Cardinal 0 Posted December 21, 2020 #1 Report Share Posted December 21, 2020 Floor 5 <<Arabian Nights: The First of Many>> Party Limit: 4 | 20+ Posts Repeatable for standard thread rewards Quest Rewards: 500 Experience Points 15,000 col POTENTIAL REWARD: Dungeon Map: Cave of Wonders (each) - only if Cassim or his ring are returned to Ali This map may only be opened on floors below Floor 50 (and only for floors that have so far been explored) For the duration of this dungeon, all players will receive a +2 LD that stacks with on top of their LD values. This +2 LD bonus takes effect when rolling for loot on monsters and when rolling on the LD table for the dungeon reward. All players also receive +50% col obtained at the end of this dungeon. POTENTIAL REWARD: Cassim’s Ring TIER 1 DEMONIC JEWELRY: Prosperity 3 | LD 1 Only the player who kills Cassim gains this item, and only if it is not returned to Ali. Unlocks <<Arabian Nights: Unfinished Business>> quest Requirements: Roleplay entering the bandit stronghold. Choose one option to retrieve Cassim: Bribery, Combate Route or Stealth Route. Roleplay meeting Cassim. Roleplay returning to Ali. The thread summary must clearly state whether or not Cassim survived. Summary: The Cave of Wonders was once but a legend -- that is, until word spread around Aincrad that such a locale actually exists, seen with a handful of players' very own eyes. Information trickles in that a man by the name of Ali would lead others there, on the condition that they retrieve his brother first and foremost, having been stolen away for extortion of valuable information. You meet the sorrowful man at a tavern in Fortazela, and he digs into discussions in a heartbeat. 'A couple of words' he offers, as his levy for the arrangement before the parties leave. With that knowledge and a bit of searching, the NPC believes that anyone would be able to find the mythical cavern. "But I'll hand it to you on a golden platter," he barters. "You know of familial bonds by now, I'm sure. Cassim is worth more than wealth." True to the quest log’s words, there stands a bandit fortress in the middle of the desert, half-built into the depths of a shallow cavern. It appears well-guarded and excessively furnished; at least now oncoming adventurers know of why these fiends may need the funds. But with lodgings like these out in the wild that haven't seen a mark of shamble, might it be that the bandits pose more of a territorial threat than initially perceived? Outline: PART I | GETTING BACK CASSIM Players will be directed towards the bandit fortress, facing up against a stronghold's worth of opponents. They are offered multiple options to retrieve Cassim. The party as a whole must pick one: Bribery Spoiler For a kingly sum of 200,000 col, players may purchase Cassim back from the bandits. This will take a player's post action. Please link the post with the designated payment when sending col to the @Banker as part of your transaction. This completes the first section of the quest. Stealth Spoiler Be advised that during this segment, rolls for enhancement CD procs (e.g. Recovery, etc.) must be made separately from each player's stealth roll. As with most opponents in Aincrad, the bandits have a passive stealth detection rating of 9. However, it may take a bit of effort for one to find Cassim within the multi-layered complex of the hideaway. Each player must first take a post action to enter stealth. On subsequent successful stealth rolls (LD9+), use the CD value to determine if the party is capable of progressing through the stronghold. Each player will need to roll a CD4+ twice without falling out of stealth to complete this section of the quest. Should any player fall out of stealth, the party immediately switches to the start of the Combat route. Combat Spoiler Be advised that during this segment, rolls for enhancement CD procs must be made separately from each player's attack rolls. Rolls for bandits must also be made separately. A stronghold worth of opponents will not be easy to take down. For each player present, 2 bandits are added to the combat queue. Players must deplete the entire queue of bandits to be able to progress from this section. During combat, for any attack rolls made against the bandits, a CD9+ will indicate a bandit reinforcement to be added to the fight. Should combat already be filled with 4 opposing bandits, these reinforcements will be queued, due to be spawned in at the next available vacancy. If bandit reinforcements are queued for arrival, the party will not be able to rest. The total number of bandits to be fought, including reinforcements, need not exceed 10. Should the bandits fall in range of the party’s loot minimum, players may roll for loot (with DMG calculated as the maximum raw damage the mob can inflict with their most powerful Sword Art). - - - - - PART II | RETURNING TO ALI With Cassim now under the players' care, the party is offered two options. The party as a whole must pick one: Keep Cassim alive Spoiler As expected of players to accomplish. Players can roleplay the way back to Ali with Cassim by their side. Bear in mind that Cassim does not know of the Cave of Wonders nor its whereabouts. Kill Cassim Spoiler Cardinal won't ask questions. Ali will, however. Only one player may be designated the task of slaying Cassim. This player will gain a ring that Cassim carries. Killing Cassim will take a post action, but no rolls are required. NPCs: <<Ali>> The secret-keeper to the location of the Cave of Wonders. Soft spoken and gracious with his words and actions. <<Cassim>> Ali’s older brother; a tad on edge from his kidnapping, but nonetheless compliant, respectful and curt. Enemies: <<Arabian Bandit>> Vicious, powerful -- anonymous. Each individual face is lost to the wind, the unit acting as but a pawn to the whole. HP: 250/250 | DMG: 10 | MIT: 25 | ACC: 2 | EVA: 1 This mob uses its own BD roll when attacking. Abilities: Sword Arts | This enemy uses Sword Arts. Look to the table below to determine the art they use in battle. The sword arts used by this enemy are affected by cooldowns. These cooldowns will hence be affected by [Delay]. Refer to the resources list [here] to view each art’s respective cooldowns. Should an Art be on cooldown, the list cycles upwards until a Sword Art is found to be available for use. Examples: [Dimension Stampede] is on cooldown, but [Vent Forth] is not. The enemy uses [Vent Forth]. [Dancing Spear] is on cooldown, and so is [Divide], but [Heft] is not. The enemy uses [Heft]. Please state the bandit’s weapon type alongside their names in the die roller. Conditions Weapon Type BD CD Curved Sword Javelin 2H Assault Spear - - - [x5] Bear Knock [x6] Furious Spike [x5] Heft [1 - 8] [1 - 4] [x9] Meteor Fall [x9] Tribal Fury [x12 Focus] Divide [1 - 8] [5 - 8] [x9 Focus] Lasting Chopper [x11 Focus] Gungnir [x13] Dancing Spear [1 - 8] [9 - 12] [x11] Dancing Hellraiser [x12] Arahabaki [x15] Imperial Southern Cross [9 - 10] [1 - 6] [x11 AoE] Butterfly Illusion [x10 Delay] Dragonfly Cutter [x14 Delay] Vent Forth [9 - 10] [7 - 12] [x13 AoE] Legion Destroyer [x14] Merciless Fury [x16] Dimension Stampede Epilogue: If the party rescued Cassim: Spoiler The reunion between the two brothers is nothing short of heartfelt. Though no great shows of joy are demonstrated, the tenderness of their relationship can still be seen and felt. Glistening eyes show the swelling of tears, and the careful, gentle grip of Ali holding onto Cassim’s hand a subtle slip from just how much their familial bond matters to each of them. All’s well that ends well; and now, the