[LP] DestinyQuest 2: The Heart of Fire

[Omegonthesane]

Help Avian, because as you said it's Virgil's fault that Cernos is still alive

[Darth Rabbitt]

There is a brief moment of calm as you stand motionless, muscles tensed, eyes fixed on the wave of shrieking creatures that are sweeping towards you. Avian continues to advance, arms outstretched to either side, blades glowing in his fists. Against this hellish backdrop he cuts a gallant figure, his embroidered cloak snapping back from his broad shoulders, runed armor glowing with arcane power. A light of hope amidst the darkness...
Then the moment is gone, and chaos descends. The furies break around you, biting and snapping, raking the air with their clawed feet. Avian is lost from sight—and yet the relentless thud of bodies crashing down around you is a sure indicator that his blades are making fast work of this grotesque flock. You follow his example, stabbing and blasting through the maelstrom, relying on sheer instinct to guide your blows. It is time to fight:

	Speed	Magic	Armor	Health
Furies	11	7	3	100

Special abilities
Endless assault: At the end of each combat round, roll a die. On a [1] or [2] result, more furies join the battle, raising their health by 4. This can take them above their starting value of 100. Once the furies have been reduced to zero health this ability no longer applies.
Fury of the swarm: At the end of each combat round you must take 2 damage, ignoring armor, from the furies' raking talons.

This is the easier of the two fights for our build. The hounds have slightly less health but much more armor, have a DoT that does the same amount of damage as the ones that the furies have, and are immune to fire aura.
*Snake strike* Furies take 6 damage and are afflicted with bleed and convulsions. They're at 94.
Round 1: Patio 10+13, Furies 11+11. Damage 4+17-3=18, Furies are at 76. (Rust'd, their armor is at 1.) *DoTs* They're at 72, Patio is at 33. *Endless assault* 1, they're at 76.
Round 2: Patio 10+13 (demon claws'd, they're at 72), Furies 4+11. Damage 5+17-0 (piercing'd)=22, Furies are at 54. *DoTs* They're at 50, Patio is at 31. *Heal* Patio is at 35. *Endless assault* 4, furies don't heal.
Round 3: Patio 7+13, Furies 7+11. Damage 2+17-0 (fatal blow'd)=19, Furies are at 31. *DoTs* They're at 27, Patio is at 33. *Endless assault* 2, they're at 31.
Round 4: Patio 4+13, Furies 7+11. (Command'd, Patio wins the round.) Damage 1+17-1=17, Furies are at 14. *DoTs* They're at 10, Patio is at 31. *Endless assault* 1, they're at 14.
Round 5: Patio 4+13, Furies 5+11. Damage 4+17-1=20, furies are dead!

Your weapons carve a blazing trail through the tight press of shrieking creatures, blood and severed limbs flying in all directions. The onslaught seems endless—as soon as one monster falls, there is another to take its place. Back-to-back with Avian, your attacks blur into an angered frenzy, chopping and blasting at the buzzing, shrieking swarm.
You are still swinging your weapons, snarling with anger, long after the last fury has fallen. It isn't until you hear the crack of gunfire, tearing through the silence, that you snap out of your reverie, blinking past the sweat and blood stinging your eyes.
Virgil spins his pistols, a boot resting on the corpse of the last hound. He watches you with a mix of admiration and uncertainty. 'Demons against demons...' he sniffs, holstering his guns. 'Now there's a pretty sight...'
For your victory over the furies, you may now choose one of the following rewards:

Warfists of fury (gloves) +1 speed +3 brawn ability: knockdown (requirement: warrior)
Wings of fury (cloak) +2 speed +3 magic ability: surge (requirement: mage)
Brace of fury (chest) +2 speed +3 brawn ability: critical strike (mo: Change the result of all dice you have rolled for damage to a [6]. You can only use this ability once per combat.) (requirement: rogue)

Avian lowers his swords, his gilt-edged armor coated with black blood. He turns and looks back at you, offering a thin smile.
'Good work.'
You step over the corpses of the furies, wondering what corruption of magic could account for such creatures. Their bodies are misshapen, no two alike, and yet all have the characteristic wings and collars of matted hair. They remind you of vultures.
'Ragnarok,' states Avian, pushing one of the bodies over with his foot. 'These were men and women once. Then the sword took their souls and turned them into this.' He lifts his chin, eyes roving across the dwarven city. 'We will encounter more of its dark work, I am sure.
Virgil removes his hat, poking a finger through a scorched hole in its brim. 'There's one thing I don't understand.' He kicks the hound carcass lying at his feet. 'Why did they ignore Cernos?'
'He has the heart,' replies Avian, sliding the ends of his staff back together. They lock with a faint click, sending a flicker of magic dancing along the runed shaft. 'It will afford him some protection from the guardians of Tartarus.'
You glance at Avian. 'What is this heart he carries?'
'Some would believe it a divine relic—part of the One God himself.' The mage purses his lips. 'From what I've witnessed, I'd say it's a magic anomaly. From the time of the Great Cataclysm.'
'Bad news is what it is.' Virgil flips his hat back onto his head. 'Still, look on the bright side. It is very bright.' He points to a spot further along the bridge, where you can see a white circle of light silhouetting Cernos' maimed form. The winged demon is limping beneath an arched tower.
Avian gives a sigh. 'Cernos may have safe passage, but I doubt our own crossing will be as charmed. That is a guardian tower—and it will have defenses. Prepare yourselves.'

The tower is supported by two gargantuan columns of rock, rising up on either side of the bridge. An arched beam connects them midway along their length, its centerpiece a circle of runed stone. As you approach the circle starts to tremble violently, its surface wrinkling and swelling as if something behind is struggling to get free.
Avian raises his staff. 'Back, arratoch. We mean you no harm. We seek safe passage into your makers' city.'
The contortions become faster and more erratic, the unseen force hammering and punching at the stone until it has beaten out a cruel-looking face.
'Your city has fallen, arratoch. The twin thrones lie empty; the sworn kings have gone. Let us pass. I free you from your oath.'
The face crumples into a scowl. What speaketh you of oaths and kings? Its malign visage cranes forward on a long snake-like neck. Barahar remade me. Only demons have dominion here! The creature's mouth cracks open, and from its depths comes a wailing high-pitched scream. You stumble back, covering your ears.
'What is it?' you cry.
'An alarm!' shouts Virgil. 'It's summoning guards!'
The twin columns start to swell and ripple, as if the rock has become clay. It flows into invisible channels, rapidly forming itself around the contours of two giant-sized warriors. They have the appearance of dwarves, with grooved beards and runed armor—and molded into each of their fists is a giant double-headed axe. Within a matter of seconds the newly-fashioned guards are stomping onto the bridge, leaving gaping hollows in the rock behind them.
Avian casts his eyes around desperately, then hurries over to a section of the ground. He taps his staff against it, revealing a glowing rune etched into the stone. 'Here!' he shouts, struggling to be heard over the shrieking guardian. 'We can go underneath them!'
You rush to Avian's side, as he taps the ground again. The glyph and the surrounding stone spark with magic, then disappear as if they were just an illusion. The resulting hole reveals a set of stairs, leading down to a lower platform. Avian jerks back as if startled, wrinkling his nose. A second later, you catch the stench drifting up from the hole—stagnant and rotting.
Virgil turns away, shaking his head with disgust. 'What smells bad, usually is bad.'
Avian tugs your arm, then gestures to the hole. 'Your decision—but decide fast!

