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Oh also, if he agrees to carrying out the assassination mission, which way south should Ableton travel down to reach Yellowport? Along the river, the west road, or via the eastern road?
Major Isoor fucked around with this message at 14:19 on May 7, 2023 |
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May 7, 2023 13:31
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Go along the river to assassinate Marloes
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May 7, 2023 15:07
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bein a count sounds pretty nice, let's do it
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May 7, 2023 15:18
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Ableton, envisioning the shards he'll receive already, takes up the mission and departs the king's hideout in high spirits. Climbing down from the mountains, Ableton reaches the Lake of the Sea Dragon after an uneventful hike. (What an unusual name for a lake, anyway) As he approaches the lake, he feels a breeze. But instead of being refreshed, he's instantly hit by the foul smell coming from the water. The shores of the Lake of the Sea Dragon are swept by ochre waves and from the looks of it, a sickly-looking pale green seaweed is the only vegetation that can survive in the sulphurous waters of the lake. Not far from here, a small fishing village comprised of rickety-looking houses, Cadmium, slumps on the shores of the lake - always looking like it's about to collapse and fall in. After walking into the village, Ableton can see that many of the people here look about as depressed as their pitiful village. Ableton, starting to get used to the smell, approaches a nearby fisherman. "Do you lot really try and fish here?" Live asks, tactfully as ever. "Surely nothing can survive in these poisonous waters!" The fisherman then shows Ableton a bright yellow fish with grey stripes, saying, "Yeah, not much survives here. Only the local smoulder fish has adapted to the sulphur - it feeds on the local seaweed. Mind you, the smoulder fish is totally inedible! Thankfully, each fish is worth quite a bit to sorcerers and the like. We have a standing quota to fill each month for the magical colleges at Dweomer. The sulphur-laden organs burn in a particular way. Apparently it's a very useful ingredient in certain magics, I am told." Ableton, rather intrigued now asks, "And where does all this sulphur come from?" "Scholars say there is an underground volcanic vent. Others believe it is the breath of the sea dragon. Personally, I always drop a silver nugget into the waters once a month to appease the dragon, for his favourite metal is silver." The fisherman says, as he starts walking away. "Wait, you mean there's actually a dra-" Ableton doesn't complete the sentence - the man kept walking and is now out of earshot. Well, that's interesting. Maybe this lake warrants further investigation, after my quest? Since if there really is a dragon here, it's bound to have a lair... and that means riches, if the tales are true. Ableton decides to head off for now, following the river south. It's an uneventful trip, with no barges passing by to try and hitch a ride on. With the day starting to near its end, Ableton starts thinking about finding a good place to camp. As he reaches the top of a small hill by the river however, he spots a village. After checking his annotated map, it seems to be the village of High Therys. From his vantage point, Ableton can see that the locals are behaving very oddly. The villagers lay out a fine feast on the village green. A pig is set roasting on a spit, loaves of freshly baked bread are piled beside bowls overflowing with fruits, butter and cheese. Lastly, the richest merchants of the village bring coffers full of silver which they set beside the table. To Ableton's amazement, instead of sitting down to dine, the villagers then scurry home and start closing the shutters on their windows! "What the hell is this about?" Ableton asks himself in wonder, shaking his head. Briskly walking down the hill and into the village, Ableton approaches a cluster of people - the few who are still outside, before they enter their houses. "What's going on here? Why are you behaving so oddly, with this... this feast?" The villagers seem quite frightened of you, but one old fellow has nerve enough to reply. "This banquet is for the ghosts of three travelers who lost their way in a storm, fell into our millpond and drowned!" "When was this?" Ableton asks, cocking an eyebrow. "Seven years since," the old man replies. "They come every year on this night, an' if we don’t placate them with victuals an' treasure, there’d be a 'ole mess of trouble!" "So uh, how do you know that?" Ableton, suspecting trickery, asks. "Old Megan told us," he says. "She knows much about such things! Seems we're very lucky to have her guidance on this." "Riiiiight, fair enough. Well... I'll keep an eye out then, if you don't mind. I wouldn't mind seeing these ghosts." Now rather interested in this little local mystery, Ableton looks around for a good vantage point, while waving off the old man to dismiss his objections. Later, from the cover of a hedge Ableton waits until dusk. By now all the villagers are safely indoors with their shutters tightly barred. As the sky is turning from velvet indigo to the starlit blackness of night, Ableton sees three pale figures come loping across the green from the direction of the millpond. These fine fellows must be the ghosts, Ableton thinks to himself, watching them closely. Seeing the banquet, they utter gleeful cries and start to devour what has been set out for them. As they do so however, Ableton notices that the figures have left footprints on the damp grass and cannot, therefore, be ghosts. They must have some minor illusion going on here, in order to fool these hapless villagers into a meal now and again! I wish I'd thought of that... Emerging from his hiding place and walking confidently towards these so-called "ghosts", Ableton loudly clears his throat as he draws his dagger with a flourish. The "ghosts" look up with expressions of luminous rage! "Get back, mortal," warns one, "or I’ll touch you with my grave-cold hands and then it’ll be your dying day!" The other two cackle at Ableton, clearly attempting to unsettle him. "You should've brushed-up on your illusions before trying to fool me into believing you're actually ghosts!" Ableton calls out with a smirk, closing the gap. They seem quite unsettled by their bluff being called, but then they all surge forward - trying to make the most of their numerical advantage by rushing Ableton together!  However, it's soon clear that none of them are in any way trained or prepared for combat. They rush him with their knives, but Ableton effortlessly ducks and weaves between them, sticking his dagger into each of them, one by one. Cleaning off his blade on one of their shirts, Ableton sheaths his weapon and then drags the imposters into a row, to take a better look at them - lined up on the ground like cords of wood on the village green. Chuckling to himself, he notices that they actually didn't even use any illusion magic, at all! They had simply been dusted all over with flour, giving them a spectral appearance! Ableton then bangs on a nearby door and calls out to the villagers, summoning everyone to the green. At first they are loath to venture out and inspect the three strangers, but the fact that this stranger survived an encounter with the ghosts convinces them to investigate. One of the bodies, a woman, then coughs - so the old villager quickly goes over to examine her. "Why, it’s Old Megan!" Cries the man, "And here’s Bradok the miller, and Lame Pootmar! Why are they all covered in flour, an' all cut up?" He demands, turning to Ableton with a suspicious look on his face "where’re the ghosts?" Ableton shakes his head and sighs at the stupidity of these loving yokels - both the imposters and the rest of them, for not seeing what's clearly in front of them. "There weren’t any ghosts," he explains, trying to keep the annoyance from his voice. "It was these three charlatans all along." Ableton then sees the realization of these imposters' years-long deception dawn on the old man. "O-oh gods! I can't believe they did this to us!" The old man, now with suppressed rage in his eyes, thanks Ableton and promises him accommodation for the night before leaving to speak to some other villagers, to make arrangements for the "ghosts". The following morning, Ableton Live, ghost-catcher and future marshal-slayer, is thanked profusely by the town before being reverently awarded eighty shards - the most the town could scrape together, to pay him for his services. Noticing with surprise that Old Megan has been bandaged up and survived the night, Ableton asks what will happen to her. "Ohhh, we've got plans. You needn't worry, good sir! But well, we figure we'll give her some poetic justice, after spreadin' tales of our millpond far an' wide," the old man smirks. Shrugging to himself and then bidding farewell to the villagers, Ableton continues his journey south along the river. One more local problem solved - and with it, another village singing his praises! Not to mention the ale money he was given... That's always nice to have! Major Isoor fucked around with this message at 23:04 on May 8, 2023 |
