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| Thread: Heroes of Might and Magic 6 - After the Earthquake |  This thread is pages long: 1 2 3 · NEXT» |
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Snatch
Promising
Known Hero
Proud Kappa
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posted October 17, 2008 07:37 PM |
bonus applied by alcibiades on 22 Oct 2008. |
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Heroes of Might and Magic 6 - After the Earthquake
Heroes of Might and Magic 6 - After the Earthquake
Basics
Radical reduction of playable factions. Each factions will now have three themes. A neutral one, a dark one and a bright one. Some mixtures are possible others are restricted. You will have 5 possibilities per faction.
1. Only build bright creatures.
2. Mix bright and neutral creatures as you wish.
3. Only build neutral creatures.
4. Mix neutral and dark creatures as you wish.
5. Only build dark creatures.
History
Idea by me. Written by Turin, member of Drachenwald. Edited and translated by me.
1089 YSD
The war against the demons, that led to the destruction of the Griffin Empire and a new sealing of Sheogh, dates back 110 years and all old heroes are dead. Unable to share their knowledge of history with upcoming generations.
Nobody has heard of Raelag, ruler of dark elves, since his beloved Queen Isabel died 60 years ago. It is rumoured that he died trying to tame black dragons.
The Unicorn Empire, founded 980 YSD by Lady Freyda and Lord Duncan, could not reach the power of the Griffin Empire anymore and struggles with border disputes. But that are not the only problems the Empire faces. After the fall of Heresh the necromancers found a new home in the Empire heavily benefiting from Markals former intrigues.
Under the leadership of Gotai and Kujin the orcs could expand their lands from the mountains in the north to Heresh in the south. But after the death of Gotai - rumour goes that he was murdered - the rivalries between the tribes started again.
In the Silver Cities knowledge and wealth were growing. Nobody expected that a mighty archmage as Zehir could die also. He died in 1085 YSD trying to create an ultimative elemental. Since then the mages debate about a successor who could fill the great space Zehir has left behind.
Only Findan, High King of Irollan, and Wulfstan, master of the stonehalls, have stand the test of time. The elves of Irollan secluded themselves more and more over the years and nearly became myths. Findan, in sorrow of all of his kind he has seen dying far away from home, wanted to avoid the battles of mankind. Since 60 years no human dared to pass the frontier.
After Hangvuls death Wulfstan became ruler of the dwarves could acquire more and more of old dwarven areas from the dark elves. First through alliances with Raelag and after his death he profited from dark elvish clan wars.
1090 YSD
Unforeseen by the Blind Brothers a gigantic earthquake shoked Ashan plunging the known world into chaos.
The mountains of Grimheim collapsed destroying most of the dwarven halls and the caverns of Ygg-Chall. Only few dwarves could rescue themselves and only one dark elvish clan living under the woods of Irollan stayed unharmed.
The plains of Ranaar once home of the orcs rose to a mountain chain of titanic size. Volcanos catapulted ash. The world sank into twilight for weeks.
The Empire in between both underwent huge tremors which changed many courses of the rivers. Floods and droughts followed. Many citizens who survived the earthquake perished.
Heresh sank in the roaring jade ocean. Only the highest mountains can still be seen and stick up like accusing monuments.
Only in Irollan and the Silver Cities the earthquake was less devastating. Many refugees tried to get there. It is widely believed that the Silver Cities were not harmed because they were floating in the clouds through powerful magic. Rumours were heard that before the earthquake the woods of Irollan were gleaming in a strange light. Therefore many are thinking that Sylanna herself protected the elves.
1090 YSD, two weeks after the earthquake
All over Ashan the survivors try to protect their remaining goods and chattels from marauders. Anarchy is growing in the Unicorn Empire because most of the nobles are dead. Secretly the first necromancers begin to collect corpses.
The surviving dwarves which escaped the mountains are meeting in little groups holding a deathwatch for two months to honor their dead king who died in this catastrophe.
