Bane of the Cosmic Forge, Part 14

Previously in Bane of the Cosmic Forge, our heroes finally fought their way into the very presence of the Bane King and his consort, the 'demon child' Rebecca. Whereupon they immediately let themselves get hypnotised, drained of blood, knocked unconscious and dumped in some mangy dungeon. Progress!

Eventually you awaken to find yourself in a small grimey chamber, smelling of stench and excrement...

Is it the chamber that smells of excrement or the party?

[Groggy.] "Ugh. What happened...?"

[Lying on the floor staring at the ceiling.] "It appears that we were defeated."

[Growls from one corner.] "Somebody decided we didn't need a holy cross to fend off the evil."

"And somebody was perfectly happy to follow the demon child and meet the damned Bane King for a chat."

[Flying over the party's head.] "Hey, listen!"

[Picks herself up and nudges Shaana.]

"...not now, Mo'. Hungover 'n' sleepy." [Curls up into a ball.]

"Listen!"

[Clutches her head.] "We're listening! How are you so perky?!"

[Stops and hovers overhead.] "The King hardly touched me, 'cause my faerie blood is full of sparkles and arsenic."

[Uncurls.] "Wah? Wha's she onnabout...?"

"It seems that the King was likewise less keen on the blood of myself or Rathomiel. The rest of you however..."

[Looks solemnly at Whisker, then falls over.]

"Perhaps, Lady Konata, you could help them?"

"Okay! Go, faerie healing!"

Konata casts several rounds of cure wounds on Alva, Motoko and Shaana. Alva looks to the corner of the cell.

"Looks like there's a fountain in the corner."

"It is not fresh, I am afraid to say. On a related note, I need to be cured of poisoning."

Konata goes ahead and casts cure poison on Wrath, negating the effects of the tainted fountain water. Having now regained some measure of well-being, the party take further stock of their surroundings. Apart from the fountain, there is a locked gate, on the other side of which a guard, possibly human, glowers at them through his visor of his horned helm:

A guard on the other side of the gate is watching you very closely...

"Hey you!"

[Eyes narrow.] "Yes?"

"Whatever ya're doin', stop it!"

The party go to the other side of the cell, out of immediate view of the guard, and confer.

"Right. Our first priority is to escape, then get our stuff back."

[Look at Alva oddly.]

"Um, Alva...we've still got all our stuff on us."

[Blinks.] "Oh. Right. Why do we still have all of our stuff?"

"A good question."

[Darkly.] "They do not deem us a threat."

"Well that's just silly. Let's kill them all—that'll show them."

[Looks over at Motoko.] "Motoko? You find something?"

Motoko is studying one of the cell walls.

You notice a small crack at the bottom of the wall, just barely large enough for the rats to get through...

[Regard the crack solemnly.]

"...you know, I had a dream about shrinking and going through a crack like this."

"So did I! What are the odds?"

[Look at Shaana.]

[Bored.] "So, we just eat the mushrooms?"

"What mushrooms?"

[Crossly.] "The ones the caterpillar gave us! The ones that would let us 'get small'!"

"So I recall. Allow me to retrieve them."

Wrath finds the mushrooms in his pack and distributes them among the party.

[Eyes her mushroom sceptically.] "I don't think—"

[Haven already eated her portion.] "Hurry up!" [Hiccups, and wobbles in the air.]

[Look at Alva, having also eaten their mushrooms.]

"Oh my god." [Looks at Whisker.] "Even you? You're all going to be the death of me..." [Bites into her mushroom.]

Once the party partake of the red mushrooms gifted to them by the giant caterpillar of the swamp:

The mushroom tastes funny...

"Ugh. I've had better."

And the room is looking different...

"Oh, it really is doing something."

It's bubbling a bit...

"...And now I'm freaking out a bit."

And now it's growing...! No...it is you...getting smaller!

"But you guys are staying the same size..."

"Ah. I think you'll find we're shrinking with you..."

And the crack is a huge crevice...

"Woooah."

But it is so far away!

"We really should have done this closer to the crack, shouldn't we?"

"Run!"

You are running for the tunnel...as the room begins to zoom back in! You dive for the tunnel...

"Eek!" [Scoots through the crack.]

You made it!

"Yay!"

"Did we all make it?"

Everything is normal once again...

[Points at each party member in turn.] "Wrath...Motoko...Konata...Shaana...Whisker..."

Except for a few pink elephants...

[Keeps pointing at thin air.] "...Berilia...Great T'Phon...Jerakeen...Tubul..."

"Uh...Alva, are you okay?"

Talking to the dancing strudel...

[Panics.] "Alva! Where the hell is Alva?!"

[Frowns.] "You are Alva."

Over by the funny colours...

[Smiles.] "Oh yeah." [Hiccups, then slides to the floor.]

"Wow. Elves really can't handle their magic mushrooms."

After the party recover from their trip, they begin to explore the dungeon, looking for clues as to where they are (and what they need to do next...). This, as ever, involves systematically searching from room to room and killing everything they find. For example, in the first room...

Why did it have to be snakes?

"This would appear to be the snake room."

"Sorry!" [Closes door.]

The party move quickly on. As it happens, the entire dungeon is full of snakes—colossal snakes that can crush a person with ease, and smaller vipers with deadly venom. Fortunately, they are easily subdued, put to sleep, blinded and gutted. Eventually, a stairway leading up is found.

You exit the small bunker to appear in the middle of a forest, full of trees, flowers and the chitterings of small animals...

Yes. A forest. This is definitely what we can see here.

The forest is as much bog as woodland, with lots of pools of stagnant water that cannot be easily crossed. The water wings gifted to the party by the Sirens on the Styx are of no use on the surface world (which is where the party seem to now be). To the west is a river, and so the party stick mainly to its banks as they explore.

