[Let's Play] Sorcery Warrior 2 - Kharé, Cityport of Traps

[Beroli]

You enter the graveyard and walk along an overgrown path to the door of the crypt. On the ground before the door is a shimmering circle of darkness which you have to cross or jump over to get to the doorway.

Walk up to the door, ignoring the circle?
Jump over the circle?

Name: Jason Beckett Mordred
Sex: Male
Skill: 11/11
Stamina: 19/19
Luck: 11/11
Weapon: Sword
Inventory: Large Backpack (need not leave behind an item to take another item), Blimberry Juice (+3 Stamina), silver key, Borrinskin boots, Ragnar's Armband of Swordmastery (+2 Attack Strength when using a sword), backup sword, torch, tinderbox, green-haired wig, Lucky Talisman (+1 bonus to all Luck tests), Lucky Talisman (do not deduct a Luck point after Testing Luck), bow and quiver of silver arrows, tinderbox, 5 Meals
Gold Pieces: 7
Libra's Favor: Not yet used in this adventure
North Gate Spell:
So tumblers two sealed deep inside
I bid you, portals, open wide
_____________________________
_____________________________
Notes: You can call on Vik for help in Kharé; Flanker will be your friend in Kharé

[JourneymanN00b]

I vote to jump over the circle, as a circle of darkness sounds like bad news.

[Thaluikhain]

Seconded.

[Queen of Swords]

Thirded.

[Beroli]

You Test your Luck; a 6 succeeds and so you clear the circle.

You may now try to enter the crypt.

Push the door open and rush in to surprise anything that is inside?
Pull something out of your pack first?

Name: Jason Beckett Mordred
Sex: Male
Skill: 11/11
Stamina: 19/19
Luck: 11/11
Weapon: Sword
Inventory: Large Backpack (need not leave behind an item to take another item), Blimberry Juice (+3 Stamina), silver key, Borrinskin boots, Ragnar's Armband of Swordmastery (+2 Attack Strength when using a sword), backup sword, torch, tinderbox, green-haired wig, Lucky Talisman (+1 bonus to all Luck tests), Lucky Talisman (do not deduct a Luck point after Testing Luck), bow and quiver of silver arrows, tinderbox, 5 Meals
Gold Pieces: 7
Libra's Favor: Not yet used in this adventure
North Gate Spell:
So tumblers two sealed deep inside
I bid you, portals, open wide
_____________________________
_____________________________
Notes: You can call on Vik for help in Kharé; Flanker will be your friend in Kharé

[JourneymanN00b]

I vote to pull something out of the pack.

[Queen of Swords]

Agreed.

[Beroli]

You do not have a black mask or a magical chain, so you automatically take out your bow and arrows.

The door swings open and you jump inside. The small crypt is empty! But against the far wall is a narrow stone staircase that leads down to a lower level.

It offers you the chance to leave but I think you're unlikely to take it.

You creep cautiously down the stairs. The walls are damp and there is a foul smell of decay in the air. The only sound you can hear is a drip coming from below. At the foot of the stairs, you can see that you are in a large, dark chamber, lit only by the shaft of light coming down the stairway. A coffin stands in the centre of the room and you walk closer to investigate. A creaking sound makes your heart stop! The coffin lid is moving! Spellbound, you watch it inch open, then a movement to your left catches your eye. From a dark alcove, a ghostly white figure is advancing towards you! The shock has startled you so much that you cannot collect yourself enough to cast a spell (even if you cast spells, which you don't).

Ready your weapon?
Run up the stairs and out of the crypt?

Name: Jason Beckett Mordred
Sex: Male
Skill: 11/11
Stamina: 19/19
Luck: 11/11
Weapon: Sword
Inventory: Large Backpack (need not leave behind an item to take another item), Blimberry Juice (+3 Stamina), silver key, Borrinskin boots, Ragnar's Armband of Swordmastery (+2 Attack Strength when using a sword), backup sword, torch, tinderbox, green-haired wig, Lucky Talisman (+1 bonus to all Luck tests), Lucky Talisman (do not deduct a Luck point after Testing Luck), bow and quiver of silver arrows, tinderbox, 5 Meals
Gold Pieces: 7
Libra's Favor: Not yet used in this adventure
North Gate Spell:
So tumblers two sealed deep inside
I bid you, portals, open wide
_____________________________
_____________________________
Notes: You can call on Vik for help in Kharé; Flanker will be your friend in Kharé

[Queen of Swords]

Ready our weapon.

[JourneymanN00b]

I vote to read our hero’s weapon, of course.

[JigokuBosatsu]

Ready the weapon.

[Beroli]

You are using a bow and arrows.

Your draw your bow and quickly unleash a bolt right at the hideous skull of your attacker. Test your Skill; a 10 succeeds and your aim was true.

