Let's Play: Challenge of the Magi: Mage3

Stories about games that you run and/or have played in.

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SGamerz
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Post by SGamerz »

Already been to the caves, so Frost Peaks.
Thaluikhain
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Post by Thaluikhain »

Your opponent has defeated the ragged man, and gone down a tunnel and come to a room with an evil altar in it.

518
You set out towards the Frost Peaks but never reach them. They are an illusion which constantly shifts its distance from you. You could walk the Sea of Glass from north to south and east to west and never climb these peaks. As you travel, however, you notice that from time to time that objects of various toys are embedded in the crystal at intervals so you begin to search the Sea more carefully.

WAIT(16)

Turn to 578 (there was a 50-50 chance of going to another section)

Where you look you can see jewels beyond price and magical artefacts of legendary power but as soon as you start to chip away the crystal to recover them they fade and disappear. You persevere in case one of them is real but are at last forced to give up through frustration and fatigue.

WAIT TWICE (17 and 18)

Will you visit the Tower of Immutable Paradox, the Silvered Spires, the Palace of Flame or the Rainbow Inn?
SGamerz
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Post by SGamerz »

May be worth coming back to......it reminds me of the part where I found that Ring of Summoning gem, maybe the other half is here.

And altar of evil? Seems like my opponent found one of the places for the wizard's bonus.

Rainbow Inn now.
Thaluikhain
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Post by Thaluikhain »

Your opponent has just gone to the Caverns of Perdition.

The portal flickers behind you and you are facing the Rainbow Inn, a brick and wood building with stables attached, standing at a crossroads near the river Weir. There is a well nearby and beyond it a black door hangs in the air, just off the ground, the sign outside the Inn shows not the natural colours of the rainbow but the five colours of magic in the Land, blue, red, green, white and black. You may fill your water bottle in the river if it is empty.

WAIT(19)

Will you go to the well, try the black door in the air, or walk towards the Inn? If instead you wish to Invoke the Portals, you must choose from the following destinations: the Silvered Spires, the Forest of Arden, the Citadel of the Skull, the Palace of Flames or the Sea of Glass.
SGamerz
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Post by SGamerz »

Visit the Inn, talk to the thief now that I have enough gold. I want to at least fulfil one of the bonus quests for pyros before this is over.
Thaluikhain
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Post by Thaluikhain »

Your opponent has just poisoned a Salamander with water in the Caverns of Perdition, and has picked up half of the fabled Rod of Summoning.

788
Inside the Inn is warm and smoky. The familiar smells of wine mean and pipeweed mingle agreeably. The innkeeper is a sallow-faced man in late middle age, wearing a robe of many colours in the colour of the five magics. The usual motley array of merchants, farmers and their wives and assorted tradesmen make up the clientele. There is silence as all eyes re turned towards you, a stranger here. Three of the patrons stand out because they are sitting alone at their tables. One is a shifty-looking character dressed all in grey, with a slim sword at his side. Another is a man dressed like a wizard peering at a scroll through a curious piece of round glass that makes one of his eyes seem almost as large as his face. The third is a large man dressed in full plate armour, as black as night, with a great two-handed sword on the table in front of him. His insignia, a red dragon and a black mace match those on the warhorse tethered outside. All of the tables next to his have been pulled as far away by their occupants as space will allow. Will you walk up to the bar, sit opposite the man in grey, sit beside the man reading the scroll, or opposite the Black Knight?

There is a picture here

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The shifty-looking character in grey sizes you up and then introduces himself as Mercutio, the thief. He asks you if you have any need of his services, telling you he is famous for having stolen, amongst other things, the dinner from underneath the nose of the Caliph of the Palace of Flames. If you don't wish to hire his services you had best leave the Inn straight away before he practices his stealthy craft on you. If you would like to try and hire him to steal something from your opponent decide how much gold you will offer him. You may offer him one or two bags of gold. If you have no gold or wish to leave anyway you quit the Inn and Invoke the Portals.

WAIT(20)

Where to next: the Sea of Glass, the Forest of Arden, the Silvered Spires, the Citadel of the Skull or the Palace of Flames?

And giving two bags of gold:

Mercutio takes your bags of gold and smiles. 'Just tell me what you want me to do and it shall be done.' You tell him that you wish him to seek out your opponent and steal something from him. He asks if you are striving to become Duelmaster and you tell him the truth. 'In that case, consider it done. You power-crazed lunatics who seek to become Duelmaster leave a rumour of your passing through the land as large and as loud as a tidal wave.' 'But how will you find your quarry?' you ask. The thief smiles and shakes his head. 'That's for me to know and you to guess. What would you have me steal?' You must choose the object or animal you wish him to steal. 'Wait here,' says Mercutio, and he walks to the bar and gives a bag of gold to the Innkeeper whereupon the both disappear into a back room.

