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

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

Runcible Cat: May 28, 2007; Ignoring this post

Maugrim posted:

Based on the difficulty of fights so far in this game and the fact that we are currently sustained only by the generosity of Kai I'd say we want to get the hell out.

I agree with everyone else!

# ? Jul 7, 2018 10:14

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# ? Apr 23, 2024 08:18

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

The Deathlord of Ixia posted:

You spin on your heel and sprint towards the arched opening by which you entered this chamber, but the insectoids anticipate your action and they move with frightening speed to block your escape. Snickering evilly, they fall upon you from the sides and rear, using their barbed limbs to drag you to the floor.

Curing: +1 EP (-3/41).

You draw your weapon and fight with blinding speed in order to save yourself from these chittering horrors.

Dentaag: COMBAT SKILL 51 ENDURANCE 38

These beings are immune to all forms of psychic attack, except Kai-surge and Kai-blast.

Need I say more?

Death Count: 25.

# ? Jul 7, 2018 14:55

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

The correct course of action is to use the Sommerswerd. There is no possible way to know that though. In fact, the way it's set out in the book the choice is between running, using a bow, or choosing "not to evade them or make use of a Bow". There is no indication of what you'll actually do, but you'd probably assume fight - and given the previous encounter you'd probably assume "no Sommerswerds allowed", but if you have the Sommerswerd then the book actually forces you to use it.

The Deathlord of Ixia posted:

As the insectoids come to within a body�s length of where you stand, suddenly their shiny black shells sprout masses of razor-sharp spines. Then, the leading creature emits a high-pitched screech�it is the signal to attack. As one, the creatures leap into the air and fall upon you from above. Desperately you twist and dodge to avoid being crushed beneath their heavy, spiky bodies.

Curing: +1 EP (-3/41).

The instant you unsheathe the Sommerswerd, its golden light floods the chamber, countering the heavy aura of evil which permeates its every corner. The goodly presence of your divine sword causes the insectoids to shy away fearfully. You sense that they are repelled by its power which is leeching their strength.

Gradually, their insect-like forms dissolve back into wispy trails of black smoke which swirl once around the chamber before evaporating into the porous stone framing the Shadow Gate. You are relieved to see the back of these hideous creatures, but your comfort is all too short-lived; no sooner have they vanished than a new horror appears in the chamber, rising up out of the stone floor.

Curing: +1 EP (-2/41).

Squatting upon a plinth of stone arising from out of the floor is a huge, snarling, jackal-like creature which you recognize immediately. It is the Demonlord Tagazin, the supernatural beast which you encountered many years earlier during your quest to the dungeons of Torgar.

The unexpected sight of this creature, whom you fought, defeated, but did not destroy all those years ago, sends a shiver of dread coursing down your spine. Your Kai instincts tell you that Tagazin is slave to Ixiataaga�he is the Deathlord�s loyal companion.

Tagazin, too, recognizes you to be a former adversary. He recalls his ignominious defeat at your hand and, enraged by this bitter memory, he leaves the plinth and comes stalking towards you. Venom drips from his bared fangs and murder glows darkly from the depths of his nightmarish eyes.

Curing: +1 EP (-1/41).

�Hold, fell demon!� you shout, hoping to arrest his determined advance, but Tagazin merely sneers with disdain at your command. He stalks closer and you see knife-sharp talons extending from his hairless paws. From the gruesome expression on his face, clearly he is relishing the thought of rending you limb from limb. As you reach for your weapon, you consider using your psychic skills to preempt his imminent attack.

Curing: +1 EP (0/41).

You stare into the glowing eyes of the approaching Demonlord and steel yourself to meet his certain attack.

Curing: +1 EP (1/41).

You unsheathe your golden blade and its goodly light washes over the Demonlord�s unlovely form. He growls fearfully, as if weakened by its radiant power, yet he does not lose his determination to attack.

With a hellish howl, he launches himself through the air at you, his clawed paws outstretched in eager readiness to tear at your flesh.

Demonlord Tagazin: COMBAT SKILL 55 ENDURANCE 60

This being is immune to all forms of psychic attack, except Kai-surge and Kai-blast.

Lone Wolf: COMBAT SKILL 44 ENDURANCE 1 Demonlord Tagazin: COMBAT SKILL 55 ENDURANCE 60 Combat Ratio: -11 We roll: 1 Lone Wolf: COMBAT SKILL 44 ENDURANCE 0 Demonlord Tagazin: COMBAT SKILL 55 ENDURANCE 60 Death Count: 26.

That's unfortunate. We were very briefly alive again.

# ? Jul 7, 2018 15:07

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

I seem to recall the meeting with Tagazin in Dungeons of Torgar as happening on one of several optional paths and not being required to finish the book. Is there alternate text if you didn�t meet him or does this book treat it as a canon mandatory encounter?

Either way these 50+ CS enemies one after the other are making the book way too tough. :argh:

Dever!

# ? Jul 7, 2018 15:12

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

Because of our extremely low Endurance points here there is really no way to survive this encounter, but once again not having the Sommerswerd does make it easier, as does Kai-surge. Kai-surge, obviously, would have given us a Combat Ratio of -3, but also would have had us deal between 2 and 18 damage (1d10 x2, 0 counts as 1) at the beginning of the fight. Not having the Sommerswerd or Kai-surge actually skips the fight entirely but at the cost of 1-20 Endurance points (1d10, x2 if you don't have Deliverance) and your weapon. In this case I'm going to put our path forward to a vote. Do we fight Tagazin with the Sommerswerd and leave with our Endurance probably quite a long way into the negative, or do we pretend we don't have the Sommerswerd, lose our crystal spear and roll for damage?

achtungnight posted:

I seem to recall the meeting with Tagazin in Dungeons of Torgar as happening on one of several optional paths and not being required to finish the book. Is there alternate text if you didn't meet him or does this book treat it as a canon mandatory encounter?

There's alternate text. There are actually quite a few places in the Grand Master series where that happens.

achtungnight posted:

these 50+ CS enemies one after the other are making the book way too tough. Dever!

Kai-surge would have made a huge difference.

# ? Jul 7, 2018 15:19

Runcible Cat: May 28, 2007; Ignoring this post

achtungnight posted:

I seem to recall the meeting with Tagazin in Dungeons of Torgar as happening on one of several optional paths and not being required to finish the book. Is there alternate text if you didn�t meet him or does this book treat it as a canon mandatory encounter?

Either way these 50+ CS enemies one after the other are making the book way too tough. Dever!

Yeah, don't we only meet Tagazin if we manage to get on the path that takes us across the :ghost:

Isle of Ghosts :ghost:

?

And yes, dammit, these mandatory CR 11+ encounters make it drat near impossible for anyone who doesn't cheat. What's our max possible CS at this point?

