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

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

Let's follow Shan's advice and head south. Our prophecy might kick in if it's the wrong way

# ? Mar 15, 2019 10:29

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# ? Apr 26, 2024 18:02

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

Jackard posted:

Let's follow Shan's advice and head south. Our prophecy might kick in if it's the wrong way

You'd think we might have been able to use it before deciding, but nope.

Grey Star the Wizard posted:

We go south,� you say to Shan.

�Very well,� he replies. �I only pray that I am not leading you on a fool�s errand.�

�With you leading, what else could it be?� says Tanith under her breath, smiling sweetly at Shan. Within minutes, the two are trading curses and insults.

�We have no time for this,� you admonish them. �Shan, lead the way.� Abashed, he obeys.

�At the heart of this forest,� he says, �the Suhni River is joined by the Azan River. The Azan River will lead us all the way to this Azanam. We have a choice of two routes to the Azan. North of here is the Suhni River, which leads west, finally merging with the Azan. South lies the Great Suhn Road, which we left last night; it crosses the Azan further south. Which way, Grey Star?�

Consult the map before making your decision.

Do we go north and follow the Suhni River or go south and take the Great Suhn Road?

# ? Mar 15, 2019 14:22

nelson: Apr 12, 2009; College Slice

North

# ? Mar 15, 2019 14:34

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

Go north via the river.. There may be enemy troops using the road.

# ? Mar 15, 2019 14:40

Runcible Cat: May 28, 2007; Ignoring this post

achtungnight posted:

Go north via the river.. There may be enemy troops using the road.

# ? Mar 15, 2019 14:49

Decoy Badger: May 16, 2009

This lost tribe probably didn't get lost following a road somewhere. Let's go North to the mountains of Mom.

# ? Mar 15, 2019 14:55

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

achtungnight posted:

Go north via the river.. There may be enemy troops using the road.

Good point: Let's go.

# ? Mar 15, 2019 20:37

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

Grey Star the Wizard posted:

For three days you trace a path along the Suhni River as it winds through the heart of the forest. You carry no provisions, but Tanith is able to provide food for you all. She displays an uncanny control over animals, calling to the mesmerized creatures in a strange language and then coolly wringing their necks.

On your journey, you manage to avoid the frequent Shadakine patrols that dog your path, and as you are not required to use any magic, you may restore 2 WILLPOWER and 4 ENDURANCE points to your current totals.

You discover clumps of the Laumspur herb growing along the river and decide to pick some of it. If you have the Magical Power of Alchemy, you may store it in your Herb Pouch. Remember to mark the Laumspur on your Action Chart. Swallowing it will regain 4 ENDURANCE points. ~~If you do not have the Power of Alchemy, you must swallow the Laumspur while it is fresh to regain 4 ENDURANCE points and may not store it.~~

As you are picking the Laumspur, three Shadakine warriors burst out of the forest. You have been ambushed.

Endurance: 23/23. Willpower: 22. Automatically took Laumspur.

The Shadakine are spoiling for a fight, having tracked you for a day. Spitting war-cries, their white eyes rolling, they charge towards you. In berserk fury, the first of the Shadakine runs straight into the path of your staff, and you dispatch him easily at the cost of 1 WILLPOWER point. The events of the past few days have improved your battle skills immensely.

The two remaining Shadakine are more cautious than their dead comrade, circling and snarling, jabbing at you with their sword tips as if taunting a caged animal. You cannot evade and must fight them to the death.

Grey Star: COMBAT SKILL 11 ENDURANCE 23 WILLPOWER 21 2 Shadakine Warriors: COMBAT SKILL 15 ENDURANCE 25 Combat Ratio: -4 We roll: 5 Grey Star: COMBAT SKILL 11 ENDURANCE 19 WILLPOWER 18 2 Shadakine Warriors: COMBAT SKILL 15 ENDURANCE 10 We roll: 6 Grey Star: COMBAT SKILL 11 ENDURANCE 16 WILLPOWER 16 2 Shadakine Warriors: COMBAT SKILL 15 ENDURANCE 0

Grey Star the Wizard posted:

The dead bodies of the Shadakine lie at your feet. A thorough search reveals 10 Nobles and 2 Meals. Shan takes a sword from one of the bodies, smiling at you cheerfully. �Souvenir,� he says in jest.

