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

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Xarn: Jun 26, 2015

Retry and pretend that spending max EP is a reroll into 9, not random.

# ? Mar 26, 2024 08:11

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# ? Apr 27, 2024 16:39

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

Xarn posted:

Retry and pretend that spending max EP is a reroll into 9, not random.

It seems the game hadn't been sufficiently tested.

# ? Mar 26, 2024 20:40

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

Xarn posted:

Retry and pretend that spending max EP is a reroll into 9, not random.

Marked for Death posted:

This combat is fought at a Combat Ratio of -3. As this is a battle of wills, you cannot benefit from bonuses from Potions, Poisons, or items, including Weapons. However, for each of the following you have, add 2 damage to the damage you deal: Mark of the Agarashi, Art of Wordcraft, the Necklace of Teeth. You may also feed your lifeforce to the Demonic Mask, permanently reducing your maximum ENDURANCE by 1 to re-pick a number from the Random Number Table, using either result. You may do this any number of times, paying the cost each time.

Huntress: 5/22 Morden: 30 We roll: 1 9 Huntress: 5/21 Morden: 17 We roll: 6 Huntress: 2/21 Morden: 7 We roll: 2 9 Huntress: 2/20 Morden: 0

Marked for Death posted:

Morden's mask is sundered, falling away into two pieces. You see a pale, noble face underneath, blood pouring from the many tiny cuts made by the shattering ceramic. The mage raises his hands, gathering the last of his strength to cast a deadly spell, but the Tall Man steps forward and lifts Morden by the throat even as flame bursts from Morden's hands. The Tall Man howls in pain and begins driving his sickle again and again into Morden's chest. Blood and fire mix in a spectacle you cannot bear to watch. But even as you turn away, a new horror besets you:

"You will make a fine host," a voice speaks inside your head. It is silken and sweet, but also horribly corrupted, like you have swallowed honey with flies buzzing in it. You feel it worming its way inside you, breaking down the foundation stones of your mind. The mask is becoming hot as a fresh forged blade, a conduit for the demon's power which is growing stronger and stronger as the moment of its arrival draws nigh. You try to rip it from your face but it refuses, gripping you like a living thing. Cathar's voice speaks as though from far away: "I've done it! I've summoned the demon!" he cries.

You try to scream at him that he is being crazy but the demon's own shrieks inside your skull are so loud and powerful that they force themselves out of your throat instead. You feel the skin on your cheeks bubbling under the touch of the mask, the wetness of blood running down your cheeks, and then nothing as you lose consciousness.

When next you awaken, you are under soft sheets, with sunlight streaming in through open windows. The wonderful smells of green grass and baking bread flow in with the breeze. A familiar voice is speaking in a breathless tone: "...and that's why you're here and not still lying down there and I'm sorry it was you and not me. The gods know that I probably deserve it more, certainly the Masters have said that a hundred times in the past-"

Cathar," you say, knowing there is only one person who can speak that quickly. The young mage sits in a chair at the foot of your bed but when you address him he leaps up, knocking it over in a clatter. "Oh, you're awake!" he exclaims. "I mean, I always knew you'd wake up - I kept telling Elder Corvallis that, even though the healers weren't so sure, but they didn't see you fight the way I did, I know you're made of stronger stuff, probably as strong as my cousin Jaxim - he is able to drink Bor-brew and stay standing... at least for the first two mugs." After all the horror you faced, Cathar's inane chatter is surprisingly refreshing. You listen to him with a smile.

"Oh, before I forget! The Masters want you to have this." Cathar produces a purse heavy with Gold Crowns. Mark this "Heavy Purse" as a Special Item - it will be of use in future adventures. "The Brotherhood were really impressed. I mean, you defeating a demon and all."

"I didn't do it alone," you say. As he hands you the purse, you notice the thick white bandages covering his hands. "Were you hurt badly?"

"Huh?" Cathar says. "Oh, this? No, nothing major. The place caught fire, you see. Demon fire, the Elder called it. It burned even in stone! I kinda sorta got this while pulling you out. I honestly probably don't need the bandage - please don't worry about it but Elder Corvallis said I should wear it for a few days. Said I'd earned it and that it wouldn't hurt my standing with the other students. He said the ladies love a scar." Cathar flushes a bit as he says this.

"The demon," you say. "What happened to it?"

Cathar grins. "You told me to make a disaster and, well, I was remembering what the Elders are always telling me, about perfect impatience making imperfect results. That's what happened to the demon. I forced it to come too soon. It works in cycles, see? The Astrodel was my clue to that. The demon's power is tied to that time cycle. At the end of each cycle, its power blooms, like a flower and at the same time the box's power wanes. So the prison gets weak-"

"And the demon gets strong," you finish, understanding. "But you summoned it early."

