Last time, on Heroic Bloodlines:
We learned the most heroic and difficult skill of all, parenting. Thought for the day: The "Terrible Twos" has a most terrifying synergy with a divine willpower blessing and magic.
Choice selected:
B, the family will seek out adventures abroad.
11 funds
Medium house in Dogsvale with training yard
5 family members
Treasures:
Draconis' notes
Jaurice, Hero of Legend!
Health: Great
Morale: Blessed
Age: Middle-aged
Vivius the Witch
Health: Bad, demon sickness
Morale: Poor, --combat strength
Age: Middle-aged
Jarn
Class: Finesse fire mage
Health: Poor
Morale: Blessed
Age: Juvenile
Vads
Class: Strength-focused warrior with protective and healing spells
Morale: Blessed
Age: Juvenile
Euriel
Class: Shadowdancer rogue
Morale: Blessed
Age: Juvenile
Vivius sat alone in her study, hunched over a book and summarizing her findings on demonology. She wrote with an encryption scheme their fallen companion, Braicus, had designed. She'd taught the children the banishment spell, of course, but they weren't ready for the real burden of her findings. If she fell on this new quest, then it was better that her studies rest until they were older.
She had a coughing fit, and a few flecks of blood fell onto her hankerchief. She sighed and uttered a healing spell, and held a glowing orb of energy over her chest for a few seconds. The bleeding inside closed up, but the strange wounds remained. She sometimes healed them fully, but it was time consuming and only temporary. Nothing she tried could cure the demonology sickness.
Some time later, she finished writing. She levitated her desk, then a floor stone beneath it, and put the book in the hole beside her other dangerous research. She replaced the stone and desk, and then donned her pointy hat and black half-cape. She looked at the
powerful witch in the mirror. She was Vivius, who once saved the world. She pretended she still could save it. She pretend she was strong enough to ignore the constant itching she was now afflicted with.
She left to finish preparing for the journey.
----
The family left Dogvale, along with 5 elite soldiers that Jaurice had trained to fight beside him, a handful of civilians who were eager to see their homes again or look for loved ones they had gotten separated from, and a small caravan of goods led by a Dogvale representative.
They fought their way through scattered roaming demons, finding seven abandoned villages and towns before finding one intact. The mining town of Lost Pick was in bad shape, and grateful to see Jaurice. A local demon was strong and cunning enough to unite its normally mindless brethren, and the town was being bled dry.
----
{54} - Jaurice and three of the soldiers led the way, while the rest of the party took care of stragglers and provided magic support. It let the children get a fairly safe taste of battle, and see their father in action. The demon captain was no match for the legendary Jaurice; his ambush attempt failed, and he was defeated.
The town held a day of celebration, but food was too limited for a proper feast. Grateful townsfolk heap praise and minor trinkets worth 1 fund onto the family. The distance is a little far, but ties will most likely be established with Dogsvale, which needs the ore and has well-trained solders that may protect the town.
What now? There are still a lot of shadowy demons near the town, but they're undirected, and it should be mostly fine until soldiers from Dogsvale can relieve the exhausted garrison.
A) Finish the adventure in Lost Pick. The town isn't fully secure yet, and the family can get safe experience by guarding construction workers fixing roads and building an outpost between Dogvale and Lost Pick after more soldiers arrive. The representative from Dogvale voices his support of this option.
B) Leave soldiers behind. Four of the five soldiers would almost certainly be enough to pacify the area and guard the town until help arrives. This is riskier, but it's heroic and will help local prosperity.
C) Continue adventuring. People are likely to go hungry, and the townsfolk won't be as well disposed towards Dogvale, but they'll probably survive. They no longer need a hero, but other places almost certainly do.
D) Stay for a few months until help arrives. It's an option, but can the heroes afford to get bogged down for months in every town they pass performing side quests?
If the party leaves, what is their next destination?
A) There are rumors of an isolationist abbey that has remained strong thanks to their strong magical traditions. They likely don't need help, but perhaps Jaurice could use his reputation to convince them to be more open and helpful.
B) Look for a more distant region in need of help. Ensure that there are distant bonfires of civilization, and that they do not burn down to mere embers.
C) Several towns are mustering an army to try to pacify as much land as they can. A failed campaign is unlikely, but would be a disaster. This would be an excellent opportunity for the children to get more experience in different roles. Fighting alongside an army is risky, but the children have spent their lives training to fight demons, and are at least as effective as an average battlemage.
D) Carlston Pass has tried to stand alone. They still stand, but they bleed, and are undersupplied. Scrounge up a relief caravan from a better supplied polity and escort it there.
D1) - Try to profit. You won't be outright price gouging, and will still mostly be well-received.
D2) - Spend 6 funds to donate some essential food, and sell other important supplies at a loss.
E) - Adventure between villages and small towns, fighting to save as many people and settlements as possible.
Funds are an indeterminate amount of money. You don't have to worry about having enough money to get by, but can use Funds for various opportunities, such as financing an elite warrior training program, commissioning magical items, or buying new walls for a strategically important town.
This idea was inspired by JRPGs. I'm classifying combat strength into three general grades: Tier 1 are the castle guards who are just strong enough to keep monsters out of towns, Tier 2 are elites who aren't necessarily strong enough to fight the last boss, but temporarily join the party. Tier 3 are the real heroes who save the world.
Jaurice is an exceptional tier 3, who beat the last boss with a party of tier 2s.
The 5 soldiers and children are somewhere between tier 1 and 2.
I hate that I named it "Dogvale" because I almost always type "Dogsvale."
Author
Topic: Heroic Lineage [SG] (Read 3872 times)