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DemonicDarkwraith -> Red Queen's Gambit (Part 1) (8/9/2025 7:29:46)
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Red Queen's Gambit (Part 1)
Location: Amityvale (Book 3) -> Up -> Thursday -> Quests -> Red Queen's Gambit -> Read it! -> Part 1
Requirements: Completion of Blood and Roses and Book 3: Epilogue
Release Date: August 8th, 2025
Objective: Self-proclaimed hunters are attacking people on suspicion alone, and making tensions around Amityvale much worse...
Objective completed: Safiria has placed her trust in you and given you the location of the so-called Moonblade Hunters' camp...
Experience rewarded: Scaled
Gold rewarded: Scaled
Monsters
(3) Bloodwolf
(2) Dark Drinker
(3) Energizer
(3) ManaHunter
(2) Manahuntress
(1) Moonbane Hunter, (2) ManaHunter - Boss
NPCs
Magus Neron
Safiria
Rewards
Sanguine Exemplar Cloak (I-VI)
Access to RQG1 Loot for DCs.
Dialogue
*You and your dragon meet with Magus Neron in his office on Amityvale.*
Magus Neron: <Character>. I'm glad you've come. We have a very complicated matter on our hands.
<Character>: So I noticed. That was a lot of work to hide the fact that I got here, and you look like you've been up all... Er, you know what I mean.
Magus Neron: Heh. You get used to it.
<Character>: What's the problem? <Dragon> and I are here to help.
<Dragon>: As long as I'm paid extra snacks for being stuck in a wagon the whole way here. | *Restless chirping*
Magus Neron: A group of Rose defectors has gathered a band of self-proclaimed hunters and started running stings in the region.
Magus Neron: Although they haven't approached Amityvale, their reckless methods are putting us all in grave danger.
<Character>: No kidding. Tensions are high enough around here as it is. If they reignite the conflicts or the mob mentality takes over...
Magus Neron: Exactly. You remember how poorly that can go.
Magus Neron: We cannot afford to let panic reign just as we finally regained a measure of civility.
Magus Neron: And these hunters attack all creatures of the night, as well as anyone they suspect of being one.
<Character>: So they not only don't know what they're doing, they're also making it everyone's problem. We definitely can't let this go on.
Magus Neron: That's the first reason for our secrecy. The rogue hunters don't belong to my teams, but it'd be unwise to rule out informants.
Magus Neron: This should by all rights be solved by the Rose. It's our responsibility.
<Character>: I understand. It's hard to accept that you can't be everywhere. Do you have any clues about their movements?
Magus Neron: Better. Queen Safiria is willing to feign vulnerability along these roads to bait some hunters for our capture.
Magus Neron: She has specifically requested your presence at her castle after the fact, to discuss a "definitive" solution.
<Character>: That sounds ominous enough that I'd best not keep her waiting. I'll take that map and get going.
<Character>: If you can spare someone trustworthy, like Raven, I'll send any tied up hunters your way for questioning.
Magus Neron: I've had Raven working out of sight while the rest of my agents work on security and rift surveillance.
Magus Neron: She's become even more capable as an independent agent, so I can assign her to covertly handling anyone you arrest.
Magus Neron: Good luck.
*You fight various monsters through the Doomwood forest; eventually, after encountering a Moonbane Hunter, you and your dragon enter Safiria's castle, where you meet with her about the Moonbane Hunter threat.*
Safiria: Welcome, <Character>. You may approach. Enjoy the view of this fine evening
*You and your dragon approach closer to Safiria.*
<Character>: Thank you for the invitation, Your Majesty. I understand you wanted to meet privately.
Safiria: You are correct. Your etiquette has improved.
<Dragon>: Hi, old lady! | *Rudely high-pitched greeting screech*
Safiria: How pleasant.
Safiria: I have a request, <Character>. I wish to see these "Moonbane Hunter" upstarts, as they call themselves, quelled.
Safiria: The wise vampire understands that the hunter is an inevitable entity... But there are limits to my 'tolerance'...
Safiria: As disorganized as it may be right now, this is a thorn bloom best uprooted before it spreads.
Safiria: I will reveal the location of their home base to you. On one condition: You two must defeat them on your own, during their daytime rest.
Safiria: After that? Dispose of them, surrender them to the Rose, make them dance for your entertainment forever...
Safiria: Do as you please, so long as the Rose does not aid you until you have permanently settled this problem.
<Character>: O...kay. I don't think that'll be a problem if this is just some hunter cell, but may I ask why?
*Hearing your words, Safiria tells her reason for dispatching the new threat.*
Safiria: If you can keep my reason a secret.
<Character>: So long as you're not asking me to betray anyone's trust, I can.
Safiria: It's because doing this will remove another troublesome bloom that I should have nipped in the bud.
Safiria: There are those among my loyal subjects who are passionate about the idea that you should be brought into the fold.
Safiria: Some even suggest I should convert you myself, that you may be our champion of the night.
Safiria: Before you say one way or another, I'm afraid that isn't an option.
Safiria: I should have seen this coming. In our eternal night, we see many great figures rise and fall.
Safiria: The topic of preserving them similarly comes and goes quickly, so I lent this no priority, and focused on the rebuilding of my domain.
Safiria: As I had put off the delegation of certain matters and saw to most governance directly while Jaania was active...
Safiria: ... It meant that I was too busy to notice this idea go from gossip to a very popular idea gaining significant traction.
Safiria: A very popular, very destructive idea.
<Character>: ...Destructive?
<Dragon>: It can't be so bad if it means I get to always keep you around... | *Contemplative grumbling*
Safiria: Consider, for instance, how your many allies might react, and whether their allies would believe that you were willing.
Safiria: By taking a protector of the realms and stealing them for the night alone, I would make many enemies.
Safiria: By turning a hero of the realms into a blood drinker, I would make many more. Both without and within.
Safiria: Even if I assume you would be a marvelous subject, and I do, a hero vampire would be a wedge in the realm.
Safiria: Such plots can make the kindest heroes of the night, or even ones who are friends, pawns for betrayal.
Safiria: Upstarts would need only imply that we are at odds to divide loyalties.
Safiria: The first "But <Character> said" would be a misunderstanding. The second, manipulation. The third would precede backstabbing.
<Character>: That is a lot more complicated than I expected, and a lot to think about.
<Character>: For what it's worth, I really don't want to cause all that strife.
Safiria: This isn't your fault, and shouldn't be your burden, but I ask for your help with the responsibility. Let me show them a different truth:
*Safiria is about to give you a piece of paper.*
Safiria: That as valuable as you would be in the night, you can prove invaluable as our ally where the night can't reach.
<Character>: I'll do it.
Safiria: Thank you.
*Scene shifts to the piece of paper that Safiria gave you, which is revealed to be a map where the Moonbane Hunters' camp is located, signified by a red X; it appears to be located near Moonridge; scene fades to black.*
Complete Quest
Loot for DCs - opens RQG1 Loot for DCs shop.
Other information
The blood fountain acts as an HP/MP healing source during the quest.
Pop-up headlines during the quest:
quote:
Villager: "Are... Are you here to help? We were being chased by the Rose, and got cornered by monsters!"
When in Doomwood, I guess...
That Manahunter is holding a silver necklace... Could that have been taken from a villager?
Looks like the hunters took the bait.
Ambush successful! Raven should be able to pack them up for Neron. Time to meet with Queen Safiria!
Next Up: ???
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