[Let's Play] Sorcery Warrior 3 - The Seven Serpents

[Beroli]

The little creature is asking for a gift as a token of friendship. Will you give it something? If you do it must be something fairly valuable, and not food.

You have no logical way of knowing this but the book spells it out anyway: the creature is more likely to react positively if you give it a spell artefact. Spell artefacts are thus in blue below. Vote on what to give it.

Blimberry Juice
Silver key
Borrinskin boots
Ragnar's Armband of Swordmastery,
Backup sword
Torch
Tinderbox
Lucky Talisman (+1 bonus to all Luck tests)
Lucky Talisman (do not deduct a Luck point after Testing Luck)
Bow and quiver of 3 silver arrows
Serpent Ring
Galehorn
Chakram
Yellow Powder
Crystal Orb
Pearl ring
Hewing Axe
Chainmail
Brass pendulum
Nothing?

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, Lucky Talisman (+1 bonus to all Luck tests), Lucky Talisman (do not deduct a Luck point after Testing Luck), bow and quiver of 3 silver arrows, Serpent Ring, Galehorn, Chakram (Test Skill with -1 penalty at the start of a fight to do 2 damage, once), Yellow Powder, Crystal Orb, pearl ring, Hewing Axe (-2 Attack Strength weapon, cuts down trees), chainmail (+1 Attack Strength, 1/3 chance to reduce wounds), brass pendulum, 7 Meals
Gold Pieces: 1
Libra's Favor: Not yet used in this adventure
Serpents Killed: Moon
Deaths: Unable to reach the North Gate of Kharé

[JourneymanN00b]

I say the Crystal Orb.

[Thaluikhain]

May as well.

[Queen of Swords]

Sure, try that.

[Beroli]

Roll one die for her reaction. If the gift was not a spell artefact, 1-3 would be the worst result, 4-5 the medium one, and 6 the best one. Since it is, 1 would be the worst result, 2-4 the medium one, and 5-6 the best one.

Rolling for her reaction: 5.

A wide smile spreads across the little creature's lips. 'How did you know?' it demands. 'How did you know I have been looking for one of those?' Your lucky choice has been a success. But something is not quite right. The creature's voice is changing as it speaks to you to that of a middle-aged woman. 'Such a friend should not be teased,' she says. And with that, her form changes to that of a tall woman dressed in purple robes. 'I am Dintainta,' she starts, 'Dintainta of the Steppes. Though some call me The Sham. I know of your mission and I can help you. It is a credit to your wit and your courage that you have survived this far. But much greater dangers lie ahead. At the Fortress of Mampang, beware the Sleepless Ram, for even your skill will be no match for its powers. You will overcome it by uncorking this vial in its presence.' She hands you a small glass vial. 'Guard this vial with your life and let no one release the gas within. I will also tell you this: a short distance ahead you will confront the Earth Serpent. His powers are considerable, but these powers exist only when he is in contact with the earth. Perhaps this information will help you defeat the beast. Finally, I give you this in exchange for your gift.' She hands you her walking stick. 'My Serpent Staff is enchanted and will give you powers against the Serpents. And now I must leave you, as I must journey home before sundown.' She turns herself back into the little creature you first encountered and sets off on her way. This has been a lucky encounter (restore 2 Luck points). Her Serpent Staff will weaken any of the Seven Serpents you come across, reducing their Skill by 2. It has also been carved from an Oak Sapling, which might be relevant if you cast spells. Dintainta has now disappeared in the distance and you turn to make your way onwards.

Head north?
Head northwest?

Also vote on whether to eat a Meal before heading on (restore 2 Stamina for your first meal of the day if so).

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, Lucky Talisman (+1 bonus to all Luck tests), Lucky Talisman (do not deduct a Luck point after Testing Luck), bow and quiver of 3 silver arrows, Serpent Ring, Galehorn, Chakram (Test Skill with -1 penalty at the start of a fight to do 2 damage, once), Yellow Powder, pearl ring, Hewing Axe (-2 Attack Strength weapon, cuts down trees), chainmail (+1 Attack Strength, 1/3 chance to reduce wounds), brass pendulum, small glass vial of gas, Serpent Staff (-2 Skill to each of Seven Serpents), 7 Meals
Gold Pieces: 1
Libra's Favor: Not yet used in this adventure
Serpents Killed: Moon
Deaths: Unable to reach the North Gate of Kharé

[JourneymanN00b]

I vote to go north and not eat yet.

[Thaluikhain]

May as well.

[Beroli]

Your long walk across the Baklands is coming to an end. In the distance you can see the wide fringe ahead of you that marks the boundary of the Forest of the Snatta. You climb up on a rock to get a better view of what lies ahead. The green spread of the forest continues on to the shores of Lake Ilklala, which you can just make out on the horizon. The rock you are standing on is a suitable place to eat Provisions. (Since you just voted not to eat, I won't pause for another vote on whether to eat here.)

As you stand to leave, your foot dislodges a chunk of rock, which scuttles off down the slope. Half-way down, it stops unnaturally and reverses direction! It rolls towards you and you watch in amazement as it bumps painfully into your ankle (deduct 1 STAMINA point). You reach down to rub your ankle and, as you do so, a rumbling shakes the ground and knocks you off balance. The peak of the rock explodes into the air, erupting like a volcano and spraying stones everywhere.

You try to avoid the falling rocks.

You cover your head and run downhill while the stones shower the ground all around you. Roll one die. (1.) This is the number of STAMINA points you lose as they fall on you. You may, if you wish, use your LUCK here. If you wish to Test your Luck, a Lucky roll will indicate that only the smaller stones fell on you and you may halve the STAMINA damage (round odd numbers up). (You actually have no reason to, since it's 1 either way.) The falling stones, however, roll under your feet, making it difficult to keep your balance. You slip, and land on the ground with a thump.

In fact, the thump that you were expecting does not quite happen. Instead, your heart flutters as the short fall you anticipated lasts longer than it should. The ground below you has opened up and you have fallen into a pit resembling-–perhaps appropriately-–a freshly dug grave! But your landing is soft and you lift yourself back on your feet. The pit is around nine feet deep and you may just about be able to jump up and grab the edge to pull yourself up. As you are considering what to do, a creaking sound below puts you on your guard. The earth shakes in the center of the pit and a rocky protrusion breaks through the surface. You stare at the smooth-faced rock and step backwards as a hissing sound comes from it. Its surface changes from grey to red and steam rises from it. This rock is boiling hot! In a panic you jump up to grab the rim of the pit and haul yourself out. Your fingers catch the edge, but, as you pull yourself up, something bites your hand. This is not a serious wound, but it causes 1 STAMINA point of damage and makes you lose your grip. What will your next move be?

Try again to lift yourself out of the pit?
Wait to see what happens?

Name: Jason Beckett Mordred
Sex: Male
Skill: 11/11
Stamina: 16/19
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, Lucky Talisman (+1 bonus to all Luck tests), Lucky Talisman (do not deduct a Luck point after Testing Luck), bow and quiver of 3 silver arrows, Serpent Ring, Galehorn, Chakram (Test Skill with -1 penalty at the start of a fight to do 2 damage, once), Yellow Powder, pearl ring, Hewing Axe (-2 Attack Strength weapon, cuts down trees), chainmail (+1 Attack Strength, 1/3 chance to reduce wounds), brass pendulum, small glass vial of gas, Serpent Staff (-2 Skill to each of Seven Serpents), 7 Meals
Gold Pieces: 1
Libra's Favor: Not yet used in this adventure
Serpents Killed: Moon
Deaths: Unable to reach the North Gate of Kharé

[JourneymanN00b]

I vote to try again to lift Jason out of the pit.

[Thaluikhain]

Half vote to wait.

[Beroli]

Test your Skill with a -1 penalty. If you succeed you can drag yourself out. A 4 succeeds. Whatever is on the rim of the pit will still bite you, but knowing it's coming, you don't let go this time. Test your Luck; a 6 succeeds and it bites only one of your hands, for 1 damage.

Back on the surface, the danger is by no means subsiding. Cracks are appearing in the ground, radiating out from the pit. One breaks open between your legs and you jump aside just in time to avoid being swallowed. A large boulder on the top of the hill is teetering on the point of rolling down towards you. And as if that wasn't enough, a small green snake is wrapping itself round your ankle and preparing to bite you. What will you do first?

Try to find an area safe from the cracking ground?
Try to push the boulder off in the other direction?
Get rid of the snake?

Name: Jason Beckett Mordred
Sex: Male
Skill: 11/11
Stamina: 15/19
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, Lucky Talisman (+1 bonus to all Luck tests), Lucky Talisman (do not deduct a Luck point after Testing Luck), bow and quiver of 3 silver arrows, Serpent Ring, Galehorn, Chakram (Test Skill with -1 penalty at the start of a fight to do 2 damage, once), Yellow Powder, pearl ring, Hewing Axe (-2 Attack Strength weapon, cuts down trees), chainmail (+1 Attack Strength, 1/3 chance to reduce wounds), brass pendulum, small glass vial of gas, Serpent Staff (-2 Skill to each of Seven Serpents), 7 Meals
Gold Pieces: 1
Libra's Favor: Not yet used in this adventure
Serpents Killed: Moon
Deaths: Unable to reach the North Gate of Kharé

[JourneymanN00b]

I vote to get rid of the snake, as it is probably another of the seven serpents and probably also the source of our hero's current trouble.

[Thaluikhain]

Yeah, deal with the snake.

[Beroli]

You reach down to grab the creature. It darts at you to bite your hand, but you manage to swat it to the ground. Only then do you see the snake as it really is...

As it lies on the ground, its skin splits. From within, a dark brown serpent emerges. As if in some sort of reaction to its exposure to the air, the Earth Serpent grows rapidly before your eyes! It unfurls great wings and coils up before you, hissing menacingly.

The Earth Serpent spies the ring. 'Enemy of Mampang!' it hisses at you. 'You have found the Serpent Ring! Then, as our gods decree, I must tell you this: offer no gold to Valignya if you value your life! But this knowledge will do you no good. Here is another offering!' The Serpent darts out at you and narrowly misses striking your arm.

How will you fight it?

With a weapon (specify)?
With your bare hands?

Name: Jason Beckett Mordred
Sex: Male
Skill: 11/11
Stamina: 15/19
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, Lucky Talisman (+1 bonus to all Luck tests), Lucky Talisman (do not deduct a Luck point after Testing Luck), bow and quiver of 3 silver arrows, Serpent Ring, Galehorn, Chakram (Test Skill with -1 penalty at the start of a fight to do 2 damage, once), Yellow Powder, pearl ring, Hewing Axe (-2 Attack Strength weapon, cuts down trees), chainmail (+1 Attack Strength, 1/3 chance to reduce wounds), brass pendulum, small glass vial of gas, Serpent Staff (-2 Skill to each of Seven Serpents), 7 Meals
Gold Pieces: 1
Libra's Favor: Not yet used in this adventure
Serpents Killed: Moon
Deaths: Unable to reach the North Gate of Kharé

[JourneymanN00b]

I vote to fight it with Jason’s bare hands, as I feel that there will not be enough time to draw a weapon without serious penalties.

[Thaluikhain]

Bare hands, so we can wrestle it off the ground.

[Beroli]

You grab at the Serpent, trying to hoist it into the air. You will lift it if you successfully both Test your Luck and Test your Skill with a -1 penalty. If you fail either test, the Serpent will bite you for 3 damage, as you are not defending yourself. You may attempt this as many times as you like; you may also give up and use a weapon whenever you like. (However, considering your Skill and Luck, you'll probably succeed on the first try; let's see.)

Luck Test succeeds with an 8; Skill Test succeeds with a 7.

The Serpent roars and hisses as you lift it into the air. But once off the ground, its power is lost. The living earth settles and the Serpent itself shrinks once more to the size of the small snake. Grabbing it by the neck, it is an easy matter for you to destroy the beast.

As the Serpent's power dies, so does the living earth. Everything is now still. You may rest for a short while to catch your breath, then set off again towards the forest.

Ahead of you, perhaps an hour's walk away, are the fringes of the Forest of the Snatta, the next stage of your journey. After a brief rest, you collect yourself and set off towards it.

As you reach the forest, the air is becoming cooler and night is approaching. You must decide whether to camp on the outskirts of the forest for the night or to carry on without resting.

Stop, eat, and rest?
Carry on through the night?

