[Let's Play] Blood Sword IV - Doomwalk

Shiritai · Post by **Shiritai** » Thu Aug 13, 2015 9:57 pm

I'll take the silver plate and both waters, dropping my iron rations and bedroll.

Edit: Nevermind

SGamerz · Post by **SGamerz** » Fri Aug 14, 2015 1:29 pm

Darth Rabbitt wrote:I'll take the second axe then.

Just making sure: that'll be your default weapon, right (since you didn't drop the staff)?

While I don't see any specific instructions that limits the Sage's choice of weapons, note that you won't be able to use the Quarterstaff Technique while you wield this.

Also, I'll be assuming the Trickster will be using the Axe by default (or does he prefer the sword's FP bonus to the extra damage)?

The Trickster puts on the ankh:

Before you read on, make sure you know the number of the previous entry, as this entry will not direct you back there.

The ankh represents Life - the only source of such power, here in Death's realm. As long as someone wears it, all players in the party are under its protection. Any wounds that a player takes are halved in effect, rounding fractions up. So if you would ordinarily lose 17 Endurance points from an attack, the ankh reduces this to 9 points.

Now return to the last entry you were reading.

Neat, it protects the whole party! One of the most useful loot in the game.

The ground along the river bank is carpeted with grass and moss, giving you an easy path as you follow the course of the Styx towards the Screaming Mountains. You pass a lightly wooded hill, and there is another very similar hill visible in the distance on the other side of the river.

'Some have ventured to call them Hel's Paps,' says the Traveller when you mention the hills, 'because of their rounded shape. Personally I consider it inadvisable to refer to Hel with such a bold-faced familiarity. She does not have a forgiving temperament.'

You laugh. 'So what? We'll soon be face to face with Death. It is his temperament we have to worry about.'

'Perhaps Hel is one of the faces of Death,' he replies. 'Others have called him Azrael, or Pluto, or Hades, or Yama, or Osiris, or Yemmaten. For many who inhabit this realm of course, the face of Death is the face of those who murdered them. I am one of these.'

'You were murdered?'

'Foully. I mean to have my revenge, however ...' He seems about to say more, then stops himself. 'We must concentrate on the matter at hand. Before us lies the Forest of Night's Abyss. Do not wander from the path or you will never emerge from it. With that caveat in mind, though, it holds no dangers.'

Tangled branches spread above your heads like a cobweb. Here and there clouds of white mist hang as though trapped amid the ragged foliage. Dark leaf-mould squelches underfoot as you venture onward, and a sickly sweet smell rises from livid mushrooms that line the river bank.

As mentioned before it's possible for

dead players to still be with the party, being summoned by the Shrine of Summoning by his ex-comrades. Would have been interesting if each of them sees NPC who killed them as the face of Death......

A twig snaps nearby. You glance round to see a black unicorn with a silver horn standing only a dozen paces away among the trees. When you call out, it watches you coldly and paws the ground - but comes no closer.

If you want to go over and take its reins, turn to 114. If you ignore it and continue along the river, turn to 530.

And the authors just exposed the entire party as virgins!

Pet the unicorn?

Adventure Sheets:

WARRIOR:

NAME: Dame Caecilia Wither-Stoat
RANK: 2nd

Battle Order: 1

Fighting Prowess: 11
Psychic Ability: 6
Awareness: 6
Endurance: 20/20
Damage: 1 Die +4 (+3 from Enchanted Sword)

*Extra Notes: Takes no FP/damage penalty when fighting unarmed, +1 Armour Rating from Potentiation on top of normal armour bonus

Items:
1 Enchanted Sword (+3 Damage)
2 Enchanted Chainmail armour (Armour Rating five)
3 Money pouch (100 gold)
4 Silver crucifix (with finger-bone of St Ashanax)
5 Iron Bell
6 Bedroll
7 Shielding Charm (+1 AR)
8 Dog-faced Creature's Spear
9 Ointment of Healing (10 Applications, +2D6 END each)
10 Bottle of water from the Pool of Remembrance

TRICKSTER:

NAME: Benedict of the Crimson Spires, Honourable Duelist
RANK: 5th

Battle Order: 2

Fighting Prowess: 7
Psychic Ability: 7
Awareness: 8
Endurance: 31/31
Damage: 3 Dice

Items:
1 Enchanted Sword (+1 FP)
2 Magical Chainmail (Armour Rating 4)
3 Golden Snuffbox
4 Magical Axe (+1d6 Damage)
5 Gold ankh-cross (reduce Damage by half for entire party)
6 Magic Bow (Damage 1 Die+1)
7 Harp
8 Quiver (2 arrows)
9 Fur Cloak
10 Gilt-edged scroll

