CMP

"Their agenda is the same. Generally speakin'. If each representative is doin' somethin' different, nobody's toes are gettin' tread on. There's no way to tear eachother down because nobody has power over the others, there's no point since every seat is equal, and everyone is servin' the city, not themselves. There is no independence to be maintained, mate, that's the whole point, because nobody is separate. There are no factions or guilds in this plan." "The problem with the Houses is that each one was its own deal, with their own interests. This ain't that. This is eight people, each responsible for a different function of Eubric. It's not different factions, it's pieces of one faction." "Where else are they gonna go? What else are they gonna do? We're leavin' 'em in an impossible position. They put aside their differences and work with us, or the Bonapartes basically cease existin'."

"No factions. I'm thinkin' everyone has a say in fillin' empty seats. That way just because there's, say, a Shadeuax on the council doesn't mean they have to be replaced by another one." "Public works is, I dunno, buildin's, park, city stuff."

Atramor scratches his chin, trying to ignore the din under the saloon, for a moment. In his mind, there was no approaching them until they had a solid plan. Finally, he plants his hands on a table. "I think Hoke's found the compromise we need, mates." He then starts gesticulating and pointing at the tabletop wildly, as if it improved his point. "Military defense, business, magic nonsense, science nonsense, foreign stuff, the Watch, public works or whatever, and last but ain't least, a man of the people." Atramor jerks his thumb back at Ulric. "That makes eight. There's our council. And they can elect whoever they damn well please to step down from their council position...if they are one....and be the face of Eubric. I don't like the idea of callin' 'em a king, but...whatever suits the council's fancy. And Heroica stays neutral. We cut ourselves off from the politics, and remain unaffiliated. If anyone suspects corruption, they report it to us. And we deal with it. Like we do." "Every angle's covered as far as the city's concerned. There's people checkin' eachother's power, but if things come to a standstill, there's one leader 'round to break deadlocks. And Heroica doesn't have to get caught up in the politics." "This sound agreeable? Anyone got anythin' else they wanna add?"

"Best idea I've heard so far."

"That's why we don't do groups. We put people on the damn thing, people the city needs to keep it runnin', the people that risked their damn lives fightin' for it. We make sure the common folk have a voice this time, we make sure the Watch has a voice and isn't just a tool, and we kill the whole rivalry thing by makin' sure each person focuses on its own thing, for example, let's have one person representin' the business end of the city and not two competing merchant groups." "This council forces 'em to work together instead of against eachother. That part is pretty damn important."

"Ulric's popular support is the Hovels. There's a lot of people there, but it ain't the whole city. And, honestly?" "Hoke's right. There's a balancin' act. There needs to be someone stickin' up for the common folk and payin' the bills and runnin' the businesses. We just need to be careful about exactly who's doin' those things. We're Heroica, mate. We're the only people that get to see both sides of the coin. We're damn familiar with how rich and backwards the Houses were but also with how the people suffer under 'em." "Let's say half the city supports Ulric because he looks out for 'em. And let's say the richer half want the Houses back because they make 'em money. Eubric can't get better without Ulric, but it can't function without stable money. Somethin' is gettin' lost if we put things up to a vote, and I'd rather strike a middle ground here." "We have perspective nobody else does because we've seen the best and the worst of the city." "I still don't think heroes should be on this council. I think we just need to get this damn thing set up and then wash our hands of it. I wanna give this city some damn direction because it damn well needs it right now, then have Heroica be its damn own thing. I don't see what's so damn complicated about that," grumbles Atramor. "You're wastin' your breath unless you have a name in mind. And I don't think that's how kings work. They are in charge, period. Nothin' stops a corrupt ruler but force. It's too much power. I again point you to Azzurat. Not even that king's wife, the damn Oracle, was able to stop him when he sunk the entire kingdom into the desert. He just did it." "Still dont' think Heroica needs to be involved any more than it was in the past. Call us mercenaries, call us a public service, I don't care, but if we're gonna keep bein' friggin' unkillable problem-solvers the least we can do is not be biased about it."

Wow that's accurate.

