Let's play ToEE!

If you're level ten you can use Mass cure light wounds to heal 1d8+10 damage to your party and then deal that much damage to five undead. Something that could be handy in a pinch.

Norfleet said:

Pussycat669 said:

That japs talk! On a more serious note though has anyone actually ever used that option? It always sounded to me like a last straw approach to waste healing spells on critters and I normally try to avoid such situations.

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It does tend to be a waste, until you get to spells like "Heal", which does mega-damage. Otherwise you tend to be better off healing a fighter, where the extra hitpoints that you buy will gain you far more damage in the end. Still, the option is there should you choose to use it, as infrequently as it may be. If you encounter any heavily armored undead, this may be an option to consider with the higher-level heals (low level heals do like 1d8 damage, which simply does not sufficiently beat out the simple mace-in-the-face approach), as heal/inflict are touch attacks and ignore armor. For the most part, though, the common rank and file undead is unarmored and you don't really encounter any better undead in the game.

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that's what i thought too, till some weird ghoulish creature called a Bandok or something killed Lv 7 Elmo in one hit, wtf?

I remember that my ranger made more kills than a fighter.

Depends on what spec. I'm slightly confused with TOEE joinable NPC mechanics. Or what Troika is trying to achieve by blacking out their stat and having them level automatically. Frankly, it sucks and makes it less desirable to recruit them over a pre-made chars except for the virtue of their higher level of experience in early game.

For example: Elmo is fantastic front line fighter, his stats are very good, IIRC 18 STR 16 DEX 14 CON, and even a positive WIS bonus for WILL saves, but they decided to make him into a two-weapon-ranger as soon as he levels? Why? How does this drunkard turn into a Ranger overnight? Why the need to black out their stats even? We can still check their stats from their skill bonuses screen. (+1 means 12, +2 means 14, so on)

RK47 said:

Depends on what spec. I'm slightly confused with TOEE joinable NPC mechanics. Or what Troika is trying to achieve by blacking out their stat and having them level automatically. Frankly, it sucks and makes it less desirable to recruit them over a pre-made chars except for the virtue of their higher level of experience in early game.

For example: Elmo is fantastic front line fighter, his stats are very good, IIRC 18 STR 16 DEX 14 CON, and even a positive WIS bonus for WILL saves, but they decided to make him into a two-weapon-ranger as soon as he levels? Why? How does this drunkard turn into a Ranger overnight? Why the need to black out their stats even? We can still check their stats from their skill bonuses screen. (+1 means 12, +2 means 14, so on)

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Why recruit them anyway? The more challenge the more fun, and ToEE is difficult only in the beginning(and in some other spots during the rest of the game).

Ah, ToEE... I still remember how I accidentally stumbled to the endgame room without going through the huge temple at all. The boss just told me to fuck myself and disappeared, for some reason not fighting me. Game over.

Well I just recruit them as early muscle cause I only made cleric , rogue and wizard pre-gens. Now I've added Bertrand the Gay Pirate into the mix for lulz. He's not half bad with a glaive.

Oh that boss room, me too. Lulz I think I took a long break from TOEE because of that. I thought I really finished it for real. 'That's it?' I thought and went to play other games and forgot about it.

RK47 said:

that's what i thought too, till some weird ghoulish creature called a Bandok or something killed Lv 7 Elmo in one hit, wtf?

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Bodak.

I'd assume that the blanking out of the stats and lack of control over the NPCs, I'd assume it was done to make it more like the PnP game.

Death Gaze (Su)
Death, range 30 feet, Fortitude DC 15 negates. Humanoids who die from this attack are transformed into bodaks 24 hours later. The save DC is Charisma-based.

Grrr looks like it's the web & shoot approach again. Oh well more exp. Co8 patch seems to quicken the levelling a bit, I can't really put a finger to it but the levelling pace is nicely done.

RK47 said:

For example: Elmo is fantastic front line fighter, his stats are very good, IIRC 18 STR 16 DEX 14 CON, and even a positive WIS bonus for WILL saves, but they decided to make him into a two-weapon-ranger as soon as he levels? Why? How does this drunkard turn into a Ranger overnight?

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The whole drunken thing is a ruse. According to the original PnP module (The Village of Hommlet), Elmo and his brother from Nulb are both actually agents working for the forces of good in, I think, the city of Verbobonc and were instructed to keep an eye out in Hommlet and on the Temple, and to help good adventurers who wanted to clear out the moathouse and later the Temple itself.

