{"id":496,"date":"2015-12-27T22:27:58","date_gmt":"2015-12-27T17:27:58","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/realmsofdespair.info\/blogs\/tharius\/?p=496"},"modified":"2015-12-27T22:27:58","modified_gmt":"2015-12-27T17:27:58","slug":"a-rope-entwined-with-brightly-colored-ribbons-hangs-here-suspended-in-mid-air","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.realmsofdespair.info\/tharius\/blog\/2015\/12\/27\/a-rope-entwined-with-brightly-colored-ribbons-hangs-here-suspended-in-mid-air\/","title":{"rendered":"A rope entwined with brightly colored ribbons hangs here, suspended in mid-air."},"content":{"rendered":"

A while back I posted about exploring the Midway<\/a> while it was open. \u00a0During that adventure I even posted up a small map to help get people started. \u00a0It’s back and I’ve been enjoying playing there and thought I’d talk a little more about the adventure.<\/span><\/p>\n

There are a number of prizes to be won, not only the ones that can be exchanged for tickets but many other objects. \u00a0The haunted house has a superb supply of spellup candies that if we could ever get a regular supply would become run staples. \u00a0Given that they cast 3 different spell ups they would reduce the number of potions that storage rooms around the realms stock up on.<\/span><\/p>\n

The well known prizes are:<\/span>
\n3 Marble – Tic Tac Toe Board – Tic Please<\/span>
\n 3 Marble – Mini-Roulette Wheel – Wheel Please<\/span>
\n 2 Marble – Goldfish in a Bowl – Fish Please<\/span>
\n 2 Marble – Cuddly Stuffed Dragon – Dragon Please<\/span>
\n 1 Marble – Ugly Little Green Troll – Troll Please<\/span>
\n 1 Marble – Cheezy Stuffed Toy – Cheezy Please<\/span>
\n 4 Silver – Toy Marionette – Puppet Please<\/span>
\n 3 Silver – A Piece of Jewelry – Jewel Please<\/span>
\n 2 Silver – A Midway Coffee Mug – Mug Please<\/span>
\n 2 Silver – A Silk Scarf – Scarf Please<\/span>
\n 1 Silver – A Temporary Tattoo – Tattoo Please<\/span>
\n 4 Copper – A Souvenir Quill – Quill Please<\/span>
\n 3 Copper – A Colourful Balloon – Balloon Please<\/span>
\n 2 Copper – An Embroidered Hanky – Hanky Please<\/span>
\n 1 Copper – A Large Gold Coin – Coin Please<\/span><\/p>\n

The top 2, like the dicing cup found elsewhere seem to be just for fun, though people use them for sorting out bets and run loot and the like. \u00a0I can’t keep the Goldfish alive for more than a few minutes, I didn’t buy one, I won it at the Duck Pond. \u00a0I have never gone for the Jewelry or the Coffee Mug but I can say that the silk scarf is perhaps the best low level mana item in game. \u00a0My usual complaint with mana users is that they run out of mana so quickly while levelling and low level mana gear is touch and go with stats. \u00a0These scarves are the bomb for low level mana if you can afford the con that you sacrifice by not wearing traveling cloaks\/amulets.<\/span><\/p>\n

Let’s look at how you earn tokens. \u00a0It does get a bit repetitive but each game will push you onward to the rest, so that you end up doing a circuit. \u00a0Getting 3 marbles either requires a fair bit of “stick to it”iveness or a bit of luck. \u00a0I found a marble token on its own in the Dunk Tank so sometimes a bit of luck can save you a lot of grind.<\/p>\n

On the main strip you’ll find many games. \u00a0Let’s take a quick tour:<\/p>\n

A White Tent<\/strong><\/span>
\nThis white tent is the home of a large pegboard, with an array of
\nballoons lined up on one side and a bucket full of metal tipped
\ndarts positioned several feet away. A gnome stands by the bucket of
\ndarts, retrieving them after they are thrown. Bits of torn balloon
\nand metal dart tips litter the ground.
\nExits: northwest
\nA young gnome offers you a chance to throw some darts.
\nA young gnome says ‘Hey mister. Want to try to hit a balloon? Just takes 100 gold.’<\/p>\n

You give 100 coins to a young gnome.
\nA young gnome pockets the gold.
\nA young gnome says ‘Thanks mister. All you gotta do is throw a dart at the balloons.’
\nA young gnome says ‘The prize depends on what color balloon you hit.’<\/p>\n

You reach into the bucket and grab a dart.
\nYou aim carefully at the rows of balloons and throw your dart.
\nIt pops a yellow balloon with a loud BANG!
\nA young gnome gives you 100 coins.<\/p>\n

Eventually you’ll throw for a copper token. \u00a0I’ve never seen higher but for 100 coins what do you want?<\/p>\n

After darts you’ll see face painting, which seems to be cosmetic (though could affect some puzzle elsewhere like the animal fighting or something).<\/p>\n

A Purple Tent<\/strong><\/span>
\nThe sheer purple walls of this tent let in light from outside but effectively
\nkeep the dust from Faire Way out. The air smells of fresh cut flowers and
\nsweetly scented incense. A very small desk covered with a rainbow of colored
\npaints occupies one corner and a stool has been placed in the very center of
\nthe tent. To the west lies the din and dust of the Faire.
\nExits: west
\nA dainty pixie with pink wings flutters from one customer to the next painting faces.
\nJumbo the face painter giggles at you. Hope it’s not contagious!
\nJumbo the face painter tells you ‘Hello Tharius! Welcome to my li’l tent. Face painting is 15,000.’<\/p>\n

