The Misadventures of Three Sorceress Archmages

[Maltatai]

25. Monopoly

Spoiler

After 22 beauty contests, 18 crossword contests and mortgaging of everything from the Lut Gholein Caravansary to the Kingsport Harbour, Wilhelmina has achieved a controlling position on the estate market with hotels on both the dark blue Travincal and Black Tower as well as four houses on the green Lower Kurats, Kurast Bazaar and Upper Kurast. Wilma and Wanja are bankrupt since long and would have been rid of this stupid and essentially hazard game thinly disguised as something containing some strategic level. Unfortunately the WWW are not playing with common rules but Elite Unique (EU) rules. EU rules state that instead of losing their assets, players that run out of funds will borrow what they lack from the bank which will in turn borrow from the hedges around the Rogue Camp, who will in turn borrow from the shrubberies, which will in turn borrow from the Kings Council. The last one will then borrow from the bank and levy increased taxes on any player remaining to work of it's debt. EU rules it is...

Under those rules Wilhelmina seems to have bribed the bank and state to achieve diplomatic immunity while Wilma and Wanja are less privileged. Time and time again they are sent directly to the jail without passing Go. Once there, they must clear out a portion of that disgusting hovel before being able to get back in the game. While chasing the latest in a line of annoying immune little devils Wilma silently wonders if these EU rules really grant any benefits to the common player at all.

​

The jails are haunted by the ghosts of restless souls. They are sure to become even more restless when haunted by taunting melodies of universe-transcending popular culture. Ghosts are sensitive to fire in general and while their speed makes them hard to catch, the fire spells are still usually a wise choice.

​

Ugliest in the Act, and quite possibly the game, Pitspawn Fouldog would surely have been a nasty opponent in Hell for a close combat character. The barrage of lightning orbs requires the vigor of a thunder god to be resisted properly and cold enchantment adds another damage layer to this, even before one has to close in with their yawning maws. Both paladins and druids would probably dread the encounter.

Then there are those who lean more towards outsourcing their work from a distance.

​

Stubborn goats prove to be a problem at times. Wilmas major weakness is the unreliable nature of blizzard. The snowballs fall some at a time and while bulky creatures are often hit the small enemies avoid most. Blizzard still works well along a more precise and accurate spell, such as ice blast, or with a mercenary that can deal with the elusive but puny annoyances. Since Wilma lacks either and also has insufficient attack rating to use her crossbow as a reliable main attack she is at her worst against these crowds of spread out and mobile raiders.

​

The hydras are most things that blizzard is not - accurate, single target attacks from a huge and often safe distance.

​

On returning up Wilma is introduced to Wilhelminas new level of immersion - actual crosswords to illustrate the proverbial crossword contests.

"Here are malcontents sent to explore all three levels: four letters."

"Sigh... Jail."

"Beginning with a "d", such oppose the trade empire of Wilhelmina: ten letters."

"D... Delicacies?"

"Doctorates?"

"Delinquent, of course."

Just as well that Wanja draws another going to jail card next. Going down to the waypoint in the first level, that supremely logical placement, she is ambushed by three packs of goats and dark ones and must teleport across them behind bars to escape. Also a very logical action.

​

A hit triggers the enlightened blaze of Wanjas armour, enabling her to leave the WWW:s mark on the jail. It could be disrespectfully said to be something of a cat-like behaviour, perhaps a sabre cat, but no demons are left to enact such perplexingly pejorative statements.

​

Wilma and Wanja have over time started to grow a little suspicious. How is it that Wilhelmina has scored such perpetual success in the monopoly game? Is it because she snatched the lucky shako piece, leaving the old chain boot and the vambrace? How sneaky! And just why is it necessary for her to always be the one to hand out the chance cards to anyone landing on such a spot?

Actually, aren't there a few subtle differences on the back side of some of those chance cards...those "go to jail" cards!? There certainly are a lot of those compared to what Wilma and Wanja are familiar with, not that they have deigned to waste their time with stupid games of dice, but...it is almost as if someone has collected all "go to jail" cards from other game sets and gathered them to insert in the deck when the enemy is about to draw a card...

"WILHELMINA!"

Perhaps it is just as well that the fall of the short-lived EU-rule loan scam is at that time interrupted by the droning voice of a new bounty being issued, by Deckard Cain no less...

"It is certain that we face the demon queen, Andariel..."

 

[Maltatai]

26. The Maidens Anguish

Spoiler

Ignorant and uninformed creatures cling to the outdated and obsolete, not to say outright preposterous and perplexingly implausible, impression that being the Maiden of Anguish and Demon Queen is a relaxing and carefree occupation. Ha! As if! It is anguish, one could tell you. Anguish!

If it isn't disobedient carvers or hyperactive rat men running around and making a mess of the aesthetic blood pool, or whole scores of your harlot daughters fluttering away to have a skiing vacation with Baals minions in the north, it's disturbing moralist views interfering with ones personal taste and needs in clothing! Can not people understand that a so very easily overheated lady may actually enjoy being unencumbered by restricting warm garments? The negative fire resistance is as a matter of fact right there in the public bestiary journal, could someone please put two and two together?

And to propose that one with the capability to maintain this exquisite hairstyle, even in the middle of battle, would in some way be affected by the paltry forces of gravity...eyes up here if you would be so kind, and you will observe more! If one was bothered by such base natural circumstances one could begin with the obvious measures of removing the weight of golden chains, before resorting to wrapping oneself in sweat-inducing itching textiles.

One would indeed believe that hardened demonicidal thugs would be inured to bared body parts since they hack so many away from their owners and let them fly through the air, yet it does apparently gall the Sanctuary Peoples Front and other adamant critics to see whole and healthy such, still attached to their proper place. The grisly scenes of the jail go as unmentioned as the despairing desolation of hell, but heaven and its angels forbid that innocent little paladins or humble little amazons would be struck by the shocking exposure of a whole and unbroken human body. The burning hells management is not without faults but at least they haven't been bothersome regarding dress codes.

Not even can a poor Maiden of Anguish wallow in her anguish undisturbed, before a trio of annoying brats intrude and interpret her delicate hairdressing as an excuse of believing themselves to be at a party of veteran sorceresses of high level, the so called "80:s", who frequently conjure lightning bolts around their head to make their own hair stand up in all directions. Not even Andariels resilient butler, virtually immune to all of the most elementary instructions and complaints, manage to persuade the WWW that they are in fact not invited.

​

There is only one question that needs to be solved for Wilma, Wanja and Wilhelmina - the door or the lake? The door offers more cover but less visibility and a much harder time to aim. The lake is open and unimpeded but at the same time leaving everyone exposed to venomous outbursts from the hostess. The WWW decide in favour of the door and thereafter promptly kick it in, eager to join the presumably exalted partygoers inside.

Wilma:
First when there's nothing
But a small glowing eye
Then you peer scaly hide
Deep inside the ground

All alone, I would cry
Silent tears, run and hide
Behind a wolf made of steel
Faded tone

Then, I hear them calling
Close my eyes, feel their heat
Wrap around, and give warmth, to my heart

Never reeling
None need healing
Hydras have it all
And they're fighting for my life

With a passion
They make it happen
They are here all five
They will eat right through your life!