Will you:
Descend the stairs?
Fight your way past the guardians?

Also choose whether or not we want to take the brace of fury.

[Omegonthesane]

Critical strike seems more potentially battle-deciding than trickster deceive, so take brace of furry.

Descend the stairs; smelly things probably mean effets that venomancers ignore

[Darth Rabbitt]

Critical strike also goes well with snake strike, since our Snake to the Face™ becomes a guaranteed 12 armor-ignoring damage before our enemies can even roll dice (and if we roll well the old fashioned way on that attack, we can save it for later in the battle).

You swing your legs over the hole and drop onto the stairs. There is a sickening squelch as your boots sink into something wet and slimy. Holding your breath, you descend the stairs into the fetid darkness, the glow from your enchanted weapons providing a weak light to see by.
At the bottom of the stairs you find yourself in a windowless passage, running parallel with the bridge. The air is heavy with the sour reek of detritus. Avian joins you, the bright radiance from his staff throwing your surroundings into starker detail.
Bones cover the floor, piled in mounds against the walls. Some hang from the ceiling like grisly mobiles, dangling on cords of green slime. Virgil gives a dissatisfied snort as he reaches the foot of the stairs.
You advance along the passage, squinting into the shadows that squirm beyond the circle of light. Boots crunch through bone and dust, sending fragments clattering and skittering in the grim silence.
Avian puts a hand on your arm, bringing you to a halt. You are about to glance his way when your eyes catch on the crooked shape shambling in the dark. A voice whispers, hoarse and rasping, like an old man's.
'Who's that trip-tapping on ma bridge?'
You hear the ring of steel as Virgil draws his weapons.
'I smells yer, little ones. I smells yer tasty blood...'
Avian steps forward, raising his staff. Its brilliance extends out, across the clutter of bones, to the skeletal shape moving towards you. In life, you assume it was once a troll, its elongated skull bristling with curved tusks. But what it is now, you are less sure. Mottled fronds of fungus hang from its shoulders and ribcage, forming a tattered coat of foul-smelling decay. The growth extends along one of its bony arms, thickening into a club-like appendage.
'We's be hungry, yes...' rasps the creature, snickering with wheezy laughter. 'Been so long...'
The troll raises his arm, the monstrous club scraping the ceiling of the passage. As the light illuminates the growth's underside, you give a gasp of horror. The fleshy club is punctuated with hundreds of tiny mouths, all silently opening and closing with needle-like teeth.
'Come 'ere little ones. Ya gonna feed da shiny fings!' The undead monster swings his club, its many glittering mouths drooling with voracious delight. It is time to fight:

	Speed	Magic	Armor	Health
Nergal	10	8	10	100

Special abilities
Hunger strike: Each time you take health damage from Nergal, his club's jaws latch onto you—leeching the life force from your body. Roll a die. If you roll a [1] you have broken free of the jaws and the combat round continues as normal. If the result is [2] or more, the club heals Nergal for 4 health. You must then roll again to try and break free—raising your chances by 1 each time. (On the second roll, you would break free on a [1] or [2] result, then a [1] to [3] result, and so on.) Each time you fail the roll Nergal heals 4 health. On the sixth roll, you automatically break free. (Note: this ability cannot take Nergal above his starting health of 100.)
Unstoppable feast: If you lose a round, you cannot use any combat abilities for the remainder of the round.
Companions' courage: You may add 2 to your damage score for the duration of this fight.

So basically we can't prophecy or command out of this guy's attack. He's significantly slower than Patio, though, so chances are he won't ever get the chance to hit us.
*Snake Strike* Nergal takes 7 damage (critical strike'd, 12 damage) and is afflicted with bleed and convulsions. He's at 88.
Round 1: Patio 4+13 (charm'd, 8+13), Nergal 7+10. Damage 5+18+2-0 (piercing'd)=25, Nergal is at 63. *DoTs* He's at 59.
Round 2: Patio 10+13, Nergal 12+10 (convulsions'd, Nergal loses the round.) Damage 1+18+2-10=11, Nergal is at 48. (Rust'd, his armor is at 8.) *DoTs* He's at 44.
Round 3: Patio 7+13, Nergal 9+10. Damage 4+18+2-4 (fatal blow'd)=20, Nergal is at 24. *DoTs* He's at 20.
Round 4: Patio 6+13, Nergal 7+10. Damage 5+18+2-8=17, Nergal is at 3. *DoTs* He's dead.

Avian blasts the troll off its feet. As it scrabbles through the bones, struggling to right itself, you leap down onto its ribcage and bright your weapons down—slicing through the growth-like club. The grisly appendage goes sailing away in a sickening spray of foul pestilence.
'No!' hisses the troll. 'My pretty! My treasure! My shiny fing!'
You swing your weapons again, watching with a grim satisfaction ass the troll's skull leaves its shoulders, rattling away to join the rest of the bones littering the passageway. The body gives an agonized spasm, the legs kicking in the slimy dirt, then it lies still—dust motes swirling like carrion flies over its tattered remains.
For defeating Nergal, you may now help yourself to one of the following rewards:

Bone rot (left hand: club) +2 speed +3 brawn ability: leech (requirement: warrior)
Troll tusks (head) +2 speed +2 armor ability: charge (sp: In the first round of combat, you may increase your speed by 2.)
Nergal's splinters (gloves) +1 speed +2 armor ability: rake (requirement: mage)

Choose whether or not we want to take the troll tusks to proceed.

Name: Mr. Patio
Path: Rogue
Career: Venommancer
Speed: +13, Brawn: +18, Magic: +0, Armor: +1
Health: 35

Slot	Item	Speed	Brawn	Magic	Armor	Ability
Head	Crown of Gandhara	+1	+2			Command
Necklace	Corroded Pendant	+1				Rust
Cloak	Cope of Rituals	+1	+2			Heal
Main Hand	Ancestral Blade	+2	+3			Piercing, Bleed
Left Hand	Black Taipan	+2	+3			Convulsions
Gloves	Prickle Pair	+1	+2			Barbs
Chest	Brace of Fury	+2	+3			Critical Strike
Feet	Death Blades	+2	+3			Fatal Blow
Talisman	Kaala's Scale	+1				Venommancer
Ring 1	Pins 'N' Needles					Thorns
Ring 2	Grieving Soul				+1	Fire Aura, Charm

Backpack	Item
1	Flask of Healing
2	Elixir of Invisibility
3	Elixir of Swiftness
4	Saint's Blessing
5	Rubrica's Cube

Locker	Item
1	Dreamcatcher
2	Spider Grips
3	Monarch Viper
4	Untamed Will

Prophecy
Demon claws
Demon spines
prevail
blood debt
tower
Ghiera's paw
Kaala's fang
Anansi's eye
Money Pouch: 891 Crowns

[Omegonthesane]

As much as I got Crown of Gandhara on the pitch that Command sounds hilarious, I don't even think it's come up yet, and it explicitly wouldn't have worked on Nergal.

