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Heroes Community > Age of Heroes Coliseum > Thread: ICTC3:The Burrows
Thread: ICTC3:The Burrows This thread is 2 pages long: 1 2 · NEXT»
Momo
Momo


Promising
Famous Hero
posted March 06, 2008 05:16 PM bonus applied by kookastar on 30 Apr 2008.
Edited by Momo at 10:05, 19 Mar 2008.

ICTC3:The Burrows


NOTE TO READERS: this page will mentions many times some mechanics from "Heroes 6 of your dreams" project. If something isn't clear, ask me (or just read the project as whole, but I'd warn you it's 30 pages long).

Also, "Heroes 6 of your dreams" had its own storyline and setting, loosely tied to the pre-Ashan storyline but with hints from the Ashan world too. So you'll probably raise an eyebrow about the background; let me clarify that it works like a remake from HOMM classic storyline "all new", kinda in the fashion of the Marvel comics "Ultimate Spiderman", "Ultimate X-Men", etc. Essentially, the same story re-elaborated. Also, given my quite poor artistic skills, no pictures. Whenever I need to describe the outfit of something, I'll
write letters in red

Also, this is the second (and last) all-new town I created for the "Heroes 6 of your dreams" project, and the one I worked the hardest on. It's really hard to get the feeling I'd like it to have without any picture, so I excuse myself in advance for my inability to find good pictures like others did.


BURROWS - FOLKLORE

Also Known As: the halflings
Associated Colours: pale green, pearl white, golden
Worship: mostly, nothing but their own pleasure; some pretend to worship Sylanna, Arkath, or Elrath, but not that seriously
Core Philosophy: live and let live
Motto: "there's no problem a banquet can't solve"
Country/Kingdom: the inner, most reclusive part of the AvLee alliance.
Capital City: as part of the AvLee alliance, they have no "capital", but their most important political center is the Heart of the Wilds, where the Council of AvLee reunites.
Key Symbols: different from village to village, but every symbol has something to do with fruits or flowers.

Bad Relations: Palace (nagas), Academy (mages), Necropolis (necromancers), Dungeon (dark elves)
Good Relations: Stronghold (orcs), Inferno (demons), Rampart (elves), Castle (humans), Fortress (dwarves)


Culture: unlike their related humans and elves, the halflings of the Burrows feel Nature as a gentle and loving mother. To them, everyone has a role, an importance no matter how small or hard to spot, in Nature's great design where, in the end, everyone is different and equal at the same time. Fond of socializing, the halflings are a peaceful and hospital culture who prefer spending their time at home with parties and banquets or travelling for adventures and treasures rather than going war, which they despise. However, when the Burrows are threatened, the halflings quickly organize themselves, aided by a bunch of mythical creatures who prefer living with the friendly halflings rather than the proud elves.

A brief history:

1) Children: alongside with the demons, the halflings are one of the few races the Ancients didn't create themselves, and nontheless inhabit Colony. After the war between Ancients and Kreegans expanded into Colony, and all races were now free to chose their destiny, some humans and elves, guided by love or luxury, had children together. These children soon manifested a unnatural long life (which had no influence on their aspect, staying young for most of their lives and never growing tall), a  moderate talent for magic, trickery, and a surprising inventive. Still, they were unconcerned with things like power, richness, and consequentially war and policy, so both human and elves never paid much attention to them. When they displayed the ability to breed between them, thus effectively rinsing as a race on their own, they started to spread, still in the indifference of other races.

2) AvLee: dwarves from the northern mountains and elves from the southern woods found themselves fascinated by the idea of a "kingdom of the protected wilds" and soon allied to form such a kingdom, AvLee. The halflings were caught between the two, and both races accepted to absorb their kin in the vast spaces they controlled, paying with their work as farmers for the military protection they got. While having the fewest political influence over the yearly Council that decided about the few political problems AvLee had, the halflings were more than happy to live in secluded, peaceful lands, in friendship with these two races and ignored by the others as beings of no importance. Each race got along with the other perfectly, but at some point a great number of elves risen, proclaming that elves were superior as a race to the other two, who should have been part of AvLee as servants; however, the majority of elves was against such a idea and banished this group, which left the kingdom for an unknown destination.

3) Council: in one of the many times the Council reunited at the Heart of The Wilds, a problem was discussed:  the orcs were struck on the northern lands between the Cursed Empire of Tatalya and the AvLee mountains, and were going to try to break out from one way or the other, sooner or later, attacking either Erathia by seas or AvLee by mountains; on the other side, the demons were expanding, possibly preparing a war, menacing both kingdoms. Some dwarves were willing to try a pre-emptive strike to protect their own future; but elves and halflings, considering such a decision effective only if resulted in the total annihilation of these races, considered the genocide an abomination (being orcs and demons violent but nonetheless sacred children of Nature) and decided to remain inactive until openly attacked. Also, while taking no position between Erathia and its possible invaders, it was decided that once a faction attacked the other, AvLee would side against the offenders.

4) Peace: the halflings soon closed in their own fairy-tale like world, populated only by them, their rarely significant problems, dreamy or creepy legends, childish games, banquets and parties, in the company of the most reclusive mythical creatures of Colony. Some halflings bothered themselves to create the "military guilds", places where to train supposed halfling warriors to aid the dwarves and the elves in case a war came. However, being an halfling soldier was more a thing to brag of (but just to receive mockeries from friends) than any real committement. No army managed to beat both dwarves and elves combined and pierce the lands of AvLee, and halflings never knew of war if not by the tales of the many halfling explorers returning to their hometowns after travelling.

5) Marching: a century after the decision of staying neutral, the demons made a pact with a unknown subterranean race (although, they said, they were actually the elves that left in the earliest years of the kingdom) that gave them control of most the underground, and thus the ability to strike the surface from unknown directions. They used such an advantage to attack Erathia by surprise when the circumstances were favorable (with the mysterious death of King Gyphonheart) without traversing AvLee, hoping that doing soo would keep the peace with them. Nonetheless, AvLee sworn to side with the offended faction, and went to help Erathia. But when elves and dwarves marched toward Queen Katherine's and Gavin Magnus's united forces, the halflings were left home as worthless fighters, much to their own uninterest.