"Right, but only for a moment, only long enough for it to have its power boost outside of the box. So the box stayed intact and the prison didn't break and as soon as it was strong again, bam! Back in the box it went, and it wasn't strong enough anymore to break the chains. Only, I didn't account for the power that was released nearly bringing the temple crashing down on top of us."

"You did good, Cathar," you say and are moved by how much this affects the young man. He must not be used to hearing this very often. He bows his head and wipes his hands across his wet eyes. Then he reaches up to his neck and removes his Crystal Star Pendant. He presses it into your hand.

"My gift to you," he says. "I've put my own charm on it. Not that I was supposed to, strictly speaking, so please don't tell the masters. And don't even try to say you can't accept it, it's mine to give and I can't think of anyone else I'd ever want to have it."

Add Cathar's Crystal Star Pendant to your Action Chart as a Special Item. It has a unique power: once per adventure, instead of picking a number from the Random Number Table, you can act as though you picked a 7. You can do this even during combat.

"I have to get to Haert Manor," you say after draping the light chain around your neck. "I need to speak with Sindra."

Again, Cathar looks pained. "We already tried to contact her. She's dead, I'm afraid. It seems as though Morden sent his Red Cowls to the manor while he looked for you in the underground jungle. Sindra and her manservant were both killed."

Cold clenches your heart. "I need to go there. I need to search the manor. Alone," you add, not sure of what you might find and not sure you'll want to share that discovery.

"At once? Of course at once, that should be obvious from the way you said it. The Masters said to give you whatever you need - and this counts as whatever," he says and moves to help you out of bed.

Incredible pain shoots through you and you fall back to the bed, gasping for air. Your face burns as if fire has been thrust against your skin. Cathar grimaces.

"I'll go get Elder Corvallis," he says. "He said to let him know if the scars started burning again." "Scars?"

Cathar holds out his hand, showing you what is in it. It is the Demonic Mask. "Elder Xandrin Corvallis is master of Ravenhurst Tower and knows more than just about anybody when it comes to the occult. He said that you channeled a dark power in order to defeat Morden. You were touched directly by a denizen of the Plane of Darkness. That's like your soul drinking several mugs of Bor-brew. And, well..." he turns the mask to show you the inside. It is black, as if a fire raged inside of it.

Tentatively, you reach your hands up to your face and touch puckered skin. Next to your bedside sits a basin of water with several wet washcloths. You stare into it, studying your reflection for a long moment, noting the ruins of your features, the deep gouges and twisted scar tissue. You barely recognize yourself.

"I'm so, so sorry," Cathar says. He looks like he is about to cry.

"It's all right," you say, keeping your voice as calm as you can. "Ladies love scars, right?"

Cathar laughs shortly, the sad little sound of innocence dying. "Don't worry about getting the healer," you say. "Just help me up."

Within the hour you are dressed in a new cloak - a lovely dark blue one, given to you by Cathar - and on your way to the manor. You also wear the Demonic Mask. The demon's power no longer courses through it. Now it serves only to cover your scars.

Since first entering Haert Manor, you were bothered by the soot-soaked footsteps in front of the hearth - a woman's footsteps. While the remaining Haert fortune was a margin of what it used to be, still Sindra did not seem like the type to light her own fires. It is to the hearth you go first and it is here that you find Sindra's secret.

The back wall of the hearth pushes open, revealing an entrance into a small room. The room's walls are plastered with maps, each showing a different part of Magnamund and each marked with black circles labeled with numbers. The locations appear familiar and after a moment you realize why. They are all the places you have visited over the last eight years. In addition, they are numbered in the order you went to them, starting with awakening in Nezhi and ending in Toran, number 86. A single desk has a letter on it, which you lift and read in trembling hands:

Nessa,

The Huntress is here, in Toran. She made inquiries, as she does in every new city, to see if there is record of her birth here. Of course there was none. Seven years ago you asked me to research and answer three questions about the Huntress. I am now ready to present my findings and will do so next time I am in Dalobu. Below is a summary:

1) Where does the Huntress come from? I believe now that the Huntress spent time in the Confluence, which explains many of your questions about her being present for the burning of Dalobu.

2) What is the Huntress's connection to the Betrayer? I believe now that the Huntress is who you thought she was.

3) What risk does she represent? See point two. The Huntress may have been in league with the twins. I am checking for any sign of their presence.

At the moment I have a need for her talents. Then I shall send her to Dalobu to be dealt with as the Waking Flame sees fit.
~ Sindra

You turn to a grand map of Magnamund that takes up one entire wall. You study it closely until you find what you seek. The city of Dalobu lies far to the south, in the Magiocracy of Dessi. This ancient land, watched over by the Elder Magi, is one you have never been to. In general, mercenaries are not welcome there nor are their services often required. The land is protected by the Vakeros warrior-magicians, trained in both the ways of magic and martial arts. They are worth more than an army of mercenaries.

"Not even the Vakeros will keep me from the answers I hunt," you promise this room of secrets, crushing the letter in your hand.

Congratulations. You have retrieved the Sindarin Vessel and stopped a great evil from entering the world of Magnamund. However, the quest for the truth is just beginning. Conspiracy and long buried secrets await you in book two of The Huntress series, entitled:

QUELLING OF THE FLAME

# ? Mar 27, 2024 02:06

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

Action Chart

Name:

Endurance:

Missed Meals:

Hunting Arts

Exceptional Awareness
Mark of the Agarashi (Improved)
Thief's Touch (can use thieves' lockpicks and language)
Salas-Zan: The Cleaver's Cut: (heavy blow, can only be used with an axe wielded in both hands)

Weapons

Axe
Dagger

Belt Pouch

25 Gold Crowns

Backpack

Cathar's Ambrosia (Roll with advantage once in one combat)
Healer's Kit (used 10/10)
Viper's Bite Poison (+2 damage per round for one combat)
Exquisite Clothes
Sabito Tincture
Golden Rod

Leather Satchel

Herbal Face Mask
Lantern Oil

Special Items

Flint and Tinder
Lucky Coin
Necklace of Teeth
Demonic Mask (100)
Heavy Purse
Cathar's Crystal Star Pendant (once per adventure, pick 7 instead of rolling)

Knowledge

Demon riddle: 12

# ? Mar 27, 2024 02:06

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

I must say, the altered combat rules seem like a decent idea but I'm not sure how well it was tested and I really don't think they go far enough. If you want to make combat work in these books you need to scrap the whole system and come up with something new. The Lone Wolf system worked very well in books one and two, and never again. The fight against the Elix was overly complicated and deadly, the vines were a neat idea but really don't work in this system because, again, they're far too deadly, and the enemies in general were just too tough.

As for this book as a whole, I thought it was basically fine. I'm not feeling particularly motivated to go back and try other options. The Americanisms are really off-putting in a Lone Wolf book and I don't understand why they're there. I get that Jonathan Stark is American, but the editor's were the usual Magnamund team and for consistency with the rest of the setting it really should have been converted to UK English.

Then there's the plot. It started out well, but I got a little bored when it turned into a big fate of the world adventure. I would have liked to see some much lower stakes, at least moment to moment. I didn't mind that we were looking for a big, important item, but the threat level we faced increased far too quickly and dramatically for me. I wanted more talking to people and finding clues and less fighting monsters. The inclusion of a Knowledge section on the Action Chart seemed to promise more than the book could deliver.

And I hate Cathar. Awful character. I hope he's not in books two and three.

# ? Mar 27, 2024 02:16

Xarn: Jun 26, 2015

Yeah, having more mundane adventure would be nice. The original Lone Wolf series got dumb pretty quickly with the Lone Wolf saving the world from EVEN GREATER EVIL every book, and so far it looks like the Huntress series will be the same.

# ? Mar 27, 2024 07:47

Toplowtech: Aug 31, 2004

Tiggum posted:

And I hate Cathar. Awful character. I hope he's not in books two and three.

"Lady loves scars, right!" Yeah, let's add one to his throat.

Xarn posted:

Yeah, having more mundane adventure would be nice. The original Lone Wolf series got dumb pretty quickly with the Lone Wolf saving the world from EVEN GREATER EVIL every book, and so far it looks like the Huntress series will be the same.

Yes, some variety would be good: they should give us some pointless escort quest with the dumbest version of fantasy Prince Magoo possible. Also, more mundane adventures would allow for more recurring antagonists.

Toplowtech fucked around with this message at 11:40 on Mar 27, 2024

# ? Mar 27, 2024 11:37

nelson: Apr 12, 2009; College Slice

I want an adventure where your mission is a process server. You don�t have to defeat the ultimate evil, you just have to deliver court documents to them.

# ? Mar 27, 2024 14:25

Toplowtech: Aug 31, 2004

nelson posted:

I want an adventure where your mission is a process server. You don�t have to defeat the ultimate evil, you just have to deliver court documents to them.

"Sadly the bodyguards of Dark Lord Muskus shoot at you with their dwarvish shotguns before you can give him lady Grim's divorce paper. Your life and your quest end here."

# ? Mar 27, 2024 18:38

Decoy Badger: May 16, 2009

I liked the idea of Cathar as a Rincewind copy, but with the serious tone the comedic relief would have worked much better as someone you encounter at critical moments within increasingly absurd circumstances.

# ? Mar 27, 2024 19:18

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

Because I'll be at my parents' place for the next few days, then only back home briefly before heading off camping next weekend, I think I'll probably start posting the next book when I get back on the 9th of April.

# ? Mar 28, 2024 03:13

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

The Huntress: Book Two

Quelling of the Flame

Written by Jonathan Stark. Illustrated by Gary Ward.

