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Thread: [Diablo II AAR] The Misadventures of Diabolical Amazons

  1. #21
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    Default Re: [Diablo II AAR] The Misadventures of Diabolical Amazons

    Episode 19. Welcome to Hell
    Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

    Maltatai: Ah, hello. It's nice to see you all here. Now, as the more perceptive of you probably realised by now, this is hell...and I am the author, good evening...but you can call me the single Malt if you like. We try to keep things informal here as well as infernal...that's just a little joke. I tell it every time. Now, you're all here for...eternity, oh...which I hardly need tell you is a heck of a long time. So you'll all get to know each other pretty well by the end. But for know I'm going to have to split you up into Groups - will you stop screaming! Thank you. Now, murderers...assassins over here please...thank you. Looters and pillagers - find item Barbarians - here... Thieves, if you could join them - converting Paladins - and attract/confuse Necromancers you're in that lot too! Fornicators, if you could step forward...my goodness there are lot you! Aah, can I split you up into casters and the rest? Druids, if you could just form a line in front of that small fallen with a scimitar in the corner.

    Aah, the Amazons, are you here? If you'd just like to come down here with the rogues...I'm sure you have plenty to talk about! Ok, aaahem...mercenaries, mercenaries over here please. Cleverly serving only "temporarily" "for money" - you must be feeling a right bunch of nitwit. And finally Zakarumites. Zakarumites...ah yes I'm sorry, I'm afraid the heretics were right. If you could step forth here that would be really fine. Ok, right, well, are there any questions?

    Yes? No, I'm afraid we don't have any toilets at all available here or anywhere. If you'd read your game manual you might have seen that it was damnation without relief. So if you didn't go before you came then I'm afraid you are not going to enjoy yourself very much...but then I believe that's the idea. Ok, well it's over to you Diablo, and I'll catch you all later at the barbeque. Bye.

    Rödluvan: I can't believe it! Have you defected to the foul demonic side?

    Snövit: Wit is the path to the dark side. Wait a second, is it?

    Maltatai: Of course not! I am myself, thank you very much, and this is the introduction to the veritable hell you two have had the misfortune to end up in. I found an inspiring text entitled "A Warm Welcome" written by someone called "Toby". It was hidden in a small forest of rowan by the village of Atkinsington. Maybe Toby wrote the mouldy tome as well?

    In any case, the situation looks as bad as it seems. And it seems as bad as it looks. The seams of your quivers looks to be unravelling too...

    Rödluvan: Bah, these useless bolt quivers! A bolt is SMALLER than an arrows. How can bolt quivers be containing FEWER projectiles than arrow quivers? It doesn't make sense.

    Snövit: So this is yet another, EVEN WORSE, reversal to the starting point caused by the energies of the last Worldstone which was corrupted by Baal because Tyrael missed it?

    Maltatai: Yes. And being an even worse stone – due to the first missing and the following corruption of the world turning it into a nightmare – the added corruption by the nightmarish Baal has turned the world even worse if that can be imagined.

    Rödluvan: It can! Immune monsters, enemy leaders with three enhancements each, massive drops in resistance that can barely be compensated for even with full battle gear - Aaaaah!

    Snövit: We encountered trouble right outside the gates of the rogue camp. I can't believe how hardy the zombies have gotten! The poison damage and fire from the Kuko Shakaku is really handy on these occasions. As is the enchant charges from the Todesfaelle Flamme. I actually found a second such sword in the Col Plains, but with more charges which saved thousands of gold pieces for me!

    Maltatai: Neat. Can you afford the cost of using that thing regularly?

    Snövit: Yes! With the gold from dwarf star and occasional picking up of items for bonus cash it almost always evens out or even ends up with some profit. With three charges, repairs and buying potions and scrolls my company needs to assemble around 10 000 gold in 360 seconds. It's quite manageable. I was a bit sceptical to all this "sustainable development" talk but there are sound economical thinking involved too after all.

    Maltatai: Three charges? Did I really hear that?

    Snövit: What? Oh, come on! Honestly, I'm not nearly as selfish as some may have slandered. Both Waheed and the valkyrie get their charge as well. The damage is of course pathetic but the attack rating rules.

    Rödluvan: I'm impressed, Snövit. There may yet be some hope for you.

    Maltatai: For someone in hell you both seem healthy. How far have you got into it and how has it worked out?

    Snövit: We have rescued Cain the Senile and claimed the waypoints up to the Dark Wood and the marshes next to it. The fallen ones melt before me and my mighty gloves of demon slaying but the big hairy apes are troublesome. Since I have dropped Cleglaws I have no knockback and that is a big disadvantage when facing ape bosspacks. Waheed is sadly underequipped but the fearsome mask works decently. But I am NOT going to wear it. It lacks the resistances I need. And I would like some +skill levels too on a hat.

    Rödluvan: Naturally. That is of course the whole explanation.

    Maltatai: The hideous looks have obviously nothing to do with it whatsoever. How did you handle the fire immune fallen ones, Rödluvan? They must be troublesome with no corpse control.

    Rödluvan: It works all right actually. My upgraded Langer Briser and venom is so powerful I can shoot them down faster than the shamans raise them up and the knockback ensures some control of the field. Because of my lack of +skills, strafe has become my main attack except against small, tightly packed mobs and physically resistant foes.

    Maltatai: Why not have a full review of equipment and skills?

    Rödluvan: Because it's boring, overly technical and not really relevant before the end. And because you requested it.

    Snövit: lol.

    Rödluvan: But I'm still a generous one, so here it is:

    Gloves: Rare ones with 20 cold resist, 20 increased attack speed and 15 magic finding
    Hat: Crown of Thieves with RED jewel of fervor
    Shoulder Pads: Smoke quilted armour
    Rest of the Body: Seemingly bare skin and red boots, gloves and Amazonian swimsuit
    Belt: Immoral Kings Detail (No, it is not "Immortal" Kings Detail -“ you would not believe what things are engraved on the inside of this belt. "Immoral" is the least you can call it!)
    Boots: Rare ones with 20 faster running, 10 faster hit recovery, 29 cold resist, 26 poison resist
    Left ring: Manald Heal
    Right ring: Rare with 103 attack rating, 6% life stealing, 24 mana, 21 cold resist
    Amulet: Rare with 4% mana steal, 41 lightning resist, 12 cold and poison resist, 17 fire resist and 14 strength

    Weapons: Upgraded Langer Briser with a Shael/Pompeiis Wrath and Shael'd socketed soon-to-be-Rhyme Pavise

    Peaceful breastplate in the cube to summon a valkyrie

    Level: 73
    Life: 922
    Mana: 289
    Resistances: 75/56/75/22

    Skills:

    Exploding Arrow: 20
    Fire Arrow: 20
    Strafe: 1

    Pierce: 3
    Penetrate: 15
    Decoy: 11
    Valkyrie: 1

    All prerequisites: 1

    Telash Equipment:

    Crescent Moon Lightning Conductor that looks like a broad sword
    Treachery ring mail that I borrow to power up venom
    Lore skull cap
    Ancient's Pledge in a kite shield
    Maltatai: Zzzzzz...

    Rödluvan: I TOLD you it would be boring!

    Maltatai: Huh? Oh, right...and how about you, Snövit?

    Snövit:

    Gloves: Snövit's blue gloves of demon nightmares, sometimes known as Snövit's Laying of Hands
    Ties to the gloves: Piece of cloth with the Words "soon to be felt by Meshif" written by childish redling
    Hat: Chromatic circlet, 22 resist all
    Body: Gemmed gothic plate with Sapphire, BLUE jewel of fervor, Ort and Thul runes
    Belt: Thundergods Vigor
    Boots: War Traveller
    Left ring: Ring of Minor Smeg, also known as Dwarf Star
    Right ring: Rare ring with 4 maximun damage, 30 lightning resist, 5 fire resist and 5% mana stealing
    Amulet: Rare amulet with +1 Amazon skill levels, 50 poison damage, 17 resist all, 4 dexterity

    Weapons: Kuko Shakaku with Shael/Snövits Woestave

    Todesfaelle Flamme in the cube to enchant
    Peaceful ring mail and Gymnastic amulet in the stash to summon a valkyrie

    Level: 74
    Life: 853
    Mana: 167
    Resistances: 75/49/67/-17

    Skills:

    Magic Arrow: 20
    Guided Arrow: 20
    Frozen Arrow: 20
    Cold Arrow: 10

    Passive and Magic Skills: 1 each

    Prerequisistes: 1 each

    Waheed stuff
    The Face of Rödluvan...Horror
    Hawkmail
    Savage Thresher (hope to cube it to something better later)
    Rödluvan: Zzzzzzz...

    Maltatai: Yaaawn...great. Now the formalities are done and everyone will know just how dangerous the hellish path through this hell will be. The thrilling suspense will reach to the skies I am sure.

    Here are some of the lucky finds Rödluvan managed to confiscate under the pretext of taxation, the funny decoy whose Kuko Shakaku does not get enchant-coloured, some of the more irritating foes and a picture of the well-known tourist attraction of Tristram:



    Snövit: Speaking of Tristram, we actually told Akara straight away that we should go and rescue Cain immediately but it was like talking to a painting!

    Rödluvan: The old hag did not even pretend to be listening. I guess this resetting of the world has been to much of a shock for her mind, or maybe Andariel decided to forgo the usual corruption spell and instead cast "Amplify Senility" on her.

    Maltatai: Undoubtly. Surely she would have listened to good advice otherwise and been able to alter the plans. Over and out.
    The Misadventures of Diabolical Amazons - Completed.
    An Orcs Tale, a Third Age AAR - Completed.
    Reviewed by Alwyn in the Critics Quill
    My Dread Lady, a Warcraft Total War AAR - 27 chapters done.
    Home to Midgard, a Third Age AAR about two dwarves, a spy and a diplomat - Completed (pictures remade up to chapter 19).
    Reviewed by Boustrophedon in The Critics Quill

  2. #22
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    Default Re: [Diablo II AAR] The Following Misadventures of Annoying Amazons

    Episode 20. One Hell of an Act
    Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

    Waheed: Hi all, Waheed here. Which you already know since you read the name of the talker with the two dots after it which precedes this quote. Unless you were too tired to read it properly, of course. Not too much is known about me except that I am the mercenary of Snövit and the main reason she hasn't turned into a blue gothic tin can of sausages for demon picnics. If you hear any nonsense of her having to get me out of trouble regularly I advise you to dismiss it entirely and save yourselves the trouble of dealing with two conflicting viewpoints and perspectives of reality. Much better to adopt a linear and polarized ideology such as "listen to all the wise words of Waheed and spread his celestial message across the lands and underworlds". But you can let that last thing be if you like. I'm cool with that.

    I'm quite cool with most things nowadays. Back ages ago when I served under Rödluvan in normal I was way more focused and stressed up and such. Always aiming to do everything with the greatest precision and flawless accuracy. Man, being a blessed aim town guard isn't healthy in the long run. Waaay too stressful. Now I chill out and take it easy with the holy freeze which is much better.

    In my infinite wisdom I suppose you have questions for me, more precisely two questions. The answer to the first question is: No, I am not going to work as a bartender chilling drinks at the Etdhlaq Memorial Bar. What kind of name for a bar is that anyway?

    Regarding what has transpired since last episode, this has happened:

    After the latest murderous rampage across the Den of Evil and Blood Ravens demise (watching Snövit shoot guided arrows at her was hilarious) the rogues really settled down and started to chill out a bit. Even Akara got notably happier after we rescued her secret love ("wise man" or "deep knowledge of the Primes" my ***) Deckard Cain from Tristram. I can't blame the rogues for being upset with all the hanged and corrupted rogues all over the land (that sisterhood must have been enormous before all this happened) and being thrown out of their home and stuff. Telash managed to lighten up the mood as usual but at the end of the day the eyes were on me (he'll tell you otherwise but don't believe that). Having an aura of coolness about you is pretty neat sometimes. Now wonder holy freeze is so popular.

    The food here is a bit lame. We tried roasting a fallen fallen one but it took hours and the meat was barely warm. Bloody fire resistance and bloody steaks! The wendigos were easier to cook but they are so hairy it's not worth the trouble. Heck, they're even hairy o the inside! I don't even think an experienced flayer chef could handle that dish. In the end we settled for roasted quill rats. They don't have much meat but the spiky quills are excellent for making shish-kebab of them. In the time between questing and adventuring (very long periods sometimes) me and Telash usually sits up late with the rogues eating roasted demons and drinking some of Akaras nastier mana potions. Rödluvan and Snövit join us occasionally but spend absurdly much time counting their money and writing down notes.

    While money is abundant from the loot the expenses are apparently high too. Snövit uses enchant and Rödluvan has started to rely more and more on the weaken charges from her armour. I think Rödluvan is writing some sort of political manifesto but I don't know what Snövit is scribbling. The rogues Heather and Liene managed to catch a glimpse of her book once and claim that she is filling page after page with meaningless variations of Meshif's name and heart-shaped objects, along with potential charming lines in case he doesn't remember anything from the past lives. I seriously hope they're wrong, I mean, nothing wrong with chilling out on a ship together and so, but if word of that diary gets out while I'm still employed my cred will drop like a drunken sand raider. They also claimed she was storing a "mancatcher" in her stash. I think that is a little bit drastic. Why not just chill out about it and talk about the stuff like before? It worked all right last difficulty level. Just beat Duriel, and you're bound to break the ice...although that may be harder now, given the increased level of the Frozen arrows, hehehe.

    While slowly slugging our way through the western kingdoms (I've always wondered if we really cross any border or if we stay in one kingdom and in that case which one) I am struck by the difference terrain now makes, rather than monster types and immunities. Our little adventuring party is so underpowered when it comes to tanking ability that we have to be extra careful not to get swarmed, even by freezeable monsters, and make the most of the few freezing arrows Snövit can get off before her mana potions run out. A mobile battle is usually the best - having enemies spread out and picking off one at a time with the rest being knocked back or diverted by decoys. The stupidity of monsters never ceases to amaze me. Really, who could mistake that stationary, passive idiot thing for a real Amazon? On the other hand, nobody here has met Amazon's, so maybe they think those are a stationary people just standing around doing nothing. In that case, they must think it was Amazons who were supposed to handle the part of the European Euro project that was about actually cooperating financially and stick to the rules.

    We faced a really tough pack in the catacombs. I promise! It's just the melting frozen arrows that destroy all corpses. Sigh. It makes it very hard to brag properly about it afterwards. Those catacombs at the third level were freaking unbearable! We encountered a pack of banished ones just before the stairs down. I died two times. But don't tell anyone, please? It's not my bloody fault! How am I suppose to handle all that fireballing without life stealing and with only 10% extra fire resistance from my items? This whole campaign has had really rotten luck when it comes to spears and pole arms. I died against Andariel too. I hear that Telash survived. Utterly embarrassing. A mage from Act three succeeds where an act two town guard fails...I'll never hear the end of it! Just because the little redling gets to keep his distance and Rödluvans overgrown valkyrie and decoy can last two breaths instead of a half like Snövits.

    Just before breaking into Andariels room Snövit had the mancatcher IMBUED by Charsi (she really is desperate I thought...). But she was giving it to me! What the heck...I am not the one in need of that. I don't swing that way... In a sense I actually don't swing at all because I jab and thrust with all weapons despite how well suited they are for slashing. But I don't swing that way off duty either. I don't know what romanticized nonsense someone may have conjured up about the desert mercenary bands but we're just a bunch of colleagues and comrades. Seriously. Get a grip.

    On closer inspection it turned out that this mancatcher is a form of elite spear, very quick and with decent range. Oh, well, how am I supposed to know that? It's not like I've been reading the Arreat Summit Magazine on every watch, like some others I could mention... What kind of silly name is that for a weapon anyway? And no improvement after slaying Andariel either. You should have seen Snövit's face after seeing the pathetic low-level loot that we were rewarded with. The face of horror would have paled in comparison as well as paled in fear, had I not looked away in time. At least Andariel did not destroy any blue-clad valkyrie like the one she managed to summon earlier in the cold plains, that would probably have made Snövit explode.



    Right, so much about our adventures. I suppose I should tell you a bit about how Rödluvan's team fared. Right, they...I mean of course left since they are clearly the left wing party here. So, left, they have apparently had an easier time than we had.

    With her abominable high taxes Rödluvan is stealing mana and life at a tremendous rate and with Telash usually staying reasonably out of harms way they have managed to maintain a rather pompous supply of rejuvenation potions. I'm sure they're very dusty by now and taste dusty as well. Why are they suddenly so strict about drinking? Chill out, I say. With strafe and the sturdy decoy, the redlings can fight pitched battles most of the time but without any freezing they are in trouble if trapped in a tiny cramped area. Rödluvan is lucky to have completed her Rhyming shield by now, thanks to an eth-ic rune she found in the Tamoe highland.

    In the Forgotten Tower, which everyone still remembers well in the rogue camp, Rödluvan and her team faced a stairtrap but luckily it was not one of the nastier. The countess herself was graceful enough to drop a Ral and Tir rune... How extraordinarily epic hahahaha! Perhaps she thought they should make a leaf staff since Rödluvan was so much into fire skills?

    After having claimed the Outer Cloister waypoint Rödluvan took a long break. The she charged through all the way to the Cathedral in one long questing session. Reason? Come on, you should know by now. It had of course absolutely nothing to do with monster spawns or item luck. She got a shiny red (the deep dark life red, not the orange returned damage red) valkyrie and wanted to enjoy the sight for as long as possible. Just when getting out of jail, the red team met a combined force of dark ones backed up by bone mages. Cursed and mighty... The thing is, Rödluvan thought she would go around to flank the dark ones and have some space, but when entering the jail exit building through south gate she ran right into the skeletal spellcasters! A bit of battlefield reconnaissance next time perhaps, oh great field marshal?

    The strawberry skulls also met a nasty pack in the catacombs, resulting in a bloody mess. Unfortunately for them it did not fit into the small piece of the picture page assigned to them so it was fairly useless for bragging. The stupid Stormstrike short battle bow seems to haunt the two heroines. Rödluvan came upon it again in a storeroom in the catacombs.

    The battle against Andariel begun with a VERY disappointing fainting of the peaceful valkyrie due to the stench. It seems like you just can't get the minions to do the job nowadays. Alas, alas. In any case, the exploding arrows did the trick just like Snövit's freezing arrows and Andariel went down after a chase around the blood pool. Although I should point out that Rödluvan was the first to slay her. If that really matters. She got a really great shot of her just before the giant Dungeons-and-Dragons-flamestrike-spell fire pillar appeared. Maiden of Anguish indeed, it looks like. Unless she is only studying the state of her fingernails after the battle, as she is going home for the first time since...a long time ago whose date is not relevant but probably procurable from the memory and library of Deckard Cain. You wouldn't believe how vain some employers can get, even in the middle of a dangerous questing session! Luckily, I don't waste my time on those petty things. Just chill out, I say.



    Maltatai: Did I hear something over there in the distance just beyond the proverbial corner? It sounded almost like narrating.

    Snövit: I didn't hear anything. Check!

    Maltatai: Hey, that's no wonder since you just made a valiant effort of making the rest of us deaf, exclaiming your triumph over taking both of Rödluvans towers. Why do you value towers so much? Sure they're great at the end of the game but you throw everything else away just to keep them safe.

    Rödluvan: Duh, towers give elevation bonuses for archers. Need I say more?

    Maltatai: But not in chess, dammit! I've already explained this... And the queen can not attack from afar, she must move to the tile and stay there. Melee. Not just slashing once with a slowing axe blade and running off to make a pincushion of the bishop.

    Rödluvan: Hey, she's the queen. She wouldn't be that if she didn't know how to handle a battle properly.

    Maltatai: But again, this is not a tabletop role playing or warhammer game, this is chess where the queen moves...

    Telash: And why can you only target one foe per turn? What about lightning and strafe and multishot?

    Maltatai: ---------. Maltatai to mothership: Requesting immediate recall. One to beam up.

    Telash: What?

    Maltatai: No! You make single target attacks always! They are all unblockable and in melee range and result in the immediate demise of the foe! Chess is a game not a precise battlefield simulation, how many times do I need to tell you?

    Snövit: But...
    Waheed: Be cool. Over and out.
    The Misadventures of Diabolical Amazons - Completed.
    An Orcs Tale, a Third Age AAR - Completed.
    Reviewed by Alwyn in the Critics Quill
    My Dread Lady, a Warcraft Total War AAR - 27 chapters done.
    Home to Midgard, a Third Age AAR about two dwarves, a spy and a diplomat - Completed (pictures remade up to chapter 19).
    Reviewed by Boustrophedon in The Critics Quill

  3. #23
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    Default Re: [Diablo II AAR] The Following Misadventures of Annoying Amazons

    Episode 21 Hellish Deserters
    Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

    Maltatai: After some unknown entity messed up the episodes totally and confused everything I can now shed some light on the situation and conclude that Snövit and Rödluvan have made it to Act II. So apparently the first Act was not very noteworthy. It must have all been a total vacation for everyone. Especially Waheed probably had no difficulty at all and surely provided great tanking at the lower levels of the catacombs. Perhaps he would enjoy some magic finding from Andariel? Since he is so cool about everything, apparently, I am sure he will not mind.

    Many chaotic chess games passed while the caravan of Warriv conducted sightseeing while searching for the mystical passage to the town. The main gate (without any actual gate - just a hole in the thin wall) does, as everyone know, lead only to the linear places that are surrounded by apparently impassable rocks beyond which all the cactuses of the desert grow. But there must be some sort of hidden way that all the caravans use. Unless of course the town that all dark wanderers and adventurers (also known as travelling monster murderers) reach is just a tiny part of the whole Lut Gholein and the rest is hidden somewhere else. Like the Kurast Docks that are on the other side of Kurast as the city itself or the Monastery Graveyard that is located several huge plains and an underground passage from the actual monastery.

    Snövit: Yes, yes, yes whatevercanIpleasetellaboutMeshifnowpleasepleasepleaseplease!

    Maltatai: That's more politeness in one sentence than in your whole previous career I think. Fine, fine, how did it work out?

    Rödluvan: THIS will be a long tale.

    Telash: I'll get my sleeping rug set up.

    Waheed: I think Atma is selling some long-lasting provision packages. I hope five weeks rations will be enough.

    Snövit: HEY! Silencium!

    Rödluvan: "Whistling"

    Snövit: "Shoots stern glare at Rödluvan" Right. After the customably dusty field trip with Warrivs caravan I found myself appalled by seeing him turn into his "best clothes" when meeting Sultan Wannabe-Prince-of-Persia Jerhyn. What a moronic twist by the otherwise sensible (blue) Warriv! Even Jerhyn dresses better than that! A red turban - "shudder". Jerhyn boasted about his position as usual but I wasn't very interested. He's a slimy harem-hiding git of the most clichéd kind. He would not listen at all when I tried to explain to him about Diablo having already wandered to the Tomb of Tal Rasha and me needing entrance into his palace. It was as if he was just reading lines from an uninspired script! No wonder I kept my back turned to him for the better part of the conversation (better since I didn't need to see him) but he kept going as if he had my full attention.

    When I turned to Warriv and gossiped a bit, Jerhyn turned to stare very harshly at him and sure enough, Warriv was quick to go into a tiresome tirade of Jerhyns qualities that nobody would believe a word of, even under unbiased circumstances. Obviously Jerhyn is oppressing free enterprising and trade in a foul and oppressive way in order to extort this kind of forced complimenting. Cunning as I am I went around in the town a bit, steering conversations towards gossip about Meshif and what he may like and not like, in a most sly and ingenious but at the same kind thoughtful and considerate way.



    Rödluvan: Cunning and careful as a cougar on the prowl, grrroarrr!

    Telash: "***"

    Waheed: "Chortle"

    Snövit: How would you like to spend the Act hanging by your feet from the roof in Jerhyns palace? I promise you it can be arranged! If interested, please sign this contract. If not, please refrain from further immature obnoxiousness.

    Rödluvan: I'll be quiet as a mouse.

    Snövit: Good.

    Rödluvan: Quiet as a mouse hiding from a huge mountain cat.

    Snövit: ...

    Snövit: Now I hope I will be free from further interruptions after twice stating that I am the one talking. It was nervous as this difficulty level to speak to Meshif again. He's so handsome! And has such a blue shirt. I don't think he recognised me but it felt like we knew each other nevertheless. When he greeted me it felt just like the first time, which it may technically have been. Damn this messed up respawning and resetting! I wondered if it had perhaps been a mistake bringing the vakyrie along. She looked stunningly good in that tasteful outfit and has a certain beaming charisma about her...charming is always hard when you have to avoid being overshadowed by your friends, even when their loyalty are beyond question and they can be unsummoned if needed.

    Meshif told me he had informed Greiz about a find that could be linked to Radament but hadn't been taken very seriously. Outrageous! Stupid merc-jerk not listening to the responsible and caring sea captains of the town! Not only that, but why had he not sealed the sewer entrance at the docks, closest to Meshifs ship!? Scandalous! To lift Meshifs spirits (No, not literally, do I look like a necromancer to you? And I did not ask you, Rödluvan!) I asked if I could see his ship. It was great to be onboard it again but Meshif still hasn't had that leaky hole in the roof of my (former) cabin fixed! Or again. Well, this time I will point it out in due time before we are to set sail. Maybe we can use the stock of the Langer Briser, there is some massive good quality timber there. And I bet it's practically water resistant by now from endless repairing smiths oiling it.

    Rödluvan: Don't you touch!

    Snövit: Lut Gholein it certainly a city of jewels. I found two gem shrines, just in the sewers! Someone had their priorities wrong when drawing blueprints for this place I say. The sewers were quite dangerous with many nasty archers and stinking dried corpses that harmed my valkyrie a lot. Thankfully Freezing Arrow was awesome and melted them almost like fallen ones. In the lowest and most stinking level, Radament was lurking as usual. His little army had lost all sense of direction and tactics and went for me spontaneously without backing from their boss. Not that that would have helped them very much from becoming little pools of murky melt water. Radament himself was furious and so foul-mouthed he almost destroyed my valkyrie. I had to get back up to heal her. Then I slashed Radament with the mighty Woestave which shut him up when combined with the icy arrows and holy freeze. Although Waheed kept his distance during a big part of the battle, if I remember correctly.

    Waheed: I did not! I was conducting a precautionary sweep of the surrounding area.

    Snövit: I know. Chill out, man. I actually appreciate you staying away from poisonous mummy breath when I can handle it from a safe distance. It saves a lot of potions. So be cool. I'm cool with it.

    Telash and Rödluvan:



    Snövit: Reading the book of skill again was nice, but telling Meshif about it was nicer. He even called me "mate". He said the awful moaning of that fiend had kept him awake at night. The poor thing! I said it was all my pleasure to help with that and asked if there was aaanything else I could do for him? Meshif said he couldn't think of any but would tell me at once when he needed some new heroics done. I responded by smiling my most beaming smile and bowing both courtly, courteously and courting. The effect was somewhat ruined when my armour creaked - it had gotten rusty from all the sewer moisture. I have to get myself a Sapphire Dress of Voluptuousness or something for the future. Or in any case at least have Fara oil and polish my gothic plate armour.

    Regarding that about being kept awake by awful moaning...well, at least the moaning won't be awful in the future, mate...

    Rödluvan: ...

    Waheed: What's up with your face, Rödluvan? You look like a tomato about to explode.

    Maltatai: I believe it is the early stages of Laughter Explosion (skill level 17 at least). Take cover.

    Rödluvan: BwaaahaHAHAHAHAhahahihihihihi! I..."gasp"....pity Meshif...if it comes to...him having to...endure that in the...future...hahahahahaa! Awful moaning...to say the least! MY REDNESS, that made the last boat trip trying! I know the inner walls of a ship can't be too thick in order to save weight but still...some of us needed our sleep!

    Snövit: I. WAS. SEASICK.

    Rödluvan: Above deck, yes. Below deck...that's one strangely pleasant kind of seasickness if I ever heard one!

    Telash: Seriously, Red, that was below the belt.

    Rödluvan: I'm sure it was.

    Snövit: NO! Below the belt as in unfair duelling or banter! Not any sort....wait... You've been eavesdropping.

    Rödluvan: On you? Who do you think I am? That I would...get a grip!

    Snövit: You did?! YOU DID!!!

    Rödluvan: "Whistling"

    Telash: Hey! You stepped on my ankle almost every time! "Go out to get some fresh air", my body part soon kicked if facing lightning immunes on my own!

    Rödluvan: I did actually continue out to get some fresh air too. And laugh.

    Waheed: "Chuckle" Chill out, boss. She's just jealous. Or she has a secret crush on you.

    Snövit: Not even the wisest of sages and diviners could ever conclude which of the alternatives would be most appalling.

    Maltatai: Laughter explosion being cast on Telash. Take cover and prepare to evacuate.

    Waheed: The tomato season looks to be coming early this year... Cool.

    Snövit: I can scarcely believe this! SPIED ON by my very own nemesis and arch-enemy!

    Rödluvan: And...friend. And I really meant no harm. It was just so great seeing you meet Meshif and having a good time. Or maybe more like hearing the last thing rather than seeing it. But I promise you that you gasp, banter, sigh, moan, complain, pant and whine about just about everything in the most flawless way.

    Waheed: I can totally confirm that.

    Telash: And coming from Rödluvan, her's is an expert's assessment.

    Snövit: Friend?

    Rödluvan: Ehm...yes? That felt strange to say. I bet my mouth will soon turn green... And I promise you I have no interest in interfering between you and Meshif. He's a nice guy but not my type. And he has almost as weird tastes as you - blue clothes "shudder"... And I bet you have icy cold feet that would keep me awake at night if nothing else...

    Snövit: I guess that is good to hear...friend. But you'll still be my arch-enemy, won't you?

    Rödluvan: Of course, don't worry!

    Snövit: And I'll be yours.

    Maltatai: Terribly sorry (not) to break into this touching confirmation of bonds of enmity, but can we get on with the rest of the desert episode? I believe there was a Horadric issue of staff management? One that involved astonishingly little human resources for being a staff issue...

    Snövit: I already have the Horadric cubicle...cube...so I wasn't originally planning on visiting the Halls of the Dead, but then I read somewhere about the apparent attractiveness of female tomb raiders so I decided to visit all possible tombs. I started with the Stony Tomb but it didn't contain any particularly attracting feature, only a creeping feature.

    Maltatai: I think that tomb raiding thing is just something someone decided to make up. Nothing worth looking into, really.

