[Let's Play] GrailQuest 4: Voyage of Terror

[Omegonthesane]

Backtrack and see if we can find a rocket launcher somewhere else.

[RogueOne]

Holy T-rex, batman!

We do not want to fight this thing, if we can avoid it.

Let's push on and hopefully find another way out. I think it unlikely that a reasonably accessible item is out there that will make up for the dino's stacked stats.

[SGamerz]

I should have made it clear, but if you choose to turn back now, please vote for which island to sail for next, since we've already checked the other branches here.

SEA CHART:

QUEST JOURNAL:

Pip's LIFE POINTS: 38/54
Permanent Life Points: 14

EQUIPMENT CARRIED:
Rusty Dagger (+2 damage)
Sword (hits on 6, damage +3)
Spear (hits on 6/thrown 8, damage +5/thrown +10, only attack once every 2 rounds/thrown once every 3 rounds)
New Dagger (hits on 6, damage +1, attack twice per round)
One-piece armour (worn) (damage -2, shatters on 12 after taking the 1st hit in every combat)
Spare armor x2 (damage -2, shatters on 12 after taking the 1st hit in every combat)
Rope (50ft coil)
Grappling hook
Backpack
Flint and steel (for lighting fires)
Ceramic lamp
Box of biscuits
Wallbanger Ritual Spell Scroll (Appendix, p.217)
Healing Potion (+2D6 LP, 6 doses)
Jar of Salve (+3 LP, 5 applications)
Magical Quinine (cure for malaria)
Poison Stiletto (damage +1, poison causes 2 LP loss every combat round, additional hits are cumulative, 11/12 doses)

MONEY: 3020 GP

EXPERIENCE POINTS: 2
ENEMIES DEFEATED:
Old Sea Dog (2x)
Poisonous Spider
Ship's Cook (2x)
16 Guards
10 Scoundrels (2x)
Rock Thern
PUZZLES SOLVES:

No. of Deaths:
1) LP drained by Shadows on Skull Island

[Darth Rabbitt]

I'll agree with RogueOne. Press onwards.

[SGamerz]

Press on it is!

You enter a smallish cavern, the walls of which are covered in greenish moss, which smells vaguely of apple-mint.

You can try nibbling a piece of the moss at 156.

There are two exits from this cavern, to 101 and 83.

We're already covered in green crap, do we want to fill ourselves with more random green stuff?

[Omegonthesane]

Eat (green) shit and (hopefully not actually) die.

[RogueOne]

Eat!

[SGamerz]

It's restored your LIFE POINTS! What an interesting find! The only problem is that however much you eat, it will only do the trick once. But still, it was a bit of a bonus and an unexpected one at that.

Cavern exits lead to 101 and 83.

I know you guys want to press on (anyway, the T-Rex blocks the way back, so it's not much of a choice now), so on to 83:

You have entered a large, crystalline cavern, glinting blue sparkles from walls, floor, and high, vaulting roof. As you move forward cautiously, the sound of your footsteps, muted though they are, echoes to set up a high, soft, musical vibration which sings pleasantly in your ears.

Set in the centre of the cavern is a blue crystalline slab, cut and polished like a giant gemstone. On the slab is a transparent box, within which you can see a massive blue-green egg. Inlaid in the lid of the box are three coloured squares, one red, one green, one blue. Something tells you that pressing these squares will open the box. But in what order?

If you press red, followed by green, followed by blue, go to 164.

If you press green, followed by red then blue, go to 175.

If you press blue, then red, then green go to 188.

If you press red, then blue, then green go to 121.

If you press green, blue, red, then go to 134.

If you press blue, green, red, then go to 108.

There's no explanation why Pip doesn't have the option to not try and open the box.

What do we do here?

[RogueOne]

You study the graffiti, frowning. It reads:

'The contents of the box are plain to see
But opening it requires great ingenuity.
Regard the rainbow. Note the order of its colours
Then follow them to make your choice, otherwise death
Awaits you.'

So the first option, red, green, blue.

[Thaluikhain]

I'd second that.

[SGamerz]

Looks like you did it--the box has opened!