You may take the other Sword if you wish. Remember to make the necessary adjustment to your Action Chart before continuing on your journey towards the Azan River.

Automatically took 10 Nobles, 2 meals & 1 Sword.

Moving under cover of the forest�s edge, Shan leads the way along a worn path. Unexpectedly, he stops, head tilted to one side, listening intently. �What is it?� you whisper.

�I heard a shout, ahead of us. Listen!� In the distance, you can hear angry voices and the ring of steel against steel. Cautiously, you creep forward and peer through the dense undergrowth.

Six armoured knights, clad in blue and red robes, are battling with twenty Shadakine warriors. The knights are defending a heavily laden wagon that stands in the middle of a wide stone bridge. Perched on the wagon sits an unarmed man, richly clothed, looking fearfully upon the battle. He and his knights are outnumbered. Though skilled swordsmen, as the many Shadakine dead attest, they are hard-pressed and have little chance of holding the bridge.

�They don�t stand a chance,� you murmur.

�But these are no ordinary soldiers,� replies Shan. �Look at the design on their shields�a mountain crowned with two stars. They bear the Royal Arms of Durenor. These are Knights of the White Mountain, warrior lords of Durenor, a free kingdom in the far north.�

If you are to continue your journey south along the Azan River, you will have to somehow pass this battle without the Shadakine seeing you.

Shall we help the knights or try to avoid the battle?

# ? Mar 16, 2019 03:12

nelson: Apr 12, 2009; College Slice

Help the knights of course.

# ? Mar 16, 2019 04:32

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

We are the good guy and we help knights in shining armor.

# ? Mar 16, 2019 05:02

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

Not sure how we can help these guys, but let�s try anyway.

# ? Mar 16, 2019 05:24

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

nelson posted:

Help the knights of course.

# ? Mar 16, 2019 07:28

Kangra: May 7, 2012

Wasn't one of the brothers we traveled with back in the early days of LW one of these knights? I bet if Lone Wolf were here he'd want us to save the guy. Lone Wolf is a good guy who knows who has an evil tattoo and who doesn't, so let's step in.

# ? Mar 16, 2019 08:06

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

Kangra posted:

Wasn't one of the brothers we traveled with back in the early days of LW one of these knights?

Yes, but I don't think that's happened yet. The first Lone Wolf and Grey Star books take place at about the same time.

# ? Mar 16, 2019 09:36

Runcible Cat: May 28, 2007; Ignoring this post

I suspect we'll be authorially punished if we don't help the noble Northerners so let's do it.

# ? Mar 16, 2019 10:11

Mister Perky: Aug 2, 2010

for our next wizard trick we will turn knights in shining armor into damsels in distress. Help Them

# ? Mar 16, 2019 17:53

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

Kangra posted:

Wasn't one of the brothers we traveled with back in the early days of LW one of these knights?

Both of them, actually.

Tiggum posted:

Yes, but I don't think that's happened yet. The first Lone Wolf and Grey Star books take place at about the same time.

Not he same day, I hope, or this is going to create a paradox.
Help them.

# ? Mar 16, 2019 22:19

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

Grey Star the Wizard posted:

You wait in silence, pondering the best course of action. A detachment of five Shadakine warriors, carrying crossbows, comes marching along the road; they halt to load their weapons only a few yards in front of you. If they should use their weapons against the brave knights on the bridge, the knights will have no hope of beating them off.

Should we use Enchantment, use our Wizard's Staff from a distance, or charge in to fight the crossbowmen?

# ? Mar 17, 2019 07:47

Synthbuttrange: May 6, 2007

We have a STAFF and we wish to use it!