    Snövit: Make-up? In those dusty tombs? I certainly didn't find any. But now that you mention it, some of the deadlings had ornamented face masks and many cosmetic products are toxic just like the mummies. Perhaps it is produced by them?

    Maltatai: No! Make up as in two words and as in imagine and create something fictional! Uuuuuh...of all the silly things to come up with...

    Snövit: I do in any case never use any make-up.

    Maltatai: Wise. It's really not nearly as appreciated by guys as undead sellers would have you believe.

    Snövit: It's completely superfluous. If you want to colour your lips you just take some drops of demon blood. Lasts much longer and you can get many different colours.

    The Rocky Waste held boss pack after boss pack after boss pack of foes. I think I faced five or six in a row. Waheed was killed off screen by an extra fast cursed leaper pack. I have vowed to myself not to let minions tank where I can't see them. From then on things went smoothly through the Dry Hills - not very hilly - and the Far Oasis. Frozen Arrow melted almost anything. Insect swarms usually melted in one shot. I contemplated for a moment to go after the staff in the Maggot Lair but decided to postpone it.

    Maltatai: Would it take up too much space in your inventory?

    Rödluvan: Had you gotten a blue valkyrie that you didn't want to lose to the vile poisons of Coldworm?

    Telash: Did you want to take advantage of the remaining daylight and clear the open grounds first?

    Snövit: Of course not! But you all know about the smell down there and the filthy oozing slime that hangs and drops from the walls and roof. Ewww... It would have been practically impossible to get it out of my hair in time (one of the deficiencies of circlets is the lack of adequate protection from such damages) and no matter how long you bathe the smell never seems to disappear.

    Rödluvan: But you'll have to go there eventually. Why postpone it?

    Snövit: Because...I had urgent business elsewhere that late afternoon. Namely, early dinner at Atmas Tavern!



    Rödluvan: HOWDIDITGOHOWDIDITGOHOWDIDITGO?!

    Snövit: First we talked more casually about the tavern and people in town. For a moment I almost thought Meshif would fancy Fara but if he did he wouldn't have gone out with me so I think he just thought Fara was nice. Which she actually is, especially considering her silly hair colour. A healing blacksmith - superb! Just a little churchly sometimes. Meshif was also worried about his home in Kurast and Jerhyns stupid secretiveness. I promised him I could hardly wait to set sail to Kurast and the subject of sailing seemed to cheer Meshif up. He recalled the stupid unsailyness of Geglash and all the travelling he uses to do when the season is better.

    Waheed: Unsailyness?

    Snövit: I'm sure it is a word. If not, I just invented it so I get to patent it. Ha!

    Clearing through the Far Oasis I eventually saw the characteristic passage through the cactus cliffs to the Lost City. Maybe that was the Lut Gholein of old and the current small town is just the old docks? One could hope that me passing into the ruined city would for ONCE not mysteriously coincide with the claw vipers casting their hideous astronomical spell, but true enough, welcome to the dark side. Darkness leads to restricted vision, restricted vision leads to fear, fear leads to bad reflexes in case of ambushes, bad reflexes in case of ambushes...leads to deeds. But not today!

    It took searching through the better part of the Lost City and it's ancient sewers (only one level, clearly ancient when compared to the sanitary three level tunnel system of Lut Gholein) to find the Valley of Snakes. I had to go back to town endless times to buy mana potions. The plague bearers are quite sensitive to cold but don't offer much in the way of mana stealing. I spoke to Meshif about the darkness on several occasions. He tried to keep everyones mood up by joking about navigating easier than before but clearly this lengthy eclipse caused by claw vipers (yes we KNOW, Drognan) that the local wise guy had researched was very discomforting.



    Then Waheed came up with a really splendid idea. He suggested that I should sing for Meshif to make him feel better!

    Waheed: That was a joke! I joked that you could sing for Meshif and maybe he would fall asleep in your arms now that the night was so scary. It was even a very rude joke! Totally exaggerating Meshifs discomfort and blatantly ignoring the fact that we all felt pretty gloomy about having to face the horrifying Claw Viper Temple! While it's cool that you didn't get angry I can't believe how you could take the suggestion seriously.

    Snövit: I gathered two cargo crates and put a large barrel on them to get a little stage and then had Waheed and my valkyrie stand behind it so that the aura and glow acted like improvised spotlights. I had composed the text myself and it was, if I may say so, very well suited for the occasion.

    Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 


    Turnaround, every now and then I get a
    little bit lonely when it's not you I'm around
    Turnaround, every now and then I get a
    little bit tired of listening to the voice of Drognan
    Turnaround, every now and then I get a
    little bit nervous that the best of all the game has gone by
    Turnaround, every now and then I get a
    little bit terrified and then I sprint and cast my decoy
    Turnaround blue eyes, my valk does even
    sometimes fall apart
    Turnaround blue eyes, my merc does even
    sometimes fall apart

    Turnaround, every now and then I get a
    little bit restless and I dream of Act V
    Turnaround, every now and then I get a
    little bit helpless and I'm dreading going to Nihlatak
    Turnaround, every now and then I get a
    little bit angry 'bout the cold immunes that will make me cry
    Turnaround, every now and then I get a
    little bit terrified when valkyries ascend to the skies
    Turnaround blue eyes, but even cold immunes
    will fall apart
    Turnaround blue eyes, and even viper scum
    shall fall apart!

    And I need some luck tonight
    And I need it more than ever
    And if we only win this fight
    I can leave that hole forever!
    And we'll soon say "let there be light"
    Cause it's the Amazon line, together
    We can make the sun come back here and shine
    It's cloaked and in a shadow right now all of the time
    Don't know what skill to use and I'm always in the dark
    We're heading to a stinking viper giving off sparks
    I'm facing Fangskin tonight
    Forever lightning sparks and bite
    Forever extra fast with claws

    Back in nightmare times we were falling in love
    And then the world was falling apart
    There was nothing I could do
    A total eclipse of the heart

    Once upon a time there was light during day
    But this is not the slightest bit fun
    I promise I shall fix this
    Viper eclipse of the sun



    Maltatai: "applauding"

    Rödluvan: "whistling"

    Telash: "applauding"

    Snövit: Right after finishing the song I tried to bow gracefully to the audience, but the stupid barrel tripped and I fell to the ground just in front of Meshif. That dock is hard to land on. You would think there would be no shortage of sand in these neighbourhoods but I think that particular spot was seriously under-duned. On a happier note, I found myself looking up into concerned seafarer eyes when I opened mine, so it was quite worth the rough landing. I nevertheless think it would be better to skip the falling part and just have the looking into eyes part after future performances. Otherwise I shall need a dress socketed with Sol runes.

    Maltatai: How was the temple then?

    Snövit: Right from the start - a hopeless open room without flank protection - we were stairtrapped by almost a dozen claw vipers! It took three full rejuvenation potions for us to survive that. I used multishot which hit at least half the time. The only good things about being trapped in a corner was that we had at least half-decent flank protection and could not be knocked back any more.

    Still shivering, I turned to the north eastern corridor and was greeted by a viper boss pack. We were almost pushed back to the stairs again. Damn, this welcome was hard. Guided arrow worked really well but it was slow progress. Multishot was my standard skill against groups because the poisoning helped a lot even if many hits missed.

    Maltatai: Just like your precious idol back in the days.

    Snövit: Yes, but I would have preferred facing bone warriors instead of serpents. In the whole damn first level of the temple it was nothing but claw vipers and salamanders. All cold immune. All charging. I had to run back many times and faced several bosses that I think even Rödluvan would agree were enormously disgusting.



    Rödluvan: Ewww, fire immunities!

    Snövit: I had to clear practically the whole first level - maybe it was even literally the whole first level - before I found the stairs down. I could barely hold my bow steady. I cast a decoy. Nothing yet. I cast another a bit ahead. Some embaled and bone warriors attacked it but they were manageable. Then I saw a minion claw viper.

    Telash: But isn't Fangskin a...

    Snövit: Salamander. This was Fangskins little helper. A claw viper bosspack almost intermingled with Fangskins salamanders! For a little moment I thought we had them and that Waheed and the valkyrie could tank them in the small passage. Then they were both knocked back by charge after charge just like in the horror stories of Livexia. I led my team back up through the stairs a few times in the hopes of making the vipers spread out. It worked a bit but since they charge they were back around us in a blink. We were getting trapped by the stairs and grinded down. The rejuvenation potions had also been spent since long.



    In my frustration I ran. I ran through them as they crowded around Waheed and my valkyrie. Poor Waheed fell drawing the enemy upon himself. I stuck to the left wall and hoped to find a path to the middle hill where I could open a portal to bring in a resurrected Waheed and my valkyrie. But it was blocked! Claw vipers and undead were all around the hill! I sprinted on to the northwestern corner and hid behind a large cage while my valkyrie teleported close to me. There were two guardians nearby that I targeted with magic arrows. Slowly we whittled down the undead and spare vipers. Luckily, the bosses were not aware of our presence. After finally having secured some room we proceeded east and slew Fangskins little helper and finally Fangskin himself. I kicked his altar over with all spite I could muster and stored the stupid amulet in the cube.

    All the time down there I felt like I was being watched. Like some otherwordly being cloaked in fear were staring at me with sinister flaming eyes. That temple really is the stuff of hellish nightmares. Just thinking of it gives me the shivers.

    Telash: You seem notably calmer, Waheed, despite being the one that has actually died.

    Waheed: Yeah, I'm cool. There is no chance I will not be revived as long as Snövit lives, and if she dies I will likely perish too in a second.

    Telash: What if she decides to hire another mercenary instead?

    Waheed: Even if she did, she would revive me to get the powerful Equipment...wait a second...my equipment is generally lousy! But I'm still the only town guard with a frost aura in this hell. She would never choose another mercenary. Right? You wouldn't, would you?

    Snövit: Of course not. I would never want to hire another mercenary. Chill out.

    Waheed: Hey, that's supposed to be my line!

    Snövit: But I hope we find better stuff so I don't have to have you resurrected. Otherwise you may start turning undead soon.

    Waheed: Ha. Ha. Not cool.

    Rödluvan and Telash: "laughter"

    Snövit: Now, I'm gonna go and ask Meshif if I can crash at his ship. I'll probably sleep for the next week.

    Maltatai: I hope the landing is softer than when crashing outside his ship. Over and out.

    Last edited by Maltacus; December 03, 2017 at 03:06 AM.
    The Misadventures of Diabolical Amazons - Completed.
    An Orcs Tale, a Third Age AAR - Completed.
    Reviewed by Alwyn in the Critics Quill
    My Dread Lady, a Warcraft Total War AAR - 27 chapters done.
    Home to Midgard, a Third Age AAR about two dwarves, a spy and a diplomat - Completed (pictures remade up to chapter 19).
    Reviewed by Boustrophedon in The Critics Quill

  4. #24
    Artifex
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    Default Re: [Diablo II AAR] The Following Misadventures of Annoying Amazons

    Episode 22. Sands, Potions and Reds that Roll
    Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

    Maltatai: Welcome back. While trying to ignore the loud snoring and zZzzz:s coming from the local harbour, the red flames have made progress trying to catch up with the capitalists questing.

    Rödluvan: Red Flames if I may ask. Otherwise correct.

    Maltatai: Caring so much about capital letters, isn’t that a bit capital-istic of you?

    Rödluvan: No, 100% oversensitivity about my trademark and cheesy attention seeking.

    Maltatai: …

    Rödluvan: Eh…what did I just say? Let’s move on quickly to the report about Radament and the flashing flaming success of the Red Flames!

    In the sewers we faced stunningly handsome skeletons, but sadly their personalities were terrible so we ditched them all. Snövit’s team probably ran into more bosspacks than we did but we met many champions. Theeey’ll keep ooon fiiighting till the end…Against melee burning dead I used strafe and something we did seemed to have great effect. I had expected to spend ages grinding them down sluggishly but either the lightning damage or the physical part worked great. Telash was really great down there and really impressed me. That sword certainly seems to do its part. The sewers are generally very good for Amazons with some space but not wide enough to be flanked. Burning dead archers could not even handle burning arrows. Obviously not any undead Amazons at least.

    Between the rounds of burning up the burning, I took a drink or three with Geglash, the local Drink Demagogue. His habits regarding liquid may not be the healthiest but none can fault his care for the environment! No living, and few undead, citizens of Lut Gholein are so good at saving water as Geglash. Granted, he may take his toll on the liquor supplies, but that drunkard is a true role model when it comes to saving water. A born leader of environmental parties if ever there was one.

    Having a literally empty skull, it is perhaps no wonder that the skeletons fell so easily for the decoy ruse. But the things they apparently believe about my decoy, and therefore me, is completely out of proportion! Undead (most certainly not!), extra strong (no titan, but I can give most a match in arm wrestling), spectral hit (three quarters of it anyway) and cursed (at the moment, I admit)!

    Maltatai: That’s very weird. I’ve never heard of a decoy with such enhancements.

    Rödluvan: I lured out most of the army of the (according to Ancient Kaa the Soulless) Horadric Hunk, then ran through the gaps in his lines and duelled Radament himself while my valkyrie held the remaining minions off and Telash bolted his bony back. Exploding arrows were reasonably good considering he was magically resistant. I guess being a mummy for centuries is bound to leave a dryness that not even the oozing moist of the sewers can banish entirely. Atma was relieved to be rid of Radament but still felt like his lesser cousins, the Hollow Ones. I gained a level when searching the sewers and came back up with a slightly better decoy and somewhat more penetrating gaze.



    I wonder just exactly how penetrating eyesight you can get? Piercing darkness? Piercing…solid materials? Maybe even skin. That would be very useful for a healer I think, but I would like to be able to turn it off. It would be sort of terrible to see people’s blood vessels and bare muscles when looking at their faces. I hope you need something like skill level 21 to see in the darkness and maybe 22 to pierce cloth…objects. Two more skill levels will be rather easy to come by once I am fully trained. Medical stuff could require something like 25 so you don’t risk seeing those things accidently but don’t have too much difficulty getting it from just an amulet and a circlet. Would be bad to have to wear a Peace armour when doing surgery, for example. Wow, I totally need to write that last thing down for my future public health care propositions. But no using public equipment off duty. One has to protect the privacy and integrity of people. Only private equipment should be allowed for private use.

    Maltatai: What an interesting last comment, coming from you.

    Rödluvan: Don’t tell Snövit I said that. I don’t want to her to get any strange ideas. At least not too strange.

    Maltatai: Just out of curiosity; what ideas would be not too strange but still strange?

    Rödluvan: The golden middle ground is “funny”. Funny ideas are unusual but not so strange that they become weird. Now, Telash, could you go and fetch Snövit? I have a funny present for her. I’ll fetch it in the meantime.

    Telash: Ok…but if this is some sort of ambush project I would like to be out of the crossfire before it begins. Snövit will be a living snowstorm if she’s awakened in that manner now.

    Rödluvan: No, nothing like that! We’re friends now, remember?

    Telash: Okay. I’ll go and ask Meshif to wake his sleeping beauty. The waking up thing may take some time. All morning I think. So why don’t we meet up at lunchtime again? I can get some take-away leaper sandwiches from Atma’s.

    Rödluvan: Excellent! Just make sure you don’t order sand-witches again.

    Telash: Of course not!

    Maltatai: Sand-witches?

    Rödluvan: Just an old misadventure from a campaign with the Iron Wolves. Part of the reason why Asheara was so keen to transfer Telash’s contract if I understood it correctly.

    Telash: That’s a long and irrelevant tale. The incident has been exaggerated beyond all sense and reason. Now let’s get going.

    Maltatai: What!? Hey!? What about the storytelling!?

    Rödluvan: Ah, why don’t you deal with that in the meantime? You’re an expert storyteller. You can cover my rampage through the Dry Hills and Far Oasis and the finding of the Staff of Kings. Now you’ll have a golden opportunity to give a refined and uninterrupted account. See you at lunchtime!

    Maltatai: But…but I don’t want to give a completely uninterrupted account of everything…

    Not even your protagonists do what you tell them these days. For all who somehow managed to ignore the massive spoiler by Rödluvan; here is a summary of the dangers Rödluvan, Telash and their valkyrie faced in the desert:

    While the Rocky Wastes did not hold as large a population of boss packs as when Snövit stepped out, the Stony Tomb was all the more dangerous. Telash got caught by a malicious beetle gang leader and fell heroically shooting impressive lightning bolts at the lightning immune insects. After resurrecting him Rödluvan pulled herself together and did not lose him any more time for now. Almost as malicious as the beetle was the rune the unbearably lucky team found. Now they just lack a Ta and Tai rune to make the most devastating runeword that could possibly exist. The Dry Hills held a large and enthusiastic catwoman population who eventually got overheated when fired upon. Clearly they are more hot-blooded than what’s good for you.

    To the astonishment of the non-existant spectators, Rödluvan recovered the strange boots of waterwalking. Ultimately deciding that their potential as life-saving equipment onboard Meshif’s ship was less than expected (when falling in one usually benefits from keeping ones head up and feet down and not the other way around) she sold them to Fara who stowed them away for future use as mobile irrigation equipment. Entering the slimy Maggot Lair provided a long and tedious but hardly very dangerous trip through the overgrown subterranean sand castle. The Red Flames had to explore every single millimetre of the first level before tripping over the hole down. Unless you are about to have lunch now, feel free to take a break until that appropriate juncture and fullness of time, to follow the events properly.



    __________________________________________________________________

    The sun happily scorches the dried mud bricks of the rickety shelters where the main characters have now decided to camp for lunch. Foolishly crawling out from the more bearable hideouts at the tavern and inn the Red Flames have assembled with standard picnic gear and a large box carried by Rödluvan.

    Telash: Mission accomplished. Bow down to the mighty Telash and bask in His glory and sandwiches!

    Rödluvan: Hallowed be thy groceries. Where are the Blue Snow? We need Waheed here quickly before the drinks fall from cool through tepid down to undrinkable!

    Telash: Look, I told them. They will be here soon. And there is Waheed at least! With a blue sack over his shoulder?

    Rödluvan: A mysteriously plated blue sack, I say, looking strangely like a pair of blue legs with attacked blue hips.

    Telash: Hmm, that penetrate skill does have its advantages…

    Waheed: Cool party. “Heaves Snövit down on a sack”

    Snövit: Ow! You moron…”snort”…zzz…

    Waheed: Our ever vigilant captain and role model.

    Telash: You wanted to bring her here so you get to wake her up. We’ll give you a heroes funeral.

    Rödluvan: Bah, I know the perfect way to deal with this. HEY SNÖVIT, THE COLLECTIVE IS CONFISCATING ALL PRIVATE PROPERTY OF EVERY AMAZON IN ARANOCH! EFFECTIVE IMMEDIATELY!

    Snövit: “Snort”…zz-what?...HUH!? What…

    Rödluvan: Good morning and midday, snoring sweetheart! You look stunning and stunned.
    Here’s a sandwich! And a glass of Lysanders lemonade.

    Snövit: Is it, like…safe?

    Rödluvan: Oh, yes. He’s tested it himself.

    Snövit: That’s just the kind of thing that would get me worried.

    Rödluvan: Relax, he’s not as crazy as he may seem. I spent a lot of time with him lately.

    Snövit: Ok, now I’m seriously paranoid. You drink first.

    Rödluvan: Cheers! Don’t wait too long with yours, even Waheed can’t keep the heat away forever.

    Snövit: “Gulp” Why are you meeting Lysander all of a sudden? Are you trying to devise some kind of alchemical improvement to your arrows?

    Rödluvan: Smart guess, but it was actually a totally civilian errand. After I beat Rad…

    Waheed: Wait! Take it from the start, for those of us too bored (me) and busy (Snövit) to listen to Maltatais recapitulation earlier.

    Maltatais: Your appreciation of me is touching! It was actually Rödluvan that told most of the story.

    Rödluvan: We went down and whacked Radament, or shot him more of it. It was a bit troublesome without your fancy freezers but his army was stupid and strayed too far. My decoy was promoted to unique undead boss and Geglash generously donated supplies to our endeavours. When the town had settled down after having their sewer back in old slimy shape I went on with the most glorious quest of every friend to a hitching up friend:

    Snövit: Being?

    Rödluvan: Scouting and reconnaissance! I went around town collecting rumours and gathering information and gossip about Meshif!

    Snövit: I was thinking we were actually getting along well when it comes to getting to know each other…

    Rödluvan: Yes of course, but everyone needs an attentive pal to keep her from doing anything foolish! Besides, Lysander had some very funny things to say about Meshifs vessel and its effects, hahahaha!

    Telash: Tehehehehe…

    Snövit: I am sure he came up with those all by himself. You had of course nothing to do with steering the conversation on towards those things?

    Rödluvan: Hey, Lysander actually makes potions to counter those effects. I think one or two may be worth trying out if you feel dizzy again. I mean, dizzy from the ships rocking, not the sailor company, whose produced dizziness seems virtually uncurable. Lysander is really nice actually. He fancies Atma, but keeps his distance out of respect since she is a mourning widow. I suggested that he should at least visit her tavern and maybe talk to her. If nothing else, he might make her laugh with and untimely exploding potion…although he would perhaps not be able to hear it, poor man.

    Lysander told me about how popular some brews are in the west, and that Warriv usually sells them with ease. This fascinating subject led us to the area of other clients and their preferences, such as Jerhyns previous purchases and more generally, the production and distribution of love potions.



    Snövit: Oh, no. No. No, no, no, no, no, no.

    Waheed: And you have taken an…active role in that business?

    Rödluvan: Selling those things to Jerhyn? Perish the thought! That creep!

    Snövit: That’s a relief. I mean, we have to consider the feelings of the poor potion too. Jerhyn…ewwww!

    Rödluvan: From one thing to the other; Snövit, I know how to get the maggot goo off! Foolproof way!

    Snövit: Really? How could you discover it if it’s foolproof?

    Rödluvan: Moron. It’s actually two ways. Telash managed to clean his robes by using static electricity to make all the goo spots sort of jump and twitch off. It was kinda creepy. Like a mad necromancer trying to revive dead bodies by lightning and preparing to shout “it’s aliiiive!” after succeeding.

    Telash: Full body coverage has its uses sometimes. If you tried robes someday you could probably still have room for those smoky shoulder pads.

    Rödluvan: Anyway, I doubt it will go well with slimed hair. It would be impossible to form even a half-descent braid or ponytail with such sparked hair. Only viable style would be Haystack #4. My way is much better. You know about this way of bathing in steam rather than water they have in the western kingdoms?

    Snövit: That sauna thing or whatever it was?

    Rödluvan: Turns out it works just as well with a just a tent. And conjuring heat is no problem with my specialties, while rain water is ridiculously abundant in those neighbourhoods.

    Snövit: Now, what exactly have you been up to???

    Rödluvan: While you were sleeping I took the opportunity to help out the local market a little. The state sometimes needs to support especially valuable industries in hard times after all.

    Telash: “Valuable industries” indeed…

    Rödluvan: Lysander was happy to sell, after a little haggling and persuasion. With the siege and marauding monsters he hasn’t been able to sell much lately. I took it back west by waypoint as a little treat to our former minions. They’ve had an awfully hard time with the fall of the monastery anyway, so they could surely use some cheering up anyway. Free of charge, of course. Public health and humour care from our compassionate collective. Lysander had really outdone himself! He had come up with a few new, a little experimental, recipes which he was eager to know the effects of. I invited the rogues I knew best and their friends to one of their tents that they graciously let me use to steam off the green thing. It even had a miniature bath tub with water outside to cool oneself - most convenient. I did not invite Kashya. She would probably be the queen of party-banning hair-knitters worldwide with her strict rules about appropriate rogue behaviour. My guests agreed and took it in turns to stand guard outside to keep us safe from any nosy nuisances.



    Waheed: Hair-knitters?

    Snövit: It’s an Amazon term for people who ruin parties and fun. Letting down your hair is equal to thawing up and starting to have fun; thus, attempting the opposite does of course mean that you ruin the fun. It isn’t directly connected to ones actual hairstyle in any direct way.

    Waheed: I see. Cool.

    Rödluvan: The rogues also took the opportunity to bathe in the steam – quite understandable, that constant raining must be hell on your joints - and were eager to give their assessments of Lysander newest recipes then and there!

    Telash, Waheed and Snövit:

    Maltatai: Wasn’t that a little unethical? You more or less tried hitherto untried potions, be they from a trusted producer or not, on them and did not even bother to do guard duty yourself?

    Rödluvan: Certainly not! Honestly, what kind of irresponsible hostess do you take me for? I would never want to put them in any unnecessary danger. I had of course tried ALL of the new potions myself before I shared them. I even took an extra mouthful of each potion type to be sure to compensate for my…somewhat sturdier constitution. For that very same reason, my guests talked me out of doing any guard duty. They most fervently claimed I was much too, how do you say it…indisposed, and much more needed for keeping the steam up. They were probably right, now that I think of it…although my memories are a bit unclear as you may understand. Clouded in mist, quite literally.

    So, all in all a grand evening! The next morning I wrote down the rogues thoughts and suggestions of the various recipes. They had many ideas about potential improvements but were otherwise most satisfied. I wrote down one collection of opinions for myself and one shorter, more professional report with the more swooning ways of expression and highlights of memorable moments removed. Though if Lysander behaves really well I might let him read a bit of the former one too.

    And here you are, sweetheart - one crate of Lysanders finest and exhaustingly thoroughly field/tent-tested, totally safe, and evidently effective potions!

    Snövit: Awwwww, how sweet of you! Thanks! It’s so touching how you…mmmhihihi…will valiantly go through such trouble to give me a present like this.

    Rödluvan: Trouble? Ah, yes of course, “service is its own reward” as we chivalrous champions in shining armour, well, shoulder pads, say.

    Telash: Oh, really? That is a line I will remember the next time you complain about the cost of having to resurrect me!

    Waheed: Good point, man. I’ll make a note of that myself. A cool note.

    Snövit: Ok, so what is in these things anyway? Or is that a corporate secret?

    Rödluvan: Not at all! The only secret is how they are blended and cooked. The ingredients themselves are really common potions. Love potions are made up of Health, Mana, Stamina, Rejuvenation and Thawing potions. Thawing potions make you thaw and be warm. Rejuvenation potions make you feel younger, Mana potions give energy and Stamina potions give increased stamina. Healing potions helps the body recover more quickly from draining exertions. The same can not be said about your mind, though. Intoxicating effects tend to last a looong time, but they don’t leave any hangovers. On the other hand, it is possible that embarrassing memories and still sleeping company will hang over you the next morning but that is the only hangover that may occur.

    If you invite someone less known to drink with you, it can be advisable to add a bit of Antidote potion too. I didn’t do that for any of your potions, though. I guessed you would not find it necessary?

    Snövit: I’ll have no worries drinking that, thank you. At least none relating to the need of that ingredient.

    Rödluvan: Good, cause Antidote potion gave it a bit of a prudish, paladinly taste…perhaps a bit like a liquid cleansing aura. That is sort of a turn-off. I wonder if flavouring with some fruits or berries could counteract it. I’ll buy some in Kurast and let Lysander try that.

    Snövit: There is a warning sign here on the crate…”volatile”?

    Rödluvan: Oh, that! That’s Lysanders standard warning sign. He uses it on practically every crate. In the case of standard potions of various kinds, they are just as liable to go off in your face as anything as he put it.

    Snövit: But not these, I hope?

    Rödluvan: Absolutely not! Lysander is just too lazy to make a new warning sign. He really is especially lazy in this particular case because you only need to change a few words.

    Snövit: And why is that?

    Rödluvan: Ehm, well, how shall I put it? If your partner drinks a potion containing a bit too much Mana potion and a bit too little Stamina potion…

    Snövit: Oh! I see!

    Telash: "Facepalm"

    Waheed: This is getting beyond embarrassing.

    Rödluvan: So in the case of love potions it is not, hrrm, the potion as such that is liable to do that, but rather the person drinking it. Not that it’s a big deal – and nothing that a second drink won’t help with – but I feel there should be some kind of warning sign. I have yet to find the right wording. Maybe the rogues can help with that? There could be a contest about coming up with the catchiest and at the same time most informative warning text. The winner gets a personalised potion recipe. Lysander has a bit reluctantly agreed to give this area of expertise greater priority in the future.



    Rödluvan: Meshif seems to be well liked all through the town, but people are somewhat more suspicious towards seafaring in general and his ship in particular. You’ll be able to rally some supporters for a non-leaking ship committee.

    Maltatai: I would like to rally you for the Get on with the battle report soon committee. I actually insist. Did your adventures end with the spa weekend at the Rogue Camp or do you perhaps have something more to tell?

    Rödluvan: Yes and yes.

    Maltatai: “Raises eyebrow”

    Rödluvan: They did end with that but I also visited the Lost City and Claw Viper Temple before that.

    Snövit: You…you stayed safe in there I hope?

    Rödluvan: Do I look so terribly ghostly to you?

    Snövit: No. That place is just so horrible. But since you are here and the sun shines you obviously made it. But hey! I was asleep all the time. Well, not all the time but asleep or otherwise indisposed. I have days of worrying about you to catch up with!

    Rödluvan: That was sort of the point of setting out while you were still snoring. And that it will take ages before my head has cleared enough to hunt monsters again. Having the temple quest hanging over me would really be one nasty hangover polluting my relaxed recovery.

    So, the desert greeted me with rather easy zombies and marauders in the Lost City, along with the Gloom’s Trap mesh belt. The name suited the situation impeccably but it was otherwise not so useful to me. I also had the displeasure of facing vipers exclusively in the temples first level. They were fierce and aggressive and mauled my valkyrie at one time. I did at least not get stairtrapped. Fire and venom was decent against them and open wounds ruled as usual.

    Further into the corridors I made a most AMAZING discovery. The Demon Limb! Now I am enchanted too! Aaaand…the damage carries over to my exploding arrows! Finally a little boost to my main attack skill! Strafe also really improved through this. It’s a shame you haven’t found one too, it would probably be heavenly for you and Waheed. I also found a nice shield for Telash. I put a diamond in it and a Sol rune. Diamonds are a mage’s best friend or whatever it was.

    Snövit: I’m happy someone got something good out of that dark hole. Congratulations indeed. But how on earth did you beat Fangskin?

    Rödluvan: On earth, just like you said.

    Maltatai: Could you clarify?

