MASTERY OF THE ARTS

[Crusher]

Please spend them either here or PMed to me ASAP, Aang. *roots for AA*

 

=Cameron=

[antiaircraft]

What's with the rooting? You're working on the contest as well. *roots for Cameron*

[Crusher]

Aang has just spent his 2 mastery points. Only Vira to go! We should have the first round soon.

 

=Cameron=

[antiaircraft]

Of course, you're going to get to pick your initial skills before that. :D

[Crusher]

True, I forgot ;P. There will be 10 skills to choose from, 5 for each class. *spoiler*

 

=Cameron=

[antiaircraft]

And, there'll be another snippet of the story to go along with it. :yes: Unfortunately, you'll have to wait a few more hours for me to get everything done.

[Crusher]

Checklist updated. Skill selection coming soon, as soon as Theo can get it ready.

 

=Cameron=

[Xepha]

Cool! It's all about to start... for real!

[antiaircraft]

Yup, just as soon as I finish writing up the story for this part. :yes:

 

But Vira had better come on and spend her points before the first battle... changing somebody's base stats while they're fighting would be somewhat awkward.

[Crusher]

I'm so anxious to read the next part of the story! C'mon Theo, surely I can have a spoiler?...Please?

 

=Cameron=

[antiaircraft]

Well it's nothing much... just leading up to the point where you all choose your skills.

[DOOM Bringer]

That's still exciting (well it is if you've been waiting for as long as I have).

 

I am glad to see that the team numbers ended up pretty even in the end. 10-9 is better than I expected it to turn out...

[antiaircraft]

Yup, that's pretty good. Besides, if there is any imbalance in the game, Cameron and I will rebalance. Forcibly. *Grins evilly at the thought of dropping 600 deadly NPCs onto an unsuspecting team*

[Crusher]

Considering we started with numbers like 6 to 2, we're pretty lucky to get so close. I'm glad we managed to make them both appeal. Personally, after looking over the skills we've been working hard on again, what I'm interested in is which will be chosen. Maybe one will go unused and forgotten? Another becoming vital to survival? yet another being used by groups of allies in a powerful team-based assault? We'll have to wait and see!

 

=Cameron=

[antiaircraft]

The first skill choices are finally here! :D (I sincerely apologise for the delay, etc., etc.)

 

Warriors

 

The training of the new knights in the arts of warfare lasted for a grand total of 2 weeks. In those two weeks, the new warriors were drilled in basic swordplay, riding, hand to hand combat, and most importantly, following orders. The drill sergeants were a group of loud, bossy, stuck-up men who had probably never seen combat themselves. They went out of their way to be ruthless, while staying infuriatingly within the army's strict regulations.

 

Several recruits were sent home with crippling injuries for failing to understand some obscure military term. The remaining recruits were forced to band together in a tight knit group to endure the training, and some began to wonder if they had made the right decision signing up. But there was no going back now, and one good thing did come out of the pressure - bonds of friendship were formed, tried and tested, bonds that were essential in an effective army. Neither the recruits nor the drill sergeants knew it, but the forming of those friendships was the real purpose of the training.

 

At the end of those two weeks, the nine newly trained knights were transferred from their training camp to a unit of soldiers commanded by a general who was the exact opposite of the drill sergeants in character. He was a quiet, outspoken man who spent most of his time poring over maps, marking out the locations of known friendly and enemy camps, as well as the shifting fronts of the war.

 

The person who was really in command was the general's well aged deputy: Lieutenant Ardan Hymes, or 'Cranky' as he was known to everybody, including himself. And cranky he was - anybody who didn't know him would have seen him as just a grumpy old man at first glance. He would roar at his troops, whether freshly trained or thirty year veterans, for virtually any offence, from rusted shields to sloppy eating postures. The difference was that he did this because he cared. He felt personally responsible for every single soldier in the unit, and it wasn't hard to see this once you got used to his uncanny ability to turn up wherever and whenever a soldier made a mistake.

 

The quiet assimilation into the armies of the kingdom ended abruptly one cloudy morning, when an exhausted messenger dashed into the camp carrying an order to depart immediately for Milskin Pass. As he walked away to get the preparations going, Cranky could be heard muttering under his breath.

