Our Story So Far...
1000.01; Endgame 4/6, 3 Months To Go
Last Population Increase in 1000.02
Link to the stat sheet for the Katha is in
http://goblinsforum.com/viewtopic.php?f ... 50#p155100 (it's better than spamming it every month.)
.[tabs:This Month's Rolls]
Refining Chuwu's Portalology: 30 + 308 (last month's result) = 338/600
Mardoa's Wrath vs the Telsen'ari: 97 (Critical!)
Smashing the Dwarven Gates: 93
Attacking the Telsen'ari reinforcements: 19
Smashing the Crystal Prison: 17
Eelem's Researching of the Gates: 33 +30 (Research bonuses) = 63
Mongao Taking No Prisoners: 24
Carpacio's Researching of Mardoa: 60 +30 (Research bonuses) = 90
Xiu's Burninating: 50
Golvark's Coup-The-Stupid: 42
Zolt's Mental Advancement: 17
Chuwu's Researching the Pain Plant: 88
Telsenari Strike I: 35, 85, 94 -25 (Morale Penalty due to Blackness Deprivation) = 189
Telsenari Strike II: 58, 54, 38 -25 (Morale Penalty due to Blackness Deprivation) = 125
Katha Fight Back I: 83, 76, 12 +75 (Mardoa's Critical Wrath) = 246
Katha Fight Back II: 62, 72, 5 (...) +75 (Mardoa's Critical Wrath) = 214
Net result: Aaaaand that's all she wrote. The Telsen'ari are defeated when they are deprived of the Blackness fueling their power, and run out of bodies to throw, both living and undead. Another 5% of Pillar Mountain is damaged or destroyed, but their advance was halted and their Blackness spread no further.
[tabs:Allies and Enemies]
Great Stag Spirit (Morale Boost): Neutral Good
The Telsen'ari (Hippo-rhinotaurs): Neutral Evil, have made a return, worship the Blackness
The Blackness (Evil spirit force): Enemy of all that is in the material world
The Mist (Evil spirit force): Physical version of the Blackness, so rare as to almost be unique
"Greater" Calmer Lands spirits (Will aid you once on your behalf on an SA or FH)
Discorded Snarl: Sealed in the Pillar of the Hexen Slip (Effectively un-sapient now)
Chomvid and the Black Chalk Clan: Negative and Hostile; bunch of "crystal meth" addicts (Extinct)
Chartosh and the Pink Clan: Overly upbeat, willing to help, childlike; now one "voice" under the "rule" of Glotch
Glotch: The Entity, seemingly a being made of "knowledge"...?
Andersandria: Demon of the Scarred Scar, with her partner Gore (
Disintegrated)
Trolak: Neutral, Sentient Avians, masters of wind magic, defensive-move specialists (+7 AC while in the air), immune to Glotch (Gone)
Muial'ki: Neutral Evil Winged Bighorn Sheep, advancing on the Trolak and very much the religous zealot stereotype (Extinct)
The Withermaw: Nasty Black Dragon ancestor/offshoot/mutation, leaves behind life energy in the form of Eldritch Pearls (Eliminated)
The Kobadi: Minor kobold/fly demons with chimp intelligence mostly; leave behind Corruption and Crimson in their wake (Retreated to another plane)
Dwarves (discovered in the Rocky Badlands); at war with what appear to be Illithids, 90% Hostile to the Katha, hoard a large supply of Singing Moonstone
Mindwalkers: The Illithids attacking the Dwarves
[tabs:Characters]
Zolorm (Synch) {Constructionist} (6 Standard Actions, 2 Finest Hour)
Mutation: Spell Reflection (1st/2nd)
Grounk (Krulle) {Food Collector/Harvester} (4 Standard Actions, 2 Finest Hour)
Mongao (Nolandking) {Warrior} (9 Standard Actions, 1 Finest Hour)
Eelem (D34lock) {Streamliner, Diviner} (2 Standard Actions, 1 Finest Hour)
+10 on data-based rolls (archiving, drawing conclusions, research, problem solving)
Chuwu (Patdragon) {Shaman} (3 Standard Actions, 1 Finest Hour)
Golvark (Moose) {Ranger} (5 Standard Actions, 1 Finest Hour)
Rocky Badlands Clan
Zolt (Badge) {Mental Lens} (2 Standard Actions, 0 Finest Hour)
Rocky Badlands Clan
Xiu (Burns) {Sage, specialty Mutations} (1 Standard Actions, 1 Finest Hour)
Mutation Limit Reached
Mutation: Clearsteel Form (Invis, AC +7 and Damage Reduction 10/+1 while in water)
Mutation: Complete Imperviousness to Fire
Mutation: Able to Ignite Water in 5' radius
Mutation: Able to transmit heat to any object in a 5' radius, held items get no saving throw
Mutation: Damage Absorption (15/Stone); HP absorbed can be distributed through hivemind
Mutation: Touch of Fossilization (deals 30 necrotic damage per hit)
Mutation: Soul is held in a Phylactary (an Ember Emerald) and can transfer from Ember Emerald to Ember Emerald
Chirp (Gathers) {Superior Mind, Historian} (12 Standard Actions, 3 Finest Hour)
+20 on data-based rolls (archiving, drawing conclusions, research, problem solving)
Carpacio (Chuck) {Arcanist} (4 Standard Actions, 1 Finest Hour)
Cannot move 200 feet from the Pillar of the Hexen Slip or 125 from another Clan's Pillar
Prestige Class: Manipulator
Strong Telekinesis (425 pounds within 150 feet of any Pillar of the Hexen Slip)
Force Bonus to AC (11, 8 if not at home Pillar)
Can see into Other Dimensions
Can sense Deity Interference
Can physically manipulate Ley Lines
Can control Katha Growth
[tabs: Other Knowledge]
Dark Oak forest trees extrude "stone sap"
Ley Lines seem to consume iron to recharge magic/powers
Ten mile radius around the Pillar of the Hexen Slip defended by counterfetishes
Wooden/Klerite Forts/buildings have been built on Pillar Mountain for shelter
Knowledge of forging Iron Weapons unlocked
Buildings constructed by Katha can exist in more than one plane at once (Force effect)
Blackness seems to want "Only Chaos," can possess the dead, completely blocked by Happysight Plant
Discorded Snarl rearranges any solid matter it comes in contact with, can steal thoughts, might gain sentience
Pillar of the Hexen Slip can be used to grant mutations at 50/50 odds of good/bad, -10 per extra mutation if specific mutation sought
Red Minerals ("Neandersite") found in caves contain potential magic...?
Karthesis plant = fertility, bad mutation blocking
Control of Discorded Snarl is possible, but requires a lot of effort...
Ley Lines + Charged Neandersite = Boom
Use of Charged Neandersite cuts one off from spirits
Flipstone: Antigravity crystal, requires flame and an uncharged Ember Emerald to "supercharge" for boots
Kathan Armor designed and tested
Purgative for the Karthesis plant is possible to get rid of negative mutations through vast consumption
Ember Emeralds are supercharged Neandersite, can be used to contain primal elemental magic
Klerite: Appearance, shapeability of clay, strength of steel, explodes on contact with fire
Stone-Eye Plant: Can only be cultivated in the Purefire Lands, opens psychic senses
Kathirals: Batteries with Purefire Land "Liquid", functional only if flash frozen
There's chemical gas at the bottom of the Crevasse Cavern that condenses into anti gravity crystals...
Zolorm's energy web can cause Earthen Storms if projectiles are aimed right
Black Forgefire kills souls, not bodies, if bodies are "flashfried" or submerged in the fire all at once
Pain Plant: Turns target emotionless (if they make the save; failure kills, 19+)
Demonsteel: Stronger than normal steel, an "evil version" of Mithril, very difficult to work with without Black Forgefire
"Demon Dust" -- unknown potential as of yet, very finite resource
Meat Plant -- grows a soul's former body, soul can feel the reaping / harvest / being eaten.
Knowledge of "Manipulator Spears" unlocked (think finger puppets, only sharp and extendable to a great distance; unwieldy but a mean surprise to those not expecting it)
Knowledge of "Stone that Sprouts Stone" unlocked (pyrite armor coated in a "micro dust storm" that sprouts sedimentary spikes on command)
Expert knowledge of Anatomy Unlocked (Now you critically hit on 16+)
Expert tactics knowledge unlocked (better flanking, knowledge of greater ambushes, etc)
Knowledge of "Mental Regrowth" available (If between 0 and -10, recover enough for 1 HP on next turn, Superior Minds and Mother Mind only; requires Mother Mind alive)
Expert knowledge of grappling unlocked (nonmagical sources of escape, such as slimy skin, are now useless against you)
Ability to Step Sideways into the Hexen Slip itself is now available (Strong Eyes and Superior/Mother Minds only)
Fortitude saves now cut damage to 1/3 or better instead of just 1/2
Knowledge of seeing out of another's eyes unlocked (though things with more than one eye may provide a disorienting effect)
Immunity to one particular type of mental forces is available, Chuwu's choice (Charms, Illusions, Hold Monster, Compulsions, Dominations, etc, Superior Minds and Mother Mind only)
Ability to "Weave Ley Lines" into "Braids" of elemental energy unlocked, focused through an Ember Emerald (special casters required, requires anchoring the braid to the plane you're in by way of a Dimensional Anchor)
Knowledge of "Group-Soulling" unlocked (All souls clumped together like a beehive's inhabitants, but the bodies are still separate; kind of like an "in between" version of what Chartosh did)
The Hexen Slip exists, existing as a very
thin plane between the Etheral and Astral. It is finite, and is two dimensional (Paper Mario style)
The Flipstone is radioactive, but it won't have an impact until the next "generation" (next stage) -- it reinforces dimensional barriers at the cost of corrupting the etheral plane (spawning hostile ghosts-with-no-past-or-future) and tearing holes in the Astral (causing "vaccums")
If the Blackness is completely killed, the Forces of Order will ruin the world (there -must- be a balance, and -some- Blackness and Mist must exist)
The Crimson and Corruption can be "drained like water" back to its own "plane"; this requires special tools carved of "Pure Silicon" interwoven with primal life energy. Using these tools it is possible to "control" it.[/spoil]
[tabs: Other Dimensions known]
Spirit Realm (Etheral and Astral Planes),
The Calmer Lands (effectively endless plains filled with neutral natural-world animal spirits)
The Grand Abyss (a bottomless pit filled with souls that succumbed to the sin of sloth),
The Purefire Lands (Effectively a Nether x Oblivion crossbreed; no life as you know it): One pocket invaded by the Obsidian Scar
The Obsidian Scar (Traditional Hell)
The Scarred Scar ("Damaged" bit of Purefire Lands, abandoned)
Plane of Torrential Currents (Elemental Water, things constantly moving)
Plane of the Eternal Sewer (exactly what it looks like)
Plane of the Primal Waters (Concepts other than water are not understood here)
Plane of the Slithering Mud (Earth, Water)
Plane of Molten Glass (Earth, Fire)
[tabs:Clan Holdings]
Pillar Mountain Population: 389 (-16) (+25%); 7 Superior Minds, 7 "Chartosh" Superior Minds, 1 Mother Mind (Glorth), 142 Drones (+73 Chartosh Drones), 114 Strong Eyes, 42 Streamline Drones
Rocky Badlands Clan: 310 (-75) (7 Superior Minds, 1 Mother Mind, 180 Drones, 21 Streamliners, 101 Strong Eyes)
Draconic Cavern Clan: 104 (-125) (7 Superior Minds, 1 Mother Mind, 75 Drones, 21 Streamliners)[/tabs]
I'll roll the population increase next month instead, there's a lot to bring up in this month.
We start with the dwarven
Gates feeding power into the system. Multiple times your attempts to shut them down have failed, and then Eelem gets an idea... researching the magic that the dwarves use to keep the portals stable, and then turning up the knob to 11 in an overload they can't stop. As the city goes "online" for the first time, Eelem and the rest of the streamliners finish their researching and have a way to smash the dwarven
Gates for good, keeping them on the ground and perhaps setting them back both culturally and technologically for quite a few generations. You're only going to have one shot at this, but it's all but foolproof (assuming it is an option that is chosen, the only way you're failing is if I fumble the roll and if they critical on theirs and/or their save).
Carpacio researches a way to "weaponize" Mardoa's taking of shadows. All you can tell is that it simply serves to keep a physical manifestation on the mortal plane. Once she finally fades (and eventually the "shadows" in the area will be valueless, as she will have become too attuned/accustomed), she cannot return unless summoned (and that requires months and months of power buildup, which is what was happening with the Positive Blister). The best way to weaponize her power is to get armies into an army-sized circle to drain them, then use those "eaten" shadows to summon her up as the second-half of a one-two punch. There are other ways, but almost everything Carpacio can research suggests it would get the attention of other deities, and the longer the civilization thrives, the more deities of other civilizations will rise up and interfere. You don't need something mean and nasty interfering with you, and not all deities are as curious or as neutral / nice as Glotch is.
While Chuwu researches the Pain Plant to make "everyone a Superior Mind" a near certainity and releases the rest of the knowledge locked up from Glotch's little connections, Zolt focuses his powers to become the "master arcanist" of his little group. Unfortunately he runs into the problem of having too
much power available (you can blame the dwarven
Gates for that as they're leeching power from all over the Rocky Badlands) and has to bleed most of it off of the ley lines and mental connections to avoid overloading his mini-group and causing a bunch of exploded brains all over the place. The others in his group are also going "why should you have all the power, we're equal in this control group" making it seem like he is being greedy even though he has the best interests of the Clan at heart.
one would hope, anyway...
Storyline: Telsen'ari II: Electric Taur-A-Roo
Mardoa went on an absolute dead-puppies-and-kittens fueled rampage after seeing what the Blackness Mammoth was capable of, what with casually reflecting/deflecting the bolt of pure nature essence by the Great Stag and nearly hitting her with it. While she mows down row after row of Telsen'ari warriors, the Katha army and Draconic Cavern Clan reinforcements come hot on her heels; Mongao and his Strong Eyes tear the injured Telsen'ari apart (well, those who weren't killed outright by Mardoa) while Golvark and his rangers range down the luckier ones and Xiu sets the corpses on fire so that the leftover Blackness that was in the bodies cannot possess anything new. Carpacio holds up the Crystal Prison in one of the golem's mouth trunks so that the enemy forces can see it, then stomps down on the Crystal Prison to send the Blackness to the spiritual worlds all at once.
The crystal holds. Not even a scratch. The Blackness Mammoth soundlessly mocks Carpacio from inside the crystal and thrashes in its prison; it can't even change shape anymore.
Those Telsen'ari that still survive take this as a sign from their "deity" that the Blackness endures forever, so they haven't given up just yet. What's left of the Telsen'ari forces have been joined by reinforcements (that wisely stayed out of fight range for the most part), and the "tidal waves" of the joined earth elementals have drawn back, forming an earthen shell protecting them from Katha assaults. The golem could break through no problem, as could Mardoa. Some of the Telsen'ari reinforcements are calling for a cease fire and surrender, while those who are still charged with Blackness want to take down everyone they can before being put down themselves.
This storyline is complete (a month early). We're winding down in the last three months, then we'll see where things stand.
WILL YOU...
A) Focus on turning everyone into a Superior Mind with as little loss of emotion and life as possible?
B) Bring down the Dwarven Gates, destroying their underground-soon-to-fly city?
C) Focus on Chuwu's counterfetishes, to make them completely Blackness proof now with the power of Mardoa?
D) Focus on cleaning up the damage the Telsen'ari did before the seeping Blackness creeps in?
E) Try to shatter the Crystal Prison again? Although, Mardoa wants it for safekeeping...
F) Declare a Cease Fire with the Telsen'ari reinforcements, allowing them to surrender and flee back to the south?
G) Kill the Telsen'ari outright and let the Blackness sort it out?