Young Writers Society

To help you out, Astral, I figured I'd give you a sample of dialogue Galarad would give to the guild group when they take his quest; and keep in mind that the observatory is going to be absolutely PACKED with bodies, and their conversation may be interrupted intermittently by people shouting things they would shout in an MMO. Use your imagination to channel your inner scrublord.

You talk to Galarad and he stops what he's doing, turns to you, and greets: "Hello, Champions. I fear that our current circumstances dissuade me from pleasantries. Suffice it to say that we are under siege by a force greater than that we've faced before, and I fear that your comrade has been captured by their forces."

He repeats the scene from post one where he shows them an overview of Windroc, only instead of a vessel approaching, it's already ruined and in its living-world state. He'll show you a glimpse of whom he believes to be their commander: Fedya (I'm using Russian nomenclature for the Artoma names). He'll be the polearm-wielding machinist that took out Malek, but we'll encounter him last, after Malek has been rescued from their holding cell.

Galarad gives the guild a map of the dungeon and sets them on their way. Bear in mind that it'll ultimately be Fallyn's stepping up to lead his rescue that gives him the peace at mind to make her his right hand. Another candidate would probably be Omni's healer, so there could later be some tension there.

What I want for the dungeon:

1. @AstralHunter: Quest accepted; entry to Windroc (don't forget to use the Dungeon Unlocked graphic from post #1); boss 1 (The Gnasher, as well as his commander).

2. @15253: They clear their way through the ruins of Windroc and find an entryway to the sub-level of the ship. There'll probably be a gauntlet, then a fight against Boss #2. I like the idea of him being the Defense Systems Operator, so there would probably be a fight mechanic where you can turn the defenses against him to nuke his shields or something clever. Remember that we want tight and clean mechanics that would make a great game if played for real.

4. @Stegosaurus: Fight against The Warden (Boss #3) to save Malek. S/he'll probably use Malek as leverage in the fight--maybe redirect attacks to him or otherwise torture him while the fight goes on. And since it takes place in a holding cell, I imagine she would either release captive monsters/men to fight for her, or imprison members of the party throughout the fight.

5. @ReisePiecey: With Malek back in the group, they head up the lift, clearing a few gauntlets before reaching who would probably be a mage boss. Maybe he'd copy Kahli's magic and beef it up. So yeah! I like the idea of a Blue Mage copying Kahli's summons and pitting them against the group. This could be a chance for one of our mages to learn a new spell: Simulacrum, which allows the copying of a spell. I think Fallyn would be particularly interested in this since she doesn't know any offensive spells of her own.

6. @Verser: Commander Fedya. Remember that he does a tank crunch and near one-shot attacks, then uses stasis beams to keep his victim alive while absorbing healing given by party members. It'll be a big Malek stab-fest.

7. @Omni: Fedya retreats from battle, exhausted, and goes into a terrified speech about hostility, and how this world knows nothing of catastrophe. He'll then teleport everyone in the room to the planet Artomb, including himself, where the rest of the expansion will take place.

So I'm gonna add a new poll when I post this regarding a map of Artomb. Then I'll try to get survival and utility spells out later tonight. You're all rockstars. Keep it up. <3

Ty

@AstralHunter

Kahli would like Fallyn's overall personality but would notice the girls guards up and so keep a comfortable distance for a while. All the while, she would respect her reasons for wanting to keep space.

I sense a possible future friendship?

I have a lot of matters to address, but I'll start with the character relations:

♦ @Lumi - Like you said, I shan't have to write for him until my second post, so I can leave him for now. I'll definitely keep "cocky, possessive and dramatic" in mind, though.

♦ @15253 - Fallyn/Jake will value having Merrick on their team, but (s)he'll treat him with patience and caution, almost the same way a parent treats a child. I'm sure you can do something with that later on...

♦ @Verser - Fallyn/Jake will constantly keep an eye out for Revan. It's not because (s)he doesn't trust him, it's just that, being a Summoner, (s)he constantly needs to be aware of who requires healing, which is difficult to do if one of the people in question is reserved. (S)He won't have much of a relationship with him.

♦ @Stegosaurus - The same that applies to Merrick applies to Hoilo, except Fallyn will treat him like the naughty child who needs to be scolded every once in a while. (S)He will probably keep an eye out for him the most during a battle.

