CMP

I said they had their backs to the party, I've been waiting for you to post all day.

It'll pick up after another week or so. There's three Quests to be up at least after the 7th.

Haldor's been a lot more level since 53. I think you should keep it that way. He's reached a good level of honor and integrity vs. getting a Quest done with less-than-virtuous companions and how much skull-cracking gets done when they clash.

So 72 points, right? For Atramor... Strength: 13 Constitution: 17 Dexterity: 18 Intelligence: 7 Charisma: 13 Wisdom: 4

Good news, the Unbelievable Carletta Emilia Benita Cecilia Maria Roberta Consuela Rosalina Margarita Puerta just found out she's Italian. And her real name is Carletta Emilia Benita Cecilia Maria Giuliana Roberta Consuela Rosalina Margarita Puerta. Bad news, townies died. The Unbelievable Carletta is sad to lose her mayor and town drunk. She is prepared to vote Esther again, barring any massive breakthroughs. If anything, her suspicion of Esther has grown. I truly pity them, then, if they believed that... Interesting analysis. The Unbelievable Carletta hopes Esther isn't the vig and will kill off her already-cemented 'scum list' she created yesterday. Good vigs have patience with their kills. The second theory....possibly. She did make that cryptic note about her having to claim if the votes continued to pile up. Perhaps she was setting it up for this a situation? Perhaps. Or maybe the other killer tried to kill her, but failed? Due to her 'softclaim' (I guess that's what we're calling it now?) she likely had town protection. But if Abigail's second theory is correct, it's probable she had scum protection too, just in case. Devious. And smart. The Unbelievable Carletta would like to hear what Esther has to say. (Or perhaps more accurately, who's she's going to accuse to try and draw attention away from her... )

I'm assuming he just wanted some variation in the enemies. I thought it was a little silly too, but it did keep us on our toes.

The party heads north, and turns a left. The voices Dreyrugr had been hearing returned quickly. The source became clear at once - two small figures just ahead, their backs to the heroes, were talking casually. "-etty cool, huh?" "Dunno 'bout cool. Only Moke's been out since, eh, well...." "Don't worry about it. I don't even think it was one of us. Where would we even get the stuff from, anyway? No, man. There's only one answer." "....Humans?" "Humans." They don't appear to have noticed the party yet.

Congrats Sandy. A very well-earned promotion.

What?

I could be wrong too, it's just that if you could use Nurture outside of battle, I'd think it'd be listed as a job trait. As it is, it's just normal Healing.

But it's not Nurture outside of battle, it's just regular Healing, I think.

Yes, a Remedy would work. The party heads south, and turns a left, reaching another fork. Will they go north, east, or west?

Don't you mean Arthur? Or maybe Althior? I'm sure it's not Atramor you're thinking of. I thought elves were immortal in the way that they couldn't die of old age, but still easily could of disease or being stabbed or such.

Pretzel smartly notices the rubble from the crumbling wall and pokes through it, digging up a wicked-looking flail. Orcish Morning Star - WP: 9, mace

Don't believe so, sorry. The party heads north, but finds only a dead end.