secret of the Cave of Wonders has finally been passed down from one person to another. Might it be time for another adventure? If the party failed to rescue Cassim, but returned Cassim’s ring to Ali: Spoiler Any player could see the wave of grief starting to wash over Ali, just as the man hands the quest rewards to the party. He keeps the memento passed to him balled tight in his fist, like a child that can’t bear to let his beloved stuffed companion go. The moment doesn’t fade as Ali delivers his last thanks to the rescue team -- sorrow is laced in his vision just as he rises to leave his seat and exit the tavern. His strides are all but dignified, no matter how hard he tries to keep his steps clean. He nearly stumbles out the door just as his form disappears from immediate view. -- So, about that map to the Cave of Wonders... If the party failed to rescue Cassim and kept Cassim’s ring from Ali: Spoiler Nothing interesting happens. What accompanies the party after Ali takes his leave is but the quest window’s direction, noting down the players’ granted experience, col and items from the quest completion. Oh well. Guess the secrets behind the Cave of Wonders will have to be investigated by another team of adventurers, then. But at least one of you got a sweet new ring, right? The thread summary must clearly state whether or not Cassim survived. Link to post Share on other sites
Cardinal 0 Posted December 29, 2020 Author #2 Report Share Posted December 29, 2020 Floor 7 <<Arabian Nights: Unfinished Business>> Party Limit: 4 | 20+ Posts Must have completed <<Arabian Nights: The First of Many>> Repeatable for standard thread rewards Quest Rewards: 1,000 Experience Points 30,000 col Each player receives one of the following: Sorcerer’s Armor T3 Perfect Heavy/Light Armor | Envenom | Mitigation II Sorcerer’s Cloak T3 Perfect Light/Cloth Armor | Envenom | Evasion II POTENTIAL REWARD | Granted only to the Party Leader At least one part member must be wearing <<Cassim's Ring>> Mask of the Inferno T3 Perfect Heavy Armor / Shield | Flame Aura | Mitigation | Taunt Unlocks <<Arabian Nights: Libel>> quest Requirements: Roleplay talking to Morgiana about the sigil. Disenchanting the sigil by choosing to Hire a Specialist or Scrounging for Goods Roleplay install wards around Ali’s neighbourhood. Roleplay investigating the Bandit Sorcerer’s hideout. Sneak or fight your way to the hideout. Slaying the following enemies: <<Bandit Sorcerer>> and <<Summoned Ifrit>>, which must be fought together. Note whether or not Morgiana survived the quest. Summary: The address provided leads the players down one of the busy main streets of Nimbus. Where players might have expected to meet the man extraordinaire, instead a dainty young woman stands with arms folded. Her attention is caught the moment eyes are laid upon her. She gestures for the party to follow with a beckoning of fingers, taking them down an alley right behind Ali's home. There she reveals a strange symbol half etched in the stone and dirt. Morgiana introduces herself, then explains that the sigil was placed by a spellcaster before she cautiously attempts to approach the potentially deadly ward. A small flame flickers out; enough to tell the players that it is a trap of some kind, made to spark fire from proximity alone. "It must be premeditated. After the errand he's sent you on, Ali is now a man with a target on his back, and magic like this doesn't usually just manifest by happenstance," Morgiana concludes. "It's my responsibility to see this threat cleared out, as his housekeeper. I would appreciate your help in my investigations, if you are willing. We'll get rid of this trap first, then set out to find the person who set it." Outline: PART I | DISENCHANTING THE SIGIL There are two options to remove the sigil from Ali's home. The party as a whole must decide on one: Hire a Specialist Spoiler For a minor sum of 15,000 col, players may hire an alchemist to disenchant the sigil. This will take a player's Post Action. Please link the post with the designated payment when sending col to the @Banker as part of your transaction. Scrounging for Goods Spoiler "I'll need some ingredients to make this potion. Do you think you can get some for me?" Players can spend their post actions attempting to search for materials to give to Morgiana. Players will need to roll an LD15+ to locate a material. LD bonuses from skills, mods, enhancements, and consumables apply. Players will need to find a total of 3 materials. Morgiana will then need to craft the potion and use it in the same post before players may move onto the next phase of the quest. This sequence of events will take a player's post action. The liquid inside the alchemical flask is poured upon the sigil, and the acid seems to eat at the engravings in the stone. Morgiana dusts off her hands once the work has been complete. "We'll have to make sure that this doesn't happen again while we're away," she explains. "Let us install our own wards next. I'm sure Ali would be more than happy to float the bill." - - - - - PART II | THE PROPER PRECAUTIONS There are two options to install the wards by Ali's home. The party as a whole must decide on one: Standard Spoiler Players will need to take a Post Action for Morgiana to obtain the kit necessary to install the wards. Players will then need to take subsequent post actions to install the wards at different corners of Ali's neighbourhood. ("We cannot be too safe about these rascals' killing intent.") Post Action economy is distributed as follows: Number of Players in party Number of Posts required per player 1 3 2 3 2 4 For parties with one/two players: Should the party leader have returned Cassim to Ali alive or Ali is in possession of Cassim's ring, Morgiana will be able to rope Ali into aiding with the ward installation, hence reducing the post actions required per player to complete this route by 1. Please link the party leader's clearance of <<Arabian Nights: The First of Many>> to this thread's summary for verification purposes. After installing the wards, players will need to look into the identity of the offending magic user. Players may select one of the locations in the chart below as the setting for their skirmish with their wanted sorcerer. Cassim? Spoiler "—Then again, I think his brother might know more about this field of magic than most..." This route is only available to a complete party of Players that have spared and returned Cassim to Ali in the first quest. Please link each individual player's clearance of the <<Arabian Nights: The First of Many>> to this thread's summary for verification purposes. Players will need to take a post action for Morgiana to retrieve Cassim from the neighborhood. Cassim will agree to install the wards for the party, and will attempt to cooperate with the players in figuring out who they seek. The party may then determine their target's location by taking a post action to roll for natural CD. Consult the chart below to determine where the location of the sorcerer. CD Location [1-2] An abandoned distillery right within Ali's neighborhood, only a few blocks away from his home. [3-4] A dusty cellar within the vicinity of Ali's neighborhood, repurposed into a barren mage's workshop. [5-6] The second floor of an abandoned home, somewhere near the borders of Nimbus. [7-8] A secluded hovel on the outskirts of the main settlement, fashioned out of rock and wood. [9-10] The back of a tavern stowed away in Deepedge; entry is only allowed should someone utter a passcode to the bouncer to gain private access. [11-12] A moderately-sized