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Olive Branch posted:So here's who to take. Bertrude, Rukey, Pamitha. I want to see you win and not give Bertrude brain-rot, so don't play with any Titan Stars active except for the Yslach one. Voting for this.
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Apr 23, 2018 07:03
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Glazius posted:Also, wow, the Blackwagon's getting chock full of souvenirs. Makes me wonder if the old Nightwings just... rolled without them? Or maybe they all got pawned off to Ron for startup capital for the next generation. I'm going to guess that after the death of the previous Nightwings, Sandalwood possibly wanted to get rid of any mementos.
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Apr 23, 2018 07:10
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EagerSleeper posted:I'm going to guess that after the death of the previous Nightwings, Sandalwood possibly wanted to get rid of any mementos. Also while we're not going to pawn our mementos in a decade or two the next generation won't have qualms about pawning ours.
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Apr 23, 2018 10:00
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Have we gotten any indication as to how long it's been since the eight scribes were adventuring around the Downside, or how long ago the first Nightwings were active?
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Apr 24, 2018 00:16
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ultrafilter posted:Have we gotten any indication as to how long it's been since the eight scribes were adventuring around the Downside, or how long ago the first Nightwings were active? I think the eight scribes were around ~800 years ago. I don't know the last part however.
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Apr 24, 2018 00:31
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Sandra's profile lists her as having been in exile for 837 years, so that's probably a good ballpark for how long it's been since the Scribes did their thing.
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Apr 25, 2018 04:14
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  : God Is Dead – Gameplay    : As a reminder: the perks available to us for Rukey right now are the first-level perk Cloud Jump (gives Rukey a double-jump); the second-level perk Keen Eye (Rukey’s Aura is cast 50% further than normal); and, finally, his third-level perk Guiding Light (after plunging into an adversary’s Pyre, Rukey returns immediately rather than remaining banished).: Guiding Light is a pretty crazy buff. Rukey is one of our fastest runners: if he gets the Orb and a clear shot to the Pyre, which isn’t too difficult with someone as fast as him, and with Jomuer’s Fang basically being a rolling blue carpet for him, he’ll easily be a star forward.: Tossing the orb into the Pyre accomplishes the same thing, but that requires that Rukey stop and stay in place, and it requires some charge-up time in order to do maximum damage, and it can be intercepted. Tossing the Orb will still be the better option if Rukey has no stamina, but, just… don’t run out of stamina. If Rukey starts sprinting from center-field, he’ll easily have enough stamina to make it to the adversary’s Pyre, do a lap around it, and still get the dunk.: Sure, he’s tied with Ti’zo and Sir Gilman with doing the least amount of damage per hit, but with a perk like this, Rukey’s gameplan will be more of a ‘death of a thousand cuts’ deal than the ‘battering ram’ style that Jodariel and Bertrude use. : Meanwhile…   : Our available perks for Bertrude are the first-level perk Hex of Victory (Bertrude does five more Pyrepoints of damage if her Pyre is stronger than her adversary’s), and the second-level perks Greater Blast (Bertrude’s Aura can be cast at a wider angle, and it’s already pretty huge) and Sudden Blast (the charge-up time before Bertrude can cast her Aura is significantly reduced).: If you’ve been paying attention, Bertrude’s Aura Blast is already, like, three times wider than our next-widest companion. The only person that could feasibly have compared to Bertrude’s girth was Jodariel. Making it even wider is a bit overkill – and, in part, I’m worried that making it wider will also amplify its weakness, in that if an adversary is standing in between the ‘buckshot’ of her blast, they’ll avoid it entirely.: So, I’ll take Sudden Blast. It’s better to fire faster than to fire wider, at least in Bertrude’s case.   : …Most strange. That this one star should be illuminated, now. This is not what I expected. : Nor I, Volfred sir. : Then, Volfred notices you there. : Reader… Tariq and I observed a strange occurrence in the sky, is all.: It appears that the star of Khaylmer Rope-Caller is illuminated now. It is but another star, except… our models and predictions of the cosmos did not anticipate this. Anyway, go see for yourself. I shall make the wagon ready in the meantime.    