Flipz

I generally go by methods similar to what WBD and Pie put forth, but I also try to take into consideration other factors; for example, in every Quest I try to have at least one enemy that a particular party member will have difficulty with, and another that they're particularly well-suited to handle (bonus points if one Hero's weakness is another Hero's strength). I don't do it for every battle (that would be overkill), but if I've given every player at least two memorable enemies in a Quest, I'm usually pretty satisfied with my enemy design. I'll also try to balance enemies later in the Quest to match loot I've previously dropped, if it's not too out of place; I want my loot to be something meaningful to my players, and one way of doing that is making sure as much of it as possible gets at least some use before inevitably being discarded/sold off after the end of the Quest. Immunities: my general rule of thumb is no more than three, or four MAX if it's supposed to be a "hard" enemy. (Immune to Instant Kill I don't count as one of these immunities, but use it with care anyway.) Take it from someone who's learned it the hard way on both sides: enemies that do too much to limit your options are not fun to fight, and usually lead to disinterest, frustration, and endless, tedious "I repeat"; try to leave openings for your players to accomplish interesting things besides dealing damage, and you'll see their enjoyment go up immensely. (Protip: opportunities for mid-combat roleplaying are almost always a good idea, if you can provide them--I've had the most success with allied NPCs for this, but in a party with good chemistry a good villain can provoke this as well.) ...oh! Important consideration: make sure to include enemies that carry Gold. It doesn't have to be every battle, but it should be in at least some, and not just for Rogues either; there's been a dearth of Gold-dropping enemies lately, and it's not a good trend--not only for the sake of Gold-stealing Rogues (though you can use it as a nifty risk-reward complication if you have some in the party), but for ALL classes that need gold to buy supplies, upgrades, and equipment. The only other trend I'd want to warn you on is this: be sparing with instant KO, and ESPECIALLY with AoE KOs. (Enemies that deal more damage than a given Hero has health count as instant KO as well for design purposes, and are leagues more dangerous to use since there's no immunity to that kind of instant KO.) Remember, you want to give your players a challenge, not back them into an unwinnable situation. Again, try to give players options; so long as the Back Row isn't completely tankable for all characters, you don't have to make Front Row fighting too dangerous to even try. (And if the Back Row is completely tankable for some but not all characters, that's fine; let those characters benefit from their build, the others will still have a challenge.) This is probably the hardest thing to get right (and I can't claim to have anything even REMOTELY resembling a good record on this ), but it's something I want to see, and thus something I strive for. I guess that's sort of the ultimate QMing advice: host a Quest you'd want to play. Follow that guideline, and everything should turn out just fine.

For me, I prefer a happy medium. For a lot of things, I do like being able to click on links to go to their own articles for more information; on the other hand, having articles that are too short can just end up cluttering everything up. In some cases, I think we have page lists that are too long ("effects" would be a good example), but at the same time having a page for every single item on that list is too much (i.e. no need for Hastened and Transcended and Blessed to all have their own pages--a single page on "positive effects" is enough). One thing that can help a lot is headings. ==Heading== creates a top-level heading, with ===heading=== and ====heading==== and so on producing progressively smaller sub-headings. Each of those headings becomes its own section, which you can then link to by putting a hash (#) followed by the section name (so, on a theoretical "Positive Effects" page, you could link to [[Positive Effects#Transcended|Transcended]] to link to Transcended directly, with the pipe symbol (|) being used as a way to change the text of a link. (The stuff before the pipe is where you're actually linking to, while the stuff after is what's being displayed; it works similarly to URL tags here on Eurobricks.)

"The challenges faced by my first tribe no longer gave me challenge. After I left Kalma, I heard that joining the tribe of Heroica would give stronger enemies. From what the other Heroicans have said, the...rumors?...about Heroica are correct." "I am...hm...you have done something I did not think you would do. We Selkreeth are rare, and we almost never teach others our words. Your...word-seeing...of [[Keeper-of-Wisdom's-Blade]] seems very close. Did you know a Selkreeth before me?" Whether he knew the word beforehand or simply made a good guess, Zanna is impressed by the Siercon's reasoning of her native tongue--an impression that is only improved by his next statement. "'Bleed'...that seems like the word. Though where I come from, the blood is not often red. You are very good at this...know...ing? of words." "I know of the people of which you speak...Lhkasthiv in our words. At times they will wander into Kalma. Hard shells. Tough to kill, but bad in a fight. They like to look hard at the night sky. They do not live well in the...swamp, is the word?" The word still does not sound right to her, and she makes a face at its awkwardness, but she makes do. "These...mek-an-ik-ul men...sound like strong enemies. They would make for a good fight." The argument between the Lind, the Siercon, the Addok-Zo and the Juniper--or was it the Jinn?--moves quickly, too quickly for Zanna to follow. She is, however, quick enough to understand that a battle was being fought here, if not with fists or blades. *What strange weaponry is this?** she wonders, * And when will I be trained in its usage?*

