[Let's Play] Fighting Fantasy 16 - Seas of Blood Redux

[Beroli]

The Banshee cuts through the quiet waters of the Inland Sea; your look-outs keep a continuous watch on the clear horizon for any sign of shipping. Test your Crew Strength; an 18 fails, so add 5 days to your Log. Now your Log is an odd number.

The square rig and wide hull of a merchantman appear on the horizon. It is a large vessel, heavily laden and possibly well armed, ploughing its way west from the Eastern Rim to the city of Kish.

Attack it?
Leave it be and look for something smaller?

Adventure Sheet:
Jack Sinbad
Skill: 12/12
Stamina: 14/14
Luck: 10/10
Crew Strike: 12/12
Crew Strength: 10/10
You are wearing a helmet.
Gold: 215
Slaves: 10
Log: 17
Deaths: Eaten by a Bark Biter, shipwrecked and then eaten by a Roc

[Dogopolis]

Att-AAAACK

What was the Roc's base attack strike?

It looks like we rolled 4 3 2 3 2 5 2, what a nightmare of luck!

[Beroli]

Oops! Previous post edited with the information; the Roc had Strike 10, Strength 4.

(Failing that Luck test leads to fighting the Roc alone instead of on a ship. Its stats are a tidge more impressive when they're Skill and Stamina.)

[JourneymanN00b]

I vote to attack it.

[Thaluikhain]

Attack.

[deaddmwalking]

Yes. Pirate the vessel.

[Beroli]

You give full sail to the Banshee and bring her rapidly alongside the sluggish merchantman. Your crew brandish their scimitars and crossbows as you lean across the gunwale, shouting to the other vessel's captain and crew, 'Surrender your cargo and passengers or you will lose your lives as well as your ship.' This brings an unexpected response. A hooded figure, obviously a Warlock or Magus, steps aside from the gaggle of frightened passengers and performs a short spell, which summons a hellish Shade and sends it like a smoky cloud across the space between the ships to attack you, the captain.

SHADE Skill 11 Stamina 6

Jack Sinbad Attack Strength: 23, SHADE Attack Strength: 17. SHADE's Stamina is 4
Jack Sinbad Attack Strength: 16, SHADE Attack Strength: 22. Jack Sinbad's Stamina is 12
Jack Sinbad Attack Strength: 20, SHADE Attack Strength: 18. SHADE's Stamina is 2
Jack Sinbad Attack Strength: 17, SHADE Attack Strength: 23. Jack Sinbad's Stamina is 10
Jack Sinbad Attack Strength: 20, SHADE Attack Strength: 19. SHADE is dead.

The crew and passengers of the merchantman, aghast at the Warlock for provoking you so, rush and seize him. Trussing his arms with a stout rope, they push him overboard into the sea, leaving him to drown or be taken by the sharks. The captain climbs into the rigging and shouts, 'Forgive us for harbouring such an unworthy fellow. We place ourselves at your bountiful mercy!' His crew and passengers vigorously agree. Boarding the merchantman, you seize 120 Gold Pieces and, in a fit of good will, take only 2 of his passengers as slaves--add these items to your Booty. Returning to the Banshee, you allow the merchantman to continue its journey.

Continue to patrol the Inland Sea by heading toward the Shoals of Trysta?
Change course and travel toward the west coast for a bit of coastal raiding?
Change course and travel toward the Eastern Rim for a bit of coastal raiding?

Also highlighting the option to rest here.

Adventure Sheet:
Jack Sinbad
Skill: 12/12
Stamina: 10/14
Luck: 10/10
Crew Strike: 12/12
Crew Strength: 10/10
You are wearing a helmet.
Gold: 335
Slaves: 12
Log: 17
Deaths: Eaten by a Bark Biter, shipwrecked and then eaten by a Roc

[JourneymanN00b]

I vote to do everything up to the roc encounter, as I believe the death was a result of some very bad die rolls.

