Khorne

"They're from around here. The Orc is an immigrant from abroad, though and the Human comes from southern Dastan. I believe he mostly played in Drakencourt, is where they played most often, but got sick of the life there, so he came up here, because he got sick of the life there. However, the songs they're playing here are mostly Polkung-styled are the current songs. I've got to keep the customers happy, the customers must be kept happy by me, you see." "Two bowls of rice and a soup are coming up, coming up are two bowls of rice and one soup." The musicians thanked Polly by nodding and gave the young girl a wink. They were too busy playing to actually speak to her. It didn't take the U'Kin patron too long to serve the food and soon the party was eating. Like the U'Kin had said, they felt renewed and eager after their meal. The Party: Leofwein Twynam (Capt.JohnPaul) *Party Leader* *Poisonous Attacks* 18 Year Old Human Barbarian Level 3 Power: 6 (3 + 3) Defense: 0 Health: 10/10 (8 + 2) Gold: 22 Equipment: War Axe (WP:3) Inventory: Mead (2x), Remedy, Venom (2x) Lynne (Endgame) (20)24 Year Old Human Cleric Level 3 Power: 6 (3 + 3) Health: 7/11 (9 + 2) Ether: 7/7 (5 + 2) Gold: 7 Equipment: Oak Staff (WP: 3) Inventory: Potion (2x), Phoenix Essence, Tonic, Bone, Bedroll Polly & Mr. Sanders (Waterbrick Down) 9 year old female human Mage Level 3 Power: 6 (3 + 3) Health: 7/7 (5 + 2) Ether: 7/7 (5 + 2) Gold: 16 Equipment: Letter Opener (WP: 3, dagger) Inventory: Potion, Amethyst, Tonic (2x), Fire Bomb Orel Cayne, Third of his Name (Controlled by Capt.JohnPaul) 41 year old male human Knight Level 5 Power: 8 (5 + 3) Defense: 2 Health: 14/14 (10 + 4) Gold: 14 Equipment: Blessed Blade (WP: 3, longsword, light-elemental), Shield of Ennoc (SP: 2) Inventory: Potion

"I cannot pack the food can't be packed. You should eat it here, it should be eaten here. Cold food is not very tasty or healthy, food that is cold is not"

"I have many things to offer, of foodstuffs I offer a plethora." Food served: Soup: A healthy soup full of greens. Restores full Health. Costs 5 Gold. Bowl of Rice: A simple bowl of rice. A quick meal, but full of energy. Restores full Ether. Costs 5 Gold. Hot Meal: A sturdy meal consisting out of meat, potatoes and vegetables. Restores full Health and Ether. Costs 10 Gold. Mead: Causes the encouraged-effect, doubling the target's attack power for the duration of one battle. Costs 15 gold.[/b] Noticing the young girl tapping her foot to the beat, the bartender inquired: "Do you like the music, is the music liked by you?"

So my sword doesn't do regular damage (22WP) neither? Ethereal always confuses me. I always forget how those enemies work. Seeing his weapon doesn't seem to affect the Dullahan, Eric switches back to Conspirator and attacks the Dullahan from the front row.

The man smiled widely, revealing one of his golden teeth. He stepped aside and opened the door for Polly. "Excuse me, I was just asking. I wouldn't want to help a young girl such as yourself into any trouble, but if this is truly what you're looking for, step right in." Polly entered the inn, soon followed by the other members of the party. The warmth of the candles and people pushed the cold autumn breezes out and greeted the Heroes kindly. Slowly, their eyes adjusted to the darkness of the place. Like the outside, the inside was rather dirty. The floor was solely stamped earth with a few loose tiles and stacks of hay laying about. to entertain the, mostly drunk, clientele. It was a rowdy place, but it was a place where the party would be able to gather information and score a meal. The Heroes made their way through the customers, to the bar, which was tended by a U'Kin. "What do you require of me what is you wish?"

I understand. I was just throwing an idea out in the open . Hah, thanks! Guess I'll have to try and do that, then . This'll be the first of your Bonaparte quests not to feature Eric. Which is funny, because they are looking for heroes with a high Bonaparte and I think Eric is one of the few with the highest possible Bonaparte rep. It's ironic considering how much he actually loathes the House .

You're right, it's has not been 3 years of consistent playing (definitely not ). I think it's around 2 years of playing. It's just an idea or a thought that popped into my mind, because the way it is now you either have played a lot of quests OR you have hosted some. There is no middle ground that mixes both. Like I said, I'm fine with the way it is, but it'd still be cool to a be able to get a second character sooner .