"Hmm..." Arthur looks around cautiously. "Listen...you didn't hear this from me, but according to a few of my Town Watch buddies...the Wolfgang aren't in the thug business anymore...like, at all. Apparently, they've started cracking down hard on anyone who tries thieving or threatening in their name. There's even been a few splinter groups popping up, but so far the Wolfgang have managed to drive them out of Eubric entirely...when they haven't just dropped them, bound and gagged, in front of the Town Watch headquarters, with a wolfhead-branded coin at their feet." Arthur shakes his head. "I wouldn't have believed it myself, if Nevron hadn't shown me the sketches he made himself. I don't know what their game it, but it's definitely not what it used to be..." --------------- "Perhaps...it seems short for a word in Common. Common words...much of the time I need many to say what just a few of my own would say. And I know that part of our word includes the meaning of 'thing-that-the-spear-of-the-Siercon-does', which I do not know how to say in Common."

Zanna seems to struggle with the words again. "Yes, but...venom...is a different kind of..." As Siercon indicates his spear, she points emphatically. "That!" she exclaims. "That weapon...it is not of Selkreeth make, but it comes close. The maces of my first tribe deal wounds like that would. If I could wield such a mace, I would, but I cannot. It is a cause of...frustration." The word is still foreign, but clearly familiar to Zanna; it is clearly one she has found much use for since learning. Zanna observes the Black Knight cautiously; the Lind carries an aura that seems oddly familiar to her. She starts to return the handshake, and is almost relieved when Siercon interrupts. Zanna nods, and almost on cue, the parchment reappears. Taking the Siercon's advice, she signs her name (or at least tries to), and the parchment promptly vanishes. Zanna's eyes widen (if only slightly, compared to normal) at Siercon's pronouncement of her weapon's deeds. "Oh! You are [[ceremonial weapon-reader]]!" she exclaims, lapsing momentarily into her nigh-incomprehensible native tongue. "I did not expect to find one not of my kind. [[You do my weapon honor, keeper-of-wisdom's-blade. I will do it service.]]" The Selkreeth tilts her head at Siercon's shortening of her name, but does not address it other than nodding her head in acceptance. "I...am called Zannaqim," she says to Lind, offering her hand slowly while maintaining eye contact. It took her a few moments, but she finally placed the source of her familiarity: a species of small but vicious apelike creatures that would lure in prey with their disarming appearance and whimpering murmurs, then attack once the prey's guard was lowered. *'Whisperer' would be a good Common term for the creature...but why would one term themselves that, and divulge the ruse? And more confusingly, why is the Lind named after 'ruined thread fragments in a pocket'?* Though confused, Zanna remains vigilant, having learned the hard way what the creatures of her homeland were capable of. "I am Zannaqim", Zanna repeats, the phrase becoming progressively more comfortable in her mouth. "Forgive me for not...er, I do not know of the thought of which you speak. There are a great number of humans and elves in the foreign lands, yes, but why is seeing one who is not 'nice'?" She tries to indicate with her tone her understanding of the word 'nice' but not its application, but she knows her frustration at not knowing the Common word for 'understanding' had bled through and might have muddled her tone. Her frustration with Common grows. --------------- "Thanks," Arthur replies, equipping the Prayer Beads and applying the Bright Polish to his Shadeaux Cape, likely surprising no one. "I'm not surprised it's been quiet, honestly," Arthur says with a sigh, recalling what had happened. "After what a group of 'Heroes' did to the Proggs that night...and maybe a rumor or two about a certain argument that took place between Heroes on Billow...well, I'm honestly surprised the Houses haven't cut off Heroica's funding entirely. Hel, I know Mom went to Great-Aunt Zelda about that after I explained what happened, even though I asked her not to. Still, they should have come back around by now, especially since even Mom has pretty much forgiven them..." He shrugs. "Maybe there'll be a few Quests in soon. Aunt Merryweather was complaining about a couple missing Weather Mages recently, maybe I can convince her to let Heroica take a crack at it." --------------- "My first tribe lives in Kalma. I believe in Common it is referred to as a 'Marsh-lands'? I do not think the Selkreeth word has a word in Common."

