Part 23: Nasty Mushrooms

Chapter 20 - Nasty Mushrooms


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





Mort and D.K. entered the large Mushroom Forest again, this time following the eastern road.




The Earth Elementals continued to be aggressive.





There was a farmhouse in the forest.

Bring her back! Please, please! Who you? Oh… not matter anymore. Wife gone… gone! Taken, stolen. Nothing matters now. Go away!
What happened to your wife?
They came at night and … they took her. I was away gathering healin' mushrooms… came back, all gone! Now here alone, no one to cook for me. I hear noises in the night… I'm so afraid. You look for wife?
Yes, I'll look for her.
You will? Good! Good! Bring back please, my heart in much pain… and my stomach empty.

The duo continued moving south through the forest, and encountered a strange sight. Two ghosts had tied an imp to an altar.




Two ghosts united in their cause, the gift of living flesh is revealed. Now the warm life-force shall flow and the power of the dead shall once again be restored.
Help! Help me!
Let the life-force from this creature leave the living body and strengthen those two ghosts united for - what's that? Someone's watching us! Attack!




When the ghosts moved to attack Mort and D.K., the imp woman broke free and ran off. She had already made it back by the time Mort and D.K. finished with the ghosts. One of them dropped some armor.




You again! You heard yet? Wife escaped! Wonderful. Huh? Talks crazy stuff 'bout ghosts and heroes, but just happy she's back now! … Talks about 'uman who suddenly appeared… I guess she saw you? I not rich, but I so happy… here, take reward!
Bye!

Thanks for saving me! Hubby will be so glad!

Mort and D.K. strolled through the forest until they spotted a chest which was more strongly guarded than usual.




I wonder what's inside.
I doubt they're guarding it. They're even less intelligent than you are, human.
Then they'll probably wander into a trap, then.






Once the elementals and the demon were dead, D.K. opened the chest.




Hmmm…
You're not actually going to put that in your mouth, are you?
Yep. … Huh… it's pretty good.
Well, if it's fatal, then we're both already dead anyway… hmmm… this is pretty tasty.



Video: Illusionary mushrooms (Video included because still shots can't show it off well.)


One part of the forest had a cluster of mushrooms fading in and out. In the center were a grave marker and an obelisk that explained the situation.

This place is giving me a headache, human. Let's get out of here.
Wait… the obelisk has a panel which opens…








What the hell happened here? Are those imps dead?
No… they're still breathing.
What a shame. Look, there's a note.




I think this might be another effect of one of the crystals the Necromancer wants.
Let me guess, you're going to go make the remedy now?




On the way back to the village, they found a dead imp next to a book and a basket of mushrooms.

I don't think the imp got good value for his gold!
Or he's just stupid.
You're learning, human.
Let's go see about getting some mushroom extract from the farmer.
He'll probably have 20 different kinds, each of which do different things.




No one's home. But at least there's only one bottle. I hope that's it.
Nevermind the extract, let's see what he's got in his cupboards.


Video: Bad Mushrooms


D.K. opened a cupboard violently, and spores drifted out, covering Mort and D.K., and getting into their noses, eys and mouths.

*cough* *cough* *cough* *cough*

When their vision cleared, they found themselves somewhere else.

Music - "Dancing with Mirth"
Download (Thanks to Grawl)





A depression filled with a bunch of Tibars who could talk. Mort and D.K. found nothing odd at all about this.

So, how's it going with the wife, huh? Hmmm… Wait! [sniff] Do you smell something?
[sniffs loudly] Yes… it smells like human! Ahh, how I long for a good piece of human flesh.
Only if fresh and well-prepared, yes. A lot of these humans tend to be quite stringy nowadays. Completely spoils the taste for me.
Oh, you're right! Let's hope we'll have better luck with this one then.
Yes… Time to prepare dinner now!

Then the creatures attacked.




After Mort and D.K. had killed all the Tibars, they felt themselves being jostled, and they woke up on the floor of the Mushroom Farmer's hut.




