[Let's Play] Fighting Fantasy 49 - Siege of Sardath

[SGamerz]

Well, seems like there's finally a clear majority for name votes. Quincey Stridemoore emerges as the favourite!

Even though he is quite old, Liam Astromonius, the astrologer, is a friend of yours, having helped you in many of your adventures. When Lian opens his oaken door to your knocking, he smiles. "I thought you would be paying me a visit. Come in." Once inside, the astrologer asks you to sit down. He sits opposite you and indicates his star charts. "I've been working on this all night but I am still unable to tell you anything about this mission. I have studied the charts as closely as I can, but there is some cloud hanging over your future. Either that," a flicker of self-doubt passes across his face, "or there is some power interfering with my activities." Then he smiles strangely. "But there is still something I haven't tried. It is a powerful but dangerous ritual, especially if the gods are not with you. No non-magician has ever seen it and lived." Do you insist that you must witness the ritual, or will you take the astrologer's advice and let him enter his spell chamber alone?

Adventure Sheet:
[spoiler]Name: Quincey Stridemoore
SKILL 11/11
STAMINA 15/15
LUCK 10/10
Equipment: Sword, leather armour, bow, quiver, Council Signet Ring, 1: Dried Chameleonite Blood, 2: Condensed Mist from the Mithrir Forest, 7: Pickled Whole Shapechanger Brain, Four-leaf Clover
Arrows: 6
Bundles of Herbs: 5
Gold: 20 GP
Day of the Week:
Stormsday (3/3 extra lives remaining)
Moonsday (3/3 extra lives remaining)
Fireday (3/3 extra lives remaining)
Earthday (3/3 extra lives remaining)
Windsday (3/3 extra lives remaining)
Seaday (3/3 extra lives remaining)
Highday (3/3 extra lives remaining)
[/spoiler]

[JourneymanN00b]

I vote to insist to witness the ritual, as I have serious doubts about the claim of no non-magician *seeing* the ritual and living. Something is definitely up here...

[Queen of Swords]

Well, I guess we're going to find out if the gods are with us or not. Witness the ritual.

[Thaluikhain]

Astronomy-us the Astrologer? Ok then.

And don't like dodgy bloke out of our side.

[SGamerz]

"That, of course, is your privilege - though I think you are being unwise." You follow Liam into the spell chamber. In the centre of the room stands an enormous crystal mirror, shrouded in coloured mists. Liam picks up a silver sceptre from its stand. "All that remains is for me to perform the Sign of Summoning." He raps on the crystal three times.

Without warning, a vision appears. It is a Suma, a messenger from the gods and answerer of desperate prayers. His voice echoes round the spell chamber, as if the room were too tiny to contain it. "Seek out the tomb of Khornu Wych in the Forest of the Night. Look for the Flyers and remember what you have seen here today. Without the amulet you are lost." The mists swirl around, enveloping the mirror. When they subside, the Suma has gone.

"Well," says Liam, "You have survived. I have no idea what the Suma's advice means, but I'm sure that all will become clear in the fullness of time." It is now time to leave; Lian comes to the door to wish you luck and watches as you walk down the main road.

Well, there's the McGuffin we now know to look out for in this book.

Oh, and we survived after seeing what "no non-magician has seen and lived". Is that a sign that we are blessed? Or a sign that we'd be dying multiple times in this LP as a consequence of our action??!!

You walk towards the outskirts of the village, trying to decide which route to take into the Forest. Even though you have seem the enemy, you still know neither what it is nor where it comes from. As you come to the beginning of the forest trail, your reverie is broken by the clattering wheels of a wagon rattling along the road towards you. This is curious - you thought the Forest had become impassable. As he approaches, the driver of the wagon shouts to you: "Good morning, traveller. Are you interested in buying any of my potions and magical cure-alls?" If you are suspicious of the trader, it might be wise to try a surprise attack on him. Otherwise, you must make some reply. Will you say that you're not really interested in buying potions, or will will you ask him what he's got and how much it costs?

EDIT: picture added.

[Thaluikhain]

Huh, randomly asks if we are suspicious and want to attack him? Ok then.

But ask what he has.

[Queen of Swords]

Get a list of stuff and prices.

[Beroli]

Huh, randomly asks if we are suspicious and want to attack him? Ok then.

Yeah, it's almost like the gamebook established immediately that we're fighting against murderous shapeshifters or something.

Regardless, ask about the trader's wares.

[SGamerz]

Huh, randomly asks if we are suspicious and want to attack him? Ok then.

Attacking him immediately may be a little drastic, but it's not a random reaction at all. The text literally gave you a reason why he might be suspicious. The Forest is supposed to have become impassable to everyone, so a seemingly common trader passing through is definitely some food for thought at least.

"I have a great range of potions," he tells you, "although some are in limited supply." He reaches into the wagon and produces a placard with a list of the prices. "The Love Potions are excellent value, and vert effective, though I don't suppose you are in need of such things. The Sleeping Draught is potent, but it does tend to make you a bit hyperactive once it has worn off. And then there are my special commodities. I'm afraid that the last four items on the list are very rare, so I only have one of each. I suppose I ought to apologize for their cost as well - but, as I said,they are very special." Buy what you wish from the list and deduct the appropriate number of Gold Pieces from your Adventure Sheet. After making your purchases, you bid the man farewell and carry on down the road.

I wasn't planning any update tonight originally, but I don't have access to the scanner for a whole day tomorrow, and as you can see, the picture is actually essential here, since it's also the price list.

Vote on your shopping list!

[Queen of Swords]

OK, we have 20 GP. We also have Dried Chamelonite Blood, so no need to buy that. If we get the Snapperfish Oil and Sleeping Draught, that leaves 13 GP, but I'm not sure whether to spend the rest on a Potion of Fortune or a Love Potion (listing five of those makes it sound like a Love Potion might come in handy at some time).

[JourneymanN00b]

I vote to buy the vial of sleeping draught and potion of snapperfish oil.

[Darth Rabbitt]

Sleeping draught and snapperfish oil sounds good to me. Potions of Fortune are always useful.

[Thaluikhain]

Getting Sleeping Draught and Snapperfish Oil seem good ideas, love potions are inherently dodgy so leave those alone (if there's they are going to go as high as 5 different types, I'd have expected them to increase that to at least 9), maybe a potion of fortune.

I expect we'll probably get other chances to get the Sleeping Draught and Snapperfish oil, though.

(And, ok, I accept that he is somewhat suspicious (and he's selling love potions), I suppose I'm used to FF books where shopkeepers just turn up in weird places and shapeshifters are random scenery monsters)

[SGamerz]

It looks like Sleeping Draught and Snapperfish Oil are undisputed favourites, and at least 2 players favour getting the Potion of Fortune, so we part ways from the trade with 3 new phials and 3 Gold Pieces remaining.

(Although we don't start with any of the classic 3 potions (Skill, Strength, Fortune), they were mentioned in the rules section, and their effect is same as the standard ones from the older books. Potion of Fortune will boost our Initial LUCK by 1 and raise our current value to this new level.

You walk on down the road until you come to the last outpost of village - the harbour, where all the trading boats are kept. It has a look of dereliction about it: all the sails are furled, and the food in the warehouses is beginning to rot. This scene drives home to you the importance of your mission and the urgency with which it must be completed. There is not much for you to go on yet, but nevertheless you must now decide how you will proceed. Will you travel north-east on the Grimway, take your boat and sail up the river, or cross the river and head north-west through the forest?

As a longtime residence and somewhat influential member in this community, we even have the privilege of owning a boat.

Which way do we start?

Adventure Sheet:
[spoiler]Name: Quincey Stridemoore
SKILL 11/11
STAMINA 15/15
LUCK 10/10
Equipment: Sword, leather armour, bow, quiver, Council Signet Ring, 1: Dried Chameleonite Blood, 2: Condensed Mist from the Mithrir Forest, 7: Pickled Whole Shapechanger Brain, Four-leaf Clover, Snapperfish Oil, Sleeping Draught, Potion of Fortune
Arrows: 6
Bundles of Herbs: 5
Gold: 3 GP
Day of the Week:
Stormsday (3/3 extra lives remaining)
Moonsday (3/3 extra lives remaining)
Fireday (3/3 extra lives remaining)
Earthday (3/3 extra lives remaining)
Windsday (3/3 extra lives remaining)
Seaday (3/3 extra lives remaining)
Highday (3/3 extra lives remaining)
[/spoiler]

[JourneymanN00b]

My vote is to take our boat and sail up the river, as our hero can cover more ground that way.

[Queen of Swords]

The tomb we're supposed to find is in the forest, so I vote for going through the forest.

[SGamerz]

The tomb we're supposed to find is in the forest, so I vote for going through the forest.

The river does go through the forest as well (see the map on page 1). The option is more about which direction we go (and whether we're going by foot or boat).

[Thaluikhain]

We don't get to go by boat as often as we get to walk in these games, so the boat.

[Queen of Swords]

The river does go through the forest as well (see the map on page 1). The option is more about which direction we go (and whether we're going by foot or boat).

I see. In that case, let's take the boat.

[Darth Rabbitt]

Travel by boat.

[SGamerz]

You walk down to the harbour and find your boat. It takes only a few minutes to set sail, and then your quest begins. With the sun shining across he fields, the first few kilometres make a pleasant - if somewhat chilly - start to the day. As you journey progresses, however, the tail pines close in on the Grimway. Of course, you don't fear the Forest's shadowy atmosphere, but there do seem to be more eyes peering at you than you remember, and the background noise of unknown creatures is closer to the river.

Towards midday, you reach the point where the rope-bridge should be, but it has been torn down from the east bank and is lying in the river. Will you try to maneuvre round it, land on the west bank and walk along the forest trail which goes northwest, or land on the east bank and walk northeast through the pathless forest beside the river?

[Queen of Swords]

Walk along the forest trail.

[JourneymanN00b]

I vote to try to maneuvre round it, as I would like Quincey Stridemoore to take advantage as much river as he can to save time.

[Thaluikhain]

Yeah, boat around it.

[SGamerz]

Sailing round the wrecked bridge is easier than you thought, and you are soon sailing on up the river. The increasing darkness of the Forest bears out your theory that something evil is taking place, that the coldness you feel is not just the result of the weather. Even the river is beginning to look abnormal. Several times you see a pair of large amphibian eyes pop up in the reeds, only to disappear just as quickly. Many hours pass, and the Forest's darkness turns into the chill blackness of night. There is a small clearing on the east bank, so you land the boat and set up camp. As you sit, eating cold rations and gazing over the trees to the west bank, you notice two black shapes silhouetted against the starry sky. They are some distance to the west, flying southwards; after a while, they land. If you decide to sail over to the west bank and track the creatures into the Forest, turn to 168. Otherwise (write the number 178 in a circle on your Adventure Sheet), will you settle straight down to sleep or make a fire first?