In the midst of conversation and introductions, Zanna is surprised to see a mysterious parchment pop into existence in front of her. Though some of the writing is smudged, as if written last-minute for an unexpected new recipient, it is legible enough, and though the prizes were unfamiliar, the written words of the red-haired man seemed clear enough (though how his lifelike visage had come to be printed on the parchment the Selkreeth could not even begin to fathom). With a sigh and a shrug, Zannaqim signs up for the Lottery, and but a moment after her attempted signature is complete, the parchment and quill both vanish from her hands. A part of her wants to investigate further, but for the moment there are other people in the Hall, and more pressing concerns.

--------------- A fair distance across the Hall, Arthur happens to notice Zannaqim drawing a crowd. He smiles, fondly remembering his own first entrance into the Hall. Upon seeing Siercon sign and release a pink parchment, he strokes his stubble, before reaching into a pocket and sending a Z-mail of his own to a very different recipient.

Zanna shrugs, stowing the vial back in her belt-pouch. "If that is what you wish. In truth, I was told that this venom would make a weapon drain my enemy of life like the weapons of my home land, but it seems I..." Zanna opens and closes her mouth a few times, struggling with the unfamiliar words. "...that the way of the drain of the life is not the same, and I do not know the Common for the way I would seek." The Selkreeth frowns, clearly frustrated with her tenuous grasp of such a complex yet somehow near-universal language. Zanna's frown deepens. "Do you think that is the Common phrase for what happened to me? 'Take advantage of', I mean?" Zanna is surprised to see the blackened shade, but holds back her instinct to draw back; to show fear would not be appropriate for a member of such a courageous tribe. "I...am Zannaqim" she says, accepting the Battle Mage's handshake. "If this dagger draws you, you may of course examine it," she replies, offering Sven's Dagger for inspection. "It was recently given to me by another of this tribe, one called the Arthur. I had heard of the greatness of your tribe in battle, but not of its...gen-er-os-i-ty. It may be some time before I am able to hold to that standard." As she had with the Arthur, Zanna draws out the syllables of the unfamiliar word, gingerly testing to see if she had used it correctly.

Seeing the Moon Elf unable to afford her intended purchase, Zanna approaches her. "I do not think this is what you seek, but if it would aid you, I would be glad to give it," she says, freely offering Jinnipher a vial of Venom.

For my money, I really enjoyed the interactions between Miirym and Arx. His mere presence significantly affected Miirym's behavior, and I think she would not have done nearly as much if she hadn't been thinking about how she'd look in Arx's eyes. In the private conversation as well, Arx brought out a very different side of Miirym, one that Arthur probably never could have. He didn't say all that much, but he made a big impact--and when he did speak, he made an even bigger one. Yeah, the whole argument towards the end of the battle wasn't very fun. At first I was just setting up what could have been a really neat moment to play off the whole choice vs. destiny theme and flip the destiny angle back on Immortalis, but it quickly devolved into a 53 rehash. The funny thing is, Miirym and Jinnipher still had the same goal: a dead Immortalis; the only difference is that they both wanted the kill, and Jinnipher didn't have Arthur as a morality chain to keep her from doing it. I think the moment when Miirym caught flak and responded by arguing back, though, was the moment when I had to get rid of her; if a character just will not work with the rest of the party, it's a sign they might need some time out of the spotlight, and maybe ought to be retired at least temporarily, and that's exactly what happened with Miirym. I think the family heritage thing just needed more time to marinate, honestly. It was rushed in 139 and again on 147, because we needed it established "now" before 147 was over. I think if 139 and the reveal within it had come sooner (and been more planned ahead of time) and/or 147 had been delayed until April when I was officially available for it, the pacing for it might have worked a lot better. I am glad that you picked up the similarities between Jinnipher and Miirym; I was deliberately trying to play them up, if only to give them some similarity they could interact over, and I do think they both brought out the flaws in each other. I'm also glad to hear that Arthur successfully faded as I intended; prior to the final battle, that was my total plan for the rest of the time I'd spend on the duo; make Miirym be the main hero, with Arthur as a sort of quiet sidekick. As far as not reaching out enough...maybe? I think at least part of that comes from a place of feeling self-conscious and not wanting to hijack the Quest spotlight away from everyone else, but looking back I'm not so sure that particular strategy is even working. On a broader scale, though, I'm not sure I'm looking to develop Arthur so much as to have him there as a tool for QMs and other players to develop their own characters; as someone here once said, "if you want to write a story, host a Quest; if you want to experience a story, play in one." I'm paraphrasing, but still, a lot of my past roleplaying strikes me as...well, selfish, really, and I really want to avoid that as much as I can.

Not gonna lie, when I first saw that typo, my first thought was that Karie had somehow cloned Masson, and that that's why 147!Masson seemed so...off. No, no, see, I think Jinnipher has to hit Keliim with a weapon first for that strategy to work.

