SGamerz wrote: ↑Sun Jan 08, 2023 4:31 am
You are given a Healing Slave by the local wise man which you may use once, at any time, except during combat, to restore up to 6 STAMINA points.
Strong contender for the most useful companion in FF history.
Stupid, stupid autocorrect. Fixed the typo.
Vote registered; Ariel Faust Constantine will look for them somewhere else.
289
Searching the streets of Claybury, everything seems to be normal except that the villagers watch you suspiciously and avoid you as they go about their business. At last, down an alleyway you find what you are looking for. Above a sturdy door, the outline of a tower has been carved into the lintel. You knock on the door and immediately a panel slides back at eye-level. Karad’s face appears at the opening: ‘What do you want?’
‘But it’s me,’ you say, taken aback.
‘How do I know you’re who you say you are? You could be a Demonic Shape-shifter,’ he says. ‘What’s the password?’ If Karad is to believe you, you must repeat the password. If you can remember what it is, multiply the number in the password by 50 and turn to the paragraph which is the same as the total. If you cannot remember the password or if you get it wrong, turn to 371.
The password is “The four phases of the moon”, and multiplying 4 times 50 equals 200, so we will turn to paragraph 200.
200
[spoiler]
[/spoiler]
The door opens and you are pulled inside. The room is dark and musty; Karad stands in the middle and all round him, sitting on chairs and tables or leaning against the walls, are some fifty men and women, armed ready for battle and all doughty-looking warriors. Karad once more apologizes for his caution then introduces you to the band of Resistance fighters. You briefly exchange details of your adventures since your meeting in Fenford. ‘The Resistance has been busy too,’ Karad explains, ‘and has discovered two important facts. First, the Cauldron of Midnight is holding its Sabbat meeting tonight, somewhere in Claybury, where Nazek will open the Casket of Shadows. There are several possible locations for the Sabbat, but rumour has it that it will be either at the stone circle to the north of the village or in the Withered Wood to the south. The second fact is that the coven has spies everywhere – that is why I had to be so careful letting you in. I just hope you were not seen on your …’
At that moment, the light in the room fades and the temperature drops. Materializing in the centre of the room is a shadowy, cowled figure. The manifestation complete, you find yourself facing little more than a dark shroud which is floating, half a metre above the ground. Through holes in the shroud you can see the remains of a ribcage while under the hood there is nothing but utter darkness. The Dread Demon, which sometimes appears to evil wizards at the moment of their death, holds out its taloned hands to you and hisses, ‘Your sssoul …’ Roll one die and add 4. If the total is less than, or equal to, your FAITH, turn to 255. If the total is greater than your FAITH, turn to 323.
Rolling the die and applying the modification yielded a 9, which is less than Ariel Faust Constantine’s Faith.
255
By the power of your faith you resist the strength of the Demon. Unsheathing Deliverer, you prepare to do battle against the hellspawn. It is only then that you realize: no one else in the room can see the fiend! This is a battle you must fight alone.
DREAD DEMON SKILL 9 STAMINA 8
If you kill the Demon, turn to 217.
The fight:
[spoiler]Round 1: Dread Demon Attack Strength: 18, Player Attack Strength: 17;
Dread Demon Stamina: 8, Player Stamina: 22
Round 2: Dread Demon Attack Strength: 15, Player Attack Strength: 17;
Dread Demon Stamina: 6, Player Stamina: 22
Round 3: Dread Demon Attack Strength: 13, Player Attack Strength: 24;
Dread Demon Stamina: 4, Player Stamina: 22
Round 4: Dread Demon Attack Strength: 12, Player Attack Strength: 23;
Dread Demon Stamina: 2, Player Stamina: 22
Round 5: Dread Demon Attack Strength: 20, Player Attack Strength: 19;
Dread Demon Stamina: 2, Player Stamina: 20
Round 6: Dread Demon Attack Strength: 15, Player Attack Strength: 18;
Dread Demon Stamina: 0, Player Stamina: 20[/spoiler]
Ariel Faust Constantine takes 4 Stamina damage from the Dread Demon’s lucky blows before she manages to kill it.
217
Cries of surprise and horror go up from the assembled Resistance as, with your killing blow, Nazek’s assassin is revealed to them. The cowled shroud falls to the ground and crumbles to dust, and the taloned hands shrivel away. Your wounds tended to, Karad speaks to the Resistance. ‘It is time,’ he says. ‘Dusk is falling and the Cauldron will be gathering at the site of the Sabbat. We shall leave in small groups and meet again at the site. May Cheelah go with you.’ Karad turns to you. ‘We do not have time to make mistakes in finding the site. Where do you advise us to look?’ With the knowledge you have gathered, will it be:
The stone circle? Turn to 326
The Withered Wood? Turn to 95
The monastery? Turn to 159
Please make your votes before 9:00 AM PST or a 3-vote majority is reached to ensure that they will be counted.
Adventure Sheet
[spoiler]Ariel Faust Constantine
SKILL: 14
Initial Skill = 14
STAMINA: 20
Initial Stamina = 24
LUCK: 11
Initial Luck = 12
FAITH: 12
GOLD PIECES: 15
PROVISIONS: 7
INFECTION: 0
Turn to 13 if INFECTION is 15 or more
EQUIPMENT AND TREASURE:
Sword
Lantern
Tinderbox
Backpack
Silver Key With ‘252’ Engraved
Shroud
Falcon
Protective Leather Gauntlet
Ilithorn Rose
Charmed Pipes
Jar of Powder
Golden Sickle
Shield
Deliverer
Necklace of Elven Prayer-Beads
Venom’s Bane Potion (Page 331)
Holy Amulet
Black Grimoire Page 376 With Spell of Locking
Healing Salve (+6 Stamina)
Rune-carved Bone Ring
Notes:
Knows Demonic Word of Command
Say ‘One, two, away’ to send a falcon with SKILL 7 STAMINA 5 against an opponent
Reduce any additions to INFECTION by 1 point
Password is ‘The four phases of the moon’
Raven
RESURRECTIONS: 3[/spoiler]