You there! Careful with those spores. They can make you feel *real* good sometimes, but they have some nasty effects as well if you're too voracious. Better watch out for them next time!
Yeah… thanks…_{ugh… my head…}
It can't be worse than how MY head feels, human.
Maybe the fresh air on the walk to the Spider forest will help.
We don't have to walk all the way back. One of the teleporter stones behind. Hopefully an imp will put it in his pocket and we'll kill him when we teleport back.




Mort and D.K. retrieved a sample of spider queen silk without incident.




Not bad human, you're becoming a half-decent alchemist. Of course, if it was hard, imps wouldn't be able to do it!

Mort forced a bit down the throat of one of the imps. He revived quickly.

I'm free from spell of evil mushroom! Hurray! Free others quick!

Mort repeated the process for the other five imps.

Thank you, thank you. Bad mushroom had us… big and evil. No good! You strong! Thanks! We lucky. We found some gold in forest. We want you have it! … We go now! Maybe meet again one day, big hero!
Oh good. We're heroes to the imps. Now I can die happy, which is good, because at the rate you're moving human, Samuel will catch us soon.




The mushroom forest was still a dangerous place, as a dead imp attested.




Continuing their exploration, they met an imp who running as if Samuel was on his tail. Upon seeing Mort and D.K. though, he suddenly stopped.

Hello, hello! I have something for you, I have. You interested? It's a ring, it is… very special, for you! An old ring, very nice, very nice indeed! You can have him, if you want, have him. It's totally free for you, don't have to pay anything! So, do you want this ring… do you?
Yes, I'll take it.
Good, that's good! I'm sure you'll like it and it'll fit you well, I'm sure.

The imp thrust the ring into Mort's hand and ran off as fast as he could.

Haven't you learned by now to beware of imps proffering gifts?
'Proffering'? My, you must have spent some time with a dictionary when I wasn't looking.
That's not my point, human!

Mort inspected the ring. It was old, heavy, non-magical, and there was an inscription.



Not far away, in the direction the imp came from was what looked like strange grave markers. The reason it was clear that they were grave markers biggest clue were the ghosts standing before them.




Why have you stolen our possessions, human? Why are you carrying the ring that belongs to our family?
It belongs to us, to the dead. No living creature should lay their hands on our belongings, stranger. We don't care how you got this ring. Revenge is for the living only.
We only want our ring back. It belongs to our tombs and our graves, and it will commemorate us for all eternity.
Therefore, human, put it where it belongs. Place it back in our tombs… do it now!
Not just yet. I want to ask you some questions first.
The living don't know the right choices to make, it seems. You will be joining us in death now!
What race are you from?
Our ring… give us our ring… or you will join is. And the graves are cold… so cold…
I don't think this is the right time for small-talk, human… you won't get any information from them.

It was too late. The ghosts attacked.




That didn't go quite as well as I had hoped. … I may as well return the damn thing now, it's heavy and worthless.

Mort tossed the thing into one of the buckets.





We've been everywhere in this forest, and I haven't seen any sign of that 'secret passage'.
I think I have. Have you noticed that the tall silver mushrooms only grow in certain places?
They're mushrooms, human! I don't pay attention to mushrooms!
I should have expected you'd say that. Anyway, they only grow in a rough circle shape, and the imp which told us about it mentioned to look in the center, so…




Huh… Normally you're as dumb as a post, human. But your - *extremely rare* - flashes of insight are sometimes helpful.


Music: "Despair of the Soul"
Click here to download (thanks to Grawl)





The passage below was narrow, and heavily populated with Fire Elementals.




At the end was another rope. Mort and D.K. climbed up and returned to the surface.

VIDEO: The Oracle


Welcome. I've been expecting you.
You've been expecting me?
A talking tree? Oh, that's just *perfect*! Are you going to ask it if it has any menial tasks you can do for it, human? I *know* you want to.
I'm not ordinary tree, I'm an oracle… I see all.
You really see everything?
We should get some answers now.
My insight is limited sadly, the gods are not kind, you can only ask me one question. … And you must be willing to pay the price.

Mort eyed the large number of decaying corpses around cautiously.

