Flipz

Thothwick, Dak, and Knifk are all Black Knights, and Knifk is an Orc. I'm not sure if they've posted their stats, either, though, so I understand why you'd miss them. Also, this last roleplaying bit was...interesting, to say the least. I needed to find a way for Arthur to be the bigger man, and a reason for him to legitimately do so (legitimately was important; I could hae had him "fake it" so as to try and get the Plaything, but I wanted him to be deeper than that). I think it worked, though, and it has a hint of ulnerability to it, which is important for the next backstory scene. Also, I'm surprised at how little speculation is going on, both about Arthur's backstory AND about Wren's. What gies?

I just want to point out, out-of-character, that Haldor's mistake there underlines Arthur's point about Haldor's lack of planning and not paying attention to the rest of the party. Some day I'll hae enough Gold to afford Phoenix Essences for my party...someday... Didn't you roll that Special in the last battle of Dastan?

"When both Haldor and you were unconscious, and someone needed to take charge. And I'm second in the party list, so there :P . I understand your reserations, but if you'd rather take charge, please just say so. We've already had an issue with poor communication that I'll have to patch up once our resident Shaman regains consciousness, and I'd rather avoid another if at all possible."

"I very much agree, but circumstances have limited our options. Believe me, Gray Wizard, if we had another Phoenix Essence available, Haldor would be back on his feet by now. Unfortunately, we don't, and I'm certain there will be further battles to come. We must think ahead as well." Following his own advice, Arthur cuts off his Lightning spell, and instead attacks physically, using the Staff of the Cultist Battlemage, from the Front Row.

I'e only ever been Party Leader for short periods of time, and I've not had to distribute any loot, but when Skrall disappeared in Quest 31, I thought hard about what I'd do if the need to distribute loot ever arose. My conclusion was to follow WBD's example: divide everything as evenly as possible, compensating for equipment drops along the way. As far as gold, consumables, and the like go, that's pretty easy; however, the challenge comes when it comes time to divvy up weapons and artifacts. For me, I've come up with the philosophy: roleplaying first. Obviously, of course, if someone can't use a weapon/artifact/whatever, then they're last for priority to get it, but otherwise if a piece of equipment would be particularly well-suited for someone's character (i.e. the Staff of the Cultist Battlemage for Arthur), then I'd offer it to them first (taking the appropriate cut of gold out of the division as compensation to the rest of the party, of course). Of course, if someone's already gotten something nice, they're back of the priority bracket again, but if something particularly good came up, I'd try to broker some sort of deal between them and the next person in line. Oh, and also, since I seem to hae forgotten to say so, I'm going to keep the Cultist Staff as-is. Doc made a very good point about it still being useable in a pinch; I'll have to imbue it with a couple of gems so it won't be useless against undead, but given that I have Flee anyway, it wouldn't be as helpful as an Artifact. EDIT: Also, I think this is the first time Arthur has attacked from the Front Row. Ever.

"So be it. Follow your instincts, then, Tensi. Gray Wizard, how about you? Do you require my Healing Staff?"

"Careful, folks, it's really unstable now. Keep your distance if you possibly can. Gray Wizard, mind trying to Heal Alexis again, or would you rather I lend you my Healing Staff for Etherless healing?" Though still waiting for the Wizard's advice, Arthur charges up yet another Lightning Spell from the Back Row. Battle Order (and suggested actions): Arthur (Lightning Spell, back row) Cronk (Attack, front row?) Tensi (Attack, front row?) Sasha (Attack, front row?) Gray Wizard (Heal Alexis?) Alexis (Darkness spell, back row?) Alexis (Darkness spell, back row?) "Everyone, I require your advice. Should Tensi revive Haldor with our last remaining Phoenix Essence, or should we save it for a more pressing challenge later on?"

We Mages get no respect...

OOC: Unfortunately not, I'm afraid. Updated Battle Order: Arthur Lightning spell, Back Row Gray Wizard Heal Alexis Tensi Phoenix Essence on Cronk Cronk ??? (Attack, front row?) Sasha Attack, front row Alexis Darkness spell, back row Alexis Darkness spell, back row

Perhaps you ought to get your mental shields examined.

Well, okay, you LEARN it very early on, but you don't learn the true significance until much later.

Caroline is, of course, a Portal 2 reference (a spoilerific one, actually ), but we knew that from the Q31 flashback. "We took it all" is lifted directly from Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl, during Barbossa's monologue on the curse, and of course "A maze of twisty passages, all alike" if a reference to the old-school adenture games. There's probably more that I've forgotten, though.

"Damn it...once again, not paying attention." Arthur rolls his eyes. "Tensi, you have our only available Phoenix Essences, so I'll leave it to you whether or not you want to revive Cronk or the Nord. Gray Wizard, mind Healing Alexis, from the Back Row? Everyone else, keep doing what you're doing. If you want a heal and no Cleric is up, just give a call, I do have my Healing Staff." Arthur attempts to continue his success from last round by casting another Lightning spell from the Back Row. Battle Order: Arthur Gray Wizard Tensi Sasha Alexis

"By my calculations, Sir Cronk, the Lady has summoned nine Chaos Beasts against Heroica in total, not counting this one, of course, as we do not know if she is the one who released it." "Of course, I apologize, Captain McColt, Gray Wizard. I shall withhold my admonitions toward our party leader until we are in less direct peril." This said, Arthur attempts to lay his Healing Staff upon Cronk, so as to heal the Paladin's wounds. OOC: Cronk's stats don't reflect that he's taken damage.

Option B is also more in line with the way Arthur's been treated by the world outside of Heroica, though I can't say much more without giving things away.

OOC: Althior and Alexis would be open knowledge, going by the Hogwarts Heroica Pattented 'Rumors Get Around' System ®TM The rest would be available in the Library. Arthur stands serenely amidst the chaos of the battle, sparks of lightning arcing from his Topaz whenever the Chaos Beast drew too near. His attention was now wholly fixed on Haldor. "Listen Haldor, listen. I accuse you of willful ignorance, Nord, not laziness. Your run-in with the vampires shows you capable of paying attention to something--the beliefs of your own land. Why is it, then, that you feel justified to ignore everything besides that? Hmm? I can see no other motive than fear that would compel you to such stupidity, unless you are truly just insane enough to rush into folly unprepared? Knowledge, my dear Shaman, is more valuable than Gold. And yet you would have us blindly throw it aside, closing your mind to any possibility except the one first you happen upon. Sasha said it herself, Chaos is only dangerous when fought. That is the way of Chaos, do you not understand? I do. The words of that tome are seared into my brain, as clearly as if I had written them myself. Of course, you do not know the tome of which I speak, do you? I bet you ignored every word of my tale, and the warnings contined within my past and Wren's. Are you truly this blind, or has the Light in your staff blinded your mind and heart? I do not walk the path of Roderick. I seek neither to break nor bind Zoot. It is you who shares his goal, unless you have some master plan to thwart Wren other than 'find her and bash in her skull?' Do not give me that look of contempt, I dare you to deny that you have not thought further than this. Rodericks plan to fell Zoot was similarly short-sighted--do not make the same error." Arthur smirks contemptuously. "It is not my job to make you feel good, happy, or better about yourself. You should have given up that need when you became a Hero, and besides, your arrogance and ignorance show that you obiously don't need coddling. I'm here to stop you in your tracks before you make an assumption that gets everyone killed. Bringing your lover into this may have been a low blow, but at least it got you to pay attention to something outside of your own predefined notions. You are a strong, skilled Shaman, Haldor. I will not see your strength denied to Heroica due to your own idiocy." Arthur pauses, his monologue taking more out of him than he had expected. "I will heed Miss Hightribe's advice, but I offer one last warning. When I encountered the Lady Wren in Dastan, I approached her with a closed mind, a darkened spirit. She admonished me: 'do not try to predict me, Regulus.' Wise words from a mad woman. I suggest you heed them in the future." His anger momentarily chilled, Arthur decides to switch to an Ice spell this time, still from the Back Row.

...that's...actually pretty much Arthur's reasoning.

