Heroica RPG - Quest #99: Six Thousand Feet Under

[Endgame]

"I agree, let's head home, this has been fun, but I'm really looking forward to a nice cup of Green-Lea Tea at the Hall."

"Your definition of fun is... very odd, dearest druid."

QM Note: When LordoftheNoobs confirms he's ready to ship out, I'll put up the conclusion.

[Flipz]

"Tell me, are the bookshelves there oak? The Regret used this horrible stone, tears up the pages and everything..."

"I think they're mahogany, if you're talking about the Heroica library--I'm not sure what the Theatre uses. Whatever wood they are, Byblos used to take all the books out and polish them weekly, though he's gotten a bit...busy to keep that up as of late."

"Oh, before I forget..." Arthur hands Minoid the card key. "This is yours. Let it remind you that you program your own destiny."

[LordoftheNoobs]

"I'm ready"

[Endgame]

The Minoid gives a small bow, accepting the card key.

"...STATEMENT: Thank you, Arthur. Without you heroes, I'd still be a machine and not... whatever I am now. But with all due respect..."

The Minoid shreds the card key.

"Having something that could reset my polish is... Not a risk I'm willing to take. But... thank you heroes. QUOTE: "Very, very much." END QUOTE."

"I don't know what you heroes did down there, but I do know that you've advanced my creation more than I could've - so thanks for that. I'll see you around Eubric, maybe?"

"Well... Thanks to you heroes, the mine can continue. If that giant beast continued rampaging in my mine, well... A whole lot of people would be out a job - and jewelry, huh. You've earned you reward. Here, take it."

For all of the struggles the party had overcome, each hero reiceves 130 gold - and a glittering Mythril Shard!

"Captain Armstrong is waiting for you down at the dock. Remember where to go, right?"

With a nod, the party pockets their reward, and walks through the mining settlement once again. There, they see smiling faces staring out at them from windows - the people they had saved. Night had fallen as the party walked through Goland. The party realizes that without their efforts, this settlement would be a practical ghost town. Indeed, they had practically saved the enitre island, considering Cobb's business dominated Goland. However, it had cost Olegaia the life of a noble giant...

The party arrives at the docks, meeting Captain Armstrong.

"More of you to haul across the sea again? Eh, hop on, we have enough provisions."

At his gruff command, the party boards Excelsus once more.

Once situated, the sail droops from the mast, catching the wind. Slowly but surely, the boat gains speed, drifting off from Goland. The island's distorted silhouette fades off in the distance, it's outline glowing from the moonlight. The party still couldn't believe that, despite all of the good people that inhabited it, the island was made by someone who was nothing short of a monster.

As the salty sweetness of the sea breeze caresses Lynne's hair, the kiss of sunlight on her pale cheek reminds her of her ironic position: after two thousand years of darkness, it was up here in the light of day where the path before her was most hidden. A melody floats in on the breeze, perhaps played by a passing Minstrel a few ships away. After listening to their rehearsal enough times, Lynne's softly sings along with them.

"Feeling my way through the darkness,

Guided by a beating heart,

I can't tell where the journey will end,

But I know where to start."

Perhaps hearing the music himself, or perhaps merely drawn in by the woman's singing, Arthur joins in.

" They tell me I'm too young to understand,

They say I'm caught up in a dream.

Well life will pass me by if I don't open up my eyes...

Well that's fine by me.

So wake me up when it's all over,

When I'm wiser and I'm older, "

"All this time I was finding myself, and I...

didn't know I was lost."

"So wake me up when it's all over,

When I'm wiser and I'm older,"

"All this time I was finding myself,

And I..."

"...didn't know I was lost."

The music stops, the minsterls ceasing their rehearsal. The moment passes. Life goes on.

The two singers are jolted back to reality by Captain Armstrong.

"If you're duet is finished, we've docked at Eubric."

The two singers reutrn to their senses, and the party steps off the boat.

Lynne looks around the city in awe.

"So... This is home now..."

"You know what? I like it. Lead the way, heroes!"

