War Cry

Re: Help save a campaign

Thanks for all the great ideas and encouragement. I'll be finishing up my notes for the game Monday night. It's time they learned they've been used as pawns:eg:

Re: Punish the players!

yeah' date=' besides, the players started it![/quote']

 

Don't they always? I'm glad I keep a ruler on hand. WHAP!

Re: Punish the players!

Exactly.

 

Unless one of those players is playing a Wood Elf, then it's okay to pick on that player's character mercilessly.

 

Seconded. In 15+ years of gaming, I've yet to see a high elf or wood elf that didn't deserve such treatment. Pointy eared freaks. The orcs have it right - Elf, the other white meat.

Re: Help save a campaign

 

It seems that you are pretty disappointed about having to destroy the city. You could always do one of those classic dream-sequence type reversals (it may be cheesy, but you could probably pull it off in a relatively non-cheesy way).

If you are into this sort of scenario (at least for a while), it almost sounds like the kind of game the players want, and throwing them into survival mode could encourage a little more cooperation between them.

I'm going to run with the whole thing happening as it did. To do otherwise would completely through off the other plotlines. Well thought out and excellent suggestion, though. I'll use it somewhere else:thumbup:

You hit the key point - cooperation. I'd like to see if the players band together now that all of their connections are out of the picture. Before, everyone was running off trying to do his own thing and relying on NPC's to get them out of a pinch. My main desire is to see if they rely on each other now, as that is all they have at the moment.

Re: Punish the players!

Remind me never to play under any of you guys...except maybe Keyes Bill.

 

Yes, yes, lets punish the bad players for not playing the way we want them to, precious. Let's show them how our way is so much cooler than their way.

 

Bah!

 

I think you need to find out what kind of game your players want, tell them what kind of game you want to run and see if you can find a happy middle ground.

Well, we do have a good game and for the most part, the players are pretty good. I have had a helluva lot of fun watching them develope a love for the system and an attachment to their characters. Overall, I think we've done a decent job of blending our styles into a decent campaign. I've let them explore the various aspects of the game and how the system works. These guys are quick when it comes to the mechanics. I'm not out to punish, just a challenge. They've had it pretty easy for a few months. I want to see how they handle a major catastrophe. If it doesn't work, I can regroup, rethink, and readjust to meet their needs.

On a side note, I've left my books with them to read. The grimoire recieved a cursory glance and was promptly handed back to me with the others never being opened. "Sorry, Brent, but we want to stay in the dark. We like being unsure of whether or not we can handle a situation" That's trust, man, and I don't want to break it.

Re: Help save a campaign

Some further thoughts...

 

Sometimes, things that seem as transparent as glass to a GM are completely opaque to players. Sometimes we have to spoon-feed the clues to them. I know, I hate doing it too -- my players should be smart enough to catch all the clues and separate them from the red-herrings. But in the real world, that just ain't so.

 

Some ways I've found to get around this are to give a list of clues to the players after a set amount of time has passed.

 

HTH!

 

Bill.

This is the conclusion I have come to tonight. Perhaps I was spoiled by my former gaming group - those guys were the best and it was a real challenge staying one step ahead of them. Time to lower my expectations. I talked with one of the players tonight, and he is geeked. The mass destruction and armies forming already have him salivating - they just can't connect the dots. I'll have some of the NPCS fill them in on a bunch of the details that they could have and help the players put together a list of what they already know.

I can't believe I'm taking advice from a RABBIT! And a dead one at that!

Re: Help save a campaign

One thing I'd think about is: What kind of game do your players want to play?

 

If they want to play a "pursued by bounty hunters" game

 

The point is, communication with your players is key. Ask them what they want to do -- what do they expect the campaign to be like. Then use that as a springboard for adventures. Don't overlook your greatest asset -- the players' imaginations.

 

Bill.

Yeah, that went over well when it became apparant I had a campaign on my hands

ME: So what kind of game do you guys want? Hack-n-slash, Epic, Episodes?

Players 1-4: Shrug collective shoulders "We don't care"

Player 5: with mischevious gleam in his eyes "EPIC! Lord of the rings save the world kind of stuff!"

Players 1-4: "Um, yeah, that would be cool."

