The Life Guard





Prologue[edit | hide | hide all]
Dargem: Dirt, mess, and folly. The very things I abhor and strive to stomp out wherever I go are bound to become staples of my life for the coming months. Oh, the sacrifices a man has to make to reemerge as the top choice for jobs no one but a true artist of delicate business can handle. You might think I am here to enlighten these dim barbarians about the health hazards that come from picking ears with a loaded pistol—and your guess will be wrong. I have come to do a favor to someone who may soon become the ruler of half a continent. A favor remembered for a lifetime.
Scenario[edit | hide]
Timed events[edit | hide]
Day | Title | Message |
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Day 7 | At ![]() ![]() AI Resources |
(Repeats every 7 days) (none) ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
Day 1 | Day 1.1 | Dargem's diary. Entry 250:
It all started with Stella meeting me at the pre-agreed place, handing me a bag of ducats and saying: Stella: "Excellent work, Mister Dargem! My masters are pleased with your success."
Stella: "Nice of you to remember that," Stella smiled broadly. It seemed to me as though smiling was her professional skill. She had definitely mastered the art of answering any manner of a question with one. "If you still want to take part in the expedition, then there is one more task for you to do..."
Stella: "That much is true," she sighed. "You have the right to refuse. I must say, however, that this mission is extremely important to my masters. And likewise for you."
Stella: "The young barbarian chieftain Kilgor," Stella said softly. "Perhaps you've already heard of him—an unsavory character through and through... He recently spread the word that he is in dire need of mercenaries. He tried to raid Bracada, but ended up getting trapped. Now he needs a hand to break out. And Kilgor is willing to pay anything to get help. Do you understand what I'm getting at?" The young woman's eyes flashed, and she turned to the sea.
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Day 1 | Day 1.2 | Dargem's diary. Entry 251:
The combined forces of Erathia and Bracada are advancing from the north. Our task is to contain them, and then to overturn and defeat them. Darn it, I'm a traveler, mage, and collector, not a warlord! I already tried this role once, and I didn't enjoy fighting regular troops at all. Right now, my biggest concern is not so much the life of the filthy brute, Kilgor, but rather the prospect of letting down my employers. My reputation, which I had barely begun to revive, would be shattered forever, and, worse still, I would never find out about the expedition Stella's masters are planning. Well, how's that for an incentive to try and play Tarnum—or some other mythical military genius. I've acted on worse. |
Day 4 | Day 4 | Dargem's diary. Entry 236:
Maybe Kilgor's thugs could keep him at bay? Ugh. Dreaming sure feels nice—it's just a pity that dreams so rarely come true. |
Day 8 | Day 8 | From an unsent letter by Gruezak:
Uncle Bof, I am of the opinion that Dargem figuring out who I really am is not a risk to consider. I can act freely around him, while he is convinced I am plundering the neighborhood for provisions and any other goods that are not nailed down. And if it turns out that he is unreliable... I remember your lessons well enough, old man. No person, no problem. |
Day 9 | Day 9 | Dargem's diary. Entry 255:
I know your type well; people like you have no honor. You hired blades will happily stab your employer in the back if someone gives you a better deal. We're both grown men, and we understand that, don't we? I'll have a caravan of gold and supplies sent out—to secure my rear, not because I really like you. Under other circumstances, I'd love to see what color your guts are. Good luck!"
