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gen-is-gone · 5 months

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As requested by absolutely no one, my personal skiplist recomendation for the Eighth Doctor Adventures:

[ *Books that are more or less universally agreed to be excellent.

+Books I personally quite like that don't tend to make the top ten lists

-Books that are important enough that you shouldn't skip them, but imo kind of suck (don't yell at me if a book you like is on here, this is just my opinion)

Bolded books are arc important. ]

2. Vampire Science* 4. Genocide 6. Alien Bodies* 9. Longest Day- 11. Dreamstone Moon 12. Seeing I* 15. The Scarlet Empress* 17. Beltempest 19. The Taint- 21. Revolution Man+ 22. Dominion+ 23. Unnatural History* 25. Interference pt One: Shock Tactic 26. Interference pt Two: Hour of the Geek 27. The Blue Angel* 28. The Taking of Planet 5* 30. Parallel 59+ 31. The Shadows of Avalon 32. The Fall of Yquatine 33. Coldheart+ 36. The Ancestor Cell 38. Casualties of War 39. The Turing Test* 41. Father Time- 42. Escape Velocity- 43. EarthWorld* 45. Eater of Wasps+ 46. The Year of Intelligent Tigers* 49. City of the Dead* 50. Grimm Reality* 51. The Adventuress of Henrietta Street- 52. Mad Dogs and Englishmen 54. Anachrophobia* 56. The Book of the Still* 58. History 101+ 59. Camera Obscura* 60. Time Zero 62. The Domino Effect 63. Reckless Engineering 64. The Last Resort+ 65. Timeless 66. Emotional Chemistry 69. The Tomorrow Windows 71. The Deadstone Memorial+ 72. To the Slaughter 73. The Gallifrey Chronicles- PDA 73. Fear Itself* (Takes place between EarthWorld and Vanishing Point)

There are a number of books that are perfectly fine but nothing particularly special that didn't make the cut, as well as some kind of shitty books that did, as this is a skiplist to sort of whittle down the series to a somewhat more managable number while still keeping all of the arc essential books on the list. In my opinion, you could read every book on this list and not only not be confused by any of the arc stuff, but also come away not feeling like you've missed anything quintessential to the series.

And remember, this is my personal list, not speaking for anyone else's opinions about any of these, sorry if I included one of your favorite books among the 'shitty but significant' list, sorry if I skipped a book you love, yadda yadda yadda.

Happy reading! :D

#eighth doctor adventures #eighth doctor books #eighth doctor #megan whines into the empty abyss of cyberspace #honestly the real actual skiplist is just: skip The Eight Doctors the two dalek books and Placebo Effect #basically all of the others have at least one or two redeeming features each #y'know it's telling that of those it's three among the first ten when the series was still finding its feet #and the gary russell book #so even the really shitty ones aren't as bad as all that #and most of them are genuinely decent through absolutely excellent

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cold-arrow · 10 months

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Doctor’s Notes, Book 6 part 20

| Fair farewells | Summary, Things of note since last entry: No Phylactery, Aldirn, exit strategy, Finding a way out, bailing on the unexplored exit, The stone giant gathering. Sneaking away with quick word. Through canyon and along the river, away from Deadstone Cleft, (and hopefully the Roc. A few days travel. Peace and quiet. And no undead, besides one. Arcane awakening, good goodbye. I wish you safe travels friend.

| 1 / 4 | After we killed the Lich, nothing happened. I expected something, like the ghost, or the soul of the Dodkong to apparate out of her body, and fly away to wherever her soul container was hidden. But, she remained dead on the floor. No movement, no raising herself into undeath once more. No magic. Nothing.

I was worried that we’d have to spend the next few days trying to look for wherever her phylactery was hidden, here in the caverns and caves of Deadstone Cleft. But that didn’t prove necessary in the end. -- More importantly, The others had spotted him first. Petrified on top of the hill, of the centre island. Mostly intact. Mostly… besides his arm.

I don’t think he’ll be able to use a shield again, anytime soon. But at least his sword arm is still intact. And thankfully we still had enough diamond dust left from when we unpetrified Omrick. So Lym was able to cast Greater restoration on him and bring him back to flesh and bone. Or… fur I should say. We didn’t see his arm lying around anywhere. So we had to make do. Thankfully the amputated limb didn’t start to bleed as soon as he was back alive. He was mostly just dazed, and confused. Frozen, from the moment his heart had turned to stone. And asking what was going on. Ready to swing.

We informed him of what had happened. That we’d come back, and managed to defeat the Dodkong. As he told us of his battle with her. The lich. And how he broke the petrified remains of Skoraeus, and destroyed the giant stalactite.

In hindsight I guess that that was what the Dodkong had chosen to be her phylactery after all. Why she’d been able to Twist the words written by the prophecies of Skoraeus. And why she had been attuned?, to the entirety of the temple and the chamber it resided in.

it seemed unlikely that that, the stalactite, was what it was that housed her soul. Her spirit. Her undeath.

But I guess I / we were proven wrong, in thinking that wasn’t it. And that our hesitance in breaking it only aided her, in her manipulation of us.

Not that it really matters at this point. Not much we can do about It now.

-- Aldirn passed out again, pretty soon afterwards. Either due to blood loss, or exhaustion I presume. Or both. So Omrick took it upon him to carry him out of here.

| 2 / 4 |

We tried to find and exit through the unexplored caves, to the northeast of us. Crossing over the bridge into the caves on the other side of the canyon. Considering that it was unexplored territory for us, we tried to take it slow. Safely, and carefully explore for a way out. Omrick seemed pretty adamant about trying to find an exit this way. And considering he was the one carrying the big deer fellow. We didn’t object much at first.

The other way seemed safer. But to be fair, it’s quite possible that there might be quicker way out, this way. And that his dwarven instincts would hopefully help guide us out. -- The first chamber we arrived at, seemed abandoned. There were signs of people having lived here. Humanoids. But, that was long ago. Only dust remained where they had been. Though after exploring the room for a bit, we stumbled upon a set of cages. One of them was open. The other wasn’t. I… didn’t realize at first that the one that was still closed, was still occupied, and startled quite a bit I suddenly saw movement from within. A… giant grotesque looking insect. Or beetle. Captured within. I wasn’t really a fan of it. But Lym and Gryff took quite a liking to it. Going so far as to even pet it, wanting to take it with them. Though it seemed amicable to the scritches they gave them. Something about it didn’t sit right with me. Lym had nearly managed to convince me to give her some rope, that she could use as a leash for it, when I found my notebook as I rummaged through my bag. Something about the creature gnawed at the edge of my mind. And whilst quickly flipping through my notebook, I luckily stumbled upon some notes that I’d made a loong time ago.

That beetle… is also known as a “Rust monster”. A quite notorious and infamous Pest. Especially to the chagrin of many a dwarves. Eating and destroying anything made of metal.

If they had let it out, it…. It might have gobbled up Omrick’s armour, Along with the dwarf inside. As well as any other weapons or equipment made of metal, that we might be carrying.

I advised Lym against taking it with us as pet, to her disappointment. And suggested we quickly kept going, in case the other occupant of the now empty cage returns. * ( I had been wondering as to why the cages we’re made of wood. But, if they’d been made of metal. They likely would have chewed through the metal reinforced bars, In mere seconds.

Fortunately they don’t seem to be particularly bright creatures though. For if the really wanted to, or got hungry enough, I’d highly doubt that the wooden bars of their cage would stop them. )

| 3 / 4 | shortly after we’d looked at some of the exits out of this room, we had a bit of an argument. It became more and more apparent that it be Dangerous, to try and find an exit in this unexplored part of the stronghold. And that if we already knew of a way back, back the way we came the first time, that we should leave from there instead.

Instead of risking any further encounters with giants, or whatever else might be lying ahead. Omrick didn’t really agree. But I was starting to doubt as well that trying to find an exit this way, might not be worth the risk. Especially with Aldrin. and our partially exhausted state after our fight with the Dodkong.

So instead we went back. Through the temple, and the alter room. And caves beyond, until we would finally reach to foot of the canyon once more.

Though that exit strategy wasn’t just as simple as that. By the time we arrived back at the temple, the entire chamber was starting to collapse, as more and more rocks fell from the ceiling. We started sprinting toward the other side of the room. But as soon as me and Lym had crossed the first bridge… it collapsed. Below Omrick, as he made to cross it next.

Both he and Aldrin fell into the petrifying sands below, as Omrick was still carrying him on his back. Gryff reacted rather quickly thankfully, and teleported himself along with Aldrin to the other side of the room. But Omrick was still stuck in the sands.

I was panicking, trying to figure out what to do. How to help. When to my horror, Lym sprinted towards the ledge and dove into the petrifying sands as well. It… wasn’t until I saw the both of them appear on the other side of the room next Gryff, that my heart surfaced again, after it had sank to the depths as well.

I quickly made myself an elixir of levitation, and flew over the river of mud towards the others. Luckily managing to avoid all the falling debris from the stone ceiling above us. But after regrouping, we quickly left the room behind us. As the cavers ahead fortunately seeming a lot more stable and lot less prone to collapsing.

The final obstacle though, was the alter room of the Fog king. Where several dozen Stone Giants had gathered, and were having a heated argument. The best we could tell they seemed divided in their opinion. Forming different groups, factions or points of view.

The pacifists. That never cared much for the Docking’s plans. And even now, that she has “disappeared”, remain passive. Uncaring.

Those who are fearful, and worried after following the Dodkong, and her leadership. And are now unsure of what to do, now that their leader is gone. As well as no longer being able to ask for direct guidance from Skoraeus either. now that his remains lay broken and scattered, as the temple sinks back into the earth.

And the finally the “activists”. Those who are blaming the smallfolk, thinking they are responsible. And wanting to take them out. To march out the undead army, and take care of them once and for all. Starting with Loudwater.

I… sincerely hope that they will cooldown after we’ve left. And stop being issue, now that the Dodkong is longer leading them. That they will return to being recluses, and private. Less problematic. Especially in terms of wiping out and levelling the nearby towns and villages. Collecting bodies. And raising the dead.

That, a new head won’t show up. Using the necromancy they learned and lead an undead army to take over the sword coast.

But only time will tell. We can’t really face that many at once. Even if only a couple of them were to turn their stone clubs against us. We’d still be outnumbered

So instead we snuck past. Invisible. And Levitating to avoid there tremor sense.

Gryff tried talking with them, in the hopes that they wouldn’t take offense to him for being small, if he’s undead. But shortly after they spotted him, they… simply tried to smash him to pieces. And he teleported away.

It was worth a shot, to try and talk to them. To maybe guide them. Or dissuade them from taking any hostile actions. But we just got to wait for them to cool off, and hopefully stay that way I suppose. Hopefully.

| 4 / 4 | We made it out of the caves, and canyon of Deadstone cleft without much further issue. Arriving back at the river bed, at the foot of the mountain. With fortunately no Roc in sight.

The reason that we didn’t ask Zyra to pick us up, similarly as to how she initially dropped us of with the rope the first time, is the same reason as to why we didn’t call for the Zyra nor the airship, once we left Deadstone Cleft behind. We are still in the Roc’s territory. And as long as we are in Her hunting grounds, we’ll have to travel by foot. And that might take quite a few days.

But, that’s the last giant lord taken care of.

And we finally possess the fourth, and hopefully final conch. ( Assuming that we won’t end up needing the one from the Cloud giants, and Sansuri. ) *

It's strange though. We were all wondering what would become the undead army swarming outside the canyon. But there is nigh a trace left of them. We saw some dust, and bits of bone scattered around the river bed. But that’s about it. Did they simply just crumble, and return to the earth. I hope so at least. Not having to worry about them as we head back to Loudwater, would be quite a nice reprieve after this whole ordeal

… After a few days of travel, Lym apparently took note of something peculiar, by Aldrin when we woke up in morning.

These threads. Trying to connect to him. As if the Weave was trying to reach out to him during the night. As if trying to take him, or envelop him?

But the threads looked different somehow.

Similar, to the Weave. Or… reminiscent. But not the same.

when Lym mentioned it to us though, it appeared that only she could see it. I tried a few thing to look for what she was referring to as well. The thread or patterns she saw. But only she could see them. Aldrin was still very much exhausted, and didn’t think much of it at first. Lym had been doting on him, now that he’s a hand shorter. Trying the help him out wherever she could. But either he didn’t really need the help, or was too stubborn for the most part. But when she mentioned the threads to him, and that they seemed to be leading somewhere. Or coming from somewhere, he didn’t really think much of it, but didn’t mind going to check it out either.

After following Lym lead’s, deeper into the woods. With area becoming increasingly less travelled, or trodden. And wilder. There… suddenly was a shift.

It took as all a moment to realize what had changed. We were still in the woods, surrounded by trees.

But the horizon somehow wasn’t right. As is if everywhere, in every direction, there was only forest, and nothing else. Not in the sense of, as far as the eye could see. Or how far we could see. But further. Like there was nothing but an endless expense of forest in every direction.

Like… as if we were transported to the feywild, I thought at first.

But after looking around. There was anything fey about it.

Aldrin had been quiet. Had noticed the shift immediately. Sensed it. Or Smelled it. Instinctively, noticed It immediately.

He began tearing up a bit. For was home.

We, or Lym, had somehow found a way for him back home.

He didn’t seem keen going back with us. Happy to finally leave the LA, and Fearun. Behind. Going back to his own world. His own life.

We each said our goodbyes. With Lym even getting a hug out of him. As we parted ways there. Wishing him safe travels.

his parting words, before he went back home though. Were… interesting. He told to us to PLEASE get a different employer. I don’t think he thinks we and the LA are a good match.

Can’t blame him. Not sure if Lady Silverhand still thinks the same as when she first proposed us working for her. The LA. Not sure if we still should, after what he said. What all has happened. Definitely taking it into consideration.

As curious as I was to study the place that he’s from. To learn more about it. We weren’t sure whether the portal would remain open for long. And the others we’re right that while having the opportunity the learn more about this place might be interesting. Being trapped here with no way back, might not be ideal. With Aldrin being the prime example. I… I guess it saves me the effort of making him a personalized prosthetic. Was kind of looking forward to it though. Had a few things in mind. Still some things I wanted to ask. Or talk about. Or give him. But you being finally being home is what’s most important. I wish safe travels friend.

May our paths one day cross again.

End of entry,

End of chapter

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