Dark forests...

[Vehem]

There's an upcoming feature which is designed to add elements of the old "Wilderness" design to *some* games (each game has a chance of one of the Wilderness features being present in it). These features are generally "anti-natural" in nature and are in defacto opposition to the Fellowship of Leaves. The Fellowship has always been primarily concerned with "defending the forests", but until now the only real threat to them has been Hell Terrain, making FoL a force on the good-side of Armageddon. With these features, they have a more obvious and immediate concern to deal with - though the features themselves are a hazard to any race.

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We currently have two flavours of one part of the mechanic however. Each is the same in terms of gameplay, but the lore is different, which will change the way they are perceived in-game. Both have Agares as the root of the problem, though one is more direct than the other.

We'd like some feedback as to which fits the player view of Erebus.

Spoiler Version 1 :

Thessa sat in the somber bower fingering a golden feather. She sat without speaking, as had become common. She knew two men awaited her invitation, and knew if their errand was of importance they'd come forward without.

They did. Travel worn warriors, a pair of scouts.

"Archmage, I am Cardel, this is Gissen. We've come for your counsel." Fore-warned, he continued without waiting for a reply.

"We come from the forest's northern reach. People are... disappearing. When we seek them our best trackers become lost. A new settlement vanished completely. Worse, even the sons of Cernunnos sicken. We've brought one with us. Can you help him? We're afraid. We're afraid it's come again, the..."

"Corruption." Thessa interrupted. She looked up and directly into Cardel's eyes. "The Corruption." One hand raised and fiercely chopped down. "No. Show me this son."

The soldiers left, then dragged in a well-made travois. On it lay a fawn.

Thessa stood and approached. A fawn, but yes, wrong. Its body was covered with dirt and some sort of rash. It wore none of the usual ornaments. And, though it was hard to judge lying down, its legs looked deformed. Too small. Its head was turned away. She reached and gently faced it toward her, asking "Who are you?"

The eyes she met burned with fever. Or was it madness?
"He won't speak," Gissen offered. “He's said nothing since we found him. He hardly stirs."

Thessa stared without speaking, and finally the fawn moved. He smiled.
"I know who he is. What he is. There have been rumors... Diakonos."

The fawn nodded.
Cardel frowned. "Diakonos?"

Thessa spoke in a whisper. "They wander the wilds of Erebus, calling themselves "Servants of the Dead God." They don't believe Seccullus lives. Won't. They still consider themselves his followers, but their hope has failed. You're right, it is corruption. But of a kind no part of the forest may suffer but us. They live in darkness and confusion, and can inflict it on others. Even you would wander aimless and lost if you fell under their spell. To walk with the Diakonos is to walk in a forest dark though the sun is high. To walk with the Diakonos is to find every path tangled though it stretches straight before you. They are twisted. Sick, but it comes from the spirit. It is not imposed, I say. It is accepted.

And they eat flesh, but never the flesh of animals. And never their own kill."

The fawn's slight, sad smile never flickered, but again it nodded.

"This one comes with a message."

Cardel shook himself. The archmage's soft voice had stilled all the forest sounds. He'd tensed, waiting for an attack. "What message?"

"That the Diakonos are here. And that we are tardy."

"What?"

Thessa reached into her hair and brought out a golden feather, running one finger down the vane. The Diakonos held out its hand. She pulled back, shaking her head.

"Take it away. If it runs before the sun sets let it go. If not, then kill it."

Cardel, voice choked with outrage, shouted "While it just lies there? It's sick, we should...!"

Her voice a whip, Thessa hissed "You will do what I say. And then, on my authority, you will send bands to the south, to the west, and to the east. For the moment the north is a waste of effort. We know this. Others do not. Do what I say and all will be to Evenmore's advantage. Now go, and drag this thing with you. I have work to do."

Later, and after much discussion away from the archmage's hearing, Cardel and Gissen found themselves standing guard over a Diakonos still supine on the travois. In the end all had been arranged as the archmage said. Cardel shook his head. "This is hard."

Gissen watched the sun sink behind the trees. “These are hard times," he answered, and drew his knife.

Spoiler Version 2 :

Gilden crept along the trail, tracking. His keen eye could spot the slightest sign of a creature passing through the forest, but that skill was unnecessary here. The tracks were plain - a group travelling in haste, seemingly panicked as they darted back and forth trying to force a path through the undergrowth. By their number they matched the hunting party that he was looking for - they had been due back a day since, but had not returned.

There was movement ahead - something in the scrubs. This had once been thick forest, but now the ground was dry as ash and the trees had recently burned. They would recover given time, but the forest seemed to have little time left - it was sick. At its heart the Archmage, Thessa had discovered a dark blight, whilst at its edge the land itself seemed to no longer welcome the tree's roots. More recently, elves had been found slain in the groves, but no tracks led away from the bodies. Hopefully he would find answers with the hunters.

He crouched low, trying to catch sight of the movement again. As the moments passed, there was nothing, Then he saw it, moving quickly between the trees - the silhouette of a fawn, a defender of the woods. Perhaps the creature would be able to tell him of the lost hunters. He stood.

As soon as he did, he realized he had made a grievous error. The creature turned toward him, its eyes fixed on his. What he saw then was no fawn - it was a dark and twisted mockery of those noble creatures. Its eyes burned from dark sockets whilst its fur hung in ragged clumps from its legs. Its hooves were bloodstained and its skin draped, pale and lifeless.

"Diakonos..." whispered Gilden in disbelief. The creatures were legend - twisted servants of the Angel of Despair from an age long since passed, when Succellus and mighty Cernunnos defended the woods from Agares himself. Most galling of all, the worst injuries were inflicted upon the woods by such corrupt versions of the woodland creatures as these, created through the black power of the mirror sea in Agares' own hell. At the battle's height, Cernunnos battled a demonic-copy of himself whilst Sucellus and the remaining guardians of the forest drove Agares' forces away from the heart of the wood. The story was known by all elves, but none living was known to have seen such a creature, until now.

The moment of surprise had passed for them both. The diakonos lowered its head and charged, rapidly closing the distance between them. Gilden lifted his bow and let fly.

======

Both make mention to the events in the Beltane Cycle (if you haven't read this, it may be worth doing so before deciding which way to vote - it can be found in the 'pedia entries, starting with the Fawn). Version 1 most likely occurs after those events, Version 2 occurs during them.

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Whilst both feature Fawns, the nature of them is quite different.

Version 1 has them as living creatures filled with despair and an appearance to match - disheveled, reduced, less than the guardians they once were.
Version 2 has them as a product of the Godswar and so more demonic in nature, their skin has lost its vitality and the reflection is twisted and evil.

Artwork exists for both options, in the screenshots attached. These can easily be altered based on feedback however and are provided simply as a visual aid. The main poll is on the lore itself.

 

[WarKirby]

I like the look of the monochromatic fawn. And corrupted woodland creatures sound like a more tangible enemy than simply a sickness.

I'd say, make it's eyes red though. And some subtle particle effect would be nice, like a muted, black version of what many infernal units have.

I look forward to seeing corrupted forests though

 

[Breez]

Maybe I misread it, but I saw the 2 as not separate but a progression. As the fawn in version one was becoming corrupted it would eventually turned into a Diakonos also. Hence Thessa had the scouts kill the fawn before it was too far gone to become a threat.

If I leave the 2 separate in then I prefer the 2nd one, but I think you could use both really.

Just my opinion tho

 

[zup]

Why does it have to involve fawns? I hate the buggers.

 

[The NeverTide]

Personally I really prefer the first. I went ahead and read the beltane cycle like you recommended, and I find the first to relate best. I can see the place of the second choice, but Agares is the lord of entropy, and Hemah seems to have resurrected the slow blight, the slow and despairing death of the forest. That and I've always found fighting an idea or abstract concept to be much more, I dunno, dramatic? It becomes a whole new thing when you're forced to kill the things that have watched over you, loved you, defended you not because they attack or provoke you in any forceful manner, but because you must make a greater choice that is in itself a sacrifice. That seems more of the entropic route to me.

This is all assuming of course that this is a byproduct of the black mirror and Hemah's via proxy dreaming. Then again, this could all be linked to Hastur couldn't it? Seeing as how it is Hastur that whispers to Danalin, and not Agares or Hyborem. But still, Hyborem is the perversion of Cernunnos so I still think there is that link as well. Maybe its Agares' revenge for how Sucellus and Curnunnos reacted after Gower's death?
Well I'm getting a little tangential, sorry.

As far as the graphics go, unless I confused them I think the fawns of despair should have the pale skin (I presume they were attached relative to their lore entries). It seems more representative of the spreading decay within them. I wouldn't give them red eyes personally, but then again I don't understand the complete picture. Anyway, my 2 cents. Great job on the lore by the way, really well written.

 

[[to_xp]Gekko]

version 2 looks better, but I couldn't care less. the new mechanic is what I'm excited about

 

[Iskar Jarak]

I prefer version 1, we don't need another type of demon, and it is not as directly related to Agares, which version 2 seems to be, creatures twisted and corrupted willingly by despair seem more fun than, a dark reflection, forced I assume.

 

[Valkrionn]

I already voted, but neglected to comment... I prefer number 1, if just for the lore behind it... I *do* prefer the art for number 2, though.

Anyway you could describe the way it actually works?

 

[deadliver]

Maybe I misread it, but I saw the 2 as not separate but a progression. As the fawn in version one was becoming corrupted it would eventually turned into a Diakonos also. Hence Thessa had the scouts kill the fawn before it was too far gone to become a threat.

If I leave the 2 separate in then I prefer the 2nd one, but I think you could use both really.

Just my opinion tho

I got this impression too. It would be cool if there were two tiers of evil fawns, perhaps linked to age? Once the first tier gets old enough it upgrades into a Diakonos?

I like the idea of another type of barbarian spawn (i have been noticing barbarian fawns lately anyhow). Second one gets my vote if nothing changes.

 

[RogueThunder]

I like the #1 back story better, and the #2 graphics better. Graphics somewhere between would likely be better.

 

[Tasunke]

Art for 2, but the Lore for 1. No demon tag tho, still anima or whatnot. (had. no. Sleep.)

 

[Psychic_Llamas]

I got this impression too. It would be cool if there were two tiers of evil fawns, perhaps linked to age? Once the first tier gets old enough it upgrades into a Diakonos?

I like the idea of another type of barbarian spawn (i have been noticing barbarian fawns lately anyhow). Second one gets my vote if nothing changes.

i agree with this. i like both stories and both art, thus im not placing a vote lol

 

[KillerClowns]

Art for 2, but the Lore for 1. No demon tag tho, still anima or whatnot. (had. no. Sleep.)

Seconded; the art for #1 is too similar to the old fawns, but the lore is far better and fits more with corruption.

 

[black_imperator]

Seconded; the art for #1 is too similar to the old fawns, but the lore is far better and fits more with corruption.

same thing for me, i really like the black and white fawns but the first lore is something which doesn't seem to be linked to the armageddon counter directly whereas the return of some demons is very related to the increasing of the counter

 

[Darksaber1]

I voted #1, but for the story, not the Art. For the are, I like #2.

 

[ExMachina]

I prefer version 1's lore, but version 2's artwork. But if I had to choose only one version, I'd go with #2 because the art is what I'd have to constantly look at in-game, whereas the lore is only read once.

 

[PPQ_Purple]

There is something to be said about both models.
The first just does not look corupted. Even if we stretch it out, it would barely fit the role of a member of its species that has adopted AV.
The second hovever looks overly corupted, almost undead.

Nether of them realy fit the lore. What I would like to see is the first model, but with a warnish of Nurgle Green. Make him seem like he has some sort of mental plague. It would cause no wounds or boils but it drives the person into sadnes and despare.
Make him look desperate, his head bowed down, like a weight is on his sholders. Make his skin greenish like he has spent to much time in an OO temple. And don't paint the eyes read, just make them look glazed like he has no purpose left. Almost as if he is an emo or his sole was drained away. That would fit perfectly with lore 1, the one I prefer. The entire point should be to invoke sorow, not hatred. So that the player would feel heavy of hearth to kill them. For every drop of their blood shed, the warriors shed a tear.
Do you get what I propose?

 

[JimMorrison]

...Almost as if he is an emo or his sole was drained away....

Hah! Corrupted Pans ARE emo.

Give them signs of self mutilation, maybe. Their despair is driving them totally insane, right? Then make them uncomfortable to look at in their self-destructive state.

 

[cypher132]

Kind of a late reply, but whatever. I like to think of them as two stages of the same disease. At first they become despairing and slothful then become violent and strike back. This way, given enough time, a fawn will become so corrupted that he'll try to destroy what he used to protect. If I had to pick, it was #1. Just seems more difficult for the elves.

 

[WarKirby]

the final implementation has an equal chance of either, but not both, in one game.

Not going to say anything about either though