(efb)

# ? Jul 7, 2018 15:20

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

I vote we weren�t using the Sommerswerd. But then we got past the Ghost Insects how exactly? Maybe the damage was from them and not Tagazin? I hated this book so much, it killed me so many times, I have blocked the memories from my mind. Whatever it takes to get us through it on to the way more fun follow up (my opinion, not saying more).

# ? Jul 7, 2018 15:29

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

Runcible Cat posted:

What's our max possible CS at this point?

Base CS if we rolled a 9 would be 34 in book 13. You add one to that for each book you finish so that gets us to 38 by book 17. Add 8 for the Sommerswerd, 2 for the Silver Helm, 3 for the Kagonite Chainmail, 2 for the Silver Bracers for a total of 53. Add 5 for Grand Weaponmastery and 8 for Kai-surge and you've got your potential maximum for this book of 66. 68 if you use a potion of alether.

Or, if you kept your Combat Skill from the Magnakai series but everything else remains the same, your base CS would be 24 in book 13, making the final total (without alether) 56.

Meanwhile, if this is your first book, you rolled a 0, and you didn't pick Grand Weaponmastery or Kai-surge, your Combat Skill here would be 25. Just 25.

If you only own two or three books but decide to carry your character across anyway and this is the only Grand Master one then your Combat Skill could be as low as 10.

That's why combat in this series is hosed beyond repair.

# ? Jul 7, 2018 15:38

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

Okay you know what? gently caress this book :mad:

# ? Jul 7, 2018 16:26

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

Yeah, kaisurge does make a difference but doesn�t it also cost extra endurance per round to use? Kai blast is automatic damage but I also recall the rules for it being hard to interpret as far as temporarily lowering your CS. Also, that�s an optional feature of your character. If you have survival of your gamebook�s mandatory action depending on an optional feature not every player going by the rules as written would pick, you�re doing something seriously wrong. This book is a large part of why when I play through the LW series these days I usually assume I have all disciplines and always win combat. It makes it more of a Let�s Read than Let�s Play, but at least I survive and I get to shake my head at all the crazy ways I might have died horribly.

# ? Jul 7, 2018 17:07

Runcible Cat: May 28, 2007; Ignoring this post

Tiggum posted:

That's why combat in this series is hosed beyond repair.

Yeah, that's beyond ridiculous. How is that supposed to be fun?

OK, I know everyone cheats, but they shouldn't have to to that extent....

# ? Jul 7, 2018 17:28

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

achtungnight posted:

Yeah, kaisurge does make a difference but doesn�t it also cost extra endurance per round to use?

It does. I haven't done the maths but my instinct is that it's probably better to use it than not as long as the Combat Ratio is below 11. It's harder to say for Psi-surge, which only gives +6 (as compared with Mindblast's +4), but in cases like those we've encountered lately where enemies are immune to Mindblast and Psi-surge, that one damage per round is absolutely negligible compared with the huge difference between being down 4 CS or up 4. Like, -3 CR rather than -11, which takes the fight from basically unwinnable to no problem.

achtungnight posted:

Kai blast is automatic damage but I also recall the rules for it being hard to interpret as far as temporarily lowering your CS.

The rules state that it replaces other psychic attacks for the round. So if you're at a CR of -3 with Kai-surge and you roll a 5 that's 5 or 6 damage to the enemy (depending on whether you have Grand Weaponmastery or not) and 4 to you. If you use Kai-blast instead then the CR is -11 so it's between 3 and 20 damage to the enemy (1 + 2d10 where 0=1 + 1 with GW) and 11 to you (7 from combat, 4 from Kai-blast). Most likely outcome there is around 11 to 15 damage to the enemy for the round. I don't think it states whether you can roll first or if you have to choose whether or not to Kai-blast at the start of the round, so that could make a difference as well, as obviously you don't want to drop the CR to less than -8 if you rolled a 1. It's actually quite an interesting decision to make.

achtungnight posted:

Also, that�s an optional feature of your character. If you have survival of your gamebook�s mandatory action depending on an optional feature not every player going by the rules as written would pick, you�re doing something seriously wrong.

Dever did something seriously wrong when he gave every player who completed book two +8 to their Combat Skill for the rest of the series.

# ? Jul 7, 2018 18:05

nelson: Apr 12, 2009; College Slice

I guess pretend we don�t have the Sommerswerd for now. But what happened to our autoheal and Oede?

# ? Jul 7, 2018 18:19

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

nelson posted:

But what happened to our autoheal and Oede?

We lost our laumspur and used our oede. Our stock of potions is down to two doses of sabito, which we no longer have any use for.

# ? Jul 7, 2018 18:42

Runcible Cat: May 28, 2007; Ignoring this post

Tiggum posted:

Dever did something seriously wrong when he gave every player who completed book two +8 to their Combat Skill for the rest of the series.

He should just have automatically given the Sommerswerd to everyone as equipment at the start of every book - you are the legendary warrior, this is your legendary sword kind of thing. Or just had it vanish when the Darklords carked it. Its work here is done, it must return to its home planet.

# ? Jul 7, 2018 19:04

Maugrim: Feb 16, 2011; I eat your face

We have the sommerswerd. I mean, we just used it to win a fight. I'm guessing this is an unavoidable combat, so let's just rely on the spirit of Kai sustaining us.

# ? Jul 7, 2018 20:23

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

Runcible Cat posted:

He should just have automatically given the Sommerswerd to everyone as equipment at the start of every book - you are the legendary warrior, this is your legendary sword kind of thing. Or just had it vanish when the Darklords carked it. Its work here is done, it must return to its home planet.

Agreed. And if the latter, it suddenly appears in your hand whenever you need it again- add 8 to your combat skill for this fight. And remove the whole need to hide it in a macguffin scabbard thing.

By the way, has anyone on this planet seen Poochie lately? We could really use him back here!

# ? Jul 7, 2018 20:59

nelson: Apr 12, 2009; College Slice

Mikl posted:

Okay you know what? gently caress this book

Yeah, let�s just get it over with and hope the next one is better. This one has been a sad disappointment. The Ballista did nothing, LW abandoned his crew to go hide, leaving them all to die, there didn�t seem like there were many meaningful choices, the bow did nothing, the puzzles were lame and combat was too unbalanced to be fun.

# ? Jul 7, 2018 21:16

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

Just tried for another playthrough and died to Tagazin. And he isn't even the toughest fight in the book.

# ? Jul 7, 2018 21:33

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

I finally beat the book, but it was only possible because lone wolf saga lets you use kai-blast every round. gently caress this book.

# ? Jul 7, 2018 21:59

Mister Perky: Aug 2, 2010

Welcome to Book 17, folks.

If this was your first Lone Wolf book it was probably also your last.

# ? Jul 7, 2018 22:16

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

Slavic Crime Yacht posted:

I finally beat the book, but it was only possible because lone wolf saga lets you use kai-blast every round.

