[Let's Play] Fighting Fantazine Adventure 5: Bones of the Banished

[JourneymanN00b]

I vote to examine the weapons.

[Queen of Swords]

Last time, didn't examining the weapons get a spectre after us?

Half vote to try the mushrooms.

[JourneymanN00b]

Forgot about that. I will change my vote to check out the mushrooms then.

[Beroli]

The luminous fungus tastes strangely sweet and filling (restore 4 Stamina points) but it also has a deadly side effect. Your vision begins to blur, the straight lines of the tower’s stonework bending and warping before your eyes. Your new affliction makes it difficult to do much of anything-–reduce your Skill by 1 point (the effects will wear off in time: restore 1 point to your Skill once you have left the Cauldron). For now you stagger back into the tower, your vision pulsating in sickening waves.

Examine the weapons?
Go up the stairs?

Name: George
Sex: Male
Skill: 9/11
Stamina: 15/15
Luck: 10/10
Weapon: Dagger
Rucksack contents: Meal, Meal, Meal, Meal, Rope, strange wood-and-metal staff, Charm of Endurance, _________, _________, _________
Companions: Kuwi, Paru (+2 Attack Strength), Sefu (+2 Attack Strength)
Delays: 1
Special Notes: Circlet of Hamaskis, lit torch, hallucinating (+1 Skill on leaving the Cauldron)
Deaths: Mercilessly crushed by Thrandeus, eaten by a dragon, mercilessly crushed by Thrandeus, driven insane by a creature from nightmare, mercilessly crushed by Thrandeus, blown up by igniting natural gas

[JourneymanN00b]

I vote to go upstairs.

[Queen of Swords]

Yes, go upstairs.

[Beroli]

You clamber back up the staircase to the window where you first entered the tower. This time you are ready for the gap in the steps and jump it easily. Gain 1 Delays.

Only the dark opening remains.

(Yes, the columned building and the tower are truly very little more than danger-and-delays sinks.)

The humid heat of the surrounding jungle swiftly gives way to a chilling cold as you enter the gloomy opening. It is difficult to see anything in the darkness; if you still possess an unlit torch, you can choose to light it now, but you don't. You have a -4 Attack Strength penalty until you return to daylight.

You descend a steep set of stairs that plunge into the earth for what feels like hundreds of metres. Eventually they terminate at a tunnel that continues along for a short distance before meeting a T-junction. Hanging on the wall in front of you is a large stone disc, carved with the image of crossed swords above a mythical winged serpent. Below this is a metal plate engraved with peculiar markings that, thanks to the Circlet of Hamaskis, you can read.

I – XXVI < Behold the Kings of Celenasia > XXVII – LII

Go left?
Go right?

Name: George
Sex: Male
Skill: 9/11
Stamina: 15/15
Luck: 10/10
Weapon: Dagger
Rucksack contents: Meal, Meal, Meal, Meal, Rope, strange wood-and-metal staff, Charm of Endurance, _________, _________, _________
Companions: Kuwi, Paru (+2 Attack Strength), Sefu (+2 Attack Strength)
Delays: 2
Special Notes: Circlet of Hamaskis, lit torch, hallucinating (+1 Skill on leaving the Cauldron)
Deaths: Mercilessly crushed by Thrandeus, eaten by a dragon, mercilessly crushed by Thrandeus, driven insane by a creature from nightmare, mercilessly crushed by Thrandeus, blown up by igniting natural gas

[Queen of Swords]

Last time, going left got us 2 Luck Points, but we don't need that now. Go right, then.

[JourneymanN00b]

Sure, let's see of going right and giving in to fascism pays off.

[Beroli]

The passage continues on for a short way before coming to a dead end. Set into the walls of the passage are doorways, facing each other in pairs. Solid stone doors block most of the doorways, but the final ten are dark and empty. There are no handles in any of the doors, making the method of how to open them something of a mystery, but each is inscribed with a mysterious symbol.

You know that the Emperor at the time Celenasia fell was named Thrandeus the Mighty and that he was the forty-second emperor.

You stand before the doorway marked XLII – the tomb of Thrandeus, the forty-second and final king of Celenasia. You push and pull at the door, but to no avail; it will not budge. Finally, in desperation, you yell out to the door: ‘Open! Open so that I may look upon Thrandeus the Mighty!’

At your command, the door slowly grinds backwards and then slides to the side, clearing the doorway. You step into a massive, high-ceiling chamber, supported by rows of thick columns carved with disturbing, writhing shapes. Similar esoteric designs feature in the tapestries and paintings that line the walls. The richly-carpeted stone floors are piled high with trinkets of gold and silver and studded with valuable stones. Dominating the centre of the vast chamber is a mighty stone sarcophagus. In the far wall of the room are set two more stone doorways.

