[Let's Play] Fighting Fantasy 10 - House of Hell

[JourneymanN00b]

Votes registered, Chris Redfield will choose duck in order to honor Donald Duck and the rest of the fallen Starship Traveller crew.

115

Your mouth waters as a roast duck is laid before you. The Earl is having the same, and you both chat as you eat. He wants to know how you came to be driving along this road in the middle of the night, and you tell him about the old man’s directions. You ask him about himself and his family. Turn to 28.

28

The Earl of Drumer is the last survivor of his family. His estate stretches for miles around the house. At one time the estate was prosperous, with many tenant farmers cultivating his land and providing a healthy income for his family. But things started to change. His sister died at the age of thirty-two under mysterious circumstances. She was found dead in a clearing in the woods with strange marks on her neck. News travelled fast, and the ignorant peasants started muttering about witchcraft and black magic. In their eyes, the house was cursed. Pure superstitious nonsense, of course, but gradually the farmers moved to new pastures, avoiding the estate.

By now you have finished your meal. Franklins returns to offer you fruit, cheese, coffee and brandy. Will you take:

Fruit, coffee and brandy? Turn to 224
Cheese, coffee and brandy? Turn to 74
Just cheese and coffee? Turn to 319

Please make your votes before 9:00 AM PST to guarantee that your votes will be counted.

[Beroli]

Fruit, coffee, and brandy.

This book, unsurprisingly for the survival horror genre, offers many chances, right from the start, to choose something trivial that makes it unwinnable.

[Queen of Swords]

Who was it called this "the boss battle of dinner"?

I remember the correct response so I'll abstain here.

[Darth Rabbitt]

Agreed with Beroli.

Honestly, this whole dinner segment feels like UK Steve was really struggling with that 400 section count. If there were less “you were doomed from the beginning” choices here (as I recall there are) I could appreciate it as an attempt to build suspense. I’ve heard that this book was originally shorter and published in a magazine; if so, I’m curious to see what that version is like. An abridged House of Hell that’s all killer, no filler might make the parts I found frustrating more bearable.

[Beroli]

The magazine version doesn't drop any of the dinner section,

though it does both switch the entire House from "avoid white wine" to "avoid red wine," and flip the dinner section from "must avoid being drugged to reach victory section" to "must be drugged to reach victory section," as the Kris knife is hidden in a drawer, there are no relevant passwords in the magazine, and Shekou has nothing of value to offer.

[Darth Rabbitt]

Weird.

[JourneymanN00b]

Votes counted, Chris Redfield will take fruit, coffee, and brandy.

224
Franklins brings them to you and you finish off your meal. ‘Well, my friend,’ says the Earl, ‘you must now be quite tired; it is well past midnight. Franklins will show you to your room.’ You thank him and follow the butler out of the dining room. ‘This way, if you please,’ he says as he leads you up a magnificent wide staircase with carved wooden banisters. A landing at the top leads to various different rooms, each with a name-plaque on the door. He takes you to one which reads ‘Erasmus Room’ and opens the door, wishing you a good night’s sleep. Turn to 5.

5
The bedroom has been prepared for you. The room is not large, but a huge mirror appears to double its size. Crisp white sheets have been folded back on the bed, and a warm fire burns in the fireplace. The door closes as the butler leaves the room and you walk over to the fire. Your situation is a little worrying. If you don’t get going quickly, you will never make your appointment; but if it is true that there is no phone you can use, what else can you do? Maybe you should just hang your wet clothes in front of the fire and climb into bed (turn to 23); or would you rather leave the room (turn to 59)?

Please make your votes before 6:00 PM PST to guarantee that your votes will be counted.

[Omegonthesane]

My genre savvy says sleeping the night will make it our last night. Leave the room.

[Darth Rabbitt]

Yeah, avoid sleeping.

[Beroli]

Go to sleep.

[JourneymanN00b]

Votes registered, leaving the room wins 2-1.

59

The door is locked! It seems that your hosts certainly don’t want you prowling around the house. Do you want to try to break down the door (turn to 79), or climb into bed (turn to 23)? If you prefer, you could pretend to go to bed, switch out the light and wait to see what happens (turn to 63).

Please make your votes before 9:00 AM PST to guarantee that your votes will be counted.

[Queen of Swords]

Go to bed and wait to see what happens. I doubt trying to break down the door (without even a weapon) will be productive.

[Beroli]

Pretend to go to bed and wait.

[Thaluikhain]

Yeah, pretend and see.

[Darth Rabbitt]

Pretend to be asleep.

[JourneymanN00b]

Votes registered, Chris Redfield will pretend to go to bed, switch out the light and wait to see what happens.

63

You wait in the darkness. Apart from the rain driving against the window, the house is silent. How long will you have to wait before someone appears? All night? The thought of sitting in the darkness all night makes you a little uneasy and you must add 1 FEAR point. But then you hear a shuffling noise in the corridor outside your room. Turn to 158.

158
You can hear slow footsteps approaching your room. They stop outside the room and a key rattles as it unlocks your door! You must quickly decide whether to jump into bed and pretend to be asleep (turn to 179) or to hide behind the door to surprise whoever is about to come in (turn to 373).

Please make your votes before 6:00 PM PST to guarantee that your votes will be counted.

Adventure Sheet:

Chris Redfield
SKILL: 9 Initial Skill = 12 Starting Skill = 9 (Initial Skill – 3)
STAMINA: 15 Initial Stamina = 15
LUCK: 8 Initial Luck = 8
ITEMS OR EQUIPMENT CARRIED:
None
FEAR: Maximum Fear = 10 Current Fear (Starts at zero): 1
NOTES:
None

[Omegonthesane]

Hide behind the door (and hope it doesn't lock us into ambushing the visitor before examining them)

[Beroli]

Lurk in ambush behind the door.

[Darth Rabbitt]

Hide behind the door.

[JourneymanN00b]

Votes counted, Chris Redfield is hiding behind the door to surprise whoever is about to come in.

373

The door opens slowly and a man shuffles into the room carrying a glass containing a clear liquid. He appears to be bent double and his movements are slow. As he gets nearer to the bed, you realize he will soon notice that you are not there. Do you want to nip out of the room quickly and lock the door behind you (turn to 350) or will you leap on the man and attack him (turn to 399)?

Please make your votes before 9:00 AM PST to guarantee that your votes will be counted.

[Queen of Swords]

I think we can tackle a slow, shuffling man. That's for bringing us a club soda! We specifically ordered an espresso!

[Thaluikhain]

Half vote for nip out. Also, does our character know the people are hostile and he should start with the murderising yet?

[Beroli]

Clear liquid? Sounds like white wine. KILL HIM! Or at least beat him up.

In all seriousness, to what Thaluikhain asked, some Fighting Fantasy gamebooks (Scorpion Swamp) can be completed while avoiding metagaming. This...is not one of them. Remotely.

[Darth Rabbitt]

I don't think a bent over, slow-moving man is going to be a threat to a SKILL 12 murder machine, even with the penalty for being unarmed. Let's beat him up.

[JourneymanN00b]

Votes registered, Chris Redfield leaps on the man and attacks him.

399
Your visitor is a HUNCHBACK and he is both surprised and frightened as you leap on him. Resolve your battle:

HUNCHBACK SKILL 7 STAMINA 7

When you have reduced his STAMINA to 4 points or less, turn to 220.

The fight:

Round 1: Hunchback Attack Strength: 18, Player Attack Strength: 19;
Hunchback Stamina: 5, Player Stamina: 15
Round 2: Hunchback Attack Strength: 14, Player Attack Strength: 14;
Hunchback Stamina: 5, Player Stamina: 15
Round 3: Hunchback Attack Strength: 17, Player Attack Strength: 17;
Hunchback Stamina: 5, Player Stamina: 15
Round 4: Hunchback Attack Strength: 9, Player Attack Strength: 16;
Hunchback Stamina: 3, Player Stamina: 15
Hunchback’s Stamina is reduced to 4 points or less

Chris Redfield gets the Hunchback’s Stamina to 3 without taking a hit.

220

The poor, miserable creature pleads for mercy. He is such a pitiful sight that you step back as he grovels on the floor. He will do you no harm and thanks you continually for sparing his life. Do you now wish to leave the room, locking him in behind you (turn to 350) or will you try to force him to answer your questions (turn to 234)?

Please make your votes before 6:00 PM PST to guarantee that your votes will be counted.