Resolution 2020: Tainted Grail The Fall of Avalon play through

Orrin knew the secret of creating new Menhir’s and he wanted Beor’s help to make one. Beor had come to suspect that the accepted story of Arthur making the Menhir’s to protect the people couldn’t be true. He had seen too much evidence to the contrary – so he was inclined to believe Orrin. Orrin required two things, a set of special tools that could work on wyrdstone, and a piece of wyrdstone to carve into the Menhir. The first task was easy. Beor had had such tools in his possession since buying them from that old women. The second would require a trek across the island to the Devastation.

First, Beor wanted to explore the Valley of the Guardians as he was so close. He ventured in and found a small settlement of stragglers living within a cave. They had all attempted to venture into Tuathan but their fear prevented them from going further, their shame from turning back. An old scholar was able to open Beor’s disturbing chest and within it found an idol that depicted Arthur. The scholar threw it down a pit in disgust. With nothing else to learn in the cave Beor pushed on to Tuathan. It became harder and harder to progress until Beor finally realised that entry to Tuathan via this route was impossible. All who travelled this way eventually died. Beor turned back.

Next Beor explored around Longbarrow. He had heard Sir Agravain was in the area so he sought him out. Sir Agravain believed there was a Fore-Dweller in the area and he wanted to capture it and learn of the Fore-Dweller’s plans for Avalon. Beor agreed to help. That night they set and ambush and were able to corner a Reclaimer. Beor and Agravain were victorious, but the Fore-Dweller dies without uttering a word. Sir Agravain was disappointed, but Beor convinced him now was the time to return to Kamelot where he was needed.

Continuing south, Beor visited the Serene Visage – a giant Fore-Dweller statue head half buried beneath the island. Wyrdness was clearly repelled from the place, yet no Menhir was in the area. Investigating further Beor found that there were tunnels within the statue’s ear. Within the labyrinth Beor found that someone had used chalk and ropes to navigate to the centre of the maze. In there Beor found inscriptions and a sacrificial altar that proved the statue was in fact a giant Menhir. Knowing this, Beor realised he could reactive the Menhir as needed.

Beor travelled west to Timberwall, only to find the city had been conquered and raised to the ground. This must be the aftermath of the war Orrin had talked of. Beor walked through the broken gates and up to the King’s Hall which was similarly destroyed. Beor searched the hall and surrounding city and found much riches, but little else.

Heading south to Underwall Beor was tempted to find a way to scale the great wall the separated Tuathan from the rest of the island, just so he could piss off it. So motivated and determined, Beor entered the tunnels that penetrated the wall and after some hours found his way to the top. Walking up to the edge, he relieved himself while taking in the view.

Beor made a quick stop at Farshire before heading west to Devastation. There he found a person growing out of the wall of a wyrdness infested house. His eyes were flowers and he spoke of the wonders he could experience through the wyrdness. Beor listened to the man’s ramblings for some time, stopping only when Beor felt his mind on the cusp of insanity. Beor then entered the mines beneath Devestation and used his tools to carve a man sized slab of raw wyrdstone.

Even with the mule Orrin had given him, it took Beor several days to drag the Wyrdstone back to Orrin in Longbarrow. Once he delivered it to Orrin the two of them begand to carve into a crude human shape, with Orrin explaining the dark arts of creating a Menhir to Beor as best he could. Once it was finished Orrin explained that to finish the ritual required the sacrifice of a soul to power the Menhir. Beor offered his life to do so, but Orrin said Beor’s spirit was too wilfull and would eventually leave the Menhir. Orrin took his own life. As his blood spilled into the Menhir the Menhir absorbed it in.

Now Beor had his own Menhir with which he could drive back the Wyrdness as he travelled.

Did anybody else spot the Game of Thrones Easter egg? Another fun chapter where I got to explore the North West of the island that I had previously not visited. The chapter would have been twice as long had Beor not already found the special tools in one of the first few chapters. I have started spending my experience on new combat cards and have now realised if I had done that sooner Beor’s combat potential would have been much better. I had only bought skills so far. They are very useful but at only 2 XP per combat card I should have been buying them too to get a bit more combat oomph.