Inactive [LP CYOA] Overlord

[Random Word]

BD

Heart of the cards!

 

[lightbane]

[...]And if Rin is good at spotting illusions, then that is just an extra challenge for us to surmount using our quick-witted skill at creating especially powerful improvised magicks under pressure to save ourselves. Erdrick has always shone in creating new magicks in situations like this.

You mean, like when he attempted to cast an "improved" Battle Premonition on Arlin only to backfire horribly? True, we got a fancy confusion spell from that mistake, but the original intent didn't work.
Then there's the translation spell, another of his original creations, which is still being perfected and improved months after its creation. It also took multiple days in order to be created too.

We'll get a better illusion spell out of this effort, win or fail... and it's not an entirely foregone conclusion that Erdrick can't somehow create an illusion spell of gigadyne-level magnitude to spare his pride here.

I don't doubt Erd could make a rank-S super illusion spell... Given time. It took years for him to develop Gygadine and perfect it. Invisibility is a rank-D spell which Rin can dispel with little trouble, while Another Face is a rank-F spell. It is unlikely he would be able to asspull something so powerful in five seconds, pride at his stake or not. At best the entire deck explodes spontaneously from the mana overcharge.

Besides, just like Nevill said, Mercant wished to play cards just to have some fun and try to embarrass Rin. Going to such extremes to achieve a victory is a bit overkill.

 

[Nevill]

You mean, like when he attempted to cast an "improved" Battle Premonition on Arlin only to backfire horribly? True, we got a fancy confusion spell from that mistake, but the original intent didn't work.

Exactly.

We have modified a spell on the fly and it failed us... which left us with a modified spell that can work on others - as opposed to the original, - and with both twins exposed to it.

We have left this line of experimentation, but I assume we will reintroduce it to our training at some point, since the kids know what to expect by now. Actually, now that I think of it... wasn't it integrated with Gigadyne Verdant? Didn't Aria pick it up automatically with her lightning form? She kind of needs that to be able to act with the speed the spell allows her to achieve:

When you had first used it, you had realized it was impossible to move at such high speeds without running yourself into a tree – even though your speed has increased tremendously, your reflexes have not caught up. In the end, you had forced yourself to study Battle Premonition and incorporate it into the spell, allowing you to use it in battle at the expense of increasing the drain further.

The kids are pretty solid fighters, and if we cast it on them - or teach them how to cast it, - they will become downright terrifying on their own.

So, a short-term failure paved the way to something greater, even if it wasn't immediate.

Besides, just like Nevill said, Mercant wished to play cards just to have some fun and try to embarrass Rin

I don't think that's what I said. I said he can't help himself when he tries to cheat fate when it comes to the smallest things.

The guy had enough bad luck in life to hopefully realize that giving events a little push in a desired direction is less work than letting them develop on their own and correct them afterwards.

 

[Esquilax]

I AM FICKLE AND EASILY MANIPULATED.

Flopping back to BD > BB

 

[Kayerts]

1B

2.:

Codex is so competitive that it has an aversion to any failure, even as insignificant as one in a card game of no consequence where nothing but our pride is on the line.

This is a good point, we should be playing the character we've committed to. Write-in vote: Gigadyne the cards.

 

[Grimgravy]

Flopping to
B
C>B>A anything but heart of the cards...

 

[lightbane]

We have left this line of experimentation, but I assume we will reintroduce it to our training at some point, since the kids know what to expect by now. Actually, now that I think of it... wasn't it integrated with Gigadyne Verdant? Didn't Aria pick it up automatically with her lightning form? She kind of needs that to be able to act with the speed the spell allows her to achieve:

I don't believe Aria got the Battle Premonition spell bundled with her Gygatransform variant. She obtained her spell thanks to her tiefling demonic bloodline/great observation skills. Unfortunately, her version is much weaker, way shorter in duration and focuses mostly on gaining a brief burst of speed, so she wouldn't need it anyway. She also can't morph into a fully lightning form due her inexperience, instead destroying her clothes in the process because of the fanservice factor barely controlled mana discharge. It is unknown how Erdrick did exactly improve her spell variant though. I assume he taught her to keep it active a few more seconds and to not blow up her attire everytime she casts Gygadine.

By the way, having demonic ancestry would also explain Aria's brash and forceful attitude.

 

[Nevill]

She obtained her spell thanks to her tiefling demonic bloodline/great observation skills. Unfortunately, her version is much weaker, way shorter in duration and focuses mostly on gaining a brief burst of speed, so she wouldn't need it anyway.