In the forest the party encounter roving bands of snakes, snakemen and undead knights. The Knights of Death are troublesome, but can be dispelled by Alva or else blinded by Konata and systematically taken apart. Shaana helps with her Horn of Promethius, launching fireballs at anything with the temerity to not sleep. Whisker also contributes, though he holds back his true power for now—dislocated from their previous explorations, there is no convenient restorative fountain by which to replenish lost magic.

Shortly after heading along the riverbank, the party notice something of interest:

Across the water lies the half-sunken, broken skeleton of a small ship. It is barely afloat, and looks ready to sink at any minute...

By a bend in the river, the party are able to get much closer to the derelict vessel.

A large flat plank extends across the water to the deck of the ship...

A shipwreck, as can clearly be seen. I don't know why I feel the need to clarify this.

"Shall we investigate?"

"Don't see why not."

[Nonchalantly.] "Oh look. Ninja."

As soon as the party board the ship, they are attacked by black-clad assassins.

Shipwrecks are known breeding grounds for ninja, which prey on stranded pirates.

Ninja are resistant to the lure of Shaana's lute, and reasonably resilient to magics such as prismic missile. Ironically, they are far less resistant to being ambushed by hidden attackers, and fall quickly to the party's sneak attacks while Whisker stands in the open and tries not to get killed.

"This is most unfair. You do realise that if you all go into hiding, I'm the only one the enemy can attack?!"

"Ooh!" [Picks up a second ninja-to from one of the dead assassins.]

Whatever it was that hit the ship, it must have been terrible, because only half of it is here...

It seems that shipwrecks have a complex and varied ecosystem, because the party are soon attacked again by drow elves.

Of course.

Shaana erects a missile shield to defend the party against drow arrows. Against drow, it is also important to ward off their spells, but the party forget this, and consequently Shaana, Whisker and Konata all get blinded by a blinding flash spell. Fortunately, this has very little impact on their musical performance / violent magical assault.

Searching the interior of the ship:

The bones of those that probably died with the ship, are resting in wait of the final plunge...

And heading up towards the bisected ship's prow:

Up in the bow, a broken crucifix lies dangling from the wall, as if perhaps a makeshift chapel was constructed, a place of hope for the frightened, and of last rites for the dead...

[Pokes the crucifix.]

You touch the broken crucifix, and it falls to the floor with a shatter!
Several pieces fo the cross are sharp enough to serve as crude wood daggers or stakes, should the need arise...

[Turns to the party.] "That wasn't me."

[Kneels down and gathers the remains of the cross.]

From the broken wooden cross, Motoko is able to retrieve three holy stakes of wood, which may come in useful should the party encounter a vampire. Again.

[Muttering to herself.] "We had a perfectly good silver cross, but no, we had to make a point about trust."

Leaving the shipwreck, the party continue their way down the riverbank. The forest must be thick, or else the fog from the river must block vision, because suddenly the track comes to an end, and:

It is a moment before you realise that you are standing outside the north end of the castle, looming up from the bog and forest.

Almost back to (relative) safety!

A small gate allows entry back into the castle. Unfortunately, it's locked tight.

[Curses.] "I don't think I can get us through this. I mean, really this wouldn't be much of a castle if anybody could get in via a side door."

"And the bog is impassible to the south. We will not be able to get back around to the front of the castle this way."

Prevented from continuing alongside the castle by the bog, the party are forced to head back into the forest and try to find another route. Deeper within the forest, they find a helpful sign:

Don't tease the animals, because they will straight-up murder you.

The party take the opportunity to rest at the threshold of the enchanted part of the forest. They get attacked by goblins, but they're only goblins, so it's not a big deal. Of more interest are the lights that flit between the trees in the distance.

Hundreds of tiny soft glows are flying about the damp marsh...
They look like fireflies...

"Oh, they're pretty, aren't they?"

[Looks worried.]

The party try to get a closer look; Konata hangs back, as if reluctant to investigate further.

Stepping closer, they fly away...

"Looks like they don't trust us."

The tiny lights have hidden themselves in the bushes and trees about you, and although you can see them clearly, you cannot get near them...

"Oh well, never mind..."

"Is something the matter, my friend?"

"Hmm? Oh, nothing. Nothing!" [Mutters to herself.] "Aside from the restraining order..."

Eventually:

A small circle of stones has been laid surrounding this part of the bog, and half a dozen tree stumps stick up like small stools in its centre...

"It seems a mysterious fey watchers are not willing to come to us."

"I know! I'll lure them in with a tune!" [Starts playing her lute.]

[Several lights wink out and fall to the ground in the distance.]

[Frowns.] "Um. How does one play a lute without putting people to sleep again? I forget."

Temporarily thwarted, the party abandon their quest to meet with the tiny light sources, and explore elsewhere in the forest.

Heaped within the small cove, you find the decayed remains of a human...

This is less notable for the party than it used to be.

Tattered fragments of rotted robes are dressed around the bones, and it seems likely this is the final resting place of an old feeble monk who had lived in the surrounding forest...

[Takes a moment to reflect on her fellow monk.]

"We'll give you a moment, Motoko."

[As soon as the party are a respectful distance away, loots the body.]

Motoko acquires a jade figurine from the body, which provides monks with a modest defence boost. It can also be invoked (destroying the figurine) to permanently gain a couple of hit points. For some reason.

Exploring further, the forest thickens around the party, making it difficult to see.

YES, THIS IS A DARK FOREST.

The way through the dark forest is difficult, with no light penetrating through the tree canopy, forcing the party to feel their way through, much as for the dark zone in the dwarf mines a long time before. Undaunted, they follow one of the few clear paths, eventually coming back out into the light in a grove, surrounded by marsh, containing an old chest. Shaana gets to work.

