Page 259: The door is old and decayed--it has not been opened for over a hundred years. If you are to find out what lies beyond it, you will have to clear away the dirt that jams the hinges.
If you have the Magnakai Discipline of Nexus or Psi-surge, turn to 186.
If you do not have either of these skills, turn to 156.
To break open the door, you should follow the normal combat rules. Any ENDURANCE points that you lose during this 'combat' represent the fatigue you suffer as you hack and batter the door.
If you wish to cease 'combat' at any time and continue along the sewer, turn to 339.
If you reduce the door's RESISTANCE (ENDURANCE) to 0, turn to 200.
Page 200: The old stone door creaks slowly open, and as the dust settles, you find yourself staring into the crypt of Tekaro Cathedral. Stepping into the chill, stale air, your heart begins to pound in your chest; the Lorestone is here--you can feel it.
Beams of ashen moonlight filter into the crypt, illuminating a line of sombre granite tombs that lie like sleeping giants under the earth. Clutching the Silver Key, you examine them one by one for the lock that guards the legendary Lorestone.
You find the lock and insert the key but you are suddenly distracted, on the brink of discovery, by the creature that is advancing through the sewer door.
Turn to 334.
Page 334: A huge, lumbering monster stalks towards you. It is over ten feet high with thick, twisted, hairy limbs and eight-fingered hands tipped by razor-sharp talons. Baleful, monstrous eyes protrude from yellow slits in its glistening head, and a long reptilian tail whips behind it. Its hideous and peculiar gibbering fills the moonlit crypt as it draws nearer and nearer.
If you have a Bow and wish to use it, turn to 209.
Page 209: Trembling with fear, you draw the bowstring and fire. The Arrow glances off its armoured head and shatters against the crypt wall. There is no time for a second shot. You discard your Bow and prepare for close combat as the creature moves in to strike.
Page 310: The crypt floor is crawling with the severed remains of the monster, which still writhe blindly forward with maniacal intent. Spider-like, a severed hand climbs your leg and embeds its talons in your flesh. (You lose 2 ENDURANCE points.) As you fight to free yourself from its vice-like grip, the torn pieces of the Dakomyd's body gather themselves together for another attack.
If you wish to leap forward and strike the creature before it has completely formed, turn to 323.
If you wish to unlock the tomb and retrieve the Lorestone, turn to 293.
Page 293: As the door creaks open, a sun-like radiance pours from the tomb and floods the crypt with golden light, its searing intensity paralysing the Dakomyd. You grasp the Lorestone and your senses reel with newfound wisdom and strength. Instinctively, you raise your weapon and strike the monster at the base of its hideous skull. It shrieks and dies instantly.
Page 350: Before your eyes the Dakomyd's skin ripples as if a wave were washing beneath its skin. Suddenly a criss-cross of wrinkles appears, and layers of transparent bone peel and fall from its shell-like skull. Its body becomes hunched, shrinking and folding by the second, until all that is left is a film of dust on the floor of the crypt. Time has at last caught up with this ancient terror.
As the golden light begins to fade, you stare at the object of your quest--the Lorestone of Varetta. But all that you hold in your hand is a hollow sphere of glass, transparent and unremarkable to look at.
Your quest has succeeded, for the power of the Lorestone has been transfused into your body and mind. Its strength and wisdom is now a part of you, and the transfusion signals the beginning of a new and deadly challenge on your quest for the Magnakai.
But be warned! The quest will draw you into a sinister realm where a malicious and terrible evil has grown in power since Sun Eagle first completed the Magnakai quest. If you possess the courage of a true Kai Master, the challenge and the quest await you in Book 7 of the Lone Wolf series entitled:
Castle Death
The Story So Far: You are the warrior, Lone Wolf, last of the Kai Masters of Sommerlund and sole survivor of the massacre that destroyed your kinsmen during a bitter war with your age-old enemies, the Darklords of Helgedad.
Many centuries have passed since Sun Eagle, the first of your kind, established the Order of the Kai. Aided by the magicians of Dessi, he completed a perilous quest to find seven crystals of power known as the Lorestones of Nyxator. With their discovery he unlocked a wisdom and strength that lay within both the Lorestones and himself. He recorded the nature of his discoveries and his experiences in a great tome called The Book of the Magnakai. You have discovered this lost Kai treasure and have given a solemn pledge to restore the Kai to their former glory, ensuring the security of your land in the years to come. However, your diligent study of this ancient book has enabled you to master only three of the ten Magnakai Disciplines. To fulfil your pledge, you must complete the quest first undertaken by Sun Eagle over one thousand years ago. By doing so successfully, you too, will acquire the power and wisdom of the Magnakai that is held within the Lorestones' crystal forms.
Much of Sun Eagle's script had faded with the passing years and little remained to help you find the seven Lorestones of Nyxator. Guided by the few words that could still be deciphered, you set out upon a journey that took you to the war-torn city of Tekaro in the hostile land of Slovia. There, hidden deep in the crypt of the city's cathedral, you found the first Lorestone of Varetta. As you held the crystal triumphantly in your hand, its power was transfused into your being, and the location of the second stone formed slowly in your mind--Herdos.
The remote township of Herdos stands upon the shore of Lake Khor, high in the Xulun Mountains of Dessi. Here the Elder Magi, the magicians who rule the land, helped Sun Eagle on his quest long ago. Time has turned full circle, and once more their aid is sought by a warrior of the Kai.
'Fate has brought you to us, Lone Wolf,' intones Rimoah, speaker for the High Council of the Elder Magi, as you stand before them in the Tower of Truth at Elzian. 'And our fate is bound to your quest.'
His clear voice fills the great cylindrical council chamber and the white-robed elders gathered around you respond with one voice, 'It is so.'
Rimoah leads you to a circular dais, set like a deep well into the green marble floor. Carefully, he kneels and touches its liquid metal surface with his gloved hand. A current flows through the shimmering metal and, within its mirror-like depths, a strange vision slowly takes shape. You see a black-walled fortress set upon a rocky isle, its deep purple shadows reflecting in the dark waters of a moonlit lake.
'You see before you Kazan-Oud. The Lorestone of Herdos rests in this castle, deep within its accursed halls. We will take you to this fortress, Lone Wolf, but you must enter alone, for our powers hold no sway over the forces that command this terrible place. In the years that have passed since Sun Eagle first came to this land, a great evil has consumed Kazan-Oud. We lack the means to destroy this evil but we have laboured to contain it, to prevent it from spreading beyond the Isle of Khor. Some of the bravest warriors of Magnamund have tried at our behest to defeat the power of Kazan-Oud, yet all have perished. But fate now brings us a Kai Master and our hearts rejoice, for the success of your quest will defeat the bane of Kazan-Oud and deliver us all from its evil shadow.'
