Inactive [LP CYOA] Overlord

[lightbane]

Tough choice indeed. In one hand, A let's us have a funny dialogue with Hast about fashion and the nature of Angels while we wait and Rin ensures no-one escapes. However, even though demons are resistant to poisons they're not immune unlike us, although we can heal her of magically enhanced poisons and cast Regeneration to stabilize her until she can get to the healing machine.

On the other hand, in B we get to see the enemy in person disguised through Another Face and say "gaze upon the fist of justice!" before we attack, but we risk the possibility of someone escaping once they realize they cannot overwhelm us and/or they notice we're not a mere mage.

Perhaps we could just let Erdrick remove his clothes and show his true nature to everyone involved, then watch how everyone screams like little girls before killing them with death.

Before or after Erdrick began his career as a Hero?

Right after he began his heroic quest. The Demon Army wasted no time to gather forces it seems.

 

[treave]

Btw, treave, how much magnatite did we receive from Hastwell?

Enough to work on another three or four of Zayan's projects with enough left over to spare for a hundreds-strong golem army.

Right after he began his heroic quest. The Demon Army wasted no time to gather forces it seems.

108 mid-bosses commanders of varying titles (Dukes, Barons, Generals etc) and innumerable mooks that were irrelevant to the Hero.

 

[TOME]

B

 

[lightbane]

Enough to work on another three or four of Zayan's projects with enough left over to spare for a hundreds-strong golem army.

Excellent. Talk about high efficiency. Should we able to conquer Ontoglia one day, we must build moho mine extractors to squeeze out every last drop of magnetite.

In the meantime, during the next downtime session we'll have to check which new projects are available, because IIRC besides the healing pod one or two more projects were already under construction. Additional uses of magnetite would include building a highly secure prison for the most obstinate prisoners, a torture room/testing lab to let Zayan and Rin to relax but also to accelerate the conversion of captured adventurers to loyal minions, a mass-produced communication device designed to warp the basics of social interaction in order to weaken our enemies, a treasure room with tons of gold to lure dragons to our territory, etc.

I would also encourage to take over Erise, both to allow the twins to grow up in a somewhat healthier environment, and to acquire a source of warm bodies and expendable militia.

108 mid-bosses commanders of varying titles (Dukes, Barons, Generals etc) and innumerable mooks

Wow, that's the average Suikoden cast. Either the Demon Army had an exaggeratedly complex burocracy to make the Imperium proud, or the Army managed to conquer 70% of the known world before Erd pushed them back.

 

[Nevill]

Additional uses of magnetite would include building a highly secure prison for the most obstinate prisoners

Jokes aside, we do need some kind of containment cell to keep the more powerful 'guests' in check.

I still believe in the wonders of angel diplomacy, but we probably should look into mind control and/or compulsion as well, for the unreasonable types that we want to keep alive.

I would also encourage to take over Erise, both to allow the twins to grow up in a somewhat healthier environment

Aria does not want to associate with the village anymore. I still wonder what her deal was.

“I suppose so. Take care of her, Arlin,” sighs Enzel. He looks genuinely hurt. You wonder what happened between the twins and the village, but can’t be bothered to ask right now. It would probably turn out to be some troublesome sob story and you are in no mood to listen to one.

But Erd wasn't interested, as usual.

to acquire a source of warm bodies and expendable militia.

Peasants would make for some crappy militia. Your needs would better be served by having Zayan work on her golem army. Those are both more durable and more easily replaceable.

I really want us to have good defensive capabilities. That includes communications/warning system (to recall us in the event of base assault) and some barriers set up (anti-teleportation would be one of them, but Zayan said something about a Magic Shield - I think we might be able to maintain it with our power reserves and/or magnetite storing capabilities).

 

[Nevill]

Is there a reason to have a good defense? Well, one would be 'not to lose things that we have achieved/accumulated in case we are attacked'. Even if we relocate, we will still need to defend the new location.

