|
Update 12: Monster Dance (Turn 152 - 163) Ah, time for the tales of Goatmurdered again, I see. We'll get right to it this time, as I'm sure everyone is eager to hear the coming happenings. ----------------- Turn: 152 -----------------  Everything safe at home, the Dance Macabre began to set off, with a destination set for the known location of the Leech Lord.  Just about as they left, the short man from the fields eventually grumbled coherently enough that his name was Rosemont.  *incoherent grumbling*- Kids these days- *incoherent grumbling*And that was about all they heard before he shuffled off into a makeshift hut on the edge of town.  As they passed the ruins of Silveroak, the elven wanderer also finally spoke up regarding his name.  Er, yes... You can call me Beecher, if you wish. That's similar enough to your titles, yes? Fine with me, mate. Name good, me like. Indeed, it'll suffice.--- If it's not much of an impostion, am I correct in assuming that your Elven name doesn't actually translate to "The Great Evil King"? It is not even close, but can you blame me for wanting to mess with them? I can say that is "fair enough", given the Tree and all that has happened to it. ... And, what can I say? I believe I have grown rather attached to it. If you don't mind another imposition, may I ask for your name in Elvish? Unless the Elven civilization recovers, I cannot say that knowing it will be of much use. Besides, who's to say I even have one?: B-but... you are- Farewell for now, Beecher. We'll talk again, I'm sure.: (Just who is she? I know I have seen that face before, but...)----------------- Turn: 153 -----------------  Being full up on a wide variety of food, the traveling was easy. So easy in fact, that hardly anything was written between the town and there.   Ready to fight this Leech Lord? Whenever you are. I'll pick out what weaknesses I can. (Not what I expected.) (It may be a test of some kind, let us play along.) We've come to restore the power of our Gods. (The Oracle... I see. I've heard of her existence before.) (You mean, like a fortune-teller?) (In a sense, yes, but her powers are true.) Horos has given us a path, and that is what we have followed. Ah, those blasted old fogeys again? I'm really startin' to regret not givin' them a wallop they wouldn't forget. Oracle's Guardian, what exactly did they do this time?   (Sounds about right for Perun, yeah.) drat that academy and whatever it stood for. Fine with me- back to the topic at hand then. Why did Horos bring us here? (Yep, it's a test.) A test? Jus' what kind of test are we talkin' here? Sounds right terrifying if you ask me. We have no choice though. If we have to prove ourselves to Horos, then we'll do it. Ready everyone? If we're going to be fighting avatars, then this is going to get dangerous fast. If I may- she is right. There is no space for hesitation or panic if we move forward. You say that as if you've done this before. Not this necessarily, but I have been tasked with dragonslaying before. The danger is the same, if not most likely greater. You heard the man. I don't want to lose anyone in there, so are we ready?  ...Ready as ever. No choice, I suppose. Fine by me. Ah hell, I guess I ain't got a choice. No time like the present. We fight! Eee! To the skies and beyond, CAW! : By your lead. -------   Hmhmhm...It's about time. Though I must wonder, what could a pack of whelps like you do that I cannot? We are not whelps, for only the strong survive in times of strife. Where others have failed, we have pulled through. ... Well spoken, but what does a wolf need of words? The strength of a howl is only so much. ... ...What is it, whelpling? I was just making sure I remember this moment. It's not every night you duel with a god. *Deafening howl* ...Just what I wanted to hear. The wings... the magnificence!: Many more incoming- stay close! I'll hold them off from here! 'Ey, I've got your back, Anon, been wanting to try this bow out anyhow! On it! drat, they're just swarming harder!: Stay vigilant! Hrgh...! 'Ey, Sammy, watch it- RGH! They- ngh - won't stop coming! AAAGH! Pharry, no! Is this all the fight you can put up? My guardians alone have torn you to bits. It's not over yet, wolf spirit! I'll call your- HRRRGK Forgotten about me, have you? Rgh... hmhm... I see. I suppose I did. You elves always have been a tricky lot... (Especially you...) ... ...W-we won...? Somehow. ... Given that you have a fang planted firmly in my back, I'd say you've passed! I offer you my magic, though given the ferocity of your assault, I doubt you'll need it. ...and you there, Pack Leader. You mean me? Who else? I applaud your valiant efforts in defending your pack thus far, but know your limits. Huh? W-wait, Pharnakes! Can you hear me! Ah, goodness, it was so dark for a second there... What happened? ...Hmph. What!? But, you...? ...I still have some power left. You proved yourselves handily, now lick what wounds you do have before going and destroying the leech lord. Ah... yes, but where is it? Not far from your den. Now go.Having been blessed with the presence of their god, the Dance Macabre moved swiftly through the night, faster than the shadows themselves. The Leech Lord was fast approaching their town, a town mostly full of magic wielders and crafters who did their best work outside of a fight. If this beast was strong enough to warrant a test from Horos himself, then they would stand no chance. ---------------- Turn 126 ----------------  The Macabre moved with extreme swiftness through the forests and hills, the urgency of the situation putting a jump in their step.  drat, this won't be easy. Not even sunlight would help us here. What does that mean for our tactics? This fiend will be at full power, unlike Simon. We'll have to plan this carefully and prepare for the worst. Aye, this isn't going to be an easy one. What horrifying taste in fashion. And, just, ugh, that smell! I think we've got a bit more to worry about than it's fashion taste, lass. Shei, it may be best to use that spell now. This may be the last time we find them pre-occupied before they're upon the village. Got it. (So this is how the night's supposed to feel.): (...A far cry from the Darkness that was upon me.) (Free from the false darkness, yes. Now, everyone, ready yourselves.) (...and watch for the teeth.) (I won't stand for losing anybody in there. , are you with me?): (At the ready.) (We go, now!) (...Easy.): (These are gone, you and I, let's defend the back, shall we?) (Begone...!) Caw, caw! (My wings are silent in the night!) Hrngh?! And...now! scrREEEeeeeeEEEEEEEE...! Sure is a lot easier now, I'd say. The stake through its heart, we only require the final blow. Hkkk...hkkkk...! ...If I may. Go ahead. Hyaaaaaagh! HISSSSSssssssss.... (Hmhmhm... A job well done, it seems. And fret not, nature child, I used my power to bring this axe here. I had imagined you might want it.) : This was mine! But... I gave it to... why...?! (You'll be needing it in the coming days. I don't think she will anymore.): (...Right.) (It will take many more moons for me to recover, but I suspect you'll survive during my slumber. Take these blessings and make the best of them, children of the night.)   Whoa... wicked. Hm...I see. So this is what it feels like... Interesting._______________  WHAT HAVE YOU DONE TO ME?! I swear, she's bloody lost it. ...Ooh, does she have fur now? Like, when do I get to learn this hex? This wasn't even me, I swear. Hexing her got boring a long time ago. Then it was something else... kehehehe... how fascinating...________________ (And one last gift, before I retire to my den... that is, if you'll accept it.) S-S-S-Simon?! But I put you down! Oooh, now you've got it comin' jackass, I still got that scar from last time! Blades at the ready! Egads, this is the kind of reception I get for my grand return? What folly! Oggy, my brother, you wound me yet again! Simon...? Yes, I have returned! You know, immortality really isn't all I figured it would be- this body's really grody now. I'm almost glad you betrayed me at this point. I'd hate to see your ugly mug all withered up like this too. Gods, I think I'd retch up what's left of my insides at that! Like, ew, can somebody shut him up already? You... damned rear end, you haven't changed too much, have you? Hey, don't ignore me! Look at this scar! Oh gods, I did that? Man, do you know what a tattoo place would charge for something as cool as that? That's not the point! Hold your horses, you put a giant stake through my chest, now, c'mon. Actually, that was me. Oh, Oggy, you wound me yet again, and quite literally this time. Eh, it healed fine enough, I think. Oggy. Ah, yes... apologies. Horos brought him to us, so I'm willing to trust him, but don't let your past cloud your judgement here. Aw, bosslady, be a bit more fair with me, would ya? You nearly killed Samovar, you'll have to excuse my reservations. Tch... fair enough. Their new questionable ally in tow, the Dance gathered their spoils and made their way back to the town for a resupply.  