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escordviooc2024-01-01 01:07 pm
« manta board: january 2024 »
Quests are separated into five categories and all have flat point values: General (4pts), Corsair (4pts), Paladin (4pts), Bounties (6pts), and Specials (12pts). Note: characters helping opposing armada quests will only be rewarded 2pts for participation unless specified otherwise. 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 completely refreshed with brand new quests! For the Hanged Man's Gambit quest, both Corsairs and Paladins can submit votes to this subthread.
If you have any questions, comment to this entry.
Several apothecaries and healers have sent in reports of various patients coming in with a strange black mark on the back of their hands. This mark is much like a dark purple bruise, although any topical ointments or remedies do not seem to encourage healing. The patients have been reporting random jolts of pain in their hands and aches and stiffness in their fingers and wrists over time.
There is another common symptom between the patients as well. The longer the bruise is left to fester on the hand the more patients seem to be afflicted with terrible nightmares. The nightmares consist of the same recurring one: a nightmare about falling deep into a dark black ocean, unable to move or swim or breathe. The dreamer sinks and drowns into blackness. The dream is so real and so vivid that when the dreamer is near their last ounce of breath they feel like they might truly die. They only wake up once their last breath is lost.
Healers are unsure how to treat this strange new affliction and are looking for adventurers to help find solutions to this odd new injury or any ways to help alleviate the pain until a solution can be found. Some are saying this is more of a sleeping curse than it is an injury that can be healed. But one thing is for certain—if a cure can’t be found many will be found drowned and dead in their beds.
Those who are brave enough to explore the seas for a solution despite a mark on their hand can look for various islands that might have something buried deep away. A relic or a magic treasure that can lift the curse. Or a special herb that can be used to alleviate the pain. Or strong-smelling salts to keep away the dreams. Or maybe even someone living far away who might know more? Anything to help. Report all findings so action can be taken before it's too late for many. (Note: Nogard's "Coins of Exceptional Healing" do not seem to effect this curse/illness.)
A local man is hiring anyone brave enough to help him domesticate a litter of wolf puppies that he has found motherless in the woods. The puppies are growing fast and have boundless energy, so they need to be trained quickly before they become too unruly to be used as hunting dogs and companions.
Truth be told, wild animals are always wild animals. These puppies may be young but they still possess strong natural instincts to hunt and kill. It will be difficult to tame these once-wild things to be a pet at someone’s side. Some might even argue it’s a terrible idea to try and tame a wild beast in the first place. There is the real threat that one wrong move training these puppies might result in your throat being ripped out by wolf fangs.
Nonetheless, this man is certain that these wolves can be trained and domesticated. Should you succeed in training these beasts to become loyal and well-trained companions you might find yourself able to adopt one at a later time. Not until they are fully trained, though.
A popular new trend has appeared that has taken the leviathans by storm! People have come to enjoy the wonderful culinary experience of eating small magical creatures, including tiny magical fireflies and fairy wings to the tiny whispering creatures that appeared during Winterstide. Who started such a bizarre trend?
Take it upon yourself to try the tasty trend for yourself by daring to consume these little creatures and seeing what they do to you. They can be cooked, fried, rolled into dumplings, baked into pies, or just plain crunched on raw.
Various magical effects might be a consequence of eating such magical things, though. You might find yourself floating for a whole day, unable to stop burping glitter, or stuck with a runny nose that leaks flammable vinegar. The strange magical results are up to you! Give it a try!
Before winter is through, there have been requests for a special flower to be harvested that only blooms during winter months. This beautiful flower is said to be a love charm that when given to the one you fancy will encourage feelings of love and affection back to you.
As said before, this flower only blooms the brightest during the winter months. Crews that are interested in harvesting the flowers (for selling or for personal use) might have to venture out to explore snow-covered islands in order to find the freshest and most beautiful ones.
Rumours are that the most effective flowers and ones that will sell for the most are the ones that bloom in heavy snowy blizzards. Is it worth it to brave the cold to warm a heart?
The saucy healer that has recently moved to Eltrut has finally completed his most recent experimental potion! He claims that the potion can cure any aches and pains that you might have with a single drink. He also says that it is so potent that you will gain the bounce back in your step or feel the fire you lost in your loins once again! He is confident it is complete!