Of course, none of that is mentioned in the CRPG ToEE, but, eh.

wow. yeah that's really interesting. I was returning to Hommlet after levelling / getting encumbered and discovered more 'talk-quests'. It's a nice change of pace. After 1-2 hours of slaughtering bad guys my party went and solve a local theft as well as taking care of Ogre infestations for the mayor.

side note: In Co8 patch a little boy in Hommlet told me there's a witch that I'm 'tough enough to handle' East of the hommlet keep. Anyone found it yet? Also: where the heck is the cure for the sick girl at Jaroo's? Kept looking at 'swampy' area of moathouse but couldn't find anything.

RK47 said:

wow. yeah that's really interesting. I was returning to Hommlet after levelling / getting encumbered and discovered more 'talk-quests'. It's a nice change of pace. After 1-2 hours of slaughtering bad guys my party went and solve a local theft as well as taking care of Ogre infestations for the mayor.

side note: In Co8 patch a little boy in Hommlet told me there's a witch that I'm 'tough enough to handle' East of the hommlet keep. Anyone found it yet? Also: where the heck is the cure for the sick girl at Jaroo's? Kept looking at 'swampy' area of moathouse but couldn't find anything.

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For the sick girl at Jaroo's you have to wander around the world map until you get into a random encounter vs some ghouls ( or zombies, ghasts, whatever those dead things are called) in a swamp. If you search around the map the cure is hiding around somewhere. It's kind of a crapshoot, and after some time the girl dies.

Shoelip said:

I'd assume that the blanking out of the stats and lack of control over the NPCs, I'd assume it was done to make it more like the PnP game.

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The real problem in the original, dunno if CO8 ever fixed it, is that NPCs were not content to merely settle for shares of gold looted or even shares of gold made from selling loot, but they wanted to clog their inventory with tons of loot that they would neither sell nor use, thus becoming heavily encumbered and unable to move. Presumably, this would be on the toplist of annoyances to be quashed.

In the moathouse: About the duality of doing things 'the smart way'

'When in doubt, just walk a little through the countryside. Something ought to happen sooner or later.' Lord Grey, Traveler's Thoughts

It's time to go back to business. After earning quiet a sum on their travels, Magedude spends a lot of the money on new scrolls from Burne that he can copy in his spellbook. Normally, that would involve a win/lose skill check but thanks to modern quicksave/quickload procedures it turns out to be nothing but a mere nuisance.




Magedude realizes however that, if they want to keep up with other adventurers, they'll need a constant source of income. In other words: our heroes are in desperate need for a part time job and who better to ask than the local bandits that are harassing the oh-so-good people of Hommlet? According to what we've heard so far, those bandits have their hideout in a destroyed moathouse nearby that was once home to a powerful warlock. He was servant to an evil temple we don't know much about. No matter, we dispose the last two remaining skeletons that were following us (they both ran out of ammo) and set course for the very first dungeon in this adventure.

Fun Facts: The people of Hommlet don't mind necromancy. Not that this should come to anyone’s surprise at this point.

Our heroes fight their way through the swampy outskirts and face more sudden pop up enemies although those are more of the vivid kind.




These amphibious beings are no real match for our level 3 group anymore. That is if there aren't three our four of them popping out of the water at random. Wonder how many of those big fellows fit into one lousy pond.




Punkaid falls victim to a very dirty trick and is suddenly grappled by a slimy frog tongue.




He desperately tries to 'break free', a new movement command that appeared in his menu, but it is to no avail.




The cleric goes down like holy water.




Ok, now you're really pushing it. While Johnny succeeds to fend of the frog to the left, Punkaid, fighting both suffocation and digestion at the same time, finds his way back to freedom (considering that he's using a blunt weapon it's probably better not to ask how exactly).




With this unprepared biology course behind them, our group finally stands before the moathouse and a suspiciously inviting looking open gate.




Tumblefingers scouts ahead to find out that there are some bandits who have prepared an ambush for anyone who steps into the courtyard. Not taking any chances, they try to find an alternative route inside.




Aha! One of the many secrets our group is bound to find during the course of the game. Now they can operate behind enemy lines and theoretically destroy them from the inside out! With a plan like that what is there not to like? Apparently, there can be a lot.




Fun Facts: ToEE is probably the only game that punishes you for choosing what seems to be the more reasonable solution.

