The No Reload Challenge

[Mikka]

*covers her ears*

 

No no no no, it's not an MMO, you see, and Firaxis has never burned me before and I have it all nice and preloaded and I'll be near the computer so I can attempt to activate hours before I'll actually have a chance to play it so it'll work work work, you'll see!

 

...And, well, if it doesn't, Patch 6 tonight, eh? >.>

[Legate of Mineta]

It's Firaxis. I am 100% certain it will be more than playable tomorrow.

 

Clearly, I will have to test it myself.

[Torolf]

As far as I'm concerned, Firaxis sold us out by making it Steam-only.

[nightguard]

Indeed. Where is my option to purchase over Impulse?

 

Oh, that wasn't what you meant?

[Jarod Cain]

Name: Silus Cain

College: Durand

Courses: Astrology, Athletics, Botany, Dialectics, Incantation, Negation

 

Fitness: 2

Finesse: 1

Charm: 2

Strength: 1

Intelligence: 2

Insight: 3

Luck: 1

 

Background:

 

Omen: Islandquake

History: Descended of Traitors

Family: Helpful & Attentive

Family: A Secret Heritage

Prodigy: Negation

Apprenticeship: Local Wizard

Familiar: Exotic

Inheritance: Mysterious Package

Friendships: Actually, Bitter Hatred (Malthezar Mhadi)

Familiar Escapade: Facing down the Bully

 

Items:

Purple Chip from Celcius' Maze

 

Hello Father & Mother,

 

I am writing to inform you that Oroborous and I have arrived relatively safely. We've received the usual accompaniment of stares and dark looks from people who refuse to judge someone on their own merits. Sins of the fathers I suppose, worse though is the slight problem I may have with one other student. I met a young Alesfan boy on the way, we got along well at first, our interests initially seemed similar and he even has a snake that Oroborous got to know for a short time. Unfortunately he turned out to be much like Kryos (tell old man Refelan that I apologize but it needed to be done), and our trip ended up being one disastrous argument after another. But it's not all bad here I suppose, with the exception of a couple, everyone here in Durand seems to be pretty accepting of me and our headmistress seems to be hell bent on making that universal.

 

Today was an interesting day, I've managed to get settled into my room and had some free time to represent our college in the collegiate testing. I'm going to try my hardest to prove at least to those judgmental folks in my own college that no matter what they may have heard Silus Cain is dedicated to where he's at and what he's doing. When I was done with lunch I worked in the fields for a few hours to get some extra pims and get a good lay of the surrounding lands before I met up with my mentor. I have to say, I'm surprised that she took the job but she seemed earnest and was very nice.

 

Now I have to tell you beforehand, I'm ok right now and no worse for the wear. But on my way back to my dorm, myself and a group of others were attacked by a black devil chicken. It was attacking one of the teachers when I came across the commotion so I cast a net over it, unfortunately the thing pecked its way out then charged me. I have some scratches but the nurse assures me that things will heal within a couple of days. Hopefully today isn't an indicator of how the rest of the year will continue and things will be nice and quiet.

 

My love,

Silus

 

PS. Tell Grandfather thank you for the coin from his collection and that I will get a detailed report on any properties I it may have in my next letter.

 

-J-

[Mikka]

I'm not too much for Steam, either, but I am much for Civilization- so I play. It's stealing quite a bit of attention, but I did have the time to at least start a no-reload game, with another challenge to myself... no magic!

 

Yes, no magic. In a game about magic. Why not?

 

My goal quite simply is to never deliberately train a magic skill (for the sake of sanity, I'll allow say, Concentration from Enspell but not Phemes, and Theory of Negation but not Negation Spells (I'm not quite sure yet where I stand on Astrology and Geometry)), never cast a magic spell, and attempt to never use any sort of magic choice in events and adventures. If the only option's I have are magicky ones, I will choose the last magic option on the list (IE, the purplist-hardest). If, uh, I somehow succeed, I'll blame comets. I'm sure I will gain points in magic skills as things go by from locations if nothing else (many Dialect up locs teach a bit of magic, I'm afraid): when I can, I'll attempt to 'trade them out' using abilities you can get in later game to drop a skill to gain another and the like if I can. Otherwise, I'll mostly ignore them.

 

This character is likely to end up very confused, but that's okay. Life's a bit like that.

 

 

Isa Vargas of Aranaz Collage

Studying Botany, Calligraphy, Dialect, History, Music and Rhetoric

 

Fitness 1, Finesse 4, Charm 2, Strength 1, Intelligence 3, Insight 3, Luck 2

Noted skills: Weaponsmith, Curiosity, and Composure at 2; Leadership at 4

 

Astrology: The Comet

Omen: Shattered Mirrors

History: Artisans of Some Skill

History: Descendant of Traitors

Prodigy: Center of Attention

Apprenticeship: Page

Friendships: Actually, Bitter Hatred

Prodigy: Physical (...which I pretend means more 'crazy willpower', because, uh, fitness & str 1)

Exploits: Shipwrecked

 

 

My dear mother,

 

I hope you are well. The long, confusing trip here has twisted my sense of time: when did I leave home? How long had I been traveling? The only knowledge I have is how long I will be here, and right now it seems like it may be for forever. Please don't fret, mother. I am well. I am simply homesick.

 

You were right. My arrival was rather low-key, with there simply being some forms to fill out. They questioned the circumstances of my birth (they even wanted to know the exact time, of all things- I made something up), my page training, and even what I was like as a child. I was quite impressed: I had a nice little conversation with the head of my chosen collage of Aranaz (I thought we would be assigned!) about the craftsmanship of the swords grandfather produced without there being a single mention of who exactly those swords were supplied to and what exactly they were used to do.

 

Are you reading this to my brothers, or are they looking over your shoulder, perhaps? Tell them not to worry. I am not ashamed. No matter what my fellow students gossip about, I am a Scion of the Vargas line. I hold my head high.

 

There was no talk about my other circumstances, and I find the wand does feel more natural the longer I hold it. Hopefully, all will be well.

 

I know you are wondering about what I meant by a 'long, confusing' trip. I do not wish to worry you, but I fear if I do not tell you, the school may. The ship we had chosen for my travels sunk. There was a fight with pirates (I hear that they have quite a few 'bases' of sorts near the Academagia), a storm, and of course magic. You know I'm not much of a swimmer, or... well, much of anything when it comes to physical activity. It was the luck of the comet that I made it to the beach, I think, but it was certainly will of my family that I made it to the Academagia. The first mate was impressed that such a 'delicate little girl' handled herself so well. I'm rather proud of myself.

 

Ah, but something good came out of it, so please, please, please mother, don't be upset! I had the chance to meet a 'lovely' boy my age, Hector. After the shipwreck, I found myself needing new transportation to reach the Academagia. So I took an Airship! Hector was traveling the same way as it's his first year here as well. I 'shared' my lunch with him, and he spoke to others his 'concern' about my health. We 'chose' to leave the airship together, and finished our travels 'leisurely'. We ran in to problems with bullies in a small town we passed through, I'm afraid, but we 'united' to face the obstacle. We then spent hours in each other's company, 'talking' only to each other as we watched the sun glint off of stones of the town's Temple.

 

I am sure we will become very good 'friends', indeed.

 

Ah. I also had a run in with a ghost. I tried to offer comfort to the strange being, but she wailed and screamed instead, even worse then Mar's 'music' (I tease, I tease- it was actually better!). A rather alarming encounter. Regardless, I am looking forward to the rest of the day- it's the last I have free before classes start. I am certain to be busy from now on, but I will try to write every two weeks... or at least once a month.

 

My love to you and my brothers,

Isa

 

(Small sized due to length. I imagine her as being the sort of person that attempted to write the letter around seven times, each time trying to sound more and more adult and mature (diligently subbing out word after word, probably by looking up synonyms), ending up coming off as a bit stilted and formal. She forgot herself there a bit, though.)

[nightguard]

Like many of you who are posting here, I decided to take something of a lesser magical route with my new no-reload character. It's not that he has anything against magic, though. He's just never seen any major role for it in his life. This is also a very different character for me to create, as I tend to make characters that see intelligence and intuition as their strong suits.

 

Name: Michael Sepenza

 

Fitness: 2

Finesse: 3

Charm: 1

Strength: 2

Intelligence: 1

Insight: 1

Luck: 2

 

College: Godina

 

Classes: Astrology, Athletics, Calligraphy, Incantation, Music, Negation

 

Aptitude: Hunting

Family: The Secret Heritage

Familiar Bond: Dog

Station: Up From Destitution

Tutoring: Explorer

 

-----

 

Character History (as he is unlikely to spend much time at all writing to his family)

 

Michael had always been as adventurous and filled with wanderlust as his father had been. He had already explored much of the forest near the small village he was raised in by the age of seven, and began following his father hunting shortly after. He fully expected to become a hunter and woodsman as his father had, and certainly was not upset with the prospect, as it would allow him the opportunity to live in the wilderness he had come to love. Michael had wished to start learning the art of the bow since his first hunting trip with his father, but had always been told that he would learn once he was old and strong enough.

 

Life certainly had a surprise in store for him when he received an acceptance letter from the Academagia. He had never heard anything even mentioned from his parents that they had petitioned for him to enter the most famous school of magic, and wondered even more about why he had been accepted. He had never even seen magic in use, except for the occasional stop by a travelling wizard in their town who performed minor tricks in trade for food and room and a bit of coin. He certainly wasn't eager to leave the forests that had been his home since birth, but his mother impressed upon him how important this opportunity could be for him, how he could see parts of the world that he had never even imagined.

 

On the morning before he left, his mother gave him a small note, which she told him to read only when he was alone on his trip to the Academagia. He found it to be a brief set of directions, and a reminder that there are plenty of places to explore at the Academagia, many of which are not what they seem.

 

Arriving in Mineta, he collects his luggage and leads his dog and closest friend, Kalek, towards the Academagia. He has no idea what the coming years has in store for him, but he knows one thing for certain; he isn't going to spend all his time here stuck in a boring school or cramped dorm room.

 

-----

 

Yes, the Secret Heritage background is used as much as a plot device for this character as it is something I intend him to study, but depending on what other locations he finds in his explorations of the Academagia and the city of Mineta, he may well return to the Haven. Only time (and gameplay) will tell.

[Mumbles]

Here's mine. I goofed on the last name, so Aria acquired a cousin. I decided to go a completely different route. She is my social butterfly, increasing flirting, dating, flattery and intrigue in lieu of more useful skills.

 

Name: Aria Solari

 

Fitness: 1 (2)

Finesse: 1 (2)

Charm: 2 (3)

Strength: 2

Intelligence: 1 (2)

Insight: 3

Luck 1 (2)

 

College: Morvidus

 

Classes: Revision, Zoology, Botony, Dialectic, Enchantment, Music

 

Astrology: The Comet

Omen: Shattered Mirrors

Family: Sports

History: Artisans of Some Skill

History: Descended of Traitors

Prodigy: Center of Attention

Prodigy: Social

Familiar: Cat (Pyewackit)

Friendships: Bitter Hatred

Friendships: Male Students

 

 

Wednesday, Athonos 10

 

 

Dearest Mama and Papa (and Marco!),

 

Be assured that I arrived in Elumia none the worst for wear save for a queasy stomach from some rough weather the Mermaid encountered as she traversed the Shining Sea. I am sore disappointed. We encountered not one pirate! I know folk say pirates are a tricksy and dangerous lot, but I do so think they look dashing in those loose shirts and stompy boots.

 

The port at Mineta is everything I could have asked for. My eyes, ears and nostrils were assailed on all sides by a flurry of bright colors, cacophony of music and voices and aromas of foods from all cultures. It quite made my head ache.

 

Due to a particulary favorable headwind, the Mermaid arrived a fortnight ahead of schedule. As this was during break, the Academagia was nowhere near able to take on a new arrival. Most of the staff had deserted the institution for the summer, including the cooks! I resigned myself to starving. Worst, and unfortunately for me, a rival school had waylayed my papers. The sea marshalls refused to allow me outside of the docks proper until my proper provenance could be verified by the Academagia itself! Let me tell you, I quite felt like one of Auntie George's musty old antiques.

 

You may have guessed that I was not the only student so afflicted, and you would be correct. Several of us found ourselves stranded thusly. Even some parents were caught in the hullaballoo. The Sea Marshalls did their duty by us and provided barracks space until such time as our credentials could be provided. Now, Papa (and Marco since I know you're reading over Papa's shoulder) please do not burst a blood vessel at what I must next relate. Due to a clerk's horrendous handwriting rendering my name as "Ario" instead of "Aria," I was assigned to the--oh, there is no easy way to say this!--to the boy's dormitory. Naturally, I spotted the error at once, but when I complained to a functionary, I was told the paperwork had already been filed and I must make the best of things. Besides, he said, the girls' dorm was full up.

 

The fellow did take pity on me. He made introductions between me and one of the harried fathers waiting with their sons. The gentleman, a Master Jaconelli, vacated his private room (an office transformed to bed chamber by the addition of a cot and chamber pot) and bunked down in the common room with the other lads. He admonished the boys to be on their best behavior and treat me like spun crystal. Hah! I'm sure Marco recalls with no fondness the myriad bruised shins I've given him over many a friendly rimbal match. Do try not to snicker too much at the vision of me as fine lady, dear brother.

 

Still, the boys remained quite gentlemanlike. Some were quite cute I grew quite fond of all of them, sort of brothers away from brother, so to speak--though none could replace dear Marco. Master Jaconelli's son, Luti, is a fellow rimbal player. We managed to improvise a shortened field along the pier and hold a few fast and furious, though water-downed, games. I'd say the rival school's plot was the best welcome I could have had if it was not for the reaction of a few of the girls, who refused to accept the handwriting mix-up and spread some...rather unsavory...rumors about me once we did arrive at the Academagia proper. I'm sorry to report that I've been painted quite the flirt.

 

Matters were not helped by Cousin Olivia, who, eager to prove she was not one of those Solaris let slip that I, on the otherhand, was. Immediately, my rivals branded me as a traitor. As if that was not outside of enough, several students, mostly girls, shunned me entirely. Olivia was charmingly contrite once she realized her mistake, but the damage had already been done. She insisted on setting things right. I will never again call Olivia a social butterfly, for, with a bit of help from myself and another girl from her school (Emilia) she conducted a counter-campaign that quite turned the tables on those cats Rikildis von Kiep and Joana Lio y Rossollo.

 

There are those who still judge me for something my great-great-grandfather did, but most students after an initial wariness now treat me as any other new arrival. Honestly, I simply do not understand why I should be blamed for something the old fellow did in his youth. After all, there's no proof that Prince Hadrian wasn't the eldest twin. It only made sense to support him. I know, I know, Mama. Victors write the history books. Still, I find it all quite vexing.

 

Papa, I am sad to say that your letter of introduction to Forge Mistress Illumia had no effect whatsoever. In fact, she sniffed, tossed the parchment onto a pile nearly as high as her head and informed me in no uncertain terms that she and only she would be the judge of my skills and I would train as all the other 'prentices until such time as she deemed me worthy of finer work. I had the impression she was a bit put out with me for daring to put myself forward in such a fashion. That is a setback, but I will endeavor to impress her with my skills as is my duty and not let the family down.

 

Professor Chastellain, on the otherhand, seems quite impressed with the schooling I have had to date. So, Papa, you did not throw good pyms after bad when you hired that composer to tutor me in the arts of Voice and Lute. I do so wish I could lose myself in the music instead of hammering away at a hot forge! My other classes go quite well. You will not be surprised to learn that Zoology and Botony are my favorites, though I find Revision absolutely fascinating just as I'd thought.

 

Well, Dear Family, Pyewackit has taken to eating spare parchment so as to alert me to the fact that the dinner bell has rung. I must say adieu, though I promise to write again soon. Papa, if you could advance me a few pyms on my allowance, I would be so ever in your debt. One of the school's grizzles slobbered all over my best robe and I am unable to rid it of the stain.

 

Until then, I remain your loving daughter,

 

 

Aria

 

p.s. I'm blue! I knew I should have dodged that Henning boy's potion!

p.p.s. Olivia seems quite taken with one of the boys. Normally, I would never tell tales out of school--hah! A pun!--but this Cyrus fellow strikes me as quite...smarmy, not really the thing. Please don't mention it to Tante Chlotilde yet. I promise to keep an eye on Olivia and not let her get into too much trouble.

