Talisman of Death - Attempt 3

So far, both of my attempts to beat Talisman of Death have come unstuck in the Temple of Fell-Kyrinla. The first was because I couldn't polish off a guard quickly enough, and the second was because the high priestess Hawkana is tough as balls. Hopefully, with good enough stats, I can get through the temple this time.

The dice were mostly with me as I rolled my character: I got a Skill of 12, a Stamina of 20 and a Luck of 8. The Potion of Fortune was my obvious choice here. I was feeling pretty good about my chances.

I'll gloss over the opening stages, as I've covered them previously and I didn't make any different choices.

• In the Rift, I told the four crusaders that I was from a different planet, and they gave me the Talisman of Death and 10 gold pieces before teleporting me to the surface.
• I went through the forest, helping the wolf and meeting Wodeman, who gifted me with a golden apple.
• I avoided the basilisk entirely.
• Some followers of Fell-Kyrinla picked me up and escorted me to Greyguilds after I told them I was a merchant.
• Upon reaching Greyguilds my stats were still at maximum, but I had used two provisions (leaving me with 8).

And now I'll resume with the adventure.

* * *

After being dropped off in Greyguilds, I decided to walk down Store Street. My attention was drawn to a woman in green robes, who approached and politely asked me who I was. (I say politely, but as far as I'm concerned the politest thing a stranger can do for me is shut up and keep on walking.) I told her I was on a holy quest, and she asked if I had encountered a green-robed man in my travels. I told her about Wodeman, and she revealed that she was Lillantha, a priestess of the All-Mother. I decided to accompany her to her temple, where she was going to pray.

The temple was in a magnificent hanging garden, and after a few moments of prayer Lillantha said that the All-Mother had instructed her to help me on my quest. She gifted me with a fine suit of magical chainmail (which would give me a +1 Skill bonus if I wasn't adhering to the rule about not exceeding initial scores), and told me that the city gates are guarded by followers of the All-Mother in the evenings for three days after market-day. I thanked her, and returned to Store Street.

Further along I found that the street was empty; empty, that is, except for a stylin' black carriage carrying a coffin with my own name on it. An equally stylin' man with a cane stepped out of the carriage, and demanded the Talisman in "a voice of doom". Before I could respond, he transformed into a skeleton wielding a rapier: an Envoy of Death!

I attacked the Envoy (Skill 8, Stamina 4) immediately, dealing him a wicked blow. He fought back, but feebly, and was not able to strike me before I killed him. (This meant I avoided his Skill-draining ability.)

Continuing along Store Street, I came to a library on one side and a Guild of Learning on the other. I decided to investigate the guild (having already been to the library on both of my previous attempts). I found a reading-room, and a did a bit of research on magic, but I didn't learn anything of note except for a lot of different words for "wizard". Just as I was about to leave, I noticed a red book bound with multi-coloured scales. Unable to resist a sinister-looking book, I took a peek inside. The was titled Tome of Misfortune, which turned out to be appropriate: I was the victim of an ancient curse (which reduced my Luck score to 7). They really should print titles like that on the front cover.

I left the Guild of Learning, only to find the streets deserted once again. I moved cautiously, expecting another Envoy. Instead, I stepped in a man-trap (reducing my Stamina to 18) and was accosted by followers of the God of Death. Before they could take the Talisman, followers of Fell-Kyrinla arrived and took it themselves, leaving me to die in the trap.

Luckily a friendly sage named Apothecus rescued me and took me back to his place for a rest and some food (restoring my Stamina to 20). He gave me a Ring of Weaponskill (+1 Skill), and told me that I should find some thieves at the Red Dragon Inn to help me steal the Talisman back from the temple.

I thanked Apothecus and left immediately. On the way I saw two students fighting. I saw that one of them had dropped a brass tiger charm, and I picked it up just in case it might prove vital to my quest. (I decided to play it like this adventure was written by Ian Livingstone for a little bit.)

At the Red Dragon I tried to talk to the barman, but instead of my usual glib, charming patter I found myself calling him a fat pig, with a squalid pus-ridden face that made me want to vomit. Naturally this didn't go down too well, and I ended up in battle with the barman and another cut-throat who came to his aid.

The Barman (Skill 7, Stamina 8) and the Cut-Throat (Skill 8, Stamina 9) would have been more than a match for most, but with my peerless skill I was able to drive them both back and earn their respect. (At this point I had to Test my Luck, leaving me with a Luck of 6. I failed the test, which meant I still had possession of the tiger charm.) I learned that the Thieves' Guild was in a coal-hole on Hornbeam Road.

The barman regaled me with a tale about some psycho named Tyutchev, a worshipper of Chaos, and said that I might be just as good as him. Of course, right at that moment Tyutchev walked in, accompanied by a warrior named Cassandra. She sat down opposite me, and before I could work my magic on her I was telling her to get lost, and calling her a wrinkled hag.

