[Let's Play] Fighting Fantasy 51 - Island of the Undead (Take 2)

[JourneymanN00b]

We know that Remishaz has quarreled with someone, and the monastery message references Caltarelair has quarreled with one of his fellows.

So I vote to talk to the spirit using Caltarelair as the name.

[Thaluikhain]

I missed that, sounds reasonable.

[SGamerz]

Convert the wizard's name to a number using the following code: A=1, B=2, C=3 and so on to Z=26. Total the numbers which correspond to the letters in his name, then multiply the total by two. Turn to the paragraph with that number; if the wizard's name is the first word you read, you have been correct. Otherwise, the wizard is going to attack you, so make a note to turn to 134.

"Caltarelair," you call out, "do not attack! I am not your enemy!" The spirit wavers, halting his incantation and waiting to hear what you have to say. There is only one thing that will prevent him from attacking you: your mentioning the Chamber of Elementals. If you know about that chamber, you know also how many runes are on the door of the chamber, so turn to the pargraph with the same number. If not, you must fight; tum to 44.

We'd been there, so we know the number of runes is 256.

'"Caltarelair, it has all been the doing of the Master of Fire. He affected your mind and destroyed your body, and now your spirit cannot be at rest. He placed some magic in the Chamber of Elements, which is the root of your furious quarrel with Remishaz. Please come with me and let us be done with what lies beyond the door. I need your help to do this, I want you to be at peace."

The spirit wavers and the old man looks uncertain, still angry and untrusting but now unsure of himself. He lowers his hands. "I will come," he whispers at last, "but I will destroy you if this is lies or trickery."

You walk with Caltarelair to the door of the Chamber of Elements. Remishaz is already standing beside it, and the spirits of the two wizards immediately react to each other's presence and become enraged. You beg them to put aside their differences, just for a few moments, and let you inside the chamber. You tell them that they can slay each other afterwards if they really want to, and that a few moments won't make much difference. The spirits glower balefully at each other, but they comply and they both touch the door with its myriad runes. It flies open; turn to 121,

Within the crystalline chamber beyond the door is a howling whirlwind of chaos. Rocks and stones are being whipped around like a great, fragmented spinning-top within a hurricane of airy force. As the spirits of the wizards gaze into this flux of magical energies, they grow angry again and you can see that they are prepared to attack each other. You have to get in and somehow deal with the mayhem in this room. If you have both a Tiger Eye stone and a Topaz gem, you know how many facets the Topaz has. Multiply that number by ten, and turn to the paragraph with the same number. If you don't have both these items, turn to 378.

Since the Tiger Eye stone and the Topaz are found in separate places, and only the latter has an associated number, it's actually possible for players who never found the Tiger Eye stone to cheat here. Still, Fred does have both items.

The whirling vortex is momentarily stilled! The spirits look shocked, stunned into a sudden awareness of something they had forgotten or had not understood; swiftly, they join hands and cast a spell. You may add 2 points to your SKILL and 4 points to your STAMINA (these bonuses can increases SKILL or STAMINA or both above Initial levels) for the combat to come, as the vortex begins to spin once more.

Temporary SKILL bonus is great, but temporary STAMINA bonus is...weird. What if we win the combat with less than 4 STAMINA remaining? Do we die anyway because the bonus disappears after combat?

Well, in our case, that probably won't happen because of how overpowered and healthy we are, but it's still strange.

You hit out as best you can against this force of magical energies. Your sword glints and gleams within the barrier of howling wind and stone, and you try to strike against the core of the magical force within the room.

ELEMENTAL VORTEX SKILL 9 STAMINA 14

This is a perilous combat. If the Vortex has an Attack Strength of 21 in an Attack Round, you will be swept off your feet, and you will struggle to get in a telling blow in the next Attack Round (you must subtract 2 from your Attack Strength in that following round). If you win, turn to 91.

COMBAT LOG:
Elemental Vortex 19, Fred 24. EV is at 12.
EV 16, Fred 25. EV is at 10.
EV 13, Fred 24. EV is at 8.
EV 14, Fred 21. EV is at 6.
EV 18, Fred 23. EV is at 4.
EV 18, Fred 21. EV is at 2.
EV 16, Fred 23. EV is defeated.

The howling of the wind suddenly stops; stones and rocks rain down on the ground and are still. The storm is over and the spirits of the wizards are no longer battling each other; they both look very pensive. "A Vortex of Discord," Caltarelair mutters, "that's how he made us quarrel. Created an endless strife between air and earth right in the middle of us. No wonder we came to blows, and finally to killing."

"We couldn't enter before because we were too angry with each other ever to join and pass the portal," Remishaz explains. "As Master of our own Elements, we could have done so, but the discord was sown well. And this means that the Master of Fire has become Master of all the Elements now - or, at least, he has mastered Air and Earth to create this Discord. He put us at each other's throats as he murdered Molander, Master of the Waters. Yet it was Molander who first started playing with the forces of Life, claiming that water was the basic sustainer of Life. It was he who led...' Remishaz is unable to continue and the eyes of the spirit widen in surprise. "I cannot speak his name, the Master of Fire. He has put a command on me, and I cannot speak it."

The spirits are silent for a moment. "I think we can leave this place now,' Caltarelair whispers. "I am not held prisoner here any longer." Remishaz nods his agreement. "Our spirits will fade, friend. Go down the steps to Molander's dungeons if you seek to destroy the evils here There is much of his alchemy there, I think. Beware the mutated and wretched things he left behind, beware his own Spectre... " the spirits are fading now. You can keep them here a little longer, to tell you more, if you are prepared to sacrifice a point of your PRESENCE to do so. If you are not, it's time to go down to the next dungeon level; tum to 322. If you are willing to sacrifice a point of PRESENCE, decide whether you want the spirits to tell you more about Molander or about the Master of Fire himself.

[JourneymanN00b]

I vote to spend a Presence point to ask about the master of fire.

[Queen of Swords]

Agreed.

[SGamerz]

The spirits hang their heads. "He must have become very powerful. He was the first of us to meddle with the undead, claiming that by doing so we could learn more about how elemental magic fuels the very forces of life itself. If only the Crystals were collected, to oppose him..." If you have a Sapphire, a Topaz, a Tiger Eye and a Ruby, add together the number of facets in them all and multiply that number by two; turn to the paragraph with that number. If you do not have them, the spirits can give you no more help, so turn to 167.

We do have all the "crystals" mentioned.

The spirits gaze, wide-eyed, at the gems you place before them. They lay their hands upon yours as you hold the four stones, and an aura of magic light plays about them. You find yourself holding a fifth stone which has become manifested with the others: a magnificent, 280-carat diamond. The spirits look satisfied, but they are fading and can speak no more.

You gain 1 point of PRESENCE and 1 point of LUCK for freeing the spirits; this LUCK point increases both your current and Initial LUCK (to a maximum of 12). Now it is time to seek Molander's realm; turn to 322.

Well, we just regained the PRESENCE we spent to keep the spirits here longer. However, since our Initial LUCK was already at 12, we only gain 1 point in current LUCK.

You descend a long flight of stone steps into an atmosphere that grows increasingly damp and cold. A faint phosphorescent glow comes from the stone, but it is still gloomy as the steps descend to a half-open door; if you do not have a working lantern, you must subtract 1 point from your Attack Strength during all combats in this dungeon level (until you find another set of steps leading down). You push open the door and it almost falls off its hinges; the other side of it is blackened and charred. An almost circular fireball pattern is blasted into the stone of the passage which lies beyond the door. Peering cautiously around, you see three doors on the wall opposite the door you've entered by; to both your left and right the passage ends in an L-junction, the distant passage leading away from you. Will you:

Open the door opposite you?
Open the left-hand door?
Open the right-hand door?
Follow the passage to your right?
Follow the passage to your left?

Adventure Sheet:
[spoiler]Name: Fred
SKILL 12/12
STAMINA 16/19
LUCK 11/12
PRESENCE: 8
Equipment: Knife, Backpack, Waterskin, Leather Jerkin, Sword, Bottle of Blade Venom (+1 damage for one combat), Rope (x2), Wooden Pole, Gold Key (found in section 40), Potion of Stamina x2 (restores lost STAMINA points up to one-half of Initial STAMINA when drunk, rounding fractions up), Flask of Grog (+4 STAMINA, +1 Attack Strength for next combat after drunk), Magic Sword (+1 Attack Strength in combat), Shield (x2), Lantern, Bottle of Monks’ Herbal Liqueur x2 (4 doses in total, each restores 4 STAMINA when drunk), pestle and mortar, Herbiary (dog-eared pages: page 311 on the Rat-tailed Fungus, page 175 on the Pitcher Plant, page 266 on the Axeplant), Sapphire (50 facets), Topaz (24 facets), Skeleton Key, Small Pearl, Brass Orb (picked up in section 63), Ruby (36 facets), Tiger Eye stone, stone axe, Tomb Dust, Empty Bottle. Diamond (280-carat)
Provisions: 5/12
Gold: 8
Afflictions: Lung Rot
Extra Lives remaining: 16/19
Notes:
1) Message pieced together from torn scraps of paper found in monastery: "There is conflict between the wizards, Caltarelair has certainly quarrelled with one of his fellows and a magic duel cannot be far away. One of them has begun to dabble in magic other than elementalism. Ralsteen the Hermit may have sensed any disturbance at the Circle; I am too weak to risk visiting it. I must hasten to hide the Crystals, and I will hide them in pairs, one pair in..."
2) Parraine will do us a service three times before we bury his bones. He can perform any of the following acts at any time as one service: cure one disease, strengthen our sword so that it inflicts 6 points of damage to the STAMINA of an enemy as the result of a successful hit in combat (can choose this service after we hit the enemy), and he can heal for up to 8 points of lost STAMINA (this cannot be carried out during a combat).
3) The magical password to a door without a lock or handle somewhere below in the dungeons is 'elementarae'.
[/spoiler]

[JourneymanN00b]

I vote to follow the passage to the right. Let’s see if indulging in fascism in this floor pays off.

[SGamerz]

You slide open the door, to find yourself in a large chamber. Almost all the available space is taken up by a huge tank, which is made of glass, with iron hinges and joinery, and which is sealed save for a single inlet valve. Cut channels run across the floor; their purpose would be to drain away liquid. The tank is filled with a mass of green slime which looks like liquefied seaweed; it appears to be rotting, and a repulsive smell wafts across to your offended nostrils despite the sealing of the tank. You could easily put something small into the tank if you want to, although you cannot see how t get anything out of it without smashing the glass. If you wish to put something into the inlet valve of the tank, decide which item you will introduce into it and turn to 51. If you want to break the glass of the tank, turn to 176. If you would rather leave this chamber and find somewhere else to search, turn to 106.

Please also vote for the specific item if you vote to put something in the tank.

Adventure Sheet:
[spoiler]Name: Fred
SKILL 12/12
STAMINA 16/19
LUCK 11/12
PRESENCE: 8
Equipment: Knife, Backpack, Waterskin, Leather Jerkin, Sword, Bottle of Blade Venom (+1 damage for one combat), Rope (x2), Wooden Pole, Gold Key (found in section 40), Potion of Stamina x2 (restores lost STAMINA points up to one-half of Initial STAMINA when drunk, rounding fractions up), Flask of Grog (+4 STAMINA, +1 Attack Strength for next combat after drunk), Magic Sword (+1 Attack Strength in combat), Shield (x2), Lantern, Bottle of Monks’ Herbal Liqueur x2 (4 doses in total, each restores 4 STAMINA when drunk), pestle and mortar, Herbiary (dog-eared pages: page 311 on the Rat-tailed Fungus, page 175 on the Pitcher Plant, page 266 on the Axeplant), Sapphire (50 facets), Topaz (24 facets), Skeleton Key, Small Pearl, Brass Orb (picked up in section 63), Ruby (36 facets), Tiger Eye stone, stone axe, Tomb Dust, Empty Bottle. Diamond (280-carat)
Provisions: 5/12
Gold: 8
Afflictions: Lung Rot
Extra Lives remaining: 17/20
Notes:
1) Message pieced together from torn scraps of paper found in monastery: "There is conflict between the wizards, Caltarelair has certainly quarrelled with one of his fellows and a magic duel cannot be far away. One of them has begun to dabble in magic other than elementalism. Ralsteen the Hermit may have sensed any disturbance at the Circle; I am too weak to risk visiting it. I must hasten to hide the Crystals, and I will hide them in pairs, one pair in..."
2) Parraine will do us a service three times before we bury his bones. He can perform any of the following acts at any time as one service: cure one disease, strengthen our sword so that it inflicts 6 points of damage to the STAMINA of an enemy as the result of a successful hit in combat (can choose this service after we hit the enemy), and he can heal for up to 8 points of lost STAMINA (this cannot be carried out during a combat).
3) The magical password to a door without a lock or handle somewhere below in the dungeons is 'elementarae'.
[/spoiler]

[JourneymanN00b]

Going to vote to leave the chamber and vote to open the right hand door next. I don’t think it is a good idea to do anything with the tank.

[SGamerz]

Going to vote to leave the chamber and vote to open the right hand door next. I don’t think it is a good idea to do anything with the tank.

Oops, sorry, I think I misread your last vote, and already sent us through the right-hand door. I realize now that we're supposed to go down the right-hand passage instead.

Do you still vote to go that way if we leave the room now?

[JourneymanN00b]

Yes, I still vote to go that way.

[SGamerz]

Looking along the side-passage at the right of the main tunnel, you can see one door half-way along and, at the end of the tunnel, a heavy door with a brass plaque. Even from where you strand, odd whooshing and slurping sounds can be heard coming from behind the nearer door. Will you:

Open the nearer door?
Open the far door with the brass plaque?
Search elsewhere?

[JourneymanN00b]

I vote to open the far door with the brass plaque.

[Queen of Swords]

Sure, try the door with the plaque.

[SGamerz]

Clearly, the door at the end of the passage is designed to keep intruders out: the wood is solid and strong, the hinges and fixtures are of brass and iron, and the brass plaque is plainly magical. Just looking at it causes a shiver to run down your spine. The face of a gargoyle is peering al you from out of the plaque; but it seems to be shifting and changing even as you look, although it always communicates disdain and a leering evil quality. You're no wizard, but you can sense the crackle of magic about it. You are fairly sure that some powerful magical trap must be attached to this door.

If you have a sapphire and you don't know the name of the Master of Waters, turn to the paragraph with the same number as that gem has facets. If you know the wizard's name, convert it into a number, using the following code, A = 1, B = 2, C = 3, and so on to Z = 26, then add up the numbers which correspond to the letters of the name. If you know the wizard's name but do not have a sapphire, turn to the paragraph with the number of the wizard's name. If you know the name and you have a sapphire, add the number of the wizard's name and the number of facets in the gem together, then turn to the paragraph with that number. In both these cases, if you are wrong about the wizard's name and you find that the paragraph you have turned to is inappropriate, you should turn to 165 instead. If you don't know the wizards name and don't have a sapphire but you want to open the door, turn to 165. If you decide to back off and search elsewhere, turn to 106.

We do know the name (Molander), and we have the sapphire (50 facets).

You whisper the name, 'Molanderr', and you hold the sapphire in the hand which you put on the plaque. The gargoyle-face breaks into a leering smile and a haze of magical energies plays about it, bathing your hand in glowing warmth; regain 2 STAMINA points. The door opens, revealing the large room beyond.

You have entered the Master of Water's massive alchemical laboratory. It is a truly amazing sight! The room must measure hundreds of square metres in size, with a ceiling at least eight metres above your head. There are several workbenches, shelves upon shelves, jars and alchemical equipment, a huge sealed vat, a chest, and much else. You make a cautious inventory of the range of materials here and decide that the following objects may be worth closer scrutiny: four floating glass globes with colored gases inside, two green and two red; the vat, which gives off an acrid, foul smell; a central work-table with many sealed vials and potions; a small table with oils and unguents; and a chest. Among the otherwise dirty apparatus there are also two clean glass bottles which you can take, should you want them. You must consume a meal here during your extensive search. If you want to explore further, turn to 58. If you think better of it and decide to search elsewhere in this dungeon level, turn to 106.

I'm taking the 2 empty bottles unless there are objections, since I doubt any harm can come from that, and they'd almost definitely be useful.

Adventure Sheet:
[spoiler]Name: Fred
SKILL 12/12
STAMINA 18/19
LUCK 11/12
PRESENCE: 8
Equipment: Knife, Backpack, Waterskin, Leather Jerkin, Sword, Bottle of Blade Venom (+1 damage for one combat), Rope (x2), Wooden Pole, Gold Key (found in section 40), Potion of Stamina x2 (restores lost STAMINA points up to one-half of Initial STAMINA when drunk, rounding fractions up), Flask of Grog (+4 STAMINA, +1 Attack Strength for next combat after drunk), Magic Sword (+1 Attack Strength in combat), Shield (x2), Lantern, Bottle of Monks’ Herbal Liqueur x2 (4 doses in total, each restores 4 STAMINA when drunk), pestle and mortar, Herbiary (dog-eared pages: page 311 on the Rat-tailed Fungus, page 175 on the Pitcher Plant, page 266 on the Axeplant), Sapphire (50 facets), Topaz (24 facets), Skeleton Key, Small Pearl, Brass Orb (picked up in section 63), Ruby (36 facets), Tiger Eye stone, stone axe, Tomb Dust, Empty Bottles (x3). Diamond (280-carat)
Provisions: 4/12
Gold: 8
Afflictions: Lung Rot
Extra Lives remaining: 18/21
Notes:
1) Message pieced together from torn scraps of paper found in monastery: "There is conflict between the wizards, Caltarelair has certainly quarrelled with one of his fellows and a magic duel cannot be far away. One of them has begun to dabble in magic other than elementalism. Ralsteen the Hermit may have sensed any disturbance at the Circle; I am too weak to risk visiting it. I must hasten to hide the Crystals, and I will hide them in pairs, one pair in..."
2) Parraine will do us a service three times before we bury his bones. He can perform any of the following acts at any time as one service: cure one disease, strengthen our sword so that it inflicts 6 points of damage to the STAMINA of an enemy as the result of a successful hit in combat (can choose this service after we hit the enemy), and he can heal for up to 8 points of lost STAMINA (this cannot be carried out during a combat).
3) The magical password to a door without a lock or handle somewhere below in the dungeons is 'elementarae'.
[/spoiler]

[Thaluikhain]

Take bottles, explore further.

[Queen of Swords]

Agreed.

[JourneymanN00b]

I vote to take the bottles, explore further, and check out the table of oils and unguents if the book asks us what specifically to check out first.

[SGamerz]

You decide to investigate something which you haven't already examined in the laboratory. Will you inspect:

The green glass globes?
The red glass globes?
The potions and bottles?
The oils and unguents?
The vat?
The chest?

When you're ready to leave this laboratory, return to the main passage and find somewhere else to search by turning to 106.

[Queen of Swords]

Might as well try the oils and unguents.

[Thaluikhain]

May as well.

[SGamerz]

Many of the jars and vials here contain ointments and creams which you have no way of identifying: some are probably poisonous, some maybe corrosive, and you can't afford to take any chances. The one exception is a vial of a blue-tinged oil so light that it seems to be almost insubstantial. It is labelled 'Ethereal Oil', and there are two doses in this vial. Ethereal Oil has two special qualities you must make a note of. First, if you have some Tomb Dust, you can mix it up with this oil to create Spectrebane. One dose of Spectrebane, when placed on your sword (you can do this before a combat), will allow you to inflict 1 extra point of damage to the STAMINA of any Spectre you manage to hit during the first five Attack Rounds of any combat. Second, one dose of Ethereal Oil can be rubbed on your skin to allow you to become ethereal yourself; you will be instructed whenever this may be an important option. Use this oil wisely! Now return to 58 to choose something else to examine.

We do have Tomb Dust, so we can make Spectrebane. Let me know if you wish to make some, and how many doses (maximum is 2).

What do we explore next?

You decide to investigate something which you haven't already examined in the laboratory. Will you inspect:

The green glass globes?
The red glass globes?
The potions and bottles?
The oils and unguents?
The vat?
The chest?

When you're ready to leave this laboratory, return to the main passage and find somewhere else to search by turning to 106.

Adventure Sheet:
[spoiler]Name: Fred
SKILL 12/12
STAMINA 18/19
LUCK 11/12
PRESENCE: 8
Equipment: Knife, Backpack, Waterskin, Leather Jerkin, Sword, Bottle of Blade Venom (+1 damage for one combat), Rope (x2), Wooden Pole, Gold Key (found in section 40), Potion of Stamina x2 (restores lost STAMINA points up to one-half of Initial STAMINA when drunk, rounding fractions up), Flask of Grog (+4 STAMINA, +1 Attack Strength for next combat after drunk), Magic Sword (+1 Attack Strength in combat), Shield (x2), Lantern, Bottle of Monks’ Herbal Liqueur x2 (4 doses in total, each restores 4 STAMINA when drunk), pestle and mortar, Herbiary (dog-eared pages: page 311 on the Rat-tailed Fungus, page 175 on the Pitcher Plant, page 266 on the Axeplant), Sapphire (50 facets), Topaz (24 facets), Skeleton Key, Small Pearl, Brass Orb (picked up in section 63), Ruby (36 facets), Tiger Eye stone, stone axe, Tomb Dust, Empty Bottles (x3). Diamond (280-carat), Ethereal Oil (2 doses)
Provisions: 4/12
Gold: 8
Afflictions: Lung Rot
Extra Lives remaining: 18/21
Notes:
1) Message pieced together from torn scraps of paper found in monastery: "There is conflict between the wizards, Caltarelair has certainly quarrelled with one of his fellows and a magic duel cannot be far away. One of them has begun to dabble in magic other than elementalism. Ralsteen the Hermit may have sensed any disturbance at the Circle; I am too weak to risk visiting it. I must hasten to hide the Crystals, and I will hide them in pairs, one pair in..."
2) Parraine will do us a service three times before we bury his bones. He can perform any of the following acts at any time as one service: cure one disease, strengthen our sword so that it inflicts 6 points of damage to the STAMINA of an enemy as the result of a successful hit in combat (can choose this service after we hit the enemy), and he can heal for up to 8 points of lost STAMINA (this cannot be carried out during a combat).
3) The magical password to a door without a lock or handle somewhere below in the dungeons is 'elementarae'.
[/spoiler]

[Queen of Swords]

I vote for making 1 dose of Spectrebane (we might need the second dose of Ethereal Oil to become ethereal ourselves) and then checking out the potions and bottles.

[JourneymanN00b]

Agreed with the above vote.

[Thaluikhain]

I agree for making one dose based on that logic, no preference for what to check out next.