Mister Perky posted:

Get Crunk on Laumspur, take the platinum bling, and look around for any and all bullshit. Getting our stuff back was almost too easy, let's get paranoid instead of lulled to sleep.

Furthermore, drink any additional laumspur we might have on hand. If the last book is any indicator, lorestones and boss fights are likely to be in close proximity. Best to cram for the exam

Leraika posted:

Drink laumspur, take amulet, Lone Wolf smash

"Kasim" posted:

Zahda has coupled its power to a Doomstone from the realm of Naaros—Zahda draws all his power from this accursed gem. If you are to succeed, you must first destroy the gem or you will surely perish.

Leraika posted:

Drink laumspur, take amulet, Lone Wolf smash

Castle Death posted:

You unsheathe your weapon and strike a mighty blow at the black crystal. It splits clean in two, releasing its dark power and showering you with hot sparks in the wake of its destruction. The riven fragments hurtle into the fiery abyss that surrounds Zahda’s throne, quashing the roaring flames.

‘Curse you, Kai Lord!’ screams Lord Zahda, leaping out from behind the golden throne, brandishing a platinum rod. Defiantly, he points the rod at your head and spits an evocation, but the power he calls upon no longer heeds his cry. From the depths of the pit, a terrible roar begins to grow. The floor shakes and a column of flame lights the entire throne-hall as molten lava spews high into the air. Zahda staggers back, his face aghast with terror. Hurriedly he kneels before his throne, his crooked fingers stroking at a pentagram engraved in the gold. Above the din of destruction, another sound, like the ringing of a thousand tiny bells, can be heard, and in the blackness above the throne a speckled glow appears. It descends towards Lord Zahda until he is totally engulfed by a column of shimmering blue light. His body rises, lifted by unseen hands.

Healing: +1 EP (31/32).

Mikl posted:

Stepping into the light will surely cause good things to happen.

Castle Death posted:

A wave of energy surges through your body as you close your hand around the Lorestone of Herdos (restore your ENDURANCE points score to its original total). Your senses tingle and a newfound strength wipes away the fatigue of your terrible ordeal, enabling you to assess the situation anew. You step into the blue beam and immediately you are drawn upwards, following closely on the heels of Zahda, who is struggling to stay in the centre of the column of light. He is gripped with mortal fear of you, and as he sees you gaining on him, he unsheathes a glowing dagger and inverts himself to face you as you approach. When you are at arm’s length he launches a wild attack. Lord Zahda is immune to Mindblast (but not Psi-surge). If you have the Magnakai Discipline of Huntmastery, add 2 to your COMBAT SKILL for the duration of the fight.

Castle Death posted:

Chunks of stone and iron are blasted into the upper reaches of the throne-hall by the increasing power of the eruptions. Boulders, some the size of horses, seem to tumble in slow motion all around the beam as you are drawn irresistibly nearer to the roof. Suddenly the beam fades and you find yourself standing on a circular plinth in the centre of a ruined temple near to the gatehouse of the castle keep. The glare of daylight blinds you, but as you gradually become accustomed to it you cast your eyes over the shimmering waters of Lake Khor to the town of Herdos, perched on the horizon. The walls of the fortress are beginning to crack and slant. Buildings are crumbling, and the ground is alive with constant vibration. You run through the ruined main gate as bolts of lightning are drawn from the sky by the dying power of Kazan-Oud.

At the top of a ruined staircase you stare down at the lake far below.

Healing: +1 EP (31/32).

Tiggum posted:

As you may suspect, that fight is a lot tougher if you don't smash the Doomstone.

ShadowWraith posted:

Jetty, gotta get that boat.

Broken Box posted:

Jetty. Why swim when we got a ride stashed for us?

Also, RIP all the prisoners and slaves under the collapsing castle, I guess. Load bearing Lorestones are an OSHA nightmare.

Broken Box posted:

Jetty. Why swim when we got a ride stashed for us?

Also, RIP all the prisoners and slaves under the collapsing castle, I guess. Load bearing Lorestones are an OSHA nightmare.

