Let's Play The Gates of Death: Fighting Fantasy (Sch#12)

Darth Rabbitt · Post by **Darth Rabbitt** » Tue Jan 08, 2019 5:09 pm

You try the door. It's locked. A horrible grunting, hissing noise warns you that some demons have sniffed you out and are advancing along the street behind you. You hammer at the door and hear a muffled voice on the other side.

'Go away.'

Explain who you are and what you are doing?
Try to break the door down?
Run back the way you came?

SlyJohnny · Post by **SlyJohnny** » Tue Jan 08, 2019 6:53 pm

Explain that Webspinn sent us.

Thaluikhain · Post by **Thaluikhain** » Wed Jan 09, 2019 8:24 am

Explain. Hiding inside would work better if the door isn't broken.

Darth Rabbitt · Post by **Darth Rabbitt** » Thu Jan 10, 2019 4:42 am

While I try not to complain or nitpick about art, I have to point out 2 things about this picture:
1. It was said 2 sections ago that the man was wearing a full helmet, while he's wearing an open face helmet here. Similarly, it was said that he had 4 Man-Orc bodyguards, but the picture depicts five (one on either side, and three behind him).
2. Just look at this Wind Waker looking fucker.

You hear a rattling of locks and chains and at last the door is opened by the man wearing the helmet.

'Come in, quickly,' he says and you don't wait to be told twice. Once inside he bolts the door behind you., 'So you've come all the way from the Crucible Isles to save us, have you?' he says, taking off the helmet. 'You're not the first—there was a young adventurer in here just a few days ago—but I fear you may be the last.

He's a large man who looks like he enjoys his food. He has a round, sweaty face and a small goatee beard.

'Pleased to meet you,' he says, offering you a damp hand to shake. 'My name is Sanford Swann and this shop has been in my family for twenty generations. Whether it will survive this demon curse, I don't know. I have these brutes to protect me.' He nods towards the Man-Orcs who grunt at you but say nothing. 'There are more demons on the streets every day,' Swann goes on, looking out of the window. 'I sometimes think I'm the last uninfected person left in Salamonis...So, what can I do for you? I have locked most of my maps away in a safe place to stop them from being destroyed, but I do have a few left here in the shop. I have a good map of Salamonis, a map of Trolltooth Pass, and I have a lovely set of three maps showing Allansia, the Old World and Khul. I also sell equipment for explorers and even have a few magic items.'

(There's an option to leave the shop but I know we won't take it, especially since we get the exact same option to again if we don't. It's not even padding because it's not its own section.)

What are you interested in buying from Sanford Swann?

The map of Salamonis?
The map of Trolltooth Pass?
The set of three maps?
Or, would you rather:
Ask about the adventurer who was here before you?
Ask Swann to show you his equipment for explorers?
Ask to look at his magic items?
Ask him where you can get more money?
Leave the shop?

(I think 8 choices in one section is a record for Fighting Fantasy.)

SGamerz · Post by **SGamerz** » Thu Jan 10, 2019 12:30 pm

Map of Trolltooth Pass

maglag · Post by **maglag** » Fri Jan 11, 2019 4:33 am

Give us your finest Trolltooth Pass work.

Thaluikhain · Post by **Thaluikhain** » Fri Jan 11, 2019 12:51 pm

(He's a large man? Are man-orcs giants? Also, while shops in FF are often a bit odd, a guy barricading himself in his ship cause he thinks he's the only person left (do man-orcs not count?) stands out)

Yeah, Trolltooth pass map.

SlyJohnny · Post by **SlyJohnny** » Fri Jan 11, 2019 6:41 pm

Let's look at magic items first. It looks like we might be able to go away and come back here, so the map can wait.

Darth Rabbitt · Post by **Darth Rabbitt** » Sat Jan 12, 2019 2:43 am

Thaluikhain wrote:(He's a large man? Are man-orcs giants?

I noticed that too, but think the author means that he's fat, but doesn't want to be too blunt about it. I think describing him as "heavy-set" would have gotten the same idea across.

