|
That Little Demon posted:Nice! I think we should gamble a bit before we leave lol yeah lets go gambling. thnk we should hold off on the resurrection until we're somewhere a bit closer thoughy
|
#
?
Apr 14, 2023 15:27
|
|
|
|
| # ? Apr 29, 2024 15:42 |
|
|
That Little Demon posted:Nice! I think we should gamble a bit before we leave lol absolutely this lol. in fact as a general directive, gamble at every opportunity
|
|
#
?
Apr 14, 2023 17:19
|
|
|
Sub-Actuality posted:absolutely this lol. in fact as a general directive, gamble at every opportunity An excellent choice, sir!  I'll make sure we don't blow through too much though, just so we at minimum have enough for a resurrection deal later
|
|
#
?
Apr 14, 2023 17:28
|
|
|
Fungah! posted:lmao but also lmao tht you think other imps havent seen excel saga lol
|
|
#
?
Apr 14, 2023 18:30
|
|
|
Fungah! posted:lmao tht you think other imps havent seen excel saga Well I'll be damned...
|
|
#
?
Apr 14, 2023 18:52
|
|
|
*every imp simultaneously* oh is there sports betting?
|
|
#
?
Apr 15, 2023 15:08
|
|
|
Plebian Parasite posted:*every imp simultaneously* oh is there sports betting? hahaha yeah, seems like gambling is popular! I suppose I shouldn't be surprised, what with Impo coin betting being massive here. (For good reason, though!)Also, apologies for not keeping the quick pacing going - funnily enough, my weekend has been busier than my week, so far. Hopefully I'll get the gambling and travel done tomorrow. I have some other side-project stuff I need to work on ASAP too, though, but we'll see - should be able to make it work
|
|
#
?
Apr 15, 2023 17:38
|
|
|
After his unhelpful visit to the temple of Sig in Marlock City, Ableton figures he has some shards burning a hole in his coin purse, courtesy of his newly-discovered fellow devotees of Nagil. (He must admit, he's still a little skeptical about religion, but well, it at least has its perks!) So without delay, Ableton made his way back to the Street of Entertainers and spoke to the shifty-looking doorman to the gambling den. "Ah, yer back eh? Five shards door fee if yer want in." Our casino connoisseur, Ableton Live, promptly hands over the required shards, then proceeded to strut straight into the hazy, smoke-filled gambling den, like he's done this a hundred times. (Because well, let's face it - he has. Although he's never been to this one before, gambling dens in Harkuna are all the same to him: Opportunities) Ableton sits at a table and then spends a little while playing dice with what appears to be some dock labourers in dire need of a bath. After a few winning rounds, Abe decides to call it quits before his luck turns. He doubled his initial 20 shards, and hey, he's starting to feel a little parched anyway. As Ableton pushes back his chair with a screech however, he hears a loud whoop and a holler: "By the Three Fortunes, I’m hot tonight!" Trying to appear nonchalant, he casts his gaze over towards the source of the sound: A thin, pasty scholar, looks like. And after taking the last round's winnings, the excitable bookworm's coin purse is bulging. And better yet, it looks like he's calling it a day as well. Ableton, knowing a ripe opportunity when he sees it, casually delays his departure another thirty seconds or so by pretending to be listening to a nearby conversation. After this, he quietly slips out a short while after the bookworm left, then starts following from a short distance away. However, Ableton quickly noticed that this mark wasn't noticed by him alone - two thugs are ahead of him, looking like they've got the same idea! As the scholar passes by an alleyway, blissfully unaware of his assailants, the two thugs quickly close the distance and grab him - pulling him quickly into the alley! Ableton mutters a curse to himself, before making a dash to cover the last distance to the alleyway. As he rounds the corner, he can see that the scholar is cowering on the ground, with the two thugs looming over him. Abe decides to make use of the element of surprise, by springing forward and striking the two with a flurry of blows to the backs and side of their heads, as the thugs attempt to spin around to contend with their new foe. However, quick as a fox, Ableton dishes out a black eye to one and a broken nose to the other, sending them quickly scurrying off. Now that the interlopers have been dealt with, it's Abe's turn to stand over the feeble man. But as he casts his eyes downward over the poor sap, his stern expression turns to a mixture of pity and disgust. As the man is not only shielding his face and whimpering, but it would appear that he's also relieved his bladder. All without receiving a scratch from the thugs, beforehand. "Look... Just... get out of here, OK? The way you were acting earlier, it should come as no surprise that someone wanted to follow you and take your winnings" Ableton advises the young man, with a sigh. Allowing a juicy target to just slip through his fingers, like this...? He must be getting soft. "Thank you, thank you!" Exclaims the scholar. He pulls a vial of yellow dust out of a pocket and hands it to Ableton. "I recently found this at an ancient archaeological site I have been studying," he says. "I believe it needs to be thrown into the holy waters at the village of Blessed Springs. Although... what happens then, I have no idea." The scholar, now realising the state of his pants, somewhat sheepishly thanks and apologises to Ableton for the hassle, then runs off. Pocketing the yellow dust, Abe figures his plans for the immediate future are decided. Head east in the direction of Yellowport, then head north to where Damor is supposedly holed-up. And maybe stop at the Blessed Springs on the way. (Hopefully that scholar has actually given him something useful...) So with that, Ableton departs the eastern gate to Marlock City and has an uneventful trip to the city of Trefoille. Upon arriving at Trefoille's outskirts however, Ableton has a rude shock - his map showed this as being a large city! But now, it's nothing more than a terrifying vision of apocalyptic destruction. It had once been a thriving crossroads settlement, but now it's nothing more than a burnt-out ghost town. Spending a few minutes poking around, he finds that there's nothing here. If anything had survived the initial razing of this place during the war, thieves picked whatever was left clean, not long after. Not wanting to spend more time here, Ableton continues east towards Yellowport. As he starts nearing his destination, the cobbled road's condition noticeably improves - looks like this area is fairly well-kept by the military of these parts. In the distance though, Ableton spies a man heading towards him. As they start to close the gap however, five or six figures -bandits, it would seem- jump out from concealed positions around him, weapons drawn! However, the lone figure executes a series of movements -almost faster than the eye can see- and his sword flashes in the sun. Moments later, the bandits are all lying dead or dying around him.  As Ableton closes the gap to him, he stops to compliment the mysterious stranger on his fine swordsmanship. The man, a grizzled veteran of many campaigns, regards Ableton with steely grey eyes and says, "I have learned much of the arts of war in my time, it is true." "Say... would you happen to have the time to impart some knowledge of your exceptional skill, upon an adventurer such as I?" Ableton asks, trying his best to butter the man up. He looks our troubadour up and down with a critical eye, before letting out a quiet scoff. "No, you're not worthy. Piss off!" And steps past Ableton, continuing his journey without another word. Somewhat taken aback by the no-nonsense response, Ableton does the same.  During Ableton's approach, he checks his map again, noticing that the river by Yellowport is called the 'Stinking River'. As he reaches the bridge at the edge of the city, he realises that the river's name is very, very literal. The place absolutely reeks of sulphur, brought down on the river by the merchants' guild from some mines up near the Lake of the Sea Dragon. Now that the sore-footed adventurer has entered Yellowport, he notices that the name of the city is unfortunately just as literal as the river's. The massive quantities of sulphur has seemed to give every aspect of this city a faint yellow hue. Setting aside this distasteful aspect of the city however, Ableton recalls some of the details about the place, which he heard about in Marlock City. Essentially, Yellowport is the second largest city in Sokara. It is mainly a trading town, and is well known for trading sulphur to various sorcerers and the like, as well as for exotic goods from distant Ankon-Konu, way to the south. Now that he's here, Abe decides to have a look around. With his first stop being the temples, he's annoyed to find that there's neither a temple for Nagil, nor one for Sig. Seeing as it's starting to get late, Ableton decides he'll check in at the Gold Dust tavern. Then as he did in Marlock City, see if he can loosen some lips with drink and listen to what rumours are said. After around an hour of drinking and chatting, Abe gets into a conversation with Pyletes, a kind old priest of Molhern, the god of knowledge. After a while, the priest decides to change the topic. "Many years ago, the Book of the Seven Sages was stolen from us," he croaks. "I've recently heard news which suggests that the scorpion men are in possession of it. I need a young adventurer like yourself to travel to Scorpion Bight and return the book to me. In return, I can show you how to improve the skill of your choice." Figuring that Scorpion Bight is on his way, Abe gives a fairly non-committal response, that he'll take a poke around if he has time.  Now that he's here in Yellowport, should he explore the city at night? Wait for morning and explore then? Or not dally and instead set off early tomorrow, for the north? Major Isoor fucked around with this message at 13:10 on May 8, 2023 |
|
#
?
Apr 17, 2023 15:05
|
|
|
Get a good nights sleep and check out the town in the morning
|
|
#
?
Apr 17, 2023 15:23
|
|
|
explore the city at night imo, then set out for blessed springs
|
|
#
?
Apr 17, 2023 19:09
|
|
|
Glad to see we made some money
|
|
#
?
Apr 18, 2023 03:22
|
|
|
That Little Demon posted:Glad to see we made some money Yeah, it was a painful decision to play the long game and not just reach for the guy's purse for some more cash, but Abe's already probably on thin ice with the guard (at least, the ones he beat up  ) so it's probably better for him to maintain the illusion of benevolence, for the time being. Hopefully this weird powder stuff will actually be useful - if so, it might even be better than the cash the guy had on him
|
|
#
?
Apr 18, 2023 03:42
|
|
|
Major Isoor posted:Yeah, it was a painful decision to play the long game and not just reach for the guy's purse for some more cash, but Abe's already probably on thin ice with the guard (at least, the ones he beat up I hope so too, only one way to see lol
|
|
#
?
Apr 18, 2023 03:44
|
|
|
Fungah! posted:explore the city at night imo, then set out for blessed springs I agree w/ this, a city like Yellowport at night is bound to have a few “creative money-making” extracurricular activities
|
|
#
?
