[Gamebook] Sceptre of Power

[Jfdlsjfd]

138

We see no-one else as we approach the tower, traversing a long path. We notice rows of frosted-over windows set high in the walls of the whitewashed buildings on either side. The tower itself is built from blocks of basalt "as if the ancient citadel had grown like an immense volcanic tree from the very bedrock of Seagate Island." (How poetic!)

The doors are massive brass portals with iron knockers. [Cue Young Frankenstein joke.] We have barely touched them when they swing open of their own accord and we hear a man's voice tell us to make ourselves comfortable in the college our father built and that he (the voice) will be with us as soon as he changes clothes.

We assume the voice is Beldon's, although we were too young the last time we saw him to remember. And we briefly wonder how he knew it was us, but we suppose we'd better get used to such things "or [we] won't last long" in the College of Arcane Sciences.

Turn to (222)

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222

The entrance hall features a bronze statue of our father (cool, but egotistical) with "finely chiseled features, penetrating eyes, gaunt cheekbones, [and] high forehead".

We hear the same voice from before state that our father was an impressive man, and finally we spot Beldon on the stairs behind the statue. Beldon says he's been waiting for us ever since he learned of our mother's death, that he knew we'd come to Freeton, and that this is our home now.

So, Evil Beldon kept a grand statue of his worst foe in the main hall? I understand that Landor's name can be a brand to attract new students, but I'd have tried to remove it "for renovations" at the earliest opportunity.

We grandly pronounce that we have come to follow our father's studies, find our legacy, and discover his killer, even if it takes a lifetime. At this pronouncement, we notice Beldon's eyes take on a sharpness that contrasts his previous "misty, heavy-lidded" quality. He warns that the path to such knowledge will be difficult and dangerous. We are not deterred. (Of course.)

WIS 3 forever. What's better than claim in front of the killer that we've come to avenge our father?

Beldon says that our training can begin tomorrow and that for now, wouldn't we like to eat? You bet we would! He leads us up the stairs to a dining hall where we see several dozen students in robes of colors ranging from black to blue to red. Those wearing similar colored robes sit together.

We intuit that the colors of the robes indicate different ranks. Beldon explains that "we begin in darkness and proceed to light", so those in black robes are novices, while those in progressively lighter robes are more senior. Even Beldon's robe is not entirely white, but pale yellow. "I must learn many things before I earn the colorless robes of an archmage," Beldon says.

[What Beldon means is that the colors of robes proceed through the visible spectrum from the violet-side to the red-side, and then towards white. However… yellow is less on the red side of the spectrum than, umm, red. So if Beldon's robe is "pale yellow", does that mean Beldon is outranked by some of his red-robed students? If anything, Beldon's robe should be "pale red", otherwise known as "pink"!]

I take his explanation they go from dark hues to light hues. Dark -> White, with intermediary stops being dark blue, light blue, bright red, bright yellow, light yellow nearly white and white. Sure if there was a dark red, it wouuld be darker than the blue one, but we're in a room with only black, blue and red (and light yellow).

We ask Beldon if we should sit with the black-robed novices. Beldon grins at us and walks away, leaving the decision to us.

(238) black robes
(36) blue robes
(99) red robes

I'd go with the intermediary level. We're no Mudblod wizard! Wait, that's the wrong franchise.

 

[Joshua Randall]

36

On the one hand, we belong with the novices. On the other hand, we want to show how confident we are and that we belong with the most advanced students. On the gripping hand, nothing good ever came from Red Robes [Star Wars Emperor's guards; Forgotten Realms Thayans; need I go on?], so let's split the difference and approach the Blue Robes.

We stride towards a table where two blue-robed students sit and ask to join them. All conversation in the dining hall stops and all eyes are upon us. We ask to join the Blue Robes but are rudely rebuffed: "Beggars eat in the kitchen."

We can

(57) tell them who we really are, or
(78) keep it a secret for now.

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57

Have we mentioned that we are THE Carr Delling? Descendant of an ARCHMAGE whose power filled the GODS THEMSELVES with fear and whose statue graces the entrance hall of this very building!

A ripple of whispers passes through the hall. The Blue Robe we confronted blushes furiously and looks at us with a mix of embarrassment and hatred.

We add 1 point to our Charisma, and turn to (156).

 

[Joshua Randall]

Commentary:

Here is our first instance of an adjustment to an ability score. (If we had approached the Red Robes, we would've been scared away by the most advanced students and would have subtracted 1 point of Charisma.) This is a mechanic that will come into play more and more as this book, and the series, progresses.

 

[Joshua Randall]

But, Marla cast a spell. If she was 18 when she met Landor and, well, got pregnant quickly, when did she had time to study sorcery?

A good question, although as shall see, it apparently doesn’t take that long for talented people to learn magic. Or perhaps Marla has some other source of magic: clerical? Druidic?

I felt something was off with this illness. […] I suspected poisoning

Dun dun dunnnnn! We never do get any more information on Marla’s illness. I’m pretty sure it is just the usual melodramatic inciting incident that makes the reader-insert hero into an orphan.

But, again, I like our more devious and Machiavellian plot.

Are we certain we fled 2 years ago?