Name: Jason Beckett Mordred
Sex: Male
Skill: 11/11
Stamina: 15/19
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, Lucky Talisman (+1 bonus to all Luck tests), Lucky Talisman (do not deduct a Luck point after Testing Luck), bow and quiver of 3 silver arrows, Serpent Ring, Galehorn, Chakram (Test Skill with -1 penalty at the start of a fight to do 2 damage, once), Yellow Powder, pearl ring, Hewing Axe (-2 Attack Strength weapon, cuts down trees), chainmail (+1 Attack Strength, 1/3 chance to reduce wounds), brass pendulum, small glass vial of gas, Serpent Staff (-2 Skill to each of Seven Serpents), 7 Meals
Gold Pieces: 1
Libra's Favor: Not yet used in this adventure
Serpents Killed: Moon, Earth
Deaths: Unable to reach the North Gate of Kharé

[JourneymanN00b]

I vote to stop, eat a meal, and rest. Continuing on at night is just asking for trouble.

[Thaluikhain]

Agreed.

[Beroli]

You find a sheltered spot and settle down. You eat a Meal and restore 2 Stamina for your first meal of the day. As you stretch out to sleep, you are aware of strange noises coming from the forest ahead. Strange animal calls haunt the air. What dangers lie in store for you? No doubt you will find out tomorrow. You drift off to sleep.

You spend an undisturbed night on the fringe of the forest. Restore 3 Stamina for the night's rest. (You did eat yesterday, at the literal last minute, so no hunger damage.) Three paths now lead into the depths of the forest. Which will you choose?

Left?
Middle?
Right?

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, Lucky Talisman (+1 bonus to all Luck tests), Lucky Talisman (do not deduct a Luck point after Testing Luck), bow and quiver of 3 silver arrows, Serpent Ring, Galehorn, Chakram (Test Skill with -1 penalty at the start of a fight to do 2 damage, once), Yellow Powder, pearl ring, Hewing Axe (-2 Attack Strength weapon, cuts down trees), chainmail (+1 Attack Strength, 1/3 chance to reduce wounds), brass pendulum, small glass vial of gas, Serpent Staff (-2 Skill to each of Seven Serpents), 6 Meals
Gold Pieces: 1
Libra's Favor: Not yet used in this adventure
Serpents Killed: Moon, Earth
Deaths: Unable to reach the North Gate of Kharé

[JourneymanN00b]

I vote to go left to drive out fascism’s evils from Jason’s mind.

[Thaluikhain]

May as well.

[Beroli]

As the sun climbs into the sky, the walk through the woods is a pleasant trip. Strange trees and bushes line the path and every so often you catch glimpses of birds singing in the branches. There may be some useful gatherings along the way. You pass, and may take with you, any of the following (but for each thing you take, you will have to leave behind one of your current possessions): five small pebbles, a handful of green, leathery leaves with six lobes, some sand, enough nuts and berries for two meals, stone dust, feathers from a yellow bird. Since you have a Large Backpack you simply take all of them and ignore the requirement to leave things behind (which I am not at all sure was intended, but the book didn't state any limit on the Large Backpack's ability, and it's pretty goofy that without it the clear reading would be, "Okay, you leave behind the Hewing Axe to take five small pebbles...you have to leave something else behind if you want to take a handful of leaves...").

Further along the path, you stop as a red-coloured snake slides across the path. It sees you and stops. The two of you stare at each other for a few seconds and the snake resumes its journey.

Leave the path to follow the snake?
Press on?

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, Lucky Talisman (+1 bonus to all Luck tests), Lucky Talisman (do not deduct a Luck point after Testing Luck), bow and quiver of 3 silver arrows, Serpent Ring, Galehorn, Chakram (Test Skill with -1 penalty at the start of a fight to do 2 damage, once), Yellow Powder, pearl ring, Hewing Axe (-2 Attack Strength weapon, cuts down trees), chainmail (+1 Attack Strength, 1/3 chance to reduce wounds), brass pendulum, small glass vial of gas, Serpent Staff (-2 Skill to each of Seven Serpents), 5 pebbles, leaves with six lobes, sand, stone dust, yellow feathers, 8 Meals
Gold Pieces: 1
Libra's Favor: Not yet used in this adventure
Serpents Killed: Moon, Earth
Deaths: Unable to reach the North Gate of Kharé

[JourneymanN00b]

I vote to follow the snake, of course.

[Thaluikhain]

Take all the things, and follow the snake and hopefully take it as well.