Rumble Strike

I am nervous but excited, there's so much riding on this! No wonder Tarn's feeling the weight of the world on him, knowing that they failed last time - and it was a cracking team then as well. All we have to do is see what Sandy has tweaked for this Quest compared to #50. Should be very interesting.

Tarn looked down at the list of heroes chosen for the Ji Pei Quest. He was pleased to see that his and Tesni's names were there, and heartened that both Atramor and Benji were chosen too. Nagure and Thalion he did not know, although he had seen the Yeti around the Hall. You couldn't really not notice a Yeti. "It is good to be Questing with you again so soon!" he said to Benji, although he was a little perturbed by the crocodile hat his friend was wearing. "Best stock up on potions, we do not appear to have a healer. Perhaps Haldor should have signed up." Inside, he was worried about being chosen as Party Leader. He had been Party Leader in several Quests before, and knew Ella had faith in him for this mission, but he did not know if he was ready to lead a team again.

I am not opposed to a nerf, despite being a Raider. If this was a democracy, I 'd vote for Endgames second suggestion, which allows gold to be stolen only when it shows up as a drop, as I believe the Humanoid one to be too limiting for QMs.

Magic bag every time!

Tarn looked across and saw Elgar, whom he remembered Questing with when they helped the Guild of Invision many months ago. "Greetings Elgar, you look troubled. Perhaps a friend can help?"

I will admit though that my bestowing of consumables tends to be reactive (potions, essences etc) rather than proactive, so that is something I will look at. I did notice Endgame feeding enhancing consumables to Flipz, Nagure and others during Quest#66. The Wolfgang one, so kudos to him for that.

"I wish you luck in your Quests here, ambassador", said Tarn politely to Throlar.

Tarn does give out consumables if he thinks people are in trouble. He even used a Phoenix Essence worth 50 gold on an NPC that we were having to babysit, and then got KOed straight afterwards! Because that's the kind of guy he is

"Will you be Questing with Heroica during this time of establishing ties?" asked Tarn of the dwarf.

Tarn smiled, remembering his mentor. "I am sure that Rystael would be gratified for your kind words about the monastery. For me, it is the only home I have ever known. How are you establishing relations with Heroica? Or are you perhaps using Heroica to gain influence with the Houses?" Tarn was not sure just what Wineghilm wanted to establish diplomatic ties with.

The Raider is the only Barbarian Advanced class that keeps the Battle Frenzy-style AoE attack. I really missed that when Tarn switched to Bezerker, especially as he was up against multiple enemies a lot. To me, that's more important than the gold-gathering, although that is a very nice bonus.

Tarn smiled at his friend. "I would really like to see her again, Atramor. My heart yearns for it, but it is clear now that first my path must be focussed on finding Jun again. I greatly hope we can accomplish this together." He paused, interrupted by a dwarf he had not seen before. "Greetings, ambassador. I hail from a small village in the Titaanian mountains, where the Valco monastery dwells, and my Heroica duties once took me back to the region, to the Silverpick Mines. Are you here on a diplomatic mission?"

Tarn did not mind Atramor craning his head to try to get a look at the letter. His friend had carried this safely and unopened for months, so he surrupticiously adjusted the angle of the paper so that Atramor could read it easier. Dearest Tarn, I will make no secret of it - my mind still drifts to you from time to time, and I yearn often to see the brave heroes of Heroica who saved my city, my people, and my life. I am writing to send my regards, as I have had a vision that Mallelio, Victor and Vipera will shortly be leaving to go to Eubric and attempt to defeat the Lady Wren. My visions of her remain dark, both in nature and in certainty. I cannot see her fate, but I hope and pray that they will return in one piece. In any case, I have given this letter to Mallelio to ensure that you receive it. I miss your presence in Dastan. You have an even head, and while mine sometimes goes reeling, I find that focusing on you, among others such as my father, Victor, and Mallelio, helps to ground me in reality. I do not fully understand the power that you have that others do not, but it is something palpable. I believe that in your heart you are a good person, strong and fair and kind. It is apparent on all planes. The Spirit Pools, the Etherial Plane, and of course, the physical one. I write with an invitation of return to my land. I know the Rito will seek heroes soon to cure a dragon filled with sickness. Perhaps you will travel with them. If not, I will send word home to Eubric with them. Best wishes to all your comrades, Tarn. Nyx, William, Thothwick, and of course, Atramor. They are all welcome back at any time. I know too that Victor hopes to see Cronk again some time, and I too hope to see one of the heroes who saved my life. Tarn, our paths will cross again. I have seen it in our fates, and if there were not the case, I would make it so in my actions. Much love, Princess Ella Septrine P.S. - I have seen you losing something of great importance. It is retrievable. Never lose hope. Your optimism is what makes you great. Tarn's eyes misted over as he read. He could almost hear Ella speak the words to him as he read them, a mixture of defiance and melancholy all wrapped up together. He knew she was a prophet - had himself seen her visions in Dastan come true, and had no doubt that what he had read from her would come to pass. He knew that being such a prophet was a heavy burden to bear, and yet the weight on her slender shoulders had not bowed her. He was glad that Atramor could read this letter at the same time, and that she also mentioned his companions that had fought so hard for each other in Dastan. And the cryptic post-script must be about Jun! It was truly his destiny to help save him, and that cheered Tarn even more than knowing that Ella thought about him nearly as often as he thought about her. He had this one task to do, and then perhaps he would return to Dastan to see again the woman he had such affection for.

