NPCs; they were a puzzle. On one hand, they weren't<em>real</em>per se. They weren't real people who had to be protected from themselves, from the trappings of civil disobedience. They had no emotions, no will, nothing but a pre-programmed script that they followed without fail, never late and never deterring from their stated mission. On that hand they were perfect. On the other, they didn't have the<em>will</em>to do anything else, which made Ren feel uncomfortable. Were they to be praised for their diligence and obedience when they had no other choice...? It was a thought that worried at the core of her being, and she quickly pushed it aside. She glanced around at the other players milling around, wondering how many knew that this was the starter quest. Well, no matter, either they would get a chance to do it, or continue to one of the other quests in the area.<br/><br/>She nodded slowly to the baker, murmuring, "It shall be done," and pulled up her in-game menu, scrolling down to her equipment section. If she remembered right... Yes. She chose her guisarme from the equipment list, and set it as her primary equipped weapon, and set her sword and shield as her secondary ones. She shouldn't have too much trouble, but... one could never be too careful. She marveled once more at the familiar weight of the weapon, and wished for her own guisarme that she had won from a monster deep in one of the many dungeons in the game from the beta. No use wishing though, she would once more be able to attain it once she had progressed further into the game. Slowly pushing in the door to the bakery she moved towards the cellar door before letting herself inside cellar, feeling the small tingle of an instanced area that only she could access as long as no one else was in her party.<br/><br/>Remembering where the rats came from, she hefts the weapon and takes a step deeper into the cellar, weapon readied to chop the first one down.<br/><br/><div class="spoiler_container"><div class="spoiler_header" onclick="hideSecond (this);" role="button">Spoiler: Click to Show/Hide</div><div class="spoiler_body"><strong>Ren</strong><br/>18 AC, +5 Fortitude, +2 Reflex, +0 Will<br/>14/14 HP<br/><br/><strong>Surprise Round</strong><br/><br/>Map (http://oi40.tinypic.com/nqr8g9.jpg)<br/><br/>Ren watches as the rats appear as she enters the area that triggers them. She raises her guisarme, the spear end ready to stab down at the closest rat. She feels her skills begin to activate as she enters combat mode, and edges ever closer, egging the rats to come at her all the while still and silent.<br/><br/><div class="spoiler_container"><div class="spoiler_header" onclick="hideSecond (this);" role="button">Spoiler: Click to Show/Hide</div><div class="spoiler_body">Initiative:<br/>Ren: 22<br/>Rat 1: 9<br/>Rat 2: 4<br/>Rat 3: 9<br/></div></div><br/>Maneuvers granted: (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/4159615/)<br/>Stone Bones<br/>Douse the Flames<br/>Crusader's Strike<br/><br/><strong>Round 1</strong><br/><br/>Map (http://oi40.tinypic.com/nqr8g9.jpg)<br/><br/>Ren continues to hold her turn, readying to use one of her abilities on the closest rat. As they charge forward, she lets loose a furious blow and cleaves the first rat in two, and then goes for the second hapless rat. Unable to protect itself against the attack, it follows in the steps of its peer and is too destroyed. The last one though slips through Ren's furious defenses and goes for the small links in her chain mail. Unfortunately for it, it finds no purchase and squeaks angrily in frustration.<br/><br/><div class="spoiler_container"><div class="spoiler_header" onclick="hideSecond (this);" role="button">Spoiler: Click to Show/Hide</div><div class="spoiler_body">OOC:<br/><br/>Initiative:<br/>Ren: 10<br/>Rat 2: 4<br/><br/>Maneuvers:<br/>Stone Bones (X), Crusader's Strike, Dousing the Flames, Vanguard's Strike (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/4159621/)<br/><br/>Stone Bones: 14 attack (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/4159621/), 9 damage (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/4159634/).<br/>Attack of Opportunity: 21 attack[/url=http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/4159634/], 13 damage (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/4159621/).<br/>Rat attack: 12 attack (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/4159634/)</div></div><br/><strong>Round 2</strong><br/><br/>Map (http://oi39.tinypic.com/243pame.jpg)<br/><br/>Ren sneers at the final rat, and with a swift maneuver impales it upon the end of one of her armor spikes with contemptuous ease.<br/><br/><div class="spoiler_container"><div class="spoiler_header" onclick="hideSecond (this);" role="button">Spoiler: Click to Show/Hide</div><div class="spoiler_body">OOC:<br/><br/>Maneuvers:<br/>Stone Bones (X), Crusader's Strike, Dousing the Flames, Vanguard Strike, Leading the Attack<br/><br/>Armor Spikes: 18 attack, 6 damage (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/4159641/)</div></div><br/>Map (http://oi42.tinypic.com/1zyja5f.jpg)</div></div><br/>Finished with the first batch of rats, Ren "removes" their remains from the area, watching passively as loot popups appear on her interface. She adds them to her backpack, having gotten two stacks of "Rat Meat" that dropped. "There... now where's the others...?" she murmurs to herself as she heads deeper into the cellar. She hefts her guisarme once more, ready to tackle the rest of the rats in the same manner.<br/><br/>As she comes closer to the end of the cellar, she sees the rest of them appear, and once more hefts her guisarme, ready to attack the nearest one that comes towards her.<br/><br/><div class="spoiler_container"><div class="spoiler_header" onclick="hideSecond (this);" role="button">Spoiler: Click to Show/Hide</div><div class="spoiler_body"><strong>Surprise Round</strong><br/><br/>Map (http://oi41.tinypic.com/8xikap.jpg)<br/><br/><div class="spoiler_container"><div class="spoiler_header" onclick="hideSecond (this);" role="button">Spoiler: Click to Show/Hide</div><div class="spoiler_body">Initative:<br/>Ren: 6 (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/4159666/)<br/>Rat #4: 10 (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/4159666/)<br/>Rat #5: 5 (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/4159666/)<br/>Rat #6: 13 (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/4159666/)<br/><br/>Maneuvers: (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/4159678/)<br/>Leading the Attack, Stone Bones, Crusader's Strike</div></div><br/>Ren readies her attack once more as the rats ready to charge her, trusting to her skills and armor to protect her from the vermin.<br/><br/><div class="spoiler_container"><div class="spoiler_header" onclick="hideSecond (this);" role="button">Spoiler: Click to Show/Hide</div><div class="spoiler_body">Maneuvers:<br/>Leading the Attack, Stone Bones, Crusader's Strike, Vanguard Strike</div></div><br/><strong>Round 1</strong><br/><br/>As the first rat jumps forward, Ren handily eats into its soft hide with guisarme, but unfortunately when she goes for the second one, it jumps nimbly aside to evade her attack at its exposed face. Squealing in glee, the two rats charge in, worrying at her armor and trying to get at her own soft skin. While one is fended off by the chain links of her armor, the other finds an opening and viciously attacks--only to meet skin almost like iron where there should be a soft hide!<br/><br/><div class="spoiler_container"><div class="spoiler_header" onclick="hideSecond (this);" role="button">Spoiler: Click to Show/Hide</div><div class="spoiler_body">OOC:<br/><br/>Stone Bones: 21 attack, 12 damage (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/4159679/) (DR 5/Adamantine granted for one round)<br/>Attack of Opportunity: 8 attack, 10 damage (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/4159679/)<br/>Rat #4 Attack: 11 attack, 3 damage (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/4159680/)<br/>Rat #5 Attack: 21 attack, 3 damage (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/4159680/) CRITICAL CHANCE! Confirmation: 12 attack (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/4159682/)<br/><br/>Initiative:<br/>Ren: 11<br/>Rat #4: 10<br/>Rat #5: 5</div></div><br/><strong>Round 2</strong><br/><br/>Map (http://oi39.tinypic.com/24lsf44.jpg)<br/><br/>Grunting as she feels the dull impact of the rat's voracious teeth, Ren takes a step back and drops her guisarme, switching to her sword and shield. The rats move forward in tandem, each hellbent on ending the girl's life. Neither are able to penetrate her defense though, as she moves her shield quickly back-and-forth feeling the rats' weight against it as they attempt to move past the steel wall.