Apr 18, 2023 12:44
|
|
|
After spending some time at the Gold Dust tavern, Ableton decides to head out and see the sights around town - preferably after dark, when there are fewer guards around. After walking around town a little before sundown, Ableton finds himself approaching a large, well-decorated granite building; The merchant' guild, he presumes. Figuring this might be a good opportunity to find out whether there's any work that might interest him, Abe steps inside and asks the most well-dressed official in the room about any problems that might require a deft hand, or perhaps a closed fist. The man instantly changes his expression from one of disdain (he's a very important man who doesn't appreciate interruptions) to a look of excitement, before explaining that his name is Vernon and he's the guildmaster here. And, as luck would have it, there's a problem an adventurer like Ableton can help take care of! A problem... in the sewers. The guild's rotund representative spends a few minutes detailing the nature of the city's rat infestation to Ableton. Apparently, they're normally not much of a thread, but recently they've formed a large group and are raiding the guild warehouses at night. "We need an adventurer like yourself to destroy their king," explains the guildmaster. "Without a leader like him, the ratmen are so disorganised that they wouldn’t be able to hold a feast in a larder! We will pay you 450 Shards if you succeed." Vernon then mentions that the closest access point to the sewers is via an old well in the poor quarter of town. Ableton, despite the very...unhygienic nature of the mission he's been offered, decides to accept the mission. If nothing else, it gives him an excuse to sniff around the city at night, (and the guild warehouses, at that...) so perhaps he might be able to kill two birds with one stone? Assassinate this so-called rat king and swipe some merch. Not a bad night's work, in Abe's honest opinion! Without further delay, Ableton thanks Vernon for his time and steps out into the gathering darkness - possibly smiling a little more than a man who's about to enter a sewer ought to. Live decides to make his first stop the warehouse district, en route to the poor end of town. Since he might be able to catch the rats out on the streets, which would hopefully rule out the necessity of a trip down into the sewer. As Ableton approached the warehouses however, he heard a muffled cry for help from a nearby alley. Too dark to see far, Ableton hesitates for a moment and draws his dagger. Then, grudgingly deciding to investigate, he advances slowly into the alleyway, muttering to himself. "If this is another scholar in distress, I swear to the gods-" Before Ableton could finish his sentence however, a net was cast over him from the side! Spinning around and trying to resist, the troubadour glimpses a face painted with white bone dust and big red circles around their eyes, right before a blow to the back of the head knocks Ableton out cold. Ableton later wakes up in what looks to be an old disused warehouse, still ensnared in the net. Reaching for his dagger on instinct, Ableton finds that he's been disarmed! Looking around reveals that, sure enough, his dagger and gear are all in a pile nearby. Several men then approach Ableton. He examines them as sees that they're dressed in furs and robes that are adorned with hundreds of multicoloured feathers. Each man wears a necklace of animal skulls and has his teeth sharpened to needle-like points. "Hello," the leader says reasonably. "We are the Unspeakable Ones - it is our way to eat people in sacrifice of our god!" He points to a squat wooden idol of a grossly fat half-man, half ape with ivory needles for teeth. Ableton notices the name ‘Badogor the Unspoken’ inscribed on a plaque at the base of the idol. "'Badogor the Unspoken', eh? Can't say I've heard of him. Is he an ancestor? I must admit, I see the resemblance" Ableton jeers, gesturing at the leader. "DO NOT SPEAK HIS NAME!" shouts the cannibal. "Or you will be forever cursed!" Live then notices a large cauldron of boiling water in the corner, into which another cultist is tossing herbs and garlic. He stares at their captive and licks his lips. "Tough choice. But out of being eaten or cursed, I think I'd pick the curse..." Live mutters, glancing around for a means of escape. While looking around, he overhears snippets of a conversation between some of the other cultists. It would appear that these people are from the jungles of Ankon-Konu, traveling the world to find more sacrifices. Lovely. Well, not intending to allow himself to become their meal, he decides he only has one card to play. Ableton then starts yelling "Badogor!" time and time again, while struggling ferociously from the net. The cultists all gasp or yell, while clapping their hands over their ears. "Aargh!" Howls the leader in a fit of rage. "Stop your blaspheming, you heathen devil!" Luckily, during this scene of confusion, Ableton is able to free himself from the net! He then dives over to his gear, grabbing his dagger. Turning to face the cultists, he lunges, screaming the name of their god over and over while doing so. Completely unprepared for this turn of events, most of the cultists are quickly cut down. Receiving a few scrapes and bruises, Ableton is able to cut down the leader's group, before sticking his dagger in the leader's belly. Ever a supporter of poetic justice, Ableton gives the large cauldron a shove, tipping the boiling water out over the dying man. Shortly after, Ableton finds himself leaving the abandoned warehouse to the fading sounds of the cannibal's screams. As Ableton continues through the district he notices a woman approaching, clad in a leather coat. Feeling a little battered already, with a mission still ahead of him, Ableton doesn't seem interested whatsoever in trying to push his luck by putting his pick-pocketing skills to the test. However, just before the two passed one another, Ableton noticed her giving him a very enigmatic, yet somehow familiar look... With lightning-fast reflexes, Ableton spins and grabs the woman's wrist, before she can cut the strings to his coin purse with a small knife! Grabbing her with both hands, the highly annoyed Ableton Live spins her around, about to express his anger with some colourful words. But as she turns to face him, he couldn't help but be taken off-guard by her cocky, swashbuckler's grin. "Hey, you’ve got good reflexes!" She says. "I'll be honest, most of the street scum around here are too drink-sodden or dimwitted to notice the loss of a few shards... Say, do you want to earn some real money? I could use the assistance of someone who's actually on the ball, for a change!" So, does Ableton postpone the rat-hunt, to instead pursue this woman's offer of working as a duo? As far as he's been able to tell, this rat problem has been around a while, so the guild likely isn't going to mind waiting another night or two... plus he's uncertain if he'll be able to take this woman up on her offer later on, if he ever actually happens to encounter her again. But... should he trust someone who just tried to steal from him, moments ago? (He had to admire her confidence, though!) Major Isoor fucked around with this message at 14:53 on Apr 18, 2023 |
|
#
?
Apr 18, 2023 14:47
|
|
|
Well if you’re not going to go to bed, then follow the woman and stay out of those nasty sewers.
|
|
#
?
Apr 18, 2023 17:06
|
|
|
I like the cut of her jib... let's see what side quest she'll lead us to!
|
|
#
?
Apr 18, 2023 19:24
|
|
|
I say we go with her, but be cautious of her
|
|
#
?
Apr 18, 2023 19:26
|
|
|
Sub-Actuality posted:I like the cut of her jib... let's see what side quest she'll lead us to! For sure, and maybe find love??
|
|
#
?