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May 8, 2023 13:06
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Oh also, one of the other books (for the steppes up north) arrived today, so I've updated an earlier post with a pic of the manbeast Ableton first fought. Also, I noticed this one I missed from earlier: So I put it in an earlier post where Abe was en route to Marlock City. It's depicting the swordsman who slew a bunch of bandits who ambushed him. (Then... he didn't find Ableton worthy of any tips or pointers. The cheek!) EDIT: Oh also, the Lich Lord's Keep book arrived, too. It's set on an island in the Violet Sea - from looking at it, I believe you can properly initiate it via traveling to the Sorcerers' Isle and over to the Lich's island from there. I probably wouldn't recommend bee-lining for it right now, but it's a big ol' quest we can do whenever. (Probably best that we go up at least one more rank before hitting it) There are always tales about the ominous place, after all... Major Isoor fucked around with this message at 13:22 on May 8, 2023 |
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May 8, 2023 13:12
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After leaving the villagers of High Therys to sort out the surviving "ghost", Ableton continues his uneventful journey to Yellowport. After entering the city, he definitely feels an uneasiness - not just within himself (but definitely that too, due to the mission ahead of him...) but in the streets. People seem...tense. Stopping off at his secret cache in the sewers, Ableton stores almost all of his money, (leaving 37 shards on his person and 1550 in the cache) as well as all the possessions he has, that aren't essential to the assassination. Keeping only his dagger, armour and the moonstone. Just in case the plan goes wrong. Arriving at the provost marshal's offices, Ableton subtly cases the place - looks like there's no viable way in, aside from the front door. So with that, Ableton approaches the officer who appears to be in charge -a Captain by the name of Royzer, it would seem- and requests an audience with the provost marshal. Some smooth-talking and palm-greasing later, Ableton finds himself down five shards, but with the promise of a meeting. After waiting in the hall for a couple of hours, he's eventually summoned to speak to the marshal. Walking into marshal Marlock's office, Ableton can immediately see that this is a very rich and powerful man - used to getting his way, no matter what. The man looks up from some papers on his desk, before speaking. "Ah! I have need of someone like you," he says confidently. "A group of filthy rebels loyal to the old king are hiding out in the Coldbleak Mountains, up north of the lake. Their leader, the former prince Nergan Corin, is dangerous to us, as he is heir to the old throne and a rallying point for the rebels. Penetrate their stronghold and slay Nergan Corin and you shall be richly rewarded." "Ah you see, on that topic I actually have some critical information for you," Ableton murmours to the marshal, after glancing around as if on the lookout for rebel spies. "It's of the utmost urgency to you and your military's efforts, but I think it would be best if it was heard only by you...alone." Praying to Nagil for success on this gamble as the provost marshal ponders the request, the man then replies with a hint of excitement, "Fine, let's go into my private chambers. Quickly though - I can't spend long away from my work." He then leads Ableton into his quarters, then turns to shut and lock the door. Just as he does so, Ableton draws his dagger and pounces! However, the marshal is a seasoned veteran of many battles - a hardy man. He must've heard the dagger being drawn and is quick to react, swinging around and landing a hard blow to his would-be killer's temple, sending Ableton crashing to the ground! The provost marshal then unlocks the door quickly. "Take this dirty rebel assassin to the dungeons!" sneers Marloes Marlock. With that, Ableton's possessions are stripped from him before he regains consciousness. The next thing Ableton knows, is that he's being thrown into a stinking prison cell. Upon taking stock of his situation, he notices he has a cell-mate - a half-dead old man with long white hair. After a little while, Ableton asks the old prisoner what brought him here. "The lair of the gorlock! A hideous beast that has backward-pointing feet - Krine and I, fleeing with our stolen treasure sought refuge in the cave near Blessed Springs. The tracks led us to believe it had just left its cave, but we didn’t know about its feet! Alas, it was in fact at home! It took Krine's life, but I managed to escape, only to be taken by the militia. I will never live to see the treasure but you, forewarned, may defeat the gorlock and take the riches it guards!" "Yeah uh, funny you say that," Ableton replies groggily, rubbing his aching head. "I actually met that gorlock maybe a week ago. I knew of its curious feet though, so I was able to slay it." Soon after telling the man this, Ableton regrets it. The old man doesn't believe a word, and keeps calling him a liar - to the point where a guard banged on the door, telling them to shut up. A few days later, Ableton learns his fate. He is to be sold into slavery and taken to Caran Baru, in order to work in the tin mines. The same slave market where he purchased and released that little flying monkey thing. poo poo! After another couple of days, Ableton finds himself being greeted by the overseer of the mines. He is a fat, cruel-looking man, who seems to enjoy the suffering of his slaves immensely. He welcomes Ableton with a promise, "In one month, you’ll be dead, slave! Heh heh heh heh heh!" With that, Ableton is shoved forward by a guard, sent to work the mines. He spends the next few weeks in chains, working an arduous 15 hours a day, deep underground, digging at a rock face in the tunnels of the mines in the Bronze Hills. He's fed only a thin gruel and stale black bread. So this is what my life has come to, Ableton thinks to himself while labouring away. There's no way I'm going to last long like this. I NEED to escape! And then kill that loving marshal, for sending me down here to begin with! He got lucky... very, very lucky... The next day, a new slave is brought in to work beside Ableton in the mines. Much to his astonishment, it is Lauria! That gods-damned sneak who left him in the lurch when the two of them burgled a wizard’s house in Yellowport! After working for an hour or so, she breaks the silence. "Sorry about last time by the way," she says, "It was just business, you know? But hey, now’s my chance to make it up to you!" She then explains that she managed to discover an escape route while she was being led into the mines. This time, she promises to set up a diversion while Ableton makes for a tunnel where a cave-in left an opening to the outside world. Lauria says she will then follow him when the coast is clear and meet up with Ableton later. So, should Ableton trust Lauria a second time, possibly being betrayed yet again? Or should he attempt to escape on his own, leaving her to her fate? This mission has already gone horribly awry, now that his moonstone, dagger and armour are gone... He needs to get back onto his feet ASAP, without further setbacks! Thankfully his piles of money and other gear were left at his cache though, so only his weapon and armour need replacing. (That moonstone is a big loss, though...)
