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CoE3 AAR: A Chronicle of the Interregnum
This is the start of a new AAR to provide a glimpse into the game and some aspects of it that are new compared to CoE2. However, I do not play one of the new classes, instead we shall explore the game from the point of view of a Necromancer who must discover the new powers he is facing and overcome them.
Here is the beginning and backstory for this AAR, but I will probably only manage one or two posts before I must leave for work and will continue the AAR tomorrow morning. Onward! **** I am Barras, a Necromancer. Perhaps the last of my kind in Elysium. I shall write this chronicle so that even should the unthinkable happen, I shall not be forgotten. It is the time of the Interregnum. The Empire has fallen. Battlefields and ruins of the empire litter the lands. Few cities and villages remain. Human lands are in chaos, and bandits roam the countryside. Even worse, great acts of evil have been performed in the capital, which has turned into a stronghold of undead creatures and unspeakable horrors. Only a powerful leader will be able to rebuild the empire. The fall of the Empire has been a boon to me. When the Empire was at the height of its power, the practicioners of my art were hounded and persecuted by the Imperial priesthood and there were few places indeed in all of Elysium where we could safely hide. Now, thanks to the feuds and squabbling among the Senators that Bellania incited and her further machinations, the Empire is no more. Little did they know that she serves that upstart god Baal, whose cult only appeared toward the later days of the Empire. It was also genius on her part to entice my former acquaintance Calthus to think he could seize power and become Emperor. Fools the Senators may have been, but even they would not have countenanced a Demonologist on the throne of the Empire. It is amazing really how far that blundering idiot got, that he wasn’t devoured by the things he called. Or perhaps he learned discipline later, little that it matters. *snicker* Poor Calthus, abandoned by his staunch ally, Bellania, right on the edge of victory. Of course, it was then that he turned to desperate measures and all his bad habits caught up to him. Tried to summon an Arch Devil, but of course he skimped on the offerings, what with the Imperial army bearing down on him and fighting all over the streets of the Capitol. The former Capitol, I should say, since he failed to control the creature and it destroyed him and then proceeded to slaughter the entire Imperial military and anything else that got in its way. Nobody knows exactly what happened, but the rumors from the vicinity of that place tell that anyone who goes too near disappears and is never heard from again. All I know from what the spirits of the Netherworld tell me is that there were more than demons roaming the streets of the Capitol at the Time of the Fall. Creatures rarely glimpsed, beings made of the stuff of nightmares that devoured and tortured mortal and demon alike. Whether they are gone is unknown, but I would surmise they are not. However, it is at best an academic concern, since I do not intend to find out. The upheaval since the Fall has left everything unsettled and nobody knows what state the land is in now, other than chaos, of course. It is left for those with the means and the ruthlessness to pick up the pieces and build something new. I have found an ally in a servant of the Old Powers, a Witch who is as glad as I am to see the Empire gone and who has little love for Bellania. We have pooled our efforts and shall seek to claim a position of power from where it will be impossible to dislodge us. She seeks to return Elysium to where it was before the coming of man. I seek immortality. Once I have achieved that, our goals are not incompatible at all. I know that Bellania did not survive the unexpected results her machinations brought about, but her cultists have found a new leader named Hephzibah and allied with other newcomers, the barbaric, backward people of a Priest King from somewhere called Mictlan whose names are quite unpronounceable. These savages worship something called the God of the Four Faces, with human sacrifices, I hear. How predictable. I have no use for gods of any sort, so it is imperative to stamp these cults out. Other spies have managed to find out some preliminary information on the other factions powerful enough to be contenders for the rule of Elysium. There is another Old Power at play, a member of the tree worshiping Druidic Order, who has allied himself with the Moutain Folk. It may sound like a strange alliance at first, but the Druid is only interested in seeing wilderness reclaim the cultivated lands and the dwarves want nothing more than to be left alone under their mountains to mine what they discover underground. The third enemy alliance is one of chaos and destruction. A barbarian horde has gathered and it has allied itself with a strange breed of goblin-like creatures that has emerged from a mountain citadel somewhere in the land. These beings have not been seen before and it is speculated that they have come to Elysium from some strange hitherto unknown netherworld, not to be confused with the Realm of the Dead. They are far better organized than goblins and have spread like a plague, but fortunately each band seems to be on its own. These things call themselves the Bakemono and it is known now that when they are led by a shaman or witch doctor, they practice human sacrifices to call more powerful allied beings, like unto demons but different. Rumor says that a powerful Bakemono Sorcerer has emerged and unified the heartlands of the Bakemono to his banner. I do not like so many unknowns. The Druid and the Dwarves are predictable and the barbarians may call spirits of their ancestors if they find shamans powerful enough. Everything else is a question mark. Baal cultists seem to have an affinity for spiders, but aside from that, there is no telling what my ally and I will face. I suspect that her swamp monsters and Androphags are going to have their work cut out for them. I myself must gather enough Hands of Glory to summon something more than weakling longdead and soulless... |
Re: CoE3 AAR: A Chronicle of the Interregnum
So, during game setup, which you could already see here, I chose an Enormous map (72x50 squares), Interregnum society and allied play. I did NOT include Common Cause or Clustered Start, since the story here requires that each player survive on his own even if they work toward (at least somewhat) common goals.
I set all AI at Knight level (4/10) to provide some challenge and to increase their chances of surviving the early game. http://koti.welho.com/ehalttun/publi...m/01_setup.jpg So these are the classes and teams. Next, we shall take a look at the Player Overview screen provided by F2 once game has started: http://koti.welho.com/ehalttun/publi...r_overview.jpg This lists the player names and controller (human or AI), but nothing else so as to not give away too much. Of course, in this instance we know what classes each of them are, but in a random game, we would not. The names can give some clues, though. ***** Greetings! I am Barras, a Necromancer lately of some renown. http://koti.welho.com/ehalttun/publi...ncer_stats.jpg It is time to begin my bid for immortality. I had managed to squirrel away enough gold and other resources to hire a workers to construct a citadel when the time is ripe. Built out of black granite, it offers a commanding view over the countryside. (The Dark Citadel has the Vision attribute, which allows the player to see 2 squares in all directions instead of the standard 1 square, but only if there are troops in the square.) http://koti.welho.com/ehalttun/publi...rtlocation.jpg Directly to the west there is a farm that has been taken over by a rabble of bandits and poachers and a little to the north is a village guarded by more substantial troops. The village must be my first priority, because in settlements of that size there are always enough altercations and mayhem going on that one can reliably expect at least one person to be hanged for murder each month. And the left hands of hanged murders can be turned into Hands of Glory, which is precisely what I need for my rituals. To the southeast there is a gallows, which serves as the common execution site for miles around and provides me with more hands of glory. Of course, since the place is under my control, any rabble that strays into my territory without invitation is liable to be hanged for murder. They are ALL guilty of it anyway, or would be, sooner or later, so this makes things expedient. And if a person has been hung for murder, their hands can be used since the requirements of the netherworld spirits are fulfilled. Now, I should start making plans for conquering the village, but several problems present themselves (as if I didn't have enough already!): - The bandit and slinger at the farm are certainly not going to stay there. They are liable to wander, so they must be eliminated at once. Otherwise I might find uninvited guests at my citadel, which would be intolerable. Equally intolerable would be if they went and vandalized my gallows. - The lookout at the top of the citadel reported that to the south there is a sounder of Great Boars and that a bear has been spotted in the forest. They pose a hazard and should be eliminated, but all of them are powerful beasts and can easily maim many of my men. So I must let them be. For now. I think I shall send my apprentice to the Gallows to reanimate what longdead and soulless he can coax out of the boot hill next to it, though that is likely to exhaust the dead. And it's slim pickings anyway, not like a proper graveyard or battlefield. Oh, and here is my apprentice, Arnulf: http://koti.welho.com/ehalttun/publi...tice_stats.jpg He is rather a weakling and knows little, but he can summon a longdead in battle and scare away the more easily frightened creatures. As long as he has some troops to prevent enemies from getting into close contact with him, he should do adequately. Now Arnulf has reached the Gallows and is preparing to reanimate the dead. He can feel the presence of the dead, which means there are about a dozen to twenty dead here. Hopefully he manages to reanimate the lot, since I cannot spare him any human troops. http://koti.welho.com/ehalttun/publi...apprentice.jpg Fortunately, he seems to have gotten the hang of it: http://koti.welho.com/ehalttun/publi...eanimation.jpg Six longdead and five soulless should be enough to let him keep the situation at home under control while I shall go and inform the villagers who their master is. Arnulf can deal with the bandit and his stone-slinging coward of a companion next month, though he must do it without the soulless. Those are needed to guard the gallows. Hopefully the bear goes elsewhere in search of food. The poor thing might get food poisoning from eating rotten meat if it tries to snack on the soulless. Now, in order to attack a village guarded by six spearmen, I would ordinarily need more troops than just ten spearmen of my own and three crossbowmen. Fortunately magic will tip the odds in my favor. As you can see earlier, I have memorized Summon Longdead, Banefire and Dark Power. I did not memorize Decay, because it kills over time and is best used in long battles with much more participants. Summoning longdead is always good, because if the enemy uses its efforts on summoned things, my own troops will be spared. However, that is the weakest of my spells. This is what Banefire does: http://koti.welho.com/ehalttun/publi...l_banefire.jpg The star icon indicates that Banefire does magical damage. It is almost guaranteed to kill any spearman it hits. Their shields are no protection either and if they should survive, they are likely to rot to death in the space of minutes. Dark Power is similar, but does not cause decay. It hits three random targets and drains their life force, bestowing it on me to heal damage or augment my health beyond what I could normally experience. Now, it is time for my first conquest. |
Re: CoE3 AAR: A Chronicle of the Interregnum
Aaaaand
*fanfare* Next update breaks savegames, so this AAR is going to have to be rebooted rather soon. I'll keep the same premise to preserve the writing, but the rest of it will change to reflect the new circumstances when the time comes. In any case, Barras conquered the village with the loss of just one spearman and you can see the banefire spell in action here: http://koti.welho.com/ehalttun/publi...e_banefire.jpg |
Re: CoE3 AAR: A Chronicle of the Interregnum
Great work.
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Re: CoE3 AAR: A Chronicle of the Interregnum
Thanks for the AAR.
I like the fact that the combat report the shield use, it helps seeing how effective they are (or not). In dom3, I know that theyr are very useful, especially against ranged attacks, but sometimes it's good to just see the numbers. |
Re: CoE3 AAR: A Chronicle of the Interregnum
Great AAR, so far. The necromancer is probably the first character I'll try out, when the game is released, so I'm extra interested in this AAR.
I have to say, though, that I'm quite disappointed by the missing descriptions. From looking a the banefire picture, it seems very informative, but lacks flavour and theme. I need those things! Hopefully, they'll make it into the game, at a later date. :) |
Re: CoE3 AAR: A Chronicle of the Interregnum
The CID (Combat Information Display) shows who hits who and how much damage they do and also some other things. It will indicate when special abilities like Ethereal or Awe negate an attack (prevent it from hitting).
While we're discussing shields, there are two varieties: Shield and Large Shield. Both reduce damage by 4 and they have 20% and 30% chance respectively to do so unless an attack is armor negating or shield negating. Since version 2.94 came out today, I will reboot this AAR tomorrow morning. This evening if you guys get lucky, but don't count on it. Only one name needs to be changed in the OP and the second post can stay there, since all of the stuff in it is useful info and I'll just work it into the rebooted AAR, won't be a problem. NOTE: All of the screenshots are resized or otherwise doctored to reduce image size and dimensions. For example, the CID is located at the lower left corner of the screen in battle, not below the army, and the summoning of longdead and soulless has been clipped from the battlefield and pasted inside the CID. The main screen also shows just one structure popup at a time at the place where the farm info is. |
Re: CoE3 AAR: A Chronicle of the Interregnum
It doesn't look like the necromancers in your report have a sanity value. Does it only appear when they start to lose it, or did they make reanimation free? If there is no more insanity, what are the differences between becoming a vampire or a lich?
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Re: CoE3 AAR: A Chronicle of the Interregnum
The apprentice screenshot was taken before reanimation. Each reanimation hits you with 6 points of insanity. Icon for it is the same as in Dom3.
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Re: CoE3 AAR: A Chronicle of the Interregnum
What are the effects of insanity ? % chance of random action like in dom 3 ? If so how does it handle stacks with several commanders ?
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Re: CoE3 AAR: A Chronicle of the Interregnum
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There is also a battle affliction of Temporary Insanity, which has an automatic healing chance every turn. It'll go away eventually, but boy is it annoying when it hits your main artillery (usually a mage) or SC. Supercombatants fortunately aren't quite as super as they are in Dom3, by the way, which is a good thing. For example, the Troll King looks really harsh on paper, but some starting armies will wipe him out without breaking a sweat because their mage support simply tells him "shut up" and he does, enough that it makes a difference. Non-resistible immobilization effects are murder on lone SCs. Even if they break that immediately, they're liable to be hit with it again instantly. Also, there has been an annoying kink in rebooting this AAR. Due to an inadvertent bug that has already been fixed for the next version, the High Priestess currently starts with no troops, so I can't include her as a player, she would get instantly wiped out. I'm going to replace her with the High Cultist (R'lyeh) and change the narrative accordingly, so the next post will be the origin story rewritten, then followed by the actual AAR. |
Re: CoE3 AAR: A Chronicle of the Interregnum
Okay, time for a reboot. Had to slightly alter the backstory in order to replace the High Priestess with the High Cultist, but here goes:
============ ==********== ============ I am Barras, a Necromancer. Perhaps the last of my kind in Elysium. I shall write this chronicle so that even should the unthinkable happen, I shall not be forgotten. It is the time of the Interregnum. The Empire has fallen. Battlefields and ruins of the empire litter the lands. Few cities and villages remain. Human lands are in chaos, and bandits roam the countryside. Even worse, great acts of evil have been performed in the capital, which has turned into a stronghold of undead creatures and unspeakable horrors. Only a powerful leader will be able to rebuild the empire. The fall of the Empire has been a boon to me. When the Empire was at the height of its power, the practicioners of my art were hounded and persecuted by the Imperial priesthood and there were few places indeed in all of Elysium where we could safely hide. Now, thanks to the feuds and squabbling among the Senators that Bellania and her strange allies incited and their further machinations, the Empire is no more. Little did they know that she serves that upstart god Baal, whose cult only appeared toward the later days of the Empire. Devious minx, which is why I never trusted her, even though she could make everything sound so reasonable. And she could be persuasive indeed... Ah, well... Those allies of hers, they were stranger still, worshipers of the starts and the sea. It was also genius on their part to entice my former acquaintance Calthus to think he could seize power and become Emperor. Fools the Senators may have been, but even they would not have countenanced a Demonologist on the throne of the Empire. It is amazing really how far that blundering idiot got, that he wasn’t devoured by the things he called. Or perhaps he learned discipline later, little that it matters. *snicker* Poor Calthus, abandoned by his staunch ally, Bellania, right on the edge of victory. Of course, it was then that he turned to desperate measures and all his bad habits caught up to him. Tried to summon an Arch Devil, but of course he skimped on the offerings, what with the Imperial army bearing down on him and fighting all over the streets of the Capitol. The former Capitol, I should say, since he failed to control the creature and it destroyed him and then proceeded to slaughter the entire Imperial military and anything else that got in its way. Nobody knows exactly what happened, but the rumors from the vicinity of that place tell that anyone who goes too near disappears and is never heard from again. All I know from what the spirits of the Netherworld tell me is that there were more than demons roaming the streets of the Capitol at the Time of the Fall. Creatures rarely glimpsed, beings made of the stuff of nightmares that devoured and tortured mortal and demon alike. Whether they are gone is unknown, but I would surmise they are not. However, it is at best an academic concern, since I do not intend to find out. The upheaval since the Fall has left everything unsettled and nobody knows what state the land is in now, other than chaos, of course. It is left for those with the means and the ruthlessness to pick up the pieces and build something new. I have found an ally in a servant of the Old Powers, a Witch who is as glad as I am to see the Empire gone and who has little love for Bellania. We have pooled our efforts and shall seek to claim a position of power from where it will be impossible to dislodge us. She seeks to return Elysium to where it was before the coming of man. I seek immortality. Once I have achieved that, our goals are not incompatible at all. I know that Bellania and her cultists did not survive the unexpected results her machinations brought about, but her disquieting friends fared much better and have allied with other newcomers, the barbaric, backward people of a Priest King from somewhere called Mictlan and whose names are quite unpronounceable. These savages worship something called the God of the Four Faces, with human sacrifices, I hear. How predictable. I have no use for gods of any sort, so it is imperative to stamp these cults out. Other spies have managed to find out some preliminary information on the other factions powerful enough to be contenders for the rule of Elysium. There is another Old Power at play, a member of the tree worshiping Druidic Order, who has allied himself with the Moutain Folk. It may sound like a strange alliance at first, but the Druid is only interested in seeing wilderness reclaim the cultivated lands and the dwarves want nothing more than to be left alone under their mountains to mine what they discover underground. The third enemy alliance is one of chaos and destruction. A barbarian horde has gathered and it has allied itself with a strange breed of goblin-like creatures that has emerged from a mountain citadel somewhere in the land. These beings have not been seen before and it is speculated that they have come to Elysium from some strange hitherto unknown netherworld, not to be confused with the Realm of the Dead. They are far better organized than goblins and have spread like a plague, but fortunately each band seems to be on its own. These things call themselves the Bakemono and it is known now that when they are led by a shaman or witch doctor, they practice human sacrifices to call more powerful allied beings, like unto demons but different. Rumor says that a powerful Bakemono Sorcerer has emerged and unified the heartlands of the Bakemono to his banner. I do not like so many unknowns. The Druid and the Dwarves are predictable and the barbarians may call spirits of their ancestors if they find shamans powerful enough. Everything else is a question mark. These new cultists seem to have an affinity for the sea and are fond of coastal settlements, but aside from that, there is no information at all to tell what my ally and I will face. I suspect that her swamp monsters and Androphags are going to have their work cut out for them. I myself must gather enough Hands of Glory to summon something more than weakling longdead and soulless... |
Re: CoE3 AAR: A Chronicle of the Interregnum
Once you attain lichdom your sanity is restored, like in CoE2, right? IIRC, in CoE2, your lich would start going insane, too, though. Is that the case here, as well? What about vampirism?
