Heroica RPG - Quest #54: Taking Out the Laundry

[Sandy]

OoC: It's nice to see some familiar faces from previous quests. Thanks for including the Metasimian mother, too!

Ellaria smiles at the women.

"This is important work you do here. The people of the Hovels have had it much worse off ever since they built those damned walls around this place. Now, what comes to the person we pursue, he or she was said to be short of stature, smelly, and carrying grime on his or her boots. I hate to admit that the description must fit many people in this part of the city, but which of them could carry a fine cloak such as this?"

[Waterbrick Down]

"Well, it wouldn't be a house-elf, even the poorest of their kind keep themselves emaculately clean. Possibly a Dwarf but there aren't many of them in the Hovels. Leperchaun's rarely wear anything that isn't green so dead end there. You may want to try the Grumpling commune on the north east side by the Heap. They moved in about a year ago, though they tend to keep to themselves. I can take you there if you would like."

[Sandy]

"Grumplings? I'm unfamiliar with their kind... If we don't find who we're looking for from among the Grumplings, there's still the gnomes, the goblins, the gremlins and the bugbears to go to. Please, Teresa, show us the way - but only after you've dealt out all the soup. "

Ellaria had heard that another party of Heroica champions had fought off a riot at the Hovels earlier, and looking at all the hungry faces she didn't think the possibility of another riot too farfetched, should they take Teresa away from her business.

[Zepher]

Boomingham nods at Ellaria's suggestion. "If it wouldn't be too much trouble, we sure could use a guide and an introduction. The Heaps sound promising."

[Waterbrick Down]

"Oh Teresa dear, don't you mean the Grumpkins?"

"Ah yes, Grumpkins that was it. I'm sorry, you see so many folks that are down on their luck in the Hovels and you lose track of who's who. Anyways it won't be any trouble at all. Patricia's Cauldron of Plenty is just about used up for the day anyways. Now please follow me."

The heroes follow the elf as she leads them through the dirty streets towards a gigantic rubbish heap. Far on the other side a few ramshackle houses can be seen.

"You'll find the commune on the other side of the Heap, they tend to stick to themselves and are relatively new to interacting with others outside their own species. Now when you're making your way across the heap make sure you don't put too much of your weight too often on one section of the pile otherwise it's likely to cave in or avalanche and fall on top of your heads. Just skip from pile to pile and you won't have any trouble. You shouldn't have any problems with the little vegetables and I do have a pressing matter at hand si if you'll excuse me, I'm afraid I need to attend to some business at the Embassy. Remember a smile goes a long way. Oh and whatever you do, don't bring up bi..." The last of the elf's sentence could not be heard and thus the heroes were left alone with the pile of trash before them.

How shall the Party proceed?

QM Note: The Party is currently standing at the entrance to the heap in the lower right hand (South East) corner, designated by the dark brown 2x1 plate. You will need to exit the maze at the top right corner designated by a second dark brown 2x1 plate. You move by using the 4 cardinal directions North, South, East, and West. As Teresa indicated you can only put so much weight on a specific pile (stud) thus your moves will have to alternate from light grey to dark grey. For example your first 3 moves will be like this: WWW, alternating from dark grey, to light grey, and back to dark. Post the solution once you have it. Please let me know if you have any questions.

Edited December 29, 2012 by Waterbrick Down

[Zepher]

Boomingham chews on the inside of his cheek for a while. Barty, who has been conspicuously missing, floats back, but Boomingham shooes him away to get an overhead shot. Finally, Boomingham chuckles heartily. "It's just like a battle field. Same basic concept. Figuring out how to maneuver. Nyx and I ran into a tiled floor once in Cathargo, but that was just guessing. Here... there's some real strategy." He interlocks his fingers and cracks them all together, shooting his has forward, palms out. He grins.

"This work?" He says, nimbly jumping forward and trying his path out.

[Sandy]

"Great job, Lawrence, I think you got us through! Now I see where the grime and the stench came from, though... I wonder what it was that Teresa tried to warn us about. Bi...cycles? Bi...stros? Bi...sexuals?"

