Heroica RPG - Quest#87: The Marketplace Mystery

[-obelix-]

"Greetings to you, too, Master Elf! Always great to see our men out and about, although I'd prefer that you would refer to me as the Dragonlord. Not to be haughty, but to shield my identity from outsiders."

"I thought we were over this already. The Wolfgang already know of our true identities, and if they know, it doesn't matter who else knows. They have spies among our ranks just as we have in theirs."

"Bah, you always treat the Wolfgang as a huge threat to us, Jacq! This society needs some stirring, we've become too self-indulgent on this side of the Hovel Wall."

Thalion bowed, "I apologize, I didn't know. But you dont have to worry; from what I can remember, aside from our skirmish with them in the Hovels, I have had no connection to Wolfgang whatsoever."

The three Veterans raise their glasses and take long gulps.

"What comes to my precious Smaragdea, she's still moaning about her dwindling pile of gold, but at least there hasn't been any sightings of undead or demons around her lair anymore. You did well on that quest, you really did."

"But two archdemons still hide beneath our feet, I hear. The one called Abraxas has awoken long ago and has feasted on the souls that the treacherous Zed Ziegfried fed him to make him stronger, while the other one - Malirith, if I remember right - could wake up any day now if she already hasn't. Semiramis told us what the archdemons did to her land, and we will end up like Azzurat if we don't do something."

"Come on! We're here to drink, not to moan! We have an army of capable warriors ready to take down any threat necessary, isn't that right?"

The Copper Fox looks straight at Thalion and Monk Pretzel.

"Thank you, Dragonlord, it is good to hear no more troubles occurred. And as for Smaragdea, if you dont think this might insult her, here..." Thalion takes out a gold coin, "Give her this with my regards. It will not increase her hoard much, but, at least, it might amuse her for a moment."

He looked at Copper Fox, "Yes, you are right, we will do everything in our power should the two archdemons appear, and we will banish them, just as we did Mephisto! Or any other threat for that matter. Of that you can be sure!", and nodded firmly.

[Palathadric]

"Greetings to you, too, Master Elf! Always great to see our men out and about, although I'd prefer that you would refer to me as the Dragonlord. Not to be haughty, but to shield my identity from outsiders."

"A wise practice, Dragonlord."

"I thought we were over this already. The Wolfgang already know of our true identities, and if they know, it doesn't matter who else knows. They have spies among our ranks just as we have in theirs."

"They know? How strange that they would know when many heroes don't even know." I gaze steadily at the Copper Fox.

"Keep your mouth shut, Kukulkan, lest the Houses find out! They will cut our income as soon as they even think that Heroica might be swinging to the Wolfgang's side! And that will never happen as long as I'm a Veteran!"

"Well spoken!"

I pause as the talk turns to demons. "They can never beat us we will crush their power. It's been done before. Tales are not sung without reason. We are called heroes for a reason. It is a pleasure to make your acquaintance Dragonlord, Copper Fox." I nod respectfully towards the Dragonlord, but my eyes remain fixed on the Copper Fox as I bow.

[Sandy]

"Thank you, Dragonlord, it is good to hear no more troubles occurred. And as for Smaragdea, if you dont think this might insult her, here..." Thalion takes out a gold coin, "Give her this with my regards. It will not increase her hoard much, but, at least, it might amuse her for a moment."

The Dragonlord accepts the coin with a hearty laughter.

"Har har har! I'm sure Smar will get a good laugh out of this! I like you, Master Elf!"

The Veteran bumps Thalion's arm with his ironclad fist.

"They know? How strange that they would know when many heroes don't even know." I gaze steadily at the Copper Fox.

"Don't look at me! Like I said, they've got spies among us, but we are onto them as well. I've had to use all the connections I have, but I am pretty sure we know what they are up to now. Ulric is trying to rouse the common citizens to make him the king of this hill by introducing law and order instead of this chaotic situation we live in now. A foolish notion, if you ask me. I was born and raised in these streets, I know the eubricans will never accept any kind of king to tell them what to do!"

"You forget that a big portion of the citizens are not native ulanders. My kin are already whispering about the Wolfheaded Messiah to end our slavery at long last."

The debate continues as the heroes slip out of the tavern.

