The Insidious Infiltrator
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| Author | Topic: The Insidious Infiltrator |
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Shaper
Member # 6292
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written Monday, February 19 2007 16:14
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Valeta Blue got ahead of herself and started helping the Infiltrators in Burwood Province before doing her other necessary duties. For this unpardonable sin, she has been fired, but her immaculate starting clone has returned to improve upon her effort and will surely surpass the fearsome deeds of her forebearers. In this third iteration of the Insidious Infiltrator, Valeta is focusing with resolute purity on her magic. She is largely through Chapter 2 at present. She maxed Mechanics at 8 immediately to capitalize on Living Tool Use and early gear attainment through looting, then Reputation to 6 next, then Mechanics to 10, then Reputation to 8. She added +1 Intelligence (for a little extra headroom) and some Healing Craft. All other points have been into Battle Magic, Spellcraft, and a bit of Mental Magic and Blessing Magic. She is packing quite a wallop with, well, everything now. She is more powerful than ever before with this streamlining, and everything normal dies with one blast of something, frequently simply a Fireball (which is free of essence cost.) She's been a bit fragile, but is so lethal when hasted and buffed, that it's rarely a problem when her lethal intentions are properly executed. Now with Spine Shield and Steel Skin, she is becoming an Amazonian tank as well. As I catch up to where I left off before, I'll start posting some stories again. I'll post some stats at the end of Chapter 2. Meanwhile, any other comments or experiences with your own Mighty Infiltrator are welcome. Like the lot of so many women throughout history, I think that she has been underappreciated and underestimated. Vivé la femme! -S- -------------------- A4 Items • A4 Singleton • G4 Items • G4 Forging • G4 Infiltrator • NR Items • The Lonely Celt Posts: 2009 | Registered: Monday, September 12 2005 07:00 |
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Shaper
Member # 6292
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written Monday, February 19 2007 23:06
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Valeta III has finished Chapter Two. The following stats were taken at one level higher than where she actually finished the chapter, right after cleaning out the Golem's Fen and buying Battle Skills in Aziraph in Chapter Three.  Her gear: Fibrous Breastplate Agent Cloak (+1 Battle Magic / +1 Mental Magic / +1 Blessing Magic / +1 Spellcraft) Girdle of Genius (+2 Intelligence) Guardian Claymore (+2 Strength / +2 Quick Action) Ring of Eye’s Purity (+3 Battle Magic / +3% Energy Preservation) Runed Jade Necklace (+1 Spellcraft) Clawbug Carapace (+1 Quick Action) Gloves of Savagery (with Damage Attacker enhancement) (+2 Strength / +2 Melee / +4 Quick Action) Fine Silk Pants (Dexterity) Sandals (+2 Dexterity) The Golem Fen spawner died from two hits of Ice Spray. The Golem took four hits of this 'n' that to fold. Immediately after these stats, Val took out the Maddened Rotghroth in the Wrecked Lab with two double-bursts of Lightning Aura following the usual Wrack 'n' Shackle. Virtually anything dies with one magical blow of her discriminating choice-frequently still Firebolt. Shaftoe's Minds each died with two hits of Ice Spray. Shaftoe went to his celestial Valhalla quickly after Val charmed his golem and spine shielded both of them, letting Shaftoe punish himself mightily. A turn or two of Ice Spray took care of the rest. Val can still die fairly easily if she gets careless and slips up her strategy. Her adversaries rarely get the chance. We're just starting in on Monarch's realm now. I think I hit a Glaahk for 308 Ice Spray with the boosting of the mage assistants. More to come. Infiltrators rock. Magical warfare is king. -S- -------------------- A4 Items • A4 Singleton • G4 Items • G4 Forging • G4 Infiltrator • NR Items • The Lonely Celt Posts: 2009 | Registered: Monday, September 12 2005 07:00 |
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Shaper
Member # 6292
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written Saturday, February 24 2007 16:15
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I am caught up with Valeta III to where Valeta II botched things up. We're through Chapter 3 in record time and well into Ch. 4. She took out Monarch, never seeing a single summoned creation to fight, nor taking more than one or two attacks by Monarch. She had him whittled down to virtually nothing before he even made it to his chamber. Nearly everything she faced in the fens died with one hit of Firebolt, Searer, or Ice Spray. She's affixed spines to much of her gear to heavily punish anyone who comes in for melee attack. She went through all four foes in the back of the Sandros Mine before heading to Burwood. She created a couple of drayks to deal with the Old Golem, who is always a decent challenge. With something like 55 Essence Pods on hand, using aggressive spells like Kill are not a problem. It did take about three efforts to take him out, as those hastings and brutal clobbering punches at the