In this final testing phase, he only needs willing participants to give it a try. Take the potion, gulp it down, and see what sort of effects it has on your body. If and when you drink the potion, you will feel heat down your throat. It will feel like a fire has erupted inside of your stomach, coating your insides from the center of your body out to your fingertips and toes. You will feel warm. Heated. Like you could explode into fire at any given moment. And it will, unknowingly, make you more aroused OR enraged than you have ever felt in your life.
Once your fires have been stoked, report back to the saucy healer. He’ll happily give you a bottle of the brew and another steamy book for your troubles.
Cid is developing various new devices and would like to have some volunteers for feedback. Contact him for details.
PET TOYS & SUPPLIES:
- Automatic ball thrower: A device that will take in a ball and will automatically shoot it out. Add a bit of lightning to make it go farther.
- Feather Chaser: A motorized device that will wind up like a top and spin a feather around over the floor.
- Mouse Launcher: Similar to the ball thrower, only with a mouse and with a bit of lightning magic the mouse will "run" over the floor to encourage chase. Attached to an invisible string that will reel the mouse back in.
- Roll Up Yarn Ball: Made of durable cord safe for cats, this "ball of yarn" will extend out as the cat plays with it before automatically rolling back up.
- Foldable Cat Tree: A special cat tree that can fold in a different ways to help fit most spaces as well as change things up to keep cats entertained. (Or fold it into a box.)
MAGITECH DEVICES::
- Non-lethal Electric Type Grenades: All grenades will produce some type of electric based method to stun, paralyze, and/or contain a target. Help test effectiveness: 1) non-lethal stun (medium to large targets); 2) non-lethal cage (medium to large targets); 3) non-lethal electric field (varying area sizes).
- Elemental Net Shooter: A handheld device that will release a net based on the magic element infused by the user. Would like to test the different results from varying elements.
- Close Contact Stun Device: A small, handheld device that when triggered will stun or paralyze someone.
(Note: Cid will have a network/log post that will go up to help explain and give people direct contact for information and questions.)
The shady paladin that caused trouble with his false arrests and unjustly condemning people to the gallows has finally been sniffed out. Now it’s up to the armada to decide the fate of the paladin. He faces charges of unlawful imprisonment, tampering with evidence, kidnapping, aiding and abetting, and more. Remember, this man stands trial for nearly getting several innocent people killed by arresting people randomly in the streets.
The armada has two choices: strip him of all rank and sentence him to time in prison and supervised community service, or the noose.
There's a third secret option of tying the man with rope and letting him be dragged behind a paladin ship until he’s so waterlogged and exhausted that he learns his lesson. However, corsairs might want the man to drown entirely.
Whatever choice is taken is up to the discretion of the paladins observing the case. They have left a box down below to write down suggestions and vote on what to do with the man. Everything will be considered and his fate will be decided at the end of the month.
(Corsairs may also secretly slip in a vote. Participating corsairs will also receive 4 points for this quest.)
A well-known seamstress from Nogard has requested a paladin envoy to help transport her goods and wares from Nogard to Eltrut. She claims that her reputation as one of the best seamstresses in town will make her a prime target for thieves and ambushers. Yet, she wants nothing more than to escape her dark life in Nogard to open her own business and start anew in Eltrut. Therefore she’s asking for the protection of the paladins.
Escort the lady and help protect her and her goods from harm. While travelling she may bestow upon you a magical silk that feels softer and sweeter than anything you’ve ever touched. The way that she weaves her fabric seems ethereal or otherworldly. That is because her creations are all imbued with light magic and fairy fire.
As she predicts, there will be ambushers on the high seas looking to kidnap this woman and steal her fabrics. Crews must do their best to protect her or she may be held hostage, kidnapped, or—worse—killed.
A lighthearted challenge has been going around various paladin ships! It’s quite simple: who can benchpress the most weight without the use of magic, skills, or tattoos? A bet is going around on all the ships to see who can handle the most weight on their shoulders. Whoever can lift the most will be granted the title of Supreme Sovereign of Strength: Grand Lifter Extraordinaire.
