Let's Play Wizardry 6, Part 9

Previously, in Bane of the Cosmic Forge, the party finally left the castle! Then they went back in. Then they went back out. Then they went back in again for some rope. But then they left again! Entering the tunnel system at the rear of the castle basement, our heroes encountered deadly new threats, cave-ins and a yawning chasm. Naturally the party is now going to cross that chasm using an old rope found in the castle belfry and a steel hook stolen from the taxidermied corpse of a pirate.

Hanging on for dear life, you shimmy across the rope to the other side...

Yep.

"I cannot believe that worked."

"I can't believe we all survived."

"I flew across."

Venturing forward into caves on the other side of the chasm:

You hear some kind of strange sucking noise from somewhere nearby...
It's a slurpy kind of sound...

Investigating further, the party find the source of the noise—the hydra plant.

Oh yes. This is a good time for half the party to take a nap.

The hydra plant is not too difficult, but capable of putting multiple party members to sleep with its spray attack. The jungle vines provide an unwelcome distraction as well. In this instance I have Wrath, Alva and Motoko assault the hydra plant while Shaana puts as many of the vines asleep as possible. The two spellcasters try to cripple and destroy all the vines, so as to allow all attention to then be focused on the hydra. This plan starts to fall apart immediately when the hydra puts half the party to sleep—fortunately, Whisker did manage to summon an 'etherial bat' (sic) to aid the party, which at the very least means that he's technically contributing while he has a nice snooze. Somehow, even with half my party out of action, I manage to fend off the hydra and the vines long enough to allow Shaana (of all people) to kill the hydra plant with an energy blast spell.

"Yes! Who's the all-powerful mage now?!"

[Squeaks.]

"Well yeah, but don't tell him that."

Just beyond the hydra, we find what appears to be some kind of lift.

Konata pressed the button while you were reading this.

Pressing the button opens a chute, dropping the party down into a lower level. The party staggers from the caverns, and so emerge in what appears to be some kind of colossal cavern:

The tunnel emerges out of the mountain and into the open expanse of a titanic gorge. A network of ridges spans across over the deep gorge, and far across the sky you can see the jutting peak of a huge mountain, poking up into the centre of the great cavern.

As you can clearly see.

The great cavern is a kind of lost world in itself, wide and open with its own 'mountain' rising in the centre.

"That would be Giant Mountain?"

"A reasonable supposition, yes."

The gorge area is seemingly random jumble of walkways and deadly pits.

"Oh, look at the pretty pink clouds!"

I'm not an expert on clouds, but I don't think they thirst for the blood of the living.

These 'clouds', somewhat akin to flying jellyfish, don't prove too dangerous. Shaana is able to put them to sleep, and the rest of the party are able to dice them up with little difficulty.

[Sadly.] "They didn't do us any harm. Why'd we have to kill them?"

"Paranoia, mainly."

Later clouds are more expertly identified as floaters and man o' wars. They cast elemental spells, are resistant to sleep, blindness and other ailments that the party might cast upon them and are thus potentially very dangerous indeed. With little immediate clue as to their next step (and perhaps remembering about the twelve foot tall men capable of ripping people's heads off), the party do not attempt to find a direct passage to the centre mountain, but instead following the wall of the cavern clockwise, eventually encountering a promising cave entrance on the eastern side of the gorge, roughly in the direction of the castle somewhere above them on the surface.

Great, now we have to go in there.

"Well, we can stay out here with the floating jellyfish things, or we can go into the forbidden wizard cave."

"Floating things!"

"Wizard cave."

"I would rather deal with the strange floating creatures than poke my snout into the abode of an unknown sorceror."

"Well I'd take the risk of the unknown over being fireballed from across the gorge."

"Motoko?"

[Shrugs.]

[Sighs.] "Of course. Well I think—"

"Shaana and Mr. Whisker just went into the cave." [Follows after them.]

[Scowls.]

Inside the Wizard's Cave is a short passage and a locked portcullis.

[Curses in a foreign tongue.]

Foiled, the party withdraw back to the gorge and explore a little further south, finding another cave entrance.

Leather cap, tricorne hat, skullcap, feathered hat, wizard's cone, another skullcap... looks like everyone checks out.

"So are we just going in? Yes? Whatever."

The party enter what appears to be some kind of dwarf mine. How do we know dwarves are involved? Well...

Yep, that's... some kind of dwarf. A dwarf with gangrene of the beard, apparently.

"Rather than immediately instigating hostilities, perhaps our own Motoko would care to negotiate with her fellow dwarf?"

[Dropkicks dwarf in the head.]

"I see."

"Motoko wouldn't kick somebody who wasn't evil!" [Dissolves dwarf in acid.]

The dwarves of the mine are all very hostile and quite tough to boot. Nonetheless, one dwarf by himself is not a significant threat. Now three giants...

Of course.

Hill giants are very strong and very resilient. No tricks, no special powers—if one of those hammers hits any but our toughest characters, the victim is going to die. As such, the best tactic is to try to disable each giant and then inflict as much damage as possible (in fairness, this is the best tactic in a lot of situations, but it's been a short while since the risk of immediate death has been quite so high).

"Perhaps we should withdraw from the mine for now."

[Mutters in Elvish under her breath.]

The mine has multiple entrances on the eastern face of the gorge. Exiting the mine from one of the more southerly exits and heading a little west over one of the available walkways leads the party to a new encounter.

A large ugly troll climbs from under the bridge and blocks your way!
Finally, he bellows, "I yare the toll troll!"

The party's next big problem.

"Will ya gonna pay the toll?"

"No."

"Get 'em boys!"

"Dammit Wrath!"

Well, crap.

This is a hard fight. It takes just about every ounce of magic and stamina to hold back the assorted giants and dwarves long enough to bring down the Toll Troll, and the entire party is left exhausted—again, no finesse or special attacks to worry about, just fending off a group of tough and hard-hitting enemies.

[Croaks.] "Back to the castle!" [Falls over.]

"Somebody needs to work on their endurance!" [Heaves Whisker over her shoulder.]

The party begins to run back into the cave system leading back to the castle. Whisker and Konata are completely drained, falling unconscious from fatigue. Even Motoko, usually one of the toughest of the party, blacks out for a bit. Nevertheless, the party successfully return to safety, even somehow managing to shimmy over the great chasm they crossed at the beginning of this update despite three of their members being out of action.

"It was tricky, I won't lie."

After a visit to the restorative fountains of the castle, the party sally forth once more. Somewhat taken aback by the aggressiveness of the denizens of the great cavern around what is surely Giant Mountain (despite being actually quite small for a mountain on the surface), they quickly head back into the mine, where the fights are a little more managable for now.

"At least there is a limit as to how many giants and mad dwarves can physically assault us at once within these narrow tunnels."

"Oh look, giant ants."

Why would dwarves allow giant ants to roam freely about their mine?

It seems that the dwarves cannot even secure their own mines against various monsters. Still their loss is an adventurer's gain, and in a dark area of cavern long abandoned to the insects, the party encounter the greatest treasure of all—an old leather hauberk, small and adjustable to just about to fit an average-size grown woman.

"Proper body armour that I can wear! It's mine! Mine I tell you! I found it in a mine!" [Laughs maniacally.] "I'm so happy!"

[All back away slowly from the hysterical bard.]

"Because she's in a mine!" [Giggles.]

Sartorial adjustments aside, the dwarf mine is a warren of tunnels snaking around one another as they descend deeper into the earth somewhere beneath the castle on the surface. A somewhat systematic exploration of the tunnel system is needed.

"I believe we are more likely to encounter some interesting if we strike deeper into the mine."

"Um. What are we even doing here, exactly?"

[Ignores Shaana and walks back into the mine.] "I think if we first explore this passage—" [Shrieks as a giant wyrm burrows through the wall beside him.]

At this point a giant wyrm immediately tries to eat Whisker.

Look at you poke your little head out so cutely. Also, Whisker is near dead from blood loss.

Identified soon after as a white wyrm (despite clearly being green), it proves annoyingly tenacious, though it does eventually die without doing anybody else significant harm.

"Mage. You are placing yourself too close to danger; for your own protection, I suggest that you stay safely behind Lady Konata."

[Stares at Wrath, then at the tiny faerie Konata, then back at Wrath.] "I... fine."

Since Konata has better evasion and can soak twice as much damage as Whisker (somehow), I decide to pull Whisker back into the sixth position in the party formation (which actually I should have been doing all along, since Whisker has always been the most fragile party member). This means that more of the party have to be neutalised or in hiding before Whisker is line for melee attacks (he can still get a throwing knife in the eye, though).

Hoping to find something other than yet more deranged creatures infesting the tunnels, the party follow one of the deep passages and come to a modestly sized chamber, within which they find yet another deranged creature.

To be honest, we were all expecting something like this.

The rubber beast is tough, apparently resistant to all elemental magics, unaffected by Shaana's music, and breathes paralytic vapours. In the first round, Wrath, Alva and Motoko are all paralysed. Unable to do substantial damage to the creature, Whisker summons a zombie to help the party before succumbing to fatigue. The zombie proceeds to uselessly vomit on the creature to no effect the entire battle. While Shaana attempts to flank the creature to strike its vitals (which she can't find), Konata has the presence of mind to cast cure paralysis on Wrath, releasing the dracon to defend the party. After several rounds of hacking at the creature while avoiding its breath attack, Wrath eventually manages to slay it.

[Flourishes katana.] "I have smote the beast. We are victorious!"

Wrath claims a long rubber strand as his trophy.

"Um. Motoko and Alva are paralysed, and Whisker and Konata are unconscious."

"We shall withdraw now."

The party heroically retreats! Wrath takes the lead in carrying Alva and Motoko under his arms, while Shaana stuffs Konata into her satchel and drags Whisker behind her. As they leave the mine:

"Raow! Stop dragging me like a sack of grain behind you!"

"Oh good. You're awake. Now get up and start running!"

"I like it in here. It's comfy."

The party withdraw to the cave system leading back to the castle again in order to rest and recuperate. Once the entire party is ambulatory again, and after a little patching up of the wounded, the party decide to strike into the mine yet again, in the hope of achieving something useful. Striking a different path chosen basically at random, the party find themselves in front of a door in the mine with a large sign:

Well it's about time this mine was catered.

Stepping within:

An old dwarf looks up from behind an anvil, where he is busy hammering a red hot piece of roasted corn.

"Dag nab it! Can't you sees I'm busy!"

[To Motoko.] "Kick him in the head?"

[Shakes head.]

"What cans I do yer fors?"

"Who are you?"

"Folks calls me Smitty!"

"And, um, what do you do?"

"I'm a restaurantrepeneur! Fixer of foods 'n' forgin' fer fortune!"

[Looks around uncertainly.] "You do food?"

"Mmm... edibles... I'm a pretty mean cook!"

[Brightly.] "Well, he checks out. I can't think of anything else to ask."

[Sighs.] "Perhaps we could ask what the dwarves are mining for?"

I dunno whats we're diggin fer. I don't thinks anyone does anymore!"

Smitty, good to his word, provides the party with roasted corn treats (from who-knows-where) and a selection of weapons to purchase. Alva's eyes immediately alight upon a finely-crafted fauchard, a type of long, two-handed spear with a long, slightly curved blade.

"At last! A spear!" [Swings fauchard around.]

[Ducks.] "Do you... actually know how to wield a spear?"

"Of course I do." [Pokes at the air in front of her.]

"It is just... you are already proven with sword and shield, and your sword is enchanted."

[Glares.] "I'm a valkyrie. A spearmaiden. We use spears."

"But you have not, if I am not mistaken, actually ever been formally annointed a valkyrie..."

"Uh, Wrath—"

[Smiles sweetly.] "Are you really a samurai, Wrath?"

"..."

Strictly speaking, switching Alva to a spear isn't immediately advantageous. She doesn't need the reach, and she's losing both defence (by eshewing her shield) and accuracy (by no longer benefiting from either the enchantment on her sword of striking or her accumulated skill with swords—skill that she does not have with polearms at present). Nevertheless Alva's mind is set. She suddenly invokes the power of her heraldic shield, permanently increasing her strength (by one point) while reducing the shield itself to dust.

[To Smitty.] "I'll take it." [Glares at Wrath.]

"..."

[Shuffles up to Smitty.] "So, uh, I'd like to sell this piece of, um, leatherwork?" [Dumps the studded leather brassiere on the counter in front of the dwarf.]

[Looks over the bustier; eyes widen.] "I'll give ye 700 for it!"

"Seriously?!"

Seriously.

"Wow. Hmm. Fine. As long as I don't have to see it ever again." [Looks back to the party.] "So, um, we good to go? We're good to go right?"

"..."

"Most certainly. Take your positions, all of you. We explore the mine in earnest. There must be something the dwarves are so keen to find, excavating below the castle."

The party file out of Smitty's forge, and begin their systematic search of the mine—properly this time. Starting from where they first entered the mine, they follow the lefthand wall and begin to explore the deeper tunnels in turn, intermittently doing battle with dwarves, the occasional giant, and assorted ants, slimes and wyrms.

In such battles, one thing becomes quickly apparent. Though less skilled with the spear than with the sword, Alva's ability to hide in the shadows during fights and launch sneak attacks against her foes' unprotected flanks seems to make up for her low base accuracy and serves to deal hideous quantities of damage. Or perhaps she's just mad for some reason.

This is handy, because going down another deep passage, they find another rubber beast.

Of course.

"Another one of these creatures?"

"Scared samurai?" [Charges forward with her spear.]

[Growls and charges likewise into the fray.]

This time the battle proceeds more smoothly, with the creature making little use of its breath as the lead fighters slash it to pieces (or in Motoko's case, just punch it in the face repeatedly).

[Extracts a second rubber strand from the creature's body, and looks at Wrath.] "My kill."

"Really? Because I'm pretty sure that garglmmmth—"

[Stuffs Konata back into her satchel.] "Hey look, more tunnel!"

Down another tunnel is what appears to be some kind of storage chest behind a locked portcullis.

Well this is the worst thing that has ever happened.

[Examines portcullis.] "Damn. No getting through here without the key."

But it is down the next tunnel, in what might be the deepest part of the mine, that the party finally find what they seek ('they' being Whisker):

You witness a more bizarre countenance within the confines of a great diamond crystal, a transparent gem whose edges form a barrier blocking entry into the chamber...

It appears that the dwarves have dug their way to some giant crystal deep within the earth underneath the castle, and some entity lurks within...

As it approaches the wall, it seems to be saying something..."

Harken now to the giant floating bobble head of mystery.

"Yesss! Can you hear?!"

"No..."

[Frowns.] "Me neither. Take the pickaxe to this crystal!"

[Swings pick into the crystal to no effect. Shrugs.]

"Damnation!" [Glares at Motoko.] "Couldn't you have tried a second swing?!"

[Strokes the surface of the crystal.] "Not a mark. No normal miner's pick will crack this surface."

Indeed, there is no current means for the party to break the barrier before them. To Whisker's frustration, the party must continue their exploration. Sticking to their left-hand rule, they back out and find another an alternative passage which leads them... to the same giant buried crystal, from a different angle.

"Gah."

"I guess the dwarves must have tried to excavate around this big gemstone from more than one angle."

[Strokes chin thoughtfully.]

Further exploration brings the party back to the crystal a third time, and none the wiser. But pick yet another path through the mine...and the party find a third rubber beast.

Are the dwarves cultivating these things?

Being well-practiced, the party destroy it without ceremony. Or being paralysed, for that matter.

[Swings fauchard.] "Let's see whose the strongest now, shall we?!"

[Crushes the creature beneath her heel.]

With now three rubber strands hanging (bungeeing?) from their belts, the party continue their
extermination of everything in their path careful investigation. This leads to a lone chamber with a chest, which Shaana inspects for traps.

Dwarf traps mean business.

"Should we take a step back, just in case?"

"If you like. Won't help if I screw up." [Click.]

Within the chest is a steel helm and an angel's tongue, a trumpet which (according to Motoko's identify spell) will cast a bless spell upon the entire party when sounded.

"Hey, nice! A new instrument to play!" [Toot.] "What should I do with this unexploded bomb by the way?"

Party review, level 8

By this point in their adventure, each member of the party has reached level 8. The differences in required experience to level different characters are starting to tell; Alva and Konata levelled well before Wrath and Motoko did, with Shaana and Whisker somewhere in-between. In future updates it may not be possible to end with all party members together at a new level.

Sword 100, Oratory 11, Ninjutsu 48, Mythology 11, Thaumaturgy 36, Kirijutsu 9.

Wrath has mastered the sword; the only way for him to improve now is to hone his strength and speed, and find finer weapons. Wrath can now cast web, a spell to bind the movements of a single foe, which may prove useful when dealing with a tough opponent against whom honourable battle means nothing.

Sword 72, Shield 15, Pole & Staff 24, Scouting 3, Oratory 21, Ninjutsu 44, Mythology 13, Theology 44, Kirijutsu 9.

Despite having some skill with sword and shield, Alva has now turned to the spear, and though behind in skill, progress seems good given the short time she has been wielding her fauchard. Alva is proving to be tough and reliable, and has matched Wrath in the art of the critical strike. Alva can now cast silence, preventing the casting of spells by a group of enemies, which could be useful against enemy spellcasters that should now begin to emerge.

Hands & Feet 100, Scouting 2, Oratory 14, Ninjutsu 55, Mythology 12, Theosophy 45, Kirijutsu 11

It is Motoko who is most adept at killing with her bare hands and feet, having mastered the relevant skill, and having the highest kirijutsu. Motoko has quietly picked up the sane mind spell (which cures insanity) in anticipation of the party's inevitable mass mental breakdown.

Sword 41, Shield 4, Music 71, Oratory 28, Skulduggery 48, Ninjutsu 43, Mythology 13, Thaumaturgy 39.

Shaana's music skill is not-so-quietly improving over time; otherwise, Shaana is simply ambling along as competently as she can. In keeping with her personality (and unlocking her final spell pool), Shaana now knows how to cast detect secret. Also she is now properly attired for exploration!

Bows 79, Artifacts 33, Mythology 11, Alchemy 59.

Even Konata's piety is starting to look decent. She's twice as resilient as Whisker (comparable with most the party's frontline actually...), and is becoming increasingly competent with the use of artefacts in battle. Konata can now cast cure poison, possibly as part of some kind of community service arrangement.

Mace & Flail 85, Oratory 65, Mythology 7, Scribe 5, Thaumaturgy 74.

Whisker's ability with a whip is a source of deep concern among the rest of the party, especially as he now spends all his time standing behind them. Whisker can now cast iceball, which gives him a much improved ability to destroy multiple foes at once, something clearly necessary given his (in hindsight) bewildering failure to learn to cast fireball.