Helios Grime posted:

Let's Jetty out of here.

Castle Death posted:

You are forced to cut a path through the horde of creatures that huddle on the steps leading to the jetty. Creatures are crawling out of the ground itself; everywhere you look black slimy hands are bursting through the surface, squeezing their way free from Kazan-Oud through the scores of fissures opening up in the sheer rock wall.

Near to the base of the steps, you are dragged to the ground by a clutch of loathsome slaves. They pay dearly for their mistake but not before your Backpack is torn from your shoulders (erase your Backpack and all that it contained from your Action Chart).

When you reach the jetty you are covered from head to toe in the blood of your foes. The sight is so frightening that all resistance melts away, and creatures hurl themselves into the lake rather than face the fearsome straight-backed, white-skinned killer of their kin. Beneath the jetty steps you discover an arch, sealed off at one end and with a weed-encrusted stone door at the other. Inside are a small wicker coracle and a paddle.

Having fought off the most determined of Kazan-Oud’s horrors, you launch the coracle, jump aboard, and paddle frantically towards the distant glimmer of the power-shield. The deafening death-cry of Kazan-Oud echoes in your ears.

Healing: +1 EP (32/32).

As soon as you have passed through the power-shield, you are greeted like a hero by a huge flotilla of fishing vessels and trading barges. An hour ago, upon seeing the eruption of Kazan-Oud, every boat in Herdos set sail for the shield, for the eruption signalled the end of the bane that had haunted Dessi for hundreds of years. Now they cheer the Sommlending warrior who has delivered them from Dessi’s evil shadow. Eager hands pull you aboard Lord Ardan’s caravel, and a fanfare salute is sounded by the trumpeters of his Vakeros guards.

‘We are forever in your debt, Lone Wolf,’ says Lord Ardan, as he shakes your hand warmly in gratitude and friendship. ‘You have achieved what we feared to be impossible, and you live to tell the tale. Your bravery is an inspiration to us all.’ His words are reinforced by the delirious cheers of his people. He asks of your own quest, and, when you remove the Lorestone of Herdos from the pocket of your tattered and scorched tunic, his eyes widen with amazement.



He bows his head and says in a solemn and respectful voice, ‘My lord, you stand upon the threshold of greatness. Your purpose and your destiny are known to the Elder Magi, for we have awaited your coming for many thousands of years. Our survival and the survival of all we cherish rests on the success of your Magnakai quest. The time has come, Lone Wolf, for you to learn our wisdom, for we are of the same blood, you and I, and our fate is bound together. We will prepare you for your next quest, for the Lorestone you must find next exists in the land that was once our home, in the temple that was once our most sacred place of worship, in the chamber where our master first appeared to us.’

Your quest has succeeded, for the strength and wisdom of the Lorestone of Herdos is now a part of your body and spirit. But there is much for you to learn from the Elder Magi as they prepare you for the most challenging of the Magnakai quests you have yet to attempt, a quest that will take you deep into the hostile swamps of the Danarg, where the evil creatures of Agarash the Damned still thrive and dominate the land.

If you have the courage of a true Kai Master, the secrets of the Elder Magi and the perils of the Danarg await you in Book 8 of the Lone Wolf series entitled:

The Jungle of Horrors

The Jungle of Horrors posted:

The Story So Far … 

You are the warrior, Lone Wolf, last of the Kai Masters of Sommerlund and sole survivor of the massacre that destroyed your kinsmen during a bitter war with your age-old enemies, the Darklords of Helgedad.

Many centuries have passed since Sun Eagle, the first of your kind, established the Order of the Kai. Aided by the magicians of Dessi, he completed a perilous quest to find seven crystals of power, known as the Lorestones of Nyxator. On discovering them he unlocked a wisdom and strength that lay within both the Lorestones and himself. He recorded the nature of his discoveries and experiences in a great tome entitled The Book of the Magnakai. You have discovered this lost Kai treasure and have given a solemn pledge to restore the Kai to their former glory, ensuring the security of your land in the years to come. However, your diligent study of this ancient book has enabled you to master only three of the ten Magnakai Disciplines. To fulfil your pledge you must complete the quest first undertaken by Sun Eagle over one thousand years ago and find the Lorestones of Nyxator. By doing so, you, too, will acquire the power and wisdom of the Magnakai, which is held within the Lorestones’ crystal forms.