While I've been saying it for a while that we should look for a more easily fortifiable position, I think we have decided to make our stand here (presumably, for lack of any other options):

You walk past the half-built towers, the featureless golems working away tirelessly at it brick by brick as the goblin children dart under and around their legs, and head towards the newly completed dome that had been built over what used to be the old great hall.

There are towers built, and there is some dome that I assume would serve as a starting point for our castle.

Also, it might be that with the resourses we have and Zayan in our care it would be faster and easier to build our fortifications from scratch instead of moving the village anywhere else - and have them be just as effective. As someone who knows Teleport we do not particularly care about the geographical location of our base - in fact, the farther it is from large human settlements, and the rougher the terrain, the better. Less armies heading our way.

Ontoglia is not our city. Hastwell asked us to free it from Hargreave's influence and make it his town (in which we would have an easier time, granted), but it still remains under the Kingdom's control instead of separating altogether. Trying to set up shop in the mines that are in neutral/enemy territory might well end with them collapsing the passages and burying us.

 

[lightbane]

Aria does not want to associate with the village anymore. I still wonder what her deal was.

She was understandably angry because her family died, but she can't (and shouldn't) hate them forever. More importantly, hidden within the children of the village there might be more kids with potential™, even though it's extremely unlikely. Even then, the blacksmith and their exiled priest have their uses: the former to help us setting up the gobbos and the golems' equipment, and the latter to teach us new spells or even work as a low-level lieutenant, something which will help us greatly in the future whenever we have to delegate tasks.

Peasants would make for some crappy militia. Your needs would better be served by having Zayan work on her golem army. Those are both more durable and more easily replaceable.

Hm, I'm not so sure. Golems need magnetite to work and to replicate themselves, which for now it is a limited resource. It is true the militia would suck, but perhaps it won't be really necessary as long as the villagers provide us with minimal aid: I have the suspicion that the expedition will make a short stop in Erise before going straight to the forest, so the village could be used as an improvised early alarm system of sorts.

Gobblecock's idea of migrating is not a bad one, but right now we lack the time to do so. After the invasion event, it would be interesting to set a small outpost in Ontoglia (asking the governor to play dumb as one of the favours he'll undoubtedly owe us), but only to scour the mines searching for kobolds/skeletons/whatever monsters lurking here and recruit them for our cause. If we were to migrate, personally I would say we move towards the East, closer to the monster-controlled territories but keeping a safe distance from Luna, just to be sure.


EDIT: It turns out that Erd's name is not just a variation of "Erik" as I thought. It really has a story behind: http://dragon-quest.org/wiki/Erdrick
It is the name for the main character of Dragon Quest III and thus one of the earliest JRPGs characters ever existed, back when they lacked stuff like "personality" and "voiced dialogue", compensating it by becoming perfect killing machines, coldly slaying anything remotely evil that dared to stand in their way. For extra hilarity, this Erdrick had the quest to slay the fearsome Baramos, a terrible Fiend Lord that threatened to destroy the world. Does it sound familiar?

 

[Jester]

B

 

[TOME]

Is there a reason to have a good defense? Well, one would be 'not to lose things that we have achieved/accumulated in case we are attacked'. Even if we relocate, we will still need to defend the new location.

At this point hidden base is the best defense we can get. It would be stupid to waste precious resources building something unmovable now that the expedition is coming shortly and we might need to dodge them. Better to scout a site for a hidden base and start building there.

Having golems and goblins fortificate our current base using common resources is fine though.

 

[Nevill]

It would be stupid to waste precious resources building something unmovable now that the expedition is coming shortly and we might need to dodge them.

How and where do you suggest we move them? We have a prisoner, a lot of non-combatants, a dead body in cold storage and a regeneration pod among the things that would be tricky to move.

How does a hidden base differ from Grahferde? We are not discovered yet - no one knows where it is, and the Cloakies rely on Rin for targeting. The only location that we explored at least partially is the forest we are in. How would another spot in the forest differ from the current one?

