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[Zepher]

Quote

To celebrate the first year of the Heroica RPG, I have written a series of articles looking back at what we've done.  Pt. I will look at the history of the mechanics, and Pt. II will look at the history of all the Quests (a summary of each and any lasting storyline impact).  I encourage anyone and everyone to write a history of anything else that we've explored in this past year: (a look at the races of Heroica, or factions... those are the first two that fly to mind, but I'm sure there are others!)

History of the Game Pt. I – Mechanics

This article is 95% fact checked   .

This is one of the parts that most interested me.  If you look at a battle near the beginning of the game versus one now… well, you can tell why QMs (even the original QM) make mistakes now more than they used to.  The system that we play with is still relatively simple, but there is no doubt that it has grown.  This part of this article will take a quick and hopefully (but no promises) look at the evolution of the game, mechanically.  Even now there are constantly changes to the rules.  Did you know that now, scrolls don’t count as a player targeting an enemy?

Where to start?  None of us “normals” got to see the test quest, but we are assured that there were significant changes between that and the first quest of the true game.  The evolution of the game being in the players’ hands is highlighted, even at this early stage.  Way back when in the discussion topic, Sandy told us that we had Pandora to thank for the inclusion of bedrolls.  Can anyone imagine a quest without them?  Clerics would no doubt be in higher demand.

The first three quests of the game did little to change the mechanics.  Sandy had tested them out already, and few changes, if any were required.

The fourth quest of the game was the first one hosted by someone other than Sandy, and so all the players held their breath.  What would Brickdoctor deliver?

Quest 4 was a pivotal one in the game for a number of reasons.  It stretched the number of guesties to eight, the highest that any quest has had to date, and proved that this could work too.  He introduced a more free-form game style – night and days were included (something that has been sorely underused since this point), allowed the heroes to visit different villages in any order that they chose, and started a mechanic that is now common: the NPC in the party.  It seems common-place now, but believe it or not, until that Brobric Elf joined the party, no NPC had ever travelled with the party before.

Quest 6 held a small surprise that was game changing, though not strictly mechanical.  The heroes of Quest 6 were the first to fail a quest, and still gain a reward of some kind.  Skrall, Haldor and Nur chose to allow Donny Dozenhands go, and “failed” the quest, although they did not lose a single battle.  Failing quests suddenly became an option, and player’s choices were proven to effect the major story-line.

The next major change in the mechanics came in Quest 7, run by Zepher.  This quest was the first to take away the inventories of the players, a technique not used again expect for shortly in Quest 23, and to a lesser degree in Quest 39.  More importantly, Quest 7 unveiled the “side-quest”.  Run in a PM, so that the main questies could not see it, Cronk and a number of NPCs fought against enemies and solved their own puzzles.  This technique would be used in varying ways and for different purposes in other quests, such as Quest 16, 19, 28, and 30, to name a few.  Some side-quests feature requests from NPCs, some contain puzzles, and some battles.

Quest 11 is arguably the quest that most changed the way that the game was played.  The heroes arrived at the Eubric Freeport Apothecary, and saw items for sale that had never been seen before.  Mead, Smelling Salts, and a Nostrum were the first of many status inducing consumables, and the three still most commonly used.  How often, now, do we see a battle where one of the heroes (never Cronk though, who refuses to use performance enhancing drugs) is under the effects of one of these three consumables?  WBD perhaps did not know that they would extend past his quest, but they did so, and have greatly increased the number of strategies and options open to the heroes.  The strategy of a rogue using all three consumables was first introduced by Hybros, who nearly always won back the gold spent.

It was around this time that Sandy introduced a new strategy for heroes as well, most notably used by Arthur, the “Scroll Mage”.  Elphaba rolled her cart into the Eubric Marketplace for the first time, and with her came her scrolls.  Though some QM’s dislike the scrolls immensely… they certainly open up a new option for the players.  The scrolls work in many ways as the opposite of the consumables introduced by WBD.  Instead of enhancing the players, they hinder the enemies.  In battles against large numbers or strong enemies, these scrolls are invaluable, stopping enemies in their tracks by putting them to sleep, sealing them, stunning them, or even causing them to act against an ally.