Gfy : We aren’t given any other choices this time: we’re heading to ‘an isolated little island in the Sea of Solis’ to do a Rite against Dalbert, and that’s that. So, no votes this time.: It’s a bit of a shame; I didn’t really want to play Dalbert again this soon. But, at least, of all our adversaries, he’s the friendliest one, so that’s nice. : Then, we are summoned to the Isle of Khaylmer, deep within the Deathless Tempest.: Oh yeah, that weird spot in the middle of the ocean that Lendel had stopped at.: Have you been there before, Tariq?: So long ago, I scarce recall the time… only the scent. It is the place from whence the creatures native to this land sprang forth.: Reader… let’s not concern ourselves with superstitions about that place. We’ll set forth at dawn, and soon see for ourselves what to make of it.: What superstitions?: Seriously. There’s no such thing as a ‘superstition’ in this game. What am I supposed to be expecting here? : Hopefully it’s Volfred, to tell me about the superstitions I should be ignoring so that I can properly panic about them. : It’s Bertrude, and she’s smiling. That’s much more concerning. : You soon see why…. You have observed before how her manner seems to soften, to the degree it can, whenever Volfred is around. : …If only I could have seen their faces, then. What was your secret, dare I ask, dear Bertrude?: It appears that they are reminiscing about old times in the Commonwealth. : Flame-resistant inks, Sandalwood. ‘Twas the inks themselves which kept those volumes from being burnt to ash. : Flame-resistant inks… of course… the good officers who came to visit, they were so intent on burning all the evidence, they did not stop to think the evidence was fireproof.: … Unless Bertrude doused every page in the stuff, from edge to edge, this would do nothing to stop the books from burning, though. You’d be left with a pile of ash and a puddle of fireproof ink. Unless Bertrude put some kind of anti-burning hex on the books or something.: Alas, that they later found a way to burn thy Stamping-Press, regardless…. : Thy written words, they moved us many times. And many others whom we knew, there, in the Southern Bogs.: I thought Bertrude can’t read. Or, maybe, she had someone read Volfred’s books to her, I guess.: No matter, dear Bertrude…. What’s done is done. At least we made it difficult for them, is that not so? While introducing some of our fellow citizens to new ideas.: Nnnrrggghhh… perhaps….: My words would not have reached near half as many, were it not for you. Not to mention how I managed to elude them for another decade or so. I am ever thankful for your sacrifice.: Thy thanks shall not be necessary, Sandalwood.: Well, you shall have to take them from me, anyhow…. Thank you, Bertrude. For helping to fulfill a modest author’s dreams. What good’s a Stamping-Press without good inks…?: …No good at all.  : Gotta hand it to Bertrude: it takes guts to just up and ask a question like that. Guts… or a lack of understanding about social cues, given that this question assumes Bertrude already knows the answer.: Bertrude….: Nay. We understand full well…. Thou needst not further explain thyself.: …There are different kinds of love, Bertrude.: On that account, thou hast nothing to teach us, Sandalwood.: They each remain silent for a time.: …Our hearts, they cannot be controlled, Bertrude. Blasted things they are, they act well on their own.: He puts away his pipe.: I am blessed to have you in my life. Back in the Commonwealth, and here, as well. I mean that… although, I know that it is not enough.: At first, Bertrude does not seem to acknowledge this in any way, but then…: …Nay, Sandalwood… it is enough…. It is enough.: She departs without awaiting a response, brushing past you as she goes. Volfred soon turns away, as well, politely bidding you a good evening. The two old friends have evidently managed their way past certain tensions in their long-standing relationship. They rather seem to draw a certain strength from one another. : drat, that’s heavy stuff. Of all the characters to be so totally love-struck, it’s kind of surprising that it’s Bertrude. It’s kind of a shame to see someone go without reciprocation, particularly in this game, where lots of characters have motivations around loved ones.: … Let’s read a book! Gfy    : That conversation was a bit heavy-handed and long-winded than normal. Let’s get the show on the road; we have a whole new location to explore! : Our location is north, through Flagging Hands, then halfway through the Sea of Solis and smack-dab in the middle of the Deathless Tempest. It’s not far from Jomuer Valley.: That said, when we pass into Flagging Hands, we say hello to someone before I have the chance to even realize they’re there.  : Ye think, mayhaps, the sssskies belong to ye, hrrrrssssss…. Foolisssshhhh… the skies, and everything above them, and below, belong to the Astal-Born.: Yeah, how’s that treating you, by the way? Still trying to decide whether you’d rather that Yslach is dead forever, or that he’s rejected you? ‘cause it’s definitely one or the other, after that last Rite, you know, where we invoked his name and you still couldn’t pull through.: Ye shall be smitten from His skies, on His awakening! Now, BEGONE!!: You have fun, Milly! If you want something badly enough, maybe it’ll come true some day!: Our pass over Wyrm Gulf is completely uneventful, but when we pass into the Sea of Solis, we meet another friend who’d we’d love to say hello to.  : …You blasted fools… you cannot intimidate the Accusers. : We shall face you soon enough in a forthcoming Rite, but first! We have another pack of fools whom we must vanquish, shortly! Until then, stay out of our way!: Hmm… I’d like to make fun of Lendel and his triumvirate, but according to the ledger, the Accusers are actually tied with the Essence for the best win:loss ratio (excluding ourselves).: Well, then, Lendel… I’ll be looking forward to our next match. : Speaking of, it looks like Tamitha is about to face off against Sir Deluge. If I were to put money on this one…: That’s a tough call, actually. Deluge can barely contain himself, much less his triumvirate, and Tamitha probably runs the tightest ship out of all the triumvirates, including the Nightwings. Which isn’t as much of a compliment as it sounds, but it does mean that she’d have an easier