[deaddmwalking]

Okay. I can see that working.

[Dogopolis]

I vote to try the western edge rather than helping the sprites, but if we do go east i agree to afterwards follow the path again.

[Thaluikhain]

I second going up to the roc again.

[Beroli]

Going to the Eastern Rim wins 3-1.

You sail onwards, passing the bleak red dunes of the Eastern Rim's Sea of Fire--so named because of the intense colouring of the infertile earth. Test your Crew Strength; the result is 13, failure, so add 6 days to your Log.

One evening, with the sun setting over the sea to the west, you notice a phosphorescent wreck in the water to the side of the Banshee. Heaving to, you drop anchor and dive overboard for a closer look. You see a merchant vessel, lying in shallow water, with two large holes smashed in its hull - one in the stern and the other in the bow.

You swim into the hole in the stern.

The hole leads into the captain's quarters, where you confront half a dozen Sea Sprites. These anxious little creatures dart nervously from side to side as you enter the vessel, then rush into the far corner of the room where they whisper together in high-pitched squeaks. Finally, one of them swims forward cautiously and says, 'We are magical creatures, O brave adventurer from the world above. If you will help us to recover a treasure, we will speak on your behalf to our cousins, the Wind Sprites, who will surely make your ship the fastest on the seas.'

You agree to help them.

'A predatory Krell, which inhabits a cave under this vessel, has stolen the Skull of Salt,' explains the Sprite. 'This is our most precious relic, given to us by Father Sea, which, by its magic, keeps the sea and fresh waters of the world separate. We must have it back.' The Sprites give you a magic potion which enables you to stay underwater without needing to breathe, and then show you to the Krell's cave beneath the wreck. The entrance tunnel descends vertically into the sea-bed. Swimming down, you notice that the walls are heavily pocked with wide, deep holes.

You continue swimming down into the cave.

The cave sprouts a large side-tunnel which disappears into murky darkness in front of you, while the main cavern continues straight down.

You change direction and go down the side passage.

The side-tunnel winds for a long way into the sea-bed. In one stretch you notice that the walls, ceiling and floor of the passage are covered entirely with the skulls and other bones of a variety of creatures. Long-snouted skulls, thigh bones as big as your whole leg and other, more human, remains are easily identifiable. One skull, which looks like a Unicorn's, stands out especially white and clean.

You decide to take that skull.

Grasping the skull by its single horn, you pull with mighty force. Test your Luck; a 5 succeeds.

The horn breaks free from the skull, which stays firmly embedded in the wall. A Unicorn's horn is a lucky find at any time, but here, under the ocean, it is doubly so. Restore 2 points to your LUCK. You continue along the tunnel.

The tunnel ends quite suddenly in a large rocky chamber. Sitting on the irregular floor, its insanely complicated limbs folded about a spiked shell, is the Krell. Its stalked eyes consider you, while it toys with a boulder in its claws. 'Food,' it says. 'Mmmm, food. Yes, food.' With a kick of its legs, it attacks.

KRELL Skill 8 Stamina 12

Jack Sinbad Attack Strength: 23, KRELL Attack Strength: 12. KRELL's Stamina is 10
Jack Sinbad Attack Strength: 17, KRELL Attack Strength: 13. KRELL's Stamina is 8
Jack Sinbad Attack Strength: 22, KRELL Attack Strength: 12. KRELL's Stamina is 6
Jack Sinbad Attack Strength: 14, KRELL Attack Strength: 11. KRELL's Stamina is 4
Jack Sinbad Attack Strength: 15, KRELL Attack Strength: 13. KRELL's Stamina is 2
Jack Sinbad Attack Strength: 20, KRELL Attack Strength: 18. KRELL is dead.

Having killed the Krell, you search its cave, until you find what you were looking for--the Skull of Salt. Returning to the Sea Sprites with their prize, you are rewarded with a blessing to make your journey a rapid one. From now on, when you Test your Crew Strength, you use two dice rather than three. You surface, climb back on board the Banshee and set sail.

You go southwest into the Inland Sea toward the Shoals of Trysta.

The Banshee ploughs on towards the Shoals of Trysta. Test your Crew Strength; an 8 succeeds, so add 4 days to your Log.

As you near the treacherous reefs off the island of Trysta, a vicious squall starts up from the north and looks as if it might turn into a major storm.

You tack north, into the wind, to sit out the foul weather.

You bear into the wind. Roll one die; the result is 2, so you add 2 days to your Log. Your Log is now an odd number.

The storm abates, leaving clear skies and a still sea in its wake. 'Cap'n,' cries the look-out, pointing south, 'merchant vessel that way; looks like it's been damaged by the storm.' Heeling the Banshee about, you approach the large ship which, you see, has lost a mast and most of its canvas.

Board and sack the vessel?
Try to frighten the ship's master into handing over all his gold without a fight?

Adventure Sheet:
Jack Sinbad
Skill: 12/12
Stamina: 10/14
Luck: 10/10
Crew Strike: 12/12
Crew Strength: 10/10
You are wearing a helmet.
Gold: 335
Slaves: 12
Log: 29
Deaths: Eaten by a Bark Biter, shipwrecked and then eaten by a Roc

[Thaluikhain]

Board and sack.

[Dogopolis]

Blather and frighten.

[JourneymanN00b]

I vote to try and frighten the ship’s master.

[deaddmwalking]

Evil monolog? Yes please! Let's frighten them!

[Beroli]

Drawing the Banshee up beside the wallowing vessel, you lean nonchalantly on the gunwale and call across to the captain, 'Hey! You there, fathead! Hand over all, and I mean all, your gold and I won't sink your ship, enslave you and your crew or steal your cargo.' The captain, with a bit of prompting from his nervous crew, agrees to this generous offer. He sends over a small boat with his gold--117 Gold Pieces--which you add to your Booty. You leave the merchantman. The Shoals of Trysta lie some short distance to the south.

Sail around the shoals to the island of Trysta?
Head southwest toward Kish?
Head southwest toward the Roc?
Travel southeast toward the Channel of Goth?

Adventure Sheet:
Jack Sinbad
Skill: 12/12
Stamina: 10/14
Luck: 10/10
Crew Strike: 12/12
Crew Strength: 10/10
You are wearing a helmet.
Gold: 452
Slaves: 12
Log: 29
Deaths: Eaten by a Bark Biter, shipwrecked and then eaten by a Roc

[deaddmwalking]

We were trying for the roc again, no? Half vote for that.

[JourneymanN00b]

I vote for the roc again.

[Dogopolis]

Kish first, I want that gold.

[Beroli]

Indeed--if you go to the Roc, you're skipping over Kish. Vote accordingly.

[JourneymanN00b]

Oh right, let’s do the Kish path and do everything our hero did there before the Roc.

[Thaluikhain]

Kish then roc.

[deaddmwalking]

Okay. Change my vote to Kish first.

[Beroli]

Test your Crew Strength; a 6 succeeds, so add 5 days to your Log.

As you approach the city of Kish, numerous sightings of heavily armed but sluggish war galleys on the horizon impress upon you the foolishness of a raid on the city. Instead, you steer towards the Kish Isthmus, a wide peninsula of land protected by sheer, unbroken cliffs. These cliffs deter large-scale invasions into the rich lands beyond, but a small force, such as you and your crew, might be able to scale them to conduct a lightning raid inland. Dropping anchor when you reach this isthmus, you take your crew on the long and dangerous climb up the cliffs. Test your Skill with a -1 penalty; an 8 succeeds.

You reach the top of the cliffs and look across the wide tablelands of the Kish Isthmus, dotted with fields, settlements and forests. A few miles away is a small town.

You sneak through the cornfields.

Flitting like dark pack-wolves through the high golden ears of corn, you advance towards the Kishian town. Test your Luck; an 8 succeeds.

