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I'd like to toss my name into the ring for a future Vlish. Also, the no-canister run is not really feasible in GF1, because there are no trainers to teach skills. You can do it with a Guardian, but it's not really worth it. Later games, however, make it much more reasonable.
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Nov 18, 2016 00:10
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Let's not talk about why that changes later on. 
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Nov 18, 2016 00:38
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You've already gotten further than I ever did in GF1! Everything after this point is new to me. 1. The 2nd person perspective is working really well. I think it's advantaged by the fact that in the GF games you don't have a party. 2. I think the game starts off pretty strong by dropping you all alone onto the island with only rogue creations (sentient and otherwise) to keep you busy in the first sections. 3. I was reflecting on the fact that this game came out in 2001? and created the setting, tone, and themes for 4 more games over ~7 years. Some of the quests and writing and general tropes of this game are so characteristic of all Spiderweb games, but this game really frames the entire GF series. 4. I'm very interested to see how canister use develops in this game
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Nov 18, 2016 03:14
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Just started playing Geneforge 2, decided to skip ahead to the next game since I already spoiled myself on how this one ends. Not going to post any spoilers, but I feel like Vogel did a better job of introducing the mechanics right away at the beginning in this sequel. Like, I would probably recommend people start with 2 first, then go back to 1 after, and I've only played it for about an hour compared to the... many I've played of the first.
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Nov 18, 2016 03:18
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Yeah, this is a great setting. It's got a lot of recognizable fantasy bits to it but the angle it takes with them is amazingly fresh.
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Nov 18, 2016 04:48
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RickVoid posted:Not going to post any spoilers, but I feel like Vogel did a better job of introducing the mechanics right away at the beginning in this sequel. Like, I would probably recommend people start with 2 first, then go back to 1 after, and I've only played it for about an hour compared to the... many I've played of the first. It doesn't come across in screenshots, but the first couple real areas of GF1 (Watchhill, Ruined School) can actually be quite difficult since you have no buff spells, no group damage, and no way to crowd control enemies. So if you accidentally run into too many enemies or get a few unlucky damage/hit rolls, you can't really do much to turn the situation around.
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Nov 18, 2016 12:20
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Echoing that this is a fascinating setting. I love stuff like this, so I'm excited to see where it goes from here! As for names, I'd offer my own, Nevileen. Use it for whatever creature you want.
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Nov 18, 2016 15:07
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MagusofStars posted:I actually do suggest people start with GF2. The mechanics are more polished, the interface is notably improved and the early game is a *lot* more forgiving since you have more options. This is all true. That's why I'd advise playing this like one would the original Baldur's Gate: move cautiously through fog of war zones and try to take foes on one by one. Save frequently. By the way, there aren't many hot keys in this game. Quicksave is f10 and quickload is f9. G will let you pick up items nearby. F toggles between exploration and combat mode. Esc of course brings the main options menu up. Numbers 1 - 8 allow you to select party members. Tab will highlight onscreen NPCs and display their names, which you'll see me using next update. Those are the only ones I can think of! I don't believe there's a convenient list in the in game manual. If you're playing along for the first time, I hope this helps.
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Nov 18, 2016 16:05
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Solution's mixture of disbelief that the serviles can actually act like people and her genuine love and care for her creations is really compelling for a character.
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Nov 18, 2016 16:12
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Yes, echoing this. Your writing is stellar so far, PIC.
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Nov 18, 2016 16:24
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I do enjoy Solution's internal  over her terrible little murderbeasts.  It adds charm to her character, I think! And I nth enjoying the writing so far. I offer Like Clockwork and Rudje as names for any future fire shaping creations.
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Nov 18, 2016 19:36
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Tossing my name in for anything weakish
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Nov 18, 2016 20:01
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So, I might be going crazy, but because of this LP I looked up Geneforge on Steam. It was on there and I added it to my wishlist. I could have sworn that it wasn't on sale then, but right now the entire saga is 75% off, for the next ~18 hours. That's five games for $5.50 Canadian. gently caress it, I'm in.
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Nov 19, 2016 00:20
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On the Road Game Text posted:After several hours winding your way through narrow, barren valleys, you enter a narrow tunnel. The stone has been worn by the feet of many serviles. They must travel along this route frequently, perhaps carrying goods. The serviles warned you that strange dangers have overtaken the Hills of Jars. The still air carries only a few sounds: the moan of air currents through distant tunnels and the steady, maddening drip of condensation from stalactites. These warrens are a good example of the curious architectural style the Sucia Island Shapers apparently favored: a blend of natural caverns with granite masonry. The walls aren't mortared at all. What look like simple, stone blocks are actually expertly dressed to fit securely together without any extra support.  You pass by the basic way station and head south. The locked lever here is no match for your charm. Your triumph only lasts a moment before it's brutally snuffed. Game Text posted:This complex was definitely once home to a vast quantity of Shaper supplies. The grubby, scavenging fingers of the serviles, however, have been through here many times. However, your interest is most captured by the things on the ground. Walking through the mines would be a foolish and likely fatal mistake. You and your creations edge past towards another lever-locked door.  Your vague hope of finding something to neutralize the mines is rewarded. You send out a silent thought of gratitude that whoever planted these mines also left a means of bypassing them. That means whoever is responsible still needs a way to pass through the Hills... Though if the controls are left locked up, that person certainly didn't intend for anyone without the keys to enjoy safe passage. Game Text posted:This device is what is known as a spore switch. When the handle at the top is twisted in just the right way, it releases spores into the air. When twisted back, it releases a different sort of spore.   You can't see it in my screenshots because I haven't worked out the whole gif thing yet, but the tiny wick atop these little mines twitch back and forth. It would be kind of cute if mines weren't the bane of my existence. It's at this point that Geneforge really stops loving around and takes off the kid's gloves, because these mines will absolutely wreck your poo poo. What mines a given spore box actually effects is ambiguous and it's completely possible to mistakenly reactivate mines and then detonate them. I used quicksave liberally here, and if you're playing, you should too. F10 saves the day! You hold your breath and approach the first row of mines. When they don't explode, you close your eyes and step toward the second, then the third. Here, you find a servile who was much less fortunate than you. Scorch marks on the tiled floors show that she's not the first creation to get too close to a live mine. Someone came back and replaced the mines without removing her body. The casual disrespect towards a dead creation makes your skin crawl. She was left here perhaps as a warning to anyone who might follow. Her pale, fixed face and awful wounds are enough to sicken anyone with even a basic level of empathy. Unfortunately, there's nothing you can do to compose her body, so you cover her with a blanket pinched from the way station.  There's a long empty creation pen nearby. You wonder what kinds of creations were kept there before Sucia Island was evacuated. Perhaps this was a station to temporarily hold ornks while moving them across the isle, or maybe those long-gone Shapers kept fyoras and artilas here that were much like your own. That gives you something to chew on while you carefully, painfully mince through the minefield. The creations you can shape thanks to the canisters are from designs over a century old. How do they compare to modern designs? What tweaks have been made since this place was abandoned? How have fyora and artila temperaments changed? These questions are a welcome distraction.    After venturing into a few dead ends, you find another spore box and twist the dial. You're not sure if you just reactivated all the mines behind you or if you've deactivated unseen mines ahead. Perhaps both. Dread hangs over you like a sword dangling by a single thread. Even your creations, innocent of the danger that mines present, have picked up on your anxiety and are sullen and snappish. No words can express your shame at passing your fears along to them.  This part of the warren is a maze of natural tunnels. The pink-tinged calcite is slick in places and you're forced to catch yourself more than once on slimy walls and stalagmites.  Fortunately, you reach another developed portion of the caverns, where the tiles, though grimy, at least aren't coated with bio-film.  You twist another spore box dial, then, curious, sniff the air. It doesn't smell any different from the pervasive mildew down here. Hopefully the control spores are nontoxic.  The benches here still have tools and complex Shaping equipment on them. You take intact pieces of Shaper experimental equipment just in case. It's heavy, delicate stuff, but it may prove useful in the future. If nothing else, you can probably sell it to the serviles for some significant coin.  Another unfortunate servile. He somehow avoided death by landmines, but he was unable to pick the locks and died anyway. His body is waxen and pale and the flesh is firm and smooth to the touch, much like a fine, hard soap. You recognize the phenomenon -- grave wax. It happens most frequently in very moist, sealed environments, but even Shapers have yet to determine the why of it. The other doors here are all locked and your essence is too depleted to spell them open. You decide to check the other tunnels.   You find a mortared wall that shows signs of being recently built. It must be blocking off a shortcut... When you think back to how you came in, you're relatively sure of it. Perhaps you should start drawing maps. They might help with mysteries like these. The minimap in the lower right corner is very helpful for figuring out where you haven't been yet, but sadly lacks any annotation function or landmark features. It does display little blips for NPCs, with different colors for the PC, their creations, friendly NPCs, and hostile NPCs.  You rest and refresh yourself, then continue exploring the eastern galleries of the Hills of Jars. There's another spore control box, and you find a passage that leads to still another locked automatic door. This one is a little too complex to defeat with your Unlock charm.  The eastern gallery is in the all-natural style. Heaps of jars both intact and shattered line the nooks and crannies here. You're a little disappointed that none of these jars are canisters. You shouldn't have gotten your hopes up at the serviles' name for the place. This side is riddled with dead ends, but you do find a passage out to the east. That means you've opened all three routes through the Hills of Jars, which will certainly please the serviles. With trade and communications re-established, they might even be able to work together to push back the other rogues. Somehow you doubt the serviles will achieve that level of cooperation. Now that she's found all 3 exits, Solution can pass freely through this zone. You don't need to explore the central area at all. In fact, you don't need to engage in any combat at all. If your mechanics skill is high enough, you can get through Hills of Jars without ever taking any damage.  Before you go, though, you decide to investigate the heart of the warren. Anything important here would have been isolated from major exits and protected behind thick bulkhead doors. You return to the lever you bypassed earlier. A living tool softens up the lock, and your charm finishes it off.  Game Text posted:You reach one of the main warehouses. The Shapers were, unfortunately, very thorough in gathering goods before their departure. Most of the best supplies have been taken. The mines are bad enough, but subverted turrets are terrifying beyond belief. You weren't expecting to run into them past the bulkhead, but it appears that you weren't the first person to get back here. Just like the mines, turrets have finite lifespans and can't independently reproduce, so there shouldn't have been any remaining rogues back here. You and your creations have already spilled partway out of the narrow service corridor. If you don't seize the element of surprise but instead flee, the turrets will be waiting for you if you return. Grinding your teeth, you go ahead and commit to the fight by pushing GreatEvilKing forward. Turrets aren't well-armored, just exceedingly dangerous. Your fyoras take out the first turret, but not before it gets a shot in on GreatEvilKing, the first creation to enter the fray. Berryjon hangs back; if the thahd were to get close enough to a turret to punch one, it'd be well within range of two more turrets' thorns. The access corridor provides shelter and a useful choke point in case of an ambush from behind. Berryjon's immense bulk is more than enough to ensure that nothing will be able to backstab you without berryjon spotting it first.  As you reinforce the team with a war blessing, the Vosgian Beast once again proves its worth by half-dissolving a turret. The turrets are really just large fungal growths; their soft bodies are no match for acid. You're grateful that the turrets can't scream as they melt away.   More turrets have been planted by the surviving workbenches. One of them is darker than the nearest turrets -- and to your dismay, it turns out to spew envenomed thorns, one of which poisons idhrendur. There's no time to cure the fyora now; moving into range of one of these venomous turrets puts your creations in range of at least one more, so you must focus on taking them out by any means necessary.   Fortunately, the last turret falls before any of your creations succumb to their wounds. Without wasting a single motion, you pop another pouch of cure spores and tease thorns out of your creations' wounds. The Vosgian Beast, fragile as it is, was on the brink of death, but the potent antivenin in the spores helps stabilize it so that you can stop the creation's bleeding and make it whole once more. You and your creations are starting collections of scars that are completely out of step with the Shapers you've seen all your life. Maybe if you were better at healing craft, you wouldn't look so battle-worn.  With the turrets out of the way, you investigate the doors here. Behind the first is another spore control box. You turn the dial even as you wonder if perhaps making it in here earlier would have helped you avoid fighting those turrets altogether.  Among the remaining supplies is a pair of steel gauntlets. Such important personal protection would have come into handy much earlier, like when you found those horrible vats at the ruined school. Honestly, it's a little surprising that you didn't find something like this much earlier. Either there's a servile out there with a massive collection of Shaper steel, or the Shapers were extremely conscientious about taking their PPE back with them during the evacuation.  The locks on the next set of levers you find are even finer than that on the bulkhead which let you in here. You have to squeeze out your last bit of essence to convince them to open.  When you open the western door, you're immediately fired upon by a trio of venomous turrets. The first two shots kill the Vosgian Beast before you can even move, leaving your very first artila to quickly dissolve into a smear of formless ooze. The third strikes you. Fire spreads through your veins, threatening to eat you from within. These toxins are based on those used by certain natural arachnids that rely on venom to not only disable prey, but also to partially digest it. You can only clutch your thorn baton and order berryjon into the doorway. You suddenly realize that there's nothing that sets you apart from the Shapers who ordered this place abandoned but ability. You're ordering your creations to take the blows that are meant for you. Those Shapers might have at least been able to shield their vulnerable creations. They certainly wouldn't have left it so close to a door without knowing exactly what was on the other side. The Vosgian Beast paid for your miscalculation. RIP The Vosgian Beast. You served Solution well!   There are simply too many turrets for your exhausted creations to handle. You order them to pull back before you're all overwhelmed. You can't even take the Vosgian Beast's corpse with you. The artila is just protoplasm now. You return to Vakkiri with a heavy heart. Now that you've opened the doors in the Hills of Jars, it's imperative that you either re-seal them or disable the rest of the turrets before some innocent being wanders in and meets a grisly fate. If you were able to get past those locks, eventually so, too, will someone else, be they a servile or another bit of human flotsam like yourself. Disabling those turrets means you still need another artila. You set your guilt aside and summon the forces of creation. The Awakened guards pretend not to watch as you Shape before them in broad daylight once again.  Placid saviour proves to be a heartier artila. The newly-shaped creation looks vigorous enough. It watches the serviles with keen interest, perhaps already trying to distinguish food from not-food. All that stuff on the ground there? That's a glorious pile of wealth.   The warrens in the Hills of Jars have lost some of their mustiness when you return. The renewed air circulation is already hastening the decomposition of the corpses you found before. The remaining locked door where you first encountered the turrets proves stubborn and you resort to using another living tool to get the job done.  Still, the effort proves worthwhile, because beyond is another large storage room. The thick layer of dust here proves that no one has come in here in ages. No turrets greet you with their customary hail of thorns, but you're careful to keep your vulnerable new artila away from any unscouted openings.   Past a pair of evaporated essence pools is another canister. This one improves the potency of your searer spell, allowing you to approach the natural strength of an artila's spittle. Still, your ability with combat magic is simply inferior to what your creations can do. It's better for a second-rate caster to rely on first-rate companions than to let frivolous ego get in the way. Using the canister soothes you. The sorrow of losing the Vosgian Beast and Xander77 are distant now, more like being touched by the light of tiny, distant stars than holding a red-hot poker by the wrong end. Instead, anger comes to the fore. Whoever placed those turrets will suffer.  You are determined not to repeat your mistakes. The automatic door that leads into that hell of turrets closed when you and your creations left. This time, you ensure your weaker creations are out of line of sight when you open the door. With berryjon as back-up, you peek through the doorway. A servant mind? Of course. There had to be something here to help run such a large warehouse. The size of this place implies that it was full of necessary supplies for the researchers stationed on Sucia Island. The administration here must have received countless requests for reagents and equipment. Before you prod the servant mind awake, you decide to investigate the ledgers and cabinets for clues. More information will help you decide what questions to ask and how to evaluate the answers. Game Text posted:These thick books contain a detailed ledger of supplies which have passed through here. You find one interesting thing. The dates indicate that this area was abandoned almost exactly 200 years ago. That doesn't quite match the estimate Tavit gave you of a century... Twice that long? Perhaps this warren was abandoned long before the rest of Sucia Island was Barred, but you doubt it. You can't imagine that Tavit willfully lied to you. It was more likely simply mistaken. That means the servant minds you've met are at least two centuries old, if not older. It's amazing that they haven't gone mad for being isolated for so long. You check another tome chained up nearby. Game Text posted:One entry notes that there were three 'Augmentation Canisters' stored here. A handwritten annotation states 'Leave behind.' Three canisters? A frisson of desire shoots through your brain. You've used one. That means you could find two more here, though they may be guarded by those awful turrets. You check the cabinets by the mind. The first case contains a ceramic jar of mind nutrients. The jar appears intact, so you take it before moving on. Game Text posted:The case contained office supplies. The pens and paper have crumbled. There is also a small iron key hanging from a peg. You pocket it.  Game Text posted:You approach the servant mind. It is still alive and functioning. It is so alert that it might even have been fed recently. "What is your purpose here?" you ask. "l was the quartermaster for this facility. Most of my mind was formed to store vast amounts of information. My skills were put to use remembering all that was in here and all that was removed." "What supplies here would be useful to me?" Perhaps Pak can direct you to the remaining pair of canisters here. If there's a way to reach them without first tangling with the turrets, you might get lucky and receive power that trivializes such creations. "Oh, many, many things, Shaper. I can equip you with many powerful items." Pak starts to list weaponry, rations, and so on. However, it is soon clear that his information is out of date. He has not been told that practically everything here has been looted. Eventually, you tell him to stop listing. Pak is essentially a complex abacus, full of data rendered trivial by the island's Barring. Though it's pointless, you tell Pak that you could use a boat. As expected, the servant mind responds apologetically. "I am sorry, Shaper. A boat would not fit in this complex. Try looking at the main docks. They are to the southwest." No doubt it is referring to the place where you swam ashore. "Do you know why the Shapers left here?" Probing the minds has only proven so effective in the past, but you can't miss any opportunities to figure out what's going on here. Besides that, Pak's initial greeting struck you as off somehow. Pak was awake when you came in, unlike the other minds... "No, Shaper. I am so sorry." If the servant mind could bow, it would, you know. Instead, it can only cringe. "All right," you say. "Why were mines and turrets placed here?" Pak looks uncomfortable. Its tiny, useless limbs flop about worriedly. "There was one who came here, with guards. A human. He came and said he was an envoy from the Shapers. He said that I must place defenses to protect all of our supplies. I did so. Please, please forgive me if that was against the true will of the Shapers." Finally, confirmation that Clakkit's rumor-mongering is true. Someone else is here. The person can't be a Shaper. No Shaper would ever travel incognito. Not only it that beneath one's pride, but it would also be incredibly inconvenient. This stranger is responsible for the deaths here, and, you imagine, also for the proliferation of rogues in the forests and valleys beyond. They have much to answer for. Part of you is also relieved that no mad Shaper left spawners here. The reality is bad enough, though -- somehow an outsider has unlocked the secrets of Shaping. You, at least, have been chosen to learn them. This outsider has not. Whether by chance or design, this intruder has stumbled upon secrets not meant for them. "The Shapers do not want these things here. Deactivate them immediately," you command Pak. Pak closes his eyes for a moment, and then opens them. "It is done, Shaper. These paths are clear." "Now tell me about this human." You wonder if the outsider is the ally Nabb mentioned. If the Takers have allied with outsiders, then they've gone beyond dangerously rogue. That would ensure the Takers' destruction. "He was no Shaper, but he said he was. I am sorry, Shaper -- I am only good for remembering, not analyzing personal character and veracity. He had two guards with him. Well-armed. One of them said his name, and he seemed angry." Pak's timidity is starting to irritate you. You want answers, not apologies. "What was the name?" "I am sorry, Shaper. He ordered me to forget the name. I couldn't. I had already stored it. So he ordered me never to retrieve it." "As a Shaper, I outrank all non-Shapers. I command you to ignore all orders given by non-Shapers. Once that is done, tell me the name." Pak thinks for a little bit. It is clearly a difficult chore. "I can't let you affect protected memories, but I can let you affect orders. So all such orders are forgotten. Now, what did you want? Oh, yes. The name." The mind hums. "The name of the human who commanded me was Trajkov." Very interesting. You make a note of it. "That is all for now," you tell it. Pak, relieved that you have no more difficult questions, watches you go.  The turrets now ignore you. After a few moments of thought, you decide that a little more assurance can't hurt. You direct your creations to crush a turret. The other turrets don't react when you damage it, so, one by one, you destroy them.  This storage room has several surviving living tools and a canister. When you use it, several refinements to the thahd design make themselves known to you. You hope that you won't have to shape another, but if you do, you know how to make a more rugged variety now.  The next canister you find doesn't impart any new secrets or spells. Instead, it refines the fragile network of filaments that connect your mind to your body, allowing that network to transmit its all-important signals even more quickly than before. You feel faster and more agile when the changes are complete. For someone like you who has always been frail, the difference is amazing. We received two points of quick action! That brings our QA stat up to 3. We will never spend skill points on QA, so this is a nice little bonus that will sometimes help us act first during battle.  With all the dangers within the Hills of Jars at last laid low, you venture southeast into the Plains of Pentil. You check the sign, which reads, "Pentil - Northeast. Thorny Fens - West." As long as you follow the road, you are confident that you should soon arrive in the Obeyers' settlement. Hopefully their welcome for you is as warm as Sleet said.  Game Text posted:This wide open valley is surprisingly sunny and pleasant. It is filled with farms. There are many carefully marked and cultivated plots of land, which grow the vegetables which are the staple of the servile diet. The abandoned ornks shy from you at first, likely frightened by the creations around you. But when you don't attack them, the ornks edge closer, drawn in by the aura of a Shaper. You give the boldest one a pat. There's little you can do for them -- you don't know much about caring for ornks, and you don't yet know what happened to their owners.  You investigate a nearby ruin that turns out to be in use as a shed of sorts. There's little of interest to you inside. Looking over the fields, you can make out hulking shapes in the distance -- more rogue thahds. You suspect that you'll have to do something about them if you want to make it to Pentil.  For now, though, you need to head east. The road has been maintained as best the serviles can, and following it is a far sight easier than trudging through overgrown fields. The last thing you need is to stumble into a mole hole and twist an ankle. To your surprise, there's an armed servile to the south, hidden in a pocket of the brown stone cliffs. He looks completely worn down. His Shaper-style robes are stained and tattered beyond repair.   When you step into the serviles' camp, you're greeted by a chorus of desperate cries. Resting serviles leap to their feet and bow their heads low. The clamor of their pleas bewilders you. Reeling, you command them to be silent, then turn to the servile by the fire. This must be Chesh. This band of serviles have clearly had a hard time of it lately. They are exhausted and demoralized, and this, their leader, seems the weakest and most fatigued of all. Yet, though he is trembling and almost asleep on his feet, the moment he sees you, his energy seems to return to him. He puts his hand on the pommel of his sword, drops to his knees, and bows his head. "I had not even dared to hope. I had heard the rumors, but I welcome you, Shaper. I place myself and my men at your disposal. I am Chesh Blade, of the village of Pentil." He stands again. "We are isolated, now, trapped and separated from home. Our losses have been great. Yet, hopefully, now that you are here, the tide will turn." "What is this place?" you ask, looking around at the disarrayed camp. Chesh either misunderstands or decides to equivocate. "These are the fields where Pentil grows all of its food. Or, it was, until the rogues swept in from the north and blocked the city gates. Now, it is a ruin, eagerly awaiting the wisdom of the Shapers to set it right." That much is as you suspected. You're glad you decided to follow the road instead of circling around the northern reaches of the fields. "Tell me of your troubles," you say. A better picture of the rogues and their territory should be useful in rousting them out. "The west gate of Pentil is to the northeast. However, it is blocked. There is a strong force of rogues there, in a good defensive position, and none of our forces have been adequate to defeat the blockade." Shame forces him to lower his voice, though the situation is clearly no secret to the rest of his band. You wonder if you'll fight your way into Pentil only to find a besieged or burned out settlement. It seems that their troubles may be even more severe than those of the Awakened. "Describe their forces to me." Someone, perhaps Trajkov, must have commanded the rogues to form a blockade. Otherwise, the rogues would have simply carved up territory and formed packs. Come to think of it, the roamers of Thorny Fen also behaved oddly, cooperating with far more complex tactics than you'd usually ascribe to such creatures. Why is Trajkov conspiring to divide the serviles? Why would an outsider bother? As you ponder this, Chesh replies, "It will sound meager to your ears, Shaper. It is perhaps ten thahds and about half a dozen artila. The thahds provide a buffer, while the artila acid sears any who approach. Perhaps we might dislodge them, but at ruinous cost to ourselves. A cost we can't afford. Of course, with your help, I am sure that we could dispatch them easily." "Why do you wait, then?" you ask. You're here, and your creations should prove adequate enough against mere thahds and artilas. "Why don't you clear the gate?" He examines you carefully. Perhaps he is trying to gauge how strong you are. His faith in you might not be as absolute as it seems. "We will, Shaper, but perhaps not yet. As I said, their position is very strong." You try not to let any displeasure seep into your expression while you think how best to handle this. The support of Chesh and his armed band would eliminate any meaningful risk to you and your creations when you assault the gates. A half-dozen or so armed serviles would present not only a confusing number of targets for the simple-minded rogues, but you're sure that with your blessing, the serviles would be able to form a meaningful battle line with berryjon as its heart. Of course, there's always the option to deceive these serviles, have them charge, and then sort out the survivors, but that's both unnecessarily cruel and horrifically wasteful. "You will have my assistance. I will be with you. Attack the gate now." He examines you again. He thinks for a bit. Finally, he says, "Shaper, I thank you for being so kind. We will attack the gate soon. As soon as our wounds are healed." This lot looks pitiful and terrified. You aren't holding your breath. "As a Shaper, I command you. Attack the gate now," you say, summoning all the cold hauteur you can. He looks very uncomfortable, almost panicked. "Shaper, we will. l promise. As soon as our wounds are healed." That looks like it may take a long time. You don't conceal your scowl. You're certain you could convince Chesh if you lied about your strengths, but you can't quite make yourself utter a lie that will send these serviles to their potential deaths. On the other hand, this open defiance cannot be rewarded. "I'm low on supplies and require assistance." It's petty, and if you're honest with yourself, which you aren't, seizing these serviles' supplies might be the same as killing them yourself. Chesh does not hesitate for a moment. From his perspective, this may be a chance to redeem himself in the eyes of a Shaper he has defied three times. "Please, Shaper, take anything of value in our camp. It is an honor to assist you." He eagerly says this although it is clear that they have a much greater need for weaponry than you do. His eagerness is almost humbling. "You are kind," you allow. "Thank you for your help." Chesh is confused. "But Shaper, what is ours is yours. You do not have to thank us mere creations." So he's willing to give you everything he has, but not to lay down his life. You shake your head, but take the opportunity to restock some thorns and crystals. These serviles have very little and even less to spare.  You check the next cave and discover that it has been put to use as a morgue. Surprisingly, no rogues have defiled the half-dozen corpses here. Their weapons, if they were even armed to begin with, have been wisely claimed by the survivors.  On you way back to the road, you find a thahd stalking your party. Interestingly enough, the rogue ignored the ornks entirely. Though this thahd proves tougher than those you've encountered earlier, your creations are still able to vanquish it before it can do more than superficially bruise berryjon.    As you check the tunnels along the cliff face for spawners and outsiders, you learn a little about what life must have been like here before the rogue invasion. The serviles who worked these fields lived in close quarters much like they do in Shaper territory outside Sucia Island, packed tightly into barracks with little regard for privacy. Their quarters are messy, but you're not sure if that's the result of unsupervised serviles or destructive rogues.   You locate a more complex tunnel reinforced by aged masonry. This tunnel dates back to when still lived on Sucia Island. The canister here enables you to cure a wider array of even more potent toxins, providing you with hope should you come across more venomous turrets.  South of the storeroom is a root cellar. You find an interesting sample of tubers and rootstock cuttings here, though they're showing telltale signs of withering from being untended so long. You take a little time to moisten the roots and cane trimmings. The serviles will return once you clear out the rogues. There's no point in letting all their hard work go to waste. Besides, you've always had a soft spot for plants. Without them, you wouldn't have the marvelous thorn batons.   With the patience born of putting down over a hundred rogue creations, you sweep the rest of the plains. Some of these siege-modified thahds are using the same tactics the fen roamers did. The thahds patrol and sometimes try to ambush you, but for the most part they bellow for help as soon as they spot you and flee, only to return with more allies. Your creations become skilled at spotting the siege thahds first and disabling them before they can raise the alarm.  To the northwest you find a disturbing boneyard tucked away in a cliffside pocket. It's hard to say what the bones belonged to. You hope this is where ornk carcasses were discarded after slaughter. The other options are nowhere near as benign.  You find a wide canyon opening closer to where you estimate the Pentil gates are. There's another sign here that reads, "Pentil - East. Thorny Fens - Southwest. Rogue Wastes - North - Beware!" The Rogue Wastes must be where these besiegers came from. How have there been rogues anywhere on this island long enough for the serviles to make signs about them? Have outsiders been going to and fro, stealing Shaper secrets from this place? The very thought terrifies you. The power to Shape is not one to give or receive lightly. It took you years to prove yourself, and a tiny voice inside you sometimes whispers fears that your landing on Sucia Island marks you as unworthy of that trust. After all, you're making use of secrets that you have little right to. The only thing that sets you apart from the outsiders is that you were chosen as someone who will one day be worthy of learning these things the correct way. Using the canisters is certainly expedient, but this place was barred and you're not certain that the canisters aren't the cause of that.   Game Text posted:From here, you can see a large and ugly symptom of the troubles in this area. The west approach to Pentil is closed by a blockade. You approach the blockade through a wide crevasse, thinking to use it as a way to funnel the rogues into a meat grinder. This plan starts out well, but the artilas turn out to be far more powerful than you expected. Berryjon accounts for several siege thahds that your fyoras and placid saviour soften up, but the thahds aren't the problem -- the artilas are far too effective and you can't support berryjon against all the rogue thahds while also eliminating their ranged support. You don't want to see another creation die an avoidable death. You force them to retreat. As you circle back, you draw your team up against the western cliff face and finish healing them. This assault is the push that decides whether you're going to be able to liberate the western gates of Pentil or whether you'll be forced to resort to more devious means. You bless your team and then move into position.  Luck is on your side. The siege artila did not regroup after you fell back earlier. Their flanks are all exposed. You don't take any risks. GreatEvilKing, placid saviour, and idhrendur take out the leftmost artila. More notice your return and slither south to meet you, but you have fortune's favor and none manage to hit your team. These creations are not terribly intelligent, perhaps because they are so fresh. They've clustered together for support, innocent of what a terrible tactical error that is. Your spray crystals devastate the artilas, leaving only a couple that were too far out of range. Berryjon rushes in to meet the slow, confused siege thahds. In moments, there's only mopping up to do, which your creations handle quite easily.  With no armed support and without any significant assistance, you've seized the western gates. You praise your creations, without whose efforts this victory would have been utterly impossible. Even an artila appreciates a little tickle now and then. Idhrendur and GreatEvilKing preen and nibble your fingers delicately, and berryjon puffs its massive chest even if it only understands about half of the compliments you give.  You find another servile here, murdered by the rogues -- or rather, murdered by whomever sent these rogues. Trajkov or whoever did this has a great deal to account for. You hope you'll have a chance to mete out justice to this wretched outsider. Back at the warrior serviles' camp, you find Chesh still waiting despondently by the campfire. He starts to give you his excuses again, but you forestall him with a raised hand. "Are you not aware that I've already broken the artila force and cleared the blockade?" Chesh looks acutely embarrassed. "Oh. I admit our reconnaissance has not perhaps been what it could be..." In his place, you'd want to sink into the ground, never to be seen again, so you keep your mouth shut. He'll be humiliated enough when word of his dereliction of duty to you, a Shaper, gets around in Pentil. And it will. "Up, men! We will now retake the gate!" As they prepare to leave, Chesh says, "Shaper, if you could spare a great kindness to your lowly servants, could you escort us to the gate? We are weak, and we may need your protection if more forces have arrived." To Chesh's incredible joy, you assent to escort them north. The march turns out to be completely uneventful. Any remaining rogues have been chased off by the slaughter for now. Compared to the Awakened you've met, Chesh seems truly pitiable -- his terror of the rogues is more like that of normal serviles, but you find yourself missing the spine shown by Awakened patrols. They needed your help, but they didn't snivel about it. That hermit in Watchhill could teach Chesh a thing or two about fighting rogues.   At long last, you've arrived in Pentil, the village of the Obeyers, the serviles who still respect the natural order and recognize their place. You're not as confident about that last part now that you've met some of the Obeyers, but you're willing to approach them with an open mind and a forgiving heart. Before you pass the guard house, you hail one of the serviles in the gatehouse. You speak with the guard for a little while. The servile is completely obedient, cooperative, and in awe of you, but he doesn't know anything very useful. Game Text posted:You enter the village of Pentil. It is quite a bit more than a village, actually. This was a large fort, probably the administrative center. Next time: The Obeyer Interlude: Your Faithful Servants POOL IS CLOSED fucked around with this message at 22:21 on Aug 20, 2017 |
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Nov 19, 2016 01:58
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Holy ever-loving poo poo, that did turn out way longer than expected. I'm both proud and appalled at myself. Thank you everyone for the compliments, sorry for blowing up the thread! Anyway  As Ashsaber indicated in the post just before Update 6 that there's a 75% off sale on the ENTIRE Spiderweb Software catalogue! I've played almost the entire catalogue. I super highly recommend Avadon, Avernum, and Geneforge to anyone who appreciates story-driven RPGs and challenging, turn-based, tactical gameplay. POOL IS CLOSED fucked around with this message at 02:45 on Nov 19, 2016 |
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Nov 19, 2016 02:18
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As a weird side note, some mines are triggered by creations and some aren't. Even cheap creations tend to have equal or higher health pools than Shapers, so for the ones that are triggered by creations, you can use your creations (or a sacrificial Thahd) as walking minesweepers. I don't know if you ever strictly *need* to do so, but sometimes it's just faster/easier to just set the drat things off rather than screwing with spore boxes.
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Nov 19, 2016 02:56
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MagusofStars posted:As a weird side note, some mines are triggered by creations and some aren't. Even cheap creations tend to have equal or higher health pools than Shapers, so for the ones that are triggered by creations, you can use your creations (or a sacrificial Thahd) as walking minesweepers. I don't know if you ever strictly *need* to do so, but sometimes it's just faster/easier to just set the drat things off rather than screwing with spore boxes. Spore mines are, quite frankly, the thing I hate most about this game. Determining a given set of spore mines' rules is basically trial and error unless you've got a real thorough walkthrough to guide you. Sometimes you can shimmy past the mines as long as you don't touch them, or don't get within a certain radius, but when it comes down to that, it's difficult to tell what that radius actually is, and then it's tricky sometimes to actually guide your PC through. Then, of course, there are mines you described, which might not detonate on your creations, but will definitely turn you into ragu. There's a spot coming up where we have no means to disable the mines, so we detonate them with berryjon. Sorry, berryjon.
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Nov 19, 2016 03:04
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POOL IS CLOSED posted:Sorry, berryjon. Eh, I've swept enough mines in my time the hard way to completely understand.
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Nov 19, 2016 05:42
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Yeah, spore mines are a mess at times. In part because their exact detonation radius is kind of vague, not marked in any way, and in some places you need to squeeze past them, and the aforementioned differences in what'll set them off. There are some visual cues, sometimes, but they're not exactly massive. Still, Geneforge gets a bit of a pass because of its age. I also want to point out that I LOVE the overworld map. It doesn't tell you everything straight off the bat, but it gives you enough clues that it makes you want to explore, dotting the map with a few structures, bridges, what's clearly a pass leading into the northwest mountains, a huge gate in the northeast, piers on the southeast and east side of the island, etc.
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Nov 19, 2016 06:29
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I couldn't resist buying these at the price offered. I don't know if I'll ever be able to get through them myself, but this LP is good enough that I at least want to give it a try.
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Nov 19, 2016 14:25
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I thought that Avernum 1-2 (the re-remake) and Avadon 1-2 were pretty good, but couldn't play any of the other games in the series (except for Avernum 6, which is basically a beta for the re-remake). Would recommend those though.
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Nov 19, 2016 14:27
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POOL IS CLOSED posted:There's a spot coming up where we have no means to disable the mines, so we detonate them with berryjon.
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Nov 19, 2016 16:50
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An Obeyer Interlude: Your Faithful Servants   Before announcing yourself to the leader of the Obeyers, you decide to walk the walls. Pentil village was built like a fortress, with four towers and four gatehouses. The solid stone construction reassures you that this place is, if not perfectly safe, at least easily defensible. There is absolutely no sign that the rogues from Pentil Plains or the mysterious northern wastes have ever been able to penetrate this fastness. The ancient Shapers who built the place built it to last. The structures here also appear to be in surprisingly good shape. The Obeyers have taken great pains to maintain what their masters left behind. If not for the armed guards, very little here would feel out of place in a modern Shaper compound. The architecture is rather antiquated, but there are plenty of historic settlements on the mainland, so Pentil is not terribly unusual.  Your footsteps trace the paths of this one-time administrative center by muscle memory alone. Architecture aside, almost nothing has changed about how Shapers like to lay out their compounds since this place was originally planned and constructed. There's a sign by the central offices which reads, "Hall of the Obeyers." This must be where the leader of the Obeyers waits for you.  Game Text posted:This massive hall is sparsely decorated. The floor is bare except for a scattering of chairs, arranged for discussion. It is as if there was nothing placed here to distract from the business at hand. The only other soul here is a lone servile. You approach with your creations gathered around you, signs of your power and legitimacy in this hall, among these serviles. You aren't used to seeing this complicated a mix of emotions in the face of a servile. Normally, they are simple, obedient, docile creatures. Not this one. You see in his face the look of one who has spent many years in command, plotting and scheming, who has now come face to face with the thing he has worshipped for many years. Awe and cunning fight within him as he tries to decide how to deal with you. Finally, he says, "Shaper, I have heard of your arrival. I... I am awed and grateful that you have returned to us at last. I am Rydell. I am the leader of the Obeyers, the only sect that has stayed steadfast and true in our obedience to your kind. "We know that you are alone here, and endangered by the rogue creations that surround us. We hope that you have come to assist us, and to reward us for our obedience." He looks up at you expectantly. Leader Rydell's words trigger a chill that travels along your scalp and down the nape of your neck. You recognize this sensation as paranoia. Until your arrival on Sucia Island, you wouldn't have described yourself as the paranoid type. Much like anyone else living in Shaper lands, you have certain expectations about the way your life will play out and your role in Shaper society. That includes a mutual understanding shared by every other being that belongs to your culture -- the roles of creations, of outsiders, of Shapers, and of the Shaper Council. You recently left the ranks of the ordinary humans, the outsiders, and have been inducted into the sphere of the Shapers themselves. Even though you are but a lowly apprentice, your standing is significantly higher than a vast proportion of society, and you've complacently expected to be accorded the leeway that status commands. Your expectations have been continually violated since you landed on Sucia Island. First by meeting feral creations, then by the defiance of the Awakened, and now by the niggling doubt that sours your mouth upon hearing Leader Rydell's word. He has certainly prepared and practiced this speech since he learned of your coming. Your silence stretches until Rydell's discomfort reaches almost palpable levels. Finally, you address him. "I want to learn more of the Obeyers," you tell him. "Tell me more of your beliefs." "Gladly, Shaper. My life is centered around describing our beliefs. I think that they will, upon reflection, be pleasing to you. We are dedicated to nothing but showing your kind the obedience we owe you as our creators. We hope, one day, that we will be able to convince you to ally with us." You motion with your baton for him to continue. "I should not need to describe our beliefs, Shaper, for they are exactly those of you and your people. You are the creators, the formers. We were not there, and then we were, through your will and efforts. "The Awakened say that our debt to you for your act of life-giving may be paid off. We do not know if that is true. We doubt it. But, if the debt truly can be paid, it will take many, many more years of true obedience and service. "Note, however, that we only serve the true Shapers, who follow the Shapers' true beliefs. If we feel that a Shaper has been twisted from the will of its kind, we will not obey." Leader Rydell examines you closely, watching you for reactions that will help guide his words. "I am impressed by your wisdom and self-control in the face of adversity. You gave us the obedience we are owed. You deserve to be rewarded for your loyalty," you say, though the words taste bitter and your voice sounds distant even to your own ears. These serviles... have they wasted the opportunity that the other sects have seized? The opportunity to grow into beings far greater than the simple-minded serviles guided and hobbled by you Shapers? Or have they endured suffering and struggled against resentment to maintain their compact with your kind, the compact between parent and child, creator and creation, master and servant? Rydell exhales a deep breath of relief. "So many years of self-doubt, Shaper. So many years of wondering why you abandoned us. Now we know, though. Now we know that we followed the true course. Thank you." You may have consoled him, but there's no one in Pentil, you realize, who can console you. "One thing you said is troubling, Rydell. True Shapers? How can you decide whether a Shaper's beliefs are valid or not?" "It is, well, it is a difficult question, and one we have much discussed. We feel we owe obedience, but we are not sure whether we owe total obedience to all Shapers, or what to do if two Shapers say different things. For now, we have decided to follow the Shapers' beliefs as last represented to us before the Shapers left. It is the best we can do." "I see." Your flat stare discomfits Rydell. "And what sorts of tasks have you carried out in our name?" "I am glad you asked, Shaper. We have attempted to maintain your structures, and to keep ourselves trained in the skills you required of us. In addition, we have interfered as much as we can with the strange, rogue servile sects around us," Rydell says. He is eager to expound on the Obeyers' deeds and win your praise, but you detect a reluctance that puts your teeth on edge. You don't doubt that it will come to a head in your conversation soon enough. First, though, you're determined to extract all the information you can. "Interfered in what ways?" "However we could. We realized that if the Awakened or the Takers gained strength, their ideas might escape Sucia Isle and infect others. So we have maintained the servant minds, harassed their villages, kept them from needed supplies, and so on. For example, we kept the servant mind Control Four, to the west, alive and well. This has helped keep Vakkiri small and weak, and thus unable to seriously expand their anti-Shaper views." This goes some length in explaining the disparity between Vakkiri's development and Pentil's. The Obeyers have deliberately throttled the growth of their rival sects. Their goal--keeping the Takers and Awakened too weak to escape Sucia Island--also gels with your earlier, though erroneous, hypothesis about why Sucia is Barred. It's a worthy goal, and the way Rydell has set about crippling his rivals is impressive. That deviousness is also extremely worrisome. The serviles you grew up around are not calculating, political creatures. The most deceitful thing you've seen a servile do, Sucia Island notwithstanding, is try to cadge an extra cookie off someone. The serviles here do not share that same innocence. A recent memory surfaces unbidden. The pile of long-dead serviles in Crag Valley, where the only signs of recent habitation are two Obeyer guards... You now strongly suspect that those dead belong to the Awakened. That means not only have the other settlements been denied resources, but they've also struggled against a long-standing campaign of attrition. Of deliberate, premeditated killing. "Tell me of this village," you say, smiling. Rydell is only too happy to comply. "This is the largest servile settlement on Sucia. We have worked hard to make it so. We want it to be ready for when the Shapers return. Still, the many threats we face have made our lot a difficult one." "How have you obeyed us in our absence?" "For each of the tasks the Shapers have serviles perform, we have one group which carries it out. We train each new generation to serve as the ancestors have served. Please, Shaper, speak with the serviles here. Note their skill and loyalty, and see how it has made us strong and prosperous." You nod. "I'll keep that in mind. Why don't you tell me more about the rogues." "I would, but I think you would best learn of the threats which face us from those who must deal with them directly, every day. Find Mickall. He can tell you much. And, Shaper, if you are feeling merciful and kind, please help us. Recently, our difficulties have been great." Of course. If the Awakened had tasks for you, there's no reason to expect the Obeyers to be different. You've already lifted the blockade between them and their fields. You wonder if it's a coincidence that there's so much cultivated land in the area between Pentil and Vakkiri. Perhaps that area used to be relatively safe from rogues, not counting servile on servile violence. You take a deep breath, preparing yourself for further disappointment. "I want to leave this isle. Where can I find a boat?" Rydell looks startled. After centuries of waiting for Shapers to return, it did not occur to him that, upon your return, you would immediately want to leave. Still, he is obedient. "I do not generally think of such things, but I heard Pixley speak of a boat recently. She is in town somewhere." For once, the answer blows away your expectations. "Really?" you blurt out, then you tamp down and cover with a more measured, "Is that so. Hmm. Be that as it may... I am Interested in allying with you. I believe that you have served us well, and I would like to help you make this isle more obedient to the Shapers." For a moment, Rydell's worship is eclipsed by his cunning. He thinks about how well you could aid the Obeyer cause, and whether you are a true representative of the Shapers. Finally, he speaks. "Your words to others have not yet proved you are a true Shaper. Talk to others properly and, one day, we may believe that you are not trying to incite us serviles to disobedience and insurrection, but to obedience and wisdom. Until then, we can't believe that you are one we should obey. We can't take the risk of obeying one who would only lead us away from the true Shaper path." You laugh at that, startling Rydell, who isn't sure if he should laugh as well or take offense. His face contorts as he struggles to handle what must feel like outright mockery from an imperfect representative of his long-awaited masters. "I've heard enough from you," you tell him, as he at last manages to reclaim his dignity. Rydell looks disappointed, but he doesn't press you. "Of course, Shaper. I apologize for boring you." You sweep out of the gathering hall with your creations at your heels, not bothering to cast a look backward. Leader Rydell is certainly a dangerous schemer. Left to his own devices, you're certain that he will eventually become the sole power on this island, at least for a time. The figureheads of the Awakened can't compare to him. They have no clear plans, at least not that they've shared with you, and based on what you saw in Vakkiri and Ellhrah's keep, no means to carry out any meaningful offense against the Obeyers. The fact that the Awakened are so completely geographically cut off from their closest ideological comrades, the Takers, means it's extremely unlikely that they would ever be able to ally and throw off the Obeyers' yoke. In fact, you suspect that the Awakened have no idea how far the Obeyers have undermined them. If any sect on this island can be counted as a credible threat, it's the Obeyers. Say what he will about obeying the Shapers' will, the Obeyers have deviated in two significant, drastic ways. They maintain armed forces and have openly defied a Shaper. Either of these would be enough for your kind to purge every last servile here, lest some flaw in their design be what gives rise to these profound failings. In these respects, the Obeyers are not distinct from the Awakened you've already met. You laugh to yourself, drawing frightened glances from nearby serviles.   You examine the communal kitchen and a large vegetable garden. Nearby you find a sign exhorting serviles to "always be thinking of the true will!" Apparently your will doesn't count. This still strikes you as funny. There's a servile diligently hoeing the rows here, chopping up weeds and clods. When you greet her, she is glad to pause her back-breaking labor. This is one of the serviles who works hard to grow food and raise meat. The hard work has left the creature with rough hands and strong muscles. It's very different from the serviles back home. She bows to you. "I am pleased by your attention, Shaper. I hope I can help you." "Tell me about your farm," you say. "It is outside the west gate. Now that the gate has been cleared, we are starting to return to our lands to repair the damage that has been done." "I'm looking for information. Is there anyone here who can help me?" You notice that something has caught GreatEvilKing's eye. His head bobs, bird-like, as he focuses with one eye on something in the dirt. "Rydell is the leader here, and the one with the most knowledge. He is the leader of the Obeyers. I know that he would be honored by a visit from you. His hall is at the west side of the central building." As you wonder whether her answer was coached, GreatEvilKing snaps up a large centipede disturbed by the farmer's work. The audible crunch leaves her looking slightly green. "Never mind. You can return to your work." "Thank you, Shaper," she says, a bit faint. "You are very kind."  Near the vegetable patch is a small Shaping station. The nearby signage indicates that someone called "Learned Jaffee - Sage" works here. Game Text posted:Though the serviles of Pentil claim total obedience to the Shapers, it is very strange what you find in here. It is a laboratory, used for shaping new creations. It has been scrupulously maintained by the serviles. You examine the two essence pools here, which appear to still be in good condition. The serviles have continued to feed and tend the pools, so the protoplasm has not soured or evaporated over the last two hundred years. You meet a servile sage. You know that serviles are often used as researchers and laboratory assistants. This one clearly aspires to be something more. You smell the sulfur stink of living fyoras. "Welcome, Shaper," the old servile says. "I am Jaffee, of the Obeyers. I have been here long and learned much. I am sure there is much you want to know about this isle. I can help you." "What sort of work are you doing here? What is this lab for?" you ask. You would like to assume only good intentions, but even those can be dangerous. "Do not fear, Shaper. I am not following the arts forbidden to us serviles. I would never attempt to try to make my own creation. I have been trying to tame existing creations, to control rogues and to have them fight for us instead of against us. I expose them to training, to beating, and to essence, and appeal to their natural obedience to true Shaper thoughts." This all sounds reasonable enough, though you doubt it's a simple matter to condition rogues to obey serviles. Jaffee appears to have met with some success somehow, though accepting what you're seeing in the southern pens is difficult. "Does it work?" "Yes it does. Most of the rogues we capture do not survive the taming. But a few, all fyoras, have. They fight for us now, in some places. We need all the force we can have to survive what is against us," Jaffee replies. That makes some sense. Fyoras are shaped with more complex brains and given enough intelligence that they can be trained as both pets and guards. Still, that's all under the guidance of Shapers. Without the natural compulsions a fyora feels to obey a Shaper, though, taming them must take incredible patience and luck. "There is much I would like to learn from you," you say. He watches you quietly. He doesn't look awestruck, but he clearly finds you to be very interesting. "I am sure there is. However, I can only share my knowledge with an ally of the Obeyers. I know much, and I cannot afford to aid anyone we are not sure follows the true designs of the Shapers." Once again, an Obeyer has denied you. "Very well," you say. "That's all for now."  The tamed fyoras are a little diffident. Whether that's because of the presence of your own fyoras, who watch these specimens jealously, or because of the watchful eye of Learned Jaffee, you can't tell.  You find a wide-open warehouse marked as the "Hall of Travelers." Within you meet a relatively happy servile, good natured despite the horrors that surround her. When you approach, she switches from happiness to ecstasy. "The Shaper! Visiting me! I am honored. I am Pixley, the leader of the travelers, ones who move things about, who roam the whole isle. Sometimes to aid the Shapers, sometimes for ourselves. It is the greatest honor to meet a Shaper at last." "You travel around?" you ask, curious. Pixley is the servile that Rydell indicated knew something about a boat, but she might also be able to give you a better idea of the lay of the land around Pentil. "My ancestors were the ones who moved supplies around for the Shapers. We do the same thing now, keeping the routes of travel clear so that we may serve your kind in the same way when you return. But, since you have been traveling, you must know how dangerous our task is." "Tell me what lies east of here." Pixley is only too happy to share her knowledge with a Shaper. It seems that not all of the Obeyers will openly taunt you with secrets. "First there is a river, spanned by two bridges, crumbling but intact. Then heavy woods. You will find many rogue creations, but servile outposts as well. Some of them will aid you. Then the deadly area of Kazg, swarming with Takers. Then a few jagged, rocky peaks, and then water again." "And to the north?" you ask. "Desolate wastes, with rogues and little else. Beware that area, Shaper. Not even my folk travel up there," she warns you. If the serviles all avoid the northern part of the island, then it's the perfect place for outsiders to hide. They may be the original cause of all the rogues there. That likely implies that they were present on the island far earlier than you originally thought based on what the serviles have told you so far. "What has made things especially dangerous?" "That is an easy one. It's the bridges. The river to the east is spanned by two bridges, and they're both blocked. They're guarded by monsters and such." Pixley clutches her hands together in prayerful reflex. "I have lost two travelers there. Both killed. It is the sort of horrible thing we have been hoping the Shapers would rescue us from. If you were able to clear one of the bridges for us, we would be so thankful." "I wish to find a boat. In your travels, have you ever seen one?" You hold your breath, intent on her response. It would be a rare servile indeed who didn't respond to so much focused Shaper attention. Pixley's happy demeanor dims almost immediately. With eyes downcast, she says, "I wish I could meet your every need, Shaper, but I have never seen a boat. But..." She thinks. That "but" is your lifeline. "One of my travelers told me that she saw a ship recently, near the shore south of here." She tells you how many days ago. Coincidentally, it was the same day you were attacked and swam to this island. Then did the outsiders arrive recently or not? Your thoughts swirl as you struggle to sort this all out. Pixley continues, “She was traveling through the Tombs. To get there, go south through the Pentil Woods, and then east. If you explore the shore, you might find something." "Thank you, Pixley," you manage. Then you remember something. It's not important to you, but it means a great deal to someone else. "Before I go, I have a message from Coale, in Vakkiri. He wants to resume trade with you." "Before you arrived, I would have said it would be futile. But you have done much to clear the route between here and there. Tell Coale that I will do my best to begin sending goods there. He must be patient though. It will take time. There is still much danger on the roads," she says. She seems to be recovered from the blow of being unable to present you with a boat, because she beams sunnily as you depart. That the Obeyers trade with the Awakened is curious given Rydell's strategy. Maybe it's a way to keep tabs on them. You can't be sure.  South of Pixley's warehouse are living quarters and a market. The serviles live and eat communally, though their quarters, really cells, are where individual Shapers slept and stored their belongings. Small private quarters grant a measure of sanctuary while encouraging often reclusive Shapers to engage in public life, which promotes socialization and common values. The Obeyer serviles, though, value individualism and privacy less, much more like normal serviles, so there are two to four pallets per solitary cell. You wonder if Rydell lives in one of these. You doubt it.  Game Text posted:Several serviles have set up stands in this courtyard. Though the dangerous creatures plaguing the countryside have dramatically reduced commerce, you suspect that once a lot of trade took place here. The merchant looks up at you. Strangely, though the serviles seem to worship you, this merchant looks very uncomfortable. The market isn't so different from what you saw at Ellhrah's keep. They do, however, have many more goods on display here. "Greetings, mighty Shaper. I am honored that you have found the time to inspect my humble wares. I hope that you will forgive me, but times are very tight, and I must l ask much more for my goods than I would like to," the merchant says. So that is why he looks so unhappy. Though you already know the answer, you ask, "How has trade been lately?" "Oh, Shaper, it has been terrible. Since those horrible monsters started roaming everywhere, it has been so dangerous. We have been unable to scavenge for Shaper artifacts, and we have not been able to carry goods between settlements. If only one of the bridges to the east were clear, life would be much easier. Perhaps someone will come and help us in our time of need." The servile looks at you hopefully. You trade away some salvage you don't need. The servile merchants here are certainly richer than the others you've met so far. Dreet would be envious of their success.  Game Text posted:What you find in this library is simultaneously impressive and pitiful. This place is a monument to the serviles' worship of the Shapers. At last, you meet a servile who is doing a proper servile act. Serviles are generally used for record keeping and other less physically taxing jobs. They are too smart to be used for farming and too weak for fighting. This female shows you the respect and awe that seems the norm here. "Shaper, you inspect us at last. I am Dayna. Welcome to the records hall. I maintain it and train other serviles to maintain it. I hope it meets with your approval." "What sorts of records are stored here?" The shelves upon shelves of fragile scrolls lend a heavy, musty scent to the dim library. Despite the darkness, the scrolls are yellowed and brittle. "My ancestors were charged by the Shapers to keep the records of affairs on this isle. And, for years, we have done that. It has been difficult, pulling people away from hunting and farming, but we have always trained more to keep these records. Sometimes, they have rotted and been damaged, and we have recopied them. I am sure everything here is intact and as the Shapers would wish it. I hope our work pleases you." You can't tell Learned Dayna that all her efforts, all her family's efforts have been futile. That would break anyone's heart. It's not her fault that she was given a pointless role. Thinking back to what Rydell said about judging true Shapers from false, you say, "You have done well. You should always do what the Shapers wish, even if it doesn't always seem to make sense." It is the right thing to say. It's the thing you should say. She seems pathetically pleased by your ornk-handed praise. "Oh, thank you, Shaper. You are very kind. For so many years, so many of us have wondered if there was any sense in doing what we do. It is good to know that we were doing our creators' will. We will redouble our efforts, to make sure that the knowledge here stays intact." "Is there any way I can help keep the records?" you ask. Perhaps among all this junk you might find useful information -- reports, notes, designs... Something besides accounts and make-work. "You are kind, Shaper. Many old books of records have been lost over the years. Some to the west. Some to the north -- and many around Kazg. We have tried to find and preserve them, but with little luck. The more such records you can bring to me, if you find any at all, the better we can serve you." "You've gathered many of our records here. Do you know much about the history of Sucia Island?" Surely it's not all useless. "Very little. The records are, well, we don't really understand them. But I have gathered a little bit of knowledge," Dayna says. "Do you know anything about the canisters l have been finding? They seem to be changing me." Admitting this to still another servile is perhaps unwise, but without any other means of understanding the canisters, you have to try every avenue. "I know that they were discovered here. I have records of their construction and use. They are capable of rewriting the very code of life, hidden deep within your being. The Shapers then stopped making them suddenly and fled the island. I do not know why." She looks at you closely. "Shaper, you have been using them, haven't you? Though I have never seen one of you, you look strange to me." She fetches an old mirror, worn and cracked, and shows you your face. She is right. You have changed. There is a cold look in your eyes, and you think you can see a faint glow underneath your skin. Very strange. Perhaps what drove the Shapers away is... No. The canisters haven't harmed you. They've only made you stronger and better able to advance the Shapers' cause here while you seek an escape. "Do you know why this island was Barred? Or what it was used for?" "Records tell us that huge amounts of supplies were moved around here, and many, many Shapers came and left. The most important Shapers were Defniel, Corata, and Danette. What they were doing and why they left, I have no idea. I am so sorry." You take note of these names. Defniel you've already heard of thanks to Povralus, but Corata and Danette are new to you. "I can tell you, though, who keeps the good records. His name is Toivo. He is a foul Taker, in Kazg. He jealously guards the most valuable records of the Shapers, even the locations of their most useful artifacts! To learn more, find him." "Toivo, hm? Thank you, Learned Dayna. If I find more records, I'll bring them here for safekeeping."  You find a small, locked room just off to the side of the library. The door looks like it hasn't been opened in a very, very long time. Grime has settled in, defiantly resisting all attempts to keep the lever and door clean. Your charm, however, loosens the hidden rust within the mechanism, and the automatic door hisses open. Within are three wooden cases. Dust lies thickly upon them and the wood is bone dry. Learned Dayna keeps her distance but watches curiously as you retrieve records not seen in two hundred years. You handle them with care. Even the oil from your skin can accelerate their decomposition. Now that they've been pulled from their protective cases, these records will probably decay quickly. You leave them on the long scribes’ table for Learned Dayna before you go.  The northern courtyard is lined with statues of proud Guardians. They all appear intact, though some of their toes have been burnished by the touches of many servile hands. It seems that they share at least one habit with humans. One servile watches the courtyard. This servile guard looks very beaten down, as if he has seen a lot of intense combat recently. His shoulder is bandaged, and his face is bruised. He looks familiar. "Welcome, Shaper. Thank you for your support in the western fields. It is good to see that you are well." Chesh looks weary, but he is determined to continue his patrols. "What are you doing now?" you ask. You don't remember his shoulder being bandaged before, but perhaps the wound had been untreated when you first met him. One of the siege thahds could have easily done damage not visible through Chesh's robes. "I am only part of the town watch until I am better. The moment l am at full strength, I will be patrolling the bridges to the east, watching for rogue serviles and other Taker scum. I can't wait to begin fighting anew, in the name of our creators. Having you here inspires us all, Shaper." You leave Chesh to his solitary post. He's probably lost his squad, and now you better understand why he was so reluctant to support your assault. If he had but told you, you could have set and healed his wounds, but he didn't have enough faith in you for that. Near the northern courtyard you find another large warehouse, this one marked as the "Hall of Farmers." Inside you find a lone farmer. This servile is young, but she moves as if she bears a heavy burden. Her hands show the signs of much hard work, but her robes are clean, indicating she has been working inside for a while. When she sees you, she kneels. A single tear runs down her cheek. "I heard, but l did not dare believe. It is true. After all our waiting, you have returned to us. Welcome, Shaper. I am Natley, head of the farmers. I have trained the serviles as you would wish," she says. You wait for her to rise, but she doesn't. It's awkward for you, but Natley doesn't seem to notice. "Tell me about your farmers," you say, steering her towards a comfortable subject. Natley continues to speak on one knee, still overwhelmed. "We serviles always grew food for the Shapers of Sucia Isle. When they left, we felt they would one day return, and we wanted to be able to resume service to our creators. So, for generations, we have trained our children to grow food. Of course, being able to eat it ourselves helped us survive to serve you better." "I've reached Pentil from the west. Actually, I cleared the rogues away from the west gate." "Oh, Shaper, I know! Thank you, thank you! Even now, we are sending out farmers to repair the considerable damage. Thanks to you, we will not starve. You came to solve problems when all was worst, as we were always taught you would." You tell her what you observed about the state of the fields and livestock back in the plains. She is grateful for the information -- it allows her to better anticipate the needs of her people. With those needs in mind, you ask her, "Why are you so worn?" Natley bends lower, leaning closer to you for strength. Hesitantly, you touch the servile's shoulder and finally she speaks. "Not long ago, my bonded was lost. His name was Hudge. He was cutting wood. A vlish poisoned him, and he died. For a time, I questioned how the Shapers could abandon us. I wondered how they could let these things happen to us. In the end, Rydell came to me and told me how it was all for the best. He told me how you understood all, and you made sure it was all happening for a reason. It was a great comfort to me. Please, Shaper, forgive me for my doubts." As you try to formulate some meaningless, comforting pabulum, visions of your lost creations come to mind. "Rydell was right." The words come slowly, and though you're not sure if you believe them, you think Natley needs to hear them. "Sometimes our creations must suffer, but it is necessary." "I -- I -- I believe you. But at times, some of us, not me, you understand, but some of us question it. I do not. If you say how things must be, that is how things must be. I know that now," she says. Telling her it was not only unnecessary but also pointless and preventable wouldn't offer her any comfort. How could any person, any creation be comforted by the idea of an uncaring, arbitrary world? After a little while, Natley straightens, though she doesn't rise. You take the opportunity to ask, "What does it mean to be bonded?" You haven't heard many serviles talk about something like a private life. "He was my mate. My love," she says quietly. Interesting. Though you knew that serviles were fertile and could reproduce (because it would be a waste of effort to magically create all that are needed), you never thought about their mating rituals and such. It isn't something Shapers pay much attention to. When you depart, Natley seems a little energized. You're a little sorry that words are all you can offer her. At least you were able to restore the fields to Pentil's control, for the moment. Perhaps what she needs is the distraction of labor.  Not far from the Hall of Farmers is another wide-open chamber. The flooring here is lovingly fitted and polished wood from species native to Sucia. There's not a single nail in sight. This was all done by a master carpenter. One wood-cutter labors alone here, though as soon as he notices you, he sets his work aside. This burly servile has a pair of axes at his belt, one on either side. He looks very restless, and not excessively in awe of you. This hall, once quite grand, has been converted into a lumberyard. The smell of freshly cut wood is heavy in the air. "I'm Godwin," he says. "I'm the head woodsman. I keep serviles trained in the ways, so when the Shapers return we're ready to fetch wood for them." It is odd. You've never known serviles to be asked to fetch wood. "I've never met a servile woodsman before," you tell him. "No? Cutting trees and getting wood was one of the main things Shapers used us serviles for. Though that was a long time ago, I guess. That's why we make sure to train new woods folk, down generation to generation. We must always be able to obey your will. Though it's often been difficult," Godwin admits. Perhaps there are no more servile woodsmen because that would require giving them axes. "And you must always obey the Shapers." It's not quite a statement -- you've left a lingering question there. "Always, if they are a true Shaper, one who believes in maintaining the old ways of things. You aren't an Obeyer, so you don't understand. But we will obey you and take our part in the grand way of things, and give you proper gratitude for our creation." "What sort of difficulties have you had lately?" "Nothing that'll surprise you. Rogues. Vlish. Lots of them, in the woods to the south. They aren't tough. Run a few of us at them with axes and we can take them down quick... but then, the next week, they're back. They keep reappearing and we can't figure out from where," Godwin says. From his description of the problem, you're almost immediately certain of what the woodsmen are facing. "Perhaps I could figure out where the vlish are coming from," you tell him. "Perhaps you could. We have always hoped Shapers would return to help us, but l never thought it would happen. But if it did, I sure would be grateful. If you can find the source of the vlish and remove it, I would reward you as best I can." Now that sounds closer to the Awakened way of thinking, and much more useful than garnering more worshipful praise from the Obeyers. "So what are you using all this lumber for?" you ask. "Not just lumber. Warmth. Tools. Cooking fires. Also, we're running out of space in Shaper buildings. We think we should try to make our own, new buildings, out of wood. We don't know if serviles making buildings follows the true will of the Shapers. There is argument. But soon, I think we will have no choice." You depart, thinking about the nightmare represented by a vlish spawner. Only a madman would create such a monster. This is certainly something you're obligated to take care of. You are confident that you have the power to deal with the vlish if you can just put them down one by one.   With extermination in mind, you head towards the servile guard barracks to meet Mickall Blade as Rydell suggested. You doubt that you will ever get used to seeing serviles like this one: tall, armed, armored, and skilled with weapons. Fortunately, you have little to fear from this one. It is all he can do to keep from throwing himself to the floor at your feet. "Welcome, great Shaper. I am Mickall Blade, commander of the armed serviles here. We have waited so long for the return of your kind. There are so many foes facing us, and so little we can do to oppose them. Without help." "What is troubling you, servile?" "If you leave the city gates to the east and travel down the road to the south, you will reach Thorny Wood. Along the central road, you will find a small outpost. The guards there block in a band of dangerous, rogue serviles, sent from wicked Kazg to the east. They have protected themselves with traps and guards, and we cannot eliminate them. Thus, I must waste valuable forces besieging them. If you could slay them, it would be most helpful to your loyal serviles here," Mickall says, allowing an unbecoming amount of desperation slip into his voice. "I see... So not only vlish, but Takers. I wish to learn more of the threats around you." "Ah, where to begin? There are the constant spies and infiltrators from Kazg. There are the rogues. And now there are even sightings of evil humans on our isle. All humans are Barred from here, yet they come." He sounds affronted. You are affronted. Mickall presents still more confirmation of outsiders on Sucia Island. Though Clakkit knows less than he thinks, what he's told you is confirmed by more and more creations. "Where did the rogues come from?" You'll start with what you can deal with most easily, then work your way towards handling these damned outsiders. "'We don't know. They first started to come about a year ago, first one or two, small and misshapen, then more, and then hordes. I hear there are even huge beasts that hide in caves and make the things themselves." Mickall shakes his head. "At first, it was a nuisance. Now, it threatens all our lives." "What about the spies from Kazg?" "Kazg is a village to the east." You nod as he speaks. You've heard of Kazg many times by now. "It is a sick place, consumed by the beliefs of the Takers, who would lead us in rebellion against your kind. The horror of it! I can't bear to think of it!" He has to take a few breaths to calm himself before continuing. "They send spies out here all the time, to foment violence against our creators. Do not worry, though. When we find one of them, we deal with them." "How?" you ask. "Quickly. And in a way that ensures they never question the Shapers again. We never hesitate to do your will." You wonder about that. The bodies in Crag Valley... How much of a distinction do the Obeyers make between Takers and Awakened? Where do they draw the line? But you have more important matters than spats between rogue serviles. "Now tell me more about the humans, these outsiders," you say. "I have never seen one. I have only heard rumors. But this is what I have heard. They look different. They speak a strange tongue. Their manner is strange. They came here on ships from far away. Each one has the strength of ten thahds, and they can shoot beams of flame from their eyes. This is all rumor, though, so perhaps some of it might not be entirely reliable." Outsiders with magic? The only notion more terrifying is outsiders who can Shape. Mickall Blade bows deeply to you as you depart to inspect his barracks and think about what to do next. Next time: An Obeyer Interlude, 2: The Use of Power POOL IS CLOSED fucked around with this message at 04:17 on Nov 20, 2016 |
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An Obeyer Interlude, 2: The Use of Power   When you've finished nosing around the barracks, you head out through the eastern gates. The village has spilled out past the walls here. A well-maintained road forks here, one going east and one going south, both headed into thick, dark green forests where rogues likely dwell. You meet a servile scout. She is small and sure on her feet, and she has several small knives at her belt. She reminds you of Sleet, at least until she speaks. "I am Obeyer Pool, scout for East Pentil. Greetings." "You are a scout? I would like to learn more about this area." "I am the right one to ask. I have traveled more than any serviles here. I have been east, and I have even been north, to the wastes." "What is east of here? Besides Kazg, that is," you say, hoping to forestall more talk of insane Takers. "Between here and Kazg are heavy woods. Plenty of rogues. No surprises there. There are two small servile settlements -- one is of Obeyers. They are on the south coast. They will help you. And one is rogue, crazy. They will attack you if you are not careful. They are almost directly east of Northbridge." "You said you've been in the wastes?" That would make her one of the rare serviles daring enough to go out there. You have to admit that your rare glances of the north have all given you the impression of a barren, forbidding land. "Aye. No friendly settlements of any kind. And, this is no surprise, many rogues. There have been rogues there for years, but they have gotten worse," Pool says. "I haven't been far into the wastes, but far enough to see tracks. Lots of humanoids, people, two legs, have headed into the wastes recently. They haven't come out. Make of that what you will. There's someone out there." Your earlier suspicions might indeed be on track. "In your travels, have you seen any boats?" She shakes her head. "I'm afraid not." Of course. "What foes will l face to the east?" "Well, there are two bridges. And past that, there are the outsider humans. I have actually laid eyes on them. Nobody else has," Pool states. She doesn't sound proud, just matter-of-fact. For all her claims, you haven't yet detected even a sliver of braggadocio. "First, tell me what I'll find at the bridges. Then tell me more about these humans," you say. A cold but not unpleasant sensation rises in you -- anger, but not the hot fires you've known in the past. This anger is calculating, willing you to plan the most efficient and brutal way to punish the outsiders who have violated the territory of your people. "Northbridge is due east of here. There are traps there. Someone has mined the bridge. I don't know how you could pass the mines safely," she says. "Then there is Southbridge. There are rogues there. Turrets. Thorn shooters. You'll need a lot of force to pass there." You turn this new information over in your mind. Unless there are spore control boxes on Northbridge, you won't be able to safely cross. Turrets, on the other hand, you've got experience with. Your mostly long-ranged creations can probably, with great care, help you clear out Southbridge and permit travel further east. "As for the humans, I've only spied on them a little. They speak a weird language. They look strange. Their clothes are different. And there aren't many of them here. To the east, though, there are more. I know that much. I only saw them once. When I spied on them, they were walking through the woods. They said Kazg a lot. I think there are more of them there. I tried to follow them more, but they went into unfamiliar lands." "That's all for now. Thank you, Obeyer Pool. You've done the Shapers a great service." She bows. If the praise pleases her, she doesn't show it.  Along the eastern fork of the road is another guard barracks. Inside you find still more armed serviles. They seem surprised and awed to see a Shaper here -- except for one. When you speak to the waiting subordinates, they all direct you to Garnet, their commander. For now, though, you simply offer a friendly greeting. This servile's eyes betray a level of blood-lust which wouldn't be out of place in one of the more fanatical Guardians. He has been placed out here to keep the rogues away from Pentil, and he loves every minute of it. "Welcome, Shaper," he says. "I am Garnet, of the Obeyers. Welcome to our guardhouse. We live only to follow the true will of our creators." "How are conditions in these woods?" This close to Pentil, everything seems quiet -- very much unlike the situation you walked into on the western plains. "Bad. There are cryoas out in the woods. Lots of them. We know where they're coming from, and now we're trying to figure out how best to kill them." Garnet doesn't sound afraid; he sounds excited. "Be careful if you go out there. There are ambushes everywhere." "Thank you," you say. "That will be all for now."   There are several homes and sheds just outside of Pentil's eastern walls. They're all reclaimed Shaper ruins, though some are in better condition than others.  The gardens here can't match the fields on the plains, but they've played their role in supporting Pentil until the western blockade was broken. The vegetables grown here likely helped prevent starvation and malnutrition from culling the Obeyers like they've culled the other sects.   Curiosity leads you along the eastern road, where a sign warns that travelers should stay on the road and beware of cryoa ambushes. You don't make it very far before you hear the tell-tale hiss of a fyora... But this one is blue. You've faced cryoas before in the unoccupied parts of Ellhrah's keep. These, however, seem stronger -- they've been able to feed.  Placid saviour proves especially adept at bringing down the cryoas that plague you every few steps. The stupid beasts wait until one rogue cryoa dies, then another one springs out at you a yard later, and so on until you decide you've gone far enough from the relative safety of Pentil. You head back.  Near the northern tower, you find a nervous servile hiding back in his home. He does not look at you at all like the other serviles in Pentil. He acts much more like someone from Vakkiri. He's able to sustain eye contact with you, for one, even though he's clearly afraid. "Hello, Shaper. Welcome to my home. I am Sorkin." It's not the most gracious welcome you've received in these lands. "Hello, servile," you reply, testing his response. "What is your purpose here?" "I am sorry, Shaper. I am not an Obeyer. I am Awakened. And I prefer only to deal with my kind. I apologize for my rudeness, but as a free being, I choose not to speak with you." Then he falls silent. You're surprised at the complete lack of subterfuge, but you decide to respect his choice and you leave.  The Obeyers' industriousness is truly impressive. There's even an ornk out here. Somehow it's managed to not blunder into a cryoa ambush. You hate to think that means that livestock is smarter than you. You return to the barracks and address Garnet. "What made the cryoas?" you ask. "Don't know what they are. We called them spawners. Huge, like fungi, stink of vinegar, make the cryoas. They don't do it fast, but they do it fast enough. We can't keep up with them." No surprises here. "Where did the spawners come from?" "Don't know. One day, a patrol found these stone platforms with empty basins. Didn't know where they came from. Didn't think of it. Next night, the spawners had grown there, and our troubles began," Garnet says. His oddly clipped speech is similar to Pool's and Godwin's. "I want to put an end to these spawners. Help me, and Pentil will be safe once again," you say. Reluctance breaks through Garnet's bloodlust and he hesitates. "I don't know -- I am under the command of Mickall, and he wants me to hold the position for now. No assaults. I am sorry. I would help you, but I do not know if you follow the true will of the Shapers." Regret forces him to look away. He must feel truly shameful to deny his blade to a Shaper. "You are an Obeyer and I am a Shaper. You should obey my command." The shadow of your hood keeps him from making out much of your expression, but the arch tone in your voice makes Garnet cringe. "I am very sorry, Shaper. This is difficult for me. But none of us knows if you are a true Shaper, giving true commands. You may just wish to lead us astray. We do not know if you are a rogue," he tries. This explanation, however, is just more offensive than the previous one. "I am a Shaper, and I am commanding you to destroy rogues. A command to destroy the foes of the Shapers must be a true command." He looks worried about disobeying his orders, but it is clear that he wants to go and fight. "All right, Shaper. I can see that you say truth. We know the safe route to the spawners. Follow us, and please help us. It is too big a battle for us alone."  The path Garnet takes is truly winding. You would have no doubt wasted a great deal of time and blood back here, enduring ambushes from idiotic cryoas while searching out the spawner. Thanks to Garnet's guidance, you are able to quickly reach the spawner humanely destroy the first spawner and some of its creations. Your escort of armed serviles seems relieved that the only wounded being was placid saviour, who was struck by a cryoa guard's icy spit.  That was not the only spawner, though. Garnet briskly leads you south. You and your creations keep pace with surprisingly little difficulty, though the other serviles struggle.  You smell the spawner long before you see it. The thick forest provides an excellent screen for these creatures. Their reddish-brown bodies and green tentacles blend in well with the trees. Fortunately, that tell-tale vinegar stink always betrays them. You wonder what role acetic acid plays in their creation. Is it being used to keep their essence pools from coagulating? Or is there some sort of fermentation happening, perhaps something that fuels the spawner itself? We killed the third spawner off-screen, but somehow I lost the screencaps for that!  With the spawners destroyed, Garnet and his fellows return to the barracks. You, however, turn your attention to clearing the woods of the remaining cryoas. The Pentil guards would kill them all eventually, but you won't feel like you've fulfilled your obligations until you can walk the backwoods paths without cryoas falling over themselves to eat you.  The cryoas have taken a brutal toll on the Obeyers. It seems like the cryoas have taken to dragging their prey back to a central location for eating later. The corpses are half-frozen, perhaps to delay decomposition. Fascinating.  During your exploration, you find several cryoa nests. Just like their hot-blooded cousins, the cryoas are obsessed with collecting shiny things. If not for the frostbite, this wouldn't be a terrible way of earning some coin.  Just beyond the lone standing wall is another eastward path. It winds into a small clearing where you find an outsider's corpse. Finally, some independent confirmation that there are outsiders on Sucia Island. You examine the body until a prickle between your shoulder blades alerts you to an audience. Without wasting any time, you muster your creations. Four cryoas try to cut off your escape, but even though they're certainly stronger than your fyoras, they're no match for the combined firepower on your side. Between placid saviour and berryjon, the cryoas are quickly reduced to inedible meat. You make your way back to the barracks and check in with Garnet. "How do you think things will be with the spawners gone?" you ask. "Much better. With those strange spawner creatures gone, the cryoas that are left are just good hunting." He seems eager to get back to patrolling. Reporting to Mickall Blade that the spawners are all gone should go a long way towards ameliorating any anger about insubordination. Next time: A-Hunting We Will Go. POOL IS CLOSED fucked around with this message at 22:33 on Aug 20, 2017 |
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Nov 20, 2016 02:15
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You're writing these at a good clip! And in a way that is pretty good I might add. Good to finally get to see the game.
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Nov 20, 2016 03:54
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You're really cranking these out! I really like the characterisation of the Obeyers. They live to obey the Shapers as long as the commands aren't too onerous. The Oceans are wide and the Shapers are far away. quote:If the Awakened had tasks for you, there's no reason to expect the Obeyers to be difficult.
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Nov 20, 2016 04:05
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Rockopolis posted:The Oceans are wide and the Shapers are far away. At least their policy isn't "If you meet the Shaper on the Road..." 
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Nov 20, 2016 04:08
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^^ e. no, but we'll meet those guys soon enough!Rockopolis posted:You're really cranking these out! Good catch! I'll have to fix that when I get back to my desktop. And thanks! I'm glad you guys are enjoying it. I'm also happy that at least one person picked up Vogel's games! And yes, the Obeyers are a really interesting faction. I think they really get the best development of the groups on Sucia. They're set up to seem kind of like a safe haven for the player and perhaps an object for the player to rescue or bring into the light. The reality when you reach Pentil is quite different. POOL IS CLOSED fucked around with this message at 04:25 on Nov 20, 2016 |
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Nov 20, 2016 04:14
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You've done some excellent writing so far and I'm enjoying how you are characterizing Solution. Her mix of superiority and sympathy is a good combination. I might buy one of their games now. Throw me in the ring for the name of any creation type and I support the Takers Slaan fucked around with this message at 05:21 on Nov 20, 2016 |
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Nov 20, 2016 04:37
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I love the religious thinking going on in Pentil, it's pretty well-written. "If God wanted us to live in a house, he would've made us one. So I'm not sure its right to build our OWN houses..." And also that the Pentil leadership isn't quite as "devout" as it pretends to be, happily ignoring a Shaper if he doesn't fit in with their own religious dogma because "then he clearly isn't a TRUE shaper!"
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Nov 20, 2016 04:43
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I've always liked the way the Obeyers are written in the game, because it does a great job showing the benefits and the drawbacks of their firm loyalty - so the player really has a tough call to make. quote:You smell the servile long before you see it. The thick forest provides an excellent screen for these creatures. Their reddish-brown bodies and green tentacles blend in well with the trees.
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Nov 20, 2016 05:15
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PurpleXVI posted:And also that the Pentil leadership isn't quite as "devout" as it pretends to be, happily ignoring a Shaper if he doesn't fit in with their own religious dogma because "then he clearly isn't a TRUE shaper!" Well, in fairness, if they didn't take that stance then basically anybody could waltz into town and say "Hi guys, I'm totally a Shaper so you should give all of your things to me now." Just because they're loyal doesn't mean they're stupid.
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Nov 20, 2016 16:35
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Whybird posted:Well, in fairness, if they didn't take that stance then basically anybody could waltz into town and say "Hi guys, I'm totally a Shaper so you should give all of your things to me now." Just because they're loyal doesn't mean they're stupid. This is an "anybody" who looks physically unlike serviles and also marches around with a pack of loyal creations that he could demonstrate conjuring from nothing in the middle of town.
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Nov 20, 2016 18:58
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Whybird posted:Well, in fairness, if they didn't take that stance then basically anybody could waltz into town and say "Hi guys, I'm totally a Shaper so you should give all of your things to me now." Just because they're loyal doesn't mean they're stupid. Anyone with a posse of Creatures, at least. Edit: hey, a post 
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Nov 20, 2016 19:07
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Chocolate Chunk posted:You've done some excellent writing so far and I'm enjoying how you are characterizing Solution. Her mix of superiority and sympathy is a good combination. I might buy one of their games now. Thanks! ...Did you get name-changed by FAU, too? I recognize that avatar.  Slaan?If you enjoy the games but aren't feeling like fighting with some compatibility issues and aged mechanics, the Avadon trilogy and Avernum remakes (games 1 & 2) are very good places to start. Also, you really can enter the Geneforge series at just about any point. The later games are, I feel, stronger mechanically. You may miss some references, but if you go back and play earlier games, you'll know where they came from. Vogel is good at making the sequels accessible to newcomers; his skill there is something I've really come to admire now that I've had to deal with writing and selling serialized works. He put in an incredible amount of work on Geneforge and all that thoughtful effort shows despite how the gameplay side has aged*. * I really do enjoy the gameplay despite my pissing and moaning about mines, inventory, etc., and most of the elements I dislike in 1 & 2 disappear partway through the series.
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Nov 20, 2016 20:18
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So somebody's learned how to make and construct free-form spawners and... well, either it's the Takers or the other human invaders, and I can't see either one ending well.
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Nov 20, 2016 20:45
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POOL IS CLOSED posted:...Did you get name-changed by FAU, too? I recognize that avatar. What's FAU? I've noticed a couple of goons changing names and I had no idea what caused it. What was your previous username?
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Nov 20, 2016 22:54
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Aumanor posted:What's FAU? I've noticed a couple of goons changing names and I had no idea what caused it. What was your previous username? FAU is FactsAreUseless, one of the SA admins. I used to be RedTonic. Then I rolled the dice in a namechange thread, and I've been too indecisive about what to change my extremely important posting name to since.
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Nov 20, 2016 23:04
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A-Hunting We Will Go Back when we cleared the blockade in the Pentil Plains zone, before arriving in Pentil and speaking with Natley, we missed out on her quest to clear that blockade, and denied ourselves a fairly decent reward (a ring!). It wasn't important, but for anyone playing along, you may want to approach Pentil from the south instead of the west.   Game Text posted:This was once a heavy forest. The industrious serviles have been very busy here over the last century or so, cutting down the wood for their fires and their homes.  The whisper of alien minds raises pebbles on your skin. Vlish are among the strangest looking creations, like gas sacks that washed up from the sea. When properly yoked, vlish are fantastic scouts. Left to their own devices and gone rogue, they're horrific. Unlike fyoras and thahds, vlish can form complex plans based on abstract information, communicate with each other, and cooperate in large groups. If you let them, these vlish will pin you and your creations down with debilitating attacks and finish you off. However, based on what Godwin said, the serviles have been able to fend them off -- which means these vlish are still disorganized. They haven't had time to form the hierarchy they need in order to take down a real fighting force. Otherwise, the vlish would have already penetrated Pentil. You spot a vlish before it notices you. It must have sensed the thoughts of a Shaper and come to investigate. Placid saviour has the rogue half-dissolved before it can even flee.  The vlish appear singly as if to confirm your suspicions. Fortunately, destroying them is no challenge. They pop like soap bubbles before your combined might.  The only true danger you face, at least at first, is that of greed. Along a well-beaten logging trail, you find a path which leads to an abandoned building. Its original purpose is unclear, but the automatic door opens when you approach and reveals... a canister. Game Text posted:With a sinking feeling, you recognize the small puffballs littering the ground. The Shapers call them mines. They are a simple, fungal creation. When someone steps near one, it explodes. A lot of the in-game text doesn't recognize when you've already encountered something. We could have easily arrived in this area before doing Hills of Jars, so for some players, this room will be the first time they encounter these infernal mines. Personally, I like to imagine that these are a spicier variety of the edible, giant puffball fungus Langermannia gigantea, and nobody can tell me otherwise! After all, they don't poison you, they just blow you up.  Try as you may, you can't find a spore box to deactivate the mines. Many previous detonations have scarred and scorched the tiles, leaving little but bones and drying flakes of viscera behind. Someone really doesn't want that canister used. But in that case, why wouldn't they use the canister themselves? If you set the mines off by walking carelessly inside, you know you'll die. But you need that canister... The decision isn't as hard as it should be. Berryjon walks innocently into the first row of mines, ignorant of the danger the puffballs represent. That changes after they detonate and send him reeling into a wall, bruised and bloody. You heal him up before sending him into the second line of mines, which are plumper and darker than the first. The thahd whines, but ultimately obeys. As soon as you're sure it's safe, you're at berryjon's side to heal its shredded flesh. New tissue closes over pale bone and berryjon hobbles away as quickly as you permit. Sometimes, sacrifices must be made. The canister imparts more improvements to the base artila design. You already see several ways you could have made placid saviour faster and stronger. Creation stat gains from leveling are 50% compared to the stats it receives from being created at level x, so keeping a creation and leveling it up, even if you invest further essence into increasing its stats, is significantly less efficient overall than shaping replacements when you've increased the relevant shaping skill and/or specific creation skill. At this point, our two cute fyoras, GreatEvilKing and idhrendur, are falling behind the power curve. The levels they've gained naturally are just barely enough to keep their accuracy and damage competitive in the zones around Pentil. Pretty soon, they will no longer be able to meaningfully pull their weights...  More vlish are drawn in by the explosions, but these rogues are almost as fragile as the ones that greeted you earlier. You find their nests south of the canister chamber and quickly scatter them to deny the creatures any comfort. Vlish are sophisticated enough to find this somewhat demoralizing, and repairing the nests will at least temporarily prevent them from launching further attacks.   The Obeyers truly have extensively logged this place. If they're not more mindful, they will soon run out of useful timber. You doubt that the Shapers left much information behind on forestry, though. Piles of logs wait by the sides of the already cleared paths, rotting for want of processing. The tremendous waste offends you.  Here you find evidence that the serviles have grazed ornks in the cleared areas. Though you search carefully, you don't find the source of the sulfurous smell, or the creation who is clearly watching you... A bugged script keeps a special foe, the fyora Sear, from ambushing Solution here. Unfortunately I don't have any levels in code debugging, so I can't fix the script and show you the fight. Instead, enjoy a rare action shot of placid saviour's green spit blob below.  You've noticed a few subtle varieties among the vlish that have been destroyed so far. The reddish coloration varies, from a rich wine red all the way to an almost black purple. The differences likely represent the abilities these varieties possess, but fortunately, your creations have slain the rogues before they could demonstrate those powers.   Your methodical sweep of Pentil Woods leads you past another small ruin, but you're forced to slay two rogues before you can unlock the door.  Game Text posted:This room is full of bones, all gnawed clean of meat. They haven't been here long. The smell of vinegar is heavy in the air. Someone has definitely placed a spawner behind that door, but why? They've left not one locked door, but two. You don't think this kind of door can be set to open freely from one side only. How did all these vlish get into the Pentil Woods? Busting in before you've cleared the rest of the woods of rogue patrols strikes you as foolhardy. Lone vlish have proven fairly unthreatening, but if they manage to coordinate even as few as two attackers from the rear while you're assaulting the spawner, you fear that you will be in grave danger. Plus, you haven't found anything to suggest that this is the only spawner in the area. While it's locked up in here, you're relatively safe to finish purging the woods.    Some eagle-eyed readers might note that we hit level 9 during yesterday's updates. I decided to present these areas out of order for reasons that made sense at the time, but might have actually been madness and nonsense.   Placid saviour continues its solo campaign of rogue destruction by eliminating three vlish before returning to the southern Pentil gates. One vlish, however, proves hardier than most of the others you've encountered so far. Though your creations' attacks leave it stunned and disoriented, the vlish endures several shots before idhrendur manages to pop its gas bladder. Now that we've massacred almost all of the vlish in Pentil Woods, we can freely cross the zone. Note that we get free experience for clearing areas!   In the center of this glade you find a very large cabin once used by the serviles as a logging camp. You decide to circle around just in case this place turns out to have either another spawner or an ambush force lying in wait.   More vlish appear as you check the paths around the cabin, but your efforts here have ensured that they remain disorganized, isolated, and ineffective. Godwin was right that the main threat these rogues present is just numbers. There's evidence in the form of abandoned javelins that his woodsmen were actually capable of fending them off -- this place would have been long free of the vlish threat if not for the spawner. The spawner isn't creating any vlish with sufficiently developed personalities for social behavior. The thoughts that have brushed your mind have been aggressive enough, but they lack focus. Without leadership and clarity, pure aggression isn't very threatening. Whoever filled this place with vlish didn't understand how to best put them to use.  You return to the cabin and are relieved to find that your caution was for nothing. This place is completely abandoned. You pick up a few steel javelins before you notice the ledge in the dormitory. Game Text posted:The bulk of this ledger details wood. Shipments. Harvests. Prices. Serviles often serve as record keepers for the Shapers, which explains why this ledger is so neat and carefully maintained. Your creations have been strong enough to keep the vlish from calling out for help. If you didn't have placid saviour with you, you suspect the situation might have been much different. Still, an effective vlish patrol would have matched them with more durable creations, or at least put the vlish in pairs or trios.   With the Pentil Woods free of rogue vlish and no other spawners readily apparent, you return to the locked ruin. Placid saviour squeals as soon as the automatic door slides down and spits on the spawner; between acid and fire, the immobile spawner quickly melts into vinegary goo. Its vlish guardian manages to strike placid saviour, dealing enough damage that you are forced to use your healing magic in combat. While you work your spell, you notice that the artila is only semi-conscious. The vlish attacking you is one of the darker varieties. You suspect it has some extra power to slow or befuddle its prey.   Back in Pentil, you meet with Godwin. "I found the creature that was making the new vlish. It is no longer functioning." The vast understatement seems to please the servile. His stoic expression doesn't change, but his body language shifts to be a bit more open. He uncrosses his arms as he speaks. "Well. I was always told that the Shapers would help their creations, but I never thought I would see the day. Thank you, Shaper. I had doubted the wisdom of the Obeyers, but I never will again. "I would like to teach you something of what I have learned. I would never dare, but, from what I have heard, I think it might be useful. You have to be quick to hurt vlish. Here are some techniques I have learned ...” Godwin explains to you several techniques for lunging quickly and getting the drop on potential opponents. His advice is very useful. He doesn't comment on how you landed on this island with almost no training, but he has clearly realized it. Our reward for clearing the Pentil Woods is two points of Quick Action. Skills are worth more than any coin. With this, our Quick Action score has risen to 3 points. That's worth at least 10 skill points for a Shaper, which would take us two character levels! This is a missable quest. If you kill the spawner in Pentil Woods before getting this quest from Godwin, you can't claim the reward. "Do you expect your work to be easier now?" you ask, still digesting his advice. "Now that the vlish are gone, we have to rebuild everything. Get serviles back out there. Deal with rogues wandering in from other areas. It's difficult, but could be worse," he says. You're able to get rid of rogues, but reversing all the damage they've caused is beyond your abilities.  The journey back to Vakkiri feels longer than you remember, even though you're no longer stumbling across rogue patrols with every passing mile. The birds are emboldened now that the rogues are gone, though, and their songs relieve any niggling boredom you might otherwise feel. Your creations seem to enjoy the peace as well. Coale greets you when you return. As always, he's attentive to your mood, ready to sell you on anything you indicate an interest in. "I met Pixley," you say. "She's eager to resume trade and thinks the route to Pentil is clear." You tell him about the blockade and, as an aside, mention that an awful lot of serviles seem to have been killed in Crag Valley, perhaps even before the great rogue influx. If Coale draws any conclusions from that, he doesn't air them. "Excellent! I am honored that you could, with all your important Shaper business, remember to help one as humble as me. Here is a reward for you. We Awakened believe in giving fair payment for assistance." He hands you three living tools. "Genuine Shaper artifacts." You thank him graciously. Three intact, well-fed tools are a good payment for something as trivial as carrying messages. Without intending it, you've been drawn into the pace the serviles have set, trading your services for their goods. Next time: The Control Mind and You POOL IS CLOSED fucked around with this message at 22:25 on Aug 20, 2017 |
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Nov 21, 2016 01:22
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The Control Mind and You We've finally made it to the Spiral Burrow. Relax, light your favorite scented candle, pour yourself a drink, and savor the slaughter which follows. Your return to the eastern side of the island reminds you that you have some unfinished business. The vlish Warp is still around and a rogue as vicious as it sounds can't be left alone. You trek back to the narrow tunnel you found in Crag Valley, taking care to avoid Forney and Dern. If they have been waylaying the Awakened, there's no guarantee that they won't try the same tactics on a Shaper not deemed "true" enough by the Obeyer sect. You'd rather avoid causing a fuss.  Game Text posted:All signs of the original purpose of this ruin have been eradicated- The roamers here have burrowed their own tunnels, perhaps at random, perhaps guided by some other intelligence. On second thought, you're less interested in avoiding them than in destroying them. A den of roamers is bad news. Eventually hunger will drive them out of these warrens and onto the roads between Pentil and Vakkiri. If anything, this extermination is a mission of mercy -- in time, the serviles will stop traveling infested byways, and the roamers will starve one by one. You can stop this madness now. You have the power.  You've already dealt with roamers since coming to Sucia Island, and these are nothing special. Thorny Fen is full of the bones of rogues killed at your command. This burrow won't be any different. GreatEvilKing and idhrendur burn blast the first roamers you see with fire that scorches down to the bone, filling the cavern with the stench of burned hair.  Roamers have strong pack instincts and you're certain that some malign intelligence is here, guiding them. Whether it's Warp or something else remains to be seen. You take great care to slay roamers before they can flee your creations. Let the rogues be on the back foot for once.  The roamers have dug in long enough to build nests and mark this entire den in foul-smelling urine. You find the remains of walls and tiled floors back here, but so little remains that you can't possibly determine what function this place originally served. Any evidence was destroyed by the combination of rogues and moisture.  You find more ancient masonry, but it's in poor shape. This place doesn't have any utility for the serviles, so no one has maintained the walls. Water and shifting earth have rendered some dangerously unstable. Scattered rubble only proves that anyone who ventures back here should take great care. You don't linger here.  In the far northwestern corner of the warrens, you find a locked room. Inside are three mildewed cases full of long-forgotten pods. While you investigate them, two shrill cries echo through the tunnels. You wince and swiftly direct your creations to hunt down the roamers before they can regroup and return with numbers on their side.  You catch one in time for placid saviour to spray it with acid. The rogue roamer dies before it can escape. Unfortunately, the other roamer escapes into the shadows.   It's not long before the roamer reinforcements arrive. They're no match for your creations. Even though roamers are more complex creations than fyoras, these ferals can't stand up to the combination of GreatEvilKing and idhrendur.  You track down the rogues' nests and scatter them. Another roamer approaches while you're kicking apart the piles of garbage, far too late now to help its kin, but not too late to join them.  The tunnels' twists and turns seem to be guiding you somewhere. You can't be certain, though. You keep hearing whispers, faint but insistent. Perhaps something is trying to guide you. It doesn't quite sound like the vlish from Pentil Woods...  You stumble into a guard just outside a nest of roamers and slay it before it can warn its brethren. There are half a dozen or more roamers here. You throw down your salvage and direct a speedy offense. Placid saviour melts the nearest roamer before it even notices you. The fyoras account for another. Berryjon advances into the cave and swiftly pulps a roamer's skull with about as much effort as you take to crush a raspberry. The survivors try to rush you. You've caught them in a dead end and they're desperate. Panic hobbles them. Their simple minds can't decide whether to attack you or try to slip past, so you easily avoid their feeble blows and finish them off.  Some of the roamers dragged useful things back to their nests along with the detritus. You find a few pods mixed in with the grass and garbage here.  You meet a large patrol where the tunnels narrow and curve. At first it seems like your two parties will simply pass each other buy, but then both sides suddenly unite in shared confusion and horror. The melee that follows is a confusion of smoke, spittle, and blood. But the side that reacts the fastest is awarded victory -- and that side is yours.  The last roamers flee southeast but are cut down before they manage to escape.   More are drawn towards the noise and stench, but idhrendur and GreatEvilKing pick them off before they can close with the fyoras. With the way clear, you investigate this last odd corner.  This place has some sort of odd symmetry. You initially believed it was dug out by rogues, but that doesn't seem to be the case -- at least, not entirely. The Shapers definitely built a facility here. Time and rogues have conspired to leave much of it a ruined, useless mess, but you're certain this place was important at one time. Perhaps it was another research center, securely built underground in case it ever needed to be permanently sealed. Inside the southern chamber here you find another canister. This one improves your healing magic, giving you greater command over the powers of rejuvenation. You have no doubts that this enhancement is worth at least a thahd's weight in gold. As if reading your thoughts, berryjon blinks wisely at you. Now that you've cleared out four dens, the tunnels are much quieter. No more calls echo off the stone; now you hear only drips and the noise of your own party. You and your creations aren't exactly stealthy. You push deeper into the warrens, spiraling through ever tighter tunnels until you find yourself in front of a door set into living rock. Game Text posted:You start to feel uncomfortable. Nervous. As if you are being watched, sensed, probed. You shuffle back and forth, nervously, trying to resist the urge to flee. This has to be Warp. The other vlish you fought didn't have such focused thoughts. This one does. It's definitely a vlish; here, so close to the source, there's something about those whispers that you recognize, a certain taste that rises in the back of your throat... You open the door and swiftly bless your creations before they charge.   Placid saviour's standard opening gambit is just as good against this enormous, bile green vlish as it is against the regular kinds. Warp makes a sound like air escaping a punctured bladder as acid eats at its vestigial eyes. GreatEvilKing and idhrendur struggle to hit Warp, but it can't flee far. It's forced to fight by choosing this dead end cavern as its den. Try as it might, berryjon can't close with Warp. This turns out to be lucky for you, because Warp's nature becomes clear when idhrendur wheels around to face you... and snarls. Berryjon blocks you from idhrendur's sight and pins it by a dolomite pillar while you focus on finishing off Warp. The vlish lists from side to side, slowly losing altitude. You've gravely wounded it, but you won't be safe until it's dead and no longer able to turn your creations rogue. Placid saviour and GreatEvilKing prove more than enough to finish off the dying vlish. Warp deflates gently and gradually dissolves into ooze. You hope the backlash hurts whoever shaped it, but you doubt they're anywhere nearby. Warp's chamber must have been some sort of demonstration hall at one time. There's no shaping platform, but you do find plenty of chairs and shelves. This place once hosted large numbers of Shapers. You find a lone, long-dead servile in the back. The body has lain here so long that you're unable to figure out what might have befallen it. Perhaps the servile starved to death... Or perhaps it met Warp. In that case, at least the servile's death is now avenged.  There's a canister in this tiny side room. When you use it, you understand enough about roamers to create one yourself. You ponder its creation while you finish exploring the burrow.  Surprisingly, there's a servant mind tucked away in this small room. It hasn't noticed you yet, so you check the obelisk, which reads "Control Four." This is the servant mind that Ellhrah wants you to kill. Before you do anything, though, you check the case nearby. Game Text posted:The case contains the shattered remains of several ceramic jars. Their contents have dried onto the wood, forming a thick gray crust. Worthless. You approach the servant mind. It is still alive and functioning, though it is clearly weak from lack of nutrients. It looks up at you. "Welcome, Shaper. I am Control Four. I am pleased to be in contact with you." It speaks slowly and with great effort. Its long wait in this burrow has not been kind. Its hide is flecked with fungi that have opportunistically infecting the weakened creation. "The creations here attacked me! Are you responsible?" Servant minds are often granted a certain level of control over simpler creations -- roamers certainly qualify. "No, Shaper. I am so, so sorry for your inconvenience," Control Four moans. "I captured the creations there and influenced them to keep the rogue serviles nearby in line. However, I have been too weak to keep them from going rogue as well. Your destroying them relieves me. I am sorry you had to perform my duties for me." "There are many rogues outside these warrens. Do you know anything about that?" "There are? No, Shaper, I would never make a rogue. It would completely violate my purpose. I control and destroy rogues, not make them," the mind says. You don't have any reason to doubt it. "I have been too weak to have an influence in affairs here for some time. I am sorry." "What is your given purpose?" you ask. Unlike the other minds you've met, this one wasn't hibernating when you approached -- it's simply faint. It hasn't been maintained at all. Has Rydell misled you about feeding and caring for it? This servant mind is wasting away. "I am one of Sucia Island's control minds. We watch the creations here for signs of roguism and deal with problems when they occur. When the Shapers left, they left us here to watch over the creations left behind." Even as it speaks, Control Four's voice quivers and dwindles to a whisper. Any energy it's received from seeing another Shaper after so long has already faded. "I'm sure you did as well as you could," you comfort it. Ellhrah asked you to kill Control Four, but it hardly seems like a threat to the Awakened. If anything, you almost think you should euthanize it for its own good. The poor thing is suffering and you're not certain that any amount of feeding and nursing now can restore it. "You are very kind, Shaper," it whispers. "Tell me about the Shapers. Why did they leave?" "I was not given that information. I am sorry, I am only here to control. In the hierarchy of servant minds, my ranking is low." You've learned more about servant minds since landing on Sucia Island than you ever did during your studies. Perhaps one day you might even learn how to Shape them. They're a terribly fascinating sort of creation, with enormous brains nearly as complex as a human's and capable of storing far more information. You continue probing the mind with questions, but you soften your tone. "How have things been?" "Terrible. Oh," Control Four gasps, "Shaper, I have been in such anguish. I have watched the serviles grow more and more disobedient, coming up with their own thoughts and beliefs, questioning the wisdom of the Shapers. I have attempted to eradicate as many of the disobedient ones as I can, but it is so difficult and I have been so weak." You're actually surprised to hear it confirm both Rydell's and Ellhrah's words. This shriveled creation has managed to suppress the Awakened? Impressed, you press for more details. "Have all of the serviles been disobedient?" "The serviles in the village to the east, Pentil, have been good and loyal. They are deserving of many rewards," it says. "The serviles of Vakkiri, though, have questioned the wisdom of the Shapers. I have tried to contain their dangerous thoughts as much as possible." "Can you tell me how many control minds there are on the island?" "Four. The other three were based in the east. I have heard nothing from them." So the servant minds don't have their own communications at all... You wonder if that is a deliberate decision by the Shapers. If the minds could've coordinated, the serviles might not have been able to establish sects at all. "You seem very weak," you venture. "I have not had nutrient solution for many, many years. I am very feeble. There was solution here, but a rogue servile raider managed to destroy it before I was able to absorb it. Please feed me, Shaper. If you do, I can continue to serve you well," the mind pleads. How have the Obeyers been maintaining this mind without feeding it? What was the point of misleading you about Control Four? You're grateful that you met this servant mind; now you know that Rydell is not to be trusted at all. That kind of confirmation is priceless. "Where can I find more mind nutrients?" "I don't know," it whines. "Please, Shaper. I am weak. Please feed me. So hungry. Please." It closes its eyes again, eager to conserve its strength. You extend your senses into the control mind's body. You're not an expert by any means; your knowledge is scant and your experience non-existent. Still, you think this mind has some life left in it. The longer it goes without food, though, the more permanent damage it will sustain. You can't decide whether you should part with some of your precious nutrients for this mind's sake, or if you should hold onto both cases in case you find a starving mind who can help you. And... you also think that perhaps the kindest thing you can do for Control Four is to order it to shut down. This creation has served the Shapers for many bitter years and has only suffered for it. You don't know what to do. "Goodbye, Control Four," you murmur, and pat its broad forehead. To your surprise, it answers, "Goodbye, Shaper. I will try harder to please you in the future, Shaper." It makes you want to cry, but you find that, for some reason, you cannot.  You meet with Ellhrah and let him know that you've disposed of Warp and the roamers that infested the burrow. When he asks you about Control Four, you shrug and leave. Nothing you can say will do aught but betray your inner turmoil. While you're here, you barter with some of the merchants. Thanks to clearing the roads to Pentil, new stock is starting to circulate. Hopefully prices will fall soon. Swan is speaking with a new guard from Vakkiri when you stop by. You overhear him; he's certainly noticed you. You don't think too much gets by Swan. "Warp was a vlish," he tells the guard. "It lived in a ruin in Crag Valley. It hated us. It had roamer servants, which it sent to harass and ambush us. Then the Shaper slew it. And don't think that there is a single servile in this area that isn't thankful for it." Next time: Shapeless Days POOL IS CLOSED fucked around with this message at 22:25 on Aug 20, 2017 |
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Nov 21, 2016 03:28
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