Heroica RPG - Quest #30: Ambassadors to Dastan

[Fugazi]

Galen had been lying eyes closed, fighting the strange urge to stab himself with his sword. But the witch's curse was now washing way, and the pain of too many burns becoming the foremost sensation in his body.

Someone was trying to force a bottle in his mouth, and Galen pushed the hand away. He opened his eyes and managed to croak a few words.

"Go away, away!"

Smoke was still drifting across the dark sky. He closed his eyes again. He wished he could sleep for days on end. There was no more quest, Emperor Rolando had fooled them. As for the assassins, they were someone else's problem. He wasn't going to associate himself with the heroes who almost took his life and pretend that nothing had happened. But that was a worry for another day. He drifted into a state of dreamy consciousness.

"Galen? Galen.... I'm.... I'm sorry."

Startled, Galen's eyes popped open again.

"Brianna?"

Nyx was standing over him, obviously as shaken as him if less bruised. Galen let out a long sigh. How could they erase what had just happened and meet again in Heroica Hall without feeling ashamed?

"I'm sorry too, we... we should have known better."

[Tanma]

IC: De'kra darted back to Galen, who had apparently refused the potion. De'kra shuddered, time was getting more unwoven. Not only did battles freeze long enough for long discussions, but events were happening out of order. First the commander's answers, then Galen's refusal, the time stream seemed unstable, but why?

The echo pushed those thoughts out of his head as he returned to Galen. "Nerwen still not conscience," he clicked, "Cronk not available, and you seem to be near death. I am no expert on human bodies, but you need to heal now."

There was a brief pause before De'kra whispered to himself in a sad tiny chirp, "Even if Constance was guilty, this was not worth it."

OOC: someone needs to make a quest relating to these problems with chronological order.

OOC: Don't worry, De'kra is just making sure everyone is okay. Then he will snap at Tarn/Tuyet.

[CorneliusMurdock]

Ouch. Cronk hopes Cronk never sees such a thing again.

Cronk will heal everyone. Cronk has enough ether.

How? How could friend Felton be so wrong?

[Zepher]

OoC: Could you bold actions for me, Tanma, so I know who actually got potions and how much to subtract from your total? Thank you! And thanks for the heads up, I'll fix Xander and Nyx in a few hours, but yes, assume their natural respite worked.

[Tanma]

OoC: Could you bold actions for me, Tanma, so I know who actually got potions and how much to subtract from your total? Thank you! And thanks for the heads up, I'll fix Xander and Nyx in a few hours, but yes, assume their natural respite worked.

OOC: De'kra, Nerwen, and Xander have been give potions, though Galen has refused his.

IC: The echo watched as Cronk healed everyone, though De'kra had alreay used three of his potions healing himself and others. As the heroes recovered De'kra clicked, "Thank you Cronk. Wh-what you think heroes should enact now?"

Edited June 7, 2012 by Tanma

[Fugazi]

Decidedly, the universe didn't want him to sleep.

"I'm all right De'kra, I'm not dying yet."

And to prove it, Galen stood up painfully.

"Let's see how Nerwen's doing."

How? How could friend Felton be so wrong?

"Friend? Let's see how long he remains in prison before judging if he's a friend or not. I still don't trust him."

[CMP]

Atramor continued to stare into the bleak darkness of Dastan, ignoring the dry air as it stung at his eyes. McCafferey landed once again upon his shoulder, and a shiver shot down his arm when she did so. Her comment hadn't been forgotten - it defined the atrocity of what they'd done, coming from her.

"You did get her."

"...The wrong person," was the low, muttering reply of his voice, though hers had been strictly mental. "I....I don't...I don't see how you could possibly see any good in this. I've...been aware you certainly ain't morally correct, but..."

"I seek not the deaths of anyone. My task is to see you through for what you're supposed to become, if you've forgotten."

"If...this...is what I'm supposed to be-"

"It is not. Think about it. Think about what she said to you, to all of the heroes. Don't lie, you feel no remorse for her death. It's the fact that you were so terribly wrong. But you cannot dwell on it. See the positive side of this," she whispered, quiet in his mind. "You've helped to destroy a massive threat to you and your friends, and she knew only pride for herself and Dastan, not safety and security. She knew she could not possibly succeed. And yet she attempted to remove you all anyway. Among this mess of violence, you have righted a blaring wrong. You cannot surrender yourself to emotions such as sadness, or regret. You must not falter, you must fight them. These people, however temporarily, expect you to lead them. Do it!"

Surely she was right. Constance was nothing more than a hindrance, a barrier for the heroes to overcome. And at last, they had. Turning back to the party, a smug, confident smirk on his face despite the ruinous situation and the rest of the heroes' mindsets, he seized the Dragon Commander's personal items, tossing the Mead and Nostrum to Tarn.

