Let's Play: Challenge of the Magi: Mage1

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

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SlyJohnny
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Post by SlyJohnny »

Passageway.
Thaluikhain
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Post by Thaluikhain »

The left-hand corridor leads to a spiral staircase that ends in a room which lacks one wall. Looking out, you realize that you are inside one of the eye-sockets of the Citadel of the Skull. From this high point you look over the plain where scarlet banners away and dip in time as undead legions go mindlessly through their battle drills.

WAIT(39)

You may Invoke the Portals here if you wish and travel to the Sacred Grove, the Forest of Arden, the Palace of Flames, or the Rainbow Inn.

Or you may search this room which seems to be an office or command post of some sort.
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SlyJohnny
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Post by SlyJohnny »

Search the command room, definitely.
Thaluikhain
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Post by Thaluikhain »

219
Ferreting amongst the maps and papers on a large desk you uncover a magic scroll. Just as you unfurl it a hobgoblin slides up behind you, intent on staving in your skull with a spiked hammer. You whirl round just in time to defend yourself but there is no time to cast a spell. You may give battle of Invoke the Portals but, if you do Invoke, the hobgoblin's hammer will smash you once while you are waiting for them to appear. Otherwise, you must fight the hobgoblin. Roll one dice for the Hobgoblin who has 10 Life Points.

If you win you see that the scroll contains two spells which may each be cast once without using any concentration Points. They are Feeblemind and Ambuscade. The Feeblemind spell will only work in a place that contains blue magic. Record the codeword CYCLOPS.

WAIT(40)

You slip back out of the Citadel to Invoke the Portals before you are discovered.

The portals have opened. Where will you escape to: the Sacred Grove, the Forest of Arden, the Palace of Flames, or the Rainbow Inn?

(Oddly, it doesn't use any CP to cast Feeblemind from that scroll, the last scroll you found had the normal CP costs.)
Last edited by Thaluikhain on Fri Jul 14, 2017 3:42 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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SlyJohnny
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Post by SlyJohnny »

Educate this loser about his position in the local pecking order by beating his skull in with my shield. Then go to the Sacred Grove. It's probably important to convince my opponent that I don't fear green areas, even though I totally do.
Last edited by SlyJohnny on Fri Jul 14, 2017 4:51 pm, edited 2 times in total.
Thaluikhain
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Post by Thaluikhain »

Sounds like a plan. I can't say if that sounds like a good plan or a bad plan, but it certainly does sound like a plan of some description.

Boner rolls 2(+2), hobgoblin rolls 3, hobgoblin takes 4(+2)
Boner rolls 1(+2), hobgoblin rolls 6, boner takes 5
Boner rolls 1(+2), hobgoblin rolls 5, boner takes 1
Boner rolls 4(+2), hobgoblin rolls 6, draw
Boner rolls 6(+2), hobgoblin rolls 2, boner takes 2(+2)

Bringing you to 10LPs and 11CPs. Ouch.

The Sacred Grove is a large area of lightly-wooded meadows in the valley of the river Azurain. As you step from the portals the sun is about to set, throwing a warm blush of crimson and flame-orange over the trees and the grass. The great waterfall is turned pink in the evening light. Beyond the waterfall is a circle of oak trees and within them two concentric rings of standing stones. The Sacred Grove is a place of both white and green magic but it is here, within the standing stones, that the druids meet to perform the Rituals of Rebirth.

WAIT(41)

A large group of druids are walking towards the standing stones. Will you walk towards them, or investigate the waterfall?

If you prefer to move on from this place immediately you may Invoke the Portals. Where will you reappear next: the Scorched Sands of Akhneton, the Desolation of Ilexmanan the Aggrieved, or the Citadel of the Skull?

(You can catch an Ambuscade here)
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SlyJohnny
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Post by SlyJohnny »

Water has always healed us before. Waterfall, ho!
Thaluikhain
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Post by Thaluikhain »

The waterfall crashes down a hundred feet from the bottom of the gorge into a foaming white pool before meandering through the Sacred Grove and away to the great hunting plains of the herds and the tribes. It is shimmering pink and droplets of water catch the sunlight like a spray of fire opals. You inch along a ledge towards it when a large watery fist the size of a man seems to expand from the falling water and punches you off the ledge. Fortunately you fall into the deep pool at the waterfalls foot, but then a whirlpool starts up around you. You are in the grip of a water elemental which batters you mercilessly until at last, if still alive, you pull yourself out onto the rocky bank of the river. You have lost 3LPs and are thoroughly wet. The water elemental hates fire magic and if you are a pyromancer or have chosen any red spells you will not be able to cast any whatsoever until you have dried out and inhaled the heated airs of the Palace of Flames. All is not wasted however for you dislodge one of the rocks on which you lie and find an ebony rod engraved with magical runes. It must have been thrown into the waterfall and been washed ashore where you were. It is one of the two parts of a Rod of Summoning. If you have both parts you may summon your opponent to do battle with you outside the Rainbow Inn whenever you wish. Record the codeword BERYL.

The water elemental is taking shape once more at the edge of the foaming pool so you decide to Invoke the Portals without more ado.

WAIT(42)

As you step through the blackness of the portal you notice that the waterfall is drying up to reveal a little grotto further along the ledge from which you have just been swept. Where are you going to re-emerge in the Rainbow Land: the Scorched Sands of Akhneton, the Desolation of Ilexmanan the Aggrieved, or the Citadel of the Skull?

(You have to be in the Rainbow Inn yourself to use the rod. Also, BERYL was checked at the being of that section.)
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SlyJohnny
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Post by SlyJohnny »

Haha, oh god. Now I can summon him, but I'm too weak to fight!

Leave immediately. Citadel of Skull, sanctum, rest three times.
Thaluikhain
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Post by Thaluikhain »

Before you can escape:

Suddenly, everything grows dark around you and you find yourself standing inside the circle of standing stones. Just yards away from you is your opponent. The druids of the Sacred Grove realize that an important battle in the quest to find a new Duelmaster is to be fought here and they will not hinder you in any way. Within moments they have disappeared into the trees.

You may describe your appearance to your opponent now, the colour of your robes and your class. You should also tell your opponent what artefacts you are carrying. You may exchange insults and epithets now such as 'Pah! I shall cast you into the nether regions where you belong, pride-puffed bladderfish.'

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 scroll, a suit of armour. The Orb of All-Seeing Wonder

You have a zombie, the Sceptre of Doom and a scroll of Creeping Doom, a scroll of Feeblemind and ambuscade, a magic shield and a Book of Unholy Words.

You are on 7 LPs and 11 CPs.

They will go first, chosen randomly.
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SlyJohnny
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Post by SlyJohnny »

Well... bugger. He called my bluff.
Thaluikhain
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Post by Thaluikhain »

My arms are spread wide as I cast the direst dweomer from which there is no protection. The vines that festoon the tree behind you come to life and grow until they are entwined about you. You struggle but there is nothing you can do and I shall now do with you whatever I please. You are pinned helplessly

The Bones of the Earth are in my hands and your end is nigh. I do no more than cast a small pebble in your direction and utter the incantation, 'Come to my aid, O Juggernaught of the Earth.' The earth before you erupts into a small mountain of debris from which a colossal figure of rock and mud emerges forcefully. It strides towards you, raising its fists. My servant will pound you to jelly, you snivelling lunatic.'

You hear the incantation summoning the Juggernaught from the bowels of the earth and begin to shake with terror for there is nothing you can do to withstand the greatest of all earth elementals. Read out the following:

At the sound of your incantation you see a look of unbridled panic in my face. I can do nothing to withstand the Juggernaught which soon reduces me to a bloody pulp. I am slain. You have defeated me and are the victorious Duelmaster.

You have met your match at last and your face will never again be seen in the Rainbow Land.
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