Let's Play Lone Wolf

[CowsGoMoo 267]

Man, we're Lone Wolf.

Scary blue fireballs? PFFFT. More like bouncy blue... b-blue... blue... uhm,... BLUE BOUNCE BALLS. Y-YEAH! T-TAKE THAT, Haakon! I just called y-your fireballs... uhm, bouncy blue... blue bounce balls!

I... I should really stop, before I embarrass myself... ._.

Let's go for the sword. I'm definitely not going to hide with my rear sticking in the air. We need that sword, man. It's like crack... except, well, you can't sniff it. Well, I guess we could, but we'd probably die or lose a nostril or two, which is no biggy for LONE FRIGGEN WOLF.

[pi4t 6]

We run for the sword!

 

278

You run, half-crouched, towards your golden blade, grab the hilt, and
continue at full speed towards the cover of another pillar. Suddenly, a
burst of energy leaps from the Darklord’s fist, exploding into the base
of the pillar, severing it from the floor. A tremendous roar fills your
ears as you are thrown backwards by the shock of the blast. You lose 3 ENDURANCE points. Haakon’s laugh rises above the crash of falling stone until your head is filled with an agonizing pain.

If you have the Kai Discipline of Mindshield, turn to 223.

If you do not have this skill, turn to 379.

 

We lose 3E = 23/26

 

Of course we have Mindshield! We're Lone Wolf, there's not a discipline we don't have!

 

...

 

Other than Tracking. We should probably fix that.

 

H+1 24/26

 

223

Suddenly, the pain subsides—but the onslaught has only just begun. A
mist as black as the grave is seeping from Haakon’s mouth. It creeps
along his outstretched arm and settles like a cloud in the palm of his
upturned hand. Whirling shadow-shapes draw into focus; wings and
tentacles sprout and take form. A curse in the dark tongue shakes the
whole chamber as a deadly flood of horror hurtles from his hand.

 

 

               

Crypt Spawn: COMBAT SKILL 24   ENDURANCE 40

If you win the combat, turn to 353.

 

Kill the evil Crypt Spawn of doom!

 

Combat Ratio = 26-24 = 2

Our E total = 24/26

Crypt Spawn's E total = 40/40

 

Round 1

Random number = 9

We take no damage = 24/26

Crypt Spawn take 12 damage = 28/40

 

Round 2

Random number = 6

We take 2 damage = 22/26

Crypt Spawn take 9 damage = 19/40

 

Round 3

Random number = 1

We take 5 damage = 17/26

Crypt Spawn take 4 damage = 15/40

 

Round 4

Random number = 0

We take no damage = 17/26

Crypt Spawn take 14 damage = 1/40

 

Round 5

Random number = 0

We take no damage = 17/26

Crypt Spawn take 14 damage = DEAD!!

 

Our E total = 17/26

 

We killed your minions, Haakon! How about we fight you, now?

 

353

As you slay the last of the Crypt Spawn, Haakon reels back as if
weakened by the death of his creatures. You raise the Sommerswerd,
willing the blade to discharge a bolt of power that will burn the evil
Darklord from the face of Magnamund forever. The blade shimmers with
golden fire, but no searing blast issues from its tip. Suddenly, you
realize what has happened; you are beneath the earth, and there is no
sun from which the sword can draw its power.

               

Haakon utters a terrible laugh that shakes the floor. A beam of blue
flame is growing from the stone in his hand, forming a fiery blade that
crackles and spits as it cuts through the dust-choked air. The stench of
death and decay fills your nostrils as the Darklord prepares to attack.

Darklord Haakon: COMBAT SKILL 28   ENDURANCE 45

Unless you have the Kai Discipline of Mindshield, reduce your COMBAT SKILL by 2 for the duration of this combat.

If you win the combat, turn to 400.

 

*Reads stats* I didn't mean it!

 

And there was me thinking we might make up for the 2 deaths in the last book by not dying here.

 

Actually, I'm going to make the administrative decision that it would be a good idea to drink one or two of our potions before we turn to this section.

 

We drink the Potent Laumspur Potion, and the Bottle of Koursash. E = 26/26

 

Combat Ratio = 26-28 = -2

Our E total = 26/26

Darklord Haakon's E total = 45/45

 

Round 1

Random Number = 0

We take no damage = 26/26

Darklord Haakon takes 11 damage = 34/45

 

3 0s in a row!

