It is nice to see Babajaga in the lands again, after she has had to
endure such a long stay in the library. And it is also a pleasure
to hunt with the noble zo Yor from the Darkhorse Clan. With Viola,
Henryk and Tater, we made quite a strong team, and together we
dispatched about a dozen of the powerful giants without falling once!
After a library break, I came out to discover more serious events in
motion, another Darshak invasion. As I asked around, the exiles were
busy cleaning out west town of the remaining Darshak. Several new types
were spotted this time that I had never seen before, including this
Darshak Veteran, one of the last invaders surviving on north beach.
Strangely this time there was no evidence of Umbrion's hand at work. No
fire bubbles on the dock, nor any fire rats. In addition, we didn't see
the Darshak that earmarked the previous two invasions. No Swabs, Mates
or Admirals this time. I wonder if this is a different faction of the
Darshak that isn't allied with Umbrion? Little matter to us, since both
seem irredeemably hostile to our town.
Oops, sorry about that. J'nder just reached over my shoulder, grabbed
my stylus and scribbled her little message! The nerve!
Anyway, with our numbers and overwhelming victory in battle, we proceeded to
the Horde to carry the fight onto enemy ground. It took a while, but
we managed to carve out a good defensive position before some grey-shirted
Brutes appeared.
While we fought in the SW corner, another group with Thuja was established
on the east side. Soon our groups worked our way together and merged to
fight off the most fearsome Darshak we faced in this invasion, a
red-shirted Darshak Harrier.
Once the Harrier was down, the defeated Darshak fled before us, and we
left Ash Island victorious. Still, though, there are some questions. Why
the invasion? Why the different kinds of Darshak? These came with lots
of undine instead of the more usual course for recent invasions, the fire
rats and fire bubbles. I have no answers...yet.
This time, we got a whole different batch of Darshak, containing
Blades, Warriors, Mates, Swabs, Invaders, Defenders and Marauders,
the latter three being the most difficult to fend off. Apparently,
Umbrion has given them some new, more powerful and accurate weapons.
We held the gate for a while, but then our north front collapsed
and we had to fall back...
I thought we were doing pretty well here, but then word came through
that some Darshak were pouring through the relatively undefended
North Gate. By the time I ran up there to check it out and ran back,
flame-magic and powerful Darshak had apparently torn a rent in our
line, and the rout was on. Town was overrun for a while, and a few
of us survivors (and a few departers) were left hiding out in the
temple.
Altogether, well over a dozen elite Darshak attacked us in our temple
(last time they stayed out). At one point, we only had 3-4 sturdy
fighters standing, a few healers and fallen newbies all over the place
while 5-6 Marauders attacked us. I don't know how we survived, but we
did, and soon we had picked off enough of them that we could charge out
and retake the city, healing some of the fighters left behind at the
battle of West Gate.
It took quite a long time to round up all the various pockets of
Darshak scattered about Puddleby, but we soon did it. I even was
attacked near the dock by a Darshak Hound, of all things!
This invasion had not only the elite Darshak, but also the earmarks
of Umbrion's influence. Sure enough, there were fire rats galore
and fire bubbles drifting around on the docks. And ... another
portal to Umbrion's Castle!
Several of us gathered together and went through all at once, led
by many of the same exile leaders who carried us to the Dread
Passage, through and beyond. I was a little tentative about
going through myself, fearing that I would have to depart to get
home, but you know what? How could I miss such an adventure? A
portal is open before me leading to danger and excitement.
I am not so caught up in worrying about departs that I wouldn't
take advantage of such an opportunity, so with a deep breath, I
went through and into...
The library in Umbrion's castle. A very tastefully furnished
room, if I may say so. The stairs on the east side of the
room there lead to some locked doors that no one could pass
through. But there is another exit out of the library to
the South, and it leads outside into the courtyard of Umbrion's
keep, which he guards from atop his tower.
Several fallens who went through the mirror first stepped out
of the library and were quickly killed by either the fiery
creatures roaming around or Umbrion himself, who repeatedly
throws fire magic at exiles (even fallen exiles) from his tower,
while yelling at us to leave him alone. What's worse is that
we couldn't push or easily chain them into the library. I'm
not sure why. Maybe just bad leverage on those steps.
However, Cronos showed why he is the founder of the chaining
guild and taught a few of us a chaining strategy that actually
gets the exiles into the library to safety. You have to attach
the chain to a fallen and run around behind the tower, stretching
out the chain while the fallen is at the base of the steps
(typically held in place by another exile). The stress on the
chain apparently provides enough force to get the exile's
fallen body up the steps and into the safe area. We got
everyone to safety this way, eventually. Thuja also helped
make it possible by distracting Umbrion from further hurting
the fallen exiles, taking the damage upon herself.
I'm very glad I went through, too, because several exiles would
have been forced to depart almost immediately without my Horus,
including Drax my clawmate and J'jh (among 8-10 others). But now
it is time to put my stylus away and emerge from this library to
explore what I can with the group still here and alive. I will
write more as I learn more...
I considered briefly whether I wanted to remain there in the library
for the next several days and explore the area with the remaining
exiles. It was a difficult decision, and I did not sleep well on it.
On the one hand, I wanted to help discover new things, but on the other,
Gurgi's party told me the castle exit to the island is two-way, so
expeditions can make it back here in the future if need be, without
the help of a portal. That removes the one-of-a-kind-opportunity
pressure.
I missed town. I missed my friends and clanmates in Puddleby. I've
been rescuing a lot lately, and it is fortifying me, renewing my
sense of purpose. I decided that I couldn't sit here in this library,
so far out of reach of my friends, not knowing what the future held
and whether I would even be able to join up with a rescue expedition.
So to make things more interesting, I made a run for it...
I was using Achates'
map as a guide, hoping to follow in his footsteps and perhaps go a
little further. The first part was to avoid the firewalkers and the
flame spouts and head to the Southeast stairwell of the top level.
Easy enough.
I emerged in a wood-floored hallway, with little pockets of flame
bursting out of the floor. A dark vermine began to chase me around,
and a nearby fire rat watched my helpless journey hungrily.
Between
the fire rats, the dark vermine, honor guards of Umbrion
and more firewalkers, I had a tough
time navigating. I managed to run all the way around to the opposite
ladder, but I failed to spot any exits along the way.
I thought perhaps I would return to the library, heal up and
try again, taking a different path, but just as I scrambled up
the ladder, a dark vermine took my health down to a point where
I could no longer move. And so I was fallen back on the top
level of the keep where I started.
Though well out of my range of vision, Umbrion sensed that I
had returned, so he began sending fire and lightning my way.
At this point, I already knew I was beyond rescue, so I stayed
for a bit to ponder my fate before finally departing and
returning to town. A dozen rescues later, it's like the whole
episode never happened.
In retrospect, my 100th depart seems rather foolish. Why even
go into the portal if I had no intention of joining the exit
expedition or remaining to explore? Well, I'll admit it was
an impulsive decision, but part of my thinking lay in the fact
that I knew there were fallen exiles on the far side. There
was a sense of adventure and opportunity to be had, no doubt,
but the fallens toggling me on the other side had a big impact.
Had I not
gone through, many who escaped or pendanted out would have been
forced to depart instead, including J'jh. I didn't enter the
portal with this specific intention, to right an old wrong that
lay on my conscience, but such actions come to
me more naturally when I am in "rescue mode" instead of "explore
mode" or "hunt mode". I like myself a lot better in rescue mode.
Anyway, I kinda felt like I
owed J'jh one for the time back when our group first gained the
foothills and left her back in the Orga Village. I know
she doesn't think that, of course, but in my heart, I am glad
I had the opportunity to help her. So while there was no real
reason to celebrate or recognize my 100th depart, it did not
sadden me in the least.
First stop, as usual, the North Bear Caves. Groniad commented, and
I agree, that the bears these days seem to be a bit tougher than they
have been before. Perhaps with a bit more atkus and/or darkus. Also,
a larger fraction of them are aggressive, making life even more difficult
for healers. Now it is virtually impossible to do a solo rescue in
there without a chain and a little bit of luck, especially the East cave.