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Day 11 | Day 11 | Dargem's diary. Entry 256:
Damn cowards! The only thing I know for sure is that they won't be able to bring all their generals here at once; they will send them one by one. After the first ritual, the mages will have to recharge their portal, and we will have about a month to prepare for a new strike. |
Day 12 | Day 12 | Dargem's diary. Entry 257:
And what do you think? He rose from the dead! I don't know who helped him—the mainland Jadame is an incredible mess, and literally anything can happen there. The vile rotten carcass teamed up with goblins, man-eating midgets and other abominations from the wastelands, and they managed to oust us from the continent. I could not tolerate such an affront. I decided to take on this repeat offender... and failed! That stupid bonehead rejoiced. He buried me alive, assured that he was not only killing me, but also condemning me to terrible death throes. Ha! Hoping to scare a Nighon native with some earth over his head! Isn't that something! Mind you, I am not a simple pirate—I am a sorcerer of the air element, and of quite outstanding power at that. Extracting some air out of the soil for breathing, weakening my bonds with tiny, pin-sharp gusts of wind—all that is small change for me. And then, long hours of patient, diligent exercises in forcing the wind to blow away the sand, until, layer by layer, it goes away and frees my coffin. Tor Anwyn himself couldn't handle me, let alone a stupid pirate's even stupider corpse! There were no brains left in that bone box at all—otherwise he could have come up with a better idea than the execution, which I myself forced into his mind, begging him not to dispense the reckoning with the same measure that I once dispensed my punishment to him with. They say the Bracadans have come up with a whole science about the turns a person's thought takes—I think they call it psychology. Maybe I should write a textbook on the subject for them. Well, dear diary, I have literally risen from the grave, and before long, I will regain my power... Very soon. |
Day 14 | Day 14 | Dargem's diary. Entry 258:
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Day 15 | Day 15 | From an unsent letter by Gruezak:
Old Preudhum would have the time of his life watching this gourmet! Now that was a man who knew his high cuisine: he could slice a fresh spleen into paper-thick slices, roast and serve it while the one who supplied it was still breathing. I remember, Bof, how you brought me to meet him and told me to learn everything he knows. I remember the way you uttered that word, "everything." I was a diligent student, Uncle Bof. Someday I'll be asked, "Who were you in Kilgore's time, Gruezak?". That's probably how I'll answer: a cook. I just hope I won't be hearing these questions while drawn over a rack. |
Day 21 | Day 21 | Dargem's diary. Entry 260:
However, most of the female population of Regna can hardly be characterized as timid housewives. Some female pirates have become legends of no smaller caliber as the best male captains. Of course, few girls in Regna have the guts to become regular sailors—this is a difficult and taxing job, fraught with constant risk. There is a stratum of Priestesses of the Sea in this society—they are considered full-fledged crew members, but no one forces them to scrub the deck or stretch the sails. They can hardly be called cultists, although they observe rituals originating from the religion of some small people once assimilated by pirates. Rather, they are battle mages, supporting the crew with simple but effective spells. Male pirates largely perceive them as comrades-in-arms; but that's before going ashore, of course. It is worth noting, however, that some of these priestesses are very talented spellweavers of no smaller power than, say, druids. They command great influence and maintain close ties with the most reputable captains and admirals. |
Day 22 | Day 22 | Dargem's diary. Entry 261:
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Day 28 | Day 28 | Dargem's diary. Entry 263:
They are an ancient race of humanoid amphibians. They differ from the Tatalian lizardmen in their larger size and emerald-colored scales. Also important is the fact that they prefer to live in salt water; they actually tend to spend more time in the depths than on land. Maybe the two species are related to an extent, but hardly greater than, say, goblins and ogres. The Nix once engaged in piracy, attacking ships and coercing tribute out of coastal settlements. This barbaric lifestyle, as well as constant internecine wars, brought the Nix to the verge of extinction. They were scattered all over the world, and many ended up being enslaved. I've known these creatures since I lived in Nighon. We often used Nix laborers to work in flooded mines. Recently, however, they have managed to forget their old feuds and have reached out to the pirates of Regna. That was a wise decision: it gave their race powerful patrons. An adult Nix is no weaker than an ogre or a troll, and armed with his weapon of choice, trident, he becomes a veritable death machine. For this reason, Regnan captains respect and value these creatures highly, and Nix can often be found at the forefront of their hosts. |
Day 49 | Day 49 | Dargem's diary. Entry 264:
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Day 50 | Day 50 | From an unsent letter by Gruezak:
Of course, now, right after yours... our lord has proved his right to power in the only way worthy of a barbarian—by force, that is—this information is useless. But what if the seed falls into fertile soil a few years from now, with the clans already weary of his rule? What if they find out what a rotten foundation underlies the shrine you and Kija are erecting around the figure of our brave ruler? Think about it, Bofmog. Think carefully before giving me ultimatums and forcing me to risk my skin. I don't care about Dargem. I will say more: not only was he disrespectful to me, he even dared to threaten me, and I would like him to pay for that—but you yourself taught me that in our line of work, one cannot give in to feelings. It would be small challenge for me to make sure the hireling does not survive the last fight, and the reward Kilgor sent him... disappears, but I found signs that someone other than myself is keeping an eye on him a well. This is someone who already counts on the money and would definitely disapprove of your plans to ensure yourself a safety net through a little embezzlement, just in case something unforeseen and premature befalls our ruler. And I'm not prepared to pay with my life for your greed. |
Day 70 | Day 70 | Dargem's diary. Entry 265:
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Rumors[edit | hide]
Title | Message |
---|---|
Adelaide | Adelaide is rumored to be assembling a combined army. |
Astral | They say Astral wasn't a wizard all his life—he was once considered a decent shooter. |
Cave of Illusions | They say that in the old days, in the mountains to the west, one could find the entrance to a mysterious cave. At some point, it disappeared without a trace. I wonder why. |
Mullich | Sir Mullich prefers to rely on flying creatures in battle. He also somehow got his hands on a real cannon! |
Old Version | They say that back in the day, you could find huts built right in the middle of lakes in these parts! How do you like such tall tales? |
Solmyr | Solmyr himself is about to face Kilgor! What can orc bands do against his mighty thunderbolts? |
Worms | Huge worms have appeared in our parts! It's probably the wizards' fault—they throw out magical waste, then the worms eat it up and grow big! |
Xanthor | They say the Orcs captured some big-time scholar on the border with Erathia. |
Objects[edit | hide]
Events[edit | hide]
Location | Message |
---|---|
4, 104, 0 | Ambush!![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() Contents: 534 |
6, 1, 0 | It's horrendously cold in here...![]() ![]() |
10, 22, 0 | ![]() ![]()
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18, 38, 0 | ![]() ![]()
Phantom: "Give... Mograin... oots... vitation," said the phantom, gesturing violently and occasionally seeming to distort for a moment.
I didn't get an answer, though: the phantom was gone. Some spatial anomalies again, I thought warily as I put my cutlass away. Man: "Cap'n, look! There's something glistening on the ground!" one of my men exclaimed.
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23, 72, 0 | Entry from Dargem's diary:
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46, 105, 0 | Entry from Dargem's diary:
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48, 72, 0 | Note: Only applies to ![]() Low difficulty ally bonus ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
61, 30, 0 | Entry from Dargem's diary:
Let those dirty midgets remember Dargem! Let them run all the way to Jadame and complain to their kin! I hate the halflings, their nasty chieftess Henrietta, and her friend, the old goof Frederick. If they dare get in my way again, I won't be playing by gentlemen's rules! After quenching my thirst for revenge, I decided to replenish my supplies a little. By way of robbery, of course. I'll see if someone dares say I didn't deserve it! |
62, 12, 0 | Entry from Dargem's diary:
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76, 64, 0 | ![]() ![]() |
80, 63, 0 | Note: Only applies to ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
84, 52, 0 84, 58, 0 107, 37, 0 |
Note: Only applies to ![]() ![]() ![]() |
90, 52, 0 | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
103, 25, 0 | Entry from Dargem's diary:
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2, 94, 1 | Note: Only applies to ![]() Bonus for max difficulty level ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
2, 102, 1 | Note: Only applies to ![]() Bonus for max difficulty level ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
Towns[edit | hide]
Location | Player | Type | Name |
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86, 73, 0 | ![]() |
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- |
88, 95, 0 | ![]() |
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Kraken Bay |
48, 70, 0 | ![]() |
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- |
76, 63, 0 | ![]() |
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Wildblade |
20, 26, 0 | ![]() |
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- |
54, 26, 0 | ![]() |
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Thundertown |
5, 5, 0 | ![]() |
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- |
91, 3, 0 | ![]() |
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Star Grove |
5, 47, 0 | ![]() |
- | |
104, 56, 0 | ![]() |
- |
Heroes[edit | hide]
Location | Player | Hero |
---|---|---|
87, 74, 0 | ![]() |
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88, 96, 0 | ![]() |
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9, 2, 0 | ![]() ![]() |
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13, 28, 1 | ![]() ![]() |
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48, 70, 0 | ![]() |
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48, 71, 0 | ![]() |