 

Round 2

Random Number = 8

We take 1 damage = 25/26

Darklord Haakon takes 9 damage = 25/45

 

Round 3

Random Number = 6

We take 2 damage = 23/26

Darklord Haakon takes 7 damage = 18/45

 

Round 4

Random Number = 1

We take 5 damage = 18/26

Darklord Haakon takes 2 damage = 16/45

 

Round 5

Random Number = 4

We take 4 damage = 14/26

Darklord Haakon takes 5 damage = 11/45

 

Round 6

Random Number = 5

We take 3 damage = 11/26

Darklord Haakon takes 6 damage = 5/45

 

Round 7

Random Number = 3

We take 4 damage = 7/26

Darklord Haakon takes 4 damage = 1/45

 

Round 8

Random Number = 0

We take no damage = 7/26

Darklord Haakon takes 11 damage = DEAD!!

 

Our E total = 7/26

 

We've killed our first Darklord in single combat!

 

 400

You examine the floor where Darklord Haakon fell, but there are no
signs of his body. The atmosphere is strangely calm and peaceful, as if a
great and evil shadow has been lifted. (If you lost the Sommerswerd in
the confrontation with the Darklord, you may now retrieve it.)

You turn and walk to the throne where Haakon sat, waiting for you to
appear. Beyond it lies a portal, an ancient inscription carved deep into
the blood-red stone. Below the carving is set the impression of a human
hand. Instinct and intuition guide your hand to the door; the carving
fits around it like a glove.

               

Silently the portal slides back to reveal your destiny—the Book of the Magnakai.
Set on a pedestal, the book lies open, its secrets revealed to your
eyes alone. As you lift the sacred book, the very air throbs with the
vibration of the force locked within its sun-gold cover. With a pounding
heart you close the book and hurry from the chamber.

By the time you reach the foothills of the Koneshi, Banedon has
successfully completed his mission; he and Tipasa are waiting for you.
As they see you appear, clutching the Book of the Magnakai, they can barely contain their excitement.

‘This night of triumph,’ says Banedon, jubilantly, ‘will herald a new dawn of hope for Sommerlund. The Kai are reborn.’

The quest is now over. You have found the Book of the Magnakai and freed Magnamund from the shadow of Darklord Haakon. But for you, Kai Master Lone Wolf, the story has only just begun.

Your destiny lies along the path of the Grand Masters. To learn their
secrets and attempt the first exciting quest of the Magnakai, begin
your journey with Book 6 of the Lone Wolf series entitled:

The Kingdoms of Terror

 

We win! We've now completed the entire Kai series!

 

On a more practical note, there seem to have been less and less people participating lately, and posts less and less often. If that's going to continue, it might be best to end the series here, as we're not going to get a better stopping place for another 7 books. Opinions on this?

 

Er...H+1 8/26

[CowsGoMoo 267]

omo

-Looks around the thread, and wraps his arms around himself shivering.-

It has been awfully cold in here. There's no other subconsciousness(es?) to argue with now. Damn. It's been a fun run. With Lone Wolf being such a badarse and everything.

It's up to you, man. If you want to continue it, I'll be happy to try my best and stick around. If... no one else decides to join... well, I'm not sure what will happen.

I guess if anyone wants to join in on the fun, he/she can post right now! Since we're starting a new book, you don't /really/ need to catch up, so don't let all these pages scare you!

[Richi 0]

It's all up to you, I've enjoyed reading the entire series(started reading at around Book 2 or 3) and I regret not joining earlier. It's up to you if you want to continue or stop on this adventure!

[pi4t 6]

Oh, let's carry on. We will not stop while there are still players! We shall continue to fight! We will not be cowed by those duck people!

 

...

 

Ahem. Sorry, I've been playing King of Dragon Pass lately, and clearly things got a bit confused...

 

(Yes, I did die to a tribe of ducks in that game)

 

(Seriously.)

 

On with the game.

 

 The Story So Far … 

You are Kai Master Lone Wolf—last of the Kai Lords of Sommerlund and
the sole survivor of a massacre that destroyed your warrior kinsmen
during a bitter war with your age-old enemies, the Darklords of
Helgedad.

Three years have passed since your triumph over the Darklord Haakon
at the Tomb of the Majhan, and for the northern realm of Sommerlund,
these have been three years of peace and prosperity. Since Haakon’s
defeat, the power of the Darklords has waned. Rumours abound that a
civil war rages in Helgedad, as the lesser Darklords fight for power and
dominion over the city. However, it is a widely held belief in
Sommerlund that your discovery of the lost Sommlending treasure, The Book of the Magnakai, is the real reason for their power struggle.

The Book of the Magnakai is legendary in Sommerlund.
With the wisdom of the Magnakai, Sun Eagle, the first Kai Grand Master,
instilled the disciplines into the warriors of Sommerlund that were to
protect your land from devastation at the hands of the Darklords. The Book of the Magnakai
was lost hundreds of years ago, but its wisdom was kept alive, handed
down through generations of Kai so that they too could share the
strength to resist their eternal enemies.

When you discovered The Book of the Magnakai, you gave a
solemn pledge to restore the Kai to their former glory and so ensure
the security of your land in the years to come. You returned to your
homeland and, in the seclusion of your monastery in the hills, set about
the study of the Magnakai Disciplines. It was an exacting task—a trial
of physical strength and mental fortitude. The seasons came and went,
but you were unaware of the passage of time, lost in your quest for the
knowledge and the skills of your warrior kin. Three years of determined
study pass, revealing the secrets of three of the Magnakai Disciplines.
However, the others cannot be learnt by study alone, and in order to
fulfil your pledge to restore the Kai, you must complete the quest first
made by Sun Eagle over a thousand years ago. When he had finally
completed his quest, he recorded all his experiences in The Book of the Magnakai, but the script has faded with the passing years and now few words remain to guide you.

‘Seek and find the Lorestone of Varetta, for this alone holds the
power and the wisdom … ’ are the few words you can still decipher of the
Grand Master’s chronicle.

Although the verse is brief you are not without hope, for you
recognize the name Varetta. It is one of the oldest cities of Magnamund,
lying in the Stornlands beyond the Maakengorge, far to the south of
Sommerlund. You realize that you must set out upon the quest without
delay, for the war in Helgedad will not last indefinitely, and the
Darklords swore long ago to conquer your country and destroy your
people. As soon as their civil strife is resolved, the victorious lords
of evil will turn on Sommerlund and summon the creatures of the Dark
Realm to thwart your quest. You must therefore act quickly and with
secrecy, for your life and the future of Sommerlund depend on your
success.

And so, guided by the words of your ancient mentor and with the
shadow of the Darklords ever present, you set out on the quest for the
Lorestone of Varetta, unaware of the wonders and the horrors that await
you in the Stornlands.

 

Ok, so we have to find a Lorestone. And the Darklords are currently busy fighting each other, so we have a chance to do so.

 

Now, the most important page:

 

Magnakai Disciplines

During your training as a Kai Lord, and in the course of the adventures that led to the discovery of The Book of the Magnakai, you have mastered all ten of the basic warrior skills known as the Kai Disciplines.

After studying The Book of the Magnakai, you have also reached the rank of Kai Master Superior, which means that you have learnt three
of the Magnakai Disciplines listed below. It is up to you to choose
which three skills these are. As all of the Magnakai Disciplines may be
of use to you at some point on your adventure, pick your three with
care. The correct use of a Magnakai Discipline at the right time can
save your life.

The Magnakai skills are divided into groups, each of which is
governed by a separate school of training. These groups are called
‘Lore-circles’. By mastering all of the Magnakai Disciplines in a
particular Lore-circle, you can gain an increase in your COMBAT SKILL and ENDURANCE points score. (See the section ‘Lore-circles of the Magnakai’ for details of these bonuses.)

When you have chosen your three Magnakai Disciplines, enter them in the Magnakai Disciplines section of your Action Chart.

Weaponmastery

This Magnakai Discipline enables a Kai Master to become proficient in the use of all types of weapon. When you enter combat with a weapon you
have mastered, you add 3 points to your COMBAT SKILL. If you have the Magnakai Discipline of Weaponmastery with Bow, you may add 3 to any number that you choose from the Random Number Table, when using the Bow. The rank of Kai Master Superior, with which you begin the Magnakai series, means you are skilled in three of the weapons in the list below.

