- Tiggum
- Oct 24, 2007
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Your life and your quest end here.
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These guys are the law, or what passes for it around here anyway. There's a curfew in effect. We've been warned about it. We're willfully breaking it. We should obey rather than cause an(other) incident.
(Goddamnit Braveheart you're the worst kai.)
Voyage of the Moonstone posted:Warily the Vakeros move forward to surround you, their spears held out at arm’s length as if they are afraid to come too close. Their officer, a young lieutenant, steps a pace nearer and you can see that he is sweating profusely. It is a warm night but this is not the reason he is perspiring: he is terrified. Then he recognizes the style of your tunic, and when he looks carefully at your face you see the whipcord tension in his body begin to ease.
‘You’re a Kai?’
‘Yes,’ you reply. ‘I’m a journeyman bound for Elzian.’
The Vakeros signals to his men and expertly they couch their spears and form up into a column in readiness to march.
‘Well, my lady,’ says the lieutenant, ‘you’re going to have to come with us.’
The militia have orders to impose the curfew and arrest anyone caught on the streets after dark. As you march alongside the young lieutenant on your way to the city’s guardhouse, you ask him why such stern measures have been imposed, especially in Hikas which is considered to be one of the most peaceful and civilized cities of Magnamund.
‘The people of Hikas are living in fear of their lives,’ says the lieutenant. ‘For the past month there’s been a creature stalking our streets at night. It’s killed more than fifty poor souls, and in terrible fashion. Ripped ’em to pieces. There isn’t anyone who’s lived to tell what it looks like but everyone’s got their own ideas. Some say it’s a shape-changer that goes about at day in the guise of a man and changes into a beast at night. Others say it’s come from Gorgoron, seeking revenge on the Old Kingdom for the death of its master—Agarash the Damned. I don’t know what to think. All I know is that it walks these streets, and every night someone dies a ghastly death by its hand.’
Suddenly a terrible shriek echoes through the empty streets. A woman standing on the balcony of a tall building nearby leans over the parapet and calls out to the lieutenant. ‘Down by the river,’ she shouts, and she points over the rooftops to where the shriek was heard. ‘The fiend … it’s struck again!’
‘Quick, men!’ yells the lieutenant. ‘Follow me! If we’re swift we may catch the beast this night.’
You run with the militia along the narrow twisting streets towards the south quarter of Hikas, where the town houses of wealthy merchants command expensive views of the River Carcos. Again a shriek pierces the darkness, but this time it is echoed by a terrible inhuman howl. ‘The beast!’ gasps the lieutenant, and he turns to rally his men onwards. Soon the street ahead meets a towpath which runs along the river bank, and you slow your pace so you can turn the corner. As you do so, you see a man dressed in his nightclothes leaning from the open window of a house close by. He appears to be in shock for he is sobbing and clutching fitfully at his dishevelled hair. You stop and call to him and slowly he responds. He sees you through his tears and points frantically to several small bundles lying on the towpath beside the gangplank to a barge. The lieutenant rushes past you and hurries to the first bundle. You see him drop to his knees and shake his head in disbelief, and then he turns away and retches. You magnify your vision and see, to your horror, what the bundles really are. They are the shredded remains of two men, two traders who have been dragged from their beds aboard their barge and torn limb from limb by some nameless creature of the night.
Desperately you scan the towpath and the buildings which stand all along the river bank. Then you see something and your heart skips a beat. In the darkness of a narrow alleyway two amber eyes glint in the moonlight. You sharpen your focus and catch the faintest glimpse of a dark shape loping away.
‘There!’ you shout, and you give chase, with the city militiamen and the lieutenant following after. The passageway twists and turns like an angry snake before it ends abruptly at a junction where a wider alley crosses it from left to right. Quickly you drop to your knees and summon your tracking skills in an effort to determine which way the creature went.
We roll: 8.
You enter the right alley and the militia, who are following closely, split into two groups. Roughly half their number searches the other alley whilst the remainder stays with you.
As you are running along this narrow thoroughfare, you suddenly hear the sound of splintering timbers somewhere in the distance. A hundred yards later the alley opens out into a tree-lined plaza which is bordered by shops selling rare artefacts of the Old Kingdom, and expensive works of art. Their windows and doors are securely barred and shuttered and show no signs of a forced entry. Then your eye is drawn to a grand building on the far side of the plaza: it is a temple. Its great stone door is closed, but a smaller wooden door at the side has been torn off its hinges. You magnify your vision and see that beyond the door is a flight of stone steps which ascend to a bell-tower.
Cautiously you approach the shattered door. You unsheathe your weapon and scan the darkened stairs before silently you ascend the steps. You have climbed twenty steps when suddenly you hear a hideous snickering growl and an icy chill runs the length of your spine. There is an ominous creak of stone on stone and a movement in the darkness above, and then a crashing fills your ears. Out of the darkness you see a great marble statue come smashing down the narrow stairway. It rapidly gathers speed as it tumbles end-over-end towards you.
