Part 33: The Majesty of Elvandar, Part 2
Update 33: The Majesty of Elvandar, Part 2BaK posted:
Owyn stood before the Rusalki.
"Have you returned with the Eliaem's heart?" asked the creature.
[YES]
Owyn nodded his head. He retrieved the heart and made his way, apprehensively, to the Rusalki. Hands trembling slightly he placed the object in front of the creature, then quickly stepped away.
"You have done what was asked, and now shall you be rewarded," it said, producing a dozen packages of rations. "Also, there is something which was left on the shores of this river ages ago which will be of assistance to you on the road ahead. Please take it in thanks from all of my kin."
Is the shell valuable?
In ways you may never fully imagine, but its uses are many. While it bears little on that which you seek, you may yet find another thing you desire. What of Elvandar? Which is the best route there? By two roads may you reach the Queen of the Eledhel. If you wander the main roads there are many hazards, but your enemies shall face you. Wander the path less travelled and you may find you face a less substantial opponent. In this, Prince Calin may be of some assistance. Fare well..."So yeah, she just vomits out a pile of sandwiches and a shell at us. The thing is that it's 12 full stacks of rations and the shell, and as usual, if you receive too many items from an NPC they drop into a bag on the ground you can pick up. But if the game tries to cram too many items into a bag at once, the bag can corrupt. I think the bag has 10 slots, so just three free inventory slots would technically save you, but why take the chance?
BaK posted:
There was something different about the shell. Perhaps it was in the color or texture, but he was sure he had never seen another quite like it in all the trading meets he had ever attended. The oddest thing about it was a pattern of ten bumps on the inner lip of the shell.
Now, if you cast your memory waaaaay back, to when we read the Abbot's Journal, it ends with this.
BaK posted:
He also did tell me other things strange and wondrous of the legend, saying a spell had been bound into a shell that would repair the blade which had long been broke away, describing this shell as one marked with an uneven surface of ten misformed lumps ...."
Congrats, we just found the first half of remaking the Guarda Revanche, the most ass-beatingest, busted sword in the game. Still missing the other half, though. I take this chance to sort some of the less useful items out of the party's inventory and stock up on rations, since they're just going to be vital for the next parts since the supply of them will be somewhat limited from here on out unless I feel like making a long trek back to a store.
For now, though, I follow the South Trail over and across the bridge and then, and this is important, and then I do not, under any circumstances, go west of the bridge after passing over to its northern side. Once again, that's going to get explained, but for now we've got a Green Heart to loot.
What we want to reach is the North Trail, in particular where the North Trail curves up to actually heading north.
Along the way I get ambushed by a Witch Hag and her three wyverns, which almost ends poorly.
She wings Gorath with a Fetters of Rime while two of the Wyverns are still alive, at which point the wyverns eat Gorath and start dogpiling Owyn. The only response to a dogpile, is a dogsummon, which saves the day.
Amazingly enough, after hitting one of the wyverns with a powder bag, it turns out that two angry dogs are, in fact, a match for a small dragon. This sadly takes a chunk out of the party's Restoratives budget to get Gorath back on his feet, almost a full stack.
Someone also left a magic trap lying around under some dead leaves and branches.
It's mostly easy to see what to do, the main thing is doing it in the right order to avoid painting yourself into a corner and having to eat some shots to get past. Just always remember that blasters can't shoot past active lightning rods and you'll be good for this one.
What we're interested in here is this well hidden just off the path. It's bugged! Like really, super, incredibly bugged. Like gamebreakingly bugged.
BaK posted:
The well seemed ordinary upon first glance.
While Owyn leaned over the edge and looked into rock lined mouth, Gorath walked around to the back. Pulling away some vines that had ensnared the well he caught sight of a metal plate, handsomely engraved with elven markings.
"What did you find?" asked Owyn, joining Gorath at the back of the well.
"The elves call this well 'Dragontail.' When the magical water in the well is mixed with -" Gorath paused trying to make out the words, " - Fadamor's Formula, it becomes capable of increasing the strength of all who drink of it."
