Let's Play Fighting Fantasy #6: Deathtrap Dungeon

[Ikeren]

Can I vote to turn back and join up with the Barbarian too?

[Darth Rabbitt]

We've already done so. (Damn, I'm missing lots of responses today.) Current choices are:

Accept the Barbarian's offer? (to lower you down the pit)
Offer to lower him down if he is so eager to investigate the pit?
Suggest that you both jump over the pit instead?

[Shrapnel]

I vote accept Barbra's offer.

[Darth Rabbitt]

You tie the rope around your waist and take hold of the lighted torch given to you by Throm, as your Barbarian ally calls himself. Taking hold of the slack rope, Throm lowers you slowly over the edge of the pit and down into the dark depths below. You can see by the light of the torch that the sides of the pit are extremely smooth. You drop about twenty meters before hitting the bottom of the pit. There you see another tunnel heading north and you call up to Throm and tell him of your discovery. He calls back, saying that he is going to tie the rope around a protruding rock on the edge of the pit and will come down and join you. You hear him climbing down and soon you are together again. Throm retrieves his rope by shaking it off the rock, and you set off north along the new tunnel.

On a stone ledge in the tunnel wall you see two dusty leather-bound books. Throm grunts his contempt for the written word, urging you to leave the books and hurry on. Will you:

Open the red leather book?
Open the black leather book?
Continue north along the tunnel?

[OgreBattle]

ah, this is hard. One one hand, the nice shirtless man thinks we shouldn't open the book

... on the other hand, it's a Thing to Open, and Opened things are more interesting than unopened

[Red_Rob]

Red or black? Hmmm, well...

Let's see what Wesley has to say.

[Korgan0]

Black it is, then.

[Darth Rabbitt]

(Black is the new black.)

The book's pages are sealed together, but a small hole has been cut out in the middle of them, just large enough to hold a small corked bottle containing a clear liquid. You show it to Throm, who holds up his hand, indicating that he does not want you to come anywhere near him with it; his distrust of things unknown is strongly evident. Will you:

Drink the liquid?
Rub the liquid into your wounds?
Open the red book (if you have not done so already?)
Leave the bottle and book to continue north with Throm?

(So we know that opening the red book will not kill us, from the note mentioning that we might have done so already. Interesting.)

[Red_Rob]

I love the fact our guy finds a bottle of mysterious liquid in the Deathtrap Dungeon, and rather than sniff it or try a drop on his finger, his immediate response is to either guzzle it or rub it into an open wound. It's like he goes through life grabbing and eating or smearing himself in everything that comes within arms reach, like an ADHD child with no impulse control.

Fuck it, down the hatch! What's the worst that could happen?

[Darth Rabbitt]

(Given how quickly we can wolf down meals and guzzle down potions I suspect we have an eating problem, and assume anything that might be food or drink should be consumed, like mushrooms that would've obviously killed us.)

The potion is a magical potion which will enable you to detect hidden traps. Add 2 LUCK points. If you have not done so already, you may open the red book, otherwise you must continue north with Throm.

(WTF is with us getting shitloads of luck points after we down our potion? No biggie, we're cool so far. Now shall we open the red book? Or just go?)

Errol Flynn (as portrayed by Cary Elwes)
SKILL 9/10
STAMINA 14/19
LUCK 13/13
Equipment: Leather Armor, Sword, Shield, Opal-Studded Dagger, Amulet of Strength
Gems: Emerald, Ruby, Sapphire
Gold Pieces: 2
Provisions: 1 Meal (+4 STAMINA)
Potions: Potion of Trap Detection (active)
Other: Manticore Parchment, Wooden Mallet, 10 Iron Spikes, Iron Key
Running total of deaths: 3
Running total of "Fuck that shit:" 3
Excess LUCK points: 4

(Double edit: Since we're getting so many damn LUCK points and haven't used any, I'm willing to let us barf up our LUCK potion and act if we never used it. That would set our LUCK at 10/12 but give us the potion later on, which would probably be useful. Our character Errol Flynn here is probably going to barf up something at the rate he eats, anyways.)

