Heroica RPG - Quest #143: Making Amends

[Scubacarrot]

"Wow, that's so generous! Do you think you'll let me climb up your leg and then up the tree, so I can cut the azureleaf out? If at all possible, we would like to get the leaf whole so we can make a cure with it."

[Endgame]

"Sure, certainly, go ahead!"

The Bogossus stretches out one of its four legs to let Calamity ascend. She scurries up to the top of the creature, and begins trying to pull herself up the tree perched on its noggin. When she has difficulty, one of its claws gives Calamity a boost, gently picking her up and holding her high enough to snap off the Azureleaf.

It was then when the party hears the crackling of fire behind them.

"Well.... Hello there, heroes." he says, sounding melancholy.

"Just... Hear me out here. I'm sorry we're meeting again, like this. But I need that Azureleaf, all of it. It's a matter of life and death."

Edited December 6, 2015 by Endgame

[Scubacarrot]

“Then how about you start telling us why you want it."

Edited December 6, 2015 by Scubacarrot

[Lind Whisperer]

"What the mage said..."

OoC: Sorry I'm not participating more - studying for finals.

[Endgame]

"That picture, of my sister... Well, I was keeping it with me because she's dying. Terminally ill. And those herbs I said I was going looking for... Well, you guessed it, its the Azureleaf. We've tried everything.Every doctor, every medicine, so many remedies... Even took her to all the churches we could find and see if the gods could do anything.

Listen. This is her last shot. If I can't make her a cure with that leaf, my sister dies."

[Palathadric]

I look to Gabriel.

"We are here for you. Are you willing to part with your brother's birthday present to save the life of another?"

[Endgame]

I look to Gabriel.

"We are here for you. Are you willing to part with your brother's birthday present to save the life of another?"

"No. I am not."

"Please, sir... I get it. You want to get this for your sibling. You probably love him - but my sister, Vella, she will - "

"I refuse to give you the Azureleaf."

[Lind Whisperer]

"Please, sir... I get it. You want to get this for your sibling. You probably love him - but my sister, Vella, she will - "

The Black Knight uncomfortably looked at the ground.

"I refuse to give you the Azureleaf."

"...Couldn't we just go and search for a second Bogossus tree? From what Marionne said, they aren't exactly uncommon..."

[Endgame]

The Bogossus shuffles uncomfortably, and starts shaking in fear again.

"Well, uh, we... migrated... and they... left me behind... I have no idea where any other Bogossi would be."

Garson slumps forward in despair, and looks at the heroes pleadingly. Gabriel stares right through him.

[Scubacarrot]

"I think we should move this situation somewhere else. The Bogossus wanted to help us, and I think it would be rude to involve him into our struggle." Calamity smiled at the Bogossus.

Shielding the Azureleaf with her body, she starts moving away from the creature.

[Endgame]

"I would... I would very much appreciate that... I-I'm not good at picking sides, I'm really sorry..."

The Bogossus begins to lumber into the corner of the rocky clearing.

[Scubacarrot]

Calamity waves at the Bogossus, when she feels far enough away so that he and his tree are a safe distance from the fire-man and any wayward spells, she looks at her employer and the intruder, who she adresses.

"There's other Azureleafs out there. You had no idea how quick you would find one, so go find another one. If you attack us, it will just burn up or get damaged and be useless."

[Endgame]

"The Bogossus said it himself - they've all migrated. Vella has mere days left. I can't afford to lose any more time, or I lose her."

Edited December 6, 2015 by Endgame

[Scubacarrot]

"And what do you know about Bogossus migrating, they are big, bulky and carry trees around, how far do you reckon they are from here. Days, hours? Surely not worth ruining it for everyone."

[Endgame]

"By that logic, you should be able to find one too. Except you can't, because no one has any idea where these things go - not even the one right there."

[Scubacarrot]

"We found this one first, and he chose to allow me to gather his leaf. Surely it's up to me what to do with it? Mister, I've touched your face, and burnt my fingers. This herb, it's useless except for when it's whole. How do you think you will use it? You can't."

