[Let's Play] Fighting Fantasy 51 – Island of the Undead

[Darth Rabbitt]

Hang around in the area to see if anything happens.

[SGamerz]

Hang around and wait.

[Queen of Swords]

Yes, hang around and wait.

[JourneymanN00b]

Votes registered; Shaggy will hang around in the area to see if anything happens.

249
More time passes; it grows dark and there is no sign of anything happening here. You must eat a meal at the end of the day. You’re beginning to get sleepy. Will you go and find a safe place to sleep (turn to 276) or wait here even longer, risking an attack from some prowling animal of the night (turn to 26)?

Please make your votes before 6:00 PM PST to ensure that they will be counted.

Adventure Sheet
[spoiler]Shaggy
SKILL: 11 Initial Skill = 11
STAMINA: 15 Initial Stamina = 17
LUCK: 10 Initial Luck = 10
PRESENCE: 7
TIME ELAPSED: 0 days
ENEMY ENCOUNTER:
None
EQUIPMENT LIST:
Knife
Backpack
Waterskin
Leather Jerkin
Pot of Thick Glue
Sword
2 Potions of Stamina (restores up to one-half of Initial Stamina when used)
Flask of Grog (+4 Stamina, +1 Attack Strength temporary bonus for one combat)
Magic Sword (+1 Attack Strength)
Shield
2 Ropes
2 Small Bottles of Monk’s Herbal Liqueur (each half-bottle gives +4 Stamina)
PROVISIONS REMAINING: 9
POSSESSIONS:
Bottle of Olive Oil
2 Pouches
13 Gold Pieces
Lantern
Pestle and Mortar
Herbiary with 3 Dog-eared Pages (page 311 on Rat-tailed Fungus, page 175 on Pitcher Plant, and page 266 on Axeplant)
Sapphire with 50 Facets
Topaz with 24 Facets
Magical Scroll with ‘Incantation of Light’ Inscribed
Skeleton Key
Wooden Pole
Gold Chain Divided Into 8 Sections with 12 Links Each
Pearl
Boons:
2 Entity Wishes[/spoiler]

[Darth Rabbitt]

I’m going to call this book’s bluff and vote we stay longer.

[Queen of Swords]

Agreed, stay and see what happens.

[JourneymanN00b]

Votes recognized; Shaggy will wait here even longer.

26
You jump as an owl hoots close by. You had nodded off to sleep! Rubbing your tired eyes, you see that the scenes in the clearing is quite different now that moonlight is shining softly down on the area. The crescent moon above the stone arch radiates a soft white light and within the clearing stands a circle of standing stone. Enclosed within the ring are three barrows of earth, each with a darkened entrance, one to either side of you and one with its entrance directly in front of you.

If you want to enter a barrow, you need a lantern in order to see properly. If you don’t have a lantern, you must deduct 2 from your Attack Strength during any combats in any of the barrows, and you will be very vulnerable to traps. What will you do now?

Climb a tree and get some sleep? Turn to 276
Enter the right-hand barrow? Turn to 38
Enter the left-hand barrow? Turn to 160
Enter the large central barrow? Turn to 59

Shaggy has a lantern.

Please make your votes before 9:00 AM PST or a 3-vote majority is reached to ensure that they will be counted.

[SGamerz]

Central barrow.

[Queen of Swords]

Sure, try the central one.

[Darth Rabbitt]

Large central barrow.

[JourneymanN00b]

Entering the large central barrow received 3 votes, so Shaggy will do this.

