lostcompass | Entries tagged with arc i

Last few steps of the Sa-Hareth stretch come with Unhalad's mini 16-17 June siege event and the ensuing few days of marauding. Feel free to use that post as a log base, or do your own thing, and discuss any character plans here.

Many thanks to Kalyn, who is lending us Winnie as effective live bait over the event! She won't... regret it...

If you want to have characters severely wounded or killed, there will be more healers and necromancers available in both options for the upcoming arc — for a fee.

The sorceress Karsa will be available on premise once she enters the farmhouse, and you are welcome to NPC her helping your character's plans. To give you an idea, Karsa's primary offensive skillset is fire, so be careful what you have her do in closed quarters. She will not be able to teleport anyone out because the swarm of undead surrounding the farmhouse make it difficult to 'land' safely.

As a result of this... unfortunate domestic development, the Merchant won't be presenting his options on the 15th as initially scheduled, and this will have to be delayed to 17 June. But! Characters should still be out of Sa-Hareth by 21-22 June. Goodbye, winter wasteland. We barely knew ye.

QUESTIONS THREAD

groundrules

Hi everyone — some updates!

ACTIVITY CHECK — M A Y

I ~~stalkerishly~~ track monthly activity on my side, so you do not need to produce AC proofs unless you are on the list below! Gentle reminder to please use character tags on posts/logs you thread into. Holler if you're missing tags for either

eastbound or

westwhere!

( a c t i v i t y | MAY )

THE PLOT... VAGUELY THICKENED

The June calendar now walks among us! It's skin and bones, as we approach the end of Arc I and ensuing developments will depend extensively on character actions. There will likely be a second calendar update once we decide on the next Arc.

Onward Arcs: the plan is to have a transitional voyage Arc before the next eastern settlement. This will be a self-contained, plot-light and lower-stakes segment of around four weeks. Characters can tackle exploration or quests, but won't content with an overarching mystery.

The transitional period will be a package deal with the Arc II destination. The Merchant will ICly inform characters of two destination options, each with their merits. An OOC post around 15 June will outline further information for players, largely outlining what kind of ambiance each location lends itself to. As of now, we are looking at an option that's more political, and another that's more classical adventure. Characters can vote between 15-20 June on their upcoming destination, along with what possessions and NPCs they bring along.

APPS & TEST DRIVES

We transitioned to perma-open applications until we hit 35 characters, since large app cycle newbie batches are harder to accommodate plot-wise.

Upside: you can app further characters or invite people at any point! Con: we wouldn't host regular test drive memes. If this is a feature you want periodically — whether for you or for others — let me know, please! Transitional Arcs probably fit test drive memes better, given their lower plot stakes, so I can make magic happen.

groundrules

THIS IS A MAN’S MAN’S MAN’S WORLD

But it wouldn't be nothing... nothiiiiiiiiiing... without a magical wombat or a talking caaaaaaaaaaarp!

Anurr’s emboldened followers begin to congregate more openly, as ruling warlord Unhalad’s forces within Sa-Haret begin to thaw literally and morale-wise.

The port remains closed until 31 May, after which it re-opens with difficulty for limited periods.

The supply shortages caused by the lack of seaborne imports leave some of Sa-Hareth's population more prone to impatience and violence, questioning Unhalad’s ability to provide. Perhaps some of the surplus farmhouse produce could assist?

Careful how you interact in Sa-Hareth at this time! Tensions are running high, and even a casual, ill-considered comment could get unfortunate characters briefly imprisoned by Unahalad’s forces under suspicion of fraternising with Anurr.

A group of young men from Sa-Hareth sets out in the wilderness to meet with their counterparts from the forest people. They all pledge to prove their worth before Anurr over the next few days.

Characters are welcome to join, but should prepare to pretend deep interest in Anurr’s cause. Those who have previously imbibed the fabled brew that shares Anurr’s strength will be willingly embraced by the group.

Once deep in the woods, characters can encounter traces and even members of the secretive, if not entirely unapproachable forest people — which number both regular humans and those who have been incompletely touched by the same unyielding cold presence as Anurr’s undead.

The forest people will look scantly dressed for the weather, speaking among themselves in a clever, bird-like dialect that the quartz pieces struggle to translate. Very few will take questions.