You give 15,000 coins to Jumbo the face painter.
\nJumbo the face painter rubs brightly colored face paint onto you.
\nYour face is blessed with elven features as you grow more attractive.
\nJumbo the face painter giggles as she paints your face.
\nWith great force, you strip the mask from your face.
\nCountless small wounds remain festering in your skin.
\nJumbo the face painter flutters up and down and claps wildly.
\nJumbo the face painter says ‘All done, Tharius!’<\/p>\n

So far I’ve seen panda, dragon, mouse face paint and a few others. \u00a0Could just be for fun or as I say, have some meaning elsewhere in the midway. \u00a0On the other side of the road you find a challenge.<\/p>\n

Before a Pit of Hot Coals<\/strong><\/span>
\nThe rocky ground between the roadway and the dark blue tent has been cleared,
\nand flattened out by the pressure of visitors to the faire. To the west is a
\nlong row of brightly glowing coals, shimmering with heat, while to the
\nnortheast is the main roadway.
\nExits: west northeast
\nA mystic shaman regards you with a look of superiority.
\nThe shaman bows before you.
\nThe shaman says ‘Welcome, Tharius, to a great test of courage and control.’
\nThe shaman points towards a long row of glowing hot coals, laid out to the west.
\nThe shaman says ‘To test yourself, simply give me 50,000 coins…and prepare your heart and soul for the task.’<\/p>\n

Remove your shoes, give him 50k and see if you can walk across the coals AND BACK. \u00a0If you accomplish this you’ll get a fiery coal that works much like a shockstone for fireshield. \u00a0It’s too bad that this thing isn’t permanent like the shockstone, because it would be an awesome reason to try this challenge. \u00a0Scrapping one would make you cry but you’d be well on your way to self-sufficiency.<\/p>\n

Before moving along you might visit the Dark Blue Tent.<\/p>\n

A Dark Blue Tent<\/strong><\/span>
\nThe dark blue fabric of this large tent ruffles in the breeze. Aside from
\nthat small noise it is strangely quiet inside, as if cut off from the clamor
\nof the surrounding faire. The tent is crowded with wooden chairs, arranged in
\na half-circle around a carved, wooden dais. An odd glow surrounds the raised
\nplatform, seemingly enhanced by magical means. Exits north and east lead back
\nto the dust and noise of the midway.
\nExits: east northeast
\nWaving her arms dramatically in the air, a magician is here lost in her arcane art.
\nAdriana the magician glows with an aura of divine radiance.
\nAdriana the magician is surrounded by a mix of ice-shards and sparking flames.
\nAdriana the magician says ‘Welcome to my tent, Lareawan! Prepare to be amazed.’
\nAdriana the magician grins at you.<\/p>\n

I was amazed and pleased when Adriana teleported me to the entrance to the Haunted House. \u00a0If you’ve been wondering where you go to start on those puzzles, now you know \ud83d\ude42<\/p>\n

Moving along,\u00a0I haven’t found much of interest in\u00a0the animal betting, fortune telling or the 3 card monte game. \u00a0They seem like straight gambling or just atmosphere but there’s always the real possibility I miss things \ud83d\ude42<\/p>\n

Within the Arena Wall<\/strong><\/span>
\nA small area has been carved out of the arena wall here to accommodate betting
\non various battles. Torches are attached to the walls periodically, flooding
\nthe room with their flickering light. Animal brokers, trainers and tenders
\nfill the room, discussing in raised voices the various attributes of their
\nstock. Pieces of paper litter the ground, as patrons throw away losing bets
\nin disgust. An archway to the southwest leads back to the midway.
\nExits: southwest
\nThe broker of the animal arena battles is here, shouting out the odds on various beasts.
\nRafur exclaims ‘Hello Tharius, and welcome to the betting cages!’
\nRafur says ‘Here we offer for your entertainment a battle between
\nanimals where you bet on the one you think will win. If you’d like
\nto take part, give me 250000 coins and I’ll escort you to the
\nanimal cages.’<\/p>\n

You give 250,000 coins to Rafur.
\nRafur says ‘Thank you for your bet Tharius.’
\nRafur opens a door and escorts you into the animal holding area.
\nRafur says ‘Hey there Werinn, our next better is Tharius.’
\nWerinn says ‘Hi! Today we’ve got two fine animals to choose from, take
\na few minutes to look them over and then point to the one you like
\nbest. I will then begin the fight and we’ll see who wins!’<\/p>\n

The Animal Holding Area<\/strong><\/span>
\nThe northern wall of this room is lined with enormous cages each with a door
\nfacing outward into the battling area. The noise and stench of so many animals
\nkept in close proximity makes the atmosphere in this room uncomfortable at
\nbest. A long desk blocks any approach to the cages and the battling area, but
\nthe gore spattered battle zone can be seen by looking northward.
\nExits: none
\nThe keeper of the battling animals is here tending his charges.
\nA tiger of epic proportions is inside a cage growling at you defiantly.
\nA gargantuan bear is within a cage baring its huge teeth in your direction.<\/p>\n

>look tiger<\/p>\n

This tiger is enormous! It is the single largest cat that you have ever
\nseen, period. Its teeth and claws look incredibly sharp, but it’s probably
\nnot a good idea to test them first hand. This is a truly remarkable beast.<\/p>\n

An enormous tiger is in perfect health ~(100%~).<\/p>\n

>look bear<\/p>\n

This bear is as large as it is ferocious. Its claws and teeth are
\ndefinitely not something that anyone would want to be on the wrong
\nend of. All in all, this is a truly remarkable beast.<\/p>\n

