procrastinator
Arcane
- Joined
- May 10, 2011
- Messages
- 1,060
I just felt a sudden urge to circlejerk a little, so...
That sure sounds like a lot of fun, doesn't it?
Let's see for ourselves!
Part I: Call of Andymans
mobygames said:Faery Tale Adventure II is the sequel to MicroIllusions' classic RPG. The three brothers, introduced in the first game, have been teleported to a foreign country where they have to save the local people from evil powers spreading in the once peaceful lands. The graphics resemble those in Ultima VIII: Pagan and the gaming world is large.
mobygames said:As you might already know, the Dreamer's Guild went out of business while making the game, and towards the end, had to release it quickly in order for it to be released at all. Therefore, a lot of things were missed, not finished, left half done. You can find all sorts of quest items throughout the game, though you will not be able to do a thing with them.
That sure sounds like a lot of fun, doesn't it?
Let's see for ourselves!
Part I: Call of Andymans
We'll kick things off with a spoiler inside a spoiler! History of the Universe, taken straight from the manual.
The last few paragraphs can be seen in this here video:
With introductions out of the way, we're now ready for another adventure.
We start out in the hamlet of Padavis in the land of Wildevarr.
Alright, let's check out our party's inventory.
Julian doesn't have much in terms of equipment. A dagger and bag with a few gold coins and a map.
But there is also another inventory, a mental one. It contains ideas, which are basically a topics for conversations.
To talk with NPCs you must drop ideas onto them.
This tab holds spells, but Julian doesn't know any yet.
Julian's skills are as follows:
Brawn - 2
Swordcraft - 2
Agility - 1
Bludgeon - 3
Archery - 1
Shieldcraft - 2
Spellcraft - 1
Phillip and Kevin start with the same equipment, but with different skills.
Phillip:
Brawn - 2
Swordcraft - 2
Agility - 3
Bludgeon - 1
Archery - 2
Shieldcraft - 1
Spellcraft - 2
Kevin:
Brawn - 1
Swordcraft - 1
Agility - 2
Bludgeon - 1
Archery - 1
Shieldcraft - 1
Spellcraft - 3
If I'm not mistaken, skills can be improved by use or by trainers.
We make our way into a tavern and start a conversation.
I saw some rats on the way in. Me and my brothers here are providing pest control services. You interested? Or maybe you need some potions delivered somewhere?
Thank you, we'll look into it.
But first we are going to grab everything that isn't nailed down.
Let's ransack the second floor.
Garbage we collected so far.
We found bow and arrows for Phillip in the cellar
We barge into an empty house. More books inside.
Yay, a mouldy healing scroll! More on magic scrolls later.
We were wandering around the village, stealing stuff, when suddenly a man named Kwarrel approached...
:kwanzania: You must help me and my family. My wife and child are trapped... in a cave! I myself was wounded when goblins attacked!
Excuse me, do I know you? Sir..?
He had a chest on him.
There is something under the pillow...
Don't really need anything at the moment.
And here we don't have enough goldz to purchase anything.
Impressive.
We got ourselves a short sword and a bronze long sword!
Drunkard smith.
This fellow will buy any junk we collected. I must say, trading is pretty tedious. You drop items one by one and every time there is a spoken line from the merchant and a confirmation afterwards.
Can't afford anything right now.
Uhm... "Work"?
Yes. My skin is rather beautiful, isn't it?
Mhm, I see... "Food"?
Oh, I don't like to eat at this time of the day. A woman has to watch her weight.
Fair enough. You know, I don't want to sound rude, but... "Container"?
My heart is empty, but longs for the love of a true man.
But of course! Here, take this letter.
I thought Birket was the one sending me these anonymous letters d'amour. But how can he know I love him in kind...
...Wait! I have an idea. Oh, gentle messenger! Take this letter to my beloved. Your deeds are the Gods' work!
She replies? Happy news! These words are like liquor for my drunken heart! Thank you, my friend. Your deeds will be rewarded! Take this coach pass, my brother! Use it for free travel sometime!
We don't need healing, but there seems to be a p. extensive library in the next room. Oh boy...
How stereotypical.
The purple book lists all the previous Moon Priestesses and their deeds, no way am I typing that out.
Too pricey. Oh well.
And that's about all there is for the hamlet of Pavadis for now. Let's dig through the scrolls we scavenged so far.
