Let's Play: Challenge of the Magi: Mage1

SlyJohnny · Post by **SlyJohnny** » Sun Jun 25, 2017 5:54 pm

By the way, when was I checked for the codeword "goblet" before? Is it faster to get down here now, and farm gold rings?

Thaluikhain · Post by **Thaluikhain** » Mon Jun 26, 2017 5:36 am

You are at the Phoenix Crags. You step out onto a ledge at the side of a great mountain. You can sense the presence of magic here. Red and blue spells may be cast in this area. Below you a chasm yawns, a thin sliver of blue marking the distant river at the bottom. Up above tower magnificent, awe-inspiring crags, clawing at the yellow skies with gnarled fingers. It makes your head spin to look up or down.

A path leads from the ledge to an easily accessible mountain slop on which rests a hut. Another goat trail winds up a great crag directly above you. This crag is also accessible by a straight climb upward. Behind you, a cave mouth opens invitingly. You may cast an Ambuscade here if you have one.

You can investigate the hut, follow the goat track, climb directly upwards or enter the cave, but you must WAIT(7) before you do so.

You step out of the portal. Hot, parched air hits you as if you'd walked into a wall. You find yourself in a large cavern, the rough cracked walls burning-hot to the touch. The rock around you is of strange reddish material inlaid with skeins of black onyx. The very air itself is alive with the distinctive resonance of black and red magic. Tow tunnels, a cave mouth and a large ironbound, grotesquely-carved door serve as exits.

Ahead of you a thin, barely passable tunnel leads to the left. You may go down it, straight ahead, through the door or into the cavemouth, out of which emanates a strong, musty animal smell. Alternatively, you could Invoke the Portals, step into the Nexus and travel to the Greenwood, the House of Mausolus or the Silvered Spire. You must WAIT(7) before going anywhere.

(GOBLET is checked just before the spectre attacks)

SlyJohnny · Post by **SlyJohnny** » Mon Jun 26, 2017 9:42 am

Caverns of Perdition, not Phoenix crags. Wrong copy/paste? I guess I’m Waiting, either way.

Straight Ahead, after the loading screen for the Caverns is done.

Thaluikhain · Post by **Thaluikhain** » Mon Jun 26, 2017 2:06 pm

Oops, yeah, wrong copy paste there.

33
You walk down the wide corridor. The temperature rises rapidly as you go. There is a strong, sulphurous smell and a bubbling sound. You come out on a rocky ledge. A chasm drops away beneath you, one hundred feet or more, where a great lake of lava lies heaving and pulsing below. A very thin stone bridge spans the chasm to the other side, about 80 feet away, where another tunnel yawns invitingly. You can cross the bridge. Alternatively, you can Invoke the Portals and go to either the Greenwood, the House of Mausolus, or the Silvered Spires. Whatever your choice you must WAIT(8) before going on.

(If you cross the bridge, you go to one of three randomly selected sections)

SlyJohnny · Post by **SlyJohnny** » Mon Jun 26, 2017 2:54 pm

God, I love random sections so hard. Let's cross the bridge immediately, so I can bathe in their luminesce.

Thaluikhain · Post by **Thaluikhain** » Wed Jun 28, 2017 6:03 am

Gingerly, you edge out across the narrow bridge. After a few traumatic moments you manage to reach the other side safely and can go on into the tunnel. It opens out into a large cavern, the lair of a salamander.

The salamander, a six-legged lizard-like being with cracked scales that glow with heat, glares at you with red blinking eyes and hisses horribly, jets of noxious steam shooting from its nostrils. If your water bottle is empty, the fearsome beast whips its tail around and strikes you. It is scorching hot and you are badly burnt. Lose 2 LPs. As you are preparing to attack it, reality shifts suddenly and you find yourself at the Nexus with three portals before you in the coloured nothingness. Will you go to the Greenwood, the House of Mausolus or the Silvered Spires? However, you must WAIT(9) before doing so.

There is a picture here

(There's another section to turn to if you have water in your bottle)

SlyJohnny · Post by **SlyJohnny** » Wed Jun 28, 2017 10:08 am

Bugger. Didn't I refill that at the sacred grove or forest of arden?

Oh well, let's try the greenwood.

Thaluikhain · Post by **Thaluikhain** » Wed Jun 28, 2017 11:27 am

It specifies when and where you can refill your bottle, and I double checked, and there's no mention of refilling in the places you went to.

Thaluikhain · Post by **Thaluikhain** » Wed Jun 28, 2017 1:16 pm

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 is 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 can follow the trail, climb the hill, plunge into the wood to your right or enter the cave. Before you make your decision, you must WAIT(10)

SlyJohnny · Post by **SlyJohnny** » Wed Jun 28, 2017 3:06 pm

Climb the hill.

Thaluikhain · Post by **Thaluikhain** » Wed Jun 28, 2017 3:48 pm

You climb up the forested hill. At its top, the trees thin out to form a clearing. In the middle, surrounded by a circle of yew trees, is a large stone menhir pitted and weathered by the ravages of time.

593
As you approach the menhir, you notice a stone plinth before it, carved with gruesome symbols and evil runes. On it rests a book. You recognise it as The Book of Unholy Words, scribed and bound in human skin by the philosopher-demon Alctheol, before he was slain by the Paladin of the Spires.

Will you open the book and read it, or Invoke the Portals from whence you can go to the Tower of Immutable Paradox or the Caverns of Perdition? WAIT(11) first.

(The philosopher-demon was called "Alctheus" before in the section about the Sceptre)

SlyJohnny · Post by **SlyJohnny** » Wed Jun 28, 2017 4:58 pm

Sweet! Read the book.

Thaluikhain · Post by **Thaluikhain** » Wed Jun 28, 2017 5:21 pm

To your joy it is a treatise on how to negate the white magic counterspell, rite of Exorcism, which dispels Deathknight. If you cast Deathknight (if you are able to, of course) your opponent will be unable to use the Rite of Exorcism. You pocket the pocket and record the codeword JADE on your character sheet. Moments later, you find yourself in the Nexus, two portals on either side of you amidst the vast expanses of myriad colours. WAIT(12) and then you may go to either the Tower of Immutable Paradox or the Caverns of Perdition.

(The book checks what type of mage you are, if you are a druid or wizard you get another section. It also says "warlock" where it means "necromancer", looks like the editor missed that one. Also it seems to tell you that your character recorded a codeword, rather than instructing you to do so.)

SlyJohnny · Post by **SlyJohnny** » Wed Jun 28, 2017 6:18 pm

Tower of Immutable thingamy.

Is the implication that I just have this knowledge now, or will I lose it if I lose the tome?

Thaluikhain · Post by **Thaluikhain** » Thu Jun 29, 2017 10:02 am

(It doesn't actually say here, but you need the item with you when casting Deathknight. Presumably your opponent will wait patiently while you read up the relevant bits. Same as how you have to read from scrolls rather than memorising, maybe.)

You step out of the Nexus to find yourself atop a high tower, the Tower of Immutable Paradox. Beyond its battlements stretches a grey featureless landscape. The top of the tower is a chequer board of black and white slabs, like a chessboard. All around you, you sense the strong presence of black and white magic. At the centre of the tower is a large beautifully-carved oaken throne, encrusted with a bedazzling display of gems. On your left and right stairways descend into the tower. A trapdoor lies in the floor below you.

Suddenly a crossbow bolt appears from nowhere and shoots towards you - it is an Ambuscade. It slams into your shoulder before fading out of existence. But the wound is real enough. Lose 3 LPs.

Will you Invoke the Portals and move on to the Sea of Glass, the Shrine of the Martyrs, or the Greenwood? Alternatively you could go down the stairs to your left, the stairs to your right, sit upon the oaken throne, or open the trapdoor and descend. You must WAIT(13) first.

There is a picture here

SlyJohnny · Post by **SlyJohnny** » Thu Jun 29, 2017 11:04 am

Stairs to my left, and Dispel Trap on that ambuscade.

Thaluikhain · Post by **Thaluikhain** » Thu Jun 29, 2017 12:11 pm

Dispel trap undoes the ambuscade.

The steps lead down to a cold stone guardroom, grey dawn penetrating dimly through numerous arrow slits in the wall.

A man leaps up as you enter. He holds a spear and is plainly a guard. He glares at you angrily and shouts, 'You must be the one who cravenly stole Manlius' armour.' The he charges at you, brandishing his spear. The guard rolls one dice and has 8 LPs. You may flee by Invoking the Portals but he will strike you for 4 LPs if you do so. You may go to the Sea of Glass, the Greenwood, or the Shrine of the Martyrs but WAIT(14) before you go. You may cast a black or white spell if you have one. That will kill him outright for the normal CP cost. If you win, you search the room but there is nothing else of interest and his spear has broken in the fight. You fall prey to a random shift of reality and find yourself back at the Nexus. From here, you may go to the Sea of Glass, the Greenwood or the Shrine of the Martyrs but WAIT(14) before you go.

Thaluikhain · Post by **Thaluikhain** » Thu Jun 29, 2017 1:09 pm

But before you can deal with him...

Suddenly everything goes dark around you and you find yourself standing on one side of the chequerboard floor at the top of the tower. Just yards away is your opponent. All is silent as you size each other up, ready to make the play that will wipe your opponent off the chessboard and give you victory.

Your opponent is Lavan Firestorm, a Pyromancer. They carry the Eye of Flame ruby, the Diadem of Rulership, the Bones of the Earth, the gem of the fabled Ring of Summoning, a bag of gold, a sturdy shield, and a scroll. And a suit or armour they didn't have before.

You may exchange insults and epithets such as 'I am here to prove my knowledge of arcane power goes far beyond the feeble conjurings of an addlepate like yourself.'

They will go first (decided randomly)

You have a zombie, the Sceptre of Doom and a scroll of Hallowed Words and Creeping Doom, a gold ring and a Book of Unholy Words.

You have 20 LPs and 6 CPs.

Thaluikhain · Post by **Thaluikhain** » Thu Jun 29, 2017 2:08 pm

"What, you again? How tiresome. I guess here's as good a place as any to finish you off.

"By the way, did you send that tame lizard after me? Very considerate of you. I was just getting hungry. Did you know that FRIED DRAGON WINGS TASTE BETTER THAN CHICKEN?

"....did I say fried. Oh right, 'cos that's what's going to happen to you.....fried by HOLY FIRE!"

Your opponent reads from a scroll:

'My arms are spread wide as I cast the irresistible dweomer from which there is no protection. You see nothing but there is a pounding pain in your skull. It is as if you feel a terrible anguish for each and every foul or evil act you have ever committed. Lose five Life Points and two Concentration Points. If you are still alive you may cast a spell of your own, if you are able.'

DECISIONS 591
You may cast Finger of Death, the Blight of Desponde, Deathknight or use your scroll to cast Hallowed Words. Or you may try to flee.

SlyJohnny · Post by **SlyJohnny** » Thu Jun 29, 2017 5:52 pm

Well, he didn't run, so maybe he doesn't fear my finger of Death. Unless he's bluffing. Let's open with Hallowed Words, although he must have the counter to that, too.

I'm not feeling good that he's got Manilus' armor as well as all that other stuff. I think I might have lost this one.

Thaluikhain · Post by **Thaluikhain** » Thu Jun 29, 2017 6:17 pm

You summon all your reserves and let loose the most inimitable of spells, Hallowed Word. Read the following to your opponent:

'I do no more than point my finger at you and utter a single word of power, Faith. Can you withstand the Hallowed Word?'

'Your faithful spell is as nothing to me. I go down on one knee and raise my arms to the heavens. A dark hole from which no light can escape opens up before me and the Hallowed Word echoes as its magic is sucked into the void and is lost forever. I am protected by the Mouth of the Void and your foul magics have not succeed in shaking my faith on the Gods of Evil.'

Doesn't say that cost you 1 CP, but it does, you have 3 left.

Thaluikhain · Post by **Thaluikhain** » Fri Jun 30, 2017 2:48 pm

'A foul mist materialises before me into a Deathknight, a figure in dark rune-etched armour, its visor up to reveal the face of black nothingness. It stalks towards you, an ancient mace in hand, intent on carrying out my will - in short, to slay you.'

Read this out to your opponent:

'I throw my arms up in horror - powerless, as the Deathknight's mace batters my defenceless body. I stagger back under the onslaught but as I fall to the ground the Deathknight, its work done, vanishes, back into the valley of the dead. I am bleeding.'

You have lost 4 LPs, down to 11, and 3 CPs

DECISIONS 591
You may cast Finger of Death, the Blight of Desponde or Deathknight. Or you may try to flee.

SlyJohnny · Post by **SlyJohnny** » Fri Jun 30, 2017 2:59 pm

"Fool! Battling me here shall be your undoing. I am in my element here! Well. 50% of my element, anyway. The point is, I'm going to kill you."

Deathknight.

Thaluikhain · Post by **Thaluikhain** » Sat Jul 01, 2017 5:22 am

Cross off 1 CP as you read out the following to your opponent:

'A foul mist materialises before me into a Deathknight, a figure in dark rune-etched armour, its visor up to reveal the face of black nothingness. It stalks towards you, an ancient mace in hand, intent on carrying out my will - in short, to slay you.'

Your opponent has the counterspell, but the Book of Unholy Words means they can't use it.

'I throw my arms up in horror - powerless, as the Deathknight's mace batters my defenceless body. I stagger back under the onslaught but as I fall to the ground the Deathknight, its work done, vanishes, back into the valley of the dead. I am bleeding.'

Thaluikhain · Post by **Thaluikhain** » Sat Jul 01, 2017 2:09 pm

'I begin to charge forward, dagger at the ready, intent on hand-to-hand combat. You have the opportunity to hurl a spell at me, flee, or run to meet me'

You have 2 CPs left, and 11 LPs. The only spell you can cast is Finger of Death.