Meet Jupiter Peacebloom on the hill overlooking Hillcrest. It’s time to attempt a rescue mission!
Code Snowdrop… CODE SNOWDROP!!
We’re going to rescue Herman, you say? Who’s Herman?
Meh, doesn’t matter. If it’s Code Snowdrop then there’s no time to waste!
Tell me what’s happened, and give me the short version so we don’t waste any more time.
Okay, I get it. You and Herman rode along the secret pathway over the Greydew Mountains, ended up in GED’s restricted area, Herman was captured by their guards, giving himself up so you could escape.
Sounds like a good guy, I understand why you’d want to save him!
Okay. I don’t know where they’re keeping him prisoner, so we have to work that out first. Follow me and we’ll sneak down to the fence. I know a way into their compound.
Objectives: Meet Jupiter Peacebloom by the gate which leads to GED’s area.
Rewards: 15 Jorvik Shillings, 15 XP
Reputation: 15 with Epona
Ride down the hill and speak to Jupiter near the fence.
Nobody saw you, right?
Quest completed
______________
The Key to GED
I can’t see Herman, can you?
Yep. They must have him locked up farther into the compound. This won’t be easy, the place is crawling with GED guards.
How are we gonna get in? Haha, don’t worry about that. As it happens I have a key with me so we can get in.
Here, take a look…
Haha yep. A proper bolt cutter. There’s nothing it can’t open!
Okay Rita, take the bolt cutters and cut a hole in the fence. I’ll keep a lookout while you’re at it.
Objectives: Cut open a hole in the fence around GED’s compound.
Rewards: 15 Jorvik Shillings, 15 XP
Reputation: 15 with Epona
Bolt cutters can cut through solid wood planks. Yep, makes sense to me…
It went well, completely silent!
Quest completed
______________
Past the Guards to the Lookout…
Okay, we have to find Herman as quickly as we can, but it’s a pretty big compound…
We’ll climb up the side of this building here and see if we can see him from up there. Hmm…
Sounds like a plan, right? I’ll sneak along first, you follow.
What’ll happen if the guards get you? Haha! Don’t worry about that. They don’t know who you are, they’ll just throw you out of the compound.
You’ve seen the huge thick black glasses they all wear, right? You haven’t thought about it?
Haha!!
GED are so nervous that somebody will leak their corporate secrets that they decided all their guards have to wear them. They can’t see more than a few feet in front of them. GED are more worried about their own people than they are about us, which isn’t so strange considering the way they treat their employees. I’m not complaining though, haha!
Come on, follow me!
Objectives: Sneak past GED’s guards and meet Jupiter Peacebloom at the agreed meeting place.
Rewards: 15 Jorvik Shillings, 25 XP
Reputation: 20 with Epona
Sneaky, sneaky! Follow the checkpoints to find your way to Jupiter. Avoid the guards, they have their vision boundaries circling around them. Stay out of the boundary to cross the compound undetected. If you are seen, you will be removed from the grounds and have to start the quest over again.
Great, nobody seems to have seen us.
Quest completed
______________
Blind Moles and Sandy Beaches
I still can’t see Herman anywhere… Still, I think I know where we should go from here. See that tall building over there? The roof is the highest point in the complex so we’ll be able to see everything from up there.
See the building I mean?
Good. We’ll meet at the bottom of it. I’ll sneak over there first, and you follow once the coast is clear.
Remember, even though the guards see worse than blind moles on a sunny, sandy beach, don’t get too close to them. If they catch sight of you, they’ll throw you out in a heartbeat.
Good luck, Rita!
Objectives: Sneak past GED’s guards and meet Jupiter at the agreed spot.
Rewards: 20 Jorvik Shillings, 30 XP
Reputation: 20 with Epona
Sneaky, sneaky, again.
Great, nobody seems to have seen us so far.
Now we just need to get to the top of this building.
Quest completed
______________
Past the Guards, Up to the Top!
Okay. We might be able to see Herman from the roof of the building there. It’s not possible to get any higher up here.
We’ll do just as we did before, I’ll sneak past first and you follow, okay? Good luck!
Objectives: Follow Jupiter and meet him at the top of the building.
Rewards: 25 Jorvik Shillings, 50 XP
Reputation: 40 with Epona
Away we go!
Haha! Your plan worked Rita! I can see Herman from here, look…
Quest completed
______________
Sneak After Jupiter Again…
So, now we’ve found Herman, but I’m not too sure how exactly we’ll get him out. Any ideas Rita?
You’re thinking about it? Let me know when you’ve come up with something…
We can’t get him out of here just any old way, so it’s just as well that we get a little closer. We’ll meet down at the bottom of the building, and you can be thinking of a plan on the way down, okay?
Ready? I’ll sneak down first and you follow. As usual. We’re used to this now, huh? Haha!
Objectives: Follow Jupiter down and meet him at the bottom of the building.
Rewards: 15 Jorvik Shillings, 10 XP
Reputation: 20 with New Hillcrest
Here we go again…
Shh… There are guards everywhere, there’s no way to get past them. Maybe we need to give up? Ugh, I hate it when it gets like this, but I think we’re finished here… Grr…
What? You’ve got an idea?
Ugh! I hate this! We’re so close, but we’ll never get there. GED are blocking our ways in!
I should calm down? Okay, okay.
Quest completed
______________
Jupiter’s Diversion
I should calm down and listen to your plan? Right, okay, I’m listening…
Hmm… You’ll create a diversion and catch the attention of the guards, then I sneak ahead to Herman and cut open the locks to his cage. Have I got that right?
Hmm… I dunno Rita…
Okay, we’ll give it a shot!
But wait, I’ll make the diversion so you can go save Herman. He knows you; if I show up, he might think it’s one of GED’s dirty tricks.
Here are the bolt cutters. Hope to see you again Rita. I’m off!
Objectives: Talk to Herman. He’s trapped in a cage in GED’s compound.
Rewards: 50 Jorvik Shillings, 40 XP
Reputation: 15 with Epona
Watch Jupiter run off with the guards trailing behind him, then run up the hill to greet Herman in the sad little prison.
Rita! What are you doing here?
Quest completed
______________
What Happened to Old Hillcrest?
What are you doing here Rita?!
You’re saving me? Cutting open the locks so I can escape?!
Maybe later, but right now you have to listen to me. What I’m about to tell you is more important than my rescue!
I’ve been listening to the guards while they’ve been talking to each other Rita. Just bits of overheard conversations, but I think I’m starting to understand a little bit of what’s happened here in Hillcrest. GED have found something inside the rocks around here Rita, something so valuable that they’ll stop at nothing to get it.
I don’t know what it is, some kind of mineral or special met I think. GED have a codeword for it, they’re calling it Drakonium after Ms Drake.
Nobody seems to know what it can be used for, but GED stand to ruin all their competitors and be the world’s most powerful corporation if they get their hands on it.
It’s because of the Drakonium that they’ve forced out all the residents of Hillcrest and started the mine here. Something happened though as their drills finally got down to the Drakonium… Something terrible…
In the middle of their celebration of finally reaching the Drakonium, a huge and violent explosion was heard deep inside the ground. The earth shook and a mysterious purple mist started to pour out of the mine. It spread all across Hillcrest and lay like a heavy blanket over the top of the rocks. All the GED people tried to escape, but not all of them made it before the mist swept over them. Nobody has heard anything from those who were left, they seemed to get swallowed up by the earth…
It’s no longer possible to see any of Hillcrest through the mist, but sometimes it’s possible to hear sad, desperate cries from below. I’ve heard them myself Rita, and it’s bloodcurdling.
All of Old Hillcrest is now lost, and there’s not a living soul to be found there anymore. The mine they built is closed, and all the staff have fled from the area. Instead of carrying on drilling, they’ve built a huge wall around Hillcrest.
You’ll try to cut open the locks now? Okay, well hurry. I’ve got more to tell you…
Objectives: Cut open the lock to Herman’s cage.
Rewards: 15 Jorvik Shillings, 10 XP
Reputation: 15 with Epona
Use the bolt cutters to try and cut open the lock.
It didn’t work? Sigh. Keep trying Rita, and I’ll tell you more while you’re at it.
Quest completed
______________
More Important Than Freedom
Listen now, this is really important.
GED are preparing to take back Hillcrest. It’s why they’ve got so many staff here, and reinforcements are on the way. If I’ve heard correctly, there’s more or less an army on the way here to attack the village and the mine.
I don’t know what’s in there, but it seems as though GED thinks some rival company is making a very aggressive take-over attempt on the mine. They believe the mist is some kind of gas, and that the sounds from the village are just recordings designed to frighten them. I don’t know how they’re thinking, but whatever got out in Hillcrest is something much worse than just a competing corporation, I can tell you. Whatever’s up there isn’t after money. It wants blood…
If GED succeeded in taking back Hillcrest, they’ll reopen the mine and become the most powerful company in the world. Harvest Counties and Jorvik don’t stand much of a chance after that…
Sigh. Rita, you haven’t got time to waste trying to save me anymore, GED’s guards will be along soon and they’ll catch you. You need to get out of here and tell Mrs X everything I just told you, it’s more important than me escaping.
I can tell her myself, you say? You’re going to try cutting the lock open with the bolt cutters again? I’ve always like that you’re such an optimist Rita. Hoho!
Objectives: Cut open the lock to Herman’s cage.
Rewards: 15 Jorvik Shillings, 15 XP
Reputation: 15 with Epona
Give the bolt cutters one more try.
It didn’t work?
Quest completed
______________
Herman Disappears Again
You need to tell Mrs X about the Drakonium, tell her about what happened with Hillcrest and GED’s plans to take back the mine! It’s more important than anything else!
You’re going to give the lock one last try? You’ve almost cut through it?
Wait…
What was that?
The crane! They’re lifting me away!
Quick Rita, get out of here! You can’t save me now, but we’ll see each other again, I promise!
Get to Mrs X and save the Harvest Counties!
Never give up the fight!
Objectives: Get up onto Summerblaze.
Rewards: 20 Jorvik Shillings, 15 XP
Reputation: 15 with Epona
Bye bye Herman :(
As Herman is lifted away, guards approach to stop you and your horse rushes to your rescue!
Neeeiiigghhhh!!
Summerblaze looks at you with determination. Together you can do this!
Quest completed
______________
Escape From Hillcrest. Again.
Neigh!!
You and Summerblaze are an unbeatable team! Escape the compound!
Objectives: Escape from GED’s compound then talk to Jupiter Peacebloom.
Rewards: 75 Jorvik Shillings, 50 XP
Reputation: 15 with Epona
Catch me now, suckers! Viva la Jorvik!!
Escape the compound as you did when you first journeyed to Epona. When you have made it to the other side of the fence, find Jupiter back up on the hill where you first spoke to him.
Rita! You made it…
Where’s Herman?
Sigh.
They moved him before you could get him out…
Quest completed
______________
Back to New Hillcrest
We did our best Rita, but it wasn’t enough. I hate it when this happens!
Sigh.
The only thing we can do now is to report what happened to Mrs X.
You want to come along?
Sorry, but that’s not part of the plan. Only the inner circle of CHILL’s members get to meet her.
Ride back to Sunshine in New Hillcrest. If it was her who sent you here, it might be that she’s got orders from Mrs X about what happens next with you.
Maybe we’ll meet again Rita, but probably not. Friends aren’t something we’ve really got time for in CHILL.
Objectives: Ride to New Hillcrest and talk to Sunshine Joytree.
Rewards: 25 Jorvik Shillings, 20 XP
Reputation: 15 with Epona
Mission failed, time to go report back..
La la la…
How did it all go?
Badly? Dum dee dum… The mission was a failure, you say?
La dee da, that’s a shame…
What’s that? You’ve got important information from Herman to give to Mrs X? Humm dee dumm… You didn’t have time to tell Jupiter before he rushed off, you say?
La dee do dee da…
Come back tomorrow Rita… I’ll ask Mrs X if she might be able to meet you after all…
Quest completed
Return to Sunshine Joytree tomorrow.
