Heroica RPG - Quest#125: The Dollhouse

**Sandy** · March 5, 2015

"Power is for no one but the select few. Obviously, you've been enthralled with this book for so long you failed to realize that." Althior grips his scepter, "We're some of those who hold the power. Care for a demonstration?"

The ghoulish nanny turned her hollow eyes on Althior.

"Do not get snotty with me, mister! I will show you your place!"

The deep shadows in the room begin to move, shuffling the sheets on the bed and the curtains on the window, and making the door of the closet creak. The heroes could see a flash of an eyeball and hear claws scraping in the darkness.

"Aah! Boogeymen! Make them go away!"

"Your fears feed them, as they feed this house, silly girl. You do not have any hope of returning to your dear mother and father if you keep bawling like a baby. But what else could I expect from the likes of you..."

Lilly's fear turned into anger in a split second.

"Mrgrgr! I'll show you my power, you nasty hag!"

PREPARE FOR BATTLE!

Enemies:

Monster-Under-The-Bed

*Immune to poisoned, cursed and bleeding*

Type: Demon

Level: 40

Health: 800/800

Special: Twist Ankle – Causes 40 damage and the bound-effect to the target.

Drops: Comfy Pillow (If the user is inflicted by asleep- or fast asleep-effect, they regain full health and ether; accessory.)

Monster-In-The-Closet

*Immune to poisoned, cursed and bleeding*

Type: Demon

Level: 40

Health: 800/800

Special: Peek-a-Boo! – Scares the target, making it drop their held weapon – which must then be retrieved – and de-equip all their artifacts.

Drops: Coat Hanger (Allows wearing a second bodywear artifact regardless of the amount limit for artifacts; accessory)

Monster-Behind-The-Curtains

*Immune to poisoned, cursed and bleeding*

Type: Demon

Level: 40

Health: 800/800

Special: Howling Wind – Causes 40 wind-elemental damage to all opponents.

Drops: Special Curtain (Changes SPECIAL DAMAGE roll into a SPECIAL GUARD, giving a 1/2 chance to be protected from any negative effects caused by the opponent’s special skill; backwear)

The Nanny

*Immune to negative effects and sudden death*

Type: Demon

Level: 90

Health: 1800/1800

Special I: War Story – All opponents become enraged. Destroys the Scroll of Rage from the drops.

Special II: Bedtime Story – All opponents fall fast asleep. Destroys the Scroll of Deep Sleep from the drops.

Special III: Sob Story – All opponents become fragile. Destroys the Scroll of Frailty from the drops.

Special IV: Horror Story – All opponents become afraid. Destroys the Scroll of Fear from the drops.

Special V: Love Story – All opponents become enamored. Destroys the Scroll of Love from the drops.

Special VI: Boring Story - All opponents become slowed. Destroys the Scroll of Sloth from the drops.

Special VII: The End – The party is removed from the battle and the quest fails immediately.

Drops: Scroll of Rage (Enables casting the enraged-effect to the target, forcing it to fight from the front row until the end of the battle. Each casting has a 50/50 chance of success and costs 1 ether.), Scroll of Deep Sleep (Enables casting the fast asleep-effect to the target, forcing it to miss its turn for six rounds or until woken up by an attack. Each casting has a 50/50 chance of success and costs 1 ether.), Scroll of Frailty (Enables casting the fragile-effect to the target, causing it to take double damage for the next three rounds. Each casting has a 50/50 chance of success and costs 1 ether.), Scroll of Fear (Enables casting the afraid-effect to the target, forcing it to fight from the back row until the end of the battle. Each casting has a 50/50 chance of success and costs 1 ether.), Scroll of Love (Enables casting the enamored-effect to the target, making it unable to damage the caster for three rounds. Each casting has a 50/50 chance of success and costs 1 ether.), Scroll of Sloth (Enables casting the slowed-effect on the target, making them unable to perform Free Hits. Each casting has a 50/50 chance of success and costs 10 ether.)

Note: Each special attack is only used once, in order.

Party:

Althior Emorith, The Dragonslayer (K-Nut) *Party Leader*

35 years old male human Necromancer

Level 46 2/5 *Gains Triple Experience* *Absorbs Earth* *Immune to Petrified, Fragile, and Darkness*

Power: 67 (46+21) (Spellpower: 72 (46+21+5))

Defense: 10 (2+5+3)

Health: 38/56 (5+45+5+1)

Ether: 58/61 (5+45+5+4+2)

Gold: 1210 (owed 65g by Warlen Meliname)

Equipment: Scepter of Divine Affinity (WP:21, Has ⅙ chance to deal Cursed effect on successful spells and ⅙ chance to deal Blessed effect on successful healing, Staff), Spellbound Gloves (+5 spellpower; handwear), Ethereal Cloak (SP:2, Max Ether +4; backwear), Medal of Glory (Wearer earns triple experience; accessory), Robe of the Seneschal (SP:5; wearer absorbs earth-elemental damage and is immune to petrified and darkness elemental damage; suitable to clerics, mages, chi monks, necromancers and scholars; bodywear), Lieutenant's Helm (SP:3, protects from fragile; headwear)

Inventory:

Artifacts: Robes of Illumination (SP: 5, +10 Max Ether, wearer is permanently transcended, suitable to prophets; bodywear)

Spell Items: Diamond (Light), Topaz (Lightning), Amethyst (Darkness), Ruby (Fire), Sapphire (Wind), Garnet (Earth), 2 Opals (Ice), Aquamarine (Water), Emerald (Wood)

Consumables: 6 Tonics, 3 Ether Cores, 6 Remedies, Phoenix Incense, 5 Meads, 3 Nostrums, Garnet Lamp of Summoning, Skeleton Decoy, Feather of Lithe (Makes the user nimble for three rounds, giving them a 1/3 chance to completely avoid rolls of COUNTER and DAMAGE and Free Hits.), Feather of Flight (Allows the user to flee from the battle when used.), Skadi Bomb (Causes 100 Ice Elemental Damage to all opponents when used), Mythril

Tools etc.: Bedroll, Magnifying Glass, 2 Bones

Alexis Fenral, Orc-kin (Masked Builder)

24 year old female elven Assassin

Level 49 2/5 *Immune to Bound and Slowed* *Gains Triple Experience* *Permanently Hastened*

Power: 81 (49+20+12)

Defense: 0

Health: 71/71 (6+6+48+5+5+1)

Gold: 56

Equipment: Steel Fan (WP:20, ice-, lightning-, and darkness-elemental, dagger), Medal of Glory (Mark of true talent that allows the wearer to gain triple experience from battles; accessory), Winged Sandals (protects from bound and slowed effects; footwear), Big Bear Suit (Doubles base and class bonus health and ether; bodywear), Quickdraw Quiver (permanent hastened-effect, suitable to rangers, backwear),

Inventory:

Weapons: Toy Cannon (WP:30, damages all opponents; has 1/6 chance to break when used; handcannon), Cat-o'-Nine-Tails (WP: 20, damage divided between all enemies, whip), Death's Whip (WP:11, on successful hits there is a 1/6 chance to cause double damage), Healing Staff (WP: 5; healing effect), Staff of Ennon (WP: 5, light-elemental, Restores 2 ether on a roll of 2, 3, or 4; staff), Fang Dagger (WP: 4), Town Watch Halberd (WP: 6),

Artifacts: Electro Gear (Adds lightning-element to physical attacks and protects from lightning-elemental damage, accessory), Smelly Hide (Suitable for barbarians and beast warriors, half damage from beasts and humanoids on Damage, bodywear), Lieutenant's Helmet (SP:3, protects from fragile), Duplovian Helmet of the Guard (SP:2, Immune to Magic and Healing; headwear), Ring of Sight (protects from blinded; accessory), Regret's Cape (Backwear, grants immunity to first negative effect afflicted each battle), Aventine's Cape (SP:1, immunity to darkness and water; backwear), Counterstrike Gloves (If the wearer is damaged by a Free Hit, they counter with strength equal to their level; handwear)

Spell Items: Diamond (Light), Topaz (Lightning)

Consumables: 6 Potions, 8 Grand Potions, Health Core, 7 Remedies, 9 Meads, Smelling Salts, 2 Somas, Mulled Wine, 5 Venoms, 3 Deadly Venom, Crimson Venom (Causes a weapon to deal the poisoned by 7 and cursed effects for the duration of one battle), Red Death Blood (If applied to a weapon the Doomed effect is dealt on first blow), 2 Lightning Bombs, 7 Water Bombs, 3 Dirt Bombs, Skeleton Decoy, 7 Bones, 2 Grating Stones, Zoot's Cookie, Adamantite

Tools etc.: Bedroll, Magic Compass, Magnifying Glass, Pickaxe, Shovel, Venom, Bedroll, Fifty Shades of Bley (Grants access to the Harlot expert job class), Silver Ore (worth 60 gold)

Arthur Justus Regulus VII, a Hero Who Is Actually Worth Something (Flipz)

22 year old male human Weather Mage

Level 36 *Immune to Blinded, Confused, Bound and Slowed* *Overkill* *Lucky*

Power: 56 (36+20)

Defense: 16 (8x2)

Health: 41/50 (5+35+4+6)

Ether: 13/48 (5+35+6+2)

Gold: 569 (Owed 128 gold by Boomingham)

Equipment: Zoot's Rebel (WP:20 "broomstick", suitable to Arthur only), Shadeaux Cape (SP:8, Immune to Blind and Confused, suitable to those with reputation among the Shadeaux only; if reputation is great, SP is doubled; if reputation is outstanding, SP is tripled; backwear), Winged Sandals (Protects from bound- and slowed-effects; footwear), Overkill Gloves (Gives the wearer 1 gold for every point of damage they do extra when they defeat an enemy; handwear), Lens of Speed Reading (Allows a scroll to be read in addition to a normal action; accessory)

Inventory:

Weapons: Staff of the Cultist Battlemage (WP: 7, staff, 50% chance of Fleeing upon being KO'd), Staff of Ennon - (WP: 5, Light-Elemental, staff, Restores 2 ether on a roll of 2, 3, or 4), Healing Staff A (WP: 5, staff, heals instead of damaging), Healing Staff B (WP: 5, staff, heals instead of damaging), Unlucky Horseshoe (WP:13, retrievable throwing weapon, causes Jinxed-effect) (Lent to Docken), Sword of the Vampir (WP:17, user is Jinxed), Sir Roderick's Sword (WP:12, Longsword), Clockwork Lance (WP:12, has 1/3 chance to cause slowed-effect on the target; lance), Gladiator Trident (WP: 11, Spear, causes bleeding-by-5 effect), Stag Antlers (WP:10, grants Intimidation; halberd), Metasimian Dory (WP:10, pierces defense; spear), Spider Leg (WP:10, doubled against flying enemies; spear), Dauntlet Index (WP: 10, doubled against humanoids; spear), Duplovian Swift Halberd (WP:3, halberd, stuns on successful hits, Hollow [nothing]), Arm Shield (SP:14, shield), Crescent Shield (SP: 5, halved damage from elemental attacks, shield) (Lent to Purpearl), Blue Hand Shield (SP:5, grants immunity to five effects of the user’s choice; these immunities cannot be changed once selected Immune to Hexed, Petrified, Minimized, Jinxed, and Stunned; shield) (Lent to Purpearl), )

Artifacts: Tin Helmet (Immunity to confused- and hexed-effects; headwear.), Tin Greaves (Immunity to stunned-, slowed- and hastened-effects; footwear), Tin Gloves (Power +1, multiplied by the number of “tin” artifacts equipped; suitable to knights, dragoons, skirmishers and vindicators; handwear), Tin Armor (SP:6, multiplied by the number of “tin” artifacts equipped; suitable to knights, dragoons, skirmishers and vindicators; bodywear), White Ninja Cowl (The wearer can choose to hide for up to three rounds, avoiding Free Hits; the effect ends if the user targets an enemy; suitable to rogues, beast warriors, chi monks and infiltrators; headwear), Pointy Hat (+2 Max Ether), Unicorn Helmet (SP:1; the wearer can only receive one negative effect at a time, with a new effect replacing the old one; headwear, usable by barbarians, knights, dragoons, infiltrators, regulators, skirmishers, and winged warriors), Sylvania's Cowl (Permits Animal Talk, headwear), Duke's Coat-of-Arms (SP: 5, Protects against Fragile and all Poisons; bodywear, suitable for knights, dragoons, skirmishers and regulators), Stingy Gloves (Prevents enemies from ever stealing gold from you; handwear), Shackles of War (Prevents anyone from fleeing battles; accessory), Zap-Tap Badge (Has a 1/2 chance to deal Electric damage to an opponent who has dealt damage to a hero, equal to the hero's level; accessory), Scarf of Misfortune (Wearer deals the Jinxed effect on every third round; accessory), Trickster's Mask of the Elf (changes the wearer into an elf of the same gender when worn; accessory), Sandman’s Parasol (Protects from asleep- and fast asleep –effects; accessory), Enchanted Bracelet (Protects from sealed-effect; accessory), Macabre Collar (Provides immunity to Sudden Death and Doomed; accessory)

Spell Items: Amethyst (Darkness), Topaz (Lightning), Opal (Ice), Diamond (Light), Garnet (Earth), Aquamarine (Water), Sapphire (Wind), Scroll of Blindness, Scroll of Sealing (Lent to De'kra), Scroll of Confusion, Scroll of Sleep, Scroll of Frailty, Scroll of Armor Sundering (Has 1/2 chance to reduce target’s SP by 5 at the cost of 1 ether), Scroll of Poisoning (Grants target’s weapon the Poisoned 10 effect for one battle at the cost of 5 ether), Scroll of Luck (Grants target the Lucky-effect for one battle. Costs 10 ether.) (lent to Hybros), Scroll of Weakening, Scroll of Minimizing (Has 1/2 chance of causing the minimized-effect on the target; costs 10 ether.)

Consumables: Potion, 5x Grand Potion, Tonic, Grand Tonic, Ether Core, 7x Remedy, 2x Elixir, 2x Phoenix Essence, Fenghuang Incense, Hurricane, 2x Mead, Smelling Salts, 3x Neutralizer, Exterlate, Noxious Venom (When used on a weapon, the weapon deals the Poisoned-by-10 effect for the duration of the battle and the Confused effect for the next three rounds, for the duration of one battle.), Crumbling Venom (-3 HP/-1 SP per round), Blind Fury, Love Potion, Seal Bomb, 2x Stun Bomb, 4x Smoke Bomb, 2x Bones, Grating Stone, Ella's Pie (Permanently boosts max. ether by 5 but permanently decreases max. health by 5 when consumed.)

Tools etc: Bedroll, Telescope, Shovel, Pickaxe, Magic Compass, Begone with the Winds (Grants the holder access to the Weather Mage expert job class upon reaching Level 30), 2x Silver Ore

Lilly Ziegfried (NPC, controlled by K-Nut)

7 years old female human Puppeteer

Level 31 1/4 *Immune to Sealed, Afraid and Doomed* *Gains gold equal to number of enemies* *Free Hits have 1/6 chance to be redirected at another enemy* *Ignores Free Hits from Beasts*

Power: 30

Defense: 1

Health: 31/31 (1+30)

Ether: 22/34 (1+30+3)

Gold: 6

Equipment: Pink Ribbon (Max. Ether +3, grants immunity to sealed, afraid and doomed; accessory), Noble Mask (Wearer gains gold equal to the number of enemies after each victorious battle; headwear), Cloak of Deception (Free hits against the wearer have a 1/6 chance to be redirected to a random opponent; backwear), Fur Leggings (SP: 1, beast enemies do not deal free hits to the wearer; footwear),

Inventory: 3 Potions, 3 Grand Potions, 3 Grand Tonics, 3 Remedies, 2 Elixirs, Smelling Salts, Stun Bomb, Smoke Bomb, 8 Toys (see below)

Toy Soldier (Toy)

Power: 30

Note: pierces defense; has 1/6 chance to break when used

Dour Dolly (Toy)

Power: 30

Note: Causes weakened-effect; has 1/6 chance to break when used

Morbid Molly (Toy)

Power: 30

Note: Causes cursed-effect; has 1/6 chance to break when used

Negative Nelly (Toy)

Power: 30

Note: Causes jinxed-effect; has 1/6 chance to break when used

Baddie Panda (Toy)

Power: 45

Note: Causes confused-effect; has 1/6 chance to break when used

Deaddy Bear (Toy)

Power: 45

Note: Causes doomed-effect; has 1/6 chance to break when used

Naughty Bear (Toy)

Power: 45

Note: Causes sealed-effect; has 1/6 chance to break when used

Snooty Bear (Toy)

Power: 45

Note: Causes fast asleep-effect; has 1/6 chance to break when used

Equestria (Toy)

Power: 50

Note: Causes light-elemental damage; cannot break but costs 5 ether to use

Flipz · March 5, 2015

As the heroes pieced together the tragic story of Ziegfried and Zieglinde, the shadows in the corners grew and the bedroom darkened.

"Not that story!" Lilly muttered as the heroes read the story out loud. "It's the worst of them all! Why did the girl had to die? Why couldn't she become a powerful sorceress instead of her killer brother?"

Once the story was correctly finished, someone snatched the book from Arthur's hands.

"The end."

"Waaah!!! A ghost!"

"Power is not for little girls. That is the morale of that story. All you have to do is to be nice and do as you are told."

The ghastly woman that had appeared in front of them had a dry, monotonous voice that seeped loathing towards the girl. Her long black dress was veiled in the shadows that had overtaken the room.

What would the heroes do next?

Arthur vibrates with suppressed rage.

"Bull. Megablocking. Shit," Arthur growls. "Not only is that the sorriest excuse for a moral I've ever seen, but--"

"Power is for no one but the select few. Obviously, you've been enthralled with this book for so long you failed to realize that." Althior grips his scepter, "We're some of those who hold the power. Care for a demonstration?"

"That's not a better moral, either! Clearly the best--"

The ghoulish nanny turned her hollow eyes on Althior.

"Do not get snotty with me, mister! I will show you your place!"

The deep shadows in the room begin to move, shuffling the sheets on the bed and the curtains on the window, and making the door of the closet creak. The heroes could see a flash of an eyeball and hear claws scraping in the darkness.

"Aah! Boogeymen! Make them go away!"

"Your fears feed them, as they feed this house, silly girl. You do not have any hope of returning to your dear mother and father if you keep bawling like a baby. But what else could I expect from the likes of you..."

Lilly's fear turned into anger in a split second.

"Mrgrgr! I'll show you my power, you nasty hag!"

PREPARE FOR BATTLE!

"Oh for the love of Ethereth, never mind."

"Alexis, I could really use some Smelling Salts right about now," Arthur says, attempting to forecast Bright weather, then Blindness on the Monster Behind the Curtains (just once), and then cast Light at The Nanny, all from the Back Row.

Edited March 5, 2015 by Flipz

K-Nut · March 5, 2015

"Figured you might say that," Althior casts Light on Monster-Under-The-Bed from the Back Row.

Naughty Bear attacks Monster-In-The-Closet.

Lilly attacks Monster-In-The-Closet from the Back Row.

Battle Order

Arthur

Althior

Alexis

Naughty Bear

Lilly

Arthur

Flipz · March 6, 2015

Arthur drinks a Mead, then passes Althior 245 gold. He then offers another 35 to the Necromancer, adding, "any chance I could have one of those Nostrums?" If Althior gives Arthur a Nostrum, he drinks it.

Before moving on, Arthur checks over Merlyn to make sure he's all right. "Merlyn? Can you hear me?"

OOC: Arthur should be Encouraged and down to one Mead based on this post. :wink:

Masked Builder · March 6, 2015

"This dollhouse is filled with wackos." Alexis uses a smelling salts on Arthur, then swings the Cat O'nine Tails at Monster-Behind-The-Curtains.

**Sandy** · March 6, 2015

Results of Round One of the Bedroom Battle:

>Arthur forecasts bright weather - Bad Forecast/Great Forecast (Arthur: weather changed to bright for the next 6 rounds; -1 ether)

>Arthur uses Scroll of Blindness on MBTC - Failure (Arthur: -1 ether)

>Althior (Light) vs. MUTB - Special Damage (Twist Ankle - Althior: 38 health+10 SP-(40/2=20 dmg)=28 health+bound)

>Alexis uses Smelling Salts on Arthur - (Arthur: hastened)

Alexis (Cat-o'-Nine-Tails) vs. MTBC - Lethal Aim (20 damage divided between all enemies; MTBC: 800 health-5 dmg=795 health; The Nanny: 1800 health-5 dmg=1795 health; MUTB: 800 health-5 dmg=795 health; MITC: 800 health-5 dmg=795 health)

Naughty Bear hits MITC - (MITC: 795 health-45 dmg=750 health+sealed; Naughty Bear breaks; Lilly: -1 ether)

>Lilly vs. MITC - Special Mirror (no effect)

>Arthur (Light) vs. The Nanny - Damage/Mist (The Nanny: no elemental weaknesses for a round; Arthur: -1 ether)

Arthur forecasts that bright sunshine would soon drive away the menacing shadows. Before that happens, Arthur is unable to blind his target while the monster lurking under the bed makes Althior trip and sprain his ankle. Alexis hastens Arthur with some Smelling Salts, and follows with a lash of her whip that does minimal damage to the enemies. Lilly commands one of her bears to hit the monster in the closet, but the bear breaks in the process. Arthur envelops the Nanny into a mist that makes her susceptible to all elements.

All four enemies still remain when the room is suddenly bathed in sharp light.

Current weather: Bright (doubles light-damage and halves darkness-damage for 6 rounds)

Enemies:

Monster-Under-The-Bed

*Immune to poisoned, cursed and bleeding*

Type: Demon

Level: 40

Health: 795/800

Special: Twist Ankle – Causes 40 damage and the bound-effect to the target.

Drops: Comfy Pillow (If the user is inflicted by asleep- or fast asleep-effect, they regain full health and ether; accessory.)

Monster-In-The-Closet

*Immune to poisoned, cursed and bleeding* *Sealed for 3 rounds*

Type: Demon

Level: 40

Health: 750/800

Special: Peek-a-Boo! – Scares the target, making it drop their held weapon – which must then be retrieved – and de-equip all their artifacts.

Drops: Coat Hanger (Allows wearing a second bodywear artifact regardless of the amount limit for artifacts; accessory)

Monster-Behind-The-Curtains

*Immune to poisoned, cursed and bleeding*

Type: Demon

Level: 40

Health: 795/800

Special: Howling Wind – Causes 40 wind-elemental damage to all opponents.

Drops: Special Curtain (Changes SPECIAL DAMAGE roll into a SPECIAL GUARD, giving a 1/2 chance to be protected from any negative effects caused by the opponent’s special skill; backwear)

The Nanny

*Immune to negative effects and sudden death* *Elemental immunities negated for 1 round*

Type: Demon

Level: 90

Health: 1795/1800