Or maybe you didn't, since the egg inside is cracking open too. And emerging from it is (you're not going to believe this) a tiny Tyrannosaurus Rex!

Or then again, maybe you did: the little terror looks friendly. In fact, he gives your hand a lick before bounding off to find a good cave to live in where he can grow big enough to savage unwary adventurers.

You will find a tiny golden key in the remnants of the eggshell and may leave the cave by returning to 115.

Pip gains a puzzle point for picking the right answer to this puzzle.

If he picked any other combination, the box still opens, but the Baby T-Rex attacks, and it's only slightly weaker than the adult version!

Unfortunately, the real bad news here is that there's no other exit - Pip now has to go back past that big T-Rex again!

Dice roll = 8! The T-Rex is awake this time!

What do we do now?

Try to bribe it with everything we have (we can keep our new shiny key)?

If we fight, what do we use?

Do we unleash the Wallbanger and hope for the best?

Do we want to put on our spare pieces of armour for -6 damage just for this fight (this means a 1/3 chance of it shattering the first time we're hit)?

QUEST JOURNAL:

Pip's LIFE POINTS: 54/54
Permanent Life Points: 14

EQUIPMENT CARRIED:
Rusty Dagger (+2 damage)
Sword (hits on 6, damage +3)
Spear (hits on 6/thrown 8, damage +5/thrown +10, only attack once every 2 rounds/thrown once every 3 rounds)
New Dagger (hits on 6, damage +1, attack twice per round)
One-piece armour (worn) (damage -2, shatters on 12 after taking the 1st hit in every combat)
Spare armor x2 (damage -2, shatters on 12 after taking the 1st hit in every combat)
Rope (50ft coil)
Grappling hook
Backpack
Flint and steel (for lighting fires)
Ceramic lamp
Box of biscuits
Wallbanger Ritual Spell Scroll (Appendix, p.217)
Healing Potion (+2D6 LP, 6 doses)
Jar of Salve (+3 LP, 5 applications)
Magical Quinine (cure for malaria)
Poison Stiletto (damage +1, poison causes 2 LP loss every combat round, additional hits are cumulative, 11/12 doses)
Golden Key

MONEY: 3020 GP

EXPERIENCE POINTS: 3
ENEMIES DEFEATED:
Old Sea Dog (2x)
Poisonous Spider
Ship's Cook (2x)
16 Guards
10 Scoundrels (2x)
Rock Thern
PUZZLES SOLVES: 1

No. of Deaths:
1) LP drained by Shadows on Skull Island

[Omegonthesane]

Wallbanger can't possibly make us more fucked. Use it.

[RogueOne]

Agreed

[MisterDee]

Okay...

if we put on the full armour set, and it doesn't screw us, we should expect to last 14 rounds or so.

(If the armor explodes, we'll last two or three rounds top, but if we only put limited armour we won't last that much longer so meh. Incidentally, 9-12 on 2d6 is 27.7%, because normal curve.)

Obviously, fast dagger is out. I don't think the sword or spear are going to save us either.

Poison dagger might work however. What are the rules on in-combat healing again? Stacking the DOT and quaffing potions might be an option (I figure Wallbanger is either a plot coupon, or a random throw of the dice that may kill it, us, or do random shit.)

[Thaluikhain]

I vote trying Wallbanger.

Falcon doesn't have trouble fighting T-Rex monsters.

[SGamerz]

Poison dagger might work however. What are the rules on in-combat healing again? Stacking the DOT and quaffing potions might be an option

There's actually no explicit rules stated in this series against in-combat healing, although I've not done that before thus far, more out of habit than anything simply because they are usually prohibited in most gamebooks.

With that said, as mentioned there're no actual written rules to stop us. I think I will allow it, but make it take up one action (so if Pip uses a potion he can't attack that round).

The poison dagger works if Pip manages to roll 11 or 12 during an attack due to the T-Rex's -5 armour.

Anyway, there're 3 votes to Wallbang now, so Pip uses the mysterious ritual:

Appendix II
The Wallbanger Ritual

DO NOT READ THIS SECTION UNTIL READY TO CAST THE SPELL

WARNING: READING THIS SECTION USES THE SPELL FOR THIS ADVENTURE

***

To perform the terrifying, arcane Wallbanger Ritual, you will need a peaked cap, pencil, paper, bowl of porridge (hot or cold) and a spade.

