Quest with me?

[Nyx]

A quest, open to all. Don't really have a limit on the number of participants... open to all, I suppose.

Thread: http://www.althanas.com/world/showthread.php?t=4944

Setting: Scara Brae

Participants: Caryn (NPC), Guile Bates (NPC), Nyx, Asuka, Elijah, Sherin, and Knights of Scara Brae (NPC)

On Caryn: A 14 year old elf, the eldest of 5 children in a poor family. Her appearance is not exactly "beautiful". She loves the rain, regularly goes to places of worship, and has friends everywhere. Circumstances led her to be altruistic and naturally charismatic.

On Guile Bates: A realm-crosser stranded on Althanas. Distinguishing attributes include horns on his head, a tendency to talk to himself, and extremely outlandish clothes. Bates is desperate to get home, where he has a dependent daughter, 14 years of age. Recently, he had found a grimmoire of questionable rituals, and it offered him a chance to return to his own realm - by sacrificing a virgin.

Story in a nutshell: (Note that all storylines are subject to change. Nothing is final.)

Guile Bates kidnapped Caryn on the streets, in broad daylight. He wishes to use her in a ritual. Our characters waitnessed/heard about this event, and decides to go after Bates, each for his/her own reasons. The characters may or may not work together. The Knights of Scara Brae are also after Bates - he commited a crime in kidnapping a lawful member of the society.

Our characters start tracking Bates and Caryn, individually or in separate teams, or even all together, depending on how well they get along with each other. They will probably follow rumors of a strangely dressed man with horns... or do something else, if someone had a better idea. The Knights will be making random appearances, also tracking the same man. Our characters may or may not choose to work with the Knights.

At the same time, Bates and Caryn will interact. Caryn's charisma and altruism will remind Bate of his own daughter. He will come to love her, and put off completing the ritual. He hesitates, because killing her will be like killing his own daughter. Caryn will come to understand the motives of Bates' actions, and therefore will be sympathetic to his cause.

Our characters will eventually find their way to a broken down place of worship outside of town, rumoured to be haunted. OR somewhere else, depends... Within, they will confront Bates. Bates holds Caryn hostage and threatens to kill her. The characters prepares for action. And then Caryn says that she went with him willing, that if they try to kill him, they'd have to destroy her too. There'll be a really touching scene here about self-sacrifice and love, and Bates will break down and end up weeping. Now, the characters will have to make a morally ambigious choice. Destroy Bates, who had repented and never completed the deed he set out to do? Go through Caryn, take them both? Let Bates go, even when he might do worse things in the future? Or something else altogether? Catch 22.

The decision'll probably cause some dissension within the party. And when the decision's just about to be finalized, the Knights will arrive, here to arrest Bates. And depending on the decision, something'll need to be done here. Possibily helping Bates escape, or handing him over to the law keepers. Depends.

[AsukaStrikes]

I guess I can help. Time to kick some guy's ass back to his own world, I suppose.

Gimme a time, day and all the whatnots. Either that, or contact Raven via IM. He should he able to help you hammer out the details for starters.

[Nyx]

I guess I can help. Time to kick some guy's ass back to his own world, I suppose.

Gimme a time, day and all the whatnots. Either that, or contact Raven via IM. He should he able to help you hammer out the details for starters.

Whoot! Thanks. XD Will do.

[Of Free Will]

I'll join if u'll have me

[Nyx]

Awesome. The Writing Writer may join us too... but we'll have to wait for his reply. So... anyone have any ideas to throw in?

For one... I'd like to start with the kidnapping scene. Tension and action are great intro hooks.

And why is each character involved? Elijah has a soft spot for teenagers, Nyx will do what's right (especially if the girl is a teen, and innocent), and I'm not sure why Asuka will participate in this. And if Jacob (Writing Writer) joins in, it'll be because he wants to do some creative killing. The group is pretty mismatched. But... how exactly would the group come together? Are we all there when the kidnapping took place? Do we start going after the kidnapper individually? Do we come together as a group first? Do the parents of the girl have to do some pleading?

About the kidnapper... personally, I don't like it when the "bad guy" is portrayed as a 2D character, all flat and lifeless and pure evil. I'd like to add some depth to him. So... my idea is that, this is a man who loves his daughter (aged 14), and is willing to do anything to go back to her, including completing a cannibalistic ritual found in a grimmoire of questionable spells. So he kidnapped another girl, 14 years old, fulling intending to complete this ritual. However, in his short time interacting with her, she reminded him of his daughter. The man is now torn in half, and decides to put off completing the ritual. And then our heroes found him. To save his own life... he held the girl hostage, threatening to kill her. And then she offers to trade her life for his. Said that she'd willingly go with him. Self-sacrifice and all that. She understands why he did what he did, and wants him to see his daughter again. He breaks down, tries to stop her, weeps. Our heroes are confused, and have to make a moral choice. Do we take the girl, and let the man leave? Do we destroy the man, and break the girl's heart? Or do we do something else altogether?

And... I'm wondering if anyone would object adding one more faction to this: the guards. Cause in any kidnapping case, the lawkeepers of a place will be involved. I'm personally thinking that... the guards wouldn't help much. They stumble around a bit in the beginning, make random appearances throughout. However, when the heroes are making that "moral choice" during the climax, the guards burst in, ready to arrest. Their objective is to solely arrest the man. Nothing else. It adds complexity to decision our characters will have to make.

There's doomed to be a tragic ending. XP

About the tracking... we'll have to do that without any knowledge of the kidnapper's motives. So we need to figure out how we're going to learn his motives... And then we need to decide on how we're going to do the tracking...

And then there's the question of setting, time of day, pacing, any additional encounters, and etc. And names. For the NPCs.

So... any inputs?

[AsukaStrikes]

Location and time are most crucial, in my opinion.

Depending on the Locale, the "hostage" would be different and their reaction to the entire situation as well.

In Corone, which is turning into an Empire, the power of the Corone Army will be increased while the "Outlaws" of the Corone Rangers are brought down to nil. The soldiers would be pretty close to what you wanted and it might be easier to blend in if our "man" is human-ish.

In Raiaera, the citizen are High Elves. The Bladesingers are also fairly skilled, so there's a good chance the "man" might end up dead before we could track him down. Same things goes for Alerar, though the Drows would be even quicker to kill than arrest...

Salvar... Well, no one goes there often these days. It's cold.

No chance of this happening in Fallien, what with the Siege happening and all.

So, best chance is to do this in Corone. Or, if our man is more elven-like, in Raiaera.

And I see what you're saying... I really don't care much about other people, but no girl is going to be harmed on my watch. So, you can say I'll just be at the scene of the kidnapping and give chase just because.... Well, I got bored and can't stand little girls being kidnapped in front of my eyes. 'Nuff said.

And isn't your character a magey type? You could provide us with some clues about the ritual from the stuff we found raiding one of his "Last-known location" during our tracking. As I remembered, there is always a requirment for a specific location to complete such a high-level ritual.

...Get on AIM or whatever, Nyx. Raven will talk you through this.

[December]

Location and time are most crucial, in my opinion.

Depending on the Locale, the "hostage" would be different and their reaction to the entire situation as well.

In Corone, which is turning into an Empire, the power of the Corone Army will be increased while the "Outlaws" of the Corone Rangers are brought down to nil. The soldiers would be pretty close to what you wanted and it might be easier to blend in if our "man" is human-ish.

In Raiaera, the citizen are High Elves. The Bladesingers are also fairly skilled, so there's a good chance the "man" might end up dead before we could track him down. Same things goes for Alerar, though the Drows would be even quicker to kill than arrest...

Salvar... Well, no one goes there often these days. It's cold.

No chance of this happening in Fallien, what with the Siege happening and all.

So, best chance is to do this in Corone. Or, if our man is more elven-like, in Raiaera.

And I see what you're saying... I really don't care much about other people, but no girl is going to be harmed on my watch. So, you can say I'll just be at the scene of the kidnapping and give chase just because.... Well, I got bored and can't stand little girls being kidnapped in front of my eyes. 'Nuff said.

And isn't your character a magey type? You could provide us with some clues about the ritual from the stuff we found raiding one of his "Last-known location" during our tracking. As I remembered, there is always a requirment for a specific location to complete such a high-level ritual.

...Get on AIM or whatever, Nyx. Raven will talk you through this.

Corone sounds good. Anyways, I'm on AIM now. Screen name's "mutedreamer". ^__^ Raven's... not logged on right now?

