On 10/27/2014 at 10:05 PM, Scubacarrot said:

"We are all villains in someone's eyes anyway, Arthur. Do you ever think of how many women, children we leave behind on their own. How many sons will swear to strike the evil 'Heroes' down? How many daughters vow to murder us in our sleep?"

"All the time, my friend, all the time."

  On 11/13/2014 at 12:28 AM, The Legonater said:

Dyric Rone walks again into the Hall. The Dread Pirate got away, but they had thinned his forces. Dyric decided to count that as a victory. He breathed in the air of the Hall, grinning at it's familiarity. Looking around, he spots a familiar face and quickly moves towards it.

Brother! It has been too long. How have you been?

"Unwell, to tell the truth. I saw Ella and Tarn off to Dastan, and since then little has gone well for me. I fell ill shortly afterwards--Monk Pretzel can attest to that--and I then spent some time taking odd jobs that ended up being far more involved than first advertized. The Shadeaux have extended an invitation to some sort of meeting, but it seems they are rather busy--it has been rescheduled several times now. Hopefully it is worth the wait."

  On 11/14/2014 at 12:48 AM, The Legonater said:

If I truly believed that, I'd have done it a long time ago. I'm talking about the Hinkwell/Shadeux engagement. Unity it what's going to bring peace to Eubric, and we need to halt the forces that would stop that unity until it does.

"Oh, please. Marriage doesn't solve anythin'. And there's more than two Houses, mate. Look at the Bonapartes. They can't damn well maintain their iron grip when they're out killin' eachother."

  On 11/14/2014 at 12:48 AM, Flipz said:

"Unwell, to tell the truth. I saw Ella and Tarn off to Dastan, and since then little has gone well for me."

"The hell are you talkin' about?" Atramor frowned. "Tarn's in Dastan?"

  On 11/14/2014 at 12:52 AM, CallMePie said:

"Oh, please. Marriage doesn't solve anythin'.

Fair enough, and I'd agree if that was the only thing linking the two families; I'm sure you know about the kids' friendship. Call me crazy, but I believe there's hope the two families.

  On 11/14/2014 at 12:52 AM, CallMePie said:

And there's more than two Houses, mate. Look at the Bonapartes. They can't damn well maintain their iron grip when they're out killin' eachother."

Again, unity. I don't pretend to have all the pieces, only an end goal. Though I probably should go sign up for Quest 119 and 120 to see what I can do over there.

Dyric paused for a moment, thinking of the near-disastrous events in Baltarok.

...All that said, it'll mean nothing if we can't hold Heroica itself together in the process.

  On 11/14/2014 at 12:48 AM, Flipz said:

"Unwell, to tell the truth. I saw Ella and Tarn off to Dastan, and since then little has gone well for me. I fell ill shortly afterwards--Monk Pretzel can attest to that--and I then spent some time taking odd jobs that ended up being far more involved than first advertized. The Shadeaux have extended an invitation to some sort of meeting, but it seems they are rather busy--it has been rescheduled several times now. Hopefully it is worth the wait."

Some sort of meeting? For what exactly?

Noticing an influx of heroes, Skrall finds his way to the bottom of the stairs. After giving a long hard stare at the quest board, the ogre signs up for Quest 120.

Skrall! Dyric calls, beckoning him over. It's been too long, come join us.

Skrall gives a puzzled look at Dyric, before a slight gleam of remembrance twinkles in his eye. The ogre grabs two more tankards of ale before joining Dyric at his table. "Been quite awhile Rone, hasn't it." Skrall slides the second tankard over to Dyric.

Edited November 14, 201410 yr by Waterbrick Down

  On 11/14/2014 at 12:52 AM, CallMePie said:

"Oh, please. Marriage doesn't solve anythin'. And there's more than two Houses, mate. Look at the Bonapartes. They can't damn well maintain their iron grip when they're out killin' each other."

"The hell are you talkin' about?" Atramor frowned. "Tarn's in Dastan?"

Arthur nods. "Ella was here in Eubric for a while, training with the Oracle of Fabula Sibylla. She hired Pretzel, Tarn, and me to help her find a lost storybook, and once we succeeded she asked Tarn to go back to Dastan with her--sort of a fairy-tale ending, I suppose. Pretzel and I were supposed to say goodbye on his behalf to you and several others, but I've hardly seen the old gang since then. I almost had a chance to tell Ellaria and Benji, but they got picked for Quests before I could. I've seen Nyx a few days ago, but...well. Better if Pretzel talks to her, I think. You seen Thothwick, Haldor, or Tesni recently?"

  On 11/14/2014 at 1:26 AM, The Legonater said:

Fair enough, and I'd agree if that was the only thing linking the two families; I'm sure you know about the kids' friendship. Call me crazy, but I believe there's hope the two families.