Ellaria gazes ahead at the grumpkin settlement, although there isn't much to see there.

[Waterbrick Down]

QM Note: Updates will be a bit sparse as I have to finish up one of the last MOC's for the quest to continue. Also, Volcanic, are you still with us?

The Party easily navigates the Heap and approaches the commune cautiously. Scraps of metal, piles of stinking clothes, and half-rotting refuse was littered everywhere. As they approach one of the small huts they are greeted by a small orange figure.

"So you have come to finally put an end to it have you? Well I'll have you know that I won't go willingly."

[Zepher]

"Don't have to go anywhere, little man. We've come to return something we think might belong to someone. Has any of your commune ever gone to Swisshopper's to get a cloak cleaned? They'll be mighty happy to see us if so."

[Sandy]

Ellaria crouches down to be on the same level with the little Grumpkin.

"What on earth are you talking about, little friend? Put an end to what? Have you been mixed up into some shady dealings?"

[Fred Daniel Yam]

OOC: back with you. Plane trip.

[Waterbrick Down]

"You've come to smash my head in just like they did to Spad. You even have the cloak that Spad was always taking to be cleaned for his boss. What, did you bring it here to smother me in?"

[Zepher]

Boomingham tsks, and even Barty averts his gaze for a short while. Boomingham turns to his little companion. "This, Barty, are the small folk we should be trying to defend."

"Perhaps," the angel says wistfully. "Maybe they did something wrong."

"I somehow doubt it." Boomingham turns back to Grumpy. "Grumpy, who came to bash in Spad's head? Do you think it had anything to do with his employer? Do you truly think they'll be back? If so, we can wait around to dispatch of them. That being said, if you could tell us who Spad worked for, I think we may need to pay them a visit too. This cloak isn't for smothering, but it does need to get back to its rightful owner, assuming they deserve it."

[Waterbrick Down]

"I found Spad the other day just outside the Heap, his head spattered all over the cobblestones by a stone. I buried him right over there. We were simple folk, my brother and I, living off the small jobs we could find. Spad was really making it good collecting scrap metal from the Heap for some guy down at the harbor and doing small odds and ends for him on the side, taking his cloak to be cleaned, delivering letters, you know. And now I expect you're here to finish me off as well, I ain't going to go down easy though I can tell you that. Spad's employer was the only one he associated with, so he's the only one who could have wanted to knock him off. Now are we going to get this over with or what." The grumpkin held up his hands in a martial manner.

[Sandy]

"Don't be silly, little Grumpkin! We aren't assosciated with Spad's employer - otherwise we wouldn't be asking these questions, would we? We are heroes of Heroica, we can help you avenge your brother by bringing justice to his murderer. My name is Ellaria, and these are my companions Sir Boomingham and Master Harkenshire. Would you kindly tell us your name, and everything you know about Spad's employer? You say he lived down at the harbour?"

[Waterbrick Down]

"How am I supposed to how murderers kill their targets? Perhaps they enjoy interrogating them for the fun of it." The Grumpkin crossed his hands in front of his chest.

"Well if you're going to kill me, I guess there isn't much I could do about it anyways. The name's Plud, Spad and I joined the commune about a year ago when we heard a Grumpkin had left to join your organization. We weren't so lucky though. Most of our kind don't take to fighting and prefer less extravagant lines of work. We're used to a pretty unkempt environment so naturally the Hovels felt just like home to us. Now it all happened about 3 weeks ago, Spad comes home and says he's got a job working for some chap in the Harbor district collecting scrap metal and doing other odd jobs. He talked about taking a cloak into some tailor every once in a while to get it freshened up, but that was about all he ever told me besides how much scrap he had found in the Heap that day. We Grumpkins don't take much to long conversations even amongst ourselves. Well, this went on till a few days ago when I found Spad crumpled up just outside the Heap, his head all caved in and... and... and that was it, no more Spad." The Grumpkin's head sunk to his chest and a few sniffles could be heard from under his hood.

