Part 15: You Have Chosen Wisely

Update 11: You Have Chosen Wisely

After much deliberation and a number of arm-wrestling contests, the party agreed to deliver the letter to Agar in Erliquin.



Before setting out, however, they needed further training in the ways of war.



"Woohoo! Power Cure at last!"



"And I've got... Energy Blast, a bunch of utility spells, and not much else. I think you got the better end of the deal here, Drewjitsu."
"So... how are we supposed to get to Erliquin, anyway? I mean, we don't exactly know where it, um, is."
"Sounds like leprechaun time again! I'll fly us back to Sorpigal."




"Six one-way tickets to Erliquin, coming up!"



"Ooh, what a fancy inn!"
"Impressive, isn't it? Erliquin is the richest town in Varn, you know. Of course, it's still underground just like all the others."



"Not right now, shorty. We're just passing through."

Behind a secret passage in the back wall of the inn, the party discovered...



"What? We just gave it to you and now you're sending us off to deliver it to some other guy? What's so special about this scroll anyway?"
"Who cares? We can get two rewards for delivering the same scroll. What are you complaining about?"



"Ow! My nose! What the hell just happened?"
"Oh, I should have mentioned something about that, shouldn't I? Erliquin is a town of mages. Sometimes instead of putting up a wall they'll just put up an invisible magical barrier, because it's cheaper."



"Bah. Well, these mages had better be able to make some good weapons."




"Hmph. Nothing magical, which means nothing better than what we've already got. So much for the great mages of Erliquin, then."



"Hey, what happened? Where are we?"
"Well, we're... still somewhere in Erliquin, I think. I guess all the spells cast in this town must have left some residual magic hanging around."

Several minutes of stumbling aimlessly around town looking for the exit later...

"This doesn't seem to be getting us anywhere. I'll cast Surface, Jostiband can cast Fly, and we'll return to Sorpigal that way."



"So Erliquin's in the mountains of area B-1, huh? Good to know if we want to fly back here. Well, time to go to Sorpigal and catch the 8 o'clock leprechaun to Dusk!"




"So this is the lost town of Dusk? Somehow, I was expecting something... more."
"Yeah, this place looks pretty quiet and run-down. A real ghost town, you might say."



"Complete with real ghosts, apparently."



Ghosts were not the only occupants of the town: the monsters in Dusk were among the most fearsome the party had encountered so far.



Fortunately, the party's combat skills served them well. With an inn and temple close at hand to heal the party's wounds, Dusk would be an excellent place to gain further experience against stronger foes.



And of course, with victory in battle came not only experience but treasure.

"Ooh, a silver chest! I bet there's an awesome lightning bolt trap or something inside that has a chance to render us unconscious even if the damage isn't enough to knock us out! No pressure or anything, Successhands."
"Maybe it'd be easier to just melt the chest down for silver and sell it."



Oddly enough, the traps on silver chests are actually less deadly than the gas trap on an iron chest. In fact, almost everything is less deadly than the gas trap on an iron chest. In any case, Successhands opened this one without setting anything off.

"Well, hello there. I think I'll be holding on to that wand."

The Wand of Fire slightly raises fire resistance when equipped by an archer or sorcerer, and can be used by any class to produce an effect equivalent to the Fireball spell. It only has 10 charges and our heroes currently lack the means to recharge it, so it will have to be used sparingly.



"Guys, we're getting kinda low on food here. Do we want to maybe do something about that?"




"Are you sure it's okay to eat ghost food? I mean, it's made for dead people. Also, it's really expensive."
"You make a good point. On the other hand, we're nearly out of food and I'm too lazy to fly back to Sorpigal right now, so it's ghost food or no food at all."

After filling their packs with ghost food, the party set out in search of the town smithy, in hopes of buying some new and improved equipment.




"Sure, pipsqueak, let's see what you've got."



After buying magical gear for everyone who didn't already have it, the party continued to search Dusk for Telgoran, the intended recipient of the mage's scroll.



Their path was obstructed by savage, venomous insect-people and angry elemental spirits. After a difficult battle, the party triumphed.

"And with my new spells, I can finally cure everyone who was poisoned during the fight!"



The monsters had been carrying a treasure chest made of solid gold.

"Seriously, this chest has to be worth more than whatever's inside it. I stand by my idea of melting it down for raw materials."



Successhands opened the chest without triggering a trap, revealing a finely-crafted spear, its tip crackling with energy. Although it was powerful for a one-handed weapon and provided electrical resistance when equipped, the Electric Spear was no match for the party's two-handed weapons. Successhands would have taken it for himself, except that his scimitar raises his Luck, which is more important than doing a little more damage.



"Well, Telgoran wasn't anywhere in the eastern half of Dusk. Looks like it's time to explore the western half."



"Hey! Who turned out the lights?"



After another Lasting Light spell from Preacher, the party resumed their explorations. It soon became obvious that the western half of Dusk was a giant maze filled with wandering monsters.



"Ah, Telgoran! We've finally found you! Now where's our reward?"



"Okay, that's pretty good. What's the secret? We're always interested in treasure."



"Two brothers, one in Portsmith and the other in Algary? Well, a man in Portsmith should stand out like a sore thumb. I guess it's time to go back there and look for him."



"But first, it's time to return to the inn and relax. Bartender, bring me a shot of your finest whisky."
"I'm afraid we don't serve spirits."
"You must not get much business from the locals, then."



"I think I'm going to be holding on to this sword for a good long time."



"This shield isn't too shabby, either."



"This bardiche isn't quite as strong as a flamberge, but it raises my speed to even more ridiculous levels."



"I'm itching for a chance to try out this wand. Go ahead, monsters. Make my day."



"I can't use a shield with this hammer, but wielding it brings me closer to Radaso (may his light shine eternally). And hitting things with it brings them very much closer to their gods, too."



"Even I've got magic armour now! I mean, it still sucks, but it's something."

Meanwhile, back in Portsmith...



"Preacher's party is nowhere to be found. They must be laying low in a further attempt to misdirect us into leaving Portsmith. Let us show them that it is not so easy to fool a master thief such as myself!"

Behind a series of secret passages in the southeastern corner of town, the party found an old wizard...



"Not the Couriers? Who the hell are the Couriers?"
"Aw, don't tell me this is somethin' to do with Preacher's group."
"No, surely not. Unless, perhaps... yes, of course! This man was planted here by them in another dastardly attempt to throw us off their trail! There is something important in Portsmith, and they don't want us to find it! Preacher, I have seen through your plans once again!"
"This 'Preacher' you speak of must be a criminal mastermind to weave such plans. We shall have to remain on our guard against her."



"A hallway full of locked doors! Surely, somebody must be hiding something behind one of them! We must root out this deception and expose it for what it is!"
"And if we can kick in a few heads in the process, so much the better!"

The party began picking the locks, and at first found nothing behind the doors except for tiny rooms full of monsters. But a secret passage behind one door...



"Huh. Now whassin here, eh? Gotta be somethin' important, if it's hidden like this. I'll go in first..."



"Eh? Your secret? What's--"



"Hey, Sylphosaurus, what's in there? Sylphosaurus? Can you..."
"What on earth are you two doing? What could you possibly be staring at that's so..."
"Begone, foul demon! Do you think you can tempt me with your fiendish charms, and your indecent attire, and your shapely figure, and... and..."
"Cookie? What are you looking at? Can I look at it too?"
"Hmm. I can either surrender my will to a beautiful demon queen or stand alone against her and die painfully at the hands of her minions. This is not the hardest decision I have ever made."





TPK Count: Probably Around 15 But Honestly I've Stopped Keeping Count of All the Offscreen Ones

So, Cedric's party have become enthralled to the Succubus Queen of Portsmith, doomed to partake in all manner of depravities until their life force is drained and their bodies are reduced to exhausted, soulless husks. All in all, this is probably still better than being enslaved to an innkeeper, but they can't very well keep adventuring in this state. What will become of them? Will Preacher's party suffer the same fate, or will they continue to make progress in their quest for the Inner Sanctum? Find out next time on Let's Play Might & Magic!