Quest 16 introduced the fourth of the major player effects, called blessed.  After visiting a shrine of Ennoc, the players were given the blessed effect, which gave them a 50/50 chance of regaining health at the end of each round.  The effect was seen again in Quest 19, given to Hoke by the Dragon Vipera, but the consumable Soma was introduced after 23, where a pair of Paladins were seen talking about transporting it into the city.  By the time that Soma hit the shelves, the healing of 3 health at the end of the round was guaranteed.

Quest 17 by Brickdoctor once again introduced a new mechanic.  It was here that we saw the first “tower defense” battle of Heroica, with a map that the heroes could navigate.  Admittedly, in Quest 16, the heroes were tasked with defending a tower, though that battle ran very much like a normal one, while in Quest 17, the heroes were given a map to navigate and free range to improve their defenses.  The navigable map would be used in later quests, though the improvement of defenses has yet to be seen again.

The game continues to grow.  Quest 31 premiered the hex battle with troops to be commanded, a technique that has been seen once more in Quest 37.  Only recently, a new permanent shop has opened in the marketplace, a testament to the rise of unique artifacts.  One needs only look at Quest 35 to see that new creative battles are always coming into play, along with new scrolls and consumables.

The game will no doubt keep growing over the next year, and we are certain to see notable advancements as the years go on.

Up Next... History of the Game Pt. II – The Story (Quests 1-10)

Comments and thoughts may go in this thread, along with any other articles, which I will gladly index!  Come all ye writers, I'm sure you want to remind us of our own greatness!

Edited by Zepher, 10 August 2012 - 01:29 AM.

[Masked Builder]

Very nice insight Zeph, I like you summary, it seems very accurate to me.

[CallMePie]

   Indeed it is very researched, though I'm fairly Quest 16 was the Paladin Conquest, where the heroes defended the tower/Blessed effect. This was a really nice read, I'm looking forward to the next, and already considering topics I could write an article of as well.

I also think you should add something in about the Battle (or the trilogy in general) of Dastan, it's really revolutionary as far as scale goes.

[JimButcher]

Very nice article so far, Zepher. It's nice seeing how the game has progressed, though an article can only generalize these, there are so many subtle changes made to the game over time that even those who have been in it since the beginning forget them.  

Just one thing, I think you are getting quests 15 and 16 mixed up. I may add a small article on unique weapons/artifacts.

[Brickdoctor]

Thanks for doing this, Zeph!

One minor correction: Q31 is the only quest to use the hex map, because Q37 uses the (highly inferior ) square tiles.

I don't have time to comment more right now, but I do look forward to the next part.

[Zepher]

 JimButcher, on 09 August 2012 - 06:47 PM, said:

Very nice article so far, Zepher. It's nice seeing how the game has progressed, though an article can only generalize these, there are so many subtle changes made to the game over time that even those who have been in it since the beginning forget them.  

Just one thing, I think you are getting quests 15 and 16 mixed up. I may add a small article on unique weapons/artifacts.

Oh, no doubt this is just the tip of the iceberg.  I didn't even glance on artifacts and their changes and uses.  And fixed, thanks for the catch!

[Endgame]

A very nice write-up, Zepher.    I never realized quest 11 introduced meads, smelling salts and nostrums - I thought they were there from the start!  

Is part two coming in four parts? (1-10,11-20,21-30,31-41)

I eagerly await your next write-up When will the next part be up?

[Zepher]

Hopefully by Saturday?  If Quest 4 didn't exist, it would be up around... now.  That thing is a monster to summarize, and I'm not sure how well I'm doing it.  I think it stands as one of the very best quests of Heroica history, and I am trying to do it justice...    And yes, the next part is coming out in four parts.

[Zepher]

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Hopefully, this series of articles will serve to allow new players to understand the grand story without having to read through 80 page quests, and allow those players who want a quick refresher of the events so they may appreciate the intricate story-line their QMs provide them.