Edited December 6, 2015 by Scubacarrot

[Endgame]

"Miss, I'm an alchemist. I put it safely away in a puch and make the remedy elsewhere."

"We found this one first, and he chose to allow me to gather his leaf. Surely it's up to me what to do with it? Mister, I've touched your face, and burnt my fingers. This herb, it's useless except for when it's whole. How do you think you will use it? You can't."

"I-I-I wouldn't have just given it out if I knew he was around the bend, sorry..."

[Scubacarrot]

"My hair brushed your tree's leaves, Boggy. His hair is fire. Your tree would be ash, if you had allowed him to climb you and gather his leaf. But, I reckon he doesn't care. We should leave."

[Lind Whisperer]

"All right, show of hands. What gear do we have on us, that we might be able to use for this? We're a well-enough equipped and trained party that there has to be some way we can solve this so everyone walks away happy...

Garson, how are you set for funds? Assuming that we figure out where the Bogossi went, and it's more than a few days away, we could hike back to Eubric and have a mage use Portal to-

"Wait, I've got something. Calamity - you have a...I forget, a water gem, and a Ruby that Pretzel and I lent you, right?"

[Scubacarrot]

"Yes, I have those things." Calamity says grudgingly. "Portal magic isn't as easy as you make it sound."

[Lind Whisperer]

"Yes, I have those things." Calamity says grudgingly. "Portal magic isn't as easy as you make it sound."

"That's why you pay someone else to do it..."

The Black Knight strutted away, and held up his hands. "Fire plus water equals steam - e.g., replacement for that missing Sapphire. Steam lifts one of us into the air, the hero uses the height to use a Telescope to look around for another Bogossi, while using a Magic Compass to guide them...

Or, you could just use a Magic Compass," he muttered, a bit redfaced."

"It wouldn't be as cool, though..."

"Pretzel, could you loan me that Magic Compass of yours, for just a minute please?"

[Endgame]

"...Two weeks."

"Excuse me?"

"A-all the other Bogossi ditched me up here two weeks ago. They're... They're gone."

[Lind Whisperer]

"...Two weeks."

"Excuse me?"

"A-all the other Bogossi ditched me up here two weeks ago. They're... They're gone."

The Black Knight reached out and gently patted one of the creature's grabbers. "It's really a horrible feeling when your own party votes to ditch you, isn't it?"

He straightened up. "Well, if they left two weeks ago, we better get start getting a plan together to catch up."

OoC: I don't want to risk breaking system rules, but could Lind reach into Pretzel's Bag of Holding and pull out the Magic Compass? Pathaladric did say for everyone to help themselves to whatever they needed to borrow...

[Endgame]

QM Note: It's a lot more organic if you just let Pretzel hand the compass to you, if he deems it neccasary.

"Wh-when Bogossi migrate, they do this thing, right? Where they choose the weakest of the herd and ditch 'em, and we migrate four times a year, and... I guess it was my turn..."

"And the rest are gone by now. Gone..." says Garson, sounding desolate. "Please, heroes..."

"...You've read too many books with happy endings, Lind. Not everyone is going to leave here satisifed. Hell, the only reason Moone looked like victory was because we left the country before they started recuperating - it's still in shambles."

Edited December 7, 2015 by Endgame

[JimBee]

"Well that was easy..." Jinnipher started to say as Garson approached the party.

"That picture, of my sister... Well, I was keeping it with me because she's dying. Terminally ill. And those herbs I said I was going looking for... Well, you guessed it, its the Azureleaf. We've tried everything.Every doctor, every medicine, so many remedies... Even took her to all the churches we could find and see if the gods could do anything.

Listen. This is her last shot. If I can't make her a cure with that leaf, my sister dies."

After some consideration she replied. "Look, as much as I would like to save a life today, we can't give you the leaf. We were hired to get it and we're going to stay true to our word. Best of luck to you and your sister. Sorry."