[Let's Play] Rider of the Black Sun

Zaranthan · Post by **Zaranthan** » Tue Jan 12, 2021 2:03 pm

Spellcraft seems like it might get us out of a sticky situation.

Omegonthesane · Post by **Omegonthesane** » Tue Jan 12, 2021 5:50 pm

Now we have the option, visit the dungeon.

Zaranthan · Post by **Zaranthan** » Wed Jan 13, 2021 4:08 am

Bah, sniped!

Attending the memorial service seems like a good opportunity to schmooze. We might find an ally, or at least learn something about local politics.

SGamerz · Post by **SGamerz** » Wed Jan 13, 2021 9:07 am

Dungeon.

Darth Rabbitt · Post by **Darth Rabbitt** » Wed Jan 13, 2021 3:05 pm

Visit the dungeon.

angelfromanotherpin · Post by **angelfromanotherpin** » Wed Jan 13, 2021 4:42 pm

311 The Gartak warden proudly leads you through his realm, the dungeon of the Night Tower. You look at him suspiciously. You are not sure whether he was one of the guards who held you in the dungeon, but you suspect he was.

> These Stinkpelts all look the same... <

Moans and lamentations fill the stifling air of the chaotic dungeon. Even though only a fraction of the allied sailors have survived the battle, the dungeon is hopelessly overcrowded. Hunger and thirst will certainly soon solve this logistical problem for the Empire. The thought of that 'solution' and its implications turns your stomach.

Shaken, you gaze at the many gaunt faces of young men and women from countries all over. Your quiet hope of perhaps discovering among them someone you know is quickly shattered. Some beg for mercy while others curse you or spit at you. Whatever they do, the Gartak delights in driving them back into the corners of their cells with his savage whip.

> Such misery! This war must end – whatever it may cost! <

Shocked, you return to the top of the Tower.
Turn to 319.

319 It is the end of a warm summer night, and many difficult and tiring training lessons with Urgoz, the famous weapons master of the Ugarith, lie behind you. Needful of a rest from your toil, you stroll through the hallways of the upper Tower towards the kitchen to refresh yourself. Halfway there you meet a young Ugarith woman carrying an infant. Their skin is as black as yours. As you walk past her, she presses her baby to her breast more firmly and gazes at you out of the corner of her midnight eyes.

Once you have reached the kitchen, you find the slender Netani arranging a tray with carafes full of wine for the high priest and his advisors. Spontaneously, you decide to relieve her of the task and pay a visit to Master Calderal.

As you approach the portal of the conference room guarded by two officers of the watch, you hear a number of unfamiliar voices. It is obvious that the war council of the Empire is meeting. Among others, you identify the distinctive dialects of Zarlik, Menokians, and Dvoraks in the confusion of voices. Emotions in the chamber are definitely on edge.

If you want to put down the tray and pretend to withdraw so that you can listen to the council from a hiding place, turn to 338.
If you want to knock and enter, turn to 327.
If you want to withdraw respectfully, turn to 336.

I don't think we've had any context for 'Netani,' which is a bit disorienting, but I assume it's another fantasy people.

pragma · Post by **pragma** » Wed Jan 13, 2021 5:40 pm

Pretend to withdraw

SGamerz · Post by **SGamerz** » Thu Jan 14, 2021 8:59 am

Drop some eaves.

Omegonthesane · Post by **Omegonthesane** » Thu Jan 14, 2021 9:30 am

Eavesdropping seems like it'd give us some exposition yeah.

angelfromanotherpin · Post by **angelfromanotherpin** » Thu Jan 14, 2021 4:13 pm

338 You apologize to the guards, saying that you don't want to cause any disturbance. You put down the tray and hide in a dark corner of the corridor. Curious, you press your ear against the wall of the conference room. In addition to the familiar voices of Calderal and Aonus you hear at least six further voices.