A ripple of hopeful whispers arises from the circle of Elders when they hear you state that you will go to Kazan-Oud. As they accompany you from the council chamber to equip you for the dangerous mission that lies ahead, you ask the meaning of the words 'Kazan-Oud'. An uneasy silence descends on the dignified company and all eyes turn to Rimoah.
'In the language of the Sommlending,' he says, his voice wavering, 'Castle Death.'
Magnakai Disciplines:
During your training as a Kai Lord, and in the course of the adventures that led to the discovery of The Book of the Magnakai, you have mastered all ten of the basic warrior skills known as the Kai Disciplines.
Having completed The Kingdoms of Terror, we have attained a new MagnaKai discipline. Choose a discipline from the list below. As all of the Magnakai Disciplines will be of use to you at some point on your adventure, pick it with care. The correct use of a Magnakai Discipline at the right time can save your life.
The Magnakai skills are divided into groups, each of which is governed by a separate school of training. These groups are called 'Lore-circles'. By mastering all of the Magnakai Disciplines in a particular Lore-circle, you can gain an increase in your COMBAT SKILL and ENDURANCE points score.
When you have chosen your Magnakai Discipline, enter them in the Magnakai Disciplines section of your Action Chart.
Animal Control: This Magnakai Discipline enables a Kai Master to communicate with most animals and to determine their purpose and intentions. It also enables a Kai Master to fight from the saddle with great advantage.
Curing:The possessor of this skill can restore 1 lost ENDURANCE point to his total for every numbered section of the book through which he passes, provided he is not involved in combat. (This can only be done after his ENDURANCE has fallen below its original level.) This Magnakai Discipline also enables a Kai Master to cure disease, blindness and any combat wounds sustained by others, as well as himself. Using the knowledge that mastery of this skill provides will also allow a Kai Master to identify the properties of any herbs, roots and potions that may be encountered during the adventure.
Invisibility: This Magnakai skill allows a Kai Master to blend in with his surroundings, even in the most exposed terrain. It will enable him to mask his body heat and scent, and to adopt the dialect and mannerisms of any town or city that he visits.
Huntmastery: This skill ensures that a Kai Master will never starve in the wild; he will always be able to hunt for food, even in areas of wasteland and desert. It also enables a Kai Master to move with great speed and dexterity and will allow him to ignore any extra loss of COMBAT SKILL points due to a surprise attack or ambush.
Psi-surge: This psychic skill enables a Kai Master to attack an enemy using the force of his mind. It can be used as well as normal combat weapons and adds 4 extra points to your COMBAT SKILL.
It is a powerful Discipline, but it is also a costly one. For every round of combat in which you use Psi-surge, you must deduct 2 ENDURANCE points. A weaker form of Psi-surge called Mindblast can be used against an enemy without losing any ENDURANCE points, but it will add only 2 extra points to your COMBAT SKILL. (Psi-surge and Mindblast cannot be used simultaneously.) Psi-surge cannot be used if your ENDURANCE falls to 6 points or below, and not all of the creatures encountered on your adventure will be affected by it; you will be told if a creature is immune.
Psi-screen: Many of the hostile creatures that inhabit Magnamund have the ability to attack you using their Mindforce. The Magnakai Discipline of Psi-screen prevents you from losing any ENDURANCE points when subjected to this form of attack and greatly increases your defence against supernatural illusions and hypnosis.
Nexus: Mastery of this Magnakai skill will enable you to withstand extremes of heat and cold without losing ENDURANCE points and to move items by your powers of concentration alone.
Levels of Magnakai Training
The following table is a guide to the rank and titles that are achieved by Kai Masters at each stage of their training. As you successfully complete each adventure in the Lone Wolf Magnakai series, you will gain an additional Magnakai Discipline and progress towards the ultimate distinction of a Kai Warrior--Kai Grand Mastership.
1. Kai Master
2. Kai Master Senior
3. Kai Master Superior
4. Primate -- Having completed The Kingdoms of Terror we have attained the rank of Kai Primate.
5. Tutelary
6. Principalin
7. Mentora
8. Scion-kai
9. Archmaster
10. Kai Grand Master
Lore-circles of the Magnakai:
In the years before their massacre, the Kai Masters of Sommerlund devoted themselves to the study of the Magnakai. These skills were divided into four schools of training called 'Lore-circles'. By mastering all of the Magnakai Disciplines of a Lore-circle, the Kai Masters developed their fighting prowess (COMBAT SKILL), and their physical and mental stamina (ENDURANCE) to a level far higher than any mortal warrior could otherwise attain.
Listed below are the four Lore-circles of the Magnakai and the skills that must be mastered in order to complete them. By completing a Lore-circle, you may add to your COMBAT SKILL and ENDURANCE the extra bonus points that are shown below. All bonus points that you acquire by completing a Lore-circle are additions to your basic COMBAT SKILL and ENDURANCE scores. Currently held disciplines are coloured yellow.
Circle of Fire (+1 Combat Skill +2 Endurance Points)
Weaponmastery
Huntmastery
Circle of Light (0 Combat Skill +3 Endurance Points)
Animal Control
Curing
Circle of Solaris ( +1 Combat Skill +3 Endurance Poiubts)
Invisibility
Huntmastery
Pathsmanship
Circle of the Spirit (+3 Combat Skill +3 Endurance Points)
Psi-surge
Psi-screen
Nexus
Divination
Improved Magnakai Disciplines:
As you rise through the higher levels of Magnakai training you will find that some of your skills will steadily improve. If you are a Kai Master that has reached the rank of Primate, you will now benefit from improvements to the following Magnakai Disciplines:
Animal Control: Primates with this Magnakai Discipline are able to repel an animal that is intent on harming them by blocking its sense of taste and smell. The level of success is dependent on the size and ferocity of the animal.
Curing: Primates with this skill have the ability to delay the effects of poisons, including venoms, that they may come into contact with. Although a Kai Primate with this skill is not able to neutralize a poison he is able to slow its effect, giving him more time to find an antidote or cure.
Huntmastery: Primates with this skill have a greatly increased agility and are able to climb without the use of climbing aids, such as ropes, etc.
Psi-surge: Primates with the Magnakai Discipline of Psi-surge will, by concentrating their psychic powers upon an object, be able to set up vibrations that may lead to the disruption or destruction of the object.
Nexus: Primates with the skill of Nexus will be able to offer a far greater resistance than before to the effects of noxious gases and fumes.
The nature of any additional improvements and how they affect your Magnakai Disciplines will be noted in the Improved Disciplines section of future Lone Wolf books.
Before leaving Elzian on your quest for the Lorestone of Herdos, the Elder Magi give you a map of their land and a pouch of gold. To find out how much gold is in the pouch, pick a number from the Random Number Table. Add 10 to the number you have picked. The total equals the number of Gold Crowns inside the pouch, and you should now enter this number in the 'Gold Crowns' section of your Action Chart. If you have successfully completed books 1-6 of the Lone Wolf adventures, you may add this sum to the total sum of Crowns you already possess. You can carry a maximum of only fifty Crowns, but additional Crowns can be left in safekeeping at your Kai Monastery.
I rolled a 5 +10 = 15 Gold Crowns.
The Elder Magi offer you a choice of equipment to aid you on your perilous mission. You can take five items from the list below, again adding to these, if necessary, any you may already possess. However, remember that you can carry a maximum of two Weapons and eight Backpack Items.
* Sword (Weapons)
* Bow (Weapons)
* Quiver (Special Items) This contains six Arrows. Tick them off as they are used.
* Rope (Backpack Items)
* Potion of Laumspur (Backpack Items) This potion restores 4 ENDURANCE points to your total when swallowed after combat. There is enough for only one dose.
* Lantern (Backpack Items)
* Mace (Weapons)
* 3 Meals (Meals) Each Meal takes up one space in your Backpack.
* Dagger (Weapons)
* 3 Fireseeds (Special Items) When thrown against a hard surface, these Fireseeds explode and burn fiercely.
Magnakai Wisdom
Your quest for the Lorestone of Herdos will be fraught with danger for the fortress of Kazan-Oud has a dark and sinister reputation for being the ruin of many a brave adventurer. Make notes as you progress through the story--they will be of great help in this and future adventures.
Many things that you find will help you during your adventure. Some Special Items will be of use in future Lone Wolf adventures, and others may be red herrings of no real use at all, so be selective in what you decide to keep.
Choose your three Magnakai Disciplines with care, for a wise choice enables any player to complete the quest no matter how weak his initial COMBAT SKILL and ENDURANCE points scores. Successful completion of previous Lone Wolf adventures, although an advantage, is not essential for the completion of this Magnakai adventure.
May the spirit of your ancestors guide you on the path of the Magnakai.
Good luck!
So, please pick up to 5 items, one new Kai Discipline and a new weapon to add for our MagnaKai Weaponmastery.
I'm going to vote huntmastery, so we complete a circle and have an opportunity to complete another one at the end of this book. I wanted Curing because there's been heaps of people we could have saved, but completing a circle would be cool
As for items, if we have room, then the fireseeds, the lantern, and the Potion of Laumspur.
Interesting fact 1: Castle Death is one of the few books which doesn't follow the '(word A) of (word ' naming convention.
Interesting fact 2: I didn't enjoy it very much.
Interesting fact 3: The above interesting facts are not directly related.
Huntmastery to complete the Circle of Fire. Weaponmastery in Spear.
Sadly I don't think they ever ask again whether you've completed any Circles.
Curing for the discipline Weapon mastery in war-hammer Bash some skulls In! Fire seeds Arrows and Potion never could resist something that lets you burn things and the arrows and Potion will come in handy generally
curing, Don't care about the circles and curing will help keep us alive better then anything weaponmastery in dagger, we have skills in the only weapons that really matter to us. Only use of skil with other weapons were if we were to lose our items. Daggers are cheap and if the worst ever happened with us losing everything (including sommerswerd and bow of uber-ness) this is the weapon we are most likely to find/buy first. seeds, lantern, quiver we need to replace our used arrows from last mission
donkyhotay on
Do not be afraid to joust a giant just because some people insist on believing in windmills.
Free Moonbase Commander remake @ http://code.google.com/p/tether
Invisibility for castle sneakiness Weaponmastery in dagger makes sense to me
Drop the map of Tekaro (back in our monastery if possible, trash if not)
Pick up a dagger for our second regular weapon, a fireseed, refill the quiver (or just add arrows to ours?)
Below is our stats from the first page, for reference
The last book asked us so many times if we had Curing and Huntmastery, I'm thinking this next one will ask us if we have powers that is not those.
Maybe, but curing is useful even when the book doesn't call for it.
donkyhotay on
Do not be afraid to joust a giant just because some people insist on believing in windmills.
Free Moonbase Commander remake @ http://code.google.com/p/tether
Do not be afraid to joust a giant just because some people insist on believing in windmills.
Google tells me that you are a Linux man, but not where the quote in your sig came from. Color me curious.
donkyhotay
edit: Though I don't think that's what the exact quote was, nor the point of that story.
The quote is one I made up myself years ago, it is not in the story and Don Quixote actually thought he was jousting ogres not giants. As is obvious from my nick & sig I really enjoy the story of Don Quixote and yes if you do a google search on me you will find that I use ubuntu (a linux distribution) and am a big supporter of FOSS (free open source software). I am also a fan of Moonbase Commander and in my spare time I am helping to create an open source clone written in python.
donkyhotay on
Do not be afraid to joust a giant just because some people insist on believing in windmills.
Free Moonbase Commander remake @ http://code.google.com/p/tether
Do not be afraid to joust a giant just because some people insist on believing in windmills.
Google tells me that you are a Linux man, but not where the quote in your sig came from. Color me curious.
donkyhotay
edit: Though I don't think that's what the exact quote was, nor the point of that story.
The quote is one I made up myself years ago, it is not in the story and Don Quixote actually thought he was jousting ogres not giants. As is obvious from my nick & sig I really enjoy the story of Don Quixote and yes if you do a google search on me you will find that I use ubuntu (a linux distribution) and am a big supporter of FOSS (free open source software). I am also a fan of Moonbase Commander and in my spare time I am helping to create an open source clone written in python.
Sorry, I didn't mean to go digging, I was just curious about where the quote came from, I thought it was pretty awesome, and obviously wasn't something from Don Quixote. Google didn't dig up anything using the quote as a string either, except to pull up your user name on a couple linux boards, so I decided to ask. No harm intended.
Ironically enough, (or not at all, given this is the PA boards...) I am also a software nerd, with Pascal, straight C, and Python as my strong suits, specifically databasing, drivers, and crude serial I/O scripts respectively. Hell, I even get paid for it :P
Sorry, I didn't mean to go digging, I was just curious about where the quote came from, I thought it was pretty awesome, and obviously wasn't something from Don Quixote. Google didn't dig up anything using the quote as a string either, except to pull up your user name on a couple linux boards, so I decided to ask. No harm intended.
Ironically enough, (or not at all, given this is the PA boards...) I am also a software nerd, with Pascal, straight C, and Python as my strong suits, specifically databasing, drivers, and crude serial I/O scripts respectively. Hell, I even get paid for it :P
It's ok, if it was too personal of a question I'd have told you. There isn't any information I'd answer that isn't obvious from just talking to me or just a shameless plug for my own project. (c; I have never thought of googling my sig before now but you're right, the top results are my posts on other forums. It makes sense since it's something I made up myself, use quite often, and have never seen anywhere else. Your actually the first person I know of that has even mentioned my sig (and I've been using it for over 5 years). Most people usually ask my about nick, they want to know what a "hotay" is and what it has to do with a donkey. I of course then have explain who Don Quixote is and how his name is correctly pronounced.
edit: Though I don't think that's what the exact quote was, nor the point of that story.
