Topic: Necromancers, Shadows, and Octopi (Suggestion Game) (Read 11443 times)

~Neri · « **Reply #75 on:** March 26, 2014, 03:30:49 pm »

(Ah, okay.)

Nirur Torir · « **Reply #76 on:** March 26, 2014, 08:12:24 pm »

Alex looked up as Lyssa and Tammy arrived in the clearing and slowly released a breath. "You're here," he said flatly.

"I don't wanna miss the surprise," Lyssa replied.

"I said I'd be. Is something wrong?" Tammy asked, drawing near and staring at him intently. "It's odd to see you dressed up without a festival."

Alex turned away from the stare and studied a fallen leaf. "No, .. Yes. Listen, I did something - are we alone?" Lyssa nodded. "Good. It's dangerous, you might not want to be-"

"You found one of Mausellon's nineteen lost Broaches, put it on thinking it was harmless and would go good with your eyes and it cursed you into forever roaming the world, working against the light gods!?" Lyssa narrowed her eyes and exaggeratedly scratched her chin. Alex coughed. "But you're not wearing a broach. And your padding's uneven again. I told you not to do that yourself." Alex coughed again.

"If you need our help, you know we're here for you."

"I just suddenly feel like I shouldn't be dragging you into it." He was silent as he looked at his friends. "If you're sure, it would be easier to show you." Alex stood and began walking through a narrow, recently made trail through the underbrush. "It's this way.

I don't think I'll be going back to Cow's Hoof. It just won't be safe anymore, and-"

"Come on, just tell us what it is, I can't take the waiting," Lyssa tried to interrupt, while Tammy rolled her eyes

"I was planning on moving soon anyway. It's too small. I can't spend my entire life here." Alex talked over his friend. "I would have saved a bit more money, but then this happened and .. we're here."

"Oh! You finally decided it was time to leave because you don't know how to hide a cave with an obviously fake bush, and are too embarrassed to stay. It all makes sense now!" Lyssa enthusiastically claimed.

"Um, yes, that's exactly it," he muttered. "Wait here." He adjusted his carefully prepared fake bush, annoyed at the apparently wasted three hours, and entered the far side of the cave from his friends. He emerged a moment later carrying his necromancy book. "A month ago, I found this."

Tammy's lips moved for a few seconds, as though she was silently muttering to herself. "That is .. Magic?" She hesitated, and spoke in a voice that barely carried to him. "Necromancy?"

"Magic? Really?"

He nodded. "Yes. It was written for a new-"

"You finally got your chance to learn magic! Oh Alex, I'm so happy for you!" Lyssa glomped him.

Tammy looked into his eyes silently for several seconds, Lyssa still clutching him, before exhaling loudly. "How can I help?"

Alex grinned. "In there. I spent the month preparing my first spell. I wanted you two here." He'd had to carefully cleanse every bone, before bathing each in his mana. It had been in turn revolting and mind-numbingly dull. After a few animations, or just one, if he was lucky, he would have enough experience that such preparations wouldn't be needed. "Lyssa?"

Once his friend let go, he led the way into the cave, where the stag's skeleton lay on its stomach inside a simple chalk circle. He had carefully placed each bone where it belonged, and had each piece held in place with string. "I'll need to concentrate for this. It could take a while."

He sat in front of its head and tentatively reached out to touch its snout before closing his eyes. He could faintly feel where his magic was as he forced it through his fingers. He pushed it out to form a connection first with the left side of the jaw, and then the right. He slowly formed bridges between each vertebrae, extending this sense as he went. The mana in each new vertebrae felt clumsier and slower to respond.

A sharp noise drew his attention to the left. "Sorry, sat on a sharp rock. You know your hand is glowing with black light? It's wierd." He glared and focused back to fixing the damage the delay had surely cost. Conveniently, everything remained. He finished the last two vertebrae, before slowly going down each leg. That done, He double-checked the connections, before finally implanting a simple control matrix. Just as he finished, he blacked out.

He found himself in a room, with a small white puffball of a cat sitting on a purple cushion in front of him. Before he could take in anything else, he was awake in his body again. 'That cat .. was the one from the void,' he thought. 'Kaowe?'

He looked around. His friends were sitting with their backs to the wall, and his bags had been moved next to Tammy. They were staring at him. "What did you do?"

"There was a big flash and then your hair grew really fast and turned every color."

Alex looked noted bright hair in either side of his vision, and a mass of colors in his lap. He jumped, stumbling backwards as his legs caught on his hair. In Kaowe's name, rise. He groaned softly as Tammy helped him up. "The book mentioned that a first spell might cause changes, but I didn't think it would be like that. I don't feel any different. It's not that bad, we can cut it short and I'll wear a hat."

"Your eyes are-"

He had a sudden sharp headache IN KAOWE'S NAME, RISE! "In Kawaii's name, rise." He cut Tammy off suddenly.

Stupid Alex, can't even say his god's name right. Alex was slightly confused by his strange thoughts.

Tammy looked concerned, "Are-" She silenced as the skeleton stag rose.

"Your first spell worked! This is the greatest! What now?"

Spoiler: Map (click to show/hide)

Spoiler: Alex (click to show/hide)

Spoiler: Spells (click to show/hide)

Spoiler: Inventory (click to show/hide)

Spoiler: Minions (click to show/hide)

((Animate Skeleton changed to cost two mana.
I think this was my first real try at dialog. Let me know how it is.))

Spell success. Friends added to inventory. Friends' money added to inventory. Plan?

GiglameshDespair · « **Reply #77 on:** March 26, 2014, 08:22:32 pm »

Maybe try to get another animal carcass to make another minion.

~Neri · « **Reply #78 on:** March 26, 2014, 08:26:36 pm »

What about that human corpse we found in the cave a while ago? Lets do that one also.

And lets head west. INTO THE FOREST!

Edit: Also with dialog, I suggest taking advantage of the Color And Glow system the forum offers, different colors for different characters.

Some authors have difficulty defining who is talking, so colors make it much much easier.

WhitiusOpus · « **Reply #79 on:** March 26, 2014, 09:37:19 pm »

First, we should find a better hideout farther away from town. Lyssa can go trap animals for future rituals and supplies, while Tammy helps to set up our new base. We will practice commanding our new minion, and prepare for the next ritual.

Armok · « **Reply #80 on:** March 26, 2014, 10:07:58 pm »

> Set aside time to experiment!

Specifically, focus on making the spell much smaller scale, the minimum for supporting a control matrix.

~Neri · « **Reply #81 on:** March 26, 2014, 10:37:58 pm »

Also, mentally whack self for considering cutting our awesome rainbowtastic hair.

Nirur Torir · « **Reply #82 on:** March 27, 2014, 02:47:05 pm »

Quote from: Kevak on March 26, 2014, 08:26:36 pm

What about that human corpse we found in the cave a while ago? Lets do that one also.

There was only the stag.

Current action is to travel a few days to the west, find a new hideout, and then split time between experimenting for small animations and preparing a second animal skeleton. Note that you'll have a harder time with such experiments after hitting your minion cap.

~Neri · « **Reply #83 on:** March 27, 2014, 03:10:49 pm »

That's fine, we want to train for a larger minion cap.

And ah, mistook the earlier post, thought we had both a stag and a human.

Nirur Torir · « **Reply #84 on:** March 28, 2014, 08:19:22 pm »

"Your first spell worked! This is the greatest! What now?"

"I have a few ideas. I'd like to get away from here, first of all." Alex held up a clump of purple and blue hair, and slowly turned it. "I shouldn't let anyone who knows me see this. They'd bring me to Father Patch. Using necromancy leaves traces that a cleric or mage would notice." He left Father Patch's devotion to his god over the townspeople unmentioned. He nearly dropped the hair from his hand, eyed the dirt, and put it into his lap instead.

As he started brushing dirt off his pastel hair with his hands and moving it to his lap, Lyssa spoke up. "I don't want to hide out in the frozen lands. Let's go to Freehold! I've always liked their theater."

Tammy raised an eyebrow at her, held up three fingers, and closed one for each point she made. "Getting across the border would be difficult. The lords of Freehold keep their mages tightly bound. They would see that hair as proof of a curse, and execute us." She paused for breath. "I don't think you should cut it or try to mask the color. It might count as a curse."

"What about joining the liches? You could make us mighty vampires and we would be invincible as we lead your army!"

"The book says Motu's followers don't get along well with Kaowe's. I think she marked me as hers." Lyssa made a face of disgust and backed away from him. "No, no, not like that." He mentally rolled his eyes. Hunters.

"I've had two ideas that will still work." He briefly lifted a lock of green hair. "We could hide out in the mountains while I practice, and get my legions of the dead." He gave an exaggerated evil laugh. "I might be able to find work as a court mage for an unscrupulous lord. I'm sure we can find one who would disown his heir for the chance to employ a necromancer. In the short term, we need more money. I have an idea for copying books with magic."

"Oooh! Copy the Book of the Grand One!" Lyssa giggled. "He wouldn't know what to do about a necromancer spreading his word! Does he order them burnt? They're the work of Darkness! But they'd still be his books."

"I've been thinking about it." He answered and grinned and glanced towards the entrance. "It's getting dark, I think we can move soon."

"Can it follow us later?" Tammy shifted uncomfortably. "Someone might see it, even at night." She looked down and spoke more quietly, "I don't want it walking next to me, either."

Alex looked at the closed book on the ground next to his leg. "It should be able to follow a simple time-based order, but it can't track me. I need more practice before I can ping whe- Uh, before I can tell it where I am. Sorry"

Lyssa stood and stretched. "I'm going to make a fire. I'm hungry, and we can paint it with the ashes."

"Tams, would you salvage the string from the entrance bush? I don't think we'll need it anymore." As she stood, he quietly muttered a command for the stag skeleton to stand. It rose, mechanically and unsteadily. Alex frowned pushed it with a finger. It offered no resistance and clattered over, onto its side. He sighed and began correcting the control matrix.

Three days later, they were camped out on a flat stretch of plains, having been unable to find anything better. Alex was practicing with rabbit bones. On his first test after the stag, he found that he could animate bones that were merely cleaned, with no extra preparation needed. His other experimentation was going slowly. A control matrix could be fit into a single small rabbit bone easily enough, but had to be kept simple. He was unable to actually make a single bone do anything without more bones to work off of. He couldn't yet make anything resembling an automated printing press. With enough time, he might be able to make one with each page manually programmed in. He still couldn't sense his minions or give any remote orders. He could easily remember and re-apply template control matrices.

Lyssa returned from her brief scouting expedition. "I couldn't find much. There's a grove of trees, but it's close to a road. We could bury Staggy," She patted the skull, "but it would look suspicious if you slept in the day with people passing nearby. This isn't a good place to stop for practice, but I don't think there will be a better spot before we're nearly at the mountains."

"We're entering a more populous area. It would take two weeks to go around. We should abandon your creature." Tammy spoke, trying and failing to hide her distaste and speak neutrally.

Bone Speed increased.

Spoiler: Alex (click to show/hide)

Spoiler: Spells (click to show/hide)

Spoiler: Inventory (click to show/hide)

Spoiler: Minions (click to show/hide)

Armok · « **Reply #85 on:** March 28, 2014, 09:32:17 pm »

Pinging? actual working with the details of the control matrix and them having differnet complexities? I think we need some info on what parts go into this. Are they as computer-like as the terms describing them?

I think we should abandon the stag, although we might keep some of the harder to come by bones for reuse.

We should work on improving our minions equipment if we're doing anything actually productive with our magic. For trapping, a simple joint that react to motion of a specific kind in a specific area maybe even recognizing species should be far more effective for traps than a simple tripwire. For the crossbow we could automate the crank, and maybe experiment with a matrix-based sight if undead have cognitive advantages at precision. Also, the homing arrow idea from earlier should be useful for bolts as well.

Nirur Torir · « **Reply #86 on:** March 28, 2014, 09:59:18 pm »

Fairly computer-like. I probably should have had Alex draw parallels. "Programming" them is relatively fast and simple, uses a good intent-based parser, and doesn't require a strong base in logic. (I'm really not sure how else to do simpler undead animating, as binding souls to create intelligent undead is not a base-level spell, and I really don't want learning necromancy to spontaneously give super multitasking skills.)

Harbingerjm · « **Reply #87 on:** March 29, 2014, 01:03:02 am »

Quote from: Nirur Torir on March 28, 2014, 08:19:22 pm

I think she marked me as hers." Lyssa made a face of disgust and backed away from him. "No, no, not like that." He mentally rolled his eyes. Hunters.

And this is where I lost it.

Anyway, let's do a little experiment on what it takes to"destroy" the creature; does telling it to drop dead work, for instance?
Then bury the bones somewhere we'll be able to find them if we come back this way and make a map or something on our person, because hey, resources are resources. Do make sure to hide the traces of the grave as best we can, though.

Quote from: Nirur Torir on March 28, 2014, 08:19:22 pm

In the short term, we need more money. I have an idea for copying books with magic."

"Oooh! Copy the Book of the Grand One!" Lyssa giggled. "He wouldn't know what to do about a necromancer spreading his word! Does he order them burnt? They're the work of Darkness! But they'd still be his books."

I like your style!

Quote from: Nirur Torir on March 28, 2014, 08:19:22 pm

"We're entering a more populous area. It would take two weeks to go around. We should abandon your creature." Tammy spoke, trying and failing to hide her distaste and speak neutrally.

This could be a problem; hope she gets over it soon.

It's a real shame we didn't acquire the architect or a melee combatant, though.

Armok · « **Reply #88 on:** March 29, 2014, 11:48:13 am »

so... how useful would an undead abacus be? Animation wise, just knucklebones pushing each other away should be as simple as you can get.

In regard to printing press design; we don't really need it to be fast if it can work day and night without rest or error, and the press itself is easy to mass-produce and run in parallel. I'm thinking two "limbs" scanning over the page rapidly that are mechanically coupled, and pressing the "pen" down on the writing one if the reading one sees black.

Later after we get better at mechanics we could do something very similar to a typewriter with no keys, a "hand" with lots of "fingers" with a letter stamp each.

Nirur Torir · « **Reply #89 on:** March 29, 2014, 12:04:02 pm »

Quote from: Armok on March 29, 2014, 11:48:13 am

so... how useful would an undead abacus be? Animation wise, just knucklebones pushing each other away should be as simple as you can get.

Alex could make one now, but I'm not sure how much more useful it would be over a standard abacus, unless you have lots of math planned.

Alex cannot yet make something to convert written text into a book without manually telling it what is on each page. He doesn't have the control to make something write legibly to just outright copy a page, or the ability to make a construct recognize written letters for stamps.

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Author Topic: Necromancers, Shadows, and Octopi (Suggestion Game) (Read 11443 times)

~Neri

Re: Necromancers, Shadows, and Octopi (Suggestion Game)

Nirur Torir

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GiglameshDespair

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~Neri

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WhitiusOpus

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Armok

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~Neri

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Nirur Torir

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~Neri

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Nirur Torir

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Armok

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Nirur Torir

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Harbingerjm

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Armok

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Nirur Torir

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