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

You sure did. The Hatuli. (Though, interestingly enough, the only way you would've had a chance to have the Hatuli in your possession now would have been ignoring that tomb raider who recommended flying on the Roc (and then naturally doing some things instead of others)...)

Something else that we've either missed, or the book failed to explain, is that this well you went down is actually some sort of entrance to the underworld. I guess "tunnels" really isn't proper then...

Anyhow, straight on it is...

You enter a room illuminated by a greyish glow that seems to ooze from the dank stone blocks of the wall. There is a passage leading off the far end, but to reach it you would have to pass a number of desiccated corpses. You move closer, now noticing that the corpses are riddled with arrows. Your glance goes to the left-hand wall, where you see a line of sinister arrow-slits.

   
You consider your options before advancing any further into the room. It looks as though you could avoid being seen from the arrow-slits - if there are indeed any bowmen still there - by dropping low and running close to the left-hand wall. Alternatively you could just sprint down the centre of the room, trying to get to the other end before any bowman had time to shoot.

>>>>>
    What do you do? Try to pass unboserved UNDERNEATH the arrow-slits, or DASH along the middle of the room?

Send the thief running first, if no one shoots him, we run after him. If they do, we just go underneath. 

Or we could just go underneath...

So be it...

As you stoop close to the left-hand wall, you hear a strange slithering sound. Looking up, you see a mass of tentacles sliding through the arrow-slits above - and reaching out for you! Before you can jump away from them you are seized. You are being dragged up towards the slits, your breath squeezed out of you. Your only chance of escape is to hack through the tentacles. Each player will lose two Endurance for each Round that he or she is held.
There are twelve tentacles in all; distribute these equally among all players. Any successful hit will sever one tentacle. If you cut through the tentacles you will be able to reach the archway at the far end of the room.
   
All right, so here's how I'm reading it. Three tentacles each. They have no initiative, so you take 2d6 at the end of your turn if there are still tentacles restraining you. Armour doesn't seem to prevent this damage. Fortunately, you don't take 2d6 per tentacle. You can only try and cut your own tentacles, because you're being restrained. If you're not restrained any more, you can help others without spending a turn to move: you're pretty close by each other, right? Arrows don't work (piercing instead of slashing damage ), but the Enchanter's magic definitely works... unless he's restrained. Intricate gestures and so on.

Initiative order is Trickster/Sage -> Warrior/Enchanter.
   
[spoiler="Fight" replay]
    *** TURN 1 ***
    Trickster attacks Tentacle using his sword. (ROLLED 4 < 7) Hit! Dealt 7 - 0 = 7 damage; Tentacle is dead.
    Two tentacles still constrain the Trickster. (ROLLED 8 damage taken, Trickster 16/24.
    Mentok attacks Tentacle using his Steel Quarterstaff. (ROLLED 9 > Miss!
    Three tentacles still constrain Mentok. (ROLLED 9) 9 damage taken, Mentok 21/30.
    Sir Richard attacks Tentacle using the Enchanted Sword. (ROLLED 12 > 10) Miss!
    Sir Richard attacks Tentacle using the Enchanted Sword. (ROLLED 10 = 10) Hit! Dealt 5 - 0 = 5 damage; Tentacle is dead.
    Two tentacles still constrain Sir Richard. (ROLLED 9) 9 damage taken, Sir Richard 16/25.
    Enchanter attacks Tentacle using his sword. (ROLLED 6 > 4) Miss!
    Three tentacles still constrain the Enchanter. (ROLLED 9) 9 damage taken, Enchanter 11/20.
    Trickster attacks Tentacle using his sword. (ROLLED 5 < 7) Hit! Dealt 5 - 0 = 5 damage; Tentacle is dead.

    *** TURN 2 ***
    Trickster attacks Tentacle using his sword. (ROLLED 11 > 7) Miss!
    One tentacle is still constraining the Trickster. (ROLLED 8 damage taken, Trickster 8/24.
    Mentok attacks Tentacle using his Steel Quarterstaff. (ROLLED 6 < Hit! Dealt 6 - 0 = 6 damage; Tentacle is dead.
    Two tentacles still constrain Mentok. (ROLLED 5) 5 damage taken, Mentok 16/30.
    Sir Richard attacks Tentacle using the Enchanted Sword. (ROLLED 6 < 10) Hit! Dealt 9 - 0 = 9 damage; Tentacle is dead.
    Sir Richard attacks Tentacle using the Enchanted Sword. (ROLLED 8 < 10) Hit! Dealt 9 - 0 = 9 damage; Tentacle is dead.
    Sir Richard is no longer restrained!
    Enchanter attacks Tentacle using his sword. (ROLLED 7 > 4) Miss!
    Three tentacles still restrain the Enchanter. (ROLLED 8 damage taken, Enchanter 3/20.