Arthur scans the dark recesses of the Hall, and with a smile the Skirmisher spots Sorrow, sitting almost exactly where he'd last left him. The smile turns to sadness--surely the Hall hadn't been that quiet over the course of so many months?--but he pushes the thoughts out of his head. Now that he is here, he has business to attend to. "Hey, Sorrow. Heckz shot me a Z-Mail a while back--said he got his stuff and left an amulet and some polish for me? And from the looks of it, you could use some company. What's been happening since I last saw you?"

Zannaqim (played by Flipz as a second character) 77 years old Female Selkreeth Rogue Level 1 Power: 20 (Level 1 + WP:14 + 5 (Anniversary Medal)) Power Bonus: +5 (Anniversary Medal) Defense: 5 (Anniversary Medal) Health: 12/12 (Basic health: 7 + level bonus: 0 + class bonus: 0 + artifact bonus: 5 (Anniversary Medal)) Gold: 60 Equipment: Sven's Dagger (WP: 14, Fire- and Earth+Sealed Elemental), Anniversary Medal (Power +5, SP +5, Max. Health +5, Max. Ether +5. The values will increase by 1 with each passing year; accessory.) Inventory: Sir Roderick's Sword (WP:12, Longsword), Selkreeth Shuriken (WP:3, throwing weapon), White Ninja Cowl (The wearer can choose to hide for up to three rounds, avoiding Free Hits; the effect ends if the user targets an enemy; suitable to rogues, beast warriors, chi monks and infiltrators; headwear), Bedroll, Shovel, Pickaxe, Magnifying Glass, Telescope, Magic Compass, Of Power and Mortals (+1 power each successful quest), Trial Brew, 4x Potion, Venom, First Aid Kit (Completely restores health and removes all negative effects for the entire party once.),

