Fable 2

[Darth Loki]

So whats the trick. I do agree about spinner box its just there to waste time and money where the other 2 games can be fun and you can make money at them.

In the tourney, just place max bets on all the trip possibilities. You'll almost always hit it once and it's like 20 G's. A guaranteed place.

 

[Spartan Rex]

Got all the items, but still need to open all the games, hit a jackpot in cornerstone and
win a bet 100x over my wager.

 

[Darth Loki]

Got all the items, but still need to open all the games, hit a jackpot in cornerstone and
win a bet 100x over my wager.

How do you get the Jackpot in Cornerstone?

 

[Spartan Rex]

Got all the items, but still need to open all the games, hit a jackpot in cornerstone and
win a bet 100x over my wager.

I direct your attention to the operative hi-lighted word

 

[Darth Loki]

I direct your attention to the operative hi-lighted word

I know ^^^^wad. I was asking how you get it. I thought you knew since you've done nothing for the past week but play this ^^^^ing thing.

 

[Spartan Rex]

I know ^^^^wad. I was asking how you get it. I thought you knew since you've done nothing for the past week but play this ^^^^ing thing.

Thats Mr.D**k wad to you

Your probably better off placing the 2 bets, roll the dice and then restart if it doesnt come up. Not sure..havent researched it much yet.
Not looking forward to this...hours of tedium involved Im sure.

 

[Nuka Cola Kidd]

why cant i go positive in the games...i must really suck at betting.

 

[BadMoon]

why cant i go positive in the games...i must really suck at betting.

I suck too. I am in debt about 600 bones.

 

[Darth Loki]

Got up to a quarter million gold last night

 

[kain4521]

Lets hope they dont push this game back like they did Fallout.

 

[wofford29]

I'm pretty sure Molyneux confirmed the game was complete already.

 

[kain4521]

Is the first Fable playable on the 360? I know they have it for download but I would rather just pick the disc up.

 

[bagelsncheesey]

Is the first Fable playable on the 360? I know they have it for download but I would rather just pick the disc up.

Yep. Backwards compatible.

 

[bagelsncheesey]

A few questions from a Fable noob.

1. Can I buy Fable 2 without playing the first one (aka, will I be lost in the storyline?)
2. What exactly do the pub games do? Earn gold to use in Fable 2?
3. Is the Fable series (if the answer to question 1 is a no) or Fable 2 (if the answer to question 1 is a yes) a definite buy?

 

[Darth Loki]

A few questions from a Fable noob.

1. Can I buy Fable 2 without playing the first one (aka, will I be lost in the storyline?)
2. What exactly do the pub games do? Earn gold to use in Fable 2?
3. Is the Fable series (if the answer to question 1 is a no) or Fable 2 (if the answer to question 1 is a yes) a definite buy?

1. Of course but there is bound to be a lot of story that you may miss. We have no idea how much this is gonna play on the first but it's in a lot of the same locations

2. Exactly. That and you can win items that you'll start out with.

3. Hell yes. The first game is exactly what an Action RPG should be. It's got a great story, great game play, a very cool world with great environments, a lot of cool powers (much like Jedi powers), and a lot of interaction with almost anyone in the game. Not to mention you can get it for like $10

 

[bagelsncheesey]

1. Of course but there is bound to be a lot of story that you may miss. We have no idea how much this is gonna play on the first but it's in a lot of the same locations

2. Exactly. That and you can win items that you'll start out with.

3. Hell yes. The first game is exactly what an Action RPG should be. It's got a great story, great game play, a very cool world with great environments, a lot of cool powers (much like Jedi powers), and a lot of interaction with almost anyone in the game. Not to mention you can get it for like $10

As far as Fable 1, when choosing the "good" path or the "dark" path, are there drastic differences in the game when you choose what to do (replay value wise)?

 

[Darth Loki]

As far as Fable 1, when choosing the "good" path or the "dark" path, are there drastic differences in the game when you choose what to do (replay value wise)?

People interact with you differently. Your face will change when you are bad and people will be scared of you. Not really too much difference in the story but there are some interesting twists for you to take that will have consequences later (like killing someone to get more gold). If you get caught stealing, you need to repay or they won't allow you in the village.

