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

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

The Fall of Blood Mountain

The Fall of Blood Mountain posted:

The Story So Far �

You are a Grand Master of the New Order of the Kai�the warrior �lite of Sommerlund.

It is early winter in the year MS 5084, thirty-four years since the First Order of the Kai was massacred 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. Lone Wolf, the supreme leader of your illustrious fighting order, was the only survivor of the Darklord attack upon the Kai. As a young initiate he stood amidst the burning wreckage of the old Kai Monastery and vowed to avenge the slaughter of his comrades. Twenty years later 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 destruction 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 Alliance armies of Magnamund time enough 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 has reigned in your homeland of Sommerlund. Under the direction of Lone Wolf the ruined Monastery of the Kai has been thoroughly rebuilt and restored to its former glory, and a New Order has been firmly 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. Over the years that followed, your skills were nurtured and sharpened to perfection by long hours of study and rigorous training. Your exceptional talents have helped you to master all of the Kai and Magnakai Disciplines, and you have risen 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 that 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 Sommerlund and the many ethereal domains which lie beyond it), Naar sent forth a host of dragon-creatures to besiege the monastery and lay waste to all Sommerlund. He had chosen his time well, yet his evil plan was thwarted by the tenacious defence that you and your cohort maintained until the siege was raised by Lone Wolf and the King�s Army of Sommerlund.

During the seven years that have elapsed since the defeat of his minions, Naar has sought vengeance upon the Kai. He commands many agents of evil upon Magnamund, and quietly they wait in the shadows for the day when they may serve their fell master. One such agent was Lord Vandyan of Eldenora. Guided by Naar, Vandyan sought and found three ancient runes of evil. Empowered by his discoveries, Vandyan summoned a vast army of reptilian warriors�the Vorka�which he used to conquer and occupy the lands of his peaceful neighbours. Emboldened by his martial successes, Vandyan overran much of central Magnamund, including the realm of Lyris�one of Sommerlund�s oldest allies. In response to a plea for help from Lyris, Lone Wolf mounted a Kai crusade to raise the Vorka siege of Varetta, its capital city.

During this crusade, you undertook a vital mission behind enemy lines that turned the tide of the whole campaign. Alone, you infiltrated Vandyan�s daunting fortress of Skull-Tor and destroyed the three runes, thereby extinguishing the source of the power by which the Vorka horde were permitted to exist. Vandyan�s army dissolved on the battlefield and the Kai were able to raise the siege of Varetta.

During your mission in Skull-Tor, you discovered that the Vorka were not the only creatures that Vandyan had summoned by the power of the runes. A demonic entity called Zorkaan the Soultaker had also been brought to Magnamund from its lair upon the Plane of Darkness�the ethereal domain of Naar. Having fought and defeated this creature, you believed that it had perished forever when subsequently you smashed the runes. Sadly, this was not so. After celebrating the battlefield victory at Varetta, Lone Wolf ordered you to return in triumph to the Kai Monastery aboard the flying ship Cloud-dancer. He chose to ride with his New Order crusaders and they were expected to arrive home a week later.

After five days, a Kai scout arrived unexpectedly at the monastery with shocking news to impart. Lone Wolf had disappeared. Those who witnessed the abduction said that he was engulfed by a whirling black shadow that fell upon him from out of a stormy sky. So swift was the attack that your fellow Grand Masters were unable to prevent him from being carried away. The scout�s description of the whirling black shadow was identical to the form adopted by Zorkaan the Soultaker. The destruction of the rune used by Vandyan to summon Zorkaan had not brought about the creature�s demise after all: it had trapped the creature upon Magnamund.

You had achieved a great victory at Skull-Tor, but the shocking news of Lone Wolf�s abduction cast a shadow over your triumph there. Hurriedly you summoned Guildmaster Banedon, the leader of Sommerlund�s Guild of Magicians, to an emergency council at the Kai Monastery. He responded swiftly to your summons and arrived within hours aboard his flying craft Cloud-dancer. He was accompanied by Lord Rimoah of Dessi, an Elder Magi magician who is also Lone Wolf�s oldest friend and advisor.

Rimoah informed you that Zorkaan�s arrival upon Magnamund had not gone unnoticed by the Elder Magi. From afar they had sensed the creature�s presence and, through the use of their Old Kingdom magic, Rimoah and his fellow elders had charted its movements. Rimoah told you of an evil sorcerer called Xaol who was in hiding in Gazad Helkona, a former Darklord city-fortress located in the desolate wastes of northern Skaror. This vile necromancer was a known agent of Naar. During the days before Lone Wolf�s abduction, Rimoah and the Elder Magi had detected streams of psychic communication coursing between Gazad Helkona and the Plane of Darkness.

