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Heroica RPG - Quest #140: Requiem for a Machine

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At midday, Eubric's summer was nearing its peak. The sun was high up in the sky overlooking Sungold Hill, casting a very warm light over nearly the entire city. The streets on this particular side were nearly deserted...only further up the hill did the Hinckwells own any property, and maintain its own holdings meticulously. It was near one of Eubric's long-defunct shops that four heroes had been told to meet, for a job they may not have quite understood yet for people they didn't quite know.

Party

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Mortimer "Em" Mahzan (emjajoas)

Unknown age human male Warden *Immune to Electricity, Fire, Water, and Ice* *Half damage from elemental attacks* *Party Leader*

Level 24

Power Bonus: 5

Defense: 28

Health: 44/44

Gold: 304

Equipment: Tritech Handcannon (WP:16, permanent poisoned 17, cursed), Vigilant (SP 12, halved damage from elemental attacks, immune to Electricity, Fire, and Water; shield), Iron Knuckle Armour (Body, foot, and hand wear. Counts as one artefact. Usable by knights and dragoons. SP: 10. Cannot be removed by enemies), Anniversary Medal (Artefact/Accessory, Power +3, SP +3, Max. Health +3, Max. Ether +3. The values will increase by 1 with each passing year), Frost Helm (SP: 3, immune to ice, suitable for anyone, headwear)

Inventory:

Weapons: Blazing Bow (WP: 14, Fire-elemental), Doppelganger (WP:10, Retribution: The user inflicts any negative effects he or she has on the target enemy on successful hits; longsword), Balanced Main-Gauce (WP: 10, Riposte has a 1/6 chance of instantly killing the/each target, dagger, suitable only for marauders), Crescent Shield (SP: 5, halved damage from elemental attacks, shield), Carpenter's Gloves (Enhancement is automatically successful, traps deal double damage, handwear, suitable for artisans)

Consumables: Health Core x5, Potion, Remedy, Mead, Venom, Phoenix Esssence (3), Ambrosia (4), Mulled Wine (2), Feather of Flight (Allows the user to flee from the battle when used.), Nostrum, Smelling Salts, Elixir, Bone, Smoke Bomb (5), Floral Bomb (2), Ice Bomb (2), Lightning Bomb (2), Fire Bomb, Water Bomb (2), Holy Bomb (2), Dirt Bomb (2), Air Bomb (2), Chaotic Bomb (100 random elemental damage to all opponents)

Misc: Bedroll (2), Shovel, Pickaxe, Telescope, Reaper's Heart, Mythril Shard (1), Amethyst, 5 Silver Ore (Worth 60 gold), Oath of Renewal (When the targeted enemy is killed, the Vindicator regains full health. Oath, suitable for vindicators)

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Annienal Anavir (Kintobor)

"19" year old elven female Mystic Knight *Bonaparte Reputation* *Immunity to Earth and Fragile* *Takes half damage from elemental attacks*

Level 15

Power Bonus: 0

Defense: 10

Health: 30/30

Ether: 19/19

Gold: 20

Equipment: Bonaparte Cutlass (WP:9, doubled if the user has reputation among the Bonapartes; longsword), Crescent Shield (SP: 5, Halved Damage from elemental attacks; shield),

Heavy Armour (SP: 5, immunity to fragile, body wear, suitable for barbarians, knights, dragoons, skirmishers, regulators, and vindicators), Locustoid Greaves (Max Ether +4, immune to Earth, suitable to ether users, hand wear)

Inventory: Ammit (WP: 6; greatsword, user gains 5 ether for every kill), Anointed Gladius (WP: 8, deals damage undead; great sword) Wicked Javelin (WP: 7, throwing weapon, retrievable, 1/6 chance to slow), Sanctified Rito Longsword (WP: 4, Hits doubled against flying enemies, longsword), Training Sword (WP:4), Shark’s Tooth (Power increased by 5 against Aquatics, Accessory), Tridentian Cape (Max Ether +3; protects from Blinded effect; suitable for mages, clerics, necromancers and scholars; backwear), Lethauros Fellwings (SP: 3, wearer is immune to Sudden Death, backwear), Tobacco Pouch (1/2 Chance of Blinding with attacks, accessory), Helmet (Max Health +1, headwear), Pauldrons (SP: 2, suitable for knights, dragoons, and skirmishers; accessory), Plain Shield (SP: 5), Lethauros Mask (SP: 2, wearer deals double damage to Beasts and Vermin, headwear, suitable to everyone)

