Ephesos

...man, why do you have to do this stuff right when I disappear for my job? I'm out of everything until August. EDIT: I will second what has been said below my post, in that our free-form stuff here seems to have done best when there is as little in the way of over-arching world "rules" as possible. Everyone has their way of telling the story, their own character style. Also, colored fonts are the devil. 'Cause you know somebody's just going to have to pick yellow... and multiple fonts sounds like a reading headache as well.

Yeah, I'm having fun with this thing. Also, I didn't realize this until just now, but my Picture/Day project has been going for over two years now. Dang. 734 pictures and counting.

Is #12 Dungeons and Dragons: Eye of the Beholder? I ask because I recall something near-identical as the intro of a later GBA title.

*sigh* On the plus side, new camera. It is significantly more powerful.

Originally Posted By: Student of Trinity (stuff) Duke Nukem Forever totally beat you to the punch on that one. I swear, once I got to disc 15, I was literally weeping for joy.

Originally Posted By: Lilith lmaonade Thirded.

*sigh* I think we're done.

I hope I will be there.

Originally Posted By: Sarachim Is it the teams that refuse? I thought the issue was that players could decide whether or not to participate, and many didn't for health reasons. Well, it is health reasons, but I'd say that teams are generally more concerned about it than the players. And given some of the exorbitant salaries out there, they are right-ish to be concerned. It's still LAME.

Yay USA! Also, yay everyone else! Yay World Cup! (Until people start taking the World Baseball Classic seriously, and by "people" I mean American teams unwilling to let their stars compete for glory, then I'm more than happy to get riled up for the Cup.)

...hunh.

As we collect the various interludes of all the Selos/BM characters, I have a new proposal that might intrigue people, given the recent discussion of PCs appearing as NPCs elsewhere. A lot of you already know that I've got a crazy-awesome job at a summer camp teaching kids about game design. And I probably mentioned that last summer I ran some D&D 4.0 for them, using a nifty random-ish dungeon I whipped up. Well, since then, AIMhack has come into its own, so I want to run their tabletop stuff in that this year. And I'd like to put it in Mote, after briefly toying with throwing them into the Labyrinth. But I need quests. And I thought it might be awesome if they got the quests from former PCs, or if perhaps the quests involved PCs. For instance, now that Kurex's reappearance is becoming better-known, it would make sense for the powers that be in Eolith to send some people to hunt him down. (Naturally, the kids wouldn't be killing him, 'cause that would be lame.) So, think about it, and drop me a line if you're interested in having your character(s) get involved.

I have to do that when we have too many/rotating subs, but yeah. I think I did that once, and then never again.

Originally Posted By: Nioca ...Please, please tell me you aren't editing it by hand... That would suck on untold levels. I mean, aside from a hefty batch of find/replace, that's about what I do. It actually helps me refresh myself on the full scope of a session's action.

Just a few more and everyone will be accounted for! Click to reveal.. (Kurex's Interlude) One by one, the members of the Blood Marsh party filed out of Tazabith's hut. First went Alexander, muttering something about a crazy undead lady. Then went Esstra, followed shortly by Sawbones. After it became apparent that Kurex was not about to leave, Amdan stood and left, flashing a gaze at Kurex before he left the hut. Tazabith frowned and shook her head. "I guess I know what you want." After a moment, Kurex spoke. "I presume it would be appropriate payment for our services." "I know I shouldn't be doing this, but very well." Muttering a few short words under her breath, Tazabith lifted the curse. "Now leave. And never, ever come back, or I will personally sprinkle your remains into the marsh." "But of course..." Kurex bowed mockingly and left the cottage, closing the door behind him. He turned, and set out for Mekos, never once looking back. After a short march, Kurex reached Mekos. He was leaving this godforsaken island for good. He had what he wanted, and this island was no longer useful to him. He smiled and patted his chest, making sure the journal was still there. It was. Something like this, to the right archmage, could mean quite a lot of gold. And if there was one thing Kurex had learned, it was that gold meant power. Using a combination, of gold, blackmail, a silver tongue, and promises of payment on arrival, Kurex managed to secure a passage to Ona. It was a hell of a risk, to travel to his former homeland, but he needed to find a very specific person. The ship ride was uneventful. There were no krakens or pirates, as the captain had feared. One short horse ride and several near misses later, Kurex reached Eolith, one of the largest cities on Mote. and his former home. After some quick scouting, he finally found the residence of the necromancer Sllithik, one of his three remaining contacts with the higher circles of magic. Sneaking in the back door, he entered the library. The old dragonborn turned around in shock. "Kurex?" the dragonborn hissed "What on Mote are you doing here! Have you lost all sense? Ona is far too dangerous for you! You were banished!" He quickly pulled Kurex into a small study and muttered a phrase. "We are now shielded against prying eyes and ears. But tell me, what on earth compelled you to risk your life and come to see me?" "Circumstances have forced me to play my hand. I have a dire warning to give you." Kurex then related the tale of how Chamlusep's lieutenants were alive on the Plane of Dreams, and trying there hardest to enter back into reality. "You are sure? It was really Yunelias?" Sllithik whispered. "Without doubt. And he referenced Chalmulsep, as well. I have little doubt that the Lord of Pain is out there somewhere, longing to come back and once again wreak devastation on Mote. More disturbingly, one of the members of my... entourage came upon a ring that he claimed contained a fragment of the Lord of Pain. He mentally battled him and barley won. But what is most disturbing of all is the fact that this ring was on Mote. What if there are more of these artifacts?" "This is shocking news, indeed. I will have to consult some of the others about this. Perhaps Gaunik-Da will have more information on the goings-on in the Plane of Dreams. A visit to Keoshor may be called for, as well." "I am sure you know best. But it is too dangerous that I remain here. I have one last deal to take care of before I flee again. Perhaps you can assist me." "What?" "Along the journey, we encountered a powerful fiend. He carried with him this journal." Kurex held up the journal. "I am loath to hide this, it would be too eager to be found to remain hidden long. And I do not wish to risk destroying it. Perhaps you could buy it?" "Certainly. It will make a valuable addition to my library." replied Sllithik, handing Kurex a small pile of gold coins. "Thank you. I need to lay low for a while. I have little doubt that if this incident is investigated, my involvement may be discovered. I cannot allow myself to be located quite yet. I think I will open a small shop in a quiet corner of a city far away, or perhaps take on an apprentice." "I cannot image what horrors were visited upon you that you would consider taking on an apprentice. Are you sure you are alright?" Kurex chuckled. "Your sense of humor is dry as your scales, friend. As always." "Of course. Now, don't you have an island to flee?" "Of course. And Sllithik?" "Yes?" "Thank you." Without another word, the two parted. Kurex returned to the docks. He had enough gold for a passage to anywhere on Mote, and even then enough to buy and stock a small magic shop. Perhaps he would be able to settle down for once, relax, make some money as a "sage" in some backwater where no one knew who he was. But something was not quite right. The visit to Sllithik had puzzled him somewhat, in a way he couldn't quite pinpoint. It was almost as if it reminded him who he was, and who he had been. He still wanted his power back, the only difference was that he now had a feasible way to get it. But that way wasn't as a purveyor of magical trinkets. It was as an adventurer...

