Zepher

Night falls and the heroes' eyes grow tired. They all take up places around the dying fire, and soon fall asleep. Oko and Kiray take the first watch... ...and it is a groggy Kiray, with a throbbing bump on the back of her head, who is the first to wake up. She tries to remember how she came to be lying on the ground. Had they been attacked? She scrambles for her sword, but she finds it missing. "Don't bother, Kiray. It's over already, and I don't want to hurt you." Kiray looks up, and in the moonlight, sees that things have taken a turn for the worst, and that Pretzel's moral judgement is, as always, a little off. The others are starting to rise as well. And they are greeted by an army. Yu Shu springs to her feet, and from the forest the heroes can hear the sound of many crossbows being cocked. It's impossible to tell how many. "Oko! You fool! What have you done?!" But it is the young woman who answers. "This is the famous Yu Shu?" She giggles. "What a disappointment. I was hoping for more. Walked right into our trap. How idiotic. You knew there were spies among your ranks." "But I never suspected Oko! Why?" Oko opens his mouth, but is cut off. "What does it matter why? He was tired of ineffective leadership. You cannot even clean up Eubric, much less create an empire. Your tolerance and defense of the weak allows for weakness to fester, for darkness to grow. Pathetic." Bella spits at Yu Shu's feet. "We have crossbow men in the woods who outnumber you three to one. Surrender." "I'd like a crack at her, if not," chuckles a deep voice that echoes throughout the faceless armor. "Tell your godless mercenaries to stand down as well." Bella looks over the party. "Disgusting, allying yourself with kobolds, green skins, undead. Ha!" "I order you all to stand down," growls Yu Shu. She shoots a look at Nerwen before throwing down her weapon. Silently, Avery follows suit Marcellus grunts as he shoves off his shield, armor and whip. Deborah inches over to Nerwen and Pretzel. "What's the call? I'm down for a good fight always but I don't want to die today - I know you folks have that magical protection but me and my boys don't. And it sounds like they're not kidding about the crossbows. I've got my armor, but Gocklo and Mitchell will be down for the count before we can blink an eye." She grimaces. "Live to fight another day?" The heroes are outgunned, outnumbered, and Kiray is without weapons! Will they surrender?

"Yo, yeah, groovy concert. And I did get to meet Carly Swift, super cool chick! Really nice." Bobby hands the girl the flowers, making sure her parents aren't around. "Yo, listen. I'm here on a mission! There's this arbomancer at the Hanging Gardens, I'm sure you've seen him, yo. He's a dope dude and good at his job, and he's got the feels for you. But he's shy, so he asked me to tell you, you know what I'm saying? These flowers are from him." Bobby bows. "I'll see you around!" And he bounds off with a small wave of his hand.

Hey, don't add to my workload.

That's the part I'm still trying to figure out. One of the reasons 53 was a bit of a mess was the number of PCs. So either I will have to get inventive (which I'm still very much considering) or make some difficult choices as to who comes along. It's genuinely one of the hardest parts of planning the quest so far, for me. Yeah, we're down a few heroes: Cronk, Thothwick, Haldor. They're all missed, but it will leave room for some new faces who have been on a few Zepher quests. The questees who have exclusively gone on Wren quests will probably understand the least of what's going on at this point, in all honesty.

I'm sure it can! XX is still around to give out bombs. And I only have one more quest to host after 127 before I hit the finale of ALL these stories I've been working on. :wacko:

I'm hoping for a class reunion of 53 at some point. The characters have only gotten better.