cavern, bearing into the side of a large rock formation in the middle of the Rocky Plains. After a locale has been decided upon, players may progress to the next phase of the quest. Players will be tasked with investigating their selected locale for clues about the sorcerer. However, during their approach, it becomes obvious by the number of mercenaries around the hideout that the mastermind behind this is well guarded. It looks like, perhaps, the end of this route might once more require a return to violence. - - - - - PART III | REVENGE AND A LITTLE BIT MORE During this segment of the quest, Morgiana will join the player's party as a follower under the following condition: No members of the party has Cassim's ring equipped. There are two options for players to tackle the suspicious mercenaries. The party as a whole must decide on one: Stealth Spoiler Be advised that during this segment, rolls for enhancement CD procs (e.g. Recovery, etc.) must be made separately from one's stealth roll. As with most opponents in Aincrad, the mercenaries have a passive stealth detection rating of 9. Each player must first take a post action to enter stealth. On subsequent successful stealth rolls (LD10+), use the CD value to determine if the party is capable of progressing through the hideout. Each player will need to roll a CD3+ twice without falling out of stealth to complete this section of the quest. Players will not need to roll for Morgiana if they have her in their party. Players who have [Cassim's Ring] equipped will gain +1 Stealth Rating on top of the ring's existing bonus. Should any player fall out of stealth, the party immediately switches to the start of the Combat route. Players who find themselves capable of sneaking past the mercenaries will be able to confront the <<Bandit Sorcerer>> and <<Summoned Ifrit>> directly. Players must fight the <<Bandit Sorcerer>> and the <<Summoned Ifrit>> at the same time. Combat Spoiler Talk about a hunt in the middle of the streets. Despite the region being a safe zone, a unique status condition is issued to players, temporarily exempting them from the benefits of Nimbus' sanctuary. In addition, the thugs watching them don't seem to look too happy with the party’s appearance within their territory... Be advised that during this segment, rolls for enhancement CD procs (e.g. Recovery, etc.) must be made separately from any of one's attack rolls. Rolls for opponents and Morgiana must also be made separately. For each player present, 2 mercenaries are added to the combat queue. Players must deplete the entire queue of enemies to be able to progress from this section, to the maximum listed below. Resting will not be possible until all enemies are defeated. During combat, for any attack rolls made against the mercenaries, a CD9+ will indicate that one mercenary reinforcement is to be added to the fight. Should combat already be filled with 4 opposing mercenaries, these reinforcements will be queued, due to be spawned in at the next available vacancy. The maximum amount of mercenaries that can be fought, including reinforcements, is 10. Should the enemies' stats fall in range of the party’s loot minimum, players may roll for loot (with DMG calculated as the maximum raw damage the mob can inflict with their most powerful Sword Art). After that skirmish, the core confrontation lies within the heart of the hideaway. Players should make their way through the confines and face the <<Bandit Sorcerer>> and <<Summoned Ifrit>>. Players must fight the <<Bandit Sorcerer>> and the <<Summoned Ifrit>> at the same time. The party is permitted to rest after defeating all of the mercenaries. Allies: <<Morgiana>> Ali's housekeeper. Brokers scrounge up very little information about her, for one reason or another, but her performance in combat is something to wonder about. A sword dancer by trade, perhaps? Take care not to stare too much. HP: 620/620 | DMG: 13 | MIT: 75 | ACC: 2 | EVA: 3 | BLEED: 36 (9-10) | PARALYZE (9-10) Abilities: Direct Orders | Morgiana's actions are determined by the Party Leader. Dual Wielding | The user of two blades, Morgiana is capable of attacking the same target twice per turn. Discreet | Despite attacking twice per turn, she will only generate hate on her initial/first attack. Emergency Recovery | When non-fatal damage would leave Morgiana with less than 155 HP, she will recover 62 HP immediately after the attack resolves. This effect cannot occur more than once per round. Sword Arts | This ally uses sword arts. Look to the table below to determine the art they use in battle. The sword arts used by this enemy are affected by cooldowns. These cooldowns will hence be affected by [Delay]. Refer to the resources list [here] to view each art’s respective cooldowns. Should an art be on cooldown, the list cycles upwards until a sword art is found to be available for use. Examples: [Legion Destroyer] is on cooldown, but [Butterfly Illusion] is not. The ally uses [Butterfly Illusion]. [Lasting Chopper] is on cooldown, and so is [Meteor Fall], but [Bear Knock] is not. The ally uses [Bear Knock]. Conditions Weapon Type BD CD Curved Sword - - - [x5] Bear Knock [1 - 8] [1 - 4] [x9] Meteor Fall [1 - 8] [5 - 8] [x9 Focus] Lasting Chopper [1 - 8] [9 - 12] [x11] Dancing Hellraiser [9 - 10] [1 - 6] [x11 AoE] Butterfly Illusion [9 - 10] [7 - 12] [x13 AoE] Legion Destroyer NPCs: <<Ali>> Soft spoken and gracious with his words and actions. Extremely wealthy, and hence an unfortunate target of banditry wiles like these, too. Though he is rarely seen throughout the quest, he may make an appearance at its conclusion. A man of general tragedy. <<Cassim>> Ali’s older brother. He’s still a little on edge with regards to talks about his kidnapping, but he is friendly and courteous, very much matching his younger brother in demeanor. Enemies: <<Arabian Mercenary>> Built upon the way of the sword and culled by the endless cycle of being pitched against one another, these mercenaries are nothing short of blood thirsty and battle ready. Each of them carry a dog tag -- the only remnant left of their identity once their equipment has been passed on to another worthier living being. HP: 400/400 | DMG: 12 | MIT: 25 | ACC: 2 | EVA: 2 This mob uses its own BD roll when attacking. Abilities: Sword Arts | This enemy uses sword arts. Look to the table below to determine the art they use in battle. The sword arts used by this enemy are affected by cooldowns. These cooldowns will hence be affected by [Delay]. Refer to the resources list [here] to view each art’s respective cooldowns. Should an art be on cooldown, the list cycles upwards until a sword art is found to be available for use. Examples: [Dimension Stampede] is on cooldown, but [Vent Forth] is not. The enemy uses [Vent Forth]. [Dancing Spear] is on cooldown, and so is [Divide], but [Heft] is not. The enemy uses [Heft]. Please state the bandit’s weapon type alongside their names in the die roller. Conditions Weapon Type BD CD 2H Assault Spear 2H Straight Sword Warhammer - - - [x5] Heft [x5] Straight [x5] Crash [1 - 8] [1 - 4] [x12 Focus] Divide [x11 Stun] Fight Blade [x11] Lift Asunder [1 - 8] [5 - 8] [x13] Dancing Spear [x12] Astral Hell [x14] Ripple [1 - 8] [9 - 12] [x15] Imperial Southern Cross [x15] Calamitous Disaster [x16] Fling [9 - 10] [1 - 6] [x14 Delay] Vent Forth [x14 Stun] Tempest [x15 AoE] Wallbreaker [9 - 10] [7 - 12] [x16] Dimension Stampede [x17 AoE] Galaxy Destroyer [x18 AoE] Odin's Wrath <<Bandit Sorcerer>> The Bandit Sorcerer may be quiet in their steps, but they are by no means stealthy, nor quick, especially when having to keep up a glowing ward surrounding them in a shimmering blue light. They attack via alchemy vials -- not the best choice of arms, but perhaps this niche may unsettle some players enough to play into the sorcerer’s favor. HP: 600/600 | DMG: 115 | MIT: 25 | SAFEGUARD | ACC: 3 | EVA: 1 | This boss uses its own BD roll when attacking. Abilities Active Ward | The Bandit Sorcerer always keeps a ward of Safeguard* up. If the ward goes down, on the sorcerer’s next available turn, they will take a post action to bring this ward back up. * [Safeguard] completely negates the next attack’s damage, however any additional effects the attack may inflict upon the opponent may still apply (eg. Bleed, Paralyze, etc). Ranged | The Bandit Sorcerer attacks from range. This enemy is immune to the retributive effects of Immolation Potions, Thorns-type and Aura-type enhancements. Enhancements with the (Defensive) subtype also cannot trigger against this target. Envenom Vial | The Bandit Sorcerer uses thrown vials for their attacks. All successful attacks will apply Envenom to the target, dealing 24 unmitigatable damage over the next four turns. This status effect does not refresh, but can stack. Living Battery | Tethered to its summon by a hellish flaming chain, the Ifrit is capable of taking away health from the Bandit Sorcerer to restore its own with Drain. <<Summoned Ifrit>> A beast spawned into the world by means of magic, alchemical reagents and human sin. An Ifrit only knows of two things: to bring horror and hellfire to the descendants of the iron prison. HP: 1000/1000 | DMG: 175 | MIT: 100 | ACC: 4 | EVA: 2 This boss uses its own BD roll when attacking. Abilities Soulbound | As long as the Bandit Sorcerer remains alive, the Ifrit cannot die, clinging to life with 1 HP. Drain | As a free action every turn, the Ifrit absorbs enough health from its summoner to restore its own HP gauge to full. This can kill its summoner if the health taken away is enough to drop the Sorcerer to 0 HP. Phase | The Ifrit ignores 50% of the target's mitigation on a critical attack. Blazing Claws | The Ifrit applies Burn to the target upon a successful attack, dealing 42 unmitigatable damage over the next two turns. This status effect does not stack, but can refresh Burning Chains | If the Ifrit attacks the same target as the Bandit Sorcerer, the chains that bind the duo will lash out in retaliation, dealing 100 additional mitigatable damage as well as applying/refreshing Burn against the target. Mitigation against Burning Chains is calculated separately from the other attacks. This effect hits automatically, even if one or both triggering attacks missed. Environmental Effect: Comes into effect only during the fight against the <<Bandit Sorcerer>> and the <<Summoned Ifrit>>. Rally | If the maximum number of mercenary reinforcements (10) has not been defeated prior to fighting the <<Bandit Sorcerer>> and <<Summoned Ifrit>>, the remaining mercenaries will spawn into the fight one by one, on every other turn. This effect ends when the <<Bandit Sorcerer>> is dead. Personal Score | If the entire party is equipped with [Cassim's Ring], Rally will be nullified. The skirmish between the players and the Bandit Sorcerer/Summoned Ifrit pair will be kept a secret affair. Epilogue: If no party member is wearing Cassim's ring: Spoiler The fresh blood dripping from her blades tells the party that Morgiana had, indeed, been busy right before her appearance in the Sorcerer’s chamber. “Highly efficient,” she murmurs, stashing away her blades as her gaze falls upon the ashen remains of the Ifrit. From the pile, something catches her eye; fingers sift through the muck to pick up something charred from its corpse. “Well, this is unusual. Never thought an Ifrit would hold loot, much less from one summoned from the depths directly.” Morgiana holds up a mask, quickly tucking it in her satchel for safekeeping She then continues her examination of the Bandit Sorcerer’s hideaway. A few pieces of equipment lay upon a desk -- upon further inspection, they seem to hold unique enhancements each. “No one’s going to miss them,” Morgiana comments, before taking a cloak for her own purposes, wrapping it around her garb for good measure. “You should always scavenge what you can. When your team is ready, we’ll head back to Ali to report the news.” The Sword Dancer takes the lead towards Ali’s abode when the party is ready, but Morgiana tells them to wait by the door. After a quick slip in and out of the man’s home, she returns to the front door with several pouches of col. “Payment for services rendered. I’m sure you can understand that Ali’s feeling under the weather these days. On his behalf, I thank you all for your help.” “May we never meet again.” A curt nod and a wave, the woman shuts the door, leaving the party at peace with their quest complete windows and experience rewards. If at least one party member is wearing Cassim's ring: Spoiler “Good fight!” Morgiana commends the players just as the final blow has been dealt upon the Ifrit. The creature shivers and howls as it shatters into crystal ash, leaving nothing but cinders in a pile of dust behind. Something else falls from its dissipating form, as well. The Sword Dancer is the first to scoop it up in examination, and her light fingers dust over the item’s form before she is able to conclude her identification. “Well, this is unusual. Never thought an Ifrit would hold loot, much less from one summoned from the depths directly.” Morgiana holds up a mask -- darkened and charred, offering it to one of the players nearby. “Perhaps you might find use of this?” She then continues her examination of the Bandit Sorcerer’s hideaway. A few pieces of equipment lay upon a desk -- upon further inspection, they seem to hold unique enhancements each. “No one’s going to miss them,” Morgiana comments, before taking a cloak for her own purposes, wrapping it around her garb for good measure. “Should always scavenge what you can. When your team is ready, we’ll head back to Ali to report the news.” The Sword Dancer takes the lead towards Ali’s abode when the party is ready, and Morgiana tells the players to wait by the door. After disappearing inside, she returns a minute later with Ali, who looks slightly worse for wear, a handful of col pouches in his hands to offer out. Morgiana takes a share before passing the lot out to the party. Their gaze is fraught with caution should any player be wearing <<Cassim’s Ring>>. “Payment for services rendered. Thank you for your help today, fellow adventurers.” “Good team work from these guys. We may be in contact again, if anything unusual catches my eye.” “Better you seek them out than me,” Ali quips, before nodding to Morgiana as he enters his home again. She follows him, and gives the party a curt nod and a wave. When the door closes, the players are left with their quest reward window, listing the experience they’ve gotten from their efforts that day. All in a day’s work. If Morgiana dies in the fight with Bandit Sorcerer & Summoned Ifrit: Spoiler An unexpected casualty. Or perhaps an intentional sabotage? Either way, with the guide missing from the party, only the quest objectives on the party’s interface marks out the quest’s next few steps. One marker guides the players towards a table, a spread of equipment laid out across its surface. The instruction reads ‘take one’, and the system doesn’t allow greedy players to acquire more than what the quest had intended to offer them. The next directs the player towards Ali’s home. The trek is winding; at his home, a knock on the door calls the somber man outside. “You!?” He sticks his head out his doorway, looking around in a concerned manner. “Morgiana...” He does not take the news lightly. He would be lucky if Cassim was present to comfort him, assuming the party leader had managed to rescue the older brother in the quest prior to this. But a deal was a deal to Ali; the door shuts and reopens a minute after. In his hands are several pouches of col. Ali distributes them to the party, trying not to bleed tears for his comrade in the meantime. With a bow and an attempted smile, he shows his gratefulness to his contracts. “Thank you for your help today, fellow adventurers.” That is the last thing he mentions before heading back inside. Should the players excuse him, they will be left on Ali’s doorstep, the quest reward window displaying the experience accumulated across their errand this day. The thread summary must clearly state whether Morgiana survived, for future thread verification. Link to post Share on other sites
