Let's Play Fighting Fantasy #5: City of Thieves

[OgreBattle]

Let's talk with him, maybe he'll show us to the back room where he keeps his special anvil.

[Darth Rabbitt]

The blacksmith removes his gloves and wipes his hands on his apron before asking you what you want. You answer by asking if he makes anything besides horseshoes. He replies that in his spare time he enjoys making chainmail coats. In fact it has become quite a profitable sideline of his, especially in a place like Port Blacksand. He tells you in great detail of the skill and labor that goes into making one and finally inquires if you are interested in buying one. They are not cheap.

Do you wish to pay 20 Gold Pieces for a chainmail coat or leave the stables without buying a coat?

SKILL: 11/12
STAMINA: 24/24
LUCK: 12/12
Equipment: Broadsword, Leather Armor, Magnificent Shield (+1 Attack)
Potions: None
Provisions: 6 meals
Keys: None
Misc: Climbing Rope, Butcher's Meat Hook, Iron Spike, Lantern, Clove of Garlic, Old Knucklebones, Candles (3,) Mirror
Quest Items: Silver Arrow, Hag's Hair, Black Pearls (6)
Gold Pieces: 61

(I think that this is the first time our large amount of Gold could actually come in handy.)

[violence in the media]

Buy one of the man's fine coats.

[Dr_Noface]

Let us encase ourselves in metal.

[Darth Rabbitt]

The blacksmith takes your money and walks over to some bales of hay in the corner. He lifts one up and underneath it you see the chainmail coat. He turns to you and says, "You have to hide everything in this place. You can't trust anybody." The coat fits perfectly and its workmanship is excellent. Add 2 SKILL points. You leave the stables with your new armor and continue north.

Coming towards you as fast as he is able is a man in tattered rags with a ball and chain attached to his leg. He is exhausted and collapses in your arms. His face is dirty and unshaven. With great difficulty he manages to speak, saying, "Please cut me free. The town guards are not far behind me. I have been locked in a dungeon for two years but managed to tunnel my way out. I was robbed and unable to pay my taxes, so Lord Azzur ordered I should be jailed for five years. Farther up the street you hear shouting voices and then armed men come into view.

Do you want to cut through his chains with your sword or hand him over to the town guards?

Dirk von Facestabber III
SKILL: 12/12
STAMINA: 24/24
LUCK: 12/12
Equipment: Broadsword, Chainmail Coat, Magnificent Shield (+1 Attack)
Potions: None
Provisions: 6 meals
Keys: None
Misc: Climbing Rope, Butcher's Meat Hook, Iron Spike, Lantern, Clove of Garlic, Old Knucklebones, Candles (3,) Mirror
Quest Items: Silver Arrow, Hag's Hair, Black Pearls (6)
Gold Pieces: 41

[OgreBattle]

Cut his ball off

[Shrapnel]

Set 'em free.

[Darth Rabbitt]

You swing your sword with all your strength and bring it down on the heavy chain. Much to your surprise it bounces off. Before you have time to try again, you are surrounded by four town guards who are pointing their pikes at you. Will you:

Tell them you have caught the escaped prisoner for them?
Offer them a bribe to let you and the prisoner go free?

[OgreBattle]

There's no FUCKING KILL THEM option!?
We totally bonked the heads of some together when we walked into the city

[Dr_Noface]

Claim we have caught the prisoner. Dirk is cold as ice.

[Prak]

Bribe them. It's vaguely possible this will give us an ally. I'm pretty sure that's how Conan usually gets them, rescuing prisoners, I mean.

[Darth Rabbitt]

You tell the town guards that you are a bounty hunter. They seem pleased that you have caught their wanted man. The chief guard walks over to you and hands you 5 Gold Pieces saying, "This murderer won't escape again. Here's your reward." He then rejoins the other guards who are busy chaining up the escaped murderer. You decide to head quickly north in case the murderer tries to implicate you.

(Dirk prefers freelance peacekeeping agent.)

On the right-hand side the houses are separated from the street by a wooden fence with shrubs, trees, bushes and flowers behind it. There is a turnstile in the middle of the fence, by the side of which is a sign reading: "Public Gardens. Entry Fee 1 Gold Piece."

Do you wish to go into the gardens or rather keep on walking?

(A garden with flowers probably has Lotus Petals in it, I'd reckon.)

Dirk von Facestabber III
SKILL: 12/12
STAMINA: 24/24
LUCK: 12/12
Equipment: Broadsword, Chainmail Coat, Magnificent Shield (+1 Attack)
Potions: None
Provisions: 6 meals
Keys: None
Misc: Climbing Rope, Butcher's Meat Hook, Iron Spike, Lantern, Clove of Garlic, Old Knucklebones, Candles (3,) Mirror
Quest Items: Silver Arrow, Hag's Hair, Black Pearls (6)
Gold Pieces: 46

[Dr_Noface]

Man, if the flower is in the garden, all we have left to score is a totally sweet forehead tattoo. We should have asked the red star guys where they got theirs done.

