The Endless Hunt: Season 2, An Explosive Island

[Legendary Sidekick]

Pried from the Left Talon of a Dead Hawk

Dear Roku-Roku Flower Rangers,

Though you are expert markswomen, I fear that the problems on this island will require you to carry melee weapons on you at all times. Here are my designs, made especially for you ladies.

First, for you Rose, a switch-axe worthy of a great leader such as yourself. This is no ordinary axe. It can switch to a "sword mode," which includes a phial containing a paralysis serum. Use this mode, should you find yourself overwhelmed by pirates.

Pirate J Axe
(switch-axe)​

For "Tiger" Lily, a hammer that takes great strength to wield. If she is to defeat the Lava Demon, this will surely be a necessity:

Lava Core Hammer
(hammer)​

"Black-Eyed" Susan's quick draw technique will be greatly improved with this weapon. I hear rumors of a cruel man with very fast hands. Even she may not be able to fend off his deadly strike without this:

Heaven's Thunder
(longsword)​

 

[Legendary Sidekick]

Pried from the Right Talon of a Dead Hawk

"Climbing" Ivy's advantage of higher ground will be greater than ever thanks to this great sword:

Valkyrie Blade
(great sword)​

Next time "Shrinking" Violet finds herself diving into shark-infested waters to escape pirates, she should use this weapon. It comes with a shield large enough to easily defend her small figure, and the short sword is surprisingly effective even in water. Oh... and do tell Violet to eat something.

Sea Striker
(sword and shield)​

"Endless" Heather is great at cheating death, so I wasted little time perfecting the shield. Instead, I chose to take advantage of her long reach by designing a lance that will allow her to do the same. Her recklessness will not be such an issue if she arms herself with this:

Doom Crown
(lance)​

As usual, the second crafting of these fine weapons have been delivered to you. However, I believe the originals are more than mere prototypes. My sister Hanna shall sell the originals at prices we deem affordable to hunters. Perhaps tusk earrings and pelts can be used as currency.

Respectfully Yours,
~Bobo, Great-Grandmaster Smith



(Credit: weapon designs by Capcom, art by "Bobo")

 

[The Grey Sage]

Sage Aeron Greymoore

The Council had not been happy. Actually, they had been more than unhappy, they were furious.
"Third Sage Aeron Greymoore. You were on a mission to capture the..." Aeron held up his hand.
"I know, but he wasn't there! Look, if I had found him I would have unlatched all of my seals and done him in."
This got a murmur of confusion. His target was reported to have been there.
"Third Sage, your next assignment is easy...''
And here he was, on Roku Roku's beach, waiting for the authorities to let him past. The surrounding tourists eyed him worriedly. I suppose choosing a black cloak on a sunny day might not have been the least threatening of options. Where in blazes in Thames!
The officer clapped Aeron on the back and spoke in a low tone, "You're free to go sir. Just don't make much of a scene. Here on Island 2 we don't much like hunters..." Aeron was already gone.
***
Aeron moved swiftly through the crowds, past a village square, and moved out past the boardwalks. He walked out past the sight and sound of the town, and saw a long sandy beach. To the west was tiny forest on the horizon, closer but still far off to the north was a cave. Aeron glanced over his shoulder and found that to the south was a cove. Aeron moved to the North towards the cave. Under his breath he whispered, "I'll find you, you demon. I will find you..."

 

[Reaver]

REAVER-

As I chased the hallucinating fool through the thickening rainforest, the sweet smell of roasting pig filled my nostrils. That meant that civilized folk were nearby.

I have to admit that I was famished and perhaps I could offer my services in exchange for room and board. This would provide me with the opportunity to converse with the locals, thereby gaining much-needed information about this place and its inhabitants.

I would be remiss to not give credit to the gladiator: He was in excellent shape and ran quite fast for a man of his size. I was thoroughly winded by the time I caught up with him. We'd run through three quarters of the jungle and had reached a medium-sized farm set in the middle of a semi-circular clearing.

Manimus had found his way into the goat pen and was on his hands and knees: speaking some sort of loud gibberish to a small, very frightened one-horned goat that he'd cornered. The gladiator's skin had turned a dark green, his honey colored locks the color of pitch. I'd forgotten the other side-effect of eating baneberries.

The owner of the farm stood near the gate, armed with a wooden pitch fork while his wife and eight children looked on in horrified wonder at the spectacle unfolding in front of them. He looked extremely relieved when I pushed my way through the brush and into the clearing:
"Thank Adonai for you, good sir! Surely The Creator has sent you to vanquish this incredible hulk of a menace!"

Suddenly, the six and a half foot tall manimus began to shrink and widen, his skin taking on the appearance of dark brown rock, even his hair had disappeared.

"Indeed," I replied, trying to withhold raucous laughter: "But regretfully I must ask a favor in exchange for my services."

"Anything!" the farmer replied anxiously. "Anything at all! Just get rid of that...thing!"

"I will need room and board for at least a week, perhaps more. I can pay you in gold talents if need be. I have other forms of currency if that's not acceptable. In fact, I'm not quite sure where I am; let alone what the local currency is."

"Payment is not necessary!" the farmer screeched. "Just save my goat!"

"Very well," I smiled, walking over to the pen and walking through the gate, "this will only take a moment."

I reached into my Bag of Holding and withdrew a tiny leather pouch, untying the small leather cord that held it closed. Then I walked over to Manimus and emptied the sparkling greenish-red powder it contained over the gladiator's head.

Manimus immediately stopped his loud gibberish and involuntarily inhaled the small billowing cloud surrounding him from the neck up. Within seconds, Manimus had changed back to his normal appearance, shook his head wildly and leapt to his feet.

A look of abject confusion was plastered to his face. It was hilarious.

"L-like, where am I?" he queried.

I looked over at the farmer for an answer.

"Roku-Roku Island," he responded, his voice filled with awe.

"There you have it," I added with a chuckle. "You owe these fine people an apology for terrorizing their goats."

"What?" Manimus said, the look of confusion deepening, "The-the Unicorn King..."

"What in Sheol's name is he talking about?" the farmer's wife demanded.

I answered her with a broad smile and a shrug. She reciprocated, albeit a smile that was filled with questions.

"Come," said the farmer, ushering us toward his thatch-roofed home. "The pig is nearly done and we were just preparing for dinner before all this commotion began...please join us."

"How generous," I beamed. "Awfully nice of them to invite us to dinner," I added, turning to Manimus: "Considering what you did to their poor innocent goat."

"B-but like, the Unicorn King..." the gladiator replied dejectedly, "...told me that I could be the savior of his kingdom if I fought the Great Slavering Liger of the Red Mane."

I looked at the poor, half-crazed man's serious face for nearly a minute before laughing hysterically.

"Why don't you tell us all about it..." I said, wiping tears from my eyes, "while we eat?"

 

[Reaver]

MANIMUS-

Okay: Like I totally remember everything that happened now. See, it’s like, after Reaver was all like: “Oh no, Manimus! I’m like totally stupid and I don’t know anything about surviving in the wild, can you please tell me what’s good to eat?”

I was like: “Yeah, whatever dude...” Then I like, heard something moving around in the brush, so I was all like: “Shh! Be quiet dude! I hear something moving around in the brush!”

Reaver was all like, scared and stuff and he was like: “Oh no! I’m like totally about to pee my pants! I totally got a turtle-head pokin’ out!”

That’s like when I saw the Unicorn King and stuff. He was all like, waving to me and he said: “Manimus Ultimus! You are the greatest hero in the world...of humans...I like, need you to be the hero of my kingdom!”

I was all like: “Hell yeah, King! I’ll totally save your kingdom! I’ll rock that stuff!”

The Unicorn King was all like: “Awesome. And like, after you save my kingdom, will you like, teach me and my army your workout routine?”

