951
Puzzles and Challenges / Re: Empty the Supply in Three Turns - Two player edition!
« on: May 11, 2014, 04:29:06 pm »
Well, if it is allowed to have Scout in Black Market deck, everybody can do that...
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952
Dominion League / Re: Signups Season 1
« on: May 11, 2014, 04:20:57 pm »
/E: I have to say, I can't find my name in Stef's list at all.
Looking further into Stef's list, I see this on pos. 629:
Level 25 44.64 ± 18.64 629 58 Metro City Heroes
Well, I also hadn't found you there, so I reasoned you are that Metro City guy, who changed his nickname
953
Goko Dominion Online / Re: Gettings Promos
« on: May 11, 2014, 12:11:34 pm »
You may as well play against real people instead of trying to beat adventures and pray Goko let us buy promos for money one day
954
Dominion League / Re: Signups Season 1
« on: May 11, 2014, 10:37:42 am »I'd like to congratulate bama on being the only other player whose ranked improved even though their level fell.
..and Mic Qsenoch on being the most stable player ever
955
Dominion League / Re: Signups Season 1
« on: May 11, 2014, 08:06:45 am »
That's how it looks for now:
Player | TZ | Iso rank month ago | Iso rank now | Iso lvl month ago | Iso lvl now |
Mic Qsenoch | -5 | 1 | 1 | 54 | 54 |
Stef | 2 | 2 | 2 | 51 | 52 |
Andrew Iannaconne | -7 | 3 | 6 | 50 | 47 |
HvBoedefeld | 2 | 4 | 32 | 50 | 42 |
SheCantSayNo | 2 | 6 | 9 | 49 | 46 |
Perry Green | -4 | 8 | 8 | 47 | 46 |
Monsieur X | 2 | 9 | 3 | 47 | 48 |
Tao Chen | -4 | 10 | 14 | 47 | 45 |
yed | 2 | 12 | 4 | 47 | 47 |
jog | -5 | 15 | 15 | 46 | 46 |
Rabid | 1 | 17 | 20 | 45 | 44 |
Mr Anderson | 2 | 23 | 41 | 44 | 41 |
Destierro | -4 | 27 | 28 | 44 | 43 |
florrat | -4 | 38 | 27 | 42 | 43 |
Jdaki | 1 | 46 | 52 | 41 | 40 |
MarkowKette | 2 | 52 | 109 | 41 | 37 |
Jean-Michel | 3 | 59 | 78 | 40 | 38 |
silverspawn | 2 | 61 | 94 | 40 | 38 |
gamesou | 2 | 62 | 130 | 40 | 36 |
PitrPicko | 2 | 65 | 68 | 40 | 39 |
A Drowned Kernel | -5 | 71 | 87 | 40 | 38 |
Adam Horton | -4 | 80 | 154 | 39 | 35 |
Eevee | 3 | 83 | 31 | 39 | 42 |
Lekkit | 2 | 89 | 49 | 39 | 41 |
qmech | 1 | 94 | 85 | 39 | 38 |
Qvist | 2 | 95 | 74 | 38 | 38 |
HiveMindEmulator | -7 | 97 | 119 | 38 | 37 |
dudeabides | -4 | 100 | 60 | 38 | 39 |
theblankman | -4 | 102 | 155 | 38 | 35 |
Fergesser | 2 | 110 | 128 | 38 | 36 |
jsh357 | -4 | 117 | 67 | 37 | 39 |
Watno | 2 | 124 | 136 | 37 | 36 |
markusin | -4 | 126 | 126 | 37 | 36 |
awaclus | 3 | 127 | 117 | 37 | 37 |
Slyfox | -5 | 129 | 189 | 37 | 33 |
chs | -7 | 138 | 162 | 36 | 34 |
Temron | -4 | 139 | 243 | 36 | 32 |
soulnet | -3 | 149 | 81 | 36 | 38 |
Dunduks | 3 | 152 | 182 | 36 | 33 |
Chan Kuan Rong | 8 | 159 | 113 | 35 | 37 |
Emeric | 2 | 166 | 237 | 35 | 32 |
Burning Skull | 4 | 170 | 103 | 35 | 37 |
GeoLib | -7 | 179 | 188 | 35 | 33 |
Alan Malloy | -7 | 207 | 148 | 33 | 35 |
kylar | -7 | 213 | 229 | 33 | 32 |
Aidan Millow | 12 | 225 | 342 | 33 | 29 |
moharimo | 9 | 229 | 241 | 33 | 32 |
a mad mongoose - marvelously | 8 | 242 | 298 | 32 | 30 |
Loes U | 2 | 269 | 336 | 32 | 29 |
Breezy | -4 | 280 | 217 | 31 | 32 |
TheMirrorMan | 2 | 288 | 129 | 31 | 36 |
michaeljb | -6 | 298 | 186 | 31 | 33 |
popsofctown | -5 | 315 | 325 | 31 | 29 |
EgorK | 3 | 324 | 258 | 30 | 31 |
mikemike | -8 | 338 | 286 | 30 | 30 |
luliin | 2 | 358 | 322 | 30 | 30 |
uvafan | -4 | 383 | 646 | 29 | 24 |
impromptublue | -4 | 433 | 231 | 28 | 32 |
StrongRhino | -4 | 438 | 452 | 28 | 27 |
The Imp | -4 | 497 | 407 | 27 | 28 |
HarryPeteur | 2 | 535 | 337 | 27 | 29 |
hsiale_ | 2 | 549 | 469 | 27 | 27 |
KingZog3 | -4 | 620 | 525 | 26 | 26 |
pst | 2 | 626 | 720 | 26 | 23 |
Assemble Meme | 2 | 629 | 1058 | 25 | 20 |
BraveBear | -4 | 660 | 665 | 25 | 24 |
adrien | 2 | 677 | 472 | 25 | 26 |
mpsprs | -4 | 717 | 784 | 24 | 22 |
kfm | -4 | 727 | 367 | 24 | 29 |
bama | -5 | 734 | 694 | 24 | 23 |
kipkoan | -7 | 739 | 745 | 24 | 23 |
rrwoods | -4 | 849 | 654 | 23 | 24 |
ashersky | 10 | 947 | 963 | 22 | 21 |
DerErklärbär | 2 | 961 | 201 | 22 | 33 |
DG | 1 | 985 | 2032 | 21 | 12 |
Joseph2302 | 1 | 1002 | 773 | 21 | 23 |
AHoppy | -4 | 1037 | 1037 | 21 | 20 |
Voltaire | -5 | 1048 | 955 | 21 | 21 |
arjanb | 2 | 1071 | 1229 | 21 | 18 |
joethemieden | -4 | 1292 | 537 | 19 | 26 |
Sir Elamo | 2 | 1297 | 1299 | 19 | 17 |
matildha | 2 | 1308 | 1509 | 18 | 16 |
rspeer | -4 | 1847 | 1434 | 14 | 16 |
liopoil | -4 | 1970 | 548 | 14 | 25 |
Tables | 1 | 2313 | 1763 | 11 | 14 |
Agentplatypus | -4 | 2719 | 3026 | 9 | 6 |
hugovj | 2 | 2870 | 2039 | 8 | 12 |
ConMan | 10 | 5521 | 3870 | -6 | 1 |
Simon (DK) | 2 | 5743 | 8504 | -8 | -23 |
Havilah | -5 | 6150 | 5846 | -10 | -9 |
Jerni | -4 | 7085 | 4027 | -15 | 1 |
shraeye | -4 | 8953 | 9093 | -25 | -25 |
maos | 2 | 12996 | 13077 | -38 | -38 |
Soratar | -4 | --- | --- | --- | --- |
956
Dominion Articles / Re: Reading a Kingdom
« on: May 09, 2014, 03:14:14 pm »yesterday I Islanded an opponent's Possession while possessing him and then spent all his coin tokens.
Now that's cool. Meet Island: disastrous card-stealing attack!
957
Dominion General Discussion / Re: The Pillars of Dominion
« on: May 09, 2014, 11:23:26 am »
Basically all the cards, which suggest ALT-VP strategies.
