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Well...it looks like Alaeron got wiser and deadlier with age. Catapults? Really? Too bad, I would've liked to see one or two of those would-be assassins try to get past them.
Seems like Skiver made some life improvements as well. I'm curious if he did actually poison Ralen Vadim, or just let him handle one of the leukodaemon's relics from Kho and let its desired effect take its course. Either way, I was glad to seem him back in the sequel. On that note, for a brief moment I also thought Kormak was back too, but fortunately for Alaeron it wasn't his ghost, just another Kellid from the Technic League. Char is interesting. Incorporeal, but vulnerable to skymetal? That's a nice touch. I wonder what else we're going to find out about his "condition" and also whether or not he was the one who sold out Alaeron and Skiver to Shadowstalker.
Lastly, I appreciated how Redfang was incorporated into the story. For those of you who don't know, he's an NPC from the third module of Iron Gods who deals the PCs when they arrive in Iadenveigh. I also found it interesting that Khonnir Baine, an NPC from the first module, has a similar backstory to Alaeron, who also escaped the Technic League by hiding out in Iadenveigh. Anyway, now that we're finally in Numeria, I hope there will continue be more ties to Iron Gods...
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I found it interesting how much clearer it is in the sequel that Alaeron has real social and emotional problems, in addition to being pretty solidly Neutral in alignment. As we go on and see just how terrible daily life is in Numeria it becomes clearer why that might be the case, but Alaeron has to be somewhere on the autism scale. Functional, but with real problems with empathy and forming emotional connections with others.
Skiver remains a lovable scoundrel.
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I found it interesting how much clearer it is in the sequel that Alaeron has real social and emotional problems, in addition to being pretty solidly Neutral in alignment. As we go on and see just how terrible daily life is in Numeria it becomes clearer why that might be the case, but Alaeron has to be somewhere on the autism scale. Functional, but with real problems with empathy and forming emotional connections with others.
There are quite a few books, television shows, and movies that feature people with high intelligence that are similarly socially and/or emotionally impaired. I know some people in real that are that way too - perhaps they've allocated so much of themselves [ability scores] to what they deem to be most important to the point where almost everything else about them suffers. it makes perfect sense for Alaeron to be this way, and why he is simultaneously likable and pitiful.
Skiver remains a lovable scoundrel.
Agreed! Skiver has his own dichotomy - I found him despicable at first, but grew to like him more each chapter. It seems like he'll be a bit out of his element in Numeria - daggers don't do so well against robots - so I wonder what tricks he'll have up his sleeve to even the playing field.
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Ah, Zernebeth...still not sure exactly what she is, or what her true motives are. Clearly she needs his particular skill set for something. If it's actually for him to redeem himself for leaving her for dead is unclear, and may even be irrelevant. She has him wire-tapped with the earring, which she is also probably using to scry on him visually, and I don't believe Alaeron can switch it on and off for privacy so she likely has full disclosure of everything so far. I have a few guesses as to what her endgame really is, but none of them include his survival, especially now that they're in Starfall where the politics alone are potentially be deadly. Then throw in the gearsmen, an annihilator, and all of the other technology at the disposal of the Technic League - if Alaeron makes even the smallest mistake it could be his last.
P.S. My favorite part in this week's readings:
Skiver having a bug in his butt...hilarious...
I have a lot to get in a discussion about this book but I'll wait till people are finished with it as I do not want to spoil anything, but...
I don't think Alaeron is neutral...or evil. I think he is good. He just has a very low cha and wis. He is written very well as a genius who has no clue about people.
Also Zernebeth was stated up in Iron Gods AP.
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Before we wrap up Reign of Stars, let's talk about what we'd like to read next:
My vote is to start the works of Howard Andrew Jones, who I had the pleasure to talk to at GenCon. I promised him it was going to be his turn soon, although it doesn't necessarily have to be right now, but we could start with The Walkers from the Crypt ePub after this weekend, which would give everyone time to get a copy of Plague of Shadows and Stalking the Beast.
On the other hand, I'd also be happy to go with one of the debut Pathfinder Tales novels from Josh Vogt (Forge of Ashes) or Gary Kloster (Firesoul) if there is mutual interest in either.
So let's start the voting...now!
