[Let's Play] Fighting Fantazine Adventure 5: Bones of the Banished

[Queen of Swords]

Investigate the horse and wagon.

[Beroli]

You call and wave to the wagon as it approaches, signalling that you harbour no ill intent. A flap at the front of the vehicle is pushed aside and a scrawny dark-skinned man pokes his head out. As soon as he spots you, his face lights up and he excitedly climbs out to greet you. You are fortunate enough to have been taught some of the language of the far-off people and are able to make out most of what the man says: ‘Hail, plains-friend! How do you fare this fine Reaping day? Pray, do you belong to the Boneridge tribe?’

You nod. The man positively beams. ‘What great fortune this is! I was just on my way to your village. Hasrah must be smiling upon us today. My name is Abir and I come seeking trade. Do you possess any of those polished stones or delightful bone carvings your people do so well?’

You shake your head. Abir’s grin weakens ever so slightly. His positive mood appears to have been dented. ‘That is a great shame. The people of Shabak, my city, are ever clamouring for crafts from the plains. Might you have anything else of interest?’

You may trade any trophies you have collected on your journey so far with Abir in exchange for an item from his wagon. A single trophy can be swapped for a single item (except for the Tattered Lion Pelt – Abir isn’t interested!). The merchant has the following items for trade:

Trail Mix – a mixture of dried fruit, nuts and strips of meat that serves as 3 Provisions.

Rope – a coil of thin rope, some ten metres long.

Torch – a short wooden pole topped with rags that have been dipped in flammable oil, and a pair of flint stones with which to ignite it.

Javelin - a wooden spear for throwing.

Lucky Charm – any one time you are asked to Test your Luck, you can choose to automatically be Lucky. You can draw on the magic of this charm once and once only, after which the charm becomes worthless.

Silver Headband – a plain circlet of silver, bearing no decoration or inscription. Abir knows nothing of its origins.

Unfortunately, you have no trophies and thus can trade for none of them. Having concluded your exchange, Abir wishes you great fortune before continuing on his way. You do the same.

Night is fast approaching as you cross the savannah far to the north of your village. The vast grasslands stretch out as far as you can see; small collections of trees lie scattered about them like islands in a sea of green. Between them roam fleets of animals; Antelope, Buffalo and spike-tailed Shinglebacks among them. Each herd is settling down for the evening, and it is time that you did too.

Sleep out in the open?
Sleep in the branches of a tree?

Unfortunately, at this point you are once again in a walking dead state. In the interests of not boring players, please vote on whether to continue from here and potentially learn more of what's around, or record another "killed by Thrandeus" death and rewind to where you had the best chance. If you choose the former, vote on whether to sleep out in the open or sleep in the branches of a tree.

(If you continue from here, it is within the bounds of possibility that you will defeat Thrandeus in battle...and immediately find yourself at, "You have not discovered where Valgrek took your people and you have no further ideas of where to look for information, you lose." It is not possible that you will get more than one entry past where you died the first time.)

Name: George
Sex: Male
Skill: 11/11
Stamina: 15/15
Luck: 10/10
Weapon: Dagger
Rucksack contents: Meal, Meal, Meal, Rope, Torch, _________, _________, _________, _________, _________
Companions: Paru (7 Skill, fires an arrow each Attack Round)
Trophies: None
Special Notes: None
Deaths: Mercilessly crushed by Thrandeus, eaten by a dragon

[JourneymanN00b]

I vote to take another death.

[Beroli]

At Courga Rock, you opt not to sacrifice any of your food.

You refuse to give up any of your precious foods to Courga Rock. Eyes closed, you concentrate on slowing your breathing and focus on connecting with the perilous forces of the Celestial Court. Time passes, but whether it is minutes or hours you do not know. Eventually you begin to sense an otherworldly power. The wind whistles past the stone; you fancy you can hear a faint voice intermingled with it:

Outrageous creature! Such disdain! Such arrogant, self-serving insolence! This pleases us. Your proud countenance deserves plain words. Seek out the red-winged drake of the north-eastern cliffs. Your path will take you deep into the kingdoms of the dead. The sorcerer holds the key to the salvation of your people. Now, take what you wish from here and go with our blessing...

