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[Un67]

Get the elixir of focus and the elixir of foundations at least. The rest I could hardly care about.

[Frumple]

That's generally my way of looking at it, yeah. For a brawler in particular, the penultimate rewards are pretty lackluster (unless, maybe, you're picking up stone alchemy) -- wild growth, iirc, is kinda' buggy or something and pretty crappy because of it, taint of telepathy is superfluous (you've got track), the invuln pot is a few turns of invincibility but it's a one-shot deal. Lifebinding emerald's pretty great, but a non-stone brawler doesn't really have the means to get much out of it... or the interest. Regen-tank's not really a brawler thing, iirc, and about the only non-regen/heal class that likes the emerald is mindslayers (It's about the earliest tier five gem you can get, assuming you get lucky with ingredients.).

So I'd say aim for the talent points, both sets if possible, then pick up stats as able. If you can manage both talent point pots and even one of the stat pots, that's like two free level ups, which is pretty sexy.

[Graven]

I always go for focus first then whatever's left because nine out of ten times foundations gets autocompleted first. Wouldn't the Lifebinding emerald be pretty cool if a certain East quest is completed?

Still I say we help Ungrol because Dwarves need to stick together, man.

[Frumple]

Yeah, it can be pretty solid in that case. I once had one fellow that managed to stick both Wozzname's Rock and the Lifebinding Emerald into the same piece of kit, which was just kinda' beautiful. Good luck finding a plain voratun amulet, though. That's an RNG crapshoot like no other, barring the guaranteed source that's probably going to kill you.

[mcclay]

I think we should help the hermit because fuck the police. Its time to be a liberating force of justice to the masses.

[Ancre]

I vote for the dwarven brewer because I like him most.

[Dr Feelgood]

Looks like Ungrol is the winner.

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

Welcome back to Let's Play Tales of Maj'Eyal!



Kor'Pul was home to a necromancer, so there's a lot of skeletons here, along with the standard dungeon vermin. The undead here are pretty weak.



I gained a level while clearing the last floor.

level 11 - DEX, CON, CUN. 1 point in Backstab. Backstab increases our critical rate against stunned targets, and all critical hits have a chance to stun.



The Shade is the game's first somewhat dangerous boss. He can cast Freeze, which freezes us. When frozen you cannot move or heal, and you can only attack the ice block you're trapped in.

On the bright side, attacks deal less damage to you and you cannot be affected by new negative status effects. The Shade is immune to blindness, so don't bother using your sun infusion on him. The easiest way to defeat him is to fight him at close range.

I won't being doing a turn-by-turn account of boss fights anymore. It's too repetitive. Urist stun-locked the Shade for most of the fight, then the Shade tried to flee. Urist used psionic pull to grab him and delivered a fatal uppercut.



We get his staff for beating him. This is the 1st time we did not level up by killing a boss. I eventually gained a level by clearing the rest of the dungeon.

level 12 - CON, DEX, DEX. 1 point in Thick Skin and Backstab. Thick Skin increases our resistance to all damage by 3% (15% when maxed).



I visited a small and isolated village called Zigur. It's home to the game's anti-magic faction. I'm sure that the leader won't mind us using her headquarters to store our filthy arcane artefacts!

You can dump your artefacts in any town, until you find a permanent storage place. Your artefacts won't disappear. Regular items WILL disappear though.



Remember when we found that treasure map in the Trollmire? Well, it's about time we go treasure hunting.



Bill is usually available immediately after you defeat Prox. You should wait, until you gain a few more levels before challenging him. Bill hits hard and he has rush and stunning blow.

Urist just stun-locked him for the entire fight.



Feathersteel Amulet
The weight of the world seems a little lighter with this amulet around your neck.



Bill's treasure is a bunch of tier 1 gems and some gold. Kinda underwhelming.



The Heart of the Gloom is part of Shatur's forests. It was corrupted by the Spellblaze. All the enemies in this dungeon are cursed versions of regular animals. They all can use cursed/doomed talents: Agony, Dark Tendrils, and Blindside.

Agony: Damage-over-time mental attack.

Dark Tendrils: Slow-moving threads of darkness that pins you to the ground.

Blindside: An attack thats similar to Rush.

This place is pretty easy, but don't let yourself get swarmed.

Anyway, the boss of this place is The Withering Beast. He's pretty nasty on Nightmare mode. The Withering Beast has an ability called "Call Shadows", which summons a bunch of shadow things to attack you. On Nightmare, he can summon more of them. Shadows hit hard and they can surround you, blocking your escape.



I had to use hit and run tactics on him. Urist would pummel the beast, then teleport away whenever the shadows were surrounding him. Eventually, Urist gained a level.

level 13 - DEX, CUN, CUN. 1 point in Backstab.



Coral Spray
A chunk of jagged coral, dredged from the ocean.



In the wilderness near Elvala is a camp full of renegade mages. Their faction is hostile to us, so they're obviously evil.

This dungeon is a proper intro to spell caster enemies. They're among the most dangerous enemies in the game. They can deal a ton of damage from afar.

