GamerFawkes

A blog about a gamer. Not enough for you? Fine. Take a seat. I'm going to tell you a story. Well, actually quite a few stories. I'll have pictures, and text. You'll hear all about my adventures. Some may be familiar to you, others you will be able to enjoy through my telling. Either way, we're going to be together for a while. You might as well enjoy it.

[gamerfawkes]

Interruption of Programming

The interruption in programming can be traced to a LOT of stuff going on in my life, such as moving, being away from my girlfriend and a general lack of time to play anything. I apologize to anyone that's been hoping for more Fallout 2 screen shots and story. They will resume when I have a firmer control on my life.

[gamerfawkes]

I asked the bridge keeper just why his spear seemed so different from everyone else's. He mentioned that his father taught him to sharpen them.

I, of course, asked if he could sharpen my spear. He agreed, but he needed a piece of flint to make my spear as sharp as it could be. Aunt Morlis held most of the villages supplies. I told him that I would go talk with her and she if I could get the woman to cough up a piece.

He said I'd have better luck squeezing water from a stone. As I approached Aunt Morlis, she was busy organizing the supplies for the next hunting trip that Lucas was going on.

I couldn't speak to her. She had always hated me, and the last thing I needed to do was going out into the world pissed off because she wouldn't help me.

I went back to the bridge, where the keeper laughed at me. I told him to have fun standing at the edge of the world for the rest of his life.

I walked across the bridge, taking a deep breath before I stepped out towards the wasteland beyond.

[gamerfawkes]

As I approach Nagor with Smoke in tow, my cousin smiled and thanked me for my help. I waved it off and muttered something about him owing me a few lizard pelts when I return from my quest.

He didn't seem to mind, and I set my sights on leaving the village. I stopped and talked with a few of the other villagers. Most of them just wished me luck with my journey. I avoided one villager in particular, Aunt Morlis. She never liked me growing up. Perhaps that's where Lucas learned his hatred from me... his mother.

I started out towards the small bridge that separated our village from the rest of the world. I stopped just short of the narrow bridge and looked towards its keeper. 

Something seemed off about him...

[gamerfawkes]

Despite the fact that I had killed three of the silvery lizards, their kin didn't seem to mind me much as I quietly slipped past them. I wasn't about to pick a fight with more of those creatures if I didn't have to.

 I heard barking from a beyond a section of thickly growing trees and sought out the source. As I neared where the barking was echoing from, I had to stop to stepping into a puddle of green goo.

I assumed it was some irradiated liquid. I had never seen it before, and the Elder said that such things existed. But with the eerie feeling it gave me I didn't want to test it.

I walked along a narrow wooden board someone had laid down and encountered Smoke. I called to the dark furred mutt of a canine and he hurried over to me.

I comforted him and slowly lead him back towards the village. I was glad that I was done with the hunting grounds, and that I wouldn't have to see those lizards again that day.

...Oh, and the healing powder ingredients? Screw them, I didn't want to tempt those fate into making me a snack for anymore wild creatures.

[gamerfawkes]

After allowing Lucas to live... the village did need him after all, I strode through some of our farmland. It felt odd to be looking at these land with an adult's eyes.

But never mind that. I had Geckos to kill. I met the little lizards on their turf and started punching at them. I couldn't get more than one swing in my first attempt before the lizards got the better of me.

I ran once again, got help from Hakunin and then came back with a vengeance. After I flattened on of the lizards, its friend bull rushed me. I didn't get out of the way in time and the creature knocked me on my ass.

I got up stretched out my shoulder and proceeded to knock that lizard to the dirt, permanently.

The last of the lizards was dispatched quickly. I wished I had payed attention while I was being taught to hunt. I could have skinned these Geckos for hides and been able to make myself a shirt or a better bag that the small satchel cloth I carried.

Still, I had a dog and some ingredients to find.

[gamerfawkes]

Lucas was the best hunter in the village. He had the most scars, but also the most pelts and kills.

He and I never got along as children. I'd try to tell him how to get more distance out of a throw or show him what he was doing wrong. He'd thank me by giving me black eyes, or forcing me to eat Gecko dung, scorpion claws or any other odd or disgusting things he could think of.

The fact that I was asking him for help left a sour taste in my mouth. Thankfully he seemed to put all of that behind him, and I wasn't going to bring up the past now. He showed me how to throw a strong punch. I got a little better at aiming, but even better, I learned how to put more of my weight behind a punch, not just my arm strength.

I thanked him and asked if he could teach me anything more. He said no,... but maybe I could teach him how to make Gecko dung taste good.

I hope he reincarnates as a Gecko in the next life.

[gamerfawkes]

I wanted to shout at the Elder, scream at her about how deadly, and ridiculous her little temple of trials was.

I couldn't. She was still my Elder, she was still the woman who had guided my village for the entirety of my life. I respectfully asked her where I could find this 'Vic the trader' I had to located. She gave me some 'money'. It was an odd concept, giving someone bits of metal for work of items, but the books I read said that it was common before the wasteland was created. She also gave me a small flask with the number 13 inscribed on it. It matched my vault suit perfectly.

Then I asked if she had any advice on fighting the Geckos.

Though she didn't offer me the small pistol on her table, she did remind me that one of the best hunters in the village was near the giant stone head the village used for festivals and prayers.

