Lori was my first character on EFU. Unfortunately, as a result, there's some big blank spaces in my library of screenshots before I realized their importance, and even after due to a habit of getting a bit too immersed and distracted by what's going on. Some of Sylyn's obituary can fill in the blanks but still. I'm gonna try to make up for the lack of screenshots with written bits, so apologies in advance if this is a little long.
That said. It was an incredible ride start to finish, and a hundred times more than what I expected to experience during my first peek into this server. The basis of Lori was, "NG Unpredictable Sorceress. Kind to a fault and tragically plagued by chaos magic that she refuses to use to directly harm others", and the entirety of my playing her, and writing her journal, was done with the full assumption that I'd roll poorly on the Unpredictable table and explode at level 8, as I tend to have terrible luck. As a result, everything after surviving felt like borrowed time, especially as her niche of support magic Sorcerer made her ill-suited to defend herself alone... at least until she could Polymorph.
Lori, Argus Haffard, Daniel Brandybuck, Sylyn Nine-fingers and Milos Andelko were the first to overcome Ring 92 and the first to reach Ring 88. Lori's first development of confidence in herself, despite still fearing her magic, was the result of her part in defeating 92, having saved her team from death through quick trickery rather than her own spells. In addition to this, her team had been placed in a position where they could have chosen to sacrifice Lori to proceed safely, and refused immediately, cementing her trust in them. She came to view them as family.
[hide=Pre-Mutation Lori](https://i.imgur.com/zgDvCnG.png)(https://i.imgur.com/eucKQHU.jpg) [/hide]
[hide=The Five's (partially redacted) Declaration!](https://i.imgur.com/cpLnz82.png)[/hide]
[hide=Democracy in Action](https://i.imgur.com/FUqYW21.png)[/hide]
Unfortunately, resupplying after this success led to Lori's reaching level 8. It was during a locked room meeting with The Five in the Open Door that she made her rolls. The first, harmless, gave her skin an ethereal glow. The second and third, though, were much less pleasant... despite the powers that came with them including a convenient 1/day allowing Lori to emulate the dazing white light from her dreams, among other strong effects.
[hide=Third Roll's Horror](https://i.imgur.com/4zEUiwH.png)(https://i.imgur.com/0VYIDoC.jpg)[/hide]
[hide=Third Roll's Boon](https://i.imgur.com/ZUpyvzZ.png)[/hide]
[hide=Second Roll's Horror](https://i.imgur.com/CSYKQn7.jpg)[/hide]
[hide=Second Roll's Boon](https://i.imgur.com/eoqRszT.png)[/hide]
[hide=First Roll's Boon](https://i.imgur.com/aab6dd0.png)[/hide]
A prompt Pondfolk as a result, hiding away, Lori spent a lot of time sobbing and moping. Despite this, a ridiculous number of the friends she'd made along the way came out in droves to assist, supply and comfort her while working on a ritual to restore her. New friends were made as well, even as a goblin, from Pondfolk to adventurers under duress she, foolishly, couldn't stop herself from sneaking out of the Ponds to assist. Driftwood Company even accepted her as a member, greenskin or not, and were often her wall while traveling.
[hide=Elven Friends] (https://i.imgur.com/sG2J4FS.png) (https://i.imgur.com/9U8NZHo.jpg)[/hide]
[hide=Pondfolk Approval](https://i.imgur.com/Jn7GAp2.png) (https://i.imgur.com/LbcKD6C.jpg)[/hide]
[hide=Daniel's Variable Moral Support](https://i.imgur.com/fY9uOfU.png) (https://i.imgur.com/vm0DEDd.png)[/hide]
[hide=Peanut Gallery](https://i.imgur.com/x7IbPPv.png)[/hide]
[hide=Valiant Box Guardian](https://i.imgur.com/y9umam2.png)(https://i.imgur.com/PtWjTEa.png)(https://i.imgur.com/38CA5hF.png)[/hide]
Just a day before she was to be restored, Lori was visited by a hag in the Ponds, invited to tea. Upon accepting, she was ferried into deep woods and told an odd fable, then asked who the mysterious subject of it truly was. Upon landing on "Pzatharun", she was rewarded with a laugh and a reveal of the hag's true form. A nymph, a changeling, who encouraged Lori to see her transformation into a goblin as a path she'd learned from, and Lori agreed to see future fresh paths as learning experiences as well. A thanks given to Pzatharun, later events compelling her to worship him over the Hin pantheon, and she was rewarded with a charm to keep her safe.