Fortunately, they're squishy. The standard tactic for dealing with spell casters is to use rush at them and kill them quickly.



There are golden chests scattered around in dungeons. Chests contain an item or gold, but they often summon enemies to attack you. I decided not to open this chest, yet.



Let's kill the boss first. The Inquisitor is a battlemage who sucks at both casting and melee. Urist had no trouble defeating her.



Urist leveled up after defeating her. We also found a letter on her. The crazy lady had a boyfriend

level 14 - DEX, DEX, CUN. I took a few points out of Backstab and put them in Relentless Strikes, Steady Mind, and Heightened Reflexes. Steady Mind is a passive talent that increases our mental saves and defense. Heightened Reflexes increases our speed whenever someone launches a ranged attack against us.



Iron Mail of Bloodletting
Blood drips continuously from this fell suit of iron, and dark magics churn almost visibly around it. Bloody ruin comes to those who stand against its wearer.

I decided to wear it. I forgot to take a screen cap of it. I'll post its stats later. Time to open that chest!



A brawler ooze... How can you punch stuff without fists? Well, Urist killed it without taking damage. That's it for today.

[Dr Feelgood]

Spoiler: Kor'pul lore (click to show/hide)

Damn that Zemekkys! Damn his insane experiments!! Why in the blackest night did I ever agree to take part in them?!

Oh yeah, because I was broke. Bah...

I think I might have considered things differently had I known I'd be transported without my clothes though! Imagine my embarrassment turning up in a foreign land, with my... my unmentionables on display... Thankfully I managed to borrow a robe from a friendly farmer, and did some work for him to earn gold enough for a bit of food, a journal, and a rusty old sword. When I heard there were ruins filled with undead nearby I knew my calling had come! So here I am, mighty Sun Paladin Telthar, to prove my strength in these foreign lands of the west!

But all I've found so far is rats. I hate rats...

Aha, I have found the accursed undead that plague this nefarious dungeon! The skeletal fool was thankfully no match for me! I suppose it helped that he had no arms...

I've found myself an old shield that in spite of a few dents seems serviceable enough. Some of these rats are BIG, and giving them a strong bash with the shield helps to stop their poisonous bites before I get my sword to their necks. I also found a few gems - I may have to hunt round for more. Not out of any personal greed of course, but my noble quest requires that I gather resources to defeat the great evils in this land and back home!

Diamonds are my favourite, so sparkly.

This place is infested! I've found a lot of skeletons now, and unfortunately most of them have borne a full set of limbs. However my holy quest cannot to be denied! Plus I got a really great sword off one of the blighters, I can chop anything up easily now!

The skeletal mages have been a night-born nuisance, but I've found a new weapon to use against them - a phase door rune! As soon as I catch sight of one of the robed wretches I activate my rune and foom, I'm away!

It's not fleeing, it's just tactical repositioning...

Kor'Pul, Kor'Pul... When the farmer told me what this place was called it reminded me of something, and I think it's coming back to me now. My mother used to tell me a story about our ancestors, how they fled by ship to escape the grasp of an evil sorcerer who dominated the lands. The sorcerer was a vile necromancer who took advantage of the destruction from the Spellblaze and the Cataclysm to create huge armies of undead. The people fought against him time and time again, but though he would be defeated he would still come back, sometimes after hundreds of years. And that sorcerer's name was.... Kor'Pul.

Probably just a coincidence.

It's quiet down here. And dark... very dark. I suppose I should have brought a lantern. Our motto is to bring light into dark places, but I guess I should have thought about that in practical terms. I've cleared out pretty much all of this area, and there's not much left to explore beyond this last room.

This adventuring stuff is quite lonely, I must say. I guess keeping this journal helps a bit. I miss home a lot now. I miss... I miss Falia. Maybe I should have said something to her about how I feel... but I guess running away on an adventure seemed easier. Pah, how brave of me...

I'm not cut out for this paladin work. Here I am, alone in a horrible dark dungeon in an unknown land, without a single sound to keep me company beyond the scratchings of my own quill. Hmm, except for--

Spoiler: Rhaloren camp lore (click to show/hide)

We must be on guard. The Council of Elders is desperate to find us, to hunt us down and suppress us. But we will not be suppressed. We have our rights! Their scouts try to track us down, and their spies try to infiltrate our numbers. They cannot accept any others having power, or any voice but their own being heard.

We have split away from our people, and we follow our own path now. We are outcasts. They call us renegades, anarchists; they think of us as nothing but vermin to be crushed underfoot. But we will not endure their cruel suppression. Our voice will be heard across the world and they shall recognise a new race of power - the mighty Rhaloren!

-- The Inquisitor

The Scintillating Caverns must be protected. Our great leader has ordered it so, and his word is more binding than any law. Our numbers are few, and we must move in secrecy, but a quiet watch will be made on the caverns. Any who are seen to interfere in them must be lured here to our place of strength, and brought before me for inquisition.

