Bane of the Cosmic Forge, Part 13

Previously on Bane of the Cosmic Forge, the party went on a boating trip up and down the river Styx, fought demons on the Isle of the Damned, fought giants on the Isle of the Lost, fought spectres on the Isle of the Dead and got a stoner caterpillar's hookah back from storage on the Isle of the Keep.

For which he rewarded the party with 'magical' mushrooms.

The possibility that everybody is dead and this is all some kind of end of life communal hallucination has been considered and dismissed as boring/irrelevant.

"Not to me it isn't!"

Meanwhile, somewhere beneath the Isle of the Dead...

The Path to the Halls of the Dead

A voice is heard on the wind.

"Return to your own world..."

"Show yourself!"

But the voice did not reveal itself to the party. Instead, the party make their way through the catacombs, a winding passage flanked on both sides by enclosed tombs, one after another seemingly forever. And from those tombs, the spirits of the restless dead emerge to bedevil the adventurers.

Oh good, wraiths.

The worst thing about the wraiths, from Shaana's perspective, is that they don't appreciate good lute music. Alva and Motoko, meanwhile, have the holy power to banish such spectres, but the sheer number of undead here forces them to be conservative with their magic. Instead, it falls as ever to the warriors of the party to destroy their foes via strength of arms, with the occasional iceball or magic missile from Whisker to break up larger groups.

Progress through the catacombs is difficult for various reasons.

Devil winds whip through the corridor!

The evil wind blowing down the passage causes fear; only peer pressure and momentum keep the party on their course. The magics of the wraiths and their skeletal allies cause other problems, oft times putting one or other party member asleep. At one point, Motoko is struck by magical slumber just as a small horde of skeleton lords erupt from their hiding place; as she sleeps, the skeletons all strike at her with their flamberges. In desperation, the party hack their way through the ambush to rescue their comrade...only to find her entirely unharmed.

"Motoko! Motoko! Are you alright?!"

[Wakes up bleary-eyed with a look of befuddlement.]

Apparently monks really can dodge multiple polearms strikes in their sleep. As the party advances past another chamber...

"So you've finally found me! We come for yooooouuu!"

The party then do battle with an insane skeleton (as distinguished from all the perfectly rational skeletons fought previously) and its allies.

Insanity is attacking the party and expecting a different result from the last three hundred encounters.

After the skeletons are dispatched however, Shaana finds among the loot the skeleton key. This proves fortuitous, as shortly thereafter the passage finally comes to an end at a locked gate, and it is the skeleton key that opens the way. The party move on to the next part of the dungeon; a number of interlinked high-vaulted halls with sealed passages leading to the most fearsome and accursed of those entombed beneath the Isle of the Dead.

The Halls of the Dead

It's hard to say whether it's the cold pale skeletons that fill the catacombs or the creepy horror of something else which may lurk under these chambers of the dead, but one thing is certain...you have the unmistakable sensation of being very near to great danger, and a more subtle sense of drawing closer to an answer...part of something evil...something at the heart of it all...

"This is it. We will find what we seek here, I think."

"The forge?"

"Maybe. But answers, is what I meant. This is why we travelled to the underworld, no?"

[Nods.] "Right."

The first hall appears to lead nowhere, but there are hidden switches that open the paths north and south. First however, there is the matter of the chest on the east side. The chest is, of course, guarded.

The party kindly lets Wrath do all the killing by letting themselves be paralysed by the spectres.

Spectres are irritating, to say the least. They are capable of causing fear with their cries and paralysis with their touch. In this instance, all except Wrath are frozen in place; fortunately, Wrath has a sword for each opponent, and both the ability and will to kill the already dead (not actually a special ability in the game, but one would think it required some kind of special training to do so). The spectres are dispatched in honourable combat. Wrath waits patiently for the music to restart and the rest of the party to come back to life.

"Well, that could have gone badly. Um...thanks Wrath."

[Nods absently as he continues to guard against new threats.]

"Okay. Right. I'll just pop open the chest then, shall I?"