Yes it wasn't the point of the original story. The point of the original was a satire and warning about the dangers of fantasy (especially fantasy stories), this is obviously the intent of the author. I however choose to interpret the story a little more philosophically. Is Don Quixote really crazy, or is he possibly the one man who sees things as they really are and is the victim of malevolent forces that he fights against with all his might even though he has no hope of winning? It is from the second interpretation that I came up with my quote.
donkyhotay on
Do not be afraid to joust a giant just because some people insist on believing in windmills.
Free Moonbase Commander remake @ http://code.google.com/p/tether
curing, Don't care about the circles and curing will help keep us alive better then anything weaponmastery in dagger, we have skills in the only weapons that really matter to us. Only use of skil with other weapons were if we were to lose our items. Daggers are cheap and if the worst ever happened with us losing everything (including sommerswerd and bow of uber-ness) this is the weapon we are most likely to find/buy first. seeds, lantern, quiver we need to replace our used arrows from last mission
Page 1: The hours leading up to your departure from Elzian are spent checking and double-checking your equipment and provisions. But, no matter how hard you try to concentrate on these preparations, your mind is constantly invaded by the shadowy image of Kazan-Oud, an image identical to the vision that appeared the previous evening in the well of the council chamber. You are filled with a deep dread, as you contemplate the probable site of your own grave. However, coupled to this terrible sense of foreboding is a far greater and irresistible desire to discover the Lorestone of Herdos.
Shortly before dawn, your thoughts are disturbed by a knock at the door of your chamber: it is Rimoah. The time has come for your mission to begin. You follow him through halls and galleries to a rooftop platform nestling among the crimson towers of the Temple of Truth. Here you are greeted by a young man. He is tall and dark-skinned, with plaited flaxen hair and sharp, cat-like eyes, and he wears the gold and scarlet tunic of a Vakeros--a warrior-magician of Dessi. 'Hail, Paido!' says Rimoah, bowing to this proud young man.
'Hail, my Lord Rimoah,' he replies, respectfully. 'We are ready to sail.'
The first rays of the dawn light shimmer along the golden hull of a magnificent sky-ship that hovers above the rooftop platform. As the hum of its powerful engine rises, you thank Rimoah and bid him farewell before following Lord Paido to the boarding ladder at the edge of the platform. Once safely on board, the sky-ship rises into the chill dawn air, and Lord Rimoah and the Tower of Truth shrink swiftly beneath its golden keel. You look down with growing fascination as the sleek, bat-winged craft passes over the circling waters of the Elzian Canal and speeds northwards above the jungle of central Dessi. As the grey Chasm of Gorgoron looms into view, splitting the emerald-green land like a deep and terrible wound, Lord Paido joins you at the rail. Time passes in conversation, and you learn much about the people of this untamed land and their history. You learn that the Elder Magi are all that remain of a race of great magicians who ruled central Magnamund many thousands of years ago. They were wise and powerful, and their leadership was great until their numbers were decimated by a plague that swept across the world. Those who survived sought refuge in Dessi and have lived here, in the mountains and the jungle, ever since. The Vakeros are native soldiers of Dessi who have been taught the art of battle-magic by the Elder Magi to help them defend the northern border against invasion by the war-like Vassagonians.
When you tell Lord Paido of your own past battles with the desert warriors, you sense a sadness within him. 'How I wish my brother Kasin were here with us now,' he says, staring thoughtfully towards the distant horizon. 'He could tell many a brave tale of the great desert wars.' You ask what has become of his brother. There is a long pause before he replies solemnly: 'Kazan-Oud.'
The land of Dessi is now spread out beneath you like a gigantic map. To the northwest you can see the foothills of the Carcos Range and a faint ribbon-like glimmer that is the River Doi; to the east, a bank of grey storm clouds advances unchecked across a sea of jungle vegetation. Shortly before noon you sight your destination. The low-domed buildings of Herdos appear on the horizon, followed by the waters of Lake Khor and a blackened finger of rock upon which sits Kazan-Oud. Even at this great distance, the awesome sight of the terrible fortress sends a chill along your spine.
Lord Paido orders his crew to prepare for landing, and within the hour, the great sky-ship is casting its shadow upon the flagstones of the Plaza of Herdos. You are welcomed by Lord Ardan, Elder of Herdos, and a detachment of his Vakeros guards. They escort you through the streets of the ancient town, past the tiny stone-walled dwellings of fishermen and miners, to a quay where a glass-domed tower several storeys high commands access to the busy harbour. As you enter the tower, you notice that the glass dome radiates a greenish light that, in spite of the blinding glare of the midday sun, can be seen quite clearly.
Later, as the sun sinks slowly behind the peaks of the mountains, the light emanating from the tower becomes more visible, covering Lake Khor with an umbrella of ghostly luminescence. Lord Ardan explains: 'This tower, together with five others that encircle the lake, generates a shield of magical energy that imprisons the evil of Kazan-Oud. No creature, living or dead, can enter or leave the Isle of Khor so long as our shield remains intact. We dare not lower our guard, and, to allow you to land on the island, we have devised a means by which you may pass through the shield unharmed.' He takes a gem the size of a small apple from the pocket of his silken robe and places it in your hand. It is a dull translucent red, but within its core a swirling mist of glittering sparks flickers with gold and silver fire.
'It is a Power-key. Guard it well, for so long as you possess it you may fulfil your quest; lose it and you will never escape from the Isle of Khor.' (Mark the Power-key on your Action Chart as a Special Item, which you carry in the pocket of your tunic.) 'At midnight, my Vakeros will take you by boat to the edge of the shield. On board is a small coracle in which you can pass through the shield and make your way to the Isle of Khor. We shall pray for you, Lone Wolf.'
Midnight finds you standing on the deck of a square-rigged fishing boat. The sighing night wind and the creak of rope and timber are the only sounds that accompany you across the black waters of Lake Khor. You arrive at a wall of shimmering, green light: the power-shield. The Vakeros whisper their goodbyes, and you paddle through the wall, drawing closer with every stroke to the sinister island fortress.
Two hundred yards from the glistening black shoreline, you note two places where you can make a landing.
If you wish to land at a stone jetty to the west of Kazan-Oud, turn to 135.
If you wish to land at a sheltered bay to the east of Kazan-Oud, turn to 288.
Hello thread! I'm finally caught up! And my first contribution is guaranteed not to get any characters killed! \o/
I'm going to go curing, and any weapon skill of your choice, and for items, get the deku nuts, meals, and the quiver.
I'm fascinated with the design of this, after reading so many poor choose-your-own-adventure books as a kid. Non-spoiler rambling follows:
The game-design-curious nerd in me wants to go crazy with statistics and analysis.