Show off your stuff by lifting everything in sight, from barrels to shipping supplies to giant iron anchors! Pick up horses, anvils and entire boats! The more you can lift, the better! Make sure someone records your heavy lifting feat so that it may be entered into the betting pool for results!
Which paladin will come out on top?
It is no surprise that corsairs love their treasure. Most corsairs will do anything for something shiny in a box. But what happens when those boxes start biting back? Reports have been coming in of random treasure boxes being found all around Nogard, but when they are touched or opened a huge mouth of sharp gnashing teeth is revealed. These monsters that disguise themselves as shiny treasure boxes must be cleared off the island before someone loses a hand or more!
Go around Nogard and seek out these pesky treasure chests. Be careful when unlocking any of them and have a weapon ready should they attack. These treasure chests still seem to carry treasure inside of them, so if anyone can manage to kill them or dismantle them they might find a nice reward inside too. So long as they're okay with sticking their arm into the dead carcass.
A rich corsair in Nogard is claiming that his property has escaped Nogard and is heading towards Eltrut. He has hired several corsairs to track his property down and intercept it before it reaches Eltrut and bring it back to Nogard for a hefty reward.
Scouts report that his property has been sighted on paladin ships and is being escorted by the paladin armada to Eltrut. This is entirely unacceptable, because this property rightfully belongs to him and he will not rest until it is brought back to him, dead or alive.
What a strange thing to say. Corsairs that inquire deeper or head out to track down these paladin ships will find that the man is referring to a lady who has recently escaped Nogard with a chest full of magical silk fabrics. The fabrics are rich and glow with beautiful fairy fire magic and are surely worth a pretty penny. Yet, the man seems to be more concerned about getting the lady back under his wing rather than what happens to the fabrics.
Search out and ambush a paladin ship to take back the lady and return her to Nogard or turn a blind eye and go for the magical fabrics only (you will forfeit the reward). What is a corsair’s definition of freedom and how far will one go to make a fortune?
(For those who try to go after the "owner," they will be met with strong resistance from hired bodyguards and the man will use an artifact to escape. After a few of these attempts, the man will flee to a secret location that will be continued in next month's postings.)
An alchemist in Naughtilust has created a specialized lotion that is said to use arachnid pheromones to create the perfect balance between moisturization and scent. The purple lotion is luxurious and creamy on the skin and is guaranteed to make the wearer smell divine and irresistible.
There is only one little problem that the lotion causes that the alchemist is not aware of. Wearing the lotion tends to attract wolf spiders. The spiders are strangely attracted to this special lotion thanks to the mixture of female spider pheromones and a subltle and sweet fruity smell.
Either use the lotion and find out if this little tidbit of information is real and see if it attracts male wolf spiders, or find a way to distill or correct the lotion so that it can still be used for its irresistible smell and moisturizing properties without the fear of being attacked by all the male spiders coming to the yard. Beauty and science all in one!
This special jellyfish has been sighted several times ,but it has yet to be caught or fished out of the ocean. The rarity of this jellyfish is known by its beautiful long strings of jelly and hundreds of round balls that look like eyes. It is rumoured that if it is caught it will sing like an angel.
Read More.
✦ Size: Large
✦ Type: Aquatic
✦ Strengths: Jelly, impervious to magic, angelic singing
✦ Weaknesses: Giant fish nets, being out of the water
An undead variant of mermaid has been spotted on various coasts at night time. These bloodthirsty mermaids are apprently hungry for blood sucking. Looking upon their faces may reveal that not only do they have sharp fangs they also have pale rotting skin.
Read More.
✦ Size: Medium
✦ Type: Undead
✦ Strengths: Vampire fangs, siren song, hypnosis,
✦ Weaknesses: Sunlight, fire magic, wooden stakes
Hanged Man's Gambit Voting
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Armada: Paladin
Vote: #1: strip him of all rank and sentence him to time in prison and supervised community service (maybe after he gets dragged by the ship?)
Re: Hanged Man's Gambit Voting
Armada:Corsair
Vote: Public Execution - via noose or dragged by ship or via some other manner is fine so long as it's public and he's dead at the end.