1. Put on peaked cap.

2. Turn peaked cap round so the that the peak is sticking out the back.

3. Draw a five-pointed star on your paper with your pencil.

4. Write inside the star the word WALLBANGER!

5. Bury the piece of paper in your garden (or anywhere else you can).

6. Return home and eat the porridge.

Once you have completed the Ritual the spell is activated. It works against a group of enemies of any size or strength, paralysing them completely for six consecutive combat rounds and allowing them to strike only every second round thereafter (assuming you haven't hacked them to bits while they were paralysed).

This is one of the most powerful spells known and will cost half your current LIFE POINTS to throw. Even so, it can only be used once during an adventure and must be used as soon as you have read the instructions, otherwise the magic dissipates harmlessly.

I hope you guys are following the instructions to the letter!

Turns out that this weapon is best used when we're being attacked by an army. But it certainly still helps here. The bad news is that we're now at 27 LP.

What weapon do we use now? Spear/throw sword combo or just spear (due the semi-paralysis even after the first 6 rounds we can actually attack at the same rate with the normally-slower spear). Do we try the poison dagger at all?

[Omegonthesane]

Spear-throw & sword and hope we rush him down fast enough.

[RogueOne]

Not the effects one might expect from a spell called "Wallbanger". Seems like there's probably going to be a better place where we could have used it. Alas.

As with the Rock Thern, the T-Rex's amour makes the poison dagger's effectiveness too uncertain.

Agreed with Omegon's plan.

[SGamerz]

Before Pip starts attacking, he puts on his 2 spare pieces of armour for extra protection.

T-Rex roll 5, Pip rolls 7. Pip strikes first!

COMBAT LOG:

Pip throws his spear and rolls 7, narrowly missing.
Pip rolls 2 and misses.
Pip rolls 6 and hits for 0+3-5 = no damage. (Pip recovers spear.)
Pip throws his spear and rolls 12, hitting for 4+10-5 = 9 damage. T-Rex is at 71.
Pip rolls 7 and hits for 1+3-5 = no damage.
Pip rolls 11 and hits for 5+3-5 = 3 damage. T-Rex is at 68. (Pip recovers spear.)
Pip throws his spear and rolls 7, narrowly missing.
T-Rex rolls 5 and hits for 1+7-6 = 2 damage. (Armour test = 7 - doesn't shatter!) Pip is at 25.
Pip rolls 7 and hits for 1+3-5 = no damage.
T-Rex is paralyzed due to Wallbanger effect.
Pip rolls 7 and hits for 1+3-5 = no damage. (Pip recovers spear.)
T-Rex rolls 9 and hits for 5+7-6 = 6 damage! Pip is at 19.
Pip throws his spear and rolls 8, hitting for 0+10-5 = 5 damage. T-Rex is at 63.
T-Rex is paralyzed due to Wallbanger effect.
Pip rolls 5 and misses.
T-Rex rolls 8 and hits for 4+7-6 = 5 damage! Pip is at 14.
Pip rolls 10 and hits for 4+3-5 = 2 damage. T-Rex is at 61. (Pip recovers spear.)
T-Rex is paralyzed due to Wallbanger effect.
Pip drinks a dose of healing potion and rolls 5, LP is now at 19.
T-Rex rolls 7 and hits for 3+7-6 = 4 damage! Pip is at 15.
Pip throws his spear and rolls 6, missing.
T-Rex is paralyzed due to Wallbanger effect.
Pip rolls 5 and misses.
T-Rex rolls 6 and hits for 2+7-6 = 3 damage. Pip is at 12.
Pip drinks a dose of healing potion and rolls 7, LP is now at 19. (Pip recovers spear.)
T-Rex is paralyzed due to Wallbanger effect.
Pip drinks a dose of healing potion and rolls 5, LP is now at 24.
T-Rex rolls 6 and hits for 2+7-6 = 3 damage. Pip is at 21.
Pip throws his spear and rolls 9, hitting for 1+10-5 = 6 damage. T-Rex is at 55.
T-Rex is paralyzed due to Wallbanger effect.
Pip rolls 4 and misses.
T-Rex rolls 8 and hits for 4+7-6 = 5 damage. Pip is at 16.
Pip rolls 10 and hits for 4+3-5 = 2 damage. T-Rex is at 53. (Pip recovers spear.)
T-Rex is paralyzed due to Wallbanger effect.
Pip throws his spear and rolls 5, missing.
T-Rex rolls 7 and hits for 3+7-6 = 4 damage. Pip is at 12.
Pip rolls 4 and misses.
T-Rex is paralyzed due to Wallbanger effect.
Pip drinks a dose of healing potion and rolls 7, LP is now at 19. (Pip recovers spear.)
T-Rex rolls 7 and hits for 3+7-6 = 4 damage. Pip is at 15.
Pip throws his spear and rolls 10, hitting for 2+10-5 = 7 damage. T-Rex is at 46.
T-Rex is paralyzed due to Wallbanger effect.
Pip drinks a dose of healing potion and rolls 8, LP is now at 23.
T-Rex rolls 3 and misses.
Pip rolls 9 and hits for 3+3-5 = 1 damage. T-Rex is at 45. (Pip recovers spear.)
T-Rex is paralyzed due to Wallbanger effect.
Pip throws his spear and rolls 10, hitting for 2+10-5 = 7 damage. T-Rex is at 37.
T-Rex rolls 9 and hits for 5+7-6 = 6 damage. Pip is at 17.
Pip rolls 9 and hits for 3+3-5 = 1 damage. T-Rex is at 36.
T-Rex is paralyzed due to Wallbanger effect.
Pip rolls 10 and hits for 4+3-5 = 2 damage. T-Rex is at 34. (Pip recovers spear.)
T-Rex rolls 9 and hits for 5+7-6 = 6 damage. Pip is at 11.
Pip drinks a dose of healing potion and rolls 7, LP is at 18.
T-Rex is paralyzed due to Wallbanger effect.
Pip throws his spear and rolls 9, hitting for 1+10-5 = 6 damage. T-Rex is at 28.
T-Rex rolls 5 and hits for 0+7-6 = 1 damage. Pip is at 17.
Pip rolls 4 and misses.
T-Rex is paralyzed due to Wallbanger effect.
Pip rolls 7 and hits for 1+3-5 = no damage. (Pip recovers spear.)
T-Rex rolls 7 and hits for 3+7-6 = 4 damage. Pip is at 13.
Pip throws his spear and rolls 7, missing.
T-Rex is paralyzed due to Wallbanger effect.
Pip rolls 8 and hits for 2+3-5 = no damage.
T-Rex rolls 8 and hits for 2+7-6 = 3 damage. Pip is at 10.
Pip rolls 7 and hits for 1+3-5 = no damage. (Pip recovers spear.)
T-Rex is paralyzed due to Wallbanger effect.
Pip throws his spear and rolls 11, hitting for 3+10-5 = 8 damage. T-Rex is at 20.
T-Rex rolls 9 and hits for 5+7-6 = 6 damage. Pip is at 4 and is knocked out.

Pip came surprisingly close, reducing the T-Rex to only 20 LP, after burning all his healing potion, but at the end it's not enough!

Back to section 14, and then it's time to reboot!

Re-rolling for staring LP:

1st roll = 4.
2nd roll = 10.
3rd roll = 5.

10 is still the best we got, so we still have 54 LP total to begin, just like before we died!

Back to the armoury to pick the lock:

Dice roll = 9 (Success). Pip re-arms himself.

Pip then heads to the chest room again for more loot. Except this time there's no Wallbanger spell, since he already used it.

He looted 1000 GP again from the new chest, then tries to battered chest:

1st roll = 2.
2nd roll = 2.

Trying again:

1st roll = 5.
2nd roll = 5.

.....

1st roll = 6.
2nd roll = 3. Success at last!

Pip grabs the poison stiletto again.

He then tries the skull chest for the heals.

1st roll = 1.
2nd roll = 6. Fail!

Pip failed to get the potion and salve this time, and got pricked by a poisoned needle. He will now lose 2 LP every section.

