Grog_the_Big

Thanks for putting this on! I had a great time!

Grog the Big

Looks like a blast!

Arc Name: No Good Deed Goes Unrewarded
Arc ID: it's 2AM! I'm too tired to look it up! Search for "Grog", and you'll find it.
Faction: Heroic
Creator Global/Forum Name: @Grog the Big
Difficulty Level: Medium with custom EBs and AVs.
Synopsis: An innocent soul suffers imprisonment, torture, and degradation, all for the crime of trying to lift up the people of the Rogue Isles. A hero call for a rescue attempt, and you answer.
Estimated Time to Play: 45-60 mins

A continuation of Westin Phipps' "Miss Francine the Freakshow teacher" arc, along with a few nods to my own fiction (what fiction, you say? click the link in the sig, head to the forums, and then the blog) and players in HUB. This is not a lighthearted story, though there are a few comical moments. The danger is real. The stakes are high. And there'll be no glory even if you succeed. But true heroes aren't concerned with that, are they?

Grog the Big

Arc Name: Get Grog a Drink!
Arc ID: don't know, too busy to look it up. Just do a search for "Grog", and you'll find it right away.
Faction: Hero
Creator Global/Forum Name: @Grog the Big
Difficulty Level: Med/Hard. EBs abound, and some of them are a handful, but it can be soloed. Lower your difficulty the first time thru to be safe.
Synopsis: Paragon's mightiest (and thirstiest) warrior has been cursed! Help him break the curse, and you'll never have to buy another drink again!
Estimated Time to Play: 30-90 minutes. Lots of optional objectives, so you can blitz through if you really want to. I don't recommend skipping anything; I went nuts when writing this one, and there's tons of detail. Read everything. Click everything. Smack everything.

I know, somewhere inside, Hopkins is laughing maniacly

My own neural net just died. What the...?

Status Reports
Star Strider Force
Name: Grog the Big
Global Contact: @Grog the Big
Reporting on Assignment: Offensive Unit: Triumph
Star Strider Force Unit: Forgotten Legion
Time/Date Location: Thursday evening / Talos Island, Atlas Park
Level of Alien Threat [High][Medium][low]: annoyance

Report Details:
The mighty Grog is not one for writing reports, but I have witnessed several disturbing trends, and feel obliged to comment.

On the night in question, I was on my way to the Dirty Duck tavern on Talos Island for some well-earned refreshment when the sky turned green again. Without any means of pursuing the incoming Rikti airships, I could only wait for the bombs to fall. I waited in vain. The ships seemed content to attack the mostly uninhabited Circe and Scylla islands to the north. Hah! I would love to have been present to witness the look on the faces of those Circle of Thorns buffoons when their islands got all blown up!

I cheered the Rikti on, but it was only a few minutes later when the police band told of multiple teleport signals detected on the main island. My fellow heroes and I assembled ourselves on the hill near the train station and awaited the assault. We were not disappointed this time!

Wave after wave of alien warriors transported amongst us. Like wheat before the scythe, we cut them down, and reaped a bloody harvest! A river of gore flowed from the hilltop down to the streets below! I exhorted my comrades to boost their fighting spirit, as the battle would surely tax their abilities to the utmost. The predictable mix of riff-raff appeared and was slain. Once the Heavy Assault Suits deigned to make an appearance, they materialized all around me. If the fools thought to catch the mighty Grog unawares, they were sorely mistaken! A masterful series of sword strokes peeled them like grapes, and the fragments of their armor rolled downhill, along with their chances at victory! Rikti Priests appeared to do battle, but they, too, found themselves victims of my martial prowess!

After what seemed an eternity of carnage (which, if you ask me, is never long enough), the surviving aliens returned from whence they came. As before, they took their fallen away as well. As I stood on the blood-soaked hill, I noticed Citadel and Luminary standing in full view. They had not made any effort to help; in fact, I believe they stood by the train station the whole time! Such reluctance from some of Paragon most notable heroes is suspicious, to say the least!

The battle won, I then entered the Forgotten Legion base to store some of the spoils of victory, only to discover that the power was off! I first suspected the Rikti were to blame. Surely they were after my fermentation and distillation equipment again! However, a phone call to the city showed that the rent had not been paid, and the loss of power was the city's doing, not the Rikti's. Off to city hall I went to settle the bill.

I had just finished paying, and was chatting with some friends outside city hall, when the sky turned green again. Another attack in the same zone as the mighty Grog! Coincidence? That was a thought for another time, for the bombs fell in a deadly rain, and only I could dispatch them fast enough to preserve the fine drinking establishments of the city! I chased the airships, and set upon their cast-off bombs with a frenzy! Several other heroes joined in the quest; doubtless, they, too, noticed that the bars and taverns of Paragon were being targeted. The bombing run was surprisingly short-lived, and, as night follows day, the alert of invading infantry sounded across the zone.

I hurried back to city hall, and was greeted by the sight of Ms. Liberty surrounded by the alien hordes! Several younger heroes fought valiantly to protect her. I joined them as well, and together we exacted a heavy toll from the aliens. Strangely, Ms. Liberty took no actions at all during the fight, not even to protect herself. Conversely, the Rikti made no attempt to harm her, either.

The same could not be said for myself. As I battled the inhuman warriors at the foot of the statue of Atlas, the airships changed course to pass by overhead! As they moved by, they blasted me with their giant green death rays even as their troops swarmed over me. I relied heavily on the spells imbued into my magical armor to survive.

Still, the battle was a forgone conclusion. After taking huge losses the Rikti withdrew again, leaving me to ponder the significance of these developments.


Analysis of Current Situation:
Clearly, I am the target of these attacks, or, at least, [u]a[u] target. The Rikti attacked Talos Island immediately after I arrived, and did so again in Atlas Park. I believe this supports my theory that the magically aware are once again being directly targeted by the Rikti. Or, perhaps, they're just sore over the savage mauling I gave them a few nights ago, and were interested in some payback. I hope Thursday night's beating cured them of that notion!

The persistant refusal by the Freedom Phalanx and the Vindicators to get involved is disturbing. That, coupled with the Rikti's refusal to attack them, even when it would only involve a momentary change of targets, leads to one inescapable conclusion: like Hero 1, the Freedom Phalanx and the Vindicators are now mindless puppets in service to the Rikti! Even if they were Nemesis automatons instead, they would at least have been programmed to act normally and defend the city from non-Nemesis threats!

The pace of the Rikti attacks, and their uncanny ability to target me, have cut seriously into my drinking time. I grow impatient with these meddlesome aliens!


Suggestion of Action:
All suggestions of preceding reports still apply. Here are additional recommendations:

The city's most notable heroes can no longer be trusted to have the benevolence of the people in mind. They must be removed from any position of authority, especially anything where the Rikti are involved.

The magically aware should be especially alerted that we are targets. Either we stand together to fight the threat, or go into hiding to preserve our knowledge. I fight on, no matter the choice of others.

Status Reports
Star Strider Force
Name: Grog the Big
Global Contact: @Grog the Big
Reporting on Assignment: Triumph
Star Strider Force Unit: Forgotten Legion
Time/Date Location: Peregrine Island, Talos Island, Founders Falls... it's all blurring together
Level of Alien Threat [High][Medium][low]: feeble annoyance

Report Details:
The first time they invaded I was in Peregrine Island. I was seated at my favorite outdoor restaurant, enjoying a stout porter, when the sky turned green. At first, I thought perhaps I had too much to drink, but, as alcohol still exists in Paragon, this is not possible. Then the bombs fell. No mere atomic blast could cause me to spill [u]my[u] drink, but I did witness other beverages falling to the earth, their contents soaking into the thirsty ground...be right back.

Ahh, where was I? Oh yes, the Rikti were attacking every place that had a liqour license. What impudence! I drew my humongous sword and roared a challenge to the heavens. The cowards did not answer, though I did notice that their bombing became less accurate; the bombs fell wide of the bars and liquor stores and now rained down on other targets. No doubt they realized the error of their ways and sought to placate me by selecting other targets for destruction, but it was all for naught! The spilled booze cried out for vengeance, and I would answer! I cast the Trackless Step spell and met their airships head-on.

After I received a trifling injury, it was clear the Rikti would not face me in honorable melee combat, so I had to content myself with disposing of unexploded bombs, thereby preventing any more damage to the bars of Peregrine Island. While I raged at their reluctance to engage me in a civilized swordfight, I noticed other heroes streaming towards the Portal Corporation facility. They said something about how the infantry would land there. I scoffed at first, and set to defend my favorite bar with blood and steel, but then the radio reports confirmed the other heroes' claims. The chance to fight the aliens face to face was too good to pass up.

The fracas had just begun when I arrived. Heroes clashed with aliens in the shadow of the Portal Corp monument. Despite his reputation as a powerful hero, I noticed Castle refused to take part in the action. Hah! The mighty Grog is made of sterner stuff! I leapt into the fray with glee!

The rest is a blur of carnage. I wielded my Rularru sword with all the strength I possessed! Rikti monkeys were spitted upon my blade! Headmen Gunmen fell wailing as I hacked their arms off! Infantry that fought with their swords paid for their foolishness with their lives! I decapitated the Mesmerists and Mentalists, and savored the spectacle as their headless bodies collapsed to the ground! Even their feared Chief Soldiers were no match for the strength of my arm or my prowess with a blade! The desperate creatures eventually summoned Heavy Assault Suits and Magi to the fight, but they were still no match for the mighty Grog! The Magi in particular found themselves stymied by my magical skills! If the witless cretins had known they faced an Archmage, they would surely have stayed home that day!

After the earth drank much blood, the stubborn aliens finally gave up and teleported away. I had hoped to toast the success of the battle with mounds of corpses strewn at my feet, but it was not to be; the Rikti spirited their dead and wounded away as well. Speaking of spirits...

Mmm, yes, what was I saying? Oh, right, they fled, and I went back to my drink. Similar scenarios also played out on Talos Island and in Founders Falls. I profitted handsomely from the sale of the trinkets I managed to snatch from their carcasses, and the fights were epic, but something bothered me about the whole matter.


Analysis of Current Situation:
I invited the stalwart heroes who witnessed the battle to join me at the tavern. Castle declined, stating something about "other plans". Bah! Anyway, those who joined me talked at length about the invasion.

They did not share my belief that Paragon's supply of booze was directly targeted by the greedy aliens. They said something about how the Rikti are from another universe, and that Portal Corporation's facility was a logical target. If the tales of the Rikti's origins are true, then targeting Portal Corp does make sense, but it did not explain why they first atttacked the tavern.

Others mentioned that, during the first invasion, the Rikti concentrated their attacks against the magically inclined. That must be it. They knew of my status as an Archmage, and feared my power! I will pass this information along to the Midnight Squad and the Legacy Chain.

I expect more attacks will come. The casualties I inflicted were grevious, yet sufficient resources and men-at-arms remained to mount additional strikes. Conversations with other heroes indicate that the Rikti have a medical system comparable to our own. It's quite possible that the warriors I dispatched on Talos and in Founders Falls were the very same ones that fell before me on Peregrine. While I welcome every opportunity for battle, I expect the citizens of Paragon grow weary of these disruptions to their lives. It is my belief that, unless the bridge between this world and theirs can be sealed, or a means to disrupt or destroy their medical teleportation system can be found, or the crashed spaceship can be sacked, or the Rikti warriors tire of being put to the sword, the threat of city-wide Rikti attack will never completely cease. This static warfare is unacceptable. It's cutting into my drinking time.


Suggestion of Action:
A means to combat the Rikti airships must be found. Their bomb attacks cannot be allowed to continue! Failing that, all establishments that serve beer, wine, etc. must replace their drinking vessels with lidded steins.

The crashed ship must be sacked. There have been successful attacks mounted on top and below the ship. These must be expanded upon to allow for a final victory over the invaders.

Portal Corp must be persuaded to find the Rikti homeworld so that counterattacks can be made. This constant fighting on our own soil is fruitless. We must take the fight to them, and ensure that the Rikti will be so fearful of reprisal that no further attacks will be made!

This is perfect. I have a Rad/Rad Cor that needs some levels.

Starting in the middle? Like Star Wars? Well, you've certainly piqued my interest.

[ QUOTE ]
I hope the Rikti take over Paragon and the Rogue Isles.

So there.

[/ QUOTE ]

Bah! So long as the mighty Grog has breath in his lungs and mead in his tankard, they will never succeed! Where's the love, Az?

Rikti? Did someone say Rikti?

Star Strider Forces Registry
Name: Grog the Big
Global Contact: @Grog the Big
Level of Classification: 50
Origin: Magic (though I could also have a "booze" origin)
Super Rank and Super Group: Forgotten Legion - Commander

I was in closed Beta, now I'm in open Beta. Here's my thoughts:

Day Jobs: Mostly awesome. The only downside I can think of is that there's nothing the players can do to speed up our acquisition of the related badges. This is completely unlike any other badge currently available. No amount of effort will get the goodies any faster. Frustrating, but minor. I enjoy Day Jobs as-is.

PvP: haven't done it yet. Still want to see what's made my PvPing friends so upset that they're cancelling their accounts and migrating to other games. My only opinion is that Arena should be left as it is on Live, or build in an "old school" option into the kiosks that retains the current live PvP system. All players have an incentive to go into the PvP zones, but nobody ever *has* to go to the Arena. The PvP changes, however they work, can stay on Zones, and the current PvP crowd still has a place to play and a reason to continue subscribing. Everybody wins.

Invunerability tweaks: I luv you guys! I'm so happy about this I felt it worth a special mention!

EPPs and PPPs: More options is always better. I like the current incarnation of EPPs/PPPs more than even the redesigned pools. Some of the power swaps made me scratch my head. I like how it is now, where we can still choose all the old powers if we wish yet still have access to the new power options. My Ice Tank is especially happy with the Tanker Ice Epic.

New Power Sets: Pain Domination is fabulous. Shields needs work before it'll be on par with other defensive sets. The Shields look cool, but they don't protect all that well, and the speed at which my endurance bar drops is irritating. Did I mention how cool they look?

QoL: All around win. Better sorting and tracking for badges, cut and paste for text, easier to manage contacts, AoE pet buffs for MMs...

Dual Builds: Again, all around win. I probably won't use it for all my toons, but there's definite uses to the system. For example, on Test I made a second build for my Scrapper so he can more easily participate in Hami Raids. Two thumbs up.

Bases: haven't played with it. No opinions on what's I've heard.

New IO sets: haven't played with them. Still, they've filled in a few holes with some powers that didn't quite mesh (targeted heals, for example) with existing sets.

Merits: I'm trying not to flame. I realize this is still on Test, and not Live, so there's time to make changes. As it stands, I'm not happy. Not happy at all. I've been playing this game a long time (waves 54 month badge), and I've never been so unhappy about a new addition to the game. In my opinion, this is worse than the protection nerf and Enhancement Diversification rolled together. As was originally proposed, we players would have the option of choosing merits *or* the random drop from a TF/SF/Trial. I was ecstatic. Now, there's no choice; we *must* accept merits, and some TFs do not give enough merits for even a random drop. I like the idea of choosing between random recipe drop and Merits. I like that I can get Merits from story arcs. I do not like the idea of having to choose between SO Enhancements and Merits. I find it extremely un-fun. I can think of no reason why retaining the random recipe drop option is bad. There's some TFs I will choose to go with the random drop. There's others I will choose Merits. The option to choose will make me happy. Being able to save up Merits for that one recipe I really really want will make me happy. Getting a recipe I wanted from a random drop will also make me happy. The original proposed Merit reward system (see Darth_Khasei's post on 11/06/08, look for the red highlighted text) would make me happy. The Merit reward system on Test does not make me happy.

Leveling Pact: haven't played with it. I can see how it would be really cool, though. I've played a few dynamic duos, and coordinating play times could be a hassle. Once it's opened up to all levels, it'll be fantastic. Expanded to 8 players, it will also be a real boost to concept teams. You think coordinating play time for a dynamic duo is hard? Try managing 8 people in different states and time zones. I'd love to see the leveling pact expanded to its logical conclusion.

Let's see you talk your way out of this one, Armitage!

There was a guy running around Triumph for a while with Captain or Brother-Captain something. Whatever the name, he made his Space Marine an AR/Energy Blaster, presumably to simulate bolter and power fist. Made his own SG, too: Adeptus Astartes.

Hah! What a zinger!

You called the elevator a "lift". Is this a cultural idiosyncracy on your part, or the part of the character? Just curious.

I loved the swearing-in scene. That's priceless!

Very nice!

It's not often that someone writes about time travel and I enjoy it. Huzzah for SlickRiptide!

This is for invading Earth! *FLA-ZAPP*

And this is for ganking the newbies! *ZZZRAK*

And THIS is for ruining my DATE! *FREEM*

Looking forward to the next installment.

Hah! I'm surprised no-one got blasted over the ribbing!

Huzzah!
What a finish!

It's funny, yet I can see how other directions may come from this. Cool begining!

Had a funny thought last night about the Clockwork King using King as his last name. I didn't even think about Hope's last name when I read it the first time. It seemed so natural. So, when he fills out forms, his first name is "Clockwork" and his last name is "King"?

Not taking a shot at you, BlueBattler, it's just that similar hilarity has ensued on my server when I tell people to call me "Mr. the Big".