Let's Play Lone Wolf

[Skippy 2466]

Investigate.

[Akeron 55]

Only skippy listened to me lol. Open the door. With any luck, the man has an item to give us if he is a wizard.

[Lupus 14]

( sorry iv been gone for so long. If ye don't mind me joining in again. ))

I say open sesame. And let's have a natter with him.

[James Undercroft 129]

Investigate! Sorry for the long-time-no-see, been busy with stuff. Back now! ^_^

[pi4t 6]

We investigate! (Sorry to those who didn't get a chance to post, but we'd have a majority for this anyway and this way we speed things along).

56

‘Upon my soul, a Kai Lord!’ he exclaims, his eyes now wide with astonishment.

‘How I’ve prayed for freedom, for deliverance from this infernal place. And although hope never deserted me, I never expected such an illustrious rescuer.’

In the middle of his excitement, the old man is suddenly disturbed by a fit of coughing that leaves him pale and exhausted. It is a few minutes before he can speak again. ‘My name is Loi-Kymar. I am an elder of the Magicians’ Guild of Toran,’ he says, slowly removing a small crystal star pendant, the symbol of the guild, from beneath his tattered robes. The guild is known as the Brotherhood of the Crystal Star, and the magician shows his pendant as proof of his identity. You ask him how he came to be imprisoned here in Ikaya, many hundreds of miles from his native Toran.

‘Vonotar, that unspeakable wretch, is responsible for my plight. Days before the Darklord invasion of Sommerlund, he betrayed your Kai masters to win power—the black power of death and darkness. However, he failed to play his part in the war plans his evil masters had laid. The Darklords do not tolerate such weakness—mercy has no place in their brutal minds. In the bitterness of defeat, they sought to destroy Vonotar for his crime of failure. Vonotar knew that I possessed the only means to effect an escape from their vengeance, for my Guildstaff has the power of teleportation. He tried to steal it and flee to the safety of Ikaya by himself, but he learnt that its power is not for all men to share; only I am blessed with its secret. He was angry and would have murdered my kinspeople had I not agreed to bring him here, so I had no choice but to do so.’

‘Ever since, I have been a prisoner in this cell. Vonotar has tortured my body and my mind, but I have not divulged the secret of my Guildstaff, which he now keeps in the Hall of the Brumalmarc. For if I were to tell him, my life would no longer be of any value.’

You tell Loi-Kymar of your mission and of the events that have led to your meeting. He offers to show you a route through Ikaya to the Hall of the Brumalmarc where Vonotar now resides as ruler, and if you can retrieve his Guildstaff, he promises to teleport you to the coast in time to rendezvous with your ship.

For the first time since you fell into the caverns of Kalte, you feel confident that your mission can now succeed.

Turn to 192.

Hopefully this one's genuine.

H+1 14/22

192

If you possess a Glowing Crystal, turn to 267.

If you do not, turn to 44.

I don't actually know, do we have one?

*Checks*

No, we don't.

H+1 15/22

44

‘Follow me,’ says Loi-Kymar. ‘I’ve listened to the sounds of Ikaya for over a year, and the secret sliding doors and the hidden routes here are no mystery to me. I have learnt more about these corridors and passages from the confines of my cell than Vonotar has discovered with all of his cunning.’

You follow the old magician through a network of secret passages and tunnels, up long flights of stairs and into chambers dark and cold. At the top of one very steep staircase, you come to a stone door. A strange, sickly smell is seeping from a small spy-hole. ‘The kitchens,’ whispers Loi-Kymar, showing his distaste for Ikaya cuisine by sticking out his tongue and grimacing.

You can see that this secret door opens next to a fireplace in which burns a roaring fire. Hanging over the fire is a large stone cauldron of gruel. Two Ice Barbarians sit at a table nearby with empty bowls in front of them.

If you possess a Potion of Black Graveweed, turn to 79.

If you possess a Potion of Green Gallowbrush, turn to 157.

If you do not possess either of these potions, you can open the secret door and launch a surprise attack upon the unarmed Ice Barbarians, by turning to 270.

No, we don't have either. This might end badly...

