Heroica RPG - Quest#125: The Dollhouse

[K-Nut]

Althior chuckles. "I bet you would like to see that happen to me. Nevertheless, the gesture is appreciated." He eyes the helmet before stuffing it in his bag, "Won't catch me dead wearing it though."

Edited March 30, 2015 by K-Nut

[Masked Builder]

Alexis looks at Lilly. "You have done very well Lilly, If you work hard you may be more powerful than us one day." She thinks for a minute. "I would like Snooty Bear. You want this cookie Arthur?"

[Sandy]

QM Note: Hahaha, wouldn't it be great to see one of my most influential villains refined into a Decamon card?

"Dull adults? I'll take Deaddy Bear then. He reminds me of me a little bit," he turns to Bluto. "So you're telling me that this witch has hidden this from everyone for thousands of years? Do you think she's coercing the actions of Ulric then? I don't know how much of the inner sanctum of the Wolfgang you've seen,"

"I think both Baba and Ulric are using each other. The werewolf is not helpless against her, after all. It seemed to me Ulric has something that keeps Baba in check. He is fiercely determined to become the king of this city, but that can't be the only reason why people flaunt over him. I wish I could tell you more, but the Wolf's Den is heavily guarded by magic that I could not decipher. I did not see any powerful wizards there, other than Baba, so I really wonder how Ulric was able to veil his hideout so well... Sorry I can't help you more."

Althior turns to Arthur with a look of seriousness in his eye as he brings his voice down a level. "I need you to leave the Veterans out of this. Until we know more about what she can do, they cannot be trusted, especially if there truly is a mole among them." He takes a moment to pause. "You're still the same naive kid I tried to help out all those years ago, but I'm trusting that you know I'm right here."

"Umm, I'm sorry, but I already told my parents about Baba. The Veterans must have heard by now..."

"I like the sound of that, too. And hey, I'm family too, after all--if you ever need my help, I'm just a Z-mail away."

Lilly ran to Arthur and gave him a tight hug.

"Yes you are! After thinking about it, I've decided that you're not so creepy after all. Noel is still better looking, though."

"Yeah...I have to agree with you there. But," he says, pausing meaningfully, "this means there is a way to defeat her. When you get back to the Hall, go find Atramor, tell him about Baba, and especially that card. He has something that might--might--be able to help."

"Thank you Bluto. I'm certain that what you just told us is going to save a lot of lives."

"If you intend to kill Baba, I'll have my fingers crossed for you. Just find a way to do it quickly and efficiently, or else she will get you. I don't know anything about mindflayers, but she has lived at least a thousand years, so she has had a chance to flay countless minds by now, I bet."

"Okay, enough blabbering! Here's all your stuff back - I'm tired of carrying it around."

Lilly gave back the following items:

• 29 gold
  
• 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), ,
  
• 3 Potions
  
• 2 Grand Potions
  
• 2 Grand Tonics
  
• 2 Remedies
  
• 2 Elixirs
  
• Stun Bomb
  
• Smoke Bomb
  

"Now I have to go talk to the grown-ups about what happened, but I'll tell them only good things about you guys. Thanks a bunch, again!"

The heroes then saw themselves out of the Ziegfried Manor, with a lot on their minds. No excessive souls serving an archdemon, though.

~THE QUEST IS SUCCESSFUL!~

Party:

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

35 years old male human Necromancer

Level 47 4/5 *Gains Triple Experience* *Absorbs Earth* *Immune to Petrified and Darkness*

Power: 68 (47+21) (Spellpower: 73 (47+21+5))

Defense: 7 (2+5)

Health: 57/57 (5+46+5+1)

Ether: 62/62 (5+46+5+4+2)

Gold: 2180 (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),

Inventory:

Weapons: Staff of the Supreme Necromancer (WP:25; damages undead; +5 level to raised undead; suitable to necromancers; staff)

Artifacts: Lieutenant's Helm (SP:3, protects from fragile; headwear), Robes of Illumination (SP: 5, +10 Max Ether, wearer is permanently transcended, suitable to prophets; bodywear), Coat Hanger (Allows wearing a second bodywear artifact regardless of the amount limit for artifacts; accessory), Pink Ribbon (Max. Ether +3, grants immunity to sealed, afraid and doomed; accessory), Tin Helmet (Immunity to confused- and hexed-effects; headwear.)

Spell Items: 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 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.)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, 5 Remedies, Phoenix Incense, 4 Meads, Nostrum, 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.), Mythril)

Tools etc.: Bedroll, Magnifying Glass, 2 Bones, Deaddy Bear (Causes 45 damage and doomed but has 1/6 chance to break whenever used

Alexis Fenral, Orc-kin (Masked Builder)

24 year old female elven Assassin

Level 50 3/5 *Immune to Magic, Healing, Bound and Slowed* *Gains Triple Experience* *Counterstrike* *Permanently Hastened*

Power: 73 (50+11+12)

Defense: 2

Health: 72/72 (6+6+49+5+5+1)

Gold: 161

Equipment: Death's Whip (WP:11, on successful hits there is a 1/6 chance to cause double damage), 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), Counterstrike Gloves (If the wearer is damaged by a Free Hit, they counter with strength equal to their level; handwear), Duplovian Helmet of the Guard (SP:2, Immune to Magic and Healing; headwear)