So while Charge is laaaame in comparison, +1 base speed is worth it. Take the troll tusks.

[Darth Rabbitt]

As much as I got Crown of Gandhara on the pitch that Command sounds hilarious, I don't even think it's come up yet, and it explicitly wouldn't have worked on Nergal.

It came up against the Furies. It would have come up against the Terral Devil (the ROUS back in the temple) if its tail lash didn't specifically negate combat abilities when it won rounds. But yeah, out of the 10 fights we've been in since we got it...we used command in exactly one of them. Since Patio's fighting style is "don't get hit" and he has the speed to usually make that happen, Command hasn't come up a lot.

The end of the passageway is blocked by a hill of bones, reaching from floor to ceiling. Thankfully, a jagged crack in the left-hand wall glimmers with crimson light, offering a way back out into the volcanic chamber. Virgil peers through the hole, twisting his head to view the side of the bridge.
'We can climb out this way,' he states, squeezing his body through the crack. 'Let's hope things have quietened down topside.' He disappears from view, the sound of grunting and cursing back from the narrow hole.
You follow the witchfinder's lead, adjusting your weapons and pack so that you can pass through the opening. On the other side, you see that the cracked stone provides sufficient hand and foot holds to climb back up onto the bridge. Virgil has already reached the top. There is a tense moment as you wait for a response, fearing that the bridge guardians may still be patrolling—then his face reappears, his gold teeth flashing a grin. He signals for you to follow.
To climb the bridge, you will need to take a speed challenge:

A bridge too far (Speed 20)
Patio rolls 7+14=21, success!

The steamy haze makes the going more difficult than you anticipated. Several times you misplace your footing or your fingers slip on the smooth, slick rock. However, with patience and determination, you manage to complete the climb, joining Virgil on the bridge.

If we failed, we'd slip enough to lose a backpack item. So it's a real penalty, but not a huge one.

Looking back towards the tower, you are relieved to see that there is no sign of the guardians. You can only assume that they returned to their original positions within the rock.
'Seems the plan worked,' you smile.
Avian pulls himself up onto the bridge, his face ashen and beaded with sweat. When Virgil helps him to his feet, you see that the mage has removed much of his armor, leaving only leg-plates and a silver-threaded tunic and breeches.
After brushing himself down, the mage slides his staff from its harness and reignites its headpiece with a crackle of magic. Then his gaze turns to Cernos, who is limping across the final stretch of the bridge.
'Time to finish the race,' he says grimly.

Going to summarize the next section, since it's 4 pages of text. Cernos uses the heart of fire to blast you all away and make his escape. You and Virgil are separated from Avian Dale in the explosion, but he tells the two of you to go on without him. You notice that you are now entirely covered with demon scales. Virgil warns you not to fall to the dark side, reiterating that Modoc (the healer Virgil took us to between Acts 1 and 2) will do all he can to help you if you manage to defeat Cernos and get out alive. He then points out an ancient dwarven rune forge that he indicates the two of you should head to, and he becomes our companion. We also get the following two abilities:

Demon blood (pa): You may permanently increase your health by 10. (Hexed heroes may now use up to ten abilities in a single combat.)

Blessed bullets (co): While Virgil is your companion, you may use this ability instead of rolling for a damage score. It automatically inflicts 3 damage dice to a single opponent, ignoring armor. It also reduces their speed by 1 for the next combat round. You can only use blessed bullets once per combat. If you are hexed, this ability does not count towards your quota of abilities.

Now it's on to the act 3 map:

We can only access the legendary monsters, the team battle, and the two orange quests right now, though. And, oddly enough, the final boss.

Name: Mr. Patio
Path: Rogue
Career: Venommancer
Speed: +14, Brawn: +16, Magic: +0, Armor: +3
Health: 45

Slot	Item	Speed	Brawn	Magic	Armor	Ability
Head	Troll Tusks	+2			+2	Charge
Necklace	Corroded Pendant	+1				Rust
Cloak	Cope of Rituals	+1	+2			Heal
Main Hand	Ancestral Blade	+2	+3			Piercing, Bleed
Left Hand	Black Taipan	+2	+3			Convulsions
Gloves	Prickle Pair	+1	+2			Barbs
Chest	Brace of Fury	+2	+3			Critical Strike
Feet	Death Blades	+2	+3			Fatal Blow
Talisman	Kaala's Scale	+1				Venommancer
Ring 1	Pins 'N' Needles					Thorns
Ring 2	Grieving Soul				+1	Fire Aura, Charm

Backpack	Item
1	Flask of Healing
2	Elixir of Invisibility
3	Elixir of Swiftness
4	Saint's Blessing
5	Rubrica's Cube

Locker	Item
1	Dreamcatcher
2	Spider Grips
3	Monarch Viper
4	Untamed Will

Prophecy
Demon claws
Demon spines
Demon blood
Blessed bullets
prevail
blood debt
tower
Ghiera's paw
Kaala's fang
Anansi's eye
Money Pouch: 891 Crowns

[Omegonthesane]

If we can't access the town at 557 then I guess we go to the orange quest 607, it's probably where the story wants us to go based on the map.

[Darth Rabbitt]

Quest: The Abussos

(Note: you must have completed the green quest The bridge of screams before you can start this quest.)

