Let's Play Lone Wolf: Book 29 and beyond!

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Mikl: Nov 8, 2009; Vote shit sandwich or the shit sandwich gets it!

Tavern.

# ? Nov 20, 2017 14:17

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# ? Jun 6, 2024 12:35

Guy Fawkes: Aug 1, 2014; Lvl 62, +5 meadow defense

Market.

# ? Nov 20, 2017 21:52

Tiggum: Oct 24, 2007; Your life and your quest end here.

Mikl posted:

Tavern.

Following the advice we were given.

Shadow on the Sand posted:

As you approach the door, Banedon offers you a word of advice. �Take care to guard your gold, Lone Wolf. Nothing tempts the Ikareshi more than a full purse. You can trust their honour, but if you trust their honesty they will steal the hair from your head.�

Inside, the mood is one of celebration. Tables have been drawn together to form a large semicircle in front of which stands a small, broad-shouldered man dressed lavishly in an embroidered costume. A gold-mounted sword hangs by his side, its blue velvet scabbard as vivid in colour as the man�s silk pantaloons. Affectionately, the man embraces his companions, kissing the friends and relatives who have travelled so many miles to celebrate his wedding. At his side sits his bride, her face concealed behind a veil of shimmering pearls. Suddenly, the tavern is filled with music as the guests take the floor for the wedding dance.

On the far side of the floor you see the owner of the tavern, a stout old lady dressed in sombre black. She watches the festivities with tears in her eyes.

I guess that's Soushilla. Do we go speak to her, or leave and head for the market instead?

# ? Nov 21, 2017 00:45

achtungnight: Oct 5, 2014; I get my fun here. Enjoy!

Say hi to the widow.

# ? Nov 21, 2017 01:18

Tiggum: Oct 24, 2007; Your life and your quest end here.

Shadow on the Sand posted:

�Why do you ask?� she replies suspiciously, blinking the tears from her eyes. �What business do you have with Old Tipasa?�

�He is a friend,� replies Banedon, placing a Gold Crown on the tavern counter. The old woman covers the coin with her hand, her expression shrewd and calculating.

�Soushilla is old, her memory has faded with the passing years,� she says, waiting expectantly and glancing at Banedon�s money pouch. He opens the flap to remove another Crown, but the pouch has been emptied by a nimble pickpocket. Sheepishly he avoids your stare, his face growing redder by the second.

�Five Gold Crowns may refresh my memory,� she says, her gaze now resting on you.

Do we pay her 5 Gold Crowns or keep our money and leave?

We currently have 42 Gold Crowns.

# ? Nov 21, 2017 12:57

Kanthulhu: Apr 8, 2009; NO ONE SPOIL GAME OF THRONES FOR ME!

IF SOMEONE TELLS ME THAT OBERYN MARTELL AND THE MOUNTAIN DIE THIS SEASON, I'M GOING TO BE PISSED.

BUT NOT HALF AS PISSED AS I'D BE IF SOMEONE WERE TO SPOIL VARYS KILLING A LANISTER!!!

(Dany shits in a field)

Pay up

# ? Nov 21, 2017 13:13

Comstar: Apr 20, 2007; Are you happy now?

Pay up.

# ? Nov 21, 2017 13:25

Mikl: Nov 8, 2009; Vote shit sandwich or the shit sandwich gets it!

Banedon you're the worst wizard.

Pay up.

# ? Nov 21, 2017 13:57

Tiggum: Oct 24, 2007; Your life and your quest end here.

Mikl posted:

Banedon you're the worst wizard.

# ? Nov 21, 2017 14:17

Tiggum: Oct 24, 2007; Your life and your quest end here.

Shadow on the Sand posted:

�Walk along the street to the Dougga Market. Behind the stables there is an alley. Tipasa lives there, in the house with the blue door.�

As you make your way through the dancing crowd to the tavern door, you take care to keep both hands on your Belt Pouch. An embarrassed Banedon follows in your footsteps, cursing his misfortune under his breath.

You pass under an arch where two brass-gilded, conical towers gleam like gold and enter a marketplace crowded with squabbling merchants. Exotic carpets, brightly coloured material, and all manner of foods are being bought, sold, and haggled over. The north side of the marketplace is devoted to the auction of douggas. The sleek but noisy desert beasts are being paraded, for the benefit of the bidders, around a paddock adjoining their stables. Just past the stables, a street vanishes into the Carpet-weavers� Quarter of Ikaresh.

Shall we investigate the stables, ask a merchant for directions or leave the market via the street past the stables?