I would not count on secrecy being our primary line of defence. But suppose I am willing to entertain the idea... what are the criteria for a base to qualify as 'hidden'?

 

[treave]

Feeling sick. Update likely postponed to tomorrow. I'm locking the votes so that I can think about it while convalescing.

 

[Azira]

Being sick sucks. Take your time.

 

[TOME]

Problem with Ontoglia is that it is too important for Methuss to let go. We could set an research outpost there in some remote tunnel but as for now it isn't suitable place for a base.

 

[treave]

he is fortifying a fairly worthless bit of land

He has nothing to do with the construction, which quite obviously started while he was out in the forest alone. Given that they're designed by Zayan, they aren't regular structures anyway, but serve some other purpose.

passively awaiting the initiative of a royal expedition.

Unfortunately, the vote to go for Ontoglia won out over any votes to go interfere with the expedition in Yuiria. Magnatite is more important than checking out the progress of the expedition after all, or at least I believe that's how the argument went?

 

[treave]

Everyone seems to have this impression that there'll be some heroic defense of the place when the adventurers arrive.

In the absence of any apparent existential crisis to justify this expedition, if the people in power are going to the extent of throwing money and troops around to make the expedition happen they are expecting a return on their investment, be it in money or in power or in knowledge. They think that there is value here. The expedition would not get funded otherwise. Regardless of whether they are correct or not, preying upon their perception of value is the best way to make their hefty investment work out in your favour, particularly since they know little of what is going on in the forest. In other words, the situation is ripe for a scam to be concocted.

You said it yourself, it's trivial to move what you need from the village, and you don't need much. Since there's so little risk involved, you might as well play with the expedition.

 

[Nevill]

They think that there is value here.

It's funny, because it is the second government already that got convinced in that, the first being the Confessor Princess of Barzam. Who allegedly saw it in a dream, though I wonder if it didn't require some kind of 'dream-teller' in a black cloak.

At this rate they might soon convince us that something really is there. Some of us already wanted to excavate the ruins themselves.

In other words, the situation is ripe for a scam to be concocted.

Starring Rin as a Minotaur Lord and Erdrick as an old guy setting up shop in the penultimate location of the monster lair to provide heroes with potions and a save-point before the boss fight. IT IS TRADITION!

Now, where do we get enough empty bottles and glass beads to meet the demand...

Also, speaking of Rin's 'ok', here is how I saw it:

Warning - animesque scene inside!

This perception might have something to do with the abundance of RWBY crossovers on the questing forums, though...

 

[lightbane]

It's funny, because it is the second government already that got convinced in that, the first being the Confessor Princess of Barzam. Who allegedly saw it in a dream, though I wonder if it didn't require some kind of 'dream-teller' in a black cloak.

At this rate they might soon convince us that something really is there. Some of us already wanted to excavate the ruins themselves

It's a medieval fantasy setting, so there isn't much to do everyday. Therefore, something really unusual like a column of light will attract everyone's attention like moths to a flame. Also, we should be wary that Barzam may attempt another expedition at some point in the future.

Starring Rin as a Minotaur Lord and Erdrick as an old guy setting up shop in the penultimate location of the monster lair to provide heroes with potions and a save-point before the boss fight. IT IS TRADITION!

Don't forget a puzzle area that cannot be solved without external help, because the hints provided there were translated incorrectly from their original language.

Or even better: hard-to-reach chests that contain nothing except deadly traps. The adventurer's ultimate bane.

Now, where do we get enough empty bottles and glass beads to meet the demand...

Zayan has all of the answers.

*watches animu trailer* What's that? Suda51 going indie? Doesn't look that good in my opinion.

 

[Nevill]

It's a medieval fantasy setting, so there isn't much to do everyday.

It's a high-magic setting. You could probably watch some Palantir-TV. Though the VR-goggles prototype we've seen requires some real enhancement work before it can be sent to mass production.

