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[LP CYOA] Epic

Smashing Axe

Arcane
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Divinity: Original Sin
Edit:
A
Kipeci has me convinced
 

Kipeci

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Location
Vicksburg
A

He got the king by surprise and had been awaiting him, but we are an unexpected factor as we have only just gotten through. The man is already exposed, and is concentrating on the king, not us... and besides, I don't think he would have anything to throw against us that could seriously harm us, really. The sand blast was unexpected, but evidently a number of regular men survived it, so I don't think that's something that could take him out for centuries. The jackals we've already ripped through. Why would he not throw out anything stronger if he had access to it? It's not as if the Egyptian military was in much of a state to be hiding those secrets prior to this moment.

While his attention is away, turn him into a smear under our wheels. It's the most likely option to distract him from the king, and his safety is a pretty big priority. If we pull this off, then he will be heavily indebted to us for all of what we have done, and this king that owes us so much will also take back control at home from the son potentially influenced by other immortals... clearly a winning combination. It's much more sure than just throwing the javelin, and it's not like we'd be in much danger if we somehow failed anyway, considering our immortality.
 

Omicron

Scholar
Joined
Dec 24, 2011
Messages
207
A, a chariot is a lot harder to blow away with a gust of sand than a javelin.
 

anus_pounder

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C.

Well, if we couldn't charge and save the king from getting wounded, the least we can do is save his wounded ass from becoming a corpse.

EDIT : Wait what ? Donkey ?
 

Esquilax

Arcane
Joined
Dec 7, 2010
Messages
4,833
I'm going with A, I think that throwing a spear at the guy is a half-measure.
 

TOME

Cuckmaster General
Joined
May 25, 2012
Messages
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Can we get there in time with chariots to save the king? Better to draw his attention with a javelin through his heart.

C.
 

TOME

Cuckmaster General
Joined
May 25, 2012
Messages
1,820
What if Sargon is a illusion and he is elsewhere?
 

treave

Arcane
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11,370
Codex 2012
Ean was distracted by the alien presence from the old man before this so he did not think to check Sargon's mind - not that he knows of any good reason to do so. Remember that he is still a fledgling to all this super-powered immortal stuff, and story-wise he hasn't discovered his own immortality yet. Give him a few centuries and he should become a bitter paranoid fuck thanks to Codexian guidance, though.

If you want to be cautious, B is the way. Who knows what your senses will pick up if you concentrate...

EDIT : Wait what ? Donkey ?

sumerianchariot.jpg
 

anus_pounder

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:oops: I guess hollywood spoiled me. Whenever you say Chariot, I can only think of some blinged out ride with soldiers in glittering armor and shining white/jet black decorated horses.
 

treave

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Codex 2012
Once (if) we settle down into a civilization building phase the voices can suggest some advances in technology. Horses are not far away, we can soon demote the asses to manual labour.

Some brief notes I had on the powers available and what they can do in the future. Might be helpful since we'll be picking another power to focus on in a couple of updates. This isn't set in stone, though, it's just a framework.
***
Body Manipulation:
The power to control the makeup of your body. At higher ranks, it is limited only by your imagination, and it is possible to exert control over your body even if you have split it up into a swarm of bats.

Elemental Manipulation:
The power to harness the very laws of nature. At higher ranks, you can create volcanos, freezing storms, and even manipulate gravity, if you concentrate really, really hard.

Physical Ability:
The power to move quicker, react faster, and punch more strongly than other men. At higher ranks, the force of your blows are measured in kilotons, and you can break the sound barrier on foot.

Psionics:
The power to manipulate minds directly. At higher ranks, you can rewrite memories and feed false sensory information to your foes, while shielding your friends from any telepathic attacks.

Restoration:
The power to regenerate others. At higher ranks, you are able to bring the dead back to a state of undeath under your command, i.e. necromancy.

Telekinesis:
The power to move and manipulate objects with your mind. At higher ranks, you can lift a few tons of objects or perform delicate surgery using a scalpel with your mind alone.

Telepathy:
The power to read the minds of others. The power is heightened by proximity. At higher ranks, you can feel emotions and thoughts across a great distance, and absorb knowledge by touch.
 

anus_pounder

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Its a toss up between Psionics and Telepathy for me. Both sound just too good. Physical Ability is good as well, but I think Punch Rockgroin here is already enough of a fighter for now.

EDIT : I hope we don't all make retarded decisions and end this early. This CYOA is already on the same level as The Barbarian's legendary Space Empire CYOA, imo. :salute: No other CYOA does it for me.
 

treave

Arcane
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Codex 2012
Current vote stands at:

A 7 (newcomer, root, Smashing Axe, Kipeci, Tigranes, Omicron, Esquilax)
B 1 (eklektyk)
C 6 (Quetzacoatl, XenomorphII, oscar, SerratedBiz, anus_pounder, TOME)

A takes it by a hair. Update incoming.
 

treave

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Codex 2012
Chapter 1.6: Tendrils in the Desert

He's not concentrating on us at the moment so... run that motherfucker down!
YEEEEHAAAAAW!

The voices were excited. You decide to do this the Sumerian way; crashing into the enemy with the full force of your two asses followed by a hundred pounds of wood, all the while ululating the war cry of your people. The old man's arms flail in the air as he disappears underneath the chariot with a sickening thud. You hear his bones snap.

