Jack, I'm gonna take a moment to look around and see if there is anything tactical that we can use to our advantage.

Do I need to make a roll of some sort for that? Thanks.

Should I try to save the princess?

Save her after we've killed everyone else. There's killin' to be done Wade. Don't get distracted with secondary objectives.

*points at his attribute*

We don't want to kill anyone. Knock out of hypnotism? Yes. But kill? No.

Especially not Mario and Luigi.

Transitional phase. Basically things were on hold until you wacky types linked up. (I wasn't going to start giving extra XP to the non-pipe folk)

Of course we do. Look, if Mario and Luigi are still alive the Princess will rely on them to protect her. Do you see how well that worked out for her? Do you want to save the Princess every other day, or would you like a permanent solution? I would like a permanent solution.

But the solution they had has worked so well!

Peach is kidnapped, Mario and Luigi rescue her, everyone is happy, rinse, repeat.

Why mess with a good thing?

All we need do is break the Marios out of their hypnotism and voila! We help set things on their way back to normal.

I say we focus on the big guy. If we defeat him, maybe the problem will take care of itself.

But the problem is the periods of unrest. We can eliminate those! But, in order to do so we're going to have to make changes to the status quo. The status quo being Mario and Luigi are the main protectors of the Mushroom Kingdom. Clearly they are inept at their positions, yet, they are still hailed as heroes. We can't stop them from being hailed as heroes, so we must eliminate them. It's the only way to accomplish anything at all, really.

Any way we can get some light on the hulking figure? I want to check his eyes for hypnosis. The army mentioned something about Bowser, and it was clear he was not in charge of the army. Either that isn't Bowser, or he is also under hypnosis.

My guess is that the weeping figure is the true culprit here.

Pax, maybe use your gold coin to reflect light at the hulking figures eyes?

Hey Wade, you know that army of Kommie Koopas? Think you could sik' 'em on the large hulking figure or something?

Hypnosis, huh? That's not usually Bowser's bag. I'd expect that from Wario or Smithy, but Bowser's usually a little more straightforward than that. There's something else going on here.

Same question. Thanks.

Oh, sorry.

I'd count that as a "scan". You don't have to roll for it; it just doesn't get any XP. (that's the tradeoff for more info)

Given that hypnosis is a state of wakeful state of focused attention with decreased peripheral awareness and greater levels of suggestibility, and that one cannot truly be hypnotized to do something they're diametrically opposed to, I'm going to attempt to short circuit the Green Plumber by logically suggesting that the Red Plumber, who has garnered more of the praise, more of the accolades of herodom (whereas the Green has devolved into more of a joke) is more worthy of attack than us. This will either get the two Plumbers attacking each other, rather than us, or their brotherly bond and love for one another will short circuit this state of mind control. (Brains)