Cardinal 0 Posted December 29, 2020 Author #3 Report Share Posted December 29, 2020 Floor 13 <<Arabian Nights: Libel>> Party Limit: 4 | 20+ Posts Must have completed <<Arabian Nights: Unfinished Business>> Repeatable for standard thread rewards. Quest Rewards: 2,500 Experience Points 50,000 col POTENTIAL REWARD | Each player receives: Jathoom's Spine Granted upon the defeat of <<Jathoom>>. T4 Unique Consumable | Gain one slot of Vampiric (Defensive) for the duration of one thread. Does not stack with its enhancement counterpart. POTENTIAL REWARD | Each player receives: Qarinah's Blood Granted upon the defeat of <<Qarinah>>. T4 Unique Consumable | Gain one slot of Vampiric (Offensive) for the duration of one thread. Does not stack with its enhancement counterpart. POTENTIAL REWARD | Party leader receives: Shard of Diablos Granted only to the party leader if <<Morgiana>> is still alive upon the defeat of both <<Jathoom>> and <<Qarinah>>. Unique Consumable | Removes one enhancement on a weapon of Tier 4 or below and replaces it with Vampiric (Offensive). This effect cannot override its maximum cap. This item is consumed on use. Requirements: (Optional) If adding <<Morgiana>> to the party, meeting with Morgiana. Use Tracking or Searching to find Qamaqim Seek out, find and agree to help either Qamaqim or Dalilah. Escort Qamaqim or Dalilah to their destinations. Decide whether to interfere or stand aside as Qamaqin and Delilah confront each other Fight Jathoom and/or Qarinah. Travel with Qamaqim or Dalilah to their destinations. Find and talk to Qamaqim or Dalilah. Summary: Ali's message is curt this time. It isn’t clear if it was out of faith in the abilities of wayward adventurers, or if it is out of spite for his beneficiaries. Either way, his instructions direct players towards the thirteenth floor. Alongside his notes are a sketch of the man players are told to seek out. Most of the language is foreign on the sheet of papyrus, but one title and name are clear: Arch Thief Qamaqim. No other description lies about the nature of his directions. Unusual, but perhaps the man to be sought out will have further information. Outline: If Morgiana survived <<Arabian Nights: Unfinished Business>> for all players in the party: Spoiler “Well met. Ali was not insistent on my arrival...” The players may choose to add Morgiana to their party as an ally. The party will gain bonuses to certain rolls made during this quest if she joins them. Against the drab and dreary backdrop of Breath of Life, Morgiana’s clothing makes her stick out like a sore thumb. So it is within reason she could only be found hiding out in one of the alleyways of the settlement, waving over to players should they manage to catch sight of her striking colours. When questioned about the nature of the search, Morgiana will admit she knows nothing about Ali’s interest in finding Qamaqim. Her only rationale is that the thief was a good friend of her employer, and that she’s seen him multiple times during his visits to Ali’s abode. Distant associates, but close ties; that would be the best way the woman could describe the relationship between the two men. The thread closure post for <<Arabian Nights: Unfinished Business>> for all participating players must be listed in the closing post for this thread. Morgiana can only participate if she survived for all players participating in the thread. PART I | SEEKING CONTACT In the expanse of Floor Thirteen, it’s difficult to find who one might be looking for without running into trouble. Players have the following options to complete this section of the quest; the party as a whole must pick one. Tracking | Route requirement: <<Tracking>> mod Spoiler Ali’s message has sufficient information for players to be able to hunt the man down. Using the <<Tracking>> mod to hunt down Qamaqim’s location takes a post action; in the next, players will be able to speak to him directly. This completes the first section of this quest. Searching Spoiler Without any other options to aid in the investigation, players must trek through the ruins on foot. Scouring the floor takes a post action, and players should consult the following chart. Player CD and LD bonuses apply. CD LD Outcome [1 - 6] [1 - 5] Spawn enemies: Corrupted Beasts (4) [6 - 10] [11 - 15] Nothing found. [16 - 20] [7 - 12] [1 - 5] Find one (1) material per party member. [6 - 10] Find 500 col per party member. [11 - 15] Find Qamaqim. [16 - 20] Find... Dalilah? If Morgiana is in the party: Players will benefit from an LD +2 and a CD +1 bonus when rolling on the table above. Finding Qamaqim or Dalilah will start players on the next section of this quest. PART II | MAKING CONTACT Here, the party as a collective would have found someone of importance. Depending on which NPC is found, different interactions will occur. The party must either choose to help Qamaqim or Delilah. Qamaqim Spoiler When the thief is found, there is little fanfare in his meeting the party, but the man does seem to be enthusiastic about new faces. “Hail,” he returns, a grin gracing his visage and an empty palm raised to his companions. At his notice of Morgiana or the party’s explanation of their search, his beam only grows stronger, happy to have accomplices by his side. “I can’t return home just yet, and certainly not tend to what Ali needs from my company.” Qamaqim folds his arms, and closes his eyes in thought for a beat. “But I suppose a suitable reason should be issued, lest you go back empty handed.” “I’m searching for my friend’s body. He just got murdered the other night.” “I have reason to believe the murderer I’m looking for is on this floor,” the man continues. “Her name is Dalilah. Tall woman, wearing red. My friend’s wife. Don’t know how the corpse is supposed to look, though. I only know of her plans to return here, and nothing else...” Qamaqim is visibly perplexed, two fingers pinching the bridge of his nose. “I hate to put someone else in danger, but I’ve been searching for quite some time now with little to no luck. Pray accompany me on my journey? We’ll put a stop to her madness together, and when the job’s done, we could make the return trip together. It’s safer in numbers.” Any attempt to use the [Tracking] mod to find Dalilah will return a surprising lack of results. Qamaqim will take notice of this and return the player a wry smile. “Good to know it wasn’t just me,” he comments, before starting to trek ahead. With a wave, he beckons. “Don’t worry, we’ve got more eyes on the scene now. We’ll be able to find her together.” Players who have chosen to side with Qamaqim must proceed with searching