Quickly you utter the words of the Brotherhood Spell Levitation and you rise into the air. Moments later, the statue crashes down and shears the surface from the steps on which, just seconds ago, you were standing. You see the statue finally reach the bottom of the stairwell where it smashes into several large segments which block the narrow doorway and fill the base of the stairwell with thick dust. You speak the words which counter the effects of the spell and feel yourself gliding down towards the cracked steps. The moment your feet touch down, you race up the stairs in pursuit of the scourge of Hikas.
You reach an empty landing where a new circular stairway ascends to the top of the bell-tower. There are two sets of fresh tracks in the dust here; one set are human prints, but the other set are unlike anything you have ever seen before.
With your Kai senses alert to every sight, sound, and smell, you ascend the spiral stairs. You are halfway to the top of the tower when you hear a man’s voice whimpering for help. It sounds as if he is trapped somewhere near the top of the stairs. You raise your weapon and quicken your pace until you arrive inside the bell chamber. Here a great bronze bell hangs suspended by chains from the apex of the tower. Something moves in the shadows away to your left and you raise your weapon in readiness to strike out, but you stay your hand when you see that it is a bearded man. He is dressed in the robes of a cleric of the temple and he is cowering with fright. He sees you and points to the bell.
‘It’s … it’s there. Behind the bell. For Ishir’s sake, help me … help me.’
You look to the bell and use your Grand Huntmastery in an attempt to locate the creature, but you can sense nothing unusual. Then a knot of fear tightens in your throat when suddenly you detect a powerful aura of evil. You turn to look at the cowering cleric and your fear becomes an icy terror when you realize that he is the source of the evil. Slowly you move backwards towards the stairs and he pleads with you not to go. Then he abandons his pretence. The pupils of his eyes shimmer and become spheres that glow darkly amber, and in a terrifying instant his body transforms. One moment he is a bearded holy man and, in a split-second blur, he becomes a snarling hulk of black-furred death. With breathtaking speed it leaps at you and slashes at your throat with its razor-sharp talons.
You barely have time to raise your weapon before the creature is upon you. The vile stench of its breath fills your nostrils and you are slammed against the wall by the sheer momentum of its attack: lose 2 ENDURANCE points. You duck to evade its slashing claws and they rake deep grooves in the wall above your head. Then you twist your body sideways and manage to pull away, creating the vital space you need in order to wield your axe against this terrible foe.
Deathstalker: COMBAT SKILL 40 ENDURANCE 40
This creature is immune to Mindblast (but not Kai-surge).
Deathstalker: COMBAT SKILL 40 ENDURANCE 40
Combat Ratio: 11+
We roll: 8
Braveheart (with Kai-surge): COMBAT SKILL 51 ENDURANCE 16
Deathstalker: COMBAT SKILL 40 ENDURANCE 0
Voyage of the Moonstone posted:The creature emits a desperate howl as your last mighty blow seals its doom. It lurches at you, its eyes white in their red-rimmed sockets, its great clawed arms swinging blindly. And then this supernatural horror surrenders to death and is brought crashing to the floor. For a few moments its great body convulses and then lies still. Wisps of evil-smelling gas arise from beneath the fur and you are forced to snatch your cloak to your face to deaden the sickly sweet stench of decay. You turn and hurry down the stairs in time to see the lieutenant and his militia breaking through the rubble which blocks the exit from the bell-tower. His men ascend the stairs and remove the vile, rotting remains of the Deathstalker which are placed upon a pyre outside in the tree-lined plaza. Soon the carcass of this murderous creature is ablaze and word of its death spreads swiftly across the city. The curfew is lifted and a large crowd comes and gathers around the dying embers of the pyre to cheer and rejoice in the destruction of the creature which, for the past month, has murdered their kinfolk and terrorized their peaceful city.
Upon hearing the news that you have slain the Deathstalker, the mayor of Hikas summons you to his Grand Hall in the city’s north quarter. Proudly the Vakeros lieutenant and his militia escort you across the city and during your march you receive the adulation of the grateful populace. The mayor hails you as the saviour of Hikas and he bestows upon you the freedom of the city. He decrees that the plaza, where the remains of the Deathstalker were destroyed, shall from this day forward be named Bravehart Plaza in perpetual honour of your brave and gallant deed.
You are invited to stay at the Grand Hall and feast with the mayor and the other dignitaries of the city. You accept the invitation and enjoy a sumptuous meal (restore 3 ENDURANCE points). Early the next morning, the Mayor presents you with a fine white stallion to help speed your journey to Elzian. You thank him for his generosity and, shortly before noon, you ride out through the gates of the Grand Hall, go south along the Avenue of the Sun, and cross the Bridge of Lanterns which spans the city’s river. Citizens cheer as you pass through the southern quarter and they alert the guards at the busy south gatehouse so that by the time you arrive there you are able to ride through without delay.
A mile beyond the south gate, the road ascends to a ridge where you stop to look back at Hikas for the last time. It is a warm and windy morning and, as you cast your gaze across the rooftops and towers of the ancient city, the sultry breeze howls like a wild animal. For a few moments you feel a chill in your blood, for the sound reminds you of the Deathstalker’s ghastly cry. But then you shake your head and dismiss it. The creature is dead and there are still many miles left for you to travel before your quest is done. You salute the city farewell and set off at a brisk pace along the weatherbeaten road that leads to Gologo.