"My past is not the happiest, he he." The kobold grins darkly. "Kobolds are, for whatever reason, considered ugly and devious. Can't imagine why he he he. I was born in the slums outside a small city in the Low Kingdoms. My parents were alright folks, I guess. I guess they're probably dead by now." He shrugs. "I learned to be a thief to survive. You know, regular old sob story. Sometimes I got chased, so I learned how to be pretty alright with a knife too. One day I had to flee into the forest for a few days, lay low, he he he. I ran into three witches who were dancing around a fire. They didn't have the gremlin back then. They invited me to dine with them. I was stupid then, he he he. I'm stupid now too, of course! He he he. The oldest witch, Deci, told me stories of great heroes throughout history, how they came from small beginnings, but had good hearts. Told me about some thief princes too. When she and her sister Nona went to sleep, Morta and I stayed up. I think she took a liking to me, the bitch, he he. Asked me if I wanted to be a hero too - told me she could make me one even! I said sure! Idiotic little kid, heh." He giggles for a while. "Any way, when I woke up the next morning I had a ruby in my hand and the ability to use it. Found out I wasn't half bad with a shield either, all of a sudden, and I was pretty damn good at finding gold and picking locks. Course, the witches forgot to tell me how exactly it all worked. I didn't really know how to use my new powers. Burned down four blocks, he he he. The King put a reward on me, my parents were horrified by me, my friends tried to kill me - heck, some of our best friends had died in that fire! And when I thought it couldn't get worse, one of the witches, Nona, showed up to help me out of the city. I thought she felt bad! She laughed at me. Really laughed. Told me its what she and her sisters did. Provided opportunities. She wasn't ashamed, she was proud!" "So, that's that! He he he. Now one day I'll kill them or they'll kill me and until then I'm just killing time with some people I like! Heweyrt found me, but before my life got better, it got worse, so I'm not going to talk about that part." The kobold rocks back and forth, and stares at Nerwen. "Hopefully that helps with that whole trust thing he he he. Deborah doesn't even know that whole story! Not that she's ever asked. Keeps mostly to herself with history. I like that, he he he. But I'm here to help my pals. You saw me at the bridge. I want to kill those witches, but it'll come, and until then, Deborah is in charge!" "And don't worry, gnome. I'm sure we'll be pals, but to be honest I don't give a rat's megablocks about you until I know if you can kill or not. If not, your dead weight. If you can, we'll be great pals!" The kobold's sharp teeth flash again. "I'll be careful with it. It's a nice weapon." He grabs hold of the mace and gives it a few experimental swings. "An extra pair of eyes wouldn't hurt, either. Thanks."

"If some folks are going to have the automatons, seems fair that they should all have them. Then we can move onto the next great thing. As for books... sure, what you say it true, but it's better to have them then not." She shrugs. "But I am thick. And we can leave it at that. I don't have to like you and you don't have to like me, all we've got to do is kill some other folks together. Not even together. Near each other, let's call it, if that makes you more comfortable. Now, I'm going to get some shut eye. See you in the morning, sweet cheeks." Gocklo bounces over to Nerwen. "Give her a chance. If you and I can get along, then you can get along with her. I'm told I'm very unpleasant and she's apparently only a little unpleasant he he." He grins his vicious smile.

Bobby stashes his flute and leaves the Hinckwell Villa, staring at his feet. But eventually he glances up at his two quest mates and offers his hand. "Yo, dudes, it's been tight. You're good bros. I'll see you when I see you, yo!" He then bounds off down the street, headed back to the Theatre. He hopes that he will make it in time to catch the crowd leaving, and though the task seems impossible, he keeps his eyes peeled for the woman they had met earlier in the day who had directed them to the theatre in the first place. On the way he keeps his eyes peeled for flowers... but it being winter, he has a difficult task.

"Ah, I see. You're one of the types who'd have fought against the houses because you wouldn't have understood them. So be it. I guess you probably think that books should be banned too, since they bring power to the masses. And Hel, maybe schooling too, because that gives all the folks intelligence. It wasn't around in the beginning, so it shouldn't be around now, aye?" She chuckles. "Hope you're a better fighter than you are a thinker. I'm none too bright and I just ran circles round you." Deborah laughs even more loudly at Nerwen's point. "Jeez, you Heroicans sure are a close minded bunch for how often you travel and how many different ideas you yourselves are willing to kill for. Sorry if that offends you, but you're a mercenary, so philosophically and morally I think you're pretty much last on the list. Besides, aren't you an elf? Maybe you're a young one, but if you've lived even fifty years I think you'd pick up that people are killing other people for ideas just about all the time. Take these Paladins and Order Imperial folks. They're closer to the same ideas than most people, and they're still gearing up to kill each other." "You say you know Gocklo from up at the Augustus Bridge, right? Look, like I told your friend the Monk, I'm not much of a thinker. I wasn't asked onto the Crusade to be the brains of the outfit, just some extra muscle. But up at that bridge, there was going to be fighting between the Orcs and Nords and Kingdoms and Paladins even if Gocklo and Heweyrt hadn't shown up. Their goal was the make sure the right folks died so that the bridge went through. Because even though some folks died, we're pretty sure that bridge is going to help make all those northerners, regardless of race, more friendly. And that might save lives in the end. And foster some new community, and that might give us some new ideas." She shrugs. "Like I said, I'm not much for thinking, but that's the way Heweyrt puts it." "There were no escape tunnels. These were places of final defenses. The Paladin General stationed there was prepared to die with his men." Yu Shu frowns. "I don't know about a place for goods to come in or out. It seems logical, and it's not the sort of thing you'd write a whole lot of stories about, so it's possible I haven't heard of it. It defeats the whole purpose of the place though." Her shoulders sag a little. "Sometimes I find it best to sleep on a matter such as this. We've travelled all day. I'm tired." Yu Shu stretches out on the hard ground and closes her eyes. "Oko, take the first watch." "Gladly." He walks over to Kiray. "We discussed my use of one of your maces. Want to give me one, or hold onto them?" He glances over at Mitchell. "I think things might get dicey as early as tonight." Marcellus glares a little bit more at Gocklo before also picking a spot on the ground. Avery lays down as well, a little ways off. Gocklo stays by the fire, warming his hands, and Mitchell wanders over to join him. They talk in hushed voices.

