SIDE QUESTS

[beleos]

SIDE QUESTS

The world of Kenos has many mysteries to explore, and not all of them are directly tied to the ongoing plot of Meridian and Zenith struggling against each other to claim the Oracles. This page is for compiling what could effectively be called side content for the game, but these are all chances to explore the world of Kenos and have some unique opportunities to discover hidden lands and secrets, gain boons or treasure, or just deepen your CR! To be clear, these are all separate from Lore Quests and are posted as areas get added and/or Loremasters get ideas for quests.

Because these quests aren’t part of the overarching plot, they’re effectively “missions” that characters can choose to undertake and the exact way the mission plays out is up to you! Consider these more prompts for threads or open logs, but with a bonus of being able to receive something IC for the effort. For an example of how this might work, see here (at least until we get some side quests done). Sometimes this may be a magical item, or other times it might be a curse! Not every side quest you undertake has universally good outcomes, after all. Any quests with significant risk will be clear about that risk!

OOC, you’ll comment under a side quest to “claim” it by noting all participating characters, then once your thread/log/etc. for this mission is complete, you’ll return here to turn it in. Loremasters will then tell you the further rewards + outcomes. As a note, you can only have one active side quest per character at a time. If you decide that you don’t want to do the quest anymore, just delete your comment. If you run into an issue with completing it (such as the other party dropping), just get in touch with the mods and we’ll work it out with you.

So, without further ado, get to questing!

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Comments

EXAMPLE

[beleos]

Take Out the Competition

There's an up and coming technically-saavy newcomer to Kowloon, and that poses a threat to Arjun. Kill them, simple as that. You're free to make up any details you'd like about this NPC and control them in the thread. Getting another player involved could be because the NPC is strong and your character wants to team up, or maybe they just find the character post-murder or the like.

POTENTIAL REWARDS

Influence in Kowloon, Favor with Arjun. Accomplishing the task well may grant you a higher tech item than is easily avliable in Kenos.

POTENTIAL CONSEQUENCES

Notoriety in Kowloon. Depending on how you chose to murder this newcomer, the powers that be may take notice. This could lead to further opportunities or consequences down the line. All other consequences (injuries, dissipation, etc) are at player discretion.

Claiming!

[beleos]

Amos will take this quest, with Mamoru happening upon him after the murder.

Complete

[beleos]

Thread here. Including a summary is also appreciated!

[beleos]

And a sample mod response, though they won't be that lengthy. Probably.

ALENROUX

[beleos]

HIGHSTORM

[beleos]

KOWLOON

[beleos]

SPRINGSTAR

[beleos]

[beleos]

Monster Hunting

With many new Shard-Bearers present in Kenos, maybe it's possible to make Alenroux a little more hospitable. A group of 2+ characters can claim this quest, then pick from three mod-generated high level monsters to slay (which will only be pictures, its capabilities are up to you!). Their success or failure is up to the group to decide! This quest can be claimed multiple times and by multiple characters before it will be marked "Complete".

POTENTIAL REWARDS

The overall threat in Alenroux is reduced with each completion of this quest. At a certain point (that mods are tracking), Shard-Bearers will be able to establish residences here. There's a secondary point beyond this where NPCs will then be able to establish residences here. Also, you get to keep the monster corpse, if that's something you want?

POTENTIAL CONSEQUENCES

All at player discretion.

[beleos]

обмен

Is there a mystery in Kenos you'd like answered? If there's anyone that knows it, it's definitely the proprietor of Obmen, Kenos's very own information broker. Information doesn't come cheap, but depending on what you want to know, they may have a job for you to pay your way instead...

Or, OOC, if there's sometimes that a character is looking into and they're willing to do some (perhaps morally dubious) work, they'll receive an answer as their reward. The owner of Obmen will be straightforward if they don't have an answer to your question. When signing up for this quest, include your question as a part of claiming this, and Loremasters will respond with a more customized side quest to reflect the "price" of the information. Whether they choose to take it or not is up to the character and will have no consequences if refused.

This quest can be claimed multiple times and can be repeated.

POTENTIAL REWARDS

Information.

POTENTIAL CONSEQUENCES

Depending on the information, the jobs that are given out could be very dangerous. Consequences for high-level missions can include dissipation or permanent changes to the character (physical or mental). This will be noted in the specific side quest.

[beleos]

Tap the Sap

Arjun will hand over a glass jar and say that he'd like this amount of sap from Meridian or Zenith's Tree of Life. OOC, the volume is irrelevant, but it's significant enough that it would take a bit of time or multiple visits to fill up. Note: the Trees of both cities are considered sacred and trying to steal the sap from them would be a serious crime. Anyone who takes this quest will need to be clever to avoid being caught.

