Buzzy's Halls of Mist Campaign Notes

[buzzkill]

Have played Fay before, first game of Mist. Rolled up random female dwarf templar. Playing the sneak peek version if that matters. These first few posts as I'm discovering Mist for the first time will probably deal more with mechanics and discovery than "myth". Pardon my boredom.

Arrived in town. Equipped torch and tried to descend immediately. Was warned that I didn't use all my lore points. Spent the next 10 minutes trying to figure out how to use lore points. I knew what they were having played Fay, I just couldn't remember the keypress. Eventually I just pressed every key on the keyboard until I found the one that worked (p). Still didn't know exactly what fencing was, but tried it out. I think I know what it does now, but still not sure, as I killed everything with arrows.

After more consideration, decided to kill a couple of the townfolk (after reading here on oook about how evil they all are) and popped into the general store and bought a variety of arrows. Diving down we go.

DL 2. Found 2 GP. Kept 0 GP, I would have found that puzzling had I not already known the reason (from oook). Went through a few empty rooms than ran into a black harpy at distance. Hit her with a few arrows for about one star each. Melee wasn't the ticket, so I read my only scroll of phase door and narrowly finished her off with more arrows. Noticed that auto-centering of the screen doesn't seem to work.

Encountered some vegetation, neat, don't remember that from Fay. Also a green glutton ghost, an opportunity to use my (singular) arrow of slay undead. Ghost died as expected. Arrow disappeared, doh. Hey, vegetation is hard to climb through (neat, maybe). OK, now I see, I hop over bushes, 34% chance, exit the room leaving the rot jelly untouched, asleep.

Spot an Ogre in the next room, WTF. Look at it, no, it's a fountain. Can't r)ecall any info on it and there's no terrain section in the knowledge menu. I try to bump into it to find out more about it and instead I enter the fountain (of increase ability). I "feel energized" but am not really sure what just happened. I try to do it again, but nothing happens. I do at this point notice that the (p) command is documented as "use a proficiency". I missed it earlier because I was looking for something akin to "use lore points".

Fought some creeping silver coins. Observed that's it's a little odd when fighting something slower than yourself and you miss, no message at all is displayed, as you don't get attacked in return so again, no message is displayed. In my perfect world "Miss." wouldn't hurt anything in this circumstance. Now I discover the "center map continuously" in addition to "center map while running" option. Centering the map does indeed work. The "while running" option seems to be an artifact of a time long past. Could probably do without.

Oooh, a bookcase. Found 6 powder vials. Backtracking... backtracking. Room descriptions now turned on. The title of the rooms seem to be all gibberish. The descriptions so far have been only "unremarkable". Found a room with a table and a closet. Killed off the creeping silver coins and the zombified kobold. Given a second chance, I probably should have jumped up on the table just for the hell of it.

Came across a poltergeist in a long corridor, could not attack him in the wall. Could not tunnel into the wall. After a long terrified retreat, finally got it into a room and hit it with an unknown powder vial of blinding flash, killing it. Got myself into a tight spot with a green naga and a killer bee. Had to use my lore escape to get away, unfortunately in the completely wrong direction. Put down a rattlesnake and a lizard before naga caught up with me again. In the interim I discovered my found wand to be of slow monster, but it was ineffective versus the naga, "you have wasted a charge", but it doesn't seem that the naga is immune to slowing. If fact, according to recall, she's quite susceptible to wands. Luckily the killer bee hadn't returned and I had a chance to rest up before taking the only exit available to me, straight toward the bee.

Slowed and killed the formerly fearsome bee without incident. Killed another naga, zombie, and creeping coins before finding 2 set of stairs leading down. I was going to head back to town for a restock (since I have next to nothing) but I'll proceed down instead since the up staircase I entered the on is so far away. I'm CL7 now, I should be able to survive DL3 or 4. Here's a thought, intentionally position the opposite staircase far from the arrival staircase.

TMJ, don't think so. In addition to the items I mentioned, I found an ordinary orcish sword and some mushroom of paranoia dropped by a mushroom mass.

[Mikko Lehtinen]

Awesome, buzzkill! Some quick explanations.

Playing the sneak peek version if that matters.

These are the changes in 1.2.1. The most important change was that the internal documentation is up-to-date!

I try to bump into it to find out more about it and instead I enter the fountain (of increase ability). I "feel energized" but am not really sure what just happened.

One of your stats went up.

Room descriptions now turned on.

Turn them back off. No room descriptions in Mist, I should remove the option. All remarkable rooms now have a room feature or two.

In the interim I discovered my found wand to be of slow monster, but it was ineffective versus the naga, "you have wasted a charge", but it doesn't seem that the naga is immune to slowing.

"You wasted a charge" means that you failed to use a wand, and then failed a 1d100 <= Magic Device skill check, losing a charge for nothing.

The other part of the equation is that the biggest possible fail rate is 85%. This should help with the unidentified devices filling the inventory problem that you and everybody else struggled with in Fay.

TMJ, don't think so. In addition to the items I mentioned, I found an ordinary orcish sword and some mushroom of paranoia dropped by a mushroom mass.

I've fiercely attacked TMJ.

Press '[' to show the list of visible monsters. You requested it back in Fay. No show visible objects command yet.

Does the knowledge menu display your home and alchemical combinations? These were buggy in your Windows version back then, and I may or may not have fixed the bug.

Back to sleep, bye!

[buzzkill]

Since that first post was all about yesterdays adventures on DL2. I see no harm in posting todays adventures on DL4, briefly on DL5. Hopefully this is a little less dry than the original.

DL 4. I arrive in a lit room, a red harpy to the east awakens immediately. There are no stairs to guide me back to town. My first arrow misses and I observe that the harpy is faster than I. I hit it with the wand of slow monster and plant a few flight arrows in it before it's upon me. We exchange blows, both weakening, but it flees first. I pursue it down a twisting corridor, unable to close the distance, but managing to let loose an arrow a time or two along the way. We spill into a large lit room. Another arrow and the harpy falls dead to the floor. Taking stock of my surroundings, I notice a few jellies and an orc shaman, thankfully napping. I am still weak and can clearly see how a battle with a caster could go very wrong. I retreat, not even bothering to retrieve the GP dropped by my former foe.

I don't make it far. As soon as I turn, I spot Wormtounge peeking around a bend. He must have been following me. I can't squeeze past him in the corridor and don't want to fight him. I just don't like the odds. Instead I retreat in reverse back into the room I had just left. He's no faster than me, so I figure if I can slow him then I can easily out run him. He chases me into the room and I attempt to slow him as he turns the corner but to no avail. He's upon me now, and an unforeseen non-descript lizard now blocks the corridor which is my only escape. I retreat another pace allowing the lizard to clear the doorway. As Wormtounge is distracted by the waking of the shaman, I throw myself to the floor and attempt to scurry past. He hits me again and again as I dodge between Wormy and the lizard, but I make it to the corridor in relatively good shape, the lizard, not Wormy tight on my heels.

I waste a charge, but on my second attempt I do manage to slow the lizard, hopefully slowing Wormy's pursuit in the process. I finally clear the corridor and contemplate my next move. I know virtually nothing of this level and I find myself back where I started. I can go east or west, but the western exit is closer. I won't have to traverse a large room, and I can see a speck of light off in the distance.

The corridor heads due west for about 150' and emerges into an unremarkable room. There are no signs of continued pursuit but I remain skeptical. The room stretches to the west for as far as the eye can see and then some. There are no other visible exits. With little choice in the matter, I head west across the expanse. 100' more and I can now see that I'm half way there. There's a doorway in the western wall and still no signs of pursuit. Unbelievable. I hug the southern wall, trying to blend in to the granite as I continue and finally reach the opposite wall where a yellow jelly awaits. Still not wishing to fight and eager to leave this ambush haven, I squeeze myself through a narrow passage to the southwest. It continues for 50' or so and empties into a cavernous room, a cave painting adorns the south wall. A ferocious lizard and and icky thing begin to approach, surrounding me.

I hit the nearer and easier target, the icky thing with the slow monster and concentrate my fire on the quick lizard. I weaken them sufficiently before they reach me and finishing them, though surrounded, wasn't overly costly. Taking a step forward, I see a white wolf charging at me from 70'. With Wormy still in the back of my mind, I slow and then pin cushion the wolf as he closes. He lunges at me and is beaten back with a single blow. A lone arrow finishes the job. For the first time on this level, I'm able to recover some of my ammo, all the while keeping a watchful eye on the immobile pink frog I share the room with. Now to examine that painting. Ah-ha, a secret door. I pass through the door and close it behind me and enjoy a momentary sense of relief.

A short corridor leads to a darkened room and the apprehension returns. It's a large room and by the time I'm half done exploring it, my health is back to half also. There appear to be no other exits. I've found a makeshift sanctuary, and take a well deserved rest. I've nothing to show for my efforts thus far. I must find a staircase!

Rest goes according to plan, but upon re-opening the secret door I'm accosted by the pink frog at point blank range. I strike first and the battle is short and I am victorious, but I was bitten. Though just a flesh wound, I feel somehow weaker than before. I move to the north then west, following uncharted corridors and slipping past the jelly I discovered earlier. As I come to a fork, I turn and head north, slipping past some rubble, eager to break line of sight of any unseen pursuers. A twist and a turn and I find myself in another unremarkable, unlit room. It's empty, another dead end. I return to the fork and head west.

I make it no further than 20' or 30' when suddenly space warps itself around me and I find myself in another place, staring into the eyes of a tengu. It strikes, tainting my soul, before I can even react. I strike back but fail to do significant damage. Luckily, it's not hitting very hard either, as least not at first. I soon realize that this is a straight up fight that I won't win. I reach into my pack, attempting to blind the beast with my vials, but repeatedly miss. Damn my stubby dwarven arms. My wand of slow monster also fails. Damn my stubby dwarven fingers. I'm badly beaten, and then as suddenly as the battle started, it halted. My rival simply disappeared. I quickly took a step back into a long east/west corridor and readied my bow, hoping to peel off a few shots. But still nothing. Is it gone for good, or maybe I just can't see it in the dark corridor. I can't just stand here, so I head further west in search of stairs.

I come to a lit room, a sleepy salamander and pink ant it's only inhabitants. Not looking for a fight, I duck out to the south. 20' more and I see the staircase. 30' more and I'm there. Still alive. I notice a light to the southwest. I peek my head into a large empty room and quickly retreat to the stairs. I don't really want to go any deeper, but this level hasn't been much fun either. I'll think it over while I rest. No sooner than I get comfortable, perched atop the staircase, than the salamander awakes. I can see it clearly and make short work of it with my bow, even at a range of nearly 100'. Since convenient, I snipe the pink ant from a distance. My arrows not nearly as effective this time around, I have to finish it with my sword. I return to the stairs and study my map as I rest. There are three possible routes, two of which look promising. I decide to explore further.

First, I assess my inventory. My equipment is exactly the same as when I first entered The Halls of Mist, save that my initial torch is all but ready to burn out. My vials of blinding flash, all gone. My mushrooms of terror useless, but also my only source of food. I've one spare torch, one potion of CSW, and only four charges left on my wand of slow monster. I still carry the orcish sword found on the previous level, I'm not sure why as it's clearly an inferior weapon when compared to my dwarvish long sword. Inspection reveals my hard leather armour to be undamaged. Only 12 flight arrows remain in my quiver. I wish there were more. My map indicates where I've left a few behind, but I dare not go back there.

I decided to try the least promising path first. I suspected it would just wind around and bring me back to where I started further securing my location. I had forgotten about the tengu. Damn my stubby drarven memory. It had been resting too. I fought toe to toe with it, but had to use my only (lore) escape when the battle turned on me, had to drink my only CSW a moment later. That was too close and I'm still not out of the woods. Once again my escape failed to move me in the desired direction. The tengu was back at me just a moment later, casting harmless spells from an unseen location. Why can't I see it, I thought to myself? I have great line of sight. Only after the bloody battle ended, it's lifeless arrow strewn corpse lying on the floor did I realize that the room I was in was unlit. That's why I couldn't see it. It had nearly killed me again, that would be the third time.

That's an operator error there. That's what I get for always playing with tiles. Can someone shoot me a quick prf edit to make either the lit tiles whiter, or the unlit tiles darker. Even better, how about making the lit floor tiles yellow, like the torch or pink. And as long as I'm here, the text for the lore escape need updating too, it still refers to the "shifting to the fairy realm" rather than "dissolving into the mist and back again" or some such.

Made it back to the stairs uneventfully. Rested and headed out again, this time to the south. After a short jaunt, the corridor leads me to a room occupied with elven hunters and a yeti. Are they hunting yeti? No. With full health and an untainted soul my sense of valor screams fight, they're only elves after all, but my limited resources factor into the equation and I retreat to the stairs. If they give chase, then maybe I'll fight them there, near the stairs. I'm nearly back to the steps, long since removed from line of sight, when I receive word that one of the elves has "hopped on the table". That's probably something I shouldn't know, not that's of any use to me aside from informing me that at least one of them is still in the room. The blatant sin here is that it's message clutter. I have a great viewpoint from the stairs. I begin to count to ten, stroking my beard, waiting. I get to five before the first walks into the room. I fire, and again and again with only marginal results. These are tough elves. As he nears I use my lore to focus on my fencing. He drops quickly. Not so tough after all. I gather my arrows and his gold and return to my perch near the stairs. Again, I begin to count to ten. I swap my old torch for a new one before descending. I seem to have lost my old torch. Oh well.

I drop into DL5, following an ancient dwarven map I found along the way. I arrive, a staircase back to town beneath my feet... luckily, as I seem to be outmatched. A clay golem lumbers toward me from the east, behind it I see a giant cockroach, as I turn my gaze elsewhere in this room I see a mystic and a yeti, the hairier of the two peacefully asleep, beside me. It's so near I can smell it's hideous breath. I focus on fencing as the golem reaches my position. I strike the golem but it doesn't seem to notice. With my back-swing I also cleave into the yeti, a bright red streak staining it's white shaggy fur. I hung in their for a second round, but this battle was going nowhere good. Ouch (x6) that is. I fled up the stairs wondering just what I was going to going to be able to buy with the meager GP I had amassed.

If you were looking to create a game where death lurks around every corner, well then Bravo my friend. Admittedly it should get just a bit easier after a visit to town, but up to this point it's been all about mere survival. BTW, having a great time though there seems to be an abundance of creeping silver coins.

[Mikko Lehtinen]

A scary story!

I focus on fencing as the golem reaches my position. I strike the golem but it doesn't seem to notice.

Fencing gives an extra sword blow against humanoids and persons only, for as long as you stay on the current dungeon level. The ancient martial arts manuals only show people fighting.

[buzzkill]

This game isn't getting any easier.

I arrive back in town in search of much needed supplies. My latest trek into the Halls of Mist was less than rewarding. I was lucky to get out alive. I've only 69 GP to spend and hardly any loot to sell to supplement that amount. Since I must conserve every cent, I buy only a single torch at the general store. I'm forced to dispose of a few hostile townsfolk on my way to the armoury where I purchase a pair of ordinary soft leather boots. Again, this time while walking to the weaponsmith, I'm ambushed by two more of townsfolk. I find four desperately needed scrolls of phase door among the remains of the one that bled to death in flight. The weaponsmith won't buy my swag sword. Apparently he (and all others shopkeepers) buy exclusively from rogues. Despite my frustration, I buy some of his flight arrows to replenish my quiver. The temple has but one healing potion I can afford, so I buy it, a CSW. The alchemist sells me a potion of restore vigor at 90% off. Though I couldn't really afford it, I couldn't pass it up in my weakened state. My curiosity leads me to the black market, but in my penniless state I can't buy anything. I make a quick stop at the house to deposit my spare sword and then head off to the book and magic stores, once again, just to browse. With only a few gold left in my pouch, I return to the general store and purchase some perfectly ordinary arrows. I'm still ill-equipped to return to the Halls, but in better shape than I was the first time around. Oddly, there didn't appear to be any food for sale in town. Perhaps I don't need to eat. I head back down the stairs, traverse the mists until I reach level 5.

DL5. I arrive. The air is damp, it cold and black. An icky thing and a skeleton my first two victims. It takes more than a little time to explore this entire room. It's uninteresting save for the table. The only exit leads north. The passage is rough and sways erratically forward at north-easterly bent. It leads me to an empty room with only one other exit. I quickly pass the pass and head east through a long straight passage. After a way, I notice a light in the distance, another room. At about the same time I see a closed door leading south. I continue east, ignoring the door for now.

As I approach the room a white wolf comes at me. It ignores my arrow and I instead must beat it to death. It was a costly battle which is why I was dismayed when the second white wolf appeared in the distance. I slowed the second canine attacker and pelted it with arrows until my third and fourth enemies made themselves seen, yet another wolf and a human mage. The second wolf was weak but yet I retreated west, toward the door. When the second wolf lunged at me, I dropped it with my sword and made it through the door with the mage not far behind. I waited and rested.

The mage arrived in short order and was sent fleeing with but two blows. I drew my bow and took a step back, prepared for the wolf. I should have shut the door instead. Before I had a chance to change my mind the wolf had cleared the threshold but my sword fell true time and time again and soon the third wolf was still. Now, I would have pursued the mage if not for my poor health. Instead, I shut the door, took refuge in a corner and rested. After a time I began to feel better and continued not further south, but back through the door and to the east. That mage had stolen some of my arrows from the ground and I was going to get them back.

Hunting the mage proved to be more difficult than I imagined. The passage east ended in two conjoined rooms, the one I entered to the north and another larger room with a table to the south, both empty. With choices of east or south or south yet again, I opted east. If a were a frightened mage, that's where I would have run. As I approach the eastward corridor I spy a skeleton and a zombie in an illuminated room off in the distance. I proceed. As I near I realize that I am almost content to leave the sleeping deads lie, as there appears to be nothing of interest in the room, that is until I spot the bookcase in the far corner. Another step also revealed some much needed copper.

I prodded what I surmised to be the weaker of the two, the zombie, with an arrow, and then five more. He was tougher but also slower than I had counted on. He still had all his limbs intact as he reached me and after a few rounds of toe to toe, the skeleton awoke and I resorted to hack n back tactics, conserving my health. The skeleton was no faster than me so I casually retreated to an area better lit. Accomplishing as much, and with a 30' or so advantage I headed for a nearby table prepared to jump atop it. I just didn't have a firm idea of how tough this skeleton would be and was a little on my heels after greatly underestimated his zombie companion. Apparently my new boots aren't suited for jumping on tables, so I just beat it to death the old fashioned way. It wasn't so tough after all.

Maybe add a secondary command to spend several turns in order to carefully climb onto a table, thus insuring success if you had the uninterrupted time to do so.

I head back to the bookcase and as I traverse the room that housed my most recent victims I notice a strange circle etched of powder in a room just to the south. I've read of these circles, but this is the first time I've seen one. Alas, I have no powder vials. In a room further east, a grizzly bear lies motionless. For some reason, Bear doesn't scare me. His wolf companions do however put me a little on edge. Just before I reach the corner bookcase a wolf starts at me. An arrow does some damage but now Bear is also awake. I wasn't planning on him waking so soon, my body still bloody from the zombie encounter. I make a wide turn, scanning the bookcase for interesting items as I strategically retreat. I find nothing.

I continue west, back toward the known dungeon. I lose track of Bear momentarily in a darkened corridor and see a zombie enter my location from the magic circle room. I sprint across the room as fast as my stubby legs will carry me. The lead wolf overtakes the bear and I must beat it back quickly before I reach the western corridor. The slow moving zombie falls behind the rest. Another wolf reaches me and while I ensure it's death, Bear brings his grissley body to bear upon me. I try to slow him, but fail. I try to run, but fail to again. It's ever so slightly faster than me. Desperately needing some distance I read a scroll of phase door and unlike most of my directed escapes, it moves me in a generally welcome direction, further west.

Bear has no bow. Bear knows no spells. I continue to run to the west. Every few steps I feel a bit healthier. Luckily I have a destination in mind, the room of my arrival, and it's quite far away. I vague image of a not-then-so-pesky mage enters my mind, but it doesn't deter me. I soon realize that the bears speed was no fluke. He's consistently faster then me. I scrap plan A and quickly devise plan B. I duck through the doorway to the south, slamming the door shut behind me. Deja-vu indeed. Let's hope that it can hold back the bear. We'll know in just a moment.

Oh crap. This is a closet. If I wasn't so intent on chasing down that mage earlier I would have realized that. I've locked myself in a closet and there's an angry grizzly bear waiting outside. I rest. I hope that the door holds, at least for a while. On the plus side, if I must phase out of here there's no place really bad that I can land, and I might just get dropped someplace very nice and far away. I rest and rest some more. Remarkably, I'm allowed to rest completely. Now, do I open the door? I must. A phase will likely land me in the occupied corridor anyhow, but if I open the door first perhaps I can lure Bear into the closet and lock him in. If not, I can always phase away.

I open the door and Bear enters. I was hoping the zombie might be hanging around too, but no. The bear is too fast to shut in the closet without some help so I retreat to the most phase favorable corner and strike the first blow. That went well enough, but his second blow in retaliation hurt a lot. I read a scroll of phase door and it places me just outside the closet. I sprint for the door hoping to slam it shut in time but Bear occupies the threshold at the last moment, dashing my plan. I run to the west, the bear too close to even think about. I prepare myself for the inevitable attack as Plan C takes form in my mind.

A pile of rubble. That's Plan C. There's a pile of rubble, likely obscuring a southern passageway just to the west of here. I'll reach the rubble and phase for best probable results. If I appear opposite the rubble, I'll be safe, at least from the bear. OMG. As I sprint west a human mage steps into the corridor ahead of me. No matter, I'm almost to the rubble, I'll just ignore him. The mage casts a lightening bolt. The mage is a dick. I'd like nothing more than to drive a large wooden spoon straight through his heart, but that will have to wait. I've reached the rubble. The inevitable attack from bear still pending, I've no time to waste. I read another scroll of phase door. Only one remaining now.

Who's the dwarf? I am! The phase takes me 80' due south, that's opposite the rubble if you've been following along, and more good news, just a step to my left is a stairway leading down. Hey, stairs is stairs. My only regret now is that the cowardly mage will no doubt tell all his pointy eared friends of the stunning dwarven templar he vaporized, and they'll believe him too, for believing in his lies makes their own seem somehow more plausible.

One step later I occupy the stairwell. One step more and I occupy a lighted room, empty. Exits north and south. According to my map I should be isolated from the rest of the known dungeon, but that northern exit is worrisome. Had I missed a secret passage earlier? I must find out. No, it's just a wrap around concealing another downward spiral staircase. All seems quiet now. I've secured the stairs and have but one way to go exploring. Feeling better now, though still nothing at all to show for this level, save for a few corpses.

The passage winds south, then west and opens into a room with at least two perfectly still lemure. I check my notes and reassure myself that lemure < tengu, so I fire a arrow at the nearest. It has been a while since I've killed anything. This will be fun. By the time the first reaches me I can see a third, all moving toward me now. A moment later I'm tainted. I retreat a few steps and continue the battle. The first falls, two to go. I start a casual retreat as I fight the second and it soon dies also. The third seems a bit tougher and I am briefly stunned but persevere, though badly beaten when all is said and done.

As I return to the place of initial contact with the lemures, I discover that they were not in a room, but just standing about as if guarding this corridor, why? I soon found out, as I came to a darkened room, and a heavily trapped room as I would soon discover. But my spidey senses were in tune and I managed to navigate what must have been a treasure room without a misstep. The only guardian within, a plague rat, was easily dispatched. The treasure? Vials of blinding flash and unknown powder vials buried in the shelves along the wall. Ehh, better than nothing. It's about time to take those stairs.

Still just merely surviving, looking for a way back to town.

[Mikko Lehtinen]

You're still alive, good going. Your survival instincts are well-tuned.

A little tip for the future: carry lots of torches! Priests and Templars can sacrifice torches in place of ego items.

Offering an ego item makes you a permanent follower, so any piece of ego-crap is really valuable to you. After becoming a permanent follower, it's a good idea to instantly sacrifice an extra torch for your goddess to get double bonuses for a time.

[buzzkill]

I got lost in the moment on level 6.

Halls of Mist, Level 6. Prior to descending to level 6 I call upon my unused lore reserve to identify some previously unknown powder vials of confusion. A gnomish map shows me the way, as well as the way back to town. The map also reveals some interesting dungeon features. A staircase deeper just a stones throw to the south, ample vegetation further south and to the west, and a magic circle to the east. Given these features, I fear this level may be too heavily populated for my own good. I head east toward the circle.

I dropped my notebook shorty after arriving on the level and must recount my recent adventures from memory. I take no more than a few step toward the circle when I spot two upper-class mages resting peacefully. They don't scare me, but I'm not fully rested so I prod one awake with a flight arrow from extreme distance and duck around a corner near my golden staircase (back to town) and wait. Once he arrives I proceed to reign blows upon him and suddenly also upon a bogle who sneaked up behind me. Both the mage and the bogle died in short order but a second bogle emerged from the mist and he was more troublesome with the dodging and the blinking. I was having a heck of a time pinning him down and then he suddenly died. A lucky hit I suppose. By this time the second mage, having heard the commotion, was coming for me. I did him just as I did his partner.

Wounded, but not mortally so, I headed back toward the circle. I was anxious to complete a circle, a circle of lifeforce if nothing else, so as to restore my strength. I entered the room and made note of a jelly and mold near the south wall. Something tried to cast a spell at me, but I couldn't see who or what it was. I assumed another mostly harmless mage was lurking somewhere out of sight. I strode forward, nearing the incomplete circle. As I did, I made note of many more creatures and items in the room, the most immediately troubling was a white wolf who was already on the prowl. I moved to the incomplete portion of the circle and sought to complete a circle of illusions, which would hinder animals like the wolf, instead I marveled at a circle of nexus. It glowed. It hummed. I was distracted. I stepped inside it for no particular reason. It was just as the headless entered the room from the west, blocking my retreat to my happy place, my golden staircase, it began to dawn on me that standing in a circle of nexus is not a good place to fight a battle from which you anticipate teleporting from. It was exactly that predicament that I found myself in.

Which leads me to wonder, is there a way to break a completed circle?

The wolf was nearer now, moving quickly. One arrow struck firmly and then it bit me. I managed to send it fleeing before the headless reached me and before the now awake white harpy neared. The quick moving harpy was perceived to be the greater threat, so I attempted to slow her and was successful. Plan A, part 1. Move to the furthest corner of the room (from the circle of nexus) and allow everything to follow me. The harpy lie in my desired path, but between the slowing and her erratic moves I was able to squeeze by her. Continuing north-east I was careful to avoid getting too close to the death sword hovering menacingly in the air. The headless was all but upon me now as I hugged the eastern wall, headed north. Feeling fatigued, I found a moment I could call my own and used it to call upon my power of lore for recovery. Hmmm, better than nothing.

I side stepped the skeleton who wandered in from the east, and tried to ignore the salamander that had awoke just to the left of me. I was nearly there. I now bent low and collected a short sword and a pair of leather boots from upon the floor. There was some silver just ahead. Got that too. Everything was just a pace or two behind me now, a mob of misfits chasing down a hapless dwarf. I was about to turn and grab that cloak off the wall when the salamander made his presence known, breathing fire upon many of us, the cloak disintegrated. I can't be certain, but I believe the wolf was toasted. I on the other hand was merely singed... and I had reached my destination.

Plan A, part 2. Now somewhere in the vicinity of 120' from that dastardly circle of nexus, I summoned my power of lore and shifted away, quite predictably back to the circle. I was mildly impressed with myself. My plans, especially ones as hair brained as this, usually don't work out so well. Without a second thought, I ran westward to my happy place the bewildered pack now turned about and gave chase. I stopped 20' short. I recovered my notebook, documented my recent antics, prepared for battle. First up, a white wolf, lightly toasted, badly beaten. He died quickly.

The headless was next, wandering forward, it disappeared into the darkness of the corridor. Thankfully, he wasn't the fearsome opponent I had imagined. Weakened greatly by my archery, he fell quickly to the sword. The skeleton came next, he fought ferociously for a time. I was forced to retreat to the stairs proper before the battle turned in my favor and his bones lie scattered. I rested for a time. All seemed quiet now. I headed back to the circle. I conveniently placed faery portal shortening the distance.

I found the salamander and the harpy at the same moment, the salamander closer, the harpy more fearsome. Two arrows and the harpy was dead, the salamander upon me. I won, but did not fight well and it cost me dearly. My hard leather armour was seared. My only scroll of phase door in ashes along with many of my arrows. That phase, combined the my circle was the key to my continued far-east exploration. I would now be confined to an area near my happy place.

I move west to the stairs, then further west into the vegetative room. It's empty. I move south now into the other 'green' room. Unlike it near twin, this room is ominously dark. A pink frog comes from nowhere, but I manage to put it down. The room is otherwise empty. I have reached the limit of what I can accomplish safely here, on this level, but the southern exit beckons and I must obey.

It turned out to be nothing. A short passage to another overgrown room. I did manage to locate a few silver pieces among the growth. Assessing my situation, I see I am fully healthy, just over 100 hit points at level 10, an armour class of 6, strength of 12, you get the idea. I have the lore of identify as my only reserve remaining and would truly like to find something to use it on before heading out. I continue on, sans escapes, heading far west.

I clear the veggie room and the passage splits. I choose south west rather than due west. I chose wisely. Like before, I short passage leads to a dead end room, plants and copper pieces, check. I've never been so wealthy before and yet I'm still a pauper. I follow my breadcrumbs and this time head west west. After a long straight stretch it abruptly bends to the north and leads to a large room, a rat, an orc shaman, and another rat, oh wait, that's Wormy again. I snag the nearby copper before anyone awakes. I choose to ignore the rat. I'd love to kill Wormy, but with only six arrows remaining I'm not confident in my ability to do so. I fire at the shaman instead. The first arrow hits, so I back out of the room and lie in wait.

As it nears the threshold, I hit it with a vial of blinding flash. It's blinded. I hit it with my sword. It backs away and Wormy takes his place... in my face. He doesn't look very sleepy. We exchange blows, me first, then him. My initial assessment is that he's better at this than I am... and he can cast spells. I must flee. Before I can make the turn and head east I find that he can cast highly effective spells, like frost bolt. The chase continues and I hear (less effective) curses being hurled, I'm not sure if by Wormy of the shaman who's now bringing up the rear. I reach the veggie room and zag to the left, buying myself a moment of safety. It won't last.

Luckily, The Worm isn't feeling the magic this evening and I manage to traverse most of the room with nothing more than the orcish language assaulting me. One again I zag to the left, taking the path more traveled (because there's not a bush blocking it). Wormy swerves right as a gazelle might, he's gracefully around the tree, he leaps and nothing. Oh my, Worm Man can't jump. I continue east content now to head back to town. I can't help but chortle at the sight of the mighty Wormtounge thoroughly befuddled by an ordinary bush. See ya later suckers. I reach the stairs and wait, wondering who will arrive first, hoping for orc. I focus on my fencing. I begin to count to ten. One. Wormy appears from around the corner. I strike him twice in rapid succession. He doesn't seem phased by it. He casts a stinking cloud. I follow the stairway into the Mists and soon find myself back in town.

I'm beginning to wonder (not complain) if I'm ever going to find gear to fill out my kit, yet alone good gear.

[Mikko Lehtinen]

Which leads me to wonder, is there a way to break a completed circle?

No.

Feeling fatigued, I found a moment I could call my own and used it to call upon my power of lore for recovery. Hmmm, better than nothing.

Recovery is not really connected to Lore, even though they are both 'p'roficiencies. It's supposed to represend a second wind of a sort. Or a burst of adrenaline in the middle of the fight.

You might want to read Lore for Dummies. Templars get Fencing (and Archery with MEM+WIS 30) in place of Alertness.

Plan A, part 2. Now somewhere in the vicinity of 120' from that dastardly circle of nexus, I summoned my power of lore and shifted away, quite predictably back to the circle. I was mildly impressed with myself.

That was really cool! For some reason a Circle of Nexus always seems to lead to good stories.

I'm not sure whether I should change the Faery Realm flavour or not. Faeries are very common in the Halls of Mist, as they are in the Realm of Thornwild. I suppose Faery Realm is metaphysically a part of Thornwild, and the Halls of Mist is a place that mystically combines all the realms.

My only scroll of phase door in ashes along with many of my arrows. That phase, combined the my circle was the key to my continued far-east exploration.

Actually a Phase Door is the only teleportation magic that does not take you to the Circle of Nexus. It got too annoying with mages.

The chase continues and I hear (less effective) curses being hurled

I'm sure the Templar's awesome Saving Throw has saved your life many times.

Oh my, Worm Man can't jump.

I have the same question for you as for the HallucinationMushroom in the character dump. Who's that Worm Man? What is he doing in the Halls of Mist? What's his real name? (Wormtongue is Tolkienian and will have to go.)

In a Halls of Mist Campaign it's recommended that you invent stuff about other characters' backgrounds. It doesn't have to be anything fancy or researched; just write the first thing that slips into your mind.

Also, what's the name of the town, and where is it? In which Realm, Thornwild or Skultgard?

If you're both in the same campaign, whatever the other one says about the world or the characters is true for you both. (You don't have to be in the same town, though.)

I'm beginning to wonder (not complain) if I'm ever going to find gear to fill out my kit, yet alone good gear.

You're just unlucky. Loot tends to be much more common in levels with closets, racks, or bookshelves. Usually most of the loot you find is useful, and ego items are very common.

[buzzkill]

In a Halls of Mist Campaign it's recommended that you invent stuff about other characters' backgrounds. It doesn't have to be anything fancy or researched; just write the first thing that slips into your mind.

Also, what's the name of the town, and where is it? In which Realm, Thornwild or Skultgard?

If you're both in the same campaign, whatever the other one says about the world or the characters is true for you both. (You don't have to be in the same town, though.)

Really, I'm not looking to intentionally contribute direct myth. I'd rather just do what I do here and then maybe you draw some inspiration from it, reading between the lines to a greater or lesser degree, maybe leading you to an idea you like. All that said, I'll try to loosen it up a little more.

I had actually tried to come up with a name for the town already, and failed.

[Mikko Lehtinen]

That's perfectly alright! Actually my message to you and everybody else writing play reports is: you can directly create myth if you want to, to whatever degree you want, and only when the inspiration hits you.

[Nick]

I have the same question for you as for the HallucinationMushroom in the character dump. Who's that Worm Man? What is he doing in the Halls of Mist? What's his real name? (Wormtongue is Tolkienian and will have to go.)

Sleazy Pete. Conman, knows enough magic to be irritating, tough in a pinch, probably deals in dangerous substances.

I should actually play your game

[buzzkill]

I find my way back to town, weak and poisoned but optimistic and glad to be back. The predictable skirmishes that plague my time here in the village are more perilous than usual due to my weakened condition. I've only 106 GP to spend. The general store provides a cloak and two torches. The weaponsmith, 10 flight arrows. A freshly bloodied spy supplies a wooden shield. The temple, a single CSW. The book shop, four scrolls of phase door. With my last 24 gold, I return to the general store and get 18 tough arrows since there don't seem to be any ordinary arrows in stock. Despite my time in town, I'm still weak. I rest for a moment before I descend once again into the Halls of Mist.

Level seven greets me with greenery. At least this room is lit. To the south, in a separate room, I can make out the silhouette of at least two orcs. I proceed east as quietly as I can. I reach the south east corner of my room and find the door, my egress, to be locked, but no matter. It seems I have a way with locks and easily master it's mechanism. This may come in handy. I lock the door behind me. That's one less way for the orcs to reach me. Just a few steps beyond the door I discover a portal. Sensing movement in the vicinity, I occupy the portal and rest.

After a time, I'm feeling very well and not a moment too soon. A black orc emerges from the mist to the south. I have but a second to focus on my combat abilities before it's upon me. My choice to focus proved effective, for though I won, I was seriously injured. Defeating the beast raised my status to level 11. There's not a moment to rest before another appears. I try to blind it with a powder vial, but miss. It's not that I didn't fight well, In my weakened state I was simply unable to beat the second orc. Such were my ailments that my memory lapsed and I forgot I was upon a portal and instead read a scroll of phase door. I must quaff a CSW, just to be safe. The orc is still nearby.

Another locked door and perhaps a chance at salvation, but alas my attempt to open it fails. I'm fleeing to east through a jagged corridor. The orc now only about 40' behind me. I manage to sling an arrows in his direction a time or two but without mush effect. A second powder vial misses, I have but one left and now it's upon me. I continue to flee headlong down the corridor, not knowing where it leads. We're evenly paced. Neither gaining or losing ground. Suddenly, the passage ends, and my torchlight falls upon a staircase leading deeper, but I am not a coward, not at this moment.

I hurl my last vial of blinding flash. It hits squarely, blinding and causing extreme pain to the it. A moment later, I strike it down. Like his twin, he has nothing of value. Weak, I proceed back through the passage collecting my spent arrows as I go. I pause to study the locked door that so befuddled me earlier, but it's clearly beyond my ability. I reach the portal where I rested earlier and do so again, briefly. I proceed further, nearing the room that housed the now deceased orcs. A black mamba greets me.

Though it in and of itself wouldn't seem very threatening to a mighty dwarf, this dwarf despises snakes. Just the way they move fills me with unease. Summing my remaining courage, I stand and fight. I am bit, and again, and maybe even a third time, but soon it's nothing more than a smear on the floor. I hear nearby sounds and once again retreat to the portal to rest. I sincerely hope that there are no more black orcs. Shortly, an ogre appears. I have no desire to die without first killing at least one ogre, so I use my last vial of confusion on it. I was pleasantly surprised when the vial hit it's target. My aim has been poor of late. The blows then fell tremendously in my favor. The ogre never had a chance.

I finally manage to enter and secure the orc's cavern. A few silver pieces my only reward. With east and west being my only convenient options, I head east, trying to stay in the vicinity of the stairs. I can see a lighted room about 100' distant. A formerly locked door in the wall of the passage reveals only an empty closet. When I reach the room, I see that it's very large. Nothing here but some copper, and exits in every direction.

Heading north I reach another room. It's a dead end and a few pieces of copper littered about. It's home to the opposite side of the door that I earlier couldn't unlock. It seems I can't unlock it from this side either. The southern exits lead nowhere. I move east. The corridor is long with several others branching off at various points. I keep moving east and find an empty room. I slowly explore an small complex of rather uninteresting rooms. I'm occasionally accosted by undead things. They are no more than nuisances, but I follow their breadcrumbs to an old armoury.

A sleeping salamander resides among the dust and debris. I pelt it with arrows until it's dead. I lose nothing of consequence to it's paltry flames. I've already discovered a trap here, and there will no doubt be more. I must stay vigilant. I find many items on the bookcase, a staff, and amulet and some arrows, and also many more traps. I've already used my lore, so I can identify nothing. Throwing caution to the wind, I slip the amulet around my neck. Hmmm, it appears to be cursed. I move on, examining the rack of armour but find nothing useful. I manage to trigger a trap and a dart hits me, draining my strength further.

More exploration to the far east turns up a clay golem and a red harpy. I run from them both. The lumbering golem holds back the harpy while we traverse corridors, myself in the lead, but once in a room the harpy proves fast and formidable. I tried, but melee wasn't the ticket. I ran. I barely made it to the portal, but the resulting shift is not what I expected. I soon find myself back in the armoury, south instead of west. Though safe for the moment, I'm scared. I at long last use my long held potion to restore my strength. I'll need every advantage should I encounter the harpy again. I need to rest so I retreat deep into the armoury. It's well lit and I already discovered many, hopefully all, of the traps and from here I have a good view of the entrance. I'll rest here. If she finds me, at least I'll get off a few arrows.

A headless found me first. It didn't take very long. I was still weak. Half a dozen arrows and the headless dies before ever reaching me, but a warping fiend, a creature I've never seem the likes of before now seemingly surrounds me. Then something completely unexpected happens. I nail the damn thing with an arrow, stuck it right in it's neck, and it in return sends me halfway across the dungeon. I'm far from the harpy now, but know nothing of the area I now occupy.

I rush to the east, eager to find familiar ground and do so without incident. I'd feel so much better about this place if only the staircase wasn't so far removed from everyplace else. What to do now? Feeling weak, I decide to mull over the places I've already been, exploring dark corners interesting bits of 'tation. I find a pink frog and a torch in the process. Ho-hum.

The eastern half of the dungeon is dead to me, occupied by the golem, harpy and fiend. The eastern stairs are still accessible, so remote is their location. I decide to head west and explore, but change my mind upon seeing a sleeping stegocentipede in the distance. I have a hunch I could probably kill it, but who knows what else the darkness bears, and I just hate fighting an unknown quantity that's twice as fast as me. I return to the stairs, unsure of the decision. Although I feel that I was somehow beaten by the level, I did manage to explore a great deal of it, and I am still alive. I activate my unknown staff. It's a staff of light. It'll be useful, but I'll no doubt burn the charges far too quickly. I descend.

My current GP shortage makes me long for the days of creeping coins encounters.

[Starhawk]

Your account makes me glad to know that it's not just inexperience that is making this game hard for me. (I'm assuming you've played lots more Angband than I have.) I also echo your cries about the gear dropping. It's tough stuff, especially when you get locked out of the only treasure room on the level, with a really nice level feeling....

