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GodFish posted:There is that one mage in Exile 2 trapped with a demon he summoned in some isolated building. Agreed. But he took precautions, including isolating himself from the civilians, and worked very hard to contain the Demon. I like to think that Peregrine and Kai-Lyss grabbed Art and Karmas and Chester, geared up, and went and saved him a little after the end of E2. Totally a BDH moment.
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May 15, 2016 03:41
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berryjon posted:In Exile, the only mages who can be said to have really gone off the reservation is Linda who has had plenty of contact with Demons. Certainly many are arrogant, or otherwise anti-social, but they're not completely crazy like she is. Anyway, the point seems to center around the fact that magic is a touchy subject compared to priestly stuff. Magic is putting a gun in a room with a toddler, and everything else is a lot safer in comparison. Remember when the portal device kinda blew up and nearly destroyed everything, had it not been for the intervention? That was a product of mages.
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May 15, 2016 07:03
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Cheez posted:Anyway, the point seems to center around the fact that magic is a touchy subject compared to priestly stuff. Magic is putting a gun in a room with a toddler, and everything else is a lot safer in comparison. Remember when the portal device kinda blew up and nearly destroyed everything, had it not been for the intervention? That was a product of mages. What the party did to the portal device is comparable to breaking a major dam or intentionally causing a nuclear plant to melt down. That is, a really destructive way to break the system beyond any hope of repair. Just because a bunch of terrorists could cause horrible collateral damage by breaking magical infrastructure is not a good reason to not have that infrastructure in the first place. A thing to keep in mind is that the player spell lists don't include many non-fighty uses of magic. There are some utility magics, but nothing major or long-lasting. Pretty much everything magical but crystal souls that Vahnatai do with crystals seems to be mage magic (crystal souls being explicitly noted to be holy magic). Magical utility seems less common in human Exile, but there are for example the communication necklaces and the portals. e: On further thought, do the Vahnatai even really make a distinction between mages and priests? Maybe the crystal soul creation is considered holy just because it's magic that's mucking about with a revered ancestor. Ornedan fucked around with this message at 10:34 on May 15, 2016 |
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May 15, 2016 10:29
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Ornedan posted:A thing to keep in mind is that the player spell lists don't include many non-fighty uses of magic. There are some utility magics, but nothing major or long-lasting. That's a fair point. It's implied very heavily (maybe even stated outright?) that PC magical training is combat focused. Many of the possible utility uses of magic aren't really practical for an adventurer on the go - binding stone for buildings is useless since you don't carry building materials, you don't stay in the same spot long enough to create a portal, you don't have the time to do anything research related like magically modifying food, you have too many different quests/jobs to bother with long-range scrying of any one particular target, and so on.
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May 15, 2016 12:51
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Capture Soul and Simulacrum, the only Vahnatai spells that the player can cast (unless you count Quickfire), are both mage spells. The Crystal Souls themselves are culturally considered holy, and I believe statwise are capable of level-7 mage and priest spells.
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May 15, 2016 14:55
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There's a big political angle here, with Mages being essentially the Empire ruling class up until the end of Exile 2. Personally I wonder if that's more significant than the intrinsics of mage vs priest spells.
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May 15, 2016 17:09
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Update 015 – Shayder This update and the next were supposed to be one, however the whole thing grew to be too big so I split it into two.   “Before we enter town, I want to do a quick survey around the edge. Just to, you know, check the ways in and out.” “Makes sense. I mean, it's not like I can't see the roof of the temple over the walls.” “That's not joyful! How can they possibly spread joy when their roof is blinding?” “I don't know.” “By being a happy roof?” “... Yes. Let's go with that.” “Roach!”  “Just the one. Curious though. Normally cockroaches are quite sanitary, yet these ones spread disease.” “Perhaps it's the result of whatever made them so huge?” “That seems possible.” “Curious.” “Why would they simply leave a place like this behind?” “It doesn't matter. It's a dead end.” “No it isn't.” Move Mountains! Always a fun spell. Dungeon Bypass in a can. “More bugs!” I want to point out a small flaw in the game engine. You see the tile where the wall used to be? Well, it has now been removed and defaults to the standard tile type – generic underground land. It's a little disconcerting to see that blue tile when surrounded by greens and browns. “There's a lot of bugs!” “Yes, now keep stabbing them!” “This doesn't make any sense. Why is this small area walled off? What could be so bad that they would abandon it in the face of all logic?” “Well, maybe it's because of the mud? They didn't want it inside?” “That's.. not the best answer.” “No, but there is something that could explain it.”  “Sewage entrance. Kept outside the city proper for sanitation purposes.” “We are not going down there if we can avoid it.” “Understood. Into the city proper now?” “Yep. Let's get this over with and find someone with a lead on the roaches.”  “This looks like causal quarantine procedures.” “What's that?” “People staying away from each other to keep from catching sick.” “Well, I'm slith! I won't get sick.” “He does have a point. Trans-species diseases are extremely hard to come by. You'd need magic to pull that off.” “Alright then. Split off, talk to the locals. The usual.” “You and 'usual' do not go together.” “Yes they do. Just my level of 'usual' is different from most peoples.” “I'm off!” “One of these days...”  “Hello there! I saw you all arrive.” This man has the earrings of a sailor who has been over many seas and to many lands. There's something very unusual about him. He wears an Anama ring. "Greetings to you. My name is Boyle." He's unusually friendly for a sailor. “Hello there. I'm Art, and the rest of my party has vanished on me. So, what do you do here?” "I sail the seas, a very difficult calling of late. For some time now, I have been stranded on this isle." “It can't be that bad. I mean, you can still sail from the island to the mainland.” His eyes get a faraway look. "Oh, the wondrous sights I have seen. I hope someday I shall not be stranded and can see them again. And, of course, carry the word to other lands.” “You're not exactly stranded here. There are ferries to the mainland.” "If I chose to stay in Valorim, that would be the case. But it is not. While I am trapped here until I can find a ship to take me home, my time here has not been a loss. I have gained a purpose in my life and much tranquility through the teachings of the Anama. I once even carried a wand to defend myself! Now it is no more. I have weaker defenses, but more peace." “How do you plan to defend yourself now? Swords?” "The Anama taught me that a sword is of only limited use when the others have more swords than you. That is why I no longer support the use of magic. To show my loyalty, I took a wand I had carried for defense for many years and threw it through a grate into the sewers, where I hope it lies still." He looks very proud of this. “Really? You would just toss away a wand rather than selling it and donating the money to the church?” “It was the gesture that counted more than the material worth of it.” “Right. I'm out of here.”