Heroica RPG - Quest #30: Ambassadors to Dastan

[Zepher]

Blackenord addresses Nyx first as Phil fishes for a key in his pocket.

"What allies? Who is not my ally at this point? The Lion Knights, the U'Kin, the Pongcanis, the Cult of the Chimera. Everyone is against you. And they're coming. They will rise up on you soon."

Blackenord listens to Atramor's speech and then bursts out into laughter, a cruel, deep, slow drawl.

"You... hahahaha... you killed the Chimera?! HAHAHAHA! Oh, that's too good. Oh, that's got to set Sphinx down a notch, oh thank god, he was insufferable, the will of... hahahaha. AND you got rid of Brunt?! Oh, this is too much for me heroes, you're just too funny."

Blackenord composes himself.

"You again make the mistake that I am bent on destruction. I despise Brunt. I despise Sphinx and his Cult and, as you put it so excellently, his twisted symbol of hope, the Chimera. I am interested in power, not destruction. I have served three Emperors of Dastan, and I have seen them all fail. Severus and his predecessors are not meant to be in power. I'm meant to be in power. And U'Vires and Loren and Roland. The other Emperors don't understand the people, or the city, or the land."

"As for your torture... I've, as I said, advised three generations of Emperors. I have sat and watched a torture or two, and it comes down to this. I won't give you the information. No matter what you do. You can threaten to kill me, or to let me go. I will welcome all that comes because I am under your power, and giving you information won't change that. You will not know how they've entered the city until they've done so. And they will do so. They will get under your walls and they will come and they will kill you."

The door to the cell slides open. Atramor or the other heroes may enter. Before they do so, however, they hear a voice from the final cell in the corridor. It is weak and feeble, but the heroes recognize it thought they can't place it. It hisses out their names.

"Thothwick, Phil, Atramor, Nyx, Cronk, Thothwick, Phil, Tarn... come here. I have your answer."

[CMP]

"You ignorant little-, " spits Atramor, stepping into the cell. He stops, however, as he hears the voice. His head turns towards the end of the corridor, and back at Blackenord. With a quiet hiss, he slams the cell door shut with a clang, walking slowly to the last cell, a guilty suspicion as to who it may be.

[Professor Flitwick]

Thothwick, thinking of the unfavourable of the torturous methods that maybe about the unfold should the interrogation prove fruitless, stood back smoking his pipe. When the unseen entity whispers in the cell, Thothwick glances at his fellow heroes, and takes a few tentative steps forward, to try and see who the familiar voice belongs to.

[Pandora]

"Whatever, old man. Your eyes don't match and you're starting to rot."

Nyx ensures the cell is relocked behind the exiting heroes, keeping Blackenord locked up tight, before allowing some of her attention to be turned to..... Felton? She turns disdainfully from Blackenord, with a swish of her robes, and steps forward too, keeping one eye on Blackenord's cell all the while.

[Rumble Strike]

Tarn spoke low to his friends. "I think that's a U'Kin, due to the repetition of the names. Let us be on our guard."

[Zepher]

As the heroes approach the final cell, Nyx sees she is correct. Standing before the heroes with bags under his eyes, looking paler than usual, though still sporting his confident and easy grin, stands Felton.

"How are we doing, heroes? Glad to see that my poor read on Constance only landed one of us in jail, leaving the rest of us at large."

Felton laughs and wheezes. Phil steps forward.

"I'm sorry. You were meant to be treated gently."

"Apparently that didn't make it's way all the way down the chain of command. The guards here were admires of Constance, and Clara has been instructing their poor treatment of me. She was promoted after Constance's death. Fortunate for her, unfortunate for me. And don not take that as an accusation of her. I should not throw those around, it seems."

Felton pauses a while. He looks forlorn.

"It is funny how the world picks us for jobs we may not be suited for. I was a villager when I needed to be, helped lead the village at a time or two, then I tracked down Wren when I needed to. I do not know, however, that I am qualified for any of those positions. Funny."