Reunited with his axe, Beecher was now perhaps one of the most combat proficient members on the team.  Ziege Dame, as Simon had taken to calling himself after a monologue about becoming a new person, was also a particularly dangerous fighter, though his skills were well rounded to handle any situation well.     Meanwhile, the last of Horos's blessing manifested in newfound power across the people of Goatmurdered. These newfound strengths would serve them well in the coming days. With their newly bolstered team in tow, the Dance Macabre reasoned that pursuing the Cosmic Tree would be in their best interests. T'would be yet another journey to the southeast, though a great deal lengthier this time.  Yet, nothing can ever be that simple in Thea.  drat it all, is Perun throwing a fit again? No, look, Vily! Tch, let's not waste time mincing words with them and just banish them.  Watch your back! Oi, thanks mate! You know, I could have sworn demons were harder to banish than this.  : Ah, more Tears of the Moon. This shall serve us well as weaponry. Whoa! H-hey! My hands are doing that glowing thing again! You'll learn to control it eventually.------------------ Turn 157 - 163 ------------------  As the Dance weaved their way into uncharted territory, complications would strike elsewhere.  Okay, the hair's all gone, and I'll figure out something to do about the teeth, maybe get some goggles for the eyes-  -HRK! Oh, gods why does this always happen to me? Delilah, I told you not to touch the well! ...I haven't even been near it... We can always dig another well later...but we'll have to act soon... kehehe... *Unintelligible grumbling* Jus' m' luck, had t' get in with a buncha loons *more grumbling*  Oi, Rosemont, *coughing*, know of any herbs to *coughing* fix this...? O' course, what'd'ya take m'for *incoherent grumbling* I have... the worst... luck... Fear not, I go with you. We shall find the herbs.The people of Goatmurdered prepared to go and find the required herbs, leaving only Arzaac and Slaan behind.  The roots are revolting! They've got siege rutabagas! The carrots are burrowing for an underground assault! Y'know, all things considered, I think I'd rather stay here than go with that group 'o crazies. No! The lettuce snuck from behind! We're under assault! ...Would still rather be here. Oblivious to the predicament at home, the Dance Macabre moved forwards into the unknown, reaching a predicament of their own.  Oh, mama, look at this! Whoa, Jim, look that lass has herself a raven as well! Pretty ladies on a cold night? What god of fortune have we earned the favor of? Ugh. Might as well just break this hex before these fools drool any longer. I shall assist, if it is no matter. Not affecting you then? Not the first time I've seen it. They're pulling old tricks again, it seems. : Forget about me, fair maidens? Yaaagh?! SIMON?! Tut tut, you should really know better than to try it with me around. Simon, you damned traitor! You rear end! Oh, dear, Elia, you really should work on that language. gently caress off!  Friend of yours? Just an old flame from before you stuffed me in that coffin. Like, ew. Can we just cut this to a close and stake 'em already? Why are we all glowing AGAIN? Oh, right, I just needed somewhere to put all the excess magic I just ripped from them. I suppose I just gave you all magic powers. YOU IMBECILEEEEESSSS! SHUT. UP!  Wow, you all really quite have this handled, don't you? REEEEEEEEEEE *Sigh* Well, well, I suppose that's that. Can we just get a move on now? Fine by me.    As the dawn of the new day started, the people of Goatmurdered became more experienced in the world. Their skills were becoming widespread, and they would need every one of them for the coming trials ahead.  As the Dance moved ever so closer to the destination they had marked on their map long ago, the afflicted refugees of Goatmurdered weren't too far behind.  Buried in the southeastern snow, the expedition team found what they were looking for, but it was not what they had expected.  Ugh, more old guys and towers? (By the Earth Mother, it's another one of these.) (I think I know where this is going.) Listen, we got here because it was marked on a map. We thought it had something to do with the Cosmic Tree. (Is it worth mentioning he was dead by the time we found him?) (Probably not.) ...Er, no. We haven't. : *Simultaneous facepalm* Oh dear... this again... Uggggggggggg : ggggggggggg ghhhhhhhhhh Hey, uh, you two, what's goin' on? Beats me, caw! Me know nothing! Alright, you old gently caress, we've had this drat conversation before with your old colleagues. Get to talkin' something new now, or we're just going to leave. You realize there's two elves here, right? Besides, I'd say the magical power we all hold is more than proof enough against your statement. We're children of Horos, and even through all this he hasn't given up on us. Your calculations are flawed, old man. : Such... ignorance. This is what caused the downfall of the world? Perhaps, though I have wondered if this was nothing more than the last straw in a chain of mistakes.: ...I see. I do not think we are completely blameless here, but...Having gained no more knowledge than that there was some grove they hadn't discovered, the Dance merely shook their heads and turned back in the direction they came from. Along the way, they came across some unexpected treasure and a rather unexpected happening.  'Ey, you two! We got loot over here! Mm. Something's approaching. ...Tch. This'll be easy. I guess you called it right. Oi, brother! What're you doin' here? Vodka?! A legendary coincidence, the Dance Macabre had met with the afflicted refugees just as soon as they had reached their own destination.  Seriously, what's going on? *Coughing loudly* Hkkkkk ...By gods... you don't know how good it... is to... see you... Er, the well might've gotten poisoned. What?! What the hell did you do to the well? Back off, you crusty old dog, my group didn't do a thing. Kehehehe... Like...I didn't do a thing... The poisoning was sudden. I left to defend this group. Can you *coughing* get the rest of the Dance, brother? We *coughing* tracked down some herbs to fix the poison... Right, stay here and don't die before I'm back! I suppose it's a good thing we've kept it so safe of late. You're looking quite rough there, girl. Running a fever and pretty chilly overall... After this... you've got to take me... with you... it's a nightmare... Ooh, look at those pretty little teeth you've got now! Wait, wait! No... don't pick that one. It's got parasites. ...Uh, yeah, looks like it. Just... avoid that side. I'd rather not have any more... problems...urgh  Guys... I still don't feel so good... *Incoherent grumbling* Nearly got me killed you- *grumbling* Argh, it looks like we're going to need something stronger for her. Oi, you gonna be okay, herb man? *grumble* Had worse *grumble* Hoy! Here you all are! How interesting to find most of our town on the move. Whoa, Idiot, why's her eyes glowin' like- Holy Horos's backside, yer's are doin' it too! We, uh, kilt a vampire thingy and this kinda happened. You, elf lady, what the hell is happening to me?! You're merely assuming the form of a partial night creature- I'd imagine this wouldn't be rare occurence for children of Horos, but I suppose it has been some time. Hold on, why are all of your hands glowing? Ah, hell, that's residual mana, just how many of you developed magic talent when I wasn't looking?: I believe all of them, actually. BY THE TOTEM, WHY IS A STRIGA HERE Oh, hey, Simon, long time no see.: Hey, kid, seems you're still kicking. Yeah, I uh- WAIT, SIMON?!Their meeting meant they would need to catch up on a lot of happenings on the trip back. After all, the Dance never spent too long back in town, often only for an hour or so to pick up more supplies. They had no intention of resting until Thea was safe for the town.    In time, they would return to the town with a wealth of materials, as well as newfound knowledge on how to claim the forest of Ancient Wood nearby. In the coming days, they would need to bring Delilah to the swamp herbalist to cure her poison as they searched for more clues regarding the Cosmic Tree and this mysterious grove they sought. They might as well investigate that tower that "princess" directed them to in the meantime as well. But as the Dance continues on, what should they invest their coming research and materials in? A.More Weapon and Armor Types: B. New Buildings and Improvements to the Old Buildings: C. or Continue Researching Materials?: The Flying Twybil fucked around with this message at 05:22 on Aug 27, 2020 |
#
?