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May 9, 2023 13:56
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Major Isoor posted:So, should Ableton trust Lauria a second time, possibly being betrayed yet again? hell no! if anything he'll be the distraction while she makes a break for it.
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May 9, 2023 20:48
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"You've gotta be kidding me! There's no way I'm trusting you. You can try and escape on your own if you want, but you'll never get out of here alive." Ableton replies to Lauria's offer of cooperation, attempting to seem like he's not about to attempt escape, himself. The following day however, Ableton sees his chance. He dashes over to an unattended mining cart that's mostly full of the ore he and the other slaves have been mining. Ableton looks around again to make sure he isn't being watched, then slips inside the cart, covering himself with chunks of ore. Maybe an hour or so later, it's taken outside! Ableton waits a while longer after the cart comes to a stop, in order to make sure the coast is clear - but then, he slips out of the mining cart, as quietly as he can. Looking around, the area here seems fairly clear - it looks to be evening, too. Perfect timing! So with that, Ableton sneaks off with the remaining light of the day. Finding an isolated stream, Ableton has a drink and washes, before sleeping through the night under some bushes. The next day, Ableton heads east, eventually reaches the outskirts of Caran Baru. As he doesn't possess any money and doesn't want to risk being recognized as an escaped slave, Ableton skirts around the town and heads south towards Trefoille, in order to then reach Yellowport. The trip is mostly uneventful, however a passing priest mistakes him for a beggar, giving him ten shards. Ableton, indeed looking like a beggar (and not wanting to bring attention to the fact that he's supposed to be a famous adventurer...) graciously accepts the handout, before continuing on his way. Passing by the massive Forest of Larun, Ableton continues his journey and eventually arrives at Trefoille. Remembering that Oliphard the Wizardly mentioned that he resides here, Ableton pokes around and sure enough, he finds a large, red pavilion which has been erected over a ruin. Conveniently enough, Oliphard the Wizardly is just stepping outside! He takes a moment to recognize Ableton (what with the fact that he's wearing rags and not splint armour, now) but greets him warmly nevertheless. After being shown inside, Ableton is provided a light meal and spends some time with Oliphard, explaining how he got into this mess. Oliphard also mentions that if required, (with a 100 shard fee, for material costs) he's able to magically teleport Ableton to most of the nearby major towns, as well as to the sorcerers' island city - Dweomer. Having a hunch, Ableton mentions the verdigris key he "stumbled upon". (Without mentioning that it came from a wizard's house, from Yellowport) This intrigues Oliphard, who mentions that he might be able to figure out its use, if Ableton could bring it to him. Not wanting to outstay his welcome, Ableton thanks Oliphard for allowing him to stay a while and talk - and mentioned that he might just be back soon, with that key! So Ableton hits the road once more - east now, to Yellowport. However as the city comes into view, he notices some plumes of smoke over the city skyline. Certainly more than what he's used to seeing here, from chimneys and the like. After approaching the gates, the guards roughly command him to halt and search him. Thankfully none recognize him as the man who attempted to kill the provost marshal! But they explain to him that there was a small uprising of peasants loyal to the king, who attempted to storm the soldiers' barracks. Thanks to the intact command structure of the military, the attack was thwarted by the military. However, many soldiers and citizens alike were killed. Plus, during the uprising (as well as in the aftermath, when the guards were still reeling from the attack) there was apparently a lot of looting going on. This little uprising could actually be beneficial for my mission, Ableton thinks. Since if they're out enforcing martial law, the amount of guards scratching their arses outside the marshal's office will probably be significantly fewer than before... Making his first stop his cache in the city, Ableton's relieved to find that nobody has dared to venture down here for refuge, during the conflict. He takes some of his money and buys a new +1 dagger from the market. He also notices that there's a treasure map for sale, for 150 shards - but leaves it for now, as there are more pressing matters to attend to. After waiting in an alley for evening to come, our astute assassin decides it's time to tackle his mission once more. So, after arriving at the provost marshal's office building, Ableton carefully surveys the scene. Looks like the coast is clear, he thinks to himself. Looks like he was right, about how most of the soldiers will be out scouring the city for troublemakers like him. So with this information in hand, Ableton makes the climb through a window into the hallway near his target's private office and quarters. No guards in view - perfect! Ableton draws his dagger and slinks into Marlock's private quarters, to find that the room is empty. Taking up position from within a large wardrobe, Ableton stands motionless with his dagger in-hand, peeking through the angled louvres in the wardrobe door. After a while, the marshal eventually enters his quarters and shuts the door behind him. Picking up a bottle of wine and sitting down with a sigh, he uncorks the bottle for a drink - no cup in sight. Picking his moment carefully, Ableton slips out of the wardrobe just as the cork pops free of the bottle. Ableton then moves as slowly and quietly as he can, closer and closer to the man who very nearly ruined Ableton's life... ...then, Ableton lunges forward, closing the gap and plunging his dagger into the base of Marloes Marlock's neck, just over the collar bone! Dropping the bottle with a shatter, the provost marshal twists in his chair to see his assailant, falling off with a crash in the process! Ableton, now with his blood-covered dagger held high above his head, looms over the provost marshal with wide eyes and an evil grin - looking rather deranged, given he's been in need of a shave for a few weeks or so. "Remember me?!" He yells, before plunging his dagger into the dying man a few more times, before his moment of rage passes just as quickly as it came over him. Calm now, Ableton wipes his dagger clean. But unfortunately, he finds himself without any time to turn the former provost marshal's pockets - since he hears the muffled shouting of a guard in the hallway! drat, they must've heard the bottle break, or the chair leg giving out! Ableton grabs what's left of the chair, then hurls it out the nearby window and dives out moments later. Immediately after Ableton hears the door to the marshal's quarters opening with a bang, the yelling and shouting intensifies. "Murder! Assassin! The provost marshal's been killed!" Running as fast as he can, Ableton keeps to the alleyways and shadows, not stopping until he's halfway across the city. Taking a moment to catch his breath, Ableton reflects on the situation and has to chuckle. The skill and daring of his exploits will be forever remembered! Long live the rightful king, and all that! Maybe that Damor fellow was right... his life has been pretty damned 'interesting' lately, Ableton has to admit. Now in his sewer hideaway, Ableton lays low for a couple of days. He hasn't been out much since the assassination - only to try and find out what people know about it, in case anybody happened to catch sight of him. Apparently, the new provost marshal was selected almost immediately, in part due to the civil turmoil the city is going through. Interestingly, it's Royzer the man who used to be Marloes Marlock’s second-in-command, who