The realization comes just a second too late.<br/><br/>Albali calls it out, suddenly feeling with a wrench in her gut the truth of it; the smirking priestess on the platform hasn't said a word, only made the simple nonverbal sounds any fool who knew some illusions could produce. And Ambrosia was charging headlong towards it, there was SOMETHING magical about the pit, and it all made sense-<br/><br/>-Ambrosia, heedless, crashed into the priestess... or would have, if she'd been there. As her mouth cleanly passes through the red woman's head, it shrivels and disappears in a puff of smoke... to reveal the priestess actually standing a few yards in front of the fairy and moving forward with a grin and sickly-yellow glowing hand. The fairy can't halt all her momentum forward in time to get back in the air, or change her charge into something more tactically aimed at the true threat, but it's all she can do to not keep going forward and down to smash her face on the stone walkway. The priestess darts up, comments, "Spirited! ...I like that." And then punches the fairy lightly on the shoulder. The effect is instant- Ambrosia can<span style="font-style: italic">feel</span>her muscles wasting away, as the loads she carries grow stronger and her limbs shrivel under the magical onslaught. It's a curse, and a vicious one at that.<br/><br/>But that's still not the whole problem.<br/><br/>As the others can see- but not Ambrosia, having already passed by- the illusion wasn't a small one. Not only did it show a fake priestess and hide the real one, it also hid the illusionist. A heavily tattooed human-looking woman stands grinning on the steps up to the altar, holding a burning pea-sized sphere in her hands. "Took you long enough. I guess since she's not here my sister's dead? ...well, I'll have to pay you back for that over the next few years." Indeed, though lacking ears and tails, the woman does<a class="postlink" href="http://i.imgur.com/AnxtX8V.jpg">bear a remarkable resemblance to Miria</a>. Doing a quick pirouette, she launches the glowing dot into the air, and the stomachs off every experienced caster sink as recognition gives them no time to find cover. The dot lands near the corner of the pit. And then it<span style="font-style: italic">explodes</span>. Xarithe, airborne and already doing his level best to get out of the blast radius, is only singed; through quick action ducking behind a bench, Gorun escapes any harm at all. The others are caught in the open by the full force of the blast, singing and throwing them off balance though none fall into the pit. Poor Ain takes it hardest; the charred bird falls onto the ground unconscious and smoking beside his witch. Not dead- but not very far from it, either.<br/><br/>[[Actions!<br/><div style="padding: 3px; background-color: #FFFFFF; border: 1px solid #d8d8d8; font-size: 1em;"><div style="text-transform: uppercase; border-bottom: 1px solid #CCCCCC; margin-bottom: 3px; font-size: 0.8em; font-weight: bold; display: block;"><span onclick="if (this.parentNode.parentNode.getElementsByTagName('div')[1].getElementsByTagName('div')[0].style.display != '') {  this.parentNode.parentNode.getElementsByTagName('div')[1].getElementsByTagName('div')[0].style.display = ''; this.innerHTML = '&lt;b&gt;Spoiler: &lt;/b&gt;&lt;a href=\'#\' onClick=\'return false;\'&gt;hide&lt;/a&gt;'; } else { this.parentNode.parentNode.getElementsByTagName('div')[1].getElementsByTagName('div')[0].style.display = 'none'; this.innerHTML = '&lt;b&gt;Spoiler: &lt;/b&gt;&lt;a href=\'#\' onClick=\'return false;\'&gt;show&lt;/a&gt;'; }"><b>Spoiler: </b><a href="#" onclick="return false;">show</a></span></div><div class="quotecontent"><div style="display: none;">Eiyre moves and total-defends. <br/>Turilia moves.<br/>Ambrosia attacks someone who isn't there, and REVEALS ILLUSION. Reflex save to avoid falling on her face succeeds. <br/>Priestess takes delayed action!<br/>Priestess casts Bestow Curse on Ambrosia. Touch attack of 20 succeeds. Will save of 7 doesn't. Ambrosia takes -6 to Strength score. <br/>Magi takes delayed action!<br/>Magi casts Fireball. Everyone but Ambrosia is in the blast radius; DC 18 reflex saves for half damage passed by Gorun (Evasion; no damage!) and Xarithe for 8 damage, and failed by Albali, Ain, Kaheksa, Turilia, and Eiyre for 16 damage. Ain is reduced to -6 HP.</div></div></div><br/>Init (a little duffed thanks to enemies releasing a delayed action, but we'll ROLL with it. Turilia and Xarithe were to act after Ambrosia, so Ambrosia's action and the interrupt preempted.)<br/>Literally Every PC, Kaheksa<span style="font-style: italic">Currently Up</span><br/>Priestess, Magi<br/>(OK so it's easier than I made it sound like)<br/><br/>Status:<div style="padding: 3px; background-color: #FFFFFF; border: 1px solid #d8d8d8; font-size: 1em;"><div style="text-transform: uppercase; border-bottom: 1px solid #CCCCCC; margin-bottom: 3px; font-size: 0.8em; font-weight: bold; display: block;"><span onclick="if (this.parentNode.parentNode.getElementsByTagName('div')[1].getElementsByTagName('div')[0].style.display != '') {  this.parentNode.parentNode.getElementsByTagName('div')[1].getElementsByTagName('div')[0].style.display = ''; this.innerHTML = '&lt;b&gt;Spoiler: &lt;/b&gt;&lt;a href=\'#\' onClick=\'return false;\'&gt;hide&lt;/a&gt;'; } else { this.parentNode.parentNode.getElementsByTagName('div')[1].getElementsByTagName('div')[0].style.display = 'none'; this.innerHTML = '&lt;b&gt;Spoiler: &lt;/b&gt;&lt;a href=\'#\' onClick=\'return false;\'&gt;show&lt;/a&gt;'; }"><b>Spoiler: </b><a href="#" onclick="return false;">show</a></span></div><div class="quotecontent"><div style="display: none;">Xarithe is an eagle. 27/35 HP<br/>Ambrosia is Weakened (-6 Strength)<br/>Gorun's fine, thanks for asking<br/>Albali is 4/20 HP<br/>Ain is -6/10 HP<br/>Eiyre is 15/31 HP<br/>Turilia is 15/31 HP</div></div></div><br/>Map:<a class="postlink" href="http://i.imgur.com/zHrNN8C.png">http://i.imgur.com/zHrNN8C.png</a>]]