RQG 49 - Bringing Down the House

## Content Warnings

Unreality, memory manipulation, arguments, grief. SFX: Repeated alarm sound

## Summary

The party flees the collapsing building. Outside, they find that a cheering crowd. They return to their hotel, where they explain their adventure to Oscar Wilde.

## Synopsis

The party flee from the crumbling building. Bertie suggests that they go to get the legs which Mr Ceiling offered Zolf, and Zolf begrudgingly agrees.

Bertie runs to Zolf's room through the collapsing building. Grabbing the legs, he attempts to return, but is thrown by an explosion, hurting both him and Brutor. He flees up a flooding stairwell back towards the surface.

Sasha, Zolf and Hamid emerge into the Arc de l'Ordinateur where a very organised evacuation is occurring. After Sasha has left Zolf with Hamid outside, she returns inside to help Bertie. She sees Brock running down a side corridor and follows, but loses him around a corner. She screams his name and looks around for him frantically. As she returns, she sees Bertie emerging from the stairway which collapses behind him. They run outside to rejoin the rest of the party. Outside, the gathered crowd cheers the Rangers as a huge crack forces itself up the Arc de l'Ordinateur. Sasha leaps back over the cracked floor towards the building where she last saw Brock. The floor crumbles under her, but Zolf casts 'Stepping Stone' to catch her. She plummet downwards, landing gently to the end of a giant chasm. Hamid throws a rope down to Sasha, which she climbs up after whispering "I'm sorry, again". Some of the Apollo Paladins help lift Sasha up, and lift the rest of the party onto their shoulders.

The party head over to Oscar Wilde, who begins to organise the relief effort. The Rangers head back to their hotel and Oscar Wilde brings them back into the magic-proof room. Oscar explains that he is the Ranger's handler and was thus able to scry where they were. He sent Bertie to where they were last detected. The Rangers bring Oscar up to speed with what they have found and asks him to look for other Ordinateurs under other large financial institutions. Oscar Wilde leaves the room and Bertie tells him that the Meritocrat Bolla Smok is dead. Sasha asks if anyone could have made it out of the building, but Zolf and Hamid say that Brock couldn't have gotten out and Zolf gets hostile, saying that he didn't get a chance to say goodbye to his own lost loved one.

Back in the presidential suite, the party overhear a crowd outside chanting "Rangers!"

## Quotes

**Sasha**: "Do you think, do you think anyone might’ve survived… in there? The building… falling down..."
**Zolf**: "Brock’s dead, Sasha. Like… dead-dead. Proper dead."
**Sasha**: "Yeah. Right. Yeah, he’s, yeah… it gets quite strange when things are falling down around you, doesn’t it? So it’s all, you think you’re seeing stuff, and, uh, it’s just, it’s just smoke, and…"
**Zolf**: "Trauma does strange things to people."
**Hamid *(gives Sasha a hug)***: "At least you got to say goodbye. And…"
**Zolf**: "More than most people get the chance to do."
**Hamid**: "I’m sorry."
―Zolf and Hamid comfort Sasha after defeating Mr. Ceiling.

**Zolf**: "People don’t usually get a chance to say goodbye. God knows most of us haven’t. So, he still cared about you, and he’s gone. And he knew you were still alive and doing well, and that’s… that is so much more than most people will get a chance to do with their loved ones, all right? So, yes, I know it’s hard, and yes, I know it must be frustrating being that close again. But… that’s it. Draw a line under it. Don’t let it consume you, otherwise you’ll become useless. All right?"
**Sasha**: "I won’t complain to you again. Don’t worry."
**Zolf**: "If you think you’re the only person who has had tragedy happen at every turn of their lives, then I’ve gotta tell you, no. You deal with it, right? Take it in your stride, and…"
**Hamid**: "Give her some time, Zolf! I mean…"
**Sasha**: "I just asked if anyone could survive it! What’s up with you, Zolf? Did you lose someone in there? Did you find someone? I’m sorry, I didn’t realize."
**Zolf**: "No. But the person that I’ve lost, I will never get that chance that you had. Ever. They’re gone. They’re done. That’s it, all right?"
**Sasha**: "Right. Okay, Zolf."
**Hamid**: "She’s gonna be okay. Just give her some time. Let’s just move on and have some food or something."
―Zolf tries to get Sasha to move on from mourning Brock.

## Dice rolls and Mechanics

Hamid casts Mage Armour on Zolf (+4 AC)

Zolf continuously casts Guidance on Sasha

Bertie makes a reflex save: 15

Bertie makes a perception check as he's running: 14

Bertie makes a reflex save while running: 15

Bertie makes another reflex save while running: nat 1 (4 damage, 2 fire damage)

Bertie makes a fort save: 24

Sasha makes a perception check to look for Bertie: 27

Sasha makes a perception check to chase after Brock: 11

Sasha makes a reflex save: 24

Sasha makes another perception check to look around: 11

Everyone makes a perception check: Zolf gets 9, Bertie gets 15, Hamid gets 18, Sasha gets 15

Sasha makes a reflex save not to fall into the crater: nat 1

Zolf casts Stepping Stone under Sasha as she falls

Sasha makes an acrobatics (?) check to leap to safety: 12

Sasha takes 4 fall damage as she lands.

Zolf makes a sense motive check on Sasha: 25

Everyone makes a perception check: Zolf gets 22, Bertie gets 13, Hamid gets 18, Sasha gets 17

## Fleeing Breakdown

Initiative from last episode: Zolf, Bertie, Sasha, Hamid

Hamid casts 'Mage Armor' on himself and goes to Bertie, suggesting that they flee.

Zolf casts 'Shield of Faith' on Sasha (+2 deflection bonus to AC) but not himself.

Bertie and Hamid flee out into the corridor.

Pieces of shrapnel graze Sasha and Zolf. They both make reflex saves; Zolf gets 3, Sasha gets 14. They both take 3 damage

Hamid runs.

Zolf converts 'Divine Favor' into 'Cure Light Wounds' and casts it on Sasha, healing her for 9 damage.

Bertie is hit by a brain covered shard of glass, making a reflex save of 11 and taking 3 damage.

Sasha asks Zolf if he wants the legs, but he says no, and she continues to wheel Zolf out.

Hamid gets struck by falling masonry, making a reflex save of 13, taking 4 damage.

Zolf casts 'Guidance' on Sasha.

Bertie dodges out of the way of rubble, making a reflex save of 16.