    Rödluvan: Tense as my bowstring, I stepped down the stairs with shield and axe to block surprise attacks. Wow, that almost rhymed. I saw nothing close by. I then went up and town portaled to town to get the Spellsteel axe which I have stored, if you remember.

    Snövit: Aha! Now I understand.

    Rödluvan: It would certainly have been embarrassing, for the remaining millisecond of my existence, to teleport into a waiting Fangskins crowd on the central hill, so I had to advance to scout a bit. I tried casting slow missiles to light up the place. To my frustration we were beset by a couple of undead from the right so I had to go up, portal back, get my crossbow and smash them, and then get the axe again. There were two claw vipers on the hill I think, but I got them with strafe from afar. Hahaaa! Then I teleported to the hill, opened a portal, and returned with crossbow in hand and a fort to hold! Bone warriors swarmed the stairs and the whole chamber around us was slithering! It was a horrifying place!

    Fangskin was north of us and just stood there cursing for the long battle. My minions had great trouble with the bone warriors and it took me ages to get the vipers south of us and be able to target the guardians (fire immune).



    Maltatai: Splendid! A textbook example of careful teleporting and seizing the viper hill! But what has this got to do with “on earth”?

    Rödluvan: The hill is sand and earth. The floor is brick tiles. Simple.

    Maltatai: "Facepalm"

    Snövit: That’s great! Now none of us need ever go back there!

    Rödluvan: I was lucky not to run into any little helper of Fangskin. He did however have a bony consultant instead. Suitably lightning enchanted of course to blend in. I guess his fees were quite outrageous too since he was mana burning too.



    Maltatai: Nice valkyrie.

    Rödluvan: Indeed, the orange of petty vengefulness.

    Snövit: When did you finish all this and your vacation trip west?

    Rödluvan: Came back this morning. Why?

    Snövit: I was wondering if I would have time to get the staff and then borrow that steam tent before you decide to export another load of liquid westwards. I think I would prefer a quieter atmosphere when scrubbing slime off my head. Do you think your party guests are still sleepy?

    Rödluvan: Maybe not asleep but pretty docile I guess. But there are of course the ones I did not invite who got their presents from my guests, by mail order so to say. Except the order.

    Snövit: Yikes! I’ll try to stay discreet then.

    Rödluvan: I wouldn’t count on it, but if you have to get maggot slime off you have to get maggot slime off. You just don’t have the physique to stay discreet, friend.

    Snövit: Thanks, I suppose, but that was an ominous compliment if ever there was one. Maybe I can buy a tent of my own here in the town? Or perhaps with comfortable spacing for two persons…for all eventualities…

    Rödluvan: Now I’ve got to tell what that RASCAL and RAPSCALLION of a SCOUNDREL that I have hired did last morning!

    Telash: Heee hee hee…

    Rödluvan: I rose and went out of my room to go to the tavern and have breakfast. I knocked on Telash’s door to ask him if he wanted to come too. He mumbled something and then asked me to come in. When I stepped in I saw him still lying in bed with his blankets over the face and murmuring something animalistic. I asked if everything was all right and Telash asked me to come closer and if I could pull down the blanket a bit. I was beginning to get really concerned now – either he was ill or something or he was attempting some sort of shameless and tasteless prank. So I carefully pulled down the blanket from his head…and that sight!

    Telash: It was absolutely nothing compared to the sight of your face, I promise you that. That look was priceless!

    Rödluvan: Furry and hairy and with huge teeth and gleaming yellow eyes! I was so taken aback that I could just stutter something like:

    “W-why do you have such large eyes, Telash?
    “That’s so I’ll be able to see you better.”
    “But what about that large nose?”
    “That’s so I’ll be able to smell you better.”
    “And the ears?”
    “That’s so I’ll be able to hear you better.”
    “And what about those huge teeth?”
    “THAT’S SO I’LL BE ABLE TO EAT YOU!”
    “Aaaaah!”
    “Hahahahahihihihihi!”
    “TELASH!”

    That moron had crawled in under his bed and hidden himself, and used the Crescent Moon sword to summon a spirit wolf which he hid in his bed under the blankets (actually the wolf seemed to enjoy the bed very much and looked content with remaining there for a long time, summoned or not)! I even think the wolf shared his sense of humour and laughed at me (spiritually connected spirit wolves, after all)!

    Telash: Hahahaha! Raaagh! I’m the big bad wolf!

    Rödluvan: Pfeh! Yeah, yeah, oh mighty Iron Wolf. And what does that make me, I wonder?

    Telash: You…are a little PIG!

    Waheed:

    Maltatai: A pig?

    Snövit: “Giggle”

    Rödluvan: What!? How dare…

    Telash: As in the three little pigs and the big bad wolf destroying the houses of the slacker pigs. Come on, you MUST have heard of that fairy tale.

    Rödluvan: I was sort of hoping to be compared to a fairytale cute little blonde with a red hood. But oh, no, that was evidently far too much to hope for. Grumble…

    Telash: Ok, ok, Red, you can be anyone you like! I promise. Although with all the whitish magic arrows you’ve recently been using to conserve bolts and mana, your red may run the risk of lightening into a more…pinkish piglet tone…

    Waheed: Hehehehehe…

    Rödluvan: Now, I SAY! Where have you gotten all those stupid ideas!?

    Snövit: Tihihihihihihihi!

    Telash: I’ve been a little inspired by a comic about an assassin named Nemi. She must be an assassin I think, being all pale and gothic and dark-haired and so. Funnily enough, you never see her in gothic plate, though.

    Rödluvan: Hmpf! Perhaps there is something about censorship in my future social republic after all…I think this pig business is behaviour worthy of a thoroughly uncivilized SWINE.

    Telash: Take it easy, Red. You may turn into some more princessly pink or a discreet detective panther pink…although I am unsure how discreet that could really get.

    Maltatai: This joke is stretching thin. I promise you are as red as ever, Rödluvan. Except possibly when compared to when you’re wearing the red gothic plate for magic finding. Which you hardly seem to need anymore with your obscene item luck! Almost as obscene as your lately acquired drinking habits. Over and out.
    The Misadventures of Diabolical Amazons - Completed.
    An Orcs Tale, a Third Age AAR - Completed.
    Reviewed by Alwyn in the Critics Quill
    My Dread Lady, a Warcraft Total War AAR - 27 chapters done.
    Home to Midgard, a Third Age AAR about two dwarves, a spy and a diplomat - Completed (pictures remade up to chapter 19).
    Reviewed by Boustrophedon in The Critics Quill

  5. #25
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    Default Re: [Diablo II AAR] The Following Misadventures of Annoying Amazons

    Episode 23. Time for End of Sands
    Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

    Maltatai: This is the Whatever-the-clock News. The ruler of Lut Gholein has yesterday been overthrown following the shocking revelations about his negligence regarding the defence of the city and failure to inform the public about the imminent danger coming from his own palace. Adding to the severity of his dereliction is of course the inattention to awesomeness of the two adventuring parties residing in the town which evidently would have been able to handle the cellar intruders with little difficulty before every local town guard perished. Jerhyn the Jelly-Brain has refused to comment the allegations and is awaiting trial in Greiz's office along with his legal councillor Drognan who incidentally in is arrested as well, accused of aiding the fraud and embezzlement of public wands.

    Following the tardy admittance to the palace, the invaded cellars were retaken by the named adventurers without much difficulty. Snövit demonstrated commendable tactical insight by using the barred passages to shoot through. The arcane sanctuary was a laughable piece of Atmas latest dessert recipe for Rödluvan while the ghosts and ghoul lords proved extremely irritating for Snövit. Cursing the inefficiency of her bow Snövit left and turned to clear out the maggot lair which she managed to do expeditiously thanks to a convenient map. Pleasantly surprisingly enough, Coldworm had collected a three-socket gorgon crossbow for unknown reasons. Snövit, who happened to possess three Lum runes and a Shael, went back to normal to assemble a flawed amethyst and a Nef rune.

    Following the nightmarish discovery that dropping the Horadric staff on the ground rendered her unable to pick it up again Snövit faced the prospect of facing Fangskin a second time to retrieve the amulet once again. Unwilling to accept the stupidity of the game refusing to recognize a staff as the hell version of itself and nothing else she appealed to higher powers which terminated the questing session without saving, which saved her. The higher powers have not yet been reached for a commentary.

    Going back another time proved much more fruitful and the Melody of the gorgons was heard merrily hitting the ghoul lords with decent effect. Snövit also managed to discover the Skin of the Vipermagi which one of Bishibosh's underlings carried for unknown reasons. While Waheed is now more stylishly equipped beneath his customary robes he remains inefficient and more liability than asset in many situations. The summoner proved totally helpless and pathetic when confronted with either adventuring party.

    The situation was initially reversed when Snövit and Rödluvan stepped into the canyon of magi as beetles and cats gave Rödluvan a tedious if not very hard time but melted before Snövit. In the tombs however Snövit had stupefying troubles with the greater mummies and gorebellies, both cold immune. One gorebelly boss even made her pick up the lightning fury path with a matriarchal javeling she conveniently found. The burning dead were melted with savage glee but their commanders took many arrows during which the idiot minions managed to get themselves severely poisoned and injured. While Telash did not do enormous damage he at least stayed out of harms way for most of the time. Rödluvan had some trouble with skeletal packs but managed to run around most and nail their bosses to the walls.

    Now news from abroad: The creatures of some unknown layer of hell are celebrating the return of none other than Duriel the Disgusting. The maggot mongrel was last assigned to guard an empty tomb with a boring archangel inside which must have been hellish indeed due to the company. Thanks to the valiant efforts of Rödluvan and Snövit he is now liberated and can spread his cold slime and goo someplace else. We have the two archers with us in the studio; welcome!

    Rödluvan: This is no studio, this is just you ranting aimlessly in a far-fetched attempt to mimic a TV-programme.

    Maltatai: For crying out loud, don't cry that out loud!

    Snövit: I must say the welcoming here is overwhelming in its hospitality and generosity.

    Maltatai: Yes, isn't it... How was Duriel, apart from overgrown, flabby and stinking?

    Rödluvan: Utterly pathetic. My valkyrie could tank him with little problem aided by my decoy. I could even fire magic arrows at him and sustain my mana that way! What a loser. Haaahahaha!

    Snövit: Aaaargh! He was unbearable! 95% cold resistance and the stupid Waheed who could never grasp even the simplest basics of hit and run tactics or the benefits of standing behind a decoy to jab at the enemy! Not only that, but my valkyrie mutinied and would not engage! The traitor! Waheed died the first time after costing me a fortune in potions and scrolls of town portal.

    Maltatai: First time?

    Snövit: Yes, I was so mad with the maggot that I went back one more time just to show him! That time Waheed got the Woestave and it went a little bit better with no deaths, but still an utter fail when it comes to tactics and minion reliability. That I, a bowazon, should have to tank for an Act II town guard! Will I have to do EVERYTHING in this company?!

    Maltatai: Any of the famous five scrolls of town portal drops?

    Snövit: Actually not, but hardly anything useful. I got the Viscerataunt unique defender. I feel taunted indeed. A sorceress shield…worthless.

    Rödluvan: I had better luck, I got an ethereal Demon Limd (typical cruel humor of Duriel) but also Raven Frost! That will come in handy against Baals hoarfrost and other monstrous cold attacks. I thought Duriel was so pathetic that I dressed up in my best treasure hunting gear before he fell. Evidently worth it.




    Maltatai: Aaaaand what about the greatest of all evils, the clotted git of whitish squidiness?

    Snövit: Damn him! I had just got around the corner when I saw him floating upwards! I hope his celestial head really crashed into the roof.

    Rödluvan: I had just raised my crossbow to aim when he hovered out of sight! The insufferable, infernal, indisputably inconceivably inbearable…unbearable…

    Maltatai: Thank you, thank you. Now the weather forecast: Warm and cold air is congregating in the Eastern Sea leading to unstable weather and likely rain, possibly of arrows. There is some possibility of thunder and ground level frost as well. Winds from west and northwest; 5 to 15 metres per second. Between 18 and 22 degrees. Aranoch: dry and sunny and uncomfortably hot as the last millennium except for blizzards cast by visiting mages.

    Now the Economy of the Week, or maybe it was the Economy of the Weak? The Blue Corporation has recently stunned the financial world not too busy with running for their lives from demonic monsters, by selling all the shares except for a symbolic 20:th in Magic Arrow and instead investing in Inner Sight! I (again) greet Snövit, now in the capacity of capitalist, executive board, owner, representative and generally boss of the corporation. What prompted this decision?

    Snövit: The original investment in Magic Arrow rested partially on the perceived benefits of accuracy from the skill, which would compensate for lack of penetrate on my part. It later turned out that the whole Magic Arrow business is bugged or something and the increased accuracy is as non-existent as a trustworthy European financial policy. Furthermore, it is bugging me that Rödluvan has the benefit of casting a red spell while I do not cast a blue or white one. Inner sight fills this gap. It looks white and a little bluish and really makes a difference for hitting, aiding both me and my minions...hrm, trusted employees.

    Maltatai: That will be all from the Whatever-the-clock News. Thank you and good night.

    Rödluvan: That is not exactly what I imagined television fame would be like.

    Snövit: There could certainly be more profit involved.

    Rödluvan: And more political influence.

    Maltatai: Such a shame...news services that attempt to achieve some sort of independence. How disgusting. Perhaps you could persuade Drognan or some other weak-willed and feeble mind to broadcast for you in the future. I also wonder what will be found among Drognans personal stuff, if he has a secret study or laboratory or something. Perhaps a hidden observatory? He did after all claim to have "researched" the lengthy viper eclipse. I wonder how. Did he stare aimlessly out in the darkness or what? How can you research utter darkness?

    Snövit: What can you expect after his advice to Jerhyn regarding the Arcane Sanctuary?

    Rödluvan: Drognans answer to a blockaded pass west - hire that red little travel agent with pointy ears and teeth that says "Rakanishu" every now and then and has promised to take us on an "alternative route" west. Drognans answer to shortage of guards - how about summoning some of these nice horned fellows that has such tremendous references? Drognans answer for travelling east - let's dispense with all the lifeboats and lanterns so we can all fit in on just one ship more easily. Drognans...

    Maltatai: ...answer to how to wreak vengeance on those who contributed to his downfall - compel them to spend eternities speculating about his potential shortcomings until they drop down dead from fatigue and dehydration. Moving on...wait, what's that music in the distance?

    Snövit: That is the grand festival of Lut Gholein, a new tradition starting...now, to celebrate the end of being sieged by monsters.

    Rödluvan: After plundering Jerhyns storerooms, there are actually quite a lot of delicious dishes for everyone. AND we also have musical performance. Cain himself has promised to honour the town with a bit of his famous rap!

    Snövit: I never knew he could do that.

    Maltatai: He's performed it on the stage of hellish harassment and infernal despair and bickering. Also known as the pit of impoliteness, hole of anguish, bully's sanctuary and idiots retreat. The place where every comment, no matter how sensible, ultimately is met by trolling idiocy and rudeness, insults and humiliation.

    Snövit: Ah, you mean YouTube.

    Maltatai: That's what I said. You have to pay attention, as you like to point out to me.

    Rödluvan: Do you know how to rap, Maltatai?

    Maltatai: I could perform a very short piece of rap that is not actually a song, and probably come up with a satirical text for another, but otherwise no.

    Snövit: Short piece that is not a song?

    Maltatai: "Knocks at his desk with his knuckles"

    Rödluvan: What is that supposed to mean?

    Maltatai: The knuckle rap! The shortest rap possible! It can also be a sign of approval or respect, a more discreet version of applauses. Brilliant, isn't it?

    Rödluvan: "Siiiigh"

    Snövit: "Facepalm"

    Maltatai: Am I not a genius beyond imagination? From one thing to the other, any celebrities I know coming tonight?

    Snövit: We have invited the Act I NPC:s but most were too busy with clearing the monastery. Except for Akara, who seemed to be very interested in rap as soon as I mentioned who the singer would be. It's strange, when I told them we had found the best of Jerhyns royal drinks some rogues seemed somehowhat...disappointed. Maybe they don't like royal stuff. It wouldn't be too surprising for people known as "rogues" but I wonder what they had hoped to be served instead?

    Rödluvan: Alas, we can only speculate...

    Snövit: Yes...hey! Suddenly I am struck by the possibility that some potential guests may have wanted certain red brews! Is THAT why they were disappointed, perhaps...

    Rödluvan: Hrrm...speaking of the rogues, I see your hair is notably un-slimy.

    Snövit: Yes, and combed, no thanks to you!

    Rödluvan: Since when am I responsible for your hairstyle and combing ineptitude?

    Snövit: Since you started the slightly inconvenient tradition of getting rogues drunk on Floria's Flowery Flame and Blaise's Burning Beauty? It was almost impossible to get out of that tent after I had unslimed myself.

    Maltatai: Florias...the first of the new, fashionable names for Lysanders customised recipes?

    Rödluvan: Exactly. Aren't they just awesome?

    Snövit: Indeed. They seem to get to your head quickly...causing actually quite inappropriate behaviour. People are supposed to be able to bathe undisturbed and peacefully in a sauna.

    Rödluvan: I beg to differ as to the applicability of such etiquette rules. While I do not dispute the interpretation of them, I would say that the rogues tents, while they do try to mimic the environment of a sauna, are to be regarded as rogue steam tents and that's that. Sauna rules would not apply even if they by all means may be examined for inspiration.

    Snövit: Bah! Ha! A laughable excuse for the inappropriate behaviour of the Sisterhood of the Sightless Eye, for which I am holding you personally responsible by the way. Nevertheless, I got the slime off and that's what counts. One of the named traditions I am particularly fond of is having that vihta/vasta bough of birch, which both comes in handy for the scent and for fencing away somewhat overly friendly company at times.

    Maltatai: How on earth did you find birch leaves in Act I? I've never seen any birches there.

    Snövit: Ah, a petty technicality. So, the basic fencing moves that Meshif has taught me proved highly useful. I heroically fought my way out to the exit like a slashing swashbuckler. Particularly the right-handed manoeuvre in a critical moment was critical to my success. I finnished with a dashing exit and story villain laugh and promise to return which earned me laughs and almost a golden statuette.

    Rödluvan: It's left-handed! And also "finished", not "finnished".

    Maltatai: Can we have some explanation, please?

    Snövit: It's "finnished". Saunas are originally a Baltic, especially Finnish, thing. Hence you "finnish" bathing when you have had enough. Now, if you are hard pressed by an opponent, you just need to state that you are in fact not left-handed, switch to fencing with your right hand, and then you are bound to win the battle. Unless your opponent also knows about the trick. Like;

    "I admit that you are better than I am"
    "Then why are you smiling?"
    "Because I know something you don't know"
    "And what is that?"
    "I am not left-handed!"

    Rödluvan: You have got it all wrong! You do of course start with the sword in your right hand because you have to hide the fact that you are left-handed. Like,

    "There's something I ought to tell you"
    "Tell me"
    "I'm not right-handed either"

    And then you turn a dire disadvantage into total triumph.

    Maltatai: Provided of course that you are ambidextrous enough to fence with your off-hand for enough time to score a dramatic revelation moment. Aren't you two supposed to be civil to each other nowadays?

    Rödluvan: Oh, eh, sorry. Got a bit carried away.

    Snövit: Please understand I hold you in the highest respect.

    Maltatai: I got them to shut up and stop bickering for a moment? Inconceivable! Anyone else I know coming to the feast, princesses and brides?

    Rödluvan: Greiz and most of his mercenaries are just sulky that we got all the loot - glory. But I managed to convince two of them to join us. They're called Azrael and Pratham. They have apparently been abroad in their past and seem to be a lot less merc-like than Greiz.

    Snövit: Meshif is coming of course.

    Maltatai: Oh, really? I could never have expected that.

    Rödluvan: Just ignore him. Maltatai, I mean, not Meshif of course. How is it going?

    Snövit: Well, I guess. I think we have both been rather stressed about all this monster business here and I haven't had so much time for him as I would have liked to. Meshif on his part has been very frustrated about being stuck here and maybe he took it out on me a bit. I'm NOT a "pal" of Jerhyn! The thought! I almost skewered the little brat when he mentioned how he feared Meshif was "growing impatient" with him. To say the least! I hope he rots in his dungeon before any trials and rises as a greater mummy so I can slay him time and again!

    Later, though, Meshif apologised sort of, and said that he probably hadn't been very friendly lately. He was feeling miserable for not being able to help more, being inexperienced with desert matters and all. I said I was sorry for acting like obsessed with finding ways to deal with cold immunes. Then we started to argue about who had behaved the worst, each of us pressing the point that the other was generally blameless, and it ended in a draw. Meshif gave me a kiss and urged me to end the sand business quickly since he was eager to set sail with me.



    Rödluvan: Awwwww...

    Maltatai: Excuse me, I will go and feel sick for a while...

    Rödluvan: Tomorrow we set sail! Yippieee!

    Snövit: Wohooo!

    Maltatai: You seem keen on sailing. Do all Amazons like sailing that much?

    Snövit: Only those who are like us.

    Maltatai: Nagging, bantering, bickering and totally greedy, vain and occasionally ridiculously romantic?

    Rödluvan: No, you moron! Those who are BOWAZONS!

    Maltatai: And why is that? Because you can shoot easily from a ship? But javelins should be equally good, both have been popular among marines historically.

    Snövit: What...no, because SHIPS HAVE BOWS. Just like a bowazon has a bow. Duuuuh!

    Maltatai: "Facepalm" Not that kind of bow! That's the stupidest, most far-fetched... Over and out.
    The Misadventures of Diabolical Amazons - Completed.
    An Orcs Tale, a Third Age AAR - Completed.
    Reviewed by Alwyn in the Critics Quill
    My Dread Lady, a Warcraft Total War AAR - 27 chapters done.
    Home to Midgard, a Third Age AAR about two dwarves, a spy and a diplomat - Completed (pictures remade up to chapter 19).
    Reviewed by Boustrophedon in The Critics Quill

  6. #26
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    Default Re: [Diablo II AAR] The Following Misadventures of Annoying Amazons

    Episode 24. Meshif's Logbook
    Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

    Captains Log, Sea Date 2131, morning

    Uuuuuuh... Who parked that frenzied Pit Lord inside my head? Personal note: Never trust Amazonian "rustic home-brewed traditional classic" thing of any kind again. Will go and ask Snövit if she knows some way to cool the head. Being specialised in frost arrows she should know about such things. Besides, she ought to be experienced in the art of suffering from liquid anguish like this.

    Captains Log, Sea Date 2131, midday

    Got ice arrows from Snövit that helped a slight bit if held near the head. She was really considerate. Being madly in love really rocks but it's not a little bit inconvenient sometimes. I totally forgot what I was supposed to ask when Snövit opened her door. It felt like hours before I could remember what to say. Really embarrassing. I hope this won't happen when we run into the Kurast customs inspectors, they are troublesome enough as it is. Soon time to weigh anchor and be off this overgrown beach!

    Captains Log, Sea Date 2131, afternoon

    Finally we're away from Lut Gholein, Jerhyn and pesky indirect expropriations. I am so not coming back here in a long time. To the last moment I feared some new bureaucratic blunder would render me land-wrecked in this forsaken clay outpost. The passengers have installed themselves on the ship as if they had travelled with me dozens of times. It's like they knew every part onboard from first hand experience. Very odd. Maybe it is something like the inner sight and penetrating gaze the amazons are famous for. On the other hand, I find it strangely familiar being with Snövit. It's like we've met some time before. Maybe in another life, if you believe some of the old religion stuff back home.

    Captains Log, Sea Date 2134

    Telash mentioned today how many people still mistake the little transport and pilot boats used in Lut Gholein and Kurast to get out to my elegant brig anchored in the bay, for the real thing! That's insane! He may have been joking, but he seemed quite sincere. I mean, those little vessels are not even large enough to be called ships, let alone be of any use evacuating a town, even one as tiny as Lut Gholein. Or Lard Golem, as I will call it henceforth until Jerhyn makes up for delaying me like this.

    Captains Log, Sea Date 2135

    Snövit and Waheed are still are still not on terms with each other. It's sad since they have otherwise much in common. Snövit blames Waheed for charging heedlessly into dangers without any second thought and no regard for tactics, endangering the whole party and taking damage needlessly. Waheed on his hand claims it would be a different matter if he only had got the proper gear to do his job in the first place instead of “this silly little strength stick. Snövit usually replies that no matter how well equipped, Waheed should have stayed behind the decoy and valkyrie and used the reach of the spear to keep a safer distance, not to mention not engage without orders. With the frosty relations between the two, I am almost surprised the sea around us hasn't frozen yet, salty or not. There will surely be ample energy for frozen arrows and holy freeze auras to gather on this trip. At least Rödluvan and Telash usually manage to thaw things when they are around, archetypically true to their theme.

    Captains Log, Sea Date 2138

    Despite hard studies, I have yet to understand Amazon humour, I think. Rödluvan repeatedly remarks how astonishing it is that Snövit is still standing and has yet to shift into green, while Snövit is equally driven to mention how the last archery contest onboard ended. That has to be some sort of joke, because Snövit has never shown any hint of seasickness as far as I have seen, which is the most since she has moved in with me in my cabin, and there hasn't been any archery contest on this journey.

    Captains Log, Sea Date 2139

    Increasingly bad weather. Have dropped most sails and ordered all goods secured in case of a storm.

    Captains Log, Sea Date 2140

    Storm inbound. Snövit and Rödluvan have summoned valkyries to retrieve anyone should they fall overboard, and act as emergency lanterns. These glowing fellows are actually quite practical. Luckily they consented to drop their portable gold reserves before assuming their stations as life guards. I can't believe why Athulua equips them like that - the Amazons are after all a seafaring people. First time I have seen a valkyrie without plate armour. They look quite like Rödluvan now, in the Amazonian light armour.

    The presence of the valkyries seems to have had weird effects on some of the more cheesy and tasteless crewmembers. Sometimes I imagine myself seeing one or two eyeing the water thoughtfully as if calculating whether the cold and the high waves would be an acceptable risk for the opportunity of being rescued by divine blondes in red swimsuits. Damn it, if I catch anyone neglecting their duties because of that, I'll send them on scouting duty to Telash in the crows nest! That mage is totally mad. He believes he can direct and turn away lightning should it threaten to strike the ship, and insists that he should be posted as high up as possible.

    Captains Log, Sea Date 2142

    Storm's passing, it seems. Everyone is still onboard as far as I can see. The crows nests have had a recent population growth that would hitherto be thought impossible. I can't believe it. By all means, Snövit certainly look even better unplated and is resting to rest my eyes on, but not in the MIDDLE OF A FREAKING STORM! How can otherwise (at least mostly...make that sometimes...occasionally) sensible men and women become so obsessed with gawping stupidly at the Valkwatch?*

    *Catchy name is it not? Valkyries really are a new milestone (or maybe nautical mile-buoy) in the field (should be sea, what use could maritime things be in a field) of maritime safety.

    Captains Log, Sea Date 2143

    To pass the time we have begun betting on all kinds of petty and insignificant things. The latest is the meaning of Faras comment when Rödluvan informed her that Radament was dead, or back to being a normal corpse at least. “As you have helped Atma and all of us, so shall I help you... The most obvious interpretation would be that she will literally help to dispose of a greater mummy that has eaten Rödluvans relatives. However, no undead have been seen on the Amazonian Islands as far as we know. She could be referring to general sewer maintenance also, probably being an apt plumber with her metal-working skills. On the other hand, Rödluvan doesn't have any drains or pipes needing fixing, in fact she possesses neither of them at all, perhaps not even having a house. Just blacksmithing aid seems a little too obvious and Fara was already doing that.

    Captains Log, Sea Date 2145

    We are nearing the Kurast coastline ands should be able to see it tomorrow. I haven't been here for years. I do hope it's not as bad as people say it's become.

    Captains Log, Sea Date 2146

    We have found the coast alright, but at the same time not. It's just a bunchof tress everywhere and no shore! What the hell is going on here? The passengers view the jungle with grim determination and sympathy for us, and Snövit assures me it can be fixed in time. Even the Argentek River is being covered in vines and swamp. I suppose being an adventurer hunting demons all week makes you hardened but I on my hand almost wish I hadn't returned here. At least it's soon my and Snövits one month anniversary. I wonder if I can find something useful to give her. I don't have many elite unique artefacts in my cargo. I guess the closest thing is that old bird statue that was supposed to augment your life. I bought it in the west, from a peg-legged boy hailing from Tristram or something. He was a greedy little weasel (apologies to all the weasels of the world), almost demanding money simply to show it to me.

    Suddenly I am overcome with a strange urge to write "Over and out" in my log. Must be the jungle corruption.
    Over and out.
    The Misadventures of Diabolical Amazons - Completed.
    An Orcs Tale, a Third Age AAR - Completed.
    Reviewed by Alwyn in the Critics Quill
    My Dread Lady, a Warcraft Total War AAR - 27 chapters done.
    Home to Midgard, a Third Age AAR about two dwarves, a spy and a diplomat - Completed (pictures remade up to chapter 19).
    Reviewed by Boustrophedon in The Critics Quill

  7. #27
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    Default Re: [Diablo II AAR] The Following Misadventures of Annoying Amazons

    Episode 25. Highway to Hell
    Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

    Telash: Hahaa! This is none other than Telash, the big bad iron wolf, speaking. Tremble before the mighty thunder god and master of arcane secrets! For too long has this tale been in the hands of the less crude elements of storytelling (read: Maltatai) but now that will fortunately change. Since some time ago, Kurast is finally (hopefully) liberated from the hateful clutches of Mephisto, Sankekur and the church, leaving glorious scallywag mercenary mages free to roam the glorious east as we please.

    For one growing up in a jungle nation I am probably less than expectedly thrilled by gardening. In the old days that worked because the lumbering hulks were also lumberjacks and dealt with irregularities in the flora. Now all we have is this stinking log next to the harbour, that's the only thing left of any garden hulks who have gone rogue and turned to banditry. But without bows. That would have looked silly. Imagine that, giant thorned hulks trying to aim a little shortbow and keep an arrow held between their two huge pincers.

    Coming here was dull. Two waves of demonic corruption upon the world, three arrivals by Meshif's ship, and nothing has changed! Hratli is still smirking and secretly laughing at everyone except himself, Ormus does his best to irritate everyone and Alkor is mad. This better be the last time we have to go through all this. Otherwise I'll short-circuit the Heavens and set Hell into stand-by mode.

    The initial swarms of little annoying midgets were handled without much trouble or attention by the glorious red team. One of their bosses really stood out when it comes to tastelessness:



    There was no living with Rödluvan after that! No, that is not what corrupted Iron Wolfs turn into, nor is it my evil twin or other kind of relative! And the Iron Wolves will not change their name into that. Although, now that I think of it, I shouldn't really care since I am no freelancing since the, hrrm, sand-witch incident. Asheara really just overreacted.

    As for the other boss, yes we know you are a flaying little midget-thing. Talk about an unstable sense of identity. Like having Mephisto calling himself "Mephisto the Demon" or "Mephisto the Prime Evil". The worm-filled Necro skull dropped at his feet by the way. Maybe he was caught wearing it once and had since then been suspected of secretly being a necromancer. That would explain the overcompensating naming.

    The Blue Team was of course initially distracted, obsessively when it comes to the blonde 50% of it, with jade presents and exchanging them for a tormented sea captains golden bird. We on the Red Team have also had our share of jade-related charm, but of a more concrete kind.



    Strolling through the stylish (say what you will about the Zakarumites, but they do know how to design a gate) entrance into Kurast I suddenly recalled when the church was beginning to show signs of its apparent withering and one of my Iron Wolf Colleagues, Jarulf, not the brightest spark in the sky, asked me if I could do his shift of reporting.

    "Hey Shakesparke, I got something...scholastic...to discuss with ya. What I'm saying is: you're Mr Bookkeeping, right? And I got this essay on the fall of Kurast. I didn't even know they were in trouble!"

    That last comment was supposed to be funny enough to overshadow his appalling thick-headed stupidity with its witty charm. It failed. I asked him to get to the point.

    "What are hinting at, Jarulf?"

    "Papers for papers. Essays for cash?"

    "We don't have cash. You'd have to pay in the somehow always standardized gold coins."

    "So?"

    "So you got a deal."

    "Hey! Alright! Listen, when we make the drop, not out here in the open, right. I got a 'rep to protect."

    Yeah, right. His reputation as the greatest dim-wit in the office was thoroughly established as far as I could see, but who knows? You can't be too careful. Jarulf is almost as stupid as the soul-eating tree we found in Kurast, apparently cursed with stupidity by the primes. The arboreal moron rooted himself at the stairs of a temple instead of going down and around like all sensible characters. Don't look at me like that! This was nothing like the few times I and other hirelings get lost or stuck at corners! Even if it is, that is not the subject here. The subject is...is...how I totally owned the tree. Yes. I actually fed it my soul to eat, for my heart and soul is in my magic. I am a shining, sparkling God of Thunder! Fear Telash!

    With all the time Snövit has been spending with Meshif it is nothing less than a miracle that she and Waheed has gotten anything done. She is always standing at the docks gossiping with Meshif about everything possible, no matter how trivial.



    It is apparent to anyone that she is really just taking any excuse to stick close to Meshif like a big blue jungle mosquito out for blood. They've been talking a lot about the old religion, the Skatsim, and the shrinking host of believers left - which are incidentally the most cryptic and utterly deranged as well - spearheaded by our own pinnacles of civilisation and fundaments upon which society rests, Ormus and Hratli. I wonder if Snövit and Meshif are thinking about marriage, with all this religion talk. I understand perfectly if they don't want to come near any Zakarum priest but...Skatsim? Some of those rituals...

    Snövit also found some kind of blue jewel, enhancing the wearer's energy as well as passion. She had it fitted into a ring and gave it to Meshif as a present. Anything taking his mind off the corruption of our homeland is good I suppose, but I mean...first Rödluvans boatload of potions and now this. You have to eat and sleep and get outside some times. No sense in overtraining, that's detrimental. And I am very qualified to say so, I'll have you know. I have an M o W degree (Master of Witchdoctoring) and years of experience and exhaustive field studies behind me. The last exam in the flayer dungeon was particularly tricky (the questions where mundane but getting out alive and uneaten was another matter).

    A good side effect of the gossiping giggles coming from the harbour seems to be the renewed peace and quiet in the Blue Snow team. Waheed was initially scolded fiercely by Snövit for running to far ahead and getting entangled in overpowering treeheads but somewhere in the Spider Forest he seemed to shape up and has since returned into the good graces of his boss. The generous use of the slowing Woestave on the trees may have something to do with Waheeds latest success as well.

    Moving on into the flayer jungle it was my pleasure to visit my old headmaster for the third time and shut him up for good, hopefully. That mouldy old dustbin Endugu has really no sense for what should be included in the education plan in the witch doctor programme. His choice of courses is almost worthless when you try to get a job as a shaman after graduating! No connection with the business life, no relevance at all for your career it would seem! Always the same crap, "do you have any actual medicine experience from outside school?" I'll have his head! Which I had! Ha! Headhunted, as it is called, like all career witch doctors dream about!

    Following a severe case of relationshipical overprotectiveness, Meshif urged Snövit to use an old pale rhyming bone shield he had stored in a dusty corner of his cargo hold. Snövit liked the colour and agreed to wear it when stepping down stairs in case of stairtraps. The dungeons held both the exploding dolls and environmental green ghosts. The ghost of environmental concerns always appears to haunt both left and right politicians at the least convenient moment. One place I won't miss. Hopefully we never have to return. New area, new dungeons. And where might Lame Esens (he is lame to hide it in the same temple always) tome be hidden? Let's see...could it be the ruined temple, the ruined temple or perhaps the ruined temple? No, wait, it was in the ruined temple! How stupid of me to miss that! The predictability of it was enough to make any person with a semblance of good taste scream in agony, and true enough, Snövit found a wail of Atma in crystallised form. Like most screams from mothers, it was of little practical use.



    The city districts of Kurast are notoriously sparsely populated, so it was not long until we breached the praying perimeter of Travincal. Rödluvan attempted an advanced outflanking approach that failed miserably, but no too miserably since I am still here writing these things. Having a waypoint inside a house really shines. Beats building them in sewers or catacombs. We all faced the council at the town central square, or central pedestal. The hostilities were joined after an arduous session of bragging and exchanging of insults. Rödluvan had found a combat shrine that boosted her minimum damage to beastly amounts and the attack rating was just absurd. Snövit on the other hand found a skill shrine which turned her arrows into even greater dangers of global cooling, but it was sadly soon cursed away. Actually, the shrines were curiously fitting, since Snövit is much of a mageazon with a quick and powerful elemental attack, while Rödluvan rely more on brute strength and a very professional consultant for the arcane wonders part.

    It is not often I find myself inclined to agree with Hratli. His grasp of basic sensibility and elemental logic presents an unsteadiness whose significance is, not to put too fine a point to it, as overwhelming as a tirade launched by a permanent secretary of the civil service when facing a sensitive inquiry or a ministerial scrutiny. None the less, it is my firm belief that the idea of building such a vast and needlessly complicated network of subterranean dwellings is not only unnecessary but also a blatant affront to good taste worldwide, given the fact that the defence and locking mechanism is not tied to the complexity of the architecture at all, but consists of a simple petrified stair gate at the entrance to the durance. In this unpleasant environment, we did indeed feel a not insignificant sickening urge to turn our stomachs inside-out. Immune to lightning and fire. Euagh!



    Snövit and her team had better luck and managed to find some really handy spots where enemies could be sniped from across the strange void that filled the space where walls should have been. That saved them from an uncomfortably close encounter with a true terror of the past with conviction and lightning enchantment. Even with Snövit's thunder god girdle, meleeing with it would have been quite nasty since it also was spectral hitting. After showing Bremm who was the true master of sparks (or maybe rather who had the most fiery boss to do the work but let's not dwell on petty details now) I saw a familiar sight. The warning sign, the runes saying clearly "danger, do not touch", the obsessed glow in Rödluvan's eyes as she seemingly involuntarily walked closer...

    "NO Rödluvan, NO touching of fire shrines, I have TOLD you!"

    "Just...once...please?"

    But I was adamant and averted a potential disaster with my upright and upstanding example. A mercenary lightning mage needs to be firm sometimes and handle the situation with a steady hand.

    Rödluvan: Yes, yes, blah, blah, blah. He's so strict...quite the bore sometimes.

    Telash: You know perfectly well that fire shrines are not good for you, or anyone else I might add. Besides, I seem to recall that this was my turn to tell the story.

    Snövit: But you have done so. This is just leisurely joking and banter. It was a flashing tale, Telash, and I'm sure you can expect heaps of letters from editors drooling over a potential contract any minute now. Or would be able to, had they not all been turned into malicious demons...

    Waheed: I was actually wondering what the rest of us are doing here. Telash seemed perfectly cool with finishing the tale, so why can't we just chill out and hear it?

    Snövit: It's probably some sort of Red politics thing, "all shall come along" or whatever it was.

    Rödluvan: I plead not guilty. I actually don't even know what that phrase refers to.

    Maltatai: It was a slogan for the Swedish social democrats party around 2006 I think. "Alla ska med" translates roughly to "Everyone along" or "All shall come along". It refers to their attempts at maintaining a picture of their party as the best choice when it comes to health care, various kinds of social aid and so on. They failed miserably, I might add.

    Snövit: Oaahahahahahaaa!

    Rödluvan: Well, I'm sure they were just corrupt and power-crazy despots who had lost interest in the opinions and wishes of their voters anyway.

    Maltatai: Another notable statement around that time was that "Sweden was doing well". Being right in the middle of an economical crisis. With masses of workers losing or about to lose their jobs. With the schools going down faster than a tightly packed group of fallen ones facing a barrage of Snövits main elemental attack. With company after company facing severe economical strains. That was Sweden doing well.

    Rödluvan: What about the blue parties? They can't be all good either?

    Maltatai: Where to start? Perhaps with one of the latest "reforms" about education: The teachers salaries are being linked to the results of the students of the teacher in his or her subject. Despite the fact that just about no resources exist to help students who can't get any help at home with homework, all theoretical subjects rely on the student doing a lot of learning outside the school and, in the case of higher (closest to university level) education where it is soon coming, that students pick the schools they wish and are admitted if they have good enough grades - meaning of course that some attractive schools get the best students and some unattractive ones get the worst. And guess who it is that are grading the students?

    Telash: Bureaucratical body of government?

    Snövit: University office?

    Maltatai: The teachers themselves. And not just adding a note about achievements in class apart from written stuff or something, they do the entire grading.

    Rödluvan: Pfffhahahaha!

    Snövit: Hihihihihi!

    Waheed: Hehehehehe! That was a good one!

    Telash: Bwahahahahaa!

    Waheed: ...

    Rödluvan: You're serious?

    Maltatai: Yup.

    Snövit: So they get paid more if they set a higher...

    Maltatai: Yup. And the school gets more money if it keeps (and thereby also if it attracts, through generous grading and otherwise) more students, no matter if the students are attentive paragons of comradeship or psychopathic drug junkies. Combine these two things with a dishonourable management (not uncommon) and you get...

    Telash: I offer my sincere condolences for your loss. Was "unbiased evaluation" a close friend?

    Maltatai: One of the best. It was not unexpected, though. He struggled a long time against the disease.

    Rödluvan: Blue politics or not, this isn't even funny. What's going to happen to the children?

    Maltatai: Well, obviously the public education will become even more worthless when you look for jobs and try to do your job. The employers will likely rely more and more on their own tests, own education programmes if they can afford it, personal contacts and so on. Over time, Swedish specialists will probably be less wanted internationally due to the reputation of our education system. The richer the family, the easier will it be to get along anyway, as usual. The greatest losers are as always the hardworking and bright students from poorer families without personal contacts, who won't be able to show their skills in the seas of undeservingly good grades.

    Snövit: Scandalous! As if I would get the same grade as Rödluvan, despite being two levels higher than her.

    Rödluvan: One! Maybe one and a half. But that's just because you did personal off-quest studying when you were raiding the Black Tower for runes. This is the kind of unfairness that will come out of such education idiocy!

    Snövit: Maybe your children could go and study at our islands instead. Or some other part of Sanctuary? There should be plenty of free space and, as shown, there are old tomes lying around just about everywhere, filled with information and enhancing your skills. The latter are so common that they are even thrown away into the sewers!

    Rödluvan: And there are many job opportunities for archers! Tremendous health care available too.

    Snövit: A growing market.

    Maltatai: Ehm, as tempting as the offer is, it would be a bit problematic reaching Sanctuary from Sweden.

    Snövit: Yes, I've never really understood where your land is situated. It sounds like some barbaric country up north, being cold and such.

    Maltatai: Hehe. Sweden is not bordering the barbarian highlands but the term "barbaric country up North" is not totally without out of place. It is damn cold here sometimes, also.

    Snövit: Sounds like you have good taste!

    Waheed: Indeed!

    Rödluvan: You have fireplaces too, I hope?

    Maltatai: Of course. And plenty of firewood. Not much arrows, though. Speaking of arrows, I hear that Meshif has composed a new tributary song on that subject?

    Rödluvan: Hihihihihahaha! Indeed he has!

    Snövit: That was just a joke! Aaaah, you always overreact about these sorts of things. Fine, fine, I thought it was suitable to sing this German fishing song...

    Maltatai: It's not actually a German fishing song, it's a German song sung by a singer with Fischer as her surname.

    Snövit: Waheed, throw him into the water... Now, I was singing the melodic "Du hast mein herz beruhrt" which Meshif then made a joking cover of, with the title "Du hast mein pfeil beruhrt". In this particular case, the often-used phrase "the title says it all" was particularly apt. I will leave it at that.

    Rödluvan: Hahahaha, it was genius! I wrote it all down!

    Snövit: That would surprise exactly nobody.

    Maltatai: I seem to recall there being a boss at the end of Act III. Perhaps just something I've Heard...

    Rödluvan: Oh yes, Mephisto. He was easily distracted by my decoy and over time shot to pieces, but Telash died, sadly. Mephisto got him before we were in position.

    Telash: Dammit, he just got lucky!

    Rödluvan: Is it just me or...

    Snövit: ...is it hot in here? Is this really the time?

    Rödluvan: I was not going to say that! As I was saying: Is it just me, or is Mephisto unusually quick and furious in this hellish world?

    Snövit: Oh, was that what you were saying? I had no idea. He does seem to have an unusually noticeable caffeine level in his body, yes. Especially for someone without any lower body, apart from that bare spinal column.

    Waheed: It is actually quite admirable how Mephisto will back his brothers and cover their escape, despite being literally half the man they are.

    Telash: One would definitely not think he had the stomach for that, or anything else.

    Rödluvan: While he is a scheming, corrupt piece of scum, he was never outright spineless. Ouch! "Gasp"!

    Maltatai: Wouldn't it have made more sense to come up with all these dry puns before Mephisto was too far away to hear them? What's the matters, Rödluvan?

    Rödluvan: I forgot to adjust this smoky quilted armour before donning it! The straps tied like..."gasp". Aaaaair!

    Snövit: What the...

    Rödluvan: I need to slip into the Treacherous mail that Telash usually wears for safekeepi...his own protection, in order to charge up the venom from time to time. To the outside layman it may seem to go super-quickly requiring just a small movement of the hand and fingers but it really is a complex, if fast, procedure to get all the straps and things right. I have to unfasten them every time I slip back into whatever Telash has been wearing - it's actually very annoying!

    Telash: Hey, I can't see a thing if all that extra quilted cloth blows up in my face or something! And being hit in the nose by a loosely fitting mail suit every second step every time you run is NOT comfortable! This arrangement is made quite unpractical by...all that extra bulk you have on the upper chest!

    Rödluvan: I happen to like my upper chest very well, THANK YOU.

    Telash: And now all my robes smell of your silly perfume too....

    Rödluvan: It's a barely noticeable discreet scent, I'll have you know!

    Telash: Indeed. Discreet as about one acre of red roses mashed and pressed into your face.

    Rödluvan: Like you should be the one talking! Your armour gives me electrical shocks each time I touch it!

    Telash. Hello? Metal armour and electricity? Elemental physics, anyone? It wouldn't be a problem if you could just wear a sorcerer robe like I offered you.

    Rödluvan: That thing was a complete fiasco! Loose sleeves + archery = not awesome. "Oh, let's take up a bolt and load my crossbow. Damn, I dropped it deep into my overlarge sleeve and the tip is threatening to cut my elbow. Next time. Noo, I spilled out my whole quiver when all the bolts got caught in my superfluous sleeve cloth! Have to get my axe out instead. Crap! The blade got caught in the hem and ripped the robe apart!" What are you two smiling so much at?

    Waheed: Nothing in particular. But I would have expected a bit more understanding from someone who is literally, if not "in his shoes" then in Telash's clothes. Pffhahahahahaa!

    Telash: Very funny.

    Snövit: And I was just thinking about your crossbow with its notable lightning damage and you now wearing Telash's clothes... Sure there isn't any part of you that secretly urges to be an Act III lightning mage?

    Rödluvan: Shut up! Absolutely not!

    Snövit: You know you can tell us, dear. We like you just as you are, hihihihi.

    Telash: That's IT! Stop laughing immediately!

    Snövit: From what I've heard Asheara or Alkor can probably be counted upon supplying one or two potions of manliness for you, but I'm surprised someone with your expertise and contacts in the business hasn't taken care of that already hihhihihiiihihihihiiii!

    Rldluvan: Actually he has! But I have none left after I gave that present chest to you!

    Snövit: WHAT!?

    Rödluvan: Haaaahaha! You should have seen the look on your face! Priceless!

    Snövit: "sticks out tongue at Rödluvan"

    Rödluvan: Look, here comes Meshif!

    Meshif: Hi everyone. "Kisses Snövit" Is there any special reason for you welcoming Rödluvan so heartily?

    Snövit: Welcoming?

    Meshif: Rolling out the proverbial red carpet, anatomically speaking. Waheed, I'm done with the painting you asked for. Here it is, right off the drawing board as they say.

    Waheed: Ooh, stylish! I mean cool.

    Telash: What painting is that?

    Meshif: Waheed asked me to commemorate his recent success against Mephisto with an artistic contribution.

    Snövit: That's really good! It looks just like when we faced him, actually! Waheed was indeed good and did not die. His crushing blow really shortened that battle! And I guess the valkyrie of the day was quite impressed with him taking the frontline position too. She seemed very eager to drag you away to "double-check that you hadn't any remaining wounds" even after you had emptied the better part of my supply of purple potions.

    Waheed: What can I say? I'm a well-tanned and well-muscled frontline fighter with an aura of coolness about me, fresh off the beach (my whole homeland is in fact one enormous beach). You can't blame a divine being for having divine taste. This is excellent work, Meshif. Where did you learn to draw like that?

    Meshif: I used to make sea charts before, but that business sort of dried up when the entire coast here became an overgrown garden and the traders ended up as flayer dinner. Where should we put the painting? Here?



    Waheed: No, too far away. You can’t see me properly.

    Snövit: What about here?

    Waheed: No, I think I have just the spot... Here! Much better!



    Telash: Overwhelming, I say. Do you want me to arrange some illumination for it, now that we're at it?

    Waheed: Yeah, that was a great idea! You do have your bright moments, Telash!

    Telash: That could be because I'm a lightning mage...besides, I was being ironic. By the way, what was that caring valkyries name?

    Waheed: Andromeda Sparkleheart. What, you jealous? I could get you her summoning number, I suppose. But I think she preferred cooler warrior types rather than mages.

    Telash: I don't need any such help, thank you very much. I just wondered who it could have been that embroidered "Andromedas cuddly buddly teddy bear" on the back of your robes, in bright pink and gold.

    Waheed: "Takes off robe with look of appalled horror on his face"

    Telash: Got you!

    Waheed: Go to hell!

    Telash: Yes I will. And you too.

    Waheed: Oh, right. It appears we are.

    Snövit: Yes, about that...

    Meshif: Look, I already said I won't stop you. I know you have to do this and all. But please be careful and don't save any potions needlessly.

    Snövit: I'll drop by to say we are safe as soon as we have arrived and activated the waypoint.

    Meshif: Safe? It's the burning hells we're talking about!

    Snövit: You know what I mean. Relatively safe. More than can be said about Tyrael...

    Rödluvan: Reveeeenge...

    Telash: Lightning shall strike both twice and thrice...

    Waheed: I feel a new recipe for shish-kebab coming up,,,one with a heavenly taste...

    Snövit: So, Meshif darling, you're not telling me to "go to hell" in any way, technical or otherwise, just wishing me luck on my mission that happens to take place in hell?

    Meshif: What? Well...yes, of course, I want you to return as soon as possible and all.

    Snövit: So anyone hearing this and then stating that "Meshif told Snövit to go to hell" would be totally wrong and a complete moron, wouldn't she?

    Meshif: Yes, but what is this about? Who is saying that?

    Rödluvan: Noooow I think we have an infernal gate to catch! Flight 666 to hell, leaving in too few minutes to continue the fascinating conversation! We'll call you soon, Meshif!

    Snövit: "Reaches for Rödluvans hand holding her by her ponytail while waving at Meshif" Love you!

    Waheed: We'll be cool.

    Telash: This is just like that song by a very awesomely electricity and lightning themed band... We're on a hiiighway to hell...hiiighgate to hell...
    Maltatai: Over and out.
    The Misadventures of Diabolical Amazons - Completed.
    An Orcs Tale, a Third Age AAR - Completed.
    Reviewed by Alwyn in the Critics Quill
    My Dread Lady, a Warcraft Total War AAR - 27 chapters done.
    Home to Midgard, a Third Age AAR about two dwarves, a spy and a diplomat - Completed (pictures remade up to chapter 19).
    Reviewed by Boustrophedon in The Critics Quill

  8. #28
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    Default Re: [Diablo II AAR] The Following Misadventures of Annoying Amazons

    Episode 26. Hell Hell or The Episode with the Very Silly Title
    Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

    Maltatai: This is the Whatever-the-clock News again and despite this being just our second broadcasting I am standing here reporting LIVE from the siege of the Pandemonium Fortress! The besieging force, consisting of the purple alliance (blue + red) has breached the fortress by an infernal gate. The defending force consisting of exactly one arch-moro...angel is holding out in an inner sanctum with no visible gate. On a sidenote, some would expect the infernal gate to lead straight into hell and not to this heavenly outpost but since when has sense and reason mattered in this game? Unless....the fortress is indeed a cleverly disguised Hellish outpost? Or maybe it is simply a fortress standing here minding it's own business and the only thing keeping demons out (there are no doors by the way so it's not exactly hard to get in) is the presence (stench?) of Tyrael?

    Rödluvan: You are not reporting live, you are scribbling in your manuscript for the story. The mentioned things have already happened.

    Maltatai: Have you ever heard of editing? This is a transcript of the past reporting.

    Snövit: I did not spot any cameras.

    Maltatai: None the less, we got an excellent view of the Arch-angely fortifications.



    Rödluvan: Obviously a construction contrary to all rules and norms, defying every exploitation plan.

    Snövit: Clearly an economically inefficient and financially faulty enterprise, marked by the slow and rigid thinking of conservative and conserved bureaucrats.

    Maltatai: Snövit and Rödluvan are providing covering fire for just about anything. They also attempt to weaken and shatter the stonework by rapidly heating and chilling it. Waheed, being an expert at jamming pieces of wood into enemies and enemy objects is constructing a spear-shaped battering ram. And here we have Telash who is charged with…illuminating the battlefield and camp of course but what else?

    Telash: Electronical warfare. We live in the information society after all! I obstruct messages being sent from the heavenly hideout by jamming all frequencies...

    Maltatai: ...if they would for some unknown inexplicable reason use common radio communication and not some celestial telepathy thing?

    Telash: Bah! Petty uninteresting details. I am also in charge of the most sinister of activities; psychological warfare.

    Maltatai: As demonstrated...how?

    Telash: By sending electronic messages filled with complete nonsense, so called Stupid Petrifyingly Absurd Message or SPAM.

    Maltatai: Can you give examples?

    Telash: Of course. "Wing enlargement - special offer", "Help me, honest bureaucrat of Nihlatakgeria, transfer a million gold coins by giving me control over all your gold coins and stashes with no insight whatsoever", "Make money while doing nothing at all in 100 new ways each week", "Did you see my new entry about worthless trivia on Fakebook?".

    Maltatai: Quite irritating. But what if Tyrael simply stops reading his mail?

    Telash: Then we move to the heavy artillery, figuratively speaking. Let the angel ears tremble in the terror of heavy metal, now literally speaking:


    Hells Spells by Telash

    I'm rolling thunder, not pouring rain
    I'm coming on like a hurricane
    My lightning's flashing wide and high
    You are an angel but you're off the sky
    I won't spare no measures, won't spare no wings
    I'll have your ears tied to golden strings
    I've got my spell I'm gonna take you to hell
    We already are there? Oh, I get ya

    Hells Spells
    Yeah, Hells Spells
    My bolts are spinning, Hells Spells
    My voltage is high, Hells Spells

    I'll give you spark sensations up and down your spine
    If you're into lightning you're a friend of mine
    See my white light flashing as I split the night
    Cause if Red's on the left, then I'm keeping off the right
    I won't spare no measures, won't spare no wings
    I'll have your ears tied to golden strings
    I've got my spell I'm gonna blast you in hell
    I'm gonna get ya, Telash gets ya

    Hells Spells
    Yeah, Hells Spells
    My sword is spinning, Hells Spells
    My power is high, Hells Spells

    Yeow!

    Hells Spells, Telash's coming to you
    Hells Spells, he's bringing his bolts
    Hells Spells, we're breaking the wall
    Hells Spells, then all will fall
    Hells Spells, we're taking it down
    Hells Spells, we're mining it under
    Hells Spells, gonna split the fight
    Red Spells from the left, Blue from the right

    Ow, ow, ow, ow! (part of lyrics, not "open wounds" even if we have that too)

    Hells Spe-e-e-ellsss!

    Maltatai: All that's lacking now is the school uniform...

    Telash: What!? What kind of stupid idea is that?

    Rädluvan: Hey! He would look kind of cute in that!

    Telash: Hostile work environment! Harassment!

    Snövit: I think blue would be better. Look at the pretty valkyrie I got and follow her stunning example. There is nothing like blue plate to shine when you are making a pose to show off your leg...eeeeh, dodging a dangerous infernal projectile I mean. And it goes sooo well together with the red background at cramped chokepoints where cold immunes nest.

    The totally disgusting vile stygian mothers and their parents were the most troublesome in the act since they could not be frozen. Granted, big demons like Maw fiends and venom lords take many arrows but at least you can freeze them.

    Rödluvan: You certainly fared better than I did, that's for sure. The decoy and even my valkyrie was totally crushed in no time by the doom knight, venom lords and most of all actually the abyss knights. I really longed for some freezing cold to shut them up.

    Snövit: One of the Fleshy mums was absolutely fanatic about energy bills which was very annoying. I mean, there can't be any real shortage of heat to power a power plant in Hell, can it? It was such a relief to be able to go back to Kurast once in a while.

    Maltatai: Yes of course, back to dear old swampy, moistly, rotting, festering and mosquito-ridden Kurast...who wouldn't long for it?

    Snövit: Back to MESHIF!

    Maltatai: Oh, was THAT what you meant?



    Snövit: Anyhow, I melted my way into the river of flame in due time. Freezing the hotbloods made the trail a bit like an art exhibition until we reached Hephasto the Cursed. He was a bit worrying due to the teleportation but it went well, obviously. You don't want someone like that landing on top of your head. And all I got for the trouble was a pathetic Hel rune. Booo!

    Waheed: At least our art exhibition was free of newly graduated modern artists and their exam Projects...

    Rödluvan: What is this about?

    Telash: Wait, I think I know. You're referring to the Swedish art students projects Maltatai told about. The ruined wagon and all that.

    Rödluvan: Ruined wagon? What the...?

    Maltatai: A few years ago there were some quite...odd..."art" projects that students of the Swedish art school Konstfack (konst = art in Swedish) apparently made. Three of them became quite famous, or maybe infamous. One was an exhibition as far as I know, which was made using material deriving from the artists imitated suicide attempt on a bridge. It yielded both some insight into the (mis)treatment of persons believed to be insane and a prosecution for raising a false alarm.

    Another project was the recording of the ruining of the interior of a train car - trains made of a kind of metal wagon that has no counterpart in Sanctuary - by painting it in a chaotic manner. The artist did no painting but merely recorded it. I don't know if it was legal, it would depend on whether the artist encouraged or helped with the ruining. One can of course argue that merely recording the episode would be a kind of encouragement but on the other hand; recording something means ample evidence being collected and the knowledge that the action would be used as an art project of Konstfack should function more as a deterrent than encouragement.

    Last but not least weird was the less famous idea of a later graduate. As I understood the news article I read about it in, he had surgically removed a piece of flesh from his one buttock. Contrary to what someone with knowledge of more classic works might guess, he did not intend to use it for borrowing money from a Venetian merchant. Oh no, this is modern art. He did instead make the piece of skin grow (he must have had some laboratory stuff available I guess) into a sort of mask with a vague resemblance of a face (it had two holes for the eyes at least). The student told in the article how he would sit and talk to his...mask...on occasion.

    I have never seen those projects myself so I don't know if it all is true, but it did in any case make for some damn weird and, in the last case, comical reading.

    Waheed: Konstfack sounds pretty stupid...maybe it would be more informative if you changed the "a" in the name to a "u".

    Maltatai: Yes, it was hardly the most impressive and flattering projects that became publicised in this manner.

    Snövit: I found something equally silly I think. Boots with little mirrors on them! I mean, come ON. Who would want a mirror on their boot? It will break as soon as you enter the Single Player Forum and get shin-kicked. On the other hand, breaking a mirror is said to bring bad luck so maybe that would be a smart way to get back at the bullies?



    Maltatai: You moron, mirrored boots refer to mirrored armour, a kind of early partial plating design appearing I think in central Asia in my world! Having actual mirrors attached... "facepalm". To change into a more sensible subject, I see Waheed crushed the Infector thoroughly.

    Snövit: Yes, we really kicked his Konstfack-project-body-part. As I slashed him I felt a sinister presence, as if a giant hand was touching me! Most unsettling. Maybe it was Diablo employing some weird unholy telekinesis. I know I must look stunningly desirable in this blue armour but HANDS OFF! I later found a green set of pillars that looked like boots. Apparently they did belong to an immortal king. That king must be getting senile because his belongings are scattered all across Sanctuary from what I have heard. Really a mess. Diablo turned also green. With envy after seeing my stabbing skill no doubt.

    Maltatai: You don't think your poisonous charms or amulet could have had something to do with it.

