Written by The Watcher, 04-09-2002 01:13 PM
Written by CheeksTheToyWonder, 04-09-2002 01:16 PM
(Transparcency cast on wall of the Temple)
(Animal communication, charm and fear powers all activated)
Hello, servants of order. How would you like a brand new world, full of untapped and unexploited resources to plunder?
Written by The Watcher, 04-09-2002 02:11 PM
The Thri-Kreen packed looked at the strange figure with curiousity. It was a soft skin, a human, but it was not dressed like any of the humans they had ever seen. It exuded a psionic aura which identified him as a packmate, which was something a human had never done to them. The Packleader mulled this over and reached a conclusion. The human was want to join the pack. Perhaps this was a good thing. It might have skills and abilities they lacked. But if it wanted to be part of the pack it then certain things had to be settled. It used its own mental power to speak to the human
If you wish to join our Pack, then you must submit to being the lowliest member. Unless, of course, you wish to challenge for dominance.
The pack watched the strange human, waiting to hear it's reply.
Written by CheeksTheToyWonder, 04-10-2002 10:42 AM
The entire side of the Temple turns transparent, and a bright fireworks show appears inside the temple. As the creatures draw back in horrified shock, the bright, random colors begin to resolve themselves into visions of fire and flood washing over the pack, scattering it to the four winds, while a mad Cheeks walks among them, laughing.
Written by The Watcher, 04-10-2002 11:41 AM
Written by CheeksTheToyWonder, 04-10-2002 11:49 AM
I usually keep that up, but who knew I'd need it for dumb animals?
(Moves to the rear of the Temple, creating a doorway to allow his pursuers inside)
(Covers floor with a sticky glue, enough to slow the (probably much faster) creatures down to a crawl....)
(Creates illusion of self at other end of the Temple, meanwhile creates a floating, titaniun platform near the celing...Floats up on the platform, makes self odorless, soudless and telepathically protected..and starts work on covincing the Temple to try a really tricky maneuver...
Written by The Watcher, 04-10-2002 12:56 PM
Five Thri-Kreen from the pack go through the door, two step onto the floor, while three land and latch onto one of the side walls. The two on the floor find their progress slowed, while the other three converge from the walls and ceiling on the illusion of their foe.
Written by CheeksTheToyWonder, 04-10-2002 01:08 PM
(Full defensive shields up. No telepathy, no magic, 6 foot thick portable titanium sphere that follows me around, scrying is garbled, pressure inside the wall is stabalized, temperature is stabalized to prevent fire and cold attacks, psionics are blocked, light, sound and smell are all reflected so I appear 20 yards away from my current position, waves of fear emenate from the titanium wall, random teleport if any harm comes to the sphere)
(Illusionary double lead the bug guys on a merry chase, interspersed with illusionary images of the Watcher and members of Halst taking pot-shots at the Tri-Kreen. Cheeks continues to meditate, attempting the incrediby difficult task of manipulating time itself.....)
Written by The Watcher, 04-10-2002 01:56 PM, 04-10-2002 02:17 PM
| Metaphysician, quote: Sorry, Watcher: anything that effects magic also, by default, effects psionics. Check the 3rd Edition Psionics Handbook. |
Oops. Ok. Change Project Force Punches to rocks from slings. Oh, and
the above only refers to D&D style psionics, so anti-magic aura's won't have any effect on the types us supers are likely to have.
As the Thri-Kreen chased the illusion around, they caught a whiff of a distinct odor. Metal! On a metal poor world like Athas that smell was unmistakable. Three of the Thri-Kreen continuted to harass the illusion, while two others followed the smell to secure the valuable substance. With metal they could make the pack weapons that would enhance its power. Two of the Thri-Kreen closed in on the invisible titanium sphere, determined to sieze it for the good of the pack.
Note: You made yourself odorless, not the sphere.