Apr 18, 2023 19:26
|
|
|
Deciding that if he caught her out for trying to trick him once, he could do so again should the need arise. "Well... Alright. But no more funny business with my coin purse." Ableton sternly warns the woman. "Hah, don't worry about that - I've got no plans to steal from a man with your skills," she replies. "By the way, the name's Lauria. Follow me and I'll take you to the place - I've been casing it recently, and now seems like a good time to take a, uh, 'closer look'." She then leads Live stealthily through narrow, winding cobblestoned streets to a town house standing at the back of a small tree-lined square. After glancing around for passersby, Lauria quickly jemmies open a ground floor window and the two of you are promptly inside. "Alright. You’ve got the easy job," she says. "Stay here, keep low and be on the lookout. The stuff we’re after is upstairs, so I'll go up and see if I can lift it." Without further delay, the thief quickly and quietly proceeds upstairs. gently caress that, Ableton thinks to himself. If she's up there on her own, there's no telling what she'll pinch for herself, without telling him. So he might as well take a look around himself, while keeping an eye out. With that decided, our bold burglar quietly pokes around the downstairs area he's in, to see if he can find any hidden panels or false floors. After a few minutes or so, he finds a false book on a nearby bookcase - it's simply a wooden box designed to resemble a book. And opening it up, Ableton sees an ornate verdigris key. Intrigued about what it unlocks, Ableton glances around, before noticing that it's been a while since Lauria left. Concerned about this fact, Ableton returns to the stairs and quietly hisses her name a few times, to no response. gently caress! Ableton thinks - if she's gotten herself hurt...or worse yet, caught, he might really find himself in hot water! So, after slipping up the stairs, Ableton quickly looks around. There is no sign of Lauria, but Abe does, however, find an open trunk and a nearby window with a knotted rope dangling from it. So, she found the treasure and then made her escape, leaving him behind as a decoy, to face the music. Sticking his head out the window to see if he can spot where she went, his situation worsens. "There’s a thief at Master Talanexor’s house! Quick!" That's Lauria's voice, off in the distance, somewhere. gently caress. This isn't the last she's heard of Ableton Live, he'll make sure of that! After descending the sheet rope and dashing around a corner, Ableton assesses his options. There's not a lot to be done about Lauria at this stage, but he needs to make himself scarce. Deciding that sticking to his original mission of tracking the rat men might be a good idea after all, so that he'd at least have an alibi in case anyone noticed him in this area during the night. So with that, he finishes his trip to the old ell, which is thankfully not too far away. Thankfully, the rest of his trip is uneventful. Wanting to get this whole ordeal over with ASAP, so that he can pretend this night never happened, Ableton climbs down the old rope in the well, down into the depths below. Finding himself in a dank, dark and very smelly tunnel, Ableton is grateful that he had prepared during his travels, by buying a lantern. After lighting it, he proceeds further into the darkness, dagger drawn. Following the old dank tunnels, running with rivulets of foul water, takes him deeper into the unknown. Ableton prudently marks the twisting passages with chalk as he moves, so that he can quickly find his way back to his entry point. Before long, Ableton reaches a large, rough-hewn cavern. Before he can properly survey his surroundings however, he's startled by a nearby sound! Glancing around, Ableton notices that the sound came from a concealed door, which is currently sliding open! Thinking quickly, Ableton douses his lantern and dashes over alongside the doorway, pressing his back against the mossy wall. Moments later, the door finishes opening and a large, manlike rat steps through it. Not wanting to risk being seen by it and losing his advantage, Ableton slips behind the foul creature and plunges his dagger into its neck, a spurt of blood spraying his hand in dark viscous blood. As he slides the dagger out of the ratman's neck however, he hears the scuffle of feet. Turning to see what's behind him, Ableton spots another ratman - charging right at him! Rolling to one side, he's able to dodge the slash of its claws. Springing forward and slashing the ratman in its side, the beastman lets out a gutteral roar and takes another swing at him! Anticipating this however, Ableton ducks back to miss its swing, then lunges forward to stab the ugly creature in the neck. Noticing that one of them has a pouch hanging around its neck, Ableton empties its contents to find 15 shards and a note. Reading the note, he learns that it appears to be a crude invitation; "Parti! Kitchuns. Tonite. Rank and file rats only - no offsirs and no king allowed!" Keeping this in mind, Live quietly follows this newly-revealed tunnel, as it looks to be a promising lead. And sure enough, after a few twists and turns our sewer spelunker finds himself facing a fork in the tunnel, with a door at either end. One marked "KITCHUN", the other "THROWN RUM". Deciding to forgo using his newly-acquired party invitation, Ableton slips inside the rat king's throne room. Looking around, he sees that this room beyond the door is a curtained alcove, through which he can observe the room beyond. It is a long, low hall - clearly an ancient Uttakin temple, from a time when the Masked Lords of Uttaku ruled all of Harkuna. But now for some reason, it has found itself connected to the Yellowport sewers - and under new ownership, it would seem. Sneaking as far forward as possible without risking detection, Ableton surveys the room. A cheap wooden chair has been placed on the large, ancient altar to act as a throne. On it sits a large and extremely ugly ratman. He has a tacky amulet around his neck and a rusty iron hoop for a crown. Four ratmen are kneeling before him, grovelling. (Apparently the king is named Skabb, Ableton hears. A flattering name, to be sure)  Deciding that it's an opportune moment to slip closer to the so-called 'king' while they're distracted, Ableton slips from shadow to shadow, slinking ever closer to the ratmen... Then, once he was confident in his positioning, Ableton the rat-catcher lunged forward and slit the rat king's throat! Now, standing before the four prostrate rats with their king's blood forming a pool at the base of the altar, Ableton watches the rats look up in terror, before fleeing from the kingslayer. Deciding to take the king's shoddy copper amulet as proof of the kill (seeing as his rusty old 'crown' broke on the stone when the king fell), Ableton glances around in case anything else of interest is around. Spotting a small chest in the corner, Ableton sheathes his dagger, cracks his knuckles and picks the lock. Inside, he finds 60 shards, as well as an old scroll... of Ebron, looks like. But. But! The one thing in the chest that lights Ableton's eyes up is a fine quality mandolin! He's played similar instruments before, so this nicely fills the void left by his instruments lost at sea. While departing the sewer, near the well he entered through he notices what looks to be a small little room concealed by pieces of rotting wood and other debris. Moving the wood, he slips through the gap and finds himself in a nice little space, considering the fact that he's... well, in a sewer. Ableton figures he could use this spot as a hideout in the future, as well as a cache for items. (Which might be handy, given that his pack is full...) Climbing the rope and heading back to the Gold Dust, he washes himself and sleeps until the late morning. After waking up, he strolls over to the guild hall, eager to get this rat business over and done with. As he arrives, the guild master notices him and excitedly rushes over. "Ah, Adrian was it? Did you do it? Is the rat king dead?" "Ableton," Ableton replies dryly. "And yes, I tracked him down and slew the rat king late last night, along with a couple of others." Live hands Vernon the rat king's copper amulet, as proof of death. "The amulet of King Skabb, eh! Well done, indeed! Thank you again, for your services to the city!" Vernon replies, handing Ableton a pouch containing 450 shards. After departing the guild hall, Ableton makes sure to keep an ear out for news of last night's robbery. He doesn't hear anything about it, so at least it would appear that nobody saw him. Now that it's morning and he currently has no commitments in the city, what should Ableton do? Explore the city a little more, for any other opportunities? Or leave and head north? Also, he now has a little over a thousand shards! Surely more than he's ever had before! Should he deposit some at the merchants' guild, or stash it safely in his sewer hideaway, or just hold onto it all? Additionally, he now has a full pack of items. Should Ableton drop anything off in his hidden cache, perhaps? (I'm not sure if we're likely to need the scroll of Ebron anytime soon - hard to say. Same for the officer's pass, perhaps? Hmm) Major Isoor fucked around with this message at 06:28 on Apr 29, 2023 |
|
#
?
