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ArknknuckleRpg posted:This isn’t a vote but I kindof want to hear of our past adventures, any input from anyone else? I'm down for C, sure. Although I suspect some of the others may be of more long-term use. No fun if we don't gently caress something up, though! I'd like to suggest that while there are only a few posters in this thread, we should (roughly) follow "activation" rules ourselves. In other words, don't monopolize voting if you happen to be around a lot - cool your heels on voting if you've made a vote in the past day or so and there are others who haven't had a chance. Not that it's been a problem so far, but just a thought. Also, as a suggestion for Dolash, we should move to at least an informal voting method once there are more posters. It might make it go more slowly, but it'll suck otherwise for people who don't match your schedule.
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May 7, 2018 21:40
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Seizing on a lull in the conversation, Aria leans eagerly forward toward the campfire, still wrapped in her bedroll. "I'm sure after all our poking into your business, you must be curious about our small company!" Braxton quirks a lip as she looks from the mismatched Elf knight to the eccentric Dwarf packing his pipe with a strange purple resin. "Perhaps a little." "Well," declares the Bard, pulling her hands free from the roll for an expansive sweep. A few resigned groans comes from the shadowy figures of her companions, but Aria ignores them. "Let me tell you the tale of our meeting. It all started in the City of Nerekhall - yes, that cursed burg. In its darkest district, on a night much damper than this one, the rain chased me through the door of an ill-reputed tavern called the Spirit's Rest..." Braxton listens to Aria's tales of her exploits politely, nodding at the appropriate points and asking a handful of clarifying questions. "I can tell you're all quite accomplished," she says. "Mariam and I are lucky to be traveling with you." Aria gets the distinct impression that she is humoring her, but takes it in stride. "That's probably enough about us for now. I'd actually like to hear more about this village we're heading toward, I'd never heard of it until a week ago." "I've never been to Dragonholt myself," says Braxton. "Lord Kahler's lands were west of here, so I never had occasion to visit. I did hear that the village has a fine inn." "You heard that from me!" calls Mariam. "Mariam's aunt runs the place," says Braxton with a smile. "Apart from that, I think the place is rather unremarkable. A small collection of houses surrounded by farms and orchards." She frowns and drums her fingers on the hilt of her sword, looking all around. "Well, there was that one story about a brave hero who could freeze a dragon's flames in its throat. But I think that was just a story." Braxton lapses into a comfortable silence for some time.  A) Ask Braxton about her family. B) Ask Braxton about Orcs. C) Leave Braxton to her thoughts.(For voting format, I'll definitely take a little more time once we get to some more consequential actions. The game just has so many decisions in it that if every choice was a drawn out vote it'd grind the thread to a crawl. The introductory quest has a lot of fairly fluffy conversation stuff like this to help you get the feel of the characters, game and setting, so hopefully once we reach Dragonholt and the game opens up a bit there'll be enough activity to support more discussion and voting.)
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May 7, 2018 21:57
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B. Always learn more about Orcs.
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May 7, 2018 23:26
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"I've known terribly few Orcs in my time," remarks Urist, who pauses to puff his pipe. "Well, besides Urk, naturally." Urk grins, large white teeth glimmering in the firelight. "You seem of quite a different temperament, though." "Yes, your friend seems... unique," Braxton remarks, giving Urk a sidelong glance. "They're not all like me either, of course. My people celebrate independence and strength. I hear that orc clans rule in the Broken Plains, but here in Terrinoth we mostly live in small bands, traveling from barony to barony. The humans don't like it when large numbers of orcs settle anywhere for long, so we have to keep moving." "TRUE," Urk agrees. "FEW HUMANS BOTHER URK ALONE, BUT TWO ORCS? THREE? HUMANS GET WORRIED." Braxton looks down to where her hand is wrapped around her sword hilt. "The humans are happy to pay us to fight for them, though. You can find my people serving as mercenaries, even gladiators, all through Terrinoth." She takes her hand from her sword. Mariam lets out a long yawn, and Deepmind seconds the motion. As the party nestles into their bedrolls for the night, Braxton speaks up. "Best we don't all sleep at once. I'll take the first watch. Can I count on one of you to take the second?" The party regains two stamina each Two time passes Decision: First to two votes, which party member should take the second watch? Both active and inactive party members may be nominated, inactive ones will be refreshed.
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May 7, 2018 23:57
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Hrm. I think Deepmind would be an ideal second watch. The awareness will help if something tries to sneak up, and the kitty should be good in a scrape.