Written by CheeksTheToyWonder, 04-10-2002 02:28 PM
(Cheeks realizes time travel is impossible, and gives up. He then uses the twisting maze of illusion to seperate one of the bug men from his pack, and replaces him with an exact duplicate..who chirps "Brothers and sisters..should we not leave and get..reinforcements?")
Written by The Watcher, 04-10-2002 04:48 PM, 04-10-2002 10:33 PM
"You rise above your place!" it chirps. "I lead this band, not you! One of us shall go back to the Pack Leader and ask for reinforcements. The rest shall remain here and search for the metal and the enemy of the Pack."
And as it ordered, so it was done. One of the Thri-Kreen left to inform the Pack Leader of what has occured so far, while the others continued their search for the metal and the enemy.
The four remaining Thri-Kreen in the Temple had managed to find the metal sphere, even though it was invisible. Grabbing the ball of titanium, they started dragging it toward the hole in the wall. They still hadn't found the enemy human, but they had plenty of time for that. The metal was a more valuable find, especially since it was somehow transparent. Smelted down and forged into tools and weaponry, it would enrich and enhance the Pack indeed
Written by CheeksTheToyWonder, 04-10-2002 10:43 PM
(Summons up illusions of Giant Eagles, ala "The Hobbit" to try to scare the Tri-Kreen out the door)
Written by The Watcher, 04-10-2002 11:16 PM
Too bad, one thought. It looked like good eating. Reaching the hole, they started to lift the thing so they could push it through.
Written by CheeksTheToyWonder, 04-10-2002 11:28 PM
(Gravity set to "Random Direction" ..except for my structure, both the structure itself and me on the inside stay put...other than that..personal gravity randomly changes direction every 10 minutes...knocking the hell out of the bug dudes, and sending them flying every which way. This Also changes their weight..one second they weigh half a ton, the next 15 pounds. Interspersed with all of this, 10,000 voices whisper the Tri-Kreen word for "Dead Tri-Kreen" or "Dead Self" Also a conflicting palate of smells..rotting lilacs, desil exhaust, dairy farm released at random intervals. ....And the door remains cleary visible. Gravity becomes more normal the closer they get to the door, and the smell illusions become less powerful.
Written by The Watcher, 04-10-2002 11:39 PM, 04-11-2002 11:00 PM
The Pack Leader listens to their account, and makes a plan of action. Taking all those of the Pack who have the gift of Telekinesis, they all go just to within sight of the hole in the wall. Coordinating their efforts, the Pack Leader has them try to lift the metal ball and bring it to them.
With the power of telekinesis, the Pack lifted the metal from its resting place and drew it toward them. Once it was in there midst they quickly rolled the sphere away from the strange structure. There would be time enough to hunt for the human later. For now, they had to get the metal to a safe place, before others discovered its existence and tried to take it from them.
Written by The Watcher 04-11-2002 11:00 PM
| CheeksTheToyWonder , quote: Actually, come to think of it, I've probably heard enough in their language to figure out what the Tri-Kreen are going to do...so I'm just going to let them HAVE the damn metal sphere, which will vanish in five minutes anyway, or sooner if it leaves the general (line-of-sight)area of the Temple. |
With the power of telekinesis, the Pack lifted the metal from its resting place and drew it toward them. Once it was in there midst they quickly rolled the sphere away from the strange structure. There would be time enough to hunt for the human later. For now, they had to get the metal to a safe place, before others discovered its existence and tried to take it from them
Written by CheeksTheToyWonder 04-16-2002 09:55 PM
First of all, I have a smattering of ground troops with me in the Temple. Currently
(2) Tigers
(3) Orangutangs
(6) Eagles
(43) Sea-gulls
(20) Fruit Bats
(6) Moles
Various, assorted insects,
MANY assorted sea creatures (pretty useless, but that's what I was stockpiling since I was underwater)
And a weiner dog.
I don't carry much in the way of weapons (I don't like guns)..but I have a midevil style crossbow, a hunting knife, some mace, and enough plastiqie to level a building.