"Nobody here wants to rule. Or deal with this nonsense at all, really. But I've seen too many problems in this city crop up because the people in charge were corrupt morons. If we sit here twiddlin' our thumbs things are just gonna slide back to the way they used to be." "Fate of the city's sittin' in front of us. May as well try and do somethin' with that chance." "Why do ya' even get off callin' us politicians anyway? Half the quests I've been on is gettin' sent to some foreign country and makin' choices there are people much better qualified to make. Our whole job is to try fixin' things. Sometimes that's easy. We kill bad guys and get paid. And sometimes it ain't that easy. This ain't one of the easy times. But at the end of the day we're just tryin' to fix somethin'." "I used to get to ignore the complicated stuff. If any of ya'll wanna stick your heads in the ground and do that, that's fine by me, but maybe if we do somethin' now half our job won't be cleanin' up bad guys across our street later."

Nobody is that cruel. EDIT: Just spent about an hour looking through that quest. Interesting how hindsight works, it was a railroad-y, dialog-overloaded quest and it no longer surprises me how it managed to finish off any enthusiasm I had for Heroica at the time. I was not in a great place at the time. But the part that gets me now is how damn close to the end we were. My most stressful point was this understatement of the century: The quest didn't exist!!! For like a month! We were halfway through the quest and literally everything I had written was gone. Managed to recover it later but a decent chunk of the quest was me just trying to remember justification for characters' actions. It was already convoluted as hell, then I lost the whole friggin' document explaining to myself why.

Atramor's eyes drift towards the barstool at the very end of the counter, lingering for a long while before turning down to the nearly-drained rum in hand. He slowly lifts the glass up to his lips and takes one long sip. It feels like an eon passes before he sets the empty bottle down on the table. It takes a few moments of quiet contemplation, but then he catches the warped reflection of Petaldan and Ezeran in the glass. Another cluster of seconds pass, and the rogue suddenly breaks out into an unconscious smirk, then a chuckle. "Holy Hel mate, don't say that, it makes us sound older'n Boomin'ham."

"That was before I saw the mess you left on the deck. There's three dragon corpses tangled up in the starboard rigging - how does that even happen?" "Probably for the best things get shaken up. Maybe with the Bonies out of the picture I can actually start getting business going again. The plan was to lay low after the thing with the Commodore, but when word got to us about one of your Veterans biting it I figured it'd do us more harm than good staying away. Looks like I was right, but I suppose they had us pegged as troublemakers as soon as we hit port. Anyhow. That all sounds well and good as long as this council doesn't interfere with things the way the Houses did. I was born in the Hovels, and I'm more than happy to help if it puts a stop to nonsense like the wall."

"You say that like it can avoided. You put one person above everyone else, sooner or later someone'll happen along that abuses that. And you're gonna say that it's worth it, that all the good you and whatever other kings are 'round 'fore that will make up for it. It won't. You leave all the power with one person, there's no one to stop them when things go bad. And they will go bad." "What if Eubric did have a king when all this went down? We would've had to fight a Eubric that was completely and totally united under one banner. I don't think that's a fight even we would've won. You split the power, it's easier to cut out the corruption. " "I get it, mate. I do. But this ain't about provin' a point. This is about makin' sure good people, or people that can become good people, don't die before their time." Another unlikely visitor invading the hall eyed Arthur warily as he sorted out his gear. She then stepped forward off the staircase, marching towards the skirmisher importantly, in a huff and covered head-to-toe in white splinters. "Huh. You've become a walking armory since the last time I saw you, Arthur. I don't know if that's an upgrade or what. Really, though. Good for you. You got your Hall back. Lovely. Compliments. Small talk. Et cetera. Et cetera. Who's paying for my ship?" she asked, quite bluntly, arms crossed. "Looks like the Magpie got you to that Fort - which was a lovely sight, I'll admit so I'll let you off for a hundred or so - and then a hold-full of up-and-comers back, all safely. And you did save me and most of my crew, again, so yes, perhaps I do owe you. A bit. But gratitude isn't gonna fix my ship." "And neither is...whatever all this is. Are you all talking politics in here, Rone? Ah, I knew I had a bad feeling about walking in here, but this is worse than I imagined..."

