CMP

"Uh, I don't...er...." "...we have a....a spider problem. And, uh, I haven't asked Jules to get rid of them yet - b-because he's terrified of them. They're infesting all the crates. And stuff. So I was going to get a professional spider-wrangle in Babeleth to get rid of them once we got there."

Atramor stepped into the library, a place he hadn't often visited in the past. Recent conversations with certain chickens had brought an odd question to mind, which he voiced to the Metasimian behind the desk. "By-.....blok?....no....Byblos, that's it. Er, Byblos. Could ya' tell me about this Miracleworker guy? I didn't think necromancers were strictly outlawed in the past.....unless he went farther than that...?"

Atramor blinked at the rickety cart parked in the marketplace. He'd remembered Elphaba coming several months ago, thinking how strange witches were. How things had changed. With a chuckle, he walked to Anwyl's blacksmith shop, handing over the Silver Longsword. To his surprise, the 'dwarf' piped up through his faintly smoking beard. "This is a good sword. Fine silver, nice edge, good etchings. Give you 80 coins for it." He took the offer without question, now with 126 gold in hand, then returned to the hall, though through a different entrance...

"Um. Why?"

Atramor frowns as he walked into the hall. None of the people inside were recognizable in the slightest - not that there were a lot of them. A glance at the board told him they were all out on Quests...being that the trip back from Strivvi had been so rapid, his mind was having trouble coming back to speed in Eubric. Luckily, Scheherezade still served rum. So it wasn't much of a problem. Swigging the beverage as he examined the out-of-place wanted posters also pinned to the Questboard, he shrugged, walking back out of the hall. The trip may had been cut short, but he felt his cloak had gained twenty pounds with all the loot. McCafferey abandoned his shoulder, settling herself on a table and idly pecking food crumbs from it.

The heroes head on down to the cargo hold. As soon as they step off the ladder, they come to an unexpected sight. "Er, hi. Melvin mentioned we had passengers...? What is it you need?"

I'm really sorry to hear that, Scuba. Atramor will be ready to return to Strivvi when you are.

Can you blame him? Arthur started singing.

Thanks. I'm really glad you find the NPCs interesting.

"Yes, I've heard of cults who hold both divinities in high regard, often using one to favor the other...yes, I'm sure Illdria would be happy to have you on board. If I had not met her or joined this crew, it's highly unlikely my life would be as comfortable as it is, as to many, I may as well be a necromancer."

"Very well. This is a copy of Helvetia and You: The Undead Acolyte's Pocket Guide. I am researching possible workarounds to Helvetia's Kiss. It's a ritual that involves pledging a part of your mortal whole to the Lady Frostheart. I was once a member of the Cold Circle. It's a group of...fanatatics, at best, devoting themselves to Helvetia. Black rituals were commonplace, as it was said that those in her favor would be granted a place at her side. Most had immortality in mind. Others just wanted to further their power over the undead. My reasons...I will keep to myself. I will tell you that a few years ago, I came to my senses and fled. Few would want the services of a crippled sorcerer, but Illdria holds ill judgment on nobody. Most of my wounds were...self-inflicted during my time as a heretic. Unfortunately, I had not escaped entirely unscathed, and am immune to healing by normal, clerical means."

"Not at the moment. This book is one of many tomes I've collected over the years. I find it unlikely to interest you in a way that wouldn't disgust you, unfortunately." He shifts the book in his hand(s), and Arthur notices his left is actually but a chunk of wood carved in the likeness of one.

