October 2019 Review

Happy Halloween! That backlog is getting cleared up a bit now but again at the expense of everything else, as usual! Trying something new this month - "small jobs". I'm hoping its a mental thing that I can't get advance in a few of these so I'm simplifying the list. I'm also adding new trackers for Soft Drinks and Sweets to help with the weight goal since that seems to be my current "dragon" that I want to beat.

    End 2019 with less weight (-4 kg from last month, running total: +2 kg)
    +Drink Less Soft drinks (current consumption: LOTS)
    +Eat Less Sweets (current consumption: LOTS)
    Complete web comic chapter 1 (simplified)
    +Make 1 web comic page
    Make board game (simplified)
    +Make new board game idea (previous idea didn't work)
    Clean the roof (cancelled due to budget + water restrictions)

BACKLOG
Enderal [free on Steam]
Borderlands 2 [gift]
Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice [gift] (done)
LEGO Batman [free from Epic Games] (keeps crashing)
LEGO Batman 2: DC Super Heroes [free from Epic Games] (done)
LEGO Batman 3: Beyond Gotham [free from Epic Games] (done)
Try Shroud of the Avatar [free on Steam]
Try No More Room in Hell? [free on Steam] (no interest from my group)
Everything [free from Epic Games] (done)
+Minit [free from Epic Games] (done)
+Surviving Mars [free from Epic Games] (had enough)
+Destiny 2 [free on steam] (huge download size is an absolute turn off)
+Alan Wake: American Nightmare [free from Epic Games]
+Observer [free from Epic Games]
+QUBE2 [free from Epic Games]
+Layers of Fear [free from Epic Games]

Board games:
Zombicide: Black Plague Campaign (10/11)
London Dread Campaign (1/4)
Waterdeep: Dungeon of the Mad Mage (0/13)
+Firefly Adventures: Brigands and Browncoats (2/4)

BLOG STATS

One Year Ago
I played through Shadowrun Chronicles and drew some Neverwinter artwork!

Five Years Ago
I played through Tropico 3 and Dragon Age Origins.

Most Viewed Posts last Month
Do you support Dictatorship?
Blizzard Cancellations
Dark Souls II: Size Compensator

Skipping over the top two since they are the same as usual. Instead I've listed the next three and it's not surprising that the political ones are coming up... followed by "Size Compensator". LOL.

Top Search Terms last Month
part of anomen
scp secret laboratory
neverwinter fiery pit too difficult to solo   

While SCP matches up with Halloween/Scary games and Neverwinter Fiery Pit can be difficult solo, especially if you unconsiously run into elite mobs (or try solo the HEs), I am very surprised that the cowardly paladin Anomen gets the top search! In case that was you, here's a compendium of his time/mentions in my play throughs (start from the bottom). :)

Shadowrun: Whole

[Part of the Shadowrun Chronicles.]

The headcases become significantly less organized after dealing with Jane, giving some breathing room at Smedley's Square. Despite the continued lock down spirits are high, for Carol particularly as she has earned enough money to get out of Smedley's debt.

For an exorbitant fee, she undergoes surgery again - removing her robotic limbs to be replaced by a vat grown variety. As a bonus, the donor was even of the same skin color so only the keenest of eyes could tell they weren't originally her own.

Almost good as new.

Also, less cybernetics means better magic abilities!

During recovery Carol is visited by her few friends and allies, including Smedley who congratulates her and lets her recover in peace.

"When you're ready to work again, you know where to find me."

Carol hoped that would be awhile yet, as she still had funds left over to enjoy some simple luxuries.

A victory requires a celebration after all!

Shadowrun: Left for Dead

[Part of the Shadowrun Chronicles.]

When they find her, Jane is in the center of a large circular room connected to all sorts of wires and is now totally possessed by the virus. The squad makes quick work of her generators, taking cover from her radial fire virus wall attacks as they advance.

This only makes Jane angry, as she summons large waves of hounds, headcases and turrets  to protect her. Barbel is eventually brought down by a pack of dogs, Maxine severely wounded by gunfire and Batshit takes a full hit of the virus wall attack when he is caught in the open, effectively disintegrating him.

Jane is being worn down though, and at an opportune moment - Carol pulls out Smedley's Vindicator chain gun and empties it at her frenemy. Jane is torn from the wires and collapses in a heap. There are too many headcases still around so Carol grabs Maxine and the two get out of there, leaving Jane for dead.

Defeated, but possibly still alive.

Shadowrun: What Doesn't Kill You

[Part of the Shadowrun Chronicles.]

With the virus release imminent Sarah is quick to pull the plug on the mainframe. Jane responds by making it explode somehow, killing the police officer and most of Carol's team. She herself is knocked her out and awakens to find herself about to be experimented on by Aztech scientists at a strange lab.

Another common occurrence it seems.

Carol manages to free herself and kill the lab rats, but then finds herself in a large room surrounded by powerful headcases while Jane mocks her over the speaker system. Fortunately a team composed of Lanfey, Bardo and Payday arrive just in time to rescue her. Smedley clearly cares about his investment!

As thanks, Carol volunteers to lead the attack against Jane who is easily tracked as she is creating a massive power spike for some nefarious purpose. She loads up on weaponry and assembles the kill squad of Barbel, Maxine and Batshit - the only other survivor from the control room explosion who is equally keen for some pay back.

Shadowrun: New Age Spam

[Part of the Shadowrun Chronicles.]

There's no time to worry about Jane's new behavior as the team finds Smedley's Square under direct assault by Aztech forces, now desperate since their bombing attempt failed. Carol joins up with Batshit, Blood Countess and Darwin, a dwarf hammerite, to stop them.

Manastorm is very effective!

Between Blood Countess' turrets and Batshit's new AoE spell they aren't much of a challenge. As soon as they are defeated Smedley sends them on the offensive, along with Sarah and four militia guys to attack the main Aztech broadcasting tower (the only one left working) and broadcast Allison's recorded report which contains the truth about Aztechnology and the virus beyond the quarantine zone.

The militia guys don't make it past the parking lot, getting slain by eagle shamans, blood spirits, and one to a guard dog but the rest penetrate the facility just fine - with Darwin actually surviving toe to toe against blood spirits with his hammer. Upon reaching the control room, Jane radios in to reveal she has other ideas.

They are going to broadcast the virus instead.

Shadowrun: Weaponized Malware

[Part of the Shadowrun Chronicles.]

Nicki Law must have spilled the beans because not long after the last outing, Aztechnology sends in sappers to Smedley's Square. Without time to get her usual squad she joins Ratdoktor and male counterparts Bardo, an orc chain gunner, and Batshit, a tattooed mage to cleanse the tunnels of Aztech fanatics who are *guarding timed explosives*.

One of the zealot sun priests manages to kill Ratdoktor with an eviscerating spell, but the team manages to defuse all the bombs in time. Jane then has a breakthrough in regards to the virus: it's part dragon blood/part nano tech - one heck of a way to weaponize a dragon.

Apparently that's a common thing.

The best place to find more info is at the research lab tied to the data Jane found, so she takes Carol, Bardo, Blood Countess and Maxine (another autogunner) to the location and the team gets past the heavy security, including more mechs, to let Jane hook up directly to their mainframe. While all of Aztechs dirty secrets are now revealed, Jane seems to start acting funny...

Shadowrun: Carol's Company

[Part of the Shadowrun Chronicles.]

Aztechnology Corp really has roots in this mysterious plague, trying to erase data, bribe Knight Errants to cover up a crime scene, and subsequently try to just wipe out all the Knight Errant cops. All of this fails thanks to Carol and company. Smedley is most impressed.

After escorting the reporter to take pictures of the stadium and office tower (sites the dragon attacked from way back when), and keeping her safe from the influx of new headcases, Carol's team is sent to an Aztech serverfarm to hack up more data.

At least Allison isn't totally useless.

This one is guarded by NeoNet drones and battlemechs! While they complete the objective, Nicki Law is tazered down during the escape run to the elevator and is captured by the enemy.

Shadowrun: No Appointment

[Part of the Shadowrun Chronicles.]

With the square secure, Sarah reveals Luna spilled the beans about the Dragonslayer gang working as muscle for the Aztechnology corporation. Carol, Halon, Zue Zue, Thunderb0lz and Ratdoktor are sent to pay her company contact a visit at their office which is heavily guarded by sun mages and tough jaguar adepts who can survive point blank shotgun blasts to the face.

As they fight their way up, Zue Zue is gunned down for being too forward and getting flanked. Similarly, Thunderb0lz is "jaguared" when she is too far back and is caught by an elevator lobby ambush.