​

Wanja:
Now I smell the sulphur
I am frost, I am cold
In a flash, it takes leave of my heart

Narphets feeling disbelieving
I will burn it all
When I cast my fire walls

Protects your stashes
For hacks won't happen
Flames will come alive
Now they're dancing through the halls

What a feeling

​

Wilhelmina:
Wondrous feeling, I am lightning now
It's revealing fire from the sky
Vanji is alive
When we tear right through your life

What a feeling (I can really loot it all)
What a feeling
(Screenshots come when I call)
I can loot it all (I can really loot it all)

​

Have it all...

Little wonder that a tormented anguished maiden completely bursts apart! Those witches are insufferable and none were even hit by her poison or claws a single time, nor were any of their hired arcane consultants from Kurast seriously harmed! Just wait until Lilith hears of them...

"Mooooom! Do you know what happened at WORK today!?"

 

[Maltatai]

27. Denied Access

Spoiler

With the bounty on the emotionally unstable maiden of the monastery collected, the prospects of the WWW are looking far more stable, opening the door for wise investments in cake, silks of the east, luxury carpets for the wagons and cheap paladin/assassin witch-hunting parody pulp fiction. Perhaps not so stable after all, those prospects...

Wilma, Wanja and Wilhelmina decide to follow Warriv on the trail east to Lut Gholein, the town of sophisticated and learned inhabitants with balanced views on female spell casters. There is a somewhat interesting advertisement that has captured their attention. One Drognan, Grand Vizier 2.0, royal advisor extraordinaire and general wise guy, is concerned about the door guarding policies of his ruler to the point of panic. The new sultan of the city is letting anyone in, no matter how shady a record, and it is only a matter of time before his lax security measures threaten the entire community. Anyone who could offer aid will be amply rewarded.

The WWW discuss the matter and concludes that a solid fire wall spell should be helpful. Fire walls are often used by experienced sorceresses to deter intruders from spying on them or sneaking off with valuable information. Only a really determined assailant who is ready to almost literally hack through the walls can make it past such defences unscathed. Such hackers can only be countered by an active and dynamic defence and security protocol.

Initially the WWW are in luck and manage to avoid the mob and see the condescending Drognan who despite his snide manners seems quite eager to enlist their aid. It soon turns out that the city has more acute troubles. The sewers have become occupied by some undead egocentric artisan looking for spare parts for himself, unfortunately spare parts from the populace. Just as bad, the lack of working sewers has led to outbreaks of fevers and all sort of maladies and the city smell like garbage. The WWW divide their forces to both earn money and live to smell the tale. Wanja will be working on the fire wall while Wilma and Wilhelmina investigates the diseases. First things first, the intruders must be driven from the upper levels of the sewers so the drainage system can be put to use, primitive as it admittedly is. Burning dead fall fairly easily to cold and thunder but sand raiders are considerably tougher. Wilhelmina encounters a particularly nasty pack.

​

Not without entertainment value though. This frozen specimen is definitely deserving apprenticeship at the Ministry of Silly Walks.

​

The commander is less hilarious. Extra fast, spectral hitting and full of conviction, Wilhelmina and Vanji need to teleport frantically to keep a safe distance. This is precisely the kind of opponent the WWW dread the most.

​

With some breathing space in reach, they take a closer look at the effects in the city. It would seem that his Drognan had at least a grain of sensibility and knowledge in his brain and recommended all to boil their water before consuming it. It has been mentioned as an effective precaution in insanitary times...in other words in settled areas. Still the sickness is spreading. Vanji has an idea.

"Wilhelmina, take a look at those bottles."

"What about them? The city has a glass industry, little wonder with the abundant raw materials."

"No, look closer. When was the last time someone washed the dishes here? Not to mention the corks."

"Oh. Eeeew... People are corked."

Time to plunder themselves some ingredients for cleaning things up. The flora of Aranoch may be unwelcoming on the surface but saps and roots are at times quite useful. Unfortunately most grow further inland away from the coast and the witches need to contend with angry cats and sly scarabs. Wilhelmina behaves outrageously and wastes time in the middle of battle to comment how useless throwing potions are against the Sol'ed shell of her guard.

​

Said cats are so infuriated that they forget basic tactical principles of pathfinding and expose themselves to further taunts and ridicule.

​

Silliest of all is however the arcane transportation hubs of Aranoch. It is clear that no integrated transport policy has ever been implemented here to do away with the surplus facilities.

​

Wilma on her hand encounters taunting enemies like the leaping menace that mocks both iron wolves and her main spells.

​

Not intending to be provoked by such base creatures, Wilma takes it slow and steady through the nearest wastelands.

​

Wanja meanwhile stays in the palace perfecting the fire wall security system. Although...it is a little too perfect. Or rather imperfect. The denial of access has struck indiscriminately and affected Kaelan the daft door guard in a most dim-witted way. Wilhelmina makes the following observations:

When a technical spell application suddenly appears in your inventory it is often indicating fundamental problems. Some formulas are snuck past the scrupulous reviewers and beta testers to entice uninformed customers with misdirecting hype-articles filling entire scrolls. I never thought that the fire wall home security spell application would turn out to be one of those rotten products.

"You may not pass!" the voice shouts at me as I start up the fire wall spell application. It is nice to be reminded about the main purpose of it if memory fails. A vast, hollow and rickety spellogramme of the palace is rendered before my eyes. It is so full of access points and confused sentinels that it is quite comical.

"You may not pass!" Thank you once again kind sir.

Everyone is running around wildly waving their spears but never catching any potential intruders. It is time to seal those n00b back doors once and for all. I prepare to target the abandoned pipes when the connection terminates. It seems the spell application has been interrupted by a patrol of bugs passing through Jerhyns ill-maintained kitchen windows.

"You may not pass!" says the man harshly again. I detect a hint of taunting in the voice but that is probably just my imagination.

Bugs or not, this time I will seriously burn something down. The windows are going to go infernal next and woe to any assailant trying to sneak in like an uninvited Persian prince. My plans are however once again thwarted as my eardrums are drowned in buzzing, no, buzzard, noise. Pretty soon the source of the cacophony appears, a blocky and ugly pack of carrion birds of some kind. The spell screen freezes and the fire wall turns black. I storm off to get some sugared lemon juice and stop the wave of obscene statements waiting to flood my surroundings. Standing in the shade across the street I hear a familiar voice:

"You may not pass!"

Wanja feels almost as if she in another life had been reviewing a hopelessly bug-filled game where a stern voice shouts the title at you as it freezes and crashes at any given moment. She makes a mental note not to reread the old reviews in the northlander version of Player Character Gamer any time soon. One can only stomach so much silliness at once.

To clear her head Wanja dives into battle in the lower levels of the sewers and takes out her irritation on Radament the apprentice flesh golemancer. At least the original edition of the fire wall spell is both bug-free in itself and ensures a bug-free working environment.

Energy shield at work, a rare sight to be seen on pictures since more sensible sorceresses would be more concerned with the combat rather than taking screenshots...

​

The mob has been placated for the moment and everyone has survived Aranoch so far. Even though they may still not pass the palace door.

