Doireann the Felid Monk
This is my first Diary of a Crawler work. Not all events are exactly as they occured in game. (But I try to stay close; I mainly drop what's dull/repetitive.) This is in Crawl version 0.16 on CAO, and as a Felid Monk. Hope you enjoy! I will continue to update this until my character's journey comes to a close. I have done some proofreading, but it's an ongoing process! Autofire (talk) 06:56, 23 March 2015 (CET)
Contents
Prologue
I took this magic book off Robin. It's quite strange: I can write in it with my mind! Since I feel too full to continue on, I think I'll pass the time by recording my journey in this book.
Hmm...I'll begin from when I woke up...
---
I gasped and gritted my teeth from a horrible pain in my head. I found myself in a dimly lit room. Minutes passed before the pain began to subside, and I began to wonder why my bed was so hard. When I finally sat up, I felt very strange and not entirely myself. I looked down to see a pair of large paws, each with a fine set of claws. Thinking that I was being sat on by some large cat, I held perfectly still, hoping that it wouldn't notice me.
Minutes passed, and the cat hadn't moved a muscle. Hoping that it was asleep, and knowing that I couldn't take it for another minute, I dashed away as fast as I could and ducked behind a wall. Looking back, I couldn't see anything chasing me. I felt quite satisfied with myself, but something still felt wrong...and why had I run all that way on all fours? I looked at myself and finally realized...
...that I was a cat!
Level 1
It took me a some time to take it all in. I walked back to where I woke up, and didn't find any more cats. (I realized that I was only scaring myself before.) I found a note on the stone floor, and though I couldn't pick it up (I lacked thumbs), but I could tell that it was written on. When my eyes adjusted to the dim light, I read:
Resignation accepted ~WD
I hissed and tore up the note. Resignation? Those jerks read my mind! I hadn't even told anyone I was leaving! Good for nothing thieves! One of their transmuters probably did this to me, and then they dumped me in this...place.
But there was nothing I could do about it. After my anger began to subside, I began to worry. Where was I? How was I going to become a Spriggan again? I knew nothing about transmuting, and I had no money to pay a professional transmuter to cure me. (Which would cost a small fortune even for the richest lord...something I'm not!)
Pushing these things out of my mind, I decided to explore the place. I walked through the cave for a while before finding a stairway leading down. I didn't want to take it though; I sensed that I was deep underground already, so I wanted to go up, not down.
Next I found a giant, sleeping cockroach. I pounced on and dug my claws into it, killing it quickly. Staring at the blood pouring out of its wounds, I suddenly felt very hungry, and found myself eating it without second thought. Only once I was done eating did I realize how strange it was to be eating meat. (As a Spriggan, I only liked fruits and vegetables.)
Well, I continued roaming around the dungeon, killing the rats and bats I encountered in order to get used to my new claws (and my new stomach). I even felled a pair of goblins who ganged up on me. Before long, I was engorged on all of the meat. However, I couldn't find a stairway out of the place.
Stealing the backpack of a goblin I felled, I used it to carry a few potions I came across. However, I was unfamiliar with them, none of them looked very pleasant, so I decided to save them until I can figure out what they do. After wandering around for what felt like hours, I finally decided to try downstairs.
Little did I know what I was getting myself into...
Level 2
The first staircase I tried led to a room full of sleeping goblins. I killed one, but my new body made me fumble and make enough noise to wake the rest up. I fled the way I came and tried another staircase.
The second staircase had a similar set of goblins, although they were all awake and they seemed to have a leader. I managed to swipe a scroll and escape. (It turned out to be a Scroll of Fog.)
The third and final staircase led to an empty room with three hallways. I knew that the two hoards of goblins had to be somewhere on this level, so I made sure to be extra careful.
Almost the first thing I found was a sparkling altar. Looking around it, I found that it belonged to Nemelex Xobeh, the trickster god of cards. I didn't see any reason to join his service, because I didn't like the sound of trusting my life with a deck of cards.
After wandering around some more, I found a bread ration, although it looked as tasty as a rock. (Something which I would have never said yesterday!) Then I ran into what I think was the second mob of goblins. I ran off, not wanting to face a certain swarm. I waited patiently for the goblins who strayed from the pack, and quietly dealt with them, one or two a time.
Then I stumbled into a nice little chap named Ijyb. He wasn't too happy to see me, and tried to gut me with his dagger. The fellow wasn't any match for my claws, and pretty soon he was limp and lifeless.
Right after that, a hobgoblin, calling herself Robin, walked in and began throwing her goblin followers at me. (Literally!) I was able to fight back without too much trouble, because I drew them into a tight corridor. When there was an opening, I jumped for Robin and slashed her neck open. Killing Robin left the goblins without moral support, and they went down without much of a fight. They won't skin me so easily!
