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[LordBucket]

Let's Play: Bard's Tale 1: Tales of the Unknown

Having been inspired by the Wizardry thread, I've just reinstalled my copy of the original Bard's Tale. Objective of the game is to rescue the town of Skara Brae from its curse of eternal winter. Along the way we'll delve some dungeons and a castle, slay an evil god, solve some puzzles, climb some wizard towers, and finally slay the evil wizard Mangar and his cohorts.

The rules
 * No temple ressurections. Dead characters will stay dead until we get a high level wizard.
 * I'm willing to savescum for better stats.
 * Until we can ressurect, party members will join from the replacement queue in order of signup...no matter how good or bad the resulting class combination.
 * After ressurection magic becomes available, I'll ressurect the dead, and begin swapping between in and out parties as needed.

Characters:
 * To sign up, post with a character name, race, class, gender, and any personality you want me to know about. I have a lot of free time, so updates will probably come fairly often.
 * Race choices are: Human, Elf, Dwarf, Hobbit, Half-elf, Half-orc and Gnome
 * Starter class choices are: Warrior, Paladin, Monk, Hunter, Bard, Rogue, Conjurer and Magician
 * Not all race+class choices are possible. If in doubt, consult the summary of character races and classes

A few notes
 * Up to six characters are allowed in the party, of whom the first three may participate in melee combat. Characters in the back may only attack and take damage via magic and bardsong.
 * After gaining enough levels, Mages and Conjurers may change to another spellcasting class. Sorcerors become available once a spellcaster has learned spells from one class. Wizards become available once a spellcaster has learned spells from two classes.
 * For it to be possible to beat the game, we must have at least one character capable of wielding the crystal sword. That means we need at least one paladin, warrior or hunter.
 * Both monks and thieves can disarm traps, as can a low-level conjurer spell.

Current Party

Delrick the Oath-Breaker	Level 11 Male Human Warrior	Hp:238		AC:-4	St:18 IQ:16 Dx:18 Cn:17 Lk:12
Lenna	Level 13 Female Hobbit Monk	Hp:131		AC:-10	St:14 IQ:17 Dx:18 Cn:17 Lk:17
Aelenus	Level 13 Female Dwarven Paladin	Hp:251		AC:-3	St:18 IQ:15 Dx:18 Cn:18 Lk:15
Séamus	Level 13 Male Elven Bard	Hp:218		AC:-2	St:18 IQ:17 Dx:17 Cn:16 Lk:13
Frederick X	Level 13 Male Human Conjurer	Hp:107	Sp:71	AC:0	St:18 IQ:16 Dx:18 Cn:18 Lk:13
Zchris	Level 13 Male Gnomish Magician	Hp:74	Sp:98	AC:0	St:17 IQ:18 Dx:18 Cn:13 Lk:13

Gold and Quest Items
Total Party Gold: 202,816
Eye of King Aildrik

Replacement Queue

Spartan

Level 1 Male Human Conjurer

Hp:20

Sp:17

AC:10

St:17 IQ:13 Dx:15 Cn:15 Lk:12

Direct links to story posts
Part 1: The stage is set
Part 2: A shaky start
Part 3: All things happen in fives
Part 4: Addendum: Filling out the final slot
Part 5: The Dwarf Named Aelenus!

[Nirur Torir]

I never was very good at this game, although I was proud of myself for finding the level-up place at the time.

Count me in!

Name: Frederick X
Class: Conjurer-Sorcerer-Magician-Archmage, (Or Archmage-Magician. I don't remember that being allowed, but I never made it nearly that far) maxing each before moving to the next.
Race: Human
Preferred food: Some sort of expensive fish that was nearly impossible to get in the city before the pre-plot stuff. Now it is completely impossible. He hates stale bread. I hope he needs to eat it anyway.

[LordBucket]

I was proud of myself for finding the level-up place at the time.

Yes, I remember what a pain that was the first time through. I had the original box with the map printed directly on the cardboard, and I never understood why they deliberately hid the only place to gain levels.

