Blood Sword: The Walls of Spyte | And the Story Ends

[Shatari]

I wonder if there was a "correct" offering. Also, can we take that vial with us? We're obviously not done yet, so we might still need it.

I suppose we should hit the monster until it dies. I'm not seeing any real tactical info presented on the map, but I imagine that the people at 1 and 4 are more likely to be knocked off if it attacks the boat. I'll take 4, since I don't contribute too much to a fight.

 

[Lumos]

I wonder if there was a "correct" offering.

Nothing, a magic item, or 20+ gold.

Also, can we take that vial with us? We're obviously not done yet, so we might still need it.

Of course. Seems that I forgot to put the prompt in there... Did you take the elixir?


Oh, and one more thing. I don't want to be too much of an *******, so instead of nuking the enchanter down in two turns and likely guaranteeing victory because of it, the kraken will instead roll a 1d4 to determine whom to hit (unless it hits the boat on the mandatory 1d6 roll before that). Also, Shatari, would you like to use any special arrows in this fight?

 

[Xardob]

Take elixir

I'll be at 3 and nuke him.

 

[Moose!]

Position 4, try to blast him in the face with my lava staff and then fill him up with arrows.

 

[Shatari]

I don't see a real need to use magic arrows in this fight, because the Blood Sword and the Enchanter can whittle down 100 HP in two turns lickity split. If it decides not to come close enough to hit with the sword though, I'll use them.

 

[Lumos]

Wait, is the kraken somewhere on the battle map? Am I blind? (I almost couldn't see some flying enemies earlier in the book, but were they those tower-things or the fiery serpents, I'm not too sure.) The way I see it, the kraken's not in melee range, so you're going to have to rely on ranged attacks alone.

Take elixir

Done.

 

[Xardob]

My thinking was that if it can attack us with its tentacles, we can always attack the tentacles back, but it makes no difference to me.

 

[Shatari]

My thinking was that if it can attack us with its tentacles, we can always attack the tentacles back

That was my thought too, otherwise it couldn't attack anything more than the boat. Well, if it's going to stay out of melee range then I'll use the magic arrows. We probably can't recover them, but I doubt the final boss fight(s) will be decided by a few extra points of damage.

 

[Lumos]

Sorry about the delay folks, I was a little preoccupied with watching movies all day long important work over the last couple of days.

On the melee thing: I disagree. The tentacles can whip at you from multiple directions, it's hard to see, as it's a dark tunnel, and since we can't "hold actions", you can't strike immediately after being hit. The way I see it, the tentacle hits you and is gone, and is not in melee range on your turn. However, I do recognise what you guys are saying as an argument, and will consider it in case the kraken wipes the floor with you (which I personally think somewhat unlikely, even with no melee and double health for it).

Initiative order is Trickster -> Sage -> Kraken -> Warrior/Enchanter. Battle order is Warrior -> Warrior -> Enchanter -> Trickster/Sage, with the Trickster and Mentok (having both chosen position 4) awkwardly close to each other on one end of the boat, trying not to step on each other's toes, and about half of the boat left for Sir Richard. (For the purposes of the kraken's attacks though, Mentok is number 2).

Spoiler: Fight replay

    *** TURN 1 ***
    Trickster attacks Kraken using his magic bow and magic arrows. (ROLLED 8 < 7 + 1 + 1) Hit! Dealt 7 - 4 = 3 damage; Kraken 97/100
    Mentok attacks Kraken using Volcano Spray. (ROLLED 6 - 0 < 10) Hit! Dealt 3 - 4 = 0 damage; Kraken 97/100
    One of the kraken's tentacles lashes out of the dark and towards Mentok. (Boat: ROLLED 6, target: ROLLED 2)
    Kraken attacks Mentok. (ROLLED 5 < Hit! (Invuln fail, 3 < 6) Dealt 24 - 5 = 19 damage; Mentok 27/46
    Enchanter attacks Kraken using Nemesis Bolt. (ROLLED 4 + 5 < 12 - 1) Hit! Dealt 27 - 4 = 23 damage; Kraken 74/100
    Sir Richard attacks Kraken using his crossbow. (ROLLED 11 > 9) Miss!
    Sir Richard attacks Kraken using his crossbow. (ROLLED 9 = 9) Hit! Dealt 4 + 1 - 4 = 1 damage; Kraken 73/100
    Trickster attacks Kraken using his magic bow and magic arrows. (ROLLED 6 < 7 + 1 + 1) Hit! Dealt 5 - 4 = 1 damage; Kraken 72/100