We now have 37 Gold Crowns.

# ? Nov 22, 2017 02:15

Mikl: Nov 8, 2009; Vote shit sandwich or the shit sandwich gets it!

Follow the lady's directions, i.e. go to the stables.

# ? Nov 22, 2017 06:48

achtungnight: Oct 5, 2014; I get my fun here. Enjoy!

Ask a Merchant. His parting catchphrase- I look forward to swindling you soon!

# ? Nov 22, 2017 09:38

Tiggum: Oct 24, 2007; Your life and your quest end here.

achtungnight posted:

Ask a Merchant. His parting catchphrase- I look forward to swindling you soon!

Sure, can't hurt to verify the information we've been given.

Shadow on the Sand posted:

A small, heavy-set merchant is hawking his wares from a stall set close to the archway. His small, beady eyes twinkle from beneath a ridiculously outsized turban. As you approach, he launches himself at you, desperately trying, with a flood of wild claims, to persuade you to buy his obviously inferior goods. He looks surprised when you interrupt him with your question. �Tipasa?� he answers. �Yes, I know where he lives.�

He holds up a gaudy waistcoat of pink and orange sackcloth and offers it to you. �It would make a worthy gift for your esteemed friend,� he suggests, his eyes continually glancing at your Belt Pouch. �Only 5 Gold Crowns, master.�

You realize you will first have to purchase this ridiculous garment before the merchant will tell you where Tipasa lives.

Shall we buy Banedon this lovely waistcoat? I think it would look great on him. Or do we keep our money?

We still have 37 Gold Crowns.

# ? Nov 22, 2017 12:38

achtungnight: Oct 5, 2014; I get my fun here. Enjoy!

Keep our money

# ? Nov 22, 2017 14:06

Kangra: May 7, 2012

Force Banedon to wear the waistcoat of shame since he lost his money. It'll be something we can bring up every time we see him in it.

# ? Nov 22, 2017 16:25

Tiggum: Oct 24, 2007; Your life and your quest end here.

Kangra posted:

Force Banedon to wear the waistcoat of shame since he lost his money. It'll be something we can bring up every time we see him in it.

Worth every Crown!

Shadow on the Sand posted:

The merchant�s face beams with joy as he pockets your gold. Deduct this from your Action Chart.

�The first alley on the left past the stables,� he says. �He lives in the house with the blue door.�

We now have 32 Gold Crowns.

Shadow on the Sand posted:

You hurry across the crowded marketplace towards the stables and enter the street beyond. As you turn into the rubbish-strewn alley, you see the blue door facing you at the end of the passage.

There is no reply to your first knock. You are about to knock again when the door opens a few inches and the red-rimmed eyes of an old woman stare out from the darkness. �Banedon!� she exclaims, her voice hoarse and shaky. �Thank the gods it is you.�

She ushers you both inside and locks the door. The house is sparsely furnished, and what little is there is either damaged or broken. �They have taken him, Banedon, they have taken my husband�the men with the faces of the dead. Ten days ago. They came like shadows in the night.�

She breaks down, her frail body wracked by sobs. Banedon comforts her as best he can, but you sense he shares her bitter loss. The Drakkarim have taken Tipasa, of that there is little doubt. By now they will have made him tell everything he knows about the Tomb of the Majhan.

�We will find him, I promise,� says Banedon, wiping the tears from the old woman�s face, �but you must try to help us if you can. Tipasa always kept a diary of his travels�do you have it still?�

A flicker of hope shines in the old woman�s eyes. �Yes, it is here. He told me to hide it when the evil men came for him.�

She kneels at an empty fireplace and prises a loose brick from the chimney; a leather-bound book drops from its hiding place into her hand. She gives it to Banedon who studies the yellowed pages, his face lined in thought. You notice that the book is full of cryptic symbols, numbers, and pictograms.

�They are drawn by the night stars,� says Banedon, tracing his finger along the astronomical drawings. �They hold the secret, I know, but without my star charts we cannot hope to find the tomb. We must return to the Skyrider at first light. There I shall be able to make some sense of this book.�

You have little sleep that night as you lie thinking about the quest that lies before you, haunted by the fear that the Darklords may already have found the Book of the Magnakai.

You rise before dawn and breakfast on a meal of sheep�s butter and dried milk cake, before bidding farewell to Tipasa�s wife. The trek back to the Skyrider passes uneventfully, and by noon you have reached the rocky crag where the craft is moored. Nolrim is the first to greet you, but he cannot hide his disappointment that you have returned unaccompanied.

