Heroica RPG- Quest #96: Tying up Loose Ends

[Zepher]

Boomingham bites his tongue at just about everything, and stares ahead fixedly at nothing.

[Scubacarrot]

Guys, starting later today, I will be not in reach of internet access until at least monday. Thanks for understanding.

[Zepher]

Boomingham looks up in the sky. Far away, just a distant speck, he spies a bird floating around easily on the breeze. It dips and circles, but its track seems set, and it occupies always the same space of sky. Every once in a while it flies in the path of the sun, and the intense light forces Boomingham to shelter his eyes, and he loses track of it for a short while, but it is never difficult to find it again as it soars around in that same patch of sky. It swoops once, an enormously fast and powerful feat, but it seems to be only for play - it is not hunting yet (it is too early in the day, Boomingham assumes).

Boomingham notes idly that the bird rarely flaps its wings to stay afloat. Most of the work is done by gliding, by feeling the air currents and then riding them. It is still able to get where it wants to go (not that it seems to be "going anywhere" but its moving, and it's clearly in control) but it can do so just by seeing what nature is doing around it, and riding what's coming. When a current ends, so does that flight, and the bird hangs motionless for a few moments, flapping its wings finally to maintain status of some sort - and then, just as suddenly, it catches a new air flow and is gliding easily again.

He finds his hand inching towards his Tome of Affluence to jot down some inkling of a thought, something big, he feels, something cosmic, but for whatever reason he stays his hand and decides instead to watch the bird, blind for the moment to his companions and the ridiculous fight of honor his fellow Paladin has gotten himself into with the boy Atramor. It is folly, and it will be over soon, and then he and Nyx and Ellaria and the Ogre will be on to the next folly, on to the next "thing to do". But not now. Now he watches the bird, and though only a minute passes at most Boomingham feels like a week has gone by - and then when he returns to the moment he all but forgets about it.

[Sandy]

THE QUEST HAS BEEN CANCELLED!

The Party

Atramor Gibbin (CallMePie)

31 year old male human Regulator

Level 32 *Immune to Fire, Water, Lightning, Wood, Earth, Wind, Light, Darkness, Poisoned, and Doomed* *Negative Effects Last One Round* *Battle Style: Orderly*

Power: 52

Defense: 26

Health: 62/62

Gold: 26

Equipment: Pheles Kris (WP: 20, user has a 1/2 chance to generate an Aura, doubling the user's maximum health but drawing all attacks to them, fire, ice, lightning, earth, wind, light, darkness elemental dagger), Robust Shield (SP: 12, shield), Amulet of the Court (Suitable for anyone, negative effects last only one round on the wearer, immune to water, lightning, and wood, accessory), Rat's Hide (Suitable for anyone, SP: 4, backwear), Galactic Armor (Suitable for anyone, SP: 6, +6 max health, immune to fire, earth, wind, light, darkness, and doomed, bodywear), Helmet of Azzurat (Suitable for anyone, SP: 4, immune to poison, headwear)

Inventory: Tiger Claws (WP: 15, double WP against humanoids, darkness elemental, dual strike, daggers), Desert Cloak (Suitable for anyone, immune to fire, backwear), Sylvania's Cowl (Suitable for anyone, grants Animal Talk, headwear), Pickaxe, Shovel, Agni Bomb, Grand Potion, Health Core, Mulled Wine, Neutralizer, Phoenix Essence, Smelling Salts, Scroll of Arc Frailty (50/50 chance to inflict the fragile-effect to all enemies for ether equal to the number of enemies), Smoke Bomb, Silver Bar (worth 30 gold), Bone

Ellaria Arbour (Sandy) Party Leader

22 years old female human Druid

Level 27.66 *Immune to Sealing, Poisoned and Bleeding*

Power: 39

Defense: 7

Health: 43/43

Ether: 39/39

Gold: 78

Equipment: Ignis Fatuus (WP:12, Permanently poisoned for 15, fire- and lighting-elemental staff), Robe of the Archmagi (SP:3, Max Ether +5, protects from sealing; bodywear), Sterile Gloves (immunity to poisoned and bleeding, handwear) Spider Helmet (SP: 4, On hit, passes on all poison, bleeding etc. to the enemy, Headgear)

Inventory:

Weapons Sylvania's Crossbow (WP:10, wood-elemental crossbow), Pan Flute (WP: 7, instrument), Wizard's Staff (WP:1, fire-, wind-, water- and earth-elemental staff),

