[LP] Fighting Fantasy 46 - Tower of Destruction (Take 2!)

[Thaluikhain]

Half vote for down.

[Omegonthesane]

Go down again.

[SGamerz]

The stairs terminate on a landing with no obvious exits. As you wonder where to go and whether to search for a secret door, you suddenly realize that it might have been very stupid to take the stairs leading down when you entered so close to the base...too late! A clawed hand has already pulled a lever, and you have just a few seconds spinning through the air in which to lament your foolishness before you become a spreading stain on the ground. Your adventure ends here.

The first non-delayed failure we've encountered so far, and our third failure overall, putting this ahead of Legend of Zagor by 1!

Rewinding and going up....

You walk up the wide stone stairs as quietly as possible, ducking into an alcove and hiding just in time as a snake-headed Demon and a gibbering frog-like underling come slithering past. You don't want any trouble with minions, you're after the main targets here. You sweat in the heat, which gets worse with every breath you raggedly draw as you clamber up the interminable steps. The heat and noise seem to grow ever greater as you reach a heavily banded and reinforced blackwood door. You force the door and rush in, hoping to achieve surprise on the occupant. You aren't going to be lucky on that score at least.

Beyond the door lies a chamber shaped like the inside of a sphere, the only exit from which is another set of steps across the room, leading upwards. In the middle of the room stands a three-metre tall. jet-black stone colossus, with huge fists capable of smashing a man in half. The Golem's trunk-like legs of veined black stone end in smooth spheres, which allow it to glide around in this chamber. You can hardly hope to do the same. You've got two realistic choices here. Will you use a Potion of Flying, if you have one, to try and get past the Golem to the opposite steps and then use some other strategy. If you don't have a Potion of Flying, you will have to fight the Golem.

Contrary to what the text says, we don't have two realistic choices, since we already used up the potion. We have only one choice, so on to the fight!

In this chamber you are unsure of your footing on the curved floor: you must temporarily subtract 1 from your SKILL for the duration of this combat. The Great Golem has no such problems, of course, and it is more agile and much faster than you. Trying lo defeat this huge thing isn't going
to be easy! If you have a Stone Jaguar and want it to help you in combat, turn to 353. Otherwise, fight alone!

GREAT GOLEM SKILL 11 STAMINA 16

When the Great Golem hits you, roll one die; if you roll 5 of 6, it inflicts 3 points of STAMINA damage to you, rather than the usual 2, due to its great strength. If you win, you cross to the far side of the chamber and leave by the far stairs.

The combination of the SKILL penalty and the special damage rule makes this probably the strongest opponent we've encountered to this point. Even with our OP sword our advantage is relatively slight.

Do we want to use the Stone Jaguar here?

Adventure Sheet:

Name: Jefferson Tallpipe
SKILL 11/12 (13 in combat w/ Magical Ice Sword & 14 vs Demons)
STAMINA 23/25
LUCK 10/12
Honour: 9
Equipment: Sword, Leather Armor, Lantern, Backpack, Blanket, Climbing Gear, Tasrin's Ring, Potion of Stamina (restores 1/2 of Initial STAMINA), Crowbar, Crossbow (w/ 3 normal bolts & 4 magical bolts), Magic Sword (+1 SKILL unless it's already 12), Shield of Warding (deflects missile attacks on roll of 2-8 on 2D6), Mealin's Silver Amulet, Singing Ice Bird (10 arcs of 7-coloured rays in each wing), Potion of Speed (gives extra 2nd attack for first 3 rounds in the first combat after the potion is drunk), Stone Jaguar (SKILL 8, STAMINA 8, can be animated to fight one combat on our behalf), spare lantern oil, Magical Ice Sword (+2 SKILL, +3 SKILL and +1 damage when fighting demons)
Spells: Linkcut, Coldwarding
Gold: 21
Provisions: 7/10, +3 elven weybread
No. of Failures in this playthrough: 3

[Darth Rabbitt]

I mean I don't think the jaguar is ever going to be terribly useful otherwise, so use our Pokemon now.

[Thaluikhain]

Use the jaguar and I don't think going down was stupid.

[SGamerz]

Unfortunately, the Stone Jaguar - being made of stone - is very vulnerable to the attacks of the Golem. As it springs to full size, the Golem simply crushes it with a single horrendously powerful blow. You need a better strategy here. Will you try:

Fighting the Golem?
Taking a Potion of Flying, if you have one, and flying past to the steps opposite?
Taking a Potion of Flying and using crossbow fire, if this is possible for you?

Doesn't really make sense, since there's no mention of what material this golem is made of and therefore no way the reader could have known why stone is "very vulnerable" to it. At least the item was never that useful anyway, cool as it might be.

Anyway, the only option left to us is to go back to the last section and fight....

COMBAT LOG:

Great Golem 23, Tallpipe 18. GG rolls 2 and does 2 damage. Tallpipe is at 21.
GG 19, Tallpipe 17. GG rolls 2 and does 2 damage. Tallpipe is at 19.
GG 19, Tallpipe 19. Tie.
GG 20, Tallpipe 22. GG is at 14.
GG 23, Tallpipe 17. GG rolls 3 and does 2 damage. Tallpipe is at 17.
GG 18, Tallpipe 16. GG rolls 1 and does 2 damage. Tallpipe is at 15.
GG 20, Tallpipe 20. Tie.
GG 20, Tallpipe 21. GG is at 12.
GG 19, Tallpipe 19. Tie.
GG 15, Tallpipe 19. GG is at 10.
GG 19, Tallpipe 17. GG rolls 3 and does 2 damage. Tallpipe is at 13.
GG 18, Tallpipe 22. GG is at 8.
GG 18, Tallpipe 21. GG is at 6.
GG 17, Tallpipe 19. GG is at 4.
GG 20, Tallpipe 16. GG rolls 4 and does 2 damage. Tallpipe is at 11.
GG 16, Tallpipe 16. Tie.
GG 22, Tallpipe 17. GG rolls 1 and does 2 damage. Tallpipe is at 9.
GG 18, Tallpipe 19. GG is at 2.
GG 16, Tallpipe 17. GG is destroyed.

A pretty even fight that cost Tallpipe more than half his STAMINA. Fortunately, while it rolled quite well for several attack rounds, it never managed to score its special additional damage!

You struggle up a steeply raked set of steps, working against the heat and your aching muscles. How high can this hellish tower be? At least the steps end but, as you drag yourself up the last few metres towards the archway in the distance, there's only darkness ahead. A side passage runs off from the landing you are on, but you can't see any exits from it. You think you might have heard footfalls echoing in the far distance in that direction, though. Will you:

Step into the darkness?
Explore the side passage?
Cast a spell here?

Technically, all 3 options are available to us, but the only spell we have left is Linkcut, which doesn't look relevant here, as there's no mention of any linked material in the text for us to cut....

Adventure Sheet:

Name: Jefferson Tallpipe
SKILL 11/12 (13 in combat w/ Magical Ice Sword & 14 vs Demons)
STAMINA 9/25
LUCK 10/12
Honour: 9
Equipment: Sword, Leather Armor, Lantern, Backpack, Blanket, Climbing Gear, Tasrin's Ring, Potion of Stamina (restores 1/2 of Initial STAMINA), Crowbar, Crossbow (w/ 3 normal bolts & 4 magical bolts), Magic Sword (+1 SKILL unless it's already 12), Shield of Warding (deflects missile attacks on roll of 2-8 on 2D6), Mealin's Silver Amulet, Singing Ice Bird (10 arcs of 7-coloured rays in each wing), Potion of Speed (gives extra 2nd attack for first 3 rounds in the first combat after the potion is drunk), spare lantern oil, Magical Ice Sword (+2 SKILL, +3 SKILL and +1 damage when fighting demons)
Spells: Linkcut, Coldwarding
Gold: 21
Provisions: 7/10, +3 elven weybread
No. of Failures in this playthrough: 3

[Thaluikhain]

Side passage. Shame about the jaguar. I get that stone isn't very flexible, but that also would stop it doing much of anything, so I don't think that is fair.