Or even better: hard-to-reach chests that contain nothing except deadly traps. The adventurer's ultimate bane.

And a bar that only serves soda, to sap the morale. Blame it on localizations.

*watches animu trailer* What's that? Suda51 going indie? Doesn't look that good in my opinion.

Hey! RWBY might not be the greatest show around, but their trailers are damn impressive! Especially for something that was produced by what essentially was a two-men team.

You guys are spoiled by AAA studios.

 

[treave]

Fleeing Snakes

You can feel the gazes boring into your back as you walk over to the carriage and inspect the goods. Everything is present, as the Governor had promised. Shutting the lid with a snap, you turn around and look over the overgrown fields. The sun is beginning to set, the vivid blue of the sky fading into a pale orange. Rin had quickly briefed you on the likely positions of Duke Hargreave’s agents before you left the windmill. They should not have moved far. Tilting your head back, you call out, “So, are you going to just gawk at my majesty, or will we have words?”

An uncomfortable silence follows. A crow caws mockingly as it flies over your head, returning to its nest.

Suddenly, a burst of magical flame bellows forth from the tall grass. Its roar sputters out as it splashes harmlessly against your shield, absorbed by your magic and rendered harmless. Whirling around, you backhand the man attempting to creep up behind you, naively thinking he could catch you unawares. The gentle tap sends him stumbling and the twisted golden dagger flying from his hand. Before he can recover, you nail him with a casting of False Prophecy. He stands still and slack-jawed, gaping at sights unknown to you with his eyes wide and bulging. As your assailant begins to giggle to himself, you hear the rustling of the grass while his comrades take advantage of your momentary distraction and begin to flee. He seems to have the misfortune of being the designated sacrificial lamb, so to speak, and his friends do not seem to have any interest at all in talking things out. Pity; you had hoped that they would see reason. Much more profitable for everyone that way. Perhaps it would have been easier - though a lot more bloody - to have Rin surprise them with a quick and brutal assault.

Although they appear to be scattering in all directions, they are not out of range of your spells, not by a long shot. With the appropriate amount of persuasion they may yet find themselves willing to talk.

***

A. Call up a maximized Icestorm and freeze the entire area, halting their progress.

B. Use Firestorm to turn the fields into a fiery hell, trapping them within it.

C. Launch a Tornado to sweep up the escaping agents.

D. Chase them down with a pack of Electric Wolves.

E. Use Gigadyne Verandert to morph into lightning and round them up swiftly.

F. Fly up to the top of the windmill and use the vantage point to fire Magic Bolts into their fleeing backs.

G. Hunt them down through the tall grass one at a time, making use of your superior speed and strength to pick them off as they run.

H. Do nothing. You already have one of their men in your hands; that is sufficient for your purposes.

***

A. You call for Rin to help hunt down the fleeing agents. It would be a fine bonding exercise.

B. Rin should stay where she is, with the Governor and Ellen. This may be another attempt at distraction.

 

[Karwelas]

F - we should be able to snipe them fast enough.

B - somebody must guard those people.

 

[Nevill]

Sigh. Why does no one want to talk to us? We are very charismatic and have such a nice hat!

Can Tornado round them all up in the air? If so, I'd try it. Is our control of the wind enough not to get the windmill in the air with them?

Rin should stay behind, just in case. Who knows what they might choose to do out of desperation. C>E B.

 

[treave]

Can Tornado round them all up in the air? If so, I'd try it. Is our control of the wind enough not to get the windmill in the air with them?

Erdrick is confident in his ability to control the spell with finesse. However, it requires some mental concentration on the task to be used in that manner.

 

[Karwelas]

treave Is it possible to both summon wolves and then release them at those guys, sniping those that will try to run away?

 

[treave]

You could, but unless it's required for some specific plan you have in mind, why do the extra work?

 

[Karwelas]

You could, but unless it's required for some specific plan you have in mind, why do the extra work?

Well, we could capture one of them and have small talk, like between friends. Maybe we will learn something.