Party:

Monk Pretzel

(Palathadric) *Party Leader*

463-year-old male "hermit" Paladin

Level:

23 1/3

Power:

38

23 + 15

(+5, In the Front Row)

Defense:

9 (+5, in the Back Row)

Health:

44/44

9 + 11 + 22 + 2

Ether:

32/32

5 + 1 + 22 + 4

Gold:

487

Equipment:

Conspirator (WP; 15; deals "Blinded" effect; Longsword), Fashionable Shield (SP:7), Strategist's Shako (Suitable for anyone, +5 power while in the front row, +5 SP while in the back, headwear), Ethereal Cloak (Backwear; SP:2; Max Ether +4), Shackles of War (prevents anyone from fleeing battles; accessory)

Inventory:

The Muckraker (WP: 13;

Earth

,

Water

,

Wood

; deals "Weakened" effect; Greatsword), Heavy Flail (WP: 5; deals "Fragile" effect; Mace), Dual staff (WP:8;

Ice

,

Lightning

; Dual Strike), Flying Cross (WP:6;

Darkness

,

Fire

,

Wind

; Broomstick), Steak (WP:1, instantly kills vampires on successful hits, suitable for all), Impervious Shield (SP: 5; grants immunity to Fire), Bumble Fanshirt (SP:1, vermin with level less than half of the wearer's are scared and won't directly attack the wearer; bodywear), Soothing Slippers (Footwear, Meditate restores 5 ether),

Diamond

, Scroll of Blinding, Scroll of Sealing, Potion (2), Grand Potion (4), Ether Core (2), Remedy (5), Soma, Smelling Salts (2), Phoenix Essence (2), Phoenix Incense, Neutralizer, Grand Elixir (Restores full health and ether to target and remedies all negative effects), Venom (4), Deadly Venom (5), Paralyzing Venom (2), Smoke Bomb (2), Bone (3), Rito Feather (consumable, grants the hastened- and blessed-effects upon use for one battle), Bedroll, Pickaxe, Magic Shovel

(will always find

something

when used, limited to three uses per quest)

, Magnificent Magniscope (Magnifying Glass/Telescope)

Thalion Dwinlas (-obelix-)

213 years old male elf Sorcerer

Level:

22 1/3

*Immune to

Fragile

,

Sealed,

Poisoned

and

Badly Poisoned

*

Power:

35

(22 + 13)

Defense

: 7

(3 + 4)

Health:

30/30

(5 + 21 + 4)

Ether:

32/32

(5 + 21 + 1 + 5)

Gold

: 1

Equipment:

Alpha and Omega (WP:13, dual healing/spellcasting at the cost of 2 ether, staves), Robe of the Archmagi (SP:3, Max. Ether +5,

Immunity to

Se

aled,

bodywear

),

Emerald Hood (SP:4, Immunity to

Fragile,

headwear

)

, Sterile Gloves (

Immunity to

Poisoned

and

Badly Poisoned,

handwear

)

Inventory

:

Gems:

Zirconia (Gem containing all elements; cannot be merged into equipment), Amethyst (

Darkness

), Diamond (

Light

), Garnet (

Earth

), Opal (

Ice

), Aquamarine (

Water

), Topaz (

Lightning

)

Scrolls:

Scroll of Sealing, Scroll of Blindness, Scroll of Frailty, Scroll of Weakening

, Scroll of Confusion, Scroll of Sleep

Weapons:

Sleeper (WP:5, deals

Asleep

to enemies it hits, Hollow Upgrade [Grand Potion stored], melee/throwing weapon), Ratsbane (WP:10, absorbs 2 health on successful hits, dagger), Batarang (WP:13,

darkness

-elemental, throwing weapon),

Artifacts:

Duplovian Helmet of the Guard (SP:2, Immune to

Magic

and

Healing

,

headwear

), Cloak of Espionage (Allows the wearer to examine enemy stats before a battle,

backwear

), Snake Eye Charm (Protects from

Petrified

-effect,

accessory

), Bumble Fanshirt (SP:1, vermin with level less than half of the wearer's are scared and won't directly attack the wearer; bodywear),

Tools

: Magic Compass,

Shovel,

Bedroll

Consumables:

Copy of

The Eubric Herald

(Gives the target the

transcended

- and

inspired

- effects for the duration of one battle), Nostrum (3), Smelling Salts (3), Phoenix Essence, Elixir, Health Core, Potion, Grand Potion (3), Grand Tonic, Tonic, Ether Core, Remedy (2), Smoke Bomb, Bone

QM Note: Fin.