A gargantuan bear is in perfect health ~(100%~).<\/p>\n

>point bear
\nYou point at it accusingly.
\nWerinn exclaims ‘What a fine choice Tharius!’
\nWerinn gives you a bear token.
\nWerinn says ‘Hang on to that Tharius, give it to me at the end of the battle.’
\nWerinn pushes a lever and the animal cages open onto a common area.
\nWerinn prods each of the animals in turn, forcing them into battle.
\nYou watch filled with excitement as the animals begin their battle!<\/p>\n

a gargantuan bear pushes an enormous tiger across the arena into the wall.
\nan enormous tiger leaps atop a gargantuan bear and digs in its claws.<\/p>\n

a gargantuan bear swipes at an enormous tiger with its claws causing blood to flow.<\/p>\n

an enormous tiger bites a gargantuan bear on the neck, tearing open its throat.<\/p>\n

a gargantuan bear pushes an enormous tiger across the arena into the wall.
\nan enormous tiger pounces on a gargantuan bear ripping into it with its claws.<\/p>\n

a gargantuan bear swipes at an enormous tiger with its claws causing blood to flow.
\nan enormous tiger bites a gargantuan bear on the neck, tearing open its throat.<\/p>\n

a gargantuan bear bites an enormous tiger savagely, tearing off a piece of flesh.
\nan enormous tiger bites a gargantuan bear on the neck, tearing open its throat.<\/p>\n

an enormous tiger leaps atop a gargantuan bear and digs in its claws.<\/p>\n

a gargantuan bear bites an enormous tiger savagely, tearing off a piece of flesh.<\/p>\n

a gargantuan bear bites an enormous tiger savagely, tearing off a piece of flesh.<\/p>\n

After a long battle a gargantuan bear falls to the ground defeated!
\nAn enormous tiger exclaims ‘I won!’
\nWerinn wipes his brow with obvious relief.
\nWerinn says ‘That was an exciting battle! Alright, give me your token please.’<\/p>\n

You give a bear token to Werinn.
\nWerinn sighs loudly.
\nWerinn says ‘Sorry Tharius, you lost, better luck next time.’
\nWerinn waves goodbye to you. Have a good journey.<\/p>\n

A Silver Tent<\/strong><\/span>
\nThis tent is illuminated with soft lighting from gold candelabra located to
\neither side of a wooden table that occupies the center of the interior. A few
\ninterested people passing by peek their heads inside the flap to observe what
\nis going on inside. The atmosphere inside the tent is quiet, unlike the bustle
\nof the midway just outside. The walls are close, but rather than
\nclaustrophobic, the tent is comfortable.
\nExits: west
\nA stout, wooden table stands in the center of the tent.
\nAn old halfling stands here, completely engrossed in a trio of cups that sits before him.
\nAldanor says ‘Welcome to my tent Tharius! I wish you the best of luck.
\nTo play this game you have to give me 100,000 coins and I will set
\nup three cups on the table with a ball underneath one of them.
\nSay the color of the correct cup and you win 200,000 coins!’<\/p>\n

You give 100,000 coins to Aldanor, Master of Cups.
\nAldanor, Master of Cups says ‘Good luck Tharius, you’ll need it.’
\nAldanor, Master of Cups grins at you.
\nAldanor, Master of Cups shows you the ball and places it on the table.
\nAldanor, Master of Cups begins to shuffle the gold, silver, and platinum cups around at a blurring speed.
\nAfter a few seconds of mixing the gold, silver, and platinum cups Aldanor slows and stops.
\nAldanor, Master of Cups says ‘Please say the color of the cup that you choose, Tharius.’<\/p>\n

You say ‘silver’
\nAldanor, Master of Cups picks up the silver cup and reveals a small ball hidden beneath.
\nAldanor, Master of Cups exclaims ‘Congratulations Tharius! Thank you for playing!’
\nAldanor, Master of Cups gives you 200,000 coins.<\/p>\n

A Dark Tent<\/strong><\/span>
\nThe entrance to this shadowy tent is barred with several curtains of grey
\nsilk, which must be pulled aside. The curtains block out most of the light
\nfrom outside the tent and ensure the privacy of it as well. The only source
\nof light is a strange ball which pulsates with an odd magical light. An
\nempty chair sits beside a wooden table in the center of the tent. The way
\neast returns to the midway.
\nExits: east
\nA stout, wooden table stands in the center of the tent.
\nA mysterious gypsy sits here, her face illuminated by the crystal ball before her.
\nMadame Srella glows with an aura of divine radiance.
\nMadame Srella says ‘Welcome to my humble tent, Tharius.’
\nMadame Srella tells you ‘I can look into your soul and tell you your
\nfortune… If you wish me to do so, all you need do is give me 1000
\ncoins.’<\/p>\n

You give 1,000 coins to Madame Srella.
\nMadame Srella says ‘Ahh..you wish me to look into your soul and tell
\nyou what I see? Very well then Tharius, I shall…’<\/p>\n

Madame Srella leans her head toward you and whispers.
\nMadame Srella says ‘The aura of your goodness lights up those around
\nyou. Your conscious is clear.’<\/p>\n

Madame Srella appraises you, squinting as she examines your face.<\/p>\n

Madame Srella says ‘You must try harder to please your deity, good things will come.’<\/p>\n

Madame Srella peers down into the crystal ball thoughtfully.<\/p>\n

Madame Srella says ‘Many times your destiny carries you, when else you would fail.’<\/p>\n

Madame Srella gazes into the ball once more, and hums to herself softly.<\/p>\n

Madame Srella says ‘Now, for your reading…’
\nMadame Srella draws a deck of colorful cards from beneath her robe.<\/p>\n

