Heroica RPG - Quest #46: Product Testing

[Endgame]

Come nightfall, the chosen heroes flock outside of Heroica Hall, awaiting their ride. These chosen heroes were:

Althior Emorith (And Finnegan)

32 years old male human

Level: 19.5 Sage

Power: 34 (19 + 10 + Spellbound gloves)

Defense: 4 (Cloak)

Health: 29/29

Ether: 25/25

Gold: 0

Equipment: Twin Sai Blades (WP:10, Dual Strike), Spellbound Gloves (+5 power when casting Spells, doubled if target is weak to Element), Robe of the Elven Necromancer (SP 4),

Inventory: Dragoro (WP 8), Skeleton Decoy, Potion x2, Tonic, Shovel, Bedroll, Remedy, Horse, Diamond (Light), Topaz (Lightning), Amethyst (Darkness), Ruby (Fire), Sapphire (Wind), Garnet (Earth), Opal (Ice), Aquamarine (Water), Emerald (Wood)

Alexandre le Chevalier (Played by Capt.JohnPaul)

Level 15 Paladin, 20 year old elf male

Power: 23

Defense: 13

Health: 35/35

Ether: 15/15

Gold: 10

Equipment: Sword of the Elven Blademaster (WP: 8; ignores SP), Cross Heater Shield (SP: 10) (Mail of the Renegade Commander (SP: 3; Damage of all Free Hits is halved; suitable for Knights and Barbarians)

Inventory: Potions (4), Bedroll, Smoke Bomb, Remedy, Tonic x2, Smoke Bomb, Fire Bomb

Xander Unth'or (played by posades) *Party Leader!*

24 year-old male human Barbarian

Level 16

Power: 26 (14+8[+2 from front row, +1 from back row])

Defense: 0 (+1 from back row)

Health: 23/23 (8+15)

Ether: 0/0

Gold: 932

Equipment: Pongcanis Club (WP: 8), Robe of the Pongcanis Champion ^{(WP: 1Front Row)(SP: 1Back Row)}, Horse (WP: 1, grants speed within quests)

Inventory: Double-Sided Battle Ax (WP:6, Aim), Enigmatic Hammer (WP: 3), Precision Bow (WP:6; all 'Aim's become 'Hit's; unsuitable), Potion(2), Grand Potion, Skeleton Decoy, Venom, Elven Bomb

After several minutes of casual conversation, rock paper scissors, and thumb twiddling, a purple blur speeds in front of them and stops to a dead halt. As the odd streak of light slows down, they realize it was in fact a magic carpet: and on it, the eccentric mage Howard Dini. In the dead of night, the only light provided was from the jittering fire flies and Howard Dini's odd wands.

The mage takes note of the party's puzzled expressions.

"Never seen a magic carpet before, eh? I am the great Howard Dini! Hop on and I'll take you to my humble abode, and I can give you the details on the testing procedure."

QM Note: Thank you all for signing up! If anything with your stats is wrong, give me the heads-up. You have 24 hours or so to confirm.

[K-Nut]

Everything's looking good.

"A magic carpet! Haven't seen one of those in ages!" He laughed, "Alexandre, Xander, a pleasure as always," He climbed aboard the carpet.

[Capt.JohnPaul]

All good!

Alexandre looks up after finishing his glass of water from the hall. "What are we waiting for? A carnival? Let's get going. I'm interested in these products. I assume they are dangerous."

"Also, the carpet... how do we get on? Do we mount it like a horse or something?"

Edited August 19, 2012 by Capt.JohnPaul

[K-Nut]

"Also, the carpet... how do we get on? Do we mount it like a horse or something?"

"Really? Did you never sit on a carpet as a child?"

[Capt.JohnPaul]

"Really? Did you never sit on a carpet as a child?"

"No. I sat on a horse before I sat on a chair."

[Endgame]

"Just step on. As long as you are standing on one of those black patches..."

He signals to the 3 cushy bumps behind him.

"You'll never fall off if you don't want to, even if I turned the carpet upside-down. Nifty ride, huh?"

[K-Nut]

"Where's my black patch?"

"You don't get one, we can tie you underneath,"

"meep"

[Endgame]

"Where's my black patch?"

"You don't get one, we can tie you underneath,"

"meep"

"Erm... huh. I didn't expect luggage on this trip. Just hold on to his hand, okay?"

Edited August 19, 2012 by Endgame

[K-Nut]

"Erm... huh. I didn't expect luggage on this trip. Just hold on to his hand, okay?"

"There is no way I'm holding his hand!"

"Just hold on for dear life,"

"Wow, Althior. I don't give you enough credit,"

[Capt.JohnPaul]

FYI, my new paladin avatar is up.

"Stay away from my hand. I just got newly polished gauntlets."

[posades]

Xander can be seen jogging briskly to the designated meeting spot, where he can see Alex and Althior already engaging in conversation with the strange looking mage.

"I am sorry heroes, I had prior business to attend to. But now that we are all here, it seems we can be on our way; I'm not one to ride on magic carpets, but if that is what is required then I will oblige."

"It is a pleasure meeting you....Howard, is it?" Xander said as he began to board the carpet. He also gave a quick nod to both Althior and Alex; these were good men, having fought alongside both in the past. He felt confident in their abilities and was sure they would not let him down.

OOC: All my stats changed (including the pic) now that I'm a hunter!

[Endgame]

QM Note: Updated stats: (Xander's class change + Alex's new photo)

Xander Unth'or (posades) *Party Leader!*

24 year-old male human Hunter

Level 16 *Immune to Blindness and Fragile*

Power: 29 (16+11+2)

Defense: 5

Health: 29/29 (8+15+6)

Ether: 0/0

Gold: 22

Equipment: Precision Bow (WP:11; all 'Aim's become 'Hit's), Hunter's Quiver of Marksmanship (WP:2 to a bow or a crossbow, allows the hunter to favour two types at the same time; protects from blindness-effect), Heavy Armor (SP:5, protects from fragile-effect)

Inventory: Horse (WP: 1, grants speed within quests), Pongcanis Club (WP: 8), Enigmatic Hammer (WP: 3), Potion(2), Grand Potion, Skeleton Decoy, Venom, Elven Bomb

Althior Emorith (And Finnegan)

32 years old male human

Level: 19.5 Sage

Power: 34 (19 + 10 + Spellbound gloves)

Defense: 4 (Cloak)

Health: 29/29

Ether: 25/25

Gold: 0

Equipment: Twin Sai Blades (WP:10, Dual Strike), Spellbound Gloves (+5 power when casting Spells, doubled if target is weak to Element), Robe of the Elven Necromancer (SP 4),

Inventory: Dragoro (WP 8), Skeleton Decoy, Potion x2, Tonic, Shovel, Bedroll, Remedy, Horse, Diamond (Light), Topaz (Lightning), Amethyst (Darkness), Ruby (Fire), Sapphire (Wind), Garnet (Earth), Opal (Ice), Aquamarine (Water), Emerald (Wood)

Alexandre le Chevalier (Played by Capt.JohnPaul)

Level 15 Paladin, 20 year old elf male

Power: 23

Defense: 13

Health: 35/35

Ether: 15/15

Gold: 10

Equipment: Sword of the Elven Blademaster (WP: 8; ignores SP), Cross Heater Shield (SP: 10) (Mail of the Renegade Commander (SP: 3; Damage of all Free Hits is halved; suitable for Knights and Barbarians)

Inventory: Potions (4), Bedroll, Smoke Bomb, Remedy, Tonic x2, Smoke Bomb, Fire Bomb

With all the heroes on board (and Finnegan clutching onto Althior's side for dear life) Howard taps his two wands together. They release an otherworldy hum and begin to glow even brighter, a powerful aura surrounding them and the eccentric ether-user. Finally, with a mere twitch upward of his blue wand, the magic carpet ascends 50 feet into the air! With a single motion of the pink wand, the magic carpet is zooming towards Howard Dini's manor at a breakneck pace. Wind slaps the heroes' faces and fills their cheeks, but Howard seems relatively unfazed by it. Anyone looking up that day would see a purple blur shooting across the night sky. The mage raises his voice to be heard over the wind.

"Now, it is going to be approximately an hour until we reach my manor. Any of you have questions for the great Howard Dini?!

..Oops, sorry. Emphasizing my name like that has become one of this old codger's force of habits..."

Edited August 20, 2012 by Endgame

[Capt.JohnPaul]

"Could you fill us in on any details of your products?" Alexandre shouts over the wind.

[posades]

Xander suddenly remembered he had been chosen as party leader for this quest.

Speaking in a slightly nervous tone, he addressed Althior and Alex: "It is an honor serving as leader for this group; however, it is my first time in this position, and any help along the way will be welcomed."

The wind had begun to pick up, and hearing Alex's question, Xander decided to elaborate on it.

"Yes, more information on these magical aids will prove useful when testing their quality. Since they are being developed for the town guard, I assume there is some defense mechanism involved?"

[Endgame]

"The magical aids are ether-imbued pills: with crime rates slowly but surely rising in this town, the town guard needs a bit of an edge. Thus, these pills will boost their speed, strength, and mental acuteness. A healthy steroid, if you will."

Howard takes note of Finnegan chuckling.

"No, they will not make you higher than a magic carpet or as drunk as a barbarian. Or atleast, they aren't supposed to...

Being a master of the arcane, I also specialize in summons. Basically, you each take a pill, I summon up some beasties, and then you fight em' and see what the side effects are.

Any other questions?"

Edited August 21, 2012 by Endgame

[Capt.JohnPaul]

Any other questions?"

"No. This sounds dangerous. I'm glad I have a remedy."

"Also, about these crime rates.... have you happened to hear of a Fantome Croise?"

Alexandre sits back, if he was somehow related to the Fantome, Alexandre didn't want to try any pills.

Edited August 20, 2012 by Capt.JohnPaul

[Endgame]

"No. This sounds dangerous. I'm glad I have a remedy."

"Also, about these crime rates.... have you happened to hear of a Fantome Croise?"

Alexandre sits back, if he was somehow related to the Fantome, Alexandre didn't want to try any pills.

"Fantome? Is that a type of pastry?"

[Capt.JohnPaul]

"Fantome? Is that a type of pastry?"

"Maybe." Alexandre shrugs. "Have you heard of an ether core cake? It's a dark chocolate center, buried by ether cores."

[Endgame]

"Maybe." Alexandre shrugs. "Have you heard of an ether core cake? It's a dark chocolate center, buried by ether cores."

"...Why couldn't anyone tell me about this sooner?! "

QM Note: As soon as Althior has/doesn't have any questions, I'll move this along.

[K-Nut]

"Any other questions?"

"Yeah, are we there yet?" Althior rolls his eyes.

[posades]

"A couple more questions, if you please. Are the effects from these pills permanent? And has this been tested on anyone...or anything, before?"

Xander gulped slightly -- he was not one to take mind-altering substances lightly; quietly he thought the mage should have been more upfront in what he and the other heroes were signing up for. It did not matter now, though, the job had to be completed.

[Endgame]

"Never been tested before. That's why I couldn't do it: if one of these made me deathly sick or kncoked out, I live alone. who'd help me? There are three of you (plus me overseeing) so nothing too bad or too permanent should happen to you."

"Now that you mention "are we there yet"..."

As the sun rises, a mansion is illuminated. The magic carpet draws closer and closer to the huge manor...

Some "humble abode!" The heroes stare up in awe as the huge building casts a hazy shadow on them.

"Aura and gentlemen, I give you... the Dini Manor!!"

With a simple wave of his wand, the magic capet hover in front of the manor's huge oak front door. It gently floats down on to the ground, allowing the heroes to step off easily. Howard rolls up the carpet, and waving his wand like a conductor's baton, opens the huge door.

The manor was as eccentric as it's owner: a variety of twisting and curving halls (that seemed to serve no prupose other then to preplex company) led the heroes into a foyer. On the wall stood a behemoth of a machine. 9 elemental gems seemed to be it's power source. The gems hum and whirr, releasing a glow of raw power.

"I give you the Ether Gadget: the machine of the future! Harnessing the powers of all the elemental gems, i can create nearly anything elemental related - from snowflakes to a campfire. However, we'll be using it today to generate baddies for testing purposes. Basically, all you do is press the buttons on the pedestal. You choose 2 gems to turn into monsters every battle. The gems you choose influecnes the monsters you fight, so choose wisely.

Hold your applause for later though, please."

As the heroes digest this new information and stare at the futuristic machine, Howard comes in carrying a treasure chest. Perhaps "carry" was the wrong word, though: he was levitating it with his wands. He lowers it to the ground in front of the heroes, the black chest swinging open. A variety of aromas and odors emit from the chest, and they look inside: the pills.

The pills:

-Soothing Pill

-Crimson Pill

-Smelly Pill

-Heavy Pill

-Spiral Pill

-Squishy Pill

-Glowing Pill

-Big Pill

-Chill Pill

-Srii Pill

-Neon Pill

-Lavender Pill

-Silver Pill

-Misshapen Pill

-Bland Pill

"So, to recap the testing procedure:

1. Each of you pick a pill! I'm not sure which does what, though. (Why would I hire you if that was the case?) The pills side-effects will start to occur when you begin your next battle.

2. Choose 2 gems from the ether gadget to generate enemies. (So for example, choosing a fire gem and a darkness gem pits you against a fire-type enemy and a darkness-type enemy.) When a gem is chosen, it can never be re-picked.

3. Fight! Rounds 1, 2, and 3 will consist of 2 enemies. Round 4 will consist of 3, and who knows how many the final round will have?

4. Repeat.

5. Profit."

Edited August 20, 2012 by Endgame

[K-Nut]

Althior whispers to Finnegan, "I'm beginning to question his mental stability,"

"This is coming from you?"

Althior rolls his eyes as he takes a crimson pill. He leaned towards Xander, "I suggest we take the Sapphire and Amethyst first,"

[Capt.JohnPaul]

Alexandre takes the Silver Pill. "It sounds fancy. What's the worst it could do? Althior, I'm fine with your gem choice."

Alexandre holds up the pill and looks at it, then pops it in his mouth.

[posades]

"It is settled then; we shall choose the Sapphire and Amethyst for the first round."

Looking into the odd chest, Xander pulls out the lavender pill, swallowing it and preparing his bow for battle.