[Ikeren]

Flower gardens. Let's get this quest item going!

[Darth Rabbitt]

You place the coin in the slot and walk through the turnstile. Although the flowers and shrubs are not outstanding, you are nevertheless surprised that such a place exists in Port Blacksand. The gardens are not very large, extending back some sixty meters to where some houses back on to them. There are two paths to follow, one of which runs around the edge of the gardens and one that leads directly into the center, where there is some topiary -each shrub has been cut into the shape of an animal- and you decide to take a closer look. The path leads into a small paved area surrounded by the animal-shaped shrubs. In the middle there is a stone plinth upon which sits a large earthen bowl containing lotus flowers! There is a painted sign which reads "Do Not Pick the Flowers." The gardener is nowhere to be seen and there is nobody else about.

Do you wish to risk picking one of the flowers or rather leave the garden and continue north?

Dirk von Facestabber III
SKILL: 12/12
STAMINA: 24/24
LUCK: 12/12
Equipment: Broadsword, Chainmail Coat, Magnificent Shield (+1 Attack)
Potions: None
Provisions: 6 meals
Keys: None
Misc: Climbing Rope, Butcher's Meat Hook, Iron Spike, Lantern, Clove of Garlic, Old Knucklebones, Candles (3,) Mirror
Quest Items: Silver Arrow, Hag's Hair, Black Pearls (6)
Gold Pieces: 45

[Dr_Noface]

Our most dangerous challenge yet, a stern warning. Pick the flowers!

[Username17]

Obviously the gargoyles are going to attack us or something, but we actually do need the damn flowers, so it's time to start picking the flowers. Dirk VonFacestabber recovered from poisoning by getting himself a chainmail coat, I'm sure he can overcome whatever fucking crazy bullshit is there to back up a stern warning.

-Username17

[Korgan0]

LIVE LIFE TO THE FULLEST

PICK THE DAMN FLOWERS

[Hicks]

ONLY THE MOST METAL OF MANLY MEN PICK FLOWERS, AND DIRK IS THE METALIST.

DIRK PICKS THE FLOWERS IN THE MOST METAL WAY EVER: WITH HIS HAAAAAND.

[Darth Rabbitt]

As soon as you pluck one of the flowers you hear the noise of rustling leaves. Three of the animal-shaped hedges have uprooted themselves and are closing in on you. Do you have a Ring of Fire? (No.)

You draw your sword to defend yourselves against the advancing LEAF BEASTS. The all attack you at once, seemingly trying to crush and smother you. Treat the Leaf Beasts as a single creature.

LEAF BEASTS SKILL 6 STAMINA 6

Combat Log:

Beasts 11, Dirk 19. Beasts are at 4.
Beasts 11, Dirk 18. Beasts are at 2.
Beasts 14, Dirk 21. Beasts are dead.

You run back to the turnstile still clutching the lotus and make your getaway into Stable Street.

(Item get.)

The street ends at a junction with Mill Street, which runs east and west along the city wall. Looking east you see a group of town guards marching towards you and you decide to walk quickly west along Mill Street. On your left you see a narrow lane and ahead you see a young lad coming towards you pushing a barrow laden with fruit.

Do you wish to walk down the lane or buy some fruit from the barrow-boy?

Dirk von Facestabber III
SKILL: 12/12
STAMINA: 24/24
LUCK: 12/12
Equipment: Broadsword, Chainmail Coat, Magnificent Shield (+1 Attack)
Potions: None
Provisions: 6 meals
Keys: None
Misc: Climbing Rope, Butcher's Meat Hook, Iron Spike, Lantern, Clove of Garlic, Old Knucklebones, Candles (3,) Mirror
Quest Items: Lotus Flower, Silver Arrow, Hag's Hair, Black Pearls (6)
Gold Pieces: 45

[Dr_Noface]

I vote narrow lane, there may be throats to slit!

[Ikeren]

I vote that the fruit may come in handy. Buy some of that. Plus, possible facestabbing.

[Korgan0]

let's get that fruit!

[Darth Rabbitt]

The boy puts down his barrow and asks you what you would like to buy. He recommends his plums as being particularly refreshing.

Do you wish to pay 1 Gold Piece for a bag of plums or buy a bag of apples for 1 Gold Piece?

(It's odd that these are mutually exclusive, and that you can't opt to buy nothing. Also, I put a poll up about which Fighting Fantasy would be desirable for the next Let's Play: either #2: Citadel of Chaos or #7: Island of the Lizard King.)

[Dr_Noface]

Is this kid trying to fuck with us? Knowing this city, they're probably Plums of Misfortune. But Dirk just got bit on the neck and face by a serpent queen, and he is now a genie with no fucks left to grant. I say we buy the plums and eat them all right in front of this punk.