time managing herself and her troops than Deluge would. To say nothing of the fact that a bunch of birds are going up against a bunch of worms.: However, Deluge has home-field advantage, and the weather is incredibly lovely. Tamitha would be going into the match at a huge disadvantage. This would be one of those matches that I’d love to sit down and watch, but, unfortunately, we have our own places to be. : Passing into the Deathless Tempest, we are given our choice of landing spots, as well as a point of interest.: Volfred joins you as you soar high above the storm-ravaged waters, on approach to the infamous Isle of Khaylmer.: Among its cursed qualities, it seems this wretched storm means I cannot rightly smoke. One of the Downside’s small misfortunes, I suppose.: The wagon’s drive-imps seem not to mind, at least. In fact… they seem more animated now even than usual, sir.: Perhaps they feel some sort of connection to this place…. Tariq, do you suppose the Fate were able to make it here intact?: They ought have seen it in the stars…. Though, we soon shall know for certain.: That we shall. Take us in, please, Reader.: … nothing about those superstitions about this place? Anything at all?  : Oh, interesting. Volfred wants to be considered this time for our landing options, so this isn’t as simple as who we used last.: Hmm… well, while I’d like to give Volfred a fair shake at letting him choose our landing spot, I’m going to go with Mae for three reasons: the first is that, as ever, she has yet to steer me wrong when choosing a landing spot. She’s got a knack for knowing where to go.: The second is that I’m more interested in buffs from the Scribes than I am in some Stardust. As useful as the stuff is, I haven’t really been putting it to much use lately, and if I ever want more, I can always buy it from Ron. And, finally, I’m more interested on landing on a beach than I am on landing on a ‘sturdy ice floe.’  : You wonder which sort of Celestial Landmark lies hidden amid these waters, though for now, you have some time left before continuing onward. : Wow, already? Alright, then, let’s pay Sandra another visit, then.   : Sandra’s in a talkative mood again.: Well. It just so happens that I’m in a listening one. : …Why are you doing this…? Reaching out to me, again… like this? I have been abandoned in this blasted rock more times than you could count, Reader. And, each time, I have laughed it off. Like so!: She laughs.: I fear it will be different this time. Before, I knew that someone else would come around, and pick up where the previous idiot left off. But, now…?: She scoffs, then falls silent for a time.: Well, it seems there may not be a next time after this, if what I am to understand about the stars out there is even a half-truth.: Wait, what? : So, then, I can anticipate an eternity of utter solitude. Without even the blasted Rites to keep me company.: Understand that, while I may be an apparition in a glass to you, I yet retain a shred of self, and do not happily foresee that outcome. And, yet… you keep on coming back to me, like this. If this is all in service of a torment, then you are most cruel, O lovely Reader. Commendably so, I have to say.: So, then, am I to understand you wish to spend more time with me, thus? Knowing full well the stars are soon to put an end to this little affair?: As if in answer to her question, you feel what seems to be the Beyonder Crystal itself. : She understands correctly. : You focus your mind, and remain where you are, there, with Sandra, in the confines of the Beyonder Crystal, and remain there with her for some time.: No words need be exchanged between the two of you. And, in the darkness there, for once, she does not feel alone.: Soon enough, however, she bids you to depart.: …You shall leave those idiots of yours listless if you remain here for too long. Begone, already, and… let me know if you have need of me. : Well, hey, now that you mention it!: You need but ask, my Reader. And, you need but indicate who is to be my student. : You ask Sandra to administer one of her special trials for Bertrude.: The old bog-crone, then? She does have some potential, I should think, more so than most of those with whom you share that little residence. Then, let us bring her forth.: Soon, Bertrude appears, in heed of the summons. : We sense that thou hast need of us, nnrrrrgghh.: You ‘sense’ it? The game just said that – oh, whatever. Gfy  : The apparition Sandra appears, and unfastens her mask.: Listen well, Crone. You answer to me here. : Nrrrggghhh….: How very eloquent. May your vast experience exceed your knack for pleasant conversation. I trust that you shall have little trouble here without the benefit of your more-communicative friends. Now, come. : Simple – Gameplay : Show us, then, what trinket she bestoweth upon us.  : This buff is a whole lot bigger than how it might seem on paper. Aura Blasts normally don’t travel through obstructions – and neither do regular Auras. With this Talisman, Bertrude can happily sit behind a wall and pluck away at her adversaries, and they will have absolutely no way to fight back. They’d either have to go around the obstruction or jump at her, and Bertrude’s Pounce is an extremely effective movement option to get away from any trouble like that – assuming her own Aura can’t just overpower anyone that tries to flank her.: This Talisman kind of breaks Bertrude in our favour. There is literally no position Bertrude won’t excel at now: her huge Aura makes her good at defense; her sprinting-speed is the second-best in our triumvirate; she does the most damage per dunk; and now she can shoot through walls. She’s definitely a bit of a monster