I was like: “Oh yeah. I’ll definitely teach you my workout routine! I’ll teach it to you and your guys until your butts are on fire!”

The Unicorn King was all like: “Sweet!”

So then he was all like: “Follow me! I’ll take you to my kingdom!”

I was all like: “Okay.”

Reaver was all whining like: “Wait for me! I can’t survive here all by myself!”

But I was already gone. There was no way he could keep up with us. We got to the Unicorn King’s castle pretty fast and all his knights were there. So were the Unicorn Queen and the princess, who was like, not even a unicorn. She was pretty hot and she was totally into me.

She was all like: “You’re totally hot, Manimus. I’m totally into you.”

I was like: “Tell me something I don’t know.”

Then this one knight named Sir Lollykins was all like: “Back off, dude. Princess Flutterby is like, my girl.”

I was like: “Whatever, dude. You’re like, totally jealous ‘cause she thinks I’m totally hot.”

Sir Lollykins was all: “Well, yeah, but still…I like, challenge you to a duel and stuff.”

I’m like: “Bring it on, dude.”

So the King was all like: “Sir Lollykins is like, you know, my greatest knight. If you defeat him, you can like, totally date my daughter.”

I was like: “Cool. But like, I don’t even care about that right now. I like, need to focus on like, tearing Lollykins’ butt apart.”

At this point everyone kind of gave me this look. It was like they were in awe of me.

I get that look a lot.

So then, the Unicorn King was like: “Let’s go to the arena. That’s where all my warriors fight and stuff.”

Sir Lollykins was all like: “Fine. Are you ready to die, human?”

I’m like: “You’re the one who’s gonna die, dude.”

So then, like, we get in the arena and like, Sir Lollykins bum rushes me. I think he like, thought he could surprise me. Yeah, right. I killed him with one punch.

The other knights were all like: “Whoa. Manimus just killed Sir Lollykins with one punch. Awesome.”

The Unicorn King was like: “Awesome.”

The Unicorn Queen was like: “Totally.”

Princess Flutterby was like: “I’m so hot for you right now Manimus. And by hot I mean I really like you.”

I’m like: “Yeah. I know. But before we go on a date, I gotta like, save your kingdom.”

The Unicorn King was all like: “Kneel, valiant warrior. Henceforth you shall be Sir Manimus: Royal Knight of the Kingdom of Forest Green Acres.”

I was like: “Cool. So like, what do you need me to do?”

The King was all: “There’s this monster that’s been killing all my people. It’s really big and mean. And like, totally evil. We call it the Great Slavering Liger of the Red Mane.”

I was like: “No problem. I’ll tear this liger thing a new butt.”

Then everyone gave me that look of awe again. And then suddenly, they all disappeared and I was like, magically transported into the middle of a goat pen. Reaver was there and he was all like: “Oh, thank Adonai! I was so scared! I’m so glad you came back to protect me.”

There were like, some farmers there too, and they were all like: “Yeah. We totally need your awesomeness to protect us.”

I was like: “Whatever. I have to go kick that liger thing’s butt.”

Reaver was like: “You’re totally awesome, Manimus. I wish I was half as cool as you.”

I was like: “Tell me something I don’t know, dude.”

 

[Legendary Sidekick]

Violet, the Blue Flower Ranger

Sage Aeron Greymoore
(As you enter the cave, you pick up a scent of "fire and brimstone." You also pick up the scent of a much more pleasant fragrance... oddly, you are unable to pinpoint the source of the fragrance until she taps you on the shoulder.

Your eyes have already adjusted to the darkness. You can easily see that the person who managed to get this close to your back is not a threat. She is small in stature, clad in some sort of floral attire, and carrying a shield that acts as a light source with its phosphorous glow.)


"I heard you speak of the demon.

"Tread carefully, hunter. We are within his reach!

"Though I am willing to guide you, you seem to do quite well without a light source. Perhaps you prefer to sneak around in the dark. If I am correct, this place is perfect for a man like you.