[hide=Changeling's Charm](https://i.imgur.com/KeGXUVA.png?1)[/hide]
The day of the ritual eventually came. All together, Lori and friends had gathered a raw 20,000 groats on top of roughly 5,000 groats in relics and expensive other items suited to being reagents. Morale was high, but a few fumbles of the intricacies of it all paired with a saboteur swiping a key relic led to a truly awful result. And when the Arbiters stormed in to demand the destruction of the abomination that resulted, Lori fled first to an old meeting spot, then deep below the waters of the ponds. She never forgave herself for the defenders that died there or soon after, Milos a father figure and Grunskogal one of her closest friends.
[hide=The Ritual's End](https://i.imgur.com/Y7HJUuD.png) (https://i.imgur.com/x6QVH0H.jpg)[/hide]
[hide=The First Hiding Spot](https://i.imgur.com/Ur0wUre.jpg)[/hide]
[hide=The Second Hiding Spot](https://i.imgur.com/ZmjTqm7.jpg)[/hide]
[hide=Disgusting](https://i.imgur.com/HSObOCr.png)[/hide]
As a goblin, Lori had still been capable of making new friends. As a maggot, she was truly disgusting, though still retained her speech, intelligence and casting ability. Unable to make new friends, she had to rely on the old, chiefly Sylyn Nine-fingers, to manuever, bribe and kill in her defense. In the Ponds, Lori spent nearly all her time hiding beneath the water, taking advantage of her form's ability to breathe beneath, or delivering stealthy gifts of fish to Pondsmen who defended her or warded hunters away. It wasn't until she managed to reach level 9 that, through polymorphing, she began peeking at and speaking with strangers in small doses. Miserable, bitter and trapped in a fleshy prison that ached and writhed, the ability to change shape kept her sane, as did close friends and the possibility of evolving.
[hide=Spotted By a Stranger](https://i.imgur.com/HlJZcUM.png)[/hide]
[hide=Spotted By a Friend](https://i.imgur.com/lR2y9Bd.jpg?1)[/hide]
Aetherwine Silver soon earned the title of Royal Court Wizard and the tower that came with it, and he didn't hesitate to shelter and work on finding Lori what it was she needed to change shape permanently, out of both friendship and perceived penance for the ritual gone awry. A much more active time, their friendship was strengthened by gathering material for the tower as a team, with Lori becoming awfully attached to her wizard pal, falling into the role of monstrous magical assistant/bodyguard and finally working out of her exhausted depression bit by bit.
[hide=Book Worm's Library](https://i.imgur.com/sP0BqgW.jpg?1)[/hide]
[hide=Home Alone](https://i.imgur.com/YHSjwf9.jpg)[/hide]
[hide=Hunger](https://i.imgur.com/yDkNUIE.jpg?1)[/hide]
After a long haul, it was through the assistance of Varthan, Quarterdragon, Wilbert, and Alastor that Lori and Silver were finally able to simultaneously quash a longstanding threat while giving Lori access to enough consumable magical energy to fuel her metamorphosis. An exhausted, finally fully confident Lori got to return to the Tower and enjoy a tearful hug with her surrogate elder sister and most zelous of defenders, Sylyn Nine-fingers... only for her to be slain the next day.
[hide=A Victory At Last](https://i.imgur.com/HkX3yBF.png) (https://i.imgur.com/ZUGdzsy.jpg?1) (https://i.imgur.com/6qfmkoe.jpg)[/hide]
[hide=Metamorphosis](https://i.imgur.com/StExyEu.png)[/hide]
Grief drove Lori into a mad dash back to Ring 99, but ultimately she failed to see Syl's body a final time. She settled into Ticker Square as best she was able, taking advantage of the growing acceptance of planar travelers and stumbling her way through politics that had become wildly different in her months away. Going by "Chit", covered up in a uniform taken from where she was restored, she tried and failed to take on a new identity.
[hide=Chit](https://i.imgur.com/tfQ58Qf.png)(https://i.imgur.com/BdHxWwE.png)(https://i.imgur.com/xPyVbrC.png)[/hide]
[hide=Smallest Fan](https://i.imgur.com/vPQrWvg.png)(https://i.imgur.com/WyZIGXs.png)(https://i.imgur.com/SBEvdVj.png)(https://i.imgur.com/mFzd66w.png)(https://i.imgur.com/kYBTwCn.jpg?1)[/hide]
[hide=Caught](https://i.imgur.com/ERKpjzo.png)(https://i.imgur.com/lI4na0d.png)[/hide]
A positive came with the Arbiters foiling Lori's new identity. New friends, both curious and eager to defend her upon hearing of her plight. Her own kindness making her too trusting, Lori was incredibly lucky to forge the bond she did with Braiden Kale, who came to view her as a daughter. Their adventures together made up the last of Lori's journey, his encouragement and protection of her finally having started to build back up a self-confidence marred by an awful lot of guilt in the face of those who'd sacrificed themselves for her time and time again.
[hide=Bonded](https://i.imgur.com/wgMlH4m.jpg)(https://i.imgur.com/E3BJiCf.png)(https://i.imgur.com/ApKC3v1.png)(https://i.imgur.com/Jnsl04I.png)[/hide]
[hide=Armored in Her "Colors"](https://i.imgur.com/yQpVk6V.png)[/hide]
[hide=Narrow Encounter With a Supplied Bandit](https://i.imgur.com/RUi7tmo.png)[/hide]
[hide=Anger](https://i.imgur.com/SHDXfCi.png)[/hide]
[hide=Laughter](https://i.imgur.com/x5Z9Zac.png?1)[/hide]
Sorry to anyone not mentioned, or mentioned too lightly. Lori had a lot of folks who played a big part in her continued survival and retained sanity, but unfortunately my screenshot taking habits still need work, so I missed far too many genuinely heartwarming quotes. I'm going to miss maintaining Lori's journal most of all. (https://www.efupw.com/forums/index.php?topic=691610.0)
Also, I'm silly. So I saved all these.
[hide=No Form Was Safe](https://i.imgur.com/RjdcdBe.png)(https://i.imgur.com/Ff2XxdI.png)(https://i.imgur.com/JCUYWuy.png)(https://i.imgur.com/SDRmdOl.png)(https://i.imgur.com/3R6ApW5.png)(https://i.imgur.com/WC8c8ry.png)(https://i.imgur.com/HeyLbrI.png)[/hide]
[hide=...](https://i.imgur.com/LfsT1xv.jpg?1)(https://i.imgur.com/PEueKBw.png)[/hide]
Excellently characterized PC who rolled with the punches better than any I've ever seen. Very well done!
Great character, and what a dream ending!
Goodspeed, Syl's surrogate little sister/daughter, wibble-wobbling chubby maggot.
I'd add. Big encore. New player, first PC, I was constantly baffled at how well you rolled with the punches. Don't ever leave.
So true about the cool stuff that can happen by rollin' with the punches.
Really awesome character.
Well done, honestly one of the most interesting characters to date and well deserving of a fitting end.
Hell of a first character, enjoyed the screenshots.
Lori was the best familiar, if only for a day. And a truly stunning first PC. I am excited to see how you grow from here, because you'll surely surpass most of us veterans at this rate.
*Pats head.*
Did like, still best pond wizard.
Glad Lori was one of the few PCs on EFU to get a happy ending, such is exceptionally rare and usually ends in death or some horrible demise. Props to ya. Looking forward to what comes next.
Best Pond Wizard of 2019.
Godspeed, you brave bastard.
Lori was a really fun character, in all of her forms! The happy ending's some nice closure
Lori was great it was ashame I didnt get more time to interact with her after she became maglori. Boxlori is best.
The story of Lori Underbough despite involving a literal metamorphosis was at its heart a tragedy, in the sense, I think, that Lori was always that same scared halfling sorceress who knew she was "different" and despite all efforts to help "fix" that part of her that was indelibly tied to chaos, she could never escape it, leaving her always wary of how her very presence endangered others. Inherent internal conflicts like that seem to make for the best stories and serve as such a strong impetus for moving the narrative along IG.
Easy to Remember, as a player your ability to not only persevere but flourish despite being thrust into life as a kill-on-sight monster was incredible. Part of my intention with the ritual of restoration was to possibly help a new player out of the rightfully stressful monster PC life, but wow, things turned out so much more for the better when it didn't quite go to plan (nor should rituals be seen as easy fixes to problems!) and you were given the opportunity to well, rock out the magical caterpillar/royal bookworm (in at least one wizard's eyes, though in everyone elses', the planar-maggot) life.
Now I do have some screenshots to share, including a few from my favourite time by far, the Magical Adventures of Lori and Silver.
Quote from: Nap StackI'm not sure there's anything more peak wizard than having a monstrous magical assistant cheerfully trying to color coordinate your robe and quarterstaff glow.
<3
[hide=Goblori and Friends](https://i.imgur.com/rbJwbfq.jpg)[/hide]
[hide=Lori as Minos](https://i.imgur.com/jKFLRyg.jpg)[/hide]
[hide=Lori as Minos the Loyal Mage Guardian](https://i.imgur.com/g4tKc3m.jpg)[/hide]
[hide=Lori as the Chitterer](https://i.imgur.com/I06fxmL.jpg)[/hide]
Brilliant first PC.
Look forward to the next one!
A standard setting highlight for the new chapter.
What a fantastic character. I'm sad I didnt get to interact with her more on Elbert, but I really enjoyed the scant interactions we did get! Looking forward to your next one :)
I don't comment often in these places...
I want to say this was a very interesting story to read, and excellently illustrated by your thread.
To roll with the punches, to eat dirt, and to rise and rise again by weaving these implacable hardships into a narrative is perhaps the greatest challenge of EFU.