Aug 26, 2020 21:22
|
|
|
|
| # ? Jun 12, 2024 05:58 |
|
|
I'd say more weapons and armor types. Your Beecher names seem to be pulling up the portrait every time it seems 'Beecher' is said. Good ole God-Quest. Striga are definitely one of the better non-humans and generally superior to humans (though doesn't really match elves since nothing does). Horos giving one of the best unit rewards since it can actually still use gear, they really didn't balance gear/non-gear using units well :/. This update is definitely a show of why the magic exits are usually the best. They tend to spew stat points at you or top-tier resources (hello moonstones). The Striga seduction event is one of the goofiest examples since it buffs everyone who has at least 3 (?) magic in the party.... which can include having magic from gear.
|
|
#
?
Aug 26, 2020 21:49
|
|
|
B, New Buildings With our fancy new wood we should be able to expand our gathering radius and starting rolling in all the food variety we could ever want, and crank out science progress at a steady pace to get all the other stuff.
|
|
#
?
Aug 26, 2020 23:06
|
|
|
B The few buildings you want are quick enough to queue up in research, and honestly, I'd go for weapon/armor types after since we can just use the materials we're looting without needing to research a constant source of them. Also stop trying to kill me, you magical jerks.
|
|
#
?
Aug 27, 2020 00:17
|
|
|
Keldulas posted:Your Beecher names seem to be pulling up the portrait every time it seems 'Beecher' is said. Thanks for the heads up on that. I knew a find/replace job went wrong somewhere, I somehow missed actually seeing it though. But, yeah, the equipment capable non-human characters tend to excel quite well. Ziege's also got a really good set of wide skills, so getting him was just an overall boost to the team. I've had the Vily and Striga events show up so often on my playthroughs it's not even funny, and this group is profiting greatly from it. The game is very much balanced for magic being rare, but it's not really all that hard to get if you know where to look. ZiegeDame posted:With our fancy new wood we should be able to expand our gathering radius and starting rolling in all the food variety we could ever want, and crank out science progress at a steady pace to get all the other stuff. If I'm not mistaken, the building for expanded gather radius specifically only accepts Dryad Wood, not Ancient. We know where some is though. Drakenel posted:Also stop trying to kill me, you magical jerks. Technically the only bad thing that happened was the poison, but now you've got a latent mind's eye and you're also half night-creature, so... It's not been a great place to be for those who don't like supernatural stuff, basically.
|
|
#
?
Aug 27, 2020 05:34
|
|
|
The Flying Twybil posted:Technically the only bad thing that happened was- You're one of them too, aren't you? I'm watching ya...  Jokes aside, I'm happy to see this back. Hope you're in good health.
|
|
#
?
Aug 27, 2020 07:00
|
|
|
Everyone's mutating so much it feels like we crossed into Darkwood. Lay off the mushrooms.
|
|
#
?
Aug 27, 2020 08:30
|
|
|
B Ain't like we're gonna face anything worse than what we've already laid down.
|
|
#
?
Aug 27, 2020 21:08
|
|
|
Drakenel posted:You're one of them too, aren't you? I'm watching ya... Hey, if it helps us win  I've mostly just been updating this on a roughly monthly schedule, (though I think this one was a bit late,) because I've got a bunch of other stuff I'm doing, especially on the Beach, and writing all the narrative really takes it out of me. I'm mostly fine health-wise though, the virus hasn't gotten to me yet. Black Robe posted:Everyone's mutating so much it feels like we crossed into Darkwood. Lay off the mushrooms. Thea, a weird place/ Gods, magic, talking moles/ We're probably high. - Haikus of Goatmurdered, entry 04
|
|
#
?
Aug 30, 2020 01:09
|
|
|
I'm just happy we haven't had any permanent casualties. Plz no die everyone it would give me a sads.
|
|
#
?
Aug 31, 2020 06:29
|
|
|
Update 13: A Cosmic Quest Ah, back for more are you? Well, I'm afraid to say that we're approaching the end of this tale. There's no need to fret, though, there's still some more to tell.  The first thing for business on this day was to get Delilah cured of the poison leftover from the well incident. As to why the herbs didn't work on her in the first place, people can only theorize.  Just the poison, thank you.  You want us to play chess for you? That's all? Yeah, pretty much... dude... Thanks... guys...  I had no idea you played this game in the Westerlands. I'm surprised to find that anyone plays it anymore. What are you two doing playing a separate game over here? Simon's got that handled. Think we could play a game sometime? That would be quite nice, yes. Is everyone here fried? Who falls for Fool's Mate anymore? ...It won't do anything for the poison in your hands though. That's a blood problem. Eh, I think... it'll be fine... Think we should go deal with that princess lady while we're up this way? I suppose it can't hurt. Oh, hey, bear tracks. *Cracks knuckles*The journey to the Tower of the Ice Princess was mostly uneventful. There was a note about "bears again", though what that means, we can only speculate.   Hm... when did this get here? There's a lot of latent magic here, I can sense it. It feels sorcerous, unnatural. As riveting as you thought it'd be, Sam? Stuff it, old friend. How... do... *wheeze* you put... up...with this...? You get used to it after a while, honestly. You know it doesn't seem like you can offer us anything in your present state. Caw! Now this fellow knows some style! Right, princess, how do we even know you're not leading us into the same trap? How rude! C'mon, cut to the chase already.  Don't worry, we don't have any intentions of letting her go. Excuuuuuse us, Princess. We'll just be going now. Ah, see! Look, we got treasure for all our hard work! One, we didn't do anything, and two, I could see you about to pass out holding your breath there. I- I don't know what you're talking about! You must be seein' things. ...That being said, I appreciate you not dragging us into something in the search of treasure. You're going senile on me, old friend, I just wasn't feeling it after that long climb. 'Sides, she was full of it, I could tell. Wasn't going to be any fun anyways. Having left the cold princess to her fate, the rewards left by the black swan proved to improve their hoard of materials. The books written on the Icy Mountain are still in our libraries, in fact.  In time, the Dance Macabre made its way back to the town to deposit both their loot and the healed Delilah. This having been done, they set their sights on the other location they knew of that was related to the Cosmic Tree, a grove to the far south.  Of course, the Macabre had become quite swift at traveling Thea and the journey to the grove took them very little time.  Hm, a treant? A whatzit? You may know it better as a Leshy. Ah, I see. 'Ey, Leshy, you got any answers to this darkness thing? It seems to have been asleep for quite a while... Let's see... I am an Elf, and this event was nearly a century ago. Whoa there, barkface, we haven't done anything! Though rather uncourteously, he speaks the truth. It is likely your grove was lost when the others were. We were surprised to see that any of you were still alive. Your brother stole your flock? How terrible! (...Now I think I'm getting a different view...) (Indeed.) (...It seems as if it has been driven to madness by the Dark- it may be best to just agree for now, and see what it's brother has to say.) We can do this, but how do we know you have what we seek? (I get the idea that this thing's been playing us the whole time.) (Indeed. Do we strike it down?) (No, let us get the whole story from it's brother first.)  The expedition team made short progress leaving the corrupted grove behind.     Their experiences made them stronger as always- their adaptation was what kept them alive in this trying world. To be fooled by such a simple ruse...  It would seem the Brother Leshy's grove was not far from the home either. After some musing as to how they never noticed some of these things near their home, they approached the talking grove.  Oi, is there any talkin' trees around here? Your guess is accurate. Your brother holds someone prisoner who would be a key to restoring the Cosmic Tree. Are you sure he would fall for such a simple plan? 'Twould seem your brother is quite a crafty one. Fear not, we have no intention of harming you. We can hope this is enough to fool him without any bloodshed. Should it fail to work, we can handle the fight regardless.   Bidding a farewell to the uncorrupted Leshy, they headed back to the southern grove. Meanwhile, they devised a set of lies and half-truths that would hopefully suffice.  Night fell upon them, but they felt Horos's presence far above them. He was regaining strength, but it would not be complete until the Tree was restored.     It looked rather normal by ancient wood standards, and I've seen some ancient forests! I thought it was just an ordinary forest, personally, no cawse for excitement there! Caw-haw! I've seen even more ancient forests than this man, and I'd agree, it wasn't very special. By all means, it looked so ordinary, these people never realized it was there and it wasn't even far away from a usual fishing spot. (Anyone want to remind me why there's so many wolves? Why are we talking down wolves?)  