Series 8 Episode 4

[avenueroad]

I am very happy now that if Team 2 was to win, they would have needed to find Hordriss. It's definite because he was the only sorcerer left. They had the SAVANT spell to summon him but as they did not earn that very name, they also needed to ask either Maldame or Bhal-Shebah in order to do so. If they were supposed to ask Maldame if she knew any mages, then the team had entered 'losing status' - they would have been forced to call her even though she forbade them. Otherwise it would have come from Bhal-Shebah. I originally didn't take the dragon guarding the quest object seriously because I thought that the team would not have stood a chance come what may, as it killed the first team. But now I am very happy that Daniel would have been able to defeat the dragon by convincing it to argue with itself in order to not only save themselves but also earn just one more piece of information - the name 'Hordriss'. Therefore, the need to call Maldame would have been averted. Then in the side chamber, somewhere quiet, they would have just needed to summon Hordriss by casting the SAVANT spell and then calling out that very name aloud before Lord Fear's cunning plan is put into use. If the mage's name was to come from Bhal-Shebah, I think it would have argued about the mage's magic not working so well close to Lord Fear and his normal hatred of technomancy, resulting in the team thinking if Hordriss would be able to get the team out of Marblehead and back to the antechamber.

I wonder what Tim Child think of this. Note that when I reviewed the Corridor Of Blades entrance, I take it that the team's last day's recording had just started. Have a look at the first advisor's skullcap when the team walk through the Marblehead corridors and the COB entrance. There is a significant difference! Therefore, I wonder if the production crew had to make a start on the would-be endgame i.e plot it. This is a very good hint for any of the crew who cannot remember all those years ago.

[Pooka]

With you on most of this.

I'm pretty sure that the team would have had a final encounter with Bhal-Shebah and the way to distract him/them would have been to cause Bhal to argue with Shebah, either through verbal trickery or using some item or spell they were yet to obtain. There was a clue in an earlier spyglass sequence, although I'm not sure the team would have picked up on it. There may, of course, have been some sort of hint later on...

I'm not sure casting SAVANT would have been that complicated, though, considering the meaning of "savant" - I think it would have just summoned Hordriss outright in the final chamber, facilitating their exit (through the sewers á la Dunstan)!

[avenueroad]

It's now 25 years ago since this episode was originally broadcast, so it's definitely time for an update on what would have happened if the team was to win.

Treguard and Majida would have explained about Team 1's death and Lord Fear's claim on Bhal-Shebah.

The team would have greeted the dragon then tell it about how capable or incapable it was using info from the Level 3 spy glass session. But I think there would have had to be a little more than that. I have been looking at some Doctor Who scenes from the Sylvester McCoy era like when the Doctor confronted the Dalek Supreme and carried on talking to it until it was defeated. I think Daniel would have used a so called 'deadly term' called 'Go Ahead' i.e. "Go ahead, kill me." Sounds crazy, but I think the dragon would then have argued whether to kill him or not i.e Bhal would have assumed that permission was to be given while Shebah would have argued that it was to be a dare - therefore not do it. The Doctor talked to two snipers into disarming themselves by telling them to kill him in The Happiness Patrol - he knew they couldn't kill him.

With the dragon arguing and descending into the pit, Daniel would have drawn the sword but maybe the dragon was to stop arguing after a while and start to ascend again, making the team do exit quickly.


For the SAVANT escape, Treguard would have told Majida about Hordriss. He would have told her that Hordiss can be summoned, but only if he was still in the dungeon, knowing that Merlin was long gone. I think that Maldame didn't tell the team everything about the spell. If I am right, only one name could have been used - once a name was used that was to be it. The team would have had to deliberate whether or not Hordriss could get them out before casting the spell and decide very quickly, as Lord Fear had a cunning plan. I don't think Lord Fear would have turned up unless the team called Maldame. If the team was to call Hordriss, he would have got them out through the sewer using technomancy.

[Morghanna]

Team 2 met Maldame again and traded the word-key for an enchanted gem, which opens gates, and a "SAVANT" spell.
Used the gem to enter Marblehead and reached the corridor of blades. They were told they needed the "sight" potion, which they had traded away, so they had to just go for broke and eventually got sliced.
It didn't look any more difficult than usual (altho of course it's never easy) but the pressure caused them to err. Gideon wrongly told Daniel to move left, but Daniel momentarily started to move his weight to the right, then checked himself and moved left, just before Gideon corrected himself and told him to move to the right! This double change of stance delayed him for a moment and he failed to dodge the blade.
Team 2 were an entertaining team and it woz a pity to see them fail so near to the end.

Team 3 were assigned the quest for the (poisoned)chalice and immediately encountered Stiletta. She warned the about Bartram.
Entered the level 1 clue-room and learned that they needed to buy a charm called "risky". Easy choice to take the gold and "invisibility" potion.
Moved easily thru fireball alley, then ran into Bartram. Nathan was very confident and drove a good bargain to obtain the "risky" potion.
Managed the rune-locked door easily, then used their potions to dodge the skeletron and open the trapdoor to level 2.

Confronted by Snapper-Jack and were part-way thru his test when time ran out. A nice cliff-hanger.
(Advisor Karen gave the correct answer to the first riddle and they ignored her. )

Team 3 looked like an enthusiastic and very intelligent team. Nathan seemed very confident and proactive. It's always good to see dungeoneers who can think for themselves.