Heart of Tyre: Episode 19

### Reddit Thread

***Heart of Tyre* Episode 19** was streamed on Arcadum's Twitch channel on December 7, 2020, and premiered on Arcadum's YouTube channel on March 20, 2021.

## Summary

Summary by av5hadow, copied from Verum Weekly:
Despite the Violet interruption, the Indigo Trial continues. The Tops prepare themselves for the next fight, fully aware that they won’t receive help anymore. In a flash of blue light, Thomas Teal the Riftblade, an Eldritch Knight, appears with a magical bastard sword in hand. While he cannot speak, he greets the challengers with a smile and raises his blade.

Thomas has the following Traits: Gentleman, Improved Deadly, Improved Combo, Martial Master, Ruthless, Tactician, and Cunning. Gentleman is a trait where a creature grants knowledge to its opponents. This also affects Knowledge checks.

* Boss Mechanics.\* He utilizes 4 stances and has 2 initiatives. He also has a “resource pool” consisting of Mastery, Pulse, Vigilance. Thomas changes stances whenever he is attacked or is forced to make a saving throw. Rising Stance heals. Drifting Stance gives him Vigilance and, upon entering this stance, he can move without provoking attacks of opportunity. Falling Stance provides Pulse, and upon entering he attacks everyone near to him. Seeker Stance increases his reach, and upon entering he brings down a wave of energy towards the furthest enemy within 60 feet, and anyone caught in its path is also hit. Whenever he changes stances in the same turn, he gains one Mastery, which increases his strike damage and may empower other abilities. Neither Pulse or Vigilance wasn’t identified during this session, but they can be consumed for using or empowering abilities. In addition, strikes from his bastard sword deals additional damage with a randomized element.

The fight starts with Thomas going up to Morc. After the two tipped their hats to each other, the gentleman strikes Morc twice. Both Derok and Morc apply pressure on Thomas to a varying effect, and with each attack he changes stances. Upon entering the Seeker Stance, energy emanates from the bastard sword, striking towards Seren with Neve in the attack’s path! Neve’s misfortune continues as a Burst of Light blinds her for a moment. Thomas closes the distance on Seren and strikes her twice. Luckily, one of the strikes deals fire damage, healing Seren thanks to her shield. Neve learns of Overwhelm, an ability that replaces the damage dealt by another ability with the ability to place targets into “stasis”. Someone encased in a stasis prism may not take damage, but they can’t interact with anything outside of the prism. Neve throws up Mirror Images and hides behind Morc’s cake. Seren uses Hidden Path to nope her way away from Thomas.

However, Thomas is on her tail and dashes around Morc. Thomas strikes Seren down, but Neve regains her vision and comes to the rescue with a Potion of Healing. Her Mage Hand then takes some Oil of Slipperiness from the gentleman. Now back up, Seren heals a bloodied Morc and takes a Hidden Path. Forgoing the cocaine arrows, Ives shoots two arrows at Thomas. This pushes Thomas first into a Falling, then a Seeker Stance, hitting Morc and bloodening Derok.

Thomas baits out an attack from Morc, allowing him to enter the Rising stance which negates the damage via healing. Derok who was failing on landing a spell on the Eldritch Knight fails his second Hold Person, but this casting triggers an Indigo Event. A Torrent of Cleansing Light randomly appears, washing over the Wild Sorcerer. Derok is restored to full health, and he temporarily feels powerful (advantage to all d20 rolls until the end of his next turn).

Morc attempts to grapple the gentleman, but Thomas is far more Athletic. This however does not cause a stance change. The boss attempts to bait out more attacks, but neither Morc nor Derok bites. He punishes them with a Burst of Light. The empowered Derok isn’t affected, but Morc gets blinded by the flash.

Seren takes a page from the Gamblers’ book and willingly uses her psionic abilities to Invade an enemy for the first time. A laugh similar to when the Depthar was in control emanates from her. She learns that the combatants of the Indigo Trial are memories, and therefore they are vulnerable to psionics. She has a choice: consume the psychosis of the memory or retreat from the mind invasion. Seren takes the gamble, dealing massive damage. Luckily, she resists the temptation of completely consuming as much as she can, retaining her consciousness. However, her infection grows, and she now risks having the Depthar controlling her for brief moments of time.

## Featured Characters

### Main Characters

* Lord Antonius Volnaris
* Ives
* Neve
* Madd Morc
* Seren