Yep. PREPARE FOR BATTLE! Round One Heroes vs Forces of Evil Cleric vs Knight - Nothing happens! Knight vs Rogue - Evil wins! Ranger vs Mage - Evil wins! Barbarian vs Ranger - Evil wins! Mage vs Barbarian - Nothing happens! Rogue vs Cleric - Evil wins! The battle goes terrible for the heroes. The Cleric cannot penetrate the Knight's armor, and heals himself whenever attacked, neither able to gain an advantage. The vile Rogue dispatches the heroic Knight with ease. The malicious Mage consumes the friendly Ranger in an inferno of hellfire, while his evil counterpart nails the good Barbarian from twenty feet away. The wise Mage and cruel Barbarian cannot best one another, and the evil Cleric converts the Rogue to his side. EVIL IS VICTORIOUS! Round Two Heroes vs Forces of Evil Ranger vs Rogue - Nothing happens! Barbarian vs Cleric - Heroes win! Mage vs Mage - Nothing happens! Knight vs Barbarian - Heroes win! Rogue vs Ranger - Nothing happens! Cleric vs Knight - Nothing happens! The second round goes battle. While everyone else engages in fruitless duels, the good Barbarian finds strength, sending the opposing Cleric spiraling away. The enemy Barbarian is furious, but his blows do nothing to the heroic Knight's shield; once exhausted from his effort, the Knight valiantly drives his sword through his foe. HEROES ARE VICTORIOUS! Round Three Heroes vs Forces of Evil Knight vs Barbarian - Heroes win! Mage vs Mage - Nothing happens! Ranger vs Knight - Evil wins! Barbarian vs Rogue - Heroes win! Rogue vs Cleric - Evil wins! Cleric vs Ranger - Evil wins! The evil Barbarians retries his strategy with the same result. The Mages are locked in a battle of wits. The destructive Knight laughs as the good Ranger's arrows splinter on his armor, and he's quickly overwhelmed by greatsword. The heroic Barbarian throws the cruel Rogue halfway across the battle, but his friendlier twin brother remains under the vile Cleric's spell, while the good one is riddled with arrows. EVIL IS ULTIMATELY VICTORIOUS! Melvin scoops up Thalion's coins and the sausage, while the mage's imaginary forces lay scattered about the game board. "That was quite the game, master elf, ye had my teeth on edge that last round! Care to play again?"

"Great!" Melvin sets the coins on the counter, and top of them he places a delicious sausage. Greasy Sausage - (Raises maximum health by 2 permanently.) He then pulls a beaten, slightly rotted box from underneath the counter, opening it up. Inside is a set of miniatures and a tiny model of the legendary Castle Fortaan. "First edition, heh. Let's play some Heroica!" Basically, you just post 3 battle orders, each order containing one of each class, then I'll compare them to mine and see who wins the battle.

"Hmm. Well, raw compensation don't mean much to a dwarf, I've lived my life surrounded by rock filled with it, hah! No, but I'll tell you what. We'll play a little game, eh? You put up 10 coins, I'll throw in a nice bottle of Mulled Wine. Throw in 20, I'll toss in one of my famous Greasy Sausages instead. Sound good?" To explain, if you bet 1 to 9 coins, he'll match it. Bet 10, he'll instead wager Mulled Wine. Bet 11 to 19 coins, his bet will be 1 to 9 coins plus the wine. Bet 20, you get a Greasy Sausage instead of wine or coins.

"Ahaha! So they heard of my recipe, eh? Yes, it's true, the sausages of the eastern coast of Ennon are legendary, ye gotta have just the right ratio of-....well, heh, I can't give away secrets like that, 'pologies. I can tell ye the spices are hard to get ahold of." "Nor am I. I'll explain to you in the simplest and most familiar terms I can; I am the stitches to this wound of a ship."

"My name's Melvin, I'll be cookin' for ye this trip!" "Indeed...you may call me Jules."

On Arthur's melodious insistence, the party moves along, going belowdecks. They're headed for the cargo hold, but above that is the galley, where they spot the dwarf and another, odder figure, robed in gray and black. Will the party continue, or stop to talk?

That would be awesome to see.

Jeez, Quest 50's party is on a killing spree.

So? I value rolling Special Damage more than my Shield roll.

Isn't that sort of unfair? It's almost exactly the same thing, just renamed.

What a terrible coincidence.