# ? Mar 17, 2019 07:51

RudeCat: Aug 7, 2012; The rudest cat for the rudest jobs

Synthbuttrange posted:

We have a STAFF and we wish to use it!

# ? Mar 17, 2019 07:55

Runcible Cat: May 28, 2007; Ignoring this post

Let's try Enchantment.

# ? Mar 17, 2019 09:23

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

Enchant them.

# ? Mar 17, 2019 10:20

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

The staff is the option for if you don't have any of the magic realms that would apply here. We do, so we should use Enchantment!

# ? Mar 17, 2019 15:07

nelson: Apr 12, 2009; College Slice

Mikl posted:

Enchant them.

# ? Mar 17, 2019 16:32

Mister Perky: Aug 2, 2010

Another choice between "Be A Wizard?" or "Nah"

Be A Wizard. Enchantment

# ? Mar 17, 2019 20:33

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

Brain over brawn.

Enchantment.

# ? Mar 17, 2019 21:47

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

Guy Fawkes posted:

Brain over brawn.

Enchantment.

Grey Star the Wizard posted:

You focus your thoughts in meditation, weaving a web of enchantment and attempting to influence the minds of the Shadakine warriors who are fighting on the bridge. Suddenly the Shadakine officer in command turns and sees the crossbowmen. His face contorts in fury. He barks a command and ten of his warriors turn and charge towards the crossbowmen who look on in amazement. You have created the illusion that the crossbowmen are Knights of the White Mountain and, believing that the enemy are challenging their rear, the Shadakine have turned to attack this new threat. The use of this Magical Power has cost you 2 WILLPOWER points.

With a blood-curdling cry, the Shadakine warriors hurl themselves at the line of crossbowmen who instantly loose a volley of crossbow bolts, killing five of their fellow countrymen. The crossbowmen then throw down their weapons and flee along the road with the remainder of their outraged comrades chasing at their heels.

Willpower: 14.

Shall we now use our staff to fire at the remaining Shadakine warriors from a distance or charge in and attack them at close range?

# ? Mar 18, 2019 02:12

nelson: Apr 12, 2009; College Slice

The smart thing to do is shoot them from a distance but I feel like charging in and attacking them at close range.

# ? Mar 18, 2019 02:41

Mister Perky: Aug 2, 2010

Do as they say, "When In Rome,
Blast the sucka, then go home"

staff blast

# ? Mar 18, 2019 03:56

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

Blast them from far away and laugh wizardly!

# ? Mar 18, 2019 04:41

Kangra: May 7, 2012

From a distance we will look like a friend, even though we are at war.

# ? Mar 18, 2019 06:49

Runcible Cat: May 28, 2007; Ignoring this post

Kangra posted:

From a distance we will look like a friend, even though we are at war.

# ? Mar 18, 2019 09:02

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

Mister Perky posted:

Do as they say, "When In Rome,
Blast the sucka, then go home"

staff blast

Grey Star the Wizard posted:

The bolt of force that arcs through the air into the ranks of Shadakine warriors kills one of them at a cost to you of 2 WILLPOWER points. The knights gain ground at their opponents� expense due to the confusion of the Shadakine, who are now being attacked from the front and rear.

The distance over which you are fighting necessitates the use of a great deal of WILLPOWER, and you realize that you can only increase your effectiveness by moving closer to the Shadakine. An attack from the rear at this time would almost certainly turn the battle in your favour. With this in mind, you burst out of the undergrowth and charge into the battle with a fearsome yell. Shan, puffing and panting behind you, swings his sword feebly. The knights on the bridge give a rousing cheer as you appear, and the Shadakine are pushed back as their resistance begins to falter. And then you are upon them: you rain blows in all directions, throwing them into disorder and wounding a warrior at the cost of 1 WILLPOWER point.

Willpower: 11.

Suddenly you are confronted by the Shadakine officer. He gives a crazed yell before hurling himself at you.

The officer is a formidable opponent, and you cannot safely evade combat without risking being cut down by this fanatic. You must fight him to the death. Since Shan is with you, add 3 points to your COMBAT SKILL for the duration of this combat.

Grey Star and Shan (with alether): COMBAT SKILL 16 ENDURANCE 16 WILLPOWER 11 Shadakine Officer: COMBAT SKILL 25 ENDURANCE 26 Combat Ratio: -9 We roll: 7 Grey Star and Shan (with alether): COMBAT SKILL 16 ENDURANCE 11 WILLPOWER 8 Shadakine Officer: COMBAT SKILL 25 ENDURANCE 14 We roll: 8 Grey Star and Shan (with alether): COMBAT SKILL 16 ENDURANCE 7 WILLPOWER 5 Shadakine Officer: COMBAT SKILL 25 ENDURANCE 0

Grey Star the Wizard posted:

As the Shadakine officer dies, the Knights of the White Mountain give a victorious cheer and charge forwards. The Shadakine that remain continue to fight, but eventually falter and retreat into small groups. With their numbers divided into small pockets of resistance, the knights are quickly able to overcome them, demonstrating their superior fighting skills in one to one combat. The Shadakine warriors fight to the last man and you expend another WILLPOWER point before the battle is over.

As soon as the fighting is over, the unarmed man jumps down from the wagon onto the bridge. �My thanks, stranger. A timely arrival indeed,� he says, smiling broadly.

His name is Madin Rendalim, a Durenese herbwarden, famous throughout the Lastlands of the far north for his knowledge and skill in the healing arts. He is journeying through the provinces of the Shadakine Empire seeking the Druse tree, and the clear, sticky resin beneath its bark�the only known cure for the terrible Red Death plague.

�I had found the Druse tree growing some distance from here, in the Forest of Fernmost at the foot of the Kashima Mountains. I was returning to Port Suhn to journey back to my home in Hammerdal when these ill-mannered Shadakine brutes refused to let us pass. They have closed the roads around Suhn it seems, searching for some fugitives or outlaws.�

As a sign of his gratitude he offers you the following items:

Potion of Rendalim�s Elixir (restores 6 ENDURANCE points)

Enough food for 5 Meals

Pestle and Mortar (Backpack Item)

3 Tarama Seeds (1 seed permits the use of a Magical Power or Wizard�s Staff without the loss of any WILLPOWER points)

Sealed pouch of Calacena Mushrooms (the spores of these mushrooms may enhance the illusions of those using the Power of Enchantment).
You may take any of these items. Carry them in your Herb Pouch unless otherwise indicated, ~~or unless you have no Herb Pouch, in which case carry them in your Backpack~~. Remember to mark the items on your Action Chart.

When you have made your choice, he offers Shan and Tanith a selection of gifts. At last, you bid the herbwarden and his brave bodyguard farewell, requesting that they mention your encounter to no one.

Willpower: 4. Automatically took Rendalim�s Elixir, 4 Meals, 3 Tarama Seeds and the Calacena Mushrooms.

The way leads south through the farms and paddy fields of the region. The path keeps firmly to the line of the Azan River as it curves towards the great Azagad Gorge, a great pitted canyon of weathered limestone columns. In order to maintain the secrecy of your presence, you avoid the homesteads that nestle by the river.

You walk for two long days and must consume 2 Meals or lose 6 ENDURANCE points. The regulated squares of the rice fields become fewer and fewer, and finally give way to a flat expanse of unyielding plains called the Wilderwastes, which are devoid of human habitation. That night, you make camp on the leeward side of a small outcrop of hills.

You fall into an uneasy sleep in which you are troubled by strange dreams. You wake with a start in the middle of the night to see Tanith crouched over the dying embers of the campfire, which glows with a dull, yellow light.