I'm a programmer who is still levelling up (working on an MS in CS) and I really want to make some sort of decision tree analysis thing for this game. At each decision point we have a number of ways we can go, some explicitly stated by the text and some implied by the descriptions of the items we have. If you assume each choice or event would be picked randomly, what would be our odds of character death in the next 1 turn, 5 turns, 50 turns, and all turns to the end of the book series?
I think what makes this so much fun is the designer (who is also a good author) created some excellent risk-reward decisions for the player to make. Not just the shallow kind of risk/reward decision (where you make a choice and randomly get rewarded or randomly get punished) but a richer kind where you know you're taking a risk, and the benefit from the risk may not pay off at all, or it may pay off in an unexpected way down the road.
I'd be interested in seeing what those risk/reward decisions look like numerically. Maybe taking this particular branch greatly increases our chance of killing our character in the next 5 turns, but the overall chance of success (50 turns, or end of book series) is greater?
Plus I'd love to see analytically how many truly cheap traps there are in the game. (You know -- make this decision and you face tons of risk with no chance of reward, just a slim chance of survival. Like the death cellar.)
I'm definitely investigating this in greater detail when I get home. Maybe there's a way to grab all of the book text, ideally in a formatted form. I'd pull out and standardize/sort all of the decision text, to see which things influence decisions. I'd then need to figure out which parts of the text affect those things that influence decisions.
If I wasn't sure the author would laugh at me, because I'm sure the author has been approached by actual game companies before . . . I'd love to write some kind of XNA game version of this book series. I'd say I'm not looking for any deals, only money if and only if this pays for himself. I'd give him the source code, let him get his own Creators Club account and publish it, get all the money himself, and then maybe pay me a tiny bit if he thought I had earned it. Naah, probably a stupid idea.
Edit: day late and dollar short. Drat. Un-yellowing.
Edit 2: so much for "guaranteed not to get any characters killed." sheltered bay -- both guns blazing.
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The jetty seems to be the obvious place to land and is more likely to be guarded. I say the sheltered bay
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Do not be afraid to joust a giant just because some people insist on believing in windmills.
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Page 259: The door is old and decayed--it has not been opened for over a hundred years. If you are to find out what lies beyond it, you will have to clear away the dirt that jams the hinges.
If you have the Magnakai Discipline of Nexus or Psi-surge, turn to 186.
If you do not have either of these skills, turn to 156.
We have neither skill.
Sewer Door: COMBAT SKILL 13 ENDURANCE (RESISTANCE points) 35
To break open the door, you should follow the normal combat rules. Any ENDURANCE points that you lose during this 'combat' represent the fatigue you suffer as you hack and batter the door.
If you wish to cease 'combat' at any time and continue along the sewer, turn to 339.
If you reduce the door's RESISTANCE (ENDURANCE) to 0, turn to 200.
Combat ratio is 20.
First round is a 4. The door takes 12 points, we take two.
Second round is a 1. The door takes 9 points, we take three.
Third round is a 10. We fuck that door up.
The door explodes out of it's frame in woodchips or something.
Beams of ashen moonlight filter into the crypt, illuminating a line of sombre granite tombs that lie like sleeping giants under the earth. Clutching the Silver Key, you examine them one by one for the lock that guards the legendary Lorestone.
You find the lock and insert the key but you are suddenly distracted, on the brink of discovery, by the creature that is advancing through the sewer door.
Turn to 334.
If you have a Bow and wish to use it, turn to 209.
If you wish to prepare for combat, turn to 344.
Gonna William Tell that thing.
Turn to 344.
Well that's not good.
Dakomyd: COMBAT SKILL 25 ENDURANCE 50
It is immune to Psi-surge and Mindblast.
If you reduce its ENDURANCE to 25 or less, do not continue combat but instead turn to 310.
Combat ratio for the fight is 28 -25 (Dakomyd's CS) = 3.
First round is a 3. The Dakomyd takes 7 points, we take 3.
Second round is an 8. The Dakomyd takes 11 points, we take 1.
Third round is a 1. The Dakomyd takes 5 points, we take 4.
Fourth round is an 8 (Man I am good at rolling those.) The Dakomyd takes 11, we take 1.
We've reduced him to 25 endurance.
If you wish to leap forward and strike the creature before it has completely formed, turn to 323.
If you wish to unlock the tomb and retrieve the Lorestone, turn to 293.
Currently on 20 endurance.
Get the lorestone, then run.
Turn to 350.
As the golden light begins to fade, you stare at the object of your quest--the Lorestone of Varetta. But all that you hold in your hand is a hollow sphere of glass, transparent and unremarkable to look at.
Your quest has succeeded, for the power of the Lorestone has been transfused into your body and mind. Its strength and wisdom is now a part of you, and the transfusion signals the beginning of a new and deadly challenge on your quest for the Magnakai.
But be warned! The quest will draw you into a sinister realm where a malicious and terrible evil has grown in power since Sun Eagle first completed the Magnakai quest. If you possess the courage of a true Kai Master, the challenge and the quest await you in Book 7 of the Lone Wolf series entitled:
Castle Death
Castle Death
The Story So Far: You are the warrior, Lone Wolf, last of the Kai Masters of Sommerlund and sole survivor of the massacre that destroyed your kinsmen during a bitter war with your age-old enemies, the Darklords of Helgedad.
Many centuries have passed since Sun Eagle, the first of your kind, established the Order of the Kai. Aided by the magicians of Dessi, he completed a perilous quest to find seven crystals of power known as the Lorestones of Nyxator. With their discovery he unlocked a wisdom and strength that lay within both the Lorestones and himself. He recorded the nature of his discoveries and his experiences in a great tome called The Book of the Magnakai. You have discovered this lost Kai treasure and have given a solemn pledge to restore the Kai to their former glory, ensuring the security of your land in the years to come. However, your diligent study of this ancient book has enabled you to master only three of the ten Magnakai Disciplines. To fulfil your pledge, you must complete the quest first undertaken by Sun Eagle over one thousand years ago. By doing so successfully, you too, will acquire the power and wisdom of the Magnakai that is held within the Lorestones' crystal forms.
Much of Sun Eagle's script had faded with the passing years and little remained to help you find the seven Lorestones of Nyxator. Guided by the few words that could still be deciphered, you set out upon a journey that took you to the war-torn city of Tekaro in the hostile land of Slovia. There, hidden deep in the crypt of the city's cathedral, you found the first Lorestone of Varetta. As you held the crystal triumphantly in your hand, its power was transfused into your being, and the location of the second stone formed slowly in your mind--Herdos.
The remote township of Herdos stands upon the shore of Lake Khor, high in the Xulun Mountains of Dessi. Here the Elder Magi, the magicians who rule the land, helped Sun Eagle on his quest long ago. Time has turned full circle, and once more their aid is sought by a warrior of the Kai.