"Take it from me, Dyric, it's not going to happen in your lifetime. First the witch Barbariccia would have to be dealt with--and there's not exactly enough Heroes both willing enough and strong enough to do so--and then all the current heads of Houses would have to die out, non-violently so their heirs can't be manipulated to seek revenge upon their rival House. Not to mention that the reasonable figures in each House aren't even first in line as heirs--Lorcan Hinckwell's a complete megablocks, and even though Umbra's more reasonable by a long shot she's still a hard-liner when it comes to the Hinckwells...and the more I myself see of those guys, the less I can blame her. Bonapartes are the same way, actually--I've yet to meet one I can actually stand, and they seem Hel-bent on keeping gold in their purses and Eubric under their thumb no matter what nasty things they have to do to get it. Haven't had a lot of experience with the Guild of Invision and the Zeigfrieds, but then again I'm not even sure why people say they're rivals in the first place. Maybe Valentine slept with the Masked Man's father and ruined his reputation or something?" Arthur snorts at his own joke, before remembering that he still hadn't opened her Grogmas gift, nearly a year after it had been sent. I should really do that sometime...

  On 11/14/2014 at 1:26 AM, The Legonater said:

Some sort of meeting? For what exactly?

"You've got me. All I was told is that my service to the House has been recognized and that there's a recently-vacated position they're interested in me filling." The Skirmisher lays out the letter he'd received from Hoke on the table.

  On 11/14/2014 at 1:55 AM, Waterbrick Down said:

Skrall gives a puzzled look at Dyric, before a slight gleam of remembrance twinkles in his eye. The ogre grabs two more tankards of ale before joining Dyric at his table. "Been quite awhile Rone, hasn't it." Skrall slides the second tankard over to Dyric.

"'Lo, Skrall. Been a while."

Edited November 14, 201410 yr by Flipz

  On 11/14/2014 at 2:59 AM, Flipz said:

Arthur nods. "Ella was here in Eubric for a while, training with the Oracle of Fabula Sibylla. She hired Pretzel, Tarn, and me to help her find a lost storybook, and once we succeeded she asked Tarn to go back to Dastan with her--sort of a fairy-tale ending, I suppose. Pretzel and I were supposed to say goodbye on his behalf to you and several others, but I've hardly seen the old gang since then. I almost had a chance to tell Ellaria and Benji, but they got picked for Quests before I could. I've seen Nyx a few days ago, but...well. Better if Pretzel talks to her, I think. You seen Thothwick, Haldor, or Tesni recently?"

"Met her in the temple. Didn't know she and Tarn were back in Dastan."

Atramor scratched his chin with a frown, deep in thought for a minute contemplating his lost friend. Then a grin played across his face.

"Well, good to hear someone gets a damn happy ending. Last I heard Haldor and Tesni were in Baltarok. Dyric here might know more, think ya' mentioned you were over there too, aye?" The regulator nodded sideways towards Dyric. "Haven't seen the ape in a while."

  On 11/14/2014 at 2:59 AM, Flipz said:

"Take it from me, Dyric, it's not going to happen in your lifetime. First the witch Barbariccia would have to be dealt with--and there's not exactly enough Heroes both willing enough and strong enough to do so--and then all the current heads of Houses would have to die out, non-violently so their heirs can't be manipulated to seek revenge upon their rival House. Not to mention that the reasonable figures in each House aren't even first in line as heirs--Lorcan Hinckwell's a complete megablocks, and even though Umbra's more reasonable by a long shot she's still a hard-liner when it comes to the Hinckwells...and the more I myself see of those guys, the less I can blame her. Bonapartes are the same way, actually--I've yet to meet one I can actually stand, and they seem Hel-bent on keeping gold in their purses and Eubric under their thumb no matter what nasty things they have to do to get it. Haven't had a lot of experience with the Guild of Invision and the Zeigfrieds, but then again I'm not even sure why people say they're rivals in the first place. Maybe Valentine slept with the Masked Man's father and ruined his reputation or something?" Arthur snorts at his own joke, before remembering that he still hadn't opened her Grogmas gift, nearly a year after it had been sent. I should really do that sometime...

"I've spent enough time gettin' screwed by the Bonapartes to believe they're doin' anythin' useful. The Guild and the Ziegfrieds are made up of alchemists and mages. No wonder they're rivals. One does whatever it likes with magic with magic for the hell of it, and the other does whatever it likes with alchemy to make money. I'd say the Ji Pei were the best chance for Eubric but after seein' where they come from, I don't think they need to be in charge here."

"Still, what other choice is there. The damn Wolfgang? I've spent enough time outside the law to know better than to believe that."