Cassandra (Skill 9, Stamina 10) drew her sword, which was glowing and rimed with frost (it would deal 3 damage on a successful blow). She cut me once (reducing my Stamina to 17), but I was able to wound her enough to force her to retreat. Tyutchev (Skill 10, Stamina 12) stepped in to defend her, and although he wounded me twice (reducing my Stamina to 13) I was able to humble him in a similar fashion. He called to his god Anarchil for aid, and was rewarded with an earthquake that covered his escape with Cassandra. After the quake had stopped I crawled from the wreckage, and threw the tiger charm away. (My Luck was restored to 7 for surviving the inn, which is honestly only difficult if you take the charm in.)

A small boy approached me with a job offer, and I ended up following him back to the home of two scholars who wanted me to fight their pet. Said pet ended up being a Vivisect (Skill 8, Stamina 9) , a nightmarish mix of ogre, crocodile, and cockroach. Even so, I backed my own skill, and was able to defeat it after a long but easy battle. The scholars rewarded me with a Scroll of Agonizing Doom.

I returned for dinner with Apothecus and his friend Diodorus, who told me that there was a portal on Mount Star-Reach to the south-east that might take me back to Earth. I was also told that I might call for aid from the All-Mother if I got in dire straits, although it wouldn't work inside another god's temple. Thankful for this knowledge I went to sleep (restoring my Stamina to 17) and went to find the Thieves Guild.

On the way I passed an illusionist entertaining the crowd, but I ignored him and carried on to Hornbeam Road and into the coal-hole. There I found the guild and met Vagrant, the guild-master. I told him that I wanted his help retrieving the Talisman of Death from the Temple of Fell-Kyrinla, and he was all about it. I was assigned a posse of four thieves with rad named like "Bloodheart" and "Jemmy the Rat", and we were ready to raid the temple. Before we left, I downed my Potion of Fortune (raising my score to 9).

We entered the temple from the roof, dropping down through a window to a staircase. At that point I noticed an old servant passing by, and I silenced him with a blow to the head rather than run him through. One of the thieves stepped in to cut his throat, and I didn't stop him; the mission was too vital to jeopardise. (This callous decision reduced my Luck to 8, but there's a battle and a Luck test if I don't let the bloke get murdered, so I reckon I came out ahead.)

We infiltrated past the guards and all the way to the inner sanctum, but at the sight of the high priestess Hawkana my comrades bolted. Before I could follow, she cast a spell and the doors slammed shut.

Outraged at my presence, Hawkana tried to fry me with a pillar of flame, but I was able to dodge most of it (by rolling under 5 on one die; I still had my Stamina reduced to 14). I retaliated with my Scroll of Agonizing Doom, blasting her with a sphere of lightning, but she survived as well. Drawing her sword, Hawkana (Skill 12, Stamina 6) was upon me. We were evenly matched, trading blow for blow, but she was weak due to a bad case of AGONIZING DOOM, and I was able to kill her (my Stamina was reduced to 10) and reclaim the Talisman (which restored my Luck to 9).

Much to my dismay I saw that Hawkana's wounds were closing, and she was once more rising to her feet. I dashed to the doors, but they were still held fast so long as she lived. We fought again, but she was slower this time (Skill 9, Stamina 6). Even so, some inner fury must have driven her on, because she fought wildly and almost killed me (reducing my Stamina to 4). Even so, I was at last able to defeat her, and strip her of the Ring of Regeneration that was keeping her alive. I placed it on my own finger, and felt instant relief from my wounds (my Stamina was restored to 10).

I decided to search the inner sanctum for treasure, but almost straight away I felt a pain in my finger and saw that the ring was shrinking. It contracted into a solid ball, severing my finger completely (which reduced my Stamina to 8; it should have reduced my Skill to 11, but I've recently started using Skill bonuses from items to offset such penalties, at least that way they serve some purpose).

The thieves were waiting for me outside the inner sanctum, and together we escaped from the temple. Just as we were nearly out a group of guards appeared, and Bloodheart chose that moment to try and kill me. I dodged his dagger thrust, and he was peppered with arrows from the guards. I left him behind and climbed out of the temple window. The other thieves had jumped from the temple roof to another building, and I was agile enough to follow (succeeding at a Skill check).

Fearing more betrayal, I scattered the thieves with my sword, and they were happy enough to run from the killer of Hawkana. I raced away across the rooftops, until I could find a place to rest before leaving the city.

At least, I thought I'd be able to rest. As I was catching my breath, I was confronted by Tyutchev, Cassandra, and the magician I had seen performing tricks earlier, an illusionist named Thaum. The thieves had told them about my success, and now they were here to kill me and take the Talisman. Thaum made a gesture, introducing "Harg" as an ugly troll wielding a hammer stepped from a nearby building.

Reasoning that Thaum was a master of illusions, I stood my ground as the troll attacked, offering no resistance. Seeing this, Thaum dismissed the illusion instantly. He followed up with a ball of flame, which I decided was real, and dived out of the way. I was right, but the fireball still scorched my back (reducing my Stamina to 5).

I charged at Tyutchev, dealing him a blow, but at the same time I noticed Thaum turning invisible, and that wrinkled hag Cassandra about to join in the battle. Outnumbered and low on strength, I decided to call on the All-Mother for aid. I was rewarded with the aid of a Giant Eagle, who swooped down to carry me away. (There's a small error here; Thaum turns invisible, but a little bit later it says that you see him make another gesture.)

I'd hoped the Eagle could fly me all the way to Mount Star-Reach, but the weight of the Talisman's power proved too much, and it dropped me in an alley still inside Greyguilds. Remembering the advice of Lillantha, priestess of the All-Mother, I decided to wait until evening to make my move. (At this point I ate three provisions, leaving me with five and restoring my Stamina to 17.)

I lay low in the alley until evening, but just as I was about to set off I noticed a small hooded figure; it was a Dark Elf, who must have tracked me all the way from the Rift. The little bloke should have stayed there, because I was able to kill him easily. Even so, I figured there must be more around, so I made my way to the city gates. As I had hoped, followers of the All-Mother were on guard, and they let me pass out of the city.

After several miles I got some sleep in a hayrick (restoring my Stamina to 19). In the morning I had to choose one of three paths to Mount Star-Reach: the direct route across the moor-land; an old trade route that headed south then east; or I could head east to some hills and then south. I figured the direct route would be the most dangerous, and I'd be more likely to be found on the road, so I opted to head east toward the hills.

It started to rain as I crossed the heath, and so I didn't notice the Griffin (Skill 8, Stamina 14) that swooped out of the sky and took a piece out of me (reducing my Stamina to 17). I fought back, and was able to subdue the beast without killing it. It was thankful that I had spared its life, and offered to fly me anywhere. I hopped up on its back and told it to head for Mount Star-Reach.

I thought I was on the road to an easy victory, but just as hope dawned it was crushed by... a Pteranodon? Yes, without warning, dinosaurs were happening. I was knocked to the ground, but luckily a jungle fern broke my fall. The Pteranodon (Skill 7, Stamina 15) pressed its attack, but despite its size and ferocity it only managed to wound me once before I could kill it (leaving me with 15 Stamina).

I struggled through the hot jungle, swarmed by insects. A tree-trunk near me snapped, and out of the trees crashed a huge Triceratops (Skill 8, Stamina 30).

I was able to hold it off without injury, until luckily (due to a Luck Test that reduced my score to 8) a Tyrannosaurus chose that moment to make the Triceratops its lunch. While the two behemoths fought, I made my escape.

After an arduous journey, I made my way out of the jungle and into the foothills of Mount Star-Reach. I started climbing, and soon came to a wide cave which smelled faintly of sulphur. Intrigued, I decided to enter. (The book didn't give me a choice here. I probably would have gone in anyway, but it does seem like a pretty stupid thing to do in the circumstances.)

The smell of sulphur grew stronger, and I soon came to a narrow tunnel branching off from the main passage. Figuring that if anything lived in the cave it might be too big for the smaller tunnel, I chose to go that way. It wound around for some time, until it opened into a huge cavern. Right in front of me was the ridged back of an enormous dragon, and beneath the dragon was a huge pile of treasure. Resisting the urge to steal some treasure or take some scales (or to stab the dragon in the back) I fled the cavern as quickly as possible. I ain't messing with no dragon.

I pressed on despite the thinning atmosphere, and finally reached the top of Mount Star-Reach. There before me was my goal, a shimmering rectangle of silver hanging suspended in the air. It almost seemed too easy, and it was; before I could enter the portal the dragon flew down and blocked my path. It was the guardian of the portal, and refused to let me pass. There was nothing for it but to do battle, but I was hopelessly outmatched. Before I could do anything the dragon breathed, and I was blasted to ashes. I don't mess with dragons, but there ain't much to be done when one decides to mess with you. My adventure was over.

THE POST-GAME

Well, not necessarily. This is one of those points where the book gives you the option of trying again. Given my stats, I think I'll probably take that option, but I'm undecided. If I do, I'll be back in a few days to let you all know how I did. The book restores you to a point just after Greyguilds, and it's very tempting to skip past all of that stuff.

As for this game, there really was little I could have done. That final dragon encounter was an instant death, no options, no combat, no nothing. I guess I had to do something else in its lair, or perhaps take another path away from Greyguilds. I'll try both of those on my next attempt, and see how it goes.