Posted by Someone on November 02, 1999 at 18:11:12:

You say 'I am somewhat disappointed at how I've been fairing in battle.'

Ktytha reaches behind her into the fur tube on her back and takes a small drow child out of it. She lifts one side of her tunic and brings the child to feed.
Ktytha nods.
Ktytha says 'how so?'
Ktytha says 'You did master black channel, yes?'
Ktytha sits down and rests.

You say 'I only gained it recently.'

Ktytha says 'There is a reason why the divine sect never fails to make a sanctuary into a shroud,'
Ktytha says 'and it is for the same reason that they do the best they can with black channel...'

You say 'I learn so slow it disgusts me.'

Ktytha says 'Not this you won't.'
Ktytha tells you 'You see, this skill takes place at a critical time during casting, when you access the benefit of the gods of Empire'

Ktytha calms herself, and then picks her child back up out of her own sheath. Calming the babe with a teat, she rests.
Ktytha says 'I could have slain the thing by myself, and was going to.'
Ktytha chuckles politely.

You nod.

Ktytha says 'didn't even touch me.'

Ktytha gently rubs the babe's soft hair as she feeds, but the child doesn't seem too distressed from the fighting...

You say 'I see you have had your child.'

Ktytha says 'Drow children know this life from an early age.'
Ktytha nods.
Ktytha says 'That I did.'
Ktytha says 'So far, so good.'

You say 'When?'

Ktytha says 'eh, hm'
Ktytha says 'five years ago... which isn't much to one of my kin'
Ktytha says 'she isn't a newborn but she is still very much a baby. I have named her Zheria.'

You nod.
You say 'Zheria.. '

Ktytha nods.

You nod.

Ktytha smiles happily.

Ktytha trails her smile off sadly.
Ktytha says 'hopefully she will do better than my sister, her namesake did.'

You raise an eyebrow at the notion.

Ktytha says 'She was slain when she was little more than a child by a wild elf ambush.'
Ktytha says 'This is my way of trying to give my sister another chance, of sorts.'

You say 'I see..'
You nod.

Ktytha says 'My people are of a clave, which is a nomadic village of drow.'
Ktytha says 'We serve as the eyes and ears of the great cities, and in return are given a fair amount of freedom from the Empress.'
Ktytha says 'but we also have a lot more dangers put upon us, as the elven peoples know we are some of the few good targets they can get to.'

You nod.

Ktytha says 'We of the claves tend to be more self-reliant than most... I find this Empire is little bigger than my clave was, on a citizen level. It has a much larger underclass.'
Ktytha says 'not a lot to say, really...'
Ktytha says 'other than my people *will* defeat the elves eventually. They cannot storm the underdark but we certainly can storm them.'
Ktytha says 'and when they do, the claves will lead the way'

You say 'Indeed.'

Ktytha says 'I chose this path in life because I would be able to get many things done'
Ktytha says 'I may lack in my direct ability to kill but as you can see I am not completely hopeless either'

You say 'Fortunately, I was born into the relative safety of the Mountain.. though set out when I had consumed what was useful to me.'

Ktytha says 'I have, although not willingly, withstood several rounds of punishment from ragers.'
Ktytha chuckles politely.
Ktytha says 'yes, yes, I've heard that story before...'
Ktytha says 'Most who know me give me the dubious honor of "being a unique type of citizen"'
Ktytha says 'I suppose what they mean is that I am more community-minded than some.'
Ktytha shrugs helplessly.
Ktytha says 'I don't know what to say. Sugar is sweeter than vinegar, what I do to others *will* come back to around to me, like it or not, and honesty pays dividends.'
Ktytha says 'It may serve a person well elsewhere, I would think so, but it serves especially well here.'
Ktytha says 'Which remindme, I should go back to Lord Nepenthe's shrine soon. I have been so busy lately...'
Ktytha sighs.
Ktytha says 'I specialize in bloodoaths, and when I have the time I can pull in millions of gold in donations without much trouble.'

You nod.

Ktytha says 'I figure most others can kill effectively so I try to cover the slack in other areas.'
Ktytha says 'thus far no-one has challenged me on that. and WHEN SANELY possible I will try to bail others out'
Ktytha says 'I didn't manage last time but I have done so before and will do so again'
Ktytha says 'I don't want to spend all my time getting gear for others... but some things are in order I suppose'
Ktytha says 'as you need something to work with'

Minra has arrived.
Minra curtseys gracefully.
Minra looks at Ktytha.

You nod.

Ktytha says 'now Nellikai you spoke of how your fighting hasnot gone as planned...'
Ktytha nods at Minra.
Ktytha says 'my best advice, first of all, is use axes'

You say 'Indeed, it hasn't.'

Ktytha says 'also, Nellikai, there are some targets you're good at killing and some you're not.'
Ktytha says 'you have had problems with assassins and thieves, as I expected you would...'
Ktytha says 'the only hting you can do to try to deal with it is use axes. Neither class can parry them, so if forced to fight you they will take damage and fast'

You say 'And warriors.'

Ktytha says 'Warriors... you should be able to handle...'
Ktytha says 'although that is a complicated issue'

You say 'That is why it displeases me.'

Ktytha says 'It is true that shamans do well at all ranks but their power grows at the higher one, because they can keep their communes active always'
Ktytha says 'I recognize your lack of flight as a problem - there is no easy way to deal with it.'
Ktytha says 'I don't see shamans as lone killer anyhow though.'
Ktytha says 'As I have mentioned before, shamans get hit a lot, but not very hard. Minimize the strikes with your supplications and mastery of weapons, parry, and shield block.'
Ktytha says 'and master black channel!'
Ktytha tells you 'to do this...'

