Flipz

As he returns to the Hall, Arthur encounters De'kra, who had apparently fallen behind on the way to the Library. "There you are, De'kra!" he says, "Hurry, I believe the Quest parties have been chosen." Arthur walks with his friend to the Quest board. After reading the list of chosen Heroes and scanning the portraits of his fellow Heroes, Arthur locates Barur and Thalion as well and gestures them to his side. "Greetings, fellow Heroes. I wish we had time for proper introductions, but that shall have to wait until we are on the Quest proper, it seems. The hour is late, and there is much still to do. I've drawn up a short list of supplies we may find useful on our Quest. If you can think of anything I have neglected to mention, please don't hesitate to take care of it." He hands out three sheets of parchment to the other Heroes, before pulling De'kra aside. "I have a personal favor to ask of you, my friend," he adds in a whisper. "You remember that Journal I gave you so we could communicate while I was on my first Quest? May I borrow it for a while? It's most important."

Arthur frowns, concerned, but his attention is distracted by a man in foreign livery exiting the Hall. The Quest... Arthur thinks for a moment, then leaves a note and a worn, well-used journal behind the Metasimian's desk, before returning to Heroica Hall.

Yay! I finally get to Quest with De'kra! Hmm...time to go through everyone's inventory and see what preparations we can make. EDIT: Aveal, would you mind posting Barur's stats to the Hero Statistics topic? As far as I know, they haven't changed since the end of Sacred Sands, but still... EDIT 2: ...aaaand planning complete. Phew! Now all I have to do is wait for Byblos in the Library and for my Questmates in PM! Pie, I'll be a bit busy tomorrow morning, but I should be back after noon Pacific time. There has been a minor fix to Arthur's stats, I'm embarassed that I forgot to change it before ( ) but it's fixed now.

I personally would guess we'll get Ninjago first, since the TV show is ending (in North America) next Wednesday, so TLG will likely want to get the final wave out before Ninjago fades from kids' minds. That said, I am really hoping that the two smallest sets pop up after Brick Friday, so I can take a really close look and decide how much of this theme I'll be willing to get into.

Doc's said it all, CJP. The one that comes to mind for me EDIT: removed for spoilers.

Phew, that was a LOT of typing! Sorry if you were planning on Terra Chima being a fake location, Sandy, I read it as Byblos taking a real name he actually had heard of and just lying about mapping it. Since he mentioned it being in the far West, and we know that Olegaia is round, I couldn't resist the chance to drop some more info on Arthur's homeland.

Arthur gazed piercingly at the Metasimian librarian. "It appears that our organization's latest Quest has touched upon matters far greater than we ever thought we would. I wondered if you had any further knowledge of those events." Taking in the bloodshot eyes, the frizzed hair, the drippings of wax upon the Metasimian's sleeves, Arthur's lips curled into a wry grin. It appears I am correct. "Terra Chima, you say? That's less than a week's nautical voyage from Etheria, the Crystal Island, nexus of Planewalkers and Thaumaturgists, is it not? My father, and his grandfather before him, often traveled to the island in search of the powerful runic essences used to power our town's Portal. They rarely traveled overland, as the Portal gave easy access to Etheria, but from the Elders' records I gather that Etheria is merely two months, by horse and by ship, from my own land--provided, of course, one does not find ill fortune in Daventry, the kingdom to our south. Though our easternmost border lies along the sea, the Dar'stoth Mountains are too treacherous and rocky to allow construction of a port--unless one were to tunnel straight through them, and risk breaking open one of the myriad tunnels that extend from our Temple of Zoot like tendrils of shadow from a monstrous sea creature. Likewise, the sea to the North, and the lands beyond them, are blackened by the fearsome summon of a race of dark Evokers, The Maelstrom, which outsiders say was summoned from the Void itself. Foolishness, of course; if it were a construct of Zoot my ancestors would have bent it to their will centuries ago, but I digress. The only way to enter or leave my land is to the West, which would take one across the Bay of Titans, through trackless wilds and eventually into the lands of the Aoi, or to sail the seas from the South, which as I mentioned is patrolled by the navy of Daventry. A decent people all in all, but their arrogance and over-reliance on rules and tradition puts the followers of Ennoc to shame. The lands and the seas themselves seem to take on the same nature; in their territory, one never knows if the smallest action, the smallest detail, might lead to an unfortunate and gruesome end." Arthur smiles as Byblos' face betrays his complete unfamiliarity with Arthur's information, and his realization of the transparency of his lie. Still, Arthur keeps up the pretense, for the moment, that he does not know what the librarian had been doing. "Perhaps it was misfortune that you chose to speak of a land that I know of, at least by name...or perhaps there it was inevitable. Books like the one that Hero brought in before do have a way of twisting their surroundings to achieve their will." Arthur looks around to see if anyone else is listening. "Just between you and me...has anyone--anyone at all--shown interest in studying that book? I would be more than willing to provide some...guidance. After all, I have experience with such volumes--I read a tome remarkably similar in my youth, and the lessons I learned have stayed with me to this day." Arthur's tone makes clear his knowledge, but his words were carefully crafted to allow the scholar to maintain appearances--just in case someone decided to eavesdrop. "Be warned, though: this sort of knowledge, once learned, is not easily unlearned, and it can be a burden on the spirit to know each and every day. Only the strongest of will, of spirit, may know such secrets and remain themselves. I feel bound, at least, to step in and provide such warnings in a form that may be heard by future potential readers--would you mind helping me to craft such a foreward?" Arthur winks at Byblos, all but saying your secret is safe with me.