That's how it's supposed to work, as far as I'm aware. The rules don't mention any limit on how frequently you can use it.

The Deathlord of Ixia posted:

You stare into the glowing eyes of the approaching Demonlord and steel yourself to meet his certain attack.

Curing: +1 EP (1/41).

You raise your Crystal Spear and leap forward to strike a preemptive blow at the advancing Demonlord. The force of your strike would have decapitated any normal creature made of flesh and blood, but Tagazin is no such creature. A splash of bluish-white sparks explode at the point of impact and, to your horror, your weapon disintegrates to dust in your hand (delete this Weapon from your Weapons List).

Snickering evilly, the Demonlord springs forward to rake you with his razor-sharp claws.

We roll: 10. Endurance: -19/41.

Tagazin is poised to strike you a second devastating blow, but his attack is thwarted by a whirling gale-force wind. It arises in the centre of the chamber and accelerates like a cyclone around the walls, separating you from the enemy and hurling you both to the floor.

Suddenly, the air crackles and seethes with static power. A dark shape is taking form at the centre of the raging cyclone, a shape which radiates an intense aura of evil. It solidifies into a tall, black-robed torso surmounted by a goat-like skull. Where there should be eye sockets you see fiery cores of scarlet energy. Fear grips you with its icy hand when you smell the stench of death and corruption that hangs heavy around this dread being. You are in no doubt that you are now in the presence of the Deathlord of Ixia.

Tagazin whimpers like a frightened pup and slinks towards his master, his head bowed in fearful subservience. The Deathlord removes the Deathstaff from inside his funereal robe and holds it on high. Tagazin freezes in his tracks and his whole body trembles violently�he is clearly petrified of his master�s wrath. Ixiataaga sweeps the air with the evil staff, and in a terrifying instant, both you and Tagazin are lifted by the raging wind and hurled into the dark abyss that is the Shadow Gate.

Curing: +1 EP (-18/41).

The freezing winds of the abyss tear mercilessly at your body as you tumble headlong through this cold and lightless void. You scream with anguish but hear nothing, not even the sound of your own voice, for sound does not exist in the airless limbo of a Shadow Gate. You are in no-space, falling helplessly between two planes of existence.

You are on the brink of unconsciousness when, with shocking abruptness, you splash face-first into a warm and stinking mire. Coughing and retching, you stagger to your feet and claw the oily muck from your stinging eyes. When you prise open your gluey eyelids, the sight which greets your disbelieving gaze is wholly unlike that of frigid Ixia. You find yourself knee-deep in steaming mud, surrounded by a hot and humid jungle of dense vegetation. Your Kai senses detect an all-consuming aura of evil which saturates this swampy land, warning you that this foul, stinking mire is part of the Plane of Darkness�the domain of the Dark God Naar. You scan the fetid landscape and sense that you are not alone�Tagazin is here, beyond the range of your vision but, nevertheless, not too far distant.

A sense of helplessness assails your spirit, feeding a growing fear that you have failed your mission. Your only hope is to find another Shadow Gate through which you can escape from this nightmare plane and return to your home world. Weary and despondent, you trudge through the slime towards a ridge of firm ground which is carpeted with lime-green moss. You sense Tagazin�s presence somewhere in this direction and you cling to the faint hope that he may be able to lead you to the Shadow Gate you seek.

Curing: +1 EP (-17/41).

The firmness of the mossy ridge makes the going easier as, reluctantly, you trek deeper into the mire. Infrequently you are assailed by small, slimy-skinned horrors which live beneath the mud of this rotting land. They rise up from their evil-smelling lairs and attempt to bite your legs and feet as you pass. All their attempts prove costly and futile; your speedy reactions and your Kai weapon skill makes sure of this.

After an hour or so, you glimpse something through the tangle of trees ahead which makes you stop and stare. At first sight it looks like a huge slab of stone lying on the surface of the swamp, but when you magnify your vision, you see that it is the flat roof of a stone building which is being swallowed very slowly by the mire. You sense that you are gaining on Tagazin and, with weapon drawn, you approach the sinking stone roof.

Curing: +1 EP (-16/41).

When you reach the stone roof, you notice an opening at its centre, partially overgrown with barbed creepers. A closer look reveals a flight of steps, thick with slime, which descend into the darkness of the building which now lies trapped below the surface of the swamp. You are peering into this hellish gloom when suddenly your Kai senses alert you to an approaching threat.

You spin around to see a horde of monstrous shapes come streaming along the mossy ridge which you have just travelled. Bloated corpse-things jostle with humanoid horrors and skeletal warriors whose bones are gnawed with decay. It is a ghastly sight�a regiment of Chaos-creatures, drawn here by the scent of human prey. You shiver with dread, for clearly you are the prey they seek.

Curing: +1 EP (-15/41).

Shall we run down the stairs or stand and fight?

# ? Jul 8, 2018 03:29

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

Fall down the stairs.

# ? Jul 8, 2018 03:31

nelson: Apr 12, 2009; College Slice

Let�s go down. I�m actually glad we�re somewhere completely different. Maybe things will get more interesting.

# ? Jul 8, 2018 03:42

Materant: Jul 22, 2010; see, what you don't understand is he now has

THE MANLIEST MUSTACHE

_{_{_{_{it defies physics}}}}

Because of course we rolled the absolute maximum amount of damage.

gently caress this book.

# ? Jul 8, 2018 03:47

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

Down the stairs! Quickly!

# ? Jul 8, 2018 04:21

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

Run away!

The Something Awful Forums > Discussion > Games > Let's Play! > Falling into a Shadow gate will be the most important day of your life. For Lone Wolf, it was Tuesday.

# ? Jul 8, 2018 04:23

Runcible Cat: May 28, 2007; Ignoring this post

Comstar posted:

Run away!

The Something Awful Forums > Discussion > Games > Let's Play! > Falling into a Shadow gate will be the most important day of your life. For Lone Wolf, it was Tuesday.

Both

# ? Jul 8, 2018 11:14

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

The Deathlord of Ixia posted:

With the hideous gibbering shrieks of the Chaos-creatures echoing in your ears, you hurry down the slime-smeared steps into the claustrophobic depths of this sunken building. At first the alien cries of your pursuers sound hungry and frantic, like those of a ravenous pack of starving wolves, but suddenly you realize that they are not cries of hunger at all�they are howls of glee. The Chaos-creatures are enjoying the sight of you rushing headlong to your doom!

You skid to a halt but it is already too late. With chilling abruptness, the slimy stairs open up and you fall feet-first into a deep, dark pit.

Curing: +1 EP (-14/41).

With a jolt that leaves you gasping for breath, you hit the gluey surface of a stinking subterranean bog and sink in up to your neck. In the eerie half-light you can see the chaos horde above you, clustered around the edge of the square opening through which you fell. They are like excited spectators at a pit fight waiting for combat to begin.