Gardens, Duke, Fairgrounds, Vineyards, Goons, Silk Road.
Edit:
Gardens, Duke, Fairgrounds, Vineyards, Goons, Silk Road.
Edit:
For instance, Gardens' pillar has been broadened to include Duke, Vineyards, Goons, etc.
958
Dominion General Discussion / Re: Let's discuss - the best designed card
« on: May 08, 2014, 05:19:09 pm »
I'd say Governor has a really tricky design hidden within it.
You really need to play lots of games with it until realizing it is actually a junker.
And ambassador, of course!
At first you may think you play it to thin your deck and junk your opponent deck, but it's true nature lies in it's ability to steal your opponent's coppers while possessing him.
You really need to play lots of games with it until realizing it is actually a junker.
And ambassador, of course!
At first you may think you play it to thin your deck and junk your opponent deck, but it's true nature lies in it's ability to steal your opponent's coppers while possessing him.
959
Dominion General Discussion / Re: Let's discuss - the best designed card
« on: May 08, 2014, 01:53:10 pm »
*Scout joke*
960
GokoDom / Re: GokoDom III: Playoff Round Results and Discussion
« on: May 08, 2014, 07:13:04 am »
961
GokoDom / Re: GokoDom III: Playoff Round Results and Discussion
« on: May 04, 2014, 06:44:53 pm »AdamH, deciding to be the RisingJaguar of GD3.
What's the story behind that?
962
Goko Dominion Online / Re: Isotropish Leaderboard (alternative to Goko Pro)
« on: April 30, 2014, 03:44:30 am »Voight-Kampff test?
It's too bad she won't live, but then again, who does!
963
Goko Dominion Online / Re: Lobby Size Limits
« on: April 29, 2014, 03:48:46 am »
Wasn't that guy also there in the legal market deck?
964
Goko Dominion Online / Re: Goko Dominion Salvager Discussion
« on: April 28, 2014, 06:33:45 am »
Well, let's see what Making Fun guys would say to that. If they are not planning to fix that, I would gladly contribute.
965
Goko Dominion Online / Re: Goko Dominion Salvager Discussion
« on: April 28, 2014, 06:16:24 am »The log tense stuff is Making Fun's issue; Salvager doesn't generate the log, it just displays it.
If it is just one word that would need to change I think it would be a simple fix, but if it turned out more words were that way people would want those fixed too, more little requests happen and before you know it there's a complete Goko-to-Isotropic log converter. Now that I've said that someone probably wants it but the point I'm trying to make is that I don't think it's worth anyone's time to add this to Salvager.
Go ahead and post the request on Making Fun's forums, though I personally have no idea what sort of response you'll get there.
Reposted it there. Feeling myself as nerdy as possible
966
Variants and Fan Cards / Re: Really bad card ideas
« on: April 28, 2014, 05:51:46 am »Zen Gardens
Cost: 4
Victory
0 VP
-1 VP for every 5 cards in your deck
----------------------------------
In games using this, when you gain an Ambassador you may gain a Zen Gardens.
967
Dominion General Discussion / Re: Strength of T1 Mountebank/Nothing
« on: April 28, 2014, 05:37:27 am »How do you open MB/Tournament?
IRL, when other players are not paying enough attention
968
Goko Dominion Online / Re: Goko Dominion Salvager Discussion
« on: April 28, 2014, 05:32:14 am »
That's probably not a big issue, but all the verbs in the log are used in present tenses, all but "apply", which is used in the past tense.
So maybe it should read like that:
"... applies Watchtower to..."
So maybe it should read like that:
"... applies Watchtower to..."
969
Help! / Re: Either Talisman stinks, or I do
« on: April 28, 2014, 03:31:04 am »
If not for embargo, I would say Apothecary + Ironmonger + Ghost Ship is a way to go here..
970
Dominion Articles / Re: Rebuild
« on: April 28, 2014, 03:27:55 am »I'm mostly suggesting that you buy it after you have already lost the Duchy split for other reasons.
Yes, if duchies are gone already and you have five, CH may be really a good idea, no matter whether you lose the Duchy split or not, since CH is gonna be much more better then silver on average.