Many months after Immortalis' storm, Arthur Ziegfried has finally reached a semblance of peace. Though not a day has passed since Miirym's departure that the ex-Dragoon has not worried over her, he is at last able to function at least somewhat normally. It was in this state of mind that the newly re-minted Skirmisher visited Guffington Manor, and there found Guffington's Seal and a Hero's Cocktail awaiting him, as had several other past Questmates. There, too, he found the familiar face of Lady Felix, and after an inconclusive game of Two Truths and a Lie, he departed in much-raised spirits. ...and it is in those slightly-too-high spirits that Arthur Ziegfried accidentally crashes into an unfamiliar Selkreeth woman, sending both of them crashing to the ground. "*Oof...* Sorr--I mean, sorry! Are you--?" "It's all right," Arthur reassures her, dusting himself off as he and the Selkreeth both get to their feet, the latter picking up the stray dagger that had fallen from Arthur's pack. The Skirmisher takes a moment to appraise the stranger, having failed to do so before. "...are you...sure you are all right?" she asks haltingly, seeming somewhat nervous about the stranger's stares. Arthur shakes his head and smiles ruefully, accepting the dagger from the Selkreeth woman. "Lots of people asking me that lately. I'm fine. Really, I am." Mostly. But no need to burden a stranger with that. "If you say so..." The Selkreeth sounds unconvinced, but she offers Arthur a hand anyway. "I am...Zannaqim," she says, rolling the name around in her mouth as if unfamiliar with it. Now that he is properly paying attention, it seems that the newcomer's speech in general seems halting and unsure. Arthur accepts the offered hand. "Arthur Ziegfried. Not often one sees a Selkreeth in the city, and now I've bumped into two in one day. What brings you to Eubric?" Zannaqim regards Arthur with confusion, before finally comprehending. "Ah...forgive me, I am...new to this place, and to this...speech. This...city, you call it? I have heard it is home to a powerful tribe called Heroica, one that has defeated demons, dragons, and even death itself. I wish to join this tribe, and partake in its battles." At the Skirmisher's sudden frown, the Selkreeth pauses, but she soon continues regardless. "If it would not be...rude? If it would not be rude to ask, where were you running with such haste?" --------------- The unfamiliar man unexpectedly grins widely. "You're in luck, little lady--" *I'm taller than you...* Zanna thinks to herself. "--because I just so happen to be a Hero myself..." *That seems an arrogant title to grant oneself,* she snarks mentally. "...and under the circumstances I'm more than happy to lend a fresh Hero a hand." This time, Zanna does speak. "Unless you are some form of immortal, I do not think you are older than me." Zanna catches a quick, startled look crossing the man's face, followed by a flash of suspicion, but he quickly replaces it with a carefully-constructed look of confusion. She decides to clarify. "That is the meaning of 'fresh', yes?" The Arthur's confusion gives way to bemusement. "Not exactly," he chuckles, a tinge of relief covering the laugh. *Interesting...* Zanna mentally observes, filing the details away for future reference. "Why don't we head to the Hall?" the Arthur suggests, indicating a road roughly perpendicular to the path he had been traveling. With a nod, Zanna demurs, and begins to follow the armor-clad individual on his way. --------------- It takes some time, but eventually Arthur's curiosity gets the better of him. "So," he asks, careful to keep his tone Diplomatic, "why Heroica?" "My people are...built?...for fighting. The challenges in my homeland were no longer...suf-fi-cient." From the slow enunciation, Arthur can tell the woman is trying out a new word--likely one she had overheard along her journey. I wonder if experimenting is in her nature, or just an attempt to impress an experienced Hero? Surprisingly, his Diplomatic training is providing little insight on the matter--though whether it is a result of her Selkreeth biology or the universe itself just ignoring his skill entirely is up for debate. He decides to switch subjects. "Heroica has a few different fighting styles, but based on your description I'm guessing...Barbarian?" To his surprise, the woman shakes her head. "I was told by the other of my kind on the boat that brought me here, that I am a...what were her words?...'Rogue after the Captain's own heart.' I do not know if that makes sense in Common." Arthur waves off Zannaqim's concern. "It's fine, your Common is better than you think. Hmm...a Rogue, you say? Interesting. I had heard that your kind have incredible regenerative abilities, particularly well-suited for...well, I suppose it doesn't matter," he trails off distractedly, digging around in his bag. Zannaqim is unperturbed. "My kind heals fast, yes, but in my tribe we are not as..." The dagger from before lands in her hands, with a white cowl wrapped around it; having reflexively caught it, the Selkreeth stares back at its source in confusion. "I am confused. What is this for?" "Stabbing, presumably. Or spellcasting, I guess, if you ever go Sorcerer. Here, take this as well," he adds, adding a Trial Brew, three Potions, and fifty Gold to the stack of items in the Rogue's arms. "Might come in handy for you early on." "I still do not understand--" --------------- "Look," the Arthur says with a sign, his countenance growing uncharacteristically solemn--at least, compared to her current experience with him. "I still remember what it was like to be a new Hero, wanting to accomplish all the good in the world, but never having the power to do it. Now, maybe this way, you can make something of yourself in Heroica--without making any of the missteps I did." Zanna regards the Arthur curiously, but decides to accept his gift, storing the items as best she can in the various pouches at her belt. "Thank you," she replies, still lacking words to express her surprise. "Here, I...want you to have this as well," he continues, unbelting a sheathed longsword from his side. Though not the sharpest sword she had seen, the brightness of the blade seems to burn as he draws a length of the elaborately-decorated longsword from its sheath. "This sword...reminds me of the price people pay for power. It once belonged to a young man, Sir Roderick Hinckwell, who lost himself utterly to the search for strength. That lesson has been weighing heavily on me recently...along with someone else I should have passed it on to. I don't want to miss the opportunity again." The Arthur gingerly sheathes the sword once more, gazing oddly at it before passing it to her. This time she recognized how to respond. "[[i will honor this gifted weapon, and the many memories held within. Be assured that neither it nor its lessons will be forgotten, so long as I remain to wield it.]]" The Arthur stares at her, most likely in confusion at her sudden outburst in the Selkreeth language. "It is a traditional Selkreeth oath of acceptance. One of several. I...do not have the words in Common." The Arthur smiles. "It's fine," he says yet again as he holds open the door to the Hall for her, following her in once she enters. "Somehow, I know it will be appreciated." As the Arthur wanders over to his (presumably) favorite haunt within the Hall, the Selkreeth Heroican surveys her new tribe's home. Zannaqim (played by Flipz as a second character) 77 years old Female Selkreeth Rogue Level 1 Power: 15 (Level 1 + WP:14) Power Bonus: 0 Defense: 0 Health: 7/7 (Basic health: 7 + level bonus: 0 + class bonus: 0) Gold: 60 Equipment: Sven's Dagger (WP: 14, Fire- and Earth+Sealed Elemental), White Ninja Cowl (The wearer can choose to hide for up to three rounds, avoiding Free Hits; the effect ends if the user targets an enemy; suitable to rogues, beast warriors, chi monks and infiltrators; headwear), Inventory: Sir Roderick's Sword (WP:12, Longsword), Selkreeth Shuriken (WP:3, throwing weapon), Trial Brew, 4x Potion, Venom,

