TIME'S CHAMPIONS: Finale OOC thread

[beowuuf]

Was hanging back for Raixel and Ian, I assume Ian is busy with pre-holidat stuff and Riaxel's temp computer is crappy

[beowuuf]

Running odd hours with my sleep, so might chill in bed now to post an update early tomorrow, give a last chance for more input

[ian_scho]

Ill try and `post something this morning!

[beowuuf]

Thanks Ian! Run out of time, so will update at lunchtime or more likely this evening. Sorry for the delay!

[Ameena]

Ohh btw I never got confirmation as to what happened with my two flasks - I've still got 'em down as an Um-Vi and an empty one. Surely someone must have made some kind of potion with it? And did anyone want to take the wand or whatever and try to use it? I don't mean use it now, just in general...'cause I've still got all the same stuff I had before we had the big "let's pool our resources and come up with a plan" plan .

[beowuuf]

Westian said what he was prepared to make if there were spare flasks, so check back for his post. And nope, no one seemed to want the wand right now. You can offer it again later, or you can try to use it yourself.

[ian_scho]

The wand would be handy for nose pickin'

[beowuuf]

Not sure if you are around after today Ian, so I'll wish you a good holiday now! Any last commands / requests for Haynuus before I pitch him down a pit?

[ian_scho]

Down a pit? How about into a mouth!

Nah, he'll just plod along being all muscular yet deferent to his boss.

Thanks muchly!

[beowuuf]

Just to explain the Lilith / Lolth thingie:

Obviously with Westian bringing in Larethian Correleon from D&D, it made sense to have Lolth around as opposition. Some aspects of Lolth also related well to the ideas I had for Dolo. However, previous ideas regarding the world were that any 'gods' were High Lords, and that demons were bad things. That demonlords were really bad, waiting to break here and be evil. DM Java was based on that idea, I had stuff like that happening i nthe background when I did any DM fiction, and for the history of the world I also had the demons as a fun part of the original battle of the world. I also liked it made Lord Chaos powerful and insane for having demons - no matter how bound - in the dungeon.

Anyway, so I already had that I wanted Dolo to have been a paladin that was betrayed and almost destroyed, and that this broken elf then clawed his way to new power. While Lolth had some nice rings to her personality for what was happening in the mountain, and I liked the idea of the goddess who would allow her followers to fight to find the strongest, there were also some issues. For example, having the physically weak Dolo have power under Lolth, enforcing the whole 'drow/Lolth worship' on the Dm world, and alos the whole fact a demon queen did not really fit the High Lord theme.

Not quite sure what linked Lilith and Lolth in my mind, I even did a web search and could find no links. Lilith is, in our mythology, the original woman. It was said that she and Adam were originally created, but her pride saw her cast out, and Eve was then created. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lilith) Lilith was used in Knightmare, as well as other places. I liked that idea for a High Lady that might champion arrogant outcasts like 'dark' elves, etc. There were also other echoes and ideas that, given Dolo had not been as directly interacted with as Soorec, really been lost and now redundant.

Anyway, so that's why the split of Lolth in D&D to Lilith and Lolth. Keeping some of the strength against strength and trickster elements (basically, the human elements or her) in to Lilith, so that outcasts were not automatically devil worshippers, and keeping some of the more evil and demomnic aspects for the Lolth of the DM world, making her a pure demon. It also showed Dolo's descent, from Paladin of Lilith who was betrayed and destroyed for not being powerful enough, and showing the pact he made to get his own abilities. And that also gave some extra duplicity to Dolo's actions, as you might spot. Is he really telling the Cult of death to worship a demon? Or is he swaying them to Lilith first, and then slowly going to use them or pull them fully in to worshipping Lolth and giving a demon a foothold in the world?

Anyway, like I said, it's sort of mostly dropped away now given how the game and interactions went. Since Raixel has to follow this, I'm more keen to drop the Lilith thing unless she wants to run with it, other than to ensure lip service is paid to the previous stuff said here. Really, I'm subtly nudging all that Dolo is doing to not need that split, so Lolth can be the D&D Lolth really if Raixel needs that.


Anyway, just wanted to explain since it came up!

[beowuuf]

Of course, just realised that as of now we really only have Ameena and OB to post next week. Hey guys!

I hope Raixel is ok and her computer issues resolve soon (and nothing else comes up) and maybe money will free himself up again after his holiday (though he's busy with many important RL thingies right now) but otherwise there's just two players! *scared*

I'm not sure if LB will be back before the game ends, I have heard nothing from him at all, unlike money. So yeah...


Anyway, you two ok to hold the fort for a week and a half?

[Ameena]

Well, you know I'm off work for another week so I'll certainly be around...but I usually am anyway so that's nothing new - I'm just around more right now .
And if Lolth is gonna be like the DnD Lolth...omg have you seen her stats in whichvr Monster Manual she's in? I realise she's hardly gonna be exactly the same in 3.5 as she is in 4th (if she's even in one of the 3.5 books...but surely she must be...?), but in 4th she's like, level 35 or something, in proper goddess form but has about three different possible incarnations depending on which form she's taking - like whether she's in an avatar or something. Pretty much insta-death for any party not epically advanced . But umm...since this isn't really quite Lolth-proper but more just Lolth-trying-to-get-into-a-host-whose-body-isn't-really-made-for-it, maybe we won't have quite that trouble . I'm thinking the Righteous Holy Power people might be best acting right about now, whatever the case .

[beowuuf]

Lolth is a demon queen, yes, but how successful she can get try and push her presence in to the world is debateable. Host body singular? Hmm, such a small view. Why would a spider queen with a web of connection to many undead just try to put herself in one? :p

[Ameena]

Oooh didn't think of that...well, that explains why Dolo was trying to keep them under such close control, lol. Hrmm...well, maybe they'll flatten some of the Blackskull guys for us then .

[oh_brother]

More than happy to hold the fort as needed!

Having said that I need to wimp off on the first day of reducing players - I have a deadline tomorrow so I will be working till late. Back to normal tomorrow afternoon!

[beowuuf]

Not a problem, this contest has sort of become an extended finale instead of being the last confrontation before ther finale. Still lots to do, but I'm happy to slow it down a little to let you guys get in to it properly

[beowuuf]

@ raixel and money:
hey guys, if you happen to come by this weekend, then OB has posted a pretty interesting tactical question IC to your two charatcers, that would let you quickly jump back. A nice little moral one too. You guys are just beside ther maiin bad guy room, with a single distracted guard. What would you do to ensure his silence? Is it even a question?

[beowuuf]

Quick and dirty map. So the path of light cuts in to the very start of the main area. There are lights around, the area is so big that the light won't carry across. So the pathway on the opposite side is only dimly lit from the central walled circular structure. Let me know what else I can explain and highlight. IK can show the general map, since in the end I realised I needed to outline the whole area for the section you are in to look right.

[beowuuf]

Having spoken to Ameena yesterday, I'll make a better sketch map showing walls, etc. And I'll also move Westian's bit forwards too. Shame to have dropped so many players right now At least Ian should be back before we know it!

[oh_brother]

Yes, sorry to have been awkward by throwing out a big question to people who were not here! It was just that it really seems the only way to stop the guard from letting everyone know we are here is by knocking him into the pit, and I cannot see any way to do that myself. Even the thiefy-types would be hard pressed to sneak up on a sentry since there seems to be little cover and he is presumably facing in the direction we would be coming.

[beowuuf]

He's temporarily facing the other direction, but yeah, he's kinda biased to be looking your way too. Anyway, I really liked it, especailly given some of the beats Petal and Falkor have had previously. Sad to have missed bookending them with this. Ah well!

And yeah, Ameena could have chanced her luck to sneak up and sneak attack the sentry... if she wasn't a pacifist!

[beowuuf]

The map above should update with more detail. Let me know if it is less or more confusing now

Definitely not to scale. Thoguh inagine where you are is on the large side (so Brohur is too large compared to the rest)

[Ameena]

I was thinking to sneak up on him and do something (maybe find a way to knock him out or something), hence my asking where everything was in relation to us, in particular Brohur's location, and the direction in which he was facing. It seems too late now, however, as other people have acted first and he's probably gonna now turn round and see us...however, I suppose there's still a chance that if he yells or something, everyone else will be too busy fighting grak-graks or whatever to pay attention to him .

[beowuuf]

Well, I had said he was looking towards the fight and not towards the group, otherwise there was not too much to plan with really. No cover, it was a case of speed and stealth and maybe using darkness. Anyway, since you didn't hae a firm plan, Helm has acted rashly. So if you figure out a plan while trying to stop his undetermined actions, then it's all good!

And yeah, there is definitely that chance that people are too distracted if he gives the alarm. Maybe. Who knows....

[beowuuf]

For Ameena:

"The stones, they look like magnetic mana rocks. They're rocks that have absored the magic of an area, and are attracted to each other. They stick to each other and clsoe metals, but if you pull them apart they will try to pull themselves back together. That ones a shattered single stone, you can see there way it is." He then looked to the thin rod. "I've...I've seen someone play with one before, something similar. They had a thin wand they used to pull the stones apart. It..it had the same symbols on it." So poitned out, the mages realised the wand indeed had, hidden in the grain of the wand, the runes for the spell of retraction - where one could pull something to oneself.


Who knew the thief could roll a decent appraise skill. Still doens't mean he knows how to activate it, though! Still, the rocks might still be useful on their own. Almost liek they were planted there in a certain big fight to be used, and someone decided to leave them :p

How history repeats!

[beowuuf]

Hey Ian! For when you get back, I've added a post just for you that would get you quickly up to speed about what happened from an IC point of view. Obviously, OOC you can then catch up with the hijinks of your fellows at your liesure There's also a map of the immediate area ahead of the path of light a few posts above this one.

[ian_scho]

Back - Will need some catch-up time! It's 41ºC/100ºF here in Spain so bare with me.

[ian_scho]

OK. Have read all the posts... Now need to buy some flowers, lol. Will post soon. That was a nice read!

[beowuuf]

Yeah, poor Farel! Anyway, good to see you back, good to have you guys all set to move on too. I'll have to update tomorrow, getting late...

[Gambit37]

You guys are *still* going!!!?!? Isn't it like 2 years now or something?