Exile: Escape from the Pit Part #30 - Fort Remote and the Pit of the Drake

Part 30: Fort Remote and the Pit of the Drake

Update 027: Fort Remote and the Pit of the Drake

"Can we leave now?"

"I concur. If we head south, we should be able to reach Fort Emerald, and from there, ease of access to the Castle. Hopefully before our food runs out.”

“We are cutting it tight in that regard.”

“Don't worry. We have plenty of time.”

“Then lets get rowing.”

“There's no way through here!”

“I think there's an underground spring here, the water is flowing to the North. We have to turn back.”

“Damn it. Oh well.”

I make a quick stop in Mertis for Food, and the Tower to see what the Random-Shop is selling. 750 Food later, and the Magic Shop had nothing:

“HAH! SUCK IT YOU 5G STEALING BASTARD! I HAVE A BOAT!”

“And how much did you spend on the boat? Will it really have been a worthwhile investment just to bypass my gate a couple times?”

“Oh shut up. You and your logic.”

“Everyone on their best behaviour.”

“And Art, could you make sure that head is presentable?”

“Actually, how will they know it's the right one, instead of the head of any old Slith that we've killed?”

“Hey, good question!”

“I think they'll know.”

“Let's get this show on the road then. Hey Micah!”

“What?”

“Head!” She tosses the remains of Sss-Thsss at the King, who lets it land and roll to his feet.

“Is there any particular reason why you wanted to stain my floor with blood?”

“You got us dirty with your plan. It was only polite to return the favour.”

“Your sarcasm is subtle, Art.”

“Before you two do something we'll all regret, how about we get the necessities out of the way?”

“Of course.” He claps his hands, and bags of gold are brought to you. "I declare you good and favoured friends of Exile, and may we never need to call upon your help again!"

2500 gold, and enough experience to level Duncan up.

“And now that the public declarations are out of the way?”

“_{pst, Peregrine, how long is this supposed to take?}”

“_{It's politics. This could be a while.}”

“And yet, they are still necessary.” He sighs, letting some relief flood out of him. “I suppose there is more to this than simply killing that monster. But that is for me to work out now that the driving force behind the Slithzerikai war has been eliminated. By Royal Decree”

“It gets worse, your highness.”

“Oh, of course. Nothing could ever be easy. And what was worth interrupting me?”

“Sss-Thsss was being backed by the Haakai Lord Grah-Hoth.”

“...”

“what”

“No. You kept your word. I'll keep mine. This is not your concern anymore. This is a different matter, and I have resources and people who can deal with that.”

“You have the official sanction of the Royal Court to search for a method to reach the surface. Go with my blessing.”

“Thank you.”

“I don't believe it. We actually are able to go for our goal now? No side trips? Nothing getting in our way except the things that are honestly in the way?”

“Sush!”

“You'll jinx it!”

“Even I know better than that!”

“This is grave news. You mentioned a Demon Lord was backing the Sliths? Well, this may be a reciprocal attack, or the portent of one. I would like for your team to go to Fort Remote and investigate it.”

“Excuse me?”

“Recon only. Go there, investigate, come back.”

“You serious? Don't you have people for that sort of thing? I distinctly recall you saying so just a moment ago.”

“People who are not here. You are.”

“We shall, your highness.”

“Karmas!”

“It is still a legitimate concern. And we've been to Fort Remote. I for one am concerned over the fate of those who lived there.”

“I got to agree. Demons are a major problem, and our goals may still be served by investigating.”

“I want to see Belinda and Mick again, and tease them! Maybe lock them in a room together.”

“You would, wouldn't you.”

“Then it's settled. Investigate, and report back.”

“Have I mentioned, I hate you all for this?”

“Not in the past dozen miles. Have we mentioned it's nicer having the aggressive, snarking, and good Art over the silent and mopey Art?”

“Shut up.”

I want to make one thing clear. There is absolutely no reason to visit Fort Remote before killing Sss-Thss and reporting back to Micah. It is completely possible to miss everything here that I went through in my exploration of the Great Cave.

I know I did on my first play through. I've never missed it since.

“I don't like the looks of this, let me make a map.”

“That's... a lot of damage.”

“Everyone, be careful.”

“I love my pyromania, but this is just wrong. This isn't burning. This is...”

“Desecration.”

“Bring the light over here, I think I see something.”

“Why?”

“Desecration.”

“But why Remote? It's, well... remote. It has no strategic value.”