Suddenly you sense movement in the slime�something is brushing past your left thigh. You struggle to move but, in doing so, you cause your body to sink deeper into the mire.

Curing: +1 EP (-13/41).

Using your advanced mastery of Telegnosis, you lighten your body weight to prevent yourself from sinking any deeper into the mire. Moments later, you feel something brush past your leg for a second time and the chilling sensation galvanizes you into action.

The walls of the shaft are mirror smooth for the first ten feet above the surface of the mire. But beyond this point you notice that they are rough-hewn and studded with sharp spurs of rock. One such spur offers a tempting handhold � if only you could get to it. If you could reach it, it would be an easy task for a warrior of your agility to climb to the opening above.

Curing: +1 EP (-12/41).

With difficulty you retrieve your Rope from your Backpack and hurriedly make a lasso. Then, uttering a short prayer to Kai and Ishir, you cast it upwards in an attempt to catch it upon the rocky spur.

Curing: +1 EP (-11/41). We roll: 6 + 1 (G. Huntmastery) = 7.

You lasso the spur of rock on your first attempt and pull yourself out of the cloying mire barely seconds before the unseen creature, which is circling below the surface, moves in to attack your legs. On reaching the spur, you retrieve your rope and set out to climb the wall of this shaft.

Above, the snickering horde of Chaos-creatures watch your ascent with eager anticipation. When you are within a few feet of the top, you unsheathe your weapon and get ready to fight your way out of the shaft one-handedly.

Chaos-horde: COMBAT SKILL 46 ENDURANCE 46

Unless you have attained the Kai rank of Sun Lord, you must reduce your COMBAT SKILL by 4 for the duration of this combat, due to your disadvantageous position. Unless you have Grand Weaponmastery and are a Sun Knight or higher, you may not use a two-handed weapon (i.e. Broadsword, Quarterstaff, or Spear) for this combat.

This is an unavoidable fight, so we won't die of our negative Endurance, and we get +4 CS for using the Sommerswerd on the Plane of Darkness.

Lone Wolf: COMBAT SKILL 52 ENDURANCE -11 Chaos-horde: COMBAT SKILL 46 ENDURANCE 46 Combat Ratio: 6 We roll: 10 Lone Wolf: COMBAT SKILL 52 ENDURANCE -11 Chaos-horde: COMBAT SKILL 46 ENDURANCE 27 We roll: 4 Lone Wolf: COMBAT SKILL 52 ENDURANCE -13 Chaos-horde: COMBAT SKILL 46 ENDURANCE 17 We roll: 3 Lone Wolf: COMBAT SKILL 52 ENDURANCE -16 Chaos-horde: COMBAT SKILL 46 ENDURANCE 8 We roll: 10 Lone Wolf: COMBAT SKILL 52 ENDURANCE -16 Chaos-horde: COMBAT SKILL 46 ENDURANCE 0

The Deathlord of Ixia posted:

Before the sundered remains of your enemies can merge and reform, you kick them into the pit where they are consumed by the creature which lurks at the bottom of its slime-filled base. Then, without looking back, you make a swift escape up to the roof and hurry away along the mossy ridge.

Minutes later, you come to a thicket of mist-enshrouded trees. As you pass through this eerie wood, you detect the presence of Tagazin once more. Fresh tracks indicate his direction and determinedly you set off, finding it an easy task to follow his clawed footprints in the loamy soil. They lead you through a tangle of saw-toothed briar and up a gently sloping rise. As you crest the top of the rise, you look upon an awe-inspiring sight.

Curing: +1 EP (-15/41).

A few hundred yards beyond the rise, you see Tagazin moving along a track which leads to the top of a small hillock. Here, contained within an arch of ancient stone, you see a whirling vortex: it is unmistakably an open Shadow Gate.

Surrounding Tagazin are a host of winged, dragon-like creatures, with horny skins that glimmer like gold in the wan light. By the slow, laborious way in which the jackal-like Demonlord is moving his limbs, you sense that he has been injured and greatly weakened by his passage through the void.

Curing: +1 EP (-14/41).

At once you recognize the winged creatures. You encountered them the last time you were here upon the Plane of Darkness. They are Lavas�fell servants of the Dark God Naar.

The dozen or so Lavas surrounding the ailing Tagazin appear to be urging him on towards the Shadow Gate. Your hopes of returning to your home world rose when first you saw the Shadow Gate, but now the familiar sensation of fear returns to chill your blood. The thought occurs to you that if Tagazin should enter the Shadow Gate before you, the Lavas may be able to close it behind him and deny you the chance of escaping from this evil domain. It is a risk you cannot afford to take.

Drawing your weapon, you race along the track in pursuit of the Demonlord, grimly determined to prevent him from reaching the Shadow Gate alive.

Curing: +1 EP (-13/41).

You have taken only a few dozen steps in pursuit of the sickly Demonlord and his golden-winged escorts, when your presence is betrayed by the aura of goodly light your body is radiating whilst on this plane of existence. A wave of alarm spreads through the escorts when they detect your aura, and many of them take to the sky. Directed by a vengeful Tagazin, they circle around you and come diving down to attack you with beak and claw.

Lone Wolf: COMBAT SKILL 52 ENDURANCE -13 Lavas: COMBAT SKILL 52 ENDURANCE 52 Combat Ratio: 0 We roll: 9 Lone Wolf: COMBAT SKILL 52 ENDURANCE -13 Lavas: COMBAT SKILL 52 ENDURANCE 40 We roll: 9 Lone Wolf: COMBAT SKILL 52 ENDURANCE -13 Lavas: COMBAT SKILL 52 ENDURANCE 28 We roll: 8 Lone Wolf: COMBAT SKILL 52 ENDURANCE -13 Lavas: COMBAT SKILL 52 ENDURANCE 17 We roll: 4 Lone Wolf: COMBAT SKILL 52 ENDURANCE -16 Lavas: COMBAT SKILL 52 ENDURANCE 10 We roll: 2 Lone Wolf: COMBAT SKILL 52 ENDURANCE -20 Lavas: COMBAT SKILL 52 ENDURANCE 5 We roll: 6 Lone Wolf: COMBAT SKILL 52 ENDURANCE -22 Lavas: COMBAT SKILL 52 ENDURANCE 0

If the encounter with Tagazin had left us with 1 EP we'd now be dead again.

Death Count: 27

The Deathlord of Ixia posted:

As you slay the last of these golden-winged horrors, their torn bodies dissolve into a hot, steamy vapour which is carried away on a foul breeze. The few Lavas that remained with Tagazin, having seen what has befallen their comrades, now abandon the Demonlord to his fate. Tagazin curses their apparent cowardice as they take to the air and speed away.

