Scubacarrot

Guts charges at the Flame Dragonet from the front row!

It's hard to say, as in the quests, the focus is not on one person per say, and not on the heroes in particular generally. I was thinking about it for Quest 20: Tarn was a combination of The Hero and the Chick (Peacekeeper), Dek'ra is hard to place, Maybe Smart guy, but that one goes to Aberforth. Knifk was obviously the Big guy, Dak was the tagalong kid, always needing to be saved. And Guts: I don't know, Lancer, maybe, although he could also be Big Guy, maybe someone else should say it?

@Bricksandparts, can you please cut it out. What you trying to do is obviously not in the premise of the quest, and it is quite distracting to read through.

"You know, Bard, I'm fine with the helpful songs during battle and all, and the occasional instrumental background music, but please stop the rhyming, or your next ballad will be called: 'How I broke my jaw.' And the protagonist of the song would be my fist."

Guts watched the dragon flew off, and shouted towards his companions, his voice barely holding back the rage of the battle, and the rush of fighting another dragon: "Alright boys, we are going to kill this thing, even if it is the last thing I do! Help that guy up, make him drink something, don't care if he tries to spit it out. Drink meads, poison your weapons! We merely wounded it, but it is not done yet, and will fight back, fiercer than before! This is it's nest, or it wants to make this it's nest! It matters not, this beast dies now, at our hand! But first, we deal with those things, it's brood, perhaps?" Guts drinks a mead.

I honestly thought the Illuminati had found their way to Heroica, Hmmm, more quest ideas...

What! Sergeant Chu scored 100 points? What does that mean? Did he forget to shoot? Preposterous!

I forgot to comment on this: The three tied in quests look great, very interesting to see what the connections between the different quests will be. Are there enough heroes in the hall, to fill all the spots though? Or is any quest close to ending?

Guts drinks a potion, and then attacks from the back row.

We can, of course, disagree. I am just displaying my observations, thoughts and opinion. The trouble I find is that one point, you are either going to have two things: Knights never take damage. Or: Any class that is not a knight gets one-shotted if they roll damage.

Yeah right, imagine Jason Statham with hair.

Ooh, Althior is a sage now, quick, Atramor must challenge him to a fistfight, Althior will by moral code not be allowed to fight back!

The gimmick I meant was taking your weapons away in the first place .

Thanks, JimB, it is nice to see there are people following it that are not playing the particular quest . I am indeed very happy I had such active players, it makes what you have to do as a QM much more fun and easier. Thanks, if it reminded you of Quest 11, I think it was a good thing, since Quest 11 is one of my favorites as well! The investigation thing was what I was going for, I am not entirely happy how that turned out, to be honest, but glad to see you liked it. Yes, The ending was sudden, the reason is this: When I first pitched my quest idea, I had to shorten it, since it was after all, my first quest. I did not really want to compromise on the story side of things, so I had to find a suitable place to make the cut. This was kinda the best place I could find. I say kinda, because, let's be honest, it's still a terrible place to end the quest. I wish I could think of a better way to have done it, but I could not really think of anything. You did not miss anything vital, the main goal was reached. Of course, different things would have happened if different choices were made (in the prison bit, mostly). It actually surprised me, how easy it is to make mistakes. I really underestimated the complexity of the game rules, and that leads to mistakes, in my case lots (most of you did not see, I fixed right after they were made). Don't get me wrong, QM-ing is really fun, but it does require a good bit of attention to do things right, I have learned. I want to thank the players again for being such good sports and all that good stuff, I'll say it again, it helps immensely to have active players. I hope the players had fun, and are not too mad at me for trying to kill their avatars. I learned quite a bit, and if I am allowed, I would like to QM a sequel at some point. Some of the things I learned are this, maybe they help for future QM's/Players? Party Size. If you have a small party, battles with fewer opponents actually get easier, since the party has less danger of getting into trouble because of bad rolls. Larger parties are of course more effective in battles against more enemies. QM-ing a small party is also easier, I think, Since you have less chance of having to wait long for player input. If I am going to host again, four heroes is the number I will go with again, it seems to work. Don't give in to your players. This was about a mistake I made, I feel. If you have read my quest you know that the heroes had the option to retrieve an item from a guarded chest. The party basically got this item too easily, by just talking a bit. How it should have gone, was that the party either used Diplomacy, or used a distraction to get the helmet, but me, wanting to move the quest along, basically gave it up after a chat. I think this was poor QM-ing on my part. Give that player a choice. Players love choice. It's true, really. Get a decent Camera. Yeah... This is something I need to do. All images were shot by a phone, I am not happy with how they looked overall, but it is all I have, at the moment, all my money goes to Bricks, after all. Knights are OP. They are overpowered, really. Because of their massive shield powers, I propose some changes. It will get/gets hard to design good enemies when you need to take a shielded opponent in consideration, and then have players that have none. Cronk almost never took damage in my quest, and I want to provide a hard battle (Which is my next point!). 1. You could Cap SP, not a great solution, but it would work. 2. I proposed this in the R&D topic, but got no response: Calculate SP before Row, this is something that should be done anyway, in my opinion. 3. Have it so that a Knight can only absorb a certain amount each round, like this: Knight gets 10 damage from roll, and 10 from a free hit, he is in the front row, and has 15 SP. How it would work, is this: He absorbs 10 damage, then only 5, and takes 5 damage. I can't explain this well, but you get my point? 4. Permanently implement Zepher's rule for free hits: 1 damage regardless. This was actually a mistake on my part, but I think it can help to balance things out, perhaps. Give players a challenge. Easy battles are boring battles. You don't want that. Having a cleric(or another source of healing, as in Quest 14 or 26) in the party is a must in order to have fun battles. Clerics are meant to be supporting, and I think that is exactly what Rufindel was doing most of the quest. However, I felt my battles were still too easy. Looking back, I would have made my battles much harder. Gimmicks? Be careful with those. Looking back, what I did with the undead battle? It was kind of pointless. Don't do gimmicks, unless it's necessary. Variety. I felt there was not enough variety in my quest, I had a puzzle planned, but it did not make the cut, unfortunately. I think at least one puzzle is a good thing for every quest, Alternatively, force them to be creative, to be in Quest 17, and it will surely either give players a sense of well-deserved pride that they did something cool, or you can have fun writing up how the heroes failed horribly. Success guaranteed. I'm sure I have missed some of my own thoughts, that's how it works, but for now it is written. Thanks again to the players for playing!

