[Let's Play] Fighting Fantasy 57 - Magehunter

Thaluikhain · Post by **Thaluikhain** » Mon Nov 09, 2020 10:07 am

Guessing we don't need the vizier's robe anymore, and also the sword looks nice compared to a dagger.

pragma · Post by **pragma** » Mon Nov 09, 2020 4:54 pm

I'm still interested in getting a full suit of undyed clothes.

JourneymanN00b · Post by **JourneymanN00b** » Mon Nov 09, 2020 10:01 pm

My vote is to buy a lantern. I don't think we should sell any items here yet, especially not the vizier's robe, since it still could be useful.

SGamerz · Post by **SGamerz** » Wed Nov 11, 2020 6:49 am

If there are no additional votes agreeing with any suggested shopping lists by tomorrow, I will proceed without buying (or selling) anything.

Darth Rabbitt · Post by **Darth Rabbitt** » Wed Nov 11, 2020 5:19 pm

I think I'd sell the robe and buy a sword, undyed clothes and a lantern.

Thaluikhain · Post by **Thaluikhain** » Thu Nov 12, 2020 2:27 am

Why do we need more undyed clothes? Unless I'm missing something, we've already got some.

JourneymanN00b · Post by **JourneymanN00b** » Thu Nov 12, 2020 2:47 am

We already have a dagger, and I am not sure that the sword gives us more of an advantage than our dagger would. We don't need another pair of undyed clothes, so the only thing that we could use is a lantern. My vote to just buy a lantern will stand. I still think we could use the vizier's robe for other purposes, so I do not wish to sell that just yet.

pragma · Post by **pragma** » Thu Nov 12, 2020 7:48 am

I see now, I was misreading our sheet. We do have the clothes. In that case, yes, just buy a lantern.

Omegonthesane · Post by **Omegonthesane** » Thu Nov 12, 2020 9:26 am

I vote just buy a lantern.

SGamerz · Post by **SGamerz** » Thu Nov 12, 2020 9:35 am

With pragma switching his vote to second Journeyman's, we have a majority, and JVG spends his last 2 Gold Pieces on a lantern before leaving the market.

This time, we definitely picks up a third cross as we return to the central hub, where the encounter with Mencius is finally triggered (for realz) and he offers us a box.

You are just wondering where you should go next when a jaunty figure strides up to you, grinning all over its too-familiar face. It's Mencius, flaunting his borrowed body. There are people all around, so you hope that he will be loath to attract attention to himself with serious magic; all the same, your eyes dart around for possible venues of escape. "I promised revenge, and I shall have it," he says in your own language, but with a friendly smile on his face and an easy tone in his voice. "It will be my pleasure to extinguish your soul utterly, and it will be especially easy, as this magic-rich world has amplified my powers threefold. As a small gesture of my contempt for your abilities, by the way, allow me to present you with this." So saying, he hands you a box. Your scalp prickles as you imagine what may be within. If you have a Book of Craft, turn to 33; otherwise, turn to 275.

Do we want to try to initiate a body-switch with Mencius and get our body back now?

Adventure Sheet:

Name: Jaime Van Ginyu
SKILL 5/5
STAMINA 13/13
LUCK 10/11
Money: Nil
Equipment: Rapier, Fine Red Clothes, Silver bullet, Rope of Human Hair,
Provisions: 2
Codewords: kal, missing

Companion (Switched)
SKILL 6/6
STAMINA 12/12
Equipment: Undyed clothes, Vizier's Robe, 12 Mirrors, Dagger, Magic Amulet, Lantern

Notes: Turn to 312 to go to Rangor Tower, turn to 158 to visit Al-Haddar, 2 crosses gained while in Kallamehr

pragma · Post by **pragma** » Thu Nov 12, 2020 5:59 pm

No body switch! I'm sure it's a trap.

Also, I'm pretty sure the box contains our flintlock, which seems like a nice thing to get back.

JourneymanN00b · Post by **JourneymanN00b** » Fri Nov 13, 2020 5:42 am

My vote is not to do a body switch. We do not have the means to take out Mencius at this point.