Artefacts: Tricorne (SP:3, headwear), Ranger's Quiver (WP: +1 to bows and crossbows. Suitable for rangers, beast warriors, infiltrators, and winged warriors), Spirit Robe (Renders wearer invisible to the enemy for the first three rounds of battle so they do not take free hits; backwear), Black Bandana (Power +3, pirate lingo; headwear)

Spell Items: Scroll of Inspiration (Inspired for rest of battle, 10 ether, 50/50 chance) Scroll of Sealing, Scroll of Frailty, Scroll of Weakening, Serenade of Water (Causes Water damage equal to the minstrel's level to all enemies per round for as long as the song is sung. Costs 10 ether per round. Battle Song), Ruby

Consumables: 3 Potions, 2 Grand Potions, 4 Health Cores, 4 Tonics, 5 Grand Tonics, Ether Core, Elixir, 2 Remedies, 2 Neutralizer, Tiger Balm, 2 Phoenix Essences, 1 Mead, 1 Smelling Salts, 1 Nostrum, 1 Soma, Ambrosia Deadly Venom, 2 Smoke Bombs, Flash Bomb, 3 Fire Bombs, Ice Bomb, 2 Lightning Bombs, 2 Water Bombs, 2 Holy Bombs, 1 Pumpkin Bomb (Causes stunned-, poisoned-, asleep-, blinded-, sealed- and confused-effects to all opponents when used)

Tools: Bedroll, Pickaxe, Telescope, Magic Compass, Magnifying Glass

Skrall (Waterbrick Down)

81 year old Male Ogre Hunter

Level 36 *Favors Demons and Humanoid enemies* *Immune to Fragile, Blinded, and Confused* *Gains 3x experience*

Power Bonus: +2 WP

Defense: 8

Health: 50/50

Gold: 53

Equipment: Hunter's Crossbow (WP:12/24 vs. Beasts, fire, ice, wind, and darkness-elemental), Hunter's Quiver (Bows and Crossbows +2WP, allows Hunters to favor two types of enemies, back wear), Tricorne (SP: 3, head wear), Heavy Armor (SP: 5, wearer is immune to fragile, blind, and confused effects, body wear), Medal of Glory (Wearer gains 3x experience from fights, accessory)

Inventory: Composite Bow (WP:12, ignores SP, light, lightning, water, wood, and earth-elemental; bow), Oversized Greatsword (WP: 16 - Double damage on targets that are clearly smaller than the hero, greatsword) Wooden Shield (SP:5), Lucky Doubloon (Grants "Special Guard"), Darksteel Armour, SP:6, Max. Health +3; bodywear, 8 Smoke Bomb, 2 Dirt Bombs, Fire Bomb, 5 Water Bombs, Lightning Bomb, Minimizing Dust, 4 Bone, 6 Venoms, 1 Deadly Venoms, Potion, 1 Grand Potion, Phoenix Essence, 5 Phoenix Incenses, 3 Meads, 1 Nostrums, 1 Remedy, Blind Fury, Wolfgang Insignia, Black Goo.

Lord Lawrence Boomingham (Zepher)

Level 31 Paladin *Immune to Darkness-, Fire-elemental; Immune to Fragile, Sleep, Weakened, and Blindness* *Pierces SP From Front Row* *SP Ignored From Back Row*

Power: 50

Power Bonus: 5

Defense: 10

Health: 54/54

Ether: 30/30

Gold: 10

Equipment: Scupperer (WP: 14; Darkness-, Fire-elemental; inflicts Bleeding (-5) and Poisoned (-10); great sword) Round Metal Shield (SP: 7), Tome of Affluence (+10 Gold if equipped for the entirety of a battle; Immune to Fragile, Sleep, Weakened, and Blindness; Immune to Darkness-, Fire-elemental; accessory), Counterstrike Gloves, Mopag Helm (SP: 3; headwear), Chains of the Pongcanis Chief (Hero Pierces SP if fighting from Front, Enemies ignore SP if hero fights from the back row, cannot be removed in battle)*Pseudo's Blessing (+4 Power; not an artifact)*

Inventory: Frozen Saber (WP: 9; Light-, Ice-elemental; inflicts Stunned; great sword), Lullaby Wand (WP:6, Inflicts Sleeping Effect), Sabre (WP:6, Longsword), Darksteel Greatsword (WP: 10, Blinded Effect, Greatsword)

• Hood of Belthazar Bluehood (Power +4; Ether -6; headwear) Cloak of Blood Magick (+5 ether, attacks made with darkness magic weaken the enemy, bodywear suitable for Mages, Necromancers, Chi Monks)

• Garnet, Sapphire, Amethyst

• Scroll of Recklessness (Encouraged and Fragile; costs 5 Ether; 50/50 chance), Scroll of Blindness, Scroll of Weakening, Scroll of Fragility, Scroll of Sealing,

