Part 7: Update V - Goondalf the G(ardener)

Part V - Goondalf the G(ardener)

The time has come for vengeance. Goondalf walks through the gate, dagger and Mana ready to dispense justice.



Musical accompaniment
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZTg6hg1miFg



Teg Narg?

The flames of G shall consume you, invader!



Argh! Mat Flaug-shara!



Same to you!



Afar vadokanuk…

Ha! That’s more like it. We did cast two Flame spells which drained over half our Mana, but the single Scout is defeated. Now we must liberate the stolen property he was carrying.



Hmm, an axe, a scimitar, pants, boots, and a buckler. Also, the game doesn’t tell us, but any gold that was on the body being looted is automatically transferred. The Ahoul in the village here are carrying a fair amount of it. That plus the fact that each one we kill gives us a Training Point is more than enough reason to take them all out.

I didn’t take the scimitar right away, though I should have. It’s better than our dagger and we do barely have the strength for it. I think I was mainly focused on the sweet boots and pants.



Very slightly better than our current boots.



Same stats as our current pants, but they have a patchwork pattern instead of a solid color, so they own.

Ahhh. As comfortable as justice.

Now that the menacing Ahoul Scout is dealt with, we can proceed into the garden without having to worry about our return being intercepted.



I think I might have been wrong about these things before. Based on seeing it written in a different font elsewhere, I think they might be Merscwogs, with a c. Either way, we will burn them all to ash.



...And then run away when we accidentally aggro two of them at once while out of Mana.



They do chase us, but since everything moves at the same speed, enemies can be juked by waiting for them to start their attack animation then bolting. This gives us enough of a head start to run to a different map, or confuse their pathfinding like I am doing with the first one on the left here.



Back in Avalon, Brother Crosby is who we talk to for healing.





I find myself in need of healing. Would you be able to help me?

Brother Crosby: Of course. Let me take a look.

Thank you, Brother Crosby.



He uses the Heal spell animation on us, but turbocharged because it’s always 100%, and restores Mana too. Back into the fray!



As you may be able to see there, it is possible to miss with projectile spells like Flame (the Merscwog is right next to us, but it juked me by running away slightly and then back into melee while I was clicking!)



Sadly, most animals do not have any loot.

Once all of the creatures are dispatched, we are awarded with a few Training Points (which I save for now), and unmolested access to this-





Healing onions! Brother Mo probably just wanted them to add to his stew, but let’s take them to him anyway.



Yes, Brother. Use them well.

Brother Mo: Thank the sweet spirits, and ye as well, sir! This will save nearly the entire infirmary. Ah, lad, I’d swear you’ve been touched by the spirits themselves and I’ve no doubt ye’ll be pulling us all out of the fire in the future.

Glad to be of service, Brother Mo. Farewell.



Thank you, Brother, for your knowledge and your kindness. I wish you well.



With one quest down and a few more TP awarded, we can resume our search of the village.



The main reason I haven’t been walking around with Shadow up all the time is that it makes our character really hard to see.



Unfortunately, when we try to snipe with magic, the enemy does take damage, but then they notice us and are healed to full. I think this is a bug solely with Chapter One, because I distinctly remember using sniperballs of fire before. Or maybe my memory isn’t very good.

Regardless, we’ll just have to kill this guy the old-fashioned way.

Has the usual Ahoul Scout complement of leather clothes and random basic weapons, but also a magical item of great power!



Not just diamond, but Diamond. The bonuses aren’t amazing, but they're better than the Dried Rose's +5 Charm while we’re out adventuring. Somehow, our Charm has no effect on the Sha’ahoul. Yet?



Mirdautas vras!

No. [Flame intensifies]







Leather + robe is a nice look.



Another instance of a guy not perceiving us when we cast Flame, then being healed.

This is when I finally decide to take a scimitar. They’re actually pretty good.



Damage is-
Piercing: 0-4
Crushing: 1-6
Cutting: 3-10

This enemy was also carrying a scroll.



A linguist, eh. We do know one of those, but he’s too busy being a goon in a well to talk to us about the Sha’ahoul.





Heck yeah.



There have definitely been a few trips to Brother Crosby off-camera, as you can probably imagine based on our current health. We do manage to win this fight without dying though, and are rewarded.





Robe + leather + kilt is even better. On our way to get healed, let’s show it off to our friend in the kitchen.





I thank you for your concern, but it’s better, I think, for my stomach to be a bit upset than completely empty. Until later, then, my lady…



The first part of the village has been mostly explored, and almost all of the enemies here have been defeated. Just one more Scout hanging out in the east.





This one illustrates one more aspect of the combat system that can either win or lose a fight for us. If a character takes too much damage from a single attack, they are locked into this “Oof” animation like Goondalf is showing off for a length of time based on that character’s Hit Recovery. It applies to both allies and enemies. It's especially bad for us, because it requires clicking an enemy again to resume attacking.