6) Invasion: when the halflings appear in the game, the war between Erathia and Eofol has ended with the victory of the former, but the war happened far by the currently empty kingdom with no contribute by the halflings but parties to celebrate the victory. However, in such a unproper moment, an army like no one has ever seen before enters AvLee, formed by joining forces of necromancers and mages. The former military force of AvLee disbanded through all Colony, and unable to return in time, Queen Katherine is nowhere to be seen after she went seeking for the Oracle of the Depths in Tatalya and their last ally, Gavin Magnus, is said to be at head of the army alongside with the Lich King Gryphonheart. While a reduced Council, formed only halflings, is seriously considering to bring everyone out of the army's way, a naga envoy comes with a message from Queen Katherine: the halflings must stop or slow down the army, as Magnus must not find what he's looking for in AvLee, or the freedom of all will be lost. The halflings decide to stay and fight.

BURROWS - GAMEPLAY:

Economy: to supply their need of money, the halflings may count only exploration. They’re able to gain more money from chests, change unworthy artefacts with cash in a similar fashion to the choice you have between EXP and money, and they can easily enhance their performance as explorers to support this strategy both with their buildings and with scouting abilities from heroes.


Structures:
standard: village hall, town hall, city hall, capitol, fort, citadel, castle, tavern, marketplace, shipyard, prison, caravan.
dwellings: faun’s labyrinth, magical cauldron, shady huts, pyrotechnics store, knights’ guild, heroes’ guild, murmuring trees, dragon’s pension.
Special: mage guild lvl1(1st circle blessings), mage guild lvl2(1st circle summonings), mage guild lvl3 (1st circle enchantments), mage guild lvl4 (2nd circle blessings), mage guild lvl5 (2nd circle summonings), mage guild lvl6 (2nd circle enchantments), thief’s den*, smuggler’s den**, house of celebrations (grail building)***.

* an upgrade of the tavern, with various effects: boosts mobility and enlarges the portion of map the heroes reveal with movement; gives you info about the best army, town, hero, etc.; increase the amount of money you gain from chests.
**an upgrade of thief’s den, counts as additional marketplace for marketplace’s prices, enables you to chose between artefact and money, increase the amount of money you gain from chests.
***grail's usual effect, and boosts luck and morale of all yur troops, anywhere on the map.


LOOKS:

The Burrows' will have a dualistic look. The sun will shine in the sky, and where it lights it will look a lot like your classical tolkienian "Shire"; whenever the sun doesn't light the brightest (for example, under the trees' shadows) it will have a dark, gloomy look but still funny a la Tim Burton's "Nightmare Before Christmas". There is a small number of trees in the city whose aspect changes while you build.

-the village hall will look like green hills with round doors and windows; whenever you build an evolution, it's like another hill "flowers" under the previous, pushing that one up; each hill except the one on the bottom will be corroded at the base, making the final evolution looking like a cross between a bunch of mushrooms and some overlapping hills - it will look quite unrealistic and ready to collapse at every moment.

-the tavern will look like an abandoned, ruined windmill, and it will wave at the wind like if it was a small plant; despite of this, there will be barrels at the base and lights from inside; whenever you build upgrades (thief's den, smuggler's den) they will look like huts arranged on holes in the windmill, which will make it even more precarious-looking.

-the walls will look like a maze of hedges circling the Burrows. Sometimes the branches moves, like something is hiding in there, but nothing is ever seen among the bushes.

-the mage guild is built over a large willow; whenever you build or upgrade the guild, a line of glowing symbols appears over a root, in bright yellow (lvl1 and lvl4), emerald green (lvl2 and lvl5) or electric blue (lvl3 and lvl6); The willow projects a large shadow all around.

-the house of celebration looks like a gigantic cypress growing on the roof of a rural looking chalet, circled with multicolored lights like a Christmas Tree, and lot of huts appearing from the branches. The Tree moves abuprtly like a beating hearth, suggesting it's following some rythm you can't hear.

-the satyr's dwelling (faun's labyrinth) is a curved tree, grey and without a single leaf; its top splits in two spirals reminescent of a goat's horns, and among the roots there are a lot of little, rounded doors. It projects a long, dark shadow.

-the leprechaun's dwelling (magical cauldron) is a big, rusty cauldron of golden coins looking abandoned at the bottom on a hill, sculpted with the form of a serious humanoid face; the coins shake like they're boiling, and colored smoke in all the rainbow colors, taking various shapes, perpetually steams from it.

-the snipersling's dwelling (shady huts) are unnaturally large red-colored mushrooms with a rounded door in the classical halfling style; being under the shadow of the large willow, they are enlightened with big jack-o-lantern style pumpkins attached to the mushroom.

-the fireworker's dwelling (pyrotechnics' store) is a classical hill-cottage whose top is completely covered of petards, rockets, and pyrotechnics of various sorts; from the inside windows, periodically a flashlight flashes, and then some black smoke comes out.

-the skyknight dwelling (knights' guild) is a hill-cottage with various galleries built with wood that come out of its top, pointed at the sky; they're meant to work as "hangars" for the pegasi, which come in and out of galleries frequently. It also has two banners (in the colors of pale green and silver) on the front.

-the dragonslayers' dwelling (heroes' guild) is a hill-cottage impaled with an exhaggerated number of banners (in the colors of pale green and gold) that make it look like a pincushion; it's "guarded" by two scarecrows dressed with golden armors.

-treant's dwelling (murmuring trees) are built over two trees; when the dwelling is built, two suspicious, old-looking faces appear on the trees, and start to talk one to the other in a shady feel.

-faerie-dragon's dwelling (dragon pension) is a larger hill than all the others, who has crater-like holes instead of windows and doors; half of a faerie-dragon comes out from the entrance, quietly sleeping.