<br/><br/><div class="spoiler_container"><div class="spoiler_header" onclick="hideSecond (this);" role="button">Spoiler: Click to Show/Hide</div><div class="spoiler_body">OOC:<br/><br/>Maneuvers:<br/>Stone Bones (X), Vanguard's Strike, Leading the Attack, Douse the Flames, Crusader's Strike<br/><br/>Ren: 5' step back, drop guisarme (Free Action), draw Large Steel Shield (Move Action), draw Longsword (Move Action) <strong>AC Raised to 20</strong><br/>Rat #4: 5' step forward, 5 attack, 2 damage (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/4159706/)<br/>Rat #5: 5' step forward, 16 attack, 2 damage (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/4159706/)</div></div><br/><strong>Round 3</strong><br/><br/>Map (http://oi42.tinypic.com/14ub3p3.jpg)<br/><br/>A deft spin from Ren catches one of the last two rats off guard, and she quickly spears it along the edge of her sword, flicking off its remains before facing the last one, stalwart as she eyes it warily. It tries as it might to get at her, but fails time and again.<br/><br/><div class="spoiler_container"><div class="spoiler_header" onclick="hideSecond (this);" role="button">Spoiler: Click to Show/Hide</div><div class="spoiler_body">OOC:<br/><br/>Maneuvers: (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/4159714/)<br/>Vanguard's Strike, Douse the Flames, Leading the Attack<br/><br/>Longsword: 23 attack, 5 damage (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/4159714/)<br/>Rat #4: 7 attack, 3 damage (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/4159714/)<br/></div></div><br/><strong>Round 4</strong><br/><br/>Map (http://tinypic.com/view.php?pic=14ub3p3&amp;s=5)<br/><br/>Finally one-on-one, both Ren and the rat attack each other, but neither can seem to get past the other's defenses. Squeaks and pants fill the air as their weapons flash in the cellar's light, but neither can get a hold.<br/><br/><div class="spoiler_container"><div class="spoiler_header" onclick="hideSecond (this);" role="button">Spoiler: Click to Show/Hide</div><div class="spoiler_body">OOC:<br/><br/>Maneuvers: (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/4159727/)<br/>Vanguard's Strike, Douse the Flames, Leading the Attack, Stone Bones<br/><br/>Stone Bones: 7 attack, 5 damage (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/4159727/)<br/>Rat Bite: 3 attack, 4 damage (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/4159727/)</div></div><br/><strong>Round 5</strong><br/><br/>Map (http://tinypic.com/view.php?pic=14ub3p3&amp;s=5)<br/><br/>Another exchange of blows, when suddenly the rat almost seems to trip over its own feet. Ren's eyes flash in triumph as her sword dashes out, carving the rat into tiny pieces. Again and again and again her sword flashes in the light, leaving the rat a barely-recognizable mess. Her lips split in triumph as she allows her breath to slow, picking up her guisarme and re-adding it to her inventory before beginning to move out of the cellar, but not before collecting another three pieces of "Rat Meat".<br/><br/><div class="spoiler_container"><div class="spoiler_header" onclick="hideSecond (this);" role="button">Spoiler: Click to Show/Hide</div><div class="spoiler_body">OOC:<br/><br/>Maneuvers:<br/>Vanguard's Strike, Douse the Flames, Leading the Attack, Stone Bones(X), Crusader's Strike<br/><br/>Longsword: 24 attack, 8 damage (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/4159728/) CRIT CHANCE! 18 attack, 9 damage (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/4159730/) CONFIRMED! (17 total damage)<br/></div></div><br/>Map (http://oi42.tinypic.com/2cnavk8.jpg)</div></div><br/>Blinking at the bright sunlight, Ren makes her way to the baker once more. "It is done," she speaks clearly, examining the other girl for a reaction. Her armor is flecked with rat remains and blood, but even that will soon be gone as the game restores her to her normal appearance. Unharmed and unhurt, she stands as a beacon before the baker-girl, perhaps inspiration for other PCs to attempt the quest. After all, how difficult could it be if a lone player was able to go in alone, and come out completely unharmed?