Part 47: Summoning Level
Music - "Hope for the Damned"
Download (Thanks to Grawl)
Chapter 42 - Summoning Level
I congratulate you… you've passed the initial tests… as we expected…
You expected me to pass? Of course, Damian… the High Elder told us…. What we can expect from you… an outsider… studying as one of us…
He also believes you're Damian. This is the Level of Summoning… to reach the next level… you have to pass three tests of summoning… Let's get on with them then! Damian, before you start… visit the Priestess… she's waiting for you… in her sanctuary… Be careful… she's not in a good mood right now… the drug problem is weighing heavily on her mind… What drug problem? The addicted wander all around us… talk to the teacher… he will tell you more… What is your name? My name… I'm Elder Ankhumar… instructor in the Level of Summoning… So the High Elder spoke up for me? He thinks very highly of you… he speaks about you with respect… after you arrived in our world, he invited you to live with him… like one of his own children… When did I arrive here? Don't you remember… you appeared out of nowhere… injured, almost dying… the Priestess… she saw an evil sign… the High Elder dismissed her concerns… he treated your wounds… The High Elder has children? He has a daughter… Anlokam… and a son… Anlokam is an Elder herself… her brother Xelokar is a remarkable warrior… you must remember them Damian? Why should I go and see the Priestess? Go to her, Damian… don't think it's unnecessary… don't be a fool… nobody summons without the blessing of the Goddess… You are right. No… your arguments are ridiculous… this debate is over… What??? Sad… so sad… so many young people are refusing our Goddess… and they find new gods… evil gods… like drugs… He's not listening to what you're saying. I suspect his mind has wandered elsewhere.
Even I find this disturbing. You will go… there will be no tests… without a blessing.
Mort and D.K. consulted the map and headed for the High Priestess's room.
"About the Game" posted:
This is convenient; it marks pretty much everything so I don't have to. This level also has a circular hallway, but it's got two doors preventing me from exploring.
I haven't seen your face before… you are new to the Level of Summoning… and you haven't received the blessing of Raan, have you? What is your name? I am Rakoham… Priestess of Raan… kneel before the power of the Goddess… Why do I need a blessing? Raan's judgement is always just… talk to her statue over there… The ones who want to study… have to understand our principles… Even wisdom without the proper spiritual guidance is blasphemy… What can you tell me about the drug problem? It's a serious problem… more and more young students are praying to this drug instead of Raan… Elder Ansukar must deal with this… I pray for his enlightenment… I need Raan's blessing to take the summoning tests. Raan's blessing will protect you…
The principles of Raan are the foundation of the Academy… Only the ones who know these principles by heart have Raan's blessing to continue their studies… Blah, blah, blah… Name the principles of Raan… War, Wisdom, and Honour. I looked into your heart and I found you understood the principles of Raan… Begin your studies with the blessing of Raan… and accept my little gift to you… Oh, I feel *so* much better now… Chaos save me from this crazy Goddess!Mort and D.K. followed their map down the hall to the first test of Summoning.
Summon a creature… gain information… I know of far better methods to gather information than summoning! Summon an informer… it's a quick and elegant way… to gather information… What do I do after I've summoned them? Summon an informer… gather information about Quetzacellona… What is Quetzacellona? You've never heard?... Not very surprising… students aren't reading anymore… Quetzacellona is a mushroom. … Find the necessary items… for an appropriate informer… and gain the knowledge… and don't forget about the protection rune… Take this key… you'll need it to progress further… Go to the library… Find a book about summoning… It will explain…
Mort unlocked the door leading to the other areas of the Summoning level.
"About the Game" posted:
You can't get the key from the teacher unless you've received a blessing. See the end for what happens if you get the statue's question wrong.
The library is the other way, "Damian." I know, I thought I would look around first. If only to make sure there aren't any surprises around.Mort entered a room.
They forgot to feed the spell component specimens again… They need the whip! No, no… that's a bad way to treat your servants… even imps! They are too valuable to risk hurting…Mort looked at a dusty book on the table.
Your appearance… very strange… why do you hide your tail?... Oh, you have none… sorry… Greetings. What is your name? My name is Dothiram. I'm Donatham… daughter of Ranatham and Marbathar… I want to become a priestess… like my mother… What is your role here? I'm a student in my first year… I want to become an Elder… like all first-born in my family before me… I'm a mother of two nice little children… Nathen and Kanathen… Do you know anything about the drugs? I've tried them once… but they gave me the wind… I've never tried drugs… I don't want to know about them…
Mort entered what seemed to be a classroom.
Damian… a pleasure to see you… you're one of our best students ever… and you are not even a Raanaar. What is your name? I am Elder Ansukar. What do you do here? I teach the Theory of Summoning… you know this, Damian… weren't you in my class? What can you tell me about summoning? The art of summoning is a violent process… as are all rift openings… tearing an opening in the fabric of space… you drag a creature from their realm into yours… it's only temporarily, though… as soon as the rift is healed… the creature is sucked back… What else do you want to know about? Protection runes? Spell components? I'd like to know about protection runes, please. Protection runes are very important… they prevent the creature you've summoned from attacking and harming you… with the rune stone… the lines of the pentagram need to be redrawn… You need the correct rune for each creature… What about the summoning components? Summoning components… are necessary to call the correct creature… every creature needs different components… Are there any secrets you can tell me about summoning or the Academy? If you want more information… go to the library… read some books and you'll find all the details… which creature… for which task. What about the summoning tests? Three tests you have to pass… three tests of summoning… different students receive different tests… Talk to the instructors… I hear you have a problem with drugs here? A sad topic, Damian… young students are tempted by the temporary advantages… Priestess Rakoham is demanding… I have to solve this problem… Why do you have to? As their teacher, I'm responsible… the drug addicts think only about getting gold… for their next dosage of the drug… They don't have time to praise Raan… they don't have the gold to donate… Who is behind this, I wonder? I never used the drugs, I never needed them. Not even I know who was creating or distributing them. I wish I knew who was behind it… the students aren't telling me… Please find out who's selling the drugs, Damian… I'll reward you…"About the Game" posted:
The key for the other doorway in the circular hall is in the cupboard to the left.
We've got a new quest to solve the mystery behind the drug problem. It seems like a side-quest, but it isn't really, you need to solve it to complete the second test. The only optional part is returning to tell Ansukar you've solved it (and getting the experience and reward). But I'm not going to get too deep into that until it's actually required.
Welcome to my shop… if you are looking for some merchandise or a riddle… this is the right place. What is your name? I'm Bexhanar… at your service… I'm the local trader… I provide the students with all kinds of things… Do you know a good riddle? A riddle… I know of a riddle… interested? Yes, let's hear it! A mage locked some valuable items in a room next to the laboratory… Marfeyam did this all the time… some called her mad… but she was also quite clever… her riddles were never easy to solve… Go to the laboratory of Markunthar… solve the riddle… if you find the solution, tell me… of course you can keep whatever she has locked in there…
A room with many runes on the walls had a single Shadow creature, and a note on the desk.
We should come back later, human, after we know what protection rune we need.
What do you want? What are you called? My name? If you really must know… I'm called Xepatar. What is your job? I'm a warrior… I'm guarding this room… until it's reopened… What is behind this door? This is the door to the summoning training room… it has to stay locked… Why does it have to stay locked? A summoning experiment went wrong… a student summoned 3 demons… instead of 3 imps… he had the wrong protection rune… this shouldn't have happened with the protection crystal in place… The room is off-limits now… until somebody takes care of the demons… I suppose this must have happened during the short time after the crystal was removed from the temple, but before the demons invaded. Why doesn't he enter the room and deal with them? Of course, I would deal with them myself, but I have my orders… Do *you* want to take care of the demons? Yes, I'll deal with them. All right then… I'll let you in… but don't come crying to me if you get killed by the demons. Isn't it his job to keep people out? Wouldn't he get into trouble if he let someone in and they got killed?
"About the Game" posted:
In this room is the final summoning doll of the game. It's just as useless as the rest, but at least it's at a higher initial level, so it requires fewer skill points to level it up.
What do you want? The monsters are dead. The monsters in the summoning room are dead? … You've earned my respect… you should consider joining the forces… To stand with him and guard another door? Better leave me alone now.
Look for things to pick up again in Chapter 44. I still haven't recorded Chapter 43 yet. Sorry, things have been pretty busy, and they might get busier soon.
The Map
For some reason, the High Priestess Rakoham looks like she is a live Raanaar, not a ghost. I fixed that in post by de-saturating and lightening her.
Screwing up Raan's Blessing
Raan is the Goddess of War, Wisdom, and Honour. If you forget that…
Name the principles of Raan… War, Honour, and Domination. You misunderstand our principles… there is no honour in domination… no, you will not receive the blessing of Raan…(Note: You still get experience for this, even though it's the wrong answer!)
Damn… Normally, you would have to leave the Academy now… but for some reason, the High Elder wants us to go easy on you, because you're an outlander… I don't know what he sees in you… but I have to grant you the blessing that the Goddess refused to give… but I'm not happy about it… Go, and begin your studies, but make sure you understand our principles better in the future… Why didn't she do this at the start? It would have saved us all this superstitious stuff…Bonus Reader Participation Quiz time: (participation is optional)
1) There's a locked door here (see below). The buttons seem to have to do with it, but after a careful search I didn't find any clues, just a bunch of stuff which fell behind a movable closet. Any idea how to open it?
2) I'm looking for the rune of wisdom. Which one is it? (see below)
