Sandy

OoC: Sorry, scratch what I said earlier. I checked earlier battles, and apparently the standard has been that revival will not take up the revived person's turn.

Ellaria gasped as she saw the two other females in the party get knocked out. Hoke rushed to Tesni's aid, so Ellaria decided to use her Phoenix Essence on Alexis, while standing in the back row. They were protected by Hoke's Sentinel-ability, so this would be the perfect time to recover. After all, they could not possibly win without their two strongest team members. OoC: No, the characters will take the turn to recover. After checking from earlier cases, they do get to act. Sorry for the confusion.

Bets: Ad-Hoh - 5 gold on Earth Hybros - 5 gold on Light and 5 gold on Darkness Erdathcath - 5 gold on Fire "Alrighty! Let's roll the dice!" "Hybros and Erdathcath will get 5 gold back, but Hybros and Ad-Hoh lost 5 gold." Ad-Hoh (played by ADHO15) Gold: 10 Erdathcath Madilinas (played by The_Customizer) Gold: 100 Hybros (played by JimButcher) Gold: 76 "Want to bet some more? You can't win if you don't play, after all."

Sorry to say I did not invent it myself, just tweaked it to fit the game world. Here's the original game: Crown and Anchor

"Glad to hear you're interested. Seafaring can sometimes be extremely dull, so we sailors have invented all sorts of games to pass the time. This is but one of them, taught to me by a Drandoran seamage. The name of the game is..." "The rules are as follows." ~ The betting board contains six squares, each assigned with a different colour but referred to as their corresponding elements. Fire Water Wind Earth Light Darkness ~ Each player places the desired amount of gold on the element or elements they wish to bet on. ~ Three coloured dice are then thrown. ~ The player wins or loses their bet depending on which colours the three dice shows. ~ If the colour the player bets on turns out once in the dice, the player will get their gold back. ~ If the colour shows up twice, the player will win double the amount of bet, and if all three dice show the same colour that the player bet on, triple the amount. ~ If none of the dice show the colour that the player bet on, they lose their gold. "Are the rules clear? Don't worry about how much you can bet, I've got plenty of gold to cover your wins. I happen to be quite the gambler, you see." "Now, all of you who wish to play, please place your bets on the desired element or several elements. I will then throw the dice and we'll see if you've won anything."

"So, have you decided if you want to try the Alchemist's Guild first or sail directly to Salmanda?"

The admiral sends the party off to the private docks of the fortress. Eleven ships were waiting for them there, but they instantly recognized which one was The Sunflower. Not only did it have a flower as a figurehead, it was also the smallest of the fleet, and thus the swiftest. A young woman motioned them from the deck of the vessel. The party could not help to notice that the hand she was waving at them was replaced by a golden hook. "Come on, get on board!" the woman shouted at the party. The party ascended the plankway onto the deck where the woman was waiting. "What kept you so long? Did my father start one of his rants again? I am Attina Bonaparte, the proud captain of The Sunflower and the commander in this campaign against that foul new pirate lord. We will set sail toward's Jolly Roger's Grotto immediately. Since we have to keep up with the slower ships, we should arrive to our destination on the second night, just in time for your covert mission. I wish I could join you, but unfortunately my father does not allow me to put myself at risk. He already went crazy when I lost my hand in that duel. It was nothing compared to what the other guy lost, though." Then Attina turned around and started barking orders at the sailors. Soon the fleet was on its way. As the smaller Free Islands slid past them, an elf approached the party, carrying a wooden board and three dice. "Greetings! The name's Aquilo, the First Mate of The Sunflower. Fancy spending some time with a game of dice? It's very simple, but you can potentially triple the gold that you carry. How about it?" Does anyone want to play Aquilo's game?

"Yes! We can do this!" Ellaria cheers her companions on as she targets the Maa'ri Hound from the front row again.

Thanks for the reminder, it's up now. And thanks for the stats as well, they're quite interesting. I think after these current quests of mine are done, I'll start another Town Watch quest.

