"It ends tonight," the demon Degard said wiping the blood from his lips, "they are surrounded."
The devils cackled and laughed as they pulled the messenger's body out of sight. "My Lord," spoke the cultist, "News is spreading of Avacyn's return. Perhaps we should retreat--"
"NO!" Degard bellowed, "We have laid seige to Torpor for weeks, I will not retreat." He shot a billowing cloud of death into the air. At his sign, the devils across the city wall detonated thier payloads. The city walls crumbled, and a sea of devils and lesser demons poured into the city of Torpor.
The moon rose over the final Night of the city of Torpor.
Welcome to Hell breaking loose, a flavorful voting game based around Avacyn Restored. It is Angels vs. Demons in this game.
Anyone can join anytime.
How to Play:
A voting game is very simple. Choose a faction you wish to join, Angels or Demons. Then choose a specality
Each day (Starting from when Wizards.com gets updated), each player can attack one city block, and reinforce a different city block. Attacking a city block reduces it's strength by 1, while reinforcing a block increases it's strength.
Each specality has a bonus ability that allows you to effect the game in a unique way.
Last Faction standing wins!
Specialty:
Angel Aligned--
Angel: Skip your attack and reinforcement and choose an angel-controlled block. It gains 1 strength for each demon-controlled block adjacent to it.
Wolfir: If your attack reduces a block's strength to 0, you automatically claim it with 1 strength. (You can then reinforce that block if you haven't reinforced any block this day.)
Cathar: If your attack reduces an unbolded block's strength to a factor of 3, bold the entire row or column. Each Angel aligned block in that row gains 1 strength. (Factors of 3 are 3, 6, 9, 12...)
Demon Aligned--
Demon: Skip attack and reinforce: choose a demon controlled block. all adjacent blocks with at least one strength (regardless of who controls them) lose one strength and the chosen block gains that much strength
Cultist: If you attack a block, you may also attack an adjacent block.
Devil: Skip attack and reinforce: choose a demon controlled block. It and each adjacent block lose 2 strength.
City blocks and Tally:
Hell Breaking loose introduces a new type of tally, instead of having a list, HBL introduces a pictoral tally.
D3
00
A3
00
D3
00
00
00
00
00
A3
00
00
00
D3
00
00
00
00
00
A3
00
D3
00
A3
This tally represents 25 city blocks, 5 by 5. Blocks marked with [00] are neutral. Any player can skip both thier attack and reinforcement for the day to capture a block for thier team. A captured block starts with 3 strength.
Blocks marked with [AX] are angel aligned blocks with X strength. Blocks marked with [DX] are demon aligned with X strength.
The location of a block doesn't effect what you can attack and reinforce. An angel can attack a block surrounded by demon aligned blocks. But location does factor into some Bonus abilities.
If you are going to make a move, you want to update the tally to reflect your actions. You can show this change by changing the tally and adding the modifer to the block. For example:
D3
00
A3
00
D3
00
00
00
00
00
A3
00
00
00
D3
00
00
00
00
00
A3
00
D3
00
A3
If i attack the bottom-most left block while supporting the top-right most block, the tally will look like this.
D3
00
A3
00
D4+1
00
00
00
00
00
A3
00
00
00
D3
00
00
00
00
00
A2-1
00
D3
00
A3
The next day i want to capture the second block on the top row. I can show that this way: (Note the change in color)
D3
/D3\
A3
00
D4
00
00
00
00
00
A3
00
00
00
D3
00
00
00
00
00
A2
00
D3
00
A3
Note: Formatting can be important for keeping track of various abilities. So remember to copy over formatting as well. Note: If you are planning on adding flavor, first post just the updated tally and then go back and edit your post. Otherwise someone might update the tally while you are writing flavor.
Refering to blocks: When refering to blocks used basic X,Y coordiantes. That is, columns and rows. The numbers start at 1 to 5 starting at the bottom left. For example
0
A
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
B
0
C
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
A: 2,5 B: 4,3 C: 1,2
adjacent blocks: Some abilities care about adjacent blocks. These are blocks that are next to a block horizonatally and vertically but not diagonally.
The bolded blocks are adjacent to block X.
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
X
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
Color Coding:
The tally can be difficult to make sense of so to ease the players, the tally is colorcoded. Unclaimed blocks remain black, demon aligned blocks are colored red, and angel aligned blocks are blue.
End game:
Starting on day 20 and going forward, whenever a block becomes neutral it becomes innert and can no longer be claimed. Mark it with [--]. Also at the start of the day, each territory loses 1 strength.
Flavor and storytelling:
Hell breaking loose is a flavorful voting game. And we encourage roleplaying and storytellnig. But if you don't feel like it, don't worry, role playing is not required, nor is writing flavorful posts. What someone writes has no impact on the game, and should just be used to immerse yourself into the world.
I have seveeral characters so i'll wait and see what it's looking like when we start. Also in looks like for the starting tallies you have two blocks with strength but no coloring (1,3) and (5,3) respectively.
For linking a card to Gatherer without writting the name of said card for readers, use the autocard brackets together with and equal sign and right the name of the real card. Then put the message you want inside the tags, like you would do with autocarding. Like this:
I like storm crow because I really like crows in real life, as an animal, and the card isn't terribly stupid, but packs a good deal of nostalgia and also a chunck of the game's history. So it's perhaps one of the cards I have most affection to, but not because "lol storm crow is bad hurr hurr durr".
Although I do assume you deliberately refer to them (DCI) as The Grand Imperial Convocation of Evil just for the purposes of making them sound like an ancient and terrible conspiracy.
Now, now. 1994 doesn't quite qualify as "ancient".
Oh, it's a brilliant plan. You see, Bolas was travelling through shadowmoor, causing trouble, when he saw a Wickerbough Elder with its stylin' dead scarecrow hat. Now, Bolas being Bolas took the awesome hat and he put it on his head, but even with all his titanic powers of magic he couldn't make it fit. He grabbed some more scarecrows, but then a little kithkin girl asked if he was trying to build a toupee. "BY ALL THE POWERS IN THE MULTIVERSE!" he roared, "I WILL HAVE A HAT WORTHY OF MY GLORY." and so he went through his Dark Lore of Doom (tm) looking for something he could make into a hat that would look as stylish on him as a scarecrow does on a treefolk. He thought about the Phyrexians, but they were covered in goopy oil that would make his nonexistant hair greasy. He Tried out angels for a while but they didn't sit quite right. Then, he looked under "e" (because in the Elder Draconic alphabet, "e" for Eldrazi is right next to "h" for Hat) in his Dark Lore of Doom and saw depictions of the Eldrazi, and all their forms. "THIS SHALL BE MY HAT!" he declared, poking a picture of Emrakul, "AND WITH IT I WILL USHER IN A NEW AGE OF DARKNESS -- ER, I MEAN A NEW AGE OF FASHION!"
And so Nicol Bolas masterminded the release of the Eldrazi.
The last couple days have been roughly every perverse fetish imaginable, but it only got "creepy" when speculation on Mother of Runes's mob affiliation came up?
I like to think up what I consider clever names for my decks, only later to be laughed at by my wife. It kills me a little on the inside, but thats what marriage is about.
Of course, the best use [of tolaria west ] is transmuting for the real Tolaria.
Absolutely. I used to loose to my buddy's Banding deck for ages, it was then that I found out about Tolaria , and I was finally able win my first game.
Browbeat is a card that is an appropriate deck choice when there's no better idea available. "No better idea available" was pretty much the running theme of Odyssey era.
Modern is like playing a new tournament every time : you build a deck, you win with it, don't bother keeping it. Just build another, its key pieces will get banned.
I always find it helpful when im angry to dress up in an owl costume and rub pennies all over my body in front of a full body mirror next to the window.
Dymecoar:
Playing Magic without Blue is like sleeping without any sheets or blankets. You can do it...but why?
Omega137:
Me: "I love the moment when a control deck stabilizes. It feels so... right." Omega137: "I like the life drop part until you get there, it's the MtG variant of bungee jumping"
Zigeif777:
Just do it like Yu-Gi-Oh or monkeys: throw all the crap you got at them and hope it works or else the by-standers (or opponents) just get dirty and pissed.
Normally it's difficult to pick up on your jokes/sarcasm. But this one's pretty much out there. Good progress. You have moved up to Humanoid. You'll be Human in no time.
Ok I'll just go a head and make the first character/claim, and hope other are inspired to join:
Phelan (Working on a last name, suggestions welcome)
When Phelan was a young Kessiger he often disobeyed his parents and often went adventuring in the woods during the day. He was wise enough not to adventure out at night. He proved himself to be a talented archer and ranger, and eventually joing the Quiver of Kessig as a Cathar. He served for several year with little incident.
A few years ago Phelan was bitten by a werewolf while protecting his village. the attack was repeled. Phelan used every prayer and ward he knew to hold off the transformation, and his faith won out. However when Avacyn disappeared his magic waned, and he faultered more often, and often not at a safe time.
During the Gatstalf wolf hunt Phelan served the human in the hunt. Try as he might to keep himself in control he finally failed. He manage to isolate himself for most of the hunt, deciding it was too raisky to be near by if he transformed again. He hid in the grotto, and was present when Avacyn offered the cursemute. Phelan revealed himself as a werewolf, and was one of the first to accept the curse mute.
Phelan now stands in defense of the humans alongside the Host of Herons.
EDIT: I do my whole flavor and Vektor snipes my pick (obviously we can have multiples). I reserve the right to change my choice before my first post, if we need more diversity. Hopefully more people will get on the bandwagon soon and it won't be a huge issue.
So i think we may want to hold off since we only have 3 players right now. if we don't get more by the end of tomorrow we may want to postpone.
Character:
Caedmon Quinn- Caedmon hails from a Nephalian family steeped in the church of Avacyn. His mother is a spearsage, often working at Elgaud. His father is the mayor of the small town Caedmon hails from. His older sister is a practiced runechanter, and his younger brother became a wandering monk. It was no surprise that Caedmon took to being a cathar, given how much time he spent in Elguad with his mother. He was most enchanted with great weapons of the Lunar-Smiths, and jumped when he was offered a place in their ranks. Caedmon prides himself on his weapons, especially the two bladed bracers he wears. Both bracers have been further inscribed by his sister for extra potency.
In Avacyn's absence Caedmon became uncomfortable. While he was working at Elguad his home town was destroyed by a devil's prank. This prak cost him his father and sister. His mother was luckily visiting Elguad at the time. Caedmon grew tired of sitting around the grounds. He heard of the rumors of a group of duelists striking out to fight devils and demons in Avacyn's absence. Caedmon followed the trail, and asked to join. He now fights along side them, a bold risk taker.
Flavor for this move:
As the demons and devil spilled into town Caedmon knew this would be a long bloody fight. As much as he wanted to slay the infernal monster behind this attack he knew that strategy came first, and they needed to claim strong territory. He set out with his unit, aiming to claim the position in the center of the city, and expand from there. He would get his fight later, he just had to be patient.
Grimsnout, self-appointed Lord of Carrion and executor of the will of Grislebrand, looked over the city from a handy balcony in the former inn he had claimed as his base of operations.
"Tonight is a night for exquisite bloodshed and unparalleled destruction," he growled, speaking mostly to open air, but heard by a cultist standing behind him. "I shall greet it in my finest tuxedo."
"Master..." The cultist replied, cringing, "We still haven't gotten the tuxedo clean after last time"
"Hm." Grimsnout growled, "Very well, then, is the raiment sewn from the patchwork skins of my fallen enemies clean?"
"Yes, master!"
"Then I shall have it... and my top hat. A top hat goes with anything, after all."
The cultist looked rather sheepishly at her master's back
"Whatever you say..."
(I wanted to put Grimsnout's lines in font, but the boards don't like most alternate fonts. Also, if you get the refrence, kudos to you.)
EDIT: Dramatis Personae. Any Recurring character of mine will be listed here, with Too Much Information (probably more than will be important/relevant over the course of the story)
Grimsnout is an exceedingly powerful demon, and lays claim to the title "Lord of Carrion". All the same, he survived the long first era of Avacyn without being sealed in the Helvault because for all his personal strength, his actions have tended to be under the radar and relativley harmless. He's used to being too mighty to be felled in a relativley random encounter with priests or lesser angels, but too insignificant a schemer to get himself targeted and hunted down.
Avacyn's absence changed things -- Lord of Carrion is an apt title, as Grimsnout is a scavanger who now sees all of Innistrad as fresh meat, resulting in him turning over a new, bolder leaf. Still, some old habits die hard, and many of Grimsnout's mannerisms are at odds with his demonic nature.
Cordelia is a Skirsdag cultist. She's not particularly high ranked, but she's devoted to the cause, which has earned her a place as Grimsnout's "personal assistant" and his liasion to the Cult.
Why does someone join with demons? Some, certainly, are deluded enough to accept the promises of power that demonic forces offer, but Cordelia is smarter than that. When she joined the Skirsdag, she was quite young and down on her luck. Having lost all faith, she sought not just her own death, but the death of everything -- and one promise demons make honestly is the promise of ultimate destruction. In an odd turn, the sense of community and fellowship that being part of the cult brought took away her nihilism, but by the time it did the Skirsdag and Demons were her new family, and she had no desire to turn her back on them
"Enjoy your screams, Sarpadia - they will soon be muffled beneath snow and ice." THE COALITION WAR GAME -Phyrexian Praetor Round 1: (4-1-2, 1 kill) Round 2: (16-8-2, 4 kills) Round 3: (18-9-2, 1 kill) Round 4: (22-10-0, 2 kills) Round 5: (56-16-3, 9 kills) Round 6: (8-7-1) [current round]
