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!

Ofecks: May 4, 2009; A portly feline wizard waddles forth, muttering something about conjured food.

I've heard the 'Swerd gets a decent nerf in the Definitive Editions that are out now. The way Seventh Sense handled it in Hardcore/Prodigy modes was decent.

# ? Jul 23, 2022 16:26

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# ? Apr 23, 2024 18:52

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

Wafflecopper posted:

Quiver

And I pick the Tinderbox.

Action Chart

Combat Skill:

Endurance Points:

Description:

Drakkar Disciplines

Spying
Regeneration (restore 1-10 Endurance after each combat - but not more than were lost in that combat)
Weaponskill (+2 CS with Swords)
Hunting (no need to eat Meals except in deserts and wastelands)
Riding
Immunity
Basic Instinct
Tracking
Mindshield
Mindblast (+2 CS)

Dark Lord Abilities

BattleSkill (+10 CS)
Strength (+20 EP)
Immunity to Weapons
Immunity to Spells
Sense
Immunity to Temperature
Mental Prowess (+1 CS when using Mindblast)
Speed
Mortal Form
Crypt Spawn

Arch Skills

Lightning Movement
Immunity to all Weapons

Weapons:

Cutlass (Sword)
Bow

Backpack:

Torch
Meal
Vial of Blue Pills
Meal
Meal
Potion of Alethar (+2 CS)
Coil of Rope
Potion of Laumspur (+4 EP)
Potent Potion of Laumspur (+8 EP)
Tinderbox

Belt Pouch (money):

45 Kika
5 Gold Crowns

Special Items:

Drakkar Armor (+6 EP)
Shield (+2 CS)
Death Mask (+1 CS)
Crystal Star Pendant
Grey Key (x2)
Palladium Gauntlet (+1 CS; +2 EP)
Haakon�s Stone (+1 CS when using Helshezag)
Bronin Mace (+1 CS)
Chainmail Waistcoat (+4 EP - cannot be used with Drakkar Armour)
Large Backpack (10 items)
Psychic Belt (+2 CS when using Mindblast)
Helshezag (+8 CS - +10 in Helgedad)
Ulnarius (+5 CS - +8 underwater; -2 EP/round)
Kagonite Bracers (+1 CS; +1 EP)
Badge of Rank
Amulet of Agarash (aka. The Dark Eye of Agarash)
Sceptre of Darke
Quiver (6/6 arrows)
Master's Key

Tiggum fucked around with this message at 05:35 on Jul 25, 2022

# ? Jul 24, 2022 05:03

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

The Dark Day posted:

Rune Fire�s moans come from the far side of your throne room, his healing skills keeping him alive, even under the daily torture you put him through. Each weekly gutting of his innards, each daily tearing of his flesh, all helpless to kill him because of his fervent desire to live, and his Supreme Mastery of his Kai abilities. You chuckle, for he has survived these past five years in constant agony, unwilling to let you have the final triumph over his life, and give up his soul to Naar. It is all to your pleasure, for his stout refusal to die, has only added to your designs, and your enjoyment, for nothing pleases you more than to torture this Kai, and see him writhe in agony. Keeping him captive by your powers as a Dark Lord, you smile as you observe the first of your victims since your ascension to the throne of the Dark Lands.

Yet, his torment is not enough to satisfy you on this dark day in Helgedad, for even though the sun no longer shines its rays upon this fell city, events in distant lands preoccupy your thoughts. The forces in Talestria, and Lencia, both are on the edge of falling. Even as the fires of the pits surrounding Helgedad flamed higher, the messengers came in from your Xagaash commanders at the front. Each said only a little more of something, perhaps your personal presence and the power you bring, could topple these forces for good. Both requested your arrival, full knowing that upon it, you would probably wrench your commanders souls from their bodies for such audacity as requesting it. They must be close to conquest, only a fool would deny them such an advantage as your personal presence, and yet, some inner instinct warns you against it.

Then came the visitor, the much hated, and yet knowledgeable Ghoulag, the same creature used as a pawn by Lakaast in his treachery. With a prophetic warning, the foul creature sent his spoke his message to you in person, using sinister magiks to transport himself to Helgedad itself. �Do not stay in this city�� he warned �for only your doom awaits, even in this throne room it haunts over your head this very instant.� You very nearly destroyed the treacherous vermin there, but the Ghoulag�s words seemed to ring true, and you resisted the urge, instead giving him quarters to reside in under the tunnels that interlace through the belly of Helgedad, tunnels that have existed since the original occupation of the twenty Darklords.

So the question comes, as you sit and ponder this day, on what choices you will make, choices that possibly will reflect the entirety of your existence from here on out. Do you stay, in this city of Helgedad, or do you go, to battle your enemies at the front of the war out there, and leave the events of this city, and your capital, in the hands of fate.

Shall we travel to Talestria or Lencia, or stay in Helgedad?

# ? Jul 24, 2022 05:08

Wafflecopper: Nov 27, 2004; I am a mouth, and I must scream

Let's take the Scepter of Darke back home to Lencia

# ? Jul 24, 2022 06:26

Xarn: Jun 26, 2015

Stay in helgedad.

I want to see what happens

# ? Jul 24, 2022 07:35

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

Xarn posted:

Stay in helgedad.

I want to see what happens

Nobody tells us what to do!

# ? Jul 24, 2022 07:50

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

Talestria just to be contrary.

# ? Jul 24, 2022 08:41

Black Robe: Sep 12, 2017; Generic Magic User

Xarn posted:

Stay in helgedad.

I want to see what happens

Might as well get the first game over out of the way quickly.

# ? Jul 24, 2022 08:44

Toplowtech: Aug 31, 2004

Xarn posted:

Stay in helgedad.