Racial skill: UNSEEN HANDS

The idea is that while you're fightning the enemy hero, or a small army of creatures, or a garrison -in short, whenever some forces are distracting the opponent- some units are left out and sent to rob the opponent.

Thus, Unseen Hands works according to the number of creatures you left out in the pre-combat logistic phase. Abusing the high numbers of SWN (Small-Weak-Numerous) the Burrows can produce, you can decide to fight only with the essential units and leaving others out. As a result, whenever you win a fight, a certain percentage of money  will be stripped off from the opponent counts and added to yours.

The percentage is calculated this way: 10%/15%/20%/25%/30% (basic/advanced/expert/master/grandmaster) if the amount of creatures left out is equal to ten times said percentage, and detracts the 1% for each ten creature less than the treshold.

For instance, 100 creatures left out trigger Basic Unseen Hands completely, but prevent Expert Unseen Hands from triggering for the 30%, and obtain only the 10%. 400 creatures left out are needed to trigger completely Grandmaster Theft.

With Unseen Hands, the halflings (a Magic faction, which need to act early to survive) will be able to hold some ground if for some reason a long game -and thus an exhaustion war- occurs, enabling them to rebalance their economy.

With abilities connected to Unseen Hands, the halflings will be able to either improve their thieving performance or, alternatively, steal something else in addition (resources).

Army:  poor in combat, the Burrows’ army are meant to work as “puzzle units” each corresponding to another enemy units, and working to disable them; all the four halfling are also shooter, and if their damage is often almost unrelevant, they bear added effects that aren't. While the opponent’s army will be stalled by the halflings’ tactics, the hero will be able to trick the race with the Burrows varied ensemble of spells (between blessings, summonings, and enchantments). In the end, Burrows will make heads spin against strategies based on pure violence like Stronghold or Inferno, disabling their key units, copying them, and turn their power against them; Dungeon’s stealth actions won’t work either on the map or in battle, and they’ll bow down to superior Magic; Necropolis abundance of curses are neutered by magic resistance, and their numerous but weak creatures will be kept at bay with proper counter-measures.


The halflings are meant to look as joyous socializers, but also as dangerous pranksters; while the little men will try to give themselves an "heroic" feel on the battlefield, they will look unreliable and unintentionally funny. They'll wear old-fashioned, flamboyant clothes a la Final Fantasy XII's Balthier, with happy colors.


CREATURES LINEUP:


LEVEL 1:

Satyr: SWN with "aura of joy". Upgrades to Faun.


The satyr will directly hint at its beastlike counterparts in the movie "Pan's Labyrinth", just with a more bonarian and friendly look.


Faun: SWN with "aura of joy" and "sorrow counter-attack".

The Faun looks like the satyr but has more horns, more brownish fur, and an harp.

Leprechaun: SWN with "aura of fortune". Upgrades to Clurichaun.


The leprechaun will look thin, small, and with an out-of-proportion large head, pale grey skin, dark red beard and a bright green top-hat; while smiling openly, his unnaturally thin silhouette is meant to look too weird.


Clurichaun: SWN with "aura of fortune" and "cursing-counter-attack".

Clurichaun dresses in gold & purple, not green & brown, beard changes from copper-red to blood-red, brings a bottle of wine.

Go for Satyr or Leprechaun?

These guys replicate Pixie's stats for everything except hit points (quite higher), but without the many battle features that made Pixies a good LVL1. While you're going to amass big stacks of those easily, they just don't do a lot offense-wise. Still, they have interesting traits. First, they both possess scouting*, making them worthy explorers on the map. Then they have respectively aura of joy* and aura of fortune** making them decent supporters for their fellow units. It all boils down to wishing more initiative or more damage.

*like "stealth", works exactly as the hero ability, just sticked to a creature: they move faster on the map, reveal larger portions of map, spot stealthy units.
**all friendly units in the area affected by this ability will have maximum morale, no matter what.
***same than "aura of joy", but with luck instead than morale.


LEVEL 2:

Snipersling: weak stats except initiative, shooter with the steal ammo special. Upgrades to Marauderogue.


The snipersling is an halfling girl with a leather salopet and a large hood; she carries a way too large sling which she can use to fire any sort of object; whenever she fires, she always hits her own finger, shaking the hand in pain.


Marauderogue: adds invisibility and some initiative.

Marauderogue has a more gloomy look, and big, rounded flashlight-like yellow eyes; whenever she disapperars, her large inhuman eyes are the last visible thing to vanish.

Fireworker: weak stats except initiative, can shoot, and is fireproof. Upgrades to Blastchemist.


The fireworker is a girl with curly red hairs and freckles in a white cape; she smokes a large pipe, and carries a big bronze pot on the shoulder like a bazooka; whenever she shoots, she fires something like a ball of white flames and falls on her back for the impact; whenever she sets a trap, she pours some white powder from the pot on the ground (which vanishes) and reappears, forming a circular symbol, whenever the walker walks on a trap; whenever she sets an obstacle it pours the powder, which takes the shape of squared symbols and then forms a wall of white flames.


Blastchemist: adds set snares, set walls, and set fake.

The blastchemist upgrade, instead than pouring white dust, her bazooka-pot features inandescent fire-colored powder in gold and deep red. But instead that falling to the ground, this fiery substance smokes in the air creating big magical graphitics.

Go for Snipersling or Fireworker?

These two are shooter, but the similarity ends here. The first is the perfect anti-shooters unit: she's able to use invisibility, get near to the shooter, and use the steal ammo* special, then get invisible again, and so on. The old man, while worse in damage than the already so-so Sniperslinger, is a good anti-walker, being able to set snares** everywhere on the battlefield, or even set obstacles*** and set fake****, and has also fireproof as a nice add. Choice depending on who you are against.