on the ballcourt, now.: drat. That was a pretty intense session, emotionally and otherwise, with Sandra and the Beyonders. You know what the best way to calm down after a rousing game of Sportsball is?Gfy    : Something seems off about that statement. “Walk The Eight Scribes’ Path.” If this was their path, why didn’t we stop at this landmark when we first passed through via boat?: You and Mae wander together for a while through the eerie stillness of Bard Reef, sometimes in circles. What, exactly, she is looking for, she cannot explain.: Eventually, however, she happens on something that never caught your notice. : Look at this? Look at this, Mister! The Scribes, they walked this very path, I think they did, and left this here, for us!!: For us to find eight hundred years later? That’s some foresight for you right there.: The object she procures does seem to emanate with some sort of faint and ancient power. : Oh, neat. This is basically a second Vocation that I can use on something else if I want. That’s 2,000 EXP just sitting in my inventory, after all. : Oh, huh. Must be Mae? : At least she seems to be in a good mood.: Mae seems to be speaking to herself again. She is unaware of your presence, or shows no sign of it, at least. : Mercy…! Freedom…! They are intertwined…! Mercy shall engender union among all our different kind…. Mercy shall engender union among all our different kind.: Uh… this is Mae we’re talking to, right?: She is reciting passages from the Book of Rites… though, to your knowledge, she cannot read.: …Freedom to the Worthy…. The Downside cannot let us all go free. Thus, freedom to the Worthy…. : She pauses for a while, as though listening, and nods her head from time to time.: …Yes… I see, I see… I see. Well, I am ever-grateful to you, Saint Triesta, for your guidance and your presence. And, I wish all of your friends safe passage there among the stars! It must be so very beautiful out there!: With your wings you can fly freely, can’t you, Saint? You can visit me at any time, come and go as you please, from the stars, all the way here? : You do not need a pair of wings in order to be free! I know… I know…! And yet, sometimes, I wish I was like you, or like Miss Pamitha. : She wanders out into the afternoon, leaving you there to consider her words. In the Commonwealth, her unwavering faith in the Eight Scribes would have been seen as a delusion. Such prayer or communion was forbidden. The Scribes were mythical figures; but even they worshiped the stars, and it was the stars that lighted the way for the founders of the Commonwealth. Or, so its leaders taught. : Well.: If it’s against the law to openly pray and worship the Scribes the way that Mae does, I can see how it might freak out the people in charge. Mae can clearly speak directly to them (or, at least, to one of them). Also, it seems kind of weird that everyone just accepts that the Scribes business is just a fairy tale or whatever, considering people are now coming back from Eternal Jail via waterfalls-that-fall-up. That should really be a faith-shaker right there, imo. : Moving on, finally: we have a game of Sportsball to play against Dalbert. I hope he’s doing well, he’s a Cool Old Guy.  Gfy : Or not.   Music: Surviving Exile: You learn that Hedwyn returned safely to the Commonwealth, where he was clothed and welcomed, his past transgressions all forgiven. He was to be groomed for a leadership position of his choice, whether on the council or the Bloodborder, each equally lucrative, and secretive as well.: However, he refused, and before the stunned council-members could do anything about it, he left them.: He since made contact with Volfred’s agents, and is working together with them. Thus, the ranks of the revolution grow stronger. Per the messenger-imp custom, the last part of the message was transcribed from Hedwyn, word-for-word, and says, “Keep going. I’ll see you here.”: You thank the messenger-imp for relaying this information. Soon, your companions are all abuzz about it. : Wonder if he’ll ever find the one he fell for. : (Ti’zo is happy to hear Hedwyn is well back in the Commonwealth.) : A glorious example Hedwyn sets for all of us! : Yeah, that’s how it’s done, Hedwyn!! Right behind you, chum! : May that boy’s spirit infect the lot of ye as would a plague.: … uh, yeah! : I always thought Hedwyn was looking for someone, out there back home? Do you think he found her?: The news of Hedwyn’s liberation fills you and your fellow exiles with newfound resolve. : Well, that’s a nice bonus! Especially considering that we’ll probably be going into this next Rite with a handful of Titan Stars active, we could probably use all the bonuses we can get.: Now let’s move on.  Gfy : Your wagon shudders to a halt at the Isle of Khaylmer. Bizarre outcroppings give it a forbidding feel. In the distance, you hear odd gibbering noises that sound like… drive-imps… : We could read the Book of Rites some more, but I think we’ve done enough reading for one update for now. Let’s just see what Ron’s got in store. : That explains a lot. : Got you again! Only joking about that, too, uh!! Because, I got tons of customers, it’s just, they already bought a lot of stuff today, so they’re not here, OK? Anyways, I just got in a little something here which maybe you’ll be into? Been hearing about these little numbers for a while, check ‘em out! : Thinkin’ these thingers are supposed to be for a couple of love-birds, know what I mean, heh-heh? But anybody could probably use ‘em, provided they was to buy ‘em off of me! : …duhhh, I was gonna get ‘em for myself, but…. Anyways, lemme know if you want ‘em! : Both of these bands increase the Presence, Hope, and