Quelling of the Flame posted:

The Story so Far...

Years on Magnamund are measured against the creation of the Moonstone, a legendary artifact of the mystical Shianti. The year is now MS 5000, five thousand years after the creation of the Moonstone, and you stand on a sun-warmed balcony of a humble home in the Vassagonian village of Nezhi, the blue hood of your cloak thrown back. A hot wind blows in from the north, carried from the Dry Main, one of the largest stretches of desert in Magnamund. Eight years ago you stumbled out of that expanse of endless sand clad in a bloody and torn surcoat with a grievous wound across your chest. How you came by the wound is a memory lost to you, along with all your others. You did not even have a name, only a title that repeated itself in your head: The Huntress.

Since then you have wandered the land as a mercenary selling your skills to the highest bidder. In one of the myriad corners of Magnamund you had hoped to find someone who knew you or some clue as to your past but your efforts were in vain until only a few weeks ago. In the magical city of Toran, you finally found someone who claimed to know where you came from. Your adventure in Toran was a grim one. Still, at the end of the day, you were left with three clues: a person named Nessa; a secret order named The Waking Flame; and the city of Dalobu in the Magiocracy of Dessi.

You could not have picked a worse time to travel south. Just a year ago war broke out between Vassagonia and Dessi and the single bridge that connects the two lands at Fio Fadali is constantly watched with only a scant few traders allowed through. Yet you are not willing to delay your journey to circumvent this obstacle. Ever since leaving Toran you have been driven by a sense of urgency that goes beyond eagerness. You have the unsettling feeling that you are in a race, though against whom and for what prize, you cannot be sure.

"Father would have been happy to see you so recovered from your wounds," says a voice, breaking the flow of your thoughts. Emerging onto the balcony is a young man, skin tan and smooth as sun bleached stone. "He had a big heart, father, and kept space there for every patient he ever tended."

"I was sorry to hear of his passing," you say. "I should have come to pay my respects sooner."

The young man, Yallah by name, comes to stand by your side. "Father never expected anything of the sort. He would have been embarrassed by the attention."

On the streets below two Vassagonian soldiers sit astride tanned horses, the sun gleaming off the metal of their armor and weapons. A line of Yallah's children, carrying pails of water from the nearby Khorda River, make a game of chasing each other around the horses, trying to see who can spill the least. Their mother emerges from the home, scolding them in her Vassagonian tongue for their foolishness and ushering them inside while the soldiers laugh indulgently.

"I have spoken of your need to Anya and she agreed that I should help you cross the border," Yallah says, watching the scene unfold below and waving to his wife. "Fortunately, the Zahkan [sic] is still allowing traders to pass, as long as their family stays behind. It is good you look like us, if your skin was pale, your hair golden, you would never be able to pass the checkpoints. As it is, dressed in my wife's clothes, they will believe you are my niece, come to assist me."

"Are you sure you won't accept more in return?" you press. "I am willing to pay it."

Yallah waves your offer away politely. "You are already offering more than enough for my family's needs. If I take more and it is noticed, the soldiers will begin to wonder where I got it and there will be no more smiles." He gestures down to the soldiers, now cantering away. "Anyway, father would never forgive me if I denied you. Did you know there is a flower that only blooms in the desert and then only under moonlight once every eight years? It is called kaletha, the desert mystery. That was what father used to call you. His kaletha, his own little mystery."

"You mean, no other women have come wandering out of the desert since me?" you joke.

To your surprise, Yallah looks troubled. "Not women, no," he says. "But now you remind me: not long before father died, two men came from the desert. They were dua'aman, I forget the word in your tongue. Same looking. Family."

"Cousins?" you suggest. "Brothers?"

"Twins," Yallah finds the word. "They came from the desert but did not seek aid, only water for which they paid in gold. Old gold. Father disliked them so much that he did not keep the money but gave it away."

"They have nothing to do with me," you say, masking your unease. "I don't know any twins."

"Perhaps not." Yallah looks at you meaningfully. "But they, too, went south."

The only decision we have to make at the start of this book is which Hunting Art to add to our repertoire.

Alchemy: Create and identify potions and poisons. Start the game with one potion or poison from the following list:
- Tincture of Larnuma: +3 EP
- Viper's Bite Poison: +2 damage per round for one combat.
- Glow Bottle: Emits bright light.
- Concentrated Acid: Melts locks and other objects.
- Antitoxin: Cures poisons and venoms.
- Skin Crawler Poison: Ignore one round's combat damage.
- 2 Fireseeds: Automatic 4 damage to enemy at the start of one combat.
Wordcraft: Know the right thing to say at the right time.
Toughness: +4 Endurance. Resistance to poisons, toxins, heat and cold.
Zantashi: The Perfect Cut: Additional options in combat that can only be used when wielding a sword.
Denthasi-Kar: Itikar's Talons: The ability to throw daggers.
Drova Das: Corvayl's Grip: No penalty for unarmed fighting. Additional options in combat.
Cat's Step: Perform acrobatic feats.

