Part 5: The Continued Adventures of Iggy the Sorceress and her Unstoppable Midget Army

The Continued Adventures of Iggy the Sorceress and her Unstoppable Midget Army

"That's Ignatia to you!"

Ignatia's loyal retainers have voted to explore some more of the continent, so that's what she's going to do. I'm not making any promises, but maybe, just maybe, we'll recruit some good troops this time.



Once every four weeks, the Week of the Peasants comes by. I don't ever intend to recruit peasants, so this has little meaning for us. (It also has certain consequences if you have Ghosts in your army, but I'll show you that later.)



Here's the part of the continent we've explored so far. That little explored spot right up the top is where that tunnel led us way back in the first update.



We go sailing up the east coast of Continentia, picking up treasure as we go.



"The power... the power... aw, it's just a Castle Gate spell? What a gyp."

Castle Gate is another spell that gradually becomes more useful as the game goes on. Like Town Gate, it can instantly transport you to any castle you've previously visited. It's good for assaulting villains' castles late in the game, since you don't want to walk all the way to a castle with a massive army that's going to drain all your money away as you travel. It's also handy for picking up units you've garrisoned at your own castles.



Speaking of castles, here's one! Let's see who or what is living here.



Baron Johnno Makahl has trolls, which we can't kill without a better army.

"If you'd bought me some more Fireball spells we could take them on."



Goin' on even further north up the continent. That yellow stuff to our west is desert.

"I think my loyal retainers can recognise sand when they see it."

Quiet, you, I'm explaining something here. Normally, taking a step into the desert wastes a whole day of game time. But if we cast Time Stop, then when we step into the desert, we lose all of our Time Stop counter but we don't lose a day. Spending 200 gold on a spell is a better deal than wasting a day.

Before we venture into the desert, though, let's see what's in town.



What a convenient place to sell a Time Stop spell!

"I'd have preferred something new. Lightning is a fun spell. Why couldn't it have been Lightning?"



We've located another villain. Our army is laughably underequipped to fight him right now, but it's still good to know.

With our business in town done, it's time to cast Time Stop and go out into the desert!



Hey, here's something I hadn't mentioned before: sometimes, instead of the game generating a treasure chest or monster lair in a treasure spot, it'll generate what appears to be a wandering monster. When we walk into it, instead of attacking us, it'll ask to join. Gnomes aren't the best troops in the world, but we'll gladly take them.



5 HP each, and a fairly strong attack, but they're a bit slow. They're also in morale group C, which means that any orcs, wolves and so on that we recruit will bother them. That's not a problem for the moment, though.



A little further northwest from the gnomes, we find this! Somewhere on each continent is a navigational chart allowing us to travel to the next continent. Sailing to a new continent takes until the end of the week, so after you've sailed there once it's better to use Town Gate and Castle Gate spells to travel back.

We don't have enough Time Stop spells to explore the whole desert, so let's get back in our boat for now.



What's this?

"Why even bother asking? You already know it's going to be more sprites."

(The sign reads "All maps are found in chests", by the way. This isn't strictly true, since the map leading to the Sceptre of Order isn't found in a chest, but it means maps like the chart to Forestria that we just found.)



More gnomes! They're not elves, but they'll do.



"The only thing that could make today more perfect is some Fireball spells."



I really hope this is a monster lair and not another tunnel leading us halfway across the continent.



The awesome power of dwarven might is ours! We are now halfway to building an unstoppable midget army! Sail on, Ignatia! Sail forth and conquer all before us!



"Hey, wasn't this that castle that Dread Pirate Rob was supposed to be hiding out in?"



Yes. Yes, it was. I'd give us fair odds of beating him with our current army, but since we don't have a contract for him we're not going to try it.

"What happened to 'conquer all before us'?"

Hyperbole.



Another treehouse! What fantastic creatures shall we find dwelling in this one? Sprites? Gnomes, perhaps?



Better still! Elves! One unstoppable midget army, coming up!



And barely an hour's march to the west, another town! Perhaps there will be a new spell for us within!

"Please let it be Lightning, please let it be Lightning..."

(The sign to the east says "Boon Docks".)



"Aw, it's just Teleport."

You will learn to love Teleport sooner or later. I guarantee it. While we're here, let's see who's taken residence in the nearest castle.



The game calls him Canegor but the manual calls him Caneghor. Caneghor looks more wizardly so I'm probably going to spell it that way. Let's pull up his contract!



Caneghor decided it was time to speak, "O Arech, mightiest of dragons, most cunning of all, I bring you knowledge of unbridled power."

Arech smiled, rows of dagger-sharp teeth glistening with saliva. Caneghor always knew how to please him. A very useful man, even though he was unambitious. "What do you bring me, master sage," queried Arech. "A book, milord. A book with a prophecy," intoned Caneghor. He straightened, "The prophecy reveals how Good King Maximus can be toppled from his throne and be supplanted. "How is that, Caneghor?" Arech's greed for power was aroused, "How can I dethrone Maximus?" "Steal the Sceptre of Order," blurted the suddenly courageous Hack.

So this is the clown who gave Arech Dragonbreath the idea to steal the Sceptre of Order. His army is some serious bad news, so we're not going to fight him just yet. In fact, now that we've recruited a decent army and located every villain on Continentia, now's a good time to end the update. Let's look at our current status.



Unstoppable midget army go!

(Also, I forgot to restock on pikemen. Whoops.)



Ignatia's leadership and commission per week are rising at a slow but steady pace. Everything's coming up roses.

Quite a lot of options are open to us at this point. We can probably take on any of the villains on Continentia now (except Caneghor, but if you want me to fight him anyway I'll give it a try). We could explore more of Continentia, or go to Forestria. The power is yours, Planeteersloyal retainers!

"Please don't make me fight Caneghor. I don't want to die."

"Please don't make her fight Caneghor. I don't want to die."