 

As the unit was mounting their horses and forming a convoy, Cranky bellowed the names of the nine new warriors.

 

"Twilight, Klik-nas, Dragillion, Amber, Levy, Revenge, Fudge, Slash, and Trollhammeren! Get over here where I can see you!"

 

The knights obeyed instantly, and the Lieutenant led them into a small, dimly lit tent at the back of the camp. Hanging from the walls of the tent were a variety of finely tooled weapons, mostly swords. There was also a shelf holding several stacks of scrolls, often used judging by their worn edges. Engraved on a metal plate braced against the shelf was the maxim "Cunning and skill may falter in battle, but a big, sharp sword will aid you always."

 

Sighing deeply, the grizzled Lieutenant selected five of the scrolls and placed them in front of the warriors. "These scrolls hold instructions for intermediate sword forms and combat techniques that will assist you greatly in battle. These should have been taught to you during your training, but I understand that the drill sergeants at boot camp never managed to learn them." Cranky shot the warriors a quick wink, then bent down to flatten out the scrolls.

 

"We will practice some of these skills for the next three hours. Then we will ride fast to catch up with rest of the unit as they make camp for the night. We will repeat this over the next few days, and hopefully by the time we reach Milskin Pass you will be ready for your first taste of battle."

 

Cranky looked at the shocked expressions on the faces of the new knights as if they were something he had seen far too often.

 

"Don't be surprised, young warriors. I personally trained every single man and woman in this unit." There was a slight glint in the Lieutenant's eye as he said the phrase 'every single'. "Our time is limited, so each of you will only be able to learn the contents of two of these scrolls. Look through them and select two skills you wish to learn. Do not be too long in your choosing, or you will fall behind."

 

Mages

 

The villagers who had chosen to fight for the mages were quickly assimilated into a long, lightly escorted procession of recruits. The convoy travelled for several days, before finally coming to a halt in the shadow of a towering mountain, the base of which was shrouded in mist. The peak of a second mountain could be seen in the distance.

 

Many of the recruits assumed they were making camp for the night and began to unpack their possessions, pitching their own tents. A stop was put to this by several old, fully trained mages with glares icy enough to freeze a forest. One particularly old mage stepped out in front of all the recruits, barely visible through the mist, and spoke in a soft, but firm voice. The sound was seemingly delivered straight to the ears of every listener, probably by magical means.

 

"You may keep the clothes you are wearing for now, but all other possessions must be left behind. Physical items are worthless in the world of the arcane. Those who cling to them are not worthy."

 

The statement set off a storm of furious conversation among the groups of richer recruits. The ones who were less well off, including the ten villagers, simply shrugged and dropped their packs. They had barely anything to begin with anyway.

 

Throughout the next few minutes, the tension in the air mounted. The recruits that had dropped their belongings shuffled around nervously, while those who were unwilling to do so clustered around in large groups, debating fiercely. The senior mage escorts looked on impassively.

 

After a quarter of an hour, the groups started breaking up. A few people grudgingly abandoned their bags and stood nervously in their places. A great deal more picked up their things and formed a large travelling band. The band turned back the way they had came, led by a snobbish youth who glared defiantly at the mage elders as he led the majority of the recruits back to their homes. The mages they passed remained immobile, gazing stone-faced straight into the air ahead.

 

The drop-outs were allowed to get as far as the edge of the mountain's shadow. Then two of the mages stepped briefly towards them, raised their staffs and uttered an incantation. Twin streams of bright blue fire erupted from the tips of the staffs, slicing straight through their hapless targets. The flame spread rapidly through the group, burning cloth, metal, flesh and bone indiscriminately. The screams of the dying could be heard faintly by those fortunate enough to have obeyed.

 

"Those who are not worthy die. Those who are worthy stand. For those with true talent, there is no room for complacence." the lead mage said calmly.

 

Fear was the main drive for the remaining mages-to-be, but there was still some excitement in the mix. They had all seen the powerful spell the mages had cast on the drop-outs, and had been awed by its devastating effect. The precise mix of fear, awe, and hunger for power had been carefully devised by the mages to push the recruits through the training.