SGamerz · Post by **SGamerz** » Fri Nov 13, 2020 9:11 am

You open the box gingerly. Inside is your pistol, box of powder, and a lead bullet (note them on your Adventure Sheet). "I will see you again," says Mencius, "but for now I had better hurry back to my tower." So saying, he hurries off. If you follow him, turn to 312. Otherwise, turn to 241.

pragma is right on the money, and we got our pistol back!

"Follow him" basically leads to the exact same section as going to Rangor Tower.

If we choose not to follow him, we go back to the central hub, and our only remaining options will be to use magehunting techniques or to go back to Al-Haddar, so please indicate which choice you prefer between these 2 if you vote against following.

Adventure Sheet:

Name: Jaime Van Ginyu
SKILL 5/5
STAMINA 13/13
LUCK 10/11
Money: Nil
Equipment: Rapier, Fine Red Clothes, Silver bullet, Rope of Human Hair,
Provisions: 2
Codewords: kal, missing

Companion (Switched)
SKILL 6/6
STAMINA 12/12
Equipment: Undyed clothes, Vizier's Robe, 12 Mirrors, Dagger, Magic Amulet, Lantern, Flintlock Pistol, box of powder, Lead bullet

Notes: Turn to 312 to go to Rangor Tower, turn to 158 to visit Al-Haddar, 3 crosses gained while in Kallamehr

pragma · Post by **pragma** » Fri Nov 13, 2020 5:56 pm

Go back to Al-Haddar. Mage hunting techniques will get confused by the many wizards present here.

JourneymanN00b · Post by **JourneymanN00b** » Sat Nov 14, 2020 1:44 am

My vote is to return to Al-Haddar. We do NOT have a silver bullet in our possession since Reinhardt is still missing. Maybe we can reunite with him at Al-Haddar's house.

SGamerz · Post by **SGamerz** » Sat Nov 14, 2020 6:13 am

Al-Haddar decides to throw a feast in your honour, inviting several of his friends to join him. The fine food and lively conversation go on for several hours, and Al-Haddar entertains you with a continuous stream of funny stories. If you do not have the word trail, and you do have both the word 'kal' and either a vizier's robe or Al-Bakbuk's glass, turn to 397. Otherwise, if you have the word 'trail', or if you don't have the other items, turn to 244.

Thankfully, we didn't sell the robe at the market earlier!

As the feast draws to an end and the guests leave, you prepare to retire, but Al-Haddar beckons you near. If you have a companion, you notice that he is snoring happily.

"Now is a good time for stories," your host says quietly. You thought he had spent the whole evening telling stories, and you say so, but Al-Haddar chuckles. "those were the kind of story by beloved brother, Al-Bakbuk the Prattler, likes - but my real stories are a different matter." He ushers you into a comfortable drawing room, settles down on a pile of cushions, and starts his tale. "Many years ago, in a certain city far away, there lived an upright man whose name was Jaddar. He had made a name for himself by catching criminals, especially those who dabbled in magic in order to cheat their victims. At the time of my story, Jaddar had spent a whole year chasing a villain by the name of Abdul Al-Azrad whom he had pursued from city to city, crossing the mountains, seas and deserts. He finally caught up with Abdul Al-Azrad in a forest and, hurrying close, prepared to shoot the fiend with his magic bow. But Abdul Al-Azrad was a wily wizard. Just as the arrow was loosed from Jaddar's bow, he transformed himself into an animal, avoiding the missile. Which do you think Al-Azrad turned himself into, a snake or a bird?

If you say a snake, turn to 54. If you say a bird, turn to 282.

We are apparently playing a CYOA story within a CYOA gamebook.....

Which animal do we choose?

pragma · Post by **pragma** » Sat Nov 14, 2020 7:15 am

A bird. It's a thinking man's choice for escape.

Edit: Actually, the mage-hunter's treatise says that small birds sicken and die near sorcerers. Not a guarantee that sorcerers can't turn into birds, but evidence enough to tip me to snake.

Omegonthesane · Post by **Omegonthesane** » Sat Nov 14, 2020 8:38 am

changing vote to snake.

JourneymanN00b · Post by **JourneymanN00b** » Sat Nov 14, 2020 10:42 pm

My vote is to say that Abdul Al-Azrad turned himself into a bird. Maybe if the sorcerer turns himself into a bird, his strength will be weakened somewhat?

