Sausalito's progress:
Moves: 17,600
Level: 4
Runes: 4
Mantras: 3
Shrines: 3
Pals: 2
Deaths: 6
My new sword started picking up radio signals of mysterious voices suggesting that I talk to Lord British in order to get promoted. Odd, thought I, for the silly man never offered to promote me while bragging of how he saved me from death! Without appointment, I barged into his throne room and demanded an explanation, lest I blow the lid on his LB Snacks™ anticompetitive practices. Without hesitation, he zapped me straight from Level 1 to Level 4. And I thought I just needed to get a lot more experience points.
Now that I had become a Level 4 Warrior-Sherpa, people might actually join me rather than just saying "I would join thee!" In Britain, I picked up Iolo "Tubbs." In Yew, the druid Jaana joined. Now we had a law firm!
I visited the Empath Abbey, but there was nothing new there. I have to get into that oak grove somehow. Back in Britain, I tipped the bartender extra for some information on Cricket, but he claimed ignorance. I turned my head and noticed a bard sitting on a nearby stool, playing "The Riddle Song." I was about to smash his guitar against the wall when it occurred to me to ask his name. CRICKET! He tells me the compassion mantra: "PLAY LINEAGE II." The three of us headed east to the compassion shrine.
The monster encounters became more challenging in response to my new entourage, and on the troll bridge I fought my first demon. The way to the shrine was paved with poisonous marsh. We rolled up our pants and crossed it, and two of us got sick. Using his magical powers, Tubbs mixed up some Cure drinks and got rid of the poison. We entered the shrine, meditated, and found out how lighting the Candle of Love would come into play at the Stygian Abyss.
Heading back through the marsh, both Tubbs and Jaana got poisoned. We were out of reagents for Cure spells. We raced back to the Castle, running away from all encounters, but my companions succumbed to marsh rot. I inquired about resurrection services at the healer's desk. Three hundred gold per corpse. I have only 200. I'm looking at a long day of hunting and ice cream delivery to get the money needed to bring back my friends.