end can be very quickly lethal. The final spectre was a piece of cake, as usual, by comparison. She also whittled a few guards down at the Shaper Camp near Southforge, cleaned out Southforge, Uchitelle (he drops a Shaper Robe worth 500 gold,) the Eastern Checkpoint, and the Western Rise. She has more to mop up yet at the Western gates and the Shaper Camp. I suppose if she wants some more fun, she could mop up Rivergate Keep and Dillame. I've never tried it before, Maybe the guards are as annoying to whittle down as the ones in the Barrier Zone. Val III's Stats upon entering Burwood, Chapter 4:  Val III's Gear:  Fibrous Breastplate Agent Cloak (+1 Battle Magic / +1 Mental Magic / +1 Blessing Magic / +1 Spellcraft) Girdle of Genius (+2 Intelligence) Guardian Claymore (+2 Strength / +2 Quick Action) Ring of Eye’s Purity (+3 Battle Magic / +3% Energy Preservation) Runed Jade Necklace (+1 Spellcraft) Clawbug Carapace (+1 Quick Action) Gloves of Savagery (with Damage Attacker enhancement) (+2 Strength / +2 Melee / +4 Quick Action) Fine Silk Pantaloons Sandals (+2 Dexterity) Physician's Charm (+1 Healing Craft) Skein of Wisdom (+1 Intelligence) Gruesome Charm (+2 Intelligence, + Dexterity, -2 Endurance) Mental Focus Charm (+1 Spellcraft) -S- -------------------- A4 Items • A4 Singleton • G4 Items • G4 Forging • G4 Infiltrator • NR Items • The Lonely Celt Posts: 2009 | Registered: Monday, September 12 2005 07:00 |
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Law Bringer
Member # 6785
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written Saturday, February 24 2007 18:55
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I don't think anyone has ever pushed battle magic and spellcraft combined to that level. It really makes the combat spells ridiculously powerful. Shouldn't you have the ingredients to make a second mental focus charm or did you turn Monarch's papers over to the Shapers? Keep up the good work killing everything in sight. [ Saturday, February 24, 2007 18:58: Message edited by: Randomizer ] Posts: 4643 | Registered: Friday, February 10 2006 08:00 |
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Shaper
Member # 6292
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written Saturday, February 24 2007 19:29
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quote:Exactly! :D I want to see how extreme I can make it. I do have ingredients for the second mental focus charm, but I haven't yet secured the second anvil, and haven't bothered to go back to Sandros to make it yet. I will have either three or four of them before the game is over. I'm following the reputation optimizing path of being somewhat pro-shaper, but playing both sides. When I free the prisoners in the Western Morass, my rep will be just low enough to get the kill the five infiltrators task, but I will also help them each before dispatching them. It will be mostly pro-shaper after that. I'll document actual attack power more frequently in Chapter Four and Five. It's terrific fun being so lethal. I hope to demonstrate that the Infiltrator, being strongest in magic ability with the essence to back it up, is ultimately the most powerful fighting machine of the PC's, as I've been contending since the beta days. Why build a strong defense investing tons of points in Endurance for a Servile, when you can mop everything up three times as fast with a strong offense in magic? I almost never use melee. I also have yet to fire a thorn, when the essence-free Fireball has been more punchy from the get-go. I'm about to storm the Western Morass and will be getting back to providing more plot 'n' pics of the progress, now that I am in untrod territory, as far as this thread is concerned. I'm doing this mostly just to see what kind of end stats I can achieve, and what that feels like in action. -S- P.S. So, note my focus on the actual potency/rapidity with which the Infiltrator can clear through areas with spell power. My main focus has been on what feels most competent and fun. There is good fun in being a Servile tank who can wander casually into anything and patiently hack everything to pieces. Lifecrafters with minions to do your bidding is also good fun. I have had the most fun being so powerful on magical offense. The real test may be how it is to take out Matala. [ Sunday, February 25, 2007 01:32: Message edited by: Synergy ] -------------------- A4 Items • A4 Singleton • G4 Items • G4 Forging • G4 Infiltrator • NR Items • The Lonely Celt Posts: 2009 | Registered: Monday, September 12 2005 07:00 |
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Infiltrator
Member # 3220
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written Saturday, February 24 2007 19:56
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I've been inspired to try once more with an Infiltrator myself now. The last time, I was slightly disappointed, as she seemed much weaker than she should have been. I altered my playing style slightly, though my girl isn't quite as lethal as the various Vals. I'll be waiting eagerly for the next installment. Posts: 437 | Registered: Sunday, July 13 2003 07:00 |
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Shaper
Member # 6292
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written Saturday, February 24 2007 20:11
