Heroica RPG - Quest #141: A Bone to Pick

[Waterbrick Down]

"Terry's got a point there, sir. If your wanting help obtaining these bones we're looking at extra payment. Original agreement was for delivery only, you want more than that, you're going to have be more enticing." Boris surveyed the man's sword, thinking it odd that he'd have weapons unsheathed for a business transaction.

[MysticModulus]

Ezeran frowns and eyes the sorcerer. "Boris is correct, this is not what we signed up for..."

[Alfadas]

Torald looks at the sorcerer with halfclosed eyes. "Well, I'll help you if you reward me and the other heroes big time, mkay?" He puts one hand on his weapon, ready to draw it.

[Flipz]

Terry is just as baffled as Mac.

"You're telling me that we're gonna have to do it? Then where the heck do you come in, mister? Ya can't just steer us towards some ancient beastie, tell us to do our thing, and expect to get a cut - you're not even a snake oil salesman, because ya don't have anything to sell!"

"Hey, now, whoa whoa whoa whoa, easy fella. I think you got this backwards, I--"

"Terry's got a point there, sir. If your wanting help obtaining these bones we're looking at extra payment. Original agreement was for delivery only, you want more than that, you're going to have be more enticing." Boris surveyed the man's sword, thinking it odd that he'd have weapons unsheathed for a business transaction.

"I'm not sure what the lady told you, but she clearly doesn't know the intricacies of--"

Ezeran frowns and eyes the sorcerer. "Boris is correct, this is not what we signed up for..."

"Oh, for the love of..." Sakurai throws up his hands. "The woman didn't tell you anything, did she? See, this is why I said we should have made the deal in person."

"No!" Mac cries, almost comically panicked.

"Sheesh, you'd think our meeting is prophesied to bring about the end of the world or something."

Mac just stares at Sakurai. The Sorcerer scoffs in indignation and sticks his katana in the ground so he can put a hand on his hip.

"It was ONE TIME, Mac. ONE. TIME. And we still had a whole ten seconds before the thing would have gone supercritical, I knew you could handle it."

It's Mac's turn to throw up his hands. Sakurai turns his attention back to the party.

"Look, I ain't running a charity case here. I told the lady she could have the bones for free if she hired Heroes to give me a little help. You're it." Sakurai reclaims his katana and uses it to point at the downed section of fence they'd passed through. "If it helps you feel better, I'm providing you access and assistance--a two-for-one special--and you get to keep all the bones. You think I carry these things around 'cause they compliment my devilishly good looks?" He punctuates his point by performing a laughably over-the-top demonstration with his staff and sword, before leaning over to Terry to mock-whisper conspiratorily. "I mean, I do, but don't tell that to the ladies." He wiggles his eyebrows at Jinnipher and Kheyli, in a manner that he apparently thinks is seductive.

Torald looks at the sorcerer with halfclosed eyes. "Well, I'll help you if you reward me and the other heroes big time, mkay?" He puts one hand on his weapon, ready to draw it.

"Yeah! See, this guy, this guy here, he's got it, eh? Listen, friend--big risks, big reward. I'll even let you keep anything extra you find! Well, almost anything."

Mac crosses his arms.

"Spit it out, Sakurai. I know you. You yourself just said you're not a charity case. What's the 'almost'?"

"First names, eh? You are serious. Well..." Sakurai glances at the Heroes for a moment. "Let's just say my opportunities have been running dry here recently, but I still need one more little green crystal to complete my set--already snagged the rest a while back."

"...you managed to get three shards of Adamantite?"

"I did indeed! Got 'em right here, actually. Originally, I mean--" he quickly adds, with a nervous glance at Boris, "--I found 'em out here a while back and took 'em straight home. They're not on me, so don't even think about it. No offense, but I got a lot of plans in my future, and becoming a Night Walker ain't one of them."

Mac rolls his eyes at Sakurai's racism, but chooses to keep focused on business.

"Just so we're clear, the terms of you helping us get these bones are...?"