 

The senior mages turned and strode over to the edge of the mist. They spaced themselves widely, so that every one of the recruits had one of the mages to follow. Either by magical influence or simple instinct, the recruits formed rough lines behind each of the mages.

 

"Those who are worthy will follow. Those who are strong will pass. Those who are weak will fall." And with that, the mages strode into the mist.

 

The instructions were clear. Follow the mages to the best of your ability. If that was sufficient, you would make it through. But carrying this out was much harder than it sounded. There were many obstacles in the mist - pits of quicksand, fatal wards, vicious creatures, sheer drops, and many more unidentifiable deaths hidden in the dense vapour. The senior mages avoided these perfectly, stepping smoothly over hidden traps, dancing back and forth over sequences of stepping stones, uttering complicated protective chants, and performing countless other actions.

 

Many of the recruits couldn't quite match the movements of their leaders, lost their footing on the slippery ground, or mispronounced one obscure syllable in a chant. Surprised yells punctuated the silence blanketing the area, often followed by screams, ravenous growls, and loud, sickening cracks.

 

Those who managed to hang on for more than the first few minutes soon found themselves settling into an unusual level of concentration. The mage ahead of them was the only thing on their minds. They achieved total, perfect focus. Previously unknown pathways in their brain were unlocked, and new energies flowed through them, guiding their actions so that they moved perfectly in tandem with the leading mages. This was their first taste of magic.

 

A short eternity later, ten of the seventy recruits that had entered emerged from the mist into a sphere of fresh, cool air. It was only then that they realised that they had completed the last parts of the deadly obstacle course without being led by any of the mages, a magical sense of some sort having directed them safely to the end. They turned to each other and grinned weakly before stepping slowly towards the centre of the sphere. Cut into the rock there was an intricate circular engraving, with a unique pattern of interweaving lines appearing every few centimetres.

 

There was a soft hum, and a regal woman dressed in the exquisitely woven red silk robe of an arch-mage materialized in the centre of the circle. The mage escorts that had brought the recruits here stepped out of the mist and stood stoically behind her.

 

"Congratulations, young ones." the woman said. "You have succeeded in your first real test as bearers of magical power. You have earned the right to be called apprentices of the Order of the Shining Towers."

 

These words, along with the warm smile of the arch-mage put the new apprentices at ease. "Come," she said, beckoning to her charges. "Step into the circle. This is merely the beginning of your learning."

 

One by one, the apprentices stepped cautiously into the patterned circle. When they were all standing inside the circle, she swept her hand commandingly through the air. A soft golden light enveloped the circle's occupants, and a sudden jolt reverberated through the ground. When the light dissipated, they found themselves standing on an identical engraving, but this time carved into a floor of polished marble. The walls and floor of the antechamber they had been transported to were made of marble as well. The mage escorts strode quickly into adjacent corridors - no doubt they had other tasks to accomplish elsewhere.

 

"Welcome to Milskin Pass. This is where all of the Order's battle mages are trained and tempered." The arch-mage gestured gracefully towards a solid wooden door nearby. "This way please."

 

The apprentices stepped slowly through the door, and found themselves in a large round room. Tangled sequences of glowing runes covered the walls, ceiling, and floor. Floating placidly in the centre of the room were several unusual orbs. Each of the orbs was filled with a blend of colours, which danced and shone vividly in the room's dim light.

 

"Each of those orbs contains the magical models for a particular spellweaving technique. The orbs that you choose will determine the skills that you will learn over the next few days. Use the magical senses you have discovered to see into the composition of each orb. You may only select two orbs each, so make your decision carefully."

 

And here are the skills.

 

Everybody gets this skill:

 

Basic Attack

Flail randomly at your opponent with your weapon.

Can target: Any enemy

Range: 1

Damage done: Player's attack * 1 - Target's defence

Special effects: None

Splash: None

Skill needed: 1

Notes: Useful if you have some extra skill to use up and there is an opponent close by.

 

Warrior skills (each warrior picks 2 of these):

 

Rending Slash

Use your sword to its full advantage with a powerful slash.