Madame Srella closes her eyes and slowly shuffles and cuts the cards.<\/p>\n

Madame Srella places the deck of cards in the center of the table.<\/p>\n

Madame Srella says ‘The first card is the central issue in your life…’<\/p>\n

Madame Srella reaches forward and turns the top card over onto the table.<\/p>\n

Looking down at the card, you see that it is The Hanged Man.
\nMadame Srella says ‘This card represents spritual awareness and the assuredness that it brings. You wonder if you should sacrifice something of yourself for this noble purpose.’<\/p>\n

Madame Srella says ‘The second card is the challenge in your life…’<\/p>\n

Madame Srella turns the top card of the deck over and places it on the table above the first card.<\/p>\n

Looking down at the card, you see that it is The Wheel of Fortune.
\nMadame Srella says ‘This card represents fate and destiny. Your future depends upon that which has been done before.’<\/p>\n

Madame Srella says ‘The third card is the present…’<\/p>\n

Madame Srella turns the top card of the deck over and places it on the table below the first card.<\/p>\n

Looking down at the card, you see that it is The Hierophant.
\nMadame Srella says ‘This card represents religious influence and conformity, An inspirational teacher will reveal signs of spiritual importance leading to higher consciousness.’<\/p>\n

Madame Srella says ‘The fourth card is the past…’<\/p>\n

Madame Srella turns the top card of the deck over and places it on the table to the right of the first card.<\/p>\n

Looking down at the card, you see that it is The Lovers.
\nMadame Srella says ‘This card represents true love and equality. In the past you have made decisions based on intuition rather than intellect.’<\/p>\n

Madame Srella says ‘The fifth card is the potential outcome…’<\/p>\n

Madame Srella turns the top card of the deck over and places it on the table to the left of the first card.<\/p>\n

Looking down at the card, you see that it is The Magician.
\nMadame Srella says ‘This card represents concentration and control. You should exert your will and determination to see a project or idea through to its completion.’
\nMadame Srella says ‘We are done now. I hope that this has helped you.’<\/p>\n

I would have to find last year’s logs to see how this varies but you get the idea. \u00a0Whenever a mob uses the word sacrifice my radar pings, though it could just be atmospheric text.<\/p>\n

Continuing along we have 4 challenges preseneted to us. \u00a03 are games of luck, 1 is a game of Realms knowledge. \u00a0The first is the Ancient History challenge which are questions focusing in on deities. \u00a0I won’t list all the answers I found but I’ll leave it to you to figure i tout.<\/p>\n

An Azure Tent<\/strong><\/span>
\nBooks are littered throughout this tent, in stacks of various sizes and in
\nboxes scattered on the floor, making the tent itself seem comparatively small.
\nAny avid book-collector would not have much room in a tent of this size. An
\nopening in the southeast portion of the tent leads back to the main path
\nand the hustle and bustle of the Faire.
\nExits: southeast
\nA wizened old gnome peers at you from behind a stack of books.
\nVarkaus says ‘Welcome to my little corner of the universe, Tharius.’
\nVarkaus says ‘And what a wide, wide universe it is…’
\nVarkaus grins as if its thoughts are mischievous.
\nVarkaus says ‘Would you like to prove your knowledge of ancient history to me? Just give me 50,000 coins to play.’<\/p>\n

You give 50,000 coins to Varkaus.
\nVarkaus says ‘Here’s the question. Please respond by saying “the answer is (answer)”.’
\nVarkaus says ‘Which deity’s home is deep within the frozen wastelands?’<\/p>\n

You say ‘the answer is tirebaen’
\nVarkaus exclaims ‘Correct!’
\nVarkaus congratulates you with a big slap on your back!
\nVarkaus says ‘You could try another question, if you feel up for the challenge.’<\/p>\n

The spear throw and the axe throw are very similar, if you hit the bullseye you get a voucher to have Gordon carve you a figurine with your name on it. \u00a0I had so many at one point that I was handing them out to any mob I saw. \u00a0More on Gordon later. \u00a0You occasionally also get tokens.<\/p>\n

A Yellow Tent<\/strong><\/span>
\nThe interior of this bright yellow tent is well lit and extremely clean. Game
\nparticipants are lined up behind a low counter and throwing spears across a
\ndistance of approximately twelve yards. At the opposite end of the tent,
\nthree hoops are suspended from the ceiling. The smallest, inner hoop is the
\ntarget of the spear throw. Large, thin pieces of wood are placed against the
\ntent walls to prevent poorly thrown spears from going through.
\nExits: east
\nA stocky man is perched on a tall stool next to the throw line.
\nMaynard says ”Ello Tharius, this ‘ere is a game of skill. If yer wantin’ to play give me 5,000 coins.’<\/p>\n

You give 5,000 coins to Maynard.
\nMaynard says ‘Aye, a fine choice, Tharius. I’ll be telling ye the rules. While yer havin’ the spear in yer inventory ‘throw spear’. If yer spear goes through the outer ring, I’ll give ye 5,000 coins. The middle ring, she’s worth 7,500 coins. The inner ring’ll get ye a prize.’
\nMaynard pulls a spear out of the container standing at his feet.
\nMaynard gives you a throwing spear.
\nMaynard says ‘Best of luck to ye, Tharius.’<\/p>\n

You grab the spear in your strong hand and aim at the inner hoop.
\nYour spear wobbles and shimmies slightly as it flies through the air.
\nYour spear clangs noisily on the inner hoop as it passes through it.
\nMaynard says ‘That was a near one, you’ve got a bit ‘o luck.’
\nThe watching crowd cheers as the spear flies through the inner hoop!
\nMaynard says ‘Here’s a token for the prize booth…lots of nice things there.’<\/p>\n

You give 5,000 coins to Maynard.<\/p>\n

[…]<\/p>\n

You grab the spear in your strong hand and aim at the inner hoop.
\nYour spear flies through the air with perfect speed and direction.
\nYour spear sails easily through the inner hoop.
\nMaynard exclaims ‘Well done, Tharius!’
\nThe watching crowd cheers as the spear flies through the inner hoop!
\nMaynard gives you a spear throwing prize voucher.
\nMaynard says ‘Give that to Gordon in the market, he’ll hook ye up.’<\/p>\n

Axe throwing is the same idea, give coins throw thing and maybe you get coins, tokens or a voucher back.<\/p>\n

An Orange Tent<\/strong><\/span>
\nThe flap of this orange tent is tied wide open, allowing the noise and light
\nfrom the midway to pour in. A long strip of wood lies on the ground and is
\ndesignated the throwing line by a sign that hangs from the ceiling of the
\ntent. Ten yards from the throwing line there stands a large piece of wood,
\nwith several bull’s eyes painted on its surface in white and black paint.
\nA crowd of onlookers is lined up along the wall of the tent, trying to stay
\nas far back from the throwing line as possible.
\nExits: west
\nA powerfully built orc watches axes flying past him.
\nBrannox says ‘Hello Tharius, would you like to try your hand at throwing an axe? Give me 5,000 coins to play.’<\/p>\n

You give 5,000 coins to Brannox.
\nBrannox says ‘Very good Tharius, let me explain the rules. Simply ‘throw axe’ while you have an axe in your inventory. If you hit the target on the outer ring I will give you 5,000 coins. A hit to the inner ring gets you 7,500 coins. If you should hit a bullseye, you win a prize.’
\nBrannox unslings a throwing axe from his leather jerkin.
\nBrannox gives you a throwing axe.
\nBrannox says ‘Good luck, Tharius.’<\/p>\n

You hold the axe in your strong hand and
\nYour axe flies toward the target but veers to the side slightly.
\nYour axe lands just to the left of the target, in the inner circle.
\nBrannox says ‘Nicely done, Tharius.’
\nBrannox gives you 7,500 coins.<\/p>\n

Finally we come to the Realms distributor of pet rocks:<\/p>\n

The Duck Pond<\/strong><\/span>
\nA small pond has been dug out of the dirt behind a yellow tent, and filled
\nwith murky water and yellow rubber duckies. A large sign behind the pond says
\n“DUCK POND”. The path northeast to the main road seems well traveled, but
\nmuddy, and it’s hard to tell if this is an official game of the Midway or not.
\nExits: northeast
\nA slightly swampy pond of water contains a slew of soggy rubber duckies.
\nA grubby looking elf keeps an eye out for anyone ready to try their luck.
\nXarex says ‘Welcome, friend! Easiest game on the Midway…pick a duck, win a prize!
\nThe skinny elf grins hopefully.
\nXarex says ‘If you play, you win! Just 50,000 coins!’<\/p>\n

You give 50,000 coins to Xarex.
\nXarex grins broadly.
\nXarex says ‘Fabulous! Now just PICK DUCK. Red spot wins a big prize, black spot for a small!
\nXarex grins evilly.
\nXarex says ‘Good luck, Tharius!’<\/p>\n

You plunge your hand into the grimy pond and pull out a duck.
\nYou turn over the duck…to find a black spot on the bottom.
\nXarex smiles.
\nXarex says ‘Ah well, good try, good try.’
\nXarex says ‘Of course, every duck IS a winner. Here you go!’
\nXarex rummages beneath the pond sign for a moment.
\nXarex hands you a pet rock.
\nXarex chuckles nastily.
\nXarex looks for another customer ready to pluck a duck.<\/p>\n

I have gotten a few other prizes here but nothing startling.<\/p>\n

You turn over the duck…and find a red spot on the bottom!
\nXarex looks rather surprised.
\nXarex says ‘Oh…um, congratulations!’
\nXarex frowns at the ducks in the pond for a moment, then gathers his composure.
\nXarex says ‘Uh…of course, of course, a prize. Um, here you are. Take care of it.’
\nXarex grabs a glass bowl and scoops something out of the pond.
\nXarex hands you a small goldfish in a bowl.
\nXarex snatches back the winning duck, pushing it deeply into his pocket.<\/p>\n

Before leaving I needed to divest myself of the pets I had aquired:<\/p>\n

You drop a pet rock.
\nYou tell your rock to shake. It ignores you.
\nXarex kicks the small rock back under the sign.<\/p>\n

Cute.<\/p>\n

Moving along we’re nearing the end of the road but there’s still many things to see. \u00a0Indeed, one useless but funny item is just ahead. \u00a0For log rolling you’ll need to bring a friend with you.<\/p>\n

Log Rolling<\/strong><\/span>
\nA few wooden boards have been set down for participants to wait on, while they
\nwatch the log rolling to the west. The pool there looks dark, murky, and above
\nall, cold. To the southeast, cheering and laughter erupts from the bright,
\nwarm Faire.
\nExits: southeast
\nA burly lumberjack grins merrily at spectators and participants alike.
\nKurc says ‘Welcome, Tharius! Care to try your hand…er, your feet…at log rolling?’
\nKurc laughs merrily.
\nKurc says ‘Just 50,000 per person to test your skill against a friend!’<\/p>\n

You give 50,000 coins to Kurc.
\nKurc says ‘Ah, fabulous! We’ll just have to wait for an opponent for you, Tharius.’
\nReana gives Kurc some gold.
\nKurc says ‘Ah, good! You’ll be rolling against Tharius here.’
\nKurc shakes Reana’s hand. Reana winces.
\nKurc escorts you and Reana into the pond, helping you get up on the logs.<\/p>\n

You get up on the log. It teeters perilously beneath your feet.
\nIt begins to slip, and your feet rush to catch up.<\/p>\n

Next thing you know, the log is rolling!
\nReana concentrates on the slippery log, trying to keep her footing.
\nThe log slips and slides beneath your feet! Be careful!
\nReana stumbles, nearly toppling off the log!
\nYour feet move deftly, running over the log!
\nYou grin triumphantly at Reana.
\nReana concentrates on the slippery log, trying to keep her footing.
\nThe log slips and slides beneath your feet! Be careful!
\nSuddenly, Reana slips!
\nSPLASH!<\/p>\n

Grinning, you hop off the log and return to Kurc’s side.
\nKurc comforts Reana.
\nKurc exclaims ‘Tough break, Reana. Go dry off, then come on back to give it another try!’
\nKurc grins at you.
\nKurc exclaims ‘Congratulations, Tharius! Impressive footwork!’
\nKurc gives you a hearty slap on the back.
\nKurc gives you a copper token.
\nKurc exclaims ‘Let’s see, here’s a little something to remember the occasion by!’
\nKurc hums a little tune as he grabs a small heap of cloth from his personal stash.
\nKurc gives you suspendies and a bra.<\/p>\n

I did lose this a few times before finally dunking Reana, but this isn’t her blog, so you only get to see when I win.<\/p>\n

Wearing this layerable body item:<\/p>\n

You fit suspendies and a bra on your body.
\nHe’s a lumberjack and he’s okaaaaay….
\nHe sleeps all night, and he works all day!<\/p>\n

If you track Bob you’ll find something that looks a lot like Plinko \ud83d\ude42<\/p>\n

A Beige Tent<\/strong><\/span>
\nA long, colorful board filled with pegs is the centerpiece of this large tent,
\nbut the tent is also decorated with an assortment of flashing lights. Leading
\nup to the top of the playing board is a row of stairs, each step a different
\ncolor. Rows and rows of seats fill up the other side of the tent, where an
\naudience of onlookers sits and watches each contestant enviously.
\nExits: east
\nA long, upright board contains an assortment of pegs and slots.
\nAn elderly man in a black suit stands here, smiling.
\nAn elderly man is shrouded in flowing shadow and light.<\/p>\n

Here you need to put a coin into the board. \u00a0These gold coins, which are used elsewhere in Midway can be purchased from Maia. Once you have one, and the board is ready:<\/p>\n

You put a large gold coin in the playing board.
\nPLINK
\nPLUNK
\nPLINK
\nPLUNK
\nThe coin falls into the slot marked ‘5000’.
\nAn elderly man says ‘Here you go, Tharius.’
\nAn elderly man gives you 5,000 coins.<\/p>\n

In general this is a money losing board, though you will occasionally get a silver ticket. \u00a0It used to be that you got one of the parts for the storage bin here. \u00a0Once finished with Plunko you might want to visit the dunk tank, which also uses gold coins.<\/p>\n

The Dunking Tank<\/strong><\/span>
\nInside a large white tent, a large tank of water has been set up. A large
\nladder rises up one side of it, while over the top a mesh of fine wire has
\nbeen placed. The water inside the tank is very murky and still. Small piles
\nof bags, armor and various other items lie around on the ground waiting
\nfor their owners to return for them. A water-stained sign hangs from a nail.
\nExits: west
\nA thin woman stands here manning the dunking tank.
\nSaril is shrouded in flowing shadow and light.
\nSaril says ‘Ready to take a chance in the tanks eh?’
\nSaril says ‘Ask Maia for a coin, if you don’t have one already.’
\nSaril says ‘then we’ll play!’<\/p>\n

You cannot play this with aqua breath on, something about an unfair advantage \ud83d\ude42<\/p>\n

Saril tells you ‘I’m sorry, but you would have an unfair’
\nSaril tells you ‘advantage in this game. I can not let you’
\nSaril tells you ‘play this game, Tharius.’<\/p>\n

When you get rid of aqua breath:<\/p>\n

You give a large gold coin to Saril.
\nSaril pulls a lever and Tharius fall into a tank of slimy water!<\/p>\n

You cough and choke as you try to breathe water!<\/p>\n

The Tank<\/strong><\/span>
\nInside the dunking tank, the water is cold and very murky from the blood
\nof countless would-be dunking champions. It is impossible to see very far
\nin any direction. Thick slime covers the walls and floor of the tank. Small
\nfish swim around unaware of the fact they are living in a game. Somewhere
\nin this slime and murkiness, the token has been hidden.
\nExits: none<\/p>\n

From here you search until you find something, I have found copper, silver and marble tokens here or you drown. \u00a0You can also say ‘give up’ to get out without dying. \u00a0I’ve found it on the first few searches or on my last few hitpoints.<\/p>\n

Your search reveals a silver token!
\nYou get a silver token.
\nSaril hauls you from the tanks, smiling broadly.
\nSaril says ‘Congratulations, Tharius. Now you can keep the token for the prize booth, or give it to me for an instant prize.’<\/p>\n

I tend to turn in the coppers, I have no clue if the prizes get better if you turn in better tokens, but I’d guess there’s probably a chance at better stuff.<\/p>\n

After you dry off you can enter the tent that is the #1 reason many people come to the Midway (now that you’re not getting a storage bin). \u00a0The famous midway bow which can fire 3 rooms away but seems to scrap if anyone even walks past you! \u00a0They are nearly useless for damage but all you’re really trying to do is lure the mob towards your trap and then you swap to a forest bow or something else.<\/p>\n