Ableton bribed with five shards to have his initial fateful encounter with the former marshal... (Clearly he's a top bloke, if he's both corrupt and takes bribes as little as five measly shards!) Since the assassination of the old provost, Royzer has ruled the city with an iron fist - patrols are frequent and spies are everywhere. Not just at night to enforce martial law, but during the day, too. So Ableton will need to make sure he isn't recognized by any of the guards who witnessed the first assassination attempt. So, what should Ableton do now? He clearly needs to get some new armour - should he get the +4 splint armour again, or something cheaper? He can afford it really, either way - he has 1300 shards at present. Also, what next? Take the verdigris key to Oliphard on his way to the king, or even venture out to Scorpion Bight while en route? See if there's any other work in the city perhaps, or beeline straight to the king for his reward? (Strictly speaking, Ableton could probably afford to buy a small ship and hire a crew too, if he gets sick of Sokara. There's no doubt more to be seen around here, though) EDIT: Oh also, feel free to let me know if my updates are too frequent! I seem to be doing one each day (mostly - sometimes every second day) since I kinda want to know what happens next  I can always try and pace myself a little better though, if it's a bit quick.
Major Isoor fucked around with this message at 16:10 on May 10, 2023 |
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May 10, 2023 13:10
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I love how psychotic Ableton is lmao
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May 10, 2023 13:56
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Buy the +4 splint armor and take the key to Oliphard on the way to the king
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May 10, 2023 14:23
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That Little Demon posted:I love how psychotic Ableton is lmao He keeps it under wraps most of the time, but... sometimes the rage just breaks through the calm exterior 
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May 11, 2023 02:49
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Major Isoor posted:He keeps it under wraps most of the time, but... sometimes the rage just breaks through the calm exterior Sounds familiar lol
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May 11, 2023 03:02
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Also, good news - the last of the books have arrived today! Here's the full set (sadly the bottom two were only available in that size. Ah well, at least all the classic ones are matching) So because book 2 has finally arrived, I'm just putting some of the relevant artwork into my first few posts to pretty them up a little
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May 11, 2023 04:44
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honestly I want to buy all these after reading the thread even though I have 0 time lol
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May 11, 2023 04:57
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Yeah, it's pretty good! You're also very busy with IZWF though, so I'm not surprised haha Anyway, well, seeing as all the books have arrived I've transitioned from the old incomplete java app to P&P, as per my original plan. However, in the process I feel I have done something... unspeakable... Something that I fear my image as a middle-of-the-road non-descript poster will never recover from, after I worked so hard to cultivate it. Since in order to aid my future endeavours, I did something I previously thought I'd kill myself before considering:  I purchased a clipboard. A CLIPBOARD. The price tag only said $2.75 AUD, but I swear I left the store lighter - as though I had left some of my dignity behind, the moment I picked up that clipboard from the shelf...  It's not too bad though, aside from the fact that I paid for it, and that it's a clipboard. It's definitely handy to have, even if it makes me think my midlife crisis came a decade or two early - and that it's an incredibly boring midlife crisis, at that! Rather than splurging on a new sports car, or something else that's far more glamorous than this
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May 11, 2023 08:13
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Major Isoor posted:Yeah, it's pretty good! You're also very busy with IZWF though, so I'm not surprised haha It could be worse Major, your midlife crisis could have you posting for weeks on end about Posting Integrity! A clipboard isn’t so bad… unless you got one of those bookie visors from the 1920s and then I guess I’d see you in the gambling Megathread
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May 11, 2023 08:16
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That Little Demon posted:It could be worse Major, your midlife crisis could have you posting for weeks on end about Posting Integrity! A clipboard isn’t so bad… unless you got one of those bookie visors from the 1920s and then I guess I’d see you in the gambling Megathread hahaha funny you say that! Since I actually told my partner around half an hour ago, that me buying one of those bookie visors was the next logical step from this - with slacks and suspenders being the point where she should smother me in my sleep (On the plus side, if I do ever reach that stage and die, you can at least hook ChatGPT up to my account and have it roleplay as me, like in Bolvekur's thread! Nobody would notice the difference, haha)
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May 11, 2023 08:20
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Major Isoor posted:hahaha funny you say that! Since I actually told my partner around half an hour ago, that me buying one of those bookie visors was the next logical step from this - with slacks and suspenders being the point where she should smother me in my sleep lmfao great minds my friend
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May 11, 2023 08:23
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Content that the heat has died down enough for him to try and leave the city, Ableton heads out early in the morning and successfully passes the guards in his new armour. The short trip to Trefoille is uneventful, so before long he's back in front of Oliphard's fancy pavilion. Upon passing through the flap at the pavilion's entrance, Ableton notices Oliphard sitting in a chair and he raises the verdigris key with a smile. "Ahh, you have it after all, eh?" Oliphard says, closing the book he was reading. "Very well! Unlock this trapdoor and follow me," he says, as he pulls away a rug - revealing a verdigris trapdoor set in the scorched stone floor. Ableton unlocks the hatch, then hauls it open - revealing a staircase descending into a dark room. Oliphard then creates a magical light and leads the way, into a small chamber with three doors. "A wizard I knew lived here prior to the city's destruction, so I'm aware of the properties of these doors. They've been enchanted with teleportation magic! That one," he says, pointing to a door, "leads to the city of Metriciens in Golnir, that one leads you to Sky Mountain in the far north, and finally, this door leads you to Dweomer, the island city of sorcerers." Highly curious of this news but not having an immediate need for these portals, Ableton thanks Oliphard and takes his leave. Spending most of the rest of the day on the road, Ableton eventually reaches the aptly-named Weary Pilgrim Tavern, overlooking the Forest of Larun. Deciding to rest here for the night (especially after living rough in the sewers and mines, for the past few weeks) Ableton spends a few shards on ale, listening for news and rumours. Aside from some embellished tales about the assassination of the provost marshal, Ableton manages to get a trader from the north talking about an old tale about the area. He drones on about some famous shaman and a powerful wizard called Targdaz