For a moment you stare at the Demonlord and he returns your gaze; his bitter hatred of you burns brightly in his supernatural eyes. Then he turns and drives himself on towards the Shadow Gate. You give chase, determined to stop him, but you slow your pace when suddenly you see a wide rent appearing in the sky high above. Through a tear in the clouds you see a new host of Lavas come swooping down.

Curing: +1 EP (-21/41).

Using your advanced Gran Huntmastery, you magnify your vision in order to see better the new enemy that is descending towards you from out of the sky. As the images grow larger, you see that the leading Lavas is holding an item which radiates an intense aura of evil power. At a distance it appears to be a large metal bowl with a sharp spear of crystal fixed to its underside. Unsure of its purpose, you hazard a guess that it is some kind of weapon that the Lavas leader intends to use against you.

Driven by fear, you increase your own pace, determined more than ever now to reach the Shadow Gate before either Tagazin, or his new wave of helpers, can stop you.

Curing: +1 EP (-20/41).

You recite the words of the Brotherhood Spell Strength, and within seconds, your body surges with newfound energy. You increase your pace until you are running at three times your previous speed. Within a matter of seconds you close upon Tagazin, your weapon drawn in preparation to strike at him as you pass by, but the Demonlord sees that he can no longer outdistance you and he stops to block your path. He is weaker than before, but he has lost none of his devilish cunning.

As you come to within striking distance, suddenly he leaps at your chest and brings you crashing to the loamy ground.

Demonlord Tagazin (injured): COMBAT SKILL 45 ENDURANCE 45

This being is immune to all forms of psychic attack, except Kai-surge and Kai-blast.

Conduct this combat for one round only.

Lone Wolf: COMBAT SKILL 48 ENDURANCE -20 Demonlord Tagazin (injured): COMBAT SKILL 45 ENDURANCE 45 Combat Ratio: 3 We roll: 7 Lone Wolf: COMBAT SKILL 48 ENDURANCE -21 Demonlord Tagazin (injured): COMBAT SKILL 45 ENDURANCE 33

The Deathlord of Ixia posted:

The second wave of Lavas come swooping down en masse, the terrific beat of their wings forcing you and the Demonlord apart. Shielding your eyes from the stinging dust-choked wind, you look up and see that the Lavas leader is cradling the curious spiked metal bowl in its horny hands. He descends towards Tagazin and inverts it, and suddenly you realize its true purpose and design. It is a helm of power, affixed on top with a crystal spike. The Lavas places the helm upon the Demonlord�s head and the spike begins to glow menacingly.

Now all of the Lavas ascend into the sky where they wait to view a confrontation which is about to commence. Suddenly Tagazin, revitalized by the power of the spiked helm, comes charging at you with his head lowered, snorting gruffly like a maddened bull.

Curing: +1 EP (-20/41). We roll: 1 + 3 (G. Huntmastery) = 4.

You dive to avoid the onrushing Demonlord but your reactions are too slow. He catches you with the tip of his spiked helm and you feel agonizing pain shoot through your body. Then an explosion of a white-hot fire obliterates your senses and, in a terrifying instant, the light that is your life is snuffed out.

Tragically, you have fallen victim to a helm of power, forged and fashioned by the Dark God Naar. Your life and your quest end here on the Plane of Darkness.

Death Count: 28

Tiggum fucked around with this message at 15:55 on Jul 8, 2018

# ? Jul 8, 2018 15:21

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

The Deathlord of Ixia posted:

The second wave of Lavas come swooping down en masse, the terrific beat of their wings forcing you and the Demonlord apart. Shielding your eyes from the stinging dust-choked wind, you look up and see that the Lavas leader is cradling the curious spiked metal bowl in its horny hands. He descends towards Tagazin and inverts it, and suddenly you realize its true purpose and design. It is a helm of power, affixed on top with a crystal spike. The Lavas places the helm upon the Demonlord�s head and the spike begins to glow menacingly.

Now all of the Lavas ascend into the sky where they wait to view a confrontation which is about to commence. Suddenly Tagazin, revitalized by the power of the spiked helm, comes charging at you with his head lowered, snorting gruffly like a maddened bull.

Curing: +1 EP (-20/41). We roll: 3 + 3 (G. Huntmastery) = 6.

Your swift reflexes save you from being impaled upon the tip of the spiked helm. Tagazin goes charging past in a cloud of dust but, as you roll over and spring to your feet, you see that he has already made his turn and is bearing down for a second time.

Demonlord Tagazin (with Power Helm): COMBAT SKILL 55 ENDURANCE 48

This being is immune to all forms of psychic attack, except Kai-surge and Kai-blast.

Lone Wolf: COMBAT SKILL 48 ENDURANCE -20 Demonlord Tagazin (with Power Helm): COMBAT SKILL 55 ENDURANCE 48 Combat Ratio: -7 We roll: 6 Lone Wolf: COMBAT SKILL 48 ENDURANCE -25 Demonlord Tagazin (with Power Helm): COMBAT SKILL 55 ENDURANCE 43 We roll: 5 Lone Wolf: COMBAT SKILL 48 ENDURANCE -30 Demonlord Tagazin (with Power Helm): COMBAT SKILL 55 ENDURANCE 39 We roll: 1 Lone Wolf: COMBAT SKILL 48 ENDURANCE -38 Demonlord Tagazin (with Power Helm): COMBAT SKILL 55 ENDURANCE 39 We roll: 1 Lone Wolf: COMBAT SKILL 48 ENDURANCE -46 Demonlord Tagazin (with Power Helm): COMBAT SKILL 55 ENDURANCE 39 We roll: 10 Lone Wolf: COMBAT SKILL 48 ENDURANCE -46 Demonlord Tagazin (with Power Helm): COMBAT SKILL 55 ENDURANCE 30 We roll: 6 Lone Wolf: COMBAT SKILL 48 ENDURANCE -51 Demonlord Tagazin (with Power Helm): COMBAT SKILL 55 ENDURANCE 25 We roll: 6 Lone Wolf: COMBAT SKILL 48 ENDURANCE -56 Demonlord Tagazin (with Power Helm): COMBAT SKILL 55 ENDURANCE 20 We roll: 8 Lone Wolf: COMBAT SKILL 48 ENDURANCE -59 Demonlord Tagazin (with Power Helm): COMBAT SKILL 55 ENDURANCE 13 We roll: 7 Lone Wolf: COMBAT SKILL 48 ENDURANCE -63 Demonlord Tagazin (with Power Helm): COMBAT SKILL 55 ENDURANCE 7 We roll: 2 Lone Wolf: COMBAT SKILL 48 ENDURANCE -70 Demonlord Tagazin (with Power Helm): COMBAT SKILL 55 ENDURANCE 7 We roll: 10 Lone Wolf: COMBAT SKILL 48 ENDURANCE -70 Demonlord Tagazin (with Power Helm): COMBAT SKILL 55 ENDURANCE 0

We are, of course, dead again.

Death Count: 29.

The Deathlord of Ixia posted:

At the instant you strike Tagazin the killing blow, his body shatters into a million frozen pieces which cascade to the ground. The spiked helm drops on top of his pile of smashed remains, crowning them, as if it were a marker fashioned for the Demonlord�s grave.

You look skywards to see the second wave of Lavas wheeling away in shocked disarray. They are visibly stunned by your unexpected victory and they flee to the safety of the clouds, fearful of tempting the fate that has befallen Tagazin.

Curing: +1 EP (-69/41).

The sun-sword begins to glow and become warm in your hand. The blade points of its own accord towards the spiked helm and, at once, you sense that it is prompting you to destroy the evil artefact. Obediently you obey its silent request. You raise the sun-sword and bring it crashing down on the helm, splitting it asunder. There is a violent splash of hissing sparks and, when the sparks dissipate, you see that no trace of the helm remains; it has been utterly destroyed.

Purposefully, you turn and walk towards the Shadow Gate. As you leap into its spinning core, you pray that you will arrive back on Magnamund in time to thwart the Deathlord�s evil plan.

Curing: +1 EP (-68/41).

The howling winds of the void rip at your face and clothing as you plummet into the core of the lightless abyss. You lose all sense of time until, in the remote distance, you see tiny motes of light come streaking towards your face. Then, as suddenly as it began, the sensation of falling through deep space is replaced by an abrupt cessation of movement.

Stunned and disorientated, you shake your head and rise uneasily to your feet. As your blurred vision clears, you see that you have returned to the chamber of the Crystal Spire from where you were first sent tumbling into the Shadow Gate. It is empty now. Fearing the worst, you use your Kai skills to determine the time and the date. To your immediate relief you discover that only a few hours have elapsed during your absence from Magnamund; it is still possible for you to achieve your quest.

You resolve to find the Deathlord, even if it means searching every chamber of the Crystal Spire. You turn to leave this hall, but a noise behind you makes you freeze in your tracks. The sudden stench of decay and corruption tells you that you may not have to look too far to find your adversary after all.

Curing: +1 EP (-67/41).

You spin around to see a circular section of the floor disappearing. At the centre of this gaping hole there arises a plinth on which stands the awesome figure of Deathlord Ixiataaga. Jets of flame encircle his robed form, shooting up from the moat which now separates the plinth from the floor of the chamber.

The cloying stench of decay is overwhelming. As you reel backwards, you see the Deathlord raising the Deathstaff that hums with the terrible power held precariously within its haft. A ghastly laugh issues from his goat-skull face as he levels the evil weapon and directs its tip towards your heart.

Curing: +1 EP (-66/41).

Abruptly the ghastly laughter ceases, as if the Deathlord has seen something which has shaken his arrogant confidence in his own invincibility. Your senses tell you that it is the Sommerswerd�he has recognized that you possess one of the few weapons capable of destroying him. It is a realization that shocks him to the core.

You move forwards, eager to exploit your advantage, but the Deathlord reacts swiftly. He utters a guttural sound and, in the next instant, a massive bolt of energy shoots from the tip of the Deathstaff and comes speeding towards your chest.

Curing: +1 EP (-65/41). We roll: 8 + 3 (rank) = 11.

You dive and roll across the floor to avoid the onrushing bolt of energy. The massive flame-ball passes over your back and explodes at the far end wall of the chamber with devastating effect. It tears open a hole in the steel-hard crystal wall more than ten feet in diameter, and it fills the air with razor-sharp shards. Yet, due to your swift reflexes, you suffer only minor injuries: lose 1 ENDURANCE point.

As you spring to your feet, you suddenly see an opportunity to seize the initiative and carry the attack to the Deathlord.

Encurance: -66/41.

You see that the Deathstaff is no longer vibrating with power. You sense that Ixiataaga has expended all of its unholy energy in one massive burst, in the hope of destroying you quickly and utterly. It will be several minutes before the Deathstaff recoups its dark powers�you must act swiftly if you are to turn this to your advantage.

You raise the Sommerswerd and an umbrella of golden light bursts from its hilt to illuminate the debris-strewn chamber.

�For Sommerlund and the Kai!� you shout, and with a single mighty leap, you traverse the fiery moat and land on the plinth within an arm�s length of the Deathlord�s foul form. Your brave and bold action takes Ixiataaga aback, but he quickly recovers, and with unnerving speed, he spins around to counter your attack.

Curing: +1 EP (-65/41).

You raise the Sommerswerd and a gout of golden flame engulfs the blade, flaring with such brilliance that Deathlord Ixiataaga is momentarily blinded by its goodly light. He shrieks, and raises the Deathstaff defensively to ward off your first blow. As the blade of the sun-sword bites the haft of Ixiataaga�s fell weapon, a hissing mass of crimson and gold sparks explode into the air. These fiery motes are sucked into the vortex of the Shadow Gate, which has now begun to whirl with alarming intensity.

The Deathlord reels from the force of the impact, but he recovers swiftly and thrusts the sharp tip of the Deathstaff at your face. You duck the thrust, but you sense that this is just the beginning of what will be a titanic fight to the finish.

Deathlord Ixiataaga (with Deathstaff�uncharged): COMBAT SKILL 60 ENDURANCE 39

This supernatural being is immune to all forms of psychic attack, except Kai-surge and Kai-blast.

Lone Wolf: COMBAT SKILL 44 ENDURANCE -65 Deathlord Ixiataaga (with Deathstaff�uncharged): COMBAT SKILL 60 ENDURANCE 39 Combat Ratio: -11 We roll: 7 Lone Wolf: COMBAT SKILL 44 ENDURANCE -70 Deathlord Ixiataaga (with Deathstaff�uncharged): COMBAT SKILL 60 ENDURANCE 31 We roll: 7 Lone Wolf: COMBAT SKILL 44 ENDURANCE -75 Deathlord Ixiataaga (with Deathstaff�uncharged): COMBAT SKILL 60 ENDURANCE 23 We roll: 8 Lone Wolf: COMBAT SKILL 44 ENDURANCE -79 Deathlord Ixiataaga (with Deathstaff�uncharged): COMBAT SKILL 60 ENDURANCE 13 We roll: 1 Lone Wolf: COMBAT SKILL 44 ENDURANCE N/A Deathlord Ixiataaga (with Deathstaff�uncharged): COMBAT SKILL 60 ENDURANCE 13 We roll: 9 Lone Wolf: COMBAT SKILL 44 ENDURANCE N/A Deathlord Ixiataaga (with Deathstaff�uncharged): COMBAT SKILL 60 ENDURANCE 1 We roll: 9 Lone Wolf: COMBAT SKILL 44 ENDURANCE N/A Deathlord Ixiataaga (with Deathstaff�uncharged): COMBAT SKILL 60 ENDURANCE 0

Guess what? Dead again. That "N/A" reflects the fact that a roll of 1 results in instant death.