After getting Mute, I started heading east, knowing that Agent was
fallen on the shores north of the lake.
About halfway through East Field, three things happened at once. First,
I learned that Azael was going to go to the lake to help Tater and Connie
Crete, also fallen there. So I figured I probably didn't need to worry
about that. Second, I got a request from Peet asking if I could come
help heal Althea in the river tunnel cave where Blind Amphibia and Taxhis
Wurms roam (often just called the Tahxis Cave for short ... it is west
and south along the river from the old bear cave and east from Crawler
Beach along the river).
Third, I heard Ezi yelling for help. Now I don't normally ignore yells
for help, and I certainly don't ignore the poor mystics, who fall so often!
Ezi is a learning to be a very useful mystic, with some good locating
skills that he often uses for the benefit of myself and other rescue
healers. A share with an up-and-coming mystic like Ezi is a good long-term
investment for a fighter, I think. Anyway, I was able to use my Proximus
and the tree as a bit of a shield and get Ezi up without chaining in spite
of the four creatures you see attacking me.
Off to the Tahxis cave, I got there just as Azael did. Azael, I learned
later, was apparently mixed up about where Agent was fallen. He thought
"north beach" meant crawler beach and so was headed there. So I eventually
had to make my way up to the lake to rescue poor forgotten Agent! Anyway,
we got Althea on her feet.
She is incredibly effective with that bloodblade
of hers, and she has no trouble dispatching very nasty creatures most of the
time. But the peril is that an occasional high-darkus luck hit can knock
her down from red, where she fights most effectively, to the point where she
is going to need some Horus to get back on her feet. During invasions,
I often look for Althea, because she is often around, and I know she is far
more effective at defending the town when an alert healer is helping her out,
cognizant of the healing strategy to use with a bloodblade.
Not long after fetching Agent, I learned Groniad was fallen in the North Bear
Caves along with Wrath, both in the vicinity of a deadly Chami Cobra. This
is the kind of snake the attacked a party I was rescuing a few puddleweeks
ago and knocked out several stout fighters and healers. Groniad and Wrath
combined were apparently able to pummel it into submission but took too much
damage themselves.
TerraHawk tried to escort me in to help them both, but there were too many
ordinary snakes even for him. Fortunately, Megan, Mute, Dude and Skinner
showed up to clean things out and make it safe for a rescue. Megan was
even kind enough to coordinate the rescue with me, letting me know when
and where she was arriving to help. I *always* appreciate this sort of
cooperation! Thanks, Megan!
After a few more rescues back near town (I'm keeping a close eye on a
few talented new exiles named Gent, Quatre and Trymon when I am near
town), I learned Groniad had fallen again. After a long search, with
the very kind and patient assistance of Veer, Cyberbeing and Fist of Fluff,
we eventually learned that a Chocolate Bear had chased her *out* from
the North Bear Caves and into the old (South) Bear Cave. I didn't
realize the bears would jump between caves like that!
Click here to go forward in the archive
to Autumn 541, Part 4.
Back to Koric's Journal Archives
Click here to go backward in the archive
to Autumn 541, Part 2.
Healing Henryk in the Eastern Greymyr Village
Polishing off the last invader, a tough Veteran, on north beach.
Fighting off undine and Darshak Brutes in the Horde.
Yor and Babajaga fend off two Veterans and a Harrier in the Horde.
Another battle at west gate against the elite Darshak.
Trying to hold the line at west gate.
A last stand in the temple against the Darshak barely survives.
A Darshak Hound in West Puddleby
A portal left behind by the Darshak on the docks.
Umbrion's Library
Umbrion's Tower
I bid farewell to foul Umbrion.
Down into the unknown bottom level of the castle...
Down the stairs...
Almost fallen and running for the ladder.
Umbrion mercilessly pummels my fallen body.
Groniad Diuberr assists me with a rescue in the main NBC entry.
Helping the mystic Ezi in East Field.
Helping Althea (note bloodblade outfit) in the Tahxis Cave.
Groniad is a victim of a Chami Cobra in NBC, but not before she killed it!
Groniad, fallen to a Chocolate Bear in the *Old* Bear Cave.