Felton coughs.

"That Lord in the cell next to me thinks he is very clever. He thinks he is smarter than anyone else here, in the jail, in Drakencourt, in Dastan, so he likes to play games with people, hinting at what he knows. Little jokes that only he gets, and they do not understand, because they do not have the background knowledge he does. Only way for them to appreciate the jokes is to gather the information they want, so in theory he is depriving them twice, both from the knowledge they want and the ability to understand the little jokes he is making and they are not understanding. He thinks it is funny. He finds that sort of thing funny. I do too. Which is why I am able to follow it. See, in a small conversation like you just heard, it is hard to pick out the little jokes, but if you hear twenty or thirty different interrogations, you pick up on them."

"'They will get under your walls and they will come and they will kill you,' and, 'they will rise up on you soon' are his two jokes in his speech. Listen to the phrasing. Under your walls. That is is not what one normally says. Rise up is the wrong saying too. They are rebels, so they will rise up against the government. He said it as in literally rise out of the ground."

"Atramor, that Emperor you killed today was the first Emperor that Blackenord advised. Near the end of Brunt's reign, Blackenord joined his court. We know this because Blackenord boasts of serving three Emperors, and all of us who read on Dastanian history in the Dastanian library know that before Severus sat on his throne, his father did, and before that, the throne belonged to Brunt. Or am I the only one who did the reading?"

Felton wheezes again after trying to laugh.

"Has not Ella mentioned that her great great uncle built that wall in the center of the city? She mentioned it to me when she came to forgive me for Constance's death. Emperor Brunt is well known for a few things, namely the creation of his wall and the Great siege of Drakencourt. He is less well known for a series of tunnels he ordered in the case that he needed to flee under the city. A series of tunnels that Lord Blackenord designed. That is the answer to your question, heroes. The assassins are using tunnels."

OoC: I wanted so badly for you guys to figure this mystery out, but I didn't expect you to, not due to a lack of respect for your intellects, but rather because it wasn't really a mainstage mystery and the clues were scattered. The clues are all there for at least Atramor and Tarn, and Nyx probably had a pretty decent shot too. It's a really well hidden secret, but if you go back, you'll see the clues, especially in the side-quests.

[CMP]

Argh. You're right. Should've seen the clues...

"Tunnels...dammit. It's always the simplest way, ain't it? Hmm...we need to find these tunnels, then."

[Rumble Strike]

Yes, should have worked that out between us CMP!

"Ella did say that there were tunnels under the city, didn't she? She even lead us down one to take on Brunt. How could we have been so blind not to put it all together?

Thank you Felton, you have done well figuring this out."

[Zepher]

"We believed those tunnels destroyed..."

"They're not. I don't build things that fall apart," Blackenord calls from his cell. "You're going to want to hurry though. The invasion should be coming... around now."

"The Emperor... Ella, Mallelio, Clara even- they're going to be addressing to the people today. In the Great Market."

"Which we know has an entrance to the tunnels, because we ran into Lyons and the Bombsters there."

Phil's eyes blaze. "They'll come up from under the populace. Lion Knights, U'Kin, Pongcanis... everyone... we have no time. What resources do we have? Our army is not even within the city. We have less than a dozen Dragon Knights, a handful of Rito, and your three teams..."

"Find Hans and Poletad. They will help you. They must still be somewhere in the city."

"You're coming with us, Felton."

"No time for that. The guards will not allow me out."

"Then we'll fight them."

"I would much rather they were around to prevent Blackenord from rejoining his friends. Go to the Marketplace. Take the Emperor and Ella and Mallelio and fall back to the palace. Make a stand there. Do not forget to come collect me when you're done."

Would the heroes like to do anything else before heading off to the Great Market?

[Professor Flitwick]

After hearing of the impending troubles soon to befall the market place, Thothwick franticly applies poison to both his Shuriken and his Sabre.