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May 8, 2018 01:21
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Seconding Deepmind, logic is sound.
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May 8, 2018 09:38
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"Aren't Hyrrnyx known for superb night vision?" wonders Urist aloud. "Nope," Deepmind answers, keeping her face impassive as she stares straight at the Dwarf until he looks away, embarrassed. Athtar sighs and sits up from his bedroll. "I will take the second watch. You all came on this quest at my behest, your safety is my responsibility." The little Hyrrnyx lets out an annoyed groan and rolls her eyes. "I'll do it, you self-righteous beanpole. For a 'sharp-eyed elf', you've got the awareness of a brick." The knight stiffens in response. "That's not true." "Oh?" Deepmind reaches under her blanket and withdraws a fine leather purse with the letters A R embroidered in the center. She casually tosses it to Athtar as he blinks in surprise, rolling back under her blanket. "See you in the morning." Hours later, Deepmind rouses from her slumber to gentle coaxing from Braxton. "Your turn at watch," she says quietly. She rubs her eyes for a moment, peering balefully at Braxton before trying unsuccessfully to feign snores. When the Orc remains unmoved, she sighs and struggles to her feet. "I'm going, I'm going." Deepmind glances around camp at her fellow travelers. Braxton prepares her bedroll, lies down, and is quickly asleep. Mariam stirs for a moment, possibly awakened by the brief commotion, and rolls to her other side. A gentle silence takes hold of the clearing. The journey to Dragonholt has been a long one, but now the group is no more than a half-day's travel from their destination. A creature of the city, Deepmind reflects on the web of debts and favors that find her traipsing off into the wilderness, while nibbling on a length of jerky liberated from Minar's pack. The crack of burning branches from the campfire keeps the Hyrrnyx company as she keeps watch. The moon is beginning to set, and Deepmind can already imagine the light of dawn creeping along the far side of the sky. Just then, she hears a rustling in the thick brush on one side of the camp and recalls Braxton's warnings about bandits. She also recalls her own boast from earlier in the day, "bandits I can handle," and rests a hand on hilt of her dagger. A) Watch for further movement or signs of danger. B) Arm up and take a look (this action does not exhaust activation) C) Wake the party.
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May 8, 2018 14:54
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mmmmm. See, this is where the CYOA format gets me. I'd want to do a combination of two things - move towards... crap. The elf-knight, forget his name and I'm mobile. Move towards him while keeping an eye out for the source of the noise. Nudge elf-boy awake while being ready to raise the alarm. If it's near dawn though, waking everyone up shouldn't negatively affect stamina regen, and it's the most prudent move out of the choices given. (not a vote, just my thoughts)
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May 8, 2018 19:22
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I'd say arm up and take a look. Kitty here is presumably our stealthiest party member and least likely to be noticed; sitting doing nothing seems like a bad plan, and no need to wake everyone if it's just a bird or something.
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May 8, 2018 19:33
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I agree I think we should arm up and take a look
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May 8, 2018 19:44
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Deepmind tightens her grip on her dagger and slips out of the camp, circling around toward where she heard the sound. As her twinkling eyes pierce the darkness, she moves silently from tree to tree and soon finds herself behind a small group of rough-looking people, lurking in the bushes and watching her camp. Bandits! There are three bandits directly in front of her, two men and a woman in torn and stained clothing and scraps of leather armor. The woman holds a strung bow across her knees as she crouches, while one of the men has a spear and the other a long knife in his hand. "Wasn't someone on watch by the fire?" asks one of the men. "I don't see anyone there now," says the woman. "Quiet!" says the other man. "Wait for the signal." They clearly haven't noticed her yet. just as clearly, they're intending to attack your traveling companions. First to two votes A) Shout a warning to the party. B) Draw the dagger and engage the bandits. C) [stealth] Sneak up on the bandits and ambush them.