�Naar was transmitting to Xaol the secrets of a Ritual of Binding by which the freed spirit of Zorkaan could be enslaved,� said Rimoah. �This ritual was enacted successfully in the stronghold of Gazad Helkona. Through Xaol, Naar has gained control over Zorkaan. He sent this creature to assassinate Lone Wolf, yet the attempt was unsuccessful. Zorkaan failed to kill Lone Wolf � but he was able to subdue and kidnap him.�

Rimoah informed you that your leader was being held prisoner in Gazad Helkona. By the use of his Supreme Master Disciplines and the power of the Sommerswerd, his magical blade, Lone Wolf had survived death at the hand of Naar�s foul creation. �Your leader is brave and resourceful,� he said, �but I fear that Zorkaan�s frequent attacks will weaken and eventually destroy him unless he is rescued quickly.�

Selflessly you volunteered to attempt the rescue. Rimoah and Banedon, impressed by your courage and your confidence, readily agreed to help you achieve your difficult mission and together you formulated a plan of action. Banedon transported you aboard Cloud-dancer to a remote valley south of Gazad Helkona, from where you approached the fortress on foot. Despite great adversity you were able to gain entry to Xaol�s fortress and save your leader from the clutches of Naar�s agent. During your daring mission, you fought and defeated both Xaol and Zorkaan before Banedon arrived to snatch both you and Lone Wolf from the clutches of Xaol�s angry minions.

A year has elapsed since your triumph at Gazad Helkona. It has been a peaceful and rewarding time for you at the Kai Monastery, a period in which you have devoted yourself to the training of new recruits. Such has been the success of your tutelage that you have come to be greatly revered by your students and your peers. Yet, lately, you have felt a longing to venture abroad once more, to test your courage and your battle skills in the ineluctable war against Evil.

Early one morning, you glimpsed a golden eagle leave its nest in the frost-covered timberland that stretches beyond the window of your private chamber. As you watched this majestic creature soar above the tree-line, you were reminded of the daring aerial escape that you had made from Gazad Helkona aboard Banedon�s skycraft. Then you felt a tingle of premonition at the nape of your neck when you noticed a distant speck in the clear azure sky. This speck grew larger until you were able to discern the distinctive outline of Cloud-dancer approaching from the north. Hurriedly you left your chamber and went to the monastery training park where a small group of Kai Lords had gathered in expectation. As the sleek skyship was made to hover overhead, a boarding cage was lowered to the frost-hardened ground and out stepped an unexpected visitor�Lord Rimoah of Dessi. You exchanged greetings and he requested an immediate audience with Lone Wolf. From his sombre expression you could tell that he had grave and urgent news to impart.

You escorted Lord Rimoah personally to Lone Wolf�s chambers, located beneath the Tower of the Sun, the monastery�s commanding citadel. Before you could excuse yourself and leave the vault, Lone Wolf asked you to stay to listen to what the venerable magician had come to say. Lord Rimoah nodded his benign approval.

�Dwarf King Ryvin of Bor is in desperate need of our aid, my lords,� began Rimoah, earnestly. �An ancient horror has been awoken in the depths of his subterranean kingdom, and now it threatens to destroy his realm. The Drodarin race may be doomed unless we are able to overcome this creature � and swiftly.�

Lord Rimoah informed you that recent excavations in the lowest levels of the vast underground kingdom of Bor had disturbed the Shom�zaa. This powerful entity was entombed by the Elder Magi during their 1,000-year war against Agarash the Damned�Naar�s first champion of evil. Lone Wolf lowered his eyes and shook his head in disbelief upon hearing Rimoah�s words.

�I understood that dwarf lore expressly forbade such deep mining, for fear that the Shom�zaa and its minions might be released. How could such a thing have been allowed to occur?� he said.

�Greed is to blame, my lord,� replied Rimoah, sadly, �� the greed of King Ryvin�s elder son, the Crown Prince Leomin. He alone was responsible for the excavations that opened the way to this ancient horror.�

Lord Rimoah informed you that only five days have elapsed since the Shom�zaa was released, yet already the creature and its Agarashi minions have taken control of the lower levels of the kingdom. �Bitter fighting rages in the tunnels and chambers of Bor as King Ryvin�s army struggles to contain the Shom�zaa and its horde,� he said. �They are being sorely pressed, for the enemy have captured their armouries and equipped themselves for the fight. Ryvin has lost control of the tunnels leading to his throne chamber, where Leomin and his younger brother, Prince Torfan, are now trapped and besieged, along with the remnants of their personal guard.�

Lone Wolf was disturbed to hear that the Throne Chamber of Bor was under attack, for it houses the fabled Throne of Andarin. This grand seat contains a gem of power that was bestowed upon the Drodarin dwarves of Bor by the Goddess Ishir. Its divine radiance provides the dwarves with a unique energy that enables them to grow their crops deep underground, without the need for direct sunlight. If the Throne of Andarin is destroyed then the crops will surely fail and famine will beset Bor, with disastrous consequences.