I want to see what happens

# ? Jul 24, 2022 08:45

nelson: Apr 12, 2009; College Slice

Xarn posted:

Stay in helgedad.

I want to see what happens

# ? Jul 24, 2022 13:35

Ofecks: May 4, 2009; A portly feline wizard waddles forth, muttering something about conjured food.

Find out how full of poo poo the Ghoulag is. Staycation.

# ? Jul 24, 2022 18:27

moosecow333: Mar 15, 2007; Super-Duper Supermen!

And leave my bff Runefire behind? I think not, lets chill.

# ? Jul 24, 2022 19:25

exmachina: Mar 12, 2006; Look Closer

I want to see the first decision death again please. Stay.

# ? Jul 24, 2022 22:45

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

Toplowtech posted:

Stay in helgedad.

I want to see what happens

The Dark Day posted:

Helgedad. You are there, and you wonder what has prompted you to be here, in this city, when the wars being waged in the south call out to you, and yet you are here. The city seems unchanged, it is as it should be, and yet, something seems to stir in the recesses of its depths. All is not right in the heart of your power.

�A dark time it is for the lands of Magnamund.� Goragik tells you from the other side of her chambers, �which bodes well for us. The balance had become unbalanced, the forces of light too strong, and a restoration was needed again, a restoration which Naar in his Wisdom brought forth. Yet, I wonder, is this too strong of a restoration at all, does it still unhinge the balance upon which the truce relies, or is this merely the end and the beginning, when Naar shall finally triumph over the forces of Kai and Ishir forever.�

�I came to you for advice, old magi.� You snarl, �Not meaningless ponderings of one who has outgrown their usefulness.�

The Nadziranim seems unshaken as she stares you straight in the eyes, and clicks her claws together. This is only a form she has assumed you know, for her true form is much different, and yet, it still calls your attention to her, much as it did when you were younger, less powerful, and still a Drakkar with your inherent powers still held in check. �You should remember wisdom, Oh powerful one, though your might has grown, you may learn patience to heed the counsel of those who have seen much more of the world then even you in all your youthful exploits.� Her stare never wavers, and your eyes lock for a long time, almost as a battle of wills. It is she who finally averts her eyes.

�You will learn, or you will die.� She mutters.

�Is that a threat.� You posture, �perhaps it is you who should be taking your own advice.�

�It is no threat,� she shrugs her shoulders, "but there are great threats out there still, threats which would be more than happy to destroy you, threats that have the power to destroy you, and threats that even now, seek you out.�

�What threats?� You laugh, �The greatest of them, the Supreme Master of the Kai, lies captive in my own throne room, what threat more than that is there.�

�Rumor has it that there is a new and upcoming kai, one that could take the Supreme Master�s place any day now, and it is also rumored that it is he who wields the Sommerswerd, and he who now seeks your doom.� Goragik arches her eyebrows. �Be on your guard, young Dark Lord, for I sense he seeks you even now, and that the Ghoulag, our ever present double agent, has betrayed us already, even now.�

�That is easily remedied.� You say, intent on destroying the Ghoulag this very instant, but Goragik holds up her hand.

�Too late.� She shouts in alarm, �For our enemy is already upon us, to the throne room young Dark Lord, or the enemy shall be gone before we can stop him.� In a puff of smoke, she transforms, and then disappears, and you know she is already on her way to the throne room herself.

You race up the stairs, up the chambers, through the halls, and wind your way through the countless tunnels of Helgedad. You call out to Naar for aid, and he answers, for if you possess the skill of Speed, you are granted an even greater discipline, that of Lightning Movement, and with it, the inherent power to move so quickly through these tunnels all seeing you would only see a blur.

And then, you have arrived, but all is not well, for there stands Rune Fire, free from his bonds, alive and well, in health and lively once again, and in his hands is held the bane of all the Darklords, the Sommerswerd itself. In the uppermost chambers of The Tower of Gnaag, once again you face the Kai, but this time matters may be different, for this time, he holds the power to destroy you once and for all.

But he has already spent some of it, for at his feet lies the crumpled form of Goragik, no doubt, having delayed the Kai, and with it, all hope for destroying you outright, nevertheless, the Sommerswerd still holds power, and with it, he unleashes a fiery ball of flame directly upon you.

We roll: 8 - 5 (Lightning Movement) = 3.

You move, with speed instilled inside your veins, having the deadly ball of flame narrowly miss you, and yet its nearness singes you badly. In the mere millisecond it spent near you, you were wounded, losing 8 Endurance points. If you have survived this wounding, prepare for battle with this Kai Supreme Master.

�I had told SunStar, as he came to free me, that I would not go, that I could not go, not with good conscience.� Rune Fire snarls, as you approach, holding the Sommerswerd up high. �For here was my chance to defeat you, and to end your threat to our world forever, how could I leave while you remained. I told him it was here I would succeed, or my final task, my vengeance would be left up to him. And so it ends now, Dark Lord, and with it, my quest will finally be fulfilled, and your time on this world at an end.�

�Is that the prot�g� I�ve heard so much about?� You return his snarl, �Then you should have told him, his fate will be as your own, and his death will only bring me one step closer to eradicating your kind from this world forever.�

�Hah.� Rune Fire spits contemptuously, �It is now only you and I here, Dark Lord, let this end now.� With that he raises the Sommerswerd, and charges.

Rune Fire Combat Skill 50 Endurance 50

Unless you possess the skill of Mental Giant you must deduct your Combat Skill by 8 points, if you possess the discipline of Mental Prowess this is reduced to 4.

