Part 22: Gratitude and Grief

Chapter 19 - Gratitude and Grief


Music: "Magic Touch"
(Click here to download) (thanks to Grawl)



Outside the Chieftain's house, the imp hero was finishing up his story.




And then me saw gigantic spider! … As large as Chieftain house! Hair as long as you or me… with murderous mouth. Ready to eat everything living! Yes, me defeated spider!
Your wife needs you, hero!
Uh-oh. If my wife needs me I'd better be getting back home then. Bye everyone!

The imp ran off, to the general merriment of the crowd.

Our hero…
See how he runs!
Hee hee hee!

The imp hero's wife was pleased to see Mort and D.K.

You brought back husband. Now he can help clean up 'ouse again! Thanks, 'uman!

Now I remember where I've heard the name Tatourix before…

Mort went to see the imp who had been threatened by the Shaman's guards, and handed him the key with his name on it.




*sniff* Thank you for bringing key back! Now I can open money chest again. I make sacrifices for Shaman at once, or he'll get really mad at me. Please take gold as reward. *achoo*

Near the spider ranch was the imp Mort had saved from the spider queen.




Oh, it's you… I hoped I would see you again… Thank you for saving me… other imps explained, you looked for me…
Why did the ungrateful creature run from us then?
I was in shock at first… mummy spider was angry!
Why was she angry?
Because I took eggs. Imps collect eggs to breed our riding spiders… only if imps know spiders from egg, they useable as companions… You have my thanks…
That's it?! We saved his foolish life, didn't we?
I should reward you… I have some gold pieces… but… I could tell big secret instead…
What secret is that?
Big secret… I told nobody else… what is it now? Gold or secret?
You can touch gold… what good is a secret from the head of such a worthless creature?
So far we haven't really found much use for all the gold we've gathered, now have we?
I would like to hear the secret.
Good, very good… see, I found a secret passage leading to a wondrous place…
This better not be about mushrooms, spiders, or damn floogefrogs!
Is this about mushrooms?
Funny you said… passage to this place starts in mushroom forest…
Chaos, get me out of this place!
Entrance to passage is in mushroom forest. It's hidden, so other imps won't find…
Where is it hidden?
You look for big mushrooms, growing in circle… pity you can't fly… you could see… In center is entrance…
I wonder where it leads.
Passage to a wonderful place, maybe a little narrow for big people like you… a lot of things to find… metal things, even gold…
Hmmm, if there's gold there, why hasn't he collected it already?
More than enough for everybody…
What is your name?
My name is Stignix and I collect spider's eggs.
Why don't imps like humans?
Big people always kill imps… and eat bodies… everyone knows…
Remember the "pork" you found in Samuel's dungeon?
I had almost forgotten, thank you so very much for reminding me.
What strange things have you seen happening around here?
Spiders not normally so aggressive… Shaman says, imp god angry… we not sacrificing imps to god… he not say this when old Sage here…
What do you know about the Shaman?
Shaman talks to gods… when Sage disappeared, Shaman immediately knew gods were angry… and he told Chieftain…
Where is the old Sage?
Sage old imp… very wise… went alone to forest for thinking, but never returned…

It was time to confront the killer of the imp with two lovers.




You again? *sniff, sniff* Please, leave us alone.
You put a death spell on your lover!
You… how did you find out? How?!? Me… me didn't want to do it. Really. Loved him, but wasn't alone. He loved *her* more… was tearing us apart! … Would have killed us all if me didn't kill him! But now… what good is there in me living any longer? Killed my beloved and betrayed own sister! Oh my lover, wait for me! Me is coming!

Before Mort could do anything, Parrixa retrieved a dagger from somewhere on her person and stabbed herself in the heart.




Still don't understand… Lost lover and sister? *sniff* How much pain must one imp bear?

Mort didn't have an answer and stepped out.




Why's Alchemist still alive? Please put end to his life so I can finally find rest.
It wasn't the Alchemist who caused the plague, it was the floogefrogs!
I was wrong all time? What a fool I've been… spooking around for nothing… please take amulet as reward. Now I can finally rest…




I found out who killed you. It was Parrixa.
A curse on you Parrixa! … Jealousy is cruel thing. NOW ME MAY finally rest.
Goodbye.





The permanent potion gave DK 6 points into Intelligence, taking his mana from 185 to 275, giving him an extra cast of Healing.

For retrieving the imp hero, his wife rewards you with 2 jump bottles, with 2 gold each. They aren't even useful for anything at all.

Returning Tatourix's key gives you 25000 experience and 1200 gold. You could probably get more gold for rummaging through the chest and selling stuff you don't need, but experience and the levels they bring are more valuable and useful in the long run.

You can get more gold from the secret Stignix tells you than what you'd get by just taking the gold. You can't do both, either, by getting the gold and finding the secret passage on your own, you won't get that reward.

Telling the ghosts give you a bone amulet and a bone ring respectively. Neither are magical, therefore they're junk.


Alternate Conversations

Asking Stignix about the illness
What do you know about the illness?
Illness? I not have illness… I never questioned Shaman, like imps in north of village…


Showing Azarnarixa the evidence of her sister's murdering ways



Not bother me anymore… please *sniff*
Your sister Parrixa killed your lover with a death spell.
*sniff* She?!? My own sister! Why? Why? … She must pay… she is no longer worthy of life - murderer!



Parrixa is slain by her sister.



Then Azarnarixa turns the knife on herself.


Reader Participation Requested

1) An imp treasure hunter has found a stash at the same time as us. Should we split the treasure 50-50 or kill the imp?

The next chapter will be posted on the next page.