By midday, the convoy will be brought before an ancient, eerie and resistant tree that emanates a cold aura. Necromancers and magically sensitive characters may sense death and birth both attached to it.

The tree is scarred with marks of chaffing from where the forest people proudly proclaim previous challengers were bound to its bark to withstand the same trials as did Anurr. Stepping closely to the tree will reveal glass and silvered mirror shards at its thickened roots, sufficiently dirtied to suggest they were deposited some time ago. The tree bark also shows nail and teeth marks.

Characters will be invited to take some of the trials inspired by Anurr’s feats. Participation is optional but rewarded. The various tasks on offer:

riddle-me-this (SIGN-UPs): deep in the forest lies a small pond, barely the length and width of ten paces. To the burn of a day-long incense stick, an ancient koi carp will peer its head out every two hours and ask those who have gathered for one riddle from each member or from groups. If they can present a riddle the carp hasn’t heard, it will give characters the answer to one burning question, about the past, present or future — or they can take another turn, two hours later! This trial proves the wit of Anurr.

trial by magical wombat (MORE SIGN-UPs): in one of the tundra meadows, the forest dwellers will summon forth an oversized arctic, peaceful wombat to test challengers for tactical brilliance akin to that of Anurr. To win the trial and be granted one minor wish, characters have thirty minutes to protect an apple in their keep and seize a bell the wombat wears as its collar. It is recommended to work in pairs, but careful! If the wombat steps on your shadow, it will paralyze you in place and approach to claim its apple prize.

a night alone (SIGN-UPs, WITH FEELING): characters may agree to be chained in pairs (with other characters or NPCs) for one night, testing themselves for Anurr’s fortitude. This will be a particularly gruesome experience, subjecting characters to the intense cold, wind voices that madden and question them, along with visits from Anurr’s dead, who might taunt or mark them. By sunrise, if they are particularly suffering, they might hear a lone, bell-like voice asking, What would you give to be avenged?

These events are set to cover the period of 30 May - 10 June, though feel free to pick and choose whether your character will get involved with any of the trials, study the woods and forest people, help out Sa-Hareth locals or, well. Nap.

Plot out character involvement to your hearts' content below, but make your own posts/logs, please!

General questions not linked to the trials here!

groundrules

And the votes are in...!

Characters by and large voted to save the miners and not get involved, with some minor differences on whether the captives should be released into the wilderness or taken home.

The results of this beautiful endeavour:

The tides of fortune and a highly questionable array smile upon us! Characters succeed to reach the miners and set them free. The miners’ immediate instinct is to slowly, groggily scatter, attracting attention.

Unhalad’s forces will focus on recapturing the miners. Anurr’s faction will take advantage to slaughter them. Some of Anurr’s people will spot the party and half the contingent will initially set out to pursue them, before withdrawing when they encounter Lee Chang, Xiao Xingchen or Xie Lian. At this point, folks, run home fast. Anyone staying behind will likely be heavily injured or killed.

Of the eight miners, three are slain by Anurr’s men, three run into the forest and two... join characters home.

Sadly, Archeval’s suspicions prove right: the two minors who arrive at the farmhouse progress in their transition to undeath. The transformation can be slowed down by keeping them warm at all times and giving them high volumes of food and water.

The two miners will be terrorised by the nightly voices and repeatedly attempt to escape into the mountains. They will struggle to speak coherently, and will scream violently if they are left in the dark.

In the end, the transition will finalise and the two miners will become fully undead.

The miners held at the farmhouse will be particularly distressed if they are subjected to strong light, or if they see or sense Xie Lian and Xiao Xingchen nearby. Xie Lian and Xiao Xingchen will meanwhile feel an itch to kill them — the intensity of this compulsion is up to the players.

Five can have one of the forest people to teleport home. Please respond here if you’d like it to be a human forest dweller, or a semi-undead one. Also choose whether this captive is male, female, young or middle/old-aged. This will play into the type of information the captive will have available.

The forest captive will try to track down and kill the transitioning miners.

This outcome fell ~~completely~~ a tiny bit out of the mod forecast, so the May calendar has been revised accordingly. As Karsa’s post signals, there are now a bunch of in-character assignments that will need some muscling through, and sign-ups are listed below.

