Heroica RPG - Quest #38: The Lost Party

[Peppermint_M]

"Humph, you misunderstand me creature, I wanted you to tell me where that fragment lay, I am assuming when we free it you will be sent to ther otherland. But you did answer my question..." Tesni glowered. On hearing the deal, Tesni rummaged in her pack. "For the soul of a barbarian? My Wooden Club, A Mead, two bones and an old boot. How about a chain? Ghouls like chains to rattle after all..." She counted out the items, that is 6, added to Sir Cronk's offering that gives us a dozen. Eight more to go folks."

[Masked Builder]

Alexis blushes as Arthur winks to her. "Items you say? Let's see..."

Bone

Venom

Lightning Bomb

"That makes fifteen."

[Scorpiox]

"So she lives? That is good news for our ears, creature, thank you for your help. But don't call me foolish, you are the one who is very deeply confused. I find it most amusing, you say you serve Ennoc, yes? Yet you attack travellers and ask for sacrifices to your God? Ha, how wrong you are, you do not serve Ennoc, twisted acolyte of darkness. Ennoc would not accept one such as you in his service, for all the little that I know." Haldor laughed and kicked dust into the priest's face. Walking back, he spoke again. "But, as much as I despise you, I know that we need you intact to rescue the lady Sasha, so go along with your games I must." The Nord reached into his bag, rummaging for unneeded items. He pulled out a vial of venom, and an old and musty bedroll. "This is what I can spare, and I offer these things to you in exchange for her life, fiend. Now we have seventeen, Arthur, care to stop winking at the ladies and chip in?"

Edited August 31, 2012 by Scorpiox

[Flipz]

"I got a pair of potions and a Tonic. Unless your so-called "god" does not know how to count, that should be 20. Now, I know how these things work--you need a container for her soul, do you not? If that is the case, I offer myself for that purpose--after all, in regards to her fate, she and I are not dissimilar. Hardly different at all, in fact..."

[Scorpiox]

Haldor elbowed Arhur sharply in the ribs, hurting him rather more than he had intended to. "Don't offer yourself up lad, see what happens first, this thing might still have her body."

[Flipz]

"If he still has her body, then undoubtedly he will require it in order to bring her back, as part of whatever foul ritual he must perform. If he does not, however, it is best if we have a designated container in mind; the gray wizard has knowledge of the Lady's past, McColt knows more of the area itself than we do, Cronk's shield and angel are too valuable to us, you are a vital, hard-hitting healer, Tensi is a near-invincible tank, and Alexis' summons will yet prove useful to you all. As for me? I am a mere broken soul, wounded by the treachery of chaos and yet lured--no, doomed--to wander after its siren call. My role is yet to be played in this cosmic struggle, and so I am certain that I will be fine. Moreover, there are certain...similarities...between myself and the lady barbarian Sasha. A mingling of pasts...if this creature speaks the truth, and she still lives, her soul will be in terrible, terrible pain. My soul knows this pain. My soul has lived it. Perhaps by sharing our burdens our pain can be eased." Arthur pauses a moment, lost in thought. At last he turns back to the undead monstrosity before the party. "Come now, Priest. We have given you what you asked. Return Sasha to us, that we may continue to chase after Wren and Caroline."

OOC: Zeph, the little profile pics in this post seem to be switched around for Roderick and Sasha, you might want to fix those for the sake of easy reference.

Edited September 1, 2012 by Flipz

[Zepher]

"I long for another body to feed me, but the deal I offered wassssss a different one, and I am fair as Ennoc. You may have your Sssssssasssssssha."

There is a flash of light, and the heroes feel their supplies grow lighter. After the light fades, the heroes see the pretty barbarian, Sasha. She stumbles forward and the Gray Wizard catches her.

"Are you alright, Sasha?"

"Gray.... Gray Wizard? I thought you dead."

"No. Though it seems that we've been near dead for a number of years, the two of us. Listen to this man here, and brace yourself."