Apr 19, 2023 11:52
|
|
|
Was there a temple in town? If so, pay for the resurrection service. Then, check out some merchants before heading north.
|
|
#
?
Apr 19, 2023 12:19
|
|
|
herculon posted:Was there a temple in town? If so, pay for the resurrection service. Then, check out some merchants before heading north. Oh, there is, however it's not one of Nagil's. So there's no discount rate - it's full RRP for Ableton, here. 800 shards for resurrection at the war god Tyrnai's temple. (Compared to the ~250 at Marlock City's Nagil temple. I could always duck back I suppose, if saving money is the preferred option) And here are the goods btw - forgot to post the earlier: 
Major Isoor fucked around with this message at 12:26 on Apr 19, 2023 |
|
#
?
Apr 19, 2023 12:22
|
|
|
Can’t believe that thief betrayed Ableton, they’re usually so honest… Might be wise to stash unnecessary items and maybe some shards, just in case disaster strikes later on, then I’d say it’s time to move on from the city for a while, just in case the guards start to catch on to Abe’s recent activities
|
|
#
?
Apr 19, 2023 13:46
|
|
|
Trying to remember what’s already in our inventory. Maybe buy some lockpicks if we keep following strange women at night
|
|
#
?
Apr 19, 2023 16:54
|
|
|
herculon posted:Trying to remember what’s already in our inventory. Maybe buy some lockpicks if we keep following strange women at night I say we become a singing serial killer 
|
|
#
?
Apr 19, 2023 17:17
|
|
|
Feeling that he's somewhat more encumbered than he's used to, Ableton leaves 500 shards and the scroll of ebron in his secret hideout in Yellowport. After this, he wanders down to the harbour. Asking around, he finds out that there's a boat heading out to Marlock City today - ten shards for the trip! Figuring he could use the break from walking, Live decides to sail back. Returning to Marlock City after an uneventful trip, Ableton decides to make this a quick trip. Stopping off at the temple of Nagil, Ableton forks over 200 shards to ensure that he's resurrected here, upon death. Ableton then uses most of his remaining money on a set of fine quality lockpicks, then sets off east on foot, towards Yellowport again. This time though, Ableton decides to stop off at Shadar Tor on the way. Since while he was in Marlock City, it was mentioned that it's a good destination to see... On the topic of rumours, he also heard word of the royalist rebels having a presence up north in the Coldbleak Mountains. (...If he's still determined to help the royalists for money and favours, perhaps he could go there at some point? Once his to-do list is a little smaller, anyway!) Upon arriving at a Shadar Tor, Ableton sees an ancient pillar of jumbled rock -pitted and weatherbeaten- standing atop a cliff’s edge overlooking the sea, like a broken finger pointing up at the sky. Seagulls sing their song of desolation overhead. As Ableton approaches the pillar, he reasonably assesses that due to the age of the runes etched into the rock, the Tor dates back to the earliest periods of the Shadar. The Shadar being, of course, a race that ruled Harkuna so long ago that they are shrouded in myth and legend. Barely anything is known about them these days, so naturally they're heavily romanticized by poets and the like, Ableton muses.  Deciding to take a look around, Ableton takes a closer look at the runes. After having a quick look-over, he shrugs, not quite knowing what he expected by coming out here and looking at some old rock etchings. Deciding to go to the beach for a quick wash and relax before continuing, Ableton follows a path down to the stony beach. As he put down his pack and approaches the water however, a splash of water hit the side of his face! Looking around, Ableton noticed the source, just as it spoke to him. Mermaids! "Come, come to us..." one of them called to him, in a soothing voice. Fixated for a moment before coming to his senses, Ableton angrily responds to the beautiful figure. "How can I come out to you? I would drown in the sea - or is that your goal?" "Don’t you know?" Sighs one of them. "The kiss of the merfolk gives the power to breathe underwater to one of your kind for a short time!" The mermaid replies calmly while the others giggle, as if trying to sooth a petulant child. Our brave Ableton then remembers the stories he was once told as a child, about the beauty and gifts of the merfolk - but also of the trickery some of them get up to. Unable to resist however, Ableton gives in and asks for a kiss. "Oh no!" The mermaid cries out, "A kiss is not so easily won! You must tell us a tale to stir our hearts - then we may reward you." Ableton then clears his throat and spins a tale of tragic love between a merman and a human princess. The merfolk are so moved by it, that they shed briny tears. And one of them plants a languorous kiss on Ableton's lips, before taking his hand and they lead him out into the water. Sure enough, Ableton tentatively inhales a lungful of water and indeed finds that that he can breathe underwater now. For the moment, anyway. The merfolk continue to lead him into the depths, swimming playfully around him all the while. However, just as our story's submerged star starts thinking that he's in heaven with these mermaids, suddenly, a hideous form looms out of the depths! From what Ableton can see it appears to resemble something like a giant squid, but it carries a spear in one of its many tentacles and wears rudimentary armour. Great black eyes shine with an implacable alien intelligence. The merfolk rapidly dart away in terror, leaving Ableton alone with the creature. "gently caress!" Ableton yells - or at least, attempts to say, in amongst the bubbles escaping his mouth. Ableton draws his dagger, with a look of desperation and sheer dread in his eyes, at the sight of the creature. The vile-looking creature shoots towards him with terrifying speed! Ableton slices it as he tries swimming to one side to dodge its attack - he cuts it, but the creature cuts Live's arm in the process. As it rounds on Ableton however, our beleaguered brawler grabs one of its tentacles near its base, using it to help hold him in place as he