Inferverse first adventure back up feb 27

 The short grassy field gives way to sudden steep brown cliffs like a wall on one side, and a steep cliff to a beach below on the other forming a narrow passage just wide enough for two horses side by side or one small wagon. The beach below is white sand and grey random rocks among giant sea shells that any adventurer can recognize as the sea side version of the magic treasure chests; with the exception of the oyster monsters which one may accuse of being a form of mimic if not for the treasure chests immitating an animal shape. From this high path one can see across the sea to the great wall of Novicia that surrounds the entire continent, a 1000 feet beyond the beach. yet there is a half sunken giant ship out there and a few random islands barely twenty feet across with many hidden dangers and treasures for those who dare venture into these monster infested waters.

   Despite these threats there is down the path and beyond a massive ornate gate designed with marine themed statues like starfish, tridents, mermaids, and sea horses; there is the city of Aquaria. The city is one of the larger in all of Novia...in that the blue and white domed houses that make up the streets number like 70, there is a small pub, a brothel, a tower belonging to a "crazy inventor", a canal with fishermen, the port which is really just two boats including a ferry that just takes adventurers up and down the shore safely by using monster repellents to neighboring port towns....of which there are only three others and one of those only has like four houses in it. Aside from these Aquaria also sports a lavish palace...six stories tall, blue odd spiral twin towers, king's throne room is practically inside the front door as its up two flights of stairs. However by Novia standards this is a major city, and this kingdom is a major port of call due to its "thriving" businesses unique on this coast like the higher level weapons and armor shop, the arformentioned brothel/inn, and just outside the gates and down a tunnel there is a "secret" magic shop/shamaness house.

   The king of this land, King Bident, his Queen; Anna; and the princess Marianna are in attendence this evening to a lavish banquet in the palace court yard. The wise old king with his great long white beard, is thin and much younger looking queen, and their long haired blonde daughter who shares virtually none of their combined features; all sit on thrones above the lavish feast where more people are in attendence than reside in this city; for in truth it is the entire population; the city is actually empty right now; even the fishermen trio brothers who talk of nothing but fishing are there eating up the shrimp. There is even the old...yet clearly young shamaness in her veil and purple witchy robes, and three special guests of honor; the plane features captain of the guard swordsman Dylok, the elven archer Lang, and standing head and shoulders above everyone else; litterally, in plate mail armor is the champion, the hero, Mormo.

   The King speaks, "My people, tonight we celebrate our savior, Mormo. When he first arrived we were all suspicious of giant of a man, however he has through his many side quests won over the hearts of our people, freeing Old Man Gizmo from the Mecha-Bones, earning the respect of the fishermen and sea captain alike by defeating the Blue Sea Serpent; and saving our treasurey from the vile Lepre Slime, Lepre Gnome, and their leader that dreaed Leprechaun. Not to mention saving the under ground temple from the clutches of the Burning Skeleton, and our fields which were haunted at night by the Scarecrow."

   He pauses a moment and raises his goblet, "Ah, but I praddle on, and he is well deserving of it. For without Mormo even our captain of the guard and the elves of the southern forest could not have defeated the Jolly Rodger who threatened our kingdom with his army of Pirate Ghosts and Pirate Skeletons. So it is with this occassion, I do reward our heroes with these treasures."

   Despite not being named, and in fact a bit dismissed by the king Lang and Dylok join Mormo as they set down their mead and meats and walk up to bow before the king.

   "To Dylok, our brave captain of the guard, I reward this."

   A nearby knight hands him a small treasure chest, from which he pulls out a silver sword much longer than the treasure chest, "The Silver Saber."

  Dylok takes the sword and thanks the king, despite the fact the sword is weaker than the mysterious blade The Holy Light Sword, that Mormo had given him that worked so well against the undead.

  "To Lang, that brave elf of the souther woods, I reward this."

  Another small treasure chest holding another larger than it item inside, "The Silver Bow,"

  Lang takes it and thanks the king, despite the fact Mormo had given him a much stronger bow, the Tri-Elements of Heaven bow that firest holy, lightning, and golden energy arrow bolts, while this Silver Bow by contrast merely bestows a blessing on arrows fired from it to do extra damage to evil and undead foes; which the Tri-Elements of Heaven bow could obliterate with a single shot.

   "To Mormo," the King waves and shakes his head to a knight with a treasure chest, causing Mormo's smile to vanish and a confused look to spread across his bow, "I grant the hand of my daughter, the princess Marianna!"

   Mormo's mouth is agape, meanwhile Marianna shouts, "Father! How could you! I don't want to marry this muscle headed thief and pottery smasher!"

   Mormo looks around nervously at those accusations but no one else in the banquet is even reacting to the princess's words, or the fact she has stormed off back into the castle. The light to her room in the sea side tower comes on shortly after; after all her room is up like one flight of stairs from the entrance; the castle really isn't very big.

  "Your highness." says Mormo eying the other treasure chest, "Surely this is a test, I am a foreign adventurer; my life is filled with danger and monsters. I cannot...litterally...I mean I cannot stay here your highness, nor do I have a kingdom to take the princess back to."

   "Oh pish posh," says the king, "My daughter needs to see the world, she will be a great asset to you on your adventures with her healing and buff magic."

   "Oh," says Mormo forcing a smile, "I see, well, thank you, you're highness. I accept this...reward...um...your daughter, I welcome her to our party."

   Mormo, Lang, and Dylok walk away, Dylok however walks away from them and seems to be sulking by the exit door.

   "What the hell is this?" asks Lang, "I though the quest was just to take out the Jolly Rodger, this bow and that sword are junk items back home,  and I thought the idea was to bring back data on the rare bosses in this zone and a swordsman. The king is making it sound like the story isn't over yet, why add another adventurer this late in the game? We already beat like seven main bosses and a dozen side quest bosses; they don't get any stronger in Novia than a Jolly Rodger."

   "I know," whispers Mormo, "the captain of the guard would be rare enough to take home, but...maybe such an archaic healer and buffer can fetch a price back home, or at least in the Evil Horde Zone where they don't get many like that; her spells could be so old school they don't even damage undead."

  "That's alot of ifs," says Lang, "Fine, I'll contact some collectors I know; if nothing else they might sell as a pair; heck, did you hear the sub-text; I think Dylok and Marianna were supposed to wed before this whole curse upon the land thing started."

   ******