"I will be blunt, we have no time to spare words and feelings. You've been in some otherly state for seven years. Your old party member, Wren, has ravaged my home town of Haddon, to the north of here, and has recently been spotted in Dastan. Heroica has suffered a terrible blow and is only now regaining it's strength. We have every reason to believe, if Arthur here is correct, that Wren is trying to raise the God Zoot. I have hired this team of heroes and previous allies to track down Wren's past and see how close to this goal she is, and what we can do to stop her."

Sasha's eyes water, but she holds herself together.

"This is little Wren?"

"Yes, Sasha."

The barbarian woman bites her lip.

"Wren and I joined Heroica at the same time. We went on our first mission together... she always seemed troubled, especially near the end..." Sasha gasps. "Has... well.. has there been any word of Roderick? In those seven years?"

The Gray Wizard shakes his head sadly. "I'm sorry, Sasha. Perhaps he too is somewhere in the valley. It's possible."

"No, it's most likely safer if he was killed." Sasha seems overcome by conflicting emotions. She sits down, shakes her head and then stares up at the heroes.

"I will share with you all that I can. Both Roderick and Wren were dear to me, and good friends at one point. I understood them to a degree that no others did, I believe. I will tell you both of their stories and how they crossed paths with Zoot... I never imagined it would come to this, but apparently it has. Forgive as you listen, Gray Wizard, for I hid things from you that were perhaps better out in the open."

"As I said, Wren and I started Heroica together. We quickly became fast friends. We both believed in the chaos of the world - my ancient gods of the North were harsh and fierce, but just and fair and forced growth and strength in their people due to their chaos. I saw this to be true everywhere else in the world too, and so did Wren. I guess I knew Wren's feelings towards Chaos were different than mine, though they never were clear until she and Roderick found that temple to Zoot."

"Before her story continues, I must explain my friendship with Roderick. After my first two missions, Roderick and I were put on a mission to protect a Princess of a minor Kingdom in the High Kingdoms. We did so successfully, and became fast friends. I had never met anyone more outwardly noble and steadfast than Roderick. He was resolute in his ideas and believed only in justice. He was cunning, clever, sweet, and powerful. We were very much in love, for at least some time. He spared no small fault, each person was punished for each of their crimes. Roderick believed people must suffer the consequences of their actions."

"The two of them found the Temple with the Gray Wizard, under Eubric. While the Gray Wizard stayed outside, they ventured in. They told the Gray Wizard it was abandoned, which was true enough. Roderick told me later, however, that both he and Wren had received visions from the King of Demons inside. Zoot had shown Roderick a vision of Chaos, of Eubric consuming itself, of men and women turning on their loved ones, of the ices of Helvetia and the fires of Torak consuming the world. I should have told you these visions, Gray Wizard, but I never did. I saw them trouble both Wren and Roderick, and yet I thought as their friend I could help them, and that perhaps they'd grow stronger thanks to their sights. I was wrong."

"Wren never told me her vision. I perhaps should have asked. I always assumed that it was the same as Roderick's... but perhaps it was not."

"When this mission was posted, seven years ago, Roderick visited me and told me that this was his time. He outlined a plan to me. He wished to use the Amulet of Gods to summon Zoot into this world, and slay him, taking his place as God of Chaos and becoming, himself, the God of Order. I was horrified. I told him this was a folly, and no doubt what Zoot wanted. Chaos is not dangerous, I told him, except when fought against. He lost his head that night, calling me a banshee, she-witch, and servant of Zoot. I went on the mission to keep an eye on him. I believed I could still talk him out of his lunacies. I was apparently wrong."

Sasha sighs again.

"Anything else I should tell you, fellow heroes, or shall we continue on?"

Edited December 7, 2012 by Zepher

[Masked Builder]

Alexis listens to her story. Such stories always seem to happen the best of friends, she thinks. "I have no further questions, let's move on."

[CorneliusMurdock]

Why must mortal beings think beings can control gods? Even if amulet make such thing possible, it just not right.