I think we should now free the Argonauts immediately, since Jason's horn can cure the poison.

I will roll for the combat tomorrow, but in the meantime, you can vote on whether you still want to take the same 6 items from the ship's inventory room:

There's a whole lot of gear in here. A lot of it could be quite useful to an adventurer like yourself. You might reckon on carrying half a dozen items before you collapse with exhaustion, so pick carefully. In the room are:

Rope (50ft coil)
Grappling hook
Backpack
Flint and steel (for lighting fires)
Drinking horn
Blowing horn (i.e. a sort of trumpet)
Small, ornamentally carved rosewood box (empty)
Packet of salt crystals
Bone needle and spool of rough thread
Cooking utensils
Leather belt
Spare sandals
Spare tunic
Container of olive oil
Ceramic lamp
Wooden mallet
Bone saw (i.e. a saw made from bone, NOT a saw for cutting bone)
Box of biscuits
Kite
Goosefeather quill and parchment
Small drum (musical variety)

When you've picked six, take them with you to any other section of Plan 1.

[SGamerz]

Pip goes straight to the prison cells to minimize the LP loss through poison. He loses 2 LP and starts the fight at 52/54.

I'm just going to proceed with the usual spear-throw sword combo to save time.

Guards roll 9, Pip rolls 7. Guards hit first.

COMBAT LOG:

Guard#1 rolls 2 and misses.
Pip throws his spear and rolls 10, hitting for 2+10-2 = 10 damage! Guard#1 is at 15.
Guard#1 rolls 7 and hits for 1+2-2 = 1 damage. (Armour test = 9 - doesn't shatter) Pip is at 51.
Pip rolls 9 and hits for 3+3-2 = 4 damage. Guard#1 is at 11.
Guard#1 rolls 6 and hits for 0+2-2 = no damage.
Pip rolls 5 and misses.
Guard#1 rolls 5 and misses.
Pip rolls 6 and hits for 0+3-2 = 1 damage. Guard#1 is at 10.
Guard#1 rolls 3 and misses.
Pip rolls 7 and hits for 1+3-2 = 2 damage. Guard#1 is at 8.
Guard#1 rolls 8 and hits for 2+2-2 = 2 damage. Pip is at 49.
Pip rolls 6 and hits for 0+3-2 = 1 damage. Guard#1 is at 7.
Guard#1 rolls 4 and misses.
Pip rolls 5 and misses.
Guard#1 rolls 4 and misses.
Pip rolls 7 and hits for 1+3-2 = 2 damage. Guard#1 is at 5 and is knocked out.
Guard#2 rolls 6 and hits for 0+2-2 = no damage.
Pip throws his spear and rolls 10, hitting for 2+10-2 = 10 damage! Guard#2 is at 3 and is knocked out.
Guard#3 rolls 4 and misses.
Pip rolls 8 and hits for 2+3-2 = 3 damage. Guard#3 is at 10.
Guard#3 rolls 11 and hits for 5+2-2 = 5 damage. Pip is at 44.
Pip rolls 8 and hits for 2+3-2 = 3 damage. Guard#3 is at 7.
Guard#3 rolls 10 and hits for 4+2-2 = 4 damage. Pip is at 40.
Pip rolls 2 and misses.
Guard#3 rolls 10 and hits for 4+2-2 = 4 damage. Pip is at 36.
Pip rolls 7 and hits for 1+3-2 = 2 damage. Guard#3 is at 5 and is knocked out.

Guard#3 rolled extremely well and did some nasty damage, but Pip prevailed, and regains his army. He's also cured of the poison by Jason's magic conch shell.

Let's get the mandatory Battle Royale over and done with:

Scoundrels roll 11, Pip and Co. roll 6. Scoundrels strike first.

COMBAT LOG:

Round 1:

Scoundrel#1 rolls 5 and misses.
Scoundrel#2 rolls 4 and misses.
Scoundrel#3 rolls 8 and hits for 2+3-2 = 3 damage. (Armour test = 8 - doesn't shatter) Achilles is at 27.
Scoundrel#4 rolls 7 and hits for 1+3 = 4 damage. Generic Argonaut#1 is at 16.
Scoundrel#5 rolls 11 and hits for 5+3 = 8 damage. Generic Argonaut#2 is at 12.
Scoundrel#6 rolls 10 and hits for 4+3 = 7 damage. Generic Argonaut#3 is at 13.
Scoundrel#7 rolls 8 and hits for 2+3 = 5 damage. Generic Argonaut#4 is at 15.
Scoundrel#8 rolls and misses.
Scoundrel#9 rolls 9 and hits for 3+3 = 6 damage. Generic Argonaut#6 is at 14.
Scoundrel#10 rolls 9 and hits for 3+3 = 6 damage. Generic Argonaut#7 is at 14.
Pip throws his spear at Scoundrel #1. He rolls 8 and hits for 0+10 = 10 damage! Scoundrel#1 is at 3 and is knocked out.
Hercules throws his spear at Scoundrel #2. He rolls and misses.
Achilles rolls 5 and hits for 3+1+1 = 5 damage. Scoundrel#3 is at 8.
Achilles rolls 5 and hits for 3+1+1 = 5 damage! Scoundrel#3 is at 3 and is knocked out.
Generic Argonaut#1 throws his spear at Scoundrel #4. He rolls 9 and hits for 1+10 = 11 damage! Scoundrel#4 is at 2 and is knocked out.
Generic Argonaut#2 throws his spear at Scoundrel #5. He rolls 11 and hits for 3+10 = 13 damage! Scoundrel#5 is killed.
Generic Argonaut#3 throws his spear at Scoundrel #6. He rolls 10 and hits for 2+10 = 12 damage! Scoundrel#6 is at 1 and is knocked out.
Generic Argonaut#4 throws his spear at Scoundrel #7. He rolls 7 and misses.
Generic Argonaut#5 throws his spear at Scoundrel #8. He rolls 9 and hits for 1+10 = 11 damage! Scoundrel#8 is at 2 and is knocked out.
Generic Argonaut#6 throws his spear at Scoundrel #9. He rolls 10 and hits for 2+10 = 12 damage! Scoundrel#9 is at 1 and is knocked out.
Generic Argonaut#7 throws his spear at Scoundrel #10. He rolls 12 and hits for 4+10 = 14 damage! Scoundrel#10 is killed.
Generic Argonaut#8 throws his spear at Scoundrel #2. He rolls 5 and misses.
Generic Argonaut#9 throws his spear at Scoundrel #7. He rolls 5 and misses.
Generic Argonaut#10 throws his spear at Scoundrel #2. He rolls 4 and misses.
Jason throws his spear at Scoundrel #7. He rolls 7 and hits for 0+10 = 10 damage! Scoundrel#7 is at 3 and is knocked out.

Round 2:

Scoundrel#2 rolls 6 and hits for 0+3-2 = 1 damage. (Armour test = 10 - doesn't shatter) Hercules is at 47.
Pip rolls 12 and hits for 6+1 = 7 damage. Scoundrel#2 is at 6.
Pip rolls 3 and misses.
Hercules rolls 9 and hits for 3+4+1 = 8 damage. Scoundrel#2 is killed.

Due to the surprisingly successful spear barrage (probably would have taken down that T-Rex if the Argonauts hadn't been such wusses and refused to go with Pip), 9 of the 10 Scoundrels went down in the first round. Again, no casualty to the Argonauts.

Now we can either go back down and kill the same enemies we've already defeated before for easy XP.....or just start sailing immediately to save time.

I've taken the exact same 6 items from the inventory room earlier. If you want to make any changes, please speak up before we leave the ship.

SEA CHART:

QUEST JOURNAL:

Pip's LIFE POINTS: 36/54
Permanent Life Points: 14

EQUIPMENT CARRIED:
Rusty Dagger (+2 damage)
Sword (hits on 6, damage +3)
Spear (hits on 6/thrown 8, damage +5/thrown +10, only attack once every 2 rounds/thrown once every 3 rounds)
New Dagger (hits on 6, damage +1, attack twice per round)
One-piece armour (worn) (damage -2, shatters on 12 after taking the 1st hit in every combat)
Spare armor x2 (damage -2, shatters on 12 after taking the 1st hit in every combat)
Rope (50ft coil)
Grappling hook
Backpack
Flint and steel (for lighting fires)
Ceramic lamp
Box of biscuits
Poison Stiletto (damage +1, poison causes 2 LP loss every combat round, additional hits are cumulative, 12/12 doses)

MONEY: 1000 GP

EXPERIENCE POINTS: 16
ENEMIES DEFEATED:
Old Sea Dog (2x)
Poisonous Spider
Ship's Cook (2x)
19 Guards
10 Scoundrels (3x)
Rock Thern
PUZZLES SOLVES: 1

No. of Deaths:
1) LP drained by Shadows on Skull Island
2) Devoured by a T-Rex on Dragon Island

[RogueOne]

The same 6 items works for me.

Let's try going to Maiden Call island this time around. See if we can't find a way to take down that damn T-rex.

[SGamerz]

Cross-eyed Navigation roll = 7. Pip makes it to Maiden Call:

The island, it transpires, is ringed with deep water, and there is even a deep water inlet to a natural harbour, which means you can actually bring the Argo to dock without messing around with rowboats, long-distance swimming or anything of that nature. The only problem is, your crew refuse to go ashore.

'It be the women,' one of the older crewmen explains, adjusting his eyepatch and parrot nervously. But when you ask him to enlarge on this cryptic statement, he goes away muttering to himself.

If you are prepared to risk a visit to the island on your own, braving the women (whoever they might be), turn to 111.

If not, you are free to return to your Sea Chart and pick a new destination.

Is there any island that the Argonauts actually have the balls to step on? So far they've refused to follow Pip on any of them!

Anyway, this is just an "are you sure" before we've even seen anything, so let's proceed:

Boldly done. Now let's see if it was also wisely done.

As you step ashore, you feel yourself compelled to roll one die.

If the score is 5 or 6, turn directly to 116. If the score is anything else, turn to 127.

Die roll = 2!

Nothing much in the way of noticeable features on this island, so there is little to choose when it comes to deciding a direction. Since you have landed on the south coast, you can explore north at 81, west at 93 or east at 170.

But remember that each time you wish to enter a new section of this island, you will feel yourself compelled to roll a die. If you score a 6, you must turn to 116 instead of the section you had decided on. (Score anything else and you can go to the section of your choice.)

If all this seems too much of a hassle, you can always return to your Sea Chart and pick another destination.

Something unpleasant probably lies at 116......

Which diection do we go (unless you want to go back to the ship and not risk finding out what lies at 116)?

[RogueOne]

If all this seems too much of a hassle, you can always return to your Sea Chart.

Visiting islands is certainly not easy. No wonder the Argonauts refuse to come with us!

This book seems more severe than the others in terms of aimless wandering and needing specific plot coupons to get through things. Especially with a poorly defined end-goal. I suppose it's designed more than previously for a character to progress through a scout/die/respawn technique (since the penalty from item loss is non-existent), but that largely undermines the importance of making the right choice and also results in sluggish gameplay.

I wonder how much of that effect is from the open map concept without a clear indication that certain places have to be visited before others (eg., it's clearly just about impossible to get through all of Dragon Island if it's your first island, and visiting Skull Island without the right item is a DNS). Brennan could easily have improved this with a clear rating system (like the DestinyQuest series) or by having a navigation system which makes it more likely that a player will visit level-appropriate islands first (like Sagard's adventures on the Crimson Sea).

In any case, let's give it a go to the west!
(And if there are no further options waiting to the west, I'd suggest continuing to explore the island by then going north, then east).

[Omegonthesane]

West (and then north if no branches).

[SGamerz]

West it is. But before we get there we need to check if we're going to 116:

Die roll = 1! Pip reaches his destination safely.

You seem to have been walking forever when you reach the western coast. A bit of disappointment that since there was absolutely nothing of interest to you along the way.

All the same, there is a boat here, a trim little vessel painted black (for some reason) and decorated with curious symbols. You examine it carefully, noting it has no sails or oars. It seems seaworthy enough if you could find some means of propelling it. Wonder who left it here?

If you decide to enter the black boat, go to 166.

If not, you'll have to trudge all the way back to 127 and pick another option.

Take the boat?