|
|
Post by SummerCrow on Aug 29, 2016 12:41:12 GMT -6
How should you pass the time? Choose 3.
A: Speak to the Quartermaster about buying supplies.
B: Talk with Rhea.
C: Talk with Captain Galik.
D: Talk with Razor.
E: Talk with Jack.
A1: Train with Rhea.
A2. Scout the edge of the forest. Can never be too careful.
A3: Practice your swordwork on your own.
A4: Play a few songs and lighten the mood a bit. C, A2, E (I fixed it for you) |
|
|
|
Post by Rainbow Dragon on Aug 29, 2016 12:44:44 GMT -6
Thanks Crow.  |
|
|
|
Post by grayjack on Aug 29, 2016 13:14:44 GMT -6
I agree with the Radioactive Chicken.
|
|
|
|
Post by Rainbow Dragon on Aug 29, 2016 15:03:00 GMT -6
Temporary new characters!
Galik Lv 1 Hero
HP:32
Str:14
Mag:0
Skl:13
Spd:13
Lck:10
Def:12
Res:8
Atk 32 Hit 111 Avoid 28
Skills: Armsthrift, Strong Riposte, Vantage
Weapon Level: Axe B Sword C
Items: Silver Axe(30/30 Mt 16 Hit 70 Crit 0 Rank B Rng 1), Steel Sword(35/35 Mt 8 Hit 90 Crit 0 Rank C Rng 1), Vulnerary(3/3)
Rating: 60
Rhea Lv 7 Myrmidon
HP:24
Str:7
Mag:5
Skl:10
Spd:10
Lck:9
Def:6
Res:5
ATK 14 Hit 105 Avoid 29
Skills: Avoid+10, Bowbreaker
Weapon Level: Sword C
Items: Dark Sword(35/35 Mt 8 Hit 80 Crit 0 Rank C Rng 1-2 Des- A sword infused with Dark Magic. Deals magical damage), Shamshir(20/20 Mt 6 Hit 85 Crit 55 Rank C Rng 1 Des- A curved sword from the East renowned for its deadly edge), Vulnerary(3/3)
Rating: 45
Razor Lv 5 Thief
HP:18
Str:6
Mag:2
Skl:10
Spd:11
Lck:10
Def:4
Res:4
Atk 12 Hit 115 Avoid 27
Skills: Locktouch
Weapon Level: Sword D, Dagger D
Items: Iron Sword(45/45 Mt 5 Hit 90 Crit 0 Rng 1), Iron Dagger(50/50 Mt 3 Hit 100 Crit 10 Rng 1-2 Des- -2 Spd/Def on hit)
Rating: 40
Crow's choices are locked.
|
|
|
|
Post by Rainbow Dragon on Aug 30, 2016 15:28:07 GMT -6
Deciding to visit the Quartermaster's wagon, Lucius strolls through the camp, noting the various positions everyone had taken up. Rhea was sitting around the fire among several others, drinking and laughing. The boy known as Razor- whom Lucius guessed was most likely an infiltration specialist and scout- stood leaning against a tree at the forest's edge, partially concealed by shadows. The other boy, Jack, was practicing his swordwork- if you could call it that- against a wooden practice dummy. And Galik was- talking to the Quartermaster, apparently.
Lucius stopped, watching the Captain haggle for a few extra Iron Swords and Vulneraries. After a few minutes, the two appeared to reach an agreement and shook hands, and Galik turned to walk away. Seeing Lucius, Galik motioned for him to join him and started walking back through the camp. Well, he could always see the Quartermaster later. Lucius fell in step beside Galik, waiting for him to speak first. He didn't have to wait long.
"So, Ike. What do you think of our chances?" The Captain asks bluntly, looking around at the sorry lot of already half-drunk guards.
Lucius was surprised by the question for a moment, then he remembered Rhea's words from the night before. Right, a Cunning Man. Strategist. Tactician. Thinking men. That's what Galik calls 'em. It seems Galik values the advice of Cunning Men.
"Not good," Lucius admits. "Don't think most of the guards here would be able to hold their own in a real battle. And our employer doesn't seem to take the Wilds seriously."
The Captain nods grimly. "Was thinking the same. What would you suggest?"
Lucius thinks for a few moments, then says, "Use small scouting parties. We'll need to know which areas are most dangerous, and the best way to avoid them. Rhea is fast and light on her feet, and unless I'm mistaken, Razor is your company's Infiltration Specialist. I have a map we can use, and we can find out which areas are the most dangerous by talking to the Knights stationed at the outpost. It's not ideal, but we should be able to avoid a lot of fighting that way."
