- Location
- Russia
- Pronouns
- He/Him
@Artemis1992 , I understand that Gifts of Fire looks more appealing that The Humors of Flesh, but maybe you approvale-vote for the later? Othervise we could choose a very dangerous book...
Of Winding Ways and Cunning Devices
- Thread starter DragonParadox
- Start date
- Crossover Fantasy Alt. History
It's not that bad a vote. It's being chosen for the stats, not for usage (unless we have no recourse).
I liked the description of Humours of flesh, so I voted for it. The buffs and nerfs can be applied to a large number of allies and enemies.
- Location
- Russia
- Pronouns
- He/Him
It is not bad, but it is dangerous. Who knows what side effects this Tome of Forbidden Knowledge could have? Well, QM knows, but he does not tell, only hints:
I mean there aren't really supposed to be any side effects for any of the options besides using it is bad/dangerous for Eriol's perosnal moral compass, decision making and general humaness.
- Location
- Over the next hill.
We also decided to go Black Numenorean so those considerations were already in jeopardy. I don't think anyone is blind to the dangers of using what is literally the magic Melkor used to introduce corruption and evil in the world, given how we're still mortal. The stat gain is just so good though. Even if we use it sparingly or not at all, hyper competency is still a pretty good side effect.
- Location
- Russia
- Pronouns
- He/Him
I am opposed to that, and I am strictly opposed to every moove that brings us closer to Darkness.
This is bad enough and unacceptable for me.
Yeah, I wanted revulsion originally but it was tied for quite some time so I switched. Black Numenorean won so might as well go with it until the end of char creation and then work our way back.
I mean the Sauron vote won. We've been in spiritual/moral peril since then. This vote is like the icing on the cake of Eriol's poor decision making lol. The thing to understand is that all the options are tools/avenues and less moral choices. It's up to Eriol(us) to actually decide how to use and not use it once the quest proper starts.
- Location
- Russia
- Pronouns
- He/Him
I did not vote for this. I am strictly oppose to this. It is unacceptable for me.
Yes, our character os already ruined, but I do not want to aggravate this.
Varder
Tired Cultist
- Location
- Hell
You can't change the past and the bitching about one choice is becoming bothersome. If you want to convince people to redeem/repent/choose better, bring new arguments instead of repeating how much you hate it.
- Location
- Russia
- Pronouns
- He/Him
As I said, I would repeat it untill the end of the quest, as I repeated about destroying the Sarcophagus in AoIaB.
- Location
- Over the next hill.
Agreed, we can always do a redemption arc if the thread changes their minds, anti-hero also works well, so is just playing an absolute villain. I mean, we haven't even got to the fall of Numenor yet, that's going to be the most impactful event for Eriol to experience. Either way it will make for some good reading.
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I am really loath to close the vote at 1 vote difference while conversation is going on, but at the same time I do not want to leave this off too much. Vote will be closed tomorrow morning.
- Location
- Russia
- Pronouns
- He/Him
Well, redemption is possible theoretically, but practically? I have strong doubts. This path will definitely be neither cheap nor easy. How many players will agree to follow it?
I mean speaking from experience DP some votes just aren't going to have a decisive majority. Both this one and the last one for example. I mean imo a vote deadline 12, 24, 36, etc hours would be nice just so that voters know where they stand and it prevents dragging out a vote for an arbitrary amount of time. There hasn't been a new vote in 24 hours I think.
Fair point, but it's already late for me in any case. I do not think I would be able to get out a good quality update this late.
OK, so it looks like we are going for the Song of Discord
Arc 0 Part 6: Songs Deep and Dreadful
Songs Deep and Dreadful
No treasures did you bring from the House of Sauron, Lord of the Earth, no glorious panoply, no arms and armor forged with cunning craft, not even dusty strolls, the likes of which only excited the aged and withered heart, only a tablet of heavy stone that by seeming mischance broke the backs of three mules. And into that tablet you stared long and hard, by starlight, by moonlight and by harsh midday glare, for within its lines writ in a tongue that no mortal man spoke truly lay the secrets of the universe.
Hurz the Blind, once servant of Sauron, now your personal slave, was quick to explain t hat this was the tongue of Valinor from which Sauron had been banished for his desire 'to bring light and order to the lands of Middle Earth'. To be a conqueror in a far off land and king upon his own throne, you reflexively translate for you are no fool. Yet there is more truth to the fool's words than not for Sauron did teach this thing, this wisdom to mortal men if only that they might serve him better, which the Lords of the West taught not at all... or perhaps only to the elves which had fled their grasp in elder times.
Thinking back on the words of Ular as you stare at the morning light passing through the crimson fabric of the tent, to the tales that the Faithful tell each other it occurs to you that the reason the Valar never taught men the use of their song and art is that the elves who dwell now in Lindon also sought to make their own land far from the throne of Manwe. It is dizzying, sickening to think that all the blood and all the suffering and all the wars of ages past are born of one old king's grasping greed for power, not only that he should be Emperor, but that all the great light of the world should be kept in his narrow grasp and all who seek to escape it should be cast in darkness and reviled.
Blood thrums in your ears in rage, like the ocean crashing against the shore to sunder it, like the howling of the winds in distant mountains and then for just a moment... you hear more. The rage, the ambition, the power to mold the world to your will. As within so without, that is the will of Melkor Belegûr who had been cast beyond the world and yet whose will dwells still in the darkness of night and in the fire of men's hearts.
You reach out your hand to the lamp on the small desk beside the bed, then stop and as you slowly lower it you sing a note of flame and fury echoing without.
