Heroica RPG - Quest #40: The Strivvian Job

[CMP]

"Think I've got somethin'..."

Atramor tries the combination 888 on the chest.

[Sandy]

"Aha! So there are numbers hidden here, after all!" Ellaria exclaims triumphantly. She investigates the items on the table (the maps, the cup, the coin (?), the brush and the bone) to see if there is any numbers marked on them, or if they are peculiar in some other way.

[Scubacarrot]

The chest does not open. The items on the table seem like everyday items, the cup is an empty stone cup, it's impossible to tell what was last in it. For some reason, it's the only item that's standing up straight. The brush has some hardened ink or paint on it, but the colour does not match any of the maps here. The maps were looked over already, maps of the seas and deserts around Strivvi, Ellaria does not find numbers on them. The gold coloured paperweight is just that, and has no numbers on it. The bone is a bone, the party can not tell what animal or being it's from, it's probably got something to do with the occupant of this building being an archeologist, the party figures.

Edited October 25, 2012 by Scubacarrot

[CMP]

Atramor checks the bottom of the cup, the plant, the parrot statue, and the skull.

[Sandy]

"Hmm..." Ellaria tries to pick up the stone cup. She also picks up the bone and stashes it in her bag (OoC: hey, it's a free 5 gold from Elphaba's store )

[Scubacarrot]

The bottom of the cup has nothing remarkable on it. The plant is a plant. Atramor's herbiology skills have not increased since his last job for the Town watch, so unfortunately he is unable to identify the plant, but it has long spikes on it. Atramor is careful not to touch the plant itself, in the book he just flicked through, he thought he saw this plant, but he was unable to remember if it was under 'deadly poisons' or 'cures'. The parrot statue has fallen over, Atramor sets it right. It seems to be made of the same kind of stone as the stone dagger, and it looks ancient. Atramor's faunology skills are unfortunately not up to par either, and he does not know what kind of bird it is supposed to be, but the bird looks very lifelike. The skull is either human or elven in nature, and Atramor finally catches something! A small 5 is engraved on the top of it!

Ellaria picks up the stone cup and puts it back down. Nothing happens. Ellaria succesfully steals from the Archeologist.

[Zepher]

Boomingham sits back and begins to hum tunelessly.

[CMP]

"...Why am I the one doing puzzles while someone else loots the place?" thought Atramor aloud. He merely shrugged, and checked the bottle, the flag, the frying pan, the black thing on the floor....and swiped the Shovel and Pickaxe.

"That's better."

[Scubacarrot]

The bottle is the same as the one Boomingham found earlier, filled with water, and stopped with a cork. The red flag implies that Mortimer is a supporter of Maxis. The frying pan is unremarkable, other than it's location. The "black thing" is dirt from the potted plant that fell over. He does not find any numbers. Atramor too manages to steal from the house without too much trouble.

[CMP]

Atramor inspects the mural/picture on the wall.

[Pandora]

"Huh, well everyone seems to have rummaged through almost everything"

Nyx examines the bedroll, picking it up so that no-one can steal it.

"I really think it's a bit rude to be stealing from Mortimer. I guess if he's dead he won't need it, but if I see him again, I'll give this bedroll back to him."

Nyx then looks at the flames on the bookcase, and moves both bookcases to see if there are marks on the front or back. She also closely examines the block of wood with the elaborate motif on the ground in front of the coffee table. Having examined the bookcases, she makes sure they're back where they should be and rights the chairs, also examining them for the last digit.

[Scubacarrot]

Nyx picks up the bedroll. The "flames" are actually red plumes, and banners, Nyx moves the bookcases, but it only causes more things to fall out of the bookcases. She quickly puts them back and shoves them back. She does not find any digits. Then she examenes the carved block of wood, it features some kind of dragon or snake. It's very old, when she picks it up, dust falls from it. She does find what'she's looking for there. A small but distinct 5 is etched in the wood.

[CMP]

"Great work, Nyx."

Atramor tries three combinations on the chest: 855, 558, and 585.

[Zepher]

Boomingham yawns, stands, stretches and draws Scupperer. "Can never be too careful. Here we go!"

[CMP]

"Don't worry. I've had experience fightin' man-eating chests, too."

[Zepher]

"Well good. You can handle the chest, I'll take down any rugs we encounter. Rufindel, Ellaria, do you have a household specialty?" Boomingham laughs loudly and shakes his head. He sighs. "I led men into war once upon a time. Now I am preparing to fight the house fillings of an old man. Oh well, it is as it is. Onwards and upwards."