Dark One: Combat Skill 46 Endurance 42 Rune Fire: Combat Skill 50 Endurance 50 Combat Ratio: -4 We roll: 10 Dark One: Combat Skill 46 Endurance 42 Rune Fire: Combat Skill 50 Endurance 40 We roll: 7 Dark One: Combat Skill 46 Endurance 40 Rune Fire: Combat Skill 50 Endurance 33 We roll: 2 Dark One: Combat Skill 46 Endurance 35 Rune Fire: Combat Skill 50 Endurance 31 We roll: 1 Dark One: Combat Skill 46 Endurance 29 Rune Fire: Combat Skill 50 Endurance 30 We roll: 8 Dark One: Combat Skill 46 Endurance 28 Rune Fire: Combat Skill 50 Endurance 22 We roll: 9 Dark One: Combat Skill 46 Endurance 28 Rune Fire: Combat Skill 50 Endurance 13 We roll: 9 Dark One: Combat Skill 46 Endurance 28 Rune Fire: Combat Skill 50 Endurance 4 We roll: 8 Dark One: Combat Skill 46 Endurance 27 Rune Fire: Combat Skill 50 Endurance 0

The Dark Day posted:

Rune Fire stumbles, his body broken from your attacks. His life failing, he looks grimly upon you, then with the last of his strength, hurls the Sommerswerd out the window, shouting �SunStar, SunStar, the task now falls to you.� The blade arcs through the air, and you are almost tempted to catch it, but know full well that if you did, there would be dire consequences, it is too holy a blade for you to handle.

Rushing to the window, you see it fall and clatter in the streets below, and a lone form, clad as a Drakkar picks it up and sheathes it. �Kill that Kai.� You shout to your minions below, but they merely look up at you with blank expressions on their faces. You make a mental note to punish them later, and for a Dark Lord, there can only be one end to any type of punishment.

�It seems I was wrong.� Rune Fire gasps at you from the ground, �and swallowed up as I was in vengeance, I forgot the good that could be had, it is only fitting, swallowed up in revenge as I for those years you held me, that I too should end my days in the darkness here.�

�You speak truly.� You say grimly, �but your mistake is costly to us both, for all sides suffer from your folly.� No longer do you look at him, but at the prone form of Goragik on the floor. Then your eyes revert back to him. �Yet you may still give me the advantage, you say, and with that, you draw his head into your arms, and draw upon your dark powers, and drain his soul, consigning him to Naar, and drawing his memories to yourself.

From the recesses of his mind, you find a small trinket of knowledge, a key to unlocking the mysteries of fortune in the final war against the Kai. For in all your years, you never discovered the key he had hidden, a key which could change all your fortunes in the events around the Kai Monastery, a key which you now possess. You take from his sleeves the Master�s Key. Mark this as a special Item. It is this that will allow you access to a hidden passage under the Kai Monastery, a passage that will lead to the Vault of The Sun, and from there, direct access to those defending the Monastery itself. With this key, your success is all but assured.

�And now, I will take what is rightfully mine.� You hiss into Rune Fire�s ears, and with a cursed blessing, send the claws of Naar scything into his soul.

�Oh how I have failed, the darkness is complete�� Rune Fire exhales. His finale breathe consumes him, and his body grows stiff and cold, his soul yearning for the light it will never find, as Naar�s hands drag him into an oblivion of darkness forever.

�Oh, but it is but beginning.� You state at his corpse, and with that, begin your plans for tomorrow.

You have had successes against the light, your armies march forth, and Helgedad awaits for the final victory to be made. Talestria and Lencia have fallen. Bor is cut off from the rest of the world, and no longer poses a threat, and now at last, the Kai Supreme Master, Rune Fire is dead. The days have come and gone, but your powers are still on the incline, increasing at every turn. Naar has been well pleased, and if you possess the Discipline of Immunity to Weapons, he will reward you, for you will now receive the Discipline, Immunity to all Weapons.

Yet, dire times await, and you feel a stirring in the balance, an ire of Kai and Ishir, and a final gathering of the forces of good. It is as if the enemy is gathering its power for one final push, one final stand in which all will be determined, and the destiny of either your victory, or their survival is at stake. It is said they have a new leader, a young leader, one by the name of SunStar, one who at last may be a revival of the heroes of old, of those such as Sun Eagle and Lone Wolf, one who may be able to even stand against you.

Who will win in the final chapter of this conflict, and who will triumph in the final battle. To face the challenge of the forces of good, and try to forge a new legacy even greater than the greatest of all Naar�s champions before, even then Agarash himself, be certain to read the chilling and enthralling last installment of the Dark One Series:

Doom of the Dark One

# ? Jul 25, 2022 05:35

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

Final Stats for The Dark Day

Combat Skill:

Endurance Points:

Description:

Drakkar Disciplines

Spying
Regeneration (restore 1-10 Endurance after each combat - but not more than were lost in that combat)
Weaponskill (+2 CS with Swords)
Hunting (no need to eat Meals except in deserts and wastelands)
Riding
Immunity
Basic Instinct
Tracking
Mindshield
Mindblast (+2 CS)

Dark Lord Abilities

BattleSkill (+10 CS)
Strength (+20 EP)
Immunity to Weapons
Immunity to Spells
Sense
Immunity to Temperature
Mental Prowess (+1 CS when using Mindblast)
Speed
Mortal Form
Crypt Spawn

Arch Skills

Lightning Movement
Immunity to all Weapons

Weapons:

Cutlass (Sword)
Bow

Backpack:

Torch
Meal
Vial of Blue Pills
Meal
Meal
Potion of Alethar (+2 CS)
Coil of Rope
Potion of Laumspur (+4 EP)
Potent Potion of Laumspur (+8 EP)
Tinderbox

Belt Pouch (money):

