Let's Play: Challenge of the Magi: Mage2

Stories about games that you run and/or have played in.

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Thaluikhain
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Post by Thaluikhain »

From my reading of the rules, you'll be able to use lesser magics like heal at any time, so you'd be able to use them just before the other mage arrives if you were followed.

14
You appear in a rich, dark forest. All around stretches row upon row of trees, shrouded in gloomy darkness. The air is resonant with a sharp smell of pine and the sounds of many woodland animals. The forest seems wholesome enough, but you feel claustrophobic in the close confines of the thickly carpeted trees. From the moment you arrive you know that this place it utterly devoid of magic.

A thin forest trail leads away ahead of you and a densely-wooded hill rises to the left. At the base of the hill is a cave mouth. You may follow the trail, climb the hill, plunge into the wood to your right or enter the cave. Before you decide, you must WAIT.
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Post by Darth Rabbitt »

I'll start by entering the cave.
Pseudo Stupidity wrote:This Applebees fucking sucks, much like all Applebees. I wanted to go to Femboy Hooters (communism).
Thaluikhain
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Post by Thaluikhain »

336
The cavemouth becomes a tunnel. On closer inspection you notice some rails heading inwards. Further on an old abandoned carriage lies empty and unused. The tunnel has been excavated into the hill and old beams support it. After a time the tunnels split, forking away in all directions. From what you can gather it seems you have come across an old gold mine. You may dig for gold nuggets. Every time you WAIT here, you may roll one dice. If you score 5 or 6, you have found a nugget, worth as much as a bag of gold. If you roll 1, then you have been found by a wandering dwarf, one of those who look after the mine. Naturally, he thinks of you as a thief and attacks. Any dwarves you meet have 9 LPs and roll 1 dice in combat without any additions. You can flee from combat at any time by Invoking the Portals, but you will suffer one hit as you leave.

In any case, when you are ready, you Invoke the Portals and go to the Tower of Immutable Paradox or the Caverns of Perdition. WAIT first.
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Post by Thaluikhain »

But, before you can do anything:

Your opponent is slain. you are the surviving Duelmaster and the people of the Rainbow Land salute you. When you return to the Council of Wizards you will take your place on the Excellent Seat of All-Seeing Glory and be hailed as the greatest mage of your time. There is little you cannot do. People will travel to seek your advice from all the lands, both near and far, many bearing exotic and sumptuous gifts in exchange for the few crumbs of knowledge that you let fall from your table. You may travel wherever you wish in the Rainbow Land and no one dare gainsay you. Rather everybody seeks to befriend you. Your name will go down in the annals of history and the bards will echo your exploits through the centuries.

But beware, you cannot halt you quest for knowledge and power, for the time will come when another, younger mage will dare to challenge you for your position on the throne and undertake the ritual duel in the Rainbow Land.

...

There are rules for a rematch, where the victor uses the same character, but goes up a level. OTOH, their class and some (though not all) of their spells will already been known and they will face an unknown challenger. I'll post those in the combined thread, so don't read the other mage's thread if you are interested.
Last edited by Thaluikhain on Fri Jan 20, 2017 2:15 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Mr Shine
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Post by Mr Shine »

A NEW CHALLENGER APPEARS!

Name: Vert Greene, the druid.

Holy Fires (W3)
Archangel (W2)
Tanglevines (G3)
Creeping Doom (G1)
Juggernaut (G2)
Firestorm (R2)

Chalice of incorruptible life
Rite of Exorcism
Tower of Indomitable Will
Absorption
Extinguish
Iron Maiden

5xheal
1xambuscade

I'll start in the Sea of Glass.
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Post by Thaluikhain »

The portal vanishes behind you and you slip on the smooth reflective surface of the Sea of Glass. As far as the eye can see stretches a dead, flat plain of blue crystal like a sea frozen in time. The only breaks on the uniform landscape is a series of openings of caves, and a magnificent range of spiky mountains stretching towards the blue sky like pillars of frost. Underfoot your gaze can penetrate the glare to see several fathoms down into the clear blue crystal. Invisible currents of blue magic stir the air, the sorcerous magic of the mind.

WAIT

You may set out towards the Frost Peaks or the Crystal Caves.