 

[Pb_pal]

Awesome writeup as always! They just keep getting better and better, loving the group and style of the playthrough. Well done on a few tough battles as well.

 

[Maltatai]

28. Material Witches World

Spoiler

In the ancient ages, known more precisely as episode 18, I remarked that each witch had some holes in her otherwise quite developed wardrobe. After finishing off Andariel I thought it time to try to deal with the noted deficiencies. While the countess' habitat can be explored at ones convenience later on, the stair traps of Act II are not so optional and while offering more space the foes are generally stronger too. Many are the valiant squires who have met their doom in that region. It would also be a bit relaxing to take a break from hells dual immune captains for a while.

Wanja had moved steadily away from the regular use of Riphook and relied on her developing lightning and lower resistance reserve staff to break resilient enemies. I decided to finally get to it and drop the Nadir helmet as main gear and replace it with Narphets Lore helmet. It added both valuable protection and skill level. Narphet in turn would need something suitable as replacement and found it in a bought Artisans Great Helm of the Wolf, of course of the Iron Wolf! Enormously fitting, isn't it? With an Ort rune still needed to make up for the lost lightning resistance, it gave him an additional 7 PDR and some life, far more relevant than skill levels for his ice spells.

​

While looking for Sol runes Wanja had the outrageous luck of running into nothing less than a Lum rune. With the countess unable to drop those as part of her special rune drop it must have been her or a companion who dropped it instead of another item, insanely rare this early in nightmare but quite welcome. With a couple of Hel runes saved Wanja soon had the runes for crafting another Memory staff provided she could find a better base than her current one which offers her access to a weak thunder storm.

​

A random log in Lower Kurast gifted her with an even more outrageous present, a Lem rune! If only she had been a combat character... I don't see any specific use for the latter but maybe something could come up. For all her luck she might get an Ist next time...

​

When chasing staffs in random tranquil places in early nightmare and normal, normal Baal dropped a cute regeneration ring that would complement her amulet of regrowth well. I am however hesitant to lose the mana bonus from either current ring as mana is Wanjas primary weakness. Perhaps she can some day find a way to gain both mana and more healing.

​

All in all Wanja had grown notably tougher with higher resistances and 7 more PDR, making her take very little damage so long as the energy shield is up. Her great deficiency of mana has not stopped her so far.

Wilma lacks skill levels and her amulet is a weak spot where there is room for improvement. She didn't acquire any skill levelling amulet on her shopping trip but crafted one very interesting example still. What a hideous level requirement...

​

Well, it offers some additional resistances compared to her current amulet, at the cost of some mana. The big question is of course if the attract charges could be made useful. It is not completely implausible. Since attract can be used on a group in combination with another curse such as lower resistance she could maybe use it to herd monsters together to make the most of her blizzards. On the other hand the duration of a level 1 attract is minimal in hell and I bet the monopolistic smiths charge extortionate sums for recharging the amulet.

Wilhelmina at last located a jewel with fire resistance, completing Vanjis Sword of Bejewelled Resistances.

​

That unlocked the spot in his shield occupied by a Ral rune no longer needed. Thus he could add one Sol rune to his shield without being too burned.

​

Finally, Wilhelmina had some time before found a devastatingly smart suit of dashing red, going smashingly well with iron wolf robes. Into this suit she socketed four Sol runes, offering one more than Vanjis former bland socketed gothic plate in addition to the added life and fitting colour.

​

With some improvements for all and especially Vanji looking much tougher the WWW are ready, or at least less unready, to brave the dangers of stair traps and ambushes in the dark.

 

[Maltatai]

29. The Countess' Wine Cellar

Spoiler

The filthy and easily manipulated Lut Gholein mob has been placated by a timely concession and service of the community by the WWW but remains not trusted by witches. In order to dampen the rabid throng Wilma, Wanja and Wilhelmina have chased various demonic inhabitants away from the near vicinity and enabled access to more of the well near the city. To speed up the recovery of those already afflicted with fevers Wilhelmina orders buckets of water assembled and bombards them with ice blasts, whose improved freeze length turns the water to ice in no time. The feeble-minded onlookers stand uselessly like the towns guards staring at the phenomenon.

"Come on, gather up the ice in those water skins now and distribute it to the sick! Water turning to ice is a perfectly natural occurrence. Morons..."

Wanja is meanwhile busying herself with annoying Wilma and other useful pastimes.

"Come see the hideous witches brew! Witness the bubbling of the foul contents of her magical cauldron!"

The mob is shuffling nervously next tot hem, suspicious but cowardly.

"Be quiet Wanja, and set the table instead. Only because you live on chilled deserts doesn't mean the rest of us can do it..."

Noticing the company Wilma irritably clarifies.

"...this is soup, made from potatoes, leeks and onions and some salt and pepper, it is very wholesome and tasty and should be easy to swallow for those with a sore throat. Cooked by me, so obviously a witches brew technically speaking."

The happy and bright gathering is interrupted by a startled cry from the tavern. Atma is rushing out and calling for help and it appears Geglash is lying on the floor as if struck by a level 24 lightning spell after Atma informed him that the town is on its last barrel of date palm liquor. No one seems to know what to do but Wanja has an idea. During all the time spent doing other things than their assigned homework the witches have read about many interesting theories about potential spell applications in their search for offensive means against professor Tape. One seemingly less useful idea was to cast a miniaturized version of the lightning bolt spell at someone's chest if said someone experienced severe heart problems.

The fools around Geglash are standing too close though, risking being targeted by residue lightning effects and interfering with her concentration when directing her lightning. Static interference is such a pain for any ambitious professional.

"CLEAR!"

Wanja casts her modified lightning spell at the first opportunity.

"...Out! I mean clear out, make some space. WAKE UP, GEGLASH!"

"Uuuuh..."

While bedside, or rather streetside, manners as well as manners in general might be lacking, Wanjas badass medical aid performance has captivated the crowd. Perhaps she will in time have given rise to a genre of popular culture centred on stories with main character physicians spending all their day shouting at other people.

To prevent further crisis Atma implores the WWW to search for more non-water drinkable supplies. The trade routes are severely hampered with only Warriv daring to make the journey with witch escort but perhaps there is a shortcut available thanks to the old Horadric Waypoints. In the old tower in the Black Marsh there seemed to be a cellar left standing and if the site was the residence of a countess then it might house the remnants of a wine cellar. The untrustworthy tales of the commoners around imply that the countess was a steady drinker of red, which sounds promising. Distinguished drunkards such as Geglash would call such obscure rumours of wine as something heard through the grapevine.

Scandalously enough, it would seem that various demonic and undead intruders dare to make their lair in the lower levels of the tower and impede the progress of recovering recovering drinks. WIlma, Wanja and Wilhelmina must battle their way through the gaudy Blood Clan, ghostly ghosts and dirty devilkin along with blueblooded, and blue, nobility that think little of common sorceresses trickling their filth through the halls.

Not even the countess herself has had the decency to sod off by herself. The immune countess chases Narphet and Wanja away and is being generally annoying. Perhaps an attack from another direction can take the heat and cold off them.