---
Well, I've written out my journey so far. I think I'll take a little nap, because I'm still rather full. (Although it makes me feel pleased, in a way, to be so full of my prey!) I do have many questions, but I'll have look for answers them when I wake up.
Level 3
I can hardly think straight! I've had the most shocking experience in my life. At the very least, I think that I'm a felid, not a simple cat. But the sooner I'm my old self again, the better! I want to get out of this rotten place! I miss the sun dearly...But I can't get out right now. I'll just have to write about what happened to help me make sense of it.
After I woke up from my refreshing nap, I was half expecting to be a spriggan again, but I was still a felid. Then I first realized that I couldn't tell what time it was...these caves are quite disorienting!
I went down to the next level. After tearing through the few bats that bothered me, I found a magic wand propped up against a skeleton. Close inspection revealed it to be a Wand of Enslavement. I put it in my pack, just in case.
Then I found another felid! Later, I found that her name was Natasha, but she didn't take any time to tell me that; she attacked me on sight! I began to fight back, but she seemed far more skilled, clawing me painfully. Natasha spoke something, and I realized that I was surrounded by imps. In the confusion, my backpack was cut apart and my potions scattered. Badly wounded, I scrambled for the first two I could reach.
The first one tasted sweet but did nothing, but after drinking the second one, I felt very strange. I suddenly grew incredibly tall. The felid and her cohorts gasped at me. Staring down at them, I realized that I had become a tree! I whacked Natasha, causing her to yowl. I bashed her again, killing her. All her imps poofed the moment she gave her last breath.
I waited for a while, trying to figure out how to un-tree myself. When I started to wonder if I would always be a tree, my body began to loosen up and shrink. When my transformation ended, I was hoping I would be back to my Spriggan self, but, sadly, I was still a felid.
On the bright side, I replaced my shredded pack for the one that Natasha wore. (The pack had her name on it, so that's how I learned what her name was.) The pack is great because it allows me to easily slip it off when I need it to. It even has a section for holding vials in a way that I can easily access them during battle. I left Natasha's corpse alone, and I explored some more.
Before long, I found another felid who looked exactly like Natasha! I was able to run before she noticed me. I was out of potions of lignification, so I didn't want to face her head on. Eventually I was cornered, and had no option but to fight. I pounced on her, this time not giving her any chances. After receiving a very painful-looking slash, Natasha collapsed with a pathetic moan. Her spirit plunged into the ground...I think.
I stared at Natasha's body. It wasn't exactly the same body as before, but there was no mistaking it: it was Natasha! I went back to where my first battle with Natasha took place, but the only signs of a battle were a few bloodstains. I checked our second battleground again, and her body was still there.
I was quite shaken up, and was hoping this was the last time that would happen. I found two altars in adjacent rooms. One belonged to Qazlal the Stormy, and the other belonged to Xom the Unpredictable. Xom was easy to turn down, and Qazlal's noisiness seems silly for one as stealthy as myself. (I was a spy in my spriggan days, after all!)
Then I found a scroll, and upon reading it, it allowed me to identify a couple of my potions to be Potions of Might. I was very happy; these could save me in a tight situation, I told myself.
I was surprised run into Natasha again! This time, I tried to reason with her, but she didn't seem to want to take any chances, and used a wand of enslavement on me! It seemed to partly work, because I was overpowered and unable to move for a moment. She began to summon more imps against me. When I managed to break free of her wand's power, I used my own wand of enslavement against her. It worked very well, and she even began fighting her own imps!
I had a different idea, though. I made her follow me upstairs, although it was tricky because she seemed to be fighting against my wand's spell. I decided that she couldn't be reasoned with, so I drank one of my potions of might, and used my increased strength to finish Natasha.
I waited for a very long time, not sure what to do. I didn't take my eyes off Natasha, wondering if she'd move. I wish I could have buried her, but I don't have a shovel and all of the cave's walls and floors are solid rock. Only partly satisfied that she wouldn't haunt me, I went back downstairs.
I haven't met with Natasha again. I'm sitting near a stairway to the 4th level of the dungeon. I can only wonder what horrors wait for me down there...
After thinking about it for a while, my only explanation is that Natasha faked her death twice. She was definitely capable of magic, because she seemed to be summoning imps. Hopefully, the wand of enslavement kept her from casting the 'fake death' spell again.
But it's a shame...I would like to have someone to talk to. Not only is this dungeon is very hostile, but it's also quite lonesome!
I suppose it's time to push on.
Level 4 and Sewer
As soon as I stepped onto level 4, I heard a odd draining sound. Around the first corner, I was attacked by a pack of gnolls, but I was able to manage against them. (Tight corridors are very nice.) I also found a shop that sold various magic devices, though they were too expensive for the few pieces of gold I found lying around the dungeon.