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May 8, 2018 21:18
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I think since we have the element of surprise we should sneak
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May 8, 2018 22:05
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(I did say first to two votes for this one, but it seems like most folks may have turned in for the night, so we might as well finish one more decision today) Deepmind creeps carefully up behind the bandits, ghosting up behind the man with the spear. Moving swiftly, she grabs his spear and twists, tearing it from his grasp and bringing it up across his throat. He gurgles and kicks, then goes still as she drags him into the dark forest. "There's one of them in the trees!" shouts the bow-armed woman, loosing an arrow blindly in Deepmind's direction. The shaft passes within a hand's breadth of her head, and she sees her pulling back to fire again. She dumps the unresponsive bandit and sprints back to the camp. Confusion echoes around the forest as the bandits try to track Deepmind down. "Bandits!" she yells, rushing back to camp as the bandits swear and move to follow. "We're supposed to wait for the signal," hisses one. "That was the signal!" shouts the other. As Deepmind skids to a stop by the campfire, she sees Braxton already on her feet with her shield in hand, Athtar close behind with his sword drawn. Mariam is still staggering out of her tangling blanket as the rest of the party fumbles for their feet. "What is it?" grumbles Mariam. "What's going on?" "Bandits" rumbles Braxton as a half-dozen of the desperate-looking figures run into the firelight, weapons held high. "To arms!" Athtar calls, moving to put himself between the attackers and his baffled companions. Braxton hefts a heavy steel sield and slashes her longsword threateningly at one of the approaching bandits. Mariam produces two flasks and unstoppers one of them. A thick, acrid smoke pours from its open mouth as she holds it aloft, ready to throw. Three of the bandits suddenly rush forward, charging the camp. Mariam hurls the smoking flask which smashes against one of their bucklers. A billowing cloud of acidic fog erupts from the impact site. The bandit shrieks and flails, dropping his buckler to the ground as it dissolves. The two other bandits continue their charge. One swings an axe at Mariam, but Braxton catches the blade with her longsword and slams her shield into the man, sending him tumbling to the ground. The third bandit dodges around Braxton and darts forward, straight toward Urist, still struggling to shake off the fog of sleep. First to one vote A) Dodge the attack B) Catch the spear and disarm the bandit C) [Dueling] Deflect the spear and counter attack D) [Arcana] Blast the bandit with a rune.
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May 9, 2018 05:33
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Not sure about this one, either A or D sound most plausible and likely to work, and D would at least take down an attacker as well as saving Urist. D unless someone else has a better idea.
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May 9, 2018 08:46
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Black Robe posted:Not sure about this one, either A or D sound most plausible and likely to work, and D would at least take down an attacker as well as saving Urist. Does magic/"rune" do AoE damage? I like  as much as anyone, but I'd rather save that action for when we can hit a second target at the same time.I'd suggest B as an alternative - Minar should be capable enough to pull it off, and it saves the mage's action for now. Although we -do- have a second rune-user in Urist... Edit: To be fair, this -is- essentially the tutorial battle - I suspect it'll be hard to totally gently caress this up unless we get a choice of "block the sword with your face"  Dolash, is there a guideline for what each character can do with their skills, at least in a general sense? I'm realizing that I can sort-of-guess about them, but stuff like "rune" and "alchemy" is kind of nebulous. And what the hell is "devotion"? Epsilon Moonshade fucked around with this message at 15:21 on May 9, 2018 |
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May 9, 2018 15:02
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What each skill can do is fairly flexible to the situation. Arcana, for example, will typically be some fire or blast effect, and can be a small bolt or a large explosion as the situation requires. Runes also covers magical effects but more utility, like growing a vine to hold a door shut or decoding an ancient magical tablet. Devotion can be anything involving prayer, spirits, religion or theology - knowing a bit of holy lore, but sometimes even getting away with a million-to-one shot. Typically, opportunities to use skills will yield better results than options that don't, though sometimes options without skills have hidden skill checks for a good outcome after you choose them. "Combat difficulty" involves predicting what skills will be needed to succeed at certain options, what options will yield the best results, and what party members you should hold on to as part of the active party to deal with later problems. Picking Deepmind for her Awareness and Stealth to keep watch, for example, led to a good outcome for that event. Anyway, I see some indecision between B and D, so if either Epsilon or Black Robe would like to assert their vote or someone else wants to weigh in I'll go with that, otherwise shortly I'll just break the tie. Dolash fucked around with this message at 16:07 on May 9, 2018 |
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May 9, 2018 16:03
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D LET URK TELL YOU ABOUT RUNES. THEY GO BOOM
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May 9, 2018 16:40
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D URK WANT BIG BOOM
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May 9, 2018 17:11
