Endgame

"And since when has slowing down and simply succumbing to sadness ever solved anything? Not really my style, if you haven't noticed."

I find myself echoing Zepher's sentiments about cutscenes. Blergh. Hopefully that tirade is atleast slightly realistic/entertaining.

"I think associating with the Syndicate is plenty of trouble in of itself..." "Oh, calm down Dad, you're going to give yourself an ulcer. See you all, everybody!" With a merry wave Olivia steps out the door, walking past her uncle and his companions, her boots clacking all the way out the door. "...Must you always take a shot at the Syndicate whenever you are able, Augustus?" "You know my opinions on them, Octavyn." "They get your daughter home safe and sound every night, don't they? And they're giving her the training you wanted her to get." "No, Octavyn, I wanted you to be her mentor! I felt as if I wasn't paying enough attention to her, what with two jobs, so I sent her to be with you during the daylight. I didn't expect her to come back home one day in a white mask and combat boots! I thought she was an intruder, for Ennoc's sake!" Octavyn sneers. "They're paying her, though, aren't they?" "Oh sure, they do... A pathetic amount, not to mention apparent overworking of Syndicate members. Their supposed dark past doesn't help ease my feelings at all, nor does the boss supposedly having an affair with one of his own employees." "Okay, so you don't like The Syndicate. I get it. But I'm getting the feeling that your resentment doesn't lie entirely on the Syndicate, brother." "Was it not apparent?! Almost every visit here ended in distater, even when it wasn't related to the Syndicate!" "So what did I do make you spite me so much, huh, big brother? I've been making sure your daughter is getting her training, aren't I?" "I wouldn't have to send her out with you if you didn't get yourself barbequed in that alley a year back!" Octavyn draws back a bit, surprised. Was this the first time he had heard of this? "...Wait, what...?" "You assaulted some Wolfgang members in what was nearly broad daylight! Do you think they'll trust me when my own brother started a fight with them? While you were getting yourself lit up in some alley, they were cutting the amount of aid you get. Do you think I just spontaneously decided that I wanted a second full-time job? Do you think I wanted to leave my daughter home alone while I worked? It was a misjudgement letting you mentor her... I thought you wouldn't get her into even more trouble, but it appears I was sorely mistaken!" Octavyn is left nigh speechless. "Augustus... I didn't know..." "Of course you didn't know! You don't think about the consequences of your actions much, do you, Octavyn! It'd explain your staggering optimism... You never have truly understood the consequences of what you've done, have you?" "If there's anything I can do to hel-" Augustus cuts his younger brother off. "No. You can't help, Ocvtavyn - you've made that clear enough over these past few years!" Augustus turns around, facing his back towards the paty. His hand glides across the glistening corseque, his reflection distorted on its shiny black surface. It seemed regularly polished. He sighs, and gives his ultimatum. "My hospitality has run dry. Octavyn, leve. Now." Banished from Augustus's house, Octavyn silently heads out the door, the party deciding to follow suit. They exit the house, the owner shutting the door behind them with noticeable force. With that ordeal over, the party begins their walk to the lighthouse. "Sooooo... What'd you think of Big Brother?"

This was the first time I've heard of the Necromancer being OP... Especially since their enture offensive might can be crushed by a single stun. Sandy, out of curiosity, do you think the Necromancer is in itself too strong compared to other classes (power balance issue), or were you simply trying to make the game more difficult?

"Perfect for scrambling those shelled demons." Jetroix chuckles in a gruff voice as he tosses his formidable sword from one hand to another. "Well, sorry darling, but we're intent onentering that colony. So step aside or my friend Jetorix and I will just have to walk right over you fine people." ____________________________________________________ I was the Progg who forged the weapons of the Gladius Unit and the three tyrant princes, the seven greatest war criminals in all of Progg history. I believe the druid had a hand in the death of all of them..."

A necromancer's abilities (undead army) allows a party to fight much larger parties of enemies, not to mention stronger. I feel as if the nerf would make things a bit harder for the Necromancer, but would make everything else easier for the rest of the party.

Usually to make my quests more challenging I just make the enemies more challenging - I've been able to squash a necromancer and evoker before without too much issue. I'm still not sure how I feel about classes getting debuffed just in an effort to raise the difficulty curve. (Or actually keep it tamer in this case, because Necromancer's abilities actually allowed much tougher battles - by removing it, battles will remain stagnant in term of enemy toughness.)