Quickness of anyone that wears them by two. For a single Talisman, that’s not a bad bonus at all, and they can both be boosted with Stardust.: But the gimmick here is that, if two companions wear the bands in a single Rite, then, at the start of every round, both companions gets infinite stamina for a brief moment. Combined, these bands can make any two players on our team a powerhouse, allowing us to begin the round very oppressively.: However… they cost 88 Sol each. I have 175. We’re short by one, and that’s even if I wanted them.: I mean, I kinda do, but that’s just a little rich for my blood. Better than some other Talismans Ron’s got for sale, but worse than some others.: That said, I don’t want to leave empty-handed. : Someday I’m going to find the right Talismans to blow all these Stardusts on. : I couldn’t find the smiley I wanted to use, so have this one instead:   : Let’s get it on, Dalbert. Here’s to a good match with a good man.: As the sky begins to darken over the Isle of Khaylmer, you see one of your adversaries clad in the colors of the Fate step forward. : …Where is Mae?: Oooooohhh. : Oh! Hi, Almer, hello! : Father asked me to… salute you, and the Nightwings. So, here I am, then.: Consider yourselves saluted!: Oh…! OK, and, um, may the Scribes watch over you and Mister Oldheart.: They shall do no such thing. Know that I am only doing this to ease Father’s worries, such as I can. But when night falls, you are all my adversaries, nothing more.: He walks away, even as the darkness grows, and the stars begin to shine.  : To recap, the stars we currently have with us are Yslach the Astral-Born (the AI gets a non-specific buff to their movement, making them more intense to fight against); Lord Gandroth (all opponents get a +8 bonus to Presence); Archbeast Sung-Gries (at the beginning of the Rite, my adversary’s Pyre begins with +30 Pyrepoints); Endriga The Widow (likewise, I begin the Rite with -30 Pyrepoints); Limbless Azirech (my opponents get +8 Hope); and Unfathomed Plurnes (my opponents get +8 Quickness). All of them combined give me a bonus 25% Enlightenment at the end of the Rite.: We’ll see what we’re working with.  : The Isle of Khaylmer is a unique Celestial Landmark: it’s groomed and presented to be like an actual Sportsball field. But there’s a twist: as you can see, the imps aren’t quite content with just sitting on the sidelines and watch (although most are, as you’ll see in the match). Six of them are also field hazards.: It’ll be an interesting match, for sure! : Father!! I said no such thing! : But, as we all know each other well, now, I suggest that we dispense with further interactions for the time. We must not let our hearts take sway, when we are here to honor the Scribes!: Mae listens intently to all this, then…: …Oh… you are right, Mister Oldheart. I never thought of it that way, but, you are right.: Almer…? When all of this is over, someday not too long from now, and the Scribes are satisfied that we have served them well… then, will you be my friend…?: …I don’t know.: OK! I know you mean that, too! Until then, may the Scribes protect us all!: …May the Scribes protect us all. : I’m back, sorry I’m late, sorry I’m late!! I’m ready now, to do my part, however I can? : Okay, finally! We’re ready to begin the next Rite against Dalbert and the Fate, here in the Isle of Khaylmer. It’s going to be a tough match, especially with all these Titan Stars, but, we’re not going in with Frozen Souls or whatever, and the hardest hitter on the Fate right now is Almer, at 20 points per dunk. I can probably work with that.: Who are we going to bring into this match? Our available options are Rukey, Mae, Ti’zo, Sir Gilman, Pamitha, and Bertrude. Three votes per ballot, and remember, the order you cast them in is important!: Twenty-four hours, as per usual. See you then!
Maple Leaf fucked around with this message at 19:36 on Apr 28, 2018 |
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Apr 28, 2018 08:55
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How cute, Mae still wants a pal, and Almer just can't believe she's as honest as she acts. Speaking of Mae, I think the Commonwealth was more worried about the fact that Mae is so... open, for lack of a better word, with the Scribes. Like, a seriously extreme religious figure that claims to commune with the Scribes directly. Now, I don't know exactly how the Commonwealth worships the Scribes other than recognizing that they are "merciful" and that you can leave the Commonwealth by showing your worth, but if I may draw a real life parallel, I think Mae is a combination of Joan of Arc, the warrior prophetess, and Martin Luther, he of the Protestant Reformation. If the Commonwealth worships the Scribes medieval Catholic-like, meaning through a priesthood with a lot of power in society, someone like Mae running around saying "I talk to the Scribes directly" and being really, really sincere about it could probably start up what the government would see as a dangerous cult. Not that Mae would ever intend to do such a thing, but that's what some sentencing judge probably feared. Now, as for the Rites... While I would like to see Mae having a ball with Almer, I think it's the right opportunity for Bertrude to show off that trinket of hers, supported by Sir Gilman for speed and, once again, Pamitha for aggressive play. I know that new Titan Stars reveal pages for you to read to us, so this is an optional vote, but I say keep on only stars that are new (for this Rite) to add them to our Book, and maybe the ones that increase and decrease the two teams' Pyrepoints. I want to see you win without having to worry too much about crazy buffs.