Galik gives him an appreciative look, then nods. "Agreed. You'd make one hell of a Captain one day, kid. But where in the blazes did you get a map of the Wilds from?"
Lucius shrugged nonchalantly. "I have a few contacts in the Knights. When I learned of this expedition, I had one get me a copy of the most recent map they use at the outpost. Cost me a bit, but if this pays off, it will more than make up for it."
Galik grunts, then smiles slightly. "Few contacts in the Knights, he says. Like that's some easy thing for a Merc. You'd fit right in with my old company. I know, if you got nothing else to do before your watch, why don't you give Jack a few pointers? Boy could use it. He's green as a leaf, but he's got potential."
Lucius nods, sensing that now wouldn't be the right time to ask about his 'old company'. The boy in question was still swinging his blade wildly against a wooden dummy. Lucius walked over and quietly watched him for a while. The boy was so intent on his training that he didn't even notice him.
"Take a break," Lucius says, and the boy's strike goes wide from surprise. He nearly falls over, but catches himself just in time.
"By the Saint! Next time give me a warning before you sneak up on me!"
"I didn't sneak up on you. You just didn't notice."
The boy glares at him. "Yeah, well, that's because I'm busy. The Captain says I need to practice, so that's what I'm doing. Go bug someone else."
Lucius shakes his head. "The Captain asked me to give you a few pointers, and now I see why. Take a break. Exhausting yourself will only get you killed. This isn't a pleasure trip. We're expecting combat."
"All the more reason I should be practicing," he grumbles, setting his sword down and plopping down on the grass, his back to a tree.
Lucius retrieves the dropped sword and takes a few experimental swings, testing its balance. Then he hands the sword back to Jack, hilt first, and he sheathes it.
"Good blade, decent balance," Lucius says, sitting next to him. Then, "Blindly swinging with as much strength as you can muster isn't swordsmanship, Jack. Form and style comes with experience. You need to practice control, and being aware of your surroundings. If I had been an enemy, you would be dead."
He looks down, a bit sheepish. "Yeah, uh... You're probably right about that. Won't happen again." He looks up. "How did you get so good? You and the Captain. And Rhea. I don't understand it. It's like you're all on another level and I'm just... struggling to keep up."
Lucius shakes his head again. "Comparing yourself to others only holds you back. You aren't the Captain, and you aren't me. You certainly aren't Rhea. The only thing that separates us is experience and our mindset."
"Mindset?"
"The way you think," Lucius explains. "A Swordmaster I know once explained it to me this way: You could be a natural and have all the potential in the world, but if you believe you'll never amount to anything, then you never will. You have your entire life ahead of you. The Captain wouldn't have let you join if he didn't think you could do it. You just need to believe you can."
Lucius grins slightly. "Well, and pay attention to your surroundings. You never know when someone is going to sneak up on you."
He groans. "You're never going to let that go, are you...?"
Lucius laughs and stands up, patting the boy on the shoulder. "Probably not. But it will help you stay sharp. Get some rest, your watch is first."
The boy sighs, then stands up and heads back to his tent. He stops part way and calls back, "Ike! Thanks!"
"No problem," Lucius replies back, more to himself. The kid was already gone.
|
|
|
|
Post by Rainbow Dragon on Aug 30, 2016 15:59:29 GMT -6
The whole talk with Galik had made Lucius a bit paranoid. They hadn't actually sent any scouts into the forest, and while it was smaller than most forests in Elmine, it was still a forest. Plenty of cover for a group of bandits to hide in. Or wolves, who might be emboldened by the smell of food. Lucius thought of asking Rhea or Razor to accompany him, but decided against it. He wouldn't go very far into the forest.
The forest was surprisingly dense, and the canopy thicker than it appeared from the outside. Light was minimal, and more than once Lucius thought about going back. He wasn't an expert tracker by any means, but he had some training back at the Academy, and he never traveled further than the camp's firelight could reach. Still... Something seemed off. Several times he thought someone was watching him, only to turn around and search for it and find nothing but darkness.
He almost tripped over the item before he saw it. It was a small vial of golden liquid, half buried beneath grass and roots. Curious, Lucius bent down and retrieved it. It stirred a memory in him, and it was a few moments before Lucius realized what he was looking at.
Dragon's Tear... A rare substance known to substantially increase a person's natural physical abilities. What in the world is this doing here?
He looked back towards the camp. The light was still visible, but dimmer now. Perhaps it would be wise to head back.