I thought it was one of the more obvious references in Heroica (Can't go 5 minutes without seeing a commercial for Catching Fire now) so I didn't point it out. I'm sad nobody figured out the recurring reference in 48.

"It's about 10 minutes. I used to make things much more dangerous then the blades and bows you carry now, though. Far, far more lethal." -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- The small group of Phalanx guards lead the party of heroes up a winding spiral staircase, leading to a wall of bedrock. It has a huge hole carved into it, a tunnel blasted through the sheets of stone. Heavy metal doors are at the sides of the breach, able to be pulled together by the yank of a pulley. Several planks of wood and metal bars sit in the corner, presumably to lock the gate when it is closed. "Twenty feet of dirt and stone - not to mention a foot of bedrock we mined - and they still somehow managed to get through. Nobody knows how, but that isn't what the main concern is right now. Good luck out there. For the Colony!" The party, with the Proggs' blessing, walks through the hole, clambering up a steep slope, stepping into an alley... There, they find quite the scene... A heavily armored man seems to lead the charge, plates of metal covering from head to toe. He wields an odd cross between a club and a sword - impromptu, but likely a very effective method. His ice-blue armor glistens in the sun, the man pointing his sword at the party; was this Jetorix? Beside him was a black-haired women, wearing an outfit made specifically to show off her curves rather then grant her actual armor. She carried a dagger, apparently the second-in-command of the mob. And an impressive mob it was. Seven people stand behind Jetorix. The established mobsters, armed and deadly, stood to Jetorix's right... The novices and rookies stand to his left. They were cowering; perhaps with the right words, they could be convinced to stand down? "So are you captives of the shelled vermin, then? Or are you cretins stupid enough to be on their side?"

"I talked to the Town Watchmen 9 days ago, and heard it 10. The rumors I can't give you a solid number on." "Oh, I've noticed. But you have people to lean back on now, at any rate, so that's nice, right? I'm sure Mr. Bossman would want nothing more then a heart-to-heart... I told you you'd make a great couple, did I not? And you didn't believe me at the time..." Octavyn chuckles.

I could've sworn I've seen someone catch cray with a line, but maybe my memory is faulty. Either way, maybe Augustus was just killing time.

"In the rumors I've heard, the names are never consistent. The junkies... Probably just drugged out citizens with a sudden god complex. Too many of them run around the streets nowadays." "Hey, no need to beat yourself up like that! You're doing well enough for yourself... You're dating Mr. Perfectionist, for Ennoc's sake." Augustus looks at the ogre. "Man, with you, Octavyn, the barbarian and Miss Alderflask, you should be able to step all over whatever is lurking down there!" Augustus gives a weary smile. "You always were the optimist, Olivia. Guess you've picke dup something good from my brother." Olivia puts her hands on her hips. "Oh, and you're not, huh, Mr. Pessimistic?" Augustus shrugs as he begins to tend to dinner. "Life plays cruel tricks. That's all I'm going to say for now."

Ocvtavyn takes a long, scrutinizing look at the paper before concluding: "...That seems a bit convoluted, don't you think, Baradock? If we know the approximate location of their base, the Lighthouse is not a huge search area - it'll take an hour to find, tops. I imagine it'd be simpler than possibly putting our lives in jeopardy. I mean, the option is on the table, but I feel as if breaking in manually would be a bit less dangerous."

"Normal routine, huh? What does that entail?" Augustus look at the corseque on the wall, grimacing. "...A gift. From Octavyn and I's mentor." "Is it story time, big brother?" "It most definitely is not." Augustus spits. "So, as for what Ive seen and heard... Times haven't been easy, and my brother certainly isn't helping. I've been working both as a chef and fisherman - two almost full-time jobs crammed into one. During one of the few days I actually get off I cast line ear the lighthouse - thought I'd relax by casting line by the lighthouse, maybe catch a crab or two for dinner. Long story short, I heard something; some agonized screams. Interestingly, I was fishing on about level to the lighthouse. It sounded like the screams were coming below me. It sounded human; bits and pieces of words, and I'm fairly certain I heard a prayer to Ennoc. Whatever the origin is, it speaks. I can't say for certain, though; I just heard a faint echo of the noise, not the noise itself. Also, as fate would have it, rumors slip through the hovels wall with ease. I've heard that four people have gone missing in the Hovels... The names are never consistent, but every version of the story I've heard that has slipped through the cracks has involved four people being abducted in the dead of night. I've also heard that some drug-addled idiots have chosen to investigate the wailing. Claim all the glory for themselves and become "true heroe", they say. Pssh. Those morons have probably snorted so much, their brains are stuck in the Seventh Heaven permanently. Idiot knaves - probably spending more time huffing Pixie Dust and laying around the lighthouse then doing a thing. Now, anything else you want to hear?"