[Darth Rabbitt]

Agreed, but chug our remaining stamina potion first.

[angelfromanotherpin]

Agreed, but chug our remaining stamina potion first.

[SGamerz]

Tallpipe drains his last Potion of STAMINA and restores his STAMINA to 22.

You edge along the side passage, looking for an alternative route. You see that, beyond an archway hidden in a turning in the passage, it is possible to walk round the edge of the circle of darkness, so you may be able to skirt round it. However, you must Test your Luck. If you are Lucky. turn to 12. If you are Unlucky, turn to 210.

Luck test roll = 7 (Lucky)

You edge round towards a circular chamber beyond the darkness,, and you can see dimly flashing light in that chamber. However, you can't make out any detail because the entrance is barred by a thick mat of sticky webs, some two metres deep, which seem to envelop the room beyond. From the lights and humming sound coming from that chamber, you guess that you will have to get into it, but there doesn't seem to be any other way in except through the webs. lf you want to try to use magic to get past the webs, tum to 99. If you just want to wade in and force your way through, tum to 185.

The option to "use magic" may read like an opportunity to cast a spell, but no, it's actually an opportunity for item check:

If you want to use a Potion of Fire Breath, you can burn a way through the webs. If you want to use a Wand of Cold, you can freeze the webs and break their brittle strands with no ill effect to yourself. In either case, turn to 334, but remember to cross the item you use off your Possessions. Other items won't help here. If you don't have such magic, or you have it but don't want to use it here, tum to 185.

Unfortunately, we don't have the items that can help here. Would be nice if Linkcut can cut the webs here, but nope, no such luck.

You wade through the sticky strands, which have an insidious effect on you: they seem to sap your strength and weaken you. You must reduce your SKILL temporarily by 1 point until after your next combat (make a note of this on your Adventure Sheet.) But you do force your way through to the inner chamber.

Another SKILL penalty! Fortunately, this one is temporary.

In this inner hollowed sphere of a chamber, the heat is tremendous and almost knocks you backwards. In the centre of the huge Sphere, four large black stone figures stand; they are bearing great copper bowls from which they empty a liquid into a central swirling vortex of heat, light and whirling stones. From the ceiling a pillar of roaring fire slams down into that vortex, where it mixes, hissing, with the liquid from the bowls. The flame at the base of the pillar is clearly transformed in some magical way: sparks and motes of light appear within it, and its colour changes to a darker, coppery red. In a stomach-turning moment, you realize that this may have something to do with the fact that the liquid mixing with the flame is blood...a very great deal of blood.

Roll two dice and add 2. If the total is less than o. equal to your SKILL, tum to 65. If the total is greater than your SKILL, turn to 399.

SKILL tests have mostly been a formality for Tallpipe thus far, but we just got another SKILL penalty not long ago, and this test also has a +2 difficulty, so we may actually fail this....

Dice roll = 10 +2 = 12 (Fail!)

You just didn't see the cowled, robed figure poised in midair quickly enough, he was obscured by a puff of smoke, and he fires a Lightning Bolt spell at you. You are struck by a crackling forked bolt which bums you and racks you with agony for a few seconds. Deduct 5 points from your STAMINA. If you are still alive, turn to 65.

Ouch, that hur-....wait it's a BOLT! We have a shield may deflect it!

Dice roll = 4 (success!) Lightning bolt was deflected by our Shield of Warding!

You see the flying robed figure clearly before you, darting from behind a smoky hiding place. And you recognize him: Zeverin! His hands move in the gestures of the spellcaster's craft as he prepares a spell to cast at you. How are you going to deal with this? Will you:

Use a Potion of Flying, if you have one?
Use a crossbow, if you can?
Fire a Wand of Cold at Zeverin, if you have this?
Cast a Coldwarding spell to protect yourself?
Grip your sword and wait for a chance to fight?