With their quest completed, and many lives saved, the party forges their way back into the hustle and bustle of Eubric. Night had fallen, but the criminals had not yet came out - it was one of the nicest times to be out and about in Eubric. As the party returned to the hall, they knew that...

~The Quest Was Successful!~

The Party:

Arthur Justus Regulus VII, a Hero Who Is Actually Worth Something (played by Flipz), Level 32.75 Skirmisher, 22-year-old male Human *Immune to Fragile and all Poisons* *Only Receives One Negative Effect At A Time* [ Currently in: Six Thousand Feet Under] *Party Leader!*

Power: 42 (31 + WP:11)

Health: 54/54 (Basic Health: 5 + Level Bonus: 30 + Class Boost: 15 + Permanent Boost: 4*)

Ether: 36/36 (Basic Ether: 5 + Level Bonus: 30)

Defense: 20 (Arm Shield: 14 + Duke's Coat-of-Arms: 5 + Unicorn Helmet: 1)

Gold: 659 (Owed 128 gold by Boomingham)

Equipment: Gladiator Trident (WP: 11, Spear, causes bleeding effect), Arm Shield (SP:14, shield), Duke's Coat-of-Arms (SP: 5, Protects against Fragile and all Poisons; bodywear, suitable for knights, dragoons, skirmishers and regulators), Unicorn Helmet (SP:1; the wearer can only receive one negative effect at a time, with a new effect replacing the old one; headwear, usable by barbarians, knights, dragoons, infiltrators, regulators, skirmishers, and winged warriors), Cloak of Deception (Free hits against the wearer have a 1/6 chance to be redirected to a random opponent; Backwear, suitable for anyone), Scarf of Misfortune (Wearer deals the Jinxed effect on every third round; Accessory, suitable for anyone)

Inventory:

Weapons: Zoot's Rebel (WP:20 halberd, suitable to Arthur only), Sir Roderick's Sword (WP:12, Longsword), Sword of the Vampir (WP:17, user is Jinxed), Duplovian Swift Halberd (WP:3, halberd, stuns on successful hits, Hollow [nothing]), Spider Leg (WP:8, doubled against flying enemies; spear), Dauntlet Index (WP: 8, doubled against humanoids; spear)

(Unsuitable weapons: Unlucky Horseshoe (WP:13, retrievable throwing weapon, causes Jinxed-effect), Staff of the Cultist Battlemage (WP: 7, staff, 50% chance of Fleeing upon being KO'd), Ammit (WP:6, Greatsword gains 5 Ether for each kill), Hollow Blade Dagger (WP:6, dagger, hollow-blade [nothing]), Staff of Ennon - (WP: 5, Light-Elemental, staff, Restores 2 ether on a roll of 2, 3, or 4), Healing Staff A (WP: 5, staff, heals instead of damaging), Healing Staff B (WP: 5, staff, heals instead of damaging) )

Artifacts: Noble Mask (Wearer gains gold equal to the number of enemies after each victorious battle; headwear), Duplovian Helmet of the Guard (SP:2, Immune to Magic and Healing; headwear, suitable for anyone), Jester's Hat (Wearer may choose to gain one immunity from targeted enemy; Headwear, suitable for anyone), Heavy Armor (SP: 5, immune to Fragile; bodywear, suitable for barbarians, knights, dragoons, skirmishers and regulators), Stingy Gloves (Prevents enemies from ever stealing gold from you; handwear, wearable by everybody), Overkill Gloves (Gives the wearer 1 gold for every point of damage they do extra when they defeat an enemy (example: Enemy has 50 HP left, you do 75 damage, you earn 25 gold); handwear, suitable for anyone), Shackles of War (Prevents anyone from fleeing battles; Accessory, suitable for anyone), Zap-Tap Badge (Has a 1/2 chance to deal Electric damage to an opponent who has dealt damage to a hero, equal to the hero's level; Accessory, suitable for anyone),

(Unsuitable Artifacts: Lens of Speed Reading (allows a scroll to be read in addition to a normal action; accessory, suitable for scroll users), Sticky Gloves (Increases the amount of gold stolen by 50% (rounded up); handwear, suitable for rogues and beast warriors) (sent to Isaac Shawe) )