Per (58) when we learn about Wendel, he gave us the abandoned shepherd’s hut when we arrived on Seagate Island two years ago.

I'd say we were on the lam ever since Landor's death.

That would make sense and, of course, there are more than two locations in the world beyond just Freeton and Saven. So maybe Marla and Carr were somewhere else on the mainland (i.e., the continent that Saven is on, that is not the island (Seagate) where Freeton is located).

So, Evil Beldon kept a grand statue of his worst foe in the main hall?

As we shall see, Beldon has good reason to fear Landor even after all this time. (Mysterious music.)

We're no Mudblod wizard! Wait, that's the wrong franchise.

Hmm….

 

[Joshua Randall]

156

"I see you've all met my nephew, the son of Landor!" Beldon thunders as he re-enters the dining hall.

Beldon instructs us to sit next to Arno, the senior novice, who is to tutor us until we reach Arno's level of knowledge. We whirl around and, of course, Arno is the Blue Robe we confronted.

Arno is described as a thin, dark man with swarthy skin (this numbered passage) and/or a small, wiry man with dark olive skin and jet-black hair (the previous numbered passage).

Arno masks his sneer and assures Beldon that it will be his pleasure to assist us. We notice an accent that we can't quite place.

We wish we hadn't offended Arno, and we wonder if Beldon paired us with him to heighten the competition between us. We can…

(241) insist we start at a more basic level with someone else, or
(204) stick with Arno even if it leads to conflict with him and the other students.

 

[Jfdlsjfd]

We just enrolled and voilà! a sworn enemy and archrival!

 

[Joshua Randall]

204

[No way we wimp out in front of Beldon and Arno. We ask, nay, we DEMAND, to be paired up with Arno for accelerated training.]

Beldon whispers something to Arno that agitates the latter and causes him to get red around the ears. Without another word, Beldon motions for the Red Robes to follow him as he strides out of the hall.

We sit down next to Arno, who tells the other Blue Robe (named Prindel) to leave. Arno tells us that the fact we are the "bastard son of the great Landor" means nothing to him and warns us to stay out of his way.

[Oooh! Maybe Landor never married Marla? Which would make Carr a literal bastard. Although why / how would Arno know this?]

We retort that Arno needs to do as Beldon instructed: teach us everything. We're sure we will catch up to Arno in no time.

A servant brings us some fish stew and warm bread. Yum! We imperiously suggest that Arno make sure our room is ready. The Black Robe novices at nearby tables snicker at our suggestion that Arno act as our valet.

Arno tells us to eat quickly because he has better things to do "than play nursemaid to a spoiled brat"; he'll return in 20 minutes. And with that Arno walks stiffly out of the dining hall.

We add another 1 point to our Charisma score! We have CHA 14 now.

And turn to (75).

 

[Joshua Randall]

Commentary:

Sceptre of Power was published in 1986. The author, Morris Simon, already had the shtick of "Tom Brown's School Days but with wizards" down pat, more than a decade before Harry Potter.

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It's fun that we have twice gained Charisma by being a jerk to people!

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And ah, Arno. Not just a river in Tuscany.

 

[Jfdlsjfd]

204

[No way we wimp out in front of Beldon and Arno. We ask, nay, we DEMAND, to be paired up with Arno for accelerated training.]

That's the spirit! If we are really an archmage-in-training, we won't bow in front of a mere adept!

We sit down next to Arno, who tells the other Blue Robe (named Prindel) to leave. Arno tells us that the fact we are the "bastard son of the great Landor" means nothing to him and warns us to stay out of his way.

[Oooh! Maybe Landor never married Marla? Which would make Carr a literal bastard. Although why / how would Arno know this?]

I hope we can get friend with Prindel later, he deserves a better comrade.

While the idea that Landon didn't have time to marry Marla has some appeal (it would explain why the Bishop hadn't tracked her... why would he target a young, pregnant, college of magic dropout?).

On the other hand, Cutlass Cousin did mention that "Marla Delling will not enter Delmer, dead or alive!" Ulrik snarls as he draws a worn but sharp cutlass. "That was decided when she wed the demon who sired you!"

He specifically mentionned that she was banned when she wed Landor, not when she had a hanky-panky session. Is there a mention of Landor's family name? If he's a Delling, then clearly Marla married him. If not, then we inherited Mum's name and we are a litteral bastard. Also if we were a bastard Ulrik would have delighted to remind us of this fact, too.

Maybe the dialogue with Thayne mentionned Marla, as a girlfriend or a wife?

We retort that Arno needs to do as Beldon instructed: teach us everything. We're sure we will catch up to Arno in no time.

A servant brings us some fish stew

There's nothing like free stew.

and warm bread. Yum! We imperiously suggest that Arno make sure our room is ready. The Black Robe novices at nearby tables snicker at our suggestion that Arno act as our valet.

Arno tells us to eat quickly because he has better things to do "than play nursemaid to a spoiled brat"; he'll return in 20 minutes. And with that Arno walks stiffly out of the dining hall.

We add another 1 point to our Charisma score! We have CHA 14 now.

If taking Arno for a buffoon lands us Charisma increase, I guess we'll finish our PhD with CHA 250+

 

[Joshua Randall]

There's nothing like free stew.

My work here is done.