~A new quest has been posted on the Quest Board (#19 by Zepher)!~

Beth shrugs her shoulders. "I cannot say, since I have never visited Salmanda myself. In fact, none of our family has, although my sister-in-law Chesterine talks about it constantly. But with the way she is, she couldn't possibly travel that far. Our ship is not going anywhere without you, so you surely have time to check the alchemists first, but our matriarch's condition is deteriorating rapidly, so I cannot say how long she will last. Even with our magically enhanced ship, Salmanda is a week's travel from here. So whatever you do, please be decisive."

"The hound is back as well? I thought I made barbeque out of it the last time... Oh well, I will attack the Maa'ri Hound from the front row, since my fiery staff does double damage to it." OoC: Epicness!

"Our reports tell of at least three ships sailing under the flag of Jolly Roger, but who knows how many minions he has had time to gather? And yes, of course we know where the slave hold is located. The sailors even call it "Jolly Roger's Grotto" nowadays. Look, it has been marked it on this map." After hearing Erdathcath's last question, the admiral's face goes red. "How dare you insinuate that my own flesh and blood would have abandoned his family like that! We Bonapartes have been fighting pirates and foreign invaders for centuries, and my twin brother has never shown any signs of not wanting to follow that legacy!" Hestia smiles sheepishly. "Uh-oh, now you've gotten my husband on one of his rants. Better ask quick if you still have any questions. Otherwise, the ships are waiting for you."

Schuester nods and leads the party inside the manor. There is a somber aura of sadness and silence hanging in the air. Even the echoes of their steps have a sad ring to them. Schuester leads them upstairs and into one of the smaller bedrooms. There they find the five remaining members of the core family of the Ziegfrieds, standing around a large bed where an elderly woman is lying. A woman clad in blue emerges from the group and approaches the party. She speaks in whispers. "You must be the chosen heroes. I am General Sourceress Beth Ziegfried, the one who posted that quest bill. I must say that my mind was changed about your organization after your colleagues saved us from that awful curse some time ago. Our family's matriarch Zelda had gone missing, and thanks to the other champions we found out that my father-in-law, Zed, was behind her disappearance. Zed had made a pact with a demon living under our house, and apparently he was feeding souls to that foul creature - with his own mother being the latest victim. We managed to pull Zelda out of the demon's clutches just in time, but as you can see, she has been lying comatose ever since that incident. Her physical injuries have been healed a long time ago, but apparently the demon did something to her soul. That leads to our problem: how to fix a soul?" Beth walks the party over to the bed, where they get a proper look at the Grand Wizardine. She is breathing sparsely, and her complexion is pale and doughy. "We've searched for something, anything that would heal the damage that the demon caused, and just the other day I came across this recipe." "I found it from one of Zelda's old books that she brought with her to Eubric from her oriental hometown of Salmanda. Unfortunately the ingredients are as Salmandan as the recipe itself, so we require your help in gathering them. The only place you could probably find them here in Eubric would be the Invision Guildhouse, but those fumeheaded alchemists have never liked us wizards. You can always go and try to persuade them to give the ingredients to you, but most likely you will have to sail all the way east to Salmanda. We can of course lend our ship, The Flouncy Phoenix, to you for the trip. Captain Squidraken has sailed the distance many times before." "Now, before you decide your favored course of action, are there any questions in your minds that I could answer?"

Nemo Bonaparte shook his head. "We do not have any map of the hideout, but we do know that the old slave hold has several entrances. The main entrance leads to a watery cave where the pirates keep their vessels. The archway is incidently shaped like a skull. But you will be entering through the backdoor that lies on a small beach behind the island." "Worry not, you will set sail right here in Fort Bonaparte. The captain of The Sunflower knows you are coming for sure", Hestia replied with a wink. The admiral scoffed. "We Bonapartes have never shown mercy to pirates, and neither should you. Those filthy marauders always have some trick on their sleeves, so do not let them sway you. And if you still feel hesitant to end Jolly Roger's life, remember the grieving families of the merchants on the seven ships that he sunk." "So, are you ready to depart?"

~A new quest has been posted on the Quest Board (#18 by JimButcher)! Scheherazade has new rumours to share!~

Ellaria drinks one of her tonics. She then swirled Ignis Fatuus in front of her with a grim look on her face. The cleric wished it would not have come down to this, but she was not afraid. "Now I'm as ready as I will ever be. Let's beat them, Tess!"