SIGN-UP BASICS: quests are up for grabs, but can only have one character officially signed up as lead/anchor for the assignment. Other characters can still help with the task — ideally, there should be at least two characters helping out with each assignment. Quest leads can ICly make organisation posts or logs to carry out their tasks, and should pretty-please share their findings with the class ICly.

In the spirit of fairness, let’s ask players to only have one of their characters lead a quest. Please propose how your character would try to go about completing the assignment, and you’ll get mod feedback on the price/result!

Available quests:

Interrogate the miners

Interrogate the lone forest person

Find out the farmhouse origins

Investigate the body in the lake

Snoop among Anurr’s followers to figure out anything further about his plans

Get more of that c-c-c-coin

groundrules

TIME FOR CIVIC DUTIES
...now with dead people.

Unhalad’s undead forces return from the mines, where some workers were stranded because of a snow avalanche at the start of the month. The convoy numbers around 21 undead and eight miners — chained, drained, unable to fight and midway in their transformation to undead.

The group is attacked close to the forest outskirts by eight of Anurr’s undead and nine allied forest inhabitants (some close to undeath, some human).

There will be multiple clashes spread over a two-day span (17-18 May), as Unhalad’s forces are repeatedly blocked from making headway. They benefit from higher numbers of proper undead, while Anurr’s assailants have a better understanding of the lay of the land and more opportunity to camouflage in the forest. Anurr’s forces are visibly more strategic in their attacks; Unhalad’s rely more on brute strength, but also seek to defend the miners.

The brawls take place a 10-minute walk from the farmhouse. Characters will be able to see and hear the interaction, and Haltham will also alert them of the squabble and urging them to think wisely of how they want to respond.

Please comment to this post with how your character(s) would vote on whether to help Unhalad, support Anurr, stay out of everything, or propose your own mystery option #4 by midday, 12:00 PM GMT @ 19 May (Wednesday).

There will be no mod-led posts, but you are welcome to make your own posts/logs — including one for characters to discuss their decision ICly, if you want to! And front/postdate as you need to.

Don’t let it get to you, but this decision will influence characters' alignment in the Sa-Hareth conflict and their upcoming missions. No pressure!

groundrules

The Imperious and her delicious cargo are slowly creep-creeping their way to the icy port citadel of Sa-Hareth, leaving a narrow opportunity for the Archeval-led rescue mission of incoming captives .

To keep things tidy, everyone’s welcome to ask general event questions or specific test-drive meme ones, and to chatter about the fate of the Imperious. Remember: actions have consequences, and sinking the boat too close to the port could congest naval traffic for the foreseeable future.

Test-driving players: Eastbound’s so far survived on locust-style enthusiasm for out-of-the-box plotting, so don’t be afraid to pitch plots or ask tangential questions. The general guideline is that as long as you don’t break the sandbox, you don’t need mod permission, and you can check out the locations page if you need a map or general grasp of Sa-Hareth.

Hydrate & have fun, now with zombie mermaids!

groundrules

Hello, busy people! Just patching together details of the two upcoming optional player mini-plots you folks have nimbly sewn together!

( BANK HEIST )

( SLAVE RESCUE & TDM )

groundrules

Bright and early, wakey-wakey.

Wherever, whatever, however, whenever, whoever you were doing — is officially on PAUSE.

It’s a rush job, but don’t blame the getaway drivers — the intrepid rescue teams that are liberating you from hard chain and wall strappings still have dozens like you to release, one at a time. Poppy-drugged and haze-minded, some running wound fevers, you only earn bare-bone instructions after rose quartz necklace is thrust in your hand. This slip of nothing will allow you to grasp foreign speech for two days while you wear it:

"You are in west-northern province city Sa-Hareth. You were brought to serve warlord Unhalad. He will kill you for your strength. He has killed — see the many bones beside you — countless of your kind before. Be at the House of Dew within the fortnight, in the Merchant Arena. That way. Go east."

Characters are rescued from one of two locations. They have all been warded, stripping them of access to their native magic or spiritual and physical weapons. Characters with superior strength or physical prowess have been sedated. These effects will wear off gradually in 72 hours. Pick your path & poison:

( And here we go! )

THE OOC LAUNDRY LIST

Intro post for all newcomers!

Sa-Hareth arrival log

Event questions for the mod

Salt mines route sign-ups | Old jailhouse route sign-ups