Curate of Curiosities

Previously, Ramona and her party successfully paid off the rent, and settled in a relatively comfortable lifestyle. Well, more so than being unemployed, anyways.

However, Ramona desires to be something more than this, even if she doesn't express it. But the only way to get ahead at this moment is to do more adventuring.

But being an adventurer means not only risking life and limb, but making many enemies in the process.

First the slimes, then that raccoon-loving fellow, and now the animate plants that roamed the manor. There are even some elite flower monsters that didn't appear in the manor.

Anyways, we have enough money that equipment and healing items won't be much of a worry, so it's time to head downtown and gamble for something a bit more substantial than waifu PNGs, Devon.

After running into the Amazing Teleporting Landlord again, we go into this battle arena, where we can fight groups of enemies in mutliple rounds, with a new buff given to them after each round.

I get pulverized after the first two rounds.

The rent isn't really an issue for us anymore, so the only way forward for us is to advance in the Adventuring League. But for that, we're going to need a bit of help.

Deep in the forest, there's a shrine where the Siren is enshrined. We've heard of her before, she was the monster responsible for the weird fishing situation around town. On a side note, Devon's awfully exposition-happy for someone who's mute.

You are too weak.
You have others who depend on you, now.
You cannot let them down.
You cannot afford to be weak.
So.
Do you wish to become stronger?
Do you wish to be blessed, like I once was?

Blessed, you say? Well, you know, my luck hasn't been the best lately, what with the mob and various monsters wanting us dead. To say nothing of this old bald guy asking me for rent. So, okay then.

Something is wrong? No way, who would ever get the idea that engaging in a Faustian pact with a vengeful spirit could be a bad thing?

Due to the siren's influence, sometimes your party members will be paralyzed at the start of battle. This can be particularly nasty if this happens when facing, oh I don't know, a gun-wielding assassin for the mob who starts the battle by trying to run you over with his car.

For the very first time, we get to give Devon spiritual healing.

His story is that he once went on a boating trip with his parents, when the boat they were on suddenly sank, killing both of them.

He washed up on a nearby beach and found himself attacked by monsters who attacked him by screaming at him.

And what could have caused the monsters to assault him like this? None other than the Siren. Yes, the same Siren that is currently inside Ramona.

Finally, a healing spell! And it only took our mute goth bottom mage getting his ass handed to him a bunch of times!

Kyrie took a bit of a beating from that gunman as well, so she gets her second spiritual healing skill, a Dangan Ronpa reference!

Let's go check out the manor that we helped blow up.

I suppose that in a world where literal magic exists, it would be pretty easy for a cult to gain influence.

You are literally standing right in front of the people who actually blew the place up. Are you just trying to stir shit with whoever's dumb enough to watch your podcast?

Now, on to the next quest.

Conveniently, the target is in the graveyard, right next door to the bar. The cultists that we just met are operating a necromancy scheme from somewhere in this graveyard. Because of course in a world infused with alien magic, there's someone out there who had the idea of using it to cheat death.

In fact, it is this very power that resurrected the Siren and enabled her reign of terror. If there wasn't already a reason to put a stop to this...

The northern section of the graveyard is dedicated to the victims of the Siren. Do you think that there'll ever be a good time to tell Devon that his parents' killer is presently residing inside his friend's body?

This guy isn't really involved with this Siren business, but he's still worth talking to. Before becoming an adventurer, he worked at a fast food joint. One of his customers pulled a gun on him, awakening his ability to set things on fire with his mind. Not a bad deal.

Oh, it's Jasper again. I forgot they were a real adventurer. I still haven't forgotten your shameless theft, cowboy.

At least they make it up for is by giving us a clue. Though, shouldn't it be "where the four hearts do?"

And here's the entrance, in the center of four heart shaped gravestones. You might need to press the confirm button a few times before it opens, though.

The hideout is a maze of single-tile-wide corridors with trap floors that damage you , so I wonder how this cult manages to get anything done down here.

Especially with the sewer slimes jumping at you out of nowhere.

We've never met these two before, but Cora's lost her boyfriend, and Marshall's lost his son,who apparently knew Devon personally. When faced with a tragedy such as that, one would do anything to make it stop hurting anymore, such as dabbling in forbidden rituals in the ultimately fruitless hope that they can return.

In comes Jasper. How did they manage to get here, you may ask, especially since there doesn't seem to be any other hidden passageways in the graveyard? Through the sewer!

You get to choose which one of them to go after, while Jasper and pals take on the other one, but it doesn't really matter.

Cora here has a juiced-up cattle prod that does what you'd expect it to do to the party, while Marshall has a machine gun.

Oh great, Stanley's gone freelance. He's still not much harder than the last time you were forced to fight him.

So that's it for the necromancy quest. But you know how these things usually go: someone tries to resurrect someone close to them, it goes horribly awry, and they have to be put down a second time. Good thing we could nip that plot in the bud.

Yes, just like that one guy with raccoons, or you with vigilante murder, right?

That would definitely be useful, but there's something to keep in mind. The two magic users we know only gained magic powers when their lives were in peril. What on earth is this Siren going to get us into?

But let's not worry about that. We need to collect our pay.

I'm willing to blame the alien for this town's questionable zoning decisions if you are.