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Those "Rogue" creations don't sound that rogue to me. Sticking to particular areas and targets is definitely suspicious.
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Jul 19, 2017 05:28
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I'm pleasantly surprised that Shanti didn't die immediately like I expected her to. I knew she couldn't stay with you the whole game, and the way they handle it here works pretty well.
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Jul 19, 2017 06:46
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Well, I'm a big ole idiot and missed Baldurk's email with the draft of GF1 for the LP archive, so it looks like I have more work to do this evening.Munin posted:Those "Rogue" creations don't sound that rogue to me. Sticking to particular areas and targets is definitely suspicious. Certainly seems that way, huh? Zeniel posted:Haha I completely forgot I nominated to be a creation. And I'm a early game artila? I don't stand a chance, oh well it's a just punishment for failing to finish my Geneforge 1 lp. No punishment intended! Night10194 posted:I mean one of the first things Shanti instructed Precipitate in was 'Steal everything you can if you think there's trouble' and it's pretty clear there's a lot of trouble, so obviously we should steal a lot of stuff. We're going to be filthy rich!  And still stuck in the wilderness with nowhere to spend those ill-gotten gains.
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Jul 19, 2017 16:32
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POOL IS CLOSED posted:We're going to be filthy rich! It seems like it ought to be even easier to just bugger off in this game than it was in the first. I mean, the road out is right there. I mean, I could see this town turning hostile if you made the wrong/right decisions, but that should still just mean sneaking or fighting your way free. I guess what I'm saying is, steal everything you can, then run away to become a Shaper baroness in some obscure-but-pleasant countryside.
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Jul 19, 2017 16:42
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TooMuchAbstraction posted:It seems like it ought to be even easier to just bugger off in this game than it was in the first. I mean, the road out is right there. I mean, I could see this town turning hostile if you made the wrong/right decisions, but that should still just mean sneaking or fighting your way free. As you can probably guess, it will become apparent that this isn't really an option (for reasons other than Shanti hunting us down and murdering us before lunch.)
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Jul 19, 2017 17:03
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TooMuchAbstraction posted:It seems like it ought to be even easier to just bugger off in this game than it was in the first. I mean, the road out is right there. I mean, I could see this town turning hostile if you made the wrong/right decisions, but that should still just mean sneaking or fighting your way free. I don't think there is such a thing as quitting the shaper guild, at least not without a few agents and/or guardians showing up for an "exit interview".
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Jul 19, 2017 17:05
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TooMuchAbstraction posted:It seems like it ought to be even easier to just bugger off in this game than it was in the first. I mean, the road out is right there. I mean, I could see this town turning hostile if you made the wrong/right decisions, but that should still just mean sneaking or fighting your way free. Yeah, there's a real missed opportunity for a joke ending by walking off after all those "but thou must" messages in the first zone. If there's a remake, I hope Vogel adds that in.
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Jul 19, 2017 17:13
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deleted. I am a fool!
vdate fucked around with this message at 20:14 on Jul 19, 2017 |
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Jul 19, 2017 17:20
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Shame there wasn't a choice in G1 to just remain on the island, crown yourself dictator and forcing everyone to locate all research notes and material because there's no such thing as enough power.
By popular demand fucked around with this message at 17:33 on Jul 19, 2017 |
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Jul 19, 2017 17:31
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vdate posted:spoilers this isn't the worst thing in the world or anything but you probably still shouldn't be posting that, my dude Horrible Lurkbeast posted:Shame there wasn't a choice in G1 to just remain on the island, crown yourself dictator and forcing everyone to locate all research notes and material because there's no such thing as enough power. you really think canister/geneforge users who are hosed up enough on power to try and crown themself dictator aren'i gonna be hosed up enough on power to try to extend that to the entire world? 
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Jul 19, 2017 17:51
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 To expand on my last post, though, I'd like us to be able to totally ditch our apprenticeship at the beginning and leave, and get an ending that explores the consequences for doing so. e. everything is processed for the next update, so we'll see a lot of death and dying tonight or tomorrow. edit again: thanks, vdate! 
POOL IS CLOSED fucked around with this message at 21:41 on Jul 20, 2017 |
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Jul 19, 2017 18:49
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POOL IS CLOSED posted:e. everything is processed for the next update, so we'll see a lot of death and dying tonight or tomorrow. But mooooooooom! I wanna see the death and dying nooooooowwwww!
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Jul 19, 2017 20:17
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You don't know how good you have it, young Xandor! There are children in peaceful colonies who only get to have death and dying on alternate Thursdays, in the battle pits! You'll have your death and dying soon enough! --- POOL IS CLOSED posted:Not put off at all! I edited the 2nd post to note that there's a GOG sale. Few posts make me happier than someone saying they got a Spiderweb game because of the LPs. Exile and Avernum didn't really seem my speed, but Geneforge's writing and approach to the game world, as shown in your LPs, did convince me to spring for those. So congratulations there.
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Jul 20, 2017 05:13
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ManxomeBromide posted:You don't know how good you have it, young Xandor! There are children in peaceful colonies who only get to have death and dying on alternate Thursdays, in the battle pits!  Also, battle pits are no longer regulation. Report to your nearest Shaper for reabsorption!
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Jul 20, 2017 13:40
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Obligatory Mines Level Last time, we explored the fields to the west of Drypeak and discovered a dead, armed servile. That can't be right. Our mentor, Shanti, has asked that we investigate on her behalf.   Game Text posted:You enter the Drypeak Mines. These mines were probably the main reason for trying to develop this colony in the first place. Quality metal and crystals are always in high demand in human cities, Shaper or otherwise.  A single guard has been left to watch the entrance to the mine. She is pacing here, out of the way of the action. She doesn't seem worried. When she sees you, she approaches and bows. Though you haven't met, she seems to know who you are. "Welcome, Shaper. Welcome to the mines, dangerous though they are. I am Zora." "Are you the only guard watching the mines?" you ask. The only place where the guards aren't spread thin seems to be Drypeak's warren. "I am the only guard in this far, but one shout would bring in plenty more. I'm not really worried," she says. "Anyway, the rogues don't come out this far. They're fairly cunning." "The rogues are cunning? Explain." "They're cunning, meaning not dumb." You roll your eyes. "There are packs of them, and they send out guards to investigate. If they spot you, they'll run back and get help. And then monsters are all over the place." So the rogues cooperate. "Unless you're ready to be real cunning or stealthy, you might want to explore by leaving Drypeak to the west. This area can be pretty dangerous." Danger? You live for danger, as long as there's some profit in it. Okay, you live for a little bit of danger. "I have another question." Zora makes small talk with you, occasionally looking out the doorway for any rogues. It's not very interesting small talk, so you get the conversation back on track. "Tell me about the situation in the mines." "Bad. Rogues are all over the place in there. When we go in and drive them all out, they stay away. At first. Then, the moment we send in serviles to work, the rogues are back, killing them." She shakes her head. "The Shapers set up some defenses, but they're not working right." "What sort of defenses?" you ask. "They made some pylons. Big magic things that'll kill intruders. But they aren't working right. I don't know much about it." You hope that doesn't mean the pylons are targeting the wrong creatures. "What else do you know?" "Not much. Sorry. I never really spent much time in there. All I know is these rooms here. Oh, and I know where the servant mind is. Go north, take the right branch, first door on the left. If it's still alive, it'll know a lot more than me." "That's useful, actually. I'm here to investigate the status of this settlement." “I know. Zakary sent someone back here to tell me. I'm supposed to escort you around, if you'd allow it. Oh, and if the rogues aren't being extra active." The last bit sounds like something Zora added herself. You're not here to be helped at a guard's convenience. "I could use your help, and I can clearly see that there's no real danger here," you say. "Please show me around." Zora looks surprised and nervous. She thinks very fast. "Uh, uh, sorry, Shaper. I have heard lots of... uh... rogues. And uhh..." You give her a stern look. The outsider's fear of Shapers works to your advantage. She caves in. "Yes, Shaper. Zakary sent me instructions. I'm sure I can be very helpful to you." A strong early-game leadership score pulls through again. Just like the last game, we cannot directly control NPCs who join our party. They no longer steal all EXP for kills, but they do take a share. You also cannot control their development or equipment. Zora is extremely fragile as a level 4 human with melee attacks, but every little bit helps... Right?  Zora says nothing while you pillage the very useful supplies from the small chamber attached to the guard room. The chamber was probably intended for a guard captain's convenience. It looks like Zora has been taking her ease in here.   The door across from the guard room is locked, but its neighbor is no match for your lock picking prowess. Zora sighs as you pick over the supplies here. Most of it is meal that smells slightly off.   You try to memorize the contents of this map before you take all the iron bars and Shaper lab equipment. None of this stuff is doing anyone any good here. You also find a living tool in the corner by some broken-down shelves. When Zora sighs again, you waggle it at her. What's she going to do, tattle on a Shaper?  The door to the ore processing area has a tricky lock. You leave it.   This place is filthy.  Game Text posted:There is a servant mind back here! You're surprised to find that it is still alive. As you approach, the servant mind's big, moist eyes roll up to look at you. "Ahhhh... Shaper. Good Shaper. Thank Shaper for coming to lonely Prip. I am Prip. Mines are dangerous. Shaper must be careful." Servant minds are made with huge ranges of intelligence. This is not one of the brighter ones. "Why are you still alive, Prip?" you ask. "The rogues, they fear me. And they know I am not tasty. So they do not bother me. And when they do, I hurt them and they leave." Servant minds are often made with the ability to shock or otherwise harm attackers, because of situations exactly like this one. "What is your normal job?" "Serviles come and say, 'Dig where?' or, 'Walk how long?' or, 'Where bars go?' and I say so and they do. It does not take much thought." Lucky Prip. You can sense that Zora has turned away to watch the door. She's terrified of rogues. "What is happening in the mines?" you ask. "I do not know. I just stay here in my tray and am lonely. I am taught how to run mine when have serviles and no monsters. With monsters and no serviles. I sit in sadness." Fortunately, minds are hardy and can withstand some neglect. Still, it doesn't do to neglect a creation in this way. Especially not a mind accustomed to having a whole host at its command. "Do the mines have any defenses?" "Yes, Shaper. Good defenses. Not active. But ready." "The defenses aren't active? Why not?" you ask. Zora has told you that something is wrong with them. Not having them on while rogues are loose inside sounds like madness. "Well, they cannot live forever. Power limited in the pylons. So controls set to off. To be on when it time to retake mines. But off until Zakary or someone orders," Prip replies. Well, that's not entirely insane, but if the mines aren't running, Drypeak can't make enough money to feed itself. That the mines haven't been retaken sounds like an exceptionally poor choice on Zakary's part, since Drypeak isn't even growing enough food to support its tiny population. "Tell me how to turn on the defenses." "I am sorry, Shaper. Orders is for the defenses to be off. Orders come from Shapers." Normally, any servant mind will do what any Shaper says. However, it can be complicated when two Shapers give contradictory instructions. "Oh, of course," you say, flapping a hand carelessly. "You won't turn on the defenses for any non-Shaper. But I am a Shaper." Prip is not bright. You confuse it easily. "But I was told that... I... I forget. I... well, of course. Of course Shapers can turn on defenses. "To turn on pylons, insert control stick in panel and pull lever. I do not know where is control stick, but there were several. Look around and I am sure you find." You leave with Zora in tow. Prip waves goodbye. That leadership score!  North of the servant mind's chamber is another room. Game Text posted:This is a piece of Shaper machinery. It looks recently made, although mold and fungus have already started to cover it. A plaque on the side is, however, readable. It says, "Defense." Look at that, Zeniel hit level 8! When creations level up, you're able to invest more essence into their ability scores. Geneforge 2 changed how creation leveling works, so now it is often more beneficial to keep a creation alive and invest in it rather than absorb (or suicide) it and start fresh. "Are you sure this is a good idea?" Zora asks. She doesn't look at you while she speaks. Instead, her head swivels as she tries to watch both the north and south ends of the mineshaft at the same time. "Well, the defenses will help with any rogues," you say. "But you heard Prip--" "You've got a sword, and I've got creations and spells, and the mines have defenses. What are you worried about? Besides, you all left some serviles in here. The least you can do is help me lead them out." "This is a terrible idea," she moans softly, so softly you think that she thinks that you can't hear her whining.  For all that, Zora charges straight in at the first sign of rogues. Two dingy-looking fyoras bracket her by a half-dug ore vein. Going straight for the throat doesn't seem like the best tactical decision, but you're not a swordsman.   You direct Zeniel and idonotlikepeas to give Zora ranged support. The whole thing is over before the fyoras can even scratch her. "Could you not, you know, just run right up in their faces? Where the claws and fangs are?" you ask. "What do you want me to do? Throw my sword at them?" She tosses her head, but it doesn't make much of an impression. All of her hair is probably wound up under that tin pot of a helmet.  Another fyora interrupts your bickering. It's not idonotlikepeas, so it does not belong here.   After killing it, you pick up a stray, mined crystal someone left behind.  You follow the tracks back toward the servant mind's area. Game Text posted:Nearby, you can see one of the more cunning and dangerous Shaper inventions: a pylon. Zora keeps a wary distance from the pylon, but it doesn't do anything. You tap it. It's a simple organism in a crystal shell, so it can't talk. At least it's receiving power now.  Game Text posted:The barrel is full of trash, metal shavings, and torn clothes. It's a big (and smelly) mess. If your mechanics score is too low and you don't have the Unlock spell, you need this control key to activate the pylons. You will automatically find the key here as long as you've convinced the mind to let you turn on the defenses. Otherwise, you will need at least 2 points in Luck to find the key. Zora watches you closely as you put the key in your robes. You keep a wary hand over it.  Shortly after stumbling through piles of recently-stripped bones, you find more rogue fyoras. With a sharp battle-cry, Zora once again charges headlong into battle.   Just like last time, you and your creations take care of most of the work while Zora wildly swings her sword. And, just like last time, another rogue tries to surprise you (or maybe unluckily stumbles upon you) while you try to straighten out your teamwork.   Following the mine cart tracks seems like the wise thing to do.  At least until a thahd charges you. Zora blocks the thahd's wild swing and counters with one of her own. How can she be so fast yet so terrible at fighting?  You finish the thahd off with a javelin after Zeniel and idonotlikepeas mangle it. Not to be outdone, Zora bum rushes a fyora that dares to show its snout.  Unfortunately, she doesn't finish it off before it flees to alert every other forsaken rogue in the mines. The shrieking bounces off the stone and throughout the darkness. More cries answer it.  The pylons here aren't active, or they'd help you with the particularly tough fyora that pounces on Zora.  You barely have enough time to patch Zora up before another thahd hunts you down.  You manage to slay it, but then Zora notices another rogue. She rushes to attack it, and in doing so catches the attention of still another. You can't help but notice all the bones here...   You barely duck a skull-pulverizing blow from another thahd. Lucky for you, a thahd is not a stealthy creation, so you had time to notice and react instead of merely dying. You are still forced to pull your creations away from supporting Zora in favor of not letting yourself be beaten to a paste.  Zeniel half-melts one of the fyoras and you finish it with a javelin. A new danger presents itself with a fiery blast that idonotlikepeas nimbly avoids. You kill that fyora too.  Zora is in poor shape. You have to get this fyora before it gets her.  But as soon as you do, Zora rushes past you to engage two fyoras that were sneaking up from behind. You don't even have time to heal her; you direct Zeniel after her, but its acid spit is exhausted and so you force it directly into the fray just as more foes arrive.   The inevitable happens. When Zeniel falls, you feel a keen stab of loss. Artilas are not meant for the front lines, but you also couldn't in good conscience let a human die...   Somehow the rest of you survive. There's blood and ooze everywhere. All that remains of Zeniel is rapidly decaying essence. You won't let the rogues feast on your artila... and you can't even reclaim any of it. Not a single mote. Zora, perhaps sensing your foul mood, remains silent.  As you retreat, you encounter another thahd. Zora stabs the beast, but it crushes idonotlikepeas's throat. Your loyal fyora dies before you can reach out to heal it.  It has not been a good day. Shanti only raises an eyebrow at your bloodied, bedraggled robes. For once, she doesn't needle you. Perhaps it's because you're doing her work.   Zora meets you at your temporary quarters the next morning. With you are your new creations, Pieuvre the fyora and Deki the artila. They seem so fragile compared to the creatures you lost.   Today you tackle the northwestern section of the mines. The first door you reach is locked.  Inside Cart Maintenance is another control panel. Game Text posted:This is a piece of Shaper machinery. It looks recently made, although mold and fungus have already started to cover it. A plaque on the side is, however, readable. It says, "Defense." Now the pylons should be powered up. Not that they've helped you yet. Maybe if Zora could keep her bloodlust under control, you could lure the rogues back into pylon-range... and maybe you wouldn't have lost any creations if you could've managed that!  You spitefully trash all nests you come across.  And you take any valuables you find as compensation.  For such a poor colony, Drypeak has good quality locks.  Game Text posted:Though this is a fairly successful iron mine, iron is not valuable enough to justify spending this much effort developing a colony. It takes something more, and you've found it. "This way leads deeper into the mines," Zora says. "The rogues there are much worse."  The rogues you tangled with yesterday have hidden a fiery wand away here. Shapers are not above using regular magical items. This baton has been carefully infused with potent magical power.  Past the rogue nest is a large chamber. Game Text posted:These servile quarters are a mess. It smells terrible in here. You immediately see why. The servile walks up to you shyly. Although it doesn't recognize you, they are bred and trained to obey Shapers mindlessly. "Shaper, help us please. Please take us home." "First, tell me what you know of the mines," you say. Zora watches the door, softly tapping her toes. Her nerves are even worse today. "Mines where we work. Mines bad and monsters. Hungry. Please take us home." If you want better information than that, you won't be able to get it here. Serviles are not made to be smart. You wonder why Sencia is so bright. "All right. Follow me. I will lead you back to Drypeak." "Yes, Shaper! Good Shaper! Save us!" The three serviles line up and prepare to follow you. They look pretty tired and confused. You will most likely have to escort them all the way to Drypeak to keep them out of trouble.    After you see them out, you return to the area they were trapped in.  You insert the control key into the Defense panel. The controls hum reassuringly. Now all the defenses that you can access are active.  "We got the serviles out, that's enough," Zora says. "I'm sure Zakary won't be pleased if he hears I've snooped around unsupervised." She caves with a heavy sigh.  Next time: More Obligatory Mines I did add all that post-join up dialogue for Zora. It seems a little weird for her to stay silent for the rest of her time in the party. Pro-tip: Don't go to the next section of the mines at this stage of the game.
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Jul 21, 2017 01:24
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Precipitate is kind of a manipulative jerk! Then again, as the only person present who appears to be taking any action to deal with very present dangers, I suppose she has a right to be peeved.
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Jul 21, 2017 03:08
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TooMuchAbstraction posted:Precipitate is kind of a manipulative jerk! Then again, as the only person present who appears to be taking any action to deal with very present dangers, I suppose she has a right to be peeved. Shanti is taking action! She's distracting the obviously evil shapers from what Precipitate is doing. Really, when you think about it, what she's doing is more dangerous. A master shaper is way more powerful than a few rogues.
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Jul 21, 2017 03:15
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Sigh, I knew it was gonna be that pack of super rogues in the mines, I just knew it.
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Jul 21, 2017 05:49
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Yeah, exploring to the west first is kind of the intended path. The mines are just kind of a kick in the balls, starting out. That said if you can survive it and cart everything of value out it's pretty good seed money for the start of your adventure. A lot of good creations died here in my playthrough.
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Jul 21, 2017 07:41
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Zeniel posted:Sigh, I knew it was gonna be that pack of super rogues in the mines, I just knew it.  Wait til part two! RickVoid posted:Yeah, exploring to the west first is kind of the intended path. The mines are just kind of a kick in the balls, starting out. That said if you can survive it and cart everything of value out it's pretty good seed money for the start of your adventure. It's a real bloodbath at such an early stage of the game. And since you can pick up the servile rescue quest as soon as you arrive in town, you might be misled into thinking that this is an appropriate place to explore.
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Jul 21, 2017 16:48
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Its mostly just that one corner of the mines that's really tricky though, the rest of its not too terrible plus you can utilize the security system in-built into the mine too.
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Jul 21, 2017 17:42
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Zeniel posted:Its mostly just that one corner of the mines that's really tricky though, the rest of its not too terrible plus you can utilize the security system in-built into the mine too. Unless you take Zora and try to keep her alive. 
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Jul 21, 2017 19:20
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I'm so glad I told Zora to stay home and let me and my murder-dinos handle things. I would NOT have been happy about trying to keep her dumb rear end alive as she went charging into pack after pack.
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Jul 21, 2017 20:26
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That's definitely the optimal way to handle things. Here in LP country, though, we choose 
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Jul 21, 2017 21:13
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I am not a pro, and I did the mines early.  I had enough leadership to talk Prip into helping me, but not enough to get Zora to help. ...just as well for her, honestly!
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Jul 22, 2017 04:23
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NPC party members. That's a new wrinkle, right? I imagine a non-shaper is glad to have a distraction/battle buddy around.
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Jul 22, 2017 06:44
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Glazius posted:NPC party members. That's a new wrinkle, right? I imagine a non-shaper is glad to have a distraction/battle buddy around. There were a few in the first game as well. There was a Servile you could talk into helping you clear out a zone and a Battle Beta later in the game.
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Jul 22, 2017 06:59
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Zore posted:There were a few in the first game as well. There was a Servile you could talk into helping you clear out a zone and a Battle Beta later in the game. Them actually displaying as part of your party is new in this one, though.
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Jul 22, 2017 07:01
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Zeniel posted:Sigh, I knew it was gonna be that pack of super rogues in the mines, I just knew it. I figured it wouldn't take long, based on how everyone was talking. Ah, well, there's always next game!
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Jul 22, 2017 19:21
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Yeah Geneforge 2 is kind of a meat grinder as I'm sure we shall see. Unless you play as a Guardian of course, which is how I finally managed to finish it.
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Jul 22, 2017 19:27
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I thought it was a lot easier than Geneforge 1, tbh...
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Jul 22, 2017 19:34
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Remora posted:I thought it was a lot easier than Geneforge 1, tbh... In fairness 'easy' is not the same thing as 'not a meat grinder.' That said there are a couple of things that make the start of the game much easier if you do them. It's just that one of those things is 'don't start with the mines'.
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Jul 22, 2017 20:09
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I've never played any game in this series besides Geneforge 1, so I'm excited to see this. Thanks for doing another one, Pool! Also, I have already made peace with my imminent demise. All glory to the Shap- 
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Jul 23, 2017 03:37
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Obligatory Mine Part 2 The only constant in life is that everyone dies. Humans, animals, creations, even Shapers. There is no holding back the inevitable end of all living things. After a hundred years, even rivers and mountains change. Now that we've found the far exit of the Drypeak Mines area, we can freely cross that zone to reach the Western Mines area.  Through the bars, you see a hulking shadow that may be another defense control panel. You're not sure. "I think they left the key near the ore sorting area," Zora says. "There's some of those uh... pools there too. I think."  Derailed mine carts collect dust.   Enraged fyoras are significantly tougher than rogue fyoras. They're the first sign that we've really stepped into some poo poo. We only encountered one enraged fyora per fight in the last area. Well, now the gloves are coming off.  You stealthily take out another fyora before it can run for help.  Game Text posted:This is the western entry hall of the Drypeak Mines. It is also where they built their smelter. Here, hard-working serviles processed the raw ore and converted it into iron bars. It is difficult work with a high rate of injury. An incredibly tough thahd appears near the northern tracks. Zora races ahead of you and stumbles into a crushing blow.  Deki and Pieuvre struggle to leave a mark on the rogue.  It doggedly chases Zora as she panics and flees. Your flung javelin manages to strike the monster down before it can kill her.  Zora spots another rogue before you can finish healing her. As though to make up for her failure, she tears after the fyora.  The struggle to keep patching up her wounds takes its toll on your reserves.  Every time you think you've earned a little breathing room, another rogue appears, and Zora takes off after it again.  Finally they stop coming. You head westward into the sunlight and fresh air. To your surprise, the sun is still high in the sky. It feels like you've been underground forever. Warrens and other subterranean facilities have that odd effect... it's easy to lose track of time. The obelisk says, "DRYPEAK MINES."  The nearby sign here reads, "Ciphar's Farm - North." You haven't heard this name before, but there are serviles around. Someone must be around. Game Text posted:This tired and scared servile is at work in the fields. Being around rogues is very upsetting to serviles. It takes a lot of work to keep them under control.   Game Text posted:This farmhouse is a burrow. It has been excavated from the rock of the cliff face, no doubt using servile labor. You meet the owner of this farmhouse. Not surprisingly, he spends a lot of his time armed. He must be a very determined person to keep running his farm out here, considering what has been happening. He looks surprised when you walk in. "A Shaper, out here? That's a pleasant surprise. I'm glad to see you. I am Ciphar. Welcome to my home." "Why are you still out here?" you ask. "This is my land. I'm not going to give it up just because of some rogues. They're not so tough, and I'm pretty good with a sword." Ciphar pats his sword hilt. "I'm not going to pretend it's been easy. But I'm surviving." "How are you doing running this farm?" You direct your creations to watch the door with Zora. You're pretty sure the serviles will notice trouble before any of you do, though. "Our crops are as good as anyone's around here. And you know how little that means," he says. "The rogues have learned to leave me alone, or get punished. My main problem is keeping the serviles under control." That catches your interest. "What's happening with the serviles?" You guess that Ciphar's story's the same as Thossila's. "They're terrified. Rogues scare them, really scare them, even though I'm here to protect them." He shakes his head. "I have tools to keep them in line, though. Sometimes, I have to be a little harsh, but it is necessary." "That seems cruel to me, especially since the serviles did not choose to stay with you." Ciphar is very confused that a Shaper would say something like that. Shapers are generally unconcerned about the feelings of serviles. He chooses to simply say nothing in response. You should've minded your tongue better just like you decided earlier. Resolutions have always been a weakness of yours. You change the subject to something less dangerous. "Can you tell me more about this area?" "South of here there's a forest. I haven't been in there much. There are a lot of nasty creations in there, but not rogues. They've left me alone when I went in there, but they still make me nervous. "East of here is the mines. It's a mess in there. Be careful," Ciphar says. "West of here is wasteland. There's lots of rogues out there, and they're all nasty. I could handle them, but it's always a tough fight. Too tough." Ciphar's just handed you several leads. "What's beyond that wasteland?" "I don't know. No idea. Never met someone who's been out there." "Could you help me get past the wasteland?" you ask. "That's tough. I'd like to, Shaper. I'd like to do anything that would help you help us. My farm needs looking after, though. I should stay here." With some leadership, you can offer Ciphar 300 coins for his help. Or... "And how well will your farm do when the rogues get worse? This may be your last chance to help eliminate them," you say. You think this is extremely reasonable, and you ignore Zora's stifled sigh. He is not pleased to hear it, but your logic convinces him. "This will be costly, Shaper, but if I could have helped eliminate the plague and didn't, I would not deserve to be forgiven. Go west and, when you get there, I will meet you in the wasteland." "Thanks. I look forward to seeing you there. That's all for now."  We desperately need to be less stupid.  You decide to take accept Ciphar's hospitality and rest. Maybe he won't notice that you've gone through his personal effects. What kind of farmer installs complex mechanical traps on his wardrobe?  The old watering hole offers little privacy.  Crossing to the western edge of the map turns this zone green.   You pass a herd of ornks and find a signpost that reads, "Ciphar's Farm - North. Drypeak Mines - East."   This storage room yields some useful supplies. Pieuvre gazes longingly at the cured meat, but even you have limits. You're not hauling around half a dead ornk.  Back in the mines, you check a door you passed on your way out.  Game Text posted:Serviles injured by their work in the smelters were brought here for treatment. Shapers with access to a good supply of essence could heal their wounds. Well, most of them. This will prove handy. Zora doesn't complain at all when you strip the cabinets of all useful supplies, right down to the last scalpel. Nobody can complain about too much wellness.  The smelters are totally empty. It also seems like you've slain most or even all of the rogues patrolling this area. You wonder if they're truly rogues. Zaph admitted he was working for foes of Drypeak. You thought he was delusional, but maybe not. After all, Tyallea mentioned loyal Shapers to the west.  An extra creation is good insurance against any of you getting killed. You decide to check out the area south of the smelting gallery.  Zora predictably lunges for the first rogues you encounter. It doesn't go well. You watch, frozen in horror, as a massive, iron-thewed thahd crushes her in a fatal embrace. Zora loses hold of her javelins even as you try to rally a rescue, but you are far too late. There is little left to heal. All you can hope to do is avenge her, and in doing so, make the mines safe for Drypeak again. Zora is seriously susceptible to one-hit kills. Because her AI behaves in such a mindlessly hostile fashion, it's quite difficult at this stage to keep her from being slaughtered within the first couple moves of most engagements in the Western Mines. She wasn't destined to survive this dungeon...  You and Pieuvre manage to kill the fyora, but the murderous thahd has turned its sights on you. Its charge intercepts Deki first. Fortunately for Deki, the thahd fails to grab it. You don't have time to mourn Zora or beat yourself up for mistakes -- you must survive!   The artilas use their razor-sharp teeth to rip out chunks of the thahd, but it remains standing. Pieuvre can't even touch it -- the thahd is simply too fast. Ultimately, your javelins save the day. Game Text posted:The box contains knives, scales, and instruments for examining crystals and determining their use for magical activities. It's interesting stuff, but not useful to you. Killing two rogues wasn't worth Zora's life. You gather her up. On your way out of the western end of the mines, you open the barred door you encountered earlier and activate the defense control panel within. Outside, you're forced to explain to the guards on duty that Zora fell while defending you from a pair of rogues. The guards can barely contain their anger. You are still a Shaper, after all. But the gloom hanging over this colony will only deepen now. You'll finish what you started in the mines. Alone. As it should have been from the beginning. There don't seem to be any consequences to Zora's death, which is a little odd. No one ever brings it up. She's only level 4 when you start out and her stats are pretty poor. Honestly, I'm not sure what the point of adding her to the game was. She's not very useful.  Game Text posted:You have a bad feeling as you stare down the corridor ahead. Your keen Shaper senses note that the grumbles and hisses are different, deeper. They sound like they're coming from larger or more advanced creations.   You manage to kill another nest of rogues up here, including a nasty-looking artila, but you lose Old Grey Guy in the process. You can't tell if it hurts less with practice or if you're just numb now.  After retreating and regrouping, you return with Ibblebibble to finish clearing the north end of these wretched rogues. This time you are armed with the best steel javelins you could find. Then a thahd appears from nowhere and crushes Deki into a fine paste. Just beyond the beast's shoulder, you can make out another rogue artila. You are going to die.  You are going to die, and no one will look for you. Well, maybe Shanti will. Eventually. If she gets angry enough. The spore pouch you've been saving for a rainy day blesses you, Pieuvre, and Ibblebibble with great speed. Maybe, just maybe, you can overcome this pack of rogues.  The thahds die howling, half-frozen by ice spray from the crystals you've scavenged. Ibblebibble dies, its skin melted away by rogue artilas' acid. It's just you and Pieuvre now, and Pieuvre is reeling, shrieking, as acid eats away at its flesh. You can't treat the fyora -- you must kill this artila, or, you know, everything will end for you. The javelin flies unerringly, connecting you and the rogue by an invisible arc.   Your aim is true, but Pieuvre dies of its wounds. You retreat for sunlight and clean air. Under the accusatory glares of the guards, you bring Anticheese and ZeusCannon into being. Your fyoras weren't able to defend themselves, but the artilas, as fragile as they are, punish rogues like no other creations can.  Just past the entrance you check the doors you couldn't unlock earlier. You are running low on healing supplies and you're afraid that your scavenged armor is pathetically inadequate. This room has naught but boots, gauntlets, and other mining supplies. You find some iron bars in a trash barrel, though.   You recover over a dozen ingots from the locked processing room. Zuniga the smith will be pleased.   Someone locked a fyora in this room. If it wasn't rogue before, it's certainly rogue now. After killing it, you wonder if you, too, could be driven rogue by such a basic need as hunger. You hope you never find out. The barrels contain more ingots and even several respectably sized crystals.   This small office must have been where ingots from the smelters were inspected before storage in the processing room.  You return to the scene of your last battle. The carcasses, or what remained of them, have been hauled off. Only a few pieces remain.  A dead servile decays here. You try to straighten the body. It's a truly pathetic sight.   Anticheese spots the rogue first.   You crack a speed pod.  There's something subtly different about this thahd, something beyond its uncommon hardiness and finely-wrought armor.  You figure it out when a crackling flare of energy briefly surrounds the thahd. It can bless itself somehow. What madness. You can't even cast that spell. You use up all of your icy crystals on it and the thahd still doesn't die.  But Anticheese does.  ZeusCannon avenges its comrade. The artila's fangs sink into the thahd's thigh, and with a spray of arterial blood, the thahd sinks to its knees and expires. Finally. Finally. The blessed thahd left a fine chainmail shirt, an emerald, a silver ring, and a pair of vat boots -- so called because they are mainly used to provide protection when working around chemical vats in the Shaper's largest and most complex manufactories. Vat boots provide 3 armor and 5% resistance to poison and acid. We swap into them immediately. The chainmail vest weighs 12.5 lbs, making it 2.5 lbs heavier than our chitin armor, and grants 12 armor, 20% stun resistance, and -5% to-hit. Honestly, this is a fine trade-off. Our Shaper shouldn't be getting up close and personal in fights, but at this stage of the game, that can be difficult to avoid. We need some extra protection.  More intelligence! More essence! More creations!   While you rest by the essence pools, you Shape truegentleman, and then gather your things and leave.  Once again, you emerge bloodied and tattered from the mines. You don't know how many times that is now. You stop by the servile hall and rest. Thossila is easy company. If she knows about Zora's death or blames you for it, she doesn't let on. The serviles are out in Drypeak's pathetic fields. You wash, eat, and sit in the quiet a while. Then you visit the warrens. Tyallea's prices are high, but you must pay them. He gladly takes your coin in exchange for tutoring you in the finer points of Shaping fyoras and artilas and in curing poisons, neutralizing acids, and blessing your creations for battle. Once done, you speak to Thossila again. You'd nearly forgotten... "I found your serviles and rescued them." "Yes, they found their way back to me. Thank you! They were very upset, but I managed to calm them down." Her eyes gleam. "I would like to pay you back somehow for your help. How about this? I know you are just an apprentice, and l have learned a valuable spell for helping serviles when they get sick. Maybe you do not know it yet." She teaches you the spell Cure Effects. You know it now, but Thossila's approach differs enough from Tyallea's that you glean even more useful information. "How are the serviles doing lately?" you ask. "Much better than they were, thanks to you. I truly appreciate what you did for them." That makes you feel a little better.  You need a little break from underground tunnels, noxious air, and awful rogues. You return to the main gate. This time you dig around in the gatehouse complex, unlocking doors and taking things that don't belong to you. It makes you feel better, but only a bit. Zora's purpling face hovers in your thoughts.  Game Text posted:No wonder the door to this room was locked. This chamber contains a spellbook. Shapers don't write a lot of spellbooks. They are very nervous about outsiders finding their secrets. If you read the tome again, the message changes to say, "You browse the book, but you don't learn anything new." Most Shaping knowledge is passed down personally between masters and apprentices. It's one of the many ways Shapers try to control the transmission of Shaper arts. You haven't seen very many documents directly describing magic or Shaping.  Though it seems futile, you return to the mines. You think you're almost done, yet you sense that the worst is yet to come. You've come ready with a fiery wand recovered from one of the mine's many rogue nests, and in addition to that, a war blessing is always on the tip of your tongue.   One ancient artila falls, but ZeusCannon is doomed.  Truegentleman is forced to resort to biting your foe while you roast it with blasts from the fiery wand.  Once again, you're left alone. Your sole comfort is an oddly clean pair of bone dice left behind here. Just the way they stay cool in your palm no matter how long you hold them is soothing... Here we pick up our first charm of the game. The new loot type in Geneforge 2 is the charm, which adds passive bonuses as long as it's in your inventory. The Lucky Dice add 1 point to luck, as you'd expect.   You Shape ulmont the cryoa and Vadoc the artila and fervently hope that you can keep them alive. You've learned so much more... These creations are stronger, faster, and tougher than your previous efforts, yet you fear for them. But what does that fear matter? You'll throw them into still another meat grinder. For the first time, you feel something that you know as despair. Next time: The Witch's POOL IS CLOSED fucked around with this message at 23:42 on Jul 27, 2017 |
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Jul 23, 2017 18:39
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Precipitate is getting used to dead and expendable creations much faster than Solution, it feels like.
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Jul 23, 2017 19:11
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What a meat grinder 
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Jul 23, 2017 19:16
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On the bright side, we have the cryoa now! And it's actually a good upgrade over the fyora. If your name isn't in the to be ground up creature patties list and it should be, let me know.
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Jul 23, 2017 19:30
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Losing Zora is no big loss, she's a piss poor meat shield at the best of times and she would have abandoned Precipitate in the not too distant future anyway.
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Jul 23, 2017 19:51
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Zeniel posted:Losing Zora is no big loss, she's a piss poor meat shield at the best of times and she would have abandoned Precipitate in the not too distant future anyway. To be fair, she is a guard, so her duty is to guard the mines. Running around the wilds probably amounts to dereliction of duty for her. But yes, Zora is mechanically awful, and I would advise new players not to recruit her. Once in your party, she takes a share of the experience; her HP is too low to make her a good tank, as Zeniel posted; her to-hit and damage are similarly abysmal. Don't bother! (I just did it because why not?  )
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Jul 23, 2017 20:00
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The Witch's Swamp Last time, Zora died in the mines, and so did a poo poo load of our own creations. We did succeed at killing every last rogue and looting every container, though, so that makes up for things. I promise! Also, this area isn't really a swamp.   Game Text posted:This forest is very different from the areas you've explored before. It is very still and cold. You feel strangely nervous here, as if you're being watched. And, considering the powers of the Shapers, you probably are. The obelisk nearby reads, "SHARON'S GROVE - Those friendly and willing to learn are welcome. Hostile intruders are destroyed." You remember that name. Elili wants you to get some saltweed from Sharon, whom Elili called a sage.   Thorn bushes grow along the border of the paths. You take a moment to harvest some just in case. If nothing else, you can sell the thorns once you collect enough.   Game Text posted:For a moment, you are alarmed. A creation approaches you. A tough one, dangerous enough to give even a Shaper pause. You adopt a ready stance, prepared to defend yourself, if necessary. You don't even know how to make clawbugs and vlish. You give the patrolling creations as wide a berth as you can. Sharon the Sage is probably better known as Sharon the Shaper.   This grove is actually the intersection of some well-trod paths -- roads, if you're feeling charitable.   Game Text posted:You have found a home out here in the woods. It is an impressive structure, solidly built from blocks of stone. It looks like it has been here for quite a few years.  The water is unpleasantly lukewarm but it's clean enough to rinse your hands and face in.  Game Text posted:The smell of rot is heavy in the air here. There are two trash dumps back here, one for garbage, one for body parts of deceased creations and failed experiments. A giant rat pops out, startled by your presence. It hisses. Ulmont immediately freezes it to death.   Ulmont freezes all the rats, in fact.  In the back of this pile of rubbish, you find a useful-looking herb. You think it's what Elili is looking for.  As you make your way back, you catch a glimpse of a door beyond the twisting desert trees. What's hidden behind this house?  You meet the mistress of this grove. She is a Shaper, as you expected. She is old and slow, and her traditional robes have been worn threadbare by her many years out here. However, she has a look of peace and calm unusual in your kind. Living in this cold, dead place seems to have made her very calm and happy. She smiles as she walks over to you. It's very strange. "Welcome, young traveler. I am Sharon. I have been expecting your visit. Your teacher Shanti has already been by to see me, and l have been hoping you were soon to follow." Shanti must have really gotten around while you were in the mines. You have some business to get out of the way first. "Someone named Elili said that you have some saltweed for her," you say. "Elili? Who? I suppose I might have some saltweed somewhere. I thought I saw some growing in my garbage dump." Hmm. Maybe Elili just wanted you to steal it. "This?" you ask, showing Sharon the cutting, and she nods. Well, that's that, then. "I am also trying to learn about a Shaper named Barzahl. Can you help me?" "I never met the man. I heard he was dead. I cannot be of more help." "You've met Shanti?" you ask. "She came out here to see you?" "Yes. She was able to slip away from Drypeak to look around. It did not take her long to sense me." Sharon smiles. "She is wise. I like her. She does not approve of my hiding from the Shaper Council here, and I suspect that she will not keep my secret. But I do believe that she is fighting to do good, and I admire that." "What sort of research are you doing here?" "Shaping, of course. The power of Shaping cannot be resisted, once it has been tried. But I have been following different paths than you may know of. I have been researching the old history of the Shapers, seeing if any valuable techniques had been learned, then lost." She gestures to a living tool set aside on one of the tables. "I have also been trying to learn how to better fuse Shaped creatures and physical objects. I have learned some very interesting things in that area." Now that's interesting. "What have you learned about the old ways of the Shapers?" you ask. "Not much. It is difficult to get interesting books out here. And I... well, you would probably not be of much assistance in this area." "You shouldn't jump to conclusions so quickly. Is there any way I can help?" Being so quickly dismissed stings, but you'll do anything to get involved in research. It's much better than hiking all over the countryside, watching your creations and guards get killed by rogues. "Perhaps. There is a book in my library, on the south pedestal. It is interesting, but I cannot understand the dialect. If I had access to a library, I could perhaps learn more about it," Sharon says. "But where could one find a library up here? So the book sits there, taunting me." "If I learn anything, I'll let you know," you say. "You can create powerful magic items?" "Perhaps. There is an experiment I would like to try. It would be very difficult, and the components would be hard to find, so I have only theory to work with." She taps her lower lip. "However, if I could obtain a shard of crystal, totally pure and flawless, some purified essence, which is very difficult for even a skilled Shaper to make, and the tendon of a rogue drayk, both strong and undamaged, I could fashion a ring. "This ring would help any who follow the way of stealth and diplomacy, who wanted less to fight foes than to pick the locks that would lead around them. "If you were able to help me perform this experiment I would, in return, let you take the ring I made." That sounds like a great deal to you. You even have a lead on a place to find such a crystal, thanks to Captain Takena. The rogue drayk tendon sounds rather difficult to acquire, though, to say the least. "I'll see what I can do. What can you tell me about this area?" "The mines are to the north. There have been a lot of rogues coming from the south. I have not been paying much attention to that. I have been doing my work. What does interest me, though, and Shanti shares my interest, is the area to the northwest." "What's to the northwest?" "Rogues, much more dangerous rogues than the ones that have been attacking Drypeak. I have sent my own creations to scout there. I have found that they are guarding a tunnel in the remotest section of their valley," she says. "I would like very much to know what is through that tunnel. I think someone should explore back there." "I could go back there and explore for you," you offer. If Shanti is interested in the tunnel, that means you are the one who will probably check it out. Getting some consideration for doing so would make the whole ordeal worthwhile. "Yes, that would be very useful. And, if you did, I would aid you for your help. The tunnel is to the northwest. See if you can find out what is on the other side." "How long have you been living out here, anyway?" you ask. "Many years. I was once a traveling Shaper like you, moving from place to place, helping establish settlements, making life to live in hostile areas, putting down uprisings. Then I came here." "Did you come here to help settle this area?" "No. I came here to hide. I had done enough. I wanted to live in peace, to stop traveling, to read, to think, to live a quiet life." That is not something that ever happens. Once you become a Shaper, you are bound by Shaper law and the dictates of the Shaper Council for life. It is the price paid for such power and status. Sharon is revealing a lot by telling you that she has fled from the Shapers. You don't understand why she is risking so much. "Why do you tell me this? Aren't you afraid the Council will find and punish you?" "The Council has already found me. Now that they are sending scouts here, I will be found. I will accept it. Maybe, in return for the things I have learned, they will not punish me too harshly," she says. Next time: The Investigation Continues  Vote! We have two matters to consider. First, should we criticize Sharon or console her about her desertion from the Shapers? Second, where should we go next? Your options are: 1. Infested Woods, 2. The Crags, or 3. Saltmarsh. Be sure to bold your choice!
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Jul 23, 2017 20:49
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