We had five spaces free in our backpack, so we could take either an additional Meal or the Pestle and Mortar.
We could use the Elixir, or our fresh Laumspur (+4 EP) or our Vial of Laumspur (+3 EP). Or we could use multiple healing items or no healing items.
It occurs to me that it might be helpful to have a rule for when to use Tarama Seeds, if anyone wants to suggest one.
Shall we find out what Tanith's up to or ignore her and pretend to sleep?

I almost posted the wrong results for that fight twice, first by subtracting damage from our Willpower instead of our Endurance, and only after fixing that did I realise that I'd forgotten about our alether. Combat in Grey Star is much better than in Lone Wolf, in my opinion, but there is more to keep track of.

# ? Mar 18, 2019 17:46

Decoy Badger: May 16, 2009

1. Take another meal.

2. Use the elixir and vial of laumspur.

3. Use a Tarama seed for the first round of each combat if we were going to use 3 willpower. Use maximum willpower instead for that round.

4. Pretend to sleep - maybe she was a double agent after all!

Decoy Badger fucked around with this message at 18:35 on Mar 18, 2019

# ? Mar 18, 2019 18:26

nelson: Apr 12, 2009; College Slice

Pestle and Mortar
Use all of our healing items.
Use a Tarama Seed if the WP cost is 3 or greater
Find out what Tanith's up to

# ? Mar 18, 2019 18:43

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

As I understand it, you have to make the decision to eat the seed before you know how much WP you're going to spend. The game may decide to give you hints, but you have to make the decision at the time you decide to use a power, rather than on the page where the power is actually used and your WP is deducted.

Otherwise, agreed: heal up, grab the items, and watch Tanith.

# ? Mar 18, 2019 18:54

Mister Perky: Aug 2, 2010

use all three healing potions to get back up from 7 to 20 EP, and to free up the backpack space.

take maximum meals after loading up on all the other swag, minus the 2 we eat.

4 or more WP to use a Tarama Seed unless it's a major emergency. with the from Rendalim we've got 5? or just 4?

see what Tanith is up to

# ? Mar 18, 2019 19:08

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

nelson posted:

Pestle and Mortar

Use all of our healing items.

Use a Tarama Seed if the WP cost is 3 or greater

Find out what Tanith's up to

This.

By the way, Madin Rendalim is the same herbalist that helped Lone Wolf recovering in Durenor, after retrieving the Sommerwerd (Book 2: Fire on the Water).
The events cannot be simultaneous.

# ? Mar 18, 2019 20:56

Runcible Cat: May 28, 2007; Ignoring this post

TooMuchAbstraction posted:

heal up, grab the items, and watch Tanith.

# ? Mar 18, 2019 22:03

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# ? Apr 26, 2024 18:02

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

Decoy Badger posted:

Use a Tarama seed for the first round of each combat

Tarama seeds can't be used in combat (according to Project Aon).

TooMuchAbstraction posted:

As I understand it, you have to make the decision to eat the seed before you know how much WP you're going to spend.

It's super unclear how Tarama seeds are actually supposed to work. Project Aon adds a lot of rules but even they don't clarify that detail. And the original books leave it almost entirely open to interpretation. So yeah, we can choose to use a Tarama seed either before or after finding out the WP cost. Just not "to maintain the effect of a spell or in place of other drains on your WILLPOWER, like mental attacks".

Decoy Badger posted:

1. Take another meal.

Mister Perky posted:

use all three healing potions to get back up from 7 to 20 EP, and to free up the backpack space.

Healing potions go in the herb pouch, but otherwise OK.

TooMuchAbstraction posted:

watch Tanith.

Guy Fawkes posted:

Use a Tarama Seed if the WP cost is 3 or greater

Grey Star the Wizard posted:

Tanith is talking quietly, addressing her words to the fire. �No Mother, I will not � I cannot � � A diminutive figure shivering by the dwindling fire, she is obviously greatly distressed. Perhaps her conscience troubles her?

Shall we approach her or go back to sleep?

# ? Mar 19, 2019 14:23

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