The Doomed Bastards SH: Reader Input Poll (decide how the story ends)

Lazybones · Jun 19, 2008

This thread is for readers of my Doomed Bastards story hour, which has taken a group of unlikely heroes through the superdungeon Rappan Athuk and beyond. I’ve been writing that story hour for quite some time now, and as I approached the end, I reached a point where the finale could have gone in either of two directions. I couldn’t decide myself, so I finally thought I’d push the burden of choosing onto my readers!

At the current point in the story, an ancient creature known as the Ravager, imprisoned for centuries, has begun to stir free of its prison. Corath Dar and Allera Hialar, the heroes of the story, have been given a choice. They can sacrifice their lives in an attempt to restore the monster’s prison, an attempt which is not guaranteed to end in success. Or they can attempt to rally the diverse peoples of Camar in an attempt to battle an entity so devastating that its creators could not destroy it, only contain it.

So if you’re familiar with the story to date, or just want to read the last few posts in the story thread (located here) and weigh in, I welcome your input in this poll. I have already written a number of chapters down each plot line, and will resume posting the story on June 30.

Hellspont · Jun 19, 2008

Wow, I'm the first to vote!

I'm a long-time lurker, and have to say that I absolutely love your writing! I look forward every week-night to the updates for this story hour.

I originally was going to vote for Dar and Allera to sacrifice themselves, but then I figured that if anyone could find a way to defeat the Ravager, it would be those two. Especially if they wound up getting some help from old friends (like Letellia, Talen, Shay, and who knows, maybe even the spirit of Varo?).

Either way, I can't wait to see how this story plays out.

Thanks for the great stories, Lazybones!
-Ross Miller, aka Hellspont

Sabriel · Jun 19, 2008

Simply awesome story hour, Lazybones!

I'm all for the rally option, but regarding the sacrifice option: what, Duke Aerim isn't mighty enough to be a candidate?

Letellia, also, if she can be resurrected (or secretly saved herself via some Contingency).

Hey, they've been guarding the Ravager for thousands of years, a job which sounds a lot like system administration - 99% boredom 1% sheer terror - and they haven't spent any time to think of new ways to destroy it when the inevitable happens? Bad undead, no biscuit!

Lazybones · Jun 19, 2008

Sabriel said:
Simply awesome story hour, Lazybones!

I'm all for the rally option, but regarding the sacrifice option: what, Duke Aerim isn't mighty enough to be a candidate?

Who knows, maybe he is... you have to vote to find out!

Hey, they've been guarding the Ravager for thousands of years, a job which sounds a lot like system administration - 99% boredom 1% sheer terror - and they haven't spent any time to think of new ways to destroy it when the inevitable happens? Bad undead, no biscuit!

Well, if you look at the module, they put a lot of nasty traps into the place, mostly to slow it down. The monster is basically immune to any death effect, and is pretty hard to kill (epic DR+20 regen). But they might have a few surprises in store... but you have to vote to find out.

Nightbreeze · Jun 19, 2008

All in for the really. The "sacrifice to guard him for all eternity" seems pretty dull and 'old end for such a wonderful story. So, I'm all in for the rally. Besides, it's only a CR30 monster

Baduin · Jun 19, 2008

I think they first of all should dig out and resurrect Letellia, and then consult her.The guardians should know the abilities of the Ravager pretty well, so it should be possible to work out whether, and how, they can win.

If they can find an intelligent way to fight it, which gives a near certainity of defeating it, they should fight.

I am thinking of such things as planar binding Efreet for Wishes, then using those wishes to bind more Efreet etc (chain-binding Efreet) or of gating in Solars. Using such tactics it seems possible to create enough magic items (eg rings of wishes, scrolls of Gate) etc to defeat Ravager.With such resources you could shape the battlefield, prepare traps etc.

Duke can be persuaded to help them with the promise of resurrection.

Such tactics are a bit over the top, but the Ravager is also over the top. The battle should be interesting.

Nightbreeze · Jun 19, 2008

Pah, rational mumbo jumbo. Who cares about rational reasoning? Never trust the spellcasters, they always try to take the most difficult way. Just prepare and beat the hell out of that bastard

But seriously, this story shall and in a spectacular way, not the usual "Ahhh, I shall bind myself to protect the world for all eternity". Bleagh. So bring it on, Ravager

Canaan · Jun 19, 2008

I like that the duality of the choices mirrors the personality of the individual characters. A sacrifice would seem to fit Allera's personality. she would sacrifice all for love and what love transcends her love for Dar? Why, the love for humanity, for all of the young lovers, mothers and children of the world, of course.

And Dar. Well, Dar would die fighting. that's how he prefers it. So the real question is: Whose personality is stronger?

wolff96 · Jun 19, 2008

Canaan said:
And Dar. Well, Dar would die fighting. that's how he prefers it. So the real question is: Whose personality is stronger?

Dar. Allera may have the charisma and the wisdom, but Dar has more force of personality than any other three characters in this story hour (not counting the departed Varo of course...)

I'm all for blowing the thing away. Of course, I'm also hoping for a 'happily ever after' for the healer and her general, so I'm obviously a giant sap.

Ximix · Jun 19, 2008

Baduin said:
I am thinking of such things as planar binding Efreet for Wishes, then using those wishes to bind more Efreet etc (chain-binding Efreet) or of gating in Solars. Using such tactics it seems possible to create enough magic items (eg rings of wishes, scrolls of Gate) etc to defeat Ravager.With such resources you could shape the battlefield, prepare traps etc.

Hmm... never seen LB go to those lengths before; more to the point, I don't think I've ever seen his pc's have access to that level of abuse... I mean power.

Baduin said:
Duke can be persuaded to help them with the promise of resurrection.

Speaking of the Duke, and Navev, and ??? Who's left and where?

Baduin said:
Such tactics are a bit over the top, but the Ravager is also over the top. The battle should be interesting.

On this we agree. I find the idea of Dar calmly laying down his life, or even dying in a fierce struggle to keep his soul intact, anti-climactic.
I vote that they fight, though without the aid of such Epic powers as Baduin mentions, I cannot conceive of how it will end well for the DB's