SGamerz · Post by **SGamerz** » Mon Nov 16, 2020 10:30 am

"There was no time for Jaddar to load another magic arrow before Al-Azrad, in the form of a snake, was upon him. The battle was mighty indeed..."

Al-Haddar has told his tale so vividly and with such expressive gestires that you feel you are living the story. Now he starts to wrestler you, calling, "Who will win, the snake or the man?"

AL-AZRAD THE SNAKE SKILL 6 STAMINA 6

Fight as normal; however, you cannot die in this fight. If you defeat the snake, recover 2 points of STAMINA for every three lost, and turn to 294. If you lose, turn to 151.

Our first combat of the game! Same SKILL, but at least we have double the STAMINA. Let's just hope he won't drain out STAMINA too much, because I wouldn't be surprised if there are more story-battles after this...

COMBAT LOG:

Al-Azrad the Snake 13, JVG 14. AAS is at 4.
AAS 10, JVG 17. AAS is at 2.
AAS 13, JVG 14. AAS is defeated.

We managed to win this without taking a hit!

"So finally the snake lay dead. Jaddar cut off its head and put it in his pouch, then turned his head homeward. Three days and three nights he travelled, full of joy that once again he would see the city he loved. On the fourth day, however, he saw a dejected figure on the road before him. Approaching closer, he saw it was a vizier who had entertained Jaddar as a guest on many occasions and had supported his cause. The vizier's clothes were torn and dirty and, as soon as he saw Jaddar, he began to wail: "Evil trachery, blasphemy against the will of Hazah!" Jaddar asked him what was the matter: from him he learned that there was a new Emir in the city, a man of evil moods and doubtful faith. "Oh give me a sword, that I may fight against this injustice!" the vizier pleaded. Jaddar willingly have him his own sword and, magic bow in hand, accompanied him back to the city. On the way, the vizier told Jaddar a story.

Probably not too surprising that Mason would do the "story within a story" structure after all the obvious Arabian Nights influence, but this means we're now playing a CYOA within a CYOA within a CYOA! How far can Mason stretch this art form?

"My tale concerns a true prince among the Genii, his name Al-Ra'ad al-Kasif, who dwelt in the Omnipresent Tower in days gone by. From this place he could visit any land struck his fancy, and he was welcomed at the courts of the mighty, both Genie and mortal. But and enemy, jealous of his power, resolved to put and end o him. Coming upon the tower by stealth, he tricked Al-Ra'ad al-Kasif into wasting his power, then attacked him while he was weak."

AL-RA'AD AL-KASIF SKILL 6 STAMINA 10

Conduct the battle between yourself and Al-Ra'ad al-Kasif the Genie Prince as normal. However, note that you cannot die: if your STAMINA is reduced to zero or less, turn to 151. If you defeat Al-Ra'ad al-Kasif, turn to 228.

Ok, he's almost our equal. We're going to need luck here...

COMBAT LOG:

ARAK 14, JVG 15. ARAK is at 8.
ARAK 14, JVG 13. JVG is at 10.
ARAK 8, JVG 17. ARAK is at 6.
ARAK 13, JVG 15. ARAK is at 4.
ARAK 11, JVG 14. ARAK is at 2.
ARAK 17, JVG 10. JVG is at 8.
ARAK 11, JVG 18. ARAK is defeated.

Our luck holds, for the most part, although we got hit twice this time.

"With his dying blow, the Genie Prince hurled his vanquisher out of the window of the tower. Before he landed on the sort sand, Al-Ra'ad Al-Kasif with a piteous wail expired, and was seen no more in this world. His killer, meanwhile, turned back towards the tower, but he found his way blocked by three opponents: a venomous. hissing snake, a snarling mountain lion, and a fluttering raven. A voice sounded from behind the brass-studded door of the tower. "You must fight the most dangerous of these three if you wish to enter the tower." Which of the three will you choose?

The raven?
The lion?
The snake?

I always thought a mountain lion isn't an actual lion, but apparently they're the same in whatever world JVG came from, since one of those 3 creatures have been called both.

Which animal do we pick?

