Rumble Strike

"We were worried you were robbers. Gangs roam these parts now, it's not like it was. A drink you be wanting, then head to the Kitchens. It's one of the few places now with no sense of fear around it." The men seem friendly enough, and don't seem to be under any influences. Does the party wish to talk more to these men? OOC: gah. Using an iPad was hard enough before all these changes, now I can't even get Flickr to work properly.

At least we found some villains this time. Does anyone have any leads? I kid, I kid. You're all villains.

Carefully, trying not to attract any undue attention despite having a giant Yeti in the party, they made their way from the quiet, gladed area northwards, to where two warehouses stood. At the front of the first one they were accosted by two men, with a horse and cart full of hay. The one driving the cart looks down and sees the party: "Hey, Arphus, what do we got here?" Arphus, carrying a wicked-looking sickle, glared at them "Think they mean to rob us, Boran? You, state your business!" What will the party do?

Sorry to hear about Quest#40, Scuba. Are you still OK being Party Leader in my Quest?

Tarn was impressed with the speed and ferocity of his party members, especially Hybros, who was dropping enemies like flies. "Hybros, you are one of the most dangerous warrors I have ever come across. I am truly glad you fight on our side! While we are Encouraged, should I also take my Smelling Salts, or leave them for other, harder battles?" OOC: Sandy, I should be level 17.5 if we all levelled up.

Byverion fed the 3 Summoning Amulets into the flashing, whirring console. "There, these will now appear in Miranda for you to collect. By the time you find them they will be safe to use. And this method of travel is also totally safe, my friends. 3 of you have been in here before and suffered no ill effects. Now, I am going to set us down in Miranda, away from the tower." If anyone had been looking in the shady glade, they would have heard a strange pop, and a shadowy shape materialising underneath the canopy of trees. They had arrived in Miranda. "I have marked up a crude map, as promised. Which of you will take it?" They pore over the map, eager to see what was indicated. "I cannot help you from this point on, it is up to you. Try to not raise too much suspicion, find anyone who may oppose Haroka, or has not fallen under the spell of the Darkstar. Rescue Hlin, Vres and Laxadaisi, and take down Haroka once and for all. I wish you well." Where will the party decide to go first?

Tarn attacks the Gold Lancer from the front row using Lion's Heart.

"The shark amulet was similar to this, yes, Nagure. And you can't just carry the charged amulets out of here. I need to charge them up with all of my energies and they will not be safe for you until they settle down. Once released, I cannot track them, for they would be outside of my control, but I will mark the maps there with the most likely locations for them to have appeared in. A magic compass or something similar may be able to lock on to them, or at least indicate the general vicinity, if one of you has one. I will take full responsibility for the Summoning of a Guardian in an Outside Area, the Council of the Watchful Eye can add it to the list of my so-called misdemeanors. Call me a maverick, will they? I'll live up to that then. As for releasing Kjorfalneire in the first place? It is a risk, but I assure you it is the only way you will be able to break through the Tower's barrier spells. I will work on how to bring it back into my realm once Haroka has been defeated. Now, shall we head to Miranda?" The Maginastra closed his eyes, and a column made up of flashing, blinking lights appeared in the center of the room. He pressed buttons and pulled levers with a gleeful look on his face. "We will get you there in no time at all!"

It's OK Sandy, I'm sure Tarn will drag the others down with him!

"Contrived, you say? The mistrust runs deep in you too, I see. Perhaps you rue the day you let the Great Scourge walk back among us. This plan is indeed a long shot, and it will be very dangerous. I cannot guide the amulets once they are released, you will have to search for them in a town that will be hostile to you. Mizuki, you asked about the Inquisitors, they are each unique; one of the earth, one of the sea and one of the sky. They will be powerful and skilled adepts in the magical arts. If you see them, engage with extreme caution. Does anyone else have any other questions, or shall we set off for Miranda?"

Plissken, really like your shots, very well composed! And Oky, love Death in the Family, that's superb. The lighting is spot on.

"A sombre tale, Guts. I can see why you and Nerwen signed on for this. Ironic that we have a "Sorrow" in our party - I don't think he is particularly enamoured with me, but at least he didn't call me "Beardy" again, lest I smite him. The "ravenous abominations" he alluded to are what I call Guardians. I can create them to keep others safe. Perhaps a skill similar to your Evokers, hmmm? And this is where I shall help you. Nerwen, I understand your hesitance and mistrust, as your last guide in Ve'er proved distrustful. And although I am the cause of the troubles Sorrow, Mizuki and Nagure were sent to sort out, I can assure you of my honesty at all times. In fact, your question about the Council is a very pertinent one. They will certainly not like me helping you, but as they suspended me, I do not worry about it. I will do everything in my power to help you, and that power is indeed great, even if I do say so myself. The crux of the matter is the Tyrant's Tower. To all intents and purposes, this will be impenetrable to you. Protection charms and enchantments will be piled on one after another. The kind of high magics rarely seen. In fact, if the Council's way was not simply of observation, I would peg it as one of my kind's creations. But no matter, for although Haroka will sit high atop the unbreakable tower, I have a way. With these!" The Maginastra summoned an amulet and showed it to the others. Nagure may recognise it as there was something similar hanging in the magical mansion. "I will pour as much of my Evoker magic as I am able into 3 of these amulets, and transmute them to Miranda. Your job will be to collect them and put them together. This will allow the creation of one of my Guardians in the outside world - a thing that is strictly forbidden by the Council of the Watchful Eye, but it is the only way. You shall summon Kjorfalneire, the great leviathan of the seas. He will take down the Tower of Doom with his power, and then you will be able to strike at Haroka. He will not expect this, you will have the element of surprise, and hopefully that will be enough."