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Re: CoE3 AAR: A Chronicle of the Interregnum
[quote=Edi;793645]So, during game setup, which you could already see here, I chose an Enormous map (72x50 squares), Interregnum society and allied play. I did NOT include Common Cause or Clustered Start, since the story here requires that each player survive on his own even if they work toward (at least somewhat) common goals.
I set all AI at Knight level (4/10) to provide some challenge and to increase their chances of surviving the early game. http://koti.welho.com/ehalttun/publi...up_players.jpg So these are the classes and teams. Next, we shall take a look at the Player Overview screen provided by F2 once game has started: http://koti.welho.com/ehalttun/publi...eroverview.jpg This lists the player names and controller (human or AI), but nothing else so as to not give away too much. Of course, in this instance we know what classes each of them are, but in a random game, we would not. The names can give some clues, though. ***** Greetings! I am Barras, a Necromancer lately of some renown. http://koti.welho.com/ehalttun/publi...ecromancer.jpg I seem to have had the strangest dream that I was myself, or almost myself, but knew things I do not and that I was somewhere else very much like this place. I was facing my old ally and lover, my old enemy Bellania in a bid for power, but that cannot be, for she is dead, killed in the fires of the Fall that consumed the Empire. It is curious thing how the mind can sometimes play tricks on you when you sleep... It is time to begin my bid for immortality. I had managed to squirrel away enough gold and other resources to hire a workers to construct a citadel when the time is ripe. Built out of black granite, it offers a commanding view over the countryside. (The Dark Citadel has the Vision attribute, which allows the player to see 2 squares in all directions instead of the standard 1 square, but only if there are troops in the square.) http://koti.welho.com/ehalttun/publi...rtlocation.jpg My citadel is in the trackless wilderness, with nothing for company except the trees and the wind. Forest as far as the eye can see, with a scattering of mountains. My only other holdings are the gallows and a farm that produces food to feed my human troops. There's a little surplus to sell, but that income doesn't stretch far. I'd be much more g´lad for a village in teh vicinity, because in settlements of that size there are always enough altercations and mayhem going on that one can reliably expect at least one person to be hanged for murder each month. And the left hands of hanged murders can be turned into Hands of Glory, which is precisely what I need for my rituals. Fortunately the gallows serves as the common execution site for miles around and provides me with more hands of glory. Of course, since the place is under my control, and there aren't any settlements anywhere close, any rabble that strays into my territory without invitation is liable to be hanged for murder. They are ALL guilty of it anyway, or would be, sooner or later, so this makes things expedient. And if a person has been hung for murder, their hands can be used since the requirements of the netherworld spirits are fulfilled. Now, I should start making plans for finding and gathering more resources, but as usual, several problems present themselves. As if I didn't have enough already! - There is a herd of deer running loose near my citadel, no doubt tempted by the crops and fields of the farm. I think it is time to roast some venison soon, or we'll be fresh out of bread as soon as we turn our backs. - The lookout at the top of the citadel reported that to the south there is a great forest that stands much taller than the trees anywhere within sight of my walls. I've heard of these places, though never seen them. Holy places to Druids, they are the breeding grounds for herds of deer and moose, ferocious wolf packs, great bears and sounders of boar. I fear I must be vigilant, lest my farm be overrun by vermin, my gallows chopped to bits by boars and bears sharpening their tusks and claws and my citadel infested with snakes and other vermin. *sigh* The only other feature of interest is far to the north, a round blue expanse rising past the tops of the trees that wither in its shadow. A humongous mushroom, as tall as the greatest trees. No doubt dangerous, as most unusual things in the wild are in these unsettled times. I shall make a note of going far around it. I sent my apprentice to animate all the dead that could be brought to service from the graveyard next to the gallows. http://koti.welho.com/ehalttun/publi...eanimation.jpg Fortunately, he seems to have gotten the hang of it. Six longdead and three soulless should be enough to let him keep the situation at home under control while I explore the vicinity. Childerik can deal with emergencies in a pinch, though he must do it without the soulless. Those are needed to guard the gallows. http://koti.welho.com/ehalttun/publi...apprentice.jpg He could try to reanimate some more undead, as there are still a few in the ground, but it's not worth even the effort of thinking about it. Oh, to introduce you to Childerik a little better: http://koti.welho.com/ehalttun/publi...apprentice.jpg He is rather a weakling and knows little, but he can weaken the enemy in battle and scare away the more easily frightened creatures. As long as he has some troops to prevent enemies from getting into close contact with him, he should do adequately. As you can see, the encounter with the souls of the dead has left him slightly shaken, but that is an occupational hazard in this business. There are ways to deal with it, but that must be in the future. Now, to deal with that annoying herd of vermin that threatens the breadbasket. I might incur losses, because the deer bucks can be surprisngly aggressive in defending their does. Fortunately I have just the thing to deal with them. As you can see earlier, I have memorized Terror, Bane Fire and Drain Life. I did not memorize Fear, because it only affects a single target whereas Terror will hit an entire squad of enemies. Drain Life is useful for healing myself and augmenting my health if anyone manages to wound me and then there is Bane Fire: http://koti.welho.com/ehalttun/publi...l_banefire.jpg The star icon indicates that Banefire does magical damage. It is almost guaranteed to kill any man it hits and even many much hardier creatures. Armor is no protection either and if the target should survive, it is likely to rot to death in the space of minutes. I managed to drive off the vermin, but no before one stag gored one of my spearmen through the liver and killed him. Another one destroyed one of the longdead, but fortunately it was the weakest one. I managed to cast Life Drain on one of the deer and now feel much better than before. Can't get any better than this, though, which is rather a shame. http://koti.welho.com/ehalttun/publi..._lifedrain.jpg http://koti.welho.com/ehalttun/publi..._augmented.jpg Childerik scared one away and if it hasn't collapsed from exhaustion yet, it's still running until it does. |
Re: CoE3 AAR: A Chronicle of the Interregnum
Quote:
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Re: CoE3 AAR: A Chronicle of the Interregnum
Sounds cool. Thanks.
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Re: CoE3 AAR: A Chronicle of the Interregnum
After having dispatched the verminous deer, I sent my apprentice back to guard the citadel. Losing the citadel to brigands would spell instant end to my ambitions, so until I have an alternate base of operations, I must dedicate some troops to guard it.