My two quests are now up! Sorry for the delay, but I'll promise both of the quests will be well worth the wait.

Six heroes were summoned to Fort Bonaparte, the small island fortress owned by the guardians of the Crystalline Sea. The waters around Eubric had become perilous, and the skills of the champions of Heroica were needed to make them safe again. Ad-Hoh (played by ADHO15) Level 10½ Mage *resistant to magic* Power: 15 Health: 14/14 Ether: 14/14 Gold: 15 Inventory: Rhabdomance Staff (WP:5), Robe of Spell Resistance, Emerald (Wood), Amethyst (Darkness), Ruby (Fire) 4 Potions, 3 Tonics, 2 Lightning Bombs, Bedroll, Shovel Sir Christopher Daggerfall (Fred Fred Burger) Level 9 Knight Power: 17 Defence: 4 Health: 18/18 Gold: 22 Inventory: Great Sword (WP:7), Mockthril Shield (WP:4), 3 Potions, Grand Potion, Remedy, Mead, Smoke Bomb, Fire Bomb, Holy Bomb, Bedroll, Shovel, Pickaxe, Bone Erdathcath Madilinas (played by The_Customizer) Level 9 Ranger Power: 14 Health: 15/15 Gold: 100 Inventory: Longbow (WP:5), Helmet (+1 max. health), Snake Eye Charm (protects from petrify), Potion, Grand Potion, Phoenix Essence, 2 Smoke Bombs, Fire Bomb, 2 Ice Bombs, Lightning Bomb, Water Bomb, Holy Bomb, Bedroll, Shovel, Pickaxe, Telescope Eric (played by Khorne) *Party Leader* Level 12½ Barbarian Power: 20 Health: 20/20 Gold: 27 Inventory: Godricsleif (WP:8, ice-elemental), Potion, Mead, Venom, Bedroll, Bone Hybros (played by JimButcher) Level 10 Rogue Power: 20 Health: 17/17 Gold: 81 Inventory: Zoot's Reaper (WP:10), Shuriken of Mercutio (WP:5), Throwing Knife (WP:5), 3 Potions, Grand Potion, 2 Remedies, Smoke Bomb, 3 Nostrums, 3 Meads, 3 Smelling Salts, Shovel, Bone, Bedroll Maurice Ratibor (played by Etzel) Level 9 Cleric Power: 13 Health: 18/18 Ether: 13/13 Gold: 25 Inventory: Diamond Mace (WP:4, light-elemental), Helmet (+1 max. health), Helmet (+1 max. health, unequipped), Scroll of Sleep, 2 Potions, 2 Tonics, 2 Nostrum, Phoenix Essence, Venom Since it was located on an island in front of the Eubric harbour, the party had to take a boat to reach Fort Bonaparte. The imposing white walls rose from the sea, and the heraldic colours of the naval family fluttered in the flags above the construction. The ferry took them to a pier that was located outside the walls. A steep climb of stairs lead them to the gates of the fortress, where they presented their business. A guard clad in blue-and-white took them to the offices of the admiral himself. Nemo Bonaparte stared at the party sternly from behind his desk. Spread in front of him was the map of the Crystalline Sea. He was accompanied by a fair-haired lady who had a cheeky grin on her face. "Good, you have arrived. I have come to trust your organization through my wife Hestia here. She always speaks fondly of her adventures in Heroica." The admiral looked fondly at her wife. "Come on now, sweetie, back to business", Hestia reminded her husband. "We've got a pirate to catch, remember?" "Ah yes... Pirates are like rats - even if you catch one, there will always be more, nibbling away your possessions. This latest rat calls himself Jolly Roger, but make no mistake that there is nothing 'jolly' about him. He has thus far raided and sunken at least seven mercantile vessels outside the Free Islands - two of the Hinckwells and one of the Shadeaux among them. Needless to say, our family's status as the guardians of the Crystalline Sea is at stake here. Our reconnaisance have discovered that Jolly Roger has made his den into an abandoned slave hold in an island off the coast of Ennon. It is a formidable fortress, carved inside a large hill and enhanced by devilish weapons that the pirates have acquired from who knows where. We cannot conquer their base in direct combat, but we can sneak our way in and defeat them from the inside. And when I say 'we', I of course mean the six of you." Hestia giggled. "That's my husband for you, always leaving his dirty work to others." "On the contrary, my dear. My ships will create a diversion for the pirates, so that you can sail one ship around the island and make a landing in the dead of the night. You will no doubt face resistance inside the base, but with most of the pirates occupied with the battle against my fleet, you should be able to locate Jolly Roger and bring a swift end to his piracy." "Aren't you forgetting something, sweetie?" Hestia asked. "Yes, of course! I have a secondary task for you. See, when Jolly Roger first started attacking the ships, my twin brother Reno decided to play a hero and sailed his ship to the pirate base. We have not heard of him since, and I fear that the pirates have made sharkfood out of him, but just in case they happen to hold him hostage on the island, you should look for Reno when you get into the base. Of course I will add some extra gold to your reward if you bring my brother back to me alive." "With the big mouth Reno has, though, I fear for the worst", Hestia sighed. "Now, my fleet of eleven ships is waiting for you in our private harbour. You will personally sail The Sunflower, the swiftest vessel we own. I am sure you will find her captain to be quite a handful, though. Haha! So, any more questions before you depart?"