"Recompense, mate. Good throw, in any case."

He swung Dragon's Heart a few times. It was a nice blade, certainly, but others had greater need than he for it. Atramor's eyes slid down to the crooked hat of De'kra, and he offered the hilt of the broadsword to the creature.

"Er...ya' think ya' can hold a weapon like this, mate?"

Edited June 7, 2012 by CallMePie

[Professor Flitwick]

Thothwick, still helping Tarn, leaned to whisper in his ear.

"Look at him, Mr. Tarn. That poor, innocent woman isn't even cold in the ground, and the Witch has already bequeathed her possessions as he see's fit."

[Chromeknight]

Nerwen reached with her staff to distract Cronk and prevent him from attacking the dragon knight. Her thoughts were consumed by fear of the hurts the damage the party would taked. The powers within responded by channeling a wave of healing energy from her outstretched staff. Left a little light headed by the flow she barely registered a crackling ball of wood slammed into her stomach . A second later she connected the bang ofthe hand cannon with green an yellow gems on the handle, carried by the taciturn ranger, to the shooting pain spreading from her middle. The world turned faded. Nerwen wasn't sure if it was a trick of memory but she heard a much louder bang as she lay there. Waking, she came to with ears ringing and the steps of the barracks nearly unrecognisable. A crater now marred the steps and the body of Constance lay on the edge. Sitting slightly she overheard all that the men who rushed up, apparently another Emperor, said and the heard the cloaked rogue rushing around clicking as he went, clearly distressed.

Knowing that he was concerned by heroes falling in battle she began to speak, to reassure him, but the dust hanging in the air made her mouth dry and the words came out a cough, the cough triggered a wave of pain from where the cannonball struck her and she slumped back for a moment.

Then the light that she remembered came with Cronk's angel enveloped her. The sensation was different to her own healing power, more like the cold bright scouring light of a single trumpet note than the diffuse glow of massed cellos and oboes.*

She stood, restored to health and stepped to the rogue, placing a hand on his small shoulder and said, half blessing half command,

Peace.

*Yes, I know both those instruments are likely inappropriate for a faux medieval setting, that's why you're reading this note. But I chose them to communicate a sensation rather than indicate literal instruments and to not force you to look up obscure 13th C music to understand what Nerwen was experiencing.

Edited June 7, 2012 by Chromeknight

[Tanma]

IC: De'kra's eyes sparked a bright green, as his mind erupted in rage. That...witch...had suggested using that bomb, he knew what it could do! He was just as guilty as Tarn, the Nidhiki to his Tuyet. Was he trying to make things right? Because they were not going to make this right!

And most of all, De'kra didn't deserve that weapon. There was a part of his mind that must have known Constance was innocent of being a traitor, it didn't match her profile at all. It was just like Quest 4, only worse. She was too loyal to Dastan, and with a special like Deceive he should have known Felton couldn't be trusted, at least not fully. He had struggled to think of reasons not to attack, reasons to be neutral, but he had pushed the most obvious ideas away. Her hatred of outsiders had been a burning sensation to his ears, it was just like the callousness of the houses of Eubric. At some level in his mind, could he have registered that even if Constance was innocent, that it was better that she would be dead, like the house leaders? That even if she was innocent, she deserved to die? De'kra shuddered at that thought, that such coldness might lurk with him.

Taking the sword from Atramor, De'kra handed the Dragon's Heart to Galen. "I not deserve such power," he clicked to the room, "It should really go to leader of all of heroes, but he not skill in it's art. Galen stood by leader in battle, leader would prefer he have it. He deserve it far more."

De'kra noticed Nerwen touching him while saying something. "You alright?" he clicked with concern, "Potion and Cronk's power help?"

OOC: leader is Sarick by the way.

Edited June 7, 2012 by Tanma

[Fred Daniel Yam]

William stood there, calm and silent. The deaths of innocents no longer shook him. "Now what?"

[CMP]

Atramor couldn't help but glare as Dragon's Heart was passed onto Galen.

"That should be a spoil of victory, not a consolation prize...," he mumbled. "And I believe I was the architect of this triumph, not Sarick...but if that is what you want, De'kra, fine."

He crossed his arms, staring, annoyed, at Thothwick now.

"And where was our leader, eh? Off watchin' everyone else battle? At least they had the decency to fight for what they believed..."

[Fred Daniel Yam]

Atramor couldn't help but glare as Dragon's Heart was passed onto Galen.

"That should be a spoil of victory, not a consolation prize...," he mumbled. "And I believe I was the architect of this triumph, not Sarick...but if that is what you want, De'kra, fine."