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Armada: Paladin
Vote: 4) 1 would be appropriate, but the sentence isn't hard enough if it isn't a life sentence with the chance for parole no less than twenty years. It also should include repayment for dependent spouses, children, or family that might have been impacted by his higherups who weren't doing their due diligence in double checking what was going on either.
He isn't alone in okaying these executions, he's alone in bringing them to the situation itself, but not by justifying the crime behind it. There's more than one person involved. Anyone who is proven to have been involved and looked the other way, or not cared about the outcome should face lesser time in prison and those same fines as well.
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Armada: Paladin
Vote: 4 ) strip him of all rank and sentence him to time in prison and supervised community service after getting dragged by a ship, and publicly made to apologize to the community as a whole, and each individual he nearly got executed and garnish his pay to repay them.
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Armada: Corsair
Vote: #1: strip him of all rank and sentence him to time in prison and supervised community service
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Armada: Paladin
Vote: 4. 1 (a LONG sentence, possibly for the rest of his life) with the addition of restitution to the victims and their families, money or service.
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Armada: Paladin
Vote: Waterlogged - and if a Corsair happens to want him dead enough to do the deed, she'd be okay with that (there's a reason she'd make a good Corsair). If not death, then stripped of all rank, prison, and spending the rest of his life in community service.
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Armada: Paladin
Vote: 1) strip him of all rank and sentence him to time in prison and supervised community service. After he's been waterlogged.
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Armada: Paladin
Vote: Stripped of rank, dishonorable discharge, and prison time.
ABSOLUTELY NO ON GETTING DRAGGED BY THE SHIP big, bold letters.
no subject
Armada: Paladin
Vote: Strip him of all rank and sentence him to time in prison and supervised community service
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Armada: Paladin
Vote: 4) 2, the noose. To be reduced to 1 on the condition that he name anyone who aided him.
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Armada: Paladin
Vote: #1) Strip him of all rank and sentence him to time in prison, along with supervised community service— #4) This man was surely not working alone, and others who participated should receive the same punishment at the very least. What would have been the salary should also go to those affected by the deed done. Supervised community service time should likely be extended as well.
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Armada: Corsair
Vote: Public humiliation while being stripped of all rank, all possessions given to those wronged, supervised community service, and then dragged by the ship. If the dragging doesn't kill him? Continued community service and prison sentencing for what time he's got left alive.
Heavy doubt the man acted alone, best to get the names of all those he worked closely with. There is never only one rotten apple in the barrel, best to continue investigation with heavy questioning of those on his shifts. Anyone that gives those names might deserve a nice reward, even a raise. May be the only way to help repair reputations and public standing.
[Reaper gon' Reaper]no subject
Armada: Paladin
Vote: 4, strip him of rank and weapons, and banish him to a boat to journey off in contemplation and meditation.
Dreams Submerged in Drowning Shadows
I want to traumatize Daqiang further with drowning stuff so he's definitely gonna try entering the nightmare, but just wanna check if it would get him anything other than more fear of death by drowning.
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re: dreams submerged in shadows
Is anything pertinent in the archives that can be looked up? like would the script on the tombstone they were studying match an artifact that is part of the cure (or part of the cause of the nightmare curse)?
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Rem found information in some tattered books on Avaleci about a black disc that could dispell sleeping demons. And there is a powerful smelling salt in the sulfur fields of Avaleci. The sleeping curse didn't begin to show up until the leviathans rolled up to the island. The strange altar with the horse-beast that seems to have issues with it, is clearly bad magic and it's location is in the sulfur fields (and the horse-beast is the 'guardian' of the sulfur fields). Potentially meaning the sulfur fields act as a natural protection against the curse backlashing against the caster with the nightmares itself, though not preventing them from being turned into the horse-beast (the Nightmare).
Would it be safe to have a relatively high intelligence character put 2 and 2 together and get that perhaps whatever ritual was conducted at that altar is related to the curse and it may have to be undone by some sort of ritual using the black disc at that altar? Possibly, 'unmaking' the Nightmare that now inhabits the sulfur fields where it's both protected from the drowning dreams part of the curse, but otherwise trapped in the fields?
And if it is safe for said character to come to these assumptions, can said character find anything related to the black disc, a counter ritual, or other similar curses in the black-market of Nogard after several weeks of searching and researching other curses and curse breaking rituals native to Escordvi?