I'm still not a fan of the dancing shoes, but as Scuba always points out, their power conflicts slightly with the use of Nostrums.

If Zeph PMs me the letter I am more than happy for it to go to you at the same time. It's only fair

Wait, so for all this time Atramor has had the letter CMP didn't actually know what was in it, only Zeph? I know we do the player/character distinction but that's some roleplaying dedication right there! Had it been the other way around I would only have agreed if I knew what it was

"I cannot take that bet, I have just spent the last of my gold at the marketplace", murmured Tarn, hoping beyond hope that the letter was from Ella Septrine, whom he had fallen for in his Quest to her homeland of Dastan. He began to read...

"The mask is rather dashing, although I guess I should take it off when not out on a Quest. I'll end up getting food all over it! I have had some mixed luck on the Quests I have undertaken since, we failed to stop the 108 Stars of Destiny, a bandit troupe who had taken over a pagoda, and we compounded that failure by losing Jun Ji Pei. There is a Quest on the board asking for another party. I have signed up, perhaps you should too. It would be good to Quest together again." Tarn was about to detail his latest exploits on the island of Nova Tertia, but curiousity got the better of him and he decided to open the letter. "This is from Dastan, you say?" he asked, a forced casualness in his voice which did not fool Atramor for a second.

Tarn was about to move to join his last party leader when Atramor came in. Tarn smiled as he saw his old friend. "Atramor, it heartens me to see you again. Many Quests have passed since our time in Dastan together. I hope all is well?"

Tarn entered the Hall again. Being on the lush island of Nova Tertia and the culmination of a successful Quest had sparked the young raider's wanderlust and he had sailed around many of the surrounding islands for a while before coming back to the Hall. He spied several new Quests on the Questboard but was immediately drawn to one. Tarn signed his name against Quest#75: Falling Stars. The failure of his previous mission there and the fact that they had lost Jun had weighed heavily on him, and with a positive outing as a Raider in his last Quest he felt that he could take on this new challenge, and hopefully find the young Ji Pei safe and well. He then sat down at a table, ordered a drink and looked around for any familiar faces.

Tarn enters the Marketplace, his pouch feeling heavy with 509 gold in it. If his experiences in the pagoda had taught him anything, it was that you could not have enough consumables. He therefore proceeded to Portia's Potion Shack and bought the following: 3 x Phoenix Essences (3x50=150; 509-150=359) 2 x Mead (2x15=30; 359-30=329) 5 x Smelling Salts (5x25=125; 329-125=204) 4 x Nostrum (4x35=140; 204-140=64) 1 x Grand Tonic (64-30=34) 3 x Grand Potion (3x10=30; 34-30=4 gold left)

Cheers guys, although I am perturbed to see that Tarn is seen as the only dumb character in the entire pantheon of heroes

Tarn shook the hands of the 3 dinosaur wranglers and gave each a warm grin. "Be safe my friends, and one day we may see each other again!" he said. He also said farewell to the others he had Quested with. "We made a good team, it was an honour fighting alongside each one of you." Tarn then took 60 gold and gave it to Benji, for the Counterstrike Gloves. He looked around, the island lush and strangely quiet now, and decided to depart for the Hall. OOC: I know this wrapped up a while ago but just wanted to close it off. Imagine you are all still there as Tarn sayshis thing, or it would be a bit awkward!

Congratulations Sandy! I have also been on my travels so had missed this. Well deserved!

Tarn repeats his actions. "We can do this!" he urged the others. Bors stays out of trouble. OOC: That's it for me! Scorpiox has control of Tarn. Thanks all, been a lot of fun!