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Yes, well, the Infiltrator does feel vulnerable a good bit of the time, in that you have to execute some of your battles carefully, especially before Chapter 3-4. If one wants a little extra help early on, one can take Splinterfang along through much of Chapter 1. A few points could be thrown into Endurance per one's comfort level, with not much detriment to ultimate magical potency. A little strength can be added to carry heavier armor, but that will also sacrifice a little battle magic punch. Right now, Val is using the Gloves of Savagery and the Talisman of Might to wear a Shaped Breastplate along with the Dexterity Boots she just picked up. I can shift back to the Shaper Trueweave and Runed Jade Necklace when she needs less protection, but wants to maximize her battle magic. Additionally, one could invest more in Intelligence to comfortably carry along a couple of shaped companions, which can be Drayks by Chapter 3 or Kyshakks by Chapter 4, made possible with Fire-Shaping gear: a Shaper Robe and Volcanic Fetish get you up to level 3 Fire Shaping ability. It's another leap to get Ice-Drayks though. I need to make the Shapemaster Boots after finishing Quessa-Uss in order to make anything more powerful, which are needed for the Titan's Realm and facing some of the Shapers near the end typically. Val will use a little shaping late in the game as necessary, and already used a couple drayks for the Old Golem, as mentioned. -S- [ Friday, March 23, 2007 04:03: Message edited by: Synergy ] -------------------- A4 Items • A4 Singleton • G4 Items • G4 Forging • G4 Infiltrator • NR Items • The Lonely Celt Posts: 2009 | Registered: Monday, September 12 2005 07:00 |
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Infiltrator
Member # 3220
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written Saturday, February 24 2007 20:23
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That was the biggest difference for me from previous Geneforges, as I generally play an Agent who lone-wolfs it just fine; my last Infiltrator needed a lot of creation support. Imagine my surprise. This second incarnation is doing much better, and I have plans to start crafting much earlier now. (I didn't make the Cloak of Shadows until way after it would have been most useful. Oops.) I have more in Endurance than I would have previously invested, and she's wearing sturdier armor than is my wont as well. But it's paying off, so I won't complain. Posts: 437 | Registered: Sunday, July 13 2003 07:00 |
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Shaper
Member # 6292
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written Saturday, February 24 2007 21:06
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VALETA III: CHAPTER FOUR Part One — Beeline to Poryphra So, I didn’t photo-document the first part of Burwood Province, but here is what has transpired. Val is seeking to make contact with the Shaper camp in Poryphra Ruin before much anything else. Valeta II started assisting the five Infiltrators along the way and without a save game far enough back, my reputation-based strategy was hosed. It was a careless mistake, but Val III here is an even more refined exercise in focused lethality, so it’s been just as well. Val went north from Rebel Camp Aziraph through Burwood South Road. The four Wingbolts she was careful to single out one at a time, and none ever got a shot off on her. We're nice to the minor ruffians camped nearby. Val can't resist dodging off to the east to the Sentinel Groves to play with the undead. Only the last of the three spectres is a real danger. He is capable of running up from afar and hitting Val three times! He has to be hit hard and fast and never be permitted the chance to attack. We go further north to Valeya Road, killing everything. We start with Daze for groups and dispensing hasted Ice Spray/Firebolt greetings upon battle betas and glaahks. Only after killing everything shaped that moved in the zone did she ask Shaper Krogstad to rein in his creations there (for the experience points.) She also meandered into the mad servile camp in the SW of the zone and mopped them out readily with Daze and Spray, being sure to first follow the dialog path with them that leads them to offer up their nearby canister to me first. I wholly missed that option at least my first game or two. We aren't collecting any rewards from the five Infiltrators yet, though. Next, north to Valeya Ruins, Val bumps into Guardian Kantor and his pack of goons.  