Hold! If I may, Keeper of an ancient grove, know that I, a Child of Thea, have seen a Leshy wither away in one of the Demon Wars where a similar shadow plagued us. It is a deeply saddening sight, and only more saddening is that the remains lose all their lustre, all their magic. The majesty... is only a far flung memory... *Grimaces, clutches fist, and looks wistfully to the horizon* (The Demon Wars? I haven't heard of those.) (A fabrication of sorts. I "sold it" quite well did I not?) (Had me fooled!) Hey, you, are you still alive? Indeed... she was long gone by the time we found her. You seem to know more of what happened than we do. Could you enlighten us?  Do you know precisely what destroyed the Tree?  Yes... this sounds unfortunately familiar to me. Indeed, it does. Those are most definitely some sour memories. However, I must interject. We've met more than a few human spirits who claimed to have done this intentionally, not just because of random aggression. As far as we can gather, they wanted to destroy magic and replace it with science alone. Hold yer horses there! By Horos, everybody's jumpin' the frog today! We ain't got any intentions on destroying magic! If I may, I can vouch for them on this. They act to restore the state of the world as it was. To change the topic, do you know what happened to the gods? How did this happen while they had power? Perhaps it was these laws that bound them. Those people at the academy spoke of much manipulation- I wouldn't put it past them. The Westernlanders having something to do with it wouldn't surprise me either. Hold on a second there, the Cosmic Tree is only one of these Pillars, right? What about the others? Do we gotta fix all of them too? We Elves don't know everything after all, but yes, the Cosmic Tree being the center pillar would make sense. If Thea itself gets its power back, it should eventually fix those. Sounds like a plan, but where is this seed even at? I got a feelin' it's not out in the open. Divination? Some of our members have that at hand. Yes, and we would need something to focus from. It's a solid plan. That being said, will you come with us?   Their goal was in the west, and they set their bearing by the moon. The resolution to their quest wasn't that far away now. Could they entirely fix the mistakes of the past? Could they restore life to Thea's ravaged lands and expel the Darkness plaguing it? Well, you'll just have to see. Until next time. Next Time: The Quest For the Cosmic Seed ----- Twybil's Notes: There's no voting this week because I'm resolved to go ahead and put this LP to a finished state. It's gone on long enough, and I'm going to be quite busy with other things soon enough and need to open up some room for myself in my schedule. All this being said, the next updates will be coming swiftly, and we'll still have one final vote to make.
|
|
#
?
Sep 18, 2020 21:12
|
|
|
This doesn't surprise me. Unfortunately, Thea is probably too open-ended in its nature for this to work well. Asking for a vote remit on every little thing to do has made things drag pretty long. It's a fun ride regardless.
|
|
#
?
Sep 18, 2020 21:25
|
|
|
I've never been even remotely tempted to do what that Princess asks just to see what she'd have to offer. She's spectacularly unlikeable.
|
|
#
?
Sep 18, 2020 23:25
|
|
|
Given that you're going to be trying to wrap up the LP efficiently now, what is your policy on talking about a quest branch that we're vanishingly unlikely to see at this point? Princess stuff
|
|
#
?
Sep 19, 2020 07:08
|
|
|
Keldulas posted:This doesn't surprise me. Unfortunately, Thea is probably too open-ended in its nature for this to work well. Asking for a vote remit on every little thing to do has made things drag pretty long. Eh, it was worth a shot, y'know? I'd have continued with it longer, but I've really got to start getting busy with some other stuff now. Keldulas posted:Given that you're going to be trying to wrap up the LP efficiently now, what is your policy on talking about a quest branch that we're vanishingly unlikely to see at this point? Princess stuff Yeah, go ahead. You can talk about the Giant's Quest too if you want, as I'll go ahead and give a nice ending before then anyhow. kaosdrachen posted:I've never been even remotely tempted to do what that Princess asks just to see what she'd have to offer. She's spectacularly unlikeable. As far as I know, you're better off leaving her unless you did the magic exit. She really is incredibly unlikeable. The Flying Twybil fucked around with this message at 22:44 on Sep 22, 2020 |
|
#
?
Sep 22, 2020 22:38
|
|
|
So insofar as the princess stuff, the magic exit stuff basically starts with provoking her a little, then the magic option appears. What you find out is that someone cursed her to basically be perpetually angry, and you dispel it. You get stats and a high-tier gift, then she goes to seek out the tower anyways. At the tower, the trap still happens. But she doesn't really ask you to free her, it's more of a morality choice here since she's repentant and all, and there's the question of how many of her actions were fully her fault. I haven't seen what happens when you leave her there at this point, but freeing her still requires you to kill the crow. You get guilted a bit for doing so, and she says that she'll wait for Veles to open the Gates to the Underworld. Pretty sure you do get a nicer present for this though. If you free her without dispelling the curse, she spawns as a hostile enemy group on the map. You still get the nicer reward. This is generally not worth doing because her spawn location is somewhat random, including the potential of spawning AT YOUR TOWN. The questline interests me because the tone of the resolution changes completely with the magic exit. Magic exit gives you a morality question. Non-magic exit is a greed based risk/reward calculation. But since she's unlikeable like that, I generally left her trapped in the tower before I knew about the magic exit.
|
|
#
?
Sep 22, 2020 23:06
|
|
|
Update 14: The Serpent of Chaos (Turn 175 - 185) Ah, I see you've come. Ready for the finale of our tale?  The Dance Macabre set off to the northwest, passing by the ruins of Dziody on the way, while the elven guardian headed straight west in search of a location suitable to such a strong divination.  The moon continued its path in the night sky, while Horos's children approached their destination. Though, distractions were still present on their journey.  Me see tree! Me see Jim tree! Hm, another one of these crow trees? Almost a nostalgic sight, ain't it? Indeed, I remember it just like yesterday! But a fledgling, shedding its down...and hoping not to fall down! Caw-haw! Think there might be anything of use up there? Eh, might as well check. Fah, looks like nothin' useful. Cawse! Cawse for alarm! This is an adult flock's nest! Beat your wings to a retreat! Oh man, oh man, they're a comin' in hot!  Those majestic wings! Those sleek feathers! It's a Kingraven! I got a feelin' this won't be easy! The fight was rather swift, despite the assumptions. After all our expedition was trained for fighting demons and undead, and crows weren't much of a match, no matter how large. Yet, it was an unsettling encounter for some involved. Lookin' a bit low in the wing there, Can't imagine that was somethin' you wanted to do. I... I'm more in shock of the look in it's eyes. Kingravens were meant to be messengers and agents of the gods- 'twas a position I aspired to... I see the Darkness runs deep then... Well, wings up there, featherball, we're gonna fix this. You'll get yer chance to be one! Yes, yes, we find Seed! Dark bad, Dark gone! Haw... 'Tis true, we have a mission! The grieving can wait! Indeed, more dangerous things awaited them as they traveled into a den of danger.  (Horos's backside! Dragons are still around?) (They're ancient creatures. They didn't make it this long without knowing how to hide when necessary.) (Fascinating. I always wondered if they were still around, though I've never met one myself.) (The question is, what do we do? I have faith in our combat skills, but a dragon?) (If you're careful with them, you can usually talk down most dragons. Just play the polite fool, and I think we can handle this.) (Sounds fine to me!) Oh, like, wow! I'd just love to! So, how's things going on down here? Pretty regal place ya got, if you don't mind me sayin'! *nudges Samovar* *Rolls eyes* Oi, what a downright rude way to treat somebody! It must be, like, so terribly dull never getting to stretch your wings! I can only begin to imagine! I say, if we retrieved those shards, d'ya think that might lift that curse? Anything to help out such a majestic being! Dear me, what spell could possibly hold against the mighty will of a dragon? It's your right to soar the skies, isn't it?  Despite how convincing the Dance Macabre may have been, 'twould seem a different force bound the scaled firebeast to it's duty. The mage that had given this task truly had picked a formidable and loyal guard.  And the dragon itself put up a strong argument on it's own- centuries of life can make a crafty tongue sharper that most could imagine.  Yet, the dragon soon found itself convinced by the expedition, though perhaps there was an unknown factor at play in their success...  