You lead the way through the opening, emerging in a smooth-lined passageway of black rock. It climbs steeply, curving around into a tight spiral. Virgil draws his inscribed swords, their blades flaring into bands of white light. You flinch back from the sudden glare—your eyes more attuned to the darkness.
He gives an apologetic shrug. 'We don't all have demon blood,' he says dryly.
You sense he didn't mean it as a compliment.
The tunnel continues to climb. Only a few cracks and fissures mar the perfectly smooth stone. Eventually it levels off, widening into a more-spacious corridor.
'How did the dwarves do this?' you ask, running a hand along the flat, even walls.
'Geomancy,' he replies, scowling around the word. 'Old magic. The dwarves could shape rock and stone, as easily as working clay. The king's architects have been known to use it, on occasion.'
You glance back, raising an eyebrow. 'It can't be all bad, then?'
The witchfinder glares at you intently. 'The rock is sanctified afterwards, inscribed with holy script. The architects are warded from any demon taint. There is a difference...'
As you continue along the corridor you pass a number of side passages and vertical shafts, all blocked by fallen rock. Several have solid webs netted across them, as if the stone had been drawn out of the walls and woven together, forming an impenetrable barrier.
'Someone wanted to cut off their escape,' states Virgil, peering down one of the closed-off shafts.
'Or stop someone from getting in,' you reply with uncertainty.
After another hundred meters, the main corridor becomes blocked by sharp-edged boulders. You give one of the slabs a tentative push, but it doesn't give, weighted down by the debris snagged on top of it. Admitting defeat, you turn back to Virgil. 'Looks like the main bridge was the only way in...'
'Not the only way. Here.' Virgil has his swords raised, their light illuminating a dwarven rune, etched into the stone. 'Touch it.'
'Why me?'
Virgil rolls his eyes, then taps it with the hilt of one of his inscribed swords. It gives an angry hiss, sending sparks trailing into the dusty air. 'I don't think it likes me.' He gestures impatiently towards the rune.
You reach out with a scaled hand, your claws clinking against the stone as you press your palm into the rune. Its angular lines glow with a sickly-looking yellow light. A second later, a scraping and groaning comes from the wall behind you. You swing around to see a rectangular slab sliding backwards, its edges tracking through the dust and dirt.
'You're right, we don't all have demon blood,' you grin.
Ignoring the witchfinder's glare, you step into the newly-discovered tunnel. It rises sharply towards a narrow doorway, smooth walls reflecting the shifting light from the chamber beyond.

You hurry through the doorway, only to skid to a hald a second later at the edge of a vertigo-inducing drop. Arms waving at your side, you manage to stumble back, knocking into Virgil.
'Easy,' he scowls, nudging you away. 'I could have skewered you on my blade.'
'Where are we?' you gasp, catching your breath.
'The Abussos,' replies the witchfinder.
You are standing at the edge of a narrow pathway, fashioned from a translucent green stone. It winds around the insides of a gigantic stone shaft, its beginning and end lost to the darkness. Both above and below you the path hugs the walls, occasionally forming circular platforms which hang suspended over the dizzying heights.
As your eyes follow the curving walls you see that they are covered in thousands of carvings, detailing various characters and scenes. Each one glows with a soft green light.
'This is how the dwarves recorded their history,' says Virgil. 'The stone holds their memories.'
You put a hand to one of the carvings, snatching it back quickly. The stone is freezing cold, its touch sending a bone-numbing chill along your spine. When the sensation fades, you are left with a dull ache between your shoulder blades—a familiar pain that has been tormenting you since your fall from the bridge. Reaching behind your back, you feel at the bony stumps now protruding from your flesh.
Virgil gives an audible gasp.
You drop your hand quickly, concerned that you have drawn further attention to your on-going transformation.
But Virgil is staring into the shaft, a sudden gust of wind tugging at his coat. 'No...'
You hurry to the edge. Below you, the glowing carvings of the Abussos are winking out one by one, snuffed out by a rising tide of darkness.
'We need to move!' snaps Virgil. 'Quickly!'
He starts sprinting up the pathway, his boots squeaking across the smooth stone. You follow without question, all too aware of the wailing screams that are mounting in volume.
'Can't we fight it? What is it?' You dare another glance at the shaft, horrified by the roiling, twisted shape that is fast-approaching. It looks like a black thunder-cloud, flickering with lightning.
'It's Nyx!' Virgil shouts above the screaming din. 'A greater demon from the abyss. We have to get out of this shaft—before it overtakes us!'
As you approach the first of the circular platforms, you are startled to see figures moving across its surface. They have the appearance of ghosts, glowing with the same green light as the carved walls. Sounds start to fill your ears, the cries of battle and the ring of steel.
'The magic here is tainted!' yells Virgil. 'The Abussos will turn against us, use the memories to defend itself...'
The ghosts on the first platform fated, leaving a lone Lamuri warrior standing at its center. He is a head taller than you, with a cloak of tiger skin draped across his broad shoulders. In one hand he holds a large bone club, banded with silver and gold.
Virgil skids to a halt, eyeing the phantom warily. 'Let us pass, we mean you no harm.'
The tiger-cloaked warrior spits at the ground. 'I am mighty Shonac! First prince of Hanuman.' He beats his chest three times. 'From the forest I come, to lay claim to the jeweled throne. Seven years of exile. Seven years I watch you grow weak. Look at me, my people—you see Shonac, First of the Bloodied Claw—the ancestors chose me for your king!'
'It's just a ghost—a memory,' you implore, confused by the witchfinder's hesitation. 'It can't harm us.'
However, when you try and step around the warrior his face suddenly creases into a savage snarl. He springs forward, his club snapping around in a green blur. The blow smashes into your side, sending you skidding and tumbling to the very edge of the platform.
'Just a ghost.' Virgil scoffs derisively. 'I told you—the Abussos is using its magic to defend itself! If we don't get past these guardians, we're done for.
As you scramble back to your feet, you catch sight of the wind demon hurtling up the shaft. Its black form is ripping through the jade pathways like they were nothing but paper, sucking the broken fragments into its whirling vortex. Determined not to share a similar fate, you turn back to the phantom warrior. You will have to defeat him and the many other ghosts of the Abussos, in order to outrun the demon and find a means of escape.

In the following series of encounters you must outrun the wind demon, Nyx. You have 20 combat rounds to fight your way to the top of the Abussos. Keep a track of each separate combat you fight and how many combat rounds have passed. Once you reach the end of the twentieth combat round, Nyx has caught up with you and you will have failed the challenge.
After each combat, keep a track of the health and abilities that you have remaining. You can only use/activate each ability once during the course of this challenge (even those that would normally happen automatically, such as thorns and bleed.) You decide which abilities are used in each combat. Good luck!

With the wind demon hurtling ever closer, you draw your weapon and charge the ghostly Lamuri warrior. It is time to fight:

	Speed	Magic	Armor	Health
Shonac	11	8	3	40

Special abilities
Tiger's pride: If Shonac is still alive at the end of the fourth combat round, he transforms into a spectral tiger. This raises his speed by 1, and his magic and armor by 4 for the remainder of the combat.
Ghost of a victory: You cannot use cutpurse or pillage to gain gold/items from this combat.

This guy shouldn't be too bad, even without any abilities.
Round 1: Patio 12+14, Shonac 10+11. Damage 6+16-3=19, Shonac is at 21.
Round 2: Patio 7+14, Shonac 6+11. Damage 5+16-3=18, Shonac is at 3.
Round 3: Patio 9+14, Shonac 6+11. Damage 6+16-3=19, Shonac is dead. Super super dead. Like -16 health dead.

We got really good rolls on that one. Health at max, no abilities used, total rounds: 3.

