Speculations

You do realize that the Vikings came very very close to conquering England. They had a substantial hold on England controlling a significant amount of its land mass. If the Vikings of that era would have been unified there could have easily been a different outcome for Alfred the Great.

As for Ricthers short fall in numbers that will change. A much needed injection of labor and people willing to fight for a better life are on the way. Although that won’t be the end all answer. If Ricthers story is to be victorious a coalition of forces including a reestablished Mist Village, with it’s ever growing population, and army of dead will make a formidable force. Any number of forces needed for defending is really a relative issue. From defense works buying time, to the number of attackers, one could postulate the amount of defenders needed. I don’t believe at this time so many attackers are going to be thrown at the Mist Village that it will fall.

Ricther has been working on his fortifications since he has taken over the MV. Strong fortifications just don’t happen over night. Although in the in the Land magic could be used to create fortifications. At that I still don’t believe that to be the best use of Ricthers core. As I have mentioned I do believe that the use of the magic core on his dilapidated Keep could gain him some higher functioning. A substantial gain in mana flow from his PoP could be huge. Any ambient mana increases the possibilities for his territory in all sorts of ways. It would also increase the amount of mana he can draw on to cast spells in order to defend his realm. He might possibly resolve more of his labor issues with the ability to call up more Mist workers. Think of it as ten workers building something in ten or a hundred workers building the same structure in a year. Then again a core added to the wrecked Keep could restore it with rooms for very specific purposes. That’s assuming there is enough ruble above the ruined Keep that the magic core can replicate what once stood there.

I would also like to reiterate once again that not all raids are intent on taking cities, villages, or fortifications. What has been expressed is that Ricther should consistently surprise attack different places using imbued arrows like M203’s. Considering every archer could launch three arrows and scoot out. If twenty archers launched 60 imbued arrows at a wooden palisade or watch tower there shouldn’t be much left. That’s considering each imbued arrow is equivalent to a baseball hand grenade.

 

1) I don't disagree, the vikings were very close. Its weird that no one has made a litrpg series based on norse britain

If the vikings had been a little lucky they'd have tracked Alfred down when he was hiding out at Athelny, in the marshland of central sommerset. Instead he survived and managed to gather enough men from the remnants of Wessex to launch a counterattack. Leading to the battle at Edington and the defeat of the invaders.

Basically an epic story for the ages, where Alfred kept rolling crits on the die of fate.

2) I also agree the manpower shortage can be solved. Its a question of time and effort. Those minor tribes are a really low-hanging fruit though.

Richter could also have 200 dwarf warriors on the way, if the diplomatic mission is a success. 200 dwarves as well equipped as the troll mercenaries, would form a solid backbone for the garrison. Easily a match for twice their number in bugbears.

3) Fortifications are a bad use for the core. I know I mentioned a lightning tower, but unless it doubles as a mages tower or an artificers workshop (or is grossly OP), its not an optimal use.

I still think the pop is much more powerful than the core, but its possible the core would allow him to boost the current lethargic powerflow. That would be awesome, especially if it allowed him to restore the keep.

Which reminds me, do you guys think Richter will be able to use the pop to restore the keep?

Production facility or library would be my preffered uses. Both are longterm options, with the production facility seeing more immediate use.

4) I'm again not really disagreeing. Its more a sense that while raiding is a workable, useful strategy, its not going to flip the board strategically. Slow them down, force them to tighten their belts due to burned supplies, make their lives hell, definitely.

 

The idea in harassing the enemy at all points is to wear them down mental and physically. Being on high alert at all times is an enormous strain. Having arrows drop silently upon your fort works exploding like dynamite would be dreadful especially as your fofrces try to gather you see the enemy shimmer off with a dungeon transport spell or even running away. An enemy made for close quarters combat would stress endlessly when only being hit by ranged weapons not gaining a chance to close to arms. Ricthers only purpose should be to hit the enemy and move away without ever engaging in melee combat. Unless Ricther truly needs to come to blows in order to free captives, secure another bloodstone, or something similar. At that point he would need to bring all his forces together including any and all allies. Bringing a superior force always make some difference. The only objective of attacking the enemy in this fashion is to protract the war. Every day Ricther can slow down the enemy is another day for him to gather more forces. He needs that gorilla warfare harassment in order to stay in the game long enough to build a coalition army capable of beating the alliance. It’s the only way he can win. So I say let the enemy circle their wagons where they like. Ricther needs to ride around like the Indians of the Wild West. As they appear and release their arrows they ride off just as quickly.