[Pandora]

"Well good. You can handle the chest, I'll take down any rugs we encounter. Rufindel, Ellaria, do you have a household specialty?"

"Not that you asked, but I did once battle an entire house full of evil furniture - chairs, beds, all sorts. I'm fairly proficient at furniture slaying myself. "

[Scubacarrot]

Atramor tries the first combinations, and nothing happens. When he tries the third, the chest springs open! The party is ready to engage whatever comes out of it... But nothing happens. Inside, the party finds some Gold Ore, a Topaz and another map, that was for some reason locked away.

Gold Ore - Worth 80 gold.

Mysterious Map - A Map showing a part of the desert. Strivvi is marked, and so is a place in the desert marked by a big X.

Topaz - Elemental Gem of Lightning.

Please divide the loot.

Edited October 26, 2012 by Scubacarrot

[Zepher]

"Alright, now, who's been feeling slighted? Sir Trout, heads up! This gold ore belongs to you now. Keep an eye on it, it's a pretty piece of metal. Ellaria, this topaz goes to you. You're still next in line for something shiny, Nyx. We just need to find something you can use to hammer the enemies into bits and pieces the way you like to." Boomingham pockets the map himself.

[CMP]

Atramor grins as he sees the map.

"I think we've just found our ancient treasure vault. Now, should we head back to Purple's meetin' place and get some rest? No time to follow up on this today, and we should get a start on findin' the guards tomorrow."

[Zepher]

"Right you are, rogue. Pack up, we're going to go meet Purple."

[Scubacarrot]

Updated Party

Lord Lawrence Boomingham

(Zepher)

-Party Leader-

Level 19.5 Paladin

*Counterstriking*

Power:

32

Defense:

7

Health:

41/41

Ether:

13/13

Gold:

150 (Owes 100 to Gurnam)

Equipment:

King of the Desert (Longsword)

(WP: 9,

Fire,

Darkness

,

Earth

)

Round Metal Shield

(SP: 7),

Hood of Belthazar Bluehood

(+4 to Power, -6 to Ether),

Counterstrike Gloves

(On Free Hits, Deals damage to enemy equal to Boomingham's level)

Inventory:

, Frozen Saber (WP: 9, stunned effect,

Light

), Scupperer (WP: 10, Causes

Bleeding

Effect for 5 Damage until remedied or healed to full health), Shiver (WP: 11,

Ice

), Shadeux Shield (SP: 5), Dress Uniform (User is encouraged for the 1st round of battle), Bedroll, 5 Bones, 4 Meads, 1 Potion, 1 Phoenix essence, Pick-axe, 1 Grand Tonic, Emerald Lamp of Summoning, Mysterious Map

Skrall (Waterbrick Down)

*Favors

Humanoid

Enemies*

*Immunity to

Slowed

and

Bound

*

Level 21.66 Hunter

Power:

41

Health:

35/35

Gold:

199 (Owes 125 to Gurnam)

Equipment:

Leojagd

(Greatsword, WP:20, User is

Slowed

),

Hunter's Quiver

(Bows and Crossbows +2WP, allows Hunters to favor two types of enemies),

Winged Sandles

(Immunity to

Slowed

and

Bound

effects),

Lucky Doubloon

(Accessory, Grants "Special Guard"

Inventory:

Hunter's Crossbow (WP:11, +4 vs. Beasts), Heavy Crossbow (WP:8, Knockback), ), Smoke Bomb x1, Grand Potion, Zoot's Plaything, Mead

Nyx (Pandora)

Level 22.66 Battle Mage

*Immune to

Asleep

and

Sealed

effects*

Defense:

3

Health:

31/31

Ether:

32/32

Gold:

180 (Owes 125 to Gurnam)

Equipment:

Book of a Thousand Creatures

(WP: 13; each hit has a 1/3 chance to summon a creature Edgar to aid the hero),

Sandman's Parasol

(immune to

Asleep

)

Robe of the Archmagi

(SP:3, Max. Ether +5, protects from

Sealed

-effect)

Inventory:

Dawnstar II (WP: 9), The Fishstick (WP:7 Double damage while on ships), Shiny Helmet (+1 Max Health), Monkey Bar (all minions, pets, summons etc are Hastened), Healing Staff (WP: 5; healing effect), Wooden Shield (SP:2), Ruby (

Fire

), Amethyst (

Darkness

), Topaz (

Lightning

), Sapphire (

Wind

), Emerald (

Wood

), Aquamarine (

Water

), Garnet (

Earth

), Scroll of Weakening, Mead, Potion, Tonics (2), Grand Tonics (2), Holy Bomb, Bones (5), Ether Core, 2x Bedroll, Bomb XX