History of the Game Pt. II – The Story (Quests 1-10)

The city of Eubric and the Hall of Heroica both have a rich history, much of which can be found in the Library of Heroica Hall.  This article will instead deal in the history of the “Main Storyline” and the “Sub Storylines” that have taken place since the beginning of the game last August.  Bear in mind, this history is meant to encompass the entire game, and not all the players, necessarily.  Some events may refer to some player characters – in the cases that they influenced important story-points.  Do not take it as a slight if your character wasn’t included.  Many characters have done great things that simply did not make it into this article.

Also note that the quests are done in number order, which is for the most part, but not entirely, chronological.  The quests are treated as if they go exactly in number order.

An Overview of Quests 1-10

Quests 1-10 were our first look at the world of Heroica.  We were introduced to three of the six houses of Eubric, all of whom would play a major part later in the epic story.  The possibly antagonist and possibly rightful Wolfgang made their first appearance as well.  Powerful and important NPC villains such as Crozen and Wren made their debuts, and important factions such as the Brobric Elves and Lion Knights stepped onto the center stage.  The species Pongcanis was likewise introduced.  The heroes visited many places in Eubric City, most notably the Academy of Enlightenment, and travelled all over Uland, and even to lands beyond, such as the High Kingdoms and Cathargo.

Quest 1 – Harvest Time

Harvest Time was the first public quest posted.  Farmer Ol’ MacConald hired a group of six heroes to protect his farm from a number of pests.  The heroes succeeded and were then returned to the hall.  If anything of major import happened here, it is yet to be discovered, though Farmer MacDonald appears to be in charge of the Unlimited Battle Quest, so it’s possible we’ll be seeing more of him and his fields.

Quest 2 – Looking Through the Wares

This quest introduced the first two of the six houses in charge of Eubric that the heroes met.  The Hinckwells, the house to hire the heroes, are a merchant house.  They believed their wares to have been stolen by the Shadeaux, another merchant house and their competitors.

The heroes were met by Lorcan Hinckwell, son of Heinrich Hinckwell.  The heroes entered and fought their way through a Shadeaux warehouse until they encountered Umbra, the first of Count Shadeaux’s many children.  The heroes fought and defeated Umbra, and returned to Lorcan, who informed the heroes that the goods had in fact been stolen by a pirate named Jolly Roger.  Jolly Roger would not rear his head for a while longer.

Quest 3 – The Missing Matriarch

The heroes met the third of the six families here.  The Zeigfrieds are a family of magic users, who were missing their leader, Zelda.  The heroes met their entire clan before a force swept through the house, and changed the many family members into magical pieces of furniture.  After freeing the family from the curse, the heroes realized that Zed, a powerful member of the family, was in cahoots with a demon named Abraxas, who apparently had control over the house, and required offerings that included Zed’s wife and Chesterine’s wits.  Zed was consumed by flames for his betrayal of the demon, and Zelda recovered, in a coma.

Quest 4 – Taming the Lions

Taking the events of this quest and writing them down in a small paragraph is a challenge, to say the least.  The quest intro’d a number of important heroes and factions.  But, I’ll do my best.

The heroes of Heroica were hired by Isaac Shawe, a member of the Shadeaux, who tells them that caravans have been raided by unknown raiders, new to the Free Islands.  The heroes were then presented with a dagger marked with an emblem we now all recognize at the Lion Knights.  Issac and the heroes set out to investigate.

The heroes met a knight in Bric’Lin who identified the dagger for them and told them that the dagger belonged to the Lion Knights, who had some connection to the Hinckwells.  Outside another settlement, Mopag, the heroes are attacked by a group of warrior beasts called Pongcanis.  Though little was known about them at the time, they play an important role in later events in many different quests and stories.

In R’Klif, the heroes met the Brobric elves, namely their leader, Keveak.  Keveak said that the Brobric are already dealing with the Lion Knights.  He asked the heroes to sign an alliance with them so that they may deal with the Lion Knights together, and warned if they did not sign, they would not be allowed to combat the Lion Knights.  The heroes signed.

The party travels, now with a Brobric elf named Seaian, to meet Lord Normorn, the head of Brobric intelligence.  He tells the heroes that the Lion Knights are an invading force of foreigners, preparing to take over Uland before invading the further off lands of the High Kingdoms, Ennon, etc.  The heroes decide to infiltrate a Lion Knights base.

Before this, they stop in Eubric, and hear voices discussing events in Triad Park.  They continue on to Bric’Lin, and half-way there stumble upon a Lion Knights camp.  They infiltrate the camp, but find no large force.  Isaac remarks that the land is prime land for farming, and wonders aloud what the Lion Knights could want with it.  They also find notes about the Hinckwells being on the side of the Lion Knights, and the Brobric Elves’ open hostility.  Most notable is a note that says that the Lion Knights must avoid war at all costs.  Isaac spurs the heroes on, and they go to a meeting between the Brobric, the Hinckwells, and the Lion Knights.  Isaac tells them to kill the man responsible for raiding the caravans.  The leaders present are: Commodore Martin Largus (Hinckwells), Lord Keveak and Lord Lord Ricroar (Brobric Elves), and Sir Leonard Kniveton (Lion Knights).

The heroes attack and kill the Brobric Elves.  After being paid by the Shadeaux, the heroes are informed by Commodore Largus that the Shadeaux hired the heroes to start a war between the Lion Knights and Elves.  The talk the heroes interrupted was one of peace – the Lion Knights were simply a farming folk who wanted to start anew in a new land.  Now, the Elves believed that the Lion Knights assassinated their leaders, with the help of the Hinckwells.  The Shadeaux would sell weapons to both sides.  The heroes left, disgraced.

Quest 5 – Cave Sounds

The heroes were asked to investigate the caves of Earn Hinckwell, as strange and ghostly sounds have been coming from them.  Eran explained that the land once belonged to an old family of mages who used the cave as a burial ground.  The heroes fought their way through a slew of enemies, most of them undead.  It became apparent that the cave once belonged to the Porthiar Family.  The heroes were eventually confronted by the once great leader of the family, Crozen.

They soundly defeated the menace, and collected their reward.

Quest 6 – WANTED: Donny Dozenhands

This quest was the first appearance of one of the seven major factions off the game, the Wolfgang.  The Wolfgang was the fourth of the seven to be revealed, and the last of the seven mentioned in the first ten quests.

The heroes were hired by the city guard to deal with a notorious thief and member of the Wolfgang.  The heroes met their employer, Lilbelly, the Captain of the City Watch.

The heroes were tasked with tracking down Donny Dozenhands, which they did deftly enough, following him into the sewers.  The heroes were faced with various members of the Wolfgang, and eventually cornered Donny, who convinced them to spare him.  Haldor, Skrall and En Sabah Nur did so, and received a good standing with the Wolfgang for their efforts.

The Town Watch was less than thankful, and dismissed the heroes quickly.  Though it was not expressly said during the quest, this failure cost Captain Lilbelly his job.  The Houses replaced him with Captain Patricia, demoting him.

Quest 7 – The Arena

This quest marks the appearance of Wren, and a number of important NPCs who appear in associated quests later.  This quest takes place in the High Kingdoms, though this is not known until near the end of the quest.  It is the first quest to take place outside Uland.

The quest began with the heroes in a holding cell.  They armed themselves, and fought in a series of matches in an arena, run by Draco and Wren.  It is revealed that Wren once had ties to Heroica, and is a “fallen hero”.  Eventually, with a few of their members imprisoned, the heroes fought the guards and escaped, along with fellow prisoners Felton, Hans, and a barbarian they named “Phil”.  Felton and Hans were from near-by towns, and Phil was from unknown lands.

The heroes fought their way through a series of rooms, and freed their fellow quest-mates.  They eventually, through solving an anagram, took note of Wren’s association with the God of Chaos, Zoot.

The heroes eventually faced off against Draco, who was slain by Wren near the end of the battle.  She explained she was collecting Chaos.  To what ends, it was uncertain.  Cronk led Felton and Hans out a different way, and all three NPCs and the heroes were freed.

Quest 8 – The Sacred Sands

A group of heroes set out to the sandy region of Cathrago to retrieve a King’s treasure for him.  Fighting through masses of undead and Scarab Beatles, the heroes eventually arrived in the tomb of the Undead General San Di.  

The heroes defeated him and returned the treasures to the King.

Quest 9 – Trespassers

The heroes were once again hired by the Hinckwells.  They were tasked with protecting the animals on the Hinckwell grounds.  The heroes eventually tracked down two poachers, who were attempting to make off with the Hinckwells’ centaurs.  

The poachers are defeated, and the heroes returned to the Hall with heavier pockets.

Quest 10 - Extra-Circular Activities

The heroes were sent to the Academy of Enlightenment to investigate a number of vandalism that had been carried out.  The heroes fight their way through a series of bizarre events and challenges, and pick up the Orc Jensen along the way, the night watchman at the academy.

It becomes clear pretty quickly that these “vandals” are of a more spectral nature.  The heroes also meet two young sons of the Hinckwells and the Shadeauxs, who are against all odds, friends.  They two inform the heroes that the hauntings started right after Isabeau Carpenter went missing a week ago.

The heroes also come closer to failing a quest due to a loss of a battle than anyone else in Heroica history when they are forced to fight themselves.

The heroes finally find the haunted spirit of dead Isabeau and set her free.

When the heroes try to tell the Provost, he covers it up.  The Provost, boys, and Jensen all bid the party farewell, but they are all sure to be seen again.

Guess which quest I like the pictures for the most... (it's 4 and 10...)

Up Next... History of the Game Pt. II – The Story (Quests 11-18)

I'd also REALLY like to see, if anyone has the time, an article on the factions of Heroica, and the species.  They'd be very cool, I just don't have the time.  History, gods, etc. would also be cool, if that holds more interest.

Edited by Zepher, 10 August 2012 - 02:30 AM.

[Waterbrick Down]

Zepher excellent job   I believe Scorpiox will have an Embassy Topic covering all the Races as soon as I'm finished with the actual MOC, though it would be interesting to see an article on how the Races have been portrayed/evolved throughout the onset of Heroica RPG.

[Sandy]

A splendid job, Zepher! You've seen an amazing effort without anyone even asking for it, and the result is a very interesting read. The articles make the changes this game had gone through very concrete. Aside from a few name spelling hick-ups, your recaps and analyses are spot on.

This game originated when Dragonator and a group of other Game Forum veterans started to plan a new RPG for the forum. A multitude of ideas were thrown about, many going in the direction of adapting Dungeons & Dragons for forum purposes. Then came I with my humble idea of a simpler game that would be accessible to everyone - not just tabletop RPG players. Taking elements here and there - the Heroica boardgame, the card game Munchkin, videogame RPGs such as Final Fantasy, fantasy literature in general - the first version of Heroica RPG was born. I then hosted the Test Quest with a few choice Fellows (a couple of which are still actively playing the game), and seeing how the rules worked in practice gave form to the version published here a year ago.

But this was meant to be a community project from the start, and although not everyone's ideas could be taken into account, you players have shaped this game immensely - as Zepher's article shows. I haven't felt right to call this my game for a long time. This is our game now, I'm just here to ensure it runs smoothly and doesn't get out of hand. My day job is a kindergarten teacher, so it comes naturally for me.

[Sisco]

 Sandy, on 10 August 2012 - 06:55 PM, said:

the card game Munchkin

I thought that that may have been an influence on the Heroica RPG. Munchkin has to be one of my top five favorite games of all time, and I'm overjoyed to see it make its mark on Heroica.

[Scubacarrot]

Heroica has, just under a year ago, became one of my (favorite) timesinks. I think the charm it has on me is the result of two things: The fact that unlike traditional RPG's, story is told through Lego, so it's a combination of two of my favorite things! The other thing is that the story is made by everyone participating! In theory everyone can host a quest and so tell his or her own story in the Heroica world, and as long as it's not conflicting with anything or super crazy, virtually anything you say in character could be canon!

