[Let's Play] Fighting Fantasy 14 - Temple of Terror

[Beroli]

Release the Sprite.

[Queen of Swords]

Wasn't there a moment in a FF book where you released a sprite or an imp of some kind and it stole all your gold?

Regardless, free the sprite (hopefully smashing the glass ball doesn't mean the sprite dies in a hail of razor-edged shrapnel).

[Thaluikhain]

Release the tiny imprisoned person.

[Darth Rabbitt]

Release the Sprite.

[JourneymanN00b]

Votes registered, Captain Dirk Slayington will release the Sprite.

234
You tap the glass ball on one of the rocks and watch it break open like an egg. The tiny Sprite flies out, rejoicing at the top of his almost inaudible high-pitched voice. He thanks you over and over again for releasing him from the entrapment spell. He sprinkles some sparkling dust on your head and says it will bring you good fortune. Add 1 LUCK point. He also advises you to make a headscarf out of the sack and cord to keep the sun off your head, as it is still a long way to Vatos. As you begin to tear open the sack, the Sprite waves and flies away. With your head and neck protected, you stride off south (turn to 39).

39
Long before noon, you are desperately thirsty. If you possess a water canister, turn to 63. If you can and wish to cast a Create Water spell, turn to 281. If you have no means of drinking, turn to 355.

Captain Dirk Slayington does possess a water canister.

63
You pour all the precious water into your mouth and gulp it down swiftly. Staring into the empty canister, you begin to regret your action. You have no choice but to carry on, but at least you feel refreshed (turn to 116).

116
The sun’s relentless heat beats down on you, but there is nowhere on the desolate landscape to offer you shade. If you are wearing a headscarf, turn to 289. If you are bareheaded, turn to 275.
[spoiler][/spoiler]

Captain Dirk Slayington is wearing a headscarf.

289
Although the head is insufferable, your headscarf protects you from sunstroke, and you press resolutely on south (turn to 164).

164
[spoiler][/spoiler]
Staring into the shimmering haze, you see a high stone wall, less than half a kilometre away. Various stone towers and roofs inside the wall protrude above it. As you get closer, you see that wind-blown sand has drifted high against the wall and that no trail or track leads to the entrance gate, which is partly blocked with sand. ‘Vatos!’ a voice inside you shouts. If you wish to try to open the wooden side-door next to the entrance gate, turn to 382. If you can and wish to cast a Jump spell, turn to 54.

Please vote before 6:00 PM PDT to guarantee that it will be counted.

Adventure Sheet:
[spoiler]Captain Dirk Slayington
SKILL: 10 Initial Skill = 12
STAMINA: 9 Initial Stamina = 16
LUCK: 8 Initial Luck = 12
ITEMS OR EQUIPMENT CARRIED:
Sword
Shield
Leather Armour
Rucksack
Lantern
Arrows x1
Mirror
Water Canister (Empty)
Sealing-wax
Ivory Beetle Charm
Bracelet of Mermaid Scales
Crystal Key
Ebony Facemask
Bone Flute
Sandworm Tooth
GOLD: 12
SPELLS:
Open Door (-2 STAMINA)
Read Symbols (-1 STAMINA)
Detect Trap (-2 STAMINA)
Jump (-3 STAMINA)
PROVISIONS: 3[/spoiler]

[Queen of Swords]

Our Stamina will be pretty low after using a Jump spell, but I don't want to take a chance on the door being trapped. So, jump.

(Besides, I like the image of our hero leaping like an electrocuted rabbit)

[Darth Rabbitt]

Cast Jump, but eat a meal first.

[JourneymanN00b]

Votes registered, Captain Dirk Slayington will cast a Jump Spell and eat a Provision.

54
You say the words of the spell (deduct 3 STAMINA points) and leap with ease over the wall. You land gently in the middle of a deserted square. Turn to 111.

111
Looking around, you see no sign of life. On the opposite side of the square there is a large stone archway. It seems as good a place as any to start your search for the Dragon artefacts. You walk through the arch to a stone stairway which descends to a torch-lit corridor below. As you walk warily down the stone steps, you wonder where Malbordus might be. At the bottom of the steps, you see an iron casket. If you wish to open the casket, turn to 287. If you would rather walk south along the corridor, turn to 140.

Please vote before 9:00 AM PDT to guarantee that it will be counted.

Adventure Sheet:
[spoiler]Captain Dirk Slayington
SKILL: 10 Initial Skill = 12
STAMINA: 10 Initial Stamina = 16
LUCK: 8 Initial Luck = 12
ITEMS OR EQUIPMENT CARRIED:
Sword
Shield
Leather Armour
Rucksack
Lantern
Arrows x1
Mirror
Water Canister (Empty)
Sealing-wax
Ivory Beetle Charm
Bracelet of Mermaid Scales
Crystal Key
Ebony Facemask
Bone Flute
Sandworm Tooth
GOLD: 12
SPELLS:
Open Door (-2 STAMINA)
Read Symbols (-1 STAMINA)
Detect Trap (-2 STAMINA)
Jump (-3 STAMINA)
PROVISIONS: 2[/spoiler]

[Darth Rabbitt]

I have to wonder if that's a casket in the sense of "small treasure chest" or casket in the sense of "square coffin."

Either way, open it.

[Queen of Swords]

As you walk warily down the stone steps, you wonder where Malbordus might be. At the bottom of the steps, you see an iron casket.

This reads as if Malbordus might be in the iron casket. Open it anyway.

[Beroli]

Open the casket. If Malbordus is inside, stab him and then close it again.

[Queen of Swords]

Now I'm imagining a section which reads, "If you choose to stab Malbordus and then close the casket again, turn to 400."

[Thaluikhain]

Yeah, take the money open the box.

[JourneymanN00b]

Votes registered, Captain Dirk Slayington will open the casket.

287
You prise open the chest and find a polished iron helmet inside. If you wish to place the helmet on your head, turn to 97. If you would rather leave it and walk south along the corridor, turn to 140.

Please vote before 6:00 PM PDT to guarantee that it will be counted.

[Darth Rabbitt]

Going to say “put it on” in hopes that it’s a helmet of skill and not a helmet of clumsiness. Really could be either with Livingstone.

[Thaluikhain]

Put it on, because trying things is more interesting than not.

[Beroli]

Put it on.

[JourneymanN00b]

Sorry about the delay, work kept me late yet again. I have registered your votes to have Captain Dirk Slayington place the helmet on his head.

97
The helmet has been made by a skilful ironsmith. It will afford you greater protection. Add 1 SKILL point. Intent on finding the first Dragon artefact, you walk south along the corridor. Turn to 140.

140
[spoiler][/spoiler]
As you walk down the corridor, you suddenly feel a light tap on your shoulder. You spin around and see a horrifying creature with ragged clothes on its thin body. Its hollow eyes and mouth are filled with thick slime which makes its voice gurgle as it whispers the word ‘Death’ in your ear. The Messenger of Death then disappears, but somehow you know what has happened. The Messenger of Death is a sadistic killer who plays games with its victims. Staying ahead of you, it will place each letter of the word ‘death’ in various locations. Should you come across and read all the letters of the word, the Messenger of Death will reappear to revel in the sight of your life draining away. Malbordus’s assassin has given your search for artefacts an unwanted twist. Turn to 330.

330
The corridor ends at a T-junction; patterned drapes hang down from ceiling to floor on the far wall. Will you:

Pull back the drapes? Turn to 170
Turn left along the corridor? Turn to 335
Turn right along the corridor? Turn to 162

Please vote before 9:00 AM PDT to guarantee that it will be counted.

Adventure Sheet:
[spoiler]Captain Dirk Slayington
SKILL: 11 Initial Skill = 12
STAMINA: 10 Initial Stamina = 16
LUCK: 8 Initial Luck = 12
ITEMS OR EQUIPMENT CARRIED:
Sword
Shield
Leather Armour
Rucksack
Lantern
Arrows x1
Mirror
Water Canister (Empty)
Sealing-wax
Ivory Beetle Charm
Bracelet of Mermaid Scales
Crystal Key
Ebony Facemask
Bone Flute
Sandworm Tooth
Polished Iron Helmet (+1 SKILL)
GOLD: 12
SPELLS:
Open Door (-2 STAMINA)
Read Symbols (-1 STAMINA)
Detect Trap (-2 STAMINA)
Jump (-3 STAMINA)
PROVISIONS: 2[/spoiler]

[Thaluikhain]

Argh, stupid Messenger of Death that means we should avoid exploring.

