Flipz

In my defense, when I first posted it, it was late and I was getting ready to listen to Payphone.

Check the chorus:

I'm not gonna make it, am I? On an unrelated note, Sandy, I don't suppose you're a Maroon 5 fan, are you? Because if you are, kudos on a very, very subtle reference. (Also, why has no one noticed Catnip's name? I recognized it, and I haven't even seen the movies. )

"Stay out of this...you'll just make it harder on the rest of us." "Lady Ellaria, care to try your luck with that horseshoe of yours? If someone could give Alexander a Smelling Salts, I'll give you one of mine after the battle's end. He should be able to pick off the hoplites with ease. Also, I could do with a heal." "You're a fool, Warlord. Did you really think you could overcome us? You're not the first lot to have menaced the Free Islands, oh no. There have been so many. And what you've got to ask is...what happened to them? Wren...Vonnetate...the Court of Demons...the Traitor Emperor Roland Emeraldo...the generals of the Wolfgang...Bluehood...the Jolly Roger...even a shard of Ennon himself...all fell...to Heroes." Though he had been wearing his gear the entire time, it seemed to the rest of the party as if they were seeing him properly for the first time. "From the undead to the unrighteous, their fates were all the same. So basically...run." Arthur charges up another Darkness spell from the Front Row, still aiming for Warlord Khaderin.

Maybe slightly, but for the most part it's still good. Alchemist was never really about bomb-making, anyway--the items it creates are FAR more useful and FAR more valuable. Cannoneer should be buffed to be able to create any type of bomb, however. If it has a chance of creating Military Grade bombs and Party Bombs and the like, then it'll look a LOT better than it does now.

OOC: Duvors, can you please just decide whether you're in or out and bold your action? I know we probably won't finish this Quest in three days, but I'd like to try--I really want to get on the Marketplace Quest if at all possible, and the longer you delay us the less likely that becomes.

Duke Bârbêthân remains out of the battle.

Same thing goes with Doc for Skirmisher, which is a shame because an army of Skirmishers together would be pretty awesome (especially if we could get together a full party). (Mayhaps there's hope for a Skirmisher-awarding Quest from you in the future? Particularly if Galen signs up? ) Though I'm glad to hear about Winged Warrior, JimB. (He's the one who created the class, Kinto. ) I'll keep that in mind for the future, and I might try to throw in a Winged Warrior NPC or two into my Quests as well, just for fun. Quest 38, not 53. Cronk, Alexis and Haldor get to say they killed two gods, though.

Arthur, drawing his sword, channels his Darkness through it at Khaderin from the Front Row.

"Before you choose to move against me, you should know this, Warlord. I have killed a god. You don't want me as your enemy. And if you are not with me, then you are my enemy. Choose wisely. Don't resort to...how do the children refer to it these days? 'Aggressive negotiations.'" Arthur's tone is cool, calm, and diplomatic.

"Based on your experience, would the Mopag disband if we took out their warlord? And would he be willing to engage in an honorable duel?" "I'm going to drink a Mead as well, if no one minds. I need the alcohol if I'm going to deal with any more lunacy today."

Well, you know how active I'd be if I got back in time for it...

Just don't make them as rare as they were in LEGO Universe... >_<

Arthur grunts at the sight of Throlar as the group catches up to him, but, in light of the current situation, declines to comment. "Master Shawe, Lady Calaryl, if we pretended to hand you over, do you think the two of you could get close enough to take the Mopag warlord hostage?" he whispers to the two leaders.

Of course it doesn't originate there--but as you said, that's a "problem" with Heroica, not the Fields. The problem with the Fields IS that it can't adjust.

Discussions of notation aside, I think that's the best method of dealing with the SoAH. That said: This quote basically sums up everything that is wrong with the Fields. Let's face it: if we hijacked the World of Warcraft servers and plonked down Heroica into that digital realm and userbase, with Quests run by automated AIs programmed to learn from the previous actions of our existing QMs, it would be completely shattered beyond repair in a matter of hours (IF we were lucky). Heroica only works because we have live humans who can tweak stuff on the fly to make things more fun, on a case-by-case basis. No offense to the Unlimited Quest QMs, but the underlying system of the Fields basically turns you into AIs; in "real" Quests, breaking strategies can be cleverly counteracted (which is half the fun of building one in the first place: seeing how the QM will counter your move), whereas in the Fields, you're at the mercy of the random number gods, because the only available strategy for QMs is brute force via Free Hits.

Sandy's required it for some time now, though obviously it's not always been followed. Hey, if I could use it in my ACs, I would have taken it. But I can't, so...

Oh, most definitely.

Just to point out: on a SHIELD, Skrall could potentially deal 1134 damage with that axe. Now imagine him wearing Overkill Gloves... Also, Sandy, Atramor's Critical Hit was miscalculated; it strikes a random opponent (but still counts as targeting the original enemy for purposes of Free Hits).

Exactly. On a player, a permanent Slowed effect on a weapon is basically "after attack, apply condition(player.stun, t=1)". Erm, I mean, "after attack, apply Stunned-effect for one turn". (I may have taken up writing pseudocode as if Heroica were a computer-run RPG for purposes of a gag and/or in-joke. )

OOC: I've retconned the amount of Ether I've spent imprisoning Throlar to a more reasonable amount, so it's reasonable if the party wants to free him or something. But I do not want to be in a party with him any longer. I'm not playing with him any more--Arthur's fed up, and so am I. As far as loot goes, I'm fine with just Gold. I prefer it, actually.

Sandy, if those bandits are trying to rob the party blind, then why do none of them actually deal the Blinded effect in their specials?

"No. He's had chance, after chance, after chance, and never shown any sign of remorse, no desire to do good. I am not going to let him stand in our way again. If you want to fail our mandate to restore the town, then free him yourself. Our job is to protect the world from evil--even if it comes from within our own. I know the Veterans, if it came to it, would rule on my side." Arthur leaves the building, heading through the Marketplace on his way to the Mopag encampment on the outskirts.

"Right. Well, Dwarf, I suppose I have to thank you. You've taught me a valuable lesson." With a flick of the Opal still in his hand, Arthur expends 6 Ether to form a prison of ice around Throlar, then begins walking away. "No more second chances. I'm that sort of a man." As he opens the door of the building, Arthur turns to the others. "So, two options. One, you all waste time freeing him while I finish things up here. Two, you come with me, we run the Mopags out of town, and the dwarf makes his own way home. Your choice. Oh, and I'll need my stuff back." This last is said both to the diplomats with him and the troops waiting outside--he drinks a Grand Tonic while he waits for their answers.

It's been previously established that the "cancelling out" business is merely for simplicity's sake; someone who's Slowed, then Hastened can take a Remedy to remove the Slowed effect and become Hastened. (Obviously that wouldn't work for the axe since they're permanent effects, but still.) Also, imagine a Hunter with that axe.