When you reach the outskirts of the Kishian town, you see that there are no regular soldiers of any kind. Having lined your men up under cover, you give the order to charge. With a mighty roar, they sweep forward into the unprepared settlement, the town militia giving only piecemeal resistance.

TOWN MILITIA STRIKE 6 STRENGTH 10

The Banshee Attack Strength: 20, TOWN MILITIA Attack Strength: 18. TOWN MILITIA's Stamina is 8
The Banshee Attack Strength: 18, TOWN MILITIA Attack Strength: 15. TOWN MILITIA's Stamina is 6
The Banshee Attack Strength: 19, TOWN MILITIA Attack Strength: 8. TOWN MILITIA's Stamina is 4
The Banshee Attack Strength: 22, TOWN MILITIA Attack Strength: 18. TOWN MILITIA's Stamina is 2
The Banshee Attack Strength: 21, TOWN MILITIA Attack Strength: 11. TOWN MILITIA is dead.

With the militia defeated and most of the townsfolk fled into the neighbouring countryside, you proceed straight to the local courts, to seize the public assets. Marching boldly through the chaotic mess that your men have made of the building's interior, you come to the vaults, whose locks your pirates have just crowbarred free. When you open the massive iron doors, a ferocious black Sith Orb lunges out and attacks. You fight this terrible beast alone.

SITH ORB SKILL 10 STAMINA 10

Jack Sinbad Attack Strength: 16, SITH ORB Attack Strength: 19. Jack Sinbad's Stamina is 8
Jack Sinbad Attack Strength: 14, SITH ORB Attack Strength: 14.
Jack Sinbad Attack Strength: 23, SITH ORB Attack Strength: 20. SITH ORB's Stamina is 8
Jack Sinbad Attack Strength: 17, SITH ORB Attack Strength: 12. SITH ORB's Stamina is 6
Jack Sinbad Attack Strength: 21, SITH ORB Attack Strength: 18. SITH ORB's Stamina is 4
Jack Sinbad Attack Strength: 16, SITH ORB Attack Strength: 14. SITH ORB's Stamina is 2
Jack Sinbad Attack Strength: 18, SITH ORB Attack Strength: 20. Jack Sinbad's Stamina is 6
Jack Sinbad Attack Strength: 22, SITH ORB Attack Strength: 14. SITH ORB is dead.

Stepping past the body of the Orb, you enter the vault, where you find 130 Gold Pieces--add this to your Booty.

You beat a hasty retreat to the Banshee.

You sail to the Roc.

Add 2 days to your LOG. The Roc is an island formed by a single enormous mountain jutting out of the ocean. Its peak is almost continually shrouded in cloud, while the lower slopes are covered with dense forests. It is named after a species of gigantic bird which sometimes uses the higher slopes for nesting. Test your Luck; an 8 succeeds.

While you are sailing past the island, the ship suddenly falls into a very dark and sharply defined patch of shade. Looking up, you see an enormous bird, somewhat like a buzzard, only several hundred times bigger. It circles above the Banshee a couple of times, then descends in a steep dive to attack. Your crew take up weapons to defend themselves.

ROC STRIKE 10 STRENGTH 4

The Banshee Attack Strength: 20, ROC Attack Strength: 17. ROC's Stamina is 2
The Banshee Attack Strength: 23, ROC Attack Strength: 18. ROC is dead.

The bird crashes into the ocean and sinks from sight.

Land on the island?
Continue on your way through the straits and into the Southern Sea?

Also highlighting the option to rest.

Adventure Sheet:
Jack Sinbad
Skill: 12/12
Stamina: 6/14
Luck: 8/10
Crew Strike: 12/12
Crew Strength: 10/10
You are wearing a helmet.
Gold: 582
Slaves: 12
Log: 36
Deaths: Eaten by a Bark Biter, shipwrecked and then eaten by a Roc