Already your quest has taken you far from your northern homeland. Following in the footsteps of the first Kai Grand Master, you journeyed to Dessi and sought the help of the Elder Magi, the magicians who aided Sun Eagle on his quest long ago. There you learned that one of the seven Lorestones was still present in their land, hidden deep within the island stronghold known as Kazan-Oud—Castle Death. In the years since Sun Eagle first came to Dessi, the fortress of Kazan-Oud had become the abode of a great but evil sorcerer called Zahda. The Elder Magi, realizing the danger of Zahda’s increasing power, attempted to destroy Kazan-Oud, but they failed. In desperation they constructed a prison of energy around the fortress to prevent Zahda from ever escaping. Steadily, however, his power grew and the people of Dessi lived in fear of the day when he would break free and wreak his vengeance upon them. When you resolved to enter Kazan-Oud to retrieve the Lorestone, the Elder Magi rejoiced, for the success of your quest would bring about the destruction of Zahda and put an end to the bane that had haunted Dessi for hundreds of years.

You survived the perils of Castle Death and emerged triumphant, achieving that which the Elder Magi had believed to be impossible. During the victory celebrations held in your honour you learned that for centuries the Elder Magi had been expecting your coming. An ancient Dessi legend tells of the birth and rise to greatness of two koura-tas-kai—‘sons of the sun’. One was named Ikar, which means ‘eagle’; the other was called Skarn, which means ‘wolf’. A prophecy foretold that the koura-tas-kai would come from the north to seek the council of the Elder Magi in order that they might fulfil a great quest. Although separated by several centuries, they would share one spirit, one purpose, and one destiny—to triumph over the champions of darkness in an age of great peril.

At the Temple of Truth in Elzian, the magnificent capital city of Dessi, the Elder Magi prepared you for the next stage of the Magnakai quest. Lord Rimoah, the speaker of the High Council, tutored you in the ancient histories of Magnamund, and you received lessons in lore that you would have learned from the Kai Masters if only they had survived the attack by the murderous Darklords of Helgedad.

The Lorestone you must find now lies hidden in a temple in the centre of a jungle-swamp known as the Danarg. In ancient times this huge area, once the crater of a massive volcano, was controlled by a powerful lord of evil called Agarash the Damned. The Elder Magi defeated him in a war that lasted one thousand years and, in the wake of his destruction, they turned the Danarg crater into a rich and fertile paradise, the perfect setting for their most sacred place of worship—the Temple of Ohrido. The Danarg flourished until a great plague befell the Elder Magi and decimated their race. They were forced to abandon the Danarg and seek refuge in Dessi. Slowly the Danarg was consumed by a creeping mire, which swallowed or poisoned all healthy forms of life. The crater became a sanctuary for a host of evil creatures who thrived in the fetid waters and fought for control of the treacherous shifting mud flats. Many came from the barren hills of Ogia, but many more awoke from lairs deep beneath the crater where they had lain dormant since the defeat of their master, Agarash the Damned, eight thousand years ago.

Now the time for study has passed and the time for swift action has arrived. Grim news from the west prompts the Elder Magi to cease their counselling and arrange for your immediate passage to the Danarg. In the Darklord city of Helgedad a civil war has raged for five years following your defeat of Haakon, Archlord of the Black City. Now, a new lord sits upon the throne of Helgedad—Darklord Gnaag of Mozgôar.

‘The Darklords are united behind their new leader,’ reports Lord Rimoah solemnly to his fellow elders of the High Council. ‘And they are hungry for conquest and revenge. Their strength grows with each passing day. We dare delay no longer.’

Silently the members of the High Council rise from their seats and turn to face you. No sounds reach your ears, yet the words of their blessing fill your mind.