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Apr 28, 2018 10:12
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Mae obviously. I must admit, I was not expecting courtship through Pyreball matches; go get him Mae. Then, I don't know, Sir Gilman and Ti'zo looks good. Too bad team mom and team dad are upstairs, they would have been perfect. Mae is awesome and apparently she's close enough to the scribes she actually gets visions of them (and considering she was quoting the book I have no doubt that was an actual divine revelation)
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Apr 28, 2018 10:33
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Wow, this was a very romantic update, wasn't it? Bertrude and Volfred, Sandra and the reader, Hedwyn and Fikani, Mae and Almer... And yet none of them seem to have been quite working out, at least not yet. The Downside might be unfriendly to love. Maybe that's why we haven't heard of anyone starting families down here that aren't native. Bring out Rukey again, make sure he stays ahead of the pack for enlightenment. Back him up with Sir Gilman and Mae.
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Apr 28, 2018 12:02
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Mae, Sir Gilman, and Pamitha.
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Apr 28, 2018 16:24
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Ti'zo, Mae and Rukey.
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Apr 28, 2018 17:42
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https://i.imgur.com/5dOpEXp.gifv What the gently caress was happening here? Interesting that Udmildhe benched her Savages in favor of a pair of Imps. Or maybe she fed the Savages to her dead god. My impression was that, while banishment is pretty well publicized in the Commonwealth, the fact that people return from exile is probably pretty well covered up. The Scribes themselves have decreed the Rites, the Book, and every other fact about them not be spoken off at all outside of the Downside, but that the spirit of the Scribes and their teachings should be taught. If Mae was talking about/to the Scribes in the Commonwealth, she's demonstrating knowledge of things she has no conventional way of knowing. Anyway. Let's put in Mae to dance with her boyfriend, Bertrude as murder-goalie, and Sir Gilman as our center.
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Apr 28, 2018 18:16
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IMJack posted:https://i.imgur.com/5dOpEXp.gifv Looks like the AI bugged out and tried to simultaneously move both imps to the same place, switching between them on every frame. I've never tried AI programming before but for a game like this it must be a hell of a task. And yeah Udmildhe totally killed at least one of her savages. When Maple Leaf flicked over to look at her team before the rite they weren't even on the bench.
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Apr 28, 2018 18:24
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I think we should have Mae, Gilman, Rukey as our team. We haven't had Gilman or Rukey nearly enough for the game and Mae is the best (followed closely by Ti'zo)
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Apr 28, 2018 18:48
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Rukey, Mae, and either Ti'zo or Gilman. Rukey's gonna need more enlightenment if I want to be able to vote for him to be annointed later.
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Apr 29, 2018 02:52
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Mae, Sir Gilman, and Rukey. All Titan Stars! In light of what we've seen of Mae's insight, the way she greeted Tariq when first she met him was fascinating. Here's hoping she can get through to Almer.
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Apr 29, 2018 08:30
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By my count, the vote is tied for Gilman and Mae to be our forwards, followed by Rukey on our support. Also known as Team Absolutely Zero Defense. Also I'm gonna use all the Titan Stars.
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Apr 29, 2018 08:49
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I think that Bertrude's talisman is the most ludicrously powerful one in the game. After I skilled her into defensive tree, she made my defense basically impenetrable for the AI, so it became a game of how long it takes me to kill their pyre, rather than if I can do it before they extinguish mine.  Team: Mae, Rukey, Bertrude
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Apr 29, 2018 09:16
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Mae, Bertrude and Sir Gilman! Let's go for team "kind of always in another world entirely."
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Apr 29, 2018 15:16
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: The Hearts of Exiles – Gameplay: Do not read this update until you watch that video. Trust me.  : How are you feeling, sir? : Unghh… I just wanna go lie down, chum. I feel totally exhausted.: I see… then, please do not exert yourself, or try.: The Lone Minstrel motions for you to come closer.: Reader. Rukey appeared rather disoriented, and more fatigued than usual. Reported feeling not entirely present. Symptoms of Banishment Sickness. He should soon be able to take part in light activities, I think, but under no circumstance shall he be able to conduct the coming Rite.: Now, then, I ought not keep you from the stars above. Please, go and have a look at them, for all of us, I think, are anxious to depart this place.  : Some people in the thread were hoping to use Rukey a little more often in order to get his Enlightenment high enough to send him up on the next Liberation Rite. This… will put a bit of a damper on that.    : Right, so. We’ve suffered our first defeat to Dalbert and the Fate. Although, if you watched the video, you’d have a hard time calling games that close a real loss. It was… it was more like a half-victory. Not a whole victory, so I can’t hold the W, but not a whole loss, so I can hold that L with some dignity. It was a goddamn good game.: Us being the privileged sons-of-bitches we are, this does absolutely nothing for our standing with the Scribes. As the Nightwings, our favour can never actually decrease, and we’re guaranteed to be going to the Fall of Soliam in just one short Rite from now.: The question is, knowing that the next Liberation Rite is just one game away – who do we play in the meantime?: Our options are Lendel and the Accusers, ranked seventh, at the Glade of Lu; Tamitha and the Essence, ranked third, at the Spring of Jomuer; and Ignarius and the Tempers, ranked eighth, at the Ridge of Gol.: Where do we go, and who do we face off against? Lemme know in the next twenty-four hours!