Bobby grabs the flute, a instrument that is a particular favorite of his own mother's. "Yo,m'lady, I ain't gonna tell you what to do with your kid because you know, I'm not a parent and I'm from some poor part of town, you know? And I know being a mother ain't an easy job and that being as rich and influential as a Hinckwell is different than any of the shiz that I know - but, you know, since I'm here, I gotta say something, aight? I mean, life ain't great when we put a bunch of shiz into boxes, know what I mean? Like what if my mother said ain't no way you're being a hero. Or what if you're mother told you to not hang out with that musician dude. And what about your own husband, know what I mean? I bet his mother and father didn't think he'd marry a poor musician, no offense, yo, but because he went a little outside his box you dudes get to be happy and have your lovely son. So, you know, maybe let him out of the box a little too. But what the Hel do I know." Bobby shrugs, blushes and bows all at once. "Thank you for the quest and the flute."

Alright all, I am traveling once more this weekend and will be leaving in under an hour! I gave 127 a heads up a few days ago! I will be back by Sunday afternoon/evening, and then updates will be regular for a long time from me! Thanks for the patience.

"Six years ago, about."

Deborah smiles. "Of course. It's good to know who you're working with. The Golden Crusade was started by a woman named Natasha. She's from the north and a prophet. She's a good lady, you'd like her, I'm sure. For whatever reason, I don't know, maybe a vision - well, regardless, some ten years or so back she started our Golden Crusade. There's a fellow named Heweyrt, he was the first recruited, and then he found the rest of us or we found him." "Gocklo is from somewhere in the low kingdoms I think. He doesn't talk about his childhood much, and I've never heard Heweyrt mention how the Hel he tracked that kobold down. He's the fiercest fighter I've ever met, though. Mitchell is from the Darklands. I think he's a mutant of some sort. And I'm from a small farm in northern Uland. My father still lives there with my brother. Oh, and we've got a fellow who builds us automatons as well." "As for our training - like I said, must of us came pretty prepared. My mother taught me how to shoot a bow. Then it's just practice after that."

"We're not racing towards an end. We're racing towards the future. At one point people didn't have houses. Then someone built some. Imagine if there were folks who all got up in arms and said houses shouldn't be around. That's the Order Imperial and their ilk, far as we can tell. Those are the sorts of people the Golden Crusade is trying to get out of the way, so that the house builders can get along with improving the houses." "All you meat bags look exactly the same to me too he he he." The party puts together a camp as the sun begins to set, and Oko lights a small fire. Gocklo is able to find a few small animals to cook, and everyone eats that except for Yu Shu who goes to find some mushrooms in the woods. Deborah and Yu Shu quickly fall into discussion about various ways to gain access to the fortress. Gocklo and Marcellus, meanwhile, have a... heated debate over the witches. Oko and Mitchell stand away from the fire, eyeing each other warily. They trade war stories, clearly trying to one up one another. Avery just wanders around at the edge of the shadows.

127 has had wonderful interactions: both PCs to PCs and PCs to NPCs. And soon we get to start to see heads roll.

Yu Shu smiles ruefully. "What choice do we have? They'll be here trying to get in either way. We can either ignore them or have some extra hands. It's better to keep them at our side." "Useful he he he. Thanks." "Good." "But if YOU betray US to the Order Imperial HEADS WILL ROLL." "Same to you." Marcellus grunts and stares angrily at Gocklo. "So, let's make camp then, and hash out a plan."

Bobby watches Darksten closely.