Then I found a book of Conjurations! Tomes like these are very valuable, I learned how to launch magic darts. They're really useful, since I can't use a blowgun or a sling like I used to. I had a hard time getting them to work every time, but I just need more practice.
Next, I came across a strange drain. I instinctively jumped down it (though I don't know how I fit), and it led to a smelly sewer filled with sickly green water. While exploring the place, I ran into many snakes and kobolds, but they were fairly weak and were good for target practice. I discovered potions of brilliance, magic, and heal wounds while there. Useful! I found a decent stash of scrolls of teleportation as well.
When I left the sewer, I did some more exploring. Before long, I found a blue altar in a tiny room. There wasn't any name on it, but it was covered with many strange writings. Feeling curious, I decided to figure out who it belonged to, so I went in the room, closed the door, and sat down.
I sat there for a while, waiting for something to happen. But nothing happened. I tried saying hello, I tried praying (more or less; the whole religious thing is new to me), and I even knocked! Nothing happened. I finally said something like “What's the secret to this thing!?” and was about to leave.
“You seek a secret, then?” said a soft voice. The suddenness made the fur on my back stand up. I asked who was there.
I heard a laugh behind me, so I turned around and found someone standing a little ways off. This someone was wearing deep blue robes and had a hood over her face. In one of her hands was a tome. “I am the one who holds secrets as numerous as the stars. I am the Loreminder.” She gestured toward the walls of the room. Only, it wasn't a room anymore; we were in a huge library! The books that lined the walls from floor to ceiling caught my attention for a moment.
“Initially,” said the Loreminder, “I did not let you in, for curiosity killed the cat. However, as you showed persistence in seeking the secret of my altar, I noticed a speck of the arcane within your mind.”
“Do you mean...this?” I asked as I held out my paw and began creating a magic dart. I fumbled it and accidentally launched it toward the Loreminder. To my relief, she stopped it mid-flight with a wave of her hand.
The Loreminder lifted the dart up and studied it. “Yes, but you prove wanting of much practice. I wouldn't be surprised if you started your study today! Why, I could unravel it with my eyes alone.” She proceeded to disintegrate the dart (and my pride).
“But all must start somewhere,” she said. “If you desire secrets, come, then, and join. You shall become one of my students, and I shall pour knowledge into you. All I ask of you is an endless hunger for the arcane. Some would say curiosity killed the cat,” here she tossed a magic bolt at my feet, making me jump with surprise. “But the cat's got lives to spare, so why not trade them for knowledge?”
“But I'm not a cat,” I replied slowly. “Well, I'm not supposed to be one. I want to be my old self again, and-”
“You haven't answered my question,” the Loreminder hissed. “Will you follow me or will you not?”
I could tell that she didn't want me wasting her time, so I decided to be direct. “Will we be covering transmutations?”
“Indeed, we shall, assuming you live long enough. But there are so many other topics to cover first.”
“Maybe...ye-...no,” I finally answered.
“Hmph. Fine. Then leave my presence, mortal.” I found myself sitting in front of the altar, alone once again.
Did I make the right choice? I'm not sure...but I do know this: I don't want to become a wizard! I don't want to become completely full of myself, and cares about nothing but power. And I don't think I would be able to bend to a life of study. I may not be in my old body any more, but I'm still me! Right...?
Or am I still me? Not too long ago, I would have never eaten a bit of meat. But what's the only thing I've eaten for the last 24 hours? When there was an enemy who I didn't want to kill, I would avoid them. But that's not what happened when I ran into Natasha. Maybe I was part of a band of outlaws, but I was for doing the right thing...right?
Was I? Even if my heart was in the right place, I wasn't supporting a very friendly cause. But when I joined them in the first place, I certainly knew what I was getting into... And when I couldn't take it any more, I decided to leave.
But how did they know that I wanted to leave? What tipped them off? And, if they knew, why didn't they just kill me? Why did they even bother to polymorph me and throw me in here?
I wonder if I will ever know...or ever get out, for that matter! Anyway, I must go on. Maybe I'll find someone who knows how to get out.
To be continued
Lies
Here is where, as an author, I've altered major in-game facts. While I'll try to be complete, I will only mention things which I feel substantially leaves what's cannon.
Prologue
Robin didn't actually have a magic book.
Level 1
The note in the beginning of the story wasn't actually there. (As you can imagine!) I don't mention it, but I did start with a Meat Ration.
Also, the room that Doireann woke up in did indeed have a staircase out of the dungeon! However, let's say that the White Dagger (more on that if Doireann survives long enough to mention them) blocked the entrance.
Level 2
No naps were actually taken, but it was a nice way to close up the section. ;)
Level 3
My rendition of this level is surprisingly accurate. On our third encounter, Natasha did indeed have her own Wand of Enslavement! There is no special Felid-backpack, but I need some explanation for Doireann to be able to access her gear.