Edited November 14, 201410 yr by CallMePie

  On 11/14/2014 at 1:55 AM, Waterbrick Down said:

Skrall gives a puzzled look at Dyric, before a slight gleam of remembrance twinkles in his eye. The ogre grabs two more tankards of ale before joining Dyric at his table. "Been quite awhile Rone, hasn't it." Skrall slides the second tankard over to Dyric.

Indeed it has. Dyric takes a long sip from the tankard before turning back to the conversation.

  On 11/14/2014 at 3:22 AM, CallMePie said:

"Well, good to hear someone gets a damn happy ending. Last I heard Haldor and Tesni were in Baltarok. Dyric here might know more, think ya' mentioned you were over there too, aye?" The regulator nodded sideways towards Dyric. "Haven't seen the ape in a while."

Yeah. Haldor and I were on the same quest at Baltarok. That whole thing was a mess, we nearly came to infighting among heroes. Haldor and I were with the orcs, and if nothing else we managed to secure their freedom. Haldor stayed behind to administer to the negotiations and help out. As for Thothwick, last I saw him we were helping with a Hinckwell shipment that turned out to be a Shadeux shipment... it all went down pretty fast. Nearly got fighting then too, except it was with Alderflask then.

...I wish I could say you were wrong, Arthur, and that the heroes could stand united against Baba, but the past few months don't seem to line up with that. We're not heroes, anymore. Not like we used to be. This organization used to stand for something more than a bunch of hired thugs. Dastan was the first taste of what could happen, and now we seem to face in-fighting almost every day. It's not worth it.

  On 11/14/2014 at 3:22 AM, CallMePie said:

"I've spent enough time gettin' screwed by the Bonapartes to believe they're doin' anythin' useful. The Guild and the Ziegfrieds are made up of alchemists and mages. No wonder they're rivals. One does whatever it likes with magic with magic for the hell of it, and the other does whatever it likes with alchemy to make money. I'd say the Ji Pei were the best chance for Eubric but after seein' where they come from, I don't think they need to be in charge here."

"Still, what other choice is there. The damn Wolfgang? I've spent enough time outside the law to know better than to believe that."

I may be the only hero who hasn't came up against the Wolfgang leaders, but I'm fine with keeping it that way. It's a criminal organization, no matter what they say. I suppose I haven't seen very much of the Bonaparte myself, but their cause seems noble enough to me. Then again, I'm less and less convinced that the ends justify the means these days.

Warlen abruptly stopped humming.

"To heck with it.." he declared loudly.

He stormed over to the stairs and climbed them quickly, before jumping over the rail...

...and floating to safety on a gust of wind.

"It worked!" he shouted.

He then went back to humming, a broad smile on his face.

  On 11/14/2014 at 3:22 AM, CallMePie said:

"Met her in the temple. Didn't know she and Tarn were back in Dastan."

Atramor scratched his chin with a frown, deep in thought for a minute contemplating his lost friend. Then a grin played across his face.

"Well, good to hear someone gets a damn happy ending. Last I heard Haldor and Tesni were in Baltarok. Dyric here might know more, think ya' mentioned you were over there too, aye?" The regulator nodded sideways towards Dyric. "Haven't seen the ape in a while."

"I've spent enough time gettin' screwed by the Bonapartes to believe they're doin' anythin' useful. The Guild and the Ziegfrieds are made up of alchemists and mages. No wonder they're rivals. One does whatever it likes with magic with magic for the hell of it, and the other does whatever it likes with alchemy to make money. I'd say the Ji Pei were the best chance for Eubric but after seein' where they come from, I don't think they need to be in charge here."

"Still, what other choice is there. The damn Wolfgang? I've spent enough time outside the law to know better than to believe that."

Arthur snorts. "Ulric is either a liar or a fool, and even if he's sincere about fixing the city, his little gang of groupies would just tear it to pieces anyway. I've had enough of the Wolfgang to last me a long time."

"I've never been to Xu. My homeland's not far from them, though--we sat on an inaccessible peninsula that juts out to the east, right along the border between them and Nagashan. We're fortunate neither side saw any real value in us or our land."

  On 11/14/2014 at 3:33 AM, The Legonater said:

Yeah. Haldor and I were on the same quest at Baltarok. That whole thing was a mess, we nearly came to infighting among heroes. Haldor and I were with the orcs, and if nothing else we managed to secure their freedom. Haldor stayed behind to administer to the negotiations and help out. As for Thothwick, last I saw him we were helping with a Hinckwell shipment that turned out to be a Shadeux shipment... it all went down pretty fast. Nearly got fighting then too, except it was with Alderflask then.

...I wish I could say you were wrong, Arthur, and that the heroes could stand united against Baba, but the past few months don't seem to line up with that. We're not heroes, anymore. Not like we used to be. This organization used to stand for something more than a bunch of hired thugs. Dastan was the first taste of what could happen, and now we seem to face in-fighting almost every day. It's not worth it.

