Let's Play Fighting Fantasy #6: Deathtrap Dungeon

[Darth Rabbitt]

Have you drunk a Potion found inside a black leather book? (Yes.)

You are about to enter the room when the Potion of Trap Detection begins to work and you are filled with a terrible premonition of danger. The room is set with a deadly trap. You decide to not go in and continue north along the tunnel.

The tunnel continues north for quite a distance before coming to a dead end. The mouth of a chute protrudes from the western wall, and it appears to be the only alternative to turning back. You decide to risk it and climb into the chute. You slide gently down and emerge into a room, landing on your back.

As soon as you stand up, you are confronted by the most repulsive sight you have ever laid eyes on. There, in front of you, wallowing in a circular pool of fetid slime, is a bulbous creature to horrible to be believed. Its body is green and covered all over with fearsome-looking spikes. Its face is a mass of crimson blisters, one of which suddenly bursts to reveal yet another of its many sinister, all-seeing eyes. A narrow path runs around the edge of the pool and leads into another tunnel in the far wall.

(Fuck, this thing sounded cuddly in the Monster Manual we found with Throm, but it's actually Rush Limbaugh with bad acne!)

Have you previously read details about the loathsome BLOODBEAST in a leather-bound book? (Yes.)

Remembering the description of the vile Bloodbeast and the warning about toxic gas rising from its pool, you cover your mouth with your sleeve and step forward with your sword drawn, wary of the Bloodbeast's tongue. As you step round the side of its pool, it rolls forward and flicks out its tongue, but you are ready for it and cleave it with one swipe of your sword. The beast howls in pain and stretches forward frantically, trying to clasp you between its blood-filled jaws. You start hacking at its hideous face in an attempt to pierce its real eyes.

BLOODBEAST SKILL 12 STAMINA 10

When you have won your second Attack Round, turn to 278.

Combat Log:

Bloodbeast 15, You 19. Bloodbeast is at 8.
Bloodbeast 22, You 19. Test Luck: 11, failed. Take 3 damage. At 1
Bloodbeast 20, you 16. You are Dead.

Retry:

Bloodbeast 18, you 20. Bloodbeast is at 8.
Bloodbeast 21, you 16. Test Luck: 7, failed. At 1.
Bloodbeast 18, you 16. Dead again.

One more try:

Bloodbeast 15, you 16. Bloodbeast is at 8.
Bloodbeast 18, you 19. Bloodbeast is at 6. Second Attack Round won.

Your blade strikes one of the Bloodbeast's real eyes with devastating effect. It slumps back into its pool, thrashing about in a frenzy. You seize your opportunity and run round the side of the pool to the tunnel exit.

(Bastard looks like a teacher I had in high school. Apparently in the 80s he was a Manticore from Thailand.)

The tunnel leads into a large room, its ceiling supported by several marble pillars. As you enter the room, you suddenly see a strange beast to your right. It has the body of a lion with dragon-like wings attached to it, but its head is like that of an old bearded man.

Have you read the Skeleton Warrior's parchment? (Yes.)

You recognize the beast - it is a MANTICORE. Taking heed of the poem's warning, you watch out for its tail which sprouts a profusion of sharp spikes, thick and hard as iron bolts, at its tip.

Are you carrying a shield? (Yes.)

You raise your shield in front of you just in time to protect yourself from a volley of spikes released from the Manticore's tail and aimed straight at your heart. They sink into your shield and you remain unharmed. Swiftly you draw your sword and advance on the Manticore.

MANTICORE SKILL 11 STAMINA 11

Combat Log:

Manticore 20, you 12. Test luck: 7, failed. You are at 1 HP.
Manticore 18, you 17. You are dead.

Again, restore to full?

This isn't two rounds of combat; I think this bastard will curbstomp us.

Errol Flynn
SKILL 10/10
STAMINA 4/19
LUCK 3/13
Equipment: Chain Mail Armor, Sword, Shield, Opal-Studded Dagger, Amulet of Strength, Magic Bone Ring
Gems: Emerald, Ruby, Sapphire, Pearl
Gold Pieces: 1
Provisions: None
Potions: Potion of Trap Detection (active)
Other: Manticore Parchment, Wooden Mallet, 10 Iron Spikes, Iron Key
Running total of deaths: 8
Running total of "Fuck that shit:" 5

[Red_Rob]

We did get told that getting jewels is essential to escaping the dungeon. Although we are still quite battered we at least are forewarned...

[Korgan0]

I think we should restore to full, yeah.

[Darth Rabbitt]

Errol Flynn used a Max Potion! He regains 15 STAMINA!

MANTICORE SKILL 11 STAMINA 11

Combat Log:

Manticore 20, You 20. Tie.
Manticore 17, you 17. Manticore is at 9.
Manticore 15, you 17. Manticore is at 7.
Manticore 17, you 15. You are at 17.
Manticore 14, you 16. Manticore is at 5.
Manticore 17, you 13. You are at 15.
Manticore 13, you 16. Manticore is at 3.
Manticore 18, you 18. Tie.
Manticore 18, you 16. You are at 13.
Manticore 17, you 17. Tie.
Manticore 16, you 21. Test Luck: 9, failed. Manticore is at 2.
Manticore 16, you 16. Tie.
Manticore 15, you 17. The Manticore is dead.

As you are wiping the Manticore's blood from your sword, you are surprised to see a small man with a large nose suddenly jump out from behind one of the marble pillars. He is dressed in a tight-fitting green tunic and looks quite harmless, although you are wary of the way he is holding an opaque glass ball with a shimmering green light. "Greetings," he says cheerfully. "My name is Igbut the Gnome, and I am the Trialmaster for your final test. Needless to say, my magical powers are great, so you should not try to attack me. You may have learnt during your quest that gems play an essential part in the Trial of Champions. The iron door in front of you is the victory exit, but there is only one way of opening it. Three gems have to be put into the lock mechanism, in a particular order, for the door to open. Each gem radiates a unique energy which will trigger the mechanism - if you do it correctly, that is. I will help you to a degree, but first we need the correct gems. Have you an emerald?" (We do.)