'Fate has brought you to us, Lone Wolf,' intones Rimoah, speaker for the High Council of the Elder Magi, as you stand before them in the Tower of Truth at Elzian. 'And our fate is bound to your quest.'
His clear voice fills the great cylindrical council chamber and the white-robed elders gathered around you respond with one voice, 'It is so.'
Rimoah leads you to a circular dais, set like a deep well into the green marble floor. Carefully, he kneels and touches its liquid metal surface with his gloved hand. A current flows through the shimmering metal and, within its mirror-like depths, a strange vision slowly takes shape. You see a black-walled fortress set upon a rocky isle, its deep purple shadows reflecting in the dark waters of a moonlit lake.
'You see before you Kazan-Oud. The Lorestone of Herdos rests in this castle, deep within its accursed halls. We will take you to this fortress, Lone Wolf, but you must enter alone, for our powers hold no sway over the forces that command this terrible place. In the years that have passed since Sun Eagle first came to this land, a great evil has consumed Kazan-Oud. We lack the means to destroy this evil but we have laboured to contain it, to prevent it from spreading beyond the Isle of Khor. Some of the bravest warriors of Magnamund have tried at our behest to defeat the power of Kazan-Oud, yet all have perished. But fate now brings us a Kai Master and our hearts rejoice, for the success of your quest will defeat the bane of Kazan-Oud and deliver us all from its evil shadow.'
A ripple of hopeful whispers arises from the circle of Elders when they hear you state that you will go to Kazan-Oud. As they accompany you from the council chamber to equip you for the dangerous mission that lies ahead, you ask the meaning of the words 'Kazan-Oud'. An uneasy silence descends on the dignified company and all eyes turn to Rimoah.
'In the language of the Sommlending,' he says, his voice wavering, 'Castle Death.'
During your training as a Kai Lord, and in the course of the adventures that led to the discovery of The Book of the Magnakai, you have mastered all ten of the basic warrior skills known as the Kai Disciplines.
Having completed The Kingdoms of Terror, we have attained a new MagnaKai discipline. Choose a discipline from the list below. As all of the Magnakai Disciplines will be of use to you at some point on your adventure, pick it with care. The correct use of a Magnakai Discipline at the right time can save your life.
The Magnakai skills are divided into groups, each of which is governed by a separate school of training. These groups are called 'Lore-circles'. By mastering all of the Magnakai Disciplines in a particular Lore-circle, you can gain an increase in your COMBAT SKILL and ENDURANCE points score.
When you have chosen your Magnakai Discipline, enter them in the Magnakai Disciplines section of your Action Chart.
Curing:The possessor of this skill can restore 1 lost ENDURANCE point to his total for every numbered section of the book through which he passes, provided he is not involved in combat. (This can only be done after his ENDURANCE has fallen below its original level.) This Magnakai Discipline also enables a Kai Master to cure disease, blindness and any combat wounds sustained by others, as well as himself. Using the knowledge that mastery of this skill provides will also allow a Kai Master to identify the properties of any herbs, roots and potions that may be encountered during the adventure.
Invisibility: This Magnakai skill allows a Kai Master to blend in with his surroundings, even in the most exposed terrain. It will enable him to mask his body heat and scent, and to adopt the dialect and mannerisms of any town or city that he visits.
Huntmastery: This skill ensures that a Kai Master will never starve in the wild; he will always be able to hunt for food, even in areas of wasteland and desert. It also enables a Kai Master to move with great speed and dexterity and will allow him to ignore any extra loss of COMBAT SKILL points due to a surprise attack or ambush.
Psi-surge: This psychic skill enables a Kai Master to attack an enemy using the force of his mind. It can be used as well as normal combat weapons and adds 4 extra points to your COMBAT SKILL.
It is a powerful Discipline, but it is also a costly one. For every round of combat in which you use Psi-surge, you must deduct 2 ENDURANCE points. A weaker form of Psi-surge called Mindblast can be used against an enemy without losing any ENDURANCE points, but it will add only 2 extra points to your COMBAT SKILL. (Psi-surge and Mindblast cannot be used simultaneously.) Psi-surge cannot be used if your ENDURANCE falls to 6 points or below, and not all of the creatures encountered on your adventure will be affected by it; you will be told if a creature is immune.
Psi-screen: Many of the hostile creatures that inhabit Magnamund have the ability to attack you using their Mindforce. The Magnakai Discipline of Psi-screen prevents you from losing any ENDURANCE points when subjected to this form of attack and greatly increases your defence against supernatural illusions and hypnosis.
Nexus: Mastery of this Magnakai skill will enable you to withstand extremes of heat and cold without losing ENDURANCE points and to move items by your powers of concentration alone.
The following table is a guide to the rank and titles that are achieved by Kai Masters at each stage of their training. As you successfully complete each adventure in the Lone Wolf Magnakai series, you will gain an additional Magnakai Discipline and progress towards the ultimate distinction of a Kai Warrior--Kai Grand Mastership.
1. Kai Master
2. Kai Master Senior
3. Kai Master Superior
4. Primate -- Having completed The Kingdoms of Terror we have attained the rank of Kai Primate.
5. Tutelary
6. Principalin
7. Mentora
8. Scion-kai
9. Archmaster
10. Kai Grand Master
In the years before their massacre, the Kai Masters of Sommerlund devoted themselves to the study of the Magnakai. These skills were divided into four schools of training called 'Lore-circles'. By mastering all of the Magnakai Disciplines of a Lore-circle, the Kai Masters developed their fighting prowess (COMBAT SKILL), and their physical and mental stamina (ENDURANCE) to a level far higher than any mortal warrior could otherwise attain.
Listed below are the four Lore-circles of the Magnakai and the skills that must be mastered in order to complete them. By completing a Lore-circle, you may add to your COMBAT SKILL and ENDURANCE the extra bonus points that are shown below. All bonus points that you acquire by completing a Lore-circle are additions to your basic COMBAT SKILL and ENDURANCE scores. Currently held disciplines are coloured yellow.
Circle of Fire (+1 Combat Skill +2 Endurance Points)
- Weaponmastery
- Huntmastery
Circle of Light (0 Combat Skill +3 Endurance Points)- Animal Control
- Curing
Circle of Solaris ( +1 Combat Skill +3 Endurance Poiubts)- Invisibility
- Huntmastery
- Pathsmanship
Circle of the Spirit (+3 Combat Skill +3 Endurance Points)Improved Magnakai Disciplines:
As you rise through the higher levels of Magnakai training you will find that some of your skills will steadily improve. If you are a Kai Master that has reached the rank of Primate, you will now benefit from improvements to the following Magnakai Disciplines:
The nature of any additional improvements and how they affect your Magnakai Disciplines will be noted in the Improved Disciplines section of future Lone Wolf books.