In a private room of Castle Bric'bay, an ex-Dragoon and an ex-Engineer chat as old friends. "...Not sure what ta tell ya, Regulus--er, Arthur." Count Knyghton shakes his head in mild chagrin. "Forgive me, old friend, I'm jus' not used ta tha new name ya got fer yourself. Ya'll always be Arthur Regulus around here, I'm afraid." Arthur waves off the misnaming. "It's fine, Lewis. You're one of my closest friends, you can call me what you like." "Well, thank ya fer tha thought. But as far as everythin' else...I'm not sure what ta tell ya. Ya've led a much diff'rent life than I have, an' I think ya've passed tha point where my experience has any useful advice pertainin' to ya. I'm not really sure why ya came ta me fer yer advice, ta be frank." Arthur shrugs noncommittally. "Saner minds, really. You and Luke have always been a lot more grounded than me, or even most of my friends for that matter. Plus, you're independent--you're not caught up in the whole game of thrones playing out in Eubric right now. Just about everyone else I could talk to has at least some significant share in that situation, and I'm not looking for a political answer--just a personal one." Knyghton frowns slightly, nodding sympathetically at Arthur's complaints. "I'd heard about tha', actually. Tha Hinckwells've been pushin' fer us ta join tha Sungold Alliance, but then so've tha Shadeaux, so I decided it'd be best fer us ta stay out of it fer now. Funnily enough, they've both name-dropped ya, actually, but tha's beside tha point." The Lion Knight leader sighs, contemplating Arthur's problem. "I s'pose ya could try ta talk ta Luke about your problem, since he was hit pretty hard by Sir Leonard's death, but tha's not really tha same, is it?" Arthur shakes his head. "No it's not--or at least, I dearly hope it's not, for Miirym's sake. I feel a lot better knowing Glaz is looking out for her, but..." The ex-Dragoon shrugs helplessly--the matter, for now, is out of his hands. "Then I'm afraid tha most I can offer ya is a quiet spot ta relax an' train. I'm sure Leofard would be happy ta have someone else with experience ta help drill tha troops--Sir Rubinstein is gettin' on in years, after all." Arthur at last smiles. "I'd like that." Arthur Justus Regulus VII Ziegfried, a Hero Who Is Actually Worth Something (played by Flipz), Level 43.4 Skirmisher, 24-year-old male Human *Immune to Hexed, Petrified, Minimized, Jinxed, and Stunned* *Immune to Blind, Confused, and Defense Reduction* *Immune to Magic and Healing* *Takes Half Damage from Free Hits* *Deals double damage to Humanoids and Ancient-type enemies* Power Bonus: +2 Health: 69/69 (5+15+42+7) Defense: 46 (15+2+3+[13*2]) Gold: 352 (Owed 128 gold by Boomingham) Equipment: Dauntlet Index (WP: 20, WP doubled against humanoids, Darkness-elemental; spear), Blue Hand Shield (SP:15, Immune to Hexed, Petrified, Minimized, Jinxed, and Stunned; shield), Duplovian Helmet of the Guard (SP:2, Immune to Magic and Healing; headwear, suitable for anyone), Mail of the Renegade Commander (SP: 3, Free hits deal half damage, Bodywear), Shadeaux Cape (SP:13, Immune to Blind, Confused, and Defense Reduction, suitable to those with reputation among the Shadeaux only; if reputation is great, SP is doubled; if reputation is outstanding, SP is tripled; backwear), Immortal Greaves (Wearer deals double damage to Ancients and Humanoids; footwear) Abilities: First Breath (Arthur may sacrifice a turn of combat to focus and gain +3 power. Power resets at the end of a battle or when the hero is KO'd)