*when a uniti with steal ammo attacks, it will exhaust some of the target units ammo (if the unit is a shooter) and recover an equal amount of them.
**works like in Heroes V: Tribes of East, but with greater impact on the target's initiative.
***sets a wall of smoke that resembles the one from Cast Wall in effect, if not in appearance.
****Set fake creates a copy of any target creature with smoke, that can deal no damage and dissolves as soon as it takes an attack (so it can only be used to waste the enemy's counter-attack).


LEVEL 3:

Skyknight: weak stats, high intiative, flyer & shooter. Upgrades to Pumpkinterceptor.


The skyknight is an halfling guy holding some wooden spears (he can throw them), riding a small horse with wings and a feather crest (a pegasus-pony). Whenever the pegasus flies, he loses his grab and tries to hold to the flying pegasus with his only free hand, always looking like he's going to fall.


Pumpkinterceptor: adds intercept & airproof (remember the town is supposed to have good matchups with elemental-based magic).

has a jack-o-lantern for helmet. And as equipements, it has golden haldberds to throw.

Dragonslayers: hates dragon, shooter. Upgrades to Giantslayers.


The dragonslayers are three halfling forming a tower, one on the shoulders of the other. The first one is curved by fatigue and brings the other two around. The second holds with both hand a (relatively) big sword glowing of a blueish light, but it's too heavy and seems uncapable of keeping it pointed high. The third one is on the top, has some throwing knives on the right hand and points directions to take with the other hand before the unit moves; everytime the unit moves or strikes a blow, it seems like the three are going to lose equilibrium but they always manage to get on their feet again.


Giantslayers: hates large creature, shooter, double strike.

Being accomplished dragonslayers, the giantslayers' halfling on the top wears has a dragon skin as helmet/cape. Too bad the dragon skin appears fake and made by a child even to al old man with myopia.

Go for Skyknight or Dragonslayers?

Both meant to perform sabotage to other units, the Skyknight is a flyer and a shooter with intercept*, making it the alternative to Fireworker in the enemy flies. Dragonslayers are shooter too, but also have hates large creatures PLUS hates dragons, making it the bane of apparently mighty lineups and bringing their usually uninteresting damage to break the roof against the units you should theorically fear the most. Once again, it depends on what you're going to face.

*this ability affects a large area. Whenever a flying creature enters the affected area, Skyknight will fire at that unit doing decreased damage, but halting the creature's movement. Once the creature is already inside the area, intercept stops triggering.

LEVEL 4:

Treant: large creature, tanky, regenerator, entangle.
Upgrades to Treegang.


The treant will look like in Heroes V, but a bit more bulky and intimidating, covered with green moss, having no glowing eyes, and a lot more leaves. Some magic-looking symbols seem carved on the moss covering him, and it shakes the earth when it moves.


Treegang: adds shooter with very low damage.

The treegang is a treant with five halflings among the branches. And, they throw rocks.

Faerie Dragon: large creature, caster (cast wall, cast moat), teleporter. Upgrades to Dragon Mage.


The faerie-dragon is a ivory-colored chinese-looking dragon sit on the posterior arms. Its back spreads large butterfly-like wings in multiple bright colors (aquamarine, shocking pink, orange, indigo, etc.), resembling the typical faerie-dragon. It has a small, white goatee, some rounded looking glasses, and holds a cane to walk in the right arm (also used to attack the opponent's in a "angry old man" style); it looks old, and not really threatening.


Dragon Mage: caster, teleporter, magic mirror ability.

The dragon mage does, and also wears a mage's pointy hat, and a crystal ball in the other hand, glowing whenever he deflecs a spell.


Go for Treant or Faerie-Dragon?

In the Burrows' lineup, the only two to have large creature. They are meant to disable, respectively, Might or Magic strategies with their specials which, like in Burrows' usual fashion, make up for their sub-par stats. One features the already known  entangle ability, which will eanable that to take an opponent and keeping him busy as long as it wants. The other will feature magic mirror*, negating completely sorceries and curses, with all strategies based on those. To compliment their unique specials, Treant has regeneration to hold on a long fight with the opponents it locks, Faerie-Dragon has flyer (actually, it teleports) but should use this mostly to escape fights rather than to get into them, having low stats for a lvl4.

*whenever a sorcery or curse is directed at one of your units, if there is at least one Faerie-Dragon on the field, that spell is redirected to the enemy creature nearest to the original target.

HEROES' PROFILES

Furio Feykwyrm

Furio used to brag that he was the best dragonslayer in its village, until it was discovered that no dragon inhabited the region where he lived, ever. Actually, Furio used to build fake dragons models with his engineery ability and then pretend to hunt and kill the "dragons". After being sentenced to never eat apple pies for a whole year, Furio repented and decided to serve the Burrows with his ability in building and disguising machines.

Attitude: Furio is likely to obtain "Scouting" and "Tactics", thus, the most likely class for him are "Knight", "Scout", or "Field Marshal".

Specialty: TRICK ARTIST

War-machines located in the area around Furio Feykwyrm are invisible for the first 3 turns (even if they attack). Such area increases when Furio grows up in levels.


If any of you did read my Heroes 6 work, you'd probably remember that there were no War Machines; yet Furio's ability mentions them. Why? Simple, I changed my mind on the matter. The reason is that a bunch of soldiers destroying castles' walls with bare hands (as it happens in Heroes 4 where War Machines are absent too) sounded too unlikely to me. So I'd say War Machines should stay, albeit pehaps tweaked somehow.


Tuccio Santelmost

Tuccio used to make up small colored fires with alchemy and pretend they were ghosts coming to haunt the village. After causing the evacuation of his village four times, he decided he was bored and quit the village, looking for new places to use his ability with fireworks, until he decided to serve AvLee in the battlefield. With the undeads invading the kingdom, he can't wait to find a trick scary enough that even ghosts will run scared when seeing it.

Attitude: Tuccio is likely to obtain "Tactics" and "Enchantments", thus is likely to become a "Knight", a "Mage" or a "Illusionist".

