[LP] DestinyQuest 2: The Heart of Fire

[Omegonthesane]

Wait, we're an Elysium addict now?

Agreed with suggestion of top to bottom questioning.

[Darth Rabbitt]

About her patient:
'He is known in these parts as Jolando: an assassin, a sword for hire.' Anna takes an oil lamp from the table and holds it closer to the man's face. You notice white scars cutting vivid lines across his cheeks and chin. 'This man is a thief...and a murderer.'
You step away, momentarily startled. 'This is an assassin and you would have me help him? Why?'
Anna places the lamp by the bedside. 'He was doing a job for the Wiccans. I made the contact myself.' She glances at you, nervously gauging your reaction. 'I happen to believe in their cause, as do many others in Carvel.'
You shrug your shoulders. 'You helped me; that is all that matters.'
Anna nods. 'That is good. I am putting a lot of trust in you.'

About the strange object:
You go to touch the splinter of wood but Anna reaches forward quickly, knocking your hand away. 'Do not touch it!' She snaps angrily. 'Stay well away from it.'
'But it's just a burnt piece of bark,' you shrug. 'Does it have anything to do with him?'
The woman follows your gaze to the man lying on the bed. 'That...bark as you call it, is part of a very powerful charm. When it was broken it released a hex—a curse. This man will die in a matter of a few hours unless I break the spell.' She fixes you with a determined stare. 'It won't be easy—and I need your help.'

About the crates:
Anna grabs the curtain and tugs it along the rail, covering up the crates. 'They are much needed supplies,' she explains hurriedly, looking slightly flustered for the first time. 'I'm lucky to have a benefactor who believes in what I do.' Anna glances over at her patient, wringing her hands with worry. 'There have been many casualties in this war...'
'War?' you ask in surprise. 'What war?'
The woman raises an eyebrow. The Church and the Wiccans. Neither will back down—the Wiccans want their lands back; their ancient sites. The Church wants to convert their people; make them change their heathen ways. Do you really see any solution other than war?'

What you need to do:
'This man, Jolando, is the best in his field. He was contracted for a job—and it went wrong.' Anna's fingers brush against a set of daggers resting at the foot of the bed, half-wrapped in black cloth.
'An assassin,' you mutter beneath your breath.
'This wasn't about murder. He was retrieving an object from the church; an ancient dwarven relic that was found out on the moors.'
'So, what happened?
Anna takes one of her mixing spoons and uses it to prod the charred wood on the table. 'I don't know for certain. He came to me much as you did, feverish and delirious. He was clutching this...part of a charm. I believe it's responsible for his condition.'
You grimace at the blackened wood. 'So, where do I come in?'
Anna turns to a side table, covered in sheets of parchment. She takes a quill and begins making marks on one of the pages. 'I'll keep this simple. I need you to go to Crow Rock and kill a manticore.' Her hand makes another series of scrawls on the page. 'I need its blood to break the curse.'
You snort, shaking your head in disbelief. 'Kill a manticore? Why not throw in a dragon too—make it a little more challenging.'
Anna snatches up the paper and hands it over. 'This is not a time for humor.'
You take the parchment and hold it closer to the lantern light. The scrawls form a map, showing a route from Carvel to a series of rocks to the south-east. You look up, realization dawning on you that she is being perfectly serious. Manticores are savage, bloodthirsty predators—known for preying on humans and other large animals.
'You owe me,' says Anna, as if reading your thoughts. 'And I need its blood.'
'Why a manticore?' you ask, folding the paper and sliding it into your pack.
The man gives a sudden cry as he twists and turns on the bed, his fingers forming claws as they fend off some unseen, nightmarish foe.
'Manticore's blood was one of the reagents used to craft that charm,' explains Anna. She takes a glass vial from the table and hands it to you. 'Whoever made it was serious about doing harm. And I doubt anyone in the church could have made such a thing...'
The vial is attached to a silver chain. You lift it over your head, letting it rest against your chest. 'I'll do what I can, I promise.'
Anna peers over her glasses. 'I know you will.'
After bidding the healer farewell, you head out of Carvel, its cobbled streets glimmering in the first light of dawn.

