So the team of
@Ambivalenz,
@KidKitty,
@Solzhenitsyn, and
@BOLDYSPICY! enters the warrens.
Madness can take many forms, but none so contemptible as man's belief in a mythology of his own making. A world view buttressed by dogmatic desperation invariably leads to single-minded fanaticism, and a need to do terrible things in the name of righteousness. This man is an animal - rabid, destructive, and incapable of nuanced understanding. He. must. be. put. down.
We've faced eldritch horrors, giant pig-men, evil sexy fish, and the bone zone. One might reasonably assume that a heavily-armed religious fundamentalist with delusions of grandeur would be kind of tame in comparison.
...So brace yourself, because this asshole is
terrifying.
Equipped with tons of attacks, 3 actions a round, and attack power to spare, this fucker is capable of taking on even the toughest parties and winning. Even worse, he moves around constantly during the fight, which means the ability to hit the back ranks is vital. It's a good thing I went with Boldy's team, because if I didn't, and had gone with
@Jaimas' team,
@Burned Man and friends, or even
@Curt Sibling or
@Smutley's parties, we wouldn't have survived.
Really, I think of our available groups, only
@Techpriest's team could reliably take this fucker down otherwise. It's a very nasty boss.
He also gets surprise when he shows up. Presumably because he sets up his personal killing field well in advance.
His only vulnerability is a susceptibility to bleed (owing to his three rounds a turn and meager bleed resist). Because of that, characters like Boldy's team are good choices. Other good picks are the Flagellant, Bounty Hunter, and Highwayman, the latter less because his bleed is good and more because Duelist's Riposte will help a lot.
The Fanatic's main MO is pronouncing judgment on a hero, which works like the Hag's cauldron.
Exactly like the Hag's Cauldron, in fact.
Once he has a burning victim, he'll read from his book and yell about how corrupt you faggots are, giving him a ridiculously big defensive buff (again, Bleed is your friend). He'll also brand your heroes (marking them and inflicting Horror), throw stakes at them (High damage, especially versus Marked targets), and smash your party with his hammer (stun and damage). You'll
want to bring Laudanum for this fight. Usually you can ignore it, but trust me, you'll want it for this one. The last thing you want is an affliction facing this particular boss.
A reliable tactic might be to bring a bunch of dodge buffs (to avoid the judgment) and then just pound him to shit. I'll try it if I fight him again.
This dude's got probably one of the most intimidating fight scenes, too. The music of his area is punctuated with the roaring inferno and the screams of the condemned. KidKitty is having none of this asshole's shit and takes a sickle right to him.
A curious side-note I noticed during this fight is that he's loaded - and I mean
loaded with trinkets for various classes:
* Multiple Martyr's Seals (on armor)
* Fortifying Garlic (as a necklace)
* Book of Holiness (on belt)
* Holy Orders (worn around neck)
* Glittering Spaulders (right shoulder)
Nice touch, really.
The guy does not let up and the bleeds just don't stick. He throws Ambivalenz back in the pyre and the team throws everything they have at bleeding this fucker out.
He continues to fight with the fury of a zealot, and while the group hits hard, it's not long at all before Ambivalenz is brought to death's door. Thankfully a timely swing by Boldy cuts her free, and she's back in the thick of it soonafter. With the Fanatic focusing
everything on murdering KidKitty right now, he wastes Judgment after Judgment missing KidKitty due to the wily Jester's obscene dodge rate.
Finally, a loud "Sic 'em!" bellows from the back of the team's ranks, and without warning, the Hounds are unleashed.
Solz' pupper charges forward and leaps on the Fanatic, tearing out his throat and leaving his spasming carcass amidst the pyres.
The team takes home a stately bounty - a Crimson Court trinket (Rat Carcass), and like 60 Crests. But what's this?
He drops two of a new item, called "The Cure." Can this medicine really cure the Crimson Curse?
Solz tests it - and it works. Which brings home a horrific realization:
THIS MOTHERFUCKER WAS SITTING ON THE FUCKING CURE THE ENTIRE FUCKING TIME.
He could cure the fucking infection, but he doesn't. He keeps it solely so he can treat himself if the cocksucker gets re-infected.
He just wanted an excuse to fucking burn things.
Jesus Christ, we're in a setting where our Ancestor murdered and betrayed his way into the arms of the supernatural, and somehow this guy
still comes across as a bigger prick. That's a fucking accomplishment.
Bringing the remaining dose home so that
@Shuu Iwamine can synthesize an antidote, the group returns to base and seeks treatment for blunt force trauma and third degree burns.