I may be the only hero who hasn't came up against the Wolfgang leaders, but I'm fine with keeping it that way. It's a criminal organization, no matter what they say. I suppose I haven't seen very much of the Bonaparte myself, but their cause seems noble enough to me. Then again, I'm less and less convinced that the ends justify the means these days.

"Well then. Haldor deserves his happy ending just as much as Tarn. I've heard about your Quest with Karie, actually--what's this about her 'not needing to know' about Wren? She spends her time in a Hall that sits on top of that damned temple, too, you know."

"At the end of the day, though, we're just a bunch of sellswords with ridiculously good publicity and downright absurd healthcare. We've got way too much power for our own--or anyone else's--good, and rather than wielding it with care and respect we just swing it around haphazardly like an enormous club. Without the guise of legitimacy, we'd all be little more than a bunch of notorious mass murderers. I want to protect someone for once, take care of them, instead of just killing for cash. I've caused enough damage to the world, and it just seems like I only break things worse when I try to fix it."

  On 11/14/2014 at 4:17 AM, Flipz said:

"Well then. Haldor deserves his happy ending just as much as Tarn. I've heard about your Quest with Karie, actually--what's this about her 'not needing to know' about Wren? She spends her time in a Hall that sits on top of that damned temple, too, you know."

"At the end of the day, though, we're just a bunch of sellswords with ridiculously good publicity and downright absurd healthcare. We've got way too much power for our own--or anyone else's--good, and rather than wielding it with care and respect we just swing it around haphazardly like an enormous club. Without the guise of legitimacy, we'd all be little more than a bunch of notorious mass murderers. I want to protect someone for once, take care of them, instead of just killing for cash. I've caused enough damage to the world, and it just seems like I only break things worse when I try to fix it."

Wren is dead, or at least close enough. It's the only thing that lets me sleep at night, and I'm not going to involve her in that when it's no longer relevant. The Temple is one thing, if she gets involved with that, fine. But Wren? That's personal, and not to mention dangerous - the less with a connection to those kinds of people the better. Did she tell you us keeping secrets was the downfall of that op? If so, it was a lie, and a broad one.

I'm just not content with that, Arthur. There's some here that take pleasure in being greedy thieves, but I can't live that life. Not when I've come so far from Duplovia. We need to figure out how to be more, how to be heroes.

I'm about to comment on Dyric's peace talk and applaud his effort until he calls over the ogre. I roll my eyes.

When will we have some decent fellows who have the right morals but who also have the right sense of justice? I muse.

  On 11/14/2014 at 2:59 AM, Flipz said:

Arthur nods. "Ella was here in Eubric for a while, training with the Oracle of Fabula Sibylla. She hired Pretzel, Tarn, and me to help her find a lost storybook, and once we succeeded she asked Tarn to go back to Dastan with her--sort of a fairy-tale ending, I suppose. Pretzel and I were supposed to say goodbye on his behalf to you and several others, but I've hardly seen the old gang since then. I almost had a chance to tell Ellaria and Benji, but they got picked for Quests before I could. I've seen Nyx a few days ago, but...well. Better if Pretzel talks to her, I think. You seen Thothwick, Haldor, or Tesni recently?"

"Yeah! He gave us a whole list of people, but I didn't really know who any of them were. Who's Nyx and why would I have to tell her?"

  On 11/14/2014 at 2:59 AM, Flipz said:

"Take it from me, Dyric, it's not going to happen in your lifetime. First the witch Barbariccia would have to be dealt with--and there's not exactly enough Heroes both willing enough and strong enough to do so--and then all the current heads of Houses would have to die out, non-violently so their heirs can't be manipulated to seek revenge upon their rival House. Not to mention that the reasonable figures in each House aren't even first in line as heirs--Lorcan Hinckwell's a complete megablocks, and even though Umbra's more reasonable by a long shot she's still a hard-liner when it comes to the Hinckwells...and the more I myself see of those guys, the less I can blame her. Bonapartes are the same way, actually--I've yet to meet one I can actually stand, and they seem Hel-bent on keeping gold in their purses and Eubric under their thumb no matter what nasty things they have to do to get it. Haven't had a lot of experience with the Guild of Invision and the Zeigfrieds, but then again I'm not even sure why people say they're rivals in the first place. Maybe Valentine slept with the Masked Man's father and ruined his reputation or something?" Arthur snorts at his own joke, before remembering that he still hadn't opened her Grogmas gift, nearly a year after it had been sent. I should really do that sometime...