I'm going to set off exploring as soon as night comes, and I can use my bats to full effectiveness. They should be able to tell me if anything approaches me within a mile and a half or so.
My main goal is to find a salt water ocean to dump the sea animals in, so I can move the Temple around without killing 'em. (I can't dissolve and relocate the Temple when there's anything alive outside, and I'm loathe to kick my poor little pets out to die.)
Written by The Watcher 04-16-2002 09:59 PM
Cheeks, where did those animals come from? Did you create them, because they weren't there before? At least the Thri-Kreen didn't encounter any of them while they were chasing your illusion all over inside the Temple.
Written by CheeksTheToyWonder 04-16-2002 10:04 PM
Written by The Watcher 04-16-2002 10:38 PM
Exploring at night you find it cold, probably around 30 degrees. Your bats do give you early warning when Thri-Kreen hunting parties pass near you, but unfortunately one of them is killed by the hunters. One of your tigers is also bitten by a Silk Wyrm, but manages to get away before paralysis sets in. Untreated it will be paralyzed for 4 days.
There doesn't seem to be a water sea anywhere near the area you are in. Talking to some of the more benign local fauna, you do hear of a sea of silt.
Written by The Watcher 04-17-2002 11:46 AM
| CheeksTheToyWonder , quote: My Athas plans... First of all: Information. I wanna know what's out there that can hurt me, or my pets. Every predator, everything poisonous, with special attention payed to anything (A) intelligent (B) Very Fast or (C) Burrowing (where I'll be the easiest to surprise.) Between my animal communication and fear sensing, this shouldn't be too hard to determine by quizzing the passing fauna. I want to find what's out there that can hurt me, how much it can hurt me, where it hangs out, whether it's nocturnal or diurnal, and how fast it is. |
In the sandy wastes of the Tablelands, which is where you are, among the dangerous creatures are giant scorpions, constrictor snakes both normal and giant, anakore, phase spiders, megalo centipedes, and dragonnes.
Anakore are dim witted humanoids who usually attack by burrowing under their foes. The animals you talked to think they are poisonous. They hunt in packs and are most danerous at night.
Besides the Thri-Kreen, other beings you recognize as intelligent are humans, elves, halflings, giants, dwarves, yuan-ti, and some humanoid reptillian race. Thri-Kreen have no need of sleep and are usually hunting. When they aren't hunting they make weapons.
One creature that sounds interesting is the Dragon. From what you can tell there may be just one, but it is a terrible creature whose very presence drains the life of nearby land.
| CheeksTheToyWonder, quote: Second..acertain weather. How hot does it get? How cold at night? How fast does it change? Is there a specific time (Middle of the night, right before a storm) that I'm safest from predators...especially the bug dudes... |
Hot during the day. You approximate temperatures reaching around 130 degrees at their height from talking to various creatures. Cold at night. Terrible winds which can cause sandstorms. It rains only once a year or so. No particular time is safer than others, or at least that's what the animals think.
| CheeksTheToyWonder, quote: Third.. The silt lake. Is is salt or fresh water. This may be a tricky question for the poor, dumb, animals, but hopefully I can find something out from their descriptions of plant and animal life near the lake. |
The Sea of Silt is not water at all, but a vast region filled with particles of dust and silt which had been deposited there by the winds. It may have been a sea of water once, but not anymore. On stormy days the silt is blown up by the winds, darkening the day and making it hard to breathe.
| CheeksTheToyWonder, quote: Fourth...Humans. Are there any? If so, where? |
Yes. The ones animals describe seem either to be nomadic tribes, while others sound like they are part of caravans. A few birds describe huge "nests" of humans they've spotted from the air. These are probably cities.
| CheeksTheToyWonder, quote: Fifth..The Bug Dudes. Do they have any predators? Any weaknesses? (What's the range on this TK thing?) |
The animals you talk to don't know anything about whether they have predators or not, they just try to avoid them. Ditto on weaknesses. You do get the impression that not all of them have telekinesis, but they all have some form of psionic power.
Written by CheeksTheToyWonder 04-17-2002 12:21 PM
Next, I'll preform a variety of different tasks:
The Birds I will use to increase my perimiter..just like back home, if anything larger than a small dog comes within two to three miles of the Temple, I want one of my orangs informed. Anything really dangerous (ANY humanoids..Tri-Kreen, that Silk Worm, especially the Dragon)..I get told, not my leuitenants. Then everybody heads for the temple, where I wait outside. Dragon, Halflings, Tri-Kreen, silkworm, everybody heads IN the temple.
Second: Three of the moles are digging for water. I mean, hell, it's worth a shot. I'll see if I can get some snakes and phase spiders to act as bodyguards.
Third: Clothes and tools: I've got a water bottle and a swiss army knife with me, but I need more. Especially clothes thick enough to protect me from the cold of night. I'll see if I can't skin something or put some leaves together. I'll also see if there's anything I can fashion knives out of...weapons for the orangs. I'll also see if I can't (with my nearly non-existent sewing skills) fashion a Middle Eastern Nomad style garment to protect against sun and sandburn.
Fourth: Once I've built up a large force (if I can) try to capture a lone Tri-kreen. One that knows the area, and feels confident of being able to overwealm one of the bugs. I want one of these buggers helpless. Then I want to spend a good hour and a half shooting it with my crossbow, trying to figure out it's weak points. Then I'm going to dissect it...try to find out how it's body works, especially the sensory organs. These suckers are nasty, and I don't know if even my Tigers can hurt them. I've got plastique, of course, but I don't know how much damage they can take, and I don't want to waste it.
Fifth: Find the nearest human settlement and head towards it. Human, not halfling. I want to try to make friends, or at least establish a trading relationship. I'll move at night, and keep most of my force behind me and hidden, but close.
Written by The Watcher 04-17-2002 01:12 PM
They [the moles] may be able to find water, but it might be used by creatures that would eat the moles.
[Clothes:] You're going to skin one of your animals? Isn't that sort of like a betrayal? As long as your doing that though you could fashion weapons out of bone. Where are you getting the thread to sew your Middle Eastern Nomad garment, by the way?
[Thri-Keen:] You are aware of the fact that a Thri-Kreen is as sentient as a human, correct? Repeatedly shooting one with a crossbow and then dissecting it seems morally wrong to me. Doesn't really sound like someone who wants to bring an enlightened order to the world would do. And do you have any scientific knowledge of anatomy to interpet what you find?
[Humans:] This may or may not be easy for you. It would depend on how recently a caravan or tribe of humans has passed through your area of the desert and whether or not the tracks and scent have remained or blown away by the winds.
Written by CheeksTheToyWonder 04-17-2002 02:44 PM
[Moles:] Yeah. I thought of this. Still, finding water is vital. I can't move the Temple (my only defensive of offensive power) till I find some salt water. I only put three of my six moles on this, though hopefully I can recruit some more burrowers.
[Clothes:] Nah. I'm going to skin something that attacks one of my animals. Preferably the Worm thing that got my tiger. I don't know what they have for plants or animal skins out here....
Thread: I carry a sewing kit.
[Thri-Keen:] Hmm. I didn't know they were sentient. (Although my character would, if you follow)...Mk. New plan. I'm going to try to lure various hunting parties into the Temple, (turn it invisible, if I have to) and challenge the leaders.
[Humans:] You said the Birds know where the cities are.....I just head for the closest one. As long as it's less than two days march, and I can find a safe route. (I'll have birds scouting my path at all times.) I'm also not moving till I've built up my forces enough so they can deal with a large Tri-Kreen hunting party.
Optimally, of course, humans will come to me.
Couple more things: I'm actively seeking a mount. Preferably a horse-type thing. Or a flyer. No biggie. Whatever turns up.
I'm also trying to recruit as many burrowing creatures as I can, to establish an underground perimiter and dig for water. If I find a BIG burrowing creature (Say a Dune type Sandworm) I'd like some escape tunnels under the Temple.
So basically I'm just staying put until I'm confident in the size, strength and teamwork of my animal recruits or until some people show up.
Written by The Watcher 04-28-2002 02:53 AM
As Cheeks slowly built up his animal forces, little did he know that his Temple was being watched from afar. Lured by tales a Thri-Kreen pack had told of large amounts of metal lying in an ancient, haunted Temple, the adventuring party knowns as Ryshkull's Raiders were scoping out the site. The leader and psionicist of the group, Ryshkull, was using clairvoyance to spy out any possible opposition.
A hard bitten and ruthless lot, they weren't going to let the superstitions of a few desert savages scare them away. Metal was wealth on Athas, and wealth was all that mattered to them. Ryskull hadn't managed to find the metal yet, but he did happen t spot Cheeks and his animals. He smiled at this. Only one hermit and a menagerie. This would be like taking candy from a baby.
Written by CheeksTheToyWonder 04-28-2002 08:46 PM
Yes, Bat # 16?
"There's some flighty looking guys over there watching us all suspicious like!"
"While I certainly did want contact with humanity, raiders are bound to be trouble."
(Thinks)
"Tell you what. Take this metal ring. Find some bug guys. Don't get so close that they can zap you..and that means stay way the HECK away. They'll more'n likely follow you for the metal. Lead the bugs in this direction, OK?"
"You got it, boss"
"Oh..and send some of the others to keep an eye on them. I'm certain I have enough forces built up to repel a ragtag band of nomads. But better safe than sorry"
Written by The Watcher 04-29-2002 02:01 PM
With her final syllable Cloudkill was cast, and a wave of yellowish green poisonous gas 30ft wide and 20ft high started rolling toward the temple entrance, bringing death to whatever creatures it engulfed. Soon it had reached the Temple entrance and started seeping through the cracks in the door and wall, to deliver its lethal effect to any inside.
Meanwhile, Tana had cast Invisibility Sphere, rendering herself and her fellows around her unable to be seen. This, coupled with the noxious Cloudkill gas overpowering all other spells, insured that any creatures that happened to remain alive wouldn't be able to find them.
Written by CheeksTheToyWonder 04-30-2002 01:32 PM
Remember, I've had time to establish a very, very wide perimiter, at least a mile and a half in radius. So I've got some time before they get close.
Now then. Any flying animal can hover above the cloudkill easily, and continue to keep watch. In fact, what I'm gonna do is this... As soon as they dissapear, I will deduce that they've become invisible. I've played some D&D in my day, plus my experiences with Jaffa will make this a short logical leap. I will have bats (foreign and suspicious fauna, especially in the daytime) HIDE on the backs of large local birds so they won't be detected, and track the invisible characters with echolocation. I've got enough bats to form a chain, with one bird watching while the others fly back to make reports. They will, of course, stay out of sight as much as possible. (Echolocation has a hell of a long range.. I believe I read a quarter-mile, but I haven't been able to verify this on the net. More info once I head to the library.)
The rest of my animals should be smart enough to avoid the cloudkill on their own...but I'm calling them back to the temple anyway. All except for a fairly large force of my more dangerous critters...tigers, gorillas, poisonous snakes, and those paralyzing things that got my tiger in his first expedition. I'm having them circle around behind the adventurers...there's no escaping here.
After which, I'm leisurely heading into the Temple. Once inside, poison can be transmuted to harmless water with a wave of my hand. (In fact, the Temple, being semi-sentient, would take steps to protect anything that happens to be inside even when I'm not there...if it's "Awake." It moves slowly, but it WILL be able to protect my critters before too many of 'em got knocked off. We'll say it's currently awake, as it is about fifteen hours a day when constantly set up.