A woman with a light lisp – it has to be a Zarlik – is speaking: "Honored members of the council! It is an open secret: The war is going worse than expected." Murmurs of agreement accompany her further explanations. "The power vacuum anticipated by the Hierarch's death did not lead to discord within the Alliance but drew the Allies even closer together. Kathum was a religious bone of contention that now no longer divides them."

Remorsefully, Calderal interrupts the council member: "Be that as it may. The preparations for the final blow are already underway!"

The rough voice of a man adds: "So you plan to destroy the final Allied sea base of Leenhaven, honorable master?"

"Correct," the Ugar priest acknowledges coolly. "First we will cut off their supply lines and prepare the way for the invasion forces from Fort Sin. When Ugar's countenance shines, we will attack – with all we have!"

Fists hammer on the table rhythmically, sounding like the first troops of marching soldiers. The meeting is over. Without being noticed, you slip away to your room.
Turn to 336.

336 The council meeting with all allies present is a bad sign. Even though the rumor is circulating that the war will soon be over, that may not be true. After all, the Empire promised the people a speedy victory years ago. No matter what phase the conflict is in, however, you can be sure of one thing. You have a decisive part to play! Resolved to get the most you can out of the last weeks of your training, you begin studying and training with even more focus.
Turn to 302.

302 Your short span of training ends all too soon. Though you could certainly spend longer learning your special gifts, you have certainly benefited from this time.

Your VITALITY returns to normal.

Even though you have learned and regained much in the short time, the teachers were only able to acquaint you with a fragment of your extraordinary physical and mental potentialities.
Therefore you may choose only three abilities from the following list.
These are talents in which you were especially trained:

Sharpened Senses • Your already extraordinary five senses have been sharpened even further by your teacher Tarus. Your vision, hearing, touch, smell, and taste are amazing, comparable to the keenest senses in the animal world. You do, however, have to concentrate deliberately whenever you use your Sharpened Senses. Your good hearing, for example, cannot prevent you from being ambushed while asleep.

Premonition • With this ability you can judge situations better. But you have no control over your sixth sense, and you should not depend on it too much. You may only register a tingling or a feeling of discomfort when danger is close by. True warnings in the form of a sudden inspiration or even visions are rare

Mind Over Body • Your mental training has taught you how to improve your physical performance for a limited time by using the power of your mind. At any time – even in combat – you may convert a single point of your VITALITY into two points which you can distribute freely between STRENGTH and DEXTERITY. You can use this ability only when your head is clear. Therefore, you cannot use this power if your VITALITY is hurt or critical. After the current section, or combat, you must remove the bonus points. The loss of VITALITY, however, remains until you can heal or regenerate.

Free Breath • With this ability you can hold your breath for several minutes without suffering any physical limitations. It does not matter whether you are in the midst of combat, swimming long distances underwater, or dashing through poisonous fog. While using Free Breath, you do not experience the reflex to breathe and you suffer no losses.

Mental Focus • In precarious situations it is sometimes difficult to keep your nerve. Mental Focus helps by allowing you to concentrate your will completely on a certain action or mental effort. Nevertheless, this talent requires that you have enough time to clear your mind and understand the problem at hand.

Once you have chosen, write down the three abilities in lines 2, 3, &4 on your adventure sheet with the number 302. This is the section number where you can look up, should you have forgotten the explanations for the corresponding ability.

During the final nights before Ugar turns his lunar face fully to the world, you spend your time on the steep roof of the Ningal Tower. There, Wing Master Logath and his assistants teach you the basics of dealing with riding dragons. By way of visual instruction, the keeper leads two remarkable dragons over the parade ground.

The first is a deep green specimen, very brawny, protected by countless thorns and horns in varied sizes. The mighty red scaled armored crest and horns protruding on its brow and chin remind you of an aggressive rooster. "This is Maulun," Logath introduces the dragon. With wings outspread and a threatening snort from its nostrils, the green giant greets you – just as if it had understood its keeper's forceful rap on its scaly neck.

