Heroica RPG - Quest #138: Fade To Black

[Lind Whisperer]

"Wasn't that like three years ago? And I would of thought yer party dealt with him back then." The ogre's expression softened, "Can't imagine all this worryin' doin' any good fer yer little one. What about the vaporizin' machine, I thought ya had a good dose of the stuff?"

Partially sober, Father Steve looked up from the bucket with a mischievous twinkle in his eye. "Anyone need more *hic* vaporization?"

OoC: I'll be AFK for a bit, so if there's an update, Lind follows the party leader's instructions.

[Endgame]

"Well, it's nearly sundown. You best get moving."

"Come back safe! And I don't just mean Jinnipher. I mean all of you."

"Best of luck."

The slightly inebriated party somberly exits the safehouse and struts out of the inn, the innkeeper looking at them nervously as they exit.

The streets of Mermont were bustling, all of them flocking towards the city center.

They meet the familiar fanatic who was preaching to a crow a couple hours earlier.

"It's here! He's here! It's time! C'mon, don't look like that! Look alive, follow me! It's time for the execution!"

The party had never seen someone grin so widely about an execution. The fanatic runs as fast as her billowy dress allows into the flow of traffic, the heroes staying careful to remain as a unit as they walk through the foggy streets of Mermont. Careful not to get lost in the shuffle, the party arrives at the city square...

Where Vorpalis - and the captive Faust - were there. Aeolus stands between Vorpalis and the guillotine, while Faust struggles in the dark behemoth's grip. A line of guardsmen keep a group of both excited and spiteful citizens at bay, as if the massive dragon and his intimidating aura weren't more than enough.

"People of Moone!" booms the Elder Dragon.

"For as long as most of you can remember, Faust has ruled this country. Indeed, for as long as anyone can remember, he has ruled Moone - for he has been the only king in this beautiful country's millennium long history. But what allowed this man's thousand-year rule, his iron grip on this country for ten long centuries? A lie. Moone is a remnant of a far larger kingdom and country, Mercution. And one day many moons ago, all hell broke loose in that kingdom - quite literally. Demons poured out, the King's advisers facilitating the anarchy. On the side of justice was merely myself, the people, and the army - the king's council had been consumed by madness, corrupted by demons.

And soon, the public fell victim to the same fate, the demons rampaging across the land slaughtering their family and stealing their bodies and souls. Leaving only myself and the army, two forces that were virtually one and the same. Before the great calamity of Mercution, I led them into battle, leading a successful conquest of nearly the entire continent. Together, I hoped, we could drive back the demon hordes and reclaim Mercution. But it seems that even in these desperate times the army of Mercution's spirits wavered. Not all of them, mind you, but simply one - Commander Faust. Envious of my success, he deceived me, using huge amounts of the army he led not to drive back the demons but to betray and imprison me in a catacomb deep beneath Mercution. The tides could've changed had we worked together as we were. We could've reclaimed Mercution.

And Faust threw it all away. For what? To simply seize power of the remnants of the kingdom. While I was incapacitated, Faust fled to the North, and declared that land Moone. Meanwhile, the warrior priests of Ennon used their magic to sink the midsection of Mercution into the seas, nearly sinking me with it. I bear those priests no ill will. Because of Faust's recklessness, the act became a necessary evil. I just barely escaped, and went to exact vengeance upon Faust - the despicable man who doomed your ancestor's homeland for his own greed and lust for power. At the time, he vowed to send the people I had once sworn to protect against me. Not wanting to hurt them, I agreed to leave. But a mere month ago, he went too far with his lies and deceit. And I decided that he must pay at long, long last.

I can see by the looks on your faces the emotions you are feeling. Some are enthused, counting away the seconds until Faust meets his rightful end. Others are skeptical, denying the words I have spoken. This event is largely for you, my friends. I cannot blame you for your skepticism. Which is why Faust will confess on stage, to the world, his sins."

Faust is visibly terrified, shaking in the dragon's clutches, looking panicked and exhausted.

"But first..." Vorpalis scans the crowd, and spots "Melody" and "Bulk".

"I would like to welcome my two bounty hunters, Melody and bulk, onto the stage for this occasion!"

The crowd parts so that the ogre and moon elf may take to the stage.

[Waterbrick Down]

Skrall whispered under his breath to Jinnipher. "If we're going to save Faust, we're going to have to get next to him. Keep it together until I give a signal." The ogre downed a Mead, shouldered Bulk's hammer, and strode up upon the stage. As the hunter passed Aeolus he commented, "We'll need to talk, there was unexpected resistance at the Buchaire's, they got away."

[Endgame]

As Skrall and Jinnipher ascend to the stage, the fanatic speaks to the rest of the party.

