[F18] <<The Poisonous Warg>>

[Cardinal 0]

Floor 18
<<The Poisonous Warg>>
Party Limit: 3 | 20+ Posts
 Repeatable for standard thread rewards.

Quest Rewards:

• 500 Experience Points
• 2000 col
• POTENTIAL | If <Venom Snapper>> and <Wolves>> are defeated
  •  Each player receives:
    • Bizarre Antidote (Consumable)
      • This vial, when consumed, will provide the player with the same effects as a regular Antidote of Perfect quality. In addition, the player will feel lighter, granting them an additional point of EVA. This effect can stack with other EVA consumables. Effect lasts one thread, or until all Antidote charges are consumed.

Requirements:

• Roleplay speaking to Gyrard within the city of Eriwald.
• Roleplay escorting the Caravan to Serpent's Pitch
  • Players that do not ride in the caravan must each make 3 posts before the fight.
  • Players that ride in the Caravan must each make 1 post each before the fight; however, they are ambushed (see below). 
• Defeat <<Poison Snapper>> and 2 wolves simultaneously without letting the Caravan become destroyed.
  • Or
• Successfully flee with 2 unmodified rolls of LD 15+ before the Caravan is destroyed. (This option provides reduced rewards.)
• Roleplay the ending.
• *Note: If <<The Caravan>> is destroyed while retreating, the player(s) fail the quest and still have to defeat Poison Snapper and Wolves.

Summary:

In the back alleys of Eriwald, the player(s) can find an NPC merchant seated on a stool within a Tavern. As the players approach him, he drinks the rest of the liquid that was left within his mug before acknowledging them. "Well, it seems I have finally found some better luck. Here I was, just beginning to believe that I'd be stuck in this wretched village forever. Came 'ere over a week ago, delivering some goods from Serpent's Pitch. Problem is, I hardly made it here to begin with. I was attacked by a pack of wolves about halfway through. Tried talkin' to the guards but it was far too out for them to venture." The round middle-aged man slides his mug back over to the bartender. "Thanks Mack." He tells the man before standing and facing the player(s). "I don't dare travel out and get attacked by those beasts. I'd stay here, but my family is waiting for me in Serpent's Pitch. They won't be able to survive without the profit I made from my sales for much longer. Say, would you be willing to protect my caravan and I across the way?"

Upon acceptance, Gyrard offers up a pleasant smile to the player(s). "Excellent. There will be a reward in it for you, even more if you can kill the beast that's causing my trouble. Allow me to prepare the Caravan and I'll meet you outside the front gates to the city." He heads out of the building and another voice will hail the player(s). "Careful out there. I've heard word that the pack's alpha gives a nasty bite. I've heard some mentions of poison.  You might want to stop and grab an antidote before you go out there." Rex will nod towards the player(s) as he cleans a mug and returns to paying attention to others in the tavern. 

Once the player moves out, they will find Gyrard standing outside the gate.  He and the rest of his team are harnessing massive packs full of supplies onto their backs while waiting for the players to join them. "Glad you could join me, 'fraid that I couldn't manage to get you a mount. This ground is very boggy, but I've made my living by mapping out a rare and reliable route for my wagon.  Keep your eye on the water, too.  Lots of nasties hiding just below the surface." 

Outline: 

The players must protect <<The Caravan>> from attack, ensuring that it reaches Serpent's Pitch.

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NPCs:

<<Gyrard>>
A simple merchant trying to make ends meet to support his family that lives within Serpent's Pitch. The middle-aged man speaks in a gruff tone and while he isn't suited for battle he is quite gifted in the art of business. He is well known and liked by his customers to the point of being on a first-name basis.

---

Protect the Caravan!

Players must defend <<The Caravan>> from enemy attacks!  