"Simple! If we find an Adamantite Shard, it's mine; all other loot, you keep. It's more than fair, and I should point out I'm the only one who has experience in this area."

Mac turns back to the Heroes.

"What do you say, Heroes? He's right about being the only experienced guide--last I've heard, no one's been out here in at least half a decade, probably more. Do we let him help, or try to get the bones without him?"

What will the party decide?

[MysticModulus]

Ezeran ponders the information. "We probably need him, another option is to escort him back to the lady in question so they might talk things through.." Ezeran looks at the sorcerer with a wry smile. "I'm sure you can explain all this to her?"

[Flipz]

Ezeran ponders the information. "We probably need him, another option is to escort him back to the lady in question so they might talk things through.." Ezeran looks at the sorcerer with a wry smile. "I'm sure you can explain all this to her?"

Sakurai rolls his eyes.

"I already explained it to her once, through Mac here. Mac knows how I operate. If she doesn't want to pay attention, that's her problem."

"She probably assumed by 'help' you meant 'help me carry them through the forest', not 'help me kill the monsters for their bones.' I knew you'd want a favor, Sato, but I figured after last time it'd be sane."

"Hey. Mac. It's me."

"...all right, in retrospect I should have known 'reasonable' is not in your vocabulary."

"What is this 'reason' thing you speak of?" Sakurai asks, clearly teasing.

Mac shakes his head and looks to Ezeran.

"If we're going to trek all the way back through the forest, we might as well get the bones first, even if we have to do it without Sato's help. Kiri can be...impatient. Odds are, if we show up empty-handed she'll just call the whole thing off and find someone else to help her out--especially if she finds out about this man's antics."

"Yeah, I'd be pretty annoyed if the Heroes I hired to help me showed up but then failed to actually help me out," Sakurai says pointedly.

"You," Mac says to the Sorcerer, "have no room to talk."

Sakurai just rolls his eyes again, seeming for all the world like an aged, male mirror of Kiri herself.

[Alfadas]

"This is a hard decision. I'd say, we try and get the bones without him."

Edited September 12, 2015 by Alfadas

[MysticModulus]

Ezeran nods. "Heading back was never a realistic option." Ezeran looks at the others. "Tough call, what do you guys say?"

[JimBee]

Jinnipher rolled her eyes. "I knew this was too easy."

"Look, I ain't running a charity case here. I told the lady she could have the bones for free if she hired Heroes to give me a little help. You're it." Sakurai reclaims his katana and uses it to point at the downed section of fence they'd passed through. "If it helps you feel better, I'm providing you access and assistance--a two-for-one special--and you get to keep all the bones. You think I carry these things around 'cause they compliment my devilishly good looks?" He punctuates his point by performing a laughably over-the-top demonstration with his staff and sword, before leaning over to Terry to mock-whisper conspiratorily. "I mean, I do, but don't tell that to the ladies." He wiggles his eyebrows at Jinnipher and Kheyli, in a manner that he apparently thinks is seductive.

Jinnipher picked up on the man's attempt to flirt and glared back in disgust. "Listen old man, we're going to get the bones either way. If you try anything funny, expect a sword in the back."

She looked at the other heroes. "Not that we have much choice, but we're better off going with this creep into the fields. We get the bones, grab the Adamandite Shard, and get back to Kiri to collect the payment."

[K-Nut]

"Jinn's right. If he does know the area, he can help,"

[Endgame]

"He can also stab us and do that creepy eyebrow wiggling thing again...

Why weren't you clear with everyone from the start? It ain't like heroes don't do this stuff all the time. It's the fact that you're being deceptive is the big issue."

Edited September 13, 2015 by Endgame

[Endgame]

Terry turns to his party.

"Despite certain... uh, misigivngs... Looks like y'all fine with doing this. Since I said this would be more of a democracy of sorts, unless anyone rejects, we're going to Sakurai who-knows-where to kill-who-knows what... Okay?"

[MysticModulus]

Ezeran nods. "Sure, we'll stick to that." The symbiont growls a little.

[Alfadas]

"sure... We'll be fine I guess..."

[Endgame]

"sure... We'll be fine I guess..."

"Trust me, Torald, I'm just as unsure as you are... If you don't want to, say it."

[Alfadas]

"Trust me, Torald, I'm just as unsure as you are... If you don't want to, say it."

"No, no, I am fine..."

[Flipz]

QM Note: Dealing with blackouts in my area, one of which already ate the original version of this post (now posting on mobile). Full update in 24 hours, sorry for the delay.

"He can also stab us and do that creepy eyebrow wiggling thing again...

Why weren't you clear with everyone from the start? It ain't like heroes don't do this stuff all the time. It's the fact that you're being deceptive is the big issue."

"To be fair, it's partly my fault. I assumed Kiri would understand how favor trading works and mention it in her pitch."

"Hey, you know what they say about assuming."

"...You do realize you have zero room to talk, right Sato?" Mac looks back to Terry. "I did mention that Sakurai would want a favor--I just figured it'd be something a little less risky than fighting...what are we fighting anyway, Sato?"

Sakurai grins as he leads the party forward.

"You'll see in just a few minutes. You're in for a treat." The sorcerer happens to glance at Jinnipher's sword and boots. "Though it looks like your Knight friend has fought something similarly scaly before."

[Endgame]

Terry recalls just what Jinnipher's gear was made of and panics.

"I-if we're dealing with a giant forty foot tall exploding dragon, I-I'm sorry, but I can't fight that."

[K-Nut]

Kheyli pats Terry on the back. "You won't know if you don't try. Besides, Jinn's got experience, so we'll be fine!"

[Endgame]

"And if I don't try, chances are I won't die or lose a limb or somethin', so... Yeah. Don't really wanna meet one... W-wasn't there an Onyx dragon or something or other that other heroes killed? What if it has kids?"

Edited September 13, 2015 by Endgame

[Waterbrick Down]

The vampire shrugs his shoulders, "We need him to lead the way I guess, but I'm about as satisfied as the rest of you with his deception. We'll take you along wizard, but for the mean time, out with it, what are we attempting to kill?"

[JimBee]

"Damn right I've got experience, and I know that dragons are not to be trifled with. If this dragon has something you want, you're automatically going to try to kill it? These aren't just beasts, you know."

[Alfadas]

"What? You wanna fight a dragon? Uhmmm... Count me in!!" Torald seems happy there is a fight with a dragon coming.

[MysticModulus]

"What? You wanna fight a dragon? Uhmmm... Count me in!!" Torald seems happy there is a fight with a dragon coming.

Ezeran freezes momentarily at the obvious delight of Torald. "Friend! I've talked with a dragon on one occasion and though I'm not experienced let me say this: these beings are not mere creatures they are cunning powerful personalities with their own agendas. Let us hope this is a mere wand-long serpent..."

[Flipz]

QM Note: I have placed the un-distributed Remedy in Mac's inventory for now; I'll add it to the loot to be distributed after the battle, if it hasn't been used by then. Let me know if I've made any other stats mistakes or missed people using items, switching Artifacts, etc.

---------------

Sakurai stops short as the party continues to complain about him.

"Shh! Shh! Yeesh, these are the kinds of people Farmer Donauld prefers in his Fields? He really is a crazy old nut." The Sorcerer glances behind him. "All right, we need to be very, very quiet. We're almost to Timehenge, which is where these things seem to come from."

"They might not be dragons, but they're still dangerous. Same strong scales, same claws and teeth, no rational brain to reason with. Seriously, I've checked, they're like the size of a Grating Stone. Probably the stupidest creatures on Olegaia for their size. Makes it real easy to sneak up on them instead of the other way around, if you know when to shut up. Now, to answer the vampire's question, I don't know if there's a name for these Ancient lizards in general, but I do know the big ones in particular are called--"

"TYRANNOSAUR!!!!"

Terry and Jinnipher, who happened to be standing closest to Sakurai, find themselves momentarily cut off from the rest of the group. The rest of the party begins to back up, only to find more monsters had circled behind them while they had been focusing on Sakurai.

"...clever girls. PREPARE FOR DUAL BATTLE!"