Magedude's web spell again saves the day and the fight is easy picking after that. There is a short moment of tension when I forget that magic armor is a touch spell and let Magedude accidentally run into the web with two brigands in a neighboring field but they suck too hard at hitting things to become a real threat. The highlight of the battle is when Johnny challenges the enraged brigand leader to a duel of man against midget.




Another firework is in order.




Level four will grant you a one time opportunity to raise one stat of each team member by a single point (Edit: This will actually happen twice. Once at Level 4, second time at Level 8). It is quiet an easy choice there. Johnny gets more Strength, Wisdom for Punkaid, Dexterity for Tumblefingers and Intelligence for Magedude. Only for Screamer I get out of my way and give her one point in Constitution, raising it to 8 so she hopefully won't go down that easily anymore.




Further investigation on the ground floor of the moathouse reveals a strange oddity. It's actually a real snake for once! She goes down with one critical hit already.




Otherwise this level is fairly unspectacular. There are bugs (with legs) and some rats (who won't attack you automatically. We leave them be since they could be diseased). There are also some stairs leading to the basement but before our heroes dwell further they take care of the thugs that guard the front entrance. These fellows got around 5 hitpoints each and therefore often go down with one single hit. Our confrontation is therefore short and satisfying.




Johnny takes a curious step into a desolated guard tower where our group is ambushed by a hideous spider.




Once we got rid of it we find some potions and scrolls in the back. This tower can now be used for safe resting place. It is a service that we immediately take advantage of. Down in the basement Tumblefingers is quick to discover a chest full of old cloaks with a strange symbol on them. Since this seems far too convenient to be a mere coincidence we put them on. First time impression is always important after all. It turns out to be a smart idea.




Screamer successfully tricks the ogre and he let us pass. We free three adventurers in a nearby room and the gnome is grateful enough to give Screamer a ring that will make her recognizable as a ‘friend of the gnomes’. She thinks about selling that piece of junk right away but since there are now merchants in less than a day travel distance she equips it instead and has quickly forgotten about it.

We soon find the labs of the former owner of this place. The undead can't be too far away. Good to know that we still got those bottles of holy water.




Magedude gets a lucky angle with his burning hands spell.




The battle goes rather well since there aren't any more undead that suddenly come out of the ground. Instead we get strange green glue dripping from the ceiling which cuts us off from our escape route. At the same time a zombie suddenly comes out of the neighboring room and remains dangerously close to Screamer.




The glue dies after a few arrows form Tumblefingers (who simultaneously lures the zombie on the right away from Screamer and Magedude until it decides that Johnny looks tastier than her). There is more glue that comes down but this is one of the things I would rather not talk about. As the dust finally settles, our heroes have yet again succeeded in making the dead even deader.




Tumblefingers finds a secret ladder hidden in a hollow pillar. It brings us to another section of the dungeons with more undead. This time they're ghouls and they come with the nasty habit to paralyze anyone they touch. They also move very slowly, making it tiresome to watch them walk. Did I mention they come out of the ground as well?




Seriously, stop it. It's really annoying.




Well, you only get what you deserve.




We find a chest next to an underground lake.




Because of our rather bad experiences with the water outside of the moathouse we let Johnny take a closer look.




Oh my, who could have thought this would happen? Eat magic motherhugger!




After killing it and looting a few scrolls from the chest we meet some talkative gnolls.




They want to leave this cave because they have failed their master in an errand task so the nearby residing bugbears are now the more popular bunch. The chieftain makes his promise that they will leave without trouble for a certain amount of gold. Double the sum and he will also tell where to find their great leader. Since we are going to find him anyways and because Johnny loves his gold he instead attacks. Magedude casts his web spell once again so they won't be overrun by all the gnolls that are standing close by. This spell makes this fight way too easy.






Seeking a true challenge for once, Screamer decides that they should go for the ogre who they met before. He has some very shinny stones.




Look how peaceful he's sitting there, rubbing his knee. Such a cute creature that gives that much XP can simply not be allowed to live. Punkaid casts a cause fear spell on him but fails and battle ensues. Magedude demonstrates how such thing is done properly.




It takes two turns for the spell to expire and the ogre gets exactly two tries to punch Johnny. Both times he misses so the poor thing dies in shame.




About time we give the bugbears a visit. They prove to be less interested in talking than the gnolls and attack on sight.






Once we're done with those waiting in the entrance hall, more come troopers come storming towards us from the northeast.