Surely, your scaled majesty, t'would be rude of us to infringe upon your mighty hoard. If you insist, I say perhaps those tree shards are more than sufficient. Recounting this story of being granted them would be exquisite! Oh, wow, oh wow, thank you, your scaly majestiness! And- Wha-? I don't remember the flames being so blue! Whoaaa! I do say, it's a rather entrancing taste it has to it. Ahaha! You fleshlings are ever so droll! Well, off with you for now, I suppose! Tua ghen da ra si! Farewell!----- I see you understood that after all. That sparkle in your eye is what I though it was- how peculiar! I appreciate your discretion... and your clemency in this. We all have our methods and secrets, it would be quite rude of me to out another. As for the latter, I sensed your auras- there was no need for apprehension. ...Though, I shall request a favor from you in turn. If it be in my power to fufill it. Hmhmhm, very few things would not qualify under that... yet all I ask is simple: might you return here when your quest is over? I do imagine we could have some fascinating conversations, and it is so hard to find those who understand anymore. I can do that, yes. Excellent! Well, until then!----- Say, d'ya know what that bit at the end was? That? I imagine it was some farewell in draconic. We never really had the means to study it, so I cannot say for sure. Ah... Hm, y'know, maybe I could learn it and write it down? That'd be a nice life goal. That dragon, he seemed quite the amiable chap. Ever the fascination with beasts. Although, isn't it a bit soon to be thinking about what comes next? Hah, I've got faith we'll fix this, easy. I don't see no danger in dreamin' now. Dream nice! Scales nice! Well, I have faith in our mission as well, though I must say I'm surprised you properly identified that as a male dragon. Took a guess based on the similarities to a bog lizard, though I'll be sure not to mention that to 'im! ...Wings... so... glorious!The shards collected, the expedition was starting on their way back when they spied something rather odd.   Figures, watching them from the further west... but what for? The team decided to go and see what this was. They didn't want to risk an ambush with the comsic shards in hands.  Hey there. Is there any particular reason you were spying on us? I had no idea we'd become so famous. How'd you hear of that? Hm, I suppose he seems the type to throw a fit, but that's awfully far away. And still, what's your interest in the seed? Seems to be the story, yeah. It wasn't our ancestors though. Aye, we've had no friendly dealings with those academy folk. Hold on, what?! ...Come again? Did I hear that right? Excuse me? You're talking to servants of Horos and we have no drat intentions of burning the Tree. We have no aggression towards creatures of darkness, just the Darkness. (Ugh, we really should've had a better name for it.) A balance? I mean, perhaps we've found a way of survival, though I can't say much for the rampaging undead, constant storms, and general deadliness. It's really not been fun, mate. Hm, this was not what I had expected, but it does clarify some things. I suppose in that case we do really owe you thanks for saving it. It was just an act of survival, really. I can't imagine you'd have done different in our place, though I imagine you would've "fixed" this right up so you could put us in hiding again. If you have the seed, why worry about us? There's only a dozen of us here, we'd stand no chance against you. So you've already lost it then... hm. I don't like where this conversation is going. You want us to hide the Cosmic Seed, and not stop all this needless suffering? As I said, we're still surviving and we're not under the tyranny of the elves or the Western lords. We are people of the shadows, so the night isn't hard for us to survive, but I question the chances for anyone else. We've met very few people in our time, and few hostile creatures. I must add, you're severely judging the few of us elves that are left. Given what some of us have done misguidedly in the past, it is understandable, but you must understand that Elves of the past are long gone. As are the damned Western lords. The Elves of the past were dreadfully afraid of what the others would do with the secrets of magic, but those of us that are left have realized what a mistake it was to hide that from the other civilizations. In fact, nearly everyone of this team knows a sort of magic by this point. Tch. ...Regardless, we're not the ones making this decision. Shei-kun? I... have no answer presently. You're asking quite a lot here. Hmph. There's too much to consider. But rest assured, we'll consider your words when the Seed is in our hands. Horos himself has been brought back, and he'll watch over you as he does for us. Perhaps. Farewell. A difficult choice had been presented to the people of Goatmurdered. Either choice that had been put before them had too many factors that would be out of their control. Regardless of what they did with the Seed, lives would potentially be at risk. Yet, they were going to have to discuss it at another time. On their way back to the Elven Guardian, they spotted an undead horde going full pace towards the town. A horde far more dangerous than the villagers could handle on their own.  drat, that's a lot of undead! Don't just, like, stand there, we gotta get rid of 'em before they get to the town! Ready the chimes, our magic should be strong enough to eradicate all of them. Is it? Indeed, you've all become far more potent at it than you may realize. It was true. The Dance Macabre had become not only become powerful physically, but had also become quite expert in the ways of magic. Some had even reached the point of being powerful even without a focus for their magic.  Oi, there they go! Lookin' like we done cremated those fiends. Dead dead go poof! Indeed, it's over. Now, let's make haste, we're almost to the end of this.    Each battle and each day the people of Goatmurdered grew stronger and wiser.  The Darkness tried it's utmost to hold them down with whatever inconveience or danger it could muster.  They'd still keep marching forward though, acting to reclaim their future.  Horos was with them, and soon enough, perhaps the other gods may recover as well. Things that might have been very dangerous seemed to be turning into only minor obstacles easily worked past.  All the while they marched at a swift pace, even if their supplies had dwindled some. Soon enough, they had reached Alysir's meditation spot, the shards in hand.  Alright, we've got them, but we do still have some questions. This is going to take most of his power, we ought to wait until afterwards. Fair enough, I suppose, but can't we help any? We could, though our contribution wouldn't be much. Can you see how much magic he's drawing in? He's using rather restricted rites to do this- honestly, we'd be more at risk if we joined in. Surely this isn't all necessary? Can't we just get a general location? The seed itself or the whatever force took it from the Orcs is most likely cloaking it's location as well. We also need something to break through that magic barrier. ...Fine, but I still don't like it. It is rather beautiful... I haven't seen anything like it in a long time. Looks like a right treasure to me! True enough, but this is no trinket for the time being... Ngh, by Horos the amount of magic in this is blinding! ... I suppose this is why, then. Yes, I knew it'd would happen from the beginning, but something must be done before all life is extinguished. Please, prepare yourselves for what awaits you, and swiftly. ... Shei? Despair not for my life, it could not be preserved. The mad Leshy's poison had already guaranteed that, and it was my fault that I was captured to begin with. It isn't enough to make up for all my mistakes, but I had to try. Nothing I do can make up for what I've done, so all I can do is give a final effort to put events back on the right path. ... Please, go, and finish what I had started. ...We'll go.  With the elf's final blessing, the Dance Macabre set off further to the west- the last living part of the Cosmic Tree awaited them.   ...And it was evident that the Darkness knew. Though it was only growing in power, it flailed wildly to throw any obstacle in their path that it could.  However, they couldn't let anything stop their progress. They followed along the shoreline of the lake, eventually becoming worried that there would be no way to cross it towards their destination.  Yet, divine luck was on their side as the midday sun revealed a landbridge that provided them the final piece needed to swiftly make their way to the tree. The undead that guarded it was barely a barrier to the steadily moving expedition.     One final surge of strength would serve them well to see their mission to the end.  