SAGE:

NAME: "Pepito" Cascadero, Master of the Mystic Way
RANK: 5th

Battle Order: 3

Fighting Prowess: 7
Psychic Ability: 8
Awareness: 7
Endurance: 26/26
Damage: 3 Dice

Items:
1 Quarterstaff
2 Magical Chainmail (Armour Rating 4)
3 Seafaring Charts from Hunguk's ship
4 Magical Axe (+1d6 Damage)
5 Magic Bow (Damage 1 Die+4)
6 Quiver (6 arrows)
7 Skull Amulet
8 Blue Crystal Eyes
9 Typhon's Crystal Eye
10 Silver key to Fatima's garden

ENCHANTER:

NAME: Enchanter Reed, Ninth of the Inverted Tower
RANK: 5th

Battle Order: 4

Fighting Prowess: 1
Psychic Ability: 15 (+1 from Ring of Sorcery)
Awareness: 8
Endurance: 26/26
Damage: 1 Die +2

Items:
1 Brazier
2 Magical Silver Plate (Armour Rating 5)
3 Bedroll
4 Magical Bread Crust of Infinity
5 Fur Cloak
6 Money pouch (100 gold pieces)
7 Ring of Sorcery (+1 PA)
8 Iron rations (7 days)
9 Amber Tinderbox
10 Empty slot

Starmaker · Post by **Starmaker** » Fri Aug 14, 2015 1:37 pm

No, don't leave the path.

Darth Rabbitt · Post by **Darth Rabbitt** » Fri Aug 14, 2015 2:42 pm

Yes, I intend to use the axe as my main weapon. That's why I kept the quarterstaff at all, in case we come across something that Quarterstaff Technique works really well on. But the extra die of damage would've been nicer on most of the things we've come across so far.

Does the ankh work outside of Death's realm? The first sentence of its description implies it doesn't but the rest doesn't say anything on the matter.

I'm not surprised Pepito's a virgin. Like Tesla, celibacy is the key to Pepito's genius.

Finally (and most importantly) as badly as Pepito wants to ride the pretty horsey, I think we should stay on the path. We've already found the phat lewt in this book so I can't imagine much good coming from following the black unicorn.

angelfromanotherpin · Post by **angelfromanotherpin** » Fri Aug 14, 2015 2:50 pm

I begin to suspect that our guide is Aiken.

Yeah, unicorns are bad news. Avoid eye contact. Avoid all contact.

Starmaker · Post by **Starmaker** » Fri Aug 14, 2015 3:13 pm

angelfromanotherpin wrote:I begin to suspect that our guide is Aiken.

Quite appropriate, since Kiki is the only one who doesn't remember Modgud saying so a couple sections back. (Although I have to admit that before she did, Cordelia not speaking in his presence had thrown me off for a while.)

Now the question is how many dice of damage he does now, considering the ankh was pretty much a guaranteed find. Azidahaka is the current record-holder, at 12d6.

Darth Rabbitt · Post by **Darth Rabbitt** » Fri Aug 14, 2015 3:19 pm

The identity of the Traveler is actually one of the few things I remembered about this book series. (I think I mentioned that I read a few of them a really long time ago, but for the most part the only thing I remembered was enjoying them.)

Shiritai · Post by **Shiritai** » Fri Aug 14, 2015 4:05 pm

And here I thought he was just another relative. Ah well, seems he wants us alive until his sudden yet inevitable betrayal, so stay on the path.

SGamerz · Post by **SGamerz** » Sat Aug 15, 2015 5:57 am

Darth Rabbitt wrote:Does the ankh work outside of Death's realm? The first sentence of its description implies it doesn't but the rest doesn't say anything on the matter.

If you can remember the rest of what you read about this book previously, you will know that doesn't matter.

Just out of curiosity, would you have considered summoning Icon at the shrine if you hadn't known his identity?

Eventually you leave the dark forest behind. You are now walking across windswept open country towards a range of vast storm-shrouded mountains. The Styx is a violent torrent here, cascading over occasional rapids in its course downward from the mountains.

You look back and see the moon rising over the treetops. Seen through drifting banks of coppery cloud it seems sickly and stark.

'Is that the same moon that shines on middle earth?' you muse. 'It looks like the face of a leper.'

'It is the same moon,' says the Traveller. 'It is you who have changed.'

A shadow drifts across the clouds. Squinting into the lunar glare, you scan the heavens. Something is descending from the sky towards you. Something large. It draws nearer and you see it is a giant human-like head with blue skin, flying on wings that grow from its temples. The air begins to feel charged with energy. Your hair stands on end.

A call cracks out, unmistakably a battle-cry: 'Look up into the face of Lei Kung, the Minister of Lightnings, you errant mortals! I am the Spitter of Flame, the Searer of Souls - the Thunder-Voiced Lord.'

The challenge rumbles across the sky and resounds off the mountains.

If you stand your ground and fight, turn to 113. If you look for an item to use, turn to 333. If you make a run for it, turn to 85.

Why do we keep meeting Thunder Gods in Sheol ("Lei Kung" is the name for the Chinese God of Thunder)? I thought they were supposed to live above the Earth, not under!

To save time, here are the items listed in 333:

Which item will you use? A long copper rod?; a mirrored shield?; a magical Orb?; or a Magian's wand?.

If you have none of these, turn to 339.

Since we won't have any of these, the only options are to fight or run.

angelfromanotherpin · Sat Aug 15, 2015 11:42 am

I'm pretty sure we can't outrun a flier, so I'll down the memory water and get ready to rumble.

Starmaker · Post by **Starmaker** » Sat Aug 15, 2015 12:05 pm

>implications
...Okay, that was a very creepy spoiler.

Fight.

Just out of curiosity, would you have considered summoning Icon at the shrine if you hadn't known his identity?

No, for the same reason as previously stated: no reason to think he'll show up with a lootable Blood Sword to the successful completion of the quest.

Darth Rabbitt · Post by **Darth Rabbitt** » Sat Aug 15, 2015 2:17 pm

I also wouldn't have tried to summon Aiken because we can't even get his name right. Can't imagine we'd actually get him even if I didn't know that he was the Traveler. And more importantly what Starmaker said.

Pepito is now sure that there is more than one God, and all of them are thunder gods. If he survives this he'll start worshiping the Platonic concept of thunder because that clearly has some real power.

Fight Kung Lao Liu Kang Lei Kung. Maybe we'll get to Fatality him.

Starmaker · Post by **Starmaker** » Sat Aug 15, 2015 2:30 pm

...Now I'm more than a little bit worried that all this multiculturalism also serves to establish that Death/Hel/Azrael has an aspect of the Plague Star to it, and we're in much deeper trouble than previously assumed.

SGamerz · Post by **SGamerz** » Sun Aug 16, 2015 2:22 am

Lei Kung remains airborne and lashes down at you with his tongue of lightning. His attack is directed at the first player in the battle order. However, if any player is carrying a copper rod then the lightning is attracted to him or her instead.

The touch of the tongue of lightning inflicts four Dice damage, with armour protecting as usual.

If you wish to use an item, turn to 333. If you want to fight it out, turn to 339. If you decide to flee, turn to 85.

Ooi, cheap shot! Why don't you come down here and fight like a Ma-....oh wait...nevermind.

Dice roll: 14-7 = 7/2 = 4 END of damage

The Warrior has 35 END left.

I'm assuming she also drops the rest of the antidote after drinking it, since nobody else is under the Lethe effects.

We still have no item to use, so let's proceed to the fight:

You cannot reach Lei Kung to engage him in close combat, so you must rely on spells, arrows and other long-range attacks. (But if there is a Sage in the party then he or she can Levitate up to engage Lei Kung and can therefore make fight rolls as usual.) For his part, Lei Kung can easily strike down at you with his crackling, white-hot tongue.

Lei Kung

Fighting Prowess: 9 Damage per blow: 4 Dice
Psychic Ability: 9 Awareness: 8
Armour Rating: 0
Endurance: 35 (less any wounds already inflicted)

Note: Lei Kung's strikes count as lightning, of course, so if you have an item that defends against electrical energy it will work in this case.

If you flee turn to 85. If you kill him, turn to 459.

WTF, Lei Kung is wimpier than Icon?? And he doesn't even have resistance/immunity to lightning attacks! (Angvar was immune to Sheet Lightning and Nemesis Bolt and pretty much unbeatable) I get that they want to make this fight doable, but this Chinese "God" is so much weaker than a number of the mortal enemies in the book (and the high-ranked PCs)! I call racism!

Anyway, since most of the players can't engage him in melee, Lei Kung will strike randomly at his 4 targets....unless the Sage choose to Levitate and play the meatshield.

Strategies?

Adventure Sheets:

WARRIOR:

NAME: Dame Caecilia Wither-Stoat
RANK: 5th

Battle Order: 1

Fighting Prowess: 12
Psychic Ability: 7
Awareness: 8
Endurance: 35/39
Damage: 2 Dice +4 (+3 from Enchanted Sword)

*Extra Notes: Takes no FP/damage penalty when fighting unarmed, +1 Armour Rating from Potentiation on top of normal armour bonus

Items:
1 Enchanted Sword (+3 Damage)
2 Enchanted Chainmail armour (Armour Rating five)
3 Money pouch (100 gold)
4 Silver crucifix (with finger-bone of St Ashanax)
5 Iron Bell
6 Bedroll
7 Shielding Charm (+1 AR)
8 Dog-faced Creature's Spear
9 Ointment of Healing (10 Applications, +2D6 END each)
10 Empty slot

TRICKSTER:

NAME: Benedict of the Crimson Spires, Honourable Duelist
RANK: 5th

Battle Order: 2

Fighting Prowess: 7
Psychic Ability: 7
Awareness: 8
Endurance: 31/31
Damage: 3 Dice

Items:
1 Enchanted Sword (+1 FP)
2 Magical Chainmail (Armour Rating 4)
3 Golden Snuffbox
4 Magical Axe (+1d6 Damage)
5 Gold ankh-cross (reduce Damage by half for entire party)
6 Magic Bow (Damage 1 Die+1)
7 Harp
8 Quiver (2 arrows)
9 Fur Cloak
10 Gilt-edged scroll

SAGE:

NAME: "Pepito" Cascadero, Master of the Mystic Way
RANK: 5th

Battle Order: 3

Fighting Prowess: 7
Psychic Ability: 8
Awareness: 7
Endurance: 26/26
Damage: 3 Dice

Items:
1 Quarterstaff
2 Magical Chainmail (Armour Rating 4)
3 Seafaring Charts from Hunguk's ship
4 Magical Axe (+1d6 Damage)
5 Magic Bow (Damage 1 Die+4)
6 Quiver (6 arrows)
7 Skull Amulet
8 Blue Crystal Eyes
9 Typhon's Crystal Eye
10 Silver key to Fatima's garden

ENCHANTER:

NAME: Enchanter Reed, Ninth of the Inverted Tower
RANK: 5th

Battle Order: 4

Fighting Prowess: 1
Psychic Ability: 15 (+1 from Ring of Sorcery)
Awareness: 8
Endurance: 26/26
Damage: 1 Die +2

Items:
1 Brazier
2 Magical Silver Plate (Armour Rating 5)
3 Bedroll
4 Magical Bread Crust of Infinity
5 Fur Cloak
6 Money pouch (100 gold pieces)
7 Ring of Sorcery (+1 PA)
8 Iron rations (7 days)
9 Amber Tinderbox
10 Empty slot

Darth Rabbitt · Post by **Darth Rabbitt** » Sun Aug 16, 2015 3:03 am

Pepito is doubting his faith in the thunder gods. But he won't last long in melee with Lei Kung (we both on average hit for ~10 damage on the other but the thunder god has better stats). That being said I can tank for at least a round if Benedict pelts him with arrows and Reed Nemesis Bolts the sucker and he should die after that. If y'all are willing to do that then I'll levitate and tank.

angelfromanotherpin · Post by **angelfromanotherpin** » Sun Aug 16, 2015 3:21 am

Hm, all my DMF can contribute to this fight is the possibility of spreading the hits. I guess I'll provide musical accompaniment.

Starmaker · Post by **Starmaker** » Sun Aug 16, 2015 11:28 am

I'll shoot my two arrows, then jump around and make rude gestures.

Dice roll: 14-7 = 7 END of damage

Did you account for the ankh?

Shiritai · Post by **Shiritai** » Sun Aug 16, 2015 2:16 pm

I'll cast Nemesis Bolt then Seordthrust, dropping everything else.

Darth Rabbitt · Post by **Darth Rabbitt** » Sun Aug 16, 2015 2:33 pm

Starmaker wrote:Did you account for the ankh?

I didn't, which makes this guy a lot less dangerous to me. Does the ankh's halving of damage apply before or after armor? Either way I'll Levitate and hack away with my shiny new axe.

SGamerz · Post by **SGamerz** » Sun Aug 16, 2015 3:23 pm

Starmaker wrote:I'll shoot my two arrows, then jump around and make rude gestures.

Dice roll: 14-7 = 7 END of damage
Did you account for the ankh?

Nope, corrected now.

Yes, with the ankh's protection and the armour upgrade everyone just got, there's no way Lei Kung can kill anyone with 1, or even 2 shots. And due to his relatively low END, he's unlikely to be able to get off more than that, so this fight isn't going to be much of the threat in itself....

COMBAT LOG:

Round 1 ... FIGHT!

Awareness 8 acts ...

Warrior jumps around waving her sword, hoping to use it as a lightning rod to absorb some damage away from her companions.

Trickster shoots Lei Kung. Roll = 6 (Hit!). Damage = 2+1 = 3. Lei Kung has 32 END left.

Enchanter attempts to cast Nemesis Bolt. Roll = 2+5 = 7. Success! Damage = 36+ 7 = 43! Lei Kung is defeated!

Lei Kung fights Sage (he actually targets the Sage at random here since it takes the Sage one round to engage). Roll = 8. (Hit!) Damage = 13-4 = 9/2 = 5. Sage has 21 EN left.

Awareness 7 acts ...

Sage Levitates up....and Lei Kung plummets down before he can land a blow.

The giant head drops into the Styx and is carried away by the strong current.

'Why on earth did he attack us?' you wonder aloud. 'It was completely random, senseless... Just destruction without reason.'

'Of course,' says the Traveller. 'Lei Kung embodied the nature of lightning. And lightning itself is senseless.'

The question is why it wasn't randomly striking at Traveler. Or Cordelia.

Before reading on, is there any one point that has made you suspicious about Sheol or people whom you've met there? Think about this (consult your fellow players if you aren't adventuring solo) and write down one thing that you are suspicious about.

After doing that, turn to 556.

I have absolutely no idea what you might suspect!

The mountains rise abruptly in front of you - a sheer wall of rock along the edge of the moors. Dim grey light flares up periodically against the darkness of the sky, and distant rumbling suggests that a storm of unimaginable force is raging on the other side of the mountains.

The Styx cascades in a black waterfall from a cavern mouth several hundred metres up in the cliff-face. You catch sight of one or two pale, struggling figures being washed down and dashed on the rocks. As you clamber up a narrow path leading to the cavern entrance, another sound becomes audible over the waterfall's roar and the rumble of the distant storm ...

It is the howling of thousands of tormented souls.

Sounds like a sight we gotta see! Let's check it out.....

You reach the mouth of the cavern. A high, wedge-shaped tunnel recedes into the far darkness ahead of you. The river flows along the centre of this tunnel, and on either bank stand vicious-faced grey demons which seem to have sprouted out of the very rock. They have no legs, but only a single stem or stalk where their legs should be. Their tongues are like whips that can lash out more than a dozen metres, and they use them to herd pallid souls into the fast-flowing water.

One of the unfortunates sees you and breaks from the throng. A demon turns to watch as he runs towards you, arms flailing in terror. 'Help me!' he cries. 'Help - akhh!'

The demon's tongue whips around his throat and he is dragged slowly back along the ground. Its grey face contorts into a cruel grin as it casts him back among the others.

'Merciful God ...' you gasp. 'We must put a stop to this horror.'

'Cast all such thoughts from your mind,' warns the Traveller. 'This is the treatment that those souls have earned by their actions in their last life. The river will carry them back to the mortal world to be reincarnated. It is their karma, as we say in my country.'

If you decide to attack one of the demons, turn to 422. If you pass by the scene of torment, turn to 491.

This looks fun! Shall we join it?

Darth Rabbitt · Post by **Darth Rabbitt** » Sun Aug 16, 2015 4:33 pm

They're kind of vague as to how many demons there are. There's at least one on each bank but there could be many more. If there are just two then we could probably jump them but if there are more then it's not worth it.

angelfromanotherpin · Post by **angelfromanotherpin** » Sun Aug 16, 2015 5:12 pm

I don't particularly care if it's hopeless; we have to at least try to help them. I don't count the enemy in the face of wickedness.

Darth Rabbitt · Post by **Darth Rabbitt** » Sun Aug 16, 2015 5:43 pm

True dat. Let's kick some demon ass and hope the book doesn't fuck us over (it's been pretty good about that in this book so I'm hopeful).

Starmaker · Post by **Starmaker** » Sun Aug 16, 2015 7:40 pm

totally not Icon wrote:This is the treatment that those souls have earned by their actions in their last life. The river will carry them back to the mortal world to be reincarnated. It is their karma, as we say in my country.

"Oh yes? I bet you'll change the tune when you're demon fodder." Attack.

Shiritai · Post by **Shiritai** » Sun Aug 16, 2015 11:42 pm

Well, looks like I'll be fighting.