Ponds, back to the big city, and a Koma Den

Having accomplished my goal of finding the Zargnoth Temple, I now have other fish to fry...

Having camped overnight next to the Zargnoth Kabuki Temple, when I awake it occurs to me that I should check on what goodies others have left in this Temple to help me out. I trade my Smite Pike in for a Trident (nice upgrade), and drop off my Detect Creatures Scroll in exchange for a Detect Above Ground Places Scroll. I help myself to a Silver Bone Necklace as well, and feel much better about my equipment. If only there'd been some Gauntlets. So thinking, I also note that my Squzskin Gauntlets must have been destroyed in a fight along the way- they provided so little use that I didn't know they were missing until just now. So I check back- yup, back when I met a Crocadowder about three turns back. The odd thing is that the Crocadowder didn't touch me- I threw a rock and fled. It must have been a really poorly made pair of Gauntlets. The rest of my days travels are pretty basic- I head southeast, kill a Vine Stalker, make a Kaddawhip (which I'll just have to discard when I get a moment), and learn the Tarzan yell. I end up camping back on the shore of the River again, lulled to sleep by its murmuring.

Well, first thing up I equip myself with my new Trident and Silver Bone Necklace, and learn that Detect Above Ground Places Spell. Now if I could only get ahold of Detect Plants. Back into the High Jungle, briefly, and then out again. By spyglass I detect an Ancient Graveyard, but decide to pass it by. I harvest some Limes and some Rock Mushrooms, and a Stark Sourpuss and a Gator while I'm at it. I set up camp by the side of a lovely Pond, and take a quick dip before bed. There's something in here, though! I finally meet a member of the long-rumored Rockadile family- this one is a Giant Rockadile. He goes after my Rock Mushrooms, though, and I pull myself to safety. On the way back up, though, I notice an Underwater Grotto set into the side of the Pond. Methinks I'll have to try to explore this dark place soon...

I'm visited while I sleep by a mysterious Mudwalker Fire Rider Shroudovian. Hmm, I wonder who this could be. In any case, upsy daisy. I do a quick jog back to the Rock Mushrooms I saw last time, and collect another batch. While I'm there, that nearby Graveyard catches my attention again, so I pop in about three times. Eighteen Oculars and a lot of dead creatures are my only reward. Anyway, back to the Pond (stopping by a Cocopalm tree I stumble across on the way). Readying myself, I prepare to dive in. Actually though, I seem to be a little tired (not enough APs left). Maybe next time... I give that poor Mudwalker a couple Gator Hides so she can make herself some decent armor, and, in the spirit of charity, give her the Great Dark Sword I've been carrying as well...

Apparently, what goes around, comes around. That nice (for a Shroudie) Mudwalker gives me a lot of trade goods that I can take into town and earn some money off of. I'm tired of being poor... In any case, I go through my morning exercises (a quick jazzercize and a yell), make a couple White Lotus Elixirs, heave a Rock Mushroom into the Pond to distract the Rockadiles, and dive in! With the Rockadiles distracted, its easy to make it into the Underwater Grotto. I pull myself up into the air pocket, and find: bugs! Lots and lots and lots of Roaches. So, I start smishing 'em: a Common Cave Roach. A Stink Roach. A Blood Roach. A Three-Horned Roach. A Spitting Roach. A Sabre-Toothed Roach. A Preying Cockroach- well, okay, by this time I'm tired of bugs, and a little worn down. Perhaps I'll come back some other time. Six dead bugs, eighty action points, no treasure. But, I do know how to get in when I come back again some day. Having had enough of Ponds, I head south, stopping only to kill a Grabber Bush and a Stark Sourpuss, and to collect some Oil and some more Rock Mushrooms. Still intersted in those dark places, though, I set up camp on the outskirts of a Tainted Hollow.

Rising early in the morning, I proceed to light the fire... wait, I suddenly come to the belated realization that I don't own a Swinging Ball. I can't go into this Hollow. Sigh. I guess I'll have to pay closer attention. In any case, I trudge southwards, poking my nose in at a Tower Ruins but deciding to hold off on exploring it. I'm in a travelling period- three or four turns back to town...

Not my best day ever. I kill a King Emu, and then travel a little bit more to the Bridge. Before anything else, I cast a couple Identify Scroll spells, coming up with Detect Items and Detect Above Ground Places. Hey, I don't know one of those. Cool. Okay, the bridge- I try to pay the Trolls, but they aren't here! So, I try to move on across the bridge, but the Trolls won't let me! What Trolls? Huh, wait, I tried to pay you! Throroughly confused, I settle in for the night, deciding to camp on the bridge. I spend the evening in humble prayer to Kabuki and his most favored priests, Ke-ith and Tmp'jr, and during the night my payers are answered with the assurance that when I arise in the morning the Trolls will be willing to take my money and let me travel on...

Okay, so I try to pass my money on to the Trolls again. This time, they accept it. I make my way across, noting that I receive a little more information about the bridge than I previously have. The gods seem to be fleshing out this portion of the island a bit more (or perhaps the Trolls weren't there at this point last turn because they were out doing some construction work). In any case, I move on, and pick a few fights. A Mad Stalker flees from me, then I kill a Thermadon Rex, then I flee from a Giant Tree Squid. A nasty trio to fight at once. I also note a Stone Crypt that I hadn't known was here, but I've already blown past it by the time I can stop to think. I cast a quick spell, learning Detect Items from one of the scrolls Skizlum passed me, and make camp on a trail, ready to hit the big city again next turn.

