[LP] The Way of the Tiger. (Complete)

[angelfromanotherpin]

Yes.

[Omegonthesane]

We've already gone further than rewinding choices - remember the Hannya that absolutely didn't kill us in its death throes.

Though I would be interested in a summary of why book 6 is so terrible that even an LP of it for morbid curiosity would be of negative value doesn't exist.

[angelfromanotherpin]

We've already gone further than rewinding choices - remember the Hannya that absolutely didn't kill us in its death throes.

It's a fair cop. Though it was a surprise to me that you even could get to the end without the special item. I didn't think that encounter was missable, I'd hit it so many times.

At the same time, Kwon said he'd help us out one time in that book and then cold didn't, so I calls it square.

Though I would be interested in a summary of why book 6 is so terrible that even an LP of it for morbid curiosity would be of negative value doesn't exist.

It's always been my intention to get to that.

[hogarth]

On an unrelated note, how does the nerve striking technique (that we declined in favour of ShinRen) work? Do various fights say "if you know the nerve pinch technique, you can do X", or does it just give you some boring old bonuses?

[Omegonthesane]

We've already gone further than rewinding choices - remember the Hannya that absolutely didn't kill us in its death throes.

It's a fair cop. Though it was a surprise to me that you even could get to the end without the special item. I didn't think that encounter was missable, I'd hit it so many times.

At the same time, Kwon said he'd help us out one time in that book and then cold didn't, so I calls it square.

Only because we never called upon Kwon the Redeemer to be our salvation. Though it was kind of a dick move that this one-time get-out-of-death-free card expired the moment we got home.

[angelfromanotherpin]

On an unrelated note, how does the nerve striking technique (that we declined in favour of ShinRen) work? Do various fights say "if you know the nerve pinch technique, you can do X", or does it just give you some boring old bonuses?

A lot of fights, especially boss fights, have all your attacks do +2 damage (occasionally +1) if you know Yubi-Jutsu. There are a very few other instances where you get an auto-pass on something because of your Vulcan neck pinch skillz.

[angelfromanotherpin]

Retcon complete, in all relevant previous posts. Pray continue.

[Corsair114]

Mace-face time, me thinks. We'll use the Sceptre on it.

[hogarth]

Yep. Use the sceptre (since that's an option).

[Darth Rabbitt]

Sceptre, totally.

[Omegonthesane]

Drive me closer, I want to hit them with my sword.

And by "drive", I mean "ride", and by "them", I mean "the Old One", and by "sword", I mean "sceptre." Still closer than most KoL metaphors.

[angelfromanotherpin]

You hack down with your Sceptre. If you hit, you will do 1 die +3 damage.

OLD ONE
Defence: 8
Endurance: 22
Damage: 1 Die +2

If it still lives, it swings its mace at your ribs. Your Defence is 7. If it hits you, take damage in the normal way and then turn to [another reference which is presumably some kind of annoying-to-horrible rider effect].

(7 is a miss, his 6 is a miss)
(7 is a miss, his 11 is a hit; block: 10 is a fail, uh oh. 2+2 damage, plus...)

As the blow connects, you feel a surge of sorcerous energy that emanates from the black glowing mace threatening to engulf you. Make a Fate Roll at -2.

(4+1-2=3, Fate turns her back on us.)

You feel a cold numbing in your very soul. Some part of you has been sucked into the mace. Lose 1 point of Inner Force, or if you have none, turn to [reference presumably for death].

(Well, fuck. Nothing to it, but to do it, though.)

(5-2 is a miss. His 8 is a hit; block: 2 is a success.)
(7-2 is a miss. His 6 is a miss.)
(9 is a hit; 6+3 damage. His 8 is a hit; block: 4 is success.)
(5-2 is a miss. His 7 is a miss.)
(9 is a hit; 5+3 damage. His 5 is a miss.)
(8 is a miss. His 3 is a miss.)
(5 is a miss. His 10 is a hit; block: 6 is success.)
(9-2 is a miss. His 8 is a hit; block: 6 is success.)
(12-2 is a hit! 2+3 is just enough to get it done!)

Your last blow caves in the thing's skull and it falls dead.

(Avenger's plan was to refuse the left flank.)

The Old One falls dead at your horse's feet. You look around to see that the Doomover Levies are in full flight, routing off the field of battle. Your warriors are shouting with joy. The cavalry and the women of Horngroth have been forced to retreat, but you can see them slowly regrouping some way off, readying to renew the fight, albeit depleted.

To your dismay, you can see to the left that the three thousand strong group of soldiers from Aveneg, Mortavalon, and the Spires, are now close to the Greenridge, from where they can swing around into the rear of the defenders there, Antocidas' mercenaries and the men of Serakub. The battle hangs in the balance.

• Lead your cavalry in a charge against the forces that are regrouping ahead of you, the cavalry and the women of Horngroth, and send the Warrior Women of Dama marching as quickly as possible to the Greenridge?
• Leave the warrior women of Serakub where they are and lead your cavalry as fast as possible to the Greenridge, with the Warrior Women of Irsmuncast hurrying as fast as possible to the Greenridge also?

[Darth Rabbitt]

So the regrouping force is at most 2,000 strong (cavalry numbered 1000 at the beginning of the battle, as did the Warrior Women) and there's an organized force of 3,000 attacking a weak point of ours right now?

We should focus on knocking out the bigger and better organized force for now, and then move all our forces on the smaller one. Send all our forces to the Greenridge.

EDIT: clarified.

[Ancient History]

Let's let the Dames reinforce Greenridge while we lead the cavalry against the middle.

Also, how many fucking bands of warrior women do we have?

[Corsair114]

The Warrior Women of Dama are closer. Send them left to the Greenridge while we strike the center. Hopefully we can rout the center and swing around to finish off those flanking forces before they completely overwhelm the Shieldmaidens.

[angelfromanotherpin]

You charge forwars to battle, but while you are driving off the rest of Honoric's cavalry the battle is lost behind you. The swordsmen cannot move fast enough and your whole left flank is overrun by the Legion of the Sword of Doom, who begin to mop up the rest of your forces piecemeal. You try to ride off the field, but your men are caught in a volley of crossbow fire, and a bolt takes you in your eye, forcing the Orb backwards into your brain and killing you instantly.

(Sigh.)

As you gallop at breakneck speed with about nine hundred horsewomen of Dama behind you, you catch sight of the White Mage up above. He has slain all three wyverns, but is himself drenched in blood, barely alive. Just as Honoric's allies are about to fall on the rear of Antocidas' mercenaries, you charge home, scattering soldiers before you. The sight of you, your Orb and Sceptre, Doré le Jeune and the formidable warriors of Dama is too much for the attackers, and they are forced back, despite their numbers. By the time they are ready to attack once more, Gwyneth's swordswomen have secured the Greenridge, presenting an indomitable array of warriors.

Meanwhile, Honoric's remaining cavalry has been repulsed by the Warrior Women of Serakub once more and the men are in full retreat, this time unable to regroup.


Quickly, you lead your still formidable cavalry force and the warrior women of Serakub to fall on the left flank of the Legion of the Sword of Doom. Sensing the taste of victory, the rest of your army moves to the offensive. Soon the whole of Honoric's army is in full retreat with the Doomover Levies completely routed and fleeing pell-mell.

Your forces are relatively well off – some elements are too exhausted, such as the defenders at the farm, but you begin issuing orders for organising a pursuit with those still able to go on.


In the distance, you recognise Honoric himself on horseback trying to whip the remnants of his army into good enough shape for a safe withdrawal. But then he puts something to his lips and blows. It is a horn.

A great echoing blast of sound fills the heavens, seeming to echo across all the planes of existence. Your heart and the hearts of your army quail with fear. Doré le Jeune claps his hands over his ears. Then something begins to materialise in front of Honoric.

(No, my diapered giant will win the day!)

A huge colossus, eight metres tall and ebony black, appears. In its hand it wields a huge sword, the mirror of Honoric's eldritch blade Sorcerak, but many times larger. The black titan, eyes aglow with lambent fire, lumbers towards you, an aura of pale nacreous lightning playing about its limbs.

• Ask Doré le Jeune to accompany you and whatever cavalry you have available, to charge once more?
• Order your men to fall back before the monster?

[Korgan0]

A NINJA NEVER RETREATS

[Corsair114]

Fallback and regroup.

[Omegonthesane]

Frankly I suspect this is another Press X To Not Die scenario, so caution will probably not help us.

CHAAAAAAAAARGE!

[angelfromanotherpin]

You and Doré le Jeune charge into battle once more with two hundred of your bravest warriors behind you. You surround the creature, but your weapons seem to have no effect on it whatsoever. Even Doré le Jeune cannot dent its steely hide. But the colossus lays about itself with its great sword, killing a score of men with one blow. Two strikes of its sword and you and your men are fleeing back. At the sight of this, your forces begin a spontaneous withdrawal. Note that you are not able to pursue Honoric's army.

(Gasp! A non-death-and-defeat consequence? Or just a delayed death-and-defeat consequence?)

As the colossus closes in, Gliftel, whom you are pleased to see still lives, runs fleetly to meet it with three of his fellows. They stop some seven metres ahead of it and begin to murmur and move their hands in complicated patterns in the air, casting some spell. The ground before the colossus shifts and it steps forwards, not on to firm fields of grass, but on to a huge boggy patch of quicksand. It sinks to its chest and begins to flail about. Gliftel says a word and the earth hardens, leaving even a colossus hopelessly trapped.

Gliftel and his companions run back, laughing gleefully. You cannot help but smile, and Doré le Jeune, battered and wounded as he is, is roaring with mirth.

(Avenger is not able to conduct a pursuit.)

Honoric leaves the field of battle. His army will not be a threat to the Manmarch for years to come. Tiredly you set about the task of setting your weary army's footsteps on the road to Irsmuncast, still threatened by the men of the Rift.


The journey takes many days, but finally you are near the City of Irsmuncast. An ominous pillar of dark smoke reaches up to the sky on the horizon. Gwyneth is looking worried as a murmur of disquiet goes up from the soldiers. Quickly, you lead a forced march to reach the city as soon as possible.

When you do reach it, an army ten thousand strong, mostly of Orcs and Goblins from the Rift, surrounds Irsmuncast. Parts of the wall are aflame, but the city has not yet been sacked. It seems you have arrived just in time. You begin to prepare for another battle, but at the sight of you and your army, the forces of the Rift begin to pack up their camp and march away, the Orcs shuffling and growling as they run along.

You enter the city in triumph, hailed as a hero. 'The saviour of Irsmuncast,' the common people call you. But what trials await you next, now that you have defeated Honoric of Doomover?

Well, nothing. That's all, folks. This last book was kind of terrible as an actual game, but at least the story was pretty good, once it was teased out from behind a wall of game over nonsense. Wrap to follow, get your questions in.

[Darth Rabbitt]

Is is possible to kill Honoric in this book?

[angelfromanotherpin]

Yes, if you don't engage the giant (or do something else that prevents a pursuit), you can pursue his army. A lot more of them get killed, and Honoric's body is found among the dead.

[Starmaker]

Please post the "you're out of Inner Force" death.

Edit: appropriately creepy. The Manse one from way back in Avenger is still the best, though.

[angelfromanotherpin]

All your will and volition have been drained from you. You are now a zombie under the control of the Old One. It forces you to order a general retreat before you are taken back to Doomover as an object of ridicule, an amusing entertainment, before you are finally executed.

[hogarth]

Is it possible to win the battle without the aid of Serakub?

Is it possible to convince the people of Serakub without using the sceptre?