Ep. 99 Ballroom Blitz

## Watch

Ballroom Blitz | Khyber Shards #99 | D&D 5e Actual Play

—Philip

Things get heated at the masquerade ball. Lucan summons his Soul Blade and attacks the man in the colorful mask. The crowd panics and flees to the exits, trampling Ari repeatedly. Esri casts a confusion spell, and Shade and Pog go after Lucan. Lucan grabs a guard on him and bites into his neck, revealing sharp fangs.

Chaos continues, and Lucan turns into a bat and flies away, pursued by a falcon. Ari manages to get to Mina and begins escorting her out. The crowd finally makes it out of the room, and Neya places Esri, Ari, and Mina under arrest, for seemingly helping Lucan's escape.

## Synopsis

Lucan magically summons the Soul Blade and lunges towards the Dragonhawk. The dancefloor becomes as hazard as everyone panics and flees in every direction. A shimmering shield comes up just in time for the rainbow-masked person to not be decapitated. Mina screams and does somatic gestures; magical armor manifests on her. Esri casts a confusion spell directed at the Dragonhawk. A guard casts a spell at Esri, but he resists. Esri is offended—he's just trying to help—and the guard says he's assailing an agent of the queen.

Another pair of guards wrestle Lucan to the ground. Mina manages to slip out of their reach. The door behind Esri opens and Neya enters, and seeing what's going on, she touches her belt and a dagger flicks into her hand.

Ari attempts a hold person spell on Lucan, but he resists. Ari is partially trampled by the crowd.

Shade tries to grab the Soul Blade out of Lucan's hand, but can't get a hold of it as he wrestles the guard. Pog rushes to Shade's side, and punches the guard holding Lucan, who continues struggling with the guard. The mask is knocked off, and Lucan, pale with rage, grabs the guard by the hair, jerks his head to the side, and bites his neck.

*"Was there any garlic on the charcuterie board?"
—Colin*

Lucan swings at the guard with the sword, and he falls to the ground. Under the control of Esri's spell, Mina jerks over and tries to punch Kael, but Kael dodges. Esri tells Neya he's not really sure who's on who's side, so she tells him to just stay out of it then. He doesn't agree and moves closer to a guard. Esri's symbiots drain him, and so he draws a shortsword and slices at Esri.

In frustration, the person in the loud mask flicks it off. They taps their cane onto the ground and it extends into a quarterstaff, and smashes Lucan with it.

Neya dashes across the room and yells at Lucan to stop. It doesn't phase him. Ari is further trampled by the crowd. He puts a suggestion spell on Mina to come to him for rescuing. Shade attacks Lucan.

Pog moves towards Lucan—a shadowy version of himself stays behind. He punches at Lucan, but its blocked. Lucan sees Neya through the crowd, and growls that she betrayed him. He smashes her with his Soul Sword. Mina tries to move towards Ari, but is grabbed by a guard. Esri telepathically tells Neya that they're here to protect Mina, and swings at a guard. That guard dodges and shoots Esri with his crossbow.

The guard that has Mina puts a blade to her neck, and calls for Lucan to back off of Neya. Ari continues to be trampled by the crowd. He gets up and lashes out at Lucan's mind, but is mostly fought off. Shade keeps swinging at Lucan. Kael tears at the arm of the person golding Mina. Pog helps Kael out and punches the guy unconscious. His echo moves towards Lucan.

Mina calls for Lucan to get out of there, and seeing everything around them, Lucan misty steps near a window, turns into a bat, and flies away. A falcon that's been perched on the window flies after it. Esri poisons the guard and tries wading through the crowd, but doesn't make progress. The Dragonhawk rushes out a sidedoor. Mina runs to Ari. Neya chases after Mina, also being rather unsuccessful.

Ari triumphanty breaks through the crowd and gets next to Mina. He takes her arm and starts guiding her through the crowd. Shade sends Kael after them for protection, and uses a spell to find where the falcon flew off to. She moves to the closest exit to follow. Pog charges after Mina, his shadow trailing behind.

Esri hulks up with his guidance spell and goes after Neya. He tells her to take them somewhere safe.

Ari feels someone grab his coat and a crossbow is shoved against the back of his skull. The person tells him that he and his friends are being detained. Neya tells Esri to put his hands on his head.

*"By the authority of the Queen of Aundair, you are both under arrest. You too, Mina. I'm sorry."
—Neya*

## Spells

* **Ari**
	+ Hold Person on Lucan (Legendarily resisted)
	+ Silvery Barbs
	+ Suggestion
	+ Tasha's Mind Whip
* **Esri**
	+ Confusion
	+ Contagion
	+ Guidance
	+ Shillelagh
* **Shade**
	+ Locate Animal
* **Lucan**
	+ Misty Step
* **Mina**
	+ Mage Armor
* **Rainbow-Masked Man**
	+ Shield

## Quotes

"I'm trying to help!"
"You're assailing an agent of the queen."
"Oh."
*—Esri and a guard*

"Are we trying to say a party is not Ari's favored terrain?"
"Look, if Ari was a ranger, I would agree with you."
*—R.a. and Philip*

"Shade is accustomed to trying to move away from a crowd."
*—Casey*

"That's gotta be a die for when you're playing, not GMing. This is hateful."
*—Colin*