"We have some. Maybe we should test this magic well," said Owyn.
[YES]
Owyn took the vial of Fadamor's Formula and slowly emptied its contents into the well. "Nothing seems to be happening," he said. "Perhaps this was another moredhel trick."
"Perhaps. But not all the magic in this world must be accompanied by twinkling lights and swirling fire." Gorath dipped a cup into the well and raised it to his lips. Glancing at Owyn, whose eyes appeared to be twice their normal size, he tipped back his head and let the cool liquid rush into his mouth and slide down his throat.
A wave of heat rushed through his body, then a wave of cold. He closed his eyes as tiny invisible fingers grabbed at his chest, then radiating outward spread to his arms and legs, then his hands and feet.
As quickly as they came, the sensations vanished.
"Are you okay? Did it work?" asked Owyn with great concern.
Without a reply Gorath scooped more water out of the well, handing it to him. Soon, they were on their way, both feeling better and stronger than ever.
So the way this is bugged depends on what version you're on. What it's meant to do is take one charge of Fadamor's Formula(yellow +strength booster) out of your backpack and increase Strength for Owyn and Gorath by 3 points. But in patch 1.01 it instead clears out your entire inventory of them(so the solution is to leave all but one charge in a bag on the ground), and in patch 1.01 it checks whether you have any Fadamor's Formula... but then doesn't remove any, allowing you to boost strength to gamebreaking amounts with just a single vial and sufficient patience. I give both of them a few drinks and then move on.
There are also a number of treehouses in the area to check...
BaK posted:
Owyn was about to knock on the door when he heard loud voices coming from inside the small house. He listened but couldn't make out what was being said. He was about to knock again when the door swung open and three very loud and seemingly very drunk dwarves came charging out...
"...all that sand on the banks of the Endless Sea? That's what's left of all the Brak Noors I've killed. That's right! Don't you--" The bragging dwarf stopped when he saw Owyn and Gorath, then turned to face his friends, a look of surprise and concern clearly displayed on his bearded face.
"What are you doin' here?" he demanded, eyes shifting to something behind Gorath.
"We...uh...we're headed to Elvandar," Owyn said.
"Best you be goin' then. It's quite aways north a here." He gestured to his friends, but rather than leaving they went back inside the house.
Owyn felt eyes on his back as they turned to leave. "I wonder where they were going? They obviously didn't want us to follow them."
...
They climbed the rope and found themselves nearly thirty feet up, standing in front of a small tree house.
Before he could knock, an angry female voice yelled, "I have a sword, moredhel, and I'm not afraid to use it! Get out of here!"
Owyn called back, "We mean you no harm. We have a very important message for Warleader Tomas. Can you help us find him?"
The door cracked open and Owyn could see an eye and along pointed ear, framed on on eside with curls of black hair.
"Tomas is fighting the Wyverns that attack our borders. When he returns home you will find him north and west of here."
Owyn thanked her for her help and turned to grab the rope.
"If your intentions are not honorable, you will not make it to Tomas."
...
They climbed to the top of the tree and knocked on the door of the small tree house.
The door opened slowly exposing a dark skinned elf with wrinkled skin. He looked at them with only mild concern, and after a moment allowed them into his house.
"My name is Falan," he said, introducing himself. Then he turned to Gorath and said, "I have seen many returnings in my years, but none such as yours."
Gorath nodded slowly, but didn't speak.
Falan told them of the Wyverns attacking Elvandar from the north, and of the elves who were desperately trying to defend their borders from a moredhel invasion.
As they left, Falan pointed them toward Warleader Tomas. "He is due north of here. Good luck."
...
The coarse white rope swung back and forth in the gentle breeze.
"Ready?" Gorath asked Owyn, who obviously was NOT looking forward to the work it was going to require to climb to the top of the tree.
"Yeah, sure. Let's go. Follow me."
Painfully, he pulled himself to the top of the tree and, still panting, turned to watch Gorath's almost effortless ascent.