Current Weather: Hot (Doubles Fire-elemental damage, halves Ice-elemental damage)

The Northeastern Enemies:

Juvenile Tyrannosaur

Type:

Ancient

Level:

9

Health:

80/800

Special:

Devour

– Removes the target from the battle. The devoured target is returned with 1 health after the Juvenile Tyrannosaur's defeat.

Drops

(varies by roll):

1: Ancient Amber, 2x Ancient Bone (Can be thrown at monsters to distract them for 3 turns. Worth nothing, except in magic shops where it is worth 50 gold.), Sakurai's Adamantite Shard (Quest Item)

2-6: 4x Ancient Bone (Can be thrown at monsters to distract them for 3 turns. Worth nothing, except in magic shops where it is worth 50 gold.), Sakurai's Adamantite Shard (Quest Item)

Pterodactyl Hatchling A

*Fights from the back row* *Immune to sealed and petrified*

Type: Flying/Ancient

Level: 3

Health: 45/45

Special:

Aerial Pursuit

– Makes the target prey to all Pterodactyls, so that they direct all attacks and Free Hits on that target until Aerial Pursuit is used again on someone else. The target is unable to hide while being pursued.

Drops

(varies by roll):

1-3: Aeolus Bomb (Deals 100 wind-elemental damage to all opponents when used.), 2x Ancient Bone (Can be thrown at monsters to distract them for 3 turns. Worth nothing, except in magic shops where it is worth 50 gold.)

4-6: 4x Ancient Bone (Can be thrown at monsters to distract them for 3 turns. Worth nothing, except in magic shops where it is worth 50 gold.)

Pterodactyl Hatchling B

*Fights from the back row* *Immune to sealed and petrified*

Type: Flying/Ancient

Level: 3

Health: 45/45

Special:

Aerial Pursuit

– Makes the target prey to all Pterodactyls, so that they direct all attacks and Free Hits on that target until Aerial Pursuit is used again on someone else. The target is unable to hide while being pursued.

Drops

(varies by roll):

1-3: Aeolus Bomb (Deals 100 wind-elemental damage to all opponents when used.), 2x Ancient Bone (Can be thrown at monsters to distract them for 3 turns. Worth nothing, except in magic shops where it is worth 50 gold.)

4-6: 4x Ancient Bone (Can be thrown at monsters to distract them for 3 turns. Worth nothing, except in magic shops where it is worth 50 gold.)

Pterodactyl Hatchling C

*Fights from the back row* *Immune to sealed and petrified*

Type: Flying/Ancient

Level: 3

Health: 45/45

Special:

Aerial Pursuit

– Makes the target prey to all Pterodactyls, so that they direct all attacks and Free Hits on that target until Aerial Pursuit is used again on someone else. The target is unable to hide while being pursued.

Drops

(varies by roll):

1-3: Aeolus Bomb (Deals 100 wind-elemental damage to all opponents when used.), 2x Ancient Bone (Can be thrown at monsters to distract them for 3 turns. Worth nothing, except in magic shops where it is worth 50 gold.)

4-6: 4x Ancient Bone (Can be thrown at monsters to distract them for 3 turns. Worth nothing, except in magic shops where it is worth 50 gold.)

The Northeastern Party:

Terry Yelnats (played by Endgame)

*Party Leader!*

Male Human Mage

Level 7

Power Bonus:

0

Health:

11/11 (5+6)

Defense:

1

Ether:

6/11 (5+5)

Gold:

23

Equipment:

Grumpy's Staff

(WP: 10),

Leather Cap

(SP: 1)

Inventory:

Ether Lash Wand: (WP 3 Wand, at the cost of 1 ether per WP the Wand becomes dual strike for one attack.), Cattle Prod Staff (WP: 3), 3x Potion, Sapphire (Wind), Opal (Ice), 2x Bat Guano (can be thrown at an enemy to cause the Blind Effect), Bedroll, Robes of the Murine Chieftan (SP:2, Max Ether +2, grants