Also, while shops in FF are often a bit odd, a guy barricading himself in his ship cause he thinks he's the only person left (do man-orcs not count?) stands out)

To be fair, there's a zombie demon apocalypse going on in the city. No idea why he doesn't count his bodyguards as people though.

SlyJohnny wrote:Let's look at magic items first. It looks like we might be able to go away and come back here, so the map can wait.

We can actually check out both in a row. The book is padded elsewhere but the shop is actually fairly well set up.

The map of Trolltooth Pass:

'This is a very simple, but accurate map of how to get from Salamonis to Trolltooth Pass,' says Swann, showing you a rolled map in a tube. 'It also shows some of the Plain of Bronze. It's yours for 5 Gold Pieces. If you don't have the money I can tell you where to find some, if you like.'

To buy the map, pay 5 Gold Pieces. To view it, make a note of this section number and turn to 173. When you have looked at it turn back here and make sure to mark the number 173 next to your map in your Equipment List in case you ever want to look at it again.

(I'm not scanning the map unless we're sure we want to buy.)

Magic items:

'Ah, yes, I do have a few jars of magic potion left, and even some perfume,' says Swann. 'Take your pick, only 5 Gold Pieces each.'

Swann offers you a jar of 'Thick as Thieves', a jar of 'Pretty as a Picture,' a jar of 'Dragon's Breath,' a jar of 'Collywobbles' and a bottle of 'Nostalgia' perfume. Deduct 5 Gold Pieces for each one you buy.

And that brings us back to the section we started at. We don't have enough for both the map and a potion, so we'd have to pick one or check something else out.

The map of Salamonis?
The map of Trolltooth Pass?
The set of three maps?
Ask about the adventurer who was here before you?
Ask Swann to show you his equipment for explorers?
Ask to look at his magic items?
Ask him where you can get more money?
Leave the shop?

SlyJohnny · Post by **SlyJohnny** » Sat Jan 12, 2019 3:50 pm

Well hell, can we just view the map before we buy? Because if it's just a case of knowing a route rather than a "do you have a map" check, maybe we don't need to buy.

If we're not getting kicked out of the shop early, let's ask about everything, and making money last.

maglag · Post by **maglag** » Mon Jan 14, 2019 6:21 am

Ask all the questions first.

Darth Rabbitt · Post by **Darth Rabbitt** » Tue Jan 15, 2019 12:20 am

The map of Salamonis:
'I'd love to take all your money, but a map of Salamonis is of no use to you now,' says Swann. 'I can tell you how to get out of town. Simply go back up the street that brought you here, turn right at the top into the North Road and carry straight on south down to Titan Square, then take the East Road straight up to the East Gate, where you'll find the road for Trolltooth Pass.'

The set of 3 maps:
'They truly are beautiful maps,' says Swann. 'They were drawn by the finest mapmaker in all Titan, Master Evett Luxtonas. But I fear you won't be able to afford then. If you have 200 Gold Pieces, however, they are yours.'

(Colin does not have 200 Gold Pieces.)

The adventurer who was here before:
'You want to know about the young adventurer?' says Swann. 'He was from the Icefinger Mountains and was desperate to find the Invisible City. He was sure that the demon plague was spreading from there. I sold him my best map of the Plain of Bronze. Much good will it do him. The thing about the Invisible City is that, well, it's invisible! So it's not marked on any map. He had an idea, though, that he could find out more about the Invisible City in the burial grounds near the ruins of Broken Goddess Fort, halfway along Trolltooth Pass. So he was heading that way. He sold me a box of his, sealed by magic. It was no use to him any longer as he'd lost the key when he was locked up a spell in Lord Azzur's dungeons.' (Colin does not have a frog in his pocket.)

Swann rummages around below his counter and lifts up a carved wooden box inlaid with mother-of-pearl. It has a simple-looking lock on it.

'If you want it,' says Swann,' I can let you have it for 10 Gold Pieces.'