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As the spearman bears down on Urist, a looming shadow behind him begins chanting Orcish curses. Urk produces a blasting rune from a hidden pocket and raises it above her head in a clenched fist. With a violent thrust of her hand, she channels the arcane energy from the shard into the ground before the charging bandit. The earth swells before erupting in an explosive spray of molten shrapnel. The explosion occurs closer to Urk and Urist than she had anticipated, and while the Dwarf ducks for cover the orc tries to dodge the shards of shattered stone... Does not have Agility - lose three stamina When the dust settles, the bandit lies motionless beside the smoldering crater. "Uh, much obliged," Urist manages from the ground. Urk yanks a finger-length splinter of rock from her shoulder with seeming disinterest. "URK HAPPY TO HELP!" "For Kahler and Harmon!" bellows Braxton. In the flickering firelight, she seems a demon from a nightmare, huge and dark and powerful. Three of the bandits attempt to surround her, but she pivots away, slamming her shield into one and knocking her down, then slashing at a second and sending him screaming into the dark, clutching at his face. She trades blows with a large human, his axe sliding off her shield, her sword flickering past his face as he dances backward. Athtar, fending off a pair of bandits nearby, spots a bandit with his hair in a long braid creeping up behind Braxton with a knife glimmering in his hand. Focused as Braxton is on her battle with the large bandit, she clearly hasn't noticed. Athtar spots Minar nearby and furiously tries to wave the archer toward the hidden threat, but Minar gives an embarrassed shrug - in the confusion, he's lost his quiver. A) Intercept the approaching bandit yourself B) Catch the bandit from behind anyway C) [Alchemy] Stop the bandit with an alchemical concoction
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May 9, 2018 17:51
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I think him saying "the bandit had a long braid" might be a clue, so if we have Minar come up behind theoretically he could grab the bandit by the braid and send it off balance?
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May 9, 2018 17:58
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C, MORE EXPLOSIONS
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May 9, 2018 22:36
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In the middle of Athtar and Minar's pantomime argument, Urist suddenly lurches to his feet. He pulls out an oiled leather bladder and hurls it as hard as he can against the bandit's feet. The bladder bursts, sending a black, tar-like substance all over the grass and the bandit's legs. "What is this stuff?" the bandit says, trying to brush the oobleck from his thigh with one hand. "I'm stuck!" he says, trying to retrieve his hand. With a wail, the bandit soon finds that his feet are rooted in place, and his attempts to move only send him toppling over to get even more stuck. Urist stops to take notes for a moment, before remembering the battle raging around him, and pockets his notebook with a sigh. The party is still locked in combat with the bandits, who swarm around the edges of the light provided by the campfire. Screaming incoherently, a scarred bandit rushes into the thick of battle. In one hand, he brandishes a studded, iron mace. The other arm ends in a steel hook, its metal glinting in the firelight. A) Rush forward to engage the bandit.B) [Military] Brace to receive the charge. C) [Archery] Fall back and attack at range. This move does not exhaust activation
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May 10, 2018 02:38
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Im gonna go with C since it doesnt waste an action
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May 10, 2018 02:47
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As the hulking, hook-handed bandit menaces the party, Minar's voice cuts above the din. "Hey, ugly!" The bandit's head perks up as the archer waves a rude gesture at him. Having found his quiver at last, he strikes a defiant pose. "What's your life like now that you can only count to six?" The ugly brute sets off straight at his tormentor, who quickly realizes he doesn't have time to draw. Minar maneuvers through the melee, dodging around Braxton and another orc woman. Then he breaks away from the fray, sprinting toward the great oak, hoping to put enough range between himself and the bandit so that he can attack from relative safety. Minar does not have Agility or Athletics The bandit gives chase and keeps close behind Minar no matter how hard he runs. He ducks behind the campfire, then sprints for the great oak, then circles back around the entire clearing. The bandit stays only a step behind the whole way. His legs burn and his breath rattles in his chest, but still the bandit keeps pace behind him. Minar loses one Stamina, exhausts activation. Finally, on another loop back around the great oak, Minar's foot catches in an unseen tree root, and he goes sprawling. The bandit looms above him, his hook gleaming, and then suddenly flames erupt all along his back. Screaming, the bandit falls over, rolling around and tearing at his leather jerkin with his good hand in an attempt to put out the flames. Mariam calls out, "Quit playing around! These guys mean business, and I don't mean the kind we profit from!" Despite the mortal peril, Minar manages a wince of annoyance at the joke. The next figure to loom over him is Aria, who politely suppresses a laugh as she offers her hand to help Minar up. "I had him right where I wanted him" Minar mutters. Aria nods sympathetically. "Oh, I'm sure." The group finds themselves standing in a loose circle with no bandits close at hand. Even more of the enemy emerge from the trees, however, and they begin to surround the party. "What now?" breathes Mariam. It's the first time fear has entered her voice. The bandits' leader chuckles and speaks, causing the firelight to play off the long scar on the side of his face in a sinister way. "Drop your valuables and leave. There is no need for you to die here." The other bandits hoot and howl and brandish their blades and axes in the air in front of them. "Fat chance of that," Deepmind whispers. "These aren't a couple highwaymen, this is a whole bandit clan. As soon as we stand down we're as good as dead." Braxton glances sideways at Athtar. "There are too many of them. We cannot win this fight." She edges backward, and he notices her lean in the direction of Dragonholt. "You can't have my gold. I'll be using it to start my business!" hisses Mariam. Despite the bite in her words, her hands are clearly trembling. First to two votes A) [Dueling] Fend off the bandits long enough for the others to escape. B) Turn tail and run
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May 10, 2018 03:39
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I say run. Let's at least try to keep everyone alive a bit longer than the first encounter, eh?