Our bros learn spells by reading scrolls. After reading, scroll is destroyed.
We found multiple Minor Healing scrolls, so everybody know this spell now.
And there you have it. Next time we'll wade into the wilderness! Probably.
The History of the Universe
The Age of Powers
Before man, before Time, before even the gods themselves, the mist of the Old Universe was home to only the Powers of Order and Chaos. Since Reason or Love had not been created, two Powers, Order (named Saroth) and Chaos (named Tholis), swore eternal hatred for the other. Saroth, with his Rod of Rule, and Tholis, with the Dice of Chance, struck blow after relentless blow on one another for uncountable millennia.
Time was born then, and its emergence signaled the first shift in the creation of a New Universe. The randomness of What Was began to take shape into something tangible: a Universe measured in Time, confined by Dimension, and filled with Matter.
As the Universe took on a naturally more ordered shape, Saroth's blows became stronger. Sensing he held the upper hand, Saroth redoubled his attacks to be certain that Tholis could play no hand in the formation of the New Age.
Weakened by the unrelenting blows of his enemy and the shifting of natural events, Tholis had no choice but to allow his fate to be determined by Luck. He dropped his defenses, and waited for Saroth to strike...
Order landed a crippling blow. Chaos exploded into one million and one pieces, spreading the length of the Universe. Tholis, scattered to infinity, was no more. Saroth had nearly perished as well, for the explosion of Tholis had nearly consumed him. Staggering and weak, Order had no choice but to rest.
For epochs he slept, and in this time, the Universe underwent a change that nearly followed Saroth's plan. Stars emerged, planets formed, and the Universe took on an Ordered shape.
Saroth did not, however, plan for his blood to mix with the Shards of Chaos and form a new race of beings. They were called Mortals...and their tales were to fill the books of the Second Age.
The Age of Mortals
Mortals were limited by finite understanding, but blessed with infinite feeling. Love and reason, ideas that never existed before, flourished because of this new race. Though fragile and linked to the matter of the Universe, mortals could rapidly change events on the cosmic level.
Settled in the material plane, mortals quickly proved their might. Magic, a force that could control nearly anything, was invented by a human named Sentiffin and was used to control the Elements--old minions of Tholis. The great Dwarven King Thorl Owmsbutt tamed the Universal Fire, marking the first time a mortal controlled it without Magic. The Elven nations revolted against their unjust, controlling gods and formed free, open societies. Hand in hand with these advances, virtue, emotion, and a sense of well being flourished. Mortals had acquired souls.
Perhaps this is what awoke Saroth (for it is said that the mortal soul is so unpredictable that it must hold a piece of Tholis inside it). Upon looking over the works of man, elf, and dwarf, Saroth first knew fear. This fear turned to hatred quickly.
Still wounded, Saroth knew he could not compete against these numerous and resilient mortals. He decided to assume a mortal shape. In this new shell (made from the same elements as the new Universe), his healing accelerated. Though not as powerful as his previous incarnation, this New spirit named Sariloth quickly amassed an army of beings to support him and his plan to unite the Universe in Rigid Order.
Upon the moment he arrived on the material plane, Sariloth found that his ancient enemy, Tholis, was not slain. If anything, the Spirit of Chaos was more present than ever. The most perfectly ordered system had enough Chaos within it to make it imperfect: a drop of water would never follow exactly the same path twice, an invincible army would sometimes be beaten by a far inferior foe, and planets would randomly, unexplainably decay in their orbits and be sucked into great holes in Space.
In fact, Tholis had learned the same valuable lesson as Saroth: mortality had great advantages. He had assumed a mortal body as well, and took the name of Thorolis, the Spirit of Chance. Since he could not stand toe-to-toe with Sariloth with hope of prevailing, he worked behind the scenes, complicating the smallest of battles and the largest of campaigns, Thorolis challenged Sariloth at every step.
While Thorolis acted seemingly out of pattern and as randomly as was his essence, Sariloth, in his namesake fashion, had formulated an intricate plan to wrest control over this New Age. In a Universe so rich with natural energy as the Universe of Mortals, Sariloth quickly devised a scheme to steal this power and fuel a final assault on Thorolis.
Sariloth fled to the Underworld, a nether region below a land named Farr that teemed with natural energy. Legends that Sariloth had taken residence in the Underworld spread among the mortals in the land above. Many pilgrims, zealots and fools went to the Lord of Order to appease him and earn a place within his ranks. None returned to the mortal world. Sariloth's Underworld dominion soon became known as the Halls of the Dead.
Sariloth's might did attract three great mortal powers who could aid him. These beings were made his lieutenants. An evil and powerful Wizard named Roska was first to join. He pledged his heart to the Lord of Order in return for a kingdom. Sariloth took his gift and his allegiance, and tasked him to begin producing a means to sap Farr of its energies. Kaidar, the Dark Elf, was also welcomed into the ranks of the Lord of Order. A trickster and mover of shadow, Kaidar provided the stealth and deception that Sariloth so badly needed to hide his plan from Thorolis. A final agent was the Dragon, Irastikaan. Fiery in temper and breath, she protected the Plan by brute force, quickly putting down any mortal uprising against Sariloth.
Their plan was terrible and destructive. With the help of Roska's disembodied heart, Sariloth created eight stones of great magical power. Called Tapstones, the agents quietly placed one in each of Farr's kingdoms. Slowly, these stones drained the essence of their respective lands. The natural Elemental powers, the powers of the Mortals, and even the powers of the Spirits who protected the land were slowly siphoned away to Sariloth.
Though allies joined Sariloth, enemies also heard of his plans (no doubt thanks to the ever-present hand of Thorolis). Wildevarr, the center land of Farr, had three powerful animal spirits - a Trinity of raging stallions - who also used the energy of the land. However, unlike Sariloth, they used these riches to protect the natural essence of the land.
These spirit steeds fought blow for blow against Sariloth until the hidden Tapstone began to sap them as well. Their strength ebbing and very near defeat, the Steeds took a chance on Luck. As Tholis did to Saroth eons before, the Steeds gave in to Luck and allowed themselves to be consumed by the Wildevarr Tapstone.
They disappeared from Farr and were thought consumed. As Luck would have it, they were not destroyed. They resided within the Stone, as did all of the energy stolen from the land. Again, Luck played another card. The Wildevarr Tapstone, the first constructed by Roska, had a flaw in its crystal makeup (most likely the hatred Roska held in his awful heart). The Steeds attacked the crack, and with their combined effort, they pierced the stone. The rightful energy returned to Wildevarr, and the crystal was destroyed completely.
Weakened by the Tapstone, the Steeds knew that they could do nothing more to stop Sariloth. Only a force with strength, determination, and virtue could hope to defeat Sariloth.
Such a force did exist. Actually, three did. Three heroes from another land had once before put down a great evil. These brothers, if any, could liberate Farr from the grip of Sariloth.
Mustering the strength they had, the Steeds traveled to their heroes' plane. They entreated the brother to stand against Order. The Brothers accepted, as any real heroes would, and returned with the spirits back to Farr.
But Luck had been tested too often. On their return, the Steeds were completely drained from their flight, leaving an opening for Sariloth. He stuck decisively, and encased the Three Stallions in a block of solid Order. Locked within granite, the Steeds could do nothing but wait and hope for the heroes to complete their epic quest.
As must we all...
The Age of Powers
Before man, before Time, before even the gods themselves, the mist of the Old Universe was home to only the Powers of Order and Chaos. Since Reason or Love had not been created, two Powers, Order (named Saroth) and Chaos (named Tholis), swore eternal hatred for the other. Saroth, with his Rod of Rule, and Tholis, with the Dice of Chance, struck blow after relentless blow on one another for uncountable millennia.
Time was born then, and its emergence signaled the first shift in the creation of a New Universe. The randomness of What Was began to take shape into something tangible: a Universe measured in Time, confined by Dimension, and filled with Matter.
As the Universe took on a naturally more ordered shape, Saroth's blows became stronger. Sensing he held the upper hand, Saroth redoubled his attacks to be certain that Tholis could play no hand in the formation of the New Age.
Weakened by the unrelenting blows of his enemy and the shifting of natural events, Tholis had no choice but to allow his fate to be determined by Luck. He dropped his defenses, and waited for Saroth to strike...
Order landed a crippling blow. Chaos exploded into one million and one pieces, spreading the length of the Universe. Tholis, scattered to infinity, was no more. Saroth had nearly perished as well, for the explosion of Tholis had nearly consumed him. Staggering and weak, Order had no choice but to rest.
