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 »

The cave.
Thaluikhain
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Post by Thaluikhain »

You enter the cave mouth which leads into a labyrinth of tunnels deep underground. You wander about for some time. The tunnels are rich wit odours and sounds, some faint, some loud, echoing around the misty corridors. It is is the place is teeming with life.

WAIT and roll one dice. You got a 4, which will take you to 537 after your opponent uses their next wait.
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Post by Thaluikhain »

As you round the corner you find yourself face-to-face with a basilisk, a six-legged giant lizard, its eyes glowing with a baleful green fire. You must fight it. Only red of blue magic will work here. The basilisk is immune to Spirit of Flame, as it is a magical creature in its own right. It is unaffected by Phantasm, but if you cast Feeblemind you may add 2 to your combat rolls. If you fight it, it has 12 LPs and rolls one dice. For each roll round you fight, roll another dice. If you roll 1, the basilisk has used its deadly gaze on you which makes your body sluggish. Subtract 1 from your dice rolls every time it uses its gaze. You may flee at any time by Invoking the Portals, WAITing and going to the Scorched Sands of Akhneton, the House of Mausolus or the Forest of Arden.
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SlyJohnny
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Post by SlyJohnny »

Feeblemind, definitely. I'll fight till I'm at 10 health, or I've been hit by the gaze three times, and then make a decision about whether to continue to fight or run.
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Post by Thaluikhain »

Ok then

mage rolls 5, basilisk rolls 4(-2), mage hits for 3
mage rolls 5, basilisk rolls 3(-2), mage hits for 5
mage rolls 3, basilisk rolls 4(-2), mage hits for 3
mage rolls 4, basilisk rolls 4(-2), mage hits for 2 and kills it

WAIT and then to 673
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SlyJohnny
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Post by SlyJohnny »

Did you not roll for the gaze? Or did it just not go off?
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Post by Thaluikhain »

Oops, yes, forgot that. Rolling now, doesn't come up in 4 rolls anyway, though.

After a while, the tunnels lead you to a large cavern at the centre of which lies an ivory dias, carved with runes and glyphs dealing with various aspects of white magic. Upon the dias rests a long sword of fine steel. The hilt is simple and unadorned but the blade seems to pulse with white light. It is the Holy Sword of Avenging Flame, forged on aeons past by the Archangel Variel. If you are not evil you can use it as a weapon in combat, giving you +1 to your combat rolls.

If you want to, take the sword and record the codeword CHAINMAIL. Tiring of the warren of tunnels you Invoke the Portals. You may go to the Scorched Sands of Akhneton, the House of Mausolus, or the Forest of Arden, but you must WAIT before doing so.

(That'd be the 3rd WAIT since last seeing your opponent, to help in keeping track)
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Post by SlyJohnny »

Alright! House of Mausolous, then pray at the statue. Let's see what my opponent has been up to.
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Post by Thaluikhain »

You find yourself in a tall dark room of cold black marble. You know immediately that this is a place without magic. White pillars march around the edge and the middle of the room is taken up with row upon row of stone slabs. On the slabs rest naked corpses, cold and still. You have arrived in the House of Mausolus, the place of the dead, where heroes and people of import in the Rainbow Land lie preserved in death for ever. Beside you stairs lead down to the crypt. Will you go down into the crypt, investigate the bodies, examine the small shrine dedicated to some god or other nearby, or Invoke the Portals and go either to the Caverns of Perdition or the Phoenix Crags. In any case you must WAIT(4) before you do so.
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Post by SlyJohnny »

Examine the shrine!
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Post by Thaluikhain »

It appears to be a shrine dedicated to the sorceror mage Emeritus, the very one who is said to have created the Rainbow Land. Some say his powers rivaled those of the gods. As you stand there, a low quit laughter fills the air and a voice, ancient yet strong, sounds in your head.

"A duelist, well, well. It is some time since I have witnessed a good duel and I grow bored. Come, entertain me, mortal." With that, you suddenly find yourself transported to an area of magic, with your opponent before you. Emeritus has brought you together to fight for his own amusement.

(Some time since he witnessed a good duel? He must be mocking your wolf-eatenness)

You stand amidst the ordered greenery of the Garden of Contemplation. You opponent stands opposite you, beneath a tree, glaring at you. (You may describe yourself to your opponent, exchange insults such as "Prepare to die, insignificant worm." In any case, you must tell him your class of mage and what you are carrying.) Then prepare for spell combat. You may only use blue or green spells in this region.

Your opponent hasn't changed since last you saw them. They will go first, decided randomly.
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Post by Thaluikhain »

Your opponent is trying to escape. Read this out:

"You run, preparing to Invoke the Portals, but in you haste you blunder into a nearby bush, giving me time to dash forwards and slash at you with my dagger before you disappear into the Nexus. You lose 3LPs. From the Nexus you can go to the Palace of Flames, the Shrine of the Martyrs or the Desolation of Ilexmanana the Aggrieved. WAIT for me first."

You stand alone in the Garden. You can either Invoke the Portals and go to the Palace of Flames, the Shrine of the Martyrs or the Desolation of Ilexmanan the Aggrieved or you can investigate the Garden.
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Post by SlyJohnny »

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. If you would like to cast an Ambuscade here, record the codeword TUMULUS.

WAIT5

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?

There's a picture of this place here

However, while you are WAITing, your opponent appears:

You stand upon the first floor of the Palace Hall. The brass walls almost glow with heat. Braziers line the walls. Your opponent stands before you. (You may describe yourself to your opponent, and exchange insults such as "Pure vitriol is too sweet a nectar for the likes of you.") You may only use red spells in this region.

You will go first (decided randomly)

DECISIONS

You may try to escape by fleeing and Invoking the Portals.
If you have no spells you can charge forward, hope to withstand your enemy's spells and close for physical combat.

Or you may cast:
Spirit of Flame 1CP
Last edited by Thaluikhain on Wed Feb 08, 2017 3:48 am, edited 1 time in total.
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SlyJohnny
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Post by SlyJohnny »

Spirit of Flame.
Thaluikhain
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Post by Thaluikhain »

You cast the Spirit of Flame - cross off 1 CP. Read this to your opponent:

"My hands flash through the air in a complicated arcane gesture. A few feet in front of me, a flaring fireball begins to coalesce. Two black shifting spots at its centre seem to denote eyes. The Spirit of Flame, for that is what it is, rushes towards you intent on engulfing you."

You opponent cannot counter.

"I stagger back in horror and a howl of pain echoes around the Caverns Palace as the living fireball does its work. Moments later, it disappears back to its plane of fire, leaving me charred and burnt."
Last edited by Thaluikhain on Fri Feb 10, 2017 2:01 am, edited 1 time in total.
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SlyJohnny
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Post by SlyJohnny »

Caverns? Wrong reference, or book typo?
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Post by Thaluikhain »

Oops, well spotted. I'd copied and pasted it from the earlier use of Spirit of Flame because it seemed to be identical, didn't notice there was one word difference.
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Post by Thaluikhain »

"My finger points at you and suddenly, you are bathed in flames. It is as if you had spontaneously caught fire. The agony is unbearable as the fire rages for several seconds. All your body hair has been burnt away but, oddly, your clothes and equipment remain untouched. Lose three life points."

DECISIONS

You may try to escape by fleeing and Invoking the Portals.
If you have no spells you can charge forward, hope to withstand your enemy's spells and close for physical combat.
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SlyJohnny
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Post by SlyJohnny »

It's cool. I just wanted to figure out whether spells did different things in different zones.

Charge!
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Post by Thaluikhain »

You begin to charge. Read this out:

"I begin to charge forward, sword at the ready, intent on hand-to-hand combat. You have the opportunity to hurl a spell at me. Or you may flee or run to meet me"
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Post by Thaluikhain »

If you were wondering what Spirit of Flame did:

"My hands flash through the air in a complicated arcane gesture. A few feet in front of me, a flaring fireball begins to coalesce. Two black shifting spots at its centre seem to denote eyes. The Spirit of Flame, for that is what it is, rushes towards you intent on engulfing you."

You can do nothing to resist the Spirit of Flame. Lose 5LPs. Read this to your opponent:

"I stagger back in horror and a howl of pain echoes around the Palace as the living fireball does its work. Moments later, it disappears back to its plane of fire, leaving me charred and burnt."

Also, have to roll a die for every item you have (that is, items you found, the book never checks to see how many daggers you have left) and on 1 or 2 they are destroyed. Rolled a 2 for your magic sword. Ouch!

And the spell stops you charging, you have to wait for their go.
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Post by Thaluikhain »

"I begin to charge forward, dagger at the ready, intent on hand-to-hand combat. You may flee or run to meet me"
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SlyJohnny
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Post by SlyJohnny »

Fuckkk. I could've swore I had the counter for that spell, but I absolutely do not.

Let's do this, then. I'll fight until I'm at 7 hp, and then make a decision to tough it out or flee.
Last edited by SlyJohnny on Sat Feb 11, 2017 1:14 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Thaluikhain
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Post by Thaluikhain »

Explosive wand 5, Mage the Redundant Magician 3. Redundant Mage takes 5. And was at 5 LPs so is slain.

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.
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