[Zepher]

Boomingham shakes his head sadly. "Not a pretty story," he says to the others. "And not much to go on. Doesn't sound like this is an employer who deserves this cloak back, but might as well go and rough him up a little as punishment for whacking Spad. Listen, Plud, me and my friends are going to run down to the Harbor District to find Spad's old boss, but before I go, I want to know how sure you are that this boss really was the one who took out Spad, if you can think of anything that would help us identify this boss, and, most importantly, if you think you're in any actual danger. Where are the other Gumpkins? Could they protect you if worse came to worse and you came under attack?"

Edited January 1, 2013 by Zepher

[Sandy]

"I am so sorry to hear about your brother, Plud. If there is anything we can do as champions of justice, please let us know."

OoC: Ellaria got an Elixir as a Grogmas Gift, so it can be added to her inventory. Thanks!

[Fred Daniel Yam]

"I remember that Grumpkin hero! He literally went AWOL during a castle siege. Good times" "Oh, and, we, as heroes of lawfulness and good are here to help."

[Waterbrick Down]

OoC: So are the Grogmas items only good for this quest?

"I don't know if Spad ever told his boss he had any living relatives and you're the first outside contact I've had since his incident so maybe whoever did it won't be coming after me after all. Like I said, Plud's employer is the only one he's had any real contact with outside the Hovels as he tended to stick to gardening here in the commune. Even so, he never really told me what he looked like or how many others were working for him, only that he was supposed to gather as much scrap metal as possible and deliver it to the Harbor district. We like to think of ourselves as semi-self sufficient, but even we need to have interactions with outsiders once in a while. If you could figure out who did this, it certainly would put some of the others fears to rest, most of them took to hiding in the huts when they saw you coming through the heap."

Party:

Lord Lawrence Boomingham

(Zepher) *Party Leader*

Level 20.33 Paladin

*Immune to

Fragile

*

Power:

38

Defense:

12

Health:

42/42

Ether:

13/14

Gold:

81 (Owe 50 to Docken, 79 to Arthur)

Equipment:

Scupperer

(Great-sword, WP: 10,

Darkness,

Causes

Bleeding

Effect for 5 Damage until remedied or healed to full health)

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),

Heavy Armor

(SP: 5, Immunity to Fragile)

Inventory:

Frozen Saber (Great-sword, WP: 9, stunned effect,

Light

), Bedroll, 4 Bones, 3 Meads, 1 Phoenix essence, Emerald Lamp of Summoning, Marksman's Monocle,

Scroll of Recklessness (

Encouraged and Fragile for rest of battle, 5 ether, 50/50 chance

)

Ruby, Garnet, Opal, 2 Potions, Flame-distilled Brandy (

Encouraged and Ice-immunity for the rest of battle

)

Ellaria Arbour (Sandy)

22 years old female human Druid

Level 18;

*Immune to Sealing*

Power:

31

(17+10+3)

(27 for ranged attacks

(17+6+3)

)

Health:

31/33

(9+16+7)

Ether:

25/25

(5+16+1+2)

Gold:

11

Equipment:

Sylvania's Crossbow (WP:6,

wood-elemental

crossbow), Mage's Muffler (protects from sealing) Black Bandana (Power +3, pirate lingo)

Inventory:

Ignis Fatuus (WP:10,

fire-elemental

staff), Topaz (

Lightning

), Potion, 2 Grand Potions, 2 Grand Tonics, 2 Elixirs, Remedy, Phoenix Essence, Venom, Smelling Salts, 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, Bone, Scroll of Inspiration

(

Inspired for rest of battle, 10 ether, 50/50 chance

)

William Harkenshire (VolcanicPanik)

Level 16 Warden

Power:

27

Defense:

8

Health:

31/31

Gold:

0

Equipment: Croise Crossbow (WP: 11),

Chimera Armor (Torsowear, Suitable for Knights and Barbarians, +2 SP, +2 Health), Pauldrons (SP +2, suitable to Knights, Dragoons and Skirmishers; accessory), Lion Knight Shield (SP: 4, suitable for Knights)

Inventory:

Repeating Crossbow (WP: 5 May not be upgraded;

