336 replies to this topic

[Zepher]

The heroes leave the Hall and ask for directions to Guffington Manor.  To their surprise, most everyone they meet on the way knows where it is.



"Just head to the North, you can't miss it!"



"Dis is ridic-u-lous.  You muzt know where it iz.  'Oo does not know where de Great Guffington Manor iz?"



"What, ya not going to buy anything?!"



"Oh, I wish I'd be invited to go places sometimes.  Tell him Ratabor says hi... not that he knows me.  Oh, I wish I was invited places."

As the heroes approach the Manor, they are pulled aside by a U'Kin.



"Follow me," he commands.  "My name is  U'Ordiussum and you must follow me.  We are not going to the Manor."

The heroes follow the U'Kin down to the docks instead.  The U'Kin steps inside a building, and ushers the heroes in.

"Hello, heroes.  I am U'Ordiussum, Master of the Guffington Estate.  I am a U'Kin.  I do not know if you have met U'Kin before I do not know.  There are only ten to fifteen U'Kin in the city.  U'Kins does not usually leave Dastan.  Perhaps you have run into one or two of us.  Madame Butterfly is our most esteemed member on the island, no doubt.  I hear she recently hired heroes.  At Guffington Manor, Guffington Manor watches everything and listens to everything at Guffington Manor.  Knowledge is power.  I apologize, I have mostly lost my accent, but sometimes I relapse."

"Enough idle chit-chat.  You must have many questions, which I will gladly answer before taking you to the Doc.  I assume that you all know Gerald Guffington and his great doings?  He is the richest singular man in Eubric.  He does not, like the houses, squabble for power like the houses, however.  Guffington does, and always has, labelled himself as an 'explorer'.  I do not know what that means, exactly.  He is always leaving the Manor, going to new lands, inviting over esteemed guests, going to new lands, so on and so forth.  He is a truly incredible man."

"Sadly, this has made Guffington a number of enemies, men who are jealous of him and his experiences.  Recently, his nemesis, Lord Hughes, sent Guffington a box with a note on it.  Doc and I read the note.  'Bet you've never seen this before.'  It was a perfect trap.  Guffington opened the box, and fell into a deep sleep.  Doc and I could not wake him, so Doc and I sent for you.  Doc will explain all the science of it will be explained by Doc.  You will need to go into Guffington's mind, and retrieve him."

"We have moved him to this warehouse, his only warehouse, so that he will be out of the public's eye in his only warehouse.  Doc and I are the only servants who know what has befallen Guffington.  We do not want his position weakened.  We are afraid, if people know that Guffington is unable to act, they will riot, and his reputation will be lost.  We expect your discretion in this."


Guts Holla, Level 18 Raider *Party Leader*
Power: 30(26)
Health: 31/31
Gold: 425
Inventory: Lifestealer(WP:12, Ice, attacks restore 3 health), Throwing Knife(WP: 8 Light, Retrievable), Beholder's Eye, Bedroll, Shovel, Mythril Shard, 6x Mead, 6x Nostrum, 6x Smelling Salts, 10x Grand Potion, Grand Tonic, Elixir, 5x Remedy, 3x Phoenix Essence.


Hybros, Level 18 Assassin
Power: 30 (26 for throwing weapons, except 23 for Shuriken of Mercutio)
Health: 32/32
Gold: 708
Inventory: Zoot's Reaper (WP:12, Earth), Shuriken of Mercutio (WP:5, retrievable), 2 Throwing Knives (WP:8, retrievable), Banana Bladerang (WP:8, damage all, retrievable), Ancient Throwing Dagger (WP: 8, retrievable), Helmet (Max HP +1), Cat Statuette (Max HP +1), 10 Grand Potions, 10 Potions, 5 Remedies, 2 Phoenix Essences, 2 Smoke Bombs, 3 Holy Bombs, 6 Nostrums, Mead, Smelling Salts, Deadly Venom, Bone, Bedroll, Skeleton Decoy, Shovel, Emerald