Four heroes returned the plead of the Ziegfrieds to gather ingredients for a cure for their comatose matriarch. Those four were: Bartholomew Docken (played by Brickdoctor) Level 13 Ranger *scary* Power: 18 Health: 19/19 Gold: 289 Inventory: Mockthril Longbow (WP:5), Dread Hat (lower level enemies won't attack directly), Potion, Phoenix Essence, Mead, Smoke Bomb, Bedroll Cinna the Dark (played by darkdragon) *Party Leader* Level 10½ Mage Power: 15 Health: 14/14 Ether: 14/14 Gold: 0 Inventory: Nimbus Broomstick (WP:5, ranged), Pongcanis Mage Staff (WP:5), Shadeaux Staff (WP:4), Quarterstaff (WP:3), Amethyst (Darkness), Scroll of Sleep, 6 Grand Potions, Tonic, Phoenix Essence, 2 Smelling Salts, Bedroll, Shovel Thormanil Nihai (played by swils) Level 10½ Barbarian Power: 17 Health: 17/17 Gold: 25 Inventory: Thundering Shadeaux Axes (WP:6, lightning-elemental), Tongue on a Stick (WP:1, Miss>Aim), Dull Greataxe (WP:3), Potion, Pickaxe Thothwick (played by Professor Flitwick) Level 3 Rogue Power: 9 Health: 9/9 Gold: 72 Inventory: Whip Chain (WP:6), Shuriken (WP:5, ranged), Potion, Venom, Fire Bomb, Bedroll They arrived to the Ziegfried Manor, where the peculiar butler of the house was waiting for them. "Ssshhheeelooo, ssshhheeerrrooossshhh. Pleeessshhh eennntrrr. Ssshhhooossstrrr ssshhhooo whhheee." How will the party respond?

"We must not trust these orcs anymore. It is not fair to split the reward, since we found two of the children whereas they merely kidnapped one. We don't have to fight, let's just get these children back to their father and be done with it. Why do we have to make this a matter of pride? Just accept that you lost the race, Maa'ri, and bow out." Ellaria did not think her words would persuade the orcs, though. She prepared for a tough battle.

"I believe the Mother Scorpion was found from point four. If my belief is correct, we should head back to the point where we were shrunken."

Much to everyone's surprise, the name list for the participants of Quest #14 magically changed as people were reading it. The mistake that was made in choosing a person who had scratched off his name was corrected, and another hero was selected for the quest instead. Quest #14: The Family Recipe Participants: ~ Thormanil Nihai, Level 10 Barbarian (swils) ~ Bartholomew Docken, Level 13 Ranger (Brickdoctor) ~ Thothwick, Level 3 Rogue (Professor Flitwick) ~ Cinna the Dark, Level 10 Mage (darkdragon) *Party Leader*

Thanks for the notice! I will do that.

"Owch, that hurt! Now I must heal myself. Thanks a lot, Antia."