Endurance: 19/33.
The road from Hikas to Gologo is an ancient trail which crosses rich plantations of tropical crops that are cultivated by the Vakeros, and then meanders through wild expanses of jungle that have for centuries defied all attempts at cultivation. As you ride this lush road, you are reminded of your history lessons at the Kai Monastery and you recall some of the things you were taught about this ancient realm.
Dessi is ruled by the Elder Magi who are all that remain of a race of great magicians who once ruled central Magnamund thousands of years ago. They were the first practitioners of magic upon this world, and they were wise and powerful leaders until their numbers were decimated by a Great Plague that was released by their enemies—the Cener Druids of Ruel. Those who survived sought refuge here in fertile Dessi and have lived here ever since.
At noon you reach a place where the road passes beside a majestic waterfall, and you stop here to rest your horse and enjoy the beautiful scenery. (Unless you possess the Discipline of Grand Huntmastery, you must now eat a Meal or lose 3 ENDURANCE points.) Then you continue your ride and your strong horse makes excellent progress, carrying you all the way to the coastal town of Gologo to arrive there shortly before sunset.
You are in good spirits when you reach the ancient gates of Gologo. Your day’s ride has been swift and enjoyable, and you are looking forward to beginning the final leg of your journey to Elzian tomorrow at first light. You are now only two days’ ride away from that wondrous city.
The town of Gologo has a mysterious and exotic aura. Its ancient streets are cobbled with lime green stone, and ornate structures of vivid Vakeros art embellish every building and street corner. There is a festival taking place here tonight and the town is in a lively carnival mood. As you ride down a steep, narrow street towards the beach, you can see a crowd of native Vakeros are gathered there in brightly coloured costumes. Some wear elaborate headgear made from lacquered wood and feathers, and others are covered from neck to ankle with garments made from vibrant jungle blooms. There is a full moon tonight and the people of this town are celebrating the fertility of their land with ritual offerings of food and wine to the Goddess Ishir. It is a joyous festival and everyone on the beach is smiling and happy.
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Sep 17, 2018 22:01
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- Adbot
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ADBOT LOVES YOU
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Jun 5, 2024 19:01
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- Leraika
- Jun 14, 2015
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Luckily, I *did* save your old avatar. Fucked around and found out indeed.
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party party party hearty
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Sep 17, 2018 22:04
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- nelson
- Apr 12, 2009
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College Slice
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Wow, we picked some good combat skills this time. I like this book. It’s full of fun events and heroics. Let’s celebrate!
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Sep 17, 2018 22:24
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- TooMuchAbstraction
- Oct 14, 2012
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I spent four years making
Waves of Steel
Hell yes I'm going to turn my avatar into an ad for it.
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Fun Shoe
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Wow, we picked some good combat skills this time. I like this book. It’s full of fun events and heroics. Let’s celebrate!
Kai-Surge is ridiculous; notice how many enemies are immune to the lesser psychic attack skills but still vulnerable to Kai-Surge. Against those enemies it's a +8 CS swing to have the skill vs. not have it, for a cost of 1 EP/round. In this case we would have been at +3 instead of +11 if we hadn't had it. That might not have been enough on its own to kill us (+3 is pretty favorable as I recall), but we would have had to roll a long string of 10s to avoid taking more damage than Kai-Surge cost us.
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Sep 17, 2018 23:08
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- achtungnight
- Oct 5, 2014
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I get my fun here. Enjoy!
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Let's make sure this town isn't as unjustly inhospitable as the last one. Recon by mingling at the beach party.
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Sep 17, 2018 23:10
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- Comstar
- Apr 20, 2007
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Are you happy now?
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Let's make sure this town isn't as unjustly inhospitable as the last one. Recon by mingling at the beach party.
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Sep 18, 2018 11:02
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- Tiggum
- Oct 24, 2007
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Your life and your quest end here.
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Voyage of the Moonstone posted:You tie your horse’s reins to a post driven into the ground at the edge of the beach, and then you walk across the fine white sand and pass among the throng of dancing, singing people. A pulsating rhythm of native drums provides the music to which they move and play. You are caught up in a procession of gaily-dressed Vakeros who are each carrying baskets piled high with exotic fruits, works of art, and intricate wood carvings inlaid with semi-precious stones. To the rhythm of the drums they carry you with them towards a wooden platform constructed near the middle of the beach. There they place their offerings to the Goddess Ishir. When you find yourself standing at this platform, at the head of the procession, suddenly the drumming stops. Everyone who has approached the platform before you has made an offering and yet your hands are empty. Suddenly it is as if the eyes of the entire town are watching you in expectation, and you feel compelled to make an offering.
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Sep 18, 2018 14:17
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- nelson
- Apr 12, 2009
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College Slice
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Flute
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Sep 18, 2018 14:21
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- Decoy Badger
- May 16, 2009
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If we like then we'd better put a ring on it!
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Sep 18, 2018 14:34
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- TooMuchAbstraction
- Oct 14, 2012
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I spent four years making
Waves of Steel
Hell yes I'm going to turn my avatar into an ad for it.
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Fun Shoe
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Give her the Potion of Gallowbrush. I don't think I've ever seen an option to use them (granted that you aren't showing us the item prompts and it's been years since I read the books).