So. My quest has finished as well, before anyone says it: The ending sucked. I know. There is a reason for it, as there is for everything. I would love some feedback!

The Guard Captain seems not amused, and with fiery eyes, she says: "You really want to argue the technicalities? I wanted him taken down, in other words, out of business. His head on a platter is only one way of doing that, Miss! You so called heroes are nothing but bloodlusted brutes! And then they have the nerve to call us greedy! You realize the rest of the reward set aside for this will go towards the ones the dead guards left behind? And to rebuilding the Town Watch, which is in big trouble, I might add! We can not spare any money, and need to make do our best with what we have got!" When Atramor spoke, she bursted out even more: "Don't even get me started on the bloodbath you started in my jail! What the hell happened in there?! I almost believe my predecessor's words, that you Heroes are all useless! Now, take your money and go, get out, GET OUT!!! The party sees it is best to leave, and returns to the hall. THE QUEST IS SUCCESSFUL! Updated Party, please check your stats one last time, and don't forget to update your signatures/Profile Pages. Nyx has the whole reward, which she can divide at her own time. Cronk (played by Corneliusmurdock) Level 18 Paladin Power: 30 SP: 9 Health: 38/38 Ether: 19/19 Gold: 30 Inventory: Zoot's Bane (WP:12, Light), Healing Staff (WP:5 Healing effect), Sword of Bashing (WP:5), Bloody Pointy Stick (WP:1), Ennoc's Blessing (Shield, SP:7), Elaborate Helmet (SP:2), Heavy Crossbow(WP:8, Knockback), Potion x2, Holy Bomb, Phoenix Essence, Bedroll, Paralyzing Venom, Bone Nyx (played by Pandora) Party Leader Level 17 Battle Mage Power: 29 SP: - Health: 27/27 Ether: 22/22 Gold: 632 Inventory: Book of a Thousand Creatures(WP:12, each roll has a 1/6 chance to summon a creature to aid the hero, only one creature can be out, summoning it costs 1 ether.), Dawnstar II (WP:9), Longsword (WP:6), Sandman's Parasol (grants immunity to sleep), Helmet(+1 health), Ruby(Fire), Amethyst(Darkness), Topaz(Lightning), Sapphire(Wind), Emerald(Wood), Potion x1, Remedy, Tonic x2, Holy Bomb, Bedroll, Bone x5, Wooden Shield (SP:2), Blacksmith's Writ x4 Atramor Gibbin (played by CallMePieOrDie) Level 16.5 Rogue Power: 25 SP: 2 Health: 23/23 Ether: - Gold: 356 Inventory: Black Katana(WP:8 Earth), Leachfeather (WP:7 Fire, Wind, restores 2 health on hit), Shiv(WP: 4, can be used as both a melee and a throwing weapon.)Cloak of the Elven Spy(Allows wearer to see an NPC's stats from afar), Sand Worm Hide(SP:2), Bone x2, Nutritious Banana, Venom, Wooden Shield(SP:2) Rufindel Galadhras (played by Rufus) Level 13 Cleric Power: 25 SP: 2 Health: 21/21 Ether: 17/17 Gold: 50 Inventory: Malfunctioning Staff(WP:12 on successful roll, has 50% chance to do half of WP damage to self instead(ignoring row and SP), Warlord's Helmet( SP:2 grants 'Natural Respite', Fauxthril Staff(WP:7),Potion x2, Remedy x1, Bone x2, Pickaxe, Tonic x2, Bedroll, Scroll of Sealing, Venom, Wooden Shield(SP:2) Thank you very much for playing!, and thank you any watchers for watching! I would appreciate any feedback in the Quest Master's Lounge, and I will write a self critique at one point as well! Can a mod please lock this?

"You did not actually read what was on the poster, did you?"

"Hmpf, the poster also said 'dead or alive', and this head here, is no living criminal we can question about his accomplices. And yes, you are done, I will be setting up investigations, both for the Wolfgang's hiding holes and what significance this Keystone has. You are dismissed, go back to your hall, for now." QM Note: After the reward has been split, the quest is done.

Only Knifk and Hybros are hastened. Guts continues his attacks from the back row!

"Strivvi, eh? You think that is where my guards are? I'll have the investigation reopened with the focus there, when this mess clears up. I meant, that we had no record of Handle being associated with the Wolfgang. It means that the Wolfgang is recruiting the worst scum out there, a bad thing." Patricia places the head of the criminal firmly on her desk, and then reaches into the chest behind her desk, and takes out two different sized bags of gold, and four rolls of parchment. "Here is 80 gold for bringing me the head of Barr Handle, and here is the reward that was posted for the job: 500 gold, and four Blacksmith's Writs. This was not the result I was hoping for, Heroes, but you have done your part admirably, as far as I can tell." She then also takes the Keystone from Nyx, and places it inside the chest, which she then locks. Party Leader, Please divide the Reward. 580 gold 4x Blacksmith's Writ of Service

This has been answered before, I vaguely remember, the answer was of course, no.

"A keystone? What does it do, do you know? And this would mean Barr Handle turned Wolfgang? That would mean things are even worse than we thought. And let me get this straight, you met Donny Dozenhands, and you did not kill him? What is it with you Heroes and your inability to kill this man!" Captain Patricia lowered her voice, so only the heroes could hear her, and said: "As you might imagine, recent events have left us in a weak state, on top of that, all prisoners are gone now, as well. I think this attack was to get us out of the way, of something... I wish it had not come to this." She then spoke to a guard standing a bit back, who did not look very wounded, and the captain said: "You! I want you to spread the word around that every Wolfgang member is now Kill On Sight status. If they are spotted, they are dead, understand? Have someone organize a bounty system for every Wolfgang Emblem. After that, send word to the Houses and the Temples, we need help, if the Town Watch is to survive. Thirdly, I want constant patrols in the high profile areas of the city. Any patrol that does not fall in that category, gets cancelled, got all that?" The Guard salutes, and runs off to perform the tasks he was given, once again, Patricia turns to the heroes: "Anything else you can tell me?"

Maybe I should have said: Awesomely edited... It is not like I approve of wolf/bear slaughter

I just wanted to say... that is an awesome picture. This is a beautifully hosted game

The party goes inside, where the hallways used to be clean, there are now clear signs of battle: blood, woodsplinters, broken glass, crossbow bolts. No other bodies are found. Walking around, vigilant of any threats they might find, the heroes reach the Captain's office. Half expecting an ambush, they open the door: They see the captain's office in a bad state, some of the furniture is broken, and there are several wounded guards, apparantly being treated by a medic of sorts. In the corner the heroes can see an unmoving figure under a blanket, a dead guard. With her weapon drawn, Captain Patricia walks towards the heroes: "Mercutio's balls, fate is cruel today. You could not show up two hours earlier? I'll spare you the pleasantries, the Wolfgang attacked us. There were around fifty of them, more than we were with. They were lead by my predecessor's nemesis, Dozenhands. I have a dozen wounded, two casualties, and around fifteen others unaccounted for, we managed to take a number of them out, but they surprised us. They attacked on the middle of the day, in our base! But, what have you found out?" With a sarcastic tone in her voice, she added: "Not that it matters much, now. I bet all I have that the Wolfgang are behind this all."