"There are two large tunnels on the north end of the cave. We simply refer to them as the Northwest Tunnel and the Northeast Tunnel.
"Feel free to explore. If you need me as a guide or wish to ask questions, I am here for that."

Many fear this man. I do not. He is not like the pirates who have invaded our home. He will not harm the innocents; of this I am certain.

"If you do not require my assistance, I will have words with that officer who spoke to you earlier. Specifically, I shall personally assign him aboard the next evacuation ship.

"I am Violet of the Roku-Roku. My sisters and I are Huntresses. If any employee of this island ever shows disrespect to a hunter, please inform my sisters and I at once. I do not with to deal with both pirates and cowards at the same time.

"Sorry... just the way he made you feel unwelcome really steams my bean!"

 

[Ravana]

SIGRELYN and HEVERIK

"I knew you weren't an ordinary tourist. You are a Huntress! I saw it in your eyes...

Sigrelyn nods, expression neutral. I'm guessing the assortment of weaponry might have had something to do with it, too.

"…Well, if he would like to have floral attire custom tailored for you"

—this time, she barely manages to stifle a laugh—

"he should seek Ivy, our designer. You'll recognize her. She wears an outfit made of, well, ivy... leaves and clingy vines. The rest of us don't know how to put flowers on without her guidance, so she can never wear them.

"Of course... we would have to put the flowers on you. Not all of our visitors are comfortable with that, as it is a three hour process, thirty minutes of which involves the application of oils to your body that are necessary in order for you to remove the outfit easily when the flowers wilt.

"Such attire is advantageous to a Huntress as the fragrance does repel ligers, which makes travel in the wilderness considerably safer."

Better to just nod attentively. Not sure what her reaction would be if I corrected her on who he intends the flowers to be stuck on.

"If you want a pelt, remove the liger's head! Just not on the beach, if you please. The tourists panic at the sight of a killing."

The Prince brightens. "Oh, good: we can kill some, then? The Imperial lawmakers have covered just about every conceivable loophole in terms of wearing fur that's still attached.…"

"The red-maned liger weighs half a ton and is twelve feet from head to hind."

And that's why, Sigrelyn pointedly refrains from saying.

"A magnificent beast! We try to show mercy and take them alive, but when their population becomes too great, it is necessary to thin the pride. Therefore, the reward for killing this beast will be greater than that for capturing.

"Ah... here is Lily with your belongings!"

The Prince notices Lily's attire consists of mostly paint, a liger hide bikini, and a single tiger lily in her hair. He doesn't notice she is easily lifting his trunk over hear head as his eyes aren't looking that high up.

Having summarily dismissed the tiger lily as being an ornament too common to warrant inspection, and the paint as requiring no explanation, Heverik returns to examining the bikini. I doubt most of the court would be able to distinguish it from any other tiger skin. Pity. Guess it will have to be the mane; otherwise, might as well just go after the pirate earrings.

"Have you any questions, Huntress--I mean, Baroness? Or... shall I see that Hanna serves your husband and yourself at once?"

"I think that will do for the moment… unless you happen to have any information concerning the whereabouts of those pirates? Barring that, mojitos are in order, if Hanna serves them."

"Or snakes?"

"I doubt they serve snakes, honey."

"No, I meant information about—"

She digs him with her elbow and grins.

"Ah. Yes, of course. You know that's one of the things I adore about you, dear: you're always quicker than I am."

I am SO not touching that one.… Two decades around court—and her mother—had taught her that silence was an appropriate response to any number of situations.

"Dear? I had a thought. Since it's really only the mane that appears to be distinctive, I suppose we don't really need the entire liger. I'd just end up giving the rest of the pelt to someone for a bedspread or suchlike, I'm sure. Now, I have a razor in my things.…"

Sigrelyn gestures for the tavernkeeper.

 

[Legendary Sidekick]

SIGRELYN and HEVERIK @ AREA 2: Hanna's Tavern
Rose smiles at the prince. "Funny you should ask about snakes. In a couple days--ah, thank you, dear..."