My co-ordination has gone straight down the toilet, apparently. It is definitely going to be more towards the ten end of things instead of fourteen, so I probably won't have to be too excessive in that aspect.

It's more of a reference to "Six Feet Under", the depth coffins were (supposedly) buried back in the day. Except the heroes in that quest are going a smidge... Deeper.

I will be splitting the party up sometimes. My plans on having the quest go faster are: -Split them up sometimes -Have everyone appoint a surrogate (as in, can control their own character in battle if they find themselves unable.) -For less signifigant battles, go by a 12/16 hour rule instead of a 24 hour one. -Appoint 2 party Leaders instead of one -Don't drop nearly as many Smeling Salts. (Juggling 28 actions would be downright painful.)

It can have anywhere bettwen 10 and 14 heroes, depending on how masochistic I feel.

Not strictly, no. After 81 and 86, I have one more quest (titled "Six (Thousand) Feet Under") and after that, the grand finale of pretty much every story arc I've started. So, in other words... the end is near.

The party walks through the door, entering Augstus's house. A black corseque, almost identical to Octavyn's, hangs on a mantle. A masked figure comes walking down the stairs, Augstus turning his head to look at the person. The figure seems to light up at the sight of the gold-clad admin. "Uncle Octavyn! And Miss... Alderflask, right?" It seemed to be the voice of a girl, likely in her teens. Octavyn smiles and waves back. "Hey there!" "Well... This is my daugher, Olivia. Apparently some of you have met her..." "Yeah, pretty sure you've introduced me, Augustus." Octavyn smirks. "Yes, and I'm beginning to regret it. Olivia, hun, why are you wearing that outfit?" "Today is sparring practice, dad! Everyone who attends gets to square off against the leader himself... No one has managed to bring him down yet. Not even Octavyn, hah." "No need to rub it in, my dear." Augustus shoots Octavyn a glare. "I left her in your mentorship so you could train her while you worked, not so a friend of yours could." Octavyn shrugs. "Look, do you want us to solve this wailing issue, or not?" "Huh. You guys are on a mission?"

So Atramor is pretty much removed from the quest until the battle's end... minimum. You'll be meeting Jetroix tonight, 81ers! Just have to get my stuff in order.

"My daughter enjoys his company, so I try not to kick him out too quickly. The Town Watch originally came by here to get my testimony - I figured they'd do a follow-up, but this gold-clad clown shows up instead. From what he said he'd give? Upwards of 1500 gold at this point... Not that I bear grudges about that, really. The debt is of little concern... What is a problem is that if, by some stretch of the imagination, your motley crew and the Town Watch destroy the Wolfgang, they destroy this household as well. That I will not stand by." "Do you know how many lives they've ruined, Augustus?" "They're saving our life, Octavyn. Mine and your niece's. ...But you're not here to debate philosophy, you're here for my testimony. To be honest, Syndicate or not, you should hear it. It sounds like someone is being tortured down there... No one should have to suffer that much. So, are you four coming in?"

"Not sure why you'd want to... I can tell you for a fact that the second-in-command is nothing short of an obnoxious bastard, and the pay is slim to none. Still more then that gold you've never gotten around to paying, Octavyn." The elder brother's voice is lace din pure poison. "Look, Augustus, bartending isn't all that-" Augustus cuts in. "Look, brother, as far as I'm concerned, the Wolfgang are keeping your niece and your brother in this house, and you're actively trying to destroy them - failing, but trying. What are you going to do if you somehow manage to bring them down, you, your ragtag bunch of rejects, and the Town Watch? Let us be evicted into the Hovels? Allow us to suffer and starve, while you have a cushy apartment in the third floor of some cushy apartment?! Give me one good reason to let you through this door, Octavyn!"

"Mmhm. I'm guessing you're hear to collect testimony on that, then? "Please, tell me Octavyn didn't drag you over to their base. My daughter came home in white garbs carrying a training dagger some "Masson" ingrate lent her..." "Look, Augustus, I'm not here to cause an argument." "Then why'd you show up in full Syndicate garbs then? I know you still have the armor from our High Kingdoms training. Just have to show loyalty to that gang you help run, eh, "admin"? Or maybe you just wanted to piss me off?"

True love conquers all.