Adventure Sheet:

Name: Jaime Van Ginyu
SKILL 5/5
STAMINA 13/13
LUCK 10/11
Money: Nil
Equipment: Rapier, Fine Red Clothes, Silver bullet, Rope of Human Hair,
Provisions: 2
Codewords: kal, missing

Companion (Switched)
SKILL 6/6
STAMINA 8/12
Equipment: Undyed clothes, Vizier's Robe, 12 Mirrors, Dagger, Magic Amulet, Lantern, Flintlock Pistol, box of powder, Lead bullet

Notes: Turn to 312 to go to Rangor Tower, turn to 158 to visit Al-Haddar, 3 crosses gained while in Kallamehr

pragma · Post by **pragma** » Mon Nov 16, 2020 4:33 pm

The mountain lion is definitely the most dangerous. Pick that.

JourneymanN00b · Post by **JourneymanN00b** » Mon Nov 16, 2020 9:23 pm

My vote is to eat a Provision (if that is allowed), and fight the raven, as I have a feeling that this is a trick and that the unassuming fluttering raven, as opposed to the venomous snake and snarling mountain lion, is the most dangerous of the three animals.

Darth Rabbitt · Post by **Darth Rabbitt** » Tue Nov 17, 2020 5:01 am

Agreed with JourneymanN00b.

SGamerz · Post by **SGamerz** » Tue Nov 17, 2020 10:07 am

JVG wolfs down a meal and restore his STAMINA back to 12, then chooses the raven.

It's the right choice. Picking the wrong option here (and getting 'killed' at any point in this story) leads to us getting kicked out of the story, although we don't die, and the implications are that we can still try this story again from the start the next day.

"You swing at the flapping black bird, twisting to avoid its swoops. The snake and the lion both fade in nothingness."

RAVEN SKILL 7 STAMINA 4

Fight the raven as normal; however, you may not die. If your STAMINA is reduced to zero or less, turn to 151. If you defeat the raven, turn to 95.

His SKILL is slightly higher, but we only need to get lucky twice to knock it out, so it's not hopeless...

COMBAT LOG:

Raven 16, JVG 12. JVG is at 10.
Raven 14, JVG 14. Tie.
Raven 11, JVG 14. Raven is at 2.
Raven 13, JVG 10. JVG is at 8.
Raven 19, JVG 13. JVG is at 6.
Raven 16, JVG 13. JVG is at 4.
Raven 12, JVG 12. Tie.
Raven 10, JVG 12. Raven is defeated.

Tough fight, but JVG prevails!

"As you hack the evil bird out of the air, its oily black feathers cascade down around you. You just place your foot on the first step leading to the door of the Omnipresent Tower when a voice from behind calls you back. It is Hanif Al-din Hasan, the loyal vizier of the Caliph of Khorasan. His clothing is torn and dirty, and his dust-begrimed face bears a partly healed wound.

"'In the name of Hazah, before you enter the tower, assist me," he pleads. "I have fled from Khorasan, where an evil sorcerer has replaced me with a sorcerous creature that resembles me exactly. If you will aid me, I can return to the palace, slay the impostor and set matters aright."

You may not have another chance to enter the tower. Instead, you should offer the vizier something to help him. Check your Adventure Sheet. Provided you have it, you may give him any one of the following items: Holy Symbol, Book of Craft, ruby ring, wizard's pouch, gold hex, vizier's robe, magic amulet, pistol and bullets, serrated knife or a sword. Cross off the item you give to him, then turn to 382.

We have 3 of the items listed (pistol and bullets are counted as a set). Which one do we give him?

Adventure Sheet:

Name: Jaime Van Ginyu
SKILL 5/5
STAMINA 13/13
LUCK 10/11
Money: Nil
Equipment: Rapier, Fine Red Clothes, Silver bullet, Rope of Human Hair,
Provisions: 1
Codewords: kal, missing

Companion (Switched)
SKILL 6/6
STAMINA 4/12
Equipment: Undyed clothes, Vizier's Robe, 12 Mirrors, Dagger, Magic Amulet, Lantern, Flintlock Pistol, box of powder, Lead bullet

Notes: Turn to 312 to go to Rangor Tower, turn to 158 to visit Al-Haddar, 3 crosses gained while in Kallamehr

Thaluikhain · Post by **Thaluikhain** » Tue Nov 17, 2020 10:11 am

The pistol doesn't seem right for this place. The robe doesn't seem useful, though it does same his clothes are torn and dirty.

Half vote for magic amulet.