Stackman's Adventures (Chapter ten)

[bsftcs]

Buffet at the Salad Bar

Being the tenth chapter of Stackman’s adventures

In which three runaway parts from a vegetarian meal rock the party and in which the assassin looks back on his time as a young apprentice in the art of backstabbing.

The party left Ishad N’ha by the trail leading to Shurugeon Castle. After a few kilometres’ walk they came across a small hovel. Inside lived the young woman Erzebette. The barbarian had a long talk with her about the dragon Erathsmedor, the Stouts, and Kol the Heretic who had apparently come this way. He also promised to deliver a letter for her to the gnome who lived inside the Dragon Spire. This was the first of three small quests given by NPCs in the Wilderness of Ishad N’ha

The party trudged further on along the winding path leading from Ishad N’ha always keeping to the right side of the path. In the late afternoon they came to a place where the paths diverged. The left path would lead them to Shurugeon Castle. The right trail would eventually lead them into a common known as the Shire. The party kept to the right. That night they camped for the first time in their new adventures in the Wilderness of Ishad N’ha. It was a cloudless sky, and the myriads of stars seemed to smile down upon them. The sounds of the forest mingled with the pleasant sound of the bard’s lyre, and at such a moment it was difficult to believe that the hordes of darkness were closing in on them. Knowing that the local monsters, although being a bit more tough than the ones that inhabited the Wilderness of Valeia, in no way constituted a threat to them, and that the fire from Erathmedor’s throat could not so much as curl a hair on their heads, the party fell asleep.

The next morning, just after dawn, the party came upon a burnt-out house. Near it was a group of ratlings. Its leadder, one Scanthril, stepped forward brandishing his dagger. The party talked for a while with him, and eventually undertook the ”find Grundel” and ”kill Raskalion” quests. These were the second and the third of three quests given by NPCs in the Wilderness of Ishad N’ha. Especially the third quest was crucial, since it was the prerequisite of one of the three special roles in the game. (See for example Sazerac’s role ascension table on Page two of the Best tips]

The party did not need a new assassin, and the one they already had was not interested in starting over his carreer, although this would mean being able to level up faster. However, the assassin was keen on getting the powerful weapon called the Assassin’s dagger, which was a weapon only the assassin could wield like the Lance of the Lady could only be wielded by a valkyrie. He had had to part with the last Assassin’s Dagger he had come upon in order to become an assassin. Knowing that the dagger Scanthril held in his hand was a mere cursed skull dagger, although it looked eeriely similar to the Assassin’s Dagger, the assassin stayed his hand. Scanthril was not in possession of the dagger in the sense that it could be purchased or pickpocketed from him. They would have to complete the quests given.

The party walked on still keeping to the right, and soon they came to a clearing, where the waters of a tranquil lake lapped upon the banks in a dull manner. Following the banks to the left of the lake, the party came upon another clearing. From here the path wound towards the Northwest. The party marhed on, and by nightfall they came to the foot of the Dragon Spire. A lone figure stood here, with his kabuto-clad head leaned backwards, looking up into the night sky.

He was Torin the Samurai. The party members gave him a dragon arrow, and he gave them a Wakizashi +1. After having given a few dragon arrows, however, he refused to accept anymore. This was a problem that occurred, when an NPC’s inventory was full. To alleviate that problem, one would either have to pickpocket or purchase one or more items from him in order to make space in his inventory. They bought back a few arrows, and gave him the rest. Torin also told of his father, and of the wise tree Oakenmir who was said to live beyond the Enchanted Sea.

The warlock then cast the call of home spell, and soon the party was back at Ishad N’ha. They rested at the inn for the night and in the morning they went to the Bushi Dojo, and exploited the multiple promotion trick. (As explained by, among many others, Wyvern on Page six of the Best Tips). They now all had level seven standings in all guilds, and that was good, since the warlock and the zenmaster were now eligible for their first level up of the adventures, being so high-level a party. (The party members would need 250,000 experience points pr. level, and being six they would have to share the experienced earned as explained by legendary Radek in his first reply to Kar_mod 1). They undertook the “find news of Grunaxe” quest, and they were on their way again.

By noon they had come to the place where the roads diverged. This time they kept to the left. They were soon attacked by a small group of ratling rogues, who were quickly disposed of. They left behind a horse who really showed what Gael Serran palfreys are made of… It was completely unharmed by the firestorm that had engulfed the ratlings surrounding it.

About one kilometre further down the path the party scaled a small hill, from where they could see the moat surrounding Shurugeon Castle. They turned around and saluted, knowing they had come to one of the climaxes in the game – a peak perhaps not surpassed by any other occurrence in the game. Cet, Anephas, Kerah, Erathsmedor… Who were they in comparison with what was to come next. Sure, one had heard of them, but examine the posts of the fabled celestial Forum of the Ironworks, and one would find out that NONE had been debated so much as these cuddly creatures about to emerge.

Knowing from his salad days what was to come, Stackman turned down the volume on his loudspeakers, anticipating one of the few REALLY annoying sound effects of the Gael Serran: The ringing noise of the poisonous gasses spewed from the AMAZONI MANTRAPS. That dreaded sound which meant almost instantaneous death for low level parties.

Sure enough; a few seconds later the silhouettes of three Amazoni Mantraps emerged from the woods. Soon they were clearly visible, and shortly thereafter the party was engulfed in obnoxious green fumes. The party waited patiently while the gasses glanced off from the party’s enchanted jewelry. In a hail of fire the green salad-like creatures were turned into heaps of carbon that slowly dissipated. (To all you children and low level parties out there: Do not try this at home with the Amazoni Mantraps in your garden).

(The strategies on how to fight mantraps (Keep away from the city, run into the moat, use ranged spells, etc.) are explained by, Wyvern on Page one, and by Arkain and Kar_mod 1 on Page six of the Best Tips, and the great Forum discussion on the subject started by Dude 77).

NPCs encountered:

Erzebette reacts to following words:

Stout, Stour Mine, Brinbath, Stout King, Stout Mines, Freyedies, Cet, Mavin, Anephas, Kerah, Ruins, Destiny, Erzebette, Dragon, Mine, Writ, Visions, Evil Lord, Mavin Sword, Storm, Monk, Shurugeon Castle, Kol, Erathsmedor, Watching, Fire, Hovel, Hephaestus, Dragon Spire, Cave, Shurugeon Ruins, Castle.

With the word ”Hephaestus” being the word that triggers the important action (The ”deliver letter” quest).

Scanthril reacts to following words:

Hidden Circle, Serpent Temple, Brother, Stout Mine, Stout Mines, Freyedies, Ruins, Serpent’s Lair, High Priestess, Dragon, Writ, Shurugeon Castle, Erathsmedor, Dragon Spire, Shurugeon Ruins, Brothers, Scanthril, Circle, Hand, Snake Priestess, Stouts, Dread, Castle, Raskalion, Black Hand, Grundel, Job, Payment, Dread Of The Wood, Great Dragon.

The words ”Dread”, ”Dread Of The Wood”, and ”Job” will trigger Scanthril’s giving the ”Grundel” quest. After that saying the word ”Job” a second time will trigger Scanthril’s giving the ”kill Raskalion” quest.

Torin reacts to following words:

Anephas, Ruins, Fate, Dragon, Shurugeon Castle, Erathsmedor, Dragon Spire, Shurugeon Ruins, Bow, Torin, Oakenmir, Father, Gael Serran, Enchanted Tree, Legacy, Grunaxe, Enchanted Sea, Dragon Arrow, Castle, Black Hand, Tree

[Radek]

The Assassin's Dagger: Not only an assassin but, most likely, ANY thief class can equip the dagger. I've never tried a pure thief or a bard but I've tried a ninja and a barbarian. Both ninja and barbarian can equip the dagger.
On the other hand, no non-thief class can equip the dagger.

Scanthril: Ha! I've never tried to ask "Job" twice. If I understand well, then I can get BOTH the "find what happened to Grundel" AND the "kill Raskallion" quests at once. Good, it will save a journey from Grundel to Scanthril and back [img]smile.gif[/img]

[bsftcs]

Yes, one CAN get both quests right away. [img]smile.gif[/img]

[Wyvern]

"To all you children and low level parties out there: Do not try this at home with the Amazoni Mantraps in your garden"

hehehehe I'm happy to say I don't have even one A.M. salad in my garden!

Great tip about getting both Scanthril quests at the same time!! (wish I had done that!)

Wyv

[whiteknight]

back and still learning m8....keep up the good work and I'll be around reading your cool stories


whiteknight