Like a mist forming, the dead husk of a burned out tree appeared before them as the powerful cloaking magic was dispelled. They had found the seed, right at the heart of the fallen pillar. What in the hell...? Is this truly the Cosmic Tree? ...It's a dire sight, indeed. It inhabits many places? I'm not sure I understand, but that's beside the point here; who are you supposed to be? Are you planning on standing in our way? Kinda lost the effect when you said it, mate. You're Chaos? Perhaps some embodiment of it I suppose. The primal forces of the world can take strange shapes as well. So what, does it want the tree destroyed? Tell us, "Zmey", why have you hidden the seed? Are you in favor of the Darkness? Now, I ain't got much a clue what any of this means, but I think I can tell that's a bad thing. Indeed it is, though I'm not sure I expected much different from a creature of Chaos itself. Well, that sure sounds nice and dandy, but you know, if you haven't a clue whether or not you're an enemy, mind if we just borrow the seed? At this point, the Macabre stepped aside to talk out their plan. Zmey seemed to have no plans on taking action itself. drat, worth a shot. It worked on the full dragon, though I suspect we're dealing with different motivations here. Well, it doesn't seem like a quick conversation will resolve this. Y'know, if a short one won't cut it, a long one might. We're gonna talk this'n down too? It may be possible, yes, but how would we convince this creature? It's been going on and on about chaos, so maybe we aim there? A fine enough idea. If we can appeal to its sentiments, we might be able to get it to give up the seed by default. Well, at heart, as a creature of Chaos, all it wants to see is unpredictability and for things to stay in constant motion. Well, all life dying out in the Darkness sure ain't gonna be that. No life, all dark! A world darker than my wings, caw! Then we'll try that. If we can get this without risking our lives any further, that would be great.With this, Shei-kun turned away and stepped up to Zmey. Never mind the preparations, Zmey, we've made them already. We're here to settle this. Oh, are you? Then draw your weaponsssss, a fair fight will be more interesssssting. This won't be a battle of weapons, just words. Ooh, how very interesssssting indeed! And what for? Your understanding of the situation is flawed and we'd like to correct that. Hsss... Well, give me the argument firsssssst. You claim you are a creature of Chaos, yet you seek to let the world be enveloped by the Darkness. And what issss wrong about that, sssssay, two-legssss? Chaosssss! You see, the Darkness will come to end all life if it continues! Nothing can continue if it comes back for good! Hmhm... then it issss time for my rebuttal, hisss...! Chaossss... I sssay, look at the wonderful messss it hasss created sssso far. Creaturessss sssscrambling everywhere to ssssurvive- it'sss complete madnessss! If I may, that is perhaps a bit shortsighted. Indeed, the Chaos reigns now, but can the Chaos feel the parts of the world devoured by the Darkness? Hss... You can't, can you? That's because there's nothing there left! HSS?! Look to the future! Do you see what this means? Chaoss, chaosss! I hardly think so! It means an eternal calm, mate! In the pitch black cold, nothing will survive, and everything will come to an end! N-no...! Chaossss, chaosssss! The chaosss! Aye, there'd be nothing left for ya to have fun with. Ya might get yer fun now, but then it'd be gone for good! ...Besides, you don't know what we're going to do with it... Indeed, none of us knows what the future may hold. Letting the Darkness consume all is just a bit too predictable, but with us, who knows what's going to happen? Hisss! Hissssss! Fine, you talk good pointssss...  W-we... we did it?! It seems so, and you didn't even need my help it seems. Right on, Samovar, you just had 'em on the run! Hah, don't give me all the credit for that, Beecher's the one who made the first blow. I jus' did my thing in followin' through. Hell, you did quite fine yerself! I thank you. You did make quite the argument though, I must say. Indeed, old friend. *walks up* Oh, you're done already? Looks like you didn't need my help this time. Ah, how they grow up so fast... Aw, shut it, Simon. Hey, I was in the reserves! You could've tagged me in at any time? Gods, you really haven't changed at all...The members of the Dance Macabre had finally achieved their goal, but one final question lied before them: what would they do with it? They had a long discussion to try and reason out the factors of the whole situation before them. The future of Thea was quite literally in their hands and they'd have to consider it closely.  Evil King, I've been meaning to ask something. Who was Alysir? I can tell you knew him. You could? Hmhm, your eyes have gotten much sharper it seems. Yes, I knew Alysir, as did most elves, but I was one of the few who knew him by name. Alysir was the High Councillor of Magic in the Elven capital city. Wait, he was the Councillor?! How did you know this? Perhaps you underestimated my rank in the courts, but I assure you I did. I'm not entirely sure if he recognized me though. I mean, fair enough, I don't remember much from that far ago, though that might be the latent effects of undeath. What's all the fuss about this Councillor anyhow? Put short, he was the one who made the final decision centuries ago to hide magic from the other peoples. He was always heavily opposed to it, and had little faith in what humanity would do with it. So what you're saying is that, in a sense, he caused all of this... ...Yes, you could blame him for it. I know he blamed himself for it, his final words spoke that quite clearly. Perhaps not all the blame lies with him, but he was the one who truly set this all in motion. I grant him no excuses for it. Hmm... And what about what the orcs said? They seemed afraid of the return of kings, Western nobles, and your isolationist Elven courts. Well, the Westerlands weren't doing too well at this point. The vile noble courts had long since fallen, but life was beyond hard. The hunting guilds, like the one I was raised into, were mostly for hostile demons... but I can't guarantee what they'll end up doing. The Elven courts of old are now long gone. The Elven population was greatly destroyed during the days of the Cosmic Tree's fall, and has only dwindled since under the harsh Darkness. The ones of us that are left know that our refusal to cooperate was our downfall, and that joining together is the only way to survive. I'm sure we can convince the remnants of our people of this as well, though it is a hopeful stance. As for the Westerlands' return, I have no idea how they would act or even if they would come back. So, as it stands, if we banished the Darkness, we may be able to continue our cooperation here, but we don't know what would happen in the rest of the world. Yes, and though the Cosmic Tree is the main pillar, I do not know the influence it would have on the other lands. Aye, don't forget we've got Horos back now too, he also protects the good demons, Orcs, and the Goblins. A fair point. If we did not return the Seed then, what will happen? I mean, we can keep up surviving this harsh life, I suppose, but what of everyone else? Well, that other band of people claimed they were doing fine. At the rate things are going, I don't think the garbage parts of the old world would resurface. Yes, but unfortunately as the situation stands, the Darkness will likely eventually expand too far and overtake us all. It would be a few hundred years at best before that would be a problem, but even then... But that's only an estimation, right? Well, yes, but remember when Pharnakes asked that creature if it could sense anything int he darkness? Ah, right! Zmey's response on that was worse than I had anticipated it to be. I imagined it would respond that there was at least a glimmer of light out there, but you see how well it accepted her statement. Mm, is it possible we're reading a bit too far into that though? Do we know it's spreading for sure? Perhaps I am putting too much faith in a Chaos creature's words, but I still believe the Darkness is still likely spreading more harshly than we or that other civilization had estimated. I can only say that it is spreading based on the rising danger we've encountered. Hmph, there did seem to be an awful lot of inconveniences getting here, as well as that undead horde that was aimed towards Goatmurdered. Regardless, I'm not sure how the rest of the Elves will survive in this situation. When you found us, we were both on the brink of death already. We are inherently magical beings, and the waning power of Thea itself would eventually do us in. Hey, what about the Dwarves? Dwarves ain't real, mate. Oh, actually, they are, but it seems like they isolated themselves completely to the underworld when this happened. I haven't seen one in a long time. They'll be fine for a long time, but eventually the Darkness would reach them too as well. It's not an easy choice here. There's far too many uncertainties... What would the gods want? Well, I'd imagine Horos is fine with either choice, though I think it depends on the god. ...So no closer to an answer. Ugh, why couldn't this have been an easy choice? Well, we've got plenty of time to make a decision.Indeed, it was a choice that was fraught with unpredictable outcomes. A. They could restore the Cosmic Tree, putting the world on a path of recovery from the Darkness, but how the new societies would act is beyond their knowledge. The fight against the Darkness would soon end as its strength waned, and the coming days would be about trying to unite the peoples of Thea for a second chance on a world that would remain habitable. B. Leave the world in it's present state and continue to eke out a living alongside the other civilization they met, but without knowledge of whether or not the world would be eventually consumed. The corrupt organizations that had contributed to bringing the world to this state would likely never return, but the Elves would likely go extinct, and the future would be filled with warring against the Darkness. The vote will be for about a week and then I'll call it. --- Hey, don't leave me out of this! You can't just tell me Dwarves are real and cut off the conversation!
The Flying Twybil fucked around with this message at 01:07 on Sep 27, 2020 |
|
#
?
Sep 27, 2020 01:03
|
|
|
A better tomorrow, I think.
|
|
#
?
Sep 27, 2020 01:28
|
|
|
A
|
|
#
?
Sep 27, 2020 06:09
|
|
|
A Sorry Horos.
|
|
#
?
Sep 27, 2020 06:59
|
|
|
A, since the alternative is a slow paced end-of-the-world
|
|
#
?
Sep 28, 2020 13:18
|
|
|
Better orc socialism than elf autocracy
|
|
#
?
Sep 29, 2020 03:42
|
|
|
B
|
|
#
?
Sep 29, 2020 09:55
|
|
|
Finally caught up. Are you planning on moving to T2? Anyway - A
|
|
#
?
Sep 29, 2020 18:07
|
|
|
If you're not gonna pick B when Horos, when are you?
|
|
#
?
Sep 29, 2020 22:01
|
|
|
Update 15: Epilogue It was after long debate that the expedition team had come to an answer. Horos, perhaps this is what you meant when you told me I couldn't protect everyone. I didn't want to believe that at the time, I couldn't believe it. Protecting people has always been my purpose. It's only now I ask of you to help the other beings of the night in this new world. We'll do what we can for them, but you're right, protecting everyone isn't possible for us alone. ...I'll have to settle for keeping my pack and their future safe first.  With that, the Dance Macabre placed the Cosmic Seed back upon the Tree's husk, setting forth the motion to bring the world back into it's original balance. In the future to come, they would try their hardest to prevent the mistakes of the past from happening again- theirtale being retold a great many times throughout the years to remind the people of the Darkness that once was. The Orcish populations were rather unhappy with this decision, but the people of Goatmurdered would go on to try and maintain an alliance with them while Horos watched all of their backs. The old academy was deemed a forbidden ground, though a society formed around it to ensure that nobody would ever repeat the wrongdoings that had brought all of this in motion. The Elves, with the Tree restored, would soon enough re-form their society at the ruins of Silveroak and those that had returned took it upon themselves to work closely with the other society in search of not repeating past mistakes. The fate of the rest of the world remained unknown, but for Thea, it seemed at least a future peace could be found. Whether or not it would is a question nobody knew the answer to at the time- and possibly this is precisely what the Chaos wanted in the end. Of course, there are many tales to tell about the future of Thea, but those will need to wait for another day. Most haven't even been written in the annals of history yet. Character Endings: Shei-kun, Pack Leader and High Defender of Goatmurdered  Attributes Not Pictured: 16 Strength, 7 Tactics, 6 Will We had some close calls, but we never lost anyone. I'd say that's a job well done!Shei-kun would go on to continue her role as the guardian of her people, and was head teacher of the next generation of fighters, even if she hoped it would never be necessary. She still felt a bit of restlessness from all her time on the road and never could settle into a sedentary lifestyle. She stayed on the road traveling between the known towns when she had free time to herself, inspiring the recreation of marathons. Her endurance had her remain undefeated, even into her elder years. The Monster Hunter, Oggy and Treasure Hunter Samovar  Attributes Not Pictured: 14 Strength, 6 Traps, 15 Will  Attributes Not Pictured: 22 Stealth, 11 Strength, 20 Will Oi, y'think this entrance is the right one? I think I smell treasure, old friend. You keep saying that, and last time we had to fight off four bears in a dead end cave that was slowly flooding. Hey, it was exciting though, right? *sigh*Samovar would go on to search out the location of the living Dwarven civilizations, no doubt attracted by the legends of their exquisite treasures. Oggy stuck around for some time, but eventually left to find his friend leaving this as his only reason: "Someone has to keep him from getting himself into a situation he can't talk his way out of. That, and I still don't trust the kitchen in this place while she's still here." It would seem that he never told the whole story regarding him, Sam, and Simon, but as far as anyone could guess, it must've been quite the tale. Black Robe the Coven Leader and Her First Trainees, Delilah Flowers and Meinberg-   Attributes Not Pictured: 2 Sturdiness, 17 Will  ...Well that's all for today. I have to get back to managing the kitchen. I swear, these apprentices sometimes... ...Right... I'll go back to... my hideout... I can't leave my cats alone for too long... kehehehe...The methods that Black Robe had found to awaken the magical talents in someone ensured that even if the Elves did return to their old ways, the people of Thea would never be without magic. Despite being a bit off-putting to most people, the coven was mostly harmless. She would go on to teach a good many people her not-so-secret profession, and left behind a legacy and tradition of a new kind of witch coven. Delilah Flowers never found a cure for her acidic poison blood or the resulting lethargy, but it eventually did lead her to the discovery of a material it wouldn't affect, inspiring the creation of the first hazardous material suit Meinberg was one of the main assistants in the coven for quite a long time. Though she never shared the secret of her long lifespan, she did leave behind a great many cats and a particular style of knitting that was highly receptive to enchantment. The Builders- Arzaac, An Anonymous Idiot, and Vodkahead   Attributes Not Pictured: 5 Sturdiness, 1 Traps, 19 Will  Well, I think we got this field well enough. Aye, it looks like we've got that ancient wood grove producing again. Yeah, looks like we'll have some more stuff to harvest soon enough.In the future rebuilding of society, Arzaac, Idiot, and Vodkahead remained crucial contributors to the agricultural development of many settlements. Their various experiences and skills were instrumental in designing more sustainable ways of food material production as the years went on. Many distant materials had now become locally growable thanks to Idiot's adventures and Arazaac's skills in managing their growth. Though Vodkahead missed his brother, he preferred to stay away from the violence and put his mental skills to better use at home. He knew that his brother knew how to handle himself. The Budding Animal Kinsman, Rocket Baby Dolls and His Companions Redsnapper and Jimmydalad-  Attributes Not Pictured: 21 Stealth, 9 Strength, 18 Will   Well, what now, friends? We sleep! We eat! Me say quest was tiring. Caw! Well said, furball! Hey, that's my line!Rocket Baby Dolls was always a rather stealthy, roguish fellow, and it was quite some time before anyone noticed that he had slipped off on an adventure of his own, taking his animal companions with him. The events of the journey had awoken an interest in studying the various creatures of Thea, an interest that would eventually produce several tomes of useful knowledge. In time, he convieniently ran across a lady on his travels that also traveled with a large rodent and a large crow. As to whether or not they ever got together, he never said. Redsnapper would eventually go on to establishing a line of talking rodents that still persist to this day, though it is said many of them sailed to a far off land. Jim eventually got his wish late in life as Horos chose him to be part of the second generation of Kingravens, the decision of which led to the eventual creation of the Godsbirds, a more diverse group of godly messengers. Before then, he and Rocket Baby Dolls also brought rise to a group of carrier crows. The Strongwoman, Fat Samurai  Attributes Not Pictured: 7 Will ...What?Always one for few words, Fat Samurai's name wasn't mentioned much in following historical records. Although, when it did, it gave rise to the theory she sought to test the limits of human strength. The few times she was seen again was when she was visiting her little sister, Drakenel. One written account notes a muscular woman lifting a fifteen ton rock in the middle of a thunderstorm, and some people still wonder to this day if it that was her, or if she was the matriarch of the bear riding amazonian tribe to the north east. It was possibly both, honestly. The Ambassadors to the Night, Drakenel and Pharnakes   Attributes Not Pictured: 22 Will, 1 Traps Wait a second, you're that many years older than me?! Rusalka blood ages gracefully after all. Don't worry about it though, I'm sure you've got a longer lifespan now too.Drakenel eventually overcame her phobia of the supernatural and eventually embraced being part creature of the night, particularly thanks to Pharnakes whose reveal of her half-Rusalka nature came as a waking shock. The two of them would go on to eventually establish friendly terms with many groups of night creatures and demons as the years went on, Drakenel wanting somewhere else to be than where Black Robe was