the Magnificent, before getting to the meat of the story. "...so the shaman went to Targdaz's tower in the forest over yonder, and magically imprisoned Targdaz in a giant ruby! As the wizard was now helpless, the shaman looted his possessions. Foolishly though, he opened the wizard's Casket of Imponderables, unleashing a terrible storm that swept across the steppes, scattering the great tribes far and wide. The shaman was killed of course, but as far as anyone knows, ol' Targdaz is still there, up in his tower! Imprisoned in a ruby, waiting for release... Hah! O' course, you wouldn't catch me going over there, to take a look!" Intrigued by this tale, Ableton goes to bed dreaming of giant rubies and mountains of shards. In the morning, Ableton sets off once more, to the Coldbleak Mountains. After climbing the now-familiar path, he's once again hailed by a soldier - who recognizes him as an ally and shows him to the rebel stronghold. After entering the large cave, Ableton dusts some snow off his shoulders and immediately heads to the king's makeshift throne room. "Ah, you're back! I thought you must've failed the mission, given the amount of time you had been gone," King Nergan says, rising from his throne to happily greet Ableton. "Indeed, I did face some... obstructions, on my quest. Nevertheless, it is done - the provost marshal is dead. He's been replaced by some Captain Royzen, I believe, but he doesn't seem to be liked any better than the old marshal," Ableton explains, before spending a while to detail what happened on the mission. By the time he's finished going over his capture, enslavement, breakout and then the successful assassination in the wake of an uprising, the king is well and truly impressed by Ableton's tenacity. "Excellent, excellent! Thank you again," the king exclaims, "at this rate I'll be retaking my rightful place on the throne in Old Sokar in no time! Bad luck about that uprising in Yellowport, though. Those people weren't directly connected to the rebellion as such, but it's a shame to lose them all the same. But for now, in return for your faithful service to the crown, I'd like to reward you. Unfortunately there's not much I can give to you in the traditional sense for a king, since as you can see I have no fiefs to hand out. But please, take these five hundred shards. I'll also name you King's Champion, an honourary title the few, most elite men in the realm, who essentially act as my most trusted, chief members among my knights." After this, news spreads quickly among the rebels - and the mood instantly shifts from a dreary mix of determination and resignation to an almost electric level of hope and excitement among the men. They all congratulate Ableton profusely, as this is the best news they've had since before the war began. Before long, the king holds a small ceremony with the garrison as witnesses, to go through the motions of publicly declaring Ableton as the King's Champion. After this, the king leads Ableton to a side room, then speaks to him in a hushed tone. "Look, I hate to ask, but something critical came up while you were away - it's actually fortunate timing, that you arrived today. I've just received word that a contingent of Sokaran soldiers who were forced to flee north during the war have amassed a following among the locals - nomads, Trau and Mannekyns, if you could believe it! Anyway, I've received a message claiming that they're preparing to besiege the Citadel of Velis Corin, which is the main passage through the mountains between the steppes and Sokara. This northern alliance has declared war on the new Sokaran regime - in part due to the passionate words of my cut-off soldiers, but also due to some trade restrictions Marlock has placed on goods bound for the far north. Aligning ourselves with this force is absolutely crucial - they would be an immense asset in our war effort!" The king exclaims. "They're led by someone calling themselves General Beladai. Would you be able to go north and make contact with him? Since if you could assist these northerners by aiding their siege from within the Citadel, they'll be able to succeed with minimal losses. And as a result, the tide of the war may yet change in our favour!" Ableton ponders this seriously... should he take up this mission? An assassination is pretty dangerous - but if this new assignment doesn't go to plan, it might be a whole lot riskier. Or, it might be relatively smooth, if the king is right and all he needs to do is help create an opening for others to come in and fight. Either way, is there anything else Ableton should do? Even if he accepts, he may wish to stop off somewhere along the way. e.g. check out the mysterious Forest of Larun, or venture down to the Scorpion Bight. EDIT: Oh also, Ableton ranked-up as a result of completing the assassination mission - so he's now rank 4! Major Isoor fucked around with this message at 15:46 on May 11, 2023 |
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May 11, 2023 15:12
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Major Isoor posted:
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May 11, 2023 15:42
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I've just received word that a force of Sokaran soldiers who were forced to flee north during the war have amassed a following among the locals - nomads, Trau and Mannekyns, if you could believe it!
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Drinkslinger posted:Mannekyns? As in, the little flying monkey fella that you bought from the slave market and then set free? Sounds like you've got yourself a friend among the rebels! Heh yeah, I'm kinda glad that happened, now! Especially since I was probably going to keep it, but I was only given the option to set it free or re-sell him to that rich jerk, so freedom it is! At least now it'll be much less awkward, compared to how it might've been if I had strolled into the Mannekyn camp with one of their brethren in tow...EDIT: Also, I don't know about you, but I visualise them as looking kinda like this gremlin from the Simpsons, except with little wings 
Major Isoor fucked around with this message at 01:16 on May 12, 2023 |
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May 12, 2023 01:12
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I was picturing these, but less inept: https://youtu.be/PGj4OX34ECY
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May 12, 2023 01:25
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Drinkslinger posted:I was picturing these, but less inept: Ohhhhh, very good point! I'd forgotten about those guys - good call! hahaha
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May 12, 2023 01:28
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Picked up the video game. It's an ok adaptation and the new combat system is neat. Troubadour's mirror image skill really makes things easier since you can sit back and snipe most enemies with crossbows. Managed to get the rank 10 ironman achievement doing that.
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May 12, 2023 02:59
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super sweet best pal posted:Picked up the video game. It's an ok adaptation and the new combat system is neat. Troubadour's mirror image skill really makes things easier since you can sit back and snipe most enemies with crossbows. Managed to get the rank 10 ironman achievement doing that. Oh, interesting! I knew about the different combat system, but I didn't know about the abilities. So does each class have one ability and that's that, or do you get more as you rank up, too? Sounds cool, either way
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May 13, 2023 15:49
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Yeah, you slowly learn abilities as you rank up but you can also just buy them from shops if you're willing to spend a lot of shards. The other classes' abilities can be trained that way but you can only have four active at one time. You can swap them in your skillbook whenever you're not in combat.