Before leaving Elzian on your quest for the Lorestone of Herdos, the Elder Magi give you a map of their land and a pouch of gold. To find out how much gold is in the pouch, pick a number from the Random Number Table. Add 10 to the number you have picked. The total equals the number of Gold Crowns inside the pouch, and you should now enter this number in the 'Gold Crowns' section of your Action Chart. If you have successfully completed books 1-6 of the Lone Wolf adventures, you may add this sum to the total sum of Crowns you already possess. You can carry a maximum of only fifty Crowns, but additional Crowns can be left in safekeeping at your Kai Monastery.
I rolled a 5 +10 = 15 Gold Crowns.
The Elder Magi offer you a choice of equipment to aid you on your perilous mission. You can take five items from the list below, again adding to these, if necessary, any you may already possess. However, remember that you can carry a maximum of two Weapons and eight Backpack Items.
* Sword (Weapons)
* Bow (Weapons)
* Quiver (Special Items) This contains six Arrows. Tick them off as they are used.
* Rope (Backpack Items)
* Potion of Laumspur (Backpack Items) This potion restores 4 ENDURANCE points to your total when swallowed after combat. There is enough for only one dose.
* Lantern (Backpack Items)
* Mace (Weapons)
* 3 Meals (Meals) Each Meal takes up one space in your Backpack.
* Dagger (Weapons)
* 3 Fireseeds (Special Items) When thrown against a hard surface, these Fireseeds explode and burn fiercely.
Your quest for the Lorestone of Herdos will be fraught with danger for the fortress of Kazan-Oud has a dark and sinister reputation for being the ruin of many a brave adventurer. Make notes as you progress through the story--they will be of great help in this and future adventures.
Many things that you find will help you during your adventure. Some Special Items will be of use in future Lone Wolf adventures, and others may be red herrings of no real use at all, so be selective in what you decide to keep.
Choose your three Magnakai Disciplines with care, for a wise choice enables any player to complete the quest no matter how weak his initial COMBAT SKILL and ENDURANCE points scores. Successful completion of previous Lone Wolf adventures, although an advantage, is not essential for the completion of this Magnakai adventure.
May the spirit of your ancestors guide you on the path of the Magnakai.
Good luck!
So, please pick up to 5 items, one new Kai Discipline and a new weapon to add for our MagnaKai Weaponmastery.
As for items, if we have room, then the fireseeds, the lantern, and the Potion of Laumspur.
Interesting fact 2: I didn't enjoy it very much.
Interesting fact 3: The above interesting facts are not directly related.
Huntmastery to complete the Circle of Fire. Weaponmastery in Spear.
Potion, Fire Seeds, arrows, and if we have room and don't have any, rope.
Weaponmastery in Spear too I guess
Potion, Seeds, Arrows and Rope seem useful.
Weapon mastery in war-hammer Bash some skulls In!
Fire seeds Arrows and Potion never could resist something that lets you burn things and the arrows and Potion will come in handy generally
Meals, Arrows, Fireseeds, Potion, Rope
Weaponmastery - Spear
AKA [PA]Ilovepandas
weaponmastery in dagger, we have skills in the only weapons that really matter to us. Only use of skil with other weapons were if we were to lose our items. Daggers are cheap and if the worst ever happened with us losing everything (including sommerswerd and bow of uber-ness) this is the weapon we are most likely to find/buy first.
seeds, lantern, quiver we need to replace our used arrows from last mission
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Weaponmastery in dagger makes sense to me
Drop the map of Tekaro (back in our monastery if possible, trash if not)
Pick up a dagger for our second regular weapon, a fireseed, refill the quiver (or just add arrows to ours?)
Below is our stats from the first page, for reference
Maybe, but curing is useful even when the book doesn't call for it.
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Google tells me that you are a Linux man, but not where the quote in your sig came from. Color me curious.
Edit:Yes, but it's directly recognizable from it.
donkyhotay
edit: Though I don't think that's what the exact quote was, nor the point of that story.
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Weapon: Eh, Spear.
Items: Arrows, potion, fireseeds.
Oh, and ook ook!
Almost forgot, the silver bow actually belongs in the weapon slot.
The quote is one I made up myself years ago, it is not in the story and Don Quixote actually thought he was jousting ogres not giants. As is obvious from my nick & sig I really enjoy the story of Don Quixote and yes if you do a google search on me you will find that I use ubuntu (a linux distribution) and am a big supporter of FOSS (free open source software). I am also a fan of Moonbase Commander and in my spare time I am helping to create an open source clone written in python.
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We should do some rounds and find out a little bit about each one of the Wolf Pack is about.
Was this post an excuse to say Wolf Pack?
Sorry, I didn't mean to go digging, I was just curious about where the quote came from, I thought it was pretty awesome, and obviously wasn't something from Don Quixote. Google didn't dig up anything using the quote as a string either, except to pull up your user name on a couple linux boards, so I decided to ask. No harm intended.
Ironically enough, (or not at all, given this is the PA boards...) I am also a software nerd, with Pascal, straight C, and Python as my strong suits, specifically databasing, drivers, and crude serial I/O scripts respectively. Hell, I even get paid for it :P
It's ok, if it was too personal of a question I'd have told you. There isn't any information I'd answer that isn't obvious from just talking to me or just a shameless plug for my own project. (c; I have never thought of googling my sig before now but you're right, the top results are my posts on other forums. It makes sense since it's something I made up myself, use quite often, and have never seen anywhere else. Your actually the first person I know of that has even mentioned my sig (and I've been using it for over 5 years). Most people usually ask my about nick, they want to know what a "hotay" is and what it has to do with a donkey. I of course then have explain who Don Quixote is and how his name is correctly pronounced.
//edit:
Yes it wasn't the point of the original story. The point of the original was a satire and warning about the dangers of fantasy (especially fantasy stories), this is obviously the intent of the author. I however choose to interpret the story a little more philosophically. Is Don Quixote really crazy, or is he possibly the one man who sees things as they really are and is the victim of malevolent forces that he fights against with all his might even though he has no hope of winning? It is from the second interpretation that I came up with my quote.
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I'm gonna go with all that stuff as well.
Page 1: The hours leading up to your departure from Elzian are spent checking and double-checking your equipment and provisions. But, no matter how hard you try to concentrate on these preparations, your mind is constantly invaded by the shadowy image of Kazan-Oud, an image identical to the vision that appeared the previous evening in the well of the council chamber. You are filled with a deep dread, as you contemplate the probable site of your own grave. However, coupled to this terrible sense of foreboding is a far greater and irresistible desire to discover the Lorestone of Herdos.
