Eschalon: Trials of Shadowmirk

[Part of the Cursed story line]

After his previous misadventure, Rollo finds a map to Shadowmirk Tower and meets the acolyte Walter on the ground floor who says the headmaster designed this place to test want to be wizards. The pair team up to try reach the top, fighting off a horrible magic eye, crushing giant spiders underneath a portcullis and navigating the necromantic studies chamber where skeletons suddenly come to life. Rollo manages to escape and seal them in, but Walter isn't that lucky - destined to join the undead in their crypt.

Solving more puzzles on his own, Rollo eventually faces and defeats a raptor in "the proving chamber" before finally meeting headmaster Erubor who claims his tower is the last bastion against Gramuk's goblin hordes. Furthermore, he explains that Gramuk is mind controlling the chancellor into sending the continents armies elsewhere - making it easy for the goblins to expand their territory. The only thing that can shield against that is the grand gem Rollo found in the Blackwater bank which must be returned to its place at Bastion tower where it was previously stolen by two thieves.

I suppose the raptors are imported from Chult?

Alas, the only way to access said tower is through the goblin stronghold itself as Gramuk has sealed every other path magically and Erubor is too piss weak to do anything himself. On the plus side, Erubor mentions the stronghold is near a village of giants which rings a bell with Rollo, and so the swordsman arms up to the teeth with as many potions and bombs as he can afford then returns to the magic basement where he teleports back into the warmer climate of goblin territory.

Insight: Haste potions are very useful as they let you do two actions while the enemies only get one.

Eschalon: The Bridges

[Part of the Cursed story line]

The massive castle of Grimhold once served as the bridge across a deep and dark chasm. Unfortunately, the goblins had taken over this too and sealed the gateway. Now really annoyed at these green skinned creatures, Rollo took it upon himself to murder every last one of them within the castle, including their warlord after managing to access the opposite end through the underground maintenance section and reopen the bridge.

Not the safest of bridges ever built...

Finding a good supply of flammable demon oil, Rollo returned to Vela and burned all the goblin archers with it then lured their leader and his pet minotaur into a supply of explosive barrels for one hell of a detonation. With the town cleared, he finally found his brother Ragner - dying from the wounds suffered during his torture. Before expiring, Ragner blames him for the loss of their ship and all their bad luck then tells him to find Erubor of Shadowmirk Tower but fails to actually give directions so Rollo wanders around a bit and finds a strange magic-looking basement.

After fiddling with the alembic he accidentally activates a teleporter and finds himself in a warm, desert region full of acid slugs! He has a small ocean of them chasing him when he encounters a village of giants. Luckily, they are friendly and try to assist him. While very strong in combat, the giants cannot escape the exploding acid each time they kill a slug and ultimately both sides are totally wiped out. Rollo honors the giants by taking whatever valuables they have and teleporting the hell out of there once more.

Insight: Always lure and kill. Blind corners are your friends against archers.