for Dalilah. To do so, each player must take an action upon the following chart until their target has been found. Player CD and LD bonuses apply. CD LD Outcome [1 - 6] [1 - 5] Spawn enemies: Corrupted Beasts (4) [6 - 10] [11 - 15] [16 - 20] Find Dalilah. [7 - 12] [1 - 5] Nothing found. [6 - 10] [11 - 15] Find 500 col per party member. [16 - 20] Find Dalilah. If Morgiana is in the party: Players will benefit from a flat LD +2 and a CD +1 bonus when rolling on the table above. An LD +1 bonus will also stack for each search attempt players have made in this section. This bonus is chained with the party; after Player #1 has made their attempt, Player #2 will gain a +1 to their roll, Player #3 will gain +2 to their roll, etc. When the players find Delilah, proceed with the next section of this quest. Dalilah Spoiler Where players might expect to catch a glimpse of blue cloth in the dark, instead they find a striking red in the sunlight, belonging to a woman carrying a long item wrapped in gauze in her arms. Both parties will catch notice of each other at the same time. Dalilah is surprised; introducing herself with caution when the players approach her. “I hadn’t expected there to be travelers in such a desecrated location,” she explains. “Perhaps you may be willing to help me, then?” Her sights are cast down to the object in her arms, hugging the wraps tightly. “My husband. He passed away the other day. Unfortunate that I couldn’t help him.” Dalilah’s gaze sweeps the vicinity, expression somber as she continues. “Though the land has been ravaged by some blight, I’m sure he’d like to be buried in my homeland, to wait for me until the day I finally join him in death. But the road ahead is treacherous… Sticking to the shadows is as deadly as stepping into broad daylight.” She takes one foot forward, turning towards the direction she was headed, eyes set on the distance before bouncing back towards the players before her. “If you have time, travelers, would you mind guiding me to safety? I don’t have much to repay you with, but the kind gesture would certainly be appreciated.” Players who have chosen to side with Dalilah must proceed with escorting her to her destination. To do so, players must take post actions outside of combat to roll for LD. Players will need to meet a collective LD threshold based on the following chart to reach their destination. Player LD bonuses apply. Number of Players LD Quota 1 50 2 80 3 110 4 125 In addition, the natural CD of these rolls will be used to determine the following events: CD Outcome [1 - 2] Spawn enemies: Corrupted Beasts (4) [3 - 8] Nothing happens. [9 - 10] Find one (1) material per party member. [11 - 12] Find 500 col per party member. If Morgiana is in the party: Players will benefit from a flat LD +3 bonus when rolling for travel progress. When the LD quota has been met, players may proceed with the next section of this quest. The party may take a player's post action to disengage from the located NPC should they wish to retry the Part I: Searching section of this quest. This also applies to parties who have taken the Tracking route. Disengaging from an NPC will alter the chart in that section of the quest; upon rolling for the NPC that they have just located, they will locate the alternative NPC instead (eg. Upon disengaging from Qamaqim, rolling for Find Qamaqim will now yield a Find Dalilah result). Disengaging from one NPC will lock the party into the new result; players will not be able to disengage a second time. Upon clearing this section of the quest: If the players had followed Qamaqim: Spoiler The rogue is the one who spots scarlet first. “There,” he shouts, then charges past the party with vengeance in his eyes. “Murderer!” It stuns the woman stooped to the ground, a ravel of wraps across a figure laid next to her feet. Garbed in red, as Qamaqim had duly noted before, Dalilah rises to her feet and brandishes a dagger, held underhanded just as the thief slides to a halt a few paces away from her. He wields his own rapier, teeth gritted in response. “Murderer?” Dalilah snarls. “On what basis do you claim that to be my title?” “Don’t play daft with me, seductress,” Qamaqim growls back. “You and your Carmine Weavers have always liked playing the long game. And this certainly wouldn’t be the last kill your will kind claim.” The woman’s eyes narrow; it is clear that the pain etched on her face is genuine. No sign in her body language suggests any loosening of her ferocity. “If that is the conclusion you have come to,” the woman returns, “Then you should do your research better in the next life. I did not kill my husband.” In grief, the thief howls back. “Liar!” If the players had followed Dalilah: Spoiler “There!” The call comes from the blue just as the party closes in on their destination catches everybody off guard. A thunder of footsteps race up towards the party; a look of horror gracing the man’s visage should Morgiana be amongst the troupe, but it is quickly masked with a scowl of anger once again. “Murderer!” Dalilah barely has time to hand her beloved’s corpse to another of her allies, brandishing a dagger to defend herself. Qamaqim skids, stopping but a few paces away from the squad, pulling out a rapier, eyes filled with anger. “Murderer?” Dalilah snarls. “On what basis do you claim that to be my title?” “Don’t play daft with me, seductress,” Qamaqim growls back. “You and your Carmine Weavers have always liked playing the long game. And this certainly wouldn’t be the last kill your will kind claim.” The woman’s eyes narrow; it is clear that the pain etched on her face is genuine. No sign in her body language suggests any loosening of her ferocity. “If that is the conclusion you have come to,” the woman returns, “Then you should do your research better in the next life. I did not kill my husband.” In grief, the thief howls back. “Liar!” PART III | A CONFRONTATION Be advised that during this segment, rolls for enhancement CD procs (e.g. Recovery, etc.) must be made separately from your attack rolls. Rolls for opponents and Morgiana must also be made separately. As the two adversaries are squabbling, players have the following courses of action to take. The party as a whole must pick one: Do nothing Spoiler Qamaqim takes the first move -- he lunges towards Dalilah, who skirts away from the party in an attempt to lead danger away from potential innocents. Their fighting is fast-paced; it is easy to tell that both individuals are highly skilled at their respective arms. Though Dalilah seems to fend her attacker off fairly well, a mistimed block earns her a cut on the side of her waist. Then, she grows furious, and a monstrous knock of her knife against the side of Qamaqim’s blade sets it free of his grasp. Her wrist is nearly slashed clean from the maneuver; instead, in a stroke of luck, a glaring gash of white and red sits upon her arm. With two bare hands she pulls the thief up by the neck of his garb. Another powerful throw as the man struggles to free himself sends Qamaqim flying behind ruins. Dalilah pounces after her kill, and in that moment made obvious that her physical prowess was not a trick of the imagination. Was that some inhumane howl -- no, two of them? The grunting and spitting from the rubble announces some things much more devastating at work. Players must fight <<Jathoom>> and <<Qarinah>> at the same time to complete this quest. <<Jathoom>> will gain <<Injured>>. <<Qarinah>> will gain <<Ferocious>>, <<Devour>>. Attempt to stop the fight | Route requirement: 2+ players or Morgiana is present in party Spoiler At least one person