Part 15: The Great Escape
Chapter 8 – The Great Escape
Louis’s Mission
Meet Naberius
Dungeon: Escape Tunnel
Bonus: Alternate Conversation
Video: Louis’s Mission
(Lieutenant Louis) Welcome, Dragon Slayer! If your duties do not keep you too busy, might you consider helping me out?
(Dragon Slayer Yara) What is it you’d like to see done? I might be interested if you elaborate a bit. The matter involves some exciting, but shall we say, extracurricular activities. However, a positive outcome should bring honour to us both. Could be interesting. You have convinced me Lieutenant! Fill me in. Capital! This is the situation: a sizeable group of outlaws has been targeting merchant caravans these past few months. So far we have not been able to locate their hideout. Even so, we did manage to capture one of the louts some days ago. Neither threats nor torture can convince him to share what he knows, so we need to deal with him otherwise! I want you to help him escape! Hmmm… Is that part of the plan to disband the bandits… or is Louis working with the bandits. I’d better make sure. 
(-33 XP) If I catch those bandits, I’m sure to make Captain! All right, he’s on the up and up. Sounds like a nice challenge! It is a bit of a gamble, but I’m convinced it will work! All you have to do is go to the burnt-out chapel down the valley. There you can find a hidden switch that will open a tunnel that leads right into his cell. That’s convenient. He was put in that cell for a reason. It gives access to an old and complex escape route dug by the town’s soldiers many years back. Getting this bandit out will surely earn his trust. After the escape, hear him out and convince him you want to join the highwaymen. The rest is self-explanatory. Prison break, some undercover work. Yes – I like the sound of this. I’m in. Fantastic! Good luck, Slayer!
Into the Bandit’s DenThis quest has one solution – to provide Louis with the password and location of the bandit camp. How you obtain that information, and when you turn it in, though, is up to you. The easiest and quickest route is to go talk to the prisoner, mind-read him, then go give that information to Louis.
Unfortunately, that immediately starts the New Order attack on the camp, so you miss out on some quests and some attribute points. So we’re not doing that.
The solution Louis suggests is straightforward, go down into the tunnels and break the guy out, and after that he gives us the location and password. I’ll show that off in my Pyrania run (the evil character).
But there is another path – the one you voted for – to mind-read AND break him out. This has a slightly different outcome.
Here are the orders in the book beside Louis. It seems that the Champions of Aleroth want the food meant for Rivertown as well. We’ll get back to that interesting fact later.
(Jailer Cessnock) This is a restricted area, Slayer! I just want to visit a prisoner. Well okay, go ahead. But don’t take too long! (-33 XP) In a cell, out of a cell…. Pretty much the same down here.
(Martis) No, I’m not telling you anything! (-1050 XP) Luckily these New Order types must be blind as bats not to spot the entrance at the left of the mines. But Jagon will skin me alive with a dull blade if I tell them the password is “Beetroot”! Today’s menu: … That is all. Get lost! You know what, I don’t think he was looking at me closely. Maybe I’ll try and break him out as well.Video: Naberius
Yara took the teleporter to the Chapel area.
Hmmm… What’s that over there, by the goblin hut?
Hello, what’s in here?
It seems strangely homey in here, considering the murderous skeletons.
…I think I was wrong.
Someone DOES live here?
(Naberius) Hey! Who are you? I mean, welcome! I… forgive me, stranger, it’s not very often I get visitors. Sorry, I didn’t mean to startle you. Oh, that’s quite all right. I don’t mind the company. I’m Naberius, an er… amateur mage who specializes in the revival of those who have passed away. A necromancer, you mean. Well, well, yes, I suppose you could say it like that. But I don’t like to use the term myself. Necromancy is highly misunderstood and not just an instrument of insane sorcerers. I practice the art in such a way that it may benefit adventurers such as yourself. I mean: everyone can use an ally, no? Explain to me the link you make between necromancy and allies. What I meant is that the school of necromancy I follow is devoted to the construction of ‘creatures’, for lack of a better word. Practically, we take various limbs from various dead species and combine them to make the ultimate brother-in-arms. That procedure does still sounds like it’s tainted with the gruesomeness that is necromancy. Not necessarily, Slayer. I, for one, use limbs from creatures that died from natural causes only – and never from humans. Suuurrre. If you say so. If you change your mind, I’d be glad to help you build a creature of your own. Of course, there is – as always – a little problem. The creatures I construct: I just can’t keep them under control. They are wild and behave erratically. Four experiments went well so far, but all four ran away somewhere to the south. That’s what he calls “going well”? I have no idea what I’m doing wrong or where the disobedient critters are running to. But if you ever find out, could you let me know? Vigor MortisWe’re certainly racking up a lot of quests which take us outside of the starting area. This one is pretty damn vague – find the undead creatures and why they’re going out of control. The only clue is “south”, which could be anywhere, really. The reward for this quest is so good that it’s given to characters who start a new Level 35 expansion-only character.
So what first started your interest in the field of the dead and their revival? Nothing horrible, I assure you! It was my interest in life as a matter of fact; life over death. Only after studying the necromantic lore did it become apparent that most would use it only for the perverted customs for which it is so notorious. Still, I was convinced the creature-building could still be practiced with honour – which is why I chose to exercise only that particular discipline. Romon tells me you know a lot about Lovis. Did he? I don’t really know that much, his life is shrouded in mystery and he died so long ago. You’ll have heard about his heritage and prowess on the battlefield no doubt: the common knowledge. I do know a bit more than that. For example: even though he was supposed to serve his master, Maxos the Dragon Mage, he only showed subservience to Ouroboros, the Dragon god. And what I think no one remembers is that it was the Demon Ba’al who pillaged this valley, which led to his ultimate downfall. You’d think that a Demon attacking would stick in people’s minds. Who is this Maxos you mentioned? He was possibly the mightiest mage who ever lived and was favoured by the Ancient Ones, the Dragons. Some Dragon Knights directly served him because of his unrivalled powers. Lovis was supposed to be one of them. There is a temple in the valley dedicated solely to Maxos. His followers lived there, as did the aspirant Dragon Knights. He disappeared one day, hundreds of years ago, and no one has heard from him since. The temple was also found locked and now lies mostly forgotten. The Dragon was spotted at the tower of Lovis, and also at the temple of Maxos. … Why? What does she want with those ancient ruins? (-120 XP) Drogf… Dragfir… Ddraigfyre, that’s it! … It’s only storage. Why did I have to choose such a difficult password? Let us work on a creature. I’ll show you how I work, but I won’t release this specimen. It would just run away again.
Game Mechanics: Creature
Naberius is the game’s first Necromancer. The Necromancer can construct a creature from various body parts you bring him (head, torso, arms, legs). The creature supports you in combat, levels with you (gaining massive amounts of health), and is generally a helpful distraction, although not a great damage dealer.
The head determines the type of creature, and the skills it can use. A Ghoulish head gains the fighter skills Rush Attack and Fatality, a Goblin head gains Fireball, a Dragon Elf Head gains Magic Blast and Magic Missile.
This is one of the first things I want to get once we reach the second part of Broken Valley, which is coming up quickly.
Dungeon Video: Escape Tunnel
Yara headed to the chapel.
The Altar is covered in strange runes, but not much of it is still legible. … After careful examination, you find a hidden lever. … Down you go.Music: Sleepless Nights
This tunnel is pretty elaborate, actually, and it’s the longest dungeon in Broken Valley north. It’s also one of the most rewarding. This first part is filled with skeletons – higher level than normal, because this quest is meant for a level 5 or so character.
A fork in the path, two doors. The right-hand one leads to a small room with a single chest.
It’s trapped. Opening it locks the door and spawns two Skeletal mages.
Inexplicably glowing giant mushrooms? Check. This next section is full of goblins, level 5 guys, not the small ones from earlier. There are also some Red Ore veins.There are two ways to go. The right-hand way leads to a locked door, the left to the jail area.
Upon approaching the area under the barracks, Yara heard the sound of voices.
(Hilts) There you are, Martis! A free man once again! (Martis) I can’t thank you enough, the both of you! Don’t thank me, thank Scofield here. He’s the escape artist!
(Scofield) That’s enough patting each other’s back, you two. Let’s be off before Cessnock smells trouble! Yeah, like he’ll smell anything besides his breeches! Hahaha! Come on, Jagon is waiting!
Wait! Who’s that? Is this the polka class? Jokes like that will get you killed. What are you doing here? Just some plain ordinary sightseeing. Is that so? But the important thing is, what are you planning to do about what you witnessed? Boys – whether you are here to free this guy, kill him, or take him out for an enchanted evening of dinner and dancing; I care not. Haha! I like this character! Tell you what: you stop by the camp sometime. I’m sure you’ll find it a lucrative place!
They ran off.
If you have Martis with you, there’s an unexplained rockslide which blocks the way back to the first part of the cave – losing any items you didn’t take forever (you can’t re-enter from the chapel side). Martis unlocks this door so we can actually get out. Without him, there is no rockslide and I can open this myself.I also picked up a rope from a nearby table, which will be useful later.
Just through that door is another branch. The right-hand path looks like a dead-end.
It isn’t. This is a little secret nook with some Black Rock ore, an a chest with random loot and one non-random item which is really awesome.
Another free skill book. Free skills get less common farther on.
The goblins in the next part are actually tougher. I nearly died to a level 6 Goblin Chief. This Dragon skeleton in the rock is just for atmosphere. I don’t think it means anything.
We pop out of the cave on the ridge by Jackson’s farm. There was no point in entering from the other side, there was a locked door right at the start which could only be opened from the other side 
Louis’s Mission
Meet Naberius
Dungeon: Escape Tunnel
Bonus: Alternate Conversation
Sleepless Nights
Here’s the map of the dungeon.
Bonus Video: Jailbreak Fight
(Scofield) Wait! Who’s that? I’m a Dragon Slayer, if you must know. (Martis) A Dragon Slayer! What are you doing here? I discover a dungeon; I clear it. Is that so? But the important thing is, what are you planning to do about what you witnessed? Easy: after I have killed the three of you, I’m off to your camp to kill the rest. You arrogant twit! I hope the goblins have some use for your flesh!The fight is pretty tricky, they’re higher level than I am. I accidentally hit “Fear” when I meant to hit “Ghost”, but it worked out pretty well anyway, although I had to chase them down.
EDIT: Okay I have some good news: The next update came up slightly short, so I decided to go ahead and start the main plot up next chapter!
READER PARTICIPATION
Is there anything you’d like me to change about the way I’m doing this LP (other than “update faster”)?
Should I show more screenshots of combat or keep that almost entirely in the videos?