Endgame

Luckily, besides those damned Chromoids (grr.) I kept his earning rather tame. Remember, all it takes is a well-placed *Immunity to Fragile!* to cut their gold in overkill in half, essentially. What I'm left wondering is: Why weren't there any riots when artifacts like the Rubber Band came into play? I'm going to references the Progg Invasion throughout all of my quests - since, besides possibly my swansong quest (Currently going under the title of "Eternal Reaper" ) it'll be the biggest quest I've ever hosted.

Someone round or someone around.

"Alternatively, I can kill you and snuff out your insane delusions of granduer, you equine bastard. How does that sound?"

The numbers may have been similar (I don't know the numbers involved in the orcish invasion), but The proggs were stopped before they could trash any place other than Luosh.

Official stats on the Perfect Regret: HP: 5900 SP: 51 Ether: Infinite Specials: 10 unique specials, 9 passive specials ...Man, that looks so much more overkill when you just write it all down like that.

"So you have absolutely no experience being in their shoes."

The Orcish Invasion took down most of Ennon - the Progg invasion ravaged Luosh, but they were gearing up to slaughter Uland. of course, that is when the 48 heroes stepped in... Perfect Regret probably is the strongest single entity faced in the entire game at this point, though. Over 5,000 HP, almost 20 different specials, dozens of SP (Probably somewhere around 40-50) and a combined level of nearly 200 .

"Then the hell are you, esquire? Former slave or some bureaucrat?"

"Irrelevant to what I'm trying to tell you. These horses are no different from the men and women back from that Haroka debacle. ...Well, despite the fact they're horses, and not men and women. Just slit their throats and call it a day."

"That's funny. Your followers seemed pretty quick to not attack us when given a morsel of food. Do you actually feed your posse, by any chance?"

I groan as Mizuki attends to the horses. I got to cradle my head in my hand, but then I remember what it was barbed in. "Urgh. Mizuki, please, stop. There are only so many sickeningly sweet things I can see in one day. We murdered dozens of men and women back when we were after Haroka, and now you are taking pity on horses?"

Optional QM Challenge: CLEAR! I grin underneath my hood as the last horse whiinies, collapsing to the ground. I uncork a Mead, Nostrum, and Smelling Salts, downing the entire thing in a cocktail of buffs. "Excellent job, folks." >Nostrum to Mizuki >Smelling Salts to Romulus >Mead to Thromanil >Bone x2 and grand Potion to Grimwald >Venom and Grand Potion to yours truly.

Round Seven of the Syndicate HQ Brawl >Arthur (Lightning) VS Chromoid B (back): Shield Shield: Magnetic Mojo (44+19=63 gold earned, both enemies Stunned) >Arthur casts Armor Sundering on Magnus (back): Success! >Arthur (Lightning) VS Chromoid B (back): Damage Confuse (Chromoid is Confused) >Arthur casts Armor Sundering on Magnus (back): Failure! >Boomingham VS Magnus (front): Damage (Magnus is Stunned!) >Em VS Chromoid B (back): Hit (Chromoid turns Red) >Arnulf VS Chromoid B (back): Special Damage (Swift servos: Chromoid B is hastened) >Nevron VS Chromoid B (back): Critical Hit (Chromoid B is destroyed) The party continues their struggle against the haywire machines. Arthur saps gold filament from their mechanical innards, ruining the armor of Magnus. Boomingham nearly gets smashed by Magnus, but the robot's gears jam as he swings down his trident. The rest of the party gang up on the remaining Chromoid, Nevron beheading it with a thrust of his rapier. The battle rages on! "? ? ?" Magnus, Level 44 Mechanical *Bleeding!* HP: 662/1000 SP: 3 Immune to Confusion, Jinxing, and Frailty Specials: Quad-Dazer: Sweeps the entire enemy party with a blue beam of energy. All heroes lose 3 power, 3 max and current ether, 3 max and current HP, and two SP, regardless of SP or Row for the rest of the battle. All permanent stats will be restored when the battle is complete. Trident Turmoil: Cuts the HP of the hero who rolled Special damage, as well as the heroes above and below him in the battle order in half, disregarding row and SP. Rotor Manuever: Magnus rotates its trident around like a rotor, effectively creating a bladed shield around him. For the next 2 rounds he will Counterstrike. Specials decided by die roll. Passive Specials: Surge Protector: After magnus is under half HP, Magnus' surge protectors kick in, removing its weakness to Electricity. Drops: Topaz The Party: Lord Lawrence Boomingham (Zepher) 46 Years Old, Human, Level 25 2/3 Paladin *Immune to Fragile, Sleep and Weakened* *Encouraged!* Power: 39 (+5**) Defense: 12 Health: 47/47 (+3*) Ether: 21/24 Gold: 38 Equipment: Scupperer (Great Sword, WP: 11, Darkness Fire, causes Bleeding Effect for 5 Damage until remedied or healed to full health) Round Metal Shield (SP: 7), Counterstrike Gloves (On Free Hits, Deals damage to enemy equal to Boomingham's level), Heavy Armor (SP: 5, Immunity to Fragile), Tome of Affluence (Generates 10 Gold if equipped for the entirety of a battle, immunity to sleep and weakened, accessory) ****Pseudo's Blessing's Blessing (Not an Artifact, +4 Power) Inventory: Frozen Saber (Great Sword, WP: 9, Light Ice, stunned effect), Bedroll, Mead, Fire Brandy (Encouraged, Immunity to Ice), Emerald Lamp of Summoning, Lens of Speed Reading (Accessory, Allows a scroll to be read in addition to a normal action. Suitable for scroll users.), Scroll of Recklessness (Encouraged and Fragile for rest of battle, 5 ether, 50/50 chance), Scroll of Blindness, 1 Scroll of Weakening, Scroll of Fragility, Scroll of Sealing, Garnet, Sapphire, Hood of Belthazar Bluehood (+4 to Power, -6 to Ether), Hamantasch (consumable, lucky + blessed effects upon consumption for the length of one battle), Admantite Shard, Everlasting Venom. Remedy, Seventh Heaven, Tonic, Milk, Emergency Essence Debts: 128 Gold Arthur, 1 gold Docken, 75 gold Sorrow Arthur Justus Regulus VII (played by Flipz), Level 25 2/3 Sorcerer, 21-year-old male Human *Immune to Sealed* [ Currently in: Quest #70: The Syndicate] Power: 38 (25 + WP:13) Health: 37/37 (Basic Health: 5 + Level Bonus: 23 + Class Boost: 4 + Permanent Boost: 4*) Ether: 13/35 (Basic Ether: 5 + Level Bonus: 23 + Class Boost: 1 + Robe of the Archmagi: 5) Defense: 3 (Robe of the Archmagi) Gold: 1470 (Owed 128 gold by Boomingham; owed 50 gold by Grimwald Gjinko; owed 70 gold by En Sabah Nur,) Equipment: Unlucky Horseshoe (WP:13, retrievable, causes Jinxed-effect; throwing weapon), Robe of the Archmagi (Bodywear, SP:3, Max Ether +5, Immune to Sealed), Overkill Gloves, Marksman's Monocle Inventory: Weapons: Sir Roderick's Sword (WP:12, Longsword), Staff of the Cultist Battlemage (WP: 7, 50% chance of Fleeing upon being KO'd; suitable for Mages and Clerics), Hollow Blade Dagger (WP:6, dagger, hollow-blade), Staff of Ennon - (WP: 5, Light-Elemental, Restores 2 ether on a roll of 2, 3, or 4), Healing Staff (WP:5; heals instead of damaging), Healing Staff (WP:5; heals instead of damaging), Spider Leg (WP:8, doubled against flying enemies; spear; unsuitable) Artifacts: Shackles of War (Accessory, Prevents anyone from fleeing battles), Cloak of Deception (Backwear, Free hits against the wearer have a 1/6 chance to be redirected to a random opponent), Ancient Crown (Headwear, First successful strike of battle deals Cursed-effect), Jester's Hat (Headwear, Wearer may choose to gain one immunity from targeted enemy), Stingy Gloves, Lens of Speed Reading Gems: Opal (Ice), Amethyst (Darkness), Topaz (Lightning), Diamond (Light), Garnet (Earth), Tools: Bedroll, Telescope, Shovel, Magnifying Glass, Pickaxe, Magic Compass Scrolls: Scroll of Blindness, 2x Scroll of Sealing (1x Lent to De'kra), Scroll of Confusion, Scroll of Sleep, 2x Scroll of Frailty (1x Lent to Nyx), Scroll of Armor Sundering (Reduces target’s SP by 5 and has a 50/50 chance of success), Scroll of Poisoning (Grants target’s weapon the Badly Poisoned effect for one battle at the cost of 5 ether), Scroll of Luck (Grants target the Lucky-effect for one battle. Costs 10 ether.), Scroll of Weakening, Consumables: Grand Potion x10, Remedy x10, Elixir x5, Nostrum x 2, Smelling Salts x 3, Mead x 2, Jinxy Juice x2, Ether Core, Noxious Venom (When used on a weapon, the weapon deals the Badly Poisoned effect for the duration of the battle and the Confused effect for the next three rounds, for the duration of one battle.), Zoot's Plaything, Chaotic Bomb (Causes 100 random elemental damage to all opponents), Tesla Bomb, Grand Tonic, Double Rainbow, Bright Polish, Exterlate, Tonic, Emergency Essence Arnulf Bishop (Shoker86) *Encouraged!* *Immune to Fragile!* 30 yrs old male human Rogue Level 12 Power: 22 (12+9+1) Defense: 4 Health: 5/18 (7+11) Gold: 186 Equipment: Cheesy Dagger (WP:8, Double damage to vermin), Emerald Hood (SP: 4, Immunity to Fragile), Sticky Gloves Inventory: Leather Armor(SP:1), 4 Potions, 2 Venoms, Chaotic Bomb (Causes 100 random elemental damage to all opponents), Bedroll, 1 Mead, Smelling Salts, Mulled Wine, Remedy x2, Tricorne (SP:3), Name: Unknown. Most call him "Em," though his real name remains largely mysterious. Unknown age male human ranger Level 12 Power: 20 Health: 16/17 Gold: 90 Equipment: Aquabow (WP: 7, Water-elemental), Ranger's Quiver (+1 WP to all Bows/Crossbows), Syndicate Cowl (SP: 2, Immune to Doomed effect), Inventory: Smoke bomb, Grating Stone, Nostrum, Bedroll, Shovel, Pickaxe, Potion x5, Remedy x4, Gentleman's Hat (SP: 1, suitable for men, headgear. The wearer has a 1/2 chance to not be affected by Asleep.), Venom, Ice Bomb, Grand Potion, Bow(WP:5), Mead x2, White Marksman's Hat - (⅙ chance of Assassination vs. Flying monsters; Headwear) Scarf of Misfortune (Accessory, Wearer deals the Jinxed effect on every third round) "You all right, Private Regulus?" Nevron Utral, Level 14 Rogue *Encouraged!* HP: 11/20 Power: 21 SP: 1 Equipment: Standard Issue Rapier (WP: 7), Gallant Gauntlets (SP: 1, Handwear. User has a 1/6 chance to become Encouraged at the start of every battle.) Inventory: Trial Brew, Soma, 30 gold, Remedy Karie Alderflask (Played by Kintobor) *Encouraged!* 22 year old Human Rogue, lvl 14.5 Power: 20 (lvl 14 + WP: 6) Health: 19/20 Gold: 271 Defence: 0 Equipment: Sexy (WP: 6, Rapier, Disregards SP, usable by Knights and Rogues), Lover's Locket (Protects from enamoured effect), Catsuit (Wearer has 1/3 chance to completely avoid rolls of COUNTER and DAMAGE and Free Hits; suitable to women only; bodywear) Inventory: Potion, Mead (2), Remedy (1), Venom (1), Smoke bomb (1), Telescope (1), Bedroll (1), Heirloom Dagger (WP:3), Map of Brendenton (1), Spider Coin (worth 1 gp) (1),, Topaz, Scroll of Newtity (costs 10 ether)(usable by ex-Amphibians only), Ethereal Cloak (SP +2, Max. Ether +4), Nostrum, Mulled Wine (2), Leather Armor (Bodywear, SP: 1)

I will be taking steps when designing future battles to make sure the gold earnings remain reasonable. The combined Overkill for battles 2 and 3 was no bigger then 250 - the Chromoids were a design flaw when creating battles, but I won't make that mistake again. Despite my blunder, it was my screw-up, so Arthur has the right to reap his rewards from the Chromoids.

But then how can you tell it's him? Also: read your second sentence, glossed over the word "newt". Double taked.

Am I the only one who finds it terrifying that Newts are about the size of a human in the Heroica realm?

Good thing changing classes mid-quest isn't possible.

Actually, I'm curious about that too. I believe only one pair was ever purchased, and I was the one who updated the bloody inventories.

How about you go burn some digital retinas? Maybe some red ones?

Of course, that is why I tempt them with consumables!

That is pretty much how I'm going to roll with it - besides my recent Chromoid blunder, Arthur's earning were actually pretty reasonable in the battles after I realized Arthur's strategy.

What happens if you minimize a newt?! Yes, exactly!