You have chosen the only weapon which will harm the evil DEATHWRAITH you are facing. This undead creature can only be harmed by silver weapons. A hit with an arrow will inflict 2 damage to it. Resolve your battle in the normal way, but each time you win an Attack Round you must also Test your Skill to see if you hit. You started with 10 arrows; if you run out of arrows before the Deathwraith runs out of Stamina it will kill you.

DEATHWRAITH Skill 9 Stamina 86

I think "a hit with an arrow will inflict 2 damage to it" is sufficiently absolute that Testing Luck will not increase damage.

Jason Beckett Mordred Attack Strength: 23, DEATHWRAITH Attack Strength: 11. Skill Test succeeds with a 6. DEATHWRAITH's Stamina is 4
Jason Beckett Mordred Attack Strength: 21, DEATHWRAITH Attack Strength: 18. Skill Test succeeds with a 6. DEATHWRAITH's Stamina is 2
Jason Beckett Mordred Attack Strength: 22, DEATHWRAITH Attack Strength: 21. Skill Test succeeds with a 6 (yes, really). DEATHWRAITH is dead.

You pick up the hideous creature, carry it over to the coffin and dump it inside. You are exhausted from the battle and rest a few moments. You may eat a Meal (restore 2 Stamina, as you have not eaten today) if you wish.

All is peaceful as you rest after your battle. But then a sound makes you look back towards the coffin. A figure is rising from it! But this time the figure is not that of the Deathwraith, but of a very old man. 'Who is it?' he asks. 'Who has put an end to my torment?' Looking round the crypt, his eyes fall on you. 'Stranger, I am in debt to you,' he says. 'For too many years I have been cursed with the living death. Now at last my soul can die in peace. How may I repay you?'

You tell him of your intended journey out of Kharé and across the Baklands. He tells you you will never leave Kharé without the North Gate spell. He knows one line to the spell and tells it to you:
'One lock made out of Golem's hide.'

When you tell him more of your quest, he wishes you luck. 'I cannot be of more help,' he says, 'except for one couplet which I can remember from the ancient days. I have a feeling it may be useful to you. It goes:

For sleeping of the sleepless ram;
Seek out the one they call The Sham.

I am not certain what the "sleepless ram" is, but bear this advice in mind.' You thank him for his help and leave the crypt. Gain 2 LUCK points.

You leave the crypt, carefully avoiding the shimmering circle by the door, and head off down the road out of Kharé.

A little further up the road, you come to a well. A rope hangs down from a pulley deep into the well. You walk up to it and, as you approach, you can hear a woman's voice singing. It seems to be coming from the well itself and directed at you:

'My dear, your fortune can be told
If you will cross my palm with gold.'

Toss a Gold Piece into the well?
Ignore it and continue?

Also vote on whether to eat in the crypt.

Name: Jason Beckett Mordred
Sex: Male
Skill: 11/11
Stamina: 19/19
Luck: 11/11
Weapon: Sword
Inventory: Large Backpack (need not leave behind an item to take another item), Blimberry Juice (+3 Stamina), silver key, Borrinskin boots, Ragnar's Armband of Swordmastery (+2 Attack Strength when using a sword), backup sword, torch, tinderbox, green-haired wig, Lucky Talisman (+1 bonus to all Luck tests), Lucky Talisman (do not deduct a Luck point after Testing Luck), bow and quiver of 6 silver arrows, tinderbox, 5 Meals
Gold Pieces: 7
Libra's Favor: Not yet used in this adventure
North Gate Spell:
So tumblers two sealed deep inside
I bid you, portals, open wide
One lock made out of Golem's hide
_____________________________
Notes: You can call on Vik for help in Kharé; Flanker will be your friend in Kharé

[JourneymanN00b]

I vote not to eat and not to toss a gold piece, as I feel that the well is a trap.

[Thaluikhain]

This is one part I remember from the last run-through, so won't vote.

[Beroli]

You are now leaving the centre of the city. The street turns into a dirt track which winds from Kharé past a small settlement of huts and out past a tall building. In the distance, you can see the Great Wall of Kharé and the North Gate. At a tree stump along the way you may stop and eat provisions (restore 2 Stamina if you do as you have not eaten today). Just outside the group of hits, you come across a blind beggar who asks you for alms.

Give him a Gold Piece?
Continue past him?

Also vote on whether to eat at the stump.