We’ll wipe out this entire town eventually, but for now, we use our Leadership to gain free access to the streets as a double-agent. Kantor wants me to secure the anvil here, but I haven’t bothered yet. I want to zip up to see Alwan first. The other useful thing to do here right now, besides stealing everything not nailed down, is to buy a Rotghroth fang and Demon Bile from Rajskrub’s shop. These are two of the four ingredients needed for our next Mental Focus Charm. We already have the Glaahk Eye and Madness Gem sitting in a pile at the gates of Rebel Camp Aziraph. We exit east to the Kelekee Bridges. The Vlish here fall prey to Daze and just about anything thrown at them. The turrets are nasty if we catch any of their flak, so crossing the bridges involves careful moving hasted to take out one or two turrets in a turn when coming into range. The ambush is no sweat. We meander north to pay Shorass the Trakovite a visit. His larger pack of Kyshakks is a bit of a trick as an Infiltrator singleton, since they don’t Daze very effectively, but luring them out into the hallways one or two at at time works well enough. A good time for maximal buffs, Augmentation, and Regeneration. I’ll come back to kill Shorass later and collect his loot, but not yet. For now we just rap. Now north to the Poryphra West Gate. Val is avoiding Fort Raevinn, because to pass through it requires helping the Rebels according to my strategy, and I don’t want to do that until after talking to Alwan et. all and getting the Help the Infiltrators quest first. My reputation is just high enough right now with my 10 Leadership with gear to do it. I discovered something new this time through the West Gate. You actually can safely deactivate all those mines on the north island without setting any off. Way cool. I had never figured out the puzzle before. We pass that way and bypass having to deal with Shaper Horis at all for now. We just scoot through to the east, which takes us to... The Poryphra Ruins and into the thick of the Shaper camp here. Alwan and Miranda and friends. Shaper Grim has useful new spells for us like Major Daze and Major Heal at average prices. Guardian Koerner has what I came here for: the quest to aid the five Infiltrators. Why not? We’d like to further our own kind in the world...at least temporarily. We also don’t want competition. We get the paper spying quest from Kiki. We buy Living Tools from Waldfogle. Val basically buys all Essence Pods and Living Tools wherever she goes, and rarely buys anything else, except spells, occasional shaping, and occasional anvil ingredients. Now she heads back to enter Fort Raevinn from the south and help the rebels fight the shaper attackers there. Using enough leadership convinces the four messengers fleeing to stay and fight too for some extra XP. I fought this battle about a half dozen times just experimenting with how Val can utilize the fighters around her versus trying to do all the killing herself, including the tough stationary pack around the campfire. There are some worthy and numerous adversaries here and it takes some careful timing and occasional hiding around a corner to heal in order to survive the full onslaught. She scores the Stabilty Boots here from the Shaper captain. These replace the Nimble Sandals Val’s been using since Chapter Two. Now it’s west to Derenton Freehold. Val kills the Kyshaaks in the SW rubble, gets the Free the Prisoners in the Western Morass quest from Mage Manohla, kills the impudent drayk for Orois Blaze for a blessing boon of +1 Dexterity, talks to the drakon guest for Litalia and gets the Quessa-Uss quest, peeks at all the papers for Kiki’s quest, steals everything possible. She’s got 41 Living Tools in tow, being able to open doors for minimal Living Tool use with the 15 Mechanics she has with gear assistance. We’ll use some of those to break into canister rooms eventually. I already did for one canister in Aziraph. It beats paying 3000 gold to bump up my Drayk shaping ability one level. I swear someone either here in Derenton or in Poryphra used to give me a quest to kill Shorass, the Trakovite, but I haven’t been able to trigger that quest any longer, and I’m wondering if it was removed since the beta? Has anyone gotten that quest since the beta? Now if you mention Shorass to Litalia or Alwan, they just say they will take care of him and next time you visit Shorass, he is gone. Here is what the path looks like:  Well, this brings us up to where I actually am right now. I apologize for the lack of pretty pictures, but they will resume again now as we head next to raid the Western Morass. -S- P.S. Dareva, I played an early beta game with an Infiltrator who was far less optimized than even yours may be, but she still whomped through pretty impressively, which is why I first got excited about the Infiltrator. I added some Strength, Endurance, Intelligence, and battle skills for melee and missles too. Magic was at much more normal levels, but she was strong all around. A Servile probably would have worked better with that allocation, but the Infiltrator still did great, especially having extra essence for creations late in the game. [ Saturday, February 24, 2007 22:55: Message edited by: Synergy ] -------------------- A4 Items • A4 Singleton • G4 Items • G4 Forging • G4 Infiltrator • NR Items • The Lonely Celt Posts: 2009 | Registered: Monday, September 12 2005 07:00 |
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Infiltrator
Member # 3220
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written Saturday, February 24 2007 21:38
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quote:Ah, I see. Well, it's not that she was bad; she just wasn't as good as I'd hoped. Call me picky, I guess. I rarely run out of juice magic-wise, though, so I don't consider missiles much at all, but that's not a bad idea. I'd love to discuss this further, including my current Infiltrator build, but I'll do it elsewhere, so as not to distract from Val's adventures. Posts: 437 | Registered: Sunday, July 13 2003 07:00 |
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...b10010b...