The chest guarded by the spectres contains a key of Drows. Taking the south passage, the party pass by a locked side-chamber, with a plaque on the wall:

Robin Windmarne
Highlander Drow, Guardian 1st Order

The key of Drows opens the gate into the tomb. They manage no more than a few steps inside when a low voice speaks to all inside their heads:

Oh darkest night,
Be death's delight;
Come ye minions,
Bones, come to life!

Before anybody can respond, however:

And the bones turn to flesh, saying:

"The guardian hears thy call, master!"

And thus does a group of drow elves arise from the grave to face the party.

Another opportunity for the party to make new friends.

"Everyone, get back!"

Whisker summons a missile shield as the drow pepper the party with arrows. Shaana tries to put the drow to sleep as her comrades try to flank them and sneak attack them. Though powerful archers, the brunt of the drow attack is blunted by Whisker's magic, and so they stand little chance against the party's assault. Robin Windmarne is last to fall, impaled on Alva's fauchard.

"Damn drow." [Wrenches her fauchard free from the corpse.]

There is a clatter of arrows dropping to the ground as Whisker lowers the missile shield. Motoko pokes about the bodies. Robin herself wears a forest cape and bears the Elven Bow, the best bow in the game. Which can only be used by elves. Like Alva. Who doesn't use bows. Well, at least it makes for a nice souvenir. Meanwhile, the forest cape provides a significant defensive boost...for rangers.

"Damn drow."

"We could wrap the bow in the cape?"

The party leave the drow tomb and continue their exploration. The halls of the dead prove to be infested with giant bats, spiders and snakes. Whisker demonstrates his power and increasing lack of patience by asphyxiating everything in sight.

Snakes, shortly before the air is turned off.

The asphyxiation spell can instantly kill (breathing) targets en-mass, but has to be carefully targeted to the enemies to be killed; pitch the power level too low, and the spell is ineffective, but pitch the power too high and Whisker's air magic pool drains very quickly. Fortunately, in the southern part of the catacombs, the party find another regenerative fountain by which to replenish health and magic, allowing Whisker to suffocate foes with impunity. Less fortunately, the largest threats such as spectres come pre-asphyxiated, and are thus immune to the spell.

"Gods, Whisker. You don't need to suffocate everything living we come across."

"No, I don't need to. But I can."

After carefully stepping over some choking bats twitching on the flagstones, Shaana disarms and opens a chest ensconced in the southern hall. It contains the key of Knights, foreshadowing the next major fight. And sure enough, heading east to the next hall, the party finds another locked gateway leading to another tomb:

Tomb of the Queen
Goddess of Aram
Died: Year of Snakes

"The Queen's tomb..."

[Fiddles with the lock.] "This isn't the right key though."

"Let's explore further."

The southeast hall is much like the others; this time however there is a passage running northwards, with yet another sealed off tomb chamber and another plaque:

Lord Haiyato Daikuta
Yojimbo Kaishakunin
Guardian 4th Order

"Haiyato Daikuta? This is his tomb?"

"You know him?"

"I know of him."

"A famous samurai, yes? Perhaps we will get to meet him, though I would not expect him to be friendly."

"Indeed not..."

[Alarmed.] "Wrath? Wrath, that's a really creepy smile you've got there. Stop it."

Further north, where one might expect to find the next hall, instead the corridor comes to an abrupt end just past Lord Haiyato's tomb. A secret switch is suspected, but no such switch is found, forcing the party to withdraw. Fortunately, it is still possible to explore north of the entry chamber. In the meantime, there are vermin to asphyxiate.

A horde of rats and bats, who can't breathe.

"Don't you think you're using that spell a bit too much, Whisker?"

[Eyes narrow.] "No. Why do you ask such silly things?"

Immediately beyond the entry hall, another sealed tomb and another plaque:

Geoffrey Clayton
Black Knight
Guardian 2nd Order

Shaana unlocks the gate and looks askance at the rest of the party.

"We are ready."

In the party go. Once again, the hidden voice invokes the long-dead guardians of the tomb, bringing forth Sir Geoffrey Clayton and his retinue of death knights and dark crusaders.

The King's loyal knights, brought back to undeath.