While the first bugbear that happens to approach is quickly beaten down in a combined effort of Punkaid and Johnny another rushes in and runs straight to Screamer. The woman is in troubles now.






The next fighter is heading our way and the two men in front are left with a critical decision: either hoping that the three companions behind them are able to defeat the injured bugbear alone while they themselves keep blocking anything that comes through the door or they rush back to aid Screamer. Since I pictured Johnny as a bodyguard type of character, I let him help her while Punkaid holds the front line as best as he can.






Luckily enough, the third bugbear that came in seems to be focused on Screamer as well for some strange reasons so they are killed swiftly. The other bugbears seen in the action bar remained in the other room. We cast a protection spell over Johnny against arrows and let him get closer to the door. He makes some new friends: a bugbear with a long halberd and a female bugbear (whoever modeled them surely put some effort in making their females qualities recognizable) with a heavy morning star.
The halberd guy has a long enough range to attack Johnny without leaving his cover behind the gal. To even the odds a bit Screamer casts another fear spell.




The halberd guy eventually comes back for revenge once the spell expires but he has to realize that he’s too late and his hairy girl is already slain. Punkaid casts a bless spell to make sure that he doesn't stand a chance as well.




Unseen here is that there are two archers standing in the background but they won't attack for some odd reasons. Johnny busts in their heads anyways. Now it’s only the south portion of this hole that is left for some more exploration.




'To the east, you can see a natural light. For the first time in your life, you are looking at the outside world' or so it goes. We've find another exit from the moathouse that we can use to return to Hommlet where we could sell our loot and rest. Feeling lucky however, we take the nearby door instead which most definitely will lead us to our new supreme commander. It's time to put on our top secret undercover cloaks again.




We bluff him into believing that we're here to deliver something and Screamer is lead further into the halls on her own. She meets an important looking fellow but he's not who we're looking for.




Look at that tensed expression on his face. Those people are evil to the core and make Screamer almost ecstatic with joy. She tells him that they're new recruits (no bluff check needed here) and that they need to talk to the master himself. She is allowed to pass and we finally meet the one they call Lareth the Beautiful.




That blonde slut really got the nerve to insult Screamer. That ain't gonna fly sister.




Oh great, she's also a wimp too. We might be better off just killing her and the rest of her troupe so that we can take over the place. Then again, that's what good guys would do so we let her explain further. She wants us to guard her on the way to a secret location near an evil temple (the one we vaguely heard about) where our strength shall be tested on the proving grounds. Screamer agrees and she, together with the rest of the party and Lareth, leave the moathouse for good and travel to the north. Once they've brought the few days of journey behind them we will rejoin them. I will then prove, without the shadow of doubt, that letting evil people join your party is really never a good idea.

Christ I need to replay ToEE so badly now, great thread :thumbs up:

This engine had such great potential, just think of the possibilities...

Heh, Lareth the Beautiful is actually male. He wants to bone Screamer!

Oh, now you've ruined the plot twist. :sad:
But he will get enough opportunities to rape pretty much anyone in the party that's for sure.

This thread has gotten my interested in trying to finish ToEE. The first time I kept getting my ass kicked because it was so very DnD but perhaps I'm more skilled now.

hell yeah definitely give a try, I didn't regret it. I restarted it 3 days ago and I'm hooked. I must've spent over 30 hours on it already.

Crispy said:

According to the original PnP module (The Village of Hommlet), Elmo and his brother from Nulb are both actually agents working for the forces of good

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That's also the plot twist of the book which came with ToEE's Collector's Edition. I felt the necessity to read it, since I paid for it... Bad, but not as bad as some FR material I've read as a teen.

Alright, this may or may not be the last update for this week’s session. I'll try to finish Nulb during the weekend but just in case that I don't make it, let's end this season with what I believe is probably the toughest low-level encounter in the game.


The guard tower: Boss Battle Time

'"Well," I asked my new companion "what is evil then?". "Predictable" was his resolute answer.' Lord Grey, Traveler's Thoughts

The last time we've left our heroes, they were on their way to a hideout of a secret sect of extreme evilness, guided by cleric and part time villain Lareth the Beautiful. They've now finally arrived at their travel destination: an apparently abandoned tower. Lareth provides Screamer with further instructions.




She also comes with a new reputation trait that doesn't make us so popular with the Hommlet folks.




They meet a lonely guardsman at the entrance who got thrown out during one of his emotional episodes. He wears a hat so no one can see him cry which is an undeniably deep character trait of his (admittedly the only one he’s got). We get past him no problem.