�Repeated attempts to break the siege of the throne chamber have failed, and the morale of Ryvin�s army is now dangerously low,� said Rimoah. �I�ve heard tell that even the Dwarf Lords and the War-thanes, the �lite of Ryvin�s army, hold that Prince Leomin�s greed has sealed their fate. If such talk is true, and the Shom�zaa conquers Bor, then our hopes for a lasting peace in Magnamund will be ruined. The fall of Bor will give Naar a base of power at the very heart of Magnamund. There he will be able to muster his agents, spawn his vile abominations, and attempt once more to conquer our world.�

�But what can be done to save Bor before it is too late?� asked Lone Wolf, anxiously.

�King Ryvin lacks the means to destroy this enemy,� replied Rimoah, gravely. �Nevertheless, the means exist. The Shom�zaa is especially vulnerable to magic of the Old Kingdom. It is the magic that we used to entrap and entomb the creature millennia ago.�

From a pocket of his flowing robes, Rimoah took out a spherical crystal and held it in the cupped palm of his hand. Its multi-faceted surface radiated beams of golden light which shimmered and sparkled with a supernatural brilliance.

�A Sun-crystal,� said Lone Wolf.

�Yes, my lord,� replied Rimoah, reverently. �By the skilful use of the power contained within this sphere it is possible that we may defeat the Shom�zaa and its minions, and thereby spare the kingdom of Bor from the tyrannical rule of Naar. We of the Elder Magi have crafted the means to defeat the Shom�zaa, but in all Magnamund only the Kai have the ability and courage that is needed to take this goodly weapon and use it to its full effect.�

Lone Wolf approached Rimoah and took the Sun-crystal from his outstretched palm. Then he turned to face you.

�We have been called upon to undertake a difficult and dangerous mission, Grand Master,� he said. �You have proven your bravery and skill beyond all doubt, and truly you have earned the right to refuse this quest with honour. Yet I sense that you hunger for the heat of battle and the challenge of the quest, and so I offer this mission to you. Will you venture to Bor and confront the bane that now threatens to destroy our dwarven allies?�

�Yes, my lord, I will,� you replied, without a moment�s hesitation. �For the greater glory of Sommerlund and the Kai, I am proud to accept the quest.�

+1 CS, +2 EP for finishing Trail of the Wolf puts our stats at:
Combat Skill: 54 (38)
Endurance Points: 43/43

Improved Disciplines:
Grand Weaponmastery: Wield two-handed weapons one handed.
Grand Pathsmanship: Repel insects.
Deliverance: Repair serious wounds sustained by creatures other than themselves.
Grand Nexus: Feign death.
Astrology: Chiromancy�palm reading.
Kai-alchemy: Halt Missile and Strength.

Telegnosis: Communicate telepathically up to 100 miles.
Bardsmanship: Sonic attacks.

We still have Animal Mastery, Assimilance (advanced Invisibility), Bardsmanship, Herbmastery, Kai-screen, Magi-magic and Telegnosis (Advanced Divination) available to pick from, and we also get another weapon type for Grand Weaponmastery (mace, broadsword, short sword, warhammer or sword).

We get 24 Gold Crowns (which go straight into storage) and a new map, plus up to five of the following:

So we need votes on

A new Discipline
New Weaponmastery
New equipment
What to put into storage
What to take from storage

I'll leave this vote up for a couple of days to give everyone a chance to see it.

# ? Dec 30, 2018 04:39

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# ? Jun 5, 2024 11:20

TooMuchAbstraction: Oct 14, 2012; I spent four years making
Waves of Steel
Hell yes I'm going to turn my avatar into an ad for it.; Fun Shoe

So we need votes on

A new Discipline: Animal Mastery (gonna keep voting until we get it!)
New Weaponmastery: Warhammer (because that seems like the most dwarfly option)
New equipment: Laumspur, Flute
What to put into storage: Both keys
What to take from storage: 1x Laumspur

The lack of branching in the book is something I can see a reasonable argument for. If you assume that most people will only read the book once, then having major branches isn't that important. You get a longer game for your money if the path is linear.

That said, this book really did feel like a gauntlet, where you get shuffled from one encounter to the next with few to no breaks in the action. Didn't we get three fights back-to-back-to-back?

EDIT: vvv poo poo, right, let's go kill us a Balrog and rescue a Silmaril! Or maybe one of the Trees, it's kinda hard to tell.

TooMuchAbstraction fucked around with this message at 05:09 on Dec 30, 2018

# ? Dec 30, 2018 04:52

Synthbuttrange: May 6, 2007

HERBMASTERY and I dont really have an opinion on the rest other than a sacrificial flute

Also is this the cribbingest book yet? Let's find out!

# ? Dec 30, 2018 05:04

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

Master Magi-Magic and Warhammer, take Laumspur & Flute, Keys in storage.

Hope we get to pull off a �You Shall Not Pass!�

# ? Dec 30, 2018 07:32

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

Master Kai-screen and Warhammer, take Laumspur & Flute, Keys in storage.

quote:

Hope we get to pull off a �You Shall Not Pass!�

If we don't get it in the text, please add it.