Shortly before dawn, your thoughts are disturbed by a knock at the door of your chamber: it is Rimoah. The time has come for your mission to begin. You follow him through halls and galleries to a rooftop platform nestling among the crimson towers of the Temple of Truth. Here you are greeted by a young man. He is tall and dark-skinned, with plaited flaxen hair and sharp, cat-like eyes, and he wears the gold and scarlet tunic of a Vakeros--a warrior-magician of Dessi. 'Hail, Paido!' says Rimoah, bowing to this proud young man.
'Hail, my Lord Rimoah,' he replies, respectfully. 'We are ready to sail.'
The first rays of the dawn light shimmer along the golden hull of a magnificent sky-ship that hovers above the rooftop platform. As the hum of its powerful engine rises, you thank Rimoah and bid him farewell before following Lord Paido to the boarding ladder at the edge of the platform. Once safely on board, the sky-ship rises into the chill dawn air, and Lord Rimoah and the Tower of Truth shrink swiftly beneath its golden keel. You look down with growing fascination as the sleek, bat-winged craft passes over the circling waters of the Elzian Canal and speeds northwards above the jungle of central Dessi. As the grey Chasm of Gorgoron looms into view, splitting the emerald-green land like a deep and terrible wound, Lord Paido joins you at the rail. Time passes in conversation, and you learn much about the people of this untamed land and their history. You learn that the Elder Magi are all that remain of a race of great magicians who ruled central Magnamund many thousands of years ago. They were wise and powerful, and their leadership was great until their numbers were decimated by a plague that swept across the world. Those who survived sought refuge in Dessi and have lived here, in the mountains and the jungle, ever since. The Vakeros are native soldiers of Dessi who have been taught the art of battle-magic by the Elder Magi to help them defend the northern border against invasion by the war-like Vassagonians.
When you tell Lord Paido of your own past battles with the desert warriors, you sense a sadness within him. 'How I wish my brother Kasin were here with us now,' he says, staring thoughtfully towards the distant horizon. 'He could tell many a brave tale of the great desert wars.' You ask what has become of his brother. There is a long pause before he replies solemnly: 'Kazan-Oud.'
The land of Dessi is now spread out beneath you like a gigantic map. To the northwest you can see the foothills of the Carcos Range and a faint ribbon-like glimmer that is the River Doi; to the east, a bank of grey storm clouds advances unchecked across a sea of jungle vegetation. Shortly before noon you sight your destination. The low-domed buildings of Herdos appear on the horizon, followed by the waters of Lake Khor and a blackened finger of rock upon which sits Kazan-Oud. Even at this great distance, the awesome sight of the terrible fortress sends a chill along your spine.
Lord Paido orders his crew to prepare for landing, and within the hour, the great sky-ship is casting its shadow upon the flagstones of the Plaza of Herdos. You are welcomed by Lord Ardan, Elder of Herdos, and a detachment of his Vakeros guards. They escort you through the streets of the ancient town, past the tiny stone-walled dwellings of fishermen and miners, to a quay where a glass-domed tower several storeys high commands access to the busy harbour. As you enter the tower, you notice that the glass dome radiates a greenish light that, in spite of the blinding glare of the midday sun, can be seen quite clearly.
Later, as the sun sinks slowly behind the peaks of the mountains, the light emanating from the tower becomes more visible, covering Lake Khor with an umbrella of ghostly luminescence. Lord Ardan explains: 'This tower, together with five others that encircle the lake, generates a shield of magical energy that imprisons the evil of Kazan-Oud. No creature, living or dead, can enter or leave the Isle of Khor so long as our shield remains intact. We dare not lower our guard, and, to allow you to land on the island, we have devised a means by which you may pass through the shield unharmed.' He takes a gem the size of a small apple from the pocket of his silken robe and places it in your hand. It is a dull translucent red, but within its core a swirling mist of glittering sparks flickers with gold and silver fire.
'It is a Power-key. Guard it well, for so long as you possess it you may fulfil your quest; lose it and you will never escape from the Isle of Khor.' (Mark the Power-key on your Action Chart as a Special Item, which you carry in the pocket of your tunic.) 'At midnight, my Vakeros will take you by boat to the edge of the shield. On board is a small coracle in which you can pass through the shield and make your way to the Isle of Khor. We shall pray for you, Lone Wolf.'
Midnight finds you standing on the deck of a square-rigged fishing boat. The sighing night wind and the creak of rope and timber are the only sounds that accompany you across the black waters of Lake Khor. You arrive at a wall of shimmering, green light: the power-shield. The Vakeros whisper their goodbyes, and you paddle through the wall, drawing closer with every stroke to the sinister island fortress.
Two hundred yards from the glistening black shoreline, you note two places where you can make a landing.
If you wish to land at a stone jetty to the west of Kazan-Oud, turn to 135.
If you wish to land at a sheltered bay to the east of Kazan-Oud, turn to 288.
I'm going to go curing, and any weapon skill of your choice, and for items, get the deku nuts, meals, and the quiver.
I'm fascinated with the design of this, after reading so many poor choose-your-own-adventure books as a kid. Non-spoiler rambling follows:
I'm a programmer who is still levelling up (working on an MS in CS) and I really want to make some sort of decision tree analysis thing for this game. At each decision point we have a number of ways we can go, some explicitly stated by the text and some implied by the descriptions of the items we have. If you assume each choice or event would be picked randomly, what would be our odds of character death in the next 1 turn, 5 turns, 50 turns, and all turns to the end of the book series?
I think what makes this so much fun is the designer (who is also a good author) created some excellent risk-reward decisions for the player to make. Not just the shallow kind of risk/reward decision (where you make a choice and randomly get rewarded or randomly get punished) but a richer kind where you know you're taking a risk, and the benefit from the risk may not pay off at all, or it may pay off in an unexpected way down the road.
I'd be interested in seeing what those risk/reward decisions look like numerically. Maybe taking this particular branch greatly increases our chance of killing our character in the next 5 turns, but the overall chance of success (50 turns, or end of book series) is greater?
Plus I'd love to see analytically how many truly cheap traps there are in the game. (You know -- make this decision and you face tons of risk with no chance of reward, just a slim chance of survival. Like the death cellar.)
I'm definitely investigating this in greater detail when I get home. Maybe there's a way to grab all of the book text, ideally in a formatted form. I'd pull out and standardize/sort all of the decision text, to see which things influence decisions. I'd then need to figure out which parts of the text affect those things that influence decisions.
If I wasn't sure the author would laugh at me, because I'm sure the author has been approached by actual game companies before . . . I'd love to write some kind of XNA game version of this book series. I'd say I'm not looking for any deals, only money if and only if this pays for himself. I'd give him the source code, let him get his own Creators Club account and publish it, get all the money himself, and then maybe pay me a tiny bit if he thought I had earned it. Naah, probably a stupid idea.
Edit: day late and dollar short. Drat. Un-yellowing.
Edit 2: so much for "guaranteed not to get any characters killed." sheltered bay -- both guns blazing.
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I'm fairly sure you're screwed either way, so hey, why not.