Heroica RPG - Quest#148: Once Upon a Time in Goetia

**Sandy** · May 6, 2016

Upon invitation, five heroes enter the library at Heroica Hall to meet Byblos, their sixth party member. The Metasimian librarian seemed nervous and fidgety, but smiled kindly when he saw the visitors.

"Oh, is it time already? Hey, we're off to another adventure together, Atramor and Namyrra! Good to see the rest of you as well. Althior, would you be kind enough to act as the party leader? We're up against demons if the Sand Queen's visions are correct, and you seem the best equipped to handle them. Me and Pandemonicon will do our best to help you out, of course. I promise I won't cause such a hastle as I did in Azzurat..."

Byblos joins the party!

Party:
Althior Emorith, The Dragonslayer (K-Nut)
36 years old male (undead) human Prophet *PARTY LEADER*
Level 55 2/5 *Clairvoyance* *Glossolalia* *Intimidation* *Permanently Transcended* *Immune to Petrified, Cursed, Bound, and Slowed* *Absorbs Earth* *Immune to Ice and Darkness*
Power: 90 (55+35) (Spellpower: 100 (55+35+10))
Defense: 12 (2+5+5)
Health: 77/77 (5+55+15+1+1)
Ether: 93/93 (5+55+15+10+4+2+2)
Gold: 955
Equipment: Mythril Scepter of Divine Affinity (WP:35, Has ⅙ chance to deal cursed effect on successful spells and ⅙ chance to deal blessed effect on successful healing, staff), Magician's Gloves (+10 spellpower, suitable to mages; handwear), Winged Sandals (protects from bound and slowed effects, footwear), Ethereal Cloak (SP:2, Max Ether +4; backwear), Coat Hanger (allows wearing a second bodywear artifact regardless of the amount limit for artifacts; accessory), Robe of the Seneschal (SP:5; wearer absorbs earth, ice, and darkness- elemental damage and is immune to petrified; suitable to clerics, mages, chi monks, necromancers, scholars, and weather mages; bodywear), Robes of Illumination (SP: 5, +10 Max Ether, wearer is permanently transcended, suitable to prophets; bodywear), Black Hat (wearer is immune to cursed, grants Intimidation)
Inventory:
Weapons: Staff of the Supreme Necromancer (WP:25; damages undead; +5 level to raised undead; suitable to necromancers; staff)
Artifacts:Tin Helmet (immunity to confused and afraid, headwear), Lieutenant's Helm (SP:3, protects from fragile; headwear), Pink Ribbon (Max Ether +3, grants immunity to sealed, afraid, and doomed; accessory), Lens of Speed Reading (allows one scroll to be used per round in addition to a normal action, suitable for classes that have ether; accessory), Medal of Glory (Wearer earns triple experience; accessory), Counterstrike Gloves (if the wearer is damaged by a free hit, they counter with strength equal to their level; handwear), Sterile Gloves (protects from poisoned and bleeding; handwear)
Spell Items: Ruby (Fire), Aquamarine (Water), Garnet (Earth), Sapphire (Wind), Opal (Ice), Topaz (Lightning), Emerald (Wood), Diamond (Light), Amethyst (Darkness), Scroll of Frailty (Enables casting the fragile-effect to the target, causing it to take double damage for the next three rounds. Each casting has a 50/50 chance of success and costs 1 ether.), Scroll of Love (Enables casting the enamored-effect to the target, making it unable to damage the caster for three rounds. Each casting has a 50/50 chance of success and costs 1 ether.), Scroll of Luck (Enables casting the lucky-effect to the target for one battle. Each casting has a 50/50 chance and costs 10 ether.), Begone With The Winds (Grants the holder access to the Weather Mage expert job class upon reaching Level 30), Geode
Consumables: 3 Potions, 10 Grand Potions, 6 Tonics, 4 Grand Tonics, 3 Ether Cores, 6 Remedies, 2 Elixirs, Phoenix Incense, 11 Meads, 5 Smelling Salts, Smoke Bomb, Venom, Garnet Lamp of Summoning, Skeleton Decoy, Feather of Lithe (Makes the user nimble for three rounds), Feather of Flight (Allows the user to flee from the battle when used.), 2 Milks (restores 15 health and 15 ether upon consumption)
Tools etc.: Bedroll, Pickaxe, Magnifying Glass, 4 Bones, Deaddy Bear (Causes 45 damage and doomed but has 1/6 chance to break whenever used), Sauce Pan (Tool; Can be used with a Potion, outside of battle, once per quest to restore full HP), Cornucopia (increases the holder's gold by 25% at the end of each quest).
Atramor Gibbin, the Fiery Champion and the Serpent Skinner (CallMePie)
33 year old male human Rogue Thief
Level 42 1/5 *Immune to all elements and doomed* *Negative effects last one round* *Sticky Fingers* *Kingpin* *Nimble*
Power: 72 (42 + 30)
Defense: 10 (4+6)
Health: 80/80 (7+41+20+6+6*)
Gold: 425
Equipment: Living Mythril Claws (WP: 30, double WP against humanoids, double damage against vermin, +1 WP after every successful hit, resets at end of current quest, light elemental, dual strike, daggers), Amulet of the Court (Negative effects last only one round on the wearer, accessory, suitable for anyone), Rat's Hide (SP: 4, backwear, suitable for anyone), Galactic Armor (SP: 6, +6 max health, immune to water, wood, lightning, fire, earth, wind, ice, light, darkness, and doomed, bodywear, suitable for anyone), Order Imperial's Assassin Cowl (Immune to darkness, wearer is nimble, headwear; suitable for assassins, chi monks, infiltrators, rogue thieves, and paragons), Sticky Gloves (Increases the amount of gold stolen by 50% (rounded up), suitable for rogues and beast warriors; handwear.)
Inventory
Weapons: Pheles Kris (WP: 20, wielder has a 1/2 chance to generate an Aura while equipped, doubling the user's maximum health but drawing all attacks to them, lightning, fire, earth, wind, ice, light, darkness elemental dagger), Robust Shield (SP: 12, shield)
Artifacts: Bracers of Insatiable Avarice (Power +2; user gains 25 Gold for every enemy he kills, handwear, suitable for hunters, berserkers, battle mages, beast warriors, dragoons, marauders, regulators, and skirmishers), Twitzle the Canary (Remedies poisoned when used on target, bird familiar), Helmet of Azzurat (SP: 4, immune to poison, headwear, suitable for anyone)
Spell Items: Scroll of Arc Frailty (50/50 chance to inflict the fragile-effect to all enemies for ether equal to the number of enemies), Scroll of Fire Armor (50/50 chance to conjure a layer of fiery armor over the target, giving them a 50/50 chance to deal the burned by 10-effect when hit by Damage or Special Damage at the cost of 5 ether), Scroll of Ice Armor (50/50 chance to conjure a layer of ice armor over the target, giving them a 50/50 chance to deal the stunned-effect when hit by Damage or Special Damage at the cost of 5 ether), Scroll of Tongues (Grants the user the Glossolalia Job Trait. Each casting lasts for a limited amount of time and costs 10 ether), Scroll of the Chasm (When cast, has a 50/50 chance to tame a Dark monster for the next six rounds at the cost of 10 ether), Topaz, Ruby, Amethyst
Consumables: 6 Bones, Dirt Bomb, 2 Elixirs, 3 Ether Cores, Fenghuang Incense (After being consumed, automatically revives all party members with full health once when knocked out; cannot revive targets that are already knocked out.) Fire Bomb, 1 Grand Potion, 11 Grand Tonics, Health Core, 2 Meads, Nostrum, Phoenix Essence, 3 Phoenix Incenses, Potion, 4 Remedies, Smelling Salts, Smoke Bomb, 4 Venoms, Water Bomb
Tools/Treasure: Decamodifier (Transforms an enemy with a quarter or less health left into a Decamon card when used, if there is a corresponding card. The monster will not drop anything if it is modified. Tool.), Flint and Steel (Handy for starting fires), Pickaxe, Shovel, Rope, Magic Shovel, 2 Mythril Shards
Decamon Deck (36): Volt Ant (Electric 1), Tweetybird (Flying 1), x2 Brains-in-a-Jar (Ethereal 2), x2 Barghest (Electric 2), Vampire Bat (Flying 3), Tangleweed (Plant 3), x2 Dune Ghoul (Rock 3), Simsalamander (Fiery 3), Sylph (Electric 3), Succubus (Fiery 4), x2 Holy Cow (Luminous 4), 2x Thunderbird (Electric 4), x2 Death's Rose (Plant 4) Shedu (Rock 5), Automaton (Electric 5), Night Mare (Dark 5), Mushroomhead (Plant 5), Unicorn (Luminous 5), Aquaphant (Aquatic 6), Electriphant (Electric 6), Cave Troll (Rock 6), Dryad (Plant 6), Sandman (Ethereal 6), Woodwose (Plant 7), Carcinos (Aquatic 8), Stone Golem (Rock 8), Storm Elemental (Electric 8), Pegasus (Luminous 8), Cloud Gigas (Electric 9), Phoenix (Fiery 9), Treant (Plant 9)
Hybros (played by JimButcher)
55-year-old male imp Marauder
Level 44 4/5 *Permanently Hastened**Immune to Cursed, Asleep, Blinded, Confused, Fragile, Weakened, Enamored, Slowed, Minimized, Poisoned, Bleeding* *Absorbs all elements*
Power: 96 & 77 (44+49+3) & (44+30+3)
Defense: 3
Health: 70/70 (7+43+15+5)
Gold: 702
Equipment: Sword of Ancestral Hatred (WP:49, deals Fragile, darkness-, fire-, wind-, and ice-elemental, causes fragile, gains 1/4 WP every kill made with it; longsword), Mythril Zoot's Reaper (WP:30, deals Cursed and Poisoned by 7; longsword, suitable to Hybros), Golden Armor (user is permanently Hastened and Cursed, fire-, water-, earth-, wind-, ice-, lightning-, wood-, darkness-, light-elemental, immune to Asleep, Blinded, Confused, Fragile, and Weakened; bodywear), Sterile Gloves (immune to Poisoned and Bleeding handwear), Crystal Shoes (Immunity becomes Absorption, immune to Enamored, Slowed and Minimized; footwear), Nondescript Cape (SP:3, immune to Cursed; backwear), Phoenix Emblem (Automatically revives the user with one health if knocked out, once per battle, accessory)
Abilities: First Breath (Hybros may sacrifice a turn of combat to focus and gain +3 power. Power resets at the end of a battle or when the hero is KO'd), Dragon's Heart Flame (Once per quest, Hybros may spend a round reviving a KO'd ally with full health. The ally will also receive the blessed and lucky effects)
Inventory:
Weapons: Iustitia (WP:12, deals Blinded and Sealed; light- and earth-elemental +sealed; dagger), Heavy Flail (WP:5, deals Fragile; mace), Twin Kunai (WP:6, dual strike; darkness-elemental daggers), Hollow Dagger (WP:6, hollow [Nostrum], deals Confused, water-elemental +confused; dagger), Clock Cog (WP:14; throwing weapon), Banana Bladerang (WP:9, damage all; throwing weapon), Spinning Bolas (WP: 5 deals Slowed, but the effect is removed when retrieved; throwing weapon), Skirmisher's Shield (SP:10; shield)
Artifacts: Coat Hanger (Allows for a second body wear; accessory), Lichen Armor (The wearer’s ether is counted as additional health if health is depleted; suitable to classes with ether; bodywear), Gauntlets of Recklessness (hits become mortal hits, adding lost health to the attack power; suitable to barbarians; handwear), Sticky Gloves (gains 50% more gold, suitable for Rogues, handwear), Baron's Epaulets (Suitable for short heroes, grants Command over short NPCs), Dastan Armor (SP: 3 Bodywear, Immune to Earth and Fire, +2 SP for all other Dastan Equipment, Suitable for Knights, Regulators, Winged Warriors, Dragoons, and Vindicators)
Consumables: 20x Potion, 17x Grand Potion, 7x Health Core, Hyper Arc Tonic, 3x Elixir, 2x Arc Elixir, 9x Remedy, 3x Neutralizer, 2x Purging Water, Tiger Balm, Phoenix Essence, 3x Phoenix Incense, Fenghuang Essence (After being consumed, automatically revives the target with full health once when knocked out; cannot revive targets that are already knocked out), 2x Last Resort, 5x Nostrum, 8x Mead, Soma, 5x Mulled Wine, 2x Cloud of Celerity, 2x Bravado Brew, Smile of the Gods, Earthwyrm Fang (Grants the encouraged-, lucky-, reinforced-, and blinded- effects for the duration of one battle), 2x Minimizing Dust, Bad Breath, 2x Wyvern's Breath, Gold Ring (Worth 15 gold; can be given to someone to make them enamored with the giver), 4 Smoke Bombs, 2 Holy Bombs, 2x Fog Bomb, Mystic Bomb, 2x Bone, Skeleton Decoy, 4x Feather of White (Allows the user to hide for up to three rounds, avoiding Free Hits. The effect ends if the user targets an enemy)
Others: Bedroll, Shovel, Pickaxe, Mythril Shard, Opal
Monk Pretzel and His 99 Pieces, the Super Sleuth (Played by Palathadric)
463-year-old male "hermit" Artisan
Level 35 *reinforced*
Power: 47 35 + 10 + 2*
Defense: 32
Health: 63/63 9 + 15 + 34 + 3 + 2**
Gold: 2045
Equipment: Dual Staff (WP: 10; Ice, Lightning, Fire, Wind, Light; Deals *Bleeding 3*; Dual Strike; Staff), Darksteel Armour (SP: 6; Max. Health +3; Bodywear), Armour of Dark Arts (SP: 10; Takes up: Bodywear, Handwear, Footwear slots; counts as one artifact; Suitable to Knights, Dragoons, and Skirmishers), Marauder’s Mantle (Grants permanent reinforced effect; Suitable to Marauders; Backwear), Soul Link Chain (Allows the user to pair up with another party member, each of them gaining all the effects that the other has. The partner has to equip the chain as well (ie. one chain can be shared by two people); Accessory)
Inventory:
Weapons: Flying Cross (WP: 11; Darkness; Broomstick), Splinter Broom (WP: 9; 1/2 chance to deal *Stunned*; defies SP; Broomstick), Whip of Savage Overlords (WP: 9; ⅙ chance of inflicting the *Slowed* effect; Whip), Steak (WP: 1, instantly kills vampires on successful hits; suitable for all), Staff of the Necromancer (WP: 12; damages Undead; +1 Level to raised Undead; Staff), Shadeaux Mace (WP: 9; deals *Fragile* effect, Mace)
Artifacts: Strategist's Shako (+5 power while in the front row, +5 SP while in the back; Headwear), Duplovian Helmet (SP:2; Immune to Magic and Healing; Headwear), Burning Knuckle Helmet (SP: 10; Wearer suffers Burning -3 effect; Suitable for Anyone; Headwear), Bumble Fanshirt (SP: 1, Vermin with level less than half of the wearers are scared and won't directly attack the wearer; Bodywear), Order Imperial Prophet's Armor (SP: 8; Grants Command; Suitable for Prophets; Bodywear), Duke's Coat-of-Arms (SP: 5, Protects against *Fragile* and all *Poisons*; Suitable for Knights, Dragoons, Skirmishers and Regulators, Bodywear), Cloak of the Grand Vizier (SP:1 multiplied by the number of party members; backwear), Cloak of the Barbaric Runecaster (SP: 3; wearer creates and deploys a Skeleton Decoy at the start of every battle; Suitable for Battle Mages, Necromancers, and Scholars; Backwear), Ethereal Cloak (SP: 2, Max Ether +4; Backwear), Rock Gauntlets (Grants the wearer Iron Fist at no ether cost; Suitable for anyone; Handwear), Counterstrike Gloves (Handwear), Soothing Slippers (Meditation restores 5 ether; Footwear), Shackles of War (Accessory), Lens of Speed Reading (allows a scroll to be read in addition to a normal action; accessory, suitable for scroll users), The Good Book (Grants the Convert job trait - the user can turn any allied or neutral NPC to their faith, gaining their respect- ; user gains 10 gold from each conversion; suitable to Monk Pretzel only; accessory)
Spell Items: 2 Amethysts, 2 Emeralds, Garnet, 2 Aquamarines, Diamond, Ruby, Scroll of Sealing, Scroll of Blindness x 2, Scroll of Confusion x 2, Scroll of Sleep, Scroll of Frailty, Scroll of Weakening, Scroll of Minimizing (Has 1/2 chance of causing the minimized-effect on the target; costs 10 ether.), Scroll of Arc Sleep, Scroll of Elemental Aura (Enables the user to cause the target's attacks deal only elemental damage corresponding to a gem available to the user for the duration of one battle. Each casting has a 50/50 chance of success and costs 5 ether)
Consumables: 8 Potions, 16 Grand Potions, Cherry (Restores 1 ether), 2 Tonics, Ether Core, 10 Remedies, 3 Neutralizers, Grand Elixir (Restores full health and ether to target and remedies all negative effects), 2 Phoenix Incenses, 5 Phoenix Essences, 4 Meads, 2 Smelling Salts, 2 Nostrums, Soma, Mulled Wine, Dragon Scale (lucky & blessed), Titan Heart (encouraged & inspired), Tiger Balm, 5 Venoms, 5 Deadly Venoms, 2 Paralyzing Venoms, 3 Jinxy Juices, 5 Smoke Bombs, 2 Fire Bombs, Holy Bomb, Military Grade Fire Bomb, 2 Blind Bombs, 2 Seal Bombs, 2 Sleep Bombs, 6 Bones, Raw Meat (+5 max. health upon consumption), Crimson Haze (Causes a weapon to deal the Poisoned by 7 and Cursed effects permanently), Strong Wasabi (-2 Poisoned permanently), Grating Stone
Tools: Bedroll, Pickaxe, Magnifying Glass, Telescope, Shovel, Magic Compass, Magic Shovel (will always find something when used, limited to three uses per quest)
Namyrra Uq (Quarryman)
1337 years old female Fenarian Necromancer
Level 51 1/5 *Immune to Sealed, Slowed, Bound, Confused, Fire, Wind, Water, Lightning and Earth* *Gains Triple EXP*
Power: 96 (106 for spells) (51+45, +10 spellpower)
Defense: 10
Health: 65/65 (5+50+5+5)
Ether: 80/80 (5+50+1+5+4+5+10)
Gold: 698
Equipment: Crystal Mace (WP: 45 (5*gems imbued); Fire-, Ice-, Wind-, Water-, Lightning-, Earth-, Wood-, Light-, and Darkness-elemental; Mace), Robe of the Archmagi (SP:3, Ether:5. immune to Sealing, Fire, Wind, Water, Lightning and Earth, bodywear), Medal of Glory (gain triple XP; accessory), Ethereal Cloak (SP:2, Max. Ether +4, backwear), Fanged Helm (SP:5, headwear), Winged Sandals (Immune to bound and slowed, footwear), Magician's Touch (Spellpower +10, Ether +10)
Inventory:
Weapons: Mythril Empyreal Staff (WP:28), Nocturne Flute (WP: 6; inflicts the Asleep effect; Instrument), Pongcanis Shield (SP: 7; Shield)
Artifacts: Gold Dragon Crown (max Ether +6; immune to Stunned; suitable for anyone; Headwear), Desert Cloak (immune to Fire; suitable for anyone; Backwear), Water Canteen (Carries 3 portions of water; Accessory), Cobweb Cowl (immune to Sudden Death; suitable for anyone; Backwear), Winged Sandals (immune to Bound and Slowed; suitable for anyone; Footwear), Paper Doll (immune against Hexed, Accessory)
Spell Items: Amethyst, Emerald, Topaz, Garnet, Diamond, Sapphire, Ruby, Aquamarine, Scroll of Blinding, Scroll of Arc Blinding, Scroll of Sealing, Scroll of Sleep, Scroll of Frailty, Scroll of Weakening, Naamah's Hourglass (Randomly causes either Hastened or Slowed to the target at the cost of 3 Ether), Jade Lamp of Summoning (summons Mediq, restoring health equal to the level of the summoner at the cost of 5 Ether)
Consumables: Potions (10), Grand Potions (4), Health Core, Tonics (9), Ether Cores (3), Remedies (12), Phoenix Essences (5), Phoenix Incenses (2), Mead (13), Smelling Salts (4), Nostrum (5), Ambrosia, Dragon Scale (lucky & blessed), Titan Heart (encouraged & inspired) (2), Deadly Venom (3), Smoke Bombs (2), Holy Bomb, Water Bomb (14), Lightning Bomb (14), Dirt Bomb (3), Aeolus Bomb, Rudra Bomb, Flash Bomb, Demon Repellant (Makes the user impervious to direct attacks from demons for one battle, unless the user is the last one standing), Soul Cage (Doomed-effect to all combatants), Skeleton Decoys (2), Bones (17)
Tools etc.: Pickaxe, Bedroll
Byblos (NPC, controlled by K-Nut)
30 years old male Metasimian Scholar
Level 32 *Arcane Wisdom* *Well-read* *Multilingual*
Power: 64 (32+32)
Health: 47/47 (6+31+10)
Ether: 50/50 (9+31+10)
Gold: 250
Equipment: Pandemonicon (WP:32 {equal to user's level}, inflicts hexed on demons and doomed on humanoids; throwing weapon; suitable to Byblos only), Wizened Robe (Max. Health +10, Max. Ether +10; bodywear)
Inventory:
Scrolls: Scroll of Armor Sundering, Scroll of Blindness, Scroll of Confusion, Scroll of Disenchantment, Scroll of Frailty, Scroll of Poisoning, Scroll of Sealing, Scroll of Sleep, Scroll of Weakening

CMP · May 6, 2016

My stats look good. :thumbup: But note that because of Kingpin Atramor should be Lucky so long as Hybros is in the party. :sweet:

"Oh, is it time already? Hey, we're off to another adventure together, Atramor and Namyrra! Good to see the rest of you as well."

Atramor nodded at Byblos as he came down the stairs into the library. He'd finally gotten himself cleaned up in preparation for the quest; now was the not the quest for any screw-ups. "Good to see ya' again, Byblos. And the book is an 'it', mate, don't forget."

"Althior, would you be kind enough to act as the party leader? We're up against demons if the Sand Queen's visions are correct, and you seem the best equipped to handle them."

Atramor couldn't help but chuckle to himself at this suggestion, but he said nothing, checking his bracers to make sure the claws were in place and adjusting his hat for the tiny canary perched on the brim. He also pulled his Scroll of Arc Frailty, Scroll of Fire Armor, Scroll of Ice Armor, and Scroll of the Chasm, loaning them to Byblos. "Here, mate. Ya' can hold onto these, I sure as hell ain't gettin' any use outta these at the moment."

**Quarryman** · May 6, 2016

"Greetings Byblos, it's good to see you again, and even more good to see you in such a good shape, seem to recall you weren't exactly feeling very well on our last quest together."

"Looks like we're all old friends here, but Master Pretzel, if you try to backstab us again I swear I will kill you, and then resurrect you to kill you again. Your antics in our previous endeavour were not appreciated, regardless of what caused them."

"And here Byblos, I think you're much better off with this scroll of Arc Blinding than I am."

OoC: some minor stats updates: have picked up and equipped Overkill Gloves from Arthur via Skrall (loan agreed on ages ago that I've never gotten around to executing :blush: ), and bought 4 grand tonics and 4 smelling salts, 478 gold left.

**JimBee** · May 6, 2016

OOC: I forgot to edit out the opal in my inventory, it should belong to Eric for now.

Hybros gave everyone a small wave. "It is good to be questing with you all again, er, I guess Althior for the first time. Atramor, I can barely recall our first quest, though we spoke about those Ziegfried bottles in the Hall."

He noted the Pandemonicon, a book he was all too familiar with. It seemed to call out to the imp. "Er, hello Byblos. I hope that book is still in good hands. I hope you are a speedy reader too, if you will holding onto all those scrolls... heheh."

"Looks like we're all old friends here, but Master Pretzel, if you try to backstab us again I swear I will kill you, and then resurrect you to kill you again. Your antics in our previous endeavour were not appreciated, regardless of what caused them."

Hybros raised an eyebrow. "Backstabbing? I suppose I am not surprised, Monk. I would like to hear more about how you failed your party." He made a note to keep a close eye on the artisan throughout the quest.

"So, to Goetia. How will we be getting there?"

Palathadric · May 6, 2016

I updated my stats on the page under the assumption that Althior would go through with the Nostrum deal with Pretzel.

With that in mind: Pretzel should be at 812 gold; +5 HP; -Raw Meat; Cloak of the Grand Vizier at SP:6.

"Looks like we're all old friends here, but Master Pretzel, if you try to backstab us again I swear I will kill you, and then resurrect you to kill you again. Your antics in our previous endeavour were not appreciated, regardless of what caused them."

I squirm uncomfortably.

"I do swear that my mind is in a good state of health presently and I will certainly pray it stays that way. Again, I apologize for how that quest turned out."

Hybros raised an eyebrow. "Backstabbing? I suppose I am not surprised, Monk. I would like to hear more about how you failed your party." He made a note to keep a close eye on the artisan throughout the quest.

I give a little snarl.

"You weren't there. Mind your own business, demon."

Turning to Byblos, I hand him some useful items:

Scroll of Minimizing (Has 1/2 chance of causing the minimized-effect on the target; costs 10 ether.)

Scroll of Arc Sleep

Scroll of Elemental Aura (Enables the user to cause the target's attacks deal only elemental damage corresponding to a gem available to the user for the duration of one battle. Each casting has a 50/50 chance of success and costs 5 ether)

Lens of Speed Reading (allows a scroll to be read in addition to a normal action; accessory, suitable for scroll users)

"Take good care of these, Byblos. They're worth far more than their weight in gold."

I de-equip the Darksteel Armour and Armour of the Dark Arts and Equip the Cloak of the Grand Vizier in their place.

I offer the other end of the Soul Link Chain to Atramor.

"Here, try equipping this. You will feel even more defensibly capable than you do now. I could equip that Amulet for you."

**JimBee** · May 6, 2016

I squirm uncomfortably.

"I do swear that my mind is in a good state of health presently and I will certainly pray it stays that way. Again, I apologize for how that quest turned out."

I give a little snarl.

"You weren't there. Mind your own business, demon."

"Hm. I have somewhat doubted that your mind was ever in a good state. If it was, perhaps you would be able to tell the difference between me and a real demon. Pasco sends his regards, by the way."

"Namyrra, perhaps you would like to borrow this Coat Hanger and Lichen Armor? They may come in handy in a tight spot. If you would wear them in place of your Medal of Glory, may I wear it?"

Palathadric · May 6, 2016

"Hm. I have somewhat doubted that your mind was ever in a good state. If it was, perhaps you would be able to tell the difference between me and a real demon. Pasco sends his regards, by the way."

"Well, I suppose you are the authority on the matter, being that you, no doubt, have such intimate relations with them."

**JimBee** · May 6, 2016

"Well, I suppose you are the authority on the matter, being that you, no doubt, have such intimate relations with them."

Hybros rested his hand on Zoot's Reaper's hilt, sheathed at his hip. "You would not be wrong in that. I think Namyrra would be the most familiar with them, though. She was inside the last archdemon we fought."

Palathadric · May 6, 2016

Hybros rested his hand on Zoot's Reaper's hilt, sheathed at his hip. "You would not be wrong in that. I think Namyrra would be the most familiar with them, though. She was inside the last archdemon we fought."

Hybros words make me think back on the Undead Jester that had thwarted our mission with my help not too long ago. I think of how Namyrra must have relived whatever pain she felt from her first encounter, even moreso to find that she had failed the quest.

"Ouch!" is all I can utter.

CMP · May 6, 2016

"Save it for the real demons, mates. Nobody's stabbin' anyone in the back, and livin', as long as I'm 'round."

Atramor tosses Pretzel his Amulet of the Court, and takes the end of the Soul Link Chain a bit cautiously.

Palathadric · May 7, 2016

"Save it for the real demons, mates. Nobody's stabbin' anyone in the back, and livin', as long as I'm 'round."

Atramor tosses Pretzel his Amulet of the Court, and takes the end of the Soul Link Chain a bit cautiously.

"Don't worry. We'll get along like chums. We've fought our fair share of dark spirits, haven't we?"

I mean to plant a nudge in Hybros' ribs, but they are too low down to get anywhere close to my elbows, so I give him a little nudge with the toe of my boot instead.

K-Nut · May 7, 2016

Althior raises an eyebrow at all the exchanges. Things used to be simpler. "Of course I'd be willing to be party leader, Byblos. Though honestly, I'm not entirely sure what exactly we're dealing with here. Care to explain? Also, holding onto my Scroll of Luck may be a good idea,"

"Namyrra, you may also be interested in my Staff of the Supreme Necromancer? It's quite a bit weaker than your current weapon, but it's boost to undead may work in our favor from time to time,"

Stats look good, but I should now have 5 Nostrums due to my deal with Pretzel and be down 149 gold.

**JimBee** · May 7, 2016

"Save it for the real demons, mates. Nobody's stabbin' anyone in the back, and livin', as long as I'm 'round."

Atramor tosses Pretzel his Amulet of the Court, and takes the end of the Soul Link Chain a bit cautiously.

Hybros looks on skeptically as the pair are linked together. "Not ideal for combat, I have seen, heheh."

"Don't worry. We'll get along like chums. We've fought our fair share of dark spirits, haven't we?"

I mean to plant a nudge in Hybros' ribs, but they are too low down to get anywhere close to my elbows, so I give him a little nudge with the toe of my boot instead.

He nods. "I wish I would have put my diamond where it might be more effective. No doubt we will need some light-elemental attacks on this quest."

**Sandy** · May 7, 2016

QM Note: I hope I got everything changed correctly. Just saying right off the bat that rolling battles for you guys will be a nightmare... :laugh:

Atramor nodded at Byblos as he came down the stairs into the library. He'd finally gotten himself cleaned up in preparation for the quest; now was the not the quest for any screw-ups. "Good to see ya' again, Byblos. And the book is an 'it', mate, don't forget."

A hint of horror flashed in Byblos's eyes.

"Shush now! We wouldn't want anyone's feelings getting hurt, would we?" The librarian caressed the back of the book gently.

"Greetings Byblos, it's good to see you again, and even more good to see you in such a good shape, seem to recall you weren't exactly feeling very well on our last quest together."

"Ah yes, that was a rough patch for me. I'm much better now! Scheherazade has been keeping a steady supplies of fresh bananas imported from Port Farzibar. I suspect she's in cahoots with my great aunt Hathor..."

He noted the Pandemonicon, a book he was all too familiar with. It seemed to call out to the imp. "Er, hello Byblos. I hope that book is still in good hands. I hope you are a speedy reader too, if you will holding onto all those scrolls... heheh."

"So, to Goetia. How will we be getting there?"

Byblos gladly accepts all the scrolls that his party mates are pushing to him.

"Guys, this is too much... But thank you, I will try to put these to the best use I possibly can! Now, Goetia... It is a rural town located in Northern Heartland, in what they call the Garmadonic Highlands. Scheherazade has been in contact with her son, Sham Poo. He will be waiting us in the port of Miranda, and I believe a voyage for us has been arranged in one of the ships of the Mistarian Trading Company."

Byblos spread out a map of Heartland and it's surroundings as he spoke.

"Save it for the real demons, mates. Nobody's stabbin' anyone in the back, and livin', as long as I'm 'round."

"I agree. I am sure there will be plenty of opportunities to vent off your frustrations in Goetia. The Sand Queen's visions confirm that the storm Sham Poo described is caused by an immense rift between dimensions, and you all know that anything could come out of such rifts. Most of all demons."

Althior raises an eyebrow at all the exchanges. Things used to be simpler. "Of course I'd be willing to be party leader, Byblos. Though honestly, I'm not entirely sure what exactly we're dealing with here. Care to explain?"

"Pandemonicon told me that such a large tearing in the dimensional wall can only be opened by a powerful mage with the help of a powerful demon. We might have to prepare to face yet another archdemon, I fear. With three of the seven out of the way, there are four options which one it might be: Abraxas, Rosier, Marilith or Leviathan. Take your pick.

Now, if everything is settled, we should head to the entrance. Scheherazade is waiting for us there, and the Sand Queen wanted to have a word as well."

Is the party finished making preparations?

Party:
Althior Emorith, The Dragonslayer (K-Nut)
36 years old male (undead) human Prophet *PARTY LEADER*
Level 55 2/5 *Clairvoyance* *Glossolalia* *Intimidation* *Permanently Transcended* *Immune to Petrified, Cursed, Bound, and Slowed* *Absorbs Earth* *Immune to Ice and Darkness*
Power: 90 (55+35) (Spellpower: 100 (55+35+10))
Defense: 12 (2+5+5)
Health: 77/77 (5+55+15+1+1)
Ether: 93/93 (5+55+15+10+4+2+2)
Gold: 149
Equipment: Mythril Scepter of Divine Affinity (WP:35, Has ⅙ chance to deal cursed effect on successful spells and ⅙ chance to deal blessed effect on successful healing, staff), Magician's Gloves (+10 spellpower, suitable to mages; handwear), Winged Sandals (protects from bound and slowed effects, footwear), Ethereal Cloak (SP:2, Max Ether +4; backwear), Coat Hanger (allows wearing a second bodywear artifact regardless of the amount limit for artifacts; accessory), Robe of the Seneschal (SP:5; wearer absorbs earth, ice, and darkness- elemental damage and is immune to petrified; suitable to clerics, mages, chi monks, necromancers, scholars, and weather mages; bodywear), Robes of Illumination (SP: 5, +10 Max Ether, wearer is permanently transcended, suitable to prophets; bodywear), Black Hat (wearer is immune to cursed, grants Intimidation)
Inventory:
Weapons: Staff of the Supreme Necromancer (WP:25; damages undead; +5 level to raised undead; suitable to necromancers; staff)
Artifacts:Tin Helmet (immunity to confused and afraid, headwear), Lieutenant's Helm (SP:3, protects from fragile; headwear), Pink Ribbon (Max Ether +3, grants immunity to sealed, afraid, and doomed; accessory), Lens of Speed Reading (allows one scroll to be used per round in addition to a normal action, suitable for classes that have ether; accessory), Medal of Glory (Wearer earns triple experience; accessory), Counterstrike Gloves (if the wearer is damaged by a free hit, they counter with strength equal to their level; handwear), Sterile Gloves (protects from poisoned and bleeding; handwear)
Spell Items: Ruby (Fire), Aquamarine (Water), Garnet (Earth), Sapphire (Wind), Opal (Ice), Topaz (Lightning), Emerald (Wood), Diamond (Light), Amethyst (Darkness), Scroll of Frailty (Enables casting the fragile-effect to the target, causing it to take double damage for the next three rounds. Each casting has a 50/50 chance of success and costs 1 ether.), Scroll of Love (Enables casting the enamored-effect to the target, making it unable to damage the caster for three rounds. Each casting has a 50/50 chance of success and costs 1 ether.), Begone With The Winds (Grants the holder access to the Weather Mage expert job class upon reaching Level 30), Geode
Consumables: 3 Potions, 10 Grand Potions, 6 Tonics, 4 Grand Tonics, 3 Ether Cores, 6 Remedies, 2 Elixirs, Phoenix Incense, 11 Meads, 5 Smelling Salts, 5 Nostrums, Smoke Bomb, Venom, Garnet Lamp of Summoning, Skeleton Decoy, Feather of Lithe (Makes the user nimble for three rounds), Feather of Flight (Allows the user to flee from the battle when used.), 2 Milks (restores 15 health and 15 ether upon consumption)
Tools etc.: Bedroll, Pickaxe, Magnifying Glass, 4 Bones, Deaddy Bear (Causes 45 damage and doomed but has 1/6 chance to break whenever used), Sauce Pan (Tool; Can be used with a Potion, outside of battle, once per quest to restore full HP), Cornucopia (increases the holder's gold by 25% at the end of each quest).
Atramor Gibbin, the Fiery Champion and the Serpent Skinner (CallMePie)
33 year old male human Rogue Thief
Level 42 1/5 *Immune to all elements and doomed* *Steal 50% More Gold* *Kingpin: Lucky* *Nimble* (Soul Link: *Reinforced*)
Power: 72 (42 + 30)
Defense: 20 ((4+6)x2)
Health: 80/80 (7+41+20+6+6*)
Gold: 425
Equipment: Living Mythril Claws (WP: 30, double WP against humanoids, double damage against vermin, +1 WP after every successful hit, resets at end of current quest, light elemental, dual strike, daggers), Rat's Hide (SP: 4, backwear, suitable for anyone), Galactic Armor (SP: 6, +6 max health, immune to water, wood, lightning, fire, earth, wind, ice, light, darkness, and doomed, bodywear, suitable for anyone), Order Imperial's Assassin Cowl (Immune to darkness, wearer is nimble, headwear; suitable for assassins, chi monks, infiltrators, rogue thieves, and paragons), Sticky Gloves (Increases the amount of gold stolen by 50% (rounded up), suitable for rogues and beast warriors; handwear.), Soul Link Chain (Allows the user to pair up with another party member, each of them gaining all the effects that the other has. The partner has to equip the chain as well (ie. one chain can be shared by two people); Accessory)
Inventory
Weapons: Pheles Kris (WP: 20, wielder has a 1/2 chance to generate an Aura while equipped, doubling the user's maximum health but drawing all attacks to them, lightning, fire, earth, wind, ice, light, darkness elemental dagger), Robust Shield (SP: 12, shield)
Artifacts: Bracers of Insatiable Avarice (Power +2; user gains 25 Gold for every enemy he kills, handwear, suitable for hunters, berserkers, battle mages, beast warriors, dragoons, marauders, regulators, and skirmishers), Twitzle the Canary (Remedies poisoned when used on target, bird familiar), Helmet of Azzurat (SP: 4, immune to poison, headwear, suitable for anyone)
Spell Items: Scroll of Tongues (Grants the user the Glossolalia Job Trait. Each casting lasts for a limited amount of time and costs 10 ether), Topaz, Ruby, Amethyst
Consumables: 6 Bones, Dirt Bomb, 2 Elixirs, 3 Ether Cores, Fenghuang Incense (After being consumed, automatically revives all party members with full health once when knocked out; cannot revive targets that are already knocked out.) Fire Bomb, 1 Grand Potion, 11 Grand Tonics, Health Core, 2 Meads, Nostrum, Phoenix Essence, 3 Phoenix Incenses, Potion, 4 Remedies, Smelling Salts, Smoke Bomb, 4 Venoms, Water Bomb
Tools/Treasure: Decamodifier (Transforms an enemy with a quarter or less health left into a Decamon card when used, if there is a corresponding card. The monster will not drop anything if it is modified. Tool.), Flint and Steel (Handy for starting fires), Pickaxe, Shovel, Rope, Magic Shovel, 2 Mythril Shards
Decamon Deck (36): Volt Ant (Electric 1), Tweetybird (Flying 1), x2 Brains-in-a-Jar (Ethereal 2), x2 Barghest (Electric 2), Vampire Bat (Flying 3), Tangleweed (Plant 3), x2 Dune Ghoul (Rock 3), Simsalamander (Fiery 3), Sylph (Electric 3), Succubus (Fiery 4), x2 Holy Cow (Luminous 4), 2x Thunderbird (Electric 4), x2 Death's Rose (Plant 4) Shedu (Rock 5), Automaton (Electric 5), Night Mare (Dark 5), Mushroomhead (Plant 5), Unicorn (Luminous 5), Aquaphant (Aquatic 6), Electriphant (Electric 6), Cave Troll (Rock 6), Dryad (Plant 6), Sandman (Ethereal 6), Woodwose (Plant 7), Carcinos (Aquatic 8), Stone Golem (Rock 8), Storm Elemental (Electric 8), Pegasus (Luminous 8), Cloud Gigas (Electric 9), Phoenix (Fiery 9), Treant (Plant 9)
Hybros (played by JimButcher)
55-year-old male imp Marauder
Level 44 4/5 *Permanently Hastened**Immune to Cursed, Asleep, Blinded, Confused, Fragile, Weakened, Enamored, Slowed, Minimized, Poisoned, Bleeding* *Absorbs all elements* *Steal 50% More Gold*
Power: 96 & 77 (44+49+3) & (44+30+3)
Defense: 3
Health: 70/70 (7+43+15+5)
Gold: 702
Equipment: Sword of Ancestral Hatred (WP:49, deals Fragile, darkness-, fire-, wind-, and ice-elemental, causes fragile, gains 1/4 WP every kill made with it; longsword), Mythril Zoot's Reaper (WP:30, deals Cursed and Poisoned by 7; longsword, suitable to Hybros), Golden Armor (user is permanently Hastened and Cursed, fire-, water-, earth-, wind-, ice-, lightning-, wood-, darkness-, light-elemental, immune to Asleep, Blinded, Confused, Fragile, and Weakened; bodywear), Sterile Gloves (immune to Poisoned and Bleeding handwear), Crystal Shoes (Immunity becomes Absorption, immune to Enamored, Slowed and Minimized; footwear), Nondescript Cape (SP:3, immune to Cursed; backwear), Phoenix Emblem (Automatically revives the user with one health if knocked out, once per battle, accessory)
Abilities: First Breath (Hybros may sacrifice a turn of combat to focus and gain +3 power. Power resets at the end of a battle or when the hero is KO'd), Dragon's Heart Flame (Once per quest, Hybros may spend a round reviving a KO'd ally with full health. The ally will also receive the blessed and lucky effects)
Inventory:
Weapons: Iustitia (WP:12, deals Blinded and Sealed; light- and earth-elemental +sealed; dagger), Heavy Flail (WP:5, deals Fragile; mace), Twin Kunai (WP:6, dual strike; darkness-elemental daggers), Hollow Dagger (WP:6, hollow [Nostrum], deals Confused, water-elemental +confused; dagger), Clock Cog (WP:14; throwing weapon), Banana Bladerang (WP:9, damage all; throwing weapon), Spinning Bolas (WP: 5 deals Slowed, but the effect is removed when retrieved; throwing weapon), Skirmisher's Shield (SP:10; shield)
Artifacts: Coat Hanger (Allows for a second body wear; accessory), Lichen Armor (The wearer’s ether is counted as additional health if health is depleted; suitable to classes with ether; bodywear), Gauntlets of Recklessness (hits become mortal hits, adding lost health to the attack power; suitable to barbarians; handwear), Sticky Gloves (gains 50% more gold, suitable for Rogues, handwear), Baron's Epaulets (Suitable for short heroes, grants Command over short NPCs), Dastan Armor (SP: 3 Bodywear, Immune to Earth and Fire, +2 SP for all other Dastan Equipment, Suitable for Knights, Regulators, Winged Warriors, Dragoons, and Vindicators)
Consumables: 20x Potion, 17x Grand Potion, 7x Health Core, Hyper Arc Tonic, 3x Elixir, 2x Arc Elixir, 9x Remedy, 3x Neutralizer, 2x Purging Water, Tiger Balm, Phoenix Essence, 3x Phoenix Incense, Fenghuang Essence (After being consumed, automatically revives the target with full health once when knocked out; cannot revive targets that are already knocked out), 2x Last Resort, 5x Nostrum, 8x Mead, Soma, 5x Mulled Wine, 2x Cloud of Celerity, 2x Bravado Brew, Smile of the Gods, Earthwyrm Fang (Grants the encouraged-, lucky-, reinforced-, and blinded- effects for the duration of one battle), 2x Minimizing Dust, Bad Breath, 2x Wyvern's Breath, Gold Ring (Worth 15 gold; can be given to someone to make them enamored with the giver), 4 Smoke Bombs, 2 Holy Bombs, 2x Fog Bomb, Mystic Bomb, 2x Bone, Skeleton Decoy, 4x Feather of White (Allows the user to hide for up to three rounds, avoiding Free Hits. The effect ends if the user targets an enemy)
Others: Bedroll, Shovel, Pickaxe, Mythril Shard
Monk Pretzel and His 99 Pieces, the Super Sleuth (Played by Palathadric)
463-year-old male "hermit" Artisan
Level 35 *Permanently Reinforced* *Negative Effects Last One Round* (Soul Link: *Lucky* *Nimble*)
Power: 47 (35+10+2)
Defense: 72 (6x6x2)
Health: 68/68 (9+15+34+3+2+5)
Gold: 812
Equipment: Dual Staff (WP: 10; Ice, Lightning, Fire, Wind, Light; Deals *Bleeding 3*; Dual Strike; Staff), Cloak of the Grand Vizier (SP:6 multiplied by the number of party members {=36}; backwear), Marauder’s Mantle (Grants permanent reinforced effect; Suitable to Marauders; Backwear), Soul Link Chain (Allows the user to pair up with another party member, each of them gaining all the effects that the other has. The partner has to equip the chain as well (ie. one chain can be shared by two people); Accessory), Amulet of the Court (Negative effects last only one round on the wearer, accessory, suitable for anyone)
Inventory:
Weapons: Flying Cross (WP: 11; Darkness; Broomstick), Splinter Broom (WP: 9; 1/2 chance to deal *Stunned*; defies SP; Broomstick), Whip of Savage Overlords (WP: 9; ⅙ chance of inflicting the *Slowed* effect; Whip), Steak (WP: 1, instantly kills vampires on successful hits; suitable for all), Staff of the Necromancer (WP: 12; damages Undead; +1 Level to raised Undead; Staff), Shadeaux Mace (WP: 9; deals *Fragile* effect, Mace)
Artifacts: Strategist's Shako (+5 power while in the front row, +5 SP while in the back; Headwear), Duplovian Helmet (SP:2; Immune to Magic and Healing; Headwear), Burning Knuckle Helmet (SP: 10; Wearer suffers Burning -3 effect; Suitable for Anyone; Headwear), Bumble Fanshirt (SP: 1, Vermin with level less than half of the wearers are scared and won't directly attack the wearer; Bodywear), Order Imperial Prophet's Armor (SP: 8; Grants Command; Suitable for Prophets; Bodywear), Duke's Coat-of-Arms (SP: 5, Protects against *Fragile* and all *Poisons*; Suitable for Knights, Dragoons, Skirmishers and Regulators, Bodywear), Cloak of the Barbaric Runecaster (SP: 3; wearer creates and deploys a Skeleton Decoy at the start of every battle; Suitable for Battle Mages, Necromancers, and Scholars; Backwear), Ethereal Cloak (SP: 2, Max Ether +4; Backwear), Rock Gauntlets (Grants the wearer Iron Fist at no ether cost; Suitable for anyone; Handwear), Counterstrike Gloves (Handwear), Soothing Slippers (Meditation restores 5 ether; Footwear), Shackles of War (Accessory), The Good Book (Grants the Convert job trait - the user can turn any allied or neutral NPC to their faith, gaining their respect- ; user gains 10 gold from each conversion; suitable to Monk Pretzel only; accessory), Darksteel Armour (SP: 6; Max. Health +3; Bodywear), Armour of Dark Arts (SP: 10; Takes up: Bodywear, Handwear, Footwear slots; counts as one artifact; Suitable to Knights, Dragoons, and Skirmishers)
Spell Items: 2 Amethysts, 2 Emeralds, Garnet, 2 Aquamarines, Diamond, Ruby, Scroll of Sealing, Scroll of Blindness x 2, Scroll of Confusion x 2, Scroll of Sleep, Scroll of Frailty, Scroll of Weakening
Consumables: 8 Potions, 16 Grand Potions, Cherry (Restores 1 ether), 2 Tonics, Ether Core, 10 Remedies, 3 Neutralizers, Grand Elixir (Restores full health and ether to target and remedies all negative effects), 2 Phoenix Incenses, 5 Phoenix Essences, 4 Meads, 2 Smelling Salts, 2 Nostrums, Soma, Mulled Wine, Dragon Scale (lucky & blessed), Titan Heart (encouraged & inspired), Tiger Balm, 5 Venoms, 5 Deadly Venoms, 2 Paralyzing Venoms, 3 Jinxy Juices, 5 Smoke Bombs, 2 Fire Bombs, Holy Bomb, Military Grade Fire Bomb, 2 Blind Bombs, 2 Seal Bombs, 2 Sleep Bombs, 6 Bones, Crimson Haze (Causes a weapon to deal the Poisoned by 7 and Cursed effects permanently), Strong Wasabi (-2 Poisoned permanently), Grating Stone
Tools: Bedroll, Pickaxe, Magnifying Glass, Telescope, Shovel, Magic Compass, Magic Shovel (will always find something when used, limited to three uses per quest)
Namyrra Uq (Quarryman)
1337 years old female Fenarian Necromancer
Level 51 1/5 *Immune to Sealed, Slowed, Bound, Confused, Fire, Wind, Water, Lightning and Earth* *Gains Triple EXP* *Overkill*
Power: 96 (51+45)
Defense: 10
Health: 65/65 (5+50+5+5)
Ether: 80/80 (5+50+1+5+4+5+10)
Gold: 478
Equipment: Crystal Mace (WP: 45 (5*gems imbued); Fire-, Ice-, Wind-, Water-, Lightning-, Earth-, Wood-, Light-, and Darkness-elemental; Mace), Robe of the Archmagi (SP:3, Ether:5. immune to Sealing, Fire, Wind, Water, Lightning and Earth, bodywear), Medal of Glory (gain triple XP; accessory), Ethereal Cloak (SP:2, Max. Ether +4, backwear), Fanged Helm (SP:5, headwear), Winged Sandals (Immune to bound and slowed, footwear), Overkill gloves (+1 gold for every point of damage done extra when defeating an enemy, handwear)
Inventory:
Weapons: Mythril Empyreal Staff (WP:28), Nocturne Flute (WP: 6; inflicts the Asleep effect; Instrument), Pongcanis Shield (SP: 7; Shield)
Artifacts: Gold Dragon Crown (max Ether +6; immune to Stunned; suitable for anyone; Headwear), Desert Cloak (immune to Fire; suitable for anyone; Backwear), Water Canteen (Carries 3 portions of water; Accessory), Cobweb Cowl (immune to Sudden Death; suitable for anyone; Backwear), Winged Sandals (immune to Bound and Slowed; suitable for anyone; Footwear), Paper Doll (immune against Hexed, Accessory), Magician's Touch (Spellpower +10, Ether +10; handwear)
Spell Items: Amethyst, Emerald, Topaz, Garnet, Diamond, Sapphire, Ruby, Aquamarine, Scroll of Blindness, Scroll of Sealing, Scroll of Sleep, Scroll of Frailty, Scroll of Weakening, Naamah's Hourglass (Randomly causes either Hastened or Slowed to the target at the cost of 3 Ether), Jade Lamp of Summoning (summons Mediq, restoring health equal to the level of the summoner at the cost of 5 Ether)
Consumables: Potions (10), Grand Potions (4), Health Core, Tonics (9), Grand Tonics (4), Ether Cores (3), Remedies (12), Phoenix Essences (5), Phoenix Incenses (2), Mead (13), Smelling Salts (8), Nostrum (5), Ambrosia, Dragon Scale (lucky & blessed), Titan Heart (encouraged & inspired) (2), Deadly Venom (3), Smoke Bombs (2), Holy Bomb, Water Bomb (14), Lightning Bomb (14), Dirt Bomb (3), Aeolus Bomb, Rudra Bomb, Flash Bomb, Demon Repellant (Makes the user impervious to direct attacks from demons for one battle, unless the user is the last one standing), Soul Cage (Doomed-effect to all combatants), Skeleton Decoys (2), Bones (17)
Tools etc.: Pickaxe, Bedroll
Byblos (NPC, controlled by K-Nut)
30 years old male Metasimian Scholar
Level 32 *Arcane Wisdom* *Well-read* *Multilingual* *Speed Reading*
Power: 64 (32+32)
Health: 47/47 (6+31+10)
Ether: 50/50 (9+31+10)
Gold: 250
Equipment: Pandemonicon (WP:32 {equal to user's level}, inflicts hexed on demons and doomed on humanoids; throwing weapon; suitable to Byblos only), Wizened Robe (Max. Health +10, Max. Ether +10; bodywear), Lens of Speed Reading (Allows a scroll to be read in addition to a normal action; accessory, suitable for scroll users)
Inventory:
Scrolls: Scroll of Arc Blindness, Scroll of Arc Frailty, Scroll of Arc Sleep, Scroll of Armor Sundering, Scroll of Blindness, Scroll of Confusion, Scroll of Disenchantment, Scroll of Elemental Aura, Scroll of Fire Armor, Scroll of Frailty, Scroll of Ice Armor, Scroll of Luck, Scroll of Minimizing, Scroll of Poisoning, Scroll of Sealing, Scroll of Sleep, Scroll of the Chasm, Scroll of Weakening

CMP · May 7, 2016

A hint of horror flashed in Byblos's eyes.

"Shush now! We wouldn't want anyone's feelings getting hurt, would we?" The librarian caressed the back of the book gently.

"Uh-huh." Atramor crossed his arms. He hadn't trusted Byblos an inch in Azzurat, but eventually the librarian had pulled through. Still. He'd seen enough of what a Pandemonicon was capable of to know the kind of hold it had over its readers.

"Pandemonicon told me that such a large tearing in the dimensional wall can only be opened by a powerful mage with the help of a powerful demon. We might have to prepare to face yet another archdemon, I fear. With three of the seven out of the way, there are four options which one it might be: Abraxas, Rosier, Marilith or Leviathan. Take your pick.

Now, if everything is settled, we should head to the entrance. Scheherazade is waiting for us there, and the Sand Queen wanted to have a word as well."

"Sounds like a damn good time. Dunno what archdemon we're gonna run into, but I bet ya' I know who's openin' the thing."

"I'm ready to head out."

Hybros looks on skeptically as the pair are linked together. "Not ideal for combat, I have seen, heheh."

He nods. "I wish I would have put my diamond where it might be more effective. No doubt we will need some light-elemental attacks on this quest."

"We'll see how it works. We don't got much in the way of tanks so any kinda defense we can get'll help."

"And don't worry about that, mate. I've got more than enough light attacks to go around." Atramor raised his bracer, the retracted diamond-infused claws against it glimmering. He then tucked his hand into his coat pocket and nodded towards Hybros' dual swords. " 'Sides, looks like you're swingin' 'round twice as many blades as usual, I bet you'll manage. Where'd ya' learn that kinda trick anyhow?"

"That reminds me mate: do ya' mind lendin' me or Byblos those bolas or that bladerang?"

Palathadric · May 7, 2016

I turn to Althior.

"Good day to you, party leader. Althior, was it? I heard those things you're carrying can do amazing things to gold given a period of time. Could you hold onto my gold for the duration of the quest. I'll pay you back a share of the proceeds."

**Quarryman** · May 7, 2016

"Namyrra, perhaps you would like to borrow this Coat Hanger and Lichen Armor? They may come in handy in a tight spot. If you would wear them in place of your Medal of Glory, may I wear it?"

"They do most certainly look useful master Hybros, and of course you may borrow my medal." Namyrra accepts and equips Coat Hanger and Lichen Armour and hands her Medal of Glory to Hybros.

"Namyrra, you may also be interested in my Staff of the Supreme Necromancer? It's quite a bit weaker than your current weapon, but it's boost to undead may work in our favor from time to time,"

"Oh yes master Emorith, I'd very much like to borrow that staff, and perhaps in return you'd like to borrow my Magician's Touch gloves? They're slightly better than the ones you're wearing at the moment I think."

"And now I guess I'm ready to go as well."

**JimBee** · May 7, 2016

OOC: I think Atramor should have the shared effects from the Amulet of the Court as well, unless I'm mistaken about the Soul Link Chain's ability.

"Uh-huh." Atramor crossed his arms. He hadn't trusted Byblos an inch in Azzurat, but eventually the librarian had pulled through. Still. He'd seen enough of what a Pandemonicon was capable of to know the kind of hold it had over its readers.

Hybros shared Atramor's skepticism. He had personally used the book's powers. It was strange that he had given it back at all.

"We could run into any number of archdemons, perhaps all four at once. Atramor and Namyrra, I believe you both had faced two on your previous quest? Ehehm, also, a hero called the Demon Germ told me that he fought Rosier in Dastan. And I believe Thalion and Erik encountered Marilith in a school here in Eubric."

"We'll see how it works. We don't got much in the way of tanks so any kinda defense we can get'll help."

"I think the Monk will have that covered, heheh." He coughs something about '72 SP'.

"And don't worry about that, mate. I've got more than enough light attacks to go around." Atramor raised his bracer, the retracted diamond-infused claws against it glimmering. He then tucked his hand into his coat pocket and nodded towards Hybros' dual swords. " 'Sides, looks like you're swingin' 'round twice as many blades as usual, I bet you'll manage. Where'd ya' learn that kinda trick anyhow?"

"That reminds me mate: do ya' mind lendin' me or Byblos those bolas or that bladerang?"

Hybros grins. "Guts and I learned a few tricks from some swashbucklers a little while ago. They have a ship, named The Chickadee or something like that. Though I see you have no trouble dual-wielding yourself, heheh."

He silently curses himself for not thinking to put his ethereal aquamarine in the Bladerang instead, before passing it and the Spinning Bolas to Atramor and the Clock Cog to Byblos.

"They do most certainly look useful master Hybros, and of course you may borrow my medal." Namyrra accepts and equips Coat Hanger and Lichen Armour and hands her Medal of Glory to Hybros.

Hybros smiles as he equips the Medal of Glory in place of the Phoenix Emblem.

"I am ready."

K-Nut · May 7, 2016

Sorry, I meant you should subtract 149 gold from the 955, so Althior should currently be at 806 gold.

I turn to Althior.

"Good day to you, party leader. Althior, was it? I heard those things you're carrying can do amazing things to gold given a period of time. Could you hold onto my gold for the duration of the quest. I'll pay you back a share of the proceeds."

"But of course," he smirks, accepting the monk's coin.

"Oh yes master Emorith, I'd very much like to borrow that staff, and perhaps in return you'd like to borrow my Magician's Touch gloves? They're slightly better than the ones you're wearing at the moment I think."

"Sounds like a plan," he equips the Magician's Touch Gloves

"I'm ready,"

Palathadric · May 7, 2016

I hand my gold to Althior.

"I'm ready to go."

**Sandy** · May 8, 2016

Once the preparations were made, Byblos lead the party out of the library and into the entrance hall, where the two aforementioned women were already waiting for them.

"I've been in contact with that lousy son of mine", Scheherazade told them. "He will meet you at the port of Miranda, on the northern coast of Mistaria. He says he's gotten a 'new ride', whatever that means, that will take you to Goetia. I on the other hand managed to make you reservations on the next ship bound to Miranda. The Sealion belongs to the Mistarian Trading Company, so they should have no trouble getting you there. Captain Mumbasa awaits you in the harbor, just tell him you're from Heroica."

"With the practicalities out of the way, there is something I wish to share with you. It concerns the incident that took place at the Oracle's Shrine two years ago. The man who stole the Pandemonicon from the ruins of Azzurat killed my priestess Liandra during his escape through the shrine. At that time I had a vision of heroes of Heroica finding that man in Goetia. When I heard about Sham Poo's sightings, I knew the time was upon us when the man would be rediscovered. I then had another vision - no, more of a flashback - of that man. Byblos had told me he wore a wide-brimmed hat before, but only then I remembered I had seen that kind of a hat twenty years ago, when my husband, King Nebukadnezzar XIII Azzurati, first got his hands on the Pandemonicon that brought ruination to our homeland."

The Sand Queen closed her eyes and waved her hand, and a vision flashed before the heroes' eyes.

"A wisewoman calling herself Brahne came to our court, offering my husband a gift of immense knowledge and power. I warned him about taking such gifts, but he was always a power-hungry fool, so he refused to listen. This Brahne had an apprentice, a young boy wearing an overly large hat. He never spoke his name, only that he was from Dastan and that the hat was the only thing he had from his father. Now that we have slowly connected the dots, I know that Brahne was in fact the mindflayer Baba in disguise, and that boy was the very same man that is responsible of Liandra's death. Looks like he returned to Azzurat to steal back the Pandemonicon, but not before testing his abilities to summon archdemons through it. If he was indeed trained by the sorceress, there's no telling how dangerous of a foe he is, so please tread carefully. You are among Heroica's finest, so I trust you will put an end to what seems to be a demonic invasion, but just be prepared for anything."

The Sand Queen then gave a long, examining glare at Monk Pretzel. "There are no traces of Baba's influence left in you, Monk, but you shouldn't let your mind be swayed by anything you see on your trip. That mindflayer has had thousands of years time to gather her powers, so it is still unclear to us how far they extend. If her apprentice has even an ounce of her talent in him, you should not take him by a stride."

"So we only have to defeat a horde of demons, one to four archdemons and a powerful sorcerer trained by Baba, who also holds another Pandemonicon. Why don't I feel very secure with just six of us heading out there?"

"With the instabilities in Eubric, there's just no one else to spare. You might get help from Heartland, though, but I've heard it's armed forces are severely lacking. And they're not protected by our organizations anti-death spells. Anyway, you better make sure that accursed son of mine won't get killed in the process, or else I will serve you bilgewater for the rest of your lives here. And tell him mother says hi."

"So, are there any more questions before you head to the harbor?"

Byblos groaned and shook his head.

"I have a few concerning Heroica's hiring policies, but I'll leave them to another time..."

Party:
Althior Emorith, The Dragonslayer (K-Nut)
36 years old male (undead) human Prophet *PARTY LEADER*
Level 55 2/5 *Clairvoyance* *Glossolalia* *Intimidation* *Permanently Transcended* *Immune to Petrified, Cursed, Bound, and Slowed* *Absorbs Earth* *Immune to Ice and Darkness*
Power: 90 (55+35) (Spellpower: 100 (55+35+10))
Defense: 12 (2+5+5)
Health: 77/77 (5+55+15+1+1)
Ether: 103/103 (5+55+15+10+10+4+2+2)
Gold: 806+812
Equipment: Mythril Scepter of Divine Affinity (WP:35, Has ⅙ chance to deal cursed effect on successful spells and ⅙ chance to deal blessed effect on successful healing, staff), Magician's Touch (Spellpower +10, Ether +10; handwear), Winged Sandals (protects from bound and slowed effects, footwear), Ethereal Cloak (SP:2, Max Ether +4; backwear), Coat Hanger (allows wearing a second bodywear artifact regardless of the amount limit for artifacts; accessory), Robe of the Seneschal (SP:5; wearer absorbs earth, ice, and darkness- elemental damage and is immune to petrified; suitable to clerics, mages, chi monks, necromancers, scholars, and weather mages; bodywear), Robes of Illumination (SP: 5, +10 Max Ether, wearer is permanently transcended, suitable to prophets; bodywear), Black Hat (wearer is immune to cursed, grants Intimidation)
Inventory:
Weapons:
Artifacts: Tin Helmet (immunity to confused and afraid, headwear), Lieutenant's Helm (SP:3, protects from fragile; headwear), Pink Ribbon (Max Ether +3, grants immunity to sealed, afraid, and doomed; accessory), Lens of Speed Reading (allows one scroll to be used per round in addition to a normal action, suitable for classes that have ether; accessory), Medal of Glory (Wearer earns triple experience; accessory), Counterstrike Gloves (if the wearer is damaged by a free hit, they counter with strength equal to their level; handwear), Sterile Gloves (protects from poisoned and bleeding; handwear), Magician's Gloves (+10 spellpower, suitable to mages; handwear)
Spell Items: Ruby (Fire), Aquamarine (Water), Garnet (Earth), Sapphire (Wind), Opal (Ice), Topaz (Lightning), Emerald (Wood), Diamond (Light), Amethyst (Darkness), Scroll of Frailty (Enables casting the fragile-effect to the target, causing it to take double damage for the next three rounds. Each casting has a 50/50 chance of success and costs 1 ether.), Scroll of Love (Enables casting the enamored-effect to the target, making it unable to damage the caster for three rounds. Each casting has a 50/50 chance of success and costs 1 ether.), Begone With The Winds (Grants the holder access to the Weather Mage expert job class upon reaching Level 30), Geode
Consumables: 3 Potions, 10 Grand Potions, 6 Tonics, 4 Grand Tonics, 3 Ether Cores, 6 Remedies, 2 Elixirs, Phoenix Incense, 11 Meads, 5 Smelling Salts, 5 Nostrums, Smoke Bomb, Venom, Garnet Lamp of Summoning, Skeleton Decoy, Feather of Lithe (Makes the user nimble for three rounds), Feather of Flight (Allows the user to flee from the battle when used.), 2 Milks (restores 15 health and 15 ether upon consumption)
Tools etc.: Bedroll, Pickaxe, Magnifying Glass, 4 Bones, Deaddy Bear (Causes 45 damage and doomed but has 1/6 chance to break whenever used), Sauce Pan (Tool; Can be used with a Potion, outside of battle, once per quest to restore full HP), Cornucopia (increases the holder's gold by 25% at the end of each quest).
Atramor Gibbin, the Fiery Champion and the Serpent Skinner (CallMePie)
33 year old male human Rogue Thief
Level 42 1/5 *Immune to all elements and doomed* *Steal 50% More Gold* *Kingpin: Lucky* *Nimble* (Soul Link: *Reinforced*)
Power: 72 (42 + 30)
Defense: 20 ((4+6)x2)
Health: 80/80 (7+41+20+6+6*)
Gold: 425
Equipment: Living Mythril Claws (WP: 30, double WP against humanoids, double damage against vermin, +1 WP after every successful hit, resets at end of current quest, light elemental, dual strike, daggers), Rat's Hide (SP: 4, backwear, suitable for anyone), Galactic Armor (SP: 6, +6 max health, immune to water, wood, lightning, fire, earth, wind, ice, light, darkness, and doomed, bodywear, suitable for anyone), Order Imperial's Assassin Cowl (Immune to darkness, wearer is nimble, headwear; suitable for assassins, chi monks, infiltrators, rogue thieves, and paragons), Sticky Gloves (Increases the amount of gold stolen by 50% (rounded up), suitable for rogues and beast warriors; handwear.), Soul Link Chain (Allows the user to pair up with another party member, each of them gaining all the effects that the other has. The partner has to equip the chain as well (ie. one chain can be shared by two people); Accessory)
Inventory
Weapons: Pheles Kris (WP: 20, wielder has a 1/2 chance to generate an Aura while equipped, doubling the user's maximum health but drawing all attacks to them, lightning, fire, earth, wind, ice, light, darkness elemental dagger), Robust Shield (SP: 12, shield), Spinning Bolas (WP: 5 deals Slowed, but the effect is removed when retrieved; throwing weapon)
Artifacts: Bracers of Insatiable Avarice (Power +2; user gains 25 Gold for every enemy he kills, handwear, suitable for hunters, berserkers, battle mages, beast warriors, dragoons, marauders, regulators, and skirmishers), Twitzle the Canary (Remedies poisoned when used on target, bird familiar), Helmet of Azzurat (SP: 4, immune to poison, headwear, suitable for anyone)
Spell Items: Scroll of Tongues (Grants the user the Glossolalia Job Trait. Each casting lasts for a limited amount of time and costs 10 ether), Topaz, Ruby, Amethyst
Consumables: 6 Bones, Dirt Bomb, 2 Elixirs, 3 Ether Cores, Fenghuang Incense (After being consumed, automatically revives all party members with full health once when knocked out; cannot revive targets that are already knocked out.) Fire Bomb, 1 Grand Potion, 11 Grand Tonics, Health Core, 2 Meads, Nostrum, Phoenix Essence, 3 Phoenix Incenses, Potion, 4 Remedies, Smelling Salts, Smoke Bomb, 4 Venoms, Water Bomb
Tools/Treasure: Decamodifier (Transforms an enemy with a quarter or less health left into a Decamon card when used, if there is a corresponding card. The monster will not drop anything if it is modified. Tool.), Flint and Steel (Handy for starting fires), Pickaxe, Shovel, Rope, Magic Shovel, 2 Mythril Shards
Decamon Deck (36): Volt Ant (Electric 1), Tweetybird (Flying 1), x2 Brains-in-a-Jar (Ethereal 2), x2 Barghest (Electric 2), Vampire Bat (Flying 3), Tangleweed (Plant 3), x2 Dune Ghoul (Rock 3), Simsalamander (Fiery 3), Sylph (Electric 3), Succubus (Fiery 4), x2 Holy Cow (Luminous 4), 2x Thunderbird (Electric 4), x2 Death's Rose (Plant 4) Shedu (Rock 5), Automaton (Electric 5), Night Mare (Dark 5), Mushroomhead (Plant 5), Unicorn (Luminous 5), Aquaphant (Aquatic 6), Electriphant (Electric 6), Cave Troll (Rock 6), Dryad (Plant 6), Sandman (Ethereal 6), Woodwose (Plant 7), Carcinos (Aquatic 8), Stone Golem (Rock 8), Storm Elemental (Electric 8), Pegasus (Luminous 8), Cloud Gigas (Electric 9), Phoenix (Fiery 9), Treant (Plant 9)
Hybros (played by JimButcher)
55-year-old male imp Marauder
Level 44 4/5 *Permanently Hastened**Immune to Cursed, Asleep, Blinded, Confused, Fragile, Weakened, Enamored, Slowed, Minimized, Poisoned, Bleeding* *Absorbs all elements* *Steal 50% More Gold* *Triple EXP*
Power: 96 & 77 (44+49+3) & (44+30+3)
Defense: 3
Health: 70/70 (7+43+15+5)
Gold: 702
Equipment: Sword of Ancestral Hatred (WP:49, deals Fragile, darkness-, fire-, wind-, and ice-elemental, causes fragile, gains 1/4 WP every kill made with it; longsword), Mythril Zoot's Reaper (WP:30, deals Cursed and Poisoned by 7; longsword, suitable to Hybros), Golden Armor (user is permanently Hastened and Cursed, fire-, water-, earth-, wind-, ice-, lightning-, wood-, darkness-, light-elemental, immune to Asleep, Blinded, Confused, Fragile, and Weakened; bodywear), Sterile Gloves (immune to Poisoned and Bleeding handwear), Crystal Shoes (Immunity becomes Absorption, immune to Enamored, Slowed and Minimized; footwear), Nondescript Cape (SP:3, immune to Cursed; backwear), Medal of Glory (gain triple XP; accessory),
Abilities: First Breath (Hybros may sacrifice a turn of combat to focus and gain +3 power. Power resets at the end of a battle or when the hero is KO'd), Dragon's Heart Flame (Once per quest, Hybros may spend a round reviving a KO'd ally with full health. The ally will also receive the blessed and lucky effects)
Inventory:
Weapons: Iustitia (WP:12, deals Blinded and Sealed; light- and earth-elemental +sealed; dagger), Heavy Flail (WP:5, deals Fragile; mace), Twin Kunai (WP:6, dual strike; darkness-elemental daggers), Hollow Dagger (WP:6, hollow [Nostrum], deals Confused, water-elemental +confused; dagger), Banana Bladerang (WP:9, damage all; throwing weapon), Skirmisher's Shield (SP:10; shield)
Artifacts: Phoenix Emblem (Automatically revives the user with one health if knocked out, once per battle, accessory), Gauntlets of Recklessness (hits become mortal hits, adding lost health to the attack power; suitable to barbarians; handwear), Sticky Gloves (gains 50% more gold, suitable for Rogues, handwear), Baron's Epaulets (Suitable for short heroes, grants Command over short NPCs), Dastan Armor (SP: 3 Bodywear, Immune to Earth and Fire, +2 SP for all other Dastan Equipment, Suitable for Knights, Regulators, Winged Warriors, Dragoons, and Vindicators)
Consumables: 20x Potion, 17x Grand Potion, 7x Health Core, Hyper Arc Tonic, 3x Elixir, 2x Arc Elixir, 9x Remedy, 3x Neutralizer, 2x Purging Water, Tiger Balm, Phoenix Essence, 3x Phoenix Incense, Fenghuang Essence (After being consumed, automatically revives the target with full health once when knocked out; cannot revive targets that are already knocked out), 2x Last Resort, 5x Nostrum, 8x Mead, Soma, 5x Mulled Wine, 2x Cloud of Celerity, 2x Bravado Brew, Smile of the Gods, Earthwyrm Fang (Grants the encouraged-, lucky-, reinforced-, and blinded- effects for the duration of one battle), 2x Minimizing Dust, Bad Breath, 2x Wyvern's Breath, Gold Ring (Worth 15 gold; can be given to someone to make them enamored with the giver), 4 Smoke Bombs, 2 Holy Bombs, 2x Fog Bomb, Mystic Bomb, 2x Bone, Skeleton Decoy, 4x Feather of White (Allows the user to hide for up to three rounds, avoiding Free Hits. The effect ends if the user targets an enemy)
Others: Bedroll, Shovel, Pickaxe, Mythril Shard
Monk Pretzel and His 99 Pieces, the Super Sleuth (Played by Palathadric)
463-year-old male "hermit" Artisan
Level 35 *Permanently Reinforced* *Negative Effects Last One Round* (Soul Link: *Lucky* *Nimble*)
Power: 47 (35+10+2)
Defense: 72 (6x6x2)
Health: 68/68 (9+15+34+3+2+5)
Gold: 0
Equipment: Dual Staff (WP: 10; Ice, Lightning, Fire, Wind, Light; Deals *Bleeding 3*; Dual Strike; Staff), Cloak of the Grand Vizier (SP:6 multiplied by the number of party members {=36}; backwear), Marauder’s Mantle (Grants permanent reinforced effect; Suitable to Marauders; Backwear), Soul Link Chain (Allows the user to pair up with another party member, each of them gaining all the effects that the other has. The partner has to equip the chain as well (ie. one chain can be shared by two people); Accessory), Amulet of the Court (Negative effects last only one round on the wearer, accessory, suitable for anyone)
Inventory:
Weapons: Flying Cross (WP: 11; Darkness; Broomstick), Splinter Broom (WP: 9; 1/2 chance to deal *Stunned*; defies SP; Broomstick), Whip of Savage Overlords (WP: 9; ⅙ chance of inflicting the *Slowed* effect; Whip), Steak (WP: 1, instantly kills vampires on successful hits; suitable for all), Staff of the Necromancer (WP: 12; damages Undead; +1 Level to raised Undead; Staff), Shadeaux Mace (WP: 9; deals *Fragile* effect, Mace)
Artifacts: Strategist's Shako (+5 power while in the front row, +5 SP while in the back; Headwear), Duplovian Helmet (SP:2; Immune to Magic and Healing; Headwear), Burning Knuckle Helmet (SP: 10; Wearer suffers Burning -3 effect; Suitable for Anyone; Headwear), Bumble Fanshirt (SP: 1, Vermin with level less than half of the wearers are scared and won't directly attack the wearer; Bodywear), Order Imperial Prophet's Armor (SP: 8; Grants Command; Suitable for Prophets; Bodywear), Duke's Coat-of-Arms (SP: 5, Protects against *Fragile* and all *Poisons*; Suitable for Knights, Dragoons, Skirmishers and Regulators, Bodywear), Cloak of the Barbaric Runecaster (SP: 3; wearer creates and deploys a Skeleton Decoy at the start of every battle; Suitable for Battle Mages, Necromancers, and Scholars; Backwear), Ethereal Cloak (SP: 2, Max Ether +4; Backwear), Rock Gauntlets (Grants the wearer Iron Fist at no ether cost; Suitable for anyone; Handwear), Counterstrike Gloves (Handwear), Soothing Slippers (Meditation restores 5 ether; Footwear), Shackles of War (Accessory), The Good Book (Grants the Convert job trait - the user can turn any allied or neutral NPC to their faith, gaining their respect- ; user gains 10 gold from each conversion; suitable to Monk Pretzel only; accessory), Darksteel Armour (SP: 6; Max. Health +3; Bodywear), Armour of Dark Arts (SP: 10; Takes up: Bodywear, Handwear, Footwear slots; counts as one artifact; Suitable to Knights, Dragoons, and Skirmishers)
Spell Items: 2 Amethysts, 2 Emeralds, Garnet, 2 Aquamarines, Diamond, Ruby, Scroll of Sealing, Scroll of Blindness x 2, Scroll of Confusion x 2, Scroll of Sleep, Scroll of Frailty, Scroll of Weakening
Consumables: 8 Potions, 16 Grand Potions, Cherry (Restores 1 ether), 2 Tonics, Ether Core, 10 Remedies, 3 Neutralizers, Grand Elixir (Restores full health and ether to target and remedies all negative effects), 2 Phoenix Incenses, 5 Phoenix Essences, 4 Meads, 2 Smelling Salts, 2 Nostrums, Soma, Mulled Wine, Dragon Scale (lucky & blessed), Titan Heart (encouraged & inspired), Tiger Balm, 5 Venoms, 5 Deadly Venoms, 2 Paralyzing Venoms, 3 Jinxy Juices, 5 Smoke Bombs, 2 Fire Bombs, Holy Bomb, Military Grade Fire Bomb, 2 Blind Bombs, 2 Seal Bombs, 2 Sleep Bombs, 6 Bones, Crimson Haze (Causes a weapon to deal the Poisoned by 7 and Cursed effects permanently), Strong Wasabi (-2 Poisoned permanently), Grating Stone
Tools: Bedroll, Pickaxe, Magnifying Glass, Telescope, Shovel, Magic Compass, Magic Shovel (will always find something when used, limited to three uses per quest)
Namyrra Uq (Quarryman)
1337 years old female Fenarian Necromancer
Level 51 1/5 *Immune to Sealed, Slowed, Bound, Confused, Fire, Wind, Water, Lightning and Earth* *Ether Defense* *Overkill*
Power: 96 (51+45)
Defense: 10
Health: 65/65 (5+50+5+5)
Ether: 80/80 (5+50+1+5+4+5+10)
Gold: 478
Equipment: Crystal Mace (WP: 45 (5*gems imbued); Fire-, Ice-, Wind-, Water-, Lightning-, Earth-, Wood-, Light-, and Darkness-elemental; Mace), Robe of the Archmagi (SP:3, Ether:5. immune to Sealing, Fire, Wind, Water, Lightning and Earth, bodywear), Ethereal Cloak (SP:2, Max. Ether +4, backwear), Fanged Helm (SP:5, headwear), Winged Sandals (Immune to bound and slowed, footwear), Overkill gloves (+1 gold for every point of damage done extra when defeating an enemy, handwear), Coat Hanger (Allows for a second body wear; accessory), Lichen Armor (The wearer’s ether is counted as additional health if health is depleted; suitable to classes with ether; bodywear)
Inventory:
Weapons: Staff of the Supreme Necromancer (WP:25; damages undead; +5 level to raised undead; suitable to necromancers; staff), Mythril Empyreal Staff (WP:28), Nocturne Flute (WP: 6; inflicts the Asleep effect; Instrument), Pongcanis Shield (SP: 7; Shield)
Artifacts: Gold Dragon Crown (max Ether +6; immune to Stunned; suitable for anyone; Headwear), Desert Cloak (immune to Fire; suitable for anyone; Backwear), Water Canteen (Carries 3 portions of water; Accessory), Cobweb Cowl (immune to Sudden Death; suitable for anyone; Backwear), Winged Sandals (immune to Bound and Slowed; suitable for anyone; Footwear), Paper Doll (immune against Hexed, Accessory)
Spell Items: Amethyst, Emerald, Topaz, Garnet, Diamond, Sapphire, Ruby, Aquamarine, Scroll of Blindness, Scroll of Sealing, Scroll of Sleep, Scroll of Frailty, Scroll of Weakening, Naamah's Hourglass (Randomly causes either Hastened or Slowed to the target at the cost of 3 Ether), Jade Lamp of Summoning (summons Mediq, restoring health equal to the level of the summoner at the cost of 5 Ether)
Consumables: Potions (10), Grand Potions (4), Health Core, Tonics (9), Grand Tonics (4), Ether Cores (3), Remedies (12), Phoenix Essences (5), Phoenix Incenses (2), Mead (13), Smelling Salts (8), Nostrum (5), Ambrosia, Dragon Scale (lucky & blessed), Titan Heart (encouraged & inspired) (2), Deadly Venom (3), Smoke Bombs (2), Holy Bomb, Water Bomb (14), Lightning Bomb (14), Dirt Bomb (3), Aeolus Bomb, Rudra Bomb, Flash Bomb, Demon Repellant (Makes the user impervious to direct attacks from demons for one battle, unless the user is the last one standing), Soul Cage (Doomed-effect to all combatants), Skeleton Decoys (2), Bones (17)
Tools etc.: Pickaxe, Bedroll
Byblos (NPC, controlled by K-Nut)
30 years old male Metasimian Scholar
Level 32 *Arcane Wisdom* *Well-read* *Multilingual* *Speed Reading*
Power: 64 (32+32)
Health: 47/47 (6+31+10)
Ether: 50/50 (9+31+10)
Gold: 250
Equipment: Pandemonicon (WP:32 {equal to user's level}, inflicts hexed on demons and doomed on humanoids; throwing weapon; suitable to Byblos only), Wizened Robe (Max. Health +10, Max. Ether +10; bodywear), Lens of Speed Reading (Allows a scroll to be read in addition to a normal action; accessory, suitable for scroll users)
Inventory:
Weapons: Clock Cog (WP:14; throwing weapon)
Scrolls: Scroll of Arc Blindness, Scroll of Arc Frailty, Scroll of Arc Sleep, Scroll of Armor Sundering, Scroll of Blindness, Scroll of Confusion, Scroll of Disenchantment, Scroll of Elemental Aura, Scroll of Fire Armor, Scroll of Frailty, Scroll of Ice Armor, Scroll of Luck, Scroll of Minimizing, Scroll of Poisoning, Scroll of Sealing, Scroll of Sleep, Scroll of the Chasm, Scroll of Weakening

**JimBee** · May 8, 2016

"I have heard of his witch. I believe Heroica has dealt with her before, yes? I suppose that is the man you were speaking of before, Atramor. So our mission is to investigate and stop these threats. Nothing is ever as simple as it seems, for now our goal seems clear enough. I have no questions. I will be sure say hello to Sham for you, Scheherezade. It will be good to see him again... I wonder if he still has that myrthril on him?"

CMP · May 8, 2016

The hat is becoming a plot device. Love it. :laugh:

Atramor tilted his hat both towards the Sand Queen as well as Scheherazade as the party entered the main hall.

"I've been in contact with that lousy son of mine", Scheherazade told them. "He will meet you at the port of Miranda, on the northern coast of Mistaria. He says he's gotten a 'new ride', whatever that means, that will take you to Goetia. I on the other hand managed to make you reservations on the next ship bound to Miranda. The Sealion belongs to the Mistarian Trading Company, so they should have no trouble getting you there. Captain Mumbasa awaits you in the harbor, just tell him you're from Heroica."

"Thanks for the ride, then. It'll be good to hit the water again, been way too long."

"A wisewoman calling herself Brahne came to our court, offering my husband a gift of immense knowledge and power. I warned him about taking such gifts, but he was always a power-hungry fool, so he refused to listen. This Brahne had an apprentice, a young boy wearing an overly large hat. He never spoke his name, only that he was from Dastan and that the hat was the only thing he had from his father. Now that we have slowly connected the dots, I know that Brahne was in fact the mindflayer Baba in disguise, and that boy was the very same man that is responsible of Liandra's death. Looks like he returned to Azzurat to steal back the Pandemonicon, but not before testing his abilities to summon archdemons through it. If he was indeed trained by the sorceress, there's no telling how dangerous of a foe he is, so please tread carefully. You are among Heroica's finest, so I trust you will put an end to what seems to be a demonic invasion, but just be prepared for anything."

"Baba? Ain't that Ulfric's pet witch or somethin'?" Atramor scratched his head. "A mindflayer? So the bastard was trained by one of the most dangerous mages 'round, and he has a book that can summon archdemons on him?" He grumbled and tilted his hat. "We should've chased him down when he had the chance. S'pose this is what we're doin' now..."

"So we only have to defeat a horde of demons, one to four archdemons and a powerful sorcerer trained by Baba, who also holds another Pandemonicon. Why don't I feel very secure with just six of us heading out there?"

"Relax, mate. We handled two archdemons with only five. Dunno if I've ever been part of a stronger party; this guy doesn't know what's comin' to him."

"I have heard of his witch. I believe Heroica has dealt with her before, yes? I suppose that is the man you were speaking of before, Atramor."

"Yeah," muttered Atramor, as the vision from so long ago slid from view. "That's the guy. Damn, that hat." The rogue thief looked over at the Sand Queen. "Dastan, he said he was from? I've been there before; I don't recall much that fits into this. Lost prince, maybe? A couple foreign chaos mages, a crazed inventor, a dead king. I don't recall anythin' 'bout demons there. Maybe Emeraldo was raised a maniac...I've got nothin'." Atramor shrugged somewhat bitterly.

"I'm ready to head out if the rest of ya' are."

Palathadric · May 8, 2016

"I believe I have become stronger since that experience," I reply to the Sand Queen. "I have to say that I believe I underestimated her powers last time. It shan't be happening again. I thank you for the trust you're putting in me for selecting me for this mission. I too am ready to leave.

K-Nut · May 9, 2016

Althior shrugs. "Sounds pretty straightforward to me. Let's go,"

Heroica RPG - Quest#148: Once Upon a Time in Goetia

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