[Let's Play] Rider of the Black Sun

[angelfromanotherpin]

427 Admiral Grobrig shakes his head in resignation as he watches you arm for combat. Yet he dares not hold you back. Two enemy ships have already come into firing range, and the breeze carries the ominous rhythmical clicking of the winches.

Tension is writ in your companions' faces; the young sailor to your right exhibits true mortal fear. He answers your encouraging nod with a tortured smile. The two enemy ships have gone alongside, and the first heavy metal bolts hiss as they leave their artillery hatches. Planks shatter. Water sputters. The Nargus' hull has literally been perforated.

No sooner have the arm-length harpoons hooked onto places in the hold than the Menokians begin pulling their ship towards the Nargus. Only a few feet, and they will be close enough to jump over. While the archers aboard the Nargus are showering the warriors from the Eternal Ice with arrows, the remaining Imperial fighters spread out to counter the Menokians' expected boarding attempts.

If you want to move portside, turn to 453.
If you want to confront the enemies to starboard, turn to 540

[Zaranthan]

Gotta love these completely uninformed "choices".

Pocket coin says starboard.

[pragma]

Starboard seems fine, and it isn't named after a kind of booze.

[Thaluikhain]

Isn't this a left/right choice, and isn't port left?

I vote for port.

[SGamerz]

Left booze port is always right.

[angelfromanotherpin]

I think the occasional uninformed choice-point can be a deliberate technique to simulate an uninformed situation, but I don't have that level of confidence in this author. With the vote tied, my own coin says starboard.

540 With a bone-chilling scraping sound, the hulls of the three ships smash into each other. It is only with great effort that you are able to keep your balance, but you have to watch two less fortunate men fall over the side. Because the deck of the Menokian ship to starboard is about seven feet lower than that of the Imperial ship, the enemies bravely swing over on ropes. Twenty warriors have so far dared the jump. Three dozen more are hanging in the rigging, waiting for the right moment.

You notice a movement behind you and spin around. Standing in front of you is a young Menokian, barely more than a child, raising his sword to attack you!

If you want to fight the young warrior, turn to 505.
If you want to disable him without shedding any blood, turn to 420.

[Darth Rabbitt]

Disable him. Even if we were a completely loyal soldier to our evil empire there's use in taking captives for information and/or ransom. And even if Admiral Grobrig objects he's rather ineffective in actually enforcing his orders to us.

[pragma]

Disable.

It is the heroic play and I'm convinced we're the biggest damn hero Ugar ever sicced on this world.

[Omegonthesane]

We can afford to showboat against children. Try not to shed blood.

[SGamerz]

Disable.

[angelfromanotherpin]

420 Despite his determined demeanor, this lad is not a danger to you. As he launches his attack, you seize his arm, stopping his blade, and knock him out with a sharp precise blow to the neck. Motionless, the boy sinks to the planks.

> I can't believe that these are peoples who send their boys to war now! How desperate must they be? <

Hoping that he will survive the sea battle without harm, you hurriedly roll him up in some sailcloth.

Turn to 378.

378 On the deck of the heavily damaged flagship of the Empire, a brutal life-or-death battle is raging. You fight like a lion while still trying not to mortally wound your enemies. Instead, you incapacitate them or throw them overboard whenever you can.

As another ice warrior drops to the deck, you have some time to collect yourself. Your eyes wander to the three ships moored to each other. Blood is everywhere; the dead and dying litter the decks.

> This pointless battle has to end! <

Then you sight the Menokian captain standing with legs apart and arms folded on the bridge. An arrogant grin appears above his matted beard as he returns your look. Though he likely knows who and what you are, you sense no fear in him at all. If you want to break the Menokians' fighting spirit and end this battle, you will have to defeat him in a duel

Turn to C30!

C30 Determined to end this sea battle as quickly as possible, you grab a rope and swing over onto the upper deck of the large Menokian ship. As you land directly in front of the captain's feet, he pulls back in surprise, holding out his impressive broad sword in a provocative gesture. The captain's bodyguard, a warrior whose neck is as broad as his bald head rushes towards you, determined to bar your path. Yet you are so focused on your goal of ending this battle that you are prepared to take any risk. You quickly duck, take down the guard with a roundhouse kick and incapacitate him with a well-aimed blow to his tattooed chest.

