Heroica RPG - Quest #105: Eternal Reaper

[Endgame]

Punii skitters over, the purple aura mending his wounds.

"Wow, weird how it feels just like a massage - er, *wheeze*, anyway, thanks.

Talk about *cough* what? I know I may seem a bit, uh, disheartened, but... I'll be okay. This is my third time battling The Regret. I know what he can do. I'll just focus on the current situation, and try to stay optimistic... Like that green light, for instance. We have that and *wheeze* tracking down that coward Seerus to deal with."

[The_Customizer]

OOC: Ok, I now officially make Em the Party Leader, I'll be able to pop-in every once in a while and post actions, or do some roleplaying, but I don't have time for all the behind-the-scenes stuff that comes with being the party leader.

[Kintobor]

"Wow, weird how it feels just like a massage - er, *wheeze*, anyway, thanks.

Talk about *cough* what? I know I may seem a bit, uh, disheartened, but... I'll be okay. This is my third time battling The Regret. I know what he can do. I'll just focus on the current situation, and try to stay optimistic... Like that green light, for instance. We have that and *wheeze* tracking down that coward Seerus to deal with."

Karie shakes her head, smiling.

"It's what I do. You don't need to thank me.

I was aware you've encountered the Regret before, but twice? Mind filling me in a little on what this megablocks's capable of? I've had the displeasure of dealing with his cronies enough times, and they gave me enough of a scare to wind up purchasing this," she holds up the Paper Doll, "but I've come out on top twice now so I know what I'm doing. I hope." Perhaps Punii was right. There was no point in focus on the then and later but the now like she usually did. Her worries lingered with her like the always did, but she felt more assured as she let her fears wash out of her system, if even for a bit. She took in a deep breath and let herself recompose and get back together.

"I don't know who that light is, but to be honest, I don't really care at the moment," she speaks in a hushed tone, "what say you once the loot is divided we go and see what's ahead. First sign of trouble and we book it back here. I need to get to Seerus before... well, I need to get to Seerus. What'd ya say?"

[Endgame]

QM Note: The_Customizer, since you were voted in in-character, is there any chance you pass the role to Mortimer in-character as well?

"What he's... capable of? It's... *wheeze* hard to say. He is a creator and a destroyer. He has apparently created island, created species like the Oculoids... But he also weilds some of the most destructive magic. Ethereal blasts, elemental control, mind control, teleportation... He's even mentioned "making time itself bow down to him" before, so I dunno. He's dangerous, I know that.

Karie, I... No. I can *cough* understand you want Masson back, but... He'll send Oculoids. And we won't be able to hold them off. It's too risky. We should *wheeze* be thorough, clear out each room, and move as a group... Or else The Regret may pick us off, one by one. Besides, the Daranzas helped us... Maybe *cough* this light will."

I'm sorry if it's *wheeze* not the answer you were hoping for, but I'm trying to be rational here. I know you want to save your husband, but..."

Punii leaves the sentence trailing for a moment.

"...But The Regret threatens all of us. Every human, he wants dead."

[Emjajoas]

Mortimer swiftly rummages through the loot, chugging back a potion, forking the spoils out quickly. "Johon," he mutters. "I'll give you my whip, since there's not much else here. If anyone has any objections to anything, let me know."

Glacing around the party, he slings the Blazing Bow over his shoulder. "Seems I'm the only person who favours bows..."

Boomingham: Scarlet Hood (Sutiable for anyone, headwear. SP: 4, Immune to Stunned.)

Erdy: Silver ore, Smoke Bomb

Jeaux: Phoenix Essence

Johon: Silver Ore, Old Whip (WP: 10/20 against Beasts)

Karie: Blazing Palm (The severed arm of a Pyroloid, usable as a whip. When not used a sa weapon, it coils around the user's arm like a tattoo. WP: 14, Whip, Fire-elemental. Succesful hits lowers the target's level by 1.)

Mortimer: Blazing Bow (A fiery bow forged by Pyrocloids, for use by Devils. WP: 14, Bow, Fire-elemental.), Counterstrike Gloves

Moving quickly and grimacing, his head jerking to the left every so often, Mortimer uses the magnifying glass on the green light.