WAIT(21)

You may trust Mercutio and wait for him, or leave and Invoke the Portals to the Silvered Spires, the Forest of Arden, the Citadel of the Skull, the Palace of Flames or the Sea of Glass.
SGamerz
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Post by SGamerz »

Rod of Summoning? Why can't he find the other half of the ring instead? That would be the perfect item to steal from him!

Well....last I saw him, he had the Sceptre, an Unholy Book and a gold ring. Sceptre is useless to me. The Book might be nice to take away from him, but he doesn't have the counterspell to Deathknight, so it doesn't do me much good. The ring...I have no idea what that does.

Nothing that sounds terribly useful. I'll have the thief steal that gold ring and hope that there's some awesome property that I don't know about.

And wait for him, of course.

EDIT: Wait, he can steal animals too? Can he steal the zombie? (yeah, probably not, but I gotta ask) If he can then steal the zombie. :tongue: If not then steal the gold ring.
Last edited by SGamerz on Sun Jul 09, 2017 5:59 am, edited 2 times in total.
Thaluikhain
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Post by Thaluikhain »

It not specified, but I think it means steeds and so on, such as if he'd rented the black knights horse. Stealing the zombie wouldn't work, I think.

(Also, Mercutio can't accept 1 bag of gold as payment if he needs 1 bag for his overhead, I guess)

WAIT(22)
There is a sudden whoosh of air and Mercutio appears out of thin air next to you. Mercutio explains that the innkeeper is a magician and a good friend of his and that he teleported there and back with the innkeeper's help.

(Normally you'd ask where your opponent was and he'd not tell you, but you have the Orb so you know your enemy just went to the Greenwood and was robbed there)

'I should visit the stable right away if I were you,' he says before he turns back to his ale. You mutter thanks and go to the stable.

(Which is where the gold ring is...it's not magic, but is worth one bag of gold. So you and your opponent are both down one bag of gold, but he's probably a lot more annoyed)

You decide to leave the Rainbow Inn by Invoking the Portals before your opponent can guess that you are here and try to kill you.

WAIT(23)

Where to next: the Silvered Spires, the Forest of Arden, the Citadel of the Skull, the Palace of Flames or the Sea of Glass?
SGamerz
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Post by SGamerz »

DOH! Bad business, trading 2 units of gold for one. I should have bought that warsteed instead!

At least i got that bonus.....which does what, actually?

Back to Sea of Glass and check the frost peaks again.
Thaluikhain
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Post by Thaluikhain »

"You can play for added points if you wish. Choose one of the following objectives, depending on your class of mage. if you fulfill your objective, you score an extra five points. If you complete an objective and are subsequently killed, you still keep the five points."

So...if you get one it's worth winning 5 times, or something, I guess. It could be read that you have to chose one in advance, but it says "if you complete an objective", which seems like it means you can get more than one.

There's no practical benefit, but I guess if you lose but have gotten more objective you can claim a moral victory or something.
Thaluikhain
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Post by Thaluikhain »

The portal vanishes behind you and you slip on the smooth reflective surface of the Sea of Glass. As far as the eye can see stretches a dead, flat plain of blue crystal like a sea frozen in time. The only breaks on the uniform landscape is a series of openings of caves, and a magnificent range of spiky mountains stretching towards the blue sky like pillars of frost. Underfoot your gaze can penetrate the glare to see several fathoms down into the clear blue crystal. Invisible currents of blue magic stir the air, the sorcerous magic of the mind.

WAIT(24)

You may set out towards the Frost Peaks or the Crystal Caves.

If you prefer to Invoke the Portals and leave the Sea of Glass you may. Will you visit the Tower of Immutable Paradox, the Silvered Spires, the Palace of Flame or the Rainbow Inn?

Oh, and your opponent is in the Greenwood, drinking from the magic fountain you visited earlier.
Last edited by Thaluikhain on Sun Jul 09, 2017 5:50 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Thaluikhain
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Post by Thaluikhain »

Your opponent has just gone to the Caverns of Perdition.

518
You set out towards the Frost Peaks but never reach them. They are an illusion which constantly shifts its distance from you. You could walk the Sea of Glass from north to south and east to west and never climb these peaks. As you travel, however, you notice that from time to time that objects of various toys are embedded in the crystal at intervals so you begin to search the Sea more carefully.

WAIT(25)

Turn to 558 (there was a 50-50 chance of going to another section)

After a while you catch sight of a partially-unfurled scroll not far below the surface. It does not take long to chip away at the crystal and retrieve the scroll intact. It is a scroll of Dispel Magic and with it you can dispel one trap without using a spell off your list or any CPs. There doesn't seem to be anything else in the vicinity. Note you may never find another scroll in the Sea of Glass. You decide to Invoke the Portals.