present. Together, the two of them would also bring their skills together to make multiple advancements in various fields of technology. The Wayward Revenant, Simon "Ziege Dame"  Attributes Not Pictured: 1 Traps, 25 Will You all done here? I've got plenty of assignments and I'm low on skilled agents. Time for me to go already is it? Ah, well, what a bother. Thanks for givin' me the chance though, boss man.With the passing of time, Simon would eventually be recalled by Horos for a rather important mission he told nobody about but Oggy. In the end, it would seem he himself found peace in bringing his adoptive brother's mind to rest. He also noted that life on Thea was getting perhaps a bit uneventful for him after all this time, and a change of scenery would be nice. It's not easy making a deal with both Veles and Horos, but somehow he managed. Slaan, Reaper of the Fields  The conquest war of the roots has ended, but we have no time to tarry, the lettuce is out to conquer us as well! We may be worn down, but lose not heart my soldiers, for their attempt at a pincer attack will be their downfall! What in the world is she going on about now?Slaan would continue to win many brutal battles within the fields, her strange envisioning of a war between humanity and plants always a minor bit of concern for the populace. Regardless, it would promote many developments in creating efficent and safe harvesting technology in the years to come. While nobody was looking, she somehow became an honorary member of the Orc civilization. Historians still don't know what happened. Zengetsu, the Lone Warrior  I'm glad to see it's all over, but I have a mission to complete...Zengetsu's role in Goatmurdered's history was discovered to have been rather downplayed, mostly for the fact that he preferred to keep his contributions anonymous. Regardless, his presence was instrumental in protecting the town while the Dance Macabre was away. When the Dance Macabre returned for the final time, he remained for some time to pass down the combat techniques he learned, but soon left for a quest of his own. Soon enough tales of slaver bands being ambushed and cleanly dispatched began to rise, and though nobody knew the savior's name, let alone the fact that only few had even seen him, people eventually began to consider this to be his doing. Historians hypothesize this was his revenge on them for what had happened to him and his family. Regardless, everyone appreciated his involvement. Rosemont, Man of the Earth  *incoherent grumbling* The stout and gruff man seemed to vanish as he came, leading people to wonder if he was a dwarf or a gnome of some kind, but he regardless left behind a lot of very useful knowledge that served to future the medicinal practices of the new world. Nobody really ever knew what he was saying though. The Polite Elf and Gamesman, Beecher  Well, let's see if this takes off. I did put it together in a bit of a rush...Beecher remained in contact with the people of Goatmurdered, serving as the primary ambassador between the elves and other civilizations. He sought to move on from his past in this new world, and though he'd always remember it and the people of his past, it was time for something new. He always remained thankful he had gotten a second chance, instead of being consumed by the Darkness. In time, his fondness for games sparked a rather peculiar hobby that eventually took off to match a rather large, but still niche interest. He would document the various games of the world in text and paintings, writing down his experiences, advice, and personal observations of each one while inviting others to take part along the way. "The Beech Tree", often shortened to just "The Beech", was his particular collection of these and resultingly inspired many developments into communication media for the people of Thea. The Wise Stranger, The Great Evil King  Attributes Not Pictured: 3 Shielding, 18 Speech, 6 Stealth, 9 Strength, 2 Traps, 27 Will All in all, I think this went better than I'd expected it to. The cleanup's all done with, time to bow out gracefully.Great Evil King eventually departed without trace after the events of the Cosmic Quest, never to be heard from again. Her true identity remains entirely unknown and sometimes people often wonder if she wasn't entirely made up as a sort of inaccuracy designed to make the story more interesting or provide a possible clarity to some events. The volume of the events she was present for and mentioned in, alongside the many oral accounts of her would seem to provide more than enough proof for her existence though. ...Yet, no images of her exist and none of her possessions seem to remain- her only traces are those words recounting her presence. In the oldest history circles, historians have questioned her power and have wondered if she was in fact, something far more than she seemed to be... ~ Historian Draco Firebeard the Polite ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Final Notes  Well, this is probably my fastest round of Thea yet, though I suppose not waiting for the Giant's Quest would do that. This is also probably my luckiest, easiest run I've ever had as well. We've hardly been wounded most of the time, and the only times anyone came in danger of dying was from the Striga Lord fight (Sam), Horos's challenge (Pharnakes), and briefly with the poisoned well event. For those of you wondering what it is, it's the DLC questline that usually triggers from around Turn 180 to Turn 200 with a difficulty scale that reaches all the way up to 10 skulls and makes the overworld increasingly dangerous as time goes on. It's on the verge of starting on this file, but it hasn't yet. In the interest of this narrative reaching a proper end in a timely manner, I decided to cut it off before then. I think the Cosmic Tree is a good enough end to this tale after all. All in all, this was a fun experiment and a big thanks to all the readers and particpators I've had for it over this time, even after it slowed down dramatically. Given the size of the screenshots, this can't cleanly be stored on the archive, so I'll have it archived on LP Beach, (yes, the site is up,) for the forseeable future. My following projects will also be there for the foreseeable future as well, which is presently only an LP of FE: Echoes- Shadows of Valentia. Thanks again, all!
|
|
#
?
Oct 2, 2020 23:40
|
|
|
RedSnapper posted:Finally caught up. Are you planning on moving to T2? Perhaps in the far future I might take up doing Thea 2, but doing narratives really wear me out mentally even if they're fun. I mean, that's why this LP started dragging its feet so much towards the end. At least I actually finished this one though. I'm a bit more well suited to shorter LPs at the end of the day given my attention span.
|
|
#
?
Oct 2, 2020 23:45
|
|
|
Thanks for the ride! If you've skipped on as much as you've implied, I may just look into this game myself.
|
|
#
?
Oct 3, 2020 00:29
|
|
|
Thanks for showing off the game, this was fun.
|
|
#
?
Oct 3, 2020 08:00
|
|
|
For sure. Was a good read. Thank you for the LP.
|
|
#
?
Oct 3, 2020 15:28
|
|
|
Thanks for doing the LP, you did a good job on adding onto the story.
|
|
#
?
Oct 3, 2020 15:33
|
|
|
berryjon posted:Thanks for the ride! If you've skipped on as much as you've implied, I may just look into this game myself. In all honesty, it's a rather fast transition. It'll last about maybe 70 more turns your first time, I guess? It's only a single questline, but it's neat though and really ramps up the challenge if that's what you're looking for. I'll say that personally, it's a bit easy to burn out on Thea 1 though. It's only got so much content, and definitely suffers from some strategies (Social, Piercing, and Magic) being far better than other alternatives. I have played it to total victory before though, meeting all the possible win conditions. Most people seem to recommend Thea 2, but that's all up to you. Black Robe posted:Thanks for showing off the game, this was fun. Drakenel posted:For sure. Was a good read. Thank you for the LP. Taberquol posted:Thanks for doing the LP, you did a good job on adding onto the story. Thanks for sticking around for it! For me mostly just pulling ideas off the top of my head for the writing, I think it turned out pretty well. I got to show it off though, and that makes me happy. It's a neat little game that flew under the radar for me personally, and I think it at least warrants a spotlight for a little while.
|
|
#
?
Oct 4, 2020 06:44
|
|
|
Thanks for this! Bought Thea 1 because of it, fun little janky game. Thea 2 has a demo which was pretty alright, so I might give that a go next!
|
|
#
?
Oct 4, 2020 22:43
|
|
|
|
| # ? Jun 12, 2024 05:58 |
|
|
Really enjoyed this! I'm glad to see Thea getting a little bit of a spotlight shone on it. Was one of those games that I picked up on a whim and it ended up sucking me in way more than I ever thought it would.
|
|
#
?
Oct 5, 2020 02:08
|
|