She sees to it that the prince and baroness are satisfied with Hanna's service before continuing.

"Lovely girl, that Hanna. I worry about her sometimes, what with the tough customers that often--" It's not their concern, Rose, get to the point. "Well, she is strong. I should not express my concern... anyway, the Snake Chasing Festival begins soon. Keep an eye on the bounty post for details."

She turns to the baroness. "In the meantime, if you wish to deal with pirates, I will certainly appreciate it. If you wish to have me as a guide, I would enjoy backing you up. If you and your husband wish to handle things yourself, as most hunters do, head North."


SAGE AERON GREYMOORE @ AREA 3: Cave Entrance from South Tunnel
(Interacting with Violet...)


REAVER and MANIMUS @ AREA 1: Beachside Village
The farmer is in a bit of a hurry to get the two men to leave. Both are obviously under the influence of baneberries, especially the big one who has quite an appetite!

"If it's the Red-Maned Liger you seek, head to the Tiger Woods!"

A loud sound is heard from the northwest...

Manimus almost knocks the table over as he rises, but the farmer asks, "Are you really going to rush out there unarmed?"

The farmer's daughter stands by the entryway of the hut with a pitchfork. "This is a tool to a simple farmgirl such as myself. In your hands, it is a spear and a trident combined!"

Reaver notices the girl's relieved expression as Manimus takes the "weapon" and runs off without making too many awkward chauvinist ramblings.


(New Arrivals to Roku-Roku) @ AREA 2, Fresh off the Boat
Two of the ladies of the Roku-Roku will personally greet you(r party) at the dock with a lei, and inform you that its fragrance which will slightly delay a liger's attack to your jugular.

You may speak to either one of the ladies.

The one with warpaint on her limbs and cheeks is Lily.
The one with a black mask over her eyes is Susan.

 

[The Grey Sage]

Sage Aeron Greymoore

"Thanks for the heads up. I think I'll explore the cave further... I'm waiting for someone, and caves would be the perfect place for him. As soon as he arrives I'll be off to the tunnels." She knows about my target, maybe, but I have to be sure.

"You say the demon is within reach, but do you know of whom I speak? I am the Third Sage, and I seek a fiend so foul. I was told he was to found in the depths of Roku-Roku. Do you perhaps know him? No, you couldn't... well, I thank you for your help. If I see any of your fellow huntresses... I will certianly be grateful for your presences. Do you know of anything of intrest in this place?"

Aeron leaned against the wall and glanced at the strange woman again. Her weapons interested him. "Before you go, may I ask one more question? Who crafted your weapons. Besides my own sacred blades, I have not see their equal."

 

[Legendary Sidekick]

Violet, the Blue

Sage Aeron Greymoore


"They call him Bobo. He's a hard man to find, but his sister Hanna is the owner, operater and waitress at Hanna's Tavern. It's by the docks, in area number 2 on that tourist map.

"This is the second craft. The name of this sword and shiled set is Sea Striker." Violet slowly and partially unsheathes her sword to show it has the same phosphorous glow. "These weapons are only truly useful to those who possess certain strengths. I have a feeling this sword would be perfect for you."

Violet moves close to Sage.

Why do the tourists fear this man? He is a powerful warrior, but he does not kill without cause. The only men who need to fear him are the pirates.

She is certain that what she is about to do is safe.

She unsheathes her blade. "I'm going to hold this in front of you. I'm going to point this in the direction you would while your guard is up." She positions the blade exactly as she said she would. "Look ahead..."

Perhaps this Third Sage is not used to trusting someone this close to him. But he must know...


(See my PM.)


"...and I'm not waiting."

 

[Legendary Sidekick]

Reaver & Manimus @ AREA 4
Surrounded by Giant Orangewood Trees and wildlife that can be heard but not seen, you wander into the strangely peaceful forest known as, according to the signpost, the Tiger Woods.

Where to?

• North
• West
• East
• or South, which leads back to the beach

 

[Reaver]

Tiger woods...

