evilbill

Chapter 7: In the Jungle
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Cast of Characters
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SweetSpearGirl - level 67 Spearazon w/Lycander's Flank
Euyfura - Rogue Merc
The Ubiquitous va-va-Valk

It had not been a fun week. SweetSpearGirl had come to realize that
spider bosses were very bad for her health, after she had been slain by
some more than once! Not only that, but she had to collect together the
vitals of a guy who'd been dead for years. Bleurgh.

Oh... not to mention some sort of mystical dagger. She knew what Ormus
could do with his Gidbinn and it involved places where the sun never
shed light...

She ventured out of town via waypoint, hoping it wasn't trapped - small,
fast, yammering jungle tribesmen were not her favourite opponents. Sure
enough, there were a few, complete with their Shamen, as well as Pulse
Dancer the Witch - didn't look like a witch to SweetSpearGirl, more like
another little bastage with a big blowpipe - who was mana burning,
cursed and offered a spectral hit on top of that. He and his friends
were not much of a problem once the shaman was out of the way, though;
nor was the giant mosquito that buzzed in to see what all the fuss was.

Pulse Tosspot offered up a flawless sapphire and rejuv potion, which
were quite welcome; although what she really wanted was some Thul runes
so she could socket a few of her uniques and set items. A perfect
diamond would go quite nicely into her Laying of Hands gloves, she
mused...

Ice Break the *Flayer* was quite the appropriate name for the next boss
fetish. He too was cursed with spectral hit ("what is it with these guys
and curses?" Euyfura mused), and as if that wasn't enough, had multiple
shots of his blowdart too. It didn't help that while they were fighting
Ice Break the Appropriate, a pack of Thorned Hulk champions wandered in
and started hitting our heroes for more hitpoints than was comfortable!
SweetSpearGirl dragged the rogue through a portal just in time and got
Ormus to lift the curse; they then strolled back and proceeded to set
about their foes.

The fact that the Ghostly one in the pack dropped a green ring was just
the icing on the cake; Nihlathak's Good Deed was quite an interesting
curio.

A quick coffee break, and then back out to face the hordes of trouble
again. More Flayers (including Death Drool the Dark - cursed, cold
enchanted, multiple shot); more Shamen; oh look, a cursed boss Shaman
with multiple shot and a fanaticism aura. Down you go, Bane Maim!
Something dropped a green helm and something else a gold crowbill; it
was at around this point that SweetSpearGirl levelled to 68, putting
five stat points into dexterity and increasing her knowledge of Critical
Strike. Dire Shifter (magic resistant, fire enchanted, cold enchanted,
immune to both fire and cold) posed a brief diversion; then it was back
to town. Although SweetSpearGirl spent some considerable time and gold
gambling at Alkor's for a decent magic find ring and amulet, she came up
empty-handed. To add insult to injury, nothing with Amazon skill bonuses
appeared at all. "Please tell me," she muttered, "how I can benefit from
+2 to Necromancer Summoning Skills?"

Alkor did prove helpful, however, when a double boss pack of Thorned
Hulks posed some trouble and SweetSpearGirl came to him for charms.
Plenty of pluses to life, which was very useful. One of the bosses
proved impossible to deal with - Sharp Dancer the Quick was extra fast,
fire enchanted and stone skin, and that combination - making him
physical immune and all but immune to fire - rendered him almost
impossible to even make a dent in. Fortunately his buddies dropped an Io
rune and a Raven Frost gold ring, which made up for it. Our intrepid
trio parked Sharp Plonker and moved on. It was at about this time that
SweetSpearGirl ran into an Experience shrine, and found a convenient few
packs of Cloud Stalkers and giant mosquitoes to use it on. When the
effect wore off, she was a good deal closer to the next level than she
had been!

SweetSpearGirl hated the jungle; it was humid and its inhabitants were a
royal pain in the arse at the very least. But it did have its silver
lining. Shortly after entering the Flayer Jungle, she levelled to 69
while parking Death Thirst the Jagged - a cursed physical immune Winged
Nightmare boss who was enhanced with teleportation. Again, she upped her
dexterity; this time, putting a point in Dodge. Grey Brow (magic
resistant, mana burn, immune to lightning, holy fire aura) tried to
stand in her way, but it was a futile effort.

By now heartily sick of blowdart flayers, she ploughed her way through
one immense pack after another (gems were dropping from them fairly
frequently and a Nef and a Shael rune were both coughed up) - her only
goal now, to find the waypoint.

Two more armies of flayers and a pack of Winged Nightmares later, there
it was. Phew!

She activated it and returned to town for a well-earned rest, before
heading back out again to find that Gidbinn. Ye gods, it was so hot! She
really hated this place...

Another long trudge through the jungle followed; ploughing through
flayers and Soul Killers and winged nightmares. Finally, they stood at
the Flayer altar where the holy blade rested. SweetSpearGirl reached out
to take it; suddenly it vanished in flame! "What the...?" she was
muttering, when the boss pack of Rat Men leaped out at her.

"Oh, hell!" she cried; Flesh Wing the Hunter was not only a physical
immune; not only was he extra fast; but he had a Fanaticism aura as
well! This would be impossible!

She gritted her teeth, determined to see this through.

Five full rejuvs, six Valks, and a number of minions, Flayers, and
Shamen later, he went down, dropping the fabled blade. SweetSpearGirl
returned it to Ormus.

"Here. This magic ring does me no good," he said. SweetSpearGirl could
see why!!

Stone Spiral
Required Level: 29
- 12% chance to cast level 4 Nova when struck
- +5 to minimum damage
- +1 to dexterity
- +3 to mana
- +1 to Light Radius

"Fah!" she said, selling the thing to Hratli when she went for repairs.

What was next?

Oh yes. Khalim's Brain, the Flayer Dungeon.

She had a headache. She didn't feel up to more of this crap today.

SweetSpearGirl went to bed.

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* I'm sorry Tony Blair's an idiot. I didn't vote for him.

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