               

The fact that you are skilled with three weapons does not mean that
you begin the adventure carrying any of them. However, you will have
opportunities to acquire weapons during your adventure. For every Lone Wolf book that you complete in the Magnakai series, you may add an additional weapon to your Weaponmastery Checklist.

If you choose this skill, write ‘Weaponmastery: +3 COMBAT SKILL points’ on your Action Chart, and tick your chosen weapons on the Weapons List. You cannot carry more than two Weapons.

Animal Control

This Magnakai Discipline enables a Kai Master to communicate with
most animals and to determine their purpose and intentions. It also
enables a Kai Master to fight from the saddle with great advantage.

If you choose this skill, write ‘Animal Control’ on your Action Chart.

Curing

The possessor of this skill can restore 1 lost ENDURANCE
point to his total for every numbered section of the book through which
he passes, provided he is not involved in combat. (This can only be
done after his ENDURANCE has fallen below
its original level.) This Magnakai Discipline also enables a Kai Master
to cure disease, blindness, and any combat wounds sustained by others,
as well as himself. Using the knowledge that mastery of this skill
provides will also allow a Kai Master to identify the properties of any
herbs, roots, and potions that may be encountered during the adventure.

If you choose this skill, write ‘Curing: +1 ENDURANCE point for each section without combat’ on your Action Chart.

Invisibility

This Magnakai skill allows a Kai Master to blend in with his
surroundings, even in the most exposed terrain. It will enable him to
mask his body heat and scent, and to adopt the dialect and mannerisms of
any town or city that he visits.

If you choose this skill, write ‘Invisibility’ on your Action Chart.

Huntmastery

This skill ensures that a Kai Master will never starve in the wild;
he will always be able to hunt for food, even in areas of wasteland and
desert. It also enables a Kai Master to move with great speed and
dexterity and will allow him to ignore any extra loss of COMBAT SKILL points due to a surprise attack or ambush.

If you choose this skill, write ‘Huntmastery’ on your Action Chart.

Pathsmanship

In addition to the basic skill of being able to recognize the correct
path in unknown territory, the Magnakai skill of Pathsmanship will
enable a Kai Master to read foreign languages, decipher symbols, read
footprints and tracks (even if they have been disturbed), and detect the
presence of most traps. It also grants him the gift of always knowing
intuitively the position of north.

If you choose this skill, write ‘Pathsmanship’ on your Action Chart.

Psi-surge

This psychic skill enables a Kai Master to attack an enemy using the
force of his mind. It can be used as well as normal combat weapons and
adds 4 extra points to your COMBAT SKILL.

It is a powerful Discipline, but it is also a costly one. For every
round of combat in which you use Psi-surge, you must deduct 2 ENDURANCE points. A weaker form of Psi-surge called Mindblast can be used against an enemy without losing any ENDURANCE points, but it will add only 2 extra points to your COMBAT SKILL. (Psi-surge and Mindblast cannot be used simultaneously.) Psi-surge cannot be used if your ENDURANCE
falls to 6 points or below, and not all of the creatures encountered on
your adventure will be affected by it; you will be told if a creature
is immune.

If you choose this skill, write ‘Psi-surge: +4 COMBAT SKILL points but −2 ENDURANCE points per round’ and ‘Mindblast: +2 COMBAT SKILL points’ on your Action Chart.

Psi-screen

Many of the hostile creatures that inhabit Magnamund have the ability
to attack you using their Mindforce. The Magnakai Discipline of
Psi-screen prevents you from losing any ENDURANCE points when subjected to this form of attack and greatly increases your defence against supernatural illusions and hypnosis.

If you choose this skill, write ‘Psi-screen: no points lost when attacked by Mindforce’ on your Action Chart.

Nexus

Mastery of this Magnakai skill will enable you to withstand extremes of heat and cold without losing ENDURANCE points and to move items by your powers of concentration alone.

If you choose this skill, write ‘Nexus’ on your Action Chart.

Divination

This skill may warn a Kai Master of imminent or unseen danger or
enable him to detect an invisible or hidden enemy. It may also reveal
the true purpose or intent of a stranger or strange object encountered
in your adventure. Divination may enable you to communicate
telepathically with another person and to sense if a creature possesses
psychic abilities.