Compared to Maulun, the second dragon appears more agile and attentive. Its smooth body, clad in fine black scales, rests upon a single pair of legs. Arching gracefully and with dignity, the dragon shimmers in the light of the moon. At the end of its swan-like neck perches a slender head graced by a single horn rising from its brow. Though not as muscular as its green companion, this dragon is larger.

Logath explains that the wing span of a fully grown dragon ranges from 40 to 60 feet, depending on race and gender. He adds, "Kyrna is a female and strong in air combat, whereas Maulun can be deployed very well on the ground."

As the Wing Master continues his presentation, his assistants are clearly having trouble controlling the mounts. It appears the two dragons do not get along. They continually hiss at each other and snap at each other's necks, but without causing any serious injuries.

If you want to look at the green dragon, turn to 323.
If you want to look at the black dragon, turn to 340.

Lots to engage with, here. Please rank your choices for the five abilities as well as picking a dragon.

Omegonthesane · Post by **Omegonthesane** » Thu Jan 14, 2021 7:01 pm

Mental Focus > Sharpened Senses > Guybrush Threepwood's Lungs Free Breath.

And take more interest in the air superiority black dragon over the ground bomber green dragon.

pragma · Post by **pragma** » Thu Jan 14, 2021 7:18 pm

I'm good with mental focus, sharpened senses, free breath.

I'd be game to swap mental focus for premonition, but that feels like a "reactive" power to me while I'm hoping we pick ones that let us get away with more exploring.

Air dragon seems good.

Darth Rabbitt · Post by **Darth Rabbitt** » Thu Jan 14, 2021 10:09 pm

Those all sound good to me.

SGamerz · Post by **SGamerz** » Fri Jan 15, 2021 2:51 am

I prefer Mind Over Body over Mental Focus, but agree with all the other options voted.

Thaluikhain · Post by **Thaluikhain** » Fri Jan 15, 2021 3:41 am

Air dragon, because flying on a dragon is an important part of dragonning.

No real preference for abilities.

angelfromanotherpin · Post by **angelfromanotherpin** » Fri Jan 15, 2021 4:35 pm

Mental Focus sounds terrible, but it would still be my first pick because it seems like the only one that's applicable to overcoming whatever's been done to our mind.

340 Fascinated, you approach the black Kyrna. "This is the companion of Aonus," one of the stable-hands explains proudly, stroking her left leathery foreleg. "She is one of the most obedient and intelligent dragons in the air group – she is also a very rare specimen."

As if to underline this description, the lady dragon produces a low drawn-out growl that causes the stone floor of the entire platform to vibrate beneath your feet. Although you're standing in the midst of a group of recruits, Kyrna cranes her neck towards you and stares at you with her palm-sized lizard eyes. Her sulfurous breath is so hot that the air shimmers as it escapes between her fangs. While the other recruits have already withdrawn to a safer position, her curiosity brings her dangerously close to you.

One of the stablehands is about to drive the dragon back using a long wooden rod, but Logath stops him. "Wait, she's only curious!"

Meanwhile, there is now barely the length of an arm separating your head from Kyrna's brow. You can see your own face reflected in the golden slits of her pupils. You seem to hear the steady beating of two hearts together.

"That's enough now, Kyrna! Gash, gash!" the keeper shouts, waving his arms. With a snort, the black dragon draws back her head.
Turn to C20!

Huh, a combat reference.

C20 "As you have certainly heard," Lgath begins another lesson, "our dragons respond to eight verbal and physical commands, the so-called flying maneuvers."

The wingmaster explains the six basic commands, ignoring the excited murmurs of the recruits. He concludes, "You will learn these six quickly, but numbers seven and eight are a well-kept secret of the dragon masters!" You use a short pause between Master Logath's explanations to ask a question.
If you want to hear more about the basic dragon maneuvers, turn to C2.
If you want to hear more about the masters' maneuvers, turn to C66.

pragma · Post by **pragma** » Fri Jan 15, 2021 6:21 pm

Master's maneuvers.

This is either a door slammed in our face or a cool prize. I like cool prizes!

SGamerz · Post by **SGamerz** » Sat Jan 16, 2021 5:25 am

Masters.