Althior/Alexis and Haldor/Jess would be open knowledge, going by the Hogwarts Heroica Pattented 'Rumors Get Around' System ®TM The rest would be available in the Library--the Vampires especially, as that involved a Hero sitting out a fight. I figure extra detail would be put into what Haldor said there so the record could not be misconstrued--though obviously that hasn't stopped Arthur. Although, Haldor has been a little dismissive of all the other Heroes so far this Quest--maybe Jerkass Has A Point? ('Jerkass' referring to Arthur, in case it's not obvious. )

Indeed he is.

I didn't expect it either, but it really works well, not least for setting up Arthur for some falls later on. And as for the intra-party fighting, well, I guess Arthur's sort of become the patron god of that. Though interestingly, this time Arthur's completely sane (I've decided that his earlier insanity was an imbalance, caused by the Chaos tainting the energy pools; Arthur had cut himself off from Chaos for so long that it affected him adersely when he first came back into contact with it), AND he doesn't actually hate anyone in the party; he just thinks that Haldor's being a blithering idiot.

This amuses me FAR more than it should.

I wince every time I see my first posts in the Hall. The clumsiness bit was all right, but the rest of my stuff was just horrible.

Arthur's spell fizzles as he whirls angrily toward Haldor. "And you ought to stop rushing your way through your problems and think for once in your life. Don't you recall your haste getting you in trouble back in Haddon? And just how did you do with that loopy wizard back in Eubric while the rest of us battled for the fate of Dastan? From what I read, if he hadn't shown up and told you how evil he was, you would have wondered what was going on for the rest of your life--or at least, everyone else would have, your present ignorance leads me to believe you'd have been happy to just walk off the job, like you did with those vampires. Oh, yes, Eubric has been abuzz about that, plenty of raised eyebrows, believe me. Now, I don't judge, I've no opinion on the "right-ness" or "wrong-ness" of undeath, as far as I'm concerned anyone who says they've got a monopoly on morality is trying to sell you something. But it frustrates me that you spent so much effort examining and showing consideration for them, a mere distraction from your main objective, but here, in the heart of the Lady's past you've--not once, but twice now--opted to ignore a vital clue set right before us. You say you want to dig into the Lady's past, to seek the Amulet of Gods, to face these fearsome enemies so you can stop her, yes? Bovine excrement. You're here because you're scared--scared of the Chaos surrounding you, a force that you can neither ignore nor combat; scared that someone else's god walks among men, and that your own cannot help you against its power; scared that, despite all your efforts, you too walk the path of Sir Roderick, and that one day you, also, will be fated to betray the woman you love. When I first came to the Hall, Althior told me to come look you up, did you know that? He portrayed you as some wise elder, some "expert" on life, love, and the ways of the universe. But now I see he was wrong about you--as he was in other decisions as well," Arthur throws a momentary glance towards Alexis as he says this, then returns to Haldor. "You are as broken as the rest of us, and your delusional refusal to accept your weakness and accept someone else's expertise will lead us ALL to ruin. Stop trying to be a 'fearless leader' and THINK for a second! Let an expert on Chaos make use of his talents before you foolishly destroy yourself, and the rest of us with you." Arthur points at the beast, which, miraculously, had not harmed him during the entirety of his speech. "Do you see that thing? Do you see how weak and rudimentary it is? Oh, it may strike hard, but it shows hardly any technique or precision, little mastery of Chaos at all. Its chaotic powers are hasty, but unrefined--if it were to unleash them, I sense there'd be a mere one in three chance of harming us at all, and a one in two chance that it'd directly aid its opponents! A Beast to be feared, and fought, and destroyed, of course, but hardly the scale of threat as we have seen in Dastan, or even Haddon. If this is indeed the work of the Lady, then it is a work of long past, for it comes not near her present strength. If you indeed wish to thwart her, Haldor, then you had best start listening to your allies, instead of treating them as markers upon a game board. We are real people, Nord, with true knowledge and experiences. Diregard us at your own peril." OOC: Just to help you all picture the tone of voice, Arthur is trying to talk some sense into Haldor; it is less an angry rant and more an impassioned plea to return to sanity.

Just post in the hall about your character walking up to the Quest board and deciding to sign up for the Quest. Be sure to bold the actual sign-up, so it's easy for the QM to see. Hey, Sandy, I have that girl's torso and know where to get her face, but where did you get the orange short legs, and where is that hair from? (I'm talking about the hopeful actor, of course. )

I WILL be using that now, you know.