I will vote for Howard Andrew Jones' novels.
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Murderballs! Good stuff. The wreck was something out of a sci-fi horror movie, I loved it, and it was totally in line with the rules in the Technology Guide that require the Technologist feat to use Disable Device and other skills on technological items. It makes perfect sense why highly experienced rogues would be completely out of their element in a place like that, and it’s exactly as deadly as it should be.
I do wish there was more crossover to the Technology Guide. All the skymetal references are spot on, but as for most of the items - I’ve been trying to compare everything in the books and either I’m just not making the connections or the items in the novels are unique, which is totally fine, it would just be cool to see things like the Earth-Mover used in Iron Gods. On second thought, maybe it wouldn’t be such a good idea to let the PCs get their hands on one of the time slowing items used in either book…
Speaking of time, the blast from the past in Chapter Twenty-Three was fun too, the first one about Rodrick and the second about Jaya. I was hoping to see them both in action again, especially against Technic League to see how they’d fare, but apparently Rodrick was busy getting into trouble in another novel and Jaya, well…was just being Jaya in that regalement by Genthia.
Zernebeth surprised me in the end. Pulling out the Murderballs at the table wasn’t much of a shocker, then when Alaeron and Skiver were locked up that was about right too, but having Char release them? I did NOT expect that. I thought she might make a play to eliminate Alaeron, or just play him outright, perhaps by framing him for killing the captains. But setting them free with no strings attached? Interesting. It was great to get to know her a lot better in this novel,
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Oh Char, the future does not look bright for you my ethereal friend.
I really enjoyed Reign of Stars. Numeria is all the best stuff I remember about Thundarr the Barbarian and He-Man, wrapped up in a super deadly fantasy coating. Great stuff.
Now, the question is, what do you do with a murderous flying robot trapped in an extra dimensional space?
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Oh Char, the future does not look bright for you my ethereal friend.
I really enjoyed Reign of Stars. Numeria is all the best stuff I remember about Thundarr the Barbarian and He-Man, wrapped up in a super deadly fantasy coating. Great stuff.
Now, the question is, what do you do with a murderous flying robot trapped in an extra dimensional space?
Find a way to reset the identification button, then send it to Starfall with a note that says "Property of the Black Sovereign" accompanied by instructions how to open it.
All right I liked the book but a character kinda of jumped the shark for me in two ways...
Skiver.
First he suddenly plans a nation wide coup...yeah I know he is smart but I felt that was beyond his abilities a bit.
Second when Alaeron was comparing Skiver's motives to Zernebeth's motives and said he is better because he does what he does for fun...I kinda was put off. See while I don't agree with murder and stuff for power I can understand it....Skiver who apparently kills and steal from people because it is fun...to me that make Skiver the worst kind of person.
So he went from a above average intelligent lovable thug to a master planner and a despicable human being.
Anyway just my two cents.
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All right I liked the book but a character kinda of jumped the shark for me in two ways...
Skiver.
First he suddenly plans a nation wide coup...yeah I know he is smart but I felt that was beyond his abilities a bit.
Second when Alaeron was comparing Skiver's motives to Zernebeth's motives and said he is better because he does what he does for fun...I kinda was put off. See while I don't agree with murder and stuff for power I can understand it....Skiver who apparently kills and steal from people because it is fun...to me that make Skiver the worst kind of person.
Going back through it, I see what you're saying. He does, indeed, appear to be the worse kind of person in that light. The first time through I guess I suspended my disbelief regarding those two points. For example, although the nation wide coup may have been a bit of a stretch, between his old connections and new ones gained after taking over Ralen Vadim's operations, it's believable that Skiver could've gained a lot of influence, especially since it's unclear exactly how much time had passed between books that could have been spent doing so, but there should have been some exposition about that before taking it to such an extreme level. As for the comparison of his motives to Zernebeth, I thought Alaeron was being sarcastic at first, but I'm not so sure about that now. However, maybe because of how awkward Alaeron is, he blurted out exactly how he sees Skiver, which should have been an appalling acknowledgement - to both of them - but there was no such reaction. Either way, it looks bad for Skiver.
Well...hopefully, if we see these two again, those points will be addressed, and perhaps even redeemed.