• Fire Brandy (Encouraged, Immune to Ice), Fireball Whiskey (Immunity to Fire One Battle OR 20 Fire Damage All Enemies), Emerald Lamp of Summoning, Hamantasch (Lucky, Blessed), Admantite Shard (1/4 of a piece of Adamantite), 4x Mead, x2 Nostrum, Ambrosia, Smelling Salts, Hair of the Dog

• Bedroll

Nyx (played by Pandora)

19 years old Female Human Battle Mage *Natural Respite* *Immune to Fire, Darkness, Earth, Wind, Poisoned, Confused, Hexed, Sealed, Asleep, Fast Asleep*

Level: 31

Power: 47

Defense: 8

Health: 42/42

Ether: 43/43

Gold: 292

Equipment: Zee Standard (Staff, WP: 15 Ice, Light and Darkness Elemental, Necromancers Raise Enemies with 2 extra levels), Robe of the Archmagi (SP:4, Max. Ether +5, protects from sealed-effect), Mirage Cloak (Immunity to Fire-, Darkness-, Earth- and Wind-elements and confused- asleep- and hexed-effects), High Heels (+1 Power), Helmet of Azzurat (SP:4, immune to poisoned, headwear).[/color]

Inventory: Book of a Thousand Creatures (WP:15, each roll has a 1/6 chance to summon a creature to aid the hero), Lullaby Wand (WP:6 Sleep effect), Healing Staff (WP: 5), Darksteel Dagger WP: 13, blinded effect) Bone Scepter (WP: 10, On Hit, gives enemies the Undead type if they do not have a second type, Wand,)

* Sandman's Parasol (Immune to Asleep and Fast Asleep effects), Monkey Bar (all minions, pets, summons etc are Hastened), Chef’s Apron (Bodywear, Immunity to Fire and Poisons), Phoenix Dress (Max. Ether +5, full ether restored upon revival, immunity to Fire and Lightning, suitable only to female mages, clerics, chi monks, minstrels and necromancers; bodywear), Desert Cloak (Immunity to Fire-, Earth- and Wind-elemental damage; backwear), Water Canteen (Carries 3 portions of water; essential in deserts to avoid dehydration; accessory). Bolero Of Fire (Cause Fire damage equal to the minstrel's level to all enemies per round for as long as the song is sung. Costs 10 ether per round. Minstrel Song)

*Ruby (Fire), Diamond (Light), Amethyst (Darkness), Topaz (Lightning), Sapphire (Wind), Emerald (Wood), Garnet (Earth), Aquamarine (Water), Opal (Ice).Scroll of Sealing, Scroll of Arc Sealing, Scroll of Blindness. 3 Meads, 2 Nostrums, Ambrosia, 5 Deadly Venoms, 3 Phoenix Essences, 3 Cosmic Essences (Revives a knocked out ally with full health and ether and gives them the blessed-effect), Potion, 4 Tonics, 2 Grand Tonics, Ether Core. Fire Bomb, Smoke Bomb, , Skadi Bomb (100 Ice Elemental damage to all opponents), 2 Chaotic Bombs (Causes 100 random elemental damage to all opponents), Pumpkin Bomb (Causes stunned, poisoned, asleep, blinded, sealed and confused to all enemies). 2 Bedrolls, 5 Bones. Paralyzing Venom, Venom x6

[Scubacarrot]

"Let me tell you a story. A story of five individuals passing through the boundaries of time and space for the sake of getting somewhere more quickly, and a story of me. They did this thing, and it happens to be that yours truly catches on. Being the entrepeneur that I am, just trying to get ahead, I forge a bond with the sods with a simple promise of power, wrapped in a pitiful story of loneliness and weakness. Of course they eat it up with both hands. Most of them, at least. Strivvi, the promised land of closure. Hah! What do they know? There is no vault filled with promises and wishes at the end of this chain, there is no door that opens that will reveal valuables and powerful artifacts, but I will tell you what it is that the Heroes you have been reading about will find. Me. I'm in that vault. I am at the end of the line. I am the cause for all the conflict in the Heroes path. I am their compass, their goal and their judge. So why am I doing all this? Is it freedom, power, simple fun, something darker? Perhaps it's none of those, or perhaps it is all of the above. The heroes quickly found themselves from a sunny morning in front of a Strivvian Mansion, back to the gloomy hall of pitiful Heroica. This will get reversed quickly enough, don't you worry. It's all part of the plan, dear listener, it's all part of the plan..."

Edited July 18, 2014 by Scubacarrot