Spoils of exploration.

The chest is protected by a ray of enfeeble trap, capable of sapping the strength from any would-be thieves. Shaana is not a would-be thief, but an actual one, and so disarms the trap before it can do any harm. Inside is a small bell.

"Hmm...what's this." [Rings the bell.] "It makes a tinkling noise."

[Firmly.] "It's not a tinkerbell."

"Not a tinkerbell?"

[Crossly.] "No! So it can't be used to summon faeries!"

[Look at each other.]

The party withdraw back through the dark forest, and head back to the faerie circle.

Sitting yourself upon the tree stumps, you proceed to ring the tiny bell...

"Hey! How did you—?"

It doesn't take long before the little fireflies start descending from their hiding places, and cautiously approach the circle within which you sit...

"Hello!"

Enter the faerie folk of the enchanted forest.

Shaana steps forward to speak with the faeries.

"Hello!"

"Hi! I am Saeren! I am Queen of Faeries!"

"Oh, your majesty!" [Bows.]

The party make their introductions except for Konata, who glowers and hides behind Wrath.

"We live in the Enchanted Forest!"

"Yes! It's a very nice...um, wood."

"Have you been into the Dark Forest?"

"Oh, yes."

"Very well then...that's very interesting..."

"And why, may I ask, is that?"

"You must seek the Delphi! The Delphi knows all!"

"Delphi?"

"The Delphi lives in a cave in the Dark Forest!"

The queen of the faeries also offers trade with the party, allowing them to purchase provisions and magical cookies to replenish lost magical power. They also sell a rod of sprites, which Whisker buys out of professional curiosity. After a little more conversation, the party make their leave, at which point the faeries rise up and start to sing:

[Singing.] "We would help you if we could, like any spritely faerie should; but the help you seek lies apart, hidden deep in a forest's dark!"

[Sourly.] "Oh goody. They've started singing."

"You seem unhappy to meet with your fellow fey."

"Faeries are really irritating, you know?" [Distractedly.] "All happiness and sparkles and that sort of crap."

"I...see."

"You're much cooler than a faerie, Wrath. You're all scales and acid vomit and violent sword-murder."

[Hesitantly.] "Thank you...?"

The party return to the dark forest to explore it further, and find the mysterious Delphi. The dark forest is lousy with gremlins, a type of goblin.

Happy green murder machines.

Though not especially dangerous individually, or even in modest groups, gremlins are capable of casting dangerous magics such as fire bombs, which can destroy the party if thrown in large numbers. Thus, it is necessary when facing a lot of gremlins split across multiple groups to break out the more expensive and tiring offensive magics such as deadly air and nuclear blast to kill as many of them as quickly as possible.

"I thought you said those spells were only meant as deterrents?"

[Grins like a Cheshire cat.] "Oh, I lied."

"And I made the rest choke on a soup made of their own lungs!"

[Gags.] "Oh, ick. You really did...!"

Taking a detour out of the dark forest to rest a while (and replenish those magic points), the party continue on their search for the Delphi. Back in the darkness, the party are ambushed by another party of drow; Whisker asphyxiates the lot, except for one (un?)lucky straggler.

"Is everybody in position?" [Silence.] "Guys...?"

Imagine how unpleasant it must be to be part of a raiding party in the dark, not knowing that you're the only one of the raiders who isn't silently suffocating unseen nearby, and so launching your doomed ambush all alone.

"Heh, heh."

The party continue to wander in the darkness, roughly mapping out the area and finding the hidden paths through the twisted and densely packed trees. Eventually:

It seems you have wandered into a cave of some sort, and the flickering light of a fire illuminates the rough walls, hewn into a rocky hill...

"Looks promising."

[Nods.]

You enter the cave, expecting anything but finding nothing...

[Irritably.] "Well, that was a waste of—"

Suddenly, an apparition appears!

Boo!

[Squeals.]

"Whooo...are...you...???"

"Adventurers."

"Begone!" [Disappears.]

"Damn faeries."

Back to the damn faeries, to ask for advice.

"To find the Delphi is a mystery, a task first met be questions three!"

"And what would the answers to those three questions be?"

"First remember, 'we are fascination'; then next state, 'we seek divination'; but only thee may answer the third, for it will cost thee every word; so listen there, and learn ye well, as speaks Delphi with story to tell!"

The party take the faerie queen's slightly late information back into the forest to the cave of the Delphi.

"Whoooo—"

[Impatiently.] "We are fascination."

"Aaand—"

"We seek dispensation. Er...divination. Whatever."

"Willll...yoouuu...paaayyy....?

[Look at each other.]

[Shrugs.] "Sure."

"I...will...look...into...the...misty...waters..."

And a vision swirls within the cavern, bringing once again the picture of the mad wizard...but then he is gone...and another takes his place...

Oh yeah, the thirsty guy who doesn't pay for his drinks.

It is something evil...and it is very powerful...

"This is not really news to us."

But you are standing against it...

"What, what is it?!"

You are holding something...a piece of shining glass...pushing it back...

"Where do we find shining glass in a forest?"

[Shrugs.]

And then you see a silver cross, held high in the air...

[Glares at Wrath.]

Then a splash of holy water is thrown into the face of the foul monster...

[Claps.] "Yay, acid splash to the face!"

And finally, a wooden stake, made from wood most holy, is thrust into it...

[Pulls out her recently acquired stake, and nods.]

And the thing begins to die! The vision fades, and you are standing alone within the cave...

"So to defeat the Bane King, we need a silver cross, holy water and wooden stakes."

"We have holy water and stakes."

"But no silver cross."

"...No."

"Because you threw it away."

"...Because I threw it away, yes."