�Do not worry�the answer lies here,� says Banedon, holding up Tipasa�s diary. �Prepare to set sail.�

As the Skyrider rises into the clear blue sky, Banedon hands over the helm to Nolrim and bids you follow him to his quarters at the prow. For three hours he pores over his charts, making calculations, checking instrument readings, and racking his brain for the solution that will pinpoint the Tomb of the Majhan.

�It�s no use,� he says, tired and exasperated. �I cannot fathom these numbers.�

As you peer at the pages of Tipasa�s diary, suddenly you realize that they are written in code. What Banedon had assumed to be positions of stars is a code to three numbers that give the precise location of the Tomb.

Consult the map to help you discover the location of the Tomb of the Majhan.

The first of the three numbers is equal to the number of oases on the trail between Ikaresh and Bir Rabalou. The second number is equal to the number of cities in Vassagonia. The third number is equal to the number of islands off the coast of Cape Kabar.

When you have broken the code, write the numbers in order and turn to the entry number that they indicate.

Normally when there's a puzzle in these books there's an option for what to do if you can't solve it. Not this time. So I'm just going to carry on at this point, but if anyone does want to try to figure it out you can post your answers and I'll tell you if you're right or not.

Shadow on the Sand posted:

�That�s it!� exclaims Banedon, stabbing his finger at a map of the Dry Main that covers his chart table. �One hundred and fifteen miles due west of Bir Rabalou; one hundred and fifteen miles due south of the oasis of Bal-loftan.� He picks up a quill pen and marks the spot. �The Tomb of the Majhan.�

You study the map and ponder the miles of desolation separating you from your goal. Banedon notices your look of dismay and quickly tries to put your mind at ease.

�Fear not, Lone Wolf�we�ll be there before the dawn.�

You smile at his confidence, but it is not the actual journey that worries you�your concern is what you may or may not find upon your arrival.

Dawn is breaking on the horizon of a low hill, blurred and dotted with small tufted trees. Swiftly the Skyrider has voyaged through the night to arrive at the foothills of the Koneshi Mountains, in whose folds the skyship is safely tucked away from watchful eyes. Twenty-five miles to the north, across a landscape of barren rock and dry brush, lies the Tomb of the Majhan.

You and Banedon set off before the dawn, anxious not to waste either time or the protective cover of darkness. Now, as the great golden disc of the sun rises in the sky, for the first time you can see your goal. A massive excavation has exposed the heart of this scorched land, delving deep around the tombs of its forgotten ancestors. Thousands of Giaks, spiteful and malicious servants of the Darklords, labour unceasingly to remove rock and sand from this quarry, forced by Drakkarim to drag their backbreaking loads up ramps to the rim of the crater.

Close to the edge of the crater, an encampment of black tents surrounds a large domed canopy. Lying in the shade of this construction is a huge flying creature�an Imperial Zlanbeast. Its presence here can only mean one thing: Darklord Haakon has arrived. The thought chills your blood, but you draw comfort from the labour of his slaves. That they continue to labour is a sign that their mission has yet to be completed: the Book of the Magnakai has yet to be found.

It is impossible to approach the crater unseen; you will have to wait for darkness before you attempt to enter the Tomb. During the long wait, it is agreed that Banedon should attempt to find Tipasa. It is likely that he is being held captive inside the encampment�the Darklords would be unlikely to kill him before discovering the treasure they seek.

During the day, you must eat a Meal or lose 3 ENDURANCE points. (You may not use Hunting if required to eat a Meal in the middle of this wasteland.) Make the necessary adjustments to your Action Chart.

At this point we ~~can either eat our meal of Laumspur or~~ lose 3 Endurance points.

Endurance: 29/32.

Shadow on the Sand posted:

As night falls, your desperate quest begins. The Giaks pose few problems that you cannot overcome with your warrior skills, for they have been overworked to the point of exhaustion. Only the Drakkarim show any sign of vigilance, but even then, there are less than a dozen patrolling the entire crater. Not until you reach the main entrance to the Tomb do you encounter any real difficulty.

A Drakkar stands on guard, his cruel eyes glinting behind his twisted iron death-mask. Occasionally, he diverts his attention from the watch to take a drink from a water flask.

Healing: +1 EP (30/32).

You focus your skill of Mind Over Matter on a nearby spade, willing the spade handle to rattle against the wheelbarrow in which it rests. It only takes a few seconds for the vigilant Drakkarim sentry to leave his post and investigate the noise. By the time he returns, you are inside the Tomb of the Majhan.