Bug Report: If you get into a random encounter here, the battle won't stop until this guardsman is dead. You'll have to kill him if you want to leave the combat mode.

It all seems nice and quiet until we set foot into the building.




Holy mutherfuckin' Batman!

Bug report: If it is your first turn in battle the game will show the radial menu of the party member with whom you entered the tower and not the one who has initiative.

Well, it's not like we didn't ask for this to happen. What follows is a rather painfully ordeal. Magedude gets killed by the brigand leader (the bald guy) during the first turn and the three archers a little bit more to the north make Screamer almost dead while simultaneously prevent Punkaid to cast spells peacefully. The battle is over as quickly as it started but this time not in our favor.




We make some retries but it is to no avail. Either Screamer/Magedude gets killed by bald man (or both he has the great cleave feat to boot) during the first turn or the archers get them. The group will need a plan or at least enough buffs to survive the first few turns. It’s time to return to Hommlet and let Magedude prepare scrolls for much needed spells. Most importantly something that will protect the party from the ongoing rain of crossbow bolts and arrows.




Preparing scrolls is a good idea if you want to safe some space in your spellcaster's memory for offensive spells. It is also fairly cheap at this level, both in money and XP that you’ll have to pay. Just adding a few scrolls of Cat's grace and the party is almost good to go. We use the scrolls in front of the tower, Punkaid and Johnny drink some potions of Bull's strength that they’ve found in the moathouse and the cleric casts a bless spell for the final touch. It is payback time you bastards!




Our heroes will have to act fast since their arrow shield won't last forever. Baldie is our number one priority as he seems to have a dangerous obsession for spellcasters. Punkaid stuns him with a hold person spell.




I make the fatal mistake here to not kill that bastard outright with a coupe de grace but instead let Punkaid run between Tumberfingers and the swordsman who's threatening her. This will add some unwanted tension in the ongoing battle.




Next are the archers and the one sword guy to the north. There is also a witch up there but she doesn't have done anything as of yet since both witches always do the same meaning casting bane or bless spells simultaneously. Magedude blasts the swordsman away with his magic missiles. The North is now free to conquer while the swordsman to the south comes closer. Only Johnny’s sector is under control so far.



Up until the point where one of the witches decides to cast a hold person spell on him that is. The mage in the background also bestows him with some ability draining curses for the laughs. Even worse, baldie tries to break free from his bonds. If he should succeed, we are as good as lost. Punkaid rushes back to finish him of and earns some beating while getting passed that annoying swordsman and Lareth.




It's time to burn some witches! Although the one Magedude sets on fire doesn't die we at least get rid of some of those bugging crossbowmen.




A well placed arrow from Tumblefingers strikes true and kills the last swordsman that was bothering us. Punkaid deals a lethal blow to the brigand leader but not without taking more serious beating from Lareth in the process.




Magedude manages to shoot down the last archer in his sector. Only the witch remains now but she just runs around aimlessly.




Tumblefingers takes care of her.




We regroup and place our ranged combatants to the north so they stay out of troubles.




This can be a bad idea because the enemy mage tends to throw a fireball in this situation. He doesn't do so this time around however. Instead, something equally catastrophic happens.




This dialogue should be triggered when you fight Lareth in the moathouse and has no place here. In this regards, we abort the conversation outright. Bad thing is: this brief chat has dispelled the web so the remaining thugs can now come charging in! Screamer puts some of them to sleep with her magic but it shouldn't take long for them to regain consciousness. All in all this is a rather bad turn of events *quicksave*.
There are several things that happen almost simultaneously from here.
Punkaid gives Lareth a good beating to the head in revenge for her rude behavior earlier and knocks her out for good.
Small blonde attacks Johnny and deals a very nasty critical hit.
Big blonde goes after our archers.
Screamer instinctively flees in terror to the south corner only to be shot down by the archer you can see to the left.
The only other good thing that happens during this turn is that Johnny finally breaks free from the hold person spell. He'll use this opportunity to drink a healing potion later.




Big blonde is shot by Tumblefingers while Punkaid tries to help out with small blonde. That guy simply refuses to die.




Realizing that this may take a while and considering that Screamer is still bleeding to death, Punkaid falls back to provide her with some first aid. He also wants to use this opportunity to run around small blonde so that he can take care of the archers and the mage in the background. The first one folds like paper after one hit.