Inventory:

Weapons: Cat-o'-Nine-Tails (WP: 20, damage divided between all enemies, whip), Steel Fan (WP:20, ice-, lightning-, and darkness-elemental, dagger), Toy Cannon (WP:30, damages all opponents; has 1/6 chance to break when used; handcannon), 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: Ziegfried’s Pointy Hat (Max. Ether +3; suitable to classes with ether and those with Ziegfried reputation only; if reputation is great, ether is doubled; reputation is outstanding, ether is tripled; headwear), 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), , Ring of Sight (protects from blinded; accessory), Regret's Cape (Backwear, grants immunity to first negative effect afflicted each battle), 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), Aventine's Cape (SP:1, immunity to darkness and water; backwear)

Spell Items: 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.), Diamond (Light), Topaz (Lightning), Aquamarine (Water), Sapphire (Wind)

Consumables: 6 Potions, 7 Grand Potions, Health Core, 7 Remedies, 9 Meads, 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), Snooty Bear (Causes 45 damage and fast asleep but has 1/6 chance to break whenever used)

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

22 year old male human Weather Mage

Level 36 3/4 *Immune to blinded and confused* *Overkill*

Power: 56 (36+20)

Defense: 16 (8x2)

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

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

Gold: 2302 (Owed 128 gold by Boomingham)

Equipment: Zoot's Rebel (WP:20 "broomstick", suitable to Arthur only), 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), Shadeaux Cape (SP:8, Immune to blinded 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)

Inventory:

Weapons: Weatherfax Broom (WP:25; makes weather forecasts instant instead of being applied at the end of the round; suitable to weather mages; broomstick), 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: Winged Sandals (Protects from bound- and slowed-effects; footwear), 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), Comfy Pillow (If the user is inflicted by asleep- or fast asleep-effect, they regain full health and ether; accessory.)

Spell Items: Amethyst (Darkness), Topaz (Lightning), Opal (Ice), Diamond (Light), Garnet (Earth), 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.), 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 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.)

Consumables: Potion, 5x Grand Potion, Tonic, Grand Tonic, 7x Remedy, 2x Elixir, 2x Phoenix Essence, Fenghuang Incense, Hurricane, 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, 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, Negative Nelly (Causes 30 damage and jinxed but has 1/6 chance to break whenever used)

[K-Nut]

"Alright, I'll take back my Elxirs, Grand Tonics, and Potions. I'll also take the gold, if no one minds, and everything else goes back to Arthur." He sighs, hearing that the veterans have probably heard of the news. "Even if the Veterans have heard, this information stays between us, at least for now. Include Gibbin if you really want to, Regulus, but right now it should stay very, very confidential, got it?"

Althior steps out the gate of the manor as he begins his trek around town, Finnegans faint glow following behind him. He stops as he is halfway down the street. Stuffing his gloved hands into the pockets of his coat, he turns around to take one last glance at the manor. Was his job done in protecting the boy? Only time would tell, but he still had some feeling that he would venture into the manor once more. He turns back forward, continuing his walk down the street with a newfound sense of accomplishment. The Lotus should be open at this hour, he thinks.

[Flipz]

Alexis looks at Lilly. "You have done very well Lilly, If you work hard you may be more powerful than us one day." She thinks for a minute. "I would like Snooty Bear. You want this cookie Arthur?"

"Sure," Arthur says simply, tossing 140 gold Alexis' way for the Zoot's Cookie. "Should be enough to pay for an upgrade or two," he adds, nodding toward the Assassin's Adamantite. Well, he thinks, not a perfect place, but better than we left off. Another life chapter closed, I suppose. He sighs softly, slipping the Chaotic relic into his pocket before invisibly absorbing it for additional health.

"Alright, I'll take back my Elxirs, Grand Tonics, and Potions. I'll also take the gold, if no one minds, and everything else goes back to Arthur." He sighs, hearing that the veterans have probably heard of the news. "Even if the Veterans have heard, this information stays between us, at least for now. Include Gibbin if you really want to, Regulus, but right now it should stay very, very confidential, got it?"

Althior steps out the gate of the manor as he begins his trek around town, Finnegans faint glow following behind him. He stops as he is halfway down the street. Stuffing his gloved hands into the pockets of his coat, he turns around to take one last glance at the manor. Was his job done in protecting the boy? Only time would tell, but he still had some feeling that he would venture into the manor once more. He turns back forward, continuing his walk down the street with a newfound sense of accomplishment. The Lotus should be open at this hour, he thinks.

Arthur nods distractedly. The thought of the Veterans knowing the truth behind Barbariccia and not telling any Heroes was more disturbing to him than the idea of him having to hide a secret from the traitor among their ranks.

As the Weather Mage bid his farewell to his new family, a feeling of fatigue fell upon him. I don't want to go, he thought mournfully to himself. The people in that house...that's my family. As strange and foreign as they are, as daunting the dangers they face...I can't wait to see them again. Back in the Hall, though...what exactly do I have to look forward to in that place?

These thoughts consuming his mind, Arthur Regulus the Ziegfried slowly heads toward the Hall he had once called home.

OOC: Thanks for the amazing Quest, Sandy! If it truly turns out to be Arthur's last, I don't think I could have asked for a better way to go out.