Member # 869
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written Saturday, February 24 2007 23:03
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quote:Ossissess (the cryodrayk in Derenton Freehold) gives you that quest. You might have to kill the infiltrators for him first. -------------------- The Empire Always Loses: This Time For Sure! Posts: 9973 | Registered: Saturday, March 30 2002 08:00 |
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Shaper
Member # 6292
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written Saturday, February 24 2007 23:35
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VALETA III: CHAPTER FOUR — Part Two: Trall-la-la Whoops!...or...She Who Hesitates Is Lost Actually, what are we waiting for? Let’s go make another Mental Focus Charm before storming the Western Morass. We venture back to Valeya Ruins and pile up our anvil ingredients by the door that will not open...yet.  The path to the anvil is well-guarded. It’s useful to be on friendly terms with the Shapers at the moment.  So, it’s been a while since I faced the Maddened Trall guarding the door to the anvil room. I forget how this goes....After the usual buff ‘n’ haste and Wrack ‘n’ Shackle, Val conservatively attacks with Lightning Aura and doesn’t find it too effective. This guy’s pretty tough.  Playing around, she sears and acids the trall, neither being terribly helpful either. OK, let’s get serious. She whittles 421 points off the Trall with Kill. Looks like one more hit of nearly anything should finish him off...right?  Oops, we shouldn’t have used Ice Spray. That was a bit cocky and bit stupid.  And now look what happens, because we failed to finish him last turn.  He’s healed partially and has three new friends to help out. We Strong Daze the trio, but Kill bounces off him like a soggy grape. Now the especially Maddened Trall hastes and throws three nasty rocks at us in a row. Ouch! We heal and now remember that in this state, the Trall has become nearly impervious to all magical damage. Nothing hardly makes more than a nick in him and we’re burning through essence at a fast rate and striving to stay healed. Now we’re out of green essence, despite having plenty of blue. Gah, this is gaxed. We should have Dominated the two Betas immediately instead of tinkering around with trying to attack the Trall directly with more magic. Val can’t even get at the Trall with physical attacks, because she froze the two Betas and Kyshakk neatly in front of him. Valeta concedes to her defeat. I could have had her run out around the corner to heal up and essence up and take it on again, but instead I restarted the attack. I should have played out the challenge of the first attempt fully. Anyway, this has been a lesson in how NOT to handle such situations. Attempt No. 2: Val comes in as before with Wrack ‘n’ Shackle, but corners the Trall at close range to keep him from his nastier ranged attacks and goes right for some Kill strikes.  The trall summons only two betas this time when he is near death. We Dominate one immediately to help pummel the Trall now, who mostly requires physical punishment to crumble. All the spines on Val’s gear along with Spine Shield permit the Trall to do lots of damage to himself every time he pummels us...which isn’t more than a couple times before we deliver the coup de grace with the Guardian Claymore. That was better. I still wish I played out the first botched attempt just to show we can survive our worst mistakes. It’s not like I’m short on essence pods. We access the anvil and fashion ourselves a second Mental Focus Charm for another free level of Spellcraft. We add the Steel Spine the Trall drops to our recently acquired Dexterity Boots. We psyche up for the impending rush on the Western Morass. -S- P.S. That was a kindly gesture, Thuryl. I'm not sure what to think. But thank you. [ Saturday, February 24, 2007 23:38: Message edited by: Synergy ] -------------------- A4 Items • A4 Singleton • G4 Items • G4 Forging • G4 Infiltrator • NR Items • The Lonely Celt Posts: 2009 | Registered: Monday, September 12 2005 07:00 |
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Law Bringer
Member # 6785
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written Sunday, February 25 2007 05:14
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Once you kill and report the 5 infiltrators deaths you get the kill Shorgass quest. The reward is a free access to Northforge Citadel through the Freehold without having to do the other quests. Still why pass up experience. Posts: 4643 | Registered: Friday, February 10 2006 08:00 |
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Shaper
Member # 6292
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written Sunday, February 25 2007 12:03
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quote:Hmm...The Flatulent Drayk quest? Can you imagine the perils of his own breath to himself? Yes, this was entirely uncalled for. -S- -------------------- A4 Items • A4 Singleton • G4 Items • G4 Forging • G4 Infiltrator • NR Items • The Lonely Celt Posts: 2009 | Registered: Monday, September 12 2005 07:00 |
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Shock Trooper
Member # 3716
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written Sunday, February 25 2007 22:18
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Just out of curiosity I started reading this thread. It's really interesting and amusing, I must say, but I found more and more Spoilers considering I am still in chapter 2, so a *Spoiler alert* would have been appreciated. I just stopped reading though :D -------------------- "Inspiration comes from hard work" -Charles Baudelaire. Posts: 292 | Registered: Sunday, November 23 2003 08:00 |
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Shaper
Member # 6292
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written Sunday, February 25 2007 22:57
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Sorry about that. I assumed the description in the first post made it obvious this would be a complete story of what an Infiltrator goes through in an entire game. By nature, it's loaded with spoilers. It's mostly made for people who have played the game through and are considering trying another type of character to play. -S- -------------------- A4 Items • A4 Singleton • G4 Items • G4 Forging • G4 Infiltrator • NR Items • The Lonely Celt Posts: 2009 | Registered: Monday, September 12 2005 07:00 |
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Shaper
Member # 6292
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written Saturday, March 3 2007 15:36
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VALETA III: CHAPTER FOUR Part Three—Thee Great and Mightee Ornk Quest OK, so it's not quite the very next thing Val did, but it's by far the most impressive. I will post later how Val fared throughout the rest of Burwood in the ongoing misadventures of Chapter Four. It's done. I have picture proof. I have to put it all together soon, for your uncontainable delight or utter indifference...you decide. Meanwhile, Val indulges a little needed diversion and slips back to the West Poryphra Road. Aha, the legendary Oozebeasts look suspiciously just like Ornks. How fiendishly clever, to disguise themselves thusly. Truly we have met a formidable adversary here.  Disappointingly, Val has little trouble dispatching the four Oozebeasts grazing dangerously here. Off to the west part of the zone to the newly opened mystery clearing in the woods... ...to stumble upon the fearsome Uberoozebeast, which also looks suspiciously Ornkish. The Uberoozer douses Val thricely with acid, and looks and sounds something like a cow being milked in the process. This does not assist the Uberoozebeast in appearing any more vicious and terrifying.  Val starts carving Ubercow into Ubersteaks.  Dinner is served. Never mind the fizzing acidy foam on top...it'll stop soon enough.  Our reward for our perilous task:  And our fearsome new Shaping ability!  We waste no time in fashioning a terrifying new force to be reckoned with.  Ornk versus Ornk. Oh, the carnage. Oh, how we shall dine tonight.  Dear God, what have I unleashed upon the world? We come back to our senses in the next installment, after sleeping off the wanton gluttony that ensues. -S- -------------------- A4 Items • A4 Singleton • G4 Items • G4 Forging • G4 Infiltrator • NR Items • The Lonely Celt Posts: 2009 | Registered: Monday, September 12 2005 07:00 |
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Shaper
Member # 6292
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written Saturday, March 3 2007 17:19
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VALETA III: CHAPTER FOUR Part Four — Storming The Western Morass, Part 1 Well, we're just a singleton, and with the reinforcements which transport in after alarming the camp, this will take several visits to mop up. Standing safely off, Val fully buffs and hastes and takes out the Turret outside the gate. Being the sociable sort she is, Val introduces herself to the nearest friendly Gate Watchman.  She can't quite usually take these guards out with one blast of Ice Spray, so she amuses herself with one of this and one of that: Searer and a Fireball, two Fireballs, an Ice Spray and a Fireball. Next in line is a turret guarding the inner gate entrance. These succumb readily to Ice Spray or even something less. Since we won't be here too long, we don't take any chances tinkering with Searer or Fireballs.  Of course, the next Gate Watchman comes around in his loop to be greated by a face full of soothing Searer.  And now, as we poke further inside the gate, we see a few more defenders than would be prudent to take on all at once under the circumstances. Beefier backup begins to show up.  Val scoots around to the left gate to focus on those nasty little Turrets again, along with the nearest Wingbolt who never gets a shot off following a chilling demise. Now the turrets mop up readily.  Val crumples the Shaper Warrior with two Fireballs. There be more Turrets and Wingbolts further in. Val is able to liquidate these two with more ranged magical assaults: first Essence Orbs, which take out the Turret and do some damage to the Wingbolt, followed by Ice Spray to finish the Wingbolt.  Whoops, we've outworn our welcome and roused undesired guests to this party. We're not ready to take on Guardian Seekay this round. He does some nasty damage with his Searer. We hastily retreat back to Derenton Freehold to restock on essence and health.  I tinkered around with these assaults numerous times for fun. This zone requires very careful strategizing of movement, placement, timing, and offenses used. It requires retreats when things get botched or dicey. We'll be right back. -S- [ Saturday, March 03, 2007 17:34: Message edited by: Synergy ] -------------------- A4 Items • A4 Singleton • G4 Items • G4 Forging • G4 Infiltrator • NR Items • The Lonely Celt Posts: 2009 | Registered: Monday, September 12 2005 07:00 |
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Shaper
Member # 6292
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written Saturday, March 3 2007 18:07
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VALETA III: CHAPTER FOUR Part Four — Storming The Western Morass, Part 2 (Enough Already) Val returns to the Western Morass to reciprocate Guardian Seekay's warm welcome upon her last visit. She obliterates the Shaper Warrior baton wielder in the corner with two devastating blasts of Firebolt. Popping around the corner now, Val greets Seekay with a little obligatory Wrack and Shackle, while humming an early 90's punk song called, "If You See Kay"—an angry little diatribe against an ex-girlfriend. "And..if you see Kay...tell her (wall of noise/angry shouts.) Seekay feels Val's impending wrath.  