The sky is bright and cloudless as you head briskly across the moors, aware from Jolando's life in the balance. As you get nearer to the mountains the ground becomes steeper, frost crunching underfoot as you find yourself entering a forest of pine and larch.
You haven't ventured far before you hear a cry and the hollow thump of wood hitting wood. Drawing your weapons you hurry through the trees, emerging on a rocky hillside. A young man in fur-trimmed robes has his back against a tree, frantically fending off the attacks of some unusual creatures. They look like a haphazard clutter of twigs and branches, melded together into a vaguely humanoid form. Their arms end in splintered points, almost like sword blades, which are punching and slashing through the air. The man sees you and calls over desperately as his staff swings in a wide arc, smashing one of the creatures through its midriff. 'Traveler, your aid!'
Without hesitation, you move to join the attack:

	Speed	Magic	Armor	Health
Sinister sprigs	0	0	1	12

Round 1: Patio 8+2, Sprigs 9+0. Damage 1+3-1=3, sprigs are at 9.
Round 2: Patio 7+2, Sprigs 7+0. Damage 5+3-1=7, sprigs are at 2.
Round 3L Patio 6+2, Sprigs 5+0. Damage 6+3-1=8, sprigs are dead!

(Hey, a Flawless!)

The creatures confronting you are fast, deadlier than they first appear, but they soon fall to your attacks. Leaping over their splintered remains, you hurry to aid the beleaguered traveler. However, it appears he is now on the top of the situation. Having fended off the remaining creatures with his staff, the man raises his palm and utters an arcane command. From his hand, a white light bursts forth—blinding and intense. There is an echoing crack of thunder.
You stagger back, trying to blink through the bright afterimage. When you are finally able to focus again you see that the area around him is charred and blackened, as are the broken bodies of the strange woodland creatures.
The man lowers his hand, which is still glowing with a faint residue of magic. 'Thank the One God,' he gasps, his shoulders slumping with exhaustion. He catches your eye and manages a crooked smile. 'And thank you, too. I thought I was a goner.'
He steps forward, offering out his hand. 'I'm Benin,' he grins. 'Don't worry, you're perfectly safe to shake it.'
Mirroring your grin, you take his hand in friendship.
'I wasn't expecting to run across anyone else in these woods,' he says, sounding grateful for his change of fortune. 'And certainly not these!' He kicks at the nearest pile of blackened wood.

Will you:
Ask Benin about his magic?
Ask Benin what he is doing here?
Examine the remains of the creatures?
Continue on your journey?

[angelfromanotherpin]

The creatures confronting you are fast, deadlier than they first appear...

Speed	Magic
0	0

Lolwut? They must have looked as deadly as Baby Groot.

Once again, start at the top and work down.

[RogueOne]

Lolwut? They must have looked as deadly as Baby Groot.

We were clearly still kinda tripping from that Elysium we almost ODed on.

Once again, start at the top and work down.

And this.

[Omegonthesane]

Agreed.

[Darth Rabbitt]

About his magic:

'I am a priest, devoted to the One God,' says Benin, proudly. 'My power comes from within—from my kha.' He glances around at the smoking circle of devastation. 'I prefer to use my powers for good—for healing—but there are times when more...direct measures are required.'

What he's doing here:

You notice that Benin does not have a pack with him, only the clothes on his back and a plain-wood staff. From his belt hang a number of pouches and gourds.
'I assume you're not here just for the sight-seeing?' you ask, looking around at the bleak landscape. 'Are you collecting herbs?'
Benin pretends to be brushing dirt from his robes, but you can tell he is deliberating over his answer. He finally gives a sigh. 'I'm on an errand for the church. You could say I got the short straw; I used to play in these hills as a child so I know them well.'
He avoids your questioning stare, squinting back towards the mountains, which rise like dark thorns against the rising sun. 'I don't have much time. Others are depending on me.'