Bartholomew Docken, Level 21.67 Warden *Scary* *Immune to Enamored*
Power: 30
Health: 40/40
Defense: 15
Gold: 381 (50 Gold loaned to Arthur Justus Regulus VII [Flipz])
Inventory: Briar Bow (WP: 9; Wood Elemental), Mockthril Longbow (WP: 5), Mythril Shield (SP: 15), Dread Hat (enemies lower than half of wearer's Level won't attack directly), White Marksman's Hat (⅙ chance of Assassination vs. Flying monsters), Lover's Locket (immune to the Enamored effect), Bedroll, Mead, Venom, Smoke Bomb, Soma, Grand Potion, Potions (5)

Edited by Zepher, 26 July 2012 - 09:49 AM.

[Brickdoctor]

"Good day, Master U'Ordiussum. I am Bartholomew Docken.

"You mentioned the possibility of people rioting against Master Guffington. Does he own many fiefs?"

Zepher, on 24 July 2012 - 03:55 AM, said:

(BD... if you want to make a title card, that would be great   )

OoC: I can do that. Color scheme and font?

[Zepher]

"Oops, Riot might be the wrong word.  Loot the manor?  Move in on his business ventures?  Turn against him?  I am afraid if they know that he is not up to snuff, they will some how take advantage of the fact that he is not up to snuff!"

[Brickdoctor]

"Ah, I see."

[JimButcher]

Glad to be out on another quest, Hybros mentally prepares himself for what is to come. He heard the U'Kin mention entering this man Gruffington's mind... surely he meant figuratively, for this was no sorcery Hybros had ever heard of.

"Enter... his mind? May I ask how we are going to do such a thing? Eh..."

[Scubacarrot]

My stats are all good, the picture is outdated, though :) Thanks for picking me.

"Has anything been done to apprehend this 'Lord Hughes'? Also, have you tried bringing in an actual medical specialist?"

[Zepher]

Guts Holla, Level 18 Raider *Party Leader*
Power: 30(26)
Health: 31/31
Gold: 425
Inventory: Lifestealer (WP:12, Ice, attacks restore 3 health), Throwing Knife (WP: 8 Light, Retrievable), Beholder's Eye, Bedroll, Shovel, Mythril Shard, 6x Mead, 6x Nostrum, 6x Smelling Salts, 10x Grand Potion, Grand Tonic, Elixir, 5x Remedy, 3x Phoenix Essence.


Hybros, Level 18 Assassin
Power: 30 (26 for throwing weapons, except 23 for Shuriken of Mercutio)
Health: 32/32
Gold: 708
Inventory: Zoot's Reaper (WP:12, Earth), Shuriken of Mercutio (WP:5, retrievable), 2 Throwing Knives (WP:8, retrievable), Banana Bladerang (WP:8, damage all, retrievable), Ancient Throwing Dagger (WP: 8, retrievable), Helmet (Max HP +1), Cat Statuette (Max HP +1), 10 Grand Potions, 10 Potions, 5 Remedies, 2 Phoenix Essences, 2 Smoke Bombs, 3 Holy Bombs, 6 Nostrums, Mead, Smelling Salts, Deadly Venom, Bone, Bedroll, Skeleton Decoy, Shovel, Emerald


Bartholomew Docken, Level 21.67 Warden *Scary* *Immune to Enamored*
Power: 30
Health: 40/40
Defense: 15
Gold: 381 (50 Gold loaned to Arthur Justus Regulus VII [Flipz])
Inventory: Briar Bow (WP: 9; Wood Elemental), Mockthril Longbow (WP: 5), Mythril Shield (SP: 15), Dread Hat (enemies lower than half of wearer's Level won't attack directly), White Marksman's Hat (⅙ chance of Assassination vs. Flying monsters), Lover's Locket (immune to the Enamored effect), Bedroll, Mead, Venom, Smoke Bomb, Soma, Grand Potion, Potions (5)

Brickdoctor, on 24 July 2012 - 04:08 AM, said:

OoC: I can do that. Color scheme and font?

Golden ornate font.  Tannish gold background.  

JimButcher, on 24 July 2012 - 09:12 AM, said:

"Enter... his mind? May I ask how we are going to do such a thing? Eh..."

Scubacarrot, on 24 July 2012 - 09:18 AM, said:

"Has anything been done to apprehend this 'Lord Hughes'? Also, have you tried bringing in an actual medical specialist?"

"Lord Hughes has not technically done anything wrong.  He sent an apology letter saying he did not know what the dust would do, and that he himself received it as a gift before sending it on it's way.  He claims that the dust put him to sleep for a day of extremely vivid dreams, but that he did not stay under longer than that he claims.  Lord Hughes and Master Guffington have an interesting relationship.  I do not pretend to understand the relation of Guffington and Lord Hughes, they are enemies, but also friends.  Great men behave strangely."

"As for your other questions, it sounds like you'd both benefit from talking to Doc for your other questions.  This is my associate, Doc Daneeka."

A creature steps into the light, one that the heroes had never seen before.  His voice sounds muffled and but smooth and calm.  He extends a gloved hand.

"My name is Doc Daneeka.  I am Guffington's private doctor and scientist.  I have worked with the Ji Pei before, and served as Eubric's premiere scientist before the Je Pei arrived in Eubric.  I am a Sayyip.  My species is rare.  I am seven hundred, fifty five years, three months, fourteen days, thirty-two minutes and fifteen seconds old.  You would do well to follow me."

Doc Daneeka leads the heroes to a machine.

"You will be strapped into one of these.  There are three more in the back of the warehouse, one of which has Guffington in it.  I have harnessed the dust so that you may enter into the same state as Guffington, but still be aware that you are in something that is not reality.  I will then inject you into Guffington's fake reality, and you will track him down and extract him."

"There is one complication.  Because you will be in a fake reality, you may bring none of your supplies.  That does not mean that you will be left defenseless.  Using a process that will again, no doubt bore you, I can inject fifteen items, total, into the fake reality.  Once you have picked those items, we may begin."



"Doc, you never astound to fail me... oh, I'm sorry, I meant you never fail to astound me."



"Thank you, U'Or."

Edited by Zepher, 24 July 2012 - 10:19 PM.

[JimButcher]

"The Ji Pei? ...It is an honor to meet your acquaintance, doctor eheh." Hybros glanced at the strange piece of technology. He didn't pretend to understand the magic behind it, so he figured it would be best to not ask questions and listen to Daneeka. He was part of the Ji Pei, after all.

"15 items, only... that leaves five for each of us. I will be taking my trusted Zoot's Reaper, Banana Bladerang, and three Grand Potions."

He pulled out his emerald, knowing he could not yet harness its power. He put it safely away in his pouch so that he would know it would be there when he came back... if he ever came back.

"And how will we... get out, doctor? Has this been tested before?"

OoC: Damn you, Zepher, I never get to use my items in your quests.  

[Scubacarrot]

ooc: Beholder's eye is not an artifact, so does not have to be bolded.

Guts sighed, he had feared something like this was what the Quest entailed, but, it was what he signed up for.

After a bit of sorting through his stuff, and quickly drinking the last bottle of wine, that he had originally meant for later, he put aside Lifestealer, his Throwing Knife, a Grand Potion, a Phoenix Essence and an Elixir.

He mumbled to this 'Doc': "Make sure everything's still there when we get back."

[Brickdoctor]

"Pleased to meet you, Doctor Daneeka. So, bare essentials on this quest, it looks like..."

Holding my two bows, I pause for a moment.

"Let's hope the place isn't crawling with Vermin and Plants. Worst-case scenario, I suppose I can be a meatshield..."

I set aside my Briar Bow, my Mithril Shield, my Dread Hat, one Grand Potion and one Soma. As I do so, I continue to speak to Daneeka.

"Out of curiosity, Doctor Daneeka, you claim to have harnessed the powder to put us in an identical state to that of Master Guffington; how can you be sure that we will be able to escape that state? Will the effects merely wear off as they did with Lord Hughes?"