I have also received a report from my ally, the Witch Pantariste. Her tower is located some ways to the west and a little to the south and her surroundings seem to offer much richer pickings. (Pressing TAB will hide all units and show only the map terrain) http://koti.welho.com/ehalttun/publi...gloc_witch.jpg There is a lightly guarded coal mine and an iron mine that has been taken over by these goblin-like creatures, the Bakemono. A large and powerful tribe has made the mine its home, so it is likely that she cannot evict them anytime soon. While her Androphags are formidable warriors and their archers use poisoned arrows, there are not yet enough of them to dislodge the Bakemono. http://koti.welho.com/ehalttun/publi...androphags.jpg Of greatest interest to me is the ancient battlefield close by, since there would likely be an opportunity to reanimate significant amounts of undead with little effort. However, there is a problem. The battlefield is guarded by several soulless and worse, my ally reports that stalks of death fungus have been seen growing in the area. The death fungus is a thoroughly nasty fungal specimen, a large mushroom that reacts to the presence of living creatures by spewing forth a cloud of parasitical spores that will settle on the hapless victim, bore in and begin to rot the doomed creature even though it is still alive. The process does not take long and is invariably fatal. Worse, the fungus feeds of dead and rotting flesh and given a sufficient quantity, will spread until there is a veritable forest of them. Fire is the only reliable means of eradication. At least these are out in the open, in a forest the things are almost undetectable unless one has minions versed in woods lore along. http://koti.welho.com/ehalttun/publi...eathfungus.jpg Pantariste also has a problem with brigands who prey on the area. They have a lair close by and undoubtedly the malcontents are out and about, waiting for opportunities. These outlaws have been known to attack even well fortified citadels in sufficient numbers to overwhelm them and they are masters of moving undetected. One needs scouts of one's own to be forewarned of brigands before blundering into them. Dire wolves or something similar that is not so very easily fooled will do equally well. Let us hope that the brigands in her vicinity do not pose a problem. |
Re: CoE3 AAR: A Chronicle of the Interregnum
It is midsummer now and I have discovered an ancient temple and a second farm in the vicinity. The farm owner is likely to need some persuasion to see that it is in his best interests to do his dealings with me.
The temple, on the other hand, is something else entirely. It is guarded, and not lightly. We were about to approach closer, when we spotted the guardians: Half a dozen Dust Walkers, led by a Priest. Dust Walkers are greater undead and each one is easily the match of four or five spearmen. Alone they are a serious enough obstacle, but the Dust Priest is also an accomplished mage skilled in the use of Necromantic spells. http://koti.welho.com/ehalttun/publi...ustwalkers.jpg There are easier ways of committing suicide than trying to dig them out of that temple, which even in its ruined state offers them protection and defense. (the defense value of squares is added to defender's armor) |
Re: CoE3 AAR: A Chronicle of the Interregnum
I also instructed Childerik to perform a Ritual of Dark Knowledge, in the hopes of finding something useful, like a nearby graveyard or a battlefield.
This is what he discovered and as you can see, it's a long trek if I want to go there. At least there is a village nearby there and it is even undefended from all appearances. There also seems to be a dwarf accompanying a ballista crew in the area. Whatever are they doing in that forest? http://koti.welho.com/ehalttun/publi...attlefield.jpg |
Re: CoE3 AAR: A Chronicle of the Interregnum
*drains glass of spirits*
That's...better...I think... *thinks* No, doesn't help. Not nearly enough. Sod it all! *drains rest of the bottle* Better. A little. Not a whole lot, but at least it's going to numb the worst of the nerves for a while. Late summer was going just fine until a few moments ago. I had just discovered and taken over an abandoned farm. And then my apprentice contacted me to convey the results of a scrying he undertook on his own initiative. Couldn't get a word out of him and he was mentally white as chalk. Hold on... You there, hand me a second bottle! Yes, I know what I'm doing! It's not going to hit me for a few moments yet. And yes, we're done for today, set the camp up right here! Where was I? Oh yes, the scrying. Well, see for yourself: http://koti.welho.com/ehalttun/publi...ed_capitol.jpg I had no bloody idea that my citadel was this close to the former Capitol, the land has changed so much in the few years since the Fall. No wonder this place was deserted and abandoned. And now I also know what happened after Calthus loosed the Arch Devil. The one thing I always wondered was why the thing didn't go on a rampage after it wiped out the Imperial forces, but that mystery has been solved. There isn't an Arch Devil. Oh, there was, but it isn't there anymore. The rumors were true that something worse happened there. The couple of wights and the banshee in there are like ticks clinging to a giant when one considers the thing that has taken residence in the buildings of the Senate and Emperor. http://koti.welho.com/ehalttun/publi...horror_olm.jpg I have no idea what that is, but if I had to guess, something that Bellania's allies are responsible for. And it's not even the worst part. There is a...Something!...in the slums. Just looking at it from afar is almost enough to send me gibbering over the edge of sanity and I've seen some rather unpleasant things in my time. The only way to describe that thing is that it is...WRONG! http://koti.welho.com/ehalttun/publi...o_unreason.jpg THAT is the reason why there is no Arch Devil there anymore. It's because the Arch Devil, its demon minions and whatever remnants of the Imperial military and citizens might have survived the demons now reside in that thing's belly. *shudder* I have no idea what I'm going to do next, but I REALLY need to find some serious income, resources or a few battlefields fast and fortify my citadel, because if THOSE things are lairing that close, there is no telling what may be ranging farther out for fear of going too close! |
Re: CoE3 AAR: A Chronicle of the Interregnum
Deep spells is so powerful,as astral magic in dominions world.
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Re: CoE3 AAR: A Chronicle of the Interregnum
Can the amount of special "fortresses" such as the horror overrun city be set up during game creation or is it all random?
Interesting AAR :) |
Re: CoE3 AAR: A Chronicle of the Interregnum
Its all random. But the different social ages have a lot to do with that so the 6 choices will give people a good range. And, the map commands give full control over it if someone wants something real specific.
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Re: CoE3 AAR: A Chronicle of the Interregnum
Quote:
There are a number of special forts in three of the six eras. The era of the Empire has a Capitol, which is four squares in size and very heavily defended by human troops. Managing to conquer it is almost like an instant win for Necromancers or anyone who uses sacrifices, because it provides massive gold, sacrifice and hand of glory income as well as massive trade income (which can be converted to more special resources in return for golf). The era of the Fallen Empire, also called the Interregnum, has the Haunted Capitol, demonstrated above. The era of Monarchy has the King's Castle (named just Castle, like the starting castle of the Baron and a generic Castle). This special castle provides a kingdom wide 25% gold income boost, so it's not a trivial target to conquer. Dark Ages and Agricultural Period don't have any special castles unless something rare appears at random and Dawn of a New Empire is the same. |
Re: CoE3 AAR: A Chronicle of the Interregnum
I've been pretty excited about this game. Now, after reading the most recent AAR entry, I'm pretty sure I'm going to be calling in "sick" on the 20th. This looks great. It takes the atmospher of CoE2 to the next level. And then some.
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Re: CoE3 AAR: A Chronicle of the Interregnum
What determines if a monster is capable of wandering vs. stationary? I assume both the Horror Ulm and the Slave to Unreason are suppose to stay in the ruined capital as guard monsters, so are those units specifically incapable of movement or is it something scripted to keep them in place? Can they move about within the 4-tile capital location? If something of that caliber were capable of wandering around it would spell doom to pretty much any nation it stumbled across...
For that matter, I don't see a movement stat. How far can units move in one turn? Do any units move further than others, or otherwise have superior mobility (flight, swimming, sailing, teleportation, etc.)? Also, I'm really enjoying the AAR and I'm looking forward to the next installment. Thanks for doing this Edi. |
Re: CoE3 AAR: A Chronicle of the Interregnum
I'll try to answer your questions as clearly as possible.
General movement rules: - Standard units have 3 Action Points, Slow units have 2 and Fast units have 4 - Terrain costs 1 or more AP to move through (plains 1, forests 2 etc) - If moves cost more AP than you have left, the rest is deducted from your AP next turn - Immobile units can't move (duh!) - Various movement related special abilities reduce some terrain AP costs General rules about terrain guards: - Monsters that guard special terrain do not move - Animal guards are more liable to wander, and usually only from Ancient Forests - Monsters spawned in random terrain squares (not special terrain like mines or ancient temples) wander around In this specific case, based on these rules, we can deduce the following: - The Haunted Capitol is a special site, therefore its guards don't move (the things it spawns, on the other hand...) - The Horror Olm is a slow unit (snail icon, last in list), therefore has 2 AP if it were to move. - The Slave to Unreason is an immobile unit (last icon in list), therefore it does not move no matter what. So in this case there is no fear that either of those is going to charge out of the capitol gates anytime soon. Poor Barras just doesn't know that, but he knows enough to suspect and is suspicious enough to expect that something else might come out of there. Of course, there are things like Manticores, Chimaeras, Catoblepas and Dracolions that can appear as random wandering monsters. Starting next to one of those and getting caught unawares can mean instant game over. I remember one test necromancer who got a manticore right next to the Dark Citadel and it attacked on turn one. Got left with one or two crossbowmen out of his entire starting army plus animated undead and that only through a fluke of luck (one crossbow landed a 29 point hit, which allowed victory, just barely). As far as the next installment, I'll see whether this evening or tomorrow sometime. |
Re: CoE3 AAR: A Chronicle of the Interregnum
Are there also any 'Epic Spawns' in the later stages of the game?
One thing I loved in Master of Orion 1/2 were special events like gigantic Space Crystals or Space Hydras or a scary Antharen fleet entering the galaxy and wreaking havoc. Then you get the chills: Where will it come? Which planet will it attack? Will my precious super battle ship be able to stop it? Fall from Heaven 2 also had such events with Orthus, Acheron or the demon lords (Stephanos & Brothers). I imagine a doom horror or an arch devil entering the lands... Since such events can be game changing, especially in MP, they probably should be optional, but it would be really great. |
Re: CoE3 AAR: A Chronicle of the Interregnum
Yes it has them, but they are not optional.
There is one where undead flood the land attacking all sites. It can totally take you out of the game or it at least knocks every back quite abit. There is a fungus one of giant mushrooms popping up which can be good for some nations and bad for others. Troll armies and Dragons can show up in search of gold mines to take over. And some others also. Not to mention the ones players can write into a map |
Re: CoE3 AAR: A Chronicle of the Interregnum
Ah great to hear that. I also don't mind that they are not optional. I don't think I would ever deactivate them :D.
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Re: CoE3 AAR: A Chronicle of the Interregnum
One month's travel to the west from my previous farm I added a farm and a hamlet to my holdings. The lone spearman who tried to bar my way was incinerated in flash of bane fire.
Unfortunately immediately after, a herd of more deer stampeded through the fields of the farm and someone needs to go and put it back together. There is a coal mine close to the hamlet, but it is guarded by some kind of large monsters and I dare not confront them now, with so many threats around. I also made a very interesting discovery nearby. There is an absolutely colossal stone statue standing in the middle of the plains. I will investigate it soon. I wonder what secrets it may reveal? http://koti.welho.com/ehalttun/publi...y_colossus.jpg In the north near my citadel, the lack of knowledge of the surroundings is a serious liability. Childerik took two of the longdead with him and set out to explore the region. He discovered a very lightly guarded coal mine, where there are only three dwarves in residence. Two longdead and one apprentice aren't enough to handle that, but as soon as I have funds to recruit more troops, Childerik will secure the mine with their help. http://koti.welho.com/ehalttun/publi...eepcultist.jpg It was a good decision on my apprentice's part to scout out the terrain, because no sooner had he discovered the coal mine than he made contact with an enemy. Some kind of cultist accompanied by two spearmen came over the mountains, but holds the high ground and my apprentice must retreat to a more favorable position. It seems like one of Bellania's allies, those responsible for the horrors Childerik's scrying revealed. http://koti.welho.com/ehalttun/publi...eepcultist.jpg This one has an aura of the same strange magic that surrounded the monsters in the destroyed Capitol, so there is no telling what he can do, weak as he seems to be. Caution must be the order of the day. Elsewhere my ally Pantariste has explored a substantial tract of wilderness, but has discovered nothing of note. She did catch a glimpse of an organized band of those Bakemono that marched under a strange standard, but they were gone before anyone got a close look at them. They may have been minions of the rumored Bakemono Sorcerer. |
Re: CoE3 AAR: A Chronicle of the Interregnum
Edi
Nice work on the AAR. I'll buy this dang game. Seem like a nice balance of risk/reward regarding expansion. Will take some time to figure out what can be tackled and what is best left for another day... ssj |
Re: CoE3 AAR: A Chronicle of the Interregnum
I ordered Childerik to retreat back to the gallows, where he has soulless to reinforce his longdead. From that position, he can keep an eye on the enemy cultist and possibly strike him down if opportunity presents itself.
I myself ignored the deer that are ravaging my crops, I have better things to do. Come to think of it, why by all the spirits of darkness am I worrying about crops and farming?! I have more important things to do, but the problem with trying to build a power base is that competent minions are hard to come by and so I need to take care of even trivial tasks myself. It's going to be venison on the menu again at some point, though... Instead of indulging my craving for fresh venison, I set out to examine the great colossus on the plain. It was standing on an equally massive pedestal and though worn, it was covered in runic inscriptions. http://koti.welho.com/ehalttun/publi...n_colossus.jpg A better part of mid-autumn was spent studying the inscriptions, for they offered tantalizing hints of possibilities that could solve all of my problems at a stroke! If the implications were, after all, fact... If the statue could be brought to life... Bound to service... At the last I had managed to glean enough from the inscriptions that I could proceed. All the preparation, the painstaking assembly of an incantation, checking and checking again that here was no mistake, was brought to a culmination! I recited the calling ... and nothing happened! Then... http://koti.welho.com/ehalttun/publi...e_colossus.jpg With a rumbling and groaning of stone, the great head turned, the massive limbs flexed and the colossus stepped from its pedestal! My troops scrambled back to avoid being crushed as the giant kneeled before me, its weathered face rugged and ravaged by time, but there was a gleam of...not awareness...but something, in the eyes that had been blank stone before. It spoke not, but there was an understanding that passed between us, that it had in me found a master and that it would serve me, its liberator, from henceforth. It would be a trivial task now to conquer the nearby mines and defeat the immediate threats, with this giant of stone towering over my army and fighting as my vanguard! http://koti.welho.com/ehalttun/publi...y_colossus.jpg http://koti.welho.com/ehalttun/publi...s_colossus.jpg I ordered the colossus to proceed north, but to my shock, it was as if speaking to a deaf-mute. No answer, no response. It ignored me, as if I and my troops did not exist! And then it began to move, not where I directed, but somewhere else entirely. The magical bond was still there, is there even now, so I know this creation, this golem, serves me, but I have neither control nor direction over it. It will do as it wills in my service, though never will it turn against me. I had expected so much more, but alas, such is the hand of fate. It was already well into the late autumn when we were able to depart the site of the colossal base where the stone giant once stood. I led my troops north to slaughter the herd of deer that had done so much damage and to intercept the enemy cultist who had moved south of Childerik's position. The last I saw of the colossus was as it entered the forest into the southwest, crushing and splintering thick trees in its wake as if they were kindling. http://koti.welho.com/ehalttun/publi...ging_paths.jpg It was at this time that a scruffy creature calling itself Aun presented itself at the gates of my citadel and offered my steward its services for hire, in return for 37 gold coins. This goblin chieftain further offered the services of his followers, a contingent of goblin archers, for 50 more coins. http://koti.welho.com/ehalttun/publi...ecruitment.jpg Just the goblin chieftain alone would have bankrupted my treasury and the creatures are notoriously unreliable, even if they can be surprisingly effective sometimes. His services were declined. I intend to buy troops of higher quality when I get the opportunity. A quick review of the disposition of my troops tells me that I am spread frightfully thin. The main force accompanies myself, a light guard of longdead defends the citadel and the rest of my meager undead follow the command of Childerik at the gallows while the Colossus works under its own unfathomable direction. http://koti.welho.com/ehalttun/publi...t_overview.jpg (F1 opens Unit Overview. Childerik has not used any AP in late autumn yet, so the remaining AP are shown as diamonds) (The reason that the Colossus cannot be placed under anyone's command is that it is a Stupid unit and will move under its own direction) |
Re: CoE3 AAR: A Chronicle of the Interregnum
What did it cost you exactly to activate the colossus? Only a mage turn ?
Do you really have no control to the colossus? He move randomly each turn ? Oh, and thanks again for the AAR. |
Re: CoE3 AAR: A Chronicle of the Interregnum
Disaster looms!
Winter has come hard upon us and dried the streams of gold flowing to my coffers. On eve of midwinter, the north winds have blown an army before them, led by the master of the sea cultists. This atrocious upstart threatens my citadel, where Childerik has retreated with all the forces he could muster. http://koti.welho.com/ehalttun/publi...threatened.jpg He came from the northwest with a force of spearmen, accompanied by creatures that were born nowhere on this land, tall shambling monstrosities like unto a cross between a man, a fish and a crab. http://koti.welho.com/ehalttun/publi...ighcultist.jpg http://koti.welho.com/ehalttun/publi...s_shambler.jpg The thing itself, for it can no longer be called a man, looks like a creature from beneath the waves itself and it has the same stench of magic as the abominations in the fallen Capitol. http://koti.welho.com/ehalttun/publi...ighcultist.jpg My troops and I have force marched through the winter, but snow and blizzards hinder our progress and slow us down. Even the fastest routes take twice as much time as normal and trying to go through the forests is out of the question. I had to flee in such a manner one winter long ago and it is even slower going. I only hope we can relieve the citadel in time, or that Childerik and his inadequate squad of undead can hold the attackers off. (Winter increases movement costs by 1 AP for all terrain and reduces gold income by 80%) |
Re: CoE3 AAR: A Chronicle of the Interregnum
Activating the Colossus costs only one commander turn, or more precisely, it costs 3 AP. That'swhy moving into teh square was 1 AP, activation 3 and only 2 AP left for movement next turn, which you can interpret from the narrative.
Any commander can activate it. It cannot be controlled, because it can randomly appear even right next to a starting citadel. If it were controllable, it would be an instant "I win", which is why it was changed to being a stupid unit that cannot be led. |
Re: CoE3 AAR: A Chronicle of the Interregnum
Spring has finally arrived and I am in time!
The High Cultist T'yog, for that is what that creature calls itself, left my citadel alone instead of assaulting it. He probably did not feel confident that he had sufficient forces to overcome the defensive advantage the walls gave Childerik. I had to cut straight through the forest to my fortress after all, because a massive migration of more uncooked venison first blocked my way on the plains and then headed toward the citadel, still on my chosen path. However, we managed to join forces and I left three spearmen and a crossbowman to guard the citadel along with one scout who presented himself belatedly and did not manage to join us in the assault on T'yog's forces. Even as I began to position my forces, my mind's eye was drawn south, where my giant stone minion had climbed the hills where all those months ago the ferocious monsters blocked our access to an abandoned coal mine. The Colossus feels no fear and it did not consider the beasts anything of note. They boiled out of their lair to do battle. http://koti.welho.com/ehalttun/publi...troglodyte.jpg http://koti.welho.com/ehalttun/publi...roglodytes.jpg The clash was terrible and the monsters would have trampled normal infantry underfoot like yesterday's grass, but the golem was unfazed. The giant monsters bounced off the stone limbs of the Colossus with little effect and then it swung that massive granite sword. http://koti.welho.com/ehalttun/publi...ossus_kill.jpg The monster that would have taken a score of infantry to bring down was cleaved in two at one stroke! A moment later the second of the monsters lay broken on the ground and the third shared its fate soon after, though it managed to avoid being killed on the first blow. Severely wounded, it was not fast enough to evade again. http://koti.welho.com/ehalttun/publi...us_victory.jpg The contact with the Colossus faded as it began to put the mine in order and I was brought back to the grim reality of facing my own battle with an enemy whose forces were at least the equal of mine if not superior. http://koti.welho.com/ehalttun/publi...ighcultist.jpg The fell creature spoke words that told of the vast gulf between the stars and of worse things best left unnamed and sent many of my men reeling, stunned and unable to do anything other than cling to their weapons and trying to recover as his troops charged mine. We were lucky, for even though we sustained losses in that first exchange, my men and undead gave better than they got and slew many of his troops while some ran away in terror before the nightmare images I set on them. My apprentice conducted himself well, weakening his frontline and reducing their effectiveness. More words of power struck at us, but we were prepared and weathered them better this time. Then, the thick of battle swirled away for a moment and I got a clear view of my enemy, long enough to do something about putting a stop to his fell enchantments: http://koti.welho.com/ehalttun/publi...tist_drain.jpg I drained the life right out of that abomination, leaving its withered husk on the field. With their leader gone and no magic to support them, his remaining troops were quickly slaughtered or routed. Now I need to hunt down his wretched apprentice to make sure I can stamp out their repulsive cult once and for all. My realm, such as it is, is in complete shambles. Half of my holdings have been ravaged by brigands, herds of wild animals or the depredations of that wretched sea cult. My forces are a shadow of what they were and I need to regain control of the gallows and hang some more rabble to resume collecting the all important Hands of Glory. One piece of good news is that there is a battlefield in the vicinity of my new coal mine, even though heavily guarded by longdead and soulless under the command of a wight. If the Colossus should chance to wander there, it will make short work of them, because the wight cannot drain the life of something not alive and the lesser beings will not be able to do much damage, if any at all. And then I would finally have a proper source to replenish my sadly decimated troops. |
Re: CoE3 AAR: A Chronicle of the Interregnum
Other than winter increasing travel costs and decreasing gold income, are there any other seasonal effects?
Furthermore, does the Colossus move in a completely random fashion or does it's AI direct it towards enemies and sites of interest? You mention in your battle with the cultist that "Then, the thick of battle swirled away for a moment and I got a clear view of my enemy, long enough to do something about putting a stop to his fell enchantments". Does this mean your spells can't target the back rows without the front rows being destroyed? Does this mean there has to be actual line-of-sight between your caster and the target? Or am I just reading too much into your choice of prose? |
Re: CoE3 AAR: A Chronicle of the Interregnum
It is now early autumn.
After the defeat of T'yogh in early spring, Childerik animated some replacements from among the dead and then moved to regain one of my farms. He then moved onward in search of the missing cultist and fortuitously discovered him even as I was reorganizing the rest of my forces at the citadel and taking back the gallows. Childerik prepared for a long chase, but the fish cultist doubled back toward the citadel and once more raided the farm. My apprentice and his numerically superior soulless engaged the wretch and his two bodyguards, but unfortunately the apprentice was greater than the master. All I would learn later was gathered from the impressions of one of the soulless minions, of how the cultist called out to the night and piercing white light lanced down from the stars, spearing Childerik and burning him to a cinder. His victory was shortlived, however, as the soulless tore him and his men limb from limb before they ran out of instructions and reverted to standing guard. Childerik's victory from beyond the grave was the final annihilation of this disturbing new cult, which with the death of both master and apprentice is no more. With no minions under my command and reduced to doing everything myself, I spent the next three months gathering nearby resources before yet another herd of venison steak once more disrupted my gallows and I had to head back. At least the treasury is somewhat on its way to recovery, what with taking the nearest coal mine that the cultists had thoughtfully cleared and adding a village beyond it to my realm. I even had to resort to reanimating dead myself, and I hope I do not need to do it many more times. The Colossus still roams the vicinity of the southern mine and my ally is buried up to her ears in wildlife and patrols of dwarves have been skirting her territory. We received reports from spies that the Druid has been defeated, all his strongholds lost to hostile forces. Pantariste also discovered the citadel of the Bakemono. It is disturbingly close to her own tower, though fortunately there is a lot of difficult territory in between. http://koti.welho.com/ehalttun/publi...y_bakemono.jpg The Bakemono citadel was discovered in late summer and now it looks like Pantariste's apprentice Androdameia has attracted the attention of the master of that forbidding fortress. She may follow Childerik to an early grave. http://koti.welho.com/ehalttun/publi...o_sorcerer.jpg http://koti.welho.com/ehalttun/publi...o_sorcerer.jpg I need more minions and even one of those scruffy goblins will do right now. Anyone who can spare me the tedium of administering more farms and similar things is more than welcome. I would summon something to bolster my forces, but the current situation has left me no choice but to hoard the Hands of Glory so that I can summon something more powerful later. |
Re: CoE3 AAR: A Chronicle of the Interregnum
Did the AAR end, due to a new version, or is it just that real life is intruding?
I've been enjoying it, so far, and would like to see more. :) |
Re: CoE3 AAR: A Chronicle of the Interregnum
RL has a habit of intruding. Johan reviewed the manual and requested changes, so that pushed the AAR on the back burner and other stuff has also occupied my time. I'm continuing it tomorrow and on Monday.
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Re: CoE3 AAR: A Chronicle of the Interregnum
Ah, no worries. I was just wondering. :)
I'm looking forward to the continuation. |
Re: CoE3 AAR: A Chronicle of the Interregnum
Likewise awaiting its return, I'm keen to see how the Cultists develop. I'm thinking for my first CoE3 game I'll give them a go.
I've read the Lovecraft story where there are the strange cultists in the woods at night and thus my imagination fed. Usually the undead in their many forms hold my attention but the Lovecraft mythos is fresher (excuse the pun). If you can lose a little Edi so we can see some things from the void, that would be great ;) |
Re: CoE3 AAR: A Chronicle of the Interregnum
I have a question,what is coe3 mp game style.
Simultaneously turn like dom?One by one like HOMM？ |
Re: CoE3 AAR: A Chronicle of the Interregnum
I decided a month after I had gathered the remnants of my pitiful army, I had finally scraped together enough gold to hire more troops. I have enough of a skirmish screen that I can actually pay attention to my woefully inadequate archery support. I had the option of hiring another one of those scouts, but could not afford him. I bought a squad of 5 crossbowmen instead.