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Sep 18, 2018 15:40
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- Guy Fawkes
- Aug 1, 2014
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Lvl 62, +5 meadow defense
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The flute, it's the most obvious offering, for the time being.
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Sep 18, 2018 23:43
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- Tiggum
- Oct 24, 2007
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Your life and your quest end here.
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Voyage of the Moonstone posted:As you place your Flute upon the platform, you are refreshed by a surge of vitality and filled with an unexpected sense of well-being.
You may restore 3 lost ENDURANCE points for each Backpack Item that you place upon the offerings platform.
Endurance: 22/33.
You spend an hour enjoying the carnival spirit of the beach festival before you return to your horse and go in search of a place to stay for the night. You ride along a street running parallel to the beach, and enter the courtyard of a large two-storey hostel with stables. A young boy takes your horse’s reins and leads him away to an enclosure at the side of this brightly-painted building, and you enter the hostel’s front door to find it is empty. It seems that everyone is down at the beach this evening. Then you hear a noise from beyond an open doorway and a balding man appears. He rubs his bloodshot eyes and yawns, revealing a mouthful of gold teeth. You ask if he has a room for the night and lazily he nods his head.
‘I’ve two types of room and service,’ he says. ‘There’s Standard and there’s Best. Standard costs 2 Gold Crowns a night and you don’t get no food. Best costs 4 Gold Crowns and you get lots of food in the morning.’ (If you do not have enough Gold Crowns, you may choose to barter a normal Weapon, Backpack Item, or Special Item at your discretion to buy a Standard room.) - Do we make any more offerings (Gallowbrush, Alether, and/or Sebaris)?
- Do we choose a "standard" room or a "best" room?
We have 17 Gold Crowns.
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Sep 19, 2018 01:44
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- TooMuchAbstraction
- Oct 14, 2012
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I spent four years making
Waves of Steel
Hell yes I'm going to turn my avatar into an ad for it.
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Fun Shoe
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Sure, give away some Gallowbrush. And only the best for our Kai Lord!
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Sep 19, 2018 02:14
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- achtungnight
- Oct 5, 2014
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I get my fun here. Enjoy!
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Gallowbrush and Sebaris. This book feels like the boss fight hasn't happened yet and we may want all the health we can get.
Best room.
+1
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Sep 19, 2018 06:24
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- Tiggum
- Oct 24, 2007
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Your life and your quest end here.
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Endurance: 28/33.
13 Gold Crowns remaining.
Voyage of the Moonstone posted:The hostel-keeper pockets your Crowns and leads you up a flight of rickety bamboo stairs to a corridor which is hung with gaudy tapestries. He points to the first door on the right and then he bids you goodnight.
‘What about my key?’ you say.
He looks at you and shrugs. ‘No key,’ he says, and then he turns away and shuffles back down the stairs. You push open the door to find a large room with a balcony that offers you a magnificent view of the beach festival.
We roll: 1.
You enjoy a peaceful night’s sleep and you wake at daybreak to the sounds of seagulls and the early morning tide. On the floor beside your door is a tray piled high with all manner of cooked meats, fresh fruits, and grilled fish. You eat a hearty breakfast and find that there is still enough left over for another 2 Meals.
After breakfast you gather up your equipment and go down to the paddock to collect your horse. The hostel-keeper waves farewell from the kitchen window as you mount your horse and ride him away across the courtyard.
The early morning streets of Gologo are empty as you ride towards its southern gate. Most of the inhabitants are sleeping off last night’s celebrations and nobody sees you leave the town and set off along the jungle trail to Elzian.
For most of the morning your view of the surrounding land is restricted by the dense walls of verdant foliage that border upon this ancient trail. It is not until noon, when you crest a ridge of high ground, that you catch sight of what lies beyond the seemingly endless jungle. Less than a mile to the north is the titanic chasm of Gorgoron. It is a dark and forbidding sight, like a deep festering wound in the land that time has been unable to heal. Its sheer walls and immeasurable depth call to mind images of the Maakengorge, a dread chasm which lies to the south of your homeland province of Ruanon. Legend says that these vast canyons are scars inflicted upon the flesh of Magnamund by the vengeful hand of Naar.
Beyond the ridge the trail descends to the ruins of an ancient town. Here you stop to rest your horse and drink from a pool of clear water that bubbles freely from the loamy soil. Unless you possess the Discipline of Grand Huntmastery, you must now eat a Meal or lose 3 ENDURANCE points.
You continue your ride along the jungle trail and make good progress, although you are haunted all the while by a profound sense of unease. You attribute these feelings to the sight of Gorgoron. You have heard many dark tales about this chasm which, until now, you had dismissed as nothing more than fanciful ghost stories. Having seen the chasm with your own eyes you are no longer so ready to disbelieve them.
At sundown you reach the palmy fringes of an ancient settlement that surrendered to the jungle centuries ago. The moon rises like a silver shield in the cloudless night sky and you make camp at the side of the trail, sheltered beneath a canopy of mosses and vines. The jungle is alive with the tiny noises of its nocturnal creatures. They seem to make your horse unusually nervous, until you soothe him with your Magnakai skills of Animal Control. You are tired after your long ride through this humid rainforest and soon you drift off to sleep. It seems as if you have only just closed your eyes when you are stirred to instant wakefulness by the sound of a ghastly howl.