"Ah, but what is this?"

A silver cross? No, but a staff—the staff of Aram. In addition...

[Frowns and pats robe.]

"What's wrong?]

[Pulls out coin pouch; it's empty.]

"What, you lost all your gold?" [Cheerfully.] "Well that's just careless. You should keep it safe like I...like I...." [Checks pockets, then goes pale.]

It appears that the price of the Delphi's vision is the loss of the entire party's wealth.

[Incoherent shriek of outrage.]

[Rubs ears.] "Ow."

Having most thoroughly paid for the oracle's vision, the party have little option but to explore north of the forest, in the very direction that the party had spent a lot of effort not going. Just beyond the forest is a dark and imposing edifice; a temple bearing the mark of Ramm.

Blood sacrifice almost certainly not optional.

As the party approach the temple gates...

"Hey! Hold it right there! You're not supposed to be out there! Guards!!!"

"Do we know that guy?"

A number of armoured guardians of the temple emerge from some hidden passage to assail the party. Fortunately, beneath the spiked helms and black armour, they are only human, and so can be alternately blinded and put to sleep, allowing them to be dispatched with ease.

The friendly welcoming committee of the Temple of Ramm.

While the path up into the main temple complex is barred, there are stairways to either side leading beneath the temple; the party take a gander. What they find is...mainly a lot more guardians. Which they kill, on the basis that they're (probably) evil cultists, and they're (definitely) in the way.

[Looks through a barred door.] "It appears that the cell we awoke in after encountering the Bane King is right here. We must have been here and then exited the temple via some annex closer to the river."

"Oh, so that's what that man was on about."

For now, the party avoid the front gate of the temple, and make sure that there is nothing else to be found on the northern edges of the forest. It turns out that there is something! That something is the Rock of Truth.

It says so right here.

Oddly enough, the face of the rock has been flattened and polished, and casts a mirrored reflection of the party...

"Oh hey. Looks like we did find shining glass in the forest. Don't fancy having to carry this big rock around though."

[Swings pickaxe directly at the rock.]

You swing the pick with great care, to make sure you do not shatter the rock, and are successful in securing small fragments of the reflective surface...

Four mirror-sheen rocks of reflection are retrieved from the rock. It seems that the great truth of the rock was that it is always useful to have a dwarf with a pickaxe in the party.

[Nods.]

"Don't forget the rope and grapple, too!"

[Curiously.] "Who are you talking to?"

"I believe I have a plan as to how to get into the temple."

The party return to the vicinity of the Temple of Ramm. Wrath once again puts on the mask of Ramm that the party had retrieved from the King's quarters back in the Castle some time ago.

"Ah! Brother!"

[Slowly.] "Yes indeed. I am a brother. Of this temple."

[Winces.]

"I see you have brought the sacrifics for tonight's ceremony..."

"Yes. I have. Sacrifices. These sacrifices here."

"Good, good! And you think one of them may still be a virgin??"

"Yes? Um..." [Looks at Alva, Motoko and Shaana.]

[Look at each other, then turn back to Wrath and shake their heads.]

"That one...?" [Points at Alva.]

[Outraged expression.] "I—"

[Elbows Alva.]

"I could be a virgin...? I haven't checked."

"Oh excellent, excellent! The master will be pleased! One moment while I open the gate!"

"Take your time." [Trickle of blood runs down from under the cursed mask.]

The party shuffle through the gate. Once safely inside, Wrath removes the mask of Ramm, and Konata heals his face of the damage caused by Ramm's curse. Inside:

The temple reeks of boiling oil, which is steaming up from the depths on each side of you...
A catwalk leads over the pit and there are many strange costumed figures upon the ledges making weird gestures, like they were really trying to impress one another...

With no other option, the party step forward out onto the stone catwalk.

Suddenly a figure materialises!

Everybody's favourite insane wizard.

"Come sacrifices! Approach the fire, bold children step before darkness—"

The catwalk beyond Xorphitus ends abruptly, leaving a wide gap between its edge and the passage in the far wall leading deeper into the Temple.

"—without the power of mighty Ramm, faith shall fail thee o'er the abyss!"

Xorphitus then simply vanishes...

"An illusion. We need to cross this pit."

"Somehow I don't trust that the mighty Ramm will let us cross."

"I think with the power of the staff of Aram, we will be able to cross the void. It holds some of the power of the King, I think, and it is he who brought the cult of Ramm here."

"If not, we fall and die."

"Couldn't we just use the grappling hook from before?"

[Shakes her head.]

[Helpfully.] "Nothing to snag against on the other side."

"I think we should risk it!"

"Well you can fly."

[Flies around Alva's head.] "True."

"Whisker could go by himself, and we can see if he falls in."

[Look at Whisker expectantly.]

[Sighs.] "...Fine."

Whisker walks out over the void bearing the staff of Aram. Miraculously, he does not fall, and makes it across to the other side.

[Secretly relieved.] "Now the rest of you."

"Um. You have the staff."

[Beat.] "I'm not sure it works on the way back..."

After some debate, Whisker hesitantly steps back out over the gap. Failing to immediately plummet to his death and die yet again, he rejoins the party, and then the party all together (holding hands) makes the crossing, leading them into the temple proper.

Immediately, they find themselves in a chamber with two exits to the west and east barred by locked gates. At the far end of the chamber, in an alcove, is a chest.

This chest.

In the chest, as quickly ascertained by Shaana, is a key.

"So, which way should we try first?"

"Left is right."

[Beat.] "...thanks Konata."

The party try the key on the left (west) gate (which was actually on Shaana's right facing the party, but Konata ignores that fact when pointed out to her). The gate opens, but the key vanishes into the lock. On stepping into the next chamber, the party are immediately attacked by more temple guardians, led by some kind of squid-faced humanoids in robes.