Jaguar Adept table top version.

When the team arrives at the target's office, they are too late as he is executed just as they enter. The assassin jumps out the window and leaves a powerful blood spirit to cover his escape. The monster evades the initial salvo then forces itself into Halon's mouth, effectively drowning her.

While it is doing this, Ratdoktor unloads her shotgun into Halon, killing both her teammate and the spirit. She and Carol then grab what data files they can and flee the scene.

Shadowrun: Property Defense

[Part of the Shadowrun Chronicles.]

Carol awakens back at Smedley's Square, having been saved by her team. Mostly. Her arms and legs have now been replaced by robotic ones as apparently her original limbs were too damaged to save so Smedley had them hacked off.

Graphite was the only color available.

She is understandably upset, but now most of her is technically Smedley's property (which he can turn off remotely), she has no choice but to comply with any and all of his tasks. He wanted to get money back on his investment after all.

Eventually cleared to return to the field, her first task is to help defend the tunnels beneath the square against a massive invasion of headcases. Her old team mates Sarah, Halon, Ratdoktor, and Thunderb0lz are among the other defenders against the tide.

Among the headcases are suicide bombers which become key in stopping their allies. Victorious underground they head up to the street level to assist in covering Blood Countess in setting up defense turrets and Zue Zue in establishing a magic barrier but these are easy compared to the initial assault. The headcases eventually fall back.

Shadowrun: No Escape

[Part of the Shadowrun Chronicles.]

Sarah learns a few things from Luna, the first in regards to a bunch of live captives the Dragonslayers have been collecting for experimentation. Carol, now trained in automatic weaponry thanks to Halon, is tasked in rescuing them.

She brings Hakon, Thunderb0lz and elf mage Zue Zue in their stolen ambulance to the secret location and finds a very tough fight awaiting them with mostly heavy weapon Dragonslayers on patrol. Even the new rocket shooting drone of Thunderb0lz has trouble taking them down.

They only manage to rescue one test subject who hadn't yet been turned into a headcase. On the way out the squad runs into infected Dragonslayers who obviously are more hard core than the regular variety. The team almost makes it back to the ambulance when Carol suddenly finds herself mere feet away from a brute wielding a heavy machine gun.

Blinding pain accompanied by the deafening roar of gun fire fills her before everything goes black.

If the main character goes down, a time limit to win appears.

Shadowrun: Ninja Magic

[Part of the Shadowrun Chronicles.]

During Carol's recovery back at base, Sarah's investigation led to her arrest by the forces of Knight Errant (police) and is now in need of rescue. After getting fake ID's from Jane, Carol assembled her team of Halon, Thunderb0lz and Hangover the dwarf ninja who is really good with her katana.

Using some tunnels to get to the precinct leads into a small skirmish against headcases but nothing the team can't handle. Breaking Sarah out of the prison is even easier, though the Knight Errant forces up their game during the pursuit through the warehouse district.

You can tell they're up to no good.

After a trying combat, the team is able to escape and a battered Sarah is able to give them the current location of Luna the dragonslayer boss. Carol leads her team to the rooftops where they clash against Luna and her gang in earnest. Hangover manages to win her duel against a chainsaw brute only to have the teleporting Luna blast her off to her death.

This puts the fat magician in a bad position though, and the remaining squaddies incapacitate her for questioning.

Shadowrun: Blood Harvest

[Part of the Shadowrun Chronicles.]

After upgrading her pistol, Carol is tasked next for a major offensive against the Dragonslayers and is teamed up with her old allies Al'sia the elf mage, Thunderb0lz and her new drones, and trusty shotgunner Ratdoktor. Bloodcountess the elf hacker as well as autogunners Maevas Bahome and Halon the orc also go with them.

With the enemy are now sporting heavy machineguns, chainsaws, flamethrowers, grenades and heavy armor the numbers are warranted. The fighting begins at a warehouse district, where Al'sia is caught by surprise and chainsawed in half. Advancing to the docks, Maevas is cut down by flanking machine gun fire.

Cover: It's very important.

They finally reach the morgue where they find the Dragonslayers harvesting organs from slain headcases. Their toughest guys are in there, and everyone left save Thunderb0lz is near death by the time they clean the place out to let Sarah McCarthy investigate.

Shadowrun: Boston Lockdown

[Part of the Shadowrun Chronicles.]

The interior of the stadium is a wreck, with some parts still aflame from the dragon attack. Worse, there are crazies in there who seem to be zombified into a kind of hive mind. They are initially poorly armed and pose little threat but the ones further in have firearms and one puts a slug right between Anjelica's eyes, killing her instantly.

One member down, the team still manages to steal the items Smedley is after and reach top side - only to find the whole area now swarming with these zombie headcases. Police officer Sarah McCarthy joins the party for their escape, and her stun grenades are pretty handy.

AoE attacks are great!

Carol leads the team back to the ambulance and on the way Thunderb0lz's drone gets smashed and Ahnah is dragged away by a pack of bharghests (wolf like critters) to be eaten. The rest manage to make a quick getaway and return to Smedley's Square, and learn that due to the headcase outbreak all of Boston is now under quarantine lockdown.

Shadowrun: Redirection

[Part of the Shadowrun Chronicles.]

After learning some hacking skills from Jane, Carol is next sent with the troll shaman Anjelica to plant some evidence at a corporate office. The robot guards prove resilient to Anjelica's magic, but less so to her summoned spirit bears.

The task really goes sideways when a random dragon decides to attack the city, causing the building alarms to go off and forcing the pair into an early escape. Smedley redirects them to a garage where they meet team mates Thunderb0lz, a silver haired drone operator, and Ahnah TwoCrows, an elf with an uzi, to steal an ambulance.

Getting the gang together.

With four people this easy job turns out to be just a warm up for the true heist. Disguised as EMTs , the squad heads through the panicked city to a stadium the dragon had attacked. Casualties and police are abundant, but apart from a cursory "don't go in there, it's still dangerous" no one stops them from entering the taped off building.

Shadowrun: The One that got Away

[Part of the Shadowrun Chronicles.]

Accepting Carol's request, Smedley teams her up with the hacker, Jane and Al'sia, an elfin mage, to raid Dragonslayer controlled docks to find their leader, Luna. While Al'sia's magic is devastating to the guards, it has little effect on the automated turrets. Fortunately Jane takes care of all of those and hacks a computer that indicates Luna's location nearby.

Carol and Al'sia hoof it to the designated apartment building and after Al'sia bribes the janitor with some beer, the pair gain access to the power system - shutting off the lights and the automated defenses.

Jane is quick to comment.

They find Luna, a fat lady dressed as a clown, in conversation with her mage underling. Luna quickly teleports away while the underling uses mirror images to battle the pair of intruders. His tricks don't fool Carol though, and she carves him up with a machete. A minor victory but the big fish got away.

Shadowrun: Gainful Employment

[Part of the Shadowrun Chronicles.]

After the massacre at Glenchester, Carol Black had enough fuel and supplies from the marauders to leave the wasteland and reach Boston - a still standing hub of civilization and technology. It took some getting used to, especially with all the "new breeds" of people after the fallout.

Eventually requiring currency, she decided to try out for mercenary work for a demon looking fellow named Smedley. The trial of pushing back a rival gang called the "Dragonslayers" was an easy one, especially as she was teamed up with a shotgun wielding chick named Ratdoktor and Smedley's lieutenant, an ugly brute named Payday. He reminded her of all those marauder scum she killed to get here.

He's also the poster boy of the game.

With her performance approved by Payday, Smedley added Carol to his employee roster taking note of her one request to only be teamed up with females from now on.

Shadowrun Chronicles

Shadowrun Chronicles is an upgrade from Shadowrun Online plays much like XCOM, only set in the futuristic fantasy setting of Shadowrun where creatures like elves and dragons exist along side technology such as cars, machine guns and robots. It's also prime ground for story material so without further ado...

Chapter 01 - Gainful Employment
Chapter 02 - The One that got Away 
Chapter 03 - Redirection
Chapter 04 - Boston Lockdown
Chapter 05 - Blood Harvest
Chapter 06 - Ninja Magic
Chapter 07 - No Escape
Chapter 08 - Property Defense
Chapter 09 - No Appointment
Chapter 10 - Special Delivery
Chapter 11 - Carol's Company
Chapter 12 - Weaponized Malware
Chapter 13 - New Age Spam
Chapter 14 - What Doesn't Kill You
Chapter 15 - Left for Dead
Chapter 16 - Whole

This story has concluded for now! Thanks for reading!