‘May the Gods Ishir and Kai protect you on your journey into darkness, Kor-Skarn,’ they intone.

Tiggum posted:

Guy Fawkes posted:

Weapons: Sommerswerd, Silver Bow.

1)New Discipline: Pathsmanship; now the advantages are invaluable in this setting, and it's time to close a new Circle.
2) New Weaponmastery: Maces, I'd prefer Axes but is not into the list of available equipments.
3) Special Items to keep: Dagger of Vashna, Jewelled Mace, Helmet, Shield, Chainmail Waiscoat, Firesphere, Two Diamonds, Prism, Brass Whistle, Fireseeds (2), Platinum Amulet.
4)Things to retrieve from storage:2 Potion of Alether and the 1 of Laumspur, all the items in the previous list.
5)New Equipment: Quiver (six arrows)Lantern, Rope, Three Meals, Potion of Laumspur.

Jackard posted:

1. Pathsmanship and Circle of Solaris
2. Weaponmastery: Mace

Weapons

1. Sword
   
2. Bow
   

Backpack

1. Rope
   
2. Lantern
   
3. Alether +2CS
   
4. Laumspur +4EP
   
5. Laumspur +5EP
   
6. Meal
   
7. Meal
   
8. Meal
   

Special Items

1. Sommerswerd
   
2. Jewelled Mace
   
3. Silver Bow of Duadon
   
4. Chainmail Waistcoat +4EP
   
5. Padded Leather Waistcoat +2EP
   
6. Helmet +2EP
   
7. Shield +2CS
   
8. Fireseeds (5)
   
9. Quiver (6)
   
10. 
    
11. 
    
12. Platinum Amulet
    

• Got the amulet just last book but I don't think we ever used it?
  
• I don't remember any of these other "quest items", so store the rest.
  
  
• We actually have five fireseeds - two left over from last book. Limiting special items means this shouldn't be a problem even if you don't believe they stack.
  
• The game lets you wear both waistcoats.
  
• Grab extra weapons in case something makes us lose them.
  

Also that Castle Death ending,

Castle Death posted:

The sight is so frightening that all resistance melts away, and creatures hurl themselves into the lake rather than face the fearsome straight-backed, white-skinned killer of their kin.

GimpInBlack posted:

I'm not sure why Joe Dever appears to have been briefly possessed by the spirit of Rudyard Kipling here, but... drat.

Comstar posted:

1. Pathsmanship and Circle of Solaris

Jackard posted:

2. Weaponmastery: Mace

Added Space posted:

3. Store all our old maps, keys, and passes

Snorb posted:

Chainmail Waistcoat, and as much Laumspur as we can cram into our backpack.

achtungnight posted:

5)New Equipment: Fireseeds, Quiver (six arrows), Lantern, Rope, Potion of Laumspur.

Jackard posted:

The game lets you wear both waistcoats.

The Jungle of Horrors posted:

You leave Elzian under cover of darkness on a trading ship bound for Garthen. It is a trim vessel, lean-prowed and simple in design—one of a thousand such ships that sail the chain of land-locked seas and lakes dividing the northern and southern continents of Magnamund. Its passage along this great waterway called the Tentarias is unlikely to invite undue attention, and it is for this reason that the Elder Magi have placed you aboard. The nature of your voyage is secret, but you are not alone, for a guide has been chosen to accompany you on your dangerous mission. His name is Paido, a tall, ebony-skinned Vakeros, who is a master of the art of battle-magic. Among his fellow warriors he is a high-ranking lord, respected and honoured for his bravery and skill on the field of battle. Now, for the mission that lies ahead, he has exchanged his gold and scarlet robes for the clothes of a commoner, a roving adventurer with a sword for hire. It is a disguise you too have adopted to veil your true identity on the long voyage to the land of Talestria, where a rendezvous with royalty awaits you.

You sail westwards, a benevolent wind filling the triangular sail and skimming the ship across the still, blue waters. The hull seems to slide over the surface of the water rather than cut its way through, and you cannot help but wonder if Paido has conjured some magic to speed your passage. Your first port of call is the city of Talon, where food stocks and fresh water are replenished. Then the voyage continues along the Tentarias to the port of Orello, the last stopping place before your ship-bound journey ends at Garthen—crown capital of Talestria.