EDIT: GAH! Wrong account. >_>"

[AsukaStrikes]

Hmm... Well, he IS logged on right now...

Well, ya better get that guy Adventwings's AIM s/n. That's Raven.

No, don't bother. I'm gonna go get him to add you right now.

[sherin]

...could i get in on this :)

[Nyx]

...could i get in on this :)

PM'ed ya. ^_^

[Of Free Will]

ello ello ello!

I like all these ideas ^^.

And FYI, The Writing Writer is another account of mine ^^. And although it would be ever so much fun to stalk all of you as Jacob, I feel he may be out of place in this quest, so Ima save this one for dear Elijah. (this guys <<-----)

[Nyx]

ello ello ello!

I like all these ideas ^^.

And FYI, The Writing Writer is another account of mine ^^. And although it would be ever so much fun to stalk all of you as Jacob, I feel he may be out of place in this quest, so Ima save this one for dear Elijah. (this guys <<-----)


XP

You bad, you. ^_______^

So yep, it's us four then.

Any ideas to throw in? Decisions on paths of action? Will Elijah be working separately, or will he be joining up with someone? XD

[Of Free Will]

hmm....thats a good question. He's pretty laid back so wouldn't care either way. I suppose I'll only know who i'll be venturing with once the thread starts ^^

EDIT:: I think an awesome twist would be to have him hired by the guards to help track down and subdue the kidnapper. OR be hired by the guards to bring YOU guys back since most authority figures aren't too fond of vigilanti's. THAT would be cool i think ^^. good guys vs good guys. none truly wishing to kill the other, btu ever determined to stop them from what they're doing!

[Nyx]

hmm....thats a good question. He's pretty laid back so wouldn't care either way. I suppose I'll only know who i'll be venturing with once the thread starts ^^

EDIT:: I think an awesome twist would be to have him hired by the guards to help track down and subdue the kidnapper. OR be hired by the guards to bring YOU guys back since most authority figures aren't too fond of vigilanti's. THAT would be cool i think ^^. good guys vs good guys. none truly wishing to kill the other, btu ever determined to stop them from what they're doing!

o_O

I like that! XD

Twisty, messy. ^_^ <3

And there'll be alot of near-misses, and battle of wits, and things like that...

But somehow, the Knights'll need to know that there's a vigilante group... so there must be a meeting between the Knights and one of our characters before Elijah can officially enter the scene...

I like. ^____^

[Nyx]

http://www.althanas.com/world/showthread.php?t=4944

Started the thread. Yatta! XD

[AsukaStrikes]

Kashikomarimashita.

[December]

Kashikomarimashita.

I'd go look up the meaning myself... but I'm too lazy.

Translate, please? XD

[AsukaStrikes]

It means "Acknowledged" in Japanese.

I think.

Seriously, though, Raven should go brush up on his language skills. That man is so lazy nowadays. *Sighs in disdain*

[Of Free Will]

ima wait till you guys are a bit into the quest to hop in. ill be like the guy in a Final fantasy game that u dont know of till later, but im still as kick ass as everyone else :P

[Darkarcher]

can i hop in as Omega and team with Elijah?

[sherin]

...yo darkarcher....lol...yo, you need to finish posten in our other quests before you start another XP... yo for the quest i think it would be interesting for the knights to go after us lol, thinking we were accomplices lol that would put a wrench in our plans and make the story a lot more interesting :)

[Of Free Will]

lol uh i thought we had already decided on that idea :confused:

[Nyx]

can i hop in as Omega and team with Elijah?

Ask Elijah if he wants a partner. XP

[Of Free Will]

Nothing personal. But I prefer to work alone. Tis in his nature :P

[sherin]

... = =

[Omegastar]

lol no problem just it would be a very interesting fight between me and sherin seeing as both me and him have almost the same skills lol

[Of Free Will]

Just letting you all know that I havent forgotten about the quest ^^.

I been keepin up with it and like what I see. I'm just waiting till you guys actually decide to team up and go after the kidnapper before I make my grand entrance ^^

[AsukaStrikes]

It should be just around this series of posts, OFW.

Oh, and I just got a note from Raven. It says...

If anyone noticed something funny about the antagonist, it is just something that Nyx and I thought up and is in no ways the model used for this quest.

...Whatever that means. :rolleyes: