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Jon Miller
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quote:
Originally posted by MattH
NWN is too much of a hack-n-slash diablo type (granted, with the complexities of D&D). I feel morrowind has a real story, which is a lot more important than anything else. |
NWN is great with freinds
I don't play it alone
Jon Miller
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Makeo
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Reading, UK
Jan 1970
time: 22:29
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A bead of sweat trickles slowly down Makeo’s spine. The day is oppressively hot and the young men of the Arun stand tall and unmoving in the heat of the midday sun. In front of them the day’s entertainment continues for the amusement of the attended lords and ladies of the Scorpion and Arun Clans. The ratification of the extended alliance between the clans is attended by the Lord and Master of both Clans as well as most of the noble families. As host the Scorpion Lord has chosen the entertainment. So far this has consisted of a variety of mock battle, displays of horsemanship and tactical re-enactments of ancient battles demonstrating the superiority of the Scorpion over seemingly every other Clan in the empire.
As the contest between two warriors concludes the Scorpion Lord rises to speak.
‘I bid you all welcome on this great day. Today we see two Clans together as one. You could say two clans becoming one, although that would be slightly incorrect.’ He grins.
‘For what we will see today is the extinction of one clan and the rise to greatness of another. Long have the Scorpion been denied the power and privilege they deserve, over the past ten years we have benefited from the cooperation of our friends and neighbours the Arun, however the benefits for us have began to lessen. It was for this reason I have decided to ally with the Unicorn. It pleases me to have you here Lords and Ladies of the Arun when I announce the total subjugation and destruction of the Arun lands. In fact you here today are the only remaining members of the Arun left alive. Although that will soon be rectified’ he adds quietly.
‘and so’ he continues in a louder voice, ‘it is with very little regret that I now give the returning members of the Scorpion Clan who have been staying with our former friends the Arun their first order.’
‘ATTACK’
With that yell the courtyard is suddenly swarming with scorpion warriors, charging at the assembled nobles of the Arun. The Arun are stunned, motionless by this sudden treachery. It is not until a scorpion warrior cuts down a young Arun noblewoman that the assembled Arun noblemen begin to move. Pushing the women to the back the ten nobles of the Arun form a defensive line blocking the path of the attackers. However outnumbered ten to one already with more and more scorpions arriving the end of their resistance is close.
Makeo sees his father Takahashi parry a blow and respond by disembowelling his attacker. Up until this moment the stunned, former hostages of Clan Arun surrounding Makeo have not moved, but now as one, they run to help their family.
Drawing his sword as he runs Makeo crashes into the backs of the scorpion warriors, who off balance fall onto the waiting swords of the Arun. Makeo, falls, his momentum forcing him to trip over a body lying in front of him. A blow aimed for his head is blocked by his father. Makeo jumps to his feat and turns to see that the group of Arun warriors has been separated from the noblewomen who are being dragged into the keep. He barely fends off an attack and counter attacks aiming his blow low and to the groin. His opponent parries and with his free hand punches Makeo in the face. Stunning him and knocking him back against the wall behind him. The Arun are surrounded and rapidly dwindling in number as the Scorpion press the attack. One by one they fall until only Makeo and his father, a whirling circle of death and destruction remain. They scorpion pause in their attack, afraid to commit for even the samurai can see and fear death.
Panting Takahashi gasps to Makeo ‘We are dead, the Clan Arun and the House of Snow must survive to avenge this betrayal. You must go. Climb the wall behind us while I hold them.’
‘No, I will not leave you’ replies Makeo.
‘GO’
Without warning, Takahashi grabs Makeo in a two handed grip and with an enormous feat of strength picks him up and hurls him towards the top of the wall. Makeo lands on the wall and turns to see his father launch himself at the scorpion warriors. He disappears beneath a horde of scorpion.
Makeo’s arm is punched backwards and he spins, falling off the wall. Imbedded in his arm is a three sided shuriken. He feels no pain but the wound is bleeding profusely. His grief, confusion, and battle state threaten to overwhelm him but he lurches to his feet. A mounted warrior gallops towards him. Makeo removes his short bow from his back, and in one swift movement knocks the arrow, draws and fires. The injury to his arm however causes his aim to be off. The arrow glances the horseman’s helmet unbalancing him. Rather than falling, he holds the reins trying to regain his balance, the horse cannot fight against the force pulling it to its side and it falls, rolling and crushing its rider. Makeo grabs the reigns and mounts.
Without a backward glance he gallops away from the House of the Scorpion, as far as he knows, the only surviving member of the Clan Arun.
He has become ronin, with no master, no clan and no honour. The Clan Arun is destroyed and the Clan of the Scorpion while losing face with many of the more traditional Clans because of its underhanded methods, has staged a stunning rise in power and influence that has impressed the more impressionable Clans of the Empire.
Last edited by Makeo on 15-07-2003 at 00:26
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dejon
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Rags
Rags is nimble and sturdy like most halflings. He is also fairly smart - both in the noodle, and off the tongue. His appearance would cause most people to think they knew where he got his name. His clothes appear almost tattered - but not quite. Definitely well worn, at least. What these people don't know is that Rags earned his name from his halfling friends, who were always on the losing end of battles of wit. Somewhere along the line his friends had had enough of his bragging that they decided to call him "Brags". With word-of-mouth and his customary appearance, it changed to "Rags" within weeks. 
Rags hails from Silverymoon, jewel of the Silver Marches. His mother is a librarian at the College*, and his father works in the kitchen at Helmer's Wall* (a tavern). Hanging out at his father's workplace was a regular pasttime for Rags. Drinking with and listening to the students from the wizard college boast and tell tales delighted him. It was during one such evening...
[at Helmer's Wall]
Student1: "I'm tapped out guys, I gotta go."
Student2: "What! Its so early!"
Student3: "I should go too - I'm saving up for a wand."
Student2: "C'mon guys - 1 more round! Say, Rags, do you think your father could get us a free round?"
Rags: "How many times do I have to tell you? The kitchen, not the bar. And before you ask - he gave us some stuff to eat last week."
Student2: "Okay, okay. Oh - I know! Why don't we go over to The Bright Blade*? We can earn a few drinks!"
Student1 & Student3: "Good idea - let's go!"
Student1: "Are you coming, Rags?"
Rags: "Sure, why not?"
{The Bright Blade Brandished lets down-on-their-luck wizards earn 1 silver piece per Mage Hands spell cast to whisk tankards overhead to waiting hands.}
[at The Bright Blade Brandished]
Each student in turn earns enough for a round for the four friends as they continue their drinking and tale-swapping.
After the third round is finished, the first student makes to get up again...
Rags: "Hey, its my turn!"
Student1: "No worries, Rags - your father's done us a few good turns."
Rags: "What makes you think I can't pull my own weight?"
Rags walks over the bar and talks to the bartender, who places a tankard down in front of (above) Rags. With a wink at his friends, Rags utters a word, waggles his fingers,and swish...the tankard whisks clear to the other side of the bar, where a half-elf catches it and gives Rags a nod. Rags saunters back to his table.
Student3: "Geez, Rags, you never told us you were studying too! Did your mother get you a special arrangement?"
Rags: "Um, no. I never studied anything. But I have a bit of a knack, and after watching you three do it, it was pretty easy."
Student2: "Wow - you're a natural mage?! A sorcerer?"
Rags: "Maybe... I suppose. It only started a few years ago."
{Some weeks afterwards...}
Rags' mother: "So I hear you're bound to be the next High Mage, Rags."
Rags: "Oh? Who said that?"
Mother: "Some students were talking in the hall about an all-powerful Halfling sorcerer. I lingered to hear a little more, and your name came up. Care to tell me what they're talking about?"
Rags: "Well, strange things starting happening the last couple of years, and then couple of weeks ago..."
Mother: "Yes?"
Rags: "I actually cast a spell - when I was trying to. In the Bright Blade ."
Mother: "Ah, I see. I suppose it's not all that surprising. Your great-grandfather was a fair wizard. He brought the family to Silverymoon, so that he could study, and teach. Magic gets into the blood, sometimes."
{After consulting with her friends at the College, Rags' mother advises him to leave Silverymoon.}
Mother: "You're halfway through your tweens, and almost an adult. You can go where you please. I think you should see where you talent takes you, and see what you're capable of. If you stay here you may never find out - you'll become a book-learning wizard, when you may be capable of something else. What do you want?"
Rags: "I suppose I am getting a little tired of helping dad. And the students are always the same, year after year. Maybe it is time for a change."
Rag's father talks to his boss, who talks to his supplier, who talks to a trader, who arranges transport for Rags with a timber and ore caravan* headed to Waterdeep.
Along the voyage, Rags spent his time practicing the tricks he could do - the ones he never told his parents about, or showed his friends. As usual, he had a great deal of difficulty in getting them to work as desired, which is why he had never told anyone about them. One night, about mid-trip, he had a little too much wine to drink, bemoaning his lack of ability. As he took the flask from his mouth and muttered the command for his dagger lights spell (magic missle), he gasped in amazement as it actually worked - striking the tree his finger had aimlessly pointed at! Stupified, and disbelieving, he tried it again - zap! - it worked! Why was it working? Rags glanced back forth between the tree and his flask...and downed the whole thing. He started to mutter the command a third time, but the tree was multiplying...huh?... (Rags passes out).
Experimenting over the next few days, Rags discovered that some alcohol dramatically improved his tricks, er, spells. The problem was that too much drink ruined them, and him. 
One of the traders noticed him gulping from his flask and remarked that it would last longer if he diluted it. Aha! The first thing at hand was remarkably not water, but tea. Rags grabbed the tea and marched off to experiment. He found that a 50/50 split of his wine and the tea worked well, making his spells work, and kept him from getting drunk. He also found that a 75/25 wine/tea mixture sometimes made his spells work great, but not always, and it made him a little tipsy. 
Thus came Rags in Waterdeep armed with his flasks (some newly acquired from a trader): 1 for wine; 1 for tea; 1 for his "half-and-half" mix; and one for his "three-and-one" mix. 
Inside, he knew his mother would disapprove, but his student friends would heartily approve.
*City information (College, taverns, trade information) gleaned from "The Silver Marches" (WOTC88567) & "Forgotten Realms Campaign Setting" (WOTC11836).
I'm not writer, I know.
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dejon
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bump
We have a few characters finished now. Perhaps we could get started with those, and introduce other characters as they get completed? That would give the game some needed momentum.
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dejon
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quote:
Originally posted by The Mad Monk
Okay, after much consideration and other forms of procrastination, I've decided I'm in -- if it's not too late.
I'll have a character up shortly.
"Shortly" being a relative term, of course. |
No, not too late, and the more the merrier. Post character in the character thread.
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Cruddy
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WHAT, no jesters?
It doesn't matter, I'm under a vow not to return to D&D. Happy roleplaying folks!
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Jon Miller
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in FR there is always rules for after level 20
however, as far as I know, there are two sets of rules
there are the ones that come with the FR campaign setting
and there are the oens that gotpublished afterwards in a book (Epic Levels or something like that)
Jon Miller
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Apolyton Time is 00:29. |
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15-07-2003 00:06
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