An Amazon of Limited Means

Day 4

Kitsilan checked her day planner over a cup of strong coffee. "Tamoe Highlands," she read, noting that she'd need to recover ground in the Black Marsh from yesterday.

A quick check of Charsi and Gheed revealed nothing exciting, so without further ado, she set off. The Black Marsh waypoint, being in that extreme northwest section away from everything interesting, was not trapped the way the Dark Woods one had been yesterday. Score one for Kitsilan.

They made their way toward the southwest, bypassing the entrance to Tamoe in favour of warming up a bit on the locals. Almost too much warm-up came in the form of a boss Brute who, with flanking minions and Returned skeletons, nearly did for Kyle. Kitsilan broke off the fight to get Kyle back to camp (the silly Rogue had jumped right in front AGAIN), then returned with more care. The Brute dropped Hard Leather Armour of Warding, MD reduced by 1, which let Kits retire her skull cap in favour of one with damage reduction and poison resist. Then Gheed traded a pair of Heavy Gloves with Slightly Increased Attack Speed.

Back in thick of things, the SIAS paid off as Kits worked her way through several packs of Carvers and Returned. A second boss gang of Brutes showed up, led by Puke Thirst the Tainted (cursed). Not wanting to let ol' Puke Breath get off even one curse, Kitsilan and Kyle stunned him with a barrage of arrows.

Rounding through the eastern side of the Black Marsh, they plowed through three packs of Returned alternated with Carvers and picked up a rare scimitar and small shield for their pains. "Where," Kits grumbled, "are the the rare bows, I wonder?"

She sold those off and headed for Tamoe. Returned archers greeted her, mixed with Dark Lancers and a few Devilkin. Magic Arrow cut them down right, left, forward and back, and then they were joined by bright green Returned Mage Champions firing glowing red fireballs. Kyle strenuously objected to their colour scheme, and refused to look at them, but she did guard Kits' back while Kits took them down.

They worked up through the northeast section until they ran into the Monastery Gate. A trio of Disfigured wandered up to give them a taste of things to come. Feeling that she really should finish full-clearing Tamoe before entering the Monastery, Kitsilan continued around the area, popping Returned and Dark Lancers. Somewhere in there, just as she completed the circuit, she levelled up to 13.

Back to camp, as this was a turning point. Time to reassess her training.

With six points in Critical Strike and six in Magic Arrow, she felt it was time to learn Dodge, as she'd heard the Monastery would be tighter quarters and she might not be able to run at will. Also, what with one thing and another, it was time to start pumping her energy levels. She switched from a 1,2,2,0 workout to a 1,2,1,1.

Feeling lucky, she gambled on chain boots at Gheed's ("Come to mama, Treads…"). Ended up with Beryl Chain Boots of the Fox. Kyle said it served her right, but Kitsilan decided to wear them anyway.

With Tamoe cleared and the Pit dead in her sights, Kitsilan knocked off for a bit of Charsi's homebrew. Thus fortified, she stepped through the portal, and then into the Pit.

No welcoming committee right there, but they weren't long in showing up. Dark Stalkers and Rangers, Devilkin and their Shamans all ran up to make Kitsilan and Kyle feel at home. A boss Devilkin made himself known, Grief Kill (spectral hit) and Kits rang the curtain down on his act with one Magic Arrow.

They worked their way around what turned out to be essentially a doughnut-shaped cavern with two spiral arms. Near the north end another Devilkin boss popped out of hiding, Warp Eater the Howler (aura enchanted). Kyle was still trying to puzzle out his intro and make it make sense when Kits got bored and popped this fellow off in two Magic Arrows. He was Might-enchanted, for what it's worth. None of his minions had time to pick up his aura, so no trouble there.

The two bosses dropped fancy Leather Armour and a club, which Kitsilan sold prior to entering the second level of the Pit.

Once in the second level, Kitsilan found herself shooting at Bone Warrior after Bone Warrior, many of them minions, and among them Mold Spawn (stone skin). Kits spent quite a few Magic Arrows busting him into bits. Before she could celebrate, however, Spine Flame the Unclean (mana burn) rounded the corner, which explained the multitude of minions. Kits nipped off to one side, trying to get a decent shot at them, but then saw that Kyle was in trouble. She dashed around Spine Flame and his boys and up the stairs, perforce pulling Kyle after her to safety, and none too soon. A quick trip to camp to heal the Rogue and they went back down. Spine Flame had but a sliver of life left after all, and the rest were no problem.

Some Dark Rangers, a few assorted Devilkin plus Shamans, and naught left to do but open the glowing chest. Gold, a blue short bow, buckler and cap, all sold as soon as Kitsilan could find a buyer.

One last thing remained to Kitsilan before calling it a day—enter the Monastery and find the Outer Cloister waypoint. She made short work of that, gunning down Razor Spines, Black Rogues and Devilkin with ruthless efficiency. Once the waypoint was located (right where Charsi said it would be), she flashed back to camp and straight to a well-deserved rest.

Kitsilan is now level 13. She's cleared all areas up to the Monastery Gate, and ventured far enough into the Outer Cloister to find its waypoint. Kyle is still alive, and no one is happier about that than she.