# ? Dec 30, 2018 09:53

Luigi's Discount Porn Bin: Jul 19, 2000; Oven Wrangler

achtungnight posted:

Master Magi-Magic and Warhammer, take Laumspur & Flute, Keys in storage.

Hope we get to pull off a ‘You Shall Not Pass!’

Voting this. Bad guy is vulnerable to Old Kingdom magic so why not pick some up ourselves?

# ? Dec 30, 2018 10:21

Comrade Blyatlov: Aug 4, 2007; should have picked four fingers

Sonic attacks sound cool. Bardsmanship!

# ? Dec 30, 2018 10:25

Jedit: Dec 10, 2011; Proudly supporting vanilla legends 1994-2014

Comstar posted:

Master Kai-screen and Warhammer, take Laumspur & Flute, Keys in storage.

If we don't get it in the text, please add it.

To every section, if applicable.

# ? Dec 30, 2018 10:34

wiegieman: Apr 22, 2010; Royalty is a continuous cutting motion

Comstar posted:

Master Kai-screen and Warhammer, take Laumspur & Flute, Keys in storage.

If we don't get it in the text, please add it.

Works for me.

# ? Dec 30, 2018 10:46

Runcible Cat: May 28, 2007; Ignoring this post

Tiggum posted:

This book was another one where all I can really say about it is that it was mostly fine.

On the other hand, we did get to fire an evil wand and blow up a staircase!

achtungnight posted:

Master Magi-Magic and Warhammer, take Laumspur & Flute, Keys in storage.

# ? Dec 30, 2018 11:03

Xarn: Jun 26, 2015

Bardsmanship, because I want to see how many times we will get to use the sonic attack.

# ? Dec 30, 2018 12:10

nelson: Apr 12, 2009; College Slice

TooMuchAbstraction posted:

So we need votes on

A new Discipline: Bardsmanship

New Weaponmastery: Warhammer (because that seems like the most dwarfly option)

New equipment: Laumspur, Meals

What to put into storage: Both keys

What to take from storage: 1x Laumspur

# ? Dec 30, 2018 12:51

Decoy Badger: May 16, 2009

A new Discipline: Bardsmanship - We will flaut all their attacks!
New Weaponmastery: Mace
New equipment: 1x Laumspur, 2x Meals
What to put into storage: Both keys, bottle of wine - it might age well!
What to take from storage: 1x Laumspur

# ? Dec 30, 2018 17:35

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

Tiggum posted:

�Dwarf King Ryvin of Bor is in desperate need of our aid, my lords,� began Rimoah, earnestly. �An ancient horror has been awoken in the depths of his subterranean kingdom, and now it threatens to destroy his realm. The Drodarin race may be doomed unless we are able to overcome this creature � and swiftly.�

Lord Rimoah informed you that recent excavations in the lowest levels of the vast underground kingdom of Bor had disturbed the Shom�zaa. This powerful entity was entombed by the Elder Magi during their 1,000-year war against Agarash the Damned�Naar�s first champion of evil. Lone Wolf lowered his eyes and shook his head in disbelief upon hearing Rimoah�s words.

�I understood that dwarf lore expressly forbade such deep mining, for fear that the Shom�zaa and its minions might be released. How could such a thing have been allowed to occur?� he said.

�Greed is to blame, my lord,� replied Rimoah, sadly, �� the greed of King Ryvin�s elder son, the Crown Prince Leomin. He alone was responsible for the excavations that opened the way to this ancient horror.�

Well, does this reminds anyone else of a different book?
"Moria, Moria! Wonder of the Northern world! Too deep we delved there, and woke the nameless fear."
I really hope for this to have been a coincidence, but...

Decoy Badger posted:

A new Discipline: Bardsmanship - We will flaut all their attacks!
New Weaponmastery: Mace
New equipment: 1x Laumspur, 2x Meals
What to put into storage: Both keys, bottle of wine - it might age well!
What to take from storage: 1x Laumspur

Agree.

# ? Dec 30, 2018 19:49

Toplowtech: Aug 31, 2004

Decoy Badger posted:

A new Discipline: Bardsmanship - We will flaut all their attacks!
New Weaponmastery: ~~Mace~~ Warhammer
New equipment: 1x Laumspur, 2x Meals
What to put into storage: Both keys, bottle of wine - it might age well!
What to take from storage: 1x Laumspur

Yeah this is totally the book that totally reap off Lord of the Ring so we better be ready FOR THE SONGS.

# ? Dec 30, 2018 20:08

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

Jedit posted:

Master Kai-screen

achtungnight posted:

Warhammer

Guy Fawkes posted:

New equipment: 1x Laumspur, 2x Meals

Runcible Cat posted:

take Flute

nelson posted:

What to put into storage: Both keys

Decoy Badger posted:

What to put into storage: bottle of wine - it might age well!