Fire

;

Hastened

), Hand Cannon (WP: 5; Lightning, Wood),

Amulet of the Elven Horse Rider (Power +1 on the front row, doubles movement)

, Sapphire, Remedy, Smoke Bomb, Bedroll, Mead, Smelling Salts, Pickaxe, Skeleton Decoy, Shovel, Magnifying Glass, Venom, Elven Bomb, Bomb XX, Wave Sword (WP: 11; Cursed Effect), Fire Bomb, Water Bomb, Amethyst, Grating Stone, Demon Repellent (

Impervious to Demon direct attacks for one battle

)

Where would the party specifically like to go within the Harbor District?

[Zepher]

OoC: There are different parts of the Harbour District?! On which map, pray tell!

"We'll track him down, and put a end to your worries." Boomingham pulled the other two aside. "Assuming this employer did whack Spad, I'd say that at the end of the quest we each take 1000 of this gold here, and give the remaining 4000 to the little Grumpkin community. Won't bring Spad back from the dead, but it's the next best thing. Now, I'm not too familiar with the Harbour District, so I saw we head to the Fish Market unless anyone else has got any bright ideas. Ellaria and I will masquerade as sellers of scrap metal, and Harkenshire will pretend to be a buyer of scrap metal. That way if this employer is selling the stuff he gets from Spad, he'll come to us, and if he's buying, he'll also come to us. Sound like a plan?"

[Waterbrick Down]

OoC: There are different parts of the Harbour District?! On which map, pray tell!

"We'll track him down, and put a end to your worries." Boomingham pulled the other two aside. "Assuming this employer did whack Spad, I'd say that at the end of the quest we each take 1000 of this gold here, and give the remaining 4000 to the little Grumpkin community. Won't bring Spad back from the dead, but it's the next best thing. Now, I'm not too familiar with the Harbour District, so I saw we head to the Fish Market unless anyone else has got any bright ideas. Ellaria and I will masquerade as sellers of scrap metal, and Harkenshire will pretend to be a buyer of scrap metal. That way if this employer is selling the stuff he gets from Spad, he'll come to us, and if he's buying, he'll also come to us. Sound like a plan?"

It sort of depends on how much your character knows, the Harbor district encompasses everything surrounding the harbor including many of the places featured in past quests, i.e. the fish market, the warehouses, the harbor master's office, Triad Park, even Balthazar Bluehood's old office.

[Waterbrick Down]

QM Note: Like I said, there are a variety of locations around the Harbor district, you just need to specify which you wish to visit.

The Party makes its way to the Fish Market

"Slightly used squid, previously owned perch, and second-hand sword fish fer sale! You won't find these deals anywhere else!"

"Sea shells, pearls, abalone! Pick up a pretty trinket for your pretty back home!"

"Freshly imported potions from Goblina.!Taste good and go for cheap!"

"Banana brine shrimp, Coconut crabs, Mango moray eels. Fruit fish caught just this morning!"

What will the Party do?

Edited January 2, 2013 by Waterbrick Down

[Sandy]

Ellaria whispers to Lawrence: "That sharkling looks shady enough. Time to throw another act, isn't it?"

The druid puts on a thick Strivvian accent she picked up from her previous quest, and walks to the sharkling. "Goodday to you, sire. We have come all the way from Strivvi to purchase scrap metal for military purposes. Should you know where we can find such a dealer?"

Ellaria nudges Lawrence so he would back her up.

[Waterbrick Down]

"Wait a minute, I know you and you two as well," the sharkling points with his filleting knife at both Boomingham and William. "I thought you had run out on yer debts until I got that nice bag of change from yer organization a few weeks back. And what brings you back to my fine establishment ranger? Last time we crossed paths I believe you were threatin' me with some bad business of sorts."

The sharkling chuckles and chops up a few unidentifiable strips of scales and flesh before clearing the mess into a small bucket behind his stand. "So, metal merchants huh?" Well I ain't got any use for scrap in my line of work and I doubt many people here would have any for you either. Any interest in some of my fine services while yer here?"