For epochs he slept, and in this time, the Universe underwent a change that nearly followed Saroth's plan. Stars emerged, planets formed, and the Universe took on an Ordered shape.
Saroth did not, however, plan for his blood to mix with the Shards of Chaos and form a new race of beings. They were called Mortals...and their tales were to fill the books of the Second Age.
The Age of Mortals
Mortals were limited by finite understanding, but blessed with infinite feeling. Love and reason, ideas that never existed before, flourished because of this new race. Though fragile and linked to the matter of the Universe, mortals could rapidly change events on the cosmic level.
Settled in the material plane, mortals quickly proved their might. Magic, a force that could control nearly anything, was invented by a human named Sentiffin and was used to control the Elements--old minions of Tholis. The great Dwarven King Thorl Owmsbutt tamed the Universal Fire, marking the first time a mortal controlled it without Magic. The Elven nations revolted against their unjust, controlling gods and formed free, open societies. Hand in hand with these advances, virtue, emotion, and a sense of well being flourished. Mortals had acquired souls.
Perhaps this is what awoke Saroth (for it is said that the mortal soul is so unpredictable that it must hold a piece of Tholis inside it). Upon looking over the works of man, elf, and dwarf, Saroth first knew fear. This fear turned to hatred quickly.
Still wounded, Saroth knew he could not compete against these numerous and resilient mortals. He decided to assume a mortal shape. In this new shell (made from the same elements as the new Universe), his healing accelerated. Though not as powerful as his previous incarnation, this New spirit named Sariloth quickly amassed an army of beings to support him and his plan to unite the Universe in Rigid Order.
Upon the moment he arrived on the material plane, Sariloth found that his ancient enemy, Tholis, was not slain. If anything, the Spirit of Chaos was more present than ever. The most perfectly ordered system had enough Chaos within it to make it imperfect: a drop of water would never follow exactly the same path twice, an invincible army would sometimes be beaten by a far inferior foe, and planets would randomly, unexplainably decay in their orbits and be sucked into great holes in Space.
In fact, Tholis had learned the same valuable lesson as Saroth: mortality had great advantages. He had assumed a mortal body as well, and took the name of Thorolis, the Spirit of Chance. Since he could not stand toe-to-toe with Sariloth with hope of prevailing, he worked behind the scenes, complicating the smallest of battles and the largest of campaigns, Thorolis challenged Sariloth at every step.
While Thorolis acted seemingly out of pattern and as randomly as was his essence, Sariloth, in his namesake fashion, had formulated an intricate plan to wrest control over this New Age. In a Universe so rich with natural energy as the Universe of Mortals, Sariloth quickly devised a scheme to steal this power and fuel a final assault on Thorolis.
Sariloth fled to the Underworld, a nether region below a land named Farr that teemed with natural energy. Legends that Sariloth had taken residence in the Underworld spread among the mortals in the land above. Many pilgrims, zealots and fools went to the Lord of Order to appease him and earn a place within his ranks. None returned to the mortal world. Sariloth's Underworld dominion soon became known as the Halls of the Dead.
Sariloth's might did attract three great mortal powers who could aid him. These beings were made his lieutenants. An evil and powerful Wizard named Roska was first to join. He pledged his heart to the Lord of Order in return for a kingdom. Sariloth took his gift and his allegiance, and tasked him to begin producing a means to sap Farr of its energies. Kaidar, the Dark Elf, was also welcomed into the ranks of the Lord of Order. A trickster and mover of shadow, Kaidar provided the stealth and deception that Sariloth so badly needed to hide his plan from Thorolis. A final agent was the Dragon, Irastikaan. Fiery in temper and breath, she protected the Plan by brute force, quickly putting down any mortal uprising against Sariloth.
Their plan was terrible and destructive. With the help of Roska's disembodied heart, Sariloth created eight stones of great magical power. Called Tapstones, the agents quietly placed one in each of Farr's kingdoms. Slowly, these stones drained the essence of their respective lands. The natural Elemental powers, the powers of the Mortals, and even the powers of the Spirits who protected the land were slowly siphoned away to Sariloth.
Though allies joined Sariloth, enemies also heard of his plans (no doubt thanks to the ever-present hand of Thorolis). Wildevarr, the center land of Farr, had three powerful animal spirits - a Trinity of raging stallions - who also used the energy of the land. However, unlike Sariloth, they used these riches to protect the natural essence of the land.