Borese Gunner is no longer available as it could only be selected in book one. If you pick Alchemy, don't forget to also specify which potion or poison you want to start with. We still have both our Axe and a Dagger from the previous adventure, but will need to acquire a sword somewhere if we want to make use of Zantashi

# ? Apr 9, 2024 02:33

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

Deserts and jungles are full of poisons, toxins, and heat, plus more endurance is never bad. Toughness

# ? Apr 9, 2024 03:02

Black Robe: Sep 12, 2017; Generic Magic User

Wafflecopper posted:

Deserts and jungles are full of poisons, toxins, and heat, plus more endurance is never bad. Toughness

# ? Apr 9, 2024 14:54

Toplowtech: Aug 31, 2004

Wafflecopper posted:

Deserts and jungles are full of poisons, toxins, and heat, plus more endurance is never bad. Toughness

Yeah, Toughness looks like a better choice than Alchemy.

# ? Apr 9, 2024 15:03

Decoy Badger: May 16, 2009

Dagger throwing for all those snakes we're going to encounter!

# ? Apr 9, 2024 17:59

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

Wordcraft: master the magic of words and dialogues!

# ? Apr 9, 2024 19:39

nelson: Apr 12, 2009; College Slice

Toughness

# ? Apr 9, 2024 23:24

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

Toplowtech posted:

Yeah, Toughness looks like a better choice than Alchemy.

Action Chart

Name:

Endurance:

Missed Meals:

Hunting Arts

Exceptional Awareness
Mark of the Agarashi (Improved)
Thief's Touch
Salas-Zan: The Cleaver's Cut
Toughness

Weapons

~~Axe~~

~~Crystal Dagger (+1 damage per round)~~

Belt Pouch

Backpack

Cathar's Ambrosia (Roll with advantage once in one combat)

Skincrawler Poison (Ignore one round's combat damage)

Meal

Viper's Bite Poison (+2 damage per round for one combat)

Compass

Exquisite Clothes

Sabito Tincture

~~Golden Rod~~

Leather Satchel

~~Herbal Face Mask~~

~~Lantern Oil~~

Special Items

~~Flint and Tinder~~
Lucky Coin
~~Necklace of Teeth~~
~~Demonic Mask (100)~~
~~Cathar's Crystal Star Pendant (once per adventure, pick 7 instead of rolling)~~
Ornate Hairpin

Knowledge

Tiggum fucked around with this message at 04:33 on Apr 25, 2024

# ? Apr 10, 2024 02:20

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

The Quelling of the Flame posted:

To the bog I went,
The wytch my goal,
I got my desire but lost my soul.
So seek ye power,
curses or riches,
But seek ye not the aid of wytches.

~ Excerpt from Rhyme of the Bog Wytch
Traditional folk poem

Quelling of the Flame posted:

Only when the moon rises and the desert roads cool does Yallah bid Anya and his children farewell and mount his duraba, a ten-foot long covered wagon that is more like a one-room home on wheels, pulled by two horses. When Yallah travels he lives in his duraba, as well as using it to carry his wares: ceramics and cookware made by his own hand, and beautiful clothing weaved by his wife. You ride the front of the wagon next to him, wearing a body length black and red robe and a sash to cover most of your face. In this way you hope to pass as Yallah's niece and avoid questioning by the guards at the border.

"Thankfully the northern border is not the primary focus of the war," Yallah tells you. "The Zahkan [sic] is really fighting a naval battle on the Tentarias. But that doesn't mean there haven't been skirmishes here or there."

For all of the night you ride to the southwest, coming to the city of Fio Fadali just as dawn is turning the Dry Main a magnificent fiery gold. Soldiers crowd the wide, sandy streets and Yallah, disquieted, tells you that it is unusual to see so many here. When you leave the city and cross the river you discover why. Fort Bokdah sits on the other side of the river from Fio Fadali. A battle was fought here only two nights ago, it appears, and the Zahkan's [sic] army is still stationed here in case of a counterattack. As you approach the fortress gates, three men on horseback come forward and quickly surround you. Two leap down and begin making a thorough inspection of the duraba while the third, a dour man with a perpetual scowl, begins interrogating Yallah, asking who he is, where he is going, and why. For several minutes Yallah calmly answers his questions. Then the guard abruptly turns to you. "And who are you?" he barks.

You look away from the guard and pull your sash closer about your face. Of course, this only draws his attention more and he reaches out brusquely despite Yallah's cry of protest and rips away the sash. He gasps in shock as he sees your scars. You know what he is thinking immediately: how did a peasant girl come to gain such disfigurement? You think fast.