Conjurer-Sorcerer-Magician-Archmage, (Or Archmage-Magician. I don't remember that being allowed

Archmages are from Bard's Tale 3. Choices here are Conjurer, Magician, Sorceror and Wizard. Spellcasters can change class up to three times so they'll eventually learn every spell. From the sequence you listed, I'll assume you want to start as a conjurer, then become a sorceror next.

He hates stale bread. I hope he needs to eat it anyway.

No food in the game, but I'll find a way to work it in.

[Nirur Torir]

The bread is just a little bit of RP info to make the character slightly less bland. I'd forgotten the name of the wizard class, but I thought I remembered archmagi being in there somewhere. Ah, memory. So easily corrupted. Should have just read the OP more thoroughly. I never did quite like that little map though. Something about it just seemed off to me.

And yea, Conjurer then sorceror.

[LordBucket]

Forum traffic is low. Two days before christmas might not have been the best time to start this.

Well, I'll wait a few days while we get a few more people to signup.

[Judas Maccabeus]

I think I'll join in. 

Name:  Lenna
Race:  Hobbit (mmmm... ripping off Tolkien...  )
Class:  Monk
Gender:  Female
Personality:  Tends to find anything particularly large as being amusing.  Not much of a sense of humor otherwise, though.  A bit quiet in general, actually.

At least I hope a Hobbit makes for a good monk.  The race could be changed if that's not the case.

[LordBucket]

I'll join in.

Welcome to the party.

I hope a Hobbit makes for a good monk.

Yes, monks have lots of equipment limitations, and hobbits have great dexterity bonuses, so it works out rather well. I rolled you with maximum dexterity, so your starting armor class will be comparable to someone wearing platemail. Strength is kind of low, so your damage will be a bit below-par for the first few levels, but being hard to hit means you'll have an easier time surviving through those levels.

Tends to find anything particularly large as being amusing.
Not much of a sense of humor otherwise, though.
A bit quiet in general, actually.

I think I see some ways we can work that in.

[LordBucket]

Part 1: The stage is set

Thick with the scent of roasting boar, the smoke-filled air was entirely at odds with the melodious bardsong that filled the Adventurer's Inn. Though for the moment the bard in question seemed to be singing for a very small audience. Most notably a small band of dwarves arguing at their table over who would pay for the first round of mead. A human here. A hobbit there. And finally a plump rat who walked nonchalantly between the legs of the dwarves, hoping for fallen table scraps, but settling instead for one of their boots.

It was a typical morning in the Adventurer's Inn.

A gust of chilled air briefly washed away the stench of boar as the front door opened, and a burly man wearing conjurer's robes stood to survey the scene for a moment before committing himself to the decision of whether or not to come inside.

"Close that door, ye daft human!" one of the dwarves shouted. The newcomer wordlessly stepped in and approached the barkeep.

"I say, good sir," he began. "Have you any saba?"

"Eh?" the barkeep grunted in reply.

"Saba. Plain. With just a hint of wasabi, if you wouldn't mind."

"Sabuh? Never heard o' it."

"No? I think it's called 'mackeral' in the local tongue. Oh, very well. If you haven't any on hand, then some fatty tuna with a side of white rice would be marvelous, thank you."

"Tuna? This be a tavern. I'm the barkeep. What kind of idjit are ya, asking fer fish at a bar? If yer hungry, wave at the servin' wench to bring ya some bread. The boar's still roastin'."

"Roast boar? And...bread?" he cringed, "What's with the medievil fare? You did say this is a bar, right? All sushi bars serve fish! Don't they? No? Oh...all right. If you only serve alcohol here, then just a glass of plum wine, please."

"I dun known what kind o' swill they serves where yer from, but here we serves whiskey." The barkeep planted a shotglass on the bar with a resounding thunk that drew dirty glares from some of the other patrons. The bard, for his part, merely smiled and continued singing his song.

The poor mage settled uneasily onto a barstool, muttering to himself and sniffing suspiciously at the drink the barkeep had served him. The smell reminded him somewhat of sewage.

"I don't understand why it should be so difficult to get a decent meal around here. I mean, the ocean couldn't be more than a few dozen miles away. Twenty dozen at most. I suppose it might be slightly awkward hauling the carts through the snow, but with two horses to a cart it wouldn't be that bad, and if one should happen to freeze to death on the way that would mean less combined horse and cart weight for the other to pull, right? And besides...the cold would help to keep the fish properly chilled if it takes a bit longer than usual. Gah! I just don't see how anyone can live like this! It's dreadful. No saba, no sake, not even any plum wine. It's barbaric! We may as well go back to climbing the trees...at least, if that frigid wind had left any trees still standing. Damn that sorceror! What was his name? Mangar? Totally uncivilized of him to go carelessly tossing about weather magics...leaving the whole placed buried in snow for weeks. Yes...weeks without a decent meal! Just moldy bread and water and...what is this I'm drinking?!!?!" he choked.

"It's whiskey, friend." During his muttering, it seemed that the bard had finished his song and taken a seat at the bar. "I can't say I recommend it, but it does keep the throat properly moistened for singing."

"So I hear. You're quite good. Certainly too good for this dump."

"Well, it may be a dump, but it's the only dump in town that allows me to collect tips. I was only passing through when the blizzard hit, but now the snow is too thick to get in or out. Rumor has it the cause is one of the local tower wizards. Mangar, most likely, though some suspect Kylearan may be involved as well. I must say, whomever is responsible, this whole affair has inconvenienced a lot of us." The bard paused for a moment, examining his newfound colleague. "By the way, they call me Séamus. What's your name, friend?"

It took the mage a moment to reply. He looked to be lost in a silent debate with himself, and from the frustrated frown lines around his face he seemed to be losing. Then, all at once his eyes became clear. "My name is Fredrick. Frederick the tenth." He whirled around in his barstool and stood, shouting out for all the tavern to hear: "My name is Frederick the tenth! I am a powerful conjurer and I am going to destroy the foul cretin responsible for this damnable winter! Who will join me?!?!?!"

[LordBucket]

Ok...I just claimed a bard for myself. Hopefully there are other b12-ers who also don't have lives and will be reading these posts and able to sign up despite it being christmas tomorrow, but in the meantime I may take the three of us and get in a quick level or two headstart.

[rickvoid]

Okay Bucket, I'll bite.

Race: Human
Class: Warrior
Name: Delrick the Oath-Breaker

Background notes: Former Paladin. That ought to give us an interesting character. I'll leave the specifics up to you.

In a completely unrelated aside, are spellcasters the only ones who can change class? Would be wicked if a warrior could later become, say, a Paladin.
If not, no biggie. Should be interesting either way.

[LordBucket]

Class: Warrior

Great! Now that the first three slots filled with people who won't squish easily, I can take the four of us out without having to worry about Frederick being whittled to death by garden gnomes.

Still need two more to fill the party though. Two spellcasters would be ideal. In particular it would be nice to have a magician so we can have access to that school of magic right away. Failing that, a magician and any melee would work too. Séamus can still sing from the fourth slot, and bards aren't the greatest fighters anyway.

Former Paladin

Ok. Former paladin it is.

are spellcasters the only ones who can change class?

Yes. Spellcasters only.

[Deadbeard]

I'm totally joining this.

Name: Aelenus
Race: Dwarf
Class: Paladin
Gender: Female
Personality: Just a little crazy, tends to fight with people

I think that's enough information.

[rickvoid]

I smell conflict!!!

XD

[Deadbeard]

"You of wary faith, I caste thee down as a non-believer!"

He he, it should be pretty funny when they meet.

[rickvoid]

She's perfect foil material, that's for sure. Should make for some fun interactions.

So, two humans, one a mage, the other an ex-paladin, join force with a halfling monk (who is definantely not Yoda), an Elven Rockstar, and a Dwarven Paladin (no inquiries as to the location of her beard, please).

I predict lols.