    *** TURN 3 ***
    Trickster attacks Tentacle using his sword. (ROLLED 10 > 7) Miss! Are you kidding?!
    One tentacle still restrains the Trickster. (ROLLED 9) 9 damage taken, Trickster is down.
    Mentok attacks Tentacle using his Steel Quarterstaff. (ROLLED 9 > Miss!
    Two tentacles still restrain Mentok. (ROLLED 8 damage taken, Mentok 8/30.
    Sir Richard considers. Even if both his attacks land against the Enchanter's tentacles, he wouldn't prevent him from taking damage unless the Enchanter also hits, which is unlikely. Mentok, on the other hand, can surely be saved before taking more damage.
    Sir Richard attacks Tentacle using the Enchanted Sword. (ROLLED 4 < 10) Hit! Dealt 11 - 0 = 11 damage; Tentacle is dead.
    Sir Richard attacks Tentacle using the Enchanted Sword. (ROLLED 2 < 10) Hit! Dealt 5 - 0 = 5 damage; Tentacle is dead.
    Mentok is no longer restrained!
    Enchanter attacks Tentacle using his sword. (ROLLED 5 > 4) Miss!
    Three tentacles still restrain the Enchanter. (ROLLED 4) 4 damage taken, Enchanter is down.

    *** TURN 4 ***
    Mentok and Sir Richard clear out the rest of the tentacles, which don't seem to engage anyone else than their original victims.
[/spoiler]
The Trickster and the Enchanter come to soon. Who'd've thunk that a room full of arrow-shot corpses actually has tentacles in it, and that running through the middle of the room would've been perfectly fine? There weren't any clues that there might be more than meets the eye, either!

Health: Sir Richard 16/25; Trickster 1/24; Mentok 8/30; Enchanter 1/20.

I recommend healing before you proceed. It doesn't really feel like it, but this is the final gauntlet, and there are plenty more fights to come.

Mentok, can you take care of the healing or should we use our items?

I figure Mentok can try to patch us up and use some of the Healing salve if he gets too low.

Indeed.

*Mentok closes his eyes*


HEAL

No guidelines for minimum healing ranges means going in like the Russian Tzar, baby!

The party is fully rejuvenated! You continue onwards...

You reach a chamber. There is another passage entering this room from the north - presumably the one you would have entered by had you gone the other way. Opposite you there is a large door of stout ashwood, held shut by a large padlock and several rusted iron bolts.
A shape seems to detach itself from the shadows. You swing round, thrusting the torch forwards, but there is nothing there. As you turn round again, you come face to face with a monstrous guardian which is now standing in front of the door. It has the slavering features of a dog - or a jackal - but the muscular body of a human warrior. In its hands it holds a glittering spear which it lowers to point at you. As its yellow eyes glance over you, it lets out a growl of menace.
   
>>>>>
    ATTACK or USE AN ITEM: a tuning fork, a copper bottle, or a golden mirror?

How could a fork possibly help us here?

Pseudo dog whistle?

Maybe we can trap it in the bottle?

That's like the fifth time that golden mirror option has shown up...

I've no knowledge of how a fork or a bottle could help us here. But I'm willing to try.

*Mentok presses two forefingers to his left temple and starts humming frantically*

I suppose we should use all this **** we've been picking up.

Use copper bottle

Come on, guys, you're usually great at sussing these out! You're fighting this (or at least that's what I imagine it is):
Look at how big its ears are!!! Though to be honest, the previous challenge punished you quite hard for trying to make a logical decision, so I guess this is the book working as designed...


You quickly take out the bottle and remove the stopper. No jinni arises from it to help you this time, and the dog-headed creature has lunged at you with its spear before you can do anything else.
The fight begins as normal, but the player with the bottle loses his or her action for the first Round.
   
Moving with dazzling speed, the creature brings up its spear and slashes at you.


Orders? Initiative order is Anubite -> Trickster/Sage -> Warrior/Enchanter. The Enchanter does nothing the first turn.

To be honest, I was hoping it was one of those situations where we could trick the creature into entering the bottle.

I'll take slot three. Chuck dagger, etcetera.

I'll be at 4 and nemesis bolt it after I take some time contemplating the stupidity of aiming a bottle at a ****ing demigod creature.

To be fair, I kind of envisioned that we'd have some narrative where we tried talk to it, engage it in some sort of challenge of the wits, and Ali Baba our way to victory. Had the caption said we'd just point the bottle at it and hope for the best, I'd have suggested something else.

Shatari said:

To be fair, I kind of envisioned that we'd have some narrative where we tried talk to it, engage it in some sort of challenge of the wits, and Ali Baba our way to victory. Had the caption said we'd just point the bottle at it and hope for the best, I'd have suggested something else.

Click to expand...

To be fair, it seems like you never know with these books.

All right, so we've got Sir Richard and Mentok the killing machine taking the hits from 2 and 1 respectively. Let's see how this goes...
The creature explodes into giblets. Everyone is healthy, except for Sir Richard at 18/25. Given that Mentok is at full health, I don't think healing will be an issue:
The party is fully rejuvenated.

The creature's head lolls back in death, its canine teeth still bared and flecked with foam. Its spear lies on the floor beside it, held limply now in its human grip. You may take the spear if you wish - remember to record it on your Character Sheet if you do.
    You go over to inspect the door. It is firmly barred and seems solid enough to withstand any impact. How are you going to open it?

>>>>>
    Did you take the creature's spear?

    USE AN ITEM: the dog-headed creature's spear, a bunch of grisly fingerbones, or a tuning fork?
   
    (TRICKSTER) Attempt to LOCKPICK it. (It won't be very easy.)