The small elven house midway up the tree was abandoned. Searching inside they discovered several empty boxes, each intricately carved; a hammock style bed; and a pile of dead leaves that had obviously blown in through the missing back window.
They were about to leave when Gorath spotted something in the trees above them. He climbed up to take a closer look as Owyn carefully scooted out further on the branch he was on. Pulling back a handful of scorched leaves revealed the badly burned body of a young male elf.
"I'd say this one fought a losing battle with a Wyvern," Gorath said grimly.
They descended the tree in silence.
...
Owyn used the rope to climb to a strong branch near the top of the tree.
Gorath quickly followed, pulling himself up just as Owyn knocked on the door of the small tree house.
The shuffling sounds that had been coming from inside abruptly stopped. Owyn knocked again, holding onto a low hanging branch for support.
"Please go away," called a young elf from inside the house.
Owyn stepped closer to the door. "We aren't going to hurt you. We're friends of Tomas, and we need to find him."
The door opened slowly and a young elf emerged. In the room behind him, Owyn could see a box and several vials sitting on a small wooden table.
The young elf, though obviously intimidated by Gorath's presence, told Owyn of the moredhel and wyvern attacks on Elvandar. He went on to talk of the elven army and his mission to bring them several vials of water from a nearby well, a well purported to have a magical water that could permanently increase strength.
He seemed anxious to leave so they wished him luck as he packed up the remaining vials into the box. With barely a sound, and the box under one arm, he slipped to the ground and disappeared into the trees.
None of them have any mechanical effects, either beneficient or harmful, they're just little fluff things. Now, with that sorted out, we continne up to the end of the north trail and to the northeastern area past the river near Calin. There's an extremely important thing to collect up here.
If you stick to the river and follow it until you spot these tents, you know you're in the right area. The tents contain nothing of interest, but the trigger for the fight I'm looking for is practically right on top of them.
Now the most important step in this fight is to kill that Witch Hag. Just nuke her! Summon dogs, throw a Touch of Lims Kragma, blast her with an Evil Seek, just make sure that she does not retreat, because you need to loot her body.
She's carrying a scroll of the most busted-ass spell in the game and also the worst usable item in the game, Roric's Seal.
BaK posted:
Unable to identify the signet on the face of the ring, Owyn checked the inner surface for an inscription. Barely legible was a short epithet written for an unknown reader: I think it works, this ring of mine, but it'll sneeze, 'bout half the time.
What it does is cast the currently-inaccessible spell Mind Melt up to ten times before running out of charges. Possibly. Every use has a 20% chance of actually working as intended at full damage, then a 30% chance of failing and a 50% chance of backfiring and hitting the user for half damage. It goes in the bin.
The spell, meanwhile, is Firestorm. When cast, it targets every enemy that the caster has line of sight to and blasts them with a Fetters of Rime-looking projectile for 4x damage, and since it can have up to 30 health points invested in it, that's 120 damage to all enemies in the battlefield. More or less a guaranteed battlefield wipe unless some enemies are in the way of others or they're very-high-health enemies like giants or upper-end Pantathians.
After this absolute bounty, there are then a further three chests hidden past the camp.
SADDLE
STARS
RAIN
These chests are worth checking out for even a well-stocked party. In addition to useless Wyvern Eggs, there are some valuables(gems) in case you're short on gold and rations, some weapon boosters, a full stack of powder bags for Owyn and the second place in the game to find River Song if you missed it back in the Dimwood.
Now we've almost tapped out the Green Heart, time to head allllll the way back to the bridge leading down to the South Trail but not cross it.
If you stick to the river and move all the way west, then cling to the cliffs as you move north, you'll be fine. But just a short distance north of the river and east of the cliff/west of the road there's a large "Sleeping Glade" that Calin warned us about, which eats 1 ration per character per step as it forces them to rest for a full day. Getting in too deep without the rations to get out can easily lead to the party starving to death. Of course, if you're flush with money, you can also skirt the edges to rest super-rapidly over and over, then back to the store, then back to the sleeping glades, etc. as stamina/health increases(very slowly) based on time rested.
