[Let's Play] Blood Sword III - The Demon's Claw

angelfromanotherpin · Tue Jul 07, 2015 12:10 pm

These words may seem puzzling to you now, but if you are in need of a place to hide, then an ape will guide you to the scented garden of Fatima.

Follow that ape!

Shiritai · Post by **Shiritai** » Tue Jul 07, 2015 12:25 pm

Fulfill the simian prophecy!

Darth Rabbitt · Post by **Darth Rabbitt** » Tue Jul 07, 2015 12:48 pm

Even if we didn't have the hint I'd vote to follow the monkey.

SGamerz · Post by **SGamerz** » Tue Jul 07, 2015 1:33 pm

Do you have Fatima's silver key?

Yep!

You stumble down the alley. Walls six metres high on either side - no time to scale them, even if you could find handholds ...

In your desperate haste you nearly trip over the ape. The stupid creature has stopped to gawp at you. 'Better move it, chum,' you grunt as you run past. 'Or you'll end up as the appetiser.'

You suddenly stop dead and whirl around. The ape is pointing to a door in the wall of the alley. You remember the key. Fatima said something about an ape -!

You fumble for the lock, fingers made nearly nerveless with panic. The demons are almost upon you. You smell the rank stench of their breath - and worse, the suffocating odour of evil that hands around them. As you unlock the door and push it open, their taloned hands are reaching for you.

You throw yourself through the door. The gods' leering faces loom out of the twilight, right behind you ...

You slam the door shut. On the other side, three unhuman voices are raised in a howl of frustrated bloodlust. You slump against the door - exhausted; weak with relief. Safe.

Btw, that left/right option earlier

was completely meaningless. There's an ape down both directions.

You are in a walled garden. The scent of jasmine fills your nostrils, as thick as the purple shadows of morning twilight. The grass under your feet is lush, damp with the dew.

The ape, which slipped through the gate with you, scampers off across the lawn. You see a pavilion where a woman sits, sipping from a silver chalice.

You bow, recognising Fatima, even though she wore a veil before. 'God bless you, good lady. Your garden is a refuge from perils too horrible to describe.'

'The danger is past,' she replies, her voice barely more than a murmur. 'Come and sit with me.'

This you do. After a while, as you accept sweetmeats from a silver dish, you suddenly remember the demon-gods. 'They cannot enter this garden -?' you say with a start of sudden alarm. The din of their howling can still be heard over the high wall.

'The things that pursued you have faded,' she says with a smile. 'That is the chorus of alley cats ...'

You listen again. She is right.

Another gate swings open. A thin old man in a leather tunic steps through and stands beside an ivy-covered trellis.

'Calm yourself,' says Fatima, stroking the ape's neck. 'It is only Hasan.'

The old man approaches and smiles. 'I hope you do not mind me taking a short cut through your garden, Fatima. The Nine Gates cannot open when Susurrien is near.'

'Susurrien -!' You leap to your feet. 'Do you know where that cur is?' you ask Hasan.

'I hope to find out. I intend to kill him before the sunrise.'

'You will have to join the queue!' You turn and bow to Fatima. 'Lady, it has been pleasant to converse with you. Our time together has been too brief. Now -'

She nods. 'Go out by way of yonder gate. You too, Hasan. It will bring you close to your objective, I think.'

You leave the garden through the gate she has indicated, and step out onto a small cobbled plaza with a well in the middle. Hasan was right behind you - or so you thought - but when you turn there is no sign of him. And no sign of the gate, either.

Personally, I'd have been happy to wait at back of the queue. Let Hasan stand in the front and tackle those pet gods while we sneak around and stab Susurrien in the back.

If you exchanged a fake for the genuine Hatuli, turn to 261. If Susurrien still has the genuine Hatuli, turn to 493.

Nope, he still has the doll.

You instinctively duck out of sight as an elegantly robed figure enters the plaza. It is Susurrien, following the Hatuli. The little mannikin darts forward, occasionally crouching as though to sniff the ground, and leads its master to the edge of the well.

Susurrien peers down with a look of consummate distaste, then picks up the Hatuli and uses the spell of Immediate Deliverance to descend. You leave the shadows and run to the well. It is dark and uninviting, but at least it seems to be dry. You guess that it must lead to an underworld where the Swords of Life and Death lie hidden. The trouble is that Susurrien is ahead of you - and he has a guide.

You swing over the lip of the well and begin to climb down.

How convenient!

At the bottom of the well there is still the full chill of night-time, although sunrise is now only a few minutes away. The chamber is dank, but there is no water in this well apart from a slimy puddle of muck in the centre of the floor.

Three tunnels lead out of the south wall. From the right-hand one you hear a steady dripping. The other two tunnels are silent. You make a torch from some sticks of dry wood lying on the broken flag-stones. It gives a sputtering, uneven light - but it will do. The sudden heat of the torch alarms a serpent, which you notice slithering away into the left-hand tunnel.

You take a last look up at the sky, now turning a limpid azure. Then you lift the torch and head off southwards.

Which tunnel will you take? The right-hand one; the central one; or the left-hand one?

More blind directional choices! Joy!

If we had the Hatuli, we'd of course know exactly which direction to go.

angelfromanotherpin · Post by **angelfromanotherpin** » Tue Jul 07, 2015 2:25 pm

Full steam straight ahead.

Shiritai · Post by **Shiritai** » Tue Jul 07, 2015 9:52 pm

The omens suggest left.

Darth Rabbitt · Post by **Darth Rabbitt** » Tue Jul 07, 2015 9:58 pm

I guess we'll go left this time.

Starmaker · Post by **Starmaker** » Wed Jul 08, 2015 5:48 am

A serpent isn't a good omen, though. I vote straight ahead for true randomness.

SGamerz · Post by **SGamerz** » Wed Jul 08, 2015 11:34 am

Well, that makes it a rare tie. Anybody having second thoughts on their votes?

Darth Rabbitt · Post by **Darth Rabbitt** » Wed Jul 08, 2015 1:34 pm

I'll switch to going down the middle.

SGamerz · Post by **SGamerz** » Wed Jul 08, 2015 1:42 pm

As you pass through the entrance of this tunnel, you notice an ancient clay tablet set into the wall next to it. Looking closer you see that a votive figure has been drawn onto the surface of the tablet. Around the figure, small amounts of the soft sticky clay have been scraped away.

If there is a Sage in the party, turn to 188. If there isn't and you wish to continue down this tunnel, turn to 233. If you wish to choose another tunnel, you may go down the left-hand one, or the right-hand one.

Yep, he also made the decisive choice to walk down this tunnel.

SAGE:

[You recognise the figure on the clay tablet as the ancient Kaikuhuran goddess, Karphi the All-Seeing. It was believed that clay ritually blessed by her priests would ward off evil in some way. As far as you can recall, one was supposed to smear it into the eyes. If you or your companions (if you have any - and if you tell them!) wish to rub any clay into your eyes, note this fact down on your Character Sheet. If you are accompanied by other players, you must tell them if they see you rubbing clay into your eyes.]

For reasons that will soon be made clear, I'm going to give the Sage some time to tell the others his findings before we move on. While he's at it, Pepitio might also want to reveal to his companions what he read from the dervish's scroll.....and possibly also try healing the dying Trickster again!

Darth Rabbitt · Post by **Darth Rabbitt** » Wed Jul 08, 2015 3:35 pm

Pepito tells everyone about the tablet and the scroll (basically: the party can read all of this book's Sage spoilers), and spends 4 more EP on attempting to heal Benedict (all points go to Benedict, with any excess going back to Pepito.)

Starmaker · Post by **Starmaker** » Wed Jul 08, 2015 3:55 pm

I rub evil-b-gone clay into my eyes.

angelfromanotherpin · Post by **angelfromanotherpin** » Wed Jul 08, 2015 4:46 pm

Yes, use clay before proceeding.

Darth Rabbitt · Post by **Darth Rabbitt** » Wed Jul 08, 2015 5:58 pm

As do I, which I should've made clear in my previous post.

Shiritai · Post by **Shiritai** » Wed Jul 08, 2015 10:18 pm

I'll use the clay as well.

SGamerz · Post by **SGamerz** » Thu Jul 09, 2015 11:55 am

Healing roll = (6-2) x4 = 16. Trickster is up to 18 END, Pepito is down to 11.

As you walk into the gathering gloom of the tunnel you notice a dim, glowing light at its end and standing before it a black-cloaked figure, its hand raised as if warning you not to continue any further. You approach it nevertheless and it suddenly pitches forward, collapsing into a heap of yellow mouldering bones held together by a ragged, black cloak. A grating set into the ceiling comes clanging down behind you, and you hear a low, preternatural cackle. Somewhere in front of you, there is an invisible creature. You hear its slithering footsteps on the damp stone as it approaches you.

If there is a Sage in the party, turn to 109. Otherwise, turn to 476.

Still there, last I checked.....

Any player who made use of the sacred clay unguent a few moments ago is able to see the invisible monster. Turn to 476 for the combat, but those who can see the monster can make their fight rolls on two Dice as usual. In addition, the clay gives some protection from the deathly aura, and players so protected do not suffer the permanent loss of Endurance noted there.

It allows us to see evil stuff?! I thought the point of rubbing the clay on us was so that we don't have to see any evil stuff!

The invisible creature stalks forward, emitting slobbering grunts that give you some idea of where it is. Suddenly it screams in bloodlust and launches itself upon you.

Aphanos the Unseen
Fighting Prowess: 9 Psychic Ability: 9
Awareness: 9 Damage per blow: 4 Dice
Armour Rating: 0
Endurance: 55

Note: Because Aphanos is invisible, fight rolls against it must be made using three Dice instead of two.

A flux of life-destroying rays flow from this demon. Each Round that you fight it, each player suffers the permanent loss of one Endurance point. If you win, turn to 346.

Thanks to the clay this becomes just a normal fight. Strategies?

Adventure Sheet:

WARRIOR:

NAME: Dame Caecilia Wither-Stoat
RANK: 4th

Battle Order: 1

Fighting Prowess: 12
Psychic Ability: 7
Awareness: 8
Endurance: 32/33
Damage: 2 Dice +3 (+3 from Enchanted Sword)

*Extra Notes: Takes no FP/damage penalty when fighting unarmed, +1 Armour Rating from Potentiation on top of normal armour bonus

Items:
1 Enchanted Sword (+3 Damage)
2 Enchanted Chainmail armour (Armour Rating five)
3 Money pouch (98 gold pieces)
4 Silver crucifix (with finger-bone of St Ashanax)
5 Iron Bell
6 Bedroll
7 Shielding Charm (+1 AR)
8 Blood Sword Scabbard
9 Blood Sword Hilt
10 Empty slot

TRICKSTER:

NAME: Benedict of the Crimson Spires, Honourable Duelist
RANK: 4th

Battle Order: 2

Fighting Prowess: 8 (+1 from Enchanted Sword)
Psychic Ability: 7
Awareness: 8
Endurance: 18/25
Damage: 1 Die+2

Items:
1 Enchanted Sword (+1 FP)
2 Studded Leather Armour (Armour Rating two)
3 Golden Snuffbox
4 Dervish's scroll
5 Gloves
6 Bow
7 Harp
8 Quiver (6 arrow)
9 Fur Cloak
10 Gilt-edged scroll
*11 Screebo the Raven

SAGE:

NAME: "Pepito" Cascadero, Master of the Mystic Way
RANK: 4th

Battle Order: 3

Fighting Prowess: 7
Psychic Ability: 8
Awareness: 7
Endurance: 11/21
Damage: 1 Die+1

Items:
1 Quarterstaff
2 Ringmail Armour (Armour Rating two)
3 Seafaring Charts from Hunguk's ship
4 Bedroll
5 Magic Bow (Damage 1 Die+1)
6 Quiver (3 arrow)
7 Skull Amulet
8 Blue Crystal Eyes
9 Money pouch (100 gold pieces)
10 Silver key to Fatima's garden

ENCHANTER:

NAME: Enchanter Reed, Ninth of the Inverted Tower
RANK: 4th

Battle Order: 4

Fighting Prowess: 1
Psychic Ability: 15 (+1 from Ring of Sorcery)
Awareness: 7
Endurance: 21/21
Damage: 1 Die +1

Items:
1 Brazier
2 Silver armour (Armour Rating two)
3 Bedroll
4 Magical Bread Crust of Infinity
5 Fur Cloak
6 Money pouch (88 gold pieces)
7 Ring of Sorcery (+1 PA)
8 Copper Bottle
9 Amber Tinderbox
10 Iron rations (7 days)

angelfromanotherpin · Thu Jul 09, 2015 12:34 pm

Not a lot of strategy to be had, I think. Basically nothing can keep this guy from getting two swings off, and I'm the best one to tank them.

