CMP

"Are you sure? We only get one shot at this, and there's still plenty of time to find leads." "Plus you could, you know, ask for my damn opinion," interrupted Reg. "I know a place we could hit. Lady Luck's Locale, about one of the last businesses in the Hovels. Fair warning though, nobody likes heroes down there."

"You sound like you have a plan for dealing with them, then." Miderun dragged a chair over and sat at one corner of Skrall's table. "Strange that you can get more or less whatever you need by asking now and paying later. It just seems like it's begging to end in bloodshed. Small wonder there's no market for it in Baltarok, I suppose. I'm here for the - I guess you could say the heroics. You hear about what's been going on in the homeland? All sorts of trouble, with this bridge, and the Kingdoms, some vikings, and now one of the clans is practically turning into a rogue state. There's heroes in the middle of it all somehow and I want to be part of that. They killed our greatest hero but now they're out putting an end to what could've been a full-scale war. They don't concern themselves with past grudges and they help those who need it. I wanted something more out of life. Here I am."

"Of course not. I'm not here for money. Not from you, not from this Heroica thing." Miderun's eyes lingered on Skrall's crossbow briefly, with caution, but no fear. "You're a hero, so I'm certain whatever you've been doing has been for a decent cause, but my friend seems pretty...convinced that she can and will bring you in. I don't doubt her ability, but you might be one of the most well-off ogres I've seen, so I'm hoping you could just pay your debts and nobody ends up getting hurt over this."

Miderun walked back into the hall well-prepared for whatever the next quest might bring, She pulled up her usual seat to the bar, quiet contemplating what she'd be ordering when an ogre a couple tables away caught her eye. She blinked, scratching her head in thought for a moment before remembering something. She got off the barstool and approached the ogre openly. "Tarok kon di, vahlcund. You don't happen to have any unpaid debts, right? I generally know better than to interrupt another orocund's drink, but I've got a friend who might be looking for you."

Miderun handed off the cape with a nod, and headed out to the potion stand on the other side of the marketplace. There, she picked up a Phoenix Essence, three Potions, a Nostrum, and Smelling Salts for a total of 125 gold. Finally, she went over to the blacksmith, unimpressed by the somewhat lacking facilities there, but selling her Club for 25 gold, leaving her with 192 when she returned to the hall..

Miderun walked through the marketplace with an uncharacteristic curiosity for all the extensive sights and sounds the heart of Eubric seemed to offer. Eventually she found her way to Fabian's, pulling out the Tridentian Cape (Immune to blinded, +3 max ether, suitable for mages, clerics, necromancers, and scholars) and dropping it on the counter. "I hear you buy things," she pointed out bluntly. "Want to buy this for 80 gold?"

That's what's been going on?? I thought it was random. Atramor moves to W13 before stabbing at the berserker from the back row. Battle Order Atramor Namyrra Pretzel Dyric

So he could choose to completely ignore me and throw a dagger at somebody else for a free hit, assuming I don't get an aura? McCafferey shuffles into one of the crevices in the rock wall as Atramor charges forward recklessly, swinging at the Berserker from the back row with the Pheles Kris. "Namyrra, blind this guy. Pretzel, see if ya' can get him fragile." Battle Order Namyrra Pretzel Atramor Dyric

Quests typically take 1-3 months.

No, not until you complete 15 quests or host 5.

Miderun picked up the inky club, weighing it in her hands idly. "Hundred fifty gold sound good? I'm used to more solid weapons...well, weapons that don't feel like they could melt at any second, anyway. But I can tell: I could do some damage with this."

Miderun was just about the head out to find the marketplace when the strangest...weapon? caught her eye. She blinked, unsure if she was curious or mildly disgusted, walking over to the hollow-looking mage and the blue mist and nodding to the severed claw. "What the hell is that thing?" she asked bluntly.

Lane tore his eyes away from the Wolfgangers. "That's all I've got. Sure we can dig up more help somehow. What have we learned so far? Maybe something we've heard or read would give us some idea of where to look next."

"Says who?" Reg laughed dryly. "Just because something has more power than it should doesn't mean it's magic. Just look at the damn Houses."

"Indeed." Atramor takes the torch, raising it to looks at the darkened walls briefly before turning his head back tot he group. "Monk, stay two squares behind me. Namyrra, you directly behind him, and Dyric, you stay in the back." Atramor leads the way into the tunnel.