"Nothing. What's up with you hehe," cackles the kobold. "These are my friends. We work together all the time he heh. Deborah and Mitchell Blueblast." "CALL me the GOLDEN enforcer!" "I'm never the brains of the outfit. I just get to tag along he he he." "I'm in charge of this operation." Deborah says, and offers her hand to Yu Shu. "I'm a straight shooter, so I'll be honest with you. It'll save a Hel of a lot of time too. My companions and I are part of the Golden Crusade. Put simply, we're looking to advance the fate of all mortals... the Ji Pei, for example, get a big old thumbs up from us, while organizations bent on holding mortals back, like, say, the Bonapartes, or more importantly right now, the Order Imperial... they gotta go." Yu Shu stares at her hard, and doesn't accept her hand. "That's a poor understanding of time." "Yeah, sure, and the paladins are a backwards society worshipping a false eagle-looking god." Deborah shrugs. "We don't agree on a lot of crap, I'm sure, and we could spend all day going down the list. But regardless we're both looking to get into that compound. We've been staking it out for a week, and I can tell you it won't be easy. We need your help, no questions about it. I can't find a way in. The question is only if you want a few extra swords." "I'm not working with a witch hunter." "You and Gocklo can sort that out when we get to the witches. Hels, if we get to the witches. He's not here to kill them today, anyway. I swear. On Ennoc, or whoever." "You're no looker yourself he he he. For all you know I'm very handsome among kobolds."

The heroes travel for one day and have a good sleep in a clearing with clear skies, taking turns on the watch. Around noon the next day mountains begin to loom in the distance. Marcellus leads them up one of the smallest ones, and at the peak the heroes see exactly what they're up against. ​Built into the side of the opposite mountain is a great wall. There is a single dark door, which is closed. The fortress must have been built into what was once an enormous cave. Yu Shu hangs her head. "No." She exhales deeply. "This is no good." She turns to the heroes. "I should have expected... many years before the Orcish Wars the Paladins of Ennon built great fortresses into the sides of mountains throughout the High Kingdoms. The fortresses were impenetrable. Great wizards of Ennon enchanted the mountains and exterior walls with charms and wards - no mage can bend the earth there. Maybe explosives... but we don't have nearly enough. An attack would be suicide. If the Order Imperial is there, they'd kill us before we even made it to the door." "We must find entry." "I know. But I don't have any idea how." There is a deep silence. Then a foreign voice speaks up from behind them. "Should we ARE HERE?!" The party spins around, hands flying to their weapons. "I think you just did," smirks the woman. "Who the hell are you?" "WE could ask YOU the SAME THING! Look like ORDER IMPERIAL TO ME!" gurgles the creature. "Don't be stupid, Blueblast. Why would they be wondering how to get inside if they were Order Imperial." "And how do we know you aren't Order Imperial?" growls Oko, his stave pointed at the gurgling green thing. The green fellow keeps his sword aimed at Oko as well. "If I had an army at my disposal I wouldn't approach you with only two troops, especially considering how much you outnumber us by." The woman narrows her one eye. "That would be idiotic. Do you take me for an idiot. Either we're Order Imperial who made a foolish mistake, or we're potential allies." Both parties continue to stare each other down until a previously unnoticed short member of the strangers speaks up, giggling. "He he he. This is fun, huh, Nerwen?"

Boomingham takes out his garnet and begins to spin it on the table, giving Nur a wink. "Congratulations, Hybros." Boomingham claps him on the back. "Thats a fine reason to drink. What are they like?" He blinks a few times. "Is that why you look like such a demon now-a-days? No offense, of course."

"Erdy was a true hero. She died defeating a true menace." Boomingham shrugs as best as he can, but his smile is a little lopsided. He sniffs at Hybros' tea. "Ellaria's doing, I'm sure. Won't you have something stronger with an old friend? And what have you been through?"

"If you think it's a good idea, then I invite you to convince her." Oko scowls. "I love my sister, but she is hard-headed. She believes in herself, but only in herself. She has no trust in the community. I have spent most years of my life debating with her. You can give it your best."

"Much better now that we're on dry land. The whole damn thing feels like a dream at this point. I was sick as a dog on the way back, as you know." Boomingham flashes a dangerous grin at the others. "Could hardly leave my cabin. Didn't know right from left. Seems my body is catching up with me."

Boomingham shambles into the Hall. The ship ride had been long, and his stomach was hardly able to handle the sea under normal conditions. He trudges over to Em, Hybros, and Nur. "All my favorite chaps." He collapses into a chair. "Who'll have a drink with their favorite old goat?"