[LP] DestinyQuest 2: The Heart of Fire

[Darth Rabbitt]

(I'd have taken Silver Flight myself, since it also would have allowed us to use both of our Pilgrim abilities. Charm, +1 damage per hit, +2 damage 1/combat, and healing 4 health 1/combat strike me as worth giving up headshot for. But we lose two of those if we change careers, so it might be a wash anyways.)

You pull back the curtain of lianas and enter the interior of the pagoda. The smell that hits you is almost overpowering—a sour reek of mud and decay. A quick glance at your surroundings confirms that every inch of stone, from the floor to the arched dome ceiling, is covered in scabs of thick, yellow fungus.
'Lycanth's lair,' whispers Boom Mamba, pointing to the far side of the musty-smelling space. 'Spirit of rot.' At first, you assume the shaman is mistaken—it looks to be nothing more than a heap of mold, crawling with maggots. But then it moves, lifting up off the ground on bowed, hairy legs. A single bloodshot eye blinks in the darkness of its crusted hood, below which a wolf-like muzzle sniffs at the air. Then the beast gives a gargling howl of rage, its mouth distending into a row of jagged fangs. You quickly step forward to protect the shaman, as the creature advances. It is time to fight:

	Speed	Brawn	Armor	Health
Lycanth	5	5	4	55

Special Abilities
Miasma of decay: at the end of each combat round you must automatically lose 3 health from the cloud of stench that surrounds your foe.
Disease: Once Lycanth's damage score inflicts health damage to your hero, you must automatically lose an additional 2 health at the end of the combat round.

So basically we need to not get hit. 3 damage/round is already really nasty.
Round 1: Patio 8+7, Lycanth 3+4 (crawlers'd.) Damage 1+7-4=4, Lycanth is at 51. *DoTs* It's at 48, Patio is at 32.
Round 2: Patio 10+7 (haste'd, faith'd, Patio is at 34), Lycanth 11+4. Damage 3+7-4=6, Lycanth is at 42. *DoTs* It's at 39, Patio is at 31.
Round 3: Patio 4+7, Lycanth 12+5. (Prophecy'd, no damage.) *DoTs* Lycanth is at 36, Patio is at 28.
Round 4: Patio 7+7, Lycanth 6+5. Damage 4+7-4=7, Lycanth is at 29. *DoTs* It's at 26, Patio is at 25.
Round 5: Patio 9+7, Lycanth 8+5. Damage 1+7-4=4, Lycanth is at 22. *DoTs* Lycanth is at 19, Patio is at 22. *Atonement* Patio is at 25.
Round 6: Patio 12+7 (faith'd, Patio is at 27), Lycanth 10+5. Damage 1+7-4=4, Lycanth is at 15. *DoTs* It's at 12, Patio is at 24.
Round 7: Patio 6+7, Lycanth 4+5. Damage 4+7-4=7, Lycanth is at 5. *Headshot* Lycanth is dead!

Keeping the pistol did help us again. My apologies for doubting you, Falk's Firestarter.

You stand over the beast's lice-ridden corpse, torn between pity and loathing for such an unfortunate beast.
'Give me space,' says Boom, tapping his staff against the ground. 'I need to get spirit.'
You step away from the body as it starts to decompose, quickly forming a foul-smelling yellow dust. From the shaman's staff there is a bright flash of light, then the dust sweeps up into the air, funneling towards the staff. The runes glow for a second, then the dust is gone.
'That be good riddance to him,' grins Boom, his staff now surrounded with a sickly yellow aura. 'We got his power now.'
(By defeating Lycanth, he shaman's staff has gained the infected wound ability. Make a note of this on your hero sheet.)
(Mr. Patio is a rogue.)

Amongst the putrid mould and clumps of animal hair you spy a number of interesting items. Some appear to be from previous adventurers. As well as a pouch containing 20 gold crowns, you also find one of the following rewards:
Hair of the wolf (cloak) +1 speed +1 brawn ability: cunning (mo: 1/combat, +3 to brawn for one round)
Lycanth's teeth (ring) +1 brawn ability: bleed (pa: if you deal health damage to an opponent they take 1 extra damage at the end of each round, ignoring armor)
Feral falcate (left hand: dagger) +1 speed +2 brawn ability: pagan's spirit set (requirement: pariah)

Pick a loot to proceed, and then since we've caught 3 Pokemon spirits we're off to fight Mortzilla!