Thankfully, we have enough health when he stuns us here that we can survive the couple seconds it takes to recover.



Nice plaza fountain in the south.



Anywhere we see these two arrows is a map transition. This path to the southwest takes us to Village 3 (the village is numbered horizontally, and is currently four maps big, so 2 is to the right of 1 and 4 requires a transition from 2 or 3.)



The reason we came to this one instead of going in numerical order is that a nearby building has a basement.



Within this basement is a chest, but first- Giant Spiders!





Giant as they are, they are no match for us, and are actually much less dangerous than a single Sha’ahoul Scout.



Inside the treasure chest, we find…





ELF PANTS. Putting on immediately.



The stat penalties do reduce our Strength below the threshold to effectively wield the Scimitar, which is why it’s semi-transparent now. But it’s still worth it for those Resistance Modifiers alone (Minuses to Attack and Hit Recovery are actually bonuses to our capabilities, i.e. the lower the number the less time they take; the game can get rather confusing with its modifiers at times). Besides, I’ve been saving up Training Points mainly to offset this penalty I knew was coming, so all is well.



Village 3 is also full of starving doggos. They don’t have any loot, and we only get Training Points when we kill all of them on the map.





Nice well. We should stuff Lahren down it later.



One day the whole world will tell the tale of the time when few stood against many. (The part Goondalf is standing on is only enough room for one character, so the other starving wolf can’t reach us.)

Once they are dealt with, the path is clear to a… strangely intact looking house.



There’s only one guy inside, but he’s… a bit of a badass.





No mere Scout, but a Warrior! One of his attacks just took off half our health, in fact. I had to reload several times to beat him.



Gah. That was… quite the battle. But I am victorious, and now I shall claim my hero’s prize!

The Warrior has mostly leather armor like the Scouts, which we can take a little bit of but don’t want to overload on, lest our Restriction become too high and our spellcasting take too long. But he also carries an important item.



Without it, this locked chest cannot be opened.





We immediately put on the boots inside it, because they’re magic, and damnit, Goondalf deserves them!







It’s a little hard to see (the stealth enchantment is so good it affects our dimension too, you see), but our feet have an ebony sheen to them now.

Village 3 is about half explored, but we’re low on health, and come to think of it, wasn’t there some quest about a chest inside an intact house?





Back to Avalon.



One day, we will surpass you in stylishness, Olon.



I have not yet presented Lahren with anything he likes.

Unfortunate. Well, just keep looting--I mean, retrieving stolen items. I’m sure something will turn up.

I hope it does.



Yes, I found it.



Yes, it was. There was indeed a chest inside. It, also, was intact.



Oh no… if we tell him we did, he might want our awesome boots!

No, it was locked.



The key for these boots? A fair exchange, I guess.

Olon lets us keep the boots regardless of what we say, I just like that the game actually checks if you’re wearing them when you talk to him.

Yes, something like that. I have one final piece of information for you. There is a network of tunnels running throughout the village underground. I’d suggest that you keep an eye out for an entrance--allegedly, there is even treasure down there. If you do find the entrance--and any treasure--that would be information I’d value. Greatly, even.

I fear that I will be too busy in the village to indulge in a hunt for these mysterious tunnels. However, I’ll be certain to keep an eye out, and if I learn anything, you’ll be the first to know. Tell me, though--how did you manage to preserve your house when the rest of the village was practically destroyed?



One last question, if you will. When Mudam originally told me to talk to you, he said, “If he will consent to speak with you.” Why did you consent, Olon? Why have you helped me?



I asked what I have asked.

Very well. I do not believe I have a need to obscure this from you. Nevertheless, I would first like to state that my purposes are not nefarious, and neither do I wish you harm. Allies are difficult to come by, and powerful ones are painfully rare. These times will kill the unprepared and I, for one, intend to live long. Perhaps I am wrong, and perhaps you will be worm food ere the sun rises again, but when I look at you I see the potential for greatness. However, such potential must be cultivated to be fully realized.

Continue.

I know both what you have been told and what you will be told, and it will lead you to an opportunity, in your terms, to do good work benefiting the people of Avalon. Along the way you may even recover your brother. In my terms, not only do I stand to benefit with every other Avalonian, but I also perceive this as an opportunity to assist you in furthering your talents and skills. Developing these, I believe, will gain you much recognition, and thereby a sort of power. Powerful allies, remember.

I owe you nothing, Olon. We stand even.

We stand even. That I do not dispute. But should you succeed in your tasks--as as a betting man I wager that you will--even should we never speak again, do not doubt that I am better off for your success. And if we do speak again? Well, allies may accomplish far more striving together than by working alone. Mudam knew what he was about when he sent you to me. Just a little something for you to keep in mind, my good soldier.

Yes, I imagine it is. Goodbye.


RUMORS


JOURNAL ENTRIES

-difference between my subconscious ramblings and a true sign from above. Perhaps tonight the dream will reveal something else to help me in my journey of decision.