H+1 16/22

270

The Ice Barbarians are taken completely by surprise. You have killed one of them before the other has time to react to your attack. He is unarmed but determined to fight you.

Ice Barbarian: COMBAT SKILL 14 ENDURANCE 25

If you win the combat, turn to 340.

Combat ratio = 26-14 = 12

Our E total = 16/22

Ice Barbarian's E total = 25/25

Round 1

Random Number = 0

We take 0 damage = 16/22

Ice Barbarian is instakilled = DEAD!!!

Our E total = 16/22

HAH!

340

You drag the bodies out of the kitchen and prop them behind the secret door. When you return, Loi-Kymar is busy examining the bottles of herbs that line the kitchen shelves. He pockets several jars and mixes the contents of two others in a small stone bowl. He offers you a handful of the dry leaves and urges you to eat them. ‘They will restore your strength, Lone Wolf.’ You eat the sweet tasting herbs and feel a warm glow radiating throughout your body. Restore 6 ENDURANCE points to your current total.

Turn to 301.

Yum.

We gain 6E = 22/22

Couldn't we have kept some of those leaves for later :P?

301

‘We’re on the same level as the Hall of the Brumalmarc,’ whispers Loi-Kymar, peering through a crack in the kitchen door. ‘It’s at the end of this corridor.’

Two Ice Barbarians stand beside the jewel-encrusted doors that lead to the great hall. They are covered from head to toe in strange bone armour, and armed with crystal swords. The old wizard steps back from the door and says: ‘We must deal with them silently and swiftly.’ He takes three jars from his pockets and mutters a strange incantation as he mixes the contents together in a stone bowl. There is a pitcher of water on the table. He splashes a few drops onto the herbs, and wisps of blue smoke arise. ‘This will silence the guards if we can move it close enough to them.’

If you have the Kai Discipline of Camouflage, turn to 122.

If you have the Kai Discipline of Mind Over Matter, turn to 228.

If you have the Kai Discipline of Hunting, turn to 347.

If you do not possess any of the above Kai Disciplines, turn to 179.

We have both Hunting and Camouflage, so I guess we get the choice about which to use.

[Akeron 55]

Camouflage?

[James Undercroft 129]

Camouflage has never proved particularly useful in previous scenarios, perhaps it would be more helpful here? I guess this is the deciding moment.

All I can think that hunting would help us is some form of projectile to end these guards, or perhaps sneaking up on them like a predator would stalk their prey? That sounds more like camouflage though. I can't think of a use for hunting in this scenario really, thus my choice goes to camouflage. Perhaps it would prove more useful in this situation?

[CowsGoMoo 267]

I'm going with Lucas' decision too~

Just 'cause.

[Lupus 14]

Im going to say camouflage.

[Hiebe 2493]

camo

[pi4t 6]

Camouflage!

122

Loi-Kymar hands you some strips of cloth with which to plug your nostrils. You take a deep breath, pick up the bowl of smoking herbs, and leave the kitchen. Using your Kai Discipline of Camouflage to blend in with the shadows of the corridor, you edge your way nearer and nearer to the unsuspecting guards. You leave the bowl in the shadow of a pilaster and return to the kitchen to wait for it to take effect.

In less than a minute, the Ice Barbarians collapse to the floor and you approach the Hall of the Brumalmarc undetected. You are delighted to discover that one of the great jewelled doors is unlocked. Preparing yourself for attack, you gently push the door ajar and enter Vonotar’s chamber.

Turn to 173.

Woohoo! Camouflage did something!

173

The Hall of the Brumalmarc is a vast chamber constructed of crystal blocks rising to a central plateau. On this stands the Brumalmarc throne, as old as Ikaya itself. There, Vonotar sits, surrounded by the tomes and eldritch trappings of a necromancer. He is rapt in study and does not see you enter the hall. He remains oblivious to your presence until Loi-Kymar sneezes.

‘Who dares disturb me?’ he hisses, rising from the Brumalmarc throne, his eyes searching for an intruder. Upon seeing you, he emits a horrified gasp and fumbles for his black staff. He has the look of a criminal who has been discovered in the act of some dreadful crime. Quickly you raise your weapon and begin to climb the crystal pyramid. You know that you have little time to reach him if you are to overpower and capture him alive.

You reach the edge of the plateau in time to see a wide circle of blocks descending around the throne. Between you and Vonotar, a deep moat is forming. Then from the depths of the moat you hear a ghastly, inhuman gibbering. You brace yourself for combat but are totally unprepared for the horror that now faces you. From out of the dark slithers a huge, ghoulish, green monster. Its deformed head is a mass of tentacles and suckers that ooze a putrid black slime. At the centre of this writhing mass a hideous yellow eye pulsates. Vonotar has control over this monster and he is directing it towards you.

If you possess an Effigy, turn immediately to 34.

If you do not possess an Effigy but do possess the Sommerswerd, turn to 164.

If you have neither of the above, turn to 200.

We have an Effigy. This is either going to be a bypass of a fight, or an instant death...

34

You suddenly realize that you possess an Effigy of this hideous creature. Taking the Effigy from your pocket, you hold it before you. It begins to glow with a strange iridescence that holds the creature mesmerized. Vonotar has lost control of the creature and it is yours to command. The wizard, realizing he has lost, retreats from the moat. Loi-Kymar arrives at your side. He is breathless and is trying to say something to you.

‘Use it, Lone Wolf … send it … against Vonotar!’

You will the monster to capture and hold Vonotar and it instantly obeys your command. The traitor shrieks with terror and faints as the slimy tentacles close around him. You notice Loi-Kymar hurl a handful of powdered herbs into the moat. Within seconds, a mass of vines and creepers coil upwards, forming a bridge across the moat to the Brumalmarc Throne. Once safely across, you will the creature to release Vonotar and return to the moat. Obediently it slithers into the darkness and the crystal blocks slowly rise.

‘Tie him, Lone Wolf,’ shouts Loi-Kymar, as he searches for his Guildstaff. ‘And be sure to strip him of his rings and amulets—he is a master of trickery. We would not want him to miss his special homecoming to Sommerlund.’

You follow Loi-Kymar’s instructions and make sure that Vonotar is securely tied.

‘Ah! Here she is!’ the old magician eventually cries triumphantly, discovering his Guildstaff amongst the tangle of vines at the base of the throne. He is anxious to leave so you thank him for his help and pass him your map of Kalte, pointing out the position of the ship Cardonal.

‘I’ll not be needing that,’ he replies. ‘Maps are invariably wrong; I prefer to rely on my own sense of direction.’

Loi-Kymar raises his Guildstaff and a dazzling beam of light flows from its tip. He makes three wide sweeps of the air and the Hall of the Brumalmarc is transformed into an umbrella of colour.

Turn to 350.

Ok, it was a fight bypasser and looking at the 'turn to' reference of 350, a game winner too!

350

As the colours fade, you become aware of a sudden drop in temperature. You now stand upon the Ljuk ice shelf at a point less than half a mile from where the Cardonal lies at anchor. Loi-Kymar and Vonotar are close by, both shivering in the chill morning air. Within minutes you are sighted by the ship’s lookout and a longboat is dispatched. As a wriggling Vonotar is hoisted unceremoniously aboard the Cardonal and deposited in the brig the captain is the first to congratulate you on your skill and daring.

‘But how did you manage to return so quickly?’ he asks incredulously. ‘We were not expecting you for another ten days.’

‘Let us say,’ interrupts Loi-Kymar, ‘that the wisdom of the Kai and the lore of the Magicians’ Guild can surpass the limitations of even time itself.’

A puzzled expression crosses the captain’s face, but it is gradually replaced by a smile as he begins to understand the magician’s curious answer.

Your journey to Anskaven is swift, but you are saddened by your memories of the brave guides that were left behind. Your arrival in the port is greeted by an anxious crowd. They fear that your early return is a sign of your mission’s failure. When the news of Vonotar’s capture becomes known, your warrior skills are required once again; this time in the defence of your enemy against the seething mob of outraged Sommlending that assault Anskaven gaol. Safe passage is eventually secured to Toran, where trial awaits the traitor.