With Shonac defeated, you race up the pathway to the next platform. As before, your way is blocked by another ghostly scene. A group of dwarves lie sprawled across the ground, spears and arrows protruding from their armored bodies. Goblins scramble over them, snorting and hollering in glee. Then the scene blurs and shifts as one of their number is brought into focus a female goblin, with jeweled trinkets and bone charms threaded through her tangled hair.
'Sarak Dun Garag Gar!' The shaman pulls a wand from her belt, dark magic flickering around its spiked headpiece. 'Gun Sark Virag Dor!' Her guttural words become a cat-like hiss as she raises the wand and sends a cascade of magic surging towards you. It is time to fight:

	Speed	Magic	Armor	Health
Rap Unzal	11	7	3	40

Special abilities
Dem bones: At the end of each combat round, Rap Unzal heals 2 health from the magic of her bone charms.
Ghost of a victory: You cannot use cutpurse or pillage to gain gold/items from this combat.

Another joke character? This book has been a lot better about that then the first one was. As for an actual fight she's probably a bit weaker than Shonac.
Round 1: Patio 11+14, Rap Unzal 6+11. Damage 4+16-3=17, Rap Unzal is at 23. *Dem bones* She's at 25.
Round 2: Patio 7+14, Rap Unzal 7+11. Damage 4+16-3=17, Rap Unzal is at 8. *Dem Bones* She's at 10.
Round 3: Patio 11+14, Rap Unzal 6+11. Damage 6+16-3=19, Rap Unzal is dead!

Another easy fight. Total rounds: 6.

As soon as you deliver the killing blow the phantom scene dissolves, leaving the way clear for you to continue. You stumble dizzily towards the next pathway, bent double by the throbbing pain stabbing between your shoulder blades. Virgil appears at your side, shouting something—a warning, or perhaps encouragement. The words seem distant...distorted.
He grabs your arm, half-carrying, half-pulling you along the winding pathway. The floor and walls are now shaking, plumes of dust raining down from above.
'Do you see the top?' you gasp, struggling to focus.
All of a sudden, Virgil shoves you aside. You go staggering on all fours, aware that you have reached another platform. There is a croaking roar, accompanied by the rattle and clink of chains. You look up to see a giant lizardman towering above you, strings of drool, hanging down from its fanged teeth.
The creature swings back its thick, bulging arms, letting a pair of chains, attached to each wrist, snake through the air. For a second, the distended links hover above its head, then the lizardman brings them down with a ferocious force. You roll aside, leaving one to whip across the ground, sending cracks branching through the stone. The other catches Virgil across the shoulder, hurling him back against the wall. Dazed, he slumps to the ground, blood seeping from his re-opened head wound.
The lizardman comes at you again, in a blur of teeth, scales and scything chains. Unless you defeat it quickly, the dark demon will catch up with you, plunging everything into darkness. It is time to fight:

	Speed	Magic	Armor	Health
Fengz	11	8	3	40

Special abilities
Whirling chains: At the end of each combat round you must automatically take 4 damage, ignoring armor.
Ghost of a victory: You cannot use cutpurse or pillage to gain gold/items from this combat.

OK, so this guy will still probably go down in like 3 rounds, but he will actually hurt us in the process.
Round 1: Patio 8+14, Fengz 8+11. Damage 6+16-3=19, Fengz is at 21. *Whirling chains* Patio is at 41.
Round 2: Patio 6+14, Fengz 5+11. Damage 4+16-3=17, Fengz is at 4. *Whirling chains* Patio is at 37.
Round 3: Patio 8+14, Fengz 6+11. Damage 5+16-3=18, Fengz is as double dead as Shonac!

Total rounds: 9. Patio's health is at 37.

The cracks in the platform start to widen, branching from one end to the other. Beneath your feet you can feel the stone vibrating as the wind demon rumbles ever closer, devouring everything in its path. Virgil wipes the blood from his eye, stumbling into a run. He tugs your arm, pulling you along with him. The pathway continues to circle upwards, taking you past more of the strange glowing scenes.
On the last platform a dwarf warrior is pacing angrily, resplendent in plate armor. He stands four feet tall, his spiked pauldrons towering an extra foot above his head. 'No!' He stops and turns, finger stabbing at some invisible accuser. 'I were set up! I'd never disgrace the twin thrones. ' He takes a step forward, teeth clenched tight. 'The Illumanti are corrupt! Their magic's what's done this! You don't believe me—then you're cursed like they are! In a berserk fury he snatches a hammer and a shield from a crossed rack. When he turns to face you, there is a maddened gleam to his ghostly eyes.
'You...You murdered my drakes,' growls the warrior. 'Their blood is on your hands!'
With a murderous cry, the dwarf charges, his hammer sweeping around in a vivid crescent of green fire. It is time to fight:

	Speed	Magic	Armor	Health
Acheron	11	7	4	45

Special abilities
Wall of steel: When you roll for damage, roll an equal number of dice for Acheron. If the digits of any dice match your own, the dice are removed from play.
Ghost of a victory: You cannot use cutpurse or pillage to gain gold/items from this combat.

That 1/6 chance of negating damage rolls wouldn't be bad in a fight that wasn't timed, but as is it's a relatively nasty ability. I still think that we can win this one without any abilities, so let's take a shot at it.
Round 1: Patio 11+14 , Acheron 5+11. Damage 2+16-4=14 (Wall of steel'd, 3, no damage negated), Acheron is at 31.
Round 2: Patio 7+14, Acheron 6+10. Damage 6+16-4=18, (Wall of steel'd, 5, no damage negated), Acheron is at 13.
Round 3: Patio 4+14, Acheron 8+11. Damage 4+7-3=8, Patio is at 29.
Round 4: Patio 5+14, Acheron 9+11. Damage 3+7-3=7, Patio is at 22.
Round 5: Patio 8+14, Acheron 6+11. Damage 3+16-4=15 (Wall of steel'd, 2, no damage negated), Acheron is dead.

His ability never went off, but he rolled well (and we rolled poorly) towards the end. Fortunately, the next section mentions this is the end of the challenge, so we finished with a total of 14/20 rounds, at 22 health, without using any special abilities. Unfortunately, there's no achievement for winning this without using any special abilities.

There's another really long stretch of text here, so I'll summarize again: You grow wings (oddly enough this gives no abilities) and fly the rest of the way to safety. You and Virgil wander around the abandoned city for a while before entering a large domed building that turns out to be an abandoned dwarven treasure vault. You find three goblins looting the place, who start running once they notice you.

Will you:
Chase after the looters?
Stay and investigate the treasure room?

[Whiysper]

Catch the looters, on the logic that we should be able to return and investigate without further danger, and they might have useful intelligence.

Or be useful snake food. Y'know, whichever. Scalies gotta stick together.

[Omegonthesane]

Sure, go with that logic and chase the looters.

