Hourglass Fun

[Pan Sola]

Warning: Potential spoilers for SI ahead. If you have not played through SI, proceed at you own risk.

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The following are excerpts from what seems to be the Avatar's journal.

>>>
Entry: Got a new hourglass

Scary storm. After running for a while, found that all my friends ditched me. Wait til I report them to Lord British. Strange thing is, lots of my items got swapped with other stuff, and I find myself wearing a women's breast plate (ok, so whoever owned it didn't have much breasts, and had a very thick waist, but the shape of the whole thing still feels mightly ackward. When I find Shamino, I'll have him wear it instead since he's the girliest).

Anyways, met this monk who gave me this cool looking hour glass. It's big and it's blue, and that makes me happy (-:

>>>
Entry: Finding Our Way To Moonshade

We've been looking for a way of transport to go to Moonshade. Asked around lots of people. No ship in Fawn would sail in the storm. Anyways, this shady looking character told us he has a ship and would offer us a ride to Moonglow for a hefty price. After agreeing to his price, he led us to this quiet place, and twenty pirates jumped on us.

Iolo pulled out his crossbow (a regular one. triple crossbow has been banned throughout Britannia after the advantures of the Black Gate). A flash. A sharp pain. Then a twinkling sensation of magic.

*Location: Monk's Isle*

Monk: Your life was in danger, so we teleported you here and healed you...

I kicked Iolo, making a mental note to take away his *regular* crossbow, and make him wear the breastplate from now on.

Me: Thank you dear monks. Your teleportation magic is extremely impressive. Btw, I was wondering if you can send us off to Moonshade?

Monk: ... Now we will send you back to where you were.

*Location: Where the pirates were*

Me: Grr, I guess the monks don't really know where Moonshade is. Iolo, don't even think about pulling that trigger.

>>>
Entry: Magical Transportation

So we heard about this Mad Mage and was trying to find out where he lives. Asked a few people who either avoided the subject or didn't know anything about him.

*Dupre stole a drink of beer off the tavern's table*

Me: Hey, I'm not going to pay for that!
Dupre: But I was thirsty!
Me: You know we don't have that kind of money after Pothos ripped us off on those magic boots and potions.
Female Automaton: Rangers! There's a thief!
Me: Darn it. Dupre, you'll be wearing the white breastplate from now on.
Ranger: Would you like to settle this disgreement peacefully by paying...
Me: We don't have that kind of money...

*Battle ensues. Iolo pulled out his new Magic Axe. A flash. A sharp pain. Then a twinkling sensation of magic.*

*Location: Monk's Isle*

Monk: Your life was in danger, so we teleported you here and healed you...
Me: Thank you dear monks. By the way, do you know where the Mad Mage lives and how we can get to him?
Monk: ... Now we will send you back to where you were.

*Location: the bar in Moonshade*

Female Automaton: Hi there, how may I serve you?
Me: Hmm, I guess Automatons have a bad short term memory about thefts. No Dupre, we aren't getting anything, and you will be wearing the white breastplate.

>>>
Entry: Mountains of Freedom

So, the Mage Lord isn't too "chill" about my affairs with the Ice Mage. Set up this rigged trial and placed me in this Mountains of Freedom. Supposedly those who are truely innocent will be able to find their way out.

Well, at least I got my Blackrock Sword back, and the demon intact too.

Ran into this crazy mage who summoned a giant earthquake.

Damon: Hurry now, Avatar! Release me and I'll defeat him!

Me: I thought with the foes in the past, either they are too insignificant (or are undead) in which case you'd just have me hack them to pieces, or their destiny lies beyond your control in which case you can do nothing, or I can just use your power of death to claim their lives. Why do I have to release you now?

Damon: Hurry, now is the time to release me!

*I bit my tongue trying to talk during the earthquake. A sharp pain. Then a twinkling sensation of magic.*

*Location: Monk's Isle*

Monk: Your life was in danger, so we teleported you here and healed you...

Me: Hey haven't seen you in a while! You wouldn't believe what kind of maze those mages put me into...

Monk: ... Now we will send you back to ...

Me: Wait! Can you teleport me back to the bar in Moonshade like you did last time?

Monk: ... where you were.

*Location: Mountains of Freedom*

Damon: Hurry, now is the time to release me!

Me: Shut up, or I'll make you wear the white breastblade!

>>>
Entry: The short straw

So, we need the ashs of a holy person to unify the Chaos banes into the Chaos serpent. Dude, why can't any of the monks do it? Iolo, Shamino, Dupre, and I have to pull straws to determine who is to be sacrificed.

Where is Juila when you need her?

Anyways, I pulled the shortest straw, and we had a last celebration/farewell party at the tavern. Then I woke up Iolo and Shamino.

Me: Quick, we have to lock up Dupre!
Iolo: Is locking up your innocent companion virtuous?
Me: Dupre feels a great guilt over the acts he committed when he was possed by the Chaos bane. As a Paladin of Honor, and recently knighted by Lord British, he feels a great shame and is planning to take my place to be sacrificed in order to redeem himself.
Shamino: But how do you know all these stuff?
Me: Being the Avatar, I know of a secrete "S. L. Ritual" that can foretell me of inevitable plot events that will happen in the future.

So we locked Dupre away in the local prison while he's still dead drunk.

The next day, I prepare to incarnate myself, when suddenly Dupre appeared.

Me: How did you get out?
Dupre: The golden rule of locked cells: Either there's a lever opening a section of the wall to let you out, or lockpicks are readily available hidden in the cell or for sale right outside.

Dupre the proceeds to make his guilt speech and jumped into the fire.

I performed the S. L. Ritual, and loaded the most recent save game before Dupre sacrificed himself.

Me: Dupre, leave.
Dupre: Very well. Should I stay here or hang out at one of the taverns?
Me: We don't have the money for you to drink away. So stay here.
Dupre: Would you like me to keep your belongings, or return them to you?
Me: Keep wearing the breastplate, return everything else to me.
Dupre: Very well. You seem overloaded, so I'll leave the rest on the ground.

After Dupre is completely disarmed (except for the white breastplate that he is still wearing), I ordered Iolo and Shamino to kill Dupre.

Iolo: Is this virtuous?
Me: Dupre feels a great guilt over the acts he committed when he was possed by the Chaos bane. As a Paladin of Honor, and recently knighted by Lord British, he feels a great shame and is planning to take my place to be sacrificed in order to redeem himself. After I sacrificed myself, you can use the hourglass to revive him. That is the only way to save him.
Shamino: But how do you know all these stuff?
Me: Being the Avatar, I know of a secrete "S. L. Ritual" that can foretell me of inevitable plot events that will happen in the future.

We quickly killed the defenseless Dupre. But before he died, he called the guards, who swarmed us. Iolo pulled out the Inifinity Bow. A flash. A sharp pain. Then a twinkling sensation of magic.

*Location: Monk's Isle*

Monk: Your life was in danger, so we teleported you here and healed you...

I looked around, and found that Dupre was revived! All the efforts were wasted, those useless monks...

Monk: ... Now we will send you back to where you were.

*Location: By the cemetary*

Me: Dupre, we really need to talk, but after we burn all the bodies of these guards.
Dupre: Yay, money for drinks!

*A hour later*

Me: Ok, Dupre, listen. I know you feel a great guilt etc etc. But I'm the Avatar, the master of 8 virtues. If you do a better job at Sacrifice than I do, it'll totally mess up people's conception of the Avatar and the Virtues! So you have to let me die.
Dupre: But how can I get payback for all the wrongs I've done then?
Me: Just keep wearing that breastplate back to Britannia and definitely show it to Lord British.
Dupre: Hmm... I guess that works.

So, I jumped into the fire, feeling the burning sensation, until it turned into a twinkling sensation of magic.*

*Location: Monk's Isle*

Monk: Your life was in danger, so we teleported you here and healed you...

Me: Ehh... your most respected prophet monk told me to kill myself in a fire so my ashes can reunite the Chaos serpent...

Monk: ... Now we will send you back to where you were.

*Location: Back into the fire*

Me: Oh great, I see an infinite-loop coming. So much for trying to defeat the plot.

I then performed the S. L. Ritual, loaded to a prevous save game, and just watch Dupre die.

Me: Boydon, the white breastplate is yours.
Boydon: Why does everyone pick on me? Am I not pretty enough? Do I smell too much?

>>>
Entry: Massacre at Monk's Isle

I decided that I've had enough of the Monk's nonesense. They refused to revive Boydon, and their teleportation never sends me to places I'd rather be. Judging them to be an interference to my quest, I decided to embark on a crusade against the Monks.