[Zepher]

Guts Holla, Level 18 Raider *Party Leader*
Power: 30(26)
Health: 31/31
Gold: 425
Inventory: Lifestealer (WP:12, Ice, attacks restore 3 health), Throwing Knife (WP: 8 Light, Retrievable), Beholder's Eye, Bedroll, Shovel, Mythril Shard, 6x Mead, 6x Nostrum, 6x Smelling Salts, 1x Grand Potion, 9x Grand Potion Grand Tonic, Elixir, 5x Remedy, 1x Phoenix Essence, 2x Phoenix Essence.


Hybros, Level 18 Assassin
Power: 30 (26 for throwing weapons, except 23 for Shuriken of Mercutio)
Health: 30/30
Gold: 708
Inventory: Zoot's Reaper (WP:12, Earth), Shuriken of Mercutio (WP:5, retrievable), 2 Throwing Knives (WP:8, retrievable), Banana Bladerang (WP:8, damage all, retrievable), Ancient Throwing Dagger (WP: 8, retrievable), Helmet (Max HP +1), Cat Statuette (Max HP +1), 3 Grand Potions, 7 Grand Potions 10 Potions, 5 Remedies, 2 Phoenix Essences, 2 Smoke Bombs, 3 Holy Bombs, 6 Nostrums, Mead, Smelling Salts, Deadly Venom, Bone, Bedroll, Skeleton Decoy, Shovel, Emerald


Bartholomew Docken, Level 21.67 Warden *Scary* *Immune to Enamored*
Power: 30
Health: 40/40
Defense: 15
Gold: 381 (50 Gold loaned to Arthur Justus Regulus VII [Flipz])
Inventory: Briar Bow (WP: 9; Wood Elemental), Mockthril Longbow (WP: 5), Mythril Shield (SP: 15), Dread Hat (enemies lower than half of wearer's Level won't attack directly), White Marksman's Hat (⅙ chance of Assassination vs. Flying monsters), Lover's Locket (immune to the Enamored effect), Bedroll, Mead, Venom, Smoke Bomb, Soma, Grand Potion, Potions (5)



"Listen.  If you are really in a pinch during battle, then you may spend five life, and we can send you an item that you possess but did not bring with you.  You will then have that item for the rest of the quest."



"I told you they'd ask about coming back... listen, when you find Guffington, really find Guffington, that is, you need to convince him to come back.  That's the only way for you to escape with him, as it is his reality that you will be in that will be the only way to escape.  If you do not, or cannot, we can still extract you, but everything that happened to you during your time there will be for naught."

Are the heroes ready?

Edited by Zepher, 25 July 2012 - 06:44 PM.

[Scubacarrot]

Guts scraped his throat and looked back at the two others behind him, and said.

"We are ready as we'll ever be. Do it."

[JimButcher]

Hybros nodded.

[Zepher]

The heroes are directed to their chairs and are strapped in.  They feel light headed for a few seconds, and then their vision is assaulted by a pure white screen.  The heroes stand in an area of pure white.  They glance around, but can see nothing.  The whiteness slowly turns to fog, and the area around them turns more gray.  Off in the far distance, they can see a giant clock tower.  

Seeing nothing else, the heroes decide to make their way towards it.  It rings twelve times as they march.  Finally, after what feels like hours, the heroes arrive at its base.  They are greeted by an extremely young man in a suit.

"Hello, travelers!  Have you come to see the Great Clock?!  I too would one day love to be a Great something... though I hear that all Greats have terrible secrets on their insides.  This Clock, for example, is said to be cursed.  No one can figure out how to defeat the curse on it... anyway, enough idle chitter-chatter!  My name is Gerald!  Gerald Guffington.  My friends call me Guffy for short... I don't know if you want to, you can."

"Anyway, I had this crazy idea.  You see, I'm pretty smart, and I was thinking maybe I should make some money so I can pay people to do great things.  Then I'd be able to see Great things all the time!  But I'm low on gold.  Would any of you loan me gold?  The more, the better.  I promise to pay you back... if my business does well..."

[Scubacarrot]

Guts whispered to his fellow heroes, the first words he spoke since awaking in this... place.

"He does not know this is not real, now, you never tell a sleepwalker he's sleeping, I imagine this is similair. Play Along."

Guts looked at the man, (fancy clothes, soft expression, probably never worked a day in his life) and said:

"I could... Invest... some gold, yes. Here's a 100 gold, spend it wisely, not all at once, Heh."

[JimButcher]

Strange, very strange... Hybros kdidn't know where exactly he was, but he knew he was inside of someone's mind, which made it all the stranger. It was like waking up inside of a dream... hmm...

"This is obviously how Gruffington sees himself, or would like to, eheheh." He said to Docken and Guts. "We should try to convince him to wake up."

[Brickdoctor]

I turn to Hybros.

"No, let's see where he goes with this. If this is reality as he wants it to be, he'll probably not want to wake up. Have you ever been woken up in the middle of a dream you were enjoying? If we have to convince him to wake up, I'm assuming that he remains here by choice, if he even realizes that it is all a dream."

[Scubacarrot]

"Let's see if we can win his trust, find out a bit, what he knows, if he is even real and not a figment of his own dream."

Guts sighes, and adds:

"I doubt it'll be as easy as walking up to him, slapping him in the face and telling him to wake up."

[JimButcher]

Docken was right. Hybros didn't have many pleasant dreams, or at least he didn't remember most of them, but he could relate to the situation. Still, asking for gold in a dream... would it deplete his gold in the real world? How did his gold even get here? The doctor said he could only transport 15 items...

"We must remember our mission, though... perhaps we can... make the dream less pleasant for him, allow him to wake up on his own?"

Turning to Gruffington's residual self image, he offered a handful of gold. "Are you willing to pay back more than you borrowed?"

[Brickdoctor]

JimButcher, on 25 July 2012 - 07:30 PM, said:

"We must remember our mission, though... perhaps we can... make the dream less pleasant for him, allow him to wake up on his own?"

"Yes, I had a similar thought. He clearly has plans to become something great in this world; if we foil his plans, hopefully he will want to return to the world where he is already great. However, if we foil his plans and he finds out, there's no way he'll trust us when we try to convince him to wake up. I think we first need to know if he is aware that this is a dream, because if he isn't, then we're going to have to convince him that he is, and he'll probably have to trust us in order for us to do that."

[Zepher]

"Depends on how my ventures turn out!  Of course, if I do well and make more money, you'll be given a gift of thanks for your generous donation, along with the money you gave originally!"

[JimButcher]

Brickdoctor, on 25 July 2012 - 07:35 PM, said:

"Yes, I had a similar thought. He clearly has plans to become something great in this world; if we foil his plans, hopefully he will want to return to the world where he is already great. However, if we foil his plans and he finds out, there's no way he'll trust us when we try to convince him to wake up. I think we first need to know if he is aware that this is a dream, because if he isn't, then we're going to have to convince him that he is, and he'll probably have to trust us in order for us to do that."

"I was thinking more... indirectly. Take this cursed clock tower, if whatever is inside frightens Gruffington, then he will want to wake up from his nightmare. And I have no doubt that it will frighten him, since this is his own mind. He will know his own fears the best, and I think he might have them locked up in that tower... just a guess though, heheh."

Turning to Gruffington again, he proffered 100 gold. "If things go well here, I think we will get our money back."

[Scubacarrot]

"If you don't mind me asking, 'Guffy', what made you came out here?"

[Zepher]

"Out here?  To see the world, of course!  To experience life!  Why else would anyone do anything?  Leaving home was tough, admittedly, but it was something that needed to be done!  I was born in a smaller town, on one of the smallest Free Isles.  Nothing to see there, nothing to do.  It was too small for me.  Eubric, on the other hand... can you imagine?  The Grand Houses, the wonderful creatures!  Before I came here, I had never seen a Vampire, or worked alongside an Orc, and I've only been here for a year or two!"

[Scubacarrot]

"Hmm, interesting. Eubric's a hell of a city, that's for sure. Interpretate how you want. Now, if you don't mind me asking, how ARE you going to spend the gold we gave you?"