You sit up with a start and reach instinctively for your weapon. Your horse is neighing wildly. He rears up repeatedly on his hind legs and fights to break the reins which hold him fixed to a tree. He is clearly terrified of something from which he cannot escape. You wipe the sleep from your bleary eyes and scan the darkness. And then you see the object of his terror and your blood freezes in your veins.
Creeping slowly from the shadowy undergrowth is the Deathstalker, his amber eyes blazing like two evil gems. At first you cannot believe what you are seeing. The beast is dead. You saw the flames consume his carcass. Then the realization strikes you that this is not the beast you slew in Hikas. This is his mate. She has hunted you and now she comes for you in the dead of night … and she is ravenous for revenge.
She howls and the jungle falls silent. Now her amber eyes blaze with evil fire as she bounds out of the undergrowth and launches her vengeful attack.
Since we had plenty of room we automatically kept those meals.
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Sep 19, 2018 13:15
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- achtungnight
- Oct 5, 2014
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I get my fun here. Enjoy!
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Kai-Alchemy The she-Beast!
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Sep 19, 2018 13:19
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- Comstar
- Apr 20, 2007
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Are you happy now?
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Kai-Alchemy The she-Beast!
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Sep 19, 2018 14:31
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- TooMuchAbstraction
- Oct 14, 2012
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I spent four years making
Waves of Steel
Hell yes I'm going to turn my avatar into an ad for it.
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Fun Shoe
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Alema is effective against undead, not werewolves. Go for the Kai-Alchemy.
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Sep 19, 2018 15:41
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- nelson
- Apr 12, 2009
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College Slice
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Kai-Alchemy The she-Beast!
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Sep 19, 2018 15:44
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- Guy Fawkes
- Aug 1, 2014
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Lvl 62, +5 meadow defense
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Alema is effective against undead, not werewolves. Go for the Kai-Alchemy.
Agree.
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Sep 19, 2018 21:12
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- Tiggum
- Oct 24, 2007
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Your life and your quest end here.
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Voyage of the Moonstone posted:You utter the words of the Brotherhood Spell Lightning Hand and extend your right fist towards the onrushing creature. A tingle runs down your arm and a burst of blue-white light illuminates the surrounding jungle when a bolt of energy leaps from your hand and arcs towards the creature’s chest. The bolt strikes, and the Deathstalker’s mate shrieks as it burns deep into her shoulder. She falters but she does not abandon her attack, and quickly you raise your weapon in readiness to receive it.
Snarling and spitting, the savage beast comes hurtling through the darkness to rake you with her terrible claws. Bravely you stand your ground and prepare to strike your first blow in this desperate fight to the death.
Deathstalker (mate): COMBAT SKILL 42 ENDURANCE 40
This creature is immune to Mindblast (but not Kai-surge).
Deathstalker (mate): COMBAT SKILL 42 ENDURANCE 40
Combat Ratio: 9
We roll: 7
Braveheart (with Kai Surge): COMBAT SKILL 51 ENDURANCE 27
Deathstalker (mate): COMBAT SKILL 42 ENDURANCE 24
We roll: 5
Braveheart (with Kai Surge): COMBAT SKILL 51 ENDURANCE 24
Deathstalker (mate): COMBAT SKILL 42 ENDURANCE 12
We roll: 10
Braveheart (with Kai Surge): COMBAT SKILL 51 ENDURANCE 23
Deathstalker (mate): COMBAT SKILL 42 ENDURANCE 0
Voyage of the Moonstone posted:The Deathstalker’s mate howls with pain and terror as your fatal blow pierces her evil heart. She stumbles backwards, slashing at her own chest with her razor-sharp claws in a frenzied madness of anger and frustration. Then, with a final gurgling cry, death claims her and she crashes down into the dense foliage and is still. Slowly the noises of the jungle return as the nocturnal animals of this Old Kingdom sense that the terrible threat of her presence has passed.
The sun rises over the jungle and lights this steamy, humid morning. By the growing light you dig a grave in the soft earth and lay the remains of the Deathstalker’s mate to rest here, among the ruins of this ancient settlement. Then you offer up a prayer to the God Kai for having bestowed upon you strength and courage enough to triumph over this creature of evil, before you mount your horse and set off along the jungle trail to Elzian.
It is dusk when at last you reach the wondrous city of Elzian. It is a magical metropolis that sparkles like a fiery crimson jewel in the last rays of the setting sun. You pass through its broad outer wall and cross the canal which encircles its tallest edifice—the Tower of Truth. As you approach a vast gatehouse, the portcullis rises and a troop of Vakeros guards rush forward to greet you. They have been keeping watch for your arrival for many days and had all but given up hope that you would appear. They escort you swiftly into the tower’s vaulted council chamber where you are received by Lord Rimoah and the illustrious members of the High Council of the Elder Magi. The grand chamber is cleared of all but the most senior council members and a gasp of reverence fills its echoing reaches when, at Lord Rimoah’s request, you open your satchel and reveal the Moonstone to their learned eyes. Rimoah requests that you recount the details of your journey here and, when you have finished, he and his kinsmen praise you warmly for the greatness of your achievement.
