Felarian Advice

I noticed that there wasn't a thread for advice adventurers give each other. Post any ideas; they don't always have to be the best advice, though.

"If your pinned down, no chance of running away, and no way to fight your way out, rush the pred. They're not going to expect it, and their distraction could let you escape. Not the best odds, but it beats waiting for them to catch you."

That's interesting, like a serious alternative to the quotes thread.

So yeah, don't buy products from Gunther.

Whenever you encounter a pred, the first thing you do before they give you their "I'm gonna eatchu" line, is introduce yourself - state your name, hobbies, family, hopes and dreams, etc. Don't try to exaggerate - it makes it harder to be consistent later on and then they mighht eat you for lying to them. After that, try to engage them in conversation. DON'T ask for directions - no need to provide them with an easy eatchu line. Speak confidently and remember, only prey runs away or shows fear. If you avoid doing these things, it might unsettle the more cautious preds into leaving you alone. And remember, if all else fails, Heat-seeking missiles.

Neat idea! I shall contribute.


Korleth the veteran on fairies:

"If'n your goal's to escape, thar's almost nothin' worse than havin' a fairy chase you: they's fast, smart, magical, and worst of all can follow you wherever you go! Even go places you can't! Many a man and woman has died tryin' to escape their vile clutches!

Now, if, on the other hand, your goal's to kill her, the whole damn dynamic changes. A naga ain't never gonna die from a lucky shot, you need a whole damn army ta' have a chance. But a fairy who's the wrong size, in the wrong place, at the wrong time? She can go down to a single, absurdly lucky adventurer. I've seen it happen!

O'course, by the time you realize there's a fairy after ya, you're most likely screwed already, haha! The best defense is prolly' to party up with a bunch o' slow-pokes, seein' as fairies usually get full pretty fast, as compared to other critters.

Now, get out there and adventure you youngsters, and make some tales of your own!"

Jacob: "Bah, it's not the big ones you need to worry about. You tend not to draw their attention unless Minalca really ain't on your good side. Lot of 'em can be seen a mile off with a proper mage or four in your party anyhow. It's the little guys you need to watch out for - little being relative, of course. Spine Beetles, Poison Creepers, Bloodclaw Apes, the works. Pretty much anything that clacks won't sod off regardless of an impressive magic show, and almost every third critter happens to have some sort of shooty-shooty that you really don't want to on the end of. If it actually drops from arrows or bolts it'll likely be a pincushion beforehand, and good luck up close n' dirty without at least some sort of enchantments on your gear."

Cjal: "Don't go stomping around the undergrowth like some off-world savage - even the more bold native tribals bother with some tact. At the same time, don't ever wing it on your own if you know you're quieter than your partners: You can't deny sleep forever, better to have someone slap the crawlies off your back, and twenty eyes are better than two. Enchanted gear can help, but don't be a fool and buy the "quality" stuff unless your wizard friends can barely feel the enchantment while holding it: Anything with a magic sense can see you like a bonfire in an open field. Mundane material is often better for concealment, save the enchanted stuff for conflict. Camo-tents and just practicing some noise and discipline when exploring, better than radiating like an arch-mage seven-outta-ten times. Of course, it doesn't hurt at times to be the sneakiest of the bunch..."

"Masumi hosts the best parties I hear, just tap her on the tail to get in, NO COVER CHARGE!"

Rules to live by

1) Never act afread if your not sceard the pred may think you know something they dont or have a hiden power.

2) Always have a weapon. Most preads dont even wear clothes.

3) Check the the reliabilty of what you buy befor you leave the town.

4) Never drop your weapon.

5) Dont go anywhere with out a acid prof bomb or hazmat suit with oxgien tanks on.

My ultamit savile guide

Zion: "Assess the situation. Identify the enemy's strengths and weaknesses. If you cannot immediately find a weakness that can be exploited by you, then stay mobile and keep fighting until you do. Also, always be prepared for the worst, both physically and mentally. Do not give in to fear, ever."

Kenson: "Hmph. Distraction, distraction, distraction! Preds are usually pretty dumb, or they at least don't expect you to be smart. The dumbasses have a tendency to swallow you whole, too! That's a great chance to do some damage."

Leif: "Their minds are always weaker than their bodies."

Jurdean wisdom: "The tip of the spear is little more than a barb, without the support of the shaft."

An old adventurer told this to everyone leaving Negav who would listen: Remember, against the beasts out there, you brain is your greatest weopen and greatest defence. Some of the beasts can be tricked into a trap or made to attack another threat, such as a hybrid or another beast. That's why I'd rather fight a beast over a hybrid 100 to1. What with their trickery, and lying, and trapping you back........

After this point, he started to drift off into some combination of flashbacks, somewhat useful advice, and rantings reflecting his unstable sanity.

These are fun to do!

Naora the swift on party dynamics:

"One of the most common things I hear from rookies is 'Naora, your team doesn't have a meat-shield! You don't know what you're doing!' You know what? Here's some free advice; if all you can bring to the group is the ability to absorb hits from a 10-foot-tall ogre or whatever, do yourself a favor and GO HOME. Everybody is exactly one swallow away from death in Felarya. The stuff I have to worry about would eat those 'deadly' ogres like freaking candies.

Mages? Well, obviously anyone who thumbs their nose at magic-users it an idiot. Without the Isolon Eye we'd all be pretty much out of luck, though I'm still hoping they'll come up with a portable, pocket-sized version soon.

As far as adventuring goes, mages are a hell of a lot more visible to some of the nasties out there, but on the other hand, the stuff they do can be irreplaceable in certain situations. And you should never underestimate the distraction factor inherit in someone throwing a lightning bolt into a predator's face. It may seem morbid, but that mage has probably just gotten the thing's full, undivided attention. A death-sentence, probably, but he or she might have also just saved the rest of the group's lives. Trouble is, you never know what's going to be attracted to, or resist magic. It's just not reliable.

Ultimately, silence, speed and evasion are your best friends out there. Not being seen consistantly works on just about everything, and agility is your first line of defense when things do go bad.

Oh yeah, and one more thing to keep in mind when you're setting up a team: women almost never get hypnotized by giant boobs. More important than you'd think."

Consults a book on survival.

To remain undetected don't bath in soaps just use water or chemicals that don't have any added smells. Use your surroundings to your advantage and camouflage yourself with plants etc. Thats the known method the army uses to avoid danger from preds on earth. And to stay hidden

Jacob: "Lil' "Swift" there reminded me of another matter: Don't make your party with people who think with their soldier. If you see a topless woman in the forest and she ain't holding an everflowing grail with a heavenly choir comin' from nowhere, don't even think of dropping what you're doing and gawking at her - let alone going closer! You'd think that there was something in the air of this place, the sight of a little breast or hole and suddenly half the males gawk like a newborn.

This doesn't just go for forests either, come to think of it. Lakes, deserts, plains, you name it, you see jigglies you don't just gape and shuffle. Would you stand there and giggle at your execution if your executioner wasn't wearing pants?"

Fulmina On Adventuring

"Okay, first thing, "Adventuring" is a stupid word. That makes me thing of a bunch of dumb-shits wandering around looking for treasure, trying to befriend predators and falling into every obvious trap or lure.

No, before you even head out, make sure you know what your goal is. And make sure you know where you are going and what that place is like. Lots of areas and places have very specific dangers and predators. Know the land. Now, if you're getting yourself a party, this means get a guide. And make sure a real one, a local. Neko's are known to be good guides, but make sure you're getting an actual jungle neko and not some poser from Negav.

Who else should you take? There are a few theories. Some people say take a larger group so there's more "bait" for predators, making everyone have a little better chance. This is bullshit. Not only that, it is gambling bullshit. Gambling is for people too dumb to know stuff. Survival depends on not getting into bad situations in the first place!

Now, first, its a bit of a cliché but its true - men are far too often distracted by boobs. And boobs are on the most dangerous predators - the thinking ones. Lots of guys claim they are professional - but its a different story when you come face to face with one of them. Er, face to boob. Plus some of them use seduction spells. It's not necessarily a deal breaker and different people have different theories. Me, I prefer girls with me. Also, girls are not only less likely to get distracted by the preds, they are less likely to stare at me.

Now - credentials. I don't care if you think they're promising - no newbies! Let them get good and horrified and experienced in other dumb morons groups. But in your group... take people who know what they're doing. Get people who have good references.

Anyways, so, get yourself a guide. And I'm assuming you're the leader. You need a leader. The jungle is not a democracy. Now, people often argue about mages. Some figure that they are too much of a risk with the whole "predator sense" thing. I think this is dumb. Even if a predators knows you're nearby you should still be able to hide. There's also lots of tricks to damping a magical signature, but that's another lecture. Mages are damn useful. If they have too much of a specialty, get two of them. Teleportation, telekinesis... freezing spell, shields, portals, nature magic to handle carnivorous plants. These are all life savers. But don't take University Mages. I would rather have a decent mage with jungle experience than some bookworm Archmage. On the flip side, I'd get someone who knows to work some advanced tech. Sometimes like magic, but with no signature and often with neat uses. The best sort of these are soldiers - ones with engineering skills. Gadgets are great but you gotta have someone who knows how to use them.

Now, this is one that people almost never take, but that'd I'll stand behind. A Doctor. Yeah, yeah, I know, this world has no diseases and wounds heal fast. But a good woman of science is great. I have a Doctor friend I often take. She has given out painkillers to keep the group going. She has set bones so that they heal faster and straighter. She has whipped up antidote for, gods, pretty much everything that has a poison. She even managed to make something that induces vomiting in nagas. In Negav, there aren't many medical professionals - look for "Apothecaries" or "Alchemists" - locals suited to the challenges of Felarya.

Beyond there, there are often people that are useful in specific situations. I generally don't go for fire mages, but on Frost Peak? Everything there is vulnerable to fire. Anyways, I could talk about this forever. And its really a personal thing. But me? Well, generally this is my group.

The Leader - Me! I kick ass.

Guide - Each animal and predator on Felarya poses a different threat. A guide can quickly identify them for you. Better yet, get a professional Ranger.

Combat Engineer - Vishmitals are the best at this. They have amazingly useful tools you can't get anywhere else.

Apothecary - For upsetting stomachs, curing toxins, helping the world in healing, identifying useful plants etc.

Darkness Mage - A good Shadow mage can make portals, teleport and, most importantly, use spells focused around stealth. Stealthiness is key!

Nature Mage - The plants want to eat you too. A good Nature mage can really mess them up and keep you from becoming plant food.

Ice Mage - For when things do need to get a little... violent. In the Felaryan Jungle, most things are not made at all to handle ice. Frost will straight up kill the more difficult nature elementals and will serious mess up Dryads. Plus, remember, lots of predators are very hard to kill. So don't try! Ice magic keeps them slowed down. Plus, in an emergency, freezing a stomach can have... interesting effects.


Now that that's settled - gear. Don't bring too much food with you. Firstly, it just adds weight. You want to be able to run fast. Actually, that's something to think of when getting a group - how far and fast can they run? Anyways, food also can attract smaller nuisances. Squirrels especially are nasty little thieves. Anyways, your guide should be able to easily find edibles.

Bring tents, but make sure they are camuchin - "invisible tarp". When you sleep you want to sleep sound. If you buy a red tent... I honestly hope you die. Die horrifically. Also - rope. It's sort of useful I've found. Bring most other exploring essentials - though not that your mages can help supply some effects.

Anyways, weapons. I highly recommend the Vishmital Pike. If for nothing else that it will stop you going down a throat. Now, I know that I carry a sword, but that's mostly for magic focus. Only take smaller machetes. Anyone going around with a massive sword is a dumbass. Sometimes you will need to shoot stuff. Get guns with silencers. And real Vishmital silencers. If someone can really, really use a bow well, that also works. Crossbows are also decent compromises.

So. Follow your guide. Keep alert - use silent communication when you can. Do everything you can to remain unobserved. If you have to kill an aggressive animal, do it quietly. If a predator comes close - hide first. Try to find an alternative escape route.

But if you do need to fight it - hit it from different directions. Don't show mercy - trust me, they can take a lot. Drive it off or knock it out. There are tons of different strategies for doing this, but that's another lecture. I'm not going to discuss post-consumption tactics. You know the best way to not get digested? DON'T GET EATEN.

Now, predators are sneaky, but with a few pairs of eyes, a good guide and alert mages, you should be able to keep track of them. The worst, however, are fairies. They make dealing with everything else seem like a cakewalk. But I hunt fairies. Here's some pointers. Take out the wings. Serious, do it fast. It ruins their magic and stops them from flying away with your friends as snacks. Secondly, don't let being shrunk disorient you if it happens. If you can deal with a giant naga you can deal with a now-giant fairy. Just keep an eye on your buddies. You should know when one is shrinking or disappearing instantly and then get to action.

I agree with almost all the elf said, save for what she refers as an Archmage Bookworm: she's talking about a Scholar, but I will admit I'd take a mage who knows how to fight than just a teacher. I also think she needs to be pimp slapped a few notches back, because I wouldn't trust a leader with an overbloated ego. Also, Caroline is not amused by what she calls Adventuring.

Sean Okotami wrote:

I agree with almost all the elf said, save for what she refers as an Archmage Bookworm: she's talking about a Scholar, but I will admit I'd take a mage who knows how to fight than just a teacher. I also think she needs to be pimp slapped a few notches back, because I wouldn't trust a leader with an overbloated ego. Also, Caroline is not amused by what she calls Adventuring.

Fulmina: Hey, my ego isn't overinflated. I have the skills to fit one of that size. You don't hunt fairies and come back alive without having a few good tricks up your sleeve. Also, I don't "Adventure". I do business. And I succeed. And I get paid. And that is how I can afford an apartment with a view in Negav, thank you very much.

No leader worth their grain of salt would loudly say "I kick ass!". They would stay calm and rational as to properly lead and minimize injuries in the party.

Yes. Minimize injuries. By kicking ass.

Who every said that kicking ass was irrational? It is quite a rational thing to do quite often.

Or rather show off. Yes, fighting is an option, but fighting will eventually tire the group and cause injuries. A good leader should do everything in their power to avoid fights if it is reasonably practical. This isn't an RPG where you can beat up a ton of weak monsters until you're powerful enough to grind the strong monsters into dust. Almost everything out there is reasonably capable of killing you, and standing in one place dealing with a tough foe is nothing but a time bomb as more beasts could make their way over there.

So here's a tip to you missed: Never stay in one place in the wild. Unless you can make a zone mostly safe, I'd recommend warding spells for that, you want to keep moving, as an immobile <SUBJECT'S SPECIES HERE> is a dead <SUBJECT'S SPECIES HERE>.