Darth Rabbitt · Post by **Darth Rabbitt** » Thu Jul 09, 2015 1:10 pm

"I will shoot at him," said the cyberdemon Pepito and he fired the rocket missiles magic bow.

Shiritai · Post by **Shiritai** » Fri Jul 10, 2015 4:16 am

I'll dismiss sheet lightning and deliverance, cast Nemesis Bolt then Swordthrust, and recall Nemesis Bolt.

SGamerz · Post by **SGamerz** » Sun Jul 12, 2015 2:13 am

If we don't hear from the Trickster by today, I'll decide his moves in the fight.

SGamerz · Post by **SGamerz** » Sun Jul 12, 2015 1:05 pm

Without hearing anything from the player, I'll keep him out of melee and stick to archery, as I don't want to risk getting the character killed without the player's consent....

COMBAT LOG:

Round 1 ... FIGHT!

Awareness 9 acts...

Aphanos fights Warrior. Roll = 9 (Hits). Damage = 14-5-1-1 = 7. Warrior has 25 END left.

Awareness 8 acts...

Warrior fights Aphanos. Roll = 7 (Hits). Damage = 8+3 = 11. Aphanos has 44 END left.

Trickster shoots Aphanos. Roll = 5. (Hits!) Damage = 5. Aphanos has 39 END left.

Awareness 7 acts...

Sage shoots Aphanos. Roll = 12. (Miss!)

Enchanter dismisses Sheet Lightning and Immediate Deliverance and attempts to cast Nemesis Bolt. Roll = 12+5 = 17. (Failure!!!)

Quick Thinking bonus:

Trickster shoots Aphanos. Roll = 8. (Hits!) Damage = 3. Aphanos has 36 END left.

Round 2

Awareness 9 acts ...

Aphanos fights Warrior. Roll = 4 (Hits). Damage = 16-5-1-1 = 9. Warrior has 16 END left.

Awareness 8 acts ...

Trickster shoots Aphanos. Roll = 5. (Hits!) Damage = 5. Aphanos has 39 END left.

Warrior fights Aphanos. Roll = 10 (Hits). Damage = 8+3 = 11. Aphanos has 25 END left.

Awareness 7 acts ...

Sage shoots Aphanos. Roll = 10. (Miss)

Enchanter attempts to cast Nemesis Bolt. Roll = 7+5 = 12. (Success!) Damage = 22+7 = 29. Aphanos is killed.

The creature, now just a pile of greenish sludge at your feet, slowly dissolves into a foul-smelling gas. You are eager to get away from the stench and hurry on down the remaining stretch of the tunnel past the guttering candle which was the light source you saw at the entrance. As you move, though, the greenish mist floats after you and suddenly you are surrounded by a dense fog of choking vapour.

The mist is poisonous. Enchanters and Sages are immune to its effects, but Tricksters and Warriors must resist it as if it were a Psychic spell. Failure means that the character takes two Dice damage. Anyone surviving the mist stumbles through it to the end of the tunnel.

Warrior: Psychic test roll = 8 (Failure!) Damage = 5. Warrior has 11 END left.

Trickster: Psychic test roll = 8 (Failure!) Damage = 9. Trickster has 9 END left.

You enter a vast barrel-vaulted chamber which runs east to west. There are two other entrances besides the one you have come through in the north wall, and two archways ahead of you in the south wall. The walls are decorated with hundreds of metal leaves, artfully made lifelike by the use of verdigris and gold to obtain the right colours. The leaves are intended to be those of the ash tree, as far as you can tell; an odd representation to find so far south...

Your attention is distracted by a metallic figure that is lumbering along the hall towards you. It is twice the size of the tallest warrior you have ever seen, and three spikes project evilly from its otherwise featureless head. From the way it is swinging its giant mace, it must have been set here to prevent anyone passing further into the underworld.

If you passed through the room with the frieze, turn to 512. If not, turn to 285.

The room with the what?