The remaining dark elves, all are survivors of a formerly banned clan, search for an exit to the upper world.
Findan sends his best scouts out on reconnaissance.
In the Silver Cities the golems begin with the repairs. Some people demand to erect a memorial in the dead's honor. The council commissions some of its member to investigate the earthquake.
The lands of the orcs in the east are fully destroyed. The losses are still counted.
1090 YSD, four months after the earthquake
The elvish scouts are back with important news:
Ygg-Chall destroyed completely. Found some surviving dark elves. They asked for asylum.
Dwarvish kingdom destroyed completely. Wulfstan dead. Searching for new home. Wandering South and West. No contact with border guards yet.
Unicorn Empire engulfed in chaos. No informations about survivors of the falcon heritage. Famines and pandemics feared. Army almost completely shattered.
Silver Cities off-hook as ever. No informations available.
The orcs are counting their dead. Reporting on burning mountains in the east. Rallying in small unions. Wandering aimless next to the Empire's border.
1091 YSD, six months after the earthquake
Findan greets the remaining dark elves in Irollan and grants them asylum. They try to integrate themselves in the elvish society as good as possible. Several conservative counselors of Findan enforce to keep the refugees under observation.
First groups of dwarves arrive at the northern marches of the Unicorn Empire. Shaken by the worst famines since 500 years the inhabitants chase them awy.
Clan feuds have started among the orcs. The future paths are under discussion.
The Silver Cities are almost fully repaired. The search for a new Principal of the Circle continues. The wizards who investigate the earthquakes send out scouts. Refugees rally at the borders but the wizards refuse them the admittance.
The remaining nobles of the Unicorn Empire have a hard task in establishing order again. The Empire's status are desolate and almost primeval.
1092 YSD, one and a half year after the earthquake
The search for Zehirs successor remains difficult. The wizards analyze the informations brought back to them by their scouts. With no further explanation they contact the surviving dwarves.
The dwarves, hunted by the humans, reached Irollan. But after seeing dark elves on Findans court they leave in anger. Contacted by the wizards they promise to help them forming expeditions into the underworld in exchange for a new home near the Silver Cities.
The dark elves adjusted very well in Irollan. The conglomeration with their sylvan cousins slowly leads to the spread of dark elvish mindset among the elves.
The citizens of the Unicorn Empire, cadaverous from almost two years of poverty, increasingly give in to the temptation of influential necromancers. Under the lead of Lord Christian, a secret descendant of falcon heritage, an antithesis is established aiming at the rebuilding of the Empire based on military strength and restricting the power of the necromancers as well as the power of the church of Elrath.
In the East the orcs are dominated by a bloody civil war. A sect calling themselves the gogs has seen the burning mountains as a sign not to oppress their demonish heritage anymore. They gain access to Sheogh and the honest tribe are brought to the verge of annihilation.
1100 YSD, ten years after the earthquake
The alliance between wizards and dwarves leaded the Silver Cities into a time of never seen before brightness. While some of the dwarves found a new home high above in the clouds most of them now live in outposts on the ground and even in underground again founded and build by the wizards for them. But the dark side of it was that the leaders of the expedetions to the underground slowly became corrupted by the ancient knowledge of Ygg-Chall they found there. Many miles away from the silver cities they exploited their positions and air themselves as new lords of the underworld. Without the control of their superiors they started dark and cruel experiments. The High Council at the same time proclaimed Temkhan who unexpectedly arised from the depths of time the new leader of the Circle. The wizards have no doubt that he will be able to lift the secret behind the earthquake.
Findan, under pressure of his counselors which condemned the increased influence of the dark elves in strongest terms, proclaimed a new edict: Just like the nature all elves consist equally of light and darkness and balance should be the aim. While Findan had peace and harmony in his mind saying that none side is superior or inferior to the other his counselors interpreted Findans desire for balance in creating a cult of light as a counterweight to the darkened woods.