[Scorpiox]

Haldor sighed as Sasha told her tale. "Sounds like Roderick was dabbling in things that he couldn't control. As much as he said he wished to slay Zoot, he was playin' right into his big greedy hands. What do you Zoot wants more than anything else, than to be dragged right into our world, so he can unleash his chaos and disorder on all that we hold dear? Shouldn't mess with Gods, it ain't right."

I'm ready to move along now, but I'm happy to wait if Flipz has something planned.

[Peppermint_M]

Tesni listened to the tale. "Aye, she said as much to me. I fought in Haddon you see."

[Flipz]

OOC: Waiting for Zeph's approval of my stuff, then I'm ready to move forward. I really should have gotten this one done earlier, I have the second one all photographed and ready.

Edited September 2, 2012 by Flipz

[Zepher]

OoC: If someone else wants to try this sort of thing, I'd love it! I'm warning you right now, those of you who signed up for Roleplaying opportunities, you've got to help me create them for you.

Why must mortal beings think beings can control gods? Even if amulet make such thing possible, it just not right.

"Desire for power...for control...is common to most humans," Arthur notes. "If your kind are immune to such temptations, then I am most envious of you, Sir Cronk."

Arthur turns to speak to Sasha, but sees the Barbarian already preparing her things to move on with the party. "I...suppose I have...no...objections...to moving forward." Arthur moves on with the rest of the party.

Arthur walked along behind the others, oblivious to everything around him. Was this always what happened? Would this really be his fate? Arthur thought deeply upon what Sasha had said...

As if summoned by the sorcerer's thoughts, Sasha appeared next to him.

"You look like there's something on your mind. Maybe it would help to talk?"

"...I...I thought myself similar to you. Before you were revived, I mean. Betrayed by a lover, one who defied the morality you thought you both held to...but now, I wonder... Would you still travel with us, if you knew?"

"If I knew what?"

"I, too, once played visitor to a Temple of Chaos..."

---

"Come out, come out, wherever you are!"

"Hee hee hee."

"Hey, Arthur!"

"WAUGH!!!!!!!"

"Found you!" *giggles*

"We were great friends...too great, actually. Sometimes our friendship overrode our better judgement."

"Hey, Dad said I don't have to train for the rest of the day. Wanna come trap some direwolves?"

"Um...I don't know..."

"Yeah, me neither. If Arthur was scared by you, I don't know how he'd hande a direwolf!" *giggle*

"Hey, I wasn't scared! ...much... And anyway, I've got the map to the caverns." *taps finger on temple* "Besides, you need someone of intelligence on this mission...Quest...thing."

"Well that rules you out!" *all three start giggling*

"Oh, we laughed then...but we had no idea what we were about to find..."

"The Warrens were a maze of twisty passages, all alike. No one knew who built them, but centuries ago the Priests of my land used them as a secret sanctuary, to avoid persecution. After the people took to their ways of Chaos, however, they left the Warrens and dwelled openly among us. That was long before the Purge, of course, the time at which my people purged the knowledge of Zoot from among them--or so they claim. Meanwhile, in the intervening ages foul beasts of all sorts of descriptions came to inhabit the Warrens, and they became a perilous, forbidden labyrinth. Rumor had it that a fabulous treasure could be found deep within, past the dreadful lair of the vicious direwolves. Naturally, that's what we set out to search for. Naturally, we found it. Naturally, it was far more perilous than we dared to imagine..."

"Inside the Temple of Zoot, for of course that's where the Warrens led, we found three powerful artifacts, along with a vial of a strange, smoky green gas...and we took it all, dividing the spoils between us:"

"A Zoot's Plaything, positiely ancient, but as vibrantly dark as the day it had first been formed..."

"A Staff of Chaotic Summons, able to rip open reality to release Chaos Beasts on a whim..."

"And a Tome of Chaotic Knowledge, whispering chaotic secrets of antiquity, secrets known before the existence of Zoot himself..."

