Skulking About

I've been finding it difficult to find enough time to do what I'd like in the Reals of Despair lately. I started a major project in real life 8 weeks ago. It was meant to be for 3 weeks however it keeps being extended. Hopefully though it is nearly complete.

Recently there have been a couple of major updates to the Realms of Despair including the new area The Wilds and the introduction of two new racial equipment sets. I've been wanting to have a good look for the drow but found trying to kill random mobs on my only avatar drow character - a mediocrely dressed nephandi was more trouble than it was worth. My solution to this problem was to make a new drow and decided to go for a warrior since they are easy to level and decent for killing things solo at level 50.

My first problem with levelling the warrior though was that I was low on a lot of low level equipment in particular items from the Sentinel and Gauntlet areas. These two areas have lots of great items on them especially for getting your damage roll up. The problem with the Gauntlet area is you need a sentinel item to unlock the door to the area ever since years ago they made it impossible to use the portal spell to create a doorway to the area. The problem with sentinel items are they tend to be like pens for me in real life - I'm always lending them out to people, never getting them back and then can't find one when I personally need it.

To get a sentinel one must get it off the Skulk.

Talking to Papa Kurst at the start of the area tells you a little about his story:

Kusnir
This part of the village is the square, onto which the small collection of two storey whitewashed buildings face. Visible from here are such structures as a temple, an inn and several small shops, though none of them appear to contain much of interest to an adventurer. Netmakers, boatbuilders and fisherman congregate nearby, all profiting from the bustling trade made possible by the fish-rich waters of Lake Spendlowe, which lies to the southwest; its waters are visible from here. Several villagers stop and stare at you, curious at your strange attire and foreign ways. Many of the smaller settlements of the Realms are rather parochial, and it seems that Kusnir is no different. A busy inn lies to
the north; doubtless you will find sustenance and perhaps information in this place.
Exits: north east west
A grizzled old man stares in concern at the walls of the inn.
Papa Kurst says 'Greetings, fair adventurer, and welcome to Kusnir.'
Papa Kurst says 'I wish I could welcome you under more pleasant '
Papa Kurst says 'circumstances, but our little village is in dire peril.'
Papa Kurst frowns.
Papa Kurst says 'Kusnir has recently become the hunting ground of a beast,'
Papa Kurst says 'we presume it to be a Skulk, which slips in during the'
Papa Kurst says 'night and slays the weak and elderly. Normally we would'
Papa Kurst says 'have the means to deal with such a threat, but this being'
Papa Kurst says 'has proved to be... Unusual. Tell me yes, if you'd hear more.'
Papa Kurst raises an eyebrow expectantly, awaiting your reply.

> tell kurst yes
You tell Papa Kurst 'yes'
The grizzled old man says to you 'The skulk has the village living in fear.'

The tricky part with the Skulk is he hides away right at the end of the area and only characters below level 20 can travel through the Sentinel area. Killing some of the mobs requires magic weapons and on a drow they can quickly mess up your alignment too far towards the good side of the alignment spectrum. Add on that once you do get to the Skulk's lair there is a good chance he won't be there since he appears once per reboot at a random time. If you are lucky though and he is there then you need to say the right words...

The Skulk's Lair
This plain rocky chamber is unremarkable in appearance and content; what is remarkable is the nature of the beast that inhabits it. Namely, a Skulk. The same red writing you saw in the village covers the walls here, with little variation (Skulks aren't very bright, it would appear some force has possessed the foul beast and caused it to scribble such graffiti). The question is, what is the riddle behind the whole mystery you have thus far
uncovered? Perhaps the Skulk will know.
Exits: west
(Hide) A thin white creature huddles near the wall.
As you approach the Skulk, a voice speaks inside your head.
The Sentinel tells you 'At last you have found me! Pray, take me'
The Sentinel tells you 'from the hand of this vile creature, and'
The Sentinel tells you 'place me on your own. There is an evil force'
The Sentinel tells you 'at work in the world, and I need you to take'
The Sentinel tells you 'me and wield my power for the common good. I'
The Sentinel tells you 'would ask that you spare the Skulk, for it'
The Sentinel tells you 'has borne me well, despite its evil nature.'
The skulk looks at you imploringly, proffering the Sentinel. What say you?
The Sentinel tells you 'Will you take me? Speak thus if so!'

> say i will take you
You say 'i will take you'
The skulk smiles happily.
A tear rolls down the creature's cheek.
The skulk stops using The Sentinel.
Someone exclaims 'No! We have so much more to do! Please, skulk, wear me!'
The skulk thinks, 'Hmmmm.'
The skulk gives you The Sentinel.
The Sentinel yells 'Hark, Gauntlet of Evil, I come for thee!'
With this final gesture, the Skulk slips outside into the darkness.
 

And with this you are now set to adventure into the Sentinel. After a couple of trips around the Gauntlet I managed to get my drow warrior up to level 24 and had it dressed as follows:

You are using:
<used as light>      black depravity
<worn on finger>     a gold ring
<worn on finger>     a gold ring set with jade
<worn around neck>   a spiked collar
<worn around neck>   a spiked collar
<worn on body>       (Glowing) white scale mail
<worn on head>       an iron nasal helm
<worn on legs>       leggings of dark dragonscale
<worn on feet>       a pair of dancing slippers
<worn on hands>      (Humming) The Gauntlet
<worn on arms>       quilted leather sleeves
<worn about body>    the Duke's robes
<worn about waist>   (Humming) a belt of sharp spikes
<worn around wrist>  a lion-crested bracer
<worn around wrist>  a lion-crested bracer
<wielded>            a silvery longsword with black runes
<dual wielded>       a silvery longsword with black runes
<worn on ears>       the earrings of Solace
<worn on eyes>       visor of enlightenment
<worn on back>       [nothing]
<worn over face>     [nothing]
<worn around ankle>  [nothing]
<worn around ankle>  [nothing]

With this set up my warrior has 56 damage roll - enough to race through the following levels and hopefully up to level 50 soon enough. And hopefully soon I'll have enough time to do more on the game I'd like and less skulking around myself.