WAIT(26)
Will you visit the Tower of Immutable Paradox, the Silvered Spires, the Palace of Flame or the Rainbow Inn?
SGamerz
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Post by SGamerz »

Meh.....Tower again, and this time try sitting on the throne.
Thaluikhain
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Post by Thaluikhain »

Your opponent has gone to the House of Mausolus

You step out of the Nexus to find yourself atop a high tower, the Tower of Immutable Paradox. Beyond its battlements stretches a grey featureless landscape. The top of the tower is a chequer board of black and white slabs, like a chessboard. All around you, you sense the strong presence of black and white magic. At the centre of the tower is a large beautifully-carved oaken throne, encrusted with a bedazzling display of gems. On your left and right stairways descend into the tower. A trapdoor lies in the floor below you.

Will you Invoke the Portals and move on to the Sea of Glass, the Shrine of the Martyrs, or the Greenwood? Alternatively you could go down the stairs to your left, the stairs to your right, sit upon the oaken throne, or open the trapdoor and descend. You must WAIT(27) first.
SGamerz
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Post by SGamerz »

.....how many WAITS was he behind me? I saw his thread being bumped up at least 3 times since my last post. Still not my turn yet?
Thaluikhain
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Post by Thaluikhain »

He was just behind you, 3 waits later he is just in front (on WAIT28). Not putting your next action sooner was an oversight on my part, my mistake, I checked which wait you were on, but not that you'd given instructions for 2 waits..

Your opponent has just arrived at the Forest of Arden.

The moment you touch the throne you are struck blind and deaf. You panic and leap up off the throne. Thankfully, as soon as you lose contact with the throne, your sight and hearing returns. You are abut to consider exploring on of the stairways when a random reality shift thrusts you back into the Nexus. From here you may go to the Sea of Glass, the Shrine of the Martyrs, or the Greenwood. However, you must WAIT(28) before you do so.
Last edited by Thaluikhain on Tue Jul 11, 2017 5:21 am, edited 1 time in total.
SGamerz
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Post by SGamerz »

Shrine of Martyrs next.

And visit the town when I get there.
Thaluikhain
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Post by Thaluikhain »

Your opponent has gone to the Rainbow Inn

You step from the Nexus into a snow-covered valley. Instantly you sense that this place has no colour magic. A road runs down before you, forking a few metres in front of you. One route goes towards a walled town, the other to a small village.

Down below, ox-drawn carts ply the roads. Nearby stands a pillar. The snow has been cleared away around it and at its base lie offerings of fruit, flowers and vegetables. It is the Shrine of the Martyrs. The shrine was erected here after a small group of brave townsfolk gave their lives freely to sate the blood lust of the Witch-King of the Citadel of the Skull, who came here once aeons ago and threatened to destroy the town. Thus they gave their lives to save others. Beyond the shrine is a snow-covered hill.

Will you go towards the town, or towards the village, pray at the shrine or climb the snow-covered hill beyond? You must WAIT(29) before you go. Alternatively you can Invoke the Portals and go to the Garden of Contemplation or the Tower of Immutable Paradox. WAIT(29) first.

There is a picture here

You opponent is talking to Mercutio in the Rainbow Inn.

490
Soon you pass through the open gates of the town. It is bustling with activity, a thriving market town. The townspeople hardly seem to notice you. If your water bottle is empty you may refill it at a nearby well,

WAIT(30)

You come to the market square. A crowd is clustered around a young man, and adventurer by the looks of him, standing on a box. it seems he is trying to auction a gold ring he holds in his hand. It has a clasp for a gem, but the stone is missing. The crowd of townsfolk seems uninterested, but a scholarly gentleman has already offered one bag of gold. You recognise the ring, Incredible though it may seem, it is part of the legendary Ring of Summoning which enables its wearer to summon his opponent to him, wherever he may be. The missing gem is an emerald which you need to make the gem function. You may bid for the ring. If you have three bags of gold, you may hand them over and buy it if you wish. Otherwise the scholar purchases it.

You can go to the Tower of Immutable Paradox or the Garden of Contemplation, but WAIT(31) before you do so.

(Having only 2 bags of gold - or the equivalent - you can't buy it, so the scholar walks off with it.)
SGamerz
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Post by SGamerz »

Grah! I hate this. My theory about the location of the ring was correct but I miss it because I used up the gold.

Was there any codewords that prevents me from coming back for the ring later? I need to know before I make my next move.
Thaluikhain
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Post by Thaluikhain »

Yes, you get the codeword TAMERLANE whether or not you buy it, which was checked on your way into the town.