"We were young, and stupid. Within a few short days, we utterly lost control of both ourselves and our newfound powers. As we quarreled over the mysterious vial, Caroline broke it with the tip of the Staff, releasing monsters of ancient antiquity. Our forefathers had eradicated this dangerous fusion of beast, machine, and Chaos from our world long ago, though it took legions of Chaos Beasts of their own merely to contain them. Our simple mechanical weapons would be no match for them today."

"In a panic, and in fear for our homes and families, we secretly slipped away back to the Temple where it had began, and destroyed the remaining items--using knowledge from the very book we were destroying, ironically enough. It shouldn't have worked, but by some miracle the beasts were stopped, and they did not appear again for several years, for which I was enormously grateful."

---

"That day, we swore the oath of our forefathers, renouncing Chaos and committing ourseles firmly against the powers of Zoot. Zoot's Temple had been abandoned for a reason, and we determined to keep it that way--I was the only one who knew the exact route through the Warrens to that secret entrance to the Temple, and after that day I never set foot in those tunnels again. The knowlege I had gleaned I could not erase from my mind--ever since I first laid eyes upon the mysteries of that book, my memory improed a thousandfold--but I became determined that I could suppress it, that I could lock it away, and bury it under new knowledge. That's when I took up my father's craft, as well as when I acquired my habit of studying deeply any and all knowledge I possibly could. A foolish goal, I know, and indeed it has been as unsuccessful as you might predict--for the knowledge of Chaos, once learned, cannot be unlearned--but I was determined not to make the same mistake twice." Arthur shook his head. "In my preoccupation with suppressing my thoughts of Chaos, I became blind to the ways of the world, and thus I did not make the same mistake as before, but rather a new one..."

Arthur looked up in surprise. He had not realized it, but the party had come once more to a stop, and all eyes and ears were firmly fixed upon him. His gaze faltered, until the Gray Wizard spoke.

"Well? Go on. There's no sense stopping in the middle, might as well tell us all of it."

Arthur nods, but before he can continue, he sees something not far ahead of the others. "What's that?" he asks as his blood runs cold.

"That's nothing of Ennoc's."

The monster says not a word to the heroes but instead charges at them immediately.

The Enemy

Rudimentary Chaos Beast

Level 40 Demon, Holy *Immune to Scrolls*

Health: 600/600

Special Damage: Chaos – (1) 10 Damage to party, disregarding Row/SP (2) 25 Damage to self (3) KO’s attacker (4) 50 Damage to self (5) Drops: Rock (Useless) (6) +1 WP to opponent

Drops: Zoot’s Plaything

Note: Misses (rolls of 4) count as "Special Damage". If the hero has a miss ability, it cannot be used this battle.

The Party

Haldor Skovgaard

Level 19 Shaman

*Immune to Weakened*

*Encouraged*

Power:

33

Defense:

2

Health:

36/36

Ether:

26/27

Gold:

50

(Owed 50 from Elgar Gligin (Jedi Master Brick), (Owes 33 to Dyric Rone (The Legonater)

Equipment:

Heavy Metal Rod (WP:12,

Light

and

Water

elemental), Ethereal Cloak (SP:+2, +4 Ether), Pugilist's Gloves (+2 Power,

Weakened

Immunity).

Inventory:

Bear Claw Gloves (WP:8, SP:+2), Paper Doll (

Hexed

immunity), Scroll of Blindness (

Blinded

effect), Shovel, Pickaxe, Diamond of Thoric, Bluehood's Aquamarine, Emerald Lamp of Summoning, Health Core, Potion (x3), Remedy, Tonic, Mead

Arthur Justus Regulus VII

Level 16 Sorcerer

*Immune to Sealed*

Power:

23

Health:

26/26

Ether:

20/26

Defense:

3

Gold:

59

(Owes

4

44

124 Gold to Alf (Bricksandparts) and

50 gold to Bartholomew Docken (Brickdoctor)

debt entrusted to Boomingham)