[Korgan0]

Open the red book, hopefully we'll be able to befuddle our enemies through Jungian psychoanalysis.

[Shrapnel]

Errol Flynn has no eating problems! His stomach is a gateway to a vast and varied alternate universe where calzone golems and that weird ass Papa Gino's pizza cutter mascot mascot can do battle for eternity.

[Darth Rabbitt]

(Or Maoism, if the book is little enough.)

As you open the book, it begins to disintegrate and the pages turn to dust in your hands. You manage to keep a few fragments and read the handwritten script. The book appears to be about monsters, and from what you can make out it contains a full description of a monster called the Bloodbeast. It is a horrific bloated creature with tough, spiny skin and facial blisters which burst open to become mock eyes, evolved to hide the Bloodbeast's only weak spot - its real eyes. Bloodbeasts usually dwell in pools of fetid slime which give off a poisonous gas. This gas is so strong that it can easily knock people unconscious. The Bloodbeast, although too bulbous to haul itself out of its slime pool, has a long and vicious tongue which it wraps around its victims before it drags them into its pool. As the victim's flesh begins to decompose in the vile slime, the Bloodbeast will feed from it. You tell Throm about the grotesque Bloodbeast, but he merely shrugs his shoulders and tells you to get going.

(I'm guessing that this is the final boss, because of all the gimmicks, details, and shoot the weak point for massive damage. Also it's on the cover of the book. Doesn't it sound adorable? -^.^-)

The tunnel turns sharply to the right, continuing east for as far as you can see. Throm stops and tells you to halt as well. He turns his head slowly from side to side, listening. "I hear footsteps coming down the tunnel towards us," he whispers. "Draw your sword." You both crouch down to hide in the shadows, and not a minute too soon, for later you see the silhouette of two armed figures approaching. Throm jumps up and dashes forward, screaming a loud battle-cry. There are two CAVE TROLLS in front of you. Throm attacks the first one with his battleaxe, and you run to his aid and attack the second Cave Troll.

CAVE TROLL SKILL 10 STAMINA 11 (Fuck, this thing is crazy strong. I'mma gonna test our Luck to Hatchet Man the fucker. Downside is we can't barf our Luck Potion now. Upside is that this thing would probably murder us if we didn't.)

Combat Log:

Troll 17, you 19. Luck test: Auto-success! It's at 7.
Troll 16, you 18. Luck test: Auto-success! It's at 3.
Troll 17, you 14. We're at 12.
Troll 16, you 12. We're at 10.
Troll 17, you 13. We're at 8.
Troll 17, you 16. We're at 6.
Troll 15, you 14. We're at 4.
Troll 16, you 14. We're at 2.
Troll 13, you 17. Luck test: 10, success! It's dead.

You look to your left and see Throm standing over the Cave Troll he has slain. Blood is pouring out from a deep cut in his shoulder, but it does not seem to worry him. You search the bodies of the Cave Trolls, but find nothing apart from a bone ring on a leather cord hanging round the neck of one of them. The ring is engraved with a symbol which Throm recognizes. He explains that it must have belonged to druids of the north and that an ancient talisman such as this will increase your powers if your body is able to accept it. Throm will not touch it, and advises you to leave it well alone.

Do you want to put the ring on or rather continue east with Throm?

(Shit that Troll fight was close; told you so. Do we want to eat our last helping of delicious jellied eels?)

SKILL 9/10
STAMINA 2/19
LUCK 10/13
Equipment: Leather Armor, Sword, Shield, Opal-Studded Dagger, Amulet of Strength
Gems: Emerald, Ruby, Sapphire
Gold Pieces: 2
Provisions: 1 Meal (+4 STAMINA)
Potions: Potion of Trap Detection (active)
Other: Manticore Parchment, Wooden Mallet, 10 Iron Spikes, Iron Key
Running total of deaths: 3
Running total of "Fuck that shit:" 3

[Korgan0]

Scarf down a meal, put on the ring. We need every bit of help we can get.