Congratulations, Grand Master. You have proved your courage and resourcefulness. Lone Wolf was right to entrust the task of returning the Moonstone to you. You are a credit to your homeland and your noble order. You have completed the task set by your Supreme Master and you have triumphed in the face of great adversity.
However, your mission is not yet fully completed. The second and most challenging part of your journey awaits, a journey that will take you deep into the wild and lawless reaches of Southern Magnamund where no Kai has ever ventured before. If you truly possess the courage to return the Moonstone to the Isle of Lorn, then your quest continues in the next exciting Lone Wolf New Order adventure entitled:
The Buccaneers of Shadaki
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Sep 20, 2018 02:04
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- TooMuchAbstraction
- Oct 14, 2012
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I spent four years making
Waves of Steel
Hell yes I'm going to turn my avatar into an ad for it.
-
Fun Shoe
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...what, that was the end? Man, the pacing on this book was weird. Sailing, pirates, horrendously dangerous ocean battle, shopping, shopping, shopping, shopping, werewolf, another werewolf, end.
What would have happened if we hadn't used Kai-Alchemy against the second werewolf?
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Sep 20, 2018 02:20
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- Tiggum
- Oct 24, 2007
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Your life and your quest end here.
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What would have happened if we hadn't used Kai-Alchemy against the second werewolf? 
The Buccaneers of Shadaki
The Buccaneers of Shadaki posted:The Story So Far …
You are a Kai Grand Master of the New Order of the Kai—the warrior élite of Sommerlund.
It is the year MS 5083 and thirty-three years have passed since the First Order of the Kai was almost wiped out by the Darklords of Helgedad. These champions of evil, who were sent by the Dark God Naar to destroy your fertile world of Magnamund, have since been destroyed. The leader of your illustrious fighting order—Lone Wolf—was the sole survivor of the massacre. As a young Kai initiate he stood amidst the burning wreckage of the old Kai Monastery and vowed to avenge the slaughter of his comrades. In the year MS 5070 he kept his pledge when alone he infiltrated the foul domain of the Darklords and destroyed the infernal city of Helgedad, the base of their evil power.
With the fall of Helgedad, chaos befell the Darkland armies who had, until then, been poised to conquer all Magnamund. Quickly their disorder escalated into a mutinous civil war which allowed the Freeland armies of Magnamund time in which to recover and launch a successful counter-offensive. Against all odds, a swift and total victory was secured over the feuding armies of evil.
Following the demise of the Darklords, peace reigned in your homeland of Sommerlund. Under the direction of Lone Wolf the ruined Monastery of the Kai was rebuilt and restored to its former glory, and the raising of a New Order of Kai warriors was swiftly established. You are one of this new generation of Kai recruits. You were born in Sommerlund in the year MS 5063, during the time of the war against the Darklords. When you were seven years old you were sent by your father to the Kai Monastery. There, under the tutelage of Lone Wolf, you developed your martial skills and honed the special Kai abilities which lay dormant within you. During the years that followed, your skills were nurtured and sharpened to perfection by long hours of study and rigorous training. Your exceptional talent helped you to master all of the Kai and Magnakai Disciplines and you rose swiftly through the ranks of the New Order to become one of only five who now hold the high rank of Kai Grand Master. It is an achievement which has brought great honour upon you and your family.
In the year MS 5077 your skill and courage were put to the test when an attack was launched upon the Kai Monastery during Lone Wolf’s absence. By means of a Shadow Gate (an astral corridor between the physical world of Magnamund and the many ethereal domains which lie beyond it) the Dark God Naar sent forth a host of dragon-creatures to besiege the monastery and lay waste of all Sommerlund. He had chosen his time well, yet his evil plan was thwarted by the tenacious defence that you and your brethren maintained until the siege was raised by Lone Wolf and the King’s Army of Sommerlund.
The defeat of his minions enraged Naar and inflamed his lust for vengeance. Three years later he created and sent to Sommerlund an evil champion called ‘Wolf’s Bane’ who was the very image of Lone Wolf. While your leader was engaged upon a quest overseas, this impostor terrorized your homeland in his guise and sought to destroy the reputation and the honour of the Kai. He would have succeeded had not Lone Wolf returned home and pursued this enemy to an ancient necropolis in the Sommlending city of Tyso. There, deep within a subterranean crypt, he and his evil alter-ego were drawn through a Shadow Gate to the Plane of Darkness—Naar’s stronghold—where a deadly duel ensued. Lone Wolf vanquished the foe and discovered that Naar had in his possession the fabled Moonstone of the Shianti. This wondrous artefact was created many thousands of years ago by the god-like Shianti, whose presence upon Magnamund heralded the dawn of humanity. This stone of power contains the combined might of all their magic and wisdom, the sum of all their knowledge. So significant was the creation of this stone that all time on Magnamund has since been measured from the date of its creation. It had long been held that the Moonstone’s location was a secret known only to the remnants of the Shianti, who dwell upon the mysterious Isle of Lorn in Southern Magnamund, yet the evidence of Lone Wolf’s eyes had told him that this mystical artefact had somehow fallen into the hands of Naar.