Sorry, Endgame, I really wanted to say you ended on a high note, but I just can't, and while 147 wasn't your greatest work, that's not the whole story. Frankly, I just didn't enjoy myself. The best parts of the Quest (for me) were when I was separated from the rest of the party in PMs; almost anyone else had a decent chemistry, including between you and them, but I never really gelled with anyone outside of the PMs. (Yes, there's a big giant elephant in the room here. No, I'm not going to address it here, Endgame and I mostly talked it out via PM and I don't feel like getting into it again.) Basically, the same thing happened here that happened on 53 and 139; I spent most of the time opposed to the rest of the party, and it wore me out; unlike 53, however, I'm no longer in this sort of place where I can just bounce back from it and leap back into action, I just burned out, and it made things worse. Not sure if it's a flaw in the character or a flaw in me as a player or both, but I'm getting really tired of having to fight with my fellow party members tooth and nail all the time; I've really got nothing left for Arthur, especially now that I've cut him loose from Miirym (who was also extremely difficult to write for). But that's not your fault--or at least, not your fault past a certain point. Things that were your fault, however: bad loot, bad recruitment, and bad villains. I realize you don't want to go too monty haul with the lower-level characters hanging about, but good grief the loot from the point Vindsval and I joined was painful; aside from the Dragon artifacts that basically served as a secondary Quest reward, there were three swords, three arc meads (in the next-to-last battle no less), two revival incenses, a helmet, a scroll, a robe, and a very few basic Potions and Tonics. Over four months. No other buffs, no gems, no strong recovery items (Ether Core/Health Core/Emergency Essence, etc.), and not a lick of gold, nor faction rep. That's...not a fair amount of loot for a party of seven over four months, especially one where over half the party members are above Level 30. Even factoring in the per-person Quest reward and the Dragon artifacts, it's not much once you spread it out among the entire party...and the loot prior to us coming in was actually worse. Even that would have been okay if there had been significant level advancement, but I think I gained a grand total of one level...over four months. Like I said, painful. Bad recruitment...it's been discussed before, but grabbing me in out of the blue felt a little uncomfortable; even though we'd settled beforehand that you wanted me on 147, a week of sign-ups would have felt more natural, and allowed the other 147-ers time to chat for a bit and buy supplies and such. Actually, you might have been better off making the Judgement escort part at the beginning of the Quest its own Quest (Judgement Day: Part I), and the "fight the storm" two-thirds its own Quest with its own sign-ups (Judgement Day: Part II); it would have flowed better and been more fair for everyone, though obviously the first part would have needed more content to be a fair standalone Quest. Also, in fairness, you grabbed me pretty much right after 139 ended, and I needed a lot more downtime than I got before I was ready for another slow, heavy Quest like this one. Bad villains. I have to count ex-villain Masson in this as well, since his presence was pitifully small here--I get what you were going for with his being utterly maimed emotionally to match being maimed physically by Boomingham and seeing the destruction of the Syndicate, but Mopey!Masson is just not a compelling character, at least not compared to how he was before. (The rest of the Syndicate, plus Gabriel, were just fine, and I'll be more than happy to continue your work with them if I ever get around to hosting that Diana/Syndicate Quest I have planned in the distant future. ) The lesser angels were mostly all right, aside from one major flaw: none of them behaved even remotely reasonably. This was a universal problem with 147's villains; weak motivations, and absolutely ludicrous leaps and gaps of logic in order for them to behave the way they did. I tried to take them seriously, I really did, but it got increasingly difficult as time went on not to just say "morons!" and go full murderhobo because they're obviously video game mooks and not real people. I know you can write strong, real characters (see: non-Mopey!Masson, Octavyn, Augustus, Gabriel), so to say I was disappointed by these fancy cardboard shells is an understatement. While we're on the subject of bad villains that make no sense, let's talk about Immortalis. That Dragon made . On the one hand, he was played as being very wise and very reasonable, and he worked very well on that level; his PM interactions with Miirym are, to my mind, the best part of 147. On the other hand, however, he had what was quite possibly THE STUPIDEST villain plan I've ever seen, and I'm including The Regret. Seriously? He's THAT old, and THAT wise, but he's not even the slightest bit genre-savvy? To be honest, I think you really pushed too hard with him; you tried to portray him as tragic and/or sympathetic, and I took every shot I got to try and boost that portrayal on my end, but in the end all it did was to put him up against Quest 70 Masson...who was a better villain with a better arc in literally every single way. >_< I wanted him to be so much more, but in the end he was just yet another AI-stupid video game boss. Vorpalis and Lethauros weren't your best villains, but they were pretty high up there; even with their faults, they were quite enjoyable to watch, and they seemed reasonably well-planned and realistic, and they had plenty of character depth. With Immortalis...it looked like there might have been something there, but then his actions completely undercut it. I voted to let Charon die because he was legitimately threatening, and letting him go after the fight we had just didn't make sense; I didn't oppose the party in wanting to kill Immortalis because I just couldn't bring myself to care. His death had no emotional impact, because there was nothing there to be sad over, just a bunch of recycled scraps left over from two far superior Endgame arc villains. I really didn't want to have to tear him apart here (hell, I'm sure you saw me grasping at straws to find an interesting variant or twist he might have been pulling to make him more compelling, only to be shot down), but in the end he had all the depth and durability of a sheet of wet tissue paper. (You'll notice I'm not calling him Ikarus--I saw that 'reveal', but frankly he didn't earn the sympathetic name change, not like Masson did.)Speaking of connections that weren't earned...Miirym. To be sure, I was thrilled when you suggested that my little homages to Vorpalis (because of their shared element) should play out as her being Vorpalis' daughter rather than his distant descendant as originally planned, but I think it backfired. It firmly locked me into this plotline, but in a way that forced me to be at odds with the party, and also felt...well, just about as unearned as my place in 147 in the first place. Looking back, I don't think Vorpalis should have stated the truth outright, and neither should have Immortalis; while Miirym's arc was okay, it sent her hard down the 53!Arthur path, and the end result was me with nowhere to go besides retreading Arthur ground I'm not interested in repeating. I really think the whole thing could have been handled a lot better on both of our parts; maybe then I wouldn't have felt the need to send her away until I know what to do with her. Anyway, good things...the Syndicate was great, it felt earned and everyone was well-written; the Proggs, while a little ham-fisted, were another great inclusion; and the angels, when they weren't suffering from the trickle-down stupidity from the top, were quite compelling as unfortunate, dutiful lieutenants. As previously mentioned, the 1-on-1 time was really stellar, and I wish more QMs made time for that kind of in-depth interaction; it reminded me a lot of some of Zepher's 1-on-1 style, actually. Mechanically...well, I guess the Dragon Artifacts were all right, and the shared-HP mechanic was decent even if the enemy they were attached to was flawed. I just wish I could have had more of the good parts, instead of everything being dragged down by all the bad. Party member analysis/critiques...I think I'm going to skip these. Some of them I don't want to touch for obvious reasons, while for others I don't want to discourage you from your great characters by bringing up good aspects that just happened to clash with Arthur and Miirym. I'd like to Quest with--or especially host--most of you again, preferably sooner rather than later. Stick around, keep doing what you're doing, and I hope to see you again soon. ...oh, questions! What else was waiting for us elsewhere in Eschaton? What were the mystery items in the NPCs' inventories? Why did you give us Anemos? And what else was waiting behind alternate choices?

