Pre-Zargnoth Adventures

It's a whole new life out there...

I've had these really odd dreams, almost prophetic, in which I helped form the Northern Knights, and began travelling outwards from there. Things go slightly different when I waken to reality...

I and ten others gather in the shadow of the Kabuki temple I so recently kowtowed for spells at. Again, as in my dreams, Kabuki grants us his favor, and we are a group! Myrrh Dove, Smite, and Horned Marsh Goat are granted as Totems to us... Group formation completed, I pack up and head for the nearby Inn. On the way, I stop, fling the usual couple rocks at a Clakk Snakkar, and learn how to make myself some Waterskins. The two skins will likely come in very handy... The Inn, however, is full. Sigh. I need to stay there twice in a row to learn about ballooning, and they won't even let me in the door. Perhaps we need to build the Innkeeper a new room or two...

Okay, up and at 'em... I do some quick re-equipping, to get my stuff set up the way I like it, and set a few No Attack orders, so I don't accidentally kill off any allies. Then, off to test out my stuff. This Koma Den should work fine... Trip one: a Damaged Iron Shield and a Zoingo Silver Coin. Trip two: a Damaged Iron Helm, a White Bauble, and three Oculars. In the process I kill off nine snakes (and one Killer Koala Bear who jumps in the way). Net health loss was just 44, so I'm pretty happy with how I stack up, for now. Back to the Inn again, and this time it's got some rooms, so I settle in for the night. Something odd- Since I was last here (266 weeks agao, according to the Jossman), they seem to have changed their offerrings.

Conveniently enough, among the new stuff the Black Swan sells are Iron Greaves, the only Iron armor I'm missing. I unload my two Silver Greaves, and pick up an Iron Greaves, feeling fully clothed at last. I hand my Iron Helm over to Mikkado, a fellow group member (her helm was just silver) and make myself a note to repair my Damaged Iron Helm next turn. Seeing she has no visible shield, I repair my Damaged Iron Shield and try to hand her that, but she tells me she has one already, it's just unequipped. Checking quickly with the Innkeeper, he tells me some Flashbat Guano about the Crystal Hills, which I disregard. Then, back out into the brush. Once more into the Koma Den nets me a Silver-Studded Club and two Zoingo Gold Coins. Next trip in, I run into a string of very tough Six-headed Adders, and flee while fighting the fourth one. No treasure, sigh. Back to the Inn one more time, and again I run into a monster camped outside, apparently not wanted in the Inn by the Jossmen. Skar Ironbelly yells odd things from his campsite, but, respecting the Jossman's feelings about fighting near their homes, I just shake my head sadly and settle in for the night in the best room in the Inn...

As I expected, the Innkeeper shares with me a little more useful information about the Crystal Hills, telling me all about those magical, mystical balloons. Hmmm. Thinking all the while, I repair my Damaged Iron Helmet (not thinking to equip it), sell off a Silver-Studded Club, and wander off to kill some more snakes. Look, it's another Silver-Studded Club! I just can't get rid of them fast enough. I also garner a White Bauble, 2 Unreadable Scrolls, 2 Zoingo Silver Coins, and 3 Oculars all told in my two trips in. Back to the Inn, where I sell all my Zoingo Coins, and sit down for an advanced lesson in Plant Plucking. I feel edjercated. Bedtime for me, with thoughts of eastward travel dancing in my brain. If only I had a clue as to how many times I'd yelled in my pre-amnesia days.

Okay, I sit down and re-equip that Iron Helm I've been carrying, and feel ready for the island. I quickly sell off a few more items, and then out. A short day- I jog eastwards, stopping only to kill a Dune Ooze and a Beerauk that get in my way. Arriving eight squares east of the Black Swan, I make camp, quest fruitlessly for new knowledge, and do a couple test yells, strengthening my vocal cords for the morrow. Now to see how strong my vocal cords really are.

I wind up my vocal cords and... strike one. No balloon comes to answer me. Sighing, I lower my head, turn around, and trudge back to the Inn where I bed down for many nights in disgust. And so it goes...

I receive some disturbing news from Thelma Twofang- as one of my fellow Northen Knights, she dropped by the Black Swan to pay her respects, but couldn't find me! Unfortunately, I'd decided to take a 53 day nap, and after some number of days the Innkeepers had asked me to move to more out-of-the-way quarters. In any case, I awaken, and, looking over Thelma, quickly hand her a spare shield I'm no longer using. I look over the usual Inn stuff, and there's something new! A Green Iron Helm! Though the Innkeeper assures me it's no different from a standard helm, I still decide to try out the beauty. Then, it's off to try out my yelling again...

Eight squares out, I stop, and realize I never said goodbye to Thelma. Not wishing to be rude, I turn and go back to the Inn again. On the way there, I swing through a Koma Den a couple times, but my nervousness about ballooning carries over, and I decide not to brave the snakes. Sigh. In any case, Thelma's very understanding, and in return for the shield I gave her she gifts me with some other things she has no current use for, including a Yellow Lotus Elixir. Perhaps I'll have to go try this again...

Wow, this Inn suddenly got crowded- Fuvites galore. Shelob, Vile Kile Gwarlock, Wyvern's Sssting, and Balrog all seem to be hogging the Far Kitchen. I bid them a pleasant good day, and mosey on out the front door. As a final favor to Thelma, I cast a Divine Monster on a nearby Shroudovian, and then move on. Eight squares east once again, and I camp out. I make a half dozen White Lotus Elixirs, readying for my grand swan dive (assuming, of course, my yell does work), and lay myself down for the night...

Into the Zargnoth go I (I hope)...