Examining the remains:

'What were they?' you ask, rummaging through the charred remains. If you wish you may now help yourself to one of the following items:

Splintered claw (main hand: fist weapon) +1 brawn +1 armor
Warded wood (ring) +1 brawn +1 magic

Benin scowls as he prods at one of the tangled bodies with the end of his staff. 'It looks like Wiccan work to me. Old magic. Perhaps those savages are defending this area for some reason, wanting to frighten off inquisitive travelers like ourselves.' He lifts an eyebrow, regarding you with a mischievous smile.

Pick a loot to proceed.

[Omegonthesane]

There's a free slot for warded wood and not for splintered claw. So take warded wood.

[angelfromanotherpin]

Ring me!

[SGamerz]

Yeah, pick the item that we don't have to discard eq anything for.

[Darth Rabbitt]

'These lands are not as safe as they once were,' says Benin, resting his staff across his shoulder. 'May I suggest we travel together—at least for the time being? Where are you headed?'
'Crow Rock,' you reply, tugging the map from your pack.
Benin's eyes narrow suspiciously. 'Really?'
'You know of it?' you ask, noting his sudden change in manner.
'Of course,' he states briskly. He turns and points up the hillside, to where a series of boulders mark the start of a steep expanse of rocky scree. 'When I was growing up, the children used to dare each other to touch the rock.'
'Why—what's so special about it?' you ask, shielding your eyes against the brightening sun.
'Oh, you'll see.' With a smirk, Benin starts up the rock-strewn slope. You fall into step behind him, not entirely sure if you trust this strange traveler.

The journey becomes an exhausting climb over jumbled boulders and loose, skittering rock. With your map forgotten, you rely on Benin to lead the way through the makeshift valleys and channels, ascending ever higher into the cloud-tipped mountains.
At last, after clambering up yet another treacherous slope, you spy Crow Rock. It is an unmistakable landmark—a huge outcropping of grey limestone that has been weathered by the elements to take on the hunched shape of a brooding crow. Silhouetted against the sky it looks almost lifelike, as if at any moment it might take to the air, cawing and screeching across the plains.
'Now, do you see?' asks Benin grimly. 'This place has long been revered by the Wiccan. As children, we believed that the crow was real—that it came alive at night and hunted for prey.' He shivers, grasping his staff tighter. 'I suppose the legend does have a hint of truth.'
You follow Benin towards the rock. Beneath it, you can see the land falling away into a hollow canyon. It is then that the stench hits you.
'A monster has made its home here. But it is no stone crow.' Benin grimaces with disgust. 'And I suspect that's why you've come to Crow Rock. As have I.'
You cover your nose as the pair of you scrabble down the rubble into the basin-like depression. The ground is covered in gravel and dirt—and a graveyard of bones. Flies buzz over the carcasses of animals, while crows peck at the half-eaten remains. The stench is almost overpowering.
'The manticore,' you gasp, choking on the rancid air.
Benin points to a cave opening with his staff. 'That is its lair.'
'You don't seem afraid,' you croak, stepping over the shattered ribcage of some unknown creature. 'Manticores are savage—vicious.'
Benin starts towards the cave. 'The errand I mentioned earlier—it ends here.' He looks back over his shoulder. 'Now, I suggest we work together or else it will be our corpses rotting out here in the cold.'