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Apr 29, 2018 17:11
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Wow that was a brawl. Also funny as hell. The refs should hit the crowd with a technical foul. What was with the grey puddles left by those field-rushing imps? Even though we've played Tamitha fairly recently, I think if she doesn't get beaten in her next match there's a high chance we'll have to play her in the Liberation Rite. I'd rather see the Fate again in the finals, so I say we go against the Essence next.
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Apr 29, 2018 19:32
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Vote for the Essense in hopes of getting a title rematch against the Fate later.
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Apr 29, 2018 19:38
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Plsy the Essence.
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Apr 29, 2018 20:08
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Personally I don't enjoy the videos as much with all the Titan stars on. It changes it from "interesting tactical sportsball" to "maximum AI bullshit, gently caress you for trying" for a lot of the match. I don't like just watching the computer stand pixels outside of an aura cast outspeeding your faster players. Just my two cents v  v
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Apr 29, 2018 20:33
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The Tempers.
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Apr 29, 2018 20:33
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biosterous posted:Personally I don't enjoy the videos as much with all the Titan stars on. It changes it from "interesting tactical sportsball" to "maximum AI bullshit, gently caress you for trying" for a lot of the match. I don't like just watching the computer stand pixels outside of an aura cast outspeeding your faster players. As for who we face next, the Essence. While I wouldn't mind fighting old Ignatius and his Temper fellows again, the Fate being in second place means a rematch for the Liberation Rite.
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Apr 29, 2018 20:49
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Tamitha so we can progress Pams story
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Apr 29, 2018 20:57
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Olive Branch posted:I said this two times already in the thread, and will say this one last time. Playing with all Titan Stars on is a trap for the player and honestly will make losses almost guaranteed from here on out. Again, the stat-boosting Stars are ridiculously overpowered, and Maple forcing himself to play with all the Stars on is foolish. For whose benefit is he putting them on? For himself? For us? I'd rather we play with new Titan Stars on once to add them to our Book to read their stories, and only a few active from here on out if it means he won't be "bored" playing the game. Agreed, pick like 4 Titan Stars max.
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Apr 29, 2018 22:46
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Olive Branch posted:I said this two times already in the thread, and will say this one last time. Playing with all Titan Stars on is a trap for the player and honestly will make losses almost guaranteed from here on out. Again, the stat-boosting Stars are ridiculously overpowered, and Maple forcing himself to play with all the Stars on is foolish. For whose benefit is he putting them on? For himself? For us? I'd rather we play with new Titan Stars on once to add them to our Book to read their stories, and only a few active from here on out if it means he won't be "bored" playing the game. I'm gonna trust Maple Leaf to know how many Titan Stars he can handle. Look how close this match was - and that was with a team where all three members had small auras. That was some amazing play on your part, Maple. You did some great stuff with Gilman's aura trail. I like the way that having such an offence-oriented team forced you to adapt your play style, and I kind of wish this game did more to make that happen.
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Apr 29, 2018 23:11
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Tenebrais posted:I'm gonna trust Maple Leaf to know how many Titan Stars he can handle. Look how close this match was - and that was with a team where all three members had small auras. It'll depend on what stars I get next, and in which order, but I'm thinking I might actually be fine if I take out either Archbeast Sung-Gries or Endriga The Widow, or both, and keep the others. I would've won the match against the Fate twice over if I didn't start at a 60 HP deficit. The primary reason I want to keep the stars on is because it's more fun to play and watch than without them. Nobody can deny that that match was extremely dramatic: full of interceptions, body-blocks, near-misses, interference from the stands, and it ended with a final score of 0 to 3. It was a tight goddamn game and my hands were shaking for minutes after.
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Apr 30, 2018 00:07
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Tenebrais posted:I'm gonna trust Maple Leaf to know how many Titan Stars he can handle. Look how close this match was - and that was with a team where all three members had small auras.