I'll mix it up. Maybe change the Chancellor around a bit, give him a guilty conscious or second thoughts on the deal. I mean, after all, he is selling out his kingdom for an art collection:eek:

Re: Help save a campaign

I am no expert but just by reading the character descriptions I am wondering how these folks all managed to get together? Or more importantly why they stay together?

 

Heh. I'm the newb to the group. They are a bunch of D&D and Rifts players. They heard throught the grapevine that I'm supposedly a good GM and asked me to run. I introduced them to Fantasy Hero and let them make what they wanted for characters (within certain limits, of course) and what was supposed to be a few introducory games has turned into a full blown campaign. Oops. I think the reason they stick together is not a single one of them is human, and they are in a human dominated part of the world. They are outsiders and for the most part, have been treated as such. Them against the world, I suppose.

 

Thanks all for the input. Gotta run now, but I'll check in tonight.

Re: Help save a campaign

I dont really see anything wrong with the story you are weaving. If this was my game, one of two things likely would happen in the near future.

 

The first, is have what the players should know, but dont, come out and seriously bite them on the backside.

 

That would be the orcs. And the undead. They KNEW there were orcs in the area. They KNEW where the orcs were hiding. They KNEW who was leading them and that the orc army is only going to get bigger and badder. As far as the undead, well, let's just say that the liche who has been using the orcs is also a hunted.

 

The second is, if the situation is viable, have an NPC arrive who is familiar with the characters and simply assumes that they know something about whatever plotpoints they may have missed.

 

Set that up. They were a few NPC's in the city who I felt had traits that would see them through the chaos alive. One is an old man ranger, who has tangled with the liche in the past. Another is his son, a sometimes thief and drug dealer and best buds with the Eldrethi. Next is an Eldrethi seamstress and the Eldrethi's current lover. The liche is her brother. Poor, poor Articus. A dwarf armorer and weaponsmith who Feng has used exclusively is probably the straightest arrow in the bunch. Finally, the last NPC is a minor enchanter who escaped from the Mage's Sancuary inside an Iron Golem. I think it's best to give him the crucial info.

 

A third thing to consider, and which is something I'd do regardless of these potential paths, is turn the dominant character traits you've identified against the characters. Exploit. Exploit. Exploit.

I've been doing this lately and it appears they may be getting a bit frustrated. Letting up would be a mistake, though.

 

Oh well, I've prattled on enough. With more campaign info, I could give better advice.

 

This city is/was corrupt. As far as the King is concerned, he's literally insane. Multiple personalities, among them a gladiator, crime lord and would be wizard. Poses zero threat to the real behind the scene players. It's the High Chancellor and Archmage that are the baddies. The high chancellor is a bit of an antique collector as has been using Feng to retrieve artifacts for his collection. He only needs one more piece and he will have all he needs to "resurrect" the city of the dead. Heisn't interested in power or commanding the undead per se, he wants them out of those ancient ruins so he can get the really valuable art and artifacts. The Archmage is the real puppet master. He helped create the liche, used his power to convince the High Chancellor to ignore this and pursue that, and incited the slave rebellion as a cover for mass murder. He used an artifact and magic using assassins to kill every mage the island sanctuary, elevating himself to Demiurge. Pyra is/was his apprentice. The liche is a puppet, but the players believe he is the big bad guy. They've tangled with this guy and his minions since the game started. He possesses a matching artifact to the arch mages. Whoever can possess both at once will have control over vast necromantic power. They players know the liche has one, they don't know the archmage has the other. To really complicate matters, the non-human races are gathering at Demon's Cleft (blatantly stolen from the Western Shores) adn there is a blind wulfen prophet who sporadicly makes himself visible to Feng, sharing cryptic prophecies. I might let the archmage reveal his hand now, using his magic to create an illusion to speak with the party and rub their noses in how they have been used. Maybe even send some of the royal guard out looking for them because the high chancellor is "concerned" about Feng's safety.

 

By the way, I dont think you are in a bad place at all. Really, with the destruction of the city and ensuing chaos, and all the other immediate dangers you mentioned, you have a pretty decent set of avenue down which you can take your campaign

 

-nevereverend

Thanks. I can do this, I just wanted feedback from others on the best approach.

Re: Help save a campaign

Sounds like you mopped yourself into a corner.

 

To a certain extent. All of these events have been in the making for quite some time. As fas as I was concerned, the city was slated to be destroyed from the beginning of the campaign. All I did was step up the time table because it seemed unreasonable for the NPC's to wait around.

