Hardcase
Overview
Hardcase is a villain contact in St. Martial.
Introductions
Contact Introduced By
New Contact(s)
Information
Demon Hunter
Hardcase is a professional demon hunter. Demon hunters as a general rule don't live very long, so the fact that he is a veteran is a testament to his skills or luck. Hardcase has come to St. Martial to deal with the demons who plaque the area, and is looking for freelancers who aren't afraid to tuss with the monsters.
Initial Contact
Demons. St. Martial is full of 'em. That's why I'm here. They call me Hardcase, and I'm a demon hunter. I don't care what your story is. All I want to know if you're tough enough to deal. If you are, then maybe we can do some business. If you're not, then I suggest you slink back to whatever hole you crawled out of.
Story Arc
Silver Tongue
This is a silver forked demon tongue. It's all that's left from a Wailer King demon known as Silvertongue after you defeated him in a tale you like to call:
Silver-Tongued Devil
It all stated when Hardcase spoke with you about getting rid of a demon problem for a lady in return for a big payoff. She wanted to get rid of a Wailer King known as Silvertongue who she inadvertently made a deal with. hardcase had you start interrogating the Wailers to see if you could find Silvertongue's true name - it turned out to be Cacophonix!
The next step was getting a banishing ritual. No one knows mroe about demons than the Circle of Thorns, so you taided one of their temples to get the materials for the ritual.
Hardcase passed word the lady who made the deal with Silvertongue was trapped in a warehouse with the demons closing in on her. since she was the payoff, it was important to get to her in time. Confronting Silvertongue there, you found that the whole mess was set up by the demon! The banishing ritual was useless against him since he passed on a flase true name. You managed to defeat Silvertongue anyway, but he promised to return again.
Johnny Sonata Tickets
These are a couple of Johnny Sonata tickets. You got these as a reminder of a tale you like to call:
Sold for a Song
It all started when Hardcase the demon hunter got you to beat down some Wailers on St. Martial and collect their essence in a crystal pendant. You got the job done, and Hardcase related the Wailers had a 'resonance' having to do with sound and music, possibly something on St. Martial itself.
Hardcase wanted to know more, and sent you to interrogate some Circle of Thorns mystics, known demon summoners. You found that one of the Circle mystics known as Karvost had made some deals with the Wailers. Heading to Karvost's lair, you interrogated the mystic to discover that he had learned to control them through a book known as the Tolshak Mysteries, hidden in a Circle temple beneath Sharkhead Isle.
Raiding the Circle of Thorns temple on Sharkhead Isle, you ransacked their libraries to find the Tolshak Mysteries. You took the book back to Hardcase who began to unlock its secrets.
Hardcase was recently visited by Daniel Hawthorn, a man who had made a pact with the Wailers. He reneged on the deal however, and was being hunted by the demons. Hardcase wanted to know the details of the pact, so sent you to get to the man before the demons did. After you rescued Daniel Hawthorn, he told you the deal: they'd provide him luck in the casino, and he'd destroy one of the seals on the Golden Giza. Hardcase theorized that the demons were bownd to the seals in some way.
Hardcase decided to ask an expert in magical matters, and requested a divination on the seals from the Archmage Tarixus on Sharkhead Isle. Tarixus required a boon first, asking you to eliminate some of his Circle enemies on Primeva. Once you succeeded, he sent the results of the divination to Hardcase. Hardcase revealed the seals were not there to bind the Wailers to the Golden Giza, but to keep them out of Babylon!
Hardcase still had the question of who was behind the building of the seals. He sent you to the local property office to find out more info on Babylon and the Golden Giza. there you found that major architectural reconstruction was done by none other than the star singer of the Golden Giza, Johnny Sonata! Hardcase speculated Johnny had sold his soul to the demons for a song, but then found the means to prevent them from getting at him. Hardcase was frustrated: killing Johnny to solve the Wailer problem would be difficult, and was not the guaranteed solution. Hardcase was consigned to hunt demons until a clear path was apparent.
Johnny Sonata Techno-Remix
This techno-remix recording of the star of the Golden Giza on St. Martial, the crooner known as Johnny Sonata. You have it as a reminder from a tale you like to call:
Pied Piper
It all started when Hardcase contacted you about a horde of Wailers attacking a warehouse in The Hard Way. Investigating, you found a gang of Freakshow with sound modifications being swarmed by Wailers. After you dealt with the situation, you found a bunch of music discs on the Freakshow, including a techno-remix of Johnny Sonata's greatest hits. Hardcase speculated the Wailers were attracted to the music!
Hardcase saw this as an opportunity to draw the Wailers away from St. Martial. He sent you to go after Trey Belcleff, one of the Freakshow's sonic techies. Getting to Trey, you got him to build a sonic transmitter capable of attracting the Wailers from a distance.
Hardcase picked a target for the sonic device: Paragon City. You snuck over to the mainland and planted the sonic transmitter in the sewers beneath Paragon, avoiding patrols of Longbow who caught word of your presence. You managed to plant the device, giving a momentary reprise from the Wailers for St. Martial.
Store
Store section not complete
Hardcase sells level 35 magic and natural dual-origin enhancements and level 35 and 40 magic single-origin enhancements.
Missions
Find cause of Wailer attack
Briefing
Hey. I got word that all hell is breaking loose in a warehouse down in Hard Way. Nothing new considering what the Hard Way is normally like, but in this case there's a LOT of Wailers there. I don't know if it's some sort of ward they're after there, or Johnny Sonata tried to make a break for it or what, but it's worth checking out. Head over to the warehouse and find out what's causing these Wailers to attack in such huge numbers.
You might want some backup - there's a LOT of Wailers in there!
Mission Objective(s)
In the distance you hear discordant music accompanied by the screams of Wailer demons.
- Find cause of Wailer attack
You found the cause of the Wailer attacks!
Clue: Wailer Freakout
It all started when Hardcase contacted you about a horde of Wailers attacking a warehouse in The Hard Way. Investigating, you found a gang of Freakshow with sound modifications being swarmed by Wailers. After you dealt with the situation, you found a bunch of music discs on the Freakshow, including a techno-remix of Johnny Sonata's greatest hits. Hardcase speculated the Wailers were attracted to the music!
Debriefing
The Freakshow had a Johnny Sonata remix which drew the Wailers? Damn. We might just be able to use this to our advantage...
Steal sonic device
Briefing
Those sonic Freakshow who were playing the Johnny Sonata techno-remix which attracted the Wailers gave me an idea. If we could get hold of some of the sonic tech, we can plant a device on another island and draw the Wailers away from St. Martial! I know the name of a techie who's working for the Freakshow leaders on St. Martial developing their sonic tech. Get Trey Belcleff from the Freakshow to build you a sonic device.
Once we capture Belcleff, we can get him to construct the sonic device to attract the Wailers!
Mission Objective(s)
Off in the distance you hear a discordant squeal from a loudspeaker.
- Steal sonic device
You got the sonic device!
Notable NPCs
Clue: Ultra Mega Boombox
This oversized boombox is a sonic transmitter built by the Freakshow sonic techie Trey Belcleff. It is loaded with a cycling techno-remix of Johnny Sonata's greatest hits. The Wailers of St. Martial are attracted to the music!
Debriefing
This'll be perfect. Now we just need to pick a good target. I have something in mind...
Draw Wailers to Paragon City
Briefing
So we found the Wailers were attracted by the techno-remix of Johnny Sonata's music, and managed to get a Freakshow sonic techie to make a heavy duty sonic transmitter. Now all we need to do is plant it somewhere off of St. Martial...
I know - let's put it in Paragon City. Let those hero jerks deal with the Wailers when they come after it. They'll probably find the device after a while, but it'll give St. Martial a break from the Wailers for a while at least. Plant the sonic transmitter in the Paragon City sewers and make sure there are no nearby witnesses!
Mission Acceptance
I have a boat waiting in Nerva to take you to Paragon City. Longbow usually watches for villains going in and out of the Rogue Isles, so keep an eye out for them.
Mission Objective(s)
The foul sewers below Paragon City is a perfect place to hide the sonic transmitter.
- Draw Wailers to Paragon City
- Plant sonic device
- Defeat reinforcements
- Defeat witnesses
You planted the sonic device!
Debriefing
That should draw some of the Wailers off St. Martial - at least for a while. Let the 'heroes' of Paragon City deal with that mess!
Briefing
Mission Objective(s)
Clue:
Debriefing