Update Notes – August 2001 – Crests of a Turbulent Sea
Ardry lurked in the bushes, closely observing his quarry, a high-ranking Tumerok. Up ahead, the Tumerok and its companions seemed to be conferring with a cloaked, sickle-wielding Virindi. Ardry noted with interest that one Tumerok carried a banner but he was unable to discern what device it displayed. After a few moments, the Virindi turned and created a portal, through which the Tumerok war party passed.
Curiosity overcame his good judgment. When the Virindi turned away, Ardry leaped out of his concealment and ran for the portal. Trying to ignore his terror as the Virindi spun to look at him, Ardry leaped through the shimmering gateway, a fraction of a second before a fire bolt sizzled through the air.
After a disorienting ride through the portal, Ardry opened his eyes in an unfamiliar Virindi installation, its twisted walls glowing red. “Don’t recognize this place,” he muttered to himself. “Must be new? Uncle Aliester would be interested to know how far the Virindi have moved.” He made a note about the portal’s location and began to explore the tunnels.
He wasn’t able to explore for long. A group of Tumeroks noticed him and charged to attack. Unprepared to fight, he ran. Going purely on instinct, he sprinted through the twisting corridors, with more and more creatures picking up the pursuit. After a harrowing run, Ardry spotted the familiar pattern of a surface portal, the promise of escape.
Ardry grinned, gritted his teeth and bolted through, sidestepping one last swinging sickle blade. He closed his eyes as he felt the familiar wrenching pull of portal energy, taking him back to the wide-open spaces of Dereth. But something was wrong. Instead of the sound of the wind in the forest, his ears were filled with an ominous, thrumming hum. He opened his eyes and found himself facing the blank stare of a Virindi. There was a flash, a burst of searing pain, and Ardry felt himself falling.
It had been several months since the world saw magic this great in scope and power. Now it comes again, but this time it is from an enemy that remains obtuse.
The skies continue to shift and with them now the land itself has changed. Through some understanding wholly alien to the Isparians the Virindi have furthered their incursion by altering the very nature of the wilderness. Creatures have been displaced and now inhabit areas never before seen.
The Direlands have become a place of woe and despair. It is here that the Virindi have laid claim at last to the Obsidian Plains. They have driven away all others save for their allies and those they mean to warp to their own devices. Further to the north the Olthoi have been found swarming the landscape once again, there have been pockets of the Olthoi seen throughout Northern Osteth but this new revelation cannot bode well for the Isparians.
In Zaikhal, a once trusted ally has begun displaying some frightening and unnerving characteristics. Diyas al-Yat has begun removing his head, revealing an erupting column of portal energy from his shoulders. This coupled with the arrival of the latest Virindi shock troops, the Simulacra, leaves the fate of this ally as a new mystery to be discovered.
In dungeons bearing the same blood-red walls of their masters the Simulacra are preparing for what can only be a final assault against the Children of Ispar. These beings look like most Isparians in every way, yet their deliberate way of speaking will lend the first shadow of doubt to the cautious adventurer, and once they reveal their true selves by removing their own heads, attack and do not relent.
These new troops afford those adventurers strong enough to wrest victory from their tenacious grasp with a new shield and helmet of great power. These can be further enhanced with the addition of a strange gem found within a final stronghold of the Simulacra. But those halls are filled with beings of immense power and should be traveled only by the most hearty of warriors.
The changes to the world have had an unforeseen effect on the denizens of Dereth. While they have been pulled from their climates and homes some of the creatures have banded together under leaders of their respective races. These leaders are different from their lesser cousins in look and in power. Travelers should be wary when facing down one of these new foes.
Autumn slowly begins to crawl toward the Isparians but it appears the war is far from over. Though the Virindi themselves have lightened their assaults this latest maneuver is one that has changed the way that most travel. This could be just a precursor to an even greater change. The raiding parties of the Virindi death squads have lightened but they still harangue the lonely travelers of the world.
This is a time of weary battle but the hearts of the people are strong and in the face of this great terror they shall not fail. But what comes next from the Virindi, and when?
Miscellaneous Improvements:
- Revised Newbie Templates! New names, new abilities, same cool newbie fun!
- Slightly revised newbie spell lists! New spell casters start out with an additional spell or two! And if specialized? Wowzas!
- Lower level monsters drop their equipped items somewhat more often.
- Newbie weapons! New names! Stats upped! Not a lot! But more than they were! Exclamations are fun!
- And content–lots of content–which we never talk about in these build notes–ever.
- You can now use @corpse to find your body if you died on the landscape.
Minor Details:
- Added help text for @help fillcomps.
- Updated Danby’s sign.
- Acid Vault…
- Gambling vendors now accept large trade notes.
- Town Crier back in AB.
- Sho Bestower NPC had minor text string fixed.