<<The Caravan>>
HP: 500/500

Abilities:

• Inanimate | The caravan is immune to all status effects except for Burn.
• Fast Travel | Players can decide to ride on the caravan on the ride, reducing the number of posts required before the fight can begin; however, this activates the enemy's <<Ambush>> ability during the first turn of combat. 
• Flee! | All players forfeit their Post Action to hop into the caravan and attempt to get away. All player hate values temporarily becomes zero until they leave the caravan again. While the hate of all players is at 0, the mobs will attack <<The Caravan>>. The party leader shall roll and the enemy is successfully escaped after 2 natural rolls of LD 15+.
• Muck! | If the party leader rolls a natural LD of 5 or less while attempting to flee, the wheels of <<The Caravan>> will become stuck in the mud of the swamp. Each member of the party must devote a post action to freeing the wheel from the mud before more flee rolls may be attempted.
   

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Enemies:

<<Poison Snapper>>
A strange mutation transformed this wolf into a much larger and colorful version of its previous incarnation With its pack, it hunts down unsuspecting merchants and is well-known for its poisonous bite.

HP: 500/500 | DMG: 100 | MIT: 45 | ACC: 2 | EVA: 1

Abilities:

• Venomous Bite | On a MD 9-10, Poison Snapper sinks its fangs into the target with the highest hate. This deals 50 unmitigatable poison damage each turn for 2 turns as an ailment effect.
• Revenge | If a <<Wolf>> dies while Poison Snapper is still alive, on the turn after its ally falls, Poison Snapper shall make an attack on the player who killed it before making its normal attack.
• Destroy | If no target has hate on <<Poison Snapper>>, it shall attack <<The Caravan>>
• Ambush | Activated by <<The Caravan>> (see above), the pack shall ambush without warning, acting first in the rotation and with absolute accuracy on this attack, before the players can even get a turn. 

 

<<Wolf>>
A standard wolf, hunting alongside Poison Snapper to increase the pack's strength, ensuring a steady supply of food.

HP: 200/200 | DMG: 75 | MIT: 25 | ACC: 1

Abilities:

• Destroy | If no target has hate on <<Wolf>>, it shall attack <<The Caravan>>.
• Ambush | Activated by <<The Caravan>> (see above), the pack shall ambush without warning, acting first in the rotation and with absolute accuracy on this attack, before the players can even get a turn.
   

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Epilogue:

<<Poison Snapper>> and <<Wolves>> evaded:

Spoiler

Gyrard climbs out of the caravan after the threat has passed, a jolly grin resting on his face. "You have done it! Those pesky wolves won't be bothering me or any other merchants anymore! I figured you could just scare 'em off! This is excellent! Here, let's head into the city and I can hand ya your reward there." 

Upon arriving at the town, he stops in front of a small cottage where two kids burst through the front door. "Daddy!" Each of them cry, wrapping themselves around the man. 

"Oh dear me, after all that time I had forgotten about you!" He says in a playful tone. 

"No you didn't silly!" One of the children replies. 

"Alright, I have a couple of things to do, run along and I'll meet you inside real soon." He turns to the players. "Here is the money as promised." He hands the party a bag that when held instantly transfers col into the player's inventory. 

<<Poison Snapper>> and <<Wolves>> Defeated:

Spoiler

Gyrard climbs out of the caravan after the threat has passed, a jolly grin resting on his face. "You have done it! Those pesky wolves won't be bothering me or any other merchants anymore! I figured you could just scare 'em off! This is excellent! Here, let's head into the city and I can hand ya your reward there. Give you a little somethin' extra for your hard work." 

Upon arriving at the town, he stops in front of a small cottage where two kids burst through the front door. "Daddy!" Each of them cry, wrapping themselves around the man. 

"Oh dear me, after all that time I had forgotten about you!" He says in a playful tone. 

"No you didn't silly!" One of the children replies. 

"Alright, I have a couple of things to do, run along and I'll meet you inside real soon." He turns to the players. "Here is the money as promised." He hands the party a bag that when held instantly transfers col into the player's inventory. "And for permanently fixin' my problem, here is a little something for your troubles." He hands each member a <<Bizarre Antidote>> before turning to move inside. "Once again, thank you for you help today!" He waves before moving into the cottage where the quest will come to an end.