Equipment for explorers:
'Ah, so you want to see my equipment for explorers,' says Swann, leading you over to some shelves. 'I have these magical silver swift boots; for only 6 Gold Pieces they will get you quickly past any danger. Very useful on the streets of Salamonis right now, I'd say. Also, I have this silver compass, cheap at 5 Gold Pieces; the adventurer who was here bought one just like it, said it was just what he needed. Or what about this stylish sun hat, only 8 Gold Pieces? Or this stout walking staff for only 10 Gold Pieces?'

You can sense that Swann is desperate. The prices are too high for these ordinary objects. But buy anything you want, and can afford, and put on any clothing you've bought.

Where you can get more money:
'So, you need more money, eh?' says Swann. 'Well, let me tell you a secret. A rich aristocrat called Sir Jordaan Mannly had a big mansion on the south-east side of town. When the demons started to take over Salamonis he told me he'd buried all his money in his front garden under a statue of Hamaskis. He died two days ago and, if I'd been able to get out of my shop, I'd have gone to dig it up. If you want to have a go then take this silver trowel...

Go treasure hunting?
Leave the shop?

So with 8 Gold Pieces right now, we can't afford the box or the walking staff (or the set of 3 maps, of course). We can afford any one other item, though, if we want to buy any of them.

MisterDee · Post by **MisterDee** » Tue Jan 15, 2019 3:02 am

I really, really want that box. Let's go get money.

Thaluikhain · Post by **Thaluikhain** » Tue Jan 15, 2019 3:51 am

Yeah, treasure hunting.

SGamerz · Post by **SGamerz** » Tue Jan 15, 2019 11:35 am

Treasure hunt!

Darth Rabbitt · Post by **Darth Rabbitt** » Tue Jan 15, 2019 5:42 pm

Add the Silver Trowel to your inventory.

'When you get to Titan Square,' says Swann, 'take the South Road and then turn left along the eastern road at the crossroads. Carry straight on down it until you get to Mannly's mansion. Good luck. I'll see you here later...if you make it back alive...'

You hurry out and go back the way you came to Titan Square.

(I'm just going to assume we follow his directions. Taking the south road...)

You walk on until you come to a crossroads. (East.)

Ahead of you, you can see a beautiful mansion with well-kept gardens. There is a statue of Hamaskis, God of Learning, standing on the lawn, holding an open book. You hurry towards the mansion, but when you get there you find the front gate locked. You climb up on to one of the gateposts and then grab the low-hanging branch of a pear tree growing in the garden and climb into it. You are able to get to the statue from the tree and lower yourself down on to it. It begins to teeter, however, and then falls over, spilling you on to the lawn. (Colin has a trowel.)

You can hear someone—or something—moving about in the house, so you quickly grab the trowel from your pack and desperately start to dig in the soft earth exposed by the fallen statue.

Soon you feel the blade knock against something solid and scrabble in the mud with your fingers before pulling up a small box. You open it to find 25 Gold Pieces. Not exactly a fortune, but enough to buy what you need.

Add the 25 Gold Pieces to your Adventure Sheet.

You stand up and brush dirt off your clothing. And it's then that you hear the sound of smashing glass and see a terrible sight. Demons are running out of the house, pouring out through the door and jumping down from the broken windows. You run back to the gates and desperately clamber up the gatepost. When you get to the top, however, a demon hurls a brick that hits you on the head.

Lose 2 STAMINA points and 1 SKILL point. You will regain these points at the end of the next battle you fight, by which time your head should have cleared.

You stand there wobbling. Which way will you fall? Into the street or back into the garden? (Colin has a trowel).

You jump down and land safely in the street. The demons scream across the garden behind you and start to climb the gates. You turn and leg it all the way back to Titan Square.

(And from there I assume we return to the shop.)

You walk on until you come to a crossroads, with streets heading north, south east and west.

You hurry on until you come to a crossroads.

You carry on down the road. (Colin has a trowel.)

You manage to get safely back to Sanford Swann's shop and he quickly lets you in while his Man-Orcs guard the door.

'I hope you found the treasure,' he says, rubbing his hands together. 'I should really ask for a cut of it, but I'm feeling kindly towards you. Now, what can I get for you?'

(So now we can get at least any three items, possibly more, with the exception of the set of three maps. What do we want? We have at least 1 vote for the box.)

Adventure Sheet
Colin Hunt
SKILL: 11/11 (10/11 until next battle)
STAMINA: 15/18 (13/18 until next battle)
LUCK: 8/11
Equipment: Traveling Clothes, Lucky Anchor Charm, Hero's Medallion (+2 SKILL), Silver Ring
Vials of Smoke-Oil: 0
Gold Pieces: 33
Weapons: Lord Azzur's Khopesh (+1 Attack Strength, extra +1 attack/damage vs. demons)
Items: Fishhook, Brass Compass, Poison Antidote, Silver Trowel
Healing Items: Harp of Healing (+8 STAMINA when a combat would be lost), Horn of Plenty (restores STAMINA to Initial level), Healing Ointment (+4 STAMINA), Dates (+3 STAMINA when eaten)
Keys: Icefinger Key
Magic Potions: 'Nostalgia' Perfume

SlyJohnny · Post by **SlyJohnny** » Tue Jan 15, 2019 6:07 pm

The box that we have a key for is our last, best hope for obtaining more cures, unless we find some on the corpse of that adventurer. So that's a must. -10gp

This mysterious adventurer who clearly had his shit together much more than we do was also pretty certain he needed a silver compass, so let's get that too. -5gp

18 gp left, I'd say a jar of collywobbles (-5gp), a jar of Thick as Thieves (-5gp) and the map (-5gp). But I'll vote for any plan that includes the box and the compass, if people want to buy different potions or save some gold. Particularly as "collywobbles" apparently means "stomach pain", so it might just be the booby prize potion.

SGamerz · Post by **SGamerz** » Wed Jan 16, 2019 11:33 am

Get the Trolltooth Map and the compass. No preference regarding the other stuff.

MisterDee · Post by **MisterDee** » Wed Jan 16, 2019 6:23 pm

Go with Sly's plan.

Darth Rabbitt · Post by **Darth Rabbitt** » Thu Jan 17, 2019 3:50 am

The Box:
Deduct 10 Gold Pieces. You inspect the adventurer's box. (Colin has the Icefinger Key).

You take out the key you found in the prisoner's boot in the dungeons at Port Blacksand and slip it into the lock. It works. The box snaps open and inside you find 20 Gold Pieces, a silver compass and a jar of 'Pretty as a Picture' potion. Add the items to your Equipment List.

The Map:

So that's a net profit of 10 gold and we get a free silver compass, so that's arguably a net profit of 15 gold. I assume we still want the map and the potions, but even after all of those we have 28 Gold Pieces left. Anything else on the list we want to take? Here's what we have as options:
A jar of "Dragon's Breath" (5 GP)
Another 'Nostalgia' and/or 'Pretty as a Picture' (5 GP each)
Another Silver Compass (5 GP)
A set of Silver Swift Boots (6 GP)
A Sun Hat (8 GP)
A Walking Stick (10 GP)

We can buy up to any four of those items (counting each potion as a separate item) if we want to. Possibly more depending on which ones we pick.

Adventure Sheet
Colin Hunt
SKILL: 11/11 (10/11 until next battle)
STAMINA: 15/18 (13/18 until next battle)
LUCK: 8/11
Equipment: Traveling Clothes, Lucky Anchor Charm, Hero's Medallion (+2 SKILL), Silver Ring
Vials of Smoke-Oil: 0
Gold Pieces: 28
Weapons: Lord Azzur's Khopesh (+1 Attack Strength, extra +1 attack/damage vs. demons)
Items: Fishhook, Brass Compass, Poison Antidote, Silver Trowel, Silver Compass, Map of Trolltooth Pass
Healing Items: Harp of Healing (+8 STAMINA when a combat would be lost), Horn of Plenty (restores STAMINA to Initial level), Healing Ointment (+4 STAMINA), Dates (+3 STAMINA when eaten)
Keys: Icefinger Key
Magic Potions: 'Collywobbles', 'Nostalgia' Perfume, 'Pretty as a Picture,' 'Thick as Thieves'

SGamerz · Post by **SGamerz** » Thu Jan 17, 2019 11:37 am

Get the boots and the Dragon's breath

Thaluikhain · Post by **Thaluikhain** » Thu Jan 17, 2019 12:34 pm

Yeah, boots and Dragon's Breath.

(I remember reading somewhere that fans got annoyed that this book didn't go the usual route of naming potions "Potion of X". It is noticeably different, but I'm not seeing a big issue.)

SlyJohnny · Post by **SlyJohnny** » Thu Jan 17, 2019 2:25 pm

Yeah, sure. I've probably screwed us on the cure thing anyway, but maybe this adventurer was carrying a vial. Although if he was a member of our expedition, presumably we could've asked for a description and identified him by now, and if he wasn't, I don't know where he would've got one (or what his plan is if he doesn't).

Darth Rabbitt · Post by **Darth Rabbitt** » Thu Jan 17, 2019 3:12 pm

Thaluikhain wrote:(I remember reading somewhere that fans got annoyed that this book didn't go the usual route of naming potions "Potion of X". It is noticeably different, but I'm not seeing a big issue.)

FF fans are weird. Going by online reviews, the average fan seems to hate Scorpion Swamp and love House of Hell.

Leaving the shop:
'If you want to follow in the adventurer's footsteps I would advise you to get out of town as quickly as possible through the East Gate and head straight for the burial grounds near Broken Goddess Fort in Trolltooth Pass,' says Swann. 'You will need to go carefully, though. Once, long ago, there were walled towns and forts all along the length of the pass to keep it protected, but they've mostly been abandoned and fallen into disrepair. King Salamon has been making efforts to fortify it once again, since it is the main way into this part of Allansia from the south and east. It is still very dangerous, however, the haunt of bandits, highwaymen and goblin raiders, and with every kind of monster lurking in its caves. Make sure that you are equipped to deal with the dangers, or you may not even escape this city.'

(We've already checked all his wares, so we are sure we're heading out.)

You thank Swann for all his help and he lets you out of his shop. As you step out into the street you see that it's blocked by demons who have been waiting for you, hungry for blood.

'Go swiftly! The fate of all Titan is in your hands!' Swann shouts and then slams the door behind you and locks it. (Colin is wearing the swift silver boots.)

There would be no point in trying to fight so many demons, but you are wearing the swift silver boots, so you have the chance to outrun them. You charge at them, amazed that each step you take is five times the length of a normal pace. You easily get past the first rank of demons, and are going so fast you plough through another bunch, knocking them out of your way like skittles. Now you are past them and racing on.

You walk on until you come to a crossroads, with streets heading north, south east and west.
Go north?
Go east?
Go west?
Go south towards Titan Square?

(We're just north of where we started in the city. Where to now?)

Adventure Sheet
Colin Hunt
SKILL: 11/11 (10/11 until next battle)
STAMINA: 15/18 (13/18 until next battle)
LUCK: 8/11
Equipment: Traveling Clothes, Lucky Anchor Charm, Hero's Medallion (+2 SKILL), Silver Ring, Swift Silver Boots
Vials of Smoke-Oil: 0
Gold Pieces: 18
Weapons: Lord Azzur's Khopesh (+1 Attack Strength, extra +1 attack/damage vs. demons)
Items: Fishhook, Brass Compass, Poison Antidote, Silver Trowel, Silver Compass, Map of Trolltooth Pass
Healing Items: Harp of Healing (+8 STAMINA when a combat would be lost), Horn of Plenty (restores STAMINA to Initial level), Healing Ointment (+4 STAMINA), Dates (+3 STAMINA when eaten)
Keys: Icefinger Key
Magic Potions: 'Collywobbles', 'Dragon's Breath,' 'Nostalgia' Perfume, 'Pretty as a Picture,' 'Thick as Thieves'

SlyJohnny · Post by **SlyJohnny** » Thu Jan 17, 2019 6:25 pm

We want to go out the East gate, so let's go south to Titan Square (if it's the same safe page reference as before) and then due east.