Part 23: Showdown at Flathead Mesa

Chapter 21: Showdown at Flathead Mesa



Alright, we're here at Flathead Mesa, and it's time to take this Grand Inquisitor down once and for all.



Now, we apparently need to head towards that tower, so let's go over there.



Well this seems simple enough.



Careful. That tent is filled with the Grand Inquisitor's personal guard.

Because, yeah, the guards have proved so very competent thus far. I'll just walk to the tower anyway.





Hmm, on second thought, why tempt fate? Just because the guards have been absolute morons so far doesn't mean they won't notice me walking by. Let's take a closer look at that tent of theirs.





Mmmm, what's your favorite poem?

I'm a real sucker for the romantics, I have to admit.

Um, what kind of benefits package did the Grand Inquisitor promise you guys?

Pretty standard stock options package. 401K, profit sharing, but I won't be fully invested for another 3 months.

My broker told me that it's a bad time to invest in fanatical religions right now.

Say Charlie, that's a nice vest.

Thanks! It's got a little tear, see, right here. Not that you notice.

...the Grand Inquisitor's personal guard? They sound pathetic! I'm sure I can take them. I'll rush in there and take them by surprise!

...

Wow, that's a lot of them in here...





Hmmm, maybe I shouldn't go in there. I'm not exactly a fighter. All I really need is for them to not come out of that tent...wait, now that my spells are reversed, instead of unlocking doors, I should now have a spell that locks doors!





I hope this works on tent flaps.





Crafty!

Sweet Yorrick! We're all gonna die!

Oh merciful heavens, is this the end?!

Try using the alarm clock on the door!

Oh that's never gonna work! Who's gonna water my plants?!

I can't breathe! The walls are closing in!

Let us out! Let us out! Please!

I hate adventurers.

Oh my God, they killed Kenny!

Well, that should work. And listening to them bitch, I still think I could have taken them. Oh well, let's move on to the tower!





That was easy!...too easy...uh oh, my lantern sense is tingling again.

You and your tingling. I'm sure it's fine.



...and I'm sure that light is just being reflected weird from the sun. Onward!





Oh fine, we'll do it your way and be cautious. There seems to be some sort of electrical current here. Only I can't see what it's running along. Like it's invisible...oh! I think I've got another reversed spell for such an occasion! My "turn invisible things purple" spell!





Not bad! But it's still electrified!

Bingo! You know, for what I originally thought was a rather useless spell, I sure have used that one a lot. Alright, let's try climbing over the fence!





Actually, now that I think about it, when worrying about an invisible electric fence, it's probably the electricity you need to worry about, and not the invisible part. (Not a word, Dalboz.) Let's take a step back and have a look.



Hmmm, I think I see the plug for this thing.





Ah ha! I'll just yank this out of it's socket!





You are truly gifted, you know that?

Well...yes. Alright, back to the fence.



Now, there's still barbed wire across the top, so climbing it probably wouldn't work. So I'll have to chop my way through. Which means, I get to use the sword!







Alright, that should do nicely. Now I'll just head on through.





I'm to the tower, and I'm not dead...now what? Well, Y'Gael said something about how the Coconut is High Magic, and talked about how high the tower was, so I'm guessing it goes up top. Which would mean that the Skull should go down here somewhere. So I need to find a place to stash it. Oh, what's that?





Oh, what a handy little nook.

That should work. I'll just open it up and drop in the skull.





There we go, now I'll close it...



And it's time to climb up the tower.





And what's this?



Hey, what's this big cube shaped hole doing here.

Right...well...yeah, I was about to think of that.





There we go. Now to climb to the top.





Wow. It's really pretty up here.



Damn, look at that view? Wait, wasn't I supposed to be doing something up here?



Oh, right, save the Empire. Let's take a closer look at this thing.



When you see something like this, you just have to wonder, was all this predesigned by some cosmic higher power?

It does seem a little convenient. Oh well, just because it's helpful doesn't mean we shouldn't use it.

Let's put the Coconut in there.







There we go-



-oh crap, it's tipping.

Uh oh, it's crooked. It needs to be counter balanced. Wait, put my lantern in the other cup to straighten it out.

Excellent idea.






Everything's in place! All it would take now to finish things would be the casting of one incredibly appropriate, and heretofore unused spell!

Oh! That stupid useless spell at the beginning of my spell book! The one that used to read "Separate the different kinds of magic" but now says it will bind magics together. That's a damn good idea too!



Damn, I can't even hear the spell over the Grand Inquisitor talking!

You can't cast the spell! Too much interference! Yannick's babbling too loud! Shut him up!

Well, the Grand Inquisitor is supposed to be Jack's job. But maybe there's a speaker or something I can mess with.





Hmm. Looks like I'm right next to the transmitter. Now, I could take some time and try to rewire it so it doesn't work nearly as well...



Or we could just cut the wire.



Let's just cut the wire.



Let's see what that does.



...floss regularly, floss meaningfully, floss athletically, and above all, never forget who is the boss of you. Me! I am the boss of you! I am the boss of you!...





Hey! Hey! Look at the tower!













The Coconut of Quendor!





I don't think Jack was entirely clear on the plan! He just sent the Grand Inquisitor after us!

Fine with me. I'll climb down the ladder and meet him.







Actually, that's a rather narrow ladder. I'll just wait here for him to come up to me.



Oh crap, here he comes!















Magic and technology. You can have it all.

Maybe he doesn't see us.



Gah!



It's getting a little...crowded up here.



Don't you think!







Wait, wasn't there something I was supposed to be doing? Oh yeah! The combine magics spell! Alright, here we go. Let's do this.





You did great! I'll drop you a line from the Ethereal Plains!









That's a kind of bad lightning storm coming in. He might not want to touch that right now. Gee, too bad I can't tell him. That's just terrible.



Ha! Serves ya right, sucker.



Hang on, the ground is shaking.







On second though...wait, that's not working. Oh crap, I'm actually falling! Dammit! I never told that pink-haired girl I loved her! Well, liked her! Okay, wanted to sleep with her! Dammit, I'm falling! And my totems are falling out of my bag!



Well, at least that idiot gets to live.







Whoa! That idiot...I mean awesome Dragon...just grabbed me! We're flying!







And we're back on land! Yes!!!













Jack!



You have the strangest life-



Shh. Don't talk. This is the part where we kiss.









Loyal subjects of the Empire!



I hereby declare the Underground open, and magic free to all those who desire it! The Inquisition is no more!...Go home people, it's over.

And that's the end of that. But I suddenly find somewhere strange...



I am standing in front of a white house. There is a mailbox.







Nah, I was just messing with ya.



I'm here in the Dungeon Master's house.



What happened to me? Well...






So yeah, that's pretty much it. I've decided to stay here in Zork. Dungeon Master is way cooler than my old job. And now that I've got my voice back, the ladies really like a Dungeon Master.

----------------------------------------------------------------
For anyone who wants to see how all this looks in motion:
Video of everything we did to end this thing.

Well, that's it folks. The end of the game. Feel free to tell me what you thought of the whole thing. And thanks to everyone who commented, and to everyone who just watched!