If you choose this skill, write ‘Divination’ on your Action Chart.

If you successfully complete the mission as set in Book 6 of the Lone Wolf series, you may add a further Magnakai Discipline of your choice to your Action Chart in Book 7.
This additional skill, together with your other Magnakai skills and any
Special Items that you have found and been able to keep during your
adventures may then be used in the next adventure in the Lone Wolf Magnakai series, which is called Castle Death.

 

So, we have ten disciplines to choose from again, and can choose 3 of them. Which 3?

 

(It's probably best if you list them in order of priority, so I'll assign 3 votes for your first choice, 2 for the second and 1 for the third).

 

Oh, incidentally, we can still use our Kai disciplines as we've played through those books, so for instance we don't need Curing to continue getting the +1E per section, or Psi-surge to use Mindblast.

 

 Equipment

Before leaving Sommerlund on your quest for the Lorestone of Varetta, you equip yourself with a map of the Stornlands and a pouch of gold. To find out how much gold is in the pouch, pick a number from the Random Number Table.
Add 10 to the number you have picked. The total equals the number of Gold Crowns inside the pouch, and you should now enter this number in the ‘Gold Crowns’ section of your Action Chart. If you have successfully completed books 1–5 of the Lone Wolf adventures in the earlier series, you may add this sum to the total of
any Crowns you already possess. You can only carry a maximum of fifty Crowns, but any over this number can be left in safekeeping at your Kai Monastery.

You can take five items from the list below, again adding to these,
if necessary, any you may already possess. However, remember you can
only carry two Weapons and eight Backpack Items, maximum.

• Sword (Weapons)
  
                 
• Potion of Laumspur (Backpack Items) This potion restores 4 ENDURANCE points to your total when swallowed after combat. There is enough for only one dose.
•                
• Warhammer (Weapons)
  
  
                 
• Bow (Weapons)
  
  
                 
• Quiver (Special Items) This contains six Arrows. Tick them off as they are used.
  
  
                 
• 4 Special Rations (Meals) Each of these counts as one Meal, and each takes up one space in your Backpack.
  
  
                 
• Quarterstaff (Weapons)
  
                 
• Padded Leather Waistcoat (Special Item) This adds 2 ENDURANCE points to your total.
  
                 
• Rope (Backpack Items)
  
  
                 
• Dagger (Weapons)
  
  
         

   

   

       
• Tinderbox (Backpack Items)
  
  
                 
• Axe (Weapons)
  
  
                 

 

Sorry about the bullet point under the Potion of Laumspur, I can't get it to go away without reformatting the whole quote, which is...a lot of effort for one with this many images.

 

We get 19GC, storing 14 of them at the Kai Monastery.

 

Anyway, what five (or less) items do we choose?

 

For reference:

Weapons:
1)Darklord Sword
2)Spear

Belt Pouch: 50GC
Safekeeping: 14GC

Backpack Items:
1)
2)
3)
4)Rope
5)Potion of Laumspur (+4E)
6)Meal of Larnuma (+3E)
7)Laumspur Potion (+4E)
8)Meal


Special Items:
1)Map
2)Crystal Star Pendant
3)Vordak Gem
4)Scroll
5)Shield (+2CS)
6)Chainmail Waistcoat (+4E)
7)Gaoler's Keys
8)Magic Spear
9)Sommerswerd (+8CS)

10)Padded Leather Waistcoat (+2E)
11)Kalte Firesphere
12)Dagger of Vashna

 

Obviously, if we choose a weapon or special item, we need to say what to drop.

 

Oh, yes, and we can now use bows (though we need arrows, so would need to take the quiver as well).

 

Oh, and the map:

 

 

Levels of Magnakai Training

The following table is a guide to the ranks and titles that are
achieved by Kai Masters at each stage of their training. As you
successfully complete each adventure in the Lone Wolf Magnakai
series, you will gain an additional Magnakai Discipline and progress
towards the ultimate distinction of a Kai Warrior—Kai Grand Mastership.