Lone Wolf realized that the Dark God had been using its legendary powers to generate Shadow Gates within the world of Magnamund, at locations and times of his own choosing. Such power had enabled him to send his loathsome champions to your home world while the force of the Gods of Good, Kai and Ishir, had been held at bay. Lone Wolf and the New Order Kai were all that stood against the onslaught of Naar’s agents following the demise of the Darklords.
Lone Wolf successfully escaped from the Plane of Darkness and returned to Sommerlund, yet he knew that the fight against Evil had not been won outright. He realised that he would have to return to the Plane of Darkness and retrieve the fabled Moonstone. Only by doing so would Magnamund truly be safe from an invasion by Naar’s legions of darkness. Two years ago, with the aid of his most trusted ally, Lord Rimoah of Dessi, Lone Wolf fulfilled his vow by journeying to the Dark God’s domain and retrieving the Moonstone of the Shianti. Upon his triumphant return, Lone Wolf placed the Moonstone in the Vault of the Sun—his personal chamber located deep below the fortified citadel of the Kai Monastery. He had hoped that the fabled artefact could remain there indefinitely, to be guarded by generations of Kai who would keep it secure from Naar’s minions. Retrieval of the Moonstone had denied the Dark God’s champions ready access to Magnamund, yet Lone Wolf knew that there were many lesser agents of Naar upon Magnamund waiting quietly in the shadows for the chance to do his evil bidding. Undoubtedly they would stop at nothing to retrieve the Moonstone for their fell master.
Within a year of his return home it became clear to Lone Wolf that his wish could not be fulfilled. At first the presence of the Moonstone seemed greatly beneficial to Sommerlund. Crops grew abundantly, incidence of disease and illness became increasingly rare, and the newly-born were uniformly healthy. Even the offspring of the impoverished who, in normal times, could expect only one in three of their infants to survive longer than a month beyond birth, were all in good health and exceptional in their physical and mental development. The Sommlending called this extraordinary period of providence the ‘Blessing of the Moonstone’, yet this time of good fortune could not last. The power of the Moonstone is a great force for Good, but it is also greatly disruptive of the natural order of Magnamund. Soon death itself became a rarity in Sommerlund, and the four seasons of the year were slowly transformed into one unending spring. Lone Wolf was deeply concerned at the changes wrought by the Moonstone and sought the counsel of his closest friend—Guildmaster Banedon, leader of Sommerlund’s Brotherhood of Magicians. Banedon entreated him to relinquish the Moonstone before the effects of its power became irreversible. To right the imbalance of nature the Moonstone would have to be taken to the Isle of Lorn, in the southernmost reaches of Magnamund, and delivered back into the hands of the Shianti. Only they, its creators, could prevent its powers from disrupting the natural order of your world.
Lone Wolf agreed with Banedon—the Moonstone would have to be returned to the Shianti. The physical effects of its presence were beginning to attract the unwelcome attentions of those who secretly desire to enact Naar’s revenge upon the Kai. When one of Naar’s agents was captured by a Kai patrol within a few miles of the monastery, Lone Wolf felt he could wait no longer. He resolved to act immediately. Preparations were made for a long journey and, especially among the lower ranks of the Kai, rumours were rife that your leader would personally take responsibility for returning the Moonstone to the Shianti. Indeed, this speculation seemed to be confirmed as fact when it was discovered that Lone Wolf had secured the use of Guildmaster Banedon’s famous flying ship—Cloud-dancer.
It therefore came as a shock when, early one morning, you were summoned unexpectedly to the Vault of the Sun. In strictest confidence, Supreme Master Lone Wolf informed you that he had decided to entrust you with the task of returning the Moonstone to the Shianti. His elaborate preparations were simply a diversion, a bluff designed to draw attention away from the vital mission that he wished you—the most talented and courageous of his five Kai Grand Masters—to undertake. It was with great pride and apprehension that you accepted the quest.
Lone Wolf gave you the precious Moonstone in a seemingly ordinary satchel, yet the lining of this plain leather bag was woven from korlinium, a special mineral that would hide the Moonstone’s powerful energies from the agents of Naar. In the guise of a Kai journeyman, you set sail from the Sommlending capital of Holmgard aboard a caravel that was to carry you south on the first leg of your journey, a voyage of 2,000 miles to Elzian, the capital of Dessi. This legendary city is home to Lord Rimoah and the Elder Magi. They are the last surviving members of Magnamund’s oldest race of magicians and they had promised Lone Wolf that they would help you reach your final destination. You had hoped and expected the voyage would be swift and uneventful; however fate and ill fortune decreed otherwise. Your ship was attacked by pirates off the coast of Vassagonia and badly damaged. It limped to the port of Cape Kabar where you were forced to continue the long journey by overland routes to Elzian. This trek was fraught with danger, yet you overcame the many perils ranged against you and eventually arrived at the Dessian capital, to the relief of Lord Rimoah and his anxious brother magicians who had feared the worst.
Now the final and most challenging part of your voyage to the Isle of Lorn lies ahead. And it is a journey that may prove more difficult than any you have undertaken so far, for it will lead you deep into the wild and lawless reaches of Southern Magnamund.
And in this book we return to the illustrations of Brian Williams.
As with the Grand Master series we get +1 CS and +2 EP for each vook we complete, so our new stats are:
Combat Skill: 48 (34)
Endurance Points: 35/35
And of course we get a new Discipline. Some Disciplines have improvements as well.
Animal Mastery: Deter predatory animals.
Assimilance: Project a rumbling sound up to 15 yards as a distraction.
Astrology: use sextants, astrolabes, orreries, etc.
Herbmastery: Purify water.
Elementalism: Condense water out of the air.
Bardsmanship: Use music to pacify a hostile animal.
And as well as those, we also still have Grand Pathsmanship, Kai-screen, Grand Nexus, Telegnosis (Advanced Divination),and Magi-magic (Old Kingdom Magic) available to choose from.
We also get some equipment: A new map, 21 Gold Crowns (bringing our total to 34) and up to five of the following:
- Quarterstaff
- Bow
- Quiver (6 arrows)
- Flute
- Dagger
- Sword
- 2 Meals
- Rope
- Potion of Laumspur (+4 EP)
- Axe
So all we really need votes on this time is a new Discipline, a new Weaponmastery, and new equipment. We can put stuff into storage if we want to, but we're not carrying much at the moment so it's probably not important.
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Sep 20, 2018 02:49
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- TooMuchAbstraction
- Oct 14, 2012
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I spent four years making
Waves of Steel
Hell yes I'm going to turn my avatar into an ad for it.
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Fun Shoe
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Animal Mastery, weaponmastery in some variety of swordbow, laumspur, flute, bow/arrows, rope.
TooMuchAbstraction fucked around with this message at 04:01 on Sep 20, 2018
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Sep 20, 2018 02:58
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- nelson
- Apr 12, 2009
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College Slice
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Just judging from the cover art, I'm going to go with the discipline of Animal Mastery.
Weaponmastery in Bow of course.
For items, let's take Bow, Flute, Potion of Laumspur, Rope, Axe.
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Sep 20, 2018 03:07
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- achtungnight
- Oct 5, 2014
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I get my fun here. Enjoy!
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Take Animal Mastery from our jungle voyage, grab the Bow (new Weapon Mastery in Bow so it's actually useful), Laumspur, Rope, Flute, and Meals. Top off Arrows.
I thought the book was shaping up to be two parts, not surprising that it is. Hope we actually meet the Shianti this volume.
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Sep 20, 2018 05:29
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- Helios Grime
- Jan 27, 2012
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Where we are going we won't need shirts
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Pillbug
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Take Animal Mastery from our jungle voyage Grand Nexus as we need disciplines that help us retain EP as good as possible, grab the Bow (new Weapon Mastery in Bow so it's actually useful), Laumspur, Rope, Flute, and Meals. Top off Arrows.
I think Dever should have switched the Werewolf and Spidership encouter around somehow, felt a bit abrupt how it ended.
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Sep 20, 2018 06:01
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- Comrade Blyatlov
- Aug 4, 2007
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should have picked four fingers
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The fight's exactly the same but there's a random chance of taking 2 or 4 damage at the start.
The Buccaneers of Shadaki
And in this book we return to the illustrations of Brian Williams.
As with the Grand Master series we get +1 CS and +2 EP for each vook we complete, so our new stats are:
Combat Skill: 48 (34)
Endurance Points: 35/35
And of course we get a new Discipline. Some Disciplines have improvements as well.
Animal Mastery: Deter predatory animals.
Assimilance: Project a rumbling sound up to 15 yards as a distraction.
Astrology: use sextants, astrolabes, orreries, etc.
Herbmastery: Purify water.
Elementalism: Condense water out of the air.
Bardsmanship: Use music to pacify a hostile animal.
And as well as those, we also still have Grand Pathsmanship, Kai-screen, Grand Nexus, Telegnosis (Advanced Divination),and Magi-magic (Old Kingdom Magic) available to choose from.
We also get some equipment: A new map, 21 Gold Crowns (bringing our total to 34) and up to five of the following:
- Quarterstaff
- Bow
- Quiver (6 arrows)
- Flute
- Dagger
- Sword
- 2 Meals
- Rope
- Potion of Laumspur (+4 EP)
- Axe
So all we really need votes on this time is a new Discipline, a new Weaponmastery, and new equipment. We can put stuff into storage if we want to, but we're not carrying much at the moment so it's probably not important.
We've got two disciplines with water related things. I'm picking that will be important. Elementalism, Grand Bowmastery, Bow, Quiver (assuming we don't have them already), Flute, Laumspur, Rope
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Sep 20, 2018 06:43
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- Adbot
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ADBOT LOVES YOU
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Jun 5, 2024 19:01
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- Maugrim
- Feb 16, 2011
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I eat your face
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We've got two disciplines with water related things. I'm picking that will be important. Elementalism, Grand Bowmastery, Bow, Quiver (assuming we don't have them already), Flute, Laumspur, Rope
Yeah this
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Sep 20, 2018 07:56
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Sep 17, 2018 22:01