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76, 63, 0 | ![]() |
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21, 25, 0 | ![]() |
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54, 27, 0 | ![]() |
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56, 28, 0 | ![]() |
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0, 98, 1 | ![]() |
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5, 6, 0 | ![]() |
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7, 1, 0 | ![]() |
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92, 4, 0 | ![]() |
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93, 5, 0 | ![]() |
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0, 94, 1 | ![]() |
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0, 102, 1 | ![]() |
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Monsters[edit | hide]
Location | Type | Result |
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84, 95, 0 | ![]() |
"Moooo!" |
92, 91, 0 | ![]() |
"Ye ungodly heretics!" |
96, 90, 0 | ![]() |
"What are these stinking pirates doing here?" |
Seer's Huts[edit | hide]
Location | Quest | Reward | Messages |
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![]() 25, 60, 0 |
Defeat:![]() at (25, 56, 0) |
5 ![]() |
Proposal: I'm breeding Behemoths here. Red dragons have been flying in from the north of the ridge lately, stealing my young! If you take out the monsters, I will reward you handsomely. Progress: The dragons are very close by, but you will need a decent army to kill them. Completion: Thank you for saving my sweet babies! They're safe now, and I can give a few younger ones to your army. |
![]() 36, 48, 0 |
Be:![]() ![]() |
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Proposal: My good friend Murdoch was about to embark on an adventure to another continent. Before leaving, he decided to hunt some mysterious monsters. He said they had heads like squids, or... hell knows, I'm not a fisherman! He's been gone for a while, and I'm worried. Progress: Have you heard from Murdoch? Completion: Murdoch! How glad I am to see you in good health, old sport! Give this bauble to your pirate friends—I think they'll need it in the future. |
![]() 95, 59, 0 |
Return with: 15 ![]() |
15 ![]() |
Proposal:
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![]() 20, 45, 1 |
Defeat:![]() ![]() |
10 ![]() |
Proposal: Hail to you, brother! Damn Beatrice, the self-proclaimed pirate and bandit hunter, had us trapped in this hole. If you take our revenge on that arrogant woman, we'll join you. Progress: Beatrice is still in Erathia's service. Completion: Great job, brother! Are you ready to take us into your gang? |
![]() 85, 69, 1 |
Be:![]() ![]() |
(none) | Proposal:
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Be:![]() ![]() |
+2 ![]() |
Proposal:
Reluctantly, I scooped up some of the paste with my finger. The smell was vile, as if someone had already eaten these berries once. I held my breath and licked my finger. A wave of warmth spread through my body, my vision sharpened, and my movements became smooth and precise. Should I finish the treat? |
Quest Guards[edit | hide]
Location | Quest | Reward | Messages |
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![]() 14, 30, 0 51, 53, 1 |
Be:![]() ![]() |
(remove) | Proposal: The guards here say they have orders to only let Dargem pass. Progress: The guards here will only let Dargem pass. Completion: At last, it is Dargem. Do you wish to pass? |
![]() 14, 68, 0 51, 51, 0 96, 53, 0 |
Be:![]() |
(remove) | Proposal: The guards here will only let those who fly the tan flag pass. Progress: The guards here will only let those who fly the tan flag pass. Completion: The guards note your tan flag and offer to let you pass. Do you accept? |
![]() 54, 30, 0 |
Return after: Month 1, Week 1, Day 5 |
(remove) | Proposal: Closed till month 1, week 1, day 5. Progress: Closed till month 1, week 1, day 5. Completion: You are free to go through now. Do you wish to pass? |
![]() 98, 17, 0 |
Return after: Month 1, Week 3, Day 3 |
(remove) | Proposal: Closed till month 1, week 3, day 3. Progress: Closed till month 1, week 3, day 3. Completion: You are free to go through now. Do you wish to pass? |
![]() 1, 94, 1 |
Return after: Month 2, Week 4, Day 2 |
(remove) | Proposal: Closed till month 2, week 4, day 2. Progress: Closed till month 2, week 4, day 2. Completion: You are free to go through now. Do you wish to pass? |
![]() 1, 98, 1 |
Return after: Month 1, Week 4, Day 6 |
(remove) | Proposal: Closed till month 1, week 4, day 6. Progress: Closed till month 1, week 4, day 6. Completion: You are free to go through now. Do you wish to pass? |
![]() 1, 102, 1 |
Return after: Month 3, Week 4, Day 1 |
(remove) | Proposal: Closed till month 3, week 4, day 1. Progress: Closed till month 3, week 4, day 1. Completion: You are free to go through now. Do you wish to pass? |
Quest Gates[edit | hide]
Location | Quest | Reward | Messages |
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![]() 9, 70, 0 94, 81, 1 |
Be:![]() |
(pass) | Proposal: The guards here say they will only let those who fly the tan flag pass. Progress: The guards here will only let those who fly the tan flag pass. Completion: The guards note your tan flag and offer to let you pass. Do you accept? |
Pandora's Boxes[edit | hide]
Location | Type | Result |
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50, 52, 1 | ![]() |
Note: ONLY applies on easy, medium, and hard difficulties.![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() Contents: +1 |