Emerald (Wood), Sapphire (Wind), Aquamarine (Water), Amethyst (Darkness)

Consumables: 3x Potions, Grand Potion, Field Rations (Restore 15 health), 2x Phoenix Essences, 4x Remedies, Mead, Venom, Smoke Bomb, Fire Bomb, Bedroll, Shovel, Telescope, Pickaxe, x2 Grand Tonics

Scrolls: Scroll of Fire Warding (1/2 chance to make the target immune to fire for the duration of one battle at the cost of 1 ether), Scroll of Ice Warding (1/2 chance to make the target immune to ice for the duration of one battle at the cost of 1 ether), Scroll of Water Warding (1/2 chance to make the target immune to water for the duration of one battle at the cost of 1 ether), Scroll of Wood Warding (1/2 chance to make the target immune to wood for the duration of one battle at the cost of 1 ether)

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Calamity (Scubacarrot)

24 year old human Mage

Level 5

Power bonus: 2 (spell)

Health: 9/9

Ether: 9/9

Gold: 121

Gold: 81

Equipment: Skull-Topped Staff (WP: 3, staff), Gold skin Gloves (Spell power +2, Usable by mages, Handwear)

Inventory: Bedroll, 4x Potion, 3x Tonic,4x Remedy, Scroll of Blindness (Enables casting the Blinded-effect to the target, making it unable to use a physical attack for the next three rounds. Each casting has a 50/50 chance of success and costs 1 ether.), Amethyst

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Keliim (Mencot)

35 years old male human Barbarian

Level 9

Power Bonus: 0

Health: 16/16

Defense: 2 (doubled against free hits)

Gold: 37

Equipment: Dwarven Orichalcum Axe (WP: 5), Heroic Helm (Headwear, SP:2, Helm's SP doubles on free hits)

Inventory:

Order Imperial Longsword (WP: 5),Really Hard Helmet (SP: 2, Immunity to Rock), Королева's Blessing (When equipped the player gains the ability to Animal Speak to Spiders only, and all spiders are Enamored with him for the first three rounds of battle, accessory), Scarab Shield (SP3 Shield, bearer takes half damage from vermin)

Consumables: x10 Potion, Grand Potion, 3X Mead, 1X Smelling salt, 2X Smoke Bomb, 1X Poison, 1X Dirt Bomb.

Misc: Shovel, 2X Obsidian Shard: may be affixed to a blunt weapon to give the Bleeding 2 effect for one battle. 2X Charion beetle horn. 1 X Crystal Shard(treasure item, worth 20 gold)

It took some time, but eventually these four heroes fathered in the specified location at the specified time. They weren't being shot at, so apparently they had followed the quest note's directions. The storefront of the old bookstore stood in front of them, the heat and relative emptiness of the street they were in dissuading most others wandering around Eubric to find their way down this particular path. Scattered bricks and loose cobblestones told them it had been in a state of disrepair for some time...yet the heavy, metal-plated, reinforced door in front of them told them something was going on inside.

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What would the party do?

Welcome to the quest everyone. :sweet: Please finish making any Marketplace purchases before posting here, and let me know if there's anything wrong with your stats. :thumbup:

Edited by CallMePie

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Stats look good to me.

Mortimer nods in greeting to his fellow questmates, rubbing a nervous thumb under his eyepatch and pushing a shaky hand through his hair.

"Be on your guard, Heroes," he mutters cryptically, glancing at each of them in turn. Perhaps it would be best not to go into too much detail-- he wouldn't want too much unrest between his new employers and his comrades. He didn't trust the Crimson Crown, but their job seemed... benevolent enough.

He stood by the door, ready to knock thrice and call 'festina lente' as instructed-- but he flinches in surprise when he realizes he hasn't introduced himself. He bows his head again. "I'm Mortimer. Em. Whichever works."

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OOC: Stats have been updated. Bought two grand tonics, and I should be at 20 gold. Other than that, things look good. Thanks for having me aboard, Pie! :thumbup:

Annienal makes her way down the appointed street. The quietness wasn't something she was used to in the city. She felt a little saddened by the dilapidated book store, wondering what it was like when it was open. She notices the eye patched man standing at the door. She didn't recall meeting or seeing anyone like him, and began to introduce herself.

"Um... hi, Mortimer. My name is Annienal. I really like your armour." Annienal points out, it's glossy sheen attracting her eye. She'd be as ready as she would ever be.