This quest is avaliable in Meridian or Zenith flavors (indicate which one you're claiming) and can only be completed once each. When claiming, please include a general outline of the characters' plan for the Loremaster to determine their success (this will not be RNG, this will be our judgement of whether it's a good/effective plan or not)!

POTENTIAL REWARDS

Influence in Kowloon, Favor with Arjun. Accomplishing the task well may grant each participant that directly assists with the sap heist with a higher tech item of your choice than is easily avaliable in Kenos.

POTENTIAL CONSEQUENCES

Dependent on the characters' Faction. Stealing from your own Faction's tree will increase your character's Discord by one level regardless of whether you get caught or not. Similarly, stealing from the opposite Faction's tree will decrease your Discord by one level. Weird!

If caught, characters will be punished by the faction they're attempting to steal from. This will mean a moderate consequence that you'll be able to select from a list. These can range from temporary effects (lasting ~1 month) to more permanent ones, but you'll get to pick which one you'd like.

[beleos]

Fields of Fantasia

The fields of purple flowers that grow outside of Highstorm are beautiful, yet people don't spend any time there. If asked, locals will explain that it's just not done and that they're a bit dangerous. But oddly, as you pass by, you're sure you hear a familiar, comforting voice enticing you to stay…

By taking this quest, your character is choosing to spend 2+ uninterrupted hours in the Fields. Loremasters will explain the effects of the flowers and their consequences once claimed. This quest can be claimed twice by different players.

POTENTIAL REWARDS

Knowledge of what the flowers are and what they're doing. The ability to be able to collect the flowers in the future and utilize them for medicinal (or otherwise) purposes, because involved characters will gain an immunity to their pollen after. These characters will be the only ones able to gain this immunity (unless this quest is offered again).

POTENTIAL CONSEQUENCES

Up to dissipation, but no lasting consequences.

(frozen comment)

[beleos]

Into the Unknown

Past even the Fields of Fantasia lays The Beyond, the moonlit woodlands that surround the city of Highstorm. With the Fields acting almost like a wall to the populace, truly no one goes into the forests of the Beyond. But rumor has it that Highstorm's darkest secrets are hidden out in those shadows.

By taking this quest, your characters will be guaranteed to encounter 1 minor/moderate obstacle, 1 difficult obstacle, and will find one point of interest. Loremasters will give you each, and you can choose which order they occur in as well as the consequences.

This job can be claimed twice by different players. Groups of 2+ are recommended, but the obstacles may not be combat-oriented in nature.

POTENTIAL REWARDS

Lore tie-ins & knowledge that can include further opportunities or consequences down the line.

POTENTIAL CONSEQUENCES

Discord increases and up to dissipation, but these are at player discretion.

[beleos]

A World of Starlight

Sitting at the center of Psychagogía is a large, domed enclosure; its location remains static, but stepping inside of the shimmering, bubble-like dome littered with stars transports you to a recreation of someone’s homeland. The offerings change by twice a month (every month OOC), so why not offer your own home? Maybe it would be nice to visit.

Each character is able to submit their world once throughout the course of the game. This allows you, the player, to take control of Starlight Park for the month and offer it as a setting/open log/etc. As a note, while things inside Starlight Park are perfectly real, nothing created inside can be taken outside. It'll simply dissipate in your hands as the magic fades.

This quest can only be claimed by one character per OOC month.

POTENTIAL REWARDS

For one OOC month, you decide what world Starlight Park is showing.

POTENTIAL CONSEQUENCES

None.

[beleos]

Honey, I Shrunk The Shard-Bearers

Not everyone in Highstorm is nice (far from it, technically), and somehow, you've managed to annoy one of its older and more powerful residents. How you did so could be being rude or by not knowing their cultural standards (how were you supposed to know that breathing was rude?), but regardless, you've ended up cursed. Minorly. Very minorly.

For anywhere ranging from a day to a week, the character(s) that take up this quest are shrunken to a few inches in height. The Fey woman that cursed you at least informs you that there's a cure... At a magic shop on the other side of Highstorm. Good luck making it there and buying the potion on your own! You better ask some fellow Shard-Bearers to help!

POTENTIAL REWARDS

Successfully navigating to the potion shop will grant a minor magical item to the shrunken character. Apparently, this happens a lot, and though the shop owner appreciates the business, he feels like it's getting suspicious?

POTENTIAL CONSEQUENCES

All at player discretion.

(frozen comment)

[beleos]

Shining Light

Chaos erupts in Springstar's Viomichanikós District as early in the month (OOC, February) an individual starts to tear through one of the factories of Springstar on a rampage. A person with grotesquely bulging muscles and purple-tinted veins is rampaging through the factories as if on a mission, though they aren't capable of speech while they're in a berserker mode. This receipient of Shimmer down in Kowloon made it topside and is cutting a swathe of destruction through the district whether property destruction or outright murder. They need to be stopped.