    *** TURN 2 ***
    Last magic arrow...
    Trickster attacks Kraken using his magic bow and magic arrows. (ROLLED 10 > 7 + 1 + 1) Miss!
    Mentok attacks Kraken using his bow. (ROLLED 12 > 9) Miss!
    One of the kraken's tentacles lashes out of the dark and towards Mentok. Again. (Boat: ROLLED 6, target: ROLLED 2)
    Kraken attacks Mentok. (ROLLED 7 < Hit! (Invuln fail, 1 < 6) Dealt 28 - 5 = 23 damage; Mentok 4/46
    Sir Richard attacks Kraken using his crossbow. (ROLLED 10 > 9) Miss!
    Sir Richard attacks Kraken using his crossbow. (ROLLED 6 < 9) Hit! Dealt 3 + 1 - 4 = 0 damage; Kraken 72/100
    Enchanter attacks Kraken using Nemesis Bolt. (ROLLED 2 + 5 < 12 - 1) Hit! Dealt 26 - 4 = 22 damage; Kraken 50/100

    *** TURN 3 ***
    Attacking it seems to not be worth the ammo, to be honest.
    The Trickster enters a defensive stance.
    Mentok considers entering a defensive stance, but the old proverb says that lightning can't strike the same point THRICE, right?
    Mentok attacks Kraken using his bow. (ROLLED 6 < 9) Hit! Dealt 5 - 4 = 1 damage; Kraken 49/100
    The kraken turns its attention to the Trickster this time around. (Boat: ROLLED 5, target: ROLLED 4)
    Kraken attacks Trickster. (ROLLED 7 + 1 + 6 > Miss!
    Come to think of it, how do you hit or miss one single person on the boat but don't smash the boat itself?...
    Sir Richard puts the crossbow away. The creature's hide is too thick, and it's not worth wasting bolts on.
    Sir Richard enters a defensive stance.
    Enchanter attacks Kraken using Nemesis Bolt. (ROLLED 5 + 5 < 12 - 1) Hit! Dealt 32 - 4 = 28 damage; Kraken 21/100
    "Do I have to do everything around here," shouts the annoyed Enchanter. Everyone shrugs dodgingly.

    *** TURN 4 ***
    Everyone except the Enchanter dodges.
    The kraken attempts to smash the boat to pieces. (Boat: ROLLED 1. Uh-oh...)
    Kraken attacks the boat. (ROLLED 7 <= Hit!
    This is pretty funny, I have to admit...

There's no time for healing or arrow recovery. The Trickster spent two magic arrows, Sir Richard spent four bolts, and Mentok used two arrows.

The Kraken thrashes at the barge with a huge tentacle. Its front end is stoved in like matchwood, and the aft is flung upwards into the air, spilling you into the cold, dark waters. Another driving blowand the barge is naught but driftwood and sunken copper. You are left floundering in the waves, struggling for breath and to regain your wits. You are at the mercy of the Kraken. Each player must roll four Dice and try to score equal to or less than the sum of their Fighting Prowess and Psychic Ability.

    Sir Richard ROLLED 3 + 5 + 4 + 2 (14) < 9 + 6 (15)! Success!
    The Trickster ROLLED 2 + 3 + 2 + 5 (12) < 8 + 7 (15)! Success!
    Mentok ROLLED 4 + 3 + 6 + 2 (15) < 9 + 9 (1! Success!
    The Enchanter ROLLED 6 + 6 + 5 + 4 (21) > 4 + 12 (16)! Failure!
   
(ENCHANTER) As you plunge from the wreck of the barge to flounder helplessly, the Kraken plucks you out of the water like a toy. Your last memories are of its beaked mouth, which gapes before you like a chasm, and of the rush of fetid vapour that is its breath. It dismembers you with a single bite. Your adventure ends here.

REWINDING...
Rewinds used: 11​

    The Enchanter ROLLED 6 + 5 + 4 + 1 (16) = 4 + 12 (16)! Success!
   
