What Comes After...

I'm a follower! Now what?

Well, first things first, its back to town. I read a couple Unreadable Scrolls on the way (spells are cool!), and decide to pop in at a Sunken Graveyard on the way. Wow, this one is well-populated- I meet two Daggerbirds, a Dart Owl, and a Shifting Wraith. Total Treasure: one Silver Bauble (and a _lot_ of health loss). I alos decide to try my first Collapsed Vault (now that I have a demi-deity to help me), and get very close to the end, but my now-lowered health defeats me, and I turn and flee. I drop in at the Forge and learn about Silver Plating, and then to the Inn where I sell, sell, sell. 790 Oculars later, I'm rich! (Well, by my standards). Still and all, ten knowledge blurbs, that's not a bad turn.

To balance out last turn, I completely screw up this turn. I forget to read my scrolls (duh!) and instead of LVing a Large Quarry, I try a U 33 (several times) and pretty much just waste my time. Well, anyway, I hike back to Town and catch a train, and put up at this new Inn for the night. Tomorrow is another day...

Lots o' people here. Skizlum pops through, and transfers me a couple Scrolls, and TMM shows up and hands over his Xanxu Bear Carcas for me to hand to Reepicheep. This is all too complex, I just need something to kill. Since Reepi helped me on my Yasmin quest, I decide to pitch in on his current project. Before I do, though, I read a couple scrolls and learn Detect Above-Ground Places and Detect Dark Places. Two very useful spells, or at least they will be once I get some more Spell Points. Anyway, I head out southwest, and put up at a Mine Shaft. Two trips in kills off about 8 creatures, and I net three Gold Nuggets and fifteen Zoingo Copper Coins as treasure.

Well, I learn Detect Items right off the bat, not nearly so useful, but still... Anyway, I equip my Worm Darts, and head back into the Mine shaft. Three trips in get a Gold Nugget and 13 ZSC, 4 Copper Ingots and 4 ZGC, then 5 Copper Ingots and 5 Silver Beads. Not trolls yet, though. I zip back northwest (not much on the way this time), and put up at the Inn for the night. I sell off loads o' stuff, and turn over the rest of the Mine Shaft work to Reepi. I'm back on my own projects again, now.

Well, Reepi's back in the Inn, so I transfer him that Bear Carcass, and bid him goodbye. Its a short hike to the train station, and there I wile away the afternoon learning about Voodoo Masters and Voodoo Master classes. Interesting. I go ahead and identify one of my Scrolls during recess, and come up with Detect Plants. Not horribly exciting, but you never know when it'll come in handy. Anyway, I pack up and head carefully for the local Tower. Reepicheep agreed to pay the Tower Master my admission fee not long ago, so I look forward to seeing what this Tower has to offer. Hey! What's going on? The Wizard won't let me in! Reepicheep paid, I know it! A month plus ago! Let me in! Cheap bastard Wizards anyway...

Well, I have a couple nightmare days where the Wizard won't let me in and my turns are wasted. However, the powers that be at AbM, in their infinite wisdom and generosity, don't charge me for my wasted turns, and I'm soon on my way again. Thanks, guys!

Okay, this time the Wiz lets me in. However, I no longer care about anything he sells (though I did accidentally buy one item during one of my messed up turns above) and I'm soon teleported where I want to go. I sneak into the Tower I'm now at, and slipping on my handy DoL disguise (insert your own joke here), I sidle up to the Wizard and purchase a Crystal Ball. I make a quick run for the door, stopping only for a minor act of vandalism, and am long gone before the Wizard realizes what happened! I spend the rest of my days travels doing little celebratory dances, as with my new Crystal Ball I can now do the in depth exploration that I want to do while I mull over what I can possibly do for Yasmin to get her to give me more spell points. I end the turn camped next to the seemingly omnipresent Skizlum Skallaglamm, who is busily whining about her lack of level 6 weaponry. Just to shut her up, I hand her a Military Pick, and go set up camp way far away. Whiny little Mudwalkers...

Skizlum passes me back some junk, some of it cool. A Scarab of Strength, which seems appropriate for me. A Black Arrow Head, which I'll toss into the pack. A Pink Lotus Elixir, which I suspect Skizlum just wanted to unload. Thanks, though! Well, travel time. Hey, here's an idea- I whip out my Crystal Ball and stare into the thing, and am soon filled with the knowledge of all that lies near me. This is great! Tower Ruins don't show up on it, of course, but I'm in a one or two person group, so what do I care? I run through the Tower Ruins that don't show up on it, and grab a Golden Lion Tankard as treasure. Nice. I do a little rebuilding, and trudge on northwards.

Well, I hit the Crystal Ball again just for the heck of it, but quickly realize that I should do it at the end of the day, when I can use the knowledge tomorrow. I trudge onwards, stopping only to Loot 'N' Vandalize a Tower (to absolutely no effect, either positive or negative) and Totem Mark it with its rightful Knight of Sylvester Totems. A quick run past a Black Lotus Bush reveals its actually ripe for once, and not only do I collect a Leaf, I make myself a Black Arrow Shaft. Then, on to the Troll Bridge and over, where I use my Crystal Ball once again (see, I _can_ learn) and set up camp for the night.

Well, I just got given an Arrowhead, I have Condor Feathers, and I just made a Lotus Shaft. Add to that the fact that I'm now camped one square away from a Bridge. This seems obvious. So, I hop back to the Bridge, and wobble out and make myself a Black Arrow. While I'm here, I learn about Armor Wax from the Trolls as well. Those done, I head back on north to about the edge of my maps, and prepare to explore new terrain on the morrow, with my handy dandy Crystal Ball to guide me.

Ah, the wonders of exploration. Well, the River curves mightily right here, and I run smack dab into it several times. Not much else new to report, and all my Crystal Ball really turns up is a Hillock.

Many dead Knolltir later, I keep moving north. Nothing really hereabouts, though my Crystal Ball does turn up a Water Imp, an so I make plans to check that out tomorrow.

My big discovery for the day: Water Imps are not exciting. Another day, more dullness. For those of you wondering what I'm doing, I decided to seek two things: Tower Ruins (for potential use of the Knights of Sylvester) and Hairy Coconuts. I'm guessing the latter are on or near water (hey, its just a guess) and with my Crystal Ball I'd hoped to find my own Tower Ruins in unexplored Areas. This was before someone told me Tower Ruins don't show up on Crystal Balls. Sigh. Perhaps my god, Yasmin, will someday find something for me to do for her. I do get to 6th level using my Skull Mace, so its time to switch over to my Troll Knife. Meanwhile, I trudge north.

Well, I meet up with a Tartantula, which is different at least. Not much else to report. The River keeps flowing, and I keep following it. I think it might be time for a nap. Or maybe even a coma...

Still cruising north, still searching. I did turn up a Koma Den last turn thats only one square out of my way, sop I stop and run though it three times, but with the exception of two Unreadable Scrolls, the treasue is just junk, for the most part. Still, I kill about 15 creatures, and given that I'm in the middle of nowhere, I'm happy with that...

On to further northwards travel.