Between Erik's fierce blows and Pretzel's chipping away, the boulder shatters. Due to Erik's fairly unrefined (pun intended) mining, he feels Fatigued (Current and maximum health is halved for the duration of one battle). Party Monk Pretzel and His 99 Pieces, (Played by Palathdaric) 463-year-old male "hermit" Paladin *Party Leader* Level: 18 Power Bonus: 0 (5 in the front row) Defense: 9 (14 in the back row) Health: 34/38 Ether: 24/27 Gold: 250 Equipment: Cross of Light (WP:10; Light; Staff), Fashionable Shield (SP:7), Ethereal Cloak (Backwear; SP:2; Max Ether +4), Strategist's Shako (Suitable for anyone, +5 power while in the front row, +5 SP while in the back, headwear) Inventory: Heavy Flail (WP: 5; deals "Fragile" effect; Mace), Flying Cross (WP:6; Darkness, Fire, Wind; Broomstick), Steak (WP:1, instantly kills vampires on successful hits, suitable for all), Potion (2), Grand Potion (4), Tonic, Grand Tonic (2), Ether Core (2), Remedy (2), Soma, Phoenix Essence, Neutralizer, Venom (2), Deadly Venom (5), Paralyzing Venom (2), Holy Bomb, Commerz Cannonball, Scroll of Sealing, Bedroll, Magnifying Glass, Pickaxe, Shovel, Magic Shovel (will always find something when used, limited to three uses per quest), Bone (3), Tasty Pretzel (Consumable) - 1/3 chance each of granting lucky, hastened and encouraged-effects upon consumption., , Rito Feather (consumable, grants the hastened- and blessed-effects upon use for one battle), Soothing Slippers (Footwear, Meditate restores 5 ether), Scrap Metal, Grating Stone, Smoke Bomb, 2 Gold Bars, Emerald, Garnet Erik Tyrvarr (Myrddyn) 19 years old male human barbarian. *Immune to Fragile* *Fatigued, 3 rounds* Level: 14.5 Power Bonus: 0 Defense: 7 Health: 21/21 11/11 Gold: 6 Equipment: Titanic Axe (WP:11, Earth-elemental, has 1/6 chances of inflicting petrified-effect; axe), Lighter Armor (SP: 4, immune to fragile, bodywear), Tricorn (Headwear; SP:3) Inventory: Spear (WP: 9, spear), 2 Death Progg claws, 5 Bones, Barbarian's Boots (Natural Respite>Restoration; footwear), Mead, Peacekeepers totem (Grants the "Diplomacy"-job trait; suitable to Erik only; accessory), Sharkskin Armour (SP +1, immune to water; bodywear), Twin Axe (WP: 5, dual strike-axe), Voltedge (WP: 13, Lightning-elemental; greatsword/longsword), Flash Bomb (Deals the Confused effect to the target for 3 turns.), Phoenix Essence, Smoke Bomb, Hide of The Suffering (Bodywear, Power +7 when under a negative status effect. Doesn't stack.), Dreyrugr (Vash the Stampede) 1000 year old Male Vampire Black Knight *Immune to Stunned, Water and Fire* Level: 18 Power Bonus: 0 Defense: 9 Health: 38/38 Gold: 45 Equipment: Crow-Claw Dagger (WP: 6, 50/50 chance to stun enemy on successful attack, Darkness), Gloves of the Undead Assassin (For every enemy the wearer kills, it gains 5 HP, Immunity to Water, Usable by anyone, Handgear), Black Knight's Armour (SP:4, protects from stunned-effect), Impervious Shield (SP: 5) (Grants immunity to Fire) Inventory: Venom x3, Bedroll, Remedy, Smelling Salts x3, Mead x2, Shuriken (WP:5, Wind), Net (if used in combat, 1/3 chance to slow enemy, 1/3 chance to be useless, 1/3 chance slow self, lasts 3 rounds, retrievable),Nostrum x2, Throwing Dagger (WP:3) Fauxthril Scythe (WP:5), 4 Bones, Bow (WP: 4), Grand Potion, Phoenix Essence x2, Soma, Mulled Wine, Robe of the Magi, Musky Mushroom (50/50 chance of permanent +5 or -1 to maximum health) Nessa Anárion 59 years old female elven Ranger *Immune to Fragile* Level: 15 Power Bonus: 1 WP Defense: 4 Health: 21/21 Gold: 13 Equipment: Darkness Silver Crossbow with Raven-Slayer Bolts and Newty Mag (WP: 8, darkness elemental (WP: +3 vs. werefolk (removable)) (WP: +4 vs. Aquatic vermin (removable) (usable by ex-Amphibians only)), Ranger's Quiver (WP: +1), Emerald Hood (SP: 4, headwear, protects from Fragile) Inventory: Bedroll, Magic Compass, Venom (2), Nostrum (2), Mead, Smelling Salts, Phoenix Essence, 8 Potions, Merry Bow (WP:7, ranged, steals 1 gold with each successful hit except Shield-skills), Opal, Pseudos Hood (can damage undead with normal attacks), Smoke Bomb, Ranger's Cowl (Suitable to rangers, SP: 2, headwear) Sylph Solanum (Dannylonglegs) unknown age, unknown race Druid *Immune to Sealed* *Second Party Leader* Level: 24 Power Bonus: 1 WP Defense: 3 Health: 40/40 Ether: 12/32 Gold: 136 Equipment: Shrapnel Bow (WP: 10, Bow. Every successful hit drops the target's SP by 1) , Ranger's Quiver (WP +1 to bows and crossbows), 20-20 glasses (headwear, +1 turn of effect for scrolls), Robe of the Archmagi (Bodywear; SP: 3; Max Ether +5, immune to "Sealed") Inventory: Scroll of Frailty, Scroll of Sleep, Scroll of Blindness, Scroll of Sealing, Scroll of Confusion, Scroll of Ice Armour, 2 Potions, 1 Grand Potion, 2 Tonics, 1 Venom, 2 Fire Bombs, 1 Ice Bomb, 3 Water Bombs, 2 Lightning Bombs, 1 Floral Bomb, 7 Bones, Trial Brew x3, Helmet (Max. health +1)), Emerald, Bedroll, Shovel, Pickaxe, Magnifying Glass, Signet Ring, Saber Teeth, Journal of The Bleeding,Tale of the Invincible King, Psych Documents, Journal of The Wound, Suffering's Journal, Robe of the Magi (Bodywear, SP: 1), Smoke Bomb

The party follows Erik, and reaching another junction. Will they go north, south, or east?