    Snövit: Oh no. I'm sure it was pure envy. If we could have shattered Diablo and turned him into lots of very small stones it would have been enough jewels to twink at least a dozen cheesy cookie cutters.

    Waheed: That's probably why he focused on killing me first. Just jealous of my coolness.

    Snövit: Maybe so. Waheed really received no fair chance. I stabbed the big clot in the spot most suited to my height.

    Maltatai: His...stones as Alkor would put it?

    Snövit: Yeah. Eeeew! "shudder" And people say his head looks distorted and full of horns. I tell you, Diablo is indeed the lord of terror. This vision was the stuff of endless nightmares I hope I will not have. I will leave the description at that. My valkyrie, supplied by the state to aid the private sector in these trying times, focused on Diablos heel as you can see.

    Maltatai: Might I ask why?

    Snövit: Just a precaution. He does after all live next to an underworld river and what if he would have been dipped into it by someone holding him by the heel? Imperviousness to all weapons except down at the foot.

    Maltatai: If Diablo would bathe in the River of Flame, why would he need someone holding him? He's an adult demon, surely he can manage a bath by himself?

    Snövit: But the invincibility effect only works if someone holds you by the heel. You have told us so yourself.

    Maltatai: I told you about the story about this thing, which has no resemblance to reality as far as I know. And I also said that the heel thing is not the point, it was just a random plot detail to make the silly Jerhyn-like archer person able to best the monstrous warmonger in an unlikely way. Though I cannot believe how someone could die from a wound in the heel, magical protection of the rest of the body or not. It occurred in the middle of a battlefield so there would surely be lots of allies there to bind the wound before you faint of blood loss.

    Now over to Rödluvan. Fire immunes are plentiful in these warm surroundings. Have they been as bothersome as every experienced player would expect?

    Rödluvan: YES! Grrrrrr! Doom to the doom knights. They hit so hard my decoys and valkyries seem like blimps in a meteor rain. "Pop", "pop", "pop", and the enemy group have barely been halted. OK, maybe they weren't exactly that strong but close enough. I ran into knight boss after knight boss and all had some annoying and dangerous trait.



    Telash: I say! And that tasteless joke about the Iron Wolves AGAIN!

    Rödluvan: Hihi. I, like Snövit, had the luxury of not running into Burning Souls when looking for Izual, who took a hell of a long time to hack apart. Further ahead lay the damned city. It was really damned because Telash died in a very stupid manner, cornered by Stygian Mothers nagging him to death. The state of the maintenance was really scandalous too. But there were some really impressive glass walls too that were so clean they were quite invisible. The only way to see them is to shoot something into them, like a magic arrow. The magic arrow explosion thing is really beautiful. Maybe if it could be made more orange it would be a good lamp. If you could stabilize that explosion effect and have it remain permanent you would have eternal light and energy maybe.

    Maltatai: The Sanctuary version of the dream of a stable fusion reactor...

    Rödluvan: There were also little bridges here and there in the city. I don't really know what they were for but I guess they had some use. It seemed superfluous though, because the chasm was covered with some invisible force field thing as you can see by the blood and corpse things not falling down into it but resting partially in thin air.

    Maltatai: I think the bridges are part of the old balrog-centred defence policy.

    Snövit: What?

    Maltatai: The concept was that if you were beset by a balrog in a dark dungeon and came to a bridge, the balrog would gain extra powers and become capable of totally owning the entire adventuring party unless one of them collapsed the bridge and went down with it thanks to the whipping of the balrog.

    Rödluvan: That's the silliest thing I've heard since your latest explanation of how the Swedish labour politics work. Even matching the defence policy. And balrogs with whips...ewwww!

    Maltatai: Flaming, auto-targeting whips and flaming swords were standard equipment according to that ideology. It is outdated by now, since the balrogs are too feeble to pull off such feats alone nowadays.

    Rödluvan: Now let's change the subject to something less repulsive...balrogs with flaming whips "shudder" NO! Must not think of it!

    Maltatai: We move on to the amazing find of a Hel rune, lying right on the random ground. Funny thought; think how it would be if someone had to smash a soulstone of a Prime Evil to get such a lowly rune. What an anticlimax.

    Snövit: SHUT UP! MOVING ON FURTHER IN THE PROGRAMME I stand here with Rödluvan who has recently smashed her way throught the River of Flame. Were there any particularly memorable moments of that journey, Rödluvan?

    Rödluvan: After going down the stairs I intended to clear the tiny area to the right to avoid flank attacks later. This is usually a routine action that you can do half asleep. And since I mention that, that was of course not the case in my case. I faced two intermingled packs of Abyss Knights that totally outclassed my decoy and valkyrie. Hephasto was a scary one and I had to run away a lot. He had to run away as well but he was too stupid to realize that. Right next to the hellforge, an Act IV barbarian (lot's of muscle but little head) also known as an Urdar dropped...a Hellforge Plate.

    Maltatai: Hehe. One of the most fitting pieces of loot ever, I think.

    Rödluvan: It was not fitting! The whole thing was far too big and warm and clumsy. I prefer the mobility of light smoke leather.

    Maltatai: No, fitting as in dropping then and there not in a fashion sense.

    Rödluvan: Oh. That sort of makes sense. Further ahead I ran into, figuratively speaking, a true terror that was thankfully not on the screen when captured lest it would terrify everyone. A great, cursed Urdar immune to both left and right wing politics!

    Snövit: Obviously a brutal dictator in training. Nice valkyrie by the way.

    Rödluvan: Yes, yes. If carefully supervised, I suppose the state can enlist some private elements to carry out well defined tasks. Such as tanking Prime Evils that burn red enlightened mages in a second. The tax revenue was a disappointing collection of useless rare things.



    Maltatai: The Swedish governments have also done a lot of such privatising the latest decade. But the part with "carefully supervised" or even "supervised" seems to have slipped their minds, especially when it comes to medical care. The same appears to be true about the idea of selling state property things at a beneficial (for the seller) price rather than selling as fast as possible to privatise immediately for the sake of privatising. Perhaps these concepts, having rarely been grasped by politicians, had been left unused in a slimy storage area - like the Kurast Sewers for example - for so long that they were slippery and hard to grasp therefore. But the minds of most in a leading position in my world tend to be rather weak to start with so maybe they could not grasp very hard.

    Snövit: Hmpf! Such irresponsible handling of valuable assets is bordering sacrilege.

    Rödluvan: Pah! The failure of attention and responsibility is an insult to all responsible governing.

    Maltatai: Now let's move on to more promising subjects. Like those cracks appearing in the wall...

    Snövit and Rödluvan: WHERE!?

    Waheed: Here, where I just happen to have mined for hours by now. Just saying...

    Maltatai: Where's Telash?

    Rödluvan: Probably down south by the magic shop.

    Snövit: What's he doing there? He never needs mana potions.

    Rödluvan: No, at least not for mana alone. Perhaps more as...ingredient.

    Snövit: What are you...Telash and Jamella? Seriously?

    Rödluvan: Sounded like that last evening.



    Snövit: Hahahahihihi! If only I could see Tyraels face if he knew!

    Telash: So would I. I have a particularly evil lightning bolt with his name on. Practically locking in that poor girl in this lonely fortress.

    Rödluvan: Back from the heavenly hostess. Underneath the spare parts of paladinly armour lurks a more assassin-like outfit, doesn't it? A slayer of mages, an inquisitorial hunter of the presumably corrupted and naughty spell casters...

    Telash: Nah, she's not like that at all. But the assassin thing is quite hot. It must be the part of her that makes her so attracted to "bad boys", in this case mages like me.

    Maltatai: Jamella is sort of like the Heaven equivalent of the Swedish Skogsrå, a fable creature lurking in woods and with a habit of luring the weak-minded into the forest to get lost. She takes the appearance of a girl with very long hair, covering her back which is in fact covered in bark like a tree, making her easily recognisable from other female stalkers crossing the wilderness without clothes. Don't know if there is an English counterpart, perhaps some sort of dryad? Likewise, Jamella hides under shining armour so bright it nearly blinds you but someone looking closely at her back will see a revealing black leather suit.

    Telash: So Jamella's coming with us when we leave this place. No objections will be tolerated.

    Rödluvan: As you would have it, Oh Mighty Iron Wolf.

    Telash: ...

    Snövit: How did you know Telash and Jamella were seeing each other. I mean other than seeing each other outside her shop? You're not rediscovering various bad habits I hope...

    Rädluvan: Not guilty! SHAME on you for even thinking that I could lower myself to something like that!

    Snövit: That imitated indignation convinces exactly no one present here, sweetheart.

    Rödluvan: Well, well, if you nosy people must know it I was also making friends just across the street. Halbu's coming with us as well by the way... Some designs of chest and shoulder plate are quite a workout in itself to remove. The thought just crossed my mind. Speaking of nothing in particular.

    Snlvit: Speaking of nothing in particular.

    Rödluvan: ...

    Snövit: Pfffhihiihihihi! "We are the collective. You will be aroused. Resistance is futile".

    Rödluvan: It's "You will be assimilated. Resistance is futile"...oh, I see.

    Maltatai: Oh, look! The wall is cracking!

    Snövit: Charge!

    Rödluvan: Onward!

    Telash: Hells Spells coming at lightning speed!

    Waheed: Damn! He's getting away! Quick! At the red portal!

    Maltatai: Follow the thrilling continuation of the pursuit of the abominable angel in the next episode. Over and out.
    The Misadventures of Diabolical Amazons - Completed.
    An Orcs Tale, a Third Age AAR - Completed.
    Reviewed by Alwyn in the Critics Quill
    My Dread Lady, a Warcraft Total War AAR - 27 chapters done.
    Home to Midgard, a Third Age AAR about two dwarves, a spy and a diplomat - Completed (pictures remade up to chapter 19).
    Reviewed by Boustrophedon in The Critics Quill

  9. #29
    Artifex
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    Default Re: [Diablo II AAR] The Following Misadventures of Annoying Amazons

    Episode 27. Rescue Rangers
    Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

    Maltatai: "The first rule of Bow Club is: you do not talk about Bow Club. The second rule of Bow Club is: you do not talk about Bow Club. And the third rule of Bow Club is: you do not, ever, talk about Bow Club."

    Snövit: Give me that!

    Maltatai: What is this about? Bow Club?

    Rödluvan: Just a free time project we started. Nothing you need concern yourself with.

    Maltatai: I feel so included. It really lifts the spirits to be part of the team...

    Snövit: We had to find something to do to pass the time when camping in this rickety small town. So we started an underground club for archery. The backward and undeveloped barbarian society is so barbaric they don't have archers and look down on archery. Very uncivilised but we managed to bring some order to it all and introduce the finer ways of gaining experience points.

    Maltatai: I see. So, keeping with the underground warlike club thing, Rödluvan is like your other self? Tyler Durden style?

    Snövit: Hmmm...

    Rödluvan: Ehm, maybe, now that I think of it. But it's a secret.

    Maltatai: In this episode we will take a look at the latest rescue operation made by the two teams. They have ventured down into the frozen river (where the water is actually not frozen but anyway) to search for Anya. The frozen river is of course one of the more dangerous places in the Act so we are all ears. What did you face and how did it go?

    Rödluvan: Surprisingly enough we first faced the Bloody Foothills where both Telash and I tried to stay invisible and fade from sight...it didn't work. They saw right through us, so to say.

    Maltatai: Pun festival imminent?

    Snövit: You are usually much worse than that!

    Maltatai: Hehe... It seems like no time since you were here last time, looting everything.

    Rödluvan: We did some looting now too. I found two excellent charms, one keeping you warm and the other keeping you healthy and enlightened.

    Snövit: I AM telling you that it's perfectly FINE if you secretly wish to be a lightning mage. Just tell us and be open with it.

    Rödluvan: I do not! Shut up! The plains were home to the stereotypical main villain cronies (all muscle and no brains) also known as the maulers. One boss was of a particularly dreaded kind in ages past. Down in the Crystalline Passage I had to keep my instincts under careful control; NO touching of strange urns.



    Telash: She really has some sort of strange compulsive behaviour when it comes to dangerous urns and explosive fire shrines. Must be why she is so fond of explosives...

    Rödluvan: Quiet! I am telling here! The caves were populated by red-haired flying nymphs that shot big balls at people.

    Snövit: Watch the damned (To Anya)!
    She's gonna break her free (hey)
    No you can't stop her (Red bless ya)
    She's coming to get you
    While you shoot your

    Balls to the walls, man...woman
    Balls to the walls
    You shoot your balls to the walls, demon
    Balls to the walls!

    Rödluvan: For being an interruption, that was almost accept-able. The Succubi suckers we met down there really make me mad. They just fly around in their silly skimpy underwear outfits all day trying to drain the life force and energy out of everyone they meet and...

    Maltatai: Hehe.

    Telash: Pfffhaha.

    Snövit: "Giggle"

    Rödluvan: What?

    Maltatai: Someone moving around a lot, in a seemingly unpractical underwear-like outfit, does it sound like someone I know, perhaps? Maybe like someone that is equally busy after bedtime, bedtime referring in this particular time not to time for sleeping but rather bedding half the NPC population of Sanctuary and...

    Rödluvan: No! They are not like me at all! Those redheads give redness a bad name!

    Snövit: But you do drain a lot of energy from your victims - your leeching is fantastic. And you are pretty red-blooded and the quilted armour does not cover a great deal of the upper or lower body.

    Rödluvan: Damn it! I don't leave my new friends drained of vital energies! Drained of energy - any time. But not vital energy and nothing a few hours, well days maybe, of rest won't fix. Now we move on to the tactical review of the Caves...

    Telash: Oh, please, we have all heard it a hundred times at least! Allright, everyone at the same time: "the caves offer excellent sniping positions for archer characters who can stand on one side of the river and shoot at enemies on the other side. Amazons can also scout by shooting blindly into the darkness and see if they leech anything, thereby pinpointing in which direction the enemy is". The same thing over and over again!

    Rödluvan: Hehehahaha...are we really that repetitive?

    Snövit: But sniping is so much FUN!

    Rödluvan: Speaking of repetitive...one time I was actually worried that Anya just for once would have ended up as the rest of the Barbarian population dragged away by Baals minions. I know it isn't very polite to say but from a distance they all look the same. Luckily that was not the case and everything went as well as last time. Anya left without a word this time as well. Some people never learn!



    Maltatai: Over to Snövit for whom the act is likely to have posed more difficult given the high amount of cold immunes one expects to find here.

    Snövit: Nothing unbearable out in the plains. In some cases I could use the cliffs very effectively and get rid of the sharp teeth or whatever you would call the minions of Sharptooth. I wonder if he is their dentist? "shudder"

    Maltatai: I have been thinking...

    Rödluvan: Really?

    Snövit: Oh my blueness, there are still miracles present in this age.

    Maltatai: Kindly do not interrupt anymore, THANK YOU!

    Rödluvan and Snövit: Hihi.

    Maltatai: As I was saying before the recent immature outburst, I have been thinking about this thing with your armour, Snövit. Doesn't it get stuck at icy objects in this cold weather, being all plate and such?

    Snövit: No, I run around too much. I have to spend an appalling amount of energy running back and forth to keep my careless minions out of harms way. I never stand in the same spot long enough to start freezing. One of the invading bosses feasting on spines was particularly dangerous for the fragile and feeble underlings of mine.

    Waheed: Come on, I did a lot of damage occasionally.

    Snövit: Yes, and if you actually could do it and survive as well you would be really dependable. "sigh" Alright, Waheed did his job well in some cases and maybe it's not really him I am angry with, more the great hype that exist about the town guards and how unbeatably awesome they are supposed to be. They are not! Perhaps they can wear more of the ultimate runewords and such that you can never collect unless you pass stuff from another character that has done hundreds of repetitive runs but for a less cheating character that actually works for her own equipment they are TROUBLESOME.

    Maltatai: Your great idol had a lot of trouble with ghosts, gloams and succubi in the frozen river. How was yours?

    Snövit: When I stepped down the passage we were attacked by a succubi pack shooting their balls from across the river to the east. They were mighty and very dangerous. Waheed, the by their beauty mightily blinded fool, stood on the river bank close to them and tried in vain to reach them. I did not even have time to shoot, I was too busy with making him get away from there. He died. Twice. It was the epitome of melee mercenary moronicness. Eventually I got them and them proceeded inwards. There were more and more succubi and serpents too. I hate serpents! I got tired of it all and left to invade another day.

    On the second try I faced serpents again (!!!) and ice trolls, and gloams. Gloams, the dreaded enemy. HA! Fear the vigor of the thundergods thy meekly little puny things! They dealt hardly any damage! I owned them all. I actually met a conviction enchanted viper but no gloams of the same variety, luckily. And yes, the river is good for sniping, hehehe.

    Telash: Get on with it!

    Snövit: Yes, yes. We saw the abominable snowmen on the other side of the river eventually. They came at us not everyone at once due to the terrain and I slashed them with the fantastic Woestave. How I LOVE that weapon! After that, their cold immunity mattered little. Waheed became quite angry with Frozenstein for borrowing his aura. I was not too pleased with it either. It really slows you down to an annoying pace. Luckily we wont be seeing him again. Frozenstein, I mean, not Waheed. Just saying that if any of you thought I meant Waheed.



    Waheed: Ha. Ha. Uncoolness is congregating next to me.

    Telash: Hehe...

    Maltatai: On a happier note, it seems that Anya has as usual caught up with her sense of manners and gifted you with useless items as usual. Malah has outdone both Anya and herself with a third resistance scroll.

    Rödluvan: Tremble before us, magic users!

    Maltatai: But not only that, it seems that Anya has actually composed some sort of song to your honour.

    Snövit: Yes, she seems insistent on appointing us the "Rescue Rangers" of Harrogath or something like that. She made some kind of poster where we are depicted as chipmunks too...

    Rödluvan: I actually think that was kind of sweet. You are the serious chipmunk and I am the funny one with the red shirt.

    Snövit: Not totally inapt, I must confess.


    The Amazon Rescue Rangers Song

    Some times, some crimes
    Go slipping through the ice
    But these four
    On tour
    To roast Baal with much spice
    Will thrash through the cave
    And gently save
    All barb-y girls, just call

    Röd-Röd-Röd-Rödluvan
    - Rescue Ranger
    Röd-Röd-Röd-Rödluvans
    Flame is danger
    To every icy beast
    That freaks you out
    And makes you want to scream and shout

    Light strikes, bolts bite
    The gleam of Crescent Moon
    Means storm time
    They're slime
    Unless they are immune
    When you need some help to light the cave
    Telash will save the day

    Snö-Snö-Snö-Snövit
    - Rescue Ranger
    Snö-Snö-Snö-Snövit
    Is no stranger
    To the freezing cold
    That chills your heart
    And makes all demons fall apart

    Chill out - do no less
    Wah-e-e-d has coolness
    When he's around
    The spear is never down

    Bow-Bow-Bow-Bowazons
    - Rescue Rangers
    Bow-Bow-Bow-Bowazons
    Brave the danger
    Neither twinked nor aided
    By the mod
    That gives you rune words that seem odd

    _____________________________

    Big crowds - no trouble
    There fl-i-i-es one double
    Barrage so large
    Their shafts blot out the sun

    Snövit and Rödluvan
    - Rescue Rangers
    Snövit and Rödluvan
    When there's danger
    Both Deckard Cain and Anya
    Can attest
    That these two are the very best

    Röd-Röd-Röd-Rödluvan
    - Rescue Ranger
    Snö-Snö-Snö-Snövit
    - Rescue Ranger

    Maltatai: Well done rescuing, both of you! Now the dangerous trail up to the summit lies before you where the climactic battle with the ever hated Ancients awaits. Over and out.
    The Misadventures of Diabolical Amazons - Completed.
    An Orcs Tale, a Third Age AAR - Completed.
    Reviewed by Alwyn in the Critics Quill
    My Dread Lady, a Warcraft Total War AAR - 27 chapters done.
    Home to Midgard, a Third Age AAR about two dwarves, a spy and a diplomat - Completed (pictures remade up to chapter 19).
    Reviewed by Boustrophedon in The Critics Quill

  10. #30
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    Default Re: [Diablo II AAR] The Following Misadventures of Annoying Amazons

    Episode 28. Endgame of the Thrones
    Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

    Maltatai: At proverbial roads end the protagonists stand. Broken shafts and mutilated corpses litter the way through the fifteen acts up to the Arreat Summit. The two brave...well, somewhat motivated at least, teams prepare for the apocalyptic contest with the evil oldtimers. At the Frozen Tundra, the Red Team met with devastating taunting, worthy of a French garrison repelling coconut-equipped English knights. Not only once, but TWICE in the same area was the noble Iron Wolf mercilessly mocked!



    Rödluvan: First as a big oaf of a beast and then...a little orange imp. Pffffhihihi...

    Telash: That was NOT FUNNY!

    Rödluvan: ...hihihhahahaHAHAHAAA! An imp! A tiny, orange little mini-devil!

    Maltatai: For everyone's information, the other two named enemies were two of the beasts that fought together at the same place. They were quite troublesome. Just like the imp must have been, being immune to lightning.

    Telash: That joke was incredibly far-fetched! I am absolutely nothing like a tiny imp with an overgrown head!

    Maltatai: Of course not. Now that I think of it, however, since we are approaching the end of this game which will hopefully take place at the Throne of Destruction, an imp wearing red would not be totally out of place...we already have two battle-hungry blonde knights (sort of), a fencing master teaching basic water-associated moves to his female student, and city guard/body guard causing his master so much trouble one sometimes wonder if he is worth the trouble.

    Telash: But of course! We even have a faceless, "shifty" man from a land far away, don't we?

    Maltatai: You mean one of those that state "all men must die"?

    Telash: Eh... Hm. I think the phrase you are looking for is "all men must serve".

    Rödluvan: Can we move on?

    Maltatai: In a moment. I still think about this knight issue...we can't have two battle-crazy noble knights. Now I know! With that crown and red clothes...and the, hrrrm, colourful personality traits, you could be a royal blonde woman dressed in red allied with the im...shorter man also dressed in red. Closely connected but not always quite as friendly as one might expect...

    Rödluvan: I AM NOT HER!!!!! Chose something else immediately for me or I shall make you fit for the role of "random person in dramatic introductory part"!

    Maltatai: I shall think about it. I would not wish that to come to pass and as the old saying goes, "a lame sister always pays her debts". Or maybe it was "lard sister"? "Famed blister"? AHEM, anyway and as of now, I welcome you to the spectacular live reporting of the Whatever-the-clock News, broadcasting right from the Arreat Summit itseeeeelf!

    And here we see the Red Flames Team emerging from the gate. Rödluvan opens a portal and is gathering potion after potion after potion and spreading them out in traditional manner. Now they seem ready. First roll. Extra fast and she rerolls! Next time andtherewecanseeacurseanditsrerollagain! New try and...what the heck happened to Telash? One-hit knock out? I'm sure nobody can blame Rödluvan for this reroll. She goes back to town to buy more portal scrolls...back again. New try. Extra fast again! She rerolls..and there it seems we have a doable combination!

    Rödluvan is making for the edge of the summit followed by Telash and her somewhat slower valkyrie the old wise guys are on her tail but not literally and she turns and gets a few bolts off and score some hits which should slow the antiquities down and it seems like someone is coming alone who could it be it's Madawc the always-first-to-fall as usual he gets obsessed with hitting Rödluvan but she blocks his axes with one of those sturdy decoys and is even changing armour at this time and place and Madawc is gone! 1-0 to the Red Flames.

    Here comes Korlic the jolly jumper now without lucky double-wielding ranged backup and he...jumps and I suppose everyone expected that just as much as they expected Rödluvans dodging and sidestepping and it seems we will see a lot more of that since Korlic is completely ignoring both mercenary, valkyrie and decoy and jumps at her time and again and it seems hopeless to try and get a clear shot at him Rödluvan switches to the tried old tactics of hacking the enemy apart with her axe and there she rips out the not-excactly-living daylight of him! 2-0 to the Red Flames.

    And now they are trying to lure out Talic from the southern reaches of the summit and look at the enchantments it is... DIE DIE DIE! SMASH HIS FACE RÖDLUVAN! DOWN WITH THE CREEP! YES! TALIC THE EVER-CURSED IS GONE! VICTORY IS THE RED FLAMES!



    Snövit: I thought you once stated that you disliked the habit of sports reporters becoming personally engaged and shouting unheard encouragements instead of reporting sensibly.

    Maltatai: Petty details as you like to point out so many times.

    Snövit: Something tells me you have seen this particular kind of Talic before.

    Maltatai: Are you joking? Stone skin/Fire Enchanted Talic has been a curse that has haunted more than half of all characters I have ever guardianed! He took two hours and fifteen minutes to beat with my first Amazon and slew the mercenary of my fire tree sorceress about two dozen times. Forever hated beyond all reasonability be he!

    Rödluvan: Hello there. Has the editorial rant ceased? While you busied yourself with pointing out the disgustability of Talic I have cleared the World Stone keep. I found a great little charm, my last I guess, and a slightly less great enemy leader that exploded before being able to teleport next to me. Otherwise the keep had a disturbingly high quantity of fat demons with whips, one which had both conviction and fire enchantment. I also thwarted a stair trap at the last stair by using the Nadir helm, quite magnificently elegant of me I must say.



    Maltatai: I was not ranting, I merely answered Snövit's question! Besides, I'm pretty sure disgustability is not a real word...how did you manage clearing the whole keep in this short time by the way? Or is some of it left?

    Rödluvan: I've always been quick... Yes it is all clear. Even the horrible corner to the southeast. That one will give me nightmares forever I fear. All had gone fairly smooth until I walked south and approached it. I was hit by a barrage of maybe five simultaneous lightning bolts! There were not only one but two intermingled boss packs in the corner, one with the might aura. I was less than a second from dying of all that lightning and had to burn purple potions like mad when running back. Only my highly trained reflexes saved me. I really should have scouted better.

    After the burning souls backed up by witches the summoned minions of Baal the sneering snob were quite easy in comparison. The second wave was as often very time-consuming because there were three burning souls in the hall that got raised again and again. My mixed damage worked well when facing the venom lords and council members. Telash was of good use against the former. Not quite so good against Lister...how it must torment him, hehehe...

    Telash: I don't believe it! "How it must torment him"? That has to be the lamest pun ever thought of in the history of wittiness!



    Rödluvan: Now shut up and get ready, we are going down! Down as in downstairs and into the portal.

    Maltatai: Now let's see... There Rödluvan enters and she is making straight for Baal the Lord of Disgusting with the fiercely glowing strengthy kris in her hand in true Rödluvan style! Suddenly Rödluvan is switching to the axe and she hits him, that ought to slow the slimeball down, and appendages are everywhere and Baal seem to hit hard and fast even with the slowing applied!



    Now she is moving to the north of the chamber, Baal clones, she portals up and back again, more stabbing and decoys, NO! Telash falls to a surprise strike by the decoy! It looked like just one hit was enough! Rödluvan portals up and resurrects the now quite more angry mage and returns down to continue the battle from afar. Bolt after bolt is flying out with pyrotechnic messages...

    The pillars are blocking the line of sight but THERE! BAAL IS FALLING APART! A VAST TRIUMPH FOR THE AMAZONIAN COLLECTIVE AND THE RED FLAMES! RESISTANCE IS FUTILE!



    Rödluvan: Rrrraaaagh!!! Die demon!

    Telash: All shall tremble before the mighty magic of the Red party!

    Snövit: You made it sweetheart!

    Waheed: Cool battle.

    Maltatai: An incredible performance! Please accept my most solidarical congratulations, Guardian Rödluvan!

    Snövit: Waheed, up with you! Hostile takeover of the Arreat Summit awaits! Onward!

    Maltatai: Learning from the slight oversights of Rödluvan, Snövit has remembered to buy extra arrows that she is scattering around the summit together with potions of both kinds. Now Guided Arrow will be put to the ultimate test. Is it good for more than picking off shamans in crowds?

    There they come! Big and ugly and shining the ancients bear down on Snövit and Waheed and...don't seem to stand a chance to catch them. All ancients have taken at least one guided arrow from Snövit and coupled with Waheeds aura and her extreme speed this is turning into the greatest humiliation ever witnessed on this mountain! The valkyrie and Waheed are for the most part off-screen and not targeted by the old men, Waheed just adding his aura which is the ideal way of him to contribute - if only he acted like that at other times too! Snövit is turning and loosing arrow after arrow and she doesn't even seem to lose mana!

    Snövit can not leech life but she can leech a bit of mana and it is evidently enough. The ancients are frozen and slowed and they fall! Only Talic is left! Snövit is switching to frozen arrows but that drain her mana rapidly and the effect seems hardly worth it, she is drinking two blue potions to sustain the barrage until switching back to the guided arrows... TALIC IS DOWN! NOT ONE BIT LIKE WHEN SNÖVITS IDOL FACED HIM! THIS IS INCREDIBLE BEYOND BELIEF! SNÖVIT DEFEATS THE ANCIENTS WITH NO CASUALTIES NEEDING ONLY ONE EXTRA QUIVER OF ARROWS AND TWO UNNECESSARY MANA POTIONS!



    Snövit: Muuuuahahahaha! Fear me, slug-brains!

    Waheed: Chill out, boss.

    Rödluvan: Sweetheart! Congratulations! "hugs and kisses Snövit"

    Snövit: Mmfff! You're strangling me!

    Rödluvan: Oh, ehm, just caught up in the moment.

    "Rödluvan runs and does the same to Meshif and runs back"

    Rödluvan: So! All even!

    Meshif: The logic reason here being...?

    Rödluvan: Now none of you can have any worries about your relationship being disturbed because I was equally friendly to both of you so I can't be said to steal one away from the other.

    Snövit: Rödluvan, we trust you! You don't have to reassure the world that you are not a succubus all the time.

    Maltatai: Do you have any comment after this fantastic perfo...

    Snövit: Later! I must clear the Worldstone Keep! At LAST I won't have to wade in heaps of cold immunes any more!

    Maltatai: Right. Ahem, where were we...ah, yes, there she is, running through the upper levels of the keep like an avalanche in plated form. Evidently nothing can stand against the mighty frost judging by the pools of melting ice on the floor...what was that? Gloams! Dealing...PATHETIC damage thanks to a certain vigorous belt, hehehehe. A bad day for most of the legendary feared enemies in this game. Now the Blue Snow Team is about to descend to the last level...Snövit is portaling back to don her Nadir cap to thwart stairtraps. It is ever a mystery to me how that cheap runeword isn't used by more people. Let's see what awaits down there...ha! Just some dark lords! What a feeble stairtrap.