TooMuchAbstraction posted:

What to take from storage: 1x Laumspur

Action Chart

Name:

Gender:

Rank:

Combat Skill:

Endurance Points:

Magnakai

Grand Master

Grand Weaponmastery (+5 CS w/ axes, daggers, quarterstaves, spears & warhammers, +5 RN w/ bows)
Deliverance (Once every 20 days, if EP < 9, restore 20 EP - used over 20 days ago)
Curing (Restore 1 EP per numbered section, used 0/10 times this book)
Kai-surge (+8 CS, -1 EP/round)
Mindblast (+4 CS)
Kai-alchemy (Lightning Hand; Levitation; Mind Charm; Sense Evil; Silence)
Grand Huntmastery
Elementalism
Grand Pathsmanship
Grand Nexus
Astrology
Kai-screen
Animal Control
Invisiblity
Divination

Weapons:

Bow
Halberd (Spear)

Belt Pouch

42 Gold Crowns
8 Nobles

Backpack:

Rope
Potion of Laumspur (+4 EP)
Meal
Meal
Meal
Flute
Potion of Laumspur (+4 EP)
Meal
Meal
Flute

Special Items:

Quiver (six arrows)
Alema (axe; +5 CS or +7 CS vs. undead)
Temujun's Ring
Crystal Prism
Talisman of Defiance (+2 CS)
Eye of Lhaz (control venomous snakes)
Platinum Amulet

Rules currently in effect:

Maugrim posted:

Use Laumspur as soon as possible after EP drops below 26

achtungnight posted:

Curing- Use it when we drop below 12 EP and then use it all at once.

Slavic Crime Yacht posted:

A standing order to always search bodies.

nelson posted:

Always top up arrows when given the opportunity.

Tiggum posted:

Use Kai-surge/Psi-surge whenever the Combat Ratio is below 3.

Toplowtech posted:

Use Kai-surge if enemy is immune to other types of psi-damage.

Tiggum fucked around with this message at 06:21 on Jan 2, 2019

# ? Jan 2, 2019 06:10

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

The Fall of Blood Mountain posted:

Lone Wolf places the Sun-crystal in the palm of your hand, and then he closes your fingers around is multi-faceted surface. At once you sense that the gentle warmth of this artefact belies a tremendous power that is locked within its core. (Record the Sun-crystal on your Action Chart as a Special Item which you keep in the pocket of your tunic. You must discard another item in its favour if you already possess the maximum number of Special Items permissible.)

�The Sun-crystal will do you no harm, Braveheart. Only Shom�zaa need have fear of its power,� says Lord Rimoah, reassuringly.

�How is this so?� you ask.

�The energy that permits the demon to exist in our world is drawn directly from the Plane of Darkness,� explains Rimoah. �There is an open channel between the creature and Naar�s evil domain. It is a slender, ethereal link. This invisible conduit has kept the creature alive during its long entombment, yet soon it may prove to be its undoing, for it is this link to the Plane of Darkness that will trigger the Sun-crystal�s cleansing powers. The merest touch of the crystal upon Shom�zaa�s foul hide will be enough to consign it to oblivion.�

With your briefing now complete, Lone Wolf orders you to return to your chamber to make swift preparations for an immediate voyage to Bor. You collect your equipment and your Kai Weapon, say a hurried farewell to your fellow Grand Masters, and then race to the training park where Lord Rimoah is awaiting you in the boarding cage. Lone Wolf bids you good luck and godspeed as you step inside, and proudly you return his salute as the cage is winched up to the stern deck of Cloud-dancer. Rimoah gives the crew the command to depart and, as the great craft gets underway, you stand at the aft rail and watch as the frosted walls and towers of the Kai Monastery swiftly recede into the distance.

Lord Rimoah invites you to accompany him to the captain�s quarters where, to your surprise, you discover the cabin is empty; Banedon is not aboard. �The Guildmaster is unable to travel with us,� explains Rimoah, �but he has placed his skyship and crew entirely at our disposal. We owe him a debt of gratitude, for time is against us and there can be no swifter way for us to reach our destination.�

During the fourteen hours that it takes to travel by skycraft to Bor, Lord Rimoah tells you much about the kingdom of the dwarves, their long history, and their proud legends. You also learn that your destination is Boradon, the principal city of Bor, and you are intrigued to discover that in your native language this ancient Drodarin name has a somewhat evocative meaning: �the Mountain of Blood�.

Shortly before your arrival at Boradon, Lord Rimoah talks with you about the quest you are about to undertake and he offers some valuable counsel.

�When the moment comes for you to use the Sun-crystal,� he says, warningly, �you must do so with great care. When the opportunity presents itself, I advise you to throw the crystal at Shom�zaa, or cause the creature to touch it unwittingly. It is vital that you maintain your distance, for when the power of the crystal is released there will be a great implosion. If you are too close to your enemy at this crucial moment, you will risk being sucked into the vortex that the implosion will create.�

As you promise to heed Rimoah�s words of warning, you hear the crew cry out across the decks: �Boradon ho!�

You follow Lord Rimoah out onto the windswept deck and look down in awe at the mighty city of Boradon. Rooted directly in the granite escarpment of Andar, the highest mountain of the Great Bor Range, its fortifications and turrets are barely distinguishable from the rugged copper-red cliffs surrounding them. Night has fallen and the moonless sky is as black as jet, yet the crew of the Cloud-dancer have no difficulty in locating the approach to this ancient mountain metropolis. Torches burn in every turret and arrow slit, and blazing beacons illuminate a safe passage through the snow-capped peaks to the city�s central square.