"Good sir," you say, making your voice tremble. "I hid my face because I did not want you to see its ruin. I live in Barrakeesh and one day my daughter was playing in the road when the Zahkan's [sic] carriage came through. My daughter's ball rolled under the hooves of one of the horses, startling it. For this act of disrespect, they were going to take my daughter's life but I begged the Zahkan [sic] to punish me instead. They agreed and this is what they deemed appropriate."

The guard's gaze lingers on your face, drinking in its misery. Then he says, "I hope when you look on these scars you think of how merciful our Zahkan [sic] is. Another man might have taken both your lives."

You bow your head in deference to his wisdom and the guard waves the two of you on after making Yallah pay a small fee for a pass.

For ten days after you leave Fort Brokdah you ride the old roads south. Yallah spends much of the journey singing traveling songs in a sweet tenor that is surprisingly good at finding notes and carrying them. His voice easily penetrates into the coach where you sit, watching the landscape go by out of the window. Known as the Bavari Hills, this part of Dessi is an endless repetition of barren mounds and arid rocky outcrops that crest to the great Xulun and Masourn mountain ranges. It is a parched land, but not devoid of vegetation - the infamously addictive Adgana leaves used by many mercenaries and adventurers across Magnamund mainly originate from this barren region. The signs you see of life - goats chewing cud on a hilltop, or the shape of a house against the horizon are scant and far off. The first real sign of habitation does not come until you reach the banks of Lake Khor, on whose shores live many fishermen. You spend the night with one of them, who asks for nothing more in exchange than news of the world beyond Dessi. At first you think due to the language barrier Yallah will have to indulge the man's request but it turns out you understand every word of their conversation. You easily join in and it is only later, when Yallah expresses his surprise that you speak Vakeros - the language of the Dessi - that you realize they were not speaking Vassagonian.

"You speak Vakeros better after a single conversation than I do after a lifetime of living on Dessi's borders," he tells you. When you insist you have never been to this land he simply responds, "Not that you remember."

At midday the next day, you reach the township of Herdos along the lake's southern edge. Here, Yallah says that you are far enough south that you no longer need bother with your disguise and you retrieve your traveling clothes and your backpack from their clever hiding place in the floorboards.

The people of Herdos are mostly fisherfolk and craftsmen. They have a thousand sayings and read portents in every breath of the wind. They make the signs of warding as you disembark the coach and it is no great secret why. The Demonic Mask you claimed from the ruins underneath Toran is realistic enough that it could pass as your own face. It makes Yallah uncomfortable as well. He does not invite you to visit the local tavern with him. Left to your own devices, you explore the city, walking down the old cracked paths, sensing in every stone-walled abode you pass the weight of years upon this place. Upon this whole country, in fact. And yet, there is a familiarity, too, a sense of belonging that you have not felt anywhere else in Magnamund. Eventually you come to the harbor, dominated by a great glass-domed building from which emits a soft green glow, its purpose as mysterious to you as much of this country. Here you sit on the docks and stare down into the black, mirror-like waters of Lake Khor. Staring back at you is the demon's mask. You study its red surface and sharp fangs, the silver eyebrows. You recall the all-encompassing pain, the sensation of fire licking across your face when you were touched by the dark energies of a true demon. You recall the look of disgust on the face of the guard at Fort Bokdah. The mask may make Yallah and others uncomfortable, but it is at least an ugliness you choose to show rather than one you have to explain.

South of Herdos, the landscape goes through a significant change. Hills flatten into grassland and the vegetation becomes thicker by the day until you ride through the beginnings of a lush jungle. The days are hot and the nights full of the sounds of many chittering, chattering creatures.

It is the fourth day after leaving Herdos, and you are sitting in the duraba with the door open to let in what little breeze you can. Yallah is singing a song about a sailor who goes to seek revenge on an evil captain who wed his mother, drove her to drink, and spent the sailor's inheritance. You only half listen, occupied instead by counting your remaining Gold Crowns.

The trek across Northern Magnamund has not been cheap. If you do not find the answers you seek in Dalobu you will have to take up work of some kind. You wonder which side of the war would pay better, the Dessians or the Vassagonians. If you have the Special Item Heavy Purse, then you still have crowns remaining from the Brotherhood's gift. Erase the purse and choose one of the following:

Add 15 Crowns to your total.

Add 10 Crowns to your total, as well as either 2 Meals or a Healer's Kit to your Backpack (restores up to a total of 10 EP at designated points in the adventure).
Yallah's song is cut off by a shout of "whoa!" as he reigns in the horses, bringing the coach to a jerky halt. A moment later you hear him knock on the roof of the cabin.

"Better come take a look at this," Yallah shouts.