    Now the capitalistic companions continue northward among the socialistic surroundings. There is something bawling over there - Minotaurs! A pack of champions coming from the right and apparently a bosspack trailing them! Snövit retreats, with two champions on her tail. Despite slashing with the Woestave and retrieving Cleglaws Pincers for this moment it is a hard fight and Waheed is close to dying many times. After this concentrated difficulty the rest of the area is presenting quite the vacation in comparison.

    Now Snövit stands before Baal the sneering. The first wave is easily handled but the second proves quite tedious. The skeletal mages are immune to cold and can't be shattered. Snövit retreats towards the corridor. The skeletons pursue and more and more leave the range of their unravelling overseers. Snövit steps forward into a gap in the lines and is immediately poisoned. Coughing she portals back to Malah and then returns. After more luring away of skeletons the Blue Snow Team can at last advance from the right side of the room and shoot down Achmel the Troublesome from outside the range of his venomous stench.



    Here comes the councillors, perhaps responsible for counselling Baal to send out all his minion waves one at a time instead of everything at once. Obviously they are of great use to him... Snövit makes fine use of guided arrows and her speed, Waheed is badly burnt of course, and the council members straying too close are frozen by the blue arrows. There goes Bartuc, and there the last council member. Meeting session is over for today. Now come the Ventriloquist Ventar and grunts without opening his mouth. The mighty demons smash the valkyrie and Snövit curses and portals up to get her summoning gear on. Back at the hall she holds her position and holds the enemy totally at bay with her freezing arrows! While boss enemies can not be frozen, apparently some of their body parts can, as Ventar shows. There comes a new valkyrie and the venom lords are gone!

    Last wave, the dreaded minions of destruction. Snövit casts a decoy up ahead to draw them out of decrepifying range and they take the bait. Waheed and the valkyrie blocks, for once staying together and cooperating, as Snövit looses arrow after arrow and TOTALLY FREEZES THEM! All but Lister are rendered passive ice cubes! What a humiliating defeat for the minions of not-especially-much-destruction! Lister goes down and Snövit looks around at the spoils to see...bolts. Bolts and bolts and bolts and NO ARROWS AT ALL. Furious she returns to town to resupply.



    Snövit: Why is it always the same!? When you wield crossbows you get arrows and when you wield bows you get bolts!

    Waheed: Be cool, boss. We can afford new quivers.

    Snövit: It's not the price, it is the principle! Baal shall die for this!

    Maltatai: Yes, I think that is the main idea here, somehow.

    Snövit: ...

    Maltatai: Just saying. I might be wrong, of course. It's a far-fetched guess, that's all. A...

    Snövit: Quiet over there! Fetch me my kris and shield and put the bow in my stash!

    Maltatai: Did I hear correctly? No bow?

    Rödluvan: What's next? Larzuk saying something witty? Deckard Cain getting to the point quickly? Responsible financial policies in Europe?

    Maltatai: There Snövit portals back and portals down. She rushes at Baal with glowing eyes and shield raised! Meshif is walking back and forth with anxiety, nearly tripping over his own feet...

    Meshif: I am not! I merely dislike a sedentary lifestyle watching screens constantly. It's boring to do the same thing always.

    Maltatai: Snövit is making short work of Baals defences with Inner Sight! What a successful new investment that has turned out to be! It seems to be superior to the maxed penetrate skill but perhaps it would have evened out if none of the protagonists had found an enchanting weapon. Snövit attacks fast! She stabs Baal time and again but he strikes back with vicius fury despite the slowing from a slash with the ever useful Woestave! Waheed and the valkyrie have caught up and the latter is nearly down!



    Snövit portals up several times now and Baal is draining her treasury steadily with his elemental attacks that Waheed of course has no sense to avoid. Snövit goes back to change to her bow again, Baal is now down below a quarter of his health! Snövit dodges and hides behind pillars, she snipes Baal with guided arrows which have little effect. Forgoing her usual style and grace, Snövit steps out and looses frozen arrows from a close distance! Baal teleports back towards the Worldstone with the Blue Snow team in hot pursuit...cold pursuit! The demon raises his arm and speaks a dreadful curse but he is interrupted by the shrill war cry of Snövit and a blue, icy arrow right in his mouth! Baal trembles and falls apart! He slides down the bridge and almost falls down into the archetypical abyss! VICTORY IS SNÖVITS! Wait, what is that? The roof opens and something glowing is descending. It is...that he has the guts to show up here after all!



    Snövit: RÖDLUVAN!

    Rödluvan: ON MY WAY!

    Tyrael: I am impressed, mortal. You have...what are you doing!?

    Snövit: Aim!

    Rödluvan: Loose arrows!

    Maltatai: Tyrael has landed in front of the stone and the two Amazons are opening fire/cold at him! The arch-moron is hit by shaft after shaft and is pushed back further and further towards the Worldstone!

    Tyrael: Cease! The power of heaven compels you!

    Snövit: You scum! Your hubrid pride doomed the world twice! You tore me away from Meshif!

    Tyrael: Insolent human! Do you even presume to grasp a sliver of the complex forces at work here? You can not even begin to understand the grave task I had to undertake for the sake of the world.

    Rödluvan: You were just supposed to hit a freaking stone the size of a mountain covering half the room with your sword! And you could even have asked us for help! But oh, no, the big and mighty Tyrael will of course not deign to leave such tasks to mere humans! What, the next minute we might even realise we can manage on our own without being the pawns of Heavenly hypocrites!

    Tyrael: Aaaaah!

    Maltatai: THE ARCHANGEL IS PINNED AGAINST THE STONE! ARROW AFTER ARROW IS HAMMERING HIM EVEN DEEPER INTO IT! CRACKS ARE FORMING FROM THE CONSTANT POUNDING AND THE STONE IS GIVING IN! TYRAEL AND HIS SWORD IS SMASHING THE STONE PROPELLED BY AMAZONIAN ARROWS! WHAT A SIGHT!



    Rödluvan: That seems to have got the stone thoroughly. Or do you think you need to bash each fragment of the Worldstone against the angel as well to shatter it even more?

    Tyrael: No! Uuuh...did anyone see the licence plate on that Star Destroyer that ran over me...

    Snövit: I am unsure...I really would not want to part ways with Meshif a second time.

    Maltatai: No, the job is done and the campaign is over. Unless you would one day like to hunt down Nihlatak in his disgusting temple. But as he can't do any harm from there, let alone get away with the vast chasm outside the door, it might be easier to just have Anya close the portal and let him rot in his exploded muck. You are both appointed Guardians of the World and will likely enjoy eternal fame.

    Rödluvan: Meh...

    Maltatai: And eternal free drinks, massive gold fortunes and masses of admirers clinging to you as a result of the fame.

    Rödluvan: Now we're getting to the important part! All potions are on the house and all rogues are on me! ...Eh, what did I just say?

    Snövit: The truth.

    Telash: The whole truth.

    Waheed: And nothing but the truth.

    Maltatai: At least if you view the second part more as a forecast than as a statement of current events...I take it you will celebrate now in some way?

    Snövit: Yes! And this time nothing shall be able to disturb our grand feast. Now let's get started with the cold drinks and Waheed, could you get that cart of spices and...

    Rödluvan: Not even an hour of peacetime and she's turning into the matron of the entire Lycander.

    Snövit: I am NOT! I just want the feast to be ready before the end of this year!

    Rödluvan: I was joking! But it's not a coincidence that most aprons are white.

    Snövit: And what is that supposed to mean?

    Rödluvan: Just saying. As a matter of no particular fact.
    Maltatai: Aaaah! Mush have break from this ceaseless bickering! Over and out!
    The Misadventures of Diabolical Amazons - Completed.
    An Orcs Tale, a Third Age AAR - Completed.
    Reviewed by Alwyn in the Critics Quill
    My Dread Lady, a Warcraft Total War AAR - 27 chapters done.
    Home to Midgard, a Third Age AAR about two dwarves, a spy and a diplomat - Completed (pictures remade up to chapter 19).
    Reviewed by Boustrophedon in The Critics Quill

  11. #31
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    Default Re: [Diablo II AAR] The Following Misadventures of Annoying Amazons

    Part 29. Epilogue
    Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

    Later on the Amazonian island Lycander

    A comfortable spot on a mountainside facing south is decorated with illuminated undead stygian doll skulls, advanced electric light and many other war trophies. Of specific interest are a number of skulls lying in one place that seem to have been crushed almost to powder by the decorator responsible for the light and lightning. The spectator almost gets a curious feeling that these particular skulls belonged to various monsters of all kinds that all took the name "Puke Wolf" as theirs but that is probably just imagination. What kind of lightning expert could be so angry about a simple name?

    While the climate is hot the altitude and the aura of the chef responsible for the main course is cooling. One might wonder why a chef tasked with grilling meat impaled on long spears would run a freezing aura but there is probably some perfectly sensible explanation behind it all. It's not like he has shown any signs of incompetence or general stupidity before. Surely not.

    Alternating between supplying fires, cooking things and pulling the braided hair of the closest other chef is another chef dressed all in red with a strangely obsessed way of viewing the flames. One would almost associate the glance with a tendency of pyromania if looking too long but it seems so unlikely that someone with such unreliable streaks of madness would ever be allowed to handle the fires or cooking.

    Alternating between making cold drinks and stirring in a large cauldron with soup with a large spoon and fencing with the previously mentioned chef with the mentioned spoon is yet another chef. The goblet-makers of Lycander will surely have busy days fixing the vast amounts of their wares that are sure to be damaged if the fencing feud gets too close to the drinks. Drinks are served by two valkyries serving all guests, suitably dressed in wide aprons over their polished golden armour.

    Next to the great cauldron stands a more sensible chef busy with fish dishes of various kinds, shaking his head at the immature and silly taunting between the two others like someone all too used to it. He is dressed all in blue and slicing fish with a curved rapier.

    The guests are an odd collection. Multitudes of various peoples seem to have gathered at the spot, ranging from old fossils in grey robes to tiny youngsters in brown swimsuits. The guests dine and drink at their own pace and marvel at the advanced lightning and occasional fireworks when one of the chefs takes a break from cooking to do some relaxing archery. Blue, white and red arrows soar into the sky.


    Even later on the Amazonian island Lycander

    A mysterious guest drinking rum even if his name would suggest a taste for malt whiskey is conversing with the hosts and hostesses of the feast. All sit comfortably leaning against the hillside on pillows doubtlessly being some form of spoils of war.

    - Have you any thoughts about what you are going to do now that the long misadventures are at an end?
    - Of course! I am going to...
    - After partying for two and a half eternities, I mean.
    - Oh, right. Snövit and I have actually been thinking of pursuing a maritime career. The sea close to the Amazonian Islands has never been really safe and we thought we could use Meshif's ship and hire his crew to, sort of, sail around and see if someone needs help at sea. It would be much nicer than running around murdering demons and undead all day.
    - Like a kind of coast guard?
    - Good name! The Amazonian Coast Guard. Meshif will be captain of the ship of course with his crew sailing it if they are interested to stay. Snövit is first mate in all senses of the word so she might as well be that formally as well...
    - Hey! Rödluvan!
    - ...and she and I can signal to other ships with our elemental arrows, scout using our penetrate (at day) and inner sight (at night and in bad weather) skills and also shoot ropes attached to arrows to people we need to pick up or ships we need to tow.
    - Harpoons and tow cables...good if mechanical walkers from invading retaliating empires should attack too...
    - Pah! Nothing can stand against our arrows! But, anyway, Telash can handle the lanterns and power electric lamps to scan the water for ships and shipwrecked sailors and to signal to other ships. Waheed could assist by attaching a hook to his spear to hook up boats, ropes, sailors and other things floating in the sea. Our valkyries will serve both as living lanterns and excellent life guards, probably being able to search inside burning ships for hours with their enormous amounts of hit points. If we make Lycanders harbour our home port, all crew members can take advantage of having scrolls of town portals which they can use to get home immediately should anyone fall overboard and get lost. Maybe we can also persuade Fara to come along to deal with both emergency repairs and medical care along with Jamella? She did actually promise to help me in some way and she seems to be on good terms with Meshif also.
    - Sounds like a good plan. But I am surprised that you are not pursuing political careers as you have hinted earlier. Or perhaps mentioned rather than hinted. Not to say gone on and on about. Even...
    - Blah blah blah! We get the point! Actually, things probably need to stabilize a bit after the demon invasion but the Rödluvan and I have as a matter of fact thought about forming a coalition government! We'll take a bit of the red communal and collective agenda and a bit of the blue capitalistic and individual one and mix it.
    - That could work well...or be a total disaster. But I think you wouldn't be too bad as politicians...at least the debates would be entertaining and there would not be much chance of decisions being taken behind closed doors and hidden from the public...

    - OH NO YOU DON'T! YOU CENTRALISING GITS! ABANDONING THE CORE PRINCIPLES AND IDEOLOGIES OF THE RESPECTIVE PARTY! OUTRAGEOUS!

    - What on Earth...
    - Not what. Worse. Who.
    - Do you know that voice?
    - Yes. It is...

    - YES IT IS ME! LEFT HOME TO CLEAN ALL THE HOUSE WITH ONLY THE MICE TO HELP ME WHILE YOU LEFT TO HUNT MONSTERS!

    - But you didn't want to go! You acted like a green punk with...hihihihihihahaha!
    - What's the matter, Red?

    "Rödluvan lazily raises her mighty crossbow with one hand"

    - I know what you're thinking; did she have two hundred or two hundred and fifty bolts in her quiver? Well, considering that this is an upgraded and socketed Langer Briser you better ask yourself if you're feeling lucky. Do you feel lucky, punk? Do you?
    - "Facepalm" (Maltatai. Snövit, Telash, Waheed, Meshif, Jamella)
    - Sorry, I couldn't resist!
    - That joke is not even logical! You can shoot magical arrows! You have infinite bolts! Uuuuuuh! Now, who is this new Amazon that you know?
    - Maltatai, meet Askungen (Swedish for Cinderella). Askungen, meet Maltatai the storyteller.
    - Good evening and greetings. How do you know Snövit and Rödluvan?
    - Those two besotted traitors left me in our house and went out to hunt monsters and Prime Evils themselves! Abandoning me just like they have abandoned their ideological roots and strayed out of touch with the people they are supposed to represent and the environment that has been left out of their policies! But now the green grassroots will rise and...
    - That's not true! We forced Tyrael to ressurect every mouse, bat, scorpion, snake, spider and other creature accidently stepped on during the whole campaign! We have not abandoned the environment!
    - And also it was you who told us to get stuffed when we didn't want to have all your tedious and unwieldy procedures all the time!
    - HA! LAME EXCUSES! THE STATE AND THE CAPITAL IS FORMING AN UNHOLY ALLIANCE AND WILL SOON SIT IN THE SAME BOAT AS WELL I UNDERSTAND!
    - But not in that way! They are forming a life-saving coast guard, not...
    - What do you mean, Maltatai? Have you got some idea of what she is ranting about?
    - Well, since she is evidently green and (at times at least) a punk (but not the only one, I might add) and complaining about unholy alliances between the collective state side and the capitalistic market side I have a distinct feeling that Askungen might think it more effective to make her point in a more musical way.
    - Totally right! And then I'm going to tell you how saving the world is supposed to be done, with due respect for due democratic procedure, environment and grassroots organisations!

    Snövit höjer hyrorna
    Och Rödluvan bostadsbidragen
    Så kan man fiffla en smula
    Med den järnhårda hemarbetslagen
    Och till och med betala mindre i lön
    Än priset för mat och för hyra
    För båda skjuter mycket hellre på
    Demoner så andra får
    städa för fyra

    Sida vid sida, tillsammans hjälps de åt
    Rödluvan och Snövit sitter i samma båt
    Fast det är inte de som gnor, som gnor så att svetten lackar
    För bågarna som viner tystnar inte förrän
    Deras yxor hackar

    Karaktärers liv och leverne
    Berättas av lövet och kotten
    Om knektarna ska täcka bra
    Får man inte slarva med skotten
    Knockback, slowing och eld och is
    Är ett system för att hålla
    Monstrena från egna led och göra all skada var
    Båge kan vålla

    Sida vid sida, tillsammans irrar de fram
    Rödluvan och Snövit, vars hjärnor är fyllda med damm
    Fast det är inte som de tror, som tror hela världen tackar
    För NPC:er bryr sig faktiskt inte om
    Deras blonda nackar

    Sida vid sida, tillsammans hjälps de åt
    Rödluvan och Snövit, som styvsystrar i samma båt
    Men det är inte de som styr, men de gnyr så att svetten lackar
    För de har tråkigt ända tills Meshif
    Snövits glöd beaktar

    Tempot höjs vid frontlinjen
    Här drillar man eliten
    Berättelsen har inte plats för den
    Som blivit illa sliten
    Men för att ingen ska tro att det är nåt fel
    Med händelserna i boken
    Betraktas de som ett avslutat
    Kapitel av den berättande token

    Sida vid sida, tillsammans i sus och dus
    Staten och Kapitalet, medan JAG fick städa vårt hus
    Men det är inte de som gror, som gror så att jorden svackar
    För gräsrötterna reser sig och rätar upp
    Sina böjda nackar

    Askungen kommer... aaah aaah aaah!


    Last edited by Maltacus; December 03, 2017 at 03:22 AM.
    The Misadventures of Diabolical Amazons - Completed.
    An Orcs Tale, a Third Age AAR - Completed.
    Reviewed by Alwyn in the Critics Quill
    My Dread Lady, a Warcraft Total War AAR - 27 chapters done.
    Home to Midgard, a Third Age AAR about two dwarves, a spy and a diplomat - Completed (pictures remade up to chapter 19).
    Reviewed by Boustrophedon in The Critics Quill

  12. #32
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    Default Re: [Diablo II AAR] The Following Misadventures of Annoying Amazons

    [Evil Thread Necromancy]
    Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

    Maltatai: Here is a picture of how Snövit and Rödluvan actually looks (100% correct, promise...not , with secondary weaponry equipped. It is deliberatly less detailed so everyone can fill in missing colours and patterns during boring travels on a train or airplane and such. I was planning to post it when the story ended but I didn't finish it in time.

    Snövit: What an excellent idea...we could sell books filled with light entertainment things near harbours!

    Rödluvan: I rather think they should be evenly distributed with the utmost solidarity.

    Snövit: But we could sell them to richer travellers...people like Gheed...to make them contribute to the solidarical, and economically sound, Amazon Coalition.

    Rödluvan: That sounds better. Maybe if we enlarged the thing it could work as an advertisement for a coming election?

    Maltatai: Who would not wish to elect two bickering and hair-pulling Amazons brandishing their overgrown weaponry everywhere like maniacs...

    Rödluvan and Snövit: Get him!

    [/Evil Thread Necromancy]
    Last edited by Maltacus; December 03, 2017 at 03:30 AM.
    The Misadventures of Diabolical Amazons - Completed.
    An Orcs Tale, a Third Age AAR - Completed.
    Reviewed by Alwyn in the Critics Quill
    My Dread Lady, a Warcraft Total War AAR - 27 chapters done.
    Home to Midgard, a Third Age AAR about two dwarves, a spy and a diplomat - Completed (pictures remade up to chapter 19).
    Reviewed by Boustrophedon in The Critics Quill

  13. #33
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    Default Re: [Diablo II AAR] The Misadventures of Diabolical Amazons

    Book II. The Misadventures of Two Untwinked Javazons

    Episode 1. The Pointy Sticks of Sanctuary

    Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

    Maltatai: Welcome to the storytellers corner of the great victory celebrations of Lycander following the stunning success of Rödluvan and Snövit. The green Askungen (Swedish for Cinderella) has stormed into the festivities, furious about having been left home by the named former protagonists to do all the housework. Snövit and Rödluvan deny everything and claim that Askungen freely remained behind due to disagreements about due democratic procedure and tiresome formalities. In any case, Askungen has demanded that all listen to her story about how saving Sanctuary really should have been done. With at least a week of celebrations on the schedule and a seemingly endless supply of gold and loot, she is likely to have plenty of time and opportunity for it. Over to Askungen!

    Askungen: I’m a bit suspicious of this storyteller thing. What exactly do we really need Maltatai for?

    Snövit: Oh, he can be loads of fun. Very annoying sometimes but it’s very convenient to have someone else do the work of keeping track of all the details. Sort of like a secretary, maybe.

    Rödluvan: The choice s yours, though. We will abide your decision. Taken after due deliberation and grassroot grazing of course.

    Askungen: Your feeble attempt at sarcasm is not lost to me. But I understand that you are just jealous of my success that is soon about to eclipse yours. So be it; Maltatai can assist me in telling the tale of how the campaign against evil should have been done.

    Maltatai: “So be it” what?

    Askungen: What do you mean?

    Maltatai: You put a semicolon after the “it”, that means that everything after that on the same line is ignored.

    Snövit: Hehehehe…

    Rödluvan: Haha!

    Askungen: That was… Of all stupid jokes… And I have allowed this fool to join in my storytelling! What have I done!?

    Maltatai: To start with, how would you have arranged your skill points?

    Askungen: A reasonable start. You may yet be of use. Flimsy bows and crossbows are just plain stupid. You can’t use a shield and excessive cold and heat is damaging the environment. Javelins are the way to go! My plan would be as follows:

    20 Poison Javelin
    20 Plague Javelin
    20 Inner Sight
    20 Decoy
    1 in prerequisites and all other passive and magic skills with any remaining points going into pierce I think.
    Being neither left nor right I combine the best of both worlds maxing inner sight and decoy. My poison damage is not, as prejudiced and uneducated people would have you believe, harmful for plants or animals but only affects the legions of evil. Except for the vile top-managed coalition governments.

    Snövit: Thanks a lot!

    Rödluvan: The same to you!

    Askungen: Cease your pointless interruptions, otherwise we will never get anywhere. Where was I, now…

    Maltatai: You environmentally friendly neighbourhood poisons…

    Askungen: Yes. Amazons are obviously meant to use javelins which anyone with even the slightest grain of a brain would realise. I mean, why else would we all start with a javelin and shield?

    Snövit: Because javelins are cheap junk that nobody wants and therefore abundantly available.

    Askungen: Be silent! I’m the chairwoman of this meeting and I decree that you have not been allowed to speak at this moment! Javelins are the way to go and I know it. My conviction (which is awesomely green by the way) in this point is total. Even if the first monster that dropped something may have dropped a quiver of arrows I would have stayed on the true path.

    Maltatai: This would and should thing sounds so demanding all the time. Can’t you tell how the campaign should have been done in past tense? As in showing us how the victory report and boasting afterwards should have been done?

    Askungen: Hmm… That might work.

    Rödluvan: Yes please! We have had more than enough of “should” and “would” from you before to last for months to come!

    Askungen: But this minor concession does not mean you get to interrupt as you please! I cannot believe how any storyteller could put up with that.

    Maltatai: Nor do I…

    Rödluvan and Snövit: “grins broadly in Maltatai’s direction”

    Askungen: Well then, this is how the story of the thrilling escapades should have continued. In the Den of Evil the appalling item luck continued. Quiver after quiver. But then, it is the den of evil after all so obviously there were lots of arrows and bolt stacked there… Since archers are the most evil of all… Chief of them the despicable Bowazons of course…

    Rödluvan: WE. GET. IT.

    Askungen: After reaching level 6 I could at last unleash the green fury at the stupid zombies and other dangerous foes. It was actually pretty comical to watch them sluggishly attempting to get close while choking on my poisonous shaft. I thought that this excellent performance would impress the rogues enough to consider starting a small scale community committee but everyone outside the rogue camp except Flavie just continued to be totally hostile to me. Maybe the red clothing I still wore had something to do with it. Obviously the white rogues would not take kindly to red visitors. But their shoulder pads really should count as at least half red. Hypocrites.



    Poison javelin was incredibly powerful right from the start. Even without the impact cloud of plague javelin it can hit a lot of people if you aim properly and make them run into the trailing cloud. Fallen shamans are especially funny to hit when the minions chase you across the javelin trail. After destroying Blood Raven, Kashya awarded me with a supervisor…ahem, noble companion and sister-in-arms. Her name was Aliza, a rogue, as surprising as it may sound.
    And now I want a plate of that fish! Hurry up, please, waiters and chefs!

    Meshif: Would you like potatoes or rice along with the fish?

    Snövit: You’re not going anywhere! Send Waheed or someone… I’m far too comfortable here to bear being left alone.

    Meshif: Work, work…
    ____________________________________________________________


    Maltatai: Right, as the rest of the partying adventuring parties are busy I will take the opportunity to read out a letter I happened to find here for no obvious reason. It’s almost like a propaganda flyer hidden here waiting to be shared with the broader public. Obviously cheesy to the point of laughable…signed “Törnrosa” (Swedish for Sleeping Beauty)…here is what it says…

    Törnrosa: Ha! Already I can see the puny base level organisation failing miserably. It’s pitiful. Nonononono, that’s not the way to do things. People don’t want to debate politics all day or discuss decisions in a dusty local committee. People want things to be done for them so they don’t have to spend all their time with politics. Let’s face it. Politics is boring. Very. Just leave that to me and others who have the knack for these sorts of things. I’ll take care of everything for you – agriculture, shipping, defence policy (especially), religion, administration, transportation and parks – in short: everything.

    I will rule from above, from behind the scenes – leave it all to me. Enlightenment shall spread across Sanctuary and a new and shining order of the world will engulf our spirited future! But I am getting ahead of myself… Let’s start at the beginning. I have started stylishly by jabbing with my simple but elegant javelins, properly boosted by a shining blessing from obviously higher powers. It was clearly by divine mandate and administrative will that I valiantly cleared the hideous Den of Evil!

    I will continue to spread the illuminating grace with lightning speed lightning strikes in the form of

    20 Power Strike
    20 Lightning Strike
    20 Valkyrie
    20 Fend
    1 in all prerequisites and all passive skills apart from pierce.
    I will CERTAINLY not mix and blend the lowly proletarian skills like some everyday grassroots rabble-rouser. My specialised skills are carefully chosen from those not spoiled by the touch of the peasantry. Power Strike will despatch the leaders of most enemies. Strike down the leader and the mob scatters. Elementary, my dear so far non-existent sidekick. Lightning Strike will show the crowd what horrible odds they’re up against and catch the scattering followers as they struggle to escape. For the really ignorant mobs without any ear for the new light of mine, Fend will hopefully do the trick quickly so I won’t have to see them any more. Lastly, what could be more illuminating and shining than the glowing, divine Valkyrie?

    It is a well-known fact that most smart heroes hunt for topazes early to adorn their armour and turn it glowingly yellow. Obviously a sign of the supremacy of my element. And so stylish. I just needed something to cover the arms as well. I showed the little white and red mongrels what true power is like as I struck…well…head-butted Blood Raven back to the grave. But I am after all the head character. And my golden hair is illuminating enough. In gratitude for my great service I gained a spirited if somewhat unrefined follower named Floria. She had apparently met Amazons before but not wanted to follow them on their adventures too far away from home. Afterwards, though, she had begun to wish for a little more adventure. She may prove to be an illuminating asset with her fiery arrows…they do shine quite a bit despite their red theme…

    Floria is sometimes something of a smart-ass brat, though. As I exclaimed my displeasure with a small snake choosing my resting shield as resting place, she remarked that the plain was in fact not lightless but lit up by the waypoint flames and the light coming from sidekicks and protagonists in a hitherto unexplained manner.



    Fear not. Doubt not. I am here. I am your light. I am your future. I AM TÖRNROSA!

    Maltatai: Aaaarh, no, not another ideological conflict. By my metaphorical quill and parchment, this was cheesy. I suppose it is fitting since cheeses are usually yellow and white like the favoured colours of this luminous faction. Now I am going to get something to eat as well. Over and out.
    Last edited by Maltacus; December 03, 2017 at 03:49 AM.
    The Misadventures of Diabolical Amazons - Completed.
    An Orcs Tale, a Third Age AAR - Completed.
    Reviewed by Alwyn in the Critics Quill
    My Dread Lady, a Warcraft Total War AAR - 27 chapters done.
    Home to Midgard, a Third Age AAR about two dwarves, a spy and a diplomat - Completed (pictures remade up to chapter 19).
    Reviewed by Boustrophedon in The Critics Quill

  14. #34
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    Default Re: [Diablo II AAR] The Misadventures of Diabolical Amazons

    Episode 2. Rune the Ruin
    Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

    Maltatai: Now back from prying the pots and pans of the Lycander kitchen, we can all look forward to the next exciting chapter of the tale of Askungen.

    Askungen: Yes, as everyone doubtlessly knows, being present and within earshot. Honestly, it's almost like you were addressing some sort of audience crowd listening from far away. Well, well, the green movement is open to everybody. We're a charming bunch, especially after I found a stylish beryl charm. Obviously protecting against foul pesticides and similar fruits of despicable crimes against all that is good. My own poisons are as previously mentioned environmentally friendly vegetably based warfare.

    Snövit: That's the second time in not too long that you feel compelled to state how environmentally friendly your poisons are. A little insecure in our calling, are we?

    Askungen: Bah! Not at all! After the initial meetings with the collective fallen and individual whiteling rogues my skills and fashionable new age personal development grew at an impressive and alarming (for the vile enemy) rate. Equally fashionable was the new suit of ring mail that I had gotten by mail order from Charsi. With the right touch (a gems worth of green dye applied before everything else) it looked quite promising. Just needed something for the arms. I got myself a matching shield, fabulously dark green. If one just had a suit of plate armour in that tone...

    No point waiting more than necessary for that! I had heard rumours about a crazily enchanted book filled with mould that spoke of a tower hidden deep in the Black Marsh, obviously filled with treasures. The book was enchanted to never rot despite being left in the rain for ages and ages. Nor was it ever stolen, probably because it spoke the same old tirade about the tower every time anyone touched it, inevitably causing every listener or reader to faint of boredom. In there lies the answer to why the tower had never been properly looted before, I thought. And think.

    Immediately after entering the dark dungeons beneath the ruined tower structure I recognised the foul smell of top-ruling and pollution. Reeking of neglect of natural habitats and meeting procedure, it was clear that I was in a lair of evil most foul and fearsome. So it would obviously be plenty of treasure and useful experience to be had at the archetypical climactic dungeon at the nethermost bottom! I found a nice little charm along the way to guard me against despotic governments.