971
Dominion General Discussion / Re: It's happening to me...
« on: April 28, 2014, 03:18:56 am »
Oh my!
Every single morning, when trying to wake up and go to work, I have a weird Dominion game with my alarm.
I always reset it for five more minutes, thinking about it as of a next turn, sometimes I consider myself buying some things during that turns..
The worst thing is, it is not entirely a dream, I am absolutely conscious of me being in bed and in need to stand up,
but I think about it like "Yeah, yeah, should not be late to work again, but a have a good hand, one Province here, another one next turn, and I win!"
Every single morning, when trying to wake up and go to work, I have a weird Dominion game with my alarm.
I always reset it for five more minutes, thinking about it as of a next turn, sometimes I consider myself buying some things during that turns..
The worst thing is, it is not entirely a dream, I am absolutely conscious of me being in bed and in need to stand up,
but I think about it like "Yeah, yeah, should not be late to work again, but a have a good hand, one Province here, another one next turn, and I win!"
972
Game Reports / Re: What trash for benefit is best?
« on: April 28, 2014, 03:00:28 am »On boards like these you always want to build, build and build until one of the players has to get some points because otherwise his opponent will be able to end the game on piles during his next turn. Getting any green before your last turn when there's no risk of your opponent ending it is a disastrous blunder because now your opponent can keep expanding his control of the game while you've made your deck worse in exchange for an irrelevant point lead. This is actually one of the most common mistakes I see in inexperienced engine players.
That is something to learn for sure!
973
GokoDom / Re: GokoDom III: Playoff Round Results and Discussion
« on: April 28, 2014, 02:16:26 am »I make a horrible missclick on turn 12 where i accidently trash my bank to the counterfeit
That trashed bank of yours was something!
The most fun thing about it was that Jsh hadn't noticed you had trashed it. And when you wrote to him something like "oh no! That game is lost for me" or so, he was commenting it like "hmm, why, why is he talking like that? Is it the dud hand or what?"
Anyway, you played that game a lot better, and it was no chance for him with all that bakers.
975
Dominion General Discussion / Re: Merry songs and verses
« on: April 12, 2014, 06:18:03 am »
Not sure where to post this, so I just leave it here. Sorry for the awkward english.
"Oh, how beautiful this place is!" - thinks Haymo, smiling.
He sits on the bench beside the merry fountain, fancy trees and shrubs surrounding him. He can see an eldery gardener trimming the brunches, crooning something to himself. The sun is shining bright and a gentle wind blowing, it seems the whole world is flowing lazily in that sweet serenity.
Haymo looks upon the trees and a distant blink catches his attention. Guided by curiosity, he stands up slowly, stretches, and walks down the alley. After walking for some time he leaves the garden and finds himself standing at the highway. He now sees a city laying on the hill, and the light he had seen before is the sun blinking on the huge stella. He goes steadily up there, left behind by the merchants hurrying to take their place in the market.
"How good it is to be so young, and all the people here, they just seem to belong, to know their place in life! What is that strange feeling that bothers me? Like it is only the part of me being here..." That thought makes him to wrinkle for a second, but he discards it and proceeds up the highway.
When he arrives to the city he can finally see that monument, which attracted his attention. And how much was the walk worth it! The true image of prosperity, of respect to The Old Gods, made of bronze and six times human height! Silent and wise, it stands there for a centuries, like a guard of confidence, like a guard of everyday people's routine, like a mother of all of that people living there, carressing them and telling "It's alright, you know that nothing can damage you here, just do your job and don't worry about anything else".
No one seems to worry or be troubled in any way. No surprise, since the whole city under the monument is a place where no worryies are needed indeed. Just look at all that marble quays, and that handsome buildings, and that bank, which seems to almost double people's investments in it. And also look at that market, yes, that big one, how is it called, eh? The Grand Market! Of course, if you are poor you hardly can afford anything here, but the word "poor" just seems to be completely not connected to that place.
"How I wish to show my parents all that beauty, how I wish to belong here! My parents... Where are they? Why can't I remember anything?" - that is what Haymo thinks when he sees her. A young girl with a basket full of berries. He forgets all his thoughts in one second. How beautiful she is! And in that very moment he sees her he knows all his life belongs to her now. He will do anything to make her happy, cost doesn't matter. He stands for a minute, watching her resting. Must be a hard day for her, carrying the heavy basket all over the city, well, it weights a lot less at the evening, when a lot of customers already bought most of the berries, but it is now only a couple of hours since she started to work today, so her burden seems to be quite significant still. She notices his attention and smiles him. A bit unsteady, he comes near her, asking "What is your name?".
"Arnette" - is the answer.
And, seeing the eyes he is looking at her with, she is bursting in a laughter.
"You are looking at me as if you are going to eat me with all the berries, basket included."
But there is nothing evasive in that laughter, it is so innocent and invitive that he immediately feels himself in love with her.
"Knock-knock"
"I am Haymo, and you are the most beautiful girl I have ever seen."
"You seriously think so?"
"Knock-knock"
"I can't be more serious than that. All I want to now is to spend the rest of my life with you, despite we haven't said a two words between us, it just feels so right and true, I can't resist it."
"Knock-knock"
She looks at him thoughtfully, her smile fades.
"I wish the words you say to be true. We can meet here tomorrow at the same time."
With that she takes her basket, looks at him for the last time and walks away.
"Knock-knock, wake up, Haymo! They are back! Run for your life!"
"Arnette, Arnette!"
And thus he awakes. Awakes in a shabby hovel at the border of his miserable village. The man who was knocking is now hurrying away, it is the local beggar Savaric, and he seems to be worried about something even more than he ususally is.
"Was it all only a dream? Arnette! My love, it can't be just a dream! I will find you, and we will live in that city till the end of our days. That is the only thing that matters now."
"My parents?"
He remembers now his parents were brutally killed, sacrificed to the altar by that ugly cult of death. The cultists! Yes, he can remember it now. The dark cloaks, faces covered with hoods, only eyes can be seen. Oh, that eyes! Red, and filled with the hate to mankind, with the hate to all that is living, and their only desire was to turn all the world in reeky ruins. He was only five years old back then, but it is not the thing you easily forget, even being a child. Yes, he is now awake and absolutely concious about the world he is living in. Famine, pestilence, war and death!
"But why it is so unfair to me, what had I done wrong? Why can't I belong there, to that other world, full of silent joy and happiness?"
Now he just can't accept the mere thought of staying in his dying village, being just a vagrant. He must find a city he dreamed about! He is sure he can fit in there. He can do carpenting for living, yes, Mervin teached him some of that.
Mervin took care of him when parents passed away. Mervin was always a bit strange, sometimes his wise smile seemed so distant, you wonder of that dimentions he is dwelling in, and that scarries you. Nevertheless, he carried about the orphan boy good. Just told him back then:
"Hush now, boy, there are things you cannot undo. Let them go. Now go with me and I gonna do my best to raise you as a man." And he did. Until Haymo reached eleven Mervin teached him to be always on guard, to respect himself and the other people, he also teached him how to work on wood and make a simple furniture, in which he was very capable once himself. When the boy has grown enough Mervin told him: "I go now. You are now on your own. I can't teach you any more, and I need to get a well deserved rest." After saying so Mervin went to the forest, built himself an ascetic hut and started the life of a hermit, being seen in a village only once in a fortnight, buying something in the market square.
Being smart by nature, with a help of knowledge left to him by Mervin, and with a little luck he had (but you make your own luck, don't you know it?), Haymo always managed to escape the deadly dangers surrounding him.
So, he asks himself a question: "Where do I go to find a place I had a dream about?"
The more he thinks about it, the more he understands, he must start with crossing the old count's feoda, no other path can lead him to where he wants to go. It is a long way, the longest he took in his life, but this is what he needs to do. That decision grows steadily in him. The only thing left to do is sayng farewell to Mervin. Haymo realizes now, that is that very day when Mervin comes down to the village. So he must go to the market square, say goodbye and be gone for good.
He stands up from the floor and opens the door of his shameful hovel. The sky is gray and it is raining. The rain falls down every single day in the village, as if it was cursed by the Gods. But Haymo immediately feels that something is not like it used to be. He can't see anyone out. All the doors are shut tight. He now remembers Savaric's words: "They are back". But who is back? He stops for a moment to think about it, but finds no explanation and proceeds on his way to the market square.
On the crossroads he suddenly runs into a wandering ministrel he haven't seen before. That ministrel is a very unpleasant being indeed! The plague hadn't spare him, his face is half-rotten and it seems he had found his last shelter in the dark shadows of madness.
"ALL ABOARD THE DEATH CART!" - he cries, and strikes the strings of his lute.
"You can go with me boy, and I'll show you the way to salvation!" He now grins with his purulent mouth, and a blood clot emerges from within him.
"But you know, to find peace you must leave all your belongings where they are, can't take them with you!"
Haymo recedes in disgust and hurries away. He now walks past the poor house (which is the strange place, since most of the village population is beyond the line of poorness), skips the weird procession of junk dealers, who are not noticing him in their eagerness to get to the hunting grounds.
Market Square, finally! In no time Haymo sees his mentor, and that vision hurts him as if it was a nail in his heart. Mervin stands in the middle of the square, all the people around staring at him. He has nothing on him but his old hat, the old body is ugly and covered with sores. Haymo feels the presence of something inevitable in the air. Mervin laughs like a madman and unholy speech floods from his mouth:
"That is not dead which can eternal lie.
And with strange aeons even death may die!"
He finds Haymo in the crowd with his eyes and looks directly at him, he tells his final words:
"Behold, Haymo, THE KVLT IS ALIVE again! The cultists have returned! I'm leaving this world now for the places unknown!"
He picks up a knife from the floor and stabs himself in the stomach, repeats the stab, laughing, repeats until he falls lifeless on the square. That disgusting mad smile curdled on his features is what shocks Haymo the most. But he don't have a lot of time to think about it, since with the final stab Mervin produced the lightning strikes, the wind roars cruelly, all the rabble runs away from the square in terror, and Haymo can smell Them. The Cultists! So the ugly robes are back when he almost escaped the place which his parents never managed to escape.
Now he can see them, emerging from the darkness, all over the square.
"Where do I run now?"
He takes a quick decision to hide in the ruins of an old library. He will hide there, wait for that death bearers to pass, and than he will go towards his dream, towards Arnette! But no, one of them notices Haymo opening the library's door, and they rush for him. What chance has left to him? A trapdoor! A trapdoor leading to forgotten catacombs, he jumps down.
Running, running, one, two, one, two, "How many hours has passed? Haven't I been at that turn just twenty minutes ago?"
He stops and listens. No one is chasing him. But what is that sound? Crawling, squeaking, rustling...
"Damn, can't see a thing!"
And then he sees.
After all he is not the only one in that catacombs. Yellow angry eyes are looking at him, too many of them, the only desire pouring from that eyes is to feed on human flesh.
Rats! Enourmous rats!
They jump all over him. No escape. Watching his guts fall out of his torn belly, he only manages to cry: "Arnette" and dies. After ten minutes even the bones are devoured.
"Oh, how beautiful this place is!" - thinks Haymo, smiling.
He sits on the bench beside the merry fountain, fancy trees and shrubs surrounding him. He can see an eldery gardener trimming the brunches, crooning something to himself. The sun is shining bright and a gentle wind blowing, it seems the whole world is flowing lazily in that sweet serenity.
Haymo looks upon the trees and a distant blink catches his attention. Guided by curiosity, he stands up slowly, stretches, and walks down the alley. After walking for some time he leaves the garden and finds himself standing at the highway. He now sees a city laying on the hill, and the light he had seen before is the sun blinking on the huge stella. He goes steadily up there, left behind by the merchants hurrying to take their place in the market.
"How good it is to be so young, and all the people here, they just seem to belong, to know their place in life! What is that strange feeling that bothers me? Like it is only the part of me being here..." That thought makes him to wrinkle for a second, but he discards it and proceeds up the highway.