45 Kika
5 Gold Crowns

Special Items:

Drakkar Armor (+6 EP)
Shield (+2 CS)
Death Mask (+1 CS)
Crystal Star Pendant
Grey Key (x2)
Palladium Gauntlet (+1 CS; +2 EP)
Haakon�s Stone (+1 CS when using Helshezag)
Bronin Mace (+1 CS)
Chainmail Waistcoat (+4 EP - cannot be used with Drakkar Armour)
Large Backpack (10 items)
Psychic Belt (+2 CS when using Mindblast)
Helshezag (+8 CS - +10 in Helgedad)
Ulnarius (+5 CS - +8 underwater; -2 EP/round)
Kagonite Bracers (+1 CS; +1 EP)
Badge of Rank
Amulet of Agarash (aka. The Dark Eye of Agarash)
Sceptre of Darke
Quiver (6/6 arrows)
Master's Key

# ? Jul 25, 2022 05:35

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

So most of this book is skippable, but we did miss out on some more Arch Disciplines by speedrunning it. Will that matter? Guess we'll find out!

# ? Jul 25, 2022 05:38

Wafflecopper: Nov 27, 2004; I am a mouth, and I must scream

lol what

# ? Jul 25, 2022 05:50

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

What is even happening.

I like the thought of our increasingly unwieldy body careening around as we get juiced up by Naar.

# ? Jul 25, 2022 07:05

Xarn: Jun 26, 2015

Uhhh what?

# ? Jul 25, 2022 07:45

exmachina: Mar 12, 2006; Look Closer

They are taking the absolute piss.

# ? Jul 25, 2022 12:04

Black Robe: Sep 12, 2017; Generic Magic User

Who knew that looking for a quick funny death was actually speedrun pro strats.

# ? Jul 25, 2022 13:22

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

Doom of the Dark One posted:

The Story So Far
Centuries of peace have passed on Magnamund--centuries of peace watched and warded carefully by the ever vigilant Kai Lords of Sommerlund--centuries of their dominance over the continent since the Darklords were destroyed--centuries in which the Dark God Naar could reflect on the defeat and destruction of almost all his servants--centuries in which he brooded on a way to strike back--centuries spent in contemplation of a new evil, a more massive evil, a more powerful evil than anything he has yet conceived--a new weapon to bring the final downfall of the forces of Good. You are that weapon.

Gradually over the years the Darklands, ancient home of the Darklords, have slowly been restored from dead wasteland to vibrant life. All the ancient strongholds of the Darklords have been overgrown except for one: Helgedad. Here, despite the best efforts of the herbwardens to heal the land, the barren wastes have stayed the same.

Helgedad--the heart of evil--in this city the Nadziranim and Lesser Darklords grouped together as an alliance of power and avoided the infighting and power struggles found elsewhere in the Darklands. Using their combined powers they have been able to retain their hold on this great city and the surrounding lands ever since the fall of the Darklords.

Using this council of Nadziranim, Naar has fashioned a way to resurrect the glory of the Darklords. Using many forced Drakkarim volunteers the Nadziranim slowly changed the way their bodies worked, their minds thought, and how their souls reacted. They made improvements making the Drakkar race faster, stronger, smarter, and more evil. Thus were born the skills of the Drakkar. Still, even with all these improvements, they still had failed to achieve their ultimate goal. Then they made you.

As all the NeoDrakkarim are, you were improved by the Nadziranim as a babe. Unlike the rest, the Nadziranim succeeded. Inside your soul a streak of pure darkness resides. A part of the soul of Naar makes up your creation. You are directly connected to the mind of Naar, and by this are able to achieve things no man or being has been able to accomplish before. Now, for the first time, a man is able to become immortal. Through your discoveries you will blaze the path for other Drakkarim to follow, enabling the goal of Naar of not just one, not just twenty, but an army of Darklords readied and prepared to conquer the whole of Magnamund.

Even more sinister was the fact that these new Darklords would have most of the strengths and none of the weaknesses of the old Darklords. There would be no vying for power, but total and complete order based on rank. They could easily exist outside the Darklands, coming from a race that could breathe both the atmosphere of the Darklands and that of the rest of Magnamund. Indeed, if Naar's plan was brought to fruition, it was doubtful that even the Kai could stop him.
It is little surprise that the Kai uncovered this plot. Aware of the grave danger, they have launched a crusade with one objective: to destroy you. Swiftly they came, led by their leader the Supreme Kai Master, Rune Fire, and surrounded the fell city of Helgedad. Rune Fire, wielding the great weapon, the Sommerswerd, presses hard on the defenses of the city.

After waking one night as the guards barely defeat a Kai assassin right outside the doors of your chambers, you realize your danger as do your Nadziranim mentors. They realize they must get you out of the city and also must find some way to break the siege. After hours of deliberation they arrive at their answer.
In all of Magnamund there is only one weapon with enough power to break the siege and turn back the Kai. It lies in the heartland of the Kai, near their very monastery fortress. Kept in a heavily guarded armoury, an evil weapon is kept from polluting their holy abode. It is Helshezag, sword of Darklord Kraagenskull. Discovered by the Kai two centuries ago on an expedition to the plane of Darkness, they brought it back for study, and to prevent evil from utilizing such a diabolical weapon. In it are great powers which only you, with your connection with Naar, are able to unleash.

But for one as inexperienced as you to be able to enter into the heartland of the Kai, you will need a power to protect you. This can be found in a Doomstone. Unlike most mortal men who would succumb to such an evil artefact, your link with Naar makes you immune. This stone was lost years ago in a great battle between Darklord Haakon and the Founder of the New Order of Kai, Lone Wolf. Located deep in the tombs of the Majhan, it has awaited centuries for you to retrieve it.

First, before these quests may even take place you had to find a way to escape the city. To accomplish this you and an elite guard of Drakkarim Shock troopers embarked on Kraan to fly above the encircling armies. To your surprise, the Kai were expecting such an attempt and were waiting. Ambushing you in a trap, you were forced to land in the Middle of the vast army.

Utilizing your skills and abilities you managed to evade capture and escape the clutches of their charismatic leader Rune Fire. Finding your way to the overgrown ruins of Aarnak you were reunited with your guide only to find a new adventure awaited.

The Ruins of Aarnak were inhabited by a creature known simply as the Ghoulag, a monster created by the Nadziranim long ago. The Ghoulag was known to sell information and aid to anyone with enough to pay the price. For you, the price of passage to Vassagonia, and knowledge of the location of your goal lay in a test the Ghoulag had devised. This test would allow the Ghoulag to find out more about you and the special skills and abilities you possessed. Basically, it was trading information for information.

You passed his test, but only with a little difficulty, as in order to test your abilities thoroughly the Ghoulag had developed a deathtrap meant to destroy all but the most cunning and powerful. Released from the bonds of this nefarious test, you finally boarded the Ship 'The Bleeding Merchant' only to find a long and dangerous journey ahead.

The Kai were aware of your quest and made an attempt to destroy you and your quest before you could pass by their homeland. Led by their great Supreme Master, Rune Fire, they nearly suceeded, but the luck of Naar was with you. You had survived yet another attempt on your life, yet you were far from being safe, for Naar had decided to test you and evaluate your worth. Captain Mosk became a creature of the undead, almost indestructible, seeking to do battle with you before you could find the Stone of Haakon, a battle which he failed to win, for even he cannot face the ire of a nascent Darklord.

You found the stone, or what you had thought was the Doomstone, only to discover a useless item, a mere rock cracked and powerless, but, despite this setback, you were determined to continue, even if it meant your death, for you would rather die than admit defeat. Surprisingly, the Kai have left Sommerlund and the surrounding lands virtually undefended. They seem to believe all threats are now contained in Helgedad, where their armies lie in siege. You entered their lands in a large cloak, hiding your features from all but a few inquisitive Border Rangers. Sommerlund now has a few less of those guardians.

With much more ease than you expected, you found the secret area where the Sword of Dark Lord Kraagenskull was hidden, a small sanctuary which you detected was ironically an area at one time sacred to Naar. Bloody rituals by Cener druids were at one time practiced in the clearing where the Sword Helshezag was kept. Perhaps the Kai built the small holding refuge to protect against it from ever happening again. When you garner your power at last, you vowed they will fail in this mockery of your Lord.

Entering the holding area you faced many dangers, and met an old friend, Lakaast, who was kept captive by the kai. Though you found it odd that he should be able to survive among these captures, you freed him. This Xagash led you past a lethal trap laid by a Kai Grandmaster, a Grandmaster that laid in wait to slay you. In a titantic battle, you retrieved the sword, and utilized its powers to return to Helgedad. Healed by the Nadziranim and your own natural abilities, you saw a mounting task ahead of you.

The enemy was about to breach the walls of the city, whilst on the other side, the southern gates were about to fall as well. Lakaast, also likewise restored to health, believed that your aid would enable the armies of Helgedad to repel these attacks, whilst Goragik was for a quicker strike. In the middle of the city, rebuilt and reconstructed, lies the Tower of Gnaag. Held by the only Nadziranim not loyal to your cause, these isolationistic Nadziranim may or may not have joined your cause when they beheld the weapon you now bear, as well as the approval of Naar. The tower was the tallest in the city, and would give you a full view of your enemies before you blast them to kingdom come with the dark powers inherent in your blade. It would also give you the ability to focus the power of the sword in the area where it was most needed to bring a swift and hasty victory over your enemies.

However, you were uncertain if you could compel these Nadziranim to your cause. Journeying throughout the city and aiding in the battle, you gained useful information and allies in your task of convincing these Nadziranim. Having weakened the enemy offensive to give the city a slight respite, and utilizing your new garnered information, you recruited the Tower of Gnaag and its inhabitants to your cause, only to find a traitor in your midst. Lakaast, the Xagaash, general of the Armies, in his quest to retain his power and rule Helgedad alone, had betrayed you to the Kai. With the transformations within you, changing you to a New Darklord, birthed from the powers of the unholy objects you had obtained in your quest, your anger with him was well brewed, and you struck him down, to fall into the tortures of the Plane of Darkness with all other traitors to your own fell Lord Naar. Yet, another came, your nemesis, within that dark tower, and in a final conflict, you defeated him, and cast him down still alive, a captive to your whim.

With the sword Helshezag, you cast a swarm of crypt spawn and darkness on the unsuspecting armies below, throwing them into chaos, as the powers of the dark plane were unfurled before you, casting its dark power upon the good soldiers that were arrayed against Helgedad. Within a day, the enemy was routed, or destroyed, and Helgedad was freed once more.

Your armies broke forth, as a tidal wave upon Magnamund. None stood against them. As a virile plague, you struck even as the enemy was weakened from the battle of Helgedad, and soon the entirety of the Darklands was restored once again under a New Ruler, the Dark Lord which you had become. Five years passed, five years in which most of Northern Magnamund fell to you. Only recently has Talestria and Lencia fallen under your power. In addition, the Dwarves of Bor have fled their recesses into their dark holes, blocked all entrances and exits to their kingdom, and become of no consequence to you anymore. They are no effectively out of the war as well, leaving the upper reaches of their mountains, and whatever ores to be found there, in your hands.