REAVER-

The gladiator and I headed north through the dense jungle. I drew both of my runic blades, focusing all my senses on our surroundings. For the first time, I was glad to have Manimus nearby, his loud crashing, bumbling and cursing were sure to attract the attention of a hungry Red Maned Liger.

 

[Legendary Sidekick]

Here's what REALLY happens...

Reaver,

You see a path to the north, and the rumbling sound is drawing near... there is a steep incline up ahead. Manimus can't resist trying to "race you to the top!"

But your instincts tell you that your swords are useless against what's coming... then you see it. A large ball of fire hurdling toward Manimus.

No time to warn him--you dash to one side and feel the scorching heat as the projectile nearly misses and momentarily blinds you...



Among broken trees only 50 feet away from you is a smoldering crater.

A large blood red stone rests in the middle.

You worry about your idiot friend... but then worry for a different reason when he runs back into your site, then when he's beside you he keeps running in place.

He finally stops his impromptu workout routine to get a good look at the stone.

"Bet I can lift it," he boasts.

 

[Legendary Sidekick]

Ivy, the Green Flower Ranger

The only Roku-Roku ranger who doesn't wear flowers adds two new bounties to post #1.


~​~~~~~~~~~~​~~~~~~~~~~​~~~~~~~~~~​~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~​~~~~~~~~~~
Dear Huntresses and hunters,

Be especially careful when traveling beyond the 5 areas shown on the map. Should you get attacked by the Lava Demon, do be a dear and bring back the stone if you are powerful enough to lift it.

Sincerely,
~Ivy

PS~ Wait for the stone to cool before attempting to manhandle it.
~​~~~~~~~~~~​~~~~~~~~~~​~~~~~~~~~~​~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~​~~~~~~~~~~


"And I think I really will let a man handle it next time," Ivy mutters as she dips her hands into the sea. Staring at the minor burns, she sighs, "This is no look for a delicate flower like me."

"But Ivy," Heather says, "you're the least flower-like out of all of us!"

"Put a sock in it Heather... before I put a sock in you!"

 

[Ravana]

SIGRELYN and HEVERIK

"In the meantime, if you wish to deal with pirates, I will certainly appreciate it. If you wish to have me as a guide, I would enjoy backing you up."

"We'd be delighted with your company. I do have a few questions you might be able to answer while my husband is finishing up his conversations.…"

[See PM.]

Sigrelyn suggests that Rose aid in procuring some rope, along with any other supplies she thinks will prove necessary (and carrying them, seeing as she's not particularly burdened at this point).

Following which—and a change of clothes for Heverik, into something he feels better coordinates with the leis he's been accumulating—the group goes north.

Heverik is dressed in a bright pink leather jerkin with orange piping and lavender lapels, tastefully slashed to further display the orangish-pink shirt with bloused sleeves beneath, magenta pantaloons, ice-pink hose and soft calf-high boots which for some inexplicable reason are sky blue. (Actually, the reason is because he only has the one trunk with him.) None of the pinks comes even close to matching any of the others. His left hand sports a violet falconry glove, in spite of his having left his falcon behind. He has at his side a light sword-like object with an elegant silver-plated basket hilt in a silver-trimmed white scabbard; he carries a small crossbow which gives the appearance of having a maximum range of twenty yards, and is wearing a bright red bandolier bearing some dozen or so bolts; somewhere on his person is his shaving razor, a small sewing kit, and a pouchful of ribbons in assorted colors. A mauve soft leather hat, from which a half-dozen pheasant quills project forward to shade his eyes, rounds out the ensemble. That, plus leis in as many different colors as he could obtain on short notice, on the assumption that if one doesn't help against ligers, another ought to.

Sigrelyn is dressed in a lightweight blouse and trousers, a sleeveless leather jerkin, soft gloves, hardened vambraces, and knee-high boots reinforced inside with hardened leather greaves, all in various shades of muted greens. A longsword hangs from one hip, her quiver near the other, her strung bow in the now-open case on her back, and a half dozen blades of varying lengths and styles in places no one is likely to notice until it's far too late. A pouch on the back of her belt carries an emergency field dressing kit, which she fully expects will be required at some point.

