Neverending Nights

For the one or two of you who have stumbled upon this site, with no idea what you’re reading… or if you are the one or two, who was bored beyond reason at 3am, unable to sleep and read my previous Legend of Grimrock fan pieces, and are quite surprised that after (over!) a year, I have added another one – and you want to brush up on the previous stories – here’s links to them!

Part 01
Part 02
Part 03
Part 04
Part 05
Part 06
Part 07
Part 08
Part 09
Part 10
Part 11
Part 12
Part 13

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“I just don’t think we should trust him,” Silvertan hissed between his serpent lips.

“Trust him?” Tawmis chuckled. “Are you not the one that tried to steal from a guard and got all of us – with the exception of you, Blaz – into this mess?”

Silvertan shrugged. “I didn’t ask for any of you to try and assist me,” he replied, his scales shimmering in Grimrock’s flickering torch light.

“Granted,” Tawmis amended, “that rotund guard, Boris lied about what he had caught us doing that night, to save face, since he wasn’t supposed to be in The Fallen Star – a place of… questionable reputation with the ladies of entertainment.” (1)

“I joined –tic!- the fray after you had –tic!- been knocked out from behind,” Blaz’tik reminded Tawmis.

“As I told you before,” Silvertan’s reptilian eyes focused on Tawmis, “I had every intention of being thrown down here alone. I could have survived down here alone. I live in the shadows.”

Taren shook his mighty, minotaur head. “You have seen the horrors that are down here, lizard. Do you truly believe that cowering in the shadows, waiting for these things to pass would have allowed you to survive alone? I have seen the horrors of the undead, who do not see with human eyes. Instead, they see with a hatred for the living. No amount of shadows could have hid you from them.”

“Perhaps,” Silvertan said, the ‘s’ making a slithering sound, “you are correct, brute. Perhaps I would not have survived alone down here, as I thought I might have. Perhaps I believed too much in my own skills, but this isn’t about me. This is about that rat, and how we should not trust him. His name is Coy, for crying out loud. He’s not even hiding the fact that his very name is a symbol of deception!”

“Then perhaps we should be thankful that he’s not hiding what his name means,” Tawmis shrugged as he held the torchlight in front of him. “Speaking of that Ratling, how far ahead did he go and search for us anyway?”

“He’s probably bringing back an army of some horrors to kill us,” Silvertan muttered. “Or there’s more of his kind down here, and he’s leading us into an ambush.”

“You’re not the trusting sort, I take it,” Tawmis finally said, feeling exasperated by Silvertain’s constant barrage and notions of why the Ratling was not to be trusted.

“I am not the foolish sort,” Silvertan corrected. He paused for a long moment, and finally amended, “And I may have some issues with trust as well.”

“Some?” Tawmis replied, sarcastically.

“I just don’t think it’s a wise idea to trust strangers down here,” Silvertan hammered on.

“Blaz,” Silvertan turned to the insectoid. “Isn’t there any kind of magic that you can do to see if the Ratling is lying to us? A Detect Lie or Detect Evil kind of spell?”

Blaz’tik looked at Silvertan. “Those sound –tic!- like rather silly spell names. There is one that’s similar to this ‘detect lie’ you mentioned, but it’s called Detellius.”

“That’s excellent,” Silvertan hissed. “Can you cast it on the filthy Ratling next time he shows up? I’d like to ask him a few things to see if he’s telling the truth.”

“I would love to cast such –tic!- a spell, however,” Blaz’tik explained, holding up his insect like arms, “I have none of the –tic!- spell components that are needed.”

“Naturally,” Silvertan sighed.

“What spell components do you need, insect?” came Coy’s voice, directly behind Silvertan who screeched out and slammed his own body against the wall.

“How did you get behind us?” Silvertan spat. “You were trying to backstab me, weren’t you?”

“With what,” Coy asked, with a wide smile. “My teeth? I have no weapon, if you haven’t noticed. However, much like my ‘brethren’ as you’re so fond of saying, I am a pack rat, and do have some components that might be useful to a mage. I have a pouch of sandalwood shavings, forioan mushrooms, two whistle leaves, and a small pouch of grounded herder spores.”

“Those –tic!- components,” Blaz’tik said, his insect eyes somehow wider with excitement, “could indeed –tic!- prove very useful!”

“They’re all yours,” Coy said, removing his belt and pouches and handing them over to Blaz’tik.

Tawmis looked at Silvertan and whispered, “Do you trust him now?”

“Even less,” Silvertan replied. “Even less.”