Trust me, this will be the best $10 you've ever invested. Be sure to get the Lost Chapters version as it's got added content.

 

[Spartan Rex]

Some spoilers/Youve been warned:

Fable II will be released on October 21, 2008 in the United States. Fable II will be released in Europe on October 24, 2008.
Fable II pub games (Fortune's Tower, Keystone, and Spinnerbox) will be released on Xbox Live Arcade August 13, 2008.
The pub games will also be available as in-game content in Fable II.
A Fable II: Limited Edition will be available on release. It will include bonus DVD, The Hall of the Dead dungeon, The Wreckager legendary cutlass, Hobbe figurine and five fate cards.
Fable II will retail for $59.99.
Fable II: Limited Edition will retail for $79.99.
The Fable II box art has been released.
The Fable II: Limited Edition box art has been released.
Fable II is rated "M" for Mature.
Fable II is being developed exclusively for the Xbox 360.
Fable II took approximately three years to make.
The Fable II team comprised of approximately 150 people.
The Fable II design document was 1,364 pages as of 14th August, 2006.
Sketches were rendered using the engine from Fable: The Lost Chapters in order to get a vivid look at the world and it was then transferred to the new Fable II engine.
The pub games were developed by Carbonated Games.








Fable II is using its own in-house engine that Louise Copley, Fable II executive producer, called the "Lionhead Engine". It is currently being exclusively used for Fable II but may be used for other Lionhead projects in the future.
Havok is being used for the physics in Fable II.
Lionhead has licensed Kynapse for Fable II for pathfinding. Kynapse is an AI software for real-time behaviour simulation, used mainly on NPC's.
Height maps are being used in Fable II.
SketchUp is being used to make quick 3D models for initial drafting of areas.
Lionhead is using AlienBrain 8 to track assets such as 3D Models, files, and art.








Fable II will take place 500 years after the first Fable.
You begin the game as a child somewhere around 8 years old.
The world of Albion has forgotten about heroes.
The antagonist of Fable II is going to be a character named Lucien.
The story opens by following a sparrow in flight. The sparrow flies over a landscape and shortly after lands on a tower then "takes a dump". The camera follows the dump down and then it lands on this kid's head, thus being the main character.
The decisions you make as a child will affect you when you becomes an adult.
At the beginning of the game the Sheriff of Bowerstone gives you warrants for criminals. If you help capture the criminals Bowerstone will develop into a relatively crime free city. If you let the criminals go free Bowerstone will have more crime in later years.
A woman gives you the task to get a magical box that grants wishes. Your sister wishes to see Lucien and the wish comes true.
In the story you are destined to bring together a group of heroes.
There are a few characters from the first Fable in Fable II.
You are one of the last heroes in Albion.
You will revisit the Guild.
Six hours into the game you will have to sacrifice something precious.
There's a side quest in Fable II where you meet a shadowy figure in the woods. The shadowy figure says that either you or the woman will be scarred. You're is left to decide which one; whether the choice will be made out of vanity or out of sacrifice.








There is a small campsite in the middle of a large forest called Brightwood.
Bowerstone returns for Fable II.
Bowerstone has different districts, such as the slums district and the rich district, as well as a merchant street.
Bowerstone has 4 regions, each of these bigger than the entirety of Bowerstone from the first Fable. These include South, North, Lady Grey's Castle, and then Quay.
There are many places to explore beneath Bowerstone.
Each tree, as well as the tree's branches and leaves, are animated individually according to their own unique physics.
Albion is 10 times larger than in the first Fable.
There's a place called Wraithmarsh in Albion which is a dark marshland surrounded by dead trees.
Each tree in Fable II has roughly 120,000 leaves each.
There are around 15 million poppies in Albion.
The bridge that you pass through (the one on fire during the bandit attack) in Fable I will be in Fable II.
There's an NPC in Bowerstone named Arfur. He's a generally seedy individual and has ties to the crime world. He helps organise raids, murders, and other crimes.
There's an NPC in Bowerstone named Barnum. He's always trying to think of a way to make money via his numerous business ventures. He seldom, however, is succesful at any such ventures.
There's an NPC in Bowerstone named Giles. Giles served as a town guard for 30 years before retiring.








A second player can come in and out of the game at any time as a guest. This player keeps all gold and experience they earn and takes it with them back to their own game world.
Co-op can be couch co-op and can also be done via Xbox Live.
In your game world there will be purple ambient orbs that float around the game world. These orbs represent people on your friends list and it shows where they are in their world as they're playing it. To invite them into your game you can just go up to them, invite them, and in just a matter of seconds they've entered your game world.
The host can determine what share the guest gets of the gold and experience gained when the guest is in their world.
Guest players will get an hourly rate of pay for helping the host out.
Guest players can kill the host player's family.
NPC's will be able to recognize and respond to any guest playing with the main player. For example, if you have an evil guest with you and you're a good character, people will react accordingly.
If you go into another persons game as a guest the look of the character will be based off of your character's look. If you don't have a character of your own you'll have a generic pre-determined look to your hero.
The host can give the guest items to take back with them to their own game.
Demon Doors are returning for Fable II and are still only opened by meeting certain requirements or performing certain actions. Some can only be opened in co-op.
The game world will alter according to your interactions with it. If you trade with a small camp you may find that it's given the camp the push it needs to turn into a small settlement in the next 10 years.
NPC's have their own schedules and routines that they will follow. They'll go to sleep when tired, and so on.
You can rename every NPC if you like.
Good and evil are being tracked as well as rich and poor, and both can affect your physical appearance and how the world reacts around you.
Morphing is going to have a large part in Fable II, with the different morphs relying on good, evil, corruption, purity, strength, will, and more.
You can customize your character with tattoos, clothes tint and colour, hair styles and colour, makeup, jewelry and weapons.
Experience gained can be spent on the three different methods of attack; melee, ranged, and magic.
There will be a bard that will follow you around Bowerstone and if you'd like you can get him to follow you into a dark alleyway and murder him.
If you murder someone and somebody else witnesses it they will run off to tell the guards (unless you kill the witness too).
You can go on an entire massacre in a city if you'd like.
Upgrading one of the three attack methods will result in gaining new attack moves, new ways to fight, and other special abilities.
Because so many people played as good characters in the first game it's going to be more difficult to be good in Fable II.
A dog is going to be the main characters main companion in the game from near the beginning on forward.
You can use expressions towards the dog to help train it.
If your dog is injured you can choose not to heal him but he will limp his way to you no matter where you go, always trying to return to his master.
The expression system is back for the main character.
Expressions are divided into a few different categories. Fun, Flirty, Social, Rude, and Scary.
A few available Fun expressions are Dance, Sock Puppet, Laugh, Hat Headband and Moustache, Victory Arm Pump, Belch and Fart.
A few available Flirty expressions are Pick Up Line, Whistle, Blow Kiss, Heroic Pose, Worship and Come Back to My Place.
If you flirt, try to impress, or try to become friends with an NPC plus or minus numbers will appear over their head showing how their like or dislike towards you is changing.
You will have no direct control over the dog.
You can play with your dog, such as throwing it a ball to play fetch.
Your dog works with with you to alert you of danger, hidden areas, and assists you in combat.
Your dog will morph according to your actions as a player. If you're a good character your dog will look pleasant. If you're an evil character your dog will appear scary.
If you go into a fight with your sword drawn your dog will attack the gun-wielding enemies first and vice versa.
If an enemy gets knocked down you can train your dog to attack fallen enemies.
Just as in the first game hero titles will be available in Fable II.
Hollowmen (zombie like creatures) are an enemy that will be in Fable II.
Hobbes are an enemy that will be in Fable II.
Trolls are an enemy that will be in Fable II.
Balverines will be making a return in Fable II.
You can feed your dog but you're not responsible for feeding him.
If you overfeed your dog it can become fat.
The lower your health is the closer the dog will stay to you rather than venturing off further down the path.
Any money won in the pub games can be imported into Fable II.
Fable II is going to be all about sacrifice.
You can swim.
You can have somebody sculpt a statue of you.
You'll get more experience for a good "style" of fighting and less experience for "button mashing".
You'll have spell slots to choose from and by dropping them into different slots you'll determine which control they are linked with (tapping the magic button, holding the magic button, etc.).
All spells will have variants of area attacks and projectile attacks.
Instead of picking up gold from enemies you'll have to rely on getting gold from gambling or various jobs offered around the world. You will also get no gold for completing quests.
Jobs you can have include blacksmith, bartending, assasin, and henchmen.
You can also be cheated on. If you ignore your spouse too much or abuse them they will begin to cheat on you.
You can be divorced in the game in which case your spouse gets half of all your assets.
You can cheat on your wife/husband in the game if you'd like. They can find out about it however, especially if you come home with a sexually transmitted disease.
There will be bookstores in Fable II that will have training guides for yourself and your dog as well.
Chicken kicking has returned to Fable II.
There will be an achievement for being an landlord (such as raising rent to an extreme amount while residents are still living there).
There will be a chicken kicking related achievement.
You can buy property and then rent it out.
The more you work at a job the more your skill in that job will increase.
Getting "killed" in Fable II will result in you losing experience but then rising back up in a heroic manner after you've lost some of your experience.
Village shops will offer you free items as thanks if you happen to have saved that village from a particular evil.
When you marry somebody you become a part of that community.
You can have a dowry during marriage.
Due to marriage you can have a father-in-law.
Instead of mini-maps there will be a new breadcrumb trail. It will update as you explore showing you the quickest route to your next goal.
If your spouse is killed your son or daughter will have to go to an orphanage.
You can purchase and own any building in the game, ranging from dungeons, houses, inns, to castles.
Most buildings or structures you can buy have specific quests associated with them.
You can play as a male or female.
You can get married and have children.
Just as in the first game same-sex marriage is possible.
The appearance of your children will be determined by the appearance of your spouse as well as that of yourself.
If you leave home for too long your family will react accordingly upon your return, either by being very happy you're back or by being upset that you've been gone for so long.
Condoms can be obtained by the character (made of animal intestines) which can be used to help avoid unwanted pregnancies as well as sexually transmitted diseases.
Whenever you get caught for a crime you can choose to pay a fine, resist arrest, or perform community service.
Choosing community service as crime repayment will open up new side quests.
Just as in Fable I you can knock down doors in Fable II.
Some women are attracted to evil men and will be impressed when your murder and so on.
If you're evil your child will exhibit evil characteristics. If you're good your child will exhibit good characteristics.
If you want to avoid accidental murder of a non-combatant you can turn the feature off to allow you to kill anybody who is not an enemy.
As the breadwinner of your family you will be responsible for your families survival by making sure they have enough food to eat, etc.
You can have protected or unprotected sex.
If you play as a female character you can become pregnant.
Combat will be used via a one-button system. There will be one button for your sword, one for gun, and another for magic. This kind of combat is based off of timing and positioning of the character.
Combat will be position oriented; your character will interact with the environment around him to help him fight.
You can pick up and throw bottles at enemies.
Your combat style will change according to the kind of weapon you're using.
The player will unlock more skills and combos with particular weapons as they become better at fighting.
Cut-scenes are interactive. Aside from just a few FMV scenes most cut-scenes will allow you to perform expressions during the cut-scenes not only getting a reaction out of the characters in the cut-scene but sometimes even changing the events of the cut-scene.
Aside from swords and magic the player can use guns.
The player can use a more accurate aim with a crosshair during gameplay.
Some side quests include exposing a secret lover, helping a drunk get into a drinking program, and protecting (or slaughtering) a villager's livestock.
While Peter says you can complete the main story in 12 hours if you rush through it it would much longer to do everything in the game.