In the battle against the Black Knight and his men, Whisker asphyxiates those of his bodyguards foolish enough to be resurrected with lungs, while Alva dispels some of the skeletal kights supporting them. Konata fire bombs the rest and Shaana follows with an iceball of her own. Wrath and Motoko engage the Black Knight in mortal combat. The battle is brutal and unfair as usual, and to the victors, the spoils: the Black Knight's own weapon, the Avenger, and his ebony armour.

Of the party, only Alva is trained in the use of western arms and armour. Thus she clads herself in the ebony plate, and contemplates the sword.

"Alva, it's an enchanted greatsword that erupts into flame and shoots lightning."

"But my fauchard—"

"—is a sword on a stick."

Grudgingly, Alva equips herself with the all-powerful sword of death.

"Hey! How come only Alva gets the cool stuff?"

"Because I'm the only one who is actually willing and capable of using modern martial weaponry? Wrath only uses specific samurai gear, Motoko literally walks through killing fields in a bath-robe, and the rest of you guys don't really know your chausses from your poignards."

"I prefer to wield the infinite powers of the mind."

"I get all the cool musical instruments."

[Suspiciously.] "Are those kinds of duck? Those were all ducks, right?"

The hall to the north has little to commend to it, but there is a passage east, mirroring the one on the south end of the halls, and indeed there is another tomb, unsealed, mirroring the Queen's tomb...

Tomb of the King
Lord of Aram
Died: ..........

"The King's chamber! And it is open!"

"I'm ready."

"Wait!"

[Annoyed.] "What?"

"We should investigate the rest of these halls, so that we're as prepared as possible."

The party continue on to the north-east hall. In an alcove in the east wall is another chest.

[Tries to work out the kinks in her back.] "Give me a minute."

Shaana tinkers with the chest and disarms the trap. Within, she discovers the key of Valkyries, along with a bushido blade, which is immediately given to Wrath to replace his trusty (and worn with considerable use) katana.

Running south is a passage leading to another dead-end, but with yet another sealed tomb to the left. The plaque for this one reads:

Brigerd Dans Woltan
High Maenad of Rose
Guardian 3rd Order

"High Maenad Woltan? The valkyrie?"

[Dryly.] "And who has the creepy smile now?"

[Places hand on Alva's shoulder.] "Shall we pay a visit?"

The party pay the High Maenad a visit. They unlock the gate using the key of Valkyrie, enter the tomb, and await the summoning of the dead.

Hey, these don't look anything like valkyries!

Alva hurls herself into mortal combat with Brigerd Woltan, while Wrath and Motoko duel the remaining lesser valkyries who are not brought low by Shaana's lute or Whisker's habit of just choking every living thing to death. Konata helps too.

Brigerd wields Maenad's Lance, an extremely powerful enchanted spear. Alva wields the Avenger, which can shoot lightning. Ultimately, Alva prevails. Some of the other party members may have helped by surreptitiously stabbing Brigerd a few times in passing. But it's totally Alva's victory.

"Hey Shaana—you were right. The sword was useful." [Drops sword and picks up Maenad's Lance.]

Alva is now in the possession of a legendary valkyrie lance. Naturally, she couldn't be happier. She also equips the valkyrie-only mantis boots and gloves, replacing those parts of the Black Knight's ebony armour, essentially encasing herself in legendary gear. The rest of the party start to re-evaluate their eclectic equipment preferences.

"I can be patient. There is one more guardian remaining."

[Toots horn.]

The horn of Promethius, when blown by a bard, emits a large fireball that shoots across the tomb and explodes against the far wall, showering the party in smoldering flecks of rubble.

[Whips round, lance at ready.] "What was that?!"

[Grins widely.] "I like."

"It seems that our warriors are better equipped than ever."

[Pouts.] "Why can't we get any cool stuff?!"

[Pats Konata on the head.]

In the corner of Brigerd's tomb is a hidden button which opens a passage that connects the back of her tomb with that of another tomb that the party was not previously able to enter, that being the tomb of the fourth guardian, Lord Haiyato Daikuta. As soon as they cross the threshold into the other tomb, the final guardian arises.

The Seven Samurai. And three ninja.