 

[Legendary Sidekick]

Rose, the Red

Baroness Sigrelyn (and Prince Heverik)

OUTSIDE OF THE TAVERN



"Ivy, dear... if you have finished obsessively washing your hands, would you kindly follow us?"

Sigrelyn notices that Ivy is equipped with a rather large sword, climbing gear, some kind of decorated bamboo stick... then she sees the bandolier with several darts.

Rose examines her hands. "Does it hurt?"

Ivy replies, "No worse than a sunburn."

"That's the spirit. But next time you see one of those stones, do let one of the men handle it."

"Or Lily."

"Yes, she is stronger than most of the macho male hunters that come around, but still... let them fuel their egos. They need the confidence if they are to assist us with the pirates."

Turning to the Baroness and not minding at all that she heard that conversation, Rose continues:

"Ivy loves to climb, and we will be in need of both her and her equipment when we head North. Lily is the only one of our group who can scale the cliff walls without a rope.

"Now, I believe you had a question for me..."

A loud roar interrupts.

"How rude."

Rose draws her axe--or is it some kind of sword?

(See Monster Hunter video @0:30 to see what a "switch-axe" looks like)

Heather, rushes very quickly to Rose's side. She is holding a very long spear, but in a way that would render her shield useless.

The two hold the Red-Maned Liger at bay until Susan arrives with her longsword still sheathed.

The three of them very calmly approach the beast, who backs away growling.

Ivy has her blowgun out, and Lily is beside her and half a step ahead wielding a hammer.

Susan signals Ivy and Lily to put their weapons away. Heather prods the beast, gently, with the butt end of her spear. Rose moves very close to the creature, her... sword... held off to the side in a position that is less than ideal for attack and useless for defense.

"You do not die today, my pet," she whispers. "I do not wish to make a scene."

The beast leaps onto the rocks above and escapes.

 

[Legendary Sidekick]

Heather, the Purple Flower Ranger

Oh, dear! Rose does not wish to be disturbed, but repelling that liger is drawing dozens of adoring fans.


Rose says to the Baroness, “We call ourselves the Roku-Roku. The six of us were to be part of a virgin sacrifice to the Lava Demon, who every hundred years must feast on the seven most beautiful lasses between the ages of sixteen and nineteen.

“‘Bobo,’ the smith who crafted our weapons, was from a group of soldiers who wanted to take the island for themselves. In the end, my family was slaughtered and most of the soldiers were mauled by wild beasts. Of the survivors, only Bobo stayed.

“I had mixed feelings about Bobo... he killed the very people who intended to kill me, but I did not see the difference between him and the soldiers and my father who boasted of my beauty so that I may be the seventh to die.

“My Sisters and I agreed that life in the wilderness was best. My mother, who was fortunate not to live to see my father's betrayal, taught me to be a Huntress until I was fifteen. Roku-Roku Huntresses know how animals think; we live among them... and we only kill when it is necessary.”


Rose pauses, and gives Heather a look.

I shall do my best to draw them away, Rose... though it would be easier if your outfit left a little more to the imagination.

Heather addresses the crowd.


“And as you could see, we spared the beast today because it was not necessary to kill him.”

Heather flaunts her tall, slender figure as some of the men turn to her. Though Rose is the looker of the group, Lily and Susan are at her sides, giving her the advantage in numbers.

One of the men asks, “So... about your being virgins...?”

“Ah, yes!” Heather dodges the question. “You want to know what became of Daisy, the other virgin to be sacrificed.”

“Yeah... I think I would like to get to know this Daisy,” says another man.

“Then you should speak to her husband, Bobo, the Great Grandmaster Smith. He can tell you the fascinating story of how he rescued her after I was tossed into the volcano.”

“You were... tossed in?” asks a woman.