Leaving Azim's shop, Polly found herself on the dusty streets of Farrech again. The floorboards of the battered boardwalks cracked, even under the lithe girl's small weight. A cold autumn breeze whistled past Polly's ears as she tightened her grip on Mr. Sanders. It had gotten even colder than when the party first arrived and small flakes of snow drizzled from the sky, but smolt as soon as they hit the ground. Slowly, puddles of molten snow and mud were forming, turning 'Fair' Farrech into a grimy mess. Unlike Port Glazmouth, Drakencourt or any other Dastanese city, even unlike the barracks the party had visited earlier, most of the building were build in a style the locals colloquially, and with a sardonic sense of humor, called "Colonial Chique". Cheap buildings made from a basis of clay bricks and wood, covered with white plaster. Easy to build, easy to repair and easy resources to come by in the northern parts of Dastan, were sandstone was a more rare commodity. So, too, was the inn Azim had referred to. An off-white dirty building, with plaster chipping off in some places, revealing the brick structure underneath. "Whut 'ave we here?", one of the drunks at the door said in slurred speech, "a little girl and her bear? You sure you're in the right place, missy?"

Having hosted some battles for Orel and having quested with Throlar for the past three quests, I think my next character will be a knight. I really like the class and I've got some great ideas for a character. Too bad I'm nowhere near the prerequisites yet . I know you've already made the rules for a second character more lenient, but perhaps a requirement in the middle ground of the current requirements could also be possible? So next to the currently two available requirements you could have a third one: having participated in 10 Quests AND having hosted 1 (or 2, whatever) Quests. It also show dedication for the game, IMO. I'm content with playing Eric and second characters are an extra reward for long-term dedication, but even with the "new" 15 Quest-rule I'm not even at the half of the requirement, even after 2 or 3 years of playing. Like I said, I do understand a second character is a cool extra and should be limited to prevent "flooding" the Hall with an influx of second characters. But still, it was just a thought I had .

"What, you didn't get any gold with you when you died, you headless wicht?. Looks like someone wasn't very loved by her family!" Eric repeats.

Polly stands on the tips of her toes and tries to take a peak into the pot. Sadly for her, it was just an empty pot, looking for a new owner. "Sorry, Mr. Polly Sanders, Azim doesn't sell food. You can get a meal at the inn." The Paladin starts to sweat and is clearly annoyed with having this conversation. To him, it was clear Orcs and Greenskins in general did not fall in the same category as Humans. "It's not his fault, per se. It's just a fault with his race. Orcs are violent and cruel. They only know destruction and bathe in bloodshed. His race as a whole has forfeited their right for redemption. They can never know the warmth of Ennoc, because they are the ones who brought his favoured kingdom to ruin. For that, there can never be forgiveness." "Can Azim help you with anything else?" The Party: Leofwein Twynam (Capt.JohnPaul) *Party Leader* *Poisonous Attacks* 18 Year Old Human Barbarian Level 3 Power: 6 (3 + 3) Defense: 0 Health: 10/10 (8 + 2) Gold: 22 Equipment: War Axe (WP:3) Inventory: Mead (2x), Remedy, Venom (2x) Lynne (Endgame) (20)24 Year Old Human Cleric Level 3 Power: 6 (3 + 3) Health: 7/11 (9 + 2) Ether: 4/7 (5 + 2) Gold: 12 Equipment: Oak Staff (WP: 3) Inventory: Potion (2x), Phoenix Essence, Tonic, Bone, Bedroll Polly & Mr. Sanders (Waterbrick Down) 9 year old female human Mage Level 3 Power: 6 (3 + 3) Health: 7/7 (5 + 2) Ether: 3/7 (5 + 2) Gold: 23 Equipment: Letter Opener (WP: 3, dagger) Inventory: Potion, Amethyst, Tonic (2x), Fire Bomb Orel Cayne, Third of his Name (Controlled by Capt.JohnPaul) 41 year old male human Knight Level 5 Power: 8 (5 + 3) Defense: 2 Health: 9/14 (10 + 4) Gold: 19 Equipment: Blessed Blade (WP: 3, longsword, light-elemental), Shield of Ennoc (SP: 2) Inventory: Potion

