawshot out to hook over to there
<DM>	(Are you holding onto the hostage still, or leaving it with Gustaf?)
<Hal>	(Leaving it with Gustaf)
<DM>	*Instead of bulldozing through the Black Bokoblins, you ditch the hostage, and you pull a plank of wood at you- I'm kidding.
<DM>	*You clawshot the door, pulling it open at the same time it drags you in. You roll on into Mima's Music Shop, and along with your ukemi roll, out appears Kirran, along with Raine and... a Poe of questionable standards. Not Shady, but shady enough to be pass as him.
<Hal>	O.O
<Kirran>	Found him, such as he is.
<DM>	[Ghost Hunter]: Ahh, it was gettin' stuffy in there! Now what's this, a music shop of sorts? Ooh, drums and harps, my favorite!
<DM>	*Raine lets go of the protective barrier around your soul, then dozes back off into her bottle.
<DM>	[Raine]: Gleh, Poes are such a pain... *snoooooooore*
*	Hal looks over to see Kirran and Ghost Hunter in the music shop all the sudden.
<Kirran>	I take it the plan didn't work out the way we hoped?
<DM>	*Kirran, as you roll in, with your Spirit Vision, you see outside of this shop, you see there's a Gustaf just outside, and a bunch more angry souls closing in around him, along with the snorts and squeals of a loooooot of Bokoblins.
<DM>	*Ghost Hunter grabs a harp, and starts plucking at it, testing it briefly.
<DM>	[Ghost Hunter]: Quite finely tuned, I must say! This must be the famed Mima's Music Shop. I've heard many tales about it, but she always forbade my entry here. Never learned what she has against me.
<DM>	*Seems the inside of the shop is in good condition... for now.
<DM>	*You hear some familiar sizzling from outside, followed by the loud twing of a bowstring...
<Hal>	(Where is the bombs aimed at?)
<DM>	*Well, you're looking out the window for a bomb when you see it headed straight for you!
<DM>	*It breaks through the window and lands right in your hands, about to explode!
*	Hal sends the bomb back with a Wind Torrent!
<DM>	*You're not sure where that bomb is gonna land, but you instinctively send it back where it came from!
<DM>	*Moments later, there's some frantic squealing, followed by an explosion! You feel the house shake a bit. From right outside it, metal's clashing against metal, and you see a group of Bokoblins in a frenzy to attack Gustaf.
<DM>	Bokoblins = Heads
<DM>	$1d2
<Navi>	DM: You flipped 1 coin. Result: Heads.
*	Kirran facepalms.
<Kirran>	This has gone awry in all kinds of ways.
<DM>	*Seeing as you powered down his new powers via a Purify, he gets overwhelmed by attacks from all sides. The Bokoblins still can't seem to pierce his armor, but one of them ends up piling onto him, pushing him to the ground.
*	Hal uses a Clawshot to hook him back to him
<Hal>	*To hook Gustaf back*
<DM>	*Lessee, there's an angry Bokoblin on top of him, so... it's gonna take a bit of extra effort.
<DM>	*Roll it!
<Hal>	$25d10
<Navi>	Hal: You rolled 25 Dice with 10 Sides. Results: 3, 8, 1, 3, 2, 1, 1, 3, 1, 3, 9, 9, 1, 6, 10, 1, 7, 3, 3, 5, 8, 2, 3, 6 and 6. Total: 105. Successes: 11.
<Hal>	(really Navi?)
<DM>	$40d10
<Navi>	DM: You rolled 40 Dice with 10 Sides. Results: 4, 3, 9, 2, 9, 1, 5, 7, 2, 8, 8, 3, 9, 10, 3, 1, 9, 2, 2, 5, 1, 3, 1, 4, 5, 6, 2, 6, 8, 7, 2, 2, 9, 10, 4, 8, 1, 8, 5 and 3. Total: 197. Successes: 22.
<DM>	(wow)
*	Hal rerolls himself to avoid le counterattack)
<DM>	(fire in the hole)
<Hal>	$25d10
<Navi>	Hal: You rolled 25 Dice with 10 Sides. Results: 5, 2, 5, 4, 2, 8, 4, 10, 9, 5, 4, 10, 7, 5, 3, 2, 10, 4, 8, 8, 1, 9, 10, 10 and 8. Total: 153. Successes: 21.
<DM>	(wow)
<Hal>	(Can anyone help to empower the roll?)
<DM>	*Your clawshot grabs onto Gustaf, and you can feel him getting pulled, but it's not quite enough to drag him out from under the Bokoblins.
<Kirran>	(What's he rolling? Courage?)
<DM>	(Power)
*	Kirran casts steel shadows on Hal.
<Hal>	$5d10
<Navi>	Hal: You rolled 5 Dice with 10 Sides. Results: 3, 8, 9, 1 and 2. Total: 23. Successes: 2.
<Hal>	15h 10?m | +5 Wisdom & Power
<DM>	*With your shadow steeled, you yank back, and it manages to pull Gustaf in! The Bokoblin comes with the Gustaf, though it ends up slamming into doorway, pulling just the Gustaf into you!
<Kirran>	Well, now that the band's back together and you've had your fill of combat, let's get the heck out of here.
<DM>	*He rolls back a bit, then turns towards you, Hal.
<Hal>	Agreed. Lets get out of this place.
<DM>	[Gustaf]: Hold up.
<DM>	*He holds the lance in front of you.
<DM>	[Gustaf]: I looked up the path, and there isn't a sight of that Masked Man.
<DM>	[Gustaf]: Did you lie to me?
<Hal>	I must have been mistaken.
<DM>	[Gustaf]: You know, I can see into your soul as well, and... the madness within is... remarkably similar to that Mask Man I just punched. That hollow flying body...
<DM>	*He raises it, more so that it's pointed towards your neck.
<DM>	[Gustaf]: Don't you trust me at all?
<Kirran>	How did we even end up in a raging fight with Bokoblins anyways Lord Gustaf?
<DM>	[Gustaf]: First sneaking your Sheikah friend out, then faking me with the Mask Man, and then leaving me to fend for myself just a bit ago...
<DM>	[Gustaf]: Hush it, Sheikah boy, I'm talking to this lying weasel over here.
<Kirran>	I thought the plan was to get by them without a ton of brawling.
<DM>	[Gustaf]: And I thought you were going to be joining us, not running off on your own adventure.
<DM>	*You hear the Bokoblins bashing at the door, trying to get in behind you.
<Kirran>	Still, if the Mask Man didn't know where were heading, he does now, so the sooner we get up Death Mountain, the sooner we can set up and prepare for his arrival.
<Hal>	You seemed to have been consumed by your armor. Prioritizing fighting over getting to a defensive position on Death Mountain. I needed to pull you away from the fight on the field.
<DM>	*He shifts his gaze towards you for a moment, then back at Hal. As the bashing crescendos behind you all, he lowers his lance.
<DM>	[Gustaf]: Oh. So you think I'm not in control...
<Hal>	You weren't then
<DM>	*The door gets halfway bashed in.
<Hal>	Since I purified you, you seemed to have regained some control.
<DM>	[Gustaf]: Purified me?
<DM>	*He returns a sinister laugh.
*	Kirran starts looking for exit plans.
<DM>	[Gustaf]: Of course, you think I'm bathed in evil. Why wouldn't you, afterall, "I'm not myself" with those whispers in my ear, yes?
<DM>	*Kirran, looking around the back end of the Music Shop, you notice half the instruments that were there before are now in a sack, getting dragged behind Ghost Hunter, who's tapping on the floor.
<DM>	[Ghost Hunter]: Not here, not here... cooooome on, Sheikah homes, I know you have an escape route somewhere...
<DM>	[Gustaf]: Well, since circumstances are at an all time low...
<DM>	*The door bashes in, and right as a Black Bokoblin takes a step inside, Gustaf quickly turns and launches his lance at it with the full power of the Crystalline Armor aiding him!
<DM>	*The force of the lance skewers through the Black Bokoblin with ease, forcing it into the one behind it. The lance then rematerializes in Gustaf's hand, dripping with Bokoblin guts.
<DM>	*He then turns towards you, letting a Bokoblin heart roll onto the floor in front of you.
<DM>	[Gustaf]: No more you bossing me around. We do this my way, or you can flee off to whatever abyss you came from.
<Kirran>	So what, we murder our way up the mountain until they dogpile us with sheer numbers?
<Hal>	(What is the state of Gustaf's armor?)
<Kirran>	Arrive at the city exhausted and unable to be of help to anyone?
<DM>	*You notice Gustaf's armor is starting to tighten around him again. Seems the Purify wore off already.
<Kirran>	Take on Mask Man at his height of power while we're unrecovered and bleeding?
<DM>	*And with his guard pointed your way, you're not sure landing a second Purify is going to work so easily.
<DM>	[Gustaf]: So he is atop Death Mountain?
<DM>	[Gustaf]: Well then, you should've just said so, Mr. Hunter!
<Kirran>	He will be. I have no doubt he's coming, and soon.
<DM>	[Gustaf]: I see, I see...