At the far northern end is the entrance to the Valheru Ruins which Calin told us about. Attempting to enter it without his permission eats 2 points of strength permanently off both Gorath and Owyn every time it's attempted. Entering with his permission grants +6 strength to both instead.
BaK posted:
Owyn used the key.
Opening up the splintered door on rusted hinges, they peered into the darkened shaft that lead into the ancient ruins. Turning to Gorath, Owyn shrugged his shoulders. "So, shall we go in?"
[YES]
The door was open.
They entered the cavern and Owyn noticed how cool the air felt upon his face. Wishing his clothes were heavier or his skin thicker, he rubbed his elbows as they descended in to the ruin.
The ruins are a short route featuring four battles with two shades, none of them are a threat but they do give me a chance to show off Firestorm.
BaK posted:
Latham McCann Loved the mines. Never wanted to leave.
I really feel like this should've maybe been back in the Mac Mordain Cadal. There are 50 gold sovereigns under here but... lemme spoil you. Owyn and Gorath won't see another store for the rest of the game. You can ignore all valuables and gold unless you intend to head back to the Caldara shop.
So for instance this chest is a cruel joke. You need enough Lockpicking that Gorath will have to carry at least one, probably two, Amulets of the Upright Man to un-trap it. It contains 1600 gold, a patently ridiculous amount, and the trap does 175 damage which WILL kill the party, no ifs or buts.
Near the end is a long corridor with two side chambers containing code chests.
LIFE
EQUALS
The items of interest in here are another Roric's Seal ring, another Mad God's Rage scroll, a full-quality Elven Crossbow and stacks of elven and enchanted arrows. Despite that, the third chest is the real score.
GLAMREDHEL
It contains the hilt of the Guarda Revanche! Time to smash it together with the shell and see what happens.
BaK posted:
Set with brilliant stones of lapis and sapphire, the hilt was beautifully jeweled, but the sword blade had been long broken away. Still, as Gorath held it in his hand, he sensed it had the potential to be a deadly weapon.
...
A searing flash of heat vaporized the shell as Gorath touched it to the hilt of the glamredhel sword, elongating itself into a swirling length of blue flame. Around it, a shell of silver and steel congealed, forming first a blade and then a scabbard of unparalleled workmanship.
...
Cautious at first and then with eagerness, Gorath wrapped his fingers around the hilt of the glamredhel sword and drew it hissing from its scabbard of flawless silver. On the blade, runes glimmered in lines of sundered flame, their meaning indecipherable to most but clear to any who held the blade: AVENGE.
Alright, that was worth the time spent tracking the damn thing down.
Bad. Ass.The Guarda is just fucking busted, it has roughly DOUBLE the damage bonuses compared to the Sword of Lims-Kragma in both modes, combined with vastly better accuracy bonuses AND it's got an elven racial bonus, too. The guide also claims that it retains any enhancements(Naphtha, Alfathain's Icer, Clerical Oilcloths, etc.) permanently, but as far as I can tell after testing it on the next pair of shades, that isn't true.
It does, however, absolutely slap, and vaporizes Shades with a single hit. Like, for context, no enemy in the game has health above 260, and the average is closer to 60 in the early game, 80 in the midgame and 100 in the endgame. The Guarda has a base damage with Gorath's current stats of about 160. Anything Owyn can't clear with a Firestorm, Gorath can annihilate with a sharp edge.
In any case, all that now stands between us and the back door to Elvandar is about ten steps. We could also just have walked up to the front door outside, but then we would have missed out on this excellent murderstick.
BaK posted:
A long corridor stretched before them.
"This must be the passage to Elvandar," noted Gorath. "If we go this way, it may take us a few hours to get to the end. Are we up to the climb right now?"
[YES]
Hours passed.