Originally Posted By: Triumph Chitrach infestions? There are no chitrachs on Mote. If it wasn't clear before, let me say that definitively now. No chitrachs. Anywhere. Ever.

The hits just keep on coming! Click to reveal.. (Alexander's Interlude) After defeating the Dream Realm Yunelias and returning to the normal world, Alexander should have been proud of his accomplishments. And yet, all he managed to feel was disappointment that he hadn't managed to find his lost father. He chose to remain on Risis, living in Mekos. Every since Alexander returned to Mekos, he became obsessed with the Blood Marsh. Every day he would venture out into the Marsh, exploring every crypt and ruin he found, and mapping out every square inch. Every time he went out he would hope against hope for a sign of his father, but nothing ever came. He remained in Mekos long after he had run out of paper making his maps, yet still he had not found his father. And so he remained, waiting for a sign...

I'm stoked to spectate, even though I won't be there for the beginning.

Spoke too soon! Click to reveal.. (Vitze's Epilogue) As soon as Zarusa was done with the party, Vitze hit the road. She wasn't afraid that anyone else might be hunting her. It would be some time before anyone in Cromk made anything of the fact that the elf and the dwarf hadn't returned, and if they even bothered to send someone else they wouldn't get to Selos for months. No, she was just eager to get away from Zarusa, who she still suspected might secretly have been behind all this, not that Vitze would dislike her any less if she weren't. And Lanrezac, who thought he was so damned clever. And Nixak, who had the nerve to look down on her as if he was all sweetness and light. Kundak was inoffensive enough, but she wouldn't miss him any. Boregloaf seemed alright, for a guard. Vitze tried to convince her to come along, but the goblin wouldn't be persuaded, so Vitze left alone. As she walked out of Quera, she was uneasy. She was used to being on the inside of a plot, but the events of the last few weeks had made it clear that she (and, less importantly, everyone else in the world) was someone else's mark. This was unacceptable. She wouldn't let anybody get the best of her like that. And, with her new-found mastery of magic, she was sure she could do something about it. She would find these secret masters of the con, and if they didn't let her in on their game then she'd run them out of it. An old lacewing once said there are two kinds of knowledge: the kind you know, and the kind you know where to get. Vitze was short on the former, but she had a good lead on the latter. So good, in fact, that she was willing to brave the jungle again to reach it. A week later, she was outside the Oracle's home once again, hoping she'd be let in. . .

Originally Posted By: madrigan I don't like the indoors/outdoors shift and I don't like zones. In A3 your characters approach what is supposed to be a huge city and it looks like a little postage stamp on the screen. Then you have to wait for the city to load. I like having to actually pass through the city gates as if I was passing through the city gates. See, I always saw this as just zooming in on the town. And normally you do get to enter in through the gates, it's just in that zoomed-in town. And that huge city may look like a little postage stamp, but your party looks like four gnats.

Nope, still waiting. Otherwise I would've posted 'em.

Originally Posted By: Mod. Agreed, zones = easier travel. I still miss the old Avernum-style movement with towns and outdoors being distinct areas. Created a much better sense of scope.

Gah, I am the worst mod ever. I didn't realize this forum existed until today.

Originally Posted By: Seiðmaðr I meant that we play our old characters, but they're not really the actual players in the campaign. Maybe show up for a session or two or something. I am also open to doing this.

Just for the record, I'm 100% okay with bringing back old PCs as NPCs. I will always ask permission from the character's creator, of course.