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Cavern Quest REDO : It Is Still Dark

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The Empire has dominated the known world for as long as most people can remember. It has...

Happerry

The Song to the Flame
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The Empire has dominated the known world for as long as most people can remember. It has conquered every resistance movement, all foreign foes, every bastion of independence. All magic is restricted. Fantastic creatures like dragons and giants are killed on sight. And all who don't fit in, the misfits, the rebels, those with incorrect opinions, are sent to the Deep Dark, thrown down the Pit of Loss, an enormous underground prison. There, they live out the rest of their lives in the cold stone tunnels that make up this vast cave system.

But, by their very nature.. once you mix together all the dreamers, the rebels, the wise and willful ones... They do not sit down in the dark and wait to die. They who had the spirit to defy the empire.. they instead, well, get on with living. Even locked away from the sun life goes on. It is not the end, but a new beginning. Away from the Empire's greedy grasp, the corruption and despair, the iron rod of the unfair laws. Trapped they may be, but they are also free. No more is the Empire the master, the lords, those who no one has successfully defied.. because they aren't here. They've kicked you out, They no longer care to watch and punish.

No.. Down here, in the dark.. this is where freedom is growing. A new start, a new beginning. Down here the people are gathering in those islands where life can sustain itself. Mushrooms and cave spiders may not be tasty, but they are edible. Even down here, farming of a sort can be done. Water be found...

Cities rise.

You, now, will take the fate of one of these new settlements in your hand, to lead to greatness or failure. Legends or infamy. Survival.. or extinction.

And in the darkness below.. old forces stir. Even the Empire does not know what lies down there.. What ancient secrets now stir in the shadows. Those things their gods deny...

But for now, the first houses rise, and people gather. Now.. you must make your first choices.

After the small band that follows the Founders of this place left the initial landing zone of the Pit of Loss, where did they end up before they settled?

[ ] A vast deep cavern, so wide that even with a fire, you can stand in the middle and not see any of the walls, a bubble of giant proportions beneath the earth, with a waterfall from the roof creating the center lake upon the shore of which your settlement is created. Great groves of giant mushrooms grow, scattered across the vast floor.
- Bonuses to Fishing, Construction, Mushroom (Lumber) Sources.

[ ] A network of twisting caves, with an entrance close by the Pit of Loss on one of the main exits, with salt gleaming from the walls and trickling streams flooding some of the rooms, sustaining a vast population of giant frogs and rats who feed off the detritus from above.
- Bonuses to Hunting/Ranching, Population Growth, Trade.

[ ] A vast chasm in the earth, riddled with cracks and with the glow of lava far below. Far from the Pit of Loss, and thought by those sages with you to be close to the Fangs of Fire, a range of volcanoes that are active to this day, the light and heat of the lava has resulted in fast carpets of edible fungi and things that feed off of it. Even the most insensitive lout can feel the elemental power in the air.
- Bonuses to Mining and Forging, Defense, Magic

[ ] Deep within the earth, farther down by leagues then the empire ever dared to go, suspended above a vast underground ocean by a collection of caves to the side of water filled cavern, intersecting with the wall around halfway up. Here the ruins of some great ancient city lie, swallowed by the earth untold eons ago, a store of ancient knowledge and artifacts that will be invaluable.. if anyone can figure out how to use and read them.
- Bonuses to Scavanging, Adventurers, Increased chances of uncovering Ancient Artifacts, Knowledge or Treasure

But there is also the question of who founded this town? What brave leaders stepped forwards in the darkness and inspired those who followed them?

[ ] Warriors and Brigands, Heroes of the Resistance. Those who struck painful blows against the Empire and got away with it.. for a while, that is. And then, like all the others, they were caught and banished from the surface.
- Start with a small military-level guard unit available for use and increased military traditions and aptitude in general.

[ ] Sages and wizards, the magic and rare. Those fleeing from the Empire's repression towards magic.. Perhaps they hid the gift for years, living in plain sight of those who would kill them, or fled to the shrinking wilds to practice their craft in defiance of their foes. Whatever the story, they too have now been thrown down this pit..
- Start with access to a small number of mages and the ability to train others, as well as a basic school built from the start.

[ ] Traders and swindlers, the rich and the skilled.. but even the merchants and craftsmen have enemies. Perhaps they weren't respectful enough to some noble, or a rival plotted to dispose of them. Either way, now they too are down here, to live as best they can.
- Start with bonuses to Trading and all fields of Construction.

[ ] Heretics and pagans, those poor fools who cross the imperial church. Those who choose to worship gods that have been denied, forces that have been banned, myths declared anathema. Now they are free to worship as they wish.
- Start with access to a small number of clerics and the ability to train others, as well as a holy site or relic in the settlement that attracts immigrants.

Finally, with the founding of this new settlement, what will your people chose to name this place that shall serve as the birthplace for the generations to come?

[ ] (Write in a name)



So, yes, I'm doing a redo of this. The last one died when we started heading into a war and I had to take a good look at the underlying system and started screaming. Now, having worked on it some, and rebuilt my inspiration, it's time to live in the dark once more.

You can redo your last set of choices for where to place our city, or we can explore a new path.. Things may not be the same as it was before, however, so choose wisely.

There are drums in the depths...
 
[x] A vast chasm in the earth, riddled with cracks and with the glow of lava far below. Far from the Pit of Loss, and thought by those sages with you to be close to the Fangs of Fire, a range of volcanoes that are active to this day, the light and heat of the lava has resulted in fast carpets of edible fungi and things that feed off of it. Even the most insensitive lout can feel the elemental power in the air.
- Bonuses to Mining and Forging, Defense, Magic


[x] Sages and wizards, the magic and rare. Those fleeing from the Empire's repression towards magic.. Perhaps they hid the gift for years, living in plain sight of those who would kill them, or fled to the shrinking wilds to practice their craft in defiance of their foes. Whatever the story, they too have now been thrown down this pit..
- Start with access to a small number of mages and the ability to train others, as well as a basic school built from the start.

[P]Magetown home of the Mages. Maging it up Mage style. Mage.

[X] Silen Hil
 
Let's see now...

[X] A vast deep cavern, so wide that even with a fire, you can stand in the middle and not see any of the walls, a bubble of giant proportions beneath the earth, with a waterfall from the roof creating the center lake upon the shore of which your settlement is created. Great groves of giant mushrooms grow, scattered across the vast floor.
- Bonuses to Fishing, Construction, Mushroom (Lumber) Sources.

[X] Sages and wizards, the magic and rare. Those fleeing from the Empire's repression towards magic.. Perhaps they hid the gift for years, living in plain sight of those who would kill them, or fled to the shrinking wilds to practice their craft in defiance of their foes. Whatever the story, they too have now been thrown down this pit..
- Start with access to a small number of mages and the ability to train others, as well as a basic school built from the start.

Name
[X] Avernum
 
[X] Deep within the earth, farther down by leagues then the empire ever dared to go, suspended above a vast underground ocean by a collection of caves to the side of water filled cavern, intersecting with the wall around halfway up. Here the ruins of some great ancient city lie, swallowed by the earth untold eons ago, a store of ancient knowledge and artifacts that will be invaluable.. if anyone can figure out how to use and read them.

[X] Heretics and pagans, those poor fools who cross the imperial church. Those who choose to worship gods that have been denied, forces that have been banned, myths declared anathema. Now they are free to worship as they wish.
- Start with access to a small number of clerics and the ability to train others, as well as a holy site or relic in the settlement that attracts immigrants.

[X]the Nameless City


I am sure nothing can go wrong with this build, and hey free seafood !~
 
[X] A vast deep cavern, so wide that even with a fire, you can stand in the middle and not see any of the walls, a bubble of giant proportions beneath the earth, with a waterfall from the roof creating the center lake upon the shore of which your settlement is created. Great groves of giant mushrooms grow, scattered across the vast floor.
- Bonuses to Fishing, Construction, Mushroom (Lumber) Sources.

[X] Sages and wizards, the magic and rare. Those fleeing from the Empire's repression towards magic.. Perhaps they hid the gift for years, living in plain sight of those who would kill them, or fled to the shrinking wilds to practice their craft in defiance of their foes. Whatever the story, they too have now been thrown down this pit..
- Start with access to a small number of mages and the ability to train others, as well as a basic school built from the start.
 
[X] A vast chasm in the earth, riddled with cracks and with the glow of lava far below. Far from the Pit of Loss, and thought by those sages with you to be close to the Fangs of Fire, a range of volcanoes that are active to this day, the light and heat of the lava has resulted in fast carpets of edible fungi and things that feed off of it. Even the most insensitive lout can feel the elemental power in the air.
- Bonuses to Mining and Forging, Defense, Magic

[X] Heretics and pagans, those poor fools who cross the imperial church. Those who choose to worship gods that have been denied, forces that have been banned, myths declared anathema. Now they are free to worship as they wish.
- Start with access to a small number of clerics and the ability to train others, as well as a holy site or relic in the settlement that attracts immigrants.
 
[X] A vast deep cavern, so wide that even with a fire, you can stand in the middle and not see any of the walls, a bubble of giant proportions beneath the earth, with a waterfall from the roof creating the center lake upon the shore of which your settlement is created. Great groves of giant mushrooms grow, scattered across the vast floor.

[X] Heretics and pagans, those poor fools who cross the imperial church. Those who choose to worship gods that have been denied, forces that have been banned, myths declared anathema. Now they are free to worship as they wish.

[X] Tartarus
 
[X] A vast deep cavern, so wide that even with a fire, you can stand in the middle and not see any of the walls, a bubble of giant proportions beneath the earth, with a waterfall from the roof creating the center lake upon the shore of which your settlement is created. Great groves of giant mushrooms grow, scattered across the vast floor.

[X] Heretics and pagans, those poor fools who cross the imperial church. Those who choose to worship gods that have been denied, forces that have been banned, myths declared anathema. Now they are free to worship as they wish.

[X] Tartarus
 
[X] A vast chasm in the earth, riddled with cracks and with the glow of lava far below. Far from the Pit of Loss, and thought by those sages with you to be close to the Fangs of Fire, a range of volcanoes that are active to this day, the light and heat of the lava has resulted in fast carpets of edible fungi and things that feed off of it. Even the most insensitive lout can feel the elemental power in the air.

But there is also the question of who founded this town? What brave leaders stepped forwards in the darkness and inspired those who followed them?

[X] Sages and wizards, the magic and rare. Those fleeing from the Empire's repression towards magic.. Perhaps they hid the gift for years, living in plain sight of those who would kill them, or fled to the shrinking wilds to practice their craft in defiance of their foes. Whatever the story, they too have now been thrown down this pit..
- Start with access to a small number of mages and the ability to train others, as well as a basic school built from the start.
 
[X] Deep within the earth, farther down by leagues then the empire ever dared to go, suspended above a vast underground ocean by a collection of caves to the side of water filled cavern, intersecting with the wall around halfway up. Here the ruins of some great ancient city lie, swallowed by the earth untold eons ago, a store of ancient knowledge and artifacts that will be invaluable.. if anyone can figure out how to use and read them.

[X] Sages and wizards, the magic and rare. Those fleeing from the Empire's repression towards magic.. Perhaps they hid the gift for years, living in plain sight of those who would kill them, or fled to the shrinking wilds to practice their craft in defiance of their foes. Whatever the story, they too have now been thrown down this pit..
- Start with access to a small number of mages and the ability to train others, as well as a basic school built from the start.

[X] Uzumaki
 
[X] A vast chasm in the earth, riddled with cracks and with the glow of lava far below. Far from the Pit of Loss, and thought by those sages with you to be close to the Fangs of Fire, a range of volcanoes that are active to this day, the light and heat of the lava has resulted in fast carpets of edible fungi and things that feed off of it. Even the most insensitive lout can feel the elemental power in the air.
- Bonuses to Mining and Forging, Defense, Magic

[X] Warriors and Brigands, Heroes of the Resistance. Those who struck painful blows against the Empire and got away with it.. for a while, that is. And then, like all the others, they were caught and banished from the surface.
- Start with a small military-level guard unit available for use and increased military traditions and aptitude in general.

[X] Tartarus

Let us dig deeper!
 
[ ] Deep within the earth, farther down by leagues then the empire ever dared to go, suspended above a vast underground ocean by a collection of caves to the side of water filled cavern, intersecting with the wall around halfway up. Here the ruins of some great ancient city lie, swallowed by the earth untold eons ago, a store of ancient knowledge and artifacts that will be invaluable.. if anyone can figure out how to use and read them.
- Bonuses to Scavanging, Adventurers, Increased chances of uncovering Ancient Artifacts, Knowledge or Treasure

[ ] Sages and wizards, the magic and rare. Those fleeing from the Empire's repression towards magic.. Perhaps they hid the gift for years, living in plain sight of those who would kill them, or fled to the shrinking wilds to practice their craft in defiance of their foes. Whatever the story, they too have now been thrown down this pit..
- Start with access to a small number of mages and the ability to train others, as well as a basic school built from the start.

[ ]Vault
 
[ ] Deep within the earth, farther down by leagues then the empire ever dared to go, suspended above a vast underground ocean by a collection of caves to the side of water filled cavern, intersecting with the wall around halfway up. Here the ruins of some great ancient city lie, swallowed by the earth untold eons ago, a store of ancient knowledge and artifacts that will be invaluable.. if anyone can figure out how to use and read them.
- Bonuses to Scavanging, Adventurers, Increased chances of uncovering Ancient Artifacts, Knowledge or Treasure

[ ] Sages and wizards, the magic and rare. Those fleeing from the Empire's repression towards magic.. Perhaps they hid the gift for years, living in plain sight of those who would kill them, or fled to the shrinking wilds to practice their craft in defiance of their foes. Whatever the story, they too have now been thrown down this pit..
- Start with access to a small number of mages and the ability to train others, as well as a basic school built from the start.
 
[X] Deep within the earth, farther down by leagues then the empire ever dared to go, suspended above a vast underground ocean by a collection of caves to the side of water filled cavern, intersecting with the wall around halfway up. Here the ruins of some great ancient city lie, swallowed by the earth untold eons ago, a store of ancient knowledge and artifacts that will be invaluable.. if anyone can figure out how to use and read them.

[X] Heretics and pagans, those poor fools who cross the imperial church. Those who choose to worship gods that have been denied, forces that have been banned, myths declared anathema. Now they are free to worship as they wish. - Start with access to a small number of clerics and the ability to train others, as well as a holy site or relic in the settlement that attracts immigrants.

[X]the Nameless City
 
[X] Deep within the earth, farther down by leagues then the empire ever dared to go, suspended above a vast underground ocean by a collection of caves to the side of water filled cavern, intersecting with the wall around halfway up. Here the ruins of some great ancient city lie, swallowed by the earth untold eons ago, a store of ancient knowledge and artifacts that will be invaluable.. if anyone can figure out how to use and read them.
- Bonuses to Scavanging, Adventurers, Increased chances of uncovering Ancient Artifacts, Knowledge or Treasure

[X] Sages and wizards, the magic and rare. Those fleeing from the Empire's repression towards magic.. Perhaps they hid the gift for years, living in plain sight of those who would kill them, or fled to the shrinking wilds to practice their craft in defiance of their foes. Whatever the story, they too have now been thrown down this pit..
- Start with access to a small number of mages and the ability to train others, as well as a basic school built from the start.

[X] Tartarus
 
You want to know why Pagan is best choice?

Simple. Pagan is the most Metal option out there.

[embed=425,349]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=htKY2oD85rs[/embed]
 
[Redon, Silversun17, Vindictus, MHLord] A vast deep cavern
[Kelenas, EagleBlue, ] A network of twisting caves
[Shad4c, Demonic Spoon, Latewave, Pipeman, Carrnage, Emral282, Happerry] A vast chasm in the earth
[Blaze121o, Keeper of Storms, kinglugia, Shadell, Scia, kinglugia, emeralis00, Robotninja, Bloodshifter, fitzgerald] Deep within the earth

[EagleBlue, Emral282] Warriors and Brigands
[Blaze121o, Kelenas, Keeper of Storms, Shad4c, kinglugia, Shadell, Demonic Spoon, Latewave, Redon, Silversun17, Carrnage, kinglugia, emeralis00, Robotninja, fitzgerald] Sages and wizards
[ ] Traders and swindlers
[Scia, Pipeman, Vindictus, MHLord, Bloodshifter] Heretics and pagans

[Kelenas] Nerax
[Keeper of Storms] Aloriya
[kinglugia, Shadell] Ryleh, the Spiral Sunken City.
[Latewave] Silen Hil
[Redon] Avernum
[Scia, Bloodshifter] the Nameless City
[Vindictus, MHLord, Emral282, fitzgerald] Tartarus
[kinglugia] Uzumaki
[Vault] emeralis00

Votes on location and founders called. The vote for the city name can go on a bit longer as we have lots of singletons. Update incoming..
 
Vindictus said:
Isn't the option that won and then promptly died last time?
The issues last time were more in the system then in where the city was. (But it was kinda disappointing to just have a copy, yes. But if I wasn't willing to run with that I would have disallowed that combo.)
 
[X] Deep within the earth, farther down by leagues then the empire ever dared to go, suspended above a vast underground ocean by a collection of caves to the side of water filled cavern, intersecting with the wall around halfway up. Here the ruins of some great ancient city lie, swallowed by the earth untold eons ago, a store of ancient knowledge and artifacts that will be invaluable.. if anyone can figure out how to use and read them.
- Bonuses to Scavenging, Adventurers, Increased chances of uncovering Ancient Artifacts, Knowledge or Treasure

[X] Sages and wizards, the magic and rare. Those fleeing from the Empire's repression towards magic.. Perhaps they hid the gift for years, living in plain sight of those who would kill them, or fled to the shrinking wilds to practice their craft in defiance of their foes. Whatever the story, they too have now been thrown down this pit..
- Start with access to a small number of mages and the ability to train others, as well as a basic school built from the start.



You don't know how long it has been since you were all banished to these dark depths, but its been long enough to travel quite the distance. You all searched and searched for a new home, following the scryer's hints, the seer's garbled visions, looking for a place of safety, and now.. and now you all think you found one. Here, in the deepest of the Deep Dark shall you make your homes. It's a strange place, a network of caves and tunnels extruding into the wall of another great cavern, one so vast that a subterranean ocean appears to lie within, and with strange and ancient ruins in the caves below where you have chosen to live (Some quite waterlogged)..

But all of you will be proud to call it home, for that is was it is now. The first houses have been erected from the strange rockish mushrooms or been carved out of the walls, the first edible mushroom farm been planted, and people are already searching for safe ways down so they can go fishing.

It took a while, but.. this place is yours now, and you won't give it up lightly. As a show of everyone's determination to stay here no matter what they may find or shall happen, the first school the Deep Dark has ever seen has been erected. Sure, it's not much more then the very basics, but here, in this town, you will be assured that everyone born within shall be able to read and count, and understand the mysteries of the mathematics, and possess a basic knowledge of their history, no matter how poor.

It is something you all are proud of.

Not that, according to word of mouth brought by other travelers, you are the only ones to put down roots. While most rumors contradict each other, the Republic to be of Mercy Tunnels was already being established next to the pit of Exile as you left, and you are sure those hard bitten and just plain bitter heroes and warriors of the resistance will be seeking their own place under their famed Lord Tibero.

So are other nobles, for that matter. At the time you left, many of the 'richer' and more blue blooded exiles were organizing their own followers for their own settlers expedition, and more then half a dozen other factions were doing the same. While many will likely fail, or at least prove no more then a village in the end, you have no doubt that others will succeed. This city of yours won't be alone for long.

But it will be one of the first. There is pride in that.. but some people say you all should do more. This is your home. This is where you will stand. This is the greatest collection of uncontrolled wizardry that likely still exists beyond the hands of the Empire. To not take the chance to make something.. wonderful, they say, would almost be a sin.

But what to make is the question of the hour..


So here it is. The chance to make a Wonder of the Deep Dark that will, in many ways, come to define the city to foreigners. What will you choose? Remember, you won't be getting another one for quite some time..

[ ] Arcane University. Within your current ranks much knowledge, the secrets by the most cunning, the most desperate, the luckiest, and the simply smartest of wizards. No others survived long enough to be thrown down here.. and much of that knowledge will be lost within a generation. Simply put, few had apprentices in the first place, and both a months long trek through pitch dark caves and life in a primitive frontier town is ill suited for the teaching of the most powerful and hardest arts.

And so, people say, you should build a university. Within its halls, all knowledge can be passed on, preserved, protected. Here, the wisest can be trained with all the wisdom of the earlier ages, and nothing will be lost. Not the secrets of magic or any of the other lores that lie within people's heads. Even the very geomancy of the city could be warped to support such a building...

[ ] Great Elevator(s). It is simply a fact that, while paths down to the ocean have been found, they.. aren't really safe. Bad footing, monsters, and simply being tiny and cramped can make getting down there, or to the ruins, a giant hassle. Literally when a giant slug shows up. But within the city lies some of the best educated minds in the world. And some of those minds have turned to this problem. The solution? Elevators. Not just one, but an entire complex of lifts and counterweights. The designs being discussed could easily handle the entire current population going up and down at once, and has the industrial lifts needed to carry entire ocean fairing ships up into the city to be worked on in safety. Beyond going down, however, is the option to go up. You know there are caves up closer to the roof, but no one has found a path up their yet. It would be simple to build the elevator so things can go up as well as down, if probably in smaller numbers. Who knows what you could find up there? And the safe traveling and ease of loot transportation would make exploring the ruins easier as well.

[ ] Tower of Mysteries. Within this young and as yet unnamed city lies some of the best wizards still among the living. But these wizards have no place to work wonders. Forced to work within the streets and bare caves, is it any wonder they can not produce their best? But that could be changed. The city's geomancy is as yet young and changeable, and it would not be impossible to.. focus it a bit. Focus it on the new great Wizard's Tower, that is. Such a focus of energy could have very beneficial effects on any spells worked within, as well as being channeled, potentially, into many other useful things.

[ ] Wardwalls. Security is important, people claim. You've already been driven like cattle away from your homes once. This must not be allowed to happen again.. and so they press their desire to build great wardworks and strong walls, intermingled and powerful, a work to be done in a thousand separate caves and an act of enchantment that could tax the greatest enchanter. But once it is complete, what could think to threaten this fair city?
 
[X] Wardwalls. Security is important, people claim. You've already been driven like cattle away from your homes once. This must not be allowed to happen again.. and so they press their desire to build great wardworks and strong walls, intermingled and powerful, a work to be done in a thousand separate caves and an act of enchantment that could tax the greatest enchanter. But once it is complete, what could think to threaten this fair city?
 
[X] Arcane University. Within your current ranks much knowledge, the secrets by the most cunning, the most desperate, the luckiest, and the simply smartest of wizards. No others survived long enough to be thrown down here.. and much of that knowledge will be lost within a generation. Simply put, few had apprentices in the first place, and both a months long trek through pitch dark caves and life in a primitive frontier town is ill suited for the teaching of the most powerful and hardest arts.

And so, people say, you should build a university. Within its halls, all knowledge can be passed on, preserved, protected. Here, the wisest can be trained with all the wisdom of the earlier ages, and nothing will be lost. Not the secrets of magic or any of the other lores that lie within people's heads. Even the very geomancy of the city could be warped to support such a building...
 
[X] Arcane University. Within your current ranks much knowledge, the secrets by the most cunning, the most desperate, the luckiest, and the simply smartest of wizards. No others survived long enough to be thrown down here.. and much of that knowledge will be lost within a generation. Simply put, few had apprentices in the first place, and both a months long trek through pitch dark caves and life in a primitive frontier town is ill suited for the teaching of the most powerful and hardest arts.
 

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