She 'understood how spell works', so presumably she got a copy of ours, with some blank spots and quirks. Though she can't maintain it for long, she acts with precision that I am not sure would be possible for her to achieve without Premonition.

It is unknown how Erdrick did exactly improve her spell variant though.

I would assume he gave her the theory behind the spell and brought it in accordance with his own version, though it's a bit weaker since Aria does not have our mana reserves.

By the way, having demonic ancestry would also explain Aria's brash and forceful attitude.

I think the kids are pure-blooded humans. We'd know for sure if we took them to the Temple. Some weirdness is not limited to monster blood.

Don't forget that Arlin has the same heritage, and he is as far from brash as it gets.

 

[Elfberserker]

BX

 

[Nevill]

treave, could magnatite work as one's own spell battery, increasing mana reserves? Something like a (+) mana amulet?

Spell arms are their own projects, storing spells cast by someone else... but can one store raw mana, or even his own mana for future use, to be invested in a spell when needed?

 

[Karwelas]

Guys, it is pretty embarrassing to admit, but I kinda... Well, I'm a bit lost in Overlord. I want to start playing with you seriously, so can some of you add a bit more to my knowledge?

I slowly read it, but it still gonna take a while. So to sum up what I know:

We are Erdrick, back in time Hero, chosen of Goddess. We and our friends fought with Demon Lord/Whatever was his name and kicked his ass. During last talk with him, we decided to turn sides, of course with profit for us, but Goddess was ready for that too, she exploded token of her gratitude in our faces, making us go into critical state and leaving us with our companions to finish us.

They left us to die and killed only person that decided to protect us. Demon King somehow send us message about his heart and we are it. It transformed us into angel. Soon after, we meet Rin, daughter of Demon King, have talk with her, make her our (back in time) our temporary ally. Soon after, we became leader of goblin village.

It become our dominion. In meantime we managed to somehow convince cow, bunch of kids and mad scientist to join us. We have few bandits (Fortunio?) that work for us as we want to make him Bandit Lord of the area, as our tool. We are quite powerful mage. That is all I know.

 

[Nevill]

We are Erdrick, back in time Hero, chosen of Goddess. We and our friends fought with Demon Lord/Whatever was his name and kicked his ass. During last talk with him, we decided to turn sides, of course with profit for us, but Goddess was ready for that too, she exploded token of her gratitude in our faces, making us go into critical state and leaving us with our companions to finish us.

They left us to die and killed only person that decided to protect us. Demon King somehow send us message about his heart and we are it. It transformed us into angel. Soon after, we meet Rin, daughter of Demon King, have talk with her, make her our (back in time) our temporary ally. Soon after, we became leader of goblin village.

Pretty much.

We arrived to the so called Forest of Ruin - located in the nation of Methuss - and the first thing we did was kill the previous inhabitant of the ancient ruins, Minotaur Firelord. With a very flashy spell. Nuked him from orbit.

That caused a nearby human nation of Barzam, who had a small force nearby on a mission to raid some of the Methussian villages, to investigate. We killed the investigators, then killed their comrades and saved a village in the process (that's how we got our wonder-crew: Aria, Arlin and Lucy), as well as a Pretty Prince (Farland) who was passing by. The prince said to drop by the capital, Yuiria, if we ever need a reward.

In a fight Rin got mind controlled by some weapon a cloaked person was wielding, but we snapped her back out of it by slapping her really hard. The name of Demon Lord Athos was mentioned. Also, among the spoils we have picked up a magical gauntlet that turned out to be a vessel for Demon Lord Barbatos, Athos' nemesis.

On the way to the capital we encountered Fortunio who tries to rob us. Several minutes and 30 corpses later, he volunteered into our service, but we haven't done anything notable with him yet.

We planned our way through a mining town of Ontoglia where they excavate a special magnatite ore that is useful for all sorts of technomagic. It was there where we found a foreign mad scientist, Zayan. The Crown Prince of Methuss (Feist) wanted her to defect from her nation. The Governor of Ontoglia intended for her to be sent back home instead. We offered the Governor a compromise - Zayan gets disappeared, and it ceases to be his problem. He agreed. When the scientist left the city, we killed all of her escorts and told Fortunio to plant evidence that other bandits were involved.

In the capital the first thing we did was to get invited to a banquet. There we learned that the Adventurer's Guild plans an expedition to our forest, probably attracted by the Fantasy Nuke we used upon arrival. We also found Athos' owner (master? slave? whatever!), an archmage from the Byarlant Empire. We didn't like each other at first glance, even though we haven't exchanged a word.

We made a show of ourselves and pissed off everyone, but got a date with Knight-Captain Wisteria Brescia out of it. The next day, Wist gets accidentally killed by Rin in an attempt to kidnap her. We quietly shove her body under the temple doors hoping that somebody can resurrect her, and get the fuck out on the double. Her uncle, the most influental noble in the city, claims that we are responsible for her murder. The whole country gets upset with us.

Back at our village we discover that angel transformation has left us an impotent. We decide to fix this little problem, though we don't know how. Zayan suggests catching some slimes for potion components.

We go to yet another forest where slimes live and encounter a patrol of trainee squires under command of their 15 years old captain, Eileen Mesthall. Aria deals with them in style, making some, uh, connections with the kids. They get interrupted by a lot of black slimes that no one recognizes. The native slimes appear to be under attack by these dindu invaders. We help them repel the invasion that was led by a right-hand minion of someone who calls himself Dark Lord. We get a few slimes to join us, but unfortunately, they don't work as a cure for our condition.

Zayan complains she doesn't get enough magnatite. We teleport to Ontoglia and meet with the Governor. He does not want to share. We kidnap his blind daughter, but instead of ransoming him like a B-movie villain, we cure her blindness and give him the bill. However, the Governor's problem gets noticed by Duke Brescia's secret agents under command of Golden Snake. We take down her team and give them, broken and battered, to the Governor, but let the Snake go to report back to the Duke... on a condition that she omits a few details. The Governor is in secret alliance with us now, as he fears that dealing with us won't be forgiven by the Duke. The story that gets told is that we kidnapped his daughter and tried to blackmail him, but got scared away by the Snake.

Rin gets sent to help Fortunio to repel an incursion of another band of never-do-wells led by some Bandit Queen. Our murdersis reported seeing another of the cloaked figures there. Apparently, they got a lock on her somehow. She wanted to leave and hunt them down to not endanger us and the village further, but we stopped her. But they probably know where we live by now.

Also, Arlin brought with him a girlfriend, Tenia, who is the daughter of the Bandit Queen. Captured by Aria. Yay teamwork! We haven't decided what to do with her yet.

And I think this is it. The new chapter starts with us hearing that the adventurers' expedition set up camp in the village we saved earlier, and we sent Aria to find out if they would be so kind to visit a spooky castle of fiery death that we are building just for them.

The expedition is funded by Duke Brescia, it has a young prince (son of the Crown Prince) leading it, and Aria's 'friends' are inside the camp. That's all that we know about it.

We probably won't get many updates in the next two weeks, so you will have plenty of time to catch up.

 

[Karwelas]

Nevill - your story don't have important details.

Like Lucy story. And Arlin. Who is Arlin.

 

[Nevill]

Lucy is a spy from the monster nation of Luna. She masquerades as a cow and even Rin is fooled by her disguise, but we are onto her!

You mentioned a bunch of kids, so I assumed you've read up to that part. Aria and Arlin are the twins we rescued together with the village of Erise and the Pretty Prince.

 

[Nevill]

A break in the update schedule always prompts me to think about things that aren't related to our immediate goals. We had this 'where do you want to take our character' exchanges back at the beginning of the 2nd chapter. I wonder if anything changed since then.

I know there are some broad strokes. People want to move east, towards the monsterbros. Even though I think the recent discovery of more ancient ruins was to provide an incentive for us to stay (and would serve as a counterpoint about our village having nothing of value), I still want to make contact. Of the adventurers, I have already wrote about my preferred way of resolving the situation. There are some plans for Fortunio in the making, and something interesting is brewing in Ontoglia.

This time, though, I want to talk about people, events and developments one may want to see in the story.

Here are mine.

Spoiler

1. The Barzamite commander.

The woman that led the attack on Erise and thus is responsible for the death of Aria's and Arlin's father is out there. And while her mind may be now occupied by other things, Aria does not strike me as a forgiving type.

I do not know what Aria thinks of the attack. Chances are, her mindset is that it's the place of the weak to be trampled by the strong. You don't want to be trampled? Git gud. That's the path she chose, after all. But even though she may not count the Barzamite incursion a crime in itself, considering her a weakling that can't fight back certainly was.

There is a strong, heavy insult that was thrown in her face there. Murdering your father as you watch, unable to do anything, raping and murdering your brother, and then yourself - while that is not the limits of humiliation one can inflict upon another, it's pretty close. Having the control over your life taken from you, and you being helpless to stop it is pretty big, as far as traumas go. While Aria was spared the worst, it wasn't her actions that saved her.

A certain hot-headed Spaniard spent 20 years to get back at his offender. I don't think Aria is any less motivated, though the force driving her would be different.