Wrath steps forward and enters a dueling stance before Lord Haiyato. He glances back at the party.

"This is my fight. Let nobody interfere."

Whisker immediately casts asphyxiation, killing the samurai lord's entire retinue.

"..."

[Helpfully.] "I'm making sure they don't interfere."

Lord Haiyato immediately attacks, quick as lightning, and runs through Wrath, almost killing him before he can do anything.

"Wrath!"

[Crossly.] "He hurt Wrath! Let's get him!"

[Charge the samurai].

The climatic samurai duel devolves into another bloody melee. The final guardian is tough, fast and strikes hard. Only the intercession of Konata's healing magics keep Wrath from dying on the spot. Meanwhile, Shaana blows fireballs into the field while Whisker (noting that Lord Haiyato had been unaffected by the asphyxiation spell earlier) follows up with a couple of iceballs, corralling the guardian into a corner where the party warriors can cut him to pieces.

"That was not...quite how I wanted that battle to go."

"Oh please. He almost killed you, all because you wanted to go it alone."

"And you kill everybody else's targets for them all the time! Let us steal your kills for once!"

The spoils of the battle include the guardian's Muramasa blade, a katana of unsurpassed quality, and a wakizashi +1, which is a very nice off-hand weapon. In honour of his foe (and because they are the best weapons for a samurai available), Wrath takes these weapons for his own. Much like for the Avenger, it turns out that the bushido blade's useful lifespan was rather short.

"Can we investigate the King's tomb now?"

The party return to the King's tomb, and discuss how they should prepare for what they might find within. Since they don't know what they'll find within, this discussion starts to drag on somewhat.

[Wanders in.]

"H-hey, Motoko...!"

The party hurry in after their monk comrade, weapons at the ready.

The King, the Queen, and the Demon Child

The party find themselves in the 'tomb' of the Bane King, a man who was never confirmed to have died...

The chamber is bare, devoid of use, as if its 'intended occupant' had not yet arrived...

"Hmph. I am torn between disappointment and relief."

You feel a slight cool breeze, barely noticeable, but when it fades you have the sensation of being in the company of another's presence...

"Looking for someone?"

"Eep."

A deep, masterful voice speaks at your back, and you turn to face the unknown accoster...

"Show yourself!"

But nothing is there...

[Scans the room warily.]

Then you hear a strange 'whip' through the air and feel the breeze once again blowing in your face...and suddenly you see it!

"There!"

A giant black bat swoops in your face, as if to attack you...

"Hold! Do not let it bait you!"

Uncertainly, the party refrain from assaulting the bat, unlike just about every other bat they've encountered prior to entering this chamber.

The bat makes another swoop at you, as almost as if it were testing you...

[Hides behind Motoko.]

What happens next is unbelievable, for you witness a most extraordinary scene almost too quick to be perceived...

"What...?"

Suddenly the bat disappears, leaving a towering dark figure in its place...

"Please allow me to introduce myself..."

Enter the Bane King.

"I am Lord of this castle. And it appears that you are uninvited guests, trespassers in my house..."

"Mr. Whisker made us do it!"

[Glares at Konata.]

"But perhaps there is a reason for you to be here...why are you here?"

"We seek the Bane King."

"The King? Ha ha ha! Foolish mortals! You were warned to stay away!"

"Nonetheless—"

"You are children, and you are meddling in affairs far beyond mortal ken, far beyond your limited world..."

[Grips the haft of her lance.]

"Come! I'll give you a 'taste' of what you're up against!"

The Bane King immediately gestures towards Whisker.

[Staggers back.] "Urk..."

"Um. Whisker?"

With a growl, Whisker turns and attacks the rest of the party! While Shaana fends him off, the others leap at the Bane King; Konata throws a high-powered acid bomb right at the King while Wrath, Alva and Motoko attack him furiously. None of their attacks hit; Konata's acid attack seems to pass right through him. Eventually, the Bane King transforms into mist and disappears from the tomb. Whisker stops trying to whip Shaana, and looks about in confusion.

"The hell, Whisker?!"

"I...ah...what was that?"

"You, oh great and powerful wizard, got yourself hypnotised or something by the damn King!"