We do not stop to take snapshots, but next Val readily dispatches Seekay and his odd summons or two with a couple more rounds of Kill and Essence Orbs. She scoots down the hall and lets loose the prisoners. All make it home safely. The cavalry begin to arrive again, so she follows after and collects her needed pro-rebel reputation reward from Manhola, along with his double boon. This enables Val to acquire the Kill the Five Infiltrators quest from Ossissess. But we have more work to do at the Western Morass first, including securing more precious Blood Poison. She returns and starts cleaning out the western area of the encampment a few at at time, like this unwitting so-called Elite Warrior.  Shaper Adlon is next, and he is a worthy opponent. Wrack, Shackle.  Kill Kill Kill!  He's tough. Only 173 with Kill. Now he has time to invite some new friends to the party before dying at close range. Adlon summon a Kyshakk. Val Dominates it to assist her in taking Adlon out, just in time to seek to escape the clutches of the invading defender Vlish who teleport in.  Val took some heavy damage cornering Adlon. She hightails it out of there with some Strong Daze to survive to fight another day. Agent Lucy falls on Val's next visit, and the rest of the western buildings are cleaned out. Lastly, Val charges all the way into the back area to the teleporting rooms and spends a few Living Tools to get the Blood Poison out of the chest. She charms a couple Vlish to help stave off the others, and scuttles off. Our work here is done. Everything is dead that offers experience. NEXT: Infiltrators of the world unite! -S- [ Friday, March 23, 2007 04:21: Message edited by: Synergy ] -------------------- A4 Items • A4 Singleton • G4 Items • G4 Forging • G4 Infiltrator • NR Items • The Lonely Celt Posts: 2009 | Registered: Monday, September 12 2005 07:00 |
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Warrior
Member # 8285
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written Saturday, March 10 2007 19:21
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I must say I am realy enjoying this. I've been reading it for the last few hours and its realy interesting. P.S. Your lack of loyalty astounds me! Despite the obvious gains to playing middle man/woman what side do you think is right? (All hail the glorious rebellion!) -------------------- A duke is just a duke but you see, I am "The Duke" Posts: 65 | Registered: Saturday, March 10 2007 08:00 |
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Law Bringer
Member # 6785
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written Saturday, March 10 2007 19:48
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It's obvious that Synergy thinks his side is right. All the others are temporary allies to be discarded when they become inconvenient. Posts: 4643 | Registered: Friday, February 10 2006 08:00 |
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Shaper
Member # 6292
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written Saturday, March 10 2007 23:15
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As stated in the opening post, Valeta rather despises both sides of the power struggle and is an opportunist exploiting the greed of them both. If it had any kind of future, she'd be inclined to ally with the Trakovites. This story will be carried to completion, even if there are breaks along the way to take care of little things like wrapping up a Masters in Psychology or beta testing Nethergate Resurrection. (It's looking very nice!) I also have a game of Avernum 1 going, of all things. I'll get back to this before long though. I am glad you are enjoying it. We aim to amuse. -S- -------------------- A4 Items • A4 Singleton • G4 Items • G4 Forging • G4 Infiltrator • NR Items • The Lonely Celt Posts: 2009 | Registered: Monday, September 12 2005 07:00 |
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Apprentice
Member # 3865
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written Tuesday, March 20 2007 17:51
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i think i'll try this out next game i play -------------------- HUST? Posts: 45 | Registered: Wednesday, January 7 2004 08:00 |
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Shaper
Member # 6292
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written Thursday, March 22 2007 23:54
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Hello again. Nethergate has been commanding my attention lately. Not to mention an incredibly stupid, but annoyingly amusing online RPG called Kingdom of Loathing. Curses on you Salmon and all your spawn! I've still got lots more coming up here on Valeta III's current Burwood crusades. But first, permit me to further divert you with this episode, which takes us back in time to an earlier lost adventure with our original Valeta I (the Purple.) VALETA PURPLE Chapter Three—Part Four: Monarch Better Fly • Part A: Slinky and Stinky (Slogging Through The Swamps) Valeta I has Tool Use at 10 entering Chapter Three and can raise it to 15 with her gear by the time she is ready to slog through the fens to take on Shaper Monarch and his pesty creation swarms. She has enough Leadership to recruit the three Servile Technicians at Rebel Camp Aziraph, who boost her Mechanics by five each, for a tidy total of 30 upon demand. She also recruits the two mages to help give her already feisty magic a wickedly woeful wallop. No messing around here. Let's clean house! Here is our newly-forged party ready to assault the fens like a driving, iron wedge, cleaving unstoppably through everything in its path. We'll let those Battle Beta goons run off to die in the swamps. We're going on a stealth Commando Run, because we are implementing the sneaky, geeky approach to get at Monarch.  We immediately head north to the NE corner where we utilize our high Mechanics to turn off the north projectors. It takes 25 Mechanics to shut them down with the spore controller. We spend some Tools on opening the door halfway across the north for the goodies inside (oh yeah, and to shut down some more projectors.) We stay out of sight and avoid fights for now. We cross to Northern Grosch where we scoot across the north and then down the western shore to Monarch's house. We haven't fought anyone yet, except one inconsequential Artila. The house appears deserted, but we just want to get to that trap door. Those high Mechanics trapped chests there are something of a Jeff Joke™, which you will realize, should you too get them open. But I wonder what Monarch's got in his cellar? Let's find out, shall we?  