One of the most imperative things was now to find where the cultists had come from and explore the nearby regions before some other unpleasant surprise decided to manifest. There hasn't been much of any other kind lately... So after bolstering the citadel defenses and leaving a few soulless to once more guard the gallows, I headed north through the forest while the seasons were still amenable to such ventures. http://koti.welho.com/ehalttun/publi...northcoast.jpg I discovered another dwarven mine, but far too heavily defended to even consider attacking it. Going northwest, I reached the open seacoast just in time to see the last leaf of autumn fall from the trees before the onset of winter. http://koti.welho.com/ehalttun/publi...latewinter.jpg Once the snows set in, it was an ordeal in itself to get out of that miserable nowhere on the north coast. Three months later I had made little progress and everyone but the undead are cold, tired, bored and hungry. We did manage to find one coastal village where we were able to spend a couple of warm nights. It was a curious thing, really. The place bore unmistakable signs of sea cultist occupation, strange runes scrawled on walls and similar things. Yet the people were not hostile even though most would be scared to death of the undead. They were positively relieved when I told them of the fate of T'yogh. The strangest thing in the place was a well dug near the shore, larger than wells usually are and the placement made no sense whatsoever. The water would be contaminated by the sea and undrinkable, and lo and behold, so it was. The villagers would answer no questions about it, just make warding signs against evil. All except this one fellow who was a wild-eyed fanatic and merely spewed epithets at us. None of the others in that place liked him, but they feared him that much more despite the fact there was nothing special about him. I would have questioned him more forcefully, but once word of the sea cult's demise got out, the villagers knocked him on the head, trussed him up in a weighted net and tossed him down that odd seawater well. Then they set about filling the whole thing in. Well, when I find the cultist bolthole, perhaps there will be more answers there. http://koti.welho.com/ehalttun/publi...sertedtown.jpg In the middle of spring I finally found what I was looking for. After a stop to replenish our rations at a lone farm eking out a living here in the northern back of beyond, on a hunch I headed north to a forest that seemed to stretch northward. And certainly enough, after two weeks of trekking through the trees, we emerged out to a headland where a sadly delapidated town looked north to the sea. The place was an actual town, but almost deserted and cultist signs where everywhere. There were several similar sea water wells in here and the people were close-mouthed and hostile, much like the fanatic the villagers killed. Once we put a few of them to the sword and informed them of what happened to their master, they decided to cooperate. Several threw themselves off the cliff and into the sea in despair and good riddance, they would have been troublemakers anyway. Some of the writings I found were disturbing. Apparently these people worship something called the Old Ones that come either from the sea or someplace called the Void. There are references to Star Spawn and Deep Ones. They used those sea wells apparently to subject their women to congress with some kind of abominations from the sea in order to produce things called Star Children. All they ever got were things part human, part fish and part octopus. *shudder* If this place wasn't to suitable to use as a base of operations, I would put it to the torch. Apparently these cultists also had trade contacts because there are few ports here, so I now have options to trade for things I lack. Unfortunately I'm so lacking in everything I don't have anything to trade with... http://koti.welho.com/ehalttun/publi...nistration.jpg (You can trade resources for gold or the other way around. Max trades automatically, up to your number of trade points.) |
Re: CoE3 AAR: A Chronicle of the Interregnum
That sad little town at the edge of nowhere turned out to be a greater boon than I had expected! Once all the business of establishing control had been dispensed with, I finally had time to take a good look around with my senses and it seems these murderous sea worshipers had been busy little killers indeed.
The presence of the dead in and around the town was considerable. So, not only did this place open the trade opportunities for me, it would also provide me with the troops that I have so long been lacking! Toward the tail end of spring, I performed the rites of raising the dead as my servants and they came to answer my call: http://koti.welho.com/ehalttun/publi...eanimation.jpg I left the contingent of soulless to remind the townsmen who their lord and master is and headed out with the rest of my new warriors. By late summer I had made my way close to the outskirts of the ruins of the Imperial Capitol. I discovered another ancient temple, guarded only by what seemed a single weak spirit of the dead who have lost their way. http://koti.welho.com/ehalttun/publi...nster_toad.jpg Close by there is also a swamp inhabited by a giant sized man-eating toad. Useless places even at the best of times, and this one doubly so. Well, Pantariste would probably disagree, since she uses all sorts of strange things growing in fens just like that for her concoctions, but she has her own hands full with the Bakemono and the dwarves who have been harassing her. I had not quite up my mind about trying to acquire the temple for myself when the Colossus once more called my attention. It usually does not do this and has proven to be a most inefficient guardian of my southern realm, but this time there was cause enough and more. http://koti.welho.com/ehalttun/publi...my_mictlan.jpg The Colossus had spotted an army approaching from the south, a formation of strange and barbaric warriors the likes of which even it had never seen before. It is led by a man dressed as some kind of tribal leader or mystic, with feathers aplenty in his headdress and jewelry and tattoos in abundance. Though this leader is human, the main force of his soldiers are creatures half man and half toad that walk upright and wield spears. The force is bolstered by what appear from all indications to be slaves overseen by a few human warriors. A strange bat-like creature flies to and fro ahead of the force, possibly as a scout, so they must know magic to control these beasts. The most troubling aspect of this army is that it seems this barbarian has knowledge of the Realm of the Dead, because his advisor is a spirit form the Netherworld, though of a kind I have never seen. It would be most inconvenient if it turned out that this interloper is a necromancer in addition to whatever he is otherwise. http://koti.welho.com/ehalttun/publi...priestking.jpg http://koti.welho.com/ehalttun/publi...oadwarrior.jpg http://koti.welho.com/ehalttun/publi...s_beastbat.jpg http://koti.welho.com/ehalttun/publi..._civateteo.jpg Whether or not I take the temple, I must hasten south to deal with this new threat. |
Re: CoE3 AAR: A Chronicle of the Interregnum
The middle of the autumn is once more seeing the leaves fall from trees, but it is a much less dismal occasion now than it was a year ago. Considering my position right outside the lair of the horror that lairs in the ruins of the Capitol, that could be interpreted many ways... *chuckle*
The environs of the destroyed city are swarming with undead. There are small groups moving across the land, posing a hazard for anyone not sufficiently prepared. I was set on retaking the farms and hamlets around the plain where I found the Colossus, but I had to change my plans somewhat. Those painted savages and their toad men are still somewhere in the near vicinity, the restless dead pose a threat and if I try take on everything, my troops will be whittled down in short order. On top of that, I nearly walked into an ambush that had the potential to decimate my troops, even as numerous as they currently are. Only that woodsman I hired as a scout prevented me from blundering headlong into it. There is a well organized band of brigands led by renegade military scouts preying on settlements and they had set up an ambush in a hamlet formerly in my possession. Since defeating the brigands first would leave me weakened before facing those worshipers of...what did they call it? Yes, the God of the Four Faces, I decided to first move to take possession of the battlefield southeast of the Capitol. It was defended by a fairly sizeable band of lesser undead led by a wight. However, as always, there is a complication. http://koti.welho.com/ehalttun/publi...ats_wraith.jpg The wight is merely the lieutenant and the true power on that battlefield is a wraith, a far more dangerous undead. I wish I had one in my ranks, but I'm just going to have to destroy this one. They are notoriously independent minded and there are no magical means of persuading them to change allegiance. If I still had only human troops, I'd stay away, since the mere appearance of a wraith is enough to send men fleeing for their lives, screaming in terror. Fortunately the living dead do not have such concerns. I must remind myself to give that scout a pay raise, since it was him once more who noticed that all was not as it seemed at a casual glance. (Narrator's note: The pay raise is part of the story. There is no unit upkeep.) The presence of the wraith is an annoying setback, but there is also some good news: A most capable fellow by the name of Manvale presented himself at the gates of my citadel and offered to work for me. Hiring him cost the price of a squad of swordsmen plus a scout thrown into the bargain, but despite this sudden bankruptcy, I consider every last copper of it well spent. http://koti.welho.com/ehalttun/publi...stats_hero.jpg My new lieutenant and seneschal is a local hero of some note and can well take over the more mundane duties of managing the holdings and he can hold his own in a fight if he should come face to face with brigands. I still need to gather group of underlings for him, since this area is far from pacified and holding off a bandit or two is a far different proposition than facing large groups or entire wolf packs. Moreover, Manvale seems to have come into possession of a spell scroll in his travels, which is an unexpected boon. It is of absolutely no use for him, but invaluable to me, as it will probably contain the knowledge required to learn more incantations. I must arrange to meet with him face to face at once! |
Re: CoE3 AAR: A Chronicle of the Interregnum
I lost a couple of spearmen and some longdead on my assault on the wraith and its minions. Of my original contingent of spearmen, I have only four left with my army. Two more are guarding the citadel and I shall send these veterans with Manvale when I meet him. They deserve that much, especially after standing up to the wraith without flinching.
The battlefield was just as rich in pickings as I thought: http://koti.welho.com/ehalttun/publi...attlefield.jpg There is a strong presence of the dead here, which allows me to substantially increase the size of my army. Right then... http://koti.welho.com/ehalttun/publi...ld_results.jpg I feel a little shaken after reanimating these minions and I must at all costs avoid the need to have to do so again. However, now my forces are significantly bolstered and I can eradicate the annoying nuisances that have made administering my holdings and trying to get anywhere an exercise in frustration. And very soon now I will have enough hands of glory to summon a powerful ally, which should make things much easier. However, everything is not well, at all. Pantariste is dead. http://koti.welho.com/ehalttun/publi...iste_realm.jpg A barbarian horde has invaded her lands from the south or southeast and what remains of her holdings are meager indeed. What with the brigands, hostile wildlife and constant harassment by Bakemono and the dwarven allies of the late Commius the Druid, she had no resources to stave off another well organized enemy. Pantariste herself fell guarding the stone tower she had captured from an unaligned lord, though she did manage to slay all but one of the barbarian attackers. Small comfort, since that force comprised only a third of the invading horde. I only got the news later. Pantariste's apprentice Andromedeia is the only leader the Androphags have left and her troops are few. http://koti.welho.com/ehalttun/publi...ndrodameia.jpg The other troops my ally has left are concentrated to the defense of her forest tower. http://koti.welho.com/ehalttun/publi...ergarrison.jpg The barbarians are lead by the chief who gathered the horde in the first place, Jordanes, a battle scarred veteran of many a vicious skirmish. One could almost call him crippled... http://koti.welho.com/ehalttun/publi...r_jordanes.jpg http://koti.welho.com/ehalttun/publi...n_jordanes.jpg This force is moving on Andromedeia and when they catch her, she will die. Were she a full Witch and knew the right kind of spells, she could at least hurt them severely, but as things stand, her fate is already sealed. And if Jordanes and his warriors are not enough, his second in command, leader of the barbarian horse, is on the move with more troops. http://koti.welho.com/ehalttun/publi...nted_chief.jpg http://koti.welho.com/ehalttun/publi...arian_huml.jpg Huml and his men are moving to assault the forest tower. I fear I am soon to lose my ally while facing one intact alliance and the survivors of two more. If I do not manage to gather more powerful forces quickly, my prospects are bleak indeed. |
Re: CoE3 AAR: A Chronicle of the Interregnum
After my successful summoning of the longdead at the battlefield, I retook possession of the mine where the colossus slew the monsters two years ago. I also spotted the band of brigands again, they were still in the hamlet and they would be the next to feel my wrath. The Colossus has discovered the lair of these ne'er-do-wells and as soon as time permits, I will eradicate that nest of trouble.
http://koti.welho.com/ehalttun/publi...igand_lair.jpg The brigands fled north before me, to the farm they had looted. My undead butchered some deer that got in our way as we took possession of the hamlet and prepared to pursue the outlaws. However, by fortuitous coincidence, it seems that the brigand threat is no more, for those jungle-born savages that the Colossus saw earlier had passed north but were coming back to take my holdings and they seem to have run headlong into the brigands. I love being able to kill two birds with one stone and this if anything qualifies. First my enemy takes care of a nuisance that could have cost me troops and weakens himself in the process. And offers himself up for being eliminated at the same time. I love it when a plan comes together! The only cloud in front of the silver lining here is that I don't have enough funds to hire the apprentice who came begging for employment. I didn't even know there were others of my order left after Childerik's dead, but apparently some texts have survived in secret and there may be neophyte practicioners seeking to learn from a master. I attacked the jungle savages and in the first charge I lost some of my longdead to the spells of the undead spirit and the toad-like warriors. The leader of the enemy is some kind of priest and he invoked the favor of his gods for his soldiers. http://koti.welho.com/ehalttun/publi...priestking.jpg Little good it did him, for despite taking a few more losses, my troops cut his forces down. I was not about to take any chances with that strange woman spirit, so I dealt with it once and for all in the most expedient manner: Bane fire. http://koti.welho.com/ehalttun/publi...g_banefire.jpg The priest in the fancy headdress was the last to go down. He fell to a hail of crossbow bolts and that was that. Unfortunately only one of my spearmen survived the battle, but such are the vagaries of war. Elsewhere Manvale took the garrison troops out of the citadel to deal with a gigantic preying mantis that had appeared to terrorize the farmers. Apparently winter drove it out of the forest to the plains to seek out prey. http://koti.welho.com/ehalttun/publi..._vs_mantis.jpg The creature was swiftly dispatched, with Manvale himself striking the fatal blow. Now I face the tedious task of once more establishing myself in the south. The ethereal spirits roaming the countryside are wreaking havoc with my holdings, so I'm going to station my soulless in the farms and hamlets to take care of such nuisances. The undead are immune to the life-sapping cold of the spirits, which means that they will be able to dispatch any such incursions with ease. |
Re: CoE3 AAR: A Chronicle of the Interregnum
I have no left garrisons of soulless at the hamlet and farm near the colossal base, since the Colossus cannot be relied on to keep watch. I had just managed to retake the coal mine after a dispossessed spirit scared all the workers away and was in the process of tidying things up when the scout alerted me and the undead back to the surface.
At first I had no idea what he was about as he pointed out across the plain toward the Capitol ruins. Then I raised my eyes up from the ground level. http://koti.welho.com/ehalttun/publi...my_horrors.jpg Whatever those things are, they grow from the same twisted root as all the other things I have seen in that benighted place. As they drifted across the plains, it became clear that they were quite large and nothing to dismiss lightly. http://koti.welho.com/ehalttun/publi...ime_horror.jpg However, monsters or not, I have for some time now had enough hands of glory for a more powerful summoning, and I refuse to put it off any longer! It will take those floating things time to arrive and so I made preparations for my ritual. There is a precise configuration to the patterns one must place the hands of glory, each holding a candle made from corpse fat. A precise order in which to light the candles that will then burn down and ignite the hands in their turn while the summoning incantation is recited. The preparations took the better part of a week and checking that everything was in order required more time. Finally, the time arrived. As night fell and darkness shrouded the land, my undead servants took positions around my circle while I lit the candles and began chanting. An hour passed as the candles burned down, then two. Then, in sequence, they burned down to the stubs and the flames ignited the hands, calling the spirits of the Netherworld to do my bidding, to bring me allies. A chill wind blew, laden with the whispers from beyond, then stilled. Followed by... Silence. The hands of glory were consumed, nothing remaining but blackened outlines on the ground, were there but light to see it, yet there was not, for the night was moonless and overcast. Darkness deep enough not to see your hand in front of your face, the only light coming from the torches at the entrance of the mine some distance away. Silence quiet as a tomb, no sound of nightbirds or anything else. As if the world were dead. It was faint at first, the sound, coming up from the dark plains. A rhythmic, staccato tapping. It grew to a pounding beat against the ground, accompanied by the jingle of harness and armor. The thundering gallop approached closer and closer, up the road toward the mine then past the entrance and a looming patch of darkness obscured the lights. The horseman reined in outside the patterned circle of burnt hands, then vaulted off the massive charger. The bulk of heavy armor in outline, a faint suggestion of a horned helmet could be seen against the gleam of torches, a gleam of cerulean pinpoints behind the visor. The warrior stood in silence for a long moment. Then he knelt, bowed his head and spoke, in a voice hollow with death: "Master. I am Cernetu and I have come to serve." http://koti.welho.com/ehalttun/publi...ht_cernetu.jpg We spoke of the plans to come long into the small hours of the night, in the light of a banefire kindled in the circle by my art. With the light of dawn, the scout and the remaining spearman ventured outside with the mine workers. One could see them struggle to overcome the urge to run in the opposite direction. Finally their courage and knowledge of my high regard for them won out. It was a different story with the mine workers. I doubt they will peek so much as an eyelash out before we are long gone from here. It is now time to remove the danger of those floating things. With Cernetu at my side, it will be far less costly than it would otherwise be. |
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