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Skizlum Skallaglamm

Sanctification

Skizlum Skallaglamm's Zargnoth Adventures

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Well, that passed some time quite nicely. Now where are my fellow Shroudies?

Ah, here they are. While I camp, several people wander through. Here's Beltok, leader of the Black Death. Blue Iron Greaves on a Black Death? Tacky tacky... Hey, it's Mirg the Magnificent. It seems he's a had a change of heart and returned to the Fire Riders. Well done, Mirg. Mirg also hands me a Wooden Shroud Statue he was toting over for me, as the final act of the myriad trades that just went through. Here's Hemos, another Black Deather. Nice to meet you, at long last. Hey, it's Beltok again! He wants to lead a Ceremony of Sanctification. You know, I think I'm up for that! Let's see, who's here: Me (Skizlum Skallaglamm), Beltok, Raven Nevermore, Lasserivian, Mirg the Magnificent, Hemos, Skar Ironbelly, Slippery Jeem, Flinx, and Deathgiver. Odd, we were expecting Ooborus Set. The greater gods of the island seem to have intervened to ensure our success, when poor Ooborus became stuck just four squares away. Sigh. In any case, the deed is done! The Zargnoth finally has a functional Temple of Shroud! I return to my camp, but I can't sleep. Let's go in and look around! Ah, Shroud still loves me, and he equips my Mantle of the Dark for me. I return, and place a Kudo Bone in the Temple Room. That went well, so I place the Wooden Shroud Statue within. Shroud smiles upon me, and I'm named Guardian of this Temple! Happy, happy. I place my Dark Sword in as well (my first Talisman), and then cast my Seal Temple Door spell. Finally, I kowtow at the altar for spells. Shroud shares two: Temple Teleport and Divine Monster. I've also, at long last, completed part of my Quest for Priesthood. I place a variety of other things into the outer room (Gator Armor, Scrolls, Air Sacs) and return to my camp site. All in all, a successful day. Final count: Friday, September 3rd, Zargnoth day 1057, and I can finally return to the rest of the island if I wish. Of course, now I have other stuff to do first...

I have some visions while I rest, as several monsters enther the Temple. Skar Ironbelly enters (wearing Holy Plate Mail!). So do Slippery Jeem, Deathgiver, and Flinx. Hmmph. I re-equip my Gold Ring, and move out. A couple quick kills (a Nitrohen and a Thawk), and then its into the Large Quarry. An Eight-Jawed Yalound and a Pus Bear die fast, and then I'm at the Pond. I inflate my Puffer Wings, and paddle across. Wait, there's something under the water! I kill a Flying Ballyhoo, and then a Myrrh Dog an a Pus Bear when I get to the island. I find a Zoingo Jewel Box, and then paddle back out, killing another Flying Ballyhoo on the way. When I get outside, I open up the jewel box (the hard way) to find 28 Zoingo Copper Coins, a Zoingo Jeweled Flute, and 12 Silver-Tipped Dart. Not bad for 40 APs. Let's do it again, then- an Eight-Jawed Yalound, two Cheezers, a Pus Bear, and two Flying Ballyhoos are my victims the second time around. I find another Zoingo Jewel Box, this one holding 22 Zoingo Copper Coins and a Troll Token. Not bad.

Visions! More visions! Raven Nevermore, Lasserivian, Mirg the Magnificent, Ooborus Set, and Hemos all pass through my Temple. More power to them, but me, I've got a Large Quarry to explore. Let's make things die: a Demon Daudler, a Pus Bear, a Flying Ballyhoo, another Pus Bear, a Gargantu Sloth-Moth, and another Flying Ballyhoo are my victims, and my treasure is 21 Zoingo Copper Coins and a Troll Token. Again? An Eight-Jawed Yelound, a Cheezer, a Flying Ballyhoo, two Pus Bears, and a Fork-Tailed Shark go down quickly, and I gain five Zoingo Gold Coins and ten Copper Ingots. Well, cool. Now I need something else new for a bit. How about the Small Quarry? I go in twice, kill a Fork-Tailed Shark each time, and find no treasure. That's not cool. Well, I think I'll set up camp nearby (and feast on all this excess food!) and prepare for tomorrow, and that Mine Shaft I saw...

Into a Mine Shaft! Roof Spider, Multipede, Rock Mole, Carrion Crawler. They all die on my Sword, but I find no treasure. Let's try it again. Rabid Albino rat, Feeder Crab, Rock Mole, Creeping Ooze. They all die easy, and again, no treasure. Maybe I'll come back when I have a mining tool. Meanwhile, this ain't worth my time and effort. Let's try a Large Cave instead. Xanxu Cave Spider, Roof Rat, Jagwere. All dead, no treasure. I don't think today is a good day to be up and about. I also kill a Scatamunga Beast, and a Rollypod, so its a good day for mayhem. But not for much else (well, I do run across some White Lotus, which is a plus). I make camp at the Temple again.

I have a vision while I sleep, and it seems that Ares has finally made it the rest of the way to the Temple. This concludes the empowerment of our little coalition. In any case, I cast my little spell, and, drumroll, please, I'm no longer a Zarnoth monster! I kowtow shortly at my new Temple (not doing the full kowtow for spells yet), and there's a hell of a lot of stuff in this Temple. It occurs to me that I don't believe I've ever been in a Temple that was older than six months. They sure accumulate stuff, don't they? Okay, north. Hey, it's a Hillock. I kill three Knolltir, and am struck by the realization that I haven't killed any monsters in many, many turns. I battled my 240th Monster on turn 227. Fifty turns later, now I'm at 243. I think I may stop and clear out this Hillock while I'm here, just to play a little catch-up. Anyway, I move on, stopping in at The Blazing Arrowhead to sell a _lot_ of stuff off. From there, I check out a Koma Den, which is at 66 snakes at the moment. I think I may fix that. I get rid of five right off the bat (gaining a Black ball and a Damaged Large Iron Shield in the process).

These next few turns are going to be short and sweet. At least 47 snakes present in this Koma Den, minus five dead snakes, treasure is one Kwando Guilder Coin. Now there are at least 64 present, minus five again, and treasure is a Silver Ring and two Slink Baubles. I wobble off south, and kill three more Knolltir. Then, back to the Inn, and a good nights rest. Hey, its Hemos! We exchange pleasantries, and notes about future plans.

Out of the Inn and back to the Hillock, where I kill four more Knolltir. Then, back to the Koma Den. At least 19 snakes present. I have a feeling that Hemos ran through this Den while I slept. Anyway, minus five more snakes, and treasure is two Zoingo Gold Coins. With around 15 snakes left, I kill five more, and treasure is 20 Oculars, 9 Kwando Guilder Coins, and a Damaged Iron Shield. Boy, this stuff accumulates fast.

With my last thought from yesterday still fresh in my mind, I set a lot of automatic sell orders, and run back through the Inn. I sell a lot of stuff, and note a sales glitch- the Jossman appraises my Silver-Tipped Spear at 25 Oculars, but he only gave me 1 for it. I consider reporting it to the Better Business Bureau, but it hardly seems worth my while. Troll Tokens sell for 50 oculars here, by the by. Then, back to the Koma Den. Still around fifteen present. In fact, after killing five, there are none present! Treasure is a Great Sword and an Iron Stein, which I pocket happily (though I was hoping for a better weapon). I slay a Four-Clawed Boa with ease, and meet the less-than-lovely Yasmin El Boa. I listen to her spiel respectfully, but I think I'm bound for different demi-gods. I'll certainly do my best to help OPUB follow this one, though. She transports me out of the Den, and back to the surface. I notice that there are at least 72 snakes present again, so I shrug and go back in again. Five dead snakes gets me a Zoingo Silver Coin and 2 Unreadable Scrolls. I retire for the night, happy in having achieved one of my goals.

I wake early, still camped next to the Koma Den, and what the hell... At least 55 snakes are present, so I kill ten of them. A Kwando Guilder Coin is my treasure first time around, and three Zoingo Silver Coins the second. This Den seems treasured out. Guess its just as well I'm done with it. Back to the Blazing Arrowhead, where I unload some more junk. South again, I pass the Hillock, and gaze longingly in. However, Hemos mentioned that he wanted to finish it off, so I resist the temptation and slide on past, back to the Temple. Hey something new on the way- a Catamoose. I collect a pair of antlers (cool!), and move on to the Temple. Heading in, I collect a Blow Pipe from storage (a Goo Snake at the Den melted mine), then I grab two Mudge Wax and make myself a Waxed Ooze. Then, I march in, and boldly kowtow for 82 APs. But Shroud doesn't teach me any spells! In frustration and anger, I teleport on to the next temple and make camp there (after noting that there's _nothing_ of interest to me in this one). As I'm about to doze off, it suddenly occurs to me that Shroud might have paid more attention if I'd Kowtowed for one less AP. Sigh. Oh, well, I'll pop in again on my way back the Zargnoth in a few months.

I decide not to kowtow for spells yet here either. I head a little south to a Tower Ruins, and find something really cool- Banded Iron Armor. It's oddly appropriate- about ten turns after I entered the Zargnoth, I found a Mantle of the Dark, and had to wait almost three years to equip it (when there was finally a Shroudovian temple I could get to). Then, ten turns later (about), I find another set of cool armor. Sigh. I guess I'll hold onto it until I next see OPUB. Anyway, from there its a quick jog to the Silver Hook Far Forge, where I unload yet more stuff- Silver-Tipped Darts, a Great Sword, and a Large Iron Shield. I feel much lighter now. In any case, I make camp next to the Forge, and prepare for yet another teleport tomorrow.

One last Iron Shield to sell, and I'm up to snuff. Back to the Temple (killing a couple minor creatures on the way), and once again I kneel at Shroud's altar. This time, I kowtow for just 81 APs, and Shroud rewards me with spells! Summon Creatures, and Purge Poison. Thank you kindly! I exit, and, standing on the steps, cast my Temple Teleport spell yet again. I take a quick peek inside this one, but again, nothing really of interest (I'm idly keeping my eyes open for Waxed Ooze components, as I'd like to turn my Black Balls into Swinging Balls). Anyway, I wander into a nearby Hillock, but my information is old, and its been cleared out. I am surprised to discover a couple creatures have taken up residence inside (obviously the handiwork of the greater deity Tmp'jr), and I kill them, though I find no treasure. No monster battles today. I set up camp nearby.

Next up: More temples, more spells, more exploring.

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These articles were taken from Skizlum Skallaglamm's Monster Island Page.
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