Team 6: Julie, Helen, Samantha and Helen from Leek, Staffordshire.
The sixth quest of Series 7 was for the Sword and lasted 50 minutes.
Pre-quest
Majida: "This is our sixth chance to beat them? Not much of a chance with this one..."
Level 1
The quest begins in a dwarf tunnel, where Julie encounters Brother Strange.
Brother Strange: "My only advice to you is to seek the apothecary, but do not go empty-handed."
They arrive at Grimdale. Goblin horns sound, but Treguard tells everyone not to panic.
Treguard: "Grimdale is an official sanctuary, which means that folk from the dungeons and other places are allowed in here in trade, so long as they show no aggression."
Spyglass: Lissard unveils a cunning plan to capture Romahna, which will help them get to Smirkenorff. Fear decides to send the brigand, Raptor.
Lord Fear: "About time he earned his ship's biscuit."
Julie is approached by Romahna, who accuses her of robbing stallholders. They warn her about Lord Fear's plan to kidnap her.
In exchange, she points them in the direction of the apothecary's stall.
Romahna: "He's an alchemist as well as an apothecary and the Town Fathers can't abide explosions."
Another wooded clearing, where they find some clues: a bar of gold, an Arkenstone, and a bottle of Catnip.
The scroll reads: "Newsflash! Romahna captured by Raptor! Dragon-girl doomed!"
Julie takes the gold and the Catnip. A pooka appears for the first time this season!
Rothberry's stall is on the outskirts of town. We soon find out why, as he sends something up in smoke.
Rothberry soon realises that his destroyed potion could have been valuable to the team. However, he finds some INSIGHT powder to exchange for gold.
A troll is patrolling the gate. Julie uses the powder for extra vision to get past it.
At the gateway, Raptor is torturing Romahna to open the door. Julie drinks the Catnip and turns into a large black cat, scaring off the superstitious brigand.
Raptor: "Lordship or no lordship, I want no part of this..."
Romahna opens the gate and orders Smirkenorff to take Julie to Level 2.
Level 2
Julie finds a spyglass in the rift valley.
Spyglass: Lord Fear is scolding Sylvester Hands for drinking on duty.
Lord Fear: "One half of ale, you think you're Genghis Khan; two, you think you're the entire Mongol Horde."
Hands is ordered to leave a Wand of Majesty where Hordriss will find it. It is actually a 'self-freezer' that Lissard has disguised.
Lord Fear: "When Hordriss tries to use it, CLINK! Two hundred pounds of deep-frozen, boring wizard Hordriss flavour."
A huge troll strides in, so Julie has to make a swift exit.
The Level 2 clues are in a dwarf tunnel. The scroll reads: "One for the road... two for a friend". They take a jug of extra-strong ale and an Arkenstone, leaving a glowlight.
The Brollachan is awaiting Julie in the next courtyard. Nobody knows the answer to its final question. Treguard reminds them that it's clueless, so they must convince it with a guess.
Next, Grimaldine is in a study.
In return for the Arkenstone, he offers the combination to 'the Death of Spears'.
Into the mural room, where Sylvester Hands is perched inside the artwork. Nobody notices him until he leaps out!
He warns Julie not to run or struggle or he will summon the goblins. Meanwhile, Julie pours some of the ale into a mug and persuades him to drink it.
Mindful of his warning from Lord Fear, he initially resists, but soon changes his mind.
Corrr! That'll put hairs on your bottom!
To celebrate making a friend, he leads a rendition of '10 dead goblins' before collapsing in a stupor at the table. A brilliant scene!
The team completes 'The Trial by Spikes' using the combination from Grimaldine.
Hordriss is leading an Academy of Magic. Sidriss interrupts with a birthday present, which turns out to be the disguised Wand of Majesty.
Julie spoils the party by warning him that it's a trap. Hordriss uses trap-detection powder on the wand to reveal Fear's hidden sorcery. Sidriss is in tears!
As a reward for saving him, Hordriss rewards Julie by revealing the descendant device.
Hordriss: "May fortune attend your every step."
Level 3
Julie calls out 'Level 3' to activate the descender.
The corridors of Goth are foreboding, with a skeleton locked in the pillory. A troll soon begins its pursuit.
At the Sewers of Goth, Grimaldine appears. He plans to recover the Brollachan from Lord Fear's Tower and sets Julie a challenge.
I have secreted three powerful pieces of great magic on this level. As fragments, they cannot be detected by the opposition. Unite them and they form a powerful holding spell.
As he rows Julie across the sewers, he reveals that the fragments form part of the Arken Shield.
The Level 3 clue room. The scroll reads: "Welcome to Level 3. The wand is called 'Reveal'. Shop carefully."
The clues are: a spell scroll, which says GROWME; a glowlight; a wand; and a 'Truesight' potion. They take the wand and the potion.
Spyglass: An incensed Greystagg reveals that Witch Haven has been destroyed. Lord Fear bullishly calls it 'the march of progress'.
Lord Fear: How is the former ruler of the former Witch Haven?
Concerned that she might attempt some sort of voodoo magic, he threatens her, giving away her calling name.
A little bird told me that if I were to say 'Gwen' three times, I should get a most welcome visitor.
They enter a stone room, where a troll continues its pursuit. Majida says there is something magic there.
Julie uses the Reveal wand which uncovers a piece of the Arken Shield high on the wall.
The team spell-cast GROWME so Julie can retrieve it. They quickly reverse the spell and get Julie out before the troll arrives.
Onto the 'Play Your Cards Right' puzzle. Julie uses the 'Truesight' potion, but almost falls at the first hurdle by nearly pressing the wrong '2'!
With that overcome, they become the first team to survive the puzzle. They collect the second piece of the Arken Shield at the end.
We thought we were going out. When we finished we were shaking a lot.
Into a generic blue room, where Julie collects the final piece of the Arken Shield. She now has the ammunition she needs...
Hear from the team
In February 2000, winning dungeoneer Julie signed the Guestbook:
Knightmare was such a good laugh to be on, and me and my team were really glad to make such good friends with Dan and his team. BUT whatever he tells you, their win was not infinitely better than ours. So there!!
My favourite bit was getting Sylvester Hands drunk. (I quite fancied him without his make-up on!!)