The treasure is of no interest to you at the moment.

Investigate the tomb?
Investigate the two doorways at the back of the chamber?

Name: George
Sex: Male
Skill: 9/11
Stamina: 15/15
Luck: 10/10
Weapon: Dagger
Rucksack contents: Meal, Meal, Meal, Meal, Rope, strange wood-and-metal staff, Charm of Endurance, _________, _________, _________
Companions: Kuwi, Paru (+2 Attack Strength), Sefu (+2 Attack Strength)
Delays: 2
Special Notes: Circlet of Hamaskis, lit torch, hallucinating (+1 Skill on leaving the Cauldron)
Deaths: Mercilessly crushed by Thrandeus, eaten by a dragon, mercilessly crushed by Thrandeus, driven insane by a creature from nightmare, mercilessly crushed by Thrandeus, blown up by igniting natural gas

[Queen of Swords]

Investigate the tomb.

[Thaluikhain]

Investigate tomb.

[Beroli]

The stone tomb is enormous, at least three metres long and a metre wide-–far too large for one man. The lid of the tomb is carved with the likeness of Thrandeus – an aged, bearded man with piercing eyes. Between his clasped stone hands is an empty socket where a jewel or stone of some kind has been prised loose.

You push against the lid of the sarcophagus and slowly it grinds aside. A cloud of noxious brown gas bursts from the inside of the tomb, enveloping your head. Before you can help yourself you inhale some of the foul stink. You have contracted Lung Rot, a crippling condition that severely weakens a sufferer in wet or damp areas. Already, here in this chilling crypt, you feel its debilitating effects taking hold; lose 1 Skill and 2 Stamina.

Eventually the cloud clears and you are able to see inside the king’s tomb. It is piled high with more riches: coins, crystals and jewellery – but no body. Evidently the final resting place of Thrandeus was not so final.

There is nothing else of interest in the sarcophagus. You investigate the doors at the back of the chamber.

Two more stone doors are set into the back wall of the crypt but, unlike the entrance to this chamber, they are much smaller and each has an iron ring bolted into its surface. Also affixed to each door is a brass nameplate – the one on the left reads ‘Andilicus – King’s Physician,’ while the one of the right reads ‘Vendictus – Court Sorcerer.’

Open the door on the left?
Open the door on the right?
Leave the chamber and explore the empty doorways at the end of the passage?

Name: George
Sex: Male
Skill: 8/11
Stamina: 13/15
Luck: 10/10
Weapon: Dagger
Rucksack contents: Meal, Meal, Meal, Meal, Rope, strange wood-and-metal staff, Charm of Endurance, _________, _________, _________
Companions: Kuwi, Paru (+2 Attack Strength), Sefu (+2 Attack Strength)
Delays: 2
Special Notes: Circlet of Hamaskis, lit torch, hallucinating (+1 Skill on leaving the Cauldron), Lung Rot
Deaths: Mercilessly crushed by Thrandeus, eaten by a dragon, mercilessly crushed by Thrandeus, driven insane by a creature from nightmare, mercilessly crushed by Thrandeus, blown up by igniting natural gas

[Thaluikhain]

Half vote left to see the physician as we are sick.

[Queen of Swords]

Agreed, try the physician.

[JourneymanN00b]

Check out the physician.

[Beroli]

Yanking on the iron ring, you pull open the heavy door, revealing a small, narrow chamber. There are only two things in the room. One is another stone sarcophagus, plain and unadorned. The other is the former owner of said sarcophagus-–the rotting remains of Andilicus, King’s Physician! The undead wretch staggers towards you, bony claws reaching for your throat!

CRYPT STALKER Skill 8 Stamina 7

Not having a magical weapon, you cannot hurt Andilicus. If the Crypt Stalker wins two consecutive Attack Rounds, it will wrap its claws around your neck and throttle you for 1d6 damage that round and each round until you break its grip by winning the Attack Round. If you win two consecutive Attack Rounds, you are able to shove your opponent to the ground, run out of the door, and slam it behind you.

Round One: George 14, Crypt Stalker 12.
Round Two: George 19, Crypt Stalker 15. You run out of the tomb and slam the door. Gain 1 Delays.

Open the door on the right?
Leave the chamber and explore the empty doorways at the end of the passage?

Name: George
Sex: Male
Skill: 8/11
Stamina: 13/15
Luck: 10/10
Weapon: Dagger
Rucksack contents: Meal, Meal, Meal, Meal, Rope, strange wood-and-metal staff, Charm of Endurance, _________, _________, _________
Companions: Kuwi, Paru (+2 Attack Strength), Sefu (+2 Attack Strength)
Delays: 3
Special Notes: Circlet of Hamaskis, lit torch, hallucinating (+1 Skill on leaving the Cauldron), Lung Rot
Deaths: Mercilessly crushed by Thrandeus, eaten by a dragon, mercilessly crushed by Thrandeus, driven insane by a creature from nightmare, mercilessly crushed by Thrandeus, blown up by igniting natural gas

[Queen of Swords]

No medical help to be found here.