Upon the dawn of the feast of Maesmarn, in the depths of the Guildhall of the Crystal Star, Vonotar the Traitor is tried by his brotherhood and found guilty of his terrible crimes. He is led away in silence to the deepest chamber of the Guildhall, wherein lies the Daziarn: a portal of total darkness, the door of an eternal prison from which there can be no escape.

You are the avenger of his crimes, and it is you who cast the wretched traitor into the limbo of Daziarn. Your mission is now completed. You have survived the caverns of Kalte and freed Sommerlund from the menace of Vonotar.

But the heat of battle and the challenge of a new and desperate quest awaits you in Book Four of the Lone Wolf series entitled:

The Chasm of Doom

There's also a short footnote:

The portal you throw Vonotar into is known as a Shadow Gate. This particular Shadow Gate leads to the Daziarn, a realm from which no one has ever returned.

And that's the end of Book 3! I'll start a new post for the next book, rather than extending this one.

[pi4t 6]

The Story So Far … 

Ruanon is a remote mining province to the south of your homeland, Sommerlund. Nestling between the sullen peaks of the Durncrag and Maaken mountains, the people of this province have long prospered from their toil in the ore-rich mines, living and enjoying their wealth under the protection of their lord—Baron Vanalund.

The gold and gems that are mined at Ruanon yield an important source of revenue to your homeland. The heavily guarded convoy of wagons that leave the province and journey to the capital has become a regular monthly routine; a routine that had never been broken until one month ago when, suddenly, all contact with Ruanon ceased. A troop of one hundred cavalry from the King’s Guard were immediately dispatched to investigate the whereabouts of the missing convoy. Their commanding officer, Captain D’Val, was ordered to report back to the King as soon as contact was made, but he and his men have not returned: they too have disappeared without trace.

The King has summoned you, Lone Wolf, last of the Kai Lords, to his citadel at Holmgard. Your quest is to find Captain D’Val and his men, discover what has happened to the missing convoy, and to uncover the veil of mystery that now hangs over Ruanon. The King has gathered a company of Border Rangers, a unit of élite scouts, all of whom are skilled in horsemanship and outdoor survival. He has ordered these fifty men to accompany you in the hope that, with your leadership, they may succeed where the larger and more visible force failed.

As you and your men enter the Royal Armoury to equip yourselves for the long ride ahead, you glimpse a black crow perched on a window ledge high above. It flies away, but not before a shiver has run down your spine: in Holmgard, the crow is a bird of ill omen.

So essentially there's a mining town called Ruanon which we've suddenly lost contact with, and the troop of cavalry sent out to investigate lead by Captain D'Val disappeared, so we're going out with a few scouts to figure out what's going on.

Oh, and we saw a crow.

So, let's start the preadventure preparations.

First up, choosing a new discipline!

Kai Disciplines

Tracking

This skill enables a Kai Lord to make the correct choice of a path in the wild, to discover the location of a person or object in a town or city and to read the secrets of footprints or tracks.

Animal Kinship

This skill enables a Kai Lord to communicate with some animals and to be able to guess the intentions of others.

Mind Over Matter

Mastery of this Discipline enables a Kai Lord to move small objects with his powers of concentration.

So we get to choose one, as per usual. Which should we choose?

And then on to equipment.

Equipment

Before leaving Holmgard on your ride south, you are given a Map of the Southlands, a Badge of Rank that you wear upon the sleeve of your tunic, and a pouch of gold. To find out how much gold is in the pouch, pick a number from the Random Number Table. Now add 10 to the number you have picked. The total equals the number of Gold Crowns inside the pouch, and you may now enter this number in the ‘Gold Crowns’ section of your Action Chart. (If you have successfully completed previous Lone Wolf adventures, you may add this sum to the total of any Crowns you may already possess. Remember you can only carry a maximum of fifty Crowns.)

You may take your pick of the following items (in addition to those you already possess, but remember you may only carry two weapons). You may take up to six of the following:

Warhammer (Weapons)

Dagger (Weapons)

2 Potions of Laumspur (Backpack Items). Each of these potions restores 4 ENDURANCE points to your total when swallowed after combat. Each potion contains enough for one dose.

