Pandora

OoC - yaaaays for the re-appearance of Edgar, and here my honesty gets the better of me. I think my shield is actually [(WP13 x3) + 20] for the physical attack and ([(WP13 x3) +20]x2) for the magics = 177 (or just ([(WP13 x3) + 20]x3) ) so it's still great, but not as great as you calculated. Nyx nods emphatically as she beats XX soundly about the head with her book and follows that torment up with amplification of his pain through her Darkness spell. Even if common sense were to get the better of her now, she felt she had at least given the man some agonising long moments of anguish with which to forever remember her. The sound beatings also manage to dislodge little Edgar, who may have been ruling over his fiendish dominion, or possibly having a nap. The brave little spider jumps about ferociously, gnashing his fangs at any enemy who comes near, although he scuttles a bit as a very large ogre nearly steps on him. It is unlikely that the very large ogre heard the many and variant curses and threats made by the little spider should he have trodden on him, but they were made nonetheless. "Oh Edgar, you came back!" coos Nyx, temporarily softening her demeanour and grinning widely as she stoops to tickle the spider behind his ears. "Right, well it seems we're moving rooms, which is odd because nearly all the people we need to send to oblivion are right here, but we're moving anyway, so hop up and off we'll go." Nyx turns with a swoosh of her robes through the thickening smoke and the little spider scurries up her cloak to sit on her shoulder, taking the opportunity to do more menacing gnashings at the enemies behind him as they both move South out of the Throne Room with the rest of the party.

A beautific smile crosses Nyx's face as many things and people blow up thanks to the bomb, and the best thing was that nobody fighting with her was harmed. Perfect. Almost drawn by his own handiwork, a familiar face appears in the Throne Room, and the smile fades fast. "No. I'm after XX" Nyx once more draws on the power of Darkness and aims it squarely at XX through her book from the back row.

Happy birthday Tazzie! Moar cake for you :

Hope you have a really lovely birthday Phred! (I really can't top Rick's awesome cake )

"De'kra, there's no better time to use this infernal thing. And I use the word infernal quite specifically. And anyway, I rather like blowing stuff up. I was going to start heading off towards XX, so if you could manage another Sentinel, Alexandre, that'd be very handy. " Nyx digs out her XX bomb and throws it at the heart of the enemies in front of her.

Thanks everyone for the messages of encouragement and anticipation. It shouldn't be more than a month or so before we run again and we'll re-open this then. P.S. Zeph, I'll say this now even though you can't reply - you can't trade your mafia tag, no (why would you want to???) but maybe we can find a potted plant role for you too?

More beautiful and seamless weaving of FABULAND into a more contemporary build. The different shades of green are lovely; the FABULAND roof and the dark green windows, and all the creeping greenery on the sides of the building. The wood panelling effect either side of the doors makes it feel like a well-kept 'olde shoppe' and the different colours for the stonework look so good together. The turntable bases add a great detail to the outside. It's great to see all the different coloured jars and bottles through the window, and the detailing inside once more mixes old FABULAND with newer parts. Lots of detailing! It's all just... lovely. And yes, I spotted the frog(s).

This looks so good blueandwhite, I can see why it's on display. The Friends colours are integrated brilliantly with the buildings, toning them (the colours) down nicely, and making this a lovely Town/Friends mix. As Cecilie says, the architecture of the buildings is great, and it's easily overlooked when spying all the tidbits of detailing you've put in. More pictures would be great, yes please. And if you're going to build more Friends inspired MOCs, then please don't forget to enter our Summer of Friends Building Contest as there are plenty of different categories (for instance something similar to this would work well for a Friends/Licensed mashup).

Bahahaha. To continue in this vein, it's not a big package, so don't get too excited.

Haha, that's a great comic; beautifully drawn and it did make me laugh. More please. You (and Kai NRG) will be in next week's draw (as will anyone else who joins up).

"Blackenord is weak. I'd only have to sneeze on him and he'd go down, but he still has a powerful Special and he's Encouraged. Let me attack Blackenord alone. This isn't pride or a desire for revenge (although I want that very much), but being Lucky I would have to be very unlucky to unleash his Special, or not to hit him one way or another. I'm not sure his first Special would count considering he has no mechanical allies anymore. If nothing else, put me before little De'kra so he may attack another if I kill Blackenord." Nyx stares Blackenord straight in the eyes and without speaking a word to him once more summons the storm of Lightning from the back row through her book.

I agree that this would be good for Advanced class upwards (as I'd said one might imagine a Mage being more skilled and/or focused at that level). I still find it counter-intuitive that both Barbarian and Mage Shields are 'attack all enemies' and the Battle Mage Shield isn't; I don't expect a massive 'decimate all enemies with physical and magic attacks' however, could it not be possible that there's just an overflow of magic that hits a random number of other enemies (1-6 dependent on die roll) that just hits them for base WP only? My other suggestion was to be for some sort of in-battle Natural Respite, restoring a random amount (again on die roll) of Health and Ether. She can do both (though obviously not at the same time) - I'm sure she feels she has unfinished business with Strivvian Keystones and Acting Captain Patricia. I wasn't sure you wanted her back, though, as you'd posted the sign up while Nyx, Atramor and Cronk are all in Dastan.

That's a good idea. If a team already has a designated healer and would like a fiesty, element wielding Battle Mage with a tendency to want to stab enemies in the eye with the heel of her stilettos accompanied by the worlds most un-terrifying pet spider, then Nyx would be up for it.

"Mr Skrall, my bomb is an incredibly destructive device fashioned by XX. You've seen it's effects before, as have all the heroes here; it kills indiscriminately with an overwhelming sense of warm fuzziness. At least I feel warm fuzziness, and I caution against its use unless in the direst of circumstances. Ironically it is thanks to Tarn that we can worry about the need for using it until a later time." OoC Zepher, could you remind us all of the effects of the XX bomb please? Thanks. Nyx turns to speak to Tarn without the need for Vipera's relay. "Fantastic work Tarn, truly poetry in motion. You continue to master your barbarism and impress us all - the world can only wonder at what you will become when you get into the Training Room back at Heroica. Let us face Blackenord together, as we have faced our enemies together before. I can just about bear to not be the one who strikes him dead, as long as he dies in agony. He deserves nothing less for what he... did to me." Nyx once more uses the element of Blackenord himself against him by summoning a storm of Lightning against him from the back row through her book.

The Summer of Friends Avatar Contest drew many fantastic and humourous entries. The eventual winners, by public vote were: First Place: Oky/ Okivia Joint Second Place: Praiter Yed and The Penguin However the raffle continues, and new entries are still being added. To check to see if you're a winner, just follow the link here. Not yet entered? Don't worry, there's still time, just read the instructions here and you could win one of these: (image from Brickset) and maybe some other Friends bits and pieces.

Congratulations Jackjonespaw! You're the first name drawn out of the pick-a-brick cup this week, so you are this week's raffle winner! Send me a PM with your details and a polybag (and who knows what else?) will be winging its way to you. Speaking of which, Oky, The Penguin and Praiter Yed, be sure to check the contents of your package thoroughly. Holodoc, Mr Meleca and Flying Ace, just to reassure you that I saw your entries and they were included in the draw this week, as they will be each week.

Uhm, yeah, I guess it was. Thanks Sandy. Battle Mage fits Nyx so well for roleplaying, so I wouldn't want to just change Advanced class. I think the random nature of the element for the Shield is what lets it down, and you could argue that a Level 15 Mage would have better control, however it wouldn't necessarily fit if a person came to Battle Mage from Barbarian (and would thus be new to magic). And I agree about not just adding Frenzy and Magic Burst, even though that would be really nice.

Nyx grimaces as Thothwick falls; she had grown accustomed to his company and the choices for her Phoenix Essence were mounting, although the opportunities to use it remained somewhere around zero. As new enemies surge into the Throne Room, the shouts from her allies continue. "The question is more whether he can handle me." Her face turns to thunder as she finds Blackenord's face in the sea of enemies. "He's mine. I have a debt to repay." Nyx feels the swell of the storm as she takes out her Topaz to cast Lightning magic on Lord Blackenord from the back row through her book.

Unfortunately, we will have to postpone this Mafia School game. I'm really sorry. The game we created was balanced specifically for 16 players, and while we could attempt to re-balance it for fewer players, we don't feel this would give a representative mafia game experience for new players and we're not keen on cutting some of the characters we've already created (although that's a lesser concern). We've allowed lots of time for sign-ups and unfortunately that's now eaten into the time we both have available to run this game, and it has now become an impossibility to fit it into our schedules. To those who have already signed up, or showed interest and support, thank you so much, and we're deeply sorry for this postponement. We anticipate we will be able to re-open the game this Autumn (in a few months time if you're from the Southern hemisphere) and we will send PMs to those who've already signed up to notify them and ask if they'd still like to play. We'll leave this thread open for reactions for a day or so, before locking it until we restart. Thanks to everyone for your understanding.

Nyx casts Darkness on Rogue Lion Commander C from the back row through her book.

I miss the Mage's Shield. Imagine (randomly rolling) a Darkness spell that hit all enemies with WP 13 and level 20. It'd be rather handy right now. It still seems odd to me that the two classes that have all-enemy attacking Shield skills (Barbarian and Mage) should combine to form an Advanced class that... doesn't. In fact, most times I'm better off rolling a critical hit than a Shield.

Thanks JimB! I miss Edgar.

In the heat of battle in the Throne Room of a palace of three Emperors in far off Dastan, the air is thick with the acrid stench of sweat, blood and poison. There is carnage; so many have fallen already, and yet more probably will before this immense fight is concluded. Dust falls from the shaken walls, there are cries, orders, shouts of pain and the sounds of prayers all around, yet despite this being the bloodiest of battles, it is interrupted. A strange sensation temporarily takes hold of the palace as lots of little pink scented envelopes flutter apparently from the ceiling. Having just cleaved a man's life-force with her magic, Nyx re-opens her eyes to see this bizarre spectacle, and picks a pink envelope out of the air as it falls past. The reminder that there is more to the world than the ruinous land of Dastan, that the Hall still stands strong, and that there are more allies out there - old friends she hasn't seen for a long time, builds a new emotion for Nyx to draw on for her attacks. She smiles, hope in her heart, and signs her name on the paper to enter the lottery before allowing it to vanish whence it came, and allowing herself to refocus on her battle.

OoC: I'm not sure how you calculated my Great Spell to come up with 90 damage. By my calculations it's (WP13 x3) + Level 20 = 59 elemental damage, then x2 because they're weak to darkness, so 118. Plus I just want to also make sure the chances of me summoning my spider are happening, too. Thanks. "Atramor, I understand your desire to attack XX, and I really wouldn't mind facing him myself again, especially after... everything. But he can't hurt us right now, not unless we attack him directly, so let's deal with those who can and maybe worry about him later? I believe Rogue Lion Commander E remains the only one untargeted, although I think I'd be more use targeting one of the ones with more health left. I shall leave the final decision to that nice Mr Skrall, but in the meantime I'm charging up more Darkness to hurl at Rogue Lion Commander E from the back row, once more through my book."

Nyx looks on aghast at Galen's brave sacrifice, and before her head can process what has happened she finds herself pulled along to relative safety by Alexandre, who then kindly forces her to drink a potion in her stupor. Gathering her senses, she sees she's back where she started, in the Throne room, but Emperor Septrine has moved (the memory glimmers in the back of her mind) and there are more heroes here. And enemies too. Instinct kicks in, and Nyx begins the powerful incantations to cast Darkness magics on Rogue Lion Commander E from the back row, using her great book as a conduit, and knowing that she may be able to cause great damage, and he had the most vitality to lose. "The more pain I see, the more pain you give me, the more I have to use, and return. With interest." she mutters; eyes half closed and eyelids fluttering.