​

On her way down, Wilma is stairtrapped by a trio of thuggish goats. How underhorned! Underhanded is the term when humans attempt such a thing but the Blood Clan sinks to even lower levels. None the less, Wilma puts them in their place, literally, with a few glacial spikes while Haphet is bravely making a threatening gesture with his sword while unleashing the least effective attack of all the games minions against the immune enemies.

​

The countess, as immune and mobile as ever by now, is resting in her alcove with her chambermaids no doubt busy with much more important things than standing guard or keeping watch, not to mention investigating where those annoying and mildly accurate bolts keep coming from. Everyone knows the tower is drafty after all, no wonder it starts hailing now and again. No reason to get up, nothing to see over there...

​

The WWW have survived the insidious inside stair traps with all their iron wolves intact. Speaking of iron, there is a slightly metallic smell of the bountiful red liquor they are able to gather for Geglash but if it was good enough for a countess it should surely be good enough for even such a seasoned connoisseur.

 

[Klonki]

amazing content!

 

[Maltatai]

That was fast.

 

[Maltatai]

30. A Dead Hall

Spoiler

There are some ancient heirlooms whose return Deckard Cain of all people is prepared to offer a substantial if somewhat undefined reward for. Apparently an old staff of royal office as well as an amulet of religious significance needs to be found and acquired forcefully from the local inhabitants. Desecrating ancient tombs may be necessary as well, for as every foreign pillager...archaeologist...knows about such things, it belongs in a museum!

One apparently needs a Horadric Cube and one of those could possibly be found in the Halls of the Dead where they were used in sacred embalming rituals to honour the revered deceased. Wilma, Wanja and WIlhelmina already possess one each but it never hurts to have spares so theyd ecide to raid the place anyway and see what they can lay their hands on.

The dead are moderately amused by the idea and gather to show their depreciation.

The hordes of the Halls of the Dead pose a problem chiefly due to the resurrecting greater mummies. In other cases any pack could easily be thinned out and weakened by repeatedly skirmishing with the forward line of monsters. Now on the other hand a spellcaster must either make sure all undead remain frozen and shatter or advance to hit the greater mummies more directly. Both approaches are viable and sometimes work better or worse than one another. Adding to the complexity the spear cats that sometimes mix with the undead harass any spellcaster waiting to take aim and should be dealt with expediently.

Wanja and Wilhelmina can melt hordes of returned skeletons with ease with barrages of glacial spikes and frozen orbs. Both can also strike effectively against cats or greater mummies behind the lines with their fire walls and meteors. Wilma is the one in greatest trouble for while the hydras can eat most things from a, for Wilma, safe distance, her erratic blizzards frequently leave enemies unscathed and make it tremendously tedious to melt down the last skeletons of a pack. Worst of all however, are the desert wing bats. Fast, small and immune to fire they dive around falling ice as often as being hit it seems and neither chain lightning nor Wilmas now very inaccurate shooting is effective against them.

Wanja display the WWW:s typical reverence for the elderly when encountering a group of senior embalmers.

​

There doesn't seem to be any cubes left for the taking but no harm done, except of course to Aranochian spiritual traditions, cultural heritage and other mundane and petty details.

Wilma, Wanja and Wilhelmina move further out in the deserts, passing into the remote regions of the Far Oasis where water is sometimes found, if now frequently polluted by demonic interferences. The witches enjoy thoroughly the enlightening experience of coming into contact with the fascinating local fauna.

​

Sand maggots quickly become a favourite target for all but mostly for Wanja. Setting fire to such a tough but immobile target is leaves one with a serene sense of fulfilment and hope for the future.

Not all dangers are so easily escaped however. When you least expect it, your employer might burst out in a tiresome tirade about insufferable and unbearable academic nonsense that leaves your ears rotting. Haphet quietly decides to make a precautionary sweep of the surrounding areas in the meantime which will, regretfully, take such a long time that he will miss the entire lecture.

​

Also, those scarabs are considerably more dangerous than the other creatures and can advance rapidly while their lightning bolts whittle away energy shields and puts frail spell casters into hit recovery. In danger, they are not on par with Wilmas endless ramblings, but still rather risky to face.

That is, when the scarabs are not eaten far, far, away by even hungrier predators.

​

The desert also bear witness to the subtle ways of Wilhelmina. One could well take note of the awesome duration of the heavenly flames at skill levels nearing 30. Hitting with a meteor is infamously hard but setting a trap with four meteors fire and leading enemies to it and freezing them is so much easier.

​

Or you can just take your time to actually aim and reap the rewards.

​

With the first pesky lairs of undead dealt with the WWW can turn their attention to the pesky lairs of slimy maggots and icky snakes. On second thought, Wanja and Wilhelmina decides that the undead perhaps aren't that bad after all. Wilma on her hand can't wait to be rid of skeletal heaps of any variety.

 

[nepeta]

Those monsters must feel awful, getting killed and BM'ed so much

 

[Maltatai]

31. Bug Fixing

Spoiler

The Maggot Lair drive most to despair, or so Geglash would wisely and poetically declare. Summoners or any sorts of minions cringe as their subordinates walk the wrong way and scatter, rangers rip their bowstring apart in frustration when running into the perpetual corners and tight turns while close ranged warriors spit at the thought of malnourishing swarms, plated maggots and shocking scarabs.

And then there are the obnoxious sorceresses whose giddy cries of excitement and high glee echo eerily throughout the tunnels. The nightmarish place is their hunting spot and their playground for here, all will burn. Wilmas hydras have the time of their life trading recipes for crispy cockroach and burst beetle. The main dish for the evening is positively queen sized.

​

While the hydras are the unequalled perfection of sniping, fire wall holds its own against any skill in the tight confines and straight turns of the maggots. Cast straight ahead it will strike perpendicularly at any foe waiting around the corner in ambush. Ravaging the vicinity ahead of her, Wanja has a most shocking revelation: Deckard Cain is wise.

​

The advice to stay a while and listen does not apply to self-important old fossils but to the everyday advance into enemy territory. Cast a fire wall, stay a while and listen if there are enemies burning ahead of you. Listen for the bony footsteps of skeletons or worse bony things in the deep dungeons of the world and your deeds of skill will need to be less remembered.

The concept is so perplexing that some puny gnats manage to sneak up on Wanja following a scarab pack that forces her to retreat a bit and flood the corridor in flames.

​

Casting at the precise spot to make the fire wall fan out in the exact direction you intend is an art and a manoeuvre that is difficult to pull off when scarabs and other repulsive entities are rushing towards you. Then, one could of course set a trap of a couple of walls beforehand. Trusty fire walls will keep all sorts of bugs out of your system, and the old Wanja proverb goes.

Regretfully, the nest of scarabs whose neon party lights and advertisements Wanja caught sight of were too lazy to rush ahead into her sublime trap and she ahd to content herself with burning them up inside their lair.

​

Far away and covered with murky puddles, the Far Oasis can be summed up as the consummate backwater. The witches will soon be approaching more gentrified and formal districts however.

​

Backwater or not, the oasis has its charms and like other oasis' contain highly desirable products like water, dates, runes... A better memory base can go a long way towards making you absolutely devastating. It would be a welcome addition to any of the WWW whose staves are not remotely close to their full potential.

​

Lacking the long range capabilities of hydras and fire walls, Wilma can fight in no less hilarious ways due to her magnificent ice blast. Freezing the first in a pack she will have an immobile wall between herself and the enemy leaders and main body and can call down meteors on them before finishing off the frozen monsters.

​

Exceptionally troublesome creatures will end their days waving their claws impotently from behind their useless and incompetent comrades as the cruel insults of the witches follow them back to the burning hells office of reassignment.

​

With maggots dealt with and troubled melee characters sufferings avenged tenfold, the vacation is over. The darkness of the Lost City beckons, and slithering stair traps await Wilma, Wanja and Wilhelmina while the iron wolves can look forward to the dreaded Ancient Tunnels where countless mercenaries have met their doom.

 

[Pb_pal]

Nice job! Nothing better than logging on to multiple installments of this fantastic story. The jokes are becoming top-tier as well, keep it up!

 

[Maltatai]

32. The Horror of Wilma

Spoiler

Finding a waypoint very close to the entrance after entering the Lost City and shortly after discovering the trap door down to the Ancient Tunnels as well as the path to the Claw Viper Temple very close to it, Wilma initially seems to have a convenient time. She raids the tunnels in a careful and flawless way, letting hydras eat all they could and calling down blizzards on most of the rest. A fast invader captain prove dangerous but there is enough space to retreat over to keep the battle under control. All in all the place is no match for her and Haphet.

On shaking legs Wilma attempts to enter the Claw Viper Temple immediately afterwards to draw on the invigorating momentum after keeping Haphet in one piece in such an infamous place.

​

The place is regrettably as nightmarish as every tale makes it out to be. Immediately before the stairs is a closed door of thick solid rock. Through that rock slithers the first pack of salamanders.

​

Such is the horror surrounding the claw vipers that Wilma panicks and teleports blindly to her right. A corridor with vipers scare into a large square room with vipers, where caught in a corner and a boss or champion viper in sight she flees the place.

With the temple so close to the waypoint, Wilma is back for another try in little time. She is once again spotted and cornered by vipers and can not gain a foothold. A third try sees her facing bone warriors and guardians and the cold immune minions coupled with the resistant and, for blizzards, hard to hit superiors makes it a deadly slog in the ever present face of lurking salamanders behind the corners. When one such pack catches scent of her battling a guardian near the stairs she once again runs out of space and flees.

Exhausted and bitter, Wilma rests and rethink tactics. For one always relying on her speed and range this accursed temple is the worst of places. The negligence of not constructing a cloaking crown in the manner of her colleagues is painfully evident. But something else that Wilma has thankfully kept is an amulet of life everlasting. With it and weakening charges from her smoke armour she will have to prepare herself to taking the fight to the vipers up close.

In a blink, Wilma is proven right when salamanders immediately engage her upon entering. Unwilling to alert more vipers she and Haphet are trapped against the wall in a corner. Weakened or not, vipers are terrifying foes and four of then clawing and biting at you can unsettle the strongest.

​

Wilma and Haphet hold and the hydras devour the vipers furiously when seeing their sorceress cornered. Wilma has gained a small foothold and breathing space...briefly. Out of the darkness slithers a lightning quick fiery salamander pack leader. Its eyes glimmer in dark green and hydras nor blizzards give it pause. The mere sight is enough to chill the bravest paladin and boldest barbarian and for a caster trapped close tot he entrance there could hardly be anything more unwelcome.

​

The only way to teleport away is the corridor around the entrance. Some urns tot he northeast offer some impediment but nothing that can catch the salamanders. Wilma is the weakest of the WWW in lightning with an underdeveloped chain lightning and she can especially not match the vipers regeneration when constantly retreating. Were that an issue the fight would likely be doomed, but Hwanins belt and Wilmas massive crossbow can settle such matters. That does of course on the other hand depend on Haphet being able to withstand the fast foe long enough for Wilma to score a hit, which isn't easy these days for her archery practise has long since been neglected.

Wilmas specialty is the lower resist charges of her main staff but with such a fast enemy it becomes a risk every time you stop so the extra seconds cost a lot over time in terms of safety. Even when casting she needs to watch out for both a charge and for the fire enchantment explosion. For reasons murky and unclear, Wilma somehow manages to keep herself and Haphet away from the black jaded fangs.

​

The temple is vast but the important part is that Wilma has gained a foothold and can start to explore the adjoining corridors in earnest to acquire what the WWW need most - space. She encounters a few pack leaders without fire immunity but those are readily eliminated.

Then she encounters the vehement menaces that are not.

​

What is it with the Claw Viper Temple and fire enchantments? Those vipers are such pyromaniacs that one would be led to believe they are transfigured sorceresses or something.

Drawing out claw viper leaders is dangerous and complicated work for an archmage. Neither do you wish them to engage the iron wolf for too long lest clawing and elemental effects suddenly overpower the hireling, nor keep running back and forth indefinitely which always present a risk of ending up within charging distance. Even without healing, after fumbling with her crossbow, it takes a long time for Wilmas chain lightning to have effect. Lightning and chain lightning have a particularly lengthy casting time as the sorceress channel it rather than toss it at the enemy, leaving her notably more exposed to fast enemies such as these pack leaders.

​

There are three general approaches to the northeast which is the unexplored direction. As each is guarded by a dual immune pack leader there are no easy ways to go around their packs and harass them from unexpected directions.

​

Long corridors are generally the easiest areas to cast a little lightning and be chased by these menaces. The timing of teleporting is often difficult for if you teleport behind the viper too soon you end up very close to it and if you teleport too late it ends up very close to you before you are off, both increasing the risk of being charged and trapped in hit recovery.

​

After an eternity of tension the first level of the temple is cleared. Small relief that, as the reward is to go down to the black pit of doom and despair that is the second one. Teleport to the stairs to keep your iron wolf close at hand. Quietly, quietly, let the hydras scout.

​

Don't move a single wand-length. They have caught sight of something down there.

​

CRASH. Salamanders are flooding into sight and Wilma is immediately seconds from being caught in their claws. They seem to come from the southeast so she teleports blindly into the darkness of the western corner. The angry hisses of more salamanders greet her and she jumps further south to the corner with the cages where only one viper can claw at you at the time. The salamanders are hot on her heels and have Wilma and Haphet literally cornered. Now it is a matter of whether the potions can last long enough for the hydras to eat the vipers while they chew at Wilmas energy shield and life.

​

The hydras eat vipers faster than vipers eat witches. Now, the reason for why Wilma has not been able to claim the central mound is spelled champion guardians. Immune to hydras, they can not be sniped efficiently. Wilma is close enough to cast blizzards form the side but this battle is the final nail in the coffin of perceived effectiveness of that spell as the guardians dodge so many of the snowballs that the blizzard can hardly break through the regeneration. It is time to bring forth her crossbow and belt.

​

Wilma shoots bolt after bolt after bolt but nothing seems to happen with the life bar that is the only thing she can see from so far away. It should be remembered that Fangskin and his pack is still unaccounted for. There is no telling if one of them will be close enough to be disturbed by an impatient sorceress going too far forward to investigate. Eventually Wilma advances anyway and spots...one of the pillars inconveniently placed right in the way of the guardian. So Wilma needs to reposition and do it all over.

​

At long, long last the guardian falls after countless bolts and missing blizzards. The mound is Wilmas, and so is therefore victory.

​

Fangskin can only sneer vehemently before the hydras silence him and send him slithering back into the darkness. Wilma grabs a repugnant amulet from the altar and takes a town portal back to Lut Gholein, in adamant agreement with Haphet regarding the boycott of the Valley of Snakes for all eternity.

​

Back in Drognans shopthe next day, the unreliable jester has a most unwelcome revelation.

"Here. We have the viper amulet just as Deckard Cain identified. Now the eclipse can end any moment."

"Hmmm, ah, yesss... You see, therein lies the problem. This is the Viper Amulet indeed but it is the Amulet of the Viper that is required to remove from the altar to finish the eclipsing sorcery..."

"Uuuuaaaahhh!"

 

[Maltatai]

33. The Dread of Wanja

Spoiler

Suitably horrified by Wilmas recounting, Wanja opts for using the prescribed reserve equipment for every sorceress that is about to descend into dark and threatening tombs. As Narphet discreetly wandersoff to hide...scout from a better vantage...behind a pillar further back, Wanja utters the ancient incantation that will remove or return the fog of war.

​

The stairs lead down to a salamander pack waiting right at them. Wanjas cloaking takes the edge off the minions but the pack leaders slithers after her undeterred. Aided by the obstructing pillars and Nephet, Wanja manages to set fire to the pack leader who is thankfully not fire enchanted. The remaining salamanders chase her out though, after a frantic teleporting around them and sneaking out through a town portal with fangs snapping at her heels. But now there is no pack leader left that can see through the cloak.

​

Returning through the stairs and not the portal buys Wanja just enough space to cloak and avoid the minion salamanders. There is no cloak without fire, as the not very old saying of questionably wise archmagi goes.

​

Even if he cannot harm them, Narphet is instrumental in combating the claw vipers.

​

The corridor southwest leads to a closed door which give off scary sounds. A telltale sign of experienced adventures of Sanctuary is the paranoia exhibited towards hisses and the clattering of little skeletal feet.

​

Some urns in a very inconvenient place prove quite convenient. Why none bothered to move a set of urns standing right in the middle of the doorway is mysterious, why vipers being set on fire did not bother to move out of the fire and past the urns is astonishing.

​

Much better to put spare urns in a corner, where they wont bother none or get in anyone's way...

​

One might have hoped that Wilma had encountered an unusually nasty percentage of the viper population...but no. Many are the tomb robbers who have groaned about why there must always be native snakes getting in the way of their respectable business...

​

Ever more exploding traps are eager to hurry up and slither close to visitors, and drain their energy shield form afar with their pulsating aura...which is actually a sound strategy from the viper. Even moderate damage could quickly eat through an unsynergized energy shields mana and thereby make the skirmishing an attrition for the sorceress as well.

​

Wanja has less than appropriate appreciation for the commendable tactical forethought.

​

With repulsive fire enchantment now being more norm than exception, one must supposedly cherish the encounters with those that are not. Or just be mad at it all. That is actually a far more just reaction.

​

Presumably, some sort of ant infestation or similar peculiarity had been foreseen by the vipers and led to the employment of a quite frightening but still flammable official. Not even he managed to keep his urns in order somewhere they would not interfere with the daily duties.

​

The one last corridor to the southwest of the entrance is left. Surely there can't be many pack leaders left in one little corner of the temple complex.

Or yes, it absolutely can.

​

Wanja is considerably better suited than Wilma to deal lightning damage with more skill levels and faster cast rate from her Memory staff. On the other hand she doesn't have a convenient way to prevent monster healing, but her lightning is strong enough to do the job anyway. Not that it works anywhere near fast enough to offer a remotely safe or convenient way of battling the dual immune pack leaders. The danger of being charged or cornered is ever present even though Wanja has an easier time than Wilma so far.

Having a blue one the southwest there had to be a red one too...

​

Wanja has cleared out the first level of the temple. The stairs down to the dark pits of certain doom await.

In the darkness of the second level, Wanja edges steadily closer to the mound. She is ready to set fire to anything that moves but should she miss it or miscalculate its path towards her the fire walls cooldown will leave her in a very dire situation. Methodically lightening up the ground in front of her with ever more forward fire walls, Wanja spots two claw vipers on the mound. Now she must not tremble but set the fire wall at the precisely right place. She might not have time to cast another one before some pack on the ground level slithers up to her.

But none does. Wanja sets both claw vipers on fire and the mound is hers.

​

It turns out that Fangskin has engaged a support commander to lead his minions and strike around the mound in a pincer movement, also an established tactical manoeuvre, but failing to secure the centre position they find their front penetrated too early and besieging an indomitable sand hill. The Star Eye would certainly be one you would not want to charge at you...

​

Nor Fangskin, who has chosen to appear this time with similar enhancements... He once again slithers away with singed and fuming scales.

​

Finally all is quiet and Wanja searches thoroughly for the Amulet of the Viper, not to be confused with the Viper Amulet. It remains hard to see in the dark but she can make out the old engravings that confirm the amulets identity.

​

After a dreadful time Wanja rejoins the rest of the WWW at Drognans shop to reap her just reward for rectifying Wilmas oversight. Unfortunately the old wise guy has yet another unwelcome revelation...

"Uh, hum...this is slightly embarrassing but this is actually the Amulet of the Vipers, in plural, and not the Amulet of the Viper. You can see the half of the s barely visible here at the edge - there mush have been some corrosion or chafing more likely, but then again the claw vipers are notorious for preferring dark and presumably damp lairs despite their reptilian attributes so perhaps corrosion is a a quite viable explanation. And in the event that the amulet has come into contact with the embalming substances used in ancient Aranochian temples and graves it could potentially have been affected by those, perhaps some sort of acidic fluid could have distorted the engravings and..."

"Uuuuuuh..."

 

[Maltatai]

34. The Fear of Wilhelmina

Spoiler

Guided by the wise advice and encouraging words of a knowledgeable sage, or if it was the incoherent ramblings and irritating nitpicking of an unbearable wise guy, the third witch prepare to go down, but hopefully only go down the stairs and not in any other meaning of the expression. Wilhelmina adheres to the same basic sense and reason as Wanja and dons a shady circlet before descending the stairs.

​

Fangskin has been busy redecorating since the last visit, and realigning some corridors to confuse his new guests. The salamander patrol near the door remains the same however and as they slither in from the west the sorceress is...or, nope. The sorceress is not at all impressed in this case for meteors prove surprisingly easy to catch them with and the iron wolf this time is Vanji who is not only resistant to the bone but also in fact able to deal with lone vipers effectively on his won backed by Wilhelminas thunderstorm. Simply watching his heroic pose should be enough to impress his badass level of lightning flash.

​

The meteors long duration makes it easy to lay traps into which one can lure the claw vipers, who would otherwise be very inconvenient foes to hit with the actual impact due to their speed.

​

On the east side of the entrance some leftover urns prove excellent to delay claw vipers long enough to bombard them. Perhaps more foes can be lured to this spot if there is need for it.

​

From the entrance there are paths approximately west, north and east. The corridor to the east seems clear so Wilhelmina approaches up along the northern corridor with her usual sublime and graceful approach.

​

This time it actually seems that Fangskin is running out of vipers but instead he has resorted to enlisting the undead, of the most troublesome kind, more precisely cold immune skeletal minions. With the guardians meanwhile immune to fire, targeting them behind the skeletal lines is extremely difficult as skeletons quickly block the line of fire...meaning of course line of cold as it is glacial spikes that are shot.

​

Wilhelmina decides to consolidate her position before advancing against the guardian champions again. With more space available she can count on luring away skeletons and dispose of them outside of the guardians reviving range.

​

The barrages of unholy bolts is too much for Vanji to contend with and only by luring out one at a time can they be dealt with efficiently. That is far from easy for every time Wilhelmin and Vanji advances towards the doorway where the guardians have made their stand ever more skeletons emerge from the room.

Intermingled, of course, with salamanders commanded by, equally of course, a fire enchanted pack leader...

​

This sly slitherer has really studied the WWW and acquired the most of magic resistance available on the market. It is certainly sharp, no question there, but its tastes leave something to be desired. Perhaps the other claw vipers would have listened more to the sound ideas of anti-magic preparations from someone with a more impressive name.

​

In any case, maxed magic resistances are nothing to take lightly no matter who possess them and this red fellow is a most serious threat, but so is a thunderstorm. Particularly one of those thunderstorms that pierce the very earth itself to strike into underground crypts and caves. So is also Vanji, here standing as the greatest of the iron wolves and a most effective mercenary.

​

With the salamanders out of the way, the guardians remain still too fortified for a direct assault. That central chamber is one tough mummified nut to crack indeed!

​

Wilhelmina decides to advance along the unexplored western parts of the temple in order to find another approach to the guardians stronghold in the middle. She encounters automated sarcophagi which she utters foul things about in a demonic language.

​

After completing her encircling around the left flank of the enemy Wilhelmina can perhaps deal with the guardians one at a time.

​

One of them dazzles the audience with less than stellar tactical talent.

​

It is a long, long battle against lone or pairs of guardians and their spare supply of skeletons appear nearly endless. The thought of all those embarrassing things that must have been kept in their closets is enough to make one shiver.

​

No other pack of the first level really comes close to the guardian lot, or lots? There were quite a few of them so it's not unthinkable that it was actually two intermingled champion packs there. In places such as the eastern edge of the corridor Wilhelmina can lay traps undisturbed in preparation, although they are not particularly needed as the salamanders display an unbecoming lack of initiative. Chief supervisor Puke Pus would no doubt slither in his grave at the sight, had he not previously exploded into a less slithery form.

​

The even blacker pit of doom of the second level is at hand. Wilhelmina can deal massive damage quicker than Wilma if enemies close in fast but not as much or as quickly as Wanja with an accurate fire wall. As usual, a creeping carpet bombing approach is advisable. Wilhelmina can keep about five residual fires going at the same time which is enough to severely damage claw vipers but it does naturally not account for Fangskin and his immunities.

Into the field of fire marches skeletons from the west side. They crack and fall apart from the flames but rise again, almost acting out part of the first cinematic of the game wherein skeletons have never looked more wicked. In such fearful places as the claw viper temple all sorts of hidden fears can surface and with skeletons coming in from the west side, will they start to tell the diabolical tale as one of those so called...west side stories? The elements have mercy upon us. Wilhelmina needs to end this before such a doom is upon her.

Anyway, the skeletons presence is good in the way that it makes it less likely that something worse and more reptilian lurks in the same place, and if Wilhelmina can only keep her head cool and not be drawn out too fast to shut their guardian up she can have a look at the mound. Her illuminated colleague can light up the location to confirm that it is only held by a pair of claw vipers...meteor fodder.

​

Witches 3, snakes 0. Take that, you glorified worms!

​

But Fangskin is not going down quietly, dual enchantment and resistances all, just like his top floor manager. Wilhelmina is hard pressed to find a safe spot and her fastest attacks are useless. Waiting for the weather to do the work for her, she recoils from the sparking green coils. Only one mage of the WWW can stand face to face with such a monster.

​

Undefeated throughout all the game so far, the iron wolves continue to prove their worth. Surely less protected spellcasters would have succumbed long ago but those fools without proper resistances or damage reduction, sometimes going without a single Sol rune or corresponding enhancement, are both idiots and wimps in the opinion of Haphet, Narphet and Vanji. Indeed, such un-Sol'ed mercenaries are no real men at all...

​

Under the stern, not to say downright infernal, gazes and twitchy fingers grasping magical staves of the WWW, Drognan dares little else than to declare the amulet to be the correct and proper Amulet of the Viper. Fare unwell, see you never and rot, Claw Viper Temple.

 

[Maltatai]

35. Boring Blunders

Spoiler

In the aftermath of nervous breakdowns and nihilophobia the WWW pass the time with mopping up the rest of the opposition in the Lost City. Wilma have some exploring to do of the now sunny surface with its picturesque ruins where monsters can be trapped.

​

Wanja has heeded old wisdom in not attempting to attack the ancient tunnels without proper rest. Its narrow passages offer good opportunities to trap packs of enemies by freezign the foremost and then setting fire to the following entourage.

​

Wilhelmina has planned to visit said tunnels as well and makes use of the ever present urns inconveniently left behind to block the monsters that despite their hellish savagery retain proper respect for the regions cultural heritage and refuse to crush the urns. An especially quick marauder prove troublesome until weakened enough to flee into a corner.

​

Before going to the Valley of Snakes Wilhelmina efficiently crossed the Lost City to the path through the surrounding mountains. The path leading to the Far Oasis that is, with the path to the Valley of Snakes being of course the one residing next to the waypoint. She had of course not forgotten that or something like that and was just doing a precautionary sweep of the surrounding area. During that excursion she did in any case find a flail of legendary usefulness. She must have known it would be there in that particular forgotten chest. That is the only explanation for her going in the seemingly wrong direction.

​

The comparative tranquillity is cut short by a hurried note from the noble patron of the Harem Guilds, sultan Jerhyn himself. It would seem that the installed firewalls of Wanja have not been enough to keep intruders out of his domains because like all flawless security systems they do not take into account the flawed handling of its operators, more specifically the daft door guard Kaelan that has neglected to mention the proverbial back door inside the system, in the cellar that serves the building as a store room more than anything these days. Servers must be protected as well, one CAN NOT consign oneself to dealing only with the spell, Wanja fumes. In any case, after installation comes maintenance and after maintenance comes troubleshooting, as the experienced fire sorceresses would say.

With the palace now overrun by malicious entities the WWW will have to do a thorough sweep from the top and down. First though, it is time for some rethinking and readjustments, mainly from Wilma.

Wilma does not work properly with her armament so far. The mighty Buiza Do Kyanon is a dead end for as powerful as it may be it requires a powerful archer to handle it and Wilma is anything but that. It can not replace chain lightning as an effective damage source due to her by now abysmal clumsiness with it, and she can not wear her Treachery armour and use the crossbow at the same time. Some Fools Throwing Knife or similar simple means of hitting enemies would be better, enabling treacherous venom to actually aid the weapon and more reliably prevent monster healing with Hwanins belt which is the true gem of the martially inclined parts of her gear.

After a small nightmare of shopping Wilma finds herself the proud owner of a simple Fools Composite Bow as well as a newly created Nadir mask to avoid any more stairtrap embarrassments, the latter after first making a circlet but then regretting the choice as too aesthetically unfitting.

The interior of the palace is tightly packed with insidious miscreants that are nothing but a burden and a pest for the city and sultanate as a whole. No change from the normal courtiers in other words. Despite, or perhaps more because of this, the WWW set out to promptly expel them. The counterintuitive and feebleminded layout of the cellars - clearly the works of some kind of modern architect that strives to make public building reflect the current times rather than serve the needs of the population - are as practical for confusing and trapping enemies as they are impractical when it is time to fetch more wine when it is time to watch Lysanders latest lightshow. The fools bow proves its usefulness against the annoying Blunderbore that shrugs off most elemental damage and would indeed be foolish to engage up close. Which Wilma embarrassingly enough manages to do after a misspelling and casting teleport instead of a blizzard on a minion blunderbore right next to it. After equal overdoses of unmitigated panic and full rejuvenation potions Wilma and Haphet manages to disengage and teleport back inside their cage, nearly escaping the most idiotic death imaginable.

​

As is public knowledge, Jerhyn is a shady and fishy character and there is little about him that is proper. What is less known is that this shady immorality even affects the very elements around him. Wilma, Wanja and Wilhelmina can only shake their heads at the sorry state of things and hope that they will soon be able to leave these unnatural surroundings.

​

The great pest of the palace cellars are the blunderbores. With a repugnant amount of life and double the regeneration of other, together with fire immunity that stops healing prevention by fire walls and meteors, the filth can get on any witch's nerves. Wanja has a somewhat easier time than her colleagues thanks to the long freezing from Narphet.

​

Just because of that Wanja has to encounter the most irritating Fire Eye imaginable. The beast is fast indeed and nigh impossible to catch with lightning and arrows. Without a source of Prevent Monster Heal like Wilma, Wanja needs to hit regularly to keep poison and open wounds active. Easier planned than done but for a while Fire Eye is trapped by his modest pathfinding skills and continue to stubbornly barge into the wall.

​

Wilhelmina encounters several despicable blunderbores. The worst of them is very nearly impossible for her and Vanji to harm, due to its rapid regeneration, and with thunderstorm as her lightning skill she cannot speed up the casting at expense of mana either. Wilhelmina alternates between cursing the monster and trying to keep it off Vanji with telekinesis to reduce the time spent retreating and thus not casting against it. Attacking from safety behind bars is not possible without a means of stopping its regeneration.

​

Drained of energy from the fight with Steel Flame Wilhelmina just wishes the last blunderbore leader to fall, preferably as far away from her as possible. But the filth, despite only fire immunity, just won't go down and she can't stay in one place for long to pummel it with glacial spikes since she has to watch for teleportation in combination with the fire enchantment. Jerhyns home is certainly not a place the WWW will want to visit again any time soon.

​

The conclusion from the palace cellars is that all characters, no matter their class or skills, must have some way of applying Prevent Monster Heal. In the WWWs case, the best alternative is Wilmas with ranged application and massive attack rating bonuses. For those lacking Hwanins blessings or a mask with black horns, perhaps a malicious weapon is the answer. Probably a brandistock or something similar as speed and range is very desirable. If only one had, say, a legendary halberd that could bring woe to any enemy.

Wanja possesses a Lem rune, which would be useful to put in a treacherous tigulated mail but no such base armour is available. Riphook, mighty as it is, is not enough to prevent monster healing in her unskilled and inaccurate hands. Open wounds and poison damage from charms
does not trigger often enough to keep monsters health down effectively.

 

[Pb_pal]

Excellent update, as always! Tough trekking through the Palace there, well done to make it through. Good luck on your search for PMH sources, I always like to keep 1 poison charm in my inventory at least to help with that matter, though a more reliable (and lengthy) solution is always better.

 

[Maltatai]

Tough trekking through the Palace there

Yeah, totally unexpected actually. I've always regarded blunderbores as a pain for melee characters but otherwise fairly easy to deal with so long as you can find a way to keep them from mashing you but this was the opposite. And I've rarely seen so few archer and mage bosspacks, which tend to be the culprits when my unfortunate mercenaries fall. I would rather have dealt with those kinds of enemies in these cases.

 

[Maltatai]

36. Wizard Duel

Spoiler

Bleeeeh... The WWW slump against a random wall in the palace, depleted after grinding their mana bulbs against the regenerating hides of one too many blunderbore. This is no fun at all and looks like the beginning of a depressing downslope in their career if there is more of the same to come. But then, the sleazy playboy of a brat that misrules the town unwittingly bring news that would cheer them all up, despite being delivered with fitting embarrassment.

Joy and amazement there is, for Jerhyn reveals that the innocent looking wayfaring mage he let in to study the harmless portal in his cellar would have been no less than a Vizjerei! The stuffiest of old codgers and belittling patronisers! This can only mean one thing - WIZARD DUEL! A stylish and epic contest absent of barbaric melees or shadow-skulking roguish archery! Such and undertaking must be carried out with style and witty insults for sure.

The Arcane Sanctuary, playground of mages of all dispositions, holds few inhabitants of note but the automatic anti-witch defense system is another matter. Lightning spires takes ages to put a dent in and they quickly deplete the largest of mana bulbs. The best option is to ensure your sturdy iron wolf is closer to attract its attention while you stand further away from the lightning.

​

When facing multiple such installations a wise witch will position herself between the bolts of lightning.

​

In such confined and teleport-friendly surroundings dual immune enemies are much less of a hassle. All sorts of obscenities can be uttered from the safe distance of across the odd architecture. Notice the peculiar green spot over the ghoul lord lords head, whatever is that?

​

Stray goats also prove amusing diversions to insult for a while, but meagre practise soon turns into bland routine considering the real prize that lies in store.

​

The old Vizjerei summoner, or more correctly sorcerer, casts glacial spikes, fire balls and fire balls at ranged enemies. Wilma, Wanja and Wilhelmina grudgingly allow each other to have their turns at tormenting their foe and ridiculing his spells. Wilhelmina begins the verbal and magical attacks.

​

It is a glorious battle! Explosions and flashes are everywhere!

​

Flames erupt from all the ground, each hellishly hotter than the next as the raging insults grow ever more corrosive.

​

Finally the fun must come to an end when Wilmas hydras show who is in command of the Sactuary.

​

With their good mood a little restored and bidding the lightning spires good riddance, the WWW begin their descent into the madness that is the Canyon of the Magi and the looting of soul-crushingly many tombs of Tal Rasha. Deep below, the rumbling laughter of a bloated hydralisk echoes, eager to be served sand-witches at the earliest possible convenience...

 

[Maltatai]

@SirName, wearer of the most FCR (Faster Comment Rate) items of all.