Thaluikhain · Post by **Thaluikhain** » Sat Jan 16, 2021 6:38 am

Half vote for the basic stuff, as I think the secret stuff will remain secret.

angelfromanotherpin · Post by **angelfromanotherpin** » Sat Jan 16, 2021 4:17 pm

366 "Typical raw recruits! Always wanting to take the second step before the first..." Wingmaster Logath shakes his head. "The two master maneuvers are, as the name reveals, only available to the dragon masters. A rider can only use these commands after years of association with a dragon – the claw attack and the ram attack! Both these aggressive maneuvers require that the dragon have a high level of trust in its rider, because they open up its defense and make it vulnerable."

Logath stops the murmuring with an exaggerated cough and returns to basic weapon training. He is annoyed about the tight time frame the High Council has given him and commands you to form two groups.

When it is your turn, the Wingmaster asks you: "Say, do you even need close combat training? You are an experienced warrior, aren't you?"

Decide whether you want to improve your skills in close combat or ranged combat. (Training close combat at C99 lowers the difficulty and is suited for beginners. Experienced readers should choose the ranged combat training at C98.)

If you are unsure, choose the group you want to be part of based on the moon! Pick a random page and look at the moon phase.

If it's New Moon, Full Moon, or Crescent Moon, turn to C98.
If it's Half Moon or Gibbous Moon, turn to C99.

So the three choices are melee (easy), ranged (harder), or random.

Omegonthesane · Post by **Omegonthesane** » Sat Jan 16, 2021 4:21 pm

We've stuck to easy mode this far. Why stop now.

Zaranthan · Post by **Zaranthan** » Sat Jan 16, 2021 6:37 pm

Always go for story mode, not masochistic gamer mode.

Thaluikhain · Post by **Thaluikhain** » Sun Jan 17, 2021 2:03 am

Easy mode.

SGamerz · Post by **SGamerz** » Sun Jan 17, 2021 3:35 am

Easy.

angelfromanotherpin · Post by **angelfromanotherpin** » Sun Jan 17, 2021 4:23 am

I have a hunch that higher difficulty options help you get a better ending, but a hunch is all it is.

C99 Weaponmaster Urgoz takes you and some of your companions under his wing. In stern lessons, he shows you how to use the Rider's Thorn. The lance-like weapon of the best blood steel is the traditional weapon of the Dragon Riders. It is a combination of spear and saber. You can use it to stab, slash, or even throw, all of which you learn in the next few nights to the level of exhaustion. To avoid losing the weapon in aerial combat, it is attached to your saddle with a chain of 40 feet in length.

Your teacher watches your final training battles against the straw dolls with eagle eyes. It will be interesting to see how you do.

What follows is a physical minigame where I have to try to hit a small target on a picture of a straw dummy with a blind pencil stroke from a set starting point. Mental Focus means I get four tries instead of three. This is surprisingly challenging, and despite my extra try, I don't hit the highest value target, and we only get the +2 to attack in close combat instead of the +3. (It is possible to fuck up worse and get only a +1.)

We are then sent back to the regular chapters at 346.

346 Since the last meeting of the council the situation has intensified. Calderal has not been seen for several nights, but frightened servants whisper that the final attack will soon take place. When Master Calderal calls you to his chambers the last night before full moon, you already have a dark premonition of things to come.
Turn to 331.

331 You attempt to conceal your uncertainty as you step before Master Calderal. "The coming night will welcome the Child of Shadows with open arms," he tells you telepathically. "Ugar will cast his full light upon the Ningal Tower. The perfect moment for your ordination."

With a stern expression, Calderal admits that there have been critical words from those in the Council. Some doubt whether they can trust you, a young man who has obviously had a curse laid upon him. "But your behavior and motivation of the last few weeks have been exemplary. You have thus proven your loyalty to me, and soon you will silence their objections as well."

If you are in doubt whether you should accept the consecration, turn to 310.
If you are ready for the consecration, turn to 322.