A reckoning with the enemy commander could provide the girl some closure in this regard. She who was so mighty that she never even registered the kid on her radar, as if Aria were something that warranted no more consideration than an insect... to prove that she was wrong and, in fact, she is the real weakling here - why, that would be a proper payback. Didn't we speculate that the reason Aria was so hellbent on becoming stronger was to prove that no one should mess with her and expect to get away with it?

Of course, inflicting the same suffering and humiliation back is the proper way to show one just how weak they are. Inigo Montoya did the same with six-fingered man. There is some real potential for the Dark Side here.

And then there is the matter of Arlin. He who has endured the same fate, but does not feel the same about it. Would he feel as strongly about his 'no-killing' rule if his sister's life was on the line? Or, if Aria were strong enough to defeat the commander... would he stand there as she slowly guts her victim alive, or would he mercykill the woman to prevent his sister from going down that path?

Having his first kill be the person who ordered the death of his father would be pretty dramatic, as far as the path of Letting The Hate Flow Through You is concerned. Who's to say that he didn't want to kill her, deep down? That's far more effective than having him shank some random motherfucker.

Yeah, I definitely want to get a hold of her and give her to the twins. Must train them heavily to make sure they would be able to handle it, though.

2. The Bandit Queen.

Rin's brief encounter with her was very promising. Unlike Fortunio, she didn't fall on her knees pleading for her life when faced by a superior opponent. And now that her daughter is in our hands, and the Cloakies are closing in on our location, it's only a matter of time until we meet her again.

I am very interested in what motivates her - well, except her daughter's well-being - and if we would be able to provide her with better working conditions than the previous employers. She also holds sway over the remnants of her bandit force... that by now comprises mostly of women after Rin has finished off most of the men.

And Fortunio's people are mostly comprised of men. At least, that's what they were when we run into him last.

I wonder if the Queen's now amazon forces and Fortunio's thieves could be joined to form a real shadow empire. Hereditary bandits... that'd be something interesting.

We really need to check on Arlin's progress with Tenia. The fate of the country rests upon his shoulders!

3. Wisteria.

I like the girl, and I don't like to leave the work unfinished.

But more than that, I am somewhat puzzled about her condition. I thought that, sans death and rare cases like Ellen's, the priests could heal anyone and anything given enough money. Gods must love the things that money of their followers buy them very much.

So I can't shake off the feeling that she is more useful being incapacitated and having a second-in-command run things than on her feet and leading the order by herself.

Still, if no one can or wants to heal her, it then presents an opportunity for us to do the same and attempt to salvage the relationship.

I do not think that she could be convinced to come over to our side - we do too many shady deeds that would be too much of a bother to hide from a paladin - but I still hold out hope to convince her that her uncle is unjust, and is only using her as a tool to further his unhealthy ambitions. Combined with his false accusations against us, his inability to heal her (which may be interpreted as unwillingness), him running Azurellion forces into the ground in the Forest of Ruin (fingers crossed), and an arranged marriage for political gain... I feel like we have a chance to build some resentment between the uncle and the niece and make her retire and walk away. We may even be able to give her an advice on further career.

If Duke's positions would be weakened by then (failed expedition, trouble in Ontoglia), her niece leaving could very well be one more nail in his political career's coffin. And we won't have to confront Wist when we skin him alive some time in the future.

But to see what can be done on that front, we will need to meet with her, first.

Is there anything in particular that you want to do, Codex?

 

[lightbane]

*stuff*

Well, that's an interesting read, if a bit exaggerated. I do not believe the female Commander specifically told her soldiers to screw over Aria's family in the worst way possible just for fun. Technically she was following orders, which were "act like you were a brutish bandit until the Prince shows up" and that's it. Perhaps her sergeant had the idea, or perhaps the soldier themselves do that at random for every mission like this they have. Either way, she's still indirectly responsible true, but I doubt we'll have the opportunity to see her and do what you state anytime soon, at least not until we go to Barzam themselves for some reason (ie: visit/kidnap their ruler).

The Bandit Queen is someone we'll meet sooner or later, that's a given, but I do not know how will that play out. Also, even if she's a bandit, I doubt she'll join Fortunio that easily, she still belongs to the Byarlant nation. Lastly, Wisteria is still a loose end, but again it's a case we won't know much about her until later, but I too believe Erdrick will meet her again at some point.

From what I wish to see, I would start with seeing if the union of Princess Rin and Erdrick could produce Nephilim/strange Angel-Demon hybrids... Oh wait, you mean things that are possible to do, right? Nevermind then.