On loan from the wizards of the coast.

Mind flayers flay minds mainly. Their psionic blasts do damage, but also have a significant chance to drive their targets insane. Insanity has the practical effect of sometimes causing characters to waste their turns in combat in order to babble incoherently, or particularly unpleasantly, to physically attack their own comrades.

Due to most of the rest of the party having a habit of hiding out of sight biding their time while the mind flayers are going about zapping their victims, Whisker spends quite a lot of his time gibbering. Fortunately, both Motoko and Alva are now capable of casting sane mind, which can restore Whisker to his normal mental state. They will have to do this repeatedly as the party advance through the temple.

The party find that the chamber leads back to a walkway running along the edges of the great pit they had just crossed; following the walkway leads to another room, wherein they are ambushed by ninja like the ones they found on the wrecked ship. They're also assailed by samurai, who Wrath takes great pleasure dueling (when the rest of the party aren't simply trying to blow them up or silence them to stop their spellcasting).

"Samurai cast spells?"

"Of course. Samurai are adept in the mystic as well as the martial arts."

"And yet we never see you casting anything."

[Frowns.] "Why would I? I have swords. But I could, if I was so inclined."

At first glance, this latest room is empty. But in actuality, there is a teleporter in one corner that sends the party off to yet another (very similar-looking) room. In this room, the party are swarmed by devils, much like those encountered on the River Styx.

Only this time, nobody is running away.

Devils can be annoying with their spellcasting, but like the nightgaunts back on the Isle of the Damned, they can be thwarted by silence and then systematically murdered.

Further exploration of the temple reveals a clear design. The Temple of Ramm consists of multiple levels built around a central shaft over which stone spans have been constructed to permit crossing. There are no stairs; instead, certain rooms permit teleportation to matching rooms on a higher level. As the party ascends, they must fight their way through the temple's most deadly wardens, room by room. These wardens include more floating faces.

It's time to rock and roll (boulders at the party).

Rocks of Rumble are floating stone heads, much like the one encountered by the party on the summit of Giant Mountain. The biggest threat they offer is the slew of boulders they intermittently spew forth, as well as the larger boulders they telekinetically hurl at foes in battle. Fortunately, Shaana is more than capable of erecting a missile shield capable of deflecting most boulders, provided that Wrath and the others are so good as to bash the stone heads into rubble before the spell wears off.

Giant floating rock heads do not even come close to the worst that the party must face.

How did these things even get in here?

The giants in the Temple are far nastier than their counterparts on Giant Mountain, for the simple reason that they can breathe poison, so the usual tactic of blinding them and then watching them flail around ineffectually from just out of reach is not sufficient. Worse, they're usually accompanied by twisted sylphs, which are capable of paralysing and otherwise bedeviling the party, and are extremely hard to pin down and actually damage. Consequently, these battles are among the most brutal in terms of health loss and magic expenditure to fight.

Crossing the temple's central shaft on another stone span much like the first one (albeit without the deadly gap at one end), the party once again encounter the mad wizard Xorphitus.

"And so the children persevere, so brave upon their journey; still I am he that rules these halls and mighty lords have I aplenty!"

[Spits.] "Bring them on, wizard!"

[Looks down at the sizzling stone in front of her feet where Wrath's acid spit landed.]

[Stares at the sizzling stone.] "Oooh..."

Xorphitus vanishes again. In the chamber beyond, the party find another chamber with two gates, and another chest. As expected, Shaana finds another key within.

"Well, right is left over from last time."

"Right..."

[Angrily.] "No left!" [Beat.] "Your left."

"That is right."

[Nods smugly.]

Taking the right (east) passage this time, the party encounter yet more rooms linked by teleportation, guarded by yet more dangerous foes. The party's powers (and luck) are stretched to their limit, but still they make their way through the deadly temple. Among their final foes, are the priests of Ramm themselves.

Well, some rams had to show up sooner or later.

The goat-headed priests are among the most dangerous of the many dangerous enemies found in the temple, being great devotees of death magics that simply kill foes outright. There is little chance of defeating them without use of silence and anti-magic to buy the time to actually kill them. Somehow, our valiant heroes survive the battle.

The priests are often supported by...

Crusaders of the Dark Savant? No, just of some mad wizard and his vampire pal.

Crusaders are not so bad. Keep them blind and keep on striking as hard as possible. Maybe throw in the odd asphyxiation, though it has to be a powerful one to even have a chance of working.

Staggering to the top level of the temple, the party pry the key of finality from a final chest and open the path to the uppermost walkway over the pit that makes up the core of the Temple of Ramm.

There, stepping out on the walkway, Xorphitus appears before the party for a third, and as it happens final, time.

Suddenly a figure materialises!

"What?! Still here? How is this possible?"

"We have won through your champions! Prepare yourself, wizard!"

"Red alert! Red alert! Intruders nine o'clock high!"

Xorphitus attacks!

This is gonna hurt.

The battle with Xorphitus is joined. Naturally, Xorphitus himself is a powerful spellcaster, while his greater daemon attendants are no slouches either, wielding frankly rather hazardous quantities of fire magic.

Motoko immediately tries to silence Xorphitus, while Shaana casts anti-magic on the daemons. Whisker raises the strongest fire shield he can manage. Wrath and Alva go on the offensive (by which I mean that they hide so that they can attack next round), while Konata casts deadly air in the hope that greater daemons need to breathe.