This quest can be accepted by one group of two or more characters and is considered a moderate to high level threat (but is in y'all's hands to control!). As an OOC note, this NPC is under the influence of Shimmer, which some characters may know is associated with Silco, but this NPC will not (or cannot—this is intentionally vague) identify him as the source.

POTENTIAL REWARDS

A reward from the thankful workers of the district. They'll give participating characters a choice of magical tools and/or weapons to choose from as thanks for stopping the rampage.

POTENTIAL CONSEQUENCES

All at player discretion.

(frozen comment) Claiming!

[prizeneck]

Claiming this one for Mamoru and Eustace! Maybe Lottie will show up to livestream it. 👀

Claiming!

[sterngaze]

Liem and Akua would like to hunt A Monster!!

[beleos]

your monster options!

[sterngaze]

Oh, horrifying! We're gonna go with one of those cthulu-lookin guys from the middle, one of the top two.

claiming

[consolation]

Ruby and Caren will be taking this one on when you have all returned from your much-needed break! We both know that you have a lot going on especially coming back from hiatuses, so we're not in any rush - but we're looking forward to learning more about the fields and also maybe dying in April! Thanks so much in advance!

[beleos]

As Caren and Ruby spend time in the Fields of Fantasia, they begin to hear the voices of their loved ones calling out to them, beckoning them to stay. The voices are very convincing, sounding just like the real people, and can be very difficult to resist. As the voices persist, the surroundings may begin to warp and twist, with the colors of the flowers becoming more vibrant and patterns emerging from them. The hallucinations may also include memories or visions of loved ones, further reinforcing the sense of comfort and familiarity.

Caren and Ruby will find that their hallucinations start to meld together, and you can play with this in one of a few ways:

1. Caren and Ruby could hallucinate that they are reliving a favorite childhood memory together. They might see themselves playing with toys, enjoying a picnic, or exploring a favorite spot from their past, for example.
   
2. The characters could hallucinate that they are participating in a favorite shared activity or hobby, such as playing music together or hiking in the mountains. They might see themselves working together in harmony, each contributing to the shared experience.
   
3. They could work together to create comforting visions within their hallucinations, actively collaborating to create a shared sense of peace and tranquility. This could involve them describing scenes to each other, or actively contributing to the creation of a shared hallucination.
   
4. They could explore the Fields of Fantasia together, venturing deeper into the hallucinogenic landscape and experiencing a sense of shared adventure and exploration. As they move through the landscape, they could encounter different visions and scenarios, each offering new opportunities for shared comfort and camaraderie.

However, as the Caren and Ruby become more and more entranced, they may begin to feel lethargic and weak, and the flowers themselves may seem to be closing in around them and appearing more in their hallucinations, suffocating them with their scent. They will begin to feel increasingly fatigued and have difficulty concentrating on tasks. They may start to feel a sense of disorientation and confusion, making it more challenging to communicate and interact with others effectively. As time goes on, they will experience a dull ache throughout their body, making it challenging to move or perform any physical tasks. Finally, the character may become so tired that they fall asleep, and if they’re not saved by a third party before six hours pass, they’ll stop breathing and dissipate.

Regardless, the pair will find that they will become immune to the pollen’s effects permanently and are among a scarce few who will be able to harvest the flowers. The flowers could be used as an ingredient in medicinal treatments, such as pain relief, relaxation, or anxiety relief. However, it would be important to carefully control the dosage and potential side effects of the flower's hallucinogenic properties. On the other hand, the flowers' ability to create hallucinations and influence people's thoughts and emotions could be harnessed for more nefarious purposes, such as mind control or brainwashing, albeit only for short periods of time.

(frozen comment)

[redsoil]

Claiming one iteration of this quest for Set, Mamoru, Cassian and sighs Byleth! We're in agreement to run this with four.

(frozen comment)

[redsoil]

The second claim is on behalf of Sooyoung, Liem and Childe! Ganba, you three. What a fun time!!

(frozen comment)

[beleos]

Hello my intrepid group of explorers (#1)! Here's what your group will encounter. As mentioned, you can choose which order they occur in as well as the consequences of how they might play out. These are broad to allow for creativity!

Minor/Moderate Obstacle

Certain areas in the Beyond have pockets of toxic gases that can cause damage to those who breathe them in. The group will need to find a way to navigate around these pockets or find a way to purify the air if they need to pass through.

Difficult Obstacle

Moss and lichen covered tree horrors that will attempt to drink the blood of the Shard-Bearers for nourishment.

Point of Interest

Pools of water that glow with an otherworldly light and seem to sing in soft crystalline tones as the water ripples. The water has healing properties, but is also highly addictive. After drinking three cups of the water, Discord will raise by two levels.