♦ @ReisePiecey - Fallyn/Jake prefers to keep Ka'lahii at a safe distance due to the latter's kleptomania. However, (s)he knows (s)he can depend on Kahli for support during a battle, so a future friendship is certainly a possibility, yes. (Just not the one where (s)he is willing to lend out jewellery. )

♦ @Omni - Fallyn/Jake will have a lot of respect for Sylas as a fellow Healer. The rest of their relationship will be determined upon the submission of your CP, but I think some tension between them (a friendly rivalry that later becomes more serious?) would work well.

♦ While Elyn is an NPC in the story, Fallyn/Jake will miss his presence, since he was always level-headed and approachable. (And he was a Healer, of course.)


Moving on to Lumi's post:

♦ That sample dialogue is really useful, thanks! However, I'm probably the only on here who doesn't have an inner scrublord, but I've had enough experiences with brutes in real life, games, fiction, and films to portray them decently. Failing that, I can always just ask my brother to read over it. (I love him to bits, but he definitely has an inner scrublord... XD)

♦ I just realised that Fallyn actually has the perfect role for a second-in-command - while everyone else is occupied with their own battles, she needs to be on full alert the whole time and can shout advice/warnings as required.

♦ I'm quite glad you gave the Gnasher a commander, since that not only gives me grounds for a battle plan, but it also explains the Gnasher's initial discipline and later disarray. I'll take the liberty of adding an escort for the two, since that would not only be logical, but ties in perfectly to my current plan.

♦ Fallyn would absolutely be interested in learning Simulacrum.


I have one last question for everyone: During the battle with the Gnasher and its commander, would your characters prefer having Fallyn cast Darconic Draining for each character, or Party Sentinel for all of them?

1. If the majority chooses option one, then everyone can have a personal guard, but Fallyn will have to summon the waterdrakes throughout the battle and may have to replace fallen ones. Also keep in mind that they heal their targets by leeching life from enemies, so the amount healed to your character won't be as much as usual due to the enemies' superior levelling.
∴ consistent support, but average power

2. If the majority chooses option two, then Fallyn can spend a bit more time summoning Neala, who will give less potent but more reliable healing. Add to that Neala's increased power and ability to use Rippling Crash and Impaling Spikes, she would be a greater assest during the battle.
∴ excellent support and great power, but the first minute of battle will be brutal

Please, let me know as soon as possible. (Don't worry about Quinlan - Fallyn will read all six of his verses before they leave Facepalm HQ, so he'll be OP and with them throughout the entire dungeon, as long as it doesn't take longer than three hours to complete.)


PS: Reise, tag me as soon as you updated Kahli's profile, since I've started working on the battle plan and have yet to decide who has to harrass the Gnasher + its commander while the others are taking out the escort.

I'm going to finally flesh out Malek's profile tonight. But I figured I'd stop by and drop a reference pic for you. As you know, Malek is a Redeye: a humanoid dragonkin from the far east. He's based on the Au Ra race from Final Fantasy XIV.



That's generally the armor you'll find him in, since he's mostly an agility tank--two swords and all.

The original intent of utility spells was to give everyone some individual survival skills...but after time, I decided that the enemies in Artomb are going to be insanely powerful. So instead of small powers, I gave you one survival skill, one superlative rotation skill, and one limit break.

For those unfamiliar with Final Fantasy (which is where I took the idea from), Limit Breaks are akin to Ultimate Spells. They're typically used under dire circumstances, and are as strong as player attacks get. However, be warned: enemies may have their own Limit Break mechanics. Wise usage is encouraged.

Utility Spells

Malek
1. Survival Instincts: Natural affinity to surviving in the outdoors. Campfires, shelters, purifying water.
2. Intimidating Aura: During moments of respite, Malek's aggressive power level provides a passive repellent to nearby creatures. Disabled when partaking of hostile action towards an enemy or group of enemies.
3. Dragon Soul: A transformation spell that transfers all offensive power into health and defense, as well as transforming the body into a draconic form. Adds fire aspects to all attacks. Lasts for fifteen seconds, or until KO'd. 15 minute cooldown.