These spirit steeds fought blow for blow against Sariloth until the hidden Tapstone began to sap them as well. Their strength ebbing and very near defeat, the Steeds took a chance on Luck. As Tholis did to Saroth eons before, the Steeds gave in to Luck and allowed themselves to be consumed by the Wildevarr Tapstone.
They disappeared from Farr and were thought consumed. As Luck would have it, they were not destroyed. They resided within the Stone, as did all of the energy stolen from the land. Again, Luck played another card. The Wildevarr Tapstone, the first constructed by Roska, had a flaw in its crystal makeup (most likely the hatred Roska held in his awful heart). The Steeds attacked the crack, and with their combined effort, they pierced the stone. The rightful energy returned to Wildevarr, and the crystal was destroyed completely.
Weakened by the Tapstone, the Steeds knew that they could do nothing more to stop Sariloth. Only a force with strength, determination, and virtue could hope to defeat Sariloth.
Such a force did exist. Actually, three did. Three heroes from another land had once before put down a great evil. These brothers, if any, could liberate Farr from the grip of Sariloth.
Mustering the strength they had, the Steeds traveled to their heroes' plane. They entreated the brother to stand against Order. The Brothers accepted, as any real heroes would, and returned with the spirits back to Farr.
But Luck had been tested too often. On their return, the Steeds were completely drained from their flight, leaving an opening for Sariloth. He stuck decisively, and encased the Three Stallions in a block of solid Order. Locked within granite, the Steeds could do nothing but wait and hope for the heroes to complete their epic quest.
As must we all...
The last few paragraphs can be seen in this here video:
With introductions out of the way, we're now ready for another adventure.
We start out in the hamlet of Padavis in the land of Wildevarr.
Wildevarr is the sparsely populated land in the center of Farr. While it does have its dangers, it is relatively peaceful compared to the other lands.
The hamlet of Padavis is in the center of Wildevarr and, therefore, all of Farr. The Stallion Trinity has guarded the town during all past troubles, but has been strangely absent during these most recent plagues.
Not only do Bandits and goblins stalk the countryside, but two haunted strongholds are nearby: an underground enchanter's lair, and Castle Jovanc (where murder claimed the lives of an entire noble family). Recently, travelers have seen the ghosts of the Jovanc household stalking the battlements. Are these rumors, or is the curse on the Land even unsettling the dead?
Treasure seekers to the local caves had best be careful.
Surprises fill this peaceful land, and it is by no accident that some say the gates of the Underworld lie in the quiet hamlet of Padavis.
Alright, let's check out our party's inventory.
Julian doesn't have much in terms of equipment. A dagger and bag with a few gold coins and a map.
But there is also another inventory, a mental one. It contains ideas, which are basically a topics for conversations.
To talk with NPCs you must drop ideas onto them.
This tab holds spells, but Julian doesn't know any yet.
Julian's skills are as follows:
Brawn - 2
Swordcraft - 2
Agility - 1
Bludgeon - 3
Archery - 1
Shieldcraft - 2
Spellcraft - 1
Phillip and Kevin start with the same equipment, but with different skills.
Phillip:
Brawn - 2
Swordcraft - 2
Agility - 3
Bludgeon - 1
Archery - 2
Shieldcraft - 1
Spellcraft - 2
Kevin:
Brawn - 1
Swordcraft - 1
Agility - 2
Bludgeon - 1
Archery - 1
Shieldcraft - 1
Spellcraft - 3
If I'm not mistaken, skills can be improved by use or by trainers.
We make our way into a tavern and start a conversation.
But first we are going to grab everything that isn't nailed down.
'Twas first a red apple, forbidden fruit,
That tempted Mankind off its lofty pursuit.
Deliciously tempting! For even one taste,
You'd click up your heels and fall on your face.
Ambrosial aroma, so fresh and so sweet,
You'd swear life held nothing better to eat.
But a pleasing outside may hide what's in store --
Even apples of gold can have worms at the core.
Worms of jealousy, pettiness and rage,
Pulling us back to a much darker age
Where men care for nothing save the glitter of gold,
Act without thinking, and do what they're told.
Worms of desires, worms of deceit,
Worms of confusion dark and discreet.
