RAIXEL'S SUPER SECRET INTRODUCTION GAME

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Re: RAIXEL'S SUPER SECRET INTRODUCTION GAME

Post by raixel »

I'm back again. I had more net difficulties. The company is sending a tech over to figure out whats going on (although i told the rep a thousand times its not my comp its either the modem itself or their service) but for now im borrowing a friends old crappy modem
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Re: RAIXEL'S SUPER SECRET INTRODUCTION GAME

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Double post, GRRK!
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Re: RAIXEL'S SUPER SECRET INTRODUCTION GAME

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Ok, so if I lose 0 level, then what's the 0 lev gonna be used for? It did save my ass a few times, but since I wont be alone im not too worried. Spell effects being toned down...Alright....but I'm not happy about it. So, I can stil do some, right? Just nothing manifesting in the real world that the chars have to interect with to make the spell go off? (like cloaks ect). For me that was one of the highlights of writing Petal and what made her feel different than a mage. Please let me at least do lights and manifesting runes, please please? *beg* The reason why the narritive got more out there as the story progessed was a) I got more comfortable with the concept of sorcerer as we wrote it and b) I got sick of writing "Petal focuses her mind on the element of <rune> and feels the power of <mana effect> flow thru her" et al. ;) Anyway, I should have no more net interuptions, as the tech will be out here today hopefully with a new modem. If not I can use this crappy one. Let me know when you want me in the main group in this forum as i havent been reading over there lately to provide versimiilitude. I'm interested in making the experience more real for me by not following the recent events (i havent read over there for a wk or so, once I realized I would be joining soon) so that Petal and I both know about as much about whats goin on over there.
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Re: RAIXEL'S SUPER SECRET INTRODUCTION GAME

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Have no fear (or maybe have only a little fear):

- you still get the same 0-level affects as most spellcasters. Reduced 'will' effects that are otherwise the same as mages (message, non-damaging effects). You also use 0-level effects to activate items, such as the wand. I still can't recall what adidtional flavoured 0-level aaffect I wanted to use to bridge the gap between other spellcasters use of 0-level effects and sorcerers.

- spell effects mechanically are not being toned down

- spell descriptions should be toned down so far as others should have a hard time perceiving them. As a sorceror, Petal lives in a world where - especially when she invokes magic - she can see it and weave it. I like that. I just don't want it being useful to others in a way that makes sorcerer magic just blantantly better than mages and priests. For example, if you cast invisibility as a cloak, is it a real item that can block line of sight? Can you pull it on and off. Can't you choose where and when to put it on while it lasts, and even put it on something else? Can you use a light-generating spell effect to also illuminate an area as the spell is going off. Can a spell generation be used as a distracting illusion while it is being cast?

I have no problem with cool narrative, and the fact that sorcerers can weave the same spell effects but control the mana in a radically cool way. I can imagine for example Ameena and Falkor, being open minded/magically inclined, may well see the suggestion of the effect Petal is generating. Certainly enough to draw comments and discussions and wonder. Westian and Haynuus, being more practical, may see nothing and have to trust Petal there is anything happening there at all, and might think she is a little odd until the others start speaking of it too :)

- AHA! That was it! The comensating 0-level effect! As I said before, in the 'real' world, the magic around will be more muted. Petal can see it when she casts spells perfectly, but otherwise I want it to be quieter. Petal won't walk into a cavern and realise there are waterelementals in the water because the VI EW of them is obvious. However, I would have a very good perception cehck result being manifest in this way, just as Ameena's scent tends to be the reason for good detection. And of course obvious things like the waterfall/chimney could not have hid their song :) Anyway, what sorcerer's should be able to do is 'interrogate' the world, touching an item or area, and getting an assessment check or perception check that adds their charaisma modifer (as a 0level effect). This would be the equivalent of Petal trying ot drown out the real world noises and listen to the small magical voice of the world underneath. Like it?

Anyway, cool your internet is resolved. I think I'll keep the initial narrative in this thread, as I can pull out the relevant pots into the main thread once you join with the party (like I did with aurek's split introduction posts).

Just say when you are ready, and I will have Petal wake up in the dungeon :)
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Re: RAIXEL'S SUPER SECRET INTRODUCTION GAME

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K, so should I put the spell effects in spoiler tags? Cuz I really just dont want to have to go Petal shouts "<runes>". I agree about stuff like what you said about the cloak, but I at least want to write about getting in touch with the mana and what she perceives it to be. So then magically inclned people can see what I did, everyone else might see a flickering light. And no, spell effects are not influencing the real world. They dont generate light. (I prefer to think of it like the "light" that happens if you look at something brightt for too long then look away and see spots) But they were always just narrative. Just me being a bored writer :)

I dig very much the 0 lev. spell effect being able to 'listen to the song' so to speak. That is a wonderful idea. Go with it!

Ok, lets start then. I'm ready and the net is up and functioning. I have a new modem!
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Re: RAIXEL'S SUPER SECRET INTRODUCTION GAME

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Lol, no spoiler tags! Characters don't put any other incidental thoughts or discoveries in spoiler tags! I want players to know what Petal is seeing, after all :)
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Re: RAIXEL'S SUPER SECRET INTRODUCTION GAME

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Re: RAIXEL'S SUPER SECRET INTRODUCTION GAME

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...you'll be back...you cannot escape...


Petal came back to consciousness slowly. It was a strange sensation, waking up properly. The dream she must have had was apparently a deep one. For a moment she felt the edges of it, it felt so very real, but she could not recall the tantalising details of it to bring it back to mind. Nevermind, perhaps something would remind her later in the day of it.

Only slowly did the murky reality of her surroundings come into focus. She was not in her dwelling in her village, the low light was not the first light of dawn. The air did not smell as sweet, ands there was something wrong with the Song of Life that Petal could hear so perfectly in the waking, quiet moments of a new day.

The world seemed flat, and dull, and grey, and hard. It felt cold, and isolating...

And then a rush of memeories, of her village's fate and her determination to destroy Chaos. Of her final moments to try and destroy Chaos's plan, final moments that only saw a partial success.