Victory is finally within our grasp.




…Until that blasted mage casts one last spell before dying that sends Johnny to the floor.




Another critical decision; either heal Johnny under constant fire from the balcony or finish those lousy archers in the next 8 turns. We chose the later.




They apparently want to make it hard for them- and ourselves.




Show them what a true elven sniper can do Magedude!




Blood and gore, baby. Who said a Mage is useless without his spells? 5 turns remaining.




Damit! Be dead already!




Yeah! Death to the losers, Level Up for the winners plus way too much loot for the human mind to fathom. There is a chest with many valuable stones too and a secret ladder under one of the beds. It probably leads into some kind of basement where we would have to fight spiders or something retarded like that so we ignore it. We get a new reputation entry for killing Lareth.




That is not really consistent but then again emo fag outside doesn't care for slaughtering all his buddies too which is good because we'll need him for the evil questlines. To make sure that the adventurers live up to their reputation they return to the moathouse and slaughter every single remaining bandit inside. Considering the battle they had beforehand this encounter is a piece of cake. During the standard plundering procedures we find Lareth's very personal diary.




It's just more boring story exposition about some dark lord of a fortress, Lareth's mistress and best friend who she wants to bring back to power and a demon, whose name you forget after you've heard it, who is the former big boss of the evil temple. The only interesting bit that can be extracted from the diary is the location of a little swamp town called Nulb. Magedude marks that place down on their traveling map. Our heroes could definitely use some vacation as of late.

Whew, for a second there I thought you were going to bypass Nulb

Cheers for this LP Pussycat, you've finally convinced me to install ToEE; keep up the good work!

Hardcore man, taking on that guard tower that early is quite tough, but you're right; sacrificing some exp for buff scrolls is the way to go when you're pushed. Brew potions also work in a pinch.

I failed the saving throw at resisting to play TOEE again after reading this thread.

Trasher said:

Whew, for a second there I thought you were going to bypass Nulb

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And missing the only chance to meet some NPCs that are actually half-decent? No way!


Nulb: Living amongst the bold and the beautiful

'"Then tell me kind sir," I almost failed to hide my annoyance "how else can someone judge the heart of a man? By his deeds? His piety? The way he treats himself and others?" "No," my companion raised his head "it's the place where he lives."’ Lord Grey, Traveler's Thoughts

We welcome our heroes in the small idyllic town called Nulb somewhere in the middle of swampy nowhere. Nulb is an excellent vacation place for diving or adventure tours where shopping prices are low even for top quality merchandise. The people here are friendly and often eager to sell refreshing (and totally useless) alcoholic beverage to tourists. The first local we meet is Preston. He's a tax collector and respected man of the law.




Note the straightforward way he talks and the adorable down to business attitude. Most people in town prefer this type of approach when you get them into a conversation. It makes them a lot more likeable than the people back in Hommlet who take sadistic pleasure in tormenting you with their endless life stories.

In high fantasy settings, unlike our own, government officials don't receive any financial benefits whatsoever when working for the state including health care and are actually paid for results, not their position. That's too bad for Preston since he was sent to collect some fees from an old gypsy woman called Mona. The fine lady owns an entertainment establishment nearby (adults only). She's completely broke right now which means that he can't fulfill his duty, meaning that he won't earn enough money to pay the only dentist in town for treating his bad toothache. We promise to look into it since we want to leave a good impression on government officials. He even pays us one gold coin. In advance! No one in Hommlet was ever so generous to us (often not even after we did all their work for them).

Screamer wants to persuade the dentist to help Preston. Since it was mentioned that he is also a pirate by trade we try the person with the conspicuous black hat who stands close by.






Disclaimer: I think he's supposed to be another joinable NPC but I never figured out how you can convince him to team up.

Bertram is one of the 'other' kind of pirate. Screamer can imagine that the priests from the St. Cuthbert church would have castrated this man on the spot. He's lucky that he stranded in Nulb with all its tolerant (or at least highly indifferent) inhabitants. It’s even more fortunate for him because Tolub, the greatest pirate in these parts, took him under his wings. Although Bertram admits that the great man tends to become violent once drunk. Then again, it can't be all perfect in paradise, right? At least he taught Bertram some strict working ethics. If Preston wants treatment he'll need to pay it by himself (not that we would pay for him anyways). Maybe a little push from his foster father will make him more cooperative. Sounds like a good excuse to visit the pub in search for him. He is absent for the moment as every upstanding pirate at this early hour is already up sailing and pillaging. Screamer starts a chat with the bartender to pass the time.




We buy a new shield for Punkaid from him whereby he mentions that he maybe has a noble quest for us. He gets defensive however when Screamer digs deeper and it is only due to Johnny's masculine touch that gets him talking. He explains that the owner of this place is actually the barmaid who is revealed to be a suppressed homosexual. This forceful denial has turned into a serious phobia and she now seizes every opportunity to 'keep us men down'. If this little bastion of change and sexual diversity shall prevail then she needs to disappear. Our heroes react immediately to this urgent outcry for help. We therefore face the barmaid and her bodyguard (with a name way too complicated for an unimportant grunt). The sheer look of the two is already disgustingly hetero.




Screamer wants to use her urges against her in a cheap attempt of irony.




It works better than expected. They go out for a little walk on the pier while the screen fades out. Once it fades back in we see our heroes outside staring into the treacherous water. The barmaid has disappeared never to be seen again.

Fun Facts: Warning to all Paladins out there. Even if you do just go out with her for a walk, please note that unsafe sex in the public doesn't make a nice entry in your personal record.

While the group still examines their handiwork, they notice an old man standing near the boats. Knowing that old men always got something important to say, we greet him nicely.
His name is Grud. Everyone in town likes Grud (or so he claims).




He takes issue in no one taking him seriously since the time he started to tell stories about an enormous gar who swims in these parts. If we can catch it and bring it to him he will spread the word that we helped him which should boost our reputation. We don't hesitate to travel deep into the swamps and to the spot where the creature was last sighted.

The new area we enter is quiet hard. Not only due to my lackey preparation of healing spells. Although it only consists out of overall three encounters, those encounters are located very close to each other. Our party dies the first few tries as they fail to keep the right distance and get completely overrun. It all begins rather harmless with one of the big frog creatures that we remember from the moathouse.




Johnny kills it with one single strike. That is the time when an angry parent shows up.




This nasty creature gets two attacks per round and any adventurer it devours is not likely to survive the next turn or two. The Kingfrog seems to be especially fond of small people and concentrates all its efforts on Tumblefingers. They both run around in circles for a bit while Johnny/Punkaid keeps on striking and Screamer + Magedude are shooting. It all goes well until this point




Oh no, you don't! Magedude finishes it off with a crossbow bolt (he does this surprisingly often). Johnny guts it open afterwards to look if there is something vulnerable or at least eatable inside.




Looks like the elf that passed here wasn't up for a challenge. He's left some excellent armor though, that we give to Johnny next to a +2 sword. A protection ring and a +1 longbow go to Magedude. Now we can look for the fish we originally came for. He is a little bit to the north. Johnny cuts its head off which we keep as a trophy.




Last thing that needs some killing is a dangerous sea hag that is guarded by a few lizardmen. She has a strong spell resistance and her attacks are not only very hurtful but also poisonous and can drain abilities. We approach them carefully and initialize the battle with Screamer and Magedude casting sleeping spells like crazy while Johnny readies himself against the enemy approach that ought to follow. It turns out to be a good idea.




Now another web spell to keep the hag off from our backs.




She is half dead as Johnny and Punkaid decide to confront her directly. Not a good idea.




But anything dies sooner or later, even hags.




Johnny butchers the other lizardmen in their sleep (they got some money on them) before we return to Grud to bring him the needed evidence.




Growing tired of adventuring for the day; our heroes enter the hotel to check in only to be confronted by the very first and last unpleasant surprise in Nulb. It's a nimble wench that will occasionally try to steal money and items from your team leader if (s)he can't spot her in time. Screamer is not easily fooled though.




What follows is an unexpected act of chivalry that almost feels alien after spending so much time in Hommlet.




Screamer exchange a few nice words with this one eyed gentleman after which we get to know his name (Rentsch), that he's working for the evil temple (earth temple to be precise) and that we should meet some buddies of his there in case we drop by. We can't rent any rooms from him for some odd reasons (guess they're booked out for the moment) so we swift our attention to the second proprietor of this fine estate. Say hello to Wat.




We talk all nice and quiet until he asks us about our tragic past in Hommlet. Thank god for the Eagle's Splendor spell (boosts charisma) we prepared in foresight. We won't allow Hommlet to leave any black spot on our white west.




Like Rentsch, he is a servant to the temple (fire department for internal affairs) and he too suggests that we check the place out. That makes two votes already, very intriguing. There are still some things we need to get done first though. First, we talk to the other female servant of the hotel.




She's the lover of Wat and afraid that he might has a crush on one of the hotel guests. Screamer talks to the defiler.




She's all pure badass and so forth. It quickly turns out that she's just another acolyte from the evil temple, doing evil stuff in humble servitude. Really nothing to be concerned about, we ensure the wench. Quest complete.

It's nightfall as for now so we return to the pub to look if Tolub has returned from his cruise.




Frankly, he proves to be far too manly for Screamer to handle. Not so much in Johnny's case though.




Johnny gets 100 gold pieces for his troubles but the problem with Bertram is left to us. The gypsy lady is our best bet from here. On our way we meet a sly looking smith apprentice.




He appears to be as incompetent and unimportant as much of the other apprentices we've met so far but he has a little secret to share, if the price is right. His master got a stash underneath his anvil with many valuable goods. Might be worth checking out but first, let's go talk to the smith so we know who we're about to rob.




This is Otis. He a competent fighter that wants to join your party (+) who comes from Hommlet (--) and is the brother of Elmo (?). He also sells some good equipment and is one of the few merchants close to the temple (+). As you can see, a man trapped between good and evil. So rob or not to rob? If you loot his stash he'll know and attack you the next time you talk to him. If you just look into his stash but don't touch anything you can make him admit that he is in reality a secret spy from Furyondy who was sent to look for evilly activities in this region. He is far too valuable to be killed for some so-so magical items and some gems so Screamer leaves him be. There is an idea growing in her head but she will have to wait before it turns to something amusing. The gypsy woman comes first.

Thankfully, Mona sums up her situation short and brief.



It is another 'wait until the sun settles and catch evil doer' kind of quest.
There is also the important looking slave girl standing close to her.



Her name is Serena and she's looking for her sister but got caught up in debts. You can buy her from Mona and therefore bind her to your will. Personally, I never bothered to do so although she seems to be one of those ugly ducks that will later develop into a beautiful swan.

We also, on occasion, meet a herbmonger and her beautiful daughter. They neither got anything interesting to say nor do they sell much that is worthwhile but they got voice actors which makes them appear important enough to be mentioned.






It's time to get Maria's orb back. We are shocked to realize that the thief is no one else but an apprentice from the brewery in Hommlet. Our past yet again returns to hunt us.




He says that he's bored from his work in Hommlet so he changed profession to a full time pimp who beats up rival prostitutes and forces them to leave (Magedude predicts that he might have been sent by Mathilde who wants to expand her territory). Johnny shows him what it means to live in a cruel gay man's world.




We return the orb to Mona and bring the good news back to Preston who rewards us with a level up! As we tell him that we still haven't found any lodgings he makes us a one time offer since we helped him out. A whole holiday home all for ourselves for just lousy 500 gold! Knowing that everyone in the party has grown fond of this place it is safe to assume that the money is paid in an instance. Now that they don't need the Hotel anymore, Screamer does what she always does best: spreading grief and mischief. Funny enough, Wat and Rentsch don't know that they are basically in the same team. What would happen if someone starts to spread false rumors?




That was good. Wonder if she can top this.




Hell yes she can!
The whole story ends in Rentsch being assassinated by Wat and us getting a lot of XP. Our job here would be done now if it wouldn't be for the thieving wench from earlier who, right at this moment, decides to steal Tumblefingers clothes.




Such behavior can not go unpunished. Tumblefingers steals her stuff back from her and later lures her into a trap. Since her protector now sleeps with the fishes Tumblefingers isn't tempted to show any mercy this time around.




Too bad that pretty much anyone in the room turns hostile towards us after that. Oh well, their loss our gain.




Only the chick in the corner stays out of the fight since she's too badass to be bothered. We also loot Rentsch's trapped chest in his room, now that he won't be in need for his earthly belongings anymore. Time to visit the temple he so fondly spoke of before he died. We'll need to revisit the emo from the previous episode to gain access though. He gives us a difficult choice.




So I ask thee, which path shall Screamer choose? Saying that they are sent from Rentsch will bring us to the earth temple (the winner team) while Wat’s reputation dubs the party in the fire temple (to the losers).

I'll leave it at that but before I close this chapter, let me show you in this uncommented example the horrors that I did not dare to release on you, humble reader, during my time in Hommlet. It is the heart-melting romance dialogue between one of your female characters and the herder.