I'd advise you to keep things slow. I know I post really often, and even I've rushed some of Arthur's development (not to mention the rushing I'm doing at the moment with all the Quests on the verge of departure), but I really do try to keep things slow. I'm really happy how Arthur's first meeting with Guts went; I stand by what I say about Arthur wanting to kill Guts if they ever actually talked together, but this was a short but slowly-paced encounter that can be built on later. I'd advise you to do the same for McEncy; don't tell us everything at once, spread it out a little. Give McEncy the room to do things you don't expect. I'd also advise you to lower your stat expectations just a bit. I know how hard it is to see all the powerful Heroes around you and want to be that strong and powerful, but it takes time. Arthur's stat progression has been EXTREMELY quick, thanks to three very intense Quests, two of which are among the longest in Heroica history. Most Quests, like the one you just completed, will be short, sweet, and slow, and won't progress your power more than a little bit. So sit back, relax, and just wait for those upgrades to come in at their own pace. Need/want any help/characters? Can't wait to see what you pick!

Out of curiosity, WBD, what face DID you use for Amma?

Arthur takes a few steps into the Library, only to find the great room completely dark. An atmosphere of gloom was not uncommon in the closed space, particularly after sunset, but tonight not even a single candle was lit. A dim, nearly-imperceptible glow emanates from a door behind the least-frequented rows, but it was barely enough to navigate by. Arthur takes another step forward. "Byblos?" he calls. "I know that it is quite late, but something in the faces of the Heroes returning to the Hall tells me that something big has happened in Eubric this past Quest. Perhaps unsurprisingly, none of them seem particularly talkative at the moment. I was wondering if you have heard anything more of this? Byblos? Byb-los...?"

Always good to see some of the NPCs around the Hall get some attention.

Arthur saw two more Heroes he recognized from his time in Dastan arrive in the Hall, both of whom seemed deeply troubled. Arthur glanced at De'kra, then back toward the Library, and frowned. "Come, De'kra. Let us speak of your Quest on the way to the Library. It seems that this Quest will require special attention in the record books." Arthur set off once more for the Library, glancing behind him every so often to make sure the echo was still following.

"De'kra!" Arthur raced back into the Hall and scooped up his enigmatic friend in an embrace. "It has been far too long since we've spoken. We haven't really had a chance to chat since our bout in the Training Room." Arthur looks up to see his friend's signature on the Quest list for Quest 51. "I hope we can finally Quest together on Quest 51, I have longed to do so for quite some time." Arthur sees Hybros' name there, and begins to feel an unnatural sensation, a sort of "buzzing" in the spirit. A quick survey for the source reveals the imp asleep in a distant corner of the Hall, his gear strewn haphazardly before him. A large, demonic rod lays among it, vibrating its way closer to the Reaper favored by the imp Assassin. "De'kra, weren't you on a Quest with Hybros? What exactly...happened?" As Namyrra walks by, Arthur winces as a different sensation, like a hook through flesh, overtakes him. "Where did you go, what did you find that bears such...resonance?" Arthur shakes his head, and steels his will. Focus...there is power here. I will control it, it will not control me. Arthur straightens, concealing how much the power in the room was affecting him. OOC: I'll PM you in a little bit with the tricks that make it much easier for me to use Arthur's colored text.

We really need to use the Library for roleplaying more often, poor thing is practically unused. I always appreciate when someone posts in it, gives me a chance to add more to the place. EDIT: Gah! Now I'm torn: go back to the Hall and talk to Hybros, or give Guts a chance to talk with him...