Name: Mr. Patio
Path: Rogue
Career: Pilgrim
Speed: +7, Brawn: +7, Magic: +2, Armor: +3
Health: 35

Slot	Item	Speed	Brawn	Magic	Armor	Ability
Head	Garland of Sacrifice	+1	+2			Atonement
Necklace	Providence		+1	+1		Faith
Cloak	Wildfire Weave			+1	+1	Backdraft
Main Hand	Bramble Blade	+1	+2			Bleed
Left Hand	Falk's Firestarter	+1	+1			Headshot
Gloves	Fingerless Gloves	+1	+1			Crawlers
Chest	Green Blaze	+1			+1	Haste
Feet	Sailor's Sandals	+1				Surefooted
Talisman	Maker's Button	+1
Ring 1	Pins 'N' Needles					Thorns
Ring 2	Grieving Soul				+1	Fire Aura

Backpack	Item
1	Snakebite Shake
2	Elixir of Invisibility
3	Gourd of Healing
4	Pot of Healing
5	Pot of Healing

Locker	Item
1	Wishing Well Coin
2	Blood Iron Knot
3	Holy Water (2 uses)
4	Warded Wood

Prophecy
bones
sure blade
calling
prevail
mixer
gatherer
meadowsweet, lemongrass, and white willow
raven
duty
Map of Carvel
Handy Herbalist's Spotter's Guide
can of oil
parchment
extra-sticky glue
blood debt
tower
household spirit
explorer
earth fist
wind guardian
infected wound
Book quest (reward at 471 when we have all 3 books)
Money Pouch: 581 Crowns

[Omegonthesane]

Given we did hit 5 times, +1 damage a strike alone from the sword we turned down in favour of keeping Falk's firestarter would have added up to Lycanth dying on round 7 anyway.

Full vote to take hair of the wolf instead of keeping wildfire weave, because +1 speed and +1 to what's currently our damage stat and after 4 hits the stats difference plus activating the +3 brawn on one of those hits will add up to the expected damage from Backdraft's 2d6.

[SGamerz]

Take hair of the wolf.

[Darth Rabbitt]

'The boom stick is ready. Let's go!' The shaman points to a narrow side-street, overshadowed by crumbling temples. 'Now we go boom the big one.'
Halfway along the street Boom pauses, kneeling down beside a rock. He moves it aside, then slides his fingers into the cracks of the paving stone beneath. With a grunt, he lifts it up to reveal a hollowed-out cavity. He reaches inside, his tongue worming inside his mouth as he struggles to locate what he is looking for.
'Gotcha!' He tugs out a hooped strap of leather, with over a dozen clay vials threaded along its length. 'This my back-up,' he grins, putting his head and arm through the strap so it rests across his shoulder. 'Take no chances.' Snatching up his staff the shaman continues down the street, the vials on his make-shift bandolier clinking together as he runs.

You sight the creature above the rooftops ahead. It is moving laboriously slowly, its hulking form a mass of writhing purple tentacles.
'That's Mortzilla?' you ask with a sudden pang of dread.
'Yeah, the spirit trapped between here and next place,' explains Boom. 'That's why only the staff can harm him.'
You round a corner, entering a wide plaza overgrown with weeds. Ahead of you is the spirit known as Mortzilla. The gargantuan beast lurches forward on a single pair of stalk-like legs, their fragility at odds with the enormous body of tentacles they are required to support. Its head looks like a similar afterthought—just a small funnel-shaped protrusion, balancing on a thin stem. Where it widens into a flat face, you see the fleshy surface pitted with dark holes. It isn't until the beast nears that you see the human skulls peering out from the circles of the darkness—hundreds and hundreds of them.
'That thing is your spirit walk?' you gasp, backing away in horror. 'Your elders must have really hated you...'
Boom Mamba turns and throws you the staff. You catch it as a reflex action, your brow creasing with confusion. 'Use the boom stick,' he says. 'Spirits help you to defeat it.'
Your eyes widen. 'Me? What about you?'
Boom tugs one of his vials free, removing the stopper with his teeth. Then he points. 'I gonna keep them busy.'
Suddenly the world is plunged into darkness. You look up to see a dense mist spreading out from the creature, obscuring the sun and the green-tinged sky. As the strange fingers of fog start to rush closer, you suddenly realize what Boom was referring to. It isn't a fog at all—it is thousands of black, ghostly bodies streaking through the air. And they are headed straight for you.
Boom throws back his arm and flings the vial. It spins through the air and then explodes, sending concussive waves of magical energy billowing through the swarm. The spirits caught in the blast are torn to ribbons—but as they fall, hundreds more sweep in to take their place.
You raise the staff and follow Boom into the dark maelstrom, dodging the ghostly claws and talons that reach out of the blackness. Your focus is the monster itself.
As another explosion rips through the spirit cloud, a piercing sound fills your ears—like a million voices screaming as one. You lift your eyes to the monster's face and realize that the sound is coming from the skulls—a dirge-like wail that saps at your courage.
'Use the boom stick!' shouts a voice over your shoulder. 'Before it's too late!'
You grip the staff in both hands and prepare to take on:

	Speed	Brawn	Armor	Health
Mortzilla	5	5	4	60

Special Abilities
Shadow shroud: Mortzilla is immune to your special abilities. In this combat, you can only use the abilities absorbed by your rune totem (see below). You can still use backpack items as normal (such as potions).
Screaming skulls: At the end of each combat round, you must lower your speed, brawn and magic by 1. Once your attributes have reached zero, they cannot be reduced further.

In this combat: your totem abilities (you should have a total of three) do the following:
Wind guardian (sp): You may add 2 to your attack speed for the duration of the combat.
Infected wound (pa): If your damage score causes health damage to your opponent, they must lose a further 3 health at the end of every combat round, for the duration of the combat.
Shadow shift (co): You can use this ability instead of rolling for a damage score to backstab your opponent. This causes 6 dice of damage, ignoring armor. You can only use this ability once.
Earth fist (co): You can use this ability instead of rolling for a damage score to cause 2 dice of damage, ignoring armor, and reduce your opponent's armor score to zero for the remainder of the combat. You can only use this ability once.
Boogie's booster (mo): Use anytime in combat to instantly restore your attributes (speed, brawn and magic) back to their starting values. This ability can be used twice.

Well, we got 2 out of the 3 best abilities.
Round 1: Patio 8+8+2, Mortzilla 8+5. Damage 6+8-4=10, Mortzilla is at 50. *Infected Wound* It's at 47.
Round 2: Patio 12+7+2, Mortzilla 10+5. Damage 7 (earth fist'd), Mortzilla is at 40, its armor is at 0. *Infected Wound* It's at 37.
Round 3: Patio 10+6+2, Mortzilla 6+5. Damage 6+6-0=12, Mortzilla is at 25. *Infected Wound* It's at 22.
Round 4: Patio 6+5+2, Mortzilla 5+5. Damage 1+5-0=6, Mortzilla is at 16. *Infected Wound* It's at 13.
Round 5: Patio 11+4+2, Mortzilla 8+5. Damage 3+4-0=7, Mortzilla is at 6. *Infected Wound* It's at 3.
Round 6: Patio 7+3+2, Mortzilla 8+5. Damage 2+4-2=4, Patio is at 31. *Infected Wound* Mortzilla is dead.

One good roll short of a flawless. Even when we don't get our normal abilities, we win using the same strategy.

Weakened by your onslaught the immense giant comes crashing down, its chorus of skulls taking on a pitiful wail. You raise the staff and bring it down hard onto the bulbous, saggy flesh, pouring all of the trapped spirits' power into the blow.
Then something unexpected happens. Mortzilla begins to fade, its body dissipating into whirling tendrils of purple light. You stumble back, still gripping the staff, as the magic rushes into the pulsing runes. The staff shakes and bucks in your hand, then the purple light is gone...and you find yourself lying on your back, staring up at the green clouds of slow-moving mist.
You glance over to see that the staff has been transformed, its length now twisted into a spear of wickedly-sharp barbs, ending in a crescent blade. THe thing is ugly and evil-looking—glowing with black light. You scramble away from it, sensing that it is somehow alive, throbbing with the dark spirit of Mortzilla.
A cry forces you to spin, your eyes coming to rest on Boom Mamba. The shaman lies on his side, both hands pressed to his stomach. Blood trickles into the cracks of stone.
You hurry over, kneeling by his side. The shaman struggles to focus with pale, feverish eyes.
'You did it. You did...the spirit...walk.' Even in pain, he still manages a weak smile.
'Do you have any healing tonics?' you ask, glancing at the vials sewn into his bandolier.
The shaman shakes his head. 'I'm done for. This is my time.'
You look back to the twisted black spear. 'You said Mortzilla had answers. What happened, the staff...?' When you meet his gaze, you see shame written there—and then realization dawns. 'You lied. Cernos never spoke to the spirit, did he? You just wanted me to help you—to complete the spirit walk.'
The shaman gives a wheezing gasp, blood coating his lips. 'You only one who could use the boom stick. Only a demon.'
You shake your head. 'I'm no demon. You're mistaken.'
Boom Mamba's smile takes on a sad quality. 'It was me. I spoke to your demon friend. I told him what he want to hear. In return, he helped me finish the staff. So I could do spirit walk at last.'
'Cernos helped you? Why?' A cold bitterness creeps into your voice.
'He knew you be coming.' Boom's eyes flutter closed, his breath rattling in his lungs. 'He knew I make you help...perhaps he not think you have strength. Perhaps he think you not live to defeat the spirits.'
You blink and stare, unable to respond, your thoughts mired in a million unanswered questions. After swallowing a deep breath, you take hold of the shaman's arms, gripping him tight, willing him to stay alive just a moment longer. 'Tell me what you told Cernos. What was he looking for?'
'The key...key to Tartarus,' he rasps. 'Dwarf city...sealed after the fall...'
'Where is it?' you insist, aware of the harsh, cutting tone to your words. It shames you, but you know you must find this demon—at all costs. 'Tell me where the key is.'
'Taken south...Lamuri city...' Boom's etes open, a grin still playing on his lips. 'You do good...you give best boom ever...ancestors favor...you.' Then the shaman's smile fades and his chest heaves its last breath.
You stand as if in a dream, still bewildered by what has happened. If what Boom says is true, then Cernos has played you like a puppet, knowing you would agree to aid the shaman. But did the demon think you would get this far? Is Mortzilla's black spear his final trick? You step towards the evil-looking weapon, aware that it is now humming to itself, the air around its purple runes popping with dark energies.

Will you:
Risk taking the black spear?
Leave the ruins and continue your journey?

Name: Mr. Patio
Path: Rogue
Career: Pilgrim
Speed: +8, Brawn: +8, Magic: +1, Armor: +2
Health: 35

Slot	Item	Speed	Brawn	Magic	Armor	Ability
Head	Garland of Sacrifice	+1	+2			Atonement
Necklace	Providence		+1	+1		Faith
Cloak	Hair of the Wolf	+1	+1			Cunning
Main Hand	Bramble Blade	+1	+2			Bleed
Left Hand	Falk's Firestarter	+1	+1			Headshot
Gloves	Fingerless Gloves	+1	+1			Crawlers
Chest	Green Blaze	+1			+1	Haste
Feet	Sailor's Sandals	+1				Surefooted
Talisman	Maker's Button	+1
Ring 1	Pins 'N' Needles					Thorns
Ring 2	Grieving Soul				+1	Fire Aura

Backpack	Item
1	Snakebite Shake
2	Elixir of Invisibility
3	Gourd of Healing
4	Pot of Healing
5	Pot of Healing

Locker	Item
1	Wishing Well Coin
2	Blood Iron Knot
3	Holy Water (2 uses)
4	Warded Wood

Prophecy
bones
sure blade
calling
prevail
mixer
gatherer
meadowsweet, lemongrass, and white willow
raven
duty
Map of Carvel
Handy Herbalist's Spotter's Guide
can of oil
parchment
extra-sticky glue
blood debt
tower
household spirit
explorer
earth fist
wind guardian
infected wound
Book quest (reward at 471 when we have all 3 books)
Money Pouch: 581 Crowns

[Omegonthesane]

Take the black spear.

[maglag]

Get possessed by demonic weapon.

[Darth Rabbitt]

As your hands settle around the shaft of the spear you cry out in alarm—you feel some ancient evil reaching forth, grabbing you and pulling you down into the weapon's darkness. You try and release your hands but they are stuck tight to the runes, which are leeching your energy, tugging at your very being. In desperation, you attempt to lock wills with the dark entity, calling on every last reserve of mental strength to push the force away.
Then, all of a sudden, you feel a change. The barrier you were pushing against starts to recede, drawing itself back to whence it came. Warily, you lift up the spear, realizing that the spirit's attempt to take you over has failed. However, in touching the spear you have become hexed. The effects are as follows:

Hexed (pa): You can only use a maximum of eight special abilities in combat (including modifier and passive abilities). No more than eight abilities can ever be played in one combat—you get to choose those that are activated/used and those that are not—even those that would ordinarily happen automatically. You must remain hexed until you find a curse for your affliction.

If you wish, you may now equip and wield the black spear of Mortzilla, the glaive of souls (NOTE: this item can only be equipped if you are hexed. If you are cured, the item will break, and must be removed from your hero sheet):

Glaive of souls
(main hand: spear)
+2 speed +2 brawn +2 magic
Ability: vampirism (mo: when you inflict damage to your opponent you can heal yourself for half the amount of health your opponent has lost, rounding up. You can only use vampirism once per combat.)

You leave the ruins and head back into the jungle, aware that Cernos now knows you are tracking him—and that the demon may have further traps in store for you. Return to the quest map to continue your adventure.

Do we want to take Mortzilla's big black spear? Either way, where to next?

Name: Mr. Patio
Path: Rogue
Career: Pilgrim
Speed: +8, Brawn: +8, Magic: +1, Armor: +2
Health: 35

Slot	Item	Speed	Brawn	Magic	Armor	Ability
Head	Garland of Sacrifice	+1	+2			Atonement
Necklace	Providence		+1	+1		Faith
Cloak	Hair of the Wolf	+1	+1			Cunning
Main Hand	Bramble Blade	+1	+2			Bleed
Left Hand	Falk's Firestarter	+1	+1			Headshot
Gloves	Fingerless Gloves	+1	+1			Crawlers
Chest	Green Blaze	+1			+1	Haste
Feet	Sailor's Sandals	+1				Surefooted
Talisman	Maker's Button	+1
Ring 1	Pins 'N' Needles					Thorns
Ring 2	Grieving Soul				+1	Fire Aura

Backpack	Item
1	Snakebite Shake
2	Elixir of Invisibility
3	Gourd of Healing
4	Pot of Healing
5	Pot of Healing

Locker	Item
1	Wishing Well Coin
2	Blood Iron Knot
3	Holy Water (2 uses)
4	Warded Wood

Prophecy
bones
sure blade
calling
prevail
mixer
gatherer
meadowsweet, lemongrass, and white willow
raven
duty
Map of Carvel
Handy Herbalist's Spotter's Guide
can of oil
parchment
extra-sticky glue
blood debt
tower
household spirit
explorer
earth fist
wind guardian
infected wound
hexed
Book quest (reward at 471 when we have all 3 books)
Money Pouch: 581 Crowns

[maglag]

Take spear for that sweet extra speed and because half the enemies seem immune to bleed anyway.

[Omegonthesane]

Take the thick black penetrator.

Then 365 because difficulty goes green < orange < blue < red (not clear where legendary monsters fit on that scale).

[Darth Rabbitt]

So now between the demon arm and the cursed weapon Mr. Patio is basically Nightmare from Soul Calibur, and equipped with a phallic reference that any Fighting Fantasy character would be proud of.

Quest: The dark interior

(You must have completed the green quest The Temple of Boom before you can start this quest.)

You stand at the canyon edge, ready for the next stage of your journey. Previous explorers have named this region the dark interior and now you can see why. From the rocky precipice the land drops away into a thick impenetrable mist, forming a silvery veil stretching from one side of the canyon to the next. Below it, hidden by the fog, there is a steaming jungle—unmapped and dangerous. Many have tried to navigate its tangled darkness, few have lived to tell the tale. Its reputation is not one you wish to test, but crossing the dark interior is the quickest and most direct way of reaching the southern jungle, where you hope to find the Lamuri city and the demon, Cernos.
It takes nearly half a day to navigate the steep canyon wall, using ledges and caves to work your way down through the mist to the jungle floor. As you descend, the air grows thick once again, settling around you like a heavy mantle. With it come the eerie hoots and cries of the wildlife, lying unseen amongst the cobwebbed trees.
You trudge onwards, scratching at the back of your scalp where the demon scales are now prickling along your spine. Your body is changing daily, not only in appearance—but also in other ways. It has been four days since you last ate a proper meal, but you feel no lack of strength or dizziness from fatigue. Your senses have also become heightened—sounds and shapes have taken on a sharper quality. Out here, far away from a society that would brand you a monster, your demon-side is fast coming a welcome companion.
After several hours of trekking, the forest begins to show its own changes. The first is the smell—the fetid reek of decay—accompanied by the wet squelch of mud underfoot. Then you notice the trees start to thin, their listless sagging bodies covered in thick bands of fungus and mold. To the west the forest continues in this manner, its smell and murky appearance suggesting the start of a stagnant marsh. In the opposite direction the view is more favorable, where the ground rises steeply into a ridge of hills. There, you can just make out the angular silhouettes of ruined buildings jutting out through the curling mist.

Will you:
Head west into the marsh?
Head east into the ruins?

Name: Mr. Patio
Path: Rogue
Career: Pilgrim
Speed: +9, Brawn: +8, Magic: +3, Armor: +2
Health: 35

Slot	Item	Speed	Brawn	Magic	Armor	Ability
Head	Garland of Sacrifice	+1	+2			Atonement
Necklace	Providence		+1	+1		Faith
Cloak	Hair of the Wolf	+1	+1			Cunning
Main Hand	Glaive of Souls	+2	+2	+2		Vampirism
Left Hand	Falk's Firestarter	+1	+1			Headshot
Gloves	Fingerless Gloves	+1	+1			Crawlers
Chest	Green Blaze	+1			+1	Haste
Feet	Sailor's Sandals	+1				Surefooted
Talisman	Maker's Button	+1
Ring 1	Pins 'N' Needles					Thorns
Ring 2	Grieving Soul				+1	Fire Aura

Backpack	Item
1	Snakebite Shake
2	Elixir of Invisibility
3	Gourd of Healing
4	Pot of Healing
5	Pot of Healing

Locker	Item
1	Wishing Well Coin
2	Blood Iron Knot
3	Holy Water (2 uses)
4	Bramble Blade

Prophecy
bones
sure blade
calling
prevail
mixer
gatherer
meadowsweet, lemongrass, and white willow
raven
duty
Map of Carvel
Handy Herbalist's Spotter's Guide
can of oil
parchment
extra-sticky glue
blood debt
tower
household spirit
explorer
earth fist
wind guardian
infected wound
hexed
Book quest (reward at 471 when we have all 3 books)
Money Pouch: 581 Crowns

[Omegonthesane]

East into the ruins. Though I don't know any reasons that might tell one route from the other.

[maglag]

Ruins, higher chance for shinies.

[Darth Rabbitt]

The ruins are eerily quiet, the only sound coming from your heart hammering against your chest. It is some minutes before you realize you have been holding your breath since arriving here—the air is sickly-smelling and heavy with decay.
You quicken your pace, wishing to return to the jungle as soon as possible. However, you are brought up short by a peculiar sight—a pillar of stone rumbling towards you. Its angular body is made up of three rotating cubes, each engraved with a different animal icon. As the totem continues to thunder closer, you realize that it has you in your sights—and it isn't slowing. It's time to fight:

	Speed	Magic	Armor	Health
Totem	7/6(*)	5	-	-
Snake cube	-	-	5	25
Spider cube	-	-	5	25
Jaguar cube	-	-	5	25

Special abilities
Power cubed: While all three cubes have health, the totem can roll 3 dice for its damage score (adding its magic as normal.) Once a cube is destroyed, this ability no longer applies.
Snake cube: While the snake cube has health, the totem has the venom special ability. Once inflicted with venom, you will continue to take damage even if the snake cube is destroyed.
Spider cube: While the spider cube has health, the totem has a speed of 7. Once the spider cube is destroyed the totem's speed is reduced to 6 for the remainder of the combat.
Jaguar cube: While the jaguar cube has health, the totem inflicts 2 damage at the end of every combat round, ignoring armor.
Enchanted rock. The cubes are immune to bleed, lightning, and venom.

In this combat you roll against the totem's speed. If you win a round, you can choose to direct your damage against one of the cubes. Once all three cubes are reduced to zero health, you have won the combat.

Going to take out the jaguar cube, then the spider cube, then the snake cube. The abilities I'm bringing to this fight (since we're hexed we can only use 8 of them) are thorns, fire aura, headshot, vampirism, prophecy, haste, surefooted, and faith.
Round 1: Patio 3+9 (surefooted'd, 10+9), Pillar 8+7. Attacking jaguar cube. Damage 2+8-5=5, jaguar cube is at 20. *DoTs* It's at 18, we're at 33, other cubes are at 23.
Round 2: Patio 10+9 (haste'd), Pillar 2+7. Damage 6+8-5=9, Jaguar is at 9. *DoTs* It's at 7, We're at 31, other cubes are at 21.
Round 3: Patio 5+9, Pillar 7+7. Tie. *DoTs* Jaguar is at 5, we're at 29, other cubes are at 19. *Headshot* Jaguar cube is destroyed.
Round 4: Patio 7+9, Pillar 8+7. Attacking spider cube. Damage 3+8-5=6, Spider cube is at 13. *DoTs* It's at 11, snake cube is at 17.
Round 5: Patio 4+9, Pillar 5+7. Damage 3+8-5=6, Spider cube is at 5. *DoTs* It's at 3, snake cube is at 15.
Round 6: Patio 7+9. Pillar 5+7. Damage 1+8-5=4, spider cube is destroyed. *DoTs* Snake cube is at 13.
Round 7: Patio 6+9, Pillar 5+6. Damage 2+8-5=5, snake cube is at 8. *DoTs* It's at 6.
Round 8: Patio 4+9, Pillar 5+6. Damage 3+8-5=6, all cubes are destroyed!

You smash the pillar down to size, its last vestiges of dark magic trickling away into the ruins. Searching the rubble, you find one of the following rewards:

Totem mask (head) +1 speed +2 brawn ability: might of stone (mo: 1/combat, increase your own or an ally's armor score by 3 for one combat round)
Rubrica's cube (backpack) A baffling puzzle designed to frustrate
Stone walkers (feet) +1 speed +1 magic ability: might of stone

Follow the escaped magic?
Press on through the ruins?
Also pick a loot.

[Omegonthesane]

Toss pot of healing for Rubix cube, it's bound to come up somewhere. Then follow the magic before it puts itself back together as an octopus.

[maglag]

Yeah grab blue item and go after the magic.

[Darth Rabbitt]

You follow the sentient magic into a small, domed building. It looks to have once been a storeroom; it is now filled with broken pottery and half-rotted baskets.
A grey-haired monkey squats on the ground, trying to pull something loose from a mound of rubble. The monkey is so intent on its discovery, it doesn't notice the dark tendrils of magic winding closer and closer...
Before you can act, the magic snaps forward, driving itself inside the monkey's brain. The creature gives a surprised cry, then bolts out of the building, sending stones skittering in its wake.
You contemplate giving chase, but then you notice the object that the monkey had been trying to free. It is a thin disc of pure gold, its surface polished like a mirror. You may now take the following item:

Golden mirror
(backpack)
A circular reflector of pure gold

Finding little else of interest in the building, you decide to leave.

Do we want to take the mirror or not?

Name: Mr. Patio
Path: Rogue
Career: Pilgrim
Speed: +9, Brawn: +8, Magic: +3, Armor: +2
Health: 35

Slot	Item	Speed	Brawn	Magic	Armor	Ability
Head	Garland of Sacrifice	+1	+2			Atonement
Necklace	Providence		+1	+1		Faith
Cloak	Hair of the Wolf	+1	+1			Cunning
Main Hand	Glaive of Souls	+2	+2	+2		Vampirism
Left Hand	Falk's Firestarter	+1	+1			Headshot
Gloves	Fingerless Gloves	+1	+1			Crawlers
Chest	Green Blaze	+1			+1	Haste
Feet	Sailor's Sandals	+1				Surefooted
Talisman	Maker's Button	+1
Ring 1	Pins 'N' Needles					Thorns
Ring 2	Grieving Soul				+1	Fire Aura

Backpack	Item
1	Snakebite Shake
2	Elixir of Invisibility
3	Gourd of Healing
4	Pot of Healing
5	Rubrica's Cube

Locker	Item
1	Wishing Well Coin
2	Blood Iron Knot
3	Holy Water (2 uses)
4	Bramble Blade

Prophecy
bones
sure blade
calling
prevail
mixer
gatherer
meadowsweet, lemongrass, and white willow
raven
duty
Map of Carvel
Handy Herbalist's Spotter's Guide
can of oil
parchment
extra-sticky glue
blood debt
tower
household spirit
explorer
earth fist
wind guardian
infected wound
hexed
Book quest (reward at 471 when we have all 3 books)
Money Pouch: 581 Crowns

[Omegonthesane]

Toss snakebite shake for new plot token, IIRC it's more easily replaced.

[SGamerz]

Toss snakebite shake for new plot token, IIRC it's more easily replaced.

[Darth Rabbitt]

(Snakebite Shakes are 25 Gold in the town shop.)

As you continue, a thick mist starts to roll in from the surrounding forest, settling like a shroud over the crumbling ruins. You draw your weapons, gripped by a growing sense of unease—one that has you convinced you are no longer alone...
A clatter of stones.
You spin around, but catch nothing save a subtle ripple in the curtain of mist, disturbed by someone's passing. Then you hear another clink of stone followed by a sharp, hooting cry. Answering calls suddenly rise up all around you, fast becoming a din of wailing screams and chattering noise.

From out of the haze a set of stone stairs swim into view, leading up the face of an immense ziggurat of black rock. Small figures are clambering over them, hooting and jabbering to each other. Monkeys. Hundreds of them. The majority are small, almost like squirrels, with large round eyes and red whiskers. Others are larger, with white bodies and coal-black faces.
You halt at the foot of this peculiar temple, looking around at the excited mob of monkeys. They settle on the stairs, their heads turning in unison to face you. Then a heavy silence descends—almost as unsettling as the earlier din—as the monkeys glare at you, their bright eyes keen with intelligence. Suddenly one of the black-faced monkeys bares its teeth, hissing. Another beats its fists against the ground, hopping and leaping in an agitated dance. A second later and its anxiety has spread to the rest of the group, who quickly resort to screeching and hollering, deafening you once again with their angry, savage noise. From somewhere above a stone comes whipping through the air, catching you on the cheek and drawing blood.
A final warning, perhaps.
The monkey temple presents a dangerous challenge—and one that is likely to be far beyond your powers to defeat. If you do not want to battle this foe yet, make a note of this entry number and return here at any time during Act 2 when you feel up to the challenge.

Take on the monkey temple?
Carefully retrace your steps and find a safer path through the ruins?

Name: Mr. Patio
Path: Rogue
Career: Pilgrim
Speed: +9, Brawn: +8, Magic: +3, Armor: +2
Health: 35

Slot	Item	Speed	Brawn	Magic	Armor	Ability
Head	Garland of Sacrifice	+1	+2			Atonement
Necklace	Providence		+1	+1		Faith
Cloak	Hair of the Wolf	+1	+1			Cunning
Main Hand	Glaive of Souls	+2	+2	+2		Vampirism
Left Hand	Falk's Firestarter	+1	+1			Headshot
Gloves	Fingerless Gloves	+1	+1			Crawlers
Chest	Green Blaze	+1			+1	Haste
Feet	Sailor's Sandals	+1				Surefooted
Talisman	Maker's Button	+1
Ring 1	Pins 'N' Needles					Thorns
Ring 2	Grieving Soul				+1	Fire Aura

Backpack	Item
1	Golden Mirror
2	Elixir of Invisibility
3	Gourd of Healing
4	Pot of Healing
5	Rubrica's Cube

Locker	Item
1	Wishing Well Coin
2	Blood Iron Knot
3	Holy Water (2 uses)
4	Bramble Blade

Prophecy
bones
sure blade
calling
prevail
mixer
gatherer
meadowsweet, lemongrass, and white willow
raven
duty
Map of Carvel
Handy Herbalist's Spotter's Guide
can of oil
parchment
extra-sticky glue
blood debt
tower
household spirit
explorer
earth fist
wind guardian
infected wound
hexed
Book quest (reward at 471 when we have all 3 books)
Money Pouch: 581 Crowns

[Omegonthesane]

Safer path it is.

[maglag]

Play it safe.

[Darth Rabbitt]

The ruins end at a deep ravine, crossed by a raggedy-looking rope bridge. You take comfort that someone has at least provided a means of crossing—although, after studying the rotted wooden slats, most of which are missing, and the thin vines holding it all together, you start to wonder if this bridge is really a disaster waiting to happen.

Will you:
Cross the rope bridge?
Look for an alternative route?

Name: Mr. Patio
Path: Rogue
Career: Pilgrim
Speed: +9, Brawn: +8, Magic: +3, Armor: +2
Health: 35

Slot	Item	Speed	Brawn	Magic	Armor	Ability
Head	Garland of Sacrifice	+1	+2			Atonement
Necklace	Providence		+1	+1		Faith
Cloak	Hair of the Wolf	+1	+1			Cunning
Main Hand	Glaive of Souls	+2	+2	+2		Vampirism
Left Hand	Falk's Firestarter	+1	+1			Headshot
Gloves	Fingerless Gloves	+1	+1			Crawlers
Chest	Green Blaze	+1			+1	Haste
Feet	Sailor's Sandals	+1				Surefooted
Talisman	Maker's Button	+1
Ring 1	Pins 'N' Needles					Thorns
Ring 2	Grieving Soul				+1	Fire Aura

Backpack	Item
1	Golden Mirror
2	Elixir of Invisibility
3	Gourd of Healing
4	Pot of Healing
5	Rubrica's Cube

Locker	Item
1	Wishing Well Coin
2	Blood Iron Knot
3	Holy Water (2 uses)
4	Bramble Blade

Prophecy
bones
sure blade
calling
prevail
mixer
gatherer
meadowsweet, lemongrass, and white willow
raven
duty
Map of Carvel
Handy Herbalist's Spotter's Guide
can of oil
parchment
extra-sticky glue
blood debt
tower
household spirit
explorer
earth fist
wind guardian
infected wound
hexed
Book quest (reward at 471 when we have all 3 books)
Monkey temple at 596
Money Pouch: 581 Crowns

[Omegonthesane]

Risk the rope bridge.

[SGamerz]

Cross the bridge

[Darth Rabbitt]

Appearances can be deceiving. Stepping out onto the ramshackle bridge, your stomach gives a dizzying lurch as it sways alarmingly from side to side. But, after taking a moment to balance yourself, the bridge soon settles into a rhythmic swaying, allowing you to take your first cautious steps out across the gorge. The wood creaks and groans beneath your weight, the tightly-wound vines squeaking in protest, but miraculously the bridge holds—much to your relief, as you glimpse the raging river thousands of meters below. After a knee-trembling crossing, you finally make it to the forest at the other side. Relieved to be back on solid ground, you give the gorge a triumphant glare, before heading into the trees.

The land dips, taking you into a dark valley filled with eerie shrieks and wails. The jungle here is thick, the tree canopy obscuring the sky and plunging you into a somber gloom. After an hour of clambering over roots and rotten mounds of earth, you hear the rushing thunder of a river to your right. (Mr. Patio is a pilgrim.)

As you contemplate changing course, to make for the river, your eyes catch on a symbol scored deep into the trunk of a tree. You move closer to inspect it, recognizing it as one of the sacred symbols used to represent the One God. Assuming it is a marker of some kind, you press on into the trees, soon spotting another symbol carved onto a mossy boulder. You realize this could be a pilgrim trail—marking the route to a shrine. Either that, or a trap to bait you.

Will you:
Follow the symbols?
Head towards the river instead?