[Sheyra]

I don't believe in reloads in a game like this unless you happen to have a crash or something of the sort. I'm playing my character Marie Gallais without reloads at all, but I won't post her here since I have a thread dedicated to her story.

[Mumbles]

I don't believe in reloads in a game like this unless you happen to have a crash or something of the sort. I'm playing my character Marie Gallais without reloads at all, but I won't post her here since I have a thread dedicated to her story.

 

I just asked if we could have a separate forum area for these. I, for one, enjoy reading them. It would be nice to have them all in the same place. I'm sure a lot of posters haven't even seen the ones in this thread.

[Efelle]

This is my first real character, I make an quick try yesterday and abandon because my college don't fit me. Let's go.

 

 

Name : Rhyn Ratigan

Fitness: 2

Finesse: 2

Charm: 1

Strength: 1

Intelligence: 3

Insight: 3

Luck: 1

 

College Durand

Classes : Botany, Dialectic, Negation, Incantation, Calligraphy, Grammar.

 

Astrology : Midnight

Omen : Islandquake

Discoveries : Libraries

Family : Wizards

 

Familiar : Rat - named Bookworm

 

 

Rhyn tends to prefers book to friends, he's very lonely. He will start search for student like him and befriend them.

He think that studies will be easy for him and plan to focus on training and effective magic.

There is a strong social pressure on Rhyn, his parents expect only excellence of him. Rhyn is also a dreamer, intoxicate by heroic legend, it is expect to spend time on exploring...

 

 

Midterm results : Intelligence and Insight climb to 4. Suffer one detention for nothing, cruel injustice.

 

Exams results, such a shame : Botany 59 ; Dialectic 34 ; Negation 91 ; Incantation 45 ; Calligraphy 35, Grammar : 54.

[Mikka]

As an update, I've continued playing Isa. (I decided to stop writing stuff for her, though, as I think I would rather write for a similar character who has a stronger voice- eh, whatever.)

 

Doing well so far. Midterm results ranged from 35 to 70. Without magic, though, 100/110 is probably as far as she'll get.

 

Have six stress max, which is nice. Insight and Intelligence 4, too. Slightly weird collection of skills- despite the 2 charm, she ended up with a large assortment of social skills. I wanted to use a high finesse with low morals character to see if I could stumble across some of the other stealthy/stealing skills, but I can't seem to hit them. Foo.

 

Adventures are incredibly hard. Particularly when you're not reloading, and not casting spells for them. I'm trying to finish Oan's, and the adventures of my three clique mates. Unfortunately, for the clique-mates, Tabin's seems stalled (he had me collect leaves for him, but no continuation yet- I wonder if I need to stat raise) and Aveline's has yet to appear. Vrenelle's is going okay, though, and I can push Oan's down to even, so I just need to raise my Explore a bit higher. Everything else, though, I think I'm giving up on.

[ThePoet]

Going to make a no reload (except with crashes and such lol) rp to this area of the forum, you're all more than welcome to follow, and even better COMMENT! comments are like food for a writer. (both good and bad ones, even though the bad ones taste like a bread covered with mold... they're still helpful though )

[dustman]

Mara Triglav -- Aranaz Jack-of-All-Trades

 

Mara likes to try new things out, even when they might be dangerous (but not too dangerous). Coming from a respected artisan family, she was more interested in knowledge and power than making something with her hands. When she was accepted to Academagia, her obvious faculty choice was Aranaz. Diplomacy as solution to everything wouldn't work, so she thought, and Hedi was out; flashy magic, annoying little critters and plants, and tedious work in a forge were not for her. Only Avila was appealing as well, but while History and Astrology were both fascinating, Geometry was way to boring for her taste. On her way to Academagia she actually managed to visit couple of libraries and librarians, pleased with her genuine interest, has given her permission to study in two of the more restricted locations, the Library of Manetele, and the Library of Mantle Stars.

 

Stats:

Fitness: 3 (+1 Family: Sports)

Finesse: 3 (+1 History: Artisans of Skill)

Strength: 1

Charm: 2 (+1 Prodigy: Center of Attention)

Intelligence: 3

Insight: 2 (+1 from Omen: Islandquake)

Luck: 2 (+1 from Astrology: the Comet)

 

Classes:

Astrology: Stars have many tales and tails and must be studied

Calligraphy: Bit boring but necessary evil (at least one might forge useful documents when everything else fails)

Dialectics: Reasoning and logical approach are great (maybe only in theory...)

History: Knowledge of the past, to learn from mistakes of the old days and not to repeat them again

Music: Pleasant, entertaining way to pass a bit of free time, possibly making some friends along the way

Negation: Most useful of all magical arts: cast protective spell and run! Live to fight another day, they say

 

First couple of weeks were spent making friends and occasional visits to the library. Neta Xemutre, Emillia Picotti and Oriabel Sidot joined bit pompous clique called 'Power and Charm'. Few weeks later Vincent Eins joined and brought whole cloud of luck with him!

 

Not all was so good: Oliver Storey accused Mara of skipping detention and was torturing her with detentions for over a month (at the end relations were at +4, Study Habits at 9 and Composure at 6). This was a valuable lesson: avoid attention and get away by whatever means necessary: lie, deceit, manipulation or, even better, be prepared with observation, awareness, perception and last but not least -- planning.

 

Frequent visits to the Venalicium Library and studies there turned Mara into wonderful researcher, capable of uncovering truth when necessary. Permission from librarians was used to its fullest, and the Library of Mantele Stars became her favorite spot at the campus. And her newly discovered affinity to languages served Mara well, turning her in a sort of polyglot and leading to very good relations with Prof. Sido. Vilocian mercenaries was an interesting bunch as well, and some time spent at their guild taught Mara few tricks in war as well.

 

Not much time was spent on adventuring, unfortunately. Only rare talks with Oan, plus couple of times annoying little spirit Pamela made mess in the room.

 

After mid-term exams, Cheimare, 21st, situation looked like this:

 

Fitness: 3 (no change)

Finesse: 3 (the same)

Strength: 1 (uguh)

Intelligence: 5 (+1 from planning and +1 from Music studies)

Insight: 5 (+1 from planning and +1 from Dialectic studies)

Luck: 4 (+1 from Negation studies and one due to Ein's Cloud of Luck)

Charm: 7 (+3 from Emillia, +1 from Neta, +1 from feeling Golden)

 

Notable skills (mid term exam):

Research -- 15

Vilocian -- 10

Negation -- 10 (100)

Astrology -- 10 (100)

History -- 8 (72)

Music -- 6 (60)

Calligraphy -- 5 (32)

Befriend -- 4

Language -- 4

Dialectics -- 4 (30)

War -- 3

 

And the following holidays should be used for relaxing walks at Chauranglaith Path, studies of war and languages, as well as not-so-noble art of sleight-of-hand, and more noble art of playing lyre. Extrapolation of evidence and search for historical tendencies are good hobbies for spare time.

[dustman]

Mara has finished her first year.

 

On very last days her stats were:

 

Fitness -- 4

Finesse -- 3

Strength -- 1

Charm -- 6

Intelligence -- 6

Insight -- 6

Luck -- 5

 

Normally, Charm is at 8, Insight at 7 and Luck at 6 due to emotions.

 

Parent approval -- 151.

 

Grades:

 

Astrology -- 121

Calligraphy -- 120

Dialectics -- 190

History -- 160

Music -- 150

Negation -- 150

 

Pity there was no 'Best Student' reward... Mara was second in Calligraphy, third in Astrology and first everywhere else

 

Only tutor adventure was done till the end, failed miserably in main Aranaz quest for power

 

Beside main classes, following skills were at very high level (10+): Language, Research, Revision.

These were at high level (7-9): Befriend, Art, Compete, Forge.

Several were at 4-6 level.

 

Huge Composure (12 - 13 depending on stress) made such things as detentions and hall sessions completely irrelevant. There was a message 'You've been reprimanded for skipping detention/hall sessions!' but they were never visible in calendar although could be selected on voluntary basis. Sphinx's room was so easy to use

 

What I would done differently? More focus on Heraldry, and start adventures bit earlier. Otherwise, she was a nice char to play.

 

Next char will be an explorer with high luck. Haven't decided if he gonna be a bardish type with music and poetry at his arsenal, or more like tree-hugger with knack for living beings and wilderness.