Party Arthur Justus Regulus VII (played by Flipz) *Immune to Sealed* *Party Leader* Level 18 Sorcerer Power: 30 Health: 28/28 Ether: 19/28 Defense: 3 Gold: 2 Equipment: Sir Roderick's Sword (WP:12, Darkness elemental), Robe of the Archmagi (SP:3, Max Ether +5, Immune to Sealed), Lens of Speed Reading (Accessory, Allows a scroll to be read in addition to a normal action. Suitable for scroll users.) Inventory: Staff of the Cultist Battlemage (WP: 7, lent to Barur Tormek; 50% chance of Fleeing upon being KO'd; suitable for Mages and Clerics), Healing Staff (WP:5; heals instead of damaging), Ancient Crown (First successful strike of battle deals Cursed effect, borrowed from Atramor Gibbin), Cloak of Deception (Free hits against the wearer have a 1/6 chance to be redirected to a random opponent, lent to De'kra), Opal (Ice), Amethyst (Darkness), Topaz (Lightning), Diamond (Light), Ruby (Fire, borrowed from Barur Thormek) Bedroll, Telescope, Shovel, Scroll of Blindness, Scroll of Sealing, Scroll of Confusion, Scroll of Sleep, Scroll of Frailty, Scroll of Armor Sundering (Reduces target’s SP by 5 and has a 50/50 chance of success), Scroll of Poisoning(Grants target’s weapon the badly poisoned effect for one battle at the cost of 5 ether), Scroll of Luck (Grants target the lucky-effect for one battle. Costs 10 ether.), Grand Tonic, Holy Bomb, Remedy, Nostrum, 3 Cobblestones, 2 Bonaparte Cadet Uniforms, Blunt Dagger (WP: 1, dagger), Shipping Logs, Assorted Bonaparte Letters Barur Thormek (played by Aveal the black sheep) Level 10 Cleric Power: 17 Health: 18/18 Ether: 14/14 Defense: 1 Gold: 139 Equipment: Staff of the Cultist Battlemage (WP: 7, borrowed from Arthur Justus Regulus VII; 50% chance of Fleeing upon being KO'd; suitable for Mages and Clerics), Robe of the Magi (SP: 1), Ancient Crown (First successful strike deals the Cursed effect, headwear, borrowed from Arthur Justus Regulus VII) Inventory: Topaz (Lightning, lent to Thalion Dwinlas), Ruby (Fire, lent to Arthur Justus Regulus VII), Potion, Remedy, 2 Venoms, 5 Bones, Bedroll, 2 Tonics, Rune Staff (WP: 4), Mulled Wine (Causes the Inspired-effect, doubling the target's current and maximum health for the duration of one battle.) De'kra (played by Tanma) *Immune to Enamored* *Immune to Confused* Level: 19.5 Assassin Power: 26 Health: 30/30 Defense: 1 Gold: 77 Equipment: Kapura (WP:7, Fire), Cloak of the Blue Assassin(SP: 1), Heart Locket(Protects from enamored effect and confused effect) Inventory: Explosive Handcannon (WP: 8, double WP to rock monsters), Chiara (WP:7, Electricity), Shadeaux Dagger(WP:5, loaned to Thalion Dwinlas), Fauxthril Hand Cannon(WP:7), Cloak of the Elven Spy, Cloak of Deception (Free hits against the wearer have a 1/6 chance to be redirected to a random opponent, borrowed from Arthur Justus Regulus VII), Bedroll, Pickaxe, Shovel, Magnifying Glass, Magic Compass, Potions (10), Grand Potions (3), Remedy (3), Phoenic Essence (3), Smoke Bombs (2), Dirt Bomb, Ice Bomb Thalion Dwinlas (played by -obelix-) Level 6 Mage Power: 11 Health: 10/10 Ether: 10/10 Defense: 1 Gold: 34 Equipment: Shadeuax Dagger (WP: 5, borrowed from De'kra), Leather Cap (SP:1) Inventory: Ruby (Fire), Opal (Ice), Topaz (Lightning, borrowed from Barur Thormek) 2 Potions, Bedroll, Dagger (WP: 3), Mulled Wine (Causes the Inspired-effect, doubling the target's current and maximum health for the duration of one battle.) Tanma, if you want to equip a different cloak, make sure to bold it. Knife-Tongue returns to his fishing, Illdria remains in control of the ship. Does the party want to stay and chat more, or move belowdecks towards the cargo hold?