Never my people and never my god (quoted by Arylos)

I recently realised something... well, funny for the lack of a better word. In this post, I should have thrown in this song below instead of the Ciri fight scene (and together with it, two vids of Geralt).

Now don't get me wrong. The only reason why I made... well, the wrong reason was that I chose to bind myself under a knight's oath like some bastard son of Gawain. So no, it got nothing to do with liberals and feminism. I have Facebook when it comes to airing the more serious stuff, but definitely not this blog. Hence, there's no need to disturb AWARE over this. In fact, I tend to judge songs based on the tune and the relevance of the lyrics to the related plot. That's all. Which is why I don't base my preference on genre and names.

At this point in time, by upping the video, it means I have officially broken my oath. Or released from it. Or whatever. Since this post about OmuRice, I might as well up this image for fun.

Note: Will we see the likes of Park "definitely a better Choi-Park than the previous Choi-Park" Shin-hye and Aragaki "#TeamGaki but not this #TeamGaki" Yui for the next campaign?

[http://forgottenrealms.wikia.com/wiki/Kara-Tur]

Before I start...

Since I've decided to do some writeup on whatever gameplay ideas in my head, I might as well up the image above here. This part will be really brief, though.

Rolling the D20:

In pen and paper, you live and die by the D20. Or whatever you wanna call a 20 sided die. In combat, encounter powers will be executed on a random basis per every 20 seconds with each such power having its own cooldown period. What this means is that any encounter power can be used. However, which one will be triggered depends on the rng. In other words, every encounter power is usable. Which in turn results in the power tray interface becoming redundant. When it comes to the random execution rule, standard attacks and at-will powers will not be affected (i.e. you can pull them off as many times you want without the rng and cooldown).

During combat, two dice will be in play. The first die is called the hit die. The number rolled is an indication of how much damage is dealt. If the die score is 20, then it's counted as a critical hit. A critical hit deals twice the maximum damage possible. Why I say "maximum damage possible" instead of just "maximum damage" is because of AC. Armor class is a universal right given to characters, allies and enemies. This universal right indicates damage resistance. While the most common source of armor class is the gear, other sources of AC are also available in the form of feats, powers, and consumables. However, it must also be noted that the hit die also applies to buffs and heals. In this case, only the die score counts.

For daily powers, they can only be triggered once the character's hit points drop below 50%. For every such moment in combat, a daily power will be triggered. Like encounter powers, each daily power will have its own cooldown period.

The second die in play is the save die. This indicates three types of saves: Fortitude, Will, and Reflex. Fortitude affects the duration of any debuff from physical sources while Will saves affect debuff effects from magical sources. As for Reflex saves, they affect damage taken from area attacks.

Note: I need to sit down and brainstorm the part on spell preparation and how to incorporate magic usage into the above combat system.

I might have discovered the... well, magic formula

Definitely not literally because I don't believe in magic when it comes to real life (let alone things like tarot cards and ouija boards). In fact, I won't be surprised if my gaming design ideas above will have to be shelved for a reason. I'm not going to tell you the reason, but let's just say the possibility is very real. I do have an individualistic streak (albeit a tempered one), but it doesn't mean I don't have a brain. In fact, I have to admit doing my own stuff is a better option as I can have the total say on what to add and what not to put in.

Enough about the digressing. Let's get back to the tactical formula. Ever tried pairing Aspect of the pack with Twin-Blade Storm if you're running the game as a combat stormwarden? Recently, I discovered that this may well be the best combination. More specifically my ideal combination. To make this work, however, I need to do one thing. And that to get the correct roll where the off-hand artifact weapon is concerned. As it turned out, it's Aspect of the Pack. There's no point rolling for a Twin-Blade Storm since it would create an imbalance between single-target dps and multi-target dps.

Now, all that is needed is to get the main hand pioneer weapon since I already got the off-hand one.

Which now comes to...

...the fact that pairing the off-hand pioneer with the main hand aboleth might just be the revelation of the moment for me. Originally, I assumed the damage caused by the aboleth set bonus should result in a higher overall damage. Then I decided to experiment like an Edison. Surprisingly, the damage was actually better. To test this out, I need to test-run it via a raiding instance. It cannot be too easy, though. So Master of the Hunt and Dread Legion were out of the equation. The best way to test-run this was Merchant Prince's Folly since it's the hardest non-epic raid available in-game. Suffice to say, the experiment was proven a success. For whatever reason since there's no set bonus in play.

So what might be the kingmaker factor here? Aboleth set bonus triggers a 4% damage bonus upon proc. Going by the power maths, that should be like +1600 power (i.e. 400 power=1% bonus damage). So to make sense out of the apparent anomaly, the only stats which can make difference should be power and crit. Coupled with the fact that Arylos' raiding loadout includes Skirmisher's Gambit at rank 5, it means an effective power-crit synergy numbers wise was quite likely the reason. If not, then how would such an otherwise half-baked combination rack up enough damage to overcome the so-called 1600 power bonus? Also, it must be stated that before doing the gear switch, I made sure the off-hand pioneer weapon was already upped to epic.

Imagine what may happen once I get the main hand pioneer weapon. And by that, I mean also upping it to epic.

Note: Right now, my immediate aim is to up the main hand pioneer to epic with the off-hand maxed out at legendary. This is because only the off-hand weapon damage is accounted for when it comes to melee damage. Any off-hand weapon for the HR is definitely much lower than that of the main-hand. Using a combat HR is still fun, though. At least you know the importance of using buffs/debuffs/both together with the dps end. Definitely not a hdps build, but decent enough to run raids like Tomb of the Nine Gods and epic Spellplague due to more reliance on dps buffing while trying to keep everyone alive. Just use Oak Skin. No melee HR can ever survive without that.

Add note: For some funny reason, the off-hand pioneer weapon(s) resembles(?) Kanshou and Bakuya.

Correct progression?

Right now, I need to do two things: Get the full pioneer set and qualifying myself for the tier 1 Omu hunts. Initially, I was hesitant in going solo against 1-star hunts due to pragmatism. That plus the rng for the better loot isn't exactly the BFF of... well, 99% of the instance server population. Thanks to whoever at the NWO blog, I decided that it's time for me to start burning the life scrolls because I deemed them surplus anyway. At this point in time, I'm planning 4 hunting trips. One at Soshenstar (i.e. Spli-Ti) and three at Omu.

Unlike what is written on the blog, my personal preference lies in getting the pioneer set first. Afterwards, it's 1-star hunt and middle path progression. While the pioneer set is inferior to the primal weapons obtainable in Cradle of the Marshmallow Dude. When it comes to dps, I'm pretty sure pioneer set trumps the lower level sets (not sure of this if we're to compare it to the relic set due to a 10% damage jump that is equivalent to 4000 power). Either way, pioneer set should be a decent option until you get the primal version. If we're to see this from a 5 member raid, it means you're effectively given 1000 power bonus (together with 1000 increase in armor penetration, crit, and recovery). While not the most ideal for the dps (or in Grazilaxx's own words, this is sub-optimal), it should be quite okay for hybrid dps builds like any combat HR, scoundrel TR, and oppressor CW.

Unless something happens, I'll most likely be running Fane of the Night Serpent only after I obtain the gloves and body armor gear from Makos' weapon store (because that's what it exactly is). Not to mention all the boons as well.

Which boons to get?

Right now, I put 3 points into Overgrown and 1 point into Impenetrable Jungle for open world. This is to create a balance between multi-target and single target boss fights. The problem with the final Chult boons is that any dps boon is quite literally a multi-target boon. Which makes single target fights a bit tricky. Then again, duelling isn't exactly the hardest part of the game. At this point in time, I'm sticking with Aspect of the Pack and Twin-Blade Storm. Basically the same stuff as the raiding loadout. At the same time, running solo with a cat means you're effectively fighting solo instead of the standard leader/defender/striker/controller format. Since I've invested so much into getting a legendary cat, I might as well stick with that legendary critter all the way. To make Impenetrable Jungle worth the point, I opted for Aberrant Power to pull off a boon stack. By now, it should be clear for all to see that boons are never meant to operate on a standalone basis. Rather, an effective boon synergy is the difference between a shrewd player and a... well, n00b. This is also the reason why I opted for another boon stack in the form of Frozen Reflection and Fey Thistle when it comes to open world.

Unless something crops up, my plan for the Consecrated Harrier loadout (i.e. open world loadout) should be a maxed out Overgrown and a maxed out Fight Not Flight. This is to maximize the efficiency of the Impenetrable-Aberrant and Frozen-Fey synergies respectively. Wait, the whole sentence sounds weird... okay, never mind that paranoia of mine.

For Sword of Kelemvor (i.e. raiding loadout), currently it's 1 point each for Tyrant's Terror, Shamanic Grace, and Overgrown with Soul Syphon as the final boon (note: this boon should be the BFF of every mid-dps build due chances of high AoE damage dealt in any high-end raid. Lingering Curse for hdps imo). Upon doing all the Omu boons, it should look like a maxed out Tyrant's Terror, rank 1 Shamanic Grace, and rank 2 Overgrown. This is to create a balance between survival value and dps value. And trust me when I say the HR has the worst press-Shift game. Like ever. Note that Shamanic Grace does give the highest HP out of all the boons in-game, not just in Chult. Coupled with Oak Skin increasing the defense, it means a better overall defensive game. Hopefully, that is.

For the final boon point, I'm of two minds in one spot. On one hand, putting 2 points in any final boon reads like less of a common sense choice than throwing 3 points into the final Tyranny of Dragons boon of your choice. The increment number wise doesn't look good at all. Mediocre should be the correct word if you're to ask me. For Consecrated Harrier, I'd say Soul Syphon. For Sword of Kelemvor, it's a 50-50 between Death's Blessing and Lingering Curse. See what I mean when I say two minds in one spot?

The correct order of questing?

For those still with mid-tier gear (i.e. any gear with level of 440 to 460), it's advisable/compulsory to get your ideal Makos/Eku gear. My recommendation is very simple: For defensive gear, go with Eku. For dps gear, go with Makos. In particular, the gloves and body armor you get from Makos' stash do pack a punch in the dps dept, be it effect or stats. The boots are good for the stand-and-dps artillery approach. For Eku, the only gear of note would be the Boots of Drafting for the dps end. The reason why being that so long you're not the slowest person in the group, you get to run faster like a Korean running man. Compared to the boots from Makos' stash, it's definitely much more melee friendly. All the great weapon fighters and scourge warlocks would like it, I'm sure. Move faster=dash faster=dash shorter. The gloves you can buy from Eku's warehouse, however, is... well, dodgy I guess. If your tank has got nothing better than a pilgrim arms slot gear, then you can consider it. Otherwise, you have to decide whether the 200 power per ally bonus for pioneer gear is worth the decision to burn 25 Eku's favor for that thing. It does give crit, though.

When you start taking jobs from the NPCs (because that's how MMOs reflect real-life), getting the right job means approaching the right NPC. Because getting the daily lich's lore quest item is a must (unless you have no need for the Makos/Eku gear), it's advisable to take holy dwarf's offer first instead of the old catwoman beside him. Once you enter Omu, only two NPCs are available in terms of offering you a job. Namely, the holy dwarf and the old catwoman. Don't take the old catwoman's offer first because if you complete her tablet quest first, you'll have to make a longer trip to get a lich's lore from any Thayan wizard in the West Undercity map. At the same time, tablet hunting can take a long time since your job is not to retrieve tablets with ancient Hebrew text. That type of stone tablet comes only in a pair, not five in a series. Of course you can try finishing the tablet quest via getting 2-3 of those in the West Undercity zone. However, this option should be for those more familiar with the map. If you have trouble navigating the ruins of Omu in order to take down that dead Rex walking, then it means you're better off taking the easier path instead of the shorter path.

To summarize the shorter path here:

Grab the heist job from old catwoman>get some tablets in West Undercity zone>kill all Thayans>get the lich lore>get all 5 tablets>turn in 2 quests in a go.

This is the longer albeit the easier path:

Grab your extermination order from the holy order dwarf>execute the extermination order>turn in the quest>agree to Eku's proposal to woo three gods out of any nine>go to West Undercity because one of the gods is there>kill all Thayans>grab lore>finish Eku's quest>turn in 2 quests in a go.

Note: West Undercity contains a shrine with four pits at the four corners of the altar. This fight calls for fighting smart instead of trying a dodge spam. The red wizards will always pull off a fireball blast which can easily toss you off into dead man's land. Stay put and try not to move from one side to another. So long the fireblast doesn't get you, you're safe. You'll need an effective AoE offense to make it count, though.

Add note: Take out the Thayan knights on both sides of the entrance before engaging the wizards. This is to ensure you won't catch the aggro. If the Thayan knights start running down, please run away asap from the altar platform. A single shield smash can toss you off into dead man's land. Also, try fighting the Thayan knights with your back against a solid wall in order to minimize the risk of a fatal pitfall.

Gonna end this on a...

...high? Or legal high? Well, whatever. So far so good, the overall difficulty level in Omu is decently okay. When the mod first came out, the AI was surprisingly easy. Apparently, the devs had to mobilize their mod squad. Yes, you've guessed it right. The mod squad has only one job and that is to make things (i.e. life) more challenging for the gamers. The damage, I believe, has been upped. Although it's nothing more than a mere inconvenience. The defensive end of things is where the difference made its call. It's harder to kill stuff now. Which makes you wonder how difficult it will be to clear the Fane of the Night Serpent.

Which now comes to two types of critters. You got Harambe's BFFs and the occasional other Rex. On Harambe's BFF squad, they can be... well, either annoying (if you're good enough) or outright lethal (if you're not good enough). Dealing with the ape squad requires getting out of the way once you take them on. Don't ever try to nail the first hit. Because they will be the ones striking first, not you. As a matter of fact, their favorite leisure activity is jumping.

You're the red guy, the rest belong to Harambe's BFF squad.

Either shield first or dodge first. Otherwise, dash away first. The primate jump can take out like around 1/4 of your HP. And I'm not about to test and see whether it'd result in getting knocked down. Another favorite move from them is a single fist that will knock you backwards. Even with a decent to good control resist, it'd take like a few seconds for you to recover from the prone status. So once you get nailed by a monkey's fist, just try moving into the nearest open space. Engaging them in constrict space is never a preferable option. However, I actually did one crazy trick. And that is taking them on in a constricted space, after which I finished them off in a nearby open space. I won't say all the time, but at times (please note that open space in Omu tends to be available at a premium). Once you take the mob down till the very last gorilla, it should be easy. Even if you stand and get hit, so long it's not a prone hit, you can just stand, fight, and win. Just make sure you got your healing potion on standby.

As for the two living Rexes, please note that only one is the hunt mark type. And that is the blue one. The red one is a normal Rex. This is very important due to the first weekly Omu quest requiring a hunt mark kill. Otherwise, both look the same apart from the color. And both fight the same apart from... well, the color. I'm not sure if the blue one has better defensive stats, though.

It must be noted that only the Rexes and Harambe's BFF squad are the ones notably harder to kill with the newly adjusted difficulty level in place.

Lastly, I just need to say something about the House of Buaya. When I say buaya, I don't mean the ones ogling at bikini-clad girls in Siloso Beach (if I've accidentally offended any girl working in SGH, be she an ex-employee or current employee, I apologize). More specifically, the living buaya in that temple is actually an ular (i.e. the most annoying creature known as a yuan-ti). Seriously, this ular is challenging in the sense that a solo fight would always result in a prolonged duel in an enclosed arena. It's like fighting a hulking gladiator with lions and bear released as his allies on a fixed interval. Effectively a case of virtual reality in the Colosseum. High defensive stats with an annoying preference to do an AoE attack like once every half a bloody minute. This is a fight that will guarantee a stamina burn every now and then. Make sure you have a card in hand in case you get yourself into a potentially sticky situation. At the same time, please be prepared for the occasional purple skull halo above your head. For me, it's always an Oak Skin. Press Shift and move fast. There's this one attack where the ular will teleport to the middle of the arena. This is to prepare a nuke spanning half the arena. For dashers, it should be easy in terms of covering the ground to the other side. Otherwise, please run to the other side while dodging forward at intervals. I don't want to find out what happens if the nuke got released. For some funny reason, I always end up on the correct side instead of the other side whenever the ular teleported. In other words, the ular never nuked me even once. Won't be surprised if the mod squad will rectify this after I up this post.

P.S: The (verbal) usage of legal high was inspired by the Japanese even though I'm pretty sure Abenomics will never tolerate the presence of cannabis in the same way Imam Zul is anti-ganja.

I thank my fellow S'poreans for this post

Originally, I was toying with doing a few posts on my revamped ideas for the Neverwinter Six gaming design. Due to too many factors stacked against me, I might as well create a plotline independent of the Neverwinter Online story. As for the characters, they stay the same. However, I'll be splitting the original six by half. Three of them will represent the near side of the story while the other three represent the far side of the story. Near side means the main plot while far side means the side-story. Believe it or not, Tsukihime was the one series which introduced to me the terms "near side" and far side". In case you don't know what is Tsukihime...

I'll be brutally honest here: When I saw this post, I was abruptly reminded of the fact that despite being an elf, Arylos is never part of the Tel-quessir. To him, they're never his people and their god is never his god. I don't profess to be a saint, but I've never felt I belong to this kind of society. Yet, this feels like the very Singapore I've been living in since 1982.

Actually, that article was the reason why I decided to go ahead and do this post. I won't say my fellow Singaporeans are never my people, but I'd say deities of prudence, taboo, selective apathy, and "not in my backyard" are never my gods.

What this post will be all about

I will be focusing on two games. One is my own version of Gwent and/or Hearthstone while the other is the revamped version of the Neverwinter Six.

It took me too long to do this post. Originally, I intended it to be something more than a revamped character list. However, I've spent too much time for this post and my father's Chinese streaming videos are playing mind games with me. To be honest, I don't have a problem with any shows coming from China, Taiwan, and Hong Kong. But there are times where the speakers sound too shrill for my liking and there are times where the noise feels like a pneumatic drill pounding my mind. I don't profess to be a genius unless a global big shot decides to vouch for me. However, the fact remains that my family members don't understand me.

Neverwinter Six renamed

Because I'm too lazy to make changes, the relevant label stays as Neverwinter Six. However, the six will now be renamed as below:

Treaders of Faith

This is the near side of the plot. Comprising of a wood elf cut adrift from a life of happiness, a sun elf yearning for a life of happiness, and a human who can never live a life of happiness, Treaders of Faith tells of a story where loss and gain are but two sides of the same coin. A coin that is known as life, a coin which influences the one who flips it depending on which side its owner happens to face. It is also a story where mortals are both the pawns and a beacon of hope, for who else can resolve the regrets harboured by the gods if they are unable to do so themselves?

Walkers of the Sword Coast
This is the far side of the plot. A drow wizard out to banish the demons of her past, yet still running away from them. A half-orc paladin whose towering frame is nothing short of a shield that protects and a sword that slaughters. Lastly but not the least, a tiefling warlock whose life is tied to Wheloon and a pact made with the rulers of Phlegethos. From one part of the Sword Coast to another, adventures and riches take on a whole new meaning for them. Life itself is both an adventure and the source of adventure while the real riches always lie in the deepest cavern known as the heart.

Non-exhaustive list of characters

Characters for Treaders of Faith:
Protagonist

Arylos (a wood elf ranger worshipping Kelemvor and who is bound to the Feywild since birth. Has never displayed any emotions since Wheloon became a prison city, a trait which always unnerves the opposition, superior or otherwise)

Deuteragonists

Cyrea Durothil (a sun elf cleric of Corellon Larethian who is also part of Evermeet's nobility. Yearning to live a life which she nearly had before, her idealism often brings her into conflict with Arylos' brutal brand of pragmatism. However...)

Myrreas (a human rogue with a past only himself knows. Annoying to many, yet a charismatic presence among thieves and bards. Used to be part of the Harpers before an incident caused his departure for good)

Secondary characters
Arlon Bladeshaper (Leader of the Nashers and de facto leader over the Sons of Alagondar. His shrewd manoeuvring within the organisation had the likes of Karzov and Madam Rosene running in circles without they themselves realising it. In reality, a half-elf who is a descendant of the Neverwinter Nine. Knows something about Myrreas despite nothing being said)

Dagult Neverember (Lord Protector of Neverwinter whose political power in Waterdeep was removed and given to Laeral Silverhand. Has at least certain knowledge about Myrreas despite his non-presence in Neverwinter)

Drizzt Do'Urden (hero of Icewind Dale whose ideology often clashes with Arylos' methodology. Despite this, however, Drizzt respects Arylos for a tactical genius never before seen in Faerûn)

Elaith Craulnober (one of the Masked Lords of Waterdeep who played a vital role in the transfer of political power from Dagult Neverember to Laeral Silverhand. Also claimed to have at least some knowledge of Arylos' birth)

Ilyath (formerly known as Ilyath Le'Quella, his death caused an irreparable rift between Cyrea and her family. Currently existing as a rider under the command of a firbolg known as the Master of the Hunt. Regards Arylos with a mixture of hostility and curiosity due to his past as Cyrea's lover)

Irion (former member of the Vel'Nikeryma prior to Arylos' act of betrayal, he was a spellscarred moon elf teaching Arylos the ways of a ranger. Despite what his student did, he never blamed anyone for his imminent fate)

Korynn (a Koryoan girl and Arylos' lover before Wheloon became a prison city. Committed suicide shortly after Wheloon's current fate)

Lukan of the Mystic Veil (member of the now-defunct Cloaked Ascendancy with a child-like innocence towards life despite experiencing the horrors of the Far Realm. Apparently, he is also the only member of the Cloaked Ascendancy whose physical form remains unchanged, hence possibly hinting at some powerful form of magic in him)

Mychelle (a whimsical human girl whose youthfulness belies her countless years in the Feywild. Self-declared bride to Arylos much to Cyrea's annoyance)

Nymmestra Durothil (a sun elf wizard from House Durothil. Regards herself as Cyrea's rival and best friend, a sentiment shared by Cyrea only on the latter part due to her non-confrontational attitude being Nymmestra's opposite)

Antagonists

Celadaine (traitor to the Iliyanbruen cause who used to be the greatest hero of his generation)

Korey (an amnesiac Koryoan girl who was rescued from Thayan slavers by Arylos. Due to her insistence and Arylos' unwillingness to call her by his lover's name, she was given the name Korey by the one who saved her. She is known to display an obsessive romantic attitude towards Arylos)

Gods
Beshaba (goddess of misfortune who attempted to seduce Arylos for her own whims. The resultant failure coupled with the fact that Arylos somehow managed to retain his sanity humiliated her greatly, hence resulting in a curse of ill fortune following him at every turn)

Cyric (also known as the Black Sun and Prince of Lies, he is the sworn enemy of Kelemvor and Mystra whose control over Korey points to a vengeful scheme directed towards the living)

Kelemvor (the god of death and judge of the dead who marked Arylos as his Chosen despite no apparent merit)

Mystra (the goddess of magic who has a vested interest in Cyrea)

Selûne (goddess of the moon who watches over Myrreas for reasons entirely her own)

Shar (goddess of the night vying against her sister Selûne over Myrreas)

Organisation involved
Eldreth Veluuthra (an organisation which took in Arylos due to Irion's insistence. Never regarding Arylos as part of the Tel-quessir due to his Kelemvorite faith, they were a constant source of persecution until Arylos deliberately went missing in a scouting mission against Cormyr, an act which cost Irion his life via suicide forced by the Vel'Nikeryma ruling over them)

Emerald Enclave (an organisation consisting mostly of druids, rangers, and other nature worshippers led by Shadowmoon, Hierophant of the Enclave. Inspired by a vision where Silvanus instructed them to aid "the living sword of Feywild and death", they are eventually convinced Arylos is the one the Oak Father was referring to)

Lords' Alliance (an organisation consisting of nobility and merchants shrewd enough to know profits and the greater good do have a common cause despite what cynics may say. Convinced that a runaway daughter of House Durothil can aid them in extending their influence to Evermeet, they managed to convince Cyrea to join their ranks)


Characters for Walkers of the Sword Coast:
Protagonist
Sheallyn Melarn (currently a Harper and a renegade drow on the run from Lolth's wrath. Her traumatic past involving truth and betrayal resulted in a protective nature towards those she holds dear. Like Nymmestra, she is close friends with Cyrea)

Deuteragonists
Bhaasmond Taran (a half-orc born from the rape of a human woman by a band of orcs, his life is a mixture of solitude, empathy for the weak, and an inner savagery which can only be described as something coming from Gruumsh)

Kariss Locras (a tiefling born from a human mother. Had a certain past with Arylos during her days at Wheloon. The reason behind her long lifespan remains a mystery as more than a century has passed since Wheloon's fall from grace)

Secondary characters
Eilistraee (the goddess of all drow who rejected the evil worship of Lolth. After her return during the events of the Second Sundering, she decided to retain her identity as a drow in order to help those who are still under Wendonai's taint. And Sheallyn happened to be one of them) 

Jarlaxle Baenre (arguably the most infamous drow ever to grace the surface world. Well-acquainted with Lewynn with rumours of the two having a tryst every now and then whenever they meet in Luskan. 

Lewynn Hawkseal Deudermont (half-elf daughter of the famed pirate hunter Deudermont. Currently the captain of a ship incidentally also named Sea Sprite. Together with Sheallyn and Cyrea, they are known as the Three Elven Maidens Fair by the ship crew. Currently based in Luskan despite her father's history with its inhabitants)

Robillard (currently an archlich due to his efforts to enforce a vow sworn to Deudermont after his death. Resident wizard of Lewynn's Sea Sprite and guardian to his former master's daughter. His phylactery is currently placed in the Ivy Mansion where only the Harpells know about it)

Antagonists
Lolth (the Spider Queen and goddess of the drow. Never one to forgive, let alone forget, she regards traitors bearing the name of Melarn as of the worst kind. This was due to Q'arlynd Melarn's role against Lolth during the War of the Spider Queen where Eilistraee could be considered the winner despite her apparent death)

Gruumsh (the one-eyed god of the orcs. An enemy of Lolth, he nevertheless declares himself as an enemy to civilisation)


Final note: Yeah, I need to do something else.

A Garden of Swords

Well, I'm having mixed feelings here. On one hand, I'm under no illusions that my Neverwinter Six will most likely be consigned to a mere work of fandom. On the other hand, I felt motivated to do some Total Recall.

Plot twist: The President of the United State of California decided to exercise the right of political autonomy. 😷

The reason being Tyranny of Dragons throwing a curve ball from the touchline. As what Keira "the English Jeanne d'Arc" Knightley have famously implied, just bend it like Beckham. Or kick it like Cantona for that matter.

Yep, it's an ancient Chinese art martial alright. Hopefully, my entire family will know I have a French temper.

For now, I'll need to strike a balance between those Wizards from the Coast and Sakaguchi Hironobu in the event Le IMPOSSIBRU! really happen.

A/N: I'm not going to hide it. My original plan is to kill off Korey during the events surrounding Rise of Tiamat (definitely not the one inspired by a real-life tragedy, but rather that other Korean girl. I blame my sis for the fact that she [seeminegly] refused to try knowing the real me). Rejoice, all you salty Koreans. Don't thank Kuok Ming Hui for his merciful hand or Kuok Ming Si for her constant support for Running Man at the expense of her bro's online convenience. Thank those Wizards from the Coast. For now, I decided to up this image below 4 teh lolz.

Disclaimer: Above image is not the result of fanboy voyeurism as we know it. Rather, it's schadenfreude.

)0(

He witnessed Arylos’ ceaseless pursuit of Nostura from the Spellplague Caverns to the Feywild, a corrupted prey taunting the hunter. Ever since his untimely death at the hands of the daemonfey, Ilyath Le’Quella has been keeping an eye over his beloved Cyrea. For who could easily let go of a love unfulfilled? From Cormanthor to Neverwinter, his heart yearned for the day of reunion. Yet, this would also mean her death.

Then came a rival he could never surpass. The wood elf was a scoundrel, someone created for war and conflict. His strength was never in the feat of arms, but the shrewdness of a gifted tactician. His god was never their god, his people never their people. Therefore, how could such a knave be good enough for a lady from House Durothil?

From Neverwinter to New Sharandar, from Icewind Dale all the way to the Sea of Moving Ice. Time and again, Arylos defied the odds. He defied the odds to survive, he defied the odds to win the hand of Ilyath’s lady fair. Part of the moon elf desired an untimely end for a rival unexpected, yet a greater part of him wondered how far this interloper could go. He was hailed as the Hero of Neverwinter through the proclamation of Dagult Neverember, his tactical brilliance in repelling the dragons’ attacks on Neverwinter forever immortalized. The Iliyanbruen fey, those who were in truth moon elves like him, recognized his heroics against Malabog, that self-proclaimed king of the Fomorians and dark fey alike. They named him the Kingslayer, they would surely remember him as the heir apparent to the once great Celadaine. The renowned Drizzt Do’Urden, a hero whom Ilyath viewed with respect and envy, saw him as an equal despite their conflicting ideologies. How then could the Teu-tel-quessir not feel inferior to this Or-tel-quessir less qualified?

When Sehanine Moonbow revived Ilyath from the grave, she told him a witness was needed. A witness who could be trusted to recount the story of a mistake which should have never existed in the first place. And Arylos… this Arylos was that mistake.

)0(

“I can’t believe it,” laughing in a resigned manner, Yasilder Le’Quella could only accept her best friend’s decision, “What makes him so attractive? Even more attractive than my deceased brother?”

“I find it quite unbelievable as well,” Cyrea replied as she took a sip from a glass of fine elven wine, her eyes of sunset red never straying from an unconscious Arylos.

“Quite? Only quite?”

With a sigh, Yasilder took a brief glimpse. Not at the one defying everything her elven pride believed in, but her young son poring over a book. She couldn’t bear to look at the wood elf beyond a few moments, for his life was nothing short of a mockery directed towards the Tel-quessir. Never his people and never his god, such was a defiance snarled forth from a wolf fierce and proud. At the same time, there was something in him which reminds her of a name synonymous with trouble and infamy.

Elaith Craulnober.

“At least Nym isn’t here,” muttered Yasilder as the image of Nymmestra teasing Cyrea over her choice of love goaded her to no end.

)0(

“You have lived this long as a sword. Aren’t you tired at all?”

Before an annoyed Mychelle, Arylos only directed his amber eyes towards her newfound toy. Namely, a moon elf by the name of Ilyath Le’Quella. Cyrea had already told the Kelemvorite ranger of her past, the self-introduction of someone better than him unable to throw the wood elf off his guard. As for Mychelle, the peevish aranea could only fume in silence. Nothing has changed where she herself was concerned. A petite frame with a pale complexion, a look no different from a young human girl of fifteen. Her long curly hair was let down, her ruby red lips painting a seductive portrait.

As for the object of her affection, he has changed. When they first met, it was under Lurue’s orders to protect a young wood elven child of thirteen. In a moment of mischief, Mychelle assumed the guise of a little girl around his age. This was the very same look she was wearing now, for every aranea was born with a unique humanoid form. Years could only do this much before eternal youth. Yet, the very same years have warped an innocent boy who didn’t know how to deal with girls of his age. He never became a monster, but perhaps something else far worse off. Namely, living as a sword belonging to Kelemvor. Who was to blame for this living tragedy? Should it be a harsh hand dealt by fate itself? Or that Koryoan girl whose suicide had forced upon him a mind of steel shortly before Wheloon was sealed off from civilization? Either way, it wasn't Arylos' fault. This much, Mychelle understood.

“Tell me why you brought me here,” questioned Arylos, the tone of an interrogator rising Ilyath’s ire.

“Not physically.”

If Ilyath thought his reply could provoke a reaction out of his rival, he was sorely wrong as Arylos merely stayed his tongue.

“Not saying anything else?”

“If you want victory, then you have it. Either you tell me the truth or I will just go back to where I belong.”

Despite Arylos’ emotionless visage, Ilyath couldn’t help but perceive this statement as both a challenge and daring taunt. The two locked stares against each other. Then in a silent show of reprisal, Arylos got up and walk away. Ilyath contemplated bluffing him but soon abandoned the idea. Unlike himself, the Or-tel-quessir was a schemer no stranger to ploys and stratagem. No matter how hard a warrior tried, he could never win a war like a strategist. There would always be those who perished at the frontline in the name of valor. Then there were a chosen few who survived and conquered in the name of strategy and tactics.

In other words, there was no point saying to the interloper that without directions given, no one could leave the Feywild. Unlike Ilyath himself, Arylos was born with the power of Feywild coursing in his blood. If not for Kelemvor's interference via a longsword given by some doomguide named Orran, it's highly doubtful anyone could rein in Arylos. Or anything for that matter.

)0(

“Time really flies like Illaine’s arrow, huh?”

Before a jesting Lucas Shaneway and his flirting glance, Illaine merely answered with a silent stare. Shrugging like an unrepentant boy caught for bedding a girl, the prodigal son of House Shaneway took a hearty swig from his tankard of ale.

“Lucas, just grow up. Please.”

If Rhaegos thought his words could rein in that philandering genius from the Lords’ Alliance, he was soon proven wrong as Lucas gave a wolf whistle towards that serving girl known as Calestyn. Without a warning, Illaine drew her bow and aimed an arrow at his head. Silence prevailed as only a chortle was heard from Rhaegos, the irony not lost to the dragonborn who once commanded a coalition army against Aerisi Kalinoth and her Cult of Howling Hatred years ago.

“Be careful there, Lucas Shaneway the Third,” cooed Jen Cheldarstorn, the attractive redhead patting him on the head much to his annoyance, “That’s the illegitimate daughter of Lord Protector Dagult Neverember himself.”

“That’s a cumbersome way to address a person of authority, I have to say,” snorted Rhaegos in good humor as the barmaid of Moonstone Mask chuckled at the sight of Lucas preening his spiked auburn hair.

“When will Myrreas be back?”

Calestyn’s question threw the trio off-guard, not even Jen with her tongue of golden wit could gather a proper reply. If the willowy brunette knew the truth, surely she would be crushed by grief. For all his warped sense of humor, the ex-Harper was nevertheless an enjoyable company in times of tavern banter and brawls. Windle was tasked with the mission to keep an eye on that rascal, yet word has returned from her that Myrreas was lost for good, the information confirmed by Bradda from the Sage’s Shop. Always one to play the daring hero, he always jested that the best way for him to die is to do so while trying to save the world. Therefore, how could they tell her the truth? That he acted truly to his words by taking out that living construct named Kabal in the middle of the Spellplague Caverns?

Then a gnawing question came back out of nowhere, a specter haunting them unto no end.

Why did every survivor from the Order of the Many-Starred Cloak insist the Spellplague only took place sixty years ago where in fact it was never the case?

)0(

Ilyath only knew too well what kind of mistake Arylos was. To resurrect a dead person was ever a possibility, but to do so the same for a stillborn child was another challenge altogether. No one has ever attempted such a feat, yet such was a mother’s love for her child. Celadaine was forced into madness and betrayal because he chose love above duty despite a façade of steel. Lysindea, in reply, sacrificed her life for their unborn child in the name of a future. A future called redemption for the fallen, a future for someone who should have been dead. As a result, two children were conceived. Karien was destined for a good life despite her mother legitimately wedded to the Moonless Knight himself. After all, she was of House Le’Quella like Ilyath himself.

As for her brother conceived from another womb, he was doomed to live like a father both would never get to know. With no memories of his mother, Arylos pitted himself against his father. Despised by his sister and wrongfully deprived of a family, it was of utmost irony that the Or-tel-quessir would be the closest thing to that shadow looming over those left behind.

Ilyath knew such a tale has existed before, however. There were times where Sehanine told him snippets of a person’s life. The life of a man who was tamed by Mystra when both were still mortals. Yearning to be somebody, yet that dream was brutally ripped away from his grasp. At last becoming a god, yet the price exacted was too heavy a burden. From Kelemvor Lyonsbane to Kelemvor the god of death, it seemed not even the gods themselves were able to tempt fate according to their whims and desires. Perhaps not even Ao the Overgod himself as well.

They were too alike, both the god and his Chosen. They were like a reflection unto each other, Kelemvor and Arylos. Perhaps this would be the last time he saw the back of a man defined by an eternal trial of steel and fire. Ilyath Le’Quella could never hope to understand Arylos, yet who else was able to apart from Cyrea?

An image then flashed before him, the poet in him suddenly rousing itself from slumber. It was an image of a garden. Not a garden of flowers, grass, and trees. But rather a garden of swords.

)0(

Actually, I finished this piece last night or so. However, I needed to make sure proof-reading is a must. Hence, this short story only upped now. Interestingly, the Princes of the Apocalypse adventure module took place around 1491 DR while Rage of the Demons took place around 1485 DR to 1487 DR. This was despite Elemental Evil being released earlier than Underdark where the Neverwinter game was concerned. In other words, the events in Elemental Evil as the gamers knew it actually took place before 1491 DR. Basically, this may have muddied the waters concerning the timeline for Storm King's Thunder. Was it taken place before, around, or after 1491 DR? What then about The Cloaked Ascendancy and Shroud of Souls storyline?

Instead of seeing them as problematic questions, I prefer trying to make perfect sense out of the seemingly convoluted. That is until divine interference decides to strike again in the near future by my guess.

Okay, I'll need to sleep soon. I won't be around in my cozy little cove called Singapore for the next few days. Once I make my imminent (?) return this Saturday, I'll need to start doing some serious stuff for my beloved Boro. Namely, what should Garry "the Welsh Monk" Monk and his backroom clergy do in order to make my beloved Boro great again. Much to the dismay of entities like Leeds, Sunderland, Alan "Captain Geordie" Shearer, and Joey "why always Barton?" Barton, of course.

Okay, here are a few songs chosen at random by this Singaporean connoisseur.

If you see the dead YouTube man, be sure it's a bluff. The last time I checked, that is.

Yes, I know focusing on the dark side of reality isn't exactly the Asian thing to do as what Park "why always Park?" Shin-hye had implied last time round. Then again, Miura "he's gonna send the fans into berserk mode very soon again" Kentaro is also an Asian like Shin-hye, yours truly, and pretty much one-third of the world population. Not to mention both the right and wrong Emiya below, of course.

Ascendancy, Ascend! [How to stone a nasty woman]

Firstly and foremost, this is not about American politics. Yes, I have my own opinions on what's going on. But it doesn't mean a thing here because this blog is anything but political. At most, I was only guilty of doing the now defunct Rogue Economist satire in my now defunct That Random Blade. Please note that I use past tense here for a very good reason.

Secondly, the Three Musketeers (plus d'Artagnan) of SMRT Feedback by The Vigilanteh seemed to have... well, renewed their beef with Xiaxue. Now let me just say a few things.

1. I do follow the online Three Musketeers (plus d'Artagnan) on FB.
2. I am never guilty of liking and sharing every post they upped.
3. Despite sometimes linking to Xiaxue's blog, I don't follow her because she's no Daenerys Targaryen.
4. I blame my super mignonne legal housebreaker for giving me the idea when it comes to the 3rd point.
5. Okay, that's a lie. It's Nasu's fault because someone mentioned rapist son and slut daughter. I don't have to up the more relevant link(s) because even someone like Guts does have a sense of honor. And I really like Guts for more than just his... well, guts.
6. I don't profess to have read the Berserk manga or seen the anime. I did, however, know about the series in a very special manner.

["Did you get her?"

Before Myrreas' question, Arylos merely gave a stare. Not one of disappointment, but rather that of anger. Despite Mystra's advice, the ranger of Kelemvor nonetheless went ahead in taking on Nostura with that golden belt looted from Lostmauth's hoard. Ironically, it was his seeming recklessness which brought about victory. Should he wear that other belt of twined ropes instead, Nostura would have detected a different nature of magic. The first time they faced off against each other in the vaults below the Hall of Justice, the Or-tel-quessir's link to the Feywild had told him much. By choosing not to arouse his enemy's wariness, Arylos had effectively put himself into a situation where the line between risk and prudence was blurred. Alas, Nostura of the Stone Eye made good her escape before the duel could be seen to its end.

That nasty woman... I swear I'll kill you...

"Ary's in no shape to say anything," snapped Cyrea, her glare invoking peals of laughter from the Dalelander.

"You call our hero what? Ary? That's so unlike a proper lady like you, Your Highness," chuckled the rogue as he gave a curtsy, "Then again, who am I to assume anything if even a prudent soul like Arylos of Neverwinter was crazy enough to trust a mimic?"

"Stop that, little boy! The three of you better come back now. I'm not interested in forcing myself to maintain the illusion spell just for this. You get me?"

"You don't have to threaten us, Kavatos," replied the hero of Neverwinter as he stood up with a wavering posture, the telepathic voice of Dagult Neverember's new chief adviser still reverberating in his head. Pushing Cyrea aside, a fatigued Arylos trudged forward. Only to behold a glimpse of Mystra smiling towards him. Before the wood elf could respond, a blinding flash enveloped the trio with words from the Lady of Mysteries supplanting the echoes of Kavatos' ire.

"Your life is truly a mirror of your god when he was still Kelemvor Lyonsbane. So soothing, yet so heartrending at the same time..."]

First boss done: First impression

There's one thing the good ppl of NWO forgot to mention concerning the army of Tainted Grove. The author was right in saying the dryads and nothics are quite easy (albeit for some funny reason, they seemed to have gotten some Korean treatment in terms of critical damage. No offense intended to Koreans btw). However, a few things seemed to have been left out.

1. The army of Tainted Grove are still the easiest enemies you get to fight in the River District.

2. You can try fighting the horde of Ember Hollow first before telling me how "easy" River District really is. At least try surviving the full onslaught of any dreadnought's 3 hit combo. And that's not taking into account that big damn thing's high mobility.

3. The Nashers' artillery seems to induce a slow effect. Arylos' movement was slowed significantly after getting shot. And that's not to mention the dryads' artillery as well. Either that or I'm actually fighting against fatigue in real life.

4. Nostura is a nasty woman. Period.

Entering Nostura's castle was quite a quirky experience. Firstly, you get to see a familiar face in the form of Alihan Duskflight. What's truly interesting is the impact Nostura may have created upon New Sharandar (since that place is situated in the Feywild as well). If you're a curious cat like yours truly, then you'd have sensed something amiss. By my own guess, it's only 20 years at most since the events in Fury of the Feywild (read: TCA most likely took place a few years after 1485 DR while the starting timeline surrounding the game was most likely around 1479-1480 DR). Let's see here...

1. Alihan is an elf.

2. This means he should have a memory surpassing an elephant.

3. Basically, this means his hazy memory (apparently, he only found you familiar despite being one of the quest givers during FotF) points to something more nefarious than that Stone woman becoming a turncoat (something archdruid Morningdawn uncovered during your trip back to the Lynching Tree in years).

4. His presence means New Sharandar is currently in trouble. And possibly the entire Feywild as well.

Apparently, Nostura is a feytouched (while this is a trait commonly associated with various types of warlocks, I won't be surprised if reality includes wizards, clerics, fighters, etc). At the same time, however, something went wrong and she betrayed the archfey (read: she terminated the pact on a unilateral basis). As a result, she pledged allegiance with another being in the Feywild. Quite possibly something way nastier than Valindra Shadowmantle herself (at least that crazy woman wasn't powerful enough to manipulate the inhabitants of New Sharandar).

So what are the few possibilities surrounding that Stone woman?

1. Her willingness to let Neverember live while opting not to fight you (i.e. Chapter 2) implied she has no qualms in turning against Gyrion should the need arise. Basically, it means she might have her own agenda and it has got nothing to do with the rightful heir of Neverwinter, Myrreas or no Myrreas.

2. The astounding extent of her command over the power of Feywild might also indicate a third party force at work. A theory reinforced by Morningdawn's discovery before the Lynching Tree.

3. If so, then that very third party power is currently allied with the Far Realm for nefarious purposes yet to be revealed.

4. And that includes the whole of Feywild as part of the deal by my own guess.

Before I start my FAQ...

Let me just say that the term "Stone woman" is unrelated to Emma "not Watson, but still a talented Emma" Stone. The whole "Stone woman" term was a product of my warped creativity. Period.

The fight is separated into three phases. Namely, riding a stag, killing stuff, and that duel.

The first phase has to be the most surreal thing I've ever done as a Neverwinner. When you play Street Fighter, you don't expect yourself to annihilate a car first.

There's a reason why I upped the Final Fight version instead of the Street Fighter 2 version. It's called how we S'poreans tend to treat our cars.

Before the Nostura fight, however, you'll have to test your Daytona skill. Now let me just stress home the fact that it took me around 4 tries to reach the finishing point. If you think it's something like the Twilight Run in the yearly Simril event, you're wrong. The terrain is full of trees, roots, and uneven ground. There's no way you can go auto-pilot. Period (unless the level of your jump execution is too damn high).

The Feywild Daytona run requires you to navigate the purple balls of death and bomb tokens. Not only that, you have to jump over the cliff twice. Initially, the race was quite straightforward for me. Just dodge the bomb tokens. Period. Once the balls of purple death started coming out, this was where the tricky part arrived.

There are two ways to deal with it. Either you evade them or you really have to jump over them. Do NOT try running through them. You'll die. If you're not confident of dodging them on the ground, then just press spacebar. Yes, a large chunk of your HP will be gone. But at least healing potions are available. The first wave should be relatively easy to dodge on the ground since they're further apart from each other (if I can do this, so can you). The second wave is trickier because the balls actually covered pretty much most of the area in front of you. For me, the foolproof way is to run along the edge and jump. You really have to jump and keep your fingers crossed. If your timing is good enough (and I've done it once before), you can just jump over them without any HP loss.

On the bomb tokens, you have to press forward repeatedly instead of letting the mount run at auto-pilot. This because pressing W like the Mad Spammer (yes, I do have a childhood despite a broken past) is the only way for you not to get killed outright. The bomb token will just suck you in like a maelstrom once you touch that thing fyi.

To jump successfully, you'll need to start the run from the last bomb token. Once you reach the cliff, just press spacebar. You need to jump somewhere to the right. If you try this from the center (let alone the left), it means you'll have to respawn and restart. And that's for the first lap.

For the second lap, it's much more straightforward. You only need to dodge the tokens. Also, all you need to do when it comes to jumping is aiming properly. Unlike the first lap, the second landing point is pretty much in clear view.

The third lap is the most problematic one. This is where you need to pause and time your run. There's no way you can survive by running forward without stepping on the brake. It's like getting yourself into a traffic accident just because you think your grandfather owns the road (let alone being so self-delusional, you actually think the late Mr Lee was actually your grandfather).

Just run along the edge in a zig-zag manner while minding the bomb tokens. If you play this right, there's no way you can't survive the Feywild Daytona.

Also one more thing: There is no such thing as the third jump. Once you reach the end of the third lap, you don't try jumping like Super Mario. There's a narrow (and I mean very narrow) ledge connecting the third lap to the finishing point. You may not see it at first, but that's because the whole damn thing is too narrow. Remember, the camera view would always be at the front while the narrow path is somewhere towards the left side.

And now for that Stone woman

Before reaching Nostura, you have to clear 6 mob waves. The dps is slightly upped, but nothing of a big deal. At most, the final mob comprising of a fell troll and gorgon (among the rest, that is) is slightly harder. Nothing much to shout about since you're given one whole stretch of terrain to move about. If you don't even understand the tactical art of running about, it means there's something seriously wrong with you.

Once you reach Nostura's territory, that's where the hard part comes. Even with a total item level of 3.2K, Arylos still had a massive challenge up in his hands. Firstly, Nostura is no glass cannon. She will just troll you about with her high-end mobility while her dps game is no laughing matter (although I won't be surprised if Gyrion's dps is the highest in-game out of the three with Kabal's being the lowest. Yet to try the other two, though). The worst part of the deal, however, lies in her stoner gaze. Not the kind you may get to see when that unknown moron is speeding like a Mat (or Mak because I have to be impartial here) Rempit on four wheels. Rather, I'm referring to Greek mythology.

The first time I got myself stoned, I swore not to get myself into trouble again. The moment she starts screaming something coherent (plus that orange eye symbol lighting up if I recalled correctly), you get stoned come the next moment, And Nostura will just proceed to gimp you up close and personal like a woman scorned (this basically unlike the nothic stoner where it will just leave you stoned). The damage is quite high. I think it took off like around 60% of Arylos' HP (this is considering having a Brynnyr's Demise and the fact that combat hunter rangers have the 2nd best base defensive game out of all the melee dps apart from great weapon fighters). You only have like 1-2 seconds to react. Period. The problem in dealing with this attack (i.e. it's the same thing as that nothic stoner gaze) lies in an invisible AoE. Which means there's no red zone as an indicator. You have to fight blind. In fact, chances are that you'll have to shift forward instead of shifting sideways or backward. That's how I dodged every such stoner attack. And believe it or not, the only moment where I failed was when my dodge timing was off by 1-2 seconds.

At the same time, the terrain seems to have some kind of AP draining effect. I think I was only able to pull off Forest Ghost like 1-2 times. The rest of my daily power usage was focused on Disruptive Shot.

Note: If both your daily powers are that kind of 100% AP usage, it's better for you to use a tidespan potion. As for the defensive end, just use either a Steadfast Devotion, Foehammer's Favor, or potion of heroism. If your character's daily powers do not require 100% AP to pull off, then you may want to go with Corellon's Blood/Wild Storm with a fortification potion instead.

After a few rounds of trading hits, it became evident that either Nostura is a closet tank (which would have made far less sense than Harold & Kumar *insert your fave version here*) or she has some really high-end deflect+deflect severity game. Trading hits are not gonna work out. Given the fact that Kabal is most likely the only melee member out of the Ascending Four (including Lukan for convenience's sake), what it means is that Nostura's mobility was the reason why she's such a nasty woman.

And therein comes the key to winning: You really have to move about. I'm not joking here, that's basically what I did. And besides, I'm more interested in making Arylos as the next Perseus instead of some nameless victim petrified by an entity of raging feminism. If Nostura wants to play a game of mobility, it merely means Arylos can play this game equally well.

Ultimately, it's about timing your attacks so that you don't miss that floating target. This is a fight where fast hitting combos will win the duel, not some chargeable high damage tactic. If you do not have such an at-will power, then at least make sure your staple at-will power(s) won't take like 2-3 seconds to pull off. That'd be too late.

Planar shifting and all the blue bs

Once you reduce Nostura's HP to a certain level, she will go hibernating. I know it sounds like some kind of mama grizzly logic, but trust me when I say you really have to find a way to fight her again (read: Nostura will always claim immunity whenever her HP bar goes green instead of the customary red). To be honest, I'm not about to wait and see what would happen if Arylos tarried too long. See the Eye of Sauron somewhere at the center? Yes, that eye. Don't go past it because nothing will happen. You can try pressing F, but what if it fails? The answer is very simple: Just left click. That's what I do, that's where Nostura resumed her taunting of Arylos.

This so-called second phase will be that tactical doom-or-boom. And I say tactical because overcoming this part won't give you victory while failure to do so means #RESPAWNLOL for you.

Initially, I decided to end it once and for all. After all, it should be theoretically okay to do so in Nostura's (newly created) backyard, right? Wrong. This was when she aimed her Death Star at me! It's not funny, I swear. If I never triggered a Gondhammer as a counter-measure, that'd really be #RESPAWNLOL for all the wrong reasons!

Yes, that was a rant. So did I #RESPAWNLOL as a result? You may not believe it, but I don't spam my Gondhammer like the Mad Spammer for a reason. At the same time, I got like 20+ charges left for my Stone of Health. It's a good thing to see that thing being useful after 11 mods' worth of gaming. Period (and that's not to mention a blue Stone of Health still left untouched). Which means a combination of SoH and Insight of Gond(hammer) was the reason why Arylos survived Nostura's Death Star (and no, I didn't foresee Nostura having a Death Star. You don't expect the enemy to tell you whether it's a royal flush or two pair in his/her hand, tyvm).

Now let me just say that it's #IMPOSSIBRU to end the fight at this phase unless it's a #RESPAWNLOL for you. You really have to end the fight at the original territory. In order to phase Nostura back to reality (so as to speak), you need to attack all the blue flames at the edge and snuff them out. Yes, Nostura will come after you like your ax crazy ex. But hey, you really need to do it before she fires her Death Star at you the second time (and trust me, she's capable of doing that).

Once you snuffed out the blue flames (basically every flame snuffed will explode into a geyser as undeniable proof), Nostura will just scream Nine Hells and the Lord of Murder. After which she will proceed to attack you per normal (that is if someone like her can be considered normal). Please note that the reality phasing will take place twice. Also (if I remembered correctly), her Death Star will only be activated during the so-called phased reality part.

It's a tough fight for me, but believe it or not... Arylos actually pulled through the fight without a #RESPAWNLOL

Note: Apparently, the repeatable version of the fight only gives you XP. Something's not right, it's not as if we're talking about quest replay.

Add note: I don't know about Kabal and Gyrion, but it must be stated that the Nostura fight should be considered a party instance taking place in open world. You can try solo'ing her, but chances are that this will be another Vault of the Nine quest where the only way to survive is to play a tank. Maybe even worse for all I know.

P.S: I will be trying to write up my ideal Ascendancy artifact weapons set choice for Arylos, Cyrea, and Myrreas respectively. I'll be having the whole of Friday for myself since I'll be on leave.

Suddenly feel the need to pat myself on the back after pulling off a victory unthinkable...

Edit/P.S: Forgot to add this most important piece of info. Once Nostura fires her Death Star, it will definitely hit you. Only way to break out of jail? Just dps her until the Death Ray expires. Trust me, it's the only way out unless you want a #RESPAWNLOL

The Calm Before An Icy Storm

Okay. So here it is, my first short story for my Neverwinter Six anthology. To be honest, proof-reading this gave me a funny feeling. On one hand, I criticized myself for not writing a longer piece (word length is less than my customary KPI of 3000. More specifically this work lasts only 2130 words). On the other hand, I felt that I did myself decent justice especially given how long I've been gaming at the expense of my novel writing (read: A Requiem From Winter Past). While this short story won't present any spoilers (since the people at Cryptic would always be one step ahead in this area so as to speak), it will present certain elements of creative liberty minus any risk of total retcon (read: the content doesn't clash with what you saw so far in the Storm King's Thunder plot). Originally, I planned for this work to be upped during Valentine's Day. After all, you don't expect the modern Singaporean equivalent of Vincent van Gogh or H.P Lovecraft to celebrate 14th Feb with other people (read: we all know how important it is for a local Singaporean guy to get a local Singaporean girlfriend since SPG has always been some kind of magic phrase that goes like "YOU'RE FIRED!"). In other words, no girl has yet to prove that she's good enough to control my joyride style creativity (I suspect, however, that there's one who may be good enough to do so. And I think I know who she is).

Long story short, the image below was the reason why it took me so late to get this up.

Apparently, I have a destructive sleeping habit no different from a Tesla guy.

Not to mention as well my brain tends to be more active at night.

)0(

“Welcome to the Moonstone Mask!”

Before the alluring tiefling, two courtesans flanking the portal bowed seductively. No doubt a game played by Jen Lewstorn, noted an amused Kariss. Despite being accustomed to the harshness and fickleness of reality, she found the human bartender of the Moonstone Mask an interesting friend with a few common traits. While general understanding declared Liset Cheldar as the owner, a chosen few knew unto whom this place would eventually belong to.

“Welcome to the Moonstone Mask.”

Knowing the mocking nature behind such greeting, Kariss curtsied in reply. Like the legendary Ophala Cheldarstorn during the long gone days of Nasher Alagondar, Liset held no love for the Arcane Brotherhood. Deudermont’s death at the hands of their machinations only served to cement their lurid reputation. That was many years ago, however. As much as Liset detested to admit it, the Brotherhood have proven themselves in the most unexpected manner. After all, only a fool would choose not to profit from the chaos wrought by an undead Akar Kessell and his nefarious minions.

Not only did Anara the Cerulean offer her aid in rebuilding Caer-Konig, she also made sure any dissent would be met with the harshest punishment possible short of death. Their current leader was a scheming one, this much Liset has to acknowledge. As for Kariss Locras…

“Shocking, isn’t? To think I used to be part of them,” smiled the tiefling.

“Luke Locras was an enemy of the Brotherhood in the worst possible way. There is no way I would doubt his daughter’s word. Oghma be praised that you chose to leave the same bunch of people whom your father betrayed.”

“Except that I’m never his daughter,” Kariss’ answer to Liset’s compliment was nothing less than a knife forged in irony, her back turned towards the masked proprietor.

”I was only meant to be a replacement.”

With those words, she descended the stairs and blew a kiss to Jen. As for Liset, she could only shake her head in a twisted mix of amusement and lamentation. There was no falsehood behind Kariss’ statement, yet there was nary a resentment in her words as well. Perhaps that rascal Myrreas was right after all.

No one can ever live without trust. Better to live like a wounded beast than to live like the undead.

)0(

“Welcome to Cold Run and Makos’ Bastion!”

“Who is this odd fellow?” whispered Celeste as she nudged Xuna.

“Well, he’s…”

“Ewan Roald, I presume,” called out Knox, his booming voice nevertheless revealing a tone of respect.

“The remaining Three, I presume,” smiled the rugged leader of Trailblazers’ Sword, “Ewan Roald at your service. And is that one of the Six I see behind you?”

“”Bhaasmond Taran,” said Celeste, “Shield of the Six.”

“We have come to know better the manner of Makos’ death,” said the half-orc paladin, “For days of mourning alone can never be enough a compensation to his comrades.”

“Including you as well?” asked Ewan slyly, a thumb stroking his fuzzy chin, “Pardon my impudence, but there is a reason why I’m the founder of the finest scouting company Faerûn has ever seen.”

“Honor.”

No sooner Celeste spoke out, Bhaasmond held out a gauntleted hand.

“I appreciate the goodwill behind your lie, Lady Celeste. However, I am both a paladin and Torm’s soldier for a reason.”

“You are indeed a knight,” smiled Celeste, the emotional strain suffered so far at last showing its hand, “I have seen too many men with the heart of a beast. You, on the other hand, are truly the opposite.”

Before Bhaasmond could return the heartfelt compliment, another person emerged from a nearby tent.

“You want the truth behind Makos’ death. Or at least the vital details.”

A youthful man emanating an otherworldly aura greeted the four, facial hair trimmed adding a rugged edge to his looks.

“Name’s Artus Cimber. Forgive me when I say we don’t know much. Wulfgar and Catti-brie of the famed Companions of the Hall would know better. Alas, they are now somewhere in Icewind Dale gathering allies.”

“To fortify the defense of Bryn Shander and Lonelywood?” asked Celeste.

“Wrong,” answered Ewan Roald, his grin growing wide.

“We’re preparing to strike at the heart of Makos’ murderer. We’re going to launch an assault against Svardborg. And we’re going to take down its jarl.”

“I suppose this camp will be emptied very soon then,” quipped Knox as he looked around, the towering Arkaiun folding his arms.

“Wrong,” smirked Ewan, this time in a rueful way, “Me and my men will still stay put here in case the frost giants try something funny. After all, the orcs are still running loose despite our hero and his princess giving them something much bigger than they can chew off.”

“I will be going,” said Artus, his visage turning somber, “The Ring of Winter still recognizes me as its owner and Storvald won’t take this fact lying down. Good to see allies here who can aid our cause from today onward.”

)0(

“That damned dream again…”

Events days ago accompanying a curse against Beshaba, a familiar face being the cause. Myrreas stepped out from the bed, his toned torso bared.

“You should be resting.”

The comely rogue never turned back to face the speaker as a willowy brunette placed a basin of water on the table. The Dalelander almost discovered where Manshoon was hiding. Then he arrived. That man haunting his sleep even until now.

Gyrion…

“You want to change my bandages?”

Taken aback by Myrreas’ question, Calestin could only nod dumbly. Stripping off his dressing, Myrreas pointed to the basin and beckoned. Shaking her head with a smile, Calestin prepared to change the bandages. Renaer was right in likening Myrreas to a legendary figure of Waterdeep.

Always playing the fool while hiding his hand. Never realized there is indeed a second Danilo Thann.

“Makos, you’re right. That fellow is back,” whispered Myrreas, his eyes narrowed while Calestin applied the healing salve to his wounds. Not just any manner of injury, but burns inflicted by the leader of the Cloaked Ascendancy.

)0(

“What’s this?”

“Taulmaril. Otherwise known as the Heartseeker.”

“I know its name, Drizzt Do’Urden. Don’t act dumb.”

Before an unbelievable offer from Drizzt Do’Urden, Arylos maintained his steely gaze. The hero of Neverwinter was no fool, he knew the intent behind the seemingly absurd. The battle at Fangbreaker Island has been concluded, but the thirst for vengeance was far from quenched. Drufi was merely a pawn; one of Storvald’s numerous weapons in the same way Makos was just a victim in the name of convenience.

Days and months have passed since that fateful battle against Baphomet, yet it felt as if the stranglehold of the Maze Engine has never been relinquished. An absolute irony, for Makos was the one who destroyed it. Perhaps it was meant as a curse from a vanquished demon lord. Then again, it might actually be Vizeran DeVir’s final act of revenge. Back during the victory celebration, Drizzt had cautioned Arylos on whatever thoughts haunting Makos like a spiteful lover spurned.

“Tell Celeste…”

The tiefling warlock in the end caused an upheaval in Arylos, the cruel manner of his demise reminding the Or-tel-quessir of how his first love ended her life.

 “Tell yourself to be brave while alone, Ary. Keep this dagger if you really love me.”

 “A life for a life.”

Arylos’ statement promptly reduced a meeting of heroes to a stage of silence, both he and his drow counterpart playing the role of actors bereft of voice. The uncomfortable atmosphere prevailed for a while, tension unspoken directed towards the frost giant jarl stifling the nearby residents of Lonelywood. Then he reached out for the bow together with a quiver filled with silver arrows. With nary a word spoken, the ranger of Kelemvor departed from view.

Storvald wasn’t the only obstacle before him, however. There’s one thing to be done first, something closer to his Kelemvorite faith than mere vengeance. The presence of undead was never something associated with an artifact like the Ring of Winter, let alone should be.  Causing death was one thing, practice of necromancy quite another. Bryn Shander might have seen only two such beings so far, but the tactician in Arylos has seen more than enough on the battlefield to detect subtle clues pointing at an anomaly.

That cleric better not get himself drunk at the Hook, Line, and Sinker. First drink always on the house indeed.

)0(

“Unto Cyrea Durothil, my beloved, I give you this jewel. A trinket worth merely a pittance to others, yet much more than a kingdom to both of us.”

Gripping the necklace gifted from a lover lost to death, Cyrea recalled clearly that damning day where Ilyath Le'Quella was reported killed during a sudden attack from the daemonfey. In a span lasting mere hours, both word and proof of his death arrived. In a blatant show of mockery directed towards the entire Tel-quessir, the moon elf’s body was mutilated with words born of the abyssal tongue scripted on his back.

“A bride left undead without her beloved. Won’t be surprised if the groom is among the frozen dead.”

Then there was Arylos. If Ilyath’s existence could be compared with spring or summer, then the wood elf was a living representation of winter. One was a fighter believing in honor, the other a tactician placing absolute faith in that necessity called victory. Ilyath deserved to be called a hero, yet he failed to be one. Arylos was never meant to be a hero, yet he became one. If there was to be something in common between the two, it would be the nature of their patron deities. Ilyath worshipped Sehanine Moonbow, she was the goddess overseeing the passage of the elven dead. Arylos was a Chosen of Kelemvor, a god whose visage reflected the absolute truth known as death. If there was an irony waiting to be seen, this would be it.

Haunting images of that fight atop the wall of Bryn Shander remained freshly imprinted in her mind. A bitter bride unexpectedly whispering her thanks to an unfeeling Arylos, such was a surreal portrait of peace painted in a radiant flash. In a twisted sense, the sun elf saw a part of herself in the undead maiden. From her own view, a living hero worshipping a god of death was far more a dead man walking than any undead.

“So what’s your decision?”

A smile suddenly adorning her fair features, the Ar-tel-quessir has no need to turn behind.

“What were you thinking when you decided to let go of him?”

Before her good friend’s question, Sheallyn Melarn stayed silent. Myrreas was right all the while. In the same way she could never read the mind of that ex-Harper despite an intimate past, likewise there was no way for her to enter Arylos’ inner world in spite of a common fear towards loss.

“That Bhaasmond was a better man. And he still is,” answered the drow with a giggle. While it was nothing more than a statement of jest, Sheallyn understood fully well the truth behind her words. Myrreas would never be totally honest in front of her. The half-orc paladin, on the other hand, was willing to trust her with his future. Arylos would never betray his ways for her sake. Bhaasmond Taran, however, would gladly take up arms and lay down his life for her sake alone.

“What’s your decision?”

Upon asking herself this question, Cyrea recalled the moment where Makos met his untimely end.

“Tell Celeste…”

Before Makos could finish his final sentence, a frost giant’s ax swung down at him. The tiefling warlock was able to evade the full force of that crushing blow. Alas, a mere graze was all it took to sever the spine and crush his ribs.

In a fit of wrath, Wulfgar stepped forward. In a moment of unpredictability, Arylos became the next person to do so. With one decisive swipe, Harshnag snatched the Or-tel-quessir away from his moment of madness. With howls of anguish, Arylos struggled to break free.

Makos was merely a passer-by in Arylos’ life. Yet, something snapped inside the ranger for no apparent cause. Perhaps Linu’s warning was spot on after all, that Baphomet’s presence corrupted the Maze Engine more than anything else. An utter irony if so, for the Maze Engine was meant to bring order to chaos.

Then Cyrea released her grip on the past, the necklace descending into the river and carried down the waterfall. Just behind her, Sheallyn gave a smile of approval. Every person was born selfish, no matter what and how. Those were the words spoken by Arylos. As for Cyrea, selfishness was the only way for her to put behind the past.

)0(

Just some notes to end this post. Firstly, I originally intended to add in one more part. Namely, whatever conversation between Laeral Silverhand and Elaith Craulnober (most notably Amnestria Moonflower). The only problem? Whatever I know so far came from third party sources (read: the internet and wiki). I could try taking the risk, but there's no point for me to force myself due to being constantly sleep deprived during the next day. There are things which I'm comfortable with despite my brain being in a 50-50 state. Then there are other things which I'm not confident of due to the same situation.

And besides, it's far better for Elaine Cunningham to do her own conclusion where the Serpent is concerned (read: there's only this much I can glean from the Forgotten Realms Wiki).