[CMP]

"Damn it, they're already-?! Agh!!" Atramor spits on the floor in frustration. "They're going to be swarming us from inside the city! We can't seal off every tunnel, we don't even know where they are.....you're right. The palace. I think Cronk and his guys are already in there, Skrall and Arthur are fightin' them off from the outside...it's our best chance."

He pauses, glances around, and inconspicuously slides a spare lockpick to Felton through the bars on the floor with his foot.

"If they get here before we do...try and make a break for it, mate. I'm ready to head off. And, er....sorry about the mess you're in."

McCafferey squawks quietly on his shoulder, unknowingly amused by the turning of events. But not surprised.

[Zepher]

The heroes follow Phil to the palace, where he directs them in the way of the Great Market.

"I'll be with you shortly heroes, I need to prepare the defenses. Get the royal family here. I'll try to see if we can contact Alandri. He could try to making it to the palace, or, if he's far enough past the enemies, he could try to break through and avoid this battle. That may be the only way to have an Emperor alive at the end of all of that. Of course, that means sending off someone to find him, and Poletad and Hans-"

<I will do it> Vipera assures them all in their heads. <I cannot reach Emperor Septrine or Ella Septrine or Mallelio Dragonstone. They are wrapped in protective spells to prevent an attack from Wren. Alandri and Hans and Poletad are people I will be able to contact. It is my turn to serve you>.

Phil nods to the heroes.

"Bring the Emperor and Ella back here at all costs".

The heroes rush off to the Great Market. It is crowded with the citizens of Dastan, staring up as Emperor Septrine delivers his speech.

"...we are the people of Dastan. We have had people at our gates before! We won't fall! That's not our way, is it my people?! No! We will stand strong! That is what we do. That is what the people of Dastan do. They stand strong. They have a heart of fire. Your Emperors have not forgotten you. Alandri leads our forces as we speak. Dastan is crushing its enemies as we speak. We are crushing our enemies as we speak. That is the way of Dastan! That..."

The only entrance to the platform is at the back of the building. The heroes rush to it and are greeted by a famaliar face (to only some of you maybe?). Clara, former page to Constance, stands in full Dragon Knight gear, barring the doorway.

"Hello, murderers. What do you want here?"

[CMP]

"Hello, Clara. Nice helmet. There's a secret tunnel to the market that enemies are about to start pouring out of. We need to get Ella, Mallelio, and the Emperor to the palace, and you need to gather up the Dragon Knights and help us make a stand there."

[Professor Flitwick]

"My dear lady, know that despite our disagreements, I raised no weapon against the late Ms. Constance. If you'll allow me - the lone member of my party innocent in the downfall of that poor woman - I must get to the Emperor! At the very least, you must impart this message: He is in mortal peril, and must leave the market place for the relative safety of the palace immediately!"

[Zepher]

"How likely do you think I am to allow a known murderer near the Emperor while he is under my watch, Atramor? Not very. And what's all this about tunnels? You must not take me to be that foolish."

Clara hesitates when Thothwick speaks up.

"I do not know if I can allow you to pass, even so. I will perhaps go have a word with him when the speech is over."

Phil sprints up, helmet on head and war hammer in hand. He inhales deeply.

"We have no time, Clara. Your hatred can't be aimed at the heroes and you must prepare to defend Drakencourt. Send down the royal family. Send home the citizens. Tell them to bolt their doors and arm themselves. The enemy is upon Drakencourt."

Clara hesitates another second, looks at Thothwick, and charges up the stairs. A few seconds later, Mallelio, Ella and Severus dash towards the heroes. The heroes set out towards the palace as Clara starts to yell from the platform.

"People of Dastan! Run! Flee! Get to your houses and defend yourself!"