Reg shook Kiray's hand roughly. "Good. Where the hell are we heading? Did you get anything useful from that damn newspaper?" "World ain't a democracy kid. Up until recently our orders were to make sure the sewers were clear. We used them to get around the city and we couldn't have our people getting jumped by sewer gators or slimes or something. But it's not much of a necessity these days." The Party Assets The Hydra Captain Lane 'Old Wounds' Sewer Wolves Kiray Nastayo (KingoftheZempk) *Immune to Fire* *Lucky* *Party Leader* Level 10 Knight Power Bonus: 0 Defense: 5 Health: 19/19 Gold: 104 Equipment: Fleuret (WP:9, longsword, borrowed from Mizuki), Orcish Shield (SP: 4, double if user is a greenskin, borrowed from Mizuki), Flameproof Armor (SP:1, immune to Fire; bodywear, suitable for anyone), Loaded Die (Gives holder the Lucky-effect, accessory, suitable for anyone, borrowed from Mizuki) Inventory: Sword of the Kin (WP:3), x5 Potion, Banana (Restores full health when eaten), Chaotic Bomb (Causes 100 elemental damage to all opponents), Bedroll, Mediocre Pongcanis Brew (Encouraged + Enraged), Everlasting Venom (Adds the poisoned by 10-effect to one weapon permanently), Sleep Bomb (Deals 5 damage and the Asleep-effect to all opponents when used.), Remedy, Dragon Scale, 2x Nostrum, x3 Fire Bomb, x4 Venom, Sanctified Rito Longsword (WP:6, doubled against Flying enemies; longsword), Scutum Shield (SP:3; shield) Mizuki Kimura (zakura) *50% More Gold Stolen* *Death Mask* *Ignores Positive Effects* Level 24 Assassin Power Bonus: 0 Defense: 0 Health: 34/34 Gold: 0 Equipment: Dual Gladii (WP:12, Darkness and Light elemental, dual-strike), Sticky Gloves (Increases the amount of gold stolen by 50% (rounded up)), Death Mask (Increases assassination chances to 1/3 when the target’s health is lowered to 1/3, headwear, suitable for assassin), Fox Tail (user not affected by opponent's positive effects, backwear) Inventory: 20 Venoms, 8 Nostrums, Bedroll, Shovel, Pickaxe, Telescope, Magic Compass, Magnifying Glass, 1 Think Jeeax Scales, 1 Rito Feather (consumable, grants the hastened- and blessed-effects upon use for one battle), Gladiator Trident (WP:11, causes bleeding effect; spear), Tonic, 3 Potions, 1 Weak Potion 1 Fire Bomb, 2 Chicken Drumsticks, 2 Deadly Venoms, Neutralizer, Weak Regeneration Potion Actaeon Artus (Actaeon) *Hastened* Level 6 Ranger Power Bonus: 0 Defense: 0 Health: 11/11 Gold: 50 Equipment: Sanctified Rito Bow (WP:6, doubled against Flying enemies; bow), Quickdraw Quiver (Gives wearer the Hastened-effect, backwear, suitable for rangers, borrowed from Mizuki) Inventory: Smoke Bomb, Potion x2, Remedy x2, Bedroll, Scroll of Frailty, Stun Bomb (Deals 5 damage and the Stunned-effect to all opponents when used.), Trial Brew, Dragon Scale, Mead, Smelling Salts, Venom x2, Greaves of the Aubergine Dragoon (SP:2, protects from the Bound- and Slowed-effects. Footwear, suitable for anyone.) Francis Barkley (Captain Settle) Level 5 Ranger Power Bonus: 0 Defense: 3 Health: 10/10 Gold: 17 Equipped: Training Bow (WP 4), Tricorne (SP:3) Inventory: 3 Potions, smokebomb, bedroll, mead, longbow (WP 3) venom, Lustrous Cloak (1/6 chance of dodging damage rolls and free hits. Suitable for rogues, artifact, backwear), grand potion, grating stone, Top Hat (WP: 14, 50/50 chance of dealing the stunned-effect, retrievable, borrowed from Mizuki), Sylph Shuriken (WP:12, wind elemental, retrievable, borrowed from Mizuki) Captain Pierce Lane (NPC, controlled by Zakura) Level 10 Cannoneer Power Bonus: 0 Defense: 0 Health: 26/26 Gold: 0 Equipped: Hand Mortar (WP: 5, handcannon), Cannoneer's Sashes (The damage output of bombs consumed are added to the weapon power of attacks, suitable for cannoneers, accessory) Inventory: 2 Fire Bombs, Water Bomb, Dirt Bomb Reg Goldjaw (NPC, controlled by KingoftheZempk) Level 15 Berserker Power Bonus: 8 Defense: 0 Health: 32/32 Gold: 28 Equipped: Giant Scimitar (WP: 5, greatsword), Wolf's Helm (+2 power, doubled for every standing Wolfgang member in the party, suitable for Wolfgang members, headwear) Inventory: Mead Red (NPC, controlled by Actaeon) *Immune to sealed, cursed, and jinxed* Level 8 Cleric Power Bonus: 0 Defense: 3 Health: 17/17 Ether: 12/12 Gold: 14 Equipped: Metal Club (WP: 7, club), Ragged Cloak (SP: 3, immune to sealed, cursed, and jinxed, backwear, suitable for anyone) Inventory: Tonic Briar (NPC, controlled by Captain Settle) *Immune to blinded and sealed* Level 5 Black Knight Power Bonus: 0 Defense: 7 Health: 23/23 Gold: 28 Equipped: Battleaxe (WP: 5, halberd), Pauldrons (SP: 2, suitable for knights), Spiked Shield (SP: 5, immune to blinded and sealed, shield) Inventory: 2 Remedies

