StarFall/HCC: Going Solo #6: Return to Freehold

[Phantasm]

On Feb 1, 12:48 am, Andrew Perron <pwer... at gmail.com> wrote:
> On Sat, 31 Dec 2011 15:53:03 +0000 (UTC), Phantasm wrote:
>
> >    Fenuku, you've probably seen him before.  He's a kobold mage.  Yes, I
> > know that's a stereotype, but he doesn't let it bother him.
>
> Is it, in this world?  Interesting - I thought part of the original story
> was that Fenuku's intelligence defied stereotype; out of story, of course,
> but also within it.

Well, in D&D (3.x at least), the 'favored class' for a kobold PC is
Sorcerer.  Fen's D&D build was a gestalt sorc/wiz.  His intelligence
defies stereotype, but the use of magic doesn't.  His GURPS build is
more straight wizard/spellcaster.

In the world setting document I've been working on for... 11 years now
(has it been that long?), most of the kobolds live in the jungles of
the southern continent, and most of them encountered in the mammal-
dominated northern continent are mages traveling abroad.  Fen's clan
is unique in that they moved to a mountain range of the northern
continent.

This is what I get for converting a D&D world setting to a non-D&D
system (D&D doesn't handle guns that well, which are integral to the
world setting.)

> >    "I'm afraid he's all tied up at the moment," Theosonovus replied
> > dryly.  His eyes narrowed.  "So you're the ones he sent for."  He
> > leered at me.  "You're pretty. For a half-breed."
> >    That did it.  Bad enough I was abandoned on the docks by my parents
> > when I was born for being a half-elf, but that's in a nation where
> > half-elves are second-class citizens.  Everyone's supposed to be
> > *equal* here in Freehold!
>
> I think this paragraph is a bit too expositiony - the "For a half-breed" is
> obviously a bad thing without having to explain why.

Part of this is Serena's self-delusion.  She believes she was born to
nobility.  It didn't exactly come out right during the 24 minutes of
writing, though.  If I'd had longer to work with it, I probably could
have reworded it better.

And hey, wait until I introduce the half-elf nation that discriminates
against full-blooded humans and elves. ;)

> >    I kicked him.  Right in the grommets.  Then we ran.
>
> That's a great line, though. XD

Thanks. :D

> >    Don't let the cliche bother you.  We weren't here looking for form an
> > impromptu adventuring party.  Not much call for that outside of the
> > jungles of the southern continent anyways.  But a tavern is a good
> > place to get information, if you know who to listen to.
>
> And this one's a bit too self-referential - the first sentence nails the
> D&D reference for anyone who'd get it, which makes the second rather
> redundant.

See again: no real rewriting of parts. :/

> >    "You're not him.  My friend would stand out in a place like this,
> > though.  He's a kobold."
> >    The guy paled.  "Only one kobold in town."
>
> ...really, just the one?

They're rare on the northern continent, and Freehold is as far east as
you can get and still be considered in sight of civilization.

> >    "Can you get us to Fen?"
> >    "I can get you close."
> >    "That's all I ask."
>
> >    And so, we found ourselves in the dungeons.
>
> D'oh!  Well-done.

Thanks.  I was hoping that little twist would give it the right touch.

> >    Tyche is a fickle goddess.  Maybe our luck has just run out.  Or
> > maybe we just need to make some of our own luck.
>
> > to be continued.
>
> ...you know, I forgot this was a 24-minute story.  Neat!

Thankye.

I'm half-tempted to move this crew to their own title (probably call
it _Lucky Ones_ after the webcomic I was trying to script), but I
learned long ago not to split my writing chores between multiple (non-
anthology) titles.  (Splitting between a regular title and an
anthology title isn't too bad, though.)