Door on the right.

[Beroli]

It takes all your strength to open the door, but eventually it loosens and swings open. Behind it is a small, plain room with a small, plain sarcophagus, and little else.

Suddenly an apparition blinks into life beside you, glowing a pale, icy blue. It is the ghost of a tall man with a long black beard, clad in the flowing robes of a wizard. The spirit sweeps towards you, eyes blazing with cold fire!

Defend yourself?
Try to reason with the long-dead sorcerer?

Name: George
Sex: Male
Skill: 8/11
Stamina: 13/15
Luck: 10/10
Weapon: Dagger
Rucksack contents: Meal, Meal, Meal, Meal, Rope, strange wood-and-metal staff, Charm of Endurance, _________, _________, _________
Companions: Kuwi, Paru (+2 Attack Strength), Sefu (+2 Attack Strength)
Delays: 3
Special Notes: Circlet of Hamaskis, lit torch, hallucinating (+1 Skill on leaving the Cauldron), Lung Rot
Deaths: Mercilessly crushed by Thrandeus, eaten by a dragon, mercilessly crushed by Thrandeus, driven insane by a creature from nightmare, mercilessly crushed by Thrandeus, blown up by igniting natural gas

[Queen of Swords]

Try to reason with him.

[Thaluikhain]

Reason.

[Beroli]

‘So!’ croaks the spectral sorcerer, ‘another has come, and so soon.’ You keep your distance from the ethereal vision, ready to fight or flee at a split second’s notice.

‘Do not fear me,’ intones the ghost, ‘I mean you no harm. I am Vendictus, the court sorcerer of that abominable tyrant, Thrandeus. This whole valley was once the empire of Celenasia, the jewel of southern Allansia. For centuries it was a paragon of civilisation, unrivalled in its advances of science, magic and learning. That was until Thrandeus ascended to the throne. Petty and small-minded, he sought personal wealth and power above all else. The people suffered patiently under his cruel reign, for he was the emperor, descended of the divine. That was until he discovered the Portal.

Thrandeus delved deep into the earth in his pursuit of precious metals and stones, but no diamond or emerald could rival the value of the Slaver Gem, found at the foot of a mysterious gateway many leagues below ground. He quickly discovered that the Gem is possessed of incredible magic that can be used to dominate the wills of others, effectively enslaving their minds under his control.

Corrupted by its dark power, Thrandeus turned the Slaver Gem against his own people, forcing the citizens of the empire to live and die according to his whims and wants. Some resisted, and so began the Celenasian War. After much bloodshed, Thrandeus was overthrown and entombed with his cursed gem in this very crypt. Tragically, the damage that had been done was too great, and Celenasia was devoured by the earth for its sins.’

Vendictus trails off into silence, his ghostly features consumed with sadness. Gain 1 Delays.

Continue listening to his ramblings?
Interrupt him to ask for his help?

Name: George
Sex: Male
Skill: 8/11
Stamina: 13/15
Luck: 10/10
Weapon: Dagger
Rucksack contents: Meal, Meal, Meal, Meal, Rope, strange wood-and-metal staff, Charm of Endurance, _________, _________, _________
Companions: Kuwi, Paru (+2 Attack Strength), Sefu (+2 Attack Strength)
Delays: 4
Special Notes: Circlet of Hamaskis, lit torch, hallucinating (+1 Skill on leaving the Cauldron), Lung Rot
Deaths: Mercilessly crushed by Thrandeus, eaten by a dragon, mercilessly crushed by Thrandeus, driven insane by a creature from nightmare, mercilessly crushed by Thrandeus, blown up by igniting natural gas

[Queen of Swords]

Continue listening, because we're finally getting somewhere re : Thrandeus.

[Thaluikhain]

Continue listening, because I want to know if there is a connection with Portal of Evil.

[Beroli]

Vendictus continues his tale.

‘Peace returned to the land, but Celenasia was no more. Those who had witnessed the horrors of the war, such as I, remain trapped here, unable to find eternal rest. The centuries have passed slowly and painfully, with only tragic memories to keep me company.'

‘That was until a week or so ago, when a peculiar fellow found his way into this tomb. He was very similar in appearance to you, but lanky and possessed of an unwholesome air.’

You realise that Vendictus can only be talking about Ogmil, Valgrek’s despicable apprentice!

‘He seemed to know exactly what he was doing, for he went straight for the Slaver Gem and removed it from the sarcophagus of Thrandeus. The old emperor was not too pleased about that, as you can imagine!’ The wizard chuckles quietly to himself.

