//------------------------------// // Friendship Quest III: Welcome To Freshport // Story: The Book Of Friendship // by XombieSlayr //------------------------------// Summary Leaving The Stone Saw Mines, the gang enters Freshport, where they enlist the help of the visiting Queen from a far off kingdom to warn the city of the evils unleashed by The Heralds Of The Manticore. They infiltrate a party to chat up a union boss. Let's Quest! Having exited the Stone Saw Mines, you are just a short walk away from the shores and harbors of Freshport, a seaside port city on the north coast. You're headed there to warn them of the impending evil of the Heralds Of The Manticore, and get some help rescuing the Earth Star Guardian. You tread down the pavestone path down to the gates of the city. Freshport is much bigger then Earth Star Village. A street vendor sells meat on a stick, and people fill the streets with their comings and goings. You hear the beautiful voice of a visiting queen haggling with a nearby street vendor for a bushel of apples. She is dressed head to toe in flowing regal fabrics, and a shining platinum crown with an amethyst rests atop her vibrant mane. *She is Princess Platinum (Rarity), otherwise known as "The Lady Pristine", a beautiful unicorn queen from a far away kingdom, come to Freshport to see the sights and sounds. She greets you warmly as she asks what brings you to the seaside town. You all greet her as well, and tell her you are here to warn the city of The evil cult's plans to destroy the world. She is appalled at such a thing, and suggests she take you to the city's mayor, Dunham, to warn him of such a threat. You all agree, and she joins your group. Guiding you through the town, Pristine whisks you down to the docks, a busy and fishy smelling place full of sailors and construction workers milling around. Passed Packed boathouses and crabs shacks to a large three story building right on the water. This is the union house, its warm redwood timber frame stands head and shoulders above any other building you've seen in town. An armed guard stands at the door with his spear. Inside you hear music and dancing. It sounds like a party is going on. *Magelight greets the guard and asks if her and her friends may enter the tavern. The guard refuses as you don't have an invitation. *Lady Pristine uses her Beauty and Way With Words to charm the guard into letting you pass. He feels his will slip away as he becomes lost in Pristine's soft lavender eyes. He steps aside and allows you to pass through into the tavern. You walk upstairs into a wild and rambunctious affair, with another party happening. There are so many people, you can't see through them to find Dunham. *Pristine informs you that Dunham is a donut man, Like Mayor McCheese, but with a massive donut with eyes for a head. Scanning the room, with your newfound information, you do see a donut man, with a massive donut for a head. You approach him and let him know who you are and why you are here. *Dunham is suspicious of you but believes your story. He asks you to follow him. Leading you out of the party down a hallway, Dunham is talking to you. He says he's heard of the Heralds Of The Manticore, and that they are a dangerous and evil cult. Their reach is great, and their secrets dark. Their purpose is to steal The Earth Star and use its power with The Earth Star Guardian to resurrect the Manticore which will destroy the world. Their secret headquarters is hidden deep in the mythical and magical Doorest Of Fores, located across the Dernam Sea. Dunham opens a door to a large study, full of books and bookshelves. It is here were Dunham reveals himself to be an agent of The cult, and that he must kill you to prevent you from ruining his plans for the city. He snaps his fingers and conjures a massive Tyrant Crab and a Hellhound. They approach you, ready to attack. *Sprinkles takes out her Lute which is now a crossbow and fires a steel bolt at the Hellhound. It hits and deals 4 damage. *Sir Awesome unsheathes her magic sword and attacks the Hellhound. She cleaves into its side, dealing 19 damage. *Strudel goes into a Barbarian Rage, doubling her strength and damage. She picks up a large bookcase and throws it right at Dunham The Dounut, dealing 6 damage to his large donut head. *Sprinkles goes after the Tyrant Crab. She climbs a bookshelf and takes her lute which is now a large sword, and leaps into the air as she buries her blade into the soft tissue of the crab's back, dealing 10 damage plus Bleeding. The crab starts thrashing around with Sprinkles still on its back and knocks a bookshelf clean over onto itself. Sprinkles rolls out of the way as it crashes on top of the crab. You all hear a loud crackling of fire as gouts of flame begin to spread out in the room. The Hellhound is breathing fire and luminates the room, catching everything on fire. Dunham lunges At Sir Awesome, his hands crackling with electrical energy. But she uses Expert Evasion to roll under him, then attacks him with her sword. She cleaves him in the stomach, dealing 9 damage. Jelly spills onto the floor from the wound. *Strudel uses her Axe and goes after the Hellhound, evading its fire, she leaps and cleaves right through its back dealing 19 damage, with the Barbarian Rage Damage Bonus. It falls limp to the floor. Dunham puts his hands together and fans out his fingers in a wide arc, as Acidic Jelly leaps forth towards you. But you all leap out of the way of the jelly as it hits the floor, and sizzles and burns right through the carpet. *Sprinkles tries some of the acid jelly as it sizzles the carpet. It tastes like acid and grape jelly. She takes 1 damage because its acid. *Magelight casts a powerful laser blast of magical energy at Dunham. The magical blast pierces right through his stomach, dealing 12 damage, and spraying jelly and dough intestines everywhere. *Lady Pristine casts a power Ice spell at Dunham. Several Massive shards of ice appear from a cloud of energy and all stab directly at Dunham, piercing every side of his body, dealing 25 damage. Dunham's Dounut body spills jelly from every wound, as he struggles for another brief second before dying like a pin cushioned ragdoll. The floor is covered in jelly now. As fire engulfs the room, you all try to flee from the study out into the hallway. But your path is blocked by a massive flaming bookcase that has toppled over. *Sir Awesome looks for a way out. She spots a porthole window, and flings it open. Looking down she sees a passing ship below them. She alerts her friends to follow her as she jumps and slides down the rigging of the ship's mast as she lands in a pile of hay. *Magelight casts a spell which carries her and Sprinkles down onto the deck of the ship. *Lady Pristine encases herself in a magical bubble of diamond and floats like a feather down onto the ship, landing gracefully. *Strudel leaps out and lands in her own pile of hay on the ship, just as the room they were in explodes, scattering fire and debris all across the harbor. As the ship sails off, you lay down in the cargo hold, wondering where your journey will take you next. Find out next time on Friendship Quest!