He crossed his arms, staring, annoyed, at Thothwick now.

"And where was our leader, eh? Off watchin' everyone else battle? At least they had the decency to fight for what they believed..."

"Maybe. But he could be conflicted." I dig with my shovel.

[Professor Flitwick]

In response to Atramor's words, Thothwick stood up from Tarn's side.

"I knew that you, Witch, would consider the death of an innocent woman a triumph. As for where I was? Ha! You must surely be the only Hero in the whole of Eubric - Nay! The whole of Olegia! - who can insinuate indecency and cowardice because somebody chose not to partake in the death of an innocent woman! Why did I not fight? I couldn't be positive on who was correct, and didn't jump to conclusion that were juggling the lives of others. Maybe next you can start kidnapping children? You were her Talisman around your neck, you might as well start acting like her!"

[CMP]

"Well, you're doin' a mighty fine job of leadin' this party. Ain't a leader s'post to be respected, confident, and fight when it's well damn necessary? I would rather lead a party to bein' wrong rather than lettin' the problem resolve itself by sheer chance. And this Talisman? This Talisman is a memento of your failure. And unless I'm mistaken, it's not kidnappin' when the kid is willingly handed over."

Atramor cackles sharply, clearly getting a nice kick out of the Metasimian.

"Well, you're in charge now. What does our dearly beloved party leader want us to do now? Sit on our hands and wait for Wren to slaughter us?"

[Tanma]

IC: There was a freakish calm in De'kra's movements as his eyes alternated from an icy blue and a fiery green. But his voice began to build up in rage as he began to speak, "It was not necessary to fight like that. Group could have kill Constance if they had work together, or realize she innocent if they had thought harder about it. She zealot about Dastan, how could heroes think she was guilty of be traitor? It make no sense that she would aid outsiders like Wren. You know, I might have given sword to Cronk, and if he had refuse then Nyx. Karzahni I might have accept it if Nyx refuse! But not when battle end like that! That bomb was not necessary! But no, "heroes" decide to unleash whatever that weapon was rashly! That abomination was complete overkill, it knock out every hero and rip attackers to shreds! It was like unleash fireball to catch thief in crowd market. Oh it will catch thief, but it will cause massive unnecessary destruction to everyone and everything! It is slippery slope, try to win by any means necessary! And means were not even necessary here! Means were just "easier!" But that way it is in Olegais is not it? Who care if it not your problem, and who care who get hurt? Mercy and altruism myths at best here."

[Professor Flitwick]

"How, in the name of Orang Pendek, was this-" Thothwick's arms flail around, to indicate the entire room. "- 'necessary'? How can anybody prefer this chaos to be brought by their mistakes, rather than having it be sorted by others? Only you, Witch, who in all likelihood goes to the same Zoot-worshipping temple as Lady Wren, could mandate such a disaster. And, for your information, Baba kidnapped poor Master Ziegfried using the same methods Wren uses to achieve her goals, and the same methods you used to convince these heroes to join you: their slick and oily tongues, ensnaring our minds with the most destructive form of magic. How you've been able to be referred to as a 'hero' and sleep at night is beyond the comprehension of mere mortals."

Thothwick winced upon Atramor's laugh.

"Even your laughter is similar to Baba's. As for what we do next, is up for discussion. Thanks to your skills with mathematics, and the after effects of leading the charge against Constance, two of the people we were hired to protect are deceased. The other two, have been protected. The last remaining person is Mr. Phil. I'd assume - although I'm no smart and calculating Witch, so feel free to correct me here - we wait for when he requires protection. Seeing as you are so eager to be off, shall we go and see him now?"

Edited June 7, 2012 by Professor Flitwick

[CMP]

"You know what? You're both completely right. The bomb wasn't necessary. Let's reenact what would've happened if we hadn't've used it. I'll heal myself. Tarn, you hack Sarick's tail off. Cronk, decapitate Constance. William, put a bolt in Nerwen and Galen (who should be stabbin' Xander at this point). Nyx, start fryin' everyone. De'kra, you whine about not fighting amongst- oh, look, we already won. We would've ended with the exact same solution, it would've just taken longer.

You listen, ape. I don't worship Zoot, I've killed one of his minions before. You weren't there, you were gettin' your furry behind handed to you at the time. Don't give me any crap about the drinks, our noble party leader had nothin' to say 'bout it other than 'Oh, sure, okay, that's a good idea. Drink up, chaps!' I'm only eager to be off 'cause there ain't anythin' else to accomplish here.

And as for you, whatever the hell you are, little yellow-eyed thing, let's not forget that this whole Dastan mess goes back to your screw-up months ago. I'm not the only one who's made a mistake."

His fingers stretch, as if aching to start pulling a weapon, but Atramor remains motionless.

"I'm fine with waitin' for Phil's need for protection. Your one smart suggestion this whole damn quest..."

[Fred Daniel Yam]

"Can all of you just be quiet? Sheesh.... Do you have any idea how dysfunctional we were from the start? We have a lovesick "monkey", a "witch" who likes insulting others. A non-barbaric barbarian and a Battlemage who nearly KO'ed someone the last time she tried to heal someone."

[Rumble Strike]

Tarn watched as the heroes argued. He appreciated the presence of Thothwick, helping him stand. There was a part of his mind that insisted on thinking his party leader a coward for not taking a side. That part of his mind had helped cause this catastrophe, his need for action, to do something. He now knew that Thothwick was the bravest of all of them, he alone had the courage to stand up for what he believed in and not fight because he was not entirely sure wht was correct.

They had been so sure. Felton had been their ally, Constance an icy, demeaning hag. But Felton had been wrong. He had owned up to his crime, the ringleader of this disaster, but Tarn knew that he had been the instrument of their downfall. He should never have thrown that bomb. In his desire to bring this fight to a quick conclusion he had thrown away any kind of moral high ground that Rystael would have wanted him to take. He had failed himself, Heroica, these heroes present, and his old mentor. How could he go back to the Hall now? How could he call himself a hero?

Atramor handed him some spoils of the battle, but Tarn handed them back. "I will not profit from this massacre."

He spoke softly, unable to look any hero in the eye.

[Professor Flitwick]

"Fine. We wait."

"Can all of you just be quiet? Sheesh.... Do you have any idea how dysfunctional we were from the start? We have a lovesick "monkey", a "witch" who likes insulting others. A non-barbaric barbarian and a Battlemage who nearly KO'ed someone the last time she tried to heal someone."

"Don't you start with the name calling, Mr. Harkenshire, especially with something so racist as 'monkey'. I am a Metasimian, and will be addressed without such derogative racial epithets."

Edited June 7, 2012 by Professor Flitwick

[Fred Daniel Yam]

"Fine. We wait."

"Don't you start with the name calling, Mr. Harkenshire, especially with something so racist as 'monkey'. I am a Metasimian, and will be addressed without such derogative racial epithets."

"Fine then. Lovesick Metasimian."

[Tanma]

IC: De'kra's eyes flared, before they reverted to an icy apathetic blue. Finally he replied in a cold voice, "And that is point. I still feel guilty about I mistake, and I probably always will. You not seem to regret this at all. I know I not want to harm other heroes to great degree, and I know I talk a lot. I panic and I blame myself for mistakes others have made. I make rash decisions sometimes, and others pay price. I know I probably put too much faith in others, even after betrayals. I still put trust in people after all that happens in Eubric, Uland, and all of Olegaia. If demon came to I and said it want to help improve world, I might listen. Maybe that make I gullible. Or maybe it mean I not have to worry that I am alone."

OOC: Achievment unlocked: Self Awareness Level two. Learn a new personal pronoun!

Edited June 7, 2012 by Tanma

[Fugazi]

Taking the sword from Atramor, De'kra handed the Dragon's Heart to Galen. "I not deserve such power," he clicked to the room, "It should really go to leader of all of heroes, but he not skill in it's art. Galen stood by leader in battle, leader would prefer he have it. He deserve it far more."

Galen was taken aback by De'kra's offer. How could a rogue, or anyone for that matter, hold a weapon of such power and not want it for themselves? The witch certainly did, though allowing him to wield Constance's weapon would be blasphemous.

But would Galen, who only had a throwing dagger to his name, carry the curse of Constance? For it was a curse -- to him. There was no longer a sponsor nor a reward for his party in Dastan. He had planned to heal his wounds then walk away, resume the search for the sister he had lost. Sarick and the rest of the party wouldn't miss him, seeing that he barely scratched an enemy during the whole quest, and got nearly killed three times.

However, he could not walk away from Dastan with Constance's sword. The Dragon's Heart had to protect Dastan and avenge Constance's futile death. If it meant going after the remaining Assassins with the same heroes who threw a bomb at him mere moments ago, would Galen be up for it? Would he find it in is heart to forgive them and team up with them again? And more importantly, would he postpone again his own quest to help these foreigners embroiled in their petty wars?

"Keep the sword tonight, De'kra. If I'm still here in the morning, you are free to offer it to me again, if you so wish. If I'm gone, then I wish you luck. And success."

[CMP]

Atramor sighs.

"Ya'll act like that thing's a curse. If neither of you want it, give it to Cronk, he don't strike me as the type to believe in that sorta junk."