You open the door to the cabin and step out into the humid afternoon. In front of the horses, on her knees, there is a young woman wearing a dirty gray jerkin. Her face is caked with mud and fresh blood and her eyes are wide and wild. When she sees you approaching she gets to her feet and stumbles to you, limping badly with an arrow through her right leg. She barely makes it to you, collapsing into your arms.

"Please," she says feverishly. "You have to warn them. They are in Dalobu. Understand? Inside Dalobu. The statue shows the way. Nessa must be told, the Twins have returned. They bring with them the old plague, the worms of the K�nae." The woman is delirious with pain and fear and is not making sense. You notice a curious brand on the woman's forearm, a half-lidded eye inside a spire of flame.

Shall we take the 15 Gold Crowns or the 10 Crowns and the Meals (we have none) or a Healer's Kit (our old one was completely used up and is gone)?

The cover, spine and title page of the book say "Quelling of the Flame" but the second title page (between the rules and section 1) adds a "The" in front. And it seems that "Zakhan" is consistently misspelled throughout.

Tiggum fucked around with this message at 02:53 on Apr 10, 2024

# ? Apr 10, 2024 02:51

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

10 Crowns and the Meals

Healer's kit is more EP than 2 meals but the whole max HP thing seems important in this series, what with being able to spend max HP in that one fight last time and all.

Tiggum posted:

Yallah is singing a song about a sailor who goes to seek revenge on an evil captain who wed his mother, drove her to drink, and spent the sailor's inheritance.

Oh hey Yallah is a fan of The Decemberists I see

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5Sw61oITuts

# ? Apr 10, 2024 05:02

Black Robe: Sep 12, 2017; Generic Magic User

Wafflecopper posted:

10 Crowns and the Meals

Healer's kit is more EP than 2 meals but the whole max HP thing seems important in this series, what with being able to spend max HP in that one fight last time and all.

Seems logical to me.

# ? Apr 10, 2024 08:26

nelson: Apr 12, 2009; College Slice

Wafflecopper posted:

10 Crowns and the Meals

Healer's kit is more EP than 2 meals but the whole max HP thing seems important in this series, what with being able to spend max HP in that one fight last time and all.

# ? Apr 10, 2024 14:22

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

Wafflecopper posted:

10 Crowns and the Meals

Healer's kit is more EP than 2 meals but the whole max HP thing seems important in this series, what with being able to spend max HP in that one fight last time and all.

# ? Apr 10, 2024 19:56

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

Quelling of the Flame posted:

You open your mouth to ask a question but are interrupted by the thwip of an arrow embedding itself in the woman's back, piercing through her heart.

"Bandits!" Yallah cries. "Huntress, get aboard!"

Two more arrows fly through the air, one burying itself in the dirt inches from you. You drop the body and leap back towards the duraba, leaping through the back door as Yallah whips the horses into motion. Hardly have you begun moving when you hear a cry and a loud thump. Looking outside you see Yallah's body fallen in the road, an arrow in his neck. The duraba speeds on, jerking and bouncing wildly. Without Yallah to control them, the horses tear off down the road, running blindly from the ambush.

Should we leap out or stay in the duraba?

Well, I guess Kelidrassi's dead.

# ? Apr 11, 2024 02:11

nelson: Apr 12, 2009; College Slice

Leap out because it sounds more fun.

# ? Apr 11, 2024 03:25

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

We don't have the acrobatics discipline, let's not jump out of the moving vehicle. Stay in the duraba even though that's probably a bad idea too

# ? Apr 11, 2024 04:17

Black Robe: Sep 12, 2017; Generic Magic User

Wafflecopper posted:

We don't have the acrobatics discipline, let's not jump out of the moving vehicle. Stay in the duraba even though that's probably a bad idea too

# ? Apr 11, 2024 09:03

gegi: Aug 3, 2004; Butterfly Girl

If we stay in the duraba for at least a minute maybe we can get these horses under control?

# ? Apr 11, 2024 13:10

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

gegi posted:

If we stay in the duraba for at least a minute maybe we can get these horses under control?

We can try.

Let's stay in the duraba .

# ? Apr 11, 2024 19:20

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

I thought it was kinda cool we ran into our old character, what a lame way to go out.

Let's stay in the duraba

# ? Apr 11, 2024 19:26

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

gegi posted:

If we stay in the duraba for at least a minute maybe we can get these horses under control?

Quelling of the Flame posted:

The panicked horses drag the duraba off the road and into the jungle. The coach bounces and rocks, slamming you against the walls, dropping delicate ceramics onto your head. Lose 3 ENDURANCE points.

Then there comes a loud snap, the sound of the horses snapping the hitch. Through your windows you see them run off into the jungle, soon lost among the green. The duraba keeps rolling towards a steep embankment then tumbles off of it. The top of the coach becomes its floor as the coach somersaults in the air. A second later there is a tremendous splash. The coach has landed in the river. Wood splinters and cold water comes rushing in all around you. You push through the door and into the swift current.