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Thanks for having me, I had a visit to the marketplace. :sweet:

Gold: 81

Equipment: Skull-Topped Staff (WP: 3, staff), Gold skin Gloves (Spell power +2, Usable by mages, Handwear)

Inventory: Bedroll, 4x Potion, 3x Tonic,4x Remedy, Scroll of Blindness (Enables casting the Blinded-effect to the target, making it unable to use a physical attack for the next three rounds. Each casting has a 50/50 chance of success and costs 1 ether.), Amethyst.

One moment they are waiting for her, and the next Calamity seemed to have popped up behind the other heroes.

"Heya. I'm Calamity. Crimson crown, huh, I wonder if they are as evil as everyone seems to say they are..." The mage mused. "Festina Lente... What do you reckon it means?" She asks her questmates.

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Stats look good. Thanks for having me on this quest.

The weather was fine, warm but almost too hot for the barbarian who was more used to a highland climate. As he walked through the streets of Eubric towards the rendezvous point, he watched the quiet streets. He could feel something following him but he just kept walking.

When he had walked for a while and closed in on Sungold Hill, he could see the same wolf that he had meet in the forest a few weeks earlier. Running besides him on the other side of the street, the big man stopped and looked on the direwolf puppy. It also stopped and glanced down on Keliim, he walked over to it and bent down to pet it. It was a healthy looking direwolf puppy, with silvergrey skin and a whitesilvery mane.

Again it looked Keliim in the eyes and it felt like it tried to say something but keliim couldn´t understand. "Good boy, I woult hope I wouldst understand thee." He kept peting it but suddenly he heard a noice coming up the street and Keliim turned his head in that direction, when he turned back the wolf was gone, again like the last time.

He stood up and started walking again, after awhile he arrived at the the house and he could see that the other three were already there.

There was Calamity and the shy elf in her elven, "too polished" armor. The third one, a human male also in shinning armor was someone Keliim had not meet or seen before.

"Hello to thy aw. My nam is Keliim and it seems that we all art here now. I am ready so shall we not knock on the door and see what happen?

Or does someone still wanna say or do something else?

Edited by Mencot

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Annienal moves her helmet's visor down as Kellim approaches.

"Festina Lente... What do you reckon it means?" She asks her questmates.

"Make haste slowly... I think." Annienal replies. Calamity gave Annienal the creeps. No right minded person ran around with a skull on a staff.

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Nodding to the party, Mortimer gives the reinforced door three swift knocks and calls the phrase "Festina lente."

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Nodding to the party, Mortimer gives the reinforced door three swift knocks and calls the phrase "Festina lente."

There was no indication Mortimer's knocking or voice even sounded through the thick door, but eventually a shrill, gravelly voice echoed back at the party.

"Password accepted! But what is second password, hmm?"

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Mortimer felt the hair on the back of his neck prickle. His eyebrows pushed towards eachother. They were only told to repeat the phrase, so--

"Festina lente?"

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Keliim looked as confused as the others about this. He had a feeling to answer the voice "What password? We art here, Open the freaking door!"

But he just made a grin with his mouth, shock his head and raised his hands.

Edited by Mencot

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Annienal began to flip through her journal before speaking towards the door.

"Um... we were only told to repeat that phrase, along with the knock... the original request was sent by Avina Truenal, Secta Fames, representative of the Order of the Crimson Crown... um... please?"

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"Festina lente?"

"BWAMP!!! WRONG!!! OPEN FIRE!!!"

There's a long pause. Nothing happens.

"Aha! Just kidding! Oh, Razkor wishes he could see look on heroes' faces. They say the password, but then man-behind-door says there is two but then the- ow! Okay! Razkor is opening door, no need to hit Razkor."

The sound of a lock being undone is just barely audible behind the door...then another...then another...and soon enough to latch goes slack, and the door swings open. A sharply-dressed hobgoblin in red and black and white gloves is standing behind it, sizing up the heroes.

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"Oh mages. Well okay, Razkor in no position to question Alchemaster's decisions...welcome to the outpost heroes. For now...now that you are here Razkor must help pack everything." The hobgoblin sighs. "And here Razkor was thinking important things to be done! No, just packing fancy drapes and banners. Well okay. It will help the cause. Come in please."

It's a reasonable guess that the bookstore didn't always look like the place the heroes stepped into - immaculately clean, full of people in red and black, with their masks mounted on small stands. The Crimson Crown followers didn't seem particularly intimidating without them.