A unit of King Ryvin�s �lite War-thanes have been stationed in the main square in anticipation of your arrival. Their captain, a robust-looking dwarf with a plaited beard and a shock of bright red hair, offers you both a hearty welcome when you step from the boarding cage. He says that King Ryvin is waiting and he bids you accompany him without delay. His torch-bearing warriors escort you along a winding path that ends at a stone bridge which arches across a deep, natural moat. Beyond the bridge is a great bronze portal set into the mountainside. A horn sounds as you approach and the huge door swings open to reveal a wondrous sight.

The open portal reveals a great stone staircase that descends to a magnificent marble hall. Vast columns brace the sculptured ceiling and tall silvery mirrors line the walls, creating the illusion that this cavernous chamber is even larger. Seated upon a chair in the centre of the echoing hall is King Ryvin, clad in his golden battle-armour and wolfskin cape. Surrounding him are members of his royal family and other high-ranking Drodarin nobility. They are greatly distressed and several are weeping openly. A herald announces your arrival and the crowd parts as you approach the foot of Ryvin�s chair.

�Praise Ishir!� booms the dwarf king. �We have prayed that you would return to aid us, Lord Rimoah. And I see you bring a Kai champion. We are doubly glad. You�ve arrived not a moment too soon.�

King Ryvin rises from his chair and motions to you and Rimoah to accompany him into an antechamber. In the privacy of this adjoining room, he tells of the nightmare that has engulfed his kingdom following the release of Shom�zaa. The creature and its horde of mutant spawn have spread like a voracious plague throughout the chambers and tunnels of his vast subterranean realm. All contact with the Drodarin communities surrounding Boradon has been severed, the lower levels of the kingdom have been lost to the enemy, and more than half of his army are unaccounted for.

�So many have been slain,� he says, his deep voice cracking with emotion. �Only the swift destruction of Shom�zaa can save us now. But all is not yet lost. I draw strength from the certain knowledge that my sons�Leomin and Torfan�are still alive, and the Throne of Andarin is intact.�

Suspended upon a chain around his neck is a bloodstone amulet which is divided along its centre. One half of this gemstone glows faintly crimson, the other half pale amber.

�This is the Andarin Bloodstone,� he says. �It contains the crimson light of Leomin and the amber light of Torfan. These lights will remain aglow so long as my sons shall live.�

Then he points to a flowering shrub that stands in a copper urn beside the chamber door. �That Xanthoa is evidence that the throne of my ancestors has not been destroyed, for it would wither in an instant if the throne were sundered. From these signs, and the eternal mercy of Ishir, I draw strength.�

For more than an hour you deliberate how best to defeat Shom�zaa and save the Throne of Andarin, and finally you agree upon a plan of action that could save this beleaguered realm from total destruction.

King Ryvin summons Vagel, the red-haired captain of his Royal War-thanes, and assigns him to be your guide. Vagel knows a way to reach the throne chamber where the princes were last seen together. They and their bodyguards are believed to be trapped in the chamber, stoically defending the precious throne from capture by the horde. Vagel also knows the location of Shom�zaa�s lair. The creature is known to return there frequently.

To help you further, the King gives you the Andarin Bloodstone. (Record this on your Action Chart as a Special Item which you keep on a chain around your neck. You need not discard another item in its favour if you already possess the maximum number of Special Items permissible.) He informs you that the colours of the amulet will deepen as you draw closer to his sons.

Lord Rimoah will stay in the great hall and assist King Ryvin in drawing together the remnants of his scattered army. They will then attempt to break through to the lower levels and secure the throne chamber. Having agreed the plan, you bid farewell to Rimoah and get ready to set off at once with the captain. Before you leave the great hall, Vagel offers you the chance to visit the Royal War-thane armoury.

Shall we visit the armoury or just get on with it?

# ? Jan 2, 2019 06:18

TooMuchAbstraction: Oct 14, 2012; I spent four years making
Waves of Steel
Hell yes I'm going to turn my avatar into an ad for it.; Fun Shoe

I'm sure the armoury won't have anything useful, but dammit it's the principle of the thing, loot it anyway.

# ? Jan 2, 2019 06:23

Synthbuttrange: May 6, 2007

Huh... werent the crew of Banedon's skyship dwarves? Maybe from a different place and DGAF what happens to blood mound. LOOT

# ? Jan 2, 2019 07:23

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

Synthbuttrange posted:

Huh... werent the crew of Banedon's skyship dwarves?

That was his old crew. I think they're all dead.

# ? Jan 2, 2019 08:55

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

Loot. Get one of those BOR guns while we're at it!

