Print

Please login or register.
1 Hour 1 Day 1 Week 1 Month Forever
Login with username, password and session length

[ziizo]

I will take the mining picks if they don't overburden me.

[Sir Knight]

Okay great, we've got confirmation from existing players.  Now, just waiting on the call to waitlisters, 'cause I need to see who's still up to join the game.

It's only been a day's notice; if it seems to take awhile, I'll message people.  I have been looking forward to adding some of these!  (No favoritism implied . . . )

[FallacyofUrist]

*Shoots up fireworks*

((Behold page 100 on my posts per page setting. Congratulations! And I would be up for playing a new character if the waitlist doesn't come forth.))

[randomgenericusername]

How many posts per page do ypu use? I only see 30.
Also if no one in the waitlist confirms, I'm still here and up to date.

[dustywayfarer]

I'm ready, but I'm rather far down on the list.

[Sir Knight]

(Yeah, neat on the 100 pages!  I'd noted 100 map graphics recently, too.  So it's a little faster than one update per page.  I really hope this all means that people are having fun.)

So, waitlisters.  Glad to see the three of you!  I just think I should wait until after US Thanksgiving before assuming that the earlier signups are unavailable.  (I'm only half-joking when I say that my eyes would appreciate somebody from the "blue contingent" in the team, 'cause I gotta stare at these icons all the time.)

So I'll send some private messages and hang out for a bit.  I'm also including Rose (endlessblaze) in that, being the one remaining waitlister so far unmentioned.

[Coolrune206]

(Yeah, neat on the 100 pages!  I'd noted 100 map graphics recently, too.  So it's a little faster than one update per page.  I really hope this all means that people are having fun.)

So, waitlisters.  Glad to see the three of you!  I just think I should wait until after US Thanksgiving before assuming that the earlier signups are unavailable.  (I'm only half-joking when I say that my eyes would appreciate somebody from the "blue contingent" in the team, 'cause I gotta stare at these icons all the time.)

So I'll send some private messages and hang out for a bit.  I'm also including Rose (endlessblaze) in that, being the one remaining waitlister so far unmentioned.

I'm open to changing colors if you'd rather blue over pink. The pink was mostly a joke anyways.

How about [joke]azure?[/joke]. Or rather, indigo?

[Sir Knight]

Aw, dude, I know the pink was a joke; but since no one else is using anything even close, it looks good in a group.

Also, we have confirmation that Tankkit will be unavailable.  So, as I said, I'm just waiting politely for Thanksgiving to end and any missing persons to check in on the forums who are interested.

(Though I'm reminded that a new version of Dwarf Fortress came out, so some forum-goers will be double-busy right now.  And then they'll be busy after the bug-fixing update(s).  And then . . .)

[Sir Knight]

A waitlist update:

So far, I have heard a private-message "yes" from Bob (magmaholic).

I also got a "yes" from Rose (endlessblaze), but with an "I'm not up-to-date" modifier.  That is the same situation as Lazarus (ufo).

Again, there's a "no" from Sir Lootser (TankKit)

Here in the thread, we have "yes" from Tohil (randomgenericusername), Gary (Coolrune206), and Louis (dustywayfarer).

Also in the thread, we have FallacyofUrist offering to join if there isn't enough interest.

So, trying to be friendly and fair, it looks like the list comes down to:

[Lazarus (ufo) -- possibly won't be up to it right now]
Gary (Coolrune206)
Bob (magmaholic)
Louis (dustywayfarer)
[Rose (endlessblaze) -- possibly won't be up to it right now]
Tohil (randomgenericusername)

. . . Which means exactly four ready-and-waiting players if the two uncertain ones wouldn't be as ready.  That's pretty good luck after all this time.  Perhaps I will go with those starting on Monday?  (Unless something else comes up.)

[randomgenericusername]

Aw, seems like I won't make it since I'm last on the waitlist. Should have included a sheet back when I made that PTW post in april.

[dustywayfarer]

Aw, seems like I won't make it since I'm last on the waitlist. Should have included a sheet back when I made that PTW post in april.

Shouldn't be a problem, you'll be in as long as ufo and endlessblaze aren't up to it.

[Sir Knight]

Aw, seems like I won't make it since I'm last on the waitlist. Should have included a sheet back when I made that PTW post in april.

Shouldn't be a problem, you'll be in as long as ufo and endlessblaze aren't up to it.

Yeah, that's what I'm thinking.  And that could be particularly good, since you've been expressing a lot of interest in playing, and I was hoping to be nice about it.  So, unless I hear otherwise by tomorrow, I'll put you in the game.

[Sir Knight]

Previous -- Next

Then we are good to go!

So this will take some doing.  The first group of exiles is going overnight; this means you should stop to sleep and eat.  But I doubt you'd do that in the middle of a chase.

I'm posting two updates so as to resolve the chase scene completely and then handle sleep . . . and then be at a good point to change over to the new exiles!  Shortly thereafter we'll bring you all together into one big happy family.  "Family."  ("Happy.")

Enough delay: after them!  Dustan and Alyssa have already vanished back down the tunnel that brought you here.  John and Dwain, now at the limit of carrying capacity and comfort, trundle along some distance in the rear.  The time for vengeance has come; or at least getting your loot back . . .

Spoiler: Perhaps this will be of some assistance (click to show/hide)

Alyssa Alpine's tracking roll: 3, Succeed weakly!

The hoarding wastrels still can be heard ahead of you from time to time.  They grow louder, but they, too, seem to be able to set up a good long-distance jog.  Still, it's not just that you're catching up to them; they may be arguing?  It's hard to tell without any comprehensible speech.

But the evening passes . . . and suddenly, after one more distant shouting match, all argument stops.  Alyssa keeps a close eye on disturbed debris on the tunnel floor.  You're not sure where, but somewhere along the line the number of individuals ahead of you decreases.  This can only mean that they split up, correct?  But where could they possibly have gone in a tunnel with no branches?

Morning arrives and you have your answer.  Or, at least, some answer.



You come out into a room full of debris, faced with a single wastrel cultist.  It was peering back down the tunnel, almost in anticipation--perhaps nervousness?  But most importantly, it's carrying something Dustan recognizes: damaged links of workstone, sized for armor.  The enemy drops your chain mail and readies a dagger!

Spoiler: Combat round order (click to show/hide)

1, 3, 2

. . . Dustan, hoarding wastrel cultist I, Alyssa Alpine.

Spoiler: Dustan (Dustan Hache) and Alyssa Alpine (Rautherdir) vs. hoarding wastrel cultist I (click to show/hide)

Dustan's combat table, workstone knife, same as Alyssa Alpine's with iron sword:

1: Fail terribly
2: Fail
3: Succeed weakly
4: Succeed
5: Succeed
6: Succeed greatly
7: Fail by succeeding

Dustan's attack roll: 6, Succeed greatly!
Damage roll (1d6+6): 5+6 = 11!
Hoarding wastrel cultist I, HP: 0/10

Dustan doesn't give it a chance to pull anything funny, least of all to attract reinforcements.  Instead you hack it down with precision violence and immediately begin getting your armor back on in case there are more bladed adversaries around the corner.  Though, come to think of it, matters around the corner look mighty strange . . .

(That was the first part.  Next comes more!)

[Sir Knight]

Previous -- Next

(Now to resolve the situation with the existing group, rest "overnight," and start up the new exile group.  By the time John (ziizo) arrives, the vile vial effect has ended.  I have also adjusted character sheets for other matters including camping as shown below.)

It would appear that the tunnels have shifted again, this time even less helpfully than usual.  It takes you some time to realize that you recognize this chamber; it has been obliterated by a partial collapse of the ceiling, pouring a veritable lake of dripwater down the tunnel to the northeast.  A tunnel that you once used to get here two days ago.

John and Dwain arrive with the wheelbarrows in a bit and help you explore.



Yes, you've been here before.  But now you traverse all the way to the far wall and see that there is no clear way out.  There are no other hoarding wastrels: either they became separated in the tunnels (maybe . . . ?) and shuttled out to completely different sections of the underground (possibly . . . ?), or an unknown number of them descended underwater (uh . . . ?) with your belongings.  It's magic either way, but with what you know about these tunnels . . .

Whatever.  You've partially recouped your losses, and possibly avenged a death or something.

There is still some noise coming from behind cracks in a western wall; yet more water, perhaps.  But you're too tired right now.

Time to sleep.  Food, water, rest, and a spluttering fire of unprocessed coal.  And that's it: you no longer have enough food to pass another night without half the group going hungry.  Here's hoping things work out in the remainder of the day . . .

Spoiler: Camping "overnight" (click to show/hide)

Food (travel food) +1 HP
Water +1 HP
Bedding (blankets) +1 HP
Warmth (12 kg of unprocessed, but vented, coal) +1 HP

Total +4 HP

I was being forgetful two updates ago, and what I said about burning coal was incomplete: unprocessed coal gives off noxious vapors, and really you'd want to burn coke instead.  However, this is part of why I've been noting "fresh air" on maps all this time: here you have perfectly good venting!  So, problem solved.

. . . And we change perspective to Gary (Coolrune206), Bob (magmaholic), Louis (dustywayfarer) and Tohil (randomgenericusername):

Day 15, Afternoon

The metal scaffold descends into the pit with you on it, lowered by pully at uncomfortable speed.  As you clear the lip of stone, you see the walls receed sharply into the distance.  They must be lowering you from the roof of a gigantic sinkhole.  The lanterns cannot illuminate a thing and soon even the light from above is nothing but a diffuse blur.

The descent continues.  At least you have a mining pick, a lantern, supplies, companions . . . and there's also a wheelbarrow made of wood and iron in the scaffold with you.  Are you really supposed to mine down here?

You are surprised to glimpse a light far off, below and in the distance.  It's not firelight.  It's purple or magenta or something.  But it illuminates what looks like a low village of buildings and moving people.

You are being lowered into yet another pit in the bottom of the sinkhole, though, away from the village.  But at least you seem to have been spotted: an older man is hurrying along the sinkhole floor toward the ledge you are about to pass.  He takes a pack off his back and shouts.

"Hey!  Those mining picks are no good if you want to get to civilization anytime soon!  Throw me a pack of your surface goods and I'll throw you the real stuff!"

Well, each of you is carrying a backpack.  You could throw one across a chasm . . .

"Oi!" comes a different voice.  You turn to see a woman running up to a ledge some distance behind you.  "Trade you for your wheelbarrow.  Same deal!" she shouts, hefting her backpack.

. . . You will see that I have updated the waitlist.  I removed Larry (Shadowclaw777), who hasn't responded twice now.  I kept Lazarus (ufo) due to signs of life.  I also kept Hagrid (heydude6), even without a response, for the same reason I was polite to Shadowclaw777 the first time.  I removed Sir Lootser (TankKit) because he said he's unavailable.  Last is Rose (endlessblaze), who has also shown interest.

And even if there weren't possible holes in the above, I'd be glad to add a new character on the waitlist for you too, FallacyofUrist.

So!  New people?  Anything to say or do in the split second you have before you're dumped into the depths?

[randomgenericusername]

Throw my backpack to the old man. Make trade.
"I'm going to trust your words. I accept this trade!"