You turn on the captain as if guided by an alien power, your head lowered, gaze focused straight ahead. Two other Menokians nearby, who were just about to come to the aid of their leader, break with fear and escape into the sea. The captain, on the other hand, uses the distraction and attacks you purely for reasons of self-preservation.

If you want to kill the captain, turn to C86.
If you want to disarm him, turn to C74.

[Zaranthan]

If anybody is going to be a real opponent, it's the captain, but why stop showing off now? Disarm him, too.

[Omegonthesane]

test your might
test your might
test your might
test your might
NONLETHAL KOMBAT!

[SGamerz]

Disarm.

[Darth Rabbitt]

What I said about captives and ransom applies double to this captain since he might actually be worth something to the enemy. And this is assuming we don't try to team up with these guys later to try and take down our evil overlord.

[pragma]

Disable, not kill. Moar heroism.

[angelfromanotherpin]

C74 You have had enough of the constant bloodshed and focus your attacks on the captain's weapon arm. The experienced fighter sees through your intent, however, renewing his hold on the pommel of his sword and giving you a dirty grin.

MENOKIAN CAPTAIN

ATTACK	15
DEFENSE	17
RESISTANCE	3

If you succeed in a DEFENSE with a surplus of 2 points (17) or if you have the ability Warfare, turn to C41 at once.
If you win the fight without such a successful DEFENSE, turn to C95.

I find it a bit odd that the Warfare ability would help you in this very specific way in personal combat. Anyway, our combat mods are still attack +13 and defense +8, so this poor bugger may not survive despite our good intentions.

ROUND 1: A[6]/[4]/D[5], hit, defend, and disarm.

... or we can do it first try like a boss.

C41 Deftly, you duck under the captain's blow, seize him by the lower arm, and drive your rock-hard claws into his flesh. In sudden pain, he drops the weapon on your foot. You quickly kick it upwards so as to catch the blade for yourself.

If you want to keep the fine weapon, write down the Captain's Sword (Weapon, Hit Bonus +4, Special: DEFENSE +1 with STRENGTH 10 or more) on your adventure sheet.

Trembling under the strain, you press the blade against the captain's tattooed throat and command his men to surrender at once. Despite the hopeless situation, the ice warrior doesn't change his expression.

"Do you think we are a cowardly people?" he asks dismissively with his Nordic accent. "No matter whether you kill or spare me," he continues confidently, "victory is ours!" Boundless confidence marks the captain's bearing. "Flee, Shadow Child, a long as you can! We are not interested in your death!"

Struck by the frankness of his words, you stumble back. You feel cornered.

> How does he know who I am, what I am? <

You clutch the newly-obtained sword with both hands and raise it into the air. The Menokian captain stares at you without emotion. He awaits the decision of his executioner.

With full conviction, you strike!

Turn to C29.

C41 With a single fluid movement, you jump into the longboat and cut its mooring ropes. A moment later, it lands with a splash next to the ship in the stormy sea. You row with all your strength – after all, the remaining Menokians could follow you – but the captain holds them back with a commanding gesture. Apparently, he wants to let you escape.

On your way through the Leenhaven Bay, the scouts in the crow's nests of the remaining Alliance ships see you. You do not think that they will open fire on an allied longboat, but nevertheless you decide to swim the last few miles to the coast.

Return to the third chapter with section 451.

451 The water is icy. With every stroke against the offshore current your will to survive is being tested. Your body feels leaden. But with your will and divine assistance, you manage to escape the current and put some distance between you and the raging battle.

Despite the exertions of the last few hours you find new courage when you see the jetties of the Kanderhagen Bay. The shallow waves push you towards the harbor basin.

Turn to 462.

451 The bright disc of Kar is high in the sky, but so far nobody has found you among the debris and flotsam. You even manage to pull yourself onto an old orphaned fisher boat, peacefully moored to a small pier. On board you find various fishing tools and a bundle of tattered but wearable coats.

To find your way through the streets of Leenhaven somewhat safely, you have no choice but to put on one of the storm coats over your telltale uniform.

Write down the Fisher Coat (Clothing, Disguise) on your adventure sheet. You also find:
• Rusty Fillet Knife (Weapon, Hit Bonus +1)
• Wicker Basket (Utensil, worn like a backpack with straps on your back)
• Bottle of Brandy (Utensil)

If you want to rest on the boat and wait until dusk, turn to 368.
If you want to leave at once, turn to 402.

As usual, let me know if there's anything you don't want to take.

[Omegonthesane]

Do we have teh inventory space to take everything? If so, take everything.

That whole fight sequence felt a bit timid; leave the boat immediately in broad daylight as a petty rebellion against that branding.

[pragma]

Decision: I think waiting until dusk is a winner.

Justification: I don't think the book will have a "gets discovered in the boat" section, and I think the framing of "leave at once" sounds like hubris.

Observations:
* I'm disappointed by the lack of special bonus points for sparing so many lives and heroically dueling the enemy captain. We're not doing a great job of unlocking achievements!
* The book continues to paint the Ugarith messiah as a bit of a pushover
* I wonder how strong the psychological pinning effect of the first poster is. I was really ready to agree with leaving at once until I sat and thought for a bit.

[angelfromanotherpin]

I'd really appreciate a tie-breaker vote.

[Thaluikhain]

Ok then, hide until dusk.

[angelfromanotherpin]

540 The smell of smoke and blood is in the air. The coast is engulfed by black smoke. A sea of flame over the water and across Leenhaven illuminates the night sky in an ominous blood-red haze.

Aflame, both fleets drift into the bay. The battle of the ground troops before the city gates appears to be raging still. Occasionally, the shifting wind carries the cries of battle and the din of war machines towards you. With muscles trembling from the effort, you manage to stand up. Just as you do, a giant shadow suddenly tears across the sky above you. So quickly does it move that it swallows up all the smoke surrounding you in its wake!

Shaken, you stare after the monster until it disappears over the harbor. Then a bright lance of fire slices through the darkness, consuming the many roofs of warehouses and trading houses. A moment later, the buildings burn like kindling in a furnace.

> A dragon! The Empire is starting its air attack. Such a sight! <

You realize that this battle will influence the outcome of the war. You gather your courage and run towards the shouts of battle. Under the cover of night, you easily manage to evade guards and barriers. Sometimes only an arm's length separates you from the soldiers as you sneak right past them in the shadows.

The air at the waterfront is filled with heat and smoke. You have trouble breathing, and your heart almost stops as you stumble over something. At first you took the charred heap at your feet to be burnt wood, but now you see that it is a human's remains.

> Both sides will suffer heavy losses in this battle. <

You concentrate on not looking into the flames and moving quickly. Crouched over, you run further into the city. The closer you come to the inner city, the more death and destruction you have to confront. Everywhere people are screaming, roof tibers shattering. The heart of Leenhaven has become an inferno.

If you have the ability Free Breath or Immunity to Heat, turn to 548.
If you have neither, turn to 495.

Surprised by the house's sudden collapse, you seek cover behind a wall and wait for the first shockwave of hot ash and black smoke to pass. You are just about to turn your back to the flames when you hear the hysterical screams of a young woman. Amidst the flying sparks and the flames, she cries out for her son, who appears to still be in the burning house.

If you have the ability Premonition, turn to 395.
If you want to turn aside and continue on your way to the city center, turn to 446.
If you want to help the mother and her child, turn to 532.

Stats:

STRENGTH	8
DEXTERITY	6
VITALITY	Fit(5/5)
KARMA	2
RAGE	1/5

Weapons (max 3):

1	Captain's Sword	+4 (+1 Defense if Strength 10+)
2	Menokian Short Sword	+3
3	Knife	+1

Clothing:

Body	Empire Uniform	+1
Legs	Soldier Boots	+1
Disguise	Fisher Coat

Special Items (max 12):

1	Figurine of the Ancients
2	Signet Ring
3	Lump of Gold

Utensils (max 6)

1	Prayer Book
2	Fig From Rohja (full heal)
3	Bomb
4	Wicker Basket
5	Bottle of Brandy

Abilities:

2	Sharpened Senses
3	Free Breath
4	Mental Focus
5	Magical Lore
6	History Knowledge
7	Good Fighter (+2 Melee Attack)
8	Power of the Full Moon
9	Immune to Sunlight

Money: 9 Dinars

[Thaluikhain]

Presumably we should help the mother.

[Omegonthesane]

If we're anything like normal humans in psychology we won't be able to live with ourselves for letting this child die. Help.

[Darth Rabbitt]

Yeah, help the mother.