Yes, let's hand out the sceptre to Garrn so he is destroyed by expanding a charge of the protective dweomer dad put on our family's sceptre. Let's remove opposition, one rival at a time. Letting Garrrrn hide the sceptre is canonically a death warrant and if we have a modicum of decency, we should avoid this obvious trap choice and take the sceptre with us in the Cathedral.
[AD&D Gamebook] The Sorcerer's Crown (Kingdom of Sorcery, book 2 of 3)
- Thread starter Joshua Randall
- Start date
Joshua Randall
Legend
You're forgetting that we practice safe sceptre-ing and have wrapped our package in skin.
Joshua Randall
Legend
81
Between gamebook logic and Rufyl’s telepathic eavesdropping, we sense that Garn is completely honest. We tell him we will let him touch the item under our cloak — HIDE. Hide the item under our cloak. But he has to agree to defend it with his life. “It belongs to the Kandian people and it may be the only thing that can save them from Arno’s threatening allegiance with evil forces.”
Garn readily agrees to this, but we’re not done.
We say that if something happens to us and we can’t reclaim the item, Garn must ensure it is returned to Archdruid Perth. And Garn must do this without opening the package.
The paladin scowls at that request and wants to know why he can’t unwrap our package.
We explain that the item’s great power is wrapped in “an enchanted hollyphant-skin pouch” that Perth created just for this purpose. We are “the only person alive” who can touch what’s in our package and live.
Garn glances at Dalris, who nods gravely. We exit the Moonstar Tavern, follow Garn to a shadowy niche, and show him our package. He grips it firmly and we say, “Guard it well, Garn. The future of Tikandia may depend upon it!” Garn bows and vanishes into the streets with the Sceptre of Bhukod.
Dalris says she is proud of us. We ask what she means.
”That’s the first time I’ve seen genuine trust of another person in you since you began delving into your father’s secret arts. There’s hope for you yet, Magus Delling.”
We try to think of something smooth to say, but before we can, Dalris smiles softly and “encircles [our] arm with her hands. The sudden gesture of closeness catches [us] by surprise and fills [our] mind with warmth. The two of [us] stand silently waiting for Garn to return.”
[Awwwww!]
Rufyl telepathically muses how curious Dalris’s and our thoughts are. “They’re so different, yet so similar! Master Carr is hoping that Dalris….”
We tell Rufyl to be quiet and keep his scaly snout out of our thoughts or he won’t get any more FREE STEW.
Dalris is about to say something when Garn returns and motions for us to follow him. She turns away “with a toss of her braid” and runs to catch up to the paladin.
”Come on, you loud-brained chameleon!" we think-tell Rufyl as we walk swiftly behind “[our] two comrades old and new.”
Turn to (108).
Between gamebook logic and Rufyl’s telepathic eavesdropping, we sense that Garn is completely honest. We tell him we will let him touch the item under our cloak — HIDE. Hide the item under our cloak. But he has to agree to defend it with his life. “It belongs to the Kandian people and it may be the only thing that can save them from Arno’s threatening allegiance with evil forces.”
Garn readily agrees to this, but we’re not done.
We say that if something happens to us and we can’t reclaim the item, Garn must ensure it is returned to Archdruid Perth. And Garn must do this without opening the package.
The paladin scowls at that request and wants to know why he can’t unwrap our package.
We explain that the item’s great power is wrapped in “an enchanted hollyphant-skin pouch” that Perth created just for this purpose. We are “the only person alive” who can touch what’s in our package and live.
Garn glances at Dalris, who nods gravely. We exit the Moonstar Tavern, follow Garn to a shadowy niche, and show him our package. He grips it firmly and we say, “Guard it well, Garn. The future of Tikandia may depend upon it!” Garn bows and vanishes into the streets with the Sceptre of Bhukod.
Dalris says she is proud of us. We ask what she means.
”That’s the first time I’ve seen genuine trust of another person in you since you began delving into your father’s secret arts. There’s hope for you yet, Magus Delling.”
We try to think of something smooth to say, but before we can, Dalris smiles softly and “encircles [our] arm with her hands. The sudden gesture of closeness catches [us] by surprise and fills [our] mind with warmth. The two of [us] stand silently waiting for Garn to return.”
[Awwwww!]
Rufyl telepathically muses how curious Dalris’s and our thoughts are. “They’re so different, yet so similar! Master Carr is hoping that Dalris….”