Desperately, you swim for the tunnel mouth, hoping against hope that the Kraken will not notice you. You dive deep to evade its sight. Suddenly, a strong current seizes you and sweeps you to the tunnel. A stroke of good fortune indeed!

You reach the tunnel safely. Ahead you notice that the river is ringed by a strange light. The current forces you on towards it. Inexorably you draw closer, until you resign yourselves to plunging into the refulgent golden glow ahead. As you do so, you feel a gut-wrenching sense of dislocation - you are being teleported again. You find yourself in a round chamber with windows on to a fell night sky. You recognise the portentous conjunctions of the stars and the shattered city beyond the windows. It seems you have been transported further up the tower of Spyte. A spiral staircase leads upwards.

Mentok heals himself back up to full.

You make your way up through several rooms and passages until finally you enter a large domed chamber. A spiral staircase winds up from the mosaic floor into the centre of the dome. As you ascend, you notice that the dome is painted with astrological symbols. Did the architects of Spyte foresee this fateful day when the dome was built, even though that was many centuries in the past? It would seem so.

The stairs go up to a polygonal room with faces in high relief glowering from the walls. There are several exits from here. Selecting one at random, you pass along a curving passage and enter a gallery that runs around the outside of the tower.
    Claustral windows overlook the city. You go over and take a breath of cold night air. Looking down at the ruins, you find them stark and unreal amid a jumble of five-fold shadows. You have the sudden impression that the Five Stars are now lower in thesky. They are descending to earth! Have you lost track of the time? Midnight is barely fifteen minutes off - you must hurry to find the chamber prepared for their reincarnation. You know that for just a few seconds, when they first return to human form, the Magi will be disorientated and vulnerable to attack. If you are not on hand to take advantage of that moment, all will be lost.
    'All is lost anyway,' says a husky voice from behind you.
   
You whirl, cursing the momentary lapse of concentration that allowed this newcomer to take you unawares. Backed up against the weathered parapet, you could hardly imagine a worse place to make a stand. Facing you are two figures: a sinisterly smiling woman whose body is covered with intricate tattoos, and a tall robed swordsman of the Ta'ashim race.

Spoiler

It was the woman who spoke. How did she know -
    '- what you were thinking?' She gives a deep laugh. 'I am Zara the Mantis, Reader of Minds.'
    You have heard of her: an Emphidian enchantress of awesome repute. Some say her tattoos contain bound demons which she can call forth to slay her foes. She nods.
    'You will never know that for certain, though. I have a much better plan in mind for dealing with you: the Incantation of Fulminant Death. In seconds you will be but a pile of smouldering ashes, a form in which you'll pose no further threat to my masters' reembodiment.'
    She raises her hands. Flickering grey-white occult energy gives her gloating face an unholy cast. There is no way you can reach her before she unleashes the spell. Behind her, the man is drawing his sword - but from what you know of Fulminant Death there will be nothing left of you for him to fight...
   
You close your eyes in prayer. At least, dying now you can hope to enjoy eternal afterlife as the reward for your efforts.
    The blast of searing pain you were expecting never comes. Instead there is a soft swishing sound and then the crack of something hitting the marble floor.
    You open your eyes. It takes you a split second to take in what has happened. Zara's headless body sways and then topples forward. The Ta'ashim warrior wipes his sword on a square of silk and sheathes it. Zara's head is lying on the floor by his feet.
   
>>>>>
    ATTACK him immediately, or ASK him why he killed Zara?
   
   

Gents, I think we're back in action with Dave Morris in the driver's seat: episodes have started to consist of multiple paragraphs again.

 

[Shatari]

Gents, I think we're back in action with Dave Morris in the driver's seat: episodes have started to consist of multiple paragraphs again.

Good; I think 90% of the stuff we've done so far has been filler.

He sheathed his sword, so let's ask him what he's up to. Maybe he isn't a villain, and we're a little short of time so fighting extra fights might not be wise.