Avoid drapes, go left.

[Queen of Swords]

I'm in favor of pulling the drapes back. I doubt the first letter will be that close to the Messenger of Death's appearance.

[Beroli]

Pull back the drapes.

I'm with Queen of Swords but also, the situation is a lot more diabolical than "we should avoid exploring." We need to find the five dragon statuettes. We need to not find the five letters of the word Death. If we find all ten we die. If we don't find all five dragon statuettes...we die.

[JourneymanN00b]

Votes counted, Captain Dirk Slayington will pull back the drapes, since that action won by a 2-1 vote.

170
You boldly throw back the drapes, half expecting a sign of death to be revealed. But there is merely a plain iron door, which, when you turn the handle, turns out to be unlocked. Will you:

Open the door? Turn to 365
Turn left along the corridor? Turn to 335
Turn right along the corridor? Turn to 162

Please vote before 6:00 PM PDT to guarantee that it will be counted.

EDIT: I mistyped the section for the "open the door" choice. Whoops.

[Beroli]

Open the door.

[Darth Rabbitt]

Open the door.

[JourneymanN00b]

IRL issues kept me down until now, but I have registered your votes to have Captain Dirk Slayington open the door.

365
(There was a mishap with the previous post when it came to typing out sections. 365 is the correct section for opening the door).
[spoiler][/spoiler]
You enter a dust-filled room, which has dried blood smeared all over its walls. There is a bucket hanging down from the ceiling on a rope just above your head. In the wall opposite you there is another door, and in the wall to the left there is a low arch from which you can hear the sound of scratching. A huge, black insect’s head suddenly appears out of the dark hole, followed by a long and many-legged body. The Giant Centipede rushes from its lair to bite you.

GIANT CENTIPEDE SKILL 9 STAMINA 7

If you win, turn to 393.

The fight:
[spoiler]Round 1: Giant Centipede Attack Strength: 20, Player Attack Strength: 21;
Giant Centipede Stamina: 5, Player Stamina: 10
Round 2: Giant Centipede Attack Strength: 16, Player Attack Strength: 20;
Giant Centipede Stamina: 3, Player Stamina: 10
Round 3: Giant Centipede Attack Strength: 20, Player Attack Strength: 15;
Giant Centipede Stamina: 3, Player Stamina: 8
Round 4: Giant Centipede Attack Strength: 16, Player Attack Strength: 15;
Giant Centipede Stamina: 3, Player Stamina: 6[/spoiler]

So here is the situation: The Giant Centipede has 3 Stamina, and Captain Dirk Slayington has 6 Stamina, triggering the question on whether Luck should be used to improve our hero’s chances of surviving the rest of the fight. If Luck should be used, should we use it to reduce the damage that Captain Dirk Slayington takes or to inflict additional damage?

The first choice to receive two votes (or two votes over all other choices) will be used to resolve the rest of the Giant Centipede battle. If no choice has a winning margin before 9:00 AM PDT, I will make the choice based on which votes are cast.

Adventure Sheet:
[spoiler]Captain Dirk Slayington
SKILL: 11 Initial Skill = 12
STAMINA: 6 Initial Stamina = 16
LUCK: 8 Initial Luck = 12
ITEMS OR EQUIPMENT CARRIED:
Sword
Shield
Leather Armour
Rucksack
Lantern
Arrows x1
Mirror
Water Canister (Empty)
Sealing-wax
Ivory Beetle Charm
Bracelet of Mermaid Scales
Crystal Key
Ebony Facemask
Bone Flute
Sandworm Tooth
Polished Iron Helmet (+1 SKILL)
GOLD: 12
SPELLS:
Open Door (-2 STAMINA)
Read Symbols (-1 STAMINA)
Detect Trap (-2 STAMINA)
Jump (-3 STAMINA)
PROVISIONS: 2[/spoiler]