Part 17

The penultimate level. It would probably have been a better idea to go back to town first to rest & pick up all the goodies we've been hoarding for the end-game. But, eh. How bad can it be?
We begin wandering around the level, going from center-left to top-center. It's, well, pretty much just another level.
In a vault near the top, we find a new cloak:

Most of that isn't very useful to us, but we put it on anyway. More mana means more uses of special abilities & healing, and resists are always nice.
Heading around to the right side of the vault, we find a new unique!


We close & begin wailing on him, and get him to about 50% HP when

My first reaction is, rude!
But I'm afraid I did Babbage's invention a very great disservice. It shortly transpires that Babbage's Engine sent us to meet some friends!
An old friend:

And a new friend!

And a robot friend!


We heal up, and the Absolutely Not A Terminator teleports out. But this fight is a mess; there are too many enemies, summoning even more unpleasant enemies. When the Phase Automaton comes back a few turns later, I decide I've had enough.

*Destruction* removes everyone nearby from the level. We'll try this fight again later.
While recalling out, I run into a familiar face:

Nemo! And this time without a host of elementals & demons to help him.

I kill him with his own submarine. (Poetic?)
Back in town, I rest, grab consumables, and head back to the fight. Try 2.

Nazis! We immediately move to fight them, until two turns later, when we see...

Moreau!
OK, this is a much better situation. Back up the corridor; kill the Plague Bearer (green E); duke it out. And...


A set of mysterious stairs appear where Moreau was slain; we immediately take them up.

Next: Level 1.