King Christian - crowned 1098 YSD - had finished the unhappy history of the Unicorn Empire and proclaimed the Wolf Empire based on all the knightly virtues he himself appreciated so much. However in spite of all his effort he could not inhibit the necromancers and the church of Elrath gaining power in the borderlands. So Christian imposed rights and duties to both of them and set each feudal tenure at liberty which cult they wanted to follow. Conservative nobles mostly appointed priests and inquisitors as their counselors while desperate leaders of famine shaken lands chose necromancers instead. The Crown lands stayed neutral.
The turning point in the fight against the gogs came after mythical creatures called the sphinxes unveiled themselves to the orcish leader Azog. He searched for them and found them wounded in a crevice where once before the earthquake was a high mountain in which they were captured. With the help of the sphinxes he was able to found a city and establish outposts which could stand the gogs. The gogs were banned and expelled from this new founded orcish heartland. However in spite of Azogs watchmen the orcs were far away from forming an organized kingdom. The orcs were consisting of innumerable tribes furthermore unable to be fully controlled either by Azog or the gogs. So each tribe followed its own path once again.
Creature Matrix
Annotations:
Paladin - infantery like in HoMM 1 and HoMM 2
Zombie - voodoo-like, undead weak-willed workers
Ghoul - consumes coprses
Valkyrie - female elf on pegasus
Phoenix - symbol for everlasting cycle of nature with dying off and blossom again
Spectre - restless souls of dead dark elves
Naga - only one pair of arms, other abilities to differentiate them from rakshasas
Blacksmith - dwarven civilian
Clanless - dwarven fighter
Monster - dwarves malformed by the earthquake
Manned Lizard - manned by monsters
Warlock - human
Gargyole - spelling mistake 
To follow
Creatures, towns, heroes, magic, campaign, a secret and completely new faction,...
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Adrius
Honorable
Undefeatable Hero
Stand and fight!
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posted October 17, 2008 08:21 PM |
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An extremly cool idea actually, it'll be interesting to see how you solve the town's looks, will it change depending on which alignment you choose?
For example, a golden town bathed in light hardly suits a Necromancer
Very, very creative, I can't wait to see more.
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Jiriki9
Honorable
Undefeatable Hero
Altar Dweller
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posted October 17, 2008 08:24 PM |
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Great idea, IMO!!!!
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Asheera
Honorable
Undefeatable Hero
Elite Assassin
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posted October 17, 2008 08:27 PM |
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Nice and creative, a very interesting idea
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Snatch
Promising
Known Hero
Proud Kappa
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posted October 17, 2008 08:51 PM |
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Quote:
An extremly cool idea actually, it'll be interesting to see how you solve the town's looks, will it change depending on which alignment you choose?
Yes. It will. 
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Adrius
Honorable
Undefeatable Hero
Stand and fight!
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posted October 17, 2008 10:03 PM |
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There's really only one thing I don't like... the Orcs' demonic alignment... they're all demons!
At least add a few orcs among them, like a demonic shaman or something, otherwise it's just inferno and not really Orcs if you catch my drift...
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Snatch
Promising
Known Hero
Proud Kappa
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posted October 17, 2008 10:26 PM |
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Edited by Snatch at 22:27, 17 Oct 2008.
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Read the storyline. The Gogs and Magogs are supposed to be orcs. Gogs are no own creature as in HoMM 3 but an orcish sect instead. Maybe I should have wrote that in the annotations too.
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Adrius
Honorable
Undefeatable Hero
Stand and fight!
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posted October 17, 2008 10:27 PM |
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I did read it, but I must've forgotten... sorry...
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TheDeath
Responsible
Undefeatable Hero
with serious business
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posted October 17, 2008 10:33 PM |
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Well the idea is cool but I have to make this point:
Sprites are at light and not nature? 
Same with Green dragons (not white dragons)?
