Summary

The web content describes an interactive, game-like story where players engage in mental and physical challenges at a monastery to earn rewards that will aid them in future quests.

Abstract

The narrative unfolds as part of the Medium Adventurers League (MAL) training quest, where participants are tasked with solving riddles and engaging in strategic games to collect glass marbles. These marbles represent the player's success and determine the nature of the gift they will receive from the monastery. The games include a riddle about choosing doors, playing chess, dodging combatants, and climbing a precarious ladder. The story integrates elements of chance, skill, and decision-making, with the ultimate choice between the Sky Path and the Earth Path, each offering different advantages for the player's character development.

Opinions

Tempest, the game master, is portrayed as clever and enjoys testing the player's wits.
The narrative suggests that the player's choices and ability to solve problems are crucial to their success.
The use of glass marbles as tokens for successful challenges adds a tangible element to the player's progress.
The option to choose between the Sky Path and the Earth Path implies that the game values the player's personal playstyle and character alignment.
The inclusion of the Monty Hall problem as a riddle indicates a preference for games that challenge conventional wisdom and encourage logical thinking.
The story emphasizes the importance of honor, as symbolized by the sacred raptor bone given to the player.
The challenges are designed to test a variety of skills, from mental acuity in chess to physical agility and balance in the roof-climbing task.

Fiction | Game | Medium Adventurers League ⚔️

A Storm of Games at the Monastery

Part of a MAL training quest

This is part of a story that works as an interactive game. You’ll need to have some paper and dice at the ready! Click here for the beginning of this training story. You can also return to the start of the Medium Adventurers League. Find a reminder of the rules here.

“A candle, a candle,” cackles Tempest, now sitting down. “Ah, yeh’ve gotta love a riddle.”

She rests her hand on the bowl of glass marbles. “Now, we are going to try some tests of the mind, of your wits and cunning, yes? Each time you win a game, I’ll give you a glass token.”

On your character sheet, keep track of how many marbles you accumulate in total over all of the tasks.

“Right…” you say, unsure where this is all leading.

“Sit!” she yells, now glaring at you as if you are a naughty puppy.

You sit.

“And afterwards,” she continues, in a much softer voice, “when you leave, the number of marbles will determine what gift — if any — our monastery provides to help you on your future quests.”

“Oh. A gift!”

She nods. “Sort of. Haha. Hahaha. The riddle was game number one. Now — another.”

You nod.

“Listen carefully,” she says. “Suppose you’re adventuring in a dungeon, and you’re given the choice of three doors. Behind one door is a money chest; behind the others, a murderous gnoll. You pick a door, say door 1. The the ‘master of the dungeon’, who knows what’s behind each door, opens another door — we can say door 3. There is a gnoll, which she kills for you. She then says to you, “Do you want to switch your choice to door 2?” Is it to your advantage to switch your choice?”

Note down your answer, then check the correct answer at the foot of this page.

After your response, Tempest snickers again, apparently delighted with her own cleverness. She then hands you a peculiar item — a thin, light bone.

You gain: the bone of a raptor.

“Birds of prey are sacred to those who value honor. Don’t forget! Hehehehe. Now, have you ever tried chess? Ah… of course you have!”

Trickery Encounter: Playing chess with Tempest.

Challenge rating: Medium (roll 15+).
Roll using wits.
You play three games, so roll three times.

For each successful roll, Tempest gives you a flawless glass marble.

After your game, Tempest leads you to a long, thin room where several robed monks are engaged in hand-to-hand sparring.

You watch their ritual, dance-like fight for a moment. “Oh… so, a combat test this time?”

She shakes her head.

A young male monk appears, and introduces himself as Feldspar. He leads you to the end of the room. “This is about timing and stealth,” he says in a gravelly voice. “We will show you how to get away from trouble.”

Trickery Encounter: Dodging the combatants.

Challenge rating: Easy (roll 10+).
Roll using wits.

If you succeed, you pass without taking a hit. You gain one glass marble.
If you fail, you get hit, and don't get the reward.

Try this up to five times.

Next, Tempest and Feldspar take you outside the building. You look again at the several robed monks working on the ancient structure.

“Finally, a test of balance.”

Feldspar leads you to the end of the building. “You see that ladder?” he says.

You look; indeed, a very tall ladder runs up the side of a partially ruined tower. A wave of vertigo hits you just from looking at it. “Mm hmm…?”

“Up there, over the top, down to the ridge of the main roof. I’ll see you on the far side.”

“But what if I…”

“Don’t worry. Our people will keep an eye on you. We have a couple of healers. And… just stay grounded.”

You are trembling as you begin to mount the ladder…

Trickery/Physical Encounter: Clambering along the roof.

Challenge rating: Easy (roll 10+).
Roll using both wits plus brawn.
For example, if your wits score is 2 and your brawn is 1, you would add +3.

Roll three times.

If you succeed, all three rolls, you reach the end. You gain two glass marbles.
If you fail, roll once again and add just brawn.
 - Failure, and you fall, and fail the task. Lose 2 health, and the task is over.
 - Succeed, and you somehow hold on. Keep going.

When you and Feldspar return to the front of the building, Tempest is waiting.

“Are we done?” you ask, looking around.

“Not quite,” says Tempest. “There is the matter of your gifts. And you must make a choice before the test is over.”

“Is this about the paths?” you ask, recalling Yorrick’s words.

She nods, eyes twinkling. “The Sky Path can guide your mind and spirit. It is for the high minded. For when your use of wits focus on knowledge and intuition.”

“Or the Earth Path,” rumbles Feldspar. “For a resilient soul rooted in the rocky roots of the world. If you dare to venture in darker places, and use your wits for trickery, subversion, and the ways of the rogue.”

“So, what’s it to be, then, kid?” prompts Tempest.

If you choose the Sky Path, click here.
If you choose the Earth Path, click here.

If you have previously made this choice, you must stick with the same choice this time. Paths are for life!

Answer to the money/gnoll problem: yes. It would be advantageous to switch door. It would increase your chances of winning from 33% to 66%. If you chose ‘switch’, you gain a marble from Tempest. See more here.