From TES issue 33 (May 2005)

Series 7.
Quest: The Shield. Dungeoneer: Alex Rothman.Advisors: James, Neil and Richard.

Home town: London.
Team score: 7 out of 10.

Another high-quality quest from series 7, which was the best of the series until Julie turned up and won.
Level One: After a dwarf tunnel maze, Alex meets Sidriss and Fidjit. Fidjit has been turned into a giant toad, so Alex agrees to look out for a spell to make him human again. At a clue table, Alex acquires a key and a potion called shadow. Through a spyglass, Lord Fear tells Brollachan to look for Smirkenorff in level one instead of level three, and Lissard tells Lord Fear that he has negotiated with a troll, which is now lying in wait for Alex. The team make use of the potion to sneak past the troll and its swinging club, and then Alex meets Grimaldine. The green wizard shows Alex a spell-chest [pictured], which he unlocks with the key. There is a scroll inside that gives the team the spell RESTORE. The Sliding Floor chamber follows, then Alex meets Fidjit once again. The RESTORE spells turns him back into his usual self, so the locksmith accompanies Alex and unlocks the door to Smirkenorff. By informing the dragon that Lord Fear is tracing him from level one, Alex earns a flight to level two, which duly follows.
Level Two: Through a spyglass in the Rift of Angar, Lord Fear and Lissard gloat over a trapped Hordriss, who has been imprisoned in a forcefield. Through Fear and Lissard's discussion, the team learn that an Anode of Power is required to release Hordriss, and can be acquired from a friendly wizard or witch. In the dwarf tunnels, Alex meets Brother Strange. The monk tells him that the only available sorcerer on the level who might be able to provide an Anode is Queen Greystagg. Alex picks up a glow-light and some witch hazel from the floor of the tunnel, as well as a SIGHT spell from a scroll. At the Trial by Spikes, Romahna warns the team to look out for a cowardly assassin called a grayling, which will never attack head-on. She then shows the team how to complete the spike puzzle, which they eventually succeed in doing with the help of the SIGHT spell. An encounter with Brollachan and his three questions follows, and then Alex meets Greystagg. In exchange for the witch hazel, she provides him with an Anode of Power. Alex next encounters a grayling in the dwarf tunnels but, following Romahna's advice, he scares it away by walking straight towards it and shining the glow-light in front of him. Alex encounters Hordriss in his forcefield and uses the Anode to release him. In return, Hordriss magically transforms the room into the Descender, which transports Alex down to Goth, and level three.
Level Three: In the corridors of Goth, Alex picks up two potions - dragonsbreath and starclimb. He spies on Lord Fear and Lissard, who discuss the fate of Atlantis and the whereabouts of Brollachan. After the spyglass sequence, Brollachan himself appears and asks three more questions. Alex next arrives in the Sewers of Goth, where he earns a boat ride from Grimaldine by telling him where Lord Fear is keeping Brollachan. Then it's Play Your Cards Right. Despite a VISOR spell from Grimaldine, the team's indecision coupled with Alex's impatience allows this puzzle to claim its second victim. They manage to make it to the end of the Hearts, but the choice between the Queen of Diamonds and the Eight of Clubs proves to be too much.
Summary: A very well played and exciting quest, but the lack of communication between the advisors and their dungeoneer was their downfall at Play Your Cards Right.

[Previous team: Team 2 of Series 7
Next team: Team 4 of Series 7]

login to vote