shoves his dagger deep into its side! The creature is still alive though - and after letting out a horrid, almost impossibly loud shriek, another of its tentacles grips Ableton around his throat, starting to strangle him! Ableton swings his dagger around, desperately trying to hit the tentacle and force it to loosen its grip. He succeeds, but the squid-like creature then slams into him, forcing the air from his lungs. Not only that, but the thing starts releasing ink too, causing Ableton's field of vision to start rapidly diminishing. With one more, desperate swing, he makes contact with it, piercing its eye - and behind it, its brain! With another shriek, it thrashes for a few seconds, knocking Ableton away, before abruptly going still - slowly drifting in the water. With his heart pounding, Ableton waits another minute or two, checking his wounds and looking around for other predators. When the ink dissipates, he swims over to the creature to take a closer look. After stabbing it again to make sure, Ableton figures he'll try to get something out of this poo poo-stain, seeing as it ruined his chances with the mermaids! So with that, he pulls some coral jewelry that he guesses he could sell for 15 shards, then cuts the creature open and takes its ink sac. A few minutes or so later, Ableton breaches the surface of the water not far from where he entered with the merfolk. And typically, they're nowhere to be found. Now very bedraggled and quite sore, Ableton dries off a little, before hitting the road once more. Passing through the burnt-out city of Trefoille again, Ableton eventually reaches the city of Yellowport once more. Not long after arriving in the city however, some guards approached him. (Which Ableton doesn't recognize... hopefully if any of them were the guys he beat up the other day, they've forgotten his face!) After they give him some spiel about owing some kind of tax or other, Ableton (determined tax-evader that he is) decides to spin these revolutionary soldiers a story, in order to try and weasel out of this so-called obligation. So with that, he spends some time giving these men what's possibly the best sob-story he's told. Telling a yarn about how his poor brother (a mercenary in Grieve Marlock’s personal guard, no less!) lost his legs in the fight to overthrow the old tyrant of a king, and that Abe has been spending all his money on looking after him. It was such a rousing and relatable tale for these soldiers, to the point where two of them were brought to tears by poor Ableton's plight. Apologising profusely, they even handed him 15 shards, to help with his brother! Hah! After rounding a corner and wiping away the crocodile tears, Ableton smirked - he'd almost feel sorry for those guys, if they weren't guards. While en route to his hideout in the sewers under the poor quarter, a poor beggar wearing nothing but tatters approaches him, beseeching him for money. Not inclined to give away that which he only just worked hard to con from the guards, Ableton instead offers to give the man a blessing, proclaiming that he's an adept in the priestly arts. (Well, although this isn't entirely true, he did learn a thing or two about these processes in order to better conduct scams involving fake blessings. So Ableton felt that it was only a half-lie, at most. Surely!) So, while passing his hands over the old beggar and muttering the appropriate words, Ableton suddenly felt a warm glow in his chest! After dismissing heartburn, the thought to himself - could it be?! Could he have miraculously gotten it right?! And not merely enough to look simply 'close enough'?? The beggar then cries out, "A cloud has been lifted from my mind! The curse is dispelled! I remember all!" He then clasps Ableton's hands, "My name is Akradai, the Azure Prince of the Horde of the Thundering Skies! I am a nomad of the steppes!" "I was cursed with madness by Shazir of the Ruby Citadel. But now, you have cured me!" The man says, now starting to weep with joy. "I am forever in your debt! Seek me on the steppes and I shall reward you!" As the man got up and ran off, Ableton was speechless. What a strange, strange man. In light of what... Akradai, was it? So in light of what this Akradai fellow just said, Ableton honestly wasn't sure if he made the situation better, or if he simply snapped what was left of the poor man's mind. Nevertheless, if it's true, he'll remember the name - having an ally in the steppes might come in handy some day. With that, Ableton finishes the trip to his hideout, sleeping the night and stashing the ink sac there for later use. (Seeing as nobody in the market wanted it. It might be sought-after by an alchemist or wizard, Ableton suspects) So now that Ableton is back in Yellowport with a resurrection deal and has had some...unexpected encounters, he has 93 shards in his pocket, 500 more in his cache, along with some new lockpicks in-hand. But does Ableton travel north-east to Blessed Springs and beyond via the road through the town of Venefax, or should he try to save time by following the Stinking River north, then cutting cross-country to Blessed Springs directly? (And is there anything else that Ableton should consider doing, before departing?) Major Isoor fucked around with this message at 06:39 on Apr 29, 2023 |
|
#
?
Apr 23, 2023 14:12
|
|
|
I'm definitely glad we've got the resurrection deal and that teleport stone now, though. I was worried we'd need one of them for the fight with that sea monster, (since Ableton was taking penalties for both attack and defence, for being underwater) however he got lucky with a real nice attack in the second round, so it swung the fight around, a bit. Anyway, hard to say which route will be best both will have sights to behold, I'm sure! The road might have bandits etc, although I'm sure the countryside will have some challenges of its own. And once we've taken care of our outstanding business, if you guys are keen still, we can seek out these royalists, to see if they're able to afford Ableton's services. After all, nobles tend to have a lot of cash, as Sub mentioned
Major Isoor fucked around with this message at 14:32 on Apr 23, 2023 |
|
#
?