The only special item we have here is the crossbow. Do we want to use it?

Adventure Sheet:

Name: Jefferson Tallpipe
SKILL 10/12 (12 in combat w/ Magical Ice Sword & 13 vs Demons)
STAMINA 22/25
LUCK 9/12
Honour: 9
Equipment: Sword, Leather Armor, Lantern, Backpack, Blanket, Climbing Gear, Tasrin's Ring, Crowbar, Crossbow (w/ 3 normal bolts & 4 magical bolts), Magic Sword (+1 SKILL unless it's already 12), Shield of Warding (deflects missile attacks on roll of 2-8 on 2D6), Mealin's Silver Amulet, Singing Ice Bird (10 arcs of 7-coloured rays in each wing), Potion of Speed (gives extra 2nd attack for first 3 rounds in the first combat after the potion is drunk), spare lantern oil, Magical Ice Sword (+2 SKILL, +3 SKILL and +1 damage when fighting demons)
Spells: Linkcut, Coldwarding
Gold: 21
Provisions: 7/10, +3 elven weybread
No. of Failures in this playthrough: 3

[Thaluikhain]

Yeah, try shooting him.

[angelfromanotherpin]

100% twang-thud.

[Darth Rabbitt]

pow pow

[SGamerz]

lf you have any magical crossbow bolts, turn to 283. If you don't have any, tum to 178.

We've got some of those!

You fire you| bolts at Zeverin, who fires off spells in reply. Work out Attack Strengths for both of you as normal (Zeverin has SKILL 10). If you have the higher Attack Strength, your bolt causes the usual damage (4 points) if Zeverin has the higher Attack Strength, he fires magical spheres at you which cause you to lose 3 points from your STAMINA. Make a note of how many points of damage you have inflicted on the STAMINA of Zeverin for when you fight him later! You can kill Zeverin with four successful magical bolt hits, and, if you do, tum to 325, but if you run out of magical bolts or wish lo change strategy, will you:

Use a Potion of Flying, if you have one?
Fire your Wad of Cold at Zeverin (if you have this!)?
Cast a Coldwarding spell to protect yourself, if you can?
Grip your sword and wait for a chance to fight?

Damn, the bastard switched to magical spheres! Our shield doesn't work on those!

We have just enough magical bolts to kill him! But note that because we're not getting the bonus from the Ice Sword in a missile fight, we'll be fighting this at equal SKILL.

Do we want to use all 4 of our magic bolts here, or switch to sword after using a certain amount?

Adventure Sheet:

Name: Jefferson Tallpipe
SKILL 10/12 (12 in combat w/ Magical Ice Sword & 13 vs Demons)
STAMINA 22/25
LUCK 9/12
Honour: 9
Equipment: Sword, Leather Armor, Lantern, Backpack, Blanket, Climbing Gear, Tasrin's Ring, Crowbar, Crossbow (w/ 3 normal bolts & 4 magical bolts), Magic Sword (+1 SKILL unless it's already 12), Shield of Warding (deflects missile attacks on roll of 2-8 on 2D6), Mealin's Silver Amulet, Singing Ice Bird (10 arcs of 7-coloured rays in each wing), Potion of Speed (gives extra 2nd attack for first 3 rounds in the first combat after the potion is drunk), spare lantern oil, Magical Ice Sword (+2 SKILL, +3 SKILL and +1 damage when fighting demons)
Spells: Linkcut, Coldwarding
Gold: 21
Provisions: 7/10, +3 elven weybread
No. of Failures in this playthrough: 3

[Darth Rabbitt]

Each shot's a coin flip, only we do 4 damage to him on a hit and he does 3 to us on one, and we have more health since 16 damage kills him, so while it probably won't do more than soften him up a bit shoot and then stab if he's still standing (ideally chugging the Speed potion on the way, but I doubt we can do that).

