Hello everyone, and welcome to the desert covered plane of Amonkhet! The locals are not so friendly though, and the weather is pretty bad most of the year, but at least there's the Luxa! Mind not the wandering curse or the zombies and other horrors banging on your dolrstep, it's a great vacation spot!
Jokes aside, I figured it would be best to start discussing which members of the party knew each other before starting the process, if any, and how you feel about each other at this moment. For the Trial of Solidarity is about to begin!
Of course! There's that whole thing where we need to decide whether or not you all want to ignite your sparks and become Planeswalkers, and what this entails.
Just some things to think about!
Amenset reporting in! Amenset was raised in a minotaur community, though she's been travelling in preparation for the trials for her last pair of years. That means she could know anyone.
Wait a second, traveling? Did you miss the part where you're not allowed outside the Hekma without a god accompanying you?
Or did you just mean that she spent much of her training time on hunting patrols with Hazoret?
Reporting in. Looking forward to the game. :)
(also ninja posted (post-and-delete) in gameplay to get the game on my campaign list)
Ankhet reporting in for duty. As a child of pious Hazoret worshippers I was born and raised for the trials, so I've been training for it my whole life. Anyone else who has been doing so I would know. Anyone who knows me also knows that I was part of an inseparable duo, me and my twin brother Orkhet. Orkhet died a week or two ago, which devastated Ankhet, but she has since taken up his blade and still fights for the trials in his name.
Wait a second, traveling? Did you miss the part where you're not allowed outside the Hekma without a god accompanying you?
Or did you just mean that she spent much of her training time on hunting patrols with Hazoret?
Oh, yes, I got that part. I'm just not sure how big that Hekma is. I mean, there are like for or five different races, I guess they must live in different settlements, right? Or do they live all mixed together?
They all live together in one city, intermixed. The hekma surrounds the entire city.
Ah, alright. Then I'll change it to "lived in many different parts of the city". Is it cool?
Sounds good to me!
As to starting, I believe we're still waiting on two more members right?
And I have a Green Mana character ready from the earlier recruitment phase, but he wasn't finished until after the deadline was supposedly past.
I'll leave it up to you to decide if you want him to join.
Personally, I'm happy to have another character.
Sure, why not. It'll be nice to have all five colours and gods represented.
Arona has been training intensely ever since she was able to first stand. She could know any of you simply by training with you, Although there is a good chance she doesn't care even the smallest amount about you, Although to be honest that might make the trial of Solarity a bit difficult for her.
she sees you all as mearly steps to achieving her goal, up until the final trial ends in a fight to the death (or hopefully the hour of Revelation, for I would not want to face you all in fear I would be targeted as the biggest threat :P)
She is after all a champion of ambition, and would do anything to achieve Power.
Ankhet is one of those people who tries to encourage everyone to work together, and get excited for the trials and training together. I'm sure Arona secretly (or not so secretly) thinks Ankhet is irritating as heck. Haha.
Ankhet definitely would know you and has likely trained with Arona (alongside or against) repeatedly over many years.
Hey there pals! Your Blue mage here. I, um, kinda forgot about this for a little while (two other active games plus I've had to do A LOT of writing recently, and a ten-day hospital stay), but I'm glad I got chosen anyways.
EDIT: I will hopefully get my stat line up tomorrow, and an expanded background after that... and get my words for NaNo done... and finish a chapter for a separate project... Yeah, I have a lot of writing to do.
Oh! Plan for the future: I'm planning on using my Psychic sensitivity to access chakra, and gain those bonuses, Although I do expect. It to be able to use chakra for long(at least for now). My plan overall is to be a sort of Black/Blue character :}
Good to see all five of you here!
I'll wait for resident Green character to step in and introduce himself, and then we'll get started!
Hello everyone. I am pinvendor and this is my Green mage who is a Master Summoner to hopefully help simulate the creature beat down Green typically represents.
The site issues have kept me from getting my background written up, so I hope to have that done soon, but may be a day or two. Also, I am always super terrible about choosing gear when the armory gates are literally wide open (higher level character creation), so I appreciate suggestions on magic items which will complement my character and class.
@GM Bolas: Incidentally, I'm assuming that survival gear isn't really needed as well as tracking rations and other consumables, correct? I am figuring most of that is going to be handwaved as we're living in a contained and sustained civilization..?
Also, it's certainly ironic that our fate is being controlled and manipulated by a dragon avatar named Bolas...hmmm...
Welcome Thabit.
...
The site issues have kept me from getting my background written up, so I hope to have that done soon, but may be a day or two. Also, I am always super terrible about choosing gear when the armory gates are literally wide open (higher level character creation), so I appreciate suggestions on magic items which will complement my character and class....
Well i dont typically play a summoner, but my suggestion would be the stat boost items, Evolving armor, or perhaps a ring/rod. if you really wanted to, a staff would also help you out
Also, a tip about how I'm gonna play Arona: she is a strike fast and quick character. if an enemy is too far from her, she'll leap at them and pin them in place, making it hard for them to get away. also, she fully intends to use combat reflexes, and any opponent trying to get away from her will get swiftly stopped.
im just adjusting my Ki powers/ style strikes to better round her out.
Yep! Survival gear and rations will only be tracked in the Trials themselves, should we even need that long.
And it wasn't ironic, I chose the name Bolas for a very specific reason, of course!
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Also! I'll be getting the first gameplay post up later tonight, be sure to look out for it!
also, im actually trading away my psychic sensitivity for Extra Ki, now that i look at the Chakra section i feel like it wouldn't really fit the black mana color to be glowing like your a torch from every part of your body :P
Okay, so since I've concluded that it's extremely unlikely for me to have any time this month to type up a detailed backstory, here's the quick and dirty on Kierna:
Kierna was born a weak and sickly baby, barely surviving the first few years of her life and being constantly bullied by other children for her physical frailty. She was pushed to the brink by even the gentlest of training, and she considered becoming a vizier before she was given an extraordinarily influential lecture on the nature of self-improvement by a vizier of Kefnet. Positing that even the weakest of trainees could become strong with applied knowledge, the vizier implanted a lifelong doctrine in Kierna. Through self improvement in every aspect - mind and body - and applying intelligence to her training, Kierna slowly improved herself, going through rigorous drills in an attempt to compete on a level with the other trainees. Although she never became as strong or hearty as a minotaur, Kierna did learn to leverage her other strengths - namely her incredible agility and intellect - and even went so far as to explore outside the city in search of components to magical items that could improve her further. In the dunes of Shefet, she found a mysterious black blade that bound to her spirit, keeping tight-lipped as to its secrets but constantly hinting at heretical truths. Kierna has tried her best to ignore them and keep her faith in the God-Pharaoh, but her inquisitive instincts have led her to question the logic of the very institution she has based her entire life off of.
Also she has a different secret that I'm not going to share with y'all ;P
To be honest with you, Arona would actually consider you the biggest threat to her standing in the trials, Kierna. Mostly because with the others in the groups she simply has to disarm them or get close enough to make Spellcasting a problem. For you, a Magus, it's much more difficult. First- you can cast spells. This means that my biggest focus would be to make Spellcasting a hassle or punish you for trying it. Unfortunately getting withing range for AOO comes with the risk you'll also attack me with your black blade.
Not to mention that you can still cast spells Through your weapon. Meaning I'd have to disarm you as well, unfortunately I can't do both together(disarming and threatening Spellcasting) meaning that I'd have to either be quick or lucky.
Also, please note, I'm not planning on killing any of you :P
The reason I'm telling you this is that because of this Arona will most likely try to appear as a close ally(and eventually will be) on order to gain an advantage if ever things where to turn to conflict.
The trial of ambition does after all involve someone dieing in order to for you to pass it. Whether that be an ally or simply someone you use as a tool.
"Good, good, the bickering begins already...."
I mean, what?
First gameplay post is up, guys! Let's get this rolling, shall we?
With the site's outages, I haven't gotten my final form updated here. I will definitely try and get that accomplished once I'm at home again.
Uh, one question: the Trials are supposed to happen on different days, right? I mean, I know we're still in the Trial of Solidarity but, once finished, we'll get to rest, I guess?
Okay, based on some research, it is clear we are not doing the Cannon trials :P
Solarity was supposed to be a game of team game where two teams compeated to destroy the other's base(like a MOBA IRL), so the fact that we aren't doing that is clear we are up for some suprises (Although I think the cannon trials sound super fun!)
I don't mind the drift, infact I'm excited to see where your taking this ;P
Now, wait a second.
On second glance, my handy dandy Amonkhet Players' guide says that the crop just ventures into Oketra's Monument (which I did sort of misunderstand at first, but is easily fixable), then must "work together to defend their obelisk and retrieve Okaetra's arrow. They succeed or fail together."