 

[Spartan Rex]

This story takes place directly after Fable and 500 yrs before Fable 2:
Spoilers if you havent played Fable 1

Legend has it that, when the world was young, Albion was a peaceful land full of tranquility and beauty. Then three came from the Void: the Knight, the Queen, and the Jack of Blades. They coveted Albion and demanded that all men bow down before them. When the people refused, the Court burned Albion until the earth turned black and the sky was thick with smoke. Then the Court demanded obedience again, only to be refused a second time. This time the Court lifted the sea into the sky and flooded the world. A third time the Court demanded that men worship them, promising peace and an end to the misery. Those who survived still refused. So the Court twisted their minds until brother slew brother, parents abandoned their children, and friend turned against friend. Finally, the people of Albion bowed to the Court. They and their descendants toiled to raise monuments to those who came from the Void. In the days when the people still suffered under the Court’s cruelty, a humble blacksmith and his wife had a boy. They named him William Black, and he would become the key to saving Albion. Little is known about William’s youth. As a grown man, he amazed others with the powers of his mind, by which he was able to protect his village and perform feats that a dozen other men could not equal. These acts came to be celebrated as the “Powers of Will.” William grew obsessed with the Court, determined to find a way to overthrow it. One night, while consulting a mysterious tome, he was suddenly transported from Albion into the Void. Here he met Jack, who sat on a throne surrounded by ghastly figures. Jack tried to enslave William with the powers of an ornate sword, but William fought back and managed to steal the sword before escaping the netherworld. Back in Albion, the sword spoke to William. It called itself the Sword of Aeons, and it promised to help him defeat the Court—but only if William offered his soul in bondage. With the Sword of Aeons, William set off to find the Court. William scaled the peak of Ruon, Albion’s highest mountain, and challenged the Court to combat. The Knight of Blades appeared first, and, wielding the Sword of Aeons, William destroyed him completely. Next the Jack of Blades appeared. They fiercely stuck at one another until William broke Jack’s body. Some say that Jack was not truly slain, and that his soul escaped to the Void. The Queen of Blades was the last to face William. For weeks their battle raged across Albion. Mountains were raised and valleys were formed by their mighty blows. At last, William slew the Queen and freed the people from their yoke. They acclaimed William, who now took the title Archon, as their king. Once he had vanquished the Court, the Archon set his mind to unifying Albion into a great kingdom. His powers of Will were so great that it seemed the world reshaped itself in accordance with his wishes. Cities were built in a week’s time, and marvelous machines were constructed that ran on Will alone. Through a thousand years of peace, Albion reigned as the greatest center of commerce and philosophy the world had ever known. But without an enemy to vanquish, the Archon's children grew petty and cruel. They called themselves Heroes and used their powers of Will to terrorize the people. A younger Archon might have stopped them, but his battle with the Queen and his time in the Void had infected his body and mind with a wasting illness. Faced with this decay, William wrapped his body in golden mail and a royal blue cloak before vanishing. Thus began the corruption of the Kingdom. When the Archon vanished, Albion descended into chaos. Three out of every four people were slain in the wars or died from disease or starvation. Meanwhile, the Archon’s many descendants vied for power. These new rulers were not as kind or wise as the first. Each new Archon, fearful of a coup, brought fresh tyranny to Albion. A massive wall was constructed around the city, to keep citizens in and beasts and undesirables out. The Archons’ personal guard, who were encased in armor from birth, enforced their harsh decrees: no citizens were allowed out after nightfall, every citizen must appear when an alarm bell sounded, and any who opposed the Archon’s rule were killed along with their families. The people witnessed these cruelties from behind masks that signaled their status while concealing their fear. When the Kingdom had grown to its greatest extent, the Archon demanded that an immense tower be built to focus Will. Just after it was completed, the sky was filled with a sudden bright light, and all Albion shook. In the morning the tower was gone and the Old Kingdom lay in ruins. All its people were gone except for those who lived beyond the walls. After the fall of the Old Kingdom, the few villages that survived the destruction of the Spire fell into isolation. Distance bred suspicion, which grew into bloodshed. Villagers fought for food, land, livestock, and fresh water. Soon, they were fighting even over women of child-bearing age. Mercenaries sold their swords to the highest bidder and fought in a series of petty squabbles. If the mercenaries didn’t like the price being offered, they extracted payment by threatening the villagers. But this was not the darkest time for Albion. The Fallow Wars, an age of darkness and blood, would bring Albion to the edge of extinction. Human scavengers poked through the ruins of the Old Kingdom. What they found they did not understand, and priceless artifacts were cast aside or traded as trinkets. Finally the forest grew over the ruins, and it was as if the rich heritage of Old Albion had never been. The population dwindled, and those who survived would awaken each day to a darker world. It seemed there was no safe haven. Hope faded as bandits stole and murdered with impunity. The people, starving, scoured the land for food and fresh water, but as the years passed there was less of each to find. Crazed prophets preached that the end of the world was at hand. Then, out of the east, hope arrived in the most unexpected form. A bandit and mercenary by the name of Nostro came forth, pledging to bring peace and prosperity to Albion. In his youth, Nostro was a bandit and a mercenary driven by an ambition to leave his mark on the world. He was not without a sense of decency, but he did not reach his full potential until he met a wise old man named Scythe. Scythe was a wraith of a man, wizened and stern. He carried an ornate sword and shrouded himself in a tattered blue cloak that hid tarnished golden armor. He seemingly appeared out of nowhere and took a profound interest in Nostro. Scythe saw in Nostro something more than a mere bandit. He sensed that Nostro unknowingly possessed the power that all the Archon’s descendants shared. Scythe hatched a plan: if he could properly guide Nostro, this bandit could achieve great things. He might even unite Albion and undo the damage done by the first Archon and his children. And so Scythe began to teach Nostro how to be a leader of men. Following Scythe’s counsel, Nostro set about returning security and prosperity to Albion. First, he gathered men and women from throughout Albion and founded a Guild where they could train to become true Heroes. Meanwhile Scythe tutored Nostro in the ways of the Will. Using his new-found power, along with Scythe's sage counsel, Nostro gathered an army and forced peace on the warring peoples of Albion. For a time, it seemed that Albion might return to its former greatness. Those hopes were in vain. While the Guild was taking shape, Nostro commissioned a number of other great creations. One was the Witchwood Arena, intended to be a venue in which anyone could settle disputes in public. At the same time, Nostro’s smiths forged a sword known as the Tears of Avo, patterned on reports of the Sword of Aeons, which had been lost with the Archon’s disappearance. Despite Scythe's teachings, Nostro increasingly fell under the sway of a power-hungry courtesan named Magdalena. In time, she corrupted Nostro to the point where the Arena was debased into a source of popular entertainment and the Heroes’ Guild became nothing more than a house of mercenaries driven by lust for profit and fame. These developments disgusted Scythe, who could only watch as Nostro and the Guild fell into disrepute. Finally he vanished, leaving Nostro to his fate. Near the end of his life, Nostro could finally see how power had corrupted him, and how far short he had fallen of his youthful ideals. By then his followers and even his wife had long since abandoned him. Isolated, he was easy prey for an assassin who slipped poison into his food. Nostro knew that he was dying. He called out for Scythe, and his old mentor came to sit vigil with him in his final hours. Scythe with warm affection of the good things Nostro had done in his life. Finally, at peace with himself, Nostro died with the dawn’s first light. Scythe disappeared shortly thereafter. Some say that, to this day, he wanders Albion alone, seeking another who bears the power to restore Albion to greatness. After Nostro's death, Albion continued to grow and thrive, as did the Heroes’ Guild. The Guild came to be led by a succession of Will users, who individually varied from well-meaning to cruel in their intentions. The Guild itself adopted a simple code: complete the quest to the letter, ask for payment up front, and obey the local law enforcement unless a Hero is on a quest. The Heroes who graduated from the Guild were at times admired and feared by the populace they served. As for Magdalena, she went on to wed a series of husbands. Her children used their mother's connection with Nostro to establish hereditary power for themselves over Bowerstone. Today I graduate from the Heroes’ Guild. My wife gave me this journal so I can capture my thoughts and record my adventures. The graduation was to be in the Chamber of Fate. Instead—and rightly so, I think—it was in the courtyard memorializing those Heroes who died when Jack attacked Albion. I was so young then. When the Hero emerged from the fight, I was watching from the crowd. He defined what a Hero was: strong, resolute, and brave. I told my father I would be a Hero. He tried to talk me out of it, but I left for the Guild a few days later. I tried everything to be noticed. I cleaned practice arenas. I fetched apples. I delivered supplies from Bowerstone, where I met my future wife. Finally the Guildmaster approached me and asked why I wanted to be a Hero. I told him I wanted to help Albion. My parents were apprehensive, but