An Archer’s Tent<\/strong><\/span>
\nYou walk into a long, thin, white tent, and stare down the way to two
\ntargets set side by side. Behind that are set several hay bales to catch
\nthe stray arrows of bad marksmanship. Closer to you is a weapons rack
\nfilled with bows of every type, size, and make. Coils of spare strings are
\nstacked next to bundles of arrows, along with several bullseye targets.
\nExits: northeast
\nAn archer stands here, looking over his assortment of bows and arrows.
\nCaspian the archer looks you up and down, grinning.
\nCaspian the archer says ‘Care to try your luck with a bow, Tharius?’
\nCaspian the archer gestures west to the targets.
\nCaspian the archer says ‘Easy enough to hit that, don’t you think?’
\nCaspian the archer gestures to the sign on the wall.
\nCaspian the archer says ‘Those are the prices Tharius, reasonable of course.’<\/p>\n

Caspian will suck you dry 300 or 700 coins at a time, the fee for the berating trash talk I assume.<\/p>\n

You fire a caspian arrow west.
\nYour arrow injures the target!
\nSsssnnNNnnnaaaaPPpp!
\nCaspian the archer snarls at you, for some reason.
\nCaspian the archer says ‘You barbarian, Tharius!
\nYou broke the target!’
\nCaspian the archer tells you ‘You’ll pay me 300 coins to fix this…’
\nCaspian the archer tells you ‘..or I’ll not set up another, Tharius.’
\nYou give 300 coins to Caspian the archer.<\/p>\n

You fire a caspian arrow west.
\nYour arrow wounds the target!
\nWhoooOOooshhhH SnnnNaaaAppP!
\nCaspian the archer yells ‘Arrrgh! Tharius is a savage!’
\nCaspian the archer tells you ‘This is not the strong arm tent, Tharius!’
\nCaspian the archer tells you ‘Get out! Out! Out! Out!’
\nA bellow of rage comes from inside the archer’s tent.<\/p>\n

You fire a caspian arrow west.
\nCaspian the archer says ‘The moon will bleed before you…’
\nCaspian the archer says ‘hit that!’<\/p>\n

You fire a caspian arrow west.
\nCaspian the archer says ‘You hit that tent \u00a0pole dead on!’<\/p>\n

You fire a caspian arrow west.
\nYour arrow brushes the target.
\nCaspian the archer says ‘Looked like that arrow was made of rubber! It bounced right off!
\nCaspian the archer snickers softly.<\/p>\n

After all this abuse I did walk away with a couple of winning shots:<\/p>\n

You fire a caspian arrow west.
\nYour arrow hits the target!
\nA sharp thwack echoes through the tent.
\nCaspian the archer says ‘Enjoy your prize Tharius!’
\nCaspian the archer gives you a toy marionette.
\nCaspian the archer pats you on your back.<\/p>\n

You fire a caspian arrow west.
\nYour arrow hits the target!
\nA solid thump sounds as the arrow hits home.
\nCaspian the archer says, ‘ooOOooOOooOOoo.’
\nCaspian the archer says ‘Damn good shot! Bullseye!’
\nCaspian the archer reaches under the counter for a prize.
\nCaspian the archer gives you a cuddly stuffed dragon.
\nCaspian the archer says ‘Enjoy, Tharius. It’s a rare item!’
\nA cry of victory rises from the archer’s tent as Tharius wins!<\/p>\n

A few more stops and we’ll have covered the main stretch, including the attainable container for this area. \u00a0I’ll leave out the solution in case publishing the solve causes these to become instantly rare too. \u00a0If you do it wrong you take damage or get slayed, but it doesn’t take too many tries to figure it out.<\/p>\n

A Motley Tent<\/strong>
\nThe interior of this tent is almost painful to the eyes. A riot of different
\ncolored pieces of canvas makes up the walls in randomly sewn patterns. The
\ntent is lit by a single glowing orb that floats near the roof and casts an
\neerie blue light. The silence here is almost perfect, just a few feet away
\nfrom the cacophony of the midway, hinting that there is magic at work.
\nExits: west
\nA strange looking box is resting here.
\nAn elderly mage sits here, floating several inches above the ground.
\nDuran smiles at you.
\nDuran says ‘Hello there, Lareawan. I’m afraid that all I can offer you
\nright now is a puzzle. If you’d like to try give me 25,000 coins.’<\/p>\n

You give 25,000 coins to Duran.
\nDuran cackles gleefully at you.
\nDuran says ‘Don’t worry if you can’t solve it, not many people can.’
\nDuran says ‘Oh, by the way, I can’t be held accountable for anything the box does…’
\nA strange looking box sits upon the ground. It has panels covered in
\nintricate runes on all sides that look as if they can be pressed. A
\ndifferent rune is located on each side: front, back, right, left and top.
\nDuran says ‘To use the box, press a panel location. For example, press right.’<\/p>\n

*Click*
\nAs you press the X\u00a0panel of the puzzle box your fingers feel warm.
\nDuran says, ‘ooOOooOOooOOoo.’
\nDuran says ‘Clicking is good.’<\/p>\n

*Click* *Click*
\nAs you press the X\u00a0of the puzzle box your hand feels warm.<\/p>\n

*Click* *Click* *Click*
\nAs you press the X\u00a0panel of the puzzle box your arm feels warm.
\nDuran thinks, ‘Hmmmm.’<\/p>\n

*Click* *Click* *Click* *Click*
\nAs you press the X\u00a0panel of the puzzle box your chest feels warm.
\nDuran says ‘I believe you might have it, Lareawan.’<\/p>\n

*Click* *Click* *Click* *Click* *Click*
\nThe panels of the puzzle box slowly slide open.
\nDuran exclaims ‘Wonderful Lareawan! Quite impressive!’
\nDuran rumages around in his satchel for a moment.
\nDuran exclaims ‘Well, all I’ve got is this old hat, I hope you like it!’
\nDuran gives you a magician’s hat.
\nDuran waves goodbye to you. Have a good journey.<\/p>\n