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May 13, 2023 19:19
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Major Isoor posted:Content that the heat has died down enough for him to try and leave the city, Ableton heads out early in the morning and successfully passes the guards in his new armour. The short trip to Trefoille is uneventful, so before long he's back in front of Oliphard's fancy pavilion. Keep helping the king and take the mission
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May 14, 2023 03:44
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Deciding that the old saying 'in for a penny, in for a shard' applies here, Ableton grimly nods, acquiescing to the king's request. "Excellent, thank you for this, my Champion! I know it's a tall order to issue another mission so soon, but I fear that there is nobody else with the required skills that I can task with this - especially at such short notice," the king continues. "My men will guide you down the mountains when you're ready. But remember - General Beladai is the commander of this alliance. If we can help them at the Citadel, they'll help ensure that this war is resolved in our favour. It's an absolutely critical mission, but I have complete faith in your abilities." After resting a while, Ableton treks down into the foothills of the Coldbleak Mountains with his escort. Parting ways with the rebels, he continues uneventfully through Caran Baru and further north. The further he goes however, the busier it becomes. Compared to when he was up in this area looking for Damor so long ago, it's absolutely bustling! Soldiers and wagons are traveling north, as well. Looks like Ableton isn't the only one who's been notified of the border tensions lately... Arriving at the Pass of Eagles, Ableton looks on in wonder. In between the sheer, jagged mountains, the Pass is a thin chasm where people could walk through the mountain range, without needing to make that terrible climb up the mountainsides. At least, people used to be able to just walk through - in the last century or so, extensive fortifications have been built up at the southern end of the Pass, so that nobody can easily enter Sokara without passing through the fortress.  As he reaches the gate, Ableton has to admit that it's an imposing place - the walls here are immense. However as the fortress is intended to keep out intruders from the north, it's doubtless even more impressive from that side! Snapping him out of his thoughts a guard gruffly asks him what business he has here. Ableton makes up an excuse, but the soldier doesn't appear interested. "Look, unless you have some kind of identification, you need to leave." Having a sudden brainwave, Ableton fishes the slightly battered officer's pass (which he pinched from that drunk he beat up) from his pack, handing it over to the soldier. "Fine. Will this suffice?" Glancing down at the officer's pass Ableton handed him, the man's attitude immediately changes. "Yes of course, Captain Schmidt! Right this way," the soldier says, ushering Ableton through after giving him a salute. Walking through the Citadel for the first time, Ableton is truly amazed by the architectural feats achieved here. The place is a vast complex of corridors and portcullises - offering great resistance to any who manage to breach the gates. There are also some truly massive cisterns cut deep into the bedrock, holding enough water to last at least a year, Ableton estimates. Wandering further into the Citadel, he comes across a large open area, which has been used as an open-air field of crops. Looking up, he can see that nets have been spread between the towers, ensuring that the local Mannekyn people are unable to attack from above. What's more, in addition to the Sokaran regulars who have come to the citadel to help defend, there's also the permanent garrison here - the Knights of the Northern Shield. Who, Ableton gathers from some locals, are among the best soldiers Sokara has to offer. Seeing as there are no amenities here for non-soldiers however, Ableton figures he should keep moving lest he arouse suspicion in the troops stationed here. So with that, he presses on leaves the Citadel, after flashing his officer's pass and dismissing the warnings about besiegers, that the guard gives. After the gates close behind him, Ableton continues towards the northern end of the Pass of Eagles. Here he can see a massive war camp. Tents scattered all across the mouth of the Pass, blockading any enemy traffic passage to the Citadel. Entering the camp isn't an issue for an enterprising man such as Ableton, seeing as many others like him are flocking to the army - either to be recruited as mercenaries, or to trade weapons, armour and food. (Speaking of which, look like there's some good gear on offer. Armour going up to plate +5, as well as weapons going up to +2) Venturing deeper into the camp, Ableton eventually reaches a wooden stockade, which he surmises is where the leadership is holed-up. After speaking to the soldiers guarding the entrance, he's allowed access and is led to a large pavilion of purple silk. Inside, General Beladai, an imposing man who's clearly taken part in many campaigns, is inside, looking down at a table covered in maps and other papers. The table is surrounded by other members of the leadership, who were evidently in the middle of a discussion before Ableton arrived unannounced. After announcing the reason for his presence, the hard gazes he'd been receiving soften somewhat, and the rest of the leadership introduce themselves: Lek, Wing-warrior Chief of the Mannekyn People, a trau warlord by the name of Marack Mander, as well as Olog Khan, a wiry and hawk-nosed nomad from the Horde of the Thousand Winds. They explain in some detail that the fortress is nigh-impenetrable. However with the use of a single skilled spy, the Great Gate might be opened, and then the invading army could rush inside and deal with the defenders from there. "Unfortunately, you're our only hope at present," Beladai growls. "Knowing the risks, would you accept this task now? We'll unable to progress without someone such as yourself, so if you need to attend to other matters before returning, do so now." 
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May 14, 2023 07:59
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Answer's got to be YES, Ableton always says YES to adventure. Ignore the point of no return warning! Dive in recklessly!