* * *  “This is a nice place! Hello there!” “Hello!” You meet a slightly deranged looking little man. His rough, dirty clothes and thick boots speak of many months on the road, and he's bent over under the weight of a heavy sack. "I'm Vlad the Light Salesman! How are ya'?" “Hi Vlad the Light Salesman! I'm Sass! What do you do?” "I'm a Light Salesman! Takes me places, let me tell ya'!" “That's amazing! What places have you been?” "Oh yeah, seem like I"m always goin' somewhere. I was up in Gale the other week! What a mess!" “Where's Gale?” "Gale's a city way up the northeast. You arent' gonna believe this, but they're being attacked by horders of monsters!" “No! Monsters? That can't be!” "You heard me. Hard to believe. I know, but whaddaya'gonna'do? Now, you wanna' buy a torch?" I skip him. Light sources aren't hard to come by, being both Mage and Priest spells, and only really needed in the occasional Dark Dungeon. But what's more important about this NPC is that he moves! Not just around town, but he can also be found back in Krizsan! I cut him out of that update due to issues with the size of the update, but he's there too. He is the first example that I've shown of this sort of NPC. Tied to the date counter, various people can move from location to location though I believe that Vlad here is like Merry in that way – he's simply in all places at once. We've received mention of one more, who goes between Delis and Krizsan, and we'll be hunting him down closer to the end game for his quest.* * *  “Curious. This chest is empty.” “And that entrance to the underground is very close to the docks here. It's almost like that was the first place walled off, then the rest went with it.” “And it's nice to know that you can leave here directly, rather than go back south-east.” “Oh, an Inn. Weird, I didn't see a sign.” A sleepy looking man sits hunched over in the corner, nursing a mug of really smelling drink. He doesn't look like he wants to talk to you. “Hey. Don't I know you from somewhere?” “Nope.” “I'm Bronwyn. Are you sure?” “Irvine. Yep. And I'm enjoying my privacy." “Fine! Be that way. And how are you today?” The tattoos and weathered skin on this woman mark her as one who's seen a lot of the sea. She cleans off the bar's counter with a dirty rag in a calloused hand. "I'm Mickie. You gonna gab, or you gonna get a drink?" “Hit me up for a drink. What's else on the tap?” "Well, for fine out-of-towners like yourself, we have the luxury suite. Only 10 gold. Plus we have fine amber ale on tap. You can purchase that for only 6 gold." “Amber it is.” She serves up the unpleasant tasting, watered down, yellowish fluid. "Sorry we can't get anything better. The Anama make beer, but keep it all to themselves." She thinks. "Of course, I have a little bit of stronger stuff. Only 10 gold." “Yeah... let's go for that. Anything has to be stronger than that.” She serves up some incredibly nasty grog. As you force it down, she says "By the way, want to be let in on a little secret? Only 20 gold." *cough* “Wow, that's some nasty stuff. Really. Refill please! And sure, why not. What's this secret?” She leans close. "You look like people who do a little travelling, and are comfortable with your weapons. Irvine over there in the corner is lookin' for people like you. Go ask him about shipping." “Maybe. So, I see you don't have an Anama ring. Not part of the parish?” "Buncha' weirdos if you ask me. My inn was here before they were. Losers." “Interesting. Well, thanks for the drinks.” “Alright!” “Let's try this then.” “Hey, Irving?” “I said I wanted my privacy.” “Oh shut it. I figured out where I've met you before. You were in the shipping business.” “Yeah, about that.” “Look, everything I do is completely legal.” She takes a seat, then a small knife out to check her fingernails. “I remember you. But you don't remember me, do you? Still doing small time business like this?” “What did you say your name was?” “Bronwyn.” “I don't know anyone by that name.” “Lots of people get it wrong. Just a couple letters off.” “cronwyn ... no that's cromwell ... !!! Um, you wouldn't happen to be a noble, would you?” “What?” She smirks “Me? A blue blood? Whatever gave you that idea?” “No one's heard from you in a couple years!” He leans over to hiss. “What happened?” “Things turned upside down, and I had to hide under a rock for a while. You know how it goes. Still in pharmacy?” “Yeah. There's a lot of crops in the jungles and forests of Bigail that are... homeopathic remedies.” “Interesting. What's so important that you're willing to offer a job too anyone who walks in?” “Despite all the plagues being on the land, the Empire ordered a lockdown of the continent to prevent them from escaping. And given how there have been reports of roaches off the island, it's a good thing. And because of that, my normal business associates have been... unavailable.” “Which leaves me.” “Which leaves you.”* * *   “Neat! I wonder what sort of things I can find here.” “Hello, hello!” This man is well built and dangerous looking. His face has a dark, ferrety look to it, and he seems quite at home among all the weapons. "Ahm Begbie," he says. You can't quite place his accent. “Good afternoon. I am Ni'aurrl. What do you sell?” "Ah got weapons, ya daft sod! What else would I got? I run this shop with mah'mate Renton. Also, if you wanna' sell somethin', I'm your man." “And who is Renton?” "Across the way. Fine armors of all sorts, he got." Nothing worth buying here now. That I can afford. There's the Iron Halberd which would be an upgrade for Sass, but well out of my budget. The man behind the counter is tall and thin, and has very short hair. He wears an Anama ring. "I'm Renton." “Hello. I was just talking to your friend there. So, what do you sell?” "Oh, just trying to rebuild my life, ya'know. So I run this shop here. You can purchase armor here, finest in quality, brought down from Gale." “A worthy thing, building yourself up. So, what is Gale?” "To the northeast, hundreds and hundreds of miles away. They make the finest armor in Valorim up there, and I got a bunch of it shipped here. You won't see it's like anywhere for miles and miles!" Pass. “Hello there! No often we get Nephil on the island.” You meet a young woman with long brown hair and a winning smile. She's very small, but wields a big cleaver. There's plenty of food behind the counter, and the place smells delicious. "I'm Rippel! Welcome to my shop." “Silly to ask, but what do you do here?” "Most of the time I sell food, you know? The rest of the time I keep busy." She holds up her hand and you see an Anama ring. “A member of the Anama I see.” She shows you the ring, a delicate silver band. "I used to live in Sharimik, but I came here to join the Anama. You know, I've never trusted those mages!" “And what about mages can you not trust?” "How can you trust them? All mightier than you, clustering in their towers, doing their secret rites, making plaguies and weird creatures and stuff? I tell you, that's something we could all do without!" “Uh huh. Have a nice day.” She sells food. Like we'll ever need to buy any ever again.  “I think Art should handle that.”* * *  “Such a relaxing town, I think. Aside from the anti-mage people.”  “Curious.”   “That really needs to be taken care of, sooner, rather than later.”  “Hello? Services rendered?”  You meet someone unusual in Anama lands, a woman wearing mage robes and doing so unapologetically. She nods in greeting. "I am Sara. I'm a mage." “Matthias, Thaumaturge.” “Interesting. At least you could pass for one of them.” “Perhaps. But what of you?” "I study the magical arts and provide training in same. I even dabble in identification a bit. And believe me, between the roaches and the Anama, these are not stress-free occupations." “Yes. The roaches. Why hasn't someone done something about them?” "I know little about it. The Anama tell me nothing, and I rarely go out with all the sickness." She thinks. "Though I do know someone who might be able to help ... he's quite wise." “Finding a wise man to help is part of the reason why I am here. Can you direct me to him?” "Arkley, the librarian, is wise and knows an awful lot. You should be sure to speak with him. He's in the library to the north." “The Library, got it. Now, if you don't mind me asking – why are you in the centre of power for the Anama?” "I care not what they say. Magic, despite its drawbacks, is a great force for good. And no matter what they do, this is home, and here I shall remain. The ignorant fools." She thinks a moment. "Of course, I have met a wise Anama member, believe it or not." “Arkley?” “Arkley.” “So, what spells do you sell?” “Let me show you.” I'm on a budget at the moment, so all I do is buy Slow Group for Ni'aurrl. Don't worry, I'll make sure Matthias gets it as well eventually. So, I identified everything, and went to find someone to sell it all off to. I remembered that the weapons ship guy said he would buy things (turns out it's only weapons, but that's not the point). But I get there and... He's WANDERED OFF. There is a distinct lack of 'no NPC' tiles in this game, which means that they can wander all over the place and you can and will lose track of them. Close doors? They can open them up themselves. Which makes tracking down NPCs a pain in a half. In fact, I actually catch an NPC at the end of the next update that I couldn't find during this initial pass through town. And I find him here of all places, in the Job Dispatch room.* * *  “OOOH! More Trees! Now I get to look at them while no one can stop me!”  You meet a beggar. The ravages of disease are clear on him. He can barely move, but still manages an air of grim dignity. He wears a dirty Anama ring. “AAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHH! MONSTER!” He starts coughing “Where? Where! I'll stab it with me big pointy stick!” “Uh... you?” “I'm not a monster! I'm Sass! I'm Slithzerakai! "My name is Spud," he rasps. “Hi Spud! I'm Sass. What are you doing back here?” "I was a farmer. I lost my wife and my health to disease. I ask for a minor gift to feed me while I regain my strength." “Sure! Here's a gift.” You give Spud a few coins. He bows deeply, which is a great effort for him. "Thank you for your kindness. I shall not forget you." I'm not sure if this actually does anything, but it's still an RPG, and it always pays to be nice to beggars. “I'm doing nice things! And wow, that's some nice armor!”  You meet a muscular soldier patrolling the streets of the city. Her soldier's armor has the marks of an EMpire Dervish, the time the Empire gives to its strongest, craftiest warriors. When she sees you, she removes her helm and approaches. “Hey there! I'm Sass!” "I'm Dervish Cassie." She regards you with extreme antipathy. “That's awesome! Your name is almost the same as mine! What are you doing? Looking into the water?” "I'm patrolling for Roaches." She stares at you pointedly. "And other vermin." “Vermin? There are giant rats here too? Where?!?” She spits on the ground. "I served in the war with the Exile worms. I've heard of you, and the people of Valorim may tolerate you, but I know what you Exiles have done." “Hey! We didn't do anything! Exile isn't doing bad things, and you're bad if you keep thinking that!” She spits at your feet. "All these monsters came from you! I know it! And don't get smug. Everyone knows Exiles are among us and by now the Empire knows too. Believe me, whatever you're doing, you'll pay for it! A thousand times over!" She turns away. “But we're being nice!” “Just stay away, worm.” “...”   “Sass? SASS! Where are you going?” “What is going on?” “I don't know. I'll find out.” “Probably a good idea. I've been directed to the library here, so I'll talk to the librarian while you talk to him.” “Right. On it.” “Hrm, some light reading first.”  “This is great literature for all the wrong reasons!” “Propaganda as usual.” “Pardon me, are you Arkley?” You meet a withered, tired looking man in long robes. When you approach, he is studying diagrams with illustrations of cockroaches on them. "I am Arkley. Greetings to you." “I am Matthias. Traveller, part-time adventurer and person of action. If you can believe that.” “Looking at you, I can believe the first two, but not the third. I am the librarian of Shayder, and one of the keepers of knowledge for the Anama Church." “An interesting library you possess here. What is in it?” He waves at the shelves of books surrounding you. "The Anama dislike magic, but are great believers in knowledge. Ahonar himself commissioned me to do a bit of very important research." “And what research would that be?” "My current research is critical. I am trying to find ways to deal with the cockroaches that plague us. I am having little luck, but I have found a few leads." “Well, fret not my friend. For I and my compatriots are here on Bigail to investigate and resolve this... problem. We've already taken care of Krizsan and their slime problem, and you're next on the list.” “I've heard rumors to that effect, that the Slimes are vanishing now. If it is as you say.... Yes, well. I have heard that there are intelligent spiders on this island. It's odd, but they may be able to help. Also, I know of a mage named Purgatos, who I suspect will be an aid." “aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa” “.. What was that?” “Don't worry about that. Who is this Purgatos you mentioned? Where can I find him?” "I know it is problematical for an Anama member to send one to a mage, but just between you and me, we are not yet strong enough to handle the roaches on our own. Purgatos lives in the ruined town of Kneece. I believe you can find a ferry there in the town of Kuper. They are on the west end of the island." “Thank you for your information. Sara was right to direct me to you.” “She did?” He shows his Anama ring. "I agree with their stance on magic, though I do not dislike mages. Sara, to the southeast, is a mage, but a great finder of knowledge." “You must be distracted by your search for knowledge to give me that response.” “Perhaps. I am quite busy. I keep the library, but I also seek learning when necessary. High Priest Ahonar has me doing research. Also, I make money on the side by creating maps. If you would like to purchase one of my maps of the island, you have but to ask. Only 50 gold." “Sure, I would like a map. “This will be useful. Thank you for your time. I shall be gathering my companions and set out soon.” “Good luck, Exile.” “Thank you.” “Here, kitty, kitty, kitty...” Everyone who has ever owned a cat can agree with that statement.* * *  “Hey! Have you seen a seven-eight foot tall lizard run by crying?” “Err... no.” “Thanks.”   “Hello there.” You meet a very tires and overworked man. He has the look of someone who's been up for days straight. He wears a mask over his mouth and often wipes his sweaty brown. You notice he wears an Anama ring. He speaks with you while grinding up some healing herbs. "I'm just called Jed. Sorry if I can't give you my full attention." “That's alright. I'm looking for a large lizard who may be running around. And I don't' think he's here.” He applies the poultice to a sick woman's forehead. “I am the hospital's healer. It's a terrible task, as you can probably tell." “There's a few people in here. Why is this task so terrible?” "It's the roaches, of course. They're a plague causing nightmare. It if wasn't for the Anama, there would be many, many more deaths." “I've heard a bit about how they're helping, but nothing firm. What is the Anama doing in response to this crisis?” "The Anama have been working nonstop to heal the diseased, Anama or not." He smiles. "I am proud to be a member." “What can you tell me of this disease? I'm the only member of my party who can't invoke priestly spells, so any information you can give me, I can pass along to them.” “There is not much to be said. Everything the roaches touch becomes diseased and a risk to all around it. There's little in common with any infection. It's like it's magically mutating.” “What about the roaches themselves? If they aren't infected, could they provide a cure?” “Perhaps, but at the worst each Roach contains a unique strain of disease, meaning that any vaccine would be useless the moment we killed the roach to make it.” He wipes his brow. "The roaches are a nightmare, no two ways about it. So many people have fallen ill from the plagues they spread we may have to expand the hospital!" “Thank you for your time. I'm going to to keep looking.” “I hope you find your friend.”  WHAT THE HELL? How is there Graymold on the surface? I can maybe believe the recipe being sold by the Vahnatai, but this being here? What? Of note though, these three ingredients are the types for curing poison, restoring HP, and the Graymold Salve itself.* * *  “Thank you for seeing me, Mayor.” A wrinkled and weary woman shuffles papers at the end of the table. She looks up at you with the air of a bureaucrat, and with the sense of having become accustomed to the pointlessness of her existence. "At least you knocked. For the formalities, I am Mayor Bernathy. Welcome to Shayder." “Art, Unspecified Services, Exile.” “Not often spies announce themselves.” “Not often that adventurers come with letters of recommendation from the Mayor of another Major city to help.” “True enough. I am the Mayor of the beautiful city of Shayder, placed by the Empire as a guardian. For what all that is worth, which is little." “Certainly you have some power as mayor?” She coughs. She doesn't look well. "I was hand-picked by the Empire to come here and try to run this place. Of course, the Anama really run everything. Things I say are basically ignored. Plus, of course, nobody expected the roaches." “I see you're sick. I can help with that.” “Please.”  “And the Anama aren't helping? You'd think they would, if only to cement their position with the population.” "I won't tell you what rubbish they sprout. You'll hear enough of it. But most everyone on the island follows them and only listen to me when they say so. But they can't handle the roaches! And I have the Empire's authority to give a quest!" “So we've discovered. Now, for the formalities, what is this quest you're handing out?” "One bit of authority remains to me. The Empire gave me the ability to give adventurers a quest, if necessary. Here it is. Slay the cockroaches. Rid the island of them. Save these people, before diseases kill them all." She coughs delicately into her hand. "Do this, and return to me, and I will reward you will. Please hurry. And good luck to you." “It's official then. Man, to think that even five, ten years ago, this would never have happened.” “If you don't mind me asking – how long ago were you, you know...” “About ten years now. If you don't mind me asking, what has the Empire been doing with the criminals that they used to Exile?” “Garzahd drafted them into mining and things like that to support the Army during the quote-unquote 'Suppression of the Rebellious Province called Exile'. After that failed and he died, Empress-Ascendent Prazac ordered the construction and re-opening of old prisons, and revoked many of the laws that would have resulted in Exile. Near the end there, a lot of crimes were given the blanket punishment as it was seen as 'fair' when it wasn't something serious like rebellion or piracy. Crime went down, and the laws were toughened to keep the system operational. The good Empress has seen fit to release that pressure while rebuilding the power lost to the deaths of the Emperor and Garzahd.” “Interesting. That fills in a couple gaps. Now, back to business. Is there anything you can tell me about the roaches that I can use to get started? I trust my people to go digging, but anything official would help.” She wipes a running nose. "They bring disease. Everyone is dying. The crops are being eaten." She grins evilly. "And the Anama can't handle it. About the only authority I have is to give a mission to someone who could handle it." “Well then, here's to the restoration of the proper order of things – that the civilian government knows what they are doing.” “Here here. But if you want, there's a records room to the south. Check it out, there might be something there, some early report you can find.” “Thanks.”  “Tax code. Criminal proceedings. Trade deficit. Requisition of military units to deal with Ursagi....” “Something to identify later. Nope. Nothing here to use.” “Afternoon.” “Hello. The Mayor told me you were on her side while you were checking out the records. I'm to give you leeway to operate.” You meet a short, fidgety accountant type with a heavily chewed pencil behind his ear. He nods in greeting. “Thanks. And you are?” "I'm Grunders. A lovely day to you." “I see. So how are you going to give me leeway?” "Oh, I run a variety of business operations. I'm the main jobs dispatcher for Shayder, and I'm also an accomplished reseller. Good occupations, thanks to the roaches." “Really? You're the first person who thinks that the roaches are good for business.” "Well, with the monsters everywhere, the normal supply lines are gone, so small time couriers and treasure hunters are what's needed today, and I work with them. I'm getting rich, I tell you! Pity about the dead though." His sincerity is unconvincing.  He's the guy in town to whom we can see anything, not just weapons. And here's his job board. I could take either mission and be done with them, but I'm holding off on those for now. The one to Fenris port is actually quite doable at this juncture, I could be to Fenris port and back to Shayder in less than three days.* * *   “Well, here goes nothing.”
berryjon fucked around with this message at 22:07 on May 16, 2016 |
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May 15, 2016 22:25
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Nice to see that the town here continues Jeff Vogel's tradition of cribbing names from TV and film. It's also pretty cool that he does it in a way that doesn't smack you over the head with "HEY GUYS LOOK AT THIS REFERENCE LOOK HOW CLEVER I AM".
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May 15, 2016 23:36
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Welp, welcome to Shayder. I tend to ignore most of the townspeople because it really does sound like the First, Sara the mage's identification services have a huge mark-up, probably as a result of few people coming to see her. Her 20 gold for one item is I believe the 4th most expensive identification price in the game, with only some end-game towns being more expensive. But it's kind of jarring because one of the nearby towns (I think Bavner?) has the cheapest identification at only 6 gold per item. But at the same time, Sara's one of the few (if not the only) places you can buy Slow Group, so you need to see her at least once. Second, I find it very funny that you found Graymold on the surface. Because if I recall, Graymold is (for some really dumb reason) at least five times more common on the surface than in Exile. Don't even ask me how. I haven't the foggiest clue. Third, why not take that job to Fenris Port? Even in terms of it being a rush job, you were going in that direction anyway, weren't you? Are you explicitly holding off on doing any jobs whatsoever for some reason? Fourth, I also noticed you found the Irving shipping quest. Or as I like to call it, HARD DRUG DEALING! Can't wait to see Art's reaction to the job if you decide to take it.
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May 15, 2016 23:46
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berryjon posted:WAND: "The Anama taught me that a sword is of only limited use when the others have more swords than you. That is why I no longer support the use of magic. [/i] quote:
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May 15, 2016 23:57
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Looks like the boss is going to be a roach with a wand of death.
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May 16, 2016 00:01
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MagusofStars posted:Wait, so something is only valuable if you're the absolute best? This is quite possibly the stupidest Anama-related argument yet (though to be fair, random NPC #147 can't necessarily be a theologian like a fully trained Anama priest). I mean, if you used this same argument for *actual swords*, Shayder would be ripped apart by monsters within a week - there's no way a guard force in rural Valorim can be as big or as good as the Empress' personal bodyguard, so no sense in even having an armed guard force. I think the point is that you can't rely on force alone to keep you safe in the long run when there are other organizations around that have far more force backing them.
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May 16, 2016 01:03
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Cerebral Bore posted:I think the point is that you can't rely on force alone to keep you safe in the long run when there are other organizations around that have far more force backing them. But if I'm some random sailor whose biggest worry is getting jumped by muggers in-between the flophouse and my ship, then carrying a wand of firebolts is probably all I really need in the way of self-defense.
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May 16, 2016 01:10
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TooMuchAbstraction posted:But if I'm some random sailor whose biggest worry is getting jumped by muggers in-between the flophouse and my ship, then carrying a wand of firebolts is probably all I really need in the way of self-defense. I think that the example is about society as a whole rather than any individual person. Something that's rational for the individual may be collectively irrational, and so on.
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May 16, 2016 01:44
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Cerebral Bore posted:I think the point is that you can't rely on force alone to keep you safe in the long run when there are other organizations around that have far more force backing them. Perhaps, but that's not how he's handling it. He isn't seeking additional methods to supplement the force, he's throwing away a useful tool for no gain. A Wand of Fireballs isn't absolute protection to keep you safe, but it's a good deal better than nothing. You might not be able to rely on force (or the threat of force) alone, but it definitely has a role to play. Also, on a practical level, if you really wanted to prevent the use of magic, throwing the wand away and bragging its' exact location to every single random person in Shayder is really not helpful. In fact, he's guaranteeing that the wand will end up in the hands of someone that will use it - possibly for nefarious purposes like banditry. TooMuchAbstraction posted:But if I'm some random sailor whose biggest worry is getting jumped by muggers in-between the flophouse and my ship, then carrying a wand of firebolts is probably all I really need in the way of self-defense.
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May 16, 2016 03:04
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MagusofStars posted:Perhaps, but that's not how he's handling it. He isn't seeking additional methods to supplement the force, he's throwing away a useful tool for no gain. A Wand of Fireballs isn't absolute protection to keep you safe, but it's a good deal better than nothing. You might not be able to rely on force (or the threat of force) alone, but it definitely has a role to play. Yeah, but see, this is the thing I was talking about right here. If one accepts the premise of the Anama faith, i.e. that mage spells more or less inevitably cause more harm than good on balance then one cannot in good conscience keep using that stuff just to make your own life easier. In fact, doing so would be some pretty rank hypocrisy. MagusofStars posted:Also, on a practical level, if you really wanted to prevent the use of magic, throwing the wand away and bragging its' exact location to every single random person in Shayder is really not helpful. In fact, he's guaranteeing that the wand will end up in the hands of someone that will use it - possibly for nefarious purposes like banditry. I don't think that anybody has accuse this particular fellow of being the sharpest tool in the box. Then again I'm not exactly sure about the proper way of wand disposal in the Exile universe. Might be that just breaking a wand would cause it to blow up or something.
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May 16, 2016 13:59
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Cerebral Bore posted:I don't think that anybody has accuse this particular fellow of being the sharpest tool in the box. Then again I'm not exactly sure about the proper way of wand disposal in the Exile universe. Might be that just breaking a wand would cause it to blow up or something. Depending on the wand, simply casting it until it was out of charges would be the safest result. Like a Wand of Fireballs being cast from the docks out over the water where it won't catch anything afire. FYI, I just checked - the dude did throw away a Wand of Fireballs - with six charges still in it!
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May 16, 2016 18:19
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berryjon posted:Same these people, before diseases kill them all
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May 16, 2016 21:40
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Pierzak posted:Shouldn't it be "save"? <JediMindTrick> You saw nothing.
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May 16, 2016 22:07
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The fact that this is the place that's noted as where a certain herb grows best makes me wonder whether the Anama might not be an elaborate con.
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May 17, 2016 00:36
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TheDavies posted:The fact that this is the place that's noted as where a certain herb grows best makes me wonder whether the Anama might not be an elaborate con. If it is, there's no indications of such that I remember. Sometimes a cult is just a cult!
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May 17, 2016 00:50
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I'm just going to throw some anti-anti-mage arguments out. I'm just going to stick to in universe in character knowledge. If there is demand for real life knowledge I guess I'll post those as well later. First off let's be honest. Both sides have spells which do direct damage. To levy destructive forces as a existence crime against a person for something you can also do is hypocrisy. For that matter does it really matter how they die to those that died? There is very little difference in someone getting fireballed vs smited vs getting cursed to the point of uselessness and then getting sworded to death. Fundamentally speaking from a practical standpoint there is very little difference to the victim between killed by an angel and killed by a demon. Some other worldly force just killed you. Hate to bring it up but one of the innate spells that priests get is Pestilence. That disease causing spell. Yeah. A literal plague. Mages can't do that. So... What's the end goal for your solution for mages? Because let's be honest here. I doubt you would end this at making mages uncomfortable. First you make them look evil and portray yourself as good. You convince everyone they are evil and then what? Nothing happens? No. People will start doing stuff. From merely making lives difficult to outright murdering a mage for existing. And the worst part? They think it makes them good/It's to make the world a better place/It's a mage who cares/ECT... I'm stealing this quote and I don't remember where. Those who fear the darkness just have not seen what the light can do. If you want to see true evil just watch a person doing something because they think it's the right thing to do. So what next? Murdering every one with the potential for Magery is essentially genocide. Put them in a camp? They'll escape. And let's be honest. Putting mages somewhere else sort of failed over the last 3 games. And what happened? The emperor got assassinated by those people you literally chucked into a hole to die. Hope this fills out some in universe argument fodder?
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May 17, 2016 07:23
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quote:"Those who fear the darkness just have not seen what the light can do." -Magic The Gathering. Kinfolk910 posted:So... What's the end goal for your solution for mages? Because let's be honest here. I doubt you would end this at making mages uncomfortable. First you make them look evil and portray yourself as good. You convince everyone they are evil and then what? Nothing happens? No. People will start doing stuff. From merely making lives difficult to outright murdering a mage for existing. And the worst part? They think it makes them good/It's to make the world a better place/It's a mage who cares/ECT... They don't need an end goal: they aren't asking for a magic "Final Solution" (that we know of yet), but rather, for people to voluntarily give up magic themselves. If they want to "end" magic, it will presumably be by shunning mages socially in the hopes of pressuring them to give up on magic in order to be "normal". Basically, it's Fantasy Pacifism: they aren't seriously expecting everyone to give up magic, but they do believe that standing up to magic has value in and of itself. As for why that's the case... - - - - - Welcome back to the Fun With Magical Ethics Corner, where I'll be discussing the root of Animist philosophy, Consequentialism: a basic tenant of Animism seems to be that non-priest magic *always* causes evil, which necessitates that their philosophy be based on the consequences of an action, as opposed to the intent of the user (basically, if I try to save someone who is *almost* guaranteed to die, but I throw a fireball and hit/kill said person instead, I'm a worse person than if I did nothing at all). More specifically, it seems to be Negative Utilitarianism, which is aimed at preventing actions that cause harm (in this case, magic). For simplicity's sake, we'll say that "common sense" natural rights still can't be violated to achieve Animist ends: in other words, people aren't killed as soon as they commit more "bad" than "good", and the human race shouldn't be destroyed because more obviously "bad" people than obviously "good" happen to exist. Even still, Animist philosophy leads to some VERY ugly extrapolations, the most obvious of which is, "why stop at magic": if, for example, we take the sword example of "Captain Sewer Wand" at face value, ANY weapons that harm more people than monsters should be banned, as should institutions such as the army. And yet, they still have an army, and the Animists flat out admitted that they use weapons other than magic to fight monsters. This being the case, what makes the evil in magic so much more powerful than the evil swords and armies can produce? The only logical answer is that magic puts too much power in the hands of one person (or a few people) instead of the many, and so magicians become more dangerous by virtue of power always corrupting: this, however, assumes that the power itself (magic) is what causes their corruption, rather than magic being a mechanism FOR corruption. The difference is subtle, but powerful, and we again have our Anima friends to help argue against themselves: just as the land was claimed without the aid of magic, so to does corruption arise without the aid of magic (look at Hawthorne, for example). Magic makes that corruption easier, but immoral people can still do bad things even without magic; their work will probably take longer, because they need to use people and equipment instead of magic, but evil can still be done. Thus, If magic is evil, it is because people are evil; and if people are evil, than the Animists have a duty to destroy humanity, which is itself an act of terrible evil. TL;DR: if magic always causes more harm than good, it is because people prefer doing harm to doing good. Magic makes performing harm more difficult, but doesn't prevent it, which makes the purpose of the Anima philosophy unclear.
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May 17, 2016 10:30
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thetruegentleman posted:Magic makes performing harm more difficult
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May 17, 2016 11:25
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I want to point something out that showed up last update, and will again in the near future. The Anama were not the first on Bigail. To put it simply, this whole "We civilized this Island!" thing they put out on occasion? Total bullshit. That corner of Shayder with the roaches? From before the Anama. The innkeeper? Was there in Shayder before the Anama arrived. And there's other points in other towns that agree. Bigail was being colonized well before the Church rolled it.
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May 17, 2016 17:21
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I thought that corner was an initial slapdash settlement that got replaced once they had more permanent structures. Like the camper someone sleeps in while they're building their house. But that doesn't mean you're wrong -- there are a number of mages from Bigail who were driven out by the Anama, which would certainly imply that there was some period during which mages were accepted on Bigail, presumably before the Anama showed up. Who knows how developed the island was at that time though.
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May 17, 2016 17:37
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berryjon posted:I want to point something out that showed up last update, and will again in the near future. The Anama were not the first on Bigail. To put it simply, this whole "We civilized this Island!" thing they put out on occasion? This is kind of an uncharitable interpretation. It's possible that the Anama did the heavy lifting WRT colonizing Bigail even if they weren't the very first settlers. Going by pure demographic analysis, i.e. by the fact that most everyone on the isle seems to be an Anama member, it seems kinda unlikely that they just swooped in out of the blue one day and took over. thetruegentleman posted:They don't need an end goal: they aren't asking for a magic "Final Solution" (that we know of yet), but rather, for people to voluntarily give up magic themselves. If they want to "end" magic, it will presumably be by shunning mages socially in the hopes of pressuring them to give up on magic in order to be "normal". Basically, it's Fantasy Pacifism: they aren't seriously expecting everyone to give up magic, but they do believe that standing up to magic has value in and of itself. As for why that's the case... This isn't how ethics works, mang. You can argue that people should be allowed to own a gun for self-defense without also arguing that they should be allowed to carry a suitcase nuke with them. Kinfolk910 posted:So... What's the end goal for your solution for mages? Because let's be honest here. I doubt you would end this at making mages uncomfortable. First you make them look evil and portray yourself as good. You convince everyone they are evil and then what? Nothing happens? No. People will start doing stuff. From merely making lives difficult to outright murdering a mage for existing. And the worst part? They think it makes them good/It's to make the world a better place/It's a mage who cares/ECT... The Anama area dinky little cult living on a dinky little island in the middle of loving nowhere. Their end goal is probably to be left alone and in peace rather than to reshape the world in their own image.
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May 17, 2016 17:53
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Update 15A – The Church of the Anama and Shayder Sewers This is the other half of the Shayder update. It's about 50% the length of the previous one, which itself was running up against the post size limits for Something Aweful. These Capital Cities may need to be broken down more in the future. "Well, here goes nothing." "Odd. I expected... well... more." Same here. I distinctly remember the floors being the white tile, and not the grey stonework. Or perhaps I'm remembering the Anama-only sections of the temple.  “No, let's not go bother a secretary. That would be rude.” “This place certainly isn't that ostentatious. Ah well, perhaps they're spending their money on other things.” “Welcome! You must be new!” You meet a woman with dark skin, long black hair and an infectious grin. She wears an Anama ring, and healer's robes. "I am Meena, of the Anama Church. Greetings to you!" “Greetings. I am Delilah. I only arrived on the island a couple days ago, and this is my first opportunity to come here.” “Well, welcome! I know the feeling of not being able to rest. I'm a travelling healer. It's tiring work, but there is too much to do for me to stop." “But you need to stop and rest yourself. Isn't one of the tenants of those who dedicate their lives to healing 'Heal thyself'? That if you are sick or injured, you cannot give it your all when it comes to others?” “I know. I know. It's just that ... well ... I heal one person, and two more grow sick. I heal two and four become ill." She smiles sadly. "It's frustrating work, but I do save lives. Seeing one child who would not live but for me fills me with all the energy I need."  “That's wonderful, Meena. But you should rest yourself so that you can bring smiles to those you save.”  “You're right. I will. Ahonar, up at the altar, agrees with you, that's why he's having me on light duty until I can recover.” “Then perhaps I should talk to him next.” Say what you will about the philosophy of the Anama – and believe me, there's a lot in the thread – they are not shirking away from helping those affected by the roach plague. And when you're dealing with a plague of poison and disease spreading insects having a cult or church of dedicated to the healing arts of priesthood at your back is a good thing. It would certainly explain why so many people are members, even if they can't cast priestly magic themselves. I really don't want to think about the situation on Bigail would be if the Anama weren't here. It's clearly portrayed that the resources of the church are stretched thin enough as it is on damage control. Any organization with less dedication would be overwhelmed. And to add to that, you can't even levy the accusation that the Anama started the Roach Plague to their benefit. There are other plagues affecting Valorim, and that can be seen as proof that they're not responsible. “But before I do that, a bit of polite donations would be in order.”  “It's not like every donation box is attached to mystical empowerment. Sometimes a donation box is just that. A donation box.” “Ah, hello there. I will be with you in a moment. If you wish to pray first, be my guest.” “Thank you.”  “Thank you for your patience.” This old man wears the elaborate robes of his office as if he was born in them. He looks at you serenely. He says simply, "I am Ahonar, spiritual guide of the Anama Church." “I am Delilah. I have only recently come from the mainland. But you are Ahonar? I was... I was not expecting you to be out here, tending the altar.” "What can I say? I founded the Anama church. I watch over it. I help people in their struggles." “Your struggles must be enormous. I mean, with the plagues and all.” "Those who follow me came to this harsh and unforgiving isle to take it. Unfortunately, just when we were starting to attain some comfort and safety, the plagues began. Fortunately, I have many loyal helpers." “It is so rare to see a religious leader admit to such things. Most of the cults I've heard of seem to be lead by a person who claims that it was all them, all the time.” “I know of what you speak. But I would not be here without the efforts of all those around me. It would be wrong to ignore them. At my right hand is Lockhart. His office is nearby. And, of course, there are many other loyal members of the faith, and we always look for more to join." “And if I wanted to join?” “And more than that, Exile, we know of whom you travel with. Be careful.” “You're less interested in my affiliation than my companions?” “Yes. We are an open and inclusive order, and ones home should not matter. Only adherence to our beliefs. You travel with two mages, and they must be watched carefully, even if they also practice safer powers. But that is all I should say. Your choices are your own. Go see Lockhart if you wish to know more.” “I will.” “Seriously? What's wrong with Ni'aurrl and Matthias? And he said... oh. That's funny. Oh! Hello there! I didn't see you.”  A young boy, about ten years old, moves quickly about the temple, sweeping the corridors with a large broom. He bows. "I'm Deland." “Oh! Hello Deland. Pardon me, I was looking for Lockhart.” “He's in his office, thataway.” He gestures to the north. “Thank you. So, what do you do here?” "I work for the Anama! Someday I'm going to be a big Anama Priest!" “Oh really? That's amazing! You must really like the Anama to say that.” "Yeah! You should join. They do a lot of good!" "Go talk to Ahonar! He's the high priest and he does all the good things. When the disease killed my parents, he took me in." “You have my sympathies. No one should have to lose their parents like that.” He turns very quiet. "I miss them. I don't wanna' talk about it." Yeah, right in the feels.  “If I recognize this right, I would need an Anama ring to pass by.”  “Not the office, but this would be nice to look over.”  “Um... this is a lot more... aggressive than the literature I've red previously. And his words here and his words when speaking to me are a little at odds with each other. Oh well. Let's see what he has to say to defend this position, or if he's playing for the lowest common denominator.”* * * “Well, that was very informative. Let's go talk to Lockhart.”  “Good afternoon, sir.” You meet an elder priest of the Anama church, wearing immaculate robes and taking notes in a thick journal. He seems pleased to see you. "I am Father Lockhart. Greetings to you." “I am Delilah, though knowing how well you communicate with each other, I suspect you already knew.” “You could say that. I was out of my office when Delan informed me you were looking for me. I passed you by while you were reading our texts, so I left you to your study. I am High Priest Ahonar's chief assistant. I look after the daily affairs of the church. Plus, I look after our young charge." “What is Father Ahonar like? I met him, but he didn't seem like much of what was portrayed in the books.” “Oh, those books. He had input on writing them, but they are not his strength. Others wrote them, and he and select others reviewed them. Nothing has honored me more that my days working with Ahonar. His energy and wisdom are infinitely inspiring. Be sure to speak with him ... it's a rare opportunity." “You mentioned the affairs of the church. Does that meant talking with the people or with more material things?” "Supplies. Healer movements. Running the hospital, that sort of thing. Don't get me wrong. I have strong beliefs about or faith. Would you like me to share them?" “Of course. What am I but to learn?” “I can see your point.” Don't worry, there's plenty of discussion about this in the thread, which will be compiled into the later update. Enough so that I didn't want to repeat it here. Besides, I have a plan! “That was enlightening. But if you'll excuse me, I still have places to be, and it seems more people to talk to.” “Thank you for your time.”  “Well, I could use a break.” “Um... why does this remind me of the Vahnatai style?” Limited tiles available? “And another way blocked off to non-members. Well, I suppose it's time to return.”* * *  “Everyone back?” “Yes, though I see I am the last. And why is Sass crying?” “He met a Dervish who was insulting.” “Yeah, if we see any more of them in towns, let me do the talking to them. Alright?” “I agree.” “I have no interest in discussions with such cretins.” “Yeah. Sure.” “Well, now that that is out of the way, it's time for me to make everyone's day more miserable.” “We're going into the sewers.” “We're going into the sewers. And we've got a warrant of sorts to investigate the Roach Plague from the Mayor of Shayder, and effective governor of the Bigail Province.” “And how does the sewage system fit into this?” “We won't know until we get there, will we?”  “But this stinks!” “Yes, it does. Which is part of the problem.”  “Ugh. Bureaucracy.” “We are not trained Sanitation Engineers.” “No, we're the exterminators.”  “I can't help but notice there are more over that way.”  “Curious. Why don't they enter the water?” “Perhaps they can't swim?” “I can!” “This is more than just the occasional Roach.” “Did they all enter through that one access point? Why? How?” “Nice to know that not everything down here is a Roach.” It's actually the only non-roach enemy in this 'dungeon'. Shayder Sewers isn't a dungeon in the traditional sense, but rather it's a place to get some XP. And the reward is that wand mentioned last time. “Hey, there's someone back there!”  “Oh.”  “Please don't start crying again. You only just stopped!” “It's also hard to hear them coming, what with all the echoes.” “And I'm surprised they're still using the basic rock to line the sewers.” “Well, it is the non-porous kind.” I was wrong. There's another fungus! And they get promptly fireballed into oblivion. “There's another sign!” “It just says the same thing as the other one.” “But where does it come up?”   “Huh, right near the north entrance.”  “And look at this! Completely unacceptable!” “You mean the boat on the other side?” “That too.”  “Why are there so may ways that go nowhere?” “I suspect they were following the natural curves of the water flow.” “Or perhaps these directions correspond to buildings above ground?” “If that's the case, I think we would be under the inn right now.” “Weird. I can hear more roaches, but we haven't seen any in a while.”   “There they are!” “I can still hear more.”  “At least there are multiple boats, given the other one is unaccessable.”  “Aww. But I wanted to see where the water was coming from!”  “I have no wish for that to happen.” “I should tell you about the time I took the back route into Vahnatai lands. Nothing but black waters and blacker caves.” “Oooh! Big one!” “How did it get in there?!?!” “Maybe it grew in there?” “Or it's a nest for the damned thing, and there's some escape tunnel under there?” That did not happen. “Alright, we check out this last segment, then we get back up top to recover.” “There are a lot of large Roachs down that way. Ni'aurrl?” “Of course!”   “And here we go. Let's get out of here. Even I'm losing my patience.” “Wait. The only way to get to this boat is to have a boat? That's some poor planning.” “Doesn't matter. Come on, I know the way to the inn. The rooms are pretty cheap.”  “Ho there!” You meet a tall, thin man with dark hair. He carries a polished wood case and a portable stand. When you approach, he sets up the case, revealing an assortment of potions. "I am Bohman." “And we're on our way to clean up after getting rid of roaches in the sewers.” “Ah! Well then, I'm certain you can appreciate my goods! I sell potions. No respectable Anama member should be without one." “Look, we're not with the Anama...” "We don't use magic, but that doesn't mean we're fools. We use all other resources we can find, including natural plants that come from the earth!" “We're not interested in potions!” "I make these potions using only natural ingredients and alchemical processes, without the use of single magical spell. You may purchase them if you wish." He suddenly starts to cough severely. When he straightens up, he says "Excuse me, I think I'm starting to become a touch ill. As I was about to say, you may purchase potions from me if you wish."  “Just show me so I can turn you down.” Nice selection. Still pinching pennies. Anyways, I sell all the stuff I accumulated in the Sewers, and realize there's no one to give out training here in Shayder. That town is to the east! “Everyone rested? Good. Let's get going then.” “I'm actually looking forward to it.”
berryjon fucked around with this message at 19:12 on May 21, 2016 |
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May 17, 2016 21:37
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Fun-fact: I only came across the Shayder Sewer the most recent time I played, and it was quite annoying and surprising. Especially since I barely had any room in my party's inventory to carry more stuff. You should also point out the difference between Guardian and Giant roaches when you come across the former - I just point that out because I forget if any of the ones in the sewers are Guardians or not. Also, Exile III seems to have changed the prices on Energy Potions - Weak are now more cost-effective than medium (100 gold for 15 SP, or 300 gold for 30 SP). But at the same time, Weak Energy are much more affordable than before.
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May 17, 2016 21:58
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Typo patrol: One "o" in "to the east" right at the end of the update. Also, you running into the potion seller reminded me of something I wanted to highlight from way back in Update 11: berryjon posted:
>A potion of Strength, like from the potion seller in Shayder, casts Bless on you. >A potion of Skill just straight up gifts you permanent skill points that you can use for training - basically like a free level-up.
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May 17, 2016 22:21
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MagusofStars posted:Also, you running into the potion seller reminded me of something I wanted to highlight from way back in Update 11: MOTHER%!)#(^%&*)(^!&*!(&^)(& Alright, so the Strong Skill Potion gives me *8* Skill Points. And the Brew of Knowledge gives *2. Well, too late now. But I'll be sure to note that in the future.
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May 17, 2016 22:37
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berryjon posted:MOTHER%!)#(^%&*)(^!&*!(&^)(& Wait, did you really not know this? I thought you bought tons of skill potions in the last two LPs! I thought you were purposefully giving yourself a challenge for the lulz this time.
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May 17, 2016 22:42
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LuffyVeggies posted:Wait, did you really not know this? I thought you bought tons of skill potions in the last two LPs! I thought you were purposefully giving yourself a challenge for the lulz this time. I thought the name had been changed to Brew of Knowledge! That Skill Potions were now "Bless and Haste In a Bottle!" :facedesk: :facedesk: :facedesk:
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May 17, 2016 23:09
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berryjon posted:I thought the name had been changed to Brew of Knowledge! That Skill Potions were now "Bless and Haste In a Bottle!" No, those are "bliss" potions (although I think those are heal+bless in a bottle instead of haste+bless). And skill potions are MUCH more rare, with the exception of Brew of Knowledge, which is still extremely expensive. And for some reason, weak skill potions still exist despite them being identical to Brew of Knowledge in literally every way.
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May 17, 2016 23:20
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Kinfolk910 posted:A whole bunch of stuff Mechanics-wise, isn't there some benefit to joining and ditching the Anama immediately under certain conditions? I thought there was.
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May 17, 2016 23:59
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I'm surprised we didn't find even a little clue about what's up with these roaches. Unless it's just poor sanitation.
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May 18, 2016 00:46
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berryjon posted:MOTHER%!)#(^%&*)(^!&*!(&^)(& Sorry about not mentioning it earlier - totally slipped my mind until I saw the potion seller in this update. Basically, there are four potions which give skill points: Weak Skill Potion - +2 skill points Medium Skill Potion - +4 skill points Strong Skill Potion - +8 skill points Knowledge Brew - +2 skill points You get one free Strong Skill Potion from beating the slimes (as shown) and there are (very few) additional preset locations for Weak/Medium/Strong Skill potions around. They are not available from any typical shops, but can show up in Random Item Shops and are obviously worth grabbing. Knowledge Brews don't show up in Random Item Shops, but they are available in endless quantities from one (crazy expensive) potion seller right at the start of the game (if you can raise the cash somehow). They can also be acquired in endless quantities from another method I'm sure you'll show off much later, but this method requires a large upfront investment of skill points before it can pay off.
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May 18, 2016 00:58
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Cheez posted:Mechanics-wise, isn't there some benefit to joining and ditching the Anama immediately under certain conditions? I thought there was. Joining up with the Anama does give you some rather nice benefits -- IIRC all of your characters get boosted to a minimum of Priest Spells 3 and gain some SP, so even your fighters can be (incompetent, since your INT is unaffected) casters. But of course you lose all of your Mage Spells ranks. And I dimly recall that reneging on your Anama vows causes Bad poo poo to happen to you, like losing all of your priest ranks or SP or something like that.
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May 18, 2016 01:10
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TooMuchAbstraction posted:Joining up with the Anama does give you some rather nice benefits -- IIRC all of your characters get boosted to a minimum of Priest Spells 3 and gain some SP, so even your fighters can be (incompetent, since your INT is unaffected) casters. But of course you lose all of your Mage Spells ranks. And I dimly recall that reneging on your Anama vows causes Bad poo poo to happen to you, like losing all of your priest ranks or SP or something like that. Naturally, I'm going to cheat like a mofo, and get the best of both worlds. And show off what happens properly.
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May 18, 2016 01:22
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| # ? Jun 4, 2024 12:47 |
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Something happened, and an Anama Priest vanished on me. Maybe. Until then, here's the next point of 'contention'.
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May 21, 2016 05:09
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