Gems: Opal (Ice), Amethyst (Darkness), Topaz (Lightning), Diamond (Light), Garnet (Earth),

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

Scrolls: 2x Scroll of Blindness, Scroll of Sealing (Lent to De'kra), 2x Scroll of Confusion, Scroll of Sleep, Scroll of Frailty, Scroll of Armor Sundering (Reduces target’s SP by 5 and has a 50/50 chance of success), Scroll of Poisoning (Grants target’s weapon the Poisoned 10 effect for one battle at the cost of 5 ether), Scroll of Luck (Grants target the Lucky-effect for one battle. Costs 10 ether.), Scroll of Weakening,

Consumables:

*Healing: Potion, Grand Potion x2, Tonic, Grand Tonic, Ether Core, Remedy x8, Elixir x3, Phoenix Essence

*Status: Nostrum x2, Hurricane, Mead x2, Ambrosia, Jinxy Juice, Tiger Balm

*Venoms: Exterlate, Noxious Venom (When used on a weapon, the weapon deals the Poisoned-by-10 effect for the duration of the battle and the Confused effect for the next three rounds, for the duration of one battle.), Crumbling Venom (-3 HP/-1 SP per round), Blind Fury, Love Potion,

*Permanent Improvement: Bright Polish x2, Grating Stone, Ella's Pie (Permanently boosts max. ether by 5 but permanently decreases max. health by 5 when consumed.),

*Bombs: Smoke Bomb x5, 3 Bones, Chaotic Bomb (Causes 100 random elemental damage to all opponents), Pumpkin Bomb (Causes stunned-, poisoned-, asleep-, blinded-, sealed- and confused-effects to all opponents when used.),

*Currency: Scrap Metal x2, Silver Ore x2, Mythril Shard

Quest Items: Minoid Card Key

Bookmark is hitching a ride.

Erdathcath Madilinas, 199 years old,

Level 22.66 Druid

Power: 37

Health: 36/36

Ether: 6/25

Gold: 750

Equipped: Tritech Handcannon (WP:15, Fire-elemental), Satchel of Awesomeness (Permanent Lucky-effect; bodywear, suitable for anyone), Amulet of Optimism (Adds the confused-effect to all attacks; accessory, suitable to Erdathcath only),

Inventory:

*Qlice (WP: 8, club, permanent Poison 4), Longbow (WP:7), Quick bow (WP: 6, bow, provides hastened effect for one round each battle)

*Mage's muffler (protects from sealing; accessory, suitable for anyone), Helmet (+1 max. health; headwear, suitable for anyone), Snake Eye Charm (protects from petrified; accessory, suitable for anyone), Machine's Heart (The hollowed out heart of Monolith, after being defeated, halves all damage from Earth, Electrical, and Mechanical type enemies; bodywear, suitable for anyone)

*Bedroll, Shovel, Pickaxe, Telescope,

*Scroll of Weakening

*6 Potions, Grand Potion, 6 Mead, Smelling Salts, 15 Venoms, 2 Deadly Venoms, 2 Floral Bombs, 2 Ice Bombs, 2 Lightning Bombs, 1 Fire Bomb, 3 Smoke Bombs, 2 Water Bombs, 2 Holy Bomb, 2 Dirt Bombs, 2 Air Bombs, Bone, Skeleton Decoy, Saber teeth, Jinxy Juice, Grand Tonic x2, Love Potion, Blind Fury[/color], Grating Stone, Jinxy Juice, Mythril Shard x2, Silver Ore, Elixir, Emergency Essence x2, Agni Bomb, Sushi (restores 5 HP and 5 Ether), Neutralizer

Grimwald Gjinko

69 year old male gnome Cleric

Level: 16

Power: 24 (15 + 8 + 2 Pugilist's Gloves + permanent boost of 1)

SP: 3

Health: 24/24

Ether: 11/20

Gold: 718

Equipment: Splinter Broom (WP: 8, broomstick, defies SP), Tricorne (SP: 3; headwear, suitable for anyone), Pugilist's Gloves (+2 power, immune to Weakened; handwear, suitable for anyone)

Inventory:

*Knotted Broom (WP: 6, broomstick),

*Shovel, Pickaxe, Bedroll,

*Opal, Amethyst, Diamond, Topaz

*Scroll of Frailty, Scroll of Sleep,

*Mead, Remedy x3, Potion x2, Bone x2, Grand Potion, Bunch of Cherries (10/10 cherries that each restore 1 ether when eaten), Ice Bomb, Root beer (Restores 10 health, or can be used as a bomb against Undead enemies for 20 damage (Does not affect non-Undead enemies)), Ambrosia, Smoke Bomb, Plague Venom, Grand Tonic x2, Nostrum, Sushi (restores 5 HP and 5 Ether) x2, Smelling Salts, Mythril Shard

QM Note: Thank you all for being great questees! Please leave any comments you may have in the QM's lounge - I'll be there in a bit, as well.

[Endgame]

Epilogue

In the cruelest, northernmost reaches of the world stands a massive castle. It casts an imposbing shadow on the surrounding waters, the citadel painstakingly carved into one of the most treachorous of mountains. A blizzard swirls around the island, claoking the shadowy palace in a blanket of frigid white... A stark contrast to its shadowy walls and gloomy halls. The icy waters were once patrolled by three giant sea monsters, but no longer. However, it remained formidable nonetheless...

Deep within the castle's fathomless darkness, two figures speak, the flicker of a green inferno struggling to break free from its shadowy oppression. It fails...

"Master. The bait has been taken. The corpses of the three Ameobosses has set in motion quite a few events... Already, the humans assemble galleons and armadas. They believe our deception."

"Excellent. Unsurprising, but excellent. The Oculoids are keeping a close eye on the progress of these ships, I trust?"

"Indeed, they are... Now that they think our "trerasure" is up for grabs, they're building ships faster than we imagined. Of course, I dispatched a few dozen Oculoids to lurk at the ports, sabotage ships if need be, help ships that need it... It should ensure that they all arrive within the same time period or so."

"And the second wave of Ameobosses have proven tame?"

"They respond to our every command. Of course, I would expect nothing less from a creation of yours, Master. They are ready to be deployed whenever we are able."

"Good. So we are prepared, then."

"Oculoids are being produced faster than ever, and we're bringing devils in en masse - I'd say we're prepared for them, Master. Two thousand years of labor would be enough to crush even the finest of human armies, let alone a bunch of ragtag miscreants hunting a treasure that doesn't exist. I still can't believe they bought it - I am an artist, not a writer, and even I thought it was pure drivel!"

"Hmmph. Their level of competence is more or less irrelevant when they arrive here, Seerus. We have the resources to fend them off for years, and enough to crush them in one fell swoop. The secnd they arrive her,e they are resources to be harvested, Seerus. Not enemies, per se... Cattle would be more apt."

"Indeed. Their souls will serve as a fine sustenance for you, Master... To think, such a powerful resources, trapped within their worthless bodies."

"My sentiments exactly. Either way, we are ready. You are dismissed, Seerus. I expect you to be productive during these next few weeks. All of Olegaia will be our canvas when all is said and done..."

"Understood, Master. I shall tie up a few loose ends..."

And with that, Seerus exits, drifting off into the bitter cold. The Regret remains as he stares into the smoldering beauty of the Lifespark, the green inferno still as powerful as when it was created. The Progg stares into it bitterly, trying to remember the days when he was a mere spark in this massiv eifre. The Lifespark was truly the closest thing he had to an actual parent, but only in the biological sense - The Regret felt no kinship and had no sentiments towards the Lifespark. All he saw was power, that he would do anything to obtain - he would rip and tear apart lives, villages, cities, armies, regions, even his soul and magic itself, all just to devour the Lifespark's power.

As The Regret glared into the flame, he had but one thought:

"I will either end humanity...

...Or die trying."

Edited July 2, 2014 by Endgame