Sword (Weapons)

Spear (Weapons)

5 Special Rations (Meals). Each of these Special Rations counts as one Meal, and each takes up one space in your Backpack.

Mace (Weapons)

Chainmail Waistcoat (Special Items). This adds 4 ENDURANCE points to your total.

Shield (Special Items) This adds 2 points to your COMBAT SKILL when used in combat.

I hope I'm stating the obvious when I say that we can only use one shield at a time. We can use the chainmail and padded leather waistcoats simultaneously, though. Our belt pouch is already full, so we don't need any of the 14GC.

Here's the list of our current equipment:

Weapons:

1)Darklord Sword

2)Bone Sword

Backpack Items:

1)Meal

2)Potent Laumspur Potion (+5E)

3)Meal

4)Rope

5)(Rope)

6)Meal of Larnuma (+3E)

7)Laumspur Potion (+4E)

8)Meal

Special Items:

1)Map

2)Crystal Star Pendant

3)Vordak Gem

4)Effigy

5)Shield (+2CS)

6)Silver Key

7)Blue Stone Triangle.

8)Magic Spear

9)Sommerswerd (+8CS)

10)Padded Leather Waistcoat (+2E)

11)Kalte Firesphere

12)Diamond

Obviously we don't have any extra slots, so for any item we want to take, we have to choose one other item of the same type to drop. Remember that we can only take 6 items, though I doubt we'll want that many.

By the way, here's the new map. I'm assuming that we always replace our old one when a new one's given.

Levels of Kai Training

Novice

Intuite

Doan

Acolyte

Initiate—You begin the Lone Wolf adventures with this level of Kai training

Aspirant

Guardian

Warmarn or Journeyman

Savant

Master

We're now a 'Warmarn or Journeyman', not that it makes much different. Hey, we're the last of the Kai, there'd be no one to object if we called ourselves 'Lord Jellybaby' for that matter!

No, we're not calling our character Lord Jellybaby...

Let's save a little time and do the first choice at the same time.

1

For three days you lead your brave company of rangers across the lush plains of southern Sommerlund on the first stage of your urgent mission. The flat, treeless fields surround you with a seemingly endless expanse of wheat, so high that even though you are in the saddle it reaches well above your knees. Your horses seem to be swimming through a vast yellow sea of corn that is only interrupted by an occasional track, or group of isolated farmhouses.

The southerners welcome your sudden appearance, but you only make the briefest stops for food and rest, neither wishing to risk becoming a burden, nor alarm these good people with your mission.

By noon on the fourth day, you reach the Pass of Moytura. Here the plains give way to the broken foothills of the Durncrag Mountains. You soon reach a highway, the surface cracked and full of pot-holes, heading off towards the south. This is the notorious Ruanon Pike. South of the pass, the Ruanon Pike crosses a hundred miles of open territory known as ‘Raider’s Road’. Bandit tribes from the Wildlands and Giak war-bands from the mountains of the west frequently ambush those who travel along the Pike, and the regular shipment of gold and gems from the mines at Ruanon have sometimes yielded rich pickings to these merciless robbers.

‘Point and flankers,’ you shout, and immediately three groups of rangers peel away from the column and spur their horses to a gallop. You watch with pride as the expert horsemen take up their scouting positions to the front and side of the company.

It is late afternoon when a ranger scout approaches the company from the west. He points towards a craggy outcrop where a thin spiral of wood smoke betrays a hut hidden beneath the overhanging rock.

If you wish to investigate the hut, turn to 160.

If you wish to ignore the hut and continue on your ride along the Ruanon Pike, turn to 273.

So the three questions are which discipline we want, what (if any) equipment we want, and whether we investigate or not.

[James Undercroft 129]

1. Mind over Matter

2. Replace a useless special item with the Chainmail Waistcoat like the Silver Key or Magic Spear?

3. INVESTIGATE! This IS an adventure game after all!

[Lupus 14]

Chainmail for key.

And go look for the hut.

[Hiebe 2493]

Same as the one above and get animal friendship