<<Does the very first room of OTF proper have enemies? For instance, if I "go portal" can I walk into a big old mess and get insta-killed? And if so, can I PEER portal to prevent such? If enemies can spawn there, what types?>>

There is a zone between the portal and the barrier that you can see on the map - sometimes, ithzir scouts will be in there, that's rare, but don't go in there unprepared. Then, when you get to the portal, the first room in there can have any of the OTF proper critters (and in any number) but you can PEER through there to check before you go. Once you get through the portal, you can ring to the observatory and be mostly safe. If you get navved, you will have to run through OTF to get out.

You can get killed instantly at any moent running through there until you're ready to hunt there - so if you're not ready, it's a good time to put 102 and 140 up.

>Irvinetomoe

Drat. I tried as obtusely as possible to answer your questions. Sometimes hunting a new area with a bit of mystery is fun. Discovery and all that... Alas, it was all shattered by actual answers.

- Anonymous

Don't worry, no matter how well anybody describes the dangers, you'll still get dismembered horribly!

So I said I would report on my first OTF hunt. I've actually had four, two with groups and two alone.

With 2x hiding/stalking, level 5 shadow mastery, and extensive use of PEER, I was able to stalk around
fairly well, avoid large groups, and kill off things 1-2 at a time. Ambush generally works well. I
haven't encountered every type of critter yet though.

A couple of close calls have made it clear that it would be suicide to try and kill more than a couple
of the older critters at once.

So far I've only encountered one major issue besides avoiding swarms - those blasted griffins. The
screeches are a major pain, and it usually takes several attempts to hide from griffins (and of course,
the next round the griffin will instantly see me). I've also had two flying lessons and am lucky
neither one was fatal.

Any thoughts as to how one might reduce the rt from griffin screeches, or as to how a lone hunter might
handle a griffin (besides run, which is my current approach) would be welcome.

Thanks
Maynist

>Any thoughts as to how one might reduce the rt from griffin screeches, or as to how a lone hunter might
handle a griffin (besides run, which is my current approach) would be welcome.

Have you ever considered climbing to the top of the statue in OTF and jumping on the back of a griffin while trying to ride and/or impale it?

Or...

There are ways to bolster one's self.

Or...

Nah, I've given away WAY too much already. After you've tinkered some more, post again and I'll throw out some other and less helpful ideas.
- Anonymous

I'm a rogue who barely knows what a bow is, let alone how to use one. Now a one-edged weapon, now we can talk...

As I am capped, I believe the rt I am getting from the griffins is a bit lower than average. The screech does not
force you out of hiding, so I also gain a few seconds that way.

But so far, I have been too much of a chicken to fight the griffins alone. It also seems like the griffin screech
wakes up every Seer, Adept, and Herald nearby and sends them to my location.

Yeah I may be a coward, but so far, I haven't lost any deeds either.

Maynist

Griffin going down with THW; drop the various ithzir first.

>>A cobblestone road swings in a wide arc northeast and west. Many of the stones are missing, but for the most part the road is still level and easily traveled. A huge mound of mud rises just to the southwest and extends to the west as far as the eye can see. The area is eerily quiet, as if no life of any kind resides here. A few dead trees, now petrified, rise into the sky in bleak silhouette, but the earth has a scorched look to it, and the usual underbrush seems to have retreated. You also see a war griffin that is flying around and a shimmering portal.
Obvious paths: northeast, west
>
A war griffin swoops down from high overhead!
A war griffin tries to bite you!
You barely manage to fend off the attack with your maul!
>
An Ithzir janissary strides in, surveying the surroundings alertly.
> stop 506
> incant 506
Stop what?
>
You recite a series of mystical phrases while raising your hands, invoking Haste...
Your spell is ready.
You gesture.
You begin to notice the world slow down around you. Strange.
Cast Roundtime 3 Seconds.
> look
[Ta'Faendryl Approach]
A cobblestone road swings in a wide arc northeast and west. Many of the stones are missing, but for the most part the road is still level and easily traveled. A huge mound of mud rises just to the southwest and extends to the west as far as the eye can see. The area is eerily quiet, as if no life of any kind resides here. A few dead trees, now petrified, rise into the sky in bleak silhouette, but the earth has a scorched look to it, and the usual underbrush seems to have retreated. You also see an Ithzir janissary, a war griffin that is flying around and a shimmering portal.
Obvious paths: northeast, west
> incant 410
You trace a simple rune while intoning the mystical phrase for Elemental Wave...
Your spell is ready.
You gesture at a war griffin.
A wave of dark ethereal ripples moves outward from you.
An Ithzir janissary is buffeted by the dark ethereal waves and is knocked to the ground.
Cast Roundtime 3 Seconds.
>
A war griffin tries to bite you!
AS: +435 vs DS: +515 with AvD: +32 + d100 roll: +90 = +42
A clean miss.
> targ jan
You are now targeting an Ithzir janissary.
> incant 415
You trace a simple rune while intoning the mystical phrase for Elemental Strike...
Your spell is ready.
You gesture at an Ithzir janissary.
CS: +492 - TD: +373 + CvA: -2 + d100: +92 == +209
Warding failed!
You blast an Ithzir janissary for 71 points of damage.
... 70 points of damage!
Blow to back removes the spinal column!
The Ithzir janissary vainly struggles to rise, then goes still.
Cast Roundtime 3 Seconds.
> loot
You search the Ithzir janissary.
She had a spiral-hafted handaxe, a polished steel shield.
You discard the janissary's remaining useless equipment.
She didn't carry any silver.
She also left a tiny golden seed behind.
She had nothing else of value.
An Ithzir janissary's body shimmers slightly, then fades from view like a dissipating phantom.
> incant 415
You trace a simple rune while intoning the mystical phrase for Elemental Strike...
Your spell is ready.
You gesture at a war griffin.
CS: +492 - TD: +453 + CvA: +25 + d100: +30 == +94
Warded off!
Cast Roundtime 3 Seconds.
>
A war griffin swoops down over you, buffeting you with its wings!
You duck to the side and the griffin barely misses with a powerful swat!
Roundtime: 2 sec.
Roundtime changed to 1 second.<<

Ok he attacked physically; now in weapon range ...


>>R> target griffin
> stance offen
You are now targeting a war griffin.
>
You are now in an offensive stance.
>
You are now in an offensive stance.
> incant 510
> stance defen
You intone a phrase of elemental power while raising your hands, invoking Hurl Boulder...
Your spell is ready.
You gesture at a war griffin.
You hurl a large boulder at a war griffin!
AS: +397 vs DS: +314 with AvD: +34 + d100 roll: +93 = +210
... and hit for 64 points of damage!
Good blow to left hand!
Cast Roundtime 3 Seconds.
>
Cast Round Time in effect: Setting stance to guarded.
>
A war griffin rakes at you with a razor-sharp claw!
AS: +445 vs DS: +515 with AvD: +35 + d100 roll: +21 = -14
A clean miss.
A war griffin rakes at you with a razor-sharp claw!
AS: +445 vs DS: +515 with AvD: +35 + d100 roll: +80 = +45
A clean miss.
> stop 506
> incant 506
With a moment's concentration, you terminate the Haste spell.
You notice that things have returned to their normal speed.
>
You recite a series of mystical phrases while raising your hands, invoking Haste...
Your spell is ready.
You gesture.
You begin to notice the world slow down around you. Strange.
Cast Roundtime 3 Seconds.
>
A war griffin rakes at you with a razor-sharp claw!
AS: +445 vs DS: +515 with AvD: +35 + d100 roll: +17 = -18
A clean miss.
A war griffin rakes at you with a razor-sharp claw!
AS: +445 vs DS: +515 with AvD: +35 + d100 roll: +55 = +20
A clean miss.
> look
[Ta'Faendryl Approach]
A cobblestone road swings in a wide arc northeast and west. Many of the stones are missing, but for the most part the road is still level and easily traveled. A huge mound of mud rises just to the southwest and extends to the west as far as the eye can see. The area is eerily quiet, as if no life of any kind resides here. A few dead trees, now petrified, rise into the sky in bleak silhouette, but the earth has a scorched look to it, and the usual underbrush seems to have retreated. You also see a tiny golden seed, a polished steel shield, a spiral-hafted handaxe, a war griffin that is flying around and a shimmering portal.
Obvious paths: northeast, west
> stance offen
> cman feint
You are now in an offensive stance.
>
[Roll result: 118 (open d100: 43) Penalties: 0]
You feint low, the war griffin buys the ruse and moves to block the blow that never came!
Roundtime: 3 sec.
Roundtime changed to 1 second.
R> attack
You swing a perfect vultite maul at a war griffin!
AS: +399 vs DS: +323 with AvD: +41 + d100 roll: +5 = +122
... and hit for 15 points of damage!
Blow to the head causes the war griffin's ears to ring!
Roundtime: 5 sec.
Roundtime changed to 1 second.
R> attack
You swing a perfect vultite maul at a war griffin!
AS: +399 vs DS: +311 with AvD: +41 + d100 roll: +92 = +221
... and hit for 84 points of damage!
Left leg ripped from socket at the knee!
The war griffin screeches loudly in agony!
Roundtime: 5 sec.
Roundtime changed to 1 second.
R> attack
You swing a perfect vultite maul at a war griffin!
AS: +399 vs DS: +195 with AvD: +41 + d100 roll: +45 = +290
... and hit for 126 points of damage!
Brain driven into neck by mammoth downswing!
The war griffin crashes to the ground, motionless.
Roundtime: 5 sec.
Roundtime changed to 1 second.<<