Ktytha sits down and thinks deeply.
Ktytha says 'Shamans aren't asgood as necromancers or assassins at getting a foe's weapon out of their hands'

You tell Ktytha 'Indeed.. Unfortunately, my parry and shield block grow slower and slower..'

Ktytha says 'due to this I don't usually see trying to poison and such a foe as a viable thing to do, if alone. blind is is different, do that'
Ktytha says 'Being properly prepared with communes, you should blind, and them do damage as soon as you can'
Ktytha says 'fatigue is not bad, demonfire will be better.'
Ktytha says 'although I hear fatigue does grave harm to cloud giants and fire giants...'

You say 'I know this.. my only problem is with them keeping me from communing at all.'

Ktytha says 'I do not know if the harm spell itself is worthy.'
Ktytha says 'This is where the flight problem exists.'
Ktytha says 'You will have protective shield at least, gaining ranks will help you keep it on longer'
Ktytha says 'assassins should generally have a hard time throwing you but they will get maybe half of them off at least so beware'
Ktytha says 'if you can get a transmuter to help you, your problems are over though'
Ktytha says 'as fly and enlarge will be available, unless an assassin is enlarged themselves they can't throw you then'
Ktytha says 'Other than that, don't rely on your physical weapon.'
Ktytha says 'When selecting gear look for what improves endurance in combat.'
Ktytha says 'this is especially salient for you since you reduce each blow so much'
Ktytha says 'you're not a healer so cure critical is generally not a viable combat tactic, you're better off hurting them...'
Ktytha says 'but all of this being said I just don't think shamans were meant to fight alone. Even if you were an arial and flying, you still wouldn't be'
Ktytha says 'now...'
Ktytha says 'Just as the Arcane sect is somewhat tilted to being anti-warder, the divine sect is clearly designed to kill the village'
Ktytha says 'if you make it far enough, and you should, your rot commune will be the death of many of them'
Ktytha says 'you don't even have to fight them: just rot them, get away, and see what happens'
Ktytha says 'against most others, wither is a potent attack'

You say 'Wither's ability to weaken someone to the point of fighting barehanded will be useful against many..'

Ktytha says 'not all warriors take hand to hand'

Minra says 'Unless it is a warrior.'
Minra says 'that has taken hand to hand.'

You say 'That goes without saying, Minra.'

Ktytha says 'rarer than you think and even then it's a power loss for them'

You nod.

Ktytha says 'hand to hand specialists can stun you but that's about it, if they try anything else they're going to get it'
Ktytha says 'Against assassins you just have to rely on the fact that strangle doesn't usually work'
Ktytha says 'If you want to not be assassinated keep moving'
Ktytha says 'and go to places where they can't hide'
Ktytha says 'Thieves should not be the biggest danger since they can't really backstab you for too much damage...'
Ktytha says 'most of the time'
Ktytha says 'cheap shot is a problem but like I said, just don't walk alone'
Ktytha says 'you may want to start bringing mercenaries with you when you walk, if you get a strong enough one they'll do some damage to a thief'

Minra grins evilly.

Ktytha says 'the end result is always going to come back to the fact that you must walk with allies.'
Ktytha says 'We are the Empire, that's what we do, although I say anyone has to if they want to live long'

You tell Ktytha 'As you stated some time ago.. competence is a rare trait these days.. I often feel compelled to walk alone merely to avoid being associated with fools.. and it is then that I am normally attacked.'

Ktytha tells you 'It does not take much competence foe foes to simply follow you and hit people'
Ktytha tells you 'Simply be the leader, and then ensure they follow very basic orders.'
Ktytha tells you 'thieves especially are loath to mess witha group'
Ktytha tells you 'meant competence for others to simply...'
Ktytha tells you 'just remember, we oath people fairly indiscriminately. The competent rise up, the incompetent become anathema. Either way we are better off.'
Ktytha sighs.

Minra whispers 'I don't know...'

You raise an eyebrow at the notion.
You say 'You don't know what?'

Ktytha tells you 'much of anything, she's both dense and annoying to a level not of normal mortal abilities'

You tell Ktytha 'Indeed.'

Ktytha tells you 'I am amazed she hasn't become anathema yet, but she is at least wise enough to keep on the move and pretend to get things done.'
Ktytha tells you 'There was a point when I cared for her rather intimately but she barrages me EVERY SINGLE TIME SHE IS AROUND with endless requests to "see me" ... aargh! I can't be polite to cause her to desist,'

Minra looks at Ktytha.

Ktytha tells you 'and if I offend her it likely would not be beneficial'
Ktytha tells you 'so I am suffering itl.'

You tell Ktytha 'Perhaps she is attracted to you..'

Ktytha says 'and you know I really, really wish I could effectively kill those damnable ragers...'
Ktytha says 'but unless they lose their head I can't really even try'
Ktytha tells you 'perhaps? no, she is. But she is both love starved and weak willed in light of it.'
Ktytha tells you 'I have "been intimate" with her before, while I am not mostly attracted to females if it should happen I act on it. What aggravates me is that she doesn't even know what she does.'

You tell Ktytha 'Oh?'

Ktytha tells you '*sigh*'

A series of strange omens, each more bizarre than the last has restored you.

Ktytha frowns.
Ktytha says 'Thera lately has been getting stranger.'

Follow Ups:

• Just thought to thank you for sharing, Nellikai. (nt) Some Master 18:41:01 11/02/99 (0)

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