Name: Jason Beckett Mordred
Sex: Male
Skill: 11/11
Stamina: 19/19
Luck: 11/11
Weapon: Sword
Inventory: Large Backpack (need not leave behind an item to take another item), Blimberry Juice (+3 Stamina), silver key, Borrinskin boots, Ragnar's Armband of Swordmastery (+2 Attack Strength when using a sword), backup sword, torch, tinderbox, green-haired wig, Lucky Talisman (+1 bonus to all Luck tests), Lucky Talisman (do not deduct a Luck point after Testing Luck), bow and quiver of 6 silver arrows, tinderbox, 5 Meals
Gold Pieces: 7
Libra's Favor: Not yet used in this adventure
North Gate Spell:
So tumblers two sealed deep inside
I bid you, portals, open wide
One lock made out of Golem's hide
_____________________________
Notes: You can call on Vik for help in Kharé; Flanker will be your friend in Kharé

[JourneymanN00b]

I vote to eat and give the beggar a gold piece.

[Queen of Swords]

Yes, give him a gold piece.

[Thaluikhain]

Hmmm...pretty sure this also is a reference to Jason and the Argonauts, but don't know if it's good or bad or what triggers it. Give a gold piece.

[Beroli]

Eating wins 1-0. Throwing him a Gold Piece wins 3-0.

You toss him a coin and he thanks you for your kindness. You sit down for a moment to talk to him. Suddenly you are both alarmed by a screeching noise in the sky above you. 'No!' he cries. 'Not those god-cursed Harpies! Will they never cease their torments?' You look into the air and see two winged beasts hovering over you. They are ugly creatures with sharp talons on the ends of their arms and legs. You both spring to your feet. You are not quite sure what to do, but the beggar grabs his stick and flails it about blindly in the air. 'They are after my gold!' he shouts to you. 'Have they no pity on a blind man? Oh stranger, can you see the evil rascals? Can you help me?' One of the Harpies darts down from the sky and clips him on the head, knocking him over.

Help him?
Run off down the road?

Name: Jason Beckett Mordred
Sex: Male
Skill: 11/11
Stamina: 19/19
Luck: 11/11
Weapon: Sword
Inventory: Large Backpack (need not leave behind an item to take another item), Blimberry Juice (+3 Stamina), silver key, Borrinskin boots, Ragnar's Armband of Swordmastery (+2 Attack Strength when using a sword), backup sword, torch, tinderbox, green-haired wig, Lucky Talisman (+1 bonus to all Luck tests), Lucky Talisman (do not deduct a Luck point after Testing Luck), bow and quiver of 6 silver arrows, tinderbox, 5 Meals
Gold Pieces: 6
Libra's Favor: Not yet used in this adventure
North Gate Spell:
So tumblers two sealed deep inside
I bid you, portals, open wide
One lock made out of Golem's hide
_____________________________
Notes: You can call on Vik for help in Kharé; Flanker will be your friend in Kharé

[Thaluikhain]

Help Patrick Troughton

[Queen of Swords]

Help him.

[JourneymanN00b]

I vote to help him of course.

[Beroli]

You draw your weapon and chop at the HARPIES as they fly down to attack. The beggar will be helping you with his stick, but he will be of little use since he is blind. Resolve this fight:

First HARPIE (sic): SKILL 7, STAMINA 6
Second HARPIE: SKILL 6, STAMINA 6
BLIND BEGGAR: SKILL 2, STAMINA 8

You may choose who fights whom during the battle, so long as everyone fights someone each round.

So, who will you fight first and who will the beggar have to fight for at least two rounds? You could also, e.g., say something like "Jason will fight the one with less Stamina if one has less Stamina on a given round."

Name: Jason Beckett Mordred
Sex: Male
Skill: 11/11
Stamina: 19/19
Luck: 11/11
Weapon: Sword
Inventory: Large Backpack (need not leave behind an item to take another item), Blimberry Juice (+3 Stamina), silver key, Borrinskin boots, Ragnar's Armband of Swordmastery (+2 Attack Strength when using a sword), backup sword, torch, tinderbox, green-haired wig, Lucky Talisman (+1 bonus to all Luck tests), Lucky Talisman (do not deduct a Luck point after Testing Luck), bow and quiver of 6 silver arrows, tinderbox, 5 Meals
Gold Pieces: 6
Libra's Favor: Not yet used in this adventure
North Gate Spell:
So tumblers two sealed deep inside
I bid you, portals, open wide
One lock made out of Golem's hide
_____________________________
Notes: You can call on Vik for help in Kharé; Flanker will be your friend in Kharé

[JourneymanN00b]

The player should attack the second Harpie while the beggar attacks the first. Luck should be used in the first attack against the second harpie, as well as the first attack as the first harpie.

[Thaluikhain]

I vote that the player attacks the first Harpy first, and the beggar the second harpy, to make it more likely the beggar survives. Use luck, because of our lucky talismans.

(Excepting that if we miss the first harpy, and the beggar hits the second one, meaning we can instakill the second by using luck if we hit, but the first still has too much stamina for that. In that case, we should attack the second one)