I like thinking up stories, but I've never been much good in sharing them, I lack the literary skills to write, the will to join a RPG group, and who tells stories (in person) anymore in this day and age? Guts Holla has become a way for me to tell a story how I like my fantasy: Grey, Dark, Rough and Detailed. And I hope that's what I will have succeeded in when his story is told. I have had his whole story, including timeline and everything, locations he has been to and people he has met in his life thought up since the day after he stepped into Heroica Hall. Of course there have been minor changes, but not very much. I very much enjoy sharing it a little bit at a time. I think I've revealed under 10% of what I have, so there is a LOT I want to tell, still.

Another major boost to my addiction to Heroica (I think it can be called that, I try to check this forum every day ) was when I started hosting a quest. Hosting Quest 23 was a ton of fun! I had a team of awesome players and the reception I got was much above expectations. Along with upcoming Quest 40 it is one story, which, like the story of Guts, was thought up in the matter of days. I am very much looking forward to telling the story of the missing guards, and the Keystone. In my head though, there are a lot more stories to tell... Along with sharing my own stories, Heroica is an excellent medium to enjoy the stories of others, and the best part is that everything fits together in one way or the other. It's one world. I love that in storytelling.

So here is to one year of Heroica fun (a slight bit less for me, hehe), and on to the next year. I am very much looking forward to see how Eubric is doing same time 2013.

[Palathadric]

 Scubacarrot, on 10 August 2012 - 07:36 PM, said:

Heroica has, just under a year ago, became one of my (favorite) timesinks. I think the charm it has on me is the result of two things: The fact that unlike traditional RPG's, story is told through Lego, so it's a combination of two of my favorite things! The other thing is that the story is made by everyone participating! In theory everyone can host a quest and so tell his or her own story in the Heroica world, and as long as it's not conflicting with anything or super crazy, virtually anything you say in character could be canon!

Very much agree, Scubacarrot!

[Dannylonglegs]

Awesome articles! I especially like the summaries.

 Sisco, on 10 August 2012 - 07:03 PM, said:

I thought that that may have been an influence on the Heroica RPG. Munchkin has to be one of my top five favorite games of all time, and I'm overjoyed to see it make its mark on Heroica.

Nice! I love munchkin and can easily see it's influence on the game.  

~Insectoid Aristocrat

[Professor Flitwick]

 Dannylonglegs, on 13 August 2012 - 05:41 PM, said:

Awesome articles! I especially like the summaries.

I agree. I actually forgot about one or two of these Quests, so this is a great refresher course in what has happened in Eubric so far. When can we expect the next batch of Quest recaps?  

[Zepher]

The next section of summaries should be up tonight at some point, or early tomorrow.  It will include Quests 11-18.

I'd also love to see an article on the gangs of Eubric.  There have been a number featured, and I think they'd be cool to have a retrospective on (which QM's created them, where they've been mentioned, what parts they've played so far).

[CallMePie]

Factions of the Game

The adventures of Heroica have spanned many continents so far. The Free Islands, Ennon, Dastan, even Mistaria and the sprawling Deserts of Abra. Throughout the various quests, the heroes have encountered a wide variety of groups and orders, whether they're the employers or antagonists themselves. The number of factions in Olegaia are nearly countless, and their involvement with the player characters often shape the faction itself, and here they will be analyzed as thoroughly as possible.

The Six Houses

The Six Houses are by far some of the most influential factions. They each share a portion of power over Eubric Freeport, but none can truly say they are content with ruling a mere fraction of the heart Olegaia. They all have distinct rivals, and the levels of these rivalries can vary from the age old magic vs alchemy argument to entire trading empires compromised by one another.

The Hinckwells


The Hinckwells have had a trading monopoly on Eubric for over 100 years. Nearly 150 years before then, some time after the Orcish Invasion drew to a close, Lady Luck, one of the original 6 Veterans, married into the family, bringing with her the Cornucopia artifact, said to grant the holder innumerable riches. Whether its power was as legendary as its owner, or it truly turned the Hinckwells into the sprawling trade network it is today, nobody but the family can be sure, but it's undeniable that they form one of the richest factions in the known world, having funded the construction of Heroica itself.

A mere two decades ago, however, what would be their bitterest rivals arrived in Eubric, the Shadeaux. In that short span of time, they became one of the Hinckwell's greatest threats. For one of the first times in a century, their fortune and legacy was at risk. Since then, they've become quite estranged, and the immovable trading enterprise have taken to questionable methods in an attempt to secure their place. Chief among them is Quest 2, where heroes infiltrated a Shadeaux warehouse to find stolen goods that may be the perfect evidence to ruin the foreigner's image. No such goods were found, but doubtless the stalwart family will not back down from the threat they pose.

Despite problems and endless rivalries, the family is not ceaselessly embroiled in economic politics. Lavishing in Hinckwell Villa atop Sungold Hill, Heinrich Hinckwell heads the company, along with his wife Laureline. Lorcan, their eldest son, is next in line to inherit the endless fortune of the company. Lyren, the youngest son, currently attends the Academy of Enlightenment with 'archrival' Nuitan Shadeaux, and both maintain a close friendship despite their family's hatred of one another. The family does have other members, including Eran Hinckwell, who once hired Heroica to deal with the troublesome Porthiar spirits in a cave on the outskirts of Eubric. The family owns quite a bit of Uland, including a forest hunting reserve once cleared of mercenary poachers by the heroes of Quest 9. Their power on the island is at least in part due to their more militaristic allies, the Lion Knights.



The Shadeaux


The Shadeaux are fairly new to Eubric. They were once one of the ruling families of Charis, and though they had connections in the Free Islands, mainly stuck to controlling their land. Count Noctus Shadeaux, however, carried a rare condition known as Le Malheur, an affliction that caused symptoms commonly associated with vampires. His family was forcibly exiled from their country, and with little option, they came to Eubric Freeport. Over 20 years, they rebuilt their fortune from the ground-up, using unorthodox dealings and trades, but nonetheless coming to power quite quickly, matching the influence and riches of the renowned Hinckwell family, and forming a rivalry that continues to this day. The family may have a shadier past, but nonetheless, their reputation has exploded.

They reside in Chateaux de Shadeaux, based on Crescent Hill, most of them for far longer than they would like. Noctus Shadeaux, the head of the family, manages most of the business, though he's often assisted by his oldest daughter Umbra. The younger Nuitan and Bellanotte, though both twins, lead quite different lives. The former attends the Academy of Enlightenment, often with outstanding grades, while the latter is confined to the Chateuax, afflicted with Le Malheur. Belanotte has recently hired a band of heroes to discovered whether Nuitan's friendship with Lyren Hinckwell may be the result of the manipulative rival's family, another testament to the sour relations of the trading enterprises.

A single, but possibly deadly fracture in the Hinckwell's once-unquestionable power over the trading business in Eubric, they have the chance nobody ever did to exceed their vast wealth and fame - and they will do all they can to do so. One of the more devious Shadeaux leaders, Isaac Shawe, deceived both the heroes of Quest 4 and the Hinckwells to spark a war between the Lion Knights and Brobric Elves, garnering the family a small fortune selling weapons to the latter.



This might take longer than I thought. I fear they may be more like summaries than an analysis, mostly because I ended up taking more of an in-game angle to the factions. They were fun to write, though, I applaud Zepher for taking the time to write the history and mechanics so far, and I can't wait to see the rest.  

Edited by CallMePie, 15 August 2012 - 12:43 AM.

[Masked Builder]

I like it Pie, keep writing them!  An interesting analysis.

[Sandy]

Great analyses, CMP! You actually got the idea behind both families spot on correct.

I just love when people pay attention to my little stories.

[JimButcher]

Agreed, well done CMP. I look forward to more. Especially the Ji Pei. We need more quests with them.