<DM>	[Gustaf]: Hmm... alright, if you're so convinced  we can get there without bloodshed, where's the route?
<Kirran>	Especially since he knows you're here now.
*	Kirran looks to the Ghost Hunter.
<DM>	[Gustaf]: It's Death Mountain. There's only one way up that slope.
<DM>	[Gustaf]: ... wait a minute, where'd he come from.
<Hal>	Masked Man is capable of flying about
<DM>	*Ghost Hunter does another rippity rap, annnd you finally hear a hollow knock!
<DM>	[Ghost Hunter]: Ah-hah, found it!
<DM>	*Ghost Hunter carefully lifts up a plank. You notice as you do, there's all sort of tripwire traps below it, and Sheikah needles ready to fire, should someone fail to lift this the proper way.
<Kirran>	Hold on a sec.
<DM>	*The Poe veeeery carefully pulls the plank to the side, revealing a passageway below.
*	Kirran tries to see about disarming the traps.
<DM>	[Ghost Hunter]: Well, part A is done. If you would, Mr. Sheikah, I'm not so good with these traps, you see.
<DM>	*You get to disarming them. Meanwhile...
<DM>	*Another batch of Bokoblins bust their way through the door. One Black, two Red.
<Hal>	Alright.
<DM>	[Gustaf]: Interesting... didn't know about that passageway...
<Hal>	(Would my buffs stay?)
<DM>	*You hear Fierce Deity echoing those same words as Gustaf says it.
<DM>	(Your buffs are still in effect, till you guys escape this battle.
<DM>	[Gustaf]: Well then, learn something new everyday! Mr. Hunter, would you like to assist me in making some bacon?
<Hal>	At least to hold them off for the moment.
<DM>	*He lights a teal flame on the end of his lance, which burns with quite an intensity. As draws the lance to the side, the flames literally start melting the wooden floor near it.
<DM>	[Gustaf]: Let's do this!
<DM>	*The Black Bokoblin charges Gustaf!
<DM>	Bokoblin = 2
<DM>	$1d3
<Navi>	DM: You rolled 1 Die with 3 Sides. Result: 1.
<DM>	*It leaps at Gustaf, but he sidesteps the wide attack, then does a quick whirl of his now flaming lance. The burning teal flame just incinerates through a good chunk of its body, leaving it to bleed out on the ground.
*	Hal equips his shield and then casts Enlighten on himself again. He them fires an Ice Blast at the Bokoblins to slow them down!
<DM>	*The other Bokoblins try to attack you, Hal, with a leap attack from each of them! Roll... Ice Blast!
<Hal>	Ice Blast
<Hal>	    INFORMATION: This spell is an Endowed Spell. This Spell has had 3/3 Endowments applied to it.
<Hal>	    SELL VALUE: 600 Rupees
<Hal>	    REQUIREMENTS: Water
<Hal>	    COSTS: 6 Magic
<Hal>	    DESCRIPTION: Set off a large-scale blast of ice, chilling all enemies.
<Hal>	        Roll your Wisdom +5 dice vs. targets' Wisdom dice
<Hal>	            Damage: Halved
<Hal>	            EFFECT: Target(s) hit lose 6 Attack Dice.
<Hal>	$46d10
<Navi>	Hal: You rolled 46 Dice with 10 Sides. Results: 5, 4, 6, 8, 5, 4, 2, 5, 3, 7, 9, 2, 4, 3, 5, 5, 3, 9, 2, 1, 10, 1, 10, 9, 9, 2, 7, 7, 2, 8, 8, 7, 1, 4, 5, 6, 7, 6, 10, 9, 3, 9, 1, 6, 1 and 5. Total: 245. Successes: 31.
<DM>	(two Bokoblin Leap Attacks...)
<DM>	$40d10
<Navi>	DM: You rolled 40 Dice with 10 Sides. Results: 1, 4, 4, 2, 4, 3, 2, 3, 1, 1, 5, 7, 7, 6, 5, 5, 3, 5, 8, 7, 1, 5, 3, 1, 3, 5, 9, 4, 1, 10, 8, 1, 3, 1, 3, 6, 3, 5, 9 and 4. Total: 168. Successes: 18.
<DM>	*They seem to collide with each other mid-air, getting in each other's ways, and then getting blasted back by the Ice Blast! The ice ends up freezing them to the doorway, giving you a nice blockade!
<DM>	[Bokoblin]: Greehh... kraaarrhgh!
<DM>	Bokoblins = Heads
<DM>	$1d2
<Navi>	DM: You flipped 1 coin. Result: Heads.
<DM>	*Two more Black Bokoblins manage to push through the frozen Bokoblins, breaking through the blockade. One of them raises a Crossbow Pistol at you, firing!