Endurance: 24/27 We roll: 2

Halfway out of the door, something catches and you can pull yourself no further. The river floods your mouth and ears. Panic fills you with strength and with a great wrenching lurch you rip yourself free of the doorway and swim for the nearest shore. You pull yourself onto dry land, ignoring the screeching of a small, white faced monkey whose privacy you have disturbed. After a moment you are able to discover that it was a piece of your equipment stuck on the door and which is now lost to the river.

We roll: 9

As you pushed out the door, your Belt Pouch caught and was pulled open. All of your Gold Crowns were lost.

You are on a little beach hemmed in on all sides by vine-covered cliffs which rise fifty feet before leveling out. Not far ahead of you, the river turns into a high waterfall. The only path forward is to climb the cliffside.

Ignoring your aching muscles, you find a spot where the vines hang thickest and begin to climb. Thankfully the rock face is rough and ragged, easy to grip with your boots, and the vines are thick and strong. You make fast progress, resting when you reach a little ledge about halfway up. ~~Alternatively, if you have a Rope and Pitons, you can use these to climb. There is no need to erase them.~~

Then you hear rustling in the vegetation and see movement above you. A man appears, looking over the edge of the cliff to survey the beach below. Instantly, his appearance is abhorrent to you. He is hairless as a baby, even down to his missing eyebrows, and pale enough that you can see the blue veins standing out under his sunken eyes. He is soon joined by another man so alike in appearance that they must be brothers or twins. Each wears long purple robes, their hands hidden in the sleeves, no doubt gripping a hidden weapon.

One of them cranes their neck forward, looking uncannily like a reptile, and looks down towards you.

Should we hide among the vegetation or drop and hang from the ledge, using it as cover?

# ? Apr 12, 2024 04:27

nelson: Apr 12, 2009; College Slice

Drop

# ? Apr 12, 2024 06:55

Black Robe: Sep 12, 2017; Generic Magic User

That went well :downs:

let's hide, we clearly can't be trusted to do anything physical

# ? Apr 12, 2024 13:40

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

Black Robe posted:

let's hide, we clearly can't be trusted to do anything physical

# ? Apr 12, 2024 19:28

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

Black Robe posted:

let's hide, we clearly can't be trusted to do anything physical

# ? Apr 12, 2024 19:57

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

Guy Fawkes posted:

hide

Quelling of the Flame posted:

Pressing back into the vines, you lower your head and will yourself to be still as possible. For several long minutes you hardly dare to breathe. All of your primal instincts tell you to look up, to see if the danger has left, but you ignore them, not moving a muscle.

We roll: 2 + 2 (Thief's Touch) = 4

You hear several soft hissing sounds, like snakes having a palaver. Then the rustle and crunch of footsteps retreating from the cliff's edge. You wait for several moments more, then cautiously peer upwards.

Your patience has paid off. The Twins are gone.

Moving as fast as you can, you hurry to complete your climb. As you crest the top of the ridge you see the road clearly visible through a break in the trees only eighty yards away. You make for it, keeping an eye out for your ambushers.

The road to Dalobu proves a lonely one. The trees close in around the path until you walk through a tunnel whose floor is sun-dappled in the shapes of leaves and fronds. This land is utterly foreign to you and yet you feel something familiar in the taste of the wind, the smell of the jungle ripened air. Such is the turning of your mind when you see a wooden signpost in the road ahead. It points south, in the direction you are headed, and etched into it is a simple message.

Dalobu: 3 Miles.
~~If you have a Healer's Kit, you can make use of it now.~~

Dalobu rises out of the jungle ahead, sat atop a large hill overlooking the River Doi. The walls are practically hidden behind massive, fruit-heavy trees. Every building is thick with jungle vines and ivy. The road up the hill is more populated by monkeys than it is by people and the little beasts snatch at your cloak as you pass, clearly used to getting fed. You have to smack more than one hairy hand away from your belt pouch.

As you pass through the city's arched gates and take a much needed rest against one of the beautifully carved pillars, you realize the truth. Dalobu is a township set inside the belly of what was once a city. Some disaster must have occurred here, whether war, famine, or fire, that left half of the buildings along every street deserted and the other half slowly being taken over by the jungle. What people remain seem vibrant enough, but their laughter and conversation are ghosts of what must have once been a bustling center of trade and commerce. The entrance to the city, though built wide to accommodate lots of traffic, admits only you at the moment. No one seems to notice your bedraggled appearance, nor the fresh blood stains on your cloak. To them you are just another traveler and no stranger than the exotic city they call their home.

A group of soldiers bound for the port of Lon are arguing nearby about whether to spend the night here or to move on. One shouts out that they should go to "the Bagnio" and that seems to settle the argument, as they all cheer and eagerly head off into the city.