 

[Lumos]

'First, I must introduce myself. I have the honour to be Karunaz Ustad Husain, youngest son ofthe Grand Master of the Marijah Assassins. My father...'
    '... is Hasan-i Sabbah.' You nod. 'He was there when the Blade of Life was recovered.'
    'So he has told me,' answers Karunaz. 'On that occasion he meted out Allah's justice to the evil Prince Susurrien. Subsequently you took the Blade of Life, and my father acquired the Blade of Death - this very weapon that I now wield.' He holds up his sword for you to see. It is indeed the Blood Sword's dark twin.
    'When we last met, he hinted we might meet again.'
    Karunaz shakes his head sadly. 'It is not to be. My father had been planning our cult's opposition to the Magi for many years - even before you began your quest. However, two years ago he was grievously wounded in battle against Jomo Mahadur, leader of the Pansigar Assassins. As this wound proved incurable it has slowly taken its toll on my father's health. He is many centuries old, as you may know, and his age is much more apparent now. He could not undertake this quest himself. Thus he charged me with the task of infiltrating the secretive disciples of the True Magi, and since I have mastered the techniques of takhmin qaba - 'the concealment of thoughts' - I was able to fool even the haughty seeress Zara, who made it her duty to interrogate all among the disciples.'
    You detect a note of bitterness in Karunaz's voice. Obviously, as a Ta'ashim he would resent having to keep up the pretence of subservience to a woman. Ta'ashim society is very much male-dominated.
    'Thank you for slaying her,' you say, remembering that his swift action probably saved your life. It reminds you of the way, swift and silent as a snake, his father killed Prince Susurrien that night more than two years ago.
    He bows. 'My pleasure, I assure you. But this is no time for us to be exchanging courtesies - only minutes remain before the fateful conjunction of the Five Stars. You and I have travelled here to oppose the return of the Magi, who exist in my faith as devils just as they do in yours. Tonight is the eve of the End of All Things, as we know from our sacred books. It is time for Ta'ashim and Gatanadean, easterner and westerner, to stand together against those who would bring about damnation for all mankind.'
    You join your voice with his. 'Aye, Karunaz. For too long the madness of the Holy War has led our two peoples to live in conflict when instead they should embrace each other as brethren. History's last few grains of sands are now running to the bottom of the glass. If we are to die, let it be against a foe whose evil is absolute and whose destruction is richly deserved.'
    Together you raise your swords in a death-vow: 'God grant us the strength we need to slay the last of the Magi!'
   
Add Karunaz to the battle order. You will need to make a note of his characteristics, which are:

Spoiler

These values include the effect of the Sword of Death (which, like the Blood Sword, gives +3 to Fighting Prowess and +2 Dice to damage). Also like the Blood Sword, it slays any undead creature it hits if the creature fails to make a Psychic resistance roll. If Karunaz gets killed, you may take the Sword of Death yourself, and find out if it has any additional properties.

Karunaz takes you along the gallery to another flight of stairs leading up to the roof of the tower. As you proceed, he fills you in on what he knows of the Magi's plans: 'My father discovered that the cataclysm which destroyed Spyte was no accident. Piecing things together from some documents found at the Magi's castles, it seems that five of them planned a disruption in one of the ancient rituals. The demon god which was being summoned by the ritual was slain, unleashing a blast of unholy energy that cracked the very walls of Spyte. The five did not transform themselves into stars to flee this disaster, as is often supposed - it was the energy given off which enabled them to become stars. That was their intention all along.'
    'Become stars? To what earthly purpose?' you ask. You are tensely alert to danger, feeling and fighting the fear that is beginning to gnaw at your insides.
    'No earthly purpose,' whispers Karunaz in answer. 'It allowed them to listen to the music of the spheres, which no mortal ear has ever heard. The secrets they have garnered under the eaves of heaven have increased them far beyond the power they wielded as mortal men - and, heaven knows that power was great indeed! If they succeed in returning to earth now, they will reincarnate themselves as beings nearer to gods than to men.'
    You have reached the bottom of the last flight of stairs. Up on the roof above, you hear the sound of low, eerie chanting. The Magi's disciples have begun the ceremony of reincarnation!
    Karunaz opens a compartment in his ring and takes a pinch of aromatic snuff from it. 'Kaif!' he whispers to himself. (If he was wounded, those wounds now disappear and he is restored to full health.) He sees the look in your eyes and says: 'Regretfully, I cannot give you any of this powder. It is the sacred charas of our cult, but its effect on outsiders is rarely beneficial.'
   
>>>>>
    DEMAND some of the powder, or ACCEPT his explanation?

 

[Moose!]

kylemaclachlanmeme.gif

 

[Xardob]

He's even more overpowered than we, and that's quite a feat.