When he arrives to the city he can finally see that monument, which attracted his attention. And how much was the walk worth it! The true image of prosperity, of respect to The Old Gods, made of bronze and six times human height! Silent and wise, it stands there for a centuries, like a guard of confidence, like a guard of everyday people's routine, like a mother of all of that people living there, carressing them and telling "It's alright, you know that nothing can damage you here, just do your job and don't worry about anything else".
No one seems to worry or be troubled in any way. No surprise, since the whole city under the monument is a place where no worryies are needed indeed. Just look at all that marble quays, and that handsome buildings, and that bank, which seems to almost double people's investments in it. And also look at that market, yes, that big one, how is it called, eh? The Grand Market! Of course, if you are poor you hardly can afford anything here, but the word "poor" just seems to be completely not connected to that place.
"How I wish to show my parents all that beauty, how I wish to belong here! My parents... Where are they? Why can't I remember anything?" - that is what Haymo thinks when he sees her. A young girl with a basket full of berries. He forgets all his thoughts in one second. How beautiful she is! And in that very moment he sees her he knows all his life belongs to her now. He will do anything to make her happy, cost doesn't matter. He stands for a minute, watching her resting. Must be a hard day for her, carrying the heavy basket all over the city, well, it weights a lot less at the evening, when a lot of customers already bought most of the berries, but it is now only a couple of hours since she started to work today, so her burden seems to be quite significant still. She notices his attention and smiles him. A bit unsteady, he comes near her, asking "What is your name?".
"Arnette" - is the answer.
And, seeing the eyes he is looking at her with, she is bursting in a laughter.
"You are looking at me as if you are going to eat me with all the berries, basket included."
But there is nothing evasive in that laughter, it is so innocent and invitive that he immediately feels himself in love with her.
"Knock-knock"
"I am Haymo, and you are the most beautiful girl I have ever seen."
"You seriously think so?"
"Knock-knock"
"I can't be more serious than that. All I want to now is to spend the rest of my life with you, despite we haven't said a two words between us, it just feels so right and true, I can't resist it."
"Knock-knock"
She looks at him thoughtfully, her smile fades.
"I wish the words you say to be true. We can meet here tomorrow at the same time."
With that she takes her basket, looks at him for the last time and walks away.
"Knock-knock, wake up, Haymo! They are back! Run for your life!"
"Arnette, Arnette!"
And thus he awakes. Awakes in a shabby hovel at the border of his miserable village. The man who was knocking is now hurrying away, it is the local beggar Savaric, and he seems to be worried about something even more than he ususally is.
"Was it all only a dream? Arnette! My love, it can't be just a dream! I will find you, and we will live in that city till the end of our days. That is the only thing that matters now."
"My parents?"
He remembers now his parents were brutally killed, sacrificed to the altar by that ugly cult of death. The cultists! Yes, he can remember it now. The dark cloaks, faces covered with hoods, only eyes can be seen. Oh, that eyes! Red, and filled with the hate to mankind, with the hate to all that is living, and their only desire was to turn all the world in reeky ruins. He was only five years old back then, but it is not the thing you easily forget, even being a child. Yes, he is now awake and absolutely concious about the world he is living in. Famine, pestilence, war and death!
"But why it is so unfair to me, what had I done wrong? Why can't I belong there, to that other world, full of silent joy and happiness?"
Now he just can't accept the mere thought of staying in his dying village, being just a vagrant. He must find a city he dreamed about! He is sure he can fit in there. He can do carpenting for living, yes, Mervin teached him some of that.
Mervin took care of him when parents passed away. Mervin was always a bit strange, sometimes his wise smile seemed so distant, you wonder of that dimentions he is dwelling in, and that scarries you. Nevertheless, he carried about the orphan boy good. Just told him back then:
"Hush now, boy, there are things you cannot undo. Let them go. Now go with me and I gonna do my best to raise you as a man." And he did. Until Haymo reached eleven Mervin teached him to be always on guard, to respect himself and the other people, he also teached him how to work on wood and make a simple furniture, in which he was very capable once himself. When the boy has grown enough Mervin told him: "I go now. You are now on your own. I can't teach you any more, and I need to get a well deserved rest." After saying so Mervin went to the forest, built himself an ascetic hut and started the life of a hermit, being seen in a village only once in a fortnight, buying something in the market square.
