Endgame

"So we collect 3 magic dinner plates and we get a legendary sea monster that will bust down the tower. Where, pray tell, are these amulets?"

"I'm afraid you don't realize the severity of the situation. Our master is typically a gentle giant prone to showing mercy, but whatever they've done to him has made him a furious, unstable wreck. What they are holding against him must be very dear to him. He already has a web prepared for us if we disobey. Thus, the trial goes on. Sorry." Results More solid ground.

"Those distasteful shelled fellows? Yes, they are the ones who are currently holding something against Master. He refuses to talk about it... And questioning him while he is this irate could be disastrous." Results: Lycan finds stable ground! QM Note: I apologize for the shoddy looking numbers: paint.net is acting up, and I didn't want to hold you up because my font looked a bit funny.

QM Note: I was under the impression Lycan wanted to use a bomb... which may be effective.

"We don't know why he raids this place either. Anyone's guess. We have instructions from our master. We will not attack you directly. Perhaps we can talk face-to-face when you're done getting impaled by thorns, hm?"

"We said it was one of your leaders. Do the math."

The voices begin speaking again. "By all means, do complete the trial by any means necessary... as long as you don't try to harm any of us, of course... Nyeh heh heh."

The party pokes and prods with their weapons, but are unable to truly determine what space was what. They needed more force... Johon takes out his shovel and rips one of the fake ground pieces right off of the pit it was concealing. A twisted mass of purple and green thorns sit at the bottom. They look mighty sharp... Perhaps they'd be able to expedite the process somehow?

The Party: Sylph Solanum (Dannylonglegs) *Party Leader!* *Trial!* unknown age, unknown race Druid Level 17.5 Power: 25 (17+7+1) Defense: 0 Health: 1/33c(9+16+7+1) Ether: 9/20 (5+16+1+-2) Gold: 44 Equipment: Merry Bow (WP:7, ranged, steals 1 gold with each successful hit except Shield-skills *Badly Poisoned!*), Ranger's Quiver (WP +1 to bows and crossbows), Helmet (Max. health +1) 20-20 glasses Inventory: Mockthril Rod (WP:7), Scroll of Frailty, Scroll of Sleep, Scroll of Blindness, Scroll of Sealing, Scroll of Confusion, 1 Potions, 1 Grand Potion, Tonic x2, Grand Tonic x2, Remedy, 2 Venoms, Smoke Bomb, 2 Fire Bombs, 2 Ice Bombs, 3 Water Bombs, 2 Lightning Bombs, Floral Bomb, Bedroll, Shovel, Pickaxe, Magnifying Glass, 8 Bones, Signet Ring, Saber Teeth, Crumbling Venom, Journal of The Bleeding, Sword Fragment (1), Smelling Salts x2, Helmet (Max. health +1) Galen Woodward (Fugazi) *Hastened!* *Encouraged!* *Lucky!* 36 year old male human Rogue Level 13.5 Power: 22 (13+8) Defense: 2 (+2) Health: 23/23 (7+12+4) Gold: 265 Equipment: Sword of the Croise (WP: 9), Chimera Headdress (Headwear, Suitable for Rangers and Rogues, +1 SP +4 Health), Leather Armour (SP:1) Inventory: Fauxthril Shuriken (WP:5, ranged), Throwing Dagger (WP:4, ranged), Bedroll, Venom, Smoke Bomb, Bomb XX, Grand Potion x5, Remedy x3, Nostrum x5, Mead x5, Fire Bomb, Deadly Venom x2, Crumbling Venom x2, Goblin's Wrench(WP:10,retrievable), Black Katana (WP:8), Phoenix Essence, Smelling Salts x2 Johon [AKA Alf Gregory] (Bricksandparts) *Encouraged!* *Lucky!* 25 years old male human Barbarian > Raider Level: 20 Power: 28 (18+8+0) Health: 34/34 (18+8+1+7+0) Shield Power: (1 + 5) Ether: ~/0 Positive effects: *Immune to:* (*Fragile*, *Cursed*), *Natural Respite* Negative effects: (none) Gold: 365 (186G(1), 0GB(50), 0CB(50), 0GO(80), 0CC(70), 0GC(100), 0M) Equipment: Dog Statuette - (suitable for anyone, SP: 1, once named (Rover), speaking the name summons a dog almost certainly to tag along on madcap adventures and make snippy comments.), Sword of Decay (WP:8)(once the target is inflicted with damage they lose a quarter of the power of the strike each following turn for three turns. the effect cannot be compounded with more strikes. Suitable to Mages, Knights and Barbarians.) Hide of The Bleeding (Backwear, restores 10 HP and 5 ether for every enemy the wearer kills, suitable for anyone) Heavy Armour – SP:5, protects from fragile-effect, suitable for barbarians and knights. Extra Artefacts: Helmet (+1 max health), Blessed Amulet – Protects from cursed-effect. Extra Weapons: Greatsword (WP:3), Meteor Blade (WP:8, Light elemental), Focal Staff (WP:5, Focus Fire-Roll a 3 for 5 ether Suitable for clerics and mages) Tools: Shovel (1), Pick-axe (2), Magnifying Glass (1), Magic Compass (1) Consumables: Potion (3), Grand Potion, Venom, Ice Bomb (1), Mead (2), Phoenix Essence (3), Trail Brew (1), Nostrum (2), Smelling Salts (2) Elements: Aquamarine (1), Emerald (1) Scrolls: Scroll of Sleep (1), Scroll of Blindness (1), Scroll of Sealing (2), Scroll of Confusion (1) Quest items: (None) Elgar Gligin (played by Jedi master Brick) Level 18.5 Evoker Power: 29 Defense: 0 Health: 26/26 Ether: 17/18 Gold: 400 Equipment: Mockthril Crossbow (WP:11) Inventory: Fauxthril Longbow (WP: 5),Smoke Bomb, Bedroll, Emerald,SapphireTopaz ,3 Venoms, Spade,Pickaxe,3 Potions, Trickster's Mask of the Elf(Accessory, Changes user's appearance into an Elf),Scroll of Poisoning (Grants target’s weapon the badly poisoned effect for one battle at the cost of 5 ether) ,Goblin's Wrench(WP:10,retrievable), Needlessly Large Rod (Non-Artifact Item, Curses a random enemy. Usuable once per battle.) Does not prevent free hits. Grand Potion x2, Grand Tonic x3, Opal Lycan Dean (played by theBoyWonder) *Lucky!* Level 10 Rogue *Immune to weakened* Power: 21 Health: 14/14 Gold: 13 (95 gold owed to Thormanil and 30 to Loreal) Equipment: Combrys (WP: 8, consecutive successful strikes raise Combry's WP by 1, unsuccessful strikes drop it to it's base WP), Pugillist Gloves(Power +2, protects from weakened), Sylvania's Cowl(grants Animal Talk to Wearer) Inventory: Bedroll, Staff of The Frog Paladin (WP:6, 1/6 chance of Amphibianocs Blessing (protects from damage)), Throwing Dagger (WP6), Warhammer (WP:4), Fire Bomb, Grand Potion, Deadly Venom x2, Venom x3, Mead, Phoenix Essence, Smelling Salts x6, Nostrums x2 Alexandre le Chevalier (Played by Capt.JohnPaul) Level 16 Paladin, 20 year old elf male Power: 24 Defense: 13 Health: 36/36 Ether: 10/16 Gold: 41 Equipment: Sword of the Elven Blademaster (WP: 8; ignores SP *Badly Poisoned!*), Cross Heater Shield (SP: 10) (Mail of the Renegade Commander (SP: 3; Damage of all Free Hits is halved; suitable for Knights and Barbarians) Inventory: Potions (4), Bedroll, Smoke Bomb, Tonic x2, Smoke Bomb, Fire Bomb, Potion, Remedy, Grand Tonic, Mead, Phoenix Essence, Nostrum "It's over... *wheeze* finally over...!" Punii, 2 month year old Progg Alchemist Jellies: Green x3, Blue x2, Red x1 QM Note: I'm a phone right now, so I can't get the map up quite yet. I'll have it up when I get my grubby litte mitts on the computer. Also, Sylph, the trial brew only takes it's toll when you enter a battle.

Normally Syntax would burst right out and start spewing profanities, but after the Fantome incident, he was now much more suppressible. "...Thank goodness I'm not prone to vertigo. I dislike this man, and not because of his color-choice. He didn't have the common sense to realize that his actions were crimes, and decided to steal children in the middle of the night and lock up them up in isolated areas with a bunch of ravenous abominations. Honestly, would it be hard to leave a note?! Oh, and he didn't take the adults because they were "beyond help" or some demon dung like that. Honestly, if there is a way to complete our mission without Byverion, I'm all ears."

QM Note: I'll update the map every time everyone sends their actions in. remmeber, there is always "do nothing." "The other Progg's shells *wheeze* didn't protect them from your swords..."

"Yes." You realize you have a throwing distance of 5 spaces in any direction.

"Nuh-uh, no way. Not taking another step near those tpits until you find a safe route. We have to stay here and grapple you up if you fall in, anyway.

Sorry for the delay, folks! Thanksgiving preparations had to be done.

The Party: Sylph Solanum (Dannylonglegs) *Party Leader!* *Trial!* unknown age, unknown race Druid Level 17.5 Power: 25 (17+7+1) Defense: 0 Health: 1/33c(9+16+7+1) Ether: 17/22 (5+16+1) Gold: 44 Equipment: Merry Bow (WP:7, ranged, steals 1 gold with each successful hit except Shield-skills *poisoned!*), Ranger's Quiver (WP +1 to bows and crossbows), Helmet (Max. health +1) 20-20 glasses Inventory: Mockthril Rod (WP:7), Scroll of Frailty, Scroll of Sleep, Scroll of Blindness, Scroll of Sealing, Scroll of Confusion, 1 Potions, 1 Grand Potion, Tonic x2, Grand Tonic x2, Remedy, 2 Venoms, Smoke Bomb, 2 Fire Bombs, 2 Ice Bombs, 3 Water Bombs, 2 Lightning Bombs, Floral Bomb, Bedroll, Shovel, Pickaxe, Magnifying Glass, 8 Bones, Signet Ring, Saber Teeth, Crumbling Venom, Journal of The Bleeding, Sword Fragment (1), Smelling Salts x2, Helmet (Max. health +1) Galen Woodward (Fugazi) *Hastened!* *Encouraged!* *Lucky!* 36 year old male human Rogue Level 13.5 Power: 22 (13+8) Defense: 2 (+2) Health: 23/23 (7+12+4) Gold: 265 Equipment: Sword of the Croise (WP: 9), Chimera Headdress (Headwear, Suitable for Rangers and Rogues, +1 SP +4 Health), Leather Armour (SP:1) Inventory: Fauxthril Shuriken (WP:5, ranged), Throwing Dagger (WP:4, ranged), Bedroll, Venom, Smoke Bomb, Bomb XX, Grand Potion x5, Remedy x3, Nostrum x5, Mead x5, Fire Bomb, Deadly Venom x2, Crumbling Venom x2, Goblin's Wrench(WP:10,retrievable), Black Katana (WP:8), Phoenix Essence, Smelling Salts x2 Johon [AKA Alf Gregory] (Bricksandparts) *Encouraged!* *Lucky!* 25 years old male human Barbarian > Raider Level: 20 Power: 28 (18+8+0) Health: 34/34 (18+8+1+7+0) Shield Power: (1 + 5) Ether: ~/0 Positive effects: *Immune to:* (*Fragile*, *Cursed*), *Natural Respite* Negative effects: (none) Gold: 365 (186G(1), 0GB(50), 0CB(50), 0GO(80), 0CC(70), 0GC(100), 0M) Equipment: Dog Statuette - (suitable for anyone, SP: 1, once named (Rover), speaking the name summons a dog almost certainly to tag along on madcap adventures and make snippy comments.), Sword of Decay (WP:8)(once the target is inflicted with damage they lose a quarter of the power of the strike each following turn for three turns. the effect cannot be compounded with more strikes. Suitable to Mages, Knights and Barbarians.) Hide of The Bleeding (Backwear, restores 10 HP and 5 ether for every enemy the wearer kills, suitable for anyone) Heavy Armour – SP:5, protects from fragile-effect, suitable for barbarians and knights. Extra Artefacts: Helmet (+1 max health), Blessed Amulet – Protects from cursed-effect. Extra Weapons: Greatsword (WP:3), Meteor Blade (WP:8, Light elemental), Focal Staff (WP:5, Focus Fire-Roll a 3 for 5 ether Suitable for clerics and mages) Tools: Shovel (1), Pick-axe (2), Magnifying Glass (1), Magic Compass (1) Consumables: Potion (3), Grand Potion, Venom, Ice Bomb (1), Mead (2), Phoenix Essence (3), Trail Brew (1), Nostrum (2), Smelling Salts (2) Elements: Aquamarine (1), Emerald (1) Scrolls: Scroll of Sleep (1), Scroll of Blindness (1), Scroll of Sealing (2), Scroll of Confusion (1) Quest items: (None) Elgar Gligin (played by Jedi master Brick) Level 18.5 Evoker Power: 29 Defense: 0 Health: 26/26 Ether: 17/18 Gold: 400 Equipment: Mockthril Crossbow (WP:11) Inventory: Fauxthril Longbow (WP: 5),Smoke Bomb, Bedroll, Emerald,SapphireTopaz ,3 Venoms, Spade,Pickaxe,3 Potions, Trickster's Mask of the Elf(Accessory, Changes user's appearance into an Elf),Scroll of Poisoning (Grants target’s weapon the badly poisoned effect for one battle at the cost of 5 ether) ,Goblin's Wrench(WP:10,retrievable), Needlessly Large Rod (Non-Artifact Item, Curses a random enemy. Usuable once per battle.) Does not prevent free hits. Grand Potion x2, Grand Tonic x3, Opal Lycan Dean (played by theBoyWonder) *Lucky!* Level 10 Rogue *Immune to weakened* Power: 21 Health: 14/14 Gold: 13 (95 gold owed to Thormanil and 30 to Loreal) Equipment: Combrys (WP: 8, consecutive successful strikes raise Combry's WP by 1, unsuccessful strikes drop it to it's base WP), Pugillist Gloves(Power +2, protects from weakened), Sylvania's Cowl(grants Animal Talk to Wearer) Inventory: Bedroll, Staff of The Frog Paladin (WP:6, 1/6 chance of Amphibianocs Blessing (protects from damage)), Throwing Dagger (WP6), Warhammer (WP:4), Fire Bomb, Grand Potion, Deadly Venom x2, Venom x3, Mead, Phoenix Essence, Smelling Salts x6, Nostrums x2 Alexandre le Chevalier (Played by Capt.JohnPaul) Level 16 Paladin, 20 year old elf male Power: 24 Defense: 13 Health: 36/36 Ether: 10/16 Gold: 41 Equipment: Sword of the Elven Blademaster (WP: 8; ignores SP *poisoned!*), Cross Heater Shield (SP: 10) (Mail of the Renegade Commander (SP: 3; Damage of all Free Hits is halved; suitable for Knights and Barbarians) Inventory: Potions (4), Bedroll, Smoke Bomb, Tonic x2, Smoke Bomb, Fire Bomb, Potion, Remedy, Grand Tonic, Mead, Phoenix Essence, Nostrum "It's over... *wheeze* finally over...!" Punii, 2 month year old Progg Alchemist Jellies: Green x3, Blue x2, Red x1 Sylph finds no sign of any of the Murkwoodian spiders - in presence, at any rate. However, they do respond to their calls. The party can't pinpoint the source of the voices, but they hear their faint words quite clearly. "You burnt our web. A minor offense, but beware... Any further damage to this place and you'll find yourself withering away..." "Heroes of Herocia you may be, but friends of nature your organization is not. One of your leader constantly rampages here, stealing our family, our friends, our loved ones. Why? Who knows." "We have no quarrels with you in particular... yet. But you do not yet deserve audience with us. The Murkwood holds trials aplenty... complete them and perhaps we will consider resuming this conversation. Adieu." And with that, the voices and their sources vanish. The party proceeds down the clearing, looking at the surroundings. The forest seems to grow more and more twisted the deeper in you go. Dead and withering treees surround them on all sides: and some bizzare cured ones. The air grows heavy. Suddenly, a piercing shriek is heard - Morxes! As they were walking along the rascally little spider must've gone ahead and fell in a ditch. Lyrol pulls him back up with his thread. The little eight-legged creature is shaken. "Beds of thorns were at the bottom of that pit! This entire field must be boobytrapped!" Trial of the Murkwood -You start South of the board. -Each stud represents a space. -Red spaces have been confirmed to be boobytrapped. -Green spaces are safe spaces. -Black spaces are undetermined. -You must find a path leading safely to the other side. -Landing in a pit will drop you insantly to 1 HP. Morxes and Lyrol will pull you out, though, returning you to the start. -There is no fixed way of determining which space is what. get creative and find the safe spaces! What will the party do?