The bells of Hell
go ting-a-ling-a-ling
for you but not for me

At the risk of giving too much away, anything that helps stave off sheer fear will help against Griffin screeches...

of course if you aren't in Voln or have enough magic ranks to wear major spirit and ranger spells around, that might not help so much.

(3 minute real time delay)

Since it's in official docs and previous posts from NsIR so it can't be said that I'm giving away some puzzle...

Symbol of courage, Bravery, Strength of Will, Herosim, Self Control, etc all help

--Jurp

Well so much for being death free in OTF.

I ran into a web that covered the boundries of the room and got stuck in it. And then, two griffins and two scouts showed up - you can guess the outcome. What I don't know is where the web came from.

As I had picked up a couple items I didn't want to lose, I departed immediately and am now in the cottage. Looks like to be quite a walk back to the portal, but that's where my hiding skills will come in handy. I will wait until the morning as I am curious what the NPC in the cottage does, and he apparently doesn't want to be disturbed at night.

Maynist

Both seers and initiates will cast area webs, generally when they prepare web to cast at a PC and then that PC moves or hides. There is an alchemy product, it's dust but I forget the exact adjectives it has, that casts untrammel. You can throw it at a web to destroy the web - get some of that to deal with them. You'll never get stuck walking into the room with the web, so if you stumble into a room with one use the dust immediately and you're good.

Opaline dust is what you are thinking of that has untrammel.

You can buy herbs from the healer. I think they are a bit on the expensive side for herbs, but if you need them you need them.

So there I was...in the process of ridding OTF of a grizzled adept, when the coward just shimmers and disappears.

But he wasn't dead, and I searched all over OTF for him. After an hour I gave up, and must have killed dozens of
other adepts in the meantime.

Hours later, I got a whopping 8 bounty points for the task because I couldn't find the shivering coward.

Am I missing something? How am I supposed to find some wimp who disappears and won't show his ugly face?

Maynist the Grumpy

I did stun him. You would think that would be a good thing. Oh well.

Maynist

Naw Maynist you can still laugh at initiates. I do. Even if they do occasionally manage to hit me once I get mass dispelled from a seer. They crit easily to wither and boneshatter and are fun to kill.

Someone told me Physical Training helps with the screeches. I still will get a 15 second roundtime with them and that's running heroism and bravery and being doubled in PT and being well over 100 now. I have noticed since I uppsed the PT to doubled that it is more like 3 or 5 seconds if I get a roundtime at all though.



Velvette...bowcrazy