1. Kai Master
2. Kai Master Senior
3. Kai Master Superior—You begin the Lone Wolf Magnakai adventures with this level of training.
4. Primate
5. Tutelary
6. Principalin
7. Mentora
8. Scion-kai
9. Archmaster
10. Kai Grand Master

 

Lore-circles of the Magnakai

In the years before their massacre, the Kai Masters of Sommerlund
devoted themselves to the study of the Magnakai. These skills were
divided into four schools of training called ‘Lore-circles’. By
mastering all of the Magnakai Disciplines of a Lore-circle, the Kai
Masters developed their fighting prowess (COMBAT SKILL), and their physical and mental stamina (ENDURANCE) to a level far higher than any mortal warrior could otherwise attain.

Listed below are the four Lore-circles of the Magnakai and the skills that must be mastered in order to complete them.

Circle of Fire Weaponmastery & Huntmastery Circle of Light Animal Control & Curing Circle of Solaris Invisibility, Huntmastery & Pathsmanship Circle of the Spirit Psi-surge, Psi-screen, Nexus & Divination

By completing a Lore-circle, you may add to your COMBAT SKILL and ENDURANCE the extra bonus points that are shown below.

Lore-circle Bonuses

Circle of Fire +1 CS +2 EP Circle of Light 0 CS +3 EP Circle of Solaris +1 CS +3 EP Circle of the Spirit +3 CS +3 EP

All bonus points that you acquire by completing a Lore-circle are additions to your basic COMBAT SKILL and ENDURANCE scores.

 

Ah, now this is relevant. Pay attention to this when choosing our disciplines.

 

Improved Disciplines

As you rise through the higher levels of Magnakai training you will
find that each of your skills will steadily improve. For example, if you
possess the Discipline of Divination when you reach the Kai rank of
Scion-kai, you will be able to ‘Spirit Walk’ and leave your body in a
state of suspended animation as you explore your immediate surroundings
unhindered by physical limitations.

The nature of these additional improvements and how they affect your
Magnakai Disciplines will be noted in the Improved Disciplines section
of future Lone Wolf books.

 

Ah, yes, we gain more abilities with the disciplines we have as we go through the series.

[CowsGoMoo 267]

1. Invisibility

2. Pathmanship

and...

3. Psyduck-- er, I mean... Psi-Screen.

I WOULD pick Divination, but that would make things to easy, and LONE FRIGGEN WOLF does NOT take the easy way out!

And I don't think we really NEED any of those equipment. Lone Wolf can take care of HIMSELF, thank-you-very-much.

[Richi 0]

This too easy.

1. Pathmanship, no need to waste time asking people for directions! We got business to attend to!

2. Psi-Screen, our minds are too strong to be defeated by a mere mind blast.

3. Animal Control, I want to talk to all the animals! And so we can know when some pesky mule is talking behind our backs...

 

For equipment, we could take a bow and arrows, but we're not Katniss! We're Lone Wolf!

[pi4t 6]

Votes:

Invisibility: 3

Pathmanship: 5

Psi-Screen: 3

Animal Control: 1

 

I'm surprised you went for Pathmanship: you neglected Tracking throughout the last series!

 

We pick no equipment!

 

1

The courtyard of the Kai Monastery is strangely silent the morning
you begin the quest. A blanket of frost sparkles on the battlements and
the air is crisp and clear as you guide your horse down the steep hill
track that disappears into the Fryelund Forest. It is only a little
later when you look back to see the tall grey towers of your stronghold
silhouetted against the sky. You bid a silent farewell before entering
the densely packed trees. You do not look back again.

The long ride south is not without incident. On Raider’s Road, the
highway between the capital and the province of Ruanon, you are
confronted by a ragged outlaw band. They demand gold but instead receive
a harsh lesson in the powers of a Kai Master. You fight them and they
flee in confusion, leaving three of their number dead on the highway.
After this encounter, you are given a wide berth by all the other
unsavoury characters of this bleak and desolate region.

In Ruanon, you are greeted with a hero’s welcome by the lord of the
land, Baron Vanalund. He and his people will never forget the debt they
owe you, for it was your courage that once saved them from destruction
at the hands of an evil renegade warlord. You are made so welcome by the
Ruanese that your quest is in danger of being forgotten in the endless
round of banquets and celebrations held in your honour. However, you
cannot neglect your duty, and the time soon comes for you to leave the
mining town and venture south once more.