The Gnome smiles and says, Good. Now, have you a sapphire in your possession?" (We do.)

The Gnome, still smiling, says excitedly, "Excellent! Just one to go. Do you possess a diamond?" (No.)

The Gnome shakes his head and says, "I am afraid you have failed the Trial of Champions. Baron Sukumvit's Deathtrap Dungeon will keep its secret for another year, as you will not be allowed to leave here. You are appointed as my servant for the rest of your days, to prepare and modify the dungeon for future contestants. Perhaps in another life you will succeed..."



...and blowing down that door. Then we take the prize and ride off with Throm into the sunset (he used a continue.) The end.

Final Stats:
SKILL 10/10
STAMINA 13/19
LUCK 2/13
Equipment: Chain Mail Armor, Sword, Shield, Opal-Studded Dagger, Amulet of Strength, Magic Bone Ring
Gems: Emerald, Ruby, Sapphire, Pearl
Gold Pieces: 1
Provisions: None
Potions: Potion of Trap Detection (active)
Other: Manticore Parchment, Wooden Mallet, 10 Iron Spikes, Iron Key
Final total of deaths: 8
Final total of "Fuck that shit:" 6

(May put up an "alternate ending" where we have the diamond, if y'all are interested. Would take wayy too much backtracking to actually find the Diamond.)

If there is interest I will do another Let's Play Fighting Fantasy, either The Citadel of Chaos or City of Thieves.

Who knows what monstrous creatures lie in wait in the Citadel of Chaos?

The Citadel holds a dark and dangerous peril for anyone foolhardy enough to venture through its gruesome gates. And yet venture you must, for your mission lies at the heart of the Citadel, with the dread sorcerer, Balthus Dire!

Terror stalks the night as Zanbar Bone and his bloodthirsty Moon Dogs hold the prosperous town of Silverton to ransom. YOU are an adventurer, and the merchants of Silverton turn to you in their hour of need.

Your mission takes you along dark, twisting streets where thieves, vagabonds and creatures of the night lie in wait to trap the unwary traveller. And beyond lies the most fearsome adventure of them all – the tower stronghold of the infamous Zanbar Bone!

[shau]

I'd rather try to find the real way through this one, but otherwise I am up for city of thieves.

[Darth Rabbitt]

I'd be willing to do a replay of this one as well.

I'll wait a while to see what others are interested in, though.

[OgreBattle]

Yeah sure, a replay is fine.

But after that I want City of Thieves.

[Darth Rabbitt]

So replay Deathtrap Dungeon or start City of Thieves?

Will narrow it down to one of those then.

[Username17]

The end is super duper bullshit. I mean, more bullshit than the rest of the book. You need not only "several" gems, but three specific gems to make it out. And then you have a one in six chance of guessing the right order. That's retarded. It's not even a test, it's just a giant "fuck you" at the end.

Vote City of Thieves.

-Username17

[Red_Rob]

We replenished our health twice to the max on top of eating all our meals, and we ignored 8 straight up deaths. We effectively already had 10 play throughs of the Dungeon, and there's no guarantee that going through again we would choose the right path. We could be at it another 4 or 5 times.

For me the Nintendo-Hard nature of the early Fighting Fantasy books was part of the charm. Although it meant I rarely if ever completed one, that only meant there was always an incentive to read them again, hoping that this time I'd find the right way through. It certainly helped extend their lifespan, and made them great value for money.

I say we gave it our best shot, but Sukumvit's gold is safe for another year. I vote for City of Thieves.

[angelfromanotherpin]

The end is super duper bullshit. I mean, more bullshit than the rest of the book. You need not only "several" gems, but three specific gems to make it out. And then you have a one in six chance of guessing the right order. That's retarded. It's not even a test, it's just a giant "fuck you" at the end.

Well, to be fair, you do get multiple guesses, it's just that wrong guesses cost Stamina.

The part I see as a giant 'fuck you' is that I'm pretty sure the diamond is in the room you leave immediately if you have the potion of trap detection active. Because what seems like a buff is actually something that insta-loses you the dungeon.

City of Thieves is very entertaining, and has less incredible bullshit than Deathtrap Dungeon, but Island of the Lizard King is the first one you could call 'tough but fair.'

[Ancient History]

What about Citadel of Chaos?

[angelfromanotherpin]

What about Citadel of Chaos?

Citadel of Chaos is kind of cool both aesthetically and design-wise, with the magic that is never necessary, but a fallback if you've failed at the conventional solution. The final boss fight is a bit of a treat as well.

It is, however, also filled with random fuck-you moments and I recall the correct path requiring you to act like a total idiot at least once.

[Darth Rabbitt]

We also have Island of the Lizard King, I literally just found it!

Kidnapped by a vicious race of Lizard Men from Fire Island, the young men of Oyster Bay face a grim future of slavery, starvation and a lingering death. Their new master is the mad and dangerous Lizard King, who holds sway over his land of mutants by the eerie powers of black magic and voodoo. Will you risk all in an attempt to save the prisoners?

If you could change polls I'd hold a vote for which book is next.

Choices are Island of the Lizard King, City of Thieves, or Citadel of Chaos.

[Ikeren]

City of Thieves seemed to get lots of popular appeal. I'm in for that.

This stuff is hilarious

[Darth Rabbitt]

Since City of Thieves has received 5 votes, I started a Let's Play of it here.