"Clearly he thought to neutralise the greatest threat—"

"Right." [Rubs the whip wounds on her wrists with an angry expression.]

"Yes. Well. We must be careful that he does not do that again. Um. Sorry."

[Picks up mysterious key from the ground.]

The party find the key of Queens. With no other sign of the King, they quickly move to the opposite end of the Halls to re-visit the Queen's tomb. Shaana unlocks the way, and the party enter the tomb, expecting battle. Before them, the ghost of the Queen of Aran manifests.

Why hello there, your majesty. You're looking...dead.

The ghost roars, but seems to realise that the party are not necessarily threats, and perhaps could be of use to her...

"Tell us your tale, ghost."

"I shall tell you of the bane evil that has transpired here, in this castle of darkness, a story to chill your bones and harden your veins..."

"Like cholesterol."

"Many years ago, a lustful and powerful lord ruled this land, a descendent of a descendent of an anointed king...

"This'll turn out to be the Bane King."

"No bet."

"But he was unsatisfied with merely the rule of this territory, and the blood of his ancestors cried within him once again to become a mighty king..."

"Like cholesterol?"

"To make a king requires more than just a crown, for a king must also have the power to control, or he will fall..."

[Nods.]

"True power is the power of control, to he without control, he is powerless..."

"Much as for magic. More so, I would say."

"And so he studied of control, and then he did more than study, he put what he discovered into practice, and he found that the average man was easy prey for he that acted with authority; he found as long as he acted as if his was some divine power, others would bow to him, and submit to his rule, and never give thought to question his authority..."

"A sad state of affairs, to not question."

[Side-long glance.] "A strange thing for a samurai to say."

[Shrugs.]

"And so he built the dark temple, which lies north of the castle, and adopted as its symbol the symbol of the Ram, a creature already viewed with suspicion and fear by the foolish and weak..."

[Shakes head.]

"And this would-be king went mad!"

"Maybe not cholesterol."

"His dream of power took control of him as such thirsts are wont; and he began an unholy crusade, feeding upon those too weak to resist his call of majesty and he then turned to darker forces..."

"Well, power does have its risks."

"Calling forth the demons of hell, soon his powers grew along with his desire, and as he drank of this well, he never suspected how it was fueled by his own inner soul..."

"First rule of magic; check where you're getting your magic from."

"And one day he was asked to return the price of his power, to repay the favour to the secret darker forces which were behind his earthly conquests..."

"And so the King learns his folly..."

"And this favour was most foul indeed!"

"You know, you guys don't have to interject at every opportunity."

"And so he secured a woman, mistress of a holy man, and in a horrid ritual, at the stroke of midnight, she was mated with a demon from hell, that this demon had then a legitimate claim to this world."

"I mean, just let the ghost queen tell her story!"

"And so the demon child was born!"

"It's just common—"

[Taps Shaana's shoulder.]

"Oh. Right."

"She was placed into the custody of the whore mother to raise her, guarded by the once holy man to ward off any harm that might befall her arising from his former liege and lord..."

"This isn't anything to do with cholesterol!"

"And upon her thirteenth year, the king sent for her, for he had formed a bond with another powerful agent, and using her as bait for the trap, the demonic sire fell victim to their alliance..."

"Oh. That's clever."

"Thus he was free to claim the girl for his own, that he could further his own power through those she inherited from her demon father..."

"That's debased."

"And then his lust for power become his lust for her...for her!"

"That's really debased."

"And I, who was his queen, high priest, and one-time lover, was discarded, and he took her instead..."

"Ah. I get it."

"And I became nothing..."

"You were jealous."

"It was after her fourteenth year, that she asked him of her powers, the story of her nature, and he told her, mother but a common whore, her father a demon of hell, and she had but one wish..."

"Was it for a puppy?"

"That they be put to death!"

"Oh."

"She was a demon child!"

"Hmm..."

"She had her own mother put to death!"

"Indeed?"

"And the holy man, her lover, likewise was put to death..."

"So we learned."

"And then came the bane pen..."

"Ah. Now the interesting part..."

"When he had finished scrying his wish of the pen, three things happened:"

"First was my own death, suffered by a blow dealt by the demoness herself..."

"Second, she became pregnant, carrying his son, a bastard-thing from hell..."

"Oh, ick!"

"And third, he himself was changed..."

"How changed?"

"His wish was to become immortal..."

"So it seems."

"But he did not reconcile the curse of the bane pen..."

"Of course not."

"And I spit upon them! Him and her and hers!"

"Hey, hey! No actual spitting!" [Shudders.] "Ugh. Ghost spit."

"And I shall not rest while they live!"

[Helps Alva clean ectoplasm from her armour.]

"You must destroy them! You must not listen to their lies!"

"But how do we do this?"

"They will attempt to deceive you! But do not listen!"

"Yes, but how do we kill them?"

"I will give you something to help you against them, but you must not forget what I have told you!"

The Queen's ghost gestures to a key, seemingly materialising from nowhere.

"Take this key, enter into the chamber where she sleeps, and destroy her!"

Beside the key is a silver cross.

"And take this holy relic, that it may help protect you against their power."

"Hmm. Could be handy."

"He will try to stop you, but this can stop him..."

"Truly?"

"Now you must go! Destroy them before they destroy you! I will have my revenge!" [Fades away...]

"A holy relic, hmm? I suppose it could be of use..."

"Wait."

"Hmm?"

"I do not think we can trust this spirit. She has too much reason to despise the King and the demon child."

[Annoyed.] "What of it? We need everything we can get if we are to defeat them?"

"Um. When did that become our goal?"

"Well—" [Frowns.] "—it's not, but it does seem an inevitable milestone in our mission, no?"

[Shrugs.]

After the Queen's spirit departs, Konata locates a button in the tomb that she presses before anybody can stop her. Surprisingly, Whisker does not fall down a hole. Instead, there is a grinding noise somewhere in the Halls, somewhere to the north and east. Investigating, the party find that the dead-end just beyond the (unused) entrance to Lord Haiyato's tomb has disappeared, providing access to another hall between the Valkyrie's and the Samurai's tombs, and within, on the west side towards the hidden centre of the Halls of the Dead...

Tomb of the Child
Daughter of Aram
Princess of Darkness

"The so-called demon child..."

"Friend or foe?"

"She is a demon child..."

"Eh. Demons aren't so bad once you get to know them."

[Stare at Konata.]

"Actually, technically they are."

The party gear up, drink from the restorative fountain one last time, and go forth to meet the mysterious Demon Child who apparently now consorts with the Bane King. Through the gate, there is another gate south that cannot be opened, but a passage north leading to an open hall with an single central crypt...

An open black coffin is resting within the small crypt, fresh and recent with the scent of perfume and lilacs...
And she is here...

Yet again, not proper attire for the underworld.

"Do you know who I am?"

"I believe that we do."

"What is my name?"

"It is Rebecca, yes?"

"My lover told me to expect you...he said you might want to kill me..."

"I confess that the topic did arise."

"Do you want to kill me?"

[Huddle together to confer.]

"No." [Tosses away the silver cross.]

"Hey!"

"I'm not sure I believe you...perhaps you are smarter than you look."

"I am!"

[Looks at Shaana quizzically.]

[Defensively.] "Well, I am."

"Will you follow me to him?"

[Huddle together to confer.]

"Yes."

[Suspiciously.] "If you've been hypnotised again—"

"Then come with me..."

Rebecca proceeds to hypnotise the entire party, and leads them sheep-like to the final gate. Inside, they once again meet the Bane King.

Everybody's helpless! This can only be a good thing.

"So we meet again...a pity, you almost showed some sign of promise, a glimmer to intelligence, a quality lacking in so many...ah well..."

[Hypnotised.]

"I am thirsty and your necks are fresh, though I shall only take what I need, and nothing more..."

And he approaches, fangs bared, while everyone watches helplessly, totally transfixed by the hypnotising gaze of the demon child Rebecca...

Each party member is bitten in the neck by the Bane King in turn, and a little blood drawn—even Konata, which is quite a delicate operation given her size.

"Ahhh! I am refreshed! But the question remains of what shall I do with you..Rebecca?"

[Whispers something in the King's ear...]

"Ahh! Very well...goodnight!"

And a red glow emanates from his eyes, momentarily bathing the party...and then everyone passes out...

And so the party fail to defeat the Bane King or the Demon Child, and instead are fed upon and knocked out. Total party wipe!

You dream of angels.
And you see a figure, dancing within a pool of flames.

A figure, dancing within a pool of flames. Another good sign.

He looks at you menacingly, and he has a wild gleam in his eye...
He is evoking powerful spells, calling forth magiks to destroy you...
And then he whispers a word...
You can barely hear it...
It sounds like a name...

"Xoorrrphiiiiitusss..."

And then the scene changes...
You are standing in the corner of some kind of prison...
The room is bare, but you notice there is a small crack in the corner...
You remember having the funny taste of something in your mouth...
And the room begins to change...
It is growing larger...and larger...
And you become engulfed in the room...
You can no longer see the sky...
And the small crack has become...
A tunnel!
And you run through the tunnel...
Eventually you awaken to find yourself in a small grimy chamber, smelling of stench and excrement...

Map, the Halls of the Dead

Party review, level 12

Entering the final act of Bane of the Cosmic Forge, the state of the party is as follows:

Sword 100, Oratory 18, Ninjutsu 100, Mythology 17, Thaumaturgy 40, Kirijutsu 38.

Having mastered his core competencies, Wrath is incrementally improving his oratory, mythology and kirijutsu. Regarding his own oft-neglecting spellcasting, Wrath now knows the ice shield spell. For some reason.

"Why do you study magic if you never use it, Wrath?"

"I was told that I needed a hobby."

Pole & Staff 100, Oratory 57, Ninjutsu 100, Mythology 20, Theology 50, Kirijutsu 30.

Alva is now finally a match for Wrath and Motoko in the art of stealth. Albeit in plate armour with a polearm. Alva can now cast blades, in case her arms get tired from swinging her spear.

"That will never happen."

Hands & Feet 100, Oratory 46, Ninjutsu 100, Mythology 14, Theosophy 45, Kirijutsu 40.

Just as for Wrath, Motoko has mastered stealthy killing and is quietly refining her secondary competencies. Motoko can now cure paralysis, in case Konata's arms get tired.

"That could happen."

Wand & Dagger 43, Sword 76, Music 100, Oratory 53, Skulduggery 77, Ninjutsu 89, Mythology 16, Thaumaturgy 70.

Though not quite as skilled as the three main fighters of the party, Shaana's skills are respectable enough. Meanwhile, Shaana's thaumaturgy is now actually quite formidable, and she can cast conjuration, allowing her to assist Whisker in his continuing quest to find a summon actually worth summoning.

Of course, Shaana has also just acquired the ability to expel infinite fireballs from a magic horn.

Mace & Flail 100, Oratory 100, Mythology 10, Scribe 17, Thaumaturgy 100.

Whisker has finally mastered thaumaturgy. With his perfect comprehension of the mysteries of sorcery, he is now able to perform the miracle of...nuclear blast, a spell that does large amounts of fire damage to every foe in an encounter.

"Heh heh heh..."

"You're not actually planning to use that spell are you?"

"...ahem. Of course not, my dear. It is a deterrent, a statement to our enemies of what we are capable of, so discouraging them from attacking us. Thus, by learning this spell, I render its use unnecessary."

[Looks at Whisker suspiciously.]

Bows 100, Sword 63, Ninjutsu 60, Artefacts 50, Mythology 16, Alchemy 100, Kirijutsu 15.

Konata's weapon skills and stealth are starting to approach the level of the more experienced warriors. Despite her loud insistence that she is a deadly ninja however, Konata seems to still be thinking like an alchemist, and has created her own masterwork—deadly air.

"You've learned a spell that does what?!"

To be clear, it's another mass death spell affecting all targets.

"I only learned the spell so that I could learn how to counteract it! Imagine what harm a bad person could do with such evil magic!"

[Eyes narrowed.] "I suppose..."

"Hee-hee."

"Heh."

"Hahaha..."

"Heh-heh—"

[Maniacal laughter.]