[Let's Play] Fighting Fantasy 59 - Curse of the Mummy

[SGamerz]

Many of the tombs have been broken open and looted, while others are no more than piles of rubble. More disturbingly, however, you notice that the majority of those charnel-houses broken into have also had their sarcophagi smashed open - and the bodies are hissing. You begin to feel very uneasy, wandering among the empty burial sites, and you decide to get away from here as quickly as possible.

It is then that you hear dreadful moaning as a chorus of dead voices announce their presence. Blocking your way back is a horde of shambling, bandaged horrors. Some still look quite human, while others have become decayed, mouldering, bandage-wrapped skeletons. Will you face the Mummies and try to force a way through their ranks, or will you flee?

[Queen of Swords]

I don't think we can fight a horde. Flee.

[Darth Rabbitt]

Yeah, flee.

[Queen of Swords]

Wait, I just reread the paragraph more closely and realized the mummies are blocking our way back (our way back to the route leading to the temple). So where do we flee to?

I'm not sure what would be the safer option now, but I'm leaning towards trying to fight our way past them. Half a vote for doing this.

[JourneymanN00b]

I vote to force a way through their ranks in order to be able to escape the area.

[Darth Rabbitt]

Oh, good point. Maybe we can torch the lot of them.

[SGamerz]

What will you use against the Mummies: your sword or fire?

[JourneymanN00b]

Fire.

[Queen of Swords]

We don't have a source of fire except for our lantern, which is our light source. We'll probably have to fight them with our sword.

[JourneymanN00b]

Wait, can Firepowder be used here as the source of the fire attack? If not, then I vote to switch to using our hero's sword.

[Darth Rabbitt]

Wait, can Firepowder be used here as the source of the fire attack? If not, then I vote to switch to using our hero's sword.

My vote is entirely dependent on the answer to this question.

[SGamerz]

I guess I'll show you what happens if you choose to use fire:

There are two ways in which you can fight the Mummies with fire. The first is to use a torch, if you have one, as a weapon. If you do this, tum to 325 and fight as normal; however, if you win an Attack Round, your weapon will inflict 4 STAMINA points of damage rather than the usual 2. (If you choose this course of action, you must also reduce your Attack Strength by 1 point because you are using an unfamiliar weapon.)

The second method involving fire is to throw a fire source - such as a lamp, a Yokka Egg or a burning skin of oil - at the corpse. Roll one dice and add 2: this is the number of undead you will have to get past. For each Mummy you attack in this way, Test your Skill; if you succeed, the Mummy perishes in flames. If you destroy all your opponents this way, you break through the Mummies' ranks and run to the shrines or the Temple of Sithera. If you fail to stop all the Mummies this way, or if you run out of fire sources, tum to 325 but ignore the instruction there to roll dice.

2 things:

1) It doesn't say that we can't use our light source, so probably we do not need one in this city right now and our torch is usable.

2) Firepowder isn't listed as a throwable source, but considering that's its entire purpose, I think it's fair to count it as one (the wording says "such as", so it need not mean every item allowed has been listed). I will allow Firepowder to be usable here if you wish to use it. But do note that it only destroys 1 Mummy if used.

Number of mummies we face = 5 + 2 = 7! We will need to fight at least 6 even if we use the Firepowder.

Now, you need to decide whether and which fire sources you wish to use against the mummies.

[Queen of Swords]

I don't want to waste the Firepowder on one mummy. Use our light source to destroy one mummy, and then use our sword on the other six (and hope this doesn't lead to our adventure ending here).

[JourneymanN00b]

I vote not to use our light source and Firepowder, and just to use our sword against the seven mummies.

[Thaluikhain]

Hmm, thinking not use our light source and just use our sword.

[SGamerz]

Boris faces the mummies with just his sword:

The Mummies move forward stiffly to attack the one they believe has defiled their resting-places. Roll one die and add 2 to the number rolled; this is the number of Mummies you must get past in order to reach freedom. Because they are so slow-moving, you can fight them one at a time. However, if any individud battle should last more than nine Attack Rounds, tum to 399 immediately. (Any Mummies you have already destroyed come from the top of the list.)