“I don't know. Come on, let's check the place out.”

“Hello the fort!”

“_{_{_{help me}}}”

“Belinda?”

“I was Belinda.”

“PROTECT ME!

“FROM THE DEMONS!”

“Belinda! It's us! Ember, and Art, and everyone! Remember? You told us about Mick and how you teased him.”

She emits a scream, a long, piteous, terrified screech. "They won't stop! We saw them coming! We were prepared, but they blew down the walls! What could we do? Then the killings!"

“It's alright. You're going to be alright now.”

She sobs. "Poor, poor Mick. All of us. We couldn't fight to the death. They froze them. They took them out, and oh the things they did! But I was safe!"

“That's right. You're safe.”

"I hid here. They didn't see me. So I could kill myself, instead of them killing me. I'm so cold. Help me. Please help me."

“We will.”

“Guys. Give me a couple minutes. I may not know a proper sanctification ritual. But this, I know how.”

“I'll help.”

“This looks important.”

“We should wait on Art and Peregrine before poking it.”

“We're done. Belinda is free.”

“Thanks. We've got this here, and it's pretty much a trap.”

“Time to poke it, then.”

“Siz yüngül qılınc ilə qırdırılmaq və bütün yaxşı bilər!”

“Demons to the left, Imps to the Right. Haakai behind. Our position is horrible. We're surrounded.”

“Good. That means they have no where to run.”

“KILL THEM ALL!”

“That all of them?”

“No, there's a couple in the former commander's room, hiding.”

“That's it then. Come on.”

“Art, you're going the wrong way. That way is west.”

“Your point?”

“What happened here?”

“I don't want to know.”

“Art...”

“The demons came through here for a reason. I want to know what.”

“Our duty was reconnaissance. This is excessive.”

“You objecting?”

“Just making sure you understand the consequences of your actions.”

“I think she does.”

“Huh, that's odd.”

Meet the Drakes. They breathe Fire. I'm certain we've encountered them before, but they are the random-encounter-du-jour in this section of Exile. I wouldn't have bothered with even this much, but one of them dropped a ring upon dying. This one:

That's... supposed to slow the wearer? I think. Duncan ID'd it, and I dumped it.

I go back for the Flask, but it's nothing special. Just a healing potion.

“There has got to be something back here...”

“Or not.”

“These chasms do not fill me with confidence in the geology of this section of the underworld.”

“I think I see something back there.”

“Let's see...”

“But against what? Scimitar? Or the Drakes?”

“I think the drakes were the cause here. Look at the wounds.”

“Doesn't explain the looting.”

“Even other Empire forces would scavenge what they could.”

“Seriously. These pits are not doing wonders for my confidence.”

“I can't even tell what that person was – Human, Slith or Nephil, or even something else.”

“There's something here. Something... old.”

“Come on.”

“This looks natural.”

“Something is interfering with the Detect Life Spell. I have to assume the worst.”

“And this darkness is magical as well.”

“Is this what you were looking for, Art? Where the demons went?”

“A bit.”

“These bodies have been here for a while. And they look... eaten.”

“By these Drakes.”

“While we're here, we might as well see about culling the local Drake population a bit, in case a proper military expedition needs to come through here.”

“That an unusual suggestion from you.”

“Would you believe me if I said they could be used for certain alchemical ingredients?”

“I still would not.”

“I hear more coming from the tunnels...”

“What the hell?”

Behold! The Pit Drake! About 1000 HP (!) worth of multiple attacks and ranged fire-breathing. It's perhaps the first real optional 'super-boss' in that the game has. And probably the easiest as it's really just a pile of HP with no real tricks to it. But still a tense battle as it has be pretty much bottled up in the corridor for most of the battle.

And without Major Blessing, you will lose. Plain as that.

“WHY WON'T YOU DIE?”

“Art, you may want to clean yourself off at the next body of running water we come across. Drake guts are notoriously hard to clean out.”

“Wow! I mean it, Art! I've never seen anything last so long against you!”

“You make is sound like she did all the hard work. It simply died under her blades.”

“Still, I must confess some sadness at this result.”

“DRAGON LOOT!”

“Drake, not Dragon.”

“Don't care!”

1500 gold

Mithril Plate Mail. This goes on Karmas to replace his Bronze Plate that he's been wearing since killing Anastasia. That's a massive upgrade, and will be viable until I find some magic stuff; maybe not even then. Here's its stats: