[Let's Play] Sorcery Warrior 3 - The Seven Serpents

[JourneymanN00b]

Open the door!

[Thaluikhain]

Open random doors.

[Beroli]

The door opens to allow you into a dark passageway. Following the passage downwards, you can eventually see a glowing light ahead of you. And you can hear voices.

Creep along to the end?
Draw your weapon and march on boldly?

Name: Jason Beckett Mordred
Sex: Male
Skill: 11/11
Stamina: 17/19
Luck: 11/11
Weapon: Sword
Inventory: Large Backpack (need not leave behind an item to take another item), Blimberry Juice (+3 Stamina), silver key, Borrinskin boots, Ragnar's Armband of Swordmastery (+2 Attack Strength when using a sword), backup sword, torch, tinderbox, Lucky Talisman (+1 bonus to all Luck tests), Lucky Talisman (do not deduct a Luck point after Testing Luck), bow and quiver of 3 silver arrows, Serpent Ring, Galehorn, Chakram (Test Skill with -1 penalty at the start of a fight to do 2 damage, once), Yellow Powder, pearl ring, Hewing Axe (-2 Attack Strength weapon, cuts down trees), chainmail (+1 Attack Strength, 1/3 chance to reduce wounds), brass pendulum, small glass vial of gas, Serpent Staff (-2 Skill to each of Seven Serpents), 5 pebbles, leaves with six lobes, stone dust, yellow feathers, 7 Meals
Gold Pieces: 1
Libra's Favor: Not yet used in this adventure
Serpents Killed: Moon, Earth, Fire
Deaths: Unable to reach the North Gate of Kharé

[JourneymanN00b]

I vote to creep along to the end to maintain the element of surprise.

[Thaluikhain]

Creep along.

[Beroli]

At the end of the passageway, a small room is lit by a single candle standing on a wooden table. The candlelight reveals a murky room, but one used as a place of residence, judging by the furniture scattered about. Seated at the table is a spindly creature whose attention is focused on a Glass Orb standing on a plinth. The creature is mumbling something at the Orb. Shapes and colors are swirling across its surface, but you cannot make out anything clearly.

Politely disturb the creature to announce yourself?
Draw your weapon and attack?

Name: Jason Beckett Mordred
Sex: Male
Skill: 11/11
Stamina: 17/19
Luck: 11/11
Weapon: Sword
Inventory: Large Backpack (need not leave behind an item to take another item), Blimberry Juice (+3 Stamina), silver key, Borrinskin boots, Ragnar's Armband of Swordmastery (+2 Attack Strength when using a sword), backup sword, torch, tinderbox, Lucky Talisman (+1 bonus to all Luck tests), Lucky Talisman (do not deduct a Luck point after Testing Luck), bow and quiver of 3 silver arrows, Serpent Ring, Galehorn, Chakram (Test Skill with -1 penalty at the start of a fight to do 2 damage, once), Yellow Powder, pearl ring, Hewing Axe (-2 Attack Strength weapon, cuts down trees), chainmail (+1 Attack Strength, 1/3 chance to reduce wounds), brass pendulum, small glass vial of gas, Serpent Staff (-2 Skill to each of Seven Serpents), 5 pebbles, leaves with six lobes, stone dust, yellow feathers, 7 Meals
Gold Pieces: 1
Libra's Favor: Not yet used in this adventure
Serpents Killed: Moon, Earth, Fire
Deaths: Unable to reach the North Gate of Kharé

[JourneymanN00b]

I vote to be polite and announce Jason’s presence.

[Thaluikhain]

Politely announce.

[Queen of Swords]

Politely.

[Beroli]

You are about to open your mouth to greet the creature when a squeaky voice breaks the silence. 'All right, all right,' it says. 'Don't stand there stammering like a Half-Orc with the jitters. Come in and sit yourself down. I'm busy, but I'll be with you in a minute.' The voice is female; perhaps this woman is an Elf of some kind. She is engrossed in her Glass Orb, but in a few minutes she sits back and looks at you. 'So--a visitor. And a human, too. I am Fenestra, Elf Sorceress. Now, I have an excuse for being here. This is my home. But you must be a long way from your home. What in Gredd's name are you doing in this forest?' She watches you intently as you explain your story, while being careful to leave out your true mission. Her eyes are too large for her face and they seem to glow softly of their own accord. The whole effect is quite disturbing. But she listens attentively and appears genuinely interested in your travels. You may ask her a question now.

Ask whether she has any magic which may be of use to you?
Ask how you may best cross Lake Ilklala?
Make some comment about 'strange happenings' and steer the conversation to the Seven Serpents?

Name: Jason Beckett Mordred
Sex: Male
Skill: 11/11
Stamina: 17/19
Luck: 11/11
Weapon: Sword
Inventory: Large Backpack (need not leave behind an item to take another item), Blimberry Juice (+3 Stamina), silver key, Borrinskin boots, Ragnar's Armband of Swordmastery (+2 Attack Strength when using a sword), backup sword, torch, tinderbox, Lucky Talisman (+1 bonus to all Luck tests), Lucky Talisman (do not deduct a Luck point after Testing Luck), bow and quiver of 3 silver arrows, Serpent Ring, Galehorn, Chakram (Test Skill with -1 penalty at the start of a fight to do 2 damage, once), Yellow Powder, pearl ring, Hewing Axe (-2 Attack Strength weapon, cuts down trees), chainmail (+1 Attack Strength, 1/3 chance to reduce wounds), brass pendulum, small glass vial of gas, Serpent Staff (-2 Skill to each of Seven Serpents), 5 pebbles, leaves with six lobes, stone dust, yellow feathers, 7 Meals
Gold Pieces: 1
Libra's Favor: Not yet used in this adventure
Serpents Killed: Moon, Earth, Fire
Deaths: Unable to reach the North Gate of Kharé

[JourneymanN00b]

I vote to ask how to cross Lake Ilklala, as that is the most likely option to be actually useful.

[Thaluikhain]

Half vote to ask about the Seven Serpents.

[Queen of Swords]

I'll go with Lake Ilklala.

[Beroli]

'Crossing Ilklala?' she asks. 'It can be crossed, but only if you are able to summon the ferrymaster. I have here a whistle which you may blow to call him. For this whistle I will ask only 2 Gold Pieces. Or I will exchange it for anything you have which may be useful to me.' You may exchange any of your spell artefacts for the whistle, but she is not interested in any non-magical items.

Spell artefacts are: Blimberry Juice, the Galehorn, Yellow Powder, pearl ring, brass pendulum, a pebble (...goofy but there it is), stone dust, or yellow feathers. If you wish to trade, vote on what to trade; you don't have two Gold Pieces to spend.

Name: Jason Beckett Mordred
Sex: Male
Skill: 11/11
Stamina: 17/19
Luck: 11/11
Weapon: Sword
Inventory: Large Backpack (need not leave behind an item to take another item), Blimberry Juice (+3 Stamina), silver key, Borrinskin boots, Ragnar's Armband of Swordmastery (+2 Attack Strength when using a sword), backup sword, torch, tinderbox, Lucky Talisman (+1 bonus to all Luck tests), Lucky Talisman (do not deduct a Luck point after Testing Luck), bow and quiver of 3 silver arrows, Serpent Ring, Galehorn, Chakram (Test Skill with -1 penalty at the start of a fight to do 2 damage, once), Yellow Powder, pearl ring, Hewing Axe (-2 Attack Strength weapon, cuts down trees), chainmail (+1 Attack Strength, 1/3 chance to reduce wounds), brass pendulum, small glass vial of gas, Serpent Staff (-2 Skill to each of Seven Serpents), 5 pebbles, leaves with six lobes, stone dust, yellow feathers, 7 Meals
Gold Pieces: 1
Libra's Favor: Not yet used in this adventure
Serpents Killed: Moon, Earth, Fire
Deaths: Unable to reach the North Gate of Kharé

[JourneymanN00b]

I vote to trade away stone dust, I guess, since our hero is not a wizard.

[Thaluikhain]

May as well.

[Beroli]

Before you leave, Fenestra offers to help you by giving you a gift. You have a choice between:

A medicinal potion
A lucky charm
A calling-whistle (you will presumably not choose this as you just traded for one)

Name: Jason Beckett Mordred
Sex: Male
Skill: 11/11
Stamina: 17/19
Luck: 11/11
Weapon: Sword
Inventory: Large Backpack (need not leave behind an item to take another item), Blimberry Juice (+3 Stamina), silver key, Borrinskin boots, Ragnar's Armband of Swordmastery (+2 Attack Strength when using a sword), backup sword, torch, tinderbox, Lucky Talisman (+1 bonus to all Luck tests), Lucky Talisman (do not deduct a Luck point after Testing Luck), bow and quiver of 3 silver arrows, Serpent Ring, Galehorn, Chakram (Test Skill with -1 penalty at the start of a fight to do 2 damage, once), Yellow Powder, pearl ring, Hewing Axe (-2 Attack Strength weapon, cuts down trees), chainmail (+1 Attack Strength, 1/3 chance to reduce wounds), brass pendulum, small glass vial of gas, Serpent Staff (-2 Skill to each of Seven Serpents), 5 pebbles, leaves with six lobes, yellow feathers, calling-whistle, 7 Meals
Gold Pieces: 1
Libra's Favor: Not yet used in this adventure
Serpents Killed: Moon, Earth, Fire
Deaths: Unable to reach the North Gate of Kharé

[JourneymanN00b]

Going to vote for the medicinal potion.

[Thaluikhain]

Second that.

[Beroli]

The small vial that the sorceress has given you contains a liquid which will not work with spells. However, it is capable of curing any diseases you might pick up on your journey. Restore 2 Luck points for this find.

This whistle summons the ferryman of Lake Ilklala. Fenestra tells you how it works: 'The ferryman patrols the lake shore every morning and you will attract his attention by blowing this whistle.' Restore 3 Luck points for finding the whistle.

You thank Fenestra and leave her home to rejoin the path.

A little further along, the path divides into three. Take:

The left-hand path?
The right-hand path?
The centre path?

Name: Jason Beckett Mordred
Sex: Male
Skill: 11/11
Stamina: 17/19
Luck: 11/11
Weapon: Sword
Inventory: Large Backpack (need not leave behind an item to take another item), Blimberry Juice (+3 Stamina), silver key, Borrinskin boots, Ragnar's Armband of Swordmastery (+2 Attack Strength when using a sword), backup sword, torch, tinderbox, Lucky Talisman (+1 bonus to all Luck tests), Lucky Talisman (do not deduct a Luck point after Testing Luck), bow and quiver of 3 silver arrows, Serpent Ring, Galehorn, Chakram (Test Skill with -1 penalty at the start of a fight to do 2 damage, once), Yellow Powder, pearl ring, Hewing Axe (-2 Attack Strength weapon, cuts down trees), chainmail (+1 Attack Strength, 1/3 chance to reduce wounds), brass pendulum, small glass vial of gas, Serpent Staff (-2 Skill to each of Seven Serpents), 5 pebbles, leaves with six lobes, yellow feathers, calling-whistle, cure disease potion, 7 Meals
Gold Pieces: 1
Libra's Favor: Not yet used in this adventure
Serpents Killed: Moon, Earth, Fire
Deaths: Unable to reach the North Gate of Kharé

[JourneymanN00b]

I vote to take the centre path, as I think our hero needs to be a moderate and stay away from the extremes for the time being.

[Thaluikhain]

May as well.

(And, wow, quite a haul of restored luck there, if we needed it)

[Beroli]

You reach a clearing where you can stop to rest and eat if you choose. As it is not your first meal of the day, it will restore 1 Stamina if you do.

You collect your things and leave the clearing. For several hours you follow the path through the woods. But you are aware that the forest is thinning. You must be nearing the edge, which means that you will soon be able to see the waters of Lake Ilklala. It is early evening when you eventually reach the shores of the great lake. You look out across the vast expanse of still water which stretches to the horizon and your heart sinks (because apparently you've forgotten about your whistle already). How will you cross the lake? There are no signs of people or boats, as far as you can see. You sit down to consider the problem. You might as well camp here for the night and make your plans in the morning. You may eat here if you wish (if you eat in both places you'll restore 2 Stamina points). Then you can settle down to sleep.

You awake early the next morning. You do not take hunger damage. You do blow your whistle.

After packing up your camp, you pull out the little whistle and blow. No sound comes from it. You shake it vigorously and blow again, but there is still no sound. But it is not broken. It emits a high-pitched whistle, silent to the ears, but which can be heard by the ferryman. A few minutes later, he comes stumbling out of the undergrowth. 'All right, all right, hold yer horses. I'm coming. Wot's yer rush?' He is a scruffy unwashed individual, fat and with a broad pair of shoulders. 'Right then,' he says, scratching himself across the chest, 'where to?' You tell him you wish to cross the lake, whereupon he bursts into laughter, slapping his knees with his hands. 'Of course yer wants to cross the lake!' he laughs. 'Everyone wants to cross the lake. But I still asks "Where to" anyway. Just my little jest. Right then. That'll be 4 Gold Pieces. In advance, if yer don't mind.'

Seeing as you do not have that much gold, you mind.

You draw your sword and demand the ferryman take you across for free. Probably regretting that he responded to the calling-whistle, he fights with you.

FERRYMAN Skill 7 Stamina 8

It is very unlikely to matter, but I'm pausing here for votes on whether you ate once, twice, or zero times the previous day when you had the chance anyway.

Name: Jason Beckett Mordred
Sex: Male
Skill: 11/11
Stamina: 17/19
Luck: 11/11
Weapon: Sword
Inventory: Large Backpack (need not leave behind an item to take another item), Blimberry Juice (+3 Stamina), silver key, Borrinskin boots, Ragnar's Armband of Swordmastery (+2 Attack Strength when using a sword), backup sword, torch, tinderbox, Lucky Talisman (+1 bonus to all Luck tests), Lucky Talisman (do not deduct a Luck point after Testing Luck), bow and quiver of 3 silver arrows, Serpent Ring, Galehorn, Chakram (Test Skill with -1 penalty at the start of a fight to do 2 damage, once), Yellow Powder, pearl ring, Hewing Axe (-2 Attack Strength weapon, cuts down trees), chainmail (+1 Attack Strength, 1/3 chance to reduce wounds), brass pendulum, small glass vial of gas, Serpent Staff (-2 Skill to each of Seven Serpents), 5 pebbles, leaves with six lobes, yellow feathers, calling-whistle, cure disease potion, 7 Meals
Gold Pieces: 1
Libra's Favor: Not yet used in this adventure
Serpents Killed: Moon, Earth, Fire
Deaths: Unable to reach the North Gate of Kharé

[JourneymanN00b]

I vote not to eat anything yet.

[Thaluikhain]

May as well not eat yet.