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May 17, 2023 16:09
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Sorry for the delay btw! The past week I've been alternating between being busy and being sick. I'll aim to get an update out tonight, after I get home from work
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May 23, 2023 02:19
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After thinking for a moment, Ableton replies, "Well, I've come this far for the king and his allies. I accept the task!" General Beladai's stony exterior softens slightly, relieved that they now have a man on the inside. "Ah, excellent!" Squeaks Lek the Mannekyn, as several of the other commanders shake Ableton's hand, slap him on the back and/or mumble thanks. Beladai slaps his hand down on Ableton's shoulder, his steel-grey eyes boring into Ableton's. "Don't fail us...may Tyrnai guide you! We'll send a thousand \men each night under the cover of darkness into concealed positions near the gate. Then once you've opened them, we'll charge and take the Citadel by surprise!" With that, Ableton bids the commanders farewell, then heads south again, out of the war camp. Arriving back at the Citadel after an uneventful trip, he gazes up at the formidable fortifications. Massive walls with towers lining the perimeter, arcs of fire seemingly covering every possible approach... Topped off with the Great Gate - a huge, steel gate in the centre of the wall. How the hell am I going to pull this off? ...Ah well, I'll figure it out. Seeing as there isn't a guard posted out the front like at the southern end, Ableton waits a while for a patrol beyond the wall to eventually make its way back around to the gate. As they approach him, he's they're initially quite guarded and suspicious towards him. But as soon as he flashes his trusty officer's pass, their demeanor changes immediately - presumably figuring that he's a soldier returning from some mission or other, Ableton figures. (More than happy for these people to believe whatever they want to, as long as he gets his way!) After speaking to them briefly and asking to be let back through the gate, they escort him to the gate and signal for it to be opened, letting him in. Back in the maze of halls, corridors and courtyards within the Citadel, Ableton sets out to commence his casing of the area. During this process Ableton finds a disused old storehouse, which he uses to sleep in during the next couple of days, between investigations during the night. On the third night though, he decides that the time is right - he knows the patrol routes nearby, so it's now or never. Slipping from alleyway to alleyway, Ableton effortlessly makes it to the main courtyard at the Great Gate undetected. On either side of the gate, there are spiral staircases leading to the upper levels of the gatehouse, where the winch is located. Slinking up the stairs as quietly as possible, Ableton peeks over the lip of the floor above. Spotting two guards on duty, Ableton slowly draws his dagger. I can't gently caress this up, now. If one of them so much as screams, I'm done for! When both of them are close together and facing away, Live makes his move. He quickly and quietly closes the gap, then slashes one's throat from behind! Then the other, turning in surprise, is promptly stabbed in the chest. Ableton cover's the man's mouth while he slides to the floor and bleeds out. Perfect! Not a peep. Ableton then rushes over to the winch and starts heaving it, trying to make progress as quickly as possible. Unfortunately though, it's a very loud process. Before long, Ableton hears yelling and movement down below in the courtyard. Right after though, the sound of several horns blow from outside the walls! One or two quite close, then the rest further away - the strike team near the gates must be making their attack, and signalling for the rest of the army to move in and reinforce them. After hearing the horns outside, the bulk of the troops in the courtyard immediately shift their focus from running around figuring out what's going on, to forming a line and holding back whoever is rushing through the gate. Not wanting to die in the process of handing this advantage to Beladai, Ableton looks around and starts tossing any furniture and items down the stairs, as a group of soldiers rush up to try and retake the winch-room. Luckily, Ableton is able to hold them off. Bowling some of them over with a hurled object, he rushes and kills the remaining men with a flurry of slashes with his dagger, before finishing off the downed soldiers. Thankfully, during this time the Northern Alliance managed to push further into the courtyard, cutting off the defenders' access to the gatehouse. Deciding to relocate to a less vital area in case some of the defenders slip through and beeline towards him however, Ableton slips away to lay low during the rest of the battle. (Definitely not hiding. Just...unwilling to risk his life further )Awake and waiting out the last few hours of the night, from the sounds of it the fighting has died down completely by dawn. The defenders have been overrun! A great many are sure to be dead, but many others would now be prisoners - guests of General Beladai and possibly later, King Nergan. Major Isoor fucked around with this message at 22:40 on May 23, 2023 |
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May 23, 2023 13:53
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Go on my son, that’s how you do it! 
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May 23, 2023 18:19
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I was honestly expecting something to happen if my rolls slipped up, like during the assassination. But luckily, the dice were hot! Perfect rolls for absolutely everything - probably good timing for that, since I highly doubt there'd be much (if any) leeway for failure in this scenario. Compared to having a bad roll or two in a regular fight I mean, where you'd get hurt, but it doesn't auto-fail the encounter. (Also, it was my lucky night - I had a Blood Bowl 2 match on and rolled great there, too!) EDIT: Oh also, once this siege business wraps up, assuming it doesn't lead into something else right away, where should Ableton go? Explore the new and Major Isoor fucked around with this message at 05:37 on May 24, 2023 |
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May 24, 2023 02:23
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Major Isoor posted:Not sure if this is best suited for Imp Zone or the Scholastic Book Fair TBH, but seeing as this little pet project (assuming anyone cares and therefore this actually happens online, rather than just...me doing it normally) will no doubt take longer than the standard life of an RSF, I figure having it here in IZ is probably the way to go. Plus imps are the best posters as a general rule, so I figure IZ is a safe bet! To start at Rank 1 you need to start in Book 1, but from there you can travel to and play in any of the books if you have the means (the books in question and possibly money for transportation). It's just that unless you've played enough to know the "safe" areas/paths your Rank1 noob stands an excellent chance of getting literally eaten alive. While Ableton backed the king, my go to character usually backs the general. Maybe the king's son is a better person than the general, but I look at his army which has been brought together against a common enemy, the general. Which means that if the general is defeated (after a slow, grinding war) that coalition will likely fragment into a four/five-sided civil war. ---------------- Everyone fucked around with this message at 15:05 on May 29, 2023 |
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May 29, 2023 15:00
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We're pretty much done with book 1 and should head west to Golnir (USER WAS PUT ON PROBATION FOR THIS POST)
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May 29, 2023 21:26
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super sweet best pal posted:We're pretty much done with book 1 and should head west to Golnir Golnir is... probably my least favorite of the series. There are multiple encounters which can screw you or flat-out destroy your character (AKA Resurrection deals won't save you). This is true regardless of Rank/Attributes. You can be Rank 20 with 12s in every Ability and still get hammered. Surviving/avoiding those situations is a matter of either knowing where they are and staying away until you're prepared or just getting lucky on the dice to determine the encounter. The character is Rank 4. Take him north to the Plains of Howling Darkness. ----------------
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May 30, 2023 00:48
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Hmm, interesting - Golnir is one of the books that I have very little knowledge about, so it may be best to follow your advice there. Odd that there are so many trap decisions in book 2! I guess they may've still been getting their bearings, on what's balanced and what isn't. Book 1 has been fine though, interestingly. In any case, unless there are objections from anyone else I think I'll take us further north once I'm home from work, in light of all this