We tell Rufyl to be quiet and keep his scaly snout out of our thoughts or he won’t get any more FREE STEW.
Dalris is about to say something when Garn returns and motions for us to follow him. She turns away “with a toss of her braid” and runs to catch up to the paladin.
”Come on, you loud-brained chameleon!" we think-tell Rufyl as we walk swiftly behind “[our] two comrades old and new.”
Turn to (108).
Joshua Randall
Legend
Commentary:
We say that if something happens to us and we can’t reclaim the item, Garn must ensure it is returned to Archdruid Perth.
I’m not sure how that is going to help. As long as the protective charges last, Perth can’t safely handle our wand any more than Thayne could. I guess Perth could find the least-liked people in the refugee camp and order them to touch the bulbous end of the rod until they stop dropping dead.
We explain that the item’s great power is wrapped in “an enchanted hollyphant-skin pouch”...
Garn doesn't bat an eye at the fact that we wrapped our rod in the skin of an intelligent lawful-good creature. Some paladin HE is!
Dalris smiles softly and “encircles [our] arm with her hands. The sudden gesture of closeness catches [us] by surprise….”
She likes us! SHE LIKES US!!!!!
[Dalris] turns away “with a toss of her braid” and runs to catch up to the paladin.
New addition to our drinking games: take a shot every time Dalris’s braid is mentioned. Two shots if the word “toss” is used in any form.
---
Here is OUR Carr Delling as of now:
We say that if something happens to us and we can’t reclaim the item, Garn must ensure it is returned to Archdruid Perth.
I’m not sure how that is going to help. As long as the protective charges last, Perth can’t safely handle our wand any more than Thayne could. I guess Perth could find the least-liked people in the refugee camp and order them to touch the bulbous end of the rod until they stop dropping dead.
We explain that the item’s great power is wrapped in “an enchanted hollyphant-skin pouch”...
Garn doesn't bat an eye at the fact that we wrapped our rod in the skin of an intelligent lawful-good creature. Some paladin HE is!
Dalris smiles softly and “encircles [our] arm with her hands. The sudden gesture of closeness catches [us] by surprise….”
She likes us! SHE LIKES US!!!!!
[Dalris] turns away “with a toss of her braid” and runs to catch up to the paladin.
New addition to our drinking games: take a shot every time Dalris’s braid is mentioned. Two shots if the word “toss” is used in any form.
---
Here is OUR Carr Delling as of now:
Garrrn to Perrrth: "Hello, I suggested your "daughter" and your future son-in-law not to use their most powerful artifact, and they are both dead. Here, have the artifact. They were WIS 3, weren't they?"
I had forgotten about this murderous layer of protection.
I half expected the text to continue:
"45 minutes later, he is still nowhere to be seen and you begin to wonder what could have delayed him. Maybe he was ambushed by Tarrrn, the notorious trickster? Posters warn against him in the city, on every wall, with a mention that he is very handsome and people should be very wary about him."
Actually, it was the wording of the sentence leading us to the other section that made us choose him, not trust.
We should have encouraged to develop on what Dalris is thinking, though.
I am now thinking of the Order of the Stick comic where Xykon has approximately the same idea.
Told you, he fell earlier.
Joshua Randall
Legend
108
Garn leads us to a corner of the cathedral, then into a dark alley, past some empty barrels and rubbish, and to a small barred window at street level.
Dalris marvels at the window, whose “bars and glass are mere stage props to confuse common thieves and divert their attention from the secret door above it!”
[She spots the secret door without searching. Is Dalris part elf? ... Oh. Right. She is.]
Garn acknowledges Dalris’s powers of observation. He grabs the middle bar, twists it, then does the same to the bar on the right, then to the bar on the left. It’s a combination lock of sorts, and when Garn has set the bars, he pulls on them causing a narrow panel to open in the solid stone wall. We can hear faint chanting and see dim light spilling out of the opening.
Garn tells us to follow him and to remain extremely quiet because any noise will alert everyone in the cathedral.
We order Rufyl to remain behind to guard the entrance. If we don’t return by morning, he must go back to Wealwood to inform Perth of what happened. With that, we squeeze into the secret passage and hurry to catch up to Dalris and Garn.
DEX test.
(134) if 17 or more;
(165) if less.
Garn leads us to a corner of the cathedral, then into a dark alley, past some empty barrels and rubbish, and to a small barred window at street level.