<DM>	*Roll Courage to defend!
<Hal>	$14d10
<Navi>	Hal: You rolled 14 Dice with 10 Sides. Results: 3, 1, 1, 8, 5, 5, 10, 10, 3, 7, 1, 7, 9 and 1. Total: 71. Successes: 10.
<DM>	$35d10
<Navi>	DM: You rolled 35 Dice with 10 Sides. Results: 10, 4, 9, 3, 4, 8, 1, 4, 10, 1, 7, 6, 4, 1, 4, 8, 5, 6, 9, 5, 4, 4, 10, 4, 4, 2, 10, 4, 9, 9, 4, 8, 3, 2 and 10. Total: 196. Successes: 22.
<Hal>	(Almost 3.5 hours... we really should hit a loading screen soon)
<DM>	(Yeah I know)
<DM>	*A metal-tipped arrow makes its way into your armor, though I'm not sure it actually breaks through...
<DM>	*You hear a familiar stampeding sound from behind the Bokoblins.
<DM>	*Looking past them, you see.. one of those Chaos Boars, about to charge straight in!
<DM>	*Kirran, you finally disarm the darn Sheikah traps!
<Kirran>	Time to go!
<DM>	*Ghost Hunter goes ahead and whirls on down the passageway.
<DM>	[Ghost Hunter]: Ta-taa!
<DM>	*Gustaf is enjoying melting through another Bokoblin, seeming to get absorbed into the bloodthirsty battle once more.
<Hal>	(How much time do we have before the Chaos Boar charges in?)
<DM>	(About....)
<DM>	*Round... I dunno where we're at, but...
<Hal>	(I don't have any actions left this round)
<DM>	*Next round start!
<Kirran>	Lord Gustaf, there's no glory here. Let's go.
<DM>	*The Chaos Boar plants its foot in, annnd is about to charge!
<DM>	[Gustaf]: Hold on a moment.
<DM>	*He raises a crystal fist, and plants it straight into the Bokoblin's head, replacing it with a blood splatter. You can't help but notice the blood that gets onto the Crystalline Armor sort of... soak and absorb into it.
<DM>	[Gustaf]: More... I need more...
<Kirran>	Gustaf!
<Kirran>	We're out of time.
<DM>	*You recall Princess Zelda's words, Kirran. "By any means necessary."
<DM>	*You call out to him, but your words just don't get through that influence on him.
<Kirran>	I'm going to regret this...
*	Kirran grabs Gustaf's arm and teleports the both of them into the hatch.
<DM>	(OH BOY)
<DM>	*Hal, you see both Kirran and Gustaf seem to distort momentarily, then vanish into the hatch below.
*	Hal dashes down the hatch after Kirran teleports down
<DM>	*Would you like to kindly dive down there?
<DM>	$80d10
<Navi>	DM: You rolled 80 Dice with 10 Sides. Total: 440. Successes: 55.
<DM>	*You dive the heck down after them, using your knowledge of Mima's Music Shop to bounce behind a few shelves to throw the Boar off-course.
<DM>	*You manage to slide down the passageway just as the rampaging boar blazes through her poor shop.
<DM>	*You land with a roll at the bottom, with Kirran reappearing alongside Gustaf.
*	Kirran tries to let go of Gustaf as quickly as possible.
<DM>	*Kirran, you are... rather dizzy. You manage to let go, but there's a piece of that Crystalline Armor attached to one of your Golden Gauntlets.
<DM>	*How good would it feel to really punch something about now...
*	Hal fires a Purify at Kirran's Golden Gauntlets
<DM>	*With Hal's Purify, you regain control of your mind, though the crystal seems stuck on your Gauntlets still.
*	Kirran removes them, for the time being, and stores them away from his other gear.
<DM>	*With your mind restored, you recall an image from your teleport. An image of an Interloper... except, they should all be dead.
<Kirran>	Well, I'll be...
<DM>	*With that brief connection with Fierce Deity, all you can tell is that apparently, the Interlopers aren't quite as dead as you thought.
<Kirran>	They're all aligned against us, one by one.
<DM>	*Looking around the new passageway, you see a dark abyss ahead of you.
<DM>	[Ghost Hunter]: Hold on kids, lemme light the way.
<Hal>	(Cue loading screen)
<Kirran>	Perhaps there's no hope after all...
<DM>	*Ghost Hunter tries to flick a light, but the moment the flame lights, there's an obnoxious single tone that overwhelms your sense, the world freezes, reboots...
<DM>	-=LOADING=-
<DM>	-=LOADING=-
<DM>	-=SESSION END=-