Petal came too proerly, her heart racing. She was still i nthe dull dungeons of Chaos. Dungeons where the walls moaned when she was allowed a moment's peace to hear them, moaning in dispair and boredom. Magic tricked into an eternity of entrophy. The floor a cracked slab separating Petal from real life. The ceiling a gloomy shape above her head, blocking light and the sounds of home.

There seemed to be a light from somewhere - torches appeared to be on the walls left and right not that far away. Petal was in a small corrdior, lying underneath and across from a plain mirror. Its brown frame and shiny surface seemed innocent. There was no reason for Petal to feel such dread looking at it.

"Well now, you're an unusual sight, dear," said a low voice from Petal's right...


There we go, a start! I'll let you catch up on Petal's mental processes, and say anything she'd do in reaction to the voice before I carry on. AS mention before, she's not without items - a few keys, a dagger, and a flask for a start. Anyway, welcome to the game proper! Let's see how fast we can get you to the rest of them. Or perhaps just see how easy it is for you lot to keep missing each other :D
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Re: RAIXEL'S SUPER SECRET INTRODUCTION GAME

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Petal quickly stands and whirls around at the sound of the voice.

"Who's there," she yelps, dagger held out and at the ready.

She peers anxiously about her, looking for the source of the voice.
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Re: RAIXEL'S SUPER SECRET INTRODUCTION GAME

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Coming around the corner is a simply dressed short figure - apparently human - regarding Petal with wonder. He walks on a simple staff with an irregular amber mounted on the tip, and is dressed in plain breeches and pants with a long over-robe. He looks between Petal and the mirror on the wall, and eyebrow raised.

He seems middle aged, and there s somethign strange about his face that takes a moment to discern. He seems to have burns and scars about his face, all old and faded into the shape of it now, especially a set tracing one side and making a mess of his visible ear. He is starting to bald, a small area of pink skin emerging from close cropped silver and black hair.

"Do not panic, Petal," he says with a tone of reassurance in his face, his voice raising in questioning as he says her name. He has avague smile on his face, although his smile is twisted, and his eyes are questioning too. "The world is not as you may think it is, my dear. Time has turned. My name is Falkor....Falkor Helm. And I am very interested in speaking with you."

As the man comes forward, there seems to be a glow coming from his other hand, that is held off by his side.
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Re: RAIXEL'S SUPER SECRET INTRODUCTION GAME

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Petal narrows her eyes at the glow coming from the man's hand. Burn a 0 lev to sense what spell it is, if possible. Dunno if I need a perception but if I dont, just use it for somethin else. Percept (1d20+4=17)

"And what use do you have of me, and I of you?" she asks him cautiously, ever alert for the tricks of Chaos. She takes off and hovers out of the reach of the odd human-like being. She glances about for any exits, reeady to zip off at a moments notice if the man makes any threatening movements.

"Why don't you drop the magic and we'll talk. As you can see, im not threatening you," she tells him.
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Re: RAIXEL'S SUPER SECRET INTRODUCTION GAME

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You need to be touching whatever you concentrate on, so no 0-level effect ths time. However, when you do get to use it, you will get the +4 from your charisma as a bonus in addition to your other appraise/perception bonuses.

Petal tried to see what the item the man was holding was, but there was nothing forthcoming, oddly. It was definitely glowing with magic, but the song of it was too faint - oddly, it seemed both turned internally, and also too spread out to pin down. At the very least, it didn't seem immediately hostile if that was the flavour of the magic.

The man laughs softly at Petal's words, though whether nastily or to ease the tension is unclear because of his scarring. "You are an interesting person, my dear. You have first hand knowledge of events and places that could be vital for the world. Why you need me? Well, perhaps you do not - you seem to have escaped a prison none were supposed to escape. However, you might wonder why you were still imprisoned. When Chaos was beaten the first time, the Grey Lord saught to correct as much of the damage as possible - heroes trapped brought back to life, souls freed that had been locked away. You see, though, this time Lord Chaos seems to have been able to keep a great number of you held. Why? Were you not worthy of saving this time? Was Chaos able to keep knowledge of you a secret? Or was he able to use his power over the corbums to lock this place in a way the Grey Lord could not break without fear of the world? In any case, the Grey Lord abandoned you here. You may not need my help, but I offer it for you are buried in a long forgotten corner of the Grey Lord's domain. One you are intruding on, even. The soldiers that care for this place in the Grey Lord's absense are my friends...well, at least are not hostile to me. They let me come down here, and find you all, and try to speak with you. I can tell you all you have missed, and help you get out of her. Back to the village you helped save, with your actions."

The man looks to the staff in his hand, and then the stone. "Drop my magic? I have nothing that would threaten you. You would have a simple man become even more defenseless, when you are a sorcerer who can twist the world to how she feels and burn me and freeze me with quick words? A sorcerer who can invoke the most powerful fires to burn the bodies of the dead, and challenge Chaos's dungeon single handedly? Your very presence threatens, especially given your tortue in the mirrors of Chaos. Do you not see, you have even pulled a knife upon me, and yet claim to not threaten me. Do you see how Chaos has twisted your mind already? Please, why don't you drop your need for distrust, and let the taint of Chaos go. Do not let the tendrils of his power poison you. There is nothing to fear here, not now, and much to learn - on both sides. Please, trust me, and come with me back up to the surface." The man gives a lopsided smile, and a small bow.

Petal can already sense the turn of the corridor behind her, and knows she has an escape route. Except, of course, she has no idea where she is. Is the man lying, or is she buried and trapped deep in Anaias. Does she need a guide? Or is his prescence here showing that there is an eaasy escape route somewhere close?

And the man's words - about Petal's powers back before she entered here - allow her to realise something. Realise why the world seems so dull and quiet now. She was indeed powerful before she came into this place. However, she can feel it - the mana that flows through her being is so much less than it was, her command of her powers sluggish. Before she entered this place she was strong in the gift, and now she feels as untrained as her youth. If she was truly trapped in a mirror, such as was told of the Grey Lord's original champions, has she lost part of herself to the mirror still? Has the price of her freedom being to lose her close connection with the world around her? Or is her reduction caused by the foul-looking man speaking to her?


Obviously Petal of the CSB game, being a LO master priest/wizard was a 10+ level level charatcer, and now she's a level 6. Seems about right that the narrative reason for the metagame reduction is that she would have had to spend something extraordinary to free herself. Of course, Petal could well think the worst of her new 'friend' and decide he's the reason for it. Or that the world is still not real if she isn't who she was before.
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Re: RAIXEL'S SUPER SECRET INTRODUCTION GAME

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Petal glares at the smooth-talking man, not moving her dagger from its ready position in the slightest.

"Smooth words from someone I have just met," she tells him. "You have spoken much, but you tell me nothing. Again, I ask you and I advise you to speak plain Common, human. What are you doing in this so called 'forgotten corner' of the Grey Lord's domain? If it is so forgotten, then why are you and some soldiers here? Where is the Grey Lord? And where is Chaos now?"

She smirks at him. "Perhaps you are right, perhaps I am scarred from my experiences at the hands of Chaos. If that is the case, and you know something of my race and Path then you should know better than to approach me with an obvious magical item in your grasp while speaking soothing words of freedom."

She glances over the man, looking for any sort of hidden agenda or taint of Chaos. SENSE MOTIVE (1d20+2=21)
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Re: RAIXEL'S SUPER SECRET INTRODUCTION GAME

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"Again with the implied threat. Not a 'please tell me more', no 'thank you' for taking an interest. You advise me to speak plainer. I assume or else you will burn me alive, or slit my throat. All the while your eyes burning red with the spirit of Chaos you seem to possess now. No wonder he mocked you with a twisted image of yourself in his form. And you wonder why I speak smooth words?"

"I will assume the best of you, I will assume you are not so far gone. I am here because, unlike the Grey Lord, I care about the world. The Grey Lord worked here in secret and shattered the world. And then, after doing it once, he let his pride bring the world to the brink of destruction once more - Chaos having already discovered the secret of corbum. Did the Grey Lord warn the world? No. He kept his little shameful secret, and summoned only his closest 'champions'. Champions who failed, and so you and your kin suffered. No, the Grey Lord did not want you here, it is you who tresspass. You came and tried to fix the mess he made. And what thanks do you get? Why, you are kept trapped in the mirrors of his alter-ego, tormented forever, while he is unable or unwilling to free you, and yet does not ask for help."

"Where is Lord Chaos? I wish I could say he is banaished by the works of you and those like you, but who knows when he will resurface. Where is the Grey Lord? None know." The man waved the glowing stone cautiously. "This was part of a soul stone, a gift to the Grey Lord from an Order of Corelloen Larethian. It was to help him keep order in the dungeon should he wish to travel abroad. For, you see, there were magicks that he seemed unwillign or unable to destroy, even though they were abominable. And yet he wished to leave this place from time to time, to 'help the world'. Even though, the biggest help would be to let others come [/i]here[/i]."

The man shook his head. "Why do I only hold a shard? For the Grey Lord smashed it. For he probably knew, as I cna see now, that Larethian's followeers were clever. The soul stone also let them know where the Grey Lord was. And so, he smashed the stone. After all his protestations and the horrors he needed to keep in check, he abandoned them for his own selfish reasons, once more working in secret to threaten the world. I am here, in this place the Grey Lord abandoned, because some do not forget. Soldiers who once worked for the Chaos, it is true, but who have renounced those days. Not that they would be aloowed back, oh no. They know the dirty secrets of the Grey Lord. No, only when he turned his back were they able to come here, and try to restore order to this place before more horror spills out to kill innocents once more. And so only now am I able to come here, only now is the truth of this prison revealed. Using the discarded stone, I was able to touch your minds and try to learn the threat the Grey Lord may be keeping from us. Learn more of the corbum that could threaten the world and we would never know. I came here by the grace of one of Larethian's own followers, and I stand before you by the knowledge of one of those soldiers struggling to keep this mountain in check."


Petal can just feel something is off. The man speaks in long, twisted sentences as if weaving a web of words. Surely the only reason to do that is to disguise with truth or laquaciousness small but significant lies. More importantly, Petal can also feel small wholes in the narrative - as if there are small omissions in descriptions or events.

However, once Petal speaks her second piece, the reaction is strange to say the least. His face twists. "Know better? Still you threaten me with your honeied words and implicit threats? And now you acknowledge you twisted nature with a smile? Oh, a mere human cannot dare to possess even the merest item of magic, I see. No, I see it clearly now! I see what you are doing. You want the corbum for yourself. You know its power to drain magic. You want all to bow before you, be drained, until only you and your precious path can command the world. You would suck the world dry for the rest, and set yourself up as a Sorceress Queen, one to challenge Chaos himself!"

The man actually staggers back many steps, raising his staff as if warding off an evil. "No wonder you could free yourself, when all others turn inwards for their failure. How else could you escape but be drawn byy the lust for power! Stay back!"

Petal could see, quite clearly, that the smooth words were like the trecherous water over the dangerous eddies and currents. It was not that this man were a liar that was the problem. It was that this man was cearly, in some fundamental way, quite unhinged.
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Re: RAIXEL'S SUPER SECRET INTRODUCTION GAME

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Whoa... I have red eyes? Coooooool. Gotta find a mirror and make sure that nut case is elling the truth. But she doesnt want to do it in front of him. Anyway, sorry for the shortish posts, takin me a bit to get in the 'swing of things' so to speak. Is he a human or a halfling? Well, Petal knows what a human looks like as there was many human traders that came through her village over the years. She has never seen a halfling though. Do you think she could tell the difference? (IE is it something that she would just know)
A random thought... As I was writing this, I wondered what the original FTL guys would think if they saw the stories we create here. Cuz we are all pretty damn good writers, and all of us have created so much history. If I had a few million dollars, I WOULD buy the rights and create another DM game. And I would include all the lore that has popped up here.


"Great, I manage to free myself from the clutches of Chaos and the first person who happens across me is insane," Petal mutters under her breath in Sylvan.

She looks at him in shock when he starts insulting the Grey Lord. Clearly, this man is not only unhinged, but appears to be touched by Chaos as well. She realizes she should probably try and get that magic stone away from him. Who knows what someone like him could do with it, if it is truly what he says.

Petal starts to put her dagger away, but when the man starts insulting her she whips it back out again and points it directly at him.
"Now, you ma'hali (sylvan word for someone touched in the head) human. I would suggest that you give me that 'soul stone' as you call it and then begone from my sight before I suck your life energy and use it to further my evil schemes" she tells him, trying to keep from laughing as she says it. Bluff (1d20+8=24)
Whether or not he hands it over she will leave

With that, she turns around and flies away from this insane person. For she realizes she doesn't want to hang around someone so damaged.
As soon as he is out of sight Unless he tries to follow her, then I will edit she looks around and makes sure there is no immediate danger. Then she pulls out Wuuf's flask and looks at it. Seeing the flask brings on a pang of sadness as she remembers her friends.

"Growlgra, my heart friend. Where are you? Are you safe? I wish I could find you. But I don't even know where I am." she whispers under her breath.
She holds both the flask and dagger for a second, staring at them. She remembers Wuuf, who died in anger. Maybe if she had tried harder...But none of that was real, was it? Did she even have a friend named Growlgra? Perhaps her father and Thorne were safe at home in her village. Perhaps her village was never destroyed. How much of her memories were tricks of Chaos? She resolved to ffind out.

She focuses her energy on the flask. The mana seems more sluggish than she remembers. How much of herself did she lose in Chaos' trap? She makes the UM shape with her hands, and puts her lips to the mouth of the flask. "UMVI" she speaks into the flask. The condensation from her breath rOlls down the inside of the flask and turns blue, growing into a bubbling liquid as she charges it with mana. But it seems to take a lot longer than she's used to. Or maybe it was just that even that tiny casting leaves her feeling drained, as if she had cast a large spell that sapped her mana.

She stares at the liquid bubbling merrily away in the flask.
"How much have I lost?" she thinks in fear.
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Re: RAIXEL'S SUPER SECRET INTRODUCTION GAME

Post by beowuuf »

Lol, nah, you don't have red eyes, just he has some of the death loops you have done in your mirror - not the last one, obviously - and so knows how Chaos's power tormented you with mini-Chaos. OF course, Petal will have no idea what the guy is on about right now :)

Oh, and have you decided how the real events went down? Is that wuuf's flask?

And actually, the memory thing should probably be the reverse from how you have it - you remember you old backstory perfectly, and the recent backstory stuff will be an odd dream that comes back later (like when you wake up fro ma vivid dream, but you don't recall it well or at all until your memory is jogged later that day). Unless you want it this way around for the interest of playing your character, ion whcih case that way around it can be :) That sentence didn't seem quite correct, hopefully you get what I mean. Right, speaking of getting back into the swing of things, need another post here!



As Petal says her bluff, it is apparently perfectly believed (no need to roll opposition for that one!). Unfortunately, the man seems to simple nod his head and a grimace spreads there. "I knew it. I knew those who found the corum's secrets would keep it from me! You don't have it yet though!" Even as he is speaking, he raises his staff and before it has even registered a loud clap of mana in Petals head announces the flare that hits Petal's eyes a fraction of a second before it happens. Petal is staggered backwards by temporary blindness, and moves away incase she is to be further attacked. However, as the afterimages of the blinding light slowly fade, she realises that the man and his light are going.

Very quickly, she is left in absolyute darkness and silence as she falls back to the corner of the corridor. All that remains is the very gentle, depressing sound of the earth that surrounds her, and effectively encases her. She needs to escape.

Technically ever since you agitated him you were in combat timing, so his 'attack' with a flare from the staff and running away would be his combat actions after your actions. Since he's runnign away, and you are running away next, I'm guessing this is the shortest and least violent combat I've engaged in since the party got captured by soldiers and went with them :)

He was very vbisible human in height, although his scarring would have made him look a little odd facially. It was very odd scarring.


Petal at least has the quiet song of her successfully cast VI potion to comfort her in the absolute silence. And the reassuring weight of a friend's weapon in her hand. Still, will that be enough. Is she truly still in Mount Anaias? And if so, what is the state of it, and how much time has passed?
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Re: RAIXEL'S SUPER SECRET INTRODUCTION GAME

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I haven't really decided yet if its actually Wuuf's flask. All she knows is she came out of the mirror with the flask and the dagger, and has no memory of how they got there beyond what she saw when trapped by Chaos. I was thinking, as far as her backstory goes, that due to the events she went thru she would constantly be questioning her memories. I know I would be if i went thru what she did. So its like, in her heart she knows her father and Thorne are missing and her village is destroyed. But she's hoping that since a bunch of her memories (that seem hazy unless she sees something that reminds her of them hence seeing the flask and having it come flooding all in. (Thought that could lead to some cool RP ie in a pitched battle the party is fighting for their lives and Petal sees something that reminds her of the mirror and has to deal w/it. Or something) were messed with by Chaos perhaps he messed with her mind by showing her village being destroyed and her family still alive. (besides her mother, who died in childbirth with Petal. I don't know if I mentioned that yet. Petal never knew her and so doesnt miss her)

Petal holds the VI flask up to her forehead and just listens to the happy bubbling song.
" VI VI VIVI," it sings to her. Always in the background though, coming from all directions around her is the pulse of YA. It is very disconcerting for the pixie, being a creature of the air and open spaces.

Petal smiles ruefully "If only I was one of those dwarves Master Alorthin talked about. Then I would be happy here," she thinks to herself. She wonders what a creature that lives in the earth would look like. Having never seen a dwarf, she mentally pictures them as something like a burrowing mammal such as a badger or mouse, because those are the only types of creatures she has ever seen that live within the earth in her forest. She is amused at the thought of a 3 or 4 foot tall rodent like burrowing creature. After all, didnt her master describe them as stocky and hairy. Maybe now that she was free of Chaos, she might actually get to meet one.

This thought brings her back to her current predicament. She looks around her.

"well, I guess one way is as good as another," she thinks, and sets off Not sure of the layout of where she is. Is it just a corridor with no branching passages? in the direction she was going, alert for any signs of life.
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Re: RAIXEL'S SUPER SECRET INTRODUCTION GAME

Post by beowuuf »

Map will follow. Might need to be tomorrow morning! For the moment, you can imagine the prison's square loops in the game, so for the moment just a single corridor with a turn at each end, and you can imagine Petal might encounter simple branches soonish. Though of course, Chaos's whims will have twisted it a little. And aww, I hope you get to meet up with Ameena sooner instead of later. Speaking of character's primed to have nasty Chaos flashbacks during a pitched battle!

Can you give me more information on what Petal will be doing to navigate around? Risking a light? Going by sound and mana (roll me perception)? Will she be touching the walls and and going slowly, or trying to mover fast (roll me stealth). Also, flying high, or flying low? The ceiling is around 10 foot high in this part.
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Re: RAIXEL'S SUPER SECRET INTRODUCTION GAME

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She will fly as close too the ceiling as she can, moving very slow and trying to be stealthy.

After thinking about it, Petal decides to risk a small light. She is sick of stumbling around in the dark.

She holds her hand out flat in front of her with the dagger resting on her palm. As she focuses her energy on the dagger, a tiny ball of light appears on the tip. She then places her hands in the LO rune position while carefully holding the dagger with her ring and pinky fingers. "LOOHIRRA" she breathes on the dagger. As the rune words leave her lips, the ball of light on the dagger flares to life as if her breath fanned the flames of a campfire.

Holding the dagger out in front of her like a torch , Petal examines her surroundings.
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Re: RAIXEL'S SUPER SECRET INTRODUCTION GAME

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Moving silently, Petal has every opportunity to hear if she is being pursued. Or to hear if she is coming close to anything. In both cases, the answer seems to be no. The light is a welcome thing in the place, showing that Petal was about to come to a junction.

At first it is a little overwhelming at the choices, as if she is in a labyrinth that she may never escape having allowed that man to escape. There were stories of the kings in the northern voids who would create deep holes of sand using sandworms, and then drop their enemies into them, knowing the criss-crossing pathways were ipossible to navigate by those who walked the surface. However, the shape of the place quickly settles back into her mind, and she realises the area she is currently in is an interlinked set of loops. One of the ways to the right would therefore take her all the way back aroudn to her place of escape. Luckily, no sounds seem to be coming from that direction. It appears there must be a way out somewhere that way that breaks the loop.

Infront of her and to her left is apparently a new loop. The left hand path appears - to her sensative eyes with the illumination of her dagger's point - to also lead passed another mirror. It twinkles, reflecting a tiny part of the light of her dagger. Of course, that means she cannot tell from this distance what the mirror may or may not contain.

For now at least, the dungeon layout still seems to have some form of pattern and symmetry to it. If the man were lying, then this may well continue. However, if he was tellign the rruth, Chaos's mind would surely not allow such an ordered pattern for long.


Sorry, a little bit of boring dungeon-y layout set up for the moment. The price of letting the mad guide get away. Not saying this was a bad option. He was, after all, a little mad :D Still, if Petal is being slow and cautious, I don't thin ka perception roll is needed for her to know she's currently alone.

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Re: RAIXEL'S SUPER SECRET INTRODUCTION GAME

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Petal cautiously approaches the mirror, alert for any sign of a living being. Once there, she peers within the glass, trying to determine if another unlucky being is trapped there at the whim of Chaos. Percept (1d20+4=16) Dont know if the perception is needed, but in case it is...
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Re: RAIXEL'S SUPER SECRET INTRODUCTION GAME

Post by beowuuf »

Not at the moment, I can let it carry if you want to do your 0-level sorcerer trick on it later...

Raixel stands by the mirror, listening intently for signs of pursuit, or signs of inhabitants of this place. Even from her position nearer the roof, her keen sight lets her see that while the dust is clearly disturbed by tracks, it is only disturbed by a small number of them. She could easily imagine that only the man she encountered has stepped in this place for a long while. It seems less and less likely that her freedom and his intrution here are not linked. Was his curiosity the lifeline that Petal's sorcerer mind had managed to latch on to and pull herself out with?

If so, could she have done the same to others? More and more she might have regretted the unstable mind of the strange human who had ran off without dropping that glowing rock!

Disturbingly, she saw the patterns in the dusty followed the trail she slowly floated on. He had apparently walked this way before. Had apparently stood where she now cautiously flapped. It was a strange feeling, walking up to a mirror and seeing someone else's reflection. At least, she hoped it was a different reflection! When she looked down, her hands were different from the hand she could wave infront of the mirror.

The reflection was also a pixie. That was shocking. Not a person she recognised from her village. This one seemed exotic. He was a male warrior, and proud, and yet she would swear when her eye was not directly focused on the mirror, the comtemplative expression mirroring her own turned into a look of pain.


Metagame wise, you might know who this is (even though the dungeon has subtly altered aroud them since the start of CSB). And metagame wise, obviously Petal has no way to restore another champion. She's unique in her outlook, and in therefore managing to pull herself free. Basically, if you had been unhappy with Petal and wanted a different character would have been the only way to 'swap' here, her entire life energies could pull someone else free. So obviously she probably best not attempt that :D
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Re: RAIXEL'S SUPER SECRET INTRODUCTION GAME

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Since you metagamed that, im not gonna make a bunch of rolls and posts trying to pull hiim out them. No, Im really happy w/Petal. We've developed her quite a bit.

Petal stares into the trapped pixie's face, trying to find a way to connect with his mind. She focuses her energy on the mirror, calling out to him. After a few futile attempts, she realizes that whoever he was, he was not a sorcerer and didnt have the strength of energy to realize what was going on. There was no way to free him, at least not now. To sit here and burn her mana trying might lead her to being recaptured by the forces of Chaos.

Still, she feels a twinge of guilt looking at the figure trapped in the mirror. Shouldn't she do something to help him?
"You can't save everyone," she thinks to herself. Still, she stares in the trapped pixie's eyes.
"I promise you, whoever you are, that I will come back and free you. No one deserves your fate," Petal whispers fiercly to the mirror. She tears her gaze from the figure's pain filled eyes and moves off down the corridor slowly, keeping alert. As she moves she checks the walls for any hidden caches orr levers that might help her find her way through this cursed maze.
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Re: RAIXEL'S SUPER SECRET INTRODUCTION GAME

Post by beowuuf »

Obviously Petal is welcome to try, just warning you of the limits. Or rather, warnign you that there is no game reason for Petal not to attempt something logical, so if you didn't hold her back, things could go badly. I guess one of the bad things about me trying for an open world, is when I know there is no reason to lock off a bit of world!

Anyway, the guy in the mirror isn't a complet red herring... I didn't say Petal couldn't interact...



It is easy to loose herself in the eyes of the other pixie, as it is still such a strange experience. As Petal tries to stretch her senses towards the mirror...

She feels homesick for a thick, lush jungle half a world away. And terrified, though not for herself. She has acquired a few brave companions. They have armed themselves as best as they can from the arms and armour of this place. They are facing an impossible foe, a foe that is nothing but arms and armour, it has no apparent form to destroy of its own. Her companions are doomed, and she would be dishonouring their noble sacrifice if she were to falter now and head back to die with them instead of moving onwards as they urge. Somethign tells her she recognises them, though in the context it is very hard to

She flies fast, a powerful key - a Master Key - in her hand. She moves down a corridor, knowing a short cut is close.

And then disaster. The wall is closed, a mocking symbol of death blocks her. And already the clanking of her pursuers sounds. She knows Chaos's whims, if she dies her the key may well be lost whebn the dungeon shifts again. She rushes back, determination showing as she sees the invulnerable hulks - all armour and flashing swords - coming into view. She barrels right into them and passed them, even thought a blow catches her and opens her side. She knows she is doomed too, but she also knows she
cannot die here. She must get the key back to a better location, one where someone else could take it instead of solving another incidious trick of Chaos.

Another blow and another, and she is forced to move by legs alone and small hops as one wing hangs limply. The alcove at the t-junctions looms close, and she leaps up to deposit the key before blackness occurs....


Petal falls back out of the gaze, shaken. She can already feel her body chilling, as if more life were being sucked out of her. How she managed that connection, who knows. However she realises that she could well die attempting it again, for no benefit - the figure in the mirror seems trapped in their loop, no alteration nor way out.

And that is a very painful thing to know. For the pixie had apparently encountered two figures known very well to Petal. The figure, with their help, had apparently gotten so very close to finding the Firestaff. This pixie has onbviously been trapped since the time of the Sundering, and had in a small way helped the original champions to defeat Chaos. For the other companions the male pixie had encountered and fought with were none other than Petal's family.

Why Chaos had chosen to catalogue her and this other pixie when they had such a strange connection, Petal had no way of knowing. Was it co-incidence? And did this explain the mystery of where her family were. Were they trapped in this place too?


Giving her respects to the fallen warrior, and having to assimilate this strange lead, Petakl moved onwards to discover that there was a brach just aroudn the corner. Moving carefully, the corridor seems to continue off into the distance, but on the 'north' wall as she travelled, her senses tingled. Her slow pace yielded an odd section of wall that just looked far too ordered and symmetrical. All her senses tingled, as Petal realised the wall she was looking at was illusionary.


I'm assuming a take 20 and slow moving. I'm also nudging Petal forward, but not too much incase the family lead actually sends her looking back towards her old mirror and the rest of the area. Will post a modified map so you know where the branch is, but I think for a while we can probably slip into narrative only mode.


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Re: RAIXEL'S SUPER SECRET INTRODUCTION GAME

Post by raixel »

Curious: The way "Falkor" went. There is a passageway to the map-north of Petals mirror? Or did he head to the west down that passage?

Petal's breath hisses out in shock as she realizes the pixie warrior had seen her father and brother, Thorne! She holds herself back from instinctively trying to rip the pixie's energy from the wall, as she already felt weakened from that brief contact. What if they were trapped in a mirror like this one, and the one she was in? They could be living the last few moments of a tortured existance in a never-ending loop like this brave warrior. Petal tears her mind from that dispairing thought with difficulty, as dwelling on something that may or may not be true wouldn't help anyone.

"I wish you could tell me where they were. I wish I could help you," Petal whispers to the pain filled face. She takes her dagger and draws the symbol of Oberon, Titania's husband and the good pixie god of beasts and warriors, in the air in front of the warrior's mirror, imbuing it with a miniscule amount of energy from the light of the dagger. This is narrativve only, it doesnt actually do anything, but I thought it would be a good way to show respect As she draws, the dagger leaves a dim glowing trail. Once the symbol is complete, it fades into nothingness. Petal bows her head respectfully for a miniute.

"Oberon, watch over the soul of this loyal warrior, and help him find freedom," she whispers. She doesn't know if the pixie has the same gods as her people, but a prayer was all she could do. She couldn't risk harming herself or getting trapped again to help him.

After praying, she glances around the room again. She didn't see her brother or father in a mirror anywhere, but that doesn't mean they arent here. She flies back over to where she was trapped, amd examines the surrounding area carefully. Looking for more passages, illusionary walls, ect. Perception (1d20+4=7)

After searching, she flies back to the illusionary wall and cautiously pokes her head through it and looks around, before cautiously flying through.

Edits: Fixed a few spelling/grammar errors that made her actions unclear
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Re: RAIXEL'S SUPER SECRET INTRODUCTION GAME

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I really like what you have been doing with the pixie religeous stuff, aswell as the old village history. There is indeed a matching passageway that 'Falkor' took on the north edge of the original ring.

Petal does feel the peace once again descend after sayign the words. Whether it is some miniscule indication from the High Lord, or simply the effect of her body receovering from the shock was impossible to tell.

Looking back to where Petal had emerged, she can see clearly that the original loop is the reflected version of the second loop, complete with a passageway heading off. Very disturbed dust shows the hurried departure of Falkor, the man having left the area after all by this other passageway. This might mean it is the better exit to take to leave here, although there was still the illusionary passage earlier.

Would the man have found that way? And where did it lead?

Very carefully and quietly Petal checked out the passageway. It went stright for a little bit, and then seemed to create another loop. Waiting to ensure there was no movement of this Falkor man, and finding no evidence of his prescence, only his departure, PEtal found a few more mirrors here. All they contained were strange insectoid and lizard-like beings. From memory, they would all hail from the great kingdoms of the southern swamp. Falkor's footprints disappeared aroudn to the left, although it was harder to tell them from the footprints of his apparent previous journies around. There was less scuffing.

Retreating back to the illusionary passageway, another twinkle caught Petal's eye. There were two mirrors further along, each in a recess of the corridor. Two brown-skinned and proud looking humans, a man and a woman. Both did not seem like any humans she had encountered in her travels, or passing through the village. Once more it reminded her of the times of the sundering, when important heros from far and wide travelled great distances to come to challenge Chaos in his first appearance.

It was terribel that - so far from their homeland - they had become lost and abandoned, trapped deep inside the halls of this place.

Petal retreated back to the illusionary wall, but it was easier to begin hopeful thoughts. Aroudn here, there seemed to be collections - similar humans, similar pixies (even if Petal and the male came from entirely different places, and only had an accidental link in common) and the swamp races joined together. Was it too much to hope that if her father and brother were not here, beside her, then they may have met a clean end? The thought they may have - somehow - escaped alive was perhaps too fragile a hope to even voice, for fear it should shatter if even touched upon.

Her thoughts are distracted, and sadly the surroundings are untouched by creatures and time. The illusionary wall she had spotted was, on closer inspection, rather a subtle difference. She had - so far - seen nothing out of the ordinary, but it might take her a long time of careful examination to know for sure.

Petal began her careful explorations, pushing throguh the illusion. It would be as if there were nothing was there to a normal person, although in this silent and peaceful location, Petal felt a tiny thrill of magic as she brushed through it. The susurration of YA was playful, and it was obvious that it was the magic of ROS that spoke the false symbol with a teasing tone underneath.

Beyond was a short corridor, beyond which a grand staircase rose up into darkness above. The stonework was simple and clean. In this passageway, no dust had even collected - the illusionary wall apparently having some small form to it to keep out particles. That was unusual. The banister of the stairwell was plain but solid, exquisitely carved. There seemed to be motifs to it, snakes and horms and thorns curling aroudn and around.

Rising up the stairs to check what might be beyond, she could see that there was a wide square room, with a vaulted ceiling. With a shock, Petl realised there were figures in the corners - after a moment, she realised they seemed to be stone figures, some form of armoured knight on pedastals. Four figures, holding four great swords in one hand. They all reached out, pointing the swords diagonally upwards to point to the roof, even though Petal - from where she was - could not see anything there. However, what she did think she could see was the faint outline of a doorway on the other side of the room. It seemed to have a larger, round plate or tablet attached to though.


Right, let's stp there for now!
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Re: RAIXEL'S SUPER SECRET INTRODUCTION GAME

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Petal looks around the room in awe. This looked like a room in one of the grand human 'castles' she had read about in her 'Picture Book of Beings' when she was a child. Heh, what else would a young person have in a world with many sentient races. Petal is upset there were no dwarves tho. She really wants to meet one. She is fascinated by such a huge room. Why was the ceiling so high? Was there people who could fly living here? Petal sighs with relief at being out of the cramped passages, and zooms up to the ceiiling and then swoops around, elated at finally being able to really *fly*.

After streching her wings for a bit, she slows down and looks around the room a second time, this time high in the air. Perception (1d20+4=12) Basically, I think shes looking at where the stairwell goes. Remembering the door with the writing on it, she regretfully flies close to the ground again, and floats over for a look at what it says. She also goes and take a look at the stone people, being careful not to touch one, as she had heard stories of 'forever guardians', biengs carved in stone set to guard a place. They can activate long after their original maker is dust. Just to be sure, she reaches out with her senses and examines them. Perception (1d20+4=6)

K, stopping there till I get the results of the stairwell and door. (doubt she can tell anything about the stone beings, but ya never kno.
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Re: RAIXEL'S SUPER SECRET INTRODUCTION GAME

Post by beowuuf »

LMAO, I love that mental image, of a young Petal scanning through the book pointing out odd races to her father and asking about them.

Maybe I was unclear, the stairwell is at the end of the corridor, and is where Petal goes up to find the large room beyond. There are only two ways out of the room apparently - back down the stairs and through the illusionary wall, or through the blocking door on the other side.



The room was prisine, with a similistic set of dark and light grey tiles on the floor in a simple square pattern, accentuating the position of the four statues in the four corners. Petal's movements aroudn the room reveal nothing unusual to her, although the scale of the room compared to her dagger light is perhaps daunting. Still, her eyes are accustomed to picking up small details in low light, so it shouldn't be too much of a leap to assume there is nothing to find.

On closer inspection each of the four statues they seemed to be of a different race, even though their armour was similar one ot the other. None are represented wearing helms, and so there was a human with his smooth features, and an elf with his angular ones. A liazard man with a squashed face seemed to be an oddity in such armour, a tail carved rising up his back making it stranger still. And finally rounding off the odd assortment was an orc, also looking strange in such ornate armour. None of the statues were coloured in any way, all using the same basic grey stone that Petal was depressingly becomeing used to in this place.

They were all slightly oversized, though not by too much. There was nothing on the swords, armour nor pedistals to a casual inspection. Each had only one arm raised, the sword pointing up and their head tilted to look up along the sword.

Petal received one shock when she was beside the orc. She suddenly realised the carved eyes were actually looking down the orc's nose directly where she had been. For a moment she thoguht the thing had come to life, and was staring at her. Only when she moved backwards, and then moved sideways, did she realise it was simply how the orc had been represented. The other statues had their eyes in the same direction as the tilt of their head indicated, looking up to the centre of the ceiling. The only other odd things Petal noted were that the elf seemed 'rougher' as a statue than the others, though she could not immediately tell why.

When Petal looks to the door, she sees the round stone tablet has four squares cut out near the four diagonal corners. A diamond shaped stone insert hs been placed in each of these four cut outs. There is a horizontal slit in the centre of each diamond, about the width of Petal's hand. Above or around each slot is an engraving of a different animal. There appears to be a giant lizard, squat and fat. Strange radiating lines are carved beside its eyes, as if something is coming from them. The next has a coiled serpant wrapped aroudn the slot, forked tongue coming from between needle teeth. The third has a dragon, its wings wide open, its taloned arms and legs spread open as if ready to attack. The head has its fanged mouth open upon a long neck, and the representation of fire coming from its mouth. Finally on the last diamond is carved a wolf, clawed feet engraved as if it were holding tight to the slot below it, while its head was raised as if howling.

The rest of the tablet is simple rough stone, except for the smoothed centre. There, in normal common, was carved a strange set of verses.

Four proud blades, from distant east
Each sought to tame a dreadful beast

They took one each, in fearsome fight
Yet all but one met final night

The proudest failed the first, I fear
A claw felled him, never shedding tear

The smartest never laid a blow
Distance meant nothing to his terrible foe

The third was swift, through twisted way
Yet sharpest fang did win the day

Only the last, the least, its true
Cut limb, pierced scale to make it through

His blade alone bids doors to rise
His foe alone conceals this prize



A strange verse, though it seemed to refer to to the statues. Was this some history she should know? Or, more likely, some puzzle of Chaos's left behind? Looking back at the statues again, Petal did not see much new. Only one thing came to her attention - the swords, now she looked to them, did not seem exactly a part of the statues. Were they loose? Was that the idea - she take one, and place it into the correct slot on the door? If so, did the verses really contain enough information to help her decide?


Hehe, evil puzzle! Don't worry, while there is some logic here, it's not purely a logic puzzle. There is alot that can be gained - infact needs to be gained - from other types of observations and examinations (and perhaps even some knowledge checks). Though thinking about it logically after the fact may well help fill in some gaps if something gets missed.

So if Petal would stick around to test herself against this puzzle, feel free to start giving me exact things Petal might want to start checking for. Also, start making some rolls if you want to push for more hints, though make sure you explain exactly what you are looking to learn and how/why.

Don't worry, there will be some thing's Petal will get 'for free', I just wanted ot give you a chance to get aclimbatised first before I start throwing all the info around.!
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Re: RAIXEL'S SUPER SECRET INTRODUCTION GAME

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Dur, no, it was my bad. I read the 'rising up the stairwell line' then promptly forgot it. Yeah, I love the image of a young Petal flipping thru a book. "This is a castle. It is a building made of stone where some human leaders, who are called kings if they are male or queens if they are female, live." Yay, riddles. You know how good I am at that tho. ;)

Petal sighs as she reads the riddle. "Great...." she utters to herself. "Hm. Lets see. Four swords...." Petal flies back over to the statues and looks at them. She reaches out and cautiously lays her hand on one and waits a few miniutes just too make sure the statues arent going to come to life. Then she expirimentally tries to wiggle the sword, to see if it can be removed. She also searches each statue and the riddle panel thurougly, looking for any secret compartments, levers, buttons ect. Perception (1d20+4=24)NAT 20!.

"Lets see. So obviously the four statues fought four enemies. Its just a matter of finding one statue that 'wins' against his foe. Ok, so theres the proudest, the smartest, the swiftest, they all lose. But then the 'least' wins. Hm. So the first, the proudest, is felled by a 'claw'. The smartest never even got close because his foe can kill from afar. The swiftest followed a 'twisted way' and was killed by a fang. The 'least' cut its way through 'scales'." Petal muses quietly.

She flies back over to the panel and looks at it again. "Ok, so 'dragon' 'snake' 'lizard' and 'wolf'. We know the 'least' 'cut thru scales', so that obviously isnt the wolf. The 'swift' was killed by a 'fang' after following the 'twisted way'. That sounds like a snake. The smartest was killed from distance. Thats probably the lizard, but it might also be the dragon. The dragon has claws, the lizard doesnt. So I'd assume that whatever is coming out of the lizard's eyes can kill from a distance. So that means the 'proudest' is killed by the 'wolf' and the 'least' killed the dragon to get thru. Now to find out who's who."

Again, she flies back over to the statues and inspects each of them in turn, looking closely at their carved forms, and into their stone faces.
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Re: RAIXEL'S SUPER SECRET INTRODUCTION GAME

Post by beowuuf »

See, not too hard, is it. :)

Petal remembered tales of the basilisk, a huge terrible lizard that you must never look directly in the eye, because it could turn you to stone. It sounded like a children's tale, and it still may have been, but that would be a terrible foe, and one who could kill from a distance.

Petal examines the statues carefully. The swords are definitely loose, and although they feel heavy-ish in the handle, they are not as heavy as she would have imagined. She thinks she could manage to negotiate them across to the door. Their lack of weight is probably the result of them needing to not fall from the statues' hands while loose, but is lucky for her. Nothing immediately tries to spring to life, but that doesn't mean these powerful forms couldn't. After all, what if she gets the puzzle wrong...

There seems to be no trick areas around the statues nor the floor nor the ceiling where the swords point nor anywhere else - she feels confident this time, even going as far as to listen in the quietness for any wrong note in the gentle song of this place.

The door items does seem to have moving parts - each of the diagonals with the creatures on seems to be loose, although not in a way she can turn. The sword probably acts as a key if she can place it through here.

Still looking over the statues, she still finds it opdd that the orc's head seems to be angled a little differently, slightly fiurther back, and his eyes looking down on her. There must be some significance. Meanwhile, she realises why the elf looked 'rougher. While all the other statues are perfectly carved, the illusion of separation from their armour by deep cuts at the neck, and perfect definition, the elf looks unfinished. His other arm is actuyally jointed to his body by a seam of uncarved rock, as are his legs, and the joint between his armour and his body too looks unfinished. Even his facial features look rougher than the perfect work of the other three statues, as too does his armour.

Petal tries to think about the races as a whole. Are any considered paerticularly prideful? No, not really - or rather, they could all be characterized as having pride in their own way. The smartest? Hmm, traditionally - if perhaps unfairly - elves and humans would certainly always be considered smarter than the lizards and orcs. Swiftest? Again, the elves and lizards are known for their speed. As for the least? Well, all races can be painted unflatteringly, couldn't they? The lizards seen as primative, the orcs barbaric, and the humans not having the powers of other races. Hmm, elves are never considered the ;kleast' by any means.

Of course, the riddle could be refering to four individuals, but as no names nor details have been carved about who they are, it is perhaps safe to assume these are archetypes not known heroes. Maybe.


There we go. Nice perception roll, feel free to ask for more details if there was anything I didn't cover you think Petal would have checked for. You're on the right track, hopefully I've give you enough hints and details now that you can firm up your choices. Good luck!
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