Perhaps it is because the order to flee is coming from a Dragon Knight, or perhaps it is their Emperor's abrupt departure, but whatever the reason, the citizens of Dastan descend into a panic. The heroes and royal party are rammed by a wave of fleeing men, women, U'Kin, and others. Ella is nearly trampled before Phil and Mallelio help her to her feet. There are cracking noises and the sound of metal on metal, and many many screams of terror. Suddenly a bang rings out. Many of the remaining citizens regain their composure and turn in shock. Their eyes arrive on the platform just in time to hear another bang and see the terror that accompanies it.

Clara's headless body plummets from the platform as U'Vires is joined by XX and Wren.

"People of Dastan, I have great news for you people of Dastan! You are free! No longer must you suffer under the years of suffering you have been forced to suffer through! The Emperors are an old and illogical system. They are out of touch with the people, and they do not care about the people, and they do not protect the people, and they do not respect the people. They respect Dastan, or their vision of Dastan is all they respect. But it is not the true Dastan is not their vision! They see Dastan as it was long ago, but times have changed and they are not longer fit to rule because times have changed! We are a revolution! We are the voice of the new and true Dastan and we are the voice of it! We will destroy the old way and make way for the new true Dastan!"

U'Vires' eyes rest on the heroes. He grimaces.

"Good bye to the old way and its defenders. Hello to the new true Dastan. Witness, people, as the Lion Knights reclaim what is the Lion Knight's!"

The heroes look around frantically and see that Rogue Lion Knights have indeed crawled out of the tunnels and now surround the Market.

"XX, go free Blackenord who is imprisoned. We will need Blackenord. Wren, you are to stay with me Wren. We will go collect Roland once the heroes in his way are dead, and then we will march on Alandri together once we have collected Roland. Lyons, stay with your men. I give you the honor of ending the life of Emperor Severus Septrine."

"Ho ho ho! My pleasure, Lord U'Vires! My pleasure!"

Sir Lyons turns to the heroes.

"Finally, the buffoonery is over! No longer do I have to serve fools. The Lion Knights have come to me. Now you will face the force of a true military, heroes! Ho ho ho!"

The Lion Knights close in on the heroes. Mallelio tosses Atramor his scroll before he slams his staff into the ground and a cage of lightning surrounds Ella, Mallelio and the Emperor, keeping them safe from any blows that might sneak by the heroes, but preventing them from fighting.

The Enemies

Lyons

Level 24 Humanoid

Health: 475/475

SP: 10

Special: Lion's Roar - Lyons hacks at his enemy, dealing them 24 damage. The attack is so forceful that he

stuns

the target and

encourages

all his allies.

Drops: Lion’s Heart (WP: 13, stuns target on successful hits), Lion Knight Shield (SP: 4)

*Lyons' high grade armor protects him from the

Poisoned

and

Badly Poisoned

effects*

Rogue Lion Commander A

Level 15 Humanoid

Health: 150/150

SP: 2

Special: Rally - The commander rallies his troops, doubling their Damage dealt during the next Round as part of the

Encouraged

effect.

Drops: 40 Gold

Rogue Lion Commander B

Level 15 Humanoid

Health: 150/150

SP: 2

Special: Rally - The commander rallies his troops, doubling their Damage dealt during the next Round as part of the

Encouraged

effect.

Drops: 40 Gold

Rogue Lion Pikeman A

Level 10 Humanoid

Health: 50/50

Defense: 2

Special: Stick Together - All Pikemen present huddle together, halving their Damage taken during the next Round, but also making them unable to deal Free Hits.

Drops: Nothing

Rogue Lion Pikeman B

Level 10 Humanoid

Health: 50/50

Defense: 2

Special: Stick Together - All Pikemen present huddle together, halving their Damage taken during the next Round, but also making them unable to deal Free Hits.

Drops: Nothing

Rogue Lion Pikeman C

Level 10 Humanoid

Health: 50/50

Defense: 2

Special: Stick Together - All Pikemen present huddle together, halving their Damage taken during the next Round, but also making them unable to deal Free Hits.

Drops: Nothing

Rogue Lion Pikeman D

Level 10 Humanoid

Health: 50/50

Defense: 2

Special: Stick Together - All Pikemen present huddle together, halving their Damage taken during the next Round, but also making them unable to deal Free Hits.

Drops: Nothing

The Party

Thothwick

, Level 17 1/2 Rouge *Party Leader*

Power: 25 (23 Ranged)

Health: 28/28

Gold: 518

Inventory - Sabre (WP 8, Poisoned), Whip Chain (WP 6), Shuriken (WP 5, Poisoned), 1 Floral Bomb, 1 Bedroll, 1 Telescope, Cultist's Hat, Phoenix Essence

Nyx

, Level 20 Battle Mage

*Immune to Asleep-effect*

Power: 33

Health: 30/30

Ether: 19/25

Defense: 0

Gold: 0

Inventory:

Book of a Thousand Creatures (WP:13, each roll has a 1/6 chance to summon a creature to aid the hero), Dawnstar II (WP: 9), Healing Staff (WP: 5), Shiny Helmet (+1 max health), Ruby (Fire), Amethyst (Darkness), Topaz (Lightning), Sapphire (Wind), Emerald (Wood), Garnet (Earth), Sandman's Parasol, Potion, Remedy, 3 Tonics, 2 Grand Tonics, Holy Bomb, Bedroll, 5 Bones, Wooden Shield (SP:2), Bomb XX, Phoenix Essence, Ether Core, Dragon Scale

Atramor Gibbin

, Level 19 1/2 Witch

Power: 28

Health: 22/22 (-14 for remainder of Quest)

Ether: 3/8 (-9 for remainder of Quest)

Gold: 12

Inventory: Ratsbane, WP: 10, Witch's Talisman, Black Katana, WP: 8, Staff of the Elven Warlock, WP: 5, Grand Tonic, Fire Bomb, Phoenix Essence, Ether Core, Ancient Crown (Give Enemy Cursed Effect on first hit of battle), Scroll of Sealing

Tarn Valco

, Level 15 1/2 Barbarian

Power: 25

Health: 22/22

Defense: 2

Gold: 13

Inventory: Helbaerend (WP: 10, Water, Ice and Lightning Elemental, Hollow Blade), Fauxthril Spear (WP: 6), Sand Worm Hide, Phoenix Essence, Remedy, Holy Bomb, Shovel, Pickaxe

William Harkenshire

, Level 14 Ranger

Power: 19

Health: 1/19

Gold: 20

Inventory: Hand Cannon (WP: 5; Lightning, Wood) Repeating Crossbow (WP: 5 May not be upgraded; Fire; Hastened), Chimera Armor (Torsowear, Suitable for Knights and Barbarians, +2 SP, +2 Health) Potion, Remedy, Smoke Bomb, Bedroll, Mead, Smelling Salts, Pickaxe, Horse, Skeleton Decoy, Shovel, Magnifying Glass, Venom, Elven Bomb, Bomb XX

Phil

(NPC)

Level 20 Dastanian

Power: 35

Health: 22/22

Gold: 50

Inventory: Dastan War Hammer (WP: 15, Fire/Earth Elemental), Mead x2

Shield – Strikes the enemy with a terrific hit, halving their current health.

Critical Hit – Attacks with WPx2 + Lvl

Edited July 9, 2012 by Zepher

[CMP]

Atramor watches Clara dart up the stairs, and waves the trio that descends towards the palace before the Dragon Knight is executed almost instantly. His knuckles go white as he rips Ratsbane out of its sheath, glaring intently at U'Vires, Wren, and XX, but is quickly distracted by Lyons and the Rogue Knights. With a loud hiss, he drives the dagger towards Rogue Knight Commander B from the front row.

"Nyx, I recommend darkness...ing Lyons, you'll blast through that armor like paper!"

[Pandora]

"Not you again, you old goat. "

Nyx rolls her eyes at the posturing of the old warlord in front of her.

"Comrades, I would suggest that, given the Special attacks and the number of foes, we perhaps concentrate on the underlings here? Although... Atters I notice you have a new hat, would that be any good against this windbag? I don't understand your witchiness, but I'm going to make a start on picking off the minions, starting with.... Rogue Lion Pikeman A with Darkness magic from the back row."

Nyx winks and grins in a slightly terrifying way at her intended target.

OoC: That'll teach me to think too long about taking tonics/ dragon scales

[CMP]

"Aye, but the guy's is apparently immune to venom -bastard-, and 3 health per round ain't much. Plus, if this commander ends up getting a special damage, my witchiness will encourage all of you guys too. In which case we can pound the hell out of Lyons."

[Zepher]

OoC: I debated how long to wait, but I'm following Sandy's advice from Quest 34. NPCs wouldn't wait for EVERY character to speak up, in reality, and I think I gave a fair amount of time. Besides, you can still use them later... you might need them.

HOWEVER, I don't know if VP is around, so if you want to have him take a potion BEFORE the battle, you may command him to do so, Flitty. Also, control his actions for the time being?

[CMP]

"ACTUALLY - back up a minute. We can wipe out all the Pikemen if William uses a Bomb XX, Thothwick use a Floral, and Tarn uses his Holy. Me, Nyx, and Phil will all be able to prevent the Commanders and Lyons from getting a free hit. And one of us could revive William next round. He's half dead right now anyway."

Edited July 9, 2012 by CallMePie

[Pandora]

" Plus, if this commander ends up getting a special damage, my witchiness will encourage all of you guys too. In which case we can pound the hell out of Lyons."

"But don't you have to, like, hit him first? I mean, if you don't or anything, then yeah I'll happily darknessify his stupid face."

OoC: No worries at all Zeph

[CMP]

"Nyx, you're sort of the only one here who won't get instantly knocked out if you roll a Damage or Special Damage targeting him...unless you want to take the free hit. And no, if I roll a Special Damage, all of his guys get encouraged, but so do all of us because I'm a Witch."

Edited July 9, 2012 by CallMePie

[Pandora]

"Me, Nyx, and Phil will all be able to prevent the Commanders and Lyons from getting a free hit."

"Phil isn't here, and I seem to remember a lot of people not enjoying those bombs last time. And I think Willy would be upset if we killed him. Even by accident. I still reckon we should thin out the minions (I can kill one with a single spell), and slobberchops over there can tickle me with a free hit if he wants to (I'm a back row kinda girl anyhow), because once we get the numbers down, you can get your healing mojo on."

[CMP]

"Phil's right here, mate-" Atramor points to Phil. "-and neither of us hits eachother if I roll Special Damage. His special is encouraging all of his guys, I get to copy that. And...I don't exactly have a ton of ether to spare. Plus, I could deal some serious damage poisoning the commaners."

"Hey, since Will's gonna get killed no matter who he targets if he rolls damage, we could use him to prevent a free hit from Lyons."

[Pandora]

"Phil's right here, mate-" Atramor points to Phil. "-and neither of us hits eachother if I roll Special Damage. His special is encouraging all of his guys, I get to copy that. And...I don't exactly have a ton of ether to spare. Plus, I could deal some serious damage poisoning the commaners."

"Oh, yes, Phil. Hi. We're you hiding a second ago? Hi.

Anyway, you can poison the commoners if you want to, but that'll take aaaaages for them to die, and although that'd be fun to watch, we do kinda have other things to do today. And we're basically trading me losing 5 health, versus me losing 12 health but hopefully reducing the need for another free hit for someone else the next round.

And I might see Edgar, too, but I won't count on that.

I still think we'd be better off thinning the numbers, but if the rest of you want me to target poo-face, then I will. Whatever happens, I'm standing in the back row, and I'm casting Darkness magic."

OoC I could have sworn Phil wasn't in the line-up I was looking at