Part 66: A Cool Drink

Update 60 – A Nice Drink



“So, who wants to go next?”

“Actually, I think there is something that interests you.”

“Really?”

“Yes. Do you recall those strange monks to the south? Perhaps you would like to investigate them some more?”

“Wasn't there someone by the name of Foxfire around Lorelei we were supposed to talk to about that?”

“I don't remember that name.”

Neither do I, but I'm following the walkthrough for this, and that's where this quest actually starts.

“Eh, sure, why not. South we go!”



“This is new...”



And just in sight of the road, but hidden.




“Someone didn't get the message that we've already dealt with the Giants and Golems.”

“But the Keep of Tinraya is in the last province – and Blackcrag is far to the north. Who was that and why do they know these things?”

“What if it was the shade of one of our spies, the missing four?”

“Ugh... too likely.”

* * *
Forfire travels between three towns around Lorelei, starting with Bengaro, moving to Paulsbo then to Malloc. If these towns get wiped out, she moves to Dorngas – which I haven't been to yet. I really should take care of that.



So, unlike finding the last person, I find her right off the bat in the first town I visit – Bengaro

You see a bard, a wandering entertainer. However, her act is truly unlike anything you've ever seen. She is creating colored, wraithlike magical lights, and making them dance before you. The lights pirouette before her. “My name is lost. I am called Foxfire.”

“Hello Lost! I'm Sass!”



“I am not lost in that manner, for not all who wander are lost. Rather, I make beauty.”

“What is your beauty?”

She makes the colored lights fly and dance in a wondrous, intricate pattern. It's truly hypnotizing. At last, alas, the show ends for the moment. She says “My faith inspires me to bring people joy. Alas, to bring people more joy requires food for me. May I have a coin?”

“Sister in Joy! Have many coins!”

“Perhaps we can throw more coins your way. We were told you would accept payment for information or resources regarding the oddly acting monks to the south.”



“Odd is our normal.”

“Truer words were never spoken.”

I make another stop in Lorelei, but the next trigger in Hawke's Manse hasn't happened yet.

* * *



“Hey, there's a Dragon here, right?”




“Hi there!”



“Sure, we'll help!”

“I get the feeling, we're better prepared for this than the last time we were here.”





“Joy.”

And the Drake Lord on MY SIDE spends the whole fight hiding behind the rocks you see to the lower-left. His AI wouldn't let him move to the right or left to get a good line-of-sight on the enemy. Leaving me to handle all the heavy lifting myself. Abuses of Anti-Magic, Group Slow and Major Blessing ensued.



“DONE!”



We get some Steel Plate for our efforts. Which we don't need at this point because only Bronwyn wears that heavy of armor and she already has something better.



“THERE IS NO WAY IN THERE!”

The next stop is Storm Port to cross over to the islands with the Monks. So naturally, I stop by the Random Shop there to check what they have. And they have ...



That's what, my fifth Magic Breastplate that I've found in these shops? Yeah, this is getting ridiculous.



“You know, the last time we were here, the people ferrying us around may have alerted the Monks we were coming. But look at the map we made ...”



“They are close enough that we can fly across with the Orb! My Precious! Away!”





“They will never expect this!”

“For once, I agree.”

“You know, this makes me wonder – why is there only one Orb?”

“Perhaps because it took a brilliant genius to create the first one, and he was too egotistical to share?”



“There it is!”





“Oh, this should be fun.”

Ladies and Gentlemen, behold, the single Greatest Dungeon in the History of Exile. It is better than everything else. Enough so that when I played around with the Blade of Exile scenario editor, I wanted to do this dungeon as a whole scenario unto itself. What is so special about it, you might ask? Well, let me show you...




“What the heck is Tai Kwan Leap?”

“Is that how you pronounce it?”



“I haven't seen this level of damage left uncleaned for a long while.”




“Heaven and Earth Association?”


“We, of the Tiger Style Kung Fu will have the honour of defeating these interlopers!”


“NO! We of the Dragon Style shall prvail!”


“Or mighty Crane Fist of Ending shall End these enemies!”



“Did anyone else notice that?”

“You mean how, when they speak, their mouths don't match up with their speech?”

“Yeah.”

“They're attacking!”

“Why are they all screaming?!?”



“Hey, why are you guys here? We're just here to ... uh ... why were we here again?”

“They started this!”



“They have defeated the Tiger of the West! Our Monkey Style shall overcome!”



“I think I see a pattern here.”

“Which would be?”



“HEY! Guess what style of combat we use?”

“You have no style!



“No, we do.”



“It's called ART TO THE FACE!”

“Where did that come from?”

“It just seemed like the right thing to say.”



“Maybe these books can explain what's going on.”





“Uh...”

“Is there something in the water?”



“Sleeping quarters.”



“Practice Room.”




“This is all oddly normal as a layout – save for the books.”




Oddly enough, this room is just long enough to throw a spear in.




“You fiends! You have disturbed my Singing Nullity of Awesomness! I was going to... urk!”

“You talk too much.”



“They also need better gear.”




“I take back everything I said about this being normal.”




“Oh, why not.”




“I think that book about the wires needs to be read more.”




“We should finish off with this floor first.”




“Oh, the horror!”

“Stop them from entering the Holy Pool! At all costs!”



“You mean the one with the bones in it? No thanks.”



“Let's not.”

If you do...





“This is odd...”



“I feel compelled...”



“Ugh. It's not even evil, just ... confusing. So I can't Sanctify it.”



“They have gazed into the Perfection!”

“That wasn't perfection. But it does explain their behaviour.”

“Gazing into the face of madness.”




“But does this help?”

“Probably not.”



“Other stairs.”



“Oh.”




“And it's all junk anyways.”




“Yeah, even if I did cast Firewalk, I think this might be another fake test. Let's not bother.”




“IT'S A SPELL, YOU MORONS!”



“Food!”



“Food?”



“Food.”




“... Too true.”




“And back to the simple rooms.”




“Do I want to know what these surprises are?”



“Only one way to find out.”




“KILLKILLKILL!”








“Easy!”



“Huh. I think we skipped this room.”



“Disturbingly normal.”




Increase the DEX of everyone in the party levels of normal.



“Nothing back here.”



“And this place would be almost tranquil – if it weren't for the blood all over the place.”



“Time to head up.”




“Long twisty passages.”

“And it looks like it's a ring around the open atrium on the ffirst floor.”



“HI-YAH!”

“This is going to be a slog. I know it.”



“Careful of those pillars! They fire off flame-strike spells at random!”

They do, and this was one of my best shots of it in action.



“A THIRD ONE?!”



“Hold on, let's check that chest out.”








“Nice picture. I think.”

“What is ... Kung Fury?”



“I can see down onto the trees!”



“Oh, I shall soon unravel the secrets of the Leaf Style Ninja! I SHALL BE INVINCIBLE!”



“We should go through the dead-end. It looks like another chest is over there.”



“Come on!”







“One more?”

“Yeah! They can't all be empty!”







“I hope this library is worth all the hassle.”



“But first, more Monks.”



“Where did the Gorgons come from?”

“I'll stab them!”



“This would be so useful if it were open.”




“I bet it's crazy like the rest of them.”




“There might be something here. Thankfully it will be easy to tell from the garbage.”

“So, everyone please start reading.”



BWAHAHAHAHAHAHA! Behold, the reward for doing this! Unlimited Skill Potions, only limited by having sufficient alchemical skill, and the reagents – which can be BOUGHT here in Valorim.

“Curious. I think something is off about this.”

“Yes. Over use could cause people to lose basic skills themselves. Like these people were drinking so much, and thinking that they could gain skills without training.”

“Sad.”




“Last thing.”



“Art.”



“I hate you guys.”



“Hey! Duels! One at a time!”

“TAI KWAN LEAP!”
“FEISTY SLAP OF PAIN!”
“HI-YA!”



“ART TO THE FACE!”

“AIIEEE!!! MY SPLEEN!”



“This is interesting.”




“More gibbering from madmen.”



“No surprises, please.”




“OH COME ON!”




“At least the reward was worth it.”



“Now, how do I get out?”



“Ah, like this.”



“What happened?”

“IT WAS AMAZING! Everybody was kungfu fighting! Those kicks were fast as lightning!”
“That sounds like it was a little bit frightening!”
“But we fought with expert timing.”

“Great, she hit her head. Let's get out of here.”



“And now we never had to come back here ever again. And perhaps their madness will end.”