You tell Vendictus a tale of your own, about the Rite of Banishment and of how Valgrek used the Slaver Gem, for that is undoubtedly what it was, to enslave your tribe and spirit them away. The spirit ponders your story for a moment. Suddenly his eyes light up and he raises an ethereal finger. ‘Aha!’ he exclaims, ‘You have come to the right ghost! Being versed in the arts of magic as I am, I sought a mystic solution to the power of the Slaver Gem. I came up with this.’

Vendictus floats over to the far wall and plunges his incorporeal hands through the stone. When he pulls them back out they are clutching a magnificent crystal, shining with a golden glow.

‘The Halcyon Crystal,’ he proclaims proudly, ‘infused with all the powers of harmony, cooperation and empathy that humanity can muster. It is not as powerful as the Slaver Gem, but it was enough to give us a chance. Yes, it was enough.’

The wizard is lost in thought once more. Eventually he realizes that you are still in the room and drops the crystal into your hands. Immediately you are filled with an inner peace, the likes of which you have never experienced before-–restore 1 Skill point, 6 Stamina points and 2 Luck points!

‘The Halcyon Crystal was created for only one purpose – to combat the evil of the Slaver Gem. I can sense the Gem now, far to the east of the Cauldron and moving farther away with each passing moment. You must pursue it with all haste! Go in peace, brave warrior...’

With that, the spirit of Vendictus fades away. You leave the wizard’s tomb, armed with the location of Valgrek and your people; gain 1 Delays.

Back in the crypt of Thrandeus, you can only leave the chamber and explore the empty doorways at the end of the passage.

A chill runs through your body as you approach the empty doorways at the end of the passage. You peer into the first one; inside is a bare stone chamber. The second one is the same. You are about to look through the next doorway when a hulking figure emerges from it, reeking of death.

Once upon a time it may have been a human, but now it is a vile, rotting creature trailing strips of putrid flesh. Lank white hair hangs from its diseased scalp and bony jaw. Luminous green slime oozes out of the many ragged tears in the thing’s bulk, dripping down and sticking to the floor and walls in gelatinous strands.

‘Where is it?’ the corpse rumbles with a voice as cold as the grave, ‘Where is my precious gem?’

The towering being shambles towards you, ready to suck the life from your body. You face no ordinary undead-–this is a fiend possessed of elemental malice and fueled by its hatred for all living things!

THRANDEUS Skill 13 Stamina 18

You have the Halcyon Crystal.

As the rotting giant advances, the gloomy corridor is suddenly bathed in golden light. You realise it is coming from the Halcyon Crystal, which you brandish at your undead foe. Thrandeus howls in agony as the goodness instilled in the crystal burns away at his necrotic flesh. The unholy emperor crumples to the ground, his body hissing and popping, until all that is left is a foul-smelling pool of green slime.

Now that you know the secret of the crystal, you can attempt to use its power against any opponents you may face in the future.

You flee from the claustrophobic crypts, up the stairs and back into the blinding daylight. The warmth of the afternoon sun fills you with joy. You have faced the corrupt ruler of this fallen empire – now it is time to find your people. You head for the eastern rim of the Cauldron; with any luck there will be a way back up to the plains. You are so consumed with thoughts of what may lay ahead that you do not notice the snare that has been laid directly in your path. Test your Luck; a 4 succeeds.

Fortunately, your foot misses the vine snare, but Kuwi’s does not. It tightens about her ankle and hoists her off her feet and up into the air. At the same time, a humanoid figure bursts out of the bushes, plastered with mud and wielding a fearsome battle-axe. With horror you realise that the wild-looking figure is Wanushu, your tribe’s greatest warrior, second-in-command to your fallen chieftain and father of Kuwi!

She cries with happiness at the sight of her father, but they soon turn to screams when she sees his expressionless face and glowing red eyes. Wanushu stalks silently towards you, enthralled by the power of the Slaver Gem. You must defend yourself, but Kuwi cannot help you.

WANUSHU Skill 10 Stamina 10

Use the Halcyon Crystal?
Fight Wanushu (vote on how to use Luck if you choose this one)?

Name: George
Sex: Male
Skill: 10/11
Stamina: 15/15
Luck: 9/10
Weapon: Dagger
Rucksack contents: Meal, Meal, Meal, Meal, Rope, strange wood-and-metal staff, Charm of Endurance, Halcyon Crystal, _________, _________
Companions: Kuwi, Paru (+2 Attack Strength), Sefu (+2 Attack Strength)
Delays: 5
Special Notes: Circlet of Hamaskis, Lung Rot
Deaths: Mercilessly crushed by Thrandeus, eaten by a dragon, mercilessly crushed by Thrandeus, driven insane by a creature from nightmare, mercilessly crushed by Thrandeus, blown up by igniting natural gas