Upstairs in a lonely room at Number 14 Heron St., Arthur Ziegfried finds himself a recipient of another pink parchment. Mind still on the note he had received some time ago--one of angelic origin--he is inclined to open and respond to it; thus, Arthur, too, enters the Lottery.

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Well, I know for a fact that incenses of any kind can't be used on the enemy side for the sake of QM sanity, we established that back in Quest 44. Fenghuang essence would either work as normal or else have no effect, since it has to be administered before the KO. I'd think that any other Phoenix Essence variant would work exactly like a standard Phoenix Essence, and the extra effects would just be wasted.

With an almost casual realization, Arthur returns the Lethauros Mail he'd borrowed from Vindsval, as well as anything else he'd borrowed from anyone else along the Quest. OOC: Because I'm in no state to figure out exactly what I've loaned out and borrowed so far. Assuming nothing too major is left, I'll probably work on something for the QM lounge in a few days. For now, though, I just need to rest.

Arthur nods as he accepts the return of all his loaned items and slowly pulls on the greaves, the great boots a solemn remembrance of the tragedy that took place this evening. The ex-Dragoon sees no need for words. Arthur is tired, too tired. For politeness, or for arguments. "See that you do," he merely says, perhaps more coldly than at first intended, but perhaps as befitting all that had occurred. The man takes a few steps away, toward the doors of the Hall. The mind of an immortal does not easily forget...nor a grieving heart easily forgive, regardless the source of the wrong. But there has always been more to Arthur Ziegfried than the simple. He speaks back without looking. "That is my true hope." It is not forgiveness. But it is reassurance. Even without true Diplomacy, it is clear that that is all the Black Knight will get. Arthur nods. Despite their differences, there is wisdom in this lone wanderer. But that very wisdom had rightly noticed that he is in no state to receive it. "I will be going to serve the Proggs now. If any wish to join me, I will not reject the company." His statement, though quiet, is made to all the Hall, but he knows few will heed it. He has seen the true face of Heroica. And he does not like what he has found. He wonders if he will ever truly trust a Hero again.

I'm 90% certain it did indeed get an official retcon.

No, no, the bow itself gets stronger based on how many demons are in the battle. It works almost exactly the same way the Immortal Essence in 147 does, just for demons specifically instead of all enemies.

K-Nut's character is undead, not demonic (though he is (was?) marked by an archdemon). Arthur is potentially demonic, depending on whether or not you classify a human-turned-living-embodiment-of-Chaos-in-semiliquid-form to be strictly "demonic" for purposes of the bow. And either way, it's only really THAT powerful in a battle like what they're facing in 148, with a lot of demons around; it's powerful and worthwhile, to be sure, but not overpowered. In any event, there are lots of weapons with passive skills like this; I have three (one that doubles my WP against humanoids, and another that does the same against Flying-type enemies, as well as one I can't currently use that grants a 50-50 chance to Flee battle instead of being KO'd), and everyone who completed 104 had one as well (in the form of the Rito weapons that double WP against Flying-type enemies). This bow is similar, only it adds WP based on total number of demons in battle rather than doubling against a single target; again, more powerful than the former, but still not OP.