Death Count: 30.

The Deathlord of Ixia posted:

Your final blow draws a hellish shriek from the skull of Deathlord Ixiataaga, so loud that it batters the walls and shakes the plinth on which you stand. The Deathstaff disintegrates in his skeletal hand and he topples backwards towards the fiery moat. Yet as he does so, his body crumbles into a plume of grey-green dust which is sucked away into the whirling maw of the Shadow Gate, together with the shattering remnants of the Deathstaff.

Your victory over the Deathlord has freed Ixia from an evil which has enslaved its dead for millennia. Now, at last, their tormented souls can find a lasting peace. You have destroyed a great and evil entity, yet by doing so you have also unwittingly removed the power which has kept the ravages of time at bay for thousands of years. Now, time returns to Xaagon.

Eager to leave this place, you leap across the fiery moat and run towards the archway. But as you are passing through it, there is a terrific explosion which shakes the very foundations of the Crystal Spire. Fear grips your heart when suddenly you realize that all of Xaagon is collapsing.

Curing: +1 EP (1).

You flee the chamber, escaping past many Ixian and Drakkarim guards who stand rigidly immobile, fixed in the poses and attitudes they were in the very moment you vanquished the Deathlord. It was his power which gave them un-life; now that power is no more.

Fearing for your survival, you sprint across heaving, buckling slabs of broken stone that were once smooth tiled floors, and rush down staircases that crack and twist beneath your feet. You are racing down one such stairwell when suddenly an entire section collapses, leaving a gaping hole more than fifty feet deep. Above you, a row of pillars topple like storm-shaken trees, blocking the stairs completely, and making it impossible for you to retrace your steps.

Curing: +1 EP (2).

Using your advanced knowledge of Brotherhood magic, you recite the words of the spell Slow Fall and step into the gaping hole. Easily you glide down through the dust-choked air to land on the floor of the hall, fifty feet below.

Curing: +1 EP (3).

You hurry across the chamber, zigzagging to dodge pillars, chunks of stone, and the many bodies of Ixiataaga�s former undead slave-warriors which are raining down from the upper levels of the Crystal Spire. Aided by your Kai Mastery, eventually you reach the lowest level of the spire where the entrance hall and grand arch open out into the city. You are racing through a torrent of crystal dust towards the grand arch, the main exit, when a massive shock wave runs through the entire building. You are within seconds of escaping when, to your horror, you see the walls buckle and the grand arch begin to collapse.

Curing: +1 EP (4). We roll: 6 - 1 (EP < 11) = 5

You emerge from the Crystal Spire with barely seconds to spare. As you descend the main ramp which leads away into the streets of Xaagon, the great archway disintegrates completely, bringing with it a vast section of the foundation wall. This collapse begins a chain reaction of destruction that culminates in the spectacular fall of the upper spire, which crashes down upon the city like some massive crystal tree felled at the roots.

You run without stopping, through the quaking streets to the shattered west gate, and then onwards through the deepening snow towards the narrow mountain pass. You are more than a mile from the walls of Xaagon when eventually you stop to rest and survey the destruction you have left behind.

Curing: +1 EP (5).

From a vantage point on a rocky, snow-swept ridge, you watch the stupendous spectacle that is the fall of Xaagon. One by one, its walls, buildings, and crystal towers implode and collapse until less than a handful remain. When the destruction is over, the black skies brighten and the fierce electrical storms abate. For the first time in ten thousand years, sunlight pierces the perpetual cloud cover of Ixia and brings warmth to this frozen land.

Greatly heartened by the success of your mission, you set off westwards and retrace your original route through the mountains to the ice-caverns on the southern coast. When you arrive there, you are greeted by an unmoving tableaux of skeletal warriors, each one frozen in the action it was performing at the time of the Deathlord�s destruction. You are eager to return to Fort Azgad as soon as possible, and to this end, you descend to the underground lake where the Ixian ice-boats are moored.

Curing: +1 EP (6).

You reach the subterranean lake and go aboard an ice-boat moored alongside the stone jetty. With the demise of the Deathlord and his necromantic power, you are fearful that these vessels may no longer be serviceable; their sorcerous engines could prove to be as immobile as the warriors who stand like frozen statues all around the shore of the lake. But, fortunately, your fears turn out to be groundless.

You quickly discover that these ice-boats are propelled by Ixian witchcraft, an arcane art far older and more benign than the Deathlord�s vile necromancy. Having satisfied yourself that your chosen vessel is seaworthy, you cast off its hawser and steer it away from the jetty towards the wide cave mouth which opens out into the stormy Tozaz Sea. The elation of victory is still buoying your spirits, yet there is a nagging unease in the back of your mind that not everything is as it should be.

Curing: +1 EP (7).

Guided by your Kai instincts and the night stars, you set a southerly course for Azgad Island. The Tozaz Sea is unusually calm for most of this lonely voyage, and hazards are few � until the dawn of your second day at sea.

Through the grey winter�s gloom you see the unwelcome sight of the Tozaz iceberg field stretching across the southern horizon. At first it looks impenetrable, but as you sail closer you identify two breaks in the ice-field that could be the beginnings of passages through to the far side.

Curing: +1 EP (8).

Shall we steer southeast or southwest?

Remember that the absolute maximum a player's Combat Skill could be at this point is 66. The Deathlord's is 60. That's a reasonable fight for someone who's played perfectly and had perfect luck. It's basically impossible for anyone else. Oh, and that 66 CS requires that you interpret the rules as allowing you to reroll Combat Skill at the beginning of the Grand Master series, which is not explicitly stated.

# ? Jul 8, 2018 15:47

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

Bloody hell, this book.

Southwest.

# ? Jul 8, 2018 16:24

nelson: Apr 12, 2009; College Slice

South~~left~~west

# ? Jul 8, 2018 17:53

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

I never understood why it specifies 'deathstaff uncharged.' Is there another route that leads to a different battle, or is this foreshadowing?

# ? Jul 8, 2018 19:12

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

And the book still ain�t over! Any minute now the 77 CS Ice Kraken will show up and... just kidding. Wouldn�t surprise anyone though, right?

Southeast!

# ? Jul 8, 2018 20:02

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

Southeast.

# ? Jul 8, 2018 20:32

nelson: Apr 12, 2009; College Slice

When we start the next book can we get clarification on how psi-blast is supposed to work? Is it in addition to normal combat or instead of normal combat?

# ? Jul 8, 2018 22:34

Runcible Cat: May 28, 2007; Ignoring this post

Tiggum posted:

They are visibly stunned by your unexpected victory

I'm not loving surprised considering the amount we had to cheat to get even that far.