[buzzkill]

I arrive at level 8. For the first time, my descent isn't aided by a map. I have no happy place. I find myself surrounded by darkness, so I draw and activate my staff of light. I now clearly see a table and a stegocentipede just steps away. I can't help but think, given it's proximity, that I would have seen it, despite the darkness, if not for this damn cursed amulet around my neck. The room is otherwise empty. I only take one step before it's upon me, but that step places me near enough to the table to attempt a jump. My stubby legs, as if spring loaded, propel me upward onto the wooden surface. My adversary, confined to the floor, can't seem to reach me, at first. Just for a moment, I think it'll be easy. Then everything changes. I take a swing at the beast and it responds with a series of vicious attacks. A moment later it is upon the table with me. I must phase away, and do, but fail to escape the confines of this room. From my fresh vantage point, I hit it with several arrow but it's only half dead. Another round of melee and it is now much better off than I. I need more space than phase door will bestow, so I portal away to the west. A moment later I summon my reserves and feel slightly better.

In retrospect, choosing to leave the previous level when I did probably saved my life.

I'm in another dark room. I move west through the darkness unwilling to risk lighting this room while unsure of it's occupancy. I soon find another table. I hop upon it. It's better to hold the high ground. No sooner do I turn my head than I see a stone golem staring me in the eyes. It's disorienting being up so high, for a little person. I shuffle myself a little further down the table but slow motion Stoney doesn't follow. I've lost sight of him in the darkness. If only I had a better torch. I use my staff to light the room so that I may take better advantage of my superior position. As a bonus, if Stego is still tracking me down, I'll see him coming. I fail at first, but then the staff swells with light.

It must be my lucky day. I can clearly see now that this room has but one door, and it leads west. That takes Stego off my radar. Ole Stoney is just where I left him. Though it's hard to decipher his awkward movements, I firmly believe that he is, in a most unusual manner, trying to mount the table. There an orc shaman also. She was awakened by the light. No a big deal, just an ugly girl with nasty robes and a bad attitude.

I riddle the orc with arrows as she approaches. I find it's almost mesmerizing the way her body pitches and sways in response to each hit. She never does reach me. The fool died running for the door. Stoney... He's is more of a novelty than a threat at this point. Unafraid, I hop down and collect my arrows and the bitch's gold. A moment later, I resume my table-toppery. I'm too weak to engage the golem in melee, so instead, I fire all my arrows at it. Stoney just stands there, like a statue. I guess that's his nature, but really? That was fun, but it didn't quite get the job done. With no arrows left and Stoney refusing to budge (as if made of stone), I had no choice but to climb down. I let it chase me around the table while I recovered my ammo. Up top again, I let fly another barrage of arrows and almost fall over backward when it finally managed to climb up onto the table with me. I stepped down of course, once again grabbed my arrows from the floor and carefully beat the brute to death. It was no easy task.

That finally finished, I head off in search of greater treasures and soon find myself in a room just to the northwest. It's lighted and occupied, but not by anything too fearsome. I first gather the silver pieces. The clay golem awakes first, just out of the range of my bow. I seek cover behind a table. This would seem to me to be a defensive tactic, but perhaps it will somehow aid my archery even though I can't imagine how. I do distinctly notice however, that that crafty Clay got much harder to hit when he took up a position at the opposite end of the table from me. Luckily, I have lots of arrows. Clay is much more nimble than Stoney was, and managed to heave himself onto the table in fairly short order. Why he didn't just walk around the table I'll never know.

I was just finishing off a worm mass (aren't masses supposed to multiply, must be something in the mist) when a brassclaw orc enters from the north. The peasant swordsman is now awake also, but I consider him the secondary threat. I'm not sure what this breed of orc has in store for me so I head for the stairs. By the time I reach them, the orc is just a step behind. That's gives me just enough time to channel my full focus on my blade. I sent the orc fleeing without much fuss. I was bleeding, but that would take care of itself. I chased it into the corridor and encountered the swordsman. He didn't look very menacing, but looks can be deceiving. He first blow was precise, cleaving into my flesh and heavily into my hit point reserve. I ran, once again to the stairs. I quaffed my last CSW. I struck back. He never again did land a blow the equivalent of his first. His lifeless corpse is now slumped in corner, waiting for the worms.

Though injured, I scurried back to the other room, anxious to retrieve my scattered arrows. The orc whom fled was nowhere to be seen. Once complete, I tried to climb atop the table. it seemed like a nice place to rest for a bit. Before I could complete this simple task, a another orc entered. He took the table top, so I was content to hurl missiles at him, but soon we were back on the cold earthen floor, and soon after that I was bleeding badly. I took the fight to the stairs once again. I hate myself for doing so, but have no choice. There the battle turns to my favor, at least slightly. In the end I'm victorious, but very near death by the time my wounds finally stop bleeding.

I must rest. Afterward, I head out in search of more orcs. I follow the trail of blood and it leads me to a happy place . Nearby a room containing treasures and and just one more orc. He's already advancing, but I've no desire to wait. He's thoroughly shafted by the time he reaches me and dies a split second later by my sword. I'm quite surprised to find an exquisite hunting bow among his belongings. It feels right in my hands, very right indeed. Nearby I find dozens of iron tipped arrows, convenient.

I search and secure the area immediately surrounding my happy place. I should leave, content with what I have found, but there's just one more thing I need to check on. It yields a few GP, and also just one more thing I need to investigate. That yields a few more GP some 'tation and a few dead snakes, no mambas thankfully. I can't help but feel that 'I've missed something' in there with the greenery. I search for a reason to stay here, but can find none. I've expanded my secure zone to the point where an unfortunate encounter with a fast enemy could easily be deadly, and yet no feature beckons me to explore further. I return to my happy place, content to return to town.

[Mikko Lehtinen]

I seek cover behind a table. This would seem to me to be a defensive tactic, but perhaps it will somehow aid my archery even though I can't imagine how. I do distinctly notice however, that that crafty Clay got much harder to hit when he took up a position at the opposite end of the table from me.

If you stand next to the table, your ranged attacks will have no chance of hitting it. That's the only benefit. Normally if someone makes a ranged attack over a table the attack has a 3/5 chance of hitting the table.

The cover chance started at 2/5. (That's equal to the dodge chance when someone makes a melee attack from lower ground.) I raised it to 3/5 when I realized that it's kinda hard to use cover to your benefit. When it happens, I want it to be worthwhile.