CMP

Bain moves to E7.

I don't know what you guys are talking about. Did you see the Day Seven intro? Some of those jokes were in very poor taste... I've been loving the setup here, Ragnarok and Redux has always been some of my favorites for that. :thumbup:

I am excited to see what you do in Quest 139, especially in regards to...pretty much everywhere your party is going.

He ran into her in Quest 85, actually.

I will think less of you as a QM if she and Tarn aren't having a kid, just so you know, Zeph.

Atramor repeats his slash.

"Hah, if he went down easy we would've gotten the job done. They sure don't exaggerate when they talk about your organization, we saw that explosion from the fort." "That's a second issue...a more recent one. Relatively speaking. Technology is popping up that we're reasonably sure shouldn't exist yet. Here we are jabbing eachother with bits of pointy metal and elsewhere in the world there are flying ships, recording devices, and machines that can think for themselves. Some of them tied directly into magic. How long it will be before machines start figuring out they're more effective than any mortal, I don't know." "That issue is the heart of why you're here." Avina pulls a thick folder from the depths of her cloak, leafing through it. "For nearly a year now reports have been cropping up about mysterious attacks. Nothing to draw attention, because they're all non-lethal as far as we can tell. There are connections to be drawn. All the victims are reported as having been causing trouble, perhaps threatening someone, petty crimes, vandalisms. Day-to-day business in Eubric. But, with a frankly startling response time, hulking figures head-to-toe in heavy armor arrive, disabling the aggressor, and then just....leaving." "The reports were scattered at first, but they're at an all-time high now. You'll never see one wandering the streets, they just appear, do their thing, and go. They're automatons. Advanced ones...no match for what the Ji Pei are cooking up now, as far as we can tell, but they're built tough. And whoever is putting them out there has been making better ones." "Cardinal had Razkor investigate. Little evidence to be found, but Razkor poked around victims. Some resist, but Razkor good interrogator." "The machines seem to have pre-recorded messages on them...or in them, more like. Some rubbish about protecting the streets, proclaiming the superiority of machines...these messages are all recorded by someone calling himself the Eubric Knight. Now, these automatons haven't exactly been causing harm on their own, but an army of machines nobody can seem to trace sitting around Eubric is just waiting for trouble. We have a few agents planted within the Town Watch, and apparently they're not too happy about it either. They've dealt with wanna-be vigilante organizations in the past, but there's nothing they can really do about these machines." "That's what we're going to change." "We need to track their source and destroy it. These machines are far too organized to be operating independently, so we cut off who's controlling them, we cut off the automatons. I imagine this Eubric Knight is at the heart of the source." "As far as this person's identity, we already have a number one suspect, courtesy of Secta Halosis. But he appears to have vanished, so it won't be of much help now." "We do, however, have a lead. A fresh one. The residents of a block in Way's End reported some sort of domestic disturbance late yesterday to a passing guardsman. A scoundrel by the name of Gontzo was the source of the disturbance, and he claims that he was attacked by these machines. The attacks typically don't get reported this quickly, so this is the best chance we have. The Town Watch are no doubt planning on dispatching their own investigators, so if we can get there before them, we can get some information out of Gontzo, perhaps find some more clues." "Questions?"

"The Crown isn't betting on one big ridiculous scheme to work out, and then pop, all the magic is gone. All we have to do is erode its influence over the world." "All that takes is time...and we've been around for a while. And we're not going anywhere anytime soon."

Miderun moves to C4, brutally smashing her club into the Star Elf's helmet, crumpling it like foil.

"We have a leader. We're all part of the Crown. We have the same goal, and sometimes we work together. Like with those shades." "Healing up. Maybe a month or so now, got mashed up pretty bad in that collapse. We never did get introduced. I'm Paul." The man shifts on his crutch and offers Mortimer his free hand. "I probably would've died down there if it weren't for you. Glad you're working with us...and I'm glad to hear you nailed that bastard you were after." "Magic can corrupt anything. Even heroes. Or maybe the majority of your organization six years ago dropped dead of their own accord..." "We didn't burn them, if that's what you're asking...the non-magical ones, anyway. The common books were sold off. A few of the older tomes are being stored in the Library of Eternity, a receptacle of knowledge that's remained untainted for longer than you can imagine." Avina frowned a bit. "Knowledge has to be preserved, that's something we value very, very highly, but you have to understand some of it is simply too dangerous to be allowed to exist." "Oh yes, just imagine of more Pandemonicons lying around...very bad thoughts, Razkor thinks." "Indeed. We did our part trying to hunt those things down. Undoubtedly a few still slipped away from our sight, though..."

"Oh nothing! Usually. Mag-ic is the problem." The hobgoblin furrowed his brow. "Razkor's village wiped out by crazy mage in civil war. Few mages in Goblonia, but one was enough to destroy whole village. Mage was killed, but too late for village. Razkor not think anyone needs that kind of power. Too much bad to be done. Not enough good to be worth it." "Heh, Razkor thought so!" The woman near the back walks over to the party. "You wouldn't be here if we weren't." "All here, Avina." "Good. I think we're going out on a limb working with Heroica, but it's not exactly up to me...then again, you did prove you were practical enough to see the benefits before." She gave Em a glance, then turns to the rest of the heroes. "But I imagine most of you don't know who we are. I am Avina." "We serve the Order of the Crimson Crown. It's been around for a very long time, to say the least. As you might've guessed, we've dedicated ourselves to the removal of magic and 'advanced' technology from the world. And before you ask, no, we're not committing genocide on all the mages of the world. Some of you have decent intentions. Others, however, do not, and as Razkor has said, they are a serious threat to everyone around them. How many times has Heroica fought mages or wizards, toying with things they don't understand or merely gone insane with their own power?" "Magic itself is something we don't understand. Festina lente - "make haste slowly." Mortalkind has been crippled by relying too much on magic, and on technology we shouldn't even have yet. Uland wouldn't've had half its landmass sunk if it weren't for mages, and the demons overunning Nu Mercution. A lot of trouble could've been spared in Nu Mercution if it weren't for those shades and that device we helped Heroica destroyed....sure, you heroes eventually gets called out to take care of some of these problems...how many people die before they get solved? We're working to prevent things like this happening in the first place." "We've fought with Heroica on several occasions...typically, however, that's been dealing with Secta Halosis. We're divided into three branches: Secta Halosis, Secta Bellum, and Secta Fames. On occasion we get grouped together for assignments, but for the most part each sect handles its own work. And we tend to have...different methods." "Secta Halosis and its leader, the Cardinal, sees everyone and everything as a potential threat to our goals, so it's only natural she and Heroica have clashed in the past. They handle secrecy and intelligence, placing diplomats, eliminating high risk threats." "Secta Bellum is lead by the Scar. They handle problems that can only be handled with force, and yet they're not unreasonable. The Scar is one of our oldest members, and he knows better than to make an enemy out of everyone." "Alchemists, scientists, and scholars make up Secta Fames. Which I'm a part of, under the Rose....the one who thinks we can successfully ally with Heroica." She crosses her arms, tilting her head towards the door. "I'm happy to answer your questions, but if you're getting any ideas of stabbing us in the back because of our goals, you may as well leave now, before I start detailing the current assignment. I know some Heroicans like to stick to their morals, and it certainly might look like we're a group of fanatics, but we've done a lot more good than you might think."

Excited to see what the fourth Anniversary holds in store. Can hardly believe we've been going for four years now.

"Eh, Razkor has refined sense of humor. Pretty elf not understand."

"BWAMP!!! WRONG!!! OPEN FIRE!!!" There's a long pause. Nothing happens. "Aha! Just kidding! Oh, Razkor wishes he could see look on heroes' faces. They say the password, but then man-behind-door says there is two but then the- ow! Okay! Razkor is opening door, no need to hit Razkor." The sound of a lock being undone is just barely audible behind the door...then another...then another...and soon enough to latch goes slack, and the door swings open. A sharply-dressed hobgoblin in red and black and white gloves is standing behind it, sizing up the heroes. "Oh mages. Well okay, Razkor in no position to question Alchemaster's decisions...welcome to the outpost heroes. For now...now that you are here Razkor must help pack everything." The hobgoblin sighs. "And here Razkor was thinking important things to be done! No, just packing fancy drapes and banners. Well okay. It will help the cause. Come in please." It's a reasonable guess that the bookstore didn't always look like the place the heroes stepped into - immaculately clean, full of people in red and black, with their masks mounted on small stands. The Crimson Crown followers didn't seem particularly intimidating without them. "Oh yes, Razkor knows. Razkor just messing around with heroes. Avina is waiting for you just over there."

There was no indication Mortimer's knocking or voice even sounded through the thick door, but eventually a shrill, gravelly voice echoed back at the party. "Password accepted! But what is second password, hmm?"

Miderun moves to E6.

Bothering a ship with two dragons? No idea who would do something like that...that'd just be silly.

Atramor, with a smirk, charges the Scarlet Worm Tail A from the front row using the Pheles Kris. These things were just oversized rats.

I'm not totally convinced Yellow Jacket is really gone.

Don't forget Bobby. That's kind of why I was glad to get on 136 with some new characters. You guys are AWESOME to interact with but I feel like we've had this general party intact since our characters all started. I have high hopes for this party too. And I like forcing Em into the leader role rather than letting him hover around as the mysterious sixth ranger. This should be interesting. I almost laughed at this remark, by the way.

At midday, Eubric's summer was nearing its peak. The sun was high up in the sky overlooking Sungold Hill, casting a very warm light over nearly the entire city. The streets on this particular side were nearly deserted...only further up the hill did the Hinckwells own any property, and maintain its own holdings meticulously. It was near one of Eubric's long-defunct shops that four heroes had been told to meet, for a job they may not have quite understood yet for people they didn't quite know. Party Mortimer "Em" Mahzan (emjajoas) Unknown age human male Warden *Immune to Electricity, Fire, Water, and Ice* *Half damage from elemental attacks* *Party Leader* Level 24 Power Bonus: 5 Defense: 28 Health: 44/44 Gold: 304 Equipment: Tritech Handcannon (WP:16, permanent poisoned 17, cursed), Vigilant (SP 12, halved damage from elemental attacks, immune to Electricity, Fire, and Water; shield), Iron Knuckle Armour (Body, foot, and hand wear. Counts as one artefact. Usable by knights and dragoons. SP: 10. Cannot be removed by enemies), Anniversary Medal (Artefact/Accessory, Power +3, SP +3, Max. Health +3, Max. Ether +3. The values will increase by 1 with each passing year), Frost Helm (SP: 3, immune to ice, suitable for anyone, headwear) Inventory: Weapons: Blazing Bow (WP: 14, Fire-elemental), Doppelganger (WP:10, Retribution: The user inflicts any negative effects he or she has on the target enemy on successful hits; longsword), Balanced Main-Gauce (WP: 10, Riposte has a 1/6 chance of instantly killing the/each target, dagger, suitable only for marauders), Crescent Shield (SP: 5, halved damage from elemental attacks, shield), Carpenter's Gloves (Enhancement is automatically successful, traps deal double damage, handwear, suitable for artisans) Consumables: Health Core x5, Potion, Remedy, Mead, Venom, Phoenix Esssence (3), Ambrosia (4), Mulled Wine (2), Feather of Flight (Allows the user to flee from the battle when used.), Nostrum, Smelling Salts, Elixir, Bone, Smoke Bomb (5), Floral Bomb (2), Ice Bomb (2), Lightning Bomb (2), Fire Bomb, Water Bomb (2), Holy Bomb (2), Dirt Bomb (2), Air Bomb (2), Chaotic Bomb (100 random elemental damage to all opponents) Misc: Bedroll (2), Shovel, Pickaxe, Telescope, Reaper's Heart, Mythril Shard (1), Amethyst, 5 Silver Ore (Worth 60 gold), Oath of Renewal (When the targeted enemy is killed, the Vindicator regains full health. Oath, suitable for vindicators) Annienal Anavir (Kintobor) "19" year old elven female Mystic Knight *Bonaparte Reputation* *Immunity to Earth and Fragile* *Takes half damage from elemental attacks* Level 15 Power Bonus: 0 Defense: 10 Health: 30/30 Ether: 19/19 Gold: 20 Equipment: Bonaparte Cutlass (WP:9, doubled if the user has reputation among the Bonapartes; longsword), Crescent Shield (SP: 5, Halved Damage from elemental attacks; shield), Heavy Armour (SP: 5, immunity to fragile, body wear, suitable for barbarians, knights, dragoons, skirmishers, regulators, and vindicators), Locustoid Greaves (Max Ether +4, immune to Earth, suitable to ether users, hand wear) Inventory: Ammit (WP: 6; greatsword, user gains 5 ether for every kill), Anointed Gladius (WP: 8, deals damage undead; great sword) Wicked Javelin (WP: 7, throwing weapon, retrievable, 1/6 chance to slow), Sanctified Rito Longsword (WP: 4, Hits doubled against flying enemies, longsword), Training Sword (WP:4), Shark’s Tooth (Power increased by 5 against Aquatics, Accessory), Tridentian Cape (Max Ether +3; protects from Blinded effect; suitable for mages, clerics, necromancers and scholars; backwear), Lethauros Fellwings (SP: 3, wearer is immune to Sudden Death, backwear), Tobacco Pouch (1/2 Chance of Blinding with attacks, accessory), Helmet (Max Health +1, headwear), Pauldrons (SP: 2, suitable for knights, dragoons, and skirmishers; accessory), Plain Shield (SP: 5), Lethauros Mask (SP: 2, wearer deals double damage to Beasts and Vermin, headwear, suitable to everyone) Emerald (Wood), Sapphire (Wind), Aquamarine (Water), Amethyst (Darkness) Consumables: 3x Potions, Grand Potion, Field Rations (Restore 15 health), 2x Phoenix Essences, 4x Remedies, Mead, Venom, Smoke Bomb, Fire Bomb, Bedroll, Shovel, Telescope, Pickaxe, x2 Grand Tonics Scrolls: Scroll of Fire Warding (1/2 chance to make the target immune to fire for the duration of one battle at the cost of 1 ether), Scroll of Ice Warding (1/2 chance to make the target immune to ice for the duration of one battle at the cost of 1 ether), Scroll of Water Warding (1/2 chance to make the target immune to water for the duration of one battle at the cost of 1 ether), Scroll of Wood Warding (1/2 chance to make the target immune to wood for the duration of one battle at the cost of 1 ether) Calamity (Scubacarrot) 24 year old human Mage Level 5 Power bonus: 2 (spell) Health: 9/9 Ether: 9/9 Gold: 121 Gold: 81 Equipment: Skull-Topped Staff (WP: 3, staff), Gold skin Gloves (Spell power +2, Usable by mages, Handwear) Inventory: Bedroll, 4x Potion, 3x Tonic,4x Remedy, Scroll of Blindness (Enables casting the Blinded-effect to the target, making it unable to use a physical attack for the next three rounds. Each casting has a 50/50 chance of success and costs 1 ether.), Amethyst Keliim (Mencot) 35 years old male human Barbarian Level 9 Power Bonus: 0 Health: 16/16 Defense: 2 (doubled against free hits) Gold: 37 Equipment: Dwarven Orichalcum Axe (WP: 5), Heroic Helm (Headwear, SP:2, Helm's SP doubles on free hits) Inventory: Order Imperial Longsword (WP: 5),Really Hard Helmet (SP: 2, Immunity to Rock), Королева's Blessing (When equipped the player gains the ability to Animal Speak to Spiders only, and all spiders are Enamored with him for the first three rounds of battle, accessory), Scarab Shield (SP3 Shield, bearer takes half damage from vermin) Consumables: x10 Potion, Grand Potion, 3X Mead, 1X Smelling salt, 2X Smoke Bomb, 1X Poison, 1X Dirt Bomb. Misc: Shovel, 2X Obsidian Shard: may be affixed to a blunt weapon to give the Bleeding 2 effect for one battle. 2X Charion beetle horn. 1 X Crystal Shard(treasure item, worth 20 gold) It took some time, but eventually these four heroes fathered in the specified location at the specified time. They weren't being shot at, so apparently they had followed the quest note's directions. The storefront of the old bookstore stood in front of them, the heat and relative emptiness of the street they were in dissuading most others wandering around Eubric to find their way down this particular path. Scattered bricks and loose cobblestones told them it had been in a state of disrepair for some time...yet the heavy, metal-plated, reinforced door in front of them told them something was going on inside. What would the party do? Welcome to the quest everyone. Please finish making any Marketplace purchases before posting here, and let me know if there's anything wrong with your stats.

Na'im moves to C4, eliminating yet another Star Elf.

I assume we have full/health ether from sleeping in beds. "See, now this sure would be a real pain in the megablocks if ya' had the only four heroes here unarmed and in custody, now wouldn't it?" Atramor casts his Scrolls of Ice and Fire Armor on himself, once each.

A cloaked, masked figure in black and red strode into the Hall, pinning a small note onto the quest board before departing just as swiftly. Chosen Heroes for -Calamity, Level 5 Mage (Scubacarrot) -Mortimer "Em" Mahzan, Level 24 Warden (Emjajoas) *Party Leader* -Kellim, Level 9 Barbarian (Mencot) -Annienal Anavir, Level 15 Mystic Knight (Kintobor) Please visit the defunct Shrooft's Scripts and Tomes just on the south side of Sungold Hill tomorrow at midday. Knock thrice and repeat the phrase "festina lente". Bring nobody else or we will shoot on sight. This location will be vacated shortly after contact. Do not attempt to return after the quest is completed. Quest topic will be up tomorrow.

It is sort of hard to read, but I mean that in literally the font color is a bit too light, not in that it's annoying. But that's the closest to a gold color there is in the font, so it's probably fine.