Atramor crossed his arms. "People like you, mate. The problem with the Houses was that they were all large and in charge, even the ones that started up elsewhere. Decades or centuries of bein' rich and bein' powerful. But look what just happened. Shadeaux lost everythin', and nearly lost their lives, too. Their youngest kid was out there riskin' her life with the rest of us. The Ziegfrieds nearly got evicted, but helped us anyway. The Bonies just lost their seat of power, the Hinckwells and the Guild are in pieces, and the Watch is gonna be tryin' to piece together what just happened for weeks. Those Lion Knights outta Bric'bay? Even they showed up." "Eubric just got upended. Ya' know that. That's why you're here: make your play while ya' have the chance. The city's ready for change. It doesn't have a choice in the matter anymore, Rosier made sure of that. We're not buildin' new Houses to take control, we're puttin' together everyone that have proved they are willin' to fight for what's best for Eubric. Will they always agree on what that is, hell no. But each of 'em need a voice. And this time? The common folk will have a voice too: you." "I've seen kingdoms. I've seen empires. Dastan. Xu. Strivvi. Azzurat. Know what every single one had in common? They each only needed one bad guy sittin' on a throne for everythin' to go to hell. We set up a single leader, it will happen. Sooner or later. Believe me when I say this, mate. This whole situation here was real damn bad. But you haven't seen just how far a nation can fall under one bad king. That's all it ever takes. Neither of us might live to see it. But it will." The rogue looked down into the depths of his bottle. "Yeah. I thought about it, Skrall. But..." Atramor trailed off briefly. He twisted the bottle in his hand, and looked up. "...I was one of the first ones in the Hall after the whole Lucifuge thing. Course, didn't know about that, back then. But when I got in there...there were maybe half a dozen people. And aye, there were a whole lot more that joined along with me, in those early days. But look 'round now. Half the Veterans got wiped out in a single battle...and I know, unique circumstances, but...mate. This is dangerous stuff. And I dunno about you, but I'd be long dead in this line of work without the Nornalis. Personally, I can make my peace with that, but it isn't just us. It's everyone that joins Heroica. Man, woman, child." "I can get by without the Nornalis. But that idiot pirate who wandered in here seven years ago, hopin' to make bank? He wouldn't've." "That's a nice sentiment. My problem is that's what Hestia Bonaparte was doin', and she didn't even show her face while the rest of the Veterans scrambled. Push comes to shove, those heroes will have to make a choice between their faction and Heroica. Or between their faction and another one. I can't tell ya' how many times the Hinckwells wanted me to rip off the Shadeaux...or the other way 'round. I'm tired of those choices. Those decisions. Heroes gotta do what's right, and if that ain't obvious enough, they gotta go with their heart. Is that somethin' we can control, maybe not. But we can't let ourselves be swayed like we were." "I'm serious 'bout that, by the way. Those choices took years off my life, mates. I'm pretty sure that bag-of-holding thing is gonna shave off a decade or so."

"We're pretty much unkillable with the Nornalis. That's a dangerous thing. Picture the faction war that almost happened. Sungold, Crescent Union, Wolfgang. We came damn close to heroes clashin' blades over ideologies." "We have a power that few others do. We gotta be careful with that. We need to be...better with that. Heroica needs to be around to serve everyone, period." "Send her a message, too, then. She ought to be 'round for this, just a question of if she gets here in time. We can't exactly wait around."