"Hmm, I ran into Miss Shadeaux back in Dastan some years ago now. She seems a decent sort. Good, respectable. She was all for saving the ancient creatures and that makes a lot of sense. We could learn a lot from Dastan's dragons if we paid them the reverence they deserve. Those beasts can really be a bank of knowledge if treated right. I haven't had any run-ins with the Hinckwells in my whole time here. Rather strange, actually. But just now Atramor and I came back for a job with the Shadeaux...getting rid of some bull pirate. Seems more of a Bonaparte's line of work. From what I see, the Shadeaux seem a reasonable folk. I'd advise you to stay away from the Ziegfrieds though. They spell trouble for Eubric."

CURRENT SIGN-UPS:

Quest#119: The Blackgull Inquisition:

1. Annienal Anavir, Level 5 Knight (Kintobor)

2. The Demon Germ, Level 5 Rogue (samuraiturtle)

3. Miderun, Level 5 Barbarian (CallMePie)

4. Warlen Melimane, Level 6 Mage (The Chosen Minifigure)

5. Bobby “Young” Bucks Jr., Level 4 Rogue (Zepher)

6. Namyrra Uq, Level 49 2/5 Archmage (Quarryman)

7. Monk Pretzel, Level 31 2/4 Artisan (Palathadric)

8. Skrall, Level 36 Hunter (Waterbrick Down)

9. Dyric Rone, Level 28 1/3 Assassin (The Legonater)

Quest#120: Hand of Blue:

1. Annienal Anavir, Level 5 Knight (Kintobor)

2. The Demon Germ, Level 5 Rogue (samuraiturtle)

3. Miderun, Level 5 Barbarian (CallMePie)

4. Warlen Melimane, Level 6 Mage (The Chosen Minifigure)

5. Bobby “Young” Bucks Jr., Level 4 Rogue (Zepher)

6. Atramor Gibbin, Level 34 1/4 Regulator (CallMePie)

7. Dyric Rone, Level 28 1/3 Assassin (The Legonater)

8. Skrall, Level 36 Hunter (Waterbrick Down)

QM Note: I think I'll adjust one of these quests for the beginners and the other for the veterans, to avoid balancing nightmares. Haven't decided which will be which, though.

  On 11/14/2014 at 4:39 AM, The Legonater said:

Wren is dead, or at least close enough. It's the only thing that lets me sleep at night, and I'm not going to involve her in that when it's no longer relevant. The Temple is one thing, if she gets involved with that, fine. But Wren? That's personal, and not to mention dangerous - the less with a connection to those kinds of people the better. Did she tell you us keeping secrets was the downfall of that op? If so, it was a lie, and a broad one.

I'm just not content with that, Arthur. There's some here that take pleasure in being greedy thieves, but I can't live that life. Not when I've come so far from Duplovia. We need to figure out how to be more, how to be heroes.

"Treating the few decent ones we've got like second-class citizens because they don't share our history isn't the way to start, brother. Wren may be dead, but if we don't keep the memory of her actions alive, more Heroes will end up walking down her path. It's up to those of us who know to tell them how that journey ends--or don't you remember that she used to be a Hero, too?"

  On 11/14/2014 at 6:01 AM, Palathadric said:

"Yeah! He gave us a whole list of people, but I didn't really know who any of them were. Who's Nyx and why would I have to tell her?"

"Hmm, I ran into Miss Shadeaux back in Dastan some years ago now. She seems a decent sort. Good, respectable. She was all for saving the ancient creatures and that makes a lot of sense. We could learn a lot from Dastan's dragons if we paid them the reverence they deserve. Those beasts can really be a bank of knowledge if treated right. I haven't had any run-ins with the Hinckwells in my whole time here. Rather strange, actually. But just now Atramor and I came back for a job with the Shadeaux...getting rid of some bull pirate. Seems more of a Bonaparte's line of work. From what I see, the Shadeaux seem a reasonable folk. I'd advise you to stay away from the Ziegfrieds though. They spell trouble for Eubric."

"Lady Nyx is...someone I've hurt. Badly. I don't want to bring her any more pain."

"Yes, I also have a lot of respect for Dragons. Few people really understand the depth of their wisdom."

"Bull pirate...his name wouldn't happen to be Indiacca, would it?"

  On 11/14/2014 at 3:22 AM, CallMePie said:

"I've spent enough time gettin' screwed by the Bonapartes to believe they're doin' anythin' useful. The Guild and the Ziegfrieds are made up of alchemists and mages. No wonder they're rivals. One does whatever it likes with magic with magic for the hell of it, and the other does whatever it likes with alchemy to make money. I'd say the Ji Pei were the best chance for Eubric but after seein' where they come from, I don't think they need to be in charge here."

"Still, what other choice is there. The damn Wolfgang? I've spent enough time outside the law to know better than to believe that."

I ignore Atramor's comment about the Bonapartes.

Of course a weapon-seller like him would prefer them out of the way. He doesn't realize that the only reason he is in business is because they are helping him to eliminate the competition.

