Scarlet Shocker

Let's not get too stuck on who uses a staff in comics. That's rather detracting from the point and personally I really hope the Devs look at the core of this issue.

My own feeling is that First Ward was visually stunning - beautifully described and presented.

I have run the story once because the story itself didn't grab me (as somebody's already pointed out, the zone completely ignores the notion of being a villain) and I felt that - as with much of the newer content - I was reading a book and button mashing. The notion of interaction has rapidly declined over the last 18 months or so. We're funnelled down a tunnel.

Even when offered "choice" it's generally the option between "Knock him out" or "Break his neck" - both of which are pretty ridiculous - if we've had to fight to get to that stage, and reached the big bad boss who's meant to be a challenge we can suddenly do either/or without breaking a sweat. If we're going to get those kind of choices, then we need two alternate resolutions: We either get to fight some more and then defeat the subject, or the subject manages to escape to thwart our plans another time.

Personally, the thing I've noticed the most is that since Going Rogue was released, the visual environment has become far far better, whilst the stories have become much less engaging. This clearly seems to be a question of priorities - better graphics, because once they are done they are done, and lots of low quality content rather than less, but much better, story-telling.

Very cool Sam.

I like the way you've managed to give the Well a different "face" to everyone who perceives it - a way to meet the specific needs of the individual whilst still maintaining the continuity.

I guess we can just dream, right?

love 'em. It took me a long time to learn they are there to be munched when needed - I tended to hoard them and would sometimes die with a full tray

But they are a very cool feature of the game.

No warning here but I have a trusty fedora to keep me safe

I was inspired to write this by a small rock.

I wasn't going to post it, but took a chance and ran it by a forumite here who suggested it might fit well here and seemed to enjoy it.

Clearly, this isn't canon in any sense - it's just one players take on what the Well should have been - rather than what the Canon says it is.

I hope you enjoy - but if you don't, please be gentle

(also, I have no idea why the word "b e r k" is censored by this forum. That's... laughable

Scarlet Shocker stood in the shadowy cave, her eyes narrowing. The cave was empty and bare, devoid of anything – not even protruding rocks or signs of habitation. An anonymous cavern in a nameless rock. Mender Ramiel stood beside her, Mender Silos had departed moments previously, with some annoyance, believing they had failed in their quest already.


“What're we doing here Ramiel?” She wasn't in the mood for games and this had gone far enough.


Mender Ramiel cleared his throat. “I explained already Scarlet. We're discovering your destiny. We're going to see what the Well of the Furies is going to do for you.”


She took an imposing step towards him, and looked down at him. “If I'd had a buck for every crackpot who said he could predict my future, I'd be richer than Midas. I've given you my goodwill and we're here in this...” she looked around and pursed her lips, “forsaken place in the middle of whoknowswhen – and if I don't get an answer very soon I'm going to go find Nemesis and punch him on the nose several millennia before this and tell him that if he tries this again I'll break both his legs.”


Ramiel took a step back and looked quite uncomfortable. “It's... um... not as simple as that.”


“Clearly.” Scarlet's words were icy. She was plainly mistrustful, and her costume was battered and even the high tech material of her outfit was ripped in places, fortunately none too revealing. “But you persuaded me to come here to 'find my destiny' and I get thumped by apparent shades of enemies I've beaten in the past and then a 'guardian' and here we are in a cave somewhere... some.. when and you suddenly appear. With that **** Silos in tow.”


Ramiel was indignant: “He's no ****! He is Mender Silos and has our best...”


Scarlet held up her hand in silence. “I've met him plenty of times. He's a schemer and a planner and you know something? I've never known him win... not even once. His plotting will be his nemesis. I don't need to hear about him. I need you to explain why you've dragged me through this and for what purpose.”


Ramiel nodded. “What I'm about to show you... I cannot explain. Well... that is... not entirely. I can explain bits of it. But this seems to be... perhaps I can put it into words in this way; What you are about to undertake may determine not just your destiny, but the destiny of the future too. Please trust me and close your eyes and relax.”


Scarlet chuckled. “The last time I closed my eyes and relaxed, a Hellion knocked me out with a rock. This'd better be better.” However, she did as bid and inhaled deeply, and as she did, noticed a strange warming sensation from within her, and yet a certain sense of turmoil. She opened her eyes involuntarily to gaze on... something.


Where before there had been emptiness, now there were coruscating lights, twining around her and Ramiel, of all colours, some slow and heavy like old men, others fast and bright like kittens or lambs, whirling around her. But as each passed she felt them giving her energy in some intangible way.


“What's happening?” She shot Ramiel a glance, but held out her arm and a series of scarlet sparks latched on to her fingers and spiralled around her arm then around her torso and down to her toes before propelling themselves back into the cave. “Impressive light show Ramiel but what is this?”
Ramiel grinned. “Feels good, doesn't it?”


Scarlet paused a moment, and nodded in agreement. It did feel good. “Ok... it does... but what is it?”


Ramiel's grin widened. “Why not ask it yourself?”


Inwardly she sighed as Ramiel's reluctance to give anything away, but shrugged and held her hand out once more, palm upwards and collected the red sparks. “So, little sparks, what are you and why am I here?”


“Because you are worthy. We are the Well of the Furies.” The voice was hollow and ancient or maybe that was simply the cave's acoustics. “We are here to serve you, because you are worthy.”


Scarlet blinked and briefly reminisced on all the cuts and bruises and broken bones she'd encountered in Paragon since she arrived. “Worthy huh? Ok I was expecting a hole in the ground, with water in it.”


“That's a well. We make you well. We are simply a channel to make your anger, strength and pain improve the world.”


Scarlet blinked. “That's... cryptic. Care to elaborate?”


The lights spun faster around her and more seemed to appear, overwhelming her a little. She could barely see Ramiel not three feet from her, in the illuminated haze. She held her hand out and snapped her fingers. “Stop! I can't see.”


The lights dimmed and stopped and all moved back giving her space and a better view. “We are the Well of the Furies. We are legendary but incorporeal. We exist to empower those strong enough. We make you well.


“You have proven worthy. Of the hundreds that have visited us, less than five in every hundred ever see us. You are one of those because you have the inner light to see us and guide us.”


Scarlet blinked. “Guide... you? I was under the impression that...” she looked at Ramiel, who shrugged a moment. “I think I get it... you see me as the guide, not the other way around... are you looking for a way to break out of here?”


“Here... not so relevant... but here... has no purpose. Without purpose... we struggle to exist. We need to... augment your power. The more power you have, the more we add to it. The Well exists to Enhance Your Will.”


Scarlet listened and ruminated a moment. She suddenly realised she was playing ping pong between her hands with some of the lights. “I'm not that powerful. I just believe in Paragon. In fact, in a fight, I'm pretty crap. I'm a blaster and electric at that. Why would you choose me?”


“Because you believe. Because you have the Will... That is your power. You believe in Paragon and sacrifice yourself every day to help it, never faltering. You have the Will that it takes to protect what you believe in. That force is power and we respect and need it.”


Frowning a bit she nodded, and thought for a moment. “What about Statesman, Recluse, Lady Grey?”
“They serve their purpose. Their paths are not yours. Your path is not theirs. We give to those worthy of us. Each is different.”


For a moment she wished she'd got pockets she could shove her hands into. “How do I know you can be trusted? What's to say you won't pull the rug from under me? What're you even going to do for me? How much will this cost?”


“You cannot trust us. We are not a thing to offer guarantees. We are not offering you power from us. We offer power within you. Power that only a few posses the knowledge to unlock. Once unlocked, it cannot be unlearned. Our promise is to help you harness your inner well and use it as it works best for you.”


She grinned, a wide grin, a revelation. “You don't need me. I'm not even sure you exist. I get it now.” She turned to Ramiel. “Let's go.”


“Go?” Ramiel looked horribly startled, not so much bunny in the headlights as deer through the wind shield. “We cannot go. The Well is offering to instruct you.”


Scarlet strode out swift and purposeful... a shade of some past enemy attempted to stop her but a wave of her hand and it had never been there. Sparks followed in her footprints but not from the well, these were from her and she could feel a new... confidence within her.


“Scarlet you cannot leave. I forbid it. I showed you this. I taught you this secret, how to get much more power.” Ramiel followed her, almost pleading, a pace behind, until suddenly she turned and grabbed him by the collar and lifting him physically off of his feet snatched him to her 7'2” eye level.


“Listen to me you little twerp,” she snarled into his face. “This has NEVER been about you. This has always been about me. This Well... whatever it is, you don't control it and nor does anyone else. It's not a being, it's a tool. It's maybe a key and those who find it can unlock their inner strength – but it doesn't control us, and nor my short, whiny, impotent friend, do you!” She dropped him then and he landed on his backside, ignominiously.


Ramiel scowled, and cursing under his breath, picked himself up. Scarlet reached out and helped him. “Ramiel... do you understand what happened here?”


“You got angry at me because you're more powerful?” He was petulant.


She chuckled at that and patted him on the shoulder. “No my friend. But ask yourself this; why've you never seen the Well?”


Ramiel was aghast, his mouth went slack and fell open for a long moment. “You... how... how did you know?”


Scarlet giggled. “Because if you'd seen it, Silos would be dust.” She took Ramiel's hand and led him from the cave. “I don't know what happened here, exactly. I mean I get a lot if it... but the Well... it's not a thing. It can't make a person more powerful... it doesn't work like that. It's more like a conduit... a mirror. That's it, a Mirror. It shows us our inner strength, stuff that we forgot to remember.”


Ramiel stopped, and sat down, crestfallen. “I've never... never managed to see it. I don't know how it feels. I... I've failed. I come here with some, and it feels like listening to half a conversation – like...” he paused a moment, trying to articulate the words and remembered something. “Like a... one of your telephone? Conversation. I hear you speak but nothing else.”


She crouched and per her hand on his shoulder gently. “What is your task here? How many have you shown?”


Ramiel thought for a moment, and bowed his head. “Over the centuries, many hundreds. Only a few feel anything... but never like you. And I've never felt anything. I have to pretend every time.”


“Then maybe you need to go back and see for yourself. Go on your own this time. There's no shades to bar your way and you know what to expect. See what is really in that cave Ramiel.” She patted him on the shoulder and helped him to his feet.


He looked up at her and swallowed, nodded slowly and turned almost at a jog. “I will” he mumbled and set off at a fast walk.


“Ramiel,” she called after him, and he paused and turned momentarily.


“Yes Scarlet?”


“Whatever happens, go easy on Silos. We both know he's out of his depth, but he genuinely believes in what he's doing. However poorly he's going about that, he deserves recognition for trying.”


Ramiel nodded, and a brief grin flickered on his lips. “Understood.” He turned and jogged on swiftly consumed by the gloom. Scarlet waited until he was out of sight and then walked out of the cave herself, a curious half-smile on her face. Today was a new day and it was going to be a bloody good one too!

more importantly why can't you get the hair bow in the Trick Archery set?

OP, not sure much can be done but sympathy. In my experience the CS team are some of the best people in this game and I'm certain that if they can do anything they will, but I don't believe there's such a thing as a roll back so you may not have much luck.

I'd suggest following Eco's idea of reforming the SG and starting from scratch but be a lot more careful who you invite.