We know from past experience that letting him turn will give us the golden opportunity to 1-shot him...Eventually the walkway leads you to an archway. Unlike the other archways you have seen, this one has a door in it - but one without any lock or handle to open it. With a shrug, you give the door a push, but it doesn't budge. Instead, a small hole opens at about head height. When the guard on the other side sees you, he mutters something to himself, and you hear the sound of bolts being drawn. Having opened the door, he just stands there, leaning arrogantly against the frame. "I know you," he says. "It's Lord Chaugh, isn't it? Oh yes, I remember now. You're stationed up in the Giant's castle with the other scum." He laughs. "I'll just go and see if your name is on the list." Will you let him turn to go, ask him why he has to check, or attack him?
...and just as importantly, unlike the last time, we still have not put on the Amulet (again, reminder that you need to specifically vote to put it on before the book tests for it in order for it to be effective), and without its -2 penalty, we can't even fail this SKILL test. The Elite Dark Elf is 1-shotted.As the Dark Elf turns his back on you, you realize you have the perfect opportunity to take him by surprise. You draw your sword swift and strike him on the back of his neck. Roll two dice. if the total is less than or equal to your SKILL, you kill him instantly. If the total is greater than your SKILL, you got in a good hit, stunning him momentarily. However, his armour saves his life and he is able to turn and defend himself.
ELITE DARK ELF SKILL 9 STAMINA 6
If you defeat the Dark Elf, you drag his body on to the walkway and drop it over the side. Then you walk back to the archway and go through the door.
This time we have an extra ring...and an extra 300 to add to the 14 we already had, and we proceed to section 314.A long corridor runs from here and it has just one exit: a closed door at the other end. When you walk down the corridor, you are relieved to see that this door has a handle, so you open it and walk through. And then you stop - the room is full of Dark Elves, and they are elite warriors, all wearing the same type of armour as the guard. For a few seconds you hesitate to take any action at all - this is a very dangerous situation. One of the Dark Elves then walks up to you and looks at you with disdain. "Name?"
"Lord Chaugh," you say, "from the Giant's castle."
"Sit here," he says, pointing to a chair by a stone door. Wary of making the Dark Elves suspicious, you do as you are told. The door has the word 'SAUCRIERE' carved on it and, as you sit there, you wonder what it means. The Dark Elf turns to the others and murmurs something in a strange language - probably a secret battle language, for it doesn't sound at all like normal Dark Elf. Whatever he said, it must have been sarcastic, for the others laugh. Add up the value of the rings you have, then turn to the paragraph with the same number. If you have no rings with values, turn to 203.
Given Amenggur's instructions, we can be fairly sure at this point that 'SAUCRIERE' probably leads to the 'Sorcerer'. We even have 2 sets of keys for the door. But first, we have to deal with the guard/At that moment, a young Dark Elf comes running in, holding a piece of paper. "Archduke Awlenon?" he asks.
One of he elite Guards saunters up to him and takes the message. When he reads it, he looks worried. "The slaves have broken free, and we are being attacked by Wood Elves. I will need all four cohorts." The warriors prepare themselves and run excitedly to battle. In just a few minutes they are hone, except for one guard.
Suddenly you feel strange - the transformation potion is wearing off! When he sees what is happening to you, the elite Guards screams, "Human!" and then attacks. He is too quick for you to use your bow.
ELITE DARK ELF SKILL 10 STAMINA 8
If you win, you hurry over to the door that has 'SAUCRIERE' carved on it. If you have an 'S' key, turn to 63. If you do not, turn to 86.
COMBAT LOG:
Elite Dark Elf 17, Quincey Stridermoore 17. Tie.
EDE 17, QS 14. QS is at 9.
EDE 13, QS 18. EDE is at 6.
EDE 15, QS 19. EDE is at 4.
EDE 16, QS 16. Tie.
EDE 16, QS 23. EDE is at 2.
EDE 17, QS 20. EDE is killed.
We're well past the archway, and Amenggur's direction no longer applies. Which way to we go now?As soon as you slide the key into the lock, the huge stone door grinds open, revealing a long walkway back in the bottomless cavern. You lower your gaze to avoid the sight of the insane Dark Elf architecture, and step out. The door closes behind you. There is a staircase at the end of the walkway, leading downwards to an archway. The corridor is filled with yet more madness. The subjects of the wall paintings aren't too bad: a Dark Elf sorcerer hypnotizing Dwarfs, conjuring strange monsters and annihilating dragons with floating spheres of blackness. But it is all in such an inhuman style that the depth of the Sorcerer's evil is made very plain. Halfway along the corridor there are two doors, one on each side, and you can see a set of Iron Keys hanging on the wall next to the door on the left. You decide to take the keys (note them on your Adventure Sheet). Now, will you go through the door on the left, carry straight on and go through the door at the end of the corridor, or go through the door on the right?
Adventure Sheet:
[spoiler]Name: Quincey Stridemoore
SKILL 12/12
STAMINA 9/15
LUCK 10/10
Equipment: Sword, leather armour, bow, quiver, Council Signet Ring, 2: Condensed Mist from the Mithrir Forest, Four-leaf Clover, Potion of Fortune, SevenFourteen-coiled Snake Ring, Brain Slayer Amulet (symbol 'XXIX' carved on its back, -2 SKILL when worn, currently not worn), Climbing rope, Brass Key, Fangnir's Encyclopedia of Subterranean Flora, Lightning Sphere, Red Gem, Small Crystal Ball (when looking at Dark Elf architecture, automatically Lucky from resulting Luck test, and does not need to spend LUCK point), 'S' key (x2) Diamonds (x3), Jailor's keys, Ring of Three Centuries, Iron Keys
Arrows: 6
Bundles of Herbs: 9
Gold: 20 GP
Companions: Istu (SKILL 12, STAMINA 1, can fight alongside us in combat, does not take damage from opponents, but lose 3 STAMINA per use)
Notes: Currently disguised as Dark Elf, subtract 10 from section number when encountering the phrase 'because you are human'.
Day of the Week:
Stormsday (3/3 extra lives remaining)
Moonsday (2/3 extra lives remaining)
Fireday (3/3 extra lives remaining)
Earthday (3/3 extra lives remaining)
Windsday (2/3 extra lives remaining)
Seaday (2/3 extra lives remaining)
Highday (0/3 extra lives remaining)
[/spoiler]