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| Thread: ICTC: Assaëroth: The Tower of Secrets | |
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shylock
Tavern Dweller
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posted February 05, 2006 10:57 PM |
bonus applied. |
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ICTC: Assaëroth: The Tower of Secrets
Hi,
Im new in this forum and I have seen this contest. I would like to try to present my concept. Im a non-english native from Quebec, french-canadian.
I've don't have enought time to make all my drawing concept, to see artwork please visite mys website soon.
www.midgard.ca/HOMM5concept
Frédéric Émel "Shylock" Carpentier
shylock@triartsfx.com
Enjoy!
Assaëroth: The Tower of Secrets / THE SECRETS KEEPER
The Invisible Council
"Everywhere and unseen, keep the secrets until death and beyond,
Guardian of the Balance.”
Couleurs associées Medium grey, black & white
Culte Cult of the Cosmic Egg, Cult of the Balance & The Twin Primary Dragons, Asha & Urgash
Bases philosophiques Absolutely neutral, keep the Balance and make its influence
Pays / royaume Council Cities of Assaëroth
Capitale Assaëroth (pronounce: Assa-ey-roth), The Tower of Secrets
Symboles fondamentaux Silver Moon & Eclipse Cycle and The Two Primary Dragons
Description
“It is written in stars that for each thing will exist it opposite...
Air for the Earth... Fire for Water... Evil for the Good... Chaos for Order... Death for Life...
It is also written that to preserve the existence of one, the other must exist…
Thus Balance must persist...”
The Guardians of the Secrets live recluse of the other kingdoms, or live in the heart even those. Their cities seem invisible. Descendants of Acients People of Assaë, the Master of the Secrets, They observe the Vault of heaven in the search of Stellar Writings and forgotten Secrets. They believe in a symbolic "First Egg", the Cosmic Egg and the Perfect Balance of the fruit of its creation. They haven’t neither allies, nor natural enemies. They are the guards of the balance between the Order and Chaos and are everywhere or they believe Balance threatened. Their powers come directly from the cosmic forces which they call Stellar Magic. On the battlefields they are frightening enemies or the incomparable allied.
History
The Mythic Age
"Asha, the Primary Dragon of the Order created the world by giving it its form and its plan. She gave birth to the Elementary Dragons which were intended to guide and govern her creation. The mortal races of Ancients were then created to serve "The Dragons Gods", and were placed on the Earth. Each one was choosing its gifts and masters... "
While the other races where choosing their gods and masters within The Elemental Dragons, Assaë and his people where staying apart, observing. Something that they were all feel, was telling them to wait …
Assaë has been the first of "Ancients” to discover one of the Stellar Secrets. He was spending its whole nights, the eyes to firmament, looking deeper through stars, seeking for an answer.
It’s at this moment that he has its vision: Two beings, one white the other black, fighting under an eclipse whose reflection on the sea was a full moon. The vision disappears. He knew that all had not been revealed to him.
Night after night, he tried to find the stars which had formed its vision. One night, his unstoppable quest has come to his end. The stars danced and formed the images of the preceding vision. The view did not stop where it was the first time. The white being, in his fierce battle, had suddenly destroyed the black, the scene was followed by an explosion of stars and then, all disappear. A white light appear after a moment and, from it, rebirth both being, reengaging their never-ending battle. Then the black one destroyed the white. The same explosions come again, then the vision taken end.
Certain of what it had just lived for one second time, he announced its vision to its people. The others did not hesitate to see in its account a prophecy, a message. He became the "Guide" of his people and taught to them the art of reading in the stars.
The secrecy of the vision of Assaë arrived at the ear of Urgash. Jealous that a mortal could know the Stellar Secrets before him, he deprived him of his sight and made in the same for its entire followers. Blinded, he left them with its demons as toys.
Assaë fled the carnage. Confused and blind, he has been taken in by the Gray Elves, Servitors of Asha. He remained with them during decades. He never tells them a word about the secrecy he kept but he didn’t cease to look at the stars. The elves, in their great wisdom, recognized in him the prophet of the blind people whose few survivors had spread the stories of destruction.
Then the total war between the Primary Twins came.
Assaë, guided by the elves, revealed to Asha the revelation of the Stellar Secrets, as its vision which he interpreted as follows:
“It is written in stars that for each thing will exist it opposite...