From here on out, have some fun arm wrestling and stopping into the pub.<\/p>\n

A Brown Tent<\/strong><\/span>
\nPlain wooden benches filled with an eager crowd line the walls of this simple
\nbrown tent. Bits of paper and food clutter the ground under and around the
\nstands, but the central area is kept well swept. A wooden table and two
\nchairs occupy the very center of the tent with torches attached to wooden
\nposts arranged in a circle around them. Dirt from the ground and the pungent
\nodor of physical exertion hang in the still air.
\nExits: east
\nA huge ogre lounges here, flexing his massive muscles.
\nGrolm the strongman says ‘Welcome to my tent Tharius, you appear to be strong.’
\nGrolm tells you ‘Would you care to test your strength
\nwith me? If you give me 500 coins, I will arm-wrestle
\nyou. Simply beat me and I will give you 1,000 coins.’<\/p>\n

You give 500 coins to Grolm the strongman.
\nGrolm the strongman exclaims ‘Come then, let us battle with the arms!’
\nGrolm the strongman leads you over to the table and sits down, flexing his fingers.
\nYou grasp Grolm the strongman’s hand in yours and signal your readiness.<\/p>\n

Grolm the strongman exclaims ‘Begin!’
\nYou strain with all of your might against Grolm the strongman.
\nYou overpower Grolm the strongman!!
\nGrolm the strongman says ‘Seems you have bested me this time Tharius.’
\nGrolm the strongman gives you 1,000 coins.<\/p>\n

Cliff’s Down and Dirty Bar & Grill<\/strong><\/span>
\nThis area is off to the side of the Midway. It is sheltered by a roof of
\nbranches and bits of cloth. Rickety looking tables with battered chairs are
\nset about the area, covered with dirty glasses and plates. Boisterous
\ndiscussions are taking place all around and occasionally a burst of loud,
\ninfectious laughter is heard. Torches that line the drinking tent make it
\nbright and cheerful, encouraging visitors to stay and enjoy the beverages.
\nExits: north
\nA few well-used stools are lined up next to the bar.
\nA brawny man in liquor stained leather, pours drinks from behind the counter.
\nCliff says ‘What’ll ya be havin’, Tharius?’<\/p>\n

[Lv Price] Item
\n[ 0 274] A delicate gypsy liqueur.
\n[ 0 687] A flagon of ale.
\n[ 0 343] A mug of warm apple cider.
\n[ 0 9624] Grog of the gargoyle.<\/p>\n

If you ride the Wheel of Wonders ferris wheel don’t just sit there like a lump like Zistrosk did, scry around and see the views from around the Realms.<\/p>\n

There are certainly puzzles left unsolved here. \u00a0I didn’t figure out how to get a giant stuffed YOURNAME\u00a0doll though I have a few ideas and I didn’t talk about the hall of mirrors.<\/p>\n

A Dusty Tent<\/strong><\/span>
\nThe air within this huge, multi-colored tent is thick with dust from the bustle
\nof many people entering and leaving. The ground here is littered with bits of
\nconfetti, suggestive of a celebration. A tasseled rope hangs from the center
\npole of the tent, swaying slightly. From the outside, a huge number of noises
\ncan be heard, making it difficult to isolate any one sound or voice. A wooden
\nsign is hanging from the southern wall of the tent painted in garishly colored
\nlettering. To your east is a tent flap that leads to whatever all this noise
\nmust be about…
\nExits: east
\nA tasseled rope hangs from the center of the tent.
\nA colorful poster can be seen on the tent wall.
\nAn overstuffed sofa sits before a television playing old reruns.
\nA large pine tree, covered in colourful ornaments, stands here for all to enjoy.<\/p>\n

look poster
\nA unique dragon has been patiently waiting in the Hall of Mirrors for all of
\nyou avatars. (Non-avatars, best to stay away from her.) If you’ve never been
\nto the Hall of Mirrors, seek out Claralinde in the Midway.<\/p>\n

If a player manages to find and kill the dragon, they will be credited with a
\nMidway lottery ticket that will be saved for them in another room. Players
\ncan win multiple tickets. This will be tracked over reboot. The dragon
\ncould be hoarding some other goodies too.<\/p>\n

When Midway closes on Sunday, the lottery will be held, with a few prizes
\nawarded, including a unique large storage bin to one lucky player!
\nYou do not need to be present to win.<\/p>\n

Reminder… as Claralinde’s sign warns you, killstealing is allowed in the
\nHall of Mirrors.<\/p>\n

To my knowledge only 1 kill has been done, and it took 5 players to do it. \u00a0It costs 1 million gold coins to get into the mirror maze and anything you kill will cause you to exit. \u00a0Expect to go in, kill the Hall of Mirrors guardians and to have to re-enter. \u00a0Until you clear them all it’s going to be quite hard to find the pit that the dragon is in.<\/p>\n

Good luck!<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

A while back I posted about exploring the Midway while it was open. \u00a0During that adventure I even posted up a small map to help get people started. \u00a0It’s back… Read More<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2},"_links_to":"","_links_to_target":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-496","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p4Tri1-80","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.realmsofdespair.info\/tharius\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/496","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.realmsofdespair.info\/tharius\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.realmsofdespair.info\/tharius\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.realmsofdespair.info\/tharius\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.realmsofdespair.info\/tharius\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=496"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.realmsofdespair.info\/tharius\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/496\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":498,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.realmsofdespair.info\/tharius\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/496\/revisions\/498"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.realmsofdespair.info\/tharius\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=496"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.realmsofdespair.info\/tharius\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=496"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.realmsofdespair.info\/tharius\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=496"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}