As many state, I wouldn't mind to find an ingame reason to go to the East and see how are these monster-occupied territories. Perhaps Luna is this world's expy of the cliché Eastern country, complete with overpowered martial arts and brittle swords which have an overrated reputation.

Another thing I wish to see is that Erd becomes bored enough that he starts messing around with his angelic attributes, that is, his wings. He could use these combined with his Invisibility spell to fly around the world for fun and profit (namely, scouting our surroundings, hopefully anti-air turrets have not been invented yet). Lastly, more backstory chapters about his misadventures during his heroic days and his past would be welcome, if only to see more parodies about the JRPG genre.

 

[Nevill]

Well, that's an interesting read, if a bit exaggerated. I do not believe the female Commander specifically told her soldiers to screw over Aria's family in the worst way possible just for fun. Technically she was following orders, which were "act like you were a brutish bandit until the Prince shows up" and that's it.

Technically, she didn't give a fuck because they were beneath her notice. It's not like she wanted to hurt them, it's like she was squashing a bug while on a walk. It only adds to the insult.

I am constantly thinking back to Princess Bride, and I can't help but notice that Inigo was operating on the premise that Count Rugen completely forgot about his father. That's why his catchphrase introduction was no less important than revenge itself. Just killing the man is not good enough.

Oh, and by the way, the soldiers mentioned receiving explicit orders, so whatever happened is definitely on the Commander and perhaps on the Confessor Princess.

In Aria's place, I would hold whoever gave the order responsible. Killing the mooks does not change anything. I am not worried about not seeing the commander soon, we have all the time in the world. But eventually, I'd like to see their confrontation - that's what the post was about.

Also, even if she's a bandit queen, I doubt she'll join Fortunio that easily, she still belongs to the Byarlant nation.

Are you implying that bandits have some kind of loyalty to their state? I don't know about the Queen, but Fortunio clearly doesn't hold much love for Methuss that threw him and his men out on the streets. Their people can bond over robbing Methussian merchants they don't care for.

Tally

lightbane B D
archaen B A>D
Kz3r0 A A
Storyfag A D
Azira A D
Kipeci A D
Nevill B A
Tigranes B A
TOME B B>C
Grimgravy B C>B>A
Esquilax B D>B
Karwelas B A
ScubaV B A
Baltika9 B A
Lambchop19 A D
Gobblecock A A
Random Word B D
Kayerts B Gigadyne
Elfberserker B x
Jester A A>D

A - 7
B - 13
x - 1

A - 9 (10)
B - 1 [p.3]
C - 1 (0) Grimgravy
D - 7 [p.9]
x - 1
Gigadyne - 1

 

[lightbane]

IIIRC, it was implied the B. Queen was following Byarlant's orders. Otherwise, it is a very convenient coincidence that they decided to attack Fortunio when he was about to gather his men. Also, she was saved by the Cloakies, who are surely related to Byarlant/the Demon Lord Athos in some way. So I believe she works for them even if it's a temporary alliance.

Either way, that's something for the future, now we have a bunch of adventurers that must be dealt with before doing anything else.

 

[treave]

PS: By the way, treave, just for fun: can Barbatos share with us some wisdom about how to best Rin? Surely a demon as wise as him knows something about playing cards.

Erdrick invented the damned game.

Write-in vote: Gigadyne the cards.

That's C.

treave, could magnatite work as one's own spell battery, increasing mana reserves? Something like a (+) mana amulet?

Not at the moment. It is unable to store raw magical energy, only after it has been processed in the form of a spell. No one has any idea why that is, not even Zayan.

 

[Jester]

A
A>D

Trust the heart of the cards and draw card with voluptuous body woman to turn the tables. If you did not prepared one in side deck to do 'special' summon.

 

[TOME]

I give up on sensible magely development.

It's a shame our lazy character is lazy only when it comes to magic.

 

[Nevill]

Palm magic is just a subschool of Fist magic, of which we are a fine practitioner.

 

[TOME]

Unfortunately we are.

 

[archaen]

With the birth of my last child I was greeted with an enormous Treave post to read in the bathroom while my spawn had my wife's attention. I have come here now in tradition and hope that with the birth of my next child that I would have a similar blessing but my hopes have been dashed upon the rocks of Treaves real life commitments and a tie?

 

[Esquilax]

With the birth of my last child I was greeted with an enormous Treave post to read in the bathroom while my spawn had my wife's attention. I have come here now in tradition and hope that with the birth of my next child that I would have a similar blessing but my hopes have been dashed upon the rocks of Treaves real life commitments and a tie?

You know what you have to do; sacrifice the child to end the update drought. It's the only way.