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Apr 30, 2018 00:34
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Tenebrais posted:I'm gonna trust Maple Leaf to know how many Titan Stars he can handle. Look how close this match was - and that was with a team where all three members had small auras. Agreed. That was a superbly fine way to show off a hard-won loss! I was already on the edge of my seat when I went 'wait, there's still ten minutes left of this?' That said, I feel Maple played (admirably so) a defensive game and that he somewhat underutilized Gilman's Slash, which IS one of the few Aura Blasts that reaches across obstacles. Not that banishing opponents more often matters that much on all-titan star plays - as long as one opposing player is on field they'll still be trying to counter you with their boosted 'intellect' and stats. Particularly the boosted +Hope from that fucker Limbless Arizech means their buddies respawn that much faster, leaving you with a narrower window of opportunity to take advantage. It gets real bad in the late game. Real, real bad.  I'm by no means an expert Pyre player, but as someone who fell into the 'trap' of playing with all titan stars, here's my take. With me that match would probably have been over in about a third of the time, whether for or against, as I do not have Maple's compunction about not throwing my players into the pyre and avoiding being a man/dog/snake/harp/wyrm down. In fact, seven-ish minutes might be generous with the current lineup, due to Sir Gilman and Rukey being absolute BEASTS at simply snatching the ball and throwing themselves into the opposing pyre. Get into a good rhythm and you can switcheroo the two right into the flames all day erry day (although you might want to do some goading of the AI to get it out of position before you leap). It's certainly easier for the AI to overwhelm you if you get thrown on the back foot, but a series of Rukey-Gilman ball snatches followed by geronimo flanking leaps into the flames is basically how I managed some somewhat painless victories in several of my all-titan-star self-imposed challenge matches. Maple's nail-biting minutes at the end there had me literally groaning out loud, as I would definitely not have resisted the temptation to simply sproing for the goal, even if it meant maybe giving the enemy the ball through an intercept. I mean, it would've been so simple, Maple! You tried flank skip-hopping in with Mae and she has a wind-up on her leap, for chrisssakes how could you lose this I am incredibly mad about you making me care about your stupid fantasy sportsball loss! 
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Apr 30, 2018 01:37
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Scribbleykins posted:I mean, it would've been so simple, Maple! You tried flank skip-hopping in with Mae and she has a wind-up on her leap, for chrisssakes how could you lose this I am incredibly mad about you making me care about your stupid fantasy sportsball loss! I tried, several times! When the Fate's Pyre got to sub-20 I repeatedly tried to find opportunities to dive it with Mae because she had enough Glory to take it out. And when I got them down to 3 HP I was diving them as much as I could, which often led me straight into one of their boosted Aura's for a zap. What I should have done, at 22:35, I should have taken the opportunity for the dive rather than the throw. Rukey essentially has 20 Glory with Glory Dive and I didn't think about it at the time. That was definitely a snatch-defeat-from-the-jaws-of-victory moment.
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Apr 30, 2018 03:55
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Of all the teams to lose to, I'm glad it was to the Fate
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Apr 30, 2018 15:55
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My vote is for The Tempers, but I think I'm in the 'I trust Maple Leaf on Titan Star usage' camp. That last match was frigging nuts, and Maple Leaf was a hair's breadth from victory - and defeat - a fair few times in the last few minutes of that game. I was captivated, for sure, even as I was going through what other approaches might have worked better in my head. I didn't really find watching the match particularly frustrating. I did wonder about the lack of Slash use on Sir Gilman, but in fairness he's one of the hardest party members to use properly because he operates so differently from the rest of the team. I'm glad he got to show off his absurd Pyre-divin' jump at least a couple of times, though. His use as a long-distance Aura multiplier/line-shaped area-denier was definitely something I'd never considered, though. From last episode, I definitely raised an eyebrow at the aftermath of our chat with Sandra. I think my exact response was 'Is that a euphemism, Pyre?', but the way the narration is worded in general allows a fairly broad interpretation of each choice, and this is no exception. Then again, perhaps I'm simply reading too much into it.
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Apr 30, 2018 16:31
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By my count, it's 5 for the Essence and 2 for the Tempers, so we'll be making our way to the spring of Jomuer for round 3 with Tamitha.
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Apr 30, 2018 21:56
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Maple Leaf posted:By my count, it's 5 for the Essence and 2 for the Tempers, so we'll be making our way to the spring of Jomuer for round 3 with Tamitha. Maybe Pamitha will get through to her sister this time! As the saying goes: third time's the charm.
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Apr 30, 2018 22:31
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I mean, if we had to lose, I'm glad it's to one of the groups that we actually like. And it was a nice nod from the developers there to "accept this or not", since there is a large group that will not accept losing any sportsball game. Is Rukey's sickness random, or is this a way to encourage you to rotate your players?
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May 1, 2018 14:43
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| # ? Jun 11, 2024 18:23 |
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I’m not sure what triggers it. It could be anything from me having lost the Rite, to the Rite having lasted twenty five minutes, to Rukey being used a little too often.
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May 1, 2018 17:37
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