If you prefer to Invoke the Portals and leave the Sea of Glass you may. Will you visit the Tower of Immutable Paradox, the Silvered Spires, the Palace of Flame or the Rainbow Inn?
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Post by Mr Shine »

Crystal caves
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Post by Thaluikhain »

538
The crystal caves are a miraculous maze of transparent tunnels and caverns. There is nowhere within them that the light of the sun doesn't penetrate and there are faceted stalactites and stalagmites that throw rainbows of colour across the transparent crystal.

You soon come to a large cavern in which the predominant colours are blue, lilac and purple. At the back of the cavern is a crystal pedestal and on it glows a gem so magical that its light mingles with the blue of the caves. It is brilliant red, a flaming ruby. It can only be the Eye of Flame. Crystal warriors, each seven-foot tall golems of glass emerge from side tunnels all around you. You are surrounded.

WAIT (2)

How much is the Eye of Flame worth to you? More than almost anything else? Do you value it for no more than its beauty, thinking that it would look nice on your mantelpiece, or is it of no interest to you?
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Post by Mr Shine »

Ooooh shiny! (I only value its beauty)
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Post by Thaluikhain »

The crystal warriors stop moving, as if they had turned back to statues of glass. You walk boldly between them and reach out to take the Eye of Flame. It feels warm to the touch. You spin on your heel, intent of leaving the cavern before the warriors can reanimate.

WAIT(3)

As soon as you start to move the crystal warriors come to life. They are about to attack so you Invoke the Portals. Record the codeword HAUBERK.

Where will you take the Eye of Flame: to the tower of Immutable Paradox, the Silvered Spires, the Palace of Flames or the Rainbow Inn?
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Post by Mr Shine »

Lets try the Palace of Flames.
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Post by Thaluikhain »

The vista which opens up before you as you step from the portal is like a madman's vision of hell. A haze of incredible heat makes everything waver like a mirage but the brass Palace of Flames is so large you would have trouble believing it in any case. Nevertheless, the fifty levels of brazen walkways which circle and intertwine it are as real as the hairs of your head. Two great bulbous domes top the palace. Inside one of them lives the Flame Lord, Caliph of the Efreeti, the beings of flame which inhabit the city-palace. You may cast an Ambuscade here.

WAIT(4)

You are allowed to move freely into the palace courtyard. Will you descend into the palace dungeons, or mount one of the wide staircases towards the state rooms? Or you could Invoke the Portals and go to the Sea of Glass, the Garden of Contemplation, the Citadel of the Skull, or the Rainbow Inn?

EDIT: Actually, you could have used an Ambuscade at the Sea of Glass, only i copied and pasted that part from where the mage didn't have that option, my mistake. I'll let you use one there retroactively, if you like.
Last edited by Thaluikhain on Thu May 11, 2017 5:02 am, edited 1 time in total.
Mr Shine
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Post by Mr Shine »

OK, ambuscasde the sea of glass. Try the dungeons.
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Post by Thaluikhain »

Ok, so that's codeword TIGER for the Ambuscade.
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Post by Thaluikhain »

96
It becomes hotter and hotter as you descend staircase after staircase towards the dungeons which are just above the enormous furnaces beneath the palace. Guards come and go but you have not yet been spotted. At last you have reached the deepest part of the palace. The heat warms the soles of your feet even through your boots. You are confronted by a row of cells, some occupied, some empty. A beautiful young girl languishes in silver chains inside one of them but you will not risk your chances of becoming Duelmaster by trying to rescue her. Besides, there is a burly torturer standing guard nearby. You set off through the lower reaches of the palace.

WAIT(5)
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Post by Thaluikhain »

As you wander through the labyrinthine twists of the passages you can hear the roar of the furnaces beneath your feet. Columns of flame roar upwards through great chimneys to heat the palace. Suddenly a blaze of flame spurts through the vent of one of the chimneys and takes on the form of an Efreet, a being composed entirely of flame. It attacks you and you lose 3 LPs in its fiery embrace. If you still live you manage to break free and Invoke the Portals before it can burn you to a cinder.

WAIT(6)

Where will you escape to: the Gardens of Contemplation, the Citadel of the Skull, the Rainbow Inn or the Sea of Glass?
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Post by Mr Shine »

Onward to the Skull!
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Post by Thaluikhain »

As the portal disappears you find yourself looking into the maw of an enormous skull. The Citadel of the Skull stretches towards dark skies above you, the red flicker of torches lending the hollow eye sockets an infernal glow. The citadel is black obsidian, reflecting dully the half-light of this region. Beyond it a grey plain stretches as far as the eye can see but a thin mist obscures the horizon. There is no gate but inside the skull mouth a great fire blazes lighting a broad black staircase which climbs to a landing from which a second passageway leads off to the left. This place is an area of black magic and no other.

WAIT(7)

There is a picture here

You may continue on up the main stairway or take the passageway to the left. If instead you want to quit this place where black magic alone infuses the air you may Invoke the Portals. Will you adventure next to the Sacred Grove, the Forest of Arden, the Palace of Flames or the Rainbow Inn?
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Post by Mr Shine »

Take the main stairway.
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Post by Thaluikhain »

The staircase climbs up towards the domed top of the Citadel of the skull. Off the third landing a door opens to reveal a glimpse of three demondim, the devilish captains of the Gods of Evils who spread fear amongst the people of the Rainbow Land. You hurry on past, thankful that they did not spot you. Your footsteps are drawn inexorably to the head of the stair. At the top you come before a figure that looks like a blue-skinned wolfen, seven feet tall and immensely powerful of body, but the forms flickers occasionally. It is the Witch-King, held on this plane of the living for his seventh century by the power of his arcane sorcery. His courtiers line the room, wolfen, demondim and black-hearted men, tough enough to stomach the sight and doings of the Witch-King, all steeped in evil to the rotten core.

On a low table before the throne lies a glass-fronted box. Inside lying on black velvet are a white shroud and two human thigh bones. With a start you realise that these are the fabled relics of Honn the Zealot, the most sainted man in the Rainbow Land. The Witch-King's stare seems to burn into your brain.

WAIT(8)

There is a picture here
Last edited by Thaluikhain on Mon May 15, 2017 5:32 am, edited 1 time in total.
Thaluikhain
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Post by Thaluikhain »

238

It does not take you long to realise the Witch-King is hostile to you.

The Witch-King's lips, like dark grapes with a heavy bloom, are forming a strange 'O' shape. Quick action is called for. The demondim and wolfen stiffen in anticipation. Will you make a dive for the reliquary holding the remains of the saint, call upon the gods for divine aid or hold out your hand and call for the relics?
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Post by Mr Shine »

Image

Please sir, can I have the relic? (call for the relics)
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Post by Thaluikhain »

To the Witch-King's amazement, the casket of relics rises into the air and flies into your hands. Note that you have the Sacred Relics. The Witch-King utters a soundless shout and a bolt of black lightning erupts from his mouth. you are pushed backwards but the relics protect you from the Deathlight's blast, absorbing some of the black energy. You lose 2 LPs. If you are still alive you decide to Invoke the Portals as the Witch-King orders the demondim to take you. Record the codeword, SILVERLODE.

WAIT(9)

Mercifully the Portals open. Where will you escape to: the Sacred Grove, the Forest of Arden, the Palace of Flames or the Rainbow Inn?

(The Witch-King doesn't sound that scary, he should practice his "I would have gotten away with it if it wasn't for you meddling kids" speech)
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Post by Mr Shine »

Back into the fire!
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Post by Thaluikhain »

The vista which opens up before you as you step from the portal is like a madman's vision of hell. A haze of incredible heat makes everything waver like a mirage but the brass Palace of Flames is so large you would have trouble believing it in any case. Nevertheless, the fifty levels of brazen walkways which circle and intertwine it are as real as the hairs of your head. Two great bulbous domes top the palace. Inside one of them lives the Flame Lord, Caliph of the Efreeti, the beings of flame which inhabit the city-palace.

WAIT(10)

You are allowed to move freely into the palace courtyard. Will you descend into the palace dungeons, or mount one of the wide staircases towards the state rooms? Or you could Invoke the Portals and go to the Sea of Glass, the Garden of Contemplation, the Citadel of the Skull, or the Rainbow Inn?
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