"Ranged combatants should be attacking the Featherless Arrow instead, as your attacks will be more effective!" Tarn targets Golden-Haired Hound from the front row using Lion's Heart. "Looks like you and I shall have a dance of death!", he grinned at the attractive bandit.

Love it! My recent favourite is the Classic Space one though. That was my era as a child

"Like Chris, I am afraid I spent all my gold on heavy armour and this wicked-looking horned hat. I would appreciate a Smelling Salts if you have a spare one, as I may be able to Encourage us all in battle, and a Nostrum would mean that I would keep doing it."

I would imagine so, yes.

Well this is going to be a baptism of fire for Tarn as a Bezerker! Lovely Pagoda, Sandy, looks very imposing.

"We shall walk out of here victorious!" said Tarn confidently to the others as they gazed up at the imposing Pagoda. Inside, he was lamenting his lack of consumables.

Silly Scotsman, I am Liberty! I fight for Gotham!

The Maginastra looks at Guts and Nerwen sternly. "The Council were aware of what transpired at the tomb of Haroka, and your part in it. Perhaps you or Guts can elaborate for the benefit of the others here, and likewise, those who faced me in my mansion can tell the others of my powers. Then I shall answer your questions once again, because fear not, I do have a plan." OOC: Rather than just being a giant info dump from me, can you guys get each other up to speed? I suspect it may help Etzel as well, as even if he has read the previous Quests, it is always nice to get the perspective in-character.

At last I have a chance to fight evil on a grand scale! Liberty will save the day!

Maurice heads over to the maps on the table. They are of the Miranda region, and seem to indicate an area with a tall tower. The Maginastra turned to Guts, and answered him in his melodious voice: "From my contact with Hlin before his disappearance, we know that after their arrival in Miranda, Haroka and Sorona kept the Darkstar safe, and began plotting. The Darkstar is a powerful method of corruption, to break the minds of others and bend them to your will. With Sorona at his side, he has brought forth 3 Inquisitors, those powerful enough to do his bidding. The Darkstar is corrupting the city man by man, whilst the Inquisitors roam the streets, looking for threats to Haroka's rule. He was paranoid, because he was still not up to full strength after his release from the tomb in Ve'er, but now, with the sudden arrival of the Tyrant's Tower, I fear his restoration is complete, and we must now act before all of Miranda, and then the rest of Olegia, falls to the Great Scourge."

Yes, I echo the praise for Green Arrow, you have done a great job capturing him.

The party all climb inside the small doorway, and after a brief moment of discomfort, appear in an intensely coloured room. The walls are a bizarre, flamboyant mis-mash of colour, totally unlike anything the party has seen before. In the middle of the room the blue-skinned man Maurice spoke of stands, holding a glowing staff. He smiles and waves at the party. "Hello again, heroes of Heroica! It is I, Byverion the Maginastra, who has called you to action. Tolot was simply my messenger, for I cannot leave my realm. Now, some of you I know," - here he smiled at the Yeti, the ninja and the cloaked undead - "and some of you I have yet to meet. Maurice, my good man, thank you for bringing them in here. I apologise for all the cloak and dagger theatrics but you can't be too careful who's watching these days. I have gathered you six here to help me. The business with the children of Ve'er had a profound impact on me and my employers. Speaking of which, it is a shame not to see Erik here. That Barbarian had such an old, wise head on young shoulders. He really helped me see the error of my ways. Anyway, what I didn't tell you was that I am, or rather was, one of the Council of the Watchful Eye. We are observers. I came up with the plan to save the children, using my Guardians, but we know that wasn't the best idea I ever had. Technically it broke my mandate, and once I presented my findings to the other Council members I was called a maverick, and suspended. So I spent some more time in Ve'er with Hlin and the others. He is a good man, they are good people. I knew that they wanted to stop Haroka, knew that he was in Miranda, and encouraged Hlin, Vres and Laxadaisi to go and check it out. See what the city was like under his thrall. But now they are missing, possibly captured, and it is my fault. I want to get them back, and put an end to Haroka. I cannot just watch from the sidelines, I must act. But, alas, I have no power out there. In this realm, this can be a mansion, a sanctuary, or anything I choose - do you like the colour choice? I think it's marvellous! - but I cannot go outside. My power is contained here. So I need your help. What say you, heroes?" The party can ask questions and/or take a look around

Tarn listened to the young aoi's impassioned outburst, and was curious. "Jun, could you tell us what you learned of the teachings of the Tao Warriors?"