Merrick
1. Crude First Aid: If there's a wound, it can be treated by tonics and bandages. Merrick is a crude master of this art, and has saved the necks of several teammates during downtimes when the healers were mana-tapped or indisposed.
2. Wrath: A passive ebb-and-flow ability that progresses through combat. With each critical strike Merrick lands, his battle fervor grows, increasing his physical damage done by 4%. This effect may reach 5 stacks before being consumed by one of two abilities:
2a. Abandon: Consumes five stacks of Wrath to break the defenses of an enemy, increasing the physical damage they take by 30% for 10 seconds.
2b. Defiance: Consumes five stacks of Wrath, bolstering the defense of party members by 30% for 10 seconds.
3. Titan's Rancor: Merrick's body powers up to double his physical power level while lowering his magic defense by 50%. This effect drains his stamina swiftly, consuming 9% per second. This power fades upon his health reaching 1%, but may continue if his health is replenished; however, after each 10 seconds, the strain on his body increases to 18% health per second, then 27% health per second until the strain is unmanageable. This power may be utilized once every hour, and only may be executed when facing an enemy with a power level equal or greater than 201% Merrick's own power.

Revan
1. Effortless Hunter: With heightened senses, Revan is capable of shooting down edible game when they enter shooting range. Provides plentiful food for respite if stamina needs to be recovered. Also allows easy skinning and general butchery.
2. Soul Shards: A special ammunition that adds additional effects to ranged attacks when a soul shard is used. Each soul shard costs 9% of Revan's health, and no more than eleven may be used in combat until Revan has been healed for 115% of his total health during combat. When applied to his fiery shots, the target's physical defense is lowered by 11%. When applied to his icy shots, the target's magic defense and movement speed are lowered by 11%. When applied to his wind shots, the target is bound in one place by a tornado, and its attack power is reduced by 11%. These effects stack and may be used simultaneously; however, with each application, the threat Revan generates is amplified by 14%.
3. Rain of Malice: An unleashed cooldown that taps into Revan's latent vampiric nature. When active, a rain of soul-sharded arrows blacken the sky, dealing damage each second equal to 30% of Revan's normal damaging moves. This effect lasts for ten seconds, or until Revan's soul is drained of energy (1%). Usable once every hour.

Hoilo
1. Culinarian: Hoilo knows his way around a frying pan and pot. Given ingredients by the others, he may swiftly produce food to maintain party stamina during times of respite.
2. Tricks of the Trade: Hoilo may apply varying effects to his physical dagger strikes, depending on the gadgets he has on him. This includes, but is not exclusive to, poisons, electric currents, heated blades, spinning blades, explosive strikes. trick mines, and blinding dust. These effects stack and may be applied simultaneously; however, if the battle becomes too chaotic, Hoilo may give or take friendly fire in the mess. Caution is advised.
3. Thousand-Blade Gana: Upon an enemy either reaching 20% health or less or causing Hoilo to reach 20% health or less, his adrenaline overrides his reflexes, initiating his limit break: Thousand-Blade Gana. This attack renders Hoilo invulnerable for five seconds as he unleashes exactly one thousand strikes, each dealing 18% his typical physical damage for a total of 18000 potency to each enemy within melee range. After this attack ends, Hoilo is reduced to zero energy, and may not cast another proper spell until his health is restored by 35%. This ability has a 30 minute cooldown.

Fallyn
1. Alchemy: Allows the creation of potions that may heal, increase stats, replenish energy or mana, and conduct other feats of strength. Requires herbs and purified water.
2. Duplicanimus: When a level two-to-five servant heals for critical amounts, deals critical damage, or takes critical damage, Fallyn gains an instant summon that creates a duplicate of that creature for as long as it lives. However, once this creature is summoned, it takes damage equal to that taken by any party member active at the time of action, as well as all healing taken by party members. If that animus takes critical damage, heals for critical health, or deals critical damage, Fallyn may combine that animus with the original to effectively double the original pet's health, defense, and potency.
3. Seraphim's Song: When a total of three pets, servants, or animus have been destroyed during combat, Fallyn gains the empowerment of the Seraphim, granting him enhanced forms of all spells known by the downed pets. Her healing potency increases by 300%, and she remains invulnerable to conventional damage for 8 seconds. Once a total of 3,000% health of Fallyn's health pool has been given to others among the party, the empowerment fades, and Fallyn is left with 50% health and 50% mana. This effect may occur once every 45 minutes.

Kahli
1. Arcane Senses: Kahli has an innate ability to track entities possessing magic abilities through an area. Useful for precise hunting, avoiding an enemy, or navigating a dungeon. Other uses have been recorded.
2. Arcane Evolution: Through the course of battle, critical strikes dealt by Kahli empowers her active pet, allowing an evolution into its next form. This effect may stack three times before her active pet reaches its pinnacle form. At this stage, she may revert the evolution to stage 1 and absorb 70% of its pinnacle power, increasing her spell power for 18 seconds. This cycle flows throughout combat, and takes roughly two minutes to complete.
3. Pavor Omnipotentis: When Kahli's pet reaches its pinnacle form and maintains its power for at least 90 seconds, Kahli begins to attune passively with the aether flowing between her pet and her spirit. When the pet is struck down below 20% health, she may tap into the spell Dread of the Almighty. This spell consumes her active pet and sacrifices 70% of her current health and mana to unleash an arcane torrent against the enemy, dealing a magic strike with a potency of 8,300. When this attack brings the enemy below 40% health, Kahli's attunement with the arcane passages restores 75% mana to all party members and drains the enemy of 40% its current mana.

Sylas
1. Herbalism: Through communion with nature, Sylas may track beneficial, edible, and medicinal herbs that may be used in a number of ways, including potions, teas, elixirs, foods, medicines, salves, and smellingsalts.
2. Lifestream: Occasionally, while manipulating auras of aether, Sylas will tap into the vein of natural energy that flows from being to being. During this state, each aura of healing placed on an ally places an echo aura on an enemy, causing damage over time equal to the health replenished to the party member. This negative aura may stack, but fades once the next Primordial Spell is cast. Approximately 1.49 procs per minute.
3. Circle of Life: Upon a party member (including Sylas) reaching 5% health or lower, Sylas gains the instant spell, Circle of Life, allowing him to siphon off the remaining life force from the dying party member to replenish the health, mana, and energy of all remaining party members. If another party member reaches the state to trigger Circle of Life after the first is cast, Sylas gains the ability to reverse the spell, equalizing the health, mana, and energy of all party members, as well as resurrecting the downed ally. Two full cycles may be used before the cooldown activates. Cooldown: 1 hr.

A teaser loading screen for an upcoming dungeon on Artomb, Manor Zhaelle.



For every dungeon, the final boss will be displayed on the loading screen. For this particular dungeon, it's a sorcerer who deals in the peculiar powers of color manipulation.

What the fudge? I seriously need to remember to submit a post after writing it... >_>

Anyway, here's what I had meant to post before I had disappeared:

Goodness, keeping tracks of all of this will be hard... Fallyn now has to take six people's spells, attacks, superlative rotation skills, and limit breaks into account as well... D:

Also, I shall work on my post for this as soon as I have posted for C.A.M.P.

You don't have to memorize anything. xD If a situation arises where a healer limit break would be needed, then Fallyn or Sylas would break it. And other folks at other times.

The one that may come up more frequently is Malek's because of its short cooldown.

@ReisePiecey, have you updated your spells yet? I can't write if I don't know what one of the other guild members can do.

she can throw magic feathers and stuff. POST ;3;

Will do, @AstralHunter.

Kahli is a Summoner like Fallyn but her pets deal damage. Now the SB said the five spell slots were for offensive spells. I assumed it meant strictly for offensive spells, so the five spells below wont contain her actual pets and whatnot, but if I'm doing that wrong @Lumi let me know and I'll change it.

As a Sweeper, I'm having her play part Stealth and part Damage.

1. Voided Feathers

2. Winter's Whisper "Hush": Incapacitates all those who are in radius. They enter an trance-like state.

3. Sticky Fingers: When cast, "Sticky Fingers" increases Kahli's stealth stats by either 15%, 30%, or 50% depending on which variation - easy, etc. - was cast. Decreases health by that same percentage. The cast times for each variation are five, ten, and fifteen seconds.

4.

5.

Main Pets:

. Poncy . : Ground. Claws and teeth weapon. Melee Damage.

.. Dhisa .. : Dual-Terrain. Elemental Damage.

is that on thumbnail the lumi rendition of black mage

@Verser --> ....what?

Oh. Yeah, he's an altered Black Mage.