It explodes into hot oil and shards of glass that score your cheek but hardly feel the pain, marveling at your own understanding. You laugh and laugh and laugh.
Gained Novice Guldur (Magia): Capable of producing small scale elemental acts of destruction within line of sight. These attacks are powerful enough to kill, but they cannot overcome stout walls or earthen ramparts.
Caution follows insight, by the time the ship had made port in Numenor you already feel ill, having told your fellows that it was sea sickness. It is about half right your reckon, rather than being sick at the feeling of the ship moving under your feet you are ill at the feeling of the world shifting and grinding against itself in your experimentation. Reality is a vast and interconnected clockwork and you can just barely intuit where the nearer pieces are, much less which of its edges should prove sharp.
One thing is for certain you cannot continue this experimentation in the king's army. You are going to have to find a place with a lot more privacy.
What path do you take up?
[] Become a courtier and dilettante in the King's court in Armenelos the Golden, near to the eye of Sauron wise as he is cunning (Unlocked by Ambidextrous; Duelist; Black Numenorean Gain 1d6 Martial; 1d3 Intrigue)
[] Gather up more veterans from the army and form a band of sellswords to sell your skills to the colonial governors, there is much wealth to be gained in the lands of Middle Earth and many a foe to test out your new power upon (Unlocked by High Martial; Hyarrostar birth; Gain 1d6 Stewardship; 1d3 Martial)
[] Catch the eye of a noble lady of far higher rank than you with a taste for... dangerous men (Unlocked by Lustful; Silver Tongued; Gain 1d6 Diplomacy 1d3 intrigue)
[] Go into the lands of Middle Earth with only a few companions and seek the elves for their wisdom, most of them may be cowed lackeys of the of the Valar, but you refuse to believe that in any land there are no people of ambition who by the trading of one power might elevate themselves in another (Unlocked by Friendship of Ular; Novice Guldur; Gain 1d6 Learning; 1d3 diplomacy)
OOC: We are getting near the end of character generation there guys so choose wisely, this is going to define not just who Eriol is when the Fall happens, but also who he has with him on that ship.
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[X] Go into the lands of Middle Earth with only a few companions and seek the elves for their wisdom, most of them may be cowed lackeys of the of the Valar, but you refuse to believe that in any land there are no people of ambition who by the trading of one power might elevate themselves in another (Unlocked by Friendship of Ular; Novice Guldur; Gain 1d6 Learning; 1d3 diplomacy)
[X] Catch the eye of a noble lady of far higher rank than you with a taste for... dangerous men (Unlocked by Lustful; Silver Tongued; Gain 1d6 Diplomacy 1d3 intrigue)
We need to increase these stats and I'd love to see the elves reactions to us.
[X] Catch the eye of a noble lady of far higher rank than you with a taste for... dangerous men (Unlocked by Lustful; Silver Tongued; Gain 1d6 Diplomacy 1d3 intrigue)
We need to increase these stats and I'd love to see the elves reactions to us.
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- Location
- Germany
[X] Go into the lands of Middle Earth with only a few companions and seek the elves for their wisdom, most of them may be cowed lackeys of the of the Valar, but you refuse to believe that in any land there are no people of ambition who by the trading of one power might elevate themselves in another (Unlocked by Friendship of Ular; Novice Guldur; Gain 1d6 Learning; 1d3 diplomacy)
"And that's where I got these arrow-scars. My knee ain't been right since then"
[X] Go into the lands of Middle Earth with only a few companions and seek the elves for their wisdom, most of them may be cowed lackeys of the of the Valar, but you refuse to believe that in any land there are no people of ambition who by the trading of one power might elevate themselves in another (Unlocked by Friendship of Ular; Novice Guldur; Gain 1d6 Learning; 1d3 diplomacy)
I would recommend you give god of war rangnarok a look, it has some really neat magics that should fit well with the lotr thing.
I would recommend you give god of war rangnarok a look, it has some really neat magics that should fit well with the lotr thing.
- Location
- Norway
[X] Go into the lands of Middle Earth with only a few companions and seek the elves for their wisdom, most of them may be cowed lackeys of the of the Valar, but you refuse to believe that in any land there are no people of ambition who by the trading of one power might elevate themselves in another (Unlocked by Friendship of Ular; Novice Guldur; Gain 1d6 Learning; 1d3 diplomacy)
Knowledge is good I find and it helps to keep an open mind. Eriol will be illuminated that way above others interested in more earthly pursuits.
Elf nakama when?
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- Location
- Over the next hill.
[X] Go into the lands of Middle Earth with only a few companions and seek the elves for their wisdom, most of them may be cowed lackeys of the of the Valar, but you refuse to believe that in any land there are no people of ambition who by the trading of one power might elevate themselves in another (Unlocked by Friendship of Ular; Novice Guldur; Gain 1d6 Learning; 1d3 diplomacy)
I really like this option. We're a Black Numenorean but we manage to keep an open mind. This also increases the two secondary stats I want to. Having better diplomacy is just always useful and higher learning means it becomes easier for us to learn and cast feats of magic.
I really like this option. We're a Black Numenorean but we manage to keep an open mind. This also increases the two secondary stats I want to. Having better diplomacy is just always useful and higher learning means it becomes easier for us to learn and cast feats of magic.
- Location
- AxeLand
[X] Go into the lands of Middle Earth with only a few companions and seek the elves for their wisdom, most of them may be cowed lackeys of the of the Valar, but you refuse to believe that in any land there are no people of ambition who by the trading of one power might elevate themselves in another (Unlocked by Friendship of Ular; Novice Guldur; Gain 1d6 Learning; 1d3 diplomacy)