# ? Jan 2, 2019 09:17

Runcible Cat: May 28, 2007; Ignoring this post

Comstar posted:

Loot. Get one of those BOR guns while we're at it!

Time for the Kai to join the NRA!

# ? Jan 2, 2019 10:35

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

Never Not Be Lootin'.

# ? Jan 2, 2019 14:06

nelson: Apr 12, 2009; College Slice

Comstar posted:

Loot. Get one of those BOR guns while we're at it!

# ? Jan 2, 2019 14:08

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

The Fall of Blood Mountain posted:

Vagel escorts you through the great hall and into an adjoining chamber that is stacked to the ceiling with weapons and martial equipment. The barrel-chested dwarf beams with pride as he encourages you to take whatever you wish from his regimental weapons store. From among the polished racks of arms and armour, the following items catch your discerning eye:

Warhammer

Quarterstaff

Spear

Axe

Bow

Arrows (6)

Quiver (counts as a Special Item if you choose this in addition to any Quiver you may already possess)

You follow the stocky Drodarin warrior out of the great hall and along a passageway that leads to the entrance of a vast, lantern-lit tunnel. Four large wolves are harnessed to a chariot parked alongside the tunnel wall, and these great grey beasts whine excitedly when they see Vagel appear. The captain leaps into the chariot and beckons you to join him. As soon as you are safely aboard, he grabs the wide leather reins and sets the wolves running.

Tenaciously you cling to the chariot�s rail as Vagel hurls his two-wheeled transport through a seemingly endless succession of titanic caverns, and you marvel at the scale and diversity of this subterranean kingdom, for it is far greater than you had ever imagined possible. You see farmsteads with cattle and crops, rivers laden with fish, mines rich with silver and rare minerals, and wells brimming with oil to fuel the great lanterns of this vast underground realm. But among the many wonders of Bor you also see some of the tragedy that has befallen the Drodarin race. Many of the dwellings you pass have been destroyed or abandoned, and groups of battle-weary dwarf warriors sit huddled and dejected in their ruins, nursing their wounds.

Beyond the smoking shell of a house, you arrive at the entrance to a sloping tunnel that descends to a quarry and copper mine. The site looks abandoned, but when you emerge from the tunnel, your Magnakai Discipline of Pathsmanship screams a warning that you are heading into an ambush. You shout at Vagel to turn the chariot about, but before he can obey your command, a volley of arrows whistle down from the surrounding rocks. One of the wolves is killed instantly, causing the chariot to swerve out of control. Then the left wheel shatters upon hitting a boulder, and in the blink of an eye you are sent tumbling headlong through the air.

We roll: 3 + 2 (G. Huntmastery) = 5.

You hit the ground and tumble head over heels across the rocky red soil until an ore wagon brings you to a sudden and painful halt. The collision opens a wound above your right ear that leaves you stunned and bleeding: lose 3 ENDURANCE points.

Endurance: 40/43.

Your vision swims in and out of focus as you stagger drunkenly to your feet. Drawing upon your Discipline of Deliverance, you staunch the flow of blood that is trickling into your eyes from your wounded scalp. As your sight clears, you see Captain Vagel lying trapped beneath the overturned chariot. Arrows thud into the ground as you scramble to his side and attempt to drag him free. But your valiant effort is in vain; he is mortally injured and close to death. You place your hands upon his chest and use your healing skills in a final effort to save his life. Briefly he responds. His eyelids flicker open and he raises a broken hand to point towards the north wall of the quarry.

�Go that way � throne chamber � ten miles � � he gasps. These are his final words.

You magnify your vision and see the entrance to a vertical pit shaft located at the base of the quarry wall. It is partially hidden by a heap of sawn timbers.

Suddenly an arrow punches through the wooden side of the chariot and passes within inches of your head. This near miss makes you roll away and scramble for the safety of harder cover. You take refuge behind a cluster of boulders where you listen to the harsh gurgling sound of your attackers� voices as they call to each other excitedly. Peering through a gap in the rocks, you see your ambushers emerge from their hiding places and begin to close in. They are minions of Shom�zaa, and your first sight of them sends a cold shiver coursing down your spine.

At a distance these man-sized creatures appear lithe and reptilian. All have lidless black eyes and scaly green hides that glisten as they move. But as they draw closer you see that each one is grotesquely different. Some have whip-like tentacles, some have spindly limbs and bulbous skulls, and some have rubbery necks and crooked spines that are studded with talons. They are all armed with captured Drodarin weapons and led by a tall creature with a lizard-like face. It gurgles to its fearsome followers, commanding them to attack your position and finish you off.

Shall we use our bow or Kai-alchemy or make a run for it?

We can take a weapon and/or an extra quiver if we want, too.

# ? Jan 2, 2019 16:07

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

I too am disappointed we can�t get a Bor musket.

Grab the extra quiver and use our Bow!

# ? Jan 2, 2019 16:18

Decoy Badger: May 16, 2009

We have a bow and we wish to use it!

# ? Jan 2, 2019 16:40

nelson: Apr 12, 2009; College Slice

achtungnight posted:

I too am disappointed we can�t get a Bor musket.

Grab the extra quiver and use our Bow!

# ? Jan 2, 2019 17:19

Runcible Cat: May 28, 2007; Ignoring this post

achtungnight posted:

I too am disappointed we can�t get a Bor musket.

Grab the extra quiver and use our Bow!

All this.

# ? Jan 2, 2019 18:46

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

achtungnight posted:

I too am disappointed we can�t get a Bor musket.

Grab the extra quiver and use our Bow!

I Agree with every word.

# ? Jan 2, 2019 21:20

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

achtungnight posted:

I too am disappointed we can’t get a Bor musket.

Grab the extra quiver and use our Bow!

# ? Jan 2, 2019 21:44

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

The Fall of Blood Mountain posted:

You draw an Arrow to your Bow and send it arcing across the quarry to strike the lizard-faced creature squarely in the chest. The beast spins around, staggers backwards, and then emits a chilling scream before collapsing to the ground. Upon hearing their leader�s death-cry, the minions turn and run as if gripped by a blind panic. You seize this chance to break cover and race towards the pit shaft at the base of the quarry�s north wall.

When you arrive at the pit, you quickly pull aside the planks that lie strewn across the opening. Peering down into the darkness, you glimpse the tangled wreckage of a cage lying at the bottom of the shaft, 60 feet below. Some of the Shom�zaa minions have now recovered their nerve and have regrouped at the edge of the quarry. Cautiously they begin to advance towards you, firing arrows as they move closer.

You speak the words of the Brotherhood Spell Levitation and step into the yawning pit. The spell prevents you from falling and, for a few moments, you stand suspended in mid-air. Then you begin to rise as the spell takes full effect. Immediately you recite the arcane words which counter it and, by so doing, you are able to make a controlled descent to the base of the pit shaft.

When your feet alight upon the roof of the elevator cage, you cancel the spell and jump to the floor of a small cavern. The alien sound of your attackers� voices can be heard echoing down the shaft from above. They have reached the edge of the pit and some are loosing off arrows in the hope of hitting you by chance. Promptly you step away from the cage as the first of their missiles ricochet off its buckled iron roof.

After a few minutes the minions cease firing and the pit shaft echoes to the sound of their distant, gurgling laughter. Cautiously you move to the middle of the chamber, to where a line of empty ore wagons stand on a sleepered track. This track curves in the centre and exits the chamber through brick-lined tunnels in the north and east walls. Beside the north tunnel exit you see an iron door with a broken lock.

You unbutton the neck of your tunic and look at the Andarin Bloodstone in the hope it may help you choose the best route to follow. Its amber and crimson halves are glowing a little brighter now, but when you point the gemstone at each tunnel exit in turn, there is no variation. Looking down, you see that there are many tracks in the dusty ground. Some have been made by booted Drodarin feet, but mostly they are the clawed footprints of Shom�zaa�s minions. Then you apply your Kai Sixth Sense and you detect danger lurking along both tunnels.

Shall we go north, go east, or examine the door?

# ? Jan 3, 2019 02:54

Synthbuttrange: May 6, 2007

Doors frequenly conceal loot!

Also lmao Vagel, the kai companion curse strikes again.

# ? Jan 3, 2019 02:59

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

Vagel told us to go north.

\/Isn't this whole series a wolf drawn chariot seeing as we're either playing as Lone Wolf or ordered to go on a mission by him?

achtungnight fucked around with this message at 04:02 on Jan 3, 2019

# ? Jan 3, 2019 03:04

Synthbuttrange: May 6, 2007

He also loaded us into a wolf-pulled chariot so his judgement is kind of suspect

# ? Jan 3, 2019 03:19

TooMuchAbstraction: Oct 14, 2012; I spent four years making
Waves of Steel
Hell yes I'm going to turn my avatar into an ad for it.; Fun Shoe

I mean, that's basically a more badass dogsled.

# ? Jan 3, 2019 03:38

nelson: Apr 12, 2009; College Slice

Synthbuttrange posted:

Doors frequenly conceal loot!

Also lmao Vagel, the kai companion curse strikes again.

# ? Jan 3, 2019 04:00

anakha: Sep 16, 2009

I think that might have been the fastest the Kai Death Aura has taken effect.

# ? Jan 3, 2019 05:59

TooMuchAbstraction: Oct 14, 2012; I spent four years making
Waves of Steel
Hell yes I'm going to turn my avatar into an ad for it.; Fun Shoe

anakha posted:

I think that might have been the fastest the Kai Death Aura has taken effect.

Lone Wolf killed off his entire monastery in the introduction to his first book.

# ? Jan 3, 2019 06:06

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# ? Jun 5, 2024 11:20

Alopex: May 31, 2012; This is the sleeve I have chosen.

The wolf carriage is a sick concept and I hope we have the chance to steal and ride one later

# ? Jan 3, 2019 07:27

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

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