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May 10, 2018 14:06
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Still hanging in there for two votes on this choice if we can swing it, might be important.
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May 11, 2018 02:58
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This guy's all about honor, I don't see 'run' as the option. Stall em.
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May 11, 2018 05:53
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I also say stall them
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May 11, 2018 10:51
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Athtar surges forward, longsword poised. "Go, now!" "But-" Mariam begins to protest. "Now!" Braxton bellows, following Athar close behind. The two knights spring forward, bringing the battle to the bandits while their companions flee. The ferocity of their attack catches the bandits off-guard, and at first they fall back. Athtar presses the advantage, striking down a burly human woman with a pair of jagged knives and disarming a gnome man who attempts to dart in and slash his hamstrings. The bandits soon regroup, however, and their numbers begin to tell. The knights are swiftly pressed back and it becomes clear they will be overwhelmed. Since the rest of the group has escaped, they turn and run for it as well. The party runs through Eventide Forest, scrambling and stumbling as they go. They are surprised to discover they can see, and realize that the sun must already be rising somewhere beyond the trees. Time passes The narrow and twisting path soon comes to a steep climb with a rocky outcropping that rises above on either side. A large standing stone towers to the right. The sound of bandits is still coming on from behind, shouting to their fellows like hounds on the hunt. But any pursuer will have to scramble up this same narrow gulch. First to one vote A) Tip over the standing stone to block the path. B) [Archery] Fire with a bow from the high ground. C) [Survival] Set a trap for the approaching bandits.
Dolash fucked around with this message at 18:18 on May 11, 2018 |
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May 11, 2018 15:21
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I say trap. The path isn't straight so arrows might whiff, and I don't know how mean this game is but I've played plenty where mysterious standing stones will probably belong to an angry god who won't like you shoving them around.
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May 11, 2018 22:01
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"Go on ahead," Minar yells to the party as they run by. "I've got something for this!" He quickly withdraws a set of hunting snares from his pack that he tethers to young trees at the top of the gulch, before kicking leaves and gravel over them. He falls back in the party's wake as the bandits grow closer, hooting and baying as they come. Their shouts turn to cries of alarm as the first of the snares yanks a bandit off his feet. With the bandits preoccupied picking their way carefully through the gulch, the party is able to gain a considerable lead on them. The rocky terrain continues to rise up on either side, the trees of Eventide Forest becoming smaller and scrappier as they go. Soon they come to a sheer cliff face, only a few scraggly trees clinging to the rocks rising above. Sunlight spills across the sky above the cliff, a promise of freedom and safety. They could climb the cliff to the top, but it would be a challenge. The path continues to the left a fair distance, then becomes a tight switchback crawling up to the top of the rise. It would be a safer route to the top, but slower than climbing directly. A) Climb the cliff face B) Run for the switchback path
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May 11, 2018 22:56
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Climb up and up we go.