ANCIENT MUMMY SKILL 7 STAMINA 9
FESTERING MUMMY SKILL 8 STAMINA 8
DENU OF TEZRA SKILL 8 STAMINA 10
LORD SARROTH SKILL 9 STAMINA 12
ZOTH-LAR SKILL 9 STAMINA 11
CROWNED MUMMY SKILL 8 STAMINA 11
DECAYED MUMMY SKILL 7 STAMINA 10
PTAHNEM THE MIGHTY SKILL 10 STAMINA 12

If you should defeat all the Mummies, you make good your escape to the shrines or the black pyramid before they can come back to life!

We already determined that we have to fight 7 of them. At least we don't have to deal with the 8th, which would have been the strongest one.

Individually none of them are much of a threat, but an event triggers if any of the individual combats last longer than 9 rounds. Pausing here to let you guys decide whether you wish to use LUCK to speed up the fight against any particular mummy.

[JourneymanN00b]

I vote to use Luck if our hero's Stamina gets to 5.

[Queen of Swords]

That sounds reasonable. We have 8 Provisions, so hopefully we can regain all the lost Stamina once we win.

[SGamerz]

COMBAT LOG:
Ancient Mummy 13, Boris O’Connell 17. AM is at 7.
AM 14, BOC 15. AM is at 5.
AM 10, BOC 22. AM is at 3.
AM 16, BOC 23. AM is at 1.
AM 14, BOC 17. AM is destroyed.
Festering Mummy 16, BOC 19. FM is 6.
FM 16, BOC 15. BOC is at 12.
FM 14, BOC 18. FM is at 4.
FM 16, BOC 18. FM is at 2.
FM 10, BOC 19. FM is destroyed.
Denu of Tezra 11, BOC 17. DoT is at 8.
DoT 18, BOC 22. DoT is at 6.
DoT 16, BOC 19. DoT is at 4.
DoT 17, BOC 18. DoT is at 2.
DoT 12, BOC 18. DoT is destroyed.
Lord Sarroth 14, BOC 22. LS is at 10.
LS 15, BOC 15. Tie.
LS 11, BOC 15. Ls is at 8.
LS 16, BOC 18. Ls is at 6.
LS 16, BOC 16. Tie.
LS 19, BOC 17. BOC is at 10.
LS 13, BOC 23. Ls is at 4.
LS 21, BOC 23. Ls is at 2.
LS 13, BOC 15. Ls is destroyed.
Zoth-Lar 15, BOC 19. ZL is at 9.
ZL 18, BOC 17. BOC is at 8.
ZL 13, BOC 21. ZL is at 7.
ZL 16, BOC 15. BOC is at 6.
ZL 14, BOC 17. ZL is at 5.
ZL 18, BOC 15. BOC is at 4.
ZL 15, BOC 15. Tie.
ZL 16, BOC 18. Luck Test roll = 11 (Lucky) ZL is at 1.
ZL 17, BOC 18. ZL is destroyed.
Crowned Mummy 14, BOC 23. Luck Test roll = 4 (Lucky). CM is at 7.
CM 10, BOC 15. CM is at 5.
CM 15, BOC 19. CM is at 3.
CM 15, BOC 19. CM is at 1.
CM 15, BOC 16. CM is destroyed.
Decayed Mummy 15, BOC 19. DM is at 8.
DM 12, BOC 19. DM is at 6.
DM 14, BOC 20. DM is at 4.
DM 14, BOC 16. DM is at 2.
DM 12, BOC 24. DM is destroyed.

Boris survives the gauntlet with 2 close shaves (as expected, against the 2 highest-skilled mummies). It wasn't just that his STMAINA is down to 4, but both Zoth-Lar and Lord Sarroth lasted exactly 9 rounds against him. One more round for either of them and it would have been Game Over!

Boris heads for the black pyramid, since he's already been to the shrines.

Before you stands the forbidding black pyramid that is the Temple of Sithera! Your quarry and your fate lie within. At the foot of the pyramid, an avenue of pillars leads up to a large dark opening, in front of which you can see two guards dressed in Djaratian garb. Will you boldly walk up to the entrance or look for another way into the temple?

Which way do we enter (and I suppose you should also decide how many meals we should consume before going in)?

Adventure Sheet:
[spoiler]Name: Boris O’Connell
SKILL 12/12
STAMINA 4/18
LUCK 10/12
Poison: 4/18
Equipment: Sword, backpack, Rope and Grapple, Firepowder (can be thrown at opponent at start of combat, hit after successful Skill test for 1D6 damage), Lantern + Skin of Oil (default light source), Crystal Pyramid, Papyrus Scroll (subtract 20 from section number to translate hieroglyphic script), Statuette of Assamarra, God of the Sand, Ankh (Key of Life, set with 12 precious stones), Jet Cat, Earthenware jar (x4), Gold statue of Cracca, Lord of Rivers and Ferryman of the Gods, Dajaratian Book of the Dead, Falcon Breastplate (60 feathers), Golden Key ('34' inscribed on it), Malachite Amulet, Eye Amulet, Iron Wand, Sun Talisman (24 rays of light projecting from it), Waters of Life (can be drunk at any time outside combat, turn to 355 for effect when drunk)
Provisions: 8
Gold: 3
Extra Lives remaining: 2
Notes: We received Cranno's Warning. "And all those who would despoil the shrine of Cracca, Lord of Rivers and Ferryman of the Gods, beware the wrath of the crocodile-headed one." We gained the Wisdom of Khunam (understanding of ancient Djaratian speech - add 30 to section number when spoken to in that language). Dajaratian dead making their journey through the underworld must face thirteen hazards. Akharis gains strength from his coffin.
[/spoiler]

[Thaluikhain]

Eat 3 meals and find another way in.

(We have an awful lot of equipment in this book)

[SGamerz]

(We have an awful lot of equipment in this book)

I think that can be said for most of the books at this range, because they're mostly written by Martin, Green or Livingstone, and all 3 were at in the "collect everything that isn't nailed down to win" mode at this stage of their career.

We should take a look at the Adventure Sheet of the Island of the Undead thread at the end of the LP (assuming we come anywhere close to the end for that one) and compare.

[Queen of Swords]

Agreed, three meals and find another way in.

[SGamerz]

3 meals down, STAMINA up to 16, and Boris checks for other entrances:

Keeping out of sight of the guards, you creep round the side of the pyramid and soon discover an alternative way into the temple. There is a small hole, halfway up the side of the pyramid several metres above you. You could easily scramble up to it - but it could be a trap. Do you want to risk it and climb up to the hole, or will you use the main entrance after all?

Adventure Sheet:
[spoiler]Name: Boris O’Connell
SKILL 12/12
STAMINA 16/18
LUCK 10/12
Poison: 4/18
Equipment: Sword, backpack, Rope and Grapple, Firepowder (can be thrown at opponent at start of combat, hit after successful Skill test for 1D6 damage), Lantern + Skin of Oil (default light source), Crystal Pyramid, Papyrus Scroll (subtract 20 from section number to translate hieroglyphic script), Statuette of Assamarra, God of the Sand, Ankh (Key of Life, set with 12 precious stones), Jet Cat, Earthenware jar (x4), Gold statue of Cracca, Lord of Rivers and Ferryman of the Gods, Dajaratian Book of the Dead, Falcon Breastplate (60 feathers), Golden Key ('34' inscribed on it), Malachite Amulet, Eye Amulet, Iron Wand, Sun Talisman (24 rays of light projecting from it), Waters of Life (can be drunk at any time outside combat, turn to 355 for effect when drunk)
Provisions: 5
Gold: 3
Extra Lives remaining: 2
Notes: We received Cranno's Warning. "And all those who would despoil the shrine of Cracca, Lord of Rivers and Ferryman of the Gods, beware the wrath of the crocodile-headed one." We gained the Wisdom of Khunam (understanding of ancient Djaratian speech - add 30 to section number when spoken to in that language). Dajaratian dead making their journey through the underworld must face thirteen hazards. Akharis gains strength from his coffin.
[/spoiler]

[Queen of Swords]

I'd rather risk this than go straight for the main entrance. So, hole.

[JourneymanN00b]

I vote to climb up to the hole.