And yeah, you were lucky to stumble across both parts, but you're unlikely to have 3 bags of gold when you wander in. Also, if your opponent had got there first but wasn't interested, you still can't get it.
SGamerz
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Post by SGamerz »

This sucks.

Garden of Contemplation, then straight to my Sanctum in Palace of Flame.
Thaluikhain
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Post by Thaluikhain »

Your opponent is still in the Rainbow Inn, Mercutio has gotten up and has walked to the back room.

A new panorama opens up before you as you step from the portal into the Garden of Contemplation, so called because the greatest of Sages, Veritegal, found that his finest thoughts and ideas came as he sojourned in these balmy glades. You sense that this is a place where the currents of green magic and blue magic mix and interweave. The rambling gardens have an unobtrusive order, the shrubs and flowers blend and complement each other even tough everything appears to have grown naturally from where the seed fell. The grass has been cropped short by goats and you are looking down a natural avenue of tress towards a cosy-looking bower where a seat festooned with honeysuckle nestles amidst a circle of beech trees. Behind a screen of trees to your left the merry tinkling of a fountain or stream from a background to the birdcalls. Beyond a line of trees to your right is a pretty thatched cottage.

WAIT(32)

If you are still wondering at the tranquil beauty of the gardens you may decide to sit in the bower to think, to stride out towards the white summerhouse, to go in search of the stream or fountain, or to enter the little thatched cottage on your right.

Or you may wish to Invoke the Portals and leave this place. Where will you follow your quest to become Duelmaster next: the Palace of Flames, the Desolation of Ilexmanan the Aggrieved, or the Shrine of the Martyrs?
Thaluikhain
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Post by Thaluikhain »

As you are looking around there is a commotion behind you and you turn to see the pieces of a broken vase bouncing on the ground. A man dressed in grey knocks into you. You hadn't heard him coming and in fact you could have sworn no one was nearby but there he is, picking himself up and running off. In a panic you realize that he was a thief and you set off after him but he cries, 'You won't catch Mercurio the master thief as easily as you think,' and he runs along he rubs a gold ring he is wearing and disappears into thin air.

Mercurio has stolen your magic shield.

The vista which opens up before you as you step from the portal is like a madman's vision of hell. A haze of incredible heat makes everything waver like a mirage but the brass Palace of Flames is so large you would have trouble believing it in any case. Nevertheless, the fifty levels of brazen walkways which circle and intertwine it are as real as the hairs of your head. Two great bulbous domes top the palace. Inside one of them lives the Flame Lord, Caliph of the Efreeti, the beings of flame which inhabit the city-palace.

WAIT(33)

You are allowed to move freely into the palace courtyard. Will you descend into the palace dungeons, or mount one of the wide staircases towards the state rooms or duck through a secret door into your Inner Sanctum and relax in the heat that is comfortable to you? Or you could Invoke the Portals and go to the Sea of Glass, the Garden of Contemplation, the Citadel of the Skull, or the Rainbow Inn?

Your opponent has retrieved your magic shield from the stables and is leaving the Rainbow Inn.

The narrow spiral staircase that winds downwards in an unsuspected gap between two rooms brings you to a cosy little nook warmed and lit by a pillar of roaring flame that runs from the furnaces beneath the city up great chimneys with cut away sections in every room to the staterooms above. Here you may relax and rejuvenate your powers. For every turn which you WAIT here you may restore one Life Point and one Concentration Point.

WAIT(34)

When you are ready you can go back out into the palace courtyard.

You are allowed to move freely into the palace courtyard. Will you descend into the palace dungeons? Or you could Invoke the Portals and go to the Sea of Glass, the Garden of Contemplation, the Citadel of the Skull, or the Rainbow Inn?
SGamerz
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Post by SGamerz »

Does the book check for how many times I hire the thief? Since I still have 2 units of gold I can hire him to steal the shield right back.

Also, my LP is at 19, (after the auto-WAIT in my Sanctum) right? So WAIT one more turn to restore it to full, then Rainbow Inn.

EDIT: Hold on, actually, according to my Orb he's still at the Inn, and he's better physical combat buffs at the moment than me, best not run into him yet.

I will rest in my Sanctum to recover my LP and CP for at least 2 WAITS while monitoring my opponent's movements using the Orb. When he leaves for another location I will make my move depending on where the Orb tells me he goes.
Last edited by SGamerz on Tue Jul 11, 2017 11:17 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Thaluikhain
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Post by Thaluikhain »

SGamerz wrote:Does the book check for how many times I hire the thief? Since I still have 2 units of gold I can hire him to steal the shield right back.

Also, my LP is at 19, (after the auto-WAIT in my Sanctum) right?
It doesn't check, no, Mercutio can make a lot of money that way, I guess.

And, yeah, should be 19LPs
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