"We don't seem to have anything else to do." I follow.

Johon's compass begins to spin and flails around randomly. Perhaps this place really was cursed...

The bat swoops into the air, scanning the nearby area. She hears the metallic clanging, but the blacksmith's actual location is obscured by the dense trees. She sees 8 glowing purple eyes briefly on her fly by that are near the direction from which the clanging was coming from. Will the party walk through the clearing or will they take any other precautions?

Pulling out a firebomb, Sylph ignites it. It becomes entangled in the web - then bursts into flames! The path seems fairly straight forward at first. A winding dark alleyway, with drab trees standing on both sides. They eventually come to a large clearing. Will the party progress further?

"No problem, but you may want to reconsider using your r-" before the young red spiderling can complete his warning, Sylph's rod gets entangled in web - stuck! "...Murkwood thread is especially sticky..."

"As big as all of you combined!" says the young spider ahppily. Galen's heart skips a beat. "The smith's workshop is only a hop, skip and a jump away from the marketplace. It was definitely coming from the forest."

"I remember something about our daddy sending us away because of a Dragon Lord. He said to stay safe and grow into big, strong spiders. Do you think I'll grow into a big strong spider?" Morxes obviouslyenjoys the company of the druid. While Morxes babbles, Lyrol uses his thread to grapple on top of the tree. he drops down and delivers his report. "Negative on the visual. I heard a sigh and some rhythmic metal clanging north of here in the Murkwood, though."

"A bottle of what appears to be booze, two rats and a spider. Something tells me this is a vermin birthday party. Something also tells me this is a normal warehouse and we're being misled." I inspect the bottle and it's contents.

The party won't be able to move forward with the web in the way.

I know, but I thought possibly it was a magic spider or something. "...Not nearly as talkative as Waldurk spiders. Shame." I inspect the inside of the large barrel.