What's the price?
I need life-force in order to survive… so you'll have to sacrifice some of your life-force to me…
Like these dead creatures did?
These creatures were too greedy, they didn't understand. They stayed too long. … I will only take a minor amount of your life-force. Agreed?
A dangerous gambit. It might be worth it, or it could cost everything…

Mort pondered this for a moment.

I agree.
So be it. Choose your one question wisely…




You're on your own, human.

Mort carefully composed a question.

What place should my companion and I go to so we can permanently return to Rivellon?
You seek a way home, human? … Yes, I can aid you… seek out the Temple of Raan. The path to your way home is through the very depths of its catacombs.
Thank you. … Um… so when do take our lifeforce?
It is already done.
That's it? I didn't feel anything.
It is done. Go now…




Done with the Mushroom forest, and eager to leave the unsettling tree behind, Mort and D.K. returned to the imp village. The Chieftains son had some news.

Me hear of imp patrol meet Alchemist. He was injured… lost blood… Maybe you find him! I show you on map, please hurry!
He's in the Fire Forest? That makes sense, it's the one place we haven't searched yet.
Yes, very dangerous in there! Be careful, but please hurry and find Alchemist!




Mort and D.K. entered the Fire Forest.








Finally, I've found you… master will be pleased…

The strange creature attacked!





The Map






Alternate Conversations

Returning the Ring

A wise choice, human. Balance will return to our family once more.
What race are you from?
Our ring… give us our ring… or you will join is. And the graves are cold… so cold…
I don't think this is the right time for small-talk, human… you won't get any information from them.


The Oracle



You might be wondering why I didn't ask for reader input here. This is because all these choices are CRAAAAPPPP. What Mort and D.K. want most of all is a way home. If you took Stignix's gold instead of the secret, there is no rope going up to the tree, so you can't ask a question. You might think that taking anything from the Oracle costs you some HP, but that is not the case, you lose no health or stats, so there is no reason not to do it.


I would like more teaching.
Teachers can be found everywhere. On your journey, look for the Portal of Rixx… it might teach you an interesting lesson…
This is a reference to something in Act 3, but you might not understand it unless you find the book which describes what the Portal of Rixx is. Basically, if you complete a certain quest for someone in Act 3, you get a skill book that teaches you worthless skills. You can get this even without asking the Oracle about it. CRAAAAPPPP.

I would like to find some gold.
So, your soul desires gold, human? These wishes are easily fulfilled. Look inside this chest, and you will have your wish…



This materializes a chest with 3496 gold, much more than Stignix gives us. This is the offer I went with because it's the best of what's available. Also, feel free to take all the other crap lying around here to sell.

I need a powerful weapon.
A powerful weapon? Very well, you shall have it… one of the imps in the village has hidden such a weapon under his bed…
This is a unique Heavy Crossbow under the Imp Hero's bed. We already have MUCH better ranged weapons, and they have enough durability that the indestructibility of unique weapons isn't that great anymore. We might also be able to find this at the end of the act if we want, even without asking about it. CRAAAAPPPP.

I could use some better armor.
In the wilderness around the Temple of Raan you can find the grave of an unknown soldier… but beware, even his armor didn't prevent him from being killed…
I'm not sure where this is, but it's sure to be unique armor, and heavier than what Mort wears. It can also probably be found without asking the Oracle about it, and all the best stuff is randomly found anyway. CRAAAAAPPPPPPP.

Do you know any secrets?
Many secrets exist in this world… In the Temple of Raan is a crypt and inside is a secret chamber, find it and turn off all the lights. And the reward is yours.
I didn't see this option in the list, but according to my walkthrough, it should be there. But it might have been taken out by Larian for good reason - I can't find what it's talking about, and even the walkthrough doesn't ever mention this secret chamber, so it might not even exist. MEGGGGAAAA-CRAAAPPPPP.


Reader Participation Requested

1) Do you want to see a Meteorite and a teleporter puzzle as both as part of the narrative, both Behind the Scenes, or one narrative, one BtS? The teleporter puzzle just leads to a key which opens a chest which probably has little of value in it.