Backing up a few steps, I make myself some Bow Strings. Moving on again, I stop near a Calabash bush and quest madly, hoping to learn the secret of the Calabash Pipe. I fail? Excuse me? Instead, I learn the secret of the previously unknown Chaser-Plate Armor. I'll have to pass this one on to Skizlum. Anyway, I apparently already knew how to make a Calabash Pipe (silly me), and I quickly make one. Not much else to report- I hit the town, sell the stuff Skizlum traded me (money!!!), and put myself up for the night at The Rock and Troll. Back in civilation again.

I wake up at the Rock and Troll, and start selling things off. After a bit, I jog to a nearby Tower Ruins, and poke around. Unfortunately, at some point my Riskiness had droppped to 6, and I never noticed. Sigh. I guess I'll save the Voodoo Vault below for later. Oh, well, it may not have worked well for me anyway- it occurs to me that I have no idea whether or not I know how to pick locks. I guess I'll find out next turn. A Quest for Knowledge turns up the Weekly Rid command, something I'll have to put into effect shortly.

Back to the Tower Ruins, and down I go. Apparently I haven't learned how to use the Lockpicks- I manage to unlock the door that's hidden in the bin, but my lockpick breaks in the process. Sigh. Oh, well, I'll buy a new one tomorrow (and spring for the training this time!). Anyway, I kill several creatures (a Shotgun Serpent and a Tentaculus), but I'm a wrestling failure and I leave after I can't kill a Three-Horned Roach. My only treasure is a Brawn Elixir. Hmm, I wonder if I've used one of those before? And, if I have, I wonder what happens if you use one twice? Anyway, back to the Inn, where I set a Weekly Rid up, and settle in for the night. The Weekly Rid doesn't work when I camp, but maybe it'll kick in in the morning...

The Weekly Rid order doesn't function in Inns, as it turns out, so I'm still overloaded. I head on down, and take my first train ride. Hey, this is cool! Just that quick, I'm in a brand new town. In any case, I wander out to kill some snakes in a nearby Koma Den, stopping to off a Sand Thug on the way. I kill him with a rock and, lo and behold, I finally hit level 5 with Missile Weapons. I've been practicing forever... In any case, the Koma Den. I head in, seeing at least 48 snakes present. I kill five of them, and get some Iron Gauntlets (yay!) and a White Bauble. Again: At least 44 snakes counted, this time I kill just four, and get a Black Ball and a Rattler Dart. One more time in: 65(!) snakes counted, but I don't kill any and flee in shame. Sigh. Back to the Inn, and a good night's sleep. I also sign up for some Weapons Training for next turn.

Two other monsters present: Nez Percey, and One Pumped-Up Babe. OPUB is working on the Koma Den too, so we agree to cooperate. So, this will be turn three in our joint effort. But first- I get my Whip Training- Level 5, yay! I also learn about basic weapon knowledge, which indicates that this might be the first time I've paid for training (so I got to five in four categories and four in the other two, all the hard way?). I spend a lot of orders throwing stuff in the air to clear up space, and head out. First trip in- 27 snakes, at least, left, I kill five of 'em, and collect a Golden Ocular and a Silver-Tipped Spear. Second trip in- at least 23 left, I kill five, and collect a Damaged Iron Dagger and two Kwando Guilder Coins. Unfortunately, one of 'em was a Goo Snake, and I'm armorless now. Sigh. Okay, third time in, at least 30 left. I kill two, and discretion becomes the better part of valor. Back to the Inn, where I learn about Lockpicking, and settle in for the night.

The nice thing about this particular Inn? It sells Gator Armor. I spend a little cash and reequip. Okay, now it's turn five in our combined struggle. Of course, first off I have to spend a lot of time selling off junk and throwing stuff into the air. Then, off I go. But wait, what's this? A cache in the Koma Den square? Set up by a member of my group? Three days ago? I don't think that's bloody likely. So, I fill up on a bunch of crap, and then go into the Koma Den. Who needed treasure anyway? First in, around fifteen snakes present, I kill 5 of them, and get a Golden Ocular Coin. Next time, still around fifteen present, I kill four, and get 14 Oculars. One more try, still about fifteen present, but I flee. I think I see the light at the end of the tunnel, though...

Turn six in our combined effort (somehow I get confused and don't wait my turn). Firstly, though, I turn off my Glean Cache order. Then, I quickly sell some stuff, throw a _whole_ lot of stuff into the air, and back I go. Trip one: Around fifteen snakes present, still. I kill the first four, and treasure is an Iron Knife and a Yellow Bauble. Then, I finish the last one, and there aren't anymore snakes! I poke around a bit, and find some real treasure: a Golden Gargoyle Goblet and a Wicked Scimitar. Hey, loook- it's a _really_ big snake- a Four-Clawed Boa. Sadly enough, I'm not up to the challenge, and I flee. Annoyingly enough, I can't go back next turn- I've missed the Inn on my return trip. Maybe OPUB will have killed the beastie...

I wander a little bit, killing a Jagwere and skating past some plants. Then, back to town. I pop in at the Far Exotica, sell some goods, and encounter a Monger with "bizarre and undecipherable tattoos". Hmm, odd. Strange things are afoot here. In any case, I move on to the Inn, sell a whole lot of stuff, and pay the big bucks for the best possible room. I want to get my health back up. A Quest for Knowledge turns up the Automatic Sell order. Nice.

Let's look in on that Sunken Graveyard...