"I've done some work for the Guild before. I have to say that it was questionable at best. We ended up having to save them from the very item they created with our help. Not sure how enthused I'd be about working with them a second time. Although I have to say that it's probably better that Erdathcath and I were there with Sarge to eliminate the threat. If it were another group of heroes things could have gone very differently. That's the worry about questing these days. You're never sure what's going to happen. Your party might suddenly turn against you for no apparent reason. Just a little while ago I was saving some gnomish colony from the Wolfgang who were terrorizing it and suddenly my party decides to fight with the Wolfgang." I quickly glance around to make sure that none of my party members from that quest are around or listening.

...I haven't seen or heard much of the Ji Pei, but to me, they look like trouble." I shrug.

  On 11/14/2014 at 3:33 AM, The Legonater said:

...I wish I could say you were wrong, Arthur, and that the heroes could stand united against Baba, but the past few months don't seem to line up with that. We're not heroes, anymore. Not like we used to be. This organization used to stand for something more than a bunch of hired thugs. Dastan was the first taste of what could happen, and now we seem to face in-fighting almost every day. It's not worth it.

"Who's this 'Baba'? The name...I might have heard it before. I can't recall. It's not too late for our organization if we weed out the evil influences..." I glance up at the ceiling, before allowing my eyes to roll over to Skrall.

Suddenly, they light up a little, "Hey! Is that Tarn's armour you got in your bag there? I could have sworn I've seen that armour before."

  On 11/14/2014 at 3:54 AM, The Chosen Minifigure said:

He stormed over to the stairs and climbed them quickly, before jumping over the rail...

"Why do I have the feeling I've seen that before?"

  On 11/14/2014 at 4:17 AM, Flipz said:

Arthur snorts. "Ulric is either a liar or a fool, and even if he's sincere about fixing the city, his little gang of groupies would just tear it to pieces anyway. I've had enough of the Wolfgang to last me a long time."

"You can say that again." I nod in agreement.

  On 11/14/2014 at 4:17 AM, Flipz said:

"At the end of the day, though, we're just a bunch of sellswords with ridiculously good publicity and downright absurd healthcare. We've got way too much power for our own--or anyone else's--good, and rather than wielding it with care and respect we just swing it around haphazardly like an enormous club. Without the guise of legitimacy, we'd all be little more than a bunch of notorious mass murderers. I want to protect someone for once, take care of them, instead of just killing for cash. I've caused enough damage to the world, and it just seems like I only break things worse when I try to fix it."

"Ack! Don't be so gloomy! We've all done our part to make this world a better place...at least most of us. We may have made our mistakes, but consider the state Eubric and the world would be in if it weren't for us. Sometimes I feel that the few remaining heroes...the real heroes...are the last thing that are holding this world together. I know that at least two or three times I've prevented a disaster that would have spelled the destruction of Eubric or even the world had we not stopped it when we did. Sometimes we fail to see all we do because we're standing too close to the picture, but when we look back...only then can we see the amount of lives we've changed. Sure, our deeds may not be good in a showy kind of way. We may not have crowds applauding our efforts, but isn't the hidden good of even more value than the outward kind?"

  On 11/14/2014 at 8:27 AM, Flipz said:

"Bull pirate...his name wouldn't happen to be Indiacca, would it?"

"Indiacca...? It's possible. I don't remember. Ask the sword slinger over there," I toss a nod in Atramor's direction. "We fought him together with a certain Shadeaux representative, Mr. Shawe. There was also this group of knights. ...They didn't seem to do a whole lot, although at first they appeared noble enough." I shrug.

"Who's this 'Wren?'"

Edited November 14, 201410 yr by Palathadric

Skrall drained his tankard, before replying to the monk. "Yes it is, straight from Strivvi too."

"Wren was... is a soddin' nuisance. A soddin' ex-hero with a soddin' messiah complex."

  On 11/14/2014 at 6:01 AM, Palathadric said:

"But just now Atramor and I came back for a job with the Shadeaux...getting rid of some bull pirate..."

I guess I wasn't there.

  On 11/14/2014 at 8:27 AM, Flipz said:

"Treating the few decent ones we've got like second-class citizens because they don't share our history isn't the way to start, brother. Wren may be dead, but if we don't keep the memory of her actions alive, more Heroes will end up walking down her path. It's up to those of us who know to tell them how that journey ends--or don't you remember that she used to be a Hero, too?"