 

A little different speculation.

We know that Randy had mentioned not needing a grimoire. Randy also wanted Ricther to promise that they would adventure to the Hall of Elemental Hunters. Could this be because Randy has a strong idea where to hunt for that dungeons heart? After a hundred years worth of adventuring there Randy might have a very good idea of its whereabouts. Randy might have been thinking they would need a grimoire for it’s magical power to conquer HoEH’s.

We had also spoken of the possibility of the Hall of Elemental Hunters having its treasury locked by the previous dungeon keeper.

How could the HoEH’s had a keeper if it had never had a master? Doesn’t it need a master to appoint the keeper?

They HoEH’s could very well be laden with a deep hoard of wealth held in the vaults of it treasury. Could it also have a massive surplus of dungeon points set aside?we were told that Roswan could adjust the dungeon points usage so that they would be able to use a percentage of the DP’s for anything they wanted to build in the dungeon.

It would be a blessing for Ricther if he could conquer the HoEH’s with or with out an untouched treasury. If he received a enough in used DP’s he could build a new hidden entrance to the HoEH’s with its own spherical portal.

That would seem a bit OP but it could be limited as the treasury’s wealth might be devoured by funding an insurgency and an army in Yves itself. I would expect that if Ricther the Lord of the MV was known as the master of Yves royal families dungeon all Yves problems would culminate with Ricther. War would be at hand.

 

Its a possibility that he has learned where it is.

Its also possible that the Dungeon will straight up guide him to it, now that he is no longer sworn to never seek power in the kingdom. It might want or need a Master as much as it does a Dungeon keeper. Given that he is basically born from one of the powers Randy may be able to link to it in ways no one else can. His long lifespan is another great boon for it, given that Dungeons are immortal unless slain. The death of its first keeper brought an end to Yves's golden age.

The way the mist lord evolution would have allowed Richter a far stronger bond with his pop.

 

I believe the oath Randy took was a Gish that said he could never take the thrown of Yves. So that wouldn’t prevent him from taking Yves cash cow. With the dungeon having its own motivations one of which would be to live and grow I doubt it would guide Randy to its heart. Perhaps if the dungeon understood they weren’t motivated to take its item of power it might but I doubt that. I am hopeful they find the HoEH’s item of power because I really want to know what it is. I’m also interested with Alerons dungeons mechanics.

 

I'd like to more about Grimoires and what they can do. For instance, if a Grimoire is taken from someone (like a magic using Ogre Lord or a Kobold Battle Mage for example) can another Mage (Richter for instance) Learn the Spells in it?

 

Most of the Grimoires in stories that I have seen people just read the spells from them. In D&D types of stories scrolls and spell books disappear after their use. Somehow spells are magically locked into a grimoire. That makes me wonder if you can learn spells from a Grimoire due to the magic being locked in the book. I know Grimoires are extremely valuable and it would be great for Ricther to gain one even if he doesn’t really need one according to Randy.

 

If it's anything like in the D&D books then a Grimoire would hold Spells that can be Studied and Memorized but once that Spell is used it is Forgotten till you reStudy and Memorize it again from the Grimoire. But then again Aleron might decide to make the like a sort of Soul Bound external Memory Drive that allows you to access the Spells Stored in it via Mental/Spiritual connection, but I would think that there would be some type of leveller involved, like say limited used of that Spell a day, or greater Cool Down & Mana Cost, or where you have to choose which Spells you can Cast from all your known Spells for that day (number based on how many you can normally remember based on your Spell Affinity,). But he might choose something else, and there might be other Effects and Bonuses for having a Grimoire, possibly different one's and numbers depending on the Quality of the Grimoire?

