[Let's Play] Fighting Fantasy 26 - Crypt of the Sorcerer

[JourneymanN00b]

Breaking the globe received 3 votes, so Dirk the Impaler will do just that.

367
[spoiler][/spoiler]

The noise of the shattering glass echoes loudly in the cave when the globe hits the wall and fragments. The smoke quickly fills the cave, but you do not have any difficulty in breathing. In fact, the smoke is magical and will now make you immune to any attack by fire. Add 1 LUCK point. You may now either open the chest, if you have not done so already (turn to 80), or leave the cave (turn to 386).

Important Note: I believe that getting an outright immunity to an element warrants adding 2 Luck points instead of just 1. Also our hero needs to have the massive Luck penalty from being forced to kill the Bonekeeper mitigated in some way.

Dirk the Impaler has already opened the chest, so he will leave the cave.

386
You quickly untie your horse and resume your journey. Turn to 67.

67
At the end of the valley you are forced to ride up into the hills again, but the rest of the day passes without further incident. As night falls, you wonder where to make camp. In the distance, you see the glow of what looks like a fire, but it is now too dark to make out who might be sitting by it. If you wish to ride over to the fire, turn to 183. If you would rather camp down for the night between some nearby boulders, turn to 399.

[spoiler][/spoiler]

Please make your votes on what to do next and whether to have the change to the Luck boost from gaining fire immunity stand before 4:00 PM PDT to guarantee that they will be counted.

Adventure Sheet:
[spoiler]Dirk the Impaler
SKILL: 12 Initial Skill = 12
STAMINA: 23 Initial Stamina = 24
LUCK: 10 Initial Luck = 12
NOTES:
Dabbed self with Chameleonite blood
Memorized the rhyme: To go beyond A granite door, Press the numbers One eight four.
A Gargantis purportedly dwells in the Howling Tunnels of the Western Flatlands
Immune to any fire attacks
TREASURE:
7 Gold Pieces
EQUIPMENT:
Sword
Leather Armour
Backpack
Healing Potion (three tots, +6 STAMINA per tot)
Skull Ring
Moon Ring
Cracked Silver Mirror
Silver Rod with the Inscription “37”
Candle
Crystal of Sanity
Gargantis Scroll
Defender Shield (+1 Attack Strength)
Gold Ring with Iridescent Jewel
Razaak’s Sword (+1 Attack Strength)
Copper Bracelet
Piece of Faded Parchment with the Number “66”
RESURRECTIONS: 3[/spoiler]

[JourneymanN00b]

Since nobody voted, Dirk the Impaler will ride over to the fire, and the Luck boost change will stand.

183
As you approach the fire, you hear a man’s voice say, ‘Halt, or I shall loose an arrow at you.’ It is so dark now that you cannot see anybody. You decide to err on the side of caution, and you pull your horse to a halt. The man then calls out again: ‘Wise decision, stranger. Now, tell me, are you a Lawful character or a servant of Chaos?’ Will you reply ‘Lawful’ (turn to 308) or ‘Chaotic’ (turn to 270)?

Please vote before 6:00 PM PDT to guarantee that it will be counted.

[Beroli]

Lawful as an aeon.

[Darth Rabbitt]

Dirk The Impaler is a Lawful character. Probably Lawful Stupid.

[JourneymanN00b]

Votes registered, Dirk the Impaler will reply “Lawful.”

308
[spoiler][/spoiler]

The unseen man speaks to you in a friendly voice, saying, ‘If you are Lawful, as you say you are, then dismount from your horse, stick your sword in the ground, and come and join me for some roasted duck.’ If you trust this man and agree to do as he suggests, turn to 103. If you would rather kick your horse into a gallop, turn to 354.

Please vote before 8:00 PM PDT to guarantee that it will be counted.

[Beroli]

Trust, for we are a noble hero who would never use violence except in defense.

[Queen of Swords]

Roasted duck sounds delicious. I hope there's potatoes and stuffing to go along with it.

[JourneymanN00b]

Votes registered, Dirk the Impaler will trust this man and agree to do as he suggests.

103
[spoiler][/spoiler]

Although you are reluctant to part with your sword, you are convinced that the unseen man is telling the truth. As soon as your sword is out of your hand, the man steps out from behind a tree into the light of the fire. He is tall and dressed in a dark green tunic. He pulls back his hood and extends his hand in welcome. You sit down by the fire and feast yourself on the delicious duck and wild mushrooms. Add 2 STAMINA points. The man tells you that his name is Symm and that he is a hunter and tracker. ‘There is nothing I cannot follow and nothing I cannot shoot,’ he says in a jovial voice, while wiping his mouth with the back of his hand. ‘But what brings you to these barren hills?’ You decide to tell Symm about Razaak and the threat to Allansia. When you have finished, Symm looks at you seriously and says, ‘And I nearly put an arrow through you! I must make it up to you somehow. I therefore offer you my services. I am sure you will find my skills of some use. What do you say?’ You decide that Symm could be a valuable ally, and you accept his offer. After a good night’s sleep you both mount your horses and ride off west. Symm take the lead, choosing the easiest and most direct way out of the hills. By later afternoon you are almost at the edge of the hills, when Symm notices two figures crouching down behind large rocks up ahead. ‘Wild Hill Men,’ he calls out to you. ‘They think I haven’t seen them, and they will jump out at us when we ride by. Do you want to practice your swordplay or shall we ride around them?’ If you wish to fight the Hill Men, turn to 196. If you would rather ride around them, turn to 327.

Please vote before 9:00 AM PDT or a 3-vote majority is reached to guarantee that it will be counted.

Adventure Sheet:
[spoiler]Dirk the Impaler
SKILL: 12 Initial Skill = 12
STAMINA: 24 Initial Stamina = 24
LUCK: 10 Initial Luck = 12
NOTES:
Dabbed self with Chameleonite blood
Memorized the rhyme: To go beyond A granite door, Press the numbers One eight four.
A Gargantis purportedly dwells in the Howling Tunnels of the Western Flatlands
Immune to any fire attacks
TREASURE:
7 Gold Pieces
EQUIPMENT:
Sword
Leather Armour
Backpack
Healing Potion (three tots, +6 STAMINA per tot)
Skull Ring
Moon Ring
Cracked Silver Mirror
Silver Rod with the Inscription “37”
Candle
Crystal of Sanity
Gargantis Scroll
Defender Shield (+1 Attack Strength)
Gold Ring with Iridescent Jewel
Razaak’s Sword (+1 Attack Strength)
Copper Bracelet
Piece of Faded Parchment with the Number “66”
RESURRECTIONS: 3[/spoiler]

[Beroli]

Fight! Fight! Fight! Er, only those who attack us, of course.

[Queen of Swords]

Agreed, let's fight them.

[Thaluikhain]

Break the globe.

Also, I like how opening the box is something we have to think about, but then inside it is a box we open automatically.

EDIT: Oops, managed to miss a page of stuff, it seems.

[JourneymanN00b]

Votes registered, Dirk the Impaler will fight the Hill Men.

196
Pretending not to have seen the Hill Men, you ride casually towards the large rocks. When you are less than twenty metres away, they suddenly leap up and fire two arrows from their crude bows. However, you were prepared for the ambush and duck down to let the arrows fly overhead. You draw your swords and charge at the Hill Men, who angrily run at you with their stone clubs. You steer your horse towards the nearer of the two who is dressed in animal furs.

WILD HILL MAN SKILL 6 STAMINA 5

If you win, turn to 200.

The fight:
[spoiler]Round 1: Wild Hill Man Attack Strength: 16, Player Attack Strength: 20;
Wild Hill Man Stamina: 3, Player Stamina: 24
Round 2: Wild Hill Man Attack Strength: 10, Player Attack Strength: 18;
Wild Hill Man Stamina: 1, Player Stamina: 24
Round 3: Wild Hill Man Attack Strength: 13, Player Attack Strength: 22;
Wild Hill Man Stamina: -1, Player Stamina: 24[/spoiler]

As expected, Dirk the Impaler flawlessly eliminates the Wild Hill Man from Allansia.

200
You look round and see that Symm has also dispatched his assailant. He collects eight arrows from the Hill Men’s quivers before you continue your ride west. Turn to 148.

148
[spoiler][/spoiler]

At long last you reach the final ridge and gaze out across the Windward Plain. You ride on until nightfall and spend a peaceful night in an abandoned hut on the northern bank of Silver River. Not long after dawn, you are back in the saddle and riding towards Yaztromo’s tower. You reach your destination by noon and call out excitedly to your old fried as the tower comes into view. But nobody returns your call and the smile drops quickly from your face. You tie your horse to a bush and walk along the path to Yaztromo’s door. You notice that his herb garden is brown and withered and ugly bushes with long black thorns have quickly grown up, smothering the plants and herbs. Such a remarkable change in a few days puzzles you. You ring the brass bell but there is no reply. Suddenly, a large crow flies down from a window in the tower and drops a piece of paper to the ground. You pick it up and read a message from Yaztromo:

     Dear Friend,

     Sorry I am not here to meet you. Am still busy with preparations.

     Please ride east where you will find me at a wooden hut at the edge of Darkwood Forest.

     Yaztromo.

You tell Symm about the note and then you both hurry back to your horses. As you ride east, you wonder if Yaztromo is in danger. After riding along the edge of the forest for less than a mile, a voice calls out from the trees, saying, ‘If you are looking for Yaztromo, I know where to find him.’ If you wish to stop to investigate, turn to 237. If you would rather ride on, turn to 68.

[spoiler][/spoiler]

Please vote before 6:00 PM PDT to guarantee that it will be counted.

[Thaluikhain]

Investigate

(And our companion is probably not long for this world)

[Queen of Swords]

Yes, investigate.

[Darth Rabbitt]

Fighting Fantasy companions have very short lifespans. So let's investigate while we still have backup.

[JourneymanN00b]

Votes registered, Dirk the Impaler will stop to investigate.

237
You peer into the forest, but see nobody. Suddenly the voice speaks again, saying. ‘No, you cannot see me, because I am invisible. I am a Suma, a spirit from another magical plane. The Forces of Chaos against you are great and I felt it my duty to help you. Yaztromo has been kidnapped by the servants of Razaak and taken from the hut into the forest to be sacrificed. Ride north from here into the forest and you will save him. A trap awaits you at the hut. That is all I can say to help you. I am allowed to help you once more, and should you need me, call out “Suma 11” – that’s my number. Goodbye and good luck.’ You call out to the Suma for more information, but get no reply. If you wish to ride north into the forest, turn to 377. If you would rather ride on to the wooden hut, turn to 68.

Please vote before 9:00 AM PDT or a 3-vote majority is reached to guarantee that it will be counted.

Adventure Sheet:
[spoiler]Dirk the Impaler
SKILL: 12 Initial Skill = 12
STAMINA: 24 Initial Stamina = 24
LUCK: 10 Initial Luck = 12
NOTES:
Dabbed self with Chameleonite blood
Memorized the rhyme: To go beyond A granite door, Press the numbers One eight four.
A Gargantis purportedly dwells in the Howling Tunnels of the Western Flatlands
Immune to any fire attacks
Call out “Suma 11” to summon Suma for aid
TREASURE:
7 Gold Pieces
EQUIPMENT:
Sword
Leather Armour
Backpack
Healing Potion (three tots, +6 STAMINA per tot)
Skull Ring
Moon Ring
Cracked Silver Mirror
Silver Rod with the Inscription “37”
Candle
Crystal of Sanity
Gargantis Scroll
Defender Shield (+1 Attack Strength)
Gold Ring with Iridescent Jewel
Razaak’s Sword (+1 Attack Strength)
Copper Bracelet
Piece of Faded Parchment with the Number “66”
RESURRECTIONS: 3[/spoiler]

[Beroli]

Ride north.

[Darth Rabbitt]

Ride north to rescue Yaztromo.

[Queen of Swords]

Yes, go rescue Yaztromo.

[JourneymanN00b]

Riding north into the forest received 3 votes, so Dirk the Impaler will do just that.

377
[spoiler][/spoiler]

You are soon deep inside the dense forest, which is notorious for its evil inhabitants. Keeping a watchful eye on all the trees around you, you walk steadily on. Soon you come to the edge of a glade and catch sight of poor Yaztromo staked out in the middle of a marked-out pentacle. A loathsome horned beast, its fat, lumpy body covered with green, slimy skin, is walking around the pentacle in a frenzy. You are unable to contain yourself and call out to Yaztromo. He raises his head and says, ‘Never have I been so glad to see a friend in my life. Quick, use Razaak’s sword against his servant from Hell.’ Knowing that you could not injure the vile creature with your own sword, you draw Razaak’s sword to fight it.

DEMONSPAWN SKILL 6 STAMINA 6

If you win, turn to 278.

The fight:
[spoiler]Round 1: Demonspawn Attack Strength: 14, Player Attack Strength: 19;
Demonspawn Stamina: 4, Player Stamina: 24
Round 2: Demonspawn Attack Strength: 10, Player Attack Strength: 21;
Demonspawn Stamina: 2, Player Stamina: 24
Round 3: Demonspawn Attack Strength: 11, Player Attack Strength: 21;
Demonspawn Stamina: 0, Player Stamina: 24[/spoiler]

As expected, Dirk the Impaler flawlessly to destroy the Demonspawn and send it back to Hell.

278
As the Demonspawn drops to the ground, its body begins to shrivel, hissing and steaming, until it is nothing but a pool of foul-smelling slime. A shudder runs down your spine as you walk over to Yaztromo and untie him. ‘Bravo,’ the old wizard says with a smile, shaking your hand vigorously despite his ordeal. ‘My magic would not work against this creature from Hell. Either I am losing my touch, or Razaak has greater powers than I thoughts. Never mind, we must not flinch from our task. Now, tell me, how did you find the Lost Lake, and who is your friend here?’ You tell Yaztromo about your journey and how you came to meet Symm. Yaztromo looks pleased and says, ‘Well, I did find out a few things about our friend Razaak. He will be a most formidable opponent for you – if you get past the minions who protect him. Not only will you have to slay him with his own sword, but his heart must be pierced by the horn of a Gargantis beast. According to fables, the Gargantis is a rare creature that lives underground – but I have not the faintest idea if any even exist. It is virtually invulnerable to weapons and you may have to use magic so that its horn can be cut off. Only then will it die. Now let’s leave this infernal forest and return to my tower, where a friend of mine should be waiting for us.’ It is not long before you are back at the tower, but there is nobody there to greet you. ‘Strange,’ mutters Yaztromo with a frown on his face. ‘Budron should be here by now, I hope he hasn’t come to any harm. He knows where the haunted graveyard is and that’s important. It might help to read the gravestone of Razaak’s father Tamal. I think the graveyard is somewhere between Mirewater and Stonebridge, but I can’t be sure.’ He offers you a choice between staying here overnight to see if Budron turns up on the morning (turn to 341) or setting off now (turn to 157).

[spoiler][/spoiler]

Please vote before 9:00 AM PDT or a 3-vote majority is reached to guarantee that it will be counted.

[Thaluikhain]

I imagine not saving Yaztromo is an instant game over.

Wait for new person to arrive.

[Darth Rabbitt]

Agreed.

[Queen of Swords]

We might as well wait for the new person - it doesn't sound like a graveyard or a Gargantis will leave during the delay.

[Beroli]

Set off. Yaztromo notes that Budron's absence is odd and with what's already happened, we can take that to mean he's been waylayed; we need to find him, as soon as possible. By morning he'll be dead.

[JourneymanN00b]

Votes tallied, staying here overnight to see if Budron turns up in the morning wins over setting off now by a 3-1 vote.

341
It is not long before nightfall, and you find yourselves relaxing in comfortable chairs listening to long tales of adventure told by Yaztromo. After eating a huge meal, you go to bed early, since you feel you are going to need all the sleep you can get. In the morning you feel quite refreshed (add 2 STAMINA points) and while you pack your belongings, Yaztromo refills your glass phial with his Healing Potion, enough for five tots. As you walk down the spiral staircase of the tower, Yaztromo says, ‘I fear the worst for poor old Budron. Something terrible must have happened to him. He is usually so reliable. I hope you manage to find the haunted graveyard without him. After that, ride to the Dwarf village of Stonebridge and ask for Borri. He will be able to help you save a great deal of time!’ Outside, you mount your horses and ride off west along the edge of Darkwood Forest. The ride is uneventful for half an hour, but then you see a leather sack hanging by a piece of rope from a tree. If you wish to stop and cut down the sack, turn to 207. If you would rather ride on, turn to 37.

Please vote before 6:00 PM PDT to guarantee that it will be counted.

Adventure Sheet:
[spoiler]Dirk the Impaler
SKILL: 12 Initial Skill = 12
STAMINA: 24 Initial Stamina = 24
LUCK: 10 Initial Luck = 12
NOTES:
Dabbed self with Chameleonite blood
Memorized the rhyme: To go beyond A granite door, Press the numbers One eight four.
A Gargantis purportedly dwells in the Howling Tunnels of the Western Flatlands
Immune to any fire attacks
Call out “Suma 11” to summon Suma for aid
TREASURE:
7 Gold Pieces
EQUIPMENT:
Sword
Leather Armour
Backpack
Healing Potion (five tots, +6 STAMINA per tot)
Skull Ring
Moon Ring
Cracked Silver Mirror
Silver Rod with the Inscription “37”
Candle
Crystal of Sanity
Gargantis Scroll
Defender Shield (+1 Attack Strength)
Gold Ring with Iridescent Jewel
Razaak’s Sword (+1 Attack Strength)
Copper Bracelet
Piece of Faded Parchment with the Number “66”
RESURRECTIONS: 3[/spoiler]