The Melancholy of Medicine (Boss Encounter)

Basic Rules:
- Even rolls hit. Odd rolls miss. Random numbers are generated between 1 and 100.
- Even rolls over 85 are considered Critical Successes. Odd rolls below 16 are considered Critical Failures.
- When the move doesn't define what a Critical Success does, the user is able to attempt an immediate follow-up.
- When the move doesn't define what a Critical Failure does, the user is stunned, and may be auto-hit by the next attack.

Paralyzed Status - Character will be unable to move next turn and will be unable to dodge the next attack.
Charmed Status - The next attack dealt by the midara does +1 Willpower damage.
Bind Status - Character will be unable to move and continually suffer 2 Willpower damage each turn unless they roll a 50 or above to escape.
Downed Status - Character's next action is skipped, allowing their opponent to attempt a follow-up.
Dazed Status - Character has Disadvantage, requiring two successes instead of one in order to hit.
Stunned Status - Character will be unable to act next turn.

(In this case, Medicine has additional status effects listed in her profile.)

——
Boss Rules:

- If the boss has a character Bound, they can be freed if the boss takes 3 x (# of starting players) damage. So, if there are 4 characters fighting the boss, the boss can take 12 damage before letting go of their target, in addition to the normal Struggle rule.

- The effects of Critical rolls are changed, since more than two combatants take their actions in the same turn. Unless a specific move defines a Critical roll otherwise, they now work as follows:

For player characters:
- A Critical Success results in the next ally's attack (or the first ally to attack that turn, if the Critical Success is on the last player attack of the turn) within the same turn to auto-succeed.
- A Critical Failure results in the boss's next attack against this player to auto-succeed.

For the boss:
- A Critical Success on a single-target attack allows the boss to attempt an immediate follow-up.
- A Critical Failure on a single-target attack results in that target's next action being an auto-success.
- A Critical Success on an AoE attack results in the move being powered up against the specified target, as written in the move's description.
- A Critical Failure on an AoE attack results in the specified target's next action having Advantage.

These rules assume that the boss's AoE attacks roll separately for each target.

——

Every adventurer has heard countless tales of midara roaming the world, seducing and capturing anyone unlucky (or lucky, for some the Church have deemed deviant) enough to come across them. And likewise, every adventurer has probably taken down their fair share of these midara as well. Some were harmless flirts, others were dangerous predators, and many have claimed victory over a number of aspiring adventurers themselves.

Other times, there emerged entire areas to simply be avoided. Don't go near that mansion, people whispered. You go through those doors, and you'll never come back out! As adventurers charged bravely into these places, and fewer and fewer came back out each time, they'd soon become legends in and of themselves. Nearby towns would shift their trade routes to avoid them, and parents would teach their children to stay far away from them, for fear of whatever sinister creatures lurked inside.

The flower field was one such place. For years, disappearances had been reported for those who stepped within the borders of the flowers, which was worrying, but it wouldn't be such a problem if the field hadn't been continuously expanding all this time. Though no one had ever claimed to see anyone tending to the flowers, they took more soil by the day, and what began as a small mound on a gently sloped hilltop slowly became a massive field spanning half the mountain it was on. Nearby towns were getting nervous, and asked anyone who would listen for help. Between the dark whispers about the hill and the plea for help spreading through word-of-mouth, the flower field became a prime target for the brave—or very, very foolish—to venture into, find out the truths hidden there, and vanquish the one behind it all.

The ones who gathered before the borders of the field today were no different. There were many possibilities for why they were there that day. Perhaps they sought the glory that defeating the master of this place would bring, perhaps they genuinely wanted to ease the people's fears and do good for the world, or perhaps they were simply after the—admittedly impressive—reward. Whatever the case, whether they banded together as a party or went in one at a time, unaware of the presence of their soon-to-be comrades, it didn't seem to matter to the flowers. They merely continued to sway in the chilling breeze, as if daring those before them to stop their inexorable spread.

Ah, flowers.

Shovel Knight had found himself admiring these radiant roses, these precious posies, these delightful dandelions. As one who had tried his hands at gardening during his self-imposed exile, before the Order of No Quarter worked it's foul magic, Shovel could appreciate anyone who worked with the earth. But alas, it seemed as though the person tending this garden planned on using it for evil.

With his shovel in hand, the Knight held his ground. Slowly, his shovel moved upwards. He'd dig a path through the flowers if need be. It might just be the most efficient way of drawing out the culprit...Albeit at the risk of angering them and drawing their ire.

Ferro had taken to this dangerous place with his staff in hand, ready to take on whatever Midara would be behind this ever-expanding garden. "No one's ever managed to see this woman and escape. If we can best her, we can negotiate." Unbeknownst to Ferro and the rest of the party however, there was a tag-along, lingering around behind a few trees and bushes, watching the party.