 

If it were me I would have Ricther rewrite the entire Grimoire in his mental mind scape. First he would need to learn every spell. Then he would need to find all the materials in his mindscape to make the Grimoire. After which everytime he uses a spell he would either have to go into a trance in order to cast from it. Or he would need to go back into his mind scape to learn it again which should take longer then using it while in trance.

 

A speculation about Randy.

When Randy gave Ricther all his water magic spells one of those spells was weak water damage. Seeing how that is a enchanting spell does that mean Randy has a talent for enchanting? He was also more knowledgeable about metals and their ability to take enchantments then the long lived Hisako.

Personally I hope to see more interaction with Randy in the books to come. Hopefully when Mother arrives with the new group of immigrants he will have more time to adventure with Ricther.

 

Hisako is a forest sprite. I don't think they are big on fire and forges, so it might be an area where she knows comparatively little. Generally my impression has been the sprites aren't that good at crafting with dead materials, its too far from their racial specialisation, the Forest.

Regardless, I don't think Randy knows much about any form of crafting. Not from personal experience, as a prince - even one not in the line of succession - his focus would be on mastering the arts of statesmanship, war and diplomacy, as well as the personal combat arts & some personal magic. Princes don't craft boots or daggers. Enchanting and alchemy would probably be considered below him as well.

General knowledge of metals, how to refine them, the various resources native to the duchies of the kingdom and the surrounding factions, politics etc. I would expect him to have a solid grasp on. He has also promised Richter that he has knowledge of a vast array of technologies, which should allow Richter to close some of the technological gap between the village and yves.

 

That’s not to say Randy doesn’t know anything about enchanting items. He might very well have some knowledge of the subject. He has shown some knowledge as I referred to it above. Also Randy isn’t your run of the mill Prince. With Randy being an evil spy I can think of several things he might need to enchant including traps. Being around as long as Randy has he should have picked up a lot of knowledge.

 

Could be. He’s old enough to have tried a few crafts, IMO. Plus, I assume adventuring parties want to be able to do a lot in the field, even if it’s a dungeon right under the palace. They’d still need repairs and refills over the days they’d be gone.

 

I’m thinking that Ricther needs to teach all his “special” forces and spies the unconventional crafting skill. You never know when you might find yourself in a bad way needing to figure your way out of a situation. Unconventional crafting would benefit many people but definitely help anyone limited to only the materials at hand.

 

Randy only Taught Richter Water Spells up to a certain Level, not all of his Spells, after all Richters Water Magics Level wasn't high.
Weak Water Damage is a Spell that Temporarily mimics an Enchantment but isn't really an Enchantment Enchantment (but could be argued that it is a Spell Casters Temporary Item Enchantment Spell?), but could be made into one with Richters Specialization.

 

Ricther specifically asked Randy about using weak water damage as an enchantment. His comment was that it was a nice spell but all his weapons were already enchanted. Then he asked if it would cause problems mixing the magic types. Randy asked him who had told him that would be problematic. Then Randy explains that with the higher quality metals he uses that it shouldn’t be a problem for different types of magical enchantments to be used.

For some reason I was thinking that Randy like Hisako tried to give Ricther every spell he could. As Randy mentioned that was a way to test other people’s abilities. Afterwards Randy asked him how many he learned. Then in shock he asked him how many spells he knew all together.

Speaking of Ricthers water magic level not being high when he learned the spells Randy gave him. What about when the bloodstone gave him spells? Some of those he couldn’t use because he wasn’t a high enough level to use them when he learned them. Maybe it was only possible because the bloodstone was in his mind.

 

Plus if it’s gonna be like the military then there had better be dongs everywhere.

 

Dongs?

I think Ricther has had plenty of Dongs around From the dongs he mentioned like the Stone Giants to others like the Male Twins. Ricther isn’t telling much about that story. Ricther must have gotten a prostate message he can’t talk about.

 

More in the sense of them being drawn on everything, especially in bathrooms.

But I was also referring to that orc who put phalluses on all his works, haha.