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May 30, 2023 00:54
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After dawn broke, Ableton ventures out and makes his way around the Citadel, before coming across General Beladai in the main square. Here, he can see that the General is busy coordinating further patrols, sweeping through the Citadel to flush out any remaining pockets of resistance. Upon seeing Ableton approach, the General's tired and stony expression immediately changes to an energetic grin, as he walks over and slapping him on the back. "Ahhhh, excellent work, excellent work! The Northern Alliance and King Nergan will honour you above all others for your efforts, my friend! So much gained in such little time - the usurpers probably don't even realise what has happened up here, yet!" The next few days are go past in a blur. Many of the soldiers are required to take up guard duty, however as Ableton isn't technically a soldier (and he's the King's Champion, at that!) he finds himself partying and drinking with the rest of the off-duty soldiers, drinking away the previous occupants' supply of ale. After a few days of this however, Beladai sends a messenger to retrieve and sober up Ableton. Apparently, the King himself is on his way here, and will arrive in the next day or so! (And well, it's rather unbecoming for the hero of the hour to greet his King while blackout-drunk) Additionally, the good General has apparently set Ableton up with his best swordmaster, to train our intrepid infiltrator as a reward for his efforts! Great...rewarding me with more work... Ableton thinks to himself, hoping this will actually come in handy. (Which it does - he goes up a rank and gains an additional combat bonus, so his combat and defence stats are actually pretty good now) Sure enough, a couple of days (and many bruises from training) later, the King arrives. Ableton, who has been given a brief crash course on how to formally greet and interact with nobility while out in public, is among the party of generals and other commanders who greet King Nergan at the gate. The King has already heard of Ableton's deeds prior to arriving and is (naturally) incredibly grateful, providing him with 500 shards and a place in the royal annals, as a reward for his efforts. Then later that day, a feast is held in Ableton's honour - once more, he's the man of the hour who everyone is more than happy to toast, as long as it means more free booze and reduced guard duty shifts for the troops! After a couple more days of this though, Ableton feels it's time for him to depart. Since well, who knows? Marlock is sure to seek retaliation - and Live doesn't want to be anywhere nearby when that happens. So, now that it seems like his name is on the tongue of just about everyone in northern Sokara, he heads back out via the northern gate of the Citadel, to explore new lands. Deciding to head north to Yarimura as a starting point, Ableton passes the site the Northern Alliance had been encamped at. All the tents have been disassembled remarkably quickly - not much is left here aside from some junk here and there, which some poverty-stricken locals are picking through. Continuing on, Ableton makes the (disappointingly uneventful, given the name) quiet trip through the Gemstone Hills to the gates of the city of Yarimura. The moment he enters the city, he's immediately hit by the loud noises of a bustling city - possibly the busiest he's been in! At least it smells a hell of a lot better here than in Yellowport, I suppose... Ableton thinks to himself, as he walks down the main street.  After asking a friendly local, he's given some directions. Looks like there are several sizeable districts here that he can explore, as per the map below. To start with though, Ableton thinks he'll reconnect with his seedier roots by visiting the Thieves' Kitchen. Maybe get a drink, find out what's going on in the city's underbelly, then catch a few Z's in a tavern. So after spending twenty minutes or so finding his way to explore the Thieves' Kitchen, he's now at a crossroads. Looking left, Ableton notices the unmistakable look of a rough area. Those guys down that way are probably quite tough and are possibly eager for a fight. Looking straight ahead, he sees... an even rougher looking area. Looking right, he sees... an extremely rough looking street. Looks like the guards probably don't venture down this way, too much! Deciding that he reckons he can handle himself in most situations (yet doesn't want to overdo it on day one...) Ableton confidently strides straight, along the very rough looking street. After a few minutes though, a group of thugs jump him from an alleyway! Predicting that something like this would happen (seeing as nobody knows him here and he doubtless looks like some idiot traveler) Ableton whips out his dagger and cuts three of them down, prompting the other two to run! "Yeah, run! Don't you dare think that the likes of you and your friends can try and rob Ableton Live and get away with it!" He roars after them, hoping he can make a name for himself here, as he did down south. (I mean hey, that 'Greatest Story Ever Told' prophecy won't fulfill itself, after all!) So with that, he turns the dead muggers' pockets and comes away with some beer money. Deciding he's probably tempted fate enough for one day, he decides to stop in at a tavern he spotted, just up the road. Entering the Severed Hand Inn, Ableton notes with a chuckle that many of the patrons here do indeed appear to be missing a hand each! No doubt it's a common punishment for thieves. At least I know who he should be wary of I suppose, when walking around town... Buying himself a beer of dubious quality, Ableton looks around and surmises that the friendliest people to sit and chat with are a pair of shadowy figures seated in the corner. One short, disreputable-looking fellow in a cloak, who's talking to a large, red-faced woman. Ableton, charming as ever, plonks himself down along side them, nodding at the man and winking at the woman. "Mind if I join you? The name's Ableton Live. You... may have heard of me." The cloaked man, initially looking rather angry at the intrusion, looks the foreigner in front of him up and down, before relaxing his expression - apparently satisfied with his appraisal of Ableton. "No, I'm afraid I haven't," the man simply replies, not even attempting to sooth Ableton's ego. "However, you might be able to help us. My name is Luroc Bans and my associate here is named Floril Dellas. I like to steal from the townsfolk," he says bluntly and unashamedly. "She, however, is a washerwoman who works for a rich merchant from Metriciens in Golnir, named Avar Hordeth. We... may have a use for you. Since Avar owns a villa just outside town. According to Floril, his treasure vault is stuffed to the brim!" Lowering his voice now, the man continues. "Floril has given me a map of the place. I can get in there, but we need a tough accomplice to help deal with whoever or whatever is guarding he treasure. Something is, but no one knows what. Once we've grabbed the loot and get out, we'll split everything three-ways. So... are you in?"
Major Isoor fucked around with this message at 05:47 on Jun 13, 2023 |
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May 30, 2023 13:23
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Ableton should definitely help these suspiciously trustworthy strangers rob the vault
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May 30, 2023 13:44
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Major Isoor posted:Hmm, interesting - Golnir is one of the books that I have very little knowledge about, so it may be best to follow your advice there. Odd that there are so many trap decisions in book 2! I guess they may've still been getting their bearings, on what's balanced and what isn't. Book 1 has been fine though, interestingly. Golnir can be worth adventuring in because there's quite a few ways to up your Abilities. There's one area where you can find some maps that somehow boost your Scouting by 1 point (no roll 2d6 and if you score higher, just a straight-up addition). But that's on a random roll which also has the potential for "You go insane. Lose all but certain Code words (and some of those Code words you only get one shot to get), reduce your Rank to 1 and reroll your new Stamina with 2d6). There's another area with encounters like 2-6 (get a chance to raise Charisma if it's under 6) 7 (nothing special) 8-12 (lose a point of Thievery). There's a couple of areas where there are people telling stories. Those stories give you Code words. If you run into certain encounters (randomly rolled in those areas) you generally have to make a fairly steep Attribute roll to survive/avoid nastiness unless you have the needed Code word. ----------------
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May 30, 2023 16:04
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