"Your fears are in vain, Raider," Arthur said, stepping from the shadows of the Library. "Sealed here or not, that book's knowledge is not contained. By all means, keep it under watch and guidance, Byblos, but even your vigilance combined with that of this Hero will not be enough." Arthur gently laid down a book on the counter, one of the past Quest records that he'd been reading as he waited. "Allow me to introduce myself. My name is Arthur Justus Regulus VII. I'm a Sorcerer of Heroica." He took a few steps forward, running his finger along the dusty shelves that no Hero besides himself had touched in months. He stopped a few feet away from Guts and leaned on the counter of Byblos' desk. "You do know that's not the only copy of that book, right? And it will not be the last" The Sorcerer laughs, a harsh sound full of both bitterness and mirth. "Take this down, Byblos. Containment is of no use against knowledge. The vigilance must be that of the learner's spirit. Believe me, I know. I know much." Arthur stares down at the black grimoire. "A different guise, but same in spirit. Hello, old 'friend'." Arthur looks up, into the Raider's eyes. "Beware. The danger of this book lies not in what it says, but in what it does not. Bear this in mind, lest your mind bear such burden...forever." Arthur runs a finger over the cover of the book before Guts can yank it away, then melts away into the shadowy corners of the Library once more.

You know, I'm slightly confused by Reputation, so I'd best ask: if a Hero has "good" reputation with one House, will a Quest for a rival House bring the reputation for the other House to "good", or will the Reputation be reset to Neutral? I.E. Arthur has "good" reputation with the Hinckwells (Quest 17) (and thus "bad" reputation with the Shadeaux). He takes (and successfully completes) a Quest for the Shadeaux. Would his Reputation with the Shadeaux now be "good" and his reputation with the Hinckwells be "bad", or would he just be completely neutral with regards to those two?

Pretty sure you, Cinna, Thothwick, and Thormy ought to recognize him... Also, to those trying to figure out the Veterans, Sandy's already given a huge hint in the very speech in which Copper Fox reveals you've met them all. If you want to find the hint yourself, don't open this spoiler: Oh, and Zeph, you'll need to do some editing to some of the NPC index entries now. Do you want me to PM you the list I've figured out? In other news, I think I've figured out most of the Veterans' classes, and unless my calculations are off, either some Veterans are under Level 30, or else they've kept their Advanced Classes up into the Level 50 range! (And yes, they are all player-available classes. )

I'll PM you so as not to spoil the fun.

Arthur looked over at the pair of dwarves conversing. It has been some time since the dwarven races have entered into the affairs of Heroica, yet now two have appeared in this very Hall... Arthur takes a long, hard look around the Hall that had become his home. Something was changing in Eubric...he could feel it. The city itself was altered, and what had once been superficial tensions now grew tight...and a presence, as familiar to him as his own flesh, approached the Hall. "No...it can't be possible..." Leaving the remains of a half-eaten meal, Arthur hurries off, drawn inexorably to the Library to await the arrival...to await the future...

Holy megablocking crap! You have no idea how awesome you are for that, Sandy. Great way for Arthur to be able to open up to the other Heroes, and a chance for some of them to understand him. Daaaaaaang. The Feathered Serpent has appeared in a previous Quest, hasn't he? Suddenly Dragonlord's behavior towards the end there makes more sense. Wish Arthur could join that bit of roleplaying... EDIT: Oooh! The Falconer has appeared previously, too, hasn't she?

Hooray! Tomas is back!

You know, the gem puzzle in Quest 49 really reminds me of this (Q49ers, don't look unless Etzel says it's OK!): I'd really like to see Quests that operate like the games in the King's Quest series, those were always a LOT of fun.

While I understand this perspective, I disagree in principle; I feel that deliberately closing off others' options is inconsiderate to them. If it's in-character, fair enough, but if it's just to "gain moar power", then... (Not picking on anyone in particular, it's just an attitude that I'm seeing arise that I feel should be nipped in the bud.) Incidentally, this leads to the ultimate reason that Arthur wouldn't be able to stand Guts; Arthur is a strong, almost divine proponent of free will (it's a huge part of the philosophy of Chaos, after all). Guts took away Nerwen's choice to her own fate, which Arthur absolutely opposes. Arthur believes that everyone has the right to make their own choices, even if the choices are wrong or are choices that Arthur himself disagrees with. To him, the only action that's universally wrong is to interfere with someone else's path. Guts, on the other hand, thinks he knows best about pretty much everything, and he'd likely try to boss Arthur around. This would not end well.

If you keep giving out great advice like this, I may have to cede control of the Theatre to you. I wholeheartedly agree.