The Tightwad Conjurer: Trees, Owls and Wild Things (Caer Lyon Upper Reaches and The White Owl Tower)

(I hope you forgive me for the last series of mistakes in my blog. I update these posts after I do all the quests so I tend to forget stuff that is said. I accidentally misread what Sir Brennan said about who he gave the Sword of Kings to. I have fixed those posts accordingly.)

After learning about Grace's encounter with the insane friend of mine, we discovered a book telling about how to fix teleporters. We found the arch in the town square and built a teleporter portal to Caliburn. (Gone are the mini-teleporters in the worlds which let you travel between parts of a battle area - now we have a new type of teleporter system - teleporters from the hub area of each world to battle areas. This is very important; Avalon, Azteca and Khrysalis have battle areas you can't access from the hub that require you to traverse through other battle areas, so when you find the teleporter to the hub, you can pass through it once and it'll open for you, allowing easy access. This is a god-send for those who don't want to leave a mark all the time.)

We told the steward Kay about the arms and he was pleased before asking us to drive off the Hobgoblins and Panteras so he could make his escape.

"I will head to Caliburn now," he said. "Now that you have the map, you can travel through the Wild, but you won't be able to get into the Weirwood without the help of Old Greenbeard."

"Okay, be safe," I said, wishing him off.

In Caliburn, we helped Page Jimmy get his master's sword back as well as repair a teddy bear. (Seriously KI, are you so lazy you couldn't do better for making a child model than shrinking an adult model?)

Well, I guess I know why they called him Old Greenbeard.

"Haven't seen one of those in ages." He scratched his mossy beard.

"Did you block the way to the Weirwood?" I asked. "We really need to get there..."

"I did, ever since the Froudlings attacked," said the ancient treant. "What's worse, the wind had moaned an ill omen that my daughter had been captured by Logres Knights!"

I sighed. "We'll go rough them up until they fess up where they are holding your daughter."

We roughed the knights up and we found a key that read "Logres Manor." It didn't take long to find the place... and the dryad who we assumed was Old Greenbeard's daughter.

"You do not seem kidnapped, Mma," said Grace.

"Oh, kidnapped?" laughed the dryad. "You must be mistaken! I came here willingly for I am love with this man." She pointed to the fox-knight. "Sir Malick Logres swept me away and asked me for my hand in marriage. Could you tell my father the good news?"

"Sure thing!" I said, smiling. "I am sure you'll be happy together!"

"Don't expect grandkids," I murmured.

"Could you ask Sir Malick to invite me to the nuptials?" asked the treant.

"We'll see what we can do," I replied.

Unfortunately, we got a refusal.

"Uh, if you're worried about him coming into your house, we could arrange an outdoor wedding," I said sheepishly.

"You don't understand, Wizard," said Sir Malick acidly. "His people defaced the Shrine of Hospitality to Foxes, Dogs, Badges, Otters, Humans and Faeries."

"Uuuuuuuh..." I moaned. "Not another mouthful!"

But I did recall a shrine like the Shrine of Courage without its arms.

"Tell that treant he is not welcome," said Sir Malick.

Needless to say, Old Greenbeard was NOT pleased.

"Calm down," I said. "Your daughter will think ill of you if you do something that reckless!"

He heaved. "You are right, my blood runs fiery like a Wildfire Treant. I must calm down and show him the difference between Faeries and Froudlings. I know who stole the Shrine Relics, a Red Cap called Chaugan Nosebiter. Go recover the relics and restore the Shrine to Hospitality to..."

"Cut it there!" I shouted. "We'll go find the Relics."

"Did you name the shrines, Rra?" asked Grace. "Because I can't say all those words."

(For some reason there was no BGM in this area.)

We teamed up with a Necromancer called Alex Hexshield, but he got smached in the face by Chaugan's Efreet and had to use a Wraith to remove the weakness. (If you haven't guessed, Chaugan Nosebiter is a Fire Boss. He has 13000~ HP.)

Grace quickly Leviathan'd the red cap and my Frog puked on the Pantera.

We searched the area but didn't find any shield or sword, but Grace found something else. "Look."

It was another piece of the historical tapestry. I carefully stored it away.

As we headed back to Old Greenbeard to tell the news, we stopped and our jaws dropped.

The Shrine to Hospitality was restored, just like the Shrine of Courage, without our intervention.

I checked the masonry work. "This is CLEARLY Christina's work," I muttered.

"Uh, about that..." I explained everything.

"So, you did not restore the Shrine?" asked Greenbeard. "But..." He rubbed his beard. "It was restored was it not? Let us make our appeal of civility to Sir Malick again. I do not wish to rouse my fellows from the Weirwood."

"If we can avoid a war, we are for it," said Grace.

So... many... words! "Well, we did take down the jerk who defaced it," I said. "And the shrine is back to its normal glory. Now, can you apologize for your rudeness and invite your future father-in-law to the ceremony, please?" I made big dopey eyes.

He sighed. Nobody can resist the puppy eyes! ^_^ "I have... been arrogant. Forgive me. Tell Old Greenbeard that he is invited to the wedding."

"Thanks, but we didn't restore the shrine," I said.

"Nevertheless, you prevented a needless skirmish and promoted peace," said Greenbeard. He touched our badges with his wooden fingers. "As thanks, I declare thee both no longer Squires, but Armigers in the Order of the Silver Rose!"

Our badges transformed into bronze emblems of a bi-crested shield. We bowed deeply.

"I will open the way to the Wild," said Old Greenbeard, moving his hands. The vines blocking the gate fell away. "That's the nice part of the Weirwood. Find my other daughter, Sophia Greensleeves. She is the wife of Sir Dursten Silverharp, the one you seek."

"Thanks, Old Greenbeard," I said. "Congratulations and enjoy the party!"

I was excited as we left civilization and entered the Weirwood. It was aptly named, it was very weird - giant mushrooms grew to the size of trees and the skies were slightly overcast.

We found a cottage where another Dryad was hanging about. This had to be Sophia.

"We are but simple Armigers of the Silver Rose," I said. "We seek your husband, Sir Dursten Silverharp. He was said to be holding the Sword of Kings."

"I know that of who you seek, Armigers," said Sophia. She sighed. "Sadly, my husband has been taken away by a vile trio of witch sisters. If you wish to rescue him, you must go to the White Owl Tower down the way, you will see its spire rise off in the distance."

"We will glad to rescue your husband, fair Dryad," I said. I hit my head. "Duh, I'm getting too much in the mood. Come on, Grace."

The tower was as described. We bashed down the door and barged in...

Well, I had a feeling the witches were owls. :p

"There is someone in that cage," said Grace. "Let's defeat this witch and rescue her captive."

Well, that was quick.

(Despite being Life, Keela Whitetalon only has 10000~ HP: a Colossal Basilisk + 3 Feints = Dead Owl Feathers. :0)

We discovered the occupant of the cage, a tiny unicorn.

I sighed. Why did this unicorn have to be so rude? I snapped the lock and opened the cage door.

"Thank you," said the unicorn. "My name is Cassie the Ponycorn, and I shall let thee into the tower."

(She asks for a 'favor for another day', but KI never follows up on that. If future worlds have her appear and require that, I will eat my hair. :p)

Cassie made her horn sparkle and a giant beanstalk rose up to the top of the tower. "Be wary of the witches," she warned. "They are worse than rats!"

"We shall," I said as we made our way up to the window and clambered in...

Into a room filled with green mist. Grace coughed and hacked. "This mist is poison!"

I fell my body grow weak and my eyes grow heavy. "Sleeping... poison..." I yawned. "We have to... find a... cure..." I stumbled around and found a book open to a page.

"This is the antidote!" I yawned. "Quickly, Grace! Get these items!"

Grace hurriedly grabbed the square bottle with blue goo, the round bottle with green elixir, and a jar of mushrooms. I emptied the contents into the pot... and the mist faded and my energy returned.

"We were lucky!" I sighed. "I bet those witches are immune to this mist - they would have ambushed us and dragged us off to join Sir Dursten!"

"Let's go find him," said Grace.

(This puzzle, if done correctly by getting the above ingredients, will save you time. You must grab the right items. Christina tamed up with a necromancer called Julia, who stupidly grabbed any stuff and failed the puzzle, which triggered a fight with the second White Talon witch and three Hobgoblin Plunderers. Needless to say, Julia died in that fight and Christina had to flee and come back and wasted Crowns on a hench to win. Don't make that mistake!)

We headed to the stairs but Grace pulled me aside.

Another part of the tapestry! It showed Merle Ambrose giving a sword to the king. "That must be the Sword of Kings!" I said. "So that is King Artorius! He looks very noble."

"And we are searching for that weapon," said Grace. "We must find it."

"Let's see if we can rescue Sir Dursten without another fight," I said.

NO. DICE. I should have guessed one of the Owls was guarding him. (sigh)

That battle ended fast and furious, but I noticed that Gamma's picture was on the wall. I wondered if the Owls had connections. Whatever, Kiva White Talon was now a statue. (As you can guess, Kiva is Ice. She has 13000+ HP and comes with a new enemy, a Myth creature whose name I forgot.)

"By the Great Tree!" said a voice. We found a dog knight in the jail cell. "You ladies are powerful wizards, clearly you are..."

"Students of Merle Ambrose," I said, bowing. "You must be Sir Dursten Silverharp. Stand back." I summoned the Ninja Pigs to smash the bars apart.

"There's a teleporter to the outside, I saw those owls use it," said Sir Dursten. "We can use it to escape before the third witch sees her sisters dead and attacks us."

I could port out but I knew Dursten could not, so we used the teleporter and escorted him safely back to his lady love, who embraced him when he arrived.

"Thank thee, fair Armigers!" said Sophia. "I had feared my beloved was lost forever!"

We bowed. "No need to thank us, m'lady. We just wanted his help." I explained our quest.

"Ah, the mighty Sword of Kings!" said Sir Dursten. "When King Artorius was on his deathbed, he bade us Knights of the Silver Rose to protect it vigilantly. I was honored when Sir Brennan gave me the Sword and the duty to protect it, but I knew it would not be safe with me if I took it into battle against the White Talon witches, so I gave it to Sir Robin Braverly, the bravest knight of the Order. The Sword is clearly safe in his hands!"

I recalled Innes making a song about that guy... and shuddered as it told of him being torn to pieces by Froudlings and Giants. "Is he okay?"

"Aye," said Sir Dursten. "When last I saw him, he was headed to the Fire Elf village to slay a vile wyrm. You should check there." He hugged his wife again. "Sophia, I must away to Caliburn. If the Order is being called back, that means that great evil is afoot."

"Be safe, my love," whispered Sophia. We quickly turned away before they kissed and left them to their private moment as we hopped and flew to the Fire Elf Village, which I assumed was the home of Professor Falmea...