Being smart by nature, with a help of knowledge left to him by Mervin, and with a little luck he had (but you make your own luck, don't you know it?), Haymo always managed to escape the deadly dangers surrounding him.
So, he asks himself a question: "Where do I go to find a place I had a dream about?"
The more he thinks about it, the more he understands, he must start with crossing the old count's feoda, no other path can lead him to where he wants to go. It is a long way, the longest he took in his life, but this is what he needs to do. That decision grows steadily in him. The only thing left to do is sayng farewell to Mervin. Haymo realizes now, that is that very day when Mervin comes down to the village. So he must go to the market square, say goodbye and be gone for good.
He stands up from the floor and opens the door of his shameful hovel. The sky is gray and it is raining. The rain falls down every single day in the village, as if it was cursed by the Gods. But Haymo immediately feels that something is not like it used to be. He can't see anyone out. All the doors are shut tight. He now remembers Savaric's words: "They are back". But who is back? He stops for a moment to think about it, but finds no explanation and proceeds on his way to the market square.
On the crossroads he suddenly runs into a wandering ministrel he haven't seen before. That ministrel is a very unpleasant being indeed! The plague hadn't spare him, his face is half-rotten and it seems he had found his last shelter in the dark shadows of madness.
"ALL ABOARD THE DEATH CART!" - he cries, and strikes the strings of his lute.
"You can go with me boy, and I'll show you the way to salvation!" He now grins with his purulent mouth, and a blood clot emerges from within him.
"But you know, to find peace you must leave all your belongings where they are, can't take them with you!"
Haymo recedes in disgust and hurries away. He now walks past the poor house (which is the strange place, since most of the village population is beyond the line of poorness), skips the weird procession of junk dealers, who are not noticing him in their eagerness to get to the hunting grounds.
Market Square, finally! In no time Haymo sees his mentor, and that vision hurts him as if it was a nail in his heart. Mervin stands in the middle of the square, all the people around staring at him. He has nothing on him but his old hat, the old body is ugly and covered with sores. Haymo feels the presence of something inevitable in the air. Mervin laughs like a madman and unholy speech floods from his mouth:
"That is not dead which can eternal lie.
And with strange aeons even death may die!"
He finds Haymo in the crowd with his eyes and looks directly at him, he tells his final words:
"Behold, Haymo, THE KVLT IS ALIVE again! The cultists have returned! I'm leaving this world now for the places unknown!"
He picks up a knife from the floor and stabs himself in the stomach, repeats the stab, laughing, repeats until he falls lifeless on the square. That disgusting mad smile curdled on his features is what shocks Haymo the most. But he don't have a lot of time to think about it, since with the final stab Mervin produced the lightning strikes, the wind roars cruelly, all the rabble runs away from the square in terror, and Haymo can smell Them. The Cultists! So the ugly robes are back when he almost escaped the place which his parents never managed to escape.
Now he can see them, emerging from the darkness, all over the square.
"Where do I run now?"
He takes a quick decision to hide in the ruins of an old library. He will hide there, wait for that death bearers to pass, and than he will go towards his dream, towards Arnette! But no, one of them notices Haymo opening the library's door, and they rush for him. What chance has left to him? A trapdoor! A trapdoor leading to forgotten catacombs, he jumps down.
Running, running, one, two, one, two, "How many hours has passed? Haven't I been at that turn just twenty minutes ago?"
He stops and listens. No one is chasing him. But what is that sound? Crawling, squeaking, rustling...
"Damn, can't see a thing!"
And then he sees.
After all he is not the only one in that catacombs. Yellow angry eyes are looking at him, too many of them, the only desire pouring from that eyes is to feed on human flesh.
Rats! Enourmous rats!
They jump all over him. No escape. Watching his guts fall out of his torn belly, he only manages to cry: "Arnette" and dies. After ten minutes even the bones are devoured.