Iolo: Is this Virtuous?
Me: It's a crusade, of course it's virtuous.
Shamino: But who'll save us when we die in battle from now on?
Me: There's always Elazebeth and what's his face that will save us.
Iolo: Umm, that was back in Britannia, and we actually killed them...
Me: Oh stop being so picky!

Armed with my Blackrock sword, I traveled through the Dark Path to the Monk's Isle, and started fighting the monks. We were fighting in the lobby when Iolo pulled out the Juggernaut Hammer. A flash. A crushing dull pain. Then a twinkling sensation of magic.

*Location: ten pixels left of where I was standing*

Monk: Your life was in danger, so we teleported you here and healed you...

Jesus Christ! I mean, these monks literally reminded me of Jesus Christ. I was killing their brothers, and not only do they not hate me, they teleported me over by 10 pixels just to heal me. Now, why couldn't any of these holy men sacrifice their own lives to reunite the Chaos serpent? I'm really pissed. I have to capture one of the male monks alive and make him wear the white breastplate.

Monk: ... Now we will send you back to where you were.

*Location: ten pixels right of the center of the lobby*

The battle contuinued, and the sand in the Hourglass of Fate dwindle away.

[Pan Sola]

Ps. The cause of Boydon's death was disintergration of the body, as some piece of armor too small and not shaped for his body was forced on him.

[Kestral]

LOL the white breast plate isn't womens is it?...i mean it looks like a mens cerimonial breast plate...ehhh also ummmmm...hehehe i wore that thing the whole time tilll i got the metal breast plates or the magic one hehehe

[Gradilla Dragon]

It is an enameled woman breastplate, belonging to Klysta, the priestess of love. She wears it in ceremonies.

[PanSola]

The breastplate belongs to the Prietess of Beauty in Fawn (forgot her name, it's been a while). So I'm pretty sure it's supposed to be a woman's breast plate.

If you ask around enough you'll find that out, and she'd reclaim it from you. (You can find your magical armor that got exchanged with her breastplate in the drawer of her home).

Unfortunately when she does, you won't find the breast plate on her body if you had returned it. So I stopped giving it back to her (second highest defence rating, right after matic armor). I don't think there are plate armor in SI. at least not a lot, but the white breast plate has a higher defence rating than even plate.

The game engine doesn't differentiate armor for male and females, so it'll look right whoever you put it on. I usually play the game as a female, and wear it myself until I got magic ones.

[Gradilla Dragon]

Correcting myself, the name is Kylista, and as PanSola says, she is the priestess of Beauty, not love

And there is plate armor in SI. The armourer from Monitor sells it.

[Kestral]

Monitor Items cost alot!!!

[Gradilla Dragon]

Yea, Monitor items cost a lot, but if you go east, you can kill lots of trolls for gems, then sell the gems to Mistress Debra. Also, you can ransack the Royal Mint, and exchange all gold bars except one. You know the reason for saving one

[PanSola]

I just kill the pikeman and burn their bodies.

100 Monetari a piece, with halbard as my favorite non-special weapon, and some chain leggings as starter equipment d-:

Usually I pick on the one in the smithie (make sure the blacksmith is away, close all doors, than gang up on the lone pikeman patrolling in there).

[Kestral]

Why do you save one???...well also you can burn bodies??? wtf.....why would you burnthem?

[Dominus]

because you get money for it

[EarthquakeDamage]

Why would you save a gold bar after looting the Royal Mint?

If I recall correctly, that's the only source of gold bars at that point in the game. You need one of those gold bars to progress in the game. If you sell them all, it's time to reload a saved game or start a new one.

[DreamMaster]

Reminds me of a favourite quote from the Serpent Isle Anti-walkthrough at http://www.it-he.org/ about how the Guards keep upping the price unless you have a bar of gold:

"Danby: You can have 9017 Monetari, or a gold brick worth 100 Monetari
Guard: Ooh! A gold brick.. alright, you can have him. "

[Andrea B Previtera]

Laughed loudly three times at least. One of the most original piece of Ultima Fun ever

[PanSola]

I'm most honored (-:

the concept randomly came up when I was in the shower. then took 3 hours to type it up d-:

[Wizardry Dragon]

Now all we need is part 2

Maybe a take on the gargoyle's tests?

- Wizardry Dragon

[Gradilla Dragon]

Part 2! Yay! Go for it!!

[SB-X]

"I knew it was a trick, but I just had to push the button on the left column, at least once... and a few more times just to make sure I knew what the test was about."