Apr 23, 2023 14:29
|
|
|
Stick to the road and stop by Venefax. Maybe keep 200 shards on hand
|
|
#
?
Apr 23, 2023 14:36
|
|
|
Go across country
|
|
#
?
Apr 23, 2023 15:20
|
|
|
I’m very curious what we’d find in the countryside but this herculon posted:Stick to the road and stop by Venefax. Maybe keep 200 shards on hand is probably the most sensible route. Very interested to see what happens when/if Abe eventually makes his way to the steppes too!
|
|
#
?
Apr 23, 2023 15:34
|
|
|
Well, I just remembered that barges go downriver from the mines near the lake, so perhaps it might be an idea for Ableton to go north via the road, then whenever he eventually comes back south (assuming he does, for reward money and whatnot!) he could potentially go to the river and follow it, in case there's an opportunity to hitch a ride, or something? ALSO, I've been wondering about how to best break up posts a little more. I've been trying to stop at major decision points, however sometimes there's a fair gap between them. (I'll also try snd break sections up with any available artwork too, once the books arrive) So I was wondering about potentially stopping at a pause/resting point in the story, like after going back to the beach after his underwater fight. Just to make it somewhat easier for people to get through. As a result, I asked Sub about his thoughts on it, and he reminded me of the existence of cliffhangers, haha So I could potentially have stopped at the aquatic ambush for example, then continue the next day, for example.But what do you all think? Is there a preference for having shorter posts, (using either/both of the above two methods/examples) or would you rather I stick to pausing at major decision points, even if it makes for mostly longer posts? Major Isoor fucked around with this message at 00:32 on Apr 24, 2023 |
|
#
?
Apr 24, 2023 00:27
|
|
|
I think the posts could benefit by being shorter. A lot happens in a single post. I think both examples to shorten it are fine. Maybe stop after a scenario ends, and also before a big fight
|
|
#
?
Apr 24, 2023 01:59
|
|
|
herculon posted:Stick to the road and stop by Venefax. Maybe keep 200 shards on hand I don't see anything being prohibitively expensive so far herculon posted:I think the posts could benefit by being shorter. A lot happens in a single post. I think both examples to shorten it are fine. Maybe stop after a scenario ends, and also before a big fight
|
|
#
?
Apr 24, 2023 02:04
|
|
|
herculon posted:I think the posts could benefit by being shorter. A lot happens in a single post. I think both examples to shorten it are fine. Maybe stop after a scenario ends, and also before a big fight Yeah, I was thinking the same thing. I originally expected this trip/update to be pretty brief, but well, stuff ended up happening anyway! That last post probably could've easily been split in two I think, really. With the ambush being the cut-off point between the two.So I think that, unless anyone disagrees, I'll keep the updates shorter and also (once the books arrive) try and have a piece of the game's artwork accompany each location we visit or enemy we face, whenever the art is available. Just to help break it up a little more, as well. (I'll also go back and put some into each of the old posts as well, since those updates definitely need breaking up a little with pics, IMO)
|
|
#
?
Apr 24, 2023 02:09
|
|
|
Deciding to travel north via the main road, Ableton grabs an additional 50 shards from his stash and hits the road. It's a well-kept road and Ableton encounters nothing more than a couple of military patrols, so he made good time on his trip to Venefax. Upon reaching Venefax however, he was immediately struck by just how strange the village looks. All the flat-roof buildings are connected directly to one another - but what's more, none of them have doors! As Ableton walks closer to the town, one of the local farmers passed by. Ableton, wondering what the hell was going on here, asked why the village was built this way. "Oh, we had to build it that way, for defensive purposes," the man replies. "You see, the scorpion men in the south-east used to raid our village quite frequently. But they cannot climb, so they can’t get inside the town!" Hmm, fair enough.  Deciding to poke around the place before moving on, Ableton climbs up a nearby ladder and moves through the village, taking in the sights. Being a man of the people (and of the drink) Ableton's first stop is the Scorpion's Sting tavern. Sitting in the rooftop seating area, Ableton spends a few shards on some drinks and spends time relaxing and talking with the locals. Wondering about the scorpion men, he asks one of the older peasants about it. "Ohhh, they’re vicious, evil devils," says an old peasant. "Like huge scorpions they are, save they have the head and shoulders of a man. Intelligent, too. Cunning. Forever seeking to pillage our town, but thankfully they can’t climb up the ladders!" A soldier from the local militia speaks up, "They hate fire, too. All we have to do is sit atop the town, and pepper them with flaming arrows. They can’t stand that for long, so they generally don't cause much damage these days. Mind you, things are getting bad - it seems like they’ve got themselves a sorcerer now." A young man, blind in one eye and paralysed down one side, says, "They got a terrible sting as well - their venom did this to me..." pointing at his eye and side. After this, Ableton continues his trip around the village, going through the market. Not much is available, however there's some scorpion antidote available for 100 shards, as well as climbing gear for another 100 shards. Everything else is pretty limited, compared to Yellowport and the other major settlements he's been to. Before long though, a small boy bumps into Live, then shouts "Help us, help us! The Man-eating Blood-Thursday Gob-gobbler has got my little sister!" Somewhat bemused by the pipsqueak, Ableton replies, "Surely, you mean 'blood-thirsty' not 'blood-Thursday'?" As the boy's mother, a flaxen-haired beauty, catches up with the kid. "Oh no," replies the young mother, "the Man-eating Blood-Thursday Gob-gobbler is so named because it hunts only on Thursdays!" After speaking to them for a few more minutes, Ableton learns that the boy’s name is Mikail and his mother is Lynn. Her husband is away in the army, and her young daughter, Haylie, was taken by the beast last Thursday. Apparently, several other people have also disappeared, never to be seen again. Not much is known about the 'Blood-Thursday Gob-gobbler' though - nobody knows if it's a human, a scorpion man, or something else entirely. Mikail then begs Ableton to help them, once more. Bemusement long since turning to slight concern, Ableton considers whether or not he should delay his trip to help these villagers, or simply move on and leave these people to deal with it themselves. So, what should Ableton do, here? Also, keep in mind I went for the mid-ground between the two money posts - he's got 140 shards on him, at present. Major Isoor fucked around with this message at 06:29 on Apr 29, 2023 |
|
#
?