Healing: +1 EP (31/32).

As far as the eye can see, a long, straight, sandstone corridor slopes away into the distance. Torches crackle and sputter on the walls, illuminating the pictograms engraved in the yellow stone.

At regular intervals, rough-edged slabs protrude into the main corridor. You stop to take a close look at one of these slabs and the floor beneath it and come to a frightening conclusion. They are obviously traps, no doubt set off by the Giaks when they cleared this corridor of sand. Rather than instructing the Giaks to avoid them, the Darklords must have deliberately used their slaves to set them off. Once the traps had been sprung, the squashed bodies were cleared away and the slabs chiselled through to the next section. Pit traps in the floors seem to have been neutralized in the same way. Set off by luckless Giaks, they would have been filled in with the dead bodies and levelled off with sand. The thought of this heartless barbarity fills you with revulsion.

Just over a mile along the corridor, you eventually arrive at a large stone door. The stone surround bears evidence of chisel-work, but the door itself is rock solid.

You notice a faint beam of light descending from a hole in the ceiling. It creates a small circular pool of light, a little to one side of a similar hole in the floor. In the wall near to the door there is a triangular indentation, no larger than a Gold Crown.

Healing: +1 EP (32/32).

~~If we choose not to eat a meal then we'll be back at full health by this point anyway.~~

Either of the Blue Stone Triangle or the Prism will open this door.

Shadow on the Sand posted:

Holding the Prism in the centre of the beam, you divert the light towards the hole in the floor. You hear the sound of stone grating on stone as the door slowly opens to reveal a large chamber. It is dimly lit, but in the dust that covers the marble floor you can see footprints too numerous to count. As you enter, you suddenly catch sight of a rough stone throne, facing the wall on the far side of the chamber. Behind you the door slides shut with unnerving speed.

The throne begins to revolve. A terrible howling fills your ears, changing almost instantaneously to the growling of a harsh guttural language, the like of which you have never heard before. Words and sounds that the mouths of men could never be shaped to speak roll through the chamber like thunder. It is the dark tongue, spoken by Haakon, Lord of Aarnak, Darklord of Helgedad.

He rises from the throne, the ghastly voice still echoing from his unnatural mouth. A spiked fist opens to reveal a glowing stone; blue flame smoulders around its surface, and you can feel the currents of power that radiate from its core. Suddenly, his words change and you hear a tongue you know so well�Sommlending.

�Look on your doom, Kai Lord!�

There is a deafening crack, a surge of power, and a fireball of blue flame hurtles towards your head.

You raise your golden sword just in time to deflect the bolt of raw energy. It screams from your blade and explodes into the chamber wall, gouging a hole several feet deep in the steel-hard rock. The impact jars the Sommerswerd from your hand; the blade arcs through the dust-choked air and embeds itself, upright, in the stone floor. You roll across the floor and take cover behind a pillar.

�Your doom, Kai Lord,� spits Haakon, �is but seconds away.�

Do we try to recover the Sommerswerd, try to find a better hiding spot or stay where we are?

According to the Lone Wolf Wiki: "Haakon has a hideous sepulchral voice and the face of a young human male with long skinny fingers. A helm as black as death with feiry red eye slits hides his face. His upper body is powerfully muscled and his intestines and blood vessels can be seen through his translucent skin."

Tiggum fucked around with this message at 12:31 on Nov 23, 2017

# ? Nov 23, 2017 01:09

achtungnight: Oct 5, 2014; I get my fun here. Enjoy!

Preserve our Meal, Stay where we are and tell the Darth Vader Clone... I cant think of an appropriate line. Oh well.

# ? Nov 23, 2017 01:17

Kanthulhu: Apr 8, 2009; NO ONE SPOIL GAME OF THRONES FOR ME!

IF SOMEONE TELLS ME THAT OBERYN MARTELL AND THE MOUNTAIN DIE THIS SEASON, I'M GOING TO BE PISSED.

BUT NOT HALF AS PISSED AS I'D BE IF SOMEONE WERE TO SPOIL VARYS KILLING A LANISTER!!!

(Dany shits in a field)

Better hiding spot.

# ? Nov 23, 2017 01:31

Jackard: Oct 28, 2007; We Have A Bow And We Wish To Use It

Get our swerd! Pit our outrageous instadeath weapon against his!