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"Um... we were only told to repeat that phrase, along with the knock... the original request was sent by Avina Truenal, Secta Fames, representative of the Order of the Crimson Crown... um... please?"

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"Oh yes, Razkor knows. Razkor just messing around with heroes. Avina is waiting for you just over there."

Edited by CallMePie

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Annienal feels her heart sink when she see the state of the bookstore, now refurbished into some kind of base for the Crimson Crown. She at least hoped the books were alright.

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"Oh yes, Razkor knows. Razkor just messing around with heroes. Avina is waiting for you just over there."

Annienal frowns, although it was hard to tell due to her helmet being down.

"Well I didn't find it funny..."

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Annienal frowns, although it was hard to tell due to her helmet being down.

"Well I didn't find it funny..."

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"Eh, Razkor has refined sense of humor. Pretty elf not understand."

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"Great," Em mutters, his face a frown. He recognized them.

Mortimer strides towards the Crimson Crown followers, nodding in polite greeting, though his face still a scowl. "Let's get down to business. I know you're about that."

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Keliim walks in through the door and past the hobgoblin...

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"Oh yes, Razkor knows. Razkor just messing around with heroes. Avina is waiting for you just over there."

"Ah, Goblin humour."The big man lets out a loud sarcastic laugh.

"It be always good with a littl' laugh, Good one."

As Keliim steps forwards, he looks for the Avina person. He nods to the Crimson Crown members as he walks. But he keep thinking what kind of a bunch this is. Fancy and smart dressers, with their similar red, black and white cloths.

Hopefuly there won't be too much of any lawless activity that would conflict with the oath Keliim had made to fight the evil and protect the innocent and defenceless.

He whispers to Em, "what dos thou knowst 'bout this Crimson Crown?"

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"I know they're not to be trusted," Mortimer whispers back. "They're a cult; their goal is to 'improve the world.' They want to slay the Gods and wipe out magic, if they can. I don't understand them."

He shakes his head, sighing. "Watch your back here."

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"What's wrong with mages?" Calamity asks in general.

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"Oh nothing! Usually. Mag-ic is the problem." The hobgoblin furrowed his brow. "Razkor's village wiped out by crazy mage in civil war. Few mages in Goblonia, but one was enough to destroy whole village. Mage was killed, but too late for village. Razkor not think anyone needs that kind of power. Too much bad to be done. Not enough good to be worth it."

Keliim walks in through the door and past the hobgoblin...

"Ah, Goblin humour."The big man lets out a loud sarcastic laugh.

"It be always good with a littl' laugh, Good one."

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"Heh, Razkor thought so!"

"Great," Em mutters, his face a frown. He recognized them.

Mortimer strides towards the Crimson Crown followers, nodding in polite greeting, though his face still a scowl. "Let's get down to business. I know you're about that."

The woman near the back walks over to the party.

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"You wouldn't be here if we weren't."

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"All here, Avina."

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"Good. I think we're going out on a limb working with Heroica, but it's not exactly up to me...then again, you did prove you were practical enough to see the benefits before." She gave Em a glance, then turns to the rest of the heroes. "But I imagine most of you don't know who we are. I am Avina."

"We serve the Order of the Crimson Crown. It's been around for a very long time, to say the least. As you might've guessed, we've dedicated ourselves to the removal of magic and 'advanced' technology from the world. And before you ask, no, we're not committing genocide on all the mages of the world. Some of you have decent intentions. Others, however, do not, and as Razkor has said, they are a serious threat to everyone around them. How many times has Heroica fought mages or wizards, toying with things they don't understand or merely gone insane with their own power?"

"Magic itself is something we don't understand. Festina lente - "make haste slowly." Mortalkind has been crippled by relying too much on magic, and on technology we shouldn't even have yet. Uland wouldn't've had half its landmass sunk if it weren't for mages, and the demons overunning Nu Mercution. A lot of trouble could've been spared in Nu Mercution if it weren't for those shades and that device we helped Heroica destroyed....sure, you heroes eventually gets called out to take care of some of these problems...how many people die before they get solved? We're working to prevent things like this happening in the first place."

"We've fought with Heroica on several occasions...typically, however, that's been dealing with Secta Halosis. We're divided into three branches: Secta Halosis, Secta Bellum, and Secta Fames. On occasion we get grouped together for assignments, but for the most part each sect handles its own work. And we tend to have...different methods."

"Secta Halosis and its leader, the Cardinal, sees everyone and everything as a potential threat to our goals, so it's only natural she and Heroica have clashed in the past. They handle secrecy and intelligence, placing diplomats, eliminating high risk threats."