[Darth Rabbitt]

(Meal: eaten. +4 STAMINA.)

As soon as you put the ring on your finger, your whole body starts to shake. Roll two dice. (4, the total is less than our SKILL score)

Your body continues to vibrate intensely and you feel as if you are about to pass out. But your strength is great, and you manage to withstand the tremendous shock to your system. Finally you calm down and begin to feel the ring's beneficial powers working on you. Add 3 STAMINA points. You see Throm looking at you anxiously, so you reassure him that you are fully recovered. He strides off east and you follow him eagerly.

(That was pretty damn good for us, actually.)

The tunnel leads into a damp, high-ceilinged cavern with a rock-strewn floor. Long dripping teeth-like stalactites hang down threateningly, their constant dripping creating milky pools on the floor. The tunnel passes on through an archway carved in the shape of a demonic mouth.

Do you wish to search the chamber or rather head straight for the archway?

SKILL 9/10
STAMINA 9/19
LUCK 10/13
Equipment: Leather Armor, Sword, Shield, Opal-Studded Dagger, Amulet of Strength, Magic Bone Ring
Gems: Emerald, Ruby, Sapphire
Gold Pieces: 2
Provisions: None
Potions: Potion of Trap Detection (active)
Other: Manticore Parchment, Wooden Mallet, 10 Iron Spikes, Iron Key
Running total of deaths: 3
Running total of "Fuck that shit:" 3

[Korgan0]

Search it, I think.

[Darth Rabbitt]

You walk around the cavern, but find nothing of interest. Throm calls out behind you, saying that he has found a leather pouch under a pile of rocks. Opening the pouch he laughs out loud as a tiny mouse runs through h his finders and scurries off into a crevice between two boulders. Suddenly you hear the sound of cracking rock above you, and look up to see stalactites breaking off the roof. Throm's booming laugh, which still echoes through the chamber, has made the stalactites vibrate and break off. You yell at Throm to run through the archway as the stalactites start to crash to the floor. Test your Luck. (4, success!)

(Throm is a pretty cool guy. His laughs cause cave-ins and he doesn't afraid of anyone.)

Despite the stalactites crashing all around, you manage to dash through the archway without injury. You look round and see Throm thundering towards you, one arm held over his head for protection. He dashes into the tunnel and leans against the cold wall, panting heavily. He apologizes for starting the rock-fall and offers you his hand to shake. You tell Throm that maybe he should use sign language in future, even for laughing! You both smile and head off east once more.

The tunnel ends at a large oak door. Throm wastes no time in trying the handle and is somewhat surprised to find the door unlocked. He pushes it open and walks into a torch-lit chamber. Sitting alone on an ornate chair is a DWARF, who bids you enter the chamber. As you do so, the oak door swings shut behind you. "Adventurers, you have done well to get this far," the Dwarf says in a deep voice. "However, as you both know, there can only be one winner in the Trial of Champions. As Trialmaster, it is my duty to Baron Sukumvit to let only the most able continue. Therefore, I must devise a test of wits and strength to eliminate one of you. Please do not attempt to dispose of me. It would be utterly pointless, for, as you can see, there is no obvious way out of this chamber and only I know where the hidden exit lies. Now if you would care to decide between you who will go first, I shall make the necessary preparations." You look at Throm, suddenly angry that your effective partnership might come to an end. He leans over and whispers in your ear that you should try to kill the Dwarf and worry about the exit later.

Do you wish to join Throm in attacking the Dwarf or rather persuade Throm to go through with the Dwarf's test?