Southeast is left, I guess.

# ? Jul 8, 2018 23:08

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

Slavic Crime Yacht posted:

I never understood why it specifies 'deathstaff uncharged.' Is there another route that leads to a different battle, or is this foreshadowing?

There is a second version of the fight but the Deathstaff is also uncharged in that one and Ixiataaga's stats are identical. I think it's just there for flavour. Like, you're supposed to see that and think "imagine what he'd be like if the Deathstaff was at full power".

nelson posted:

When we start the next book can we get clarification on how psi-blast is supposed to work? Is it in addition to normal combat or instead of normal combat?

Kai-blast? It's extra damage added to the regular damage for the round but it replaces Kai-surge/Mindblast so it also lowers your combat skill. Mindblast grants +4 CS and Kai-surge grants +8, so if your base Combat skill is, say, 40 and you're up against something with a Combat Skill of 45 you could choose to use Mindblast and fight it at a Combat Ratio of -1, use Kai-surge and fight at a Combat Ratio of +3 and take an extra point of damage each turn, or use Kai-blast and fight at a Combat Ratio of -5 but with a potentially large damage boost.

Runcible Cat posted:

Southeast is left, I guess.

The Deathlord of Ixia posted:

At first your chosen passage is wide and deep, but within an hour of entering, it becomes treacherously narrow. With no crew to help you pilot the craft, you are in great risk of running the ship aground on the encroaching icebergs.

Curing: +1 EP (9). We roll: 5 + 1 (G. Pathsmanship) = 6.

Despite the difficulties, you handle the vessel like a master seaman. Within three hours of entering the narrows, you emerge on the far side of the ice-field without a scratch and are able to continue your voyage to Fort Azgad without any further delays.

Curing: +1 EP (10).

Two days out from the Tozaz ice-field, you catch sight of Fort Azgad. After the ordeal of Ixia, the sight of this spartan little outpost is one of the most welcoming you have ever seen. The garrison salutes you as you bring your ship to the quayside where Lord Ardan, Captain Lanza, and Prarg are all waiting to welcome you back.

Warmly they congratulate you, praising your inspired act of courage and bravery but you sense that all is not well. The feeling of unease which haunted you upon leaving the ice-caverns of Ixia has returned.

�Where�s Banedon?� you ask of Lord Ardan. �Is something wrong?�

Ardan�s face grows as sombre as his reply. �King Ulnar sent word to Sarnac�s court, summoning the Guildmaster to return urgently to Sommerlund. It is grave news, I�m afraid, Grand Master. In your absence, your country has been attacked. The Dark God, Naar, has sent forth a host of dragon-creatures to destroy the Second Order of the Kai and lay waste to your homeland. It is said his new minions are confident of swift victory for they are sure you will never defeat the Deathlord of Ixia.�

�I must leave for Sommerlund at once,� you say, looking to the eastern horizon. �My brethren and my country need me.�

The others nod in silent agreement. �We will do all we can,� replies Lord Ardan, �to speed your passage home.�

The news of your country�s plight comes as a terrible shock. In Ixia, you have won a great and lasting victory against the forces of Evil, but could the cost be too great? You fear, also, for the lives of your young Kai acolytes. The Second Order are worthy Kai warriors but they are young, their mettle yet to be tested in the furnace-heat of battle. You pray to Kai himself that they be strong enough to resist Naar�s newest champions, at least until you return.

The challenge of the long journey home and the quest to save the Second Order of the Kai from the deadly wrath of Naar�s newest champions awaits you in the next Grand Master adventure, entitled:

Dawn of the Dragons

The only difference between southeast and southwest is that southeast has a 10%-20% chance of killing you.

# ? Jul 9, 2018 03:32

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

Final stats for book 17:

Rank:

Combat Skill:

Endurance Points:

Magnakai

Grand Master Disciplines

Grand Nexus
Animal Mastery
Telegnosis
Kai-alchemy
Grand Huntmastery
Grand Pathsmanship
Grand Weaponmastery (+5 CS w/ swords & quarterstaves; +1 damage per round; +5 to bows)
Weaponmastery (+4 CS w/ any other weapon; no unarmed penalty; +2 to non-bow missile attacks)
Kai-screen
Invisibility
Curing (Regain 1 EP per section; if EP<7 then regain 20 EP - 100 day cooldown)
Current cooldown: 100 Days.
Psi-surge (+6 CS & -1 EP/round - can't use if below 5 EP)
Mindblast (+4 CS)

Weapons:

The Sommerswerd (+8 CS; x2 damage vs. undead)

Belt Pouch (money):

32 Gold Crowns
20 Lune
130 Kika

Backpack:

Rope
Lantern
Stone Bowl
Meal
Potion of Sabito (Water Breathing / 2 Doses)
Coil of Oiled Rope

Special Items:

Quiver (5/6 arrows)
Jewelled Mace
Onyx Key
Silver Bracers (+2 CS; +1 EP)
Signet Ring
Silver Rod
Jadin Amulet (+1 RN to avoid missile attacks)
Silver Bow of Duadon (+3 to RN)
Korlinium Scabbard
Map of Mogaruith
Scroll
Black Amulet
Platinum Amulet

Notable Kills:

Ixiataaga, Deathlord of Ixia
Demonlord Tagazin

Total Deaths: 30

Deaths this book: 8

Unsheathed the Sommerswerd in Ixia after being specifically told not to (book 17).
Killed by 3 kajarda because we didn't pick Kai-surge (book 17).
Killed by 6 dentaag because we didn't unsheathe the Sommerswerd - because we'd been specifically told not to (book 17).
Killed by the Demonlord Tagazin. Again. (Book 17).
Killed by some Lavas on the Plane of Darkness (book 17).
Killed by the Demonlord Tagazin for a third time (book 17).
Just for a change, killed by the Demonlord Tagazin (book 17).
Killed by Deathlord Ixiataaga (book 17).

Storage:

Dagger
Special Items:
Backpack Items:
Map of Tekaro
Lantern
Meal
Meal
Meal
Bottle of Wine
Iron Key
Copper Key
Two Brass Keys
Black Key
Money:
138 Gold Crowns

# ? Jul 9, 2018 03:37

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# ? Apr 23, 2024 08:18

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

I get the impression that I might be in the minority here but I don't hate this book. Yes, it is basically unwinnable and that is a mark against it, and it's always annoying when you have sections where the Sommerswerd is unavailable, but on the other hand, it's also really cool. Tagazin and Ixiataaga are cool bad guys and you get to fight both of them. It's even cooler if you met Tagazin back in book 10. Playing it properly is a frustrating experience because you do have to cheat, but if you've got this far into thye series then you're used to that by now.

# ? Jul 9, 2018 03:41

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

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