Long ago, the highway from Ruanon to Quarlen was torn in two by a
terrible earthquake that scarred the land for hundreds of miles. This
deep crevasse became known as the Maakengorge—the Chasm of Doom—for its
fathomless depths are cursed with a dreadful legacy. It was here, during
the Age of the Black Moon, that King Ulnar killed the mightiest of the
Darklords—Lord Vashna, whose body, along with the bodies of all his
followers, was cast down into its bottomless reach. The legends say that
his death-cry will echo through the gorge until he rises again to wreak
his vengeance on Sommerlund and the House of Ulnar.

You are eager to avoid the Chasm of Doom and the long detour to the
free city-state of Casiorn is a far better prospect than a visit to the
ghost-city of Maaken. Gradually, the fertile plain of southern Ruanon
gives way to the sparse vegetation on the borders of the Dry Main.
There, like a jewel rising out of the desert, lies the city-state of
Casiorn. Your stay in the City of Merchants is a brief but profitable
one; a piece of luck helped by your Kai skills gives a profitable win at
the gambling house of the Silver Sage. With the gold you win you
replenish your supplies and purchase a fresh mount for your ride to
Quarlen.

               

A week later, you arrive safely at the outskirts of Quarlen and, in
the evening twilight, find yourself gazing upon the fortified wall that
surrounds this river town. To reach Varetta you must cross the river—and
only here, at Quarlen, is there a bridge that spans the fast-flowing
waters of the Quarl. The highway divides as it approaches the town wall,
for there are two gates that provide access to its east side.

If you have the Magnakai Discipline of Pathsmanship, turn to 308.

If you wish to approach the north gate, turn to 137.

If you wish to approach the south gate, turn to 225.

 

We do. This is a good sign.

 

308

Your Magnakai skill tells you the meaning of a symbol carved into the
stone above the south gatehouse: it is a winged spur, the emblem of the
army of Lyris. This gate must be the entrance to a guardhouse, for the
highway that leads to the north gate shows signs of more frequent use
where its deeply rutted surface has borne the brunt of merchant traffic
to and from Casiorn. The tracks that mark the road here are only those
of iron-shod horses. As the border guards of Lyris have a poor
reputation for hospitality, it would be wise to avoid them if possible.

If you wish to approach the north gate, turn to 137.

If you decide to approach the south gate, turn to 225.

 

Which gate?

[Richi 0]

Through the north gate. We have no time to waste!

[CowsGoMoo 267]

I picked Pathmamship because I am too fabulous to be predictable!

And I'll say North Gate cause Richi says so, and Richi has 'rich' in it, and rich means money, and I enjoy money quite a bit.

[James Undercroft 129]

It's a bit too early to stir up some trouble in this nice lil' city state, let's take the merchant's path of the North Gate and leave the silly Lyris to their own machinations.

 

:D I don't want lone wolf to end! I've been away because school and random stuff, and I'm not too sure how active I'll be either, but I'll definitely try to drop by every now and again to give my opinion on the situation! :D

[pi4t 6]

To the North Gate!

 

137

A peasant wagon and a merchant caravan bearing the toa-tree emblem of
Casiorn are waiting in front of the town gate. You bring your horse to a
halt and wait in line as the great door of rust-red iron slowly creaks
open. A guard appears and gestures to the wagon and caravan to enter,
but he lowers his spear menacingly as you prepare to follow. ‘The town
levy is 3 Gold Crowns, stranger. Pay or turn away.’

If you wish to pay the levy, give the guard 3 Gold Crowns and turn to 332.

If you do not wish to pay the tax and wish to try to ride past the guard, turn to 115.

 

Pay 3 gold for the privilege of riding through a gate?

[CowsGoMoo 267]

. . .

He has a pointy spears. I-I'm scared of pointy spears.

BUT LONE FRIGGEN WOLF ISN'T!

Screw that guard! Lone Wolf already has all the privileges! Does he not know WHO WE ARE?! He should be on his knees, asking for a signature for his children!

Ride through him and don't listen to his complaints! I can use those three crowns to buy some icecream, and NOT for some stupid entrance fee to some stupid town.

[James Undercroft 129]

Hahahahaha, I'm pretty sure that its some pointless trouble we are going to get into, but screw what I said before. I am curious as to how this will turn out. Let's ignore the fee, I didn't see that merchant paying anything >.<

[Richi 0]

Ignore that guard, ice cream! Though he does  reminds me of that one guard at Riften...