[Omegonthesane]

Agreed with DarthRabbitt's approach.

[Thaluikhain]

Yeah, we've an advantage shooting, so fire away.

[SGamerz]

Even in the air, Zeverin shall not avoid Tallpipe's penetrating bolts!

COMBAT LOG:

Zeverin 18, Tallpipe 19. Zeverin has lost 4 STAMINA.
Zeverin 18, Tallpipe 18. Tie.
Zeverin 16, Tallpipe 21. Zeverin has lost 8 STAMINA.
Zeverin 13, Tallpipe 14. Zeverin has lost 12 STAMINA.

We hit him with 3 out of 4 bolts! And didn't get hit once! Luck is with us for this fight.

But we're now out of missiles (we don't have the option to switch to mundane bolts here, but if we've tried earlier, we'd have been told that Zeverin is protected from those, and they wouldn't have worked), and Zeverin now has the aerial advantage.....or does he?

Zeverin laughs evilly, "Poor, sniveling fighter, what use are your skills here?" and he fires off a handful of magical darts which fly at you and lash at your armour and skin. Deduct 3 points from you STAMINA. "You are a dead man, your blood will fuel the fire." He fires off another set of darts - but these do just 2 points of damage to your STAMINA, and you suspect he's running out of magical energy. Indeed, as he drops to the ground, he draws a weapon with the clear intention of finishing you off. So perhaps you have some chance.

Out of magic already? Not very impressive for the amount of hype he's got....

Too bad he used darts instead of lightning bolts, so we do need to lose another 5 STAMINA before we get to stab him in the face.

You are now in hand-to-hand combat with the wizard, Zeverin, who draws a short but wickedly curved sword to fight you. He's lean and wiry, and at close range you can see that the muscles in his sword-arm are taut and stronger than you'd expect from a wizard. He's going to be no pushover, so don't forget to subtract any STAMINA from the total given below if you've been able to do any damage to him before now!

ZEVERIN SKILL 10 STAMOINA 13 1

lf you win, tum to 325.

Considering we already took out most of his STAMINA with magic bolts, I'd say, yes, he IS a pushover.

COMBAT LOG:

Zeverin 15. Tallpipe 14. Tallpipe is at 15.
Zeverin 18. Tallpipe 24. Zeverin is killed!

Surprisingly he still managed to nick us once before we finish him off, despite our sword's bonus.

The good news is that we're now rid of the temporary SKILL penalty from the webs after this last fight!

The wizard's slender body lies at your feet, devoid of life. Yet the roaring pillar of fire still bums, the blood still pours from the bowls the statues hold, the Tower still moves on its way. And you sense that there is more to be done. Zeverin was not the master here, or maybe this is only a simulacrum of Zeverin you have slain. You have a little time here: to be precise, you have time to cast a spell, drink some brandy, or use a magical item, but you can't use all three actions to eat (you just can't wolf food down that fast). Make up your mind what you are going to do in the free lime you have left to you, then turn to 158.

Which 3 actions do we perform before we move on to the real Boss fight?

Adventure Sheet:

Name: Jefferson Tallpipe
SKILL 11/12 (13 in combat w/ Magical Ice Sword & 14 vs Demons)
STAMINA 15/25
LUCK 9/12
Honour: 9
Equipment: Sword, Leather Armor, Lantern, Backpack, Blanket, Climbing Gear, Tasrin's Ring, Crowbar, Crossbow (w/ 3 non-magical bolts), Magic Sword (+1 SKILL unless it's already 12), Shield of Warding (deflects missile attacks on roll of 2-8 on 2D6), Mealin's Silver Amulet, Singing Ice Bird (10 arcs of 7-coloured rays in each wing), Potion of Speed (gives extra 2nd attack for first 3 rounds in the first combat after the potion is drunk), spare lantern oil, Magical Ice Sword (+2 SKILL, +3 SKILL and +1 damage when fighting demons)
Spells: Linkcut, Coldwarding
Gold: 21
Provisions: 7/10, +3 elven weybread
No. of Failures in this playthrough: 3

[Omegonthesane]

I'm reading the fact it specifies that you "can't use all three actions to eat" means you can use one action to eat.