[Darth Rabbitt]

You give chase to the goblins, following them into a set of labyrinthine passages. The dark tunnels wind and twist, constantly intersecting with other shafts and corridors, until you have lost all sense of direction. Your only guide through this infuriating maze is the goblins, who lead you on a serpentine path, taking you ever deeper into the black rock.
At last you sight a red glow, filtering through a crack in the wall. You squeeze through, finding yourselves at the top of a sloping ledge. Below you, through the fingers of mist, you can see the magma lake and its tiny islands, bobbing on the surface.
'There!' Virgil pats your shoulder and points. The three goblins are now scurrying down the rock, the flickering light stretching their shadows into dark, sinister giants. The larger goblin is lagging behind his companions, the bag of loot slowing him down. Virgil takes aim and fires. The goblin staggers. He takes another few steps then flops forward on his stomach, his loot bag clunking down on top of him.
When you catch up with the goblin, you see a pool of black blood oozing around his body. You lift up the sack, seeing that the bullet has gone straight through.
'Hope I didn't damage the goods,' says Virgil, holstering his pistol. 'Let's see what the goblins found.'
You crouch down, tipping the bag's contents onto the ground. Most of the items appear to be junk: broken shards of pottery, a few chipped gemstones, some chunks of iron and silver. However, a few pilfered treasures catch your eye. You may take any/all of the following:

Onyx blade (backpack) A crescent-shaped blade for a mighty weapon
Rune of healing (special: rune) Use on any item to add the special ability heal (mo: You can cast this spell any time in combat to automatically heal yourself or an ally for 4 health. This ability can only be used once per combat. If you have multiple items with the heal ability, each one can be used once to restore 4 health.)
Illumanti circlet (necklace) +1 speed +1 armor ability: confound (requirement: mage)

Pick loot(s) to proceed, and what item to put the rune on (if anything).

[Omegonthesane]

Stick the rune of healing on Kaala's scale, let's go even more all in on this class.

Half a vote to swap onyx blade for elixir of invisibility.

[Whiysper]

If Invisibility is just a combat effect, agreed on both counts - plot coupons are more interesting than winning fights even harder .

[SGamerz]

Take onyx blade, drop invisibility elixir.

[Darth Rabbitt]

The ledge curves round the dark spire of rock, widening into a bridge that spans the chasm and the shimmering magma lake below. At its opposite side, the dwarf city continues—its walls, smooth and undulating like melted tallow, rising up into a myriad of towers, columns and grey stepped terraces.
The goblins have now reached the bridge, their small hunched bodies swallowed by its vastness. You are about to pursue when a familiar wail reaches your ears. Virgil pulls you down behind a boulder.
'Our friend returns.' He sheathes his blade, extinguishing its light.
A second later and a black cloud fills the cavern, howling with the pained cries of the damned. The goblins skid to a halt, pointing and gesturing towards the looming shadow. For a second, they seem torn by indecision—to head back or continue to the other side. They choose the latter, throwing themselves into a sprint.
'They'll never make it,' remarks Virgil dryly.
You follow the wind demon as it spins across the city, its reckless momentum ripping through columns and towers, shattering walls and smashing through the sides of buildings. The broken chunks shower through the air, most of them swallowed by the demon's gaping maw to be ground to dust inside its whirling stomach.
With an ear-shattering shriek, the demon flips into a dive. As it speeds back into the chasm, a clawed hand pushes out of its flanks, grabbing the side of the bridge. There is a loud echoing crunch as the claws dig deep into the stonework, halting its descent and flipping it around onto the topside of the bridge.
The demon lands on two splayed feet, staggering slightly as it finds its balance. Dust and smoke billow from its flared nostrils, labored breathing thundering in the sudden, expectant silence.
The goblins stand frozen like statues, their necks craned back to take in the frightening visage. Then, as one, they turn and run, bawling in terror as they scramble back across the bridge. Their efforts prove futile—the demon sweeps its black fingers in a wide swathe, picking them up in one swift pass. You can hear their screams as the goblins are flipped into the air, then sucked into the hungry, crushing vortex.
Virgil shifts next to you. 'We should go back; find another route, before it's too late.'
You glance sideways at him, reading his fear.
'But we have to cross,' you state harshly, trying to sound more confident than you feel.
The witchfinder glares at you beneath his brows. 'Your demon-side makes you rash.'
'Then learn to read us better. Look.' You nod towards the bridge.
It is clear from the demon's demeanor that the creature has become weakened. Its shoulders are stooped, its body heaving with short, ragged breaths. It looks tired, drained of energy...a wind that has blown itself out.
Virgil's frown deepens. 'Even so, we can't defeat it. We should look for another way.' He twists around, taking in the sweeping walls of the canyon. Several other bridges are visible through the smoky haze, jutting out from different levels of the city.
You shake your head. 'And waste time? This demon will be forever hunting us. I'd rather face it on my terms.'
You start forward onto the bridge, ignoring Virgil's angry curses. As you get closer you break into a run. The creature gives a blustery snort, expelling more ash from its turbulent innards. Two eyes, like orbs of lightning, flare into being amidst the darkness.
You pick up speed, your wings snapping back from your body. The leathery membranes bulge as they fill with wind. Then you kick off from the bridge, your fast beating wings driving you towards the demon. It is time to fight:

	Speed	Magic	Armor	Health
Nyx	12	9	12	80

Special abilities
Black breath: At the end of every combat round, the demon seeks to engulf you in a dust cloud. To avoid being hit, roll 3 dice. If the result is less than or equal to 10, then you have avoided it. If the result is higher, you have been hit and must take 5 damage, ignoring armor. You must also lower your speed by 1 for the next combat round.
Body of air: Nyx is immune to bleed, disease and venom.

This thing isn't too tough. The chase must have really tired it out.
*Snake strike* Nyx takes 10 damage and is afflicted with convulsions. It's at 70.
Round 1: Patio 9+14+2 (charge'd), Nyx 6+12. Damage 5+5+3=13 (blessed bullets'd). Nyx is at 57 and its speed is at 11 for the next round. *DoTs* It's at 54. *Black Breath* 1,4,4=9, avoided.
Round 2: Patio 4+14 (charm'd, 4+14), Nyx 9+11. (Prophecy'd, no damage.) *DoTs* Nyx is at 51. *Black Breath* 13, Patio is at 40 and his speed is at 13 for the next round. (Heal'd, Patio is at 44.)
Round 3: Patio 9+13, Nyx 8+12. Damage 5+16-12=9, Nyx is at 42. (Rust'd, its armor is at 10.) *DoTs* It's at 39. *Black Breath* 16, Patio is at 39 and his speed is at 13 for the next round. (Heal'd, Patio is at 43.)
Round 4: Patio 7+13, Nyx 5+12. Damage 5+16-0 (piercing'd)=21, Nyx is at 18. *DoTs* It's at 15. *Black Breath* 7, avoided.
Round 5: Patio 12+14 (demon claws'd, Nyx is at 11), Nyx 5+12. Damage 5+16-5 (fatal blow'd)=16, Nyx is dead!

Thick flakes of ash rain down from the sky, glowing like embers as they burn against their weapons. You breath in the stench of brimstone and allow yourself a smile. Whatever it was, the wind demon has now been defeated.
Amongst the deepening piles of ash, you spot a glimmer of treasure. You assume it must have been caught up inside the demon's body, but somehow managed to survive its deadly crushing forces.
If you wish, you may now help yourself to one of the following rewards:

Mourn helm (head) +2 speed +2 brawn ability: impale (requirement: warrior)
Dark star (left hand: mace) +2 speed +3 magic ability: barbs
Abyssal firestone (ring) +1 armor +2 health ability: fire aura

Virgil strides through the ash cloud, his white blades resting across his shoulders. 'Seems your foolishness has paid off.' He stops to grind a chunk of stone beneath his boot heel. 'You have the luck of demons.'
You take a handful of ash, watching it spill between your clawed fingers. 'Demons die,' you reply flatly. 'And Cernos is next.'
The witchfinder grunts as he gazes up at the sprawling city. 'Easier to find than a Wiccan in a wood.' He spits at the ash. 'This is a fool's errand.'
You rise to your feet, your attention drawn to an object fluttering down through the black snow. It looks like a piece of torn clothing. You reach up and snatch it out of the air, shaking it to rid it of a coat of grime. It turns out to be a square of animal hide, with a crude map drawn on one side. 'The goblins left us a memento at least.' You wave the cloth in front of Virgil before rolling it up and stuffing it into your belt.
'Is that your answer?' Virgil's tone is challenging. 'Now we resort to goblin maps?'
You meet his gaze, weighing his expression.
'Well?'
You fold your arms, drawing yourself to your full height. 'Make your point, Virgil.'
'You have a power. A link with Cernos. Why don't you use it?'
'I can't. It doesn't work like that.' Annoyance creeps into your voice. 'I don't control it—it controls me.'
Virgil shakes his head. 'At Durnhollow, your visions spoke of the future. You're a prophet.'
'So I'm told,' you reply sharply.
The witchfinder sheathes his blades, pushing them roughly into their scabbards. 'Perhaps this will help you remember...' He reaches inside his tattered coat, hesitating for a moment to enjoy your anxious frown. Then he lifts out a bundle of cloth. He proceeds to unravel it, revealing a small clay bottle held inside. 'Know what this is?'
Your eyes widen. You take an involuntary step backwards, raising your hands defensively. 'No, Virgil. Don't do this.'
'Elysium. It's what they used in Durnhollow. It'll help you to see again—gain control of your power.' He extends his arm, moving the vial closer. 'What value is there in ignorance?'
Your eyes narrow. 'I don't want that poison inside me. We can find the sword, we can find Cernos, without resorting to that.'
Virgil shakes the vial. 'You fight demons well enough.' He kicks a stone off the side of the bridge. It goes spinning away into the steaming mist. 'When will you stop fighting yourself? Take the Elysium and tell me what you see.'

Will you:

Take the Elysium?
Refuse to use it?

Also pick a loot from Nyx's corpse.

Name: Mr. Patio
Path: Rogue
Career: Venommancer
Speed: +14, Brawn: +16, Magic: +0, Armor: +3
Health: 45

Slot	Item	Speed	Brawn	Magic	Armor	Ability
Head	Troll Tusks	+2			+2	Charge
Necklace	Corroded Pendant	+1				Rust
Cloak	Cope of Rituals	+1	+2			Heal
Main Hand	Ancestral Blade	+2	+3			Piercing, Bleed
Left Hand	Black Taipan	+2	+3			Convulsions
Gloves	Prickle Pair	+1	+2			Barbs
Chest	Brace of Fury	+2	+3			Critical Strike
Feet	Death Blades	+2	+3			Fatal Blow
Talisman	Kaala's Scale	+1				Venommancer, Heal
Ring 1	Pins 'N' Needles					Thorns
Ring 2	Grieving Soul				+1	Fire Aura, Charm

Backpack	Item
1	Flask of Healing
2	Onyx Blade
3	Elixir of Swiftness
4	Saint's Blessing
5	Rubrica's Cube

Locker	Item
1	Dreamcatcher
2	Spider Grips
3	Monarch Viper
4	Untamed Will

Prophecy
Demon claws
Demon spines
prevail
blood debt
tower
Ghiera's paw
Kaala's fang
Anansi's eye
Money Pouch: 891 Crowns

[SGamerz]

I don't like either of the loot.

Refuse the Elysium.

[Omegonthesane]

If we can stack fire auras, then abyssal firestone > pins & needles in all combats except those wehre the opponent is immune to fire aura and vulnerable to thorns.

If we can't stack fire auras, leave it all to rot.

Refuse Elysium.

[Darth Rabbitt]

Fire aura doesn't stack.

Mr. Patio says no to drugs:

You take the vial—and crush it in your fist. The milky liquid runs between your scaled fingers, dripping onto the ground where it is greedily absorbed by the ash. Opening your hand, you let the remaining dust sift away on the warm currents of air.
'There is your answer.'
The witchfinder gives a dismissive snort, shouldering past you in anger. 'I pray you don't live to regret that, demon.'
Your eyes drop to the wet mound of ash, now fizzing and steaming with the Elysium. There is a strange comfort in not knowing the future; being blind to how all this might end. I won't be made a prisoner of, not again... You turn to watch Virgil as he strides away across the bridge, your suspicions mounting that he is not all that he seems.
'Hurry up,' he snaps, glancing back over his shoulder. 'We have double the work to do, thanks to you.'
For the remainder of this act, you must now suffer the following penalty:

Broken trust (pa): If you wish to use Virgil’s blessed bullets ability, you must roll a die. On a [6] result, you can use the ability as normal. If the result is [1] to [5] then the ability fails. You cannot try to use the ability again, or use a different combat ability, until the next round.

Once you have updated your hero sheet, return to the quest map to continue your adventure.

Where to? We can now go anywhere but the red quest:
Town
Orange quest (rune forge)
Blue quest (cave)
Legendary monster (lava island)
Legendary monster (ice bridge)
Legendary monster (stone tower)
Team battle
Boss monster

Name: Mr. Patio
Path: Rogue
Career: Venommancer
Speed: +14, Brawn: +16, Magic: +0, Armor: +3
Health: 45

Slot	Item	Speed	Brawn	Magic	Armor	Ability
Head	Troll Tusks	+2			+2	Charge
Necklace	Corroded Pendant	+1				Rust
Cloak	Cope of Rituals	+1	+2			Heal
Main Hand	Ancestral Blade	+2	+3			Piercing, Bleed
Left Hand	Black Taipan	+2	+3			Convulsions
Gloves	Prickle Pair	+1	+2			Barbs
Chest	Brace of Fury	+2	+3			Critical Strike
Feet	Death Blades	+2	+3			Fatal Blow
Talisman	Kaala's Scale	+1				Venommancer
Ring 1	Pins 'N' Needles					Thorns
Ring 2	Grieving Soul				+1	Fire Aura, Charm

Backpack	Item
1	Flask of Healing
2	Onyx Blade
3	Elixir of Swiftness
4	Saint's Blessing
5	Rubrica's Cube

Locker	Item
1	Dreamcatcher
2	Spider Grips
3	Monarch Viper
4	Untamed Will

Prophecy
Demon claws
Demon spines
prevail
blood debt
tower
Ghiera's paw
Kaala's fang
Anansi's eye
Broken trust
Money Pouch: 891 Crowns

[angelfromanotherpin]

Orange quest!

