Myth: A New Age CYOA

[Nevill]

A3 voters... What happened to not getting greedy again?

Shiny happened. The 'Dex loves dem shinies.

Cut the losses > Bari (leave Biliku + Uttu)

Flip or No flip?

No flip. Maybe this will finally prompt people to engage in a minimal discussion before we decide things.

What were the rolls this time and how lucky we were to escape in one piece?

 

[Kz3r0]

Do you still wish to go to the meeting with Bari?

A) Yes, and you take everyone. You do not want to split up with most of the city out for your blood.

btw could we make rule that if tie is unresolved for 48 h you will flip coin?

Sure, if that is what people would prefer. I have no real preference either way so I will put it to a vote.

Flip or No flip?

Flip

 

[Nevill]

Does anybody else have a suspicion that these arrows came from the same source?

He begins to cast but is distracted when a single arrow fired from the darkness of a nearby rooftop flies through the hole created by the dwarves and strikes one of the red and white mercenaries in the throat.

You are attacked by the odd mercenary here or there but the ones you can not handle are quickly dropped with an arrow in the throat. Part of you suspects that someone must be looking out for you but you have no idea who or why.

I don't know why, but the idea of having a stalker benefactor for reasons unknown in a city we never visited and where we can't possibly know anyone disturbs me the most about the whole situation.

 

[Zero Credibility]

Well that ended badly. Don't get greedy indeed. Personally, I thought that since we have handled the rescue so quietly we would have some time before they find her missing and send someone to watch the shop again. I thought these guys were hired to find her and bring her back, so I guess I underestimated what we were facing because of how easily we rescued her before. What I didn't expect was that every other bounty hunter, mercenary and general psycho for hire was also watching the place.

Anyway: A > B (Biliku + Uttu) - it sounds like the road to the meeting place should be somewhat safe and I do want to hear what Bari has to say. Probably lost our chance at being a hero, but I'd settle for just getting everyone out of here alive and maybe have the king owe us a favour for returning the artefact and helping with the undead. It's not like we actually killed anyone or set fire to anything personally, we were just in the wrong place at the wrong time.

I don't like the idea of just running away because we would have to leave completely unprepared and there are still undead on the road. Plus, we would have to carry the inventor with us and hope she doesn't die on us. And the king right now has enough problems without giving him yet more to deal with.

 

[Kz3r0]

I don't know why, but the idea of having a stalker benefactor for reasons unknown in a city we never visited and where we can't possibly know anyone disturbs me the most about the whole situation.

Someone who received orders from the king perhaps?

 

[Nevill]

Well that ended badly. Don't get greedy indeed. Personally, I thought that since we have handled the rescue so quietly we would have some time before they find her missing and send someone to watch the shop again. I thought these guys were hired to find her and bring her back, so I guess I underestimated what we were facing because of how easily we rescued her before. What I didn't expect was that every other bounty hunter, mercenary and general psycho for hire was also watching the place.

The Black Arrows - the ones that we snatched Melete from - indeed didn't expect us to be there. But if the girl had such a bounty put on her to warrant a massacre of the quarter of the town, it would have been prudent to assume that they captured her quietly and no one else knew they had her. Else they'd probably have their headquarters in ruins by now.

So of course we ran into every other mercenary team. Those only knew Melete disappeared a day ago, so setting up an ambush at her only known place of residence is the most logical step for them.

I guess we didn't know she was wanted that much and that the Black Arrows could not afford to make knowledge of her capture public.

Someone who received orders from the king perhaps?

Nah, I'd expect someone sent by the king to operate openly... at least up until we set the city on fire and made ourselves an unwanted guest.

 

[Zero Credibility]

The Black Arrows - the ones that we snatched Melete from - indeed didn't expect us to be there. But if the girl had such a bounty put on her to warrant a massacre of the quarter of the town, it would have been prudent to assume that they captured her quietly and no one else knew they had her. Else they'd probably have their headquarters in ruins by now.