More have joined our cause. Their eyes have been opened to the injustice our people have suffered, blamed by the other races for the Spellblaze and its effects. They are sick of the cowardice of the Council, who sit in silence as we are scorned and hated across the world. But most of all they are inspired by our great leader, and the powers he has gained from studying the Spellblaze. He alone realizes our full potential, he alone can see in our hearts what we are truly capable of. He has blessed me, rescued me from a tortured life and touched me with his power. Only he can lead our people! With his mastery the world will see our strength and recognise us as a true force to be reckoned with.

Trust in his power, for he shall bring us all to glory.

-- The Inquisitor

For too long we have been taught that the Spellblaze was a tragedy, that we are responsible for the deaths of millions and for suffering across the world. These are lies! Lies spread to defame us, to prevent our people from using magic to its rightful degree. The lesser races are jealous of our powers, of our amazing potential, and so they think to keep us underfoot, to stop us from ascending to our rightful place in the world. They fear us.

The truth is that the Spellblaze was an experiment that went wrong. Many of our greatest mages died from the resulting energies, and some lands nearby were set ablaze. But there was no loss of life amongst the other races - it is their own wars that caused that, and their own squalid societies that brought about the plagues that followed. Many centuries later a great natural earthquake occurred that tore the lands apart, and the other races had the audacity to blame that on us.

For this reason they persecuted us during the Spellhunt. Many of our mages were killed mercilessly, and even those with no affinity to magic were brutally slaughtered in the terrible crusade. Even today we suffer discrimination and persecution, and tales still spread of innocent Shaloren burned at the stake or chopped to pieces. And what does the Council do? It sits in silence and hopes people will just forget.

But no more! The time will come when the truth shall be known, and retribution will fall on any that deny us our rights.

-- The Inquisitor

I have great news! Our glorious leader has written to me, telling me of his travels. He is on a great pilgrimage, a holy quest to discover more about the Spellblaze and its powers, so that we may show the truth about it to the world. It is a quest fraught with peril, for we have many enemies in the world. But by his powers he cannot fail. He cannot! He cannot...

One day soon he will return to us, and bring us to our proper glory. Look forward to that great time, when he is amongst us once more. Be ready for that moment when he stands tall before us and looks at us with his deep eyes... Work hard now and be attentive in your duties, so that we may make him proud. We fight for him, we struggle for him, and if needs be we will die for him. He is our hope and our glory, and the only joy we have in this dispassionate world.

-- The Inquisitor

My dearest,

I hope this letter finds you well. I worry for you, so close to the city, so vulnerable should they find our base... But I trust in your strength, and I know you will be safe. Yet should anything happen...

I wish you were here with me, able to share in the wonders I have seen. Yet this journey has far more perils. The Ziguranth have been on to us, tracking us relentlessly, spoiling many of my plans. They are truly a force to be reckoned with. But luck is with me - I have managed to capture one and find out the location of their base. Soon we shall prepare an attack that shall put an end to their threat forever.

Ah, but there is something more exciting even than that! Near the Charred Scar I have uncovered a truly amazing thing - a mark of the Spellblaze. Oh, how I long for you to be here with me to see its wonders! You of all people know my passions so well, and what delight you would find in what I have discovered here. Here is where our future lies. Here is where we shall gain the power to truly strike out on our own!

Look after our people well, and keep strong our base for when I return. It shall be soon, I hope, and it shall be in glory.

With passion abound,
Your dearest love

These pieces of lore are available from a shop in Last Hope.

Spoiler: Last Hope lore (click to show/hide)

I set out here to give a full and complete analysis of all the intelligent races in Maj'Eyal. This is an ambitious project to say the least, but it is put together from a great many years labour, including travels across all the kingdoms and direct meetings with many of the highest rulers and most learned sages. I have drawn my findings from common knowledge, exclusive interviews, and studies of many thousands of pages of texts and histories, some going back dozens of centuries.

I myself am a Higher human, in the employ of the court of King Tolak the Fair, but I have done my best to write all accounts from a purely neutral standpoint. I leave it to my peers to judge my success.

Index:
Chapter 1 - Humans
Chapter 2 - Halflings
Chapter 3 - Dwarves
Chapter 4 - Shaloren
Chapter 5 - Thaloren
Chapter 6 - Naloren (extinct)
Chapter 7 - Orcs (extinct)
Chapter 8 - Sher'Tul (extinct)
Chapter 9 - Monstrous Races
Chapter 10 - Dragons

I begin my writings with a study of the humans, currently the most populous of the races in Maj'Eyal. The greatest kingdom in number are by far the Cornacs, but mention should also be made of the Sholtar and Mardrop kingdoms, and the Higher bloodline. The biggest human population centre is around the citadel of Last Hope, though many other settlements exist across all corners of Maj'Eyal.

Cornacs are normally around 5'9", with generally dark hair, brown eyes and ruddy features. Most Cornacs take up roles as tradesmen, farmers, or other manual labour jobs. It is a sad fact that the majority of bandit groups tend to be dominated by Cornacs. Cornac families tend to be large, and since the Age of Dusk their population has expanded rapidly, especially in the farming lands in the west and around Last Hope in the south.

Sholtar are generally 5'11", with dark skin, hair and eyes. They originate from the south-east of Maj'Eyal, and are few in number since the Cataclysm tore much of their land into the sea. Their affinity with nature is renowned, and they are often found employed as healers, infusion crafters or wyrmic huntsmen.

Mardrop humans are all but extinct, after the Spellhunt and the plagues during the Age of Dusk. They were known to be powerful spellcasters, and as such were prime targets by the spellhunters. However some trace of them can still be found, as their fiery hair and freckled skin oft can appear in those of distant descent. A few are rumoured to still possess citadels and towers in remote locations.

Highers are on average 6'0", with fair hair and skin and blue or grey eyes. The majority of scholarly roles are taken up by Highers, and they tend to fill most of the noble classes. Some say this is due to discrimination and elitism, though these may simply be jealous sentiments. There are also rumours that the superior intellects of Highers are due to arcane experiments instigated by the ancient Conclave during the Age of Allure, but I have found no records to support this idea and must consider it to be baseless. The Higher bloodline is renowned as a mark of excellence, and mixing with lower bloods is strongly frowned upon.

All human kingdoms were united by King Toknor the Brave in the Age of Pyre, and remain under the rule of his son King Tolak the Fair. A full discussion of the long human history would require a far more detailed document.

There are two main kingdoms of halflings, the Eldoral and the Nargol, though both mix often. All halflings are just under 4' tall, and are generally noted for their large feet and curly hair. Eldoral are usually fair-haired and blue-eyed. Nargol tend to be darker in hair and complexion, with hazel eyes, and oft slightly shorter than their cousins. Halflings are known for their intelligence and quick wit, but also their arrogance in dealing with other races - something they do not deny, for they say it is well-deserved.

Halflings used to be the most dominant race in Maj'Eyal, with control of many strategic Sher'Tul ruins and rule over great swathes of land. The recorded wars between humans and halflings are numerous, and the halflings were the most often victors. However the Age of Pyre brought them great ruin, for the orcs seemed to target them more fiercely than any other race, and many of their communities were wiped out. This has forced them to rely more on trade with other races in modern times, especially with the humans.

The Eldorals used to have a kingdom in the north of the continent, but most of it was destroyed during the wars with the orcs, and not much has been rebuilt. However they do still have many agricultural settlements such as Derth, albeit shared with other races. The Eldoral are known for their great healers and farmers, and their slingers are considered the best in all the lands.

The Nargols once had many strong fortifications in the south of Maj'Eyal, but though they suffered less than the Eldoral in the Age of Pyre they still lost great numbers, and much of their centres of population dwindled. The rise of Last Hope has accelerated this process, as many communities are subsumed into the city's suburbs. Nargols are known as great jewellers, alchemists and rune-crafters, and possess some of the best tactical minds of all the races. Many generals and military advisers are employed from their kingdom.

The most famous of all halflings is Queen Mirvenia, most famed for her saving of King Toknor in Last Hope from a siege of orcs. Mystery still surrounds how she managed to bypass the winter's icy floes with her army to reach the citadel in time to rescue Toknor. Some have hypothesised that she enlisted the aid of sorcerers, but none of her troops would talk about the journey afterwards. She wed King Toknor in the second year of the Age of Ascendancy, and gave birth to the first known mixed race child - Tolak the Fair.

The dwarves are an exceptionally secretive and quiet race, reluctant to talk about themselves to outsiders unless hefty bribes are paid. Many times in their history they have cut off all contact with the other races for no known reason, shutting tight the great iron doors that cover the trade passages to their mines and their cavernous cities. However of late they have become more open with the outside world, and I have even had the pleasure of receiving the unique distinction of being allowed to enter their main city, the Iron Throne, and speaking with several of their guild leaders.

Dwarves are around 5' tall, with generally brown or grey hair. They are usually stocky and muscular, and known to be very resistant to any physical suffering. Their females can be hard to distinguish from their males, but can usually be identified by the beads braided into their beards. All dwarves are highly proud of their beards, and take immaculate care of them. The greatest insult to a dwarf is to belittle his beard, and the greatest sign of suffering in a dwarf is for him to tear at his beard.

Dwarves are known especially for their smithwork and artificing, which is unrivalled amongst all the other races. They also make cunning merchants, known to drive a hard bargain. Their society consists of a fairly strict caste system, with families belonging to guilds of miners, smelters, craftsmen, and so on, and deviance into work outside of one's guild of birth is almost unheard of. However there is no perceived inequality between guilds, with each having equal representation on their ruling Committee of Guilds. Who actually acts as figurehead is unknown to outsiders though, and no amount of bribing will encourage any dwarf to speak on the subject. When it is mentioned in passing their allusions to a leader are normally marked by an almost religious reverence.

Their skill with metal is renowned above all else. Dwarven steel is considered the most durable material for use in construction, and dwarves are the finest workers with stralite and voratun, precious metals of immense value. They trade heavily in their crafts from their capital the Iron Throne, but allow no outsiders in - instead they send innumerable merchant caravans out to all the cities to ply their wares.

As well as the many merchant dwarves one may meet there are also a great deal of young dwarves who venture beyond their halls of stone. These are generally of adventuring fare, and it is encouraged in dwarven society to experience something of the wider world in one's younger years. This is known to them as being "smithed upon the anvil of the world". In private though some senior dwarves admit that this activity is promoted to help with their "market research strategy".

Though the elven races look very similar in appearance, they are extremely distinct in history, culture, mindset and many subtle physical traits, so I shall write of each of them separately. All elves are marked by their long, pointed ears and high cheek-bones, but other features can vary greatly. It should be noted that they call themselves as a whole "Elore", which means "siblings", yet the interactions between these brothers and sisters are oft strained.

Shaloren (or Shalore - lit "siblings of grace") are on average 6'2", with bright hair and blue or purple eyes. They are usually slim and lightly built, more marked for their mental prowess than their physical strengths. They are however known to be extremely swift of movement and light of foot. But of particular note is their magical affinity, which is far stronger than any other race, and their intense powers of will.

The Shaloren have a long history of magic-use which continues to this day. Though other races shun the dangers of magic to a large degree, the Shaloren embrace it, and it is still widely used throughout their society. However they are careful to hide this in their dealings with other races. The Shaloren were the ones that began the Spellblaze, though they would soon have it forgotten, and the memories of blame run deep amongst many. During the Spellhunt in the Age of Dusk they locked their city doors and shrouded the whole region in mist, only coming out in secrecy. It took many centuries before they were accepted again in wider society, and still they are treated with intense distrust.

Their capital city is Elvala, in the south-west peninsula, and they have very few settlements outside of this. They have naturally long lives, and their mastery of the arcane arts has allowed them to extend their lives indefinitely. The eldest immortals make up their Council of Elders, which is headed by their King Aranion Gayaeil. Death is a particular fascination amongst the Shaloren, and early kings of their race were said to build great tombs for themselves whilst experimenting in flesh preservation and necromancy. The Shaloren of course deny this.

They deal with other races seldom, preferring to keep a low profile, and most of their trade is done through halfling intermediaries. A few rune-crafters and enchanters sometimes travel to other major cities to do business, and some brash youths are known to explore further afield.

The Thaloren (or Thalore - lit "siblings of wrath") are on average 6'4", with dark brown hair and hazel or green eyes. They are generally of muscular build, and known for their physical prowess. They are renowned to be of a fey mindset - as quick to furious violence as they are to joyous song. Their relations with the Shaloren are particularly strained, as they strongly oppose their brethren's use of magic.

Their capital city is Shatur, hidden deep within the northern woods, and they are loathe to let any outsiders even approach the surrounding forest. Archers and fighters carefully patrol their borders, ready to rain down death from the trees on any who encroach. Their leader is Queen Nessilla Tantaelen, and they are said to live in extensive dwellings carved into giant trees, but little else is known about their society.

Those who choose to leave the fastness of the forest tend to be of unique disposition with unusual attitudes and traits. Oft they are musicians, bowmasters or skilled warriors. However they are sometimes mistrusted heavily, as rumour has it that many of those who leave Shatur are actually criminals expelled for the very worst crimes. In any case they tend to be natural loners who wander the world on their own personal quests.

The Thaloren do business very rarely with the outside world, but when they do it is normally for metals and certain foodstuffs that they cannot get themselves. Usually in trade they sell woodcraft and fine silks. This is the only legal source of elven-wood, a rare commodity that is often sought after for fletchwork. Black market sources rely on poachers to cut trees from the Shatur forest - an immensely risky business, but also very profitable for the high prices paid by Shaloren mages for an elven-wood staff.

The Naloren (or Nalore - lit "siblings of spirit") are now an extinct race, as their homeland was swept into the sea by the Cataclysm. However as a separate elf race they are worth studying, scant though the records be. Much of what is now said about the Naloren is traced with myth, but one can deduce certain facts.

Naloren elves were around 5'10", with blonde hair and green eyes. They were incredibly thin, but known for their swift and dextrous capabilities. Their kingdom was located on the eastern side of Maj'Eyal, and all of their towns were on the sea or straddling major rivers. They employed themselves as fishermen, sponge-divers, sailors and musicians. They were renowned for being able to stay underwater for hours at a time, and those with arcane abilities were said to be able to stay submerged indefinitely.

They traded little with the other races, and were very protective of their coastal lands. They most especially guarded jealously an ancient Sher'Tul ruin that lay in the centre of their territories. The Shaloren were in particular keen to study this relic, but the Naloren always refused them access, though they were too afraid to touch it themselves. The orcs were said to encroach on their lands often, but were always fought back by their mail-clad warriors wielding vicious tridents.

Alas their love of the sea was to be their undoing. When the Cataclysm came the whole of the coastal kingdom was shorn away and fell into the sea, annihilating almost the entire race. What small numbers survived committed suicide soon after by leaping from the eastern cliffs into the ocean, following their fallen brothers and sisters. Almost no evidence of their civilisation remains.

A study into Southspar's most unusual ruler.

Chances are you haven't heard of Southspar.

And why would you have? It was naught but a tiny, provincial island kingdom off the coast of Tar'Eyal that existed within the Ages of Allure and Dusk. By all accounts, Southspar was a pleasant place to live; temperate climate, healthy trade relations with mainland human kingdoms, and by great luck, the island upon which the kingdom sat held great deposits of the much-valued metal stralite.

Despite this good fortune though, Southspar was doomed to mediocrity. Why? The actions of its ruler. By all accounts a bumbling, octogenarian dotard, his name lost to the mists of time, this mouldy monarch mismanaged Southspar almost to its demise. The Dwarves of the Iron Throne, having heard of the stralite beneath the island, manipulated the king into mining it and selling it to them for a fraction of its true worth. Also, despite Southspar's decidedly puny military power, the king saw fit to send whatever troops he could muster to aid mainland human kingdoms in their great and many wars against the halflings, who up to this point had barely registered Southspar's existence. Not only were the undertrained, ill-equipped troops crushed like vermin before the superior halfling forces, but also these foolhardy attacks succeeded in attracting the halflings' attention to their secluded island. Almost immediately, the raids began.

From what records remain, the king was mystified by the decline of his nation, believing to the end that every action he took had been the right one. He passed away soon after the halfling raids began. Whether it was suicide, assassination, or simple old age is unknown. The king never married and had no children, the only remaining member of his family being a distant cousin, a young man named Drake.

And so it was that Drake ascended to the throne, and Southspar entered a golden age.

1. Drake and the Halfling Horde.

To the newly crowned Drake, the most obvious and immediate threat to Southspar was the growing raids and sorties being held by the halflings. To this end, he ordered a complete and total reconstruction of Southspar's military, turning them from a ragtag bunch of militia into a small yet devastatingly efficient engine of war. Drake knew that the only advantage his forces held over the halflings was their knowledge of the island, and so bade them to travel stealthily, carry small, armour-defeating stralite knives rather than spears and swords, and only engage with the halflings strictly on their own terms. Southspar's newly assembled "Army of Rogues" was a success. Although the halflings were great in number, strike after surgical strike from Drake's army weighed heavily on their morale, and finally, grumpily declaring Southspar "not worth the bother", the halfling forces withdrew.

Southspar celebrated its peace and its newly found military might, but for Drake, the celebration was short-lived. The stralite he had used to craft his Army of Rogues' knives and armour was stralite that wasn't going into the Dwarves' pockets, and they were far from happy. Drake formulated a plan - by the time he was through, the Dwarves would be even further from happy.

2. Drake and the Stralite Stratagem.

The Dwarves have always been a secretive race. Even now only a select few know the location of their "Iron Council", and in the days of Southspar there were still those who considered Dwarves nothing but myth. Being a monarch in possession of large amounts of stralite can open even the most concealed of doors, however... Drake had requested an audience with the Iron Council, and the Dwarves, expecting said audience to be a humble apology and promises of further stralite for the gold they were paying, readily accepted.

What they got, in reality, was quite different. Gone was the ineffectual king of Southspar's past, and now the Dwarves found themselves facing a young, hard-eyed human who was demanding that the amount of gold that the Dwarves were paying for Southspar's stralite be increased twenty-fold.

To say the Dwarves scoffed at this would be an understatement; open, derisive laughter hits nearer the mark. Despite Southspar's recent repulsion of the halflings, the Dwarves of the Iron Throne saw no problem in taking Southspar's stralite by force. In his heart, Drake knew they could accomplish this, and it was to this end that he had brought the small pouch around his neck to the Council.

Drake held the small, drakeskin pouch high, opened it and emptied its contents onto the floor: Stralite, ground to dust, muddied with dirt and base metals, made unusable and worthless. The Dwarves of the Council gasped in horror at this waste, one (if rumours are to be believed) even fainting on the spot. Drake went on to say that, if his demands were not met, the entirety of the stralite beneath his island would meet the same fate as the stralite cast upon the chamber's floor.

By the time Drake left the Iron Council, the Dwarves had agreed to pay thirty times the previous amount.

3. Drake and the Conclave Mages.

With its borders unassailed, ands its coffers rapidly filling with Dwarven gold, many believed that the fortune of Southspar could not increase any further. Drake, however, had one last task to accomplish, and it regarded the Conclave.

For a long time, a small number of Conclave mages had made their home in Southspar. The remote location and the doddering nature of its old king meant that they could perform experiments and practice magic that would have been disallowed on the mainland. Being reclusive by nature, only a few of their group had heard of the rise of the new king, and none of them had cared much. Drake's royal guards breaking down the door of their study, followed by the king himself, gave them cause to care. Drake had for them an ultimatum:

"This is the kingdom of Southspar, my kingdom, and so everything within her borders must be within my control. This applies to her people, her land, her resources, and now her magic. I shall allow you to remain here in Southspar on one condition: You become members of my royal court, obey my commands, and use your magic for the betterment of the kingdom. When un-needed you may tend to your Conclave matters as you will, but your greatest loyalty will be to me. Do you accept?"

The Conclave mages' response? Laughter. But this laughter was not the mocking laughter of the Dwarves, but laughter of disbelief. As recorded, the mages' response went as:

"King Drake! You needn't have bothered us with such a stern ultimatum! A simple request would have sufficed. True, in the past we may have chosen to reside here for simple seclusion, but it is hard to ignore Southspar's rising star. This kingdom's glory shall continue to grow, and we want to be a part of it. We accept."

Freedom from halfling attacks, Dwarven fortunes, and now the magic of the Conclave blessed Southspar. What, the common people thought, could possibly happen next?

Mere weeks after the Conclave joined the royal court, Drake fell ill and died.

4. Drake and the Empty Throne.

Drake was dead, and Southspar's people were struck with depression and outright horror. Their king, who was fast on his way to making their kingdom one of the greatest in Maj'Eyal, was no more. The throne lay empty; not a single soul vied for the now vacant position of king. As far as Southspar's citizens were concerned, it was Drake's throne, nobody else's.

The norm in tales like this would be that the kingdom slowly managed to get back on its feet, recover from the loss of their king, and finally return to a state resembling normalcy. Not so for Southspar. Drake's demise had left a wound that was not healing, and it was clear that something had to be done. One of the men closest to Drake in his life, his chancellor, left abruptly on a mysterious "errand", hoping that the kingdom would not crumble before his return. After a period of some months he did return, and his first port of call? The study of the Conclave mages. He held in his hand a tome, bound in skin and marked with blood-red runes. Its subject matter was obvious: Necromancy. The chancellor had but one command for the mages:

"Bring him back."

5. Drake and the Pale Kingdom.

Here, sadly, definitive facts on Southspar and Drake's fate vanish. Some say that Drake's rebirth was a resounding success, and Southspar's star continued to rise as the now skeletal Drake retook the throne, the gaze from his exposed skull unchanged from his mortal visage. Others believe that the madness that grasps those returned from the grave took him, and with the new powers that the Conclave had blessed him with began a reign of terror that drowned Southspar in blood. The only fact that can be known for certain was the new name his subjects gave to him in his death: Pale King Drake, the Pale King, or simply Pale Drake.

I leave you with a copy of one of the last pieces of Southspar's history, a partially destroyed scrap of parchment, supposedly written moments before the Cataclysm and Southspar's destruction, falling beneath the waves along with the rest of Tar'Eyal.

"Time grows pressi... ... ome in the boat... ... found. The binding w... a success. Now, to the sea, to l... ... ew, and Dreadfe... ... oble king. Rot in my new du... as you will!

[Dr Feelgood]

Update!

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

Welcome back to Let's Play Tales of Maj'Eyal!

Sorry for the slow pace. I have a bad habit of playing multiple games at the same time.

Anyhow, before I forget: The chest had a gem. And the ooze dropped a useless pair of boots.

+2 constitution and strength
+10% acid, blight, fire, and darkness resistance
+0.1 to "technique/bloodthirst" tree
+0.5 life regen
+30 healing boost
+2 def
+4 armor
+12 fatigue

Lets you use the talent, Bloodcasting.

Now, let's finish up the remaining early game dungeons.



I really dislike being teleported to the last level of the dungeons. Thankfully, this is the last time, since we'll be moving on to higher level zones.

The Deep Bellow is similar in layout to the Gloomy forest, except the cause of the corruption isn't the Spellblaze. The dwarves got greedy and dug too deep, and Bad Things happened. Sounds familiar. 

Anyway, the boss of this place, The Mouth, has two attacks: Drain, which deals blight damage and restores its vim. And Call of Amakthel, which pulls you closer to the Mouth. No attacks can directly damage the Mouth. Blight is an "evil" damage type. Vim is the defiler classes' resource. It's basically life force.



The Mouth is a gimmick boss. Every turn it'll spawn a slimy crawler, and every time you kill one the Mouth will lose 10% HP.



Just hide behind a tree to avoid getting hit by drain and kill the crawlers. Eventually, the Mouth will die.



Vestments of the Conclave
An ancient set of robes that has survived from the Age of Allure. Primal magic forces inhabit it.
It was made by Humans for Humans; only they can harness the true power of the robes.

+10 arcane damage
+6 magic
+15% spell critical

If you're human, then you get bigger bonuses.



We might as well help them. We can never have too much xp and loot!



That sounds ominous. I'm sure it's nothing that Urist "The Knee-Puncher" can't handle.



Ben has a gloom talent that causes random status effects when you're near him and he hits hard. I recommend getting a teleport rune or movement infusion in case you need to escape.



Urist doesn't need to escape. Stun-locking enemies is fun.





Beating Ben unlocks the cursed class. The remaining lumberjacks give you money and a pickax for saving them.