Then, once I'm inside the Temple, I'm casting an illusion around it to make it look like yer basic D&D type Evil-Wizards castle.
And waiting......
Written by The Watcher 04-30-2002 07:17 PM
As the Raiders advanced Ryshkull felt a familiar tingle on the back of his neck. His dangersense had detected a potential threat to him, some distance behind him if he interpeted the sensation correctly. Using clairvoyance to look in that area, he saw various creatures trying to shadow them stealthily. Some of them looked like the local fauna, while others looked totally alien to him. They all seemed to moving in an unnaturally coordinated manner. Probably preparing for an ambush, he thought.
Ryshkull (whispering): We've got company. A horde of animals stalking us. And not like natural stalking. They may be under someone's control.
Tana (whispering): What do you think we should do?
Ryshkull (whispering): Nothing for now. They're too far away to be an immediate threat. But be ready in case they get closer.
Grom (whispering): Very well. I have something that will deal with them when the time comes.
And the invisible party continued to head toward the Temple.
Meanwhile, the bat Cheeks had dispatched had come across a pack of Thri-Kreen. It attempted to show the ring without getting too close to the creatures. Seeing the flying mammal, the hunters attempted to bring it down with their slings. It looked small, but it smelled delicious.
Written by CheeksTheToyWonder 04-30-2002 08:36 PM
Man. These folks are inefectual.
First of all, one dust demon probably isn't gonna do much damage to my forces, now with added Athas power! And if he does, heck, they'll just scramble in all directions...like animals do.
It's one against fifty something. I'll probably be all right.
Are these guys on horses? If not, they shouldn't be able to catch any of my animals, given a mile and a half of warning. If so, damage will be minimal...they've got to get quite close for this poison gas to work.
This is a Dungeons and Dragons world, and as such probably doesn't have artillery shell class attacks. So I should be safe inside my temple. Usual defenses..anti magic shield (everywhere, this time)... Unified Pressure field (ditto)..each of my pets gets a portable 22 inch thick plate glass shield. As do I.
So lacking a handy H-bomb, they've gotta head into the temple. And without magic they're screwed.
I also note they didn't notice my bat/bird combos. Good. (They shouldn't activate the Spidey sense, not that I know that they have Spidey sense.)
So I keep tracking 'em.
Compiler's Note: After a long hiatus, and more than ten years of Thread-time, Cheeks finally returned to his storyline. As did many others.
Written by CheeksTheToyWonder 07-30-2002 01:57 PM
In Fifteen years, I'll have pretty much flat out conquered Athas, where I'm currently residing. I'll have put together a large enough force to depose the current Dragon ruler, and I'll have set my sights on our earth again.
It shouldn't be too hard to commnicate between the dimension I'm currently on and home... People from Earth 2.0 Prime have been here before, as evidenced by the fact that, well, I got teleported here.
So... I'll have an entire ARMY of magical animals behind me, as well as the services of all the humanoid magic users that I can convince to join me...
And I bide my time, scouting out Earth 2.0, using my fear sensory powers to gain a psycological understanding of all of Earth's major world leaders...
Through and intense period of psychological evaluation, I'll be able to predict who will fight me, who will flee, who will preform completely unpredictably...
In fifteen years, I'll be almost ready for stage (C)..
Compiler's Note: The above, of course, led to a huge OOC argument on the possibilities and plausibilities of Cheeks getting even remotely that far; much less have a snowball's chance in hell of taking on the Sorceror King of Athas. Cheeks, as usual, persisted in his stubborness against all odds, until the others decided to take things into their own hands... (And just because it's amusing, I will include a bit of that OOC banter.)
Written by Chuckg 07-30-2002 07:31 PM
And ungentlemanly behavior to ladies annoys me *notably*.
Besides, your comparision is irrelevant. *She* isn't the one with delusions of planetary conquest, *you* are. As such, you can justly be laughed at for having your reach exceed your grasp -- while she keeps her ambitions quite in line with her power suite, and as such is not to be laughed at.
"Because a caterpillar is faster than a flower does not make it a bolt of lightning." -- Master Chiun
Written by Yeoman 07-30-2002 07:33 PM
Written by Chuckg 07-30-2002 07:34 PM
A mere one bar of gold as a nominal fee, and the House shall be pleased to accept a contract to go make Cheeks' plans fall apart before they were even halfway done.
Written by Airshark 07-30-2002 07:38 PM
*Gets very angry! at how Cheeks is manipulating all those poor animals for his own delusions*
*Follows Cheeks in ghost form through the Temple door, which she can pass through due to her spectral nature*
*TK SLAMS Cheeks against a few handy walls*
*stomps on him several times*
*Ceases to be angry, and instead becomes nervous at trespassing that way*
*Leaves, indetectably, while Cheeks is still trying to figure out what happened.*
It was the "terraformed" land that did it. I assume there's atmosphere stacked on top of it?
Written by CheeksTheToyWonder 07-30-2002 07:39 PM
I don't think so.
With the knowledge I have granted the dessert dwellers, I am respected as a (Rather Eccentric, but there you go) great hero of the people. Any attempts on my life shall bring the wrath of a whole world of angry magic users upon you.
My location is carefull hidden, known to but a handful of my closest advisors.
When I am NOT in my Temple, and beyond your capability to harm, my insect, bat, and underground spies monitor EVERYTHING in the surrounding ten mile region.
I have a contract with a local college of magic, who will inform me if anyone opens a dimensional portal within 500 miles.
And, at this point, all I'm trying to do is kill and evil, tyranical dragon, and rid the scourge from these lands.
Written by CheeksTheToyWonder 07-30-2002 07:45 PM
Listen, Airshark, I respect your moral postition, but consider.
I am providing all the animals in my care with free food, and shelter, for themselves and all sucsessive generations within the Temple. On a dessert planet, this is no mean feat.
None of my friends are inconvenienced in any way without a VERY good reason.
Occasionally, but very rarely, this may include their life.
But consider... I have provided for their decendants FOREVER... Certainly their sacrafice has not been in vain.
In fact, I by deposing the dragon, I will have measurably raised the cost of living for all life on the planet foreverafter... If there was ever a worthy sacrafice, that was it.
And, I should point out, the Temple has identified you now... Although I can not harm or immobilize anyone entering the Temple, I WILL make your existence very unpleasant, should such an incident occur again.
Written by Chuckg 07-30-2002 07:45 PM
Which means that everybody on Athas knows you exist and what your name is. So much for keeping your existence secret...
> Any attempts on my life shall bring the wrath of
> a whole world of angry magic users upon you.
If I could be seen coming or going, I wouldn't be the Reigning Master of Sinanju.
> My location is carefull hidden, known to but a handful of my
> closest advisors.
Irrelevant.
> When I am NOT in my Temple, and beyond your capability to
> harm, my insect, bat, and underground spies monitor
> EVERYTHING in the surrounding ten mile region.
Even more irrelevant.
> I have a contract with a local college of magic, who will inform
> me if anyone opens a dimensional portal within 500 miles.
Time to open up planar trade with Athas, then. You'll be run ragged checking out every interdimensional trader on the continent.
Edit -- I see that Airshark is not going to allow my generosity of letting Cheeks actually *have* a "college of magic", such as a Preserver alliance circle or something...
Ah well. Works for me either way.
> And, at this point, all I'm trying to do is kill and evil, tyrannical
> dragon, and rid the scourge from these lands.
Oh,you mean *this* dragon?
/holds up a dragon head/
Hmmm... death aura couldn't affect my mutability, magic and psionics couldn't detect me coming, and it does have this habit of taking lengthy hibernation periods...
... so I just hit it with a building-wrecking blow in its sleep. Right at the base of the fourth cervical vertebra.
OK, it appears your great crusade is all dressed up with nowhere to go -- and the House of Sinanju is now the greatest hero on Athas, and you're yesterday's news.
*takes a bow*
Have a nice day.
Written by Cuckg 07-30-2002 07:47 PM
Such a pity the House of Sinanju beat you to the punch.
I just took away the only cause celebre that could possibly have let him unify Athas' population behind him as an army.
I contracted to "spoil his plans", after all -- not to kill him.
Subtlety. He doesn't know it, and I've got a lock on it.
Edit -- and note, I have done absolutely nothing to stop Cheeks from continuing his animal ministry upon Athas.
Written by CheeksTheToyWonder 07-30-2002 07:49 PM
You've just upped the Time Table of Plan "C" by several years.
(And, note that if the Dragon was killable by anyone of our powerset, in fifteen years I would have done it.)
Written by Chuckg 07-30-2002 07:49 PM 07-30-2002 07:53 PM
Not really. Since *YOU* didn't kill the dragon, all the fame of being the planet's most legendary hero goes to *ME*.
I just set your time table *back* about, oh, all the way to the beginning.
Edit -- sadly, Airshark, the Dragon of Athas was a creature of defiler magic, and as such its parts aren't healthy to scavenge. The House arranged for its disposal in a handy Sphere of Anihilation.
The House also collected the bounties offered for the dragon's head by every major city-state on Athas... and those bounties were of a size to put severe strain on their treasuries. Which doesn't actually *harm* anybody on Athas, but *does* cause enough of a budget crunch that no large organized force on Athas will be up to doing anything particularly energetic or expansionistic for quite some time.
Addendum -- of course, since Athasian money is worthless off-planet, I'll just have to send it to the village of Sinanju so that Master Chiun can put it next to his collection of aluminum bars.
Edit -- why yes, the Multiversal Branch *is* on good relations with the Original House now. After all, when the Great Wang spoke for me, Master Chiun and Master Remo accepted.
Written by CheeksTheToyWonder 07-30-2002 07:54 PM
Doesn't affect my contracts with the animals one wit.
Doesn't remove my collection of magical artifacts stored in the Temple.
Doesn't free ANY of my personal servants from their contracts, given in return for my knowledge of earth technology.
Sure, some of the fair weather members of my rag-tag army may have desserted me... But such is a **VERY** acceptable loss for ending my mission on Athas, and jump-starting my mission on earth, years ahead of time.
Written by Chuckg 07-30-2002 07:56 PM
Actually, it does -- you see, the Dragon was the reason that the ecosystem of Athas was so devastated.
Now that it's dead, Athas is going to stop being a desert planet in a couple of generations.
They won't need you forever. And /that/ was your hold on them.
> Doesn't remove my collection of magical artifacts stored in the
> Temple.
Athas is one of the most enchantment-poor worlds in all of D20.
> Doesn't free ANY of my personal servants from their contracts,
> given in return for my knowledge of earth technology.
You don't have a personal servant on that planet whose life I cannot end at any time I choose.
> Sure, some of the fair weather members of my rag-tag army
> may have desserted me...
... such as 98+% of the entire sentient population of Athas.
Written by The Watcher 07-30-2002 07:59 PM
Written by Chuckg 07-30-2002 08:03 PM
Here's some advice. Try importing a few hundred pilgrims from another D20 realm while you're at it. Specifically, worshippers of Chauntea, the Realmspace deity of agriculture. Missionaries, priests, and farmers.
As soon as she gets an established congregation on that planet, she can manifest there.
Hmmm -- avatar of Chauntea + no dragon = lots of new cropland pretty damn fast. And lots of worshippers for Chauntea even damn faster.
And she's a neutral good pacifist. No harm done to Athas by making her its first deity to manifest there in several thousand years, none at all. It just makes Athas become more peaceful. And agrarian.
And less useful as a springboard for dimensional conquest.
*evil grin*
Written by The Watcher 07-30-2002 08:07 PM