Orel replied in an equally hushed tone. "Not much. It's just... it sickens me that such creatures can walk around, like all the atrocities they have ever committed never happened. Greenskins are vile and untrustworthy. In the end, all they ever want is destruction. Nothing good comes from them. I wouldn't spent any money here, if I was you." Even though the Paladin spoke silently, he words carried bitterness and a sense of pure aggression was not far away. "A bit of this, a bit of that." "Welcome, Mr. Polly Sanders to Azim's shop. Here, have a look at all the things I sell for gold." ITEMS FOR SALE: Potion (Restores 10 health to the target.) Costs 5 gold. Tonic (Restores 5 ether to the target.) Costs 15 gold. Remedy (Removes all negative effects from the target.) Costs 10 gold. Phoenix Essence (Revives a fallen ally with full health during a battle.) Costs 50 gold. Mead (Causes the encouraged-effect, doubling the target's attack power for the duration of one battle.) Costs 15 gold. Smelling Salts (Causes the hastened-effect, allowing the target to act twice in one round for the duration of one battle.) Costs 25 gold. Venom (Use on a weapon to make it cause the poisoned by 1-effect on any enemy it hits for the duration of one battle, making the poisoned enemy lose 1 health each turn. Several venoms can be used to increase the effect.) Costs 5 gold. Smoke Bomb (Allows the party to escape the battle.) Costs 5 gold. Bedroll (Allows the user to rest and regain health and ether in a safe place.) Costs 5 gold. Shovel (Allows the user to dig the ground in search of a treasure.) Costs 10 gold. Telescope (Allows the user to see far.) Costs 40 gold.

"Let's chop you up in even smaller pieces!" Eric attacks Dullahan from the front row, using Godricsleif.

Eric chortled. "What gave it away, Paladin? Was it the blue eyes, blond hair, pale skin? The accent? Or was it just the way I don't willingly agree with your nonsense?" The Nord shook his head in disagreement with Rollinger's statement and rolled his eyes. "Being the one to do the killing first is a rule of thumb to make sure you don't end up being killed by the other party yourself. Then again, I wouldn't suspect someone believing in a bird-god to understand. I'm sure Ennoc will tan his enemies to death, dealing justice with the power of the sun's warmth and light." Eric bellowed loudly at his own joke, mostly ignoring the ghastly horse and the tense situation it had brought down upon the party. The Nord's face turned more stark again as he looked upon the horse and its rider, but the fog was too thick and he couldn't make out much. He rubbed his eyes, but it didn't really make any difference. "We collect traveling fees on this road. If you want to pass, you'll have to pay the fee. What's the nature of your business here? Who's calling you?", Eric stated in a cold and serious tone, yet he was slightly grinning, like a child playing a prank on his parents.

Sheesh, building a decent shop or backdrop for a market is hard . I spent all afternoon yesterday going through various iterations of what was to finally become the crappy backdrop that is Azim's shop . Building the inn (to be revealed) was much easier. In fact, ALL builds but shops were easier!

Leofwein, Lynne and Orell quickly tried to catch up with young Polly. There were some market stands on one of Farrech's squares, but save for some fruit and other small items sold, there was little to be seen there, so the party entered a small building which had a sign outside that read: "Azim's Shop. Things Are Sold Here." Orell gasped slightly and hung to the back of the party murmuring. "Can't believe they let greenfolk own property and runs shops nowadays..." "Azim's name is Azim. I sell things. Do you want to buy things?"

"I'm with you on the whole 'kill-it-if-it-causes-trouble'-part, but I'm not quite sure mocking someone for being ugly will be helpful to our goal.", Eric said and then paused. "We could mock him for being weak, though" His eyes widened and the Nord continued, "then we could kill him, perhaps and take his belongings". Eric coughed dryly. "But first, lets's find out what we're dealing with, exactly".

"That's a weird assortment of attributes", Eric said, not seeing any link between the items. He cocked an eyebrow. The Nord had heard of 'Mercution', but he couldn't quite place it in time. He also hardly knew what happened to the place or why it was so special. "Let's move out. The sooner we hit the road, the better. Means less time to spend with stunty here", Eric said as he pointed a thumb at Throlar. I'll edit my post tomorrow, to give a more decent reply. I don't have time now, but I didn't want to hold the quest up for the others

QM Note: Sorry, no update today. I've got to work the whole day tomorrow, so the next update will probably be on Sunday. The good news is that I'm home the entire week next week, so then I'll be able to keep a steady pace and do some preperatory work for the last stretch

"What makes you think it'll come with us without any problem? I'm not sure I'm ready to burst into flames just yet, I actually enjoy living most of the times" Eric shrugged. "Whatever. Watching him fail might be fun, but I'll give the sorceror the benefit of the doubt for now." He smiled a toothy grin at Heckz. "Show us what you got, leader". "I'm sure we'll get along fine as long as you manage to keep most of your thought to yourself, Dwarf" Eric chuckled. He didn't really see the need in taking one of the Paladin Order with them. "So, Rollo, best steer clear of that chest. Like I said, I'd hate to burst into flames."

The captain bade the young girl goodbye as he watched her leave his quarters and venture into the city alone. QM Note: I haven't built the shops yet (I have built the Inn, though and used most of pieces there). I'll update with pics of the stores ASAP . The captain sighed. "I wouldn't go as far as calling it a burden. I consider it my duty to keep everything together, but yes, it can be quite tasking at times." "Very well then, here we go" Wall of text incoming !! The captain shoved away some scrolls from his desk, revealing a map that was lying underneath. It was a similar map like the one Orel had showed them a long time ago, detailing the northern part of Dastan. "The Northern March stretches from the gates of Farrech all the way up to the horns of the Dastanese continent, ending at the feet of the eastern mountains ranges, the home of the Dragons. The mountains making up the Pass of Farrech give way to rolling hills and the sandy grounds you are mostly familiar with turn into vast plains of long grass: the steppes. Upon these steppes, a myriad of different tribes dwell, of which the most numerous and powerful are the Polkung people of whom I have spoken before. They are not the only ones there, though. There are small herds of Centaurs roaming those grassy plains and along the edges of the plains you will find communities of Cyclopses." "A very long time ago, when the Empire of Dastan was still in formation, it grew quickly and it was always looking for expansion. Not stopping to consolidate gained territories, the newfound borders crept north, eventually enveloping what we currently call the Northern March. However, due to its rapid expansion, the Dastanese military was overstretched and undermanned." "During those days, few Humans lived on the steppes, safe for some wild tribe folk who had mastered horseback riding. But they were not the rulers of the steppes. The Centaurs, now a minority were then the major political player in the north. They and the Cyclops tribes I spoke of earlier. As you might know, Centaurs are a wild and delirious bunch, taking great pride in their independence. The had recently been made subject by the Dastanese Empire, but they too saw the weakness to be exploited. So they attacked the few Dastanese military outposts stationed in the March. Through fast guerilla strikes the Centaurs gnawed away at Dastanese morale and numbers. So great grew their confidence, they even managed to attract the usually self-centered Cyclopses of the plains to their cause. Soon, even Humans bolstered their numbers." "To make matters even worse for us Dastanese, several Viking expeditions landed on our shores. Norsemen, a greedy and warlike people, looking for spoils, land and glory in battle. We stood with our backs against the wall, facing an enormous horde of enemies, so we struck a deal with the Nord invaders. We would give them battle and bloodshed, land in the Empire and citizenship, all they had to do was steer away off Dastanese targets and break the power of the Centaurs." "And so they did. With utmost brutality and vigour the Vikings cut a bloody swathe through the plains, utterly decimating the Centaurs, pushing the Cyclopses to the edges of the steppes and enslaving many of the Human tribesmen. The Emperors of Dastan kept their word and granted the Vikings Dastanese citizenship and gave them the steppes to live on. The Northern March was theirs, but a governor appointed by the Dastanese Emperors would be their superior. All the Nords had to do was swear allegiance to the Empire and defend its northern border against all manner of invasions, even if they were Nordic as well. It was an uneasy situation, but the Empire survived and the alliance upheld from both sides. For years, the Northern March has defended the richer southern belly from incursions by enemies." "Cultural differences have always persisted, though. The Vikings were granted lots of autonomy and largely kept their own customs, but adapting several new ones, adjusting to their new lives on the plains. They mixed with locals, but have always remained at odds with the non-Human races sharing the Northern March. Over time, these people came known as the Polkung." "The last decades or so, the situation in the north has grown ever tenser. Numerous Nords have left Värtland and many seek refuge amongst their cousins of the Polkung people. The Polkung are fearful that they will eventually be demanded to leave behind their heritage and fully accept Dastanese culture and way of life. That they would have to accept non-Humans as their equals. As the Empire is trying to bring all of its myriad races and inhabitants closer together after the civil war, the Polkung are afraid they will lose their privileges. The more radical elements would very much like to rule the Northern March by themselves." "Like I said, some believe the Polkung supported the rebellion in Dastan. Not because they care about what happens to the Teuthisal, but because anarchy brings rewards to them. When the south is busy, the government won't have time to fold the Northern March into its fray." "In light of that, it might surely be possible that your priest has been taken. As an act of defiance against 'the south', but I doubt it. If I were you, I'd ask around town first, before heading into the steppes. For all you know, he might just be boozing around here. It wouldn't be the first one. Central government asks the Paladin Order from time to time to send some missionaries here. A shared religion creates a bond between people and races and so the Emperors hope to create a strong and unified Dastan."

It's a bonding experience .

Eric waved away the foreigner's doubts with his hand. "Sure I have enough credentials. I'm not too sure of my companions, though. I haven't met the dandy before and the stunted one is, well, difficult to work with." "I am, obviously. I am the most competent, but if you want to try your hand at leading a party, by all means, be my guest", Eric grinned. He then turned his attention to the employer and his company. Eyeing the mysterious chest, he prodded it with his boot. "So this is the cargo the Paladin Order is too scared off to transport and guard themselves, eh? Veklingar" Eric tilted his head in Heck's general direction and said: "I second the wizard's question, but more specifically, though, what is in it?" The Nord's grin turned wider and his eyes narrowed as he noticed their employer's nervous behaviour. "Must be something real special, to get yourself worked up like that..."

The captain chuckled softly in his fist and shook his head. "I guess you folks truly aren't from around here, are you? If you hadn't mentioned you lot were with Heroica, I would've taken you for some people from Drakencourt, to be honest. Farrech isn't Drakencourt, I'll tell you that. 'Fair Farrech' is a euphemism we use to uplift the men's spirits. At times, it can be quite restless here. And sadly, you have reached us in one of those times." "See, with the past war -in which Heroica supported Dastan-, things have been uneasy all over Dastan. The peace is slowly returning, but in order to secure the victory of the war and ensure that the peace will last, several regiments of soldiers have been pulled from the Dastanese border and have been recalled to the interior. Hel, I had to send half of my garrison here to the south." "Farrech is the northern bulwark of the Empire, but if you venture further to the north, you're actually still in the Empire, but we just don't have the men to fully enforce our laws there. The Northern March, the vast steppes that protect us further from Viking incursions are semi-lawless. There's a Dastanese governor appointed to rule the March, but it's a well-known secret that he's but a mere puppet of the local Polkung tribes and clanfolk." "To answer your question: yes, there are more primeval and wild deities than Ennoc. Most certainly. See, these Polkung horse-tribes are the descendants of Viking invaders of ages past. They have mixed with locals, but have kept a lot of the more barbaric elements of their Viking ancestors. If you want, I can tell you more about that, but of essence here is that those folk, the Polkung, worship fierce deities such as Torrun, some angry god of thunder and the skies and whatnot, and Ursem, a wilder variant of Centurus. He's known as the Horse Lord. I don't know all the specifics, though. They know of our 'Ennoc', but they don't worship him. As is the case with their Nord cousins, to them Ennoc is an obsolete and weak god. The Polkung thus often refer to themselves as 'People Who Have No Fear of the Setting Sun', because they simply don't believe in the powers of the celestial body and the representing deity." "Your theory could be right. The priest might be taken by the Polkung, but I somewhat doubt it. If the Polkung had truly taken the man you're looking for as a hostage, I would've known already. Those people are very boastful of the acts they commit. Plus, we'd probably found his corpse by now if that had been the case." "The north of Dastan is a wild place. Many cultures clash here and it falls upon me and my men to keep them all together in the name of the Empire of Dastan. I strongly believe our strength lies in our differences, but many in the Empire believe otherwise. Some say the Polkung even secretly supported the Teuthisal uprising. It's kind of a difficult history and relation we share with the peoples of the steppes, if you have time, I can share it with you? Perhaps you could use the knowledge in your search for the missionary?"

Thanks! I have some pictures from the Dastanese quests saved to my computer, which I use as a reference when building backdrops. I also read the Wiki page on Dastan and the quests several times, to get an idea of how Dastan is. I had actually planned some "quirky" enemies like the Minotaurs from #45, but the heroes decided to go with the Hinckwell boat. If they had picked the Viking, the party would've run into a gang of were-dog thieves called "Brandon and the 99 Bitches" . Which is funny, 'cause they are female were-dogs (and totally gansta!) . Thanks, Pie .