Xorphitus is (barely) neutralised by Motoko's magic, but the daemons are still able to wreak quite a lot of damage, even under the effects of anti-magic and against a high-powered fire shield. Whisker is forced to question the wisdom of him having just learnt another fire magic spell himself (firestorm) rather than anti-magic or astral gate (to banish daemons, which would be rather helpful around now). Instead, he concentrates on trying to deep freeze Xorphitus, while Wrath, Alva and Motoko go toe-to-toe and blade-to-claw with the daemons. Konata lobs an acid bomb at the daemons, hoping that it will accelerate their demise, or at least their eczema.

The daemons are tough, and Xorphitus will not stay silenced for long, but the party push on, launching attack after attack while healing their own injuries until the daemons are all destroyed and everyone can pile on top of the evil mad archmage and bash his brains out on the stone platform.

"I don't believe it! I'm dead!"

"Yes!" [Beat.] "Why are you still talking?"

"I can't believe I'm really dead!"

[Sighs.] "C'mon Wrath, you slice at his arms while Motoko jumps up and down on his legs; I'll straddle him and stab him in the face a few times."

"Why? Why did you do it?!"

"We came for the Cosmic Forge."

"The Cosmic Forge?"

"Yes, damn it!"

"You killed me over the stinking pen?!"

"Yep. Sorry."

"Ooh! I can't believe it! At least you could've killed me for a good reason, like you didn't like the way I dress, or who I pray to..."

"Do you mock us, wizard?"

"Just for that, I'm not going to tell! And without me you'll never find it! It could be right in front of you, but you'd never know it!"

"Do not underestimate us, after all we have gone through. We will find it."

"You could still be within three steps of it and still you wouldn't find it! Ha ha ha ha!"

"Wow, he really was the crazy half, wasn't he?"

[Nods.]

"You can search all you want to, and it just won't do you any good! And why?"

"Why?"

"Because you can't push yourself past the limits of what you know to see the world that lies beyond..."

"Oh."

"The world you see is an illusion, only a trick, a reflection of the operation of your own mind..."

[Prepares to jump on the wizard's legs again.]

"Well, ahem, except that it's real too, except that it's not...! I mean...oh well, skip it!"

[Sarcastically.] "That was enlightening."

"But let me ask you this...you search for the Cosmic Forge, the Pen of Destiny, and it sounds like powerful magic..."

[Stares at Xorphitus.]

"But what if it wasn't magic? What if it was..."

And suddenly the visage looks outward, as if looking across space, across the echoes of time, across the boundaries that limit the evolution of perception and human consciousness...
And then, he merely vanishes...

From Xorphitus' corpse, Whisker is able to claim his robes (Robe of Enchant), his staff (a staff magicus) and his ring (mystic's ring). In general, though the staff is powerful, Whisker favours the reach of his trusty bullwhip (which, it must be recalled, was claimed from the boudoir of the Bane Queen—but hey, at least it's seeing some practical use now!). The robes and ring are all good though, so Whisker equips them.

Advancing to the other side of the great pit, to the very apex of the temple, the party encounter a blank wall. With nowhere else to go, surely the party are thwarted in their quest!

[Rolls her eyes and walks through the wall.]

"Motoko? You okay?" [Beat.] "I don't hear anything; I think that means 'yes'."

[Flatly.] "...really."

The party confidently stride through the illusionary wall, whereupon they immediately fall down a chute.

[Cries of alarm.]

"Wheeeee!"

They slide down to somewhere around the back and bottom of the temple, where Motoko awaits, leaning next to a door.

[Points at Motoko from under the party pile-up on the floor.] "You...!"

[Motions for the party to hurry up.]

Dusting themselves off, the party have no choice but to continue through the door in front of them. Battered and weary from the fight with Xorphitus (and the chute), not to mention drained of most of their magic, they grimly prepare for at least one more confrontation on their quest for the Cosmic Forge.

Sure enough, they are met in the next room by none other than the Bane King himself.

Surely, it is time for an epic battle as per the prophecy.

"Ahhh! How good of you to drop by!"

[Flourishes wooden stake.] "Well, we thought we'd finish what we'd started."

"Please, accept my apology for the poor accommodations in which you were placed earlier, but the temple was all booked up for the weekend..."

"Apology accepted!" [Frowns.] "No, wait. What?"

"The fact of the matter is, I am tired!"

[Lowers stake.] "And so...?"

"A long time ago, I wished many things, all for myself, and all to make me the superior of those around me...and so I plotted and schemed, and made plans and alliances, all to bring some great power into my grasp..."

"Been there."

"But I was still afraid of death!"

"Been there."

"How I feared that one day I would not be here, no longer able to touch this world, to move it, and to be moved by it..."

[To Wrath.] "So...should we stab him while he's monologuing, or...?"

"And so it was that I was dealt a blow far greater than death itself, I took the Pen of Destiny and cast aside the laws of nature and of life..."

"Ooh...!"

"And, as I wished to live forever as I had done in the past, it came to pass by the writ of the Cosmic Forge..."

[To Alva.] "That would not be honorable."

"As I did rule by the blood of others, using it to further my own gain, so I was transformed forever more into the creature you see before you..."

"It would be really, really sensible."

"Doomed forever to prowl the night and feed my never-ending hungers, and all for what...?"

"Eternal life?"

"Power?"

"The ability to turn into a bat?"

"I do not know... Although everything must eat to live, all that I touched withered and died and soon all that I was did likewise."

"Yeah, this whole place is a dump."

"So I died anyway, even without death!"

"And thus was the price for your avarice paid."

[To Wrath.] "Actually...do you really need to make some deep pronouncement every time we speak to somebody?"

"And yet my corpse walked on, compelled by the bane of the Forge to forever renew, nay, only replenish itself..."

[To Alva.] "I was merely pointing out—"

"And what a curse it was!"

"—yeah, yeah. Making sure the moral gets across, yes?"

"How can I begin to tell you of what it is like to merely survive, only endure and feel no warmth, feel no joy..."