[Endgame]

The specter of light reacts quite differently than the Daranzas. Their humanoid forms simply blossomed out from the ball of light... This one appeared to be struggling. Two muscly claws burst from the light, the blob growing as a tail sprouts out of it. It begins to take form, revealing the shape of an ethereal Progg.

"It is nice to finally be able to communicate, but we can all agree that the conditions could be a hell of a lot nicer, eh? Those fiery demons, whether they knew it or not, were suffocating me... But that's a different matter. Hello there - I am Octus, first-born of Prometheus... Now better known as The Regret.

I'm sure that just opened a can of worms, didn't it?"

The ghost chuckles somberly.

[Zepher]

Boomingham heals the entire party, making sure that everyone, Karie included, is well patched up. He lingers with his healing magic over her extra long, just so she notices, but doesn't say a word about it.

"Oh no," he grumbles, "we don't have time to learn to sympathize with you. Take your morbid jokes about of worms elsewhere, ghost. You're dead, whatever the Hel you are, and even if you became the Regret it doesn't matter because the Regret is the thing around now, you know? So even if he had a nice warm childhood it doesn't matter much." Boomingham glares at the creature. "What are you doing here other than attempting to protect him through playing with our heartstrings?"

[Endgame]

"You're jumping to several conclusions before I even speak. If I wanted to kill you, then The Regret would've recruited me.

Protect him? Protect The Regret? No. I plan on helping you, in fact. I can arm you with knowledge, and I'm sure I could lend some material aid as well."

[Emjajoas]

"When you say you're the Regret, I assume you mean you are part of him now."

Mortimer sighs, staring at the apparition with his one and only eye. "Either way, just tell us what we need to know. We've no time to spare."

[Endgame]

"What? What are you even... Oh, no no no... Argh, accursed syntax. This is why I prefer my native tongue. Prometheus and The Regret are the same person in body. That is what I meant. Do not be confused - I am no disciple, no limb, no appendage, no servant - or whatever the hell he calls his lackeys now. I am an entity separate from my father, an entity that seeks to end him.

Prometheus, my father, now going by the title of The Regret, was the third Progg ever created. After the first two Proggs created proved to be nearly infertile, Daranza made two more. They proved to be able to reproduce - as my ghost is evidence - and were practically forced to do so. Their children, my brother and sister's children, eventually blossomed into a full race... A race Daranza and his successors eagerly enslaved.

Meanwhile, my father continued his work as s alive. Caught in an inescapable mining accident, he used magic he had stole from them to irreversibly mutilate his own soul. What crawled out of the mines afterwards was a twisted abomination, a disgrace to the person my father once was. Delirious because of his newfound powers from the tragedy, he began hallucinating... Quite vividly. He claimed to see the dead, the departed, the vengeful, those were suffering... He is the only one who truly knows what he saw shortly after the accident. Either way, in his delirium, he saw me, his first child, his very own son, as some sort of monster. He... attacked me, and killed me. That is an action I could forgive. He saw no choice, he was mad. The years have dulled my rage. Shortly after my death, my mother left him in disgust, and his very existence turned into legend. it became so that Prometheus was blotted from memory entirely, and the abomination that was left from him, the sad husk he was now... Well, we called him The Regret.

But his new crimes? His attempts to wipe out millions upon millions of innocence? His constant destruction? Unforgivable. He knows the consequences of his actions now, and yet he pursues him more passionately than ever.

Tell me what you wish to know about him, heroes. His past, the person he is now... They are among his greatest weaknesses. Ask, and I will try to answer as best as I can."

Edited August 31, 2014 by Endgame

[Emjajoas]

Mortimer clicks his teeth. "Sorry for misunderstanding you. I'm not at my brightest."

Shrugging, he continues, still staring at the ghost. "I only want to know how to end him. I care not for his life story. Call me cold, but the only thing I'd like to do is to shed his blood."

[Endgame]

"...The Regret is an immortal. But he also longed for death, once upon a time. Chances are likely he still very much wants to die. Exploiting that... Will be your one way of somehow putting an end to him."

[Emjajoas]

"So you're saying we need to appeal to his original soul? Cut through the many he's consumed? Some shitty method like that? I'm not in the mood to think about this."

Mortimer spits. "Gods damn immortals. Everything about an immortal being rubs me the wrong way, and the Regret has to be the most prominent reason," he groans. "How do you suggest we exploit the fact that he wants to die?"

Edited August 31, 2014 by Emjajoas

[Endgame]

"No, no... I doubt it. I think nothing of my father left living in that body. In fact, I have a hunch that there's nothing truly left there, period. He's a husk now. A shell of dead man, working, creating, destroying, all to work towards two desires. His desire to erase mankind... and his desire to die. He brands them as hatred and sorrow, respectively. But... He's just an abomination with many tools, working towards his goals. His emotions are tools as well, I suspect. His sadism doesn't make him happy, even in the twisted sense. His anger when his minions fail him... Just needed to make his point more clear. He is a corpse that seeks only to satisfy his two objectives, motivated by hate and tainted memories.

I... don't know. I can try to lay out his psyche as much as I want, but it hardly puts us any closer. It'll help you survive. But when you go toe to toe with The Regret himself, well... You might as well be alone."

Edited August 31, 2014 by Endgame

[Kintobor]

"What he's... capable of? It's... *wheeze* hard to say. He is a creator and a destroyer. He has apparently created island, created species like the Oculoids... But he also weilds some of the most destructive magic. Ethereal blasts, elemental control, mind control, teleportation... He's even mentioned "making time itself bow down to him" before, so I dunno. He's dangerous, I know that.

Karie, I... No. I can *cough* understand you want Masson back, but... He'll send Oculoids. And we won't be able to hold them off. It's too risky. We should *wheeze* be thorough, clear out each room, and move as a group... Or else The Regret may pick us off, one by one. Besides, the Daranzas helped us... Maybe *cough* this light will."

I'm sorry if it's *wheeze* not the answer you were hoping for, but I'm trying to be rational here. I know you want to save your husband, but..."

Punii leaves the sentence trailing for a moment.

"...But The Regret threatens all of us. Every human, he wants dead."

"Well, I feel much more confident about our mission." Karie states sarcastically, "I seriously hope this guy's not messing with time and space. Not only is the concept confusing, I know enough that it's bad to do so."

Karie worryingly lingers over Punii's thoughts. "I... I suppose your right. I still feel bad not doing anything about it. I mean... he should be here." She glares at Lawrence. Even after her husband put himself in harms way to save him, Lawrence still couldn't see past his own self righteousness.

Boomingham heals the entire party, making sure that everyone, Karie included, is well patched up. He lingers with his healing magic over her extra long, just so she notices, but doesn't say a word about it.

"I don't need your help, thank you very much." Karie replies, swatting him away, "I don't see why you feel the need to heal everyone by yourself. I can assist too, or is there a problem?"

[Emjajoas]

"No, no... I doubt it. I think nothing of my father left living in that body. In fact, I have a hunch that there's nothing truly left there, period. He's a husk now. A shell of dead man, working, creating, destroying, all to work towards two desires. His desire to erase mankind... and his desire to die. He brands them as hatred and sorrow, respectively. But... He's just an abomination with many tools, working towards his goals. His emotions are tools as well, I suspect. His sadism doesn't make him happy, even in the twisted sense. His anger when his minions fail him... Just needed to make his point more clear. He is a corpse that seeks only to satisfy his two objectives, motivated by hate and tainted memories.

I... don't know. I can try to lay out his psyche as much as I want, but it hardly puts us any closer. It'll help you survive. But when you go toe to toe with The Regret himself, well... You might as well be alone."

"I'm more than happy to help him with his second objective," Mortimer growls. "Is that the only advice you have for us?"

[The_Customizer]

Erdathcath's ears consumed everything everyone was saying. This new creature, she thought, perhaps he was the best chance they had at defeating the foul creature. Coupled with the burdens of leading the party, and her desire to watch the Regret fall, it slowly became far too much for her. She pulls E---Mortimer over to her, and asks him a question,

"Mortimer, I... I can't lead this group anymore, I have far too bullheaded of a desire to kill the Regret, I fear I may make some crude decisions, or something that may tip us off the falling point, Can you lead the party? No doubt, I can still actively help if you need anything, but I don't think I can handle this burden any more. I have far too much in my mind."

[Emjajoas]

"Of course," Mortimer replies with a nod. "I will do what I can."

[Zepher]

"I kind of thought he was the Regret too," hisses Boomingham to Em. "And I am at my best. Damn."

"Johon, use that little intention magnifying glass on the little fellow," he hisses to the other side. He ignores Karie's anger at being healed.

"So, Octus, what exactly are you trying to do here? You've told us the Regret is an evil chap, but that's what everyone is doing. So, what are you adding, exactly?"

[joeshmoe554]

"The regret's desire to die would explain much of his seemingly irrational behavior. Though I agree with my companions regarding the usefulness of this information. His seems far more intent on destroying everything else in this world than destroying himself, and there is little we could do to change his mind in this area."

[Endgame]

"I kind of thought he was the Regret too," hisses Boomingham to Em. "And I am at my best. Damn."

"Johon, use that little intention magnifying glass on the little fellow," he hisses to the other side. He ignores Karie's anger at being healed.

"So, Octus, what exactly are you trying to do here? You've told us the Regret is an evil chap, but that's what everyone is doing. So, what are you adding, exactly?"

"The regret's desire to die would explain much of his seemingly irrational behavior. Though I agree with my companions regarding the usefulness of this information. His seems far more intent on destroying everything else in this world than destroying himself, and there is little we could do to change his mind in this area."

"Eh, fair enough. It's not groundbreaking, but... I'll leave you with a warning. The Regret has almost completely fortified this Citadel. The treasure hunters are being effortlessly staved off from the outside, he's keeping almost every specter trying to breach their way into land of the living suffocated... He's defending this place on practically all fronts, physical or not. Why you're in here, well... Either my father miscaluclated, and you're being manipulated.

It seems like I've become a bit of a doomsayer, so here... allow me to give you something material to help you through. I picked this little trick up in the afterlife; you can learn a lot to talking to your former slavemasters."

With a snap of his ghostly fingers, Octus does... something to the party. The heroes find themselves brimming with power, the entire party encouraged for the next battle.

"Neat trick, eh? I'm guessing you'll have to forge deeper into the Citadel soon, though."

QM Note: I'll move this along later tonight/tomorrow morning.

[Emjajoas]

"Your father no doubt has plans," Mortimer snaps. "If he's fending off the other intruders, can we not pierce his lines from the rear, allowing them entry? It'd distract the other oculoids, no doubt."

The warden sighs. "I've no idea how you could forgive your father for killing you," he mutters. "I hated mine for less. Tch. Let's move on, shall we?"

[Endgame]

"...He wasn't in control of himself, then. He is now."

[Endgame]

QM Note: Had a tornado spotted near where I live, so sorry for the delay! (It lasted only a minute and tore up some trees - no casualties, thanfkully.)

"The past is in the past now. Good bye and good luck, heroes. Send my father my regards."

With that, Octus's spirit vanishes, the party taking one last look at the carnage in the crematorium. Satisfied that all was done there, they exitted the room, and ascended the stairs in the foyer, bringing them to a large door. They open the door and step through, a chill descending upon them as they forged onward...

It was small, chilly courtyard. Plants seemingly made out of steel stand near the door on the other side, oozing a volatile looking venom. The grass had mostly withered up and died from the plants secreting the toxic liquid. No snow falls into the courtyard, strangely - the party looks up and sees the snow getting repelled above them, likely because of some sort of bubble of wind magic.

The heroes can hear a hoarse voice - sounding like that of a young girl's - speak out.

"You... aren't The Regret's troops... Are you?"

Looking around, the party cannot discern the source.

Edited September 1, 2014 by Endgame

[Emjajoas]

"No, we aren't," Mortimer replies, tense, his head cocked to the left. "Are you?"