Dalris marvels at the window, whose “bars and glass are mere stage props to confuse common thieves and divert their attention from the secret door above it!”
[She spots the secret door without searching. Is Dalris part elf? ... Oh. Right. She is.]
Garn acknowledges Dalris’s powers of observation. He grabs the middle bar, twists it, then does the same to the bar on the right, then to the bar on the left. It’s a combination lock of sorts, and when Garn has set the bars, he pulls on them causing a narrow panel to open in the solid stone wall. We can hear faint chanting and see dim light spilling out of the opening.
Garn tells us to follow him and to remain extremely quiet because any noise will alert everyone in the cathedral.
We order Rufyl to remain behind to guard the entrance. If we don’t return by morning, he must go back to Wealwood to inform Perth of what happened. With that, we squeeze into the secret passage and hurry to catch up to Dalris and Garn.
DEX test.
(134) if 17 or more;
(165) if less.
Joshua Randall
Legend
[If we get a result less than 17 here, we blunder into the wall of the secret passag and must flee before learning anything from the cathedral visit. Which is not only super lame, but also creates some continuity problems down the line as the gamebook will assume that if we made it out of the cathedral, it must’ve been a successful infiltration.]
Fortunately, we roll 6,2 for a total of 18.
---
134
With the secret door to the alley closed, the chanting becomes more noticeable. It sounds like the same phrase repeated over and over, which reminds us of some of the practice sessions at College Arcane “where dozens of novices were required to repeat monotonous phrases in dead languages until their pronunciation was perfect.” Although we don’t recognize what we’re hearing now.
After about a hundred feet the secret corridor ends. There’s a small slit in the wall at eye level through which Dalris and Garn are peering. Garn motions for us to have a look.
We look past the main altar to the sanctuary and nave, which are lit by the soft light of hundreds of candles. There are a multitude of people with their eyes fixed upon a "small man" who's facing away from us in front of the altar. Almost all of the worshippers wear "the scarlet crossed logs of Blessed Dyan on a surcoat over full battle armor, some of which glows with the dweomers of various enchantments."
Dalris whispers that they must all be paladins, to which Garn responds, "Not any more! They've all dishonored their oaths and their souls by listening to that vile magician and worshipping the demon on the altar."
We study the "small man" and note the dark skin of his hands and his jet-black hair. Between our vantage point and the "dark celebrant" is the altar. And upon that altar stands a polished wooden statue with "hideous features."
The statue is of an incredible winged creature, with the torso and limbs of an avian monster. The soft candlelight, combined with the monotonous chants, make the figure's crested head, cruel beak, and taloned feet seem all the more sinister.
The ritual's leader turns to face the statue and we recognize our old enemy, Arno! He's more wrinkled and blemished than we remember, "as if his immersion in the darker side of magic has taken its toll." Arno's hair is held in place by "a gleaming adamantite tiara carved with symbols and glyphs [we] don't recognize."
Arno raises his hands towards the statue and begins a new chant, much simpler than the last. Soon the entire congregation is shouting the same name in triplets over and over:
PAZUZU! PAZUZU! PAZUZU!
We study Arno to determine if he's using any magic that is familiar to us, but he is only concentrating on the statue. Suddenly, one of the carved feathers on the statue moves. Is it a trick of the light? No! Arno's chant is bringing the statue to life!
(158) if we have learned of a creature called 'Pazuzeus'; or if not,
(210) to remain in hiding to see what more we can learn, or
(199) to confront Arno
Fortunately, we roll 6,2 for a total of 18.
---
134
With the secret door to the alley closed, the chanting becomes more noticeable. It sounds like the same phrase repeated over and over, which reminds us of some of the practice sessions at College Arcane “where dozens of novices were required to repeat monotonous phrases in dead languages until their pronunciation was perfect.” Although we don’t recognize what we’re hearing now.
After about a hundred feet the secret corridor ends. There’s a small slit in the wall at eye level through which Dalris and Garn are peering. Garn motions for us to have a look.
We look past the main altar to the sanctuary and nave, which are lit by the soft light of hundreds of candles. There are a multitude of people with their eyes fixed upon a "small man" who's facing away from us in front of the altar. Almost all of the worshippers wear "the scarlet crossed logs of Blessed Dyan on a surcoat over full battle armor, some of which glows with the dweomers of various enchantments."
Dalris whispers that they must all be paladins, to which Garn responds, "Not any more! They've all dishonored their oaths and their souls by listening to that vile magician and worshipping the demon on the altar."
We study the "small man" and note the dark skin of his hands and his jet-black hair. Between our vantage point and the "dark celebrant" is the altar. And upon that altar stands a polished wooden statue with "hideous features."
The statue is of an incredible winged creature, with the torso and limbs of an avian monster. The soft candlelight, combined with the monotonous chants, make the figure's crested head, cruel beak, and taloned feet seem all the more sinister.
The ritual's leader turns to face the statue and we recognize our old enemy, Arno! He's more wrinkled and blemished than we remember, "as if his immersion in the darker side of magic has taken its toll." Arno's hair is held in place by "a gleaming adamantite tiara carved with symbols and glyphs [we] don't recognize."
Arno raises his hands towards the statue and begins a new chant, much simpler than the last. Soon the entire congregation is shouting the same name in triplets over and over:
PAZUZU! PAZUZU! PAZUZU!
We study Arno to determine if he's using any magic that is familiar to us, but he is only concentrating on the statue. Suddenly, one of the carved feathers on the statue moves. Is it a trick of the light? No! Arno's chant is bringing the statue to life!
(158) if we have learned of a creature called 'Pazuzeus'; or if not,
(210) to remain in hiding to see what more we can learn, or
(199) to confront Arno
Joshua Randall
Legend
Commentary:
Almost all of the worshippers wear "the scarlet crossed logs of Blessed Dyan on a surcoat over full battle armor, some of which glows with the dweomers of various enchantments."
Why would the paladins wear full battle armor to a prayer service? That'd be super uncomfortable, especially if they are going to pray until dawn, as Garrrrrn mentioned earlier.
Also, why are they allowed to wear magic armor? It seemed like all magic was suspect and grounds for arrest and execution. Alternatively, if it's OK for the paladins to wear their magic bling, wouldn't all that armor "broadcasting" powerful dweomers drown out anything OUR Carr Delling brought along?
Leaving that aside: although we gave up the Sceptre of Bhukod, we are still wearing our enchanted Deeppockets cloak and Darlis still has her magic flute. Both of which Garrrrrn detected immediately. So wouldn't Arno's paladins still be able to Detect Magic us?
Arno's hair is held in place by "a gleaming adamantite tiara carved with symbols and glyphs [we] don't recognize."
One might call this a Sorcerer's Crown. [take a shot]
(158) if we have learned of a creature called 'Pazuzeus'; or if not,
(210) to remain in hiding to see what more we can learn, or
(199) to confront Arno
Obviously a creature called 'Pazuzeus' has something to do with Pazuzu. But when could we have learned this? It must have been on one of the paths we didn’t take. Hmm….
“Leave the cathedral post haste” is not a choice, so let's stay at our peeping Tom position and turn to what is, in my opinion, the finest numbered section in this book.
Almost all of the worshippers wear "the scarlet crossed logs of Blessed Dyan on a surcoat over full battle armor, some of which glows with the dweomers of various enchantments."
Why would the paladins wear full battle armor to a prayer service? That'd be super uncomfortable, especially if they are going to pray until dawn, as Garrrrrn mentioned earlier.
Also, why are they allowed to wear magic armor? It seemed like all magic was suspect and grounds for arrest and execution. Alternatively, if it's OK for the paladins to wear their magic bling, wouldn't all that armor "broadcasting" powerful dweomers drown out anything OUR Carr Delling brought along?
Leaving that aside: although we gave up the Sceptre of Bhukod, we are still wearing our enchanted Deeppockets cloak and Darlis still has her magic flute. Both of which Garrrrrn detected immediately. So wouldn't Arno's paladins still be able to Detect Magic us?
Arno's hair is held in place by "a gleaming adamantite tiara carved with symbols and glyphs [we] don't recognize."
One might call this a Sorcerer's Crown. [take a shot]
(158) if we have learned of a creature called 'Pazuzeus'; or if not,
(210) to remain in hiding to see what more we can learn, or
(199) to confront Arno
Obviously a creature called 'Pazuzeus' has something to do with Pazuzu. But when could we have learned this? It must have been on one of the paths we didn’t take. Hmm….
“Leave the cathedral post haste” is not a choice, so let's stay at our peeping Tom position and turn to what is, in my opinion, the finest numbered section in this book.
One of our alternate timelines for later, as with taking the scepter with us
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