Command

over rats; bodywear, suitable to Ether-using classes),

Jinnipher Buchaire

(JimBee)

76-year-old female Moon Elven Knight

*Deals half damage to/takes half damage from Beasts, Plants, and Vermin*

Level 7

Power Bonus:

0

Defense:

9

Health:

16/16

Gold:

75

Equipment: Brine Blade

(WP:5, deals Poison 5; greatsword), Natural Shield (SP:6, bearer deals half damage to and takes half damage from Beasts, Plants, and Vermin; shield),

Moone Mail

(SP:3; bodywear)

Inventory:

The Beheader (WP:15, defies SP; greatsword),

Full Moon Shield

(SP:5), Vorpalis Conquerors (Power +0; goes up by 2 for every enemy defeated, drops back down to 0 if the wearer is knocked out or if the battle ends; footwear), Paper Doll (protects from

Hexed

-effect; accessory), 3x Potion, Grand Potion, Greater Tonic, 3x Remedy, Bedroll, Shovel, Letter of Recommendation, Venom,

Sakurai Sato

(NPC, uncooperative [controlled by QM])

62 years old male Human Sorcerer/Marauder *Immune to Sealed, Stunned, Confused, and Poisoned* *Permanently Afraid*

Level 10

Power Bonus:

0

Health:

10/10 (5+9-4)

Defense:

3

Ether:

24/24 (5+9+5+5)

Gold:

7

Equipment:

Sapphamber Staff (WP:7, doubled against Ancient enemies, Wind-elemental; staff), Silver Samurai Katana (WP:7, doubled against Beasts and Werefolk; longsword), Robe of the Archmagi (SP:3, Max. Ether +5, protects from sealed-effect; bodywear, suitable for mages, clerics, necromancers, scholars and weather mages), Cloak of the Marauding Sorcerer (Wearer is permanently Afraid, Wearer uses the

Dexterous

battle style for melee attacks and the

Flourished

battle style for spells; backwear, suitable for Sakurai Sato only)

Inventory:

Sapphire (Wind), Ether Core, Smoke Bomb x50

The Southwestern Enemies:

Juvenile Velociraptors

*Mob 3*

Type:

Ancient/Beast

Level:

6 (2*3)

Health:

51/51 (17*3)

Special I:

On the Hunt

- Deals the slowed-effect to the target and the hastened-effect to itself.

Special II:

Pack Hunter

- Another Juvenile Velociraptor is added to the mob. Used if already Hastened, as long as there are three or fewer Juvenile Velociraptors in the mob.

Special III:

Clever Girls

- The Juvenile Velociraptors sniff out their enemy's weakness, dealing double damage from then on to the Hero who rolled Special Damage. The Juvenile Velociraptors can only focus on one Hero at a time. Used when there are four or more Juvenile Velociraptors in the mob.

Drops

(varies by roll):

1-3: 6x Ancient Bone (Can be thrown at monsters to distract them for 3 turns. Worth nothing, except in magic shops where it is worth 50 gold.)

4-6: 3x Ancient Bone (Can be thrown at monsters to distract them for 3 turns. Worth nothing, except in magic shops where it is worth 50 gold.)

Juvenile Coelophysis Mob A

*Mob 3*

*Immune to Poisoned, Bleeding, Burning, Petrified, Minimized, and all damage-dealing effects*

Type:

Ancient/Vermin

Level:

3 (1*3)

Health:

6/6 hits (2 hits*3)

Special I:

Swarm

- The Juvenile Coelophysis Mob rushes into the party's Front Row, forcing the party into the Back Row until the Coelophysis Mob is defeated. While Swarming, the Coelophysis Mob deals and takes full damage from Heroes in the Back Row. Afraid will counteract the effects of Swarm.

Special II:

Cry for Help

- The Juvenile Coelophysis Mob calls for an additional member. Used when the Juvenile Coelophysis Mob is already Swarming.

