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escordviooc2023-10-01 12:51 pm
<< manta board: october 2023 >>
The MANTA Board is posted every month, but the quests are on a "2 month cycle." This means quests can last for two months with possible updates or new additions in the second month before it completely refreshes for the next cycle.
Quests are separated into five categories and all have flat point values: General (4pts), Corsair (4pts), Paladin (4pts), Bounties (6pts), and Specials (12pts). Special quests won't always be available so it may appear blank at most times. These can range from group quests such as for special ship upgrades or island related quests, or they could be special event quests. All quest points can be used for the Rewards Shop.
For this month's board update, the quests have been updated to reflect progress from last month, with some carrying over as is. Of note we have a new bounty called the The Headless Pumpkin, and we have our first Special Quest up! It will require cooperation between both groups, so good luck!
If you have any questions, comment to this entry.
It's an old wives' tale that during the harvest season, ghosts and spirits are particularly more sensitive and can easily be seen by the living. They appear when you least expect them to or play tricks on the unsuspecting. They say that if you can capture a ghost that you’ll be briefly rewarded with the story of their life. Or perhaps this is actually a ghostly possession you didn’t ask for...
Oddly enough, there’s something enchanting about being possessed by a ghost or spirit. It makes the person possessed temporarily feel like they're on top of the world. Like they could take on a hundred fights without backing down. Or take ten lovers without resting. The more you are possessed the stronger this "larger than life" feeling will be.
Dare to record some ghost stories for the bards to tell at the taverns. Or just play with the local spirits! These ones like making friends.
The newly trained seahorses are doing well! Now that they’ve acclimated to human touch and human training there is a new task that needs to be tackled in taking care of this latest batch of young seahorses.
Since the colder months are fast approaching the remaining male seahorses that have yet to give birth to their brood need a helping hand to release their babies before it gets too cold for the offspring to survive. Approach male seahorses that may still be pregnant and help them give birth. This could be with a gentle tummy massage, an encouraging song sung just for them or by feeding them a nutritional diet of sweet and sour giant shrimps (there seems to be a surplus) until they give birth. Be a good midwife and get rubbing!
The batch of rare orange lantern fish that have delicious egg caviar have started to glow. Because of that a new trend has recently exploded where fishbowls are being crafted into portable lanterns for the harvest season. And these lanterns require special glowing orange lantern fish in order to make them work.
Collect these lanternfish and create glowing fishbowl lanterns. They can be found in cold deep waters where there is barely any light to see if you’re looking for wild ones. Or you can try and buy or steal the ones in barrels at various ports. Just continue to take caution because they can still cause paralyzing effects if they’re handled poorly. Handle with care!
Thanks to everyone’s hard work a new compound has been created using rare tree bark and organic crystals to make a water-repelling oil that can be applied to ships to help the planks last longer and with better durability. But unforunately during collection ... many wrong trees were cut down.
Now, due to a shortage of lemon and orange trees and other citrus trees on various islands, there has been a concerning outbreak of scurvy on many ships.
In order to solve this epidemic before it gets worse, shoregoers are encouraged to plant lemon and orange tree saplings anywhere they can. And using any powers or skills, magic or otherwise, to make these trees grow faster will be greatly appreciated.
Have you heard of messages in a bottle?
Embrace the sea's powerful enchantment! Pen a heartfelt letter, place it in a glass bottle and release it into the ocean's waves to see what happens.
Rumour has it that within three days, the bottle will return to you with a reply. Discover personal advice, fortunes, or messages from far away. Perhaps even find a lifelong pen pal through this method! Unleash your heartfelt words into the water and let the sea work its wonders!
Results may vary. (Optional: For added flavour attempt posting your bottle message to a random character's inbox.)
A renowned mistress in Naughtilust recently had a wonderfully successful showcase of her rare silk gowns and dresses and it’s been the talk of the town. Although there are reports coming in about missing shipments that included various rich and luxurious fabrics and textiles and the paladins are starting to think that this showcase has something to do with that...
In order to investigate the paladins are tasked with going undercover in both Naughtilust and Nogard in order to find definitive proof of the stolen goods. That means that paladins will need to sneak in and, more importantly, blend in with the corsairs working in both the brothels and in Nogard to find exactly who stole these goods and to get the next shipment back from Nogard before it can reach Naughtilust.
What better way to sneak in than to dress like the suspected? Dress in your best gowns and sneak into Nogard to find the corsairs that are heading to Naughtilust next. Be sure to take precautions when in Nogard, it’s a cutthroat place.
Reports have emerged of pickpockets and thieves falling victim to a frustrated shop owner–turned–vigilante, resulting in severed fingers and a growing stain on the Paladin’s reputation for maintaining order among the various port marketplaces.
In order to address this issue and uphold the principles of justice, we need your expertise to delve into the local shops and uncover the truth behind these vigilante actions. It is crucial to identify the shop owner responsible as well as apprehend any theives and restore a sense of balance and fairness to the markets.
However, it is essential to approach this investigation with a focus on fairness and adherence to the law. Our aim is to ensure a just and lawful resolution, and a few fewer fingers being cut off, including yours.