Your forces are on the move, and in surprise assaults have siezed the entirety of the Northern Portion of the Continent of South Magnamund. Your empire grows, and none seem to be able to withstand your power or your armies. It is as if the world had grown lax in the years of its Kai wardship, and was unprepared for the unleashing of the full power of Naar�s wrath.

Only two areas remain which give strong resistance to your incursions. Dessi, where the Elder Magi reside, and Sommerlund, home of the accursed Kai, your sworn enemies. It is said they are garnering their gathering forces in one last attempt to defeat you, and have fallen under the sway of a new leader, an aspiring Kai who may have even attained the Rank of Kai Supreme Master, though your sources are unclear. This Kai, named Sun Star, has already infiltrated Helgedad at least once, from what you can tell, and as you have returned to your Throne Room, you find havoc has been wreaked, for there you find dead the Supreme Kai Master Rune Fire, who you hated, and your well trusted advisor Goragik. At the beginning of the Sixth year of your reign as a DarkLord, and the Seventh year since your adventures began, it seems victory may be assured, but you are unsure at what price, and how, if ever, it will ever be paid. Even more dreadful are the rumors that perhaps the powers of the Universe are plotting against you, including your own Dark Master Naar, in an attempt to right a balance that has so drastically been swayed by the unmatched powers you now bear. If this is so, it would seem fate, and your destiny lie in the balance, for now you have not only the world to conquer, but the heavens to face as well.

Hmmm. That last paragraph. That's not quite how I remember it happening.

Anyway, this time we get to pick one additional Arch Discipline:

Greater Battle Skill: This will add +25� to your Combat Skill.
Strength of Naar: This will add +50� to your initial Endurance Score.
Immunity to all Weapons: This makes you immune to all weapons, including magic ones. You are only vulnerable to the most powerful of all enchanted items, such as the Sommerswerd or the Kai Weapons made by Lone Wolf himself.�
Immunity to all Magic: There are some magics which are not spells or inherent to spell casters, magic much older and deeper then these feeble magics. You are immune to even these types of traps and abilities, only the most potent found in items such as the Sommerswerd can affect you when you have mastered this skill.
Immunity to Environment: You are immune to all forms of environments that may be harmful to normal mere mortal creatures, such as fire, acid, diseases, and possess the ability to breathe any atmosphere and exist in any environment no matter how hostile to life it may be. You possess the power to even reside in the very core of Magnamund should you decide.
Mental Giant: A skill that could have served many of your predecessors good, had they possessed it against the incursions of the Kai, and Lone Wolf himself. This skill enables you to be immune to the Mental powers of even the Kai Supreme Masters themselves, as well as even stronger psychic phenomenon. If only Gnaag had had this skill when his time came�
Lightning Movement: This increases the dexterity and agility of your character that you can move at speeds that make you seem almost as a blur to any that may behold you. Your speed of action is baffling, even to the Kai and other races that can operate with heightened abilities.�
Shape Change: Your powers of disguise are improved, enabling you to take the form of any object or creature your heart may desire.
Create Spawn: You possess even greater powers of creation, not only confined to that of the creation of Crypt Spawn, but upon an hour of meditation and concentration, as well as inflection upon the inner essence of Naar within you, you can give the force of existence to other spawn such as Helghast and Vordaks. In addition, it enables you to create the pure fluid of essence which can aid in the creation of other creatures such as Giaks. A powerful skill, that can give you underlings which are able to deal any enemy a deathly blow of force and subterfuge.
See All: Nothing is hidden from you, nothing surprises you, you can see all, and know all in the environment surrounding you.

� It is possible to gain these skills in the previous book, where it is noted that the bonuses replace those of BattleSkill and Strength rather than adding to them, so it would be more accurate here to say that they grant +15 CS and +30 EP respectively.
� We already gained these abilities in the previous book.

And we get some more equipment:

Spear
Sword
Short Sword
Axe
War Hammer
Bow
Quiver with 6 arrows (Special Item)
Torches (Back pack Item)
Tinderbox (Back pack Item)
Giak Blood Potion (Restores 6 Endurance points) (Back pack Item)
Potion of Alether (+2 Combat Skill for one combat only) (Back pack Item)
Coil of Rope (Back pack Item)
Sheathed obsidian Dagger (Special Item)

Our backpack is full, so if we want to take any of those backpack items we'll need to drop stuff to make room.

So please vote for which Arch Discipline we'll have, and up to five items from the equipment list (along with what item to drop in its place as required).

Backpack:

Torch

Meal

Vial of Blue Pills

Meal

Meal

Potion of Alethar (+2 CS)

Coil of Rope

Potion of Laumspur (+4 EP)

Potent Potion of Laumspur (+8 EP)

Tinderbox

# ? Jul 26, 2022 03:33

Wafflecopper: Nov 27, 2004; I am a mouth, and I must scream

Mental Giant

Swap 2 meals out for Alether and Giak Blood
Sheathed Obsidian Dagger

# ? Jul 26, 2022 04:04

nelson: Apr 12, 2009; College Slice

Create Spawn because it sounds fun.

Swap the single torch for torches. Grab the Sheathed Obsidian Dagger.

nelson fucked around with this message at 14:38 on Jul 26, 2022

# ? Jul 26, 2022 05:04

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

Wafflecopper posted:

Mental Giant

Swap 2 meals out for Alether and Giak Blood
Sheathed Obsidian Dagger

# ? Jul 26, 2022 07:31

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

Wafflecopper posted:

Swap 2 meals out for Alether and Giak Blood
Sheathed Obsidian Dagger

See all- we must see all and know all!

# ? Jul 26, 2022 09:09

Ofecks: May 4, 2009; A portly feline wizard waddles forth, muttering something about conjured food.

Shape Change. Behold us, the T-1000 advanced prototype.

Wafflecopper posted:

Swap 2 meals out for Alether and Giak Blood
Sheathed Obsidian Dagger

# ? Jul 26, 2022 20:18

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

RudeCat posted:

Mental Giant

Swap 2 meals out for Alether and Giak Blood
Sheathed Obsidian Dagger

Action Chart

Combat Skill:

Endurance Points:

Description:

Drakkar Disciplines

Spying
Regeneration (restore 1-10 Endurance after each combat - but not more than were lost in that combat)
Weaponskill (+2 CS with Swords)
Hunting (no need to eat Meals except in deserts and wastelands)
Riding
Immunity
Basic Instinct
Tracking
Mindshield
Mindblast (+2 CS)

Dark Lord Abilities

BattleSkill (+10 CS)
Strength (+20 EP)
Immunity to Weapons
Immunity to Spells
Sense
Immunity to Temperature
Mental Prowess (+1 CS when using Mindblast)
Speed
Mortal Form
Crypt Spawn

Arch Skills

Lightning Movement
Immunity to all Weapons
Mental Giant
Immunity to all Magic

Weapons:

Cutlass (Sword)
Bow

Backpack:

Torch
Potion of Alether (+2 CS)
Vial of Blue Pills
Meal
Potion of Alethar (+2 CS)
Coil of Rope
Potion of Laumspur (+4 EP)
Tinderbox

Belt Pouch (money):

45 Kika
5 Gold Crowns

Special Items:

Drakkar Armor (+6 EP)
Shield (+2 CS)
Death Mask (+1 CS)
Crystal Star Pendant
Grey Key (x2)
Palladium Gauntlet (+1 CS; +2 EP)
Haakon�s Stone (+1 CS when using Helshezag)
Bronin Mace (+1 CS)
Chainmail Waistcoat (+4 EP - cannot be used with Drakkar Armour)
Large Backpack (10 items)
Psychic Belt (+2 CS when using Mindblast)
Helshezag (+8 CS - +10 in Helgedad)
Ulnarius (+5 CS - +8 underwater; -2 EP/round)
Kagonite Bracers (+1 CS; +1 EP)
Badge of Rank
Amulet of Agarash (aka. The Dark Eye of Agarash)
Sceptre of Darke
Quiver (6/6 arrows)
Master's Key
Sheathed Obsidian Dagger
Sun Jewel

Deaths:

Absolutely demolished by a Kai Supreme Master.

Tiggum fucked around with this message at 23:45 on Aug 21, 2022

# ? Aug 4, 2022 02:44

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

Doom of the Dark One posted:

The chamber seems quiet, as the still of death passes on it. In one corner lies the corpse of Rune Fire, in the other, the body of Goragik. A great struggle has come and gone, with the culprit, the ragged upstart, Sun Star to blame. You should never have left this chamber to converse with Goragik, to deliberate on your campaigns, to do anything of the sort, for it seems it was that opportunity which enabled Sun Star to enter in, during your absence, and free Rune Fire from his bonds. A dire thing that has cost you Goragik, in her attempt to stop the Kai Supreme Master, and cost you the enjoyment of the tortured calls of the Kai Supreme Master�s agony as you pin him to your throne room wall. Your only consolation is the almost certain feeling that the Supreme Kai Master now spends his time in punishment among the minions of Naar on the Plains of Despair, but this is little consolation for what you have lost.

You curse, the advice of Goragik was well utilized, she was a useful tool, one that you could have continued to use for some time. The battle between the two must have been fierce, for you can tell from the fire stains all along the throne room walls, that it had some serious power play involved, and yet, it must have been brief as well, for even the guards outside did not have time to respond, a mistake which you destroyed them for when they finally entered this chamber.

She stirs. You look at Goragik in amazement, as first she moves an arm, then solidifies into a form you recognize, and signals for you to come closer to her. She cackles slightly as she sees your startled and surprised expression on your face.

�Don�t weep for me, young one, it does not become you so.� She whispers, her voice faint.

�I weep for no one, even you.� You respond evenly, �Though I am curious, how is it that you return from death, I had thought even the Nadziranim, great as their power may be, had not solved that riddle?�

Goragik laughs, a faint sinister laugh. �You think my magics have brought this about, nay, it is but a manifestation of the power of Naar, he has granted me a brief respite from death to warn you, and bring you hope in this time of despair.�

�Despair?� You sneer, �I am defeating the world, I am victorious, and am mightier than any that have come before, what is there to despair about?�

�Oh much, young Dark Lord, and more than you would think, for even now Kai and Ishir plan your doom�. But there is a way to escape it there is, if you will but listen to an old Nadziranim on the edge of death, for Naar has sent me back, and with it, he has shown me the way.�

�You speak in riddles, old hag.� You glare at her intently, �but you have my interest.�

She signals for you to come closer, as her voice grows weaker, and one clawed hand comes up to drag upon your neck, drawing you closer still. �Do you have it?� She asks

�Have what?� You ask

�Do you have it!� she says insistantly.

You are uncertain of what she is after, but with no other answer to say, you decide to answer in the positive. �Yes.� You finally respond.

