Turn 5: Use Your HeadLocate and throw a rock at the demon.
[5] You manage to find a very nicely shaped rock.
[2-1] vs [3] Unfortunately, the demon still refuses to be hit by it.
+1 ThrowingRip the last demon's head off.
Did you think I was trying to rip someone else's head off?
[5+1] vs [4] You come up behind the demon as it wrestles with the spear in its gut, grab its head, and give it a good twist. It turns to hollow clay in your hands, letting you complete the rest of the ripping motion with relative ease.
Demon slain!
+1 FistfightingWith the last demon slain, the rest of you have little to do. Demon Clay, as the remnants of soldier demons are known, is not particularly valuable and is technically a restricted material, though it usually doesn't have that much difficulty passing through in small quantities. They have no other loot, wandering around without possessions as they do.
Aside from returning to Red Guard Tower, you have a number of options. This area probably has more, similarly-sized, similarly-aimless demon patrols, if you care to look around. Deeper into the Wastes probably has larger and more focused groups, though you could probably stay shallow enough to not get killed by a proper patrol or kill squad.
There's also hills to the east; in addition to whatever's normally crawling about in them, Lieutenant Voss, the guy you're collecting horns for, claimed some plague priest was living at their edge overlooking the main path.
((As apologies for most players not getting a turn, have some trivia.))
I must punch the demon!
Demons have a reputation for being mindlessly cruel beasts with no purpose beyond causing pain and suffering. While this is certainly true of soldier demons, more advanced types do, in fact, possess the ability to speak, plan, and want things other than immediately tearing someone asunder at all costs.
While their boundless malice and intention to ultimately destroy all life does make true negotiation somewhat difficult, occasionally enterprising individuals have managed to strike up beneficial deals with demons and not been torn asunder in the process. As an interesting side effect, they have revealed some interesting facets of demonic mentality and organization.
Demons willing to negotiate are most often interested in either power or the weakening of a rival; apparently demon lords do not always get along well, though the precise reasons for this remain elusive. Whatever the case, a handful of cunning warriors have managed to escape destruction or even receive boons by weakening or even destroying a different demon lord. Of course, the combination of circumstances required for a demon lord to believe a mortal effective enough to do something they can't but also dangerous enough to let live or even empower are fairly rare.
Otherwise, demons sometimes respond well to outright bribes, though again, the number of items a demon lord might find valuable, and the number of circumstances under which it wouldn't rather just kill someone for said item, are both pitifully small. Powerful components that match a demon's elemental affinities or magical inclinations are the most commonly successful items, especially if it believes it can get more by not murdering the subject once it's received its end of the bargain.
Pow pow pow ice blast soldier demon
The preservation of Haven's lifegiving aura is of the utmost importance to its leaders. Hence, strongly elemental or otherwise potentially tainting or interfering sources of power, including some creatures, are frowned upon and usually not permitted within Haven's borders.
The Queen of Ice, also known by any number of similar epithets, is one such exception. Her origins are unclear, though given that snow was generally a rarity outside the highest regions of the area now known as The Crags (not to be confused with the lesser "Crags" just outside Haven't borders), it seems likely she was native to either there or another plane.
Her motives are fairly well known, however- she despises the heat and flame the demons have brought to this world, with the sort of indignant shock one might expect from a creature of pure frost and cold. She's allowed an abode of snow within Haven, where she helps serve as a mentor to frost-minded magi.
She's also known to occasionally provide rewards for those willing to destroy or despoil particularly fiery demons or taints, though it's fairly clear she values the supremacy of cold more than the lives of anyone doing her bidding.
Sing sing sing through the wind of the flute. Inspire, inspire, our allies quick boots.
Try to inspire them to act FASTER! 
Haven's protections against demonic corruption come from a number of sources, but one of the most important is worship.
Before Haven consisted of the lands around it, when only the city itself withstood demonic onslaught after demonic onslaught, the city was packed with refugees. One of the only ways many of these poor souls could aid the city was by praying to just and noble gods for protection.
As time wore on and the city became more desperate, this became more and more of a coordinated service, not dissimilar to manning or repairing the walls. The city was shrouded in holy power or otherwise experienced divine benefits for many important battles and over many crucial periods.
As the demonic attacks became less frenzied, and the city's defenders became more hardened, this notion of service via prayer diminished somewhat, but it never stopped. The city itself continued building and rebuilding temples, not for traditional worship but for harnessing the belief of those packed into them, and its priests continued to warp that prayer into protective shells- the precursors to Haven's current anti-corruption aura guarding the land itself.
Today, the Residential District still has a number of stone temples for this very purpose, and they are still filled with professional worshipers, aiding the city in protecting its land.
Stop trying to pull out spear, instead call upon the feral aspect of the wolf, and go for the throat.
The Calm Coast is often regarded as the safest place in the world outside Haven or similar holdouts. It's also often regarded as an insidious trap just playing at serenity to lure you in, largely as a backlash against the notion that "safest" might mean "safe."
What most people don't know, then, is just what the Calm Coast is or what dwells within it. And the reason most people don't know this is because they think it has to be one, coherent thing.
It's not. That's the secret, and much of the danger, to the Calm Coast- the number of things out there is massive and varied. It's an alien, fey landscape filled with alien, fey beings, and all of them follow different rules and have different qualities. Some are childlike beings that dance about and like to be followed for no noticeable reason. Others are malicious tricksters hoping to harvest souls by luring victims into a trap.
To travel successfully in the Calm Coasts, then, requires more than just caution or willpower or a particular way of doing things. It requires a certain flexibility, a nose for danger, and a willingness to play by whatever rules seem to be in effect at the moment.
More lightning
The Saltwater Inn is generally regarded as the inn of the Docks District, and a good place to find rumors and occasionally work. It's also known to be a bit on the rough side.
There is, however, another place where one can find drinking, entertainment, and other things: The Scurvy Lass. More of a gambling den and a tavern than a true inn, the Scurvy Lass is rougher and more inclusive than the Saltwater- unwelcome guests are subject to unwelcome stares and suggestions that they go elsewhere.
Existing in, at best, a legal grey area, The Scurvy Lass offers drinking (quite legal), gambling (somewhat prohibited by Haven law), occasional pitfights (definitely prohibited by Haven law in the case of animals, and dubious regarding humans), and a lot of unpleasant ruffians in one area. The latter naturally makes it a hotspot for rumors, provided you can overhear or bribe your way into them. It also makes it a good source for hired muscle, provided you're not the most discriminating employer around.
"I really should have gotten some weapon"
Grab something small and enchant it to vibrate when demons are close.
There's rumors of a very special location on the eastern coasts, accessible from Haven only by boat. An arena, of sorts, but not like any arena elsewhere.
Supposedly, the Crucible draws its combatants from other worlds. Not just wherever summoned beasts and the like come from, either- strange places no one else has ever heard about, filled with strange things no one else has ever seen.
It's not just creatures, either. Supposedly they have access to exotic materials and armaments as well, though the prices tend to be steep or involve strength of arms rather than coin.
Getting there is supposedly difficult as well. Only one of Haven's three captains- the enigmatic Glass- is willing to sail past the mist-shrouded Calm Coast, and there's a poisonous jungle between the landing site and the Crucible itself. Once there, the caretakers still require a ceremonial "gift" to allow participants to fight or trade, and may reject some contestants on unknown criteria.
Clair Crown, Shockblade (scapheap)
8/8 HP
1/1 Self Only Shock Resist
-1 Defense, -1 Endurance, -1 Resistance
---
Longsword +3 [Slashing]
---
Apprentice Swordswoman (0/8)
Novice Lightning Mage (1/6)
---
Fancy Blue Clothes
Longsword [+1 dmg]
Shock Resistant Gloves [+1 Shock Resist vs Self]
Danath Fenrik, Spearwolf (draco1234)
9/10 HP
0 Defense, -1 Endurance, -1 Resistance
---
Spear +1 [Piercing]
---
Apprentice Wolf Mage (5/8)
Novice Spearman (1/6)
Dabbling Dodger (2/4)
Dabbling Tough (0/4)
---
Rugged Leather Clothes
Wolftooth Amulet [Can commune with wolf spirits]
Crude Spear [+0 dmg]
Sia, Icedancer (Dwarmin)
8/8 HP
-1 Defense, -1 Endurance, -1 Resistance
1/1 Self Only Ice Resist
---
No Attacks
---
Apprentice Ice Mage (0/8)
Novice Inspirer (1/6)
---
Loose Flowing White Robe
Fingerless Wool Gloves [+1 ice resist vs self]
Crude Flute
Brook Cedrik, Cauldron Necromancer (cattouchdis)
8/8 HP
-1 Defense, -1 Endurance, -1 Resistance
---
Punch +0 [Crush]
---
Apprentice Necromancer (0/8)
Novice Alchemist (0/6)
Dabbling Brawler (1/4)
---
Brown Robe
Skull of the Menial [Allows control of an additional weak undead, but may only be ordered as a group with your other minions]
Basic Mortar&Pestle [Allows simple alchemy]
Catherine S Mistral, Songwind (Tiruin)
8/8 HP
-1 Defense, -1 Endurance, -1 Resistance
---
No Attacks
---
Apprentice Air Mage (2/8)
Novice Inspirer (0/6)
---
Light Traveler's Clothes
Wind Flute [Well suited to focusing appropriate Air Magic through]
Crude Lute
Pair of pristine soldier demon's horns
Pair of frozen soldier demon's horns
Leon, Runecharger (Antur)
8/8 HP
-1 Defense, -1 Endurance, -1 Resistance
---
No Attacks
---
Apprentice Runecrafter (0/8)
Novice Enchanter (2/6)
Inexperienced Thrower (1/2)
---
Simple Clothes
Leather Bag of Runecarving Tools
Magnifying Glass [Assists with close examinations]
Joe Bridger (Remuthra)
4/12 HP
!![Next 2 Attacks deal +1 dmg]!!
0 Defense, -1 Endurance, -1 Resistance
---
Simple Knuckles +1 [Crushing]
---
Apprentice Beguiler (0/8)
Novice Fistfighter (2/6)
Novice Tough (1/6)
Dabbling Dodger (1/6)
---
Eccentric Pink Clothes
Magic Hat [Can be pulled inside out to change form]
Simple Knuckles [+0 dmg]
Soldier Demon Head
Halfred Grennelson, Magic Man (GWG)
6/8 HP
-1 Defense, -1 Endurance, -1 Resistance
---
No Attacks
---
Apprentice Socializer (0/8)
Novice Enchanter (0/6)
Inexperienced Thrower (1/2)
---
Practical Black Traveling Clothes
Fashionable Casual Clothes
Jeweler's Loupe [Assists with very close examinations of certain objects]
GROUP INVENTORY:
16 Man-days Food
16 Man-days Water
Author
Topic: Outlands RTD [~Interlude: Lock and Key~] (Read 23450 times)