Specialty: PRESTIGE SHOW

Tuccio Santelmost can use his fireworkers ability to create a copy of a bone dragon (although it will glow in all the rainbow colors and make weird sounds) on the battlefield. Such creature can't do any damage, but will make every creature affected by morale run distant from it and lower it morale. After suffering three attacks, the creature will vanish.


Alex Kursedemall

Before the war Alex hated elves, he thought they were too arrogant. Believing this to be due to their superiority in battle, he spent most of his life training his childhood friends to make them better shooters than the elves themselves. However, as the elven women and children were endangered by the invasion, he immediately stood to protect them to return the protection the elves offered to the halflings over the centuries.

Attitude: Alex is likely to obtain "Scouting" and "Combat", thus is likely to become a "Scout", a "Warrior" or a "Ranger".

Specialty: TOP GUN

If Alex Kursedemall controls any shooter unit, that unit has "double strike", meaning it will be able to shoot twice, at same or different targets. When Alex gain levels, the damage of shooting units will increase.



Stanis Udiny

If there's something Stanis would love, is being the hero he tells everyone he is. Actually, he was among the first to approach the invaders of AvLee, but ran awayas soon as he faced the opposing army. He tried again to lead an army and escaped once again, and so he did again five times. However, he became so well-versed in the art of escaping that he could bring an army to safety during a retreat. When he felt he was good at nothing, Arianna Brayarose noticed his talent and told him that if he didn't at least try to use that talent to protect AvLee, she would have chased him until there was nowhere to run and teached him a lesson. Nothing is scary as Arianna, so Stanis returned again to the battlefield.

Attitude: Stanis is likely to obtain "Scouting" and "Tactics", thus, the most likely class for him are "Knight", "Scout", or "Field Marshal".

Specialty:  ESCAPE ARTIST

Stanis will retain part of his army when escaping from a fight. The percentage increases as levels go up, until 100%.


Arianna Brayarose

Being the eldest of sixty five brothers, Arianna learned early to make people obey; a tomboy since her childhood, is considered by many the only true military leader the halfling ever had. She watches the battlefield perpetually keeping every soldier in check, and is said that if someone lets her down, she condemn him to do the whole squadron's cleanworks for a week; her soldiers are more willing to march toward battle than see her angry or disappointed.

Attitude: Arianna is likely to obtain "Tactics" and "Combat" thus becoming a "Knight", a "Warrior" or a "General".

Specialty: CAPTAIN OF THE BURROWS

Arianna will boost morale of all halflings troops under her lead, and is allowed to move them further in the tactics pre-combat phase. This effect will increase as she goes up with levels.


Itala Dalmatyans

Seen by many as a weird girl because of her faith in Asha (religion being unusual among halflings) Itala tries hard to instill some sense of responsability and respect for the rules typical of the humans to her kin, but as a result is often used by her friends to do their work instead of them. Legend has it that she was capable of taking care of 101 halflings childrens for an evening, and cooked a  banquet for all of them alone. After that mythical achievement, she gained a lot of followers and aiders, and various marriage proposals.

Attitude: Itala is likely to obtain "Blessings" and "Nobility", and thus is likely to become a "Cleric", a "Lord", or a "Cardinal".

Specialty: MATRON-LADY

Whenever Itala Dalmatyans stations in a town, halflings growth is boosted. Every halfling visiting a town where Itala is stationed gains maximum luck and morale. Effects go up with levels.


Gloria Orphesque

The "Pearl of AvLee" is known as the most gentle and lovely creature in the world of Colony. She has a sort of contageous good mood and everyone around her feels happy and quiet. She once halted an invasion from a group of demons that escaped Eofol and somehow sneaked into AvLee's deepest regions, by offering them tea, and it's said that those demons still work at her home as of today, as her attendants. She's convinced that by speaking to Gavin Magnus and the Lich King Gryphonheart she will be able to solve everything peacefully.

Attitude: Gloria is likely to obtain "Nobility" and "Summonings", thus is likely to become a "Lord", a "Druid" or a "Beastlord".

Specialty: PEARL OF THE KINGDOM

When meeting a neutral creatures' stack that is aligned to Chaos, Nature or Life, there is increased probability that they will avoid fight and run away. Also, if creatures of said alignments battle an army leaded by Gloria, their morale will lower.


Corinna Orphesque

Sister of Gloria, while they aesthethically differ just for the hairs, their attitude can't be more different. Corinna mocks everyone and doesn't take anything seriously except her own ability (even the invaders are in her eyes mere nuisances) and loves to cause panic or despair with her "jokes". She's feared by most of her kin except the hardcore trickesters, who see her as an exemplar halfling (she's also skilled in theft). Her favorite prank is making the whole harvest of a town disappear in a night, and it's said that she pulled out the same trick with elves and dwarves once or twice. She and her sister never speak one to the other.

Attitude: Corinna is likely to obtain "Scouting" and "Nobility", thus is likley to become a "Scout", a "Lord" or a "Guildmaster".

Specialty: PRINCESS OF THIEVES

Corinna's ability boosts her "Unseen Hands" skill; Sniperslings/Marauderogues and Fireworkers/Blastchemists will receive a bonus in initiative and attack, but Dragonslayers/Giantslayers and Skyknights/Pumpkinterceptors will receive a malus.

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GenieLord
GenieLord


Honorable
Legendary Hero
posted March 07, 2008 11:26 PM
Edited by GenieLord at 10:54, 08 Mar 2008.

This look like an excellent version of Tolkin's Hobbits. However, they not only that they despise war, but they also don't like adventages adventures, only the quiet life...
Can you please post the final lineup?

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Momo
Momo


Promising
Famous Hero
posted March 08, 2008 10:31 AM

Quote:
This look like an excellent version of Tolkin's Hobbits.


Well, mixed with something from the smurfs, the minintos, the kithkins, Tim Burton's Nightmare Realm, etc. I don't wanted them to be exactly the classical hobbits.

Quote:

However, they not only that they despise war, but they also don't like adventages, only the quiet life...


What are adventages? My knowledge of english is betraying me. However, getting the general feelinf of the remark, I know that they aren't "exactly" as Tolkien's canon would have them. This was purposedly planned.

For example, hobbits (or halflings, or kithkins, or whatever) supposedly don't love exploration, let alone theft. Then why I make them explorer and thiefs? Simple, most D&D players use their abilities to make them rogues. Therefore, in most D&D quests you see rogue halflings, although this shouldn't be part of halflings' culture. So I re-elaborated the halflings in respect to how the players seems to see them. I tried to find a mix in between.

Quote:

Can you please post the final lineup?



Betrayed again by poor english. Please re-elaborate the question.
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GenieLord
GenieLord


Honorable
Legendary Hero
posted March 08, 2008 10:54 AM
Edited by GenieLord at 10:57, 08 Mar 2008.

Oops, did I write adventages?
I meant to adventures.
Quote:
Quote:
Can you please post the final lineup?

Betrayed again by poor english. Please re-elaborate the question.
Your English is very good, actually, and when I say lineup refering to the factions, I mean to simply a list of the creatures, according to the tiers.

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Momo
Momo


Promising
Famous Hero
posted March 08, 2008 11:23 AM
Edited by Momo at 11:24, 08 Mar 2008.

Quote:
Oops, did I write adventages?
I meant to adventures.


Oh. Well, I already answered if that's the case, I made them adventurers to adapt the halflings to the role they play in roleplay (pun unintended).

Also, as I said, the faction comes from the "Heroes 6 of your dreams" project, and if you look at the two towns made by me (palace and burrows) you'll notice that nagas (fast and sturdy explores) are forced to trade movement for economy, while the halflings (weak and defensive) are forced to move to expand their economy. I wanted tie more economy with movement and to give these factions a problem to work with, that's why I needed halflings as explorers/adventurers.

Quote:
Your English is very good, actually, and when I say lineup refering to the factions, I mean to simply a list of the creatures, according to the tiers.



LVL 1: Satyr and Leprechaun (should be two anti-curses WSN)
LVL 2: Snipersling and Fireworker (utility units)
LVL 3: Skyknight and Dragonslayers (another utility unit and the only serious offender)
LVL 4: Treant and Fae-Dragon (tank and uber-utility unit)

On a sidenote, I put my best effort in not creating new creatures. I followed this policy (also warping the original design of some  of my creatures) because personally, when I start a new Heroes chapter, I take joy in seeing how creatures are re-made in the new version, and I suppose this pleasure is common to all HOMM players.  Therefore, I worked hard to fill the creature lineup of familiar faces or hints to previous chapters. I'm sorry if someone finds this boring.
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GenieLord
GenieLord


Honorable
Legendary Hero
posted March 08, 2008 11:48 AM
Edited by GenieLord at 11:50, 08 Mar 2008.

This faction needs upgrades, and it's too bad that the system of H4 doesn't include them. The faction feels a bit empty, in my opinion.

I have an idea for you:
Choosing between two creatures, like on H4, that each one of them can be upgraded. It will be very unique and interesting, and will have a great tactical aspect, don't you think?

Tier 1:
1) Satyr - Raven Satyr    
2) Leprechaun - Golden Leprechaun

Tier 2:
1) Snipersling - Swift Snipersling
2) Fireworker - Fireblaster


Tier 3:
1) Skyknight - Cloud Paladin
2) Dragonslayer - I have no idea

Tier 4:
1) Treant - Ancient Treant
2) Faerie Dragon - Crystal Dragon

The creatures' names here aren't amazing, I just want to show you the cocnept. I think this can boost the uniquenes of your faction. Well, what say you?

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Momo
Momo


Promising
Famous Hero
posted March 08, 2008 12:34 PM
Edited by Momo at 12:37, 08 Mar 2008.

Quote:
This faction needs upgrades, and it's too bad that the system of H4 doesn't include them. The faction feels a bit empty, in my opinion.

I have an idea for you:
Choosing between two creatures, like on H4, that each one of them can be upgraded. It will be very unique and interesting, and will have a great tactical aspect, don't you think?


Yes, but keep in mind that this faction is a part of the Heroes 6 Project. I can welcome this idea for The Burrows (and maybe the palace) but I won't do it for ALL the other factions I had tweaked for Heroes 6. It would be a monumental work.

Now, let's see what I can do... in a few minutes. Extemporaneal creativity powers, TO ME!

Quote:

1) Satyr - Raven Satyr


I'd say:

Satyr: SWN with "aura of joy".
Faun: SWN with "aura of joy" and "sorrow counter-attack".

The Faun looks like the satyr but has more horns, more brownish fur, and an harp.

Quote:

2) Leprechaun - Golden Leprechaun


Leprechaun: SWN with "aura of fortune".
Clurichaun: SWN with "aura of fortune" and "cursing-counter-attack".

Clurichaun: dresses in gold & purple, not green & brown, beard changes from copper-red to blood-red, brings a bottle of wine.


Quote:

1)  Snipersling- Swift Snipersling



I'll keep my tradition of composite halfling names:
Snipersling: "shooter" and "steal ammo."
Marauderogue: adds "invisibility" and some initiative.

Marauderogue has a more gloomy look, and big, rounded flashlight-like yellow eyes.

Quote:

2) Fireworker - Fireblaster



Let's go with...
Fireworker: can shoot,  and is fireproof.
Blastchemist: adds set snares, set walls, and, uhm, set fake. Set fake creates a copy of creature XYZ with smoke, that can deal no damage and dissolves as soon as it takes an attack, so it can only be used to waste the enemy's counter-attack.

First off, I decided the Fireworker cannot be a old man. My halflings don't age. A girl with curly red hairs and freckles seem more appropriate (she STILL smokes a pipe!). Now, speaking of the Blastchemist upgrade, instead than pouring white dust, her bazooka-pot features inandescent fire-colored powder in gold and deep red. But instead that falling to the ground, this fiery substance smokes in the air creating big magical graphitics.

Quote:

1) Skyknight - Cloud Paladin


Pefer them to be less serious as possible. Remember that halfling kinight are basically children playing soldierVSvillain, not true warrior.

Skyknight: flyer & shooter.
Pumpkinterceptor: adds intercept & airproof (remember the town is supposed to have good matchups with elemental-based magic).

Ok, quite obvious, this one: has a jack-o-lantern for helmet. And, huh, the Skyknight throws woodsticks while this one throws haldberds.

Quote:

2) Dragonslayer - I have no idea


Giantslayer, obviously. Upgrade narrow unit into broad-usable unit.
Dragonslayer: hates dragon, shooter.
Giantslayer: hates large creature, shooter, double strike.

Huuhmmm.... quite hard one. The Giantslayer is an accomplished Dragonslayer, so the halfling on the top wears has a dragon skin as helmet/cape. Too bad the dragon skin appears fake and made by a child even to al old man with myopia.

Quote:

1) Treant - Ancient Treant



Hinting at previous chapter is ok, but copying even the upgrades? I'd look stupid. Let's do:
Treant: it's treant.
Treegang: still treant, with shooter.

The treegang is a treant with five halflings among the branches. And, they shoot.

Quote:

2) Faerie Dragon - Crystal Dragon


I'd keep the tune of the old retired dragon:
Faerie Dragon: caster, teleporter. Can cast "Summon Wall", "Summon Moat".
Dragon Mage: caster, teleporter, and the aforementioned magic mirror ability.

let say the faerie dragon has no crystal ball. The dragon mage does, and also wears a mage's pointy hat, wich keeps his butterfly-like wings pushed down.

Quote:

what say you?



Take this work as my answer.

And let me brag: total time, 25 minutes.
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GenieLord
GenieLord


Honorable
Legendary Hero
posted March 08, 2008 12:37 PM

Yes, you executed it much better. I just wanted to introduce my idea to you, so my names came out pretty...
Your creatures came out very good. Now the faction feels much more complete.

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Cepheus
Cepheus


Honorable
Legendary Hero
Far-flung Keeper
posted March 08, 2008 12:39 PM

Strange history...

Otherwise this is magnificent, keep it up.
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"Those who forget their history are inevitably doomed to repeat it." —Proverb, Might and Magic VIII

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Momo
Momo


Promising
Famous Hero
posted March 08, 2008 12:43 PM

Well, more than everything, thanks to you for showing interest. Huhm, should I do the same for Palace? I have Football practice for the rest of the day, but I can do something about it tomorrow.
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bixie
bixie


Promising
Legendary Hero
my common sense is tingling!
posted March 09, 2008 10:42 AM

this truly set the standard for the competition.
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Love, Laugh, Learn, Live.

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Momo
Momo


Promising
Famous Hero
posted March 09, 2008 11:12 AM

Quote:
Yes, you executed it much better. I just wanted to introduce my idea to you, so my names came out pretty...
Your creatures came out very good. Now the faction feels much more complete.


I wasn't criticizing, for sure. I think I should edit the first post with the upgrades.

What else can I add? Some Heroes names/profiles?

Quote:
Strange history...



As I said, it follows a remake of "The Restoration of Erathia". If you by chance red my project, the history of each faction isn't specified, exactly because I felt unnecessary to post a whole fanfic just to make each faction seem fit in the big picture. However, since "History" was required for the competition, I managed myself to write a synopsis for the parts related to the nagas and the halflings.

(incidentally.... I scrolled back a few pages and I'm seeing someone did halfling already... damn, I expected nagas to be way more abused than halflings)

Quote:
this truly set the standard for the competition.


Thanks, but I'd be happier if I was able to post some pictures. Whenever you have the pictures, you add the jaw-dropping effect... and you should. See Baklava's Portal for instance.

Of certain creatures it's just impossible, like say Fae-Dragon/Dragon Mage, but images from Lorwyn and Shadowmoor (Magic The Gathering) would have helped, at least for reference. But you can't post unauthorized pics, so...


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Momo
Momo


Promising
Famous Hero
posted March 10, 2008 10:17 AM
Edited by Momo at 10:34, 10 Mar 2008.

Edited the first post with the upgrades. Also, added Theft, wich is meant to be halflings' racial skill. Going to think a similar edit for my less favored children, the nagas. I'd like some feedback on theft, more than anything, because balancing that was quite difficult.

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GenieLord
GenieLord


Honorable
Legendary Hero
posted March 11, 2008 11:07 PM

Quote:
Racial skill: THEFT

The idea is that while you're fightning the enemy hero, or a small army of creatures, or a garrison -in short, whenever some forces are distracting the opponent- some units are left out and sent to rob the opponent.

Thus, Theft works according to the number of creatures you left out in the pre-combat logistic phase. Abusing the high numbers of SWN (Small-Weak-Numerous) the Burrows can produce, you can decide to fight only with the essential units and leaving others out. As a result, whenever you win a fight, a certain percentage of money  will be stripped off from the opponent counts and added to yours.

The percentage is calculated this way: 10%/15%/20%/25%/30% (basic/advanced/expert/master/grandmaster) if the amount of creatures left out is equal to ten times said percentage, and detracts the 1% for each ten creature less than the treshold.

For instance, 100 creatures left out trigger basic theft completely, but prevent Expert Theft from triggering for the 20%, and obtain only the 10%. 300 creatures left out are needed to trigger completely Grandmaster Theft.

With Theft, the halflings (a Magic faction, which need to act early to survive) will be able to hold some ground if for some reason a long game -and thus an exhaustion war- occurs, enabling them to rebalance their economy.

With abilities connected to Theft, the halflings will be able to either improve their thieving performance or, alternatively, steal something else in addition (resources).

I think this is a great idea. I've heard so many versions of racial skills that make you simply get some gold and resources after winning a battle. Here, it's more practical and fair, since you have to give up your own units in order to get the gold. You'll have to be practised to use it, to know when you have a great adventage enough so you can give up some units, which units you can give up, and more.