So of course we ran into every other mercenary team. Those only knew Melete disappeared a day ago, so setting up an ambush at her only known place of residence is the most logical step for them.

I guess we didn't know she was wanted that much and that the Black Arrows could not afford to make knowledge of her capture public.

Indeed, that was my impression as well. That and that all these mercs aren't the sharpest tools in the shed either. The Black Arrows because their security was clearly sloppy if a couple of amateurs could just walk right in and out. And the rest because despite that (lack of) security they didn't plant a spy or bribed a servant in their opposition and do the same thing we did when Melete went suddenly missing. After all, the most probable explanation for her disappearance was that somebody already got her. But instead they all just sit outside the workshop watching the place and each other. I'd be looking at who isn't there instead.

 

[Nevill]

And the rest because despite that (lack of) security they didn't plant a spy or bribed a servant in their opposition and do the same thing we did when Melete went suddenly missing.

There are about several dozens of groups involved here. Without the knowledge of who got her, no one would have enough spies or servants to monitor them all. If the workshop is your only lead, might as well sit and watch it. As we have just proved, sometimes even a dumb tactic can work if your prey is dumber than you.

 

[Zero Credibility]

As I said, look at who isn't there to watch on the workshop and start with them. These guys were not keeping particularly low-profile either - the whole outfit was celebrating. Sloppy.

 

[Smashing Axe]

A3 voters... What happened to not getting greedy again?

Shiny happened. The 'Dex loves dem shinies.

Cut the losses > Bari (leave Biliku + Uttu)

Don't get me wrong, I'm the greatest advocate of the greedy option where there is no or little evidence to suggest that being greedy would result in horrible consequences (The journeyman's gold plate, for instance). But this one was pretty open and shut foolish.

I didn't vote for C either because purchasing the building would lead a paper trail to us. Not as bad as A, but still could be pretty terrible.

 

[Fangshi]

What were the rolls this time and how lucky we were to escape in one piece?

Fairly lucky. There were at least three moments when truly poor rolls would have gotten one of you killed. You rolled well, not amazingly, but slightly above average and that was enough to get away. As Zero Credibility suggested these were hardly the A list mercenary outfits, most of them had/have at least one serious flaw. That is not to say that all the mercenaries after her are incompetents. You just ran into the least imaginative ones, the professionals are playing a longer game.

The Rolls

Well, first off you had to make a decent check against the Lunatics to get them to attack the mage. Not because they have high WIS or anything but because they are completely insane and as such difficult to manipulate. You passed that check fairly easily. Then there were a number of checks to avoid drawing attention to yourselves as you made your escape. You passed about half of these. The ones you failed led to combat encounters but you made it through all but the last one unscathed so I did not get into details. There were all manner of things, mauls, mages, dwarves, ghôls, a pair of necromancers, anything and everything. Most off them managed to kill or incapacitate one another. Given that you were unarmed and only using mental spells in self defense you did not really register as a threat to most of them. Occasionally the/an archer would take a shot in the general direction of your opponents. They were difficult shots to make but every now and then he/she/they would succeed and help you out. Finally you made a number of checks thanks to those damn bracelets, they have saved your life dozens of times by now... not to mention Thaïs'. Passing one of those checks saved her from the spell that hit Meletē. If it had hit you or Thaïs it would have killed in all likelihood. Your odds of losing someone were probably in the 30-50% range to be honest.

 

[Nevill]

There were all manner of things, mauls, mages, dwarves, ghôls, a pair of necromancers, anything and everything.

Wow. Fucking wow. Either Myrgard is one of the most tolerant places in the setting, or it is in for a cleansing, big time. It is not every day you can draw a ghol out on a stroll through the streets of the dwarven capital.

A few questions.

1) Do we still have Heaven stones with us? If so, what effects do they have on Melete's condition, if any? Shouldn't they repress the magical effects from the spell that hit her?

If they are useless to her, then we'd better start keeping them with us at all times, given the concentration of mages in the city.