Apr 25, 2023 04:01
|
|
|
Help the villagers. Maybe buy some scorpion antidote
|
|
#
?
Apr 25, 2023 11:01
|
|
|
After tossing up his options, Ableton decides to help the village. Since well, if a monster has a name as underwhelming as 'Man-eating Blood-Thursday Gob-gobbler', how fearsome could they really be? So after pledging his assistance, Lynn offers to allow him to stay with her and Mikail free of charge for a couple of nights until Thursday. On Thursday morning, Ableton wakes up early and surveys the surroundings for around an hour. Spotting nothing, he heads out of town, heading towards an old farmhouse a little way out of town, which she had mentioned the disappearances occurring near. As Ableton headed out of the town though, he spotted a man he met during his stay -Fourze the master of the market, no less!- walking in the opposite direction to the farmhouse. Deciding that this was very odd given the fact that the other townsfolk are in a panic about Thursdays, Ableton changes direction and tails the man. After trailing him for quite some time, it becomes apparent to Ableton that the man is simply taking a detour to the farmhouse Lynn mentioned - presumably to avoid suspicion. After reaching the farmhouse he goes inside and Live creeps closer and peers inside, to see what he's doing in there. Lo and behold, two rough-looking thugs are helping Fourze get into what is obviously supposed to be a monster suit! It appears to somewhat resemble a giant hairy toad, made of various animal hides stretched over a wooden framework, which the wearer dons. So much for the dreaded Blood-Thursday Gob-gobbler! Deciding to end this right here and now, our vengeful vigilante hides by the door. Five or so minutes later, the thugs emerge from the door. Slipping behind one and slitting his throat, the other thug reels around to fight Ableton! Being used to fighting foes more dangerous than some bumpkin with a knife, Ableton simply lunges forward and stabs the man in the belly, before he can do more than open his mouth in surprise! Turning his attention to Fourze, Ableton sees that he's desperately trying to get out of his suit while hobbling away. At the sight of a hardened adventurer who had dispatched two armed thugs with ease, he surrenders and confesses his misdeeds. His plan was to terrify people with the monster disguise in order to keep them away from the farm. Since he and his men had been kidnapping villagers and chaining them in the cellar below, then selling them to a slaver from Caran Baru as labourers in the slave mines. Ableton then instructs Fourze to lead him to the cellar. Here, he finds Haylie and several other villagers - bound and awaiting transport, it would seem. Fourze then turns to face Ableton, as the latter cuts the prisoners' bonds. "Please, don’t hurt me," he begs, "I’m only trying to make a few Shards!" "What, by selling your own people into slavery?" Says one of the villagers, giving him a dirty look and a good kick. After escorting the villagers and a now-bound master of the market back to Venefax, Haylie rushes into her mother's embrace. After turning Fourze over to the local militia, Lynn then takes Ableton along with her family back to her house. "This chainmail is all I have to give - it's been in the family for generations. Thank you!" a tearful Lynn says, as she pushes the old chainmail shirt into Ableton's hands. Ableton graciously accepts the gift - not a bad reward for a few free days of food and board, alongside a minor scuffle! Ableton, takes his leave from the reunited family, heads out and continues north. On his way out he asks one of the guards about what will happen to Fourze. Apparently, he'll be facing the magistrate soon - and will likely end up being sentenced to slavery! Ableton can't resist smirking at the poetic justice of the man's fate, as he hits the road once more. (NOTE: I couldn't buy any scorpion antidote unfortunately, as I was locked into doing/not doing the mission. And now that Abe has the chainmail -which he can't sell at Venefax, as they're poor- his inventory is full. There shouldn't be any scorpions up north, at least)
|
|
#
?
Apr 25, 2023 13:24
|
|
|
lmao at “blood-Thursday”herculon posted:Help the villagers. Maybe buy some scorpion antidote Exactly my suggestion. Antidote is always vital and Ableton can build his reputation up further by helping this village. I have a feeling the gob-gobbler isn’t a real threat but it’s worth checking out! e: aha I knew it! lol
|
|
#
?
Apr 25, 2023 13:28
|
|
|
Sub-Actuality posted:lmao at “blood-Thursday” Ah, I beat ya! Yeah I suspected it would probably be something lame compared to things like the ghoul and ratmen, with a name like that! It was probably concocted by Fourze himself, in a shoddy attempt at giving it a memorable/infamous name.Also, I should note that this time it's not Ableton being rather... 'thirsty', that resulted in Lynn being described as 'a flaxen-haired beauty'! That's purely the book, this time around. That being said, I'm sure Ableton probably felt the same way as the author, the way he failed a check and was suckered-in by the mermaids earlier
|
|
#
?
Apr 25, 2023 14:07
|
|
|
|
| # ? Apr 29, 2024 15:42 |
|
|
Was it a normal farmhouse, or did it have doors in the roof as well, as with the other buildings in/near Venefax? Can’t imagine the villagers going to the trouble of designing their homes to be scorpionman-proof, then saying, “Eh, it’s fine, we’ll just have a normal barn with normal doors - I’m sure the scorpion men won’t bother to kick them in and disassemble our cows and horses!”
|
|
#
?
Apr 25, 2023 20:51
|
|