Then, your chariot jerks to a sudden halt.

Is that supposed to happen?
Oh no, no, this is one of those types... RUN!

Even with the warning from the voices, you barely manage to register what is going on before a mass of ropy, black tendrils erupt from underneath the chariot, wrapping around anything they can touch. A few of them manage to grip your left leg just above your sandal, causing you burning pain wherever they have touched, and in that moment of contact it truly hits home how different this thing is. The torrent of alien thought flooding your mind resolves and focuses until you pick up one strong signal directed at you repeatedly:

come from afar to kill us but find only your own death come from afar to kill us but find only your own death come fro-

You hack away at the tendrils. Clearly the monster means you no good. Your slashes cause its grip to loosen for a little, and you take that opportunity to leap away from the chariot. Your jump carries you a good two metres away, putting you well out of the tendrils' reach. You land on your left leg, and the pain causes you to sink to the ground. Looking at your ankle, you see that the tendrils have eaten away into the flesh. The braying of your donkeys behind you tell you that they are done for.

As suddenly as they have appeared, the tendrils withdraw back under the chariot, and the old man crawls out jerkily. He stands and moves towards you in a floppy manner, putting one foot ahead of the other like a badly controlled puppet. You can see his broken bones sticking out at weird angles. His open wounds have exposed the morass of slimy black tendrils writhing within his body. The old man's jaw drops open, and it speaks to you in Sumerian.

“You come so far to kill us. I know your masters.” Its voice is guttural and harsh. “We will not be denied this land. All serve us. All feed us. Even you.”

Trembling, you get to your feet and grip your sword tightly.

Don't worry, we've got this one beat. He's just mouthing off.
Aye, look at it. Barely holding its host together now. Your loyal donkeys did a good number on it.
Here's a tip: That thing usually has a big weak spot in its host's lower spine.
Big honkin' orb, looks like an eyeball. You can't miss it.

“What is this thing anyway? You lot owe me a long explanation.” you complain.

Hey, no problem, man, we'll tell you a story about them.
After you get rid of it, mind. So focus.

You focus. The old man has staggered close, and it suddenly pounces, attempting to embrace you with those corrosive tendrils bursting from every orifice.


***

A. You move suddenly, faster than you ever have. Your swift and explosive movement disrupts the timing of the old man's pounce, and you slip easily behind it. With one strike you hack open its back, exposing the orb. The tendrils grab you. You ignore the pain and drive your sword into the orb.

B. You concentrate your thought. In mid-pounce, the old man is unable to change its trajectory; you slam it to the ground with the power of your mind. It struggles mightily, but you just need to be able to hold it there for a second. As you draw close, the tendrils wrap around you and begin eating away at your flesh. You endure the pain. With a yell, you cut apart its spine and plunge your sword into the exposed orb.

C. Stretching your hand out, some sparks float from your fingers, towards the thing. It runs right into the floating sparks and they ignite, wrapping the thing in flames. Its momentum, however, carries it right into you, knocking you down. Despite the searing flames, you kick aside the weakened creature and cut deep into its back, where the skin has melted to expose the orb.

***

(Don't be concerned with the injuries. This is mainly a power-selection update. The thing is defeated no matter which option you select; its own choices drove it into a corner, so to speak. This wouldn't have happened the same way had you chosen differently before, of course.)
 

newcomer

Learned
Joined
May 23, 2012
Messages
919
Very tough choice very tough choice very tough choice very tough choice very tough choice very tough choice very to-

treave
It appears that you have mastered the art of making tough choices...

After I think about it... ONE MAN ARMY! A
 

Tigranes

Arcane
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Jan 8, 2009
Messages
10,350
Purely IMO, but you don't need to feel the need to explicate treave - it's a great CYOA and it's just fine for us to worry about injuries or speculate about the options, I think it might even be more entertaining for us not to know all this meta-info (we already have a big nugget in immortality, apparently). But up to you.

I say C. Now, I initially thought A or B, since mind control / telekinesis type powers are awesome and it's always nice to have your physical attributes empowered, but I feel like we'll need some 'flashy' powers down the road to impress our followers and enemies - especially with Shulgi and Naram at hand. Think a certain Wielder of Fire...
 

Omicron

Scholar
Joined
Dec 24, 2011
Messages
207
A

Edit: As far as flashy powers are concerned, I think that strength should work quite well, throwing around horses with a single hand or stuff like that.
 

treave

Arcane
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Messages
11,370
Codex 2012
Purely IMO, but you don't need to feel the need to explicate treave - it's a great CYOA and it's just fine for us to worry about injuries or speculate about the options, I think it might even be more entertaining for us not to know all this meta-info (we already have a big nugget in immortality, apparently). But up to you.

Yeah, you have a point. Just thought I'd prevent any side-tracking about injuries, but on the other hand, I do enjoy seeing all the wayward and baseless speculation too. :salute:
 

oscar

Arcane
Joined
Aug 30, 2008
Messages
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Location
NZ
Restoration could be useful for reviving our best lieutenants and greatest scientists and thinkers. Body Manipulation would also be nice to make us into the godly looking fellow we deserve to be (I see us as a Conan type).

C
 

Kipeci

Arcane
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May 22, 2012
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Vicksburg
I'll go with A. Let's not neglect our specialty.
 

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