[Let's Play] Fighting Fantasy 9 - Caverns of the Snow Witch Redux

[Thaluikhain]

We got rid of most of our gear, time to load up again.

(By my count we should only have 300 gold, unless the provisions we eat count as being left behind, which I interpreted the passage as not allowing)

[Beroli]

When you pick it up, the orb starts to get warmer and its colours change rapidly and swirl around. Redswift and Stubb back away, telling you to put it down.

Keep hold of the orb?
Put it back down gently?
Throw it down the tunnel?

Adventure Sheet:
Robert Scott
Skill 11/11
Stamina 12/16
Luck 11/11
Provisions 4
Sword
Leather armor
Backpack
Cloak
Amulet of Courage
Mysterious Runecarved Stick
Copper ring of warrior summoning
Large dragon egg
350 Gold Pieces
Deaths: 1 (chomped by white dragon)

[Queen of Swords]

Keep hold of it, just to see what happens.

[JourneymanN00b]

I vote to keep hold of the orb and see if we see anything important.

[Beroli]

Determined to discover the secret of the orb, you hold it in your outstretched hands. Its warmth starts to creep up your arms and soon you are glowing all over, and feeling warmer than you have been for weeks. Regain 3 STAMINA points and 1 LUCK point. You assure Redswift and Stubb that this orb of energy will warm them too and they nervously pass it between them. In good spirits, you place the orb back on the floor and continue down the tunnel.

After walking for another five minutes, the tunnel turns sharply right and right again a few metres further on. You soon arrive at a junction and after a discussion you decide to turn left rather than continue straight on. (The gamebook does not mention how many references to fascism come up in that discussion.)

Placed against the left-hand wall of the tunnel, you see a large iron casket with a brass handle in the shape of a serpent. No one volunteers to open the casket, so you decide to draw lots. Roll one die; a 5 means Redswift draws the short straw and reaches for the handle.

Just as he is about to touch it he draws his hand away, his elfin intuition telling him that there is a trap. He inspects the casket more closely and finds a hidden catch underneath the handle. He presses it with his finger and the lid clicks open. Inside the casket is a pair of grey skin boots. 'Boots of the elder elves,' he says with glee, 'what treasure--nobody knows how to make these anymore. No matter what surface you are walking on, no one will hear you, if you are wearing these boots. Let us draw lots again to decide who shall wear them.' This time you roll a 2; this means Stubb draws the short straw and chuckles with pleasure.

He kicks off his old boots and eagerly puts on the magical elfin boots. To test them out, he jumps up and down on the stone floor, and makes no noise when he lands. Impatient to walk in his new boots, he heads off along the tunnel with you and Redswift following.

The tunnel soon ends at a T-junction. Stepping into the cross passage you almost bump into a primitive-looking man wearing furs and carrying a large stone club. He is a CAVE-MAN (sigh). You draw your sword and tell Redswift and Stubb to head quickly down the right-hand tunnel while you deal with the Cave-man. You could Escape after two rounds but will not.

CAVE-MAN Skill 8 Stamina 8

Round One: Robert wins by 7. Cave-man is at 6 Stamina.
Round Two: Robert wins by 4. Cave-man is at 4 Stamina.
Round Three: Draw.
Round Four: Robert wins by 5. Cave-man is at 2 Stamina.
Round Five: Robert wins by 5. Flawless victory.

A pouch on the Cave-man's belt contains a star-shaped metal disc which you decide to put in your backpack. Not wishing to meet any more Cave-men, you run along the tunnel to catch up with Redswift and Stubb.

Mind Flayer.PNG (179.81 KiB) Viewed 606 times

The tunnel ends at a door which swings open before you even touch it. You look into a cavern and are surprised to see Redswift and Stubb kneeling in submission to a horrible robed creature with an octopus-like head who is certainly not trademarked. Two of its tentacles are wrapped around your friends' heads and they are trapped by the hypnotic powers of the BRAIN SLAYER. You are wearing an Amulet of Courage.

The Brain Slayer's disgusting tentacles flail frantically as it tries to draw you towards it. Fortunately the amulet gives you the courage(?) to resist its attempt to hypnotize you. You draw your sword to attack the foul creature. It releases Redswift and Stubb who fall to the floor clutching their heads in agony.

BRAIN SLAYER Skill 10 Stamina 10

Pause for votes on how to use Luck here.

Adventure Sheet:
Robert Scott
Skill 11/11
Stamina 15/16
Luck 11/11
Provisions 4
Sword
Leather armor
Backpack
Cloak
Amulet of Courage
Mysterious Runecarved Stick
Copper ring of warrior summoning
Large dragon egg
Star-shaped disc
350 Gold Pieces
Deaths: 1 (chomped by white dragon)

[JourneymanN00b]

Same as the previous fights. If Robert Scott's skill goes to 6, then use Luck to deal extra damage.

[Thaluikhain]

Plenty of provisions, so second that.

(I like how the picture is even titled "Mind Flayer". Also, FF versions are just boring, they just have octopus heads and hypnotic powers, but not any of the actually interesting stuff about Mind Flayers. Could have a snake head and hypnotic snake eyes and work just as well)

[Beroli]

I caption the pictures, so don't think they made an admission in the book there.

Round One: Robert wins by 4. Brain Slayer's Stamina is at 8.
Round Two: Brain Slayer wins by 4. Robert's Stamina is at 13.
Round Three: Robert wins by 5. Brain Slayer's Stamina is at 6.
Round Four: Robert wins by 2. Brain Slayer's Stamina is at 4.
Round Five: Brain Slayer wins by 2. Robert's Stamina is at 11.
Round Six: Brain Slayer wins by 2. Robert's Stamina is at 9.
Round Seven: Robert wins by 1. Brain Slayer's Stamina is at 2.
Round Eight: Brain Slayer wins by 1. Robert's Stamina is at 7.
Round Nine: Draw.
Round Ten: Robert wins by 1. Victory.

As you withdraw your sword from the vile Brain Slayer you hear your two companions groaning as they slowly come round. They explain that the Brain Slayer drew them into the cavern and they were powerless to resist. (And kindly do not point out that it was your idea to split the party.) You examine the chamber and see another door in the opposite wall. There are also two clay pots in a recess in the cavern wall, one red and one grey.

Open the door and leave?
Look inside the red pot?
Look inside the grey pot?

Also vote on whether and how much to eat before proceeding.

Adventure Sheet:
Robert Scott
Skill 11/11
Stamina 7/16
Luck 11/11
Provisions 4
Sword
Leather armor
Backpack
Cloak
Amulet of Courage
Copper ring of warrior summoning
Large dragon egg
Star-shaped disc
350 Gold Pieces
Deaths: 1 (chomped by white dragon)

[Queen of Swords]

Look in the red pot.

ETA : Eat a meal as well. Just one, because with our provisions at only four, I think we might need to conserve them.

[JourneymanN00b]

I vote to eat a provision and look inside the red pot.

Too bad Robert Scott didn't have a scroll of genocide to wipe out the mind flayer. It's what I do most of the time whenever I get a scroll of genocide in Nethack, after I exterminate the Ls.

[Beroli]

Lying at the bottom of the red pot is a square metal disc which you decide to put inside your backpack.

Look inside the grey pot?
Open the door and leave?

Adventure Sheet:
Robert Scott
Skill 11/11
Stamina 11/16
Luck 11/11
Provisions 3
Sword
Leather armor
Backpack
Cloak
Amulet of Courage
Copper ring of warrior summoning
Large dragon egg
Star-shaped disc
Square-shaped disc
350 Gold Pieces
Deaths: 1 (chomped by white dragon)

[Queen of Swords]

Interesting, we found a square-shaped round object.

Look in the grey pot.

[JourneymanN00b]

I vote to look inside the grey pot in order to be thorough in our looting.

[Darth Rabbitt]

Sure, might as well check that one too.

[Beroli]

Interesting, we found a square-shaped round object.

Lying at the bottom of the grey pot is an old parchment scroll with an unbroken wax seal.

Break the seal and read it?
Open the door and leave?

Adventure Sheet:
Robert Scott
Skill 11/11
Stamina 11/16
Luck 11/11
Provisions 3
Sword
Leather armor
Backpack
Cloak
Amulet of Courage
Copper ring of warrior summoning
Large dragon egg
Star-shaped disc
Square-shaped disc
350 Gold Pieces
Deaths: 1 (chomped by white dragon)

[Queen of Swords]

That brings back memories. The first computer I ever used didn't even have a hard drive. There were just two 5 1/4 inch floppy drives, and the computer couldn't do anything more than word processing.

Break the seal and read the parchment.

[JourneymanN00b]

I vote to break the seal and read the parchment to learn the spell or other vital piece of information that our hero will probably need.

[Beroli]

As soon as you begin reading the scroll, the writing starts to fade. Test your Skill; the result is 8, success.

Before the writing fades away, you learn a spell which will protect you from attack by an Air Elemental. Regain 1 Luck point. You leave the cavern.

The door opens into yet another tunnel and you begin to wonder whether you will ever find your way out of the caverns of the Snow Witch. You look at Redswift and Stubb, but they do not appear to be very concerned. The tunnel soon ends at another door and you notice a dagger sticking out of its oak paneling.

Pull the dagger out of the door?
Open the door?

Adventure Sheet:
Robert Scott
Skill 11/11
Stamina 11/16
Luck 11/11
Provisions 3
Sword
Leather armor
Backpack
Cloak
Amulet of Courage
Copper ring of warrior summoning
Large dragon egg
Star-shaped disc
Square-shaped disc
350 Gold Pieces
Air elemental protection spell
Deaths: 1 (chomped by white dragon)

[Darth Rabbitt]

I’d pull the dagger out.

[Queen of Swords]

Sure, get the dagger.

[JourneymanN00b]

I vote to open the door, as pulling the dagger out seems to be a trap.

[Beroli]

Pulling out the dagger wins 2-1.

When you pull the dagger from the door, it suddenly takes on a will of its own. Involuntarily you start to stab at your own leg with the wild dagger in your hand. Lose 2 STAMINA points. Redswift and Stubb run to your aid and try to force your hand to stab the door in order to trap the dagger. Test your Luck; a 5 succeeds.

Straining with all their might, your friends manage to force your hand against the door. The tip of the dagger sinks into the wood and you are able to release the handle. Feeling quite relieved, you open the door.

The door opens into another tunnel which leads off into the distance. Stubb begins to complain about being tired and hungry, so you decide to sit down and rest. You still have three Meals, so you eat one yourself and give one each to Redswift and Stubb. (Executive decision: since there are no indicated consequences for not eating if you have fewer than 3 Meals, you do regain Stamina from this.) After resting for half an hour, you set off again and eventually the tunnel ends at a T-junction.

Go right?
Go left?

Adventure Sheet:
Robert Scott
Skill 11/11
Stamina 13/16
Luck 10/11
Provisions 0
Sword
Leather armor
Backpack
Cloak
Amulet of Courage
Copper ring of warrior summoning
Large dragon egg
Star-shaped disc
Square-shaped disc
350 Gold Pieces
Air elemental protection spell
Deaths: 1 (chomped by white dragon)

[JourneymanN00b]

Of course I vote to go left. Socialism over Nazism, baby!

[Queen of Swords]

Sure, might as well try left.

[Beroli]

The tunnel soon comes to a dead end. An ornate shield hangs from an iron nail on the end wall.

Take the shield?
Leave it and head back past the junction?

Adventure Sheet:
Robert Scott
Skill 11/11
Stamina 13/16
Luck 10/11
Provisions 0
Sword
Leather armor
Backpack
Cloak
Amulet of Courage
Copper ring of warrior summoning
Large dragon egg
Star-shaped disc
Square-shaped disc
350 Gold Pieces
Air elemental protection spell
Deaths: 1 (chomped by white dragon)