 

Wow. For some reason, I have a bunch of ways to fix this scenario and with really no detailed knowledge of the circumstances behind the scenes and those leading up to the situation, I don't know if any of them would work out.

Many of the same thoughts I have had. My problem lies in the fact that if I kill off the characters, chances are we go to a different game. I am NOT playing D20 or Rifts. Blech. My main goal was to hook a bunch of newbs into Fantasy Hero, and at that I've succeeded. The info is there, they have it, they just don't act on it.

I'm a little lost on what to do next for my campaign. I've got a basic idea on what should happen, but I'd like some alternatives. First, the characters and players and a brief recap on the last session.

Feng the Fierce, a former slave gladiator and wulfen. Desires to be "Somebody Important" and has been working steadily towards this goal. He has managed to acquire 4 properties and a minor lordship by being a secret "go to" man for the King's Chancellor. Straight up combat monster and full blown megolamaniac. Player has a thirst for power.

Pyra, a feline fire mage. Arrogant with a touch of cowardice and greed. Ooooh, gold! My pretty! Has a wide array of useful and nasty magic, but one good solid hit can take her out of a fight. Loves to learn and expand her knowledge base. Player is smart and wily. Finds interesting ways to use spells.

Articus Raveri, an Eldrethi ("arabian" elf) Swordmaster. Has an odd blend of racial charecteristics and adopted morals. A womanizing drug addict who is the first to stand up for the downtrodden and avenge innocents who have been wronged. He's a weed whacker against lightly armored foes. Player is pretty good. Not the best fighter or greatest thinker, but certainly the most consistent with a well balanced character.

Katrina, the Black Mask, feline thief and assassin. Vain, as greedy as she is beautiful. Excellent at recon and info gathering. If she has time to set up, it's a one hit one kill. Self serving to the extreme. Player is good roleplayer, but an info hoarder. Rarely shares enough of the info he has learned with the rest of the group and this has led to more than a few bad situations for them.

Cimmerage, wood elf ranger. The character is IMO, bleh. Deadly with a bow and excellent outdoor skills. The player has a nasty habit of removing himself from the game. "I'm gonna go outside the city walls and sleep in the nearby forest, what happens?" It's gotten to the point where I'll leave him in the woods. I'm not running a second game for the loner player.

The session - put simply, I destroyed about half of the city and they took off running for the hills.

Feng, being relatively well known, managed to secure a fight in the Arena as part of the crown prince's birthday celebration. The rest of the group had bought seats and were in attendance to wager and watch the spectacle, with the exception of the wood elf, who ran off into the woods - again. Feng was getting his butt handed to him on a silver platter and managed to get entangled in a net and knocked to the ground. In honor of his birthday, the crown prince got to decide the fates of the combatants. Feng was given a thumbs down. However, his opponent freed the two of them from their chains and buried his spear in the princes chest. It was a slave rebellion, and it had sprung up all around the city. Panic ensued and our "heroes" managed to get out of the arena relatively unscathed. By this time, fires were springing up all over the place. This is where things get really bad. What was supposed to be flavor text and scenery proved to be the beginning of their undoing. The fire mage decides to toss a couple of Fireballs at buildings. The Eldrethi tries to take advantage of a woman in distress. The thief, well, she starts looting. Feng's trying to save his properties and get everyone to safety. Meanwhile, the wood elf sticks to the woods and watches the city burn, only moving to investigate the sound of beating drums. War drums. Orc war drums at that. She run's off to find her people. They're not in these woods. The character knows that, but off she goes anyway. I had to end it when they fled to Feng's estate about 3 days outside the city or I probably would've killed them off out of spite.

So, after the smoke clears and the dust settles, they will all be in deep. Very deep. Each and every one of these characters is very distinctive and stands out like a sore thumb. Bounty hunters, escaped slaves, angry nobles, and roving bands of orcs are the obvious problems. What makes this so frustrating is I felt I had no choice but to destroy this city.

There's a ton of info the players should know, but don't, simply because they never followed through on ANYTHING!

Long post and I'm tired. I'll share the "behind the scenes" info tommorrow. Nothing happens in my games without a reason. Plots within plots and all that.

Re: Herophile Fantasy art

and a concept sketch or two

This one I really like. Has a really good feel to it.

Re: Adult themes in gaming, a rant of sorts

My methods are pretty much the same as those previously posted. With my old group, there was no fear when an adult theme came up. We all knew and trusted each other, and in fact, rather enjoyed the whole vengeance angle that usually followed. There is very little that is more satisfying than taking down someone despicable who has wronged you. Though in the 15+ years of gaming, I can count such intances on one hand.

Dealing with it when it is inappropiate is simple for me at least. Recently, I became involved in a group and during the very first session one PC raped another PC. To say I was pissed was an understatement. The chaos that followed left all but 2 characters dead. After the game (which immediately ended after the bloodshed) I expressed my disapproval to the gm and players involved. I got apologies from all involved except the little turd who started the mess. By a cruel stroke of fate, the mantle of GM passed to me. Take a wild guess as to who isn't gaming with us anymore.

Re: Help with "Brick Fu"......Please

Kewl. Thanx for the responses. The GM has left the pt limit open for final character cost, just have to follow the pt guidelines for powers,ect. While the idea of wrestling is appealing, I'm using multiform and his other self has some martial arts, so I'm trying to steer away from that.

I really dig the End/Str drain damage sheild. I'll see if I can find a way to logically explain something like that.

If it helps, here's some more character info. Basic concept is he's a product of military engineering that resulted in a sort of cyborg weretiger. The character has no clue if he possessed mutant genes or the weretiger ability and it was enhanced by the military or if they tinkered and added it to his system to create an expendable super soldier. Relevant info, Str 60, dex 18, spd 5, ocv 10, dcv 6. My goal was to create a walking sensory platform that can dish out and take a lot of damage - I've spent over 100pts on various enhanced senses alone. Putting some flavor into his attack abilities is what I am looking for right now.

Campaign limits are 500ap total on powers per turn. So, with a spd 5, max ap of powers is 100. I have nothing that touches that and I'm not sure if I want to. I like the idea of leaving room to improve his powers if I need to.

My FLGS does a very, very poor job of stocking hero product. I'll see what they have Saturday. Otherwise, it's a one hour road trip to the next nearest city with decent hobby shops.

Once again, thanx all.

Yay me! I've finally been invited to join a game after a few years of not gaming. Hence, I'm a little rusty and I'm having a small problem putting the finishing touches on my character, a sorta tiger/man brick. I want to give him a few moves to make him stand out from the typical brick. I was thinking of a "pounce" attack, AOE 1 hex, a "bowl em over" AOE line, and a "furious punch", autofire attack as a few examples. If I bought these as hand attacks, do I add in his strength to figure the final cost on these powers?

For example, I buy the pounce attack as a 4d6HA AOE 1 hex. Is it calculated with just this basic info, or do I add in his strength to get to the final cost, as Strength is required to use the HA in the first place?

Sorry if this is mundane or the answer is painfully obvious, but I have little experience with writing up champs characters. Any help/suggestions would be GREATLY appreciated.

Re: NGD Scenes from a Hat

"one small step for man, one giant..........HEY! Where the hell did that Russian flag come from?!"

Re: Sin City

kewl beans. I saw a preview the other and day and it looked good. Thanx for the heads up.

Re: PREDATORS -- What Do *You* Want To See?

And along those lines.........revolutionaries. Home grown terrorists who are either ex or current military who do not like the direction the city/state/country is heading or the current state of affairs. Something along the lines of the main baddies from the movie "The Rock".

Re: What would your character do? #71

War Cry "Oh my god. This so blows. First I'm stranded on this class 5 rock and now I'm stuck in the beginning of time?! And without my collection of intergalactic porn? Wait a minute. Hey baby, whats your name? I'm War Cry, the greatest hero on Earth. Wanna go back to your place?" He'd have way too much fun paying the larger than life hero. There's no way he could resist the temptation to carve a name for himself that would rival the likes of Hercules. And a harem. He'd find a culture where harems are acceptable.

Re: WWYCD: The Gift Horse

War Cry - "Saweeeeet! It aint nothing like the Zinthari starfighter I flew during the Tokaro Wars, but still" He'd casually toss the manual to the side "I'm an ace pilot, dammit. I don't need no stinking manual." Definately call up the team to see his cool new toy as he took it for a test flight and pushed it to its limits - and then he'd most likely crash it and pull himself out of the burning wreckage laughing like a maniac. "Holy @#$%! Didja see that? That was waaaaaaaaaay cool!"

Lucifer - He'd blow it up on the spot. Trust is not one of his better virtues - and he doesn't share either.

Re: Reccomended Reading: Fantasy Novels

The Thomas Covenant series was pretty good. Don't remember the author off-hand though. I also liked The Annals of the Black Company by Dan Cook. The Belgariad was okay. Loved the characters, wasn't particularly fond of the story.

Re: Hallowe'en Hero

Do you have a particular idea where the zombies are hiding? With the asteroid only 2km in size and the fields, orchards and hamlet deserted/no signs of life, that leaves the hills, small forest, and stream caverns. Gotta backup plan of the PC's decide to investigate all that before heading to the mansion? Have you considered doing something with the servant that was tossed to the zombies? Maybe to up the scare factor, he's out there with the mob, but different. Being a "2nd" generation zombie because he was bitten and did not partake of the chemicals, he could still retain some intellect and free will. This could give you a beefier critter if the need arises. Someone who could infiltrate the manor by climbing a ladder or rope to a window if the game shows signs of slowing down. Someone who could wield a weapon, say, a butchers knife or farm implement, if a combat gets casual and the tenseness of the game is starting to fade. A lone critter motivated by revenge. Cunning, cruel, and oh so very angry at being betrayed. Just a spur of the moment thought I'd throw out there.

And with all those crops......are they vegan zombies? Graaaaaaaaaaaiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiins!!!

Re: Bark at the Moon

Well, for this group, we're just running on the old "you've been adventuring together for awhile" gimmick. Honestly, this is just a one shot adventure to see if I still have the GM mojo and if these players are compatible with each other and myself. If it goes well, I'll give them a chance to talk me into running a regular game for them. Right now, it's a wait and see issue. I usually put that responsibility on the players shoulders and have them work that out in the character backgrounds. It's a good method to see how compatible the players are with each other. I've Gm'ed for years, but most of my games ran for long stretches of time. The shortest campaign I've ran lasted a year and the longest was 3 years. An entire epic campaign from beginning to end that would have put LOTR and other series to shame. For the epic, I started them in the middle of the action, the sole survivors of a major city that had been beseiged and than fallen, the occupants shown no quarter. The PC's were left for dead so naturally bonded together to figure out what had happened and went on their way to be the saviours of the world. The ones that lived till the end, that is.

Re: Bark at the Moon

The adventure started with them in a small village, Blue Creek, located in the Wyvern forest along the western edge of the Iron Mts. As they sat around their table in the local inn sipping on mugs of ale (or in Lothar's case, chugging kegs) they couldn't fail to notice the subdued and sombre mood of the locals. At first, they were a bit uncomfortable as they believed the poor moods to be directed at them because they were outsiders. Jorath and Grinning Wolf, however could sense that was not the case. Jorath succeeded in engaging a few of the locals in conversation while the wood elf used his keen elven hearing to eavesdrop on the muttered words being exchanged at the tables near thier own. Between them, they learned that all contact had been lost with the nearby village of Allesburg and the local guardsmen who had been sent to investigate have not returned. Only a handful of their mounts had come home, and these showed no signs of a fight. Some believe it to be raiding orcs or barbarians. The few remaining soldiers are preparing for the worst as the locals believe that whatever fate befell their neighbors would soon come to visit them.

At this point, a trapper (in truth, a poacher and something worse) got up the courage to meet the "newcomers" and pulled up a chair next to the wood elf.

(In a bad scottish accent) "hello there laddy. Me name be Mountain Jack, and if'n I may inquire, what be yer business in our hamlet? For ye see, there be troubles brewin in these parts, and well, some folk be a mite leery o' strangers such as ye."

The poor wood elf stutters and stammers until Jorath comes to his rescue and with a couple of really good rolls (and roleplay), gets the trapper to open up and the 2 engage in a lively conversation, during which Mountain Jack reveals that he believes the root of the problem is "Wendigos! Wendigos, I tell ye! Why there be a passel of em up in the Mts here, and now they've come down to feed on us. What be wendigos you ask? Why, they were once men, but have now been cursed by the gods, they have. As a matter o fact, one be me Uncle Tom." Mountain Jack leans in close and whispers "That be the fate of cannibals, I tell ye. I was the only one to survive that accursed expedition. We went up into the mountains to look fer gold and got caught by an early storm. Snowed in, we were, and without adequate provisions. Days went by, and then a pair o weeks, when ole Tom got the idea to eat those who had died. I was the only one who refused, and fer that, they put me on the menu 1st. As you can see plainly, I escaped."

The door to the inn burst in and a haggard, filthy, individual staggers up to the counter, already clearly drunk. (Mountain Jack uses the minor distraction to excuse himself now that he knows our heroes are not bounty hunters after his hide. Part of his tale is true. What he has kept secret is the fact that he killed some of his fellow expedition members for their food, and left in the dead of night when his uncle Tom caught him in the act. To survive, Tom and the other 2 who were still alive did feast on the dead and really are Wendigos now. And they're hunting Mountian Jack.) The new patron is a local priest, his garb soiled almost to the point of being unrecognizable. His eyes grow wide as he notices the Priest of Telva and he quickly pays for his drink. In his hurry to leave, he trips over a stool and falls. No one moves to help the old drunk as he crawls to the door and exits.

I sat back and let the group bat around the info for awhile, and when they decided it was time to get a room, the priest couldn't resist his curiosity and set out after the drunk clergyman. Lothar and Svena stepped outside for some fresh air while Delona and Grinning Wolf made the arrangements for the rooms and stabling of the horses. It wasn't that hard to see that the guys playing the barbarian and valkyrie were looking for a fight and the guy running the mage was feeling a little left out. To accommodate them, I had the seargent of the local guard and a couple of his cronies pick a fight with the "son of a horse groper" and invite the valkyrie back to the guard tower for a night of fun. For the mage, the really fun NPC would be her domain once the issues of the drunk priest and the quick combat were worked out.

After a 6 year hiatus from rpgs, I ran my 1st game over the weekend with a group of guys I have never gamed with. Thought I'd share a little bit of what it was like. The scenario I used was something I had stolen from one game for another, so this is the 3rd version of it. I don't remember where it actually originated from, so I can't claim any credit for this being mine. But first, the characters.

The Characters and players -

Lothar, son of Grimnar (Jason A) A barbarian from the Northern Wilds. Lothar is a Barragoth warrior, a proud nomadic people who once ruled the Northern Wilds and had conquered much of the kingdoms of Inniath and Eldreth under the warlord Strykar the Merciless - of whom Lothar is a direct descendant. Rather fond of drinking and brawling, he is your typical barbarian. When in doubt, use brute force. He also has a soft side and large heart, which is something he doesn't particularly like being talked about.

Grinning Wolf (Tony) Wood Elf Ranger. Still young by the standards of his people, Grinning Wolf is a little unhappy that he has not attained the status of warrior among his people. He will, however, uphold the honor of his clan and father and abide by the wishes of the elders - to go out and learn of these "humans and their strange ways". Many expect him to be as uncouth as Lothar, and are rather surprised at his elagant speech and manners. A deadly and feared archer, he also wields his war club with great skill.

Delona Arkenduil (Jason M) High Elf Mage. Aloof and arrogant to outsiders, she is well liked by her traveling companions and those who do manage to get past her "icy" personality. Hers is a path of vengeance. She had traveled to the human mainlands on a diplomatic mission with her brothers, when an unexpected storm sank the ship. Only Delona and her brothers survived the wreckage, but once on the mainland orcs and other foulsome creatures hunted the trio, killing her siblings and stealing the package they were to deliver to the king of Inniath.

Jorath the Gentle (Matt) Cleric of Terva. Old and wise, Jorath is a retired paladin who chose to serve the needs of the church as a priest. Though he still retains some skill with the sword and lance, he much prefers his staff and magic. Slow to anger, his wrath is a terrible thing to behold - or be on the recieving end of. His love of gardening is a close 2nd to his devotion to the priesthood, and he keeps a small selection of favored plants in a trough on his wagon. He is the Sherlock Holmes of the group.

Svena Bloodraven (Jimmy) Sveldlinga Valkyrie. As deadly as she is beautiful, Svena is an outcast among her own people and can never return home, for she has committed the mortal sin of her sisterhood. None outside of her native land know of her deed, not even those closest to her. Quiet, reserved, and somewhat naive, Svena is a still a most formidable foe for the greatest of merchants. Usually they don't know they've been had until it is too late, and even then, none complain. Few can brag that they have been kissed by a valkyrie and lived to tell about it.