A: Head back to camp.
B: Continue on.
C: Head back to camp, grab a torch, and ask someone to accompany you(Can choose Rhea, Galik, or Razor).
*You received a vial of Dragon's Tear(Permanently increases HP by 2 and all stats by 1)!*
A1: Use the Dragon's Tear now(You can choose to give it to Lucius or Rhea).
B1: Save it for later.
|
|
|
|
Post by SummerCrow on Aug 30, 2016 16:35:55 GMT -6
C, Razor.
A, Lucy.
|
|
|
|
Post by Rainbow Dragon on Aug 30, 2016 18:24:29 GMT -6
Bump for votes.
|
|
|
|
Post by Rainbow Dragon on Aug 31, 2016 9:30:53 GMT -6
Last call bump. I guess I'll roll the RNG and let Anna decide if no one else votes. Or just use Crow's choices. I dunno what to do. I don't usually have this problem...
|
|
Anna
New Member
Posts: 56 
|
Post by Anna on Aug 31, 2016 10:58:47 GMT -6
I think we should grab Galik and check things out - never turn down a chance to find more free loot!
And we'll give the tears to Rhea. I hate to give out free samples, but building a strong customer base is important.
|
|
|
|
Post by grayjack on Aug 31, 2016 18:24:43 GMT -6
C, Razor and I say we hold onto it for now. Might wanna use it on a future party member.
|
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Aug 31, 2016 18:29:05 GMT -6
C, Razor and I say we hold onto it for now. Might wanna use it on a future party member.
|
|
|
|
Post by Rainbow Dragon on Aug 31, 2016 19:22:12 GMT -6
YAY! More votes!  Gray's choices are locked. I'll update sometime later tonight. |
|
|
|
Post by Rainbow Dragon on Sept 1, 2016 13:54:28 GMT -6
Lucius carefully slips the vial of precious liquid into his pocket and turns back to look towards the campfire in the distance once again.
I should head back and find Razor... It may be nothing, but we can't take that risk.
Nodding to himself, Lucius starts clawing back the way he came, quickly but quietly stepping over dead logs and through the dense undergrowth. All of his senses were on high alert, and everything seemed to expand, as if he were seeing the forest for the very first time. Truly seeing it. He could hear things he couldn't before, see farther and in more detail. The trees of this forest were scorched and twisted, their bark darkened as if by some unholy flame, and their roots gnarled and long. And for the first time, he realized how unnaturally quiet it was. No crickets, no cicadas, not a sound, not even the wind rustling high in the canopy. And he hadn't seen a single living creature. Not even an insect or worm crawling around in the dirt.
The forest parted and Lucius stepped back out into the camp. Perhaps it was instinct. Perhaps, in his state of heightened awareness, he had known exactly where to go. But whatever the reason, he stepped out of the forest right by the tree Razor was still casually leaning against. His eyes were closed, but when Lucius emerged from the forest, they shot open, revealing the fact that the young man was very much alert. He looks at Lucius, his dark eyes betraying a hint of curiousness, and murmurs a greeting. Without preamble, Lucius walks over and shows him the vial.
"Found it in the forest. Have you noticed anything... Unusual about the forest?"
Razor studies the vial, his expression unreadable, and now that Lucius had a chance to look at him up close, he noticed a few things about the boy he hadn't noticed before. First, he was no boy. If anything, Lucius now guessed he was a year or so older than himself. There was a small growth of black whiskers that lined his face. And secondly, he had what appeared to be oddly intricate tattoos, or tribal markings beneath each eye and around his ears. The markings were faint, pale against his skin like faded scars, but they were definitely there.
"It's quiet," Razor says simply, and Lucius has the sudden realization it's the first time he's heard Razor speak. His voice was smooth and fairly deep, but also surprisingly youthful.
"Too quiet," Lucius agrees. "And I didn't see a single living thing in there. It's almost like the forest is-"
"Dead," Razor finishes. "Stay here. I'll go find Galik."
Before Lucius could respond, Razor practically melted from view, disappearing into the camp so quickly it was almost like he vanished. Lucius gave a low whistle of appreciation.
Just your everyday infiltration specialist, right Galik? Yeah, and I'm the King of Lanchester.
There was a hushed burst of activity in the camp before Razor returned, carrying a small, dimly lit lantern. Most likely, Galik had put everyone on high alert, but was trying not to alert any hostiles that might be watching.
"Let's go," Razor greeted, handing Lucius the lantern. Lucius nodded, clipped the lantern to his belt, and followed Razor back into the forest.