    Rödluvan: You... you spinach-brain!

    Askungen: Along the way there were the most horrible creatures. Red goatmen of the community known as the Blood Clan. Bluish corrupted rogues in bourgeoisie livery, obviously lackeys of something terrible. An unholy al...

    Snövit: Yes, yes, we understand. Please spare us legions of evil further explanation and proceed with the story. Perhaps to the part where you tell about the colour of the evil boss found in the lowest, darkest room of the hellish pit of terror?

    Askungen: Ahhh, that's just a boring detail. I would not wish to tire my dear audience... Let me instead deliberate on how awesome the poison javelins had become by now. I mean, I could one-shot almost anything. Fantastic survivability (obviously, since I am here) when you just need to throw and then run like hell and count to thirty or so.



    Rödluvan: No, no, no! Now get to the important part! Down to the vile countess! And what colour she might have been...like environmentally green? Stinking and slimy.

    Askungen: I'll have you know that the countess bathed in the RED BLOOOOO-HO-HO-HO-OOOD of her victims. Very red.

    Rödluvan: Oooo...K. So, like, "Countess, dead and loving it"?

    Snövit: Can we get on with the story? I think the colour jokes deserve a little vacation for now.

    Maltatai: Look who's talking. It's absolutely not like you and Rödluvan insulted each other by derogatory comparisons to red and blue enemies and annoyingly constant bickering about the lacquering of the valkyrie armour. Totally never happened. In any case, the countess was green as everyone knows. But contrary to what her colour suggests, she wouldn't have been very resistant to the poisons.

    Askungen: I am supposed to be telling that! Do not interrupt again, please. Where was I...contrary to what her colour suggests, the countess was not very resistant to poisons. I easily disposed of her with a hit or two and much running around in her little audience chamber. Aliza was really smart here, and took cover behind some barrels. It was very amusing to see the countessly retainers struggle to come close to her. Hehehehe... (evil mastermind laughter).



    Maltatai: Thank you for the fascinating account! Or, is there any more coming for now? I just assumed it was the end of this episode of the story since there was an evil mastermind laughter.

    Askungen: It's quite alright. I think I will have a look at the barbeque table now - onward!

    Rödluvan: Onward, mighty saladmonger!

    Snövit: Forward, brave broccoli champion!

    Askungen: I'll even bring a bowl of cooked spinach to throw at you two!


    _________________________________________________


    Maltatai: To pass the time while the other main characters are off debating the alternative uses of green vegetables, I happen to have a few pages from a journal to read out loud. It is decorated with lightning and stars and shining crowns on the cover...and inside there are some more of the same thing scribbled in the margins. And a drawing of, no this can't BE...with a heart around it ahahahaHAAAhaha! Ahem, let's see, here is a chapter that seems to be related to the time- and difficulty level-frame of the latest adventures of Askungen and Aliza.

    Törnrosa: Minions! How they get on your nerves some day! I am SO almost contemplating sacking Floria completely if this irreverent behaviour continues. She said that I was just "caving for attention" when I was in fact mounting a sophisticated rescue operation to present a likeable front to the masses. Floria and I had been tasked with the dangerous mission to acquire the old note of Inifuss, hidden in a dead tree just an underground and a stony field away from the cold plains. Although "note" or "scroll" is not very apt, it is more like a poster for the whole thing takes up four entire inventory slots...two thirds of what a full suit of plated armour would! Surely this dramatic escapade would prove that matters of, well, everything of sufficient importance, would be best left to those suited for it.

    The creatures in the stony field were hardly a hindrance although the evil rogues had degenerated further here and actually used bows against me. Bows, the incarnation of the unclean evil in its purest form!

    Maltatai: Hmm, isn't that a contradiction in terms? Unclean evil in its purest form? Anyway, where was I...yes, the caves.

    Törnrosa: Down underground there were sickly yellowish rogues (sickly because they had traces of red on them) and the ugliest monster present in the world: The Green Mishappen. Furthermore, the corrupted rogues were led by a horrible grassroot - obviously proof of the worldwide environmentalist collaboration with evil!

    Along the way I found many neat little items and my charms have grown to sway more and more subjects to the true path. I have also taken to wearing a glowing belt just out of principle. Time and again I have heard that such properties are supposed to be regarded as useless and junk! How uneducated of the ignorant mob. But what can be expected of those oafs? Lucky they are to have someone like me to take care of things for them.

    The poster of In-a-fuss activated the Cain Stones, opening a gateway to Cain. I mean Cairn Stones. There was a spectacular start with flashing lightning striking the green grass but then it settled into an anticlimactic red portal surrounded by the same blue lights as before. Then it was just as well that I had to enter the portal and get out of the place. Tristram was infested with murky skeletons, carvers and goats. A huge ombudsman of the smithing labour union kept approaching me so I eventually had to stab him to put him in his place.

    Maltatai: Ombudsman is actually an English word as well. It is one of the more peculiar words borrowed from Scandinavia (but smörgåsbord-smorgasbord takes the price any day). It represents a function and tradition to be proud of though (scrutinising administration, courts and government on behalf of parliaments), so it's far from the worst things exported from back home. Perhaps Sanctuary should have such a function to make sure the Executive Amazonian Boards don't overstep (or overshoot) their authorities?

    Törnrosa: I was given a worthless ring from the impoverished simple folks. It is scant compensation but I hope that these kinds of actions will pay off in followers in the long run.



    During my travels through the fields and the dark park labelled as "forest" by someone devoid of any sense of topographical terminology I have come across numerous little shrines. This is promising, as religious devotion can sometimes be redirected in a more beneficial direction, but religious indifference is less useful. Curiously, I found some weird sort of red scribbling on one, one with a button marked "DANGER DO NOT PUSH". Those shrines seem more powerful than the others. There is something alluring with them. You are almost involuntarily drawn to them. Floria felt it as well, maybe even more than me. Glassy eyes, evident tunnel vision, an under other circumstances pleasingly reverent look on her face...

    I came across a red sash at one point. It had an inscription "Death to those that taketh his sash as their own". Why would death need a sash? Isn't it supposed to be a cloak or something? No matter, fear of death is a useful tool for keeping control so I kept the sash. Perhaps it may become useful in the future. Lastly, but not leastly, I wield a stack of fabulously stylish pila, a heavy kind of javelin perfectly suited for stabbing as well. It is apparently named Storm Branch - THE stick to deliver lightning strikes.

    If rescuing old prophets is not enough, what would be, I thought. Perhaps one should have a temple for submissive believers to gather at, or an office where bureaucratic administrative secretaries can gather to plot how to manipulate the latest gullible minister. This abandoned tower looked promising. It did however have two major flaws. First, it was not abandoned, it was already known and not just that, it was inhabited by the grassroots! Growing from the roots of the tower cellar, which shouldn't be such a surprise now that you think about it, the evil influence spread upward using the false label of a the sophisticated nobility of the realm, posing as countess. Second, the whole place was filled with skeletons (not animated) and coffins and other useless junk all over the walls. Where would I have the confusing state papers stored? The religious idols and relics? The secret registers of the political opinions of the subjects? The royal regalia?

    While there weren't much room to use, there were some rather useful items there for the taking. Among others was a rather fine collection of runes. Some day I think I will have a fast bow crafted with some of them for Floria, if she could only learn to behave. No class, typical of the small folk. I did actually pass her a compliment at one time in the pits close to the monastery. Shouldn't that be enough?



    Maltatai: Management and leadership skills are on top in the yellow "team" I see. Next time the two miscreants face the horrors of monastic upbringings and churchly education. Over and out.
    Last edited by Maltacus; December 03, 2017 at 04:49 AM.
    The Misadventures of Diabolical Amazons - Completed.
    An Orcs Tale, a Third Age AAR - Completed.
    Reviewed by Alwyn in the Critics Quill
    My Dread Lady, a Warcraft Total War AAR - 27 chapters done.
    Home to Midgard, a Third Age AAR about two dwarves, a spy and a diplomat - Completed (pictures remade up to chapter 19).
    Reviewed by Boustrophedon in The Critics Quill

  15. #35
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    Default Re: [Diablo II AAR] The Misadventures of Diabolical Amazons

    Episode 3. Acting First Lady of the First Act
    Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 


    Maltatai: ”Stomp”, ”crush”, at them, my mercenaries! Drive them out! Back to the sluice-filled pits from where they once came!

    Askungen: What are you doing?

    Maltatai: Evil spreaders of worldwide sickness have invaded this realm. But now the assault has been repelled, thanks to some hired help. Unfortunately, due to the capricious and fickle nature of mercenaries, they can only be counted upon for a 30-day trial period.

    Askungen: Huh!? They DARE give poison damage a bad name? Is that it?

    Maltatai: No, I assure you that poisons and other vile chemicals still enjoy the same noble reputation as always. The term “virus” in this case can in this case be used as a useful allegory to how the enemy works. They are a blight both upon the world of Sanctuary and mine as well. A festering blister on the body of our society.

    Askungen: What is their goal? Hellish invasions of the world?

    Maltatai: Extortion. Equally pathetic in their attempts as well as their value as human beings. Still very annoying and an utter waste of ones time.

    Askungen: I wish they could be made to be present here. I always need to practise the noble art of poisoning. PAINFULLY!

    Maltatai: Much obliged. Where is the rest of the audience?

    Askungen: You aren’t really part of the audience, I dare say you have proven some worth. Perhaps you could continue to fill a role as supplementary storyteller and permanent secretary. Snövit and Rödluvan are being delayed by a silly dispute about who it was that started the mashed potato war here recently. It was a quick escalation from the border dispute of the falling fries. Both sides acted incredibly immaturely.

    Maltatai: And who was it that really begun the conflict?

    Askungen: “Whistling”

    Maltatai: It could of course not have been a third party, discreetly tossing a potato or two from the middle ground, leading both sides to believe they were under attack by the other. Obviously not.

    Askungen: “Whistling”

    Snövit: YES IT COULD!

    Rödluvan: GET HER!

    “Rödluvan and Snövit, each slightly covered in mashed potato, charges in and hurls fistfuls of potato peelings at Askungen”

    ______________________________________________________

    Maltatai: Order! Settle down!

    Askungen: I say! And leave those potato peelings for the swine in the forest instead!

    Snövit: Pfffhahahaha!

    Askungen: What?

    Snövit: Just…and old joke I came to think of. About wolves, pigs and redness.

    Rödluvan: A very old and very boring and bad joke long forgotten. Now continue your story.

    Askungen: A request? We are making progress here! Grassroot democracy shall triumph! Wait a second, if the joke is long forgotten, how can you remember what it was about and how bad it was?

    Rödluvan: That has to be deliberated at another meeting. After a proper summoning to that session so that all attendants are prepared and have had due time to ready themselves. We must respect the democratic procedure. This session is about the next episode of your story – “cough” Andy “cough” – which you were about to tell.

    Askungen: Right. Such a promising development deserves a thrilling escapade as reward. As I struggled across the windswept, cold and wet highlands of Tamoe I cursed the inconvenience of the Amazonian medium armour fashions. While enhancing mobility, uncovered legs are NOT ideal for this climate. To think that such ideas as walking barelegged in these kinds of regions would ever be a lasting idea is simply preposterous!

    Maltatai: Barelegged “highland style” fashion wouldn’t be your thing then. Not even if it came with a plaid and bonnet?

    Askungen: Of course not! Believe it or not, there were even large heaps of THISTLES growing on the road to the monastery!

    Maltatai: Who would want to walk barelegged in such weather in a country characterised by thistles…

    Askungen: Only a total barbarian, that’s for sure! Anyway, I came at last to the rogue monastery, where the door was unlocked and more or less unguarded. But it was all an elaborate trap.

    Snövit: You mean the smith lurking in the barracks? He wasn’t so hard, was he really?

    Askungen: Oh, no. Far more sinister than that. Beyond the barracks where Charsi had dropped her hammer (why didn’t she just smash the skulls of any demon entering her smithy, with her titanic arms?) there lay a freakish jail. I don’t know who it was that filled it with the hideous devices of torture but I am positive that person is rightfully dead and gone forever. Inside the jail there were the most ugly of monsters imaginable! Pitspawn Fouldog, the pinnacle of abominations!

    Rödluvan: Yes, he is quite the fright the first time.

    Askungen: Oh, he went down to just a cast or two and a casual stroll away from there while the poison worked. No, the real menace was yet to come. The jail led to the inner cloister where a large cathedral stood. It was also unlocked, of course, ready to lure poor unsuspecting adventurers into its foul dangers. Inside, the cathedral was decorated with scenes of ancient wars with a small sign at the bottom saying “Baueaux Tapestries Inc. Order today and receive a free red banner with three yellow lions for each ten metre.” The cathedral was run by an old skeletal priest or nun or whatever attacking with spells of poison and cold! How vile! To have a once proud grassroot fellow corrupted in that manner!

    Snövit: Bone Ash? That was your terrible trap?

    Askungen: Of course not. The trap was down in the catacombs.

    Rödluvan: So, Andy then? But I really got the impression you ran into something before meeting her.

    Askungen: That I did! In the second level of the catacombs! Hideous!

    Snövit: There is nothing noteworthy there. Just the dark ones, tainted, rat men and the…arachs?

    Askungen: NOTHING NOTEWORTHY!? YOU WOULD CALL GIANT SPIDERS NOTHING NOTEWORTHY!? Icky, sticky, slimy webs…eight evil legs and too many eyes “shudder”… Nothing noteworthy? You are all as mad as Aliza.



    Rödluvan: You…are scared of spiders?

    Askungen: Who would not be?! Creeping into your bathroom, spinning giant webs to cover the whole world and trap us all…

    Snövit: Wait, you, a thoroughly environmental activistic grassroot…afraid of…pffheheh…oh, dear. Poor Askungen.

    Maltatai: I take it Aliza did her part in holding the line against the many-legged assailants, then? Except that there wasn’t any line to hold after you had ran away screaming.

    Askungen: I told her to come with me but oh, no, the mad rogue just has to stand and shoot a burning arrow into each and every eye and chill it with her cold arrows. What if the monstrous thing had eaten her? Or trapped her in a web to rot for eternity? We just narrowly escaped down to show Andy our gratitude for summoning such outfreaking guardians.

    Maltatai: Is “outfreaking” really a word?

    Askungen: Of course it is, I just said it! Obviously it must therefore be a word. Really, you have to pay more attention sometimes.

    Maltatai: And that line I have never heard before. Oh, no.

    Askungen: Anyways, in the deepest but mercifully spiderless level I and Aliza stood against Andariel. Poison clouds darkened the air and ill-intended hands pulled at the other ones hair. Alright, they didn’t, but it rhymed nicely in any case. I half expected to see some other heroes down there because earlier I had heard a faint disgusted shout about something turning someone green. It sounded a bit as if there would be another Amazon. But I could not find any trace. I did however find a good small charm to shield me from collective flames and some useful gold piles to take from ghoul and banished champions. Truly a horrible fate, even among the undead, to be banished to these awful spider-infestated catacombs.

    Maltatai: Congratulations on managing to keep Aliza alive. A noble deed.

    Askungen: The rogues were quite happy to have their monastery back, ruined or not, and Aliza promised to accompany me to Aranoch at least, watching the road for spiders. It sounded dangerous. Aranoch is almost like “Arachnoch”. “shudder”

    _________________________________________________________________

    Maltatai: It was maybe inapt to characterise Askungens achievement as a “deed”, given the hardcore character context. The protagonist and predecessor tale protagonists are away to stuff their stomachs, or at least Askungens, with more of the island cuisine and drinks of questionable health benefit. While waiting for nothing in particular I am pleased to be able to share another chapter from the totally random journal in my possession.

    Törnrosa: At last things are going my way. After the disappointment with the hidden underground office I tried my luck and fated success in the famous rogue monastery. It would seem like an obvious choice as a starting point for a suitably revering religious sect. Under suitable supervision and guidance of course… The power of faith can be most convenient at times when you manage to emphasise the importance of a talented intercessor with whatever higher power the obedient masses seek to interact with. This particular monastery was not such a properly focused institution.

    The whole place had been turned into some sort of barracks! For the brunette anonymous archery league (shortened b.a.a.l…no) also known as the rogues. They still had some books that not even the demonic invaders had managed to tear apart yet, but NONE of them were of any use for us poor innocent grey eminences and top rulers of the administrated illuminations in the world.



    In the barracks and the mysteriously roomy jail I faced horrors of the most fearsome kind. Lightning enchanted blue liberalism and individualistic independence! If the world is infected with such thoughts it will be the end of civilisation as we know it!

    In the jail I saw a shrine like none I had ever beheld before. Ancient stones formed an altar upon which were seated a red stone. Glowing, pulsating, as if it contained something living inside. As if, I don’t know, someone’s soul or spirit would be possible to capture or imprison within a sacred stone. And certainly not mine! Ludicrous! Floria warned med that I should probably leave it be. I was about to agree but then this otherworldly vision and calling came to me. There was a little warning sign at the side of the altar. It mocked me! A parody of perhaps in itself prudent caution, it dared me to take the stone just by existing. It was intolerable! There was only one thing to do. Step up to the stone and face it like a woman. I rammed my head at it just like when I had showed Blood Raven who’s the boss. As I hit the obnoxious pebble it seemed to just…disappear. Hmm…strange. I felt a sharp pain in my forehead but then I saw everything clearer than before and felt much more skilled. Truly a strange shrine.

    Floria naturally had to be the wise guy smartass again and remark how fitting it was that such a “headstrong” and “thick-headed” person as myself choose to use the shrine in that particular way. Aaaagh! The rogues of today…

    Despite that, the girl almost started to behave as we ventured further through the monastery and it’s central cathedral. Perhaps the grisly sights of her ex-sisters sobered her. The many skeletons made my mana drain away like the audience when the rock concert has been replaced with recitation sessions concerning the humanist science of the cultural significance of Swedish Meatballs (there actually exist such a so-called “scientific” thesis, sponsored by the state through aid to the university of Stockholm…utterly embarrassing).

    Where was I…yes, the cathedral and catacombs! Down there I and Floria ran into this indescribably ugly afflicted monstrosity. Quite nasty with the lightning inclination and resistance but that was not the point. It had such…such…a LAUGHABLE name! PUKE WOLF! Ahahahaaahahaha!

    Maltatai: Hmm, it sounded like lightning struck nearby.
    “BOOM!”
    So, I guess Telash must have heard that last part…hrm, best to move to the ending of the Act before it turns into the ending act of me.

    Törnrosa: In the lowest and mouldiest of the catacombs were the instigator herself. Slimy and oozing, the environmental rabble-rouser Andariel met us with clouds of poison. I stood my ground as the galleon figure…I mean leading figure, the captain, the leader towards which the world looks in times of danger. And no, I did not head-butt her to back to hell. Power Strike took care of the Lesser Evil. There is sometimes a saying that one has to choose the lesser evil and such. Total nonsense! Strike them ALL down and take everything for yourself, that is my solution any day! And night.

    Look to me for guidance…for the night is dark and full of terrors.



    Floria was quite impressed with my display. She really wanted to come with me to the desert and beyond. She had apparently been regretting not coming along with some obviously silly red flaming Amazon earlier. That experience had led Floria to switch to her current fiery arrows. Hmm, I suppose it is more illuminating than cold at least. To pass the time and ensnare…I mean strengthen the collegial bond to my obedient minion I composed a song along the way east. It was based on a melody composed by scorpions of some strange breed, which was very fitting since scorpions, of more conventional and less musical kinds, abound in Aranoch.

    Maltatai: This seems like some sort of duet. Perhaps Törnrosa is supposed to be singing, I mean supposed to have sang, the first half to the dotted line with Floria continuing after the instrumental intermission and both singing the last lines.

    Törnrosa:

    Let’s tour the world together
    I know you want it too
    The magic of the moment
    Is what I’ve got for you
    The heartbeat of this light
    Is made to keep control
    And there is something in your Eyes
    That’s longing for some more
    Let us find together
    The light we’re looking for

    The rhytm of light
    Keeps me trekking down the road
    The rhytm of light
    Take on evil, smash their stone
    The rhytm of light
    Is the game I’m looking for
    The rhytm of light
    Is the heartbeat of my soul

    Let’s beat the game together
    One Act will never do
    An exploding shot of fire
    The arrows fly from you!
    Why don’t you close your eyes
    And let your feelings grow
    I’ll make you feel a taste of life
    Devoted pure and true
    Let us find together
    The light we’re longing for

    The rhytm of white
    Tall, celestial wings that flow
    The rhytm of white
    Divine connections I will show
    The rhytm of white
    Lightning skills through sand and snow
    The rhytm of white
    Power-hungry is my soul


    Törnrosa is right
    Golden armour, what a glow!
    Törnrosa is riiight
    From me admiring faith will flow
    Törnrosa is…riiight
    Bow and javelin will own
    Törnrosa is…riiight
    Every evil foe will moan

    With my inner sight
    I will guide and scout and see
    With my inner sight
    Illumination’s soon to be
    With my inner sight
    Administration is for me
    With my inner sight
    Power Strike will hit, you’ll see!

    Let us face together
    The heat we’re heading for

    Maltatai:

    They scream and they shout
    ‘Bout the colours of their kind
    They stab and they bite
    At every foe of every kind
    And Maltatai’s right
    When he calls them funny names
    Writing over and out
    Ends the episode today

    Expect the next instalment
    Next week but not before
    The Misadventures of Diabolical Amazons - Completed.
    An Orcs Tale, a Third Age AAR - Completed.
    Reviewed by Alwyn in the Critics Quill
    My Dread Lady, a Warcraft Total War AAR - 27 chapters done.
    Home to Midgard, a Third Age AAR about two dwarves, a spy and a diplomat - Completed (pictures remade up to chapter 19).
    Reviewed by Boustrophedon in The Critics Quill

  16. #36
    Artifex
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    Default Re: [Diablo II AAR] The Misadventures of Diabolical Amazons

    Episode 4. Dessert
    Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

    Maltatai: No, no, that one goes there, that one goes there. Try now… Excellent!

    Askungen: Are you finally done?

    Maltatai: Patience is a virtue, they say… Yes, it’s ready.

    Snövit: What is that?

    Maltatai: It’s called a projector (not very original) and its function is to display pictures to the audience. It’s powered by electricity, meaning of course Telash.

    Telash: I’m in charge of the charging up of this rig, oh yeah! Charging valiantly against all power shortage issues of our time, free of charge!

    Rödluvan: Just like when I awarded him the Crescent Moon blade. Maltatai, why do we need a projector of images here and now?

    Maltatai: It’s Askungens idea.

    Snövit and Rödluvan: “glance at Askungen”

    Askungen: This is perfectly logical. Since we all have now finished our desert, you having done that long before thanks to your unjust head start, it is only fitting that I tell you about my time in the dessert. No, wait! I meant the other way around…look; just look at the white cloth wall over there.

    Maltatai: For those of you who wonder what this is about and are less than completely satisfied with the explanations so far I might add that Askungen decided that this chapter of her story should be told mainly with pictures. The reason for this is that it is customary to show pictures to your friends, and stepsisterly arch-enemies, after returning from a vacation in a warm foreign country and Act II in Aranoch, being a gigantic beach next to the sea and with a capitol filled with dubious peddlers selling substandard wares to unknowing tourists, qualifies as such a vacation.

    Askungen: Precisely! And now I declare this informative meeting in session. The topic is my first trip to the hot dessert of Aranoch!

    Maltatai: Desert.

    Askugen: How could you think of such a thing!? Should I desert and abandon my dutiful charges and grassroot movement?! Never!

    Maltatai: “Sigh” You said dessert instead of desert, as in the arid environment, again.

    Askungen: Oh, sorry… As I was about to say, the topic is my first trip to the hot…desert…of Aranoch.

    Rödluvan: “whispering” Good girl…

    Askungen: Immediately after arriving we were met by some sort of tour guide I think. He must have been waiting for some other travelling party because we hadn’t requested any tours or something like that.

    Snövit: That would be Jerhyn, the sultan and the lord of Lut Gholein. And a slimy git.

    Askungen: So I discovered. I immediately went around the town to see what it had to offer. I got myself a nice pair of shoes that were a bit too warm though…it didn’t seem too important to resist cold out here, even though the night temperature quickly drops with no water of vegetation to balance it. Aliza was not as thrilled though. She had burned her shoulders badly in the sun and on the whole thought it was much too warm. Growing up on a tropical island does have its benefits when facing these latitudes. After a proper meeting I allowed Aliza honourable discharge with full retirement benefits and let her camp in the shade until she could follow Warriv back to the homely, cold, windy, rainy cliffs of Tamoe.

    Maltatai: That was commendable. Did you find any suitable replacement?

    Askugnen: Yes, a defiant local mercenary named Kasim. He seemed pretty knowledgeable of the terrain and local wildlife, but he was grossly misinformed about the dangers that spiders pose to all of us. He seemed to think spiders were not much of an issue as long as they didn’t fall into your bed or soup!

    Maltatai: I can’t believe how anyone could be that negligent of the imminent dangers to this and all other worlds…

    Askungen: Not only that, but once we entered the towns sewers in search of the vile pollutant
    Radament, Kasim started to display a horribly blue aura! It was quite the shock. Why couldn’t he have chosen a, say, green one? I found a nice charm hidden in a pile of trash, which was handly when we later faced Rödluvans secret supporters that shot flaming arrows. The charm, not the pile of trash. If anyone wondered which one it was that became handy.



    Rödluvan: For the hopefully but probably not last time! There is no Sanctuary-wide red-blue conspiracy and certainly not involving the burning dead!

    Askungen: Then how else would you explain the fact that the red skeletons patrolling and guarding shrines of combat prowess (which for some presumably justified reason have been built in the sewers) were quickly followed by BLUE high-ranking mummies?

    Rödluvan: Perhaps by informing you of the fact that other creatures than collectively and capitalistically minded ones come in such colours. Just like the not so environmentally friendly Misshappen, in dark green!

    Askungen: Hrm, objection noted. I’ll add that to the protocol. Deep down in the third level was the pesticide himself; Radament, with the breath of a dozen forbidden chemicals! But I was smarter than he imagined.

    I opened a town portal and then ran to combat shrine I had purposely left unused! With the feeling of invincibility coursing through me I and Kasim returned through the portal, catching Radament where we had left in a small sewer cupboard! His immortal minions could not get to us in force because the narrow confines of the cupboard blocked everyone but one or two! An excellent defensible position for Kasim while I dealt with Radament!



    Maltatai: So you won. No need to shout about it like that.

    Askungen: I’ll have you know that this is normal, therefore shouting about it is acceptable, as normal things always are. Hahaa!

    Further into the sun blistered landscape there were some shady tombs home to very intriguing shrines…at least one of them. It glowed so brightly…

    Rödluvan: I know! They are just irresistible, aren’t they?

    Askungen: Kasim was less enthusiastic.

    In one of the tombs there was a cubistic piece of Horadric art. It was a glorified storage box in brown and gold. It lay in a chest between four stone pillars with braziers on top of them. Cain said that the cube was supposed to be hidden from rogue sorcerers and such but it didn’t seem very well hidden to me. Maybe it is some sort of inverted logic, like “put it in a chest in plain sight and nobody will notice it, busy as they are examining the walls for the secret storage room where the real cube is hidden since the one in the open is obviously as fake”.



    Maltatai: Could we hear something about personal development and such, perhaps?

    Askungen: What, like “all environmental activists are dreamy seekers of insubstantial personality improvements that anyone outside don’t have any chance to understand” or something?! That is a filthy stereotype!

    Maltatai: Actually I had the skill progression and tactics in mind. But you may feel free to explore your dreamy seeking as well if you really want to.

    Askungen: In your dreams. With the steady improvement of poison javelin, now augmented by the plague javelin, living enemies fell in droves. Aiming proved hard without piercing projectiles but the open spaces serves this skill well. Plague javelin is mostly useful in doorways and when surround by pollutants. It’s useful to cast a decoy to make them gather at a point but frankly I prefer to lure groups into the poison javelin trail instead.

    One place where plague javelin works well is the theme park…temple of pointy teeth. I promise, those claw vipers are dinosaurs that someone forgot to add legs to!



    Much less amusing was the palace cellars with the undead and poison using mages. Such slander and foul mockery of my trademark attacks! There was some portal too at the lowest level and it led to a space station or something with hideous lightning pillars as well as inconsequential architecture. And good places for ranged attacks.



    As said.



    Maltatai: How nice for you. Was there any substandard souvenirs that caught your eye in Lut Gholein?

    Askungen: Of course, but most were uninteresting. A charm was pretty funny when compared to my javelins… Elzix once gave me a thoroughly disgusting stack of throwing spears that I immediately wanted to throw away at enemies just to get rid of them but eventually I couldn’t bring myself to touch them.

    There was also a silly angel that a very maggoty vendor tried to sell at a discount I think. But the angel just floated upward like a balloon so it must have been made of very bad ingredients or just be very self-inflated, I thought at the time.



    Snövit: We know…

    Rödluvan: Far too well…

    Maltatai: That will be all for this evenings projected images. Now I suppose everyone will go back to bantering, making silly pranks and planning tomorrow’s festivities. Unless one might have a spare journal of another character lying around waiting to be read…

    _______________________________________________________

    The Misadventures of Diabolical Amazons - Completed.
    An Orcs Tale, a Third Age AAR - Completed.
    Reviewed by Alwyn in the Critics Quill
    My Dread Lady, a Warcraft Total War AAR - 27 chapters done.
    Home to Midgard, a Third Age AAR about two dwarves, a spy and a diplomat - Completed (pictures remade up to chapter 19).
    Reviewed by Boustrophedon in The Critics Quill

  17. #37
    Artifex
    Join Date
    Mar 2010
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    Sweden
    Posts
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    Default Re: [Diablo II AAR] The Misadventures of Diabolical Amazons

    Episode 4. Dessert (second half)
    Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

    Törnrosa: Arrived at last to the sunny town. Finally, a place worthy of being the headquarters of my soon all-encompassing dominion! After all, arid regions are surprisingly good at spawning both royal and religious powers, despite the infertility of such places. Here I can settle down. I have just the right building in mind for me.

    Obviously precursor dynasties have ruled this and probably all other regions from Lut Gholein before, manifested by the many extravagant tombs littering the area. Despite their majestic might, it seems that stray catwomen have occupied some, to the horror of the former as well as present inhabitants.



    Far less glamorous are some slimy sewers and a trail of underground tunnels dug out by overgrown…whatever environmental abomination they are. The foul maggoty leggy things were accompanied by scarabs that emitted lightning and in one case a ring of cold! It almost got me! The outrage! I impaled some of them on my new pike. Perhaps leaving them hanging on stakes along the roads will encourage the rest to bow down to their betters?

    Both the shamefully worldly tavern owner and the much more spiritual and hopefully receptacle smith had some really sharp looking items for sale. Massive gold! Should leave no spectator in doubt about who’s in charge here.



    Even Floria got some new items. Sigh! Alas, the minions of today! Ever demanding the attention of their masters and the lavish spending of rightfully looted gold. It worked surprisingly well, giving her a new magical present now and then. I still think staff management takes up too much of the time spent in this desert.

    Believe it or not…just kidding; believe it because I tell you so! Under the palace is a not remotely hidden portal to an otherworldly complex of pathways leading nowhere in particular! Quite the site for meeting foreign dignitaries and suitably impress them! It even came with a portal to the most royal valley of kings ever seen! In one of the tombs there lurked a hideously leering maggot with a constant smirk on his face. I bet he was staring right at my chest plate just to annoy me! He was obviously a grassroot agent, seeing as he dropped a highly toxic and beamingly green suit of scale mail. What an insult to hand something like that to ME!



    Maltatai: Yawn…would save time if she just wrote “been there, done that, I will rule the world for eternity bow down you underling maggots”…but it continues here, among all this cluttering pictures and scribbling in the margin…

    Törnrosa: Dear journal, my life has new purpose! This is so awesome words barely suffice! Beyond the slimy environmentalist there was a great hall and in the middle… I could not help but burst out singing as I felt his presence before rounding the corner…

    Maltatai: Indeed, there is even a note with the lyrics here! A duet I see…


    Angel of Lightning

    Floria:
    What in the world was that great maggot?
    Really you were perfect
    I only wish I knew your secret
    How do you thrash bosses?

    Törnrosa:
    Chronicles spoke of an angel
    I used to dream he’d appear
    Now as I strike I can sense him
    And I know he’s here

    Here in this room he calls me softly
    Somewhere inside that lake
    Somehow I know he’s chained at that stone
    He, the unseen genius

    Floria:
    Rosie you must have been dreaming
    Stories like that can’t be true
    Rosie you’re talking in riddles
    And it’s quite like youuuu

    “Törnrosa and Floria get’s close enough for Tyrael to become visible”

    Törnrosa:
    AAANGEL OF LIGHTNING, GUIDE AND GUARDIAN!
    GRAAANT TO ME YOUR GLORY!
    ANGEL OF MUSIC, HIDE NO LONGER!
    SAVE ME FROM HER NICKNAMES!

    He’s with me almost now

    Floria:
    That bridge looks old

    Törnrosa:
    Chains all around

    Those wings, oh my, they’re white

    Enlightens me

    Floria:
    Struck like lightning



    Törnrosa: The wonderful angel enlightened me about a great many things, from the divine lore to the threat posed by a group of miscreants in amazons clothing! Apparently an unholy triumvirate of anti-heavenly delinquents is about to unite, posing a serious threat to the pure guidance given to the peasants by the deserving caste. Obviously these three are the true Prime Evils of our time. Demon brothers are yesterday’s main concern. I mean, demons serve a purpose at least by keeping the populace in line and in check by fear, for which the illuminated heavenly aid is the only relief.

    The wondrous celestial being instructed me to travel to Kurast and catch up with the last member of the unholy union. Only by stopping her can the rest of his masterful plan be set in motion properly. And then we shall rule Sanctuary as God-king and Queen-god, guiding it to a future more enlightened that ever! Bow before the higher powers! Bow to the light!



    Maltatai: Amazon UNION!?!? Of those three!? Triumvirate? Bwahahahaaahahahaha!!! Over and outahahahaha!
    The Misadventures of Diabolical Amazons - Completed.
    An Orcs Tale, a Third Age AAR - Completed.
    Reviewed by Alwyn in the Critics Quill
    My Dread Lady, a Warcraft Total War AAR - 27 chapters done.
    Home to Midgard, a Third Age AAR about two dwarves, a spy and a diplomat - Completed (pictures remade up to chapter 19).
    Reviewed by Boustrophedon in The Critics Quill

  18. #38
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    Default Re: [Diablo II AAR] The Misadventures of Diabolical Amazons

    Episode 5. Leafy Vegetables
    Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

    Maltatai: It has crossed my mind that so far all episodes have begun with the retelling of Askungens comings and throwings. In the interest of democratic equality this episode shall start with selected sections of the Enlightened Scroll, the holy…well, the gathered writings of Törnrosa and associated elements, of yet undetermined holiness.

    Törnrosa: After the grand and glorious wandering through the desert the chosen followers and agents of Heaven crossed the stormy sea. There in the east they would find answers they sought, and perhaps salvation.

    Maltatai: Getting quite a bit melodramatic here… Is it the recently found co-deity or has she read the script for the Diablo I epilogue too much?

    Törnrosa: Alas, the evil minions of darkness had anticipated the coming of the divine one and scattered a multitude of horrible snakes across the whole continent! Walking through the forest of doom she feared not for the Light itself was with her...and Floria was scouting ahead and stomped the ground very hard to scare the snakes away.

    And the champion of light shall glance at the ground and behold! There shall lay a mightily suitable ring dropped from one of the many minions of environmental activists. And she (champion of light) shall let out a triumphant exclamation that this ring shall rule all attack rating setups, let her find all weak spots of the enemy and hit them, bring her and the most holy archangel closer and possibly bonded. And she shall compose a short verse beginning with "One ring to rule them all, one ring to..." and then realise it is a cheesy thing to do and drop the idea.



    Maltatai: Reading through...and what's this? "The coming of the obnoxious valkyrie"?

    Törnrosa: And Div. (short for divine, like zakarumites have been known to put "St." before their names as a sign of religious saintly significance) Törnrosa raised her spear and called out "Oh light, bless this thy amazon on that she may stab thy enemy into tiny bits, in thy mercy." And the heavens smiled, and the righteous ones feasted on cloud stalkers, and bananas, and doom apes, and soul killer brains, and breakfast cereal, and... skipped many lines to be able to ask for guidance on how to summon mighty aid more quickly. And the light spake, saying "First shall thou raise thy spear three times. No more, no less. Three shall be the number thou shall count, and the number of the counting shall be three. Neither shall thou count to four, nor two, except in order to continue to three. Five is totally wrong. Once the number three, being the third number, hast been counted, then pointedst thou thy spear onto thy enemy and summon the valkyrie upon him, who, having been naughty in my sight, dare snuff it".

    And Div. Törnrosa raised her spear and chanted "One, two...FIVE!" And the smartass helper Floria added "Three!" and Div. Törnrosa corrected herself shouting "Three!" and there was a long casting animation and Div. Törnrosa grew impatient and called out for the tardy valkyrie in an utterly Barbaric northern tongue from lands where valkyries presumably where firmly rooted before amazons joined their crowd.

    "Petronella! Petronella! Precis som om jag inte ringde alls. Hur kan hon lämna en stackars sjuk människa på detta vis, mol allena? Sicket elände. Hon låter mig sitta här och dö. Petronella!

    "Frun ropade."

    "Ja! Skynda dig!"

    "Jag kommer!"

    "Sätt fart på påkarna, snigelpiga"!

    "Jag kommer!"

    "Skynda dig, skynda dig, skynda dig!"

    "Snälla frun jäkta mig inte jag skyndar mig faktiskt så mycket jag kan!"

    "Bråka inte så mycket din lergolem utan kom hit!"

    "Ja, ja JAG KOMMER! OAH AH AH AAAH!"

    "Åh, va är det nu då?"

    "Frun jäktade mig så jag slog huvet i dörröppningen! Jag fick en stor bula i pannan! Titta!"

    "I gengäld..."

    "AAAAOOOH!"

    "I gengäld har hon låtit mig sitta här och vänta i 30 nivåer så skrik inte!"

    "AAJ mitt huvud! Bulan värker!"

    "Tyst med dig ditt våp så jag får skälla ut dig ordentligt!"

    "Frun är allt bra grym. Jag som har slagit mig så förfärligt."

    "Åh, lägg ned! Så mycket liv som valkyrier har kan du knappt ha känt det!"



    Maltatai: And here is an English translation. How convenient.

    "Petronella!" Hello? Hello? Petronella! Just as if didn't called at all. How can she leave a poor sick human like this, all alone? Alas. She's letting me just sit here and deed. Petronella!

    "My lady called?"

    "Yes, hurry!"

    "I'm coming!"

    "Yes! Move it, slugmaiden!"

    "I'm coming!"

    "Hurry up, hurry up, hurry up!"

    "Please my lady don't rush me I'm really hurrying as much as I can!"

    "Don't argue so much you clay golem but get down here!"

    "Yes, yes I'M COMING! OAH AH AH AAAH!"

    "Oh, what is it now then?"

    "My lady rushed me so much that I bumped into the archway! I got a large bruise on my forehead! Look!"

    "In return..."

    "AAAAOOOH!"

    "In return you have let me sit here waiting for 30 levels so don't shout about it!"

    "AAOH my head! The bruise is aching!"

    "Oh be quiet you whiner so I can chew you out properly!"

    "My lady is really a cruel one. I, who have hurt myself so terribly."

    "Oh, cut it out! With all the hit points you have you would hardly have felt it!"

    Törnrosa: Hindered by the cheekiness of the newest member the lighteous and righteous chosen ones penetrated deeply into the very heart of the jungle. Which curiously enough was a city. Here were some old relics here and there but they resisted such temptation and nobly strode on through the stony architecture that seemed constructed by stoned Zakarumite heathens without the stones to actually go out and use their silly buildings on anything, as Hratli would put it.

    Maltatai: Here it seems to be VERY scribbled and filled with curse words and insults. There is even a picture of a crudely drawn girl with leaves as clothing and pierced by lightning bolts, dropping her head at an awkward moment. Hmm... Let's look further and see if we can gain some insight into the reason for these outbursts... Ah, of course, here is the problem. Askungen got away.



    Maltatai: That's it for today's book club incitement and general cultural learnings of Sanctuary for make benefit glorious nation of Single Player Forum. Now time for Askungens views on the Kurast trip. Being so green and natural, one would of course expect her to be overflowing with enthusiasm over the fantastic lush forests and blossoming biotope that the Eastern jungles are. But...no? Let's listen in and overhear the discussion over there (tried and tested tactic both on land and at sea...).

    ___________________________________________________________


    Askungen: Slimy, slippery eewy forest! It has spiders everywhere! When they are not visible they hide behind the trees and under the rocks. They bide their time and when we least expect it they will come out and spin us all into a horrible, world-encompassing web of eternal doom and...

    Snövit: And bedtime! Sweet dreams everyone and hope you enjoyed this fairytale.

    Askungen: It's true! There are countless spiders in Kurast, waiting for the opportunity! I've seen them! Dozens, at least! They are all over the huge Spider Forest, that is obviously the dreadful vanguard of the forces of darkness, as it lay closest to the docks and the last spider-free bastion. Soon they will try to establish a colony here on the Amazon islands and infiltrate our bedrooms! They even chased Asheara and her demons out of the jungle!

    Snövit: Asheara and her demons???

    Askungen: Yeah...she said she led the demons for months.

    Snövit: Perhaps more like led them to the town so the people would feel the need to hire expensive mercenaries to feel safe?

    Askungen: She couldn't...that, that, SPIDER QUEEN!

    Snövit: Maybe she had something to do with the overly pessimistic spider phobia.

    Askungen: Nuh-uh! I am totally right, they are just lying in wait there, for us to make a mistake!

    Snövit: The operative words being "just lying there".

    Askungen: Just wait until we wake up trapped in webs!

    Snövit: Then we will know Rödluvan has had another of her oh so brilliant ideas for a prank.

    Askungen: Ignorant bowazon! The spiders of Kurast even have temples with a caste of mages and insect servants! They have hidden caches of supplies and they are so powerful they don't even have to hide them but can give them stupid obvious names like the "Spider Cavern".



    Chief among them was Szzark the Burning or something. He was probably teamed up with Snark the Freezing or something.

    I countered with burning assistance of my own. The obnoxious Kasim having failed to take the spider threat seriously, I hired the mage Scorch. He did not have a cheesy name for a fire mage.

    Snövit: ...

    Askungen: A ranged hireling was actually much better suited to my tactics. Since poison javelins depend on hitting and then hiding you don't want a meleeing moron like a town guard to rush into the fray instead of retreating sensibly.

    Snövit: I quite agree.

    Askungen: I made some great personal development gains in the jungle. I found rings with mana leeching and life leeching and before you say anything they did not make me a leech. The exceptionally well dressed Cathan was nowhere to be seen so I sold her stylish attire that I had found.

    Even Ormus actually managed to give a useful ring despite his assertions of opposite intent. And suddenly, later, the first of many valkyries stepped onto the scene! My tank, my own, my precioussss... Ahem, where was I? Near the city itself, which was guarded by one of these elitist snobs who wishes to rule on their own and calls everyone else an uneducated mob member. You probably know who I mean.



    The city of Kurast had this weird defence mechanism over the moats that caused my poison clouds to dissapear. Very odd. Even odder was that no defenders took advantage of these invisible shields or whatever. They hid instead in the temples of doom where all inhabitants where more cursed the higher up in the hierarchy they got. Obviously that proves the superiority of a decentralised form of government.

    Snövit: Or a liberal society with very little state power.

    Askungen: Absolutely not, that will end up in a perverse capitalistic monopoly, tapping into the veins of hard procedural work that is the lifeblood of the society!

    Snövit: Just like the wand of lifetap you just had bought?

    Askungen: No, not like that at all.

    Snövit: The rest of us travelled through the jungle in pursuit of the fleeing Prime Evils. It would be interesting to hear something about your motivations. What was the main objective in Kurast?

    Askungen: To deal with the severe environmental problems, obviously. There was a completely scandalous level of pollution in the mighty Argentek river and the chaotic fauna and flora had obviously been exposed to vile industrial toxins.

    Snövit: Industrial?

    Askungen: The same. Things like coal and steel unions (ok, those were very good) and OIL! The oil pollution had gone on for quite some time and when I arrived people even threw whole oil cans into the sewer! It was totally grossly appalling! The culprit was none other than Mephisto and I searched him out and wreaked great vengeance upon him. Sending him home to hell. Hmm...



    It then struck me that I should probably follow and make sure no capitalistic devils of hell started using the portal as a means to dump toxic waste in our world.



    Maltatai: Time to get the hell out of the jungle and go to hell in other words. Over and out.

    The Misadventures of Diabolical Amazons - Completed.
    An Orcs Tale, a Third Age AAR - Completed.
    Reviewed by Alwyn in the Critics Quill
    My Dread Lady, a Warcraft Total War AAR - 27 chapters done.
    Home to Midgard, a Third Age AAR about two dwarves, a spy and a diplomat - Completed (pictures remade up to chapter 19).
    Reviewed by Boustrophedon in The Critics Quill

  19. #39
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    Default Re: [Diablo II AAR] The Misadventures of Diabolical Amazons

    Rödluvan versus Snövit

    YOU are welcome-to-my-red-hood-where-the-red-blood-from-the-Langer-Briser-will-flow
    Best feel lucky cause this treacherous little ***** isn't slow
    I mop the floor with the life- and mana-drained-out foes i my way
    I seduce 'bout half of Sanctuary I wield da magic of fey!

    Hey sit down you very LITTLE girl and hear your grand matron tell ya
    Time to end the facade and own up to your shortcomings oh hell yah!
    You have the weeny little matchsticks known as exploding arrows
    I got the prince, XP and skills so scary Ultralisks burrow

    What is one salty fruit when the world is my buffet, I'll even lend a potion for you to wash it down if you pray
    Your fancy ice looks good on paper but when true evil lurks
    You can afford but half a dozen and then you both look like jerks
    You snooty auntie Scrooge, call me a scarlet harlot of this and every vicinity
    But get some action of your own, don't live through others unto infinity!

    And I'm one to live through others, comes from the very same
    Who spent an ocean voyage listening by my door, that was lame!
    Your jealousy is greener than your charged up venom skill
    And you wanna give to everyone but I'll pay the bill
    I humiliate ancients with no need of potions before breakfast is due
    And by night with my Meshif I'm even hotter than you!


    WHO WON? WHO'S NEXT? YOU DECIDE.
    Last edited by Maltacus; December 03, 2017 at 04:59 AM.
    The Misadventures of Diabolical Amazons - Completed.
    An Orcs Tale, a Third Age AAR - Completed.
    Reviewed by Alwyn in the Critics Quill
    My Dread Lady, a Warcraft Total War AAR - 27 chapters done.
    Home to Midgard, a Third Age AAR about two dwarves, a spy and a diplomat - Completed (pictures remade up to chapter 19).
    Reviewed by Boustrophedon in The Critics Quill

  20. #40
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    Default Re: [Diablo II AAR] The Misadventures of Diabolical Amazons

    Episode 6. Garlic Mustard
    Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

    Floria: Dear journal, please stay safe back there in camp and hope you never get sneakily read by some bad people who reads other peoples journals. Those are really stupid and should be thrown into great tanks of garlic mustard. For those of that category who don't think there exist such a thing as garlic mustard I can tell you it does. I invented it. So now you know that, spying bad people, and will never dare to read someone elses private writings again. Fear the garlic mustard!

    Maltatai: What the he...is this some kind of joke? Does anybody see Rödluvan hiding in a shrubbery nearby?

    Floria: Dear journal, much has happened since I wrote last time. I am now employed by this flashy Amazon woman called Törnrosa. She's so awesome! She also has a valkyrie that appears all the time called Petronella who is really funny. Törnrosa is very stubborn and headstrong even to the point that she headbutts enemies from time to time to prove a point. The point being of course the point of her spears but still cool. We have swept through Aranoch and the jungles of Kurast battling terrible demons and discovering old awesome relics. We've also battled slightly less terrible snakes that I have scared away by stomping the ground because Törnrosa is afraid of snakes.

    We then went to hell because a fallen Amazon is rallying her minions there according to Törnrosa. She says that the fallen Amazon shoots poison projectiles at her enemy which sounds like Andariel. But if it is a fallen Amazon I wonder if she says "Rakanishu!" all the time and hammers in the air with a very small mallet. Tö rnrosa went first and leaped right at the angel guy who was waiting in this hell that had a fireplace and clean marble floors, sculpted archways and further away local shops. I must say that I didn't find it as scary as most of Kashyas stories about hell. The rest of the place was much worse, though. It was dark and dusty and filled with boring big monsters that took an eternity to shoot down because they were resistant to fire. There was one thing that looked funny and had a head with horns and a grinning mouth sculpted. There was a tongue hanging out of the mouth with a sign under saying "pull here". Törnrosa forbade me to try it. She can be so dull but I suppose it's just her protective leader side.

    Later during our wanderings we found a great wooden charm. I wonder why it hadn't burned up in the heated burning river climate but in any case it was intact and gave the wearer great lightning resistance. Törnrosa adored it for the stylish patterns. We later found a sort of abandoned jewelry shop which had a very nice little mixed collection of gems and a rarely seen normal rune. The stones were pretty I suppose but someone should stick them in a necklace or something instead of leaving them unused here on the ground. It is so...unfinished. And probably irresponsible.

    Since the evilsies were of an unmeasured number but most probable two or three, Törnrosa decided that we should have a holy ambush set up and fall upon the heathen enemy when they were passing a bridge here in the river. I wondered for a moment why she was so sure that the evilsies would be wanting to pass this bridge because Hell in general is like this sort of place you want to avoid. I was sure Törnrosa had a smart reason because she always seem smart and enlightened and wise.



    Törnrosa found a Shael rune at one point which is pretty uncommon in these parts of the world they say, so maybe there's something to this blessed by divine angel powers thing. Tyrael doesn't do much back in the fortress, he mainly hover on the spot but who knows what goes on when I'm asleep? Note to self: perhaps I should start eavesdropping? Anyways, Törnrosa used the rune to craft a superb shield from a socketed tower shield. It is a runeword called "Shaeleth", which is apparently Norse for "Rhyme" so I made up some rhymes. Petronella quickly caught on. Törnrosa was professional as always and urged everyone to stay focused but that was rather hard at the moment.

    "Striking spear, making point, government not to be joint"

    "Administration is eternal, ghosts and ghouls are quite nocturnal, javazons will always spurn all, candidates that don't hit sternal"

    Eventually no evilsies appeared from the human plane. They must have gone into hell in another way or through another route. It is after all pretty common for people to be told to go to hell when you think about it so I wouldn't be surprised if there were many ways to get in here. It would get sort of cluttered otherwise. Like the Rogue Pass before the summer markets. But without so many wagons. I don't think anyone brought their wagon along with them to hell. Gheed probably will, though. He will need two wagons to contain all his counterfeit fake coins.

    Our group continued from the anticlimactical bridge and plunged deeply into the most chaotic hell parts, which happened to be a symmetricallly shaped long hall... There were then some corridors in various directions which by all means were a little different in size and shape but honestly I had expected it to be slightly more deserving of the name "Chaos Sanctuary". There were dozens of nasty demons and dumb knights guarding it, commanded by oblivious knights. After we had crushed them all there was a loud rumbling of the earth and we braced ourselves to face the evil fallen Amazons but instead came a gigantic red demon with spikes and claws! It was horrible and I was overcome with dread thinking that surely every hireling would be doomed when this monster appears.

    Maltatai: She does have a point. The Lord of Terror is quite the terror for hirelings facing him the first time.

    Floria: Törnrosa shouted that I should roll to the side which I did, sort of. There was a rock on the floor and I tripped over it. When I got up I saw the huge red thind slashing with his claws at Törnrosa but she just stood there and blocked and stabbed back with lightning flashing out from her spear point. Petronella had been unsummoned at the moment when the demons fire burned away her connection. Törnrosa didn't seem to need her help though. It was so incredible. I first thought that I should take cover behind the stone and snipe at the demon but then I remembered that 1: the stone was too small, 2: the demon was so large it could see over it anyway and 3: that the stone wouldn't protect against the fire and the lightning red breath that it breathed out. But none of it could make Törnrosa flinch. We just returned to the Pandemonium Fortress once to restock the supply of potions but even that went well because she charged right at the demon when we got back and occupied all its attention.



    It took many minutes and the she managed to hit the red stone on its forehead. Then there was such a flash that I had to turn my head away. It seemed to short-circuit the creature because it underwent some sort of special light effect and then collapsed in a collapsed husk kind of way. I mean the flash and stone-hitting, not me turning away from it. But that would have been useful, making adversaries dissapear just by turning away from them. Just like when politicians try to solve all problems too complicated to be summed up in a one sentence debate slogan...



    Hell has been very scary but I think I will be safe. I have the best employer ever to hide behind if that should be necessary. Stay safe you too, journal and remember to call for the garlic mustard if that time comes.

    ________________________________________________________________________


    Maltatai: Askungen will now continue her tale which ended with her going to hell and now begins with telling her mercenary hireling to go to hell.

    Askungen: You would have done the same I assure you! Scorch was just a big piece of pesticides! He would have us all burn down the jungle completely even now after Mephisto was gone and the nature could return to normal. He is an industrial idiot and a pollution plant propaganda pain in the worlds *** (which is Kurast the spider filled place)!

    Maltatai: Totally unacceptable I understand.

    Askungen: So instead I hired the cold mage Vanji. I thought he would be more balanced and calm and also be effective against the hellish minions of hell.

    Maltatai: And was he?

    Askungen: Quite effective but not a vast improvement as travelling company. He was as cold as the spells he fling! Like NO sense of compassion for the environment and all the innocent creatures being slain at the hands of invading demons and corrupted churchgoers!

    Just as an example, I had acquired a nice acrobatic amulet and wanted to try it out. So I dropped my weapons and sprinted along the ground in the yard of the Pandemonium Fortress. The idea was to jump and do a spectacular spinning series of ways to fly through the air but I made a minor miscalculations so it didn't work as intended.

    Maltatai: What is the meaning of "minor miscalculation"?

    Askungen: I didn't count with Jamellas bookstore being right where it was. It really got in the way.

    Maltatai: Naughty, naughty bookstore roofs. You can't trust any of them these days it seems.

    Askungen: ...

    Maltatai: Please continue. I hope Jamella wasn't angry.

    Askungen: No, she actually healed me from the hurting head and the sprained ankle I got. But then, that's sort of her thing. She's very patient. I wonder if she even can get angry. But then Vanji just sneered and scoffed and said "I know that that's your idea of agility but until you acquire more balance than a disfiguered cow wielding an overgrown halberd I suggest you keep your clumsy feet on the ground". I was so baffled and embarrased that I couldn't think of any answer and just headed right for the doorway out.

    Maltatai: That was really rude. Even if such an amulet is primarily useful for dodging on ground leve it is no reason to press the point in the manner of a television singing contest show judge.

    Askungen: Quite right...what?

    Maltatai: Ah, just something that should never have been spawned from the dark abysses. Every world has its share. Imagine the butcher, the smith and Andariel sitting behind a desk spitting out snide remarks about performing peoples performances all day. Utter crap as entertainment and utterly useless.

    Askungen: Speaking of smiths, I met one at the hellforge - who would have thought! - and he had the aura of a town guard of Lut Gholein that has travelled too long with an icy main character. Odd, isn't it?



    Maltatai: Perhaps it was an elaborate plot to entice unrest by pitting javazons and bowazons against each other?

    Askungen: You think so?

    Maltatai: ...

    Askungen: Of course! I can see it now! Thanks Maltatai, that really explains it all!

    Maltatai: Not that I mind such words from a protagonist (has it ever happened before?) but what explains what?

    Askungen: It is all a plot to create mistrust in our grassroot community. And that's why Diablo dropped such worthless junk, mostly.

    Maltatai: That was sort of a joke...hrm, nevermind, what did Diablo drop? But maybe you should start from the beginning of the hellish adventures.

    Askungen: Fine, fine. "Ahem". Once upon a time there lived a hard-working red devil in a harmoniously chaotic sanctuary. The devil had just gotten home and was strething his legs on the sofa on the lower floor that was accesible only through the star shaped lift in the middle of the entrance and ballroom hall. It had been a long lifetimes-long exile in Sanctuary but now it was finally over and just the paperwork remained. But that could wait until the next monday. The news hellevision programme was filled with useless junk news stories, like that of the Bverrit Keep shield being lost to invaders, as if anyone cared about it. The devil yawned and went to bed.

    The next morning a lesser demon barged in right after the breakfast and disturbed the moment with excessively more disturbing news. The Hellforge itself had been breached and the culprits had gotten away with smashing his brothers soulstone, yielding an outrageously useful and stylish drop of gems. With a sigh, the red devil summoned his three top captains of disturbing demon packs to stand by to defend the lift operating seals should the chaos spread to the Chaos Sanctuary, a not totally insane idea. The midday passed with little in the way of new events and entertaiment except the security gargoyles going black one by one. The red devil was just about to call for Lord de Seis and ask what the the current location was going on when the lift activated. With a huge sigh the red devil inhaled a lot of poisoned air to fuel his lightning breath of hideous hireling-slaying.

    Before him danced a green Amazon between the firestorms while hurling great spears with a cloud of spinach smoke trailing them. Being hit by them was like downing a mouthful of vegetable goo every second. The red devil charged ahead furiously as the Amazon took cover in one of the passages that were somewhat too small to walk in comfortably. Then she came forth again and hurled a new spear. The annoying tactic repeated itself until the red devil cunningly retreated away and forced the antagonist out. The he suddenly switched to targeting the sneering and snorting cold mage dressed in red who fell in half a second, being half the man as the melee hireling, the red devil thought.

    When he looked around, the Amazon was gone through a portal. She probably went to restock potion supplies, the red devil thought. If she beats me, unlikely as it is, I still want some measure of revenge. I will take the time to pick up those spare bows and crossbows I have stored and also take a set of weak and useless spears as a further mockery. Then the evil stepsisters that the javelin using Amazon no doubt has will taunt her because she isn't using bows like them. BwahaHAHAHAHAAAHAHA!

    True enough, when the Amazon returned along with the undeserving hired mage she had still gracefully had ressurected by the outrageously expensive angel she found the most insulting drop imaginable when she had tanked the red devil and kept him occupied so that her minions were safer and thus bested him.



    Maltatai: So you received two excptional rares from normal Diablo, which is quite extraordinary...and they both turned out to be bows. Let's hope Rödluvan and Snövit don't find out about this.

    Snövit: Find out about what?

    Askungen: Nothing, nothing, just, uh, the embarrasing state of Maltatais grammar and such. Boring and uninteresting. Move along, move along... Maltatai you fool! This is your fault!

    Maltatai: What?

    Askungen: Don't you know that as soon as you wish strongly enough, especially when you speak it out loud, that someone won't find out about something, they inevitably do!

    Maltatai: That's absurd.

    Askungen: It still always happen! Here, I'll prove it to you!

    Maltatai: Wait, isn't it...

    Askungen: Snövit, tell me, are you aware of the fact that Diablo had the enormously bad taste of dropping the outrageous sum of three bows, two of the exceptional, while only one minor javelin, when I destroyed him?

    Snövit: Not until you told me right now, no.

    Askungen: There you see...WHAT?!

    Maltatai: I actually tried to caution you about just telling anyone about that just to prove the point...

    Askungen: Still, I proved to be right.

    Maltatai: WHAT?!

    Askungen: You wished out loud that Snövit or Rödluvan would not find out about Diablos insulting bow drop and now Snövit is aware of it. Point proven.

    Maltatai: But that was because you told her about it!

    Askungen: Still proves the point. You wished out loud and shortly after she knows.
    Maltatai: Causative links, anyone?! This is the absurdest...over and out!

    Snövit: So Diablo actually gave you no less than three times as much rare bows as javelins? And the majority of them one category better also? THIS sounds like an interesting story, just let me fetch Rödluvan so we can hear it too...
    The Misadventures of Diabolical Amazons - Completed.
    An Orcs Tale, a Third Age AAR - Completed.
    Reviewed by Alwyn in the Critics Quill
    My Dread Lady, a Warcraft Total War AAR - 27 chapters done.
    Home to Midgard, a Third Age AAR about two dwarves, a spy and a diplomat - Completed (pictures remade up to chapter 19).
    Reviewed by Boustrophedon in The Critics Quill

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