If anyone would know how to kill Geckos it would be him.

[gamerfawkes]

I decided to head into the village center, perhaps the Elder or someone else will be able to help me with those vicious reptiles.

As I approached the well, Feargus, another of my cousins, was whining, complaining that the well didn't work. I honestly hated hearing Feargus cry. It was the same shrill whimper that he used when we were children.

I fixed the well. The bucket had a hole in it, so I used a pot from nearby to replace it. Feargus was happy, and I didn't have to hear that annoying vocal tone again.

Perhaps the Elder would have some advice or something to help me with the Geckos... If nothing else, she did want me to return to her before I left the village.

So into her tent I returned.

[gamerfawkes]

I moved to the hunting grounds that were north-west of Hakunin's tent. I didn't know what to expect so I was on edge. A small sleeping bag and some bottles nearby were set up for the guards to sleep in. They made sure the Geckos and other nasty beasts of the wastes didn't enter the village from this route.

It was odd that no one was on duty. Perhaps Nagor was the one that was on duty but abandoned his post when Smoke ran farther in?

Either way, I had some ingredients and a mangy mutt to find. As I moved towards a clearing, I noticed movement.

I noticed it too late. A small gang of lizards started after me. If I could barely hit a stationary plant with my fists. There's no way I could kill a Gecko, much less three.

I will admit, I panicked. I ran back towards the village as quickly as I could. If I was going to kill those Geckos I'd need help or some training.

[gamerfawkes]

The other weed put up less of a fight than its sibling. I didn't even have to return to Hakunin for treatments. I did have to return to him for my reward however. A few more healing powders.

I was sure they'd come in handy once I left the village. I didn't want to use them until after I left. Hakunin was glad to help me as long as I asked respectfully.

His clue about finding Xander Root and Broc Flowers was more direct that I was used to, but thankfully I was heading in the direction of the hunting grounds to save Smoke. If I could find some healing powder ingredients on the way, it would kill two birds with one stone.

[gamerfawkes]

Maybe trying to pull the weeds out wasn't the greatest of ideas. I had to visit Hakunin once again to make sure that I wasn't going to perish thanks to his plants.

Thankfully after I knocked one's venus flytrap like mouth from its stalk, I felt a little stronger, and a little more able in my abilities to punch such nasty creatures out.

It was time for a little revenge...

[gamerfawkes]

Hakunin. He was a good healer, though he seemed to barely inhabit our world when I visited him. His mind was always elsewhere, and I seemed to be the only one who could understand his flowery language.

I healed me without a complaint, but he asked for a favor should I need more healing later.

The one thing I was hoping he would avoid asking for. He needed his garden weeded.

Those spitting violets will have to be pulled out by the roots.

[gamerfawkes]

As I left the garden behind, I noticed Nagor standing nearby. He seemed distracted.

His dog Smoke ran from him. Nagar never was a good hunter and the grounds the dog ran towards was infested with Geckos. I hate those lizards.

I told him that I would help out of obligation. He always helped me when I was being beat up by the other children growing up. First though, I needed some wounds healed.

I headed towards out Healer's tent.

[gamerfawkes]

All of that work and danger, for an old blue jumpsuit. It had the number 13 scrawled on the back in bright yellow. If they wanted me to stand out among the sand and dry grass of the wastes, they certainly picked a good way to do it.

As I left, I noticed Cameron waiting for me. He seemed to hold no ill will, and was even willing to help me find my way back to the temple if I wished it. 

I didn't.

As I moved towards the Elder's tent, I noticed that our healer's garden seemed larger than I remembered.

...I hated it when the Elder was right. The 'weeds' in his garden were large enough to spit thornes at me as I passed. I didn't need any more wounds.

[gamerfawkes]

It was a small room. A fire pit in the center flickered, illuminating the man beyond. Cameron, one of my tribesman waited for me.

As I approached he challenged me to a fight, not to the death of course, but I was able to show him the error of such a test. Sometimes words are better weapons than fists.

As he moved back towards the village, I moved forward to see the end of my trial.

[gamerfawkes]

I waited, and waited... Doubt entered my mind. Did I set them incorrectly? Did I cause them to fail?

As my attention was diverted, the bomb went off, surprising me enough that I dived for cover. The wall crumbled, revealing a way through.

I approached slowly, making sure that nothing tried to fall upon me. 

Those sneaky temple creators tried to hide another trap just beyond their door. I disarmed it, and then moved on.

A long hallway, one which lead to more scorpions, and more treasure... again, not worth it.

The other lead to another door, much like the first, but unlocked. Dispatching the ants that crowded the room, I opened the door, ready to swing at what might wait beyond.

[gamerfawkes]

I continued down a side path. I tried to sneak past the ants, but they loved trying to bite me. I swatted down one, and managed to avoid the other.

My reward? An antidote for scorpion poison.

I moved back, towards the main hall. A few more ants wanted to make a snack of me, and a few more ants crunched under the somewhat meager power of my fists.

Then came my next problem. A large stone door with no door, no lock... I had to use the explosives. I didn't know how to set them. I tinkered with the device attached to them until it started to beep.

I dropped the small bundle, ran a decent ways away, and waited...