Well, his father was a friend to us, and he seems to e as well, so I see no reason to doubt his word.

 

[Shatari]

We're not wounded, we have a metric ton of healing items even if we were, and I doubt drugging ourselves with an unknown substance at the last second is a good idea. Let's just take his word for it.

And wow, did the book's writing ever take a U turn back to decent.

 

[Lumos]

And wow, did the book's writing ever take a U turn back to decent.

The first four books have been re-published a couple of years back, and I wondered why the fifth hadn't been. In a blog post, Dave Morris speaks a little bit about how scheduling issues impacted "The Walls of Spyte" negatively, and how he'd like to essentially rewrite the better part of it if he were to publish it again. (Don't look the post up yet, it's got spoilers for this book's ending.) It's surprising how noticeable this actually has been though...

You mount the steps to the flat roof of the tower, where a large area has been marked out for some sort of summoning. In the centre of an inscribed pentacle you can see a group of terrified captives cowering inside a circle of many-coloured flame. At each point of the pentacle stands a robed wizard - these five are the supreme disciples of the Magi, and you can be sure that their occult powers are great. They glance at you with hatred in their eyes, but make no move to attack. 'You are too late to stop us,' screams one, 'It is the end of the world; the era of the Magi is at hand!'
    They begin a low chanting. Instantly the shrieking wind drops, enveloping the roof in dead silence. Then you hear an eldritch melody joining the chant. It sounds to be coming from far off, but it is getting nearer. A flicker of rainbow light shines down on the area of summoning. You look up into the sky. The Five Stars hang right above the tower, each aligned with one of the points of the pentacle. They seem so close you could almost reach up and touch them. The unearthly music comes from them - the music of the spheres, the celestial harmony, knowledge of which has turned the last of the Magi into gods!
    'We must hurry!' says Karunaz, seizing your sleeve. 'The summoning is not yet complete. However, we must take care not to kill the disciples after they have stopped chanting, as their deaths then would only serve to add power to the sacrifice.'
   
>>>>>
    What would you like to do? FREE THE CAPTIVES intended for the sacrifice, leap forward and ATTACK the disciples, or USE AN ITEM: (Choose carefully, as the fate of the world literally hangs in the balance.)
    * the Horn of Heroes;
    * a chunk of rock salt;
    * or the Blood Sword itself?

 

[Xardob]

This is the moment the oracle warned us of, isn't it? Let's attack.

 

[Grimmend]

    'Before tomorrow is today,
    Before the sand grains slip away,
    When dark disciples chant the rite,
    When terror grips the bravest heart,
    Deliver then a mighty blow,
    These fearsome followers, overthrow.'

Mighty blow of the horn?

 

[Shatari]

Hmm, that might actually make the Oracle worth having actually visited. Let's go with the Horn.

 

[Lumos]

The horn Gjall produces a note that can be heard throughout the Nine Worlds. Crashing against the heavens, it produces an echo like a low peal of thunder. The tower quivers under you and - incredibly - a crack appears across the night sky, through which the celestial radiance shines dazzlingly.
    The disciples gasp and fall to their knees. At the same instant the multi-coloured flames that pent their captives gutter and go out, allowing the captives to flee. Record the codeword DELIVERANCE on your Character Sheet(s).
    You are able to attack the disciples as they rise. They are trying to resume the chant to summon their unearthly lords, but the shock of hearing Heimdall's horn so close has unnerved them. They are visibly shaken, and for the first time a glimmer of fear shows behind the fanatical zeal in their eyes.

Spoiler

(They are not really so heavily armoured, but the defensive spells they have prepared beforehand have the effect of armour.) The ritual is taking all their concentration, so they cannot fight back or even defend. You have six rounds. After that, something happens.

The initiative order is Karunaz -> Trickster -> Sage -> Warrior/Enchanter. What's the battle order, and what's the plan? Since we don't have a specific spot for him, I'm coming up with a rule that Karunaz ought to be initially placed adjacent to one of you, too. I'm stupid, there's five spots on the map.

 

[Shatari]

No special "Pull your punches to avoid killing them" rules? So we're free to do full damage? Okay, let's put Richard at 1, Karunaz at 2, the Enchanter anywhere, and Mentok and I can play cards while this situation resolves itself within 3-4 rounds. Though I guess we could shoot some arrows, just so the rest of the part thinks we did something.