# ? Nov 23, 2017 02:36

Snorb: Nov 19, 2010

Hold on. I played this Legend of Zelda game before. We need to work our way to another hiding spot first, then get the Swerd while Haakon's distracted.

# ? Nov 23, 2017 03:22

The Shame Boy: Jan 27, 2014; Dead weight, just like this post.

Was really hoping you would hold us ransom until sombody solved the puzzle :v:

# ? Nov 23, 2017 03:36

Tiggum: Oct 24, 2007; Your life and your quest end here.

Kanthulhu posted:

Better hiding spot.

Well, it's a better option than staying put and getting blasted.

Shadow on the Sand posted:

As you break cover, another burst of energy leaps from the Darklord�s fist. It explodes into the base of the pillar, severing it from the floor, and the roof above caves in with a tremendous roar. The shock wave throws you to the floor, flattening you against the cold marble flagstones. You lose 3 ENDURANCE points. Erase the Sommerswerd from your Action Chart.

Haakon�s laugh can still be heard above the crash of falling stone. In rises in pitch until it fills your head with agonizing pain.

Endurance: 29/32.

Suddenly, the pain subsides, but a new horror is taking shape before your eyes. Out of the darkness, a green whorl of vapour is forming slowly into the shape of a glistening, serpent-like monster. A grey mist issues forth from the Darklord�s mouth, floating towards the core of this horror, infusing it with the power of death. The serpent writhes and convulses as the grey mist fills its body, changing it from a dream-like illusion into a living nightmare. Two pinpoints of crimson glow from its eyes, as it slithers towards you.

Dhorgaan: COMBAT SKILL 20 ENDURANCE 40

If you possess a Jewelled Mace, you may add 5 to your COMBAT SKILL for the duration of the combat, for it is an enchanted weapon, especially effective against such a creature.

Well, I didn't expect it to happen, but we do actually get to see what this jewelled mace can do.

Lone Wolf: COMBAT SKILL 26 ENDURANCE 29
Dhorgaan: COMBAT SKILL 20 ENDURANCE 40
Combat Ratio: 6

In this case it's pretty effective, but enemies it works on are rare.

We roll: 4
Lone Wolf: COMBAT SKILL 26 ENDURANCE 27
Dhorgaan: COMBAT SKILL 20 ENDURANCE 31

We roll: 7
Lone Wolf: COMBAT SKILL 26 ENDURANCE 27
Dhorgaan: COMBAT SKILL 20 ENDURANCE 19

We roll: 6
Lone Wolf: COMBAT SKILL 26 ENDURANCE 26
Dhorgaan: COMBAT SKILL 20 ENDURANCE 8

We roll: 6
Lone Wolf: COMBAT SKILL 26 ENDURANCE 25
Dhorgaan: COMBAT SKILL 20 ENDURANCE 0

Shadow on the Sand posted:

As you strike the death-blow, the Dhorgaan shimmers and winks out of existence. Darklord Haakon reels back as if weakened by the death of his creation. The glowing stone falls from his hand and rolls across the chamber, coming to rest midway between you.

Healing: +1 EP (26/32).

You sense that the stone radiates pure evil. If you can only turn the stone�s power against the Darklord, it will drain his strength and make him fade from this dimension. Although the stone cannot kill Haakon, it can at least banish him to a place where he can no longer harm you.

Healing: +1 EP (27/32).

Do we grab the stone or ignore it and just hit him with our very expensive mace?

Our Combat Skill is now 21 since we no longer have the Sommerswerd and the mace only grants bonuses against certain specific enemies. We also have a backpack full of potions we can use in preparation for fighting Haakon if that's what we choose to do.

HOOLY BOOLY posted:

Was really hoping you would hold us ransom until sombody solved the puzzle

Don't worry, I'll be taking votes for the later puzzles. There just didn't seem to be much point with this one since you can just keep guessing till you get it.

# ? Nov 23, 2017 12:50

Comstar: Apr 20, 2007; Are you happy now?

Grab the stone!.

# ? Nov 23, 2017 13:06

Mikl: Nov 8, 2009; Vote shit sandwich or the shit sandwich gets it!

Grab the stone.

(Also, is the answer to the map puzzle 363?)

# ? Nov 23, 2017 13:08

Tiggum: Oct 24, 2007; Your life and your quest end here.

Mikl posted:

(Also, is the answer to the map puzzle 363?)

That's what I got when I counted, but no. :shrug:

# ? Nov 23, 2017 13:15

achtungnight: Oct 5, 2014; I get my fun here. Enjoy!

Fight Haakon!

Are we going to be able to pick up the Sommerswerd again after we beat this guy?

# ? Nov 23, 2017 13:57

Ratatozsk: Mar 6, 2007; Had we turned left instead, we may have encountered something like this...

Get stoned

# ? Nov 23, 2017 14:10

Jackard: Oct 28, 2007; We Have A Bow And We Wish To Use It

What, no smashing the soulstone with your mace Diablo 2 style?

# ? Nov 23, 2017 15:04

Mister Perky: Aug 2, 2010

Ratatozsk posted:

Get stoned

They'll stone you when you're pilfering a tomb
They'll stone you when you're threatening their doom
They'll stone you when they lose their magic sword
They'll stone you and slay your magic horde
well I would not feel so all alone
everybody must get stoned!

Oh hell yeah we're doing Lone Wolf again!

Love these books, especially because I didn't know what "swarthy" meant as a little kid so the uncomfortable racism all flew way over my head back in the day and I could enjoy being a feudal jedi guilt free.

Bummed when Joe Dever was one of the many 2016 casualties [after The American Republic, before Carrie Fisher].

Also bummed that Lone Wolf game on steam (of course I have it) kinda sucks and I haven't touched it in like over a year because it's still less fun than playing Warband or whatever again.

Mikl posted:

Grab the stone.

(Also, is the answer to the map puzzle 363?)

IIRC it's 373, and I had to cheat to figure it out the first time through because the 7th was right on the seam between cover and first page and so virtually invisible. I don't know if that's more properly chalked up to :argh:

Dever! or

gamebooks! though.

# ? Nov 23, 2017 17:50

Kangra: May 7, 2012

I could never tell with the map puzzle if it was created first, and then the map was drawn with some disregard for it (missing the 'city flag' on one) or the puzzle was deliberately made to play on the ambiguities of the map. For example, it really bothered me that the map key obscures the islands off the cape, making it seem like there could be more.

# ? Nov 23, 2017 18:50

ShadowWraith: Mar 28, 2011

There's text from a poster in section 88 that makes mention of the Seven Cities:

"His most illustrious majesty, Zakhan Moudalla the Exalted, has passed into the realm of the Majhan. May his spirit never die! By the grace of the Council of Kadi, the Funtal of Kara Kala, and the Judicar of Barrakeesh, it is decreed that Kimah, Emir of Ferufezan, Protector of the Dry Main, shall by right claim the throne of Vassagonia. Through the unity of the Seven Cities, he will lead his people to greatness.

Long may he reign!"

The map is indeed wrong though.

# ? Nov 23, 2017 21:46

Tiggum: Oct 24, 2007; Your life and your quest end here.

Jackard posted:

What, no smashing the soulstone with your mace Diablo 2 style?

Nope, it's just pick it up in our bare hands like an idiot or ignore it completely. Those are the options.

Comstar posted:

Grab the stone!.

And this is the correct choice. Attack Haakon with anything but the Sommerswerd and you'll find out why you should have been paying attention back in book two when it said "It is the only weapon in all of Magnamund that can kill a Darklord".

Shadow on the Sand posted:

With the leap of a tiger, you snatch the glowing gem barely a second before Haakon�s spiked fist slams into the floor where the jewel lay. You turn to face your enemy, the gem held high in your hand, its blue beam glinting on the Darklord�s black armour. He shrinks beneath its glare and falls to his knees, a repulsive sucking noise issuing from his helm as he slowly begins to fade.

A sudden crack makes you start with shock, but you are no longer in danger. The glowing gem has vanished from your hand; like its master it has left this dimension, never to return.

Healing: +1 EP (28/32).

You examine the floor where Darklord Haakon fell, but there are no signs of his body. The atmosphere is strangely calm and peaceful, as if a great and evil shadow has been lifted. (If you lost the Sommerswerd in the confrontation with the Darklord, you may now retrieve it.)

You turn and walk to the throne where Haakon sat, waiting for you to appear. Beyond it lies a portal, an ancient inscription carved deep into the blood-red stone. Below the carving is set the impression of a human hand. Instinct and intuition guide your hand to the door; the carving fits around it like a glove.

Silently the portal slides back to reveal your destiny�the Book of the Magnakai. Set on a pedestal, the book lies open, its secrets revealed to your eyes alone. As you lift the sacred book, the very air throbs with the vibration of the force locked within its sun-gold cover. With a pounding heart you close the book and hurry from the chamber.

By the time you reach the foothills of the Koneshi, Banedon has successfully completed his mission; he and Tipasa are waiting for you. As they see you appear, clutching the Book of the Magnakai, they can barely contain their excitement.

�This night of triumph,� says Banedon, jubilantly, �will herald a new dawn of hope for Sommerlund. The Kai are reborn.�

The quest is now over. You have found the Book of the Magnakai and freed Magnamund from the shadow of Darklord Haakon. But for you, Kai Master Lone Wolf, the story has only just begun.

Your destiny lies along the path of the Grand Masters. To learn their secrets and attempt the first exciting quest of the Magnakai, begin your journey with Book 6 of the Lone Wolf series entitled:

The Kingdoms of Terror

Healing: +1 EP (29/32).

# ? Nov 24, 2017 01:02

Tiggum: Oct 24, 2007; Your life and your quest end here.

Final stats for book five:

Action Chart

Rank:

Combat Skill:

Endurance Points:

Kai Disciplines

Animal Kinship
Healing (Regain 1 EP per section)
Camouflage
Mindblast (+2 CS)
Hunting
Sixth Sense
Mindshield
Mind Over Matter
Weaponskill (+2 CS w/ spears)

Weapons:

The Sommerswerd (+8 CS)
Jewelled Mace

Gold Crowns (money):

Backpack:

Potion of Alether (+2 CS)
Meal of Laumspur (+3 EP)
Potion of Alether (+2 CS)
Potion of Laumspur (+4 EP)
Potion of Laumspur (+5 EP)
Potion of Alether (+2 CS)
Potion of Alether (+2 CS)
Potion of Laumspur (+4 EP)

Special Items:

Gaoler's Keys
Three Copper Keys
Map of the Lastlands
Helmet (+2 EP)
Shield (+2 CS)
Map of Kalte
Firesphere
Blue Stone Triangle
Diamond
Ornate Silver Key
Map of Southern Sommerlund
Badge of Rank
Chainmail Waistcoat (+4 EP)
Scroll
Map of Vassagonia
Prism
Brass Whistle

Notable Events:
Arrested and thrown into a Vassagonian jail.
Lost the Sommerswerd. Twice. Found it again.

Missed Opportunities:
Avoided contracting a deadly disease.

Kills:
A horseman
Two palace gaolers
Hammerfist the Armourer
A Yas (snake)
An Akataz (dog)
About six Drakkarim
A sentry
A Vordak
A Dhorgaan

Deaths:
Jumped from over 30m without a parachute (and we won't be trying that again in a hurry).

Storage:
Port Bax White Pass
Port Bax Red Pass
The Dagger of Vashna

# ? Nov 24, 2017 01:04

Tiggum: Oct 24, 2007; Your life and your quest end here.

The second half of this book always feels really short to me but it's actually the same length as the first half, both in terms of numbered sections and actual pages. I think the problem is that I forget that part one ends with you discovering Haakon's plan, not with your escape from Barrakeesh, so I kind of lump everything up to and including the battle on the Skyrider as being part one - which it isn't, obviously.

Still, that ending is not great. For a start it's almost identical to the end of the previous book, and it's got the same problem of being very abrupt. You show up at the place where the big bad guy is and confront him and that's it. You don't even get to help rescue Tipasa. But I actually think the problem isn't the ending itself so much as the bit leading up to it. After an exciting prison break you spend the next section asking directions and it really kills the momentum. I think it would work a lot better If you confronted Haakon right there in the palace and then made your escape on the Skyrider.

# ? Nov 24, 2017 01:14

Comstar: Apr 20, 2007; Are you happy now?

Exactly how long was Haakon waiting in the throne for you? He got to the throne room, found the door locked and decided to sit down and await the last Kai Lord on the planet to show up. That must have been a boring wait.

# ? Nov 24, 2017 01:17

Tiggum: Oct 24, 2007; Your life and your quest end here.

And now, before we move on to The Kingdoms of Terror, we have a couple of decisions to make regarding Kai and Magnakai Disciplines.

The first question is, do we keep the abilities and bonuses from our Kai Disciplines in the Magnakai series? Project Aon says we do, but the original books didn't specify. I never have before, but I'm happy to go with the majority on this one. Specifically, this will mean we continue to benefit from

Healing (restore 1 Endurance Point per numbered section)
Hunting (no endurance loss from failing to eat a meal in some situations)
Minblast (+2 Combat Skill against many enemies)
Weaponskill (+2 Combat Skill when using a spear)

We obviously still have our Kai Disciplines and the text of the books will refer to them at times, but those abilities listed above are not mentioned in the rules as printed in the Magnakai series books. So do we get to keep them, or do we start from scratch?

The second question is about Magnakai Disciplines. We'll start with three of them and they're mostly just upgrades to the original Kai Disciplines, but the Magnakai rules add a new twist; there are now "Lore Circles" which are combinations of Disciplines that give extra bonuses. As well as the books occasionally asking you if you've completed a particular Lore Circle there are Combat Skill and Endurance bonuses for having them:

Circle of Fire (Weaponmastery & Huntmastery): +1 CS +2 EP
Circle of Light (Animal Control & Curing): 0 CS +3 EP
Circle of Solaris (Invisibility, Huntmastery & Pathsmanship): +1 CS +3 EP
Circle of the Spirit (Psi-surge, Psi-screen, Nexus & Divination): +3 CS +3 EP

As you can see we could choose our first three Disciplines with the goal of completing a particular Lore Circle and getting that bonus immediately. The only one we can't get straight away is Spirit, and if we wanted to then we could go for that one anyway with the goal of completing it in book seven.

So the question I'm putting to the vote here is, do we pick our starting Disciplines based on trying to complete a Lore Circle, or do we pick freely and just complete Lore Circles as and when we happen to pick the corresponding Disciplines? As with the first question I'm putting this to a vote and the majority opinion will decide.

And since these are actual votes rather than randomised selections I'm going to leave it open longer than usual to give everyone who might be interested a chance to respond.

# ? Nov 24, 2017 01:35

Ratatozsk: Mar 6, 2007; Had we turned left instead, we may have encountered something like this...

You may want to add descriptions of the new skills for those unfamiliar with the series.

Start with Solaris, keep old skills (really only matters for Mind Blast).

# ? Nov 24, 2017 01:39

achtungnight: Oct 5, 2014; I get my fun here. Enjoy!

I agree with your review of Shadow on the Sand, Tiggum. Good job playing it out. You reminded me of many things I had forgotten about, not having read the book in a long time.

Voting for Pick Freely and Keep Current Bonuses. I always did both when I originally played these books.

# ? Nov 24, 2017 01:41

Tiggum: Oct 24, 2007; Your life and your quest end here.

Ratatozsk posted:

You may want to add descriptions of the new skills for those unfamiliar with the series.

Weaponmastery
"When you enter combat with a weapon you have mastered, you add 3 points to your COMBAT SKILL. If you have the Magnakai Discipline of Weaponmastery with Bow, you may add 3 to any number that you choose from the Random Number Table, when using the Bow." Unlike Weaponskill, this one actually lets us choose which weapons we're skilled with, and we get three.

Animal Control
"This Magnakai Discipline enables a Kai Master to communicate with most animals and to determine their purpose and intentions. It also enables a Kai Master to fight from the saddle with great advantage."

Curing
"Cure disease, blindness, and any combat wounds sustained by others, as well as himself ... identify the properties of any herbs, roots, and potions" plus restore 1 EP per section as with Healing.

Invisibility
"Blend in ... even in the most exposed terrain ... adopt the dialect and mannerisms of any town or city that he visits" and hide well, even from non-visual senses.

Huntmastery
"Move with great speed and dexterity and ... ignore any extra loss of COMBAT SKILL points due to a surprise attack or ambush." Plus no endurance loss from failing to eat, even in desert or wasteland.

Pathsmanship
Tracking, plus "read foreign languages, decipher symbols, read footprints and tracks (even if they have been disturbed), and detect the presence of most traps".

Psi-surge
"Adds 4 extra points to your COMBAT SKILL" but costs 2 Endurance Points per round. If we choose not to keep our Kai bonuses then picking this also allows us to use Mindblast again (ie. +2 CS rather than +4).

Psi-screen
Blocks most psychic attacks "and greatly increases your defence against supernatural illusions and hypnosis."

Nexus
Telekinesis, plus "withstand extremes of heat and cold"

Divination
Sixth Sense, plus limited telepathy.

# ? Nov 24, 2017 02:00

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# ? Jun 6, 2024 12:35

achtungnight: Oct 5, 2014; I get my fun here. Enjoy!

Preliminary vote for Solaris if picking Disciplines by Circle ends up winning. Still in favor of Picking Freely though. My bad if this is not allowed.

# ? Nov 24, 2017 02:06

The Something Awful Forums > Discussion > Video Games > Let's Play! > Let's Play Lone Wolf: Book 29 and beyond!

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