A short tunnel leads you through into a circular rock basin, open to the sky. The floor is littered with half-chewed bones and ragged scraps of cloth. Ahead of you, on a stone ledge, lounges an immense leonine creature. It is at least ten meters long from head to tail, its powerful white-skinned body rippling with muscle.
The manticore.
It is just like the stories you were told as a child: a savage predator with the body of a lion and the wings of an eagle. The beast's tail is scaled, tapering back into a barbed top that drips with a deadly venom.
Your heart sinks when you see it, knowing that you could never defeat such a beast. From the skeletons lying around you, it seems that many others have tried—and failed.
The beast is watching you through heavy-lidded eyes.
'Did you have a plan?' whispers Benin, his voice shaking. 'I assume you're an accomplished hunter, come to gain another trophy?'
You are about to answer, when the beast rises onto its forelegs, its immense wings snapping back from its broad shoulders. After giving a long yawn, displaying the largest set of canines you have ever seen, it shakes its shaggy mane from side-to-side, its neck bones clicking.
Then it speaks.
'Why are you here?' it asks, in a deep and sonorous voice—magnified a hundredfold from the high stone walls.
Your shocked expressions draw a smile from the beast. 'I see you had been expecting a fight, not a conversation.' Its barbed tail flicks lazily from side-to-side. 'Sometimes, I do like to approach matters in a more...civilized way. Now speak—or a fight is what you'll get!'
Benin steps forward, bowing awkwardly. 'The...the bishop of Carvel has been the victim of a...a sinister attack,' he stammers. 'I know how to break the spell, but I need...' he pauses, nervously licking his lips. 'I need your blood to break the curse.'
It takes a moment for the priest's words to sink in.
'You as well?' you frown. 'I should have guessed...'
'What!' Benin exclaims in surprise. 'You're not a hunter?'
'I need the blood. I made a promise to someone.'
'To who?' he demands, his face suddenly flushed with anger. It's the thief, isn't it? The one who stole the relic!'
'Wait, I don't know...' you implore.
'The bishop is dying!' Benin shakes a clenched fist. 'He needs this cure.'
'And I'm helping a man who was attacked in your church,' you snap, losing your patience. 'A charm was used on him—and I need the blood or he will die.'
Laughter booms from the canyon walls. 'And do I have a say in this matter?' asks the manticore, flexing one of its enormous paws.
Its words bring you both up short.
'Then speak, great one,' says Benin, bowing once again.
'I know who made the charm,' snarls the manticore, 'and they are stronger than anything I have previously encountered.' The creature turns to display its left flank, where a jagged wound cuts across its white flesh. 'They took my blood for a ritual and I was powerless to stop them.' The beast settles back onto the stone ledge. 'But you do not have such power, so I will offer you a choice instead.' The creature's mouth twists into a cruel smile. 'Decide who is most worthy to take a single drop of my blood—and you will have it.'
You are about to protest, when Benin spins to face you. 'I must have it!' he demands. 'The bishop must live!'

Will you:
Argue that you need the blood?
Challenge Benin to defend his claim?
Convince Benin to help you defeat the manticore?

Name: Mr. Patio
Speed: +1, Brawn: +4, Magic: +4, Armor: +3
Health: 30

Slot	Item	Speed	Brawn	Magic	Armor	Ability
Head	Plumed Helm				+1
Necklace	Blood Iron Knot				+1	Charm
Cloak	Saddle Blanket				+1
Main Hand	Knight's Folly		+1	+1
Left Hand	Dire Claw		+1	+1
Gloves
Chest	Rider's Jerkin	+1
Feet
Talisman	Crow Feather			+1
Ring 1	All Hallow's Ring		+1
Ring 2	Warded Wood		+1	+1

Backpack	Item
1	Pot of healing
2	Pumpkin squash (2 uses)
3	Troll's Bones
4
5

Prophecy
bones
sure blade
calling
Map of Carvel
Money Pouch: 6 Crowns

[RogueOne]

I doubt Benin will care much about our argument that our need for the blood is greater than his. I also don't think we have a great shot of taking down the manticore, even with Benin's help and his subsequent sudden but inevitable betrayal.

That being said, there's no penalty for dying... so let's try to team up with Benin anyways!

[Omegonthesane]

Team up with Benin and split the blood.

[Darth Rabbitt]

Unwilling to make a decision, you turn to Benin. 'Why should we play this game?' you scowl, drawing your weapons. 'You said before, we need to work together.'
The priest does a double-take. 'Are...are you serious?' he hisses. 'Look at it!'
The manticore beats its enormous wings, lifting its body into the air. Then, throwing back its head, the beast gives a thunderous roar.
'I think it's too late for regrets,' you state grimly. 'You're a priest, right?'
Benin nods, his mouth hanging open as he stares at the beast's tiger-like claws.
'Good. Then say a prayer to that One God of yours!' Ignoring the sickening fear in your gut, you charge towards the beast. Behind you, Benin calls out the words of a spell, surrounding you in a shimmering ball of light.
'I gave you a choice,' snarls the manticore, its barbed tail whipping through the air. 'It appears you have chosen to die!' With a booming roar, the monster lunges. It is time to fight:

	Speed	Brawn	Armor	Health
Manticore	2	3	1	25

Special abilities:
Benin's blessing: Your hero's speed, brawn and magic are raised by 1 for the duration of this combat. After this combat, they return to their normal values.
Holy healer: If your health drops to 8 or less, Benin heals you back to full health and removes any venom that you are currently inflicted with. This ability can only be used once.
Venom: Once you take damage from the manticore, you must lose 2 health at the end of every combat round.

Round 1: Patio 8+2, Manticore 4+2. Damage 5+5-1=9, manticore's at 16.
Round 2: Patio 5+2, Manticore 8+2 (prophecy'd, no damage.)
Round 3: Patio 8+2, Manticore 10+2 (charm'd, Patio 9+2). Damage 5+3-3=5, Patio is at 25. *venom* Patio's at 23.
Round 4: Patio 8+2, Manticore 5+2. Damage 5+5-1=9, manticore's at 7. *venom* Patio's at 21.
Round 5: Patio 6+2, Manticore 6+2. Tie. *venom* Patio's at 19.
Round 6: Patio 5+2, Manticore 8+2. Damage 2+3-3=2, Patio's at 17. *venom* Patio's at 15.
Round 7: Patio 4+2, Manticore 8+2. Damage 4+3-3= 4, Patio's at 13. *venom* Patio's at 11.
Round 8: Patio 10+2, Manticore 6+2. Damage 6+5-1=10, manticore's dead!

Even with the charm failing we still didn't need Benin's healing, although his blessing (and a lot of good damage rolls) certainly helped.

Somehow you are able to stay one step ahead of the beast's attacks, dodging its flailing claws and whip-like tail. A lucky blow from your weapon forces the manticore back against the canyon walls, where its wings catch on the jagged rocks. For a moment, it struggles to right itself—and a moment is all you need to drive your weapon home, ending the beast's life. Exhausted, you step away from the manticore's body, watching as its black lifeblood trickles into the pits and crevices of stone. You remove Anna's vial from around your neck and collect a sample of the blood. Benin does likewise, using a small gourd.
With your grisly task complete, you eye each other warily.
'I'm sorry,' says Benin at last. 'To the One God, every life is sacred. I should not have chosen to judge you.' He glances down at the corpse of the beast. 'I had hoped for a different outcome to this, but what is done is done.'
Searching the manticore's cave, you find 10 gold crowns and the following items which you may take:
Goblin bones (backpack) these might prove valuable to the right person
Manticore's tooth (left hand: dagger) +1 brawn ability: savagery (1/combat, +2 brawn for 1 round)
White mane (head) +1 brawn +1 magic ability: charm

Together you leave Crow Rock and return to Carvel. It is midday when you finally reach Anna's apothecary. You fear that it may already be too late to save her patient's life. Record the word prevail on your hero sheet.

You find Anna at Jolando's bedside. Quickly, she takes the vial from you and sets to work on the antidote. Quickly, she takes the vial from you and sets to work on the antidote. It appears you have arrived just in the nick of time. The thief's condition has worsened drastically. His face is now gaunt, the skin clinging to the bone. Occasionally, he gives a wheezing, rattling breath—the only outward sign that he is still alive.
Anna pours her concoction into a shallow bowl before moving to the man's side. You grab a blanket and use it to prop him up, while the healer tilts the bowl to his pale lips. He coughs and splutters on the sticky liquid, but it appears he has at least swallowed some of it. Anna seems satisfied.
'Now, we must wait,' she says. 'We should see an improvement in the next hour or so. Otherwise...' The healer shakes her head sadly.
You wait in the shop, surrounded on all sides by a multi-colored array of potions, herbs and powders. However, your eyes keep returning to a small onyx statue set in an alcove above the front door. It looks like a bearded man with his hands resting on a large rotund belly. You make a note to ask Anna about its origin—you have never seen one like it before.
At last, Anna emerges from the side room. The healer looks tired, but she is smiling. Under one arm, she is carrying a small iron casket. You rise quickly to your feet, urging Anna to reveal the outcome.
'The antidote worked,' she nods, glancing back towards the side room. 'Jolando is sleeping now; he needs to regain his strength. But we were able to talk—briefly.'

Will you:
Ask about what happened to the thief?
Ask about what is in the casket?
Ask about the statue above the door?
Thank Anna and leave?

Also remember to pick any/all loot from the manticore's cave. We get to take as many as we want this time, so I assume we at least take the Goblin Bones since we have the backpack space, but if not then just let me know.

Name: Mr. Patio
Speed: +1, Brawn: +4, Magic: +4, Armor: +3
Health: 30

Slot	Item	Speed	Brawn	Magic	Armor	Ability
Head	Plumed Helm				+1
Necklace	Blood Iron Knot				+1	Charm
Cloak	Saddle Blanket				+1
Main Hand	Knight's Folly		+1	+1
Left Hand	Dire Claw		+1	+1
Gloves
Chest	Rider's Jerkin	+1
Feet
Talisman	Crow Feather			+1
Ring 1	All Hallow's Ring		+1
Ring 2	Warded Wood		+1	+1

Backpack	Item
1	Pot of healing
2	Pumpkin squash (2 uses)
3	Troll's Bones
4	Goblin Bones
5

Prophecy
bones
sure blade
calling
prevail
Map of Carvel
Money Pouch: 16 Crowns

[Omegonthesane]

Goblin bones because obvs.

Manticore tooth is a strict improvement in our current state, since only one of Brawn or Magic has to be high and it comes with a +2 damage 1/combat thingy.

White mane isn't literally strictly better than Plumed Helm, but I'll take +1 damage and Charm over +1 armour.

So basically take everything.

And ask everything, top down until we hit another menu.

[SGamerz]

Grab all the loot and go through the whole dialogue menu top to bottom.

[RogueOne]

Agreed.

Was it a false choice for how we ended up fighting the Manticore, or do our choices actually matter in this DestinyQuest?

[Darth Rabbitt]

(The choice is real. You only fight the manticore in the option we chose.)

What happened to the thief:

Anna lets out a sigh. 'Jolando was hired to steal a relic from the church vault. It should have been an easy enough task for someone with his skill. But when he arrived at the vault, someone else was already there...' The healer pauses, scratching her chin thoughtfully. 'He said it was a dwarf.'
Your eyes widen with surprise. 'I thought they were wiped out long ago, that they destroyed each other in their constant wars and bickering.'
'Well, not quite,' replies Anna. 'But none have been seen in Fenstone Moors for hundreds of years.'
'So, what happened?'
Anna removes her glasses, rubbing at her tired eyes. 'There was a struggle. Jolando tried to stop the dwarf from taking the relic. The noise drew the attention of the bishop, who discovered them both there inside the vault. Then the dwarf produced a staff—a charm—and broke it in two, releasing its magic. Both the bishop and the thief were struck by a curse. The dwarf escaped unharmed.'
'What do you know of this relic?' you ask, absorbed by the story. 'What does it do?'
'I don't know.' Anna shrugs her shoulders. 'Some inquisitors found it in a set of ruins to the south. They thought they were protecting it by bringing it to Carvel—no doubt to take it apart and study. But the Wiccans believe it might be something powerful. A weapon that could help them win their war.' Anna drops her gaze. 'I should not have got involved in this. It's all getting too dangerous.'

What's in the casket:

'This is actually for you.' Anna hands you the casket. 'It's Jolando's and he asked me to give it to you, as a thank you for saving his life.'
The casket is plain, with no decoration or mark. It feels heavy in your hands. Opening it up, you find a black-bladed dagger inside, with a small leather pouch and an envelope tucked alongside it. If you wish you may now take:

Cutthroat's carver
(main hand: dagger)
+1 brawn +1 magic
Ability: bleed (if you deal health damage to an opponent they take 1 extra damage at the end of each round, ignoring armor.)

The pouch contains 15 gold crowns; the envelope contains an iron key. You turn it over in your hand, looking for any clue as to its use.
'It's the key to Jolando's safe house,' says Anna. He will leave town for a while, until the troubles have died down. His safe house is now yours. I can give you directions.' (Make a note of the entry number 49. Anytime you are in Carvel and wish to visit the safe house, turn to that entry number.)

About the statue:

'Oh, that,' smiles Anna, her mood suddenly brightening. 'It's dwarven—a household spirit. It's meant to bring good luck and prosperity.' She takes it down from the shelf, turning it over in her hands. 'A traveler gave it to me. I've done some research since and, apparently, they're always crafted in twos. Somewhere, there is the twin of this one. I would so dearly like to have the set.
Anna proudly places the statue back above the door. 'He does look lonely up there, all on his own. Perhaps one day, I'll find the other.'

(Now the only thing to do is to thank Anna and leave, which returns us to the map. Choose another destination and whether or not we want to take Jolando's dagger.)

Name: Mr. Patio
Speed: +1, Brawn: +5, Magic: +4, Armor: +2
Health: 30

Slot	Item	Speed	Brawn	Magic	Armor	Ability
Head	White Mane		+1	+1		Charm
Necklace	Blood Iron Knot				+1	Charm
Cloak	Saddle Blanket				+1
Main Hand	Knight's Folly		+1	+1
Left Hand	Manticore's Tooth		+1			Savagery
Gloves
Chest	Rider's Jerkin	+1
Feet
Talisman	Crow Feather			+1
Ring 1	All Hallow's Ring		+1
Ring 2	Warded Wood		+1	+1

Backpack	Item
1	Pot of healing
2	Pumpkin squash (2 uses)
3	Troll's Bones
4	Goblin Bones
5

Prophecy
bones
sure blade
calling
prevail
Map of Carvel
Safe House Key #49
Money Pouch: 31 Crowns

[angelfromanotherpin]

Take the strict upgrade and turn to 33.

[Omegonthesane]

Take the strict upgrade, but turn to 49 before turning to 33.

[SGamerz]

Check out the safe house.

[Ikeren]

Agreed to safehouse. But also, why are we abruptly possibly addicted to random drugs with no mention of our usage prior to that?

[Darth Rabbitt]

(It's mentioned in the intro that Patio was force fed really large amounts of the stuff while in prison (apparently enough to kill most people), in an attempt to force more visions out of him.)

Jolando's safe house is an elegant-looking mansion on the east-side of upper town. However, its outward appearance is sadly deceiving. Once past the front door the interior is an empty shell, crawling with rot and mold—but this will provide a useful area for you to store items safely.
You may store any extra backpack items or items of equipment in the safe house during act 1. If you swap equipment (weapons, backpack items, etc.) during a quest or while exploring Carvel, you may put the item you are replacing in your safe house by turning to this entry number. This will prevent it from being destroyed. You may only keep a maximum of four objects in your safe house:

Safe House	Item
1
2
3
4

You can only re-equip items from your safe house when you visit this entry number between quests.

Quest: Bullets over Blight Haven

You hurry across the barren moors, a chill wind at your back. With night fast approaching and the black clouds promising a storm, you are desperate to not spend another freezing night without adequate shelter. From the ridge you had spied a village, nestled at the foot of the valley. There had been none of the usual signs of life: no smoke from chimneys or flickering lights at windows. Nevertheless it had been a lucky find, offering a welcome alternative to a bed of hard ground and a damp cloak for warmth.
As you near the village, you pass through a copse of dark gnarly trees. A weather-beaten length of parchment has been nailed to one of the trunks. You immediately walk over, grabbing its edge to stop it flapping in the wind. The paper carries the seal of the king, a crown and a crook, marking it as an official document of the realm. The neat-flowing script has been inscribed in holy runes, making it impervious to the elements. The message reads:

Blight Haven
On Mindas Day, Beltaine, in the year 1385 of the Ascendant
The Holy Protectors, King Leonidas and Lord and Lady Justice
hereby decree that the village formerly known as Andor's Haven
is fated for termination and cleansing, Any person found on said land
will be considered a trespasser and punished in
accordance with the Seventh Holy Writ.

Cold rain starts to fall, spattering off the rocks and leaves. A distant crack of thunder sends a nearby crow to flight, cawing and screeching as it hurries away between the spidery branches. The storm is coming—and it makes your decision an easy one.
You rip the paper from its nail and toss it away into the mud. Fixing your gaze on the village, you continue down towards the wooded slope into the valley. No king's document is going to stop you from finding food and warmth this night.

The grey-stone buildings of the village huddle close to the muddy track, each one as dark and silent as the river. You go up to the nearest house and bang on the front door. You wait and knock again, aware of the silence settling around you, broken only by the persistent drumming of the rain. Putting your face to one of the dirt-streaked windows, you try and see inside, but your eyes cannot penetrate the gloom.
You continue onwards, turning a corner to find yourself in the village square. At the center stands a solitary well, its cracked stonework overrun with weeds and moss. Across the square a set of stairs wind up a dark finger of rock, leading to a church dimly visible at its summit. For a moment, you are almost sure you can see organ music coming from within—then a gargling cry rips your attention away, to one of the side streets.
Something is shuffling towards you. A woman, in a mud-stained dress. Her blond hair hangs limp across her pale face, its tangled length matted with leaves and filth. Behind her you can see other figures, perhaps half a dozen or more, all sharing the same disheveled appearance and shambling gait.
'You've got to be kidding me...'
You draw your weapons as the woman staggers closer. Her dull eyes are devoid of life, her skin almost translucent. A grey tongue lolls from her mouth as her jaw slowly cracks open, revealing rotted black teeth.
Then she gives a piercing scream—a hellish sound that turns your blood to ice. It is a call that it is immediately taken up all over the village, ringing from every direction. It is joined by the patter of feet...running, scrambling, clattering over the stones. You start to back away, looking around frantically. Then you see them, spilling out of the side streets—more and more people, ragged and thin, snarling and howling like wild animals. They are closing in from all sides.

Will you:
Stand your ground and fight the zombies?
Look for shelter in a nearby building?

Name: Mr. Patio
Speed: +1, Brawn: +5, Magic: +4, Armor: +2
Health: 30

Slot	Item	Speed	Brawn	Magic	Armor	Ability
Head	White Mane		+1	+1		Charm
Necklace	Blood Iron Knot				+1	Charm
Cloak	Saddle Blanket				+1
Main Hand	Cutthroat's Carver		+1	+1		Bleed
Left Hand	Manticore's Tooth		+1			Savagery
Gloves
Chest	Rider's Jerkin	+1
Feet
Talisman	Crow Feather			+1
Ring 1	All Hallow's Ring		+1
Ring 2	Warded Wood		+1	+1

Backpack	Item
1	Pot of healing
2	Pumpkin squash (2 uses)
3	Troll's Bones
4	Goblin Bones
5

Safe House	Item
1
2
3
4

Prophecy
bones
sure blade
calling
prevail
Map of Carvel
Money Pouch: 31 Crowns

[angelfromanotherpin]

'From all sides' seems bad. Duck into cover, hopefully we can chokepoint them.

[RogueOne]

Agreed.

[Darth Rabbitt]

Frantically, you turn your back on the advancing zombies and hurry towards the nearest building, a two-story cottage of grey stone and black wood. You try the front door but it is locked. With the screeching zombies closing in on all sides, you are left with only one choice.

Desperately, you scrabble up the side of the building, putting your foot on the nearest windowsill and then jumping onto the sloping slate tiles above the door. A zombie makes a grab for you, screeching at the top of its lungs. You kick it away, watching as the body tumbles back into the crowd of snarling villagers. Then, after finding your balance on the sloping roof, you grab the edge of an upper-story window and pull yourself up. To your relief you see that the window is slightly ajar. Gritting your teeth, you haul yourself up the rest fo the way, wrenching your body through the opening.
You land in a heap on the dusty floor of a bedroom. It is dark and cold, your breath gasping out frosty clouds in the gloom. The deafening screams and shouts of the undead still ring in your ears. From below you hear banging—fists hitting against stone and wood. They are trying to break in.
You scramble to your feet and hurry through the door opposite. It leads on to a landing, with another room across from you and a set of stairs leading down to the ground floor. You notice a glimmer of light spilling into the hall. It is coming from one of the rooms below you.

Will you:

Inspect the other bedroom?
Descend the stairs to investigate the light?