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May 11, 2018 23:01
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"What now?" Aria begins to ask, before a resounding crunch grabs the group's attention. Urk begins scrambling up the cliff face, relying on the trees that cling to cracks in the rocks for handholds. "CLIMB! LAST ONE TO THE TOP IS A SITTING DUCK!" Her companions' surprise wears off and they rush to follow her example. Anyone without Athletics loses two stamina This proves unwise, as not all of the trees are anchored securely enough to bear weight. With a resounding crack, one branch Urist clung to gives way, leaving him dangling by his fingertips above a steep drop. Mariam isn't making things any easier, either, despite Braxton's efforts. "I'll be fine!" she huffs. "I'm not the only one here who needs help!" she says with a nod at Urist. Braxton makes her way over to the dangling Dwarf and helps him regain his footing. "Test each toehold before you put weight on it," she says. "I swear, it looked a yard across," he mumbles in reply. The interrupted night of sleep and hurried flight shows in his addled expression. The group resumes their climb, but they hear shouting below - the bandits have reached the bottom of the cliff. They immediately begin pelting the group with arrows and stones, making the climb a nightmare. Anyone without Agility loses three stamina Most arrows clatter harmlessly into the rocks, but one shaft catches Urk in the shoulder. She stifles a grunt of pain and steadies herself against the cliff with her good arm. Deepmind skips along the rocks to inspect the injury, but Urk waves her off with a wince. "PUNY BOW FOR HUNTING BIRDS, NOT ORCS." Finally, the last of the party makes it over the top, gasping for breath. They may be safe from the bandits' fire, but some are already beginning to climb. A) Throw rocks at the bandits B) Return fire with your bow C) Smash a vial of alchemical fire on the cliff face
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May 12, 2018 00:41
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Oof we have chosen poorly
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May 12, 2018 00:49
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Eh it's been about 5 hours so I'm posting a vote again. If you don't want me choosing course two times in a row, feel free to ignore this. Oh no, the climb was a bad idea. Let's make it a bad idea for them too by BURNING EVERYTHING (C).
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May 12, 2018 04:26
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"Stand back!" Urist yells over the din. He reaches into his jacket and withdraws a thin vial of golden liquid with a flourish. In a single smooth action, he gulps down the vial. His eyes go unfocused, and after a moment's tension, he lets out a small belch. "Oh, pardon me. Right, what were we doing?" "Is he being serious right now?" Minar whispers. "Ah! Right!" Urist reaches into his bandolier and withdraws a heavy flask, heavily bound with warnings and seals that he scrapes away with his thumb to reveal a label, 'Lorimor Fire'. "Oh, that's just mean," Mariam says, pulling out a vial of her own. "On three," she says, and counts them off. Both containers go over the lip of the rise. They break on the cliff, sending a cascade of burning liquid down on the climbing bandits. Shrieking in pain and fear, they hurl themselves from the cliff, some burned, others simply desperate to escape. A minor landslide ensues, burying the trail below and scattering the last of the bandits back into the trees. As the dust settles, Aria peeks her head back over the cliff to scan the treeline. "I think we're clear." There's a collective release of held breath. "PLEASE REMOVE ARROW FROM URK NOW." "I'll handle it," offers Urist, who pauses briefly to bat at something unseen in his peripheral vision. "I believe I have some wound ointments somewhere in my pack." "Work quickly, master Urist," Athtar says as he turns to face the road to Dragonholt. "We must not linger here." As the sun climbs above the trees, the party continues their journey toward Dragonholt. At their new elevation, the trees are smaller and farther apart, and at some point they pass an invisible barrier, where they are not in a forest so much as a rocky plain with occasional trees. Dragonholt lies below, with the beacon tower rising above the trees and the sun climbing the sky behind it. There's less than an hour's walk left. Time passes At length the walk through an orchard, the twisted trees heavy with fruit and propped up by weathered boards and poles. Then the group finds themselves on Dragonholt's main street, walking beneath the dueling dragon statues that serve as the closest thing to a city gate. One dragon is carved from black stone, the other from white, and they arch across the street above you, not quite touching. "Marvelous," breathes Braxton. From behind, Minar rolls his eyes, clearly unimpressed. He receives a chiding elbow to his side from Aria for his trouble. "Some sort of memorial of the Dragon Wars," says Mariam. "This way," she says and skips down the cobbled street as if she hadn't been woken in the middle of the night by bandits. They cross a crowded village green that is laid out before a garden shrine with a domed, glass ceiling. In front of the shrine stands a marble spire, atop which burns a beacon fire. Then they pass a building dark with soot and marred by broken windows. Mariam pauses at an intersection and peers down two side streets before nodding vigorously and leading the way south. "We'll get a proper breakfast as son as we find my aunt's inn," she says. "It's called the Swan." "Does it have a lovely white swan painted on its sign?" asks Braxton. "Yes, it does," says Mariam. "Then is that it, just there?" She points, and Mariam beams. "That's it! Let's go!" She ruses off in a fresh burst of energy, leaving everyone else stumbling along behind. When they finally reach the Swan, they find Mariam babbling excitedly to a gnome who looks almost exactly like her, plus twenty years. "You must be Mariam's friends," says the older woman. "I'm Mariam's aunt, Sapphire. It's good to meet you." She welcomes everyone inside, stepping into a blessedly cool, half-sunken common room, where a scattering of thick oak tables and sturdy chairs lie beneath rafters strung with herbs and root vegetables. Thick iron lanterns rest on each table, none lit now, and light streams in from tall windows against the south wall. "Please have a seat," says the host, and the party flops exhaustedly into whatever seat is nearest. "We made it," says Braxton, dropping heavily into a chair that creaks under her weight. "I think I could sleep for a week." "None of that!" says Mariam. "We have work to do." Braxton lifts her head and glares. "Starting tomorrow, I guess. Let's all take today off." Mariam vanishes into a back room, then appears a few minutes later with a tray rattling with glass bottles of red liquid. "Here," she says and distributes the bottles. "It's the least I can do for helping get me here safely." The party gains three Healing Potions (item A)  Sapphire returns a moment later with a larger tray, overflowing with plates of yellow eggs, loaves of dark brown bread, and a tall pitcher of milk. "I hope you'll stay at the Swan for as long as you like," she says. "No charge, of course. Not after what you went through to get my Mariam here safely." "We simply did our duty, ma'm," replies Athtar with a bow. "It would not be right to take advantage of your- Ow!" The knight awkwardly wobbles on a kicked shin as Deepmind slips in front of him. "What he means is, thank you kindly for your hospitality, and of course we'll stay." "MHM," grunts Urk in agreement, mouth already stuffed with bread. "SAME." Mariam pours everyone a glass of milk. She holds hers aloft and exclaims, "To new roads!" Braxton takes a glass holds it up, and looks from Mariam to Sapphire to the adventurers. "To new friends." "To the Countess Fairfax," toasts Athtar. "To breakfast!" Aria finishes. Urist, preoccupied with adding a fine powder to his drink that turns the milk blue, looks puzzled. "I'm sorry, were we toasting something?" The meal is amazing, and the party soon retires to two large rooms provided by the generous host. There they doze through the majority of the day, tending to wounds and damage from their brief battle. They rouse only for a short dinner and idle chatter with Braxton, before lack of a good night's sleep catches up and they retire. Exploring Dragonholt will have to wait on the morrow. The party recovers half their maximum stamina. All activation is refreshed. Each party member gains one experience point. Fame increases by one. (That's the end of the first quest, To New Roads! Tomorrow I'll introduce Dragonholt village and how we'll navigate around that, the game takes on a slightly more open-world flavor after this introductory quest. Good job!) Dolash fucked around with this message at 07:49 on May 12, 2018 |
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May 12, 2018 06:10
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Interlude The moon has only just begun to climb over the thatched roofs of Dragonholt, bathing the village in pale light that twinkles here and there among the darkened windows. From the vantage of the Swan's second story, Athtar can see over many of the squat businesses and homes clear to the distant edge of Eventide Forest, a black curtain along one side of the horizon. He stands at the end of one of the inn's hallways, gazing thoughtfully into the night, a fraying old bedrobe hanging loosely off his shoulders. Not a sound breaks his quiet contemplation, until... Creak. One long, blade-like ear twitches and the Elf turns his head, spotting Deepmind standing just outside the door of the women's shared room. He smiles. “Not bad for someone with the awareness of a brick, wouldn't you say?” “You're assuming I didn't want you to hear me,” she sniffs, sidling up to Athtar on now-silent feet. "What's the matter? Can't sleep? I know Urist snores pretty bad most nights.” “No, just... collecting my thoughts. It was a harrowing journey. We're lucky to have survived.” “You're lucky, maybe.” Deepmind crosses her arms in disapproval. “What was that noble sacrifice act you tried to pull back there? If big, bad Braxton hadn't backed you up those bandits would probably be picking your bones clean by now.” “I couldn't take the risk that someone might be left behind.” Athtar's posture stiffens with resolve. “This mission was my idea, it's my responsibility to-” “Celyse asked for our help, and we all volunteered to come along.” The Hyrrnyx's hair bristles slightly, but she absently brushes it back down. “You know we've all done this kind of work before, don't go running off to get killed on our account. We can handle it, and so can Celyse.” “I'm not so sure...” He frowns, and turns back to the window. “I cannot say exactly why. Something in the letter seemed... wrong. I know we needed rest before making contact, but I fear...” Deepmind studies her companion, his tense posture, and the corner of the letter poking out of his robe pocket. “You're really worried about her, huh?” He gives a solemn nod. “Let me take another look at it tonight,” she offers, slipping the parchment discretely off of his person. “Maybe there's something your brick senses missed that I can pick up on.” Athtar smiles again. “With your...” the smile stays frozen in place a few moments too long while he searches for a reply. “...gravel senses?” Deepmind winces “We'll workshop that one.” “Because gravel is finer than brick,” he persists. “Right?” “Yeah, no, I did get it.” Deepmind struggles to keep her face neutral. “Night, Ath. Get some sleep. Big day tomorrow.” The door shuts behind her. Athtar turns back to the window, tracking the progress of the moon into the night sky. His eyes search the distant stars, tracing the contours of ancient Elven constellations, telling the stories of his people back unto the beginning of the world. They twinkle coldly down onto the quiet human village, universes apart from one another. “Perhaps sand?” He shrugs, turns, and heads for bed. (Hey reader! Can you find Celyse's secret message? The letter is in the second post of the thread, under Special Items, and don't forget Celyse's clue, “please refer to my first letter”. If you can work out the message, post it spoilered in this thread. So long as someone can work it out, we'll could that as 'solved' for story purposes where that might become relevant in the future!)
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May 12, 2018 08:14
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Plot to Kill Noble Family
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May 12, 2018 11:09
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Aria wakes to the smell of freshly baked bread and the chipper voices of Mariam and Sapphire. Golden shafts of sunlight stream through the window beside her bed, and she idles for a moment before getting up, watching the dust float in the air in the morning light. Eventually, the low voices of Deepmind and Urk cause her to stir, and with a yawn and a stre-etch, she rises from bed and prepares for the day ahead. She waves to her two roommates, pouring over a scrap of parchment, before stepping into the hall to see Braxton entering as well. The Orc gives a polite smile and nod. "Morning." Aria is just about to respond when Mariam comes around the corridor from the direction of the common room. "Good, you're awake! Breakfast is ready. It's a real feast!" exclaims Mariam eagerly. "Come on! It'll get cold if you just dawdle in the hall." With that, Mariam takes Braxton's hand and drags her - well, Braxton allows herself to be dragged - toward the common room. Minar steps into the hall from the men's shared room, adjusting his belt. "What was that about?" "Nothing, just breakfast. Come on, let's grab a plate before Urk can get at it." "Another serving of honest country fare," Minar mutters, but Aria can detect a hint of anticipation. She can't help but smile at his commitment to the act. The two descend the stairs to the sunken common room. Sapphire is setting a table with plates. Mariam ushers Braxton to a long table where Athtar and Urist are already eating, and they both sit. Aria and Minar take seats across from one another and examine the feast that Sapphire has prepared - large yellow eggs, thick slices of brown toast, juicy ham steaks, and seasoned, pan-fried potatoes. "Good morning Aria, Minar," says Athtar as he butters a slice of toast. "Are you well rested?" "Well enough," grunts Minar, who gives Urist a sidelong look. "Urist, did you comb your hair?" "Mhm?" The Dwarf stops fiddling with his beard. "Sorry, what? No, no, I don't think so." As they scoop food on to their plates, Sappire returns with two large pitchers - one filled with creamy milk and the other with freshly squeezed juice. After checking on the other patrons, Sapphire returns and sits at the table with the party. "So what brings you to Dragonholt? Have you come in search of love? Or-" Sapphire gasps and glances around before leaning in close. "Are you here for revenge?" Braxton coughs and strikes her chest with a fist, having choked on a bit of potato, and Mariam begins laughing. "The love of theatrics runs in the family, I see," mutters Braxton after a drink of milk. Sapphire blushes lightly and looks back to the party. "Forgive me. Perhaps I gossip with the neighbors a bit too much." First to one vote A) Visiting an old friend B) Just looking for the next adventure C) Hoping to find gainful employment D) [Empathy] Perhaps searching for love E) [Performance] Vengeance!(First thing to note about being in the village vs. being on a quest - choices in Dragonholt proper do not exhaust activation. I'll still pick who does what action, but having someone make one choice does not make them unavailable for other choices)
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May 12, 2018 22:53
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| # ? Apr 23, 2024 07:08 |
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E - chew the scenery along with the breakfast. (also, crap, just HAD to get distracted by a game and forget to check the forums for a while...)
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May 13, 2018 08:51
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