"Secta Bellum is lead by the Scar. They handle problems that can only be handled with force, and yet they're not unreasonable. The Scar is one of our oldest members, and he knows better than to make an enemy out of everyone."

"Alchemists, scientists, and scholars make up Secta Fames. Which I'm a part of, under the Rose....the one who thinks we can successfully ally with Heroica."

She crosses her arms, tilting her head towards the door.

"I'm happy to answer your questions, but if you're getting any ideas of stabbing us in the back because of our goals, you may as well leave now, before I start detailing the current assignment. I know some Heroicans like to stick to their morals, and it certainly might look like we're a group of fanatics, but we've done a lot more good than you might think."

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Mortimer crosses his arms and shakes his head, frowning. "Senseless violence is useless. You won't find my knife between your ribs. One question, though-- what's the tie between the three branches? You have some sort of... overlord? Or just the same ideals?"

He glances past Avina, jerking his chin upwards in greeting to the man with the metal eyepatch. "How's the leg?"

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"I, um, think if I wanted to kill anyone, I would've done so already." Annienal replies, looking around at the Crimson Crown individuals. "Any possibility any of the books in here managed to, um... get salvaged? More importantly are they in your possession?" Annienal inquires, a look of hope in her eyes.

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Mortimer crosses his arms and shakes his head, frowning. "Senseless violence is useless. You won't find my knife between your ribs. One question, though-- what's the tie between the three branches? You have some sort of... overlord? Or just the same ideals?"

He glances past Avina, jerking his chin upwards in greeting to the man with the metal eyepatch. "How's the leg?"

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"We have a leader. We're all part of the Crown. We have the same goal, and sometimes we work together. Like with those shades."

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"Healing up. Maybe a month or so now, got mashed up pretty bad in that collapse. We never did get introduced. I'm Paul." The man shifts on his crutch and offers Mortimer his free hand. "I probably would've died down there if it weren't for you. Glad you're working with us...and I'm glad to hear you nailed that bastard you were after."

"I, um, think if I wanted to kill anyone, I would've done so already." Annienal replies, looking around at the Crimson Crown individuals. "Any possibility any of the books in here managed to, um... get salvaged? More importantly are they in your possession?" Annienal inquires, a look of hope in her eyes.

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"Magic can corrupt anything. Even heroes. Or maybe the majority of your organization six years ago dropped dead of their own accord..."

"We didn't burn them, if that's what you're asking...the non-magical ones, anyway. The common books were sold off. A few of the older tomes are being stored in the Library of Eternity, a receptacle of knowledge that's remained untainted for longer than you can imagine." Avina frowned a bit. "Knowledge has to be preserved, that's something we value very, very highly, but you have to understand some of it is simply too dangerous to be allowed to exist."

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"Oh yes, just imagine of more Pandemonicons lying around...very bad thoughts, Razkor thinks."

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"Indeed. We did our part trying to hunt those things down. Undoubtedly a few still slipped away from our sight, though..."

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"How exactly, do you plan on removing magic from this world?"

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"The Crown isn't betting on one big ridiculous scheme to work out, and then pop, all the magic is gone. All we have to do is erode its influence over the world."

"All that takes is time...and we've been around for a while. And we're not going anywhere anytime soon."

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"Magic can corrupt anything. Even heroes. Or maybe the majority of your organization six years ago dropped dead of their own accord..."

"We didn't burn them, if that's what you're asking...the non-magical ones, anyway. The common books were sold off. A few of the older tomes are being stored in the Library of Eternity, a receptacle of knowledge that's remained untainted for longer than you can imagine." Avina frowned a bit. "Knowledge has to be preserved, that's something we value very, very highly, but you have to understand some of it is simply too dangerous to be allowed to exist."

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"Oh yes, just imagine of more Pandemonicons lying around...very bad thoughts, Razkor thinks."

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"Indeed. We did our part trying to hunt those things down. Undoubtedly a few still slipped away from our sight, though..."

Annienal heaves a sigh of relief. "Sorry, um, I was maybe hoping one or two were left. I like to read... a lot." Annienal shudders at the mention of the Pandemonicon. "However, I think I can go without reading that particular tome."

"So... as fascinating as all this is, I'd like to hear why we're here, and how we're helping you're organization. I believe there was a Eubric Knight involved in all this?" Annienal inquires. "I mean... if Mortimer and everyone else is ready to go..."

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