3. Back in the ole' days

Back in the ole' days

  • N

    Might be interesting to some….

    Many of you know me as Ad...but he wasn't the first.... a certain human ranger named Kervan Wynterbane preceded him, albeit very briefly.

    Kervan was part of a trio, with 2 friends of mine that included a dwarf and a half-drow (there was no ruling against doing that at that point..it came later and the player left.)
    Anyway we bummed around the server for a bit and were amazed the people were "being" their characters. Getting some info from the locals we headed out into the rawlins to 'deal' with the Goblin menace. We were lucky..there were other players out there dealing with the threat. We just ran around and picked up the loot since shooting was the only non-hazardous form of combat back then. Strangely, this raised some objections.

    In no hit point position to argue the case we generously offered to share 'our' loot with the archers. I think they thought we'd be dead soon enough that arguing the point would be a waste of time...and the goblins kept coming. So an alliance was born.
    Ha ! they didn't know how good we were at running.
    Our continued survival in the face of the evidence obviously impressed some of the locals and one offered to show us around some more.

    Again we lucked out as Kali_Ma actually cast protections on us and warned us of the dangers before taking us deeper (1 map west) into the rawlins. We were warned not to shoot (little did he know we hadn't bows) or attract the goblins in any way. He distributed Cats grace, elemental protections, invisibilities and minor globes so much that we thought him a DM.
    And so we were shown casters and shamen. By now we were quite glad that we'd braved only shorties and bashers. And thoroughly impressed ourselves that we'd not died.
    We decided to spend our hard won loot on bows and arrows.

    And so Kali_Ma pointed us in the direction of Frago and bade us farewell.
    After buying bows we learned from another local that the crypts we also a newbie hunting ground. So we went there to try our luck (yes, with bows). The bows didn't seem to impress the skeletons as much as we'd hoped but luckily we'd bought clubs..as being cheaper than swords. We'd even clubbed together to buy the half-drow some chain. That worked a treat...it was only her that was taking damage.
    The bows did work for the zombies though and we cleared the first room ( actually the room was the whole first level) with 1 hp to spare on the half-drow. So we decide to leave...then along comes Covah.. on seeing the level cleared and the drow's wounded state he offers a cure.
    We were in business again !

    Our own dwarf decides it's tea-time and makes his apologies meanwhile Covah tells us he's going down a level and he'll see us later outside.

    Wait ! there's a whole other level ?!?
    What were we waiting for ?
    Of course Covah's cleared the first room...
    As our paths diverge from his our frantic shouts to each other attract his attention and he comes to our aid...again.
    Amazed at our bravery..or stupidity... he escorts us out and gives the drow a ring he's just crafted..and me a sword (turns out to be a +1str ring and +1 sword) He tells us that we were actually doing well down there ..and not to try it again.

    Now the half -drow decides it time to leave...So I wander off to Fragos to find out what I can do with all these damned skeleton knuckles. While I'm heading there a server wide shout rings out
    "Spellweaver is under attack! Mages defend your keep !"
    This has me totally confused so I follow the mass of players heading up the hill in Norwick. through the gates a vast courtyard opens with mages buffing outside a door. I spot Kali-Ma just as he transitions through the door...alone !
    So I berate the buffing mages and click on the door. Kali_ma had been kind to me I was damned well going to enter Spellweaver Keep and see if I could help him...I mean, it was only fair.
    And so I transition into a small corridor...packed with Kali_ma and...about a dozen FIRE ELEMENTALS ! My frantic clicking on the door only stopped when I saw the transition screen appear.
    Ah......

    But wait ? This wasn't the courtyard...where had the courtyard gone ? And where was my stuff ? Why was I on a grassy plain atop a cliff ?...there'd definitely been some mistake !
    Seconds later it was resolved as Kali_Ma ported in and advised me to hide my nakedness with the fugue robe that I'd now find in my inventory. As if to show the way he did likewise.
    That was my first introduction to a Mas event 😄

    Kali_Ma spent some time to explain to me what had happened and told me to await a raise. A raise ?
    Yeah when your friends realise you're in the fugue they'll get a diamond and raise you. Oh wait..you're first level...aren't you ?
    Hmm ...just re-create.....

    And so Ad was born.

  • N

    Do What ?
    Reading Dirtma's (DornMcneil) thread reminded me of one of Ad's first encounters with half-orcs and the eastern rawlins.

    There were few people around the south fire and Ad waited for a sight of a familiar face. He rarely went hunting with folks he didn't know…without first questioning them on their methods. Anyway Vrugar (Hrugred?) appreared and asked if anyone was going out to the woods. Ad recognised the half orc as a one-time companion of Karion Silverbow, an elf Ad knew well and respected. So, taking that as recommendation, Ad took up the offer to head south. A quick lap round the goblin lake showed that there were a few folks in Ad's favourite spot. A low stone that provided a platform the goblins had to run round and mount from the rear - giving ample firing time for a low-level (Ad was 2nd level) to get in a couple of shots (3 if you had point blank-and he had !).
    As it was so crowded Vrugar suggested they head East.
    Not having been east before I was reluctant but Vrugar was around 5th level and a fighter so he promised he'd keep the goblins off me as I took pot-shots. And so it was agreed.

    We transitioned into the east rawlins and I scrolled around taking in the sights. So much so that I lost track of Vrugar on my screen. The mini-map indicated the he was headed for the first clump of trees eastward and I set off in pursuit. As it turned out I went southwards round the clump and Vrugar went northwards..but it was a relatively small clump...no biggie, or so I thought.
    At that I see a basher zeroing in on me from the south..now 12 Hp isn't a lot but I figure with large shield and sword I can hold him off so I change weapons...only to see a second basher on his tail from the southwest.
    That puts a fight out of the question and I take to my heels...northeast (clockwise) round the clump to lead them to Vrugar. ....Only... Vrugar has seen me go south round the clump and is backtracking southwest (again clockwise) round the clump.
    As I run I spot a shortie eastward start to zero in on me (they didn't have the coward AI till much later) but my clockwise path now leads me north round the clump. Of course north of the clump is another basher and shortie...and who do they spot zooming past ?
    Meanwhile Vrugar's figured out were both heading clockwise and has backtracked again to intercept me but he's south of the clump now...and I'm north.
    I've also picked up another couple of goblins from somewhere but finally I can head westward to the transition. Ahead of me I spot Vrugar and frantically type "RUN" as more goblins charge from the north.

    It was like a scene from the Keystone cops as Vrugar the beefy fighter turned and fled as Ad passed him with a trail of about 8-10 goblins.

    We made the transition and prayed that we'd get through without any combat...and we were lucky. After stopping Vrugar types " What you do that For?"
    "Do What?" was all Ad replied as I was laughing so much.

    In the end we rounded up some of the meatier fighters and braved the transition to slaughter the goblins before they could ambush some unwary player at the transition...but it was a long time before Ad braved the eastern rawlins again.


  • YAY!

    What would the wolves be without their bard? I shudder to think.