----------
Lucius soon had a whole new appreciation for Razor's talents. He navigated the dark forest like it was his backyard, moving as quietly as a wraith, always seeming to know exactly where to step, like he could see in the dark. Lucius noted once more that he was the only one who carried a lantern. So perhaps he actually could.
The light of the campfire was far behind them now. It lessened and lessened before fading entirely, and Lucius realized just how incredibly deceptive this forest was. It was far larger than it had appeared from the outside. A second later, Lucius mentally kicked himself. Back in the camp, he was sure Galik was doing the same. Of course it was larger than it appeared. It only appeared so small because of how dense the trees were- and because they had only seen one side of the forest from the road.
Razor and Lucius stopped at the edge of the dark treeline, surveying the wooden bridge spanning the fast moving stream. The bridge was old and rickety, and only wide enough for one person to cross at a time, but it clearly saw constant use. And that was all the proof they needed that this forest was inhabited. Razor had found a few signs of inhabitants earlier- broken twigs and branches, partially concealed paths, etc- but this left no doubt.
"How deep do you think the stream is?" Lucius asks quietly.
"Five, six feet," Razor answers, his voice barely more than a whisper. "But too fast and too wide to swim. Look."
He points to the trees on the other side of the clearing, and Lucius follows his finger, squinting into the darkness. Just barely, Lucius makes out some kind of structure just beyond the treeline. It doesn't take him long to figure out what it is.
"An old abandoned fort. Or maybe not so abandoned. Bandits?"
Razor shakes his head, the movement almost imperceptible. "No. Something else. Orders."
Lucius blinks. It takes him a few seconds to understand what Razor said. "You're deferring to me? You're the one with seniority here."
Again, he shakes his head. "Not a leader. You are. Galik trusts your judgment."
Lucius shrugs slightly, then looks back out across the clearing. "Very well. We'll...."
A: Scout the edges of the clearing and look for another way across(Choose Razor or Lucius)
B: Try to sneak across the bridge to get a better look at the fort(Choose Razor or Lucius)
C: Send Razor or Lucius back to get help(Choose who to send, and choose who to bring back- can choose Rhea or Galik)
D: Custom
|
|
|
|
Post by Rainbow Dragon on Sept 1, 2016 21:33:54 GMT -6
Bump for votes. Here, have a quick infobump.
Galik Renwall: The former Captain of the legendary Renwall Mercenaries, now leader of a small ragtag crew of wandering sellswords. He is very tight lipped about his past, and prefers to keep most people at a distance. A natural leader and a strong warrior, he dislikes politics almost as much as he hates cowards, and he prefers to settle disagreements with a blade and a drink afterwards. He seems to be something like a father to Rhea, and the two are very close. Straightforward and honest to a fault.
|
|
|
|
Post by SummerCrow on Sept 1, 2016 21:43:41 GMT -6
Definitely not C...
B, Razor.
|
|
|
|
Post by grayjack on Sept 2, 2016 0:16:09 GMT -6
Definitely not C... B, Razor. |
|
|
|
Post by Rainbow Dragon on Sept 2, 2016 13:03:43 GMT -6
Sneaky thief it is. I'll update in a little while.
|
|
|
|
Post by Rainbow Dragon on Sept 4, 2016 15:33:59 GMT -6
"... Need more information before we decide how to act. Razor, see if you can get closer. But don't push it. If you think, even for a moment, that you aren't concealed well enough to remain hidden, I want you back. Got it?"
He gives a subtle nod, pulls his cowl over his head, and slips into the shadows. Lucius watches briefly in amazement as Razor appeared to simply disappear. He knew how the young man did it, of course- it was the same way Lucius was staying hidden now. A camouflage cloak, and using the darker shadows to conceal yourself. But the skill with which Razor did it was on a totally different level. Lucius almost wondered if he had been trained by a Ranger. Razor blended into the shadows, moving slowly but methodically across the bridge, and then he was across and vanished into the forest beyond.
Lucius waited for what felt like an hour, remaining as still as possible. His eyes scanned the forest around him and the forest across from him constantly, never focusing on one spot for longer than a few seconds. Another few minutes passed, and still there was no sign of Razor. Lucius resisted the overwhelming urge to curse. Something must have gone wrong.
A: Follow after Razor
B: Remain hidden and wait a while longer
C: Return to camp for reinforcements
D: Custom
|
|
|
|
Post by SummerCrow on Sept 4, 2016 15:43:28 GMT -6
B
|
|