"Of course we can, if we work together there is nothing that can stop us, we'll finish this in no time." Dixi replied, the fistfighter was slightly weakened for a recent fight but even with that she wasn't alone, Ferro and Jane were there so it would be easy... Maybe?

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Jane nodded.
"I would prefer a diplomatic solution. Though, I have a bad feeling that, with disappearances on this scale, there may be little chance for us to avoid a fight." Jane commented.

"Well, if there are any chances for negotiation I'm glad you came along Jane, you are the best at negotiating."

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Jane smiled.
"Well, I'm no Kathrynne, but I would like to think I've spent enough time around her to be reasonably proficient." Jane commented.

"Of course you do," Ferro said, holding her back. "Unfortunately, if there's gonna be any negotiation, violence is probably gonna have to come first."

"Sadly..." She says shrugging "I haven't fully recovered yet, I'm counting on you to have my back Ferro." Dixi admitted while turning towards Ferro.

(Special Passive - Weakened: Dixi is exhausted, dealing less damage with all her attacks until fully recovered. Starts at 1/4 of her normal damage, damage can't go lower than 1, and will recover every 3 turns, 2/4, 3/4... until fully recovered.)

Shovel Knight rose an eyebrow at the newcomers. There were a few new people that had just appeared. Were they here to investigate the disappearances? Shaking his head, he began to lightly poke at the flowers with his shovel. Any help would be necessary, but he didn't wish to bother them.

Though the plant life of the field seemed to come in all colors and varieties, the vast majority of them were white lilies-of-the-valley, their bell-shaped flowers hanging low off their shoots. It was at a cluster of these flowers that Shovel Knight decided to poke his titular shovel. Perhaps he was testing for a reaction from them, since these seemed to be the "main" flowers, or maybe he was simply trying to test their sturdiness against his sharpened blade.

Either way, he lightly prodded at the cluster of flowers a few times, to no effect. They behaved just as normal, everyday, non-malicious flowers would—which was to say, they did nothing at all. Shovel Knight was never one to give up easily, though, and there was clearly something amiss with this flower field. He continued poking the flowers with his shovel, slowly increasing the force of his prodding without actually damaging the flowers. It was then that the flowers did something unexpected.

They recoiled.

The entire cluster that his shovel had been antagonizing for the last couple of minutes began bending themselves out of his shovel's current reach, some even lying completely flat to the ground. He could still reach them if he thrust his shovel forward or took another step, of course, but it seemed the flowers were doing their best to stay out of the way of his invasive shovel.

"...!"

That was...surprising. The flowers had managed to actually react. These were no ordinary flowers. Taking a deep breath, he called out to the newcomers.

"What ho! Careful. These flowers have a mind of their own."

Whether they'd listen or not...That wasn't something he was too certain on. But at least he could say he warned them.

Ferro raised his attention to the flowers at that moment. "Hey, Garden Knight, maybe you should prod so much!"

"Now that you mention it... These flower are giving me the creeps for some reason..."

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"The flowers are moving out of the way of my shovel. And yet..The only idea I have to draw out our adversary is to disrupt this garden, unfortunately....Also, the name is 'Shovel Knight.' Not Garden Knight."

"Just because this is probably going to lead to violence doesn't mean we need to piss her off!"

"Mmm... Want to disrupt the garden? Alright... Step aside mr.Shovel." Dixi took a deep breath, as she was preparing for something while giving time to the knight to step aside.

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"If you have any other ideas, I would love to hear them, young sir." He looked up at Dixi. "With all due respect, miss. I would at least like to hear of any other ideas before we jump to the violent route."

"Don't worry, I'll wait, it's preparation in case everthing else fails." She replied to the knight, it was true, right now the best course of action for her would be to try and negotiate first, giving her time to recover in case hell breaks loose.

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"How's about not destroy the flowers," he said.

"..." A grumble erupted from the helmet. The youth of today, he swore... "Alright. Then what would you suggest, young sir? In fact, forgive me for asking, but...why are you here? Not to doubt your abilities, but the rumors...This could prove a rather dangerous undertaking."

There was no belittling. Only genuine worry. Shovel Knight was not new to kids trying to show their strength, Reize popping into his head, but he'd rather not see someone put their lives on the line unless they knew what they were getting into.

"I've dealt with dangerous plenty of times," he told the knight. "We all have."

"Yup, we are pretty experienced and strong, anyway, any ideas? Ferro? Jane?"

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Jane considered for a moment.
"The flowers reacting to such assaults does concern me. If we were to simply walk amongst them, there is a high probability that, should things go into hostilities with whatever lies within, we will be trapped by the flowers themselves. This is especially true if they have a mind of their own." Jane commented. "However, if we do NOT approach the flowers in such a way, it conversely suggests that we wish to bring violence upon the being within. If at all possible, we should avoid upsetting them, especially given we know nothing of them."

"As good an idea as any, Jane," Ferro stated, moving to step around the flowers wherever possible. At present, all they were doing was simply standing around at the border. "Come on and watch your step."