How come that seems so reasonable?

The Old Gods. I knew they were intentionally underused.

Atramor sank into his favorite chair. The secluded corner closest to the bar and farthest away from the other tables. He leaned the Pheles Rod against the wall behind him, pulled half a dozen weapons out of his belt, and set them on the table. His last Quest had left him overburdened with them. A minute later a bottle of rum (or five) joined the various swords and daggers on the tabletop, popped open and half-empty. He spent quite some time in silence, mulling over the vision he and his Questmates had been given. The last words were familiar. Eerily. And the laugh... "Thought bein' chased by demons from the past was somethin' only old men had to worry about," he mumbled to himself. 'Or younger ones who get into trouble well beyond their years, like many in this Hall.' The witch looked up. A familiar chicken was perched on his table, looking him beadily in the eye. "Well, if it ain't the demon from the past herself." McCafferey's head snapped to the side, towards the Pheles Rod, for a moment. Atramor noticed. "Should I leave you two alone? Ya' have a lot in common. Both everyday objects and creatures possessed by demons, both with the temperament of an Angry Crab, both tryin' to eat away at my will and manipulate me like a pawn. The hell do you two see in me?" 'Not as much as you may think. If it's any consolation, your most recent outburst made it clear I can't do things the easy way.' "'The easy way'...should have Scheherazade run you outta here, she don't like pets." 'We both know very well that you won't. Choice is something all mortals think they desire. What they truly crave is direction. Taking away choice clearly will not work, so perhaps I will instead provide direction. Guidance.' "To what?" 'Balance. Specifically, order. No doubt you've noticed I've been trying to even out the scale...' Atramor looked between the Rod and McCafferey. "Hah. Ya' sound like-" he paused, but she finished for him. '-everyone you envy. Ignorance once filled that void. Now that understand what it means to try and twist fate towards what you believe is a better path, you question every decision you make. Is it wrong, is it right? Balance helps to guide you through them. Balance between order-'' McCafferey clicked her beak, then tilted her head towards the Rod. '-and chaos. You've tasted both. It's more than empty philosophy. You have your freedom, your choice. Will your choices be guided, or left to chance?' Atramor was silent for a while, before he stood, bringing a cob of corn back to his table, ripping kernels out of it and tossing them to McCafferey, who snapped them out of the air hungrily. "Eat up ya' damn bird, ya' look like ya' haven't had any food in a month," he grumbled, thoroughly annoyed yet somehow also relieved. The chicken seemed either smug or satisfied.

I don't think they did decide which hero was which. Tesni got the last hit on the Prince, which is what the King did in the play and named Ellaria the Duke, leaving Atramor as the General since those were the three who ran into the witches.

I can take away the loot and give you back the uses if you want. Just don't expect it to get any better... The party goes around to the opposite side of the spider den, but find only a dead end.

I thought I was alone there. For a character that's not supposed to be too paranoid, you sure know how to freak the hell out of Atramor, Zepher. I liked it. It was different in many ways from the Wren Quests, in more than just focus. You always manage to make such simple situations seem so damn profound, it's like the mark of a Zepher Quest (next to piles of beloved NPC corpses). The beginning was slow and a little freeform, which was nice, though I kind of wish getting to know the actors would've led somewhere, it seems like they were really just there for us to protect. Their personalities were cool, though. The middle was straightforward, and I hesitate to say repetitive, but the bulk of the Quest was fight-scene-fight-scene-fight-scene. A riddle or a puzzle or something could've broken it up a little better. The ending was suitably chilling. As far as battles go....I think you've reached a good balance on making a group of enemies very challenging yet defeatable, but I really believe you should loosen up on the difficulty on a few of them. I love a challenging fight, don't get me wrong, but four straight difficult ones in a row is pretty grueling. Save the challenging fights for when you want an enemy to seem capable, but not every single one has to be difficult or easier. Loved my party. Althior seems to have traded in his emotions in exchange for being a little less annoying... but Finnegan was funny as always. I'm glad to have had Atramor meet Tesni. Nothing seems to get in the way of her beating down a ton of opponents. Maybe you could roll Counter a little less, at least when I'm absorbing all the damage. And as always, it was fun to Quest with Ellaria. It's safe to say Atramor would've died several times over without constant healing. Another solid Zepher Quest.

Pretzel's Magic Shovel loses its glow as he digs for the third time. Shackles of War - (Prevents anyone from fleeing, accessory, suitable for anyone)

In small amounts it's good for curbing the total, instant decimation of the enemy team. In large numbers it turns battles into a grind.