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Cepheus
Honorable
Legendary Hero
Far-flung Keeper
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posted October 17, 2008 10:37 PM |
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What is this so-called earthquake about? Did it come out of nowhere, or what?
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Snatch
Promising
Known Hero
Proud Kappa
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posted October 17, 2008 11:00 PM |
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Edited by Snatch at 23:01, 17 Oct 2008.
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@ TheDeath:
Do you have a better idea for light tier one? Maybe white/silver/golden dragon would fit more to light but light are first and foremost the traditional elves leaded by Findans conservative counselors and as this represent the sylvan faction of HoMM 5. But if you have some other ideas feel free to post them.
@ Cepheus:
That is what the campaign is about. There are no further details worked out yet.
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Daystar
Honorable
Legendary Hero
Back from the Dead
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posted October 18, 2008 01:15 AM |
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I quite liked this idea. I was at first hesitant (Demons + Orcs wtf?) but after reading the story I think it could work very well.
____________
How exactly is luck a skill?
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Jiriki9
Honorable
Undefeatable Hero
Altar Dweller
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posted October 18, 2008 02:45 PM |
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Quote:
Sprites are at light and not nature?
as far as I see it, Nature consists also of the natural beasts, and therefore, wolf as nature are classics! And Sprites (as far as I know) are more good/light than neutral...
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emilsn
Legendary Hero
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posted October 18, 2008 05:56 PM |
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Will there be upgrades? or will it just be those 3 branches?
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Don't walk behind me; I may not
lead. Don't walk in front of me;
I may not follow. Just walk
beside me and be my friend.
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Snatch
Promising
Known Hero
Proud Kappa
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posted October 18, 2008 07:15 PM |
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Is yet to be decided but upgrades are likely.
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bixie
Promising
Legendary Hero
my common sense is tingling!
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posted October 18, 2008 07:20 PM |
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I think that this is one of the most original Ideas to come out of the Altar.
ONE!!!!!!! (Your not discounting my Low fantasy Homm6 just yet!)
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Love, Laugh, Learn, Live.
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B-E-T-A
Promising
Legendary Hero
Guess Who is Back?
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posted October 18, 2008 10:24 PM |
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A very good idea, and I like the story aswell. This is after HoM&M5 and Dark Messiah I suppose?
Also I like that you "reduced the factions" but ofr me it seems like you made four three-in-one factions, so it's 12 factions  But it's a lot easier to chose between. Excellent idea 8/10 for now.
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del_diablo
Legendary Hero
Manifest
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posted October 18, 2008 11:00 PM |
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Except for 1 major lore flaw, its good to go.
12 factions seems small to me, but the mixing ability would be a win to overcome this (heck its uniqe in its aspect).
Lore flaw:
*Dark Messiah......... If the earthquak was caused by Sareth, it would not take 10 years to take controll over the world or to get the dam demon army to the christian surface.
*Arantir............ Considering time, i do not think Arantir would use 100 years to track down 1 demonworthshipper of a weak wizard. The wizard even got a relativ(brothers daughter) and i assume the brother was not surviving ages without getting and and getting a daughter.
Workaround allways possilbe, but the suggested system = GOO FOR IT!!!1!!
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Asheera
Honorable
Undefeatable Hero
Elite Assassin
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posted October 18, 2008 11:03 PM |
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I'm thinking of some Morale bonuses if you have a full line-up with either light, neutral or dark creatures. Like in Heroes 5 where you get some Morale bonuses if you have only creatures from the same faction.
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Snatch
Promising
Known Hero
Proud Kappa
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posted October 18, 2008 11:35 PM |
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@ B-E-T-A: Yes, the storyline is set after those two games.
@ del_diablo: I'm not really into the lore of HoMM 5 and Dark Messiah. So you have to explain these flows more detailed to me. Neither Sareth nor Arantir are mentioned in this concept. So I don't see the correlation yet. What exactly is missing or false?
@ Asheera: Good idea.
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