Mighty Girdle
This girdle is enchanted with mighty wards against expanding girth. Whatever the source of its wondrous strength, it will prove of great aid in the transport of awkward burdens.

+40% knockback immunity
+70 max encumbrance
+4 armor

The mighty girdle is part of a set of artifacts. The other part is the snow giant's wrap. When you equip a full set you unlock bonuses to both artifacts. We don't have the snow giant's wrap.

level 15 - CUN, CUN, DEX. I put a point in Unarmed Mastery, Flurry of Fists, and Slow Motion. Flurry of Fists hits an enemy with 3 punches. Slow Motion reduces the speed of incoming projectiles (spells and arrows).

That's it for today!

EDIT:

Spoiler: Deep Bellow lore (click to show/hide)

10 days into initial site survey, hmm! Recent tremors have opened deep new chasms, but we must work cautiously to ensure they're stable before conducting major operations, oh yes! Proceeding well at start, with supports being put in place and no flammable gases detected, hmm hmm.

Some Sher'Tul relics have been found. Perhaps great profit to be had here! High margins on Shaloren market, yes yes.

Some miners saying they feel ill, hrm hrm. The drem fools have likely been gorging on too much mead. Will deduct it from their pay, yes yes!

-- Foreman Tamoth

Chasms go deep, yes yes. More relics found, oh yes. Will be mighty profitable! But ah, my secret treasure is even better, indeed! Gold! Beautiful lovely gold, buried deep, so deep... Have kept it hidden, sealed, yes. Looks like the remains of a giant throne. I touched it, yes, I even put my lips to it - ahhh, the taste!

But must stay focussed, much work to be done. Miners are roudy, hrm! One of the drem fools went mad and killed himself with a pickaxe - messy business. Must restore order, yes yes! More Sher'Tul artifacts found, possible even remains of weapons. Imagine the profit! Will keep them hidden yes, the dreams say yes, in the darkness, secret, waiting waiting, for the right time...

Hmm, that fellow's blood was so red, spilling on the cavernous floor. I wonder where they buried him? My mouth... it wants to taste, yes yes...

-- Foreman Tamoth

Hah, my mouth, it tastes, it feels, hmm hmm. It grows, yes yes! The others are changing, flying, screaming, squelching, warping. Bad for profit, hmm hmm. My teeth, they grow, they hunger, yes. They want to escape!

I can feel in my dreams, the dark depths. Bound, buried, forgotten. My mouth wants to open, to scream, to destroy! Hmm hmm, deep below, yes... Want to get out!

Must stay down here to be close to the dreams, yes yes. Must plant my mouth in the soil and watch it grow! It will devour me, and grow and grow, hmm hmm. It will call from the dark place, and bring back Him from the deepest below, oh yes.

-- Ta...moth... The mouth... yes yes!

[TomatoWalrus]

Quick question:

Using average difficulty settings, how hard would you say this game is? I love games like this, but I tend to suck majorly at them.
Is it more of a fair "Oh I can expect to die three or four times before I get the hang of things" or the typical brutal "Yeah, you'll be lucky if you finish" style gameplay? I'm fine with either way, but with my skill currently, I do good to get past the 4th floor of vanilla Nethack or the 6th floor of Dungeon Crawl Stone Soup.

[Dr Feelgood]

ToME is easier than Nethack and DCSS. It's also a lot longer than either game. ToME is still a roguelike, so expect to die often. ToME is pretty straightforward and you're unlikely to experience unfair deaths, unless you're playing on the harder difficulties.

[Un67]

I dunno about easier than DCSS. DCSS is a game where, so long as you're fairly careful, you can win more or less any encounter assuming its appropriate for your point in the game. ToME? Not so much. Unfortunately, I am currently completely out of practice in DCSS and still terrible at ToME so now I am at this terrible point between two roguelikes 

[Frumple]

Put this way: Careless play can get you a lot further in T4 than it can in DCSS. T4's overall considerably more forgiving about... like, everything. Mostly. You've got a lot better access to a lot more powerful tools than pretty much anything DCSS offers.

Now, T4 will still pound you into pace if you sequentially fuck up enough times, but it's not quite as enthusiastic about it. But yeah, T4, especially on the most played difficulty (adventurer/normal) is pretty darn forgiving. Considering you end up with 7+ chances to die, you've got a lot more leeway about things.

[Darkmere]

I've only played Dungeons of Dredmor, Elona (sandbox paralysis...), and ToME, but ToME seems fair to me. Once I'd played enough to get the hang of it, there were only a small number of deaths due to extreme bad luck, that I couldn't have done anything about. There were MANY more deaths from me being dumb, though. I made things harder on myself by expecting traps where there were none, so (as far as I know) don't hesitate to use plot drops as soon as you loot them.

[Antur]

Ptw, great LP so far!

More on topic: TOME is imo one of the easier (or at least easiest to get to the point where you don't feel like everything can and will beat you into the ground ) rougelikes, that is unless you run into a rare with unbeatable class/type combo.