“I was to be the first to die. When I landed on a ledge, I bought the other girls time while the men debated whether to toss Daisy in anyway. Bobo shot... well...”

She turns to the men who are still hung up on the word ‘virgin.’

“I’m sorry... am I spoiling the story for you? Weren’t you going to see Bobo?”

Most of the men disperse, either to the tavern, or to find a way to follow the liger.

 

[Legendary Sidekick]

Rose, the Red

Baroness Sigrelyn (and Prince Heverik)

Sigrelyn nods. "Works for me. Let's go kick some ass… Your Majesty."

"With pleasure, My Lady."


(SIGRELYN and HEVERIK head from area 2 to area 6. ROSE and IVY accompany them.)


Rose sees Ivy's expression of concern.

"Ivy, would you be a dear and see that Prince Heverik keeps his balance on the rocks?"

When Ivy is at a distance, Rose speaks to Sigrelyn in a low voice.

"Do you have any children?"

Sigrelyn responds.

"I suppose it was a silly question. Ivy and I... and all the girls who were to be sacrificed... we made a pact never to marry ourselves off. Of course, none of us expected to live to see our twentieth birthdays at the time.

"Even so, it was difficult for Ivy when 'Daisy' decided to marry her savior at the age of nineteen.

"She does not even go by the name Daisy anymore. She was the daughter of the Jade Chieftain, so "Jade" is the name she has chosen for her new life. I was the Amber Princess myself. In fact, five of us were born to high ranking families of the Roku-Roku. Only Heather and Ivy were commoners.

"The names are not our birth names. They are the names of the floral decorations we were forced to wear for the sacrifice. The colors of the flowers have meaning:

"Purple is the color of Bravery,
White is the color of Faith... and Death as well,
Blue is the color of Delicacy,
Green is the color of Humility, which is why Ivy was not given any flower to wear... just a simple plant,
Yellow is the color of Wisdom,
Orange is the color of Strength... you remember Lily who carried your husband's trunk, right?
And Red is the color of..." Rose blushes, as she hates to brag. "Beauty.

"The rainbow is a symbol of purity... so we were to be sacrificed in that order.

"As green also happens to be the color of Jade's tribe, she and Ivy became close at first simply because of the color Ivy was forced to wear. This made Ivy feel special.

"But after the sacrifice was interrupted... after years in hiding, with Ivy certain her best friend was killed, seeing her impregnated by a husband who was one of the invaders was not the reunion she was expecting."

Rose leads Sigrelyn along the rocky shore. A roaring waterfall is up ahead. Ivy readies the climbing gear.

"Ivy sees the way your husband supports your call to the wild. He is a good man. I think she fears that I will leave the Roku-Roku to find a good man of my own.

"Ivy has nothing to fear."

Rose reaches for a weapon.

"The only men I am interested in are not the marrying kind..."


Sigrelyn sees the men that Rose is referring to. Up ahead are three pirates with their swords drawn. They do not notice Rose and Sigrelyn. Their attention is focused on a fourth pirate who is lying on the ground,bound and struggling.



(Ravana, choose SIGRELYN'S next move:

Melee attack,
Ranged attack,
Speak to the pirates.)

 

[Reaver]

REAVER-

After nearly being killed by some sort of seemingly random and unnecessarily loud volcanic activity, I found myself staring in abject aloofness at some sort of large crystal sitting in the middle of a large crater. I decided to throw caution to the wind and allow the muscle-bound oaf enter the smoldering pit and bring it out.
"Oh, I doubt very much that you can pick it up," I chided. "I'm willing to bet that it's far too heavy. Even for someone with your physical prowess."

The famed gladiator looked incredibly offended. "Like, I could, like, totally pick that shiny rock up,dude. You're like, so totally off your... like...like, shut up, dude."

After doing several odd stretching exercises, Manimus walked to the edge of the crater and hopped down inside.

 

[Legendary Sidekick]

(Manimus is powerful enough to lift the stone. It is about two feet in diameter, but solid. Manimus will need both hands to lift this thing...)