Following the snake earlier would have been the right move. We would then pass through a room where we gets some hints of how to get past this automation without a fight.

If we'd taken the abbot's side-quest earlier we'd also have gotten some hints abut following the snake.

With a tinny roar that nearly deafens you, and the sound of heavy metal parts grating on one another, the metal figure lunges forward to attack. The tremors as its huge feet touch the flagstones are enough to convince you that this could be one of your toughest battles.

Automaton
Fighting Prowess: 7 Psychic Ability: 9
Awareness: 6 Damage per blow: 8 Dice
Armour Rating: 4
Endurance: 60

If you flee, you can run either through the lefthand arch (turn to 528) or the right-hand arch (turn to 522). If you win, turn to 293.

OK, the damage looks scary even with our enhanced Warrior. How do we want to do this? Do we even want to fight it (it's slow enough that we can all flee without penalty)?

Adventure Sheet:

WARRIOR:

NAME: Dame Caecilia Wither-Stoat
RANK: 4th

Battle Order: 1

Fighting Prowess: 12
Psychic Ability: 7
Awareness: 8
Endurance: 11/33
Damage: 2 Dice +3 (+3 from Enchanted Sword)

*Extra Notes: Takes no FP/damage penalty when fighting unarmed, +1 Armour Rating from Potentiation on top of normal armour bonus

Items:
1 Enchanted Sword (+3 Damage)
2 Enchanted Chainmail armour (Armour Rating five)
3 Money pouch (98 gold pieces)
4 Silver crucifix (with finger-bone of St Ashanax)
5 Iron Bell
6 Bedroll
7 Shielding Charm (+1 AR)
8 Blood Sword Scabbard
9 Blood Sword Hilt
10 Empty slot

TRICKSTER:

NAME: Benedict of the Crimson Spires, Honourable Duelist
RANK: 4th

Battle Order: 2

Fighting Prowess: 8 (+1 from Enchanted Sword)
Psychic Ability: 7
Awareness: 8
Endurance: 9/25
Damage: 1 Die+2

Items:
1 Enchanted Sword (+1 FP)
2 Studded Leather Armour (Armour Rating two)
3 Golden Snuffbox
4 Dervish's scroll
5 Gloves
6 Bow
7 Harp
8 Quiver (3 arrow)
9 Fur Cloak
10 Gilt-edged scroll
*11 Screebo the Raven

SAGE:

NAME: "Pepito" Cascadero, Master of the Mystic Way
RANK: 4th

Battle Order: 3

Fighting Prowess: 7
Psychic Ability: 8
Awareness: 7
Endurance: 11/21
Damage: 1 Die+1

Items:
1 Quarterstaff
2 Ringmail Armour (Armour Rating two)
3 Seafaring Charts from Hunguk's ship
4 Bedroll
5 Magic Bow (Damage 1 Die+1)
6 Quiver (1 arrow)
7 Skull Amulet
8 Blue Crystal Eyes
9 Money pouch (100 gold pieces)
10 Silver key to Fatima's garden

ENCHANTER:

NAME: Enchanter Reed, Ninth of the Inverted Tower
RANK: 4th

Battle Order: 4

Fighting Prowess: 1
Psychic Ability: 15 (+1 from Ring of Sorcery)
Awareness: 7
Endurance: 21/21
Damage: 1 Die +1

Items:
1 Brazier
2 Silver armour (Armour Rating two)
3 Bedroll
4 Magical Bread Crust of Infinity
5 Fur Cloak
6 Money pouch (88 gold pieces)
7 Ring of Sorcery (+1 PA)
8 Copper Bottle
9 Amber Tinderbox
10 Iron rations (7 days)

angelfromanotherpin · Post by **angelfromanotherpin** » Sun Jul 12, 2015 2:59 pm

Yeah, no, run to the right.

Medic!

Darth Rabbitt · Post by **Darth Rabbitt** » Sun Jul 12, 2015 4:13 pm

Agreed with Angel's plan. I'll spend 4 EP on healing Kiki and Benedict (in that order). Once/if Benedict gets to 13 EP I'll spend any remainder on myself.

Shiritai · Post by **Shiritai** » Sun Jul 12, 2015 7:50 pm

I'll dismiss everything but immediate deliverance and cast that.