It is an hour past midnight when you dock at Varnos Harbour in Garthen, a sprawling network of quays and cracked stone jetties that shelter great fleets of merchants, traders, and dhows. Silently like a shadow, you disembark and follow Paido through the twisting harbour streets, slowly climbing the steep stairs that connect one level of Garthen to the next. Rusty lanterns cast pools of yellow light beneath the timbered balconies, illuminating the stalls of merchants and vendors who will haggle, brag, and barter in the crowded streets till dawn. Paido halts at an iron-shod door and raps the grille with the hilt of his blue-steel sword. A man’s face appears, stern and handsome, with smooth dark hair and keen, intelligent eyes. A smile of recognition softens his lordly features when he sees Paido. In an instant the door swings open and you are ushered inside.

The man’s name is Adamas, Lord Constable of the Royal Citadel, protector and cousin of Queen Evaine of Talestria. For centuries a strong bond of friendship has existed between the royal household and the magicians of Dessi, and when called upon by the Elder Magi to help you in your quest, Queen Evaine pledged her support without hesitation. She has volunteered the services of Lord Adamas, who is to ensure your safe and unhindered passage through Talestria to the borders of the Danarg. At dawn, after snatching a few hours’ sleep, you are taken by coach to the east city wharf, where an empty corn barge is waiting to ferry you up-river. Haulage is provided by eight large ghorkas—hairy, ox-like creatures from the plains of Slovia—which are harnessed to the barge by chains. They lumber along the cobbled towpath, continually kept in line by the stinging lash of the barge owner’s zull-hide whip. The next day the barge arrives at a small river village called Lona, where a detachment of Lord Adamas’ cavalry, resplendent in surcoats of scarlet and grey, provide you with horses for the cross-country journey to the fortified city of Phoena.

Ill news greets you in Phoena, the city of triple towers. Zegron, warlord of Xanar, ruler of the barren highlands of Ogia, has amassed an army of Drakkarim warriors. Three days ago they attacked the border town of Luukos to the north. The Talestrian garrison put up a brave and spirited defence, but they were hopelessly outnumbered by the bloodthirsty Ogian horde that drove through the perimeter walls with battering rams and engines of war. The Drakkarim razed Luukos to the ground, and only a handful of survivors escaped to tell of the dreadful battle.



‘The situation is grave,’ reports Lord Adamas, on returning from an emergency conclave of his fellow Talestrian knights. ‘For decades Zegron and his minions have raided our northern territories, but never before with such determination and strength. We must mobilize our army for war, for it is war that Ogia has invited by its unforgivable attack on Luukos. I must return to Garthen to muster my retainers in preparation for battle and inform the Queen of the evil that threatens her realm. I can no longer escort you to the Danarg, though your quest must proceed in spite of all that conspires against it.’

He sends for his scribe, who arrives with helpers laden with the paraphernalia of his craft. He dictates an order of safe conduct and sets the impression of his signet ring into the hot wax seal before passing the parchment to you.

‘Our northern people are a frontier breed, wary and suspicious of strangers. If challenged, show this Pass and your safe passage will be assured by all who are loyal to Queen Evaine.’ (Mark this Pass on your Action Chart as a Special Item which you carry tucked inside your tunic.)

Early next morning Lord Adamas accompanies you and Paido to the main square of Phoena; it is from here that your quest begins. The first leg of your journey to the Danarg will take you north to the town of Tharro which nestles in the fertile uplands of Talestria. There are two ways of reaching the town: you can travel by road or you can take a barge along the River Phoen. Consult the map before deciding which route to take.

anakha posted:

Toss the scroll for the map, and let's take the overland route. Our past history shows that anytime we step on board a boat we invite disaster.

anakha posted:

Toss the scroll for the map, and let's take the overland route. Our past history shows that anytime we step on board a boat we invite disaster.