Just as Owyn was beginning to wonder if they would ever see the light of day again, the walls of the stairwell widened and were illuminated by dim shafts of light piercing the darkness through an oaken door. Pushing it open, Owyn gasped at the marvel of the leafy canopy which spread above them.
Gorath faltered.
A hand clasped to his gullet, he grimaced as Owyn looked to him for reassurance, forcing as much of a smile as he could for the boy's benefit. Imitating a gesture of fondness he had often seen, he reached out and tossled the squire's golden hair.
"We have come to the moment," Gorath said. "Elvandar lies just ahead. Perhaps the Eledhel may put this matter of Macros to rest."
Owyn nodded, peering into the heights hoping to catch a glimpse of the fair folk on their elaborate balconies among the leaves. "I am almost afraid to go on," Owyn said. "What if what we are looking for isn't here? What if the elves think were invaders and try to kill us?"
"We will not be...harmed," Gorath said, gasping as the magic of the elven forest attempted to turn him aside. "If you think it is time to enter the city, then I follow. It is your decision, Owyn."
...
Owyn gaped.
Awash in light Elvandar glistened, its circuitous faerie walkways decked in glowing lanterns of brushed gold and crystal. Above, a canopy of silver white leaves arched over the whole of the tree-top city, masking from view whether sun or moon reigned in the skies beyond.
"Gorath, isn't this the most perfect place you've ever seen ?" Owyn exclaimed. "I've never dreamt of anything like this!"
"Squire, if you can hold your tongue for a moment," Gorath said, "it might behoove you to bow to their Queen."
Flushed with embarrassment Owyn turned heel, shriveling as he noticed the cloaked figures who waited patiently upon their thrones. Quickly he folded in obeisance, hoping sincerely that human manners would be appropriate in the elven court.
"We have come from Krondor with news about Pug of Stardock," Owyn said. "We were in hopes."
"Silence, child." Queen Aglaranna spoke gently, her pale blue eyes glowing in the shadows. "Though we would hear of our dear friend, Pug, we first must attend to the unraveling of eons." Inclining her head towards Gorath, her voice and composure took on a grave edge. "You have come before us as a moredhel, but never may you leave Elvandar as such. Are you willing to return to us, your ancient kin, cousin?"
Rage flashed in his eyes. Trembling with emotion Gorath advanced on the Queen, his hand darting to the hilt of his sword.
"No, Gorath!" Owyn gasped, knowing his voice was too small to stay his friend's wrath. "You can't!"
"I was Gorath of the Clan Ardanien," he spat, his voice thick with an ageless contempt. Color drained from his face as he gripped ever more tightly the sword at his side. "I am Gorath and I formally return to the Eledhel and swear fealty to Aglaranna, Queen of Elves and to Tomas, Prince Consort and Warleader." Falling to one knee, he knelt low before Aglaranna's feet. "I am yours to command, lady."
His heart hammering an unsteady tattoo in his chest, Owyn stared in frank appraisal of the elves before him. Except for a glazed expression lingering on Prince Consort Tomas' face, he saw no evidence that any of them had witnessed anything unusual.
"Rise. From this day forward, you are no longer moredhel, Gorath," Aglaranna said. "You are a member of the family of Elvandar and of the Eledhel. When your quest is done, you will return here to be one with us. That is our desire."
"What is this news of...Pug?" As if wakening from a dream, the elven Warleader spoke the magician's name with great concern, his dark eyebrows rising in interest as Owyn began to elaborate the details. At times he would request that certain details be repeated, but always his glassy eyes became sharply focused when Owyn spoke the names of Pug and members of Arutha's court.
"By the moons that means trouble," Tomas coughed as the boy finished his tale. "The Book of Macros is not a book but instead a gift that Pug gave to me long ago. I was to use it to come to him if ever he left that message for me. I must go."
"You cannot, love. Even now I can sense the effects of the painkilling herbs beginning to wear off," Aglaranna said, laying a pale hand on Tomas' shoulder. As if broaching a delicate subject, she continued quietly. "Three days ago the Warleader was struck with a poisoned blade. Only last evening did his fever abate but he demanded to be brought here when he heard that a moredhel was returning. He hasn't the strength for the trip. You must go in his stead."
