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

[SGamerz]

As soon as you insert the Brass Key in the lock, the door opens on its own. When you remove your key and steps in, the door closes behind you. In front of you are masses of bookshelves and books beyond number. Although this room is vast, there are only two doors: one marked 'Laboratory' and the other 'Observatory'. Just inside the Library, there is a massive desk, over three metres high, with a chair to match. If you climb up and stand on the huge chair in front of the desk, you are able to reach what is there; you find a book, a sheet of paper and a shallow dish containing mercury. Will you look at the book, read what is written on the sheet of paper, or look at the dish of mercury?

If you go through the Laboratory door, turn to 42. If you go through the Observatory door, you find that the Eagle has flown away, but the trapdoor is still open and sunlight is streaming through. Will you go through the door on your right into the Games Room, or through the unmarked door on your left?

It seems like this room, despite using a mundane key over some secretive puzzle lock, is a lot more secure. Doesn't look like it's been looted yet...

Lots of options here!

[Beroli]

Look at the book first.

[Queen of Swords]

Yes, look at the book.

[JourneymanN00b]

I vote to look at the book.

[SGamerz]

The book is a huge volume entitled The Researches of Thalion Lorasse. It is far too large for you to read now; anyway, most of it would be useless to a warrior like yourself. However, one of the pages is marked. You open the book and begin to read. One section in particular catches your attention:

THE APPARATUS: The Triplex Potion Concocter is used for making potions which require two solid components and one liquid. The liquid component is always poured into the first thistle funnel, and the powder into the second funnel. The third component, which will be a solid in a larger form, should be put into the third, much larger funnel.

You may have some items which could be used in the making of potions, so you memorize these instructions. Should you find such a machine later in your adventure, you may be able to concoct something useful. Turn back to 166 and make another choice.

What do we look at next?

The sheet of paper?
The mercury dish?
Or leave and enter the Laboratory?
Or back out to the Observatory and try the unmarked door?

[JourneymanN00b]

I vote to check out the mercury dish.

[Beroli]

The sheet of paper.

[Thaluikhain]

Paper.

[Queen of Swords]

Read the paper next.

[SGamerz]

Dear Archelantes,

Next time you want me to do some research for you, kindly write. You know how to call my harks, and so shouldn't find any difficulty. I detest communicating over the Mercury Pool: it's an invasion of privacy, and I would rather it was only used in cases of emergency.

Having said that, I have found out most of what you wanted to know about transformation magic. I set up an apparatus to try a few potions, but I couldn't get them to work. You know how I am at these things. Still...

Excuse me a moment. There's a noise in the laboratory. I'll just go and check.

And that is where it ends. Whatever Corianthus found in the laboratory, he never returned to finish his letter. Turn back to 166 and choose another option.

Ok, that last sentence in the letter is just weird. It looks more like a transcription of a phone conversation. Nobody writes in their letter that they're temporarily leaving to check some noise. They would have simply stopped writing and left, and then come back later to continue writing, and maybe mention the interruption if they happen to see or hear anything that's relevant to their conversation. It makes no sense to tell the other party to "excuse you" for an interruption when writing a letter when the recipient isn't waiting at the other side for you to continue like during a phone call. Seems like a clumsy way to convey to the reader that he was interrupted.

What do we do now?

Look at the mercury dish?
Or leave and enter the Laboratory?
Or back out to the Observatory and try the unmarked door?

[Queen of Swords]

The mercury dish.

[Thaluikhain]

Mercury dish.

Ok, that last sentence in the letter is just weird. It looks more like a transcription of a phone conversation. Nobody writes in their letter that they're temporarily leaving to check some noise. They would have simply stopped writing and left, and then come back later to continue writing, and maybe mention the interruption if they happen to see or hear anything that's relevant to their conversation. It makes no sense to tell the other party to "excuse you" for an interruption when writing a letter when the recipient isn't waiting at the other side for you to continue like during a phone call. Seems like a clumsy way to convey to the reader that he was interrupted.

Perhaps he was dictating?

But yeah, very common and annoying thing in fiction and games.

[JourneymanN00b]

I vote to look at the mercury dish.

[SGamerz]

When you first look into the pool, all you can see is your own reflection. But then it shimmers and fades, leaving only darkness. Gradually a pair of bright yellow eyes form on the surface and a smooth, cultured voice appears in your head: "To whom do you wish to speak?" If you have a Snake Ring, add 30 to its number and turn immediately to that paragraph. If you do not, whose name will you give:

Liam Astomonius of Grimmund?
Colrhyn of the Forest of Night?
Sorrel of the Forest Wood Elves?
Ydys Tinner, Commander of Sardath's Army?
Corianthus, the Storm Giant?

If you don't want to speak to anyone, you say so; the eyes then vanish, and you move on (turn back to 166 and make another choice).

We do have the Snake ring, so the first person we contact is automatically determined:

You immediately think of Bistort, the Forest Wood Elf who gave you the Snake Ring. When you say his name, his image appears on the surface of the pool. You speak to him, but he looks confused: he can hear you but cannot see you. Once you have explained to him what is going on, you tell him where you are and what has happened.

"Excellent," he says. "Do what you can. We are already in the mountains and will be with you soon." You warn him of the Black Flyers. "Wood Elves do not fear Dark Elves, whether they have wings or not. Try to get inside and free the slaves. With us fighting from the outside you you fighting from the inside, we will have them." You say that you will do what you can. "You have already done more than we could have hoped. We are grateful and our thoughts are with you." As he says this, your Snake Ring doubles its length to fourteen coils and you tell Bistort that his energy is reaching you. "Yes," he says, "Elf rings are sensitive in that way."

You bid him farewell and tell him that you will see him soon. Before he has a chance to reply, his image fades; the smooth, cultured voice comes into your head: "To whom do you wish to speak?" Turn back to 99 and make another choice.

Who else do we want to talk to? If there's no one else you want to talk to, please indicate whether you wish to go to the Laboratory next, or the unmarked door.

Adventure Sheet:
[spoiler]Name: Quincey Stridemoore
SKILL 12/12
STAMINA 11/15
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, Sleeping Draught, Potion of Fortune, SevenFourteen-coiled Snake Ring, Brain Slayer Amulet (symbol 'IX' carved on its back, -2 SKILL when worn, currently not worn), Climbing rope, Brass Key, Fangnir's Encyclopedia of Subterranean Flora, Lightning Sphere, Red Gem, Small Crystal Ball (when looking at Dark Elf architecture, automatically Lucky from resulting Luck test, and does not need to spend LUCK point), 3: Lycanthrope Saliva
Arrows: 6
Bundles of Herbs: 10
Gold: 6 GP
Companions: Istu (SKILL 12, STAMINA 12, can fight alongside us in combat, does not take damage from opponents, but lose 3 STAMINA per use)
Day of the Week:
Stormsday (3/3 extra lives remaining)
Moonsday (2/3 extra lives remaining)
Fireday (3/3 extra lives remaining)
Earthday (3/3 extra lives remaining)
Windsday (2/3 extra lives remaining)
Seaday (2/3 extra lives remaining)
Highday (3/3 extra lives remaining)
[/spoiler]

[Beroli]

Not Sorrel, he's almost certainly dead. Liam.

[JourneymanN00b]

I vote for Liam Astomonius of Grimmund.

[Queen of Swords]

While it would be interesting to see if Sorrel can speak to us from the afterlife (the Halls of Mandos?), trying to contact Liam seems more practical.

[SGamerz]

If you have your Council Ring and a Four-Leaf Clover, turn to 151. If you have only the Clover, turn to 227. If you have neither, turn to 392.

We have both.

As soon as you make contact, Liam seems to know what is happening. "It is truly fabulous that you have contacted me," he says. "Since you left, I have been researching the Brain Slayer Amulet shown me by the Suma. It was created by an ancient seer called Khornu Wych..." he rambles on for some time about the history of this amulet but eventually says, "It has a symbol carved on the back. At the moment, this means that it will absorb any mental attacks made on the wearer. However, if two 'X's are scratched in front of the existing symbol, the amulet will not only absorb any attack made on the wearer's mind but will reflect it back on the attacker. I hope this proves useful. Goodbye and good luck." Before you get a chance to say anything, the image fades.

If you already have a Brain Slayer Amulet, you scratch the new symbol on it as instructed. If you do not, you should make a note of what to do for future reference. You then look back into the pool. "To whom do you wish to speak?" asks the smooth, cultured voice. Turn back to 99 and make another chance.

There may potentially be some slight continuity issue here, since the PC might not have chosen to visit Liam and find out anything about the amulet or the Suma. Or maybe Liam is just the type of person who will randomly ramble about what he find out without context even if you hadn't had the previous conversation with him.

Fortunately, we do have the item he's talking about, and can make the modification as instructed. (Also, just a reminder to the players that we're currently not wearing it, and that given the earlier instructions, they need to take the initiative to choose to wear it when they think it appropriate without prompting by the text.)

Whom do we talk to next (or where do we go)?

Adventure Sheet:
[spoiler]Name: Quincey Stridemoore
SKILL 12/12
STAMINA 11/15
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, Sleeping Draught, Potion of Fortune, SevenFourteen-coiled Snake Ring, Brain Slayer Amulet (symbol 'IX' carved on its back, 'XX' carved on its front, -2 SKILL when worn, currently not worn), Climbing rope, Brass Key, Fangnir's Encyclopedia of Subterranean Flora, Lightning Sphere, Red Gem, Small Crystal Ball (when looking at Dark Elf architecture, automatically Lucky from resulting Luck test, and does not need to spend LUCK point), 3: Lycanthrope Saliva
Arrows: 6
Bundles of Herbs: 10
Gold: 6 GP
Companions: Istu (SKILL 12, STAMINA 12, can fight alongside us in combat, does not take damage from opponents, but lose 3 STAMINA per use)
Day of the Week:
Stormsday (3/3 extra lives remaining)
Moonsday (2/3 extra lives remaining)
Fireday (3/3 extra lives remaining)
Earthday (3/3 extra lives remaining)
Windsday (2/3 extra lives remaining)
Seaday (2/3 extra lives remaining)
Highday (3/3 extra lives remaining)
[/spoiler]

[SGamerz]

While it would be interesting to see if Sorrel can speak to us from the afterlife (the Halls of Mandos?)

Unlike Middle-Earth, the God of Death in Titan is specifically an Evil God of Darkness, so if he is in Death's hall (not that we know for sure whether he's there or not), he's not likely to have such freedom to tell us anything useful.

[JourneymanN00b]

I vote to leave the mercury dish and check out the Laboratory to see if we can make any potions there.

[Queen of Swords]

Yes, it's concoctin' time!

[Thaluikhain]

Second that.

[SGamerz]

The laboratory is tilled with a vast array of complex chemical apparatus. In the far corner, to your left, there is a gaping hole in the wall, leading to a dim, torch-lit tunnel. Against the wall next to this hole is a huge potion-making apparatus, with three funnels on top. If you have any magical components (not including any potions like the Mystery Potion or any of the Love Potions), you may climb on to the enormous bench and try to make a potion from then. Put one ingredient in each funnel, and then pull the lever to set the apparatus in motion. If you write the number of each of the of the components on the funnels (in pencil so that you can rub them out later), you will get a three-figure number; turn to that paragraph. If you manage to make a potion, you will be told immediately. However. if the paragraph makes no sense, turn to 190.

If you decide not to tamper with the apparatus, you search the room but find nothing else of any use, so you decide to leave. Will you go back through the door into the Library or enter the tunnel?

Please decide which ingredients you wish to use (we have 4 of them), and the order by which you are placing them into the 3 funnels.

[Queen of Swords]

OK, so the order of ingredients is :

1. Liquid
2. Powder
3. Solid in larger form

So I vote to use :

1. Lycanthrope Saliva (3)
2. Dried Chameleonite Blood (1)
3. Pickled Whole Shapechanger Brain (7)

[Thaluikhain]

Makes sense, give that a go.