"The Guild is in pieces, Masked Man's gone. I like Mynatt, but I don't think the Guild has much power anymore. More importantly I don't think there's much they can offer the city: my immediate concern is gettin' Eubric up and runnin' again separate from all the nonsense that ruined things in the first place. The more Houses are on the council, the greater the risk of that. We should only be focusin' on the people that can contribute. Much as I like the Ji Pei, they're tied up with Xu right now, and Eubric is never gonna be their main focus. I dunno anythin' about this Daneeka, but if ya' think he can help, go ahead and send for him too." Atramor sipped his rum. "As far as Heroica goes....we're gonna need new Veterans, save Asa of course. But more importantly...I think it needs to be independent of all the politics. Havin' Hestia on board the Veterans and the Bonapartes was a bad idea, and Jacq and Kukulkan got too close to the Wolfgang. The whole Sungold Alliance and Crescent Union thing was a mistake.....Heroica can't be attached to any of this political stuff. It only corrupts us." "Amicable? No. But they ain't got anywhere else to dock. We blew up their fort. We killed or rescued the other half of their forces, the Founders are dead, the Watch and Paladins have been de-fanged. There's nothin' left for them to fight for. And if they come lookin' for a fight, well, here we all are. Attina might be misguided but I don't think she's an idiot. Even I can read those odds." "I'm not sayin' she'll be happy to be here. But we ain't left 'em with much choice. They can either join these talks or leave the city. Or attack us. But like I said. They ain't that stupid." "If they can...pop in here in a reasonable amount of time, invite whichever Ziegfried's in charge. I s'pose if they teleport, not a big deal...." "And like I said. I didn't exactly see Hestia fightin' and dyin' with the rest of us. I don't think she can serve both the Bonapartes and Heroica, it's not somethin' you can just.....put aside. Hell, you tried like three times and here you are still."

"They died as heroes do," explained Atramor briefly, laying down the Oracle beside her fallen compatriots and draping a cloth over them all. He stayed for only a moment longer before making his way to the bar, scooping up a fresh rum with one hand and taking a long, generous sip. He was quite certain he'd never deserved a drink more than this very moment. "Fightin' to the end." "Alright. Let's get this outta the way first." Atramor scratched his chin. "It's been a long day. Half the city turned against us. That's bad. But the other half listened to us. Believed in us. Includin' you. The only reason Eubric ain't bein' controlled by an archdemon right now is because of people that can think for them damn selves and can see the writin' on the wall." He passed the bottle back and forth between his hands. "I been thinkin' about it, and I don't think we would've won today if Eubric had a single leader. The Founders had to fight tooth and nail to get the city on their side. The Bonapartes, the news, everyone. It took time, because at the end of the day, Eubric's a Freeport and everyone'll think what they want. I don't think ya' should be king, Ulric. Moreover I don't think anyone should be king. But Eubric does need a kinda leadership. A group - like the Veterans - each lookin' after a part of the city. Not like the Houses - most of 'em only looked after themselves. A team, workin' together, for the betterment of Eubric. Power split to keep one another in check; if there was only Veteran, I doubt ya' would've managed to get their ear. But with six, convincin' one or two to work with ya' wasn't an impossible task, was it?" Atramor turned in his seat to face Ulric, glancing at the rest of the party. "I don't like ya'. Many of these heroes weren't 'round to see the Wolfgang before you tried goin' legit. I'm all for stealin' from the rich, but that wasn't all you used to be up to. All that said......ya' kept your word. Ya' helped us when few others did, and frankly, ya've done more for the poor and the oppressed than any House ever has. I'm gonna level with ya'. Nobody outside the Hovels is gonna stand for you takin' a "throne". Sorry mate. Ain't gonna happen. Good on ya' for tryin'. But you're damn right when ya' say ya' have people on your side. People that, one way or another, you been lookin' out for for years. I don't like you - but like a lotta things I don't like, you're good for this damn city. So don't be goin' anywhere. Ya' have an important bit in this next part. The part I hate..." The rogue leaned back in his chair, slapping his hat down on his table and running a hand through his hair. He turned to eye Arthur. "Your old lady's Valentine thing still work? We need letters to..." He frowned, and counted off his fingers. "....Noctus Shadeuax, Mabel Ziegfried, Detective Hoples, Dame Leona Kniveton...and Attina Bonaparte. We need all of 'em here in the Hall in the next hour. We're NOT reinstatin' the Houses, but Eubric is in a sorry state, and it needs good people to fix it. As for Attina...Founders are dead, fort is blown up. She needs to make peace with that." Atramor addressed the rest of the heroes. "Look. Puttin' a city back together is a lot more than any of us signed up for. I'd sooner face another archdemon than have to deal with this, but if we don't make a decision here, now, somebody else is gonna make it for us. I just wanna give Eubric the chance to get better so I can get back to drinkin' and fightin' evil. When these people get here I'm gonna suggest we put together some sorta council to rule Eubric. If anyone has a better suggestion, or someone else they want present for this little chat, speak up now. I wanna get this over with all at once. Sound good?"

Atramor lowers the Decamodifier as Euflear unleashes a barrage of fire on the archdemon, and she shrivels into a husk. The rogue tenses at the sight of the portal springing into existence, and instantly whirls around to face the battle mage carrying the Pandemonicon... ...only to see him diving into the rift. He opens his mouth slightly - but says nothing, gritting his teeth and giving Torald a grim nod as he jumps into the rift. "Aye. I was there in Azzurat and in Spesiala. Those books are...somethin' else entirely. Better off where nobody can get to 'em...damn...kid was fast for a wizard. Well, done's done..." The rogue sheathed his claws and approached the bodies of the fallen Veterans, dropping down to one knee as he looked them over. Dead without a doubt. Not surprising...but damn unfortunate. He closed each of their eyes. Kukulkan. He'd hardly spent much time with the orc, but word was he was a witch like Atramor once was. Maybe that's how he got involved in the Wolfgang. Jacq every hero knew...very well. Hours on hours of training. It'd be a quiet training room from here forward. And finally, the Oracle. The rogue let out a sharp sigh as he took off his hat. Was it weeks in that desert...or months? The images of that kingdom swallowed up in sand and demons stuck with him, that much was for certain. Those were sorrows that felt...wrong to drown away in rum. And the Oracle? She'd lived with them for decades. Atramor stood. Calmly he set his hat back on his head, straightened out his coat. "One hero...four Veterans...innocent people. Soldiers blinded by leaders. Dozens of dragons. We lost a lot here. Again." He eyed up the black walls of the Temple of Zoot. A place of evil, no doubt. But also a place of endings. "That said.......we did good, mates. What happens next...Hel if I know. But here? We did good. Don't be forgetin' that. No matter what." "Not a discussion I'm lookin' forward to. But aye. It's gotta happen." "The drink, too. That also has gotta happen." Atramor frowns, looking between the prone sorcerer and the scorch mark left by the rift. The rogue exhales. "He ain't alone over there, mate. Smartest guy I know is on the other side of that rift. Might not be for mortals. But it is for heroes. The ones nobody is gonna forget." His gaze slid down to the Veterans. Gently, he lifts the body of the Sand Queen. There'd be a time to mourn the people behind the titles. But in this moment...they were the Veterans. "Someone get Fox, and the Serpent. And don't leave all of that weed's stuff down here. We can put it to better use." The rogue looked around once more. "And let's get outta here. We have a perfectly good Hall upstairs. And nobody to stop us stayin'." With that, Atramor starting leading the way out of the Temple. Loot Everyone - 740 Gold Althior - 2 Venom Arthur - Rosier's Nettle Atramor - 3 Venom Benji - 2 Venom Boomingham - 3 Venom Dyric - 3 Venom Eric - 1 Venom Ezeran - Rosier's Spine Germ - Rosier's Thorn Heckz - 2 Venom Hoke - 3 Venom Karie - 3 Venom Kiray - Shield of Roses Lind - Rosier's Thistle Matthias - Rosier's Barb Nerwen - 1 Venom Petaldan - 5 Level-Up Mushrooms Pretzel - 3 Venom Skrall - Rosier's Spike Throlar - 3 Level-Up Mushrooms Vindsval - Armor of Thorns

Not exactly sure how to move between flanks, but order has been finished.