the Guildmaster spoke with them, and they relented: I could begin Guild training. For years I learned everything I could. Now those labors are over, and my real work has begun. Back from a quest in Oakvale, where I dealt with a group of pirates. It's strange that bandits on land are reviled, while those on sea make women swoon. It was exciting to visit the birthplace of the Jack-slayer. I wish I could say I enjoyed Oakvale. I was walking toward the tavern when a rock struck me in the back of the head. I turned to see who threw it, but no one was looking at me. Later, the tavern owner explained that some people don't respect Heroes anymore. A couple of years back, around harvest, another Hero came through, got drunk, and set fire to a row of houses. Heroes haven’t been welcome since then. Not everyone was cold to me. Some, mostly shopkeepers, were eager for my gold, and a married couple with family in the Guild invited me to their home for dinner. But the animosity from the others is something I never expected. I still believe that Heroes are well regarded by most people. Surely the others will come around in time. Happy news: soon I'll be a father. My training didn’t prepare me for this. Returned to the Guild for work and a reunion with my wife. More troubles on the way: I came across a crowd listening to a man shouting slanders against the Guild. Others handed out leaflets saying that Heroes are worse than outlaws, that we think we’re above the law. I talked to a few in the crowd. A shopkeeper from Knothole Glade told me about a Hero who robbed her. A traveling merchant showed me his scars from when a Hero failed to protect him on a trip to Barrow Fields. With Jack gone, people say there is no need for Heroes. I reminded them that most Heroes serve others, but all I got was angry words in return. One merchant was hawking the oddest invention: a hand cannon that fires a small lead ball. Many people were interested, but no buyers. This “fire-arm” is far too expensive for villagers. I don’t imagine that much will come of it. When I met my wife at Bowerstone, I met also with sad news: my father is gravely ill. Tomorrow we head to Gibbet Woods to see him. My father has died. His passing was peaceful; he’d been sick since last harvest. My wife helped Mother while I spent days by my father’s side. Father told me how worried he was. He has seen a growing resentment of Heroes. The villagers think the guards never took strong enough action against Heroes known to be dishonest. Eventually, my father said, people will have their fill of Heroes. That was why he didn't want me at the Guild. Mother told me later that Father stood up for me when others, even old friends, spoke out against Heroes. I am seeing more of those firearms on villagers’ belts as of late. We buried Father on the small hill behind the house. He handled his death just like in the tales, when Nostro, with Scythe by his side, was calm and content in the face of death. In mourning, we greeted a new life: my wife gave birth to a beautiful, healthy daughter. If only her grandfather could have held her. I am frustrated by the way the Guildmaster has handled the disrespect for Heroes. Months have passed and still he refuses to step in. He reassures us that this will pass. Heroes, he says, have been following their destiny to good or evil for decades, and people never complained before … at least not this loudly. I can't tell what he is thinking. He seemed so wise when I first started here. He's more cautious now. A few Heroes are eager to slit throats; the rest of us are trying to hold them back. With the threat of violence at Bowerstone, I have arranged for my wife and daughter to stay here. They are both shaken by what is happening. My wife has lost friends because I'm a Hero. She wants to know what I’ll do to stop this. I have no answers. At least they’re safe. They’re sleeping now, but lately I’ve found it hard to sleep. A couple other Heroes have said they feel like the walls are closing in. I feel something else, as if the whole world is set to explode. The Guild is lost. This morning, a group of traveling Heroes ventured through Bowerstone, unaware of the recent unrest. Fighting broke out and the Guildmaster sent us to calm matters. We were too late. Bodies were everywhere. Only two Heroes stumbled to us. We were tending to their wounds when the mob returned, firing pistols and carrying torches. We fell back to the Guild with the mob on our heels. Before we knew it, they had breached the Guild’s doors. Most of us hesitated to attack the people we had sworn to protect. The mob saw our hesitation and cut through us without mercy. The last of us fled into the woods, hoping to escape under the cover of darkness. Behind us, the Guild was engulfed in flames. The mob celebrated by firing their guns in the air. I sent my wife and daughter off to my mother’s farm. The look in my wife’s eyes—was it fear? Loneliness? Anger? Now I am alone. The fire still burns where I once lived, trained, and dreamed. It is all gone. A year now since the Guild was burned, and I am still running. News of what happened has affected every village I have seen. When I visit a new place, when I pass a group of villagers or enter a tavern, I feel them watching me. I feel them sizing me up. I travel in disguise. What worries me the most is the merchants and shopkeepers. They have pristine memories. I make sure never to cross paths with any who might know me from before. After the Guild fell, I left off from writing in this journal. Now, though, I feel a new compulsion to record what has taken place. I also shall start using pages to write to you, my dear wife. My next task will be to find someone I can trust to get these messages to you. I know you and my father worried about my being a Hero. I know you must think your worst fears have come true, but this will pass. Heroes have been around for centuries. I'll write when I can. I dream of you and our daughter. Kiss her for me. My wife, I hope this message finds you and our daughter well. It has been another winter without you both. I feel hollow. I made it to Knothole Glade after hiding near Witchwood Lake for the winter. I’ve been working as a day laborer, fixing homes and building new settlements. The Arena ... it made me sick when I saw it. They use it now to execute Heroes. Some fight for their lives, but their bodies always end up on the pyre. When I smelled the smoke it was like the Guild was burning all over again. There's little to stop criminals from attacking smaller towns. One night, a gang of bandits attacked the Glade. If you could have seen me—it was like old times. I cut them down in the blink of an eye. When the sun came up, the villagers came out of hiding and thanked me with knives and fists. Before I could protest, they were pelting me with rocks. I couldn’t bear to fight them, but I knew they would skin me if they could. I am hunted again. I shall write when I find safe haven. My love, I’m on Hook Coast. For months I have been dodging the anti-Hero crowds. They seem to be everywhere. In fact, I entered Hook Coast just a day after another mob swept through. They have taken to killing anyone who resembles a Hero. I have heard stories of people denouncing their rivals as Heroes, with a will for revenge or perhaps to remove suspicion from themselves. For almost two years now, I have watched the people of Albion slaughter Heroes and turn on each other. At first I felt sorry for them; they were caught in their own ignorance. Now, I feel as if I have been misled by my own naivety. My father saw the anger growing among the populace more clearly than I could. I have not heard from you. I have sent each letter by three messengers, in the hope that one would reach you. Please give our daughter my love. Now more than ever, make sure she does not reveal her abilities. A Hero’s blood flows in her veins. The mob must never learn that. I am still on Hook Coast, though a mob of Hero hunters has recently arrived. Their numbers are smaller than before. Perhaps they are just a scouting party. I have cut my hair and changed my clothes. I've pawned my bow, but I have almost no money. I have been reduced to theft. I travel along the shoreline, stealing clothes from laundry lines and fruit from orchards. I am ashamed of what I do to survive. My behavior is unworthy of a Hero, and it's the sort of thing for which I would punish others. At night, I can hear mobs in the distance, and I wonder if they are coming to punish me. I miss you both so much. I can only imagine what life is like for you back home. To my horror, I discovered my messengers’ bodies strung up in trees, a “Hero Worshiper” banner wrapped around their corpses. Now I am out of hope. This will not pass until we are all dead. I am heading north. No sign of hunters for months. Perhaps they’re unwilling to follow as far as Snowspire. Even in midsummer, the air is crisp. For all the cold and snow, I feel at home. This is where the Jack-slayer vanquished Jack in his final form. I have a job unloading crates from the mainland ferries. I sold some of my gear and bought warm clothes. The harbormaster has rented me a small shack just outside Snowspire. There's little to do here, but, after the past few years, I prefer the quiet. I have learned to fish. It brings me a measure of peace and puts food on my table. I’ve been dreaming more as of late. In my dreams I see a time, long after we are all dead, when Heroes will return. I can't see the new Heroes’ faces, but I can see our legacy carried forward. I am at peace. The people here are not suspicious of Heroes hiding in their midst, so I can send this directly to you. Come as soon as you can. Bring our daughter. There is a future for her here. There is a place for all of us. I wait for you. Very weak now. The mob found me. Was fishing by the river when I was ambushed by some scouts. They shot their rifles at me, hit me on my left side. It burns like fire. Back in the cabin now. Torches are hitting the roof. Smoke. They’re taunting me. I’m in the cellar. Dark and damp. I can smell the sea even through the smoke. Cellar window is dirty but I can see them. Some have masks, some wear helmets. I thought I saw you out there, my love. But no. My mind plays tricks. You would never shout those hateful things. You would never lead the mob to my door. Would you? Oh, my beautiful baby girl. I had hoped to see you again. Now they've taken everything from me. But I still believe. The world needs Heroes, just not this one. I’m not afraid anymore. They've broken through the door. It won’t be long.

 

[Darth Loki]

Too bad we don't have a spoiler button on this forum