Reports keep coming in about a drunk man that keeps climbing onto the gondalas for free rides in town. He must be much too drunk and should be apprehended before he falls and hurts himself or someone else.
Upon grabbing this drunk bastard he might tell you about this powerful hot drink that makes him see starlight and gives him visions of a lost love from long ago. It’s not his fault that he keeps sneaking onto the gondalas, naturally! He wants to chase stars!
When interrogated he might tell you more about this legendary liquid called a "pumpkin spice latte" that warms the drinker to the core and fills your eyesight with stars. It is said to remind you of lost love and joy and might even encourage you to confess your warm feelings to others. You can either lock the man up or trust his word and find a mug of this special latte. But just a reminder that if you drink too much you will end up wobbly on your feet and love drunk too.
Apparently, there is an annual tradition in Nogard every harvest month. Corsairs are equipped with fancy hand canons that shoot ripe pumpkins and everyone is encouraged to paint the town orange. Shoot pumpkins at local businesses, buildings and your friends (and enemies) and enjoy the satisfying sound of pumpkins smashing. There's a certain catharsis in releasing the stress of the season by engaging in some target shooting! Perhaps it will offer you a fresh perspective on your new life here as you transition into the next season.
No one is sure who has to do the cleanup, though. Maybe you’ll be given an extra reward if you scoop pumpkin guts off of things.
There’s a dare going around asking corsairs to sneak into the Elah Conservatory. It’s heavily guarded so getting into the conservatory is going to be a difficult task in itself. But if you can break into the conservatory without getting caught by any paladins then the dare is that you find some of the parrots living inside and teach them some choice swear words.
The ruder the insults and swears the better (here is a nice example). We want the paladins to be absolutely appalled by the foul language of these birds. Also, this might be a great oppurtunity for corsairs to take some good notes about the paladin's turf. Be sure to take note of weaknesses in walls or locks that are breakable. It might be helpful later.
With the influx of new scallywags on our shores, the Corsair ships have taken it upon themselves to impart their expertise in the art of pickpocketing. If you're ready to master the craft and enhance your acting, lying, and sleight-of-hand skills, then step forward and join their pickpocketing seminars!
Under the guidance of experienced Corsairs, you'll learn the tricks of the trade, honing your abilities to make a quick dubloon when navigating crowded streets or lively gatherings.
Remember, with great power comes great responsibility. As you venture out to test your newfound skills, exercise caution and subtlety. A successful pickpocket knows the importance of being undetected. The Corsairs will not come to your aid should you find yourself hanging around in the gallows. Or losing a few fingers.
Said to be as large as a horse with a sting as powerful as a hundred stinging jellyfish. This creature has somehow grown larger than most other mantis shrimp and it has been hunting down and eating the heads of male prey. Find this creature in the ocean and kill it before it hunts and eats more innocent sailors.
Read More.
✦ Size: Medium
✦ Type: Sea creature
✦ Strengths: Powerful pincers, Swift swimmer, Carnivorous, Stinging spines
✦ Weaknesses: Lightning, Sharp weapons, Piercing weapons
A rare dolphin with a strange magical glowing horn has been sighted in the ocean. Although some of the rumours are saying that the dolphin is merely a lost narwhal. It seems to only appear when the weather is foggy which makes it particularly difficult to find. Find it and record proof of its existence or kill it and farm the horn for an extra bounty.
Read More.
✦ Size: Large
✦ Type: Sea creature
✦ Strengths: Light magic, Swift swimmer, Omnivourous, Peaceful
✦ Weaknesses: Wind magic, Darkness magic, Blunt weapons
Rumours say that a "skull-faced ghostly figure" has been spotted in various areas. People are sure this spirit only appears this time of year. Said to be very dangerous and will kill anyone on sight. But there aren't actually any solid reports that its ever killed anyone. Or that it even has a skull-face? Perhaps it's a pumpkin-face instead? If somehow dispelled the ghost will explode into an explosion of... candy?
Read More.
✦ Size: Large
✦ Type: Undead
✦ Strengths: Paranormal, Astral Projection, Transparent, Big Freaking Axe
✦ Weaknesses: Light Magic, Exorcism, Giant Hammers
Around this time of year, a local island near paladin territory called Gumdrop Island calls to harvest their local candy corn bushes. Many like to gather to collect candy corn for the season’s treats and baking. It’s a long-time tradition!
Yet, there is a group that is terribly against the idea of candy corn and other sweet treats being distributed around. A strange cult called PESTA has formed that is obsessed with creating a new world order that only allows for healthy food to be grown. They want to magic all candy corn bushes into carrot bushes. How disgusting...!
Because of this new movement paladins are having trouble keeping them off the island and from destroying the candy corn bushes. They’ve had to resort to asking the corsairs for help in bullying these cultists off the island.
Paladins and corsairs are encouraged to team up to get these PESTAs to move on by utilizing a corsair's ability to trick cultists into leaving or the paladin's ability to treat them to candy corn and to realize just how nice and harmless candy corn is. The best results will come from working together!