"If you feel that my words are without value..."

"Only to go on and on and on..."

"No, I'm just saying you could stand to lighten up a little."

"And yet, we fear change, and thus fear the name of death..."

"...You mean tell a joke instead?"

"And as long as we fear death, we shall never be free to truly live..."

"Well, no. That would be horribly inappropriate."

"Strange words for one such as I, but my epitaph nonetheless!"

And the vampire takes a wooden stake from beneath his cloak, and without a change of expression, plunges it deep into his own heart...

"The bane be ended! I embrace the night!"

And the vampire fades into mist...

"Oh, he's dead." [Looks at stake in hand.] "Well that was easy." [Throws stake away.]

"Wait. What about that vision that cost us all of our bloody wealth?!"

[Shrugs.]

It is at this point that the demon child Rebecca makes another appearance.

Okay, fine, I'll fight you instead.

She finally descends from her place of hiding, somewhat cautiously, as if she might be afraid...

"Is he gone?"

[Flies up to Rebecca.] "I love your green skin."

[All look at Konata with bafflement.]

"Perhaps this may ease your pain." [Gives Konata a diamond ring.]

"Thanks!"

[Go on to look at Rebecca with equal bafflement.]

"He was my protector and benefactor, as it was he that saved me from the hands of a harlot queen, lover of Xorphitus, seducer of my father, slayer of she my innocent mother and her lover..."

"Wait, the Queen lied to us?!"

"He was my only pleasure, and the Queen hated our love together..."

"Well, she was the King's snake-fetishist high priestess..."

"She was as wicked a witch as ever drew breath, no colder after death than she was before, and as my mother and her lover were slain at her command, so also she tried to slay me..."

[Admires the ring.]

"How fitting that her writ of death for the 'demon girl', by bane of the Forge would come to mean herself, and so she slipped and fell upon her own knife..."

"And so the Forge claimed another victim." [Looks sidelong at Whisker.]

"And now you know the whole of it, so I leave you to take charge of the Cosmic Forge, Pen and Hand of Destiny..."

[Avoids Wrath's gaze.]

"Since I am not of the Bane Pen, but am borne of mortal mischief, it is for me to seek my own destiny elsewhere..."

"Good-bye, crazy green lady."

"Oh, and one more thing!"

"Um, yes?"

"I have a half-brother, the issue of my father and the Bane Queen, from an eve when she seduced him into her womb..."

"Another demon child?!" [Beat.] "Begging your pardon, miss."

"He means well, but he has her nose for mischief and trouble...please look after him for me..."

[Nods.]

"He likes his privacy, and his room lies concealed directly in the back of the altar of the Cosmic Forge...I'll leave you the key..."

And then she flies into the dark...

And so departs the demon child Rebecca, consort of the Bane King, along with her limited sartorial sense. Left behind are various items, including the displacer cloak (a powerful cloak of defence which Whisker lays claim to), the ring of stars (a powerful ring of defence that can go to whoever needs it), and two keys: the north exit key and the back door key.

Oh, and the diamond ring, a very powerful female-only artefact that boosts defence more than the displacer cloak or the ring of stars, and may be important for future adventures. Konata gives it to Shaana.

"Now we're married!" [Sticks tongue out at Motoko.]

"Oh good, the faerie's totally lost her marbles." [Looks at Motoko.] "I'm keeping the ring though."

[Looks bemused.]

On the far side of the room is another locked gate. But this one talks!

Come inside for reality-changing cursed artefact.

A whiny thin voice calls out from the gate:

"Please state security code."

"Wait, what? Damn it all, did that demon child even tell us the code?!"

[Taps one finger on the side of her nose.]

Motoko then uses the ring of stars to decode the King's diary that had been in Whisker's possession for quite some time now.

[Reads the King's diary. Silently.]

"Um...Motoko?"

[Snarls.] "Give me that book and ring!"

And with that, Whisker flicks through and reads out the most relevant portion of the diary:

"Personal Log"

"I have no recourse except to lock up the Cosmic Forge, to prevent another disaster from occurring. I wish I had some way to return it, but our ship, sad to say, is out of fuel...

"Fuel? You mean like for one of those new-fangled steam boilers?"

"Maybe he was out of wind. Does anybody remember there being any wind for the last 120 years?"

[All stare at Konata.]

"Security gate code:"

[Reading aloud.] "'The Hand of Destiny!'"

On Whisker's command, the gate slides open; beyond lies a chamber with an altar in the centre.

A yellow glow is emanating from within the altar, and a bright radiant object is hovering there...

The party cautiously approach the altar.

Behold the Cosmic Forge!

The Pen and Hand of Destiny. So not a forge, then.

"The Cosmic Forge, finally in my reach..."

"Yep, the cursed Cosmic Forge with the 120-year bane if you use it. Cool. What'cha going to do with it, Mr. Whisker?"

"I mean, clearly there is danger here, but am I not cleverer than those who came before?"

"Cleverer than the wizard who split himself in half and went utterly mad?"

"Cleverer than the king who transformed himself into a bloodsucking monster?"

"Or cleverer than the queen who signed her own execution?"

"Or the apprentice who turned himself into a bloody great snake?"

"I know the risks, damn it all! But to come so far and to—to simply leave it be? The power of creation before us?! What kind of wizard would I be if I did not at least try to harness its power somehow?!"

"A living wizard?"

"No! I shall not be denied, not after so long!"

"W-wait...!"

[Shouting.] "Is it not my right, by my Art, to seize the power of the Gods?!"

[Curses, and readies her lance.]

[Tenses, ready to spring.]

"Aah!" [Flies round and round in a circle over the party.]

[Steps towards Whisker, and places on hand on his shoulder.] "...R'iskja."