So beware of these apples, though pleasing they are,
They'll muddle your mind and lead you afar.
Gathered together, their power is great
To change circumstance and circumvent fate,
To change a man's fortune from niches to strife,
Give bloom to the winter, bring statues to life,
Make minutes seem endless, turn day into night.
Beware, my young listener, if the enter your sight.
Three mystical apples, precious and rare, colour of gold, whither and where?
Scatter about, blown to the winds, by their hand the trouble begins.
Smithing Hammer Smithy
Serving Padavis for a decade of winters.
For the finest quality in the land or any other, seek Hildebrand.
(coin or fermented barter accepted)
Swordsman Jar Dighton seeks the unenlightened to train.
Reasonably priced.
Seek on the streets of Padavis.
People of Padavis,
Though drained as many of you are, my temple will always serve your needs, even until the last of my soul is stolen from me.
Those beset by melancholy, a shivered spine, or wound of body or soul may call upon me.
At any moment, I will be there with what aid I can muster.
There is no denying that this Blight has affected us all.
We must stick together in the power of the land and in the power of our community to be strongest now.
Some day, as was prophesied by the Steed Totem, the Blight will be lifted, my people.
We all hope that day will be soon.
-Moon Priestess
IT'S THE GOBLINS!
It's no secret that Wildevarr is not safe!
Abductions, Crime, Robbery, Nighttime Raids.
There is no peace. The truce is a joke!
The GOBLINS are not to be trusted!
They are unnatural, evil, ugly creatures of Underworld!
THEY SHOULD BE MERCILESSLY CRUSHED NOW, before the come for our women and children!
The time for action is NOW, people of Padavis!
Or will you cowardly await your doom at the hands of these vile monsters?
This is our country, and if there are any problems in the land... IT'S THE GOBLINS!
So let us go south and slay every last one of them.
Missing:
The Maldav bowman: Jorl Sebrinac.
Passed through Padavis, tow weeks ago, asking of Castle Jovanc.
Did not return.
Feared claimed by the wraiths of the keep.
Any information posted on his whereabouts would be met with appreciation.
Traveler, beware of the Sorceror's Lair.
Sits it now to the south and east, and upon tired soul, it shall sure feast.
Yet should ye mighty go, horrors wait there you can't possibly know.
Ulinurius
Spell scrolls and spell training for those in need of such.
He is usually found in the mill in south part of town.
Volunteers Wanted
As most of you know, courtesy of the three Spirit Steeds, we now have a new statue in the courtyyard. As statues of this nature tend to attract the local bird population, who then make themselves right at home, if you catch my drift, on these here statues, we need volunteers from the town to keep this here statue looking spiffy.
It is unclear at this point how long the Steeds will stay this way. They were expected to lead a battle in the Halls of the Dead, but then they just sort of hardened, and that was that, as the say.
If you can volunteer a couple hours of your time a month, it would be appreciated. I'm sure them Steeds'l be grateful too.
Signed,
Guglion, Chief of Maintenance
Let's ransack the second floor.
Garbage we collected so far.
We found bow and arrows for Phillip in the cellar
...associates. The usual grog will be just fine, and perhaps some of those little pork balls as appetizers. He just loves those. You can send the bill to the usual place.
By the way, I was wondering if you'd hear anything about Kram the Mad having a tesseract key. There's a rumour going around that it used to belong to Ruragon, but somehow Kram the Mad got ahold of it. Mrs. Riddenbutter, you know me -- I don't like to talk ill of anyone -- but they don't call him Kram the Mad for naught! And, as for his having a tesseract key, that's a little like giving a fish a broadsword, isn't it? I just don't know. Maybe it's not my place to say anything, but I thought you should know. Please drop me a line if you hear anything, won't you?
When the master passes out, be so kind as to cover him up. I'll be 'round to pick him up in the morning.
Love,
Gwynnthelene
We barge into an empty house. More books inside.
...local thieves would love that to happen (especially that Tessay!)). Am I just ineffectual? People and things keep disappearing, and when I go to look for them, I come back and things are even worse. Have I done the right thing in coming here?
But I wonder: did the rebels in Darnoc need me if I was going to be an ineffectual lieutenant in their movement? The gods' know I can't solve a problem in this flea-speck burg (I can't even catch a rat!), so how in Sariloth's name could I hope to organize a revolt in a town where there's something real at stake?
I may never know unless I go back. And I can't leave until I prove that I can do some good around here. I just hope I don't get nibbled up by rats in the meantime.
...appeased by Riddenbutter's Righteous Ale at the Glass Sparrow. Odd etching found in tree about someone named Keyser Sose. Tree chopped down and given to Peddlar. Hildebrand drunk. Mended wound from falling into anvil.
3 - Hildebrand drunk. Walked him home. Tessay fined for vagrancy. Wyvern spotted circling outside of town. Graveyard looted. (Sick maggots!) Vakirin robbed. No leads and no real surprise in my mind. Glass Sparrow Inn vandalized. Mrs. Riddenbutter would not file complaint. Gave warning to Birket Stonewheel: singing love songs to self too loudly late at night. (note: watch him... seems like he may snap)
4 - Bar fight. Noon time. Started by a drunken Hildebrand. Dunked him twice in Kotat River for punishment. Cheryl Danby abducted. No leads. Bandits? Goblins? Bar fight. Mid day. One dead, five wounded, one badly pinched bar maid. Hildebrand found drunk in Granary. Bar fight. Lat at night. Three dead, five wounded. Shadow creature spotted by child under bed. True or false?
5 - Shadow creature spotted within city gates. True: I saw it. Have Moon Priestess cast another charm to...
Dark Elves? Out here? Investigate.
With more undead being spotted, could the Wizard be back from dead?
Who is Keyser Sose?
Would capital punishment be effective in Padavis? -discuss with Mrs. R., Moon Priestess, and Peddlar
Rats! Get rid of them! Meet Wort to discuss.
Yay, a mouldy healing scroll! More on magic scrolls later.
We were wandering around the village, stealing stuff, when suddenly a man named Kwarrel approached...
:kwanzania: You must help me and my family. My wife and child are trapped... in a cave! I myself was wounded when goblins attacked!
He had a chest on him.
There is something under the pillow...
Don't really need anything at the moment.
And here we don't have enough goldz to purchase anything.
Impressive.
We got ourselves a short sword and a bronze long sword!
Drunkard smith.
This fellow will buy any junk we collected. I must say, trading is pretty tedious. You drop items one by one and every time there is a spoken line from the merchant and a confirmation afterwards.
Can't afford anything right now.
And every place is Here.
O Mystical Key to the Universe,
Where do your Starways lead?
Are there any to take me to Peace?
Are there any to take me to Joy?
Are there any to take me to Myself?
-- Sylyryn the Bard
Dearest Vakirin,
Do I dream, but did your gaze pass upon me the other day and you did not run in fear at my sight?
Do I wish too much, or could your grace and charm ever love a knave as base and cowardly as me?
I do dream...
And I do wish...
That some day your heart will be mine.
- Your secret admirer
We don't need healing, but there seems to be a p. extensive library in the next room. Oh boy...
The one that sapped the heat of the Land came first.
He built a tower of malice in the West, watching from high the People as they slept.
He stole their golden dreams and turned them black. He took their souls without their notice during those nights.
And now, in the day, he bathes in their fears.
It was he who stole the heart of the land. All for the awe of his rigid Master.
The one that burrowed below the earth came next.
From the blackest of shadows he came to Farr's darkest realm he went to carve his evil warren.
The land withered at every swing of his minions axe.
Farr was fatally stung by this poison: The riches of its soil, the purity if its air, the sweep of its horizon curdled and spoiled.
It was he who stole the blood of the land. All for the awe of his rigid Master.
The one that sucked the people's marrow came last.
She spread her shadow wings over the East, and the sun was silent for months.
Men's backs went weak, women could not bear seed, and children cried in terror at the sound of her awful shrieks.
Struck dumb, they marched to her Red Castle of Teeth and gave themselves willingly to her, stunned by the black beauty of her eyes.
They fill her scaled belly with their bones, and it was she who broke the people of the land.
All for the awe of her rigid Master.
And so the Three came onto Farr. One sapped the heat of the Land, one burrowed below it, one fed off of its people's bones. But they were nothing without their Master.
And to speak with Him, the Lord of the Halls of the Dead, They each stole a Piece of Fruit from the Golden Tree of Life.
Legend says: That when each Piece would be placed upon its doorstep, the Halls of the Dead will swing open.
Then the lifelessness of Order will sweep from its gloomy subterranean depths, and All will be forever encased in ice.
How stereotypical.
The Seven Beasts
In the days before, the Land was dying. Seas boiled, the Land shook, and plague swept over men.
The great hero Attentroch journeyed to Farr with hopes of ending the scourge. He was pious and virtuous, clever and strong. It was said that his heart was the most pure mortal heart in all the Universe. If anyone could stop the plague's spread, it would be he.
He searched the Land, braving bandits and sickness and fell creatures at every turn. Only after walking one thousand mules did he learn of the Seven Beasts that sat in each corner of the Land. These beasts were horrible creatures: no weapon could crack their hides, no man could outrun them, and no amount of food could sate their ravenous appetite. They sat in their awful caves and drank the life-blood of the Land. As the Land died, they grew stronger.
Attentroch had his Golden Rope, and could no doubt use it to wrap a beast up and cast it into the heavens, but of the others? Six more would still sap the land.
So he went to the seven corners of the Farr, and to each beast he promised his heart, so long as they would stop draining the Land - such a prize would feed them for centuries. One by one, he offered this prize, and one by one they agreed to meet him in the center of Farr.
So from each corner they came: from the frozen wastes to the hazy jungles to the rolling planes. The came to the center of Farr to devour the heart of Attentroch.
And as they arrived, they saw the other beasts arriving. Their small hearts pulsed with greed, for the other would steal the heart. They launched themselves at each other with greedy teeth and claws. No matter how string each blow was, it was not a killing strike - it only made them more spiteful and more incensed to continue fighting.
With rage and hatred blinding them, Attentroch quickly wrapped them in his Golden Rope and threw them into the sky. They cursed him and swore vengeance, but soon forgot, wanting more to fight than do anything else.
With the seven beasts gone, brought together by Attentroch's wit, the Land awoke. Spring bloomed, winter died, and men fought off their sickness.
And so it is said, reader, that when the Land is in jeopardy, go to the Land and look for the beasts or their tokens as Attentroch did. Join them and cast them from the Land, and it shall awaken again.
The purple book lists all the previous Moon Priestesses and their deeds, no way am I typing that out.
Where Order is rigid and unshakable, its memory flawless for eons, Chaos is the opposite.
Chaos often drops things, easily forgetting the, as his mind skips on to other things randomly (he's quite easily distracted).
Some call these dropped baubles lucky charms or karma, others say they are bad omens and cursed accidents -- whatever they are, they are at play in the world of mortals.
As foolish as it would seem to try to relax Order, there is little that can be done to reform Chaos. Man must work within the lines set down by Order and Chaos. Where one pulls, the other pushes. Where one is plentiful, the other is small, but ever-present.
And one must wonder: what if they could be joined? What if these Object of Chaos could be bound to the Rigidity of Order? What if the battles could be eased by allowing them to support each other? They need not be bitter enemies, after all. In the lands of men and elves and goblins, there are no victors in war. Conflict leads to death and pain and suffering.
Only balance, peace and harmony, can there be total enlightenment.
Perhaps the next Era could be such an Age.
O Priestess of the Moon, help us in our time of despair. The time of the end draws close. By the time you read this, I will have left the body and returned to shadow. You must tell my story to all who will listen.
I had been sneaking down into the Dwarven mines, raiding them for leftover gems and minerals. While following an unfamiliar branch of a mine, I came upon what looked like a stone. It's beauty beyond description, glowing from within, both captivated and terrified me. I could not help but walk toward it, and when I did, I felt the Power. Approaching this huge gem, I felt as if my very life was being drained from me. Nay, more than my life...my while being. I felt as if it were tapping the essence of my very soul. I fought my way back outside, but I could feel the Power eating away at me from inside. I knew that this life-tapping stone would eventually consume me, as it will draw all life into the Void.
You must find someone to destroy it! Stop at nothing! Wade through the River of Lava if you must, but find a way to stop this horrible thing! There can be no peace while this monster exists.
Tell the people! You must tell them!
Too pricey. Oh well.
And that's about all there is for the hamlet of Pavadis for now. Let's dig through the scrolls we scavenged so far.
Our bros learn spells by reading scrolls. After reading, scroll is destroyed.
We found multiple Minor Healing scrolls, so everybody know this spell now.
And there you have it. Next time we'll wade into the wilderness! Probably.