Hardcore Heroes: Episode 41

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== Synopsis ==
Two months after arriving in Bon' Theris, Malakai and Van-Healsing have completed their mansion. Malakai offers to help with local monster issues and is informed by Captain Kel Deluney about Hill Giants on the road to Gumpbrun. He visits Brudella the Invoker for supplies and learns about Arc Mage Lydia’s magical surveillance defenses. After negotiating spell trades with Lydia and discovering that demons have destroyed multiple towns, Malakai investigates the Hill Giant problem and finds the giants dead, killed by adventurers. He experiments with necromancy, reanimating one giant as a zombie, and then returns to Bon' Theris to report his findings, interact with various locals, and prepare for any further work required by the Baroness.
==Recap==
Nick gives a recap of Hardcore Heroes at the start of the episode. Here is an Animation of the Recap.
===1510-03-21===
It has been 2 months since Malakai & Van-Healsing arrived in Bon' Theris. They purchased the old Dudley estate and had their 2 wing mansion built. Malakai has the East Wing, Van has the West Wing. Jeeves has a small cottage on the grounds. Construction on it all has just been completed. The cost was said to be one of the two treasuries they plundered. Jeeves is now the butler for the new estate.
Malakai seeks out the Captain of the Guard, Kel Deluney. Kel Deluney is playing cards with some soldiers in the barracks. Malakai says he is willing to help with some local monster problems for free. Kel Deluney says that the road to Gumpbrun is being hassled by Hill Giants.
Malakai goes to the town's Magic Shop for supplies. The magic shop is run by Brudella the Invoker. After buying supplies the two talk about the Arc Mage of town, Arc Mage Lydia the Diviner, and reveals that the walls of the shop are lined with silver and lead to stop Lydia from spying on her. Malakai thinks that is a good idea, so asks Lydia to arrange it to be installed in his workshop basement in the mansion.
Malakai also asks Brudella about the Hill Giants on the road. 8 miles from Bon' Theris is the last village before the Hill Giant problem.
Malakai heads to the keep and asks to meet with Arc Lydia. The guard at the gate explains that Lydia will only meet with Malakai if he changes into a Guard Uniform and leaves all his belonging behind. Malakai instead decides to send a message to invite Lydia to meet in the tavern instead.
Malakai returns to the estate and informs Jeeves that some workers will be coming to install some silver and lead in his workshop. Then six dwarves arrive, infuriating Malakai. The dwarves, led by a dwarf named Carl, end up being the work crew. Malakai leaves Jeeves to supervise the dwarves.
Malakai then heads to the tavern, "The Bog Standard", to meet with Lydia. Lydia arrives soon after Malakai arrives. Lydia judges Malakai as someone who will never be satisfied with the amount of power they have. Malakai agrees with this judgment. He then asks if it is possible to have use of Lydia's Library for Spell Research. Lydia will only give access to the library if Malakai answers some questions and she likes the answers.
Lydia's first question is about magical and non-magical traps in Shirebrook Keep. Malakai tries to warn Lydia away from Aldric's Tower saying that Aldric was malevolent, but Lydia was already friends with Aldric and knows it isn't true. Malakai innocently asks if she knows where Aldric went, and Lydia reveals she scryed him and found that his body was at the bottom of the ocean. Lydia says in her magical communications with Aldric, he spoke of a wizard he didn't trust, and Malakai assumes she means Georg, and mentions that Georg is dead.
Lydia accepts these answers and will give Malakai limited access to her library. Lydia updates Malakai on the Eridon situation that she has scried. The Demons have taken up residence in Heatstroke. She lists the towns destroyed by the demons (Shirebrook, Thornwood, Rainwood, Peatsburg, Anvil, Plainsview, Tassel, Misty Rapids, Newfort, Cauldron, Heatstroke, & Limestone.) When Malakai is told Redport still stands, he talks about the time he used a webs spell in self-defense in Redport, but someone lit it on fire and it killed a lot of people.
Lydia gives specific information on the giants on the road to Gumpbrun. There are 3 families of giants, four giants per family, each giant family is independent of the other, and live apart. Malakai asks to trade for the "Tongues" spell. Lydia asks for a few nefarious spells in return that Malakai doesn't have. Lydia then asks about "Aldric's Discriminating Lock", which Malakai says he knows, giving an excuse he copied it down when Aldric wasn't looking. They agree to meet up tomorrow night at the tavern to swap the spells.
===1510-03-22===
The next night at the tavern, "The Bog Standard", the two swap copies of the spells. Malakai obtains a copy of Tongues and Lydia obtains "Aldric's Discriminating Lock". 
Before leaving, Malakai asks if Lydia has any books on local military history. She doesn't, but she recommends Malakai check in with the local library for that. 
===1510-03-22 to 1510-03-22===
Over the next few days, Malakai learns the "Tounges" spell and researches old historical battles. Instead of finding a nearby battle site, he learns of a nearby ruined village with the name of Dicey to the south in the woods.
===1510-03-23===
Malakai hires a carriage, driven by a lady named Lemon, to the Village of Ditch Water along the road 10 miles away. The Destros Plains are to the north past the forest. Once at the village, Malakai dismisses Lemon and enters the village.
In the run-down inn in town, Malakai sees a group of Merchants waiting for a large group with mercenaries to head west to Gumpbrun. Malakai talks with a merchant about the location the giants were spotted and their tactics.
===1510-03-24===
Malakai heads into the hills and scouts around. He falls asleep in a tree.
===1510-03-25===
Malakai casts "Polymorph Self" turns into a giant eagle and scouts around again, looking for giants.
Half a mile north of the road, Malakai spots 4 Hill Giants laying down on the ground. As he gets closer he realizes they are dead. Malakai lands and turns back into human form and investigates the dead. He sees signs of damage from "Magic Missile" and a spell that uses fire. There are also signs of melee weapon damage down at the legs of the giants, at least 1 bludgeoning weapon, and 1 slashing weapon.
It is clear the giants were killed by adventurers and they went out of their way to find the Giants. Malakai decides to test out one of his new spells, but he has to learn it. So he rests until the next day.
===1510-03-26===
Malakai makes sure he is alone, then he casts "Animate Dead" on a Child Giant. The Giant comes back to "life" as a zombie. Malakai tests how the zombie can obey orders and finds that it can only follow simple orders, and follows them literally. It has no concept of time or distance, so the Giant Zombie can't be ordered to wait a certain amount of time or go a certain distance. It needs clear landmarks to stop at.
Overnight Malakai has a nightmare about Aldric, cutting up his remains, then disposing of his body out at sea. A nightmare Malakai hasn't had in a long time, likely triggered by the Necromancy.
===1510-03-27===
Malakai looks for a spot to hide his zombie giant. He finds a small ravine with a creek running through it, a half-mile from the road. He leaves the zombie giant there, with the orders to wait and not attack anything.
Malakai gets on his Phantom Steed and rides back to Ditch Water. He talks with the merchant he spoke with last time and lets him know that four giants are dead, and Malakai takes credit and has 8 giant ears as proof. The merchant thanks Malakai. Malakai buys an Mahtavan Vase from the Merchant after finding out that the Baroness of Bon' Theris had purchased a set of 12.
Malakai then rides his Phantom Steed back to Bon' Theris. He finds in the front lawn of the estate that the dwarves have destroyed some of the Bermuda Grass and built a small furnace. Malakai, furious, storms off to find Jeeves in Jeeves's Cottage. Jeeves is occupied with two young women and some drugs. After Jeeves covers himself and the ladies have rushed off to another room, Jeeves says the dwarves needed the furnace to melt the silver to paint on the walls. Malakai leaves Jeeves to his lady friends and heads over to the Main Estate House.
The Dwarves leave the estate when night falls. Malakai cleans himself up after the days in the wilderness. 
===1510-03-27===
Malakai gets Jeeves's assistant Worcester to carry the vase with him into town. 
First Malakai arrives at the barracks and reports in the deaths of the giants, presenting the ears. Kel Deluney wants to hold on to the ears for a few hours before showing the Baroness. Malakai gives a thinly veiled threat about not stealing credit from him, before leaving.
Malakai finds Brudella and hands her some giant hair he found. Brudella invites Malakai out to explode some things with a fireball spell if a Necromancer ever appears. Malakai flirts for a little before heading on.
Malakai arrives at the Keep and has Worcester hands the vase over to the guards to be inspected. Malakai then makes an appointment to see the Baroness.
===1510-03-28===
Malakai, in his best clothes and without his weapons returns to the keep and is taken to the audience room. Where Baroness of Bon' Theris, Baroness Bee is. With her are some guards and her chancellor. Malakai politely brings up his accomplishment taking care of the giants, the gift he gave her, and then says he can be of service if any other work to protect the town is needed.
Malakai returns to his estate. The Dwarves are busy at work with the sheets of Lead and Silver. Malakai, wanting to avoid the noise, stays at the Inn, "The Bog Standard".
==Experience==
No Experience Given
Category:Hardcore Heroes Episodes