So full vote to eat one meal, and half a vote to chug the speed potion. The inventory doesn't tell me there are any other distinct actions to take.

[angelfromanotherpin]

It says we can't use all three actions to eat. Two is not three. Pound double jerky, chug liquid meth.

[Thaluikhain]

Seconding angelfromanotherpin

[Omegonthesane]

Switching to angel's plan if swallowing two loads is legal.

[Darth Rabbitt]

I'm on for Angel's plan, too.

[SGamerz]

I've always interpreted this as "you can only use one of these actions to eat a meal", which I suspect might have been the author's intention, but it's true that the wording of the text doesn't specify that. I think I'll allow angel's interpretation, especially since there's no other apparent action we can really take here short of probably wasting the Linkcut spell.

Two meal's taken, STAMINA raised to 23, and Potion of Speed drunk!

It is upon you! The great evil within the Tower is revealed to you. The four-metre-tall winged figure hangs in mid-air before you, tantalizingly out of sword reach. Its two black, dragon's heads are huge, dominating even its powerfully muscled coppery-red body. The Night Demon, Relem, has come for you! You are half paralysed with fear in the aura of power and evil which radiates from this terrible monster. Relem smiles savagely and flings its arms open wide; from its massively muscled arms and claws magical bolts spray out and circle around at your side. Do you have a Magical Ice Sword? If you have, tum to 302 If you haven't, turn to 223.

According to the classic FF monster book Out of the Pits, there are 4 Night Demons in the Demonic Planes of Titan. I believe Relem is the only one who's ever appeared in one of the FF gamebooks. And supposedly they can't be permanently killed on the mortal plane, but only temporarily banished for 54 days when they are defeated, before they get resurrected and try to hunt down their killer for revenge.....

You sword sweeps in an arc, as if independent of your command, and slices one spray of bolts into nothingness! But the others are circling in If you have a Shield of Warding, tum to 216. lf you don't have this, tum to 330.

Apparently, he didn't watch our earlier encounter with Zeverin, and didn't know that missiles with the word "bolt" in their name don't work on us.

The other arc of magical bolt spreads out around the shield, which flares brightly, then the bolts disintegrate into nothinsness! Relem looks furious and prepares to dive at you.

Vast bolts of flame come shooting through the air from the palms of Relem's hands and hammering into the ground around you. If you have a magical ring, you know the name of the person who last owned it. Take the letters of that name, convert them to number values (A = 1, B - 2, C = 3 ... Z = 6) and add up the total. Multiply that total by 3, then turn to the paragraph which has the same number, otherwise, turn to 269.

T-A-S-R-I-N
20+1+19+18+9+14 = 81.

81 x 3 = 243.

The ring protects you from the worst of Relem's fiery onslaught, but against Demon Magic the ring can't wholly save you. Roll one die; this is the number of points of STAMINA, you lose. Relem is on you now and you must draw your sword and fight for your life and soul! If you have an Ice Bird, turn to 141. If you haven't, turn to 275.

Die roll = 3. STAMINA down to 20.

Lots of item checks we're passing!

Extraordinarily, the beautiful bird has survived in the wretched humid heat of this hellish place; it spreads its wings ad rises into the air. For a few moments Relem's faces are transfixed with confusion, then filled with hatred and he flings magic into the air which smashes the bird into a thousand fragments. But this has bought you time. You can do one thing while Relem hesitates. You may not eat a meal, but you may drink a potion, cast a spell, use a magic item or get a free strike at Relem (inflicting the usual 2 points of damage to his STAMINA, or more if your Magic Sword has received a special power against Demons from Tassaskil).

This time, it's quite specific that we can't use the action to eat a meal (which makes sense), and we're out of useful potions or spells for this situation, so I guess we'll go for the free strike, inflicting 3 STAMINA points with our enhanced Ice Sword!

At the final count, it is your heart, courage and sword against the inhuman, monstrous strength of the Night Demon. Lose this battle and physical death will be the least of your worries. On a successful hit, Relem will inflict 3 points of damage to your STAMINA!

RELEM SKILL 14 STAMINA 25 22

If your STAMINA falls to 6 or below and you have struck Relem at least twice with an Ice Sword. tum to 312. If you win. turn to 193.

We're actually heading into this fight with almost equal stats and doing the same amount of damage per hit! But we've drunk the Potion of Speed, so the advantage lies with us in the first 3 rounds!

COMBAT LOG:

Relem 21, Tallpipe 26. Relem is at 19.
Relem 21, Tallpipe 21. Tie. (1st round 2nd attack)
Relem 24, Tallpipe 25. Relem is at 16.
Relem 19, Tallpipe 26. Relem is at 13. (2nd round 2nd attack)
Relem 24, Tallpipe 17. Tallpipe is at 17.
Relem 17, Tallpipe 25. Relem is at 10. (3rd round 2nd attack)
Relem 24, Tallpipe 21. Tallpipe is at 14.
Relem 21, Tallpipe 24. Relem is at 7.
Relem 22, Tallpipe 16. Tallpipe is at 11.
Relem 22, Tallpipe 17. Tallpipe is at 8.
Relem 25, Tallpipe 21. Tallpipe is at 5.

Our STAMINA dropped below 6!

Suddenly you become aware of a presence at your side, and an arm takes hold of your sword arm. His strength pours into you at your time of desperation. Regain2 lost STAMINA points, and you receive a temporary bonus of 1 to your SKILL for the next three Attack Rounds only. You had the briefest glimpse of the helper who infused new strength into you: a tall and regal male Elf...now return to 275 and fight to the death!

COMBAT CONTINUES!:

Relem 24, Tallpipe 22. Tallpipe is at 4.
Relem 17, Tallpipe 24. Relem is at 4.
Relem 21, Tallpipe 24. Relem is at 1.
Relem 17, Tallpipe 26. Relem is defeated!

Turns out that we would still have won with the same rolls without the elf's help...but our STAMINA would have been down to 2. Now it's at 4.

The final blow has been struck, and the demonic form is banished, with an ear-piercing scream of fury and frustration. You are dizzy from the heat and your own exhaustion; you can hardly stand, and blood is welling up from foul claw-rakes on your body. But you have slain and banished the earthly form of a Night Demon, an act which very few of the greatest warriors Titan has ever known could boast of!

Yet you still cannot relax. The fires of the Tower are beginning to cool: the huge central pillar of flame suddenly alters shape most dramatically. Instead of pouring down into the vortex, it cascades out from within the magical swirl and forms a complete ring round the room. There is no way out! What will you do now? If you want to study the magical vortex for any clues or help, tum to 346. If you want to run out through the ring of fire and you have a magical ring, turn to 293. If you want to run out through the ring of fire, and you don t have a magical ring, turn to 247.

How do we get out of this?

Adventure Sheet:

Name: Jefferson Tallpipe
SKILL 11/12 (13 in combat w/ Magical Ice Sword & 14 vs Demons)
STAMINA 4/25
LUCK 9/12
Honour: 9
Equipment: Sword, Leather Armor, Lantern, Backpack, Blanket, Climbing Gear, Tasrin's Ring, Crowbar, Crossbow (w/ 3 non-magical bolts), Magic Sword (+1 SKILL unless it's already 12), Shield of Warding (deflects missile attacks on roll of 2-8 on 2D6), Mealin's Silver Amulet, spare lantern oil, Magical Ice Sword (+2 SKILL, +3 SKILL and +1 damage when fighting demons)
Spells: Linkcut, Coldwarding
Gold: 21
Provisions: 5/10, +3 elven weybread
No. of Failures in this playthrough: 3

[Omegonthesane]

I vote blue option.