Evidently, Plated Clawbugs and a Glaahk for starters. That Monarch guy really needs to call the exterminator—this place is infested! Oh, never mind. The Exterminator hath arrived. Let's power up for some Platebug punishment.  So, predictably, everything dazes and dies here in a very orderly fashion. With Ice Spray at nearly 300 with the mages boosting Spellcraft, there's not too much dallying about with having to hit anything twice. We scoot along the north passage, then south at the midpoint into Monarch's chambers, shutting off his various mines and doing a bit of looting about, and then down the west tunnel to the Grosch Pits to the south. We have business there first before hassling Monarch and his middling minions. So, here we are, all fresh and ready to really get to work in the Grosch Pits. Breath mint, anyone?  There are many mines here! That green bubble-mine on the far left spawns a nasty Kyshakk if we can't deactivate it. This is why we want our Mechanics at 30.  Val does carefully deactivate all the mines, and so we pass unmolested...which isn't as much fun really. It was kind of more exciting the first time I came here, when I unexpectedly set the Kyshakk loose and had to scramble to survive. But sneaky, geeky Val is more inclined to put her trained skills to use than fight more than she must. There's plenty of that coming up. The green bubble mines are a giveaway anyway. There's usually a grumpy guest inside who wants to come out to play. Next we encounter one of several insane serviles wandering around down here. They make pathetic attempts to defend the Pits, but are swatted down like slow-moving mosquitos. At least they drop slightly useful items like Living Tools sometimes.  Here's what we came for: Khyryk, whom we have been instructed to take back to both the Shapers and the Rebels. What a popular guy. He must be very entertaining. To whom shall we take him? He thoughtfully fills us in on the control batons used to control Monarch's creations. So that's what we saw in Monarch's dresser when we were poking around in his bedroom.  It turns out Khyryk's not going anywhere with us. He's got another path to take. But not before asking us where our sympathies lie in this struggle. Val is unapologetically honest in her reply.  This is undeniably, the best line in the entire game. Khyryk is cool enough to still want to associate with us in the future after receiving this answer. No wonder he's so popular. NEXT: V1Ch3Pt4B: Man, These Rooms All Look Alike -S- [ Friday, March 23, 2007 04:42: Message edited by: Synergy ] -------------------- A4 Items • A4 Singleton • G4 Items • G4 Forging • G4 Infiltrator • NR Items • The Lonely Celt Posts: 2009 | Registered: Monday, September 12 2005 07:00 |
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Shaper
Member # 6292
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written Friday, March 23 2007 00:50
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VALETA PURPLE Chapter Three—Part Four B: Plundering the Pits All the commotion with Khyryk has attracted some uninvited guests to this party. It's an ambush! No, not on us...on them. Poor saps.  The Beta doesn't last long, though I permit Val to take a hit in the process. That Searing Artila is rather nasty. Let's settle his hash before he gets a chance to do anything that will really annoy us. Note that while Valeta Purple here was plenty punchy with her build, she was far less magically streamlined at this point than her third iteration. That 261 damage she did here was more like 350+ damage with Valeta III, when she came through. But 350 or 400 doesn't make this Artila any deader than 261, now does it? The other Beta doesn't make it far either. Let's get moving again.  Nearby, we bump into Shyviss, the psychotic drayk. I like how he starts to look suspicious as we march right up to him, swords drawn.  Shyviss dies with precious little chance to protest. He drops something nice for us to take home with us. Oh, and there is that tempting glowing green canister beckoning nearby. Yes...YES!...YES!!! Out of my way, everyone. :D Ahhhhhhhhhhh. OK...what are you lookin' at? Back to work! We enter a series of twisty rooms, all alike, including the refreshingly culturally-diverse control packs wandering around defending them. Who says we can't all get along? You four set a lovely example for the potentially harmonious future of creationkind, but I'm sorry that today you must die. I want that canister...the canister, the glorious canister! The canister is calling my name. Yes...what's that? What's that you say? You want me to join with you? Yes, okay. I will. I must. Impediments must..be..removed.  Daze. Destroy. Desire sated. I and the canister have become one. We don't need a light down here. Val is glowing a bright green. Another room. Wait, didn't I just destroy you four? Seems to be a lot of duplication going on around here somewhere. Daze. Dispatch. Let's convert this irritatingly Daze-resistant Pack Control Shade into a fading shadow of a memory with one crispy fireball. Now you see him, now you don't.  Hmm, too bad every room is not identical in each containing a lovely canister. What a gyp! But wait—there are more guests on the way to this party still—folks are just dying to get here. Daze. Disembowel.  Val strikes out solo, leaving the many chambers behind. One generous helping of Ice Spray should dampen the fire in this Burning Spinecore we bump into. This bud is not for you. Do not pass Go. Do collect 200+ damage from an icy cold one. Coming your way.  NEXT: Chapter Three—Part Four C: Some Warping May Occur In Damp Environments -S- [ Friday, March 23, 2007 04:56: Message edited by: Synergy ] -------------------- A4 Items • A4 Singleton • G4 Items • G4 Forging • G4 Infiltrator • NR Items • The Lonely Celt Posts: 2009 | Registered: Monday, September 12 2005 07:00 |