Atramor Gibbin (CallMePie)

Level 22.33 Witch

*Deals Badly Poisoned*

*Counterstriking*

Health:

39/39

Ether:

11/20

Gold:

195 (Owes 187 to Gurnam)

Equipment:

Ratsbane

(WP: 10, absorbs 2 health on successful strike,

Fire,

Ice,

Earth

,

Wind

elemental),

Witch's Talisman

(

Poisoned Hits

becomes

Badly Poisoned Hits

),

Counterstrike Gloves

(When hit by a Free Hit, immediately deals damage equal to level),

Marksman's Monocle

(Misses are rerolled),

Inventory:

Explosive Staff – WP: 12 (Does 1/2 damage to all enemies on a successful hit (normal damage to targeted enemy) and 1/2 WP damage to self on a roll of 4 (disregarding SP/row)),Ratmancer's Cowl (Deals double damage against Vermin), Sword of Ancestral Hatred (WP: 6, gains 1 WP every kill made with it), Heavy Flail (WP: 5 Fragile Effect), Staff of the Elven Warlock (WP: 5,

wood

elemental), Topaz(

Lightning

), Fire Bomb, Bomb XX (Deals 30 damage to all enemies and 10 damage to all heroes, all damage ignoring SP/row), Dragon Scale (Gives Lucky and Blessed effects on consumption), Strivvian Keystone, Shovel, Pickaxe

Ellaria Arbour (Sandy)

Level 17 Druid

*Immune to

Sealed

effect*

Power:

30 (26)

Health:

32/32

Ether:

22/22

Gold:

96

Equipment:

Ignis Fatuus

(WP:10,

fire

-elemental staff),

Mage's Muffler

(protects from

Sealed

effect)

Black Bandana

(+3 Power),

Inventory:

Sylvania's Crossbow (WP:6,

wood

-elemental crossbow), (Potion, 2 Grand Potions, Tonic, 2 Elixirs, Remedy, Phoenix Essence, Venom, 2 Smoke Bombs, Flash Bomb, 2 Fire Bombs, 2 Ice Bombs, 2 Lightning Bombs, 2 Water Bombs, 2 Holy Bombs, Bedroll, Pickaxe, Telescope, Magic Compass , Scroll of Recklessness (Encouraged and Fragile for rest of battle, 5 ether, 50/50 chance), Bone, -1 Cheese, Topaz (

Lightning

)

Rufindel Galadhras (Rufus)

Level 14.5 Cleric

Power

:

24

Defense:

2

Health:

24/24

Ether:

20/20

Gold:

265 (Owes 125 to Gurnam)

Equipment:

Fauxthril Staff

(WP:10) ,

Warlord's Helmet

(SP:2 Grants 'Natural Respite')

,

Cloak of Chimera

(+2 Health, +2 Ether)

Inventory:

Malfunctioning Staff (WP:12, on succesful attack, has a 50% chance to do half of WP damage to self instead(Ignoring SP and Row))

,

Potion x2, Remedy x2, Bone x2, Pickaxe, Tonic, Bedroll, Venom, Deadly Venom, Grand Potion, Wooden Shield(SP:2), Orcish Drum (WP: 8), Gold Ore (Worth 80 Gold)

The party heads out, closes the door and heads back out the way they came. As they walk, the sun is setting over the water, it's a beautiful sight, had they not a job to do. When they arrive it's much darker outside. To their surprise, only one of the strange soldiers is there. He speaks in a low, raspy voice, and asks:

"So, what did ya find out?"

[CMP]

"Well, we got directions to the slave market, we'll follow them tomorrow. Mortimor's house has been ransacked, though, and he was gone when we got there. We found a map, though, that leads into the middle of the desert, probably to the Keystone vault."

[Pandora]

"So, what did ya find out?"

"Pretty much what.. he said. Have you found anything out? Have you any information for us?"

[Scubacarrot]

"The slave market? You have evidence to suggest the guards are slaves now? Man. That sucks. That Mortimer's gone is a bummer, found any evidence where he might be? If that map leads to the vault, that's alright, but Mortimer might know crucial information. Finding him should be a priority. We found a place we might be able to use as a hangout spot, but Purple spotted something interesting. Crates marked with symbols that suggest they came from Eubric. He and the Zoe are following that lead. If you've no questions left, I'll give you the location, and check out the house. It's abandoned, and in the middle of the city. Should be perfect. I'll wait here for the others to return."

Edited October 27, 2012 by Scubacarrot