TO BE CONTINUED?

(1) See the very first post of the story! Boris, the guard Silvertan had tried to rob, did indeed like to the king and say that Tawmis, Taren and Silvertan had been caught trying to rob Houralus Survine, one of the Royal Men of Curvia (which was the rich side of town)

Tawmis Sanarius – Human (Son of Contar Stoneskull and Yennica Whitefeather)
Taren Bloodhorn – Minotaur
Blaz’tik – Insectoid
Silvertan – Lizardman
Coy – Ratling from the Isle of Nex

With the announcement of Grimlock 2, and the reveal about the Ratlings – how could I not return and tie my story to it all? It’s posted on the Legend of Grimrock forum here! Please enjoy! Comment! Good, bad, what you liked, disliked, whatever! I love comments!
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For the one or two of you who have stumbled upon this site, with no idea what you’re reading… or if you are the one or two, who was bored beyond reason at 3am, unable to sleep and read my previous Legend of Grimrock fan pieces, and are quite surprised that after (over!) a year, I have added another one – and you want to brush up on the previous stories – here’s links to them!

Part 01
Part 02
Part 03
Part 04
Part 05
Part 06
Part 07
Part 08
Part 09
Part 10
Part 11
Part 12
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“The gods favor you,” Silvertan said, walking along side Tawmis Sanarius. “You were dead.”

“I am thankful, perhaps, that the gods, as you say, favored me,” Tawmis replied, casting a side glance at the humanoid lizard, whose silver scales reflected against the torchlight. “I am more thankful that my dearest, and only friend, refused to give up on me.”

“What did you see,” Silvertan asked, “when you were dead?”

“Darkness,” Tawmis shrugged. “I don’t remember seeing anything. I remember closing my eyes, seeing darkness – then feeling this sensation going through my body – and my eyes suddenly saw a light blue – that was all I could see. Light blue. Then,” Tawmis paused, “I opened my eyes. Everything was blurry at first. I couldn’t see anything. It looked like I was peering through a painted canvas that had had all of its colors smeared.”

“Comforting,” Silvertan sighed, “that there is nothing after death.”

“Or,” Blaz’tik’s insect like clicking interjected, “our mortal minds cannot –tic!- conceive what is there beyond death. We have no way –tic!- of comprehending what is beyond. Most believe –tic!- that our souls look just as we do, and –tic!- we ascend to some heaven. But what if that is not the case? What if –tic!- we are forms of energy that ascend?”

Taren shook his large minotaur head. “No. After death, we ascend to an arena, in which we fight, day in and day out, until we are worthy to be reborn, and returned to this world.”

“That’s all you minotaurs believe,” Silvertan sighed. “Everything is resolved by fighting.”

“Strength and honor,” the Minotaur corrected. “A warrior who kills dishonorably, should perish quickly for his actions. Your enemy deserves an equal chance at combat. If you disarm your enemy and they insist on combat still, you throw your weapons aside and fight them hand to hand.”

“That’s ridiculous,” Silvertan spat.

Tawmis saw Taren’s nostrils flare. “Listen, we all come from different walks of life, with different beliefs. Let’s not find out what happens when we die until we get out of this cursed dungeon?”

“I can help you,” hissed an unknown voice.

Tawmis reached for his sword that was not there. His eyes peered into the darkness, where he saw two, red eyes peering back at him from the shadows. Tawmis’ eyes adjusted to the darkness, and saw that there was a prison there, with a hunched over humanoid figure.

Tawmis gazed for a long moment, unsure of what he was seeing. “What are you?”

“I am a Ratling,” the creature responded. A scar over its left eye, and sharp, pointy buckteeth in the front clearly looked like a rat. Its fur was tannish-brown, it’s ears had nicks in it, having seen plenty of combat.

“Ratling?” Tawmis asked. “Why have I never heard of such a thing? Is it the damn magic in this dungeon that shaped you to be large and intelligent? The way it has shaped those cursed snails we keep running into everywhere?”

“No,” the Ratling answered. “I come from the Northern Realms, the Isle of Nex.”

“The Isle of Nex,” Taren answered. “I have heard of it, and your people. You are raiders, for the most part. Scavengers, like your rat brethren.”

“Not all of us are like that,” the Ratling hissed. “Although we are quite skilled at scavenging.”

“How did you –tic!- end up in that cell, that far down in –tic!- the dungeon?” Blaz’tik asked.

“I stumbled upon beasts known as scavengers,” the Ratling began to explain.

“Well isn’t that ironic,” Silvertan muttered beneath his breath.

The Ratling heard, but continued on, as if he hadn’t. “Once harmless mites that came into this dungeon by dirt and dwelling in the hair of prisoners thrown down here – as you mentioned with the snails, being exposed to the mysticism of Grimrock transformed them into the ravenous swarm! Well, I was desperate for food and had snuck into their lair and stolen some of their larva, I was going to feast on when I was discovered. They chased me, and my only choice was to slam this gate behind me, since they were too large to fit between the bars. Little did I know, in my panic, that it would lock.”

“And you want us to let you out?” Tawmis asked. “And what? Stab us in the back?”

“No,” the Ratling explained. “I would be indebted to you. I know alone, I will not get out of here alive. With the rest of you, I have a chance.”

Tawmis looked at Taren, who shrugged, “We can’t let him starve in there.”

“You just said his people were raiders,” Tawmis countered, surprised by Taren’s response.

“What would you do if you found me in a prison and did not know me for who I am?” Taren asked.

“Really? You’re going to get all deep and philosophical with me?” Tawmis shook his head and turned to Silvertan. “Get the lock undone. And be quick. If he’s telling the truth and he encountered these scavenger things, I don’t want to be around if they come back.” Tawmis paused, and turned to the Ratling as Silvertan began working on the lock. “What’s your name?”

“Coy,” the Ratling answered. “My name is Coy.”

“Isn’t that ironic,” Silvertan muttered beneath his breath again, as he opened the chamber.

“Welcome to the party, Coy,” Tawmis smiled.

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Tawmis Sanarius – Human (Son of Contar Stoneskull and Yennica Whitefeather)
Taren Bloodhorn – Minotaur
Blaz’tik – Insectoid
Silvertan – Lizardman
Coy – Ratling from the Isle of Nex

Just dug this up.

This was written a little over a year ago, on June 2nd, 2013.

It was for a friend/co-worker’s gaming site that never took off.

The world of Neverwinter has changed. The Cataclysm has sundered the world and brought chaos where there was once peace. Now it is time for me, and those like me, to go forth and right all that has been wronged. To bring peace, where there is war. I pray to the gods that I have the strength and faith to stand strong against the shadows that loom over us all, and that I may be the guiding light for those who follow me. – Ravenflight, Hero of Neverwinter.

The latest free to play MMO by Cryptic and Perfect World is Neverwinter. Neverwinter is an MMO based on Dungeons & Dragons, which involves plenty of fantasy roleplaying, action combat, and epic story lines that thrust your character into the world of Neverwinter. Based on the Forgotten Realms setting, Neverwinter is full of plenty of lore, action, and adventure. One not need be familiar with Forgotten Realms to enjoy Neverwinter, however. The game does a wonderful job through the NPCs (non playable characters) filling the players in on the various lore, as the adventurers throughout the land.

For those not familiar with MMO’s, Neverwinter does a brilliant job of teaching players. From the very beginning, the players are washed ashore, with nothing to their name – no armor, no weapons – barely their lives, for that matter! An NPC then instructs the players how to go about and loot crates that have also washed ashore; which contain weapons and armor, then teaches the players how to equip them. The players then move up to a camp where they’re instructed how to attack the zombies that have risen up. From there, at the next area, they’re instructed how to loot items and give it to other NPCs.

The game masterfully moves you through until you should, but the time you complete the introduction, have a fairly good grasp of the most basic mechanics of the game.

In terms of character creation; Neverwinter allows a number of Races that are available (Human, Half-Elf, Wood Elf, Dwarf, Halfling, Half-Orc, Tiefling, and the option for Drow elves is said to be available after 60 days when Neverwinter goes officially live). Each race has their own benefits and strengths that the others may not have. Along with the fairly wide selection of Races available to Neverwinter, there is also an assortment of Classes (Guardian Fighter, Great Weapon Fighter, Devoted Cleric, Trickster Rogue, and Control Wizard, which rumors of a new “Ranged” class yet to be announced). There is no right or wrong combination between Race and Class, though some do play better into others (for example Halflings have a higher Dexterity bonus, which may play nicely with being a Rogue; or a Tiefling’s arcane magic may play better to the Control Wizard), but there is nothing stopping the enjoyment of mixing it up and making a Halfling Guardian Fighter or something of the like.

Despite the fact that Neverwinter is an MMO, it does not mean that you are forced to group to complete specific missions. Almost 95% of the missions your character will be given, can be completed with just yourself. There are a few areas that require 5 man teams to usually complete (for example, in your Teen-Levels, you will get a quest for the Cloak Tower; venturing in there without a full party of five will typically not go well). However, for things like Cloak Tower, you can join a cue automatically and continue to adventure about; until your turn is up to join a random party also cued up for those areas. You have the option to accept or decline when your turn comes up, in the event you are in the middle of something. (Declining, however, takes you out of the cue and you must re-enter the cue again).

As you progress through the game, however, it does naturally become increasingly more difficult, even as you level up. However, at Level 16, you’re able to go and hire a Companion NPC that follows you around faithfully and does its best to keep you alive, depending on its role. The initial companions available are: Wayward Wizard (excellent for blasting things with Magic and helping control when you’re being swarmed), Man At Arms (your typical sell sword who cleaves things with his sword and might), Cleric Disciple (your priest who follows you around and tries desperately to keep you alive with her healing abilities), Sellsword (much like the Man At Arms, but far more aggressive), and the Dog (who attacks viciously to defend you, and has the ability to knock down enemies and knock them prone).

While you can only have one Companion active at a time, they gain experience as you do, and can level up to level 15. Higher level Companions become available to you later in the game.

Questing within Neverwinter is also quite nice. You can “track” your quests in Neverwinter, where there is a light, sparkling path that will lead you to the areas you need to go to, to get things done. This can be turned off and on by pressing “Z”.

Like all MMO’s Neverwinter has the ability to create Guilds, with ease. You need only 5 people, in your party, in the same zone, to be Level 15 or higher to initially create the Guild of your choice. Once the Guild is created, there is no level limit (other than what the Guild Owner sets).

Another aspect of Neverwinter is the Professions. You have Leadership, Platesmithing, Mailsmithing, Leatherworking and Tailoring. The wonderful thing about the professions in Neverwinter is that you don’t need to be in the game to improve them. Neverwinter has a web interface that you can log into from anywhere, to do your professions.

Another fascinating feature of Neverwinter is the Foundry. Once one of your characters reaches Level 15, the Foundry opens up to you. But what is the Foundry? On the character select screen you can go in and create your own adventures, dungeons and quests within Neverwinter. The Foundry system is fairly simple to use and guides you in completing the area you have created. You can do everything from Dungeon Crawls, to NPC conversations, quests to kill specific monsters – virtually anything within the game can be created within your own quest! Players can then go to the “Job Board” and accept the Foundry quest you have created, and venture into the adventure you have made! (Be aware, that Foundry quests can take some time – as they are first by in game reviewers before being officially published and available, to prevent anything unsavory making itself into the game).

Neverwinter, over all, accommodates experienced and new players to the world of MMO’s.

There is, however, one down side. There isn’t much replayability. For example, whether you make a Dwarf Guardian Fighter or a Halfing Control Wizard; you have the same starting areas, and the same quests. It’s not until around Level 20, where you will have more than one place to visit to complete quests in different areas. You can venture into “new” areas until you have unlocked those areas with the current character you’re playing. So creating a new character may seem somewhat repetitive as you’re going to end up doing the same quests you had done with your previous character.

As of April 30, 2013 – Neverwinter went into Open Beta for everyone to come and play. When the game officially releases, there will be no character wipes. The levels you earn are what you keep when the game goes “officially live.”

You can sign up for a free account here:
https://register.perfectworld.com/nw_splash

You can find out more information by visiting the Official Neverwinter Wiki: http://neverwinter.gamepedia.com/Neverwinter_Wiki

Neverwinter video:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=D_Uzka-2Mz8#!

I think it’s to watch Neverending Nights, personally.

Watch Season One.

Or maybe watch Season 2.

Or watch the final season, Season 3.

Seen that? Did you watch Neverending Daze, which we made for Atari, specifically, to help promote NWN2? Check out Neverending Daze.

Seen all that? Well how about, after years, putting Travis’ music to footage from the series? You can watch those music videos here also.

– Tawmis
We may have finished our quest; but the characters still frequently wander through my heart and mind.

Just wanted to extend a very happy birthday to Travis Richards, who did the music for Neverending Nights, from Season 2 and all of Season 3. He also lended a voice to the father of our would be heroes, Peter and Grayson, as well as a Bard seen in Season 3. I can’t say enough awesome things about Travis, and how thankful I am for him, and his time, talent and music he gave Neverending Nights.

Happy Birthday, Sir!

PS: So, about Dark Tide…