Let's Play Secrets of Salamonis (#70) redux?

[deaddmwalking]

I think the shield is crazy good. We should buy it.

[Thaluikhain]

Half vote for the carynx, as that looks like a plot token, rather than just stats thingy, though likely only to come up once.

[SGamerz]

^Agreed, buy the Carynx.

(I'm also meta-gaming a bit here....the GM just gave us the opportunity to gain just 1 Salacoin, which gives us exactly 10 GP, so I'm hazarding a guess that the item that costs exactly 10 GP may be a necessary item.)

[deaddmwalking]

I suppose that's convincing. But the shield is like testing your luck for free everything you take damage with no downside if you fail. Maybe it's too good to be true (like it breaks after the first use), but I sure hope the Carynx proved worth it....

[Dogopolis]

We buy the Carnyx with all our money. For no explained reason these guys will never show up again, so you get only one chance.

There are all manner of stalls set up within the Bazaar, selling everything from astronomical instruments to zodiac readings. Looking around, you make a mental note of the items you think could prove most useful to you now that you are a full-blown member of the Adventurers" Guild. You may buy as many items as you want, as long as you have enough money to pay for them.

Ancient Treasure Map 6 Gold Pieces
Bag of Salt 2 Gold Pieces
Basilisk-Skin Boots 10 Gold Pieces
Beeswax 1 Gold Piece
Copper Armband 2 Gold Pieces
Empty Bottle 5 Salacoins
Length of Rope 2 Gold Pieces
Medusa Grass 12 Gold Pieces
Nose Plugs t Gold Piece
Old Lamp 3 Gold Pieces
Potion of Luck 5 Gold Pieces
Potion of Skill 5 Gold Pieces
Potion of Strength 4 Gold Pieces
Provisions 5 Salacoins per Meal
Shazaarian Ale 3 Gold Pieces

hen you drink a Potion of Luck, restore your LUCk score to its Initial level. If you drink a Potion of Skill, you may restore your $K (LL scoreto its Initial level, while the Potion of Strength will restore your stamina score to its Initial
level. Each Meal will restore up to 4 sTAMINA points and you may eat Provisions at any time, apart from when you are engaged in combat. The Shazaarian Ale will also restore up to 4 STAMINA points, but you must reduce your Attack Strength by | point for the duration of the next
battle you have to fight. Do you have a Swampsnake Skin and want to try to sell it to
one of the stallholders? If not move on.

We can't buy antyhing now, but a lot of good stuff there.

‘So, what’s it to be?’ the Guildmaster asks as you examine the Quests Board outside the Guild.

Take a look at the illustration above. On it you will see a list of available quests, with a job number next to each one. To embark on a quest, turn to the section that is the same as the number that has been allocated to that job by the Guildmaster. (Please note that you may only attempt each quest once unless expressly stated otherwise in the text.)

[deaddmwalking]

Collecting Cauldronweed (88) looks like it might also be a straightforward quest - I'd like to get some more money before we do the mine/screaming sky

[Thaluikhain]

May as well.

[Beroli]

The Witches of Dree are not nice people. Cardinal Zyn.

[SGamerz]

Collect Cauldronweed

[Dogopolis]

Ah yes, collect Cauldronweed for the Witches of Dree, says the Guildmaster. “Well, that shouldn't prove too taxing, long as you keep your wits about you and know what you're looking for.’
‘Can you tell me where I'll find the Cauldronweed the Witches want?" you ask. ‘Oh sure, that's the easy bit. {t grows in Bu Fon Fen, an area of swampland next to the Deedlewater, west of the witch village of Dree. The tricky part is going to be bringing it back, since the Toadmen of the fen are very protective of the plants and herbs that grow there. That’s why the Witches want someone to collect it for them. Mind you, they'll probably pay you a pretty penny if you can get it to them. If I were you, I'd pay a visit to the Bazaar to equip yourself, After all, you never know when you might be glad of some nose plugs or a length of rope in Bu Fon Fen.’ Doyou want to take the Guikimaster’s advice and visit the: Bazaar before setting off?

We don’t have any money.

Leaving Salamonis, you head north across the Windward Plains towards the village of the witch-women and Bu Fon
Fen. Some days later you find the flat grassiand giving way to taller reeds, and the ground becomes softer underfoot You press on until the bulrushes tower over your head arid you enter a muddy clearing. two trails lead away from the clearing through the reed beds. One heads in a north-easterly direction, while the other winds its way north-west. You can't help but notice the webbed footprints that have been left in the mud along the north-westerly trail, Will you head north-east or follow the webbed footprints north-west?

[Thaluikhain]

Nor'east, avoid footprints.

[deaddmwalking]

They probably loop around and meet up. But might as well see if we can find the cauldronweed without getting in a fight. Let's avoid the foot prints and head north-east.

[Dogopolis]

You follow the trail as it winds through the reeds. You can hear strange croaking noises echoing from deeper into the swamp and unsheathe your sword, just in case you find yourself in need of it in a hurry.
Suddenly something stithers across the path in front of you and you come to an abrupt halt, You can hear a hissing from among the bulrushes to your right, You warily take another step forward and then, without warning, a large Swampsnake strikes from its hiding place among the reeds. it is fortunate you already have your sword drawn!

SWAMPSNAKE SKILL 6 STAMINA 6

Code: Select all

S 10 LMJ 21 S at 4
S 13 LMJ 15 S at 2
S 15 LMJ 19 S dead

If you win....

---------------------------------

You've heard tell that the scaly skin of a Swampsnake is highly prized by alchemists and potion-makers. You quickly skin the reptile, and stow your prize in your backpack, before throwing the rest of the snake's remains away into the swamp and setting off again. (Add the
Swampsnake Skin to your Adventure Sheet.)

--------------------------------

You press on through the fens until the trail opens up as it reaches a riverbank. A profusion of brightly coloured plants grows beside the sluggish river, but which one of them is the herb known as Cauldronweed? Do you want to pick several bunches of a plant with no flowers and ragged, dark green leaves or do you want to pick several tall stems that are adorned with bright yellow star-shaped flowers?

[deaddmwalking]

Well shoot. I have no idea.

Half vote for the ragged dark green leaves. If anyone has anything more than a blind guess I'll defer to them.

[SGamerz]

Yeah, not too much to go on, and the only thing I can think of is that it's supposed to be a parody of Cauldron Cannabis, so a quick search of the Cannabis plant makes me think dark green leaves fits better than star-shaped flowers.

Are these books still targeted at kids? I genuinely hope they not rewarding readers who know what Marijuana plants look like...

[Thaluikhain]

In lieu of a better idea, I'll go for the dark green ones.

[Dogopolis]

When you think you have picked enough, you stow the= = plants safely in your backpack and begin to retrace the route you took through the fens. You are considering picking some of the other plants just to be sure you've got the right one, when you are startled by a loud croaking noise and a large, bulky shape leaps from the reeds and lands on the riverbank in front of you, It is as tall as you are, but its skin is warty and colour of a stone. Its misshapen head reminds you of an amphibian and its hands and feet are webbed too. The creature opens its cavernous mouth and belches out a deafening croak as it tightens its grip on the trident it is holding in both hands, You have no choice but to fight the Toadman!

TOADMAN SKILL 9 STAMINA 8

Code: Select all

T 17 LMJ 19 T at 6
T 15 LMJ 17 T at 4
T 16 LMJ 19 T at 2
T 16 LMJ 19 T dead

If you win….

Where there is one Toadman there are bound to be more and so you set off at a jog through the marshes. But then the path splits unexpectedly before you. You don't remember coming this way! Which branch of the trail do you want to follow? The left branch or the right branch

[Beroli]

Left branch.

[deaddmwalking]

Left is fine.

[Dogopolis]

As you run along the left-hand path you catch sight of more of the creatures hopping through the reeds to intercept you. You soon find yourself surrounded and both the way ahead and behind you blocked by the Toadmen. One of them steps forward, his trident pointing in your direction, and croaks, “None may enter the fens of the Toadmen. Our marsh and herb gardens are holy. They are for no eyes but our own. There is only one punishment for breaking this law — death!

If you have the Spelling Special Skill and you want to use it now…

We do have spelling and I'm going to assume you want to use it

Even though the Toadmen are bearing down on you, you grab the Spelling Sheet from your back and lay it on the ground in front of you trying your best to clear your mind, despite the danger you are in, vou plead with the Oracle to aid you now.

The squelching footsteps of the Toadmen fade into the background and a still, small voice speaks to you in
your mind.,

Thicker than mist, it sounds like Bu Fon Fen... [__G}

And then the voice is gone, If you know what the Oracle was trying to tell you, fill in the missing letters and then use the Spelling Sheet to turn the answer into numbers.

[deaddmwalking]

F (12) 0 (5) G (400) = 417

[Dogopolis]

Bu Fon Fen Is a bog, and what is thicker than mist and rhymes with bog? Fog, of course!
At once a thick fog descends over the swamp, as if from nowhere, hiding you from the Toadmen and giving you the chance to escape

-----------------------

You flee through the fens, your heart pounding, and panting for breath. You do not slow your steps until you feel the ground become firmer underfoot once more, and the towering reeds give way to the level grasslands of the Windward Plains. Eventually you reach a well-worn track and a signpost,which directs you east towards Dree. You pass through arange of low hills and cross a rickety wooden bridge that spans a fast-flowing river, until you eventually come to the village of the witch-women, It is a truly vile place, its buildings ramshackle, its inhabitants a combination of grotesque parodies of life and the aged crones who call this gloomy place home. A foul miasma hangs over the place — no doubt the result of all the potion-brewing that must go on here. The witch-women keep a wary eye on you as you make your way to the village square, where you announce,in a slightly unsteady voice, that you have brought the Cauldronweed they wanted.‘You've brought Cauldronweed here?’ asks one toothless hag, bent almost double with age. That's right,’ you say, and take the plants you collected from Bu Fon Fen from your pack.
But which plants did you pick?

Ragged Leaves?
Star Flowers?

-------------------------------------------------------

Oh yes,’ says the crone when she catches sight of the ragged leaves, ‘you have done well. Supplies of Cauldronweed have been running low for a while now, and either no one’s been brave enough to enter Bu Fon Fen to search for the stuff, or they've had a run-in with the Toadmen and never come out again. I'll give you 3 Gold Pieces for it.’

A crowd of witch-women is gathering around you now, keen to see what you have brought them. Do you want to accept the crone’s offer or do you want to try to haggle with her, in the hope of raising the price?

[deaddmwalking]

I don't know if it's a good idea, but it seems like the witches should be able to provide us with a potion as a 'fair trade'.
At the Bazaar:
Potion of Luck 5 Gold Pieces
Potion of Skill 5 Gold Pieces
Potion of Strength 4 Gold Pieces

Call it a half-vote to haggle. "Three for that, you must be mad!"

[SGamerz]

Haggle

[Beroli]

Haggle.