She slumps back. �Then there is still hope.� She mutters. �You must succeed, for the hopes of Naar, and for me.�

�Why do you care?� You ask, �We share no love between us, nor do I for anyone, for I am a Dark Lord, and it is only I who wield the power.�

�As I have always, for my own furtherance, to build me up with you, but now, it is of more concern, for my own soul lies in the balance. If you succeed we both shall stand on the right hand of Naar, but if you fail�� She looks up at you, her eyes suddenly very alert, �Then I shall see you in the Plains of Despair, where only torment and torture eternal await.�

�Then tell me what I must do.� You say, �and say it quickly, before Naar recalls you to his lair.�

�You merely must choose.� Goragik smiles wanly, �but choose correctly, as it is ever so obvious, and in choosing the correct path, you shall be triumphant. Seek the heart of the enemy, and his weakness shall be apparent, even now, and with that, you shall prevail, even against the wiles of the tricksters Kai and Ishir, and the balance will be restored to appease them.� She smiles, a strange look on one so wicked, �One last piece of personal advice,� her voice grows fainter still, �beware the double sided traitor, for in his chair sits the betrayer of us all.� Her hands ruffle your head tenderly, �If only there were more time, and you, you had been more�� Her voice fades to nothing.

�Old witch, that tells me nothing.� You shake her violently, but no more words are coming from the Nadziranim. Her hand falls from your neck, and her claws click against the stone one last time. Slowly her form fades as she turns once more into the wispy form of a true Nadziranim, and the dissolves into the nothingness from which you all are formed.

You look around the chamber, disgusted at what that you have not attained more information, and stomp out. In wrath, you seek one to blame, and in that thought, your mind turns toward a strange visitor you have had, the Ghoulag. Stating he has been trying to gain information for your side of the war, you wonder if that truly is so, and your suspicions are aroused.

It seems that you have to decide a course of action, and in that course of action begin the final end game of how your destiny, and the fate of the world will turn.

Should we find the Ghoulag, go to Dessi to join the fighting there, stay in Helgedad, or go to Sommerlund to finally destroy the Kai?

# ? Aug 4, 2022 02:48

Wafflecopper: Nov 27, 2004; I am a mouth, and I must scream

The heart of the enemy? Must mean stay in Helgedad. It worked out last time

# ? Aug 4, 2022 06:10

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

Let�s speed run this too. To Sommerlund!

# ? Aug 4, 2022 06:16

moosecow333: Mar 15, 2007; Super-Duper Supermen!

achtungnight posted:

Let�s speed run this too. To Sommerlund!

We are bad enough dudes to do this!

# ? Aug 4, 2022 06:34

Black Robe: Sep 12, 2017; Generic Magic User

Look at the list of Special items we're carrying around. I'm amazed we can even walk at this point.

achtungnight posted:

Let�s speed run this too. To Sommerlund!

# ? Aug 4, 2022 07:42

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

Find the Ghoulag, maybe we can get more power ups

# ? Aug 4, 2022 08:16

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

Black Robe posted:

Look at the list of Special items we're carrying around. I'm amazed we can even walk at this point.

Not as many items as Lone Wolf had back in Castle Death, or even as many as Braveheart's current loadout, although it would be a matter of interpretation as to which particular combination of items would prove least feasible to carry all at once.

# ? Aug 4, 2022 08:28

exmachina: Mar 12, 2006; Look Closer

RudeCat posted:

Find the Ghoulag, maybe we can get more power ups

# ? Aug 4, 2022 13:12

nelson: Apr 12, 2009; College Slice

RudeCat posted:

Find the Ghoulag, maybe we can get more power ups

# ? Aug 4, 2022 14:10

Ofecks: May 4, 2009; A portly feline wizard waddles forth, muttering something about conjured food.

Putting in a Dessi vote just to be contrarian.

I suspect the Ghoulag is the aforementioned traitor, but what do I know.

# ? Aug 4, 2022 17:11

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

Black Robe posted:

To Sommerlund!

Doom of the Dark One posted:

The towers rise on the horizon as you fly nearer to them, their pennants flapping in the wind of the dusk, the autumn breeze unfurling them out to present the arms of the Kai. From the highest tower, to the posts on the wall, the flags fly firm, and around this citidal lies your army. Disgust fills you, for it should be your banner flying there, and yet, after all these years, the Kai�s standard still stands proudly.

Shouts arise at the sight of your approach, your weary troops scrambling to make themselves presentable. Years in trenches and in battle have made them hardly recognizable as organized troops, their uniforms filthy and tattered from what has seemed like ages of battle. Jumping off the Imperial Zlanbeast, your first order of business is to straighten the troops out.

Two days later, the troops are much more presentable, and the order of business is at hand. With no more ado, despite your new commander�s protests, after which you have even newer commanders, you plan the assault on the Kai Monastery, this time to take it.

There is another way, a more secretive way to enter the Monastery, a way that has not yet been tried, if you are willing to risk it. The Vault of the Sun, from which you learned about from Rune Fire�s soul would be an excellent way to penetrate the Monastery defenses. If you utilized it, you could enter with a small party in disguise, and then, to open the gates to the rest of your army. Assailing the enemy from within and without, would be a likely way to finish them off.

Should we try the Vault of the Sun, a ground assault on the gates, an aerial assault by kraan, or begin by unleashing the power of Helshezag?

# ? Aug 5, 2022 03:38

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# ? Apr 23, 2024 18:52

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

Air assault by Kraan worked great the last time this place was destroyed.

# ? Aug 5, 2022 03:59

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

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RudeCat posted:

Black Robe posted:

nelson posted:

achtungnight posted:

exmachina posted:

Wafflecopper posted:

The Dark Day posted:

Xarn posted:

Xarn posted:

Xarn posted:

Xarn posted:

Toplowtech posted:

The Dark Day posted:

The Dark Day posted:

Doom of the Dark One posted:

Wafflecopper posted:

Wafflecopper posted:

Wafflecopper posted:

RudeCat posted:

Doom of the Dark One posted:

achtungnight posted:

achtungnight posted:

Black Robe posted:

RudeCat posted:

RudeCat posted:

Black Robe posted:

Doom of the Dark One posted: