We're All Bumbling Comic-relief Characters
Devils vanquished, we are on the final trial that could kill us. We are to face a legion of undead, the curtain behind the stage raised to reveal two skeletal trolls.
'That's not how I pictured a legion', I say, and Ganelon agrees. Two more skeletal trolls appear, all of them large and mighty threatening, filling the entirety of the stage behind us now. 'I wasn't complaining', I say, 'it was just a curious description!'
Ganelon feels this fight is more suitable for his prowess now, happy to claim 'that's more like it'. It takes some sympathy from the GM for the unscheduled extras to disappear in a poof of illusionist smoke to leave just the two once more, even if Ganelon refuses to believe we'd have trouble fighting large skeletons with reach that are focussed on our deaths.
It doesn't take long for Ganelon to change his mind once the fight starts. The two skeletal trolls ignore four of us and aim directly for Brennan, reaching over the top of our puny medium-sized bodies to smite our bard. A second such strike knocks Brennan to the floor, bloody and unconscious, and it is only with some focussed fighting that we take down one of the skeletons. A bit of coordination prevents the second skeleton from being able to walk around us to reach the revived but still battered bard. We still need to kill it.
Afutavere wants to help but doesn't know how. He was booed when he pulled out his bow to try to help, losing the audience for breaking the illusion of theatre that he is a wizard. Or maybe for his wayward shot causing an arrow to fly wildly in to the stalls. Either way, sensing the remaining skeleton is near death he decides to 'let the competent fighters take care of it from here'.
In the disarray that follows, as we all look around wondering if we've been joined on stage by some other characters playing competent fighters, I miss with my attacks, Brennan misses with his, and Ganelon reverts to being the bumbling comic-relief. Seeing this, Afutavere pulls out a wand of cure light wands and pretends to cast a spell against the troll, feeling guilty that Brennan continues to take punishment whilst he stands around doing nothing.
I miss again, Skelra begins to fire his crossbow but is nudged by the paladin, fouling his aim. 'You're not killing it!' Ganelon says.
'What? You don't want Skelra to kill it? You mean you want all the credit?'
'Yep!' What a paladin. Luckily hit it he does, and it is the killing blow, saving Afutavere's blushes and the paladin a drubbing.