Heroica RPG - Quest 32: The Lost Children

[Rumble Strike]

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Heroica RPG - Quest#32: The Lost Children

Captain Hlin Horrkkba of the Ve'er Town Watch returns to Heroica Hall and collects the five heroes charged with helping him. These heroes are:

Erik Tyrvarr

, Level 1 Barbarian (Myrddyn)

18 years old male human

Power: 4

Health: 8/8

Gold: 10

Inventory: Axe (WP:3), Potion, Mead

Sorrow

, Level 1 Rogue (Endgame) **Party Leader**

Power: 4

Health: 7/7

Gold: 10

Inventory: Scythe (WP:3) Potion, Venom

Mizuki Kimura

, Level 1 Rogue (zakura)

21 years old Female Human

Power: 4

Health: 7/7

Gold: 0

Inventory: Black Katana(WP:3), Potion, Venom, Bedroll, Smoke Bomb

Nagure

, Level 1 Barbarian (Costy)

34 Year old male Yeti

Power: 4

Health: 8/8

Gold: 10

Inventory: Club (WP: 3), Potion, Bottle of Mead

Drake Flamerobe

, Level 1 Knight (xxlrocka)

39 year old male human

Power: 4

Health: 10/10

Gold: 5

Inventory: Torch(WP:3), Shield(SP:2), Potion

The party get their first real look at the Quest's sponsor:

Hlin is a dashing presence, very full of himself, and he talks away as the heroes start their journey towards Ve'er.

"Ve'er is a small village that sits a day's travel from Eubric Freeport. Until a few months ago it was almost like a ghost town, as there was an evil darkness buried in the mines which formed the bulk of its commerce. Since Heroes from Heroica came and let the evil out, Ve'er has slowly gotten back to normal, mainly due to the good work of I, Captain Hlin Horrkkba of the Ve'er Town Watch. But several days ago, a new horror occurred. The children of Ve'er are missing! All of them, overnight. Including my beloved Vell, my little daughter. All gone, in the night."

His voice breaks a little as he chokes back grief. "That's why I came to your organisation. I need your help."

The party travel onward towards Ve'er.

OOC: Okay, thank you for taking part. Make sure all your stats are correct (they should be, as you are level ones). What did Drake spend 5 gold on, xxlrocka?

Get to know each other, and ask Captain Hlin Horrkkba of the Ve'er Town Watch any questions you may have so far. We will reach Ve'er tomorrow.

[Endgame]

OOC: I'm assuming we cannot question the good captain until tomorrow? Everything looks good.

IC: I checked my pulse once more. Since the... incident... I have been rather pedantic about heart health. I looked at my employer, and back to the heroes around me.

"Pleasure to be at your service, sir."

[xxlrocka]

OOC:My stats are fine. And I spent 5 gold on a potion which I used in the arena a long time ago.

Drake looked at sorrow. "Hi. So you've been picked for this quest too?"

[Rumble Strike]

Hlin looked carefully at Sorrow, in fact at all of the assembled heroes. They seemed a motley bunch, even more so than the last lot, and that party had contained two Orcs. They stopped for the night, which Hlin spent huddled against a small fire trying not to shiver.

In the cold light of the morning they set off again.

"Are there any questions? What have I been doing to investigate? Do I have any leads, that kind of thing?" he asked. The Captain had regained his preening narcissism overnight.

Edited April 27, 2012 by Rumble Strike

[Tachyon]

"Did you find any tracks of anything going towards the children before the children disappeared ?" Mizuki asks.

[Endgame]

IC:

"Any sign of break in or struggle? Also, is there a central place where all of the children of your town like to gather? I can picture some unruly kids planning a midnight escapade..."

Edited April 27, 2012 by Endgame

[xxlrocka]

"Where do the kids most like to go?"

[Rumble Strike]

Captain Hlin Horrkkba of the Ve'er Town Watch turned to the heroes.

"Some good questions, heroes. The missing children are only younglings. The parents would have put them to bed as usual, and the next morning, there was not a trace of them. That's what happened with Vell, too. I put her to bed as normal, tucked her in really tight, and kissed her goodnight. When I awoke the next day to go to work, she was gone.

No signs of forced entry, no signs of struggle. Vell had just disappeared. The same with the other children. It's a huge blow to the town, and of course I gave my all to try and find out what had happened. And... well, you'll see soon enough."

The party finally made their way to Ve'er, passing the newly-reopened mine, the Orcshead Tavern, and Laxadaisi's Magic Shop. Instead, Hlin stopped outside a large, imposing greybrick mansion:

"As I, Captain Hlin Horrkkba of the Ve'er Town Watch, am a dedicated and brilliant lawman, I quickly deduced this building may have something to do with the missing children. How, you ask? Because this simply wasn't here until the night that the children were taken!"

What do the party want to do?

[xxlrocka]

Drake looked seriously at the building.....thing. "Interesting....anybody up for going inside? I am." Drake suggested.

[Endgame]

"A mansion... manifesting overnight?"

"I suppose it's worth a try going in."

[xxlrocka]

"A mansion... manifesting overnight?"

"I suppose it's worth a try going in."

"Yeah..."

[Costy]

A mansion magically appearing overnight? I say we go in. This is very unusual.

[xxlrocka]

A mansion magically appearing overnight? I say we go in. This is very unusual.

"Oh, so you've decided to show your face then? You're quite tall.....and strong looking....."

[Rumble Strike]

"I have to admit; once I, Captain Hlin Horrkkba of the Ve'er Town Watch had deduced that this mansion was the most likely suspect in terms of where to start the investigation, I knew even a dashing and handsome lawman such as myself would be foolish to go in without some kind of backup. My deputies in the Town Watch are able men, stout and sure, but this has the whiff of magick about it, and in that case I knew it would be wise to contact Heroica Hall, where heroes such as yourselves are more versed in these matters."

The party walked closer to the magical mansion, wary of anything unusual. They arrived near the front door:

The group looked up at the mansion which loomed over them. It was two storeys, with a third storey in the form of a tower. The air was still, a hush pervaded the lush greenery surrounding the mansion. Even the wind in the trees seemed to be silent. It was as though the mansion was waiting. Hlin gulped nervously, and looked at Sorrow and the others, wondering what they would suggest.

What would the party like to do?

[Endgame]

I look inside the window to see what lies inside the mansion.

[Rumble Strike]

As Sorrow approaches the window, he sees an emanciated corpse in a cloak lurch towards him! His newly-restarted heart misses a beat before he realises that the windows and doors are all mirrored; the party cannot see in.

[Endgame]

My own reflection startling me. A brand new low.

I walk around back to see if there are alternate entries. if not, in the front door we go.

[Tachyon]

Mizuki goes and checks what's in the bushes.

[Rumble Strike]

Sorrow takes the party to trek around the mansion for what seems like hours, the atmosphere getting more oppressive with each passing minute.

"Ve'er clearly doesn't take well to magical hotspots. The problems in the mine bled out into the town in a similar way. We must be cautious."

Despite Hlin's sombre warning, the party are untroubled but do not find an alternative route into the mansion. It looks as though the front door is the only way in.

Sorrow gingerly approaches the front door, with Hlin noticably several metres behind the reanimated Rogue. Sorrow shuts his eyes as he tries the front door.... and it opens with a loud creak, shattering the stillness around the mansion.

The party carefully walk forward, and find themselves in a large, ornate hallway:

There is no sign of movement, but faintly, they can hear sounds of children playing; chatter and laughter.

"The children are here!" said Hlin, breaking into a smile.

What will the party do?

[Tachyon]

Mizuki goes up to the suit of armour and checks if anything or anyone is inside.

[Rumble Strike]

Mizuka walks up to the suit of armour:

She tries to lift up the visor from the helmet, when a voice speaks, guttural and clearly not human:

"Leave. Now."

[Tachyon]

Mizuki goes over to the shelf of liquids and examines each one.

[Endgame]

I go up and address the apparently sentient suit of armor.

"I'm afraid I can't follow your warning without some more information, my friend."

If the armor is NOT sentient, and I am in fact a blubbering idiot, I follow the sound of giggling.

[Costy]

I examine the round item with a shark face on it on the right side of the room.

[xxlrocka]

Drake tries to look through the nearest door to the right.

"You know, this place is amazing!"