Again. whatever she told you she's blowing it way out of proportion. The only Wren came up at all is someone mentioned a man with experience in bombs. Thothwick and I both thought of XX, but decided the evidence was too flimsy to bother worrying her about it. In the end, we were right. If it had turned out to be XX, or Zane or the blasted Court of Demons, you can be sure we'd have filled her in. The moment any of that became a threat to her, I'd have filled her in. In the end the only ties to the Wren Hunt we found was Everyman, and he wound up being irrelevant to our goals anyways. So if she said it was my silence that botched that quest, she's lying. You can trust me on that, and if you think I don't regret what happened that day you're wrong there as well. I despise all the conflict growing within the Hall's own doors. If you can make her see reason, please, by all means, succeed where I failed - but don't pin this all on Thothwick and I.

  On 11/14/2014 at 10:07 AM, Palathadric said:

"Ack! Don't be so gloomy! We've all done our part to make this world a better place...at least most of us. We may have made our mistakes, but consider the state Eubric and the world would be in if it weren't for us. Sometimes I feel that the few remaining heroes...the real heroes...are the last thing that are holding this world together. I know that at least two or three times I've prevented a disaster that would have spelled the destruction of Eubric or even the world had we not stopped it when we did. Sometimes we fail to see all we do because we're standing too close to the picture, but when we look back...only then can we see the amount of lives we've changed. Sure, our deeds may not be good in a showy kind of way. We may not have crowds applauding our efforts, but isn't the hidden good of even more value than the outward kind?"

That's fair. It's just a shame there seems to be less and less of those true heroes these days. I can't be content with them being the minority while the others tarnish what was once the good name of Heroica. What does it mean to be part of this organization anymore? It all seems to be less and less clear.

  On 11/14/2014 at 10:07 AM, Palathadric said:

"Indiacca...? It's possible. I don't remember. Ask the sword slinger over there," I toss a nod in Atramor's direction. "We fought him together with a certain Shadeaux representative, Mr. Shawe. There was also this group of knights. ...They didn't seem to do a whole lot, although at first they appeared noble enough." I shrug.

"Who's this 'Wren?'"

Yeah, Indiacca was his him. Which is something I would know, because I was there.

Wren, as Skrall so eloquently put, was an ex-hero with a messiah complex. She thought she could succeed Zoot and become the Goddess of Chaos. We proved her wrong, at a terrible price.

  On 11/14/2014 at 2:51 PM, Waterbrick Down said:

Skrall drained his tankard, before replying to the monk. "Yes it is, straight from Strivvi too."

"Being that it clearly won't fit you. I might relieve it from you for a pretty coin or two."

I hold up a sizable bag of gold.

It's true that it could very well be Tarn's, stolen off of him, but in Dastan I'm sure he can find plenty more that are just as good, I reason with myself.

  On 11/14/2014 at 4:03 PM, The Legonater said:

I guess I wasn't there.

"Your name again, 'assassin of light'?"

  On 11/14/2014 at 4:03 PM, The Legonater said:

That's fair. It's just a shame there seems to be less and less of those true heroes these days. I can't be content with them being the minority while the others tarnish what was once the good name of Heroica. What does it mean to be part of this organization anymore? It all seems to be less and less clear.

"Yak! At times I have my bad days and wonder the same. I wish we could just get rid of the loafers like that." I snap. "But for now all we can do is just do the best we can to make the world a better place and not make excuses for ourselves for not doing so."

  On 11/14/2014 at 4:03 PM, The Legonater said:

Wren, as Skrall so eloquently put, was an ex-hero with a messiah complex. She thought she could succeed Zoot and become the Goddess of Chaos. We proved her wrong, at a terrible price.

"So I guess it's a good thing she's out of the way then."

"You guys spend too much time worryin' about the philosophy behind bein' a hero and not enough about actually bein' a damn hero. I'm tryin' my hardest to fix the world, that's good enough for me." Atramor returned to the table with a mug of rum and took a sip as he sat down. "Maybe we do have too much power, but there's no givin' that power back to wherever it came from. Just gotta suck up and do what ya' can."

  On 11/14/2014 at 5:25 PM, Palathadric said:

"Being that it clearly won't fit you. I might relieve it from you for a pretty coin or two."

I hold up a sizable bag of gold.

It's true that it could very well be Tarn's, stolen off of him, but in Dastan I'm sure he can find plenty more that are just as good, I reason with myself.

Skrall glanced at the armor, the monk was right, he wasn't going to be needing it, "250 Gold."

  On 11/14/2014 at 10:25 PM, Waterbrick Down said:

Skrall glanced at the armor, the monk was right, he wasn't going to be needing it, "250 Gold."

I toss the bag to Skrall and take the Darksteel Armour. "250 gold it is," I whisper, while fitting the armour to my form.

  On 11/14/2014 at 5:25 PM, Palathadric said:

"Your name again, 'assassin of light'?"

'Name's Dyric Rone. Pretzel, right?