I want to have y'all do the Trials as close to the actual in-story Trials, so I'll probably have the maze just magically turn into Oketra's Momument with no change to the scenario at all, only changing the name in my description.
Also! Yes, you will get time to rest between each Trial, whether to quickly mourne the loss of a friend or too merely prepare yourselves for the next Trial. And don't forget the Cartouches, which will certainly not be useless!
And may I just say that I actually love the roleplay y'all already have going on?
The Trial of Solidarity has just begun, and you're already fighting amongst yourselves while trying to work on your teamwork.
Love it!
Honestly I only know what three of the trials are off the top of my head, Solarity, Knowledge, and Strength I believe... Although I might be wrong with strength...
Solarity is a defend the obolisk, Knowledge is a Maze, And Strength is a fight with a beast (typically a large one if I remember...) The others I haven't looked up very often.
Hey guys, I think I should probably bow out. I haven't had time to even get started and it looks like you've already moved a fair clip. I don't want to be the one to hold you back, so probably best to step aside since I am not sure my schedule is going to let me really keep up here. Sorry about that.
There's other not-yet-named crop-mates with us. You're welcome to distinguish yourself from them any time.
If you do decide to drop out, then best of luck in your other games.
I admit I hadn't even had time to read through to see that. If my absence hasn't yet been an issue for the gameplay, I think I should be able to catch up here shortly.
Yeah, Bolas didn't specifically tell us how many other crop-mates were with us, but on the first page he mentioned another initiate along with us called out an answer to a comment from Zharifa, so I assumed there were a few others and you were just among them hanging back until you were personally ready to jump in. It hasn't been an issue.
Otherwise we didn't get far. Stepped into the maze, bickered, blew up some zombies, and chose a direction to go.
Yeah, I have the little Amonkhet Player's Guide that came with the fat pack for Amonkhet, and it has a small description of each trial. I did mess up on making this one a 'maze' at first, though, having mixed the Trials of Knowledge and Solidarity together.
My apologies!
Asto Thabit, feel free to pop back in whenever, I can just make one of the initiates of their crop also be you.
There's also the whole "'my entire crop was killed besides me, and I joined your crop" scenario that even happened during a Magic story, if need be. There's plenty of ways to get yo UI to the crop!
As always, remember that I am conpeltely open to suggestions/complaints/improvements to literally anything I'm doing/I've done.
I want this to be fun for everyone involved (including myself), so if you ever have any complaints or anything, just let me know!
Just realized I spelt "completely" so wrong in that post facepalm
In other news, Thanksgiving stuff has kept me busy the past few days, unfortunately, but I'll get us back on track tonight! Fear not.
No worries. You should be able to enjoy vacation too. :)
Hey guys, just letting you know I've had a family emergency come up, and unexpected house guests. I will be unable to post Saturday. Hopefully, I should be able to post late Sunday night and again late Monday night. I will be able to post regularly by Tuesday. Sorry for holding up the game, and feel free to bot me as needed.
Thank you for your patience.
We don't *all* have to even climb the obelisk, do we?
Good question.
And is Zharifa allowed to fly during combat? Or is it still considered bad form? I feel like it would suck to have wings and not get to use them. Like having them clipped or something. lol
Hey everyone!
I apologize for my longer than necessary absence, but I've been having computer issues recently, and then my wifi was down for a few days. Technology shall end this world!
Anyway, I'm working on getting things together for this, and shall have a post up later tonight's.
As for questions:
1. No you don't all have to climb the obelisk, but you must protect those who do.
2. Feel free to use flight during combat, but only if you're not using it to avoid an obstacle you should instead be fighting together. Remember, not everyone can fly, and this IS a team exercise. (Worry not, there will be plenty of time later to break encounters with your wings, I promise!)
So, I don't think it's going to be a problem, since nothing seems to be happening here right now, but just in case:
Due to an incredibly busy weekend filled with a Christmas celebration, two birthday parties, and many hospital visits, I will be unable to post from December the 16th through till December the 18th. My posting should resume as normal on Tuesday the 19th. Feel free to bot me as needed.
Thanks for understanding, and have a great weekend, guys.
Hey everyone!
I realize I haven't been here for a while because of various reasons, and I also know that I'm excited to get this show going again.
Is everyone here and ready to start again?
I'm here now, but I won't be available to post from the 22nd through the to 27th due to the holidays. Thanks.
Here also, but on vacation, so checking in less often till January.
Okay then, in that case, let's just take a break until the new year, shall we? Say, January 2nd?