2) Are we going to see Bari alone, or does Track provide us with an escort of some sort? I guess that would help us decide if we need Biliku and Uttu with us.

3) Maybe I forgot, but did we manage to restock our magical/healing/arrow supplies?

 

[Fangshi]

1) Do we still have Heaven stones with us? If so, what effects do they have on Melete's condition, if any? Shouldn't they repress the magical effects from the spell that hit her?

You still have your one. Serpent has his and the rest have been destroyed (two as grenades and the third when you hit Miosguinn). You could try it but you are not certain what it would do. It could repress the spell that incapacitated her, alternatively it could dispel the second spell that hit her and saved her life. It might wake her up, it might kill her or it might have no effect at all but you do not have the resources on hand to be sure and even Nine is not confident. If you want to try it I can add it as an option.

2) Are we going to see Bari alone, or does Track provide an escort of some sort? I guess that would help us decide if we need Biliku and Uttu with us.

Trakk and his men will come with you if you ask. They are also willing to stay with Meletē if you want. You would guess that they can not afford to disappear from the surface for too long right now but at the very least Trakk intends to lead you to the meeting.

3) I forgot to ask, but did we manage to restock our magical/healing/arrow supplies?

No, afraid not. You spent the day at the banks and in meetings. Then you immediately went after the inventor, then directly to her workshop. You did not chose to go shopping so you did not resupply.

 

[Cassidy]

C

 

[Grimgravy]

A

 

[Fangshi]

Current Tally:

Smashing Axe B (Biliku and Uttu)
Nevill C>B (Biliku and Uttu)
Kz3r0 A
Zero Credibility A>B (Biliku and Uttu)
Cassidy C
Grimgravy A
Sunnmøring B (Biliku and Uttu)
Baltika9 B (Biliku and Uttu)
asxetos B (Biliku and Uttu)
Jester B (Biliku and Uttu)
Azira D

Pre-Flop:

A) 3 votes
B) 5 votes (Biliku and Uttu)
C) 2 votes
D) 1 vote

Post-Flop:

A) 2 votes
B) 7 votes (Biliku and Uttu)
C) 1 vote
D) 1 vote


Institute a 48hr coin flip policy for ties:

Coin Flip: 3 votes
No Flip: 1 vote

Flip:
Jester
Kz3r0
Baltika9

No Flip:
Nevill

 

[Sunnmøring]

Oof, that was a disaster. I'll vote for whatever Smashing Axe is for currently (I think B leaving Biliku and Uttu?) since he seems to make pretty solid choices.

 

[Nevill]

Do we really want to take everyone and their mother, including incapacitated Melete, to the location? Just think how fun it would be to defend her if we do get ambushed on our way there.

Why not leave her in an underground bunker that we know is safe?

 

[Baltika9]

B with Biliku and Uttu.
Voting for Flip.

 

[Smashing Axe]

Oof, that was a disaster. I'll vote for whatever Smashing Axe is for currently (I think B leaving Biliku and Uttu?) since he seems to make pretty solid choices.

Careful man, I want to transform all the CYOA characters into the Practical Incarnation from Planet Escape: Tournament.

 

[Baltika9]

I'm down with at least one of those.

 

[asxetos]

I will go for B (Biliku and Uttu) too.

 

[Jester]

I did know getting to her workshop is retarded idea, but didnt know it will be this much.

Will go with B (BU).

Does anybody else have a suspicion that these arrows came from the same source?
I don't know why, but the idea of having a stalker benefactor for reasons unknown in a city we never visited and where we can't possibly know anyone disturbs me the most about the whole situation.

I think Patchfinders could be involved, after all case is huge. Could be that mercenaries faction making sure no one will get us before them.

 

[Azira]

D

 

[Fangshi]

Should be safe to call it now.

B wins, you will leave the girls and the inventor behind while you walk into a trap go to meet 'Bari'.

Maybe I was a bit too subtle with the hint this time... but all is not lost as you do have allies.

I have a fair bit of rolling to do for this update so it probably won't be out for 12-14hrs.