"Don't try my patience, Aglaranna. Pug needs my help and I shall go!" Struggling to gain his feet, he blanched with the effort, standing straight only by groping the back of his throne.
"How many of our kin carried you here, my Warlord?" the Queen asked, her voice laced with concern. "Was it five or six? You are no longer possessed by the soul of Ashen-Shugar and you are not gifted with immortality! None doubt your strength or loyalty, Tomas, but you owe it to Pug to send able help."
"As always my love, you are wise," Tomas whispered, his strength beginning to fail him. Reaching beneath the seat of his throne, he brought forth a leather tome covered with dust.
And yes, that lame-ass TV static effect is how Owyn and Gorath get teleported off to chase down Pug and haul him home to save the day. Because the writers had a basic understanding of cliffhangers, however, we immediately jump away from the scene to...
BaK posted:
Bells tolled in the towers of Northwarden.
Jubilant guards shouted from the walls, slapped backs, exchanged war stories only days old. Already a bard was milling through the crowd, gathering names and places, scribbling them down as fast as he could. Tonight they would gather, and they would drink, and they would pay old Tamney the Minstrel each time he sang their names.
Listening to the general hubbub drifting in through an opened shutter, Seigneur James allowed himself a grim smile as he dropped down to where Arutha and Locklear conferred over a battle map.
"By day's end, I warrant that Delekhan will have died on the sword point of every man here," James said. "It's a shame he wasn't really leading that raid."
"Indeed," Arutha agreed, his eyes shrouded as he brooded about something. "I would like to ask him a few questions."
"I leave for Highcastle at noon. Even though the moredhel have turned from here, I am certain that the first of them will be upon our troops there by sunup tomorrow. Fortunately, my army will be there to greet them. Still, I wish I knew what they were up to."
Arutha glanced up, startled, as a page boy skidded into the chamber.
"Your p-p-ardon my lord!" the boy stuttered. "They have captured the moredhel raiding leader!"
Without pause, Arutha's eyes hardened. "Prepare him for questioning."
My death will be unimportant...
If you think we shall torture you unto death, I would advise that you ponder my mood. Anxious though I am to have answer, I will keep you screaming this side of death a month or a year or until I feel well satisfied that we have heard all that you have to say! A day, a month, you've already lost! Nail my entrails to your door post, feed...my brain to your dogs, it will not matter! Even if you act now, you will be too late!
You do...not...listen! We know...the secret of Se-thanon! We shall free him! What secret? Why to Sethanon? Ten years ago we attacked...with Murmandamus...you captured, imprisoned him... Deluded fool, we killed Murmandamus at Sethanon and burned his bones for potash! There is nothing there for Delekhan to find! A lie...we have spied...What else could...you guard so closely? How does he think he will win past our garrison at Highcastle! He hasn't enough men! Answer me! Riiift-machine!...The Six have a machine...It can take them place to place...like a door between great distances...Even while your troops die at Sethanon...we will walk through the machine! We shall be through the Dimwood and inside Sethanon a week before you can reach us! Your troops will be exhausted! The day will be ours! A rift-machine inside the Dimwood! That bastard Tsurani magician has been consorting with Delekhan! Torturer, tell Seigneurs James and Locklear to ride to the Dimwood. They must find and destroy that rift-machine while I hie to Highcastle and divert our forces once more! Time is of the essence!
Well, didn't think I'd be back in the Dimwood that quickly.
I wasn't hoping to be back in the Dimwood ever.
What, you boys aren't eager to have a picnic with Delekhan's moss troopers? C'mon, let's find the nearest Moredhel and roast his feet over a fire so we can find out what's going on here.Next chapter: Locky, Jimmy and Patrus save the day. This time probably without defrauding the Kingdom of thousands of gold coins' worth of diamonds.