Can target: Any enemy

Range: 1

Damage done (level 1): Player's attack * 1.5 - Target's defence

Damage done (level 2): Player's attack * 1.75 - Target's defence

Damage done (level 3): Player's attack * 2 - Target's defence

Special effects: None

Splash: The same amount of damage is done to any units, friendly or hostile, that are in the two squares to either side of the target square.

Skill needed: 3

Notes: This is a good attack for breaking through multiple barricades or taking down grouped enemy units.

 

Fatal Thrust

Put all your strength behind a single, carefully aimed thrust at your opponent.

Can target: Any enemy

Range: 2

Damage done (level 1): Player's attack * 3 - Target's defence

Damage done (level 2): Player's attack * 3.5 - Target's defence

Damage done (level 3): Player's attack * 4 - Target's defence

Special effects: None

Splash: None

Skill needed: 5

Notes: This is a very powerful single-target attack.

 

Unyielding Valour

Duck and bring your sword up to block incoming attacks.

Can target: Self

Range: 0

Damage done: 0

Special effects (level 1): Boosts player's defence by 3 for one attack turn (displayed as 'defence: 7 (+3 [0])').

Special effects (level 2): Boosts player's defence by 4 for one attack turn.

Special effects (level 3): Boosts player's defence by 5 for one attack turn.

Splash: None

Skill needed: Uses all the skill points the player has for that turn (if the player crouches, he/she cannot use any other skills).

Notes: Useful if you are acting as a distraction for your teammates.

 

Beserking Charge

Summon up all your honour and rage, and throw yourself into the fray.

Can target: Self (speed boost) and any enemy (attack).

Range: 0 (speed boost) and 3 (attack)

Damage done (level 1): In the following attack turn, player's attack * 2 - Target's defence

Damage done (level 2): In the following attack turn, player's attack * 2.5 - Target's defence

Damage done (level 3): In the following attack turn, player's attack * 3 - Target's defence

Special effects (level 1): Player's speed * 2.5 for one movement turn.

Special effects (level 2): Player's speed * 3 for one movement turn.

Special effects (level 3): Player's speed * 3.5 for one movement turn.

Splash: Half the amount of damage done to the target is done to any enemies within 2 squares of the targeted opponent.

Skill needed: Drains all of the player's skill points for that turn. For the next two attack turns after the attack stage that the attack boost activates, the only skill that the player may use is the basic attack. The player also cannot move for those two turns.

Notes: Risky, as it leaves you weakened and immobile, but if used correctly you could essentially ambush and defeat an enemy without them even seeing it coming. Best used on lone opponents. Must be activated on a movement turn, then followed up on the next attack turn.

 

Kinship

Lend your weapon to an allied player for one attack turn.

Can target: Any ally except NPCs.

Range: 2

Damage done: 0

Special effects (level 1): Targeted player's attack * 3 for one attack turn.

Special effects (level 2): Targeted player's attack * 3.5 for one attack turn.

Special effects (level 3): Targeted player's attack * 4 for one attack turn.

Splash: None

Skill needed: Drains all skill points for one move.

Notes: Very useful as it powers up your ally greatly, but will you choose to give them the glory, or instead fight alone? Good for when you are too weak to fight. Must be activated on a movement turn.

 

Mage skills (each mage picks two of these):

 

Blue Moon

Call a barrage of energy from the Moon and launch it at your opponent.

Can target: Any enemy

Range (level 1): 10

Range (level 2): 12

Range (level 3): 14

Damage done (level 1): Player's attack * 0.8 - Target's defence

Damage done (level 2): Player's attack * 1 - Target's defence

Damage done (level 3): Player's attack * 1.2 - Target's defence

Special effects: None

Splash: None

Skill needed: 3

Notes: Since a mage's basic attack is virtually useless, this is pretty much the primary attack spell used by mages.

 

Astral Shock

Shoot a bolt of lightning at your target.

Can target: Any enemy

Range: 7

Damage done (level 1): Player's attack * 0.5

Damage done (level 2): Player's attack * 0.6

Damage done (level 3): Player's attack * 0.7

Special effects: As you can see, this attack bypasses the opponent's defence (since metal armour conducts electricity).

Splash: None

Skill needed: 4

Notes: Useful if your target has high defence, but it doesn't do that much damage.

 

Mind Dance

Cast a spell to tire your opponent.

Can target: Any enemy

Range: 2

Damage done: 0

Special effects (level 1): Reduces target's attack, defence, and speed by 2 for three attack turns.

Special effects (level 2): Reduces target's attack, defence, and speed by 3 for three attack turns.

Special effects (level 3): Reduces target's attack, defence, and speed by 4 for three attack turns.

Splash: None

Skill needed: 6

Notes: This skill is very hard to use due to its very short range and high skill requirement, but it can have a devastating effect on the target's combat performance.

 

Tendrils Of Life

Cast a healing spell on a friendly unit.

Can target: Any friendly player (does not work on NPCs or self)

Range: 3

Damage done (level 1): -5

Damage done (level 2): -6

Damage done (level 3): -7

Special effects: Well, it heals. :)

Splash: None

Skill needed: 3

Notes: This skill, along with 'Flowing Energies', is very useful for mages who are taking on a support role.

 

Flowing Energies

Cast a ward too increase the performance of your allies.

Can target: Any friendly unit (does not work on NPCs or self)

Range: 2

Damage done: 0

Special effects (level 1): Increases target's attack, defence, speed, and skill by 2 for three attack turns.

Special effects (level 2): Increases target's attack, defence, speed, and skill by 3 for four attack turns.

Special effects (level 3): Increases target's attack, defence, speed, and skill by 4 for five attack turns.

Splash: None

Skill needed: 8

Notes: This skill, along with 'Tendrils of Life', is very useful for mages who are taking on a support role.

 

PM the names of the skills you choose to 'Kittenmaster Toogood'. Remember, you can only pick two skills.

[Xepha]

Very nice job on the story Theo!

 

As for choosing skills, this is going to be hard!

 

 

PS: Could you add some styling in your message so we see which skills are warriors and which ones are mages, because it's hard to spot them quickly. Thanks a bunch!

[Parshy]

Thanks for posting skills. I sent out a PM to my team in order for us to pick skills

[Crusher]

Good job Aang, that's exactly what you should do. PM going out now.

 

=Cameron=

[antiaircraft]

Thanks for the compliment on the story. :D

 

The warrior skills are now shown in blue, and the mage skills are shown in green, so it should be easier to tell them apart. :yes:

[Crusher]

We're working on the weapons now. Hopefully they'll be ready soon. *nods*

 

=Cameron=

[Shattered_Ribbon]

Vira is still alive and healthy, in case anyone was wondering *cough*. Just very busy.

Vira's List of Things to Do

Use mp points. *checks off*

Pick skills. *checks off*

Confer (Or at least, send a message..) with team members. *checks off*

And where is Doc Loc?

 

Okay, almost good to go. ^^

And nice tutorial, by the way. Still slightly confusing for me, but that may be because I just skimmed through it...>.>

[Awesome_Paul]

I chose my skills :D

 

By the way, what would happen if someone disappeared half-way through, or just started going inactive? (Lets hope no-one will though)

[Revenge]

I bet they would get killed off in the story. Or go hide off in a corner and pick their nose... :P

[DOOM Bringer]

I've picked my skills, hopefully they are the right ones to help the warriors win this thing!

 

I have a question. Say one team wins and there is a few people left on that team, do they fight it out to be the total victor of this contest? Basically I'm asking if there is ONE winner or if it ends with a TEAM victory...

[Crusher]

@ Vira - Yay! You're back! Thanks for catching up. :)

@ Paul - Basically they would do nothing at all. They would be placed on the battle map like everyone else. They would still be completely open to attacks, which means no protection against anyone that sees you as an easy target. Remember kills get you MP. No one here is going to take pity if they don't have to.

@ Revenge - Dirty! Filthy! *rants*

@ Tom - No, they would win as a team. Otherwise what's the point of working together? They would all get bonuses for a victory and their contribution.

 

=Cameron=