must attend to each fighter -- it ensures that both contestants are held off against each other. But something shifts just as they taunt and bicker; underneath their forms, a darkness seems to be taking hold. It grabs the debater with lanky grips and a stalwart pull; in seconds, they slip away with fury burning in their eyes. What follows is something out of a fever-induced hallucination. One player in the party must declare which players are holding back each NPC (Qamaqim, Dalilah). Morgiana cannot be assigned if 2 or more players are present. This will take a post action. If this is a solo party, the player must declare which NPC they are holding back while Morgiana isolates the other. The next post must be made by one of the players declared to be keeping the two apart in the post before. That player must roll to see which creature they will be fighting. If the natural CD of the roll is even, the players must fight <<Jathoom>> to complete the quest. The person holding back Qamaqim will take 200 unmitigatable damage. Damage received in this manner will not be reduced by Parry, neither will it affect the skill if it is already up. If the natural CD of the roll is odd, the players must fight <<Qarinah>> to complete the quest. The person holding back Dalilah will take 150 unmitigated damage and is stunned for 1 turn. Damage received in this manner will not be reduced by Parry, neither will it negate the stun nor affect the skill if it is already up. - - - - - Depending on the results of the CD roll, one of the following two scenes plays out: Kill Jathoom Spoiler Had Qamaqim had time, he would’ve certainly struck his vermillion opponent first. But at his destruction, he can only shoot his would-be killer a bloodshot look, holding his wound with a grip that outlines the veins on his hand. With the other, he pulls himself away from the weapon, staggering backwards as his form starts to fade into ashes. He falls into the ground, disappearing into his own shadow, which lengthens and starts morphing over the dusky dirt. Once it has assumed its true form, the monster stretches back towards the surface, emerging as a skeletal stag-like figure maneuvering on four broken limbs. White horns emerge in a cluster stretching out from its skull. Red eyes pierce into Dalilah’s heart and into the souls of the players. Judging by the hostile red icon floating over its head, this menace needs to be stopped. Players must defeat <<Jathoom>> to complete this quest. Kill Qarinah Spoiler Qamaqim’s lunge was only the setup and catches Dalilah off-guard, and she falls victim to the blade, two hands holding the weapon to her wound as she drops her dagger, attempting to pry her form off her executioner. Though it is Qamaqim that delivers the last blow. Just as her form begins to fray at the edges, a ghastly look washes over the woman; beneath her, the translucent form of her shadow reaches out to tear her downwards, as she screams out in agony and hatred. In the blink of an eye, her form is torn asunder and the area around her explodes with force, shoving everyone a few feet backwards. A cloud of smog emerges from the ground. With a spread of its wings, the creature rips its cloak away. The monstrosity is left standing is nothing short of a demon sent from hell: beautiful, menacing, enticing -- Judging by the hostile red icon floating over its head, this menace needs to be stopped. Players must defeat <<Qarinah>> to complete this quest. Allies: <<Morgiana>> Her prowess is still nigh unmatchable, and her elegance in combat performance still regions to this day. Hey -- isn’t dual wielding kind of a cheat for someone other than the Unique Skill user to flaunt around anyway? What gives? HP: 620/620 | DMG: 15 | MIT: 85 | ACC: 3 | EVA: 3 | BLEED: 48 (9-10) | PARALYZE (9-10) Abilities: Direct Orders | Morgiana's actions are determined by the Party Leader. Dual Wielding | The user of two blades, Morgiana is capable of attacking the same target twice per turn. Discreet | Despite attacking twice per turn, she will only generate hate on her initial/first attack. Emergency Recovery | When non-fatal damage would leave Morgiana with less than 155 HP, she will recover 62 HP immediately after the attack resolves. This effect cannot occur more than once per round. Sword Arts | This ally uses sword arts. Look to the table below to determine the art they use in battle. The sword arts used by this enemy are affected by cooldowns. These cooldowns will hence be affected by [Delay]. Refer to the resources list [here] to view each art’s respective cooldowns. Should an art be on cooldown, the list cycles upwards until a sword art is found to be available for use. Examples: [Legion Destroyer] is on cooldown, but [Butterfly Illusion] is not. The ally uses [Butterfly Illusion]. [Lasting Chopper] is on cooldown, and so is [Meteor Fall], but [Bear Knock] is not. The ally uses [Bear Knock]. Conditions Weapon Type MD CD Curved Sword - - - [x5] Bear Knock [1 - 8] [1 - 4] [x9] Meteor Fall [1 - 8] [5 - 8] [x9 Focus] Lasting Chopper [1 - 8] [9 - 12] [x11] Dancing Hellraiser [9 - 10] [1 - 6] [x11 AoE] Butterfly Illusion [9 - 10] [7 - 12] [x13 AoE] Legion Destroyer NPCs: <<Qamaqim>> If there hadn’t been wanted papers included with his sketch, perhaps ‘Arch Thief Qamaqim’ would’ve sounded only like a self-title. However, true to his (most definitely public) moniker, he is cunning and quick, but first and foremost he is a friendly, emotional sort of man. <<Dalilah>> Demure is a description that comes to mind describing Dalilah; she is curt, courteous, modest, but sharp and quick-witted when it comes to her environment. She doesn’t mind chatter, but won’t share much of herself nor her life -- a private type of person, most likely still grieving the loss of her loved one. Enemies: <<Corrupted Beast>> Awful hound-like creatures made out of shadow, vile and bones. They might’ve once been human, but it’s hard to tell now, when their living form is but coagulated darkness in a carapaced mess. Corrupted Beast | HP: 500/500 | DMG: 150 | ACC: 2 | EVA: 2 <<Jathoom>> This four-legged vessel’s face morphs continuously; yellow eyes grow at will upon its form so that it’s aware of its surroundings at all times. Its limbs morph into hands and arms that are humanoid; and yet, it moves gracefully like a stag, a dream turned night terror and become reality. Jathoom | HP: 1950/1950 | DMG: 250 | MIT: 100 | ACC: 2 | EVA: 3 | THORNS: 30 This boss uses its own BD roll when attacking. Abilities: Demonic Rest | The Jathoom is a creature of sleep. It may apply <<SLEEPING>>, a status disablement that causes players to lose their turns until attacked by an enemy. Players can remove this effect from other players by sacrificing their post action to do so. Narcolepsy | On a natural roll of BD8+, if the attack connects with its target, the player gains <<SLEEPING>>. This status effect cannot be parried. The attack is to be resolved before <<SLEEPING>> is applied. Sleep Paralysis | Victim’s of the Jathoom’s spell will not dream; instead, they are forced to reckon with ghastly terrors in their present world muted of colours. Players who are <<SLEEPING>> will suffer from Jathoom’s thorns' damage on its turn. This damage will not awaken the target and is unmitigatable. Appendage Growth | On turns where at least one player has <<SLEEPING>>, the Jathoom will gain +25 MIT and +5 THORNS. This effect does not stack if multiple players are sleeping. Self-Mending | The Jathoom’s body is capable of repair. When targeted by a player’s attack roll of a natural LD15+, the creature will heal 50 HP after damage is dealt if the damage is non-fatal. Injured | Fighting with the <<Qarinah>> has weakened the Jathoom’s structure. Self-Mending will be nullified. This effect is only applicable if the players chose the Do nothing route. <<Qarinah>> Anyone trying to describe it as a dazzling, voluptuous creature, would have been slain within the first few seconds of encountering such a beast. This demon is audacious, brash and cutthroat -- its swift, whirling, jaunty maneuvers are but its victim’s dance macabre. Qarinah | HP: 2250/2250 | DMG: 200 | MIT: 75 | ACC: 3 | EVA: 2 | BLEED: 48 (8-10) This boss uses its own BD roll when attacking. Abilities: Phantasm | The Qarinah is a creature of dreams. On misses against the Qarinah, players will gain a stack of <<HALLUCINATING>>, which applies a -1 ACC until their next successful attack. <<HALLUCINATING>> can stack up to a maximum of 3 times. Embargo | Qarinah is a tricky devil, and her wings give her much promise in the way of disrupting players’ actions. The first item used at the start of a turn will benefit Qarinah instead of the players, the demon having stolen it away from them. Buffs that affect members of the party will benefit Qarinah instead. If the item is a debuff, Qarinah will use it against the primary hate target instead. If there is no stated hate target, players get to decide who receives the debuff. Qarinah still has to obey consumable enhancement cap limitations. She will gain buffs in accordance with the order in which the Players attack her, gaining their respective buffs. Once she has reached the maximum number of combat buffs (5), she will not acquire any more. Gentle Grip | The Qarinah can grow long nails and swipe every target on the battlefield. On natural rolls of BD9+, roll against every player in the party. If the attack hits, it deals 150 mitigatable DMG and Bleed, dealing 48 unmitigatable damage for two turns. This status effect cannot stack, but can refresh. Gentle grip replaces the original attack, and can only trigger once per round. Vampiric | Triggers on a natural roll of CD9+, as part of an attack roll against any player. If the attack hits, Qarinah heals for 125 HP instead of dealing damage. This effect is automatically considered a hit if the target is suffering from Bleed. If triggered on the same round, <<Gentle Grip>>'s effects will occur before <<Vampiric>>. Separate rolls must be made for <<Gentle Grip>> and <<Vampiric>> if they are to occur in the same turn. Tenacious | Disablements (stuns, paralysis, freeze) will not remove this enemy’s evasion, but will still remove its next post action. Devour | On turns where a player is <<SLEEPING>> (see below), the Qarinah will attack them instead of the primary hate target, healing for the amount of damage the player receives after mitigation. In the event that multiple players are <<SLEEPING>>, Qarinah will attack the target with the highest hate. If multiple <<SLEEPING>> players are tied for highest hate, she will attack the player that most recently used an action. This effect is only applicable should players have picked the Do nothing route. Ferocious | Angered by the <<Jathoom>>, Qarinah’s strikes are likely to be destructive. When <<Gentle Grip>> occurs, Qarinah’s attacks will apply <<SLEEPING>> to targets who are <<HALLUCINATING>>. This effect is only applicable should players have picked the Do nothing route. Epilogue: If Morgiana is alive: Spoiler Her tone is terse once the fighting has calmed down. “Perhaps Ali’s judgement was correct,” she mutters; her expression isn’t necessary to understand the confusion mapped beneath her mask. Devilkin hunting was never within Morgiana’s realm of work, after all. A shake of her head helps to connect her to the present. “It is not the adventurers’ responsibility to inform him of today’s matters in full. Allow me to omit the details as necessary.” If the party defeated both Jathoom and Qarinah: Something on the dirt would catch the sword dancer’s eye. She picks it up -- it is a small, lengthy crystal pulsing with black and white energy. At the heart of it are lobules of red, shifting around its form as though it were a lava lamp. “Strange,” she comments, examining it with a careful eye. Then, Morgiana extends it over to one of the players in the party. “Is fortune following one of you around? Maybe this is for your troubles today.” If only Qamaqim is alive: Spoiler The man emerges from his cover once the fight settles down. He’s fidgety, embarrassed even to have observed a supernatural phenomenon occur in front of his eyes. “Maybe I’m hallucinating,” he repeats several times over, between scattered chuckles and erratic eye movements. “I’m just glad that’s over with. Um… Well.” Qamaqim clears his throat, wiping his face with his palms. He collects himself in a couple of minutes. “Right. That at least settles the score… I’ll most likely see to it that my friend over there--” and he points over to the corpse in wraps set aside in the vicinity, “--rests safely… somewhere else. Preferably some place without undead and corrupted implications.” The quest completion window flicks open for all players, right as the thief scoops up his fallen companion. “Don’t worry, I’ll head back to see Ali when I’m done here. Let’s… just keep today’s events a secret between ourselves, yeah…?” Qamaqim heaves as he begins treading off. “I doubt he’d even believe our story, anyway!” If only Dalilah is alive: Spoiler “Heavens...” Dalilah is safe, hugging the mummified corpse close as she steps out into the desecrated battlefield. She often appeared calm and composed -- now her breathing is ragged, throat dry. Demons in the midst of innocents were objectively terrifying. “Are you all alright? M-my apologies for dragging you into such a mess...” Her clutch grows tighter on her husband, glancing about to investigate her surroundings. “Well, with the fight from earlier, I’m starting to have my doubts about the safety of this location now...” She closes her eyes and exhales, still steadying her nerves. “Perhaps I should look elsewhere; find other solutions. Maybe a morgue? Surely the people at Angel’s Point might help.” When a message from Ali drops into the players’ interface, Dalilah is already on her way towards the main settlement, closing down time for any other threats to strike her in the open. But then she stops, and turns to the party. “The beast from earlier...” Worry clouds her vision. “... Maybe it’s best to keep that a secret from the public. Better not concern the others with that unfortunate incident.” The widow then takes a quick bow, before pacing with haste off into the distance. After a response to the quest giver, a reward window appears, granting players their well-earned prizes. If no NPCs are alive: Spoiler If bosses had been slain but no NPC was alive to issue a reward, did the quest really happen? The answer is yes. Cardinal is always watching. Though it would be weird not to respond to Ali’s message about how the investigation’s progress was going... --Oh. The quest requires players to update him about the nature of the search? Oops. Pretty sure even a blank message will do. As soon as it’s been sent off, the quest completion window appears, alongside the couple of rewards obtained. Ali doesn’t send a reply back, but it’s not as though his input was necessary, anyway. The trip back to town is uneventful; presumably because the party’s done some well-needed house cleaning around the floor earlier that day. You lot deserve something nice for yourselves. Link to post Share on other sites
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