For my second attempt, I rolled a Skill of 9, a Stamina of 22, and a Luck of 9. I chose the Potion of Fortune, and it was time to once more set off on my quest to protect the titular talisman.
(As a side note, I won't be using the resurrection option that this book provides unless I roll up a spectacularly buff character. I'd like to keep these posts to a manageable level, and it also would be a waste of time to take multiple chances with hopeless stats.)
I'll run through the opening stages quickly: after the gods transported me into the Rift, I stood my ground to await the adventurers who were approaching. I was much more trusting of them than I had been in my last attempt, and they entrusted the Talisman of Death to me without the need for magical coercion. Finally they gifted me with a bag of 10 gold pieces, and teleported me to the surface just before a horde of dark elves overwhelmed them.
On the surface I chose to take cover in a nearby forest rather than chance the plains. I was confronted by a wolf, but giving her some provisions (and lowering my supply to 9) granted me the favour of Wodeman, a powerful druid. He gave me a blessing, as well as a golden apple, and sent me on my way.
In a wooded valley I came across a basilisk lazing in the sun. I tried to sneak past it, but stepped on a twig (the result of a failed Luck test which reduced my score to 9). The basilisk turned its gaze on me, and I flung myself into the undergrowth just in time to avoid being turned to stone by its gaze. Even so, I was partially petrified, and my muscles were damaged (reducing my Skill to 8).
Further along the trail there was a pond, with an old woman up to her neck in the water. She claimed to be drowning, and unable to escape due to being entangled in the weeds. Despite this dubious story, I decided to help her anyway. As soon as I took her hand, tendrils shot out of the water, and a bloated body rose out of the water. I knew it!
Grendel (Skill 8, Stamina 9) was a tough battle: she wounded me five times before I could kill her (reducing my Stamina to 12). She was also a pointless battle; with no treasure to be claimed, there was nothing to do but continue my journey.
Once out of the forest and onto the plains, I was confronted by a group of mounted warrior-women who demanded to know my business. I told them I was a merchant from Serakub, and they offered to escort me to the city of Greyguilds. (Also, the woman I got to ride with was Elvira, which is pretty exciting. You know what I'm talking about. Unless you're too young to know about Elvira. But you're probably not if you're reading this blog.)
Once in Greyguilds, I opted to go down Smith Street (I had chosen Store Street in my previous attempt). I passed by an armourer's shop and went in, but all they had for sale were swords. I bought one for 7 gold pieces, even though I didn't really need it. Further along the street was deserted, except for a cowled figure who approached me. Inside the cowl there was no face, and as it drew nearer the figure demanded the Talisman.
I attacked immediately, and was engaged in battle with a Minion of Death (Skill 7, Stamina 5). I was able to defeat it, but not before it wounded me with its chilling touch (leaving me with a Stamina of 10, and draining my Skill to 7). The Minion's cloak fell to the ground, empty, and I ran on until I reached Silver Street.
I was startled by voices, which were being carried to me from a nearby house by a drain pipe. The men I was overhearing were planning to rob a jeweller, so ran to the jeweller's shop to warn him. When I arrived the jeweller, a small man with a monocle, was locking his safe. At that point the thieves arrived, and I leaped to the jeweller's aid.
One of the thieves attacked the jeweller, and the others went for me. The two thieves (Skill 6, Stamina 7 & Skill 5, Stamina 6) were easy pickings, though I was wounded (reducing my Stamina to 8) before I could kill one of them. The jeweller had also killed his opponent, and the last fled in terror. As a reward, he gave me 10 gold pieces and a magnificent ruby (which restored my Luck to 9).
Silver Street turned into Booker's Walk. One one side of the street were some blue-robed students, and on the other was a library. I entered the library, and asked for a book on the history of Greyguilds. I learned much of the city, but little that seemed relevant to my quest. Soon the other library patrons started filing out as night fell, and I followed them out into the street.
I started searching for an inn, but instead I found a man-trap that closed on my leg when I stepped on it (reducing my Stamina to 6). Priests of Death surrounded me, and took the Talisman. Before they could leave, followers of the goddess Fell-Kyrinla arrived and drove them away, claiming the Talisman for themselves. I was left to rot in a man-trap, "cursing bitterly". (A lot of Fs and Cs, I can assure you. It's the Australian way.)
Just as my swearing intensified, a man helped me out of the trap and offered me a place to stay for the night. I accepted, and got a good night's sleep at the home of Apothecus (restoring my Stamina to 10; I also ate two provisions, which brought my Stamina back to 18). In the morning I told him everything, and he advised me that I should seek the help of the Thieves' Guild to get the Talisman back from the Temple of Fell-Kyrinla. He also gave a magic ring of weaponskill (which restored my Skill to 8), and a jade rose which I could use to guarantee my identity if I returned to his house.
Following Apothecus' advice, I went to the Red Dragon Inn, ignoring two quarreling students along the way. At the inn I met half-a-dozen ne'er-do-wells, and told them that I needed help with some "unfinished business". They told me to meet them in the coal-hole on Hornbeam Road.
Before I could leave the inn, two dangerous-looking warriors named Tyutchev and Cassandra entered, and sat opposite me. I introduced myself and, throwing all caution aside, told them everything about my quest. Tyutchev said he had no time for such things, but he was obviously interested, and was talking to the thieves as I left the inn. Maybe spilling my guts had been a bad idea?
I decided to go back to have dinner with Apothecus. On the way a boy approached and asked if I wanted to make some money by helping a scholar. I decided to accept, and was taken to a greenhouse where two scholars in blue robes greeted me. I was told I could earn 20 gold pieces for a few minutes work, so I went with them into the greenhouse, where nothing bad could possibly go wrong. Warning bell one sounded when they told me they were into vivisection. Warning bell two was the huge pit ringed with downward-facing spikes. Warning bell three?
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The scholars told me they wanted me to fight this thing, and that they'd put it to sleep with a spell if anything went wrong. "This should be interesting," I replied, with the kind of emotional flatness reserved for mass murderers and sociopaths, and I jumped into the pit.
I fought the Vivisect (Skill 8, Stamina 12) while the scholars took notes. The creature hammered me (reducing my Stamina to 8), but I was eventually able to kill it. The scholars were upset that their creature was dead, and it turned out that they didn't even have the money to pay me. Seeing my anger, and perhaps remembering the killer's edge in my voice earlier, they rewarded me instead with a Scroll of Agonizing Doooooom, which sounded way cooler than any amount of gold pieces. (To be honest, I should have known something was up as soon as I learned that one of the scholar's was named "Moreau". Even the character in the book should know, he's from Earth!)
I returned to Apothecus, returning the jade rose to prove myself, and had a good old chat with him and another Sage who told me about a portal I could use to get back to my own world. After a refreshing rest (restoring my Stamina to 12), I bid Apothecus farewell and went to meet the thieves.
Along the way I saw a magician performing magic tricks, and stayed to watch. Tyutchev, the man from the Red Dragon appeared, and both he and the magician disappeared in a puff of smoke. While I pondered this scene, a man approached and invited me to drink some sherry with Mortphilio, an elder of the city. The guy's name is Mortphilio? Sign me up!
I followed the man to an old gothic building, where I met Mortphilio, a decrepit invalid. As I entered, a skull on the mantelpiece said that I was "the one". Mortphilio ordered it to attack me, and it hurtled towards me on shadowy wings.
The Winged Skull (Skill 7, Stamina 6) gave a better fight than I had expected, wounding me three times (reducing my Stamina to 6). While I was fighting Mortphilio had taken the time to summon some skeletal reinforcements, so I made a quick retreat to safety. Oh, did I say safety? Because I really meant to say that I ran right into the Temple of Death in the middle of a congregation.
The high priest intoned his ritual, and six mounted wraiths emerged from a lake of boiling blood. Charged with retrieving the Talisman, the wraiths spurred their black hell-steeds down the aisle. (How did this not get an illustration?) While this was going on, I noticed one of the congregation walk to the back of the church, put on a helmet, and vanish. Vanishing seemed like a good idea, so (disguised in a hastily donned black robe) I grabbed one of those helmets and jammed it on my head. It was magical, as not only did it teleport me out into the street, it also conferred quickness of thought (raising my Skill to 9).
I made my way to Hornbeam Road, and into the coal-hole. There I met Vagrant, and told him about the Talisman. He was eager to help, and assigned a bunch of his thieves to help me rob the Temple of Fell-Kyrinla. Before the mission began, I drank my Potion of Fortune (raising my Luck score to 10), and ate three provisions (restoring my Stamina to 18).
As we were entering the temple, I noticed a servant passing a doorway, and decided to knock him out. One of the thieves, "Lord Min", decided that slitting the old man's throat would be a good idea, but I stopped him. Unfortunately, this sent his dagger clattering down the stairs, sounding the alarm. The thieves scattered, and I pressed on alone.
I could hear footsteps coming up the stairs, so I hid behind an arras as the guards passed by (testing my Luck successfully to remain hidden, and reducing that score to 9). At the bottom of the stairs a guard was on duty before some double doors. I attacked the guard (Skill 7, Stamina 8), and was able to silence her before her comrades could return. (I had to do this within 5 rounds, and I used a Luck point to ensure my success.)
I opened the doors, and entered the Inner Sanctum of the temple. There I met Hawkana, the high priest of Fell-Kyrinla, who was enraged at my presence. She summoned a pillar of flame to strike me down, but I was able to avoid most of it (reducing my Stamina to 15). I retaliated with my Scroll of Agonizing Doom, and Hawkana was engulfed in a ball of crackling electricity. Unfortunately, she survived, and was none too happy.
Hawkana was wounded badly (Skill 12, Stamina 6), but the battle went badly for me. She struck me six times in a row, and the only blow I landed in return was a minor one (I tried to use my Luck to do more damage, but failed). After that she finished me off, and my quest to destroy the Talisman was over.
THE POST-GAME
With her Stamina fairly low, I thought I had a chance to kill Hawkana, but she just kept on rolling high numbers. If my memory serves, this is the point where I usually fail this book. I'm not sure how to get past it, aside from rolling a higher Skill score. Perhaps if I get through the temple without setting off the alarms? Or maybe if I find a Unicorn Horn Amulet, or some Vapours of Speed (the other items that were given as options alongside my scroll.) Next time, I suppose.
There are two fights in Talisman of Death that can be a problem even for experienced players of the book, and Hawkana is one of them. There are items (such as the scroll you used) that can make it less of a challenge, but there's always a chance of failing here (or in the later big fight) if you get poor stats or unlucky rolls.
ReplyDeleteBetween those fights there is one unavoidable encounter that can repeatedly kill your character until you find the correct way to handle it, but once you know the appropriate course of action, it's always possible to get through with just the loss of a few Stamina.
I take it that later big fight is with the dragon. Is other encounter the one with Tyutchev and crew? I've never had much of a problem with that one.
DeleteI did mean the encounter with Tyutchev and friends. It's easy enough once you know what to do, but could be something of an obstacle to a newcomer to the book, who has yet to discover that divine intervention is the only way out, or to identify the one deity on the list of five who's actually prepared to help.
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