Air for the Earth... Fire for Water... Evil for the Good... Chaos for Order... Death for Life...
It is also written that to preserve the existence of one, the other must exist…
Thus Balance must persist...”
While the angels shouted for the destruction of Urgash, Asha considered the message of Assaë with wisdom. The Chaos Dragon vanquished, has been imprisoned in the heart of planet.
The Gray Elves, those which turned their eyes towards stars and decided to follow Assaë in the mountains, have been called Moon Elves. Withdrawing other elfic people, they became absolutely neutral regarding the other people and became the Guardians of Secrets...
Asha gave back the sight to Assaë, but the darkness forces of Urgash was too powerful, he being able only to see stars and celestial bodies. Centuries after centuries he looked skies to search for other secrets. He discovered there a number of revelations, wise councils, prophecies and curses, and a new incredible magic: the Stellar Magic.
By one night of full moon he has the ultimate vision, the Illumination. From this time, only Assaë knew the secret of Ascension. He disappeared leaving behind him only a Stellar Portal.
The Ancient Age
Forgotten, the People of Assaë decide than to keep secret of their existence, they must been unseen and unknown. They founded invisible cities and secret hideout to observe the world and to intervene when the Balance is threatened.
When the War of Ancients came, angels launched a crusade against Faceless. The destruction was terrible and the ancient races suffered terribly. The first civilizations and the elven kingdoms were destroyed. The Primary Dragons become myths and sank slowly in the lapse of memory. Only the elementary dragons remained venerated. The Guardians of the Secrets them, never forgot the twins.
28-40 - The Wars of Fire / First Eclipse
The powerful wizard Sar-Elam, known as the "Seventh Dragon" sacrificed itself to stop the Wars and to push back the demons incursions. Sar-Elam and its disciples locked up the demons to prevent their return. Guardians of the Secrets having predicted the raise of the eclipse and the disorder which would be followed from there have kept a cautious eye in order to preserve Balance.
Modern Times
478 – Discovering of the Illuminating way
Studying the Assaë’s writing, a follower discovered the way through the Illumination.
The way of this knowledge couldn’t be reach without loosing sight. He found the Order of the Blind Guardians.
564 - Second Eclipse
Eclipses total the moon. This time the Blind Brothers had predicted it and the Alliance, helped by the Dragon Knights, was prompt to react. Only one small group of Demons directed an incursion into the world. The Blind Brothers who had the vision and prevent the others was being Doppelganger send by the Guardians of the Secrets.
717 - Third Eclipse / Dragons Hunting
During a short moon eclipse, a group of Demons infiltrate the world. They seek the hidden fortresses of the Dragon Knights and begin a secret and bloody war. The exit of this conflict is unknown for now. Numbers of Invisible Cities of the Guardians of the Secrets were discovered and under siege. The damage was considerable but limited to restricted territories. The other cities reinforced their magic protections.
843 - Fourth Eclipse - The Last Flight of the Falcon
The Demons made an assault against the capital of the Falcon Empire and massacred the royal house. After having pushed back the Demons, conflicts started within the nobility which wanted to get the throne for themselves. The Duke Ivan of Griffin conquered the blood stained crown. The Empire has been renamed "Holy Griffin Empire".
During the attack of the Capital of the Falcon Empire, the troops of the Guardians of the Secrets had secretly been sent in the kingdom but an unexpected reversal kept them out of the combat.
951- Fifth Eclipse - The War of Mournful Alliance
The Demons armies are confronted with the forces of the Knights of Haven combined with two other factions. The Emperor Alexei Griffin hunts down the Demons through the entrails of the Earth, and he has been killed. Its spirit was brought back by a mysterious and legendary knight named Tieru. The Shadows sent by the Guardians, retained the forces of the Empire leaving only the emperor at the mercy of the demons. Balance returned, the Shadows retire leaving the confused and terrorized troops.
969- Sixth Eclipse - The War of the Queen Isabella
An eclipse, which wasn’t appear on calendar bring the panic on the kingdoms. Legions of Demons emergent and walk on the capital of Haven.
"It is written that the Unpredictable Eclipse will precede the return of Assaë..."
The Secrets Guardians troops
Level 1
Ebon Raven / Silver Crows
Creature dwellings: The Ebon Nest / The Silver Tree
Look: An ebon raven (during attack, becomes a flight of Ebon Ravens) / A pure white crow with something like teeth… (during attack, becomes a flight of White/Silver Crows)
Ability: Attack: flying, strike & return, Stealth, Scouting / Regenerates HP when eat corpse (dead units) & attack undead, No effects on non-living (non-fleshed) creatures (skeleton, golem, elementals, etc.)
Description: The flights of Ebon Raven / Silver Crows are the eyes and the ears of the cities. Not very resistant and low power, they gains in forces when they are in great number. The attack in flights can plunge the enemy in a state of confusion. Silver Crows recover their "hit points" by eating corpses, allied or enemy on the battle fields (take a round of normal attack), thus they close the natural cycle between the life and death.
Level 2 Moon Elves / High Moon Elves
Creature dwellings: The House of the Moon / The Tower of the Moon
Look: Grey elves / Noble silver elves
Ability: Range attack / Moon Ray (% to blind Enemy)
Description: The Moon Elves form the invisible guard of the cities. They carry hard blows to the opposing armies with their clouds of arrows. The arrows of High Moon Elves, are a such moonbeam and can blind the enemy reached.
Level 3 Doppelganger / Ethereal Doppelganger
Creature dwellings: The Black Circus / The Theatre of the Mask
Look: Asexual humanoid / Translucent asexual humanoid
Ability: Shapeshifting (level 1-3 creatures), confusion / Shapeshifting (level 1-4 (not upgraded) creatures),
Description: In time of peace Doppelgangers divert by their talents the various people of Ashan, but under their thousand-and-a faces they are perfect spies. They can seize the shape and the powers (skills) of the creatures of equal or lower level to fight or interact on a battlefield. Ethereal Doppelgangers are a advance form of common Doppelgangers, but those can also take the form of creatures of one higher level without improvement.
Level 4 Shadow / Shadow Mistress
Creature dwellings: The Alley of Whisper / The Silent Pass
Look: A female form of a Shadow / A mistress
Ability: Blur (self + can blur allies when they are in front of it), Weakness (touched enemy), Shadow pass, Cold touch / Mana Drain
Description : From day or night, the Shadows still dance. Passing by shade to shade, they are the fastest troops of the city, this capacity cancels any restriction of movement. Although weak in melee, their touch is cold and weakens the touched creature. The Mistresses of Shadows, drain magic energy from their enemies what enables them to prolong the use of their powers.
Level 5 Moon Guardian / Eclipse Beast
Creature dwellings: The Altar of the Moon / The Ruined Altar of the Eclipse
Look: A huge six legs white feline with deep black eyes / A huge six legs black feline with glowing white eyes
Ability: Haste, Cat Reflexes (allies), Automatic retaliate / Eclipse attack (blind, multiple strikes, …)
Description: Nobody knows where they come from, but its seem that they appear during the first eclipse. They are the protector of the cities.
Level 6 Astrologer / Oracle
Creature dwellings: The Observatory / The Tower of Oracle
Look: An Astrologer (Human kind or Elf) black short hair / An Oracle (Human kind or Elf) white long hair
Ability: Range attack (small explosive) / + Spell caster Stellar Magic, Slow time (made your allies attack twice time one round effect).
Description: They are the scientist of the tower using their knowledge to predict the future.
Level 7 Blind Gardian / Secrets Keeper
Creature dwellings: The Temple of Illumination / The Stellar Portal
Look: Illuminated Ones (Half-Human/Elf) “monk” (characteristic: blind) / God Servant
Ability: Spell caster Stellar Magic / Powerful spell caster, Black Hole
Description: When they reach the level of the Illumination, the Blind Guardians rise and become Secrets Keepers. They protect their people with powerful magic.
Heroes’ classes & races exemples:
Doppelganger bard
Crazy-Astrologer
Spy
Buildings & Creature dwellings example:
Buildings:
House of Initiated
/ Manor of Whisperings
/ Mystic Citadel
/ Tower of Secrets
City special Upgrade:
Secret city (Invisible city)
Stellar Magic spell example:
Eclipse vision Blind
Moon ray Heal
Solar ray Death ray
Stellar wind +Moral ?
Stellar rain ...
Étoile filante ...
Meteor rain Cause damage
Black hole Destroy, affect all enemy
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shylock
Tavern Dweller
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posted February 05, 2006 11:51 PM |
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Drawing concept haven't followed
How could I insert an image with BBcode?
Sorry for my ignorance...
thanks!
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Kongo_Team
Tavern Dweller
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posted February 06, 2006 12:11 AM |
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Here are bbcode for this forum: [url]http://heroescommunity.com/faq.php3#bbcode[/url]
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shylock
Tavern Dweller
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posted February 06, 2006 03:44 AM |
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Thanks!
I'll try to make something, otherwise I'll put it on my website.
Thanks!!
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Valeriy
Mage of the Land
Naughty, Naughty Valeriy
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posted February 06, 2006 05:10 AM |
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shylock
Tavern Dweller
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posted February 06, 2006 05:15 AM |
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no more thing...
I will keep my design and dont publish it.
I've just dont understand how to insert images before with BBcode...
Thanks
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TitaniumAlloy
Honorable
Legendary Hero
Professional
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posted February 06, 2006 09:48 AM |
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(img)url for the image here(/url)
except instead of () use []
Click quote for my post to see what i'm talking about with this image if you still don't get it.
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John says to live above hell.
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neko
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posted February 06, 2006 05:01 PM |
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Edited by neko on 9 Feb 2006
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rating outlawed,
see below for re-rate.
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http://heroescommunity.com/viewthread.php3?TID=16986
Hylozium
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Gnoll_Mage
Responsible
Supreme Hero
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posted February 06, 2006 11:09 PM |
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kookastar
Honorable
Legendary Hero
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posted February 07, 2006 11:40 AM |
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Race 6
History 7
Creatures 6
Balance 6
Originality 7
32/50
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BoogieMan
Famous Hero
The John of Spades
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posted February 08, 2006 06:14 PM |
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Race: 10
Flawless. teh first 10 I grant. Excellent concept, solid philosophy and background, totally fitting the Heroes 5 Universe, the countryless and invisible towns idea works fine given that it's a magic town by excellence, any possible plot Heroes 5 might have can easily envolve them, as it is bound to cause unbalance. They are totally different in motivation to the Academy so they don't step on each-other's toes. I honestly cannot find anything to object against.
History: 9
Excellent. It becomes slightly confusing when someone creates the Blind Guardians and you have 2 Blind Orders, otherwise a second ten would have been in order.
Creatures:7
The creature choice is good. Too bad about the unexplained or expeditive origins of the Crows, Shadows, Doppelgangers and Eclipse Beast, in the context of the faction. At least for the first 3, I would have been perfectly satisfied by an explanation like: they were summoned or created by the Blind Guardians using powerful Stellar Magic. Another aspect: the level 6 and 7 units are too similar (aren't Blind Guardians Astrologers that have become illuminated? - don't answer that, comments over ratings are not allowed  )
Balance: 4
Probably in an attempt to compensate for the fact that your highest ranked melee unit is only at level 5, I'm afraid that you've GREATLY overpowered your race. The doppelganger's ability to turn into a higher level, the High Moon Elves and the Eclipse Beast's chance to blind coupled with the latter's unlimited retaliation and double strike, the Blind Guardians Black Hole and most of all the ENOURMOUSLY powerful Slow Time spell of your Oracles make this faction uber-strong.
Originality: 9
Just a little uninspired with the creatures, but overall, it's very original in my eyes.
PENALTY: -1 for not including Hero unique skill and abilities
TOTAL: 38
Great work, such a pity about that balance ...
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The BoogieMan wrote ... and saw that it was good.
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fortress_fan
Disgraceful
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posted February 08, 2006 06:30 PM |
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Race: 5 (Avarage)
History: 9 (Very good)
Creatures: 3 (Rather bad)
Balance: 3(Rather bad)
Originality: 5 (Avarage)
Total: 25 (Avarage)
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neko
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posted February 09, 2006 09:39 PM |
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Stuff to do with gaming: 35
-Creature lineup 10/10
-Mechanics 5/25
a very fresh creature lineup. impressive. (10)
mechanics are very lacking. espacially in terms of your balancing.
-Lv 1 has way too many abilities, that all seem advantageous (-1)
-Lv 2 blinding arrows are imbalanced (-1)
-Lv 3 is seriously overpowered. (-2)
-Lv 4 is very confusing, i dont know what you are getting at (0)
-Lv 5 is very well made (+3)
-Lv 6 imbalanced (-1)
-Lv 7 i dont know what u trying to do (0)
-Unexplained structures, heros (-4)
mechanics are very important to me, how versatile your town can be played, espacially with the hero skills, it will also be included in mechanics. i LOVE to see stats, as i will be able to do calculations that will pretty much show me how much dmg a troop can deal, etc.
Stuff to do with history/story etc: 25
-History 7/10
-How your creatures are being gathered into the town 5/10
-other additional stuff 5/5
dont really know how a town so big but invisible can be unknown for so long (-1)
well planned out history. (8)
creatures just coexist in some place, not a very strong idea. (5)
good, on side of storyline (5)
history and stuff, the usual. im an avid reader, so here my rating would be pretty strict.
Appeal: 15
-Appeal to female players 5/5
-General appeal 5/5
-Personal bias 5/5
feminine appeal due to asexual creatures and a female creature, which i hope isnt scantily dressed.(5)
generally highly appealing (5)
personally i do think your town is very appealing (5)
im aware of homm5 going to be a sink or swim game, hence appeal plays a big part in my rating too. ive noticed not many female players play homm, due to not liking many towns, i would like the town to attract more female players too; both for the players and the money to save HoMM.
Originality: 16/20
-Based on how much cliche there is in storyline, how well your idea is portrayed, creature is new, abilities are new and basically about new stuff.
very original town, besides on the side of mechanics which pulls down since your town is basically based on the old idea of directly using a team to maul opponents physically. (16)
it pays alot to be original.
Others: 5/5
-This includes other stuff i want to say 5
really love the idea behind it, but the gameplay is too much lacking seriously. i suggest u do complete this and participate in the Nival official contest.
TOTAL: 68% (34/50)
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http://heroescommunity.com/viewthread.php3?TID=16986
Hylozium
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FriendOfGunnar
Honorable
Legendary Hero
able to speed up time
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posted February 15, 2006 10:06 PM |
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Allright I’m back with 3 hours and 9 factions left
Assaeroth
Race(3 + 3)=6 there’s already enough humans and elves
History(2+5 )=7 I’m sorry it was nicely poetic but it didn’t move me
Creatures(3 +4 )=7 I’ve seen most of these before in different forms
Balance( 3+ 4)=7
Originality=6
This is a competently rendered faction but I couldn’t find anything that would make me want to play it.
(where’s your flag?! I looked for it but couldn’t find it. Minus one)
Total Score=32
How I graded these:
Race (Originality [1-5]+Compatibility with HOMM5 universe[1-5])
History (How interesting is it to me [1-5] +Compatibility with HOMM5 universe [1-5])
Creatures (Originality [1-5] +Internal Consistency [1-5])
Balance (are the special skills inventive [1-5] + Does it have a variety of flyers, shooters, walkers, spell-casters [1-5]
Originality (all the originality scores added up and divided by two. This means that creativity counts twice. [1-10])
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Valeriy
Mage of the Land
Naughty, Naughty Valeriy
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posted February 23, 2006 06:10 AM |
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Race: 7
Very interesting concept. Lifestyle of the members of the race is not explained. Too general of an overview.
History: 6
The history doesn't involve your faction enough.
Creatures: 7
Some really interesting creatures.
Too many spellcasters, lack of melee fighters/ flyers.
Balance: 6
Too many spellcasters, lack of melee fighters/ flyers.
Abundance of special abilities needs balancing.
Originality: 8
Very original concept. Some really interesting special abilities.
Could do with better integration into HOMM5.
Judge Rating: 34
Good start, needs more work as per suggestions above.
Gnoll_Mage: 34
kookastar: 32
BoogieMan: 38
fortress_fan: 25
neko: 34
FriendOfGunnar: 32
Visitor Rating Average: 33
FINAL AOH ICTC RATING: 67
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You can wait for others to do it, but if they don't know how, you'll wait forever.
Be an example of what you want to see on HC and in the world.
http://www.heroesofmightandmagic.com
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