59
[spoiler][/spoiler]

Your heart is pumping frantically as you enter the large barrow mound. Uneasy dead do not rest quietly here. You inch forward into the supernatural chill of the barrow, and you think you can hear mutters and murmurs coming from the gloom around you. You imagine the terrors dwelling in deep tombs and you imagine foetid breath on your face, rank and foul. But it’s no imagining! Before you stands a ghastly shrouded corpse, its decaying body weakly phosphorescent. Lumps of flesh hang from its skeletal arms, and its sightless eye-sockets writhe with maggots. It extends its bony hands to embrace you with the paralysing touch of the grave. You strike at it blindly with your sword. The thing, whatever it is, has a SKILL of 8; work out which of you has the higher Attack Strength for this first Attack Round. If yours is the higher, you hit the thing for 2 points of damage to its STAMINA; turn to 137 and deduct 2 points from its STAMINA as given in that paragraph. If your undead enemy has the higher Attack Strength, turn to 102.

The fight:
[spoiler]Round 1: Corpse Attack Strength: 13, Player Attack Strength: 21[/spoiler]

Shaggy has the higher Attack Strength for the first Attack Round and deals 2 Stamina damage for the upcoming combat.

137
You dodge and weave to avoid the flailing, razor-sharp claws of the undead monstrosity before you, and to keep away from its noxious, stinking breath. Fight this horror normally, but with one exception: if when you roll the dice for the thing’s Attack Strength you roll 10 or higher (before you add its SKILL), its foul breath weakens you and you must deduct 1 from your Attack Strength for the rest of the combat.

BARROW GUARDIAN SKILL 9 STAMINA 12

If you win, you still have a problem: the Guardian’s breath has infected you with Lung Rot (record this on your Adventure Sheet). Turn to 307.

The fight, continued:
[spoiler](Barrow Guardian is at 10 Stamina from taking a blow earlier)
Round 2: Barrow Guardian Attack Strength: 21, Barrow Guradian’s breath reduces Player’s Attack Strength by 1 for the rest of the combat since a 12 was rolled, Player Attack Strength: 18;
Barrow Guardian Stamina: 10, Player Stamina: 13
Round 3: Barrow Guardian Attack Strength: 19, Barrow Guradian’s breath reduces Player’s Attack Strength by 1 again for the rest of the combat since a 10 was rolled, Player Attack Strength: 19;
Barrow Guardian Stamina: 10, Player Stamina: 13
Round 4: Barrow Guardian Attack Strength: 18, Player Attack Strength: 19;
Barrow Guardian Stamina: 8, Player Stamina: 13
Round 5: Barrow Guardian Attack Strength: 19, Barrow Guradian’s breath reduces Player’s Attack Strength by 1 again for the rest of the combat since a 10 was rolled, Player Attack Strength: 19;
Barrow Guardian Stamina: 8, Player Stamina: 13
Round 6: Barrow Guardian Attack Strength: 12, Player Attack Strength: 14;
Barrow Guardian Stamina: 6, Player Stamina: 13
Round 7: Barrow Guardian Attack Strength: 19, Barrow Guradian’s breath reduces Player’s Attack Strength by 1 again for the rest of the combat since a 10 was rolled, Player Attack Strength: 15;
Barrow Guardian Stamina: 6, Player Stamina: 11
Round 8: Barrow Guardian Attack Strength: 18, Player Attack Strength: 10;
Barrow Guardian Stamina: 6, Player Stamina: 9
Round 9: Barrow Guardian Attack Strength: 16, Player Attack Strength: 17;
Barrow Guardian Stamina: 4, Player Stamina: 9
Round 10: Barrow Guardian Attack Strength: 17, Player Attack Strength: 13;
Barrow Guardian Stamina: 4, Player Stamina: 7
Round 11: Barrow Guardian Attack Strength: 16, Player Attack Strength: 17;
Barrow Guardian Stamina: 2, Player Stamina: 7
Round 12: Barrow Guardian Attack Strength: 18, Player Attack Strength: 20;
Barrow Guardian Stamina: 0, Player Stamina: 7[/spoiler]

Well, the Barrow Guardian manages to reduce Shaggy’s Attack Strength by 4 due to some lucky rolls that reached 10 or higher 4 times, but lucky rolls from Shaggy allowed him to destroy the Barrow Guardian before things got too dangerous. Shaggy is left with 7 Stamina after the fight, though.

307
If you want to leave the barrow after this vicious combat, turn to 20. If you want to explore further, do you have a lantern? If you have, turn to 218. If you don’t have one, turn to 208.

Shaggy does have a lantern. Please make your votes on whether to leave the barrow or explore further before 9:00 AM PST or a 3-vote majority is reached to ensure that they will be counted.

Adventure Sheet
[spoiler]Shaggy
SKILL: 11 Initial Skill = 11
STAMINA: 7 Initial Stamina = 17
LUCK: 10 Initial Luck = 10
PRESENCE: 7
TIME ELAPSED: 0 days
ENEMY ENCOUNTER:
None
EQUIPMENT LIST:
Knife
Backpack
Waterskin
Leather Jerkin
Pot of Thick Glue
Sword
2 Potions of Stamina (restores up to one-half of Initial Stamina when used)
Flask of Grog (+4 Stamina, +1 Attack Strength temporary bonus for one combat)
Magic Sword (+1 Attack Strength)
Shield
2 Ropes
2 Small Bottles of Monk’s Herbal Liqueur (each half-bottle gives +4 Stamina)
PROVISIONS REMAINING: 9
POSSESSIONS:
Bottle of Olive Oil
2 Pouches
13 Gold Pieces
Lantern
Pestle and Mortar
Herbiary with 3 Dog-eared Pages (page 311 on Rat-tailed Fungus, page 175 on Pitcher Plant, and page 266 on Axeplant)
Sapphire with 50 Facets
Topaz with 24 Facets
Magical Scroll with ‘Incantation of Light’ Inscribed
Skeleton Key
Wooden Pole
Gold Chain Divided Into 8 Sections with 12 Links Each
Pearl
Currently Infected With Lung Rot
Boons:
2 Entity Wishes[/spoiler]

[Thaluikhain]

Explore further.

(What would have happened if it had won when it had skill 8?)

EDIT: Eat a meal first.

[SGamerz]

Eat a meal and explore further.

[Queen of Swords]

Agreed, eat a meal and explore.

[JourneymanN00b]

Votes registered; Shaggy will explore further and will also eat a meal.

218
You descend some stone steps and find yourself in a deep antechamber. There is a very faint glow here which is coming from a small globe of golden metal placed on top of a stone slab in the middle of the chamber, and you can dimly make out arcane runes and symbols etched on calcified plaques round the walls. Hovering above the glove is a very faint blue form, almost human in shape; it advances a little way towards you. In a tinkling, almost musical voice, the form addresses you. ‘I am charged to protect this place. Do not advance, for I must attack you, yet I would be free of this bondage if you are strong enough to master me.’ What will you do here? Will you try to talk with this spirit, if such it is (turn to 232), attack it (turn to 177), or leave this barrow (turn to 20)?

Please make your votes before 6:00 PM PST or a 3-vote majority is reached to ensure that they will be counted.

Adventure Sheet
[spoiler]Shaggy
SKILL: 11 Initial Skill = 11
STAMINA: 11 Initial Stamina = 17
LUCK: 10 Initial Luck = 10
PRESENCE: 7
TIME ELAPSED: 0 days
ENEMY ENCOUNTER:
None
EQUIPMENT LIST:
Knife
Backpack
Waterskin
Leather Jerkin
Pot of Thick Glue
Sword
2 Potions of Stamina (restores up to one-half of Initial Stamina when used)
Flask of Grog (+4 Stamina, +1 Attack Strength temporary bonus for one combat)
Magic Sword (+1 Attack Strength)
Shield
2 Ropes
2 Small Bottles of Monk’s Herbal Liqueur (each half-bottle gives +4 Stamina)
PROVISIONS REMAINING: 8
POSSESSIONS:
Bottle of Olive Oil
2 Pouches
13 Gold Pieces
Lantern
Pestle and Mortar
Herbiary with 3 Dog-eared Pages (page 311 on Rat-tailed Fungus, page 175 on Pitcher Plant, and page 266 on Axeplant)
Sapphire with 50 Facets
Topaz with 24 Facets
Magical Scroll with ‘Incantation of Light’ Inscribed
Skeleton Key
Wooden Pole
Gold Chain Divided Into 8 Sections with 12 Links Each
Pearl
Currently Infected With Lung Rot
Boons:
2 Entity Wishes[/spoiler]

[Queen of Swords]

Talk with the spirit, and hope this isn’t a Thyra Migurn-type situation where the best thing to do is attack.

[SGamerz]

hope this isn’t a Thyra Migurn-type situation where the best thing to do is attack.

I actually think that's the case here. The hermit said the thing will serve us if we "overcome" it. My interpretation is that it's hostile to anything that doesn't defeat it first. Maybe it's a condition of whatever magic that binds it here.

Attack.

[JourneymanN00b]

Thank you for your votes. I will have Shaggy attack it to break the 1-1 tie.

177
You draw your weapon to attack the Spirit. If you do not have a magic sword, you cannot affect it and you must flee after it has struck you and you have lost 2 points from your STAMINA; turn to 20. Otherwise, do your best to vanquish this strange opponent.

BARROW SPIRIT SKILL 10 STAMINA 8

If you win, turn to 361

Shaggy does have a magic sword.

The fight:
[spoiler]Round 1: Barrow Spirit Attack Strength: 13, Player Attack Strength: 21;
Barrow Spirit Stamina: 6, Player Stamina: 11
Round 2: Barrow Spirit Attack Strength: 18, Player Attack Strength: 23;
Barrow Spirit Stamina: 4, Player Stamina: 11
Round 3: Barrow Spirit Attack Strength: 15, Player Attack Strength: 19;
Barrow Spirit Stamina: 2, Player Stamina: 11
Round 4: Barrow Spirit Attack Strength: 13, Player Attack Strength: 21;
Barrow Spirit Stamina: 0, Player Stamina: 11[/spoiler]

Shaggy flawlessly dispatches the Barrow Spirit.

361
As you strike the final blow, the Spirit sinks down and its faint light is extinguished; then it shimmers and reforms before your eyes! Fearing you may never be able to defeat it, you prepare to strike it again, but it bids you stay your sword. ‘I am freed,’ it whispers, ‘although not as I would wish. Hear me, stranger.’ You sheathe your sword; the Spirit does not advance or threaten you in any way. ‘I am named Parraine,’ the Spirit continues. ‘I was commanded by the wizard whom I cannot name to guard this place. The wizards drew some of their power over the elements from here, and the brass orb you see still contains some of that power. I was once a wizard myself, many decades ago, and I fell in a great battle on the Plain of Swords beyond the marshlands. I was not buried properly; my bones still lie there and I was uneasy in death. The wizards enslaved me as their servant. Now I am free of that, but I need to have my bones buried on the plain of battle. Because I am free, I willingly offer you my service. If you choose to accept me into an object you possess, I will serve you – if you will make me an oath that you will seek out my bones and bury them. But as some sages say, and as you may know, to invite a Spirit into yourself is hazardous. This is a test of your faith. If you desire my service, say so. If you do not, I will be gone.’ What will you do? Will you accept Parraine’s service (turn to 251) or refuse it (turn to 323)?

Please make your votes before 9:00 AM PST or a 3-vote majority is reached to ensure that they will be counted.

[SGamerz]

Accept.

[Thaluikhain]

Accept.

[Queen of Swords]

Yes, accept.

[JourneymanN00b]

Accepting Parraine’s service received 3 votes, so Shaggy will do so.

251
[spoiler][/spoiler]

You say that you accept Parraine’s service and you make him an oath that you will do your best to find his bones and bury them on the Plain of Swords. The Spirit condenses into a funnel of light and vanishes into your sword. Parraine will now do you a service three times before you bury his bones. You must record the fact on your Adventure Sheet when you make use of a service. The Spirit can perform any of the following acts at any time as one service: he can cure one disease you may have, he can strengthen your sword so that it inflicts 6 points of damage to the STAMINA of an enemy as the result of a successful hit in combat (you can choose this service after you hit your enemy), and he can heal you so that you regain up to 8 points of lost STAMINA (but this last service cannot be carried out during a combat). You gain 1 point of PRESENCE for accepting the spirit, but you must know that you have made a pact with him – and you had better not break it! Now turn to 63.

63
You take the brass orb in your hands. It seems magical even to one such as yourself who is unschooled in arcane matters, and you are glad to have it, even though you do not know what help it may give you. Make a note of this paragraph number as the one where you found the orb. Now it’s time to leave the barrow; turn to 20.

20
As you leave the great central barrow, the moon’s light is beginning to fade and the last of its rays are illuminating the central arch. You decide that you may find yourself trapped in whatever realm this magical terrain is sunken in during the day if you do not get away swiftly; who knows if the living can survive here as the dead do? You climb a tree to get some sleep; turn to 276.

276
You clamber up a tree to relative safety and pass the night very peacefully. When you wake up, you regain 2 STAMINA points, but you must eat a meal for breakfast. It’s a bright new day, the birds are singing far too loudly to greet the dawn, and there is just an ordinary stone arch in the clearing in front of you. But time grows short and you must find somewhere else to visit. Turn to 363.

[spoiler][/spoiler]

363
Leaving the woodlands, you make for an area of the island which you haven’t been to previously. Will you head:

North along the coastline where you were washed up? Turn to 351
North-east into the moorland? Turn to 90
East to a central hillock? Turn to 186
Southwards into the marshland? Turn to 6

Shaggy has already been north along the coastline where he was washed up. Please make your votes on where to go next before 9:00 AM PST or a 3-vote majority is reached to ensure that they will be counted.

Adventure Sheet
[spoiler]Shaggy
SKILL: 11 Initial Skill = 11
STAMINA: 13 Initial Stamina = 17
LUCK: 10 Initial Luck = 10
PRESENCE: 8
TIME ELAPSED: 0 days
ENEMY ENCOUNTER:
None
EQUIPMENT LIST:
Knife
Backpack
Waterskin
Leather Jerkin
Pot of Thick Glue
Sword
2 Potions of Stamina (restores up to one-half of Initial Stamina when used)
Flask of Grog (+4 Stamina, +1 Attack Strength temporary bonus for one combat)
Magic Sword (+1 Attack Strength)
Shield
2 Ropes
2 Small Bottles of Monk’s Herbal Liqueur (each half-bottle gives +4 Stamina)
PROVISIONS REMAINING: 7
POSSESSIONS:
Bottle of Olive Oil
2 Pouches
13 Gold Pieces
Lantern
Pestle and Mortar
Herbiary with 3 Dog-eared Pages (page 311 on Rat-tailed Fungus, page 175 on Pitcher Plant, and page 266 on Axeplant)
Sapphire with 50 Facets
Topaz with 24 Facets
Magical Scroll with ‘Incantation of Light’ Inscribed
Skeleton Key
Wooden Pole
Gold Chain Divided Into 8 Sections with 12 Links Each
Pearl
Currently Infected With Lung Rot
3 Parraine Services Remaining (can cure one disease, deal 6 Stamina damage as the result of a successful hit in combat, or heal 8 Stamina)
Brass Orb (found in paragraph 63)
Boons:
2 Entity Wishes[/spoiler]

[Queen of Swords]

We have to find Parraine's bones in the plain beyond the marshlands, so I vote for heading into the marshlands.

[SGamerz]

Marshlands it is.

But since we'll be losing his services once we bury him, we might as well use one of his service right now to get rid of Lung Rot.

[Thaluikhain]

I didn't read it that way, but may as well get rid of Lung Rot either way.