"Isn't he just so, so... persuasive?! And, well, right?!"

[Lind Whisperer]

Father Steve gently poked Warlen. "Could you, in theory, cast Scroll of Sleep on Aeolus from here?"

As Skrall and Jinnipher ascend to the stage, the fanatic speaks to the rest of the party.

"Isn't he just so, so... persuasive?! And, well, right?!"

Father Steve squinted.

"He...certainly goes into his details," said the Munchkin.

Edited August 7, 2015 by Lind Whisperer

[Endgame]

"He's wordier than usual today. He's a lot more... terse with other executions."

[Lind Whisperer]

"He's wordier than usual today. He's a lot more... terse with other executions."

"Well, it's fully understandable. It's not every day one exacts his long-awaited revenge.

So what's this about he "went too far"? I'm afraid I'm not familiar with the circumstances..."

[Endgame]

"Someone killed his younger brother - also a guardian of Mercution - and he tried to bury him here, as per his brother's wishes. Faust untruthfully declared that his brother, Lethauros, conspired with Vorpalis in the destruction of Mercution. Vorpalis couldn't stand having his brother's legacy spit on like that, and decided enough was enough..."

Edited August 7, 2015 by Endgame

[Lind Whisperer]

"Someone killed his younger brother - also a guardian of Mercution - and he tried to bury him here, as per his brother's wishes. Faust untruthfully declared that his brother, Lethauros conspired with Vorpalis in the destruction of Mercution. Vorpalis couldn't stand having his brother's legacy spit on like that, and decided enough was enough..."

"..." Father Steve started to regard the dragon thoughtfully.

To be honest...Vorpalis doesn't really seem that bad. I mean, sure, he's violent, blood-thirsty, and needlessly cruel...but then again we're the kind of people to instantly attack and kill a group in a tavern just because we're tired and don't feel like trying to get them to "see the light"...

At what point do you put job over ethics, and ethics over job?

Edited August 7, 2015 by Lind Whisperer

[The Chosen Minifigure]

Father Steve gently poked Warlen. "Could you, in theory, cast Scroll of Sleep on Aeolus from here?"

"Closer up, or a lesser dragon, sure. But this far? Against Vorpalis? Probably not..."

"Someone killed his younger brother - also a guardian of Mercution - and he tried to bury him here, as per his brother's wishes. Faust untruthfully declared that his brother, Lethauros, conspired with Vorpalis in the destruction of Mercution. Vorpalis couldn't stand having his brother's legacy spit on like that, and decided enough was enough..."

Warlen drew out his ring and put it on. (Swap ring for hat.)

"Leauthauros?.."

[Lind Whisperer]

"Closer up, or a lesser dragon, sure. But this far? Against Vorpalis? Probably not..."

"I asked about his captain of the guards, not Vorpalis..."

[Endgame]

QM Note: Just need JimBee to post before we move along.

[JimBee]

Jinnipher nodded to Skrall and joined him on the stage. She crossed her arms and looked out over the crowd, painfully aware that there was a giant dragon breathing down her neck.

[Endgame]

"Melody and Bulk are two of my most trusted bounty hunters. Although not responsible for catching Faust, they have een invaluable to this past month's several executions.

These two people, however, are not Melody and Bulk."

Vorpalis's tail suddenly whips across the stage, sweeping Jinnipher and Skrall off of their feet and flinging them off the stage. Vorpalis snarls, the crowd parting as the ogre and the elf are knocked off balance onto the ground.

"That was a low blow, admittedly, calling you on stage just to get a cheap shot in like that. But I want to make my point - that Faust and anyone who stays loyal to him will be dealt with and humiliated as neccasary. And they were decent disguises, all things considered... Your Melody impersonation fooled Aeolus, and he slept with the poor girl. But it's going to take more than a new hairstyle and a hammer to fool a dragon - a breed of beast with the keenest senses and the clearest memory, not to mention connections to the spirit pools.

Now, as for that confession... Little trick of the trade for all of you would-be-conquerors out there: Torture the person before you have to publicly out them as a fraud. Now, Faust!"

Vorpalis jerks Faust's trembling form in front of his face, black fog leaking from the dragon's maw with every word. The king's eyes open wide with terror, the fog warping his mind, transforming the already frightening Vorpalis into something far more terrifying. Years of fear that Vorpalis would come back to usurp his throne come flooding back into the guilty king's mind, nearly breaking him. His body ached and burned as he was being crushed in the dragon's grasp, yearning for release of any kind. Finally, he can take no more...

"It's true! IT'S TRUE!" Faust shrieks. "It's true... t-the scars on your wrists, they are from the restraints I used to trap you in that catacomb... Two hundred men died that day, I spent two hundred soldiers, just to subdue you, just to, just to... We finally exhausted you, put you to sleep with a spell, bound your ankles and wrists, blew up the catacombs to seal you in, and I, I left you to die... And then I fled to Moone and claimed my throne... Just don't hurt me anymore, please, please don't hurt me, no more, it hurts, it hurts, it hurts!"

"I've heard enough."

Vorpalis roughly drops the gibbering, disgraced Faust to the ground.

"Aeolus! Stick this man in the guillotine and feel free to do the deed yourself. I am done with him - and I have some rebels to crush."

"Y-yes, my liege!" sputters Aeolus, looking at Jinnipher with disgust as he realizes she killed and replaced his lover. Aeolus grabs the screaming Faust, now simply muttering unintelligibly, and drags him towards the guillotine for his execution...

"Now then... Guards. Draw your weapons and aid me."

Vorpalis steps off the stage approaching the two heroes he flung off.

"I can only guess that the four people you were standing next to are also rebels. You're the group I met at the Cathedral, no?"

At that moment, the chaotic crowd shoves the other four heroes towards Skrall and Jinnipher, putting them all within Vorpalis' and the Guard's range.

"It would seem like the crowd would agreed with me on that. Now then... Faust's rule is over, heroes. That much is certain. His thousand year empire of lies is crumbling around him, and Aeolus will be dropping the national razor on him before long. Now, rebels. Stand up and draw your blades. No running from me this time!"

On one side, a confused, hectic crowd. On the other, Vorpalis and the Mermont Guards. And beyond them, Aeolus, dragging Faust to his doom.

The heroes had a great task in front of them... Stop Aeolus, and cause enough carnage to force Vorpalis to move their inevitable duel outside of Mermont. Would the party prepare for this pivotal battle?

Edited August 7, 2015 by Endgame

[Kintobor]

Karie downs a mead and replaces her skull mask with her paper doll.

"As much as this looks like a crappy situation, I can't believe I'm saying "I've seen worse"."

[Lind Whisperer]

"... And they were decent disguises, all things considered... Your Melody impersonation fooled Aeolus, and he slept with the poor girl..."

"You slept with Aeolus?!?" said Father Steve, apparently confusing sentence subjects.

"Now then... Guards. Draw your weapons and aid me."

Vorpalis steps off the stage approaching the two heroes he flung off.

"I can only guess that the four people you were standing next to are also rebels. You're the group I met at the Cathedral, no?"

At that moment, the chaotic crowd shoves the other four heroes towards Skrall and Jinnipher, putting them all within Vorpalis' and the Guard's range.

"It would seem like the crowd would agreed with me on that. Now then... Faust's rule is over, heroes. That much is certain. His thousand year empire of lies is crumbling around him, and Aeolus will be dropping the national razor on him before long. Now, rebels. Stand up and draw your blades. No running from me this time!"

"Warlen, cast Sleep on Aeolus now - anything to stop him."

Father Steve stood up to his full height, drunk a Smelling Salts and a Nostrum, swapped his Akron Fez out for his Cape of Deception, took a battle stance in the back row, and looked up at the towering Vorpalis.

"Hey, Vorpalis! Remember those adventurers you killed?

They asked me to give you a little message!"

He flung the Steel Knife towards the chest of the huge beast.

Edited August 7, 2015 by Lind Whisperer

[JimBee]

Jinnipher picked herself up off the ground and drew her blade. She looked from side to side, blood pumping and ready for a fight. "Save the King! The fog's got him so bent out of shape he probably has no idea what he's saying..."

[Lind Whisperer]

Jinnipher picked herself up off the ground and drew her blade. She looked from side to side, blood pumping and ready for a fight. "Save the King! The fog's got him so bent out of shape he probably has no idea what he's saying..."

"Oh, he knows what he's saying. But he's also paying us, which is the more important thing.

You want these Fire Bombs, or should I hang on to them?"

[Endgame]

Gabriel puts his helmet back on as he sees combat approaching, people rushing into him and nearly bowling him over as he tries to aim his handcannon.

"I normally do assassination jobs. I don't know what the hell you've seen, Karie, but as far as I'm concerned, all hell has broken loose..."

Jinnipher picked herself up off the ground and drew her blade. She looked from side to side, blood pumping and ready for a fight. "Save the King! The fog's got him so bent out of shape he probably has no idea what he's saying..."

"...Jinnipher. I agree, we have to save Faust. But you're in denial if you think Vorpalis isn't the one telling the true story."

[Waterbrick Down]

Skrall wasn't surprised the creature hadn't been fooled by the ruse but it had at least revealed the truth. The ogre stood his ground as he surveyed the Party, "Are ya daft? Have ya not just heard the truth plain as the day. What cause do ya have to fight for? A sniveling coward who's as good as dead and deservedly so? Nay, here's where I draw the line." The hunter stood with arms crossed and addressed the dragon in a booming voice. "Hey you! Vorpalis, yer revenge is satiated, you have set Faust's deceived followers free, now is not the time for war. Now is the time for benevolence and reconstruction, bringing this country to it's former glory. This Party before ya was as deceived by Faust as ya claim this nation has been for hundreds of years. I ask ya to be the nobler ruler and do not bring this ruin upon yerself, let us consult as free thinking beings and not clash like the dumb and mute beasts of the fields squabbling over a long expired carcass."

[Lind Whisperer]

Skrall wasn't surprised the creature hadn't been fooled by the ruse but it had at least revealed the truth. The ogre stood his ground as he surveyed the Party, "Are ya daft? Have ya not just heard the truth plain as the day. What cause do ya have to fight for?

"I got hired for a job. I like to keep my contracts. You won't always make friends, but people have to admit you always keep your word." That, and the pay's nice. Letters of Rec. are hard to come by.

"A sniveling coward who's as good as dead and deservedly so? Nay, here's where I draw the line." The hunter stood with arms crossed and addressed the dragon in a booming voice. "Hey you! Vorpalis, yer revenge is satiated, you have set Faust's deceived followers free, now is not the time for war. Now is the time for benevolence and reconstruction, bringing this country to it's former glory. This Party before ya was as deceived by Faust as ya claim this nation has been for hundreds of years. I ask ya to be the nobler ruler and do not bring this ruin upon yerself, let us consult as free thinking beings and not clash like the dumb and mute beasts of the fields squabbling over a long expired carcass."

"Not to disparage your words, but I really don't think Vorpalis is the sort to really feel like having a heart-to-heart. He's too hel-set on revenge for that..."

[JimBee]

Jinnipher looked at Skrall incredulously. "We've been over this before, ogre. Revenge?! One deceitful king doesn't warrant the destruction of an entire country! Faust can be dealt with after this. But this dragon is as good as dead."

[Lind Whisperer]

Father Steve made sure he was wearing the Anniversary Medal, the Invader's Amour, and the Cloak of Deception.

[Kintobor]

Gabriel puts his helmet back on as he sees combat approaching, people rushing into him and nearly bowling him over as he tries to aim his handcannon.

"I normally do assassination jobs. I don't know what the hell you've seen, Karie, but as far as I'm concerned, all hell has broken loose..."

"I've seen enough to know that this could get a lot worse. That creepy demi-being could show up again." Karie replies.

[Endgame]

Skrall wasn't surprised the creature hadn't been fooled by the ruse but it had at least revealed the truth. The ogre stood his ground as he surveyed the Party, "Are ya daft? Have ya not just heard the truth plain as the day. What cause do ya have to fight for? A sniveling coward who's as good as dead and deservedly so? Nay, here's where I draw the line." The hunter stood with arms crossed and addressed the dragon in a booming voice. "Hey you! Vorpalis, yer revenge is satiated, you have set Faust's deceived followers free, now is not the time for war. Now is the time for benevolence and reconstruction, bringing this country to it's former glory. This Party before ya was as deceived by Faust as ya claim this nation has been for hundreds of years. I ask ya to be the nobler ruler and do not bring this ruin upon yerself, let us consult as free thinking beings and not clash like the dumb and mute beasts of the fields squabbling over a long expired carcass."

"You will have to forgive me for jumping to conclusions - you murdered two of my associates and impersonated them to infiltrate the city. And it appears that some of your compatriots have already drawn their swords..."

The dragon's voice softens.

"I loved Mercution, you must understand. It was home. And Faust's recklessness and greed only cemented its fall from grace. Moone is really all that remains of its culture. And it pained me to see Faust taint it. But you are correct. When Faust's rule is fully wiped away - I know there is a few stragglers that will still cling to him, despite the disgrace he is, and my work here is not yet done. Mermont is done with Faust. But the other towns, spreading the news may incite rebellion. Some towns laid low if only because they thought Mermont would drive me out and slaughter me. The news of Faust's confession may only incite more rebellion, panic, and crime, a tragic fact of conquest. Faust's reign is over, and his supporters in Mermont are nearly gone. But there is other factors that need to be dealt with. But, yes - Moone will have to rebuild. And when all is said and done, I will ensure that that is the case."

If you truly wish to cooperate, drop your weapons, I will detain you, and I will send you back to Eubric on the next boat."

"I've seen enough to know that this could get a lot worse. That creepy demi-being could show up again." Karie replies.

"Or his master..."

Edited August 7, 2015 by Endgame