The wind dies away and the voice can no longer be heard. You feel pure energy coursing through your body! Add 2 to your Attack Strength for the next battle you face. You choose an offering of Aardwolf Skin from within the stone jaws to take with you as instructed. You leave Courga Rock, pondering the mysterious information you have received.

Isolated granite hills and ridges jut out of the barren wilderness as you continue journeying east. Far off in the distance you can see a line of hills; beyond them lays the fabled ocean, a legendary place of never-ending water! One of these days you will venture out that way and see it for yourself, but not today. It is already past midday and you have yet to encounter any creature that might offer up a trophy worthy of a chieftain. You decide to head in a more northerly direction, where the plains are lusher and life is more plentiful.

In time you come across another of the granite hills, but this one is truly enormous. Its surface is riddled with deep cracks, in which have sprouted small, twisted trees and shrubs. At the very top of the hill you spot the gleam of the sun shining on water. Replenishing your water supply would not be a bad idea, especially since you have to face the baking heat of the afternoon.

Scale the hill and investigate?
Ignore it and press on northwards?

Name: George
Sex: Male
Skill: 11/11
Stamina: 15/15
Luck: 10/10
Weapon: Dagger
Rucksack contents: Meal, Meal, Meal, Meal, Meal, Rope, Torch, Aardwolf Skin, _________, _________
Companions: Paru (7 Skill, fires an arrow each Attack Round)
Trophies: Aardwolf Skin
Special Notes: +2 Attack Strength for one battle
Deaths: Mercilessly crushed by Thrandeus, eaten by a dragon, mercilessly crushed by Thrandeus

[Queen of Swords]

Investigate the water.

[JourneymanN00b]

I also vote to investigate.

[Beroli]

You clamber up the side of the granite rock face, its cracked surface providing plentiful handholds. At the top of the hill you find a pool of water that has collected in a shallow depression in the rock. A circle of trees, more robust-looking than the others you have seen in the area, rings the pool. You dip down and scoop up a mouthful of the water. It tastes cool and delicious. You are in the process of topping up your supply of water when you hear the sounds of an approaching creature. You draw your weapon and prepare to face your visitor. Roll one die to see what you encounter: you get a 3.

A mother Antelope and its young peer round a rock. As soon as they spot you they bound off in the opposite direction, down the hill and away across the plains. You are able to finish collecting your water in peace.

Having survived your encounter, you descend the hill and continue on your way.

The afternoon finds you trudging northwards, the granite-studded wilderness having given way to gently undulating steppes. In the distance you spot a single horse pulling a covered wagon. You cannot tell who or what may be driving it, but it is headed west across your path.

Investigate it?
Give it a wide berth and continue on your way?

Name: George
Sex: Male
Skill: 11/11
Stamina: 15/15
Luck: 10/10
Weapon: Dagger
Rucksack contents: Meal, Meal, Meal, Meal, Meal, Rope, Torch, Aardwolf Skin, _________, _________
Companions: Paru (7 Skill, fires an arrow each Attack Round)
Trophies: Aardwolf Skin
Special Notes: +2 Attack Strength for one battle
Deaths: Mercilessly crushed by Thrandeus, eaten by a dragon, mercilessly crushed by Thrandeus

[Queen of Swords]

Investigate it.

[Beroli]

You call and wave to the wagon as it approaches, signalling that you harbour no ill intent. A flap at the front of the vehicle is pushed aside and a scrawny dark-skinned man pokes his head out. As soon as he spots you, his face lights up and he excitedly climbs out to greet you. You are fortunate enough to have been taught some of the language of the far-off people and are able to make out most of what the man says: ‘Hail, plains-friend! How do you fare this fine Reaping day? Pray, do you belong to the Boneridge tribe?’

You nod. The man positively beams. ‘What great fortune this is! I was just on my way to your village. Hasrah must be smiling upon us today. My name is Abir and I come seeking trade. Do you possess any of those polished stones or delightful bone carvings your people do so well?’

You shake your head. Abir’s grin weakens ever so slightly. His positive mood appears to have been dented. ‘That is a great shame. The people of Shabak, my city, are ever clamouring for crafts from the plains. Might you have anything else of interest?’

You may trade any trophies you have collected on your journey so far with Abir in exchange for an item from his wagon. A single trophy can be swapped for a single item (except for the Tattered Lion Pelt – Abir isn’t interested!). The merchant has the following items for trade:

Trail Mix – a mixture of dried fruit, nuts and strips of meat that serves as 3 Provisions.

Rope – a coil of thin rope, some ten metres long.

Torch – a short wooden pole topped with rags that have been dipped in flammable oil, and a pair of flint stones with which to ignite it.

Javelin - a wooden spear for throwing.

Lucky Charm – any one time you are asked to Test your Luck, you can choose to automatically be Lucky. You can draw on the magic of this charm once and once only, after which the charm becomes worthless.

Silver Headband – a plain circlet of silver, bearing no decoration or inscription. Abir knows nothing of its origins.

You have one trophy and thus can trade for one of these items. Vote on which one, if any.

Name: George
Sex: Male
Skill: 11/11
Stamina: 15/15
Luck: 10/10
Weapon: Dagger
Rucksack contents: Meal, Meal, Meal, Meal, Meal, Rope, Torch, Aardwolf Skin, _________, _________
Companions: Paru (7 Skill, fires an arrow each Attack Round)
Trophies: Aardwolf Skin
Special Notes: +2 Attack Strength for one battle
Deaths: Mercilessly crushed by Thrandeus, eaten by a dragon, mercilessly crushed by Thrandeus

[Queen of Swords]

The silver headband.

[JourneymanN00b]

I also vote to get the silver headband.

[Beroli]

You feel no different as you place the metal band to your head, but in time its power will become apparent. You are wearing the Circlet of Hamaskis, a magical item that will allow you to understand any language in spoken or written form. Because it is worn on your head, this does not take up a space in your rucksack.

Having concluded your exchange, Abir wishes you great fortune before continuing on his way. You do the same.

Night is fast approaching as you cross the savannah far to the north of your village. The vast grasslands stretch out as far as you can see; small collections of trees lie scattered about them like islands in a sea of green. Between them roam fleets of animals; Antelope, Buffalo and spike-tailed Shinglebacks among them. Each herd is settling down for the evening, and it is time that you did too.

Sleep out in the open?
Sleep in the branches of a tree?

Because you have been here before, feel free to vote as many steps in advance as your vote is "do the same thing we did the first time."

Name: George
Sex: Male
Skill: 11/11
Stamina: 15/15
Luck: 10/10
Weapon: Dagger
Rucksack contents: Meal, Meal, Meal, Meal, Meal, Rope, Torch, _________, _________, _________
Companions: Paru (7 Skill, fires an arrow each Attack Round)
Trophies: None
Special Notes: +2 Attack Strength for one battle, Circlet of Hamaskis
Deaths: Mercilessly crushed by Thrandeus, eaten by a dragon, mercilessly crushed by Thrandeus

[Queen of Swords]

Sleep in the branches, fight the Black Lion. If we win, get its pelt, then head towards the people with the camels and trade the pelt. After that, I think we should risk the encounter with the Oldbones.

[JourneymanN00b]

I will also vote for Queen of Swords' plan.

[Beroli]

ou scan your surroundings for the tallest tree you can find. It turns out to be a baobab, its fat trunk stretching into the evening sky before sprouting into a handful of squat branches. You nimbly clamber up the tree, pulling yourself into the top branches just as the sun vanishes over the horizon. You are greeted by a deep, savage growl--that of the BLACK LION that already calls the tree home! The deadly mix between a black panther and a lion pads towards you, teeth bared. It has just woken up, and it wants you for breakfast!

BLACK LION Skill 8 Stamina 11

Should the Black Lion ever roll a double when rolling for its Attack Strength, it has pushed you out of the tree and you fall to your death.

George Attack Strength: 21, BLACK LION Attack Strength: 16. BLACK LION's Stamina is 9
George Attack Strength: 17, BLACK LION Attack Strength: 10. Paru's arrow strikes true. BLACK LION's Stamina is 5
George Attack Strength: 20, BLACK LION Attack Strength: 20. Paru's arrow strikes true.
George Attack Strength: 15, BLACK LION Attack Strength: 10. Paru's arrow strikes true. BLACK LION is dead.

You skin the Black Lion for an impressive trophy before setting down to sleep. In the morning, you eat the leaves and fruit you can find, which do not satisfy you and so you take 2 damage from hunger.

You carefully descend the baobab tree and continue on your way west across the plains.

The day winds on as you cross the vast green savannah. In the distance, you can see its end at a line of rugged cliffs. Suddenly a deafening crack echoes across the plains, causing you to throw yourself to the ground in panic. You cautiously lift your head and scan the horizon. Off to the north you see a group of people standing next to a line of camels. At this distance you cannot make out who or what they are, but you are sure the sound came from that direction.

You head towards them.



As you approach, you see that the people are human, but the swathes of loose cloth they wear wrapped around them suggest they are not from around here. A large, carved, wooden throne is strapped to the head camel; the rest appear to carry foodstuffs and equipment. ‘Hey there! Look, Iskander, a native!’

One of the humans points towards you. He is shorter and stouter than the others, with pinkish skin and a huge bushy beard. He too wears cloth robes, but he seems none too comfortable in them; a strange staff made of metal and wood is cradled in one arm. At his side stand three others, two of them are fanning him with large palm fronds. The other holds a rolled up sheet of leather.

The little man jogs over to you, his attendants quickly rushing after him. He extends a hand towards you. ‘Greetings, gentle native! My name is Kilgar Ironlegs of the great city of Vynheim. I have ventured to the savage south in order to bag myself a beast of legend to show the clan back home. But as yet I have found nothing but ill-fortune – swarms of biting insects, thieving cave-dwellers and this blasted, interminable heat! By the great Earth-mother I’ve never sweated so much in all my life! I am starting to think Iskander here has led me astray.’ The attendant carrying the scroll raises an eyebrow in silent protest.

‘Perhaps this hunt is cursed,’ Kilgar sighs and glances at the bizarre staff in his hands, ‘Even this blunderbuss I loaned from my Fangthane cousins is of no help. I couldn’t even hit the side of a mountain with it! It is hopeless!’

Kilgar’s shoulders slump down and he sighs in despair once more.

You offer him a trophy you have collected.

You reach into your knapsack and pull out a trophy. Kilgar’s face instantly lights up. ‘What do we have here, then?’ he asks excitedly.

The Black Lion pelt.

You present Kilgar with the pelt you removed from the Black Lion last night. He holds it before him, turning it about and examining it from all angles. A big grin splits his bearded face. ‘What a magnificent find! I’ve never seen anything like it. Such a lustrous coat, black as night and soft as silk. Iskander, bring me the chest!’ The guide rushes over to one of the camels and returns with a small wooden box. Kilgar opens its lid and pulls out a chunk of gleaming yellow metal. ‘Fangthane gold,’ he says, his face glowing with pride, ‘the purest of the pure, and the most precious metal known to Dwarfkind. I give this to you in thanks for what you have done for me today. May the blessings of the Earth-mother be upon you.’

You take the chunk of metal from Kilgar, although you are unsure what use it will have. Kilgar starts to walk away but pauses and looks back at you. ‘You know what? You may as well take this too.’ He tosses you the odd metal-and-wood staff. ‘I won’t need it anymore and it should make your job a mite easier. Handle it with care, though, for it is loaded and primed to go off at the drop of an axe!’ With the help of his aides, Kilgar mounts his camel and starts his long journey home to Vynheim. You also have some way to go before your quest is over. Restore 1 Luck point.

Eventually the land before you begins to rise into a series of jagged granite ridges, from which sprout sporadic tufts of wiry yellow grass. You are getting close to the territory of the Oldbone tribe, mortal enemies of your people, whose village lies just past the first ridge in a deep gorge. You must tread carefully, for the vile Oldbones will attack you on sight.

You venture a little bit further.

You clamber up the rocky outcrop, your toughened hands and feet finding nooks with ease. The closer you get to the top of the ridge the more cautious you become, for the Oldbones are bound to have guards posted nearby. You reach the top in no time and risk a peek at what lies ahead. The ridge you have just climbed descends sharply into a steep, rounded gorge, before rising up again into the next stony crest. It is within this gorge that the Oldbones make their home. You spot a crude lean-to made of bones and hide just off to your left, which must serve as the post for a lookout, but there is no one manning it. In fact, you cannot detect any signs of life, be it man or beast; even the wind is silent and still. Something feels very wrong here.

Investigate further?
Explore along the spine of the ridge, which stretches away from the gorge to the northeast?

Name: George
Sex: Male
Skill: 11/11
Stamina: 13/15
Luck: 10/10
Weapon: Dagger
Rucksack contents: Meal, Meal, Meal, Meal, Meal, Rope, Torch, strange wood-and-metal staff, Fangthane Gold, _________
Companions: Paru (7 Skill, fires an arrow each Attack Round)
Trophies: Fangthane Gold
Special Notes: Circlet of Hamaskis
Deaths: Mercilessly crushed by Thrandeus, eaten by a dragon, mercilessly crushed by Thrandeus

[JourneymanN00b]

I vote to investigate further.

[Thaluikhain]

Investigate everything, as per procedure.

[Queen of Swords]

Yes, investigate further.

[Beroli]

You carefully edge down the other side of the ridge, looking for the entrance that leads to the series of caves that ring the walls of the gorge. It is bound to be well-hidden to prevent enemies such as you from finding it. Test your Luck; an 8 succeeds.

You spend a long time searching but eventually discover the entrance hidden beneath a rocky overhang. The dark opening appears unguarded, so you cautiously step inside. A pair of crude spears rests against the cave wall but the place appears unguarded. You creep further into the cave, every sense straining to its fullest, but cannot detect any signs of life. The cave branches off into two tunnels that head in opposite directions.

Go left?
Go right?

Name: George
Sex: Male
Skill: 11/11
Stamina: 13/15
Luck: 9/10
Weapon: Dagger
Rucksack contents: Meal, Meal, Meal, Meal, Meal, Rope, Torch, strange wood-and-metal staff, Fangthane Gold, _________
Companions: Paru (7 Skill, fires an arrow each Attack Round)
Trophies: Fangthane Gold
Special Notes: Circlet of Hamaskis
Deaths: Mercilessly crushed by Thrandeus, eaten by a dragon, mercilessly crushed by Thrandeus

[Queen of Swords]

Let's try left.

[JourneymanN00b]

I vote to go left to reject the temptation of fascism.

[Beroli]

The tunnel descends into the ground, winding irregularly through the rock. Holes line one side of the tunnel, passing through to the gorge outside and letting a little light into the gloom. Every so often you come across a small chamber, but they contain nothing of interest except stinking animal skins and gnawed chunks of bone. Still you do not come across another living being – it is as if the entire Oldbone tribe has suddenly abandoned their village. The tunnel ends at a low-roofed cavern in which three holes have been gouged out of the rock. Each is covered with a woven lid of branches and bones, weighted down with heavy stones. You peer into each of the holes but the lattices are woven too tightly to see past them.

Lift up the lid on the left hole?
Lift up the lid on the right hole?
Lift up the lid on the center hole?
Go back up the tunnel and go down the right passage?
Go back up the tunnel and leave Oldbone Gorge?

Name: George
Sex: Male
Skill: 11/11
Stamina: 13/15
Luck: 9/10
Weapon: Dagger
Rucksack contents: Meal, Meal, Meal, Meal, Meal, Rope, Torch, strange wood-and-metal staff, Fangthane Gold, _________
Companions: Paru (7 Skill, fires an arrow each Attack Round)
Trophies: Fangthane Gold
Special Notes: Circlet of Hamaskis
Deaths: Mercilessly crushed by Thrandeus, eaten by a dragon, mercilessly crushed by Thrandeus

[JourneymanN00b]

I vote to lift up the lid on the center hole to ease up on the extreme leftism.

[Queen of Swords]

Sure, try the centre hole.

[Beroli]

You drag away the weights and then slide the latticed lid away from the hole. Before you can react a thick, glistening tentacle lashes out of the pit and whips itself around your neck! You must fight to free yourself before you are dragged to your doom.

TENTACLED HORROR Skill 8 Stamina 5

Something will happen if the Tentacled Horror is still alive after four rounds; that being the case, pausing here for votes on how to use Luck.

Name: George
Sex: Male
Skill: 11/11
Stamina: 13/15
Luck: 9/10
Weapon: Dagger
Rucksack contents: Meal, Meal, Meal, Meal, Meal, Rope, Torch, strange wood-and-metal staff, Fangthane Gold, _________
Companions: Paru (7 Skill, fires an arrow each Attack Round)
Trophies: Fangthane Gold
Special Notes: Circlet of Hamaskis
Deaths: Mercilessly crushed by Thrandeus, eaten by a dragon, mercilessly crushed by Thrandeus