"...Rathomiel." [Shoulders slump in defeat.] "Yes, I know."

The party elect to leave the Forge alone, at least for now.

"Perhaps we should investigate this half-brother of Rebecca, for now?"

"Yes..." [Walks off ahead.]

[To Wrath.] "What was that you said to the mage?"

[Looks at Alva oddly.] "His name."

"His...name?"

"Yes. His name is R'iskja. Aral R'iskja fel'Griffon tel'Dremora ov Serafaen to be formal."

"I thought 'Whisker' was his name...?"

[Flatly.] "You thought that was actually his name."

[Calling back from ahead.] "I did tell you when we met, but for some reason you got it into your head that I was called 'Whisker', and I saw no reason to correct you."

[Look at each other.]

[Under her breath.] "Crap, that's embarrassing."

[Shakes her head.]

[Glares at Motoko.] "Oh, like you knew better."

"I still like 'Mr. Whisker' best." [Thinks for a moment.] "What's a 'rathomiel', anyway?"

At the far side of the chamber containing the Cosmic Forge, there is a back passage masked by an illusion that thwarts even the power of R'iskja's detect secrets spell. The party step through the illusion, only to come to a locked door. Fortunately, the key given to them by Rebecca unlocks the way. Beyond the door...

That must be a big chair.

Perched upon his throne, a great black dragon sits sulkily pondering the deep mysteries of the universe, glancing at his crystal ball on occasions for some obscure reference...

[Starts.] "Sweet Freya, that's a big dragon."

"Hello there! You must be—"

[Throws Shaana out of the way.]

"Well, I think I know where they might be located..."

"Who's 'they'?"

"And we can make fuel from the dinosaur remains up in the forests..."

"Um, Motoko...?"

"But it'll take about a year to make it with our vessel..."

[Shamefaced, gets off of Shaana.]

"I guess all that remains is whether we have the guts to make the trip..."

[Picks herself up and dusts herself off.] "We're going on a trip?"

"Me, personally, I don't like to fly too much, but with everyone dead, it sure will be dull around here..."

[Nods to herself.] "The monologuing dragon speaks truth."

"Do you want to chase a Cosmic Lord?"

[Look at each other.]

[Hesitantly.] "Sure...?"

"Sounds good...?"

"Me too!"

"Let's go!"

[Shrugs.]

The dragon turns to the rest of the party and gestures impatiently.

"C'mon, let's get out of here!"

And with that the dragon opens a gate and leads Alva, Motoko, Shaana and Konata through another passage.

[Look at each other.]

"I suspect one of us should have interjected at some point in that dialogue."

"I was waiting for you to say something, R'iskja."

Wrath and R'iskja follow behind. When they catch up to the rest of the party, they see what appears to be some kind of strange vessel.

Maybe some kind of boat?

"Oh my."

"Ain't she a dandy?! All aboard!"

"Come on, you two! Get in!"

And so Wrath and R'iskja hesitantly board the star-faring vessel with the rest of the party, in preparation for a new adventure...

"Wait. What about the Forge?!"

To be continued, in Crusaders of the Dark Savant...

Maps, the Enchanted Forest and the Temple of Ramm

Party Review, Endgame

At the point of defeating Xorphitus and seeing off the Bane King, the party are generally at 14th level, with the exceptions of Alva, who reached level 15 before Wrath and Motoko even reached level 14 (due to valkyries' lower experience requirements), and Konata, who only reached level 13.

Sword 100, Oratory 18, Ninjutsu 100, Mythology 17, Thaumaturgy 40, Kirijutsu 52.

Secretly as clever as he is strong, Wrath wins the award for most monsters murdered, in spite of R'iskja's valiant attempts to catch up by liberally choking monsters to death in large groups or purging them with nuclear fire. Before the end, Wrath had learned the fire shield and blink spells.

Sword 75, Pole & Staff 100, Shield 15, Oratory 60, Ninjutsu 100, Mythology 20, Theology 55, Kirijutsu 50.

Although never quite as deadly as Wrath, Alva's aptitude for holy magics has proven invaluable to the party. Being the only person in the party who can use half of the legendary equipment that the party finds doesn't hurt either.

The spells Alva learned before the final battle were cure poison, identify and sane mind, unextravagant but useful spells to know.

Hands & Feet 100, Oratory 50, Ninjutsu 100, Mythology 15, Theosophy 50, Kirijutsu 50.

Practically untouchable even in a bath robe, Motoko just does what Motoko does. Since the last update, she has learned the hold monsters and blink spells.

Wand & Dagger 49, Sword 76, Music 100, Oratory 59, Skulduggery 80, Ninjutsu 94, Mythology 17, Thaumaturgy 85.

Shaana may be the party's designated bad karma sink, but that doesn't get her down. As long as she has her friends, her lute, and her quietly-growing arsenal of deadly magics, she's just fine. On that last one, Shaana has learned both anti-magic (invaluable) and conjuration (whatever).

Mace & Flail 100, Throwing 13, Sling 27, Oratory 100, Mythology 12, Scribe 37, Thaumaturgy 100.

Still the party's most powerful spellcaster, whatever hobbies the others get into. Before the battle with Xorphitus, R'iskja learned deep freeze and firestorm, which turned out to be a much worse idea than learning anti-magic or astral gate (which banishes daemons). Oh well, live and learn.

Sword 80, Throwing 40, Bows 100, Hands & Feet 32, Ninjutsu 74, Artifacts 51, Mythology 18, Alchemy 100, Kirijutsu 24.

Konata is a ninja, and can murder you with acid. But if that isn't enough, she's also able to now cast asphyxiation and toxic vapours, a spell that is suspiciously like the other four ways she has of making you regret breathing.