Heroica RPG - Quest #143: Making Amends

[Endgame]

"He's kind of still traumatized over his last encounter with demons. Thanks, but no thanks."

[Scubacarrot]

Calamity shrugs. "You know what they say. Nothing better than a chopped off face to face your fears. Maybe you can play him some piano music. I don't know"

[Endgame]

Calamity shrugs. "You know what they say. Nothing better than a chopped off face to face your fears. Maybe you can play him some piano music. I don't know"

"...I have not once heard that in my life.

I play guitar too, you know." Gabriel snarks.

[Scubacarrot]

"You mean lute?"

[Endgame]

"You mean lute?"

"Nope. What makes you say that?"

[Scubacarrot]

"Nope. What makes you say that?"

"Just seems like a more likely instrument for you to be playing."

[Lind Whisperer]

"...But I've decided the mission has changed. Send Vella my regards, Garson."

Garson heaves a sharp sigh of relief, his hands trembling happily as he accepts the leaf.

"Thank you, tahnk you, thank you... So much. Listen, here..." Gabriel tosses the party the 200 gold promised. "I won't go back on my word. And I promise to tell Vella just who saved her. Thank you so much!"

Garson quickly stashes the loeaf away and begins to make his exit, heading back down the trail with a giddy hop in his step.

Lind caught the gold.

"You made the right choice, Gabriel."

Gabriel passes the party another 80 gold.

"There. You got your full monetary reward. I have no clue whether this is a quest completed or failed, to be honest... And as much as I wanted that leaf, he needed it more.

Lind carefully dropped the coins into his Bag of Holding.

"Well, the quest description and requirements simply said that you "needed a gift, from a seller in the Eubric mountains." So just as long as we do that, then we've completed it. And I think I've got just the ticket." He held up the 200 gold. "If we split this up, it's not going to go terribly far between four people. But, if we spend it at Flavius's, we can embue a low-power weapon with something useful - thus getting you a gift, and keeping our records nice and tidy."

He looked around. "Anyone have a low-power weapon they don't need?"

Meanwhile, the Boggossus shyly clops towards the heroes.

"I-it was nice meeting you..."

Lind hugged the creature's leg. "I hope we meet again, someday." He felt a strange attachment to the timid creature.

"Just seems like a more likely instrument for you to be playing."

"No, he plays a guitar - and quite well, too."

[Scubacarrot]

Calamity holds out her skull staff at Lind's suggestion.

[Lind Whisperer]

Calamity holds out her skull staff at Lind's suggestion.

"That'd work, but I don't know if it's really the sort of weapon Masson uses..." Lind thought a moment, and brightened. "Actually, though, we have 200 gold. We can just hire Flavius to make a weapon."

He looked towards Gabriel and the rest of the party. "Does that sound like it would be satisfactory for all concerned parties?"

[Endgame]

Gabriel gives it some thought.

"He's in law enforcement, so he uses a weapon daily... And ever since he lost the arm, his swordsmanship hasn't been the same. If we can get our hands on a better weapon...

Good idea, Lind."

[Palathadric]

"You're a good man, Gabriel! If your brother is half the man you are, I'm proud to have him married to one of our own."

Ack, do I really believe that?

"I could summon up something? A stuffed demon-head looks good over any fireplace."

I stare at Calamity glaringly, as if to get across how inappropriate it was.

Edited December 11, 2015 by Palathadric

[Endgame]

Lind hugged the creature's leg. "I hope we meet again, someday." He felt a strange attachment to the timid creature.

"Oh, I'll be here. I've been thinking about going down slope a little bit, getting some plants, and starting a garden. Until then... Bye!"

The party returns to Flavius and Marionne's cottage briefly, an idea clearly brewing in Gabriel's head. Marionne lights up.

"Any Azureleaf, dears?"

"Afraid not. Someone else got it..."

"Oh, dear... I'm sorry, but there is nothing I can do for your borther's pahntom pain..."

"That's fine, Marionne. Flavius?"

"Yes?"

"My brother was used to weilding his blade two handed. Minus one arm and his dominant hand, he's having trouble adjusting. Think you could whip something up? I have the gold."

Flavius runs his fingers across his chin, consdeiring what he could do.

"It'll be a chllanege, but that's what I holed myself up in the mountains for, yeah? Give me some time..."

Hours pass, and the sun dips below the horizon. Flavius works tirelessly, and eventually comes out with a slender sword that is part blade, part gauntlet.

"I call it the Brace Blade... It should help get your brother's swordsmanship back in shape."

Gabriel sizes up the blade, accepting it in his hands. he weighs it, admiring the craftsmanship.

"...I'm more of a handcannon fellow, but this is some good craftsmanship. Heroes, since we ended up with a gift in the end, I'm comfortable calling this quest succesful. We'll head out tonight to meet with my brother, if you fellows don't want anything from Flavius."

[Lind Whisperer]

"Oh, I'll be here. I've been thinking about going down slope a little bit, getting some plants, and starting a garden. Until then... Bye!"

"Good-bye!"

Hours pass, and the sun dips below the horizon. Flavius works tirelessly, and eventually comes out with a slender sword that is part blade, part gauntlet.

"I call it the Brace Blade... It should help get your brother's swordsmanship back in shape."

Gabriel sizes up the blade, accepting it in his hands. he weighs it, admiring the craftsmanship.

"...I'm more of a handcannon fellow, but this is some good craftsmanship. Heroes, since we ended up with a gift in the end, I'm comfortable calling this quest succesful.

"Excellent."

We'll head out tonight to meet with my brother, if you fellows don't want anything from Flavius."

Lind stepped forward, and held Star-Breaker and 90 gold out to Flavius. "Pommel-blunt, and thank you."

[JimBee]

"I'm glad we could figure it. I'll take my part of the reward, I think that's 70 gold? Flavius, Blunt the Pommel on the Brine Blade." She handed over 60 gold.

[Palathadric]

"I have done all the work that I need done.

[Scubacarrot]

"I still don't need anything, thanks. Not much use in upgrading a weapon if you only cast spells."

[Endgame]

"I'm glad we could figure it. I'll take my part of the reward, I think that's 70 gold? Flavius, Blunt the Pommel on the Brine Blade." She handed over 60 gold.

"I already shaprned it. I can't do both without damaging the weapon. Would you consider perofmring another service on a different weapon?"

[JimBee]

Jinnipher dejectedly sheathed the blade. "Tch, some blacksmith you are. It's the complete opposite end of the sword!"

[Endgame]

"It's ore than just a razor on a stick, there's a lot of stuff you have to account for. Nevertheless, even though I'm a blacksmith, not a miracleworker, you folks have safe travels."

The party leaves the couple's house, feeling more experience after their morally complicated confrontation with Garson. They past by the Severas...

"ahlt! Intru- oH. Ohhhh. Just you. Sorry, move along..."

...and lower themselves over the ridge, cutting back to Eubric as the sun begun its descent.

"Chances are Masson is at work, the Syndicate HQ. Lets check there first."

They do just that. Heading through the moonlit streets of Eubric, the party arrives at a warehouse-like building. He knocks at the door, and...

What resembled a clone of Gabriel stepped out of the door. He was rubbing the stump of his arm, wincing a bit, before he notivces who was at the door. Had he still had his arm, he would've been a mirror image of Gabriel, especially in that suit.

"Oh, uh, hi. I didn't expect you tonight, Gabriel, and not with so much... company."

"Why the suit?"

"Got dinner reservations. Figured I'd show up to pick up the wife already dressed. More romantic."

"Well, I can tell you are busy, but... Happy birthday."

Gabriel hands Masson the Brace Blade. His eyes widen and light up, and a grin spreads across his face.

"Gabriel, you got this...?"

Masson straps it to his arm and takes a few curosry swings. His swordsmanship, despite using his untrained, off hand, was precise, quick, and disciplined.

"I, uh. Well. I haven;t been able to swing around a sword this well in a year. So.... Thanks a lot Gabriel. Really."

"Couldn't have gotten it without these guys' help." says Gabriel, cracking a rare smile. He motions back to the party. Masson sheathes his blade.

"Really? I don't suppose you're Heroicans? Thank you very much for your help with this, regardless. Really. I'm out in the field every day, this could be a life saver."

"Yeah, they're Heroicans. I told them a little bit about you. Was I wrong when I said we basically look like clones?"

"Yeah. But you're thirty one and I'm twenty six - sorry, twenty seven - now, old timer."

[Lind Whisperer]

"ahlt! Intru- oH. Ohhhh. Just you. Sorry, move along..."

"I take it we're not the 'noids you're watching for?"

...and lower themselves over the ridge, cutting back to Eubric as the sun begun its descent.

"Chances are Masson is at work, the Syndicate HQ. Lets check there first."

"The Syndicate? I'm afraid my mind is drawing a bit of a blank..."

"Got dinner reservations. Figured I'd show up to pick up the wife already dressed. More romantic."

"I'm sure Karie will appreciate the gesture..."

Masson straps it to his arm and takes a few curosry swings. His swordsmanship, despite using his untrained, off hand, was precise, quick, and disciplined.

The Black Knight clapped, appreciative of the skill Gabriel was clearly capable of.

"Really? I don't suppose you're Heroicans? Thank you very much for your help with this, regardless. Really. I'm out in the field every day, this could be a life saver."

"I thought it might be."

[Endgame]

"The Syndicate is basically the Town Watch but more coordinated. They're a subsidiary of the Watch."

"Heh, it's nothing much to applaud over - I used to be much better, back when I had both arms.

I try to keep myself nice for her. You know Karie?"

[JimBee]

Jinnipher looked Masson up and down. "Brothers, huh? I never would have guessed. Karie, yes she can run her mouth sometimes, but there are definitely worse around." She looked pointedly at Lind. "You were left-handed, that must have been useful in combat if you were any good with the sword."

[Scubacarrot]

"I know Karie, she such a... person. Tell her I said hi.“

Edited December 15, 2015 by Scubacarrot

[Palathadric]

I stand back and wait. There really didn't seem like much to say.

[Lind Whisperer]

"The Syndicate is basically the Town Watch but more coordinated. They're a subsidiary of the Watch."

"Interesting..."

"Heh, it's nothing much to applaud over - I used to be much better, back when I had both arms.

I try to keep myself nice for her. You know Karie?"

"We quested together during the recent events in Moone - a very clever person. A bit sharp as to tongue, but...definitely a very clever person. She doesn't tolerate fools..."

Jinnipher looked Masson up and down. "Brothers, huh? I never would have guessed. Karie, yes she can run her mouth sometimes, but there are definitely worse around."

"Yeah, but we love you nevertheless."