That's the first half of what the description (and Sandy) says.

Reg narrowed his eyes at Kiray and the rest of the party, turning towards his own group and muttering to them for a little bit before he straightened up again and cleared his throat. "I don't like your group. I don't like you parading around with your false sense of justice and authority, and I don't like your pathetic sense of morality that only happens to come up while you're being paid to do your job." "But I've heard about this sea demon you're hunting. And I suppose it's in everyone's best interests for it to die, even if it does benefit the damn Houses too." The man in the ragged cloak, Red, nodded. "We'll help you, on one condition. We would like a cut. Something of that size has to have something valuable on it - or in it. We want half of whatever you're getting. The three of us all have some substantial combat training. Fighting you heroes, mostly." "Yeah, so don't go stabbing us in the back. If that's the case, I'll have to remind you why the Sewer Wolves are one of the most accomplished teams in our organization." Reg cracked his knuckles impressively. Lane merely glared at him and the rest of the Wolfgangers with suspicion, arms crossed. Kiray seemed to fall under that gaze too. "I thought we were the Truer Wolves..." "Shut up, Briar."

"Eubric doesn't need your so-called justice. The houses rely on you to fix their problems. They shower you with gold for you maintaining their power over the people. You're not saving lives. You're just taking a job." "It won't help him much when he has nowhere else to go because you failed to help the elf here." "Reg-" "Come on, Red. I won't let these lies continue." "But I'm scared to fight heroes Reg." "If all that weren't enough, look what your group did to Briar. Would you believe this guy was one of our best lieutenants before you beat the sanity out of him? You 'heroes' are a farce, and I won't let it continue. Saving people only when it's convenient for you doesn't exactly spell 'heroics' in my opinion. None of you deserve to wear that title." Reg let that last statement hang in the air, arms crossed. Lane looked between him and the heroes. Would they fight the Wolfgangers or refuse?

"For real? Damn...alright, look, lady. I really need this taken care of, but I can't let the higher-ups know I let someone do my job for me, aye? Hows about when you kill that monster you give me some proof that it's dead and I put in a good word with the Hinckwells for you and your friends. I'm not asking for much, some scales, a fin, maybe a tooth. Something I can give to Heinrich and tell 'im it's done."

Miderun wobbled back to the hall after a month of questing, yet she hardly seemed worn out at all as she pulled up a seat to the bar

"Maybe. Still doesn't put a particularly friendly spin on Heroica, though, does it?" "There you have it. Heroica is flawed. Why should your organization get a free pass to deal 'justice' wherever the hell you want?" "Come on Reg, are you looking for a fight? I don't have any qualms with these hero types." "They run around going on about killing sea monsters and helping whoever they can, but obviously they don't care enough about the common folk to even try and help." Lane looked between the Wolfgangers and the heroes, raising an eyebrow. "I'm surprised to hear you try and reason with this bastard. Last I heard of the Wolfgang they were trying to assassinate the Bonaparte leaders." I'd like to give the rest of the party some time to respond before moving on.

Atramor steps into W8.

"Glad to see we could help. You have anymore problems, you just drop Heroica another line. Vohl tan dir bal ei cund." And with that, Miderun followed Vindsval and Benji out onto the docks. Thanks for a great quest KOTZ. Do the discolored berries have any effect?

"Excuses," scoffed Reg. "We incur plenty of expenses too, knight. We've all seen your Hall - explain why you can't spare a few hundred coins with Heroica sucking more gold than most of these people have seen in their entire lives. We know about you and the ranger. You've helped out our organization in the past, and that's more than most 'heroes'. But I don't think you understand our ideals. We help people who need it, when they need it."