A pact with the powers of darkness

Hogan licked his lips nervously and cast a glance around the glade. His companions had busied themselves with preparations to strike camp and were paying the Acolyte scant attention. The time was now. Hogan slipped between the trees and moved some distance away from the others, heart beating fast. Compose yourself, he thought, this is not the first time. Nor is it the last. Finding a secluded spot he seated himself, and forced his lips to frame the first of the three prayers required by his dark masters.

Hogan, as always, his stomach churned as the powers of darkness responded to his call. Hogan. Our loyal servant calls once again upon us. What do you require, Hogan?

Power, master, Hogan replied, power that I am owed by our pact. Honour our pact and grant me now this power.

Power we will grant you, Hogan. As always, there is a price. How might our loyal servant pay us that grant him power?

I may pay with all that is mine to give, master. Say but the word. Hogan knew the words by rote.

Indeed you shall. We have need Hogan. Need of your BLOOD, need of your STRENGTH, need of your SOUL. How shall you pay for the power that is to be yours?

Hogan's mouth was dry. He knew he could not consider the question too long. I will pay with my blood master. Honour our pact and grant me the power!

~~~~~~~~

A shuddering cry disturbed the glade. The party leaped to defensive postures. There was a moment of silence, then Hogan staggered into view and stood pallid and trembling, leaning heavily on a tree near the edge of the glade.

"Hogan!", exclaimed the Knight, "Are you alright?"

The Acolyte raised his head. His features were haggard and pale and pinched with pain, but his eyes burned brightly from beneath his dark brows as he regarded the others.

"Yes. Yes I am. Let's go"

Where We Are

It's been a quiet three months.

Not for me; Connor is three months old now.

No, it's been quiet for development Escape From The Maze. Very quiet.

I have done a few things: replaced Attack Rate a better implementation, removed base stat boosting at level up (it becomes a bonus option rather than something you can spend a modifier point on), added some minor content, and tweaked a few things.

There was a complaint on the project page that the source distro wouldn't compile. This is valid, because it's just a roll up of the source code. He raises a good point though, and I'll aim to have a working source distro up before I upload the next release. That'll come when I have some free time...

I have been playing some Frayed Knights, it puts the little boy to sleep. I recommend it, although it's a very different flavour of Wizardry clone to what I'm aiming for.