Equipment:

Cat-o'-Nine-Tails (WP:9;

damage divided between all enemies, suitable for rogues

), Robe of the Archmagi (SP:3, Max Ether +5, Immune to Sealed), Ancient Crown (First successful strike of battle deals

Cursed

effect, borrowed from Atramor Gibbin)

Inventory:

Staff of the Cultist Battlemage (WP: 7;

50% chance of Fleeing upon being KO'd; suitable for Mages and Clerics

), Healing Staff (WP:5;

heals instead of damaging

), Opal (

Ice

), Amethyst (

Darkness

), Topaz (

Lightning

), Bedroll, Telescope, Scroll of Blindness, Scroll of Sealing, Scroll of Confusion, Scroll of Sleep, Scroll of Frailty, Shovel, Grand Tonic

Alexis Fenral

Level 22

*Hastened*

*Immune to Fragile*

Defense:

3

Health:

30/30

Ether:

14/23

Gold:

142

GP:

3

Equipment:

Mockthril Longbow (WP:10, ranged), Quickdraw Quiver (permanent hastened-effect), Lieutenant's Helmet (SP:3, protects from fragile)

Inventory:

Flute of the Magi (WP:3, asleep-effect), Staff of Ennon - (WP: 5, Light Elemental, Restores 2 ether on a successful hit), Opal (

Ice

), Topaz (

Lightning

), Ruby (

Fire

), Aquamarine (

Water

), Amethyst (

Darkness

), Diamond (

Light

), Tonic, Grand Tonic, Milk, 2 Meads, Nostrum, Venom, Smoke Bomb, Fire Bomb, Pickaxe, Shovel, Bedroll, Magic Compass, Magnifying Glass, Raw Meat

Spirits:

Skorpios

(Amethyst),

Ocven the Ice Dragon

(Opal),

Shalma the Thunderbird

(Topaz),

Sarp Zarra

(Aquamarine),

Mandy

(Ruby),

????

(Diamond)

Cronk

Level 23 Paladin

*Encouraged*

Power:

35

Defense:

14

Health:

43/43

Ether:

13/26

Gold:

90

Equipment:

Zoot's Bane (Suitable only for Cronk; WP: 12,

Light

) Ennoc's Blessing (Shield, SP: 8), Elaborate Helmet (SP: 2), Paladin's Armour (Suitable for Paladins, +4 SP, +2 Max Ether)

Inventory:

Beast Skewer (Lance; WP: 12, Ice), Sword of Bashing (Longsword; WP:5), Healing Staff (WP: 5; healing effect), Bloody Pointy Stick (Stick; WP: 1), Heavy Armor (SP:6, Power -6), Blacksmith Writ, Bedroll

Tesni Hightribe

Level 25 Berserker

Power

: 45

Defence

: 11

Health

: 45/45

Gold

: 655

Equipped

: Dryw ar Zoot, Longsword, Holy (WP:14), Bone Claws(WP:3,SP:2), Mockthril Shield (SP:5), Dragon Bone Armor (SP:4)(+2 max health)

Inventory

: Mellt (Warhammer, Lightning, Ice (WP:10), Dryw ar Zoot (WP:14, Light, longsword), Cysgodion (WP: 11, Darkness, greatsword), Spiked Club (WP:8), Cryfder (WP:6), Emerald (Wood), 2 Potions, 2 Remedies, 2 Phoenix Essences, 2 Meads, 5 Venoms, Nostrum, Smoke Bomb, Minimizing Dust,

Gray Wizard

Level 26 2/3 Cleric

*Too Weak For Physical Attacks*

Power

: 38

Health

: 34/34

Ether

: 2/30

Gold

: 0

Equipped

: Old Stone Staff (WP: 12, Light Elemental)

Inventory

: None

Edited September 2, 2012 by Zepher

[Flipz]

OOC: FYI, the "Yeah, me neither." line was supposed to be delivered by Caroline, I must have messed up the pic link. Also, I shouldn't have a Nostrum, unless that priest dropped one as compensation.

"All right, folks, I'm going to try one attack, then I'm on healing duty for the rest of the battle. Let's see how you like Lightning, pal!" Arthur takes a step back and casts a Lightning spell at the rudimentary Chaos Beast.

[Scorpiox]

Haldor stopped dead, speaking just a few words before he launched himself forward. "Wren, she's here." With just a tinge of fear, he charged toward the creature and attempted to tackle it to the ground, from the front row. Gray Wizard, seeing the Nord run forth, decided to wait back in reserve.

Battle Order:

Cronk

Tesni

Alexis

Arthur

Haldor

[Flipz]

Haldor stopped dead, speaking just a few words before he launched himself forward. "Wren, she's here."

"Let us not presume, Haldor. The Lady is hardly the only malevolent Chaos user in this world, and beasts of Chaos are not always tamed. Do not forget, my friends, that Chaos Beasts are released into this world, not simply summoned. It may very well be that this creature ripped itself into our reality by its own will, of its own accord. Chaos is, after all, random."

Edited September 2, 2012 by Flipz

[Peppermint_M]

"Well, looks like someone is making it hard to be defeated. Dryw, come and help me tame this beast of Chaos eh?" Tesni drew her diamond pommeled blade, it gleamed in the sparse light. "Well Chaos Beast, fall at my feet!" She charged from the front row.

[Scorpiox]

As Haldor wrestled with the beast, he managed to let off some quick sentences. "Look here, don't you assume, boy. If you've been listening at all, you'll know that this is all a bloody massive coincidence if Wren is just on a jolly holiday somewhere else. Isn't it pretty likely that she'll want to be here, now that we are carving through the valley and hopping all her old friends? Stop trying to be a smartarse and concentrate!"

Edited September 2, 2012 by Scorpiox

[Flipz]

Arthur's spell fizzles as he whirls angrily toward Haldor. "And you ought to stop rushing your way through your problems and think for once in your life. Don't you recall your haste getting you in trouble back in Haddon? And just how did you do with that loopy wizard back in Eubric while the rest of us battled for the fate of Dastan? From what I read, if he hadn't shown up and told you how evil he was, you would have wondered what was going on for the rest of your life--or at least, everyone else would have, your present ignorance leads me to believe you'd have been happy to just walk off the job, like you did with those vampires. Oh, yes, Eubric has been abuzz about that, plenty of raised eyebrows, believe me. Now, I don't judge, I've no opinion on the "right-ness" or "wrong-ness" of undeath, as far as I'm concerned anyone who says they've got a monopoly on morality is trying to sell you something. But it frustrates me that you spent so much effort examining and showing consideration for them, a mere distraction from your main objective, but here, in the heart of the Lady's past you've--not once, but twice now--opted to ignore a vital clue set right before us. You say you want to dig into the Lady's past, to seek the Amulet of Gods, to face these fearsome enemies so you can stop her, yes? Bovine excrement. You're here because you're scared--scared of the Chaos surrounding you, a force that you can neither ignore nor combat; scared that someone else's god walks among men, and that your own cannot help you against its power; scared that, despite all your efforts, you too walk the path of Sir Roderick, and that one day you, also, will be fated to betray the woman you love. When I first came to the Hall, Althior told me to come look you up, did you know that? He portrayed you as some wise elder, some "expert" on life, love, and the ways of the universe. But now I see he was wrong about you--as he was in other decisions as well," Arthur throws a momentary glance towards Alexis as he says this, then returns to Haldor. "You are as broken as the rest of us, and your delusional refusal to accept your weakness and accept someone else's expertise will lead us ALL to ruin. Stop trying to be a 'fearless leader' and THINK for a second! Let an expert on Chaos make use of his talents before you foolishly destroy yourself, and the rest of us with you." Arthur points at the beast, which, miraculously, had not harmed him during the entirety of his speech. "Do you see that thing? Do you see how weak and rudimentary it is? Oh, it may strike hard, but it shows hardly any technique or precision, little mastery of Chaos at all. Its chaotic powers are hasty, but unrefined--if it were to unleash them, I sense there'd be a mere one in three chance of harming us at all, and a one in two chance that it'd directly aid its opponents! A Beast to be feared, and fought, and destroyed, of course, but hardly the scale of threat as we have seen in Dastan, or even Haddon. If this is indeed the work of the Lady, then it is a work of long past, for it comes not near her present strength. If you indeed wish to thwart her, Haldor, then you had best start listening to your allies, instead of treating them as markers upon a game board. We are real people, Nord, with true knowledge and experiences. Diregard us at your own peril."

OOC: Just to help you all picture the tone of voice, Arthur is trying to talk some sense into Haldor; it is less an angry rant and more an impassioned plea to return to sanity.

[Peppermint_M]

"By the GODS! Shout your flappy faces and fight!" Tesni shouted angrily as her sword whirled in battle.

[Scorpiox]

Haldor fought roughly with the beast, and got off a little bit more speech before the creature tried to deck him again. "Woah, what a load of bollocks, mate. Learn to shut up before your big gob gets you into trouble. You know absolutely nothing about me, not one bit, so don't talk like you were there at my birth and such rubbish. Before you start spouting a mountin of stuff that you know nothing about, remember that you weren't there! Not in Haddon, not in thee streets of Eubric. You don't talk to me about how I would be content without Bluehood's capture. You weren't bloody there! You don't know me. I worked like a lunatic to help Szalinski, because I owe him a debt that you don't understand. Don't you dare tell me that you know about that as well, because to hell that you do! We got him in the end, we did, so don't you talk to me about what I would be 'happy' to do. Who the hell do you think you are, boy, to speak to me here about what you think is right?! I didn't fight the Vampires because I could not, because I am a Nord and that is our way, not because any kind of twisted laziness that you've drempted up, you bloody fool! You claim to not judge, but you've judged my entire life and made your mind up about me right here!" And as Arthur continued on with his lectue, Haldor become contorted with rage at this pure and pointless insult. "Don't you ever, ever, you here me?! Speak to me about Jess! I will never betray her, you hear?! As if you knew anything, you've never met her, or me before! You selfish bastard, you filthy worm to call yourself a hero! Speaking of what you have never even seen, twisting the past! Expert of chaos, my big behind! If anyone walks the path of Roderick, it is you! The last thing we all need right now, is some arrogant but remarkably ignorant prat starting a genius complex. You hypocrite, you are the one who needs to listen to others, you started this by shoving your ugly face in whenit wasn't wanted. This quest isn't about you, so shut the hell up before I make you!"

Seriously, how the hell does Arthur know about everything? I mean, didn't Althior had his argument with Alexis while he was in Dastan? Don't tell me they put that in the quest books.

Edited September 2, 2012 by Scorpiox

[Peppermint_M]

"As glad as I am to see the desert helped harden your backbone oh mighty leader, less gabbin' and more stabbin'!" Tesni grinned wryly and thrust her blade towards the beast. "It's a good job that all this caterwauling on the battlefield doesn't put us at a disadvantage eh, my faceless friend?"

[Flipz]

OOC: Althior and Alexis would be open knowledge, going by the Hogwarts Heroica Pattented 'Rumors Get Around' System ®^TM The rest would be available in the Library.

Arthur stands serenely amidst the chaos of the battle, sparks of lightning arcing from his Topaz whenever the Chaos Beast drew too near. His attention was now wholly fixed on Haldor. "Listen Haldor, listen. I accuse you of willful ignorance, Nord, not laziness. Your run-in with the vampires shows you capable of paying attention to something--the beliefs of your own land. Why is it, then, that you feel justified to ignore everything besides that? Hmm? I can see no other motive than fear that would compel you to such stupidity, unless you are truly just insane enough to rush into folly unprepared? Knowledge, my dear Shaman, is more valuable than Gold. And yet you would have us blindly throw it aside, closing your mind to any possibility except the one first you happen upon. Sasha said it herself, Chaos is only dangerous when fought. That is the way of Chaos, do you not understand? I do. The words of that tome are seared into my brain, as clearly as if I had written them myself. Of course, you do not know the tome of which I speak, do you? I bet you ignored every word of my tale, and the warnings contined within my past and Wren's. Are you truly this blind, or has the Light in your staff blinded your mind and heart? I do not walk the path of Roderick. I seek neither to break nor bind Zoot. It is you who shares his goal, unless you have some master plan to thwart Wren other than 'find her and bash in her skull?' Do not give me that look of contempt, I dare you to deny that you have not thought further than this. Rodericks plan to fell Zoot was similarly short-sighted--do not make the same error." Arthur smirks contemptuously. "It is not my job to make you feel good, happy, or better about yourself. You should have given up that need when you became a Hero, and besides, your arrogance and ignorance show that you obiously don't need coddling. I'm here to stop you in your tracks before you make an assumption that gets everyone killed. Bringing your lover into this may have been a low blow, but at least it got you to pay attention to something outside of your own predefined notions. You are a strong, skilled Shaman, Haldor. I will not see your strength denied to Heroica due to your own idiocy."

Arthur pauses, his monologue taking more out of him than he had expected. "I will heed Miss Hightribe's advice, but I offer one last warning. When I encountered the Lady Wren in Dastan, I approached her with a closed mind, a darkened spirit. She admonished me: 'do not try to predict me, Regulus.' Wise words from a mad woman. I suggest you heed them in the future." His anger momentarily chilled, Arthur decides to switch to an Ice spell this time, still from the Back Row.

[Scorpiox]

Haldor resisted the urge to run over and hit Arthur, knowing that he had to put the quest before his own emotions. As he fought, he he only spoke again briefly, calming himself with all his being. "How wrong, how wrong you are. You are not above all this like you would like to think. You are not superior to us in any way, because your arrogance is the shiny light in your personality. I admit, I do not know you, but you are not giving away a preferable light of yourself. Stay away from me, and I won't kill you, but start picking apart all my bloody life and you're off the team. Don't push me. I don't need this right now. Yes I bloody fear chaos, who doesn't? Maybe you forgot what chaos actually is, it is only common sense to be afraid on anarchy. What's all this about chaos only being dangerous when fought? What bollocks, those innocents swept up and hurt by riots and disorder aren't trying to fight it. And when it comes to it, I know that I will do the right thing, I know chaos just as well as you do, boy. I don't wish to slay Gods or overthrow them, that is foolish as you know, so please don't try to guess the next six years of my future on a whim. But don't get above yourself, little Arthur, or you'll find yourself out of friends."

Edited September 2, 2012 by Scorpiox

[Zepher]

McColt grabs Arthur by the shoulder and spins him around to face him.

"If you two were soldiers serving under me, I'd have dismissed you by now. Haldor, you know from Haddon that I expect you to fight when it's time to fight, and you've got to do the same, Arthur. I know that understanding the force you're fighting is tactically important... nay, tactically a necessity, and I appreciate that I would not be good at it, and that you would be. But right now is not that time. Pull yourselves together, heroes. Technically I am currently your employer, so that's an order."

Sasha blocks a blow from the Chaos Beast, who swipes at Tesni.

"Men," she says with a slight smirk. "They'll run this organization into the ground. They won't fight? Fine. We'll just have to fight this monster on our own."

Sasha joins in the fray.

Sasha

Level 17 Barbarian

Power: 31

Health: 24/24

Gold: 0

Equipped: Axe of Ilrion (WP: 14, Fire Ice Elemental)

Inventory: Mead, Nostrum

Edited September 2, 2012 by Zepher