[Omegonthesane]

Explore town before doing orange quest.

Y'know when I saw Broken Trust in the special abilities list I assumed it'd be a bigger betrayal than "saying no to drugs" which caused it.

[Whiysper]

Town then orange

[SGamerz]

Town then orange.

[Darth Rabbitt]

Y'know when I saw Broken Trust in the special abilities list I assumed it'd be a bigger betrayal than "saying no to drugs" which caused it.

The moral of the story is that Virgil is a paranoid fuckup. See also: the whole "secret homing beacon" shit he pulled that ended up saving Cernos' life.

So it's on to the town first:

(You must have completed the orange quest The Abussos before you can access this location.)

Following a crude goblin map scrawled onto animal hide, you find yourself standing outside a ruined building at the corner of the streets. Something had once been written over the doorway—possibly a sign. But it is so faded with age that you can't make out any of the symbols. With a sigh you tug open the iron door, which comes away loose in your hands. Awkwardly, you lift it up and put it against the wall, then step inside.
The interior is much as you expected. The ground is covered in rubble and bits of broken glass. What had once been rows of shelves now lie smashed across the floor. In one corner the ceiling has collapsed, allowing thin rays of ashen light to illuminate the cobwebs and dust motes floating in the air.
'So much for treasure maps,' grunts Virgil, kicking at a stone. 'We're wasting time.'
'You're right, this is a dead end.' You pick up what looks like a tattered, dirt-stained blanket. Somehow it has survived all these years, but is riddled with mold and smells like a sewer. You toss it away with a grimace.
'Er...'do you mind,' says a voice right next to your ear.
You spin around, so abruptly that you almost lose your balance and fall over.
Much to your surprise, there is no one there.
'Virgil, did you hear something?' You glance over your shoulder to see that the witchfinder has left the building and is now waiting for you outside.
Cautiously, you begin searching between the rubble and broken shelves, looking for someone who might be hiding.
'Can I help you? Are you looking for something in particular?'
You twist around again. 'Who's there?' you shout. 'Show yourself!'
'I would suggest you calm down.'
You feel something touch your arm. You look down to see a white gloved hand hovering in mid-air...With a cry you knock the limb away, back-stepping to the nearest wall. As you go to draw a weapon you hesitate, wondering if your eyes are playing tricks on you.
Gliding across the room are a pair of white gloves and a black bowler hat. 'Welcome to my humble establishment,' says the disembodied voice. 'I am the proprietor, Mr G H Claypole. How can I help you?' The gloved hands spread themselves wide in a welcoming gesture.
You realize that you are looking at the shopkeeper, or what is left of him. Mr. Claypole is a ghost.
'You're a little tall for a dwarf,' you remark, puzzled. 'How did you get here?'
'I came from the shroud, slipped through a space—a doorway, if you like. I've been here for...' He pauses, while his gloved hand scratches at an invisible chin. 'Substantially longer than I planned. But no mind, you've made my journey worth its while. And how did you find yourself here, pray tell?'
'I followed a map; I thought it might lead to...' You stop yourself, glancing around at the broken remnants of the building, suddenly feeling more than a little foolish. 'A stash of weapons, armor...something useful.'
'Of course!' says the ghost, clasping his hands together. 'I have everything you might need, for a price of course.'
'But there is nothing here,' you implore.
You are met by an angry tut. 'Not in plain sight, mortal. I keep them in a vault of runes. Protects them from the living and the dead. Now, I sense your need is urgent, so what would you like to see?

Will you:
Purchase potions and elixirs?
Purchase runes and glyphs?
Purchase weapons and armor?
Purchase crafting reagents?
Leave the haunted shop?

[Omegonthesane]

does anything lock out if we just ask for the whole menu?

[Darth Rabbitt]

does anything lock out if we just ask for the whole menu?

No. I just needed a break from typing but wanted to make it look professional. I take it that's a vote for checking all the things?

Potions and dyes:
The hat and gloves float off towards the back of the shop. They disappear through a small doorway, returning a few minutes later with two large leather cases. The ghost places them on the dusty counter, then flips them open. Secured inside are a number of jars and bottles.
You may purchase any of the following for 40 gold crowns each:

Flask of healing (1 use) (backpack) Use any time in combat to restore 10 health
Elixir of swiftness (1 use) (backpack) Increase your speed by 4 for 1 combat round
Pot of cleansing (1 use) (backpack) Use any time to remove the hexed curse from your hero (we have no use for this)

Runes and glyphs:
The hat and gloves float off towards the back of the shop. They disappear through a small doorway, returning a moment later with a small black iron chest. The ghost places it on the dusty counter, then flips open the lid. Inside are several glowing stone tablets.
You may purchase any of the following for 300 gold crowns each:

Rune of winter (special: rune) Use on any item to add the special ability silver frost (mo: Use silver frost to ‘freeze’ your opponent’s attack speed dice, forcing them to use the same dice result in the next combat round. You can only use silver frost once per combat.)
Glyph of the titan (special: glyph) Use on any item to add 1 armor
Rune of shadows (special: rune) Use on any item to add the special ability vanish (co: Use vanish to turn invisible for several seconds, avoiding your opponent’s damage for one round. You can only use vanish once per combat.)

Weapons and armor:
The hat and gloves float off towards the back of the shop. They disappear through a small doorway, returning a few minutes later carrying a shimmering grey cloak. The ghost places the cloak on the dusty counter, then pulls it open to reveal the items that were wrapped in its folds—an ivory-and-gold shield and a wide-bladed dagger.
You may purchase any of the following for 450 gold crowns each:

Cloak of the undying (cloak) +2 speed +3 health ability: greater heal (mo: You can cast this spell any time in combat to automatically heal yourself or an ally for 8 health. This ability can only be used once per combat. If you have multiple items with the greater heal ability, each one can be used once to restore 8 health.)
Light-forged bulwark (left hand: shield) +2 speed +4 armor ability: defender (requirement: warrior)
Doom's harbinger (main hand: dagger) +2 speed +5 brawn ability: doom (co: If your damage score causes health damage to your opponent, you can also curse them with the sigil of doom. This lowers their armor, brawn and magic by 1 for the remainder of the combat.) (requirement: rogue)

Crafting reagents:
The hat and gloves float off towards the back of the shop. They disappear through a small doorway, returning a moment later with a silver chest. The ghost places it on the dusty counter, then flips open the lid. Inside you find several rare and unusual items.
You may purchase any of the following for 700 gold crowns each:

Runed rod (backpack) A splintered length of black metal
Onyx blade (backpack) A crescent-shaped blade for a mighty weapon
Golem core (backpack) A pulsing crystal filled with dark energies

So what (if anything) do we want to buy? After that, it's off to the other orange quest.