I would like for Daqiang to potentially find the counter-curse or come up with a counter-curse ritual to try out by mid-february when his smelling salts stop being effective and he starts getting the drowning nightmares that he barely survives. And also information on where to possibly find the black disc.
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First, the arrival of the leviathans to Avaleci are not connected to the sleeping curse. It's more of a coincidence the sulfur fields can help with it.
In addition, although there is more to the altar and the fire horse, it is also not related to the sleeping demon curse (we do have a chain in place for both the sleeping curse and the altar otherwise we would have gladly worked the idea in!!).
That said, those theories are still very plausible for characters to come up with, and should they try to perform a ritual at the altar, they WILL have a productive response. It just won't be related to the sleeping curse but for the fire horse instead. More details will be included in the February quest, but we can say the particular ritual they perform won't be the exact solution, but it will make the altar and fire horse respond to indicate something of that nature is needed.
In addition, the black disc Rem found can still be used as a viable solution against the sleep curse demons. As mentioned, we are continuing the quest in February and will have other potential solutions to deal with it!
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Say we wanted to do a certain quest but due to plotting etc. it'll most likely take place all in the character's inbox. Would that still count as having done the mission or must it be done in the log community?
...specifically I am asking this because of Dragon Heated so lol.
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But yes, inbox threads will count!
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1. for the stone tablets found near the altar, are they made of the same material as the tombstone?
2. re: red substance on the altar. how obvious is it blood (or not blood)? or, if a character brings a sample of it on the altar back to a physician, can they be able to determine if it's blood?
3. re: cloth found around the altar. anything notable about it? like does it have a crest, a certain pattern/marking that's distinct and can be traced to a particular leviathan or npc crew? or is it too tattered?
3. re: sleeping curse and angelic jellyfish. okay so if the curse is caused by a demon...hear me out. would the jellyfish's angelic properties help counter the curse, cure it, ward it off from starting, or do nothing at all?
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2) It's fairly obvious for those familiar with working with blood, and bringing back samples will confirm it is blood. They can also determine it is human blood.
3) Nothing notable, unfortunately, however the type of damage indicates a mix of intense fire, such as an explosion.
4) This is a clever idea! The eyes of the angel jellyfish will be a key ingredient in making a special jelly that can both ward off and slowly counter, but not fully cure, the curse. It's not an instant treatment and will need to be eaten over several days, but it will relieved the effects and reduce the number of nightmares experienced until the curse is fully removed. This will be addressed in next month's quest as it will continue.
dreams in shadows
1.) could misaki use any magic to transfer the curse to herself
2.) in the case of her conditional immortality, would the curse still eventually kill her or would she be locked in stasis in a coma? :|a Does it do damage to the body beyond starvation/dehydration, essentially?
ETA: 3.) If Misaki can come into contact with the sleep demons (assuming the demons are what they are), are they amenable to any kind of contract or negotiation? What would these theoretical demons want?
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2. We can leave this up to you! Either character death or her going into a coma stasis until cured is possible. As for physical damage, along with starvation and dehydration, there would be muscle atrophy.
3. If Misaki successfully makes contact with the sleep demons causing the curse she will be able to speak with them. They will demand that they are hungry for the pleasant dreams and wishes of the sleeper, sucking them dry of their emotions and thoughts. Be aware that attempting contact could also inflict the curse on her.
Dreams Submerged in Drowning Shadows
I'm pretty sure that cutting or burning away the marked skin wouldn't fix the curse itself, so I wasn't going to ask about that. BUT-
How would doing so affect the mark itself? Would it be obscured by the damage, or would it turn up underneath the skin/on top of a burn? If a source of healing was used to restore the skin to normal, would it be there on the new skin (and if so would it be immediate or something that reappeared over time)?
Also: would doing this very stupid thing have any affect on the speed at which the curse grows more severe?
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When the mark is initially cut it can be cut out like a normal sickness might be, leaving the normal flesh underneath. But the mark will appear moments later and start to fester and grow again.
For this specific action, you may pick: Cutting the mark will accelerate the rate at which Arbert has nightmares which he'll have more frequently or heavy fatigue will set in that will make his body beg to sleep.