The only thing that I would change is the name. The halfling, according to Tolkien are very sneaky, and can walk so quietly so noone would even notice (this is another reason why this racial skill is so suitable for them ). I would choose a name which is ralted to that, maybe like "Silent Sneak" (but I'm sure you'll find a better option, you're good with names). It should sound like a skill that the halfling would teach. They would teach how to sneak silently, but they wouldn't teach how to commit a theft, would they?

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Momo
Momo


Promising
Famous Hero
posted March 12, 2008 01:08 AM
Edited by Momo at 01:09, 12 Mar 2008.

Quote:

I think this is a great idea. I've heard so many versions of racial skills that make you simply get some gold and resources after winning a battle.


AAARGH nooooo! Damn. I hoped it was quite unheard of. Well, given it deals with some of the most important and explored aspects of the game, of course not.

Quote:

The only thing that I would change is the name. The halfling, according to Tolkien are very sneaky, and can walk so quietly so noone would even notice (this is another reason why this racial skill is so suitable for them )


Exactly, this is why I came up with that. It's also the reason, once again, halflings are the classic D&D's thieves.

Quote:
I would choose a name which is ralted to that, maybe like "Silent Sneak" (but I'm sure you'll find a better option, you're good with names). It should sound like a skill that the halfling would teach. They would teach how to sneak silently, but they wouldn't teach how to commit a theft, would they?



Well as I said, my halflings are quite darker, but yes, theft sounds quite dull especially since their society is quite non-materialist. Huhmmmm....

"Unseen hands"? Too dark?

(I was thinking... adding heroes' bios? Besides that, I don't know what else I could add)

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Momo
Momo


Promising
Famous Hero
posted March 17, 2008 08:02 PM
Edited by Momo at 10:03, 19 Mar 2008.

Adding Hero Bios as I said. I think won't add the campaign story in order to not spoil the story, so the faction is supposedly completed.

NOTE TO READERS: In my Heroes 6, the hero system resembled a lot the one from Heroes 4, except the fact that heroes have their unique abilities and are likely to obtain certain abilities instead than others. This explains the "attitudes."


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Snatch
Snatch


Promising
Known Hero
Proud Kappa
posted March 25, 2008 07:12 PM
Edited by Snatch at 17:00, 29 Mar 2008.

Cohesiveness: 9/10 (almost perfect, maybe the different approaches of thievery and stealth on the one hand and banquets and lust for living lifestyle on the other could have been connected better)

Imagination: 14/15 (I'm fond of halflings and other small races, the approach however is rather classical and not very inventive)

Back story: 9/10 (great, I love the return to the world of Erathia, it's the Heroes world I spend most time in thanks to Heroes 3 and Might and Magic 7, though I don't like the idea of halflings being children of elves and humans)

Battle facets: 9/10 (good variety, fitting creatures and abilities, creative racial)

Discretionary: 5/5 (for theme, racial approach and pure sympathy)

46/50

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Momo
Momo


Promising
Famous Hero
posted March 25, 2008 10:53 PM
Edited by Momo at 22:54, 25 Mar 2008.

Quote:

Battle facets: 7/10 (good variety, fitting creatures and abilities but having only 4 different creatures in the end seems to me to be a bit few)



It's too late for you to change your mark but, just to inform whoever will review the faction next, you're not in any way going to end up with only 4 creatures. The recruitment system I took from my project says:

Quote:

Essentially the "town level" will determine how much money the town produces, but also how many dwellings you can build in a single town (the maximum being 8). Ways to increase town level:

1) Building Tavern, Town Hall, City Hall, Fort, Citadel, Castle increase the town level of 0.5. This means, for instance, that a city with Tavern, Fort, Citadel and Castle will be a LVL 2 town. A city with all these structures will be a LVL 3 town.

2) Controlling heroes (doesn't matter how many) increases the town level of 1. If some of your heroes have the nobility skill (doesn't matter how many) you get an additional town level.

3) Building Capitol increases town level of 1. If you own a Capitol and more than one city, you get an additional town level.

4) If you build the grail structure, you get another town level.

(note: if one of the conditions goes away during the game, for example you lose all your heroes, it doesn't matter anymore - the town level will remain the same)

As you can see, the town level in the average game will be of 5, so you will be able to build 5 dwellings out of 8 (like in Heroes 4: Lands of Axeoth). It's somehow easy to get to level 6, a bit harder to level 7, and level 8 will be an exception. Notice that the town level just determines how many dwelling can you build, regardless of the level. With a level 2 town, you may very well build two lvl4 dwellings (assuming you have the pre-requisites and resources).




This system is meant to force difficult choices early game without preventing the player from having a varied army in the end game. It's not intended, and it never was, to force the player to have an army of four creatures only. Incidentally, this also applies to my naga faction.

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Snatch
Snatch


Promising
Known Hero
Proud Kappa
posted March 25, 2008 11:31 PM

Ah, okay. I see.

The headlines 'Go for Satyr/... or Leprechaun/...?' made me believe that you have to choose. Sorry.

But I can't find a rule which forbid the guest judges to edit their ratings till the deadline. How will you proof it anyway if an edit was for rating or just spelling mistakes or miscalculation?

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Fauch
Fauch


Responsible
Undefeatable Hero
posted March 26, 2008 01:11 PM

Cohesiveness: 9/10
Quote:

1) Children: These children soon manifested a  moderate talent for magic, trickery, and a surprising inventive. Still, they were unconcerned with things like power, richness, and consequentially war and policy, so both human and elves never paid much attention to them.

-1 because that's stupid, the personality isn't determined by your race.

Imagination: 9/15 looks like something I've already seen...

Back story: 10/10 I see no problem, except what I pointed in the cohesiveness part.

Battle facets: 7.5/10 This faction definetely have his own fighting style but is too defensive imo. it has a lots of shooters, tanks and support units, but it seems very weak in melee attacks.
the racial idea is good but seems too weak, maybe it should work against neutrals too.

Discretionary: 5/5 nice descriptions.

41.5/50

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