  On 11/14/2014 at 5:25 PM, Palathadric said:

"Yak! At times I have my bad days and wonder the same. I wish we could just get rid of the loafers like that." I snap. "But for now all we can do is just do the best we can to make the world a better place and not make excuses for ourselves for not doing so."

  On 11/14/2014 at 10:07 PM, CallMePie said:

"You guys spend too much time worryin' about the philosophy behind bein' a hero and not enough about actually bein' a damn hero. I'm tryin' my hardest to fix the world, that's good enough for me." Atramor returned to the table with a mug of rum and took a sip as he sat down. "Maybe we do have too much power, but there's no givin' that power back to wherever it came from. Just gotta suck up and do what ya' can."

You're probably right, but that doesn't stop me worrying.

  On 11/14/2014 at 4:03 PM, The Legonater said:

Again. whatever she told you she's blowing it way out of proportion. The only Wren came up at all is someone mentioned a man with experience in bombs. Thothwick and I both thought of XX, but decided the evidence was too flimsy to bother worrying her about it. In the end, we were right. If it had turned out to be XX, or Zane or the blasted Court of Demons, you can be sure we'd have filled her in. The moment any of that became a threat to her, I'd have filled her in. In the end the only ties to the Wren Hunt we found was Everyman, and he wound up being irrelevant to our goals anyways. So if she said it was my silence that botched that quest, she's lying. You can trust me on that, and if you think I don't regret what happened that day you're wrong there as well. I despise all the conflict growing within the Hall's own doors. If you can make her see reason, please, by all means, succeed where I failed - but don't pin this all on Thothwick and I.

"It's not the specific information that's the real issue--it's the idea that other Heroes are somehow "unworthy" to hear about our pasts. Karie's just as much a Hero as you or me, she doesn't deserve to be excluded just because she doesn't happen to share our history. Heck, she leans a bit more toward the 'me' side, which means it's even more important for us to be there for her when she's most vulnerable. You have no idea what she's been through, Dyric. You could have been for her what you were for me when we were fighting Wren and in the days after--a trusting friend, a brother in a world that seems like it's turned against her. Excluding her...it's just so unlike you, and it's counterproductive to making Heroica better."

  On 11/14/2014 at 10:07 AM, Palathadric said:

"Indiacca...? It's possible. I don't remember. Ask the sword slinger over there," I toss a nod in Atramor's direction. "We fought him together with a certain Shadeaux representative, Mr. Shawe. There was also this group of knights. ...They didn't seem to do a whole lot, although at first they appeared noble enough." I shrug.

"Who's this 'Wren?'"

  On 11/14/2014 at 4:03 PM, The Legonater said:

Yeah, Indiacca was his him. Which is something I would know, because I was there.

"In that case, I owe you all another apology. I and my party fought him myself, along with Shawe and the Knights of Patuqun about a year back. We probably could have finished him off, too, if it weren't for that idiot dwarf with us. If I see him again, I'm pulling a Vonnetate on him, I don't care how many of his cronies pile on to me in the process."

  On 11/14/2014 at 2:51 PM, Waterbrick Down said:

Skrall drained his tankard, before replying to the monk. "Yes it is, straight from Strivvi too."

"Wren was... is a soddin' nuisance. A soddin' ex-hero with a soddin' messiah complex."

  On 11/14/2014 at 4:03 PM, The Legonater said:

Wren, as Skrall so eloquently put, was an ex-hero with a messiah complex. She thought she could succeed Zoot and become the Goddess of Chaos. We proved her wrong, at a terrible price.

"More importantly, she--and I, for that matter--is a perfect example of why it's a bad idea for us to have ulterior motives for taking on a Quest. It almost invariably leads to betrayal--like what she did to her party on her last Quest for Heroica, like what I did to my own when fighting her. Bad news all around."

  On 11/14/2014 at 10:07 PM, CallMePie said:

"You guys spend too much time worryin' about the philosophy behind bein' a hero and not enough about actually bein' a damn hero. I'm tryin' my hardest to fix the world, that's good enough for me." Atramor returned to the table with a mug of rum and took a sip as he sat down. "Maybe we do have too much power, but there's no givin' that power back to wherever it came from. Just gotta suck up and do what ya' can."

"There is that. I just don't think I'm doing a good enough job."

Arthur glances out the window, noting the angle of light now streaming into the Hall. "It's been good catching up with you. I'd best be off for my meeting." He catches Dyric's eye. "Be well, brother." And with that, Arthur Regulus leaves Heroica Hall, in search of something new, something he hadn't thought he'd have again...

...His future.

Purpearl enters the Hall, heads straight to the Quest Board and signs up for Quest #120. <Right, I need a shield. Perhaps I should head on to the Marketplace> she thought to herself. <Perhaps a drink at the Saloon wouldn't hurt, since there's still time> and Purpearl heads up to the Saloon.