EDIT: should post adjusted stats.
SKILL 9/10
STAMINA 9/19
LUCK 9/13
Equipment: Leather Armor, Sword, Shield, Opal-Studded Dagger, Amulet of Strength, Magic Bone Ring
Gems: Emerald, Ruby, Sapphire
Gold Pieces: 2
Provisions: None
Potions: Potion of Trap Detection (active)
Other: Manticore Parchment, Wooden Mallet, 10 Iron Spikes, Iron Key
Running total of deaths: 3
Running total of "Fuck that shit:" 3

(Our stats are now 9/9/9. Herman Cain would be proud.)

[OgreBattle]

(Throm is a pretty cool guy. His laughs cause cave-ins and he doesn't afraid of anyone.)

He dashes into the tunnel and leans against the cold wall, panting heavily. He apologizes for starting the rock-fall and offers you his hand to shake. You tell Throm that maybe he should use sign language in future, even for laughing! You both smile and head off east once more.

....

You look at Throm, suddenly angry that your effective partnership might come to an end. He leans over and whispers in your ear that you should try to kill the Dwarf and worry about the exit later.

They should be calling this Lovetrap Dungeon. I'm with Throm on this.

[Darth Rabbitt]

(Yeah, Throm/Errol is my OTP <3 <3 <3)

As you rush towards the Dwarf, he pulls two hand darts from his belt and throws them at you and Throm, hitting both of you in the leg. Lose 2 STAMINA points. As though glued to the floor, you can only watch as the Dwarf retrieves the dart from your thigh. He asks whether you are willing to enter his contest now. You strain to nod your head. Slowly, the effects of the poison wear off and mobility returns. The Dwarf beckons you to follow him, telling Throm to await his return. He opens a secret door in the chamber wall and you follow him into a small circular room. He closes the door behind you and hands you two bone dice, telling you to throw them on the floor. You roll a six and a two, a total of eight. The Dwarf asks you to roll again, but this time you must predict the total: will it be the same, or higher or lower than eight?

(No Luck Test to avoid the darts or chance to fight this fucker?)

(Don't worry Throm, our love will find a way.)

Do you:
Wish to guess that it will be the same?
Wish to guess that it will be total less than eight?
Wish to guess that it will total more than eight?

SKILL 9/10
STAMINA 7/19
LUCK 9/13
Equipment: Leather Armor, Sword, Shield, Opal-Studded Dagger, Amulet of Strength, Magic Bone Ring
Gems: Emerald, Ruby, Sapphire
Gold Pieces: 2
Provisions: None
Potions: Potion of Trap Detection (active)
Other: Manticore Parchment, Wooden Mallet, 10 Iron Spikes, Iron Key
Running total of deaths: 3
Running total of "Fuck that shit:" 4

[Ikeren]

Less than 8. Because this is totally a test of wits and strength.

[Korgan0]

Yeah, less than eight.

I assume it's just testing basic mathematical knowledge, or something.

[Red_Rob]

I bet we're going to have to roll the fucking dice after we guess aren't we? Best to guess under, but those odds ain't good.

I wonder how Throm will fare? On second thought, Barbarians probably play dice games all the time in the seedy taverns they usually frequent. I bet Throm is a friggin Statistics Major with all the dice throws he's seen.

[OgreBattle]

I wonder how Throm will fare? On second thought, Barbarians probably play dice games all the time in the seedy taverns they usually frequent. I bet Throm is a friggin Statistics Major with all the dice throws he's seen.

Barbarians have an intuitive sense of statistics and probability, that's what their uncanny senses and "I don't trust rubbing this on my body" attitude comes from.

[Username17]

My assumption is that the dice are loaded and always roll the same thing. Because that is the only thing I could think of that would make such a guess a test of wits or something rather than just a coin flip.

-Username17

[Red_Rob]

The entire book is predicated on situations like "Do you pry the gem out of the statue you just encountered? Yes? Oh, then you're dead, no save."

It's effectively been coin flips all the way, why change now?