I'm pretty sure the Decamon Bag is making use of Decamon Drafter stuff. I'm thinking they work like summons rather than the monsters they are based on - which, based on the basic summon ability, should mean Arachnophobia is a Level 35 dark type and Jun-Chi is a Level 35 light type. "Alright then, mates. Let's pull this weed and get outta here." Battle Order Right >Lind throws a Military Grade Fire Bomb. >Lind throws a Military Grade Fire Bomb. >Petaldan vs. Nazgulie (Slimy Sword) >Kiray vs. Nazgulie (Mythril Hunter's) >Kiray vs. Nazgulie (Mythril Hunter's) >Eric vs. Nazgulie (Godricsleif) >Ezeran vs. Nazgulie (Fire) >Heckz swaps Burning Eyes for Watt's Artifact >Heckz vs. Nazgulie (Fire) >Germ vs. Nazgulie (Flying Talon) >Throlar uses Phoenix Incense, if no allies KO'd, vs. Nazgulie (Ludeus) >Torald banishes Rosier? Center Archdemon uses Hellish Cleaver vs. Rosier (45 mana, 50/50 chance to halve level and current health) Archangel uses Holy Word (20 mana, cleanses all negative effects from allies, strips positive from enemies) >Karie sings Lucky Chant Pretzel vs. Rosier (Dual Staff) Pretzel vs. Rosier (Dual Staff) Nerwen vs. Rosier (Mourning Star) Skrall vs. Rosier (Greatsword) Skrall vs. Rosier (Greatsword) Arthur vs. Rosier (Icy Halberd) Arthur vs. Rosier (Icy Halberd) Dyric vs. Rosier (Mockthril Longbow) Dyric vs. Rosier (Mockthril Longbow) Boomingham vs. Rosier (Scupperer) Boomingham vs. Rosier (Scupperer) Euflear vs. Rosier (twice, Double-Barrel) Euflear vs. Rosier (twice, Double-Barrel) Hoke vs. Rosier (Zoot's Order) Torc vs. Rosier (Breath) Althior vs. Rosier (Light) Althior vs. Rosier (Light) Vindsval vs. Rosier (Vagrant's Guitar) Vindsval vs. Rosier (Vagrant's Guitar) Matthias vs. Rosier (XX Replica) Matthias vs. Rosier (XX Replica) >Benji vs. Rosier (Meduiak) >Benji uses Phoenix Incense >Atramor uses Decamodifier on Rosier

"Kickin' it down the road won't bring back the people it killed. Or the Faerie. If you wanna take your shot to try and feel better, ya' can go ahead and try. But we're doin' what we set out to do." "Anyone wants to try and cut down this thing before I take my shot, go ahead, long as someone uses an Incense after you're done."

"Speakin' as a mere mortal who can deal with this situation right now at no risk, aye, I'd say the idea of gettin' killed right now is a bit of a waste." "Matthias has in the right. The fight's won, Euflear. Lotta people died 'cuz of her. Can't lose any more."

"So we can make sure she don't take any of us down with her. You wanna burn the thing after she gets carded, ya' can go right ahead. But we ain't jeopardizin' any more heroes' lives that we don't have to. This has been Hel enough already."

Atramor closes his eyes for a second, then reopens them. "This ain't a death. This is just her physical body, Euflear. We can do with that whatever we want, what matters is banishin' her soul to Azazot permanently after this is dealt with that. That part is...harder." He looked sideways at the fey. "So let us have this much, huh?"

"Eh, used that one on Marilith." Atramor jerks his thumb back at the summoned archdemon looming over them. "Pretty great one, but this wiltin' wallflower deserves to be put down with nothin' less than our best line."

Atramor lurches backward as he's shot through by a pair of thorns, dropping his weapons as he steps back. But just as soon as he's hit he's healed, and the rogue gives a firm nod in thanks to Matthias, wiping the sap and spore from the holes in his coat as he appraises Rosier. "Then ya' shouldn't've put yourself in our way, ya' overgrown weed. Credit where it's due, ya' sure can cause a lot of trouble. But ya' used that power to make the dumbest mistake I've ever seen: ya' made an enemy of Heroica, and every single damn hero in it at once." The rogue rifles through the pockets of his coat. After a moment, he pulls out a flimsy, mechanical device, holding it up to his face. "I wouldn't worry too much 'bout it, though. Ya'll have a lot more years to think that over. Maybe as a bookmark." Atramor waves the rest of the heroes over as he prepares his Decamodifier from the back row. After a second he hesitates. "Ah...hell. That wasn't-....great. Anyone else got a line? C'mon mates, two dozen heroes, one archdemon, we gotta have a good line to close us out."