Drops

(varies by roll):

1: Ancient Bone

2-4: 3x Bone

5-6: nothing

Juvenile Coelophysis Mob B

*Mob 3*

*Immune to Poisoned, Bleeding, Burning, Petrified, Minimized, and all damage-dealing effects*

Type:

Ancient/Vermin

Level:

3 (1*3)

Health:

6/6 hits (2 hits*3)

Special I:

Swarm

- The Juvenile Coelophysis Mob rushes into the party's Front Row, forcing the party into the Back Row until the Coelophysis Mob is defeated. While Swarming, the Coelophysis Mob deals and takes full damage from Heroes in the Back Row. Afraid will counteract the effects of Swarm.

Special II:

Cry for Help

- The Juvenile Coelophysis Mob calls for an additional member. Used when the Juvenile Coelophysis Mob is already Swarming.

Drops

(varies by roll):

1: Ancient Bone

2-4: 3x Bone

5-6: nothing

The Southwestern Party

Boris Bruhalv

(Waterbrick Down)

38 year old male vampire Cleric *Immune to

Stunned

and

Poisoned

*

*Secondary Party Leader*

Level 9

Power Bonus:

0

Defense:

2

(2)

Health:

15/17

(9+8)

Ether:

8/13

(5+8)

Gold:

103

Equipment:

Simple Mace (WP: 3, mace), Rusty Chainmail (SP: 2, Immune to Stunned and Poison)

Inventory:

Defender's Ring (Accessory, Rolls of "Heal Less" become "Heal"), Scroll of Sleep (Enables casting the asleep-effect to the target, forcing them to miss its turn for three rounds or until woken up by an attack. Each casting has a 50/50 chance of success and costs 1 ether.), 2 Potions, 2 Remedies, Phoenix Essence, 4 Tonics, 1x Sleep Bomb, 3x Blind Bomb, Military Grade Fire Bomb (Deals 10 Fire damage to all opponents when used), Military Grade Dirt Bomb (Deals 10 Ground damage to all opponents when used), Military Grade Holy Bomb (Deals 10 Holy damage to all opponents when used), Military Grade Lightning Bomb (Deals 10 Lightning damage to all opponents when used), Floral Bomb, Bone, Grating Stone, Crimson Scorpion Dagger (WP:5, deals

Cursed

; dagger),

Ezeran Yavarr

(MysticModulus)

42 year old male human mage

Level 2

Power Bonus:

0

Defense:

0

Health:

6/6

Ether:

5/6

Gold:

0

Equipment:

Ebony Scorpion Dagger (WP:5, deals

Poisoned-by-3

; dagger),

Inventory:

Staff infested with demonic slime (WP 3), 2x Potion, Emerald (Wood)

Torald Waruelf

(Alfadas)

20 year old male Human Barbarian

Level 2

Power Bonus:

0

Defense:

0

Health:

9/9

Gold:

10

Equipment:

Ebony Scorpion Spear (WP:5, deals

Poisoned-by-3

; spear),

Inventory:

Old and Rusty Greatsword (WP: 3), Potion, Mead, Tiger Balm, Fire Bomb,

Kheyli

(K-Nut)

327 years old female fairy Barbarian

Level 2

Power Bonus:

0

Defense:

0

Health:

9/9

Gold:

0

Equipment

: Rat Club (WP:5, deals

Afraid

to Vermin-type enemies and

Poisoned-by-1

to enemies of all types; club),

Inventory:

Barrager (WP:3 Greatsword), 3x Potion, Mead, Poison Bomb

Mac

(takes suggestions)

Has a 1/6 chance to grant Inspired

Has a 1/2 chance to grant Encouraged

Inventory:

3x Tonic, 3x Potion,

Note: Mac does not deal or take damage from enemies and cannot prevent Free Hits.

Party Leader, choose the order of action.

All of you